RTHK: Boris Johnson faces down cabinet ministers

Boris Johnson on Wednesday refused to quit as Britain's prime minister, despite calls from senior ministerial colleagues to go after dozens of resignations from his scandal-hit government.

A cabinet delegation had awaited his return to Downing Street from a lengthy grilling by a parliamentary committee to tell him his time was up.

It was said to include hard-line interior minister Priti Patel and Nadhim Zahawi, who has barely been 24 hours in his new job of finance minister.

But two staunchly pro-government outlets, the Daily Mail and The Sun, as well as other media said Johnson had refused to bow to their calls for him to go.

The Sun's political editor Harry Cole tweeted that a cabinet minister had told him "the PM is going to fight" and a reshuffle was on the cards, even though more senior figures were set to resign.

"Boris Johnson has told cabinet ministers he will not quit, arguing it would cause 'chaos' and see the Conservatives fall to 'almost certain' defeat at the next election," his counterpart at the Mail, Jason Groves, wrote.

Johnson's grip on power has been slipping since Tuesday night, when Rishi Sunak resigned as finance minister and Sajid Javid quit as health secretary.

Both said they could no longer tolerate the culture of scandal that has dogged Johnson for months, including lockdown lawbreaking in Downing Street.

By Wednesday evening, 39 ministers and their Tory MP aides had quit over the prior 24 hours, mostly from more junior positions outside the cabinet.

At the parliamentary committee and an earlier question and answer session with lawmakers in parliament, Johnson defiantly vowed to get on with the job.

"What we need is stable government, loving each other as Conservatives, getting on with our priorities, that is what we need to do," he said.

Earlier, Javid urged other ministers to resign.

"The problem starts at the top, and I believe that is not going to change," he said.

"And that means that it is for those of us in that position -- who have responsibility -- to make that change."

Cries of "bye, Boris" echoed around the chamber at the end of his speech.

Most Tories were conspicuously silent when Johnson attacked the Labour opposition at prime minister's questions. Some shook their heads.

Sunak and Javid quit as Johnson apologised for appointing senior Conservative MP Chris Pincher deputy chief whip, only for him to quit last week following accusations he drunkenly groped two men.

Former education secretary Zahawi was immediately handed the finance brief and acknowledged the uphill task ahead.

"You don't go into this job to have an easy life," Zahawi told Sky News.

Days of shifting explanations had followed Pincher's resignation.

Downing Street at first denied Johnson knew of prior allegations against him when promoting Pincher in February.

But by Tuesday, that defence had collapsed after a former top civil servant said Johnson, as foreign minister, was told in 2019 about another incident involving his ally.

Minister for children and families Will Quince quit early Wednesday, saying he was given inaccurate information before having to defend the government in a round of media interviews Monday.

Tory critics said the Pincher affair had tipped many over the edge, accusing the prime minister of turning a blind eye to sexual assault.

Johnson only narrowly survived a no-confidence vote among Conservative MPs a month ago, which ordinarily would mean he could not be challenged again for another year.

But the influential "1922 Committee" of non-ministerial Tory MPs is reportedly seeking to change the rules, with its executive committee Wednesday announcing it will elect a fresh lineup of members next week.

Johnson's refusal to resign means he would likely face a second confidence vote. The Sun's Cole said he had been told the prime minister sees it as "parliament V the people".

A snap Savanta ComRes poll Wednesday indicated that three in five Conservative voters say Johnson cannot regain the public's trust, while 72 percent of all voters think he should resign.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, a cabinet loyalist and Johnson's "minister for Brexit opportunities", earlier dismissed the growing resignations as "little local difficulties".

But Sunak's departure in particular, in the middle of policy differences over a cost-of-living crisis sweeping Britain, was dismal news for Johnson.

The prime minister, who received a police fine for the so-called "Partygate" affair, faces a parliamentary probe into whether he lied to MPs about the revelations.

Pincher's departure from the whips' office -- charged with enforcing party discipline and standards -- marked yet another allegation of sexual misconduct by Tories in recent months, recalling the "sleaze" that dogged John Major's government in the 1990s.

Two Conservative MPs were forced to resign in recent weeks, forcing by-elections that were won by opposition parties, concentrating the minds of party critics who fear a wider reckoning with the electorate if Johnson stays. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-07-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Seven rescued from Cambodia human trafficking ring

Seven people in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai have been rescued after being trafficked to Cambodia.















Five of the seven victims



Gia Lai Provincial Border Guard announced on July 7 that they had safely brought home seven men aged between 16-28 from Cambodia to Gia Lai Province through Moc Bai Border Gate.



The men were cheated by a human trafficking ring led by Tran Quang Quyet, 21, who took the men to work at a casino in Cambodia.



Gia Lai Provincial Border Guard also said that they had started legal proceedings against Tran Quang Quyet for allegedly trafficking seven local Jrai ethnic people to Cambodia. Local authorities have also completed the procedures to hand over the case to the Ministry of Public Securitys Investigative Police Agency for further investigation.



A preliminary investigation revealed that at the start of the year Tran Quang Quyet, 21, residing in neighbouring Kon Tum province, was initially tricked into entering Cambodia to work for a company, and by June he owed the firm over VND100 million (USD4,348).



He received a proposal from two Vietnamese women in Cambodia that he would be paid USD700 for each person he could bring into Cambodia.



On June 19 - 20, Quyet persuaded seven men from La O Commune in Gia Lai to work in Tay Ninh Province which borders Cambodia and from there the men were illegally transported into the neighbouring country.


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A discussion and demonstration, including forming of a human chain, was organised by Bangladesh Social Activist Forum at the National Press Club here.

Several demonstrations were held in various places including elsewhere in Dhaka and Narayanganj on the capital's outskirts.

Protests by people holding banners and posters with human chains and railing against the Chinese government's oppression of Uyghurs were organized by Sochetan Nagorik Samaj, Narayanganj.

The Bharat Bangladesh Sampriti Sangsad (BBSS) welfare forum organised a cycle race in Dhaka, which was attended by a large number of people, coming forward in support of minorities on the Chinese mainland.

Chinese authorities have been accused of imposing mass arbitrary detention, forced labour, systematic forced birth control, sterilisation, and torture, separating children from incarcerated parents, destroying culture, and other human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

Thirteen years ago, on July 5, 2009, violent riots broke out in Urumqi, leaving 197 people dead with 1,721 others injured. The Chinese government launched a crackdown against Uyghurs.

--IANS sumi/vd

( 214 Words)

2022-07-06-23:26:02 (IANS)
New Delhi [India], July 7 (ANI/PRNewswire): Agriculture Insurance Company of India Limited (AICIL), a nationalised insurance company under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, has signed a three-year agreement with Wingsure, an insurtech company that leverages artificial intelligence and deep technology to protect farmers worldwide. As part of the agreement, Wingsure will use its advanced technology capabilities to significantly strengthen the accessibility of insurance products and services to farmers in India; curate and promote AICIL's comprehensive portfolio of agriculture insurance products and enable its channels, including groups and partner brokers, to distribute on its mobile app. Agriculture and the allied sectors are the largest sources of livelihood in India, with most rural households dependent primarily on agriculture and 86 per cent of holdings being small and marginal. However, farmers are vulnerable to the impact of climate change and other livelihood risks and have sub-optimal access to risk awareness programs and modern resources. Launched to support economic empowerment with transparency and promote sustainability through modern agricultural practices, Wingsure's application leverages advanced computer vision, augmented reality, and voice capabilities to provide intelligence and facilitate the underwriting and insurance claims processes for small holder farmers. The partnership will have access to more than 40 million farmers in India and focus on transforming how farmers mitigate and adapt to climate change and other livelihood related risks. Malay Poddar, Chairman and Managing Director, AICIL, said, "We firmly believe that technology implementation is key to providing insurance and thereby protecting the underserved. Through our association, we will utilise the Wingsure technology platform to support our vision of how farmers can leverage insurance to mitigate risk." Avi Basu, Founder, and CEO of Wingsure said, "Wingsure's deep-tech platform revolutionizes how small holder farmers leverage insurance and financial products to protect their livelihood. It is designed to provide optimal access to risk awareness programs, climate smart practices & other modern resources as well as government backed schemes. The application uses AI and machine learning (ML) to rapidly process insurance underwriting and claims. We are excited to partner with AICIL in their vision to use technology for strengthening farmers' resilience in India." AICIL, controlled by the Government of India, has been implementing the crop insurance schemes of the Government of India since 2003-04. Currently, AICIL is implementing, inter alia, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Bangla Shasya Bima Scheme (BSBS), and Restructured Weather-based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) and many of it proprietary agriculture insurance products. Wingsure leverages artificial intelligence and deep technology to protect farmers worldwide. The company operates in developing nations, as well as advanced countries, focusing on growers who are locked out of traditional financial services. Wingsure is dedicated to providing farmers with competitive levels of technology and security to maintain the dignity and sustainability of individuals worldwide. This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire)
New Delhi [India], July 7 (ANI/SRV): Alfred Jordan Private Limited, a multi-domain,one-desk consulting firm, has been awarded by The CEO Magazine, as the 20 Most Valuable Consulting Firms in India for the year 2022 in the Non-Resident Indian (NRI), Expat and International Clients in India. Rohit Bajoria, Partner at Alfred Jordan said, "We at Alfred Jordan are consistently making efforts to help our NRI, Expat & International Clients, achieve their business, professional and personal goals, by providing multi-domain consulting services in India. The objective is to execute and advise on transactions, in the most tax-efficient manner with 100 per cent cross-border compliance. The Number 1 priority of our Team of seasoned professionals is our client's interests and objectives and we go all out, to achieve it, with full expertise, dependability and transparency." With more than 50 years of experience in the industry, the consulting firm provides various multi-domain services, from NRI & International Tax, Legal (Property), Valuation (Government Approved) to DTAA & Repatriation under a single umbrella. Yearly Tax Returns, or Property Transaction Taxation, POA, Will's & Probates, Inheritance, Double Tax Avoidance, 15CA, 15CB Certificates, sending Funds out of India after Tax & RBI Clearances and many more services are well sought by Clients and all the services can be executed without having to come to India. Alfred Jordan has a 'PTA Desk' (Property Transaction Advisory) which specializes in advising NRI Clients on property sales and repatriation where NRIs can sell off a property in India and repatriate the proceeds, without even coming to India. The availability of an International Tax Consultant, Lawyer, and Valuer as well as a Property Brokerage team under one umbrella, ensures a seamless transaction for a client based overseas. The Team has a record of the highest number of Tax Exemption Certificates for NRIs issued by the Income Tax Department. By virtue of this, most clients pay minimal taxes and that too, in a 100 per cent compliant manner. They are also a corporate member, of the National Association of Realtors in India (NAR), among many other associations. During its operation, Alfred Jordan has been providing services to clients across more than 40 countries, including the USA, UK, Canada, Singapore, Middle East, and Australia, for a couple of decades through its Branches across India. This made Alfred Jordan, not just a consulting firm that provides help and solutions to its clients, but also a commitment to building a strong, trust-based relationship with its clients and becoming the local consultant for the global Indians. Alfred Jordan is also well-known for its one-stop solution with seamless cross-practice services, simplifying complex tax rules, proven track record with a high success ratio, extensive experience in handling high net-worth individuals, NRI, RNRI, Expatriates and International Clients, and good credibility with tax authorities and with an objective to keep Clients 100 per cent compliant, keeping in mind the ever-changing regulations and laws. Alfred Jordan services are simplified into only five simple steps to do a transaction (Registration, Selection of a Plan, Make Payment, Upload Details, Transaction Processing). As per them, more than 80 per cent of their NRI & International Clients end up getting tax refunds every year, which is one of the highest in India. To avail of the services, the client needs to sign up online for free or drop a message on email or WhatsApp or speak to their Advisors on their helpline. Next, the client needs to choose what service they want or call/message the Advisory team to select the appropriate service and plan. Clients can choose from the list of plans with their respective fees, which by far, is one of the lowest in the country keeping in mind the quality of services starting at Rs 5000. After selecting a suitable plan, the client will be directed to make a secured payment for the service and will receive a confirmation receipt right after. To complete the process, the client needs to provide few more details and upload the documents (if required). Upon the completion, the client needs to wait for Alfred Jordan to process the service, and the client can track it anytime in their account. At all points of time, there are 2 Advisors attached to a Client and all Filings are done only after Client approvals, which is one of the first in the industry and provides safety security to Clients. All document details are secured with full confidentiality clauses. Alfred Jordan has a wide range of clients, right from the top to the bottom of the pyramid. There are plans and fees suitable for all NRI, Expats & International individuals. Their clients include Doctors, Engineers, Bankers, Oil & Gas, Mining, IT Professionals, Scientists, International Sportsmen, Celebrities, Media Personalities, Lawyers, and Social Workers among others. On asking if Alfred Jordan plans to start services for Resident Indians, Rohit Bajoria, Partner at Alfred Jordan said, "We are pioneers in providing Cross Border Transaction & Compliance services to NRI's, Expats & International Clients in India. We plan to operate in our domain of expertise, to maintain the quality, professionalism and transparency to meet an objective of one lakh happy NRI & Expat Clients soon." To know more about Alfred Jordan in general, visit https://www.alfredjordan.com/ For specifically in Property related, visit https://www.alfredjordan.com/nri-property-transaction-advisory This story is provided by SRV. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/SRV)
New Delhi [India], July 7 (ANI/PNN): Lights!! Camera!! Action!! The red carpet is ready to roll out again...in tribute to South Asian films. The 13th Annual Chicago South Asian Film Festival (#CSAFF22) is now accepting film submissions, and the deadline is July 15, 2022. The festival will be held from September 22-25, 2022 in downtown Chicago, venue to be announced. Eligible films can be submitted on the CSAFF website: https://www.csaff.org/submitfilm/ Film Submission Categories for CSAFF22 1. In Competition Fiction Feature Film - The Film run-time should exceed 30 minutes - The film must be a Chicago premiere when screened at CSAFF 2. In Competition Fiction Short Film - Film runtime should not exceed 30 minutes - The film must be a Chicago premiere when screened at CSAFF 3. In Competition Documentary Feature Film - Feature-Length Films should exceed 30 minutes - The film must be a Chicago premiere when screened at CSAFF 4. In Competition Documentary Short Film - Short Films should not exceed 30 minutes - The film must be a Chicago premiere when screened at CSAFF 5. Episodic Content (Non-Competition) - Live-action, documentary/nonfiction, or animation project presented in a multi- episode format (includes web series, docuseries, and limited series that was created to unfold over multiple episodes). - Can be short-form and long-form content, with a minimum of 5 episodes Welcome to the 13th Annual Chicago South Asian Film Festival Since its first year in 2010, Chicago South Asian Film Festival (CSAFF) has endeavoured to bring the richness of South Asian Art, culture, and cinema to Chicago. CSAFF is one of the largest multicultural events in the heartland of America and is dedicated to advancing diversity and inclusion in the Chicagoland area through cinema, conversation, and culture. Filmmakers and stories are the ethos of CSAFF. Festival provides space for independent cinema and the art of storytelling through Films. In the past, In the past festival has invited and hosted artists like Sharmila Tagore, Shabana Azmi, Aparna Sen, Deepti Naval, Farooq Shaikh, Raveena Tandon, Akshay Oberoi, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Raj Kumar Rao, Swara Bhasker, Esha Deol, Vishal Bhardwaj, Shweta Tripathi, Pooja Batra, Vikas Khanna, Arjun Mathur, Karsh Kale, Parvesh Cheema, Fawzia Mirza and many other great artists and filmmakers. Festival hosts and invites films from countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, France, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tibet and the United States. CSAFF also achieves its mission by representing various genres and languages. Over the years, the festival has received immense support from the community, diaspora, and film lovers worldwide. The Festival prides itself on being a platform and voice for our collective countries, languages, religions, and artists who together make South Asia as diverse as it is. The Festival becomes a safe space for discussions, artistic endeavours and a meeting point for filmmakers and artists. The festival promotes local businesses and organizations by creating partnerships and fostering strong relationships to provide exposure. It also helps make Chicago a destination for making films while supporting local talent through workshops and networking platforms. Please visit the website www.csaff.org for more details and email info@csaff.org for any questions. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)
Paris [France], July 7 (ANI/NewsVoir): Indian luxury maison Her Story, known for crafting meaningful jewels inspired by the perspectives of modern women, made a sparkling appearance on the ramp for Designer Rahul Mishra's Couture Fall show on July 4, 2022, at Paris Haute Couture Week. "Our collaboration with Her Story came together rather effortlessly, given their impeccable craftsmanship and refined sense of design," says Designer, Rahul Mishra. "I am particularly impressed by how functional and easy the jewels are in their eventual expression of design, which carries a strong appeal for the Rahul Mishra woman. It's a special moment of celebration, of being rooted in India with a contemporary global outlook." Falguni S Kapadia - Brand Head, Marketing and Strategy, Her Story, adds, "This collaboration was a natural fit for us, given that Rahul Mishra is not only a brand that we personally love but also one that seamlessly marries traditional Indian craftsmanship with modern conceptual design. We are excited to have taken our vision to the world stage and brought stories of the modern woman to life at Paris Haute Couture Week." The precious handcrafted jewels - each designed to symbolically capture facets of a woman's personality - were seen with the Rahul Mishra Couture Fall 2022 collection in a beautiful display of artisanship and conceptual design thinking. Inspired by the perspectives of modern women, the Indian luxury maison opened the doors to its first store in February 2019 in Mumbai. After a positive response to the quaint concept store, Her Story moves to a flagship boutique in Kala Ghoda, later this year. Shaped by a rich legacy in the world of diamonds and jewellery, the maison celebrates fine Indian craftsmanship through a thoughtful contemporary lens. With a belief that jewels are precious because of the meaning they hold, it goes beyond aesthetic and material value to celebrate the wearer, through first-of-its-kind design thinking in jewellery. At Her Story, the creative process begins and ends with the modern Indian woman. Beyond being a muse, she affects change with every interaction with the brand: inspiring future designs, shedding new light on existing concepts, and even influencing the consumer experience. Her thoughts and ideas are celebrated and brought to life in symbolic jewels that evocatively tell her story. Insight to Expression All Her Story jewels are designed through a unique process of Insight to Expression, a form of design thinking in jewellery. Every concept is born from intimate in-person conversations with the brand's consumer insight team that uncover real emotion through a journey of discovery. These stories come alive through metaphors and symbolism in jewels that are meticulously handcrafted by master artisans. For more information, please visit www.herstoryjewels.com and @herstoryjewels on Instagram. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
New Delhi/Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], July 7 (ANI/NewsVoir): During Digital India Week 2022, Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) enabled funding to promising start-ups through the Next Generation Incubation Scheme (NGIS) and Centres of Entrepreneurship (CoEs) programs in order to enable the digital start-ups to scale operations and commercialize their products. In ongoing Digital India Week, 28 promising start-ups were provided seed fund/financial help of Rs 342.5 Lakh. Under NGIS 15 start-upshave been provided seed funds of up to Rs 25 Lakh. Additionally, 13 start-ups under CoEs program have been provided with funding support up to Rs 5 Lakh. With this, STPI achieves another significant milestone in supporting the start-up ecosystem. In the formal presence of Dr Rajendra Kumar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), Government of India, Amit Agrawal, Additional Secretary, MeitY, Dr Jaideep Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretary, MeitY, Bhuvnesh Kumar, Joint Secretary, MeitY and Arvind Kumar, DG, STPI announced the 28 recipients of seed fund. These 28 startups are members of the STPI Startup ecosystem, which includes CoEs and NGIS schemes. These start-ups are working in the fields of HealthTech, EdTech, FinTech, IoT, Electronics, Semiconductors, Robotics, Autonomous linked Electric vehicles, Mobility, and Gaming & Animation. In accordance with their plans. STPI at present is the nation's biggest ecosystem for tech startups which offers a state-of-art incubation facility, cutting-edge technological labs, mentoring, market connections besides other services to nurture start-ups to make them ready for the market. Seed funding is provided to startups for concept validation, prototype development, market research, skill training, marketing, and other preliminary startup-related tasks. Companies under NGIS which got seed fund are Silver Genie Pvt. Ltd., Bookzy Edufy Pvt. Ltd., Felis Leo Widgets Pvt. Ltd., Mool Innovation Labs Pvt. Ltd., UmaRobotics Technology Pvt. Ltd., Revolut Healthtech Pvt. Ltd., Shree Raj Govind Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Manodayam Pvt. Ltd., Study Comrade Pvt. Ltd., Tenvo Business Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Sunne EdTech Pvt. Ltd., Learning Matters Pvt. Ltd., Fides MedTech Pvt. Ltd., TalentSpotify Pvt. Ltd., and Kaigal Services Pvt. Ltd. Thirteen (13) startups under STPI CoEs financial assistance up to Rs 5 Lakh are Nishtula Instrument and Innovation Pvt. Ltd., SPK-MAK Technologies Pvt. Ltd.; Priorities Made Easy Technology Pvt. Ltd., SMPS Electric Control Pvt. Ltd., Electromotion E-Vidyut Pvt. Ltd., Exa Mobility India Pvt. Ltd., Eidikos Business Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., Danox App Pvt. Ltd., GoVidyouth Mobility Pvt. Ltd., Aeidth Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Eranext Auto Pvt. Ltd., Combat Robotics India Pvt. Ltd., and Banzan Ventures Pvt. Ltd. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
The residents of Delhi may face shortage of liquor of their choice as the national capital is witnessing a scarcity across various categories in many outlets. Even some premium category whiskeys are not available in below one litre quantity at various outlets. Asked about the reason behind the shortage, the outlet keepers had a common reply, "supply chain problem". Among many other reasons, one important factor causing shortage is the new liquor policy which has led to a sharp decline in the number of wine shops operating in Delhi currently. Talking to IANS, Vinod Giri, Director General of the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC), said that only 464 shops are in operation in the national capital currently, whereas a city like Delhi must have around 850 outlets to serve the residents. "Around 460 to 464 outlets are currently in operation, whereas it should be around 850 shops. Even some posh areas like Connaught Place, Saket and Green Park hardly have any shop there," Giri told IANS, adding that this would naturally lead to the crisis. Underlining some flaws in the policy, he said that around 11 to 12 licensees of the total 32 zones in the national capital have surrendered their retail licence, as a result of which these zones are without any liquor shops now. Talking about liquor shortage, Giri said the paucity of space at the outlets is another reason as the liquor business runs on one or two-day stocks only. Due to the space crunch, the outlets cannot stock liquor which eventually leads to shortage. Giri added that the capital city doesn't have its own breweries, while some breweries in the neighbouring states too have stopped supplying to Delhi. "Delhi gets its supplies from Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and other states. But Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have stopped the supply in view of catering to their own domestic needs first," he said. "The beer categories are experiencing a shortage because several brands could not produce additional stock in advance, in February and March. Additionally, the summer approached quite early this year, and major part of the stock got consumed earlier," Giri told IANS, adding that around 40 per cent of India's annual beer sales is recorded in the April-June period. --IANS avr/pgh/arm ( 393 Words) 2022-07-07-20:58:02 (IANS)
NITI Aayog's former CEO Amitabh Kant is tipped to take charge as India's new Sherpa of the G20. He will replace Union Minister Piyush Goyal as the full-time Sherpa as India will hold the G-20 Presidency from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023. A Sherpa will have to devote a lot of time for meetings to be held in different parts of the country. On the other hand, Goyal has other important tasks on hand like serving as the Leader of the Rajya Sabha and also handling the work in his important Ministries like Commerce and Industry, Textiles, and Consumer Affairs, Food and Civil Supplies. Being a Sherpa, Goyal's foreign travel will be affected during Parliament sessions and he would want to focus attention on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks with the UK and the European Union (EU). The UK and the EU are large markets and FTA would result in a boost to industries resulting in large number of jobs in sectors like textiles, leather, gems and others. The UK FTA is in advanced stages. Goyal led the FTA negotiations with Unite Arab Emirates (UAE) and Australia regardless of the odd time zones. A qualified chartered accountant, Goyal's guidance is also required at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as some countries may try to push India towards a compromise on important areas. The UK and EU FTAs will be game changers for India's labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather, gems & jewellery, helping artisans, weavers, farmers and creating lakhs of jobs in smaller towns. The minister's expertise is needed here. The minister's guidance is also needed in the WTO. India achieved the best-ever outcome for the country in WTO's ministerial meeting last month. It became a dealmaker, demolishing Western propaganda about India being a dealbreaker. India protected the interests of its small fishermen and farmers, but some countries would try to push India to compromise on these key areas in future negotiations at WTO. This would require the minister's urgent attention from time to time. --IANS vj/vd ( 353 Words) 2022-07-07-22:08:02 (IANS)
Several celebrities from the film industry, including two of Tamil cinema's top stars -- Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan -- congratulated Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja on being nominated to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his happiness over Ilaiyaraaja's nomination to the Rajya Sabha in a tweet in which he said: "The creative genius of Ilaiyaraaja Ji has enthralled people across generations. His works beautifully reflect many emotions. "What is equally inspiring is his life journey -- he rose from a humble background and achieved so much. Glad that he has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha." Superstar Rajinikanth tweeted, "My hearty congratulations to my dear friend Ilaiyaraaja who has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha." He and Ilaiyaraaja are going to reunite after 28 years for R. Balki's next film with Rajinikanth in the lead. Khushbu Sundar, actress and influential BJP member, was among the first to react to the news. She tweeted: "The greatest. The magician. The Maestro. Illayaraja gets nominated to the Rajya Sabha. What more can we ask for! The most happiest craziest fan like me can't ask for more. Vaazthukkal (congratulations, sir)." Kamal Haasan, who shares a very close bond with Ilaiyaraaja, also congratulated the Maestro. But his tweet was not a simple one. Writing in Tamil, Kamal Haasan put out a tweet that said, "If it is to honour the incomparable and greatest Ilaiyaraaja for his art, he could be offered the post of the President unanimously. Even then, let us congratulate him for his nomination to the Rajya Sabha." Telugu Mega Star Chiranjeevi also wholeheartedly congratulated Ilaiyaraaja. He tweeted: "Heartiest congratulations to Shri Ilaiyaraaja, the unparalleled music genius. Your presence in the Rajya Sabha would certainly add the touch of genius to the Upper House." On a personal note, he added: "A matter of personal delight for me as I had the good fortune of you composing music for several of my films." Chiranjeevi went on to thank the Prime Minister for nominating Ilaiyaraaja. "Grateful thanks to Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji for bestowing the well-deserved honour of Presidential nomination as Rajya Sabha members on extremely deserving stalwarts from the film Industry -- Shri K.V, Vijayendra Prasad garu and Shri Ilaiyaraaja garu." K.V. Vijayendra Prasad, incidentally, was most recently in the news for being the 'RRR' screenwriter. One of the greatest music composers of the country, Ilaiyaraaja hails from a small village called Pannaiyapuram in the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu. He has scored music for more than 1,400 movies and composed over 7,000 songs, many of which have gone on to emerge as chartbusters and timeless classics. Winner of five National Awards, Ilaiyaraaja was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2010 and the Padma Vibhushan, the country's second highest civilian award in 2018. --IANS mani/srb ( 473 Words) 2022-07-06-23:06:03 (IANS)
Eric R. Holder Jr. has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of rapper Nipsey Hussle in 2019. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Eric R. Holder Jr. was also found guilty of two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter for the gunfire that struck other men at the scene by a Los Angeles County jury. Prosecutors were looking for two counts of attempted murder. Holder was also convicted of two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm on the same men. Holder stood up in the small courtroom next to his lawyer, wearing a blue suit and a face mask, as the verdict was read. He showed no visible emotion. The verdict was reached after a jury of nine women and three men deliberated for about six hours over two days. The majority of their deliberations took place on Friday, and they reached their unanimous decision on Wednesday, after briefly reconvening after a four-day break. While attorneys, reporters, and others waited in the courtroom, jurors were forced to return to the deliberation room for a brief period of time to correct and sign the verdict form. Hussle's family and friends were not present when the verdict was read.Holder faces life in prison when he is sentenced on September 15.The verdict concludes a three-year-long legal saga and a trial that was frequently postponed due to the pandemic. Holder and Hussle had known each other for years -- they grew up in the same South Los Angeles street gang -- when a chance meeting outside the rapper's clothing store in Los Angeles resulted in the shooting and his death. The evidence against Holder was overwhelming, ranging from eyewitness accounts to surveillance footage from local businesses that captured his arrival, the shooting, and his departure. His lawyer did not even deny that he was the shooter but instead urged jurors to convict him on the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. The shooting followed a conversation the two men had about rumours that Holder had been acting as an informant for authorities. Holder's lawyer Aaron Jansen said that being publicly accused of being a "snitch" by a person as prominent as Hussle brought on a "heat of passion" in Holder that made him not guilty of first-degree murder. "This is a provocation that stirs up rage and powerful emotion," Jansen told jurors Thursday.Deputy District Attorney John McKinney argued during the trial that Holder and everyone else in the conversation that preceded Hussle's death were so calm that the "snitching" conversation could not have been the primary motive, and that Holder must have had some previous envy or hatred for Hussle. McKinney told jurors that the nine minutes between the conversation and the shooting allowed more than enough time for the killing to be premeditated, a requirement for first-degree murder. The jury appeared to agree.Hussle, born Ermias Asghedom, died at the age of 33. When he was gunned down, he had just released his major-label debut album, which had earned him his first Grammy nomination. He was a well-liked figure in Los Angeles, particularly in the South LA neighbourhood where he grew up and stayed after becoming famous, buying property and starting businesses.In his closing argument, McKinney stated, "He wanted to change the neighbourhood." "He maintained the same circle of friends. And everyone in the neighbourhood adored him. He was dubbed "Neighborhood Nip." Hussle was remembered at a memorial at the Staples Center, and celebrated in a Grammy Awards performance with DJ Khaled and John Legend. (ANI)
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Filmmaker Leena Manimekalai, whose controversial July 2 tweet was taken down by Twitter on Thursday said she does not feel safe "anywhere at this moment". The filmmaker has been accused of hurting religious sentiments after she shared a poster of her documentary 'Kaali' which portrays Goddess Kali smoking and holding an LGBTQ flag. Leena took to Twitter today to post: "It feels like the whole nation - that has now deteriorated from the largest democracy to the largest hate machine - wants to censor me. I do not feel safe anywhere at this moment," and tagged the UK publication the Guardian and an interview she gave the newspaper. The Canada-based Madurai born Indian filmmaker also shared a picture which depicted a man and a woman dressed as Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, smoking. "Elsewhere...." she captioned the post. She also lashed out at the BJP and tweeted: "BJP payrolled troll army have no idea about how folk theatre artists chill post their performances.This is not from my film. This is from everyday rural India that these sangh parivars want to destroy with their relentless hate & religious bigotry. Hindutva can never become India." Meanwhile, Delhi Police have registered a case against documentary film 'Kaali' and its director Manimekalai for allegedly hurting religious sentiments with its poster. The Cyber Crime Unit of the Delhi Police registered an FIR under Sections 153 A (promoting enmity between groups) and 295 A (outraging religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Also, the Indian High Commission on Monday urged the 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," the Indian High Commission in Canada said. The museum authorities in Toronto have now come forward to apologise for hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus. In a statement, the authorities said that the Toronto Metropolitan University brought together works from students of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, with each student exploring their individual sense of belonging as part of Canadian multiculturalism for the project 'Under the Tent.' "Toronto Metropolitan University's project presentation was hosted once at the Aga Khan Museum on July 2, 2022 in the context of the Museum's mission to foster intercultural understanding and dialogue through the arts. Respect for diverse religious expressions and faith communities forms an integral part of that mission. The presentation is no longer being shown at the Museum," the statement read. (ANI)
As the Punjab Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Bhagwant Mann tied the knot with his second wife Dr Gurpreet Kaur in an intimate wedding ceremony on Thursday, he has joined the list of Indian politicians who got hitched while in office. Mann's wedding with Gurpreet was a private affair that was only attended by a selected few including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chaddha. The Punjab CM was divorced from his first wife almost six years back. His former wife Inderpreet Kaur and their children are residing in the USA. However, he's not the politician who got married while serving in office as there have been many such leaders, who tied the knot while holding the post of minister. Here are some of those politicians: Prafulla Kumar Mahanta Mahanta became the Chief Minister of Assam in December 1985 and held office till 1990. It was during his tenure in 1988 that he got married to Jayashree Goswami Mahanta, who was a writer and later represented Assam in the Rajya Sabha between 1999 and 2001. HD Kumaraswamy Kumaraswamy was the CM of Karnataka from 2006 to 2007. He first got married in 1986 and in 2006, during his time as the Chief Minister he married Kannada actor Radhika, though the former Karnataka CM did not disclose it back then. In 2010, Radhika herself revealed that she had secretly married Kumaraswamy. Virbhadra Singh After being elected to the Lok Sabha in 1962, 1967, and 1971, Virbhadra first became the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh in 1983 and served till 1990. It was during this period in 1985 that he tied the know for the second time by marrying Prathibha Singh, who is currently a Lok Sabha MP from Mandi. Babul Supriyo Babul Supriyo married air hostess Rachna Sharma while serving as a minister in the PM Narendra Modi government in 2019. This was his second marriage as he got divorced from his wife of 20 years in 2015. He had reportedly first met Rachna on a flight from Mumbai to Kolkata. Chander Mohan The former Deputy CM of Haryana had even converted his religion to marry his girlfriend Anuradha Bali while in office in 2008. The couple renamed themselves Chand Mohammad and Fiza. After this whole incident of changing his religion and second marriage, Chandramohan's political career suffered a lot. Later, their marriage ended in tragedy as the couple split soon and Bali died a few years later. (ANI)
American drama series fame, Bevin Prince's husband William Friend passed away on Sunday after getting struck by lightning. Friend was 33. According to a local news station, authorities confirmed that they found Friend on a boat after lightning struck him during an ongoing storm, reported Page Six. He was spotted off near Masonboro Island in North Carolina's Wilmington. As soon as Friend was seen on the boat, the emergency team of the local news station performed CPS on the CEO of Bisnow, a multi-platform digital media company. Although the team tried to revive him, he was declared dead on the scene itself. Following Friend's death, his best friend Odette Annable, took to Instagram to pen down a heartfelt note to pay tribute to Friend. Annable expressed her condolences saying that Friend's death seemed "surreal" to her., reported Page Six. Talking about the CEO's wife, Bevin Prince, Annable said that Friend was just like a "gift" to his wife. "Will, it feels surreal writing this. Mostly because it feels like you were just getting started... I keep thinking about what a gift you gave to Bevin. What a gift you gave to everyone who knew you to witness the passion that burned in your soul. The passion to help people, to build your business, to find happiness like I'd never seen from you living in North Carolina with Bevin. You were perfect for her in every way," captioned Annable in her post sharing a picture of her best friend. The 'Unborn' actor, Annable prayed for Friend's soul. "May you Rest In Peace you charming, witty, beautiful British man who loved the shit out of America. I love you," prayed Annable. Bevin Prince first rose to fame after the super-hit web-series, 'One Tree Hill', which released in 2004. Prince and her late husband Friend married in 2016 before moving to Wrightsville Beach during the COVIS-19 pandemic, reported Page Six. Prince, is now a fitness trainer at Recess. Prince launched Recess along with Friend in 2019. (ANI)
Actress Ayushi Sharma, who is playing the female protagonist in the upcoming web movie 'Jaadugar', said since she is an accidental actress and does not have formal training, being observant helped her to learn on the job. Coming from a highly-educated family where both her parents are lawyers, Ayushi shares how not being formally trained was an initial struggle for her. Ayushi, who entered the film industry by chance through an audition during her engineering college days, told IANS: "I have always valued the power of formal education. I have that mindset. But I never planned to become an actor. "I was an engineering student, studying Information Technology. So yes, initially the process of filming, acting in front of the camera and how after editing the whole character comes to life was a fascinating experience. My film set became my film school." "But I also believe that if not formally trained, one has to be a very observant individual to learn any skill. If we have natural talent, we can pick up quickly. Having said that, if a youngster has a plan to become an actor from the beginning, going to prestigious institutes like the NSD and the FTII surely opens the door for learning," she added. Ayushi made her debut in the Imtiaz Ali directorial 'Tamaasha' and shared screen space with Ranbir Kapoor. She also appeared in 'Love Aaj Kal 2'. In 'Jaadugar', she would be seen opposite Jitendra Kumar. Directed by Sameer Saxena, 'Jaadugar' airs on Netflix on July 15. --IANS aru/uk/arm ( 268 Words) 2022-07-07-19:26:03 (IANS)
Meanwhile, the Covid positivity rate has marginally declined to 3.27, while the number of active cases stands at 2,590, out of which 1,856 patients are being treated in home isolation.

With 516 patients recovering in the last 24 hours, the total number of recoveries has gone to 19,09,782.

With new Covid cases, the total caseload of the city has jumped to 19,38,648 while the death toll has reached at 26,276.

The number of Covid containment zones in the city total 349.

A total of 18,361 new tests -- 13,087 RT-PCR and 5,274 Rapid Antigen - were conducted in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 3,91,58,159 while 23,270 vaccines were administered - 1384 first doses, 4,280 second doses, and 17,606 precaution doses.

The total number of cumulative beneficiaries vaccinated so far stands at 3,51,25,595, according to the health bulletin.

--IANS avr/vd

( 185 Words)

2022-07-06-22:04:02 (IANS)
The Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MPMRCL) has awarded French mobility company Alstom the contract to supply 156 Movia metro cars with 15 years of comprehensive maintenance for the Bhopal and Indore Metro projects, official said on Wednesday. A contract (memorandum of understanding) was singed between MPMRCL and Alstom worth Rs 3200 crore aiming to provide benefit of Metro services to over 5.7 million people in Bhopal and Indore. As per the MPMRCL, Alstom will be responsible for installation of latest generation of communications-based train control (CBTC) signalling system as well as train control and telecommunication systems, each with seven years of comprehensive maintenance. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Altsom stated that it would be responsible for the design, manufacture, supply, installation, tests and commissioning of 52 standard gauge Movia metro passenger trains of 3-car configuration each. It said that 27 trains will be delivered for Bhopal and 25 trains for Indore. These metro trains would be built at Alstom's state-of-the-art rolling stock manufacturing facility in Savli (Gujarat). These ultramodern, light-weight trains will operate at a top speed of 80 km/h, across the 31 km line in Bhopal with 30 stations and the 31.5 km line in Indore with 29 stations. "We are delighted to be awarded this significant contract from MPMRCL and this collaboration will lay a strong foundation for an efficient and sustainable mass transport system for the cities of Bhopal and Indore. As India moves towards its vision of using green and clean energy for public mobility, Alstom takes pride in being its long-standing partner in this journey and help write the country's growth story. Following the Agra-Kanpur metro project, winning this contract is a strong validation of our commitment to deliver mobility solutions that meet the specific requirements of our customers," said Olivier Loison, Managing Director, Alstom India cluster. "Alstom India has a history of successfully delivering world-class metro trains for major cities, including Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Lucknow, Kochi in India and internationally for Sydney, Queensland and Montreal. The company is currently manufacturing metro trains for Agra-Kanpur, Mumbai Metro Line 3 and modern trainsets for India's first semi high-speed Delhi-Meerut RRTS project," Loison added. --IANS pd/uk/bg ( 375 Words) 2022-07-06-19:40:03 (IANS)
The victim, identified as Dipak Kumar, was having tea with another person named Rais at a roadside eatery on Tuesday. During their conversation, Kumar claimed to have said that he supported Nupur Sharma's statement in a Facebook post. When Rais asked him not to support Sharma which Kumar refused, an altercation broke out between the two.

Rais soon called around two-dozen of his friends, who brutally threshed Kumar.

The SHO of the town police station, however, said that the incident was not triggered by Kumar supporting Nupur Sharma.

"The duo knew each other and had an old monetary dispute. The victim has not registered any FIR," the SHO said.

--IANS ajk/arm

( 150 Words)

2022-07-06-20:32:02 (IANS)
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir zone Vijay Kumar on Wednesday reiterated his appeal to the parents to keep strict vigil on their wards to prevent them from indulging in any anti-national activities, especially joining the terror ranks. The IGP said that if every parent persuades and appeal their terrorist sons to shun the path of violence, be it soon after joining terror ranks or during the time they are trapped in encounters, many lives can be saved as two lives were saved in Wednesday's encounter. On Wednesday, based on specific input generated by police about the presence of terrorists in Hadigam village, Kulgam, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by the police and the army. During the search operation, as the presence of terrorists got ascertained, they fired indiscriminately upon the search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter. Initially, the civilians trapped around the encounter site were evacuated safely by the joint team. "In the meantime, as the identity of the trapped terrorists got ascertained, the joint team showed utmost restraint and provided the trapped terrorists an opportunity to surrender. Their family members were also called to the encounter site to motivate and persuade them to surrender," police said. "After repeated surrender appeals made by their parents, police and security forces, both the trapped terrorists finally surrendered before the joint team of police and security forces." They have been identified as Kafeel Ahmad Mir, resident of Mirpora Qaimoh and Nadeem Abbas Bhat, resident of Reshipora Qaimoh. Incriminating material including arms and ammunition and other war like substances have been recovered from their possession. "As per police records, both the terrorists were part of recently recruited module of proscribed terror outfit LeT. These youth were brainwashed and tasked to carry out anti-national activities and killings at the behest of LeT terror outfit," police said. In this connection, police have registered a case under relevant sections of law and investigation has been initiated. --IANS zi/pgh ( 342 Words) 2022-07-06-20:36:04 (IANS)
The Patna High Court on Wednesday directed the Patna district administration to stop demolitions in the Rajiv Nagar and Nepali Nagar areas until its final order in the matter. The Patna district administration demolished more than 150 houses in these two localities on Sunday and Monday. Due to the demolition drive, more than 200 families were forced to stay on roads and in the demolished structures. The court has also asked the administration to provide electricity and water supply in the affected areas. "The Patna High Court has asked the authorities including the district administration and the Bihar Rajya Awas Board not to undertake any further demolition. The structures should remain in the current position until the final judgement," said Shivnandan Bharti, the lawyer representing the affected residents of these areas. "The court has also asked the Bihar Rajya Awas Board to reply about what action it had taken in the past when the land was sold and people constructed the buildings. The land owners had constructed the building right under the nose of the Managing Director of the Bihar Rajya Awas Board. "The court has also asked the Patna District Magistrate to inform the court about why he has chosen Sunday for the demolition drive," Bharti said, adding that both officials have been asked to affidavits in this regard. The next hearing of this case is scheduled on July 14, he said. --IANS ajk/vd ( 250 Words) 2022-07-06-20:38:05 (IANS)
Calling out as "blatant and willful negligence of hazardous hydropower dams in Himachal Pradesh", a people's movement protesting hydropower projects has shot off a letter to the World Bank and boycotted the stakeholder consultation on Wednesday. In its letter to the World Bank and Himachal Pradesh's directorate of energy, Himdhara Environment Research and Action Collective (Himdhara) explained why its members -- comprising dam affected people and other local activists -- refused to attend the World Bank 'Stakeholder Consultation' for the proposed $200 million 'Himachal Pradesh Power Sector Development Programme'. "The World Bank cannot be lending support to the Himachal government without a fair review of the impacts of the state's hydropower development programme up to date and a transparent and participatory critical review of the current energy policy," it said in the letter shared with IANS. With an aim to make Himachal Pradesh a green state, the World Bank had recently announced a new project, which according to its own documents, "is a 200-million-dollar loan to support the development of environment social safety systems for the state's large scale renewable energy plans," Himdhara said in its letter and added, "It lauds the HP government for large scale hydropower development instead of bringing on the table any of the issues raised (by us)." The points raised in the letter include the impact of hydropower projects ranging from deforestation to acquisition of scarce and precious agricultural land to irreversible shifts in sensitive terrestrial, geological and hydrological regimes, which have caused immense damage to local property and livelihoods. "Cascade of hydropower dams have disrupted environmental flows and riverine ecosystems like no other activity ever has in the history of the Himalayas," it said. Himdhara also pointed out the time and cost overruns to the projects prompting the private players to pull out of the sector as "the clean energy carbon credits have dried up as projects run into inordinate delays" and left it for the public sector entities in the name of 'development', 'national interest' and 'green growth'. The letter, after drawing attention to the irregularities by the government, even going against the court decisions, non-compliance of legal provisions, faulty environmental impact assessments etc., accused that the "institutions like the World Bank and ADB have failed to carry out an honest assessment of the existing projects that were built with their support. Public resentment against the World Bank's Nathpa Jhakri and Rampur projects continues to exist to this day". Last year, a landslide in Nigulseri, located in the affected area of the Nathpa Jhakri's tunnel had claimed 28 lives. --IANS niv/pgh ( 440 Words) 2022-07-06-22:04:03 (IANS)
Goa PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral on Wednesday appealed to the people of the state to post photos of potholes on the specially developed app rather than posting them on social media. Cabral was speaking after launching a 'Jetpatcher machine', which helps fix potholes, at Taleigao in North Goa. With constant complaints coming from the public and allegations by opposition over potholes on roads, the state government has launched an app to identify them, along with engaging 'Jetpatcher' machines to repair roads. The Congress had launched a 'Spot the Potholes' campaign before the Assembly election and had targeted the BJP government for failing to repair potholes. Cabral said that initially the app will be accessible only to PWD engineers and later it will be opened for the public. "Engineers will visit various areas for the next two months and click pictures of potholes which will be sent to the contractors, who will repair the potholes. Later the app will be opened for the public, who can then post photos on it rather than posting them on social media. "It will be easy for us to get information of potholes on the app," he said. Cabral said the Jetpatcher machine is used not only in India, but across the globe in various forms to fill potholes. He said that through this app, all the activities of repairing potholes will be monitored. "Not only potholes, but roads also get washed out during monsoon. We will get details of all such incidents. We want to put the system in place through this app," he said. He also said that one machine each will be stationed in both the districts. --IANS sanjay/arm ( 294 Words) 2022-07-06-22:26:02 (IANS)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday held a meeting with officials regarding the law and order situation ahead of Kanwar Yatra, Bakrid and other upcoming festivals. "Anti-social elements will try to spoil the environment but we've to be vigilant and talks should be held with religious leaders," said the CM. The Kanwar Yatra, in which Shiva devotees from northern states travel on foot or by other means to collect water from Ganga in Haridwar to offer it at Shiva temples in their areas, is set to begin on July 14. Devotees can register themselves at kavad.delhipolice.gov. Though, it is not mandatory. "Kanwar Yatra is an event of enthusiasm of faith. Traditionally dance, song, and music have been a part of it. In this way, the devotees should not be harassed. Make sure that the sound of the DJ, song-music etc. is as per the prescribed standards and only religious songs are played in it," Adityanath tweeted. Eid-ul-Azha (Bakrid) will likely be observed on July 10. However, it depends on the sighting of the moon. Eid-ul-Azha is also known as "Sacrifice Feast" is marked by sacrificing an animal, usually a sheep or a goat to prove their devotion and love for Allah. Post the sacrifice, people distribute the offerings to family, friends, neighbours and especially to the poor and needy. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday assured the people of Assam that the Central and state governments are working together to reduce their difficulties in the ongoing monsoon floods in the state. The Prime Minister empathised that for the past few days, Assam is also facing great challenges and difficulties in the form of floods. Normal life has been greatly affected in many districts of Assam. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his team are working very hard day and night for relief and rescue of the flood-hit people, Modi said after inaugurating the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Agradoot group of newspapers on Wednesday virtually from Delhi. The Prime Minister underlined the sterling contribution of Indian language journalism to Indian tradition, culture, freedom struggle and the development journey. Assam has played a key role in the development of language journalism in India as the state has been a very vibrant place from the point of view of journalism. Journalism started 150 years ago in the Assamese language and kept on getting stronger with time, he added. The Prime Minister remarked that under the guidance of Kanak Sen Deka, the Agradoot always kept the national interest paramount. "Even during the emergency, when the biggest attack on democracy took place, even then Agradoot daily and Deka ji did not compromise on journalistic values. He created a new generation of value-based journalism." People's movements have played an important role in realising this change, Modi said adding that people's movements have protected the cultural heritage and Assamese pride of Assam. And now, Assam is writing a new development story with the help of public participation, he said. The Prime Minister said when there is dialogue, there is a solution. It is through dialogue that possibilities expand. Therefore, along with the flow of knowledge in Indian democracy, the flow of information is also flowing continuously. Agradoot is part of that tradition, he said. The Prime Minister said the expansion of Indian languages was stopped during the long period of slavery, and in modern epistemology, research was limited to a few languages. A large section of India had no access to those languages, to that knowledge. He added that the scope of intellect's expertise kept shrinking. Due to this, the pool of invention and innovation has also become limited. In the 4th Industrial revolution, there is a massive opportunity for India to lead the world. This opportunity is due to our data power and digital inclusion. The Prime Minister stressed that "no Indian should be deprived of the best information, best knowledge, best skill and best opportunity just because of language, this is our effort. That's why we encouraged studies in Indian languages in the National Policy on Education". The Prime Minister continued on the theme of knowledge in mother tongue and said that "it is now our endeavour to make the world's best content available in Indian languages. For this, we are working on the national language translation mission. The effort is that the Internet, which is a huge storehouse of knowledge, and information, can be used by every Indian in his own language." He also talked of the Bhashini Platform, a Unified Language Interface launched recently. "It is important from every aspect, social and economic, to make the Internet available to crores of Indians in their own language", he added. Underlining the biodiversity and cultural richness of Assam and Northeast, the Prime Minister said Assam has a rich legacy of music and that it needs to reach the world at large. He said efforts of the last 8 years with regard to physical and digital connectivity of the region will be hugely beneficial for the tribal tradition, tourism and culture of Assam. The Prime Minister said the positive role played by our media in campaigns like the Swachh Bharat Mission is appreciated all over the country and the world even today. "Well-informed, better-informed society should be the goal for all of us, let us all work together for this," the Prime Minister stated. --IANS sc/pgh ( 687 Words) 2022-07-06-22:32:02 (IANS)
According to the police, a PCR call was received at Ashok Vihar police station regarding a case of physical assault near the Lal Bagh area at around 4.30 p.m. after which the police reached the spot.

"During inquiry, it was revealed that Akhilesh Tripathi, the AAP MLA from Model Town constituency, reportedly assaulted two persons named Guddu Halwai and Mukesh Babu, who received injuries and were shifted to the BJRM hospital in Jahangirpuri," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (northwest), Usha Rangnani.

She said that the statement of Guddu Halwai has been recorded in which he said that he was present at a function in Ashok Vihar where he was providing catering services.

"During this function, he met Tripathi and complained about sewage problems in the area, which angered the MLA who reportedly hit him on his head with a broken piece of brick," the DCP said.

Mahesh Babu, a relative of Guddu Halwai, came to mediate in the matter but he was also reportedly assaulted by Tripathi, the official said.

"Guddu Halwai has sustained a minor injury on his head while Mukesh Babu has no external injury," Rangnani informed.

The police have launched a probe into the matter after registering an FIR under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. No arrest has been made so far.

--IANS uj/arm

( 257 Words)

2022-07-06-22:46:03 (IANS)
The Chief Minister in a media release congratulated Heggade and expressed confidence that his immense work and experience in rural development, education, health and women's empowerment sectors would raise the quality of the debates in the Parliament.

Bommai conveyed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recommending a highly deserving personality like Heggade for Rajya Sabha.

The Chief Minister has also congratulated other nominees -- Olympian Athlete P.T. Usha, legendary music composer Ilaiyaraaja and renowned film screenplay writer K.V. Vijayendra Prasad, as well.

--IANS pvn/pgh

( 122 Words)

2022-07-06-22:48:02 (IANS)
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan reviewed last-minute preparations at the Rudraksh International Convention Centre in Varanasi on Wednesday. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the three-day Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam tomorrow, July 7," tweeted Union Minister Pradhan on Wednesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a three-day Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam in Varanasi on Thursday, organized by the Ministry of Education in association with University Grants Commission (UGC) and Banaras Hindu University. According to the Ministry of Education, the three-day seminars will bring together over 300 Vice-Chancellors and Directors from public and private universities, educationists, policymakers, as also industry representatives to deliberate on how the implementation of National Education Policy 2020 can be taken further across the country after successful implementation of several initiatives in the last two years. Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will also be present on the occasion. "The Summit will provide a platform for leading Indian Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to discuss, deliberate and share insights on strategies, success stories and best practices in implementing the National Education Policy, 2020," the Education Ministry said in a statement. The Ministry, along with UGC and AICTE, has brought in several policy initiatives like Academic Bank of Credit, Multiple Entry-Exit, Multi disciplinarity and Flexibility in higher education, regulations aimed at boosting online and open distance learning, revising the National Curriculum Framework to make it more in sync with global standards, promoting multi linguality and Indian Knowledge Systems and making both a part of educational curriculum, mainstreaming skill education and promoting lifelong learning, to name a few. The ministry further said that many universities have already onboarded the reform train, but there are still many who are yet to adopt and adapt to the changes. As the higher education ecosystem in the country spans centre, states and private entities, extensive consultations are required to take the policy implementation further. "This process of consultation has been going on at the regional and national levels. Prime Minister addressed a seminar of Chief Secretaries in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh last month where states shared their insights on the issue. The Varanasi Shiksha Samagam is next in the series of consultations in this regard," the ministry said. Spanning several sessions spread over three days from July 7 to 9, discussions will be held on themes such as Multidisciplinary and Holistic Education, Skill Development and Employability, Indian Knowledge Systems, Internationalization of Education, Digital Empowerment and Online Education, Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Quality, Ranking and Accreditation, Equitable and Inclusive Education, Capacity Building of Teachers for Quality Education. The Summit is expected to provide a platform for thought-provoking discussions that will articulate the roadmap and implementation strategies, foster knowledge exchange and build networks through interdisciplinary deliberations and discuss challenges being faced by educational institutions and articulate solutions. The key highlight of the Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam will be the adoption of the Varanasi Declaration on Higher Education which will showcase India's extended vision and a renewed commitment to help achieve the goals of the higher education system, it added. (ANI)
Confirming the development, Rohtas SP Ashish Bharti said that the accused has been identified as Pratik Sharma, a native of Dharahra village under the Darihat police station.

The police also seized Sharma's Android phone which was used for issuing threats to Bajrang Dal member Sunny Kumar alias Arya Rajput through WhatsApp calls and messages.

"We have arrested a person named Pratik Sharma for allegedly threatening Sunny Kumar, the district convener of Bajrang Dal. The accused had threatened Kumar four days ago following which the latter immediately lodged a police complaint," Bharti said.

"We are on alert mode ever since the Udaipur incident happened. As the matter was related to a Bajrang Dal leader, we immediately constituted a team of experts to crack the case. The accused has confessed to the crime," he added.

--IANS ajk/arm

( 169 Words)

2022-07-06-23:00:02 (IANS)
Amid the Madhya Pradesh local body elections, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said that when Kamal Nath was the Chief Minister, he used to threaten police and administration and continues to do so. While speaking at a public meeting in Raisen in Madhya Pradesh, Chouhan said, "Even when Kamal Nath was the CM, he used to threaten police and administration and is still threatening. They have understood that Congress has lost badly and that the defeat has to be blamed on someone or the other." Earlier in the day, Kamal Nath while speaking to the mediapersons in Bhopal, said that the Saffron party is using police, money and administration in the local body elections. "I am getting many calls that pressure is being put on the administration, police and money. If they had public support, would they need these things? The public is fed up with the false declarations of Shivraj. Now 50 rupees have been increased on domestic gas. Recently, 5 per cent GST was increased on flour, paneer. I have faith in the people of the state," he added. In the first phase of local body elections, a total of 101 candidates for the post of mayor in 11 municipal corporations are in the fray. There are 2,850 candidates for councillor posts in 133 bodies. Out of these, 42 have been elected unopposed. The elections are for the remaining 2,808 posts. A total of 11,250 candidates contested the elections and 3,296 polling stations are sensitive. (ANI)
BJP's election office was vandalised by Congress workers.

A CCTV video of vandalism of the office of a BJP councillor candidate from Ward 20 in the Khatipura area of Indore is going viral.

"We have registered a case and action is being taken," Hira Nagar Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) DS Yewale. (ANI)
The meeting in Kochi will discuss the way forward and implementation of the 2022-23 Roadmap for Cooperation and Activities.

The members of the Conclave are India, Maldives, Mauritius and Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and Seychelles as observers.

The CSC started as a trilateral maritime cooperation mechanism between India, Maldives and Sri Lanka in 2011. The Secretariat of the CSC is located in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Over the years, the mandate of the mechanism has been enhanced to cover other issues of mutual interest. The membership of the Group was enlarged with the addition of Mauritius in March 2022. Five meetings of the CSC at the level of National Security Adviser and Deputy National Security Adviser have been convened to date.

The members have identified five pillars for cooperation, namely- Maritime Safety and Security; Countering Terrorism and Radicalization; Combating Trafficking and Organised Crime; Cyber Security, Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Technology and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief. (ANI)
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No Indian wedding is complete without mouth-watering delicacies! And Punjab CM Bhagwat Mann's wedding function will be no different with an array of food items lined up for the guests. As per a food menu obtained by ANI, the guests will get to savour the best of Indian and Italian cuisine including Karahi Paneer, Tandoori Kulche, Dal Makhani, Navratan Biryani, Mausami Subzian, Apricot Stuffed Kofta, Lasagna Siciliano and Burrani Raita. No meal is complete without desserts and a variety of lip-smacking sweets such as Fresh Fruit Triffle, Moong Dal Halwa, Shahi Tukda, Angoori Rasmalai and Dry Fruit Rabari will be there for the guests at the Bhagwat Mann wedding. Those who are health conscious will not be disappointed either as different types of salads will be available. Bhagwant Mann is getting married to Dr Gurpreet Kaur in a private ceremony at his residence in Chandigarh today. Mann was divorced from his first wife almost six years back. The wedding ceremony will be attended by Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and his family. However, no minister or other big leaders have been invited to the ceremony. Sources said it was Bhagwant Mann's mother's wish that he should get married. His former wife Inderpreet Kaur and their children are residing in the USA. His daughter Seerat Kaur Mann (21) and son Dilshan Mann (17) had flown from the US to attend his swearing-in ceremony on March 16 this year. (ANI)
Mumbai and several other cities in Maharashtra have been witnessing heavy rainfall over the past few days.

Mumbai Regional Meteorological Centre on Wednesday issued a heavy rainfall alert for the next five days for Mumbai, Thane and other parts of Maharashtra.

The department issued an Orange alert for Mumbai and Thane till 10th July. Meanwhile Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg are on Red alert till July 9 and on Orange alert on July 10. Palghar is on Red alert on July 8.

"Heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with extremely heavy rain at isolated places is very likely to occur in Palghar on Friday," Regional Meteorological Centre said.

As heavy rainfall lashed the metropolitan, severe waterlogging was recorded in several parts of Mumbai on Wednesday.

The waterlogging was recorded in Dadar and Sion areas, and Powai Lake started overflowing Tuesday evening due to the downpour.

The capital city is witnessing heavy rain since Monday following which areas are waterlogged and traffic movement has been affected.

On Tuesday, a landslide incident was reported in Ghatkopar's Panchsheel Nagar in Mumbai amidst heavy rains, demolishing a house. And on Wednesday, a landslide was reported near Pratapgarh Fort in Maharashtra's Satara district, however, no casualties have been reported so far.

Several rivers in the state have reached the warning level. The Kundalika river has crossed the warning level and the water level of the Amba, Savitri, Patalganga, Ulhas and Garhi rivers is slightly below the warning level.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had put all the districts on high alert and is monitoring the situation. He directed the officials to make all arrangements including the shifting of people living in vulnerable areas.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 17 teams in areas of Maharashtra that have reported heavy to very heavy rainfall. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear the petition filed by fact-checking website Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair seeking protection from arrest and challenging the Allahabad High Court order refusing to quash FIR registered for a tweet in which he allegedly called three Hindu seers- as 'hate mongers'. A vacation bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and JK Maheshwari agreed to list the matter for hearing on Friday subject to assignment by the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana. Mentioning the matter for urgent hearing, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for Zubair, told the bench that there is a serious threat to his life. Gonsalves said, "This relates to Mohammed Zubair, the co-founder of Alt News. His job is to fact-check news, and he was doing the role of identifying hate speeches. A look at the FIR shows that there is no crime. We went to Allahabad High Court but no relief was granted. We seek bail in an emergency. There are death threats on the internet to him. If possible list today at 2 pm." The bench, however, said that only the Chief Justice of India can list matters. "List the matter tomorrow subject to clearance by the Chief Justice of India," said the bench. Zubair has approached the top court challenging the Allahabad High Court's June 10 order where it had refused to quash an FIR registered against him in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh saying that it was premature to interfere when the investigation was at a preliminary stage. Filing the appeal against the High Court order, Zubair also sought direction to stay the investigation in the case and direction for UP police not to "proceed, prosecute or arrest" him on the basis of the FIR. The FIR was registered for a tweet in which he allegedly called Hindu seers Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, Bajrang Muni and Anand Swaroop "hate mongers" on Twitter. The FIR was lodged against Zubai on June 1 under Section 295 (A) of the IPC and Section 67 of the IT Act at the Khairabad police station in Sitapur district for deliberately "outraging religious feelings" of the seers. His appeal in the apex court has said that the allegations of the FIR against him are "absolutely false and baseless". He claimed to be innocent and said he said that he has not committed any offence. "The police are threatening to arrest the petitioner (Zubair) and the life and liberty of the petitioner is in danger. The inclusion of this criminal offence in the FIR portrays the cavalier, malicious and arbitrary manner in which the Respondents (UP police) have acted against the Petitioner," the appeal stated. It further stated, "There is a new strategy afoot of the police in communal crime cases. That is to register FIRs against those engaging in hate speech and communal crimes, as well as to rope in all secular elements monitoring such crimes and protesting police inaction against the wrongdoers. This is done with the intention of stifling the freedom of speech of secular persons in society who stand up against communal elements and putting fear into them so that they no longer protest. It is therefore imperative that this Court understand this new strategy and nip it in the bud so that secular social activism continues on its path and plays the most necessary role in society to stand up to communalism." Zubair is already in judicial custody in a case registered by the Delhi police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments over a tweet posted by him in 2018. (ANI)
A single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court on Thursday listed Delhi police's appeal against the bail granted to former councillor Ishrat Jahan before a division bench in the Northeast Delhi riots larger conspiracy case. Justice Anu Malhotra listed the appeal before division bench of Justices Sidharth Mridul and Rajanish Bhatnagar after recording the submission of special public prosecutor (SPP) for Delhi Police. The matter has been listed for July 11, 2022. SPP Amit Prasad said the appeal against the order passed in cases under UAPA can be heard before the division bench only. Two other related bail matters are also under consideration there. Therefore this matter should be listed before the division bench. Delhi police has challenged the relief granted to Jahan on the ground that she was granted bail on the only ground that the accused is a woman ignoring her statement recorded before the magistrate under section 164 Cr. P C. Karkardooma Court on March 14 had granted bail to Ishrat Jahan who is an accused in the Northeast Delhi riots larger conspiracy case. She was booked under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) by the Delhi Police Special Cell. She was granted bail in 2021 in another FIR registered in 2020. Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat had observed in the order, "The entire conspiracy as spelt out in the charge sheet, as far as it ascribes the role of accused Ishrat Jahan, who is a woman, for the limited purpose of bail application on a prima facie consideration, persuades this court to allow the present application for bail despite the embargoes contained in Cr.P.C. and UAPA." The Counsel for the accused had argued that Section 43D UAPA only puts restrictions but is not an absolute bar to the grant to bail. There is no cogent material in the entire charge sheet to prime facie disclose for commission of a terrorist act or conspiracy or an act preparatory to the commission of a terrorist act. There has been no recovery of any ammunition or firearm from accused or any reading material propagating violence. It was also argued that the accused is not a member of any banned group or organisation or any Whatsapp group. She is not involved in any terrorist act or armed rebellion. There is no video footage or electronic data or recoveries to show the alleged offence against the applicant. She had not led any mob violence nor was she part of any meeting called by accused Amanullah to form the JACT group. The prosecution has failed to show any incriminatory message between the accused and accused Amanullah or Devangana Kalita and the only chat with accused Tasleem which is not incriminatory. It was argued in rebuttal that the prosecution had laid great emphasis on 1097 calls and messages exchanged between Ishrat and Amanullah. However on perusal of the charge sheet only 132 calls (outgoing and incoming) have been brought on record. Out of these 29 calls are zero second calls. Moreover, the prosecution has failed to show any incriminating messages, etc. exchanged between Ishrat and Amanullah in order to establish a conspiracy regarding riots among them. On the other hand Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Amit Prasad had argued that in the present case, there are two embargoes on the court while considering the application for bail under Section 437 Cr.P.C. The first limitation is Section 437 Cr. P.C. which circumscribes the jurisdiction of this court in relation to offences carrying punishment upto life imprisonment. The second limitation is the restriction contained in the proviso to Section 43D (5) UAPA. The court is required to record a finding on the basis of broad probabilities after analyzing the entire charge sheet and accompanying documents. A mini trial cannot be done by dissection of the evidence. It was further argued opposing the bail that individual role is not to be considered in a case of conspiracy where there are multiple accused persons who have done their individual bits in formulating and carrying out the conspiracy. It is not necessary that an individual accused must take part in the commission of each and every of the conspiratorial acts. Conspiracy is mostly proved by circumstantial evidence. The riots that occurred in Northeast Delhi were not spontaneous outbursts of violence rather it was criminal act of causing planned violence under a deep-rooted conspiracy. (ANI)
Television news anchor Rohit Ranjan who has been facing multiple FIRs filed against him in connection with a "misleading show", on Thursday urged the Supreme Court to list an urgent hearing of his plea seeking protection from coercive measures. Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra submitted before a vacation bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and JK Maheshwari that his plea has been filed but not listed today for hearing. The bench said that the matter has not been assigned and case files are with the Chief Justice of India. In the plea filed through law firm Karanjawala and Co, the petitioner Rohit Ranjan has sought various reliefs including quashing of FIRs filed against him or clubbing of multiple FIRs lodged against him. On Wednesday the Supreme Court agreed to hear journalist Rohit Ranjan's plea today. Luthra has mentioned Ranjan's plea before the Supreme Court on Wednesday and apprised the court that he was arrested on Tuesday by Noida Police and later released on bail and now the Chattisgarh police want to arrest him. Luthra has said that the matter needs an urgent hearing as Ranjan will be in repeated custody due to multiple FIRs lodged against him. He has informed the court that he does a show in which there was a mistake and he later apologized for it but multiple FIRs were filed against him. Chhattisgarh Police on Tuesday reached the television channel news anchor's residence in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh after an FIR was registered against him following the broadcast of a misleading video on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for which the channel had issued an apology. The anchor Rohit Ranjan, however, was taken into custody by Noida Police after he took to Twitter earlier and posted: "Chhattisgarh Police is standing outside my house to arrest me without informing the local police, is it legal". He tagged Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and SSP Ghaziabad and ADG Zone Lucknow in the tweet. Responding to Ranjan's tweet, the Raipur Police, Chhatisgarh, posted on its Twitter handle, "There is no such rule to inform. Still, now they are informed. The police team has shown you the court's warrant of arrest. You should in fact cooperate, join in the investigation and put your defence in court." Meanwhile, ADCP Noida said, "In the course of an investigation registered at police station Sector 20, a person named Rohit Ranjan, working in a news channel is being questioned." Ranjan on his show said, "In our show DNA, Rahul Gandhi's statement was taken in the wrong context by linking it to the Udaipur incident, it was a human error for which our team apologises." The Congress filed a complaint in Raipur against Ranjan for allegedly "running a doctored video of Rahul Gandhi". According to reports, the FIR filed by Congress said that Rohit Ranjan intentionally linked Rahul Gandhi's statements on the vandalization of his office to the Udaipur incident in an attempt to incite public sentiments. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi while referring to the attack on his Wayanad office had said, "The children who did this have acted in an irresponsible way. They are kids, forgive them." (ANI)
The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on former Chief Minister of Haryana Om Prakash Chautala's plea challenging his conviction and four years of imprisonment in a disproportionate assets (DA) case. Chautala is presently in Tihar Jail after a trial court of Delhi recently sentenced him to four years imprisonment in a disproportionate assets (DA) case The Bench of Justice Yogesh Khanna on Thursday sought the response of the investigation agency CBI and listed the matter for July 25, 2022. On May 27, 2022 the Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi ordered four years imprisonment for Om Prakash Chautala, confiscation of four of his properties, and also imposed fine of Rupees 50 lakh. During the argument before Trial Court, Chautala's lawyer, Advocate Harsh Sharma cited medical grounds for reduced punishment and submitted that "I (OP Chautala) have been infected with polio since birth, and I am partially disabled". CBI's Special Public Prosecutor Ajay Gupta had opposed the submissions for a grant of concession on the ground of ill-health and age. CBI had urged the court for maximum punishment to be given as it would send a message to society. "The person, in this case, is a public figure and giving minimum punishment would send a wrong message. He is not having clean antecedents. It is the second case in which he has been convicted," CBI said. Special Judge (PC Act) Vikas Dhull on May 21, convicted Chautala and said the accused had failed to satisfactorily account for such dis-proportionality by proving his source of income or means by way of which, he acquired assets during this period. According to the CBI's FIR the accused Om Prakash Chautala, while functioning as Chief Minister of Haryana during the period from July 24, 1999 to March 5, 2005, in collusion with his family members and others, accumulated assets, immovable and movable, disproportionate to his known lawful sources of income, in his name, in the names of his family members and others to the extent of Rs 1,467 crores. The FIR further stated that the accused accumulated enormous wealth and invested the same throughout the country in the shape of thousands of acres of land, multi complexes, palatial residential houses, hotels, farmhouses, business agencies, petrol pumps and other investments apart from investments in foreign countries. The FIR also stated that 43 immovable properties in all, apart from cash and jewellery were accumulated. Apart from 43 alleged properties listed in the FIR, additional properties were also suspected to be of the accused family. An investigation with regard to additional properties was also conducted for ascertaining the link of the accused family with the said properties. The chargesheet filed in the matter after the conclusion of the investigation stated that Chautala had acquired assets, both immovable and movable, which were disproportionate to his known source of income. The disproportionate assets were calculated to be Rs 6,09,79,026 (Rupees Six Crores Nine Lacs Seventy Nine Thousand and Twenty Six only) and the percentage of DA (Disproportionate Assets) was 189.11 per cent of his known sources of income. Accordingly, CBI had chargesheeted the accused for the offence under Section 13(1)(e) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Apart from the charge sheet filed against the accused OP Chautala, the CBI had filed two more charge sheets arising out of the present FIR, against the sons of the accused i.e. Abhay Singh Chautala and Ajay Singh Chautala and others, which are being tried separately. Om Prakash Chautala is the former Chief Minister of Haryana from the Indian National Lok Dal and son of sixth Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal. (ANI)
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the release of Rs 324.40 crore as advance share of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and said the amount will help combat the current floods and assist in making provisions for flood victims. "We are immensely grateful to PM @narendramodi for the generous act of the Central Government for the release of Rs 324.40 cr as an advance share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) This will help combat the current floods and also in making provisions for flood victims," Himanta Biswa said in a tweet. The chief minister shared an office memorandum released by the Home Ministry on Wednesday which stated that the request of the Assam government has been considered and has been decided with the approval of the Union Home Minister, to recommend the release of the two instalments of the Central share of SDRF, in advance, for the year 2022-23, as immediate assistance. The undersigned is directed to state that the State of Assam is experiencing flood/ landslides in many parts of the state during the current monsoon of 2022. The Government of Assam has requested for release of two instalments of the Central share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) in advance for the year 2022-23 for undertaking relief measures in the calamities-affected areas. "The request of the state government has been considered in this Ministry and it has been decided with the approval of the Union Home Minister, to recommend the release of the two instalments of the Central share of SDRF, in advance, for the year 2022-23, as immediate assistance, to the Government of Assam," the Office Memorandum from Ministry of Home Affairs read. It further said that the Department of Expenditure (Ministry of Finance) is, therefore, requested to kindly release the Central Share of SDRF, in advance, for the year 2022-23 as mentioned above to Assam under intimation to this Ministry. Meanwhile, people of flood-affected state are now worried about post-flood complications including diseases. As the flood water starts receding, there is an increased risk of water-borne diseases through direct contact with polluted waters. (ANI)
The Party delegation will address the media outside Raj Bhavan after meeting the Governor.

"Bratya Basu, Kunal Ghosh, Tapas Roy, Dr Shashi Panja, Sajda Ahmed, Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Mala Roy and Nayna Bandyopadhyay will visit the Governor," said a party release.

Ghosh, while addressing a conclave hosted by a media house, allegedly made some derogatory remarks about Banerjee's family. He also made comments against the chief minister, referring to her "Banglar Meye" (Daughter of Bengal) campaign during the last assembly polls in Bengal and her later visit to Goa where she had claimed her affinity with the coastal state.

Expressing shock over former state BJP president, Trinamool Congress general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday tweeted, "Outrageous. PM @narendramodi, it is about time to get this loose tongue arrested! Is this how @BJP4India leaders talk about the only sitting woman Chief Minister of the nation?" (ANI)
A public interest litigation seeking the suspension of Aam Aadmi Party leader Satyendar Jain as a cabinet minister in the Delhi government has been dismissed by the Delhi High Court. The division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad dismissed the petition moved by Nand Kishor Garg. The plea had sought a direction from the Lieutenant Governor to suspend Jain as he has been arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) and has been in custody since May 30, 2022 in a money laundering case. It was also stated that this case is allegedly connected with hawala transactions in the year 2015-2016 with a Kolkata-based firm which is repugnant and inconsistent to the rule of law as Jain is a public servant having a constitutional oath to uphold the rule of law in the interest of the public at large. "Jain under custody is still enjoying the perks and privileges of cabinet minister despite having been allegedly indicted under the serious charges which may entail severe punishment," the plea stated. It was stated in the plea that the health minister under custody is neither suspended nor the intendment on the part of the Chief Minister rather the Chief Minister is supporting and giving the clean chit which is again a Constitutional violation of the oath for the supremacy of the Constitution of India. The petitioner had also stated that the existing factual scenario, in this case, is also contrary to the provision of law applicable to the public servant who is deemed suspended immediately after the custody of more than 48 hours as per Rule 10 of The Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Varanasi to participate in the Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam, on Thursday interacted with school children and encouraged them to develop their talents. Prime Minister listened to the bhajans performed by the children. He also sang bhajan with the children. Children beat drums, recited poems and performed yoga. Prime Minister hailed the talents of the children. He asked the children, "Aap sab lok safai karte hain? Haat dhote hain? Exercise kartein hain?" The children responded, "yes sir". PM Modi then encouraged them and said, "Sabash! bahaut bahaut badhai. Aap log ke paas alag alag talent hai. Badi pratibha wale log hain aap log." Prime Minister Modi enjoys the company of children everywhere he goes. He even interacts with children during his foreign visits. Prime Minister inaugurated the three-day Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam in Varanasi today, organised by the Ministry of Education in association with University Grants Commission (UGC) and Banaras Hindu University. Emphasizing on skill development and practical-based learning, Prime Minister on Thursday said the foundational aim behind the National Education Policy is to bring education out from the limits of narrow thought-process and to integrate it with the modern ideas of the 21st century. Speaking at the occasion, PM Modi said, "In the new policy, the entire focus is on making children skilled according to their talents and choices. Our youth should be skilled, confident, practical and calculative. Education policy is preparing the ground for this. The foundational aim behind the National Education Policy is to bring education out from the limits of narrow thought-process and to integrate it with the modern ideas of the 21st century." "We just do not have to prepare youth with degrees, it is imperative, that along with it, our education policy also contributes to the nation while preparing significant human resources needed to take the country forward," he stated. He said in areas like space technology, where earlier only the government used to do everything, now a new world is being created for the youth through private players. PM Modi emphasised that the National Education Policy is now opening the way for studies in the mother tongue. Consequently, ancient Indian languages like Sanskrit are also being carried forward. "For the new National Education Policy, work has also been done on a major infrastructure overhaul in the education sector of the country. Today a large number of new colleges are opening in the country, new universities are opening, new IITs and IIMs are being established. Not only did we recover so fast from such a big epidemic of COVID, but today India is one of the fastest-growing large economies of the world. Today we are the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world," he added. Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan were also present on the occasion. (ANI)
The Delhi High court on Thursday granted bail to Chartered Accountant (CA) Sunil Bhatia accused in the Bhushan Steel case. The case was registered by Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) in 2019. Bhushan Steel Limited (BSL) has been under investigation on account of the alleged siphoning off by its promoters. Justice Jasmeet Singh allowed the move of bail application on the behalf of Sunil Bhatia. He said, "I do not find merit in the contentions and submissions of Central Government standing counsel (CGSC)." Senior Advocate P V Kapoor, the counsel for the accused, had submitted that the complaint against the petitioner was not maintainable. "The appointment letter clearly shows that the petitioner was not an Auditor of BSL during the period of investigation, i.e., Financial Year 2013-2014 to 2015-16. The applicant cannot be held liable for acts done during a period which does not concern him," the senior counsel argued. On the other hand, CGSC Ripu Daman Bhardwaj opposed the bail application stating that the petitioner did not do any physical verification and relied upon the stock position given by the BSL. It was also argued that the stock Auditor did not check the records to substantiate the claim of the consumption of such a huge quantity of coal, and also failed to check the bills of stock in the transit of Rs 5,389.58 crores during the audit assigned. The allegations against Bhatia are that being a CA he has failed to perform his duty independently and diligently by not verifying the stock in transit. He is also accused to be in collusion with the office bearers of M/s Bhushan Steel Limited (BSL). Bhatia was one of the partners in the firm ASRN and Associates, which was appointed as stock auditors by the consortium of banks led by the Punjab National Bank for the financial year 2015-16. On the basis of the Investigation Report of SFIO, Bhatia was summoned by the trial court on 16 August 2019 and was taken into custody by the court his bail application was dismissed on 1 June 2022. (ANI)
Vivo India's nearly 23 associated firms such as Grand Prospect International Communication Pvt Ltd (GPICPL) transferred huge amounts to the firm and out of the total sale proceeds of Rs 1,25,185 crores, it remitted Rs 62,476 crores almost 50 per cent of the turnover out of India, mainly to China, the Enforcement Directorate said on Thursday. The agency said these entities are Rui Chuang Technologies Private Limited (Ahmedabad), V Dream Technology and Communication Private Ltd (Hyderabad), Regenvo Mobile Private Limited (Lucknow), Fangs Technology Private Limited (Chennai), Weiwo Communication Private Limited (Bangalore), Bubugao Communication Private Limited (Jaipur), Haicheng Mobile (India) Private Limited (New Delhi), Joinmay Mumbai Electronics Pvt Ltd (Mumbai), Yingjia Communication Private Limited (Kolkata), Jie Lian Mobile India Pvt Ltd (Indore), Vigour Mobile India Private Limited (Gurgaon), Hisoa Electronic Private Limited (Pune), Haijin Trade India Private Limited (Kochi), Rongsheng Mobile India Private Limited (Guwahati), Morefun Communication Private Limited (Patna), Aohua Mobile India Private Limited (Raipur), Pioneer Mobile Private Limited (Bhubaneswar), Unimay Electronic Private Limited (Nagpur), Junwei Electronic Private Limited (Aurangabad), Huijin Electronic India Private Limited (Ranchi), MGM Sales Private Limited (Dehradun) and Joinmay Electronics Pvt Ltd (Mumbai). "These companies are found to have transferred huge amounts of funds to Vivo India. Further, out of the total sale proceeds of Rs 1,25,185 crores, Vivo India remitted Rs 62,476 crores almost 50 per cent of the turnover out of India, mainly to China," ED said in a statement. "These remittances were made in order to disclose huge losses in Indian incorporated companies to avoid payment of taxes in India." The ED revealed the information after it carried out searches at 48 locations spanning across the country belonging to Vivo Mobiles India Private Limited and its 23 associated companies such as GPICPL. ED said Vivo Mobiles India Pvt Ltd was incorporated on August 1, 2014 as a subsidiary of Multi Accord Ltd, a Hong Kong-based company and was registered at the Registrar of Companies, Delhi. It further said GPICPL was registered on December 3, 2014 at Registrar of Companies, Shimla, with registered addresses of Solan in Himachal Pradesh and Gandhi Nagar, Jammu. The company was incorporated by Zhengshen Ou, Bin Lou and Zhang Jie with the help of Nitin Garg, a Chartered Accountant. "Bin Lou left India on April 26, 2018. Zhengshen Ou and Zhang Jie left India in 2021," ED said. PMLA Investigation by ED was initiated by recording an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) on February 3 this year on the basis of a First Information Report (FIR) registered by Kalkaji police station under Delhi Police on December 5 last year against GPICPL and its Director, shareholders and certifying professionals on the basis of a complaint filed by Ministry of Corporate Affairs. As per the FIR, GPICPL and its shareholders had used forged identification documents and falsified addresses at the time of incorporation. The allegations were found to be true as the investigation revealed that the addresses mentioned by the directors of GPICPL did not belong to them, but in fact, it was a government building and the house of a senior bureaucrat. ED's investigation revealed that the same director of GPICPL, namely Bin Lou, was also an ex-director of Vivo. He had incorporated multiple companies across the country spread across various states, a total of 18 companies around the same time, just after the incorporation of Vivo in 2014-15 and further another Chinese national Zhixin Wei had incorporated further four companies. During raids, the ED said, due procedures as per law were followed at each premise but "the employees of Vivo India, including some Chinese nationals, did not cooperate with the search proceedings and had tried to abscond, remove and hide digital devices which were retrieved by the search teams". So far, the ED said, 119 bank accounts of various entities with a gross balance to the tune of Rs 465 crores including fixed deposits to the tune of Rs 66 crores of Vivo India, 2 kg gold bars, and cash amount to the tune of approximately Rs 73 lakhs have been seized under the provisions of PMLA, 2002. (ANI)
The CBI said on Thursday that it has arrested an executive director of Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd, Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) and five employees of a private company based in Noida in a bribery case. The agency said a case was registered against the executive director and others including private company based at Noida and its executive vice president & head (transmission & distribution); assistant vice president & business head- distribution; RPM; two employees and unknown others. "It was alleged that the public servant in conspiracy with others was involved in extending favours to the said private company for various works viz. preparation of inflated bills, early clearing of bills, PVC (Price Variation Clause) etc. related to contracts of Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd., in lieu of demand and acceptance of illegal gratification,"a CBI release said. "It was further alleged that the said company has bagged tenders, pertaining to a comprehensive scheme for Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, from Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd," the release added. CBI said searches were conducted at 11 premises of the said accused located in Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad which "led to recovery of numerous incriminating documents, materials, digital devices etc." A cash of Rs 93 lakh (approx.) was recovered from the residence of Executive Director of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited. The release said that the arrested accused were produced today before the Court of Special Judge, CBI cases, Panchkula (Haryana) and were remanded to Police Custody up to July 15. (ANI)
Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested a hybrid terrorist linked with proscribed terrorist outfit Al-Badr in Awantipora on Thursday. On specific information regarding the movement of terrorists in Beigund, Awantipora, JK Police alongwith 42 RR Army and 130 Bn Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) established a joint checkpoint in the said area. During checking, one hybrid terrorist identified as Aamir Ahmed Parray son of Abdul Rashid Parray resident of Kashwa Chitragam, Shopian, linked with proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr was arrested. Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including a pistol and four pistol rounds were recovered from his possession. In this connection, a case under relevant sections of law was registered and an investigation has been initiated. Meanwhile, two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists surrendered before police and security forces following an encounter in Kulgam on Wednesday. According to Jammu and Kashmir Police, the surrendered terrorists were identified as Nadeem Abbas Bhat, resident of Reshipura, Qaimoh and Kafeel Mir, resident of Mirpura, Qaimoh.Both were part of a recently recruited module of LeT. Police said these youth were brainwashed and tasked to carry out anti-national activities and killings at the behest of LeT and ISI. Based on specific input from JK Police about the presence of unidentified terrorists in the general area of village Hadigam, Kulgam, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by the Indian Army and JK Police in the area on Tuesday night. Cordon was laid in the wee hours on Wednesday. During the search of the suspected houses, the terrorists opened fire on the security forces from inside the house. Police said both terrorists were newly recruited local youth and their families were desperate to get them back into the mainstream. Forces showed restraint and did not engage the terrorists inspite of being under fire from them. Terrorists were kept contained in the house with utmost restraint displayed by Army and JKP. Further, the families of both terrorists were brought to the encounter site to appeal for their surrender. Repeated surrender appeals were made by the parents and security forces till morning. Both terrorists finally surrendered by laying down their arms. They were subsequently handed over to Police. Warlike stores were also recovered from their possession. (ANI)
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing a centrally-sponsored scheme "Mission Vatsalya" erstwhile Child Protection Services (CPS) scheme, since 2009-10 for the welfare and rehabilitation of children. The objective of Mission Vatsalya is to secure a healthy and happy childhood for each and every child in India, ensure opportunities to enable them to discover their full potential and assist them in flourishing in all respects in a sustained manner, foster a sensitive, supportive and synchronized ecosystem for the development of children, assist States/UTs in delivering the mandate of the Juvenile Justice Act 2015 and achieve the SDG goals. Mission Vatsalya promotes family-based non-institutional care of children in difficult circumstances based on the principle of institutionalization of children as a measure of last resort. Components under Mission Vatsalya include improvement in the functioning of statutory bodies, Strengthening service delivery structures; Upscale institutional care/services; Encouraging non-institutional community-based care; emergency outreach services; Training and capacity building. All the States/UTs have signed the Memorandum of Undertaking (MoU) with the Ministry for implementation of the Scheme. Mission Vatsalya will be implemented as a centrally-sponsored scheme as per the prescribed cost-sharing ratio between the Centre and State/UT Governments. The Ministry has issued detailed guidelines for the Mission Vatsalya Scheme and State Governments/UT Administrations have been asked to prepare their financial proposal and plans for the year 2022-23 under Mission Vatsalya Scheme on the basis of financial norms of Guidelines. The norms of the Mission Vatsalya scheme will be applicable from April 1, 2022. (ANI)
A Delhi Court on Thursday dismissed the anticipatory bail application of an accused of the Jahangirpuri violence that took place on April 16 during a procession that was held on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti in the area. Additional sessions Judge Gagandeep Singh of Rohini District Court dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of Sheikh Ishrfil noting the serious allegations against him. The judge said that the accused has been named by one of the eye-witnesses as one ofthe perpetrators involved in the riots. The custodial interrogation of the accused is warranted in the present case. The allegations against the accused are serious, the judge said. "I am of the considered view that no ground is made out for exercising discretion of grant of anticipatory bail to the accused. Therefore, the application moved on the behalf of the accused stands dismissed," he observed. The counsel for the accused had submitted that he has been falsely implicated in the said case, as the accused was not involved or seen around or in the vicinity of the place of the stampede that occurred on April 16. "There is no CCTV footage pertaining to the involvement of the accused in the stampede," the counsel of the accused argued. The accused is not in possession of the house, from the terrace of which, the alleged material has been recovered, counsel for the accused submitted. Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for Delhi Police Atul Srivastav opposed the bail plea stating that he is one of the main perpetrators/conspirators of the incident that took place on 16 April 2022. SPP also submitted, "one of the eyewitnesses had named the accused and correctly identified him. Incriminating material which was used in the riots has also been recovered from the terrace of the house owned by the accused only. He is evading arrest." The court observed, "The contention advanced on behalf of the accused that the terrace of the house from where the alleged material used in riots has been recovered being not in the possession of the accused is a fact in issue which cannot be commented upon at this stage. It is also not disputed that the said premises was owned by the accused/applicant herein." (ANI)
On his last working day as a member of the Rajya Sabha, senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi - who resigned as Union minister just a day back - said on Thursday that his 'political and social tenure is not yet over'. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, a popular face in the Modi cabinet and a Muslim face, resigned as a minister, as his last day as a Rajya Sabha MP. Whether Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi will be given the responsibility of a constitutional post, or be made Vice President or Governor, it is yet to be known. "I understand that my tenure in Rajya Sabha has been completed, but my political and social tenure has not yet been completed. I will continue to work with dedication and concern for society," Naqvi told ANI today. Breaking the silence over speculations about him becoming the Vice President, Naqvi said, "No one gives responsibility, you have to take the responsibility yourself. You should move forward only by your instincts." Speaking about PM praising him for his works Naqvi said " Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought a big change in the history of the country's politics. Those who are in government will always be a milestone. People who work in the social sector or in the political field, they must remain down to earth." Adding further Naqvi stated that there are challenges in politics all the time, there are times of crisis in the life of every political party and every political person but we should get out of those situations and save society. President Ram Nath Kovind accepted the resignation of Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Steel Minister RCP Singh from the Union Cabinet on Wednesday. "The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignations of Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Ram Chandra Prasad Singh from the Union Council of Ministers, with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution," read the notification of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Notably, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani has been given the additional charge of the Ministry of Minority Affairs while Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has been given the additional charge of the Ministry of Steel. "Further, as advised by the Prime Minister, the President has directed that Smriti Zubin Irani, Cabinet Minister, be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, in addition to her existing portfolio," said the notification. "Furthermore, as advised by the Prime Minister, the President has directed that Jyotiraditya M Scindia, Cabinet Minister, be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Steel, in addition to his existing portfolio," it added. Two Cabinet Ministers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and RCP Singh who will cease to be members of the Rajya Sabha from Thursday resigned from the Union Cabinet on Wednesday. The Rajya Sabha term of Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Steel Minister RCP Singh will end on Thursday. According to the sources, this is the first time that a sitting minister has been out of both Houses of Parliament. Recently, several BJP leaders were elected to Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. However, the party did not give a Rajya Sabha ticket to Naqvi.Pertinent to mention here, RCP Singh, who comes from an ally party in Bihar, JD(U), had sworn in as a minister in the Modi government a year ago on July 7, 2021. However, in the recent announcement of the Rajya Sabha tickets, Nitish Kumar denied RCP Singh's election to the Rajya Sabha. A Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant in Tripura after the resignation of Manik Saha who was recently elected to the Tripura Assembly. Besides this, there is no Rajya Sabha seat which is going to be vacant in the next few months. (ANI)
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Anand Sharma on Thursday said that he has every right to meet Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda and both of them share the same alma mater. "If I have to meet him, I will go openly. What is the big deal in it? I belong to INC. Being ideological opponents does not mean that there is any personal division between us. We do not make ideological opponents our social enemies," Sharma told ANI. "If I have to meet BJP chief JP Nadda, I have every right to meet him, for me, he is just not the BJP president. We both come from the same state and share the same alma mater. There should not be any political significance attached to it," he added. There were reports of Sharma meeting Nadda today. However, the Congress leader refuted the reports. Notably, Sharma is a member of Congress' G23 group. The 'G23' leaders including Shashi Tharoor, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Manish Tiwari and others have been vocal for organisational changes in the Congress party. Notably, former union minister and one of the key members of the 'G23' group Kapil Sibal in May this year announced that he left the Congress party. (ANI)
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday announced that the government has approved construction of a road linking Haryana to the upcoming Jewar International Airport in Gautam Budh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh. Gadkari further said construction of Greenfield connectivity to Jewar International Airport (connecting Delhi Mumbai Expressway) from DND Faridabad - Ballabhag Bypass KMP link in Gautam Budh Nagar district under Bharatmala project in the state of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana with a budget of Rs 2,414.67 crore has been approved. He said construction of two flyovers of 2.5 kilometres length at Kushinagar, place of Lord Buddha's Parinirvana in Uttar Pradesh has been sanctioned with a budget of Rs. 42.67 crores. In a series of tweets, he said these flyovers will be completed in 18 months. He said with their construction, the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists will be facilitated and the problem of traffic jam of local people will be solved. He said this road will be constructed on hybrid annuity mode with a total length of 31.425 km. The construction period will be 2 years and it will also connect Agra, Mathura and West UP, he added. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said that the new six-lane tunnel at Khambatki Ghat on Pune-Satara Highway is expected to be completed by March next year. In a series of tweets, Gadkari said, the country is witnessing unprecedented infrastructural transformation under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and unfolding 'Prosperity Through Connectivity. He said, New India demands world class infrastructure. Gadkari highlighted that the existing 'S' curve in Satara-Pune direction will be completed soon, which would lead to a drastic reduction in accident risks. He said, this tunnel is a twin tunnel with three lanes each and over six kilometers. The Minister said that the total capital cost for the project is approximately nine hundred twenty-six crore rupees. (ANI)
The Shuryar Mandir located in the Sonwar region of the Kashmir valley created history on Thursday as the Statue of Sri Ramanujacharya was unveiled virtually by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, said a press release. Sri Yadugiri Yatiraja Narayana Jeeyar of Sri Yadugiri Yatiraja Mutt (Malleshwara, Bengaluru), Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of J-K, Dr C N Ashwath Narayana, Minister for Higher Education, Karnataka and Tejaswi Surya, MP, Bengaluru South who is also the National President, BJP Yuva Morcha witnessed the momentous occasion, added a statement. Amit Shah while unveiling a 4 ft tall statue called "Statue of Peace", made of marble, said, "Sri Ramanuja, the proponent of Vishishtadvaita was an epic personality who always longed for the creation of equitable society." He further informed a statue of Sri Ramanujacharya would be installed in Gujarat, next year. "Ramanuja who had a liberal approach strongly stood against disparities in society. His preaching and practices are relevant even after thousand years. He has contributed immensely to the integrity of the country and his statue installed will send a message of peace not only to Kashmir but to the entire nation," he said. Speaking on the occasion, Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, Minister for Higher Education, (GoK) who was physically present, stated, that, Sri Ramanujacharya who had stayed in Karnataka for 40 years had come twice to Kashmir during the composition of his great work Sri Bahsya. "Sri Yadugiri Yatiraja Narayana Jeeyar has continued to be in the path of the heritage proposed by Sri Ramanujacharya. It is appreciable that Sri Yadugiri Yatiraja Mutt of Bengaluru has taken up the restoration work of the Shuryar Mandir," he said. Saying, Sri Ramanuja always stood for equality, peace, and empowerment, he expressed confidence that the statue installed would contribute to establishing peace in the valley. Sri Yadugiri Yatiraja Narayana Jeer who graced the occasion explained the relevance of Sri Ramanuja's preaching in his blessing remarks. It can be remembered here that Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 216 ft Statue of Sri Ramanuja (Statue of Equality) near Hyderabad last February. (ANI)
The Supreme Court enhanced the compensation granted to lawyer, who had suffered 100 percent permanent disability in an accident, from Rs 23,20,000 to Rs 51,62,000, saying he had to suffer post-accident agony for whole life and physical fitness is necessary for a proficient advocate. A bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and J.K. Maheshwari said: "He has to suffer post-accident agony for whole life, including the amenities of life, which he can enjoy as a normal man but unable to do so on account of permanent disability." "In the era of competition, he can perform better as a normal man but is unable to compete with others. Therefore, under the head pain, shock and suffering, amount of compensation deserves to be granted." The bench noted that a judicial notice can be taken of the fact that for a proficient advocate, the person must be physically fit as he is required to move frequently to attend the professional work, reaching from one court to another, and for movements to complete other professional commitments. It further added the claimant's lower limb is completely paralysed while his upper limb is partially paralysed, having 100 percent permanent disability resulting in bodily movements being hampered. "The claimant is required to make extraordinary efforts to attend the proceedings in the court and to come up to the expectations of the client. The disablement suffered by the claimant is for whole life and in the said fact, in our considered view, the future loss of earning calculated by the high court only for 10 years is not justified," said the bench. The claimant, Abhimanyu Pratap Singh, met with an accident in 1996, when he was 5 years old. In 1997, a claim petition was filed on behalf of Singh seeking compensation of Rs 2 crore. However, the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) granted him a total compensation of Rs 9 lakh in 2002. The MACT order was challenged in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which in 2019, which enhanced the compensation to Rs 23,20,000. The claimant moved the Supreme Court challenging the high court order. Singh contended that the high court did not consider the loss of earnings for lifetime and only computed the loss for only 10 years on the ground that he was not practicing as a lawyer. The high court granted Rs 6,00,000, for 10 years. At this, the apex court said: "The high court in the impugned order observed that the claimant has now started practice as an advocate, therefore, future loss of earning has been calculated only for 10 years, applying the multiplier of 16, without looking to the facts that claimant cannot perform the work of advocacy similar to the other advocates by attending the cases in different courts." The bench noted that the claimant's father was a professor and the mother was an IAS officer. "He was planning to become an executive or IAS officer. On account of the injuries in the temporal region and the permanent disability suffered, he was unable to do his studies as expected or planned. After sincere efforts he could have passed the LL. B and started the advocate profession," said the bench. --IANS ss/vd ( 547 Words) 2022-07-07-19:00:04 (IANS)
India has an opportunity to establish itself as a climate leader by excluding gas and nuclear as part of its green taxonomy on the lines of the Europe, experts said on Thursday. Their reaction came a day later after the European Parliament after months of intense debate came out in favour of labelling investments in gas and nuclear power plants as climate-friendly. Out of 639 lawmakers, 328 opposed a motion that sought to block the EU gas and nuclear proposals. The European Commission's proposal to include gas in what was to be the "gold standard" of sustainable finance has been widely criticised by scientists, experts and academia, civil society and EU policy-makers, as well as voices from Ukraine. Strong opposition to the proposal came from members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from almost all political groups, who came together to vote to veto the European Commission's proposal. Lawmakers and member states are already preparing to continue their opposition. A group of MEPs is readying to continue the fight against the inclusion of gas in the EU taxonomy in court, on the grounds that the decision "is against primary legislation". Austria and Luxembourg have also previously announced their intention to take the decision to court. Civil society is also moving in this direction, with Greenpeace announcing a legal challenge, Client Earth exploring legal pathways and WWF looking into different types of action. Responding to the EU lawmakers backing gas and nuclear energy as sustainable, Vibhuti Garg, Energy Economist and India Lead, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), told IANS: "India has an opportunity to establish itself as a climate leader by excluding gas and nuclear as part of its green taxonomy. "The green taxonomy won't prevent investment in gas if the projects themselves can establish their commercial viability but classifying them as green is not the right approach. Taxonomy should be robust and promote cleaner technologies. "There should be clarity to investors and developers what would be classified as green and there shouldn't be any dilution. India should be on the right side of climate change and lead other countries to invest in the right direction." Dhruba Purkayastha, Director, Climate Policy Initiative, said: "Getting gas included in sustainable finance with the caveat of shifting away from gas in the long term is in alignment with meeting the UN's 'sustainability' definition. "However, gas cannot be justified for climate finance as it isn't climate-friendly or green and may not help the EU in attaining its legal obligations to reduce GHG emission by 55 per cent by 2030, compared with 1990 levels." Critics are calling the EU decision "greenwashing" and say it could threaten the bloc's bid to become climate-neutral by 2050. --IANS vg/pgh ( 468 Words) 2022-07-07-19:38:02 (IANS)
On the last leg of her three-day tour to seven of the eight northeastern states, NDA Presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu on Thursday campaigned in Assam and Mizoram for the July 18 Presidential poll. Murmu -- the first woman tribal leader to contest for the country's highest constitutional post, has received a rousing welcome in both Assam and Mizoram. The 64-year-old leader has held a series of meetings with the Chief Ministers, ministers, MLAs and MPs of BJP and its allies in the northeastern states and sought support for her candidature. In Guwahati, the NDA presidential candidate met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, his cabinet colleagues and MLAs and MPs of BJP and its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL). In Aizawl, Murmu after meeting Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga, his cabinet colleagues, MLAs and MPs also met Mizoram Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati at Raj Bhawan where they had a brief interaction. She enquired about various facets of Mizoram and said that she was very much impressed with the natural beauty and the climate of Mizoram. Murmu accompanied by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister Pratima Bhowmik and senior BJP leaders visited Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland on Wednesday after visiting Tripura and Manipur on Tuesday. "Murmu after visiting West Bengal in the weekend would go to another northeastern state Sikkim on Saturday to campaign for her candidature," Bhowmik told IANS. In the northeastern states, Chief Ministers and other senior ministers along with leaders received her at the airports while artistes from different communities welcomed her with colourful traditional performances. According to the political analysts, Murmu, who was also the minister in Odisha, and governor of Jharkhand, would get maximum votes in the eight northeastern states against her rival and opposition parties' sponsored candidate Yashwant Sinha as four of the eight northeastern states -- Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh are governed by the BJP while the remaining four states are ruled by the NDA allies. Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh also sounded optimistic about Murmu's victory. "Held a meeting with all the MLAs of BJP-led Govt and Hon'ble MPs of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha today and deliberated on the preparation for the upcoming Presidential election. We are confident that Smt Draupadi Murmu Ji will become the next President of India," Singh tweeted. --IANS sc/pgh ( 409 Words) 2022-07-07-19:58:02 (IANS)
She also took part in a meeting with the legislators of BJP, AGP and UPPL of Assam and sought support from them.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was also present in the meeting held at a Guwahati hotel.

"Honoured to have had the opportunity to interact with NDA's nominee for the upcoming presidential elections Adarniya Smt Droupadi Murmu ji in Guwahati. Adarniya Murmu ji's interaction with legislators of BJP Assam and allies was really an enriching experience for all of us," Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted.

Adding to his previous statement, another Tweet read, "Gave a warm send-off to Adarniya Smt Droupadi Murmu ji, NDA's nominee for Presidential election, at LGBI Airport. We wish her the very best."

Droupadi Murmu was a national executive member of BJP's ST Morcha from 2013 to 2015 and served as BJP district chief of Mayurbhanj (West) in 2010 and 2013.

Between 2006 and 2009, she was chief of BJP's ST Morcha in Odisha. She was a member of the national executive of BJP ST Morcha from 2002 to 2009.

The voting for the next President of India will kick start on July 18 while counting will take place on July 21.

Murmu is the first major tribal female Presidential candidate in India's history. Once elected, she will be the first tribal President of India and the second-ever female President. (ANI)

She is the first major Presidential candidate from Odisha and once elected, she will be the first from the state of Odisha. (ANI)
The Rana couple - Independent MP Navneet Kaur-Rana and her husband and Independent MLA Ravi Rana - on Thursday rubbished charges that the alleged mastermind of the June 21 murder of Amravati pharmacist was linked to their party. "The allegations are absolutely baseless. We have never met him or even know him, he was never our worker. Whichever party they may belong to, strict action should be taken against them," said Ravi Rana, who is a 3-time MLA from Badnera. His wife is a first-time MP. His dismissal came after some TV channels aired news alleging one of their party workers was the mastermind behind the murder of veterinary pharmacist Umesh Kolhe. The Ranas have a political outfit called Yuva Swabhiman Party (YSP). The Ranas sought to counter the insinuations by pointing fingers at the former Congress Minister Yashomati Thakur tried to suppress the case when the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi government was in power. The City Kotwali Police Station, Amravati has arrested 7 accused including the mastermind Shaikh Irfan and the case was later taken over by National Investigation Agency (NIA). Meanwhile, a Special NIA Court in Mumbai sent all the accused to the NIA's custody till July 15, as the central agency intensified its probe. The NIA raided at least a dozen locations in the state and recovered hate pamphlets, mobile phones, memory and SIM cards, knives, from the homes of the accused. The agency is also attempting to unravel if they have any links with global terror groups. Late on the night of June 21 - when Maharashtra was in the throes of a major political crisis - two motorcycle-borne assailants stabbed Kolhe repeatedly in the neck when he was going home on his scooter. The trigger for the killing was Kolhe reportedly forwarding some social media posts supporting ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma's denigrating posts on Prophet Mohammed last month. --IANS qn/vd ( 323 Words) 2022-07-07-21:08:02 (IANS)
The Baruipur district police probing the murder of three local-level Trinamool Congress leaders at Canning in South 24 Parganas district on Thursday morning are looking into the possibility of the involvement of the local drugs racket in the crime. The trigger point of this suspicion involving the local drugs trade is an incident that took place in the same area around 18 months back, when a local drug peddler, Rafiqul Alam, tried to kill a Trinamool activist named Badal. Police sources said that Badal was the right-hand man of local Trinamool panchayat member Swapan Majhi, who was murdered on Thursday morning. "Rafiqul was in jail before on charges of drug peddling. He thought Badal was the mastermind behind sending him to jail, and hence after his release he tried to kill Badal. But Rafiqul failed in his attempt because of the timely intervention of Swapan Majhi and his associates. "According to eyewitnesses, Rafiqul even threatened Majhi of dire consequences. So naturally we are probing this old rivalry angle also," said a district police official who did not wish to be named. However, the possibilities of infighting in Trinamool Congress sneaks into even in this angle. Some local people have informed the police that before being expelled from the party because of his drug links, Rafiqul was a close associate of Canning (East) MLA Saokat Molla, who is under CBI lens for his alleged role in the coal smuggling case. On the contrary, the three killed on Thursday -- Majhi, Bhutnath Pramanik and Jhantu Halder -- were known to be close to Paresh Ram Das, the Trinamool MLA from Canning (West). Meanwhile, a political spur has started in Bengal over these killings with the opposition parties saying that even the lives of the ruling party members and leaders are not safe any more. --IANS src/arm ( 315 Words) 2022-07-07-21:46:02 (IANS)
Around 50 criminals attacked the Borragarh colliery of Dhanbad-based Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) and looted cables, iron, copper-brass and other valuables worth lakhs of rupees. They also assaulted more than a dozen employees of BCCL. The condition of five of the employees, who have been admitted to the Central Hospital of BCCL, is said to be critical. The incident occurred between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. in the intervening night of Wednesday-Thursday. The criminals fired at least half-a-dozen rounds and also detonated bombs to spread panic. All the 16 staff in night shift were taken hostage. When they resisited, they were attacked with the weapons. Yadu Mahto, Baleshwar Mahto, Kauleshwar Bhuyan, Pradeep Choubey and two others who were injured are being treated at Central Hospital in Dhanbad. The criminals also demolished the boundary wall of the colliery. Sources said the carnage continued for almost two hours. The looted materials were loaded on a goods vehicle and carried away. Expressing anger over the incident, one of the employees said, "The management puts us on duty without any security. The police and CISF personnel only pretend to work in the name of patrolling." A police team reached the spot after they were informed by the BCCL employees about the incident. Bullet shells were recovered from the spot. The colliery employees have announced that they will not do night duty unless they are provided adequate security. They also expressed anger in front of the BCCL officials. Earlier, on the night of June 16, criminals had looted cables worth around Rs 2 lakh deom the Anna colliery in Dhanbad. On the night of June 7, a similar incident was reported from the South Balihari colliery in the PB area. --IANS snc/anm/uk/arm ( 302 Words) 2022-07-07-22:12:02 (IANS)
Dr Rajan Sankaranarayanan, outstanding scientist at CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, has been announced as one of the elected associate members of European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO). This year, 67 researchers from 22 countries, based on their research excellence and achievements, have been elected members. Out of them, 58 new EMBO members are based in 15 of the member states of the EMBC, the intergovernmental organisation that funds the major EMBO Programmes and activities, while the nine associate members, including Dr Sankaranarayanan, reside in seven non-EMBC countries - Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, India, Singapore, and the US. EMBO is a leading organisation that shapes scientific research in biology across Europe. Currently, more than 1,900 EMBO members across the world serve on the EMBO Council, Committees and Advisory Editorial Boards of EMBO Press journals. They are involved in evaluating applications for EMBO funding and mentoring early career researchers. Through these, they guide the execution of EMBO programmes and activities. "The new EMBO Members and Associate Members are exceptional scientists, who carry out leading research across a variety of fields, ranging from cell biology and cancer to vaccine development and machine learning," EMBO Director Fiona Watt said. "I am honoured to be elected for the EMBO membership which is one of the top recognitions for scientific excellence. I am particularly delighted as it recognises work done from India, and will also further foster India's relationship with Europe in the broader area of molecular and cell biology," said Dr Sankaranarayanan. "Dr Sankaranarayanan's work in structural biology is highly celebrated nationally and internationally. CCMB is deeply proud to be a part of his scientific journey. And his appointment as an EMBO member is a matter of privilege not only to CCMB but also to the larger Indian life science community," CCMB Director, Dr Vinay Nandicoori, said. --IANS ms/vd ( 317 Words) 2022-07-06-22:12:03 (IANS)
Newly-named Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi, who succeeded Rishi Sunak who announced his resignation on Tuesday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Welsh Secretary Simon Hart are among those at 10 Downing Street to convince Johnson to quit over his handling of sexual misconduct claims against former Deputy Chief Whip Chris Pincher, the BBC reported.

Chief Whip Chris Heaton-Harris is also understood to be there.

The new development comes as mass resignations from MPs in government roles continue, but Johnson has so far said he will not quit and even ruled out a mid-term poll.

Meanwhile, the 1922 committee of Tory backbenchers has decided not to change the rules to allow a second confidence vote against Johnson.

It will instead hold an election on Monday to choose its new executive, which will decide any rule changes.

Johnson survived a confidence vote by Conservative MPs last month. Under existing rules, he is immune from another confidence vote for a year now.

--IANS vd/arm

( 201 Words)

2022-07-06-22:30:05 (IANS)
The UK Foreign Office has denied reports that the deputy head of the United Kingdom's mission in Iran was arrested on charges of espionage, Sky News reported. "Reports of the arrest of a British diplomat in Iran are completely false," the Foreign Office said in a statement. Earlier, media reports had said Giles Whitaker, deputy head of mission at the UK Embassy in Tehran, was among foreigners detained by Iran's Revolutionary Guards for alleged acts of espionage. The Jerusalem Post reported the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) detained these diplomats on claims of spying and taking samples of soil from a prohibited area during a missile exercise. According to the report, IRGC released video footage claiming to show Whitaker near a site where the Iranian forces were conducting missile exercises. The report said the deputy ambassador has since apologized and been expelled, the report added. The Post said that one of the suspects detained by the IRGC had entered the country as part of scientific exchange with a university. The IRGC also claimed that the suspect sampled soil in some areas. It claimed that diplomats are often used to look for military sites and identify equipment and munitions. The report also stated that the diplomats were being used to build a new case concerning the "military aspects of Iran's file in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)." Currently, talks are taking place between Iran and the world powers to attempt to return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal that remains stalled. Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear program 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 The US has complained that Iran has brought new demands unrelated to the JCPOA deal to the table. Whereas Iranian officials have complained that the US is not willing to lift sanctions before a return to the deal. Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), said Wednesday that the "oppressive" US sanctions against Iran should be lifted in such a way that all countries can easily invest in Iran while maintaining their long-term interests. Shamkhani made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Iran's Nour News affiliated with SNSC reported. (ANI)
White House communications director Kate Bedingfield will leave her role in late July, the Biden administration said in a statement. "Kate Bedingfield, a longtime trusted aide to President Biden and a senior strategist both in the administration and on his winning campaign, will leave the White House in late July to spend more time with her husband and young children after more than 3 straight years of leading his communications team. She first worked for the President as his communications director during his time as Vice President," the White House said in a statement. Bedingfield previously served as the Deputy Campaign Manager and Communications Director on Biden's 2020 presidential campaign, playing a leading role advising him on messaging, building his communications and press operations. She also prepared Biden for debates and interviews, and devising and executing on strategy as he secured the Democratic nomination faster than any candidate since 2004 and became the first nominee to defeat an incumbent president in almost 30 years. She also represented the campaign on television at key moments, including before and after debates. In the White House, Bedingfield continued as the President's top communications aide and was similarly integral to every major public relations effort while leading the White House Communications Department, ensuring that each part of the team was working to deliver the President's message and advocate for his agenda. "Without Kate Bedingfield's talent and tenacity, Donald Trump might still be in the White House, the Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure Law might still be unrealized goals, and Ketanji Brown Jackson might not be sitting on the Supreme Court," said White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain. "She has played a huge role in everything the President has achieved - from his second term as Vice President, through the campaign, and since coming to the White House. Her strategic acumen, intense devotion to the President's agenda, and fierce work on his behalf are unmatched. She will continue to remain a critical player in moving the Biden agenda forward from the outside." "From long before we launched the campaign, Kate Bedingfield was a fierce defender of the President and ensured that our message in 2020 and in the White House was consistent with his voice and principles," said White House Senior Adviser Anita Dunn. "Her leadership helped us tell the story about the fight Joe Biden is making for the working families of America. She'll always be a core member of this family, even as she takes a little time to put her own family first. We will miss her intelligence, her talent, her sense of humor, and her commitment to the values President Biden fought for as a candidate and fights for every day as president." (ANI)
FBI Director Christopher Wray and United Kingdom MI5 Director General Ken McCallum have urged business leaders to be aware of the threat from the Chinese government and help the government agencies protect corporate secrets from theft by China. Addressing business leaders in London, Wray said, "We consistently see that it's the Chinese government that poses the biggest long-term threat to our economic and national security, and by 'our,' I mean both of our nations, along with our allies in Europe and elsewhere." He said the Chinese government poses an even more serious threat to Western businesses than even many sophisticated businesspeople realize. "The Chinese government is set on stealing your technology--whatever it is that makes your industry tick--and using it to undercut your business and dominate your market. And they're set on using every tool at their disposal to do it," he said. Wray said China often disguises its hand in order to obtain influence and access where companies don't suspect it. "Outside of China, their government uses elaborate shell games to disguise its efforts from foreign companies and from government investment-screening programs like CFIUS, America's Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S." Adding to what FBI Director, McCallum said most of what is at risk from Chinese Communist Party aggression is not, so to speak, my stuff. "It's yours." "The world-leading expertise, technology, research, and commercial advantage developed and held by people in this room, and others like you." The Chinese government has a longstanding practice of hacking and stealing proprietary information to try to get an economic advantage. Wray also spoke about the China threat and emphasized the importance of partnerships to address it. This is the first time the two leaders have gathered to address a global threat with an audience of business and academic leaders. "We're not just in the business of articulating problems, we're doing something about them, together with MI5, with the private sector itself, with other government partners," Wray said. Wray encouraged the business leaders to partner with the FBI and MI5 so they can have the appropriate intelligence about this threat. The information can also help companies decide whether partnering with China is worth the risk of having proprietary information stolen. Companies must take the long view in making decisions about China, just as the FBI and MI5 are approaching the threat from a long-term perspective. "Maintaining a technological edge may do more to increase a company's value than would partnering with a Chinese company to sell into that huge Chinese market, only to find the Chinese government and your 'partner' stealing and copying your innovation," Wray said. According to the FBI, the counterintelligence and economic espionage efforts emanating from the government of China and the Chinese Communist Party are a grave threat to the economic well-being and democratic values of the United States. Confronting this threat is the FBI's top counterintelligence priority. "To be clear, the adversary is not the Chinese people or people of Chinese descent or heritage. The threat comes from the programs and policies pursued by an authoritarian government," according to the FBI. The Chinese government is employing tactics that seek to influence lawmakers and public opinion to achieve policies that are more favourable to China, according to US security agencies. At the same time, the Chinese government is seeking to become the world's greatest superpower through predatory lending and business practices, systematic theft of intellectual property, and brazen cyber intrusions. China's efforts target businesses, academic institutions, researchers, lawmakers, and the general public and will require a whole-of-society response. The government and the private sector must commit to working together to better understand and counter the threat. (ANI)
"In accordance with section 517 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (22 U.S.C. 2321k), I am providing notice of my intent to rescind the designation of Afghanistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally," Biden said in the letter.

The United States designated Afghanistan as a major non-NATO ally in July 2012.

Last year, the Taliban launched an offensive against democratically elected Afghan government, after the Biden administration announced the end its military presence in Afghanistan.

On August 15, 2021, the Taliban swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance and gained full control over the Afghan capital. Later in September, the Taliban declared a complete victory in Afghanistan and formed an interim government, which hasn't yet been officially recognized by any country.

Since its ascent to power in Kabul, the Islamic group imposed policies severely restricting basic rights--particularly those of women and girls.

According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the Taliban dismissed all women from leadership posts in the civil service and prohibited girls in most provinces from attending secondary school. Taliban decrees prohibit women from traveling unless accompanied by a male relative and require women's faces be covered in public--including women TV newscasters.

The Taliban have carried out broad censorship, limiting critical reporting, and have detained and beaten journalists. Taliban forces have carried out revenge killings and enforced disappearances of former government officials and security force personnel. They have summarily executed people deemed affiliated with the Islamic State.

Armed groups linked to the Afghan branch of the Islamic State have carried out bombings targeting ethnic Hazaras, Afghan Shias, Sufis, and others, killing and injuring hundreds.

The Afghan economy collapsed after August 2021, as millions of people lost salaries when the US, World Bank, and other donors stripped the Central Bank of Afghanistan of its foreign assets and access to financial assistance.

Over 90 per cent of the Afghan population faces serious food insecurity, along with a lack of medicine and a rise in malnutrition-related disease. (ANI)
In a statement, BSF informed that a special ambush party of BSF Bhuj apprehended four Pakistan fishermen and seized 10 Pakistan fishing boats while they were sneaking into Indian territory through one of the water channels of Harami Nalla near the border in Kutch District of Gujarat.

Special Ambush party of BSF Bhuj observed movement between Border Post No. 1165 and 1166 and has cordoned the area. The search of the area is in progress, the statement read.

After the seizure, BSF patrolling teams launched a massive search operation to find out if any more such boats from the neighboring country had entered Indian waters.

"Nothing suspicious recovered from the fishing boats," it read.

Meanwhile, recently, a three-year-old Pakistani child who inadvertently crossed the International Border (IB) was handed over to security personnel of the neighboring country by the Border Security Force (BSF), officials said.

BSF informed that on Friday at about 7:15 pm, troops of 182 Bn BSF, Ferozepur Sector apprehended one Pakistani child aged approximately 3 years while he crossed the border and entered Indian territory.

They said the child was unable to reveal anything and was kept under safe custody of BSF, the statement read.

As it was a case of inadvertent crossing, BSF further approached Pak Rangers and at about 9:45 pm, said Pakistani child was handed over to Pak Rangers as a goodwill gesture and on humanitarian ground.

"BSF always takes a humane approach while dealing with inadvertent border crossers," it read. (ANI)
Ahead of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meet, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday (local time) met with the European foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in Bali, Indonesia where they discussed the fallouts of the Ukraine conflict along with acknowledging progress in other bilateral engagements including Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, "Good meeting with EU Vice-President Joseph Borrell. Discussed the Ukraine conflict and its impact on the global situation. Recognized the progress in our bilateral engagement, including FTA negotiations. Agreed to remain in touch." The first round of negotiations for India-EU Trade and Investment Agreements has concluded and the second round of talks is scheduled to take place in Brussels in September this year, a statement issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry read. India's FTA negotiations were led by Chief Negotiator Nidhi Mani Tripathi, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce and EU was represented by its Chief Negotiator, 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 statement read further. The second round of negotiations is scheduled to take place in September 2022 at Brussels. According to the ministry, the negotiations were launched by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and the European Commission Executive Vice-president and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis at Brussels last month. India's bilateral trade with the EU amounted to USD 116.36 billion in 2021-22. Despite the global disruptions, bilateral trade achieved impressive annual growth of 43.5 per cent in 2021-22. Ar present, the EU is India's second-largest trading partner after the US and the second-largest destination for Indian exports. The trade agreement with the 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, it added. (ANI)
UK Home Secretary Priti Patel and several Conservative Party lawmakers have asked British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to tender his resignation after dozens of ministers abandoned his government. "Home Secretary Priti Patel, told Johnson that the general view of the Conservative party was that he had to go," CNN reported citing a source. Almost 30 UK government officials, including key figures like UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, have already submitted their resignations over the recent scandal involving former deputy chief whip Christopher Pincher. Johnson on Wednesday said that his government would not fold after two of his senior Ministers and a string of junior officials submitted their resignation in protest of his leadership, New York Post reported. "The job of a prime minister in difficult circumstances when you've been handed a colossal mandate is to keep going. And that's what I'm going to do," Johnson told lawmakers. "We are going to get on and deliver our mandate and win another general election," he added. "One of his key allies, Michael Gove, told the prime minister in a private meeting that the time had come for Mr. Johnson to go," The New York Times reported. Britain's attorney general, Suella Braverman HAS called for Johnson to step down and said she would stand for election to replace him if he did. "If there is a leadership contest, I will put my name into the ring," she said, New York Times. Many Tory lawmakers believe that Boris Johnson needs to be replaced quickly to mitigate the electoral damage to the party. The exit of the top minister comes amid the row involving the former Conservative party whip Chris Pincher, who was accused of sexual misconduct. Last week, Pincher quit as deputy chief whip after claims that he groped two men but Johnson knew about allegations against him as far back as 2019. The British PM said he regrets giving Pincher a government role as Deputy Chief Whip following the revelation of a misconduct complaint against him. The British PM has said he regrets giving Pincher a government role as Deputy Chief Whip following the revelation of a misconduct complaint against him. "In hindsight it was the wrong thing to do and I apologise to everyone who has been badly affected by it. I just want to make absolutely clear that there's no place in this government for anybody who is predatory or abuses their position of power," he said. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting and held discussions over "outstanding issues" including the border situation. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, "Began my day in Bali by meeting FM Wang Yi of China. Discussion lasted one hour. Focused on specific outstanding issues in our bilateral relationship pertaining to the border situation. Also spoke about other matters including students and flights." Moreover, Jaishankar also shared perspectives on the international situation and its impact on the G20 deliberations. In May this year, India and China held talks on border issues and they decided to hold the next round of Senior Commanders Meeting at an early date. After the Galwan clash in 2020, several rounds of military and diplomatic talks have taken place to resolve the standoff. Disengagement at some border points did take place but by and large, there is an impasse on complete disengagement. "As far as the current situation (in eastern Ladakh) is concerned, we have maintained continuous communication with the Chinese side both through diplomatic and military channels," MEA spokesperson Bagchi had said earlier. On the Chinese aggression which started in 2020, the Defence Ministry in its Year-End review had stated that unilateral and provocative actions by the Chinese to change the status quo by force, in more than one area on the LAC, have been responded to as an adequate measure. However, after a US General visiting India termed the Chinese activity level in eastern Ladakh as "eye-opening" the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) had stated that China and India have the will and capability of resolving the question of the border situation through dialogue and consultation and that US officials were trying to add "fuel to the fire". The reaction by China came in the wake of remarks made by US Army's Pacific Commanding General Charles A. Flynn who was on a four-day visit to India earlier. Flynn in an interaction with journalists talked about the "alarming" infrastructure development by China along its borders with India in the Ladakh sector, and called the Chinese activities in that region "eye-opening". Twenty Indian soldiers had died in the Galwan Valley clash which was fought in hand-to-hand combat in sub-zero temperatures in the near pitch-black night of June 15 and June 16, 2020.The clash was the deadliest confrontation between India and China in over four decades. China's state media has almost entirely failed to cover the skirmish or its aftermath. The clash took place along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh following a standoff over the actions of the Chinese Army. During the meeting which is set to take place from July 7 to 8, the participating Foreign ministers will hold talks on issues of contemporary relevance, such as strengthening multilateralism and current global challenges including food and energy security, read a release by the Ministry of External Affairs. The External Affairs Minister is slated to hold several bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other G20 member states and invited countries during the visit. The EAM's participation in the G20 FMM will strengthen India's engagement with G20 member states. As a G20 troika member and as the incoming G20 Presidency, India's role in the upcoming FMM discussions assumes even greater importance, the official statement read. (ANI)
On Monday, the Chief Minister announced free electricity for households consuming up to 100 units from July under the "Punjab Chief Minister Roshan Gharana Programme", Dawn newspaper reported.

This comes in the wake of a ban imposed by the Election Commission of Pakistan on initiating any development projects until the by-polls were out of the way.

The "Punjab Chief Minister Roshan Gharana Programme" was a part of the provincial budget announced last month, Khalid Ishaq, the counsel of the Chief Minister has said in the response sought by ECP.

Punjab province received a huge share of 51.74 per cent in the budgetary distribution of resources among the federation and provinces, depicting the favourable behaviours of Shehbaz Sharif-led country's government as his son Hamza Shahbaz is the Chief Minister of the province.

The chief election commissioner said that action would be taken for violation of the electoral code of conduct in accordance with the law.

No development programmes should be announced till the by-elections, he directed.

"The Election Commission rejects all propaganda to make by-elections controversial. The Election Commission has more support from law enforcement agencies than ever before," he said.

The by-elections in 20 constituencies in Punjab would be held in a transparent manner, he vowed, as per Dawn. (ANI)
Both the leaders held talks on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Indonesia.

"A productive meeting with FM @AissataOfficiel of Senegal. Appreciate her sentiments on Vaccine Maitri and our development projects. Agreed to take forward cooperation in agriculture, health, fertiliser production, railways, power transmission and solar energy," Jaishankar tweeted.

The G20 countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Moreover, External Affairs Minister also met the Argentinian counterpart Santiago Cafiero and South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor.

"Nice to catch up with FM @SantiagoCafiero of Argentina. Following up on our recent meetings in New Delhi and Munich," he said.

"Good to see FM Naledi Pandor of South Africa in Bali. Look forward to hearing her at the G20 FMM," he said further in the tweet.

India's representation at G20 summits has been led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014.

External Affairs Minister also met with the European foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in Bali where they discussed the fallouts of the Ukraine conflict along with acknowledging progress in other bilateral engagements including Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.

Recently, the first round of negotiations for India-EU Trade and Investment Agreements has been concluded and the second round of talks is scheduled to take place in Brussels in September this year. (ANI)
With a spike in the number of enforced disappearances in Balochistan in the past few months, there is not even a single family in the province whose member or a relative has not been forcibly disappeared, reported a Canada-based think tank, International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS). Enforced disappearances are used as a tool by Pakistani authorities to terrorize people who question the all-powerful army establishment of the country or seek individual or social rights. The report suggests that it is a crime that is often used by the authorities to get rid of people that are considered a "nuisance" without any arrest warrant, charge or prosecution. There is news of someone's abduction almost every day in the province and as a result, the issue has attracted political and social attention. The feeling of insecurity these abductions generate affects the community and society as a whole and is not limited just to the close friends or relatives who have been abducted. The victims of these abductions, who are often the youth, women, children, and elderlies, are described by Amnesty International as people "who have literally disappeared." The organisation states that the authorities grab the victims from the streets or their homes and later refuse to say where they are. The forceful abductions are being carried out in Balochistan since the early 2000s. Students are often the most targeted section of these abductions. The victims also include several political activists, journalists, teachers, doctors, poets, and lawyers. The report added that tens of thousands of Baloch people have been kidnapped by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Pakistani Army personnel in the last 20 years. Several victims have been killed and dumped and it is believed that many of them are still confined in the Pakistani torture cells. A majority of the students are kept in extra-judicial custody after they are picked up during raids on houses and hostels. A total of 48 Baloch students have been kidnapped between January and May from Balochistan and several other major Pakistani cities. However, several rights group believe that the total number of disappearances are much higher as a large number of families are threatened not to go public, or their loved ones will be harmed. A total of seven students were abducted in January followed by 8,8,6, and 19 student abductions in February, March, April and May respectively. Several protests are being carried out frequently in Balochistan to bring the practice into the light. The family members of the forcibly disappeared persons have formed an organisation called the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) to campaign against the disappearances. A hunger strike that has continued for over 4,670 days was carried out by VBMP. The organization has claimed that the Pakistani authorities have been involved in this practice. An annual report of the Human Rights Council of Balochistan, which is an organisation that documents human rights violations in the province, has said that students remained the main target of these kidnappings both in Balochistan as well as in other provinces of Pakistan. (ANI)
After over 50 ministers resigned from the UK government, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, according to media reports, is likely to submit his resignation on Thursday. The Prime Minister is expected to make a statement to the country today, CNN reported quoting a Downing Street spokesperson. Earlier, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel and several Conservative Party lawmakers asked Johnson to tender his resignation after dozens of ministers abandoned his government. "Home Secretary Priti Patel, told Johnson that the general view of the Conservative party was that he had to go," CNN reported. Almost 30 UK government officials, including key figures like UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, have already submitted their resignations over the recent scandal involving former deputy chief whip Christopher Pincher. Earlier today, another minister of his government Brandon Lewis resigned from his position, saying that he no longer believed the values of honesty, integrity and mutual respect are being upheld by Johnson's government. Johnson on Wednesday said that his government would not fold after two of his senior Ministers and a string of junior officials submitted their resignation in protest of his leadership, New York Post reported. "The job of a prime minister in difficult circumstances when you've been handed a colossal mandate is to keep going. And that's what I'm going to do," Johnson told lawmakers. "We are going to get on and deliver our mandate and win another general election," he added. "One of his key allies, Michael Gove, told the prime minister in a private meeting that the time had come for Mr. Johnson to go," The New York Times reported. Britain's attorney general, Suella Braverman has called for Johnson to step down and said she would stand for election to replace him if he did. "If there is a leadership contest, I will put my name into the ring," she said, New York Times.Many Tory lawmakers believe that Boris Johnson needs to be replaced quickly to mitigate the electoral damage to the party. The exit of the top minister comes amid the row involving the former Conservative party whip Chris Pincher, who was accused of sexual misconduct. Last week, Pincher quit as deputy chief whip after claims that he groped two men but Johnson knew about allegations against him as far back as 2019. The British PM said he regrets giving Pincher a government role as Deputy Chief Whip following the revelation of a misconduct complaint against him. The British PM has said he regrets giving Pincher a government role as Deputy Chief Whip following the revelation of a misconduct complaint against him. "In hindsight it was the wrong thing to do and I apologise to everyone who has been badly affected by it. I just want to make absolutely clear that there's no place in this government for anybody who is predatory or abuses their position of power," he said. (ANI)
Pakistan reported 872 new COVID-19 cases and nine more deaths during the last 24 hours, the country's ministry of health said on Thursday. The tally of infected people increased to 1,540,952 after adding the new cases, according to the data released by the ministry. According to the ministry's statistics, a total of 30,413 people died from COVID-19 in Pakistan, with nine more deaths recorded on Wednesday. On Wednesday, 23,125 tests for COVID-19 were conducted in Pakistan while the positivity rate stood at 3.77 per cent. Currently, 165 active cases 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)
Former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant is going to be India's new G20 Sherpa as Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goel will give up his position as he has been tasked with other pressing duties, sources familiar with the matter said. With the G-20 presidency coming to India in November, a full-time Sherpa is required, who would need to devote a lot of time to numerous meetings that will be held in different parts of the country. Minister Piyush Goyal has been tasked with other pressing duties like the Leader of Rajya Sabha which was given to him after his appointment as Sherpa, sources said. This combined with an intensive workload in Ministries like Commerce and Industry (accelerating Free Trade Agreements FTAs, WTO among others), Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (CAFPD) and Textiles would limit his involvement in this critical time. G20 is a major international grouping that brings together 19 of the world's major economies and the European Union, with its members accounting for more than 80 per cent of global GDP, 75 per cent of global trade and 60 per cent of global population. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been leading India's representation at G20 Summits since 2014. India has been a member of the G20 since its inception in 1999. India will be holding the G20 Presidency from 1 December 2022 and will convene the G20 Leaders' Summit in 2023 for the first time. Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha on the manner in which India is preparing to assume the responsibility of the Presidency of G20 this year in December, the Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh on Thursday elaborated upon the role of India as the G-20 Presidency and the responsibilities and power the position would bring. "As a founding member of the G20, India has constantly contributed towards its discussions on issues of global importance, including those that impact the most vulnerable around the world," said the Minister of State. "As the G20 Presidency, India will set the agenda for the year, identify the themes and focus areas, conduct discussions and work out outcome documents. The G20 Secretariat will be responsible for a smooth transition from the previous Presidency, preparations and conduct," the Minister of State added. The G20 process is divided into the Sherpa track and the Finance track. Under the Sherpa track, about 100 official meetings are expected to be organized in the areas of employment, health, digital economy, trade, investment & industry, environment & climate, energy, anti-corruption, agriculture, tourism, culture, and socio-economic development, education, and women empowerment. Under the Finance track, about 40 meetings are expected to be organized including those in the areas of international financial architecture, financial inclusion and sustainable finance, financing for infrastructure, climate finance and tax matters. "In addition, programs and events to showcase India's diversity and culture and to promote India as a business and tourism destination will also be organized for the visiting G20 delegates," the Minister of state said. In December 2021, India joined the G20 Troika of Indonesia, Italy, and India - the current, previous and incoming G20 Presidencies, respectively. (ANI)
With one investigation revealing that over 100 bodies had been dumped in an emptied canal in Nangarhar, Afghanistan, Human Rights Watch (HRW), said Taliban security forces are carrying out abusive search operations where they execute and forcibly disappear residents they accuse of sheltering or supporting militants. These residents, as per the Taliban, are either members or supporters of the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) armed group, the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State (ISIS). However, the Taliban is killing these alleged militants without legal process or revealing their whereabouts to their families. The actions are targeted toward alleged members and supporters of the Islamic State offshoot in eastern Afghanistan. Since the Taliban took power in August 2021, residents of Nangahar and Kunar provinces east of Kabul have discovered the bodies of more than 100 men dumped in canals and other locations, as per HRW statement. During the raids, Taliban forces have beaten residents and have detained men they accuse of being ISKP members without legal process or revealing their whereabouts to their families. An unknown number of people have been summarily executed - shot, hanged, or beheaded - or forcibly disappeared. "We investigated an emptied canal in Nangarhar in which over 100 bodies have been dumped between August 2021 and April 2022," said Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch adding, "Taliban authorities appear to have given their forces free rein to detain, 'disappear,' and kill alleged militants." Between October 2021 and June 2022, Human Rights Watch, working with a local organization that cannot be identified for security reasons, interviewed 63 people, including 42 in person in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, and 21 by phone. In November, a team from both groups counted 54 bodies of men, many in an advanced state of decomposition, along a 15 to 20-kilometer stretch of the emptied canal. The bodies showed evidence of torture and brutal executions -- some had missing limbs, ropes around their necks, or had been beheaded or had slit throats. Healthcare workers in Nangarhar said that they had registered 118 bodies that had been found across the province between August and December. A media report cited one Taliban fighter who said, "We conduct night raids and whenever we find a Daesh [ISIS] member, we just kill them." The United Nations has reported that Taliban operations against ISKP "rely heavily on extra-judicial detentions and killings." Over a number of years, ISKP has carried out bombings particularly targeting Hazara, Shia, and other religious minority communities, as well as against Taliban and former government forces. Human Rights Watch has previously documented Taliban forces summarily executing or forcibly disappearing former Afghan government officials and security forces. The cases from eastern Afghanistan demonstrate that Taliban forces have extended such atrocities to those they accuse of links to ISKP, Human Rights Watch said. International humanitarian law, or the laws of war, which apply to the armed conflict between the Taliban and ISKP, obligates all parties to treat everyone in custody humanely. Arbitrary detentions, summary executions, and other forms of mistreatment are prohibited, and those responsible are subject to prosecution for war crimes. Also prohibited are enforced disappearances, which international law defines as the detention of anyone by state forces or their agents followed by a refusal to acknowledge the detention or whereabouts of the person. Suspected ISKP members taken into custody for criminal offenses should be promptly brought before a judge, appropriately charged, provided access to relatives and legal counsel, and prosecuted in accordance with international fair trial standards. "The ISKP's numerous atrocities do not justify the Taliban's horrific response," Gossman said adding, "Taliban forces have repeatedly carried out summary executions and other war crimes against people in their custody and have yet to hold those responsible to account." Human Rights Watch and the local organization found substantial evidence of summary executions and enforced disappearances by the Taliban of people accused of supporting the ISKP, as per HRW. There was extensive evidence from the Darunta Canal, near Jalalabad, which the groups visited and where they documented scores of killings by inspecting corpses discovered there in late 2021. The interviews revealed that many of those killed were people whom the Taliban had earlier taken into custody. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday (local time) ahead of the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting held bilateral talks with the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia and UAE where he recognized the bilateral cooperation of the countries with India. In talks with the UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, discussed contemporary regional and international issues. Jaishankar tweeted, "Delighted to meet FM Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan of UAE. Took great satisfaction at the transformation of our ties. Recent meeting of our leaders has given guidance for higher growth. Appreciated his insights on contemporary regional and international issues." India and UAE have shared trade links through the centuries. The trade, which was dominated by traditional items such as dates, pearl and fishes, underwent a sharp change after the discovery of oil in UAE (oil exports begun from Abu Dhabi in 1962). With the emergence of UAE as a unified entity in 1971, exports from India started growing gradually over the years. Growing India-UAE economic and commercial relations contribute to the stability and strength of a rapidly diversifying and deepening bilateral relationship between the two countries. Both sides are striving to further strengthen these ties for mutual benefits. Furthermore, Jaishankar upon his bilateral talks with Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister wrote, "Appreciated the meeting with Saudi Arabian FM Faisal bin Farhan. The upward trajectory of our bilateral cooperation has been noteworthy. Exchanged views about the G20 agenda and our shared interests." Notably, India and Saudi Arabia enjoy cordial and friendly relations reflecting the centuries-old economic and socio-cultural ties. During the meeting which is set to take place from July 7 to 8, the participating Foreign ministers will hold talks on issues of contemporary relevance, such as strengthening multilateralism and current global challenges including food and energy security, read a release by the Ministry of External Affairs. Jaishnakar is slated to hold several bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other G20 member states and invited countries during the visit. The EAM's participation in the G20 FMM will strengthen India's engagement with G20 member states. As a G20 troika member and as the incoming G20 Presidency, India's role in the upcoming FMM discussions assumes even greater importance, the official statement read. (ANI)
Amid escalations by Chinese military aggression in the South China Sea, countries like Japan, South Korea, Australia and Singapore are all increasing their military budgets and spending as a response to the aggression they have experienced from China. After signing a security pact with the Solomon Islands, China has increased its military activities in the Pacific region, Singapore Post reported. Japan's relations with China are deteriorating over geopolitical tensions amid strong undercurrents of anti-China sentiments and security threats. People in Japan have already expressed their displeasure over China making claims on Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Islands in Chinese). The patrolling of the Senkaku Islands, the uninhabited islands controlled by Japan, by China is one such tactic where China continues to use tactics in the Taiwan Strait, the Washington-based group Global Strat View said. China and Taiwan have laid claims to the Island causing Japan to increase its fortifications on the Yonaguni Islands, which is closest to Taiwan. Around 70 sightings of Chinese vessels were reported outside the contiguous zone of 24 nautical miles by Japan last year. The China-Japan dispute over the Diaoyu Islands is another example that Andrew Yang, the Secretary-General of the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies Think Tank, described as a tactic to warn countries like Japan from challenging China in the western Pacific region, it reported. Liu Pengyu, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy, stated that the Diaoyu Islands belonged to China and that they were determined to safeguard the territorial sovereignty. Several countries including India, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore are increasing their military budgets and spending as they face increasing aggression from China. The Diaoyutai Islands have the highest regional tensions with China as the country has increased its presence in the sea surrounding the Islands. The locals have expressed fear of disruption of their peaceful existence and their livelihoods being taken away if China limits their access to fishing grounds. The country has prevented comparisons between Taiwan and Ukraine, and has termed it their "internal matter," Global Strat View said. China's President Xi Jinping has not avoided talking about the unification of China and Taiwan. Joseph Wu, the Foreign Minister of Taiwan, has mentioned that the island is watching China closely as the events in Ukraine unfold. China, being more powerful than Taiwan, has better chances of overtaking Taiwan than Russia, but the risk of involving the US is higher and they have turned to intimidation and pressure. The example of Ukraine and Russia are being used to display the devastating realities of war and to make the people in Taiwan submissive. Consequently, the people of Taiwan have made local efforts to protect themselves from an uncertain future by conducting workshops to teach and empower people to survive in warfare while waiting for government resources. The increasing aggression by China has caused the Taiwanese people to prepare for the unknown even though a peaceful resolution can still be attained. (ANI)
The local residents of Gilgit Baltistan staged a sit-in blocking the Karakoram Highway in Nasirabad, Hunza for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday to protest against the minerals department for permitting mining leases to an outsider company. A large number of people including women and men participated in the protest and demanded ownership rights of the local resources, Dawn reported. However, they regretted, that the minerals department later suspended the lease and granted it to an external mining company. The protesters have accused the minerals department of colluding with the investors, depriving the locals of their rights. The protest has created problems for the tourists and local passengers as the Karakoram Highway at Nasirabad was blocked. The protesters have fixed specific hours for the vehicles to pass through the highway. The protesters and GB government officials are likely to finalise an agreement soon, Dawn reported citing sources. Earlier, the local residents of 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.Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the ongoing 50th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, a number of Kashmiri activists, led by the chairman of the United Kashmir People's National Party, Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, demonstrated against Pakistan. They raised anti-Pakistan slogans and demanded 'Islamabad free' Kashmir and other parts that it has illegally occupied for decades. They held banners reading 'stop land grabbing and occupying hilltops of PoK' and 'terrorist infrastructure must be dismantled'. While addressing the demonstrators, Shaukat Ali Kashmiri said Pakistan has given free hand to the army and they are increasingly involved in human rights violations in the region. Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri said, "It is the only country which is for the army and not for the people. And we are here, belonging to all oppressed nations. We are united. We will fight against slavery, plundering of natural resources and liberation of our people unitedly". 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. Nasir Aziz Khan, Spokesperson, UKPNP said, "We are going to submit a memorandum to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. We are here protesting against the Pakistani atrocities. Pakistan is plundering our natural resources. It is occupying our land". He added, "We are the owners of the rivers, dams but they are producing electricity and exporting to Pakistan and there is a shortage of electricity of 15-20hrs a day. There is unemployment, there is terrorism, there is extremism promoted and projected by Pakistan and we are here to raise our voices against these atrocities". Kashmiri activists have time and again knocked on the door of the international community to intervene in the rapidly worsening human rights situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. They haven't however received much success as all that the global bodies have come up with so far is mere condemnation and no tangible action. The activists, however, say they are not going to give up and their fight against Pakistan atrocities will continue until their demands are fulfilled and rights are restored. (ANI)
Uyghur diaspora in Vienna organized a protest in front of the Chinese embassy to mark the 13th anniversary of the Urumqi massacre on Thursday at 1400-1600 hr (local time). They had also organized a protest on Wednesday, where 12-15 members of the Uyghur Diaspora were present carrying posters and flags condemning the Urumqi massacre. Mevlan Dilshat who is the president of the Uyghur community in Vienna said that they have gathered to protest against the massacre that occurred on July 5 in Urumqi and to remember the ongoing genocide taking place in East Turkestan. On July 5, 2009, violent riots broke out in Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang. The Chinese government launched a crackdown against Uyghurs protesting against the killing of two Uyghurs. Thousands of protestors were killed, disappeared or injured. According to officials, a total of 197 people died, with 1,721 suffered injuries in the riot. Uyghur-run mosques were temporarily closed. By November 2009, over 400 individuals faced criminal charges for their actions during the riots. Nine were executed in November 2009, and by February 2010, at least 26 had received death sentences. Reports from non-governmental organizations based on interviews with eyewitnesses indicated that security forces deliberately used live ammunition during the protest. To mark the 13th anniversary of the riots, protests were organised in several cities around the world. Protests were held in several parts of Bangladesh to commemorate the 13th anniversary of the Urumqi massacre. To mark the 13 anniversary of the riots, several demonstrations were held in places including Dhaka and Narayanganj. In Narayanganj, people holding banners and posters created human chains and demonstrated against the Chinese communist government's oppression of Uyghurs, with the support of Sanchetan Nagorik Samaj. A discussion meeting was organised at National Press Club in Dhaka and the formation of a human chain and demonstration took place under the banner of the Bangladesh Social Activist Forum. Bharat Bangladesh Sampriti Sangsad (BBSS) Welfare forum organised a cycle race in Dhaka, which was attended by a large number of people, coming forward in support of minority communities on the Chinese mainland. Members of the Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women's Association (AUTWA) on Tuesday protested outside the Rundle Mall in Adelaide city here commemorating the 13th anniversary of the Urumqi Massacre and demanded the Australian government to ban import on goods manufactured by Uyghur Forced Labour from China's Xinjiang region. The Urumqi protest organised by AUTWA with the support of UFF was attended by roughly 15 members along with some children and teenagers from the community. To mark the 13th anniversary, the protestors gathered at the Silver Balls sculpture at the Rundle Mall, holding placards and pictures of those who died in the riots demanding the government to stop the Uyghur's genocide. During the protest, there was a petition to collect signatures from the public. People were asked to sign the petition demanding the Australian government to ban the import of products made through Uyghur Forced Labour from China's Xinjiang region. "We need your signature to make sure no product made by forced Uyghur labour enters Australia. Sign a petition to ask the government to stop the Uyghur genocide and Uyghur forced labour. Not just Uyghur forced labour but stop forced labour across the world. We cannot be complicit; we cannot buy products that say, made by blood tears and people lives," said a member of the AUTWA. AUTWA also launched an online media campaign for the event. The clips of the event have been watched more than 1000 times. In the Uyghur language, the campaign launching video has been watched over 1,000 times on Facebook. In support of this, many people changed their profile pictures to the posts. On Twitter and Instagram, more than 100k people viewed the post and it was shared over 150 times. Subjecting minority groups to genocide, including mass arbitrary detention, forced labour, torture, forced sterilization, separation of children from parents and destruction of minority culture, China has been a major cause of human rights abuses against the community. (ANI)
"Pleasure to meet again FM Retno Marsudi of Indonesia. Appreciated the excellent arrangements for the G20 FMM in Bali. India supports the Indonesian Presidency and will do utmost to ensure its success. @Menlu_RI," Jaishankar tweeted.

Notably, this year, the G20 Foreign Ministers' meeting is being organised by Indonesia.

The G20 countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Moreover, the Indian External Affairs Minister also met UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Senegalese Foreign Minister Aissata Tall Sall.

"Delighted to meet FM Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan of UAE. Took great satisfaction at the transformation of our ties. Recent meeting of our leaders has given guidance for higher growth. Appreciated his insights on contemporary regional and international issues," Jaishankar tweeted.

Furthermore, Jaishankar upon his bilateral talks with the Senegalese Foreign Minister wrote, "A productive meeting with FM @AissataOfficiel of Senegal. Appreciate her sentiments on Vaccine Maitri and our development projects. Agreed to take forward cooperation in agriculture, health, fertiliser production, railways, power transmission and solar energy."

During the meeting which is set to take place from July 7 to 8, the participating foreign ministers will hold talks on issues of contemporary relevance, such as strengthening multilateralism and current global challenges including food and energy security, read a release by the Ministry of External Affairs.

Jaishankar is slated to hold several bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other G20 member states and invited countries during the visit.

The External Affairs Minister's participation in the G20 FMM will strengthen India's engagement with G20 member states. As a G20 troika member and as the incoming G20 Presidency, India's role in the upcoming FMM discussions assumes even greater importance, the official statement read. (ANI)
Following mass resignations by Cabinet members which started on Wednesday and the numbers of resignations were increased to more than 50 on the second day that compelled Boris Johnson to step down as British Prime Minister. He expressed his 'regret' at his inability to hold onto his position as Prime Minister while stressing that he is 'immensely proud' of his achievements in office. "The process of choosing a new leader should begin now. And today I have appointed a cabinet to serve, as I will until a new leader is in place," Johnson said during his address at 10 Downing Street in London. "It is clearly the will of the parliamentary Conservative party that there should be a new leader of that party, and therefore a new prime minister," Johnson said. He said, "I regret not being successful as I was not able to see through so many ideas and projects," adding that he will continue to support the new leader as much as he can. Almost 30 UK government officials, including key figures like UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, have already submitted their resignations over the recent scandal involving former deputy chief whip Christopher Pincher. Earlier today, another minister of his government, Brandon Lewis resigned from his position, saying that he no longer believed the values of honesty, integrity and mutual respect are being upheld by Johnson's government. A total of 58 ministers quit the government following an ethics scandal which ultimately forced the UK premier to resign. Johnson agreed to step down after one of his closest allies, Treasury Chief Nadhim Zahawi, told the prime minister to resign for the good of the country. "Prime Minister: this is not sustainable and it will only get worse: for you, for the Conservative Party and most importantly of all the country," Zahawi said in a letter to Johnson. "You must do the right thing and go now." The British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has also cut short her trip to a G20 meeting in Indonesia to return to London as she is widely seen as one of the potential contenders for the leader of the Conservative Party. Johnson, 58, managed to remain in power for almost three years, despite allegations that he was too close to party donors, that he protected supporters from bullying and corruption allegations, and that he misled Parliament and was dishonest to the public about government office parties that broke pandemic lockdown rules. However, Johnson could continue to remain in office until October when the Conservative party meets for its annual conference so that his replacement is found. Conventionally, when a Conservative leader resigns, they give the party time to hold a thorough leadership contest. (ANI)
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday stressed that companies who operate in India should follow the law of the land regarding the ongoing investigation related to Vivo Mobile Communications and some other Chinese firms. In a weekly media briefing on Thursday by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), official spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi said, "Companies who operate here need to follow the law of the land. Our legal authorities are taking steps as per law of the land. I don't see the case to make comments as such on it." Vivo India's nearly 23 associated firms such as Grand Prospect International Communication Pvt Ltd (GPICPL) transferred huge amounts to the firm and out of the total sale proceeds of Rs 1,25,185 crores, it remitted Rs 62,476 crores almost 50 per cent of the turnover out of India, mainly to China, the Enforcement Directorate said on Thursday. On Tuesday, Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at more than 40 locations including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and some southern states in connection in connection with a money laundering case registered against Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo. The case is already being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). IT department, as well as the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, are also keeping a close eye on the Chinese manufacturing firms. The ED raid is an extension of the probe against Chinese firms. Answering on Vivo directors fleeing from India, Bagchi said, "We haven't received information from the authorities. It's a legal issue, as and when we will receive something and there is a need to speak with China, we have a system of mutual assistance." The ED conducted these searches with respect to violations of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Chinese directors Zhengshen Ou and Zhang Jie of a firm GPICPL, in association with mobile maker Vivo, fled India last year, an Enforcement Directorate official informed on Thursday. The official corrected the report which mentioned that Zhengshen Ou and Zhang Jie were directors of Vivo and they fled when the ED intensified its inquiry into the money laundering case against the Chinese firm. "Zhengshen Ou and Zhang Jie are directors of GPICPL, a firm associated with mobile maker Vivo, and they fled last year," the ED official told ANI requesting anonymity. The local units of Vivo Mobile Communications are under the radar for alleged financial improprieties as part of the investigation into other China-based firms. Ministry of Corporate Affairs is learnt to have a special focus on potential violations including fraud. In the case of Vivo, an inquiry was sought in April this year to detect if there were "significant irregularities in ownership and financial reporting". This is the second big case that the ED has registered against a Chinese cellphone company. Earlier, it had booked Xiaomi, another Chinese cellphone manufacturer, for allegedly making illegal foreign remittances in violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). (ANI)
Indian envoy, Karun Bansal inaugurated two school buildings of Shivbhari Secondary School and Shree Janaki Higher Secondary School, Maharajgunj Municipality-9 in Kapilvastu District, Nepal under the Government of India grant assistance. At the cost of NRs.59.20 million as a Community Development Project under India-Nepal Development Cooperation in the Education Sector, the two schools- Shivbhari Secondary School and Shree Janaki Higher Secondary School have been built and inaugurated under the "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav" celebrations which commemorate 75 years of India's independence. Shivbhari Secondary School and Shree Janaki Higher Secondary School are old establishments in the Kapilvastu district of Nepal, imparting education to more than 700 students and 1300 students respectively, an official statement by the Embassy of India in Kathmandu said. The new infrastructure built under this project for these schools will create a suitable environment, the statement added. India has taken up over 527 High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) in Nepal and has completed 470 projects in the areas of health, education, drinking water, connectivity, sanitation and creation of other public utilities across all 7 provinces of Nepal at the grassroots level since 2003. Out of this, 60 HICDPs are in Lumbini Province, including 5 projects in Kapilvastu District, the press release stated. India and Nepal enjoy a multi-faceted and multi-sectoral development partnership that is reflective of the closeness of the ties between both countries. The implementation of these projects reflects the continued commitment of the Government of India to complementing the efforts of the Government of Nepal to create infrastructure in priority sectors including Education. Earlier, Charge'd Affaires of the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, Namgya C. Khampa inaugurated the new School Building of Shree Arwa Bijaya Secondary School in Pokhara Metropolitan City-13, Dhand Bensi, Kaski District, under the grant assistance from the Government of India. The estimated cost of the project is NRs.36.30 million and it started as a high-impact community development project under India-Nepal Development Cooperation in Education Sector. The implementation of this school showcases the continued support of the Government of India in complementing the efforts of the Government of Nepal to create infrastructure in priority sectors like education. (ANI)
India will hold a large number of G20 events at different levels across the country during its presidency which begins in December this year. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a weekly media briefing that G20 Summit is preceded by a large number of meetings - like ministerial meetings, working group meetings and special initiatives that each country might do at various levels. "India will assume the presidency of G20 in December 2022. Apart from the Summit which we will hold next year whose dates are yet not finalized, a large number of G20 events at different levels will be organized across the country during our presidency. There is no need to speculate at this stage on these things," he said. Bagchi was answering a query about the proposal to hold some G20 meetings in Jammu and Kashmir. "The G20 Summit is preceded by a large number of meetings - like ministerial meetings, working group meetings, engagement group, contact meetings and special initiatives that each country might do at various levels - these are different events, some are governmental, some are non-governmental. If you look at previous years, there are formats and each country innovates and puts its own ideas, and initials. All these will be made public and shared with you as we get closer to the presidency," he said. Reports said Pakistan has been reaching out to its close allies in G20 - China, Turkey - to boycott the G20 meeting in Jammu and Kashmir. Former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant is going to be India's new G20 Sherpa as Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goel will give up his position as he has been tasked with other pressing duties, sources familiar with the matter said. India has been a member of the G20 since its inception in 1999. India will be holding the G20 Presidency from 1 December 2022 and will convene the G20 Leaders' Summit in 2023 for the first time. Answering a question over China's raising concerns over Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeting Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on his 87th birthday, the spokesperson said it is a consistent policy of the Government of India to treat Dalai Lama as an honoured guest in India and as a respected religious leader who enjoys a large following in India. "His Holiness is accorded all due courtesies and freedom to conduct his religious and spiritual activities in India. His Holiness' birthday is celebrated by many of his followers in India and abroad. The birthday greetings by the Prime Minister to his Holiness on his 87th birthday should be seen in this overall context," Bagchi said. (ANI)
India said that the resignation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not impact its relationship with UK as both countries share a close multifaceted partnership. "PM Modi and PM Johnson have enjoyed a very close friendship. UK is an important strategic partner and we have shared a multifaceted partnership and relationship, which India would like to continue as it is based on links at various levels between our two people as well as various verticals as we discussed, as part of our partnership," , the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday. He said that the resignation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is an internal development which India is closely watching but the relations between the two countries will not be impacted by the change in the country's leadership. Further, responding to a question about the impact of Boris Johnson's resignation on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) deal between the two countries, Bagchi said that the negotiations between India and UK on FTA are going on and India hopes to sign the deal soon. "There is some degree of optimism that it could be done soon. We are speculating if Boris Johnson's resignation will impact the deal, but India hopes to carry forward the good momentum in the talks that are underway," he added. He said that there is no deadline to sign the deal but India looks forward to signing the deal by Diwali this year "We have not set the deadline, it is a commerce-led process. But it would be great if it could be done within the time," Bagchi said in a response to a question about India's stand on meeting the deadline to sign the deal by Diwali this year. Meanwhile, following mass resignations by Cabinet members which started on Wednesday and on Thursday numbers of resignations raised over 50 which compelled Boris Johnson to step down as British Prime Minister. He expressed his 'regret' at his inability to hold onto his position as Prime Minister while stressing that he is 'immensely proud' of his achievements in office. A total of 58 ministers quit the government following an ethics scandal which ultimately forced the UK premier to resign. Johnson agreed to step down after one of his closest allies, Treasury Chief Nadhim Zahawi told the prime minister to resign for the good of the country. Notably, India and the UK announced their intention to have a comprehensive free trade agreement during a virtual summit held in May 2021 between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then British counterpart Boris Johnson. Formal negotiations on the proposed FTA between the two countries started early this year. A number of non-tariff barriers, like rules related to investor protection, intellectual property rights, and harmonisation of governance and standards, are among the key sticky points in the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that India and the United Kingdom target to sign by Diwali this year. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Thursday conveyed to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to sustain momentum to complete disengagement to restore peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in weekly media briefing on Thursday said, "EAM did talk about early resolution of all outstanding issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh and about disengagement achieved in friction areas. He reiterated the need to sustain momentum to complete disengagement to restore peace and tranquility." At a one-hour meeting in Bali on the sidelines of a conclave of foreign ministers of the G20 nations, Jaishankar and Wang looked forward to the next round of military talks between the two sides at an early date to resolve the border issue. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, "Began my day in Bali by meeting FM Wang Yi of China. Discussion lasted one hour. Focused on specific outstanding issues in our bilateral relationship pertaining to the border situation. Also spoke about other matters including students and flights." Bagchi said that the EAM talked about disengagement achieved in some friction areas, but he reiterated the need to sustain the momentum to disengagement from all remaining areas, to restore, peace and tranquillity in the border areas. "He reaffirmed the importance of abiding by bilateral protocols that have been reached in the conversation between the two ministers. They look forward to having a meeting of senior commanders on an early date, as of now we don't have the date for it," said Bagchi. In May this year, India and China held talks on border issues and they decided to hold the next round of Senior Commanders Meeting at an early date. After the Galwan clash in 2020, several rounds of military and diplomatic talks have taken place to resolve the standoff. Disengagement at some border points did take place but by and large, there is an impasse on complete disengagement. Twenty Indian soldiers had died in the Galwan Valley clash which was fought in hand-to-hand combat in sub-zero temperatures in the near pitch-black night of June 15 and June 16, 2020. The clash was the deadliest confrontation between India and China in over four decades. China's state media has almost entirely failed to cover the skirmish or its aftermath. The clash took place along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh following a standoff over the actions of the Chinese Army. Jaishankar is slated to hold several bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other G20 member states and invited countries during the visit. The EAM's participation in the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting will strengthen India's engagement with G20 member states. As a G20 troika member and as the incoming G20 Presidency, India's role in the upcoming FMM discussions assumes even greater importance, the official statement read. (ANI)
Amid a heavy energy crisis in Pakistan and subsequent suspension of gas supply, 300 textile mills have been closed, said All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Chairman Abdul Rahim Nasir on Wednesday as he urged Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistani government to restore gas supply to the textile industry on an urgent basis. Accompanied by Aptma North Zone Chief Hamid Zaman and Senior Vice-Chairman Kamran Arshad at a press conference, he stated that a 26 per cent upsurge in the export of textiles during the fiscal year 2021-22 was made possible only due to the supply of energy at a regionally competitive tariff, stressing that a loss of almost USD 1 billion in exports has already been incurred. The exponential growth in the textile sector has promoted investment of over USD 5bn and the establishment of 100 new textile units, which, after becoming operational, would result in fetching additional exports of USD 6.0bn per annum, Dawn reported, quoting the Vice-Chairman. Meanwhile, the APTMA Chairman, Nasir pointed out that gas supply to the industry was suspended for a week, almost halting production in the whole value-added industry and causing a massive loss to the economy which led to the large-scale closure of mills that ultimately resulted in massive layoffs and unemployment, spreading economic chaos. As per the reports by Dawn, an incessant supply of gas for the industry to maintain momentum in exports is a necessary call that the Pakistan government is not paying heed as Mr Zaman stressed that the textile sector has repeatedly delivered on its commitment to enhancing exports and proven that they are a viable and long-term solution provider for the economic stability of the country. He warned that more than 50pc of output would be lost this month, with a very high risk of permanent order loss and buyer diversion from Pakistan to its competitors and that the textile industry is currently producing goods for the upcoming Christmas, and any delay in the delivery schedule risks losing export markets for an indefinite period with little chance of recovery. "If this momentum is lost due to energy supply and cost constraints, Pakistan will be forced to seek an additional USD 6bn in loans from abroad, which under the circumstances may not even be possible," he said, underlining the immediate restoration of gas supply to the export-oriented industry. Highlighting the importance of the textile sector as the mainstay of the country's economy, Arshad said that textiles have a 61pc share in the country's exports and 40pc of manufacturing sector employment as the fragile economy of the country cannot sustain the consequences of the closure of mills in the wake of non-supply of gas. Quetta, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Multan, Faisalabad, Mirpurkhas and other cities in Pakistan are reportedly suffering from a gas shortage. Not only residents but owners of hotels and restaurants are also complaining of a gas shortage, as it is having an adverse impact on their business. In Quetta and Gujranwala, the increased prices of LPG and wood, respectively, added to citizens' woes. The price of LPG per kg in Quetta has surged by Rs 70 per kg, resulting in its total price increasing to Rs 230 per kg. Moreover, the price of 40 kg of wood has soared to Rs 950 in Gujranwala. The country is in the grip of a severe gas crisis right now and whatever the reasons for it, it is proof of the incompetence and insensitivity of the energy ministry. And it must be solved as soon as humanly possible. Meanwhile, the Pakistan government once again increased the petrol prices by PKR (Pakistani rupee) 14.84 per litre. After the recent hike, the new petrol price has been fixed at PKR 248.74 per litre, the Pakistan Finance Ministry announced. While the kerosene oil price increased by PKR 18.83 and the rate of light-speed diesel has been jacked up by PKR 18.68 per litre. (ANI)
Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) urged the masses to come out of their houses and snatch their rights from the government over the arrest of journalist Imran Riaz Khan. Speaking at a press conference, PTI's senior vice president Fawad Chaudhry, accompanied by former human rights minister Shireen Mazari, said Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh and journalist Imran Riaz "were kidnapped", reported Dawn. He said that the current situation was not even observed during martial laws in the country after journalist Imran Riaz was arrested on Tuesday near the outskirts of Islamabad, hours after he claimed that his life was under threat. Khan was heading to Islamabad when he was arrested in connection with a treason case registered against him in Attock, Pakistan's Dawn reported. He was named in 17 treason cases across Punjab province, the report said. In a pre-recorded video on his popular video channel, Riaz Khan said his life was under threat. "Now Rangers also arrive, along with police, to arrest people. Earlier, Rangers used tear gas in Islamabad (on 25th May). I would give message to the Rangers director general to explain why Rangers were there at the time of arrests," said Fawad Chaudhry. He regretted Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's largest political party (PTI) was not invited to the National Security Committee's meeting. "Party chairman Imran Khan is visiting the whole country, so I urge the masses to attend his public meetings." Shireen Mazari said fascism was increasing in Pakistan after the regime change, adding that practically martial law had been imposed in the country and it should be announced officially, reported Dawn. She said the "puppets are in the government" and people had come to know who were the "unknown people". It should be made clear who had "kidnapped" Haleem Adil Sheikh and Imran Riaz, she added. The former minister said people were arrested for asking questions from Inter-Services Public Relations director general and heads of other institutions. Mazari said the Pakistan Peoples Party used to talk about human rights, but now it kept mum about what she called civilian martial law, reported Dawn. During a protest outside the National Press Club, PTI's central secretary general Asad Umar lashed out at the government for using brutal tactics against people and warned it against taking the country to a dangerous turn. He said the voices being silenced were the voices of Pakistan, adding that whenever patriotic journalists were harassed, or their voices silenced, the PTI would stand by them. He said those who were being harassed never spoke against the integrity of Pakistan, reported Dawn. Umar lamented that FIRs were being lodged against patriotic Pakistani journalists, but now the nation woke up and they could not be silenced through such tactics. Meanwhile, a prominent rights group has slammed the Pakistani government for the arrest of journalist Imran Riaz Khan and urged authorities to stop punishing dissenting voices. "PAKISTAN: Amnesty International is alarmed by news of journalist Imran Riaz Khan's arrest and urges authorities to stop punishing dissenting voices, as has been a worrying trend in Pakistan for many years," Amnesty said in a statement. "In the past few weeks, journalists have been disappeared, faced politically motivated charges and even violently attacked for simply doing their job. Journalism is not a crime, and must be stopped being treated as such," it added. (ANI)
Amid reports that a Sikh contingent from the Australian Defence Forces was spotted at an event in New South Wales that had pro-Khalistan banners, the government said on Thursday that the matter has been taken with the Australian government. "We came to know there was an instance. We have taken it up with the Australian government. It pertained to some soldiers of Australia. Talks are being held, don't have more details," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at the weekly media briefing in response to a query. The media reports said that Indian-Australians were disturbed last month by the participation of the Australian Army Sikh delegation at the event which had Khalistani banners and posters. (ANI)
The telephone conversation marked the first time the two leaders talked since Lapid took office last Friday.

The two emphasized the importance of deepening the "warm ties" between their countries which normalized their relationship under the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords signed in Sept. 2020, Lapid's office said in a statement.

They "expressed satisfaction" with the growing tourism and economic ties, and discussed "expanding the circle of peace to include additional countries in the region," the statement said.

President Mohammed "emphasized the importance of maintaining strong ties" between the two nations, while Lapid extended his best wishes to the UAE leader on the occasion of the Eid Al-Adha holiday which will begin on Saturday. (ANI/Xinhua)
In an unusual but not unexpected intervention, former British Prime Minister and also a member of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative party, Sir John Major has written to the chair of the body that conducts elections to the post of party leader, known as the 1922 Committee, to say Johnson should not be allowed to remain in a caretaker role until the autumn. Major strongly feels it would be "unwise" to permit Johnson a three month run as caretaker Prime Minister. "For the overall wellbeing of the country, Mr Johnson should not remain in Downing Street when he is unable to command the confidence of the House of Commons for any longer than necessary to effect the smooth transition of government," he wrote in a letter to the Chairman of the 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady. The former leader of the Conservative party suggested one of two solutions. Either Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab be made acting Prime Minister or the rules governing the election of a new leader be changed to enable MPs to choose a prime minister immediately. Party members can then ratify the selection. --IANS ashis/vd ( 207 Words) 2022-07-07-22:20:02 (IANS)
Former US police officer Derek Chauvin, convicted of the murder of African American man George Floyd, was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison on Thursday on federal charges. Chauvin is already serving a 22 sentence on state charges of murder and manslaughter over Floyd's killing in May 2020, which led to nationwide protests in the US and elsewhere against police brutality and racism. "The Justice Department announced today that former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, 46, was sentenced to serve 252 months in prison with credit for time served for depriving George Floyd Jr. and a then-14-year-old child of their constitutional rights," the US Justice Department said in a statement on Thursday. On Dec. 15, 2021, Chauvin pleaded guilty in federal court to violating a federal criminal civil rights statute on two separate occasions. Chauvin pleaded guilty to willfully depriving Floyd of his constitutional right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a police officer, resulting in Floyd's bodily injury and death. Chauvin also pleaded guilty to willfully depriving a then-14-year-old child of his constitutional right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a police officer, resulting in the child's bodily injury. "In no uncertain terms, George Floyd should be alive today," said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. "Defendant Chauvin's use of excessive force and his failure to provide medical care resulted in Floyd's senseless murder. Chauvin's unlawful actions in a separate incident also resulted in injury to a 14-year-old child. This sentence should send a strong message that the Justice Department stands ready to prosecute law enforcement officers who use deadly force without basis. While no amount of prison time can reverse the tragic consequences of Derek Chauvin's violent actions, we hope that this sentence provides some small measure of justice for the families and communities impacted," Clarke added. "Derek Chauvin abandoned his sworn oath to uphold the sanctity of life when he callously took George Floyd's life and when he violently assaulted a 14-year-old child," said U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger for the District of Minnesota. "Chauvin's actions constituted a grave abuse of police authority and a clear violation of these individuals' civil rights. To the victims, their families, and to the broader community: although the harm that Chauvin caused will never be erased, today's sentence of more than 20 years in prison represents a measure of justice and accountability." On Feb. 24, 2022, following a more than month-long trial, a federal jury convicted three other officers -- former Minneapolis Police Officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Kiernan Lane -- of violating the same criminal civil rights statute. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. (ANI)
Pakistani President Arif Alvi on Thursday expressed alarm and deep concern about the rising trend of harassment and torture against journalists in the country. In a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Alvi noted that violence against journalists comes under international focus and tarnishes the image of Pakistan. He said the inactions of previous governments should not be used as a ruse to repeat similar violations and such a stance is both untenable and a lame excuse. "Recent events of violence against journalists reflect a mindset of intolerance, that has negative repercussions both on the future of democracy as well as freedom of expression as guaranteed by Article 19 in our constitution. Besides creating fear in Pakistan, such actions also come under international focus and tarnish the image of our country," Alvi wrote. "Pakistan stands at 157th position in the Freedom of PressIndex-2022. Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Human rights watch (HRW), Amnesty International (AI), and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in their reports have attribute harassment, intimidation, and physical violence against journalists as the main reasons for the dismal position of Pakistan in the said index," he added. President Alvi said journalists in Pakistan are subjected to charges of sedition and terrorism to stifle dissent and criticism against the powerful elements of the state. "The actions being taken, also undermine the efforts of the judiciary, when in one jurisdiction relief is provided cases are filed in another jurisdiction with mala fine intention to continue the harassment. It appears that a reign of terror has been unleashed against the media persons who have independent opinions," he said. "Actions or inactions of previous governments should not be used as a ruse to repeat similar violations and such a stance is both untenable and a lame excuse. Rather than taking the country in a progressive and positive direction, such comparisons become a justification to do worse in retaliation," he added. Pakistan is one of the world's deadliest countries for journalists, with three to four murders each year that are often linked to cases of corruption or illegal trafficking and which go completely unpunished, according to Reporters Without Border. Any journalist who crosses the red lines dictated by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) - an intelligence agency offshoot - is liable to be the target of in-depth surveillance that could lead to abduction and detention for varying lengths of time in the state's prisons or less official jails. Furthermore, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan's leading military intelligence agency, is prepared to silence any critic once and for all. A prominent rights group this week slammed the Pakistani government for the arrest of journalist Imran Riaz Khan and urged authorities to stop punishing dissenting voices. "PAKISTAN: Amnesty International is alarmed by news of journalist Imran Riaz Khan's arrest and urges authorities to stop punishing dissenting voices, as has been a worrying trend in Pakistan for many years," Amnesty said in a statement. "In the past few weeks, journalists have been disappeared, faced politically motivated charges and even violently attacked for simply doing their job. Journalism is not a crime, and must be stopped being treated as such," it added. Popular news anchor Imran Riaz Khan was arrested on Tuesday near the outskirts of Islamabad, hours after he claimed that his life was under threat. Khan was heading to Islamabad when he was arrested in connection with a treason case registered against him in Attock, Pakistan's Dawn reported. Khan's case is among several cases that have been lodged against journalists in Pakistan for allegedly spreading hate against the army and state institutions. This latest arrest comes in the backdrop of a growing crackdown on journalists in Pakistan. (ANI)
In a mere few days after the U.S. Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, at least seven states banned abortion.

And even though judges blocked the enforcement of trigger abortion bans in three states, more bans in other states are expected in the coming weeks. It is believed that 26 states are likely to ban abortions.

Abortion will likely remain legal in 20 states  and the District of Columbia  with 14 of these states having recently enacted legislation that has enhanced access to abortion.

What will be the impact of these bans, especially on women of color and other marginalized communities?

As a scholar who studies reproductive policy and politics, reproductive justice and social movements, I have always been aware that even when Roe was in place, women of color, women in rural areas and women in poverty have had difficulty obtaining reproductive health services, including abortion.

Additionally, the debate over abortion often overshadows the other reproductive health inequities, such as high pregnancy-related complications and deaths, that women of color face.

This recent decision will only widen these gaps.

Reproductive health inequities

Since the early 1980s, there has been a general decline in the abortion rate in the United States, despite claims to the contrary by anti-abortion advocates.

The rate went from 29.3 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15-44 in 1981 to 13.5 per 1,000 women in 2017.

However, African American and Latina women do have disproportionately higher rates of abortion than their white counterparts.

The abortion rate for white women is 6.6 abortions per 1,000, while the rates for African American women  23.8 per 1,000  and Latinas  11.6 per 1,000  are three times and twice that rate, respectively.

Additionally, low-income women account for 75% of all abortion procedures.

According to public health researchers Christine Dehlendorf, Lisa H. Harris and Tracy A. Weitz, these higher rates are attributed to the higher rates of unintended pregnancies among these groups, which itself is attributed to limited access to health services.

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Poor people and people of color are more likely to live in contraceptive deserts, places where the number of health centers offering the full range of contraceptive methods is not enough to meet the contraceptive needs of the people who live in those places.

The proliferation of these deserts was worsened by policies enacted by the Trump-Pence administration that limited family planning funding to clinics.

Reproductive health inequities go beyond abortion.

The infant mortality rates among African Americans, Native Americans and Native Alaskans are very high.

The mortality rate for white infants is 4.5 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with 10.6 for African American infants and 7.9 for Native Americans/Native Alaskan infants.

Additionally, African American, Native American and Native Alaskan women are the most likely to die from pregnancy-related complications.

As a study by Lynn Paltrow and Jeanne Flavin has shown, poor women of color are the most likely to be arrested and prosecuted for homicide, manslaughter and child endangerment while pregnant.

These charges are often made after a woman has terminated a pregnancy, refused to consent to a medically unnecessary cesarean section, endured a miscarriage or stillbirth or tested positive for illegal drug use.

There is also the troubling history of the systematic, coercive sterilization of women of color in the U.S. Women of color and other social groups have had to fight just as hard for the right to have children as for the right to not have them.

By 1937, 32 states had enacted laws that authorized the sterilization of people who were deemed unfit to reproduce, including immigrants, racial and ethnic minorities, poor people, unmarried women, people with disabilities, people with mental health issues and people with criminal records.

As historian Alexandra Stern explains, this practice was viewed as a necessary public health intervention that would protect society from deleterious genes and the social and economic costs of managing degenerate stock.

Scholars have documented the history of sterilization abuse among women of color in the 20th century, including women of Mexican and Mexican American heritage in Southern California, African American women in the South, Native American women using Indian Health Services and women in Puerto Rico.

Many were sterilized without their full, informed consent.

Although most of these formal sterilization laws were abolished by the mid-1980s, this practice, unfortunately, is still happening, as reports about sterilization abuse in detention centers run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement have surfaced.

A post-Roe, post-Dobbs world

In the coming months and years, we will see more women traveling to terminate their pregnancies  to states such as California, Colorado and New York, where abortion is likely to remain legal.

But long-distance travel may not be a viable option for those who cannot afford the costs or time off from work or who may not be able to secure child care for their children.

Studies have shown that travel distance is a major barrier to obtaining abortions, as women will forgo an abortion if they must travel more than 50 miles to the nearest clinic.

As with their pre-Roe predecessors, many women may decide to self-induce abortions out of necessity and desperation.

This can make them even more vulnerable to charges of fetal homicide if they are discovered.

Studies have also shown that unsafe abortions can lead to serious health risks, including hemorrhage, infection, infertility and death.

Anti-abortion advocates have pushed adoption as a solution for unintended pregnancy, but this is not a realistic option for people of color.

Among the more than 400,000 children in the foster care system, children of color are the least likely to be adopted.

These children linger in the foster care system.

Erosion of rights

In his concurring opinion in Dobbs, Justice Clarence Thomas argued that the court should reconsider reversing other related landmark rulings, including access to contraception in Griswold v. Connecticut, LGBTQ+ sexual behavior and sodomy laws in Lawrence v. Texas and same-sex marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges.

Thomas sentiments reveal a broader ultraconservative agenda to roll back the social and political gains that marginalized communities have won since the 1960s.

In my view, if Thomas gets his wish, women of color will see further erosion of their personal autonomy and right to make the fundamental decisions about the most intimate aspects of their lives.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Kimala Price, San Diego State University.

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Kimala Price does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -Africa's top public health body said on Thursday it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Pfizer for countries on the continent to receive supplies of the Paxlovid pill to treat COVID-19.

Data from a mid-to-late stage study in November last year showed the antiviral medication was nearly 90% effective in preventing hospitalisations and deaths compared to a placebo, in adults at high risk of severe illness.

"We have signed the MOU with Pfizer and we are going to be able to make that particular treatment available to African countries," said Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, acting director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ouma said the MOU would allow African countries to access Paxlovid at cost.

The Africa CDC, which is an agency of the 55-member African Union, had said in March the MOU was ready, but needed to be cleared by its legal office.

(Reporting by Anait Miridzhanian and James Macharia ChegeEditing by Estelle Shirbon)
Jul. 7Ron Wagner, the new superintendent of Albert Lea Area Schools, started his job last week, but he already has plans for the first 100 days.

"I'm just humbly excited to start ... to work in collaboration with students, staff and community to accelerate the work and the achievement here in Albert Lea," he said.

Wagner has experience in both small and large districts, and during the interview process Wagner emphasized the need that everything done should be in support of opportunities for students.

"Policy development should be centered on what's best, what meets the needs of students," he said in a recent interview. He said perspective was also necessary and that any policy developed should have an equity focus.

"It's ensuring that each student has the ability to be who they need to be," he said.

As a teacher in rural Indiana, Wagner said policies were centered on a more micro-level student level, whereas in Minneapolis policies were more macro-level.

"We still had to stay centered on our focus on our students," he said.

As the new superintendent, he said his first goal was listening and learning to bridge and connect. He also wants to be a visible presence in the community, whether that is at one of the district's schools, listening to students or at Caribou hearing from staff and the community.

"It's important for them to be able to see me out and connecting with them and being part of my values, which are family and community," he said. "It's really doing a lot of listening and learning, and continuing to support the excellence of Albert Lea and accelerating that excellence."

His most important priority, at least initially, was learning about the community.

"I've walked out in the community out downtown, I've tried to attend community events, just asking, "What is the experience that your child, what's the experience you've had as a parent'" he said. "Doing a lot of background information and learning."

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His goal is to be accepted into the community and to continue a partnership and learning, as he felt it would take everyone's help to support the district's students.

So far, what he has heard from parents and others are their concerns on the impact of lost learning, academic achievement and the social and emotional well-being/mental health concerns that came about with the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It's really supporting through a wraparound and giving the students an adult to connect with, and knowing and ensuring that we focus on culture and climate as students and staff come back after several years of the pandemic," he said. "It will be a lot about creating those conditions, and there's still some anxiety from parents with COVID, as COVID still exists in our community."

To do this, he wants to ensure the community and students feel comfortable and heard. Wagner is meeting with building leaders and principals and people in the district's office, to see how they can partner with the community. His biggest goal for the first 100 days as superintendent: listening, learning, leading and bridging/connecting.

To that effect, he is considering the creation of a student cabinet that would inform him about their experiences.

"I really value and I want to elevate student voice," he said.

He also wants to be intentional, which for him meant being in lunchrooms and classrooms.
Jul. 7An aldermanic committee Wednesday narrowly approved a request from the New Hampshire Fisher Cats minor league baseball team to split the cost of $5.6 million in proposed improvements to Delta Dental Stadium, despite concerns from some board members over the team seeking additional funds in the near future.

The cost of the upgrades to the city of Manchester is estimated at around $2.8 million, with the team also paying $2.8 million.

The Aldermanic Special Committee on Riverfront Activities and Baseball voted 3-2 to send the proposal to the full Board of Mayor and Aldermen for a final vote July 19. Committee members voting in support of the proposal were Aldermen Pat Long, Bill Barry and June Trisciani. Opposed were brothers Tony and Ed Sapienza.

The stadium improvements will ensure the ballpark meets new standards set last year by Major League Baseball for the Fisher Cats and all 120 affiliated minor league teams. The improvements include larger clubhouses for home and visiting teams, better field lighting, and improved training facilities for players.

The work must be completed by April 2023.

Alderman Tony Sapienza quizzed team officials on when, if this request is approved, they would be back looking for more money down the road. He referenced a 2016 request from the team for a commitment of nearly $1 million in city funds to pay for improvements.

"In 2016 we made an agreement to bring us to 2028 that cost us $1 million," said Sapienza. "I appreciate what you did in 2016, but that cost us an unexpected $1 million. We thought that $1 million would bring us to 2028. Here we are a few short six years later, looking for $2.88 million. I'm sure we'll be back here, probably before 2028, looking for more money.

"One of my concerns is it never stops, and the taxpayers continually pay," he said.

Delta Dental Stadium opened in April 2005, with construction of the Samuel Adams Bar and Grill completed prior to the 2008 season.

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According to Ballpark Digest, the new requirements include clubhouses that are 1,000 square feet or larger, field lighting improvements, new food/nutrition spaces, areas for female staffers, and upgrades to training facilities such as batting cages.

Proposed work at Delta Dental Stadium includes $1.1 million in improvements to a tunnel/weight room, $275,000 to construct bullpens, $380,000 in upgrades to HVAC throughout the facility, $615,000 in field lighting improvements, $104,000 for speakers, $83,000 for protective netting and $926,000 in improvements to the player clubhouses.

Trisciani asked team ownership what guarantee the city has that MLB won't pull the team out of Manchester.

"As long as we do what is required, there's a 10-year agreement which they'll continue to renew," said Arthur Solomon, longtime owner of the Fisher Cats.

"As long as we do what is required here, or as long as they change the requirements every year?" asked Trisciani.

"I doubt they're going to change requirements every year," said Solomon. "As long as we fulfill our agreement with them, I think we're in great shape. The Blue Jays love us, they want to continue the relationship."

Anticipated funding for this work will be private bond financing acquired by the city (which is expected to be able to obtain more competitive rates and terms) for its half of the project ($2,831,377.00).

The Fisher Cats will independently finance their half of the project.

pfeely@unionleader.com
A Colchester student was selected as Connecticuts winner for her artwork, Imagine the Worlds, in the 14th annual Doodle for Google art contest.

Alexandra Skilton, a student at Bacon Academy, is now a candidate for one of five scholarship-winning national finalists.

The contest features students from K-12 submitting artwork incorporating Googles logo based on a specific prompt. This years prompt was I care for myself by...

Nothing is as therapeutic as melting into a hundred different lives, Skilton wrote. From science to fantasy, the experience of reading is always encouraging. No matter the medium, after all the stress pursuing more of the world is magical.

The 54 state winners were selected by guest judges: artist and philanthropist Selena Gomez, model and mental health activist Elyse Fox, and 2021 National Teacher of the Year Juliana Urtubey. Voting will determine the five national finalists, with the national winner selected by a panel of Google employees.

National finalists will receive a $5,000 college scholarship and the winner will receive a $30,000 scholarship, a technology package from their school worth $50,000, and their artwork featured on Google.com for 24 hours. Each of the 54 state and territory winners have received Google hardware and swag, as well as celebrations held by Google in their hometowns to showcase their artwork.

Voting begins July 12th at doodle4google.com.
Fans of 'Yu-Gi-Oh!,' a popular manga and anime series, are paying tribute to late creator Kazuki Takahashi. (Christy Radecic / Invision / Associated Press)

Fans, voice actors and other members of the anime community are coming together on social media to pay tribute to Yu-Gi-Oh! creator Kazuki Takahashi, who died in a diving accident on Wednesday. He was 60.

Takahashi was best known for the classic manga comic that spawned a popular anime series and trading-card game of the same name. According to the BBC, Takahashi's body was found off the coast of Japan after a snorkeling trip in the Okinawa prefecture. On Thursday, the official Twitter account for Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game confirmed the manga author's death.

"We are shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Mr. Kazuki Takahashi," the Twitter statement read. "We are deeply grateful for the wonderful 'Yu-Gi-Oh!' universe that he has created, and our thoughts are with his friends and family at this difficult time.

"Together, with his countless fans, we pledge to carry on the 'Yu-Gi-Oh! legacy with all the love and care it deserves."

Takahashi created the beloved world of Yu-Gi-Oh!, which first appeared in the Japanese comic magazine Shonen Jump from 1996 to 2004. The comic followed a teenager named Yugi Muto who solves an ancient Egyptian puzzle that unlocks a dark and mighty alter ego.

The original manga then spawned a popular anime series, a trading card game and various spinoff films, opening Takahashi's universe to multiple generations of anime enthusiasts.

On Thursday, fans and members of the anime community honored Takahashi.

"Sensei created a role that would help define my voice acting career. He once told me my version of Seto Kaiba was his favorite. RIP," tweeted voice actor Eric Stuart, who lent his voice to numerous "Yu-Gi-Oh!" characters in the series' version dubbed into English.

This is incredibly sad news. So shocking. An amazingly talented man. Sensei created a role that would help define my voice acting career. He once told me my version of Seto Kaiba was his favorite. RIP. Love, Kaiba. https://t.co/Bsf1P93lHY  Eric Stuart (@eric_stuart) July 7, 2022





"RIP Kazuki Takahashi, and eternal thanks for creating Yu-Gi-Oh!," tweeted fellow anime voice actor Cassandra Lee Morris, who voiced Alice and Yubel in "Yu-Gi-Oh! GX." "Im forever grateful for the memories and still amazed I got to be part of it. Your spirit will live on in the heart of the cards."

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San Diego Comic-Con also paid tribute to Takahashi, who received its honorary Inkpot Award in 2015. The official Twitter account said its "sincerest condolences go out to his family, friends and fans."

Hypland, a clothing brand that specializes in anime merchandise, tweeted, "RIP Kazuki Takahashi."

"Thank you for the community and everything you've created. Have definitely touched the lives of millions of people," the brand said in another tweet.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Two young North Texas men faces charges of robbing juveniles in Frisco and raping one of them, Frisco police said Thursday.

Authorities believe the suspects could be involved in other crimes in North Texas.

Frisco police identified the suspects as 20-year-old Clayton Isaac Jr. of Frisco and 18-year-old Jackson Clevenger of Plano.

Both face charges of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and Isaac will also be charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child.

The two were arrested last week after an investigation of the robbery led to arrest warrants being issued for the two North Texas men.

Frisco police received a report on June 27 that Clevenger and Isaac had stolen property from two juveniles while they were armed with a deadly weapon.

The robbery had occurred in the 2000 block of Lebanon Road in Frisco.

During the holdup, Isaac is accused of sexually assaulting one of the juveniles while holding the weapon.

Arrest warrants were obtained for Clevenger and Isaac and they were arrested shortly after the warrants were issued.. The bond for Clevenger was listed at $500,000 and the bond for Isaac was listed at $750,000. They were both transferred to the Denton County Jail.

Frisco police said the offenses are felonies of the first degree and if convicted they face a maximum of 99 years, and a fine of up to $10,000.

The investigation into this case is ongoing and no further information will be released at this time, Frisco police said Thursday in a news release.

Anyone with information regarding the alleged robbery and sexual assault or other cases involving the suspects should contact the Frisco Police Department at (972) 292-6010. Residents also can send an anonymous tip by texting FRISCOPD and the tip to 847411 (tip411) or by downloading the Frisco PD app available on Android and iOS devices.
The family of Paul Whelan have said they are astonished that US President Joe Biden has not spoken to them personally while he remains detained in Russia.

Elizabeth Whelan, the 49-year-olds sister, said the Biden administration had not spoken with them since May in an interview with CNN on Wednesday.

Hours earlier, Mr Biden said he and vice president Kamala Harris had spoken with the wife of the WNBA star Britney Griner amid her trial in Moscow and calls from her supporters for her release.

Ms Whelan said she did not begrudge how much help the White House had given the Griners, but admitted she was astonished by the lack of process available to the former US marines family.

Its really wonderful they have resources far beyond what our family does, Ms Whelan said. Our concern is why the outreach to some families and not others?

I was astonished to hear about this call and it did make me wonder, she continued. Should we be pushing for a meeting with the president? Is that what its going to take to bring my brother home?

Paul Whelan was arrested on spying allegations in December 201 (Moscow News Agency)

What I would really like to see is a functioning process that didnt require that, she added.

The call between Mr Biden and Cherelle Griner came four months after the Phoenix Mercury player was arrested on allegations of carrying hashish oil at one of Moscows airports.

In a letter sent by Griner to Mr Biden in recent days, the WNBA star said she feared she would spend her whole life in prison in Russia if she is convicted on drug charges.

Griner also appealed for the Biden administration not to forget her case or those of others, including Mr Whelan, who remains imprisoned.

Britney Griners trial is underway in Moscow (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The former US marine was arrested on spying allegations in December 2018 and was not included in a prisoner swap earlier this year when another US citizen, Trevor Reed, was freed by Russia.

The US has designated all of the arrests as wrongful and has said it is working to secure Griner and Mr Whelans release.

Responding to a letter sent by Mr Biden to Griner about working to secure her release, Russian authorities said on Thursday that "this kind of correspondence does not help".

The countrys deputy foreign minister added that organising a prisoner swap between the US and Russia would be a challenge, although it remains the most likely means of allowing both Griner and Mr Whelan to leave the country.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press
Vietnam faces new Covid-19 outbreaks from new variants

Vietnam's two largest cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh are facing new outbreaks of the Covid-19 pandemic following the detection of Omicron subvariant BA.5 and the slow pace of vaccination.















Illustrative photo



According to Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Health Vu Cao Cuong, the city has recorded three infections caused by the BA.5 sub-strain of the Omicron coronavirus variant.



"The capital city reported 1,538 cases between June 28 and July 4, up 36.5 percent as compared with the previous week," he said.



The official explained that the rise was due to peoples negligence, along with limitations in the communication work.



As of July 3, 99.9 percent of the local population aged over 18 years old had at least one shot of Covid-19 vaccines, 96.5 percent had received a third dose, and 15.6 percent had been given a fourth dose.



For children aged from 5 to 12, only 20.07 percent have been administered with the first dose, Director of the municipal Department of Health Tran Thi Nhi Ha said, noting that the inoculation for children needed the consensus of their families as well as the drastic engagement of agencies and the public.



Addressing a meeting on July 6, Deputy Secretary of the city Party Committee Nguyen Van Phong stressed the need to intensify the pandemic combat with the highest sense of responsibility, and speed up vaccination.



Speaking at a Thursday meeting, director of Ho Chi Minh City Health Department, Tang Chi Thuong, also expressed concerns over the new Covid-19 outbreak in the area following the recent detection of Omicron BA.4, BA.5 subvariants.



"The number of daily Covid-19 infections has slightly increased over the past three weeks," Thuong said. "We are reporting over 50 infections every day in the last three weeks compared to 30 cases in previous weeks."



Since June, the city has tightened control over the new sub-variants of Covid-19 in 22 districts and Thu Duc City. The Pasteur Institute will carry out gene sequencing to detect new sub-variant carriers.



Thuong called on local people to quickly take their booster Covid-19 vaccine jabs to prevent a new outbreak of the pandemic.



According to the Ministry of Health, a total of 913 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Vietnam on July 6, bringing the national tally to over 10.75 million.



The country has so far administered over 234 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Australias new government on Thursday dropped the 4-year-old prosecution of a lawyer over his alleged attempt to help East Timor prove that Australia had spied on the then-fledgling nations government during multibillion-dollar oil and gas negotiations in 2004.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus maintained the government's longstanding stance of refusing to confirm or deny whether the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, a spy agency that operates out of Australian embassies, bugged government offices in the East Timorese capital Dili.

Having had regard to our national security, our national interest and the administration of justice, today I have determined that this prosecution should end, Dreyfus said.

My decision was informed by our governments commitment to Australias national security and our commitment to our relations with our neighbors. This is an exceptional case, Dreyfus added.

East Timor had lobbied for the charge to be dropped.

East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta said on Friday that by dropping the charge, Australia had ended a bitter rift between the countries.

What happened in the past on the part of Australia, with the bugging of our offices, the spy (sic) on our government, during negotiations on ... oil revenues, maritime boundary, the talks, all of that, we leave behind, Ramos-Horta told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

There was now a far better atmosphere of mutual trust between the countries, Ramos-Horta said.

We are determined to move forward, to expand our relationship with Australia, a very important neighbor and friend of Timor-Leste, Ramos-Horta said, using the Portuguese name for East Timor.

Geoffrey Watson, a lawyer and director of the Sydney-based Center for Public Integrity, an anti-corruption think tank, described the bugging allegation as one of the most disgraceful moments in Australian international affairs since World War II.

Australia's center-left Labor Party government had been reviewing Bernard Collaerys case since it came to power for the first time in nine years in May elections.

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The previous conservative government approved in 2018 the prosecution of Collaery and his client, a former spy publicly known as Witness K, on charges that they had conspired to reveal secret information to East Timor.

A conservative coalition was in power in 2004 when the bugging is said to have occurred to give Australia an advantage in negotiations over a treaty to divide revenue from energy resources in the Timor Sea between the two nations.

East Timor, an impoverished nation of 1.5 million people on half of Timor Island north of Australia, became independent of Indonesia in 2002.

Witness K, the former spy, pleaded guilty and was released from court in 2021 with a three-month suspended sentence.

Collaery pleaded not guilty and was scheduled to go on trial in October.

Both Collaery and K faced possible penalties of up to two years in prison. The penalty for the same offense has since been increased to 10 years.

The government canceled Ks passport before he was to testify at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2014 in support of East Timors challenge of the validity of the 2006 energy treaty.

East Timor argued the treaty was invalid because Australia failed to negotiate in good faith by engaging in espionage.

K and Collaery had prepared two affidavits for the East Timorese government that identified K as a former ASIS member and details of ASIS functions, a court heard.

Australia and East Timor agreed on a new maritime border treaty in 2018.

Collaery, 77, thanked his lawyers, who represented him for free, and the Australian public who had expressed their support for him.

I am very pleased that the new attorney-general has looked at this prosecution and all it has involved and taken steps to bring the case to an end. This is a good decision for the administration of justice in Australia, he said in a statement.

"This decision will allow me to move forward with my life and legal practice, he said.
The Daily Beast

Ronny Jackson/TwitterIn the latest addition to the pantheon of tough-guy gun-toting GOP grandstanding videos, Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) spoke up in defense of gun rights on Monday in a clip of him wielding two assault riflesone of which was aimed at his own right foot.I have a message for the Biden administration, Jackson, the former physician to President Donald Trump, said in his video shared on Twitter, which racked up over a million views in under 24 hours. If youre thinking about takin
Jul. 7School is still out for the summer, but school supplies are already being sold at area big box stores.

Many districts have already published their school supply lists on the district's website. Some districts have not yet updated their school supply lists from 2021-2022, but the list from last year is available on the district's website.

Ohio's tax-free weekend is Aug. 6 and Aug. 7. That's when sales tax in Ohio is exempt from purchases of school supplies and clothing under $75. Many major retailers also run sales that weekend.

Here is a list of the public schools who published school supply lists online before July 4. Districts are listed in order of general size.

If your district isn't listed below, reach out directly to your child's school or teacher, or look out for any communications to parents that should include a school supply list.  Dayton Public Schools, starts 8/16/2022. Elementary list.  Kettering, starts 8/18/2022. All lists.  Centerville, starts 8/17/2022. Middle and elementary schools.  Huber Heights, starts 8/22/2022. Visit here and click on "supply and fee lists."  Springboro, starts 8/16. Go to the school's website and check your child's school's page for downloadable school supply lists.  Lebanon, starts between 8/17  8/23. Bowman Primary. All others are not updated or not available online.  Northmont, Staggered between 8/10 and 8/25. Check your child's school's page for downloadable school supply lists.  Miamisburg, starts 8/16/2022. Check your child's school's page for individual school supply lists. Not all have been updated..  Troy, starts 8/24/2022. Elementary and middle school supply lists.  Xenia, starts between 8/17 to 8/23. Preschool and high school lists have not been updated since 21-22. Updated include: Arrowood Elementary, Cox Elementary, McKinley Elementary, Shawnee Elementary, Tecumseh Elementary, Warner Middle.  Fairborn, starts 9/6/2022. Primary and intermediate lists can be found here.  Mad River, 9/6/2022. Links to last year's list.  West Carrollton, 8/24/2022. Varies by school. Intermediate, Harry Russell Elementary, Harold Schnell Elementary, Middle School, High School.  Piqua, 9/6/2022. All school list.  Tecumseh, 8/17/2022. District does post the supply lists to individual school websites but they have not updated them for 22-23.  Vandalia-Butler, 8/18/2022 for 1-12. District does post the supply lists to individual school websites but they have not updated them for 22-23.  Franklin, starts 8/16/2022, Supply list for K-6.  Bellbrook Sugarcreek, starts 8/18/2022, All building list.  Trotwood-Madison starts 8/15/2022. All building list.  Tipp City, starts 8/25 for 1-12, 8/30 for kindergarten, all building list.  Oakwood, starts 8/17/2022, elementary and junior high lists.  Bethel, starts 8/24/2022. Elementary, middle school, high school.  Valley View, starts 9/6/2022. Kindergarten through junior high lists.  Carlisle, starts 8/17/2022, Preschool through sixth grade lists.  Milton-Union, starts 8/24/2022, elementary, middle school.  Miami East, starts 8/24/2022, all building list.  Preble Shawnee, starts 8/17/2022, District does post the supply lists to their individual school websites but they have not updated them for 22-23  Covington, starts 8/23/2022, Kindergarten through sixth grade lists.  Cedar Cliff, starts 8/17/2022, middle and high schools and elementary school.  Bradford, starts 8/29/2022, all building list.
The Biden administration is warning that some states may try to restrict access to government-approved abortion pills and contraception in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade last month.

Those who want to ban all abortions, their next moves are going to be medicated abortion and travel across state line, said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre this week. So, we wanted to make that clear and make sure we got ahead of that if you will, as were seeing what were seeing across the states with the ban, the banning of abortion, for the next round of attacks.

The U.S. Department of Justice has said that states cannot ban FDA-approved abortion medication and states could face legal challenges if they do so anyway.

The FDA first approved abortion medication in 2000.

Mifeprex and Mifepristone are the FDA-approved drugs to terminate a pregnancy up until 10 weeks through medication.

In a statement on Jun. 24, following the Supreme Courts ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, Attorney General Merrick Garland said:

We stand ready to work with other arms of the federal government that seek to use their lawful authorities to protect and preserve access to reproductive care. In particular, the FDA has approved the use of the medication Mifepristone. States may not ban Mifepristone based on disagreement with the FDAs expert judgment about its safety and efficacy.

During the pandemic, the federal government changed the rules to allow abortion pills to be prescribed through telemedicine and mailed to the patient.

But there are still many state-level restrictions.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, a research and policy organization that supports abortion rights, 19 states banned the use of telemedicine to prescribe abortion pills.

The organization also said 32 states require physicians to administer the abortion pills, even though the FDA also allows other healthcare providers, like a nurse practitioner, to administer the abortion pills.

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Some states are already taking preemptive measures to avoid legal problems.

For example, abortion clinics in Montana will no longer offer abortion pills to some out-of-state patients to avoid lawsuits and criminal charges.

Abortion bans or severe restrictions have already or will take effect in more than half of U.S. states.

Were going to be saving a number of, thousands of lives, of unborn children through the steps that have been taken, said Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a Republican.

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Joe Biden will hold talks with Saudi Arabia's controversial Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman -- but only as part of a larger delegation -- when the US president visits the oil-rich nation next week, the White House said Thursday.

"The president will sit down in a bilateral meeting with King Salman and his leadership team. As you know, the crown prince is on that leadership team," John Kirby, National Security Council spokesman at the White House, told reporters.

"So certainly the president will be seeing the crown prince in the context of that larger bilateral discussion."

While Biden is expected to press for increased Saudi oil production in the hope of taming spiraling fuel costs and inflation at home, his visit signals a shift: an apparent abandoning of efforts to ostracize the kingdom's de facto leader over the horrific murder of a dissident.

As a presidential candidate, Biden said the 2018 murder and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi -- a Saudi-born US resident known for writing critical articles about the kingdom's rulers for The Washington Post -- had made the country a "pariah."

US intelligence findings released by the Biden administration identified Mohammed bin Salman, often referred to as MBS, as mastermind of the operation.

Last month Biden himself had sought to distance himself from the upcoming encounter, stressing to reporters he was going to meet with King Salman and his team.

"I'm not going to meet with MBS," Biden told reporters.

Prior to attending a regional meeting in Saudi Arabia, Biden will visit Israel and the West Bank during his July 13-16 trip.

The White House emphasized Biden will address "greater collaboration" in the Middle East region on issues such as air defense, particularly with regards to countering Iran.

"We're continuing to work on integrated air defense capabilities and frameworks across the region," Kirby said.

"Because you know the whole region is concerned about Iran and their burgeoning and growing ballistic missile capabilities, not to mention their continued support for terrorism across the region."

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He said the US delegation will address what it can do to assist allies.

"And then exploring the idea of being able to kind of integrate all those air defenses together, so that there truly is a more effective coverage to deal with the growing Iranian threat," he added.

mlm/caw
President Biden indicated on Wednesday that he intends to rescind Afghanistans designation as a major non-NATO ally.

In accordance with section 517 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (22 U.S.C. 2321k), I am providing notice of my intent to rescind the designation of Afghanistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally, Biden wrote in a letter to Congress, addressed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), according to the White House.

The U.S. designated Afghanistan as a major non-NATO ally in 2012, more than 10 years after NATO forces first deployed to the country following the Sept. 11 attacks on the U.S.

Its status as a major non-NATO ally allowed Afghanistan to receive military assistance and training from the military alliance, which, along with the U.S., withdrew all its troop forces in August 2021 following the swift retaking of the country by the Taliban.

Since then, NATO and the U.S. have suspended all military support to the country but at times continue to lend humanitarian aid.

The chaotic and deadly U.S. troop withdrawal from the country in August left more than 200 Afghans dead and thousands of Afghans who had worked with the U.S. and allied forces stranded.

Thirteen U.S. soldiers died as a result of a suicide bomber who detonated a bomb at the airport in Kabul while thousands were trying to flee the country.

Biden had firmly stuck to an Aug. 31, 2021, deadline to remove all U.S. troops from the country for the first time since the war began 20 years ago despite pleas from lawmakers in both parties to wait until everyone who wanted to get out could.

Over the course of evacuations, U.S. military and coalition aircraft flew out more than 123,000 civilians, including 6,000 Americans.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Jul. 7Buying the Porterfield Hotel on 18th Street downtown wasn't easy, but an arguably harder task  finding new homes for the dozen or so tenants who remain  is about to begin now that the property officially changed hands this week.

The buyer, Bitwise Industries, has not yet disclosed plans for how it will redevelop the 96-year-old stucco, sandwiched as it is between two other buildings also owned by the Fresno-based developer and workforce development company. One thing that seems certain is that the existing tenants will have to go.

Finding a smooth transition for them could prove difficult given the crowding within the local housing market, combined with the fact that the Porterfield is less a hotel than an apartment complex housing people on fixed incomes.

Several residents living there now said Wednesday morning there has been no official communication on the situation, including confirmation that they will have to move, and when. Some already searching for a new place said they're discovering that not only are local alternatives hard to find, but they're on the pricey side.

"The rental places are expensive," said Andy Stewts, a retired tenant who at age 60 has lived at the Porterfield for 22 years. Stewts was hoping to travel to Germany soon to see her mother but said she now worries the money might have to go toward a deposit plus two months' worth of rent payments on a new apartment.

Bitwise had been trying to buy the building for years and only recently was able to strike a deal with the couple who had owned the property since 2012. Escrow closed Tuesday.

A company spokeswoman said by email the building's current residents are the company's primary concern. She noted Bitwise has an employee dedicated to working with local agencies to find the best way to help tenants transition to a new home.

"This may include help with moving, storage and shelter for those that need it," spokeswoman Katherine Verducci wrote.

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Staff plan to go door to door Friday informing the Porterfield's residents that the building has been sold. They will receive a letter with details on how to contact Bitwise with questions, Verducci noted Wednesday, including by speaking with employees who can answer questions at the building next door at 1723 18th St.

"We understand that this process may take months and we will be flexible, working with each resident to make the transition as easy as possible," Verducci wrote.

Still ahead, she added, is a formal plan for integrating the Porterfield with the two sleek buildings on each side.

"Our goal is to unite the two current Bitwise facilities that are on either side of the building and create something that the entire community can enjoy, bringing life, revenue and inspiration to downtown Bakersfield," her email said.

One of the building's prior owners, Randhir Bhakta, declined to comment Wednesday. But the real estate agent who handled the sale on behalf of Bhakta and his wife, Ranjan, said Wednesday he was confident the tenants "will be taken care of." He said the two-story property has about 20 units.

Assistant Executive Director Heather Kimmel at the Housing Authority of the County of Kern was unfamiliar with the project, and so declined to comment specifically about it, but she said by email tenants relocating from the Porterfield would not do so using the agency's programs.

The residents would, however, be welcome to add their names to any waiting list the housing authority maintains, and they would be screened for other possible help, she added.

"Rental housing is hard to come by right now, and affordable rentals even more so," Kimmel wrote. "We are always willing to be a good community partner and would be happy to meet with Bitwise if they ever wanted to bounce ideas off of our team."

Tenant Roberto Maceira Ramos, a 57-year-old retiree who said he has lived at the Porterfield since 2015, said he has already paid rent for July and has no firm plans for moving out. He said several residents moved out not long ago, including the former owners who managed the property, and that about 13 people still reside there.

A tenant since 2006, 45-year-old Thomas Pruitt, said he was told residents of the building wouldn't be kicked out and that he could stay for up to three months. He predicted he'll soon find a suitable apartment, adding, "It should be easy enough."

Jose Perez was less hopeful, saying he has no money for a deposit or first and last months' rent.

"Everybody's asking for that," he said. "I'm looking but I've got no money to move."
Through its Corners to Colleges HBCU program, the Black Collegiate Gaming Association (BCGA) is looking to give minoritized high schoolers the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the video game industry.

Check out our recap video of our Corners 2 Colleges event at @MVSUDEVILS!! We like to thank our BCGA correspondences, high school participants,& the MVSU Gaming & Innovation Lab staff for making this event a success!! #C2C #BCGA #lenovo #gamestop #playstation #sony #hyperx pic.twitter.com/i6ZRPQA2MQ  Black Collegiate Gaming Association (@bcgausa) June 20, 2022

Founded in May 2020, the BCGA is committed to creating future groundbreakers within the gaming and esports industry by providing students with the needed funds to start and finish college to further enhance the mission of creating a pipeline of students to enter the gaming and esports industry.

Furthermore, the organization is particularly interested in pivot[ing] Black and women of color college students into the overall gaming industry, not only as consumers, but as contributors.

Now, the BCGA is furthering its efforts with the Corners to College program, giving high schoolers the chance to get a taste of the HBCU life while also gaining knowledge of the gaming and esports industry.

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First and foremost, the purpose of the Corners to Colleges program is to let high school students know that the gaming industry is more than just playing the video games at home, Keshia Walker, founder and chair of BCGA, said, per The Atlanta Voice.

Secondly, [they receive] exposure to HBCU life and what its like to stay at an HBCU, she continued. Third, [theyre introduced] to all things related to gaming and technology.

Students participating in the program can receive a number of benefits, including scholarships to a BCGA member institution  which includes schools like Florida A&M University, Mississippi Valley State University, Edward Waters University, Florida Memorial University, Alabama State University, Alabama A&M University and Jackson State University.

Jackson State University will host over 100 local high school students in the Corners to College HBCU program presented by the @BCGAUSA. The program engages students with the growing world of eSports and immerses them in #HBCU culture and curriculum.  | https://t.co/0djtbSdlc7 pic.twitter.com/d0SDatCDXU  Jackson State U. (@JacksonStateU) June 24, 2022

Notably, Walker credits her nephew for inspiring her to create the program.

I have to give all the credit to my nephew, who was 11 then. He told me that he wanted to get into esports and the gaming industry, but he didnt see HBCUs that had the opportunity for him to attend that school and get into gaming and esports, she said.

I told my nephew I was going to do something to change that, and a week later, I started the Black Collegiate Gaming Association, Walker added. My mission and life calling are to help more students of color to get into this space, whether they attend an HBCU or not.

Walker also spoke on the urgency of the matter, as  while the video game industry is a rapidly-growing field  only about 2% of gaming professionals are Black, according to Fortune.

The numbers are dismal, Walked began. Less than 3% of the industry are Black in terms of corporate leadership, and less than half of the industry is women of color. Over 60% of everything around games are purchased by [Black people] and people of color, but we are underrepresented in decision-making in this space. BCGA was created to address that.

She also touched on the sexism that exists within the video game sector  a reality that the BCGA is looking to challenge.

This is a very male-dominated industry, she added. I have faced a lot of sexist issues. A lot of men in this industry are very threatened by women, and unfortunately, a lot of it is coming from men that look just like us. They are threatened by the fact that a woman is coming in and doing something about some areas that have been underserved for a long time.

Lets recap our Women Got Game 2022 Virtual Summit on March 26, 2022!! If you missed out this year, make sure to stay tuned for next years WGG Summit!! #WGG2022 #WomenGotGame #BCGA pic.twitter.com/xhYU2aio7n  Black Collegiate Gaming Association (@bcgausa) May 7, 2022

You can learn more about this game-changing initiative, as well as other events the BCGA helps put on, here.
STORY: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will participate in the two-day foreign ministers meeting and have his first close encounter with the fiercest critics of his country's invasion of Ukraine.

Lavrov planned to meet some of his counterparts on the sidelines of the summit, Russian news agency TASS reported, but Blinken and Germany's Annalena Baerbock have ruled out separate meetings with him.

The Group of 20 includes Western countries that have accused Moscow of war crimes in Ukraine - which it denies - and have imposed sanctions, but also countries like China, Indonesia, India and South Africa that have been more muted in their response.

Blinken will travel to Thailand after attending the G20 meeting.
LONDON  Boris Johnson announced on Thursday that he will stand down as prime minister of the U.K. after bowing to pressure from his own political party following a wave of resignations.

Johnson had remained defiant to stay on as leader of the country despite calls to quit. A source from the government told Sky News on Thursday morning that he did not intend to resign and was going to fight on. The night before, Johnson fired newly appointed Cabinet minister and loyal supporter Michael Gove after he had urged the prime minister to resign.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson reads a statement formally resigning as Conservative Party leader on Thursday. (Stefan Rousseau/PA Images via Getty Images)

Hours later, a source close to the prime minister said he had spoken with the chairman of the 1922 Committee, a group of Conservative politicians who do not hold official positions in government, and agreed to stand down.

On Thursday morning, Johnsons new chancellor of the Exchequer told him he had to go now, while his newly appointed education secretary resigned just 36 hours after taking office.

Britains defense secretary, Ben Wallace, also announced on Thursday morning that he had withdrawn his support for the prime minister.

In a speech in front of his residence at No. 10 Downing St., Johnson said he would continue to carry on as prime minister until a new Conservative Party leader has been chosen. That is expected to happen before the party conference in October.

Johnson at No. 10 Downing St. in London on Thursday. (Maja Smiejkowska/Reuters)

However, a number of members of Parliament are calling for a stand-in prime minister in a bid to stop Johnson from continuing as leader until the fall.

Opposition leader Keir Starmer threatened to call a vote of no confidence in the government if Johnson is allowed to cling on as prime minister. He needs to go completely, the Labour Party leader warned. None of this nonsense about clinging on for a few months. Hes inflicted lies, fraud and chaos in the country. Were stuck with a government which isnt functioning in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.

In his resignation speech, Johnson said, No one in politics is remotely indispensable and that he stayed on because I thought it was my job, my duty and my obligation to you.

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Posting to Twitter hours after his appearance in front of No.10, Johnson thanked the British public for the opportunity to serve as prime minister and reiterated that he would continue to serve the country until his successor was chosen.

President Biden released a statement on Johnson's resignation, saying "the special relationship between our people remains strong and enduring." He added he looks forward to "continuing our close cooperation with the government of the United Kingdom, as well as our Allies and partners around the world."

It follows a dramatic 48 hours that saw 59 Cabinet ministers and aides quit their positions in protest over Johnsons leadership. The party rebellion began on Tuesday evening when two of Johnsons most senior ministers resigned due to what they described as a lack of confidence in his leadership.

The resignations followed Johnsons admission over knowing about sexual misconduct allegations against a former deputy chief whip and still appointing him to his position in February.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid made their respective resignation announcements to the public via Twitter after Johnsons admission.

Johnson with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, left, and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak in London in 2021. (Toby Melville/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously, Sunak, the nations top treasury official, wrote. I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.

In Javids letter to Johnson, he wrote that he could no longer continue his position in good conscience. On Wednesday, Javid made a blistering speech in the House of Commons in which he said he stood by Johnson but that the events of recent months have made it increasingly difficult to be in that team.

It was a huge blow to the government to lose its chancellor and health secretary when the country is experiencing a cost-of-living crisis and in the middle of a coronavirus spike.

Last month, Johnson survived a vote of no confidence in Parliament that would have forced him from office had it been successful. The vote came amid fierce Conservative infighting stemming from a series of scandals that have hobbled him, most notably revelations that he had attended parties in defiance of his own governments COVID lockdown rules.
Boris Johnson has agreed to step down as the British Prime Minister.

The United Kingdom's Conservative Party leader announced his forthcoming resignation outside No.10 Downing Street on Thursday after losing the confidence of his cabinet. He was elected prime minister in July 2019.

Johnson now aims to continue as caretaker Prime Minister until the fall while the Conservative Party holds a leadership election across the summer.

"It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and, therefore, a new Prime Minister," Johnson told reporters Thursday.

"I have agreed with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of our backbench MPs, that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now and the timetable will be announced next week.

"I want to say to the millions of people who voted for us in 2019 - many of them voting Conservative for the first time - thank you for that incredible mandate," he continued. "The reason I have fought so hard in the last few days to continue to deliver that mandate in person, was not just because I wanted to do so, but because I felt that it was my job, my duty, my obligation to you, to continue to do what we promised."

Boris Johnson

Julian Simmonds/The Daily Telegraph/Bloomberg via Getty Images Boris Johnson

"It's painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself," Johnson added Thursday. "But as we have seen at Westminster the herd instinct is powerful. When the herd moves, it moves.

For more on Boris Johnson resigning, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

"No one is remotely indispensable (in politics) and our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader equally committed to taking this country forward through tough times.

"To that new leader, whoever he or she may be, I say I will give you as much support as I can. And to you the British public, I know that there will be many people who are relieved and perhaps quite a few who will also be disappointed. And I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world. But them's the breaks."

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Prime Minister of Great Britain Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds

Karwai Tang/WireImage Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson

Johnson's resignation was largely prompted by the COVID-19 "Partygate" scandal, in which 16 social gatherings were found to have taken place in Downing Street during a 20-month period of various levels of COVID-related lockdowns in England.

In April, Johnson, 58, was fined by the Metropolitan Police for the parties, becoming the first U.K. Prime Minister in history to be officially found to have broken the law.

RELATED: Boris Johnson Survives Vote to Oust Him as British Prime Minister, but His Political Future Remains Uncertain

In June, he also survived a vote of confidence among his own members of parliament as a result of the investigation by 211 votes to 148 after an unknown number of Conservative MPs submitted letters stating they could no longer trust him to effectively run the U.K. government.

This left Johnson in the position of governing the country without the support of a large percentage of his own lawmakers  a situation that ultimately led to the downfall of Conservative governments helmed by Margaret Thatcher, John Major and his predecessor, Theresa May.

Jill Biden blazer

Toby Melville-WPA Pool/Getty U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and wife, Carrie, with President Joe Biden and wife, Dr. Jill Biden

Johnson's premiership finally came to an end as a result of a scandal involving Conservative MP Chris Pincher, however, who was forced to resign as deputy chief whip of the Conservative Party after being suspended for allegedly groping two men at the prestigious Carlton Club in London's upscale Mayfair neighborhood.

"I drank far too much," Pincher wrote to Johnson in his resignation letter on June 30. "I've embarrassed myself and other people which is the last thing I want to do and for that I apologise to you and to those concerned."

Yet it was Johnson's actions after Pincher's resignation that had the most impact, when it emerged that he'd been warned that the MP had acted similarly before promoting him to government office.

When questioned about whether he knew about the earlier allegations on July 1, a spokesperson for Johnson said he was not aware of "specific allegations."

On July 5, Lord McDonald, a former lead staffer in the Foreign Office, publicly refuted this, however, accusing Downing Street of "not telling the truth."

"I briefed the relevant senior official in the Cabinet Office," he told the Today program on BBC Radio 4. "I know that the senior official briefed the prime minister in person because that official told me so at the time."

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With the political pressure building, Johnson told the BBC that he "bitterly" regretted giving Pincher a government job.

"In hindsight, it was the wrong thing to do and I apologize to everyone who has been badly affected by it," he said. "I just want to make absolutely clear that there's no place in this government for anybody who is predatory or abuses their position of power."

RELATED: Boris Johnson Apologizes After Report Reveals 16 Office Parties Held During U.K. COVID Lockdown

Ultimately, however, the combination of "Partygate," Pincher and other scandals  such as Johnson refurbishing his Downing Street apartment with wallpaper costing $1,000 a roll  led to him losing the support of the public and his own government, evidenced by the resignation of two high-profile members of his inner circle on July 5.

"The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously," Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak stated in his resignation letter on July 5. "I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning."

Sunak, who was previously in charge of the U.K.'s economy and effectively No. 2 in the government, added: "Our people know that if something is too good to be true then it's not true. They need to know that whilst there is a path to a better future, it is not an easy one. I am sad to be leaving government but I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that we cannot continue like this."

RELATED: Boris Johnson Faces Calls to Resign After Admitting He Attended Office Party During U.K. COVID Lockdown

Health Minister Sajid Javid backed up this belief in his own resignation letter, writing "We [the Conservative party] may not have always been popular, but we have been competent in acting in the national interest. Sadly, in the current circumstances, the public are concluding that we are now neither."

"It is clear to me that this situation will not change under your leadership and you have therefore lost my confidence," Javid told Johnson.

On Thursday, Johnson's exit was hastened by the resignation of at least 50 ministers and aides from the U.K. government, including five ministers who urged Johnson "to step aside" in a combined resignation letter.

Johnson also lost the support of key cabinet minister Michael Gove on Wednesday afternoon, his close friend and political sparring partner since their student days at Oxford University.
Boris Johnson will resign as party leader and U.K. prime minister on Thursday, after more than 50 members of Parliament in his Conservative Party dramatically quit in protest at his leadership.

This is what could happen next.

The Conservative Party will need to elect a new leader, who will automatically become prime minister. They do not need to hold a general election.

However this could take some time.

Tory leadership elections have two parts. The first stage sees Tory MPs vote in a series of rounds, whittling the list of candidates down to a final two.

In the 2019 leadership race this took roughly two weeks. But it could take longer depending on how many candidates stand.

The second stage sees the final two candidates go to a vote of Tory members. In 2019, when Johnson took on Jeremy Hunt, this took around a month.

Leadership candidates have been campaigning behind the scenes in Westminster in the expectation of a contest for months.

While the contest takes place, the country will still need a prime minister to govern the country.

Johnson has suggested he wants to remain in office as a caretaker prime minister until the Tory party conference in October.

But several Conservatives have already spoken out against the idea.

Nick Gibb, a former schools minister, said: As well as resigning as party leader the prime minister must resign his office.

After losing so many ministers, he has lost the trust and authority required to continue. We need an acting prime minister who is not a candidate for leader to stabilise the government while a new leader is elected.

Simon Hoare, the chairman of the Commons Northern Ireland committee, said: Ministers resigned *because* of the prime minister. The party lost confidence *because* of the prime minister. It is beyond credulity that Mr. Johnson can stay in office even pro tem. New constitutional territory but he has to go and go means go.

If not Johnson, Dominic Raab, the deputy prime minister, is seen as the most likely interim-leader, especially given he has ruled himself out of standing in the leadership contest.

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One immediate action a caretaker prime minister will need to take, whether it is Johnson or someone else, is to fill all the empty ministerial posts.

For example, there are currently no ministers in the Department for Education.

Johnson intends to announce new ministerial appointments Thursday, a Downing Street source told the Press Association.

Boris Johnson is expected to make ministerial appointments shortly as he seeks to continue in office despite his imminent resignation as Tory leader



The Prime Minister will shortly make new appointments to his ministerial team, a No 10 source said



: James Manning/PA pic.twitter.com/Nc9dA6ZNVC  PA Media (@PA) July 7, 2022

It is likely most if not all the ministers and ministerial aides who resigned over the course of the last two days could be reappointed to the same positions.

Once the party elects a new leader, they would have until January 2025 before they had to call a general election.

Attorney general Suella Braverman has already announced she intends to stand.

Other likely candidates include foreign secretary Liz Truss, former chancellor Rishi Sunak, former health secretary Sajid Javid and defence secretary Ben Walllace. Jeremy Hunt has also not ruled out a second bid for the top job.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil is at risk of facing a more serious incident than the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, said the head of the country's Electoral Court, Edson Fachin, on Wednesday ahead of the presidential election in October.

His remarks follow the latest polls that show Brazil's far-right President, Jair Bolsonaro, trailing behind former leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ahead of the elections.

Bolsonaro has cast doubts on the voting system, without evidence, going as far as threatening to reject an unfavorable outcome in the elections.

"We may experience an episode even more severe than the January 6 (attack) on the Capitol," Fachin said in a presentation at the Wilson Center in Washington.

Fachin also warned he will not accept any interference in the electoral process. The involvement of Brazil's armed forces in the presidential race has to be cooperative and must never be interfering, he said.

Earlier this year, the electoral court created a transparency commission with representatives of several public institutions, including the military, to ensure greater security for the voting process.

Military leaders have broadly said the armed forces will respect any election result. Still, some military officials have echoed Bolsonaro's comments about potential weaknesses in Brazil's voting system.

"Evidently, we will not accept this type of circumstance. Collaboration yes, intervention never," Fachin said.

(Reporting by Ricardo Brito; Writing by Peter Frontini; Editing by Chris Reese)
By Carolyn Cohn

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Investment Association on Thursday called for the government and regulators to give the green light to tokenised funds using blockchain technology, which could make it easier for retail investors to buy illiquid assets.

Tokenised funds split their assets under management into fractions, enabling a reduced minimum investment, making them more affordable for small investors.

The use of blockchain technology, which underpins cryptocurrencies, to support tokenised funds can also reduce operational costs, industry specialists say.

"With the ever-quickening pace of technological change, the investment management industry, regulator and policymakers must work together to drive forward innovation without delay," said Chris Cummings, chief executive of the Investment Association.

The government and the Financial Conduct Authority should establish a framework for tokenised funds to operate, the IA said in a statement.

Regulators should also assess the eligibility of cryptocurrencies in investment funds with well-diversifed portfolios, the IA added.

Abrdn is among major asset managers considering launching tokenised funds.

"We are looking at tokenisation and are currently assessing how the benefits of blockchain technology could be leveraged in the regulated funds space," an abrdn spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

"Tokenised solutions should provide new ways for both retail and sophisticated investors to access investment products, including in the illiquid space, thanks to lower investment minimums and improved liquidity mechanisms via secondary token markets."

Fund technology firm FundAdminChain is working with the London Stock Exchange and four asset managers on tokenised funds. FundAdminChain CEO Brian McNulty declined to name the managers.

Investors have since last year been able to buy tokens in a fund managed by private equity firm Partners Group through Singapore digital securities exchange ADDX. Investors can get in with an outlay of $10,000, rather than a typical minimum of $100,000.

However, the global Financial Stability Board has warned that tokenisation still leaves retail investors exposed to any underlying illiquid assets, like commercial property and private equity, which are hard to get out of in a hurry if prices fall.

(Reporting by Carolyn Cohn, editing by Huw Jones and Bernadette Baum)
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
luke-macfarlane.jpg

Luke Macfarlane revealed that he nearly had a canine catastrophe in a recent Instagram post that ultimately left fans laughing.

The actor shared a few pictures of him with his dog, Farmer, noting right up front: LOST AND FOUND!

My very sweet and friendly dog Farmer decided to jump into a fedEx truck and take a long ride, he wrote. After 5 hours and help from a few online detectives we reunited. I think my husky mutt sweet boy might need a GPS dog collar.

Oddly enough, this isnt the first time a dog has found their way into a FedEx truck and gone for a joyride around town. Just last year, a pooch in Arizona escaped the rescue where she was temporarily living and joined a driver on his route for the day before being returned home.

Friends and fans of Macfarlane were thrilled to see his story had a similarly happy ending, as bizarre as the experience must have been.

Love this reunion! Next time call me! Im good at crime solving, drag queen Shangela wrote under the pic.

One fan joked that Farmer was just job shadowing the FedEx guy, while another suggested this definitely should be the plot of a new Hallmark movie!

But a handsome widower needs to be involved somehow, they added.

While Macfarlane can most recently be seen opposite fellow queer actor Rachelle Lefevre in Hallmarks Moriahs Lighthouse, were keeping an eye out for his upcoming turn in Billy Eichners gay romcom Bros.

RELATED | Stranger Things' Noah Schnapp Reacts to Critics of Will's Sexuality
There were 9mm casings under a table in the corner and on the carpet.

Still more casings were on the body of MarQuavion Steward, who was on a couch in the living room in the house where he lived in east Fort Worth.

There were bullet holes in a comforter resting on Steward, 19. He was covered at the time he was shot to death.

Steward was shot in his face and torso, but also in his arms and hand, suggesting he was trying to cover his face while he was being shot or was sleeping with his arms over his head when he was slain, according to a Fort Worth police account described in an arrest warrant affidavit.

Steward was killed by a relative, Derrick Sydnor, 35, on May 17, police allege.

Steward and Sydnor argued outside the house in the 4700 block of Burton Avenue, although the scale was not beyond their normal disagreements, other relatives told police, according to an arrest warrant affidavit written by Fort Worth police Detective Kim Bickley supporting Sydnors arrest.

Sydnor left the house, and Steward and others in the house went to sleep. They woke to gunfire about 2:30 a.m.

Sydnor was arrested in Virginia on June 3. The Tarrant County Criminal District Attorneys Office charged Sydnor with murder on June 16.

The affidavit does not identify the precise relationship between Steward and Sydnor.

Sydnors girlfriend told police she arrived at the house shortly after the shooting. She pulled up and saw Sydnor leave the house and get into his Toyota Camry, according to the affidavit.
Associated Press

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's top infectious disease expert, said Monday he plans to retire by the end of President Joe Biden's term in January 2025. Fauci, 81, was appointed director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in 1984, and has led research in HIV/AIDS, respiratory infections, Ebola, Zika and the coronavirus. In an interview with Politico, Fauci said he hoped to "leave behind an institution where I have picked the best people in the country, if not the world, who will continue my vision.
Refinery29

I am only a Black woman on Sundays. Let me clarify. I am a 21-year-old Black nonbinary person. I was assigned female at birth. My pronouns are they/he. I am a lesbian. I am a journalist and an artist, and sometimes I am a musician. When I am not in school or at work, I love to crochet, visit farmers markets and spend time with my friends and my partner. For me, being nonbinary is having the space to exist as a human. Its sometimes hard to define, but at its roots, my identity is about releasin
Jul. 7James L. Collins Catholic School hosted two summer camps on campus for students in the community. JLCCS hosted a STEM Camp in conjunction with catapult learning. It also hosted an art camp throughout the week with a session in the morning and one in the afternoon.

The school will host a third summer camp, Journey Camp, free for students in grades fourth through seventh from 8:30am to 12:30 p.m. July 25 through 29. Spaces are limited and sign ups are happening now.
FIRST ON FOX: Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), met with parents just one time leading up to the release of school reopening guidance last year, her internal calendar reveals.

Walensky stated several times that they had consulted parents' needs for the guidance despite her calendar showing the sole 30-minute meeting. And as parents were granted just one session, teacher unions had constant access to her and other high-level CDC officials while influencing last-minute changes to the guidelines.

"Rochelle Walensky has repeatedly said she consulted with parents on school reopening guidance, but newly obtained records show that's anything but the truth," said Caitlin Sutherland, executive director of Americans for Public Trust, who provided Walensky's calendar to Fox News Digital.

"Instead of giving parents a meaningful seat at the table, she once again prioritized teacher union bosses  giving them instant and unfettered access while parents were relegated to a singular 30-minute meeting," Sutherland said.

CDC DIRECTOR SPOKE WITH SEVERAL UNION LEADERS BEFORE TIGHTENING MASKING GUIDANCE, INTERNAL CALENDAR REVEALS

CDC director Rochelle Walensky's internal calendar reveals just one meeting with parents leading up to the release of school reopening guidance. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

"Parents and children are still dealing with the fallout of school closures, with kids behind in math and reading by President Biden's own admission," Sutherland said. "And that's a direct result of the White House and the CDC enabling Randi Weingarten and Becky Pringle to write the guidance that kept our schools closed."

During a February 12, 2021, press briefing for the release of the school reopening guidelines, Walensky said they had considered the "lived experiences, challenges, and perspectives" of parents and worked "to hear firsthand from parents." She also suggested guidance changes occurred due to "sessions" that included parents.

"The latest guidance is based on science and outreach with teachers, parents and the Department of Education," Walensky told NBC News. "CDC officials conducted comprehensive reviews of literature and extensively studied what happened during school openings in the fall and in Europe," she said.

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Walensky also referred to the guidance as a "long-needed roadmap" that included input from parents, The 74 reported.

BIDEN ADMIN OPERATED WITH MISSING DATA AS CDC ISSUED PANDEMIC GUIDANCE, EMAILS SHOW

However, Walensky's internal calendar indicates she had only conducted one meeting with parents on February 10, 2021 - just two days before the release of the school reopening guidance. The 30-minute Zoom session allowed each unidentified parent just three minutes to "introduce themselves and discuss their needs for safe school reopening," her calendar shows.

Months later, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, the nation's second-largest teachers union, used a screen capture of the event to hit Fox News and other outlets that began reporting on the CDC's coziness with teachers unions.

"Fox, WSJ, NY Post, and The 74 are probably never going to let their readers know that the CDC met with parents too," Weingarten wrote. "But everyone should know that they did, and that the NYPost knew they did when they wrote their hit piece. This is how the CDC gets stakeholder feedback."

The event was the only parents meeting to appear on Walensky's calendar.

Jason McDonald, Walensky's press secretary, told Fox News Digital that Walensky was "referring to all of the parental engagements conducted by CDC scientists and experts leading up to the issuance of the school guidance" when she discussed parents.

WHITE HOUSE CONSIDERED TEACHERS UNIONS' LABOR DISPUTES BEFORE RELEASING REOPENING GUIDANCE, EMAILS SHOW

"CDC experts engaged with parents at three, national PTA-hosted events on August 7, 2020, January 4, 2021 and February 12, 2021," McDonald said. "During which, parents could ask CDC experts questions about the guidance and how to keep their children safe at school."

"CDC experts fielded 17,276 calls and email messages from Americans asking about COVID-19 and schools between March 1, 2020 and February 11, 2021," McDonald said.

As parents had only one meeting directly with Walensky, Weingarten's AFT and the National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest teachers union, had instant access to her and other high-level CDC officials. The unions also influenced last-minute changes to the school-reopening guidance, Fox News Digital previously reported.

AFT's senior director of health issues, Kelly Trautner, emailed Walensky a day before the CDC publicly posted the guidance. Within the email, she suggested the agency insert the line: "In the event high-community transmission results from a new variant of SARS-CoV-2, a new update of these guidelines may be necessary."

The email led to a flurry of activity from high-ranking CDC officials. The next day - on the day the guidance was released to the public - CDC chief of staff Sherri Berger flagged Trautner's suggestion for "possible follow-ups."

TEACHERS UNIONS INFLUENCED LAST-MINUTE CDC SCHOOL GUIDANCE, RECEIVED COPIES BEFORE PUBLIC RELEASE, EMAILS SHOW

Minutes later, Walensky forwarded the email to the CDC's director of preparedness and emerging infections, Henry Walke, who replied, "Yes, will work with team."

Shortly after, Walke emailed Walensky with updated language for the guidance. "Super, thank you for doing that," Walensky replied.

The AFT did not respond to a Fox News Digital inquiry on their access to CDC officials.

The emails further revealed that the AFT and NEA received a copy of the guidance before the CDC made it public. The CDC's then-acting associate director for communications, Christopher Jones, also messaged Weingarten and Becky Pringle, NEA's president, thanking them for their continued partnership and input.

Rochelle Walensky and other CDC officials were shown to have close contact with teachers unions and welcoming their input on matters. Greg Nash/Pool via REUTERS

The New York Post also reported on emails from Americans for Public Trust showing coordination between the Biden White House and the influential teachers unions on school reopenings.

In at least two instances, suggestions offered by the AFT were "adopted nearly verbatim" in the final text of a CDC document on reopening guidance, the Post reported.

The Biden administration later tightened school masking guidelines in May 2021 following threats from teachers unions, Fox News Digital previously reported.
China warned that the United States is "the biggest threat to world peace, stability and development" Thursday, after top U.S. intelligence community officials warned this week that Beijing poses the "biggest long-term threat to economic and national security" to America and Western allies.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijan made the comments after FBI Director Christopher Wray gave a speech in London at the MI5 building, warning of the "complex, enduring and pervasive danger" that China poses to both the United States and the United Kingdom.

"The relevant U.S. politician has been playing up the so-called China threat to smear and attack China," Zhao told reporters at a daily briefing when asked about Wrays comments.

Zhao added that "facts have fully proven that the U.S. is the biggest threat to world peace, stability and development."

CHINA POSES 'BIGGEST LONG-TERM THREAT TO ECONOMIC AND NATIONAL SECURITY,' FBI DIRECTOR WRAY WARNS

"We urge this U.S. official to have the right perspective, see Chinas developments in an objective and reasonable manner, and stop spreading lies and stop making irresponsible remarks," Zhao said.

Wray, on Wednesday, warned that Beijing is "trying to shape the world" by interfering in politics, business and more.

Wray said the Chinese government "poses an even more serious threat to Western businesses than even many sophisticated business people realize," and said the "danger" from China is "complex and growing."

"The Chinese government is trying to shape the world by interfering in our politics, and those of our allies," Wray said. "All of that is to say  China poses a far more complex and pervasive threat to businesses than even the most sophisticated company leaders realize."

Also Wednesday, the U.S. intelligence community warned that state and local leaders are at "risk" of being "manipulated" to support "hidden" agendas by the Chinese Communist Party as China seeks to target officials outside of Washington to lobby for Beijing-friendly policies at the federal level.

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Director Christopher A. Wray speaks to the media at FBI headquarters on June 14, 2018, in Washington. Mark WIlson/Getty Images

The National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) warned that as tensions between Washington and Beijing grow, China is seeking to "exploit U.S. subnational relationships to influence U.S. policies and advance PRC geopolitical interests."

The NCSC warned that Chinese influence operations in the U.S. are to expand support for PRC interests among state and local leaders and to use those relationships to "pressure Washington for policies friendlier to Beijing."

"The PRC understands U.S. state and local leaders enjoy a degree of independence from Washington and may seek to use them as proxies to advocate for national U.S. policies Beijing desires, including improved U.S. economic cooperation with China and reduced U.S. criticism of Chinas policies towards Taiwan, Tibetans, Uyghurs, pro-democracy activists and more," the NCSC explained.

CHINA TARGETING STATE, LOCAL LEADERS IN PUSH TO INFLUENCE BEIJING-FRIENDLY POLICIES: INTEL OFFICIALS

The intelligence community explained that PRC foreign influence activities can be "overt," such as public diplomacy, where the role of the PRC government is "open and unobscured," according to the NCSC. But those activities can also be "covert," where the PRCs role is hidden. The activities can also be "coercive or even criminal in nature."

Top Biden administration intelligence officials have been sounding the alarm on the threat China poses for months.

In March, the intelligence community annual threat assessment warned that China is increasingly a "near-peer competitor, challenging the United States in multiple arenas  especially economically, militarily and technologically  and is pushing to change global norms and potentially threatening its neighbors."

And in April, CIA Director William Burns issued a similar warning to Wrays  also noting that China has been "a silent partner" in Russian President Vladimir Putins aggression in Ukraine.

Burns, at the time, said China is "in many ways, the most profound tests the CIA has ever faced," calling China a "formidable competitor lacking in neither ambition nor capability."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
BEIJING (Reuters) - Officials from China's and Russia's dominant political parties on Thursday exchanged views on promoting sustained and high-quality development of bilateral relations, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Liu Jianchao, head of the International Liaison Department of China's Communist Party, and Boris Gryzlov, chairman of the Supreme Council of United Russia, discussed further strengthening of institutional exchanges between the two parties on a video call, according to Xinhua.

(Reporting by Ryan Woo)
The late Sen. John McCain with wife Cindy in 2008. JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

Cindy McCain said her husband, the late Sen. John McCain, would not recognize today's GOP.

"Right now we've lost our way," she said.

President Joe Biden awarded the late senator the presidential medal of freedom on Thursday.

Cindy McCain on Thursday said today's Republican Party would be unrecognizable to her husband, the late Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

"I don't believe my husband would recognize it," McCain told MSNBC of the GOP. "But I do know one thing: he'd be fighting like the dickens to able to pull it back together and bring it back to what it was during previous Republican administrations and previous administrations as well."

Factions of the Republican Party have become increasingly divided, largely over their stance toward for former President Donald Trump and his false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. Intra-party fighting, at the state and national level, has been widespread since he left office.

"I'm still a Republican. I believe in the party and I believe in what we stand for. But right now we've lost our way," said McCain, the current ambassador to the United Nations Agencies in Rome, appointed by President Joe Biden. McCain endorsed Biden in the 2020 election, met with a harsh rebuke from Trump, who had also frequently attacked her husband.

McCain's comments came hours before she accepted a presidential medal of freedom Biden posthumously awarded to her late husband, a military hero and champion of bipartisan politics. John McCain died from complications related to brain cancer in 2018.

"We used to argue like hell on the Senate floor. But then we'd go down and have lunch together afterwards," Biden, who served in the Senate alongside the late Republican, said at the ceremony on Thursday.

"I never stopped admiring John," the president continued. "Never said a negative thing about him in my life because I knew his honor, his courage, and his commitment."

Read the original article on Business Insider
UKRAINSKA PRAVDA  THURSDAY, 7 JULY 2022, 14:59

The Armed Forces of Ukraine cleared Zmiinyi (Snake) Island, destroying about 30 pieces of equipment belonging to the Russian occupying forces.

Source: Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, Operational Command South

Quote: "Today, the final stage of the operation took place, during which special units of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, under the command of Major General Andrii Kovalchuk, completed the task of clearing Zmiinyi (Snake) Island and confirmed the destruction of about 30 pieces of enemy equipment and found ammunition abandoned by the enemy."

Details: The Russian invaders left behind ammunition and ruins on the Ukrainian island, like the usual traces of the "Russian World".

Background:
By Randi Love

(Reuters) - The former Cleveland officer who shot and killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice almost eight years ago has resigned as the sole member of a rural Pennsylvania police department, two days after he was sworn in, the borough of Tioga said on its website.

Dozens of protesters marched around the Tioga borough office on July 5 when Timothy Loehmann took the oath of office at a town council meeting.

He was a Cleveland police rookie with eight months on the job when he shot Rice as the child played in a playground with a toy gun that fired pellets. Loehmann left the department soon afterward.

Local officials in Tioga, a town of about 700 residents in north-central Pennsylvania, had hired Loehmann recently, but he had not yet started working there, local media reported.

A terse, unsigned statement posted on Tioga's website on Thursday read: "Effective this morning Timothy Loehmann has officially withdrawn his application for Tioga Borough Police Officer."

The website did not offer a reason for his departure and efforts to reach officials for further comment were not immediately successful.

Tioga Mayor David Wilcox was one of those taking part in Tuesday's protest. He told the Williamsport Sun-Gazette that he sat in on Loehmanns job interview but was not allowed to review any documents and had been told a thorough background check was performed.

Sudodh Chandra, the attorney for the Rice family, released a statement after Loehmanns departure was announced.

While its all well and good that Loehmann will not be inflicting a reign of terror with a badge and a gun upon Tioga Borough residents and visitors, borough officials must be held accountable for their demonstrably, atrociously poor judgment and ineptitude.

Chandra said it seemed "improbable" that every member of the borough council was unaware that Loehmann shot Rice, given the publicity surrounding the shooting and information that would have appeared on his resume.

The U.S. Justice Department closed its civil rights investigation into the fatal 2014 shooting of Rice in December 2020. No criminal charges have been brought against him. The city paid $6 million to the Rice family to settle a civil rights lawsuit filed in April 2016.

(Reporting by Randi Love in New York; Editing by David Gregorio)
Jul. 7ASHLAND  Stacy Keelin, a columnist for The Daily Independent, has released a book meant to inspire readers to think.

The book, "She Planted a Vineyard," was published in March and became available as an ebook in June by Westbow Press, a Christian publisher and a division of Thomas Nelson and Zondervan.

"Most of the writing is new," Keelin said. "I have included content from my published columns as well. With one exception, this content has been either updated or expanded upon."

She said much of the book is inspired by Psalms 31, and she includes a thorough look at the scripture.

"The weaving of the vineyard theme commences from there with a modern and nuanced application of the biblical narrative found in John 15," she said. "The journey continues into a storehouse of wines, each categorized according to their character. It starts with the 'Good Wines' as is the custom of the ancient day wedding feast. Other selections include the 'Memorable,' the 'Household' and the miscellaneous 'Varietals.' There is even a small selection of 'Boxed Wines' for the reader to peruse through. Next comes the 'Pairing Wine With Your Course' tutorials, each one selected to stimulate the production of fruit."

The final section is titled "Dessert Wine," which Keelin calls "a short, sweet essay, crafted to linger in the mind. But not before a poetic finale with a celebratory toast being raised to the Most High God."

Ashland watercolor artist Lynn Cohen provided art for the book; Boyd County resident Leah Blevins contributed a drawing and some local photography is included.

There's also an interactive aspect to the book.

Soon to launch, the website ShePlantedaVineyard.com will allow readers to post how they planted their own Proverbs 31:16 vineyard, Keelin said. "Additionally, stickers are available for those wishing to designate their projects as being inspired by the verse," she said.

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Keelin said she hopes readers find the book easy to read, yet an inspiration to pause and think.

"My hope is the reader will enter God's presence, partake of His divine nature and receive fresh revelation themselves," she said. "And, of course, plant vineyards."

Soft-cover copies are available at Shield of Faith bookstore and the gift shop at King's Daughters Health Foundation; sales at the gift shop will benefit the foundation. Other royalties will go to charities; currently, proceeds will go to Insight For Living Ministries' Vision 195 Poland and Romania offices to assist and minister to Ukraine war refugees.

Both hard and softcover books are available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christian Book, Walmart and other book retailers. The book is also available through most brick-and-mortar bookstores by special order. The ebook version is available on Apple Books, Amazon and Google Play.

(606) 326-2661  lward@dailyindependent.com
Jul. 7A Coram man accused of threatening his brother and another individual last month, and later was arrested allegedly with multiple firearms, has pleaded not guilty to a felony criminal endangerment charge.

Joseph Thomas Oliver, 36, entered the plea before Judge Dan Wilson in Flathead County District Court on June 30. He also made a failed bid to see bail lowered from $100,000 that revealed new details about the circumstances leading up to his arrest.

Deputies with the Flathead County Sheriff's Office arrested Oliver on June 10 after receiving a call from his relations, who said they had tracked him down and confronted him after hearing he was in the area. Oliver allegedly admitted that he had gone by their house several times in recent days, observing them doing chores and putting them in the "crosshairs of his gun."

When authorities located Oliver near the intersection of Smith Lake Road and Windsong Court about 9:52 p.m., they found a semi-automatic rifle with several magazines and a handgun in his vehicle, court documents said.

DURING A subsequent bail reduction hearing, Oliver's mother testified that her other son  one of the victims in the case  was untrustworthy.

"[He] has a history of lying and making up stories," said Jodi Oliver from the witness stand. "And this is very typical of what he's done in the past."

Jodi Oliver said the death of her ex-husband, the father of both boys, had created a rift in the family. Prior to his death, Joseph Oliver's brother made up a new will, putting him in charge of the estate. He received all of it following his father's demise, Jodi Oliver said.

At the older man's funeral, Joseph Oliver attempted to hug his brother, she recalled. In response, the victim pushed him off, pulled out his phone and called 911, Jodi Oliver said.

"[His] credibility problem goes way back," Jodi Oliver said. "It's not anything new with [him]."

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The family was unable to afford bail, she testified, meaning that Joseph Oliver would remain in the county jail and be unable to work. She asked for his release on his own recognizance. Were he set free, he would live in one of her brother-in-law's cabins in the Coram area, she said.

Deputy County Attorney John Donovan pushed back on Jodi Oliver's description of the defendant, asking whether he had a substance abuse problem.

"I think he is an alcoholic," she acknowledged, describing him as a "happy drunk."

As she tried to recall his attendance at 12-step meetings, Joseph Oliver interjected from the defendant's stand, leading to Judge Dan Wilson shutting him down.

Following Jodi Oliver's testimony, Donovan called one of the victims, Jami Benz, to testify to the threat she felt Joseph Oliver posed to her and his brother. When Donovan asked if she was scared for her safety, she said, "Yes."

"That I might die. Or [Joseph Oliver's brother] might die or I might get injured or even my neighbors might sue," she said.

Months prior to his arrest, the two had received a phone call from the Columbia Falls Police Department alerting them to threats Joseph Oliver allegedly made against them, she testified. Authorities in Columbia Falls learned about the threat from Jodi Oliver, Benz said, who had contacted the police department there.

Like Jodi Oliver, Benz said she thought Joseph Oliver suffered from a substance abuse issue. They only ever saw him when he "shows up at the house drunk," she said.

Daniel Wood, Joseph Oliver's defense attorney, similarly probed Benz's version of events asking if she knew of any investigation into the alleged threat from months back. She did not. Police officers never made direct contact with her regarding it either, Benz said.

WILSON ULTIMATELY denied the motion to lower bail, pointing to the presence of firearms in Joseph Oliver's vehicle, the differing levels of credibility of the witnesses and the thorny matter of his father's estate.

He described Joseph Oliver's weaponry and the fact that his mother allegedly reported him to authorities once previously over threats as "troubling." It also cast doubt on Jodi Oliver's testimony, Wilson said. At the same time, he acknowledged the difficulty of untangling an ongoing family dispute.

Wilson also expressed doubt that Joseph Oliver would be unable to get his hands on firearms were he released.

"The court is concerned largely with public safety in this case," he said prior to denying the motion.

Wilson scheduled an omnibus hearing in the case for Nov. 16 with Joseph Oliver expected back in court for a Jan. 4 pretrial conference. If convicted, he faces up to decade in the Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.
All COVID restrictions in England ended in March. (PA)

The surge in COVID infections spreading across the country could "smash UK records within a week" a leading professor has warned.

Tim Spector, the head of the ZOE symptom study app, said: "Omicron BA.5 Now past 325,000 per day setting new records for Scotland and Wales and due to smash UK records within a week. Still no public health advice to help?"

The ZOE app collects data from more than 4 million contributors to help track multiple aspects of the virus - including the most common symptoms associated with those who have caught it.

Read more: Hospitals bring back mandatory face masks as COVID cases rocket

Cases have been rising in the UK for weeks. (Twitter)

Spector said the UK was now recording around 309,000 new cases a day which equates to around 1 in 20 people.

He said the wave of infections showed no sign of slowing and hospitals were "filling up."

All COVID restrictions came to an end in England in March, with the rest of the UK following suit soon after.

(Yahoo)

Infections have been on the rise for weeks but so far the governments of the four devolved nations have shown no sign of wanting to bring back and restrictions.

The rate of hospital admissions in England of people testing positive for COVID-19 stood at 14.6 per 100,000 last week, up from 11.1 the previous week, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Hospital admissions remain highest among over-85s, at 126.2 per 100,000 people, followed by 75 to 84-year-olds (59.3) and 65 to 74-year-olds (24.0).

Health officials have been urging all over 75s to get a "spring booster" available at least three months after their most recent jab, to ensure they continue to receive the maximum possible protection.

(Yahoo)

The total number of people in hospital in England who have tested positive for COVID-19 currently stands at 11,878, up 33% week-on-week.

Around six in 10 patients who test positive for COVID-19 are being treated primarily for something else rather than the virus, but still need to be kept isolated from other patients, putting extra pressure on hospital staff and resources.

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One of the largest concerns with the new wave of COVID is the impact on the NHS.

Read more: Summer COVID wave: We don't know when cases will peak, says expert

Elderly people are able to get a 'spring booster'. (PA)

The government has recently cancelled full sick pay for NHS workers who have COVID, even if they aren't too ill to work.

This has sparked concern many staff may choose to work even if they have tested positive.

It also withdraws some support for those workers who are suffering from long COVID and are no longer able to work at their desks.

Despite this, deaths from COVID remain at a low level.

There were 285 deaths registered in the week to June 24 where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics.

This is broadly unchanged from the previous two weeks.
Jul. 6To be a great documentary filmmaker, one has to possess a healthy sense of curiosity, a keen ability to observe and usually a desire to bring awareness to a specific issue.

Giving us behind-the-scenes glimpses into people's lives, documentarians are perhaps some of the last watchdogs of our time.

Bentley Brown  University of Colorado Boulder doctoral graduate  captures slices of life both within the U.S. and abroad.

Prior to attending CU, Brown was a lecturer in filmmaking and interactive media at Effat University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Brown  who has a master's in communication, culture and technology from Georgetown University and a bachelor's in international studies from Emory University  moved to Chad, a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa, with his family at age 11.

Much of his documentaries and fictional films are rooted in identity, the concept of juggling two cultures, and a sense of belonging, or lack thereof.

In May 2022, his documentary "Revolution From Afar," aired as part of the finale for season 14 of "AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange" on PBS's World Channel.

In the entertainingly powerful film, Brown follows young Sudanese-American artists in Denver and Brooklyn as they reflect on their place in the world, their bicultural identities and weigh in on the revolution erupting in their faraway homeland.

In 2019, protests across Sudan led to the downfall of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir, who ran the country with an iron fist for 30 years and has been accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Through intimate conversations and footage of moving performances, Brown weaved together a thoughtful piece that spotlights art as activism on screen. The doc showcases first-generation Sudanese youth crafting poetry, music even stand-up comedy in response to the injustices of their motherland and growing up in the States apart from the war-torn country.

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"Revolution From Afar" can be streamed for free on PBS.

Prior to this release, Brown found success with the 2016 documentary "Oustaz," a short film that honored a late mentor of his who had a significant influence on his career path.

When Brown moved to Chad from Texas in 1999, a man that everyone referred to as Oustaz, or "teacher," taught him how to read and write in Arabic. In addition to helping him navigate a foreign language, he encouraged him to explore radio, music, painting and filmmaking. They pursued creative endeavors together.

Brown's documentary short "First Feature" released in 2019  centers around a team of mostly women filmmakers working in secret toward creating their first feature film in Saudi Arabia, at a time when moviemaking was illegal.

Up until April 2018, cinemas had been banned for nearly 40 years in Saudi Arabia.

We caught up with the award-winning filmmaker to find out more about his work, his early memories of creating film and what we can expect from him next.

Kalene McCort: What was your experience like making "Revolution From Afar," and what do you hope viewers take away?

Bentley Brown: When Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir was deposed in 2019 after 30 years of rule, I was a little flabbergasted as to why international media wasn't really covering the popular protests that led to his removal and the ensuing military crackdown. I'm from the United States, originally, but moved as a kid to Chad, which neighbors Sudan to the west.

In "Revolution From Afar," I touch base with friends of mine, Sudanese-American poets and musicians, to listen to them speak of what it was like to watch such traumatic events an ocean away, in the meantime feeling a duty to be a part of the Sudanese revolution. Whereas the film is sparked by these political events, it gravitates toward the very question of belonging to Sudan. Can one really be "100% Sudanese" and "100% American" at the same time? These are questions I struggled with myself, having grown up between countries and cultures.

KM: What would you say was the most rewarding aspect of growing up in Chad?

BB: One of my friends growing up, Djiddo Djamil, teasingly told me that I had benefited tremendously by learning Arabic and French from my friends in Chad, but hadn't taught anyone English in return. He's not wrong. My time in Chad impacted my sense of self by expanding my perspectives on everything, driven by years of intense interpersonal interactions in a community-centered place. Like many "third-culture kids," I feel like I am able to perform well and communicate in a wide range of language and cultural environments.

But like many others in this situation, I also have difficulty feeling like I truly belong or fit in wherever I am. Whether it's my appearance or perceived identity or nationality or dialect of Arabic, these aspects evoke all kinds of assumptions on a daily basis in pretty much any place I live, whether it's Chad or Texas or Saudi Arabia, where I lived before moving to Boulder for my Ph.D. studies.

KM: Do you remember what sparked your interest in filmmaking? Any standout moments when you knew this art form would be a part of your career path?

BB: Abakar Chene Massar, one of my friends from my teenage soccer team, was also a playwright. He came to me with the idea of  if we were able to get a video camera  shooting a movie with a fictional story set in Chad and revolving around the AIDS pandemic, which many people denied was real. What we thought would be a short film turned into almost an hour cut, edited on a VCR of all things. We showed this movie to our town in a packed out courtyard, and eventually it screened on Chadian national television.

The warm reception to our filmmaking efforts led to two more films together, the last one of which, "Le Pelerin de Camp Nou," about a young man using drugs to imagine himself leaving Chad to play professional soccer in Europe, screened at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2010. I still didn't take filmmaking seriously as a career, though, and I dabbled in the field of international relations for a bit until filmmaking friends of mine in Sudan, where I was living at the time, convinced me to give full-time filmmaking a shot.

I returned to the U.S. and shot "Faisal Goes West," a drama in which a young man moves from Sudan to Texas in search of a better life but winds up working on a chicken farm. And since then, I've stuck to filmmaking and the arts, most recently completing my Ph.D. at CU in a department called Critical Media Practices which encourages art practice  such as the films I make  alongside scholarly research.

KM: What's next for you? Any future projects or goals of yours that should be on our radar?

BB: I'll be leaving Boulder at the end of the summer, likely for a teaching job in filmmaking and certainly to continue making films. I have projects based in Chad, Saudi Arabia and Sudan set for release in the next couple years. If you're into languages, I spend way too much time making Arabic dialect videos for TikTok.

To learn more visit, aboudigin.com
ALONA MAZURENKO  THURSDAY, 7 JULY 2022, 20:25

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who unleashed the war on Ukraine, has said that Russia is "only just getting started".

Source: pro-Kremlin media outlet RIA Novosti

Direct quote: "Today we hear that they want to defeat us on the battlefield... Well, what can you say? Let them try.

We have already heard many times that the West wants to fight with us to the last Ukrainian. This is a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, but everything seems to be heading that way. But everyone should know that by and large, we havent started anything yet in earnest.

At the same time, we do not reject peace talks either, but those who reject them should know that the further it goes, the harder it will be for them to negotiate with us."

Details: Putin, who has traditionally tried to intimidate Ukraine and talked about the "decadent" West, sat at a huge table away from other people.

He also declared that Russian sovereignty had been strengthened as a "side-effect" of the war against Ukraine.

Putin said the main goal of the attack on Ukraine was to defend Donbas and "strengthen the security of Russia itself".

The Russian president shifts the blame for the war against Ukraine onto the West and the US and claims that the West has already "lost", because the "American-style disruption of the world order" has begun.

photo - "Siberia realities"

On 7 July, Putin met with the heads of Russian political parties and said that in Russia there are "many parties" but "one homeland".

Syria, Belarus and North Korea openly support Russia's war against Ukraine.

On 2 March, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine and calling on Moscow to immediately withdraw all its forces from Ukraine. 141 countries voted for the resolution, 5 were against and 35 abstained. Russia itself, Belarus, which is involved in the invasion, Syria, Eritrea and North Korea voted against the resolution.

Putin said that the mythical "expansion of NATO" was one of the reasons Russia invaded Ukraine. Sweden and Finland, both of which share a border with Russia, have decided to join the alliance. Putin made no mention of NATO expansion during the 7 July meeting.

After Russias attempts to capture Kyiv and Chernihiv oblasts failed and the Ukrainian Armed Forces forced Russian troops to withdraw from the region, Putin declared that the goal of the war was to "liberate" Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. At the same time, Russia still hopes to capture the south of Ukraine and advance as far as the Transnistria region in Moldova.

Over the five months since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has shifted the "goals" of the invasion more than once. Meanwhile, many countries all over the world recognise the Russian invasion as a genocide of the Ukrainian people.
As outraged Democrats jumped on social media after the fall of Roe v. Wade, some symbolic voices in the party offered careful words of celebration.

"Let's Stand Together and Support Women and Children!!!," tweeted state Sen. Katrina Jackson, the Democrat who sponsored Louisiana's trigger bill that includes potential 10-year prison sentences for those who perform abortions.

Jackson's added calls for "womb to tomb" legislation includes raising wages for child care workers, funds to fight human trafficking and establishing new state programs helping families.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, also a Democrat, posted several tweets, including: "My position on abortion has been unwavering. I am pro-life and have never hidden from that fact." He stressed that this Louisiana bill included clauses protecting procedures in cases of "medical futility" and ectopic pregnancies and added that he believes it needed "an exception to the prohibition on abortion for victims of rape and incest."

Terry Mattingly, News Sentinel columnist

The Democratic Party, in its 2020 platform, remained committed to "protecting and advancing reproductive health, rights and justice," while promising to "fight and overturn federal and state laws" limiting or opposing abortion rights.

But in the wake of the Supreme Court's recent Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, crucial debates about abortion laws will move to state governments. Some have already passed bills protecting unborn children and others have taken equally strong stands defending abortion rights.

Many states are located somewhere in between, noted Kristen Day, leader of Democrats for Life of America. In these states, there will be tense negotiations over legislation such as "heartbeat bills"  usually defined as abortion bans after six weeks of gestation  that were impossible under court actions linked to Roe v. Wade.

While pro-life Democrats are an endangered species inside the D.C. Beltway, there are "hundreds of us active in state governments," said Day, reached by telephone. Many of these Democrats are linked to Black and Latino churches  grassroots workers that national party leaders may not want to attack or alienate.

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"This is where we can help bridge some divides by working with people who want to increase aid for women and families, while also doing everything possible to protect the unborn," she said. "If there are problems in some of these state bills, then pro-life Democrats are the kinds of people who can get in the middle of things and help fix them."

Frequently, these clashes will  like it or not  involve religion.

Truth is, it's almost impossible to debate legalized abortion without mentioning centuries of beliefs in major faith groups, noted a recent study from Pew Research Center. This is true when discussing debates inside both political parties.

"Who are the Republicans who support legal abortion and the Democrats who oppose it, and how else do they differ from their fellow partisans?," asked a recent Pew summary of research on this topic. "Republicans who favor legal abortion are far less religious than abortion opponents in the GOP, while Democrats who say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases are much MORE religious than Democrats who say it should be legal."

In the supercharged atmosphere after the fall of Roe, with threats rising against some churches, it's important for angry activists not to ignore the role religious believers have played in helping needy women and children, noted Michael Wear of Public Square Strategies. He served as faith-outreach director for Barack Obama's 2012 campaign and joined the president's White House staff.

"I'm all for responsible, honest critiques of Christians, but I'm seeing folks on (Twitter) literally claim no Christians personally care for an 'unwanted' child," he tweeted. "About half of the refugee resettlement agencies are Christian. Christians essentially invented the idea of a hospital. Look into what percentage of hospital beds are faith-based in your state. Check out who volunteers in this country. ... Why the need to tell a demonstrably false story about the church?"

When trying to build coalitions on these issues, he added, it's "much more common for those of minority faiths to feel isolated and marginalized by an imposed secularism than an expressed, positive Christianity. ... Hungry kids aren't getting fed by your tweets. They're getting fed by a Summer Food program that is largely administered by the government via partnerships with churches and faith-based institutions."

More Terry Mattingly: Nigeria's Christian death toll gets tepid response from West

Terry Mattingly leads GetReligion.org and lives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He is a senior fellow at the Overby Center at the University of Mississippi.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Democrats for Life brace for new debates | Terry Mattingly
Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was convicted last year in the killing of George Floyd in May 2020, was sentenced to 21 years in prison on Thursday for violating Floyds civil rights.

Before U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson announced the sentence, Chauvin addressed the court, saying that he wishes Floyd's children "all the best in their life."

Magnuson told the former police officer: I really dont know why you did what you did, but kneeling on someone until they expire is simply wrong, and for that you will be punished."

Chauvin was sentenced to 252 months, but Magnuson subtracted seven months for the time Chauvin has already served since he was convicted in April 2021 of murdering Floyd.

Derek Chauvin, seen here in June 2021, was sentenced on Thursday to 21 years in prison for violating George Floyd's civil rights. (Court TV via AP, Pool, File)

The judge added that the former police officer absolutely destroyed the lives of the other three former officers involved in the case "by taking command of the scene."

Floyds brother, Philonise Floyd, asked for Chauvin to be given the maximum sentence during the hearing on Thursday.

My brother was murdered in broad daylight with a knee to his neck for nine minutes," he said. Georges life matters.

John Pope Jr., who was 14 years old when Chauvin hit him and knelt on his neck during an arrest in 2017, also gave a victim impact statement on Thursday, telling the court: "I feel like my joy has been taken away." As part of a plea deal, Chauvin admitted to using excessive force in the case.

Last year, Chauvin was found guilty of Floyds murder and manslaughter, nearly one year after kneeling on Floyds neck in an incident that sparked global protests against police brutality. He was given a 22 1/2-year prison sentence in state court for those charges.

Chauvin, who was already serving that sentence in isolation at Minnesota's maximum-security prison, will be transferred to federal prison and serve both terms concurrently.

With Thursday's sentencing, he will serve a few more years in prison because of differences in parole eligibility between the state and federal systems.

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In December, Chauvin agreed to a sentence of 20 to 25 years in pleading guilty to the separate federal civil rights charge stemming from Floyds killing.

Prosecutors had asked the judge to sentence Chauvin to the full 25 years, arguing that the former officers actions were cold-blooded. Chauvins defense attorney, Eric Nelson, requested a 20-year sentence.

In entering his plea, Chauvin admitted that he deprived Floyd of his civil rights by kneeling on Floyds neck while he was handcuffed  even as Floyd pleaded, I cant breathe.

Earlier this year, the other three former officers who were at the scene of Floyds death  J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas K. Lane and Tou Thao  were convicted of violating his civil rights by failing to render medical aid. Kueng and Thao were also found guilty of failing to intervene with Chauvin. All three are awaiting sentencing in the federal civil rights case.

Lane also pleaded guilty in state court to aiding and abetting second degree manslaughter, and is due to be sentenced Sept. 21. Kueng and Thao turned down plea deals on the same charges and are due to be tried in state court in October.

Floyds killing sparked protests around the world against police brutality and racism, fueled by the Black Lives Matter movement. While most of the demonstrations were peaceful, some turned violent as protesters clashed with police.
Pregnant woman having sonogram

Credit - Getty Images

One of the first patients emergency medicine physician Dr. Taylor Nichols ever treated on his own was a woman who had an ectopic pregnancya dangerous condition in which a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, potentially causing life-threatening bleeding if it ruptures the organ in which its growing. She came into the hospital stable. By the time Nichols examined her, she was hemorrhaging.

Nichols got her into emergency surgery, where an ob-gyn operated to save the patients life. By that point, it was clear there was no other option. But had he been practicing in a state where ending a pregnancy is permissible only when a patients life is at riskand had he seen her just a few hours earlier, when she was stableWould I have had to call the lawyer instead of the ob-gyn? Nichols wonders.

That question is hypothetical for Nichols, who works in California, where abortion is accessible. But for providers in some U.S. states, it is now reality. In the aftermath of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, about a dozen statesincluding Arkansas, Missouri, and South Dakotahave banned or will soon ban nearly all abortions (though some state policies have been tied up in court). Typically, these laws allow only limited exceptions, such as when a pregnant persons life is at risk. But deciding when an abortion is lifesaving isnt always clear-cut.

Consider a patient with a complication like preeclampsia (hypertension after 20 weeks of pregnancy), which can progress to become fatal in rare cases. Could a doctor intervene as soon as they fear it could become life-threatening, or would they have to wait until the condition becomes critical? Are ectopic pregnancies subject to abortion laws, since they never result in viable births? Who gets the final say about whether an abortion is medically necessary: patients, doctors, hospital lawyers, or state lawmakers? At the moment, there arent clear answers to many of these questions, and providers could potentially face legal penalties or hefty fines if their decision is at odds with their states.

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Read More: Women Who Are Denied Abortions May Face Long-Lasting Health Problems, Study Says

The confusion is already affecting patient care, according to anecdotal reports. Tammi Kromenaker, director of North Dakotas only abortion clinic (which she soon plans to relocate to Minnesota), says she has already fielded questions from doctors in North Dakota who are worried about treating patients with ectopic pregnancies or incomplete miscarriages, during which the body doesnt expel all pregnancy-related tissue. As of July 28, providers in North Dakota could be sentenced to five years in prison for providing an abortion, except in cases of rape or incest or when the pregnant persons life is at risk.

Doctors should use their training and medical judgment to take care of the patient. They should not have to pull out the law to see what they can and cannot do, Kromenaker says. That delays patient care. That puts patients health at risk.

A condition that might be manageable for one patient can be life-threatening or altering for another, says Dr. David Turok, associate professor in the University of Utah department of obstetrics and gynecology and chief of the division of family planning (who emphasized that hes speaking in his own capacity, and not on behalf of the university). Turok points to hypertensionwhich occurs in one in every dozen or so pregnanciesand gestational diabetes (which occurs in about 6-9% of pregnancies), both of which, in certain cases, can cause complications that threaten both the mother and fetus.

Its hard to understand how Utahs lawwhich, if implemented, would permit abortion in cases of substantial risk to the motherwould apply to people with these and other conditions, he says. Were now in a place where were trying to navigate what legislators and attorneys came up with, for language that really does not correlate to medical practice, Turok says. How bad does the medical condition need to be to intervene? The way the law is written could mean different things to different people, he says. Who gets to decide? Shouldnt it be the patient? I think so.

Elizabeth Nash, a principal policy associate at the Guttmacher Institute, argues that this confusion is by design. The bottom line is that none of these exceptions are designed to be used, Nash says. Abortion opponents see any exception as a loophole, so they craft these exceptions to be as narrow as possible.

Read More: How a Digital Abortion Footprint Could Lead to Criminal ChargesAnd What Congress Can Do About It

If the state disagrees with a clinicians choice, the stakes can be high. In Alabama, performing an abortion could land a provider in prison for life, unless theres a serious health risk to the pregnant person. In Arkansas, it could result in a 10-year sentence and/or a $100,000 fine, unless the abortion is deemed to be lifesaving. In Texas, a 2021 law made it easier to sue anyone who helps a person get an abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy.

Abortion and pregnancy outcomes are under a microscopein a way we havent seen in years past, says Heather Shumaker, director of state abortion access at the National Womens Law Center. Shumaker says she would be surprised if doctors decisions werent questioned at some point, particularly in states hostile to abortion.

Its one thing to take personal risks to save a patient in a clear life-or-death situationlike with his ectopic pregnancy patient who was bleeding out, Nichols says. Its harder when theres a gray area. You could get charged with a felony. You could have your license revoked. Thats your entire livelihood, the thing that weve spent our entire lives training for, he says.

Its not always just one provider who has to decide whether theyre willing to take a risk, adds Dr. Maria Rodriguez, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine. A lifesaving procedure might require multiple nurses, an anesthesiologist, and othersall of whom are taking on potential liability, depending on how their states law is written and interpreted. Rodriguez practices in Oregon, a state where abortion access is protected. But during her training, she worked in a Catholic hospital that restricted abortion services, and she remembers trying to convince colleagues to help her save a woman hemorrhaging from a miscarriage.

Nobody wants their doctor on the phone to the hospital lawyer as theyre hemorrhaging, Rodriguez says. In those situations, a delay of even a few minutes can mean the difference between life and death.

If a physician is forced to grapple with whether a patient meets the legal criteria for receiving an abortion, they may also miss opportunities to prevent their condition from getting worse, says Dr. Louise Perkins King, an ob-gyn and director of reproductive bioethics at Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics. Some conditions require quick decisions in order to prevent devastating complications. Theres not always time to run medical decisions by legal departments. The problem with these laws is that they dont allow us to act, King says, to prevent us from getting to the point when its clear someones life is at stake.

Dangerous complications can happen suddenly. In a really harrowing experience I had in residency, we had a woman with sepsis [after delivery], where she ended up with gangrene in her extremities. She ended up with only a torso, King says. The minute that we can intervene and have a path forward to help someone, we should institute that as fast as possible, so that were not caught in these every-second-counts situations.

Read More: The State of Abortion Rights Around the World

Laws that permit abortions in cases where the fetus has a severe genetic defect will also be difficult to navigate, King says. For example, if a fetus develops hydrocephalusin which fluid puts pressure on the brainexpectant mothers who were unable to terminate the pregnancy early enough could require a c-section, since delivering a baby with an enlarged head vaginally becomes impossible.

Youd have to find a way to deliver a grossly abnormal and enlarged fetal head intact, which might be a very, very risky surgery compared to a normal cesarean section, King says. None of this makes any sense to me from a medical standpoint, because the fetus will not survive. And then youve quite severely injured the pregnant person.

Mental health should also be a consideration, Rodriguez adds. Suicide is a major cause of maternal and postpartum mortality, she says, so performing an abortion to ease severe psychological distress could ultimately be lifesaving. Whether states agree, however, is another question.

Each law is so different, Shumaker says. Most of them are fairly ambiguous about when abortion is permissible and how it can be determined.

Given all the legal uncertainty, Rodriguez says hospitals cant leave clinicians to make these decisions alone. We need hospitals lawyers, administrators, and management thinking through these issues now and messaging out clearly what their teams can and cant do, she says. That way, providers arent forced to make difficult decisions with a patient potentially dying in front of them.

Shumaker adds that clinicians should keep detailed notes about why any abortions they perform were medically necessary, in case those decisions are later challenged legally.

Its incumbent upon legislators and attorneys general to clarify the laws and make clear to healthcare providers what will and will not be prosecuted, King says. These laws are written by legislators who didnt take the time to understand what they were writing laws about, King says. They have a moral duty to go in and fix that and change these laws so they are clear, if they dont want people to die because of them.
SANTO DOMINGO (Reuters) - The Dominican Republic has confirmed its first case of monkeypox in a patient who arrived in late June from the United States, Health Minister Daniel Rivera said on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old man arrived in Santo Domingo on June 28, and shortly afterwards was notified that a person with whom he had been contact in the United States was infected with the disease.

"He made himself available to infectious disease doctors and was kept in isolation" at the Air Force hospital, Rivera said at a press conference.

Health authorities are observing four other people, including relatives who had been in close contact with the patient since his arrival in Santo Domingo, Rivera said.

(Reporting by Ezequiel Abiu Lopez in Santo Domingo; writing by Brian Ellsworth; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Douglasville police are investigating a deadly shooting in the middle of a busy shopping center.

The shooting occurred around midnight at Douglas Commons Shopping Center at the corner of Hospital Drive and Fairburn Road.

Police say they believe this is an isolated incident. Police have not released any details on the victim or possible suspects.

TRENDING STORIES:

A Channel 2 Action News photographer captured video as police blocked off the busy shopping center. The shopping center has several stores, including a Kroger grocery store.

Anyone with information about this incident should contact detectives at 678-293-1747.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

IN OTHER NEWS:








Former FBI Director James Comey. Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Former FBI director James Comey and his deputy Andrew McCabe faced intensive IRS audits in 2017 and 2019, respectively.

The IRS audit program affected about one in 30,600 individual tax returns in 2017 and one in 19,250 in 2019.

Both men were dismissed from the bureau following a string of public attacks from the former president.

Former FBI director James Comey and his deputy Andrew McCabe  both nemeses of former President Donald Trump  were subjected to rare, random IRS audits during Trump's presidency, The New York Times reported.

In 2017, the IRS selected about 5,000 individuals who would undergo the intensive audit out of 153 million taxpayers who filed for returns that year, according to The Times report, equivalent to one out of 30,600.

Among those who were subject to the random audit was Comey, who was abruptly fired as FBI director in May 2017 by Trump over the bureau's probe into Trump's ties to Russia.

Two years later, McCabe, who served as deputy to Comey before being appointed acting FBI director after his firing, underwent the same type of audit by the IRS. McCabe was among the 8,000 returns subjected to the audit out of the 154 individual million returns filed that year  or about one in 19,250.

McCabe was dismissed a day before he was set to retire following a string of public attacks by the former president, who accused him of corruption.

Per notices sent by the IRS and obtained by The Times, Comey was notified in 2019 that his 2017 return, which was filed jointly with his spouse, would be audited, and McCabe was notified in 2021 for his 2019 return, also filed jointly with his spouse.

"The results of this and other compliance research examinations will improve our efforts to help taxpayers understand and follow the tax law," the letters read. "It will also reduce unnecessary and costly examinations, and reduce burden on taxpayers."

Given the slim chances of being selected for the invasive audit, it appears to be an extraordinary instance that two former FBI directors, both of whom were opponents of the incumbent president at the time, would be subjected to the random program.

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"Lightning strikes, and that's unusual, and that's what it's like being picked for one of these audits," John Koskinen, who served as IRS commissioner from 2013 to 2017, told The Times.

"The question is: Does lightning then strike again in the same area? Does it happen?" Koskinen continued. "Some people may see that in their lives, but most will not  so you don't need to be an anti-Trumper to look at this and think it's suspicious."

Read the original article on Business Insider
KINSHASA (Reuters) - Clashes broke out in eastern Congo on Thursday between the military and M23 rebels, a civil society and a rebel source said, a day after the presidents of Congo and Rwanda agreed to de-escalate diplomatic tensions over the insurgency.

The M23, which Congo accuses Rwanda of supporting, began a major offensive in the eastern borderlands at the end of March, seizing an important border post and other towns despite army efforts to stop its advances.

Rwanda denies backing the M23 and has in turn accused Congo of fighting alongside another armed group intent on seizing power in Kigali.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his Congolese counterpart Felix Tshisekedi met in Angola on Wednesday and agreed on a roadmap that included an immediate cessation of hostilities and the retreat of M23 fighters from Congo.

M23 spokesman Willy Ngoma described the Luanda agreement as "an illusion".

"Only the M23 can sign the cease-fire with the government," he said.

The fresh clashes took place around the localities of Kanyabusoro and Kazuba in Rutshuru territory, pushing residents to flee their homes, said the president of a local civil society group, Jean-Pierre Karabuka.

Ngoma said there was an exchange of fire after Congolese troops attacked a rebel position around Kanyabusoro.

Congo's army spokesman for the province, Sylvain Ekenge, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The M23 fighters are waging their most sustained offensive since capturing swathes of territory in 2012-2013, after which they were defeated and chased into Rwanda and Uganda by Congolese and United Nations forces.

Congo has accepted a proposal for an East African regional force to be deployed in its east to help control the violence, but only if Rwanda does not take part. Kagame has said he had no problem with Rwanda not being involved.

(Reporting by Stanis Bujakera, Djaffar Sabiti and Fiston Mahamba; Writing by Sofia Christensen; Editing by Estelle Shirbon and Frances Kerry)
Fans are defending Elliot Page amid transphobic tweets over the actor replacing Ezra Miller as The Flash within the DC Extended Universe.

Amid uncertainty over Millers future as Barry Allen/The Flash following a spate of controversies  including allegations of grooming an 18-year-old from North Dakota  Pages fans are calling for The Umbrella Academy actor to take over the role from Miller.

Alluding to the allegations against Miller, one person tweeted: Just want to take this moment to say Elliot Page would make a great Barry Allen, in case theres ever a need to, you know, cast a new Flash, for whatever reason.

Another wrote: If Elliot Page was cast as The Flash, I would go feral. Cast Elliot Page in every superhero movie ever hes so good in them.

Elliot Page would f****** rock asThe Flash, one fan tweeted, with another writing: Lets replace [Miller] and pretend Elliot Page was The Flash the entire time.

(Twitter)

(Twitter)

These calls were not unanimous however.

While some users urged that Grant Gustin, who played the character on the CWs The Flash, should reprise the role, others posted anti-trans tweets and argued that the studio should not go with Page, who came out as a trans man in December 2020.

Pages fans rushed to the actors defence.

I think it would be an incredibly inspiring image for the trans community if Elliot Page got cast as The Flash.

(Twitter)

Hes a great actor, and has a knack for playing quick witted characters. His build doesnt matter in my opinion. We can have a tiny Flash, one person wrote, arguing the actors physical characteristics werent as important.

Millers standalone Flash film was earlier scheduled for theatrical release in 2022, but Warner Bros pushed the date back to 23 June 2023 as part of a larger reshuffle of the studios films.

Then in April, news broke that Miller had been arrested charged and charged with second-degree assault after allegedly throwing a chair at a woman in Hilo, Hawaii. Shortly before this, Miller had been arrested for disorderly conduct at a karaoke bar in the same town.

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More serious allegations against the troubled Hollywood star followed.

The parents of an 18-year-old from North Dakota accuse Miller of grooming and psychologically manipulating, physically intimidating and endangering the safety and welfare of their child, Tokata Iron Eyes, going back to when Iron Eyes was 12.

A court has since been unable to locate Miller to serve them with a protective order against Tokata. The actors Instagram account has also been deactivated.

A source close to Miller told Variety that the star hopes to address the allegations against them at some point, but they have chosen to privately focus on their health and healing first.

Calls for Miller to be removed from the DC Extended Universe also emerged after a video allegedly showing him choking a fan surfaced online in 2020.

Miller is reportedly unlikely to continue as The Flash past the 2023 film.
Elon Musk presents on stage at a SpaceX event

Elon Musk's latest tweets appear to confirm reports he had twins in late 2021 with Shivon Zilis - an executive at his technology company Neuralink.

The Tesla chief executive recently had a second child with on-off partner and electronic artist, Grimes.

Reports on Wednesday claimed Mr Musk had twins with 36-year-old Ms Zilis in November 2021.

Mr Musk responded by tweeting on Thursday that he was "doing my best to help the underpopulation crisis".

He added that "a collapsing birth rate is the biggest danger civilisation faces by far", echoing his previous statements and vocal concerns about a population crisis.

The twins born to Mr Musk and Ms Zilis would be his second set, having previously fathered twins and triplets with former wife and Canadian author Justine Wilson.

He has gone on to have two children, X  A-Xii and Exa Dark Siderl, with Grimes in the last two years.

The tech giant and business magnate has previously claimed that a declining birth rate combined with the rise of artificial intelligence could result in "not enough people" being in the world.

"Far too many people are under the illusion that Earth is overpopulated, even though birth rate trends are so obviously headed to population collapse," Mr Musk said in a reply to his tweet.

Doing my best to help the underpopulation crisis.



A collapsing birth rate is the biggest danger civilization faces by far.  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 7, 2022

American media company Insider's report on Wednesday cited court documents identifying Ms Zilis and Mr Musk on a petition to change the name of a child, filed to a Texas district court in April 2022.

The reason outlined for the name change request was "we would like the children to have their father's last name and their mother's last name as part of their middle name".

Ms Zilis reportedly held several roles at companies headed up by Mr Musk, including Tesla, before taking on her role as a top executive and director at Neuralink.

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The artificial intelligence and neurotechnology company was co-founded by Mr Musk in 2015.

The news of Mr Musk's twins comes only weeks after it was revealed his daughter Vivian had taken steps to cut ties with him, declaring her wish to no longer "be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form" in a petition to change her legal name and gender.

Analysis box by James Clayton, North America technology reporter

Elon Musk is well known for running many companies.

But his personal life is also complex. Up until now he reportedly had seven children.

His private life hasn't always stayed private, having previously dated Amber Heard, and fathering two children with pop star Grimes.

But generally his messy private life has been kept separate from his business pursuits.

What makes this story potentially damaging is that he worked with Shivon Zilis. He, as her ultimate boss, was also in a position of power.

Many US companies have rules that prevent executives from having consensual relationships with employees.

McDonald's previously ousted its chief executive in 2019 for a relationship with an employee.

There is no suggestion that Elon Musk has broken any rules, but the story won't help his reputation with many employees at Twitter, a company he is planning to buy.

Many employees privately worry that Mr Musk's often effective but erratic business practices could destabilise the company.
Elon Musk had two more children last year with Shivon Zilis, a top executive at his company Neuralink, according to court documents obtained by Insider.

The twins were reportedly born weeks before the Tesla founder and musician Grimes had a baby daughter via surrogate in December 2021.

In April, Musk and Zilis filed a petition to change the twins names to have their fathers last name and contain their mothers last name as part of their middle name, Insider reported.

The order was reportedly approved by a judge in Austin, Texas, in May, though the childrens names were not disclosed.

Zilis currently works as director of operations and special projects for Neuralink, which Musk co-founded and where he serves as co-CEO. Neuralink is a Silicon Valley start-up that develops devices to connect humans and computers, known as brain-machine interfaces.

The twins bring Musks total number of known children to nine. He is father to Exa Dark Siderl and X AE A-Xii with Grimes, and had twins and triplets via IVF with his ex-wife, Canadian author Justine Musk, to whom he was married from 2000 to 2008.

One of the twins petitioned in April to have her name changed legally to reflect her gender identity and because she no longer wishes to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form.

The worlds richest man has also been linked to actors Amber Heard and Talulah Riley, whom he married and divorced twice from 2010 to 2016.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
Elon Musk tweeted that the deal was on hold Friday. Picture Alliance/Getty Images

Elon Musk's Boring Company now accepts payment in Dogecoin, according to CNN.

Customers can now use the cryptocurrency to ride in Musk's series of underground tunnels in Las Vegas.

This is part of a long history of Elon Musk promoting Dogecoin through his companies and his Twitter account.

Elon Musk has found a new way to promote Dogecoin.

Musk's underground transportation company, The Boring Company, now accepts payment for rides in its Las Vegas Loop in the cryptocurrency, according to a report from CNN.

The Loop is a network of tunnels located under the Las Vegas Convention Center that transports people using Tesla vehicles traveling at high speeds. The Las Vegas Loop is The Boring Company's first project in commercial use, and the company has plans to expand the tunnels throughout Las Vegas. Musk's Boring Company also plans to build underground tunnels in Texas and has submitted a proposal for a Loop in Miami.

Rides on the Loop are currently free, but the company plans to charge $1.50 for single rides and $2.50 for a day pass, according to CNN.

The Boring Company could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Boring Company's decision to accept payment in Dogecoin is part of a long history of Elon Musk embracing the cryptocurrency. Tesla, where Musk also is CEO, accepts payment in Dogecoin for some merchandise.

Dogecoin, which was launched as a joke by two engineers in 2013, saw its price spike from less than 1 cent to more than 70 cents in May 2021, helped, in part, by promotion on Twitter from Musk.

Last month, Musk said he supports Dogecoin because people who are "not that wealthy" have asked him to do so. It is unclear how much money Musk has invested in Dogecoin.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Watch: Emma Corrin reflects on gender identity and sexuality

Emma Corrin has opened up about their non-binary identity, revealing there might always be some fluidity with their gender.

The 26-year-old actor, who rose to fame playing Princess Diana in The Crown, quietly came out as non-binary in July 2021 when they updated their preferred pronouns on Instagram to read she/they.

Previous to that they also posted a photo modelling a wedding dress, which they captioned: Ur fave queer bride.

Now, in a new interview for Vogues August cover story, Corrin discussed their sexuality and gender, explaining they have occasionally felt intense pressure to justify their position.

Read more: Coming out as LGBTQ+: How to support someone

Emma Corrin has opened up about being non-binary in a new cover interview with Vogue, pictured in April 2022. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

A person who identifies as non-binary does not define themselves exclusively as masculine or feminine, and generally prefers they/them pronouns, rather than he/she.

In my mind, gender just isnt something that feels fixed, the actor told the publication.

I dont know if it ever will be; there might always be some fluidity there for me.

Read more: The Crown's Emma Corrin reveals why she's decided to grow her body hair

Though they feel much more seen when they are referred to as they, the My Policeman star said they do not mind that some of their closest friends still refer to them as she, as they know Corrin personally.

When it comes to romance, Corrin does not place limits on who they are attracted to, simply saying: I like people.

However, they said they have at times felt intense pressure to justify their LGBTQ+ identity, saying: Im working out all this complex gender and sexuality stuff.

And yet, Im seeing a guy? That feels very juxtaposed, even if Im very happy.

Emma Corrin changed her pronouns to they/them last year, pictured in May 2022. (Photo by Gotham/Getty Images)

Corrin also opened up about how their family reacted when they came out, revealing that they were supportive and recalling how after they told their mum they were dating a girl, their younger brother messaged them saying: Hey, I wanted to say welcome, because Ive been bi for ages.

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The actor went on to note that the next generation seem to be much more chill about these topics.

They are finding a way to express themselves which is less binary in a very organic way. While were almost caught in between, they added.

Corrin is the cover star of Vogue, pictured in December 2021. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Read more: LGBTQ+ terms explained  how to get it right

Corrin rose to fame playing a young Diana, Princess of Wales in the fourth season of Netflixs hit drama series The Crown, for which they won the Golden Globe award.

They are soon star as Marion in the upcoming film My Policeman, alongside Harry Styles, and will play Lady Chatterley in the film adaptation of D H Lawrences Lady Chatterleys Lover.

But they say it isn't always comfortable for them to portray femininity on screen, saying: I remember struggling with having to wear bras in Chatterley and as Marion, but its quite difficult, because Im not Emma, right? Im an actor, and I have a job to do.

Additional reporting PA Real Life.
Associate Circuit Judge Leslie Schneider is being asked to block a deposition of former Gov. Eric Greitens next week prior to a trial on abuse allegations made by his former wife in an ongoing child custody dispute.

An effort to get former Gov. Eric Greitens on the record about allegations of child and spousal abuse before a public trial next week may not succeed.

Greitens is in a dispute with his former wife, Sheena Greitens, over jurisdiction of their child custody arrangement. She wants it moved to Texas, where she lives now, and he wants it to remain in Boone County, where their divorce was filed in 2020.

Sheena Greitens attorney, Helen Wade, on Tuesday filed a notice that she intended to take a sworn deposition from Eric Greitens, which would have been the first time he has testified under oath about anything since he was elected governor in 2016.

In response, Eric Greitens attorney, Gary Stamper, filed objections with the court, citing conflicts in two other cases for the July 13 deposition date. One conflict is a trial in a divorce case, before the same judge and with Wade as opposing counsel, scheduled to begin an hour before the deposition time.

Wade set the deposition time and date without an agreement from Stamper that he and his client would be available at that time, Stamper wrote in a filing with the court on Wednesday.

The Greitens case is no more important than any other case, Stamper wrote in his objections.

Because of the conflict, good cause exists for an order to protect Stampers clients from undue burden occasioned by Petitioners counsel personal preferences.

Stamper declined to comment on the filing.

Wade could not be reached for comment on Stampers objections.

The case is set for a July 15 trial before Associate Circuit Judge Leslie Schneider. Wade has said she intends to put Eric Greitens on the witness stand.

Sheena Greitens has made two sworn statements to the court alleging her ex-husband engaged in physical and psychological abuse in 2018 and that she had photos and other documents to prove it.

In response, Eric Greitens has accused his ex-wife of lying and being manipulated by his Republican enemies who want to defeat him in the Aug. 2 Senate primary.

Story continues

In June, Sheena Greitens gave an interview to The Independent and provided emails showing her concerns about actual and threatened violence during 2018, before and immediately after allegations of sexual misconduct and campaign finance violations forced Eric Greitens' resignation as governor.

Sheena Greitens said she agreed to the interview, and to release the emails, because of threats she received after her ex-husband's Senate campaign published a video depicting him toting a gun and hunting his political opponents.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Eric Greitens attorney objects to deposition ahead of hearing over abuse allegations
Timothy Loehmann, the former Cleveland police officer who fatally shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014, resigned from a Pennsylvania police department after his hiring sparked outrage, his attorney said.

Tamir Rice (Family Photo)

Steve Hazlett, the president of the Tioga Borough Council in Pennsylvania, announced Loehmann's hiring Tuesday, posting a Facebook picture of the officer being sworn in. The photo, which was deleted Thursday, led to some fury on the social media platform.

"This doesnt look good for you David Wilcox Im not rocking with this decision," a person wrote in a comment to the borough's mayor.

Another person wrote that Loehmann should not be hired as an officer in any state. "If barred from 1 state that should be the end of his profession," the person commented.

Wilcox and the Borough Council did not immediately respond to phone calls and emails Thursday. Loehmann could not be reached at phone numbers listed for him.

Loehmanns attorney, Henry Hilow, said that because of the backlash, his client quit because he does not want to be a distraction.

Wilcox had addressed the fallout on Facebook.

"This has nothing to do with me. Council hires, fires and background checks. I literally wasnt even allowed to take his resume with me the day they interviewed him," he posted.

Wilcox also shared a video from a council meeting at which a council member pronounced Loehmann's last name as "Lochmann." Wilcox posted the clip so residents "understand who I thought Borough Council was hiring," he wrote.

The mayor later called for Hazlett and two other council members, Robert Wheeler and Doreen Burnside, to step down. In a Facebook post on Thursday, he insinuated that the members knew of Loehmann's hiring and said the town expects their resignation at a meeting on Tuesday.

Loehmann was interviewed about a month ago, Wilcox told the Williamsport Sun-Gazette. He said that he sat in on the interview but did not have the candidate's resume.

"The police committee, which the president of council and vice president of council, assured after going through the candidates and meeting again, assured everyone on council and myself they had did a thorough background check and that he checked out, was a great person, you know, didnt have any marks on his record and that we should hire him to try out on a 90-day probationary period," he said.

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The council unanimously voted to hire Loehmann as an officer in the borough of roughly 700 people.

Samaria Rice (Ken Blaze / AP file)

Hilow, however, said that the mayor was not blindsided by the hiring and that he was fully aware of Loehmann's background.

The Cleveland Police Department fired Loehmann in May 2017, about three years after he shot and killed Tamir, who was Black, outside the Cudell Recreation Center. Police were responding to a call that someone was pointing a gun at people, although the caller told the dispatcher that the gun looked fake. That information was never relayed to Loehmann or his partner, Frank Garmback.

Video of the fatal encounter in November 2014 showed Loehmann, who is white, firing at Tamir within seconds of getting out of his squad car. Tamir died a day after the shooting.

The Cuyahoga County grand jury declined to charge Loehmann, and the Justice Department did not file federal charges against him.

Loehmann's firing from the Cleveland police department was not related to Tamir's death. The department said it let him go because he had lied on his job application and failed to disclose that the Independence Police Department in Ohio had dismissed him after it deemed him unfit to serve.

He went on to land a job with the Bellaire Police Department in Ohio in 2018 but backed out of the part-time position following backlash.

Hilow said Loehmann is trying to move on from what happened, calling him a "good guy" who "has become a lightning rod wherever he goes."

"Tim [is] hoping this will all go away  but apparently it wont," Hilow said.

In the years since the shooting, Tamir's mother has fought Loehmann's rehiring, writing in an amicus brief filed last year in the Ohio Supreme Court that he is "unfit to serve as a police officer, in Cleveland  or anywhere else."

She questioned why Tioga Borough would hire him.

"The system is broken and its continually broken," Samaria Rice told NBC affiliate WKYC of Cleveland. "And at this point when you talk about police reform, Im having some doubts there. Because how do you reform the police department when you are putting police officers back as police officers in different states ... different counties? I dont think thats fair. I dont think thats right."
Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of the murder of George Floyd, was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison on Thursday on federal charges.

Chauvin, who is white, pleaded guilty in December 2021 to violating the civil rights of Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, during his May 2020 arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill to buy a pack of cigarettes.

Chauvin is already serving a 22-and-a-half-year sentence after being convicted of state murder charges for Floyd's death, which sparked protests against racial injustice and police brutality across the United States.

The state and federal sentences are to run concurrently but the 46-year-old Chauvin will be allowed to serve his term in a federal prison rather than in a Minnesota state penitentiary, where he has been held in solitary confinement.

Federal prosecutors had sought a sentence of 25 years. "He knew what he was doing was wrong and he did it anyway," assistant US attorney LeeAnn Bell told the court.

"I really don't know why you did what you did," US District Court Judge Paul Magnuson said in delivering the sentence of 252 months with seven months off for time already served.

"But to put your knee on another person's neck until they're deceased is wrong," Magnuson said. "You must be substantially punished."

Chauvin, a 19-year veteran of the Minneapolis police force, was captured in a video that went viral kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly 10 minutes, until he passed out and died.

Chauvin spoke briefly before the sentencing but did not apologize for his actions.

Addressing Floyd's children, he said: "I just want to say that I wish them all the best in their life and have excellent guidance in becoming great adults."

- Nightmares -

One of George Floyd's brothers, Philonise Floyd, delivered a "victim impact" statement and asked for a life sentence for Chauvin.

He said he suffered from nightmares because of his brother's death.

Chauvin's mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, pleaded for leniency.

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"I believe it is God's will for all of us to forgive," she told the court. "Everyone in Minnesota needs to heal and to know that all lives matter, no matter the color of your skin."

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison welcomed the sentence and called it "another step of accountability on the road to justice."

Ellison said it "sent a message to Minnesotans, all Americans, and law enforcement agencies around the country that crime like this will not be tolerated."

Chauvin has appealed his Minnesota state murder conviction but his sentencing on the federal charges will ensure he will spend two decades in prison regardless of the outcome of his appeal.

Chauvin and three other police officers who were on the scene during Floyd's fatal arrest -- Tou Thao, Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane -- were charged with violating his constitutional rights and failing to respond to his medical needs.

Keung and Lane helped to restrain the handcuffed Floyd, while Thao kept away bystanders who were pleading with the officers to get off of Floyd as he lay handcuffed face down on the ground complaining he was unable to breathe.

Lane, who is white, pleaded guilty to state manslaughter charges and was convicted along with Thao, who is Hmong American, and Kueng, who is Black, of federal charges of violating Floyd's civil rights.

Thao and Kueng are to go on trial on the state manslaughter charges in late October.

Chauvin also pleaded guilty to violating the consitutional rights of a 14-year-old boy in a separate case.

In that 2017 incident, Chauvin held the handcuffed boy facedown on the ground and struck him on the head multiple times with a flashlight.

cl/mlm
By Anirban Sen and Svea Herbst-Bayliss

(Reuters) - Spirit Airlines Inc said it has postponed a shareholder vote scheduled for Friday on its $2.4 billion sale to Frontier Group Holdings Inc so its board can continue discussions with both Frontier and JetBlue Airways.

Reuters first reported the planned delay.

Over the past few months, JetBlue and Frontier, led by influential airline investor Bill Franke, have repeatedly sweentened their bids for Spirit, seeking to create the fifth largest U.S. airline.

The Spirit shareholder vote, which has been delayed twice before, is being pushed back for a third time to give Spirit and JetBlue time to finalize a deal, sources told Reuters, requesting anonymity as the discussions are confidential.

Spirit said it now plans to hold a special meeting on July 15.

JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said in a statement the airline was "encouraged by our discussions with Spirit and are hopeful they now recognize that Spirit shareholders have indicated their clear, overwhelming preference for an agreement with JetBlue."

JetBlue submitted a sweetened $3.7 billion all-cash bid last month but Spirit has been reluctant to accept JetBlue's much more financially attractive offer due to concerns that antitrust regulators may reject it, according to the sources.

JetBlue is already facing a lawsuit from the U.S. Justice Department over its partnership with American Airlines in the New York and Boston areas.

There is no certainty JetBlue will provide Spirit the necessary assurances on the regulatory front to reach a deal and Frontier, which has already improved its offer, may come back with a new bid, the sources added.

The Frontier deal is also expected to face antitrust scrutiny. But Spirit and some analysts say that deal has a better chance of getting a nod from regulators.

Both bidders view Spirit as an opportunity to expand their domestic footprints and reshape the U.S. airline industry, which is largely dominated by four domestic carriers. An acquisition by either bidder would come at a time when the industry is currently grappling with labor and aircraft shortages.

Last week, Spirit was forced to postpone the shareholder vote until July 8. The sources said it did not have enough shareholders to back the Frontier deal at the time.

(Reporting by Anirban Sen and Svea Herbst-Bayliss in New York and David Shepardson in Washington; additional reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh; Editing by Greg Roumeliotis, Bill Berkrot and Edwina Gibbs)
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP)  The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for an attack on a prison in Nigerias capital which freed nearly 900 inmates including 60 of its members.

Nigerian security forces on Thursday continued to search for at least 400 escaped prisoners who are still at large.

While Nigeria has suffered multiple jailbreaks in recent years, the attack on Tuesday night was the first in the nations capital within that period  a development that analysts say points to a failure of intelligence.

The Islamic State West Africa Province said in a statement that the attack on the Kuje prison was carried out in 50 minutes by three groups: One attacked the prisons gate, another stormed the prison and the third blocked the road leading to the facility.

The group said the attack is part of the Islamic State group's campaign to free its members from prisons.

Authorities said the extremist rebels were very determined and launched the daring attack on the Kuje prison with very high-grade explosives. They killed one prison guard and freed 879 inmates including 64 of their members whom authorities believe they had specifically come to rescue.

People living near the prison told The Associated Press how the neighborhood was rocked by gunfire and explosions late Tuesday night.

A worker at a nearby bakery said the explosion shook the bakery." The attackers were shooting and shooting and shouting Allahu Akbar (God is greatest)," said the bakery worker who insisted on anonymity for his safety.

More than one hour after, I saw many people leaving (the prison) and I even thought it was people that went to enjoy themselves at the bar here, he said of the casual way the escapees walked through the streets.

Emmanuel Johny, who lives near the prison, said at the first explosion, I knew this was a bomb and not a gun.

The Islamic State West Africa Province is an offshoot of Nigeria's Boko Haram group which has waged an extremist insurgency against the Nigerian government for more than a decade.

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Since the death of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau in mid-2021, the IS-linked splinter group has sought to strengthen its position in northeast Nigeria and the surrounding Lake Chad basin, though both extremist groups remain united in their fight against the Nigerian government. Their extremist rebellion has caused more than 35,000 deaths in northeastern Nigeria and displaced an estimated 2 million people, according to the U.N.

Their jihadi insurgency has expanded to the neighboring countries of Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

The attack on the prison in Nigeria's capital city shows the severity of insurgency, according to experts.

For Abuja to be having this kind of attack, it tells you how much our security intelligence has failed, said Confidence MacHarry with the Lagos-based SBM Intelligence security firm. The attack was long-planned, he said.

Nigeria's security forces could get all the manpower and everything but cant prevent attacks before it happens, MacHarry said.

___

Youssef contributed to this report from Cairo, Egypt.
The Irish Data Protection Commission ruled that the data flow between Europe and the US for Metas Facebook and Instagram should be blocked (Getty Images)

Facebook and Instagram could be forced offline in Europe after an Irish watchdog ruled that their parent company Meta could not share Europeans data with the US.

If agreed by EU regulators, both social media platforms will be unavailable to European users this summer, Politico reported on Thursday.

Meta confirmed the decision by Irelands privacy regulator, though did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent.

This draft decision, which is subject to review by European Data Protection Authorities, relates to a conflict of EU and US law which is in the process of being resolved, a Meta spokesperson told Politico.

We welcome the EU-US agreement for a new legal framework that will allow the continued transfer of data across borders, and we expect this framework will allow us to keep families, communities and economies connected.

Facebook has more than 300 million daily active users in Europe, accounting for more than 10 per cent of all users globally.

There is an even higher percentage of Instagram users in Europe, with more than a quarter of all users based there.

The blocking order from the Irish Data Protection Commission has been sent to other European privacy regulators, who will give their input to the ruling over the next month.

The dispute comes after years of court battles between privacy activists and the US technology giant, which saw the European Court of Justice annul an EU-US data flow agreement called Privacy Shield in 2020.

In a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission in March, Meta wrote: If a new transatlantic data transfer framework is not adopted and we are unable to continue to rely on SCCs or rely upon other alternative means of data transfers from Europe to the United States, we will likely be unable to offer a number of our most significant products and services, including Facebook and Instagram, in Europe.
(Corrects year of establishment of DPFP to 2020 from 2000 in July 6 story)

By Kiyoshi Takenaka

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan holds an upper house election on Sunday that is key to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's attempt to gain firmer control of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to enable it and its Komeito junior partner to push through legislation.

Here are key facts about Japan's main political parties.

LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Established: 1955

Website: jimin.jp/english/

Number of upper house seats up for re-election this time: 55

Number of upper house seats up for re-election in 2025: 56

The conservative party has been in power almost continuously since its foundation, either on its own or in a coalition, and has formed close ties with business and the bureaucracy.

Faced with China's maritime expansion and North Korea's missile and nuclear development, the LDP aims to boost defence spending sharply, using a NATO goal of 2% of gross domestic product on defence as a guide.

That would be a departure from Japan's decades-old practice of keeping defence spending at about 1% of GDP but public support for bolstering defence is growing after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

While opposition parties call for cutting or abolishing a 10% sales tax to help the public cope with soaring food and energy prices, Kishida believes the levy should be maintained to support the ageing country's social security system.

KOMEITO

Established: 1964

Website: komei.or.jp/en/

Number of upper house seats up for re-election this time: 14

Number of upper house seats up for re-election in 2025: 14

Backed by a Buddhist lay organisation, the Soka Gakkai, the Komeito party was a junior partner in LDP-led governments for 10 years until the ruling alliance's election defeat in 2009. But it returned to power with the LDP in a December 2012 lower house election.

Komeito is more moderate on security issues than the LDP and it proposes shaping defence within an exclusively defensive security policy. The party seeks to promote the interests of the less well-off when it comes to economic policy.

Story continues

CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF JAPAN (CDPJ)

Established: 2020

Website: cdp-japan.jp/english

Number of upper house seats up for re-election this time: 23

Number of upper house seats up for re-election in 2025: 22

The centre-left CDPJ is Japan's largest opposition party. Its roots lie in the Democratic Party of Japan, which succeeded in defeating the LDP-Komeito alliance in 2009 and held power for three years.

As part of measures to respond to surging prices, the party calls for temporarily cutting the sales tax by half to 5% and offering 10,000 yen ($73) a month as a subsidy to house renters.

It advocates investing 200 trillion yen in renewable energy and energy conservation by 2030 and cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 55% or more from 2013 levels. That is more ambitious than the government's target of reducing the emissions by 46% by 2030.

In a poll by Kyodo news agency, 28.3% of those surveyed said they would vote for the LDP in the proportional representation part of the July 10 election, followed by the CDPJ's 8.2% and Komeito's 7.2%.

JAPAN INNOVATION PARTY (JIP)

Established: 2015

Website: o-ishin.jp/ (Japanese only)

Number of upper house seats up for re-election this time: 6

Number of upper house seats up for re-election in 2025: 9

The reformist party saw nearly a fourfold jump in the number of its seats in the lower house election in October. It hopes to maintain that momentum in the upper house vote and nip at the heels of the CDPJ, its larger rival in the opposition camp.

The JIP joins the ruling LDP in calling for a sharp increase in defence spending and a constitutional revision to make a specific reference to the Self-Defence Forces (SDF), as Japan calls its military.

The charter, if taken literally, bans a standing military, prompting some academics to question the SDF's legality.

JAPANESE COMMUNIST PARTY (JCP)

Established: 1922

Website: jcp.or.jp/english/

Number of upper house seats up for re-election this time: 6

Number of upper house seats up for re-election in 2025: 7

The political party with the longest history in Japan, the JCP celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

The party opposes the LDP's plan to boost defence spending substantially and warns that military expansion would only invite an arms race in the region, escalating tension.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY FOR THE PEOPLE (DPFP)

Established: 2020

Website: new-kokumin.jp/ (Japanese only)

Number of upper house seats up for re-election this time: 7

Number of upper house seats up for re-election in 2025: 5

Seeing human resources development as key to economic growth, the party calls for free education up to high school and the issuing education bonds to double the budget for education, science and technology to 10 trillion yen a year.

(Corrects year of establishment of DPFP to 2020 from 2000 in July 6 story)

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by David Dolan, Robert Birsel)
Speaking alongside his British counterpart in London on Wednesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray called China the "biggest long-term threat" to both the U.S. and the U.K.

"The Chinese government is set on stealing your technology -- whatever it is that makes your industry tick -- and using it to undercut your business and dominate your market," Wray said while giving remarks to international business leaders. "And they're set on using every tool at their disposal to do it."

Wray also warned of potential tactics by Chinese officials, saying they steal technology by using intelligence officers to "target" valuable pieces of information and companies.

"We've even caught people affiliated with Chinese companies out in the U.S. heartland, sneaking into fields to dig up proprietary, genetically modified seeds, which would have cost them nearly a decade and billions in research to develop themselves," Wray said. "And those efforts pale in comparison to their lavishly-resourced hacking program that's bigger than that of every other major country combined."

MORE: Biden claims no change in policy, but his Taiwan 'gaffe' may be no accident: ANALYSIS

The Chinese, Wray said, use cyber to "steal" volumes of information. He said U.S. officials are working with MI5, the British intelligence service, to identify other investments that the Chinese government makes in proxy relationships -- a kind of third-party venue through which China steals information.

Wray said that U.S. companies should be wary of working with or in China, something about which he has warned before, and he urged business leaders to contact the FBI for further information on ways to mitigate the Chinese cyber threat.

PHOTO: FBI Director Christopher Wray at a joint press conference with MI5 Director General Ken McCallum at MI5 headquarters, in central London July 6, 2022. (Dominic Lipinski/AP)

His warning was the latest episode of the U.S. pushing back on what they describe as Chinese hostility. Relations between the U.S. and China have evolved since President Joe Biden took office -- his predecessor Donald Trump embarked on a trade war with the country -- and the U.S. and China remain deeply intertwined, though they are often opposed on various issues.

Story continues

After one call between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this year, the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry said, "The U.S.-China relationship has not yet emerged from the predicament created by the previous U.S. administration but has instead encountered more and more challenges. The U.S. side has made a misreading and misjudgment of China's strategic intentions."

On Wednesday, Wray warned that if China were to invade Taiwan, U.S. companies could see a repeat, on a much larger scale, of the economic disarray from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the resulting international condemnation.

"Just as in Russia, Western investments built over years could become hostage capital stranded, supply chains and relationships disrupted," he said. "Companies are caught between sanctions and Chinese law forbidding compliance with them. That's not just geopolitics. It's business forecasting."

MORE: Biden warns Xi of 'consequences' if China aids Russian invasion of Ukraine

Wray concluded by saying the U.S. and U.K. were working together to combat this threat.

His remarks come as American law enforcement agencies and the Treasury Department cautioned the public of another overseas adversary, this one targeting hospital systems.

North Korean-backed cyber actors are targeting the health care and public health sector, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the FBI and Treasury Department said on Wednesday.

These actors use Maui ransomware, a specific technology that has a North Korean hallmark, to infiltrate health care sectors and hold their systems ransom in exchange for a payment, American officials said in an advisory.

The officials said that since May 2021, the agencies have observed and reacted to "multiple" Maui ransomware incidents indicating that they came from North Korea.

PHOTO: MI5 Director General Ken McCallum, left, and FBI Director Christopher Wray meet at MI5 headquarters, in central London, July 6, 2022. (Dominic Lipinski/AP)

"North Korean state-sponsored cyber actors used Maui ransomware in these incidents to encrypt servers responsible for healthcare servicesincluding electronic health records services, diagnostics services, imaging services, and intranet services," the advisory states. "In some cases, these incidents disrupted the services provided by the targeted HPH Sector organizations for prolonged periods."

The agencies believe that because health care organizations "provide services that are critical to human life and health," they are likely to pay ransoms when attacked. Law enforcement advise not paying the ransom and to contact CISA or the FBI instead.

"Because of this assumption, the FBI, CISA, and Treasury assess North Korean state-sponsored actors are likely to continue targeting HPH Sector organizations," the officials said.

FBI director calls China 'biggest' US threat; authorities warn of North Korean cyber attacks originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Former President Donald Trump points to the crowd on arrival at the National Rifle Association's annual convention at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas, on May 27, 2022. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

The Federal Election Commission issued a warning to a Trump-connected political action committee.

The FEC said the Make America Great Again PAC made several mistakes in its most recent April quarterly report.

Trump's campaign and political committees have faced numerous accusations of mistakes and wrongdoing.

A political action committee connected to former President Donald Trump is under increased scrutiny from federal officials because of apparent discrepancies in its financial disclosures.

According to a July 6 letter the Federal Election Commission sent the committee, Trump's Make America Great Again PAC made several mistakes in its first-quarter 2022 financial report, including discrepancies in its reported cash on hand in addition to calculation errors.

The Make America Great Again PAC, which until early 2021 operated as Trump's 2020 presidential-campaign committee, has until August 10, 2022, to respond to the FEC's letter and will not receive an extension. If the PAC fails to respond in time, the FEC said this could lead to an audit or "enforcement action."

As of March 31, the Make America Great Again PAC reported having about $5.5 million in available cash. It's one of several political committees within the post-presidency political operation of Trump, who continues to mull a run for president again in 2024.

A spokesperson for Trump did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

Warning letters of this sort are not uncommon for large political committees that raise and spend significant money and, at times, make accounting mistakes. Just ask former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, whose old presidential-campaign committee received one earlier this month.

But accounting mistakes and financial foibles can lead to federal fines and bad headlines, such as when the FEC slapped President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign with a $375,000 fine for reporting violations. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign, along with the Democratic National Committee, paid fines earlier this year. In April, the companies of Canadian billionaire Barry Zekelman also paid FEC fines related to allegations that they made illegal contributions to a pro-Trump super PAC.

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The Make America Great Again PAC's apparently less-than-perfect math is the latest in a string of questions, concerns, and anomalies to arise from the Trump campaign and related PACs, including a case involving whether Trump's 2020 campaign laundered hundreds of millions of dollars in spending.

At least 43 Trump-related cases have been referred to the FEC over the past six years for potential violations.

As The Daily Beast previously reported, the bipartisan FEC, which has civil powers to enforce federal campaign-finance laws, failed to act on any of the cases due to repeated deadlocks by its commissioners  in every case, the three Republican commissioners did not vote against Trump.

Four votes or more are required to affirm a decision on the six-commissioner FEC, and 3-3 deadlocks are common in high-profile matters.

In June, Insider reported that Trey Trainor, one of the three Republican commissioners at the FEC, spoke at a Texas GOP event where he was advertised to attendees as a member of the "Trump Elections Team." Trainor told Insider he was unaware of his billing.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Good morning, and welcome to First Mover. Im Lyllah Ledesma, here to take you through the latest in crypto markets, news and insights.

Price Point: Ether leads the way today with a 4% increase, perhaps on the speculation over the upcoming network update dubbed "The Merge."

Market Moves: A look at the class-action suit filed in California last week accusing key players in the Solana ecosystem offf illegally profiting from SOL.

Price point

Crypto markets were mostly in the green, with ether (ETH) taking the lead, up 4%, while stock futures edged higher ahead of the U.S. jobs data release scheduled for Friday.

Investors in the U.S. awaited the jobs report from the Labor Department, which is released on Friday at 8:30 a.m. ET. Bitcoin (BTC) was down 3% over the last 24 hours, whereas ether was up by 4.3%, making it one of the top performing altcoins on the day.

Laurent Kssis, head of Europe at Hashdex, said that ETHs uptick could be related to the optimism surrounding the upcoming Ethereum blockchain Merge. This has encouraged a lot of retail investors to preempt an investment strategy for ETH, said Kssis.

But it may be short lived as there are still strong sell orders in the market supported by ETH liquidations, Kssis said.

In traditional markets, the British pound was up slightly on Thursday after the news surfaced U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson would resign.

The departure is likely to delay the country's plans to create a friendly environment for the crypto industry.

Against the U.S. dollar, the pound lifted to $1.20 from $1.19, where it was Wednesday.

Meanwhile, after the news that Voyager Digital filed for bankruptcy Wednesday, shares of the broker have been suspended from trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange as it looks at whether the shares meet its listing requirements.

Genesis Global Trading, a CoinDesk sister company, has confirmed exposure to crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital. Genesiss CEO Michael Moro confirmed Three Arrows Capital was the large counterparty that failed to meet a large margin call in June, forcing liquidation of the related collateral.

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Adding to the list of departures moving from traditional finance over to crypto is another JPMorgan (JPM) executive, Eric Wragge, a former managing director at the bank. He joined the Algorand blockchain as head of business development and capital markets.

And finally, the developers behind meme coin, SHIB, has teased plans to expand the Shiba Inu ecosystem with a decentralized stablecoin. More on that here.

Market moves

By Danny Nelson and Nikhilesh De

A class-action lawsuit filed in California federal court last week accuses key players in the Solana ecosystem of illegally profiting from SOL, the blockchains native token that according to the suit is an unregistered security.

The cornerstone of the value of SOL securities is the sum of Solana Labs, Solana Foundation and [Anatoly] Yakovenkos management and implementation of the Solana blockchain, the suit alleged. It described SOL as a highly centralized cryptocurrency that has benefited its insiders to the detriment of retail traders.

Filed by California resident Mark Young, who said he bought SOL in late summer 2021, the suit names Solana Labs, the Solana Foundation, Solanas Anatoly Yakovenko, crypto VC giant Multicoin Capital, Multicoins Kyle Samani and trading desk FalconX.

A Solana spokesperson declined to comment. Multicoin and FalconX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to the complaint, Young alleges that the way SOL was created and sold meets the three tenets of the Howey Test, a U.S. Supreme Court precedent commonly used as a barometer for whether the sale of something is a security or not.

Purchasers who bought SOL securities have invested money or given valuable services to a common enterprise, Solana. These purchasers have a reasonable expectation of profit based upon the efforts of the promoters, Solana Labs and the Solana Foundation, to build a blockchain network that will rival Bitcoin and Ethereum and become the accepted framework for transactions on the blockchain, the filing said, addressing the three forks of the Howey Test.

In the filing, Young pointed to several sales of the SOL token or agreements to sell the SOL token ahead of the public sale of the token.

Solana Labs filed a Form D with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (a filing saying the sale was of securities exempt from SEC registration), noting the company was selling the future rights to around 80 million SOL, according to the filing.

Multicoin, a major crypto venture capital firm that has invested heavily across the Solana ecosystem, offloaded millions of dollars of SOL onto retail after relentlessly promoting the token in spite of Solana blockchains tech issues, the suit alleged. This alleged offload passed through FalconX over-the-counter trading desks, the suit said.

Youngs law firm, Roche Freedman, also recently filed suit against Binance.US for allegedly misleading investors during the Terra implosion. A lawyer for Roche Freedman did not pick up the phone.

Latest headlines

Todays newsletter was edited by Bradley Keoun and produced by Stephen Alpher.
A father and son management duo at Lone Wolf Resources also fired a Black worker on the basis of race, a federal lawsuit claims.

A federal lawsuit alleges that the managers of a Florida construction company told a supervisor to stop hiring Black workers because they are lazy. That company must now pay $50,000 to settle allegations of racial discrimination.

The father and son management duo at Lone Wolf Resources, LLC also used racial slurs and fired a Black employee based on his race, according to a complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, The Miami Herald reported.

A father and son management duo at Lone Wolf Resources, LLC used racial slurs and fired a Black employee based on his race, according to a complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (Photo: AdobeStock)

Additionally, the Black employee in Jacksonville, a trucker in charge of transporting rocks, alleges that he was given the least desirable and most labor-intensive task, which is pumping water out of ponds manually, when he wasnt driving. The complaint alleges the task was never given to white workers.

One supervisor who tried to stand up for the worker was reportedly told to leave the situation alone.

Further, the Black employee was regularly denied a yearly performance review, which affected his chances of getting a raise. Reportedly, they hoped this would cause [him] to resign.

Lone Wolf Resources, which has six offices in four states, has also been ordered to create an anti-discrimination policy. Its workers have to participate in anti-discrimination training, and all of their employees must be notified about the lawsuit.

Its despicable that Black employees continue to be subjected to vile racial slurs in the workplace, Robert Weisberg, the regional attorney for the EEOCs Miami District, said in a statement.

These allegations are not dissimilar to those made in lawsuits filed against Tesla, Inc., which is also accused of perpetuating a pattern of racial discrimination and alleged to have fired employees on the basis of their race.

TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today!

The post Fla. company accused of using slurs, giving Black people harder work, must pay $50,000 settlement appeared first on TheGrio.
Composite image of Dominic Raab and Dmitry Leus Composite: DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images; Handout/Dmitry Leus

A Conservative donor that gave 25,000 to Dominic Raab is "dependent on the FSB", an MP has claimed.

Labour MP Liam Byrne said Dmitry Leus was recruited by the FSB, "who got him out of prison".

A spokesperson for Leus dismissed the allegations as "completely untrue and somewhat ridiculous".

Intelligence sources believe that a former Russian banker who gave 25,000 to Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab while he was foreign secretary in July 2021 is "absolutely dependent on the FSB", an MP has claimed.

Speaking during a parliamentary debate on Thursday afternoon, Labour MP Liam Byrne said the Turkmenistan-born former Russian banker Dmitry Leus was recruited by the FSB "who got him out of prison".

Leus was convicted of money laundering in Russia in 2004 and the conviction was later removed from his record; whether this was the result of an appeal or not is disputed. He insists the conviction was politically motivated.

Byrne, a former Treasury minister, said: "There is a clear knowledge of his recruitment by the FSB, who got him out of prison. He has a criminal record in Russia. Intelligence sources I have seen say he is 'absolutely dependent on the FSB'."

The Labour MP later told Insider his intelligence sources were from within the Kremlin.

A spokesperson for Leus told Insider the allegations were "completely untrue and somewhat ridiculous, given Dmitry suffered in the infamous Lefortovo prison."

"One rather wonders who Liam Byrne MP has been associating with," she said, noting she had not been able to contact Leus directly before issuing the statement.

She later added: "Allegations made in the House of Commons today, 7 July 2022, by Liam Byrne MP are completely false.

"It seems particularly offensive to suggest that a man held at the notoriously unpleasant FSB prison Lefortovo prison, where human rights are routinely abused, be in anyway connected with that organisation.

"Mr Leus nearly died in that prison after a poisoning attempt. The truth is that the FSB destroyed his life and he came to rebuild it in the UK."

Story continues

Insider has previously revealed how Leus was president of the Runnymede and Weybridge Conservative Association from June 2021 to February 2022.

A senior local Conservative source, given anonymity to speak frankly, told Insider they were not surprised by Byrne's allegations.

"Why did he suddenly get let off by the Russian authorities? They don't tend to deal with people like that kindly," the source said. "We're trying to disown Dmitry as much as we can now. We did bank his 25,000. I don't know whether we should send it back."

"The main embarrassment is for people like Dominic Raab. Raab was just stupid in accepting the donations," they added.

Leus donated 25,000 to Raab  who is at risk of losing his seat to the Liberal Democrats  in July 2021, back when Raab was foreign secretary. The gifts are the only successful political donations listed to Leus's name by the Electoral Commission.

Raab has been floated as a potential caretaker for the role of prime minister since Boris Johnson announced he would stand aside amid mass ministerial resignations.

A spokesperson for Raab told Insider: "Mr Leus had a wrongful conviction overturned on appeal. Professional due diligence was conducted before accepting the donation. Like all donations it was properly and transparently declared."

But Labour say that Raab's "murky" relationship with Leus risks the UK's national security.

Rachel Hopkins, shadow minister for the Cabinet Office, told Insider: "Whether it's the Lebedev's links to Boris Johnson or Dmitry Leus' links to Dominic Raab MP, it's clear for all to see that dodgy Russian money and influence has infiltrated the Conservative Party.

"These murky relationships risk British national security. The prime minister and deputy prime minister cannot be trusted with matters of national security. We need a cast-iron proof that the interests of rich foreign donors to the Conservative Party are not being put before our national interest."

A report by the foreign policy think tank Chatham House contests Leus' claim the conviction was "overturned on appeal", noting that Russian law allows for convictions to be struck out from a record.

Leus also sought to give 100,000 to Prince Charles's foundation, The Sunday Times revealed, in a donation that was returned by the charity's ethics committee citing concerns over the origin of the funds, while hoping to secure a meeting with the future monarch.

Leus's representatives have previously told Insider the Prince's Trust has sent a letter of apology and that the Charity Commission has confirmed no wrongdoing on his part.

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ghislaine Maxwell on Thursday formally appealed her conviction and 20-year prison sentence for helping the late financier Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse underage girls over more than a decade.

The British socialite's notice of appeal was filed nine days after she was sentenced by U.S. Circuit Judge Alison Nathan in Manhattan.

Nathan said the punishment reflected Maxwell's "instrumental" role in the abuse, and the "incalculable" damage it caused to victims.

Lawyers for Maxwell had argued that she was being scapegoated for Epstein's crimes.

Maxwell, 60, was convicted in December after a monthlong trial on sex trafficking and four other counts for recruiting and grooming four girls to have sexual encounters with Epstein, who was then her boyfriend, between 1994 and 2004.

The daughter of the late British media magnate Robert Maxwell could be imprisoned until her late 70s, with possible credit for good behavior plus credit for the two years she has been jailed at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center.

Maxwell's appeal was expected, and Thursday's notice did not say what issues she will raise.

Her lawyers have said the conviction was tainted because of a lack of evidence Maxwell was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, that prosecutors waited too long to indict her, and that one juror failed to disclose he had been sexually abused as a child.

Nathan rejected these arguments in April.

The lawyers have also said jail officials would not let Maxwell prepare adequately for trial, and that Nathan should have used different guidelines when calculating a sentence.

Bobbi Sternheim, the Maxwell lawyer who filed the notice of appeal, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The appeals process will likely last several months or longer.

Epstein, 66, killed himself in August 2019 in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting his own trial for sex trafficking.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York, editing by Deepa Babington)
Five GOP senators are calling on the Senate Finance Committee to hold hearings on bipartisan legislation to lower the cost of insulin.

Led by Sens. Pat Toomey (Pa.), and John Barrasso (Wyo.), the Republicans said they were concerned the legislation from Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) will be brought to the Senate floor for a vote without going through the committee first.

As with most proposals regarding drug pricing, [Shaheen and Collinss] proposed changes involve trade-offs and far-ranging implications, which both deserve frank discussion, the lawmakers wrote in a letter to committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and ranking member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho).

The Finance Committee has jurisdiction over Medicare, and the legislation would radically change Medicares drug benefit, the senators said.

The other Republicans on the letter were Sens. Rob Portman (Ohio), Ben Sasse (Neb.) and Steve Daines (Mont.).

The Collins-Shaheen bill would cap out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 per month and aims to lower the overall cost of the drug by eliminating rebates drugmakers pay to pharmacy benefit managers if they keep the price below a certain level.

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) last month said the bill would come to the floor very soon.

But the bill will require support from at least nine other Republican senators in order to clear a filibuster, and its not clear there are enough votes for that to happen.

Some Republicans have voiced concerns about the bills interference in the free market.

At the same time, Democrats are moving forward with a separate drug pricing plan they hope to pass under a process known as reconciliation, which would bypass a GOP filibuster, meaning it needs only 50 Democratic votes.

The reconciliation plan does not include insulin price caps.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A man sits at home in the garden and works on his laptop. (Silas Stein / Picture Alliance via Getty Images)

More than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, when Dr. Anthony Fauci tested positive for the coronavirus, his federal agency announced that he would "continue to work from his home."

So did U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who announced on Twitter that after testing positive, "I plan to work remotely." And so did San Francisco Mayor London Breed, whose office announced she would conduct meetings from home after testing positive.

As vaccines and new treatments have eased some of the alarm around a COVID-19 diagnosis, continuing to work  but from home  has become a familiar practice among professionals who can do their jobs remotely. Fauci was vaccinated and boosted and said he was experiencing mild symptoms, like other officials who said they would stay on the job from home.

Physicians caution, however, that rest is an important part of weathering a COVID-19 infection. Plugging away from home is better than putting others at risk of getting infected, but it can still strain the immune system, worsening the toll of a COVID infection, experts say.

"Sleep equals immunity," said Dr. Susan Cheng, a cardiologist, researcher and professor in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. As it fights off the virus, "you want to have your immune system not distracted by anything else," including stress from work.

People forget that COVID-19 is not the common cold, she said  and even for a common cold, "you do not want to be going 100% or even 80%." Cheng pointed to studies done long before the pandemic, which found that mice infected with "garden variety viruses" fared much worse if they were forced to swim.

"You really want your body to recover," Cheng said. "Give it as much rest as possible, to recover as fully as possible."

Family medicine specialist Dr. Caitlin McAuley said that "in any acute illness  and COVID especially  we know that rest is important."

"Getting adequate sleep lets the immune system rebalance," along with hormones, said McAuley, who sees patients through the COVID Recovery Clinic at Keck Medicine of USC. In addition, "we often don't acknowledge the fact that when we're sick, we're not functioning appropriately mentally as well. So decision making may be impaired."

Story continues

"At a minimum, you really should unplug for three to five days," McAuley said.

The public messages from prominent officials saying they'll keep working from home are "minimizing the risk of long COVID and encouraging others to think, 'If I have the virus, I can just push through it,' " said David Putrino, director of rehabilitation innovation for the Mount Sinai Health System.

Long COVID occurs when symptoms persist for months or longer beyond an initial infection. So far, data tracking rest and COVID outcomes are sparse, "but point us towards the idea that individuals who did not adequately rest had a higher incidence of persistent symptoms," Putrino said.

The pressure to keep working with COVID  even if it's from home  has also troubled labor and disability advocates who see it as normalizing working through illness.

When prominent officials test positive and say they will keep working from home, "it is a way of saying, 'I am still a powerful person who is able to continue doing my job,' " said Jaime Seltzer, director of scientific and medical outreach at #MEAction, the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Action Network. If the goal was to craft a public message based on the best evidence, "we would say that when you become ill, you should be resting."

Healthy people are used to being able to push through fatigue, rest for the night, "and wake up more or less feeling back to normal," Seltzer said. "But we have to recognize that when your immune system is being challenged ... that's simply not true anymore. And we shouldn't expect ill bodies to behave like healthy bodies."

It can also be challenging to get people to understand that mental exertion  like the tasks done during remote work  also uses up energy, Seltzer added.

As of January, nearly 60% of U.S. workers who said their jobs could be done largely remotely were working from home most or all of the time  2 times the rate as before the pandemic, according to Pew Research Center surveys. Working from home has been more common among people with college degrees and higher incomes.

"Your labor is supposed to be flexible, but that's the underside  you don't always really control when you labor," said Eileen Boris, a UC Santa Barbara professor who has studied the home as a workplace. At times, "you think you're choosing to work, but are you? It's not like you can walk away from the office."

Although the rise of remote work has blurred the lines between work and home life, prodding some employees to keep sending emails or holding Zoom meetings while sick, the pressure to stay on the job with COVID has fallen hardest on poorer workers who are less likely to have the option of working from home.

In surveys of thousands of service workers this spring, the Shift Project at the Harvard Kennedy School found that among workers who reported becoming sick  with any illness  two thirds of them said they had worked while ill.

Sick leave is not guaranteed for many hourly workers, and taking even a day off can be an economic blow to their households, said Daniel Schneider, co-director of the Shift Project and a professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. In the surveys, many workers said that "I was afraid I'd get in trouble for calling out sick."

Other common responses were that a supervisor had pressured them to work, that they couldn't get someone else to cover their shift, and that "I didn't want to let my co-workers down," Schneider recounted. "That's the internalization of a sense that, 'I should work sick.' But it is a product of a set of corporate decisions to only have just a few people on the floor."

As of February, roughly a tenth of workers surveyed said they had gone to work with COVID-19 symptoms or after being exposed to the virus because they couldn't afford to take time off, Kaiser Family Foundation surveys found. Working through COVID symptoms or exposure was much more common  29% said they had done so  among workers with household incomes under $40,000. Only 6% of workers from households with higher incomes said the same, the surveys showed.

The California Department of Public Health generally recommends that someone who tests positive or has COVID symptoms isolate themselves from others for at least five days, then take an antigen test. Under the guidelines, they should continue to isolate another five days if they test positive or still have symptoms.

If someone still has a fever, even after 10 days, they are supposed to keep isolating until it is gone at least 24 hours, under the state recommendations. California officials also recommend that people continue to wear a mask around others for 10 full days after their symptoms began or they got a positive test result.

McAuley, who sees patients with long COVID, said that she has had some patients "who essentially never really stopped working." At Keck Medicine's COVID Recovery Clinic, "we have a lot of patients who have very 'Type A' personalities," McAuley said, "and we do frequently see it's difficult to have them allow themselves to rest."

"To even take a week or two to sleep, when they need to sleep, and just be off of work ... for some people that is really a key factor in them recovering," McAuley said.

As a general rule, "you should be slightly more cautious than you think you have to be," said Seltzer of #MEAction. She recommended that people learn about "pacing," a strategy to manage activity that she described as "being active when you're able and resting when you're tired  which is harder than it sounds."

Pacing can include breaking up activities into manageable chunks to avoid too much exertion. Putrino, of Mount Sinai, argued that "pacing is a technique that should be applied to acute phases of COVID infection as much as it should be applied in long COVID."

"It's not just, 'Hey, don't exert yourself and don't push too hard'  it's an actual strategy that you can learn about how to plan your day," including setting aside times throughout the day for rest, Putrino said.

Dr. Timothy Brewer, a UCLA professor of medicine and epidemiology, urged patients to pay attention to the signals from their bodies, even if an infection initially seems mild. With COVID-19, "people can do well for about 10 to 12 days and then get very sick," Brewer said. "Just because you did well in the first week doesn't mean you're necessarily going to do well in the second or third week."

In general, "your body is pretty good at telling you what it needs," Brewer said. "So if you're feeling tired and you're sick with COVID, that's probably your body saying, 'Get back in bed.' "

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
(PA) (PA Archive)

The sharing of downblouse images and pornographic deepfakes without consent should be made crimes, according to recommendations to bring laws on intimate image abuse into the smartphone era.

The Law Commission said a patchwork of criminal offences has not kept pace with technology and is failing to protect all victims, while perpetrators evade justice.

It is proposing the creation of a base offence, with a maximum of six months imprisonment, covering all acts of intentionally taking or sharing a sexual, nude or intimate photo or video without consent.

This would apply regardless of the perpetrators motivation, as the act is sufficiently wrongful and harmful to warrant criminalisation.

The Revenge Porn helpline previously told the PA news agency the existing law is leaving thousands of people unsupported and unvalidated because they need to show the material was shared with an intent to cause distress.

The Law Commission proposes further offences  where the image was taken or shared for sexual gratification, to cause humiliation, alarm or distress, or where the perpetrator has threatened the victim  with tougher prison sentences of two to three years.

This graded approach is not intended to reflect the harm caused to the victim, but the higher level of culpability when the perpetrator acts with a specific intent, the body said.

Installing equipment, such as a hidden camera in Airbnb properties or toilets, to take a photograph or film of someone without their consent would also be criminalised, with maximum penalties in line with the graded proposals.

Current laws on taking or sharing sexual or nude images of someone without their consent are inconsistent, based on a narrow set of motivations and do not go far enough to cover disturbing and abusive new behaviours born in the smartphone era

Professor Penney Lewis, Law Commission

The new offences would apply to victims and perpetrators of all ages and cover images that are nude, partially nude, of a sexual act or of toileting.

Story continues

These include images taken down a womans top, known as downblousing, pornographic deepfakes, and images where somebodys clothes have been removed digitally, making them appear nude, on top of existing criminal offences such as upskirting and voyeurism.

But it would exclude cases where the circumstances and nature of the conduct is not morally wrongful or harmful, such as a proud family member sharing a nude or partially-nude photo of a newborn baby on social media.

All victims of the new offences would be eligible for lifetime anonymity, and for special measures in the event of a trial, such as being able to give evidence behind a screen or pre-record their evidence.

The recommendations follow the Law Commissions review, commissioned by the Government, of the laws around intimate image abuse.

Professor Penney Lewis, Law Commissioner for criminal law, said: Current laws on taking or sharing sexual or nude images of someone without their consent are inconsistent, based on a narrow set of motivations and do not go far enough to cover disturbing and abusive new behaviours born in the smartphone era.

Our new reforms for Government will broaden the scope of the criminal law to ensure that no perpetrators of these deeply damaging acts can evade prosecution, and that victims are given effective protection.

Emily Hunt, a campaigner and independent adviser to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), said the reforms around anonymity are vital as they will secure greater protection for victims and encourage more people to come forward and report offences.

A Government spokesman said: Nearly 1,000 abusers have been convicted since we outlawed revenge porn.

With the Online Safety Bill, we will force internet firms to protect people better from a range of image-based abuse  including deepfakes.

But we asked the Commission to explore whether the law could be strengthened further to keep the public safer.

We will carefully consider its recommendations and respond in due course.
Gov. JB Pritzker during a one-on-one interview with The State Journal-Register at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield on June 30.

Gov. JB Pritzker issued a modified version of an executive order suspending the legal requirement for the state to transfer mentally ill jail inmates from the Sangamon County Jail into psychiatric care within 20 days.

The latest order suspended the statutory requirement through at least July 24.

One-on-one interview:Gov. Pritzker: Bailey 'too extreme for Illinois'

The modified executive order was issued the day before a scheduled hearing on Sheriff Jack Campbell's motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO).

Campbell filed a lawsuit on June 22 against the Illinois Department of Human Services, accusing it of violating state law regarding the transport of inmates into the department's custody.

Campbell said that DHS is in violation of Section 104-17 of the Illinois Criminal Code, which sets a 20-day period for when the agency is supposed to accept jail inmates who are unfit to stand trial into its custody.

The county now has until July 28 to respond to the defendants' 30-page motion and memorandum filed late Wednesday.

DHS will then have up until Aug. 18 to respond to any response to the county.

A status hearing on the case has been set for Aug. 1, according to Sangamon County state's attorney Dan Wright.

On June 29, Sangamon County Judge Adam Giganti ruled the Illinois Department of Human Services guilty of indirect civil contempt of court for failing to follow an April 7 order that required it to transfer a county jail prisoner to the Andrew McFarland Mental Health Center for psychiatric evaluation.

The pandemic-era executive order gave DHS broad authority to suspend provisions in state law requiring it to provide psychiatric treatment to inmates at their facilities.

The agency said that because of the executive order, it was not required to transport or house the inmates. However, the court disagreed saying state law was clear the order had no impact on the duties of law enforcement officials, such as the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office, which was responsible for housing the inmate while jailed.

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Governor Pritzker extends pandemic-era executive order
Granger Smiths wife, Amber, is speaking out three years after their son, River, died in a drowning accident in June 2019.

On Tuesday, Amber shared an exchange under an Instagram post to her story in which she received a hateful comment regarding Rivers death. In the thread, Amber left kind words on a post where a family appeared to have lost a child.

"All of us mamas who know this pain have been praying so hard for your family," Amber commented.

Amber Smith spoke out about her son, River's death over three years after the tragic drowning incident. Amber and Granger Smith lost their son in June 2019. Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images

"We are all rallying around you and are here for you. Light will come from the dark. He is working. Bless you for blessing others in your deepest hurt. Sending all our love."

GRANGER SMITH'S WIFE AMBER GIVES FAMILY UPDATE AFTER LOSING SON, RIVER: 'EVERY SINGLE THING REMINDS ME OF HIM'

An Instagram user responded to her comment and wrote, "This makes me soooooo mad! Why would you be such irresponsible parents?!? Teach babies to swim, fence the pool, PROTECT your children! This is your fault, you KILLED your win kid. Truly disgusting."

With the screenshot of this conversation she shared on her Instagram story, Amber wrote a Bible scripture.

Granger and Amber Smith and visited Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas to present a donation in memory of their son, River in June 2019. Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images

"James 3:6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison."

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She added: "I can't fault these people. We live in a fallen world. It's taken me 3 years to not let these comments hurt me, but I forgive them. I am rooted in Jesus."

The couple opened up about their sons tragic death in a YouTube video posted in June 2019. The "Backroad Song" crooner said he was doing gymnastics with his now 10-year-old daughter, London, as his sons, River and Lincoln Monarch, 8, were playing with water guns. He recalled thinking to himself that he should "soak up this moment because its not going to last."

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The star said he found himself performing CPR by their pool just minutes later.

The couple said, at the time, that theyre taking solace in their faith, with Granger explaining that "God gave River to us for three years and that was his mission."

"I dont think God takes anyone too soon. I believe he was put on this earth for the exact amount of time," he said. "He lived a good 1,000 days. Thats a huge example for me and how were going to look at every single day."

The couple have since donated over $200,000 to the hospital that treated River before his death.

Fox News' Tyler McCarthy contributed to this report.
It is usually uneventful when a single insider buys stock. However, When quite a few insiders buy shares, as it happened in Microlise Group plc's (LON:SAAS) case, it's fantastic news for shareholders.

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

See our latest analysis for Microlise Group

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Microlise Group

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when CEO & Director Nadeem Raza bought UK50k worth of shares at a price of UK1.54 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of UK1.35. Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels.

Microlise Group insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insider Ownership

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Microlise Group insiders own 61% of the company, currently worth about UK95m based on the recent share price. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

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What Might The Insider Transactions At Microlise Group Tell Us?

The fact that there have been no Microlise Group insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. However, our analysis of transactions over the last year is heartening. Judging from their transactions, and high insider ownership, Microlise Group insiders feel good about the company's future. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for Microlise Group you should be aware of.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

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.

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The flanker will win his 50th cap in the game in Salta (PA Archive)

Hamish Watson will return from injury to win his 50th Scotland cap in Saturdays second Test in Argentina.

The flanker replaces Edinburgh team-mate Luke Crosbie in the line-up for the encounter in Salta.

Gregor Townsend has made five changes in all following a 26-18 defeat in the opening Test.

Ben White replaces Ali Price at scrum-half to make his first start for Scotland. The London Irish player made a try-scoring debut against England earlier this year and won his fifth cap off the bench in Jujuy last Saturday.

Dave Cherry, Sam Skinner and Rory Darge come into the pack, along with Watson.

Edinburgh hooker Cherry is back in the team for the first time since playing in all five of Scotlands Six Nations games in 2021, as a straight swap for George Turner, who drops to the bench.

New Edinburgh signing Skinner replaces Jonny Gray and will wear the number four jersey alongside captain Grant Gilchrist in the second row.

Darge returned from injury off the bench in the first Test and will make his fourth start for Scotland, with the 22-year-old replacing Magnus Bradbury in the back row.

Bradbury, Crosbie and Gray drop out of Townsends match-day squad, while London Irish winger Kyle Rowe could make his debut from the bench.
After a judge ordered accused Highland Park gunman Robert Crimo III held without bail at a hearing Wednesday, prosecutors and police in the Chicago suburb said Crimo had confessed to shooting dozens of people during Monday's Fourth of July parade and had driven to Wisconsin afterward and contemplated a second mass shooting in Madison. The gunman killed at least seven people  the seventh victim was identified Wednesday as Eduardo Uvaldo, 69  and some of his other three dozen victims are still hospitalized in critical condition.

After fleeing the scene of Monday's massacre disguised as a woman, Crimo, 21, went to his mother's house, took her car, and drove 135 miles to Madison, Wisconsin, Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli said at a news conference. In Madison, he saw another Independence Day celebration and "seriously contemplated" firing on it with a second semiautomatic rifle, but instead he drove back to Illinois, where he was arrested, Covelli said. It isn't clear yet why Crimo decided not to murder more people in Madison, he added, but it could be because he hadn't done enough planning.

Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said that once arrested, Crimo voluntarily confessed to the Highland Park shootings, even after being read his Miranda rights. Crimo reportedly said he fired three full 30-round magazines at the crowd, and 83 spent shell casings were recovered at the scene. He will face at least seven counts of first degree murder and other charges, Rinehart said, and if convicted, Crimo will spend his life in prison with no hope of parole.

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Two days after a mass shooting at the Highland Park Independence Day parade shocked the country and put renewed focus on weaknesses in Illinois gun laws, authorities continued to hash out how alleged gunman Robert Crimo III apparently bought a high-powered rifle despite troubling episodes in his background.

A 2019 report from Highland Park police warning that Crimo could pose a clear and present danger did not meet standards to declare him an imminent threat, said representatives of the Illinois State Police, which administers permits. And nothing under current law would have stopped them from issuing him a gun permit a few months later, ISP Director Brendan Kelly told reporters Wednesday.

Crimo went on to legally obtain several firearms  including the rifle he allegedly used to shoot dozens of people at the Highland Park parade this week.

Lake County prosecutors said in court Wednesday that Crimo fired a Smith & Wesson M&P15 semi-automatic rifle and had three 30-round magazines with him when he opened fire from a rooftop.

When he was done, there were 83 shell casings left where he allegedly positioned himself for the attack that killed seven and injured dozens. Crimo faces multiple counts of first-degree murder connected to the massacre; he was ordered held without bail after a brief hearing Wednesday.

His firearm owners identification card was approved in January 2020, four months after Highland Park police told state police someone had reported Crimo making threats in his household to kill everyone.

Weve done a very thorough vetting over the past 48 hours looking into every aspect of this, Kelly said Wednesday. And if you look at the report that was understandably submitted by the Highland Park Police Department, in response to the information that they had, and then you look at the law with regards to clear and present danger  that did not meet that threshold.

When Crimo later applied for the FOID card, All the things that under the law that would be able to help us stop from issuing a firearms identification card, none of those factors were present at the time, Kelly said. Typically those stops include a felony conviction or committal to a mental health facility.

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Officials revealed this week that, while Crimo did not previously have any significant criminal record, police had twice been in contact with him in 2019.

The first contact police had with Crimo was in April 2019 when they were called because Crimo had allegedly attempted suicide about a week earlier. Officers determined that the matter was being handled by mental health professionals.

On Sept. 5 of that year, someone reported to police that they were told Crimo made threats on Sept. 2 to kill everyone, according to public records released by Highland Park.

Police made contact with Crimo for a well-being check, and Crimo admitted to being depressed on the day he allegedly made the threat, a police report states.

Robert was not forthcoming as to the language that he used on (Sept. 2) nor was his mother, the report states.

Crimo denied that he felt like harming himself or others, and police removed more than a dozen knives from his bedroom closet; his father, Robert Crimo Jr., said they were his. Police returned the knives to Crimos father.

No arrests were made. Highland Park police did, however, submit a Clear and Present Danger report to Illinois State Police regarding Crimo.

State regulations require law enforcement and school officials to complete such a report when they determine someone might pose an imminent threat of harm to themselves or others. When state police receive the report, they are responsible for making the final determination about whether the threat is valid.

And, Kelly said Wednesday, the Highland Park police report did not meet that standard.

What we have here is an officer that looked at a report and he saw a single individual make a report to another individual about a threat made by (Crimo), Kelly said.

The police tried to corroborate that. They could not corroborate it. They had the individual saying that they were neither a threat to themselves or others. And you had the mother also agreeing with that individual.

The available text in the redacted police reports does not specifically state that Crimos mother disputed the threat of violence or agreed that Crimo was not a threat; however, some portions of the reports were blacked out.

In addition, when the report was filed, Crimo did not have a FOID card or a pending application. So at the time they received the report, there was nothing to revoke or deny, Illinois State Police officials said earlier this week.

Crimos father was not living with Crimo or Crimos mother at the time of the alleged 2019 threats, according to Steve Greenberg, an attorney for the parents.

Greenberg told the Tribune that Crimos father did not know about the incident involving his sons alleged threats when he sponsored Crimos FOID application a few months later.

Crimo was 19 when he applied for the gun permit in December 2019. Anyone under 21 must have their application sponsored by a parent or guardian, according to state police. The sponsor is required to fill out an affidavit swearing that the sponsor does not have any felony convictions, drug addictions, or recent institutionalizations for mental health reasons  that is, that the sponsor would be eligible for a FOID.

Illinois State Police reviewed his application in January 2020 and issued Crimo his FOID card. In February 2020, Crimo bought the Smith & Wesson rifle he allegedly used to shoot dozens of people at this years parade.

Crimo legally purchased five firearms in total between 2020 and 2021, including the Smith & Wesson. Crimo had no significant criminal history, and passed several background checks in the process of purchasing his guns, according to state police.

Meanwhile, some lawmakers still had questions about how Crimos FOID card application was approved.

If we have people who are legally buying guns and they are what we consider the wrong people, we have to stop that, said Democratic state Rep. Kathleen Willis of Addison, who has sponsored legislation aimed at strengthening the FOID laws.  How can we make sure we have all of the best information going forward so we dont have the wrong people buying guns in this state?

In a statement, a spokesperson for Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the administration would once again review everything we know about this gunman in the context of our laws and determine what more we can do to continue our public safety work.

As this investigation progresses in the coming weeks we will learn more about this incident and if the law may have fell short, and it is imperative we have all of the facts so we can work together to strengthen the laws already on the books, said the statement from Jordan Abudayyeh.

Federal officials were able to trace the weapon after Crimo apparently dropped it as he exited the area. Authorities have said he apparently left it behind while dressed as a woman, perhaps to aid him in blending in with the fleeing crowd as he escaped the parade route.

The serial number on the firearm was traced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, which determined it had been manufactured by Smith & Wesson. In all traces, agents then contact manufacturers to find out where the weapon was shipped, typically for sale.

That point of sale is also investigated by ATF agents, who interview the federally licensed dealer who sold the rifle. Paperwork retained by FFL dealers includes the name of purchasers, officials and experts have said, in this case Crimo.

The name of the FFL dealer is being withheld because interviews are still being conducted about the sales, said Lake County Sheriffs Deputy Chief Chris Covelli, a spokesman for the task force investigating the shooting.

mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com

asweeney@chicagotribune.com
A pastor from the Windy City's South Side called for justice in his violence-ridden community after support from politicians poured into the nearby suburb of Highland Park following the July 4 mass shooting.

"This area in this community is definitely not a stranger to violence at all," TJ Grooms, a pastor at the New Beginnings Church, told Fox News. "There was a mass shooting here right behind me where five victims were shot, literally right behind me."

That July 4 shooting on the South Side was all too common, according to Grooms, who lives in a city that faced nearly 800 murders in 2021. The same day, a gunman opened fire on an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, an affluent Chicago suburb, ultimately killing seven and injuring around 30, attracting nationwide attention.

The parade shooting prompted renewed calls for tighter gun-control from high-profile figures, including Vice President Kamala Harris and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

HIGHLAND PARK ATTACK: LIVE UPDATES

Grooms asked for "the same level of attention, the same level of concern, the same level of care that our politicians  give to an event like what we've seen in Highland [Park]. The same amount of justice that we desire to have in a city like Uvalde or in a city like Highland Park, we want that same level of concern, that same level of justice, that same level of care for a community like this here in the South Side of Chicago."

"It does not diminish anything that happened there, and it does not diminish the concern and the care that they deserve," Grooms continued. "It's just that we deserve that same level of care."

Shootings in Chicago raged over the long holiday weekend, killing at least 10 and leaving 62 injured, while 2021 marked the city's deadliest year in a quarter-century.

HIGHLAND PARK FOURTH OF JULY SHOOTING: A TIMELINE OF EVENTS

Chicago police surround a house in the 6300 block of South Bishop Street after a police officer was shot nearby on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. Todd Panagopoulos/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

"Me hearing about somebody getting shot is like a person hearing about a kid breaking an arm or falling off a bike," Grooms told Fox News.

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He said June was particularly bad. In one week, Grooms buried four men all younger than 21, including an 18-year-old he'd mentored.

HIGHLAND PARK SHOOTING: WITNESS DESCRIBES EFFORTS TO SAVE CHILDREN, RECOUNTS TRAGEDY

Grooms said every week he gets "a phone call in the middle of the night or during the day about somebody that I know or that is a friend of somebody that I know that has been either shot or killed by gun violence."

"This last one that I lost was extremely close," Grooms said. "When we went in to identify the body and  they pulled that sheet from over him, and you saw his mouth open, and I saw his eyes, and I looked over at his mother, and I heard a scream that only a mother could give."

"In that moment, it was like the first time I ever experienced someone getting shot all over again," Grooms continued.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

He said "we almost expect these things to happen" in a low-income, predominantly Black community like his. "And when you expect these things to happen, it's as if you walk around and you don't have the same level of care and the same level of concern."

By comparison, "you can get political brownie points just by showing up" in affluent communities like Highland Park, Grooms told Fox News.

"We have to get to a place to where you understand that when a child gets shot and killed in the city of Chicago, that's your community," the pastor continued. "Even though you've never lived here, even though you've never been around here, it's your community because we're Americans."
March For Our Lioves rally in Washington DC - Credit: Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

Exorcisms are the new gun control  at least according to Fox News contributor Bill Bennett. During the conservative networks coverage of the mass shooting at a 4th of July in a Chicago suburb, the former secretary of education suggested exorcists as the solution to ending gun violence. And he wasnt joking.

You need police. You need parents for sure. You need schools But you know, you may need an exorcist, too, Bennett, who served in the Reagan administration, said. Before your audience shakes its head on that: If you look at these young men, they have deeply spiritual problems. Deeply.

More from Rolling Stone

Bill Bennett just said we should consider using exorcists to stop mass shootings??????? pic.twitter.com/HSLOyShgXL  Kat Abu (@abughazalehkat) July 6, 2022

He added, If you go into the labyrinthine caves of the internet  way down and I dont recommend it  its ugly stuff. These guys dwell there. They live there. They drench themselves in it. And its as ugly and evil as it gets. Where are the ministers? The rabbis? The priests?

Bennett seems to refer to the Highland Park shooters affinity for the rarely moderated social messaging platform Discord, where he shared nihilistic political memes and music among users, even joking about R. Budd Dwyer, the Pennsylvania politician who committed suicide during a news conference in 1987. (I wish politicians still gave speeches like this, he wrote per NBC News.)

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Look, I dont want to suggest something that would seem farcical to a lot of your audience, continued Bennett on Fox News. Its a deeply spiritual void that I think that the semen have in their hearts and their souls. And I think it needs to be addressed.

He ended his rant by saying, We need to do it all but we need to do more. What?

Best of Rolling Stone

Click here to read the full article.
Apple (AAPL) on Thursday unveiled a unique new security feature designed specifically to take on the kind of dangerous spyware used by governments to eavesdrop on everyone from political dissidents and activists to journalists around the world.

The feature, called Lockdown Mode and available later this year with the release of iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura, will allow Apple users to cut off access to a slew of communication features on their devices, ensuring, at least for now, that malicious actors cant access their information.

The reason for the new security capability? Apples ongoing fight against Israels NSO Group and its Pegasus software, a powerful piece of spyware that can remotely suck up all of the information on a target device without the victim ever knowing.

Apple makes the most secure mobile devices on the market. Lockdown Mode is a groundbreaking capability that reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting users from even the rarest, most sophisticated attacks, Apple head of security engineering and architecture, Ivan Krstic, said in a statement.

But while Apples update will cut out current versions of NSO Groups software, its far from a permanent solution. And NSO Group, and its competitors, could eventually break through Apples security barriers again.

Apples fight against Pegasus

Apple is quick to point out that Lockdown Mode is for a very specific group of users. So if youre not a head of state or corporation, a political activist, or dissident, you likely wont have to enable the feature.

When activated, however, Lockdown Mode creates a kind of panic room for your Apple device. It disables attachments and link previews in the Messages app, disables certain web technologies in the browser app, blocks things like FaceTime calls unless youve previously called a person, and more.

Apple's Lockdown Mode is designed to fight back against spying software like NSO Group's Pegasus. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner, File)

Apple says it will continue to build on Lockdown Mode and release updates in the future. The company is also paying up to $2 million to hackers who can find bugs that break Lockdown Mode, an industry high. Companies regularly pay hackers to break their software in an effort to find bugs that can be used to create malware.

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The ultimate piece of spyware

NSO Groups Pegasus software isnt your average piece of malware, though. Its more or less the Holy Grail of spyware, giving the companys customers, which include governments like Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, unfettered access to everything on a targets Apple device.

The software initially required targets to unknowingly click a malicious link sent to an iPhone, but a secondary version could be installed on a device without the target having to do anything. In either situation, the target would never know that the software was installed on their device.

According to The Guardian, the spyware was used to track associates of murdered Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. U.S. intelligence officials believe Saudi Arabias crown prince, Mohammad bin Salman, ordered Khashoggis murder.

Its such a powerful piece of technology that in Nov. 2021, the The Commerce Department blacklisted the NSO Group, eliminating its ability to purchase American goods.

Apple has been fighting the NSO Group and others like it for some time. In November, the company filed a lawsuit against the spyware maker in California alleging it attacked Apple, its services, and its customers. The iPhone maker isnt the only tech giant going after NSO Group, either. WhatsApp parent Meta (META) is also suing the company after it developed spyware that could be installed on victims devices via WhatsApp messages.

While Apple is working to kill Pegasus ability to gain access to users devices, NSO Group will likely continue developing new ways of breaking into Apples software. Thats not an Apple problem alone, either.

Regardless of how well funded a tech company might be, adversaries creating code designed to exploit their software will always be ahead of the curve. Thats because at the end of the day, people create the software that powers tech giants products. And since malicious actors spend all of their time trying to crack that software, theyre always one step ahead of the good guys.

Still, Apples release is important in that it will protect its most vulnerable users. How long it will do so, though, is another issue.

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An Indianapolis man who was upset that he wasn't getting his mail pleaded guilty to fatally shooting a postal carrier, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Tony Cushingberry, 23, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Tuesday in the 2020 death of letter carrier Angela Summers, the U.S. attorneys office for Southern Indiana said.

He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. A sentencing date hasnt been set.

Mail wasnt being delivered to Cushingberrys home because of issues with a dog at the home, according to court documents.

While Summers was delivering mail on April 27, 2020, Cushingberry approached her and she backed away onto a neighbor's porch. She sprayed him with defensive spray just before she was shot, plea agreement documents say.

Summers was a dedicated public servant simply doing her job when she was senselessly murdered, U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers said in a statement.

A request for comment from an attorney listed as representing Cushingberry wasnt immediately returned Wednesday.

Cushingberry told police that he didn't intend to kill the letter carrier but wanted to scare her, a postal inspector wrote in an affidavit associated with a criminal complaint.

The mail at the home was placed on hold and had to be retrieved from a post office about two weeks before the shooting because of the dog, the affidavit says.
A look at the shareholders of Yum China Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:YUMC) can tell us which group is most powerful. Institutions often own shares in more established companies, while it's not unusual to see insiders own a fair bit of smaller companies. We also tend to see lower insider ownership in companies that were previously publicly owned.

With a market capitalization of US$20b, Yum China Holdings is rather large. We'd expect to see institutional investors on the register. Companies of this size are usually well known to retail investors, too. Taking a look at our data on the ownership groups (below), it seems that institutions own shares in the company. We can zoom in on the different ownership groups, to learn more about Yum China Holdings.

Check out our latest analysis for Yum China Holdings

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Yum China Holdings?

Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index.

We can see that Yum China Holdings 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 Yum China Holdings' 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. Yum China Holdings is not owned by hedge funds. Invesco Ltd. is currently the company's largest shareholder with 9.7% of shares outstanding. For context, the second largest shareholder holds about 7.6% of the shares outstanding, followed by an ownership of 4.2% by the third-largest shareholder.

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Looking at the shareholder registry, we can see that 50% of the ownership is controlled by the top 17 shareholders, meaning that no single shareholder has a majority interest in the ownership.

While studying institutional ownership for a company can add value to your research, it is also a good practice to research analyst recommendations to get a deeper understand of a stock's expected performance. There are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too.

Insider Ownership Of Yum China Holdings

The definition of company insiders can be subjective and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it.

I generally consider insider ownership to be a good thing. However, on some occasions it makes it more difficult for other shareholders to hold the board accountable for decisions.

Our data suggests that insiders own under 1% of Yum China Holdings, Inc. in their own names. Being so large, we would not expect insiders to own a large proportion of the stock. Collectively, they own US$38m of stock. It is good to see board members owning shares, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying.

General Public Ownership

The general public, who are usually individual investors, hold a 18% stake in Yum China Holdings. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies.

Next Steps:

While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. Take risks for example - Yum China Holdings has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

If you would prefer discover what analysts are predicting in terms of future growth, do not miss this free report on analyst forecasts.

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.

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By Charlotte Greenfield and Mohammad Yunus Yawar

QAFAS KALAY, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A group of Afghan children were grazing sheep in fields near the village of Bolak Wandi in eastern Helmand when they spotted a metallic object half-buried in the ground. Crowding round excitedly, they argued over who had found it first and who could sell it for scrap.

The mortar shell exploded, killing one child instantly.

Three more children died from their wounds as they were taken to hospital by Taliban fighters who had been nearby. Another passed away on arrival.

"I don't blame anyone," said Haji Abdul Salam, the father of two of the children. He tries to focus on comforting his wife, who cries for her lost children.

"This mortar could have been left over from the Americans or the Soviet Union. However, not only our area, but all of Afghanistan should be cleared of this problem."

That mission has become more difficult.

The Taliban's return to power last summer, ending their 20-year insurgency, should have helped de-mining efforts, with swathes of territory that were off-limits during the fighting finally accessible.

Yet foreign governments have now frozen development aid to the Afghan government, unwilling to use their taxpayers' money to prop up the Taliban, an Islamist group that restricts women's rights and has been at war with much of the West since harbouring Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks.

One unintended consequence: In a previously unreported development, the Afghan government agency that oversees mine clearance told Reuters it had lost its roughly $3 million funding and laid off about 120 staff in April - the majority of the organisation - because it couldn't pay salaries.

"All the sanctions have severely affected us," said Sayed Danish, deputy head of the agency, the Directorate of Mine Action Coordination (DMAC). "We can't do strategic work, which is our main responsibility."

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The cost to ordinary Afghans of isolating the Taliban, who say they are being unfairly treated, was also highlighted after an earthquake last month left thousands homeless and the health system under huge strain, sparking some calls for a new approach to the group.

The loss of de-mining funds could have profound consequences for the country of 40 million people which is one of the most heavily mined places on Earth after four decades of war.

Almost 80% of civilian casualties from "explosive remnants of war" are children, the U.N. mining agency estimates, partly due to their curiosity as well as their regular role in collecting scrap metal to sell to bolster families' incomes.

In the seven months to March, about 300 Afghan children were killed or maimed by landmines and other unexploded devices, according to the U.N.'s children's agency.

The five children from Bolak Wandi, four boys and a girl aged between five and 12, died in April.

THOUSANDS OF DEVICES

Foreign governments have exempted humanitarian aid from their freeze, and hundreds of millions of dollars are flowing into the country, allowing aid organizations to function.

But the limitations of such funds  to meet urgent needs and aimed at bypassing the government  are becoming apparent, with many economists and experts saying the population will suffer without robust state services and a viable banking sector.

DMAC's funding is part of roughly $9 billion a year in international development and security aid that the World Bank says been frozen since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, which relies on foreign donors for the bulk of its budget.

The de-mining work itself is largely carried out by aid groups, but DMAC provides strategic guidance to prioritise high-danger areas and maps the nationwide de-mining work to avoid duplicating efforts, according to Danish and aid workers.

"Mine action works best when national-level coordination and oversight is in place," said Sren Srensen, head of Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding for Afghanistan at the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), an international organisation.

"At the moment all that is being done is that we select areas from an outdated list," he added. "That is not effective and is not addressing the most serious hazards."

Srensen stares out of the window of a car on the way back to the capital Kabul from Qafas Kalay, a small village in the eastern district of Khaki Jabbar, an area once used by Soviet forces as a military outpost and which more recently saw heavy fighting as the Taliban took the area.

Hundreds of devices have been detonated in the vicinity but almost 40,000 square miles still need to cleared. Across Afghanistan, thousands of unexploded devices lie in wait, the U.N. de-mining agency says.

"We finally have this amazing window of opportunity to actually clear this country," Srensen said. "There is so much we could do."

On a hillside outside Qafas Kalay, about 20 miles east of Kabul, DRC mine-clearance workers in protective vests and visors peer at the ground and sweep detectors.

They place a small flag on a barely visible device found nestled in the dirt - a Soviet anti-personnel mine - and then connect it by wires that run hundreds of metres to a small makeshift control centre where the countdown begins. The device blows up and the de-miners return to their painstaking work.

A few miles away, children on the doorstep of a mosque pore over cartoons that show different kinds of explosive devices and the kinds of places they might be hidden.

Their tutor tells them what to do if they spot one.

"We don't go to that place and we report it to our parents," the children repeat back enthusiastically.

The community nearby is already eking out patches of de-mined land to farm wheat and fruit and working on irrigation projects, developments that could help alleviate the growing hunger crisis in Afghanistan.

'THE PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING'

Asked about the cash crunch and layoffs at DMAC, the U.S. Department of State said it was continuing to support humanitarian de-mining in Afghanistan by directly funding NGO partners. A spokesperson said it had provided $720 million in overall humanitarian assistance to Afghans since last August.

Germany's foreign minister said in June there was no room to recognise the Taliban as a legitimate government until it changed policies on issues such as women's rights.

Foreign capitals want to squeeze the Taliban's finances to pressure the group to lift restrictions on the rights of girls and women to education, freedom of expression and employment.

Since returning to power, the group has kept girls' secondary schools closed and demanded women cover their faces in public and only leave home with a male relative or husband.

Some people have also accused the Taliban of reprisal attacks against former members of the Western-backed administration, including soldiers and intelligence officials.

The Taliban has said it would respect human rights and promised to investigate allegations of revenge killings, saying they have put an amnesty against former foes in place.

The Taliban also says it is addressing issues including girls' secondary education and has called on Washington to unfreeze billions of dollars of central bank assets, saying they belong to the Afghan people and the country needs a functioning banking system to alleviate poverty.

Late last month, a temporary deal was reached when DMAC agreed that the United Nations could set up an office in the country for about six months. But with funding for the stopgap U.N. regulator half of that of the Afghan agency before the Taliban takeover, it has only employed about 30 from the original 120 staff, according to Paul Heslop, Chief of the U.N. Mine Action Programme in Afghanistan.

He added that for long-term sustainability, the responsibility of coordinating de-mining should be with a state and not an outside humanitarian body like the U.N. agency.

"We're in a situation where we have a government that's not recognised," said Heslop, adding that the lack of funding was "very difficult".

"Even if you pay people they can't get the money out of the banks, it's very difficult for the people of Afghanistan at the moment, they are really suffering."

(Charlotte Greenfield reported from Qafas Kalay and Mohammad Yunus Yawar reported from Kabul; Additional reporting by Kabul newsroom and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington; Editing by Mike Collett-White and Pravin Char)
Screen captures from a 2020 video tour of his New Jersey home for People Magazine and a campaign video released in July 2022. They both feature similar details. People Magazine/Mehmet Oz campaign for Senate

Dr. Mehmet Oz is being accused of recording a campaign video from his mansion in New Jersey.

The video shows what appears to be the same bookcase as the one in his New Jersey home.

Oz is the Republican nominee for US Senate in Pennsylvania and was endorsed by former President Trump.

Since announcing his run for the US Senate seat representing Pennsylvania, Dr. Mehmet Oz, the celebrity doctor turned Republican politician, has been dogged by criticism that he doesn't actually live in the state he wants to represent.

As The Philadelphia Inquirer reported, Oz, in December 2020, registered to vote using his in-laws' address in Bryn Athyn. And according to his campaign, that Montgomery County address is where he resides today.

But in January 2020, Oz and his wife granted People magazine access to a property far closer to New York City. The headline: "Inside the New Jersey Mansion Dr. Oz and His Wife Lisa Built from Scratch 20 Years Ago."

On Thursday, Oz's Democratic rival, Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, accused the Trump-backed candidate of posting a campaign video recorded on that same property.

"Pro tip: Don't film an ad for your Pennsylvania Senate campaign from your mansion in New Jersey," Fetterman said in a statement.

It's unclear where Oz taped the campaign video; his campaign did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

In the campaign video Oz posted on Twitter, he blasts the mayor of Philadelphia, Jim Kenney, over widely-panned comments he made after two police officers were struck with bullets on July 4. An exasperated Kenney, that night, told reporters he was tired of dealing with gun violence and would be "happy when I'm not here."

"A surgeon never ever gives up on his patients, especially when lives are on the line," Oz says in the video  in front of bookcases that appear similar to the ones featured in People magazine.

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In particular, both the campaign video and the one shot by People appear to feature bookcases with the same rope-like pattern between the shelves, with both also featuring blue-and-white ceramic vases and golden candlestick holders.

Even if Oz were still living at his Cliffside Park address, just across the Hudson River from New York City, it would not affect his eligibility to run for federal office in Pennsylvania  so long as he does not vote in New Jersey. Under the US Constitution, a US senator need only reside "when elected" in the state they wish to represent.

Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com

Read the original article on Business Insider
Johnny Depp meeting his fans in front of Offenbach Town Hall, Hesse, Germany

Action Press/Shutterstock

Johnny Depp took a moment out of his schedule to greet supporters who awaited his arrival ahead of a concert event with Jeff Beck in Germany on Thursday afternoon.

Standing in front of the Stadthalle Offenbach in the state of Hesse, the actor, 59, said hello to fans with a wide smile as he posed for photographs with those in the group.

For the daytime outing, the Pirates of the Caribbean star wore a gray T-shirt with a plaid flannel shirt on top, which he layered with a gray jacket atop the two. Depp accessorized his look with a pair of large sunglasses.

The star later performed on stage with Beck, 78, whom he has been touring across Europe with over the past few weeks.

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Johnny Depp meeting his fans in front of Offenbach Town Hall, Hesse, Germany

Action Press/Shutterstock

RELATED: Johnny Depp Performs with Jeff Beck 2 Weeks After Amber Heard Trial Win: 'He Has Moved On' (Source)

Last month, Depp and Beck announced their upcoming album, titled 18, which is set to be released on July 15.

The duo also released an official music video for their first single off the new album, "This is a Song for Miss Hedy Lamarr." Depp previously teased the release of the song on Instagram.

"It's an extraordinary honor to play and write music with Jeff, one of the true greats and someone I am now privileged enough to call my brother," the Sweeney Todd actor said in a release.

"I haven't had another creative partner like him for ages," Beck added of Depp in the release. "He was a major force on this record." The British musician joked, "I just hope people will take him seriously as a musician because it's a hard thing for some people to accept that Johnny Depp can sing rock and roll."

RELATED VIDEO: Johnny Depp Performs for a Second Time in England Before Amber Heard Defamation Trial Verdict

Depp's performances with Beck come weeks after his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard.

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In June, Depp won all three defamation claims in his case against Heard, 36, over her 2018 op-ed about coming forward as a survivor of domestic abuse.

The jury awarded the actor $15 million in damages but Heard will only have to pay $10.35 million due to Virginia law capping punitive damages (the judge reduced the amount). Additionally, the seven-person jury awarded Heard $2 million in damages for her counterclaims against Depp.

A source previously told PEOPLE that Depp has "moved on" since the verdict, saying, "He is now able to get back to what he loves doing."

"He enjoys performing and has a busy summer ahead," the insider added. "He is also looking forward to continue working. He just wants his career back. He loves filming."

Reacting to the Virginia verdict on June 1, Heard said in a statement that she was "disappointed" by the jury's decision.

"The disappointment I feel today is beyond words," the Aquaman actress said. "I'm heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence and sway of my ex-husband."
Police are looking for a man who has been missing for over a week, the Kansas City Police Department said Thursday.

James Jackson, 31, was last heard from around 3 a.m. on June 29.

Jackson is 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs about 120 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. It is unknown what he was wearing when he disappeared, police said.

Anyone with information about Jacksons location can contact the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS or KCPDs missing persons unit at 816-234-5220.
Two Mexican Americans who have dedicated their lives to fighting for equality and the advancement of Latinos were awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, at the White House on Thursday.

Raul Yzaguirre is the founder and former leader of the National Council of La Raza, considered the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy group, renamed UnidosUS, and Julieta Garcia is a former president of the University of Texas at Brownsville  the first Latina to serve as a U.S. university president.

Born a decade apart in the Rio Grande Valley, Yzaguirre and Garcia took lessons from their upbringings in the South Texas region to achieve positions of power, which they then used to dismantle discrimination and fight for the advancement of Latinos and other people of color.

Yzaguirre, 82, born in San Juan, Texas, took a small organization with about $500,000 and 23 affiliates and grew it into a formidable one with a $40 million budget and 250 affiliates.

Image: Joe Biden (Susan Walsh / AP)

The group helped shape policy on immigration, education, voting rights and more. Yzaguirre stepped down in 2004, after 30 years at its helm.

He also served as the ambassador to the Dominican Republic under President Barack Obama.

Garcia, 73, born in Brownsville, Texas, was president of UT-Brownsville and helped oversee its merger with University of Texas Pan American to become UT-Rio Grande Valley, which serves mostly Latinos. She fought for money from the state's Permanent University Fund, which holds 2.1 million acres and revenue from oil and gas leases on the land, to create the university.

UT-Rio Grande Valley is ranked in the top three schools awarding bachelor's degrees to Latinos.

Yzaguirre and Garcia are among 17 people awarded the medal Thursday by President Joe Biden. Among the honorees are former Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz.; Olympic gymnast Simone Biles; U.S. soccer player Megan Rapinoe; the actor Denzel Washington; and posthumously, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple.

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Image: Joe Biden (Susan Walsh / AP)

'A visionary'

Yzaguirres work with UnidosUS rested heavily on bringing together the nation's increasingly diverse Latino population to forge a stronger political force that could command the attention of Washington power brokers. The 2020 census counted 62 million Latinos in the U.S.

What Raul doesnt get enough recognition for is how much of a visionary he was, said Lisa Navarette, who worked with Yzaguirre and now is an adviser to UnidosUS President Janet Murguia.

In the early '70s he was already envisioning what would become the Latino community," Navarrete said.

Yzaguirre was raised by his grandparents and was heavily influenced by his grandfather's own story of nearly being lynched by Texas Rangers when he was out past a curfew imposed by the state on Mexican Americans and Mexicans at the time, according to a 2016 biography, "Raul H. Yzaguirre: Seated at the Table of Power," by Stella Pope Duarte.

Yzaguirre was a protege of the civil rights leader Dr. Hector P. Garcia, a Mexican American physician who formed the civil rights group American GI Forum after witnessing mistreatment of Mexican American World War II veterans. Navarette said Garcia helped Yzaguirre channel his anger over discrimination into activism.

Yzaguirre's work in Washington continues to have an impact. Charles Kamasaki, a senior adviser at UnidosUS, recalled Yzaguirre deciding to agree to compromise on what became the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. He didn't like the enforcement levels in the bill and had worked to improve it until finally agreeing to a compromise in 1986, giving about 3 million immigrants without legal status in the U.S. a chance to become lawful permanent residents.

Raul Yzaguirre announces findings of the task force he headed for the Smithsonian on Latino issues in 1994. (Bill O'Leary / The Washington Post via Getty Images file)

Yzaguirre helped produce a scathing report on the Smithsonian Institution's failure to serve and hire Latinos, a report that was instrumental in last year's approval of a National Museum of the American Latino.

His tenure was also marked by clashes with administrations. He quit a commission on education and Hispanics in the 1990s in frustration over its partisanship and delays and picketed President Lyndon B. Johnson's administration over its lack of Hispanics.

"Raul taught me so much about integrity that I will take with me for the rest of my life," said Cecilia Munoz, a former Obama domestic policy adviser.

Munoz said she was among the first women at the National Council of La Raza to become pregnant while working there. She asked Yzaguirre whether that would end her work there, as many colleagues expected.

"He said, 'Of course not, we are family focused and it's time to put our money where our mouth is.' This was 1992, before the Family Leave Act," she said.

When Yzaguirre was unable to testify on the 1986 immigration bill in the U.S. Senate, he sent Munoz. The staff of Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., suggested the council reconsider, but Yzaguirre told Munoz to rise to the occasion.

"He developed leaders and I'm one of many, many alumni at the organization who followed his example and made a difference in other organizations and in government," she said.

Ben Yzaguirre, the youngest of his six children, said that as he gets the medal his father wants people to know that while the achievements he had were great and moved our community forward, theres still a lot of work to be done. Immigration reform, voting rights, still still need attention ... to continue to progress.

Yzaguirre retired in 2013 when his Parkinsons worsened. He lives in Maryland.

In a statement released by UnidosUS, Yzaguirre responded to the recognition.

Reflecting on my lifetime journey, I am proud of the fact that we all continue to be motivated by our desire to make the promise of the American Dream a reality, he said. For too long, Hispanics have been absent from that promise, even though they were historically among the first Americans as well as the newest Americans, and continue to make enormous contributions to our society and our economy.

Garcia told NBC News that she met Yzaguirre, whom she had revered for years, in Washington and they discovered they were cousins after she told him that the Yzaguirre name was also in her family.

"From then on, when I walked into a room where I was a nobody and Raul was always a somebody, he would say, 'Be careful with my prima,'" or cousin, she said.

A successful fight to educate new generations

But Garcia knew how to fight her own battles, too. She often has said growing up with brothers prepared her for the almost all male domain of college and university presidents.

Garcia's mother, a fifth-generation Texan, died when Garcia was 9. Her father was from Monterrey and came to the U.S. as a young boy when his family fled the Mexican Revolution. He had come from an educated family and did well in high school. Her mother graduated salutatorian at her high school in Harlingen, Texas. But a college education was unaffordable and inaccessible for her parents, Garcia said.

"Imagine doing well in school but there's not a university to go to or there's one that you don't have access to because it's far away. Our intent was to never let that happen to another generation again in the Rio Grande Valley," she said referring to those she worked with to get the state Permanent University Fund money to UT-Rio Grande Valley and its medical school.

"Julieta Garcia believes in the talents and vitality of the people of south Texas," said Sarita Brown, co-founder and president of Excelencia in Education, a nonprofit Latino education advocacy group. "She shared her courage, expertise and commitment to advance a vision for higher education that serves her community and lights a path for us to follow for the future."

Garcia said she spent 22 years in the back of the room at university meetings raising her hand trying to get a share of the funds for UT-Brownsville. The school, as well as UT-Pan American  which were both on the heavily Latino South Texas area  were the only UT schools that did not get some of the money at the time.

Garcia took other steps to improve higher education among Latinos. Under her leadership, the university built up its physics program and added a second library to the campus. She fostered student interest in chess, not often associated with Latinos, through competitions and scholarships.

"We planted a huge flag in the UT System. ... When we created UT-RGV, it was with the express purpose of getting access to the Permanent University Fund," Garcia said. "That opened a spigot to South Texas and higher education forever more."

The numbers of Latinas leading universities has diminished in recent years and Garcia said she hopes hoping "teaching the next generation to be advocates" can help change that, including in Texas, she said.

"My job has been and will always be to talk about the potential of the human capital in the Valley of the Hispanic population in the United States," she sad.

"Imagine one day we have a governor in Texas who says, 'Aren't we lucky? Look at the number of Hispanic Texans that we have,'" she said. "They are bilingual, they are biliteral and bicultural. That's an asset in a world market."

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WEST AMWELL  A lawsuit has been filed alleging that the Hunterdon County Health Department's approval of a septic system for a proposed marijuana cultivation facility was invalid because a report on the system made "false representations."

The suit, filed by WoodMeier Farms on Rock Road West, also names Green Medicine NJ and GMNJ Properties, which want to convert a vacant church at the intersection of Rock Road West and Route 518 into the cultivation facility.

The lawsuit, filed June 30 in Superior Court in Hunterdon County, comes as the township's Planning Board has scheduled a special meeting for 7 p.m. July 14 at South Hunterdon High School to continue a public hearing on the plan for the facility, which has drawn vocal community opposition.

GMNJ Properties wants to convert the former First Pentecostal Prayer of Faith Church into a 30,000-square-foot cultivation facility.

Green Medicine bought the 22-acre parcel with the 29,000-square-foot empty church building for $2.45 million.

No changes to the exterior, footprint or height of the building are proposed. Green Medicine would also make all necessary repairs to the building and property and would plant trees along Route 518 and Rock Road West.

The lawsuit alleges that the county Health Department based its approval of the property's septic system based on a letter submitted by Green Medicine's engineer that detailed an independent firm's inspection in 2021.

The engineer's letter, according to the lawsuit, certified that the system is not malfunctioning and would not increase the daily sewage usage.

But, the lawsuit alleges, the letter misrepresented the findings of the inspection.

The inspection, according to the lawsuit, "detailed several problems with the septic system" and that "additional investigation is needed."

But based on the engineer's letter, the county Health Department granted approval on June 20.

Earlier:Interest grows over plan for vacant church in Hunterdon to become marijuana farm

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The lawsuit is asking the court to reverse the Health Department's approval and consider the application again. The Health Department's approval is needed for the application to move forward with the township Planning Board.

Green Medicine reinforced its commitment to work with the township.

"Green Medicine has always been mindful of the communities it works with and within. While we understand some of the concerns that any new business may bring to a community, we have invested significant resources, more than is typical at this stage of the approval process, to alleviate these concerns," said Cheryl Sullivan, CEO of Green Medicine. "Green Medicine has and will continue to demonstrate our commitment to the community by working with our township and neighbors"

Sullivan also touted the community benefits the facility will bring.

"Our plan will benefit all West Amwell taxpayers," she continued. "Besides providing local jobs through responsible agriculture, the township will receive a 2% tax on all sales, as well as a property tax of 2.25% of assessed value. Moreover, we are converting a dilapidated eyesore into an attractive building, surrounded by landscaping that meshes with the rural character of West Amwell."

The township has signed a host community agreement with Green Medicine calling for the company to pay an annual $100,000 community fee for five years, a total of $500,000 if the proposal is approved.

Green Medicine also has agreed to pay the township a 2% tax based on its gross revenue in medical marijuana sales.

The agreement "is to assist the township in addressing the potential health, safety and other effects or impacts of the facility may have on the township and on municipal programs."

The agreement also states that Green Medicine will be allowed to make additional payments to the township, including the funding of local drug abuse, prevention and education programs.

In addition, if the proposal is approved, the property will be subject to property taxes because religious land is exempt from property taxes.

Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ legal weed: Hunterdon County lawsuit may delay marijuana farm
Elvis Carrier

A woman lying in bed with her child Saturday night was hit twice in the chest by bullets fired by a man down the block, police say.

Elvis Ray Carrier, 29, fired at least six shots in the 4000 block of Parthenia Avenue, Louisville Metro Police say in an arrest citation.

Those shots burst into a home a few houses down, hitting the woman in bed. Four others were in the home at the time, police said.

Police responded to the area around 9:15 p.m. Saturday. A dispute outdoors led to the gunfire, which hit two people, a police spokeswoman said Saturday.

Tashawn Feldman, 20, was struck and died on scene of a single gunshot wound to the chest, said deputy coroner Scott Russ.

Background: Man killed, woman injured in Hazelwood shooting

The woman inside the home was taken to the University of Louisville Hospital. Carrier's arrest citation notes she is expected to survive.

In July 2022, Carrier pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree manslaughter, one count of second-degree assault and two counts of wanton endangerment. He was set to be sentenced that September, with a recommended prison sentence of 10 years.

Reporter Matthew Glowicki can be reached at 502-582-4989 or mglowicki@courier-journal.com. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/mattg.

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Become a Courier Journal subscriber today to support stories like this one. Get unlimited digital access here!

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville police: Man arrested in Hazelwood shootings
The Yorkshire club have paid a reported 21.4million for Sinisterra (ANP/AFP via Getty Images)

Leeds United have completed their sixth summer signing with the arrival of Colombia winger Luis Sinisterra from Feyenoord for an undisclosed fee.

The Yorkshire club have paid a reported 21.4million for Sinisterra, taking their close-season spending to over 90million.

United said: Leeds United are delighted to announce the signing of Colombia international Luis Sinisterra from Eredivisie outfit, Feyenoord.

The 23-year-old arrives at Elland Road for an undisclosed fee and has penned a five-year deal, running until the summer of 2027.

Leeds have previously signed Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen, Marc Roca, Darko Gyabi and Tyler Adams since narrowly avoiding relegation from the Premier League in May, recouping 45m of their summer outlay earlier this week when Manchester City completed the signing of midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

Sinisterra, 23, who scored 23 goals and made 14 assists in a total of 49 appearances for Feyenoord last season, is a likely replacement for Raphinha.

The Brazil winger is holding out for a summer move to Barcelona after reports Leeds had accepted a 60m bid from Chelsea.

Sinisterra has spent the last three seasons at Feyenoord, who signed him from Colombian side Once Caldas in July 2018.

He made his Eredivisie debut the following month, but his breakthrough campaign in 2019/20 was cut short due to a serious knee injury, which ruled him out for eight months.

Sinisterra, who has made five senior appearances for his country, was in sparkling form last season for Feyenoord.

He helped them reach the Europa Conference League final in May when they lost 1-0 to Roma and a third-placed finish in the Dutch top flight.
A 13-year-old boy was riding his bike in Panorama City on Wednesday morning when he was hit by a pickup truck whose driver showed the boy a badge and told him to get in, according to the LAPD. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

A 38-year-old man who impersonated a police officer to get a 13-year-old boy into his truck was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of kidnapping, Los Angeles police officials said.

Around 8 a.m. Wednesday, the boy was riding his bicycle near Van Nuys Boulevard and Tupper Street in Panorama City when he was struck by a pickup truck, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

A man identified as Ottoniel Mendoza got out of the vehicle, showed the boy a badge and told him he was a police officer, the LAPD said.

Mendoza told the boy to get into the truck and he did, police said.

A witness followed the truck and called police after the crash.

Officers found Mendoza, another man and the boy inside the truck near Sepulveda Boulevard and Tupper Street.

The boy was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries he sustained in the crash.

Both adult occupants of the truck were detained and interviewed, but only Mendoza was arrested and booked into jail, police said.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Man arrested on human smuggling charges

Wichita County deputies arrested a man for human smuggling in Electra Tuesday during a traffic stop.

According to a media release:

The deputy stopped a Toyota SUV for a traffic violation stop on U.S 287 in Electra. The driver, William Rene Carlos-Baran was arrested and transported to jail on Human Smuggling charges. Seven Guatemalan immigrants were detained and picked up by the U.S Border Patrol.

According to allegation made in the probable cause affidavit:

All occupants (eight total) appeared to be nervous. The deputy noted similarities to their previous experiences working with suspected human smuggling in Wichita County.

Carlos-Baron told the deputy they were driving to Houston from Las Vegas. He told the deputy he did not know any of his passengers names and only knew them through roofing jobs. He said he met an unknown person at a casino in Nevada who directed him to take the occupants of the Toyota to a gas station in Houston where he would get paid $100 per person transported.

The passengers told the deputy they were going on vacation in Wichita Falls but did not know where they were staying. They said they were going to stay for a week and head back to Nevada. One of the passengers said the group would pitch in $30 each for expenses.

According to the Wichita County Jail inmate data webpage, Carlos-Baron was charged with Smuggling of Persons. His bond was set at $50,000 by a judge. He was also put on an ICE Detainer and was being held without bond.

This is the fourth smuggling arrest in Wichita County this month. According to previous Times Record News reports,

On Friday July 1, DPS conducted a traffic stop on U.S 287. The driver, Emerzon Francisco Manzano, was arrested and charged with human smuggling. Manzano was taken to the hospital for medical problems where he admitted smuggling people to help his mother. Five people were booked into the jail on ICE detainers.

Man arrested in Wichita County on human-smuggling suspicion

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On Sunday July 3, DPS troopers arrested Samuel Cazun Cruz. He was charged with human smuggling. Cruz admitted he was getting paid $150 per person and said told the trooper it wasnt enough. Four people were placed on Federal Detainers and a juvenile was released to a family member.

Man admits to smuggling migrants for pay

On Monday July 4, DPS arrested Brandon Ismael Hernandez-Jimenez. He told the trooper the passengers in the car were his friends and they had all been partying at his house in Colorado. He said he was driving them back to Dallas. He later admitted he did not know the names of his passengers and said they were all from Mexico. He said he is from Mexico and they entered the U.S. illegally. He also said his passengers gave him $300 for gas money.

DPS arrests third human-smuggling suspect in Wichita County

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Man arrested in Wichita County on human-smuggling suspicion
Early voters trickled into Maryland polling places Thursday for the first of seven days of early voting in this years primary election.

Statewide, competitive races for governor, attorney general and comptroller headline the ballots for most voters. None of the three incumbents is running for reelection and multiple Democrats and Republicans are vying to replace them.

Voters in some areas also began choosing among multiple candidates to nominate for the General Assembly and such local offices as county executive, county council and states attorney.

Victor Robbins, voting center manager at the Silver Spring Civic Center, reported seeing 47 voters by about 10 a.m., far below the normal 200 to 300 voters.

This is very unusual, said Robbins, who has managed the center since 2018 and others since 2004.

He attributed the decline to increases in mail-in voting, noting thousands of voters had already requested and returned them. Before 2020, when the pandemic spurred an explosion in mail-in voting, about 3,000 people would show up the first day of early voting at his location, which he said has been the states busiest.

But even in 2020, a presidential election year, the early morning line outside the door was 150 people long. Thursday there were four voters at 7 a.m.

Hopefully this is the new normal where I think a lot of people are choosing how they want to vote, Robbins said.

The state reported 14,208 votes cast statewide by 3:30 p.m. In 2020, a presidential election year during the pandemic, 152,000 early voting ballots were cast the first day.

The early voting numbers also dont include mail-in ballots placed in drop boxes at the voting centers during early voting  ballots like the one gubernatorial candidate Tom Perez dropped off at the Silver Spring location Thursday morning.

Campaign signs, candidates and volunteers far outnumbered the voters as Perez dropped his ballot and expressed optimism about his chances in the nine-person Democratic race.

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Theres undeniably a lot of undecided voters, and the polling shows its a dead heat, said Perez, who said hes peaking at the right time.

Baltimores Public Safety Training Center saw 111 voters as of 10:30 a.m. Outside the center, City Del. Marlon Amprey was campaigning, but not voting. Amprey said hes waiting until the July 19 primary so his two-year-old daughter can watch him vote together with his wife.

Former Baltimore City Councilwoman Rochelle Rikki Spector also was at the Center, seeking support for Baltimore States Attorney candidate Thiru Vignarajah and for getting a petition on the November ballot to lower city property taxes.

She stressed the importance of exercising the right to vote. Everybody should show up, Spector said.

Miles to the east in Bel Air, the early voting crowd was light at the McFaul Activity Center.

Bel Airs Michael Thomson typically votes on Election Day, but decided to go early this time.

We travel a lot so we wanted to make sure we got our vote in as soon as we could, said Thomson. Fortunately the crowds werent too bad this morning so the process went great..

Bill Reichmann from Street used the drop box at the McFaul Center. I thought it was very easy, he said. The hardest part was deciding who to vote for.

In Towson, retired residents Bobby Shaw, 65, and his wife, Dellyse, 72, voted Thursday to avoid crowds and lines. By 11 a.m., only 86 voters had passed through the polls at the Towson Center for Art and Technology.

It was just easier for us to come in on an off day like this, said Shaw. Why wait?

Helen Hiser, 62, changed her party affiliation from Independent to Democrat to vote this primary season and did so in person out of admiration for poll workers.

After watching the January 6th hearings, I have a whole different level of respect for poll workers, she said.

David Read, 68, voted in person Thursday because of the sense of community associated with showing up.

I turned 18 in 1972, which was the first year that 18-year-olds could vote, he said outside the Center. We felt empowered by that, so Ive tried to vote every time since then.

Read made sure to tell his 16-year-old daughter he was headed to the polls, hoping she understands the value of casting a ballot. I will emphasize to her that all politics are local, he said.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Kelly Schulz, in her fourth visit to an early voting spot Thursday, spoke to voters at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg around 1 p.m.

Wearing a campaign T-shirt, she said she was feeling positive about her four-way primary and said she believes the large pool of undecided GOP voters have started making their decisions.

They want to elect somebody that has a good deal of success, said Schulz, a former lawmaker and cabinet secretary for Gov. Larry Hogan. They want somebody that has been in a position to be able to make change for Maryland.

The Gaithersburg location had seen 108 voters by 12:45 p.m., and more had placed mail-in ballots in its drop box, , said election chief Sofia Vega.

This is definitely the slowest year Ive seen so far for the start of it, said Vega, whos had the same role since 2018.

By 1:50 p.m., 288 voters had passed through the League for People with Disabilities in Baltimore, including Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wes Moore and his wife, Dawn. With their kids Mia, 11, and Jamie, 8, on their laps, the couple cast their votes.

We thought it was important as a family to be able to set an example that we want people to not just come out and vote, but make sure that theyre voting in a way that makes the most sense for them and their family, Moore said.

Todd Eberly, professor of political science at St. Marys College of Maryland, said he anticipated low turnout based on the number of undecided voters in the governors race and recent polls.

The percentage of undecided [voters] right up until the final days of the election, to me, at least in Maryland, seems unprecedented, Eberly said.

He said the percentage of Marylanders choosing early voting has increased every year, but the rise in mail-in voting could change that.

[It] could be folks were so comfortable with voting by mail during COVID that perhaps  theres been a larger than usual request of mail-in ballots, Eberly said.

The in-person voting that kicked off Thursday will run 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily  including Saturday and Sunday  through July 14.

Voters can visit any early voting center in their county. Baltimore residents can choose among seven early voting centers in the city, and Baltimore County residents have 11 locations to choose from. A full list of early voting centers is available at elections.maryland.gov/voting.

While Thursday marked the start of in-person voting this year, voting has been underway for weeks.

The state mailed or emailed ballots to nearly 460,000 voters who requested them in the last month, according to data from the State Board of Elections as of July 5. Of those, the board had already received ballots from at least 18,850 Democrats and 5,800 Republicans.

Voters have until July 12 to request a ballot by mail. Those who choose early in-person voting cannot vote by mail or in-person on July 19.

In Marylands closed primary system, voters can only cast a ballot for the party in which theyre registered. Roughly 2.2 million Democrats and 1 million Republicans are registered to vote in Maryland.

About 29% of registered Democrats and 22% of Republicans voted in 2018, the last gubernatorial primary, when Hogan ran for reelection. Maryland governors are limited to two four-year terms.

Baltimore Sun Media journalist Matt Button and Baltimore Sun reporter Emily Opilo contributed to this article.
Massillon Police Chief Keith Moser is slated to retire July 17. He has served more than 10 years as the city's head of police.

MASSILLON  Police Chief Keith Moser is calling it a career in Massillon after a 10-year run in the position.

His final day on the job is slated for July 17.

More: New deal for Massillon 'Blue Unit' patrol officers has minimum 3% pay raise

More: City Council votes to create animal control position; some tweaks ahead

Moser, 54, said Thursday that personal reasons are behind his decision to retire from the Police Department while appreciating his tenure with the city.

"It was a pleasure serving, and I enjoyed my time with the people here in the department," said Moser, who's spent 27 years donning a Massillon police uniform. "The time (to move on) is here."

Police Chief Keith Moser

Massillon Capt. Bill Peel is in line to serve as the city's interim police chief. A Civil Service exam will be scheduled down to road, which will help determine who will be the next full-time chief.

"I have confidence in Capt. Peel, and whoever's the next chief to keep the boat afloat," Moser said.

Although retiring from the Massillon police force, Moser said he will continue to work in the near future. He has an unspecified law enforcement position lined up with another entity in Stark County.

City Councilman Jamie Slutz, R-at large, is a retired Massillon officer and detective who worked with Moser for more than 20 years.

Massillon City Councilman Jamie Slutz, R-at large

Moser was Slutz's field training officer when Slutz began with the department.

"He trained me to do the job," Slutz said Thursday. "The chief has done a great job and deserves his retirement. It was an honor to work with him over the years."

Barb Sylvester, Massillon's safety-service director, said Moser notified the city on June 29 about his intent to retire.

"He served as a very good chief for us," she said. "It's always tough when you lose people who are in a command position."

Retiring Massillon police chief is former U.S. Army Ranger

Moser is a graduate of Tuslaw High School. He served in the 3rd Ranger Battalion at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he completed U.S. Army Ranger and Airborne training.

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Overall, the chief spent four years in the Army.

Moser earned an associate degree in criminal justice from the University of Akron and joined the city Police Department in May 1995, attaining the ranks of sergeant, lieutenant and captain prior to becoming chief in June 2012.

More: Weapons training, public handgun licensing, officer courses among uses for new center

Moser's tenure as chief did not come without some controversy.

In June 2013, he was demoted to captain by Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry, who then tapped Peel as interim chief.

Peel served as interim for a little more than three months. But Moser was reinstated after a successful Civil Service exam.

Reach Steven at steven.grazier@indeonline.com. On Twitter: @sgrazierINDE

This article originally appeared on The Independent: Massillon Police Chief Keith Moser retiring July 17
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot will travel to Paris and London to tout the citys economic recovery, her office announced Thursday.

Chicagos economy is thriving and our business sector has set records, keeping us competitive with top global financial cities, Lightfoot said in a statement. On behalf of our world-class city, Im thrilled to lead a delegation of city officials and business leaders to London and Paris, where I look forward to discussing Chicagos economic strengths, speaking at Fintech Week London 2022, and learning new ideas to further develop our business community and economy.

The trip comes as Lightfoot gears up for her reelection campaign and amid a series of negative developments for Chicagos business community, including Boeing taking its headquarters elsewhere and hedge fund Citadel moving to Miami. Lightfoot, however, has touted other businesses that have moved to Chicago and in a statement said several financial technology companies are thriving in the city.

While abroad, Lightfoot will meet with Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, and Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris. She will also meet with business leaders to explore new opportunities and participate in a series of roundtable discussions and attend policy briefings with local City Hall leadership, including one in London, focused on building back a better city after COVID-19 and another in Paris on its 15-minute city initiative.

The trip is planned for July 11 to July 15.

gpratt@chicagotribune.com
Paul Ajegba, the director of the Michigan Department of Transportation, talks with members of the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at Holland City Hall.

HOLLAND  The director of the Michigan Department of Transportation encouraged Holland-area communities to lean on MDOT's resources to help them apply for federal infrastructure grants in a visit to the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council.

Paul Ajegba, the agency's director, met with MACC members Wednesday at Holland City Hall to learn about the Holland area's growth, project priorities and concerns on the invitation of the MACC.

Ajegba took the opportunity to offer city and township leaders the agency's help in applying for funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a $973 billion investment in the United States' transportation networks, water, energy, public lands and broadband. The IIJA makes money available for local counties, cities and townships through a number of competitive grant programs.

MDOT will soon have $25 million to offer technical assistance and matching funds to local communities that need help applying for the IIJA funds, Ajegba said. The IIJA assistance program through MDOT is included in the state budget deal for Fiscal Year 2023, reached Friday.

Paul Ajegba, the director of the Michigan Department of Transportation, talks with members of the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at Holland City Hall.

"This is such a timely meeting because we just decided yesterday that we're going to fan out and start meeting with MPOs (metropolitan planning organizations) across the state about the advantages of this IIJA money," Ajegba said.

The director told community leaders to submit project ideas that MDOT can help with. The technical assistance MDOT can offer includes grant writing and technical assistance on the engineering and design of the project, plus back-end help with administering the grant after it is awarded and financial grants for the match dollars.

Michigan is trying to make sure it gets its share of the money, he said.

"A lot of other states are trying to do the same thing, and if we are not proactive and aggressive enough to go after this money, it's all going to go to other states," Ajegba said. "Please help us to help you. The only way we can be successful is if we try."

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More: MACC announces Jason Latham as new director

More: Here is where road work is underway around Holland this summer

The MACC members, representing seven townships surrounding Holland and the cities of Holland and Zeeland, introduced their communities and discussed the rapid growth Allegan and Ottawa counties continue to experience, in both population and business investment, encouraging MDOT to continue investing in the area. Allegan and Ottawa counties were two of the four fastest growing counties in Michigan from 2010 to 2020.

City manager Keith Van Beek thanked MDOT for the ongoing construction work on M-40 at I-196, which he noted is a crucial transportation corridor for Holland, not only for commuting workers but the expansion of LG Energy Solution and the Perrigo distribution center located nearby.

"Thank you for the investments that you are making in this community," Van Beek said. "We feel strongly that we are the growth of the region and the state, in a lot of ways, and we need that state investment to be able to support that."

Paul Ajegba, the director of the Michigan Department of Transportation, talks with members of the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at Holland City Hall.

In a roundtable discussion following Ajegba's offer of assistance, Linda Howell, supervisor of Laketown Township, said she has long been interested in pedestrian and bike crossings over Blue Star Highway, a project she suggested could be put forth for a federal infrastructure grant with the help of MDOT. Howell said she would be taking the idea to the rest of her township board.

"It brings another amenity and it opens up a whole other chunk of property for potential housing development and things like that because it's now connected and we can get those folks across the highway," Howell said. "There are a couple of those spots."

More: Zeeland Township homeowners want answers on M-231 bypass project

Brett Laughlin, managing director of the Ottawa County Road Commission, nudged MDOT to continue the planning work on the extension of the M-231 bypass of U.S. 31 south to Zeeland.

"The theme today was preservation, preserving the network we have, but you also have to look at growth, which was another theme today," Laughlin said. "There is a project that has been planned for many years, and that's the continuation of the bypass of M-231. Zeeland Township is one of the biggest growing communities in our area and that was where 231 was possibly going to have an interchange, so I would just encourage you to continue with that thought process and planning."

 Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at cmuyskens@hollandsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: MDOT director urges Holland leaders to apply for federal funds
Voters wait to cast their ballot.

An initiative that could protect more of Arizonans' assets from being sold to pay off medical and other debt likely will make the ballot this November.

The Predatory Debt Collection Protection Act would add protections against wage garnishment and increase the amount of money in homes, vehicles, bank accounts and household goods protected from being sold to pay off debt collectors.

The ballot initiative would limit the interest rate on medical debt to 3%, but the rest of its provisions would apply to all consumer debt, initiative organizers said.

The act would increase the amount of equity in a home protected from being taken by creditors to $400,000 from $250,000. It would raise vehicle protection to $15,000 from $6,000 ($25,000 for physically disabled drivers).

Supporters say the current debt protection numbers are outdated and the updates they propose reflect inflation.

The act also would raise the amount of money protected in a bank account to $5,000 from $300 and increase the value of household goods protected from creditors to $15,000 from $6,000.

These amounts would be adjusted annually for inflation, and aside from the interest rate cap, the protections would apply to all debt, not just medical debt.

The act was introduced last year by Healthcare Rising Arizona, a political action committee and a health advocacy organization with more than 1,200 members in Arizona. It receives support from SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, a union of health care workers headquartered in Oakland, California.

For the act to make the ballot in November, Healthcare Rising Arizona needed to collect 237,645 valid signatures on its petitions  10% of the votes cast for governor in the preceding election.

On Thursday morning, organizers turned in 472,296 signatures to the Secretary of State's Office.

Across the U.S., two-thirds of personal bankruptcies are caused by medical bills. We are trying to avoid that cycle of poverty that people get drawn into, said Rodd McLeod, spokesperson for Healthcare Rising Arizona.

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Medical debt a big concern

Bill Ford, a 77-year-old Navy veteran, lived in rural Arizona for 35 years before moving to Buckeye 12 years ago. He became a member of Healthcare Rising Arizona in 2020 and has been gathering signatures for the Predatory Debt Collection Act.

I've seen firsthand the struggles that people have obtaining affordable, accessible, quality health care in our state, Ford said. Especially in our rural communities.

My mother-in-law was a breast cancer survivor, he said. She thought she had a relapse, but put off going for medical prognosis because the family couldn't afford medical coverage. She put off receiving treatment until she aged into Medicare. By that time, it was too late and she passed away from cancer.

For Fords family, medical debt left a lasting legacy.

My wifes first husband was diagnosed with cancer in his mid-30s. The family did not have access to affordable health coverage, he said. He passed away nine months later, leaving a widow with three young children with a mountain of medical debt that took years to pay down. When you die, your medical debt does not disappear.

Credit card debt collection practices can trap families in a vicious cycle of debt and make it impossible to break free, Ford said. If someone gets sick or gets hurt and can't pay their medical bills, they can lose their car. If they lose their car, they can't go to work. If they can't work, they lose their homes.

Urban Institute Credit Bureau data from 2022 shows that 27% of Arizonans have debt in collections: 20% of white Arizonans and 39% of Arizonans of color (defined by the study as any race other than white, or multiracial). Twelve percent of Arizonans have medical debt in collections: 10% of white Arizonans and 16% of Arizonans of color.

According to the 2022 Kaiser Family Foundation Health Care Debt Survey, four in 10 adults across the U.S. have some form of health care debt. And uninsured adults, women, Black and Hispanic adults, and people with lower incomes are especially likely to have health care debt. At least half of Black and Hispanic adults say they have debt from medical or dental bills, compared with 37% of white adults. And 62% of uninsured adults say they have health care debt, compared with 44% of insured adults.

Just under 14% of Arizonans under 65 dont have health insurance, according to census data.

Gene Godwin, an elections worker, holds a roll of stickers for people who vote by dropping their ballots off at the Maricopa County Elections office at 510 S. Third Ave. in Phoenix on Oct. 16, 2020.

Detractors expected to fight initiative

The measure has its opponents.

The most troubling misconception of this initiative and why we believe the initiative is so misleading to the community is due to the fact that it would eliminate debt collection for more than just what the title suggests: medical related expenses, said Michael Guymon, president and CEO of the Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce.

Guymon acknowledged that the intent of the ballot initiative is to assist those who are down on their luck and are being pursued by predatory debt collectors, but said it ultimately would harm those people more.

He pointed to the part of the ballot initiative that adds protections against wage garnishment, a legal procedure in which someone's earnings are withheld by an employer for the payment of debt.

The act states that a judgment debtor will only be subject to a 10% maximum withholding of wages, with a potential for reduction to 5%. The disposable earnings that can be garnished will be based off of the state minimum wage and changed from thirty times the minimum hourly wage to sixty times the minimum hourly wage.

Calculations done by the Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce using state minimum wage from January 2023 found that this means that a person earning a W-2 income of less than $50,000 would be exempt from wage garnishment.

"If a lender cannot collect outstanding debts from a person earning $50,000 a year or less, why would they lend to them? Guymon said.

As a result of the added protection against wage garnishment and the increased protections on homes and bank accounts, Guymon said that analysts estimate a "drop of over 70% in current and future wage garnishments that are in place to collect judgments that have been awarded to creditors in Arizona."

"People that owe money to these creditors, but make less than $50,000 a year, will not have to repay their debts," he said.

"This will negatively impact business owners, lenders, and the overall financial ecosystem in Arizona," Guymon said. "If Neighbor A is not having to repay debts owed, the 'cost of money' for Neighbor B will go up in the form of restricted money lending and higher interest rates."

On Wednesday, The Greater Phoenix Chamber released a statement saying that "the proposed measure would have a devastating impact on business in Arizona."

"The Chamber is opposed to a new initiative that would make it harder for lenders to collect on debts," Greater Phoenix Chamber President and CEO Todd Sanders said. "This could make it more difficult for people in Arizona to get access to credit and amplify the current housing affordability issue, making it more difficult for people to buy homes and start businesses in Arizona. The passage of this initiative would be a disaster for Arizona and should be avoided at all costs."

McLoed said, We expect there to be a lawsuit and a real fight over it, but we think we will overcome the challenge.

Madeleine Parrish covers equity issues for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at madeleine.parrish@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Measure limiting debt collections likely heading to ballot in Arizona
Ukraine's Health Minister Viktor Lyashko

Read also: Family of collaborators target of car explosion in Russia-occupied Melitopol

The performance of their duties, the provision of medical care, receiving medicine or gasoline for medical emergencies in accordance with the current legislation of Ukraine is not considered collaboration with the invader, Lyashko said.



Read also: Moscow is forcing Kherson schools to switch to Russian curriculum

According to him, the doctor's mission is to save Ukrainians, regardless of who rules over the territory they are in or what is happening around them.


The Daily Beast

Lucy Nicholson/File Photo/ReutersIn August 2021, after area schools had been closed for at least a year, the head of United Teachers Los Angeles, Cecily Myart-Cruz, infamously ruminated on the unique learning experience school closings had given L.A. students."Theres no such thing as learning loss," she told Los Angeles magazine. Its OK that our babies may not have learned all their times tables. They learned resilience. They learned survival. They learned critical-thinking skills. They know
A former pastor was sentenced to 10 years in prison by a federal judge Wednesday for sexually assaulting a minor while on a mission trip in Uganda.

45-year-old Eric Tuininga, who is originally from Oregon but was living in Milledgeville at the time of his arrest, pleaded guilty to the crime in February. Judge Marc T. Treadwell sentenced Tuininga following a hearing Wednesday afternoon at the federal courthouse in Macon.

Tuininga, who was affiliated with the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, sexually assaulted a 14-year-old while on a mission trip to the Ugandan city of Mbale, according to court documents and testimony. The former pastor met his victim in his capacity as a religious leader.

Eric Tuininga used his trusted position as a pastor to sexually assault a young Ugandan girl in his care. This was a challenging case, but law enforcement worked diligently to ensure that Tuininga did not escape justice for his crime overseas, said U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia Peter D. Leary in a press release in February.

The crime was first reported to the U.S Embassy in Uganda in June of 2019 and later to Homeland Security after Tuininga had returned to his home in Milledgeville. After authorities questioned Tuininga in an airport before he flew back to Uganda that year, evidence against him was gathered from family members and victims.

During the Wednesday hearing, Tuiningas defense attorney objected to some of the evidence and requested a sentence of five years.

Though Tuiningas official charge held a recommended sentence of 87 to 108 months, Treadwell sentenced him to a decade in federal prison after hearing testimony from the victims caretaker and some of Tuiningas family members.

Treadwell also ordered Tuininga to pay $20,000 in restitution.

Tuininga will have to register as a sex offender once hes released from prison.
STEUBENVILLE, Ohio  The remains of an Army Air Forces technical sergeant from Ohio, who died after he was sent to a prisoner of war camp during World War II, have now been positively identified, Defense Department officials announced Tuesday.

Tech. Sgt. William F. Teaff, 26, of Steubenville, was assigned to the 351st Bombardment Squadron, 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 8th Air Force. On March 6, 1944, he was the radio operator aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber that was part of a larger mission to bomb targets in Berlin, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, or DPAA.

German fighters attacked the B-17s formation while it flew over the Netherlands, and Teaffs plane was destroyed. The planes navigator was killed when the aircraft was hit, but the rest of the crew bailed out before it exploded in the sky.

The crew was captured by the Germans and several of them, including Teaff, were sent to Stalag Luft 6, a prisoner of war camp in Heydekrug, Germany. Teaff was one of only three Americans who died in that POW camp. He died July 10, 1944, in the nearby village of Macikai, Lithuania, where he was receiving medical treatment for diptheria.

After the war, the American Graves Registration Command couldnt recover the three Americans remains because the POW camp  now inside Lithuania due to post-war border shifting  was deep inside the Soviet occupation zone. Despite continued efforts over the next few years, Teaffs remains couldnt be found and he was declared non-recoverable in March 1954.

After Lithuania became independent in 1992, officials learned the Soviet Union destroyed the POW camp in 1955 and reverted the area to farmland. In 2006, officials investigated the site and recommended excavation, but significant issues prevented them from sending a recovery team.

DPAA partnered with Ohio Valley Archeology Inc. in 2019, and a team was later able to find possible gravesites for the three missing Americans. Then, the DPAA partnered with a Lithuanian archeological group and excavated the area in August 2021.

The remains were transferred to a lab in Nebraska for analysis. Scientists used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as material and circumstantial evidence to identify Teaff.

Teaff was actually accounted for back in April, officials said, but the announcement was delayed until his family received a full briefing. The date and location for Teaffs funeral has not been determined.
Mississippi on Thursday became the latest US state to outlaw abortion after last month's Supreme Court ruling revoking protection for the procedure, leading to 11th-hour confrontations outside a clinic in Jackson.

Alternately thrilled or furious, opponents and supporters of abortion rights gathered outside Jackson Women's Health Organization, the facility at the heart of the United States Supreme Court's decision stating access to pregnancy termination is not a constitutional right.

Nicknamed the Pink House because of the building's colorful walls, Jackson Women's Health performed its final abortions Wednesday and saw its last consultation patients Thursday ahead of its closure.

Brandishing signs reading "Love God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind," dozens of abortion rights opponents greeted the final trickle of patients with music and shouted prayers.

On the opposite side of the gathering, abortion rights advocates answered with placards referencing the poor southern state's high maternal death rate to ask, "Why do you care more about hypothetical lives than real ones?" and others proclaiming "Abortion is health care."

Cheryl Hamlin, one of the doctors who had until Thursday worked at Jackson Women's Health, vehemently took the anti-abortion protesters to task outside the pink building, accusing them of not respecting women's rights.

In recent years, Jackson Women's Health was the only place to offer abortion care in religiously conservative Mississippi. That status left the clinic as the logical organization to take legal action when state legislators passed a law restricting abortion in 2018.

The case eventually made its way to the nation's high court, which on June 24 overturned its own landmark 1973 Roe v Wade ruling that had enshrined the constitutional right to an abortion in federal law.

Thirteen states, anticipating the seismic shift by the court, had already passed trigger laws to ban abortion, which were designed to take effect immediately after the overturning of Roe.

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Approximately seven of them have so far successfully banned abortion entirely, but legal battles have delayed the end date in states such as Louisiana.

Mississippi's 2007 law, which went into effect on Thursday, carries penalties of up to 10 years in prison for violations, and provides exceptions only in cases of danger to the life of the mother -- but not for rape or incest.

Diane Derzis, the owner of Jackson Women's Health, now plans to move to Las Cruces, New Mexico, which "for the time being is a very receptive state. We've been welcomed," she told NPR public radio.

Other clinics are also in the process of relocating to New Mexico or Illinois, but, Derzis added she was concerned there would not be enough facilities to handle the influx of patients from the South crossing state lines to seek abortions.

"I'm not sure we're ready for it," she said.

Ultimately abortion access is expected to disappear in about half of the country's 50 states.

str-chp/led/caw/bfm
A member of the Mount Lebanon school board was arrested in Florida after police said he sexually battered a minor.

34-year-old Andrew Freeman was arrested in Davenport by the Polk County sheriff on Wednesday.

Police said that a 17-year-old victim told a family friend Freeman had kissed her, put his hands under her clothes and sexually battered her. The victim was allegedly in the same area for vacation with family and friends, which included Freedman.

Authorities said that a family member entered the victims room and saw Freeman nearly nose-to-nose with her. After Freeman left the room, the family member began asking what had happened.

Police said that Freeman admitted to the incident during an interview with a detective and said, mistakes were made.

Andrew Freeman has violated the trust of his friends and the people who elected him to the school board. I have a feeling the people of Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania no longer want his services with the schools, let alone want him near their children again. He sexually battered a child. What was he thinking? said Sheriff Grady Judd.

On Thursday, the Mount Lebanon School District issued a statement on Freemans arrest.

The charges are very serious and disturbing said Board President Jake Wyland. The conduct described in the release is reprehensible and totally inconsistent with any communitys expectations of a school board member. We have been in contact with the Polk County Sheriffs Office and are closely monitoring these proceedings. We will continue to gather information as it becomes available.

Freeman is being charged with unlawful sexual activity with a minor.

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Vietnam confirms additional 913 new Covid-19 infections on Thursday

The Vietnamese Ministry of Health on Thursday reported an additional 913 Covid-19 infections, raising the country's total tally to over 10.75 million.













Illustrative photo







According to the ministry's report, most of the new patients are locally-transmitted.



As of Thursday evening, the number of Covid-19 patients in Vietnam has increased to over 10.75 million.



On July 7, an additional 8,562 more patients recovered from the disease, raising the number of recoveries in the country to over 9.74 million.



On Thursday evening, no deaths related to Covid-19 were recorded, the country's total fatalities stay at 43,089, accounting for 0.4 per cent of total infections.



By July 6, Vietnam had injected more than 234 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, including over 9.25 million given to children aged 5 to 11.



Speaking at a Monday meeting, deputy minister of health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong said that the pandemic was currently evolving in a complicated and unpredictable manner in the world following the resurgence of subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 of the Omicron variant.



"If the immunity declines in the community along with peoples apathy towards vaccinations as well as Covid-19 prevention measures, there will be a high risk of a resurgence of the pandemic," she said. "Notably, the subvariant BA.5 of the Omicron variant has been reported in Vietnam."
Most companies remain hesitant about leasing new office space, but one kind of downtown business seems ready to move forward with new deals. Landlords increasingly rely on law firms, many on the hunt for better amenities and perks, to fill either new offices or ones emptied out by the pandemic.

Its not that law firms are growing faster than other businesses. But lawyers are more likely to be back in the office, and the legal industry is further along in striking the right balance between work-from-home and in-office strategies. The vast amount of new or renovated space available also means lawyers have more opportunities to occupy digs that will impress new hires, as well as entice even more associates and partners back to the office.

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Law firms are more active right now than many other industries, said Joe Learner, vice chairman of commercial real estate firm Savills. The competition for associates is so fierce that they really do need something better than the competition to get an edge.

Kennedys Law is just the latest to make a move. The global firm agreed to occupy starting in October nearly 10,000 square feet on the 36th floor of the CME Center at 30 S. Wacker Dr. in the West Loop. The firm will relocate from its office at 100 North Riverside Plaza.

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The lobby at the CME Center, 30 S. Wacker Drive, in 2019. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Like many downtown landlords, CME Center owner Tishman Speyer recently completed major renovations meant to draw in new tenants, revamping the two-tower buildings lobby and adding amenities such as tenant lounges, a conferencing center and new fitness facilities.

Savills Corporate Managing Director Perry Kaplan, along with colleagues Eric Feinberg, John Goodman and Brandon Nasatir, helped Kennedys Law come up with a new real estate plan.

Many other law firms also seized opportunities to upgrade their spaces. Kirkland & Ellis last summer agreed to leave 300 N. LaSalle St. and occupy about 600,000 square feet in Salesforce Tower, a 60-story building rising along the Chicago River slated for completion in 2023. In addition, Chapman and Cutler left 111 W. Monroe St. in the Central Loop for BMO Tower, a new 51-story skyscraper next to Union Station.

The pandemic-related slowdown has made landlords eager to welcome the new tenants. The downtowns vacancy rate hit 19.7% in the first quarter, a record and up from 16.2% a year earlier, according to Colliers International.

Its not just Chicago firms that are on the move. Nationwide, law firm employees are returning to the office almost 30% more often than workers from other sectors, according to a 2022 Savills report, citing data from Kastle Systems, a security firm that tracks card swipes.

The need for face-to-face interaction with clients helps bring lawyers back, according to Learner, and partners also dont want to mentor new associates over Zoom. But even though that leads many firms to be on the lookout for space, its not a bonanza for landlords. Savills found nationwide that not a single law firm signed a deal in the first quarter for more than 100,000 square feet.

Most of the relocations were seeing now resulted in the firms taking less space, or taking the same amount of space, but using it to accommodate more attorneys, Learner said.

The newer, class A buildings preferred by law firms typically have fewer interior columns, allowing for more efficient use of space, according to Margaret Poster, executive managing director of Cushman & Wakefield.

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Thats a plus, she added, as it helps continue a big cultural shift underway in the legal world. In the past, partners frequently took the largest offices, in many cases about 1,000 square feet, while associates made do with a fraction.

Thats no longer the case, Poster said. Firms are being much more democratic, and universal office size is now the norm.

Its yet another perk for young lawyers, and by taking less space, firms can pay the rents demanded by new amenity-rich properties such as Salesforce Tower and BMO Tower in Chicago, and One Vanderbilt and the Hudson Yards complex in Midtown Manhattan.

Were seeing the same thing in all the big markets around the country, Poster said.

Learner said he expects this heightened level of activity from law firms to continue.

You would think that, at some point, the fierce competition for talent would take a break, and firms could relax a bit, he said. But at this moment there doesnt seem to be an end in sight.
NASA Invites Media to Grand Opening of New Research Support Building

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, July 7, 2022

WASHINGTON , July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland will unveil its new Research Support Building (RSB) on Tuesday, July 11. Media are invited to attend.

Exterior view of Glenns new Research Support Building.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 10 a.m., and interviews and a media tour will follow. An open house for Glenn employees will begin at 10:30 a.m.

Media interested in attending the event should contact Jan Wittry at jan.m.wittry-1@nasa.gov by noon Friday, July 8.

The contemporary new building will serve as a campus center and provide a flexible, inclusive, and collaborative workplace for employees to meet NASA's future mission needs. The RSB will house 164 employees and include open office areas, private offices, conference rooms, collaborative engineering rooms, a gift shop, credit union, and cafeteria.

NASA was awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for the building's environmental features.

The RSB is part of the center's Facility Master Plan, a multiyear effort to revitalize the central campus and renovate or replace WWII-era buildings.

For more information on Glenn, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/glenn

NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA) (PRNewsFoto/) (PRNewsfoto/NASA)

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View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-invites-media-to-grand-opening-of-new-research-support-building-301582670.html

SOURCE NASA
(Independent)

Nasa warns a pressure test the space agency plans to conduct Saturday in Houston could generate a loud, audible boom that sounds like an explosion.

Engineers at Nasas Johnson Space Center will test an inflatable lunar habitat prototype until the point it bursts Saturday morning, according to a Nasa media release, with the boom possibly coming around 11am CDT.

The noise may be alarming for folks but, rest assured, it is a normal outcome of the test we are doing, senior software engineer and test director Matthew Green said in a statement. The more people who are aware the test is taking place, the more people we can make feel comfortable and bring awareness to the important research we are doing.

The test will begin around 8am and the boom could come anytime from around 11am to 12pm CDT, but Nasa will complete the test by the afternoon.

Pressure testing will given Nasa engineers crucial information about materials, geometry and performance of the potential lunar habitat at pressure extremes.

Since the future habitat being tested eventually may find its way to the Moons surface and need to function in that extreme environment, it is critical to understand how much internal pressure it can withstand, the media release notes.
(Getty Images)

Nick Cannon, a soon-to-be father of eight, has weighed in on the news that Elon Musk is now a father to ten children.

The Wild N Out host is notorious for fathering several children with various women. However, now it seems the Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder has unseated Cannon as the worlds most famous dad.

On Thursday, Cannon showed his support for Musk after reports broke that the 51-year-old billionaire secretly welcomed twins with Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis in November 2021.

Doing my best to help the underpopulation crisis. A collapsing birth rate is the biggest danger civilization faces by far, Musk tweeted amid the news.

Cannon, 41, tweeted in response: Right there with you my Brother!

The comedian shares 11-year-old twins  Moroccan and Monroe  with ex-wife Mariah Carey, and two children  Golden, five, and Powerful, one  with Brittany Bell.

In 2021, Cannon welcomed twins Zion and Zillion with Abby De La Rosa and son, Zen  who passed away of a brain tumour in December 2021  with Alyssa Scott. In January 2022, he confirmed that hell be having his eighth child with model Bre Tiesi.

Right there with you my Brother!  Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) July 7, 2022

The television personality previously admitted that he considered a vasectomy shortly after it was revealed he would become a father for the eighth time.

I aint looking to populate the earth completely, but Im definitely looking forward to taking care and loving all the children that I currently have, Cannon said in an interview with E! Newss Daily Poplast May.

However, it seems that Cannon could be expecting more children in the future. In June, Cannon appeared on the Lip Service podcast, where addressed speculation that he had three babies on the way. In response, he joked, When you say on the way, what count are you at?

He added, Lets just put it this way the stork is on the way.

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For now, the musician hopes that all of his children can be friends, even if their mothers dont always agree. This week, Cannon appeared on radio station Power 106 FM, where he performed a freestyle rap that was a message to all of [his] kids.

But what is a ring but really a band? I got you for life, and Ill always be there, he sang. All of my children will always be friends, even if their mamas not in agreeance. Cannons a gang and we an allegiance.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk is officially a father to nine after it was reported on 6 July that he quietly welcomed a set of twins with Shivon Zilis, 36, in November 2021  weeks before the billionaire welcomed his second child with Grimes.

According to court documents obtained by Business Insider, Musk and Zilis filed a petition in April to change the twins name to have their fathers last name and contain part of their mothers last name. A Texas court approved the request in May. The documents also show the pair listed the same home address in Austin, Texas, where Tesla is based.

Zilis, a Yale-educated artificial intelligence specialist, is currently the director of operations and special projects at Neuralink, a Musk-led firm which designs computer implants to allow peoples brains to control electronic devices.
LOS ANGELES  The husband of rapper Nicki Minaj was sentenced Wednesday to one year of home confinement for failing to register as a sex offender, a representative of the federal prosecutors office said.

Kenneth Petty was also sentenced to three years of probation and fined $55,000, according to the representative for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California. The office had no further comment.

Petty pleaded guilty in September to one count of failure to register as a sex offender.

He was required to register as a sex offender after being convicted of first-degree attempted rape in New York in 1995, when he was 16, according to court documents.

Petty moved to California in July 2019, and during a traffic stop in Beverly Hills authorities learned he had not registered, officials said. He was indicted in March 2020.

Image: Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty. (James Devaney / GC Images file)

An attorney for Petty did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday night.

Prosecutors had argued for prison time, writing in a June sentencing position that he should be sentenced to 15 months, or a little over a year, in prison.

Prosecutors argued that he knowingly failed to register after moving to California. They also wrote that home confinement would not be appropriate, citing a six-bedroom, seven-bathroom home in Calabasas with a pool.

Petty served nearly four years in prison after the New York attempted rape conviction.

Nicki Minaj revealed in an October 2019 Instagram post that she and Petty had married.
Access Hollywood

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were all smiles as they arrived hand-in-hand at the UN General Assembly in New York City on Monday. The Duke of Sussex is expected to give a speech about Nelson Mandelas legacy and speak to delegates about climate change and poverty. He will also be the keynote speaker for the United Nations event.
(Getty Images)

Nottingham Forest have agreed a 17 million fee with Liverpool for full-back Neco Williams.

The Wales international is set to join the promoted club if he agrees personal terms. He is likely to become their fifth summer signing and would take their spending this window past 50m.

Forests move for Williams signals a recognition they are unlikely to be able to buy Djed Spence, who was a revelation for them at right wing-back while on loan from Middlesbrough last summer. The 21-year-old is instead expected to join Tottenham.

Williams made 33 appearances for Liverpool, helping them to win the Premier League in 2020, as Trent Alexander-Arnolds understudy and spent the second half of last season on loan at Fulham as they won the Championship.

Liverpool have already replaced him while making a profit by bringing in the Aberdeen teenager Calvin Ramsay for an initial 4m.

Williams departure would mean that Liverpool, who have already sold Sadio Mane and Takumi Minamino, have brought in around 70m, almost paying for the arrivals of Darwin Nunez, Fabio Carvalho and Ramsay.

Joining Forest should give Williams regular Premier League football ahead of Wales first World Cup for 64 years. He has won 21 caps, often playing on the left flank for his country.

Forest have made striker Taiwo Awoniyi their club record buy, as well as buying Giulian Biancone and Moussa Niakite and taking goalkeeper Dean Henderson on loan from Manchester United.

They are thought to be interested in Bayern Munichs Omar Richards while Huddersfield left-back Harry Toffolo is a target, though no fee has yet been agreed with the Terriers.
The number of Haitians deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement fell dramatically in June as the Biden administration has allowed more to enter the country through legal ports of entry to seek asylum, according to an internal planning document obtained by NBC News.

The policy has incentivized Haitians to come through legal ports of entry along the border rather than attempting to cross undetected, according to the document. Theyre allowed entry after legal and immigration advocates file for them to be exempted from Title 42, the Covid-19 public health order that prevents migrants from staying in the U.S. to seek asylum.

Previously, Haitians were being rapidly sent back to Haiti on flights as part of Title 42. A total of 36 flights in May expelled or deported more than 4,000 Haitians.

Since more began being admitted at ports of entry in June, the number of Haitians apprehended between ports of entry has fallen from 7,694 to 130, according to internal Customs and Border Protection data. Meanwhile, 3,643 presented themselves at legal ports of entry and were allowed to stay in the U.S. to be processed and possibly pursue asylum claims. As a result, the last deportation flight carrying Haitians back to Haiti was June 3, the document said.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the agency continues to enforce Title 42, but that its ability to expel people may be limited for several reasons, including operational constraints and whether Mexico or their country of origin are willing, and have the capacity, to receive those individuals.

DHS operates multiple expulsion and removal flights weekly to countries throughout the hemisphere, and routinely increases or decreases those flights in response to operational requirements, the spokesperson said.

The Biden administration tried to end Title 42 on May 23, but the policy was held in place by a federal judge who sided with Republican-led states on the issue. Immigration advocates have blamed Title 42 for the recent deaths of migrants, including 53 who perished after being abandoned in an overheated tractor trailer last week. They argue Title 42 forces migrants into the dangerous hands of smugglers in order to evade detection.

The main impact of deterrence policies is driving people into the arms of human smugglers, so that they end up taking increasingly dangerous routes, said Oscar Chacon, director of Alianza Americas, a coalition of 58 migrant-led advocacy organizations.

The Biden administration has been criticized for the way it handled a dramatic surge of more than 10,000 Haitians who gathered under a Texas border bridge last September in hopes of entering the U.S. Some advocates accused the administration of treating Haitians differently from Central and South American migrants who were allowed to stay and seek asylum.
A year of weird weather continues across South Dakota.

The state saw significant hail and winds during storms on earlier this week, said Travis Tarver with the National Weather Service office in Aberdeen.

That's been the norm though spring and into summer.

The NWS confirmed that Tuesday's storms that rolled across much of the state qualified as a derecho.

"By definition, if the wind damage swath extends more than 240 miles and includes wind gusts of at least 58 mph (93 km/h) or greater along most of its length, then the event may be classified as a derecho," according to the NWS.

More: Castlewood School badly damaged by tornado; Noem declares state of emergency

Grapefruit-sized hail in Timber Lake area

Hail roughly 4 inches in diameter was reported just north of Timber Lake in Dewey County, Tarver said. That's about the size of a grapefruit. Though Tarver said he has seen hail that size before, it's not common.

Grapefruit-sized fell near Timber Lake during Tuesday's derecho.

A 91 mph wind gust was reported about 4 miles north of Agar in Sully County, said Tarver. The region largely saw wind gusts between 70 and 90 mph, with a handful of 80 mph wind gusts reported in Hand County.

There were also reports of a roof being blown off of a home in Highmore as well as tree damage in Miller.

More: Aberdeen sets rainfall record Sunday; 4.35 inches reported near Columbia

In Corson County west of the Missouri River, there was extensive damage to an outdoor storage building, said Megan Mulford, a meteorologist in the Aberdeen NWS office. And there were uprooted trees and a damaged grain bin in Dewey County, she said. Golf ball-sized hail was reported in Harding County.

Although tornado warnings for Hand and Hyde counties were issued Tuesday, there have not been any confirmed tornadoes, Tarver said.

More: NWS confirms derecho swept through southeastern South Dakota with winds up to 99 mph

Northeastern South Dakota was spared the worst of it, though there was plenty of thunder and lightning in the Aberdeen area Tuesday morning and a splash of rain in Watertown. High winds generally skirted the region.

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Rainfall totals reported to the NWS in the 24 hours that ended at 7 a.m. Wednesday follow:

Pierre: 1.92 inches

Harold: 1.91 inches

Gettysburg: 1.85 inches

Onida: 1.63 inches

Highmore: 0.83 inch

Watertown: 0.16 inch

Aberdeen: 0.06 inch

Those totals are in addition to Sunday night's rainfall. Aberdeen received a July 3 record 2.11 inches, and there was a report of 4.35 inches in the Columbia area.

Many eastern South Dakota towns have seen more rainfall than normal

Many towns across the region have had plenty of extra moisture this spring, leading to flooding along the James River and wet fields for farmers. But that doesn't apply to every community. Watertown, Hayti, Roscoe, Summit, Turton and Wilmot are among the towns that had had below-average precipitation in 2022.

But Aberdeen, Bowdle, Eureka, Faulkton, Ipswich, Milbank, Mobridge, Pollock and Sisseton are well ahead of pace.

A list of precipitation totals this year through Thursday evening compared to NWS historical norms follows.

Aberdeen: 16.04 inches compared to an average of 11.71 inches.

Watertown: 11.56 compared to 11.69.

Bowdle: 12.6 compared to 10.93.

Castlewood: 11.23 compared to 12.3.

Clark: 12.48 compared to 12.19.

Columbia: 13.21 compared to 11.32.

Eureka: 11.69 compared to 10.98.

Faulkton: 14.17 compared to 11.92.

Ipswich: 14.81 compared to 10.66.

Hayti: 10.45 compared to 11.79.

Milbank: 14.13 compared to 12.66.

Mobridge: 10.94 compared to 9.79.

Pollock: 12.82 compared to 9.44.

Roscoe: 11.46 compared to 11.53.

Roy Lake : 12.52 compared to 12.59.

Selby: 10.29 compared to 10.22.

Sisseton: 12.81 compared to 11.53.

Summit: 8.52 compared to 12.63.

Turton: 9.49 compared to 12.88.

Victor: 14.52 compared to 13.05.

Webster: 12.3 compared to 13.08.

Wilmot: 11.6 compared to 12.57

Browns Valley, Minn.: 13.34 compared to 12.94.

Ortonville, Minn: 10.03 compared to 12.66.

Wheaton, Minn.: 15.04 compared to 12.79.

The southeastern and central parts of the state saw the worst of Tuesday's storms. A peak gust of 96 mph was recorded in Huron, and there was a 99 mph gust near Howard, according to the NWS. Wind gusts reached 80 mph at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport, causing considerable tree damage, downing power lines and leaving some 30,000 customers without electricity.

The skies in the Sioux Falls area turned an eerie green before the storms hit. Green skies often come with severe weather, but that doesn't mean there will be tornadoes and there isnt a direct correlation between the two, according to AccuWeather.

More: Presidential disaster declaration approved for South Dakota following May 12 tornadoes, derecho

A previous derecho swept across eastern South Dakota on May 12. The NWS confirmed 16 tornadoes in that storm, which badly damaged the school in Castlewood. Those storms led to a presidential disaster declaration, making Federal Emergency Management Agency recovery funds available. Tuesday's system wasn't nearly as severe.

Aberdeen, Watertown forecast

More moisture could come this week, if the forecast holds.

In Aberdeen, there's a 30% chance of rain and thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday. And the weekend will be hot with projected highs of 86 on Friday, 92 Saturday and 90 Sunday, according to the NWS.

For Watertown, the weather will be much the same, with a 20% chance of rain Friday night and a 30% chance on Saturday night. The forecast calls for highs of 85 on Friday, 89 on Saturday and 90 on Sunday.

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: South Dakota derecho includes grapefruit-sized hail, green skies
The Doomsday Clock was born in 1947 in Chicago, a Cold War baby delivered as the illustration for the first cover of a new magazine, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. It was set at 7 minutes to midnight, an indication of how close a team of revered scientists believed the world was to nuclear annihilation.

It was designed by landscape painter Martyl Suzanne Schweig Langsdorf (who went by Martyl professionally). Her husband, physicist Alexander Langsdorf Jr., was part of the team that developed the atomic bomb at the University of Chicago and was among the founders of the magazine.

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The world has changed since and the clock along with it. First named the Atomic Clock, it became Doomsday. In more recent years, it has gone beyond bombs to be recalibrated annually due to climate change, biological dangers, artificial intelligence, the spread of disinformation and remains ever aware of new emerging issues that might threaten the planet.

From that original 7 minutes to midnight, its time has varied over the years and now sits alarmingly at 100 seconds to midnight. Its time is announced formally each January and over the decades has become so much more.

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As described in a spectacular new book, The Doomsday Clock at 75, by Robert K. Elder and J.C. Gabel, the clock is many things all at once: its a logo, its a brand, and its one of the most recognizable symbols in the past 100 years.

From the new book The Doomsday Clock at 75 by Robert K. Elder and J.C. Gabel. (Hat & Bread Press)

That it is. And it is revelatory to see and learn how it has worked its way into the cultural landscape.

This enlightening and frighteningly entertaining book has been compiled and much of it written by a couple of prolific literary figures.

Elder is a former Tribune writer who since leaving the paper a decade ago has held some interesting positions in the publishing and digital world. All the while he has exercised his curiosity by researching and writing almost 20 books, including Last Words of the Executed, about the final statements of some very bad people; the self-explanatory and surprising Christmas with Elvis, and Hemingway in Comics. His is a marvelously eclectic output.

A few years ago, he became the chief digital officer for the Bulletin and immediately realized, as he told me, that this international symbol that was born right here in Chicago, he said. That appealed to me and I wanted to tell the story behind the clock. It was born out of anxiety about the fate of humanity. By its nature, its meant to spark debate and awareness about things that can wipe humanity off the map.

Gabel, having spent his formative years here, was once a frenetic force on the local literary scene. Many of you may remember his magazine. It was called Stop Smiling, first created as a zine when he was a student at Columbia College and reborn some years later as a relatively lavish, as he billed it, a magazine for high-minded lowlifes.

From The Doomsday Clock at 75 by Robert K. Elder and J.C. Gabel. (Hat & Bread Press)

He would later, in 2012, publish a magazine called The Chicagoan, which he told me then was to be devoted to the arts, culture, innovators and the history of Chicago and the greater Midwest. It was fat at nearly 200 pages and expensive at $19.95. But it delivered some stunning stuff. I can still recall its Enemies, A Love Story, detailing the relationship between Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel, by Josh Schollmeyer. I called it a compelling and revelatory oral history.

For the last decade, Gabel and his wife, Sybil Perez, have been in Los Angeles, working as editors for publishers such as Taschen and Chronicle, and having a baby. He later started his own company, Hat & Beard Press, and began to issue lavishly designed and illustrated and distinctive books.

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He and Elder are longtime pals. With Elder working at the Bulletin, he and Gabel started talking seriously about what became this book.

Gabel had a strong connection to the story, having some years ago traveled to meet Martyl as part of research for a magazine piece.

He sat with her at her home in Schaumburg, a famous home designed and built by architect Paul Schweikher; the house has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1987 and is open for tours.

There she told Gabel that the clock has a life of its own now.

He also noted that at the time of her death in 2013 at 96 years of age, more people knew her for the clock than for her eight decades of painting as a fine artist. She emerges in Gabels story as a grand and charming talent.

From The Doomsday Clock at 75 by Robert K. Elder and J.C. Gabel. (Hat & Bread Press)

There are other compelling sections of the book: Rachel Bronson, the president and CEO of the Bulletin, provides a helpful historical piece, writing, The Bulletin was founded by scientists who foresaw the promise and peril of all science has to offer. She also offers hope, writing that the clock challenges us to remember that we have the ability to reduce these seemingly insurmountable threats.

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There is a section on the clocks appearance in editorial cartoons; about how such musical groups as The Who, The Clash, Pink Floyd, Smashing Pumpkins and others have incorporated the clock into their songs; how its been brought up by late-nighters like Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert, who said in 2016, We can all do something to reduce tensions and help move the clock back next year; how the clock has popped up in books, movies, comics and on T-shirts.

The books design is at once eye-popping, stylish and arresting. It is the work of James Goggin.

My colleague Ron Grossman wrote a fine story about the clock earlier this year, in advance of the Jan. 22 announcement of its new time.

Elder has moved on, since May he has been the president and CEO of the Outrider Foundation, an organization that is devoted to nuclear issues, climate change and voter rights. Gabel continues to run Hat & Beard Press. The clock itself is housed near the bulletins offices at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. And the world continues to spin, in its ever precarious and often unsettling way.

rkogan@chicagotribune.com
A spike in gun violence has two Ohio senators proposing a bill that would put more restrictions in place for buying and owning a gun.

The bill was proposed after the shooting at an elementary school in Texas in May, and with the shooting at a parade in Chicago was brought up again.

Senate Bill 351, also known as the Defend Our Children Act was introduced by State Senators Cecil Thomas and Tina Maharath.

SB 351 suggests increasing the age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21 years old.

It also suggests adopting Red Flag Laws, which allow for courts to take guns away from those who are seen as dangerous to themselves as others.

Ohioans would also have to wait 72 hours after purchasing a gun to receive it.

>> Dayton woman identified as victim killed in crash on I-75 northbound in West Carrollton

Thomas said the goal of SB 351 is not to go against the constitution, but to be proactive rather than reactive.

I refuse to allow us to become desensitized to this issue, Thomas said.

A local gun shop owner said he disagrees with SB 351, saying it is unconstitutional and could make people feel unsafe.

He said he agrees that gun violence is horrible and needs to be addressed through mental health services.

The idea that were going to just start taking peoples rights away without having done the hard part, but were taking the easy route without actually addressing the root of the problem, Scott Cronin, owner of Gunset Training Group said.




























A hiker with serious injuries was airlifted after falling hundreds of feet while climbing Mount Hood on July 2, 2022. (Clackamas County Sheriff's Office)

Climbing the snowy peaks of the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest is dangerous at any point in the year. The cliffs are steep, the ice is slippery and even minor injuries become much more serious. It's especially true for Mount Hood, an active volcano just east of Portland, Oregon, and the tallest mountain in the state.

On July 2, a 43-year-old climber from Happy Valley, Oregon, lost grip of his ice axe and plummeted about 600-700 feet to the rocks below, near an area of the mountain called the Old Chute, Clackamas County Sheriff's Deputy John Wildhaber said in a press release.

Wildhaber said the fall occurred sometime around 6:30 a.m., local time, but rescue crews weren't able to find and reach the injured climber until about four hours later. A medic helicopter from the Oregon Army National Guard didn't arrive to airlift the man to a hospital until 1 p.m., illustrating the extraordinary effort and time required to perform a mountain rescue.

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The helicopter touched down on a snowy sliver of the mountain, with not enough space to even use all its landing gear. The Hot Rocks fumarole can be seen next to the airlift site, which is a vent where sulfur and other volcanic gases spew out into the atmosphere.

These types of accidents are common on this stretch of the 11,000-foot mountain.

"This is the second accident in about a week in the same area of Mt. Hood," Wildhaber said. "On June 24, a 31-year-old woman from Portland was climbing Mt. Hood, when she fell several hundred [feet] from the summit ridge down the Old Chute, resulting in critical injuries and a helicopter evacuation."

Old Chute, the area where the climber fell, is just shy of Mount Hood's peak--at 11,240 feet. (Photo/ Oregon's Mount Hood Territory)

The Portland Mountain Rescue crew states that May and June are the most popular months of the year for climbers looking to summit Mount Hood, but they're also when calls for rescue are at their peak.

"The upper crater can turn into a maelstrom of rocks and ice once the sun warms the high cliffs. Foul weather is one of the most common factors in climbing incidents in the Cascades," Portland Mountain Rescue states on its website. "Weather can change rapidly in the mountains, and it often turns nasty on the upper mountain before harsh conditions hit tree line."

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Bryce Phelps, 3, picking a lollipop after receiving his Pfizer vaccine at Bloom Pediatrics in Birmingham, Alabama on Wednesday, June 22, 2022.

Louisiana reported 13,968 new cases of coronavirus in the week ending Sunday, from 13,893 the week before of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Louisiana ranked sixth among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States increased 11.8% from the week before, with 800,077 cases reported. With 1.4% of the country's population, Louisiana had 1.75% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, 38 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.

John Hopkins University has been collecting data from Louisiana on an erratic schedule, skewing week-to-week comparisons.

Ouachita Parish reported 564 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 438 cases and four deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 52,472 cases and 760 deaths.

Richland Parish reported 160 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 70 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 7,035 cases and 100 deaths.

Union Parish reported 73 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 56 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 7,161 cases and 135 deaths.

Caldwell Parish reported 42 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 24 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 3,711 cases and 55 deaths.

Within Louisiana, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Richland Parish with 795 cases per 100,000 per week; West Carroll Parish with 711; and Bossier Parish with 496. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.

Adding the most new cases overall were Caddo Parish, with 1,122 cases; Jefferson Parish, with 1,101 cases; and East Baton Rouge Parish, with 1,022. Weekly case counts rose in 38 parishes from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Caddo, Ouachita and Rapides parishes.

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>> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases

Across Louisiana, cases fell in 24 parishes, with the best declines in East Baton Rouge Parish, with 1,022 cases from 1,281 a week earlier; in Terrebonne Parish, with 374 cases from 489; and in Jefferson Parish, with 1,101 cases from 1,215.

In Louisiana, 26 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 19 people were reported dead.

A total of 1,310,829 people in Louisiana have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 17,418 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 87,843,561 people have tested positive and 1,017,848 people have died.

>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States

Louisiana's COVID-19 hospital admissions rising

USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, July 3. Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:

Last week: 856

The week before that: 745

Four weeks ago: 488

Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:

Last week: 65,244

The week before that: 61,335

Four weeks ago: 56,288

Hospitals in 33 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 28 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 40 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.

The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: Ouachita Parish reported 564 additional COVID-19 cases this week
The barn teemed with the baas of wooly sheep, the mooing of cows and the munching of goats  nearly 2,000 livestock tucked away at the end of a Paterson street in an industrial part of the city.

The animal abode is part of ENA Meat Packing, a 33-year-old halal slaughterhouse among the largest of its kind in the U.S. The family-owned operation harvests more than 400,000 animals each year according to Islamic standards.

In normal times, ENA is flooded with orders from butcher shops and grocery stores serving the large and growing Muslim community in northern New Jersey. But this week, the pace is even faster, with the company in the midst of its busiest period of the year leading up to Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, which starts Saturday.

It is overwhelming, said Edibey Kucukkarca, ENA's chief executive officer, during a recent tour. There are a lot of moving parts and a lot of people. We basically work with wholesalers and butcher shops, but during this time of year, we work with a lot of retail and outside customers. Our slaughter process is tenfold those three days.

Ediby Kucukkarca, CEO of the ENA Meatpacking facility in Paterson, NJ, walks through a refrigerated room with goats and cows ready to be shipped to area stores and restaurants. ENA is one of the largest halal slaughterhouses in the United States. Early July is a hectic time for the family-owned business, as it prepares for Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, one the major Muslim holidays.

One of two major Muslim holidays, Eid al-Adha commemorates the willingness of the Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son for God. Before he could do so, God stopped Abraham, whom Muslims know as Ibrahim, and gave him a ram to sacrifice instead, according to the Quran and the Bible.

During the holiday, lasting three or four days, Muslims arrange for the slaughter of a goat, sheep or cow and share a third of the meat with family and friends and another third with the poor. The Islamic tradition of sacrifice is commonly called qurbani or udhiya. Some will donate to charities that conduct the sacrifice and provide meat for families in the U.S. and abroad.

The humanitarian arm of the Islamic Circle of North America, ICNA Relief, bought 500 livestock to provide 5-pound boxes of meat to families in need throughout the Northeast, said Arshad Jamal, the regional director. In New Jersey, they're also accepting donations of meat at their food pantry in Somerset from July 11 to 13. With inflation increasing the cost of living, families welcome the aid, Jamal said.

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The tradition of sacrifice and charity during Eid unites Muslims across the globe, added Umber Siddiqi, operations and media coordinator for ICNA Relief NJ.

Its about being thankful and giving to people in need.

LocalPaterson school district seeks to build new high school at former Paterson Catholic site

From Turkey to Paterson

ENA Meat Packing was opened by brothers Ali and Zatibey Kucukkarca, who emigrated to the U.S. from Turkey in the 1970s. In New York City, the entrepreneurial pair of siblings ran businesses including a luncheonette and an apartment building.

In 1989, they got word that the Italian American owner of a Whippany slaughterhouse was selling his operation. They didnt have experience in the industry, but they seized on what they saw as a good business opportunity and bought the Morris County location. For Ali Kuckakkarca, who was a student before he was a businessman, it wasnt an easy transition.

When they slaughtered, I couldnt even go near the door. Little by little, I got used to it, he said.

He named the business ENA, using the initials of his children's names: Edibey, his son and the current CEO; daughter Nurseda; and Atabey, who runs Senat Poultry, a chicken producer and offshoot of the halal business also based in Paterson.

They found early success filling a specialized and growing market for halal meat but faced a setback in a 2000 fire. The animals, who were kept in a separate location, were unharmed, but the facility was destroyed. After the blaze, they relocated to East Fifth Street in Paterson, home to a large and expanding Muslim population with roots in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

A worker at ENA Meatpacking handles a hide from a slaughtered sheep. Early July is the busiest time of the year for the Paterson business, ahead of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim Feast of the Sacrifice.

About 70% of ENAs animals come from the familys 10,000 acre-farm in Lometa, Texas, managed by Alis nephew Saffet. The rest are purchased at livestock auctions at farms around the country. From Texas, two drivers take turns at the wheel over some 20 hours to the ENA site.

The animals, free of antibiotics and hormones, are butchered the same day as they arrive and meat is shipped out within 24 hours, according to ENA. Two inspectors and a veterinarian from the U.S. Department of Agriculture work on-site full time ensuring product safety, the company said.

What is halal?

By volume, ENA says it is the biggest operation for halal-only meat in the country, harvesting around 400,000 lamb and goat and nearly 40,000 cows each year. A spokesperson from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service said she couldnt confirm or disclose production volume at the facilities they inspect.

For food to be halal, a Muslim must conduct the slaughter and say a word of prayer, Bismillah, meaning in the name of God." The animal must be healthy and alive at the time, and it must be done by hand swiftly with a sharp knife cut to the neck.

Often, customers will dedicate the animal they purchase in the name of a loved one.

Some major meat companies, like National Beef and JBS Swift, produce halal products on a large scale. There are smaller halal producers scattered around the U.S., with at least five in New Jersey, according to the Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Goats shipped from the company's Texas ranch in the holding section of the plant before they are to be slaughtered. The family-owned operation harvests more than 400,000 animals each year according to strict Islamic standards, but its workload ramps up tenfold ahead of Eid al-Adha.

They must undergo inspection to meet FDA standards, but they dont have to declare whether they are halal to the federal agency. Under New Jersey law, dealers do not have to be certified as halal, but they are regulated in other ways.

The New Jersey Halal Food Consumer Protection Act requires businesses to live up to the promises and representations they make when selling or serving food represented as following Islamic tradition. Businesses are also required to prominently display information about foods marketed as halal, such as whether it contains pork products or alcohol, both of which are forbidden.

ENA said the business does not stun animals, which typically involves giving livestock a shock or a blow to the head to immobilize them before they are killed. Some halal slaughterhouses do employ this method and Islamic views on the permissiveness of stunning before slaughter vary.

Choosing an animal

The only time FDA inspectors are not present is during the Eid al-Adha holiday, when there is a religious exemption and when ENA provides what it calls "custom slaughter." Families visit and choose the animal theyd like, which is then prepared while they wait. The process can be done in about 90 minutes.

This will be the first custom slaughter in three years, after the service was suspended due to COVID. Prices have spiked due to a rise in overall meat costs, with a whole lamb or goat selling for about $600 and cows for $4.99 per pound, according to ENA's website. But the increase hasnt lessened demand.

Customers are plentiful, and they prefer to get their meat on the first day of Eid al-Adha, Ali Kucukkarca said.

We are a little nervous, he added. "We are trying to make everybody happy. Everybody wants it at the same time and same day and thats not possible. Were going to try our best.

According to the Pew Research Center, New Jersey is the state with the highest proportion of Muslims, at 3% of the population, or about 270,000 people. As the community has grown, so has ENAs business. In the past two years alone, sales have doubled, said Edibey Kucukkarca. To keep up, they are building a new 75,000-square-foot facility next door.

Meat for sale at ENA Meat Packing plant in Paterson, one of the nation's biggest halal slaughterhouses. Prices have spiked recently due to a rise in overall meat costs, but the increase hasnt lessened demand, the company says.

The annex, due to open in November, will be able to process four times the number of livestock. It will feature automation to make labor easier, more efficient and cheaper. ENA expects to double its employees to 100 when the expansion is done.

In keeping with halal tradition, slaughtering will continue to be conducted by hand.

"There've been times where it's been so overwhelming, where we say we should shut down during those days," Edibey Kucukkarca said as he walked though the busy work floor.

"My father and grandfather say absolutely not. It's a religious service. You're impacting people."

Hannan Adely is a diversity reporter covering Arab and Muslim communities for NorthJersey.com, where she focuses on social issues, politics, bias and civil rights. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: adely@northjersey.com

Twitter: @adelyreporter

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson NJ: ENA halal slaughterhouse ready for Eid al-Adha holiday
Cherelle Griner was met with a standing ovation on Wednesday afternoon as she walked to the podium during the Bring BG Home' rally at the Footprint Center.

As she waited for the crowd to stop clapping, she looked down at her prepared speech about her wife, Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia for 139 days.

Talking about my wife is easy and natural for me because that's my person, Cherelle said. However, talking about my wife, in the light of her absence from her country, her safety and her humanity as a person is gut-wrenching.

The Phoenix Mercury hosted a Bring BG Home rally in support of Griner at the Footprint Center on Wednesday.

Griner has been detained in Russia since she was arrested on February 17 at the Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow. She has been accused of large-scale transportation of drugs and faces 5-10 years in prison if she is convicted. According to the Associated Press, fewer than 1% of defendants in criminal cases are acquitted in Russia.

Griners trial started on July 1, and prosecutors claimed she had a "significant amount" of THC in the form of hashish oil, equating to 0.56 grams.

Griners trial in Russia continued on Thursday, and an Associated Press story said Griner pleaded guilty to drug possession and smuggling charges, according to Russian news agency reports.

Cherelle Griner was the rallys featured speaker.

Standing in the middle of the court, she spoke about how she adopted her wifes strong mentality

I remember asking her once, Well, how do you play so well when you're hurting and exhausted like that? Cherelle said. She told me Oh, that me? That me just goes, no matter what or how I feel, I get the job done.

We used to differ there. As the days continue to increase that my wife is wrongfully detained in Russia. I've adapted her mindset in my efforts to get her home by going no matter what or how I feel. Truthfully, I can't rest as her humanity is being stripped from her. I can't rest as her safety is in question. I honestly can't rest until she's home.

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Cherelle Griner met with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday morning after Brittney Griner sent a personal letter to Biden, stating her fears of staying in Russia forever.

Brittney Griner has written letters to her wife from Russia, as well as teammate Brianna Turner. Turner said that despite Griners situation in Russia, she still has the same sense of humor evidenced by her letter.

I told her how she was going to be an honorary All-Star starter, and BGs got a great sense of humor, Turner said. "She told me that she probably had the worst stat line because she wouldn't be in the game. To know BG is to know such a nice person, such a giver.

More than 2,000 attendees attended the rally at Footprint Center to support Griners return to the U.S.

Russia legal expert: Griner's plea may be strategy for lenient sentence

Shauna Finley, 70, has been a Phoenix Mercury fan since the teams inception in 1997. Finley said she has a daughter the same age as Griner, 31, and she couldnt imagine what it would be like to have a family member wrongly detained.

I think it's been way too long for her to have been over there, Finley said ahead of the rally. ... I think we're getting secondhand information because I don't know what Russia is letting coming over here as to what the situation is. And she's an American citizen, she needs to be back here.

Marine veteran Trevor Reed was detained in Russia for nearly three years before he was released in a prisoner swap in late April. Griner and Paul Whelan, who has been in prison in Russia since 2018 on espionage charges, are still wrongfully detained in Russia.

Rep. Greg Stanton speaks to attendees during a rally for Brittney Griner's release at the Footprint Center on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, in Phoenix.

Greg Stanton, U.S. Representative for Arizonas 9th district, questioned why Griner needed to play offseason basketball overseas in the first place. Stanton coordinated the rally with the Mercury, and authored a bipartisan resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives that pushed to free Griner in June.

Griner is one of the best basketball players on this planet, Stanton said. And we have to do something about the fact that a player of her skill had to go to Russia to earn additional money, in order to earn a salary commensurate with her skillset. She had to go to a dangerous place, in a dangerous country during a time of incredible tension between the United States and Russia.

We have to do something about that. We have to talk to our leaders in the NBA, because we need to make sure we pay our WNBA players enough of a salary that they don't have to get a side gig in a dangerous place. That's not right or fair.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Mercury host 'Bring BG Home' rally to push for Griner release
Jul. 6Spokane police arrested a woman on suspicion of first-degree murder after the body of a man was discovered in northeast Spokane on Friday.

Rose Sedin, 31, was arrested Saturday.

A passerby discovered the body of a man, identified in court documents as 53-year-old James Clark, in the grass on Friday morning. The body had suffered "obvious trauma from a cutting instrument," police said.

Clark had moved out of his apartment and planned to move to Camp Hope the day before he died, according to a witness statement in a probable cause affidavit.

Multiple recordings of security footage from around the park appeared to show two people walk into frame from the north of Rochester Heights Park around 10:50 a.m., the probable cause affidavit said. A few minutes later, one of the people took the other one down into the grass for about 8 minutes, before walking away from the person still lying in the grass, according to the affidavit.

Security footage from Rowan Avenue showed a woman walking east with what appeared to be wet blood on her right hand and extending up her elbow.

Police found Sedin about a mile away at Rich Avenue and Regal Street a few hours after the security footage captured the incident. She was wearing similar clothing to the woman on the security footage, the affidavit said.

Sedin was arrested at about 10 p.m. on Saturday.
The monkeypox vaccine is available at Outer Cape Health Services in Provincetown, and community leaders are recommending that hospitality workers, in addition to at-risk populations, get vaccinated.

CDC guidance says known or presumed contacts of confirmed monkeypox cases are eligible for the vaccine. This may include sexual partners, household contacts and healthcare workers.

Presumed contacts may also include anyone who knows that a sexual partner in the past 14 days was diagnosed with monkeypox or anyone who had multiple sexual partners in the past 14 days in an area with known monkeypox.

Criteria from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health says anyone who lives or works in Massachusetts is eligible for the vaccine. Provinctown officials advise hospitality workers to get vaccinated as well to mitigate community spread.

Call the Outer Cape Health Services number at 508-905-2888 for an appointment or go directly to the Provincetown Health Center at 49 Harry Kemp Way by foot, bike, or car to schedule a vaccination appointment.

There are appointments available through Thursday, July 14.

Click here for more information about monkeypox on the Provincetown website.

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Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin addresses the court as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill presides over Chauvin's sentencing at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, June 25, 2021. (AP)

ST. PAUL, Minn.  A federal judge on Thursday sentenced Derek Chauvin to 21 years in prison for violating George Floyds civil rights, telling the former Minneapolis police officer that what he did was simply wrong and offensive.

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson sharply criticized Chauvin for his actions on May 25, 2020, when the white officer pinned Floyd to the pavement outside a Minneapolis corner store for more than nine minutes as the Black man lay dying. Floyds killing sparked protests worldwide in a reckoning over police brutality and racism.

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I really dont know why you did what you did, Magnuson said. To put your knee on a persons neck until they expired is simply wrong.  Your conduct is wrong and it is offensive.

Magnuson, who earlier this year presided over the federal trial and convictions of three other officers at the scene, blamed Chauvin alone for what happened. Chauvin was by far the senior officer present as police tried to arrest Floyd while responding to a 911 call accusing him of using a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes. And Chauvin rebuffed questions from one of the other officers about whether Floyd should be turned on his side.

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You absolutely destroyed the lives of three young officers by taking command of the scene, Magnuson said.

Even so, Magnusons sentence was at the low end of the 20 to 25 years called for in a plea agreement in which Chauvin will serve the federal sentence at the same time he serves his 22 1/2-year sentence for his state conviction of murder and manslaughter charges.

Because of differences in parole eligibility in the state and federal systems, it means that Chauvin will serve slightly more time behind bars than he would have on the state sentence alone. He would be eligible for parole after 15 years on the state sentence, but must serve almost 18 years of his federal time before he could be released.

He will also do his time in the federal system, where he may be safer and may be held under fewer restrictions than in the state system.

Chauvin attorney Eric Nelson had asked for 20 years, arguing that Chauvin was remorseful and would make that clear to the court. But Chauvin, in brief remarks, made no direct apology or expression of remorse to Floyds family.

Instead, he told the family that he wishes Floyds children all the best in their life and that they have excellent guidance in becoming good adults.

Chauvin wore an orange prison uniform and a protective mask, according to pool media reports from the courtroom. He waved at family and friends in the gallery as he entered. The media reports made no mention of visible reaction by Chauvin to any part of the hearing.

Prosecutor LeeAnn Bell asked Magnuson to give Chauvin the full 25 years possible in the plea deal, highlighting the special responsibility that he had as a police officer to care for the people in his custody.

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He wasnt a rookie, Bell said. He knew what his training was. ... He admitted before this court that his conduct was wrong and he did it anyway.

Floyds brother Philonise also asked for the maximum possible sentence.

My family and I have been given a life sentence, the man said. We will never get Georges life back.

Chauvins mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, who also appeared at his state sentencing, told Magnuson that her son didnt go to work intending to kill someone.

Many things have been written about him that are totally wrong such as hes a racist, which he isnt, that he has no heart, she said.

I believe it is Gods will for all of us to forgive. Everyone in the state of Minnesota needs to heal and remember that all life matters, no matter the color of your skin. Every life matters, she added.

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In entering his federal plea last year, Chauvin for the first time admitted that he kept his knee on Floyds neck  even as Floyd pleaded, I cant breathe, and then became unresponsive  killing him. Chauvin admitted he willfully deprived Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure, including unreasonable force by a police officer.

Magnuson has not set sentencing dates for the three other officers who were on the scene  Tou Thao, J. Alexander Keung and Thomas Lane  who were convicted in February of federal civil rights charges.

Lane is also due to be sentenced Sept. 21 after pleading guilty in state court to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Thao and Kueng turned down plea deals and are due to be tried in state court Oct. 24 on aiding and abetting charges.
In 2015, a yearlong power struggle inside the University of Texas administration finally ended and beer started flowing at Royal-Memorial Stadium. Now UT prefers Longhorns fans drink Bud Light.

Anheuser-Busch, one of the nations largest brewers, announced Thursday that it will become the exclusive domestic and craft beer sponsor of Texas athletics, the Texas Exes alumni association and the AT&T Red River Showdown game against rival Oklahoma.

The university has signed a five-year marketing and advertising agreement with Anheuser-Busch and Austin-based Brown Distributing. Financial terms were not disclosed. UT signed a similar marketing agreement in 2017 with Constellation Brands, the makers of Corona, the nations top imported beer.

Bud Light will release UT-branded packaging in 16-ounce aluminum bottles and 12-ounce cans in the state of Texas starting Sept. 1.

Bohls: Arch Manning's commitment signals an endorsement of Steve Sarkisian, Texas' future

In a statement, Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte said the school was grateful for the commitment from both Anheuser-Busch and Brown Distributing, a company that has supported UT athletics for decades.

Theyre just a fantastic group of folks who are awesome to work with and will absolutely share our devotion to our great Texas fans everywhere, Del Conte said. Were so excited to welcome Anheuser-Busch to Longhorn Nation as an official sponsor.

Alcohol sales at UT athletic events seems commonplace now, but it wasnt that long ago the stadiums were dry.

Golden: Texas can shrug off the haters now that Horns have Arch Manning, their pied piper

In 2014, new UT athletic director Steve Patterson charted a course to bring alcohol sales into UT venues. At the time, it was still taboo to even think about selling beer at college sporting events with underage drinking a possibility on campus. But schools needed new revenue streams, and selling beer seemed like a no-brainer  at least to Patterson.

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The late UT President Bill Powers supported the idea, but regents were stunned that Patterson laid so much groundwork without their knowledge. There was reluctance and grumbling, but the first $8 beer was served at a UT softball doubleheader Feb. 28, 2014.

Beer sales were approved for the spring semester as something of a test run. But in July 2014, outgoing UT Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa refused to allow beer sales in Royal-Memorial Stadium for the upcoming season. Not going there, Cigarroa told the American-Statesman at the time, catching just about everybody off guard, including those in the UT Tower.

The move was widely seen internally as a direct shot at Patterson, who was fired that September.

In June 2015, new university President Gregory L. Fenves, along with new UT Chancellor Bill McRaven, gave the final green light for beer sales at UT football games.

I think it enhances the fan experience and makes coming to a Longhorn football game more attractive for individuals who want to enjoy the game and have a glass a beer while theyre at it, Fenves said after the approval.

Texas athletics registered $1.8 million in beer and wine sales during the 2015 season. Bad weather and a bad team hampered the final totals.

In 2016, final sales figures for football season shot up to $3.1 million. Texas fans bought 98,535 Miller Lites at UT's six home games, according to university data. Coors Light was second with 95,096, and Bud Light was a distant third with 34,257 sold.

Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke, center, and Brown Distributing announced a partnership for the new Moody Center in May. This week, Anheuser-Busch struck a deal with Texas athletics to be the new distributor for Longhorns athletic events.

That third-place finish undoubtedly stung for J. Dan Brown, who founded Brown Distributing in 1962 at age 27. The longtime UT fan started with three trucks and four employees, according to the companys website.

Today, Brown Distributing is the exclusive Anheuser-Busch wholesaler throughout Central Texas. Anheuser-Buschs Houston brewery makes 87% of all Bud Lights sold in Texas. Brown is also one of the eight major sponsors of Texas' new Moody Center basketball arena and concert venue.

Having been the Anheuser-Busch distributor in Austin for 60 years, we know firsthand the incredible passion that Texans have for their home teams, Brown Distributing Vice President Laurie Brown said in a statement. We cant wait to help make the game day experience a little sweeter for 21 (and older) fans.

Fast forward to today, and domestic and craft beers make up a huge part of the gameday and pregame experience on Bevo Boulevard. Last season, the school unveiled a new refrigerated beer truck with 15 taps called Big Beertha.

UT administrators still promote drinking responsibly, the school said. Anheuser-Busch will implement its Decide to Ride campaign on UT game days, urging fans to get home safely.

Contact Brian Davis by phone or text at 512-445-3957. Email bdavis@statesman.com or @BDavisAAS.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Longhorns athletics signs five-year deal with Anheuser-Busch
Brittney Griner. AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

The Biden administration said it is working to get Brittney Griner out of Russian detention.

She's been in Russian custody since February when authorities accused her of carrying hashish oil in her luggage.

An unnamed official told Politico she'd likely remain imprisoned for at least a few more months.

As the Biden administration continues negotiations with Russia to free Brittney Griner, sources told Politico that she would likely remain incarcerated for several more months at least.

"The Russians are making maximalist demands in exchange for Griner," an unnamed US official told Politico's NatSec Daily and West Wing Playbook.

Griner, WNBA player for the Phoenix Mercury, was taken into Russian custody on February 17. The authorities have accused her of carrying hashish oil in her luggage when traveling into a Moscow airport. Her trial began on July 1, and she faces up to 10 years in Russian imprisonment.

The US State Department maintains that Griner is "wrongfully detained" and on Wednesday, Biden told Griner's wife, Cherelle, that he "is working to secure Brittney's release as soon as possible."

However, Russia is likely asking for a Russian arms dealer, nicknamed "the Merchant of Death," in exchange for Griner, Tass, a Russian news source, reported in May.

Per Politico, the US has been reluctant to release Viktor Bout in the past, who was sentenced to 25 years in 2012.

"Viktor Bout has been international arms trafficking enemy number one for many years, arming some of the most violent conflicts around the globe," Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara told BBC in a statement after his sentencing.

Bout's attorney says that his release is likely necessary to see any American citizens detained in Russia return home.

"It has been communicated to the American side very clearly that they're going to have to get real on Viktor Bout if they expect any further prisoner exchanges," Bout's attorney, Steve Zissou, told the New York Times. "My sense of this is that no American is going home unless Viktor Bout is sent home with them."

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Russia has also detained two US Marine veterans, including Paul Whelan who was accused of espionage and sentenced to 16 years, and Trevor Reed, who was recently released.

On April 27, the US engaged in a prisoner swap with Russia, allowing for the return of Reed in exchange for a drug smuggler, Konstantin Yaroshenko, who'd been in US custody since 2010. Russia detained and convicted Reed in 2019 for attacking Russian authorities.

Reed's release was regarded by some as a positive indication for Griner, meaning there is a possibility for her release amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

"All the pressure is going on Biden while the pressure should be on Putin," the unnamed official told Politico, adding that Griner "hits all these cultural buttons," including being Black, gay, and a famous athlete.

Reed himself argued Brittney's release may be more complicated.

"Brittney, especially in Russia, is probably in a lot of ways in a worse position than I was because Brittney is African American. There's a large portion of the population in Russia which is racist," Reed said at a Houston rally for the basketball star in June.

"They also have a government that systematically discriminates against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transexual people under Vladimir Putin," Reed added. "And those things are obviously going to make Brittney's time there a lot more difficult than if they just had taken another American hostage."

Griner recently wrote a letter to President Biden asking him to do everything he can to get her back to the US.

"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, I'm terrified I might be here forever," Griner's Independence Day letter said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
GENEVA (Reuters) -The World Health Organization reported two new deaths from monkeypox since its previous disease update on June 27, bringing the total to three since the start of the year and said the disease had spread to new areas.

Cases have shot up 77 percent since the last report to 6,027, the WHO said, with the bulk of them reported in the European region. However, all three deaths have been reported in Africa, the report showed.

The update also showed that over 99 percent of the cases for which gender information was available were among men.

"The outbreak continues to primarily affect men who have sex with men who have reported recent sex with one or multiple male partners, suggesting no signal of sustained transmission beyond these networks for now," it said.

The Geneva-based U.N. agency will reconvene a meeting of the committee that will advise on declaring the outbreak a global health emergency, the WHO's highest level of alert, in the week beginning July 18 or sooner, its director-general said on Wednesday.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is also due to meet with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Thursday morning, a WHO spokesperson confirmed, without giving details. Spain has reported 802 cases so far, WHO data showed.

At a separate briefing, Africa's top public health body said the monkeypox outbreaks in other parts of the world were probably proving less lethal because of early diagnosis and medical care.

"The core of it is the ability of the person who has been infected to be diagnosed early and then provide the correct medical attention," said Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, acting director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

"This really removes a lot of the bite from the monkeypox virus," he said.

The West African strain of the virus spreading globally also has a case fatality rate of around 1%, milder than a strain known as the Congo Basin clade which is spreading in some parts of Africa.

Since the beginning of 2022, there have been at least 73 monkeypox deaths in Africa, CDC data showed.

(Reporting by Emma Farge in Geneva; additional reporting by James Macharia Chege in Johannesburg, Jennifer Rigby; editing by Madeline Chambers and Jason Neely)
Slovyansk road sign

Read also: Russians storm Novoluhanske, Spirne on Bakhmut axis with partial success  General Staff

Hayday also noted that Luhansk Oblast is not entirely occupied by Russian troops yet  fighting is still ongoing at the regional boundary, with invaders sustaining significant losses.

It took Moscow four months to seize most of Luhansk Oblast from Ukraine, advancing mere 30 kilometers, with concentrated artillery fire support, said the official.

Read also: Slovyansk may be next key contest in battle for Donbas, says UK intelligence

He added that precise Ukrainian strikes keep successfully targeting Russian ammunition depots behind the frontlines, making further offensives ever more difficult.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, shake hands during their walk in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 9, 2022. Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP

Russia gloated over Boris Johnson announcing his resignation as the UK's prime minister.

"He doesn't like us, we don't like him either," the Kremlin said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine expressed sadness to see one of its strongest supporters depart as a world leader.

Russia on Thursday gloated over British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announcing his resignation, while the Ukrainian government expressed dismay over seeing one of its most ardent backers step down as a world leader as the Russian military continues its offensive in the Eastern European country.

Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a post on Telegram said Johnson's decision to quit stands as an "inglorious end" for a "stupid clown."

Similarly, Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament, said, "The clown is going," per Reuters.

"He is one of the main ideologues of the war against Russia until the last Ukrainian. European leaders should think about where such a policy leads," Volodin said.

The Kremlin in March referred to Johnson, who has been a fierce critic of Putin, as the most active anti-Russian leaders. Along these lines, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Thursday said, "He doesn't like us, we don't like him either."

Peskov said Russia "would like to hope that some day in Great Britain more professional people who can make decisions through dialogue will come to power."

Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for Russia's foreign ministry, took a gleeful tone over Johnson's demise.

"The moral of the story is: do not seek to destroy Russia," Zakharova told reporters, Reuters reported. "Russia cannot be destroyed. You can break your teeth on it  and then choke on them."

"Boris Johnson was hit by a boomerang launched by himself," Zakharova added. "His comrades-in-arms turned him in."

Johnson's departure comes on the heels of a mounting pile of domestic scandals that led dozens of ministers to quit his government, increasing pressure on the British leader to quit. He'll remain the UK's prime minister until a replacement is selected.

Story continues

During a speech announcing his resignation, Johnson addressed the Ukrainian people, saying: "Let me say now, to the people of Ukraine, that I know that we in the UK will continue to back your fight for freedom for as long as it takes." He was booed during his remarks.

Despite the negative sentiments felt toward Johnson by many in the UK, he's a popular figure in Ukraine.

Referring to Johnson as a "friend," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a post on social media said "all Ukrainians were saddened by the news" of the British leader's resignation. "We are sincerely grateful for the decisive and uncompromising help from the first days of the war," he said.

Johnson was the first G7 leader to visit Kyiv following Russia's unprovoked invasion in late February, and among the most vocal supporters of weapons shipments to the country as the Russian onslaught continues.

That said, Johnson stepping down is unlikely to dramatically shift the UK's stance toward and support for Ukraine. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, who is viewed as a top candidate to replace Johnson, in comments to Sky News on Thursday said that the UK was "full square" behind Ukraine.

"The assistance to Ukraine we give is not just one person  not me, not the prime minister," Wallace said.

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ANASTASIA KALATUR - THURSDAY, 7 JULY 2022, 06:59

PHOTO:GETTY

Russia is trying to overcome the resistance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and establish full control over Luhansk Oblast, moving its units.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Details: On the Sloviansk Front, the enemy is trying to conduct an assault. The areas of Dolyna, Kurulka, Mazanivka, Bohorodychne, Adamivka and Chepil settlements were shelled with barrel artillery and MLRS.

On the Kramatorsk front, the enemy shelled the areas of Kryva Luka, Kuzmynivka and Hryhorivka with barrel and jet artillery. Russia is actively using radio-electronic warfare complexes in an attempt to disrupt the work of the control and communication system of the Defence Forces.

On the Bakhmut front, the occupiers shelled the areas of Ivano-Daryivka, Semihirya and the Vuhlehirsk thermal power station with barrel artillery. An airstrike was carried out near Spirne.

On the Avdiivka, Kurakhiv, Novopavliv and Zaporizhzhia fronts, the enemy is firing at our positions.

No changes in the condition and activity of units of the Armed Forces of Belarus were noted on the Volyn and Polissia fronts.

No signs of the creation of an enemy offensive group were found on the Siversk front. The enemy is maintaining separate units of the Western Military District in the border areas of Bryansk and Kursk oblasts.

The enemy carried out artillery fire and airstrikes in the areas of Vovkivka, Myropillia, Kindrativka and Esman settlements of Sumy Oblast.

On the Kharkiv front, the enemy is concentrating their efforts on holding the lines and is trying to conduct assaults on various sectors of the contact line. They carried out artillery fire in the areas of the settlements of Slatyne, Mala Danylivka, Ruski Tyshky, Vesele, Kutuzivka, Pryshyb and Husarivka. Near Shestakove, the occupiers mined roads with remote mines.

On the Pivdennyi Buh front, the enemy concentrated its efforts on preventing the advance of our forces. They conducted shelling from mortars, tanks and both barrel and rocket artillery in the areas of Lymany, Posad-Pokrovske, Prybuzke, Myrne, Kotliareve and Blahodatne settlements.

The enemy has four Kalibr sea-based cruise missile carriers ready for missile strikes in the Black and Azov seas.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The U.N. Security Council delayed Thursdays expected vote on extending humanitarian aid deliveries to rebel-held northwest Syria from Turkey after failing to reach a compromise on how long it would run.

Russia, which is one of the veto-wielding members, is demanding an extension of only six months, while many other council members, the U.N. secretary-general and more than 30 non-governmental groups are pushing for another year-long mandate.

The council scheduled a meeting for Friday morning, but it was unclear whether there would be further consultations or a vote.

Closed consultations among the 15 council members that continued into Thursday evening were unable to bridge differences between the original draft resolution by Ireland and Norway to extend cross-border deliveries for 12 months and a rival Russian text calling for a six-month extension, with a new resolution needed for a later six-month extension.

Were working on getting a basis for consensus, Irelands U.N. ambassador, Geraldine Byrne Nason, said after Thursdays meeting. No one in that room wants to be divided on an issue of such importance, but we have more work to do. And were going to get working now, work overnight and hope to be back in the morning with the solution.

Russias deputy U.N. ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, said there is 99% agreement on a resolution, but he said Russia insists on a new resolution after six months.

Byrne Nason, asked whether there was any way around the Russian demand, replied: Were working on it overnight.

The U.N. said last week that the first 10 years of the Syrian conflict, which started in 2011, killed more than 300,000 civilians  the highest official estimate of civilian casualties. Northwest Idlib is the last rebel-held bastion in Syria and a region where an al-Qaida-linked militant group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, is the strongest.

Russia, a close ally of Syria's government, has repeatedly called for stepped up humanitarian aid deliveries to the northwest from within Syria, across conflict lines. This would give Syrian President Bashar Assads government more control.

Story continues

In early July 2020, China and Russia vetoed a U.N. resolution that would have maintained two border crossing points from Turkey for humanitarian aid to Idlib. Days later, the council authorized the delivery of aid through just one of those crossings, Bab al-Hawa.

In a compromise with Russia, that one-year mandate was extended on July 9, 2021, for six months, with an additional six months subject to a substantive report from U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. This was effectively a year-long mandate because a second resolution wasnt needed, and that mandate expires this Sunday.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric called cross-border aid critical for men, women and children in the northwest and stressed the importance of long-term planning, including to costs.

In 2021, we had 800 trucks of cross-border aid go through each month, consistently reaching about 2.4 million people, he told reporters Thursday. The number of trucks that crossed in the calendar year, from January of this year to June 30th of this year, was 4,648 trucks.

The U.N. also carried out five deliveries across conflict lines last year and so far this year with about 2,529 metric tons of assistance including foods and health supplies, he said.

Russias Polyansky said he wasnt certain what would happen Friday, but U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters, Tomorrow were going to vote on a resolution and hopefully that is a vote that extends the resolution for 12 months.

Thomas-Greenfield, who recently traveled to the Bab al-Hawa crossing, added: A six-month resolution does not provide the certainty and the confidence that the Syrian refugees require and NGOs require in order to continue to plan for and provide for support.

Six months ends in January, in the middle of winter, the worst time possible, she said.

If no compromise could be reached, the draft resolution by Ireland and Norway would be voted on first. If it failed to get nine votes, or was vetoed by Russia, the Russian resolution with a six-month extension would then be put to a vote.
VALENTYNA ROMANENKO  THURSDAY, 7 JULY 2022, 11:32

The Russian army is using anti-radar air-to-surface missiles to try to destroy positions of the Ukrainian Air Defence, but the Armed Forces of Ukraine are actively resisting.

Source: Yurii Ihnat, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Forces Command, in comments for "Ukrainska Pravda"

Quote: "The opponent keeps using anti-radar missiles of the "air-to-surface" class of the X-31P and X-58 types against anti-aircraft, rocket and radio engineering subdivisions of the Air Forces of Ukraine on different fronts to try to destroy the positions of our Air Defence. Ukrainian Air Defence is taking all counter measures so that these missiles do not hit their targets".

Details: Ihnat also stated that on 6 July, the Air Defence of the Air Force of Ukraine destroyed two Kalibr cruise missiles launched by the occupiers at southern oblasts from the Black Sea area.

The combat aircraft, i.e. bombers and attack aircraft of the Air Forces of Ukraine, hit Russian positions on the East and South fronts from the air.

Thus, on Wednesday, Ukrainian aircraft destroyed Russian ammunition storage facilities, two command points and up to ten armoured vehicles and manpower.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's top lender Sberbank on Thursday said it had started removing chips from un-activated bank cards to combat a shortage sparked by European suppliers halting deliveries, as sanctions rain down on Russia and its banking sector.

Unprecedented Western sanctions over Moscow's actions in Ukraine and supply chain disruptions have severely impacted Russia's access to certain goods, with the import of advanced technology posing a particular challenge.

The National Card Payment System (NSPK) in April said there were not enough chips to meet demand for issuing Russia's home-grown Mir banking cards as European chip suppliers refused to work with Russian banks. Visa Inc and MasterCard Inc have suspended their operations in Russia.

"A shortage of chips for cards has started in Russia," said Sberbank's head of cyber compliance Olga Maklashina at a payment security conference on Thursday. "We mostly worked with European chip producers...there is now a big problem with logistics from Europe.

"Plus, Visa and Mastercard left the Russian market so everyone started reissuing and making Mir cards, so increased demand for card issuance appeared."

Maklashina said the scheme had saved one billion roubles ($15.86 million) as 375,000 cards each month remain un-activated.

"Chips became scarce and more expensive. Our colleagues at the issuing centre came up with an almost genius solution - reimplanting bank card chips," Maklashina said. "That is, we started picking out chips from cards and inserting them into new ones."

Maklashina said Sberbank was only taking the chips from un-activated cards.

The NSPK said in April it was turning to Chinese companies for supplies of microprocessors for cards.

($1 = 63.0500 roubles)

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Medical staff and volunteers have welcomed the last patients through the doors at the Pink House, as Mississippis only abortion clinic closed operations after a long and defiant fight.a

With a vow to help as many women asking for help before a state ban on abortions comes into effect on Thursday, staff scrambled and hired additional physicians before the cut-off.

Today is a hard day for all of us as the last abortion provider in Mississippi, tweeted the Pink House Fund, a non-profit group that has raised money to support the Jacksons Women Health Clinic, as the facility is properly known.

It is our last day fighting against all the odds  of being there when no other providers would or could.

It added: We are proud of the work we have done here. Thank U for all your support.

With the closure of the clinic, which opened in 1996, women not just in Mississippi, but across a large swathe of the south and southeast of the United States, will need to travel hundreds of miles or more, to the nearest facility.

Last week, Diane Derzis, who has owned the Pink House since 2010 and who lives in Alabama, told The Independent she had already bought a clinic in Las Cruces, New Mexico, about 1,000 miles away, but where abortion remains legal.

She said hundreds of thousands of women are going to travel long distances or else rely on abortion medication sent through the mail. Many states have said they will also seek to prosecute people sending such medications through the post.

Thats what the United States of America now looks like for the women that reside in those states, she said. Thats what we have come to.

The clinic, which is independent, has become famous in the battle over abortion rights, something that polls show a vast majority of Americans support.

Story continues

Unlike most facilities, the volunteers who welcome women at the Pink House also engaged with the opponents of abortion, having decided that too many in the movement had ceded the momentum.

By not pushing back, we give up the ground to them and that bullsh**, said volunteer Derenda Hancock.

We dont scream. Were not in their faces. But we were wrong to give them the sidewalks.

It has also become a popular location for abortion opponents from outside of Mississippi, to come and protest.a Laura Duran, 75, is a local and has been protesting outside the Pink House for ten years.

The main reason is that I believe in life and that the baby is live since the conception. We help the babies and the mothers with that they need, she said last month.

The clinic also became famous because its name was in the legal case, Dobbs v Jackson Womens Health Organisation. Dobbs refers to Thomas Dobbs, Mississippis state health officer, that found its way to the Supreme Court, and which then upheld a Mississippi law banning abortions after 15 weeks and also overturned Roe v Wade.

Today is a hard day for all of us @ the last abortion provider in Mississippi. It is our last day fighting against all the odds - of being there when no other providers would or could. We are proud of the work we have done here. Thank U for all your support.  The Pink House Fund (@PinkHouseFund) July 6, 2022

The 1973 ruling had been used by two generations of women nationally to secure access to safe and legal abortions.

Now, a Mississippi state law from 2007 that does not even contain an exception if a child or woman is raped or is a victim of incest, will come into effect on Thursday. The only technical exception is if a womans life is at risk.

Dr Cheryl Hamlin, obstetrician-gynecologist at Mt Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Mass, has spent a few days every month in Jackson performing abortions, for the past five years. No doctor from the state would agree to work there.

When she arrived on Wednesday, for the final day, she was greeted by supporters who cheered her.

One abortion opponent, Doug Lane, yelled: Repent! Repent!

As it was, his words were drowned out by abortion rights supporter Beau Black, who repeatedly screamed: Hypocrites and Pharisees! Hypocrites and Pharisees!

Additional reporting by Associated Press
WASHINGTON  Among tax lawyers, the most invasive type of random audit carried out by the IRS is known, only partly jokingly, as an autopsy without the benefit of death.

The odds of being selected for that audit in any given year are tiny  out of nearly 153 million individual returns filed for 2017, for example, the IRS targeted about 5,000, or roughly 1 out of 30,600.

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One of the few who received a bureaucratic letter with the news that his 2017 return would be under intensive scrutiny was James Comey, who had been fired as FBI director that year by President Donald Trump. Furious over what he saw as Comeys lack of loyalty and his pursuit of the Russia investigation, Trump had continued to rail against him even after his dismissal, accusing him of treason, calling for his prosecution and publicly complaining about the money Comey received for a book after his dismissal.

Former FBI Director James Comey is sworn in before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill, in Washington, June 8, 2017. (Doug Mills/The New York Times)

Comey was informed of the audit in 2019. Two years later, the IRS, still under the leadership of a Trump appointee after President Joe Biden took office, picked about 8,000 returns for the same type of audit Comey had undergone from the 154 million individual returns filed in 2019, or about 1 in 19,250.

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Among those who were chosen to have their 2019 returns scrutinized was the man who had been Comeys deputy at the bureau: Andrew McCabe, who served several months as acting FBI director after Comeys firing.

McCabe was later dismissed by the Trump Justice Department after its watchdog accused him of misleading internal FBI investigators. Like Comey, he had come to be perceived as an enemy by Trump, who assailed him, accused him of treason and raised questions about his finances long after pushing for his dismissal and prosecution, a pattern that continued even after Trump lost the 2020 election and began trying to overturn the results.

Comey and McCabe  whose spouses were also audited because both couples filed joint returns  provided the letters initiating their audits to The New York Times. Comey provided the Times with a privacy release allowing the IRS to respond to a Freedom of Information Act request about his case. Neither man knew that the other had been audited until they were told by a reporter for the Times.

The minuscule chances of the two highest-ranking FBI officials  who made some of the most politically consequential law enforcement decisions in a generation  being randomly subjected to a detailed scrub of their tax returns a few years after leaving their posts presents extraordinary questions.

Was it sheer coincidence that two close associates would randomly come under the scrutiny of the same audit program within two years of each other? Did something in their returns increase the chances of their being selected? Could the audits have been connected to criminal investigations pursued by the Trump Justice Department against both men, neither of whom was ever charged?

Or did someone in the federal government or at the IRS  an agency that at times, like under the Nixon administration, was used for political purposes but says it has imposed a range of internal controls intended to thwart anyone from improperly using its powers  corrupt the process?

Lightning strikes, and thats unusual, and thats what its like being picked for one of these audits, said John A. Koskinen, the IRS commissioner from 2013 to 2017. The question is: Does lightning then strike again in the same area? Does it happen? Some people may see that in their lives, but most will not  so you dont need to be an anti-Trumper to look at this and think its suspicious.

The headquarters building of the Internal Revenue Service in Washington on Sept. 26, 2021. (Stefani Reynolds/The New York Times)

How taxpayers get selected for the program of intensive audits  known as the National Research Program  is closely held. The IRS is prohibited by law from discussing specific cases, further walling off from scrutiny the type of audit Comey and McCabe faced.

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IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig, who was appointed to the post by Trump in 2018, declined to be interviewed about the audits, discussions he may have had with Trump or his political appointees, or how compliance research examinations work. But in a written statement, the agency said he had no role in selecting candidates for audit.

Commissioner Rettig is not involved in individual audits or taxpayer cases; those are handled by career civil servants, the statement said. As IRS commissioner, he has never been in contact with the White House  in either administration  on IRS enforcement or individual taxpayer matters. He has been committed to running the IRS in an impartial, unbiased manner from top to bottom.

Pressed on whether the IRS would look into the questions raised by the Comey and McCabe audits, the agency noted in its statement  without referring specifically to their cases  that whenever it learns of allegations of wrongdoing, it reaches out to the inspector general for tax administration in the Treasury Department for further review.

Asked about the audits, Trump, through a spokesperson, said, I have no knowledge of this. He went on to point to reports from the Justice Departments inspector general that were critical of Comey and McCabe.

Former IRS officials and tax lawyers said that given the array of reforms imposed on the agency after the Watergate scandal, they believed it would be difficult for a president or an appointee to direct an audit at a political opponent.

But the officials and lawyers said that because Trump repeatedly tried to use the powers of the federal government against his rivals and to overturn the election, and because the IRS conducted an extensive audit on two people whom he routinely pushed to have prosecuted, the tax inspector general or Congress should investigate the circumstances.

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Comeys audit, which lasted more than a year, revealed that he and his wife, Patrice Comey, had overpaid their 2017 federal income taxes. They received a $347 refund.

I dont know whether anything improper happened, but after learning how unusual this audit was and how badly Trump wanted to hurt me during that time, it made sense to try to figure it out, Comey said in a statement. Maybe its a coincidence or maybe somebody misused the IRS to get at a political enemy. Given the role Trump wants to continue to play in our country, we should know the answer to that question.

Andrew McCabe, then acting director of the FBI, testifies at a Senate hearing in Washington on May 11, 2017. (Al Drago/The New York Times)

McCabe said that his audit determined that he and his wife, Jill McCabe, owed the federal government a small amount of money, which they paid. He said he now believes the audit has concluded.

The revenue agent I dealt with was professional and responsive, McCabe said. Nevertheless, I have significant questions about how or why I was selected for this.

Under the Microscope

The audits conducted on Comey, McCabe and their spouses, according to the letters they received from the agency, were carried out under an IRS research program to learn who is  and who is not  paying their taxes.

The agency uses these compliance research examinations to determine the tax gap and adjust its dragnets, including a closely guarded formula that is intended to catch tax cheats. The number of audits carried out declined beginning with returns for 2015 because of budget strains before turning up somewhat in 2018 and 2019, the most recent years for which figures are available.

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Your federal income tax return for the year shown above was selected at random for a compliance research examination, the letters to both the Comeys and the McCabes said. We must examine randomly selected tax returns to better understand tax compliance and improve fairness of the tax system. Well give you the opportunity to explain any errors we may find during the examination.

In many instances, the agency catches taxpayers who undergo the audits understating their incomes and overstating their deductions, forcing them to pay penalties and interest. Even if a person has done nothing wrong, the process can take months and cost thousands of dollars in accountant fees.

Unlike a typical audit that asks individuals to explain a specific part of their taxes, these audits comb through the full return, forcing taxpayers in some cases to go to great lengths to essentially recreate their finances for the year in question.

Those being audited are often forced to produce bank records, copies of checks, receipts and letters documenting donations to determine whether they are properly reporting income and expenses and are not hiding assets.

In the case of the Comeys, it cost $5,000 in accountant fees. The IRS agent conducting the audit spent at least 50 working hours on it, including meeting face to face with the familys accountant, who drove several hours to meet the agent, according to internal IRS documents produced in response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed by The Times.

Along with having to produce all of his personal financial information, such as brokerage and bank statements, Comey gave the IRS a copy of his familys Christmas card that had a photograph to prove that he had the children he had claimed as dependents.

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The audit went so deeply into his finances that his accountant had a back and forth with the agency about how much the Comeys had spent on office supplies purchased more than two years earlier. In an series of documents the accountant provided to the IRS in February 2020, the accountant said that Comey, originally going by memory, had provided far too low an estimate about how much he had spent on them.

I have attached an invoice to support the cost of the MacBook Air for $1,761, Comeys accountant wrote to the agent in a letter. He also bought a printer and toner, charged on his AMX, 9/29/17. Mr. Comey has requested a copy of the statement for that month. I will also fax that document to you, when I get it. "

A month later, Comeys accountant pushed back on the invasiveness of the audit, likening it to a federal investigation.

We had a long conversation, the agent wrote in her notes about the call. He said he couldnt understand this audit, and this is how a fraud case is audited. He also couldnt understand why I requested all bank statements.

The agent said that she explained to the accountant that this was how the audits were conducted if someone like Comey, who had business expenses, did not keep formal books.

Politics and Taxes

Comey and McCabe generated ire across partisan lines during their tumultuous tenures at the FBI. Along with being atop Trumps list of enemies, Comey in particular was blamed by many Hillary Clinton supporters for the election of Trump because of how he handled the investigation of her emails during the 2016 election.

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The type of audit that the Comeys and McCabes faced was devised to select taxpayers through a statistical software program that groups them by certain undisclosed factors. The system does not entail employees manually selecting individuals for examination, the agency said.

It is illegal under federal law for anyone in the executive branch  with a few narrow exceptions  to request that the IRS conduct an audit or an investigation of someones taxes. Any IRS employee receiving such a request is required to report it to the Treasury Departments inspector general for tax administration. Those caught violating the law can be sentenced to up to five years in prison.

Trump, as president, attacked Comey regularly, calling him a dirty cop who should be tried for treason and should be arrested on the spot!

He similarly attacked McCabe, including accusing him of treason. A year before McCabes audit began, Trump, while still president, publicly asked about McCabes finances, repeating a long-standing false claim about donations that his wife had received when she ran for Virginia state Senate.

Was Andy McCabe ever forced to pay back the $700,000 illegally given to him and his wife, for his wifes political campaign, by Crooked Hillary Clinton while Hillary was under FBI investigation, and McCabe was the head of the FBI??? Just askin? Trump tweeted in September 2020.

At a minimum, some lawyers said, Trumps public statements about Comey and McCabe, and the fact that the man Trump appointed to the IRS was running it at the time of the audits, could create a perception that the IRS might have been used to carry out a political vendetta.

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When something like that happens, the presidents involvement inevitably casts a shadow over an otherwise routine government function and harms the publics confidence in the fair administration of taxes, said Scott D. Michel, a longtime lawyer who specializes in tax disputes.

The audit of the Comeys began in November 2019. The audit of the McCabes started in October 2021, nine months after Trump left office. At the time both audits occurred, the IRS was run by Rettig, whom Biden has allowed to stay on for a term set to expire in November.

During the 2016 election, Rettig, a Los Angeles-based tax lawyer, said that because Trump was under audit, he should absolutely not release his tax returns.

The IRS audit of the Comeys 2017 return started in 2019, three months after Trump blew up at his attorney general at the time, William Barr, over his decision to not charge Comey with a crime for how he handled memos that Comey kept on his interactions with the president. Comey had signed a lucrative book deal in 2017.

In the middle of Comeys audit, in January 2020, it was publicly disclosed that he and a longtime friend and adviser, Daniel C. Richman, were under investigation by the Justice Department on suspicion of leaking information related to Comeys decision making in the investigation of Clinton.

Prosecutors were focused on whether the two men had provided classified information to reporters as they tried to provide a rationale for why Comey held a news conference to announce the conclusion of the investigation into Clintons use of a personal email account. The investigation of Comey and Richman was closed without anyone being charged.

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In the days after Comey was fired in May 2017, McCabe took over as acting FBI director and opened investigations into whether Trump had obstructed justice in firing Comey and whether the president, because of his ties to Russia, was a counterintelligence threat to the United States.

The Justice Department in 2018 fired McCabe and took away his pension, a move that Trump applauded. The department conducted a wide-ranging investigation into McCabe after his firing.

His audit focused on his 2019 return. That year, with McCabe still a regular target of criticism from Trump, Justice Department prosecutors told McCabes lawyers that they planned to ask a grand jury to indict him, claiming he had made false statements to internal bureau investigators.

Despite presenting evidence to the grand jury, no charges were ever filed, leading some legal experts to conclude that the grand jury had made the rare move of deciding that there was no basis to charge him.

Shortly after Merrick Garland became attorney general last year in the early months of the Biden administration, Justice Department lawyers began negotiations with McCabes lawyers to resolve a lawsuit he had brought against the department, claiming that his firing was retaliatory and politically motivated.

In October 2021, the department settled, reinstating McCabes pension and cleansing his personnel record of his firing. Around that time he received the letter from the IRS beginning the audit. Last month, McCabe was told it had been completed.

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A Salisbury man was sentenced to 45 years in prison for rape and sex abuse of a minor in Wicomico County Circuit Court.

Jeansony St. Louis, 53, was given the maximum allowable sentences for charges of second degree rape and sexual abuse of minor by Judge S. James Sarbanes.

He will be supervised and registered as a sexual offender for the remainder of his life after completing his sentence, Wicomico County State's Attorney's Office said in a release.

St. Louis had pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree rape and one count of sexual abuse of a minor on Oct. 21, 2021.

His sentencing was postponed to allow for a pre-sentence investigation and a mental health evaluation.

In July 2020, the minor victim reported the sexual abuse to a medical provider during a routine pediatric visit. The subsequent investigation revealed that St Louis had been sexually abusing the victim since December 2017, the state's attorney's office said.

More:Salisbury man sentenced to 28 years in child sex abuse case

More:Chicken truck fire shuts down Route 50 east in Herbon

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Salisbury man sentenced on charges of rape, sex abuse of minor
A Columbia man is going to prison for scamming the government out of thousands of dollars with false tax returns he filed when he worked for the IRS, the U.S. Attorneys Office said Thursday.

Wayne Garvin, 57, was sentenced to 13 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for filing false tax returns and providing fabricated records to the IRS in an attempt to obstruct an audit of those returns, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a news release.

Garvin pleaded guilty to multiple tax fraud charges in March, according to U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart Goldberg of the Justice Departments Tax Division. He was originally charged with three counts of tax evasion and two counts of corruptly endeavoring to impair and impede the due administration of the internal revenue laws, according to the Justice Department.

Currently a South Carolina resident, the a 26-year veteran of the IRS conducted his scheme while working as a Supervisory Associate Advocate with the IRSs Taxpayer Advocate Service in Philadelphia, according to the release. Garvin went to Bowman High School and Voorhees College in the Palmetto State, according to his Facebook page.

From 2012-2016, when he worked for the IRS, Garvin prepared and filed with the IRS personal income tax returns on which he claimed false deductions and expenses associated with rental properties, fictitious real estate taxes on his personal residence, and fabricated charitable contributions, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

On his 2013 tax return, Garvin deducted nearly $16,000 in false expenses associated with his employment with the U.S. Army Reserves, according to the release. Although Garvin was formerly a member of the U.S. Army Reserves, he didnt perform any reservist duty in 2013 and was not entitled to deduct any expenses related to that employment, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

In total, Garvin caused the IRS to lose more than $74,000, according to the U.S. Attorney.

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Information about why the IRS decided to audit its long-time employee was not available. Garvin retired from the IRS in 2016 and moved to South Carolina, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Court documents showed that after the IRS began an audit of Garvins 2013 and 2014 tax returns, he tried to obstruct the audit by submitting fictitious documents to the IRS.

To justify the false deductions and expenses on his tax returns, Garvin fabricated and submitted to IRS auditors receipts from a church, invoices from a contractor and a letter from the Department of the Army, according to the release. After learning he was under criminal investigation, Garvin later submitted some of the same fraudulent documents to IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

All of these documents were false and fraudulent, Melissa S. Siskind of the Justice Departments Tax Division said in court in March, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. They were created by the defendant and provided to the IRS in an attempt to avoid the assessment.

Garvin faced a maximum punishment of five years in prison.

In addition to his prison sentence, Garvin was ordered to pay $74,662 restitution, according to the release.
The jig appears to be up for Nicholas Alahverdian.

After seven months of incessant denials that hes the international fugitive arrested in Scotland on a Utah rape charge, a new set of fingerprints has confirmed his identity, a Scottish prosecutor said Thursday.

The stunning change in fortune for Alahverdian came in a Glasgow court where prosecutor Julie Clark said fingerprints taken from Alahverdians arrest Tuesday for threatening two hospital staff, matched those previously identified as Alahverdians.

"Fingerprints taken when he was arrested for this matter were confirmed to be Nicholas Rossi, she said, referring to Alahverdian by the last name he once used.

Nick Alahverdian at the London Eye observation wheel in 2017.

'Hes proven he cant be trusted'

Over Alahverdian's repeated outbursts, a Scottish judge then revoked the Rhode Island con mans bail, agreeing with a prosecutor that his recent attempts to delay his extradition hearing, his fake reports of suffering seizures  and new charges of threatening a nurse and a doctor  make him a flight risk.

Hes proven he cant be trusted, and therefore he should be remanded in custody, said Clark, according to the Glasgow Court Press Agency, which covered the hearing.

Sheriff Gerard MacMillan agreed, telling the agitated Alahverdian, who sat before him in a wheelchair, dressed in a gown and slippers and using an oxygen mask: I feel you may abscond and fail to appear.

Scottish patience with the convicted sex offender who faked his death in 2020 appeared to be growing thin.

Prosecutors in his extradition proceedings in Edinburgh were already threatening to seek his bail revocation when on Tuesday he was arrested for threatening behavior.

More: Nicholas Alahverdian faces another rape allegation from English woman he met online

Scottish prosecutor: Nicholas Alahverdian refuses to give DNA sample or fingerprints

Rhode Island fugitive Nicholas Alahverdian arrives for a hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in Scotland in February.

Alahverdian, 34, had been in the hospital since last Thursday after an ambulance crew took him from his Glasgow flat hours before a scheduled extradition hearing.

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In a phone interview with The Journal last week, Alahverdian said he had COVID again, the same infection that hospitalized him in December when Interpol authorities caught up to him. He also complained of having seizures that made it impossible for him to attend his hearings.

Then Tuesday he began screaming at a respiratory doctor and nurse, approaching them like a raging bull, red-faced and cursing, prosecutor Clark said Thursday.

He was arrested then and held in police custody pending his court appearance Thursday.

More: Nicholas Alahverdian channels Winston Churchill as he tries to rally England to his defense

Authorities' frustrations building

Prosecutors have complained in court that Alahverdian was attempting to delay his extradition proceedings by refusing to voluntarily submit to fingerprinting and DNA sampling, defying orders to appear in Edinburgh Sheriff Court (often checking himself into a hospital instead), and failing to produce any identifying documents.

One document entered into his case, an Irish drivers license, appeared to be a forgery, a prosecutor said last week.

Alahverdian had been on bail since Interpol authorities arrested him Dec. 13 at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, where the one-time Rhode Island State House advocate for child-welfare reform was being treated for COVID.

At the time, Utah authorities said DNA and photographs of Alahverdian's distinctive tattoos had been used to tie him to the 2008 rape of a former girlfriend in Orem, Utah.

The FBI had been looking for him since at least 2019 on fraud charges, accusing him of taking out two dozen credit cards in his former foster fathers name and running up $200,000 in debts.

Death faked, and then flight to Europe

An FBI agent spoke to Alahverdian over the phone in December 2019. In plotting his fake death later that month  supposedly from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma  Alahverdian told reporters that he was living out of the country for fear of threats he had received because of his State House advocacy work.

He was reported dead: But the state police kept looking for Nick Alahverdian

Nicholas Alahverdian in 2017.

But law-enforcement officials have also described Alahverdian as a serial sex abuser, with women in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Ohio and Utah filing allegations against him.

In Ohio, in a span of two weeks in 2008, two women accused Alahverdian of virtually identical attacks. In one case, a student at Sinclair Community College, sought his prosecution and Alahverdian was convicted of misdemeanor sexual imposition and public indecency.

Months later, a 21-year-old woman in Orem, Utah, told police Alahverdian had raped her. As in more than a half-dozen other assault allegations, the woman said she met him on a dating website.

Alahverdians extradition hearing is scheduled to continue next week.

Email Tom Mooney at: tmooney@providencejournal.com

More: Nicholas Alahverdian's early years set the stage for a life of deception

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Scottish patience grows thin with the RI con man Nick Alahverdian
U.S. Secret Service Director James Murray will retire after serving in the high-ranking post for three years, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden said in a statement on Thursday.

Jim embodies the meaning of service over self, and protected the families of U.S. Presidents like they were part of his own, the statement said. We are incredibly grateful for his service to our country and our family.

Murray will begin a new position as chief security officer at Snap Inc., the company that owns Snapchat, at the beginning of August, a company spokesperson said. The Washington Post earlier reported the move. Murray will report directly to Snap CEO and co-founder Evan Spiegel.

The retirement comes shortly after former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinsons testimony to the House Jan. 6 committee investigating the attack on the Capitol, in which she highlighted the numerous dealings that Anthony Ornato, a senior Secret Service official whom President Donald Trump named deputy chief of staff in December 2019, had with Trump and other White House aides as the insurrection played out.

After Hutchinsons explosive testimony, during which she said Ornato had told her that Trump lunged toward the steering wheel of his detail's SUV on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to be driven to the Capitol, Ornato expressed willingness to contradict the testimony.

Hutchinsons testimony caused the Jan. 6 committee to raise sharp doubts about the credibility of Ornato, who served for a year as a political appointee in the White House. In a January interview with the committee, according to a person who described the exchanges, Ornato recounted various recollections of Jan. 6. that led panel members to question his version of events.

Murrays decision to allow Ornato to serve as a political adviser to the president crossed a major line for the Secret Service since agents are sworn to be above politics, Carol Leonnig, a Washington Post reporter and author of Zero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service, wrote on Twitter . The book also describes Murray and Ornato as good friends.

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Ornatos political appointment was approved by current director James Murray at Trumps urging, a decision that infuriated current and former agents, Leonnig wrote in her tweet.

When asked at the daily White House press briefing whether Murrays departure was related to the revelations from the Jan. 6 committees hearings, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre denied any connection.

This has been in talks for several months, she said, noting that conversations around the directors retirement had been ongoing since April.


Paul Pelosi and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2021. Samuel Corum/AFP/Getty Images

Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband is making massive stock trades as Congress mulls whether to ban lawmakers and their spouses from trading.

An Insider analysis estimated the Pelosis' cumulative wealth at at least $46.1 million.

Insider compiled each of Paul Pelosi's trades that the speaker has reported since 2021.

As members of Congress debate whether lawmakers and their spouses should play the stock market, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul Pelosi, a venture capitalist, continues to regularly buy and sell stocks and stock options.

Pelosi has access to confidential intelligence and the power to affect  with words or actions  the fortunes of companies in which her husband invests and trades.

When asked in December 2021 whether members of Congress should even be allowed to trade stocks, Pelosi answered in the affirmative.

"We are a free-market economy. They should be able to participate in that," she said.

This led some of her colleagues, on both the left and the right, to sharply criticize her  and draft legislation to restrict members of Congress and their spouses from trading stocks.

"Year after year, politicians somehow manage to outperform the market, buying and selling millions in stocks of companies they're supposed to be regulating," Republican Sen. Josh Hawley said. "Wall Street and Big Tech work hand-in-hand with elected officials to enrich each other at the expense of the country. Here's something we can do: ban all members of Congress from trading stocks and force those who do to pay their proceeds back to the American people. It's time to stop turning a blind eye to Washington profiteering."

Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, introduced a similar bill alongside Sen. Mark Kelly with the intent to ban members of Congress and their families from trading stocks.

"Members of Congress should not be playing the stock market while we make federal policy and have extraordinary access to confidential information," Ossoff said.

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Pelosi has since softened her stance, but the fate of a congressional stock-trade ban remains unclear.

A previous analysis from Insider estimated that the Pelosis are worth at least $46,123,051, making Nancy Pelosi one of the 25 richest members of Congress. The vast majority of the couple's wealth is derived from stocks, options, and investments made by Paul Pelosi.

Here are all of the trades reported by Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2021 and 2022:

AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. (AB)

Alphabet Inc. - Class A (GOOGL)

The exterior of a Google store photographed on June 09, 2022 in Berlin, Germany. Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images

Exercised 40 call options (4,000 shares) on June 18, 2021, at a strike price of $1,200 and cumulatively worth between $1 million and $5 million

Alphabet Inc. - Class C Capital Stock (GOOG)

Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Purchased 10 call options on December 17, 2021, at a strike price of $2,000, and together valued between $500,000 and $1 million

Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN)

An Amazon logo is displayed on a fulfillment center. Being the world's largest online retail company, Amazon operates more than 175 fulfillment centers worldwide, totaling in over 166 million square feet. Gabe Ginsberg/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Purchased 20 call options on May 21, 2021, at a strike price of $3,000, and together valued between $500,000 and $1 million

American Express Company (AXP)

The logo of the American Express financial services company is seen on a Gold Card in an office. Silas Stein/picture alliance via Getty Images

Exercised 50 call options (5,000 shares) on January 21, 2022, at a strike price of $80 and together worth between $250,000 and $500,000

Apple Inc. (AAPL)

Apple logo at an Apple store on May 31, 2022 in Berlin, Germany. Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images

Micron Technology, Inc. (MU)

In this photo illustration, the Micron Technology Corporation logo seen displayed on a smartphone. Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Purchased 100 call options on December 21, 2021, at a strike price of $50 and together valued between $250,001 and $500,000

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)

In this photo illustration, a Microsoft logo seen displayed on a smartphone screen. Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Exercised 150 call options (15,000 shares) on March 19, 2021, at a strike price of $130 and together valued between $1 million and $5 million

Exercised 100 call options (10,000 shares) on March 19, 2021, at a strike price of $140, and together valued between $1 million and $5 million

Bought 10 call options on May 24, 2022, at a strike price of $180 and together valued between $50,000 and $100,000

Purchased 40 call options on May 24, 2022, with a strike price of $180 and together valued between $250,001 and $500,000

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA)

In this photo illustration the Nvidia Corporation logo seen displayed on a smartphone screen. Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Purchased 50 call options on June 3, 2021, at a strike price of $400, together valued between $1 million and $5 million

Purchased 5,000 shares on July 23, 2021, together valued between $500,000 and $1 million

Bought 50 call options on July 23, 2021, at a strike price of $100, together valued between $250,000 and $500,000

Exercised 200 call options (20,000 shares) at a strike price of $100 on June 17, 2022, together valued between $1 million and $5 million

Paypal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL)

An image of a woman holding a cell phone in front of the PayPal logo displayed on a computer screen. Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Exercised 50 call options (5,000 shares) on January 21, 2022, at a strike price of $100 and together valued between $500,000 and $1 million

REOF XX, LLC

Invested between $50,000 and $100,000 in the asset-backed security on December 22, 2021

REOF XXII, LLC

Invested between $250,000 and $500,000 in the asset-backed security on July 13, 2021

Roblox Corporation Class A (RBLX)

The Roblox Logo. Roblox

Purchased 10,000 shares worth between $500,000 and $1 million on March 10, 2021

Purchased 100 call options at a strike price of $100 on December 20, 2021, together valued between $250,000 and $500,000.

Salesforce.com Inc (CRM)

In this photo illustration Salesforce logo seen displayed on a smartphone screen. Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Purchased 100 call options on December 20, 2021, at a strike price of $210, together valued between $500,000 and $1 million

Purchased 30 call options on December 20, 2021, at a strike price of $210, together valued between $100,000 and $250,000

Slack Technologies, Inc Class A (WORK)

ii

Exchanged 10,000 shares of Slack Technologies Inc. on July 22, 2021, for 776 shares of Salesforce.com Inc. as the result of a merger, with a cash payout of $267,900

Tesla, Inc. (TSLA)

A Tesla Model 3. David Zalubowski/AP

Purchased 25 call options on December 22, 2020, with a strike price of $500, together valued between $500,000 and $1 million

Exercised 25 call options (2,500 shares) on March 17, 2022, at a strike price of $500, together valued between $1 million and $5 million

Visa Inc. (V)

Visa

Sold 10,000 shares on June 21, 2022, valued between $1 million and $5 million

Walt Disney Company (DIS)

In this photo illustration, a hand holding a TV remote control in front of the Disney Plus logo on a TV screen. Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Purchased 100 call options on December 22, 2020, at a strike price of $100, together valued between $500,000 and $1 million

Purchased 50 call options on December 17, 2021, at a strike price of $130, together valued between $100,000 and $250,000

Exercised 100 call options (10,000 shares) on January 21, 2022, at a strike price of $100, together valued between $1 million and $5 million

Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. - Series A (WBD)

In this photo, illustration the logo of Warner Bros is displayed on computer screen and the logo of Discovery is displayed on phone screen. Media giants, WarnerMedia and Discovery, run the combined company, Warner Bros. Discovery Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Received 2,419 shares on April 11, 2022, resulting from a spinoff of previously held AT&T (T) shares, together valued between $50,000 and $100,000

Methodology note: In 2012, Congress passed the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act to combat insider trading and conflicts of interest to bring more transparency to lawmakers' financial dealings.

Per the STOCK Act, members of Congress are required to file financial disclosures within 45 days of making a trade, doing so in a certified congressional document known as a periodic transaction report. Insider collected and analyzed the trades listed in each of Pelosi's periodic transaction reports submitted since 2021.

Federal lawmakers are required to report stock trades made by themselves, their spouses, and their dependent children. But they are only required to list the value of reported trades in broad ranges.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain was braced for temperatures to hit 40C for the first time this week, with ministers urging the public to stay at home as the heatwave caused train services to be cancelled, one London airport to shut its runway and some schools to close. Much of Europe is baking in a heatwave that has pushed temperatures into the mid-40s Celsius (over 110 Fahrenheit) in some regions, with wildfires raging across tinder-dry countryside in Portugal, Spain and France. Britain's government triggered a "national emergency" alert as temperatures were forecast to surpass the previous record of 38.7C (102F) in the Cambridge University Botanic Garden in 2019.
An explosion on Wednesday rocked a Georgia tourist attraction that had become a campaign focus of a far-right GOP candidate for governor, who described it as Satanic and vowed to demolish it.

In an email, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation told BuzzFeed News that unknown individuals detonated an explosive device at around 4 a.m. Wednesday at the Georgia Guidestones, destroying a large portion of the granite structure. The investigation is active and ongoing, and Elbert County Sheriff's Office and the GBI are examining the site.

Kandiss Taylor, who sought the GOP nomination for governor on the platform of "Jesus, guns, and babies," had promised to sign an executive order dismantling the monument if elected and produced a campaign video vowing to "demolish the Satanic Georgia Guidestones." (She ultimately received only 3.4% of the vote in the state's Republican primary in May.)

The Georgia Guidestones, sometimes referred to as "American Stonehenge," have regularly been the focus of conspiracy theories. The 16-foot-tall stones are inscribed with 10 guidelines in eight modern languages and four ancient scripts, and they can be seen as a compass, calendar, survival guide for catastrophic events  or, particularly the message about keeping the global population to 500 million, as something more sinister.

The monument has been the center of much speculation since 1979, when a man named Robert C. Christian who said he represented "a small group of loyal Americans" commissioned Elberton Granite Finishing to install it; it's unclear why. Yoko Ono has praised the monument, while others have said it belongs to the Antichrist, according to Wired.

In her campaign, Taylor connected the monument to her distrust of the COVID-19 vaccine, abortion as "demonic worship," and the New World Order, the longstanding (and baseless) conspiracy that an authoritarian globalist government is coming.

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I am the ONLY candidate bold enough to stand up to the Luciferian Cabal.Elect me Governor of Georgia, and I will bring the Satanic Regime to its knees and DEMOLISH the Georgia Guidestones.Join me in my fight to #TearThemDown!Contribute: https://t.co/nvrU2idhNX 02:21 PM - 02 May 2022

"If we don't call things out, and we don't acknowledge them and we don't take authority and take dominion over what God's given us, then we are no better than the evil ones that put it up," Taylor said in the video.

GBI did not respond to questions about whether they believe Taylor had any connection to the explosion, and Taylor did not respond to BuzzFeed News's request for comment. On Wednesday, after news broke about the explosion, Taylor tweeted, "God is God all by Himself. He can do anything He wants."

God is God all by Himself. He can do anything He wants. https://t.co/QW8XSkjYGW 06:49 PM - 06 Jul 2022

The monument has been vandalized before, and others have also called for it to be removed.

During a June meeting of the county's board meeting of commissioners, a pastor asked the board to remove the Guidestones, saying it's a religious monument and its inscriptions support genocide, advocates the killing of 6.5 billion people, and supports abortion and Planned Parenthood, the Elberton Star & Examiner reported.

"I've never known anyone other than Kandiss Taylor to consider this a statement of faith," county attorney Bill Daughtry said, according to the newspaper.

"It's simply a tourist attraction," he continued. "We don't have to disagree with it or understand it. You looked at it and saw abortion in big letters, which I've looked at it and I did not see that. It's been there for years. People pull off the interstate and come and spend their money at local businesses after they look at a funny monument."
TipRanks

Markets have dropped sharply through the first half of this year, but the news isnt all bad for investors. The lower share prices we've been seeing offer plenty of opportunities for investors looking to buy the dip, or get in at a discount. The trick is to find them. Jim Cramer, the well-known host of CNBC's 'Mad Money' program, has a few ideas about this situation. In his view, the market turbulence has had the beneficial impact of sorting out the wheat from the chaff and working off the exce
Police clash with farmers calling for the resignation of Sri Lanka's president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Colombo on Wednesday. AFP/Getty Images

Sri Lanka's president asked Vladimir Putin for help to import fuel after supplies ran out.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he had a "productive" conversation with the Russian president on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka's economic crisis is deepening after the prime minister said the country was "bankrupt".

Sri Lanka's president has asked Vladimir Putin for help importing fuel as the country's economic crisis deepens.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa said in a tweet on Wednesday that he had a "very productive" phone call with the Russian president in which he asked for credit support. Sri Lanka has already made purchases of Russian oil.

Protesters gathered near the parliament building in the capital, Colombo, on Wednesday calling on Rajapaksa to resign. Inflation hit a record 54.6% in June while food prices have nearly doubled.

The president's request comes after prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said Sri Lanka was "bankrupt" on Tuesday, two days after the energy minister, Kanchana Wijesekera, said it had less than a day's worth of fuel left.

Sri Lanka's foreign currency reserves have been exhausted after it defaulted on its debts for the first time in May, meaning the country has struggled to pay for fuel imports.

Sri Lankans have been queueing for gas for days and the government has encouraged working from home to save fuel, Insider has previously reported.

Rickshaw drivers queue for fuel in Colombo on Wednesday. AFP/Getty Images

Rajapaksa also said he asked Putin to restart operations of Russia's national carrier, Aeroflot, in Sri Lanka.

"We unanimously agreed that strengthening bilateral relations in sectors such as tourism, trade & culture was paramount in reinforcing the friendship our two nations share," he tweeted.

The request comes as SriLankan Airlines was preparing to cancel a host of flights due to the lack of fuel, the Sri Lankan Daily Mirror reported. The airline is making alternate arrangements, such as bringing in jet fuel from India.

Sri Lanka is also holding talks with the International Monetary Fund to try to save its economy and is in discussions with India, Japan, and China about forming an aid consortium, Insider previously reported.

Western nations have shunned Russian energy imports amid sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine, but other nations such as China and India have been snapping up Russian oil at discount prices.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A woman walks past a building destroyed in Russian shelling in Borodyanka, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, June 21, 2022. (Natacha Pisarenko/AP)

KYIV, Ukraine  Foreign analysts say Russia may be temporarily easing its offensive in eastern Ukraine as the Russian military attempts to reassemble its forces for a significant  and what it hopes could prove decisive  new assault on its neighbor. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned menacingly on Thursday that his forces havent even started to fight.

Russian forces made no claimed or assessed territorial gains in Ukraine on Wednesday for the first time in 133 days of war, according to the Institute for the Study of War. The Washington-based think tank suggested Moscow may be taking an operational pause, but said that does not entail the complete cessation of active hostilities.

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Russian forces will likely confine themselves to relatively small-scale offensive actions as they attempt to set conditions for more significant offensive operations and rebuild the necessary combat power, the institute said.

Russias Defense Ministry seemed to confirm that assessment, saying in a statement Thursday that Russian soldiers had been given time to rest.

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The units that performed combat missions ... are taking measures to recover their combat capabilities. The servicemen are given the opportunity to rest, receive letters and parcels from home, read the statement, quoted by Russian state news agency Tass.

Putin warned Kyiv it should quickly accept Moscows terms to end the fighting or brace for the worst.

Everybody should know that largely speaking, we havent even yet started anything in earnest, he said in a menacing note.

Firefighters hose down a burning car after a strike hit a residential area, in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, July 7, 2022. (Nariman El-Mofty/AP)

Shelling continued in Ukraines east, where at least nine civilians were killed and six wounded in the past 24 hours, Ukrainian officials said early Thursday.

Ukraines presidential office said in its morning update that cities and villages in seven of the countrys regions were shelled in the past day. Most of the civilian deaths occurred in Donetsk province, where fighting is ongoing. Seven civilians were killed there, including a child, the presidential office said.

Later Thursday, a missile hit a residential area in the Donetsk city of Kramatorsk, killing one civilian and injuring at least six, officials said.

Volodymyr, 66, a resident who declined to provide his full name, sat in his overturned apartment, covered in blood.

I was just sitting and drinking tea, and then there was an explosion, he told the Associated Press. You can see the result of it.

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Asked if he felt safe staying in his apartment building block, he responded: Is it safe right now anywhere in Ukraine? It all just happened in one moment, and that was it.

Three people were killed and at least two wounded in what appeared to be a rocket attack on a residential neighborhood of Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city.

Earlier in the day, a boarding school was hit in Kharkiv but no one was injured. In separate attacks, the Ukrainian regional administration reported that three people across the Kharkiv region had been wounded by shelling.

The Kharkiv region, which lies along the border with Russia, is under daily shelling, and at least five civilians were killed there since Wednesday.

In all, 10 cities and villages came under shelling in Donetsk, and 35 buildings were destroyed, including a school, a vocational college and a hospital, officials said.

Donetsk is part of the Donbas, a mostly Russian-speaking industrial region where Ukraines most experienced soldiers are concentrated. Pro-Russian separatists have fought Ukrainian forces and controlled much of the Donbas for eight years. Putin recognized the independence of two self-proclaimed republics there just before Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

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Putin on Monday claimed victory in Luhansk, the other Donbas province, after Ukrainian forces withdrew from the last city they controlled there. The governor of Luhansk, Serhiy Haidai, denied Wednesday that the Russians had completely captured the province.

The Ukrainian military said Thursday that Russian forces also carried out shelling and helicopter strikes in the Sumy region in the northeast.

Even as the fighting continued, the British Defense Ministry said it thinks Russias military is reconstituting its forces. A ministry intelligence assessment issued Thursday said the heavy shelling along the front line in Donetsk is likely intended to secure previous Russian gains.

Further hostilities were reported in the Black Sea. The Ukrainian military said Thursday a national flag again stood on a strategic island that Russian troops withdrew from last month.

Ukraines southern military command said in a statement that Ukrainian military units had cleared Snake Island, an outpost off Ukraines southwestern coast vital for guaranteeing sea lanes out of Odesa, Ukraines biggest port.

The command group said that in addition to planting Ukraines flag on the island, the Ukrainian military also destroyed left-behind Russian military equipment.

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The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday that a Russian military aircraft launched a missile strike on the island as Ukrainian forces attempted to plant the flag. As a result, some of the Ukrainian military personnel were destroyed, the rest fled, the ministry said. The claim could not be immediately verified.

When Russian troops withdrew from Snake Island on June 30, the Defense Ministry described it as a a goodwill gesture to ensure Ukrainian grain and other exports could resume.

Ukraine said Russia also fired two missiles at a Moldovan-flagged oil tanker in the Black Sea, setting it ablaze.

Ukrainian officials said one hit the Millennial Spirit, which carried over 500 tons of diesel fuel, while the other went wide.

The ship has been without a crew, drifting at sea since the start of the war in February. Russia did not immediately acknowledge the strike on the vessel.

Ukraines Foreign Ministry said it summoned the Turkish ambassador in Kyiv on Thursday over what it described as the theft of Ukrainian grain by a Russian ship.

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The Zhibek Zholy was allowed to leave Turkeys Black Sea coast after Turkish authorities briefly detained it at Ukraines request. Ukraine summoned the ambassador to complain.

Turkey, with its Bosporus Strait, is the key transit route for shipping out of the Black Sea. Ukraine has sought to pressure Ankara to stop Russian shipments of its grain, a vital source of revenue.

Francesca Ebel in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, Jon Gambrell in Lviv, Ukraine, and Cara Anna in Kharkiv, Ukraine, contributed to this story.
Dozens of people across South Carolina flooded the state house Wednesday to tell a special House committee what they want to happen with abortion law in the state, now that Roe v. Wade is overturned.

Channel 9s Tina Terry was listening in and said the people who testified were very passionate as they tried to impact what happens next with abortion law.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: South Carolina introduces new bill to fully outlaw abortions, allow civil penalties

I was 18 when I found out I was pregnant. I had nothing, one woman said. Please advocate for the lives of the unborn, because they dont have a voice.

Some people lined up before sunrise to tell the House committee their very personal stories and opinions on abortion.

The decision to have a child is a private and personal conversation between the mother and the father, a man said.

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, Gov. Henry McMaster moved quickly, asking a judge to lift an injunction on the Fetal Heartbeat Act.

The law now in effect in South Carolina prohibits an abortion if a fetal heartbeat is detected, but it makes exceptions in some cases including rape, incest, to prevent the death or injury of a pregnant woman and when there is a fetal anomaly.

But the House committee could create new legislation that goes much further that the current law.

RELATED COVERAGE:

Our job today is to listen to you, the people of South Carolina on this very important topic, a committee member said.

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Some speakers asked the committee to give women the right to choose, but many other speakers early in the hearing asked the committee to go beyond current law in protecting the lives of the unborn.

We recommend that you prohibit abortions except to prevent death of a mother. Prohibit trafficking of abortion, using drugs to induce abortion and trafficking of a minor, attorney Courtney Milbank said.

ALSO READ: Hundreds protest in Fort Mill against proposed tougher abortion restrictions in SC

There were so many speakers Thursday that the hearing may go on into the night. Terry learned that the House committee will meet several times if they create new legislation that would go to a House judiciary committee, and if it passes there, the full House could come back from break to consider it.

The Democratic candidate for governor asked lawmakers to hold off until after the election before making any changes to abortion law.

Channel 9 will continue to follow along with any updates.

(WATCH BELOW: What overturning Roe v. Wade means for South Carolinians)








Doja Cat had to enlist Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp to help her slide into one of his castmates DMs.

Schnapp, 17, revealed in a TikTok video that the pop star sent him a message via Instagram asking him to tell Quinn to hmu [hit me up].

The 29-year-old Quinn, who played Eddie Munson in the latest series of Stranger Things, has been the subject of adoration among fans of the series  including Doja.

In his TikTok video, Schnapp showed a screenshot of a fan who tweeted a photograph of Quinn and wrote: Doja look how fine Joseph Quinn is.

The Kiss Me More singer, 26, replied: Its f***ing criminal.

Schnapp then showed a screenshot of his messages with Doja, which started with her writing to him: Noah can you tell Joseph to hmu? Wait no. Does he have a girlfriend?

He urged her to slide into his DMs, to which Doja replied: I dont know his Instagram or his Twitter. He doesnt have a DM to slide in.

Schnapp helped her out by sending her Quinns Instagram profile, adding: Right here maam.

He captioned the TikTok video: Thirsty Doja.

Quinn, who delivered one of the most praised lines in the recent season of the show, previously revealed that he does not use social media often.

He told Vulture in June: My exposure to social media has been minimal. I dont have TikTok; I have an Instagram account managed by a friend.

Meanwhile, Millie Bobbie Brown, who plays Eleven on the series, has candidly called out its creators, the Duffer brothers, for failing to killing off many original characters.

The shows co-creator, Matt Duffer, later responded to her criticism in an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast and described the 18-year-old as hilarious.

He added: Believe us, weve explored all options in the writing room. Just as a complete hypothetical, if you kill Mike [Finn Woldhard], its like thats a depressing we arent Game of Thrones. This is Hawkins, its not Westeros.

The first seven episodes of Stranger Things fourth season premiered on 27 May and became the second original title in Netflix history to surpass one billion hours viewed in the first four weeks of release.
By Renju Jose

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Heavy rain that pummelled Sydney over the last five days eased on Thursday as flood-weary residents looked to return to homes to take stock of the damage, some for the third time this year.

An intense low-pressure system formed off Australia's east coast over the weekend has weakened, satellite images showed, but major flooding could continue for several days with rivers and dams already at full capacity even before the latest storm.

Water levels in Hawkesbury River in Sydney's west began to recede bringing relief to residents in Windsor, one of the worst-hit suburbs. But heavy rain triggered flash floods in the mid-north coast of New South Wales forcing nighttime evacuations.

"We're in a mixed response at the moment of returning communities to their homes, but still responding to the evolving threat up in the mid-north coast ... and central coast (of New South Wales)," state emergency services Deputy Commissioner Ashley Sullivan told ABC television. "So we've got a number of flood rescues ongoing at the moment."

About 60,000 residents in New South Wales have been told to either evacuate or that they might receive evacuation orders, down from Wednesday's 85,000. More than 30,000 have been allowed to go back into homes to assess damage, authorities said.

Several regions have seen rainfall records for July broken because of the relentless downpour, with some places getting more than the annual average since Saturday.

The frequent floods have raised questions about how prepared Australia is for severe weather events.

Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has directed the treasury to model the impact of climate change on the Australian economy, re-starting work abandoned for almost a decade by the previous conservative governments, the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported.

Australia's east coast weather has been dominated by the La Nina climate pattern, typically associated with greater rainfall, for the second consecutive year. Though it ended in June, weather officials said there is a 50-50 chance it may return this year.

(Reporting by Renju Jose; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday authorized state officials and National Guardsmen to arrest migrants who enter the U.S. unlawfully and transport them to federal ports of entry along the border with Mexico, the latest escalation in his feud with the Biden administration over immigration policy.

Abbott signed a directive purporting to give the Texas National Guard and Department of Public Safety the authority to apprehend migrants who enter the U.S. in between ports of entry or "commit other violations of federal law." The order also empowered state officials to "return" these migrants to ports of entry, which are administered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a federal agency.

While Abbott has signed other directives targeting Biden administration border policies, his order on Thursday is arguably the most escalatory move yet, signaling a clear defiance of long-standing legal precedent dictating that the power to enforce immigration laws rests solely with the federal government.

The implementation timeframe and scope of Abbott's order remained unclear on Thursday, but it could be blocked by legal challenges, which doomed another directive from the governor last year that instructed state officials to stop vehicles suspected of transporting migrants released from federal custody.

A spokeswoman for the Justice Department, which represents the federal government in litigation, declined to comment on Abbott's proclamation. Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the three federal immigration and border agencies, referred questions to the White House.

In a statement to CBS News, White House spokesperson Abdullah Hasan said, "Governor Abbott's record on immigration doesn't give us confidence in what he has cooked up now." Hasan also criticized other operations the Texas governor has launched along the U.S.-Mexico border over the past year.

"His so-called Operation Lone Star put national guardsmen and law enforcement in dangerous situations and resulted in a logistical nightmare needing Federal rescue, and his secondary inspections of trucks crossing into Texas cost a billion dollars a week in trade at one bridge alone without turning up a single case of human or drug trafficking," Hasan said.

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Migrants are apprehended by US Border Patrol and National Guard troops in Eagle Pass, Texas, near the border with Mexico on June 30, 2022. / Credit: CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. immigration law gives the federal government  not states  the power to arrest, detain, interview, deport, penalize, grant relief to and otherwise process migrants who are in the country illegally or who become deportable because of certain criminal convictions.

In a 2012 ruling that partially struck down an Arizona law that expanded the state's ability to arrest and penalize unauthorized immigrants, the Supreme Court held that the federal government has "broad, undoubted power" over immigration policy.

Representatives for Abbott, the Texas National Guard and the Department of Public Safety did not respond to questions about the legal authority under which state officials would arrest, detain and transport migrants under Thursday's order.

In his proclamation, Abbott listed several concerns about the Biden administration's handling of the record levels of migrant arrivals along the southern border over the past year and argued the federal government has "abandoned" a provision in the U.S. Constitution tasking it with protecting states from an "invasion."

Abbott cited Texas laws related to disaster responses and the power to task the military with law enforcement. He also argued the 2012 Supreme Court ruling on the Arizona immigration law left the door open to state arrests of immigrants when there's "reasonable suspicion of illegal entry or another immigration crime."

Migrants are apprehended by US Border Patrol and National Guard troops in Eagle Pass, Texas, near the border with Mexico on June 30, 2022. / Credit: CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images

Theresa Cardinal Brown, a former senior DHS immigration official under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, said she expects Abbott's edict to be challenged in federal court, saying it rests on an "untested legal theory."

"Invasion is a very particular term. In general parlance, it would be an organized group invading from another country," Cardinal Brown said.

Beyond questions about its legality, Abbott's order did not include details on when and how state officials will implement their new authority to arrest immigrants suspected of violating federal immigration or criminal laws.

Representatives for the Texas National Guard and the Department of Public Safety did not answer a series of questions, including whether state officials planned to use the authority Abbott purported to grant them, which groups of migrants they would apprehend and when they would start the arrests.

The representatives also did not say whether state officials coordinated or planned to coordinate with federal immigration officials to implement the directive. DHS did not say whether federal border authorities planned to accept migrants returned to a port of entry by Texas officials.

Renae Eze, a spokesperson for Abbott, referred operational questions to the Texas National Guard and Department of Public Safety. But Eze confirmed that migrants will "be returned" to ports of entry "on the U.S. side of the border."

Ericka Miller, press secretary for the Texas Department of Public Safety, said the agency was "acting under the direction" of Abbott's order, but that she could not "discuss operational specifics."

Abbott, who is running for reelection this year, has positioned himself as a leading opponent of President Biden's immigration and border policies.

Over the past year, Abbott has authorized the arrest of migrants on state trespassing charges, deployed Texas National Guard units to the U.S.-Mexico border, stopped licensing shelters for migrant children in federal care and ordered the transportation of asylum-seekers to Washington, D.C.

This spring, Abbott ordered state inspections of commercial trucks entering the U.S. before suspending them after business leaders, the Biden administration and some Republicans highlighted the negative economic impact of the screenings, which slowed down cross-border traffic.

Migrants are apprehended by US Border Patrol and National Guard troops in Eagle Pass, Texas, near the border with Mexico on June 30, 2022. / Credit: CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images

Texas has also filed numerous lawsuits against Mr. Biden's immigration agenda, convincing conservative federal judges to revive Trump-era policies or stop several programs, including the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative, which was closed to new applications last year.

Like Republicans in other states and in Congress, Abbott has faulted the Biden administration for the unprecedented levels of migrant apprehensions recorded over the past year, accusing it of lax border enforcement.

The Biden administration, however, has argued the historic migration episode has been fueled by economic instability, hunger, violence, political repression and corruption in some countries in the Western Hemisphere that have seen record numbers of their citizens journey north.

U.S. officials along the southern border have processed migrants over 1.5 million times so far in fiscal year 2022, which ends at the end of September, a tally that is on track to surpass the record 1.7 million migrant encounters reported in fiscal year 2021, DHS data show.

Approximately 750,000 of the migrants processed this fiscal year have been expelled to Mexico or their home country under Title 42, a public health law first invoked under former President Donald Trump that the Biden administration has been required to continue indefinitely by a court order, according to the data.

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Boris Johnsons resignation speech as been criticised as ungracious and boastful after he lashed out at the Conservative Party revolt that forced him to finally quit.

The prime minister attacked the eccentric decision to oust him from No 10 and mourned the pretty relentless sledging he had received over the last few months.

I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world  but thems the breaks, he said at the podium outside No 10.

Attacking the herd instinct at Westminster, adding: When the herd moves, it moves. And my friends, in politics, no one is remotely indispensable, and our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader.

One senior Tory MP told The Independent it was pretty damn ungracious, as a growing number of party figures call for Dominic Raab to be immediately installed as a caretaker PM.

Another backbencher added: He didnt offer even the smallest shred of contrition. If there was any sense of guilt about forcing him out, he saw it off with that effort.

Senior Labour MP Chris Bryant said it was an utterly disgraceful exit speech  selfish; self-centred, narcissistic, poor me the victim, no regrets, no fault, no mistakes, no apology, no resignation.

Piers Morgan said Mr Johnson had quit as he had led: Boasting, blathering and blaming everyone but himself. What a terrible final speech by a man who turned out to be a truly terrible Prime minister.

Many others picked up on his use of the casual phrase, Thems the breaks  tweeting pictures of the Queen attending Prince Philips funeral in dignified silence, and listing the many problems Mr Johnson leaves the country to face.

Mr Johnson said it was painful not to be able to see through his ideas, and appeared to give only equivocal backing to his successor. To that new leader, I say wherever he or she may be, I say I will give you as much support as I can, he said.

The speech comes as Tory MP Nus Ghani, deputy chair of the 1922 Committee, said Mr Raab should take over from Mr Johnson immediately on an interim basis.

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Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has suggested he does not want Mr Johnson to stay until October, as has been suggested  saying a new leader is needed as soon as practicable.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said the speech showed no apology, no contrition  so Johnson. The backbencher said he was worried about further damage Mr Johnson could do while he remains caretaker in the weeks ahead.

The Brexiteer suggested Mr Johnson could say he was unwell and let Mr Raab take over. Challenged on Sky News over whether Mr Johnson was unwell, Mr Bridgen said: That depends on who you ask.

George Freeman  who quit as science minister earlier today  tweeted: Boris Johnson needs to hand in the seals of office, apologise to Her Majesty and advise her to call for a caretaker Prime Minister to take over today.

Mr Johnson named Greg Clark as levelling up secretary, Robert Buckland as Welsh secretary, and James Cleverly as education secretary as he desperately tries to fill vacant cabinet posts in a bid to stay on as caretaker prime minister until the autumn.

Shailesh Vara becomes the new Northern Ireland secretary after Brandon Lewis quit this morning, while Kit Malthouse will be the new Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster, the most senior minister in the Cabinet Office.

However, Tory rebel Aaron Bell, a red wall MP from the 2019 intake, said it was not tenable for [Mr Johnson] to continue as a caretaker if he cannot fill the ministerial appointments he needs to.

Labour will stage a Commons vote to try to force Mr Johnson out of No 10 immediately, if he tries to stay on as caretaker.

Keir Starmer urged Conservative MPs to get rid of him now  rather than serve a two-month interim period, while a successor is elected, saying: He cant cling on in this way.
Chris Hemsworth returns as the titular hero in new Marvel adventure Thor: Love and Thunder. (Marvel/Disney)

Five years after Thor: Ragnarok gave the Marvel Cinematic Universe's favourite Norse god a shot in the arm, that movie's director Taika Waititi has returned to the character with Thor: Love and Thunder. It's the fourth solo outing for Chris Hemsworth, who first played the character for Kenneth Branagh way back in 2011, and this time he's joined by Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie and Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, who returns in the guise of Mighty Thor.

The movie sees the trio of heroes  alongside rock creature Korg, voiced by Waititi  as they attempt to rescue the children of New Asgard from Christian Bale's skin-crawling bad guy Gorr the God Butcher. There are also screaming goats, for some reason.

Read more: Thor: Love and Thunder's best Easter eggs

It's a typically colourful adventure peppered with Waititi's trademark comedy, which is receiving a mixed bag of reviews from critics. And of course, after the credits roll, there are a few brief sequences for fans to feast their eyes upon. One of them provides a nice farewell to several characters, while the other offers a glimpse into what the future might hold for the God of Thunder.

Let's dive into Thor: Love and Thunder's mid-credits and post-credits scenes and what they mean for the future...

What happens in the Thor: Love and Thunder mid-credits scene?

Russell Crowe debuts as Zeus in Thor: Love and Thunder, looking likely to make future MCU appearances in the future. (Marvel/Disney)

Halfway through Love and Thunder, Thor and his friends travel to Omnipotence City  the parliament of the gods  in order to try to amass an army of deities against Gorr. Their chief target is the all-powerful showman Zeus, played by Russell Crowe in a tiny skirt and with an outrageous Greek accent. He doesn't have much interest in helping and a fight breaks out, which culminates in Thor fatally skewering Zeus with his own thunderbolt.

Read more: Looking back at Kenneth Branagh's Thor movie

Or at least, it seems fatal at the time. In the first credits sequence, Zeus appears with a large wound in his chest as he is nursed by several of his female minions. He delivers a venomous monologue about how "it used to mean something to be a god". He adds that people "just want to see one of their so-called superheroes" and that "they will fear us again".

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After issuing his threatening monologue, he summons his son Hercules and sends him after Thor. A brief glimpse of Hercules before the credits continue shows that he is played by Ted Lasso star and British stand-up comedian Brett Goldstein. The IMAX screen at the London press screening gave him quite the vocal response.

Brett Goldstein has joined the MCU in the role of Zeus's son Hercules. (Getty/Marvel Comics)

Hercules is a significant figure in Marvel comics, leading his own series The Incredible Hercules and appearing as a member of the Avengers. Introduced by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby as part of the Silver Age in the 1960s, His early appearances involved fighting with Thor, but the characters soon bonded and became powerful allies  a potential suggestion of where Goldstein's version of the character will end up.

The character has all of the superhuman powers you'd expect of a god and wields a golden mace which possesses similar strength to Thor's trusty hammer, albeit without its magical abilities.

Read more: Recapping the MUC history of Thor

Within just a few years of his comic book debut, Hercules was fighting alongside the Avengers. While he is introduced in Love and Thunder as a villain and a Thor-n in the side of our hero, it seems likely that he'll go on to be a valuable ally. Certainly, given Goldstein's likeable comic persona, he'd make for a great double act with Hemsworth's increasingly goofy take on Thor.

Hercules is the latest in an array of major characters to be introduced via post-credits sequences, following Charlize Theron as Clea in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Harry Styles as Eros in Eternals. The enormous ensemble cast of the MCU just keeps getting bigger.

What happens in the Thor: Love and Thunder post-credits scene?

Jane Foster appears alongside a returning Heimdall in the post-credits scene of Thor: Love and Thunder. (Marvel/Disney)

The final scene of Thor: Love and Thunder centres on Jane Foster, who had died in the climactic scenes involving Thor and Gorr at Eternity. We meet her as she arrives in an ethereal realm with a resemblance to New Asgard. Jane is met there by Idris Elba as Heimdall, who was killed by Thanos back in the opening scenes of Avengers: Infinity War. His return in Love and Thunder had been a persistent rumour.

Heimdall thanks Jane for helping to protect his son Axl (Kieron L. Dyer) and the rest of the Asgardian children kidnapped by Gorr, before telling her she's welcome to join him and other fallen Asgardian warriors in Valhalla.

Read more: Idris Elba doesn't seem to know what the MCU is

This seems like a final goodbye for Jane Foster, putting a full stop at the end of her story after she was finally coaxed back into the MCU and got the chance to get into the thick of the action as a bona fide superhero. And while it's nice to see Heimdall again, it seems very likely that this will be the last we see of him, with Axl stepping up to walk in his father's footsteps.

Thor: Love and Thunder is in UK cinemas and in IMAX now.

Watch: Trailer for Thor: Love and Thunder
When you want to throw yourself into a freshly baked dough, topped with premium tomato sauce, and fior di latte mozzarella  there is only one place! The best pizza in the world is in Naples. Forget what you heard about New York pizza crust, or Chicagos deep dish toppings, or even Romes tomato sauce- if youre a pizza lover looking for that one mind blowing slice, head to Napoli (as Italians call it) and be forever changed.

Interestingly enough much like Americans battle which state has the best bbq, many cities in Italy like to claim they have the migilorie, aka the best pizza in the entire country. Mainly because after traveling to most of the major cities in Italia, there is no doubt that Naples takes the cake. Check out these 4 key eateries that will have you side-eyeing every single slice of pizza youve ever eaten:

L'antica Pizzeria de Michelle

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lantica Pizzeria Da Michele (@pizzeriadamichele)

LAntica has been in business for over 150 years and has earned itself landmark status in the city of Naples. To call it a tourist attraction is an understatement, the locals and tourists alike line up to get a pie and a soft drink for at least a 30  40 minute wait.

Pizzeria Starita

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pizzeria Starita (@pizzeriastarita)

First established in 1901 as a winery, it didnt become famous for its pizzas until the 1940s when they originally served traditional Italian foods. I would recommend Starita for pizza lovers who enjoy a good crust on their personal pies. Starita also attracts tourists from all over the world, expect a 20 minute wait time without reservations on a normal weekday.

Da Attilio

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pizzeria Da Attilio (@pizzeriadaattilio)

Attilio Bacheti is a craftsman when it comes to pizza and at Da Attilio is where you can try some of his amazing innovations to the world of pizza. Also an expert in cheese and oils, Attilio continues to find a way to make his pizzas stand out from the rest.

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Pizzaria La Notizia

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Enzo Coccia (@enzococcia_lanotizia)

For foodies seeking a culinary experience when it comes to their pizza, Pizzaria La Notizia is the place to be. Also featured in the Michelin Guide as one of the must-see pizzerias in the world.
MANITOWOC - Matthew Brown-Edwards' trial, which was scheduled to start June 27, has been pushed back to Sept. 26.

This is the seventh time his trial has been rescheduled in the Manitowoc County Circuit Court.

Brown-Edwards was arrested in January 2018 after being accused of abusing a 2-month-old baby girl who died as a result of that abuse.

He faces two felony charges  first-degree homicide and child abuse  and a misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to the criminal complaint, rescue workers were called to Brown-Edwards' Two Rivers home on Jan. 17, 2018, for a baby found unconscious and not breathing. The baby died shortly after being flown to the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee for life-threatening injuries.

At first, the 27-year-old Two Rivers man told police different stories about what happened to the child, the complaint said. Eventually, he said he picked up the baby and shook her forcefully earlier that afternoon while his girlfriend, the baby's mother, was out of the house.

More: Manitowoc man suspected of repeatedly sexually assaulting 5-year-old charged with six felonies

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He told police he tried to give the infant CPR and then put her back in the swing and left her there for the rest of the afternoon until finding her unresponsive and calling 911.

Brown-Edwards' has been incarcerated at the Manitowoc County Jail on a $150,000 bond for more than four-and-a-half years.

First-degree reckless homicide is a Class B felony punishable by up to 60 years in prison.

His trial will begin Sept. 26 and is scheduled for the entire week through Sept. 30 at the Manitowoc County Courthouse.

Contact Alisa Schafer at aschafer@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @AlisaMSchafer.

This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Matthew Brown-Edwards trial in Two Rivers child death postponed
Donald Trump removed himself from the board of his social media company, records show, just weeks before the company was issued federal subpoenas by both the Securities and Exchange Commission and a grand jury in Manhattan, exclusively reported by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Trump, the chairman of Trump Media and Technology Group, was one of six board members removed on June 8, Florida business records show.

Among the board members removed were Kashyap Patel, Trump's former point man in the White House; Scott Glabe, a former assistant to Trump who was counsel for the media company; and Donald Trump, Jr.

The SEC served Trump Media and Technology Group with a subpoena on June 27, according to a regulatory filing. Trump's media company owns Truth Social, an app similar to Twitter. Trump was banned by Twitter for inflammatory remarks concerning the insurrection.

Former President Donald Trump addresses the participants at the Road to Majority conference at Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center Friday, June 17, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn.

Four days later, on July 1, a grand jury in the Southern District of New York handed the company another federal subpoena, an action that typically means a potential criminal investigation is in progress.

The investigations appear to be related to a proposed merger between Trump's media company and a blank-check company called Digital World Acquisitions Corp., according to a recent regulatory filing.

Digital World is a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC. Companies such as these raise money to go public with the intent of finding a company to merge with. SPACs are prohibited from finding a partner before going public, but the SEC is investigating potential talks between the two companies that were possibly premature, according to a filing.

The merger between the two companies could reportedly mean $1.3 billion in capital and a listing on the stock exchange for the new company, according to the New York Times.

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Digital World revealed in a recent filing that its board of directors had previously received similar subpoenas.

According to Digital World's filing, the grand jury subpoenas served on Trump's company were seeking a "subset of the same or similar documents demanded in subpoenas to Digital World and its directors."

The SEC's subpoena, according to a filing, seeks "documents relating to, among other things, Digital World and other potential counterparties for a business transaction involving TMTG."

In addition to Trump's company being served by a grand jury, "certain current and former TMTG personnel" were also subpoenaed. Those "personnel" were not identified.

In a statement, Trump Media said it "will continue cooperating fully with inquiries into our planned merger and will comply with subpoenas we've recently received, none of which were directed at the company's chairman or CEO."

What the statement did not mention was that Trump is no longer chairman, at least according to the state business filing.

Truth Social posted a statement on its site Thursday denying that Trump had left the board and calling the report "fake news." The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Former California Congressman Devin Nunes is listed as the media company's CEO. A businessman named Phillip Juhan is the company's CFO. They are now the only two board members listed, both using the same Florida office address.

Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif, the then ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, center, talks with Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, left and Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, during a break in a the House Judiciary Committee hearing considering the investigative findings in the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Dec. 9, 2019.

The removal of Trump and the other board members not only preceded two federal subpoenas but also occurred shortly after Trump registered his company in Sarasota, Florida, which happened on April 18.

A visit to the office by the Herald-Tribune on June 27 revealed Trump's company name was not on the registry in the main lobby, nor was there any reference to the name at the office suite itself. There was no receptionist either, just a note to ring the doorbell for assistance.

The visit to the office by the Herald-Tribune took place on the same day the SEC served Trump's company with the subpoena.

The lack of Trump's name  among the most recognizable in the world  in the office building was notable as the former president has a licensing agreement with Trump Media for use of his name.

Cassidy Hutchinson, former aide to Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, testifies as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol holds a hearing at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, June 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool)

A social media platform is vital to Trump, most recently evidenced by his harsh criticism on Truth Social of Cassidy Hutchinson, the former White House aide who told the House select committee of Trump's insistence that he go to the Capitol during the riots.

Truth Social was formed roughly a year after the Jan. 6 attacks, but the app struggled with technical issues, and its ability to attract followers lagged.

On April 22, the technical issues appeared to be solved as Rumble, a video media platform company, announced the successful migration of Truth Social's website and mobile apps to its Cloud infrastructure.

On April 18, four days prior to that announcement, Trump Media registered as a business with the state of Florida, listing Sarasota as its address and the former president of the United States as a board member.

Contact Chris Anderson at chris.anderson@heraldtribune.com. Please support local journalism by purchasing a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Trump leaves social media company during a federal investigation
A memorial on July 7, 2022, in Warren Park at the scene where Anthony Mendoza, a 15-year-old former student at Dever Elementary, was shot and killed Tuesday in the West Ridge neighborhood. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

A 15-year-old boy was fatally shot while hanging out with friends at Warren Park on the North Side Tuesday, Chicago police said.

Just before 2 p.m., Anthony Mendoza was with two friends near the southeast corner of the park, 6601 N. Western Ave., when a person approached and fired at Mendoza, striking him in the upper right chest, according to a Chicago police report.

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The friends told police they heard gunshots and ran, according to the police report. When they looked back, they saw the teen face down on the ground unresponsive, the report said.

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The Cook County medical examiners office ruled Mendozas death a homicide from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was pronounced dead at 2:43 p.m. at Ascension St. Francis Hospital in Evanston.

In an online statement, Ald. Debra L. Silverstein of the 50th Ward, where the shooting happened, said: I grieve for the victim and for all of the youth who get caught in our citys cycle of gun violence.

She said the communitys safety is a priority for her and she is working with police.

I am very disturbed and angry by the brazenness of this shooting  that it would happen in the middle of the day in one of our neighborhood parks, her statement said. There is currently no danger to the general public.

Police are working to find video of the scene and continue to investigate. As of Thursday afternoon, no one has been arrested in connection to the shooting, said Rocco Alioto, a police spokesperson.
TUNIS, Tunisia (AP)  Tunisia's influential Islamist movement Ennahdha on Thursday strongly disputed accusations of money laundering and terrorism financing after the country's central bank froze the bank accounts of a dozen top party officials.

Party leader Rached Ghannouchi, a former Tunisian parliament speaker who has clashed with President Kais Saied, was among those hit by the account freezes, which authorities said targeted those suspected of links to a charity called Nama Tounes.

Ennahdha spokesperson Imed Khemiri called the accusations a malicious maneuver aimed at diverting the attention of public opinion from Tunisia's economic and political problems and at presenting Ennahdha as a threat."

The freezing of the financial assets of Ghannouchi as well as of a certain number of Ennahdha leaders has no legal basis, but is rather a deliberate targeting of the movement, the spokesperson said.

In a statement, Ennahdha said that Ghannouchi already made a declaration of his assets and that all his banking transactions are legal. The party said it ensures it has not received any money from inside or outside the country and has not made any transfer to the accounts of the charity.

The list of those whose accounts were frozen includes Ghannouchi's son, daughter and son-in-law as well as former Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, his two daughters and his wife.

The party spokesman said the accusations were aimed at distracting attention from a July 25 referendum planned by the president to change the constitution to augment presidential powers and reduce the role of the parliament and prime minister. The president critics say he is trying to legitimize a coup.

Saied suspended parliament last year and seized broad powers in a move that he said was necessary to save the country from political and economic crisis. This prompted criticism from the opposition, which accuses him of a slide toward totalitarianism.

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Saied and some others blamed Ennahdha in part for Tunisias political crisis last year. Ennahdha, which dominated parliament before it was suspended, is among the presidents fiercest critics.

Ghannouchi has been summoned to appear before an anti-terrorism judge July 19 in connection with an investigation into terrorist financing and money laundering, according to judicial officials.

Khemiri expressed concern that the executive branch could manipulate the judicial system against Ennahdha, after the president recently dismissed 57 judges and established a new council to oversee the judiciary.
By Alexander Cornwell

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - A U.S. special envoy said on Thursday she discussed prejudice towards Jews with officials in Saudi Arabia ahead of a visit by President Joe Biden next week that could help bring the kingdom and Israel closer.

Deborah Lipstadt, the State Department's Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, said she discussed ways to counter hatred, including teaching how Jews were indigenous to the Middle East.

"There have been good parts of the history and bad parts of the history but there's a history of Jews in this region. There's a history of Jews and Muslims living together", said Lipstadt, who headed to Saudi Arabia on June 26 to start the 11-day regional tour.

Speaking to Reuters at the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi, Lipstadt said her inaugural tour as special envoy, which included a visit to Israel immediately after Saudi Arabia, was not a precursor to Biden's visit despite similar schedules.

Biden will visit Israel, the Palestinian territories and Saudi Arabia from July 13-16 on a trip Western officials say is, in part, aimed at bringing Israel and Saudi Arabia closer, though unlikely to result in normalisation.

A renowned scholar, Lipstadt said there had been "positive steps" taken in Saudi Arabia to battle antisemitism, including changes in the education curriculum and to religious sermons in the kingdom that is home to Islam's holiest site, Mecca.

"There's a serious diminution of hostility towards Jews. It is a big thing. It's a very big thing," she said while cautioning that measures taken so far were not enough and more were needed.

Saudi Arabia has softened rhetoric against Israel and Jews since its neighbours the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in 2020 established formal ties with Israel, breaking with decades of Arab policy that called for Palestinian statehood first.

Jews in small numbers now openly visit the kingdom without concealing their faith, sometimes publicising their presence there to thousands of social media followers.

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"One of the things I saw in Saudi Arabia that's very present here in the UAE is a willingness to divide or separate between the geopolitical crisis in the region, which is a serious political problem - one that my country is working very hard to try to resolve ... But to say that, doesn't have to come in tandem with hatred of Jews, with denigrating Jews," Lipstadt said.

But despite the social changes, Saudi Arabia's leaders have so far affirmed there can be no progress on normalisation with Israel without a deal on Palestinian statehood.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Howard Goller)
BRITAIN-POLITICS-CONSERVATIVES-JOHNSON

A member of the public holds a copy of the Evening Standard, leading with a story that Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson has resigned as leader of the Conservative Party, by the Houses of Parliament in London on July 7, 2022. Credit - Justin TallisAFP/Getty Images

British Prime Minister Boris Johnsons premiership is coming to an end, he announced Thursday, as a wave of resignations in his cabinet left his position as leader untenable.

Sexual misconduct allegations made against a senior lawmaker in Johnsons government was just the latest in a series of scandals to strain the leaders relationship with his party. After at least 50 lawmakers and government officials resigned in protest over a 48-hour period, Johnson said on Thursday that he would resign but remain until his party has chosen a new leader. But even his ability to hold onto office in the interim remains a question-mark.

Below, what happens next, and how U.K. leaders are chosen:

Read more: Boris Johnson Has Resigned. Heres How He Lost Britains Government

How long will Johnson stay?

Although Johnson said he will stay on until a new Conservative party leader is selected, there are growing calls for him to depart immediately. In that case, another member of his party will temporarily assume the role of caretaker prime minister. Some names that have been floated include Deputy Prime minister Dominic Raab.

It will take weeks for Conservatives to select a new party leader. Because the Conservative party has a majority in the U.K. parliament, the winner of the party leadership contest will automatically become prime minister.

How is the new Conservative leader selected?

Under usual circumstances, British prime ministers are chosen in a general election held every five years. Instead of voting for the nations leader directly, as is the case in presidential electoral systems, the public chooses between delegates of each party to represent their local area, known as a constituency. The party that wins the most constituencies wins the election, and the leader of that party typically becomes the prime minister.

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The Conservatives have a strong majority in parliament with 358 of 650 seats, after winning the 2019 general election under Johnsons leadership.

Party leaders are chosen by an internal process normally in advance of a general election, or in the case that a leader steps down or is forced out. To take part in the race, a Conservative member of parliament needs to be nominated by at least eight colleagues. Likely candidates to follow Johnson include former finance minister Rishi Sunak, former defense secretary Ben Wallace, and former health secretary Sajid Javid, among others. A winner is selected from the nominated individuals in a two-stage process.

Read more: Who Could Replace Boris Johnson As U.K. Prime Minister?

First, MPs whittle the candidates down in a series of secret ballots, whereby the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated at each round until two are remaining.

In the second stage, card-carrying grassroots party members vote on the final two candidates. (Its possible that it never goes to a final run-off, as was the case in 2017, after Mays opponents were eliminated or eventually withdrew.) Anyone in the U.K. can become a member of a party, provided that they pay a membership feewhich is 25 ($30) for the Conservatives. The Conservative party has around 200,000 members. This means that the final decision to select Johnsons successor will be made by roughly 0.29% of the British population.

Grassroots party members havent always been able to influence the outcome of leadership contests. In 1998, the Conservatives decided to hand some of the power over to the rank and file, partly to embolden grassroots supporters and reverse decades of plummeting membership numbers. Although the new process helps to decentralize party politics, low membership levels mean that Conservative voter values may not be accurately represented by card-carrying members.

The timeline for choosing a new leader

In 2019, when Theresa May resigned as prime minister, the internal party voting process took six weeks, resulting in Boris Johnson becoming leader after beating rival Jeremy Hunt. Before the process starts, there may be a period of time for candidates to campaign. In his resignation statement, Johnson said that a timeline for the contest will be released next week.

What does this mean for British voters?

There is no fixed date for the next general election, but it is expected in late 2024 or early 2025. Leaders of the Conservative party can resign at any point, or be forced out by a vote of no-confidence from MPs. (Johnson survived a confidence vote by 211 votes to 148 on June 6, and May twice, first by 200 votes to 117 in December 2018 and again by 325 votes to 306 in a parliamentary-wide challenge in January 2019.)

In any case, a new Conservative leader may decide to call an early general election to bolster their mandate among the general public. This avenue is a gamble, however. Although Johnson won a large majority after the December 2019 election, allowing him to push through his Brexit agenda, Mays decision to call a snap election in 2017 resulted in the Conservative party losing its parliamentary majorityand contributed to the Brexit impasse that led her to resign in June later that year. (May took over after her predecessor, David Cameron, resigned in the wake of U.K. voters opting to back Leave in the June 2016 Brexit referendum.)

In his resignation statement on Thursday, Johnson cautioned against the idea of a snap general election, saying it didnt make sense when the Conservatives are delivering so much and [with] such vast mandates, when the economic scene is so difficult domestically and internationally.
By Max Hunder and Sergiy Karazy

KYIV (Reuters) - Two U.S. senators seeking to pass a law designating Russia as a "state sponsor of terrorism" visited Ukraines capital on Thursday to discuss the bill with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Republican Lindsey Graham told Reuters in a joint interview with Democrat Richard Blumenthal that the bill would put Russia in "the category of Iran, Syria and North Korea." Graham said he believed it could get near-unanimous support in the U.S. Senate.

Zelenskiy thanked the senators for their work and emphasized the importance of bipartisan U.S. support.

Blumenthal cited photos he saw of suspected atrocities by Russian forces in the Kyiv satellite town of Bucha in March as evidence that Russia deserved the designation. Ukrainian and international prosecutors are investigating who is responsible.

"If that isn't terrorism, I don't know what is," he said.

Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 and Moscow denies they have targeted civilians.

INSURGENCY SUPPORT

Both senators said they believed Ukraine could effectively use an insurgency in Russian-occupied areas, along with U.S.-supplied weapons systems, to launch a counter-offensive and take back territory occupied by Russia.

"Long-range artillery is very, very important. But so is the hand-to-hand insurgency that we are hoping to see in eastern Ukraine, in the territory that's already been occupied by the Russians," Blumenthal said.

Blumenthal also said he supported further arms supplies to Ukraine, including HIMARS rocket systems "with longer ranges", Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and air defense systems, on the condition that Ukraine did not use these to attack Russian territory.

The Biden administration has previously declined to give Ukraine longer-range HIMARS munitions, with a range of up to 300 miles, amid concerns that Ukraine could use the weapons offensively and not defensively.

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Graham emphasized the need for urgency in weapons shipments, echoing Ukrainian officials calls for expedited deliveries as they try to hold parts of the eastern Donbas region coveted by Moscow.

"We have a chance here in the next 60 days ... the decisions we make can turn the tide of this war in favor of Ukraine," Graham said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia had barely got started in Ukraine and dared the West to try to defeat it on the battlefield, while insisting that Moscow was still open to the idea of peace talks.

(Reporting by Max Hunder and Sergiy Karazy; editing by Grant McCool)
RIYADH (Reuters) -Britain's Royal Navy said on Thursday one of its warships had seized Iranian weapons, including surface-to-air-missiles and engines for cruise missiles, from smugglers in international waters south of Iran early this year.

A helicopter from the frigate HMS Montrose spotted speedboats moving away from the Iranian coast on Jan. 28 and Feb. 25 and dozens of packages containing the advanced weaponry were confiscated, the Royal Navy said in a statement.

The Iranian foreign ministry rejected Britains claim, accusing it of being complicit in the war against Yemen by selling arms to the Saudi-led coalition.

"By continuously selling advanced weapons to the self-proclaimed military coalition against the defenseless people of Yemen, Britain has been a partner in the war and aggression against Yemen, and it is not in a position to make such baseless accusations about the Islamic Republic of Iran and assume a humanitarian face, the ministry said in a tweet, quoting its spokesperson Nasser Kanaani as saying.

Therefore, he said, Britain does not have the moral authority to make a claim against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Royal Navy said: "The seized packages were returned to the UK for technical analysis which revealed that the shipment contained multiple rocket engines for the Iranian produced 351 land attack cruise missile and a batch of 358 surface-to-air missiles."

It did not say where the missiles were bound, but said the 351 cruise missile, with a range of 1,000 km (620 miles), is often used by Yemen's Houthi group to target Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Gridley supported the February seizure, the Royal Navy said. Both seizures occurred while HMS Montrose was on routine maritime security operations, it added.

"This action demonstrates that we will not allow irresponsible and aggressive acts by Iran to go unchecked on land, sea, and air," U.S. Central Command spokesperson Colonel Joseph Buccino said in a statement.

Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have been at war with the Iran-aligned Houthis since 2015, in a conflict widely seen as a proxy war between the two Western-backed Arab Gulf states and Iran.

(Reporting by Jonathan Landay, Parisa Hafezi and Phil Stewart, writing by Aziz El Yaakoubi, editing by Robert Birsel and Kim Coghill)
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Ukraine will summon Turkey's ambassador to seek clarification, its foreign ministry said on Thursday, a day after a Russian-flagged cargo ship suspected of carrying stolen Ukrainian grain left a Turkish port.

The dispute comes at a time of record food prices globally, as conflict in Ukraine, the world's largest grain supplier, has fuelled concerns about food security.

It was "unacceptable" for the ship to have been allowed to leave, the Ukrainian ministry said, after Refinitiv ship tracking data showed the vessel sailed from Turkey's northwestern port of Karasu late on Wednesday.

"We regret that Russia's ship Zhibek Zholy, which was full of stolen Ukrainian grain, was allowed to leave Karasu port, despite criminal evidence presented to the Turkish authorities," foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko wrote on Twitter.

On Sunday, Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey said Turkish authorities had detained the ship. Reuters previously reported that Ukraine had asked Turkey to arrest the ship.

But on Wednesday, Russia's foreign ministry dismissed as false reports that the ship had been detained by Turkey.

Citing the ship's crew, Russia's TASS news agency said on Thursday that it planned to offload grain on to "a storage vessel" after leaving anchorage near a Turkish port.

The shipping tracker showed the ship's destination to be Russia's port of Kavkaz, with an estimated arrival date of Friday.

Kyiv has accused Moscow of stealing grain from territories seized by Russian forces since their invasion began in late February. The Kremlin, which calls the action a "special military operation", has denied such accusations.

Ukraine has struggled to export goods, with many of its ports blocked as war rages along its southern coast. Grain constitutes nearly a fifth of all its exports, official data shows.

NATO member Turkey, which has good ties with both Moscow and Kyiv, has criticised the invasion but also rejected Western sanctions on Russia. Ankara has agreed with Ukraine to block commercial shipments between Crimea and Turkey since 2014.

At the same time, Turkey has played a key role in talks between the United Nations, Russia and Ukraine on a potential Black Sea corridor to export grain from Ukraine.

(Reporting by Omer Berberoglu in Istanbul and Max Hunder in Kyiv; Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
ELIZABETH  A 21-year-old Union Township man admitted to killing his girlfriend in March 2021.

Jamar Webber pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of murder before Superior Court Judge Regina Caulfield in the death of 19-year-old Malikah Taylor of Newark, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced.

Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 23 when Webber faces up to 30 years in state prison without the possibility of parole.

In the early morning hours of March 7, 2021, Union police responded to a home on the 2100 block of Melrose Parkway near the corner of Hillcrest Terrace North where they found Taylor unresponsive after suffering serious injuries from several gunshot wounds, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Robert Grady.

Taylor was rushed to Newarks University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly before 8 a.m., according to the prosecutor's office.

A police investigation led to Webber being identified as a suspect.

Email: srussell@gannettnj.com

Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Union Township NJ man pleads guilty to killing girlfriend
The United States has agreed to lift tariffs on Canadian solar products and leverage a North American supply chain to help meet energy and climate goals, officials in Washington and Ottawa said Thursday.

The deal comes after a trade dispute panel sided with Canada earlier this year, ruling that the tariffs violated the continental USMCA trade pact.

"Reaching this settlement with Canada will promote greater deployment of solar energy in the United States using products from one of our closest allies," US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in a statement.

It will also "foster a more resilient North American supply chain for clean energy products made without forced labor," she said.

Tai and Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng, who said the deal would "strengthen North American competitiveness" in renewable energies, will sign the memorandum of understanding on Friday.

Washington imposed the tariffs on Canada and other nations in 2018 in response to increased imports it said were "primarily attributable to excess solar cell and module capacity by Chinese producers."

They were extended in February by US President Joe Biden, before the USMCA panel weighed in.

The tariffs had the effect of cutting by 82 percent Canadian exports of solar products to the United States, according to Ng.

She noted that Canada and the United States have "shared goals and commitments to fight climate change, create jobs and support the development and scale up of renewable energy technologies right here in North America."

Solar, she added, is to play a "substantial role" in Canada and the United States in achieving clean energy grids.

Last month, Biden also suspended for two years tariffs on solar panel imports from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam -- but not China -- to ensure US access to enough parts to meet electricity needs while its domestic capacity scales up.

China was excluded as the US Commerce Department investigates whether some Chinese companies are circumventing US customs duties by assembling parts in the four countries.

amc/bgs
The United States is not taking a position on a proposed treaty between Belgium and Iran that experts agree is being crafted in a way that would hasten efforts to negotiate a controversial prisoner swap.

Amid growing concern from foreign policy hawks on Capitol Hill as well as demonstrations from Iranian nationals in downtown Washington DC, the State Department is refusing to take sides over the proposed deal which Belgiums parliament began debating on Tuesday. The proposal would allow the government of Belgium to extradite individuals with Iranian citizenship who are convicted of committing or attempting to commit terrorist attacks in Europe; it is seen as being the result of efforts to allow Belgiums government to exchange a convicted Iranian diplomat for a citizen of Belgium who was only revealed to be in captivity in Iran this week.

In exchange for the aid worker Olivier Vandecasteeles return, the government will supposedly turn over Assadollah Assadi, a diplomat convicted of helping operatives attempt to carry out a terrorist attack targeting exiled Iranian dissidents at a rally in France attended by top European and American officials including Rudy Giuliani; the plot failed.

State Department spokesman Ned Price addressed the proposed treaty briefly on Tuesday, telling reporters at his daily briefing: We are ... aware of reports that the Belgian Government is considering a prisoner swap, but were not going to comment on bills or treaties pending in Belgiums legislature.

But pressure is growing on Capitol Hill for the US to take a formal position against the treaty, which in general is a blow to what the State Department spokesman described on Tuesday as efforts to make sure that the international community speaks with one voice and acts together to see to it that those countries are held accountable for what it is that theyre doing, detaining travelers or aid workers on trumped-up charges to force negotiations.

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A coalition of Republicans and Democrats in the House have written a letter to Belgiums prime minister urging him to lead his parliament in rejecting the deal and what they referred to as a cynical ploy by Tehran to return its jailed diplomat; others in the Senate have released similar statements, such as Sens Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio.

Perplexing & worrying, tweeted the senator from Texas. The US worked closely with our partners to track down Iranian terrorists across Europe for the regime's 2018 plot to bomb a political rally in France. It should go without saying that convicted terrorists should be punished not freed.

Mr Rubio added: #Belgiums proposed treaty with #Iran cannot allow the return of Assadollah Asadi, a convicted terrorist, to his homeland. The regime in Tehran & its agents must be held accountable for their int'l terrorist activities & their continued practice of taking innocents hostage.

Bob Menendez, Democrat from New Jersey, issued what probably amounted to the most official statement about the issue from the halls of Congress via his position as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In a tweet, he insisted that any treaty Belgiums parliament signed must comply with the countrys international obligations and cannot grant impunity to Assadollah Asadi or any other actor responsible for human rights violations & heinous acts of terrorism.

A Belgium-Iran treaty must uphold Belgiums intl obligations & cannot grant impunity to Assadollah Asadi or any other actor responsible for human rights violations & heinous acts of terrorism. Iran must be held to account for backing terrorism & taking hostages for leverage. https://t.co/lXEhkG2dRI  Senate Foreign Relations Committee (@SFRCdems) July 5, 2022

And in downtown DC, a small gathering of Iranian nationals mobilised outside of Belgiums embassy to denounce the proposed deal as appeasement of Tehrans dictatorial regime. The multi-day protest was supported by the Organization of Iranian-American Communities (OIAC).

If this legislation is ratified, no one in Europe will have security and immunity from the murderers ruling Iran, warned prominent opposition activist Maryam Rajavi, secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration announced unrelated action against Iran mid-afternoon on Wednesday. Secretary Antony Blinken, in a lengthy statement, announced the targeting of more than a dozen companies in Iran, Vietnam, Singapore, the UAE and Hong Kong with sanctions over alleged involvement in the shipment of banned Iranian petroleum.

In the statements conclusion, Mr Blinken once again hammered Tehran for violations of the 2015 nuclear agreement that the Trump administration pulled out of in 2018, and warned that the US would continue pressuring the country with sanctions until it came back into compliance.

It is Iran that has, to-date, failed to demonstrate a similar commitment to that path, said Mr Blinken. Absent a change in course from Iran, we will continue to use our sanctions authorities to target exports of petroleum, petroleum products, and petrochemical products from Iran.

Iranian opposition groups that typically advocate for maximum sanction pressure on Irans government applauded the news.

Any restriction on Tehrans financial capacity, used to advance malign conduct at home and abroad, is in the best interest of the Iranian people and supported by the Iranian-American communities, said Ramesh Sepehrrad of the OIAC.

To be effective, however, all existing and new sanctions must be vigorously enforced.
Uvalde shooting memorial Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images

A rifle-armed police officer in Uvalde, Texas, had a chance to shoot an 18-year-old gunman before he entered Robb Elementary School and killed 19 children and two teachers on May 24, but when the officer asked a supervisor for permission to open fire, the supervisor "either did not hear or responded too late," according to a report released Wednesday. The unidentified officer was within range, 148 yards from the gunman, but he reportedly told investigators he was worried his shot would miss, pass through a wall, and injure a student.

"A reasonable officer would conclude in this case, based upon the totality of the circumstances, that use of deadly force was warranted," the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center at Texas State University wrote in the 26-page report. But "ultimately, the decision to use deadly force always lies with the officer who will use the force. If the officer was not confident that he could both hit his target and of his backdrop if he missed, he should not have fired."

The missed opportunity to stop the shooter before his rampage was the most significant new detail in the report on law enforcement's botched response to the school shooting. The report also found that an Uvalde school district officer missed seeing the gunman when he was still in the school parking lot because he drove through "at a high rate of speed."

Some of the victims "could have been saved" if they had received medical attention sooner, the report suggested. The officers who waited outside the unlocked classroom for more than an hour had "weapons (including rifles), body armor (which may or may not have been rated to stop rifle rounds), training, and backup. The victims in the classrooms had none of these things."

The passive response to the shool shooting was followed by stonewalling from local and state officials. A state House committee investigating the shooting said Wednesday that Uvalde County Sheriff Ruben Nolasco has refused to meet with them, so they intend to compel his cooperation.

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And Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez and Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin asked Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) on Tuesday to have the Texas Department of Emergency Management take over managing a state victims' fund, saying they have received numerous complaints about District Attorney Christina Mitchell Busbee's oversight, "including the failure to timely deliver victim's compensation resources to those in need."

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Mayor Lori Lightfoot and wife Amy Eshleman wave to the crowd at the Pride Parade in Chicago on June 26, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot will travel to Paris and London to tout the citys economic recovery, her office announced Thursday.

Chicagos economy is thriving and our business sector has set records, keeping us competitive with top global financial cities, Lightfoot said in a statement. On behalf of our world-class city, Im thrilled to lead a delegation of city officials and business leaders to London and Paris, where I look forward to discussing Chicagos economic strengths, speaking at Fintech Week London 2022, and learning new ideas to further develop our business community and economy.

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Mayor Lori Lightfoot at the Fourth of July parade in Chicago's Hyde Park. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

The trip comes as Lightfoot gears up for her reelection campaign and amid a series of negative developments for Chicagos business community, including Boeing taking its headquarters elsewhere and hedge fund Citadel moving to Miami. Lightfoot, however, has touted other businesses that have moved to Chicago and in a statement said several financial technology companies are thriving in the city.

While abroad, Lightfoot will meet with Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, and Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris. She will also meet with business leaders to explore new opportunities and participate in a series of roundtable discussions and attend policy briefings with local City Hall leadership, including one in London, focused on building back a better city after COVID-19 and another in Paris on its 15-minute city initiative.

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The trip is planned for July 11 to July 15.

gpratt@chicagotribune.com
Vandals targeted two pregnancy crisis centers in Worcester Thursday and the head of one of them is calling it domestic terrorism.

Anyone in the community should be concerned about any kind of domestic terrorism, said Clearway Clinics Kelly Wilcox. The attacks have been cowardly and theyve been at night time.

Clearway, on Shrewsbury Street, suffered substantial damage to its glass doors and a window. Within hours, the broken glass was replaced with plywood and the center opened for business.

About two miles away, Problem Pregnancy was also hit.

The Pleasant Street facility was defaced with blue and gold paint which was splattered over the building it occupies. That center also opened. Employees would not talk with the media.

One thing the attacks had in common was an inscription on the sidewalk. Near both buildings, the words Janes Revenge was written.

Its unclear if that group is connected to the vandalism -- but Janes Revenge, an abortion rights group formed after the Supreme Court document on overturning Roe v. Wade was leaked in May is known for targeting such pregnancy crisis centers.

These are abortion extremists, Wilcox said. I dont think that all people who support abortion would do such extremist attacks.

In a statement, Clearway Clinic said it was deeply saddened that misunderstandings about what we do have led to pro-abortion extremists targeting our center.

What Clearway Center -- and Problem Pregnancy do -- is provide pregnancy counseling services, but not abortions. In fact, on their respective websites, both clinics posit themselves as alternatives to Planned Parenthood for women considering abortion.

This week, in the wake of the overturning of Roe, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey warned women not to confuse legitimate abortion providers with pregnancy crisis centers. She accused the latter of engaging in deceptive practices and seeking to restrict access to abortions -- which remain legal in the Commonwealth.

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However, a spokeswoman for Healey decried, Thursday, the vandalism of the centers.

We condemn all forms of violence and destruction of property within our communities, she said.

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Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama on Wednesday said a fire that killed a 7-year-old boy in central Fresno was started by someone who poured an accelerant at both front and back doors of the home.

We are working this as a homicide, said Balderrama, in a joint news conference with Fresno Fire Chief Kerri Donis and Deputy District Attorney Steve Wright.

The chief said police detectives are reaching out to find someone responsible for this horrible death.

Isaac Vallejo, 7, was unable to escape the home as flames exploded at both exits of the home near College and McKenzie avenues about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. A 13-year-old teenager escaped, but was injured jumping from a second-story window. Four other occupants were able to get out of the house as well.

The family suffered a great, great loss, said Balderrama, who offered condolences.

The chief said there was a shooting call at the home in late June, and a medical call there in March, and investigators are checking to determine if the incidents are related. Fire investigators are also working to determine what type of accelerant was used to start the blaze.

Im not going to put up with something like this in my community, said Balderrama, who asked that anyone with information about the crime call Crime Stoppers at 559-621-STOP.

There were four fatalities in house fires by this time last year, and 11 total for 2021, according to a department spokesperson.
I went to Bar Lis, a star-studded rooftop bar in LA that looks straight out of the south of France. Michael Mundy

I recently went to Bar Lis, an LA rooftop bar that transports you to the south of France.

Bar Lis has become a hit with celebrities including Drake, Diplo, and Robert Pattinson.

There's an incredible burger on the menu, plus my favorite version of the Dirty Shirley.

Bar Lis will transport you to the south of France  no passport required.

Bar Lis was inspired by the Cote D'Azur. Michael Mundy

International ticket prices have skyrocketed and airline travel is more chaotic than ever. Thankfully, a night at Bar Lis won't feature 16-hour delays or lost luggage.

The Los Angeles spot  which opened nearly a year ago on top of the Thompson Hotel  has fast become one of the hottest rooftop bars in a city overflowing with them. And it's my latest stop for Insider's Happy Hour series, where I'm taking you to bars with the coolest stories, wildest drinks, and plenty of celebrities.

Located in the heart of Hollywood, the rooftop spot has attracted numerous stars with its Cote D'Azur atmosphere.

The bar has the perfect view of the Hollywood sign. Michael Mundy

It's no easy feat to win over celebrities in LA, where the competition is fierce to become the next star-studded party destination.

But Bar Lis is now a place to spot famous faces. Drake, Robert Pattinson, The Weeknd, Diplo, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Rita Ora are just some of the stars to come through its doors since Bar Lis first opened.

From the moment I got off the elevator, it felt like I was in a different era.

The entrance of Bar Lis. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I was greeted with a blue-and-white pinstriped wall covered in vintage photographs as the elevator opened to the roof of the Thompson Hotel.

There were black-and-white pictures of 1960s starlets like Jane Birkin and Brigitte Bardot, the muses of Bar Lis' vibe and cocktails.

"Bar Lis is designed to be a French Riviera-inspired oasis in the middle of Hollywood," owner Sebastian Puga told me. "Our walls are adorned with photographs of the stars of the '60s and '70s that called the south of France their playground in the region's heyday."

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<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@foodinsider/video/7117728147457543467" data-video-id="7117728147457543467" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;" > <section> <a target="_blank" title="@foodinsider" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@foodinsider">@foodinsider</a> Oui oui, Bar Lis can be your next happy hour spot. <a title="happyhour" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/happyhour">#happyhour</a> <a title="losangeles" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/losangeles">#losangeles</a> <a title="rooftopbar" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/rooftopbar">#rooftopbar</a> <a title="frenchinspired" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/frenchinspired">#frenchinspired</a> <a title="bars" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/bars">#bars</a> <a title="foodinsider" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foodinsider">#foodinsider</a> <a target="_blank" title=" France (Sentimental Accordion Music) - AndyWarner" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/France-Sentimental-Accordion-Music-7062889313867925541"> France (Sentimental Accordion Music) - AndyWarner</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

As I turned the corner, I walked into the stunning open-air bar.

The open-air bar at Bar Lis. Michael Mundy

The fountain standing at the center of the room looked straight out of Europe, while the striped pink-and-white stools added a playful touch to the setting. Straight ahead was a perfect view of the iconic Hollywood sign.

After admiring the view, it was time to try some drinks. And first up was Bar Lis' most popular cocktail.

The $18 Strawberry Fields cocktail. Kristie Hoang/Insider

Like all cocktails on Bar Lis' menu, Strawberry Fields is $18. The baby-pink drink features the French liqueur St-Germain, plus vodka, muddled fresh strawberries, lemon, rhubarb bitters, a splash of prosecco, and a sprig of mint.

It all makes for a beautiful summer drink. Strawberry Fields is fruity and fresh, while the prosecco helps to balance out the sweetness of the strawberries and St-Germain. Plus, who doesn't love some bubbles on a hot day?

Next up was the Summer Spritz.

The $18 Summer Spritz cocktail. Kristie Hoang/Insider

The Summer Spritz features the French wine-based aperitif Lillet Blanc, plus tequila, grapefruit, prosecco, and orange blossom water.

While it's got a similar fun and bubbly vibe as Strawberry Fields, the Summer Spritz is more smooth and less fruity. The citrus notes add a distinct brightness to the flavor  a great choice for those who miss the summer of the Aperol Spritz.

But my favorite was the Dirty Shirley.

Bar Lis' Dirty Shirley. Kristie Hoang/Insider

The Dirty Shirley has become the drink of the summer, and Bar Lis manager Kariza Ratliff told me she wanted to put her own special spin on the Shirley Temple-inspired cocktail.

"I know this is blowing up right now," Ratliff told me. "For us, it's very important to keep it elevated, so we use hibiscus syrup, which we make in-house with fresh hibiscus flowers  which is really fantastic."

<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@foodinsider/video/7112518369210961198" data-video-id="7112518369210961198" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;" > <section> <a target="_blank" title="@foodinsider" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@foodinsider">@foodinsider</a> Is the Dirty Shirley the drink of the summer? <a title="dirtyshirley" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/dirtyshirley">#dirtyshirley</a> <a title="happyhour" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/happyhour">#happyhour</a> <a title="losangeles" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/losangeles">#losangeles</a> <a title="foodinsider" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foodinsider">#foodinsider</a> <a title="drinks" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/drinks">#drinks</a> <a target="_blank" title=" I Know You - Official Sound Studio" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/I-Know-You-6574664777015134978"> I Know You - Official Sound Studio</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

In addition to hibiscus syrup  which replaces the usual grenadine  Bar Lis' Dirty Shirley features vodka, Sprite, mint, and Luxardo's Original Maraschino Cherries.

The Dirty Shirley looked gorgeous, and tasted so delicious.

The Dirty Shirley was my favorite drink. Kristie Hoang/Insider

You know when a cocktail just looks kind of sexy? That's Bar Lis' Dirty Shirley.

I loved the deep-burgundy color from the hibiscus syrup, and the drink has just enough sweetness. It tastes fun, fresh, and different. I was a huge fan  and I usually don't even like vodka cocktails!

Then I sampled some of Bar Lis' canapes.

Canapes from Bar Lis. Kristie Hoang/Insider

Bar Lis' chef Lincoln Carson set out to create shareable dishes that were quick and approachable, but still looked great on the plate.

While it's a smaller food menu compared to many of the popular rooftop bars in LA, Carson said he wanted to keep it tight and focus more on quality  using ingredients that have been sourced from the local farmers market.

One of my favorite dishes was the smoked salmon dip.

The $24 salmon dip includes trout roe. Kristie Hoang/Insider

The $24 salmon dip  served alongside potato chips  features smoked salmon, dill, and creme fraiche. It's topped with a trout roe that comes straight from the farm of legendary Michelin-star chef Thomas Keller.

I'd never think to order salmon dip at a bar, so I was surprised by how much I loved this dish. It's so different from the usual hummus or spinach artichoke you're used to seeing on bar menus  plus it tasted extremely delicious. The dip was creamy and savory, and the trout roe on top made it feel like a decadent treat.

The dip fit right in with Bar Lis' vibe  a little bit laid-back, a little luxury.

"Wow," one of my friends said as she dug into the dip. "I didn't know bar food could be this good."

The croquettes were also delicious.

The $15 croquettes. Kristie Hoang/Insider

These $15 croquettes are made with potatoes and leeks, and are served alongside a buttermilk dressing.

While many croquettes I've tried tend to be heavy on the cream and cheese, Bar Lis' spin on the dish was delightfully light and perfectly seasoned.

But my favorite dish was definitely the Bar Lis burger.

The $20 Bar Lis burger was a standout. Kristie Hoang/Insider

The $20 Bar Lis burger looked deceptively simple as it arrived at the table, served solo on its own small plate.

But the burger  which features comte cheese, pickles, and a secret sauce  blew me away. With a perfectly-cooked medium patty that was bursting with juiciness, it didn't matter that the ingredients were as simple as the presentation. The beef was the star, and it made the whole burger sing. The comte cheese on top was also a delicious twist, and I loved the bright tang of the pickled onions.

Last but not least was the Pina Colada sundae.

The $11 Pina Colada sundae. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

The $11 Pina Colada sundae was a great way to end my visit. The pineapple and coconut sorbets were bright and refreshing, while the toasted coconut on top added some texture and crunch.

It tasted like a resort in a cup. Fitting for a bar that had whisked me away on a European holiday  at least for a few hours.

This article is part of "Insider Happy Hour," a series about the best food, cocktail, and experiential offerings at buzzworthy bars and restuarants.

Read the original article on Insider
(AP)

Just over two years ago, your humble correspondent watched as members of the Republican Party in the House, then the Senate, put all their efforts into explaining away a Donald Trump-sized scandal. Then-President Trumps stood accused of blackmailing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into announcing sham investigations into Joe Biden and his son in exchange for Javelin anti-tank missiles and an invitation to the White House. As members of his own party sought to ignore or equivocate on the matter, it became obvious the accusation was true.

A year after that, it was basically the same old story. Only seven Republican Senators  one more than the previous go-round  voted to convict Trump at the second of his two impeachment trials after the Capitol insurrection on January 6th 2021. On that now-infamous day, Trump egged on a riotous mob of his supporters as they stormed the Capitol in a last-ditch effort to keep him in office after he lost to the man hed tried to get Zelensky to sandbag. Again, Republicans did basically nothing. Some openly supported Trump; others suggested the riot was a setup by Antifa.

So on this side of the pond, you might forgive us Americans for believing that a brash, wildly coiffed, tow-headed populist conservative leader with a history of lying getting forced out of office by members of his own party would be the stuff of pure fiction. But apparently thats not the case.

Congressional Republicans were twice unwilling to deal a killing blow to Trump, but over the last 24 hours, more than 55 card-carrying members of the UKs Conservative party  elected Members of Parliament all  had no qualms about slipping their own knives into Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. Who knew such a thing was possible?

As an American who spends his days putting words on pages for a British newspaper, I make an effort to keep at least one eye on Westminster and Whitehall. I need to make sure that Im keeping abreast of matters on which the White House or any of the 535 US representatives and Senators might desire to opine. Usually, Westminsters dramas pale in comparison to those playing out here in Washington DC. But watching the goings-on in and around the House of Commons this week has been nothing short of amazing.

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Whether it was seeing Johnson take incoming from all sides at Prime Ministers Questions (a tradition the US political system is poorer for lacking), or the blistering resignation speech former Health Secretary Rishi Sunak delivered just after, or watching one committee chair after another pick him apart in Wednesdays liaison committee session, seeing Tory MPs find the resolve to criticize their own leader and call for him to vacate Number 10 was an absolute revelation. Perhaps the reason British Conservatives were able to locate their backbones so much more easily than their American cousins is that the UK system hasnt been rigged like the US one has.

Over here, Congressional and legislative districts are almost always the province of the same politicians who will be elected by the people in districts they draw. As myriad observers have noted, both Republicans and Democrats (but mostly Republicans) have used that power after each decennial census to draw districts so lopsided that the only way they can lose re-election is if they anger the most hard-line elements who turn out for primary elections. And deserting Donald Trump is certainly a surefire way to anger them.

Or perhaps its the lack of primaries entirely. Here, our two-round election system means the fringes who vote in those primaries get to select who voters can choose from when they show up for the general election. It wasnt always thus, but over the last half-century, primaries have replaced the proverbial smoke-filled rooms where party bosses chose whod be nominated every two years.

Contrast that with the UK, where the parties themselves take a leading role in choosing who can stand for office in each general election. To put it bluntly, its a good way to weed out the crackpots.

Maybe its the nature of the Westminster system itself. Could the fact that the UKs head of government and his or her cabinet are chosen from Members of Parliament make them more accountable to each other? Or perhaps the fact that Johnson knew the Queen could dismiss him if he engaged in any sort of Trumpian defiance was enough to convince him that it was time to exit the stage (even if the likelihood of that happening was extremely low.)

To be sure, the American executives cabinet can invoke the 25th Amendment of our Constitution to remove him  in theory  but as we saw after the January 6 riot, its easier said than done (and never has been done at all). And as we saw twice over with Trump, the impeachment process our founding fathers devised doesnt work so well when Senators act as if they are themselves MPs at risk of losing the whip if they dont vote with the president who leads their party.

Im not sure if those reasons  or another set of reasons entirely  explain why the unwritten Constitution my countrymens forebears fought a bloody war to escape almost 250 years ago worked so much better to remove a misbehaving leader than the written one they replaced it with.

When George III received John Adams as the first American ambassador to the Court of St James, he said, I pray, Mr Adams, that the United States does not suffer unduly from its want of a monarchy. Maybe the Mad King wasnt so mad after all.
Arizona Capitol

The 2022 elections in Arizona will put new leaders in nearly all of the most significant offices in the state. Due to term limits, people running for different offices and other factors, Arizona will elect a new governor, secretary of state and attorney general.

Other statewide elected offices are on the ballot, including the superintendent of public instruction, treasurer, two members of the Arizona Corporation Commission and the mine inspector.

Additionally, every seat in the Legislature is up for election, though the battleground districts represent only a fraction of the 90 Senate and House seats.

The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com will provide extensive coverage of the key races and issues throughout the campaign, from the Aug. 2 primary to the Nov. 8 general election and beyond.

Below is a guide for voters on each significant race in the state, with information to help decide whom you want as your representative in these important roles.

Governor | Secretary of state | Attorney general | Superintendent of public instruction | Treasurer | Corporation Commission | Mine inspector

Governor

Current Gov. Doug Ducey has reached his limit for time in office after eight years. Five Republicans and two Democrats are vying for their party's nominations for the Aug. 2 primary. Here's what to know about the race and here's who's running in the primary.

REPUBLICANS

Republicans running for their party's nomination include:

Kari Lake, a former television news anchor and Republican candidate who is endorsed by Donald Trump.

Scott Neely, a Mesa business owner and Republican candidate running for office for the first time.

Karrin Taylor Robson, a developer, lobbyist and Republican candidate seeking her first major elected office.

Paola Tulliani-Zen, a former businesswoman known for her biscotti cookie company and a Republican candidate also running for the first time.

DEMOCRATS

Democrats running for their party's nomination include:

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Katie Hobbs, the current secretary of state, a former lawmaker and Democratic candidate who has defended the 2020 election.

Marco Lopez, a businessman and Democratic candidate who touts his experience in local, state and federal government.

Border, elections, abortion: Here's what Arizona's governor candidates have to say

Secretary of state

Current Secretary of State Katie Hobbs is running for governor, leaving the position with no incumbent in office. The secretary of state is next in line for the Governor's Office, and Arizona has a history of secretaries of state ascending to that position.

Here's what to know about the race and who's running:

REPUBLICANS

Shawnna Bolick, a member of the Arizona House of Representatives from Phoenix.

Mark Finchem, a member of the state House of Representatives from Oro Valley and prominent Stop the Steal movement proponent who is endorsed by Trump.

Beau Lane, executive chairman of Lane|Terralever, an advertising firm, and a first-time candidate. He was formerly chair of E.B. Lane and Associates.

Michelle Ugenti-Rita, a member of the Arizona Senate from Scottsdale and author of several election-related bills that are now law, including a ban on ballot harvesting.

DEMOCRATS

Reginald Bolding, Minority Leader in the Arizona House of Representatives from Laveen and director of several nonprofits.

Adrian Fontes, former Maricopa County Recorder who oversaw the 2020 election in the county.

Attorney general

Current Attorney General Mark Brnovich has served two terms in office and cannot seek another. Here's what to know about the race and who's running.

REPUBLICANS

Lacy Cooper, a former section head of the Border Security Section in the U.S. Attorneys Office in her first run for office.

Rodney Glassman, a private attorney specializing in business law and high-stakes litigation who switched to a Republican in 2016 and has since unsuccessfully run for office multiple times.

Andrew Gould, a former Arizona Supreme Court Justice in his first race for political office.

Dawn Grove, a business executive and vice counsel for Karsten manufacturing, the parent company of PING, which her family founded. This is Grove's first run for public office.

Abe Hamadeh, a former prosecutor in the Maricopa Countys Attorneys Office and an Army intelligence officer endorsed by Trump in his first political campaign.

Tiffany Shedd, an attorney specializing in water rights and owner of multiple small businesses who previously ran unsuccessfully for Congress.

DEMOCRATS

Kris Mayes, a former member of the Arizona Corporation Commission and presumptive Democratic nominee for attorney general who was previously a moderate Republican.

Superintendent of public instruction

Arizona's superintendent of public instruction leads the public school system and executes state and federal education laws. The superintendent oversees the Arizona Department of Education. Current Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman is seeking reelection.

Here's what to know about the race and who's running.

REPUBLICANS

Tom Horne, a former attorney general who is running for state schools chief for the third time.

Shiry Sapir, a real estate broker and parental-rights advocate running as a Republican candidate for schools superintendent.

Michelle Udall, a teacher and Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives who is chair of the House Education Committee.

DEMOCRATS

Kathy Hoffman, the current superintendent of public instruction and an educator who led Arizona schools through the COVID-19 pandemic. She is running for reelection.

Treasurer

The treasurer oversees banking and investment management for the state, as well as the Permanent Land Endowment. Current Treasurer Kimberly Yee was running for governor but dropped out of that race to seek a second term in office.

Here's what to know about the race and who's running.

REPUBLICANS

Robert "Bob" Lettieri, a former Republican Party of Arizona treasurer who cites his financial experience in the private sector.

Jeff Weninger, a member of the Arizona House of Representatives from Chandler and restaurant owner who is campaigning against woke investments by the state.

Kimberly Yee, the current state treasurer and former state lawmaker is seeking a second term.

DEMOCRATS

Martin Quezada, an attorney and member of the Arizona Senate representing Phoenix and Glendale who has served in leadership positions in the Senate.

Corporation Commission

Members of the Arizona Corporation Commission oversee regulated utilities in the state, like Arizona Public Service Co. and Tucson Electric Power, deciding the fate of electric rate increases among other duties. Two seats on the five-member body are up for election this year, with Commissioner Sandra Kennedy the lone incumbent.

Here's what to know about the race and who's running.

REPUBLICANS

Nicholas Myers, a policy adviser to current Commissioner Justin Olson, who battled Johnson Utilities as a private citizen.

Kim Owens, a commissioner on the Arizona Power Authority and former Salt River Project council member.

Kevin Thompson, a member of the Mesa City Council who previously worked for Southwest Gas.

DEMOCRATS

Sandra Kennedy, a current commissioner seeking reelection and a former state lawmaker who helped force Arizona Public Service Co. to disclose its political spending.

Lauren Kuby, a member of the Tempe City Council and a sustainability scientist at Arizona State University who is known for her environmental work.

Mine inspector

Only one candidate, a Republican, filed to run for mine inspector. Arizona is the only state in the country with this elected position.

REPUBLICAN

Paul Marsh, a former cement company executive who was appointed as mine inspector by Ducey in 2021 after then-inspector Joe Hart resigned.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona primary election 2022: Guide to candidates
Elizabeth Holmes is likely the name you first associate with Theranos, the now-defunct company once poised to revolutionize the blood testing industry. At the age of 19, Holmes dropped out of Stanford to found the biotech startup, which aimed to perform hundreds of tests using a single drop of blood. However, Theranos technology proved unable to follow through with its founders promises, despite raising over $900 million from investors.

As the saga of Theranos played out in courts, exposes, podcasts, and shows like Hulus The Dropout, details about Holmes romantic relationship with the companys former president and chief operating Ramesh Sunny Balwani have also captured public interest. Balwani is played by actor Naveen Andrews in The Dropout," and actor Amanda Seyfried transformed into Holmes.

On July 7, Balwani was found guilty of 12 counts of fraud.

Balwani went to trial in March for the same charges that Holmes faced during her trial: Two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and nine counts of wire fraud. Balwani has pleaded not guilty. In January, Holmes  who pleaded not guilty  was found guilty on one count of conspiracy and three counts of wire fraud. Balwani will receive a sentence alongside Holmes this September.

Below, find details that inspired Balwanis story on The Dropout, and get updates for where he is now.

Balwani and Holmess relationship began in Beijing

The Dropout shows Balwani and Holmes first meeting, which took place during Stanfords Mandarin language immersion program Beijing in 2002, according to Bad Blood by John Carreyrou.

They were in different phases of life. Holmes, 18, was heading into her freshman year at Stanford. Balwani was 37. A software executive, Balwani made a fortune before the dotcom bubble burst in 2000, earning about $40 million in the acquisition of his company per the New York Times.

Heroes (Beth Dubber / Hulu)

He started working for Theranos in 2004

Two years later, in 2004, Holmes left Stanford University to start Theranos. In 2017, Balwani admitted to giving Holmes a personal loan to use for Theranos in 2009.

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The company was low on cash, and I knew of the mission and that what the company was trying to do was paramount, and I offered to help the company, and I ended up giving a $13 million personal loan, he explained in a 2017 deposition, obtained on ABCs The Dropout podcast. It was interest-free. It was a good-faith loan.

Balwani joined Theranos as president and COO in 2009, six months after giving a personal loan. As prospectors pointed out during his trial per NBC, Balwani had no medical degree, no experience in blood testing, (and) no experience building medical devices or running a lab.

Balwani worked at Theranos until 2016, per the Justice Department.

Holmes and Balwani had a romantic relationship

Unbeknownst to Theranos investors or employees, Holmes and Balwani were carrying out a romantic relationship, and had lived together since 2005, per Bad Blood.

In testimony given during her trial, Holmes claimed that Balwani had emotionally and sexually abused her. Balwani has denied all abuse accusations.

Balwani faced the same charges as Holmes and pled not guilty to all

Balwanis trial began in California in March 2022 and ended on July 7 with a guilty verdict. The disgraced executive faced two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, as well as nine counts of actual wire fraud.

According to U.S. v. Elizabeth Holmes, et al., the charges stemmed from accusations that Balwani and Holmes took part in a multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud investors, doctors, and patients.

Similar to Holmes separate trial (which ended in Jan. 2022), a jury was asked to determine whether Balwani intended to deceive Theranos investors about patients about the capabilities of the companys blood-testing machines, or if he was unaware of their foibles the entire time.

During the trials opening statements on March 22, a federal prosecutor cast Balwani as Holmes right-hand man, helping sell investors, patients, and health providers on Theranos machines testing capabilities.

Conversely, Balwanis lawyer, according to the New York Times, chose to deflect blame onto Holmes in his opening statement. Sunny Balwani did not start Theranos. He did not control Theranos. Elizabeth Holmes, not Sunny, founded Theranos and built Theranos, Balwanis lawyer, Stephen Cazares, said.

Balwani was found guilty of 12 counts of fraud

In early July, a jury of five men and seven women found the former top executive of Theranos guilty of 12 counts of fraud, according to the New York Times. The jury spent a total of 32 hours in deliberation before producing the guilty verdict and convicting Balwani of 10 counts of wire fraud and an additional two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Balwani and Holmes texts give insight into their relationship

During both Holmes and Balwanis trials, text exchanges were submitted as evidence. According to NBC, the texts amounted to 12,000 total.

Some texts showed how they perceived their relationship. In one 2014 exchange shared during Holmes trial per the Washington Post, Balwani wrote, I love you. I admire your wisdom and your strength; and your decency and kindness. Holmes replied, You know what these things coming from you mean to me. What you say to me equals my confidence.

To answer your questions, yes, a lot of the #Theranos text messages are (somewhat) romantic, but often with an undercurrent of paranoia:



Elizabeth Holmes: "Was thinking about you this morning."



Sunny Balwani: "We need to stay focused and vigilant. We are lazy and disorganized."  scott budman (@scottbudman) September 22, 2021

Other texts showed their approach to the business. In April 2022, NBC provided an exchange included in Balwanis trial, in which Balwani texted Holmes, ...this businessthats why the universe brought us together. Holmes replied, I know.

In another text, sent in July 2015, Balwani wrote, I am responsible for everything at Theranos, per NBC.

Balwani recently sold the home he shared with Holmes

Court testimony revealed that in 2013, Balwani and Elizabeth created an LLC to purchase a $9 million, five-bedroom, seven-bathroom home based in Atherton, CA.

According to Market Watch, Balwani sold the house for $15.8 million in Jan. 2022.
via Fox 8

The woman killed this week after a bullet flew across a lake and into her head was a young mom who was lounging on a couch inside her Ohio home after watching Fourth of July fireworks, her boyfriend said.

Chelsey Jones, 26, leaves behind her two daughters, aged six and three, as well as her partner Michael Hartney, he told News 5 ABC. No arrests have been made in the freak incident, which unfolded Monday night.

Its just a one-in-a-million freak, senseless accident, Hartney said.

The family had stayed up until 10:30 p.m. watching fireworks at their home in Akron, Hartney recalled. But when they headed inside for the night, Hartney said Jones stayed downstairs to watch TV while he retired to bed.

A little over an hour later, Hartney said a bullet flew through a window that faced the lake and struck Jones as he slept. He was awakened by her moans and rushed downstairs.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=4134383513266309&set=ecnf.100000841038579

There, Hartney said he found Jones lying in a pile of blood. He noticed a lump on her head, but had no idea at the time it was from a gunshot. He called 911.

Police first started asking questions about if we had weapons in the house or she was suicidal, Hartney said, according to News 5 ABC. And Im like, Why are you asking about guns? Thats when they broke the news that it was a gunshot wound to the head.

A report from the Summit County medical examiner confirmed that Jones died from a bullet wound to the head.

Authorities dont know who fired the shot and Akron Police Lieutenant Michael Miller admitted that tracking down Jones killer could be challenging. Video from the home shot by Fox 8 shows a bullet hole in the bottom-right corner of a window.

Two 9mm casings were found on a boat dock a quarter mile across Summit Lake where Jones and Hartney lived, though it isnt confirmed those casings are from the bullet that killed Jones, police said.

Dozens flooded Facebook with pictures and posts to mourn the loss of Jones, calling the young mother a beautiful soul that was always smiling and so bright.

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Life truly isn't fair, wrote Amber Lynn Foster, tagging Jones. My heart has been broken since I got the call yesterday. You are such a beautiful soul and you should have been with us for many more years. I don't understand how this even happened. My wedding day won't be the same without you standing with us. I love you always.

Another poster, Brooke Wilson, said Jones remained on life support Wednesday to allow her organs to be donated.

Please pray that her life is able to save lives and help as many people as possible, Wilson said.

Wilson, Foster and Hartney did not respond to interview requests by The Daily Beast through Facebook messenger and phone calls.

Hartney told News 5 ABC he thinks the shooting was probably an accident and he pleaded with those responsible to turn themselves in.

Officials from Summit County Crimestoppers said Wednesday a reward of up to $5,000 will be given to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest and indictment.

I know it was probably an accident, said Hartney. I know it wasn't malicious, but they need to be held accountable for what they did. They took away my girlfriend. They took away my soon-to-be fiancee. They took away two girls mother."

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Over the past ten 10 years, the volume of Nelson County intakes to Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail has increased by 51% and the average length of stay of these inmates has increased by 65%, trends that have an impact on the countys share in the cost of overall jail operations. Commonwealths Attorney Daniel Rutherford said the data reflects his offices efforts to prosecute more serious offenses.

At the board of supervisors June meeting, Criminal Justice Planner Neal Goodloe presented a report on Nelson Countys ACRJ jail utilization trends from 2011 to 2021. He defined an intake as an inmate taken into ACRJ on Nelson County charges and told the board the most significant increases to this metric were among white, female and older Nelson County inmates.

The intake volume of white inmates increased 63% over the decade, while the same metric for Black inmates increased 13%; intakes of female inmates increased 217% while intakes of male inmates increased 30%.

Intakes in the youngest age group, ages 18 to 24, increased only 2% while intakes of 30- to 39-year-olds saw an 86% increase and inmates aged 50 and over saw a 86% increase, making 39 the average age of a Nelson inmate in 2021. Goodloe said it was a trend hed been seeing routinely in every jurisdiction I study.

While Nelsons percentage share of overall inmates remains relatively small compared to member jurisdictions Charlottesville and Albemarle, it nearly doubled over the decade  from 5.95% of overall ACRJ intakes to 10.07%, whereas Albemarles percentage share has increased by only 9% over the same period and Charlottesvilles has decreased by 25%.

In a phone interview, Rutherford said Charlottesvilles downward intake trend was the result of what he described as lenient prosecutors in the city and Albemarle County.

Charlottesville and Albemarle do not have prosecutors. They have defense attorneys who pretend theyre prosecutors, plain and simple, he said.

Goodloe presented data to supervisors on bookings, or the number of charges associated with an intake. Nelson County booking volume increased 133% over the decade compared to the 51% increase in intake volume. Nelson County inmates were therefore incarcerated at ACRJ for more charges per intake on average, or up from an average 1.6 charges per intake in 2011 to 2.7 per intake in 2021.

The top Nelson County charge category from 2011 to 2021 was narcotics offenses, followed by driving while intoxicated and assault and larceny offenses. Narcotics charges increased 400%, probation violations increased 610% and weapons charges increased 308%.

In June, a Virginia Supreme Court committee approved Nelson Countys application to establish a drug court  a response to what Rutherford has described as a more than 500% increase in narcotics cases over the same decade Goodloe studied. Participating defendants may have their charges reduced or dismissed if they complete the intensive 18-month treatment program.

Rutherford noted while Nelson County narcotics charges are up, the increase is not associated with marijuana, except in cases where there is a high enough volume to constitute drug trafficking.

According to Goodloes presentation, most of the increase in booking volume occurred from 2016 to 2019 and was associated with felony bookings  up 352%  as opposed to the 34% increase in misdemeanor bookings.

Goodloes graphs of booking trends show an increase in overall bookings from 2016 to 2019, followed by a strong dip from 2019 to 2021 of about 300 bookings, reflecting a decrease in charges during the pandemic years.

The average length of stay (ALOS) per inmate also saw significant increases over the decade, from an ALOS of 43.3 days in 2011 to 85.5 days in 2021. The upward trend is associated with the pandemic years  the trend line decreasing steadily up until 2018 and then increasing sharply from there  and the same demographics as seen in intake volume increases.

Rutherford said increases to Nelson County inmates ALOS are not the result of his office targeting addicts, rather upping the severity of charges for people who are trafficking.

Rutherford also said a spike in narcotics charges in 2019  over 200 bookings according to Goodloes presentation  could be attributed to a massive concerted effort by his office to prosecute drug traffickers.

We knew the cartel members we wanted, Rutherford said. We knew what we were looking for and how to get to those people.

While the ALOS for white inmates increased 116%, the same metric for Black inmates decreased 27%. The ALOS for female inmates increased 132% while ALOS for male inmates increased 69%. Inmates aged 50 and up contributed the most significant increase in ALOS at 213%, followed by 25- to 29-year-olds up 184% and 30- to 40-year-olds up 65%.

Goodloe linked the increases in ALOS to the greater rate of increase for felony charges than misdemeanor charges; more Nelson County inmates are being booked for more serious charges and therefore serving longer sentences.

Increases in both total intakes and ALOS have an impact on the countys cost to incarcerate its inmates.

Goodloe explained the metric bed day expenditure is the product of intake volume and length of stay, and can be used to calculate the total cost to the county per inmate bed day, currently $112.68 per day according to Goodloe. Nelson inmates share of overall ACRJ bed day expenditures increased 243% while Albemarles share increased 14% and Charlottesvilles decreased 35%. In 2021, Nelson inmates accounted for 17.4% of all ACRJ bed days.

As recently as 2006, you have about a 5% share of jail bed day expenditures. Its now over 17%, Goodloe told the board.

He again said the increase was entirely associated with white inmates. Bed day expenditures fell 17% over the decade among Black inmates while white inmates bed day expenditures increased 255%.

Goodloe also presented trend lines demonstrating that the number of inmates serving more than 30 days at ACRJ, a group he said is costing Nelson the most, is outpacing the growth of inmates serving 30 days or fewer at ACRJ. The former increased 103% over the decade while the latter increased 42%. Goodloe said in 2021 these longer serving inmates, who serve more than 200 days on average, represented about 95% of Nelsons bed day expenditures.

You put all this together, youve had sizable increases in intakes, mostly associated with probation violations and narcotics charges, in terms of the rate of increase. When you add that to increases in your average length of stay, they have a combined effect on your bed day expenditures and ultimately on your cost, Goodloe told the board, adding some mitigation in these trends during pandemic years appears to be reversing based on the 2021-2022 data hes gathered so far.

I dont have a crystal ball. I cannot tell you what your metrics will look like this time next year. There are too many variables involved. One of them is, quite simply, whether the COVID pandemic has changed human behavior, both offender behavior and criminal justice behavior, and I dont have the answer to that question yet, Goodloe said.

The question that comes to my mind at each of these youre talking about is, Why? Supervisor Skip Barton said after Goodloes presentation.

Goodloe said he didnt have an answer but, I think simply from the data, the run up in narcotics charges and probation violations, which are oftentimes related to continued drug use, certainly have a bearing on what youre seeing.

Barton asked if Goodloe had any data on what percentage of inmates convicted in Nelson Countys court system are actually Nelson County residents. Goodloe said hed done an analysis showing only about 50% of Nelsons intakes live in a ZIP code affiliated with Nelson County, but that there are an equal number of Nelson County resident-inmates at ACRJ on Charlottesville and Albemarle charges: So theres a flow going both ways.

Goodloe answered another of Bartons questions with the statistic that only 4% of Nelson County inmates end up being transferred into Virginia Department of Corrections custody. Nelson County does not have to contribute to the cost of housing these inmates in prison.
State employees were due back in their offices Tuesday under a new telework policy that is still evolving under Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

How many returned and how many were working remotely under new telework agreements remained a mystery as of Tuesday evening, as the new administration struggles to carry out a policy that initially gave state employees two weeks to request permission to work outside of their offices.

The governor is excited to welcome our workforce back in person and is encouraged about their continued dedication to Virginians, spokesman Rob Damschen said Tuesday night. The administration and the respective agencies have reviewed and approved the vast majority of telework requests submitted.

From a cursory review, we know that more state employees are able to work remotely than teleworked before the pandemic, Damschen said. While some applications which were submitted late or irregularly are still working through the process, most are completed and formalized with the employees.

However, the state still doesnt know how many of its employees have been working remotely since the ongoing pandemic began 28 months ago, forcing many agencies to close their offices temporarily and allowing state workers flexibility in how they do their jobs.

I think they underestimated the number of employees who have some sort of telework or remote work agreement in place, said Dylan Bishop, lobbyist for the Virginia Governmental Employees Association.

The governors office had been largely silent about the policys implementation since acknowledging that it had missed its own June 3 deadline for processing employee telework requests. A second deadline passed June 30 without comment by the administration.

In early May, Youngkin ordered workers back to their offices in a high-profile pitch to reopen state government after the COVID-19 pandemic initially shut down agencies or forced employees to work remotely for more than two years.

The governor, an experienced corporate executive who had never served in government, imposed strict limits on the use of telework under new agreements that would require approval by his chief of staff, Jeff Goettman, for any employee to work remotely more than two days a week. (Agency heads could approve one day, and Cabinet secretaries could allow two.)

However, one agency manager, who asked to remain anonymous, said this week that a department official had signed off on telework requests for more than two days on behalf of Goettman, a former private equity executive and investment banker who was chief operating officer of Youngkins campaign for governor.

What was unveiled as a top-down policy designed to maximize the presence of employees in state offices hasnt been easy for the administration to carry out without giving agency leaders more flexibility to allow employees to work remotely for different reasons.

Bishop, representing the state employees association, met with Secretary of Administration Lynn McDermid on June 8 to ask the governor to delay implementation of the policy until after Labor Day, when the new school year begins. He said he hasnt spoken to the administration about the policy since then.

Youngkin didnt delay the policy  as a group of Democratic legislators also requested  but his administration has adjusted the rules along the way to reflect the challenges that many state employees face in returning to their offices after working remotely since the COVID pandemic began.

For example, in late May, after the initial deadline for telework applications, the governor confirmed that employees with children and no alternatives for child care could work up to five days a week under temporary telework agreements through Labor Day, Sept. 5.

Employees had to request the temporary relief for extenuating child care needs in a separate application to their supervisors by June 27, said Lauren Cunningham, spokesperson for the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

All temporary telework agreements approved during that time will expire on September 5, 2022, and employees will transition to an appropriate work schedule based on their job duties, said Cunningham, whose department already had exempted employees in regional offices and field positions from applying for new telework agreements.

The governors office also has promised to honor previously granted accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act to allow employees with disabilities to work remotely despite concerns that they were having to prove their disability status once again for jobs they already were doing by telework.

Part of the challenge for the administration is that it never knew how many state employees had worked remotely during the pandemic. Before the pandemic began, about 25% of state jobs were eligible for telework and, of those, about 19% were being carried out under telework agreements, but the state personnel agency didnt know how many employees had been working remotely since then.

The General Assembly demanded answers in the new state budget that Youngkin signed June 22. It requires the Department of Human Resource Management to report to the legislature by Nov. 1 on how many people worked remotely from March 2020, when the pandemic began, through July 4, the day before Youngkins new policy took effect.

The budget provision also requires the department to report how many employees receive approval for telework under the new policy and for how many days per week as well as the percentage of the state workforce they represent.

I think that data is going to be illuminating on a number of different fronts, said Bishop at the employees association.

Ahead of Fourth of July weekend, Va.'s COVID positivity rate surpasses 20%  a first since February More than 20% of Virginians getting tested for coronavirus are receiving positive results ahead of Fourth of July weekend, marking the state's highest positivity rate since February.
Elizabeth Vazquez, from left, hugs 8-year-old Abner Toledo while standing next to Ricardo Toledo, 35, and Anna Vazquez, 14, as they attend a vigil outside Highland Park City Hall on July 13, 2022, for victims of the July Fourth mass shooting. Ricardos grandfather Nicolas Toledo, 78, was among the seven people killed in the shooting. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Whats usually an upbeat Wednesday Evening Market in Highwood was converted into a candlelight vigil as the city showed its support for those affected by Mondays mass shooting during the Fourth of July parade in nearby Highland Park.

The vigil began about 6:30 p.m. at Everts Park, 111 North Ave., where neighbors tore up strips of orange fabric, the shade signifying gun violence awareness, and tied them side by side along a long piece of black fabric hanging like a clothesline from one tree to another.

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On a table, they placed a white banner with the word ENOUGH stenciled into a drawing of a bullet, the orange and black strips of fabric dancing in the wind behind it.

Groups of lawn chairs were set up on the grass on the breezy, overcast evening as white flowers were handed out.

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Below a pink heart, a message in chalk read Love will prevail next to HP Strong.

A poster board read, Highwood Strong  We Stand With  HP Strong next to attendees passing out candles.

From left, Tom Levy and his wife Jeannie Levy tie orange pieces of cloth around an art installation titled "Enough" while attending a vigil on July 6, 2022, in Everts Park in Highwood, Ill. two days after seven people were killed and at least two dozen were wounded in Highland Park in a mass shooting during a 4th of July parade. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Neighbors hugged and gathered in small circles around the park to talk, a blend of conversations in Spanish and English.

Penny Facchini and her daughter Renee Facchini, of Highland Park, wanted to show solidarity.

A lot of the victims also were from Highwood, Renee Facchini said. Highwoodans go to the Highland Park parade.

Penny Facchini said they consider Highwood and Highland Park as being one community.

We came here specifically because we feel more of a kinship with Highwood, she said.

Penny is a third-generation Highland Park resident and her daughter fourth-generation, working on closing on a home nearby, she said.

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People attend a vigil on July 6, 2022, in Everts Park in Highwood, Ill. two days after seven people were killed and at least two dozen were wounded in Highland Park in a mass shooting during a 4th of July parade. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Living there for so long, they said they know many of the victims who were killed and injured, and know the shooters family, as well as first responders.

I dont think people are grasping how small of a community we really are, Renee Facchini said.

While theyve been to the Fourth of July parade in past years, the Facchinis skipped the parade on Monday, Penny said, calling it a fluke.

The Facchinis said its important to come together to heal.

Were here because were deeply upset that this has happened here, Renee said. But also, of course this has happened here. Right? What city in America is safe from gun violence right now?

The Facchinis, who are Jewish, brought seven memorial candles to the event.

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When people die, in Judaism, you light a candle to remember their soul and to keep their soul sort of alive, Renee Facchini said. So we have seven candles with us today and we are going to leave them in memory of the seven souls who have been so brutally taken from our community.

Jane Frankenthal and Kara Britzman, who have been best friends since childhood, grew up in Highland Park and now live in DeKalb.

The women reached out to one another to talk about the attack, and soon learned the father of a high school friend was killed, they said.

Frankenthal said she had a strong reaction when she heard about the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012, and again in May when 19 elementary school children and two teachers were killed in a mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

And then it comes to your own town and despite how overwhelming those feelings were, it cannot beat the feeling you have when its on my own street, she said.

I mean we went to that parade every year. It was like the high point of the summer. Going to the Fourth of July parade, watching the bands, watching the fire trucks, she added shaking her head in disbelief. And then to look at the pictures and the blood on the sidewalk.

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Britzman, who is a therapist at Northern Illinois University, said its scary how common mass shootings are becoming. She hopes that as people increasingly become affected by gun violence, more people will wake up and take action to start preventing the attacks.

I know that this kind of trauma lasts a long, long time, she said.

Its gotta stop, Frankenthal said repeatedly.

Highwood Mayor Charles Pecaro addressed those gathered before prayers and statements from Rabbi Michael Sommer and Father Hernan Cuevas. Pecaro said many are feeling a range of emotions, from sadness to disbelief and anger.

My hope is that you find strength in knowing that you are not alone, Pecaro said. We all feel that way.

Julia Tyrrell, 16, sat in a lawn chair staring into the flickering flame of a candle after the vigil as her mom and sister, Gracie Tyrrell, 19, approached her. The Tyrrells live near Highland Park High School, about two blocks from the parade route. Julia Tyrrell slept over at a friends house in Mount Prospect. Had she been home that morning, the family would have likely been at the parade. Instead, she woke up late to several missed calls and text messages asking if she was OK, she said.

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My friends that were there, I just cant imagine what theyre feeling, Julia said. And I feel so horrible for that little boy that lost both of his parents. That is so horrible.

She said despite growing up practicing live shooter drills at school, she never expected a mass shooting to happen where she lives. She worries that her friends who were at the parade were processing the experience in isolation, Julia said, adding that the vigil and being surrounded by neighbors made her feel less alone.

No one has to go through this alone, Julia said. Theres support and everyones here for each other and I think its important to come together as a community.

Throughout the event, people wrote notes and tied them over the orange fabric.

Why are guns more highly valued than human life? one note said.

We werent the first, and we wont be the last. Enough is enough. another said.

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Jacqueline von Edelberg brought the orange ribbon art installation to the park after the director of the Highland Park Arts Center asked her to. She has an installation at the arts center with orange fabric as part of the centers Arts in Action program, she said.

This week, shes been going to vigils in Highland Park, where she moved 10 months ago. She said the art project is a way for people to express themselves and share those feelings.

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I also think its important that theres artifacts of whats happened, von Edelberg said. There are artifacts of the feelings you have.

Her boyfriends sons were in the parade and had just passed the area where the shooter started firing.

The gunman missed them by seconds.

von Edelberg said she hopes people can turn their anguish into action and demand sensible gun laws.

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It was a horrifying tragedy here. It is also an epic tragedy in every neighborhood of Chicago and every neighborhood across the country, she said, adding that gun violence in the U.S. is a systemic failure.

She said the fight against gun violence is becoming ridiculous.

Were fighting AK-47s with fabric, she said through tears. We are down on our hands and knees begging for change.
The Tokyo Family Court ruled Thursday that a Japanese woman who ran off with her children and refused to let her French husband see them has the rights to their custody, in a dispute which led French authorities to issue an international arrest warrant for the woman last year.

Though similar disputes involving Japanese married to foreign nationals are not rare, the issue drew public attention after the French man Vincent Fichot staged a hunger strike near the National Stadium ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 to raise awareness of his situation.

In the suit, filed by his Japanese wife, the court also granted her divorce from Fichot. Fichot's lawyer said he will appeal the ruling.

Presiding Judge Yasushi Ogawara said, however, the woman should let Fichot see their two children and asked the couple to discuss what is best for the children. ...continue reading
Catholic Daughters host Summer Salad LuncheonThe Catholic Daughters of America Court St. Anthony #330 of Council Bluffs will host a Summer Salad Luncheon on Wednesday, July 13, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the St. Peter Catholic Church Social Hall, 1 Bluff St.

Cost is $10 per plate and includes two free raffle tickets. (Do not need to be present to win.) Raffle prizes include gift cards, a Scentsy candle basket and two elegant centerpieces.

Carry-out lunches are also available.

Proceeds benefit the Catholic Daughters charitable causes for the year. Visit cda330.org for more information.

Centennial Rotary

Club aids pantryThe Centennial Rotary Club presented a $1,692.33 check to the Council Bluffs Food Pantry Association on June 15 to help with food purchases and other expenses. The assistance was raised during the Souper Bowl event sponsored by both Council Bluffs Hy-Vee Food Stores with the collection of perishable food and cash.
It is possible to draw an analogy between the trials and tribulations of Mark Twain on the Mississippi River and those experienced by observers of the heavens overhead.

When the famous Twain was first starting out on his apprenticeship as a captain on a Mississippi River steamboat, he complained most of the time about having to learn the river.

It seems as if I need to know the shape of the river as well as the front hall of my house, he said to his boss. His boss replied Youve got to know them better than any man ever knew the shapes of the halls of his own house.

That statement is also true when it comes to stargazing. Unless you become completely familiar with the night sky overhead, your observations will no doubt become a disappointment.

Just like the sandbars, snags and channels of a river change, so do the patterns of stars visible to us here in Southwest Iowa.

Because of Earths rotational period, all stars, with the exception of those in the north, rise three to four minutes earlier each night. It is these changes in rising times that cause constellations overhead and those to the south to appear to move toward the west.

There is no culture on Earth today, however simple, that is not aware of the lights that sparkle in the night sky and although the earliest men on Earth might not have known what they were, they did learn to use them.

According to the book Backyard Guide to the Night Sky learning the constellations will take practice and a willingness to work around different obstacles.

As Ive written many times in the past, learning the night sky is paramount to becoming a real stargazer.

Throughout the year, there is a constant precession of stellar formations that march from East to West, and bear the title of seasonal constellations.

You must become aware of and accept this cyclical aspect of the constellations because you really have no other alternative.

The northern most constellations, called circumpolar, never go fully below our northern local horizon and are visible year-round. These, of course, are Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Draco, Cassiopeia, Cepheus and Auriga.

The moon, which will continue to grow in size and brightness until it reaches full phase next Wednesday might wash out a lot of the star gazing over the next several evenings and nights.
DES MOINES  A poll commissioned by Democratic candidate Mike Frankens campaign shows him within 5 percentage points of longtime incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley in Iowas 2022 U.S. Senate campaign.

Grassley was the pick of 49 percent of the poll respondents, to 44 percent for Franken. Seven percent said they remain undecided.

Grassleys six re-election campaign victories in Iowa have come by an average of 35 percentage points.

These numbers echo what we are hearing from voters across the state, which is it is time for Senator Grassley to step aside, the Franken campaign said in a news release. This is not the same Chuck Grassley who was first elected to public office 63 years ago, and Iowans are sick and tired of the political posturing and hyper-partisanship.

The poll was conducted by Change Research, which surveyed 1,488 likely Iowa voters from June 30 to July 4. The polls margin of error is plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.

Frankens campaign has employed Change Research multiple times. In mid-May, a Change Research poll showed Franken statistically tied with Abby Finkenauer in the U.S. Senate Democratic primary campaign. Roughly three weeks later, Franken won that election by nearly 15 percentage points.

The new Change Research poll asked how voters voted in the 2020 presidential election: 51 percent said they voted for Republican Donald Trump and 43 percent said they voted for Democrat Joe Biden. That is close to the actual 2020 election results, in which 53 percent of Iowa voters voted for Trump and 45 percent voted for Biden.

The poll also re-asked the U.S. Senate question after offering biographical information on both candidates. After hearing that information, Grassleys lead was trimmed to a single point, 47 percent to 46 percent, within the polls margin for error.

TRUMP ENDORSES NUNN: Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Zach Nunn, the Republican candidate in Central Iowas 3rd Congressional District.

Nunn, a state legislator and Iowa National Guard officer from Altoona, is challenging Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne.

In a statement, Trump said Nunn knows how to strengthen the U.S. military, defend the country, care for veterans, and will tirelessly work to support farmers, cut taxes and protect the Second Amendment.
A Neola recruit is spending the next six months at the Nebraska State Patrol Training Academy.

The 66th Basic Recruit Camp began Monday, July 5, in Grand Island, Nebraska, according to a news release. Graduates of the camp will receive the rank of trooper.

Theyre coming into camp as individuals, Capt. Greg Miller said in a provided interview. By the time they get out of here, theyre going to be a pretty tight-knit group.

Zachary Matthews joins 18 other recruits from five states at the camp, which mixes an academic program with hands-on training. After the 22 week program, they will have an additional 800 hours of field training paired with veteran troopers.

The next six months is going to be very stressful, Miller said. Were going to test them mentally and physically.
In the June 7 Republican primary, the race for state senator in the newly-created District 42, which includes much of rural Benton and Linn counties in eastern Iowa, came down to two votes.

One candidate was ahead by two votes on the night of the election, but after a hand recount that candidate found himself down by two votes, and his opponent was awarded the victory.

In a conversation with The Daily Nonpareil, Iowa Secretary of State candidate Joel Miller used the razor-thin margin of victory of the District 42 election as an example of why civic engagement is so important to him.

Elections have consequences, Miller said. I want everyone engaged and I want everyone to vote.

Miller visited The Daily Nonpareil after a meeting of the Pottawattamie County Democrats at Tishs Restaurant, where he made a campaign stop on Tuesday.

If Miller, who has served as Linn County Auditor for 15 years, has one guiding principle that he has followed throughout his political career, it is this: every vote matters, even if its not a vote for him.

From day one, my vision for the office was, every person engaged in local government, Miller said. To be engaged, the first step towards engagement is being registered to vote. The next step is, hopefully, to be an informed voter, but if not, just be a voter  even if you only want to vote for one candidate  and vote.

This is why, should he be elected, Miller said he wants to do everything he can to make voting easier for Iowans, unlike his opponent, incumbent Paul Pate.

Im not like my counterpart, Miller said. My opponent is like, We only want our voters to vote. I want everybody to vote. Thats a better way to have a democracy than trying to discourage people.

Miller has found a number of faults with the current Secretary of States job performance, most notably Pates inaction when the state Legislature passed a bill that places additional barriers on early and absentee voting, making it more difficult for many Iowans to vote.

It goes against the very grain of what I just spent 15 years doing, which is trying to encourage people to vote, get them to vote, make it easy for them to vote, educate them, inform them and have them actually show up and vote, which they did in 2020, Miller said. New election laws come along basically constraining that. I dont want to believe that the 2020 record for turnout was the best we can do.

The 2021 bill, signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds on March 8, shortened the early voting period from 29 days prior to the election to 20 days  this was the second time in four years that the Republican-led Legislature reduced the early voting period, having gone from 40 days to 29 in 2017.

The new law also shortened the amount of time the polls are open on Election Day by an hour, from 9 p.m. to 8 p.m., and cut the period to request an absentee ballot from 120 days prior to the election to 70 days, and requires absentee ballots to be at the local county auditors office before the polls close. Previously, so long as the ballot was postmarked by Election Day, it could arrive at the auditors office by noon the Monday after the election and still be counted.

So what happens in 2021 when the election laws come through? (Pate) doesnt say a word, Miller said. Google it, youre not going to find any comments, quotes, push back, from Paul Pate on the voter suppression bills. None. Theres nothing there. Hes the chief election administrator. He should have been advocating for voters.

Miller said that if hes elected, he will enact policies statewide that he believes led in part to nearly 80% of registered Linn County voters to vote in 2020: print absentee ballot request forms in newspapers across the state and direct county auditors to open their offices on weekends and holidays during the 20 days of early voting, which he did in Linn County for the June 7 primary.

I was open Memorial Day weekend, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, Miller said. In fact, 23 voters voted on Memorial Day. I wouldve liked it if it was 123, but even if it was one, its still a win.

Theres only so much Miller would be able to accomplish in easing barriers to voting by himself. In order to affect the changes he really wants, he would need help from the Legislature and governor.

If elected, Miller would work to push the early voting period back to 40 days prior to the election. He would move the deadline for county auditors to accept absentee ballot request forms from 15 days before the election back to five, and automatically register eligible electors when they get a new Iowa drivers license or other state ID.

All Im doing is expanding the message I have in Linn County to the state, Miller said.

Miller would also distribute election drop boxes throughout the state based on county population, rather than the current one county, one drop box approach.

Adams County, 2,800 voters, one drop box. Linn County, 161,000 voters, one drop box, Miller said. I dont think youll find another business model that says, lets limit how much the customer can buy our product or get our services, and put those constraints on it and then believe that voter turnout is going to increase.

Miller also pointed to Pates handling of two constitutional amendments in 2018  one of which was to codify Iowans right to keep and bear arms  as a reason for why change is needed. In order for an amendment to be placed on the ballot, it must be printed in two newspapers in each of the states congressional districts once a month for three months before the election. Pate neglected to do so, essentially vetoing the proposed amendments.

He had a duty to do something, Miller said. He didnt do it.

After the amendments failed, the Republican-led Legislature changed the law, taking away the responsibility of publishing constitutional amendments from the Secretary of State and giving it to the Legislature.

The firearm amendment is back on the ballot for the November general election.

In addition to overseeing the states elections, the Secretary of State is also charged with providing business services for companies throughout the state, something that Miller says that his opponent is also falling short of.

There is a $50 filing fee to create a limited liability company and start a business in Iowa, but hiring a lawyer to assist you with the paperwork is going to cost a lot more, Miller said. He wants to streamline the process, move it online and make it easier, and cheaper, for Iowans to start their own business.

My goal is to create an Office of Small Business Advocacy, and the first thing is to create a legal framework so that anybody can create an LLC, and they dont have to pay a lawyer to do it, and they can file it and go to work on their business, Miller said.

Miller plans to spend a good deal of time campaigning in western Iowa, saying that they already know him pretty well in the eastern part of the state. He hopes to elicit the same high level of civic engagement that he has been cultivating in Linn County.

Ive been working to try to figure out how to motivate people, how to engage them, how to get them to go vote so we have a high participation rate in our elections, Miller said. Because I feel that the problem that we have is not that too many people are engaged in their government. Its not enough people are engaged.
STANTON  Months ago, a 6-foot-8 WNBA basketball star for the Phoenix Mercury thought she would be cute and try to smuggle her vaping cigarettes out of Russia at the airport. Turns out, the cigarettes were laced with hashish oil, which is illegal in Russia where she had been playing with an 
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Commuters board a westbound Amtrak train from a Union Station platform in Chicago in 2018. Officials called on the Biden administration to approve a $251 million grant to overhaul the train station. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

City, state and federal officials called on the Biden administration to approve a $251 million grant to overhaul Chicagos Union Station, which would fund wider platforms, improved concourses and better ventilation at the venerable transit hub.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and U.S. Rep. Jesus Chuy Garcia joined with state transportation officials to ask for federal funding for the project as part of the federal infrastructure bill pushed by President Joe Biden. Amtrak applied for the funding but it has not yet gotten approval, officials said.

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Lightfoot said she has personally stressed the importance of the project to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg during his trips to Chicago and said it would be a boon for the region.

Transportation is a thing that unites us, Lightfoot said.

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Durbin said theyre near the finish line and hope to hear from the federal government soon.

The iconic building opened in 1925; its initial design was by famed urban planner Daniel Burnham and it was completed by Graham, Anderson, Probst and White, according to the stations website.

But despite the architectural splendor of its Great Hall, Union Station is criticized by commuters for its narrow corridors, low ceilings and crowded platforms.

A proposal to add a block of apartments on top of the iconic building was quickly shelved.
The Algerian military junta continues its irrational hostile actions against neighboring Morocco in a bid to deflect popular attention from growing challenges at home.

After cutting diplomatic ties with Rabat, closing its airspace to Moroccan planes and stopping pumping gas through the pipeline crossing the North African Kingdom, the Algerian authorities have decided lately to prohibit Algerian university professors from cooperating with Moroccan peers and attending conferences organized in the North African Kingdom.

Upon instruction of Algerian foreign ministry, Algerian researchers and writers have been warned to avoid publishing analysis and academic studies in Moroccan scientific magazines.

The autocratic and repressive regime tried to justify the absurd decision by saying that Morocco uses Algerian intellectuals to serve its geostrategic interests.

Blinded by their visceral hatred of Morocco, the Algerian geriatric generals, de facto rulers, have lost touch with reality, leaving the country drowning in unprecedented social, economic and political crises. All they are interested in is to maintain their grip on power to avoid accountability for crimes committed against the Algerian people.

The growing international recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara is a tough pill to swallow for the Algerian military rulers who spent billions of petrodollars on a lost separatist cause.

They have lost trust of international community which views them as a source of instability in the region. For many European countries and superpowers, Algerian rulers proved they are not reliable partners after they tried to use gas as a weapon to get political gains from Europe.

The future of their relations with the United States is hanging at the balance after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Washington is pressing the Algerian regime to show its cards and decide between Moscow and the West. If it chooses Moscow as expected, it risks tough Western sanctions and wrath.
Morocco has hosted within four weeks three key events to leverage resources and spur joint action in favor of Africas financial resilience in the face of overlapping crises.

Last month, Morocco hosted a meeting of African Union finance ministers to discuss common challenges and how to maintain steady funding for the continental organization.

The same month, African sovereign funds gathered in Rabat to discuss joint action to promote investments and mobilize resources in favor of the continents development.

Now, in Marrakech, a key meeting bringing together African finance ministers and central bank governors from countries members of the IMF and the World Bank have made the case for fair access of African countries to finance.

In the declaration of Marrakech, the participants in the caucus called on the Bretton Woods Institutions to facilitate debt relief for African countries and scale up its financing of public investments in Africas energy sector.

The declaration also appealed on the BWIs to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) and other regional trading blocks to help African countries harmonize their policies, legislations, and regulations in support of the development of a secured Digital Single Market in Africa.

We request the WBG to facilitate access to green and affordable climate financing and scale up its pipeline of adaptation projects so that Africa  the least worlds polluter  does not end up disproportionately paying for climate change, the declaration says.
Tunisias Prime Minister Najla Bouden Wednesday said the North African country will host on 27-28 August the 8th Summit of Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) that will focus on setting out a pathway for the development of the continent in the post-COVID-19 era.

Bouden, who made the announcement at a press conference, said over 300 Chief Executive Officers of companies from Japan and Africa are expected at the event taking place for the second time on the African continent after Kenya in 2016.

The gathering will revolve around three axes, namely sustainable and global development, the reduction of economic disparities, and finally the construction of stable societies on the African continent.

Perhaps the most important lessons we have learned from the Covid-19 experience is that development is not an end in itself, but that the human being is the essence of development and that protectionist policies cannot crystallize collective solutions. Only international solidarity is capable of leading us towards broader horizons that welcome everyone and give us the reasons and conditions for a better reconstruction, the Tunisian Premier said.

The Government of Japan has been leading the TICAD since 1993, co-hosted by the United Nations, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the World Bank and the African Union Commission (AUC).
Speaker of the Libyan House of Representatives Aqila Saleh has accused Muhamed Menfi, the Presidential Councils Head, of having a role in the attack on the Parliaments HQ in Tobruk last Friday, Libya Observer reports.

A nationwide protest swept through Libya last week calling for elections and replacement of current institutions and figures. The demonstrators stormed the headquarters of the House of Representatives (HoR) in Tobruk and burned it down.

Speaking to local TV Channel Libya Al-Mustaqbal, Aqila floated the accusation that Menfi played a role in one way or another through his brother Sami. The truth will emerge once the investigations completed, he said.

Parliament Spokesman Abdullah Bliheg on his part said some confidential documents were stolen during the attack on the legislature. He added that protesters driven by suspicious parties that do not represent Tobruk are the ones who burned the building and stole secret documents.

Salehs statements come amid increasing speculation that the Presidential Council (PC), a body with some executive powers, may issue a decree to dissolve the House of Representatives and the High Council of State and form a Cabinet to prepare for the elections.

The HoR Speaker slammed the PC positing that it is not for it to issue decrees with the force of law, but within the purview of an elected head of state, through the constitution, insisting that only the constitution and law grant the head of state the right to do so.

This is what they call the encounter of weapons as the executive authority has the right to dissolve the parliament, the legislature also has the right to dissolve the government, he added.

On Tuesday, the Presidential Council announced that it had drawn up a plan to break the countrys political deadlock by holding elections.

In response to the legitimate calls of Libyans and in order to meet their demands for change, () the Presidential Council has prepared an action plan to get the country out of the political crisis, it said in a statement.

Without revealing the contours of this action plan, the Presidential Council assured that it aimed to preserve the unity of the country, avert the specter of war and division, limit foreign interference and push towards a national settlement.
Parliament Speaker Aqila Saleh has accused Muhamed Menfi, the Presidential Councils Head, of having a role in the attack on the Parliaments HQ in Tobruk last Friday, Libya Observer reports.

A nationwide protest swept through Libya last week from Friday calling for elections and replacement of current institutions and figures. The demonstrators stormed the headquarters of the House of Representatives (HoR) in Tobruk and burned it down.

While speaking to the local TV Channel Libya Al-Mustaqbal, Aqila floated the accusation that Menfi played a role in one way or another through his brother Sami, and the truth will emerge once completing the investigations.

Parliament Spokesman Abdullah Bliheg also argued some confidential documents were stolen during the attack on the legislature. He added that protesters driven by suspicious parties that do not represent Tobruk are the ones who burned the building and stole secret documents.

Salehs statements, Libya Observer notes, come in light of increasing speculation that the Presidential Council (PC) may issue a decree to dissolve the House of Representatives and the High Council of State and form a Cabinet to prepare for the elections.

The HoR Speaker slammed the PC positing that it is not for it to issue decrees with the force of law, but within the purview of an elected head of state, through the constitution, insisting that only the constitution and law grant the head of state the right to do so.

This is what they call the encounter of weapons.. as the executive authority has the right to dissolve the parliament, the legislature also has the right to dissolve the government, he added.
Former Spanish defense minister and former chief of intelligence services Jose Bono has commended his countrys supportive stand of the Moroccan autonomy plan offered for the Sahara under the Kingdoms sovereignty, stressing the importance for Rabat and Madrid of maintaining a good relationship.

The position adopted by the government of Pedro Sanchez on the Sahara issue should be applauded, said Bono on Spanish TV channel La Sexta.

The Spanish government deems the Moroccan autonomy initiative as the most serious, realistic and credible basis for resolving the dispute over the Sahara issue, stressed Mr.Bono.

The population of the Sahara wants solutions, and these solutions do not come neither from the polisario nor Algeria, he added.

He called for strengthening further the Moroccan-Spanish ties for the sake of the two countries shared interests. Spain and Morocco, two neighboring countries, should have a very good relationship because we need each other to counter common challenges, said the former defense minister.

Spain needs Morocco, especially in the fight against terrorism, underlined the former boss of the Spanish spy services.
The Mid-Plains United Way continues to provide support for its partner agencies as it moves forward through the year.

The organization works to raise funds so the charities can focus on the services they provide. Outgoing president Judy Pederson said Executive Director Kylee Odenbach and board members work together to achieve the goals they have set.

There are 12 board members who oversee the functions and help make decisions for the organization. Officers serve one year in the offices of president, vice-president, co-vice president, secretary and treasurer. Pederson said Jennifer Holm took over as president at the boards annual meeting this week.

This is Jennifers second time on the board, Pederson said. Shes very much a dedicated believer in the Mid-Plains United Way and what we do to help the agencies.

The president is tasked with overseeing the functions of the organization and is in day-to-day contact with the executive director, Pederson said.

There are lot of events throughout the year and the president keeps the board together and informed about what is going on with the campaign, Pederson said.

The goal for the upcoming 2022-23 campaign is $255,000, Pederson said.

This year we decided to fully fund the agencies for their entire asking amount, Pederson said. With COVID-19, many of the agencies have had an increase in clients and raising funds has been more difficult.

Pederson said the board honored Julie Buoy for her extensive volunteer work at various events. Buoy went off the board after serving the past six years.

The 12 agencies for 2022-23 are Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center, Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska Utilities Homeless Prevention Program, Community Connections Mentoring, Community Connections Substance Abuse Prevention System, Guardians of the Children, Head Start, L2 for Kids, Lincoln County CASA, Lutheran Family Services, Nebraska Youth Center, North Platte Senior Center and The Connection.
GRAND ISLAND -- Whether people receive a tornado warning before the twister arrives depends on whats going on inside the tornado.

Mondays tornado hit an area southeast of Grand Island at 12:51 a.m. Residents of the area didnt receive the first tornado warning from the National Weather Service in Hastings until 12:54 a.m.

In some cases, a tornado warning isnt issued until debris is visible on radar. That was the case this time.

The radar indicated that this thunderstorm was likely producing a tornado. We had a signature of debris on one of our radar images and they issued the tornado warning at 12:54, said Mike Moritz, who is the warning coordination meteorologist at the weather service in Hastings. In other cases, a tornado warning is issued because of the rotation of the wind.

We can look at the windfield in the storm  what we call rotation, basically, Moritz said. When we feel that it has reached a certain level or is conducive for a potential tornado, well issue a tornado warning on that. We call that a radar-indicated tornado.

The tornado that arrived Monday damaged three homes in Hall County and caused limited damage to another.

Residents of two homes in the area of Stuhr Road and Schimmer Drive were not alerted until after the tornado hit their property. Its likely that the debris from their homes is what triggered the tornado warning.

This was a no warning event for Hall County and nearly all warning messages were lagging in Hall County on this storm due to circumstances of the storm, said a Monday news release from the Grand Island/Hall County Emergency Management office. It appears that the first two-to-three homes were struck prior to evidence being found of the tornado, but the fourth home did have prior notice and time to seek shelter.

The delivery of wireless emergency alerts varies by ones provider. It also varies by your phone, Moritz said.

Providers have different ways to transmit messages through their tower networks, he said.

With some providers, customers who live inside the little box that we draw will get the warning. If youre outside the box, you wont, Moritz said, referring to the boundaries of a warning area.

With some providers, if the tower is in the little box, then all wireless customers served by that tower will receive a warning, whether youre inside the warning or not.

So receiving weather alerts can depend on the provider you have, your location and maybe even how your phone would alert you, Moritz said.

Jon Rosenlund, director of emergency management for Grand Island and Hall County, noted that he has no control over tornado warnings.

In this case, it seems as though meteorologists saw a lot of wind and rain but the warning wasnt issued until they saw the debris signature in the radar, Rosenlund said. In other words, there was no indication of a tornado until it had hit the ground.

Moritz said the time of Mondays tornado arrival was somewhat unusual, We dont have that many tornadoes after midnight in Nebraska, he said.

The weather system was also unique.

We typically dont have small supercells inside of a larger rain area, Moritz said. So there were just a couple of pretty unique things about this event. Were thankful that the damage wasnt worse.
New Amsterdam hub enhances Techarys service offering across Europe

LONDON, July 07, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Techary, a leading provider of global technology solutions, today announces the launch of a new European hub in Amsterdam, Netherlands to expand its European operations. Currently headquartered in London, the geographic expansion will complement Techarys existing locations in New York, London, and Singapore.

Driven by demand from existing global customers, the development will enhance Techarys service offering within European regions, enabling them to provide a more localised service for global customers.

"We are delighted to continue our geographic expansion with the addition of our new Amsterdam hub. Since the UK left the European Union, weve witnessed first-hand the logistical challenges imposed on our customers. Businesses are now looking to their technology partners to help them streamline their operations and help solve challenges across multiple regions. As such, we have decided to invest in a dedicated hub to serve customers in-region," said Tom Stephens, Chief Executive Officer at Techary. "Our global enterprise customers will continue to benefit from Techarys ability to self-deliver services across the entire EU region with this additional capability," he added.

"Responding to the needs of our customers, who operate and continue to expand in Europe, increasing our ability to offer in-region services will help customer technology teams to fulfil operational requirements. Taking the time to listen to our customers, where their challenges are and then building our business to help improve this is an essential part of our approach and embraces our value to design solutions that put our customers needs first. As such, we will continue to add geographic regions to our roadmap for expansion, driven by the same goal  to help global customers streamline their operations," said Christian Howell, Vice President of Projects at Techary.

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The new Netherlands-based location will allow Techary to deliver its entire service portfolio, with the primary focus of the European hub being to facilitate procurement and logistics requirements for global clients with presence and staff in Europe. The company also plans to launch its Matter service as part of the expansion, an advanced technology procurement solution which offers an additional global storage & logistics function as part of one service.

Further information on Matter can be found on Techarys website Matter  Techary and techary.com.

About Techary

Techary Inc is a global MSP that helps transform businesses through technology. We provide end-to-end solutions via a wide range of services, working with clients to streamline processes and scale through their technology. Our extensive service offering ranges from procurement through to managed services and IT moves & changes projects.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005564/en/

Contacts

Lauren Stevens, Marketing Lead

Company: Techary

E-mail: lstevens@techary.com

Tel: +44344 357 0900
Photo credit: Jennifer Savin/Jaime Lee - Getty Images

Now that Boris Johnson has announced he'll be stepping down as Prime Minister, we're all wondering who might replace him as the next PM. There are plenty of familiar names in the mix, such as former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak (who was amongst the first to pull the trigger and encourage a deluge of resignations from those in government) and Liz Truss, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs. But, there are also some lesser known figures potentially in the running too...

The cabinet's Attorney General, Suella Braverman, has already made it clear that she's keen to run for leader of the Conservative party and the name Penny Mordaunt has also been causing quite the stir. Sajid Javid, the ex-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is also likely to take a punt, alongside Michael Gove (who Boris sacked just yesterday) and Jeremy Hunt, who lost a great deal of popularity due to the selling off of the NHS and generally upsetting all junior doctors on his watch as Health Secretary.

Here, we've rounded up all of the confirmed frontrunners who could very well become the next Prime Minister...

Penny Mordaunt



Photo credit: Chris Jackson

Having had quite the varied career (she's a former magician's assistant, turned Royal Naval Reservist, turned the UK's first female defence secretary... for 85 days), Penny's current position is that of Minister of State for Trade Policy. She voted in favour of the UK leaving the EU and is said to be a trans ally, as per her comments made in the House of Commons last year. Last week, she came in second place on a YouGov poll (conducted between the 6 and 7 of July on 716 Conservative party members) behind Ben Wallace, who has since dropped out of the running.

Rishi Sunak

Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images

The current bookies favourite, who is very much on the charm offensive (see: his wife - who recently found herself at the centre of a 'CBA to pay my taxes' scandal - giving reporters tea and biscuits last week), Rishi has long been named as a potential successor to Boris Johnson. Up until last week, he held the esteemed position of Chancellor of the Exchequer. He was one of the first to resign, sparking the domino effect of MPs piling onto Boris Johnson and declaring they could (finally) no longer work for his government, or back him as Tory leader.



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Reports have emerged suggesting that Rishi has had his eyes on the top job for quite some time, as his campaign website address (ReadyForRishi.com) was registered over six months ago.

Liz Truss

Photo credit: Anadolu Agency - Getty Images

Currently in third place according to betting odds, Liz is the Foreign Secretary and Minister for Women and Equality. Her previous bloopers include being mocked for delivering an impassioned speech about cheese at a 2015 Tory conference and having an affair with a married MP in 2009. She's been a vocal supporter of Ukraine and has been dubbed the new 'Iron Lady' by some political commentators. Liz is using the catchy hashtag 'LizForLeader' and promising to cut taxes should she be elected (however given she's a... politician, we'll be taking any and all promises with a pinch of salt, from all candidates).

Kemi Badenoch

Photo credit: David M. Benett - Getty Images

The Conservative MP for Saffron Walden (and former 'Levelling Up' minister) has already received the backing from big political names like Michael Gove and is also promising tax cuts. She previously worked as an engineer and in banking, and has a history of consistently voting against measures that would be effective for climate change issues. Recent leaked audio, obtained by Vice, shows her mocking LGBTQ+ rights and asking "What are transsexuals [an outdated and potentially offensive term to refer to trans men and women] looking for?" which is obviously deeply uncool, especially as someone who previously held the role of fighting for equality within the cabinet.

Tom Tugendhat

Photo credit: TOLGA AKMEN - Getty Images

A slightly less familiar name to the masses is Tom Tugendhat, who has been endorsed by Damian Green (who was basically Deputy PM under Theresa May) as a real contender. An ex-military man who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, he's been Chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee since January 2020. He's currently in fourth place on the bookies charts and has pledged to cut National Insurance and fuel duty if elected.

Suella Braverman

Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images

Having previously spoken about her parents who emigrated to the UK from Kenya and Mauritius respectively in the 1960s, Suella said: "It was Britain that gave them hope, security and opportunity and this country has afforded me incredible opportunities in education and my career, and I owe a debt of gratitude to this country." Recently, she said she has "significant reservations" about the UK's "relationship with the European Court of Human Rights", after the ECHR granted last-minute interim measures for three people due to be deported to Rwanda.

Jeremy Hunt

Photo credit: Leon Neal - Getty Images





In eighth place on the YouGov Tory snap poll it's former Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, best known for privatising chunks of the NHS and being decidedly unpopular amongst junior doctors and nurses. Former NHS doctor, Adam Kay, author of bestselling book This Is Going To Hurt is especially vocal about his dislike of Jeremy. His voting history shows he's consistently in favour of university fees and is keen on slashing benefits, and in 2019 he came runner-up to Boris Johnson in the leadership contest.

Nadhim Zahawi

Photo credit: DANIEL LEAL - Getty Images

It's been quite the busy month for Nadhim  after having replaced Rishi Sunak as Chancellor, he quickly put his name in the running for future PM (but at this stage it's not looking likely). He recently tweeted complaining about a 'smear campaign' that he claims has been launched against him, in which some are questioning whether or not he's paid his taxes in full (it's rumoured he has a personal fortune of 100 million, after setting up the YouGov polling system). In response, he's promised to share his annual tax returns if voted in as Prime Minister.

Grant Shapps

Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images

The Transport Secretary previously worked as co-chairman of the Conservative Party for three years (between 2012 and 2015), and as International Development Minister but quit the role after being accused of failing to act on bullying allegations. He kicked off his bid for Tory party leader by saying: "We must map a clear path to lower taxes, not just expressing good intentions".

Sajid Javid

Photo credit: JUSTIN TALLIS - Getty Images





Another early trigger-puller in Boris' downfall, Sajid was Secretary of State for Health and Social Care up until Tuesday afternoon. He's not doing too well in the bookies polls, so things aren't looking great for him based on that - but there's still plenty of time for things to change, as all the hopefuls ramp up their campaigns for glory.

To find out more about the voting history of any candidates in the running, check out TheyWorkForYou - a site that easily pulls up each MP's votes on key issues

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Two days after a mass shooting at the Highland Park Independence Day parade shocked the country and put renewed focus on weaknesses in Illinois gun laws, authorities continued to hash out how alleged gunman Robert Crimo III apparently bought a high-powered rifle despite troubling episodes in his background.

A 2019 report from Highland Park police warning that Crimo could pose a clear and present danger did not meet standards to declare him an imminent threat, said representatives of the Illinois State Police, which administers permits. And nothing under current law would have stopped them from issuing him a gun permit a few months later, ISP Director Brendan Kelly told reporters Wednesday.

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Crimo went on to legally obtain several firearms  including the rifle he allegedly used to shoot dozens of people at the Highland Park parade this week.

Lake County prosecutors said in court Wednesday that Crimo fired a Smith & Wesson M&P15 semi-automatic rifle and had three 30-round magazines with him when he opened fire from a rooftop.

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When he was done, there were 83 shell casings left where he allegedly positioned himself for the attack that killed seven and injured dozens. Crimo faces multiple counts of first-degree murder connected to the massacre; he was ordered held without bail after a brief hearing Wednesday.

His firearm owners identification card was approved in January 2020, four months after Highland Park police told state police someone had reported Crimo making threats in his household to kill everyone.

Weve done a very thorough vetting over the past 48 hours looking into every aspect of this, Kelly said Wednesday. And if you look at the report that was understandably submitted by the Highland Park Police Department, in response to the information that they had, and then you look at the law with regards to clear and present danger  that did not meet that threshold.

When Crimo later applied for the FOID card, All the things that under the law that would be able to help us stop from issuing a firearms identification card, none of those factors were present at the time, Kelly said. Typically those stops include a felony conviction or committal to a mental health facility.

Following a bond hearing for Robert Crimo III, Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart speaks to reporters outside the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan on July 6, 2022. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

Officials revealed this week that, while Crimo did not previously have any significant criminal record, police had twice been in contact with him in 2019.

The first contact police had with Crimo was in April 2019 when they were called because Crimo had allegedly attempted suicide about a week earlier. Officers determined that the matter was being handled by mental health professionals.

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On Sept. 5 of that year, someone reported to police that they were told Crimo made threats on Sept. 2 to kill everyone, according to public records released by Highland Park.

Police made contact with Crimo for a well-being check, and Crimo admitted to being depressed on the day he allegedly made the threat, a police report states.

Robert was not forthcoming as to the language that he used on (Sept. 2) nor was his mother, the report states.

Crimo denied that he felt like harming himself or others, and police removed more than a dozen knives from his bedroom closet; his father, Robert Crimo Jr., said they were his. Police returned the knives to Crimos father.

No arrests were made. Highland Park police did, however, submit a Clear and Present Danger report to Illinois State Police regarding Crimo.

State regulations require law enforcement and school officials to complete such a report when they determine someone might pose an imminent threat of harm to themselves or others. When state police receive the report, they are responsible for making the final determination about whether the threat is valid.

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And, Kelly said Wednesday, the Highland Park police report did not meet that standard.

What we have here is an officer that looked at a report and he saw a single individual make a report to another individual about a threat made by (Crimo), Kelly said.

The police tried to corroborate that. They could not corroborate it. They had the individual saying that they were neither a threat to themselves or others. And you had the mother also agreeing with that individual.

The available text in the redacted police reports does not specifically state that Crimos mother disputed the threat of violence or agreed that Crimo was not a threat; however, some portions of the reports were blacked out.

In addition, when the report was filed, Crimo did not have a FOID card or a pending application. So at the time they received the report, there was nothing to revoke or deny, Illinois State Police officials said earlier this week.

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Crimos father was not living with Crimo or Crimos mother at the time of the alleged 2019 threats, according to Steve Greenberg, an attorney for the parents.

Greenberg told the Tribune that Crimos father did not know about the incident involving his sons alleged threats when he sponsored Crimos FOID application a few months later.

Crimo was 19 when he applied for the gun permit in December 2019. Anyone under 21 must have their application sponsored by a parent or guardian, according to state police. The sponsor is required to fill out an affidavit swearing that the sponsor does not have any felony convictions, drug addictions, or recent institutionalizations for mental health reasons  that is, that the sponsor would be eligible for a FOID.

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Illinois State Police reviewed his application in January 2020 and issued Crimo his FOID card. In February 2020, Crimo bought the Smith & Wesson rifle he allegedly used to shoot dozens of people at this years parade.

Crimo legally purchased five firearms in total between 2020 and 2021, including the Smith & Wesson. Crimo had no significant criminal history, and passed several background checks in the process of purchasing his guns, according to state police.

Smith & Wesson M&P15 semi-automatic rifles of the AR-15 style are displayed during the National Rifle Association annual meeting in Houston, Texas, on May 28, 2022. (Patrick T. Fallon/Getty-AFP)

Meanwhile, some lawmakers still had questions about how Crimos FOID card application was approved.

If we have people who are legally buying guns and they are what we consider the wrong people, we have to stop that, said Democratic state Rep. Kathleen Willis of Addison, who has sponsored legislation aimed at strengthening the FOID laws.  How can we make sure we have all of the best information going forward so we dont have the wrong people buying guns in this state?

In a statement, a spokesperson for Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the administration would once again review everything we know about this gunman in the context of our laws and determine what more we can do to continue our public safety work.

Afternoon Briefing Daily Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. >

As this investigation progresses in the coming weeks we will learn more about this incident and if the law may have fell short, and it is imperative we have all of the facts so we can work together to strengthen the laws already on the books, said the statement from Jordan Abudayyeh.

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Federal officials were able to trace the weapon after Crimo apparently dropped it as he exited the area. Authorities have said he apparently left it behind while dressed as a woman, perhaps to aid him in blending in with the fleeing crowd as he escaped the parade route.

The serial number on the firearm was traced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, which determined it had been manufactured by Smith & Wesson. In all traces, agents then contact manufacturers to find out where the weapon was shipped, typically for sale.

That point of sale is also investigated by ATF agents, who interview the federally licensed dealer who sold the rifle. Paperwork retained by FFL dealers includes the name of purchasers, officials and experts have said, in this case Crimo.

The name of the FFL dealer is being withheld because interviews are still being conducted about the sales, said Lake County Sheriffs Deputy Chief Chris Covelli, a spokesman for the task force investigating the shooting.

mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com

asweeney@chicagotribune.com
The Auburn Housing Authority wants to help people find homes by providing them with vouchers, and it wants to match these home seekers with landlords.

Thats why the Auburn Housing Authority is hosting a landlord symposium on Thursday at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce. It will be from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Really, the goal of the Landlord Symposium is to recruit new landlords to our voucher program, said A.J. Harris, director of public relations with the Auburn Housing Authority. The gist is to invite all those people in, landlords, whether they have one property or 100 properties, just get them in to talk about our program and talk about the benefits of working with that program.

Harris hopes to build a program that can benefit both landlords and prospective tenants. His organization seeks to provide safe, decent and sanitary homes while helping people make the move from subsidized to unsubsidized housing. Landlords, in turn, gain steady and dependable rent payments from the Department of Housing and Urban Development program.

If we can work together, we could put in our participants and connect them with the landlords, and then hopefully we get them some tenants, which will benefit everybody, Harris said. Were here to be partners, were here to walk you through the steps of it.

The symposium is meant to help generate interest from landlords and property owners who would like to work with the housing authority. According to Harris, there is plenty of room for growth in the program. Currently only 30% of people who are issued vouchers by the Auburn Housing Authority are able to find housing in the private market.

The housing authority offers a wide variety of vouchers, including ones for veterans, foster youth, the elderly, disabled and emergency housing situations. The symposium will cover the different types of vouchers available.

We do have four special vouchers and were going to talk about these, and well have actual representatives that will be down from each of those organizations, Harris said.

Harris said there is no obligation for those who decide to attend. The purpose of the symposium is to give out information about the program and to receive feedback from the public.

Lunch from Chappys Deli will be served. There will also be a virtual option for those who cant attend the symposium in person.

Anyone interested in participating in this event can register at www.auburnhousingauth.org/landlord-symposium
As the auto and land transportation industries shift away from fossil fuels to renewable alternatives, other sectors look to do the same. While running freight, ships, and planes with electric batteries or green fuel seems a long way off, greater investment in recent years has made companies more optimistic about what they might be able to achieve within the next decade. As energy firms around the world see innovations in green hydrogen, suggesting this may well be the fuel that will power the future of clean aviation. The aviation industry is responsible for around 2 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions globally and is seen as extremely difficult to decarbonize. But many major players have been discussing the potential for hydrogen-fuelled planes for several years, with greater innovations seen recently as funding for fuel cell technology has increased. Liquid hydrogen could potentially replace kerosene as the planes fuel, emitting only water  making them carbon-free. Hydrogen planes have four main components  a storage system to safely store liquid hydrogen, fuel cells to convert hydrogen to electricity, a device to control the power of the cells, and a motor to turn a propeller.

The International Council on Clean Transport released a white paper on Performance Analysis of Evolutionary Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft earlier this year, assessing the potential use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), particularly liquid hydrogen (LH2), to decarbonize the aviation industry. The paper suggested that the introduction of LH2 aircraft into the global fleet, starting in 2035, could contribute to aviations 2050 climate goals. However, hydrogen-fuelled planes would likely have a shorter range than fossil fuel aircraft and a higher energy requirement per revenue-passenger-kilometer, with the potential to carry approximately 165 passengers up to 3,400 km.

Several ambitious hydrogen plane projects are already taking off around the world, with numerous major aviation firms announcing investments in green-powered planes. In 2020, Airbus announced three hydrogen fuel concept planes, under the project ZEROe. The fleet includes a jet airliner with a liquid hydrogen tank aimed at carrying 200 passengers over 3,500km, a similar blended-wing body design with a different hydrogen storage and propulsion system, and a propeller plane with hydrogen combustion in modified gas-turbine engines to carry 100 passengers over shorter distances. Delta Air Lines has already announced a partnership with Airbus to develop its hydrogen technologies.

Budget airlines are also demonstrating their interest in decarbonized flying, with European aviation firm Wizz Air announcing its preliminary agreement with Airbus to explore the potential for hydrogen-fuelled aircraft last month. The companies will evaluate how hydrogen fuel planes would affect scheduling, ground bases, and airport operations. In addition, they will assess the potential range, refueling time, and regulatory requirements for the planes to see whether an LH2 fleet is achievable.

Chief People and ESG Officer at Wizz Air Johan Eidhagen stated, We believe that growth and sustainability are not mutually exclusive, with leading-edge new technology paving the way to more sustainable air travel. Adding, this ... agreement with Airbus will advance sustainable aviation across the globe through development of ultra-efficient operations and business models of the future.

While Airbus thinks it will be at least 15 years until commercial hydrogen aircraft are ready for flight, smaller concept planes are already taking off. In the U.K., ZeroAvia is planning to test its first hydrogen fuel cell, a 19-seat plane in mid-July. It is expected to be followed by a second test flight in California later in the summer. It contains two dual-engines capable of converting hydrogen into electricity to drive propellers, as well as batteries on one side and a conventional jet engine on the other. It will be the first double-digit passenger-size hydrogen flight to be tested worldwide.

Related: U.S. Slaps New Oil Sanctions On Iran Amid Stalled Nuclear Negotiations

ZeroAvia has raised $115 million from several private companies, including United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Amazon, and Shell, with the hope of launching a small commercial hydrogen plane by late 2024. CEO and founder of ZeroAvia Val Miftakhov explained, Airlines are really interested in this because theyre under more and more pressure from governments but also from the flying public. He added, ?people started realizing that they have very significant carbon footprints from aviation.

Meanwhile, in Australia, the Skytrans airline believes it will have its first hydrogen-fuelled flights up and running by 2026, aiming to become a completely net-zero airline by 2050. Skytrans plans to partner with the aircraft firm Stralis to retrofit a 19-seat Beech B1900D-HE, with the potential of transporting 15 passengers over 800 km at costs near that of a traditional flight.

Despite significant strides being seen in hydrogen aviation, some point out the considerable challenges needed to be overcome to achieve commercial LH2 flight. Managing director at advisory firm Aviation Projects Keith Tonkin explained, Broadly speaking, were talking about brand new technologies and trying to create a new system of energy provision around the world for hydrogen. Theres a whole load of supply chain tasks to put in place for getting the hydrogen out to the places where the aircraft are. Adding, Also making [green] hydrogen needs lots of power, so theres also work to do in renewable energy.

While great progress has been made in hydrogen aviation technology in recent years, thanks to greater interest and investment from the global aviation industry, there is still a long way to go until large commercial passenger services become available. The green hydrogen industry must be developed substantially to develop the hydrogen market and the global supply chain if airlines hope to run hydrogen-fuelled services within the next decade or two.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

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The global solar panel supply chain is too concentrated in China, the International Energy Agency has warned in a new report.

The report, titled Solar PV Global Supply Chains, notes that China has been instrumental in bringing down solar PV production costs.

However, it has also built its solar supply chain much faster than other countries, and this "level of geographical concentration in global supply chains also creates potential challenges that governments need to address."

Addressing the issue may be difficult, however. As the IEA itself writes, China has invested some $50 billion in new solar PV capacity over the last ten years, which is ten times what Europe has invested in the same capacity.

As a result, to date, more than 80 percent of the world's PV production capacity across the supply chain is in China, the agency noted.

This has been made possible by strong government support for solar power, the report notes. This support has been essential for reducing solar PV costs over the last decade by more than 80 percent. This has also turned China into a huge exporter of solar modules. Related: U.S. Secretary Of State Calls On G20 Countries To Hold Russia Accountable

Last year, China made $30 billion from solar module exports, which represented almost 7 percent of the country's trade surplus over the last five years, the agency also noted in its report.

"This level of concentration in any global supply chain would represent a considerable vulnerability," the head of the IEA, Fatih Birol, told Reuters.

"If there is a fire or a natural disaster it may have implications for the global clean energy transition in terms of pushing the prices up and even availability of solar PV, but if you diversify and take necessary measures, we suggest to governments around the world that this risk will be addressed, maybe even diminished," he added.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned on Thursday amid scandal as the UK battles an acute energy crisis. The resignation follows a deluge of other ministerial resignations as well.

Johnson said on Wednesday that he would not resign despite the flurry of ministerial resignations42the most resignations in a single day of any UK PM in history. The resignation trend continued into Thursday.

The resignations come amid several scandals involving the former Prime Minister, including Johnson's appointment of an MP who was accused of sexual misconduct, even after the PM knew there were allegations of sexual misconduct against him.

The resignations also come, however, amid a growing energy crisis in the UK and the EU as they look to unshackle themselves from Russia's tight grip on energy suppliesnotably natural gas.

The UK is also battling a cost-of-living crisis.

Commenting on the resignation, a Kremlin spokesman on Thursday said that the Kremlin hoped that "more professional people who can make decisions through dialogue will come to power."

"Them's the breaks," Johnson said in a televised speech on Thursday. "Above all, I want to thank you, the British public, for the immense privilege that you have given me. And I want you to know that from now on, until the new prime minister is in place, your interests will be served and the government of the country will be carried on."

Meanwhile, the UK continues to battle the energy crisis, introducing to Parliament on Wednesday the Energy Securities Billa bill that failed to specifically address the country's previous pledge to stop using coal by October 2024a move that implies the UK may backtrack on that commitment amid soaring energy prices and a reduction in natural gas supplies from Russia.

Natural gas makes up the largest portion of the UK's power generation mix, at 35.6%.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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It seems the most effective way to achieve this goal would be through insurers, but there is no guarantee that Russia wouldnt respond by cutting exports.

In theory, the concept that has recently been taken up by the G7 of putting a price cap on Russian oil makes a lot of sense.

The oil price cap: this is the biggest energy weapon that the U.S. appears to have against Russia. First floated by Italian PM Mario Draghi earlier this year with regard to all oil producers, the idea was later taken up by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in discussions with the European Union on how to punish Moscow. Now, its been taken up by the G7. The news that the G7 is considering putting a ceiling on the price for Russian export crude garnered a lot of coverage, but there was little in the way of explaining how exactly a price cap would work. The only specific suggestion was to tie oil prices to insurance, with Russia only being able to insure its oil cargos at a price below a certain level.

The Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, suggested this week that the cap should be placed at half the current price for Russian crude. Russian oil already sells at an often steep discount to alternatives, and a further cut in half would put the price close to the level Russia uses for its federal budget.

Talks are continuing between officials from the G7, but analysts are already weighing in, and their comments do not look particularly encouraging.

Something like this could only work if you get all of the key producers and crucially all of the key consumers working together and then finding some way of enforcing whatever plan you come up with, Neil Atkinson, an independent oil analyst, told CNBC this week.

This looks like a tough job: getting the whole of OPEC+, or even its biggest members, to turn on their partner Russia would certainly be easier said than done. Getting China and India on board with a price cap may also be easier said than done, even though both are heavy importers and would certainly appreciate lower prices.

But there is a much bigger problem with the price cap suggestion: Do we really think that Russia will actually accept this and not retaliate? I think this sounds like a very, very good theoretical concept but it is just not going to work in practice, Energy Aspects Amrita Sen told CNBC.

Sen also made a crucial remark in her comments on the oil price cap. She told CNBC that the idea that countries around the world are on the same page as Western politicians on anything but particularly energy security was the biggest misconception right now.

What this basically suggests is that the G7 presidents and premiers may be on board with the idea of capping oil prices to punish Russia, but the rest of the world has a different opinion that might be difficult to change, especially fast.

In a recent analysis for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, an international affairs think tank, Sergei Vakulenko, a Germany-based energy analyst, wrote the assumption that Russia will not retaliate against a price cap may well be wrong.

Related: Coinbase: Oil And Tech Stocks Are As Risky As Crypto

The assumption, Vakulenko wrote, was that Russia would prefer to see some revenue, as long as it covers the marginal cost of production and allows for some profit, rather than to leave the oil in the ground and see no money at all.

However, he added, Russia is a strategic player with a somewhat exotic value function, adept at negative-sum games. In addition, at least for now, hard currency revenue is of limited value for Russia, as illustrated by the plummeting dollar and euro exchange rates on the Moscow exchange.

There are, then, two quite considerable obstacles for the G7 heads of state and their governments. The first, and smaller one, is to figure out exactly how to impose the oil price cap. The insurance scenario sounds like it makes sense, although there are doubts it might end up punishing insurers instead of Russia.

The second, and much bigger obstacle, is the assumption that Russia will take it all lying down. It is a dangerous assumption, as already noted by analysts, and a costly one, as reported by JP Morgan, which has estimated that if Russia decides to cut exports in response to the cap, oil could soar to $380 per barrel.

There is also an additional problem: G7 is running out of time to cap the price of Russian oil. The EU will be effecting an embargo on all seaborne Russian oil imports at the end of the year. The U.S. has already banned imports of Russian hydrocarbons. A price cap after the European embargo has come into effect would make little sense.

There have been a lot of jokes on the internet that Europe has been shooting itself in the foot with its sanctions against Russia, hurting itself a lot more than its stated enemy. Based on analysts comments, putting a price cap on Russias oil exports could well be even more counterproductive than some of the current policies.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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"The Russian authorities unleashed this bloody war. They caused this massive destruction, and they should be held accountable for it, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said.

Officials are suggesting that the country use confiscated Russian assets as part of the funds needed to rebuild.

Ukraine officials are estimating that the countrys post-war recovery plan could cost as much as $750 billion.

Ukrainian officials have issued a new price tag for the country's post-war "recovery plan" of $750 billion. The huge sum was advanced at a two-day conference on Ukrainian reconstruction which started Monday in Switzerland. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a virtual address that reconstruction of his country is a "common task of the entire democratic world  all countries, all countries who can say they are civilized." He added, "We are uniting the democratic world...The outlook of free people always prevails."

"Reconstruction of Ukraine is the biggest contribution to the support of global peace," Zelensky said at the summit where Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal identified the $750 billion figure as part of a three-stage plan.

Interestingly, part of that plan is to utilized seized Russian assets, as RFE/RL writes of Shmygal's words, "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," the Ukrainian prime minister told the conference. "The Russian authorities unleashed this bloody war. They caused this massive destruction, and they should be held accountable for it."

Additionally the funding will need to come from allied nations agreeing to grants and loans, as well as corporations and independent international institutions.

Related: Boris Johnson Resigns As Energy Crisis Worsens And Scandals Mount

The conference identified the three-fold plan as follows:

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.

Billions have already been pledged from Western countries, including the US, and major institutions like the EUs European Investment Bank, which said it raised over $100 billion for reconstruction efforts. Last month the EIB estimated it could cost $1.1 trillion for Ukraine to rebuild.

But it remains that the consensus among US officials, including Pentagon generals, is that the Ukraine war is likely to grind on for many months to come, or possibly even years.

By Zerohedge.com

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In May, Canada booked its largest trade surplus since August 2008 as the rally in oil prices lifted the share of energy exports of all Canadian exports to a record high, Statistics Canada said on Thursday.

Canada's total merchandise exports increased by 4.1 percent in May compared with April, for a fifth consecutive monthly increase. At the same time, imports fell by 0.7 percent. As a result, Canada's merchandise trade surplus with the world widened from US$1.7 billion (C$2.2 billion) in April to US$4 billion (C$5.3 billion in May). This was the largest trade surplus for Canada since August 2008, the statistics office said.

In May, Canada's exports of energy products jumped by 5.7 percent to US$15.7 billion (C$20.4 billion). Energy exports accounted for 29.8 percent of the value of total exports, an all-time high. Exports of crude oil and bitumen rose the most in May, by 9.2 percent, as a result of higher prices, Statistics Canada said.

"Uncertainty about supply, in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, is behind the recent rise in crude oil prices. Export prices for crude oil have almost doubled since May 2021," the statistics office said.

Crude oil prices surged to above $100 per barrel just after Russia invaded Ukraine at the end of February. For most of the past months, oil prices have stayed above the triple-digit threshold as oil trade flows are changing with the Western embargoes on imports of Russian oil and buyers are scrambling for non-Russian supply. The underwhelming performance of the OPEC+ group in their production pact has also added to bullish sentiment, as well as the concern that just a few oil producersSaudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and not many othershave the spare capacity to pump more oil above current levels.

Oil prices have fallen to the low $100s in recent days with intensified sell-offs amid fears of recession and traders exiting positions during the summer holidays.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Measures taken to support Vietnamese citizens facing difficulties in Cambodia: Spokeswoman

Various measures have been taken to protect and support Vietnamese citizens facing difficulties in Cambodia, Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said at a press conference on July 7 while answering reporters questions regarding the situation of Vietnamese workers being forced to work in the neighbouring country.













Foreign Ministrys Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang (Photo: VNA)

Hang said that solutions have been implemented with collaboration between Vietnamese representative agencies in Cambodia and authorised agencies and localities at home, especially localities along the shared border with Cambodia.



She said that specialised working teams have been set up to respond to citizens requests, post warnings on websites and social network accounts of Vietnamese representative agencies in Cambodia, and work with Cambodian agencies to support Vietnamese victims.



The Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia has set up a citizen protection hotline, along with a hotline of the Consular Department to receive reports on victims and other information, while coordinating with authorised agencies at home, especially media agencies, to provide information and raise public awareness of the issue.



Thanks to the efforts of domestic agencies, and with coordination from the Cambodian side, to date, about 400 citizens have been brought home, while guidance and legal support have been supplied to about 1,500 workers meeting difficulties in exiting, traveling and extending their residence or violating the host country's laws, the spokeswoman stated.



Hang said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vietnamese representative agencies abroad will continue to coordinate with domestic and Cambodian authorities to step up investigations and roll out necessary citizen protection measures.
The rhythms of normal life began to sound again in Highland Park Wednesday morning.

Two restaurants along the parade route where a gunman killed seven and wounded dozens posted signs in their windows saying theyd reopen. A man told reporters their cars would be towed if they kept parking in his grocery stores lot. A school bus full of tiny summer campers drove by.

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But the children perched up to peer at cameramen, at yellow crime scene tape, at the site of a massacre. And as more businesses began to open and locals started to trickle onto the shaken towns streets, the people in Highland Park felt life return to something different.

[ What we know about the mass shooting at a Highland Park Fourth of July parade ]

Silvia Schneider Fox and her daughter placed red roses at a makeshift memorial along Central Avenue.

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I keep thinking, How will I be able to bring myself to walk this block?  the 59-year-old said.

The two stood in front of the stacked bouquets and held one another as they quietly sang Jewish prayers for healing and mourning. Further down the police barrier, Marni Pine dropped off smoothies to officers guarding the crime scene. The nearby store where the Highland Park resident works, Bright Bowls, sheltered 150 people in its basement after the shooting, said her co-worker, Amy Sliwicki.

It is kind of nice being out, being around everyone, especially people that are also going through it, Pine, 23, said.

Frieda R. and Penny Laing pray together at a growing memorial near the Central Avenue scene on July 6, 2022, two days after a mass shooting at the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

The citys main street will never look the same to Courtney Mann, who grew up going to the Fourth of July parade.

You go two blocks away from here and it seems like life is normal, Mann, 46, said.

Late into the morning, FBI agents loaded abandoned lawn chairs and strollers into U-Haul trucks and drove them away. Central Avenue began to look clean again as Tuesday nights rain dried up.

Harvey Welstein searched for a path among the blocked roads. He hadnt seen downtown yet, but he already felt a mix of emotions.

Its sorrow, pain, anger. Now that Ive gone through some of the steps of grief, Im more angry than anything, Welstein said.

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Welstein ended up in front of another shrine to the shooting victims, this one nestled into a semicircular memorial honoring soldiers killed in wars past. Among the candles, pro-gun restriction signs and wooden posts bearing the names of dead paradegoers, he stood in silence for three minutes. He turned away for a second and turned to face it again.

I see the family members, the people whose lives are changed forever, Welstein said.

Highland Park resident Penny Laing visits a growing memorial to the Fourth of July shooting victims near the Central Avenue scene on July 6, 2022. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Nearby, a woman wore a white Highland Park strong T-shirt. Across the street, a hairdresser rinsed shampoo from another womans hair.

Susie Posnock sat on a cushy chair in the Love That Spice cafe as her wife waited for a ginger shot. She had been in her Highland Park home wearing pajamas for the last two days, she said.

I needed to talk with people who are connected to the community, who had been here when it happened, to share some hugs and love, to heal a little bit, Posnock said. A woman killed in the shooting, Jacquelyn Jacki Sundheim, planned her daughters bat mitzvah, Posnock said.

After the Uvalde elementary school mass shooting left 21 people dead, most of them children, she told her friends on social media that its not if its going to happen to your community, its when, she said. Listening to others helps her feel better, she added.

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[ These are the victims of the Fourth of July parade shooting in Highland Park ]

A brown-uniformed deliveryman rolled a box into the cafe. Posnocks wife got her drink and took five of the free thin chocolate chip cookies owner Marlena Jayatilake had set out. Jayatilake made her put more cookies in a paper bag. She gave the couple hugs too.

Lets keep praying for this sick world we live in, Jayatilake told them.

The business owner was glad to see more people coming out into the community and reckoning with what happened.

I know the pain that people are going through right now, and I share it with them. It was senseless, she said.

Jayatilake cried more Wednesday than Tuesday, because she gave more hugs, she said. Sundheim had been a regular customer, Jayatilake added. Shes starting to feel some anger.

They robbed this town of innocence. Theyll rebuild  yeah, of course, its Highland Park  but its going to be hard, she said.

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Sherry Levin also stopped by Love That Spice as she got back into Highland Park. Her boutique, Style Shack, cant yet open. Its two doors down from where the shooting took place, in the area police have fenced off.

I cant even glance into town, said Levin, 59. Its so traumatic. Its so deep.

People embrace at a memorial to the victims near the Central Avenue scene on July 6, 2022, in Highland Park. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Levin walked past the The Art Center Highland Park. On the Art Centers lawn, thousands of knotted orange ribbons memorialized the Uvalde victims and young people killed by gun violence across America. The installation was placed there a few weeks ago.

The Art Centers gift shop, classes and summer camps reopened Wednesday. Those services can help people heal, executive director James Lynch said.

[ They helped people during the Highland Park shooting. But they dont want praise: I did what anyone else would have done ]

This is why were here, said Lynch, who is on the Highland Park Chamber of Commerces board. No matter whats going on for me, I got to be here.

Artists have reached out, offering to help memorialize the victims of gun violence, he said. Hes not sure what to do, because the art center already had the memorial to the Uvlade victims.

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Were changed forever, Lynch said.

A family prays at the growing memorial for victims near the Central Avenue scene on July 6, 2022, two days after a mass shooting at the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Cecilia Antezana Marshall ran toward the wounded moments after the parade shooting. She thought she might be able to help with her CPR and first-aid training, she said. She got to victims before first responders and saw that a woman sprawled over stairs bloodied was dead. She offered her scarf to a man as a tourniquet, though he had already used a belt for that. She saw paramedics turn over a mans body. A yellow, beautiful baby shoe fell from his lifeless hand, she said.

Afternoon Briefing Daily Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. >

As she worked at the ORT Resale Shop on Wednesday, she remembered the feeling that you couldnt help them, those people who died. But she had already cried enough at home, and it was time to return to her community.

Life continues. I cannot stop, Antezana Marshall said. We are here to help other people. For that reason, we need to be stronger.

Later in the day, a girl ran toward a friend at the corner of Central and Green Bay, only barely slowing down as the two embraced.

Youre OK! Youre alive! the friend said before kissing her on the cheek.

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The two talked about who had been shot and what class they had in high school with the gunman as another woman leaned against a light post and sobbed.

jsheridan@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @jakesheridan_
An explosion at a giant oilfield in Kazakhstan, the countrys largest, killed on Thursday two workers and left at least three others wounded, local reports say.

The blast at the Tengiz oilfield occurred during a test in a pipe, the operator Tengizchevroilin which U.S. supermajor Chevron has 50 percentsaid, as carried by Kazakh news agency Kazinform.

The Tengiz Field is one of the worlds deepest operating supergiant oil fields, with the top of the reservoir at approximately 12,000 feet (3,657 m) below ground, Chevron says.

According to a source close to Tengizchevroil, who spoke to Reuters, the huge oilfield continues production after the explosion.

The blast took place a day after a Russian court ordered the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which operates a key export route for crude oil from Tengiz, to suspend activities for 30 days, citing environmental violations.

The Caspian Pipeline Consortium is the worlds largest international oil transportation project involving Russian and Kazakh companies for the transportation of crude oil from Kazakh and Russian fields to the port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea via a 1,500-km pipeline. Chevron has a 15-percent stake in the company.

The ruling of the Russian court this week came days after Kazakhstans President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev offered the EU to buy more oil from Kazakhstan instead of Russia.

The Kazakh president expressed concern about the risks to global energy security and emphasized Kazakhstans readiness to use its hydrocarbon potential to stabilize the situation in the world and European markets, according to the website of the president, who had a telephone conversation with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, on Monday.

On Thursday, after the Russian court ruling suspending CPC, Tokayev said Kazakhstan needed to diversify its oil export routes. The president ordered a study into a project for bypassing Russia by building a pipeline across the Caspian Sea, Reuters reports.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Germany will not allow any of its energy companies to go bankrupt, Economy Minister Robert Habeck told Bloomberg, as German gas and power providers struggle with low Russian gas supply and sky-high prices of non-Russian gas.

This is the promise I can give: we will not allow one company to go bankrupt and let, as a consequence, the global energy market get into turbulences, the minister told Bloomberg in a phone interview on Wednesday.

German industry and energy companies are on high alert as Russia slashed supply via Nord Stream in the middle of June and is expected to begin regular two-week maintenance on the key gas pipeline to Germany on July 11. Germany, Europes biggest economy, and other EU member states are not ruling out the possibility that Russia may not resume gas flows via Nord Stream once the maintenance period is over, or it could cut supplies further.

According to Habeck, the German and global energy markets could see cascading effects due to energy companies scrambling to buy very expensive gas on the spot market in order to compensate for low Russian supply.

Moreover, there is now the distinct possibility of no Russian supply at some point later this year. Gas providers and buyers in Germany have been struggling with surging prices of non-Russian gas, which is severely burdening their finances.

Last week, energy giant Uniper, one of the largest customers of Russias Gazprom, said it had initiated talks with the German government on possible measures to stabilize its finances amid low Russian gas deliveries and soaring gas prices.

Germany is currently amending its energy security law to allow the government to take stakes in struggling energy firms or impose levies on consumers. The government is discussing amendments that could be put for Parliament discussion as early as this week.

With the new legislation, we will have different possibilities to act, but we will definitely act, Habeck told Bloomberg.

By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com

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Oil demand forecasts will likely be revised downward further, Citis Ed Morse said in a Bloomberg Television interview on Wednesday.

Almost everybody has reduced their expectations of demand for the year, Morse said, adding that demand was simply not growing on an empirical basis to the degree that people had expected.

Citigroup has reduced its oil demand forecast by a third, to between 2.4 million bpd and 2.5 million bpdclose to outlooks provided by the EIA and IEA. Morse expects to see even further downward revisions in demand.

Part of the reason for the lower oil demand outlook is disappointing oil demand from China and high gasoline prices that will keep a lid on demand this summer.

Yesterday, a Citigroup report suggested that oil prices could tumble to $65 per barrel by the end of this year and to $45 per barrel by the end of next year, based on a global recession and lack of market intervention by OPEC+. Citi noted, however, that this case was not its base case, and that it did not foresee a global recession.

Citi continues to be bearish on oil, maintaining that crude oil is overvalued and should be trading in the $70 range, not in the $100 range.

Citi may not see a recession on the horizon, but the fear of a recession has cooled oil prices this week, with WTI now trading well under $100 per barrel at $95.90 at 12:20 pm ET. Brent crude is also trading sub-$100, at $99.37the first sub $100 mark since mid-April.

Citis base case is for oil to sink to $85 per barrel. Theres no evidence that were going to see this summer surge in driving and summer surge in demand. The price is too high, Morse said on Wednesday.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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The U.S. Department of the Treasury extended on Thursday the authorization of export and re-export of liquefied petroleum gas to Venezuela until July 2023.

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is mostly used in Venezuela as a cooking fuel and the first general license for U.S. exports of LPG to the country, which is otherwise under American sanctions, came in July last year.

Back then, the Treasury Department authorized through July 8, 2022, some exports and re-exports of LPG to Venezuela. Such transactions were not allowed during the Trump Administration.

A day before the general license for export and re-export expired, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued another general license which will be valid until July 12, 2023. Effective today, the new general license replaces and supersedes the previous license from July 12, 2021, the Treasury Department said.

All transactions and activities related to the exportation or re-exportation, directly or indirectly, of liquefied petroleum gas to Venezuela, involving the Government of Venezuela, Petroleos de Venezuela (PdVSA), or any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest, are allowed. Other transactions with those entities are prohibited by executive orders issued as part of the sanctions on Venezuelas oil industry.



Related: U.S. Slaps New Oil Sanctions On Iran Amid Stalled Nuclear Negotiations

OFAC explicitly noted that the general license for LPG issued today does not authorize any payment-in-kind of petroleum or petroleum products; or any transactions or activities otherwise prohibited by the Venezuela-Related Sanctions.

The Biden Administration has sought to ease some of the restriction on Venezuelas oil amid a global crunch in fuels and high gasoline prices in America, which hit $5 a gallon a month ago, but have fallen in recent weeks, to $4.75 a gallon on Thursday

Last month, the Biden Administration was said to have relaxed restrictions for two European companies doing business with Venezuela, allowing them to export certain, albeit modest, volumes of Venezuelan crude to Europe.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The U.S. Department of Treasury this week imposed more oil and petrochemical industry sanctions on Iran amid stalled nuclear negotiations.

"While the United States is committed to achieving an agreement with Iran that seeks a mutual return to compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, we will continue to use all our authorities to enforce sanctions on the sale of Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals," said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson.

In a news release, the Treasury said it would sanction an international network of companies and individuals involved in the marketing of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products in East Asia.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a tweet that the U.S. is imposing the sanctions "absent a commitment from Iran to return to the JCPOA."

The latest round of talks between Iran and the U.S. facilitated by the European Union ended inconclusively last week, with participants saying they would resume soon.

Meanwhile, Iran has stepped up its demands on the U.S. side, according to the U.S. Special Envoy for Irandemands that have nothing to do with the nuclear deal.



Related: Norway Oil And Gas Strike Ends After Government Intervention

"They have, including in Doha, added demands that I think anyone looking at this would be viewed as having nothing to do with the nuclear deal, things that they've wanted in the past," Robert Malley told NPR this week.

"The discussion that really needs to take place right now is not so much between us and Iran, although we're prepared to have that; it's between Iran and itself, that they need to come to a conclusion about whether they are now prepared to come back into compliance with the deal, if we're prepared to do the same, and we've said we are," the Special Envoy for Iran also said.

Iran's Foreign Minister, who led the latest talks with the EU, said, as quoted by Reuters, that "We are prepared to resume talks in the coming days. What is important for Iran is to fully receive the economic benefits of the 2015 accord."

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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ANKARA, Turkey (AP)  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday he intends to intensify negotiations with Russia and Ukraine in the hope of reaching a deal on a U.N. plan to export Ukrainian grain to world markets.

Erdogan made the comments during a joint news conference with Italian Premier Mario Draghi. Turkey is working with the United Nations, Ukraine and Russia on a plan to that would allow millions of tons of Ukrainian grain sitting in silos to be shipped through safe corridors in the Black Sea.

We will intensify our talks within a week or 10 days and try to reach a result, he told reporters.

Ukraine is one of the worlds largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but Russias invasion halted most of that flow, endangering food supplies to many developing countries, especially in Africa.

The Ukrainian government has cited a Russian naval blockade of its ports, while Russia has claimed that Ukrainian sea mines prevent the safe movement of agricultural exports.

Draghi praised the possibility of an accord as important not just to getting grain and fertilizer to poor countries, but because it would represent the first agreement Ukraine and Russia had reached on anything during the war, which is now in its fifth month.

This accord is very important also from the more general point of view within the efforts to arrive at a peace," he said.

Last week, Draghi said the U.N. plan to export Ukrainian grain via safe sea corridors could save weeks to a month of precious time to empty silos before the autumn harvest since it wouldnt require demining the ports. He said the plan requires Russias final approval.

Follow AP's coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
A Bellevue man pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of his wife earlier this year.

Lovell Jones Jr., 43, also pleaded guilty to use of a firearm to commit a felony. The charges were connected to the January slaying of Deyvonndra L. Jones, 40.

Sarpy County prosecutors dropped a charge of first-degree domestic assault.

Bellevue police said Jones called 911 and asked for officers to come to a house near 22nd Avenue and Jefferson Street about 10:45 p.m. on Jan. 22. Jones, who surrendered without incident, told police he had shot a woman in the home while a child was sleeping upstairs.

An officer radioed from the scene that the woman had been shot several times and had at least one gunshot wound to the head. The child was unharmed.

Deyvonndra Jones was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center in critical condition, where she later died from her injuries. A neighbor told a reporter they hadn't heard anything until police arrived.
The Omaha Airport Authority will receive a $20 million boost from the federal government for the next phase of its roadway expansion project at Eppley Airfield.

The money comes from a pool of nearly $1 billion awarded to 85 airports across the country by the Federal Aviation Administration, including a $150 million pool for medium hub airports like Eppley.

The $1 billion funding pool is part of the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill signed into law last year.

Airport Authority CEO Dave Roth and Steve McCoy, the authoritys chief information and development officer, said the money will be spent to widen the roadway and add a lane next to the curb adjacent to the terminal building for a total of seven lanes.

The projects next phase, which is being designed, also includes a proposed canopy covering that portion of the road between the terminal and a garage. The canopy would measure about 94,500 square feet and provide shelter for pedestrians and vehicles dropping off and picking up passengers.

According to a press release from the White House, the project will increase the roadways capacity by 65%.

McCoy called the grant good news for Omaha.

Its going to increase capacity, improve throughput of vehicles through the drive there and improve the overall customer experience and customer service at Eppley Airfield, he said.

Officials expect to compete for additional rounds of federal funding for the canopy and other projects over the next four years.

Construction work on the project is expected to begin early next year. Its projected to cost about $50.5 million, although that amount could change as the design process continues.

The project will follow a $20.3 million project underway that, among other highlights, moved the airports main entrance to the south. That project is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The projects are part of an overall $715 million terminal modernization program. The effort is expected to include additional aircraft gates, consolidating security screening and baggage handling systems and a central utility plant.

The sequencing of the funding and the receiving of these infrastructure dollars really play nicely into the overall scheme of our terminal program, Roth said.

The Lincoln Airport also benefited from the latest funding, with $850,000 awarded for the airports HVAC and equipment upgrades. The FAA also awarded Council Bluffs Municipal Airport $112,500 for installation of an elevator in the general aviation terminal to provide access to the second floor.

U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer praised the news of the FAA funding.

Its exciting to see investments from the infrastructure law go to airport projects that will make a difference for Nebraska travelers, Fischer said in a press release issued Thursday. This is big news for Nebraskans who rely on our airports for travel, business, and to stay connected.

Fischer and Rep. Don Bacon, both Nebraska Republicans, were the only members of the states congressional delegation to vote in favor of the infrastructure bill.
Science teacher Andrea Czarkowski Ng stands with other staff members outside Association House High School on June 29, 2022, in Humboldt Park. Czarkowski Ng was one of the three teachers being let go at the alternative high school that offers a path to a better life for Black and Latino troubled teens. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

An alternative high school in Humboldt Park that has served as a sanctuary for hundreds of vulnerable Black and brown youth is losing nearly half of its small teaching staff because of budget cuts  a move that employees and alumni say limits the services they can provide and their ability to recruit more students attempting to reform their lives.

We are the answer to this gun violence. We are the answer to these unemployment numbers. We are the answer to helping those students because every student deserves to be seen. Every student deserves to be loved, and thats what we do at Association House, science teacher Andrea Czarkowski Ng told the Chicago Board of Education at its meeting last month.

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Czarkowski Ng and two of seven Association House of Chicago teachers are said to have received pink slips in June. And while Czarkowski Ng worries about her future, she is more concerned about the fate of the students at the Youth Connection Charter school, which is said to offer a new path to graduation for 16- to 21-year-olds who have been left behind by traditional public schools. The school is also expected to lose one full-time and one part-time child care program aide.

Several teachers and some alumni attended last months Board of Education meeting to decry the cuts hours before the board approved the districts $9.4 billion budget for the coming school year. The finger-pointing started almost immediately.

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Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez said he was learning of the cuts for the first time at the board meeting. There was discussion among board members about how CPS provides money to charter operators, such as YCCS. These schools have autonomy over budgetary decisions, including staffing levels, CPS general counsel Joseph Moriarty said. An audit of each charter schools finances is required to be conducted annually.

YCCS Executive Director Sheila Venson said in a statement that, Association House, as well as all YCCS vendors, are funded based on the student-based funding formula of CPS. How funds are budgeted and used to support the program is determined, in this case, by Association House. Association House principal David Pieper said the schools budget is down about $500,000 compared with the last school year, as enrollment declined 27%.

Pieper lamented that the budget cut will significantly impact the school because its staff is already small and it thrives on student-staff relationships. Pieper pointed out that students of color from disadvantaged neighborhoods and those facing difficult life circumstances were disproportionately affected when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and remote learning was implemented.

Although we opened the door for in-person learning  its been an ongoing struggle to get them back, Pieper said. And though Im starting to see success in getting the students back to school, its too late now since weve already been funded for next year.

The school often recruits students through word-of-mouth or social service agencies, Pieper said. Most of its students are in temporary living situations and require extra support, such as transportation and child care, he said. Pieper promises the school will offer intensive support for students who have not been successful in traditional schools because of their lifes circumstances, with the funding available.

Association House employees say one of the perks of the program  free child care for kids as old as 5  has taken a hit as well. Staff members say they can care for half as many kids as they used to because of cuts. Teachers worry about how this instability will affect their students.

Our kids are the kids that needed a second chance, that needed another opportunity and needed someone to tell them, We believe in you. We care about you, and were going to sit with you until you get this done  however long that takes, mentor Jemina Lyle told the Tribune.

It takes a special type of educator to push us to succeed, said Demiyon Eastling, an Association House alumnus turned after-school teacher. The school became his home after he attended eight elementary schools and two high schools. The Association House staff welcomes formerly incarcerated individuals, young parents, immigrant children who struggle with the language, and students with addiction or mental health issues, Eastling said.

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Board President Miguel del Valle  who was once the executive director of Association House  said it was heartwarming to hear at the board meeting from graduates who achieved success once they received the necessary support. He noted enrollment in the program  and across CPS  has declined. Association House High School cant be allowed to fade away, he said.

I think all of us  the teachers, the administration at Association House, the community, all of us have to ask ourselves, why arent there more students in that program? The need is there, del Valle said.

Ninety-eight students were enrolled at Association House High School in the fall of 2021, according to CPS data captured on the 20th day of school. About two-thirds of the students are Hispanic, while more than a quarter are Black. There were 155 students enrolled just two years ago, district data shows.

The drop at Association House mirrors drops across the citys schools, including at many of Youth Connections schools. Of 20 schools in operation as of the 2013-14 school year  the most recent comparable data available  enrollment dropped from above 4,000 to just over 3,100.

Association House employees say they are needed more than ever.

These students have built these walls and protection from trauma and all the crap that they endure in their lives. We, like, slowly peel the onion back, and slowly let them open up, Czarkowski Ng told the Tribune. I see us as like this fertilizer to let these flowers bloom. Theyre great kids, that just no ones taken the time.

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Nancy Velazquez said her 20-year-old son, Benjamin, struggled with attendance at a district-run CPS high school. She turned to Association House for help.

They gave him an opportunity. He graduated this year, in 2022. It took many years for him to graduate, but he finally did it, she said.

The Chicago Teachers Union said Youth Connection should use any of its unspent federal COVID-19 funds to stop the Association House cuts. The union is also calling on the district to dip into its remaining $800 million in pandemic money, which must be allocated by the fall of 2024, to prevent job losses.

In CPS district-run schools, 256 teachers have received layoff notices and 189 paraprofessional staff have been let go, according to CTU. Charter school data was not immediately known.

The district said it has already appropriated $730 million in pandemic money for the next school year to focus on academic recovery and social and emotional learning supports. Nevertheless, budget cuts have claimed the longtime librarians at Coonley Elementary School in North Center and Nixon Elementary School in Hermosa, among others.

I can confidently say that the reason my administration waited until the very last moment of the school year to tell me this was the backlash that they knew they would receive from devastated staff, students and family. My students love me, and I love them, outgoing Nixon librarian Leslie Westerberg said at last months board meeting.

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At the meeting, parent Cheryl Conner highlighted the impact of budget cuts at Sabin Dual Language Magnet School in Wicker Park.

Eighty percent of families at Sabin are below the poverty line, and our school is 98% Black and Latinx students. This is a student population that has been really hurt in the pandemic, Conner said. Due to budget cuts, kids at Sabin are going from five specials to only three specials in the upcoming year. Were losing technology and library classes.

In an emailed statement Friday, CPS said it is pumping an additional $240 million into its school budgets districtwide compared with this past school year. Per-pupil funding has also increased by 8%, CPS said.
Japan ex-leader Shinzo Abe apparently shot, in heart failure

TOKYO (AP)  NHK public television says Japans former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in heart failure after apparently being shot during a campaign speech in western Japan. NHK says Abe was rushed to a hospital Friday. A male suspect was arrested at the scene. Witnesses reported hearing gunshots in the apparent attack in Nara. He was standing while making a campaign speech. The attack was a shock in a country thats one of the worlds safest and with some of the strictest gun control laws. In Japan, officials sometimes use the term heart failure to describe situations where victims are no longer alive but before death is formally declared. It was not immediately clear how serious Abes injuries were or if he was displaying vital signs.

One scandal too many: British PM Boris Johnson resigns

LONDON (AP)  Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced his resignation amid a mass revolt by top members of his government. His departure marks an end to three tumultuous years in power in which he brazenly bent and sometimes broke the rules of British politics. Months of defiance ended almost with a shrug as Johnson stood outside No. 10 Downing St. and conceded that his party wanted him gone. He said: Thems the breaks. The brash, 58-year-old politician who took Britain out of the European Union and steered it through COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine was brought down by one scandal too many  this one involving his appointment of a politician who had been accused of sexual misconduct.

Facing pressure, Biden to sign order on abortion access

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden will take executive action on to protect access to abortion, according to three people familiar with the matter, as he faces mounting pressure from Democrats to be more forceful on the subject after the Supreme Court ended a constitutional right to the procedure two weeks ago. He is expected to formalize instructions to the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services to push back on efforts to limit the ability of women to access federally approved abortion medication or to travel across state lines to access clinical abortion services. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss Bidens actions before they were officially announced.

G-20 diplomats face unity headwinds on Ukraine, war's impact

NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AP)  Deeply divided top diplomats from the world's richest and largest developing nations have opened talks with an appeal from the Indonesian host for an end to Russia's war in Ukraine. As the foreign ministers from the Group of 20 confront multiple crises, including the lingering effects of the coronavirus pandemic, all are overshadowed by the war in Ukraine and its ripple effects. Indonesia's foreign minister appealed for unity among the group, which includes Russia, China, the United States and its Western allies, despite signs that any consensus on the matter would remain elusive.

Services planned Friday for 3 Highland Park parade victims

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (AP)  Mourners plan to remember three of the seven people killed when a gunman opened fire on a July 4 parade at services. Friday's scheduled events are the first formal opportunity to grieve the deaths of two beloved grandfathers and a former synagogue preschool teacher shot Monday during the annual event in the northern Chicago suburb of Highland Park. Services are scheduled for 63-year-old Jacquelyn Sundheim, 88-year-old Stephen Straus and 78-year-old Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza through Friday. Robert E. Crimo III, the accused 21-year-old gunman, was charged Wednesday with murdering seven people. Prosecutors have said they expect to bring attempted murder charges for each of the more than 30 people wounded in the attack on paradegoers.

Lone Mississippi abortion clinic seeks legal path to reopen

JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Attorneys for Mississippis only abortion clinic are asking the state Supreme Court to block a law that bans most abortions and to let the clinic reopen next week. Jackson Womens Health Organization is at the center of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upended abortion rights nationwide. As of Thursday, Mississippi bans most abortions. The clinic performed its last procedures Wednesday. In arguments filed Thursday, clinic attorneys said the Mississippi Constitution has a right to privacy that includes abortion. Also Thursday, North Dakotas only abortion clinic filed a lawsuit seeking to block a law that will abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling

WNBA's Griner pleads guilty at her drug trial in Russia

MOSCOW (AP)  WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to drug possession charges on the second day of her trial in a Russian court in a case that could see her sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. Her abrupt guilty plea came amid a growing chorus of calls for Washington to do more to secure her freedom nearly five months after her arrest amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Russia over Ukraine. A senior Russian diplomat said earlier that no action could be taken by Moscow on Griner until the trial was over. Griner was detained at a Moscow airport while returning to play basketball in Russia. Police said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage.

Putin to Ukraine: Russia has barely started its action

MOSCOW (AP)  Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned Kyiv that it should quickly accept Moscow's terms or prepare for the worst, adding ominously that Russia has barely started its action. Speaking Thursday at a meeting with leaders of the Kremlin-controlled parliament, Putin accused Western allies of fueling the hostilities, charging that the West wants to fight us until the last Ukrainian. He added menacingly that "largely speaking, we havent even yet started anything in earnest. He declared that Russia remains ready to sit down for talks to end the fighting, adding that those who refuse to do so should know that the longer it lasts the more difficult it will be for them to make a deal with us.

Yellowstone floods reveal forecasting flaws in warming world

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  Flooding that devastated Yellowstone National Park last month has generated calls from weather experts for changes to the way the government issues weather forecasts as extreme weather becomes more frequent. Government forecasters warned of rising Yellowstone rivers but failed to predict the calamitous June flooding that happened in the park and in neighboring Montana areas. Experts say forecasting models based on historical records have become outdated as climate change bakes the planet. A National Weather Service meteorologist says officials were flying blind as river levels rose, with no way to predict where the impacts would be. Hundreds of homes were damaged but no lives lost in the Yellowstone floods.

James Caan, Oscar nominee for 'The Godfather,' dies at 82

James Caan, the curly-haired tough guy known to movie fans as the hotheaded Sonny Corleone of The Godfather and to television audiences as the dying football player in the classic weeper Brians Song and the casino boss in Las Vegas, has died. He was 82. His manager Matt DelPiano said he died on Wednesday. Caan grew unhappy with filmmaking in the 1980s but returned and introduced himself to a new generation playing Walter, the workaholic, stone-faced father of Buddys Will Ferrell in Elf. He returned to full-fledged stardom opposite Kathy Bates in Misery in 1990.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  A federal judge on Thursday sentenced Derek Chauvin to 21 years in prison for violating George Floyds civil rights, telling the former Minneapolis police officer that what he did was simply wrong and offensive.

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson sharply criticized Chauvin for his actions on May 25, 2020, even as he opted for the low end of a sentencing range called for in a plea agreement. Chauvin, who is white, pinned Floyd to the pavement outside a Minneapolis corner store for more than nine minutes as the Black man pleaded, I can't breathe, and became unresponsive.

Floyds killing sparked protests worldwide in a reckoning over police brutality and racism.

I really dont know why you did what you did, Magnuson said. To put your knee on a persons neck until they expired is simply wrong.  Your conduct is wrong and it is offensive.

Magnuson, who earlier this year presided over the federal trial and convictions of three other officers at the scene, blamed Chauvin alone for what happened. Chauvin was by far the senior officer present as police tried to arrest Floyd while responding to a 911 call accusing him of using a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes. And Chauvin rebuffed questions from one of the other officers about whether Floyd should be turned on his side.

You absolutely destroyed the lives of three young officers by taking command of the scene, Magnuson said.

Chauvin's plea agreement called for a sentence of 20 to 25 years to be served concurrent with a 22 1/2-year sentence for his state conviction of murder and manslaughter charges.

Because of differences in parole eligibility in the state and federal systems, it means that Chauvin will serve slightly more time behind bars than he would have on the state sentence alone. He would be eligible for parole after 15 years on the state sentence, but must serve almost 18 years of his federal time before he could be released.

He will also do his time in the federal system, where he may be safer and may be held under fewer restrictions than in the state system.

Chauvin attorney Eric Nelson had asked for 20 years, arguing that Chauvin was remorseful and would make that clear to the court. But Chauvin, in brief remarks, made no direct apology or expression of remorse to Floyds family.

Instead, he told the family that he wishes Floyds children all the best in their life."

Chauvin wore an orange prison uniform and a protective mask, according to pool media reports from the courtroom. He waved at family and friends in the gallery as he entered. The media reports made no mention of visible reaction by Chauvin to any part of the hearing.

Prosecutor LeeAnn Bell asked Magnuson to give Chauvin the full 25 years possible in the plea deal, highlighting the special responsibility that he had as a police officer to care for the people in his custody.

He wasn't a rookie, Bell said. "He knew what his training was. ... He admitted before this court that his conduct was wrong and he did it anyway.

Floyd's brother Philonise also asked for the maximum possible sentence, telling Magnuson the Floyd family had been given a life sentence. He said afterward that he was upset that Chauvin didn't get more time behind bars.

Chauvin's mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, told Magnuson that her son didn't go to work intending to kill someone.

Many things have been written about him that are totally wrong such as hes a racist, which he isnt, that he has no heart," she said. I believe it is Gods will for all of us to forgive.

Chauvin's guilty plea included an admission that he willfully deprived Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure, including unreasonable force by a police officer.

It also included a count for violating the rights of a Black 14-year-old whom he restrained in an unrelated case in 2017. John Pope, now 18, told Magnuson that Chauvin didnt care about the outcome of that restraint.

By the grace of God I lived to see another day, Pope said. It will continue to be a part of me for the rest of my life.

Magnuson has not set sentencing dates for the three other officers who were on the scene  Tou Thao, J. Alexander Keung and Thomas Lane  who were convicted in February of federal civil rights charges.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced his resignation amid a mass revolt by top members of his government. His departure marks an end to three tumultuous years in power in which he brazenly bent and sometimes broke the rules of British politics. Months of defiance ended almost with a shrug as Johnson stood outside No. 10 Downing St. and conceded that his party wanted him gone. He said: Thems the breaks. The brash, 58-year-old politician who took Britain out of the European Union and steered it through COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine was brought down by one scandal too many  this one involving his appointment of a politician who had been accused of sexual misconduct.
Two inmates died this week while in the custody of the Nebraska Department of Corrections.

Robert C. Mahler, 64, died Wednesday at the Johnson County Hospital while serving a sentence for two counts of motor vehicle homicide at the state prison in Tecumseh, a corrections spokeswoman said.

On the night of Sept. 9, 2011, prosecutors said, Mahler was driving near Emerson, Nebraska, on the wrong side of the road when his vehicle struck an oncoming motorcycle. Killed were Wayne State College students Christopher Oberg, 20, of Mapleton, Iowa, and his passenger, 19-year-old Alexis Calfee of Bennet, Nebraska. Mahlers blood alcohol level was .196 at the time of the crash.

Mahler was sentenced in Dixon County District Court to 50 to 81 years in prison.

On Tuesday, Charles Kays, 81, died at the state penitentiary in Lincoln. Kays was sentenced in 2011 in Douglas County to 16 years and eight months to 20 years after being convicted of first-degree sexual assault on a child and two counts of third-degree sexual assault on a child.

The inmates causes of death have not been determined. As is the case whenever an inmate dies in state custody, a grand jury will investigate the deaths.
BLOOMINGTON  A driver who died in a single-vehicle crash in Bloomington on June 24 has been identified as Jordan Cason, 22, of Normal.

Bloomington police and the McLean County Coroner's Office released the identification on Wednesday. Cason died from multiple blunt injuries in the crash. Toxicology results are pending, the release said.

Bloomington Police Department public affairs officer Brandt Parsley said a miscommunication between the agencies involved delayed the release of the identification.

Cason was the sole occupant of the SUV. The crash happened early on the morning of June 24 near Locust Street and White Oak Road. Police had earlier tried to pull the vehicle over after seeing it go through two red lights, but the vehicle did not stop and police ended the pursuit.

Within minutes, a civilian called police about a car fire at Locust and White Oak. The car was on fire when police arrived at the location of the crash after crashing into a utility pole, the initial release said. Cason was pronounced dead at the scene.
100 years ago

July 7, 1922: If an accurate survey of the damage being done in McLean County by chinch bugs could be made, the resulting figures could be larger than anyone might imagine. The reports coming to The Pantagraph are incomplete but show that 200 acres of corn have already been ruined. The farm bureau supplied 16 barrels of creosote to build barriers to protect other fields.

75 years ago

July 7, 1947: A fight between a discharged employee and his foreman occurred atop a 72-foot-high addition at the Funk Brothers Seed Company. It resulted in one man being sent to the hospital with a severed artery and another to the city jail. Dr. T.C. Cumming of Heyworth scaled a Bloomington fire truck ladder to treat the victim.

50 years ago

July 7, 1972: A report recommending retention of Metcalf Elementary and University High School at Illinois State University was received by the Illinois Board of Higher Education. The recommendation was included in a report by a committee to examine the laboratory schools maintained by state universities; the committee recommended phaseouts at three other state universities.

25 years ago

July 7, 1997: An Illinois state trooper trying to land a state plane in Peoria put the plane down at a Bartonville intersection after the engine failed. The trooper was not injured after having to land the plane in a bean field near a runway of the Greater Peoria Regional Airport, authorities said. The engine had failed on his approach to land the plane, the agency said.
BLOOMINGTON  The Illinois Department of Transportation will hold a public information meeting from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, at Bloomington Junior High School, 901 N. Colton Ave.

The meeting will focus on upcoming improvements to Illinois Route 9, which includes the intersection of Market Street and Martin Luther King Drive east to the intersection of East Empire Street and Carnahan Drive.

Anyone who is interested in the project is welcome to attend.

IDOT representatives will be available to talk about the project and respond to questions and comments, especially regarding bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, impacts on parking, effects on property owners and more. Engineering analyses with drawings, maps and aerial photography will be available for inspection while the representatives are present.

The location of the meeting is accessible to individuals with disabilities. Contact Brian Hogan by July 8 at 217-465-4181 if special accommodations are needed.

Email publicworks@cityblm.org, call 309-434-2225 or visit cityblm.org/departments/public-works/projects-updates/idot-route-9-project for more information.
SPRINGFIELD  Since her appointment to the Illinois Supreme Court was announced in May, Appellate Court Justice Lisa Holder White said many have told her that "we knew it was going to be you."

But Holder White, speaking with Lee Enterprises inside the court's regal chambers in Springfield last week, was less sure, saying that a nomination to the state's high court was never something she expected or sought out.

"That's very kind and I appreciate that. But my mom likes to say 'bloom where you're planted,'" Holder White said. "And so I've just tried to give my very best and do my very best at every position that I've been in."

This includes more than two decades on the bench in Central Illinois, with assignments including associate judge, circuit judge and  since 2013  appellate court justice. Not to mention her time as a Macon County assistant state's attorney and lawyer in private practice.

But when Supreme Court Justice Rita Garman announced her retirement, effective July 7, it was Holder White, 54, who received the call to fill the vacancy to the state's highest court.

The Decatur native will take the oath and be installed as its newest member on Thursday, becoming the first Black woman to serve on Illinois' high court.

It's a barrier-breaking milestone that isn't lost on Holder White, who was also the first Black person to be judge in the Sixth Judicial Circuit and a justice on the Fourth District Appellate Court.

"I know that there have been many who have come before me that perhaps were qualified and didn't even have the opportunity," Holder White said, reflecting on the historic nature of her appointment. "So I'm very thankful and I'm excited about it."

"And I look forward to the day when there won't be any first, it'll just be another one and it won't really be news that a Black woman is taking a position," she added. "I look forward to when that's just commonplace."

Holder White's path to the state high court started young, with her desire to be a lawyer formed by the time she was 12-years-old.

Though she did not know any lawyers, her parents thought she would be a natural as she's "always been very approachable" and is "a person who feels that I can pretty much persuade anyone to do what I want them to do."

The middle child between two sisters, Holder White said she was always the one tasked with negotiating raises in their allowances or convincing their parents to allow them to do fun things like go skating.

"I like to say that I have those powers, but I've learned to use my powers for good," Holder White said.

After graduating from Macon High School in 1986 and Lewis University in 1990 with her bachelors degree in political science, Holder White went straight into law school. She earned her law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1993.

Holder White said she only applied to two law schools: U of I and Northwestern. The former was the clear choice after she got waitlisted at the latter.

This decision to return to Central Illinois turned out to be a pivotal one for Holder White's career.

"Many times if you start your career out in a big city, it might be years before you would even see a courtroom," Holder White said. "Well, I saw a courtroom on my first day on the job. And I had the opportunity to do so much.

"I mean, I worked as an assistant public defender, I was in private practice, I worked as an assistant state's attorney. I was the guardian ad litem for Macon County; I represented parents in abuse and neglect cases."

Holder White said this "myriad of experience" is what led to her appointment to the bench at age 33, after just eight years as an attorney.

She did not always see herself wanting to be a judge. But, after working a case in Judge John Greanias' courtroom, that changed.

"I had a huge custody case in his courtroom, my very first custody case as a private attorney," Holder White said. "And I was just so impressed with how he interacted with the attorneys, how he treated the litigants, his strong command of the relevant case law, and just how he conducted himself on the bench.

"And that really was the moment that I started thinking, 'maybe I want to do that. I think I would be good at that.'"

Greanias, the presiding judge for the Macon County Circuit Court from 1994 to 2008, became a mentor for her.

Reached earlier this week, Greanias, who now lives in California, said that "when it came time to find someone to be on the bench, (Holder White) was on the top of the list."

"Not everybody wins in court," Greanias said. "So the most important thing is for people to be able to leave the courtroom and feel that they were heard and that they were treated with respect. And Justice Lisa Holder White always had that."

Greanias added that he "felt that I could trust her to decide cases wisely and with compassion."

"The people of Illinois are going to be well-served by having her on the court," he said.

As for her judicial philosophy, Holder White said she sees herself in "the role of a servant."

"To me, this job is one for someone who feels a calling to do this work," Holder White said. "Obviously, you have to have the intellect to do it. But at the same time, you're resolving matters that are everything to the people in front of you. And so you have to keep that top of mind at all times and you have to look at it in that way and see the importance in every single case."

Holder White, a Republican, confirmed that she will run for a full 10-year term in 2024 in the state's Fourth Judicial District.

State lawmakers redistricted the Supreme Court for the first time since the 1960s last year. As a result, Holder White's district drops Decatur and Champaign. It still includes Bloomington and Springfield while picking up Peoria, Rockford and the Quad Cities. It remains a heavily Republican district.

Democrats currently maintain a 4-3 majority on the state's high court.

Politicization of the judiciary has been a growing concern both at the state court level  where partisan judicial races have cost millions of dollars in recent years  and at the U.S. Supreme Court, where conservatives have locked in a majority that, for example, recently overturned Roe v. Wade, which gave a constitutional right to an abortion for nearly 50 years.

Holder White, however, said that "party affiliation is irrelevant in a court decision."

"I think it's important that judges educate the public about our responsibilities, and our responsibility is to rule based on the law," she said. "We're not legislators. And so, it's not about what our personal views or personal opinions are, it's about what the people who the people elected have enacted as law and how that applies to the facts before us."

Holder White said she has faced pressure before, whether at the circuit court level where she once presided over a murder case in which a child of the victim went to school with her son or at the appellate court, where she was recently part of the panel that declared Gov. J.B. Pritzker's school mask mandate "moot."

But Holder White said she's been taught "the importance of not reacting to the clamor, not giving in to pressure and solely focusing on the law and what's just and appropriate under the law."

"And so I will say that I have a pretty tough skin and I take my responsibilities very seriously," she said. "And nothing is going to persuade me to not uphold my responsibilities."

Holder White said she is still blown away and incredibly honored by the appointment. She said this will be her last judicial assignment.

"And I plan to bloom where I'm planted," she said.
Cook County property tax bills will be due before the end of the year, board President Toni Preckwinkle announced Thursday afternoon, along with a plan to help towns, school districts and other taxing bodies affected by a monthslong delay.

Preckwinkle didnt offer a definitive date for when bills would be sent, only telling reporters that she was confident that the separately elected officials will be able to collect and distribute property taxes by the end of the calendar year.

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But she hinted that there could be delays in future billing cycles.

The pledge means individual taxpayers will be able to take full advantage of the federal, state and local tax deduction on their 2022 federal income taxes, she said.

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But thanks to the late bills, Cook County cities and villages, along with fire, library and school districts, will have to wait to get property tax revenues that they use to pay for ongoing operations.

To help struggling districts make it through, Preckwinkle announced a new, one-time program the county will operate with PNC Bank to loan suburban districts money so that they dont have to take on short-term debt through a measure known as a tax anticipation note.

The second installment of the yearly property tax bills is typically due Aug. 1 and  with the exception of last years two-month COVID-19 delay  has not been this late for roughly a decade. Getting bills out on time was a key goal for Preckwinkle when she came into office, since late revenue collections can force taxing bodies short on cash to take on extra debt to cover costs.

The Local Government Bridge Funding Program could provide up to $500 million in loans to taxing districts. The county plans to limit the plan to $300 million, but could go higher depending on demand, officials said. The bridge program is only estimated to cost the county $5 million out of pocket, since the loans will be paid back with property tax collections. Interim Chief Financial Officer Lawrence Wilson said at a news briefing the cost will be covered by positive variances in the countys 2022 budget: higher than anticipated revenues and lower than anticipated costs.

Applications will be open through the month of August, and funds would be distributed in early September.

County officials estimated that some 500 taxing bodies in suburban Cook County could be eligible, but they must meet certain criteria to qualify. They must have less than 120 days cash on hand and a bond rating thats lower than Cook Countys (A2 from Moodys, A+ from S&P, and AA- from Fitch). Unrated municipalities are eligible, but taxing districts within the city of Chicago  including the city itself and Chicago Public Schools  are ineligible, as are so-called paper districts that serve as pass-throughs to pay for consolidated services.

The interest-free loans will be given to districts in the most need first, which will be calculated based on the same metrics the county used to dole out federal COVID-19 relief money, the districts tax collection rate, school funding levels and whether the district delivers vital services.

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Thursdays announcement is the latest chapter following months of finger-pointing over the delay in sending bills. The blame game between Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi  who is responsible for deciding property values  and members of the Board of Review, the three-member elected board that adjudicates appeals to Kaegis numbers, kicked off when BOR Commissioner Larry Rogers first warned back in December that bills would be late. He said Kaegi was responsible, arguing the assessor had mismanaged his transition from a mainframe computer to a new integrated property tax system.

Kaegi shot back that the Board of Review was uncooperative during that transition, and was playing politics rather than getting on board with a transition that had been in the works since 2015.

Preckwinkle did not hold either responsible, but blamed a combination of factors, including a global pandemic and the largest technology upgrade this county has seen in over half a century.

That technology transition is incomplete, Preckwinkle and her staff confirmed Thursday afternoon. Theres more work to do, she said simply. A Preckwinkle staff member confirmed the assessor still had work to do to complete the transition, as does the Board of Review, along with the county clerk and treasurer.

On top of the technology transition, the new round of property assessments in the north suburbs by Kaegis office also kicked off roughly three months later than usual.

Despite the delay in getting the latest round of assessments started, Kaegi spokesman Scott Smith said he expects valuations for the north suburban triad to be completed on the normal schedule, by the end of November. Every person in our office intends to complete our work on time this year.

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Preckwinkle, Kaegi and Rogers are all seeking reelection this year and won their respective Democratic primaries last week.
SPRINGFIELD  Justice Lisa Holder White, a Decatur native, was sworn in as the newest member of the Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday, making her the first Black woman to serve on the state's high court.

Holder White took the oath during a special session of the court held in the theatre of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield, witnessed by countless family members, friends and colleagues.

She replaces Justice Rita Garman, 78, who announced plans to retire in May after more than two decades on the state's high court and as the longest-serving active judge in Illinois.

Soon after, Holder White was designated Garmin's successor. Illinois' high court is unique among state supreme courts in that sitting justices fill vacancies to the high court.

Speaking to the assembled crowd, Holder White's made known that the barrier-breaking milestone was not lost on her.

"My heritage is a heritage that once involved minds and bodies that were shackled and doors that were so, so long closed," Holder White said. "You see, taking my oath in this place today goes far beyond a personal professional achievement."

"As I see it, taking my oath in this place today recognizes the undeniable value and merit of what I as a Black woman, mother, daughter, sister, wife and jurist have to contribute to the work of our state's highest court," she said.

Holder White added that her ascendance to the high court is "a testimony to the notion that as women and people of color, we need not limit our dreams or settle for less."

It is just the latest step in a remarkable rise for Holder White, 54.

After only eight years as an attorney, first in the Macon County state's attorney's office and later in private practice, Holder White was appointed an associate judge in Macon County in 2001, the first Black person in that role.

Holder White was appointed circuit judge in 2008 and subsequently elected to that role. In 2014, Garmin tapped her to be a justice on the Fourth District Appellate Court, again the first Black person in that role. She would later win election to that role.

When it came time to find a new Supreme Court justice, Garman said that "while it was a tough choice, it was a clear choice."

"She just stands out when you're around her," Garman said. "And so I knew she would be capable of doing all kinds of really outstanding things."

Thomas Little, a Macon County Circuit Court judge who attended Holder White's swearing in, agreed.

"She just checks every single box that you could possibly want in a judge," Little said. "I mean she's smart, hard worker, she gets along well with people, she has common sense  just everything that you want in a Supreme Court judge, she has it all."

Family and friends were at the center of Thursday's ceremony.

Holder White's daughter-in-law and son performed the national anthem, with the former singing and the latter on piano.

The Rev. C.D. Stuart of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Decatur gave the invocation. And among the speakers was Will County Circuit Court Judge Vincent Cornelius, who is the cousin of Holder White's husband James.

"In this very complex, unbalanced world, Lisa is one of the most balanced people I know," Cornelius said. "And our nation needs leaders and jurists like her who are multifaceted with diverse backgrounds, insights, perspectives, worldviews and voices."

Holder White's husband, two children, parents, sisters and other family members attended.

Among the high-profile political attendees included Attorney General Kwame Raoul, deputy Gov. Andy Manar, Senate President Don Harmon and Illinois Republican Party chair Don Tracy.

Like Garman, Holder White is a Republican, meaning the court's 4-3 Democratic majority remains unchanged. She plans to stand for election to a full ten-year term in 2024.
Ruling on Final Day of Courts Term Solidifies a Lurch to the Right, says a New York Times front-page headline assuming editorializing is equivalent to news reporting. The truth is that the court has been solidifying a return to a democratic republic. Were talking about the Supreme Court, of course, and how it recently halted bureaucratic autocracy, disrupted judicial oligarchy, returned power to state legislatures and recognized a true constitutional right.

One of the latest moves terrorizing the Times was the court telling the Environmental Protection Agency to quit mutilating private industries on the basis of nonexistent laws. Even the Times concurs that the agency has been acting on vague generalities in the law without getting it that, when you play that game, rule of law becomes rule of anything goes. If new laws are needed for the stifling of CO2 emissions, EPAs chief concern, persuade Congress to pass them. What we dont need is Justice Elena Kagan imperiously telling us that the EPA has expertise that members of Congress lack and that they should grin and bear it.

Maybe her greater vision is that there are all kinds of experts out there on all kinds of subjects that Congress flunks and that we should just maybe replace Congress with something called the administrative state thats already with us and spreading its wings. But understand, please, that there are processes supposed to fix legislative ignorance and that experts can fumble. Kagan clearly objects to the voice of the people, fails to understand the need for checks and balances, and incredibly assumes bureaucratic wisdom. President Joe Biden, by the way, says he will ignore the court, bringing us to the question of what experts will say about impeachment.

On the second subject, abortion, the Times said the current court got rid of a constitutional right of women to have abortions when, in fact, the squashed 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling itself told states they could deny abortions in the last trimester when fetuses were viable. Forty-three states did as much. Its still true that Roe v. Wade otherwise permitted just about all abortions on the basis of this supposed right that is no more in the Constitution than the word abortion. Biden as a senator sought a constitutional amendment to strike down the rule he may now adore as much as higher approval ratings if he gets there.

Most abortions are cases of unintentionally pregnant women not wanting children who are therefore killed before birth, a total of 62 million over 50 years, but the current court did not say they were forbidden. It said the laws are up to state legislatures that will go in two very different directions, although the red states should definitely not prosecute the mother, disallow crossing state lines or deny abortions in such circumstances as the mothers poor health.

The last issue of the day is the court saying the Second Amendment gives citizens the right to bear arms and that this means those who are qualified should be able have concealed carry permits even if they cannot cite a specific danger. As much was required in New York and a number of other states. People often say the Second Amendment came about just to enable militias without knowing that the presumed right to bear arms had been around in America for a long time and that the militia business was simply a reason for putting it in the Constitution.
Every July 4, America should celebrate two founding presidents, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

There would be no Declaration of Independence without Adams. Although it was Jefferson who wrote the unforgettable words, it was Adams idea, and it was Adams' eloquence that persuaded the Continental Congress to risk being hanged by signing it.

The Declaration reflects Christian beliefs for both: Adams originally considered being a minister and Jefferson assembled a private book, "The Life of Jesus." Adams later wrote that the words, all men are created equal were based on the equality and freedom at the heart of Christianity.

Theres more. Fifty years after the signing, Adams, 90, and Jefferson, 83, were invited to the nations Independence Day Jubilee. Both being too ill to attend, they sent characteristic messages: Jefferson wrote: Let this day forever refresh our devotion to these rights. Adams proposed a toast: Independence forever!

Very excited, the two of them vowed to stay alive until that day, each without knowing about the other.

They succeeded. The day before, as Jefferson lay dying in Virginia, he heard church bells ringing and exclaimed, Its the Fourth of July! Learning he was wrong, he actually clung to life one more day.

Far away in Massachusetts, Adams, too, was dying, while a fierce thunderstorm raged about him. Told it was July 4, he cried Its a great day! When the storm ended, a final thunderclap shook the house as a shaft of evening sunlight shot into his room  and at that very moment, John Adams died.

His assembled family and friends called this coincidence a miracle  still the best word for it.

We should tell this story every Independence Day. Champions for freedom and equal rights, these two founders were, themselves, Americas original fireworks in the sky.

Barbara Findley Stuart, Normal
Former President John Agyekum Kufour has paid tribute to the late Dr. Jones Akwasi Amoako Atta Ofori-Atta, a founding member of the New Patriotic Party and a Deputy Finance Minister in the year 1969.



Giving the tribute during a memorial ceremony held at the Great Hall of the University of Ghana for the late Statesman, Mr. Agyekum Kufour said; "I am truly shaken by the sad demise of my contemporary and colleague politician, Dr. Jones Ofori-Atta, affectionately called Akwasi Jones...His zeal and dynamism in party work was just infectious. He once tried, but unsuccessfully, to lead the New Patriotic Party as its flagbearer in 1996. His credentials in the service of the tradition however, cannot be impugned. No wonder his political mantle, even before his regrettable departure, fell on his son, Ken, currently the Finance Minister of Ghana."



The former President further extended his "deepest condolences to the widow, children, and other family members. Dr. Akwasi Jones Ofori-Atta, I wish you well in this final journey, and may you rest in the bottom of the Almighty God. Akwasi Jones, Damirifa Due! Due ne Amanehunu!!"



The former Speaker of Parliament, Aaron Mike Oquaye also eulogized Dr. Ofori-Atta, saying "Dr. Jones Ofori-Atta had an enviable pedigree yet was a public servant simpliciter. He understood, engaged in and lived for public affairs - res publica. It should be clearly appreciated that his special quality is capable of being an innate genetical trait and may also be acquired or shaped further by environment.



"...Dr. Ofori-Atta was a renowned Deputy Finance Minister and would have become Finance Minister but for our political instability. His son occupies the position today considering his competence and love for public affairs. Our beloved departed was one of about 100 children of the late Nana Sir Ofori-Atta I with 44 wives. These women represented various chiefdoms within the kingdom and it was also a legitimate political strategy at his time...Dr. Jones Ofori-Atta, you are a true son of Tradition, carefully crafted to churn out excellence. You came, you saw, you conquered!"



About Dr. Jones Ofori-Atta



Dr. Jones Akwasi Amoako Atta Ofori-Atta (Okyehene Ba) was a two-time Member of Parliament for Begoro constituency from 1969 to 1972 and 1979 to 1981.



He also served as Deputy Minister of Finance from 1969 to 1972 and later became the First Non-Professor Elected Dean Of the Faculty Of Social Studies from 1975 to 1979.



He further became the Economic Advisor of the Central Bank of Uganda from 1981 to 1991 and a Resident Scholar of Institute of Economic Affairs from the year 1993 to 1997.



Dr. Ofori-Atta is a founding member of the Progress Party, Popular Front Party and the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Tribute To Late Dr. Jones Ofori-Atta

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Despite its significance in enhancing the work of journalists, the Right to Information (RTI) Law is not a media law but guarantees the right to information for all citizens, Mr Yaw Sarpong Boateng, Executive Secretary of the RTI Commission has said.



The Executive Secretary said the opportunity to access information by the public was provided for in Ghana under Article 21(1)(f) of the 1992 Constitution which guarantees the right to information by all persons, subject to such qualifications and laws as are necessary for a democratic society.



The provision, he said, though succinct in how it was set out to operate, had proven difficult to implement subject to the processes and the ease with which individuals and organizations were able to access information.



He stated that such information ordinarily was supposed to be in the public domain or should be released to persons who put in a request for it, so long as that request fell within the qualifications and laws that governed it.



The Executive Secretary, speaking at a Civil Society Forum in Accra on the implementation of the Right to Information Law in Ghana, said as part of efforts to clarify the position of the law to the citizenry, the Commission had embarked on a media sensitization drive to educate their public and the media fraternity on the content of the RTI Act - Act 989.



Under its Rebuilding Civic Space Project, STAR Ghana Foundation (SGF), in partnership with Ghana Developing Communities Association (GDCA) and Ghana Friends (GV) convened the forum with civil society organizations and other stakeholders on the implementation of the Right to Information Law in Ghana since its passage.



Mr Boateng said the operational functions of the Commission as required under the Law had so far been effectively discharged as outlined in its 2021 Annual report as presented to parliament.



He said in the year under review, 189 public institutions submitted their reports to the Commission in accordance with section 77 of Act 989.



Out of this number, 65 institutions received requests for information with the Department of Children receiving the highest number of 34 requests for information.



A total of 247 information requests were received by 65 public institutions. I59 of the 247 requests which translates to 64 per cent of requests for information were approved outrightly while seven requests were rejected outrightly representing three per cent, Mr Boateng disclosed.



Mr Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, Executive Director, SGF, said the convening, among other objectives, would strengthen civil society awareness of the implementation of the RTI Law, reflect on the challenges associated with it and support their mobilisation to influence its effective implementation to promote access to public information for public use in holding public officials to account.



Dr Theodora Dame Adjin-Tettey, Lecturer, School of Communication Studies, University of Ghana, who presented a technical paper that interrogated the relevance of the RTI Law, loopholes and potential for growth, found out that some public officials portrayed an antagonistic disposition to giving out information and had been used as a coverup to deny information from the Presidency, which were not exempt.



Such exemptions, she said, were standards with every legal regime and should probably not be taken as blanket exclusions with the intent to deny access to information and that the provision for seeking reviews on application outcomes through the RTI Commission was pertinent to averting masked attempts to use exemptions as an excuse to deny information.



Among others, Dr Adjin-Tettey, also, a Research Associate, Rhodes University in South Africa, recommended that awareness creation and education on the Law must be enhanced, explaining that information must include what the law says, how the public can use the law, and who to contact in specific districts for required information.



Mr Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), one of the advocates of the RTI Law, called on journalists to test the law and use it as a tool to enhance their practice.



We recognise that the RTI Law is not a law for journalists, but we also realise that it is a significant tool that enhances the work of journalists, and it is something that we will continuously push from the journalistic point of view, he emphasised.



He said the continuous invocation of the law was significant in dealing with the bottlenecks in access to information.

Source: GNA









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One of the authors of a big report on pupil absenteeism in Angola has told the BBC that a serious lack of schools is to blame.



A recent Afrobarometer survey shows that two-thirds of school-age children do not go to class.



Its not a rural or urban problem but a national one, David Boio, co-researcher of the Afrobarometer survey, told BBC News.



Limited spaces in schools, no mode of transportation in the provinces and no system in place to monitor the absences all hinder children from receiving an education, Mr Boio explained.



Angola, which has a population of 29 million, may be rich in oil, but for the last two decades has been struggling to tackle the legacy a 27-year civil war that ravaged the country from its independence.



One of the major causalities of the conflict was education, with the destruction of many schools - and those remaining or recently built are often overcrowded.



Paulo Araujo, a senior Angolan education official, told the BBC that the government was trying to address this and had constructed more than 500 schools, under what is called the Integrated Plan for the Intervention of Municipalities (PIIM), over the last five years.



But the war has also affected attitudes towards education as most children growing up then did not go to school - and as parents today do not necessarily know they should register their own offspring for schooling, meaning they fall outside the system.



Plus, while public schools are free to attend they do cost parents money in terms of uniforms and books.



Those with an interest in educating their children will often prefer to pay for private schools as state-run institutions tend to have bad reputations.

Source: BBC









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Residents of a community in the northwest Nigerian state of Katsina say a Nigerian military jet has fired a missile on civilians while it was supposed to be targeting armed gangs.



At least one person was killed and more than a dozen others are being treated in a hospital, local MP Abduljalal Haruna Runka told the BBC.



The news comes a day after gunmen attacked the advance security team of President Muhammadu Buhari, who was due to travel to the state to celebrate the festival of Eid this weekend.



The Nigerian military has not yet commentated on the alleged attack on civilians.



But in an earlier statement, it said its aircraft had attacked two camps where those it described as "terrorists" were hiding near some villages in the same area.



In recent years, there have been a number of cases of Nigerian military aircraft mistakenly hitting civilians during their operations against members of armed groups  who often hide in civilian areas.



The most infamous was the killing of more than 100 civilians and aid workers at a camp for displaced people near the border with Cameroon in 2017.

Source: BBC









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World leaders and bureaucrats have started to gloat at the demise of Boris Johnson, with the Kremlin declaring: 'He doesn't like us, we don't like him either.'



The prime minister, who is set to announce his resignation this afternoon, has made a number of enemies during his time in government, especially at the EU as a leading Brexiteer and in Russia due to his staunch support for Ukraine.This morning, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: 'We would like to hope that some day in Great Britain more professional people who can make decisions through dialogue will come to power.



'But at the moment there is little hope for that.'



Johnson's government has sanctioned dozens of wealthy, Kremlin-connected Russians and says their money is no longer welcome in Britain.



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On Saturday, July 9, 2022, Muslims in Ghana, and other parts of the world will celebrate Eid-ul Adha, the greater Eid, which follows the completion of the annual Hajj pilgrimage at the time of sacrifice.



The day of Eid-ul-Adha falls on the tenth day in the final (twelfth) month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar; Dhu-al-Hijjah, which allows families, loved ones, and communities to fraternize.



The day is also dependent on a legitimate sighting of the moon, following the completion of the annual Holy Pilgrimage of Hajj - which is an obligation for all Muslims.



Traditionally, the celebration of Eid-ul-Adha is to commemorate Prophet Ibrahims devotion to Allah (SWT) and his readiness to sacrifice his son, Ismail.



At the very point of sacrifice, Allah (SWT) replaced Ismail with a ram, which was to be slaughtered in place of his son.



The command from Allah (SWT) was a test of Prophet Ibrahims willingness and commitment to obey his Lords command, without question.



Therefore, Eid-ul-Adha means the festival of sacrifice.



Depending on the country, the celebration of Eid-ul-Adha can last anywhere between two and four days.



The act of the sacrifice is usually carried out after Eid Prayers, which are performed in the congregation at the nearest Mosque on the morning of Eid.



It consists of slaughtering an animal as a sacrifice to mark the occasion in remembrance of Prophet Ibrahims sacrifice for Allah (SWT).



This is also known as Udhiya-the days of animal sacrifice - from the 10th to the 12th of Dhu-al-Hijjah.



The sacrificial animal must be a sheep, lamb, goat, cow, bull, or camel; the sheep, lamb or goat consist of one share, whereas a bull, cow or camel consists of seven shares per animal.



The animal must be in good health and over a certain age to be slaughtered, in a halal friendly, Islamic way.



The meat can then be divided into three equal portions per share; one-third for the owner and family, one-third is for friends, and the final third to be donated to those in need.



Traditionally, the day is spent celebrating with family, friends and loved ones, often wearing new or best attire and giving of gifts.



Some Muslims, the Ghana News Agency spoke to ahead of the celebrations thanked Allah for seeing them through the year and prayed that their supplications would be answered.



They expressed appreciation to all, who supported the Muslim community during the period and wished the rest of the world happy Eid celebrations.



Some traders, however, lamented poor business ahead of the celebration due to the current economic situation.



Times are hard, so this year people are not coming in to buy. In the past, as the celebration approached you will see that the market is full of people buying ahead of the celebration, but this year is totally different.



Hajia Salamatu Bawa, a trader at Makola, said: We cannot even feel the fever in the air, everybody is experiencing economic hardship.



Another trader, Madam Felicia Aboagye at Nima Market, said business was slow and called on the government to do its best to stabilise the economy.

Source: GNA









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The attention of the campaign team of John Boadu has been drawn to an article published on kasapafmonline, titled, Is It Incompetence Or A Scheme To Rig Elections - John Boadu Questioned, purportedly written by one Wilhemina Kumi.



The article, makes a lot of false claims and leveled spurious allegations against the person of the General Secretary, John Boadu, who is set to receive overwhelming endorsement from the party delegates to continue his work as General Secretary.



The author alleges, without providing any modicum of proof, that, John Boadu, is scheming with his cohorts to rig the upcoming delegates elections. And that, in furtherance of that, he [John Boadu] has kept the national delegates album to his chest, not allowing other candidates, to access same.



It went further to level other unsubstantiated allegations against John Boadu, whom the author, accused of gross incompetence. Much as these unprovoked attacks, ostensibly coming from our opponents, are deserving to be treated with contempt, for raising absolutely no basis, the campaign team of John Boadu, is nonetheless, minded to respond and set the records straight.



First of all, the people behind this mischievous publication, clearly do not have any appreciation about the partys internal processes, and are also deliberately refusing to read the partys guidelines for the conduct of delegates conference.



Per the guidelines, all the election-related aspects of the conference, are handled by the National Elections Committee, which is chaired by no less a person than Hon Peter Mac Manu, former National Chairman and Campaign Manager. The Committee, which works closely with the Electoral Commission of Ghana, is composed of party stalwarts whose integrity cannot be doubted.



To suggest that the members of the elections-committee have thrown the rules and regulations for the elections to the dogs, and have allowed themselves to be remote-controlled by John Boadu, who himself is a candidate in the elections, is indeed the biggest insult that can be meted out to these great men and women of honor in our Party.



The guidelines for the conduct of the national officers elections contain copious provisions that assure and guarantee the integrity of the process, and all aggrieved party members and candidates are implored to seek redress through these processes, including even petitioning the Dan Botwe-led National Appeals Committee, if they are so minded.



No redress in this process can be obtained on social media, and by spewing baseless allegations and casting aspersions at some officers. The NPP is a disciplined party. Mr. John Boadu is focused on his campaign, which is receiving overwhelming reception from party delegates across the country.



In a related development, our attention has been drawn to a broadcast message being sent to party delegates claiming that, John Boadu, had given the Greater Accra Regional Chairman and Regional Organizer an amount of 3 billion cedis to bribe Constituency executives. This is absolutely UNTRUE and another failed propaganda from our desperate opponents.



It is interesting that the very people who claim they do not know the party delegates because no album has been provided to them, are able to craft such diabolic propaganda messages and send to them directly to the contacts of party delegates. How ironic!



We conclude by stating that John Boadu will not be detracted by persons whose campaigns have virtually collapsed, and are looking for people to blame for their woes. The discerning members and delegates of this Party appreciate the goods works of the experienced, tried results-driven and experienced John Boadu, and would renew his mandate, by the grace of God.



Signed



Campaign Communications Team

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Bright Bowls owner Lindsay Meltzer gets a hug from a customer as people deal with the aftermath of the Fourth of July Parade shooting in Highland Park. (Steve Sadin / Lake County News-Sun)

When Lindsay Meltzer ushered approximately 100 people into the basement of Bright Bowls  the business she has operated on Central Avenue  to escape a gunman in downtown Highland Park on July 4, she did not think she was doing anything special.

I did what anyone else would have done, Meltzer said.

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Lucy Pinkwater, a teacher in Los Angeles and a Highland Park High School classmate of Meltzer, did not think getting young children into a circle to calm them after they fled the shooter was an extraordinary act, either.

[ These are the victims of the Fourth of July parade shooting in Highland Park ]

I didnt do anything that anybody else wouldnt do, Pinkwater said.

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Kevin Mottlowitz, a Highland Park resident watching the citys Fourth of July parade with his family on Central Avenue when the gunman began his massacre, did not consider his split-second decisions to get his family to safety anything out of the ordinary.

I did what any other father would have done, Mottlowitz said.

Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering considers such people, who went out of their way to aid others as a gunman was firing into the crowd on Central Avenue between First and Second streets Monday, more than worthy of praise.

We are extremely grateful to the people who stepped in to help save lives, to provide shelter to those running for their lives and to our first responders who ran into danger to help so many residents, she said in a text Wednesday.

Meltzer, Pinkwater and Mottlowitz, were among a number of people who immediately thought of others when they realized something was terribly wrong at the July 4 parade in downtown Highland Park.

Before opening her business just over two years ago, Meltzer said watching the parade near the corner of Central and Second Street  the spot where Bobby Crimo III is accused of killing seven people with a high-powered rifle and wounding dozens of others  was a family tradition.

[ [What we know about the mass shooting at a Highland Park Fourth of July parade] ]

On Monday, Meltzer was hosting a gathering at Bright Bowls with healthy food and music. Friends and family were gathering before the parade began at 10 a.m.

We were having a party here, she said. We had karaoke music. We were starting to watch the parade.

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After riders on horseback and ponies went by the business at 777 Central, just over two blocks west of where the shooter attacked, Pinkwater and Meltzer said everything changed. The marching band was running after the horses.

The Highland Park High School band was sprinting down the street, Meltzer said. They had a look of terror in their eyes. They looked shaken.

They were dropping their instruments, Pinkwater added.

Lindsay Meltzer leads the way to the basement where approximately 100 people sheltered while police searched for the gunman who killed seven people Monday and wounded dozens more. (Steve Sadin / Lake County News-Sun)

As police came by telling everyone to leave and find shelter, Meltzer said she waved people into the store and showed them a back way into a large basement. Though the windows in the front of the store could not be covered, the glass doors at the back leading to the basement were lined with cardboard.

Amy Sliwicki, a Bright Bowls manager and Lake Forest resident, said when people came into the shop seeking shelter, they were ushered away from the glass windows and toward the basement where they could not be seen.

While the adults were in one part of the basement, with many searching for news on their cellphones, Pinkwater gathered the children into a circle to keep them as calm as possible and away from the fear of their elders.

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A veteran teacher, Pinkwater said she has been through numerous active shooter drills with schoolchildren. They get more intense each year, particularly since the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where 20 children and six teachers were killed.

Bright Bowls owner Lindsay Meltzer surveys the craft area where children got comfort as they sheltered from the Fourth of July Parade shooting in Highland Park Monday. (Steve Sadin / Lake County News-Sun)

You want to keep them calm and quiet, she said. Some of them were visibly shaken. There were some older ones who were really shook up. They joined us. We played quiet games. I didnt want the kids to see the tears on their parents faces as they scrolled on their phones.

Meltzer said people sheltered in the basement for approximately two hours before they were given word they could leave with police assistance. Her husband and members of her staff used their vehicles to shuttle the people home.

While Meltzer and Pinkwater did not hear the shots, Mottlowitz did. He said he and his family have gone to the parade for decades watching the activity from Port Clinton Square, near where the shooter opened fire. He was there with six family members. Shortly after the parade started, he sensed something was amiss.

I saw people running, Mottlowitz said. We moved to the left side of the courtyard where there was some shelter. Glass was breaking and bullets sprayed. I saw a woman lying there and looked to see if I could help. She was gone. There was nothing I could do.

Separated from his wife for a while, Mottlowitz said his family was reunited and were able to leave the Port Clinton area with guidance from police.

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Meltzer said she knows the memories of July 4, 2022, will linger for a long time. Though she did not hear the gunfire, she saw the looks on the faces of people who did.

I cant get the image of everyone running down the street with the look of horror on their faces out of my mind, Meltzer said. Thats going to be the PTSD for me.
Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker says Ghana under the Akufo-Addo regime is running back to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) because of the Russia-Ukraine war.



Answering a question on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo" on whether he believes the government is seeking for IMF help because of the Russia-Ukraine war, the Deputy Minister responded with an emphatic "yes".



According to him, the Russia-Ukraine war has impacted the country so much that seeking an IMF bailout is the surest way to go for the economy to recover.



Mireku Duker, who doubles as Member of Parliament for Tarkwa-Nsuaem, further scolded critics of the President's move stating it is unfair for any person to think that the war coupled with the Coronavirus pandemic haven't affected Ghana as much as they have on other world's economies.



He also fired salvoes at those using President Nana Akufo-Addo and Veep Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's words that their administration wouldn't subject Ghana under any IMF program against them, saying "mismanaging the economy to get you to IMF is different from this pandemic getting you to IMF. IMF is not anything bad in any way".





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.

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Bernard Allotey Jacobs has commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over his decision to seek financial support from the IMF.



A statement issued and signed by Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said; "The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has authorized 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 engagement with the IMF will seek to provide 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," the statement further read.



Following the announcement, President Nana Akufo-Addo and his government have come under a barrage of criticisms, particularly because the President promised Ghanaians he would never take Ghana back to the IMF.



But to social commentator, Allotey Jacobs, the President deserves respect for taking such a bold step.



"For President Akufo-Addo to say that let us go and negotiate with IMF in spite of all that he has said, let's give him respect for it."



He, however, called on the President to address the nation on the IMF bailout under his administration.



"I am pleading to the President that he should come out and speak to the nation reasons why he went to the IMF. It is very, very important," he stressed.



Allotey Jacobs made these submissions on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" Wednesday morning.



Watch video below





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A Governance Lecturer at the Central University, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah, has taken a swipe at the minister for Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto who he accuses of being so fixated on his presidential ambition.



He further accuses the Agric minister of being more interested in putting up billbords for himself to project his presidential ambition than planting more crops which will yield more produce to shore up the country's food reserves.



Speaking on Okay FM's Ade Akye Abia programme, he explained that as a minister for agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto should been seen to be rolling out policies and programmes that will inure to the benefit of Ghanaians, especially farmers in this difficult times.



"There are so many billboards across the country projecting your presidential ambition than your works as an agric minister. The country is in crisis. Prices of farm produce and food stuff are skyrocketing like never before and instead of relieving Ghanaians with pragmatic solutions, you are spending millions erecting billboards to project your presidential ambition," he fumed.



Whiles slamming the Minister for always patting himself on the back, Dr. Otchere-Ankrah admonished him to channel the funds used in erecting the billboards across the country into regalvanizing the agric sector and possibly import fertilizers for the farmers, since success in that field will have ripple effect on his (minister's) presidential ambition.



"Ghanaians will not hesitate to accept you if you work to approve your self, but trust me you will not even garner a single vote should your party decide to put you up as their flagbearer for the next elections.



"He is always touting his credentials with having outperformed every sector with the planting for food and jobs programme, but Ghanaians are hungry. Farmers are not getting fertilizer to buy; even the poultry industry is failing, yet you claim to be a successful minister who wants to lead the country.



"At least this is what you can do to help the president in these difficult times," he counselled.



Watch video below





Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Rachel Appoh, a Deputy Minister of Gender and Child Protection under the erstwhile John Dramani Mahama administration, has taken a swipe at the Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party, Yaw Buaben Asamoa for stating that, the government will offer Ghanaians no apology for the countrys return to the International Monetary Fund.



Rachel Appoh had earlier demanded that the government apologizes to Ghanaians and former president John Mahama for what she considers to be unfair attacks and dishonesty on the part of the ruling party.



Rachel Appoh stated that Ghanaians deserved some apology from the government over how it had steered the economy into the current ditch.



But Buaben Asamoah in a TV3 interview, laid the point that the government will not apologize to anyone over the economic hardships.



In what is viewed to be a response to critics who are demanding a public show of remorse of the government, Buaben Asamoa stated there is nothing to apologize for.



..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. Asamoah 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.



In a sharp rebuttal on social media, Rachel Appoh has described his comments as reckless and a show of disrespect to Ghanaians.



How can a whole communication director of NPP make this loose statement. I didnt know you will respond to me. Its your own cup of tea if you wont apologize to anybody. Shame right?



You cannot take Ghanaians for granted and be that disrespectful to the very people who gave you power. Ghanaians are too clever now and they are watching, she stated in a Facebook post.

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.

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The Accra Circuit Court 8, on Thursday, July 7, 2022, struck out criminal charges pressed against the Bono Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Kwame Baffoe alias Abronye.



Abronye, in February this year, was arrested and charged by the police with two counts of publication of false news and offensive conduct conducive to breaches of the peace.



This was after the politician had alleged in a radio interview that Former President John Dramani Mahama was involved in a coup plot.



The police said he had failed to substantiate the claims after he was invited and interrogated hence the decision to press charges against him.



However, the court on Thursday dismissed the case in its entirety.



Abronye during an interview with Hot 93.9 FM while commenting on the arrest of #FixTheCountry convener, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor, alleged that former President Mahama had recruited the activist to help him topple the current government.



The NPP stalwart said that John Mahama had met with Al-Qaeda militants to engage them on how to topple the governing party.

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.

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" " Kite fishing in Pantar Island, Indonesia Nicolas Cegalerba/Getty Images

"Go fly a kite" may soon mean the same thing as "go fish," thanks to an age-old technique that's being adapted for modern use.

This specialized kite fishing technique, now employed by coastal U.S. anglers aboard fishing boats, involves live bait suspended directly below a nylon kite. It's used primarily to catch large saltwater fish, ranging from sailfish to blackfin tuna. Another line separate from the bait lines attaches the kite to the boat with a clip that releases when the one of the bait lines is reeled in by hand.

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Some of the earliest documentation of kite fishing comes via European explorers in the late 1500s, who witnessed Southeast Asian fishermen in a canoe using a kite and two lengths of cordage  one that served as kite line and one that served as fishing line. A large bundle of spiderwebs or a baited noose were attached to the fishing line, with the intent to catch needlefish. The observers noted the method was surprisingly successful. And in the early 1900s during visits to Indonesia, European travelers saw local fishermen using a single, large plant leaf as a kite. There, and in other island nations like those of Polynesia, kite fishing continues to be used as a traditional way of catching fish.

Modern kite fishing, though, involves brightly colored kites made of sailcloth designed to withstand heavy wind conditions. Occasionally, helium-filled balloons are affixed to the kites, making kite fishing possible on days when there isn't much wind  the practice usually requires winds of between 5 and 25 mph (8 and 40 kph).

Overall, the technique allows anglers to put a number of lines in the water at one time, increasing the odds of catching a fish. Kite fishing also takes the bait fish a greater length from the boat than a traditional pole or fly fishing method might, offering the illusion that the prey is at a safe distance from a potentially harmful interloper.

" " A kite fisherman afloat off the coast of the Indonesian island Bandar. Nicolas Cegalerba/Getty Images

Now That's Interesting Banana leaves are some of the largest on Earth, so it's no wonder people on island nations used them as kites. One type of banana plant, the Musa basjoo, originated in Japan and has leaves that grow as long as 10 feet (3 meters).
" " Cars are becoming more like rolling computers every day, and the telemetry they can collect and send to dealerships, marketers, and back to the R&D lab at the manufacturing site is vast. ( General Motors)

Americans were shocked -- shocked, I tell you! -- when they learned in early 2013 that the government was collecting data on their cell phone communications and their Internet usage and had been for, like, a decade. But did we really think NSA stood for No Snooping Allowed? Of course not. If there's data available, these guys will mine it.

Speaking of mining data, there's a whole new mother lode of information for their virtual pickaxes, and it's in your car. And you might even have specifically asked for it to be there, too. Your infotainment system that streams Netflix, your GPS, your tollbooth transponder that keeps you from having to toss quarters in the dish -- all of these devices are transmitting data all the dang time. And that's not all: Your in-car security system is transmitting your data, too. So are systems like OnStar or the insurance monitor that gives you a discount for safe driving. (You know ... the one you're supposed to plug into your car's data port underneath the dash.) And while the government may not be interested in all this data (but they might be), a force far darker is definitely interested: marketers. Check the fine print on any agreement and you'll almost certainly find that third parties can access information, including your exact location, in order to someday offer in-car ads for gas stations, restaurants, or other nearby shops and services. Creepy or convenient? You decide.

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Nearly all new cars also have "black boxes," which definitely sounds sinister. These are similar to the data collectors used on airplanes in the event of a crash. For automobiles, however, these black boxes record information like vehicle speed, if (or exactly when) the airbags deployed, if the seat belts were buckled, exactly how hard the driver slammed on the brakes (if at all), among other things. All of this data can be very useful for improving safety and reducing future crashes with new technology; however, this data could also end up in the hands of the lawyer of the guy who's suing you for crashing into his client.

In the eyes of the law, vehicles have a lowered expectation of privacy, as the legal eagles put it. In other words, your car is not quite as private as your house or your pockets when it comes to search and seizure. The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects citizens against unreasonable search and seizure, which means the police must have a warrant to search your home. But since vehicles are less private than a residence, a warrant isn't always necessary if cops think you've got a trunk full of stolen gold bullion. (Because that's certainly what you would have if you had stolen anything, right?) And in 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that if a police officer shoots a GPS tracker onto your bumper with a dart, that counts as a search of your property [source: Kravets]. Those GPS dart-shootin' cops need to have a warrant (well ... sometimes, but not always) if they're going to track your movements for very long.
" " Followers of Jim Roberts and his 'Brethren' cult wander around spreading a message that the end of times is upon us. DNY59/Getty Images

The United States has been home to some of the most powerful cults in history, including the Ku Klux Klan, Jim Jones's Peoples Temple, the Rajneeshees and the Manson Family. Most of these cults have had varying philosophies, but to some degree they've also had striking similarities, especially when it comes to recruitment and organization practices.

That definitely is the case for one unusual cult that Stuff They Don't Want You To Know profiles in this episode of the podcast. Hosts Ben Bowlin and Matt Frederick tell the story of Jim Roberts' Brethren cult, or as it's sometimes called, The Cult of the Garbage Eaters, and how Roberts, who's now deceased, was able to attract and convince a loyal following that the end of times was near.

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This group began infiltrating small towns, rundown cities and college campuses across America in the 1970s. But still today, groups of 10 to 12 young people wander around cities spreading a message that the end of times is upon us. And not only that, they also believe  and prophesize  that they are the only true Christians and their path to righteousness is the only way to be saved.

The members shun material things and family members, and they live primarily off the grid, basically as drifters on the fringes of society. This has proven extremely effective at keeping them away from law enforcement and concerned relatives.

The leader was  and still is  the late Jim Roberts. Roberts was born in Paducah, Kentucky, in 1939, the son of a part-time preacher. He soon followed in his father's footsteps, preaching his first sermon at the age of 15, saying, "hell is hot, and there's no ice water." After serving in the Marines, he went to Chicago, where he met people who adhered to his religious philosophy. Thanks to his leadership skills, air of authority and "mesmerizing eyes," he managed to gain enough control over some adherents, and in 1971, he ordered them to completely drop out of society with him, forming the Brethren.

Roberts formed this "brotherhood" because he thought that the end of the world was imminent. He believed and preached that, in order to secure a place in heaven, people had to begin purifying themselves, according to passages of the Bible, which he took extremely literally, especially those that preach about following Jesus Christ.

Followers of Roberts and the Brethren must forsake their families and friends, as well as material goods; they sew their own clothing and eat discarded food from bakeries and grocery stores, or dumpster dive (hence the name "garbage eaters"). They use only bikes, buses and hitchhiking to get around. Men wear their hair short and have long, untrimmed beards and women wear long tunic dresses; women are subservient to men and everyone was subservient to Roberts while he was still alive.

Initially Roberts sent members of the Brethren in small groups to college campuses to recruit new followers, and they were fairly successful: The group had more than 100 members at one point, though it's hard to know for sure how many were indoctrinated. What is clear is that Roberts used many tried-and-true (and emotionally abusive) cult tactics to control his members.

Despite Roberts' death from cancer in 2015, converts are still completely cut off from their old lives. Members are required to give their money to the group, and live by certain regulations. Laughing and dancing are forbidden, and children are not allowed to play. Using medicine and getting medical care (including doctor visits) is considered not "living by faith," so they also are prohibited. The cult has been accused of negligence for allowing members to suffer or even die from perfectly curable illnesses.

Thanks to coordinated efforts by parents of cult followers, who created The Roberts Group Parent Network, several members have managed to be deprogrammed and returned to their families. But there are still members out there. Listen to the entire podcast to hear more about how they still live in accordance with Roberts' teachings and interpretations of scripture  while they await the apocalypse, of course.
" " Contoversial Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen is head of the largest chain of charter schools in America. THOMAS URBAIN/AFP/Getty Images

Current Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's rise to power has all the elements of a thrilling political drama: a successful coup orchestrated by dissidents within the police and government bureaucracy; an enthusiastic citizenry taking to the streets and a reclusive religious leader enraging the party in power from afar. Sexy stuff, indeed!

And somehow, this Turkish intrigue has ties to, of all things, the United States charter school system. That's right. Surprised? So were Stuff They Don't Want You To Know hosts Noel Brown and Ben Bowlin. That's why they invited the show's intern Sam Teegardin to sit in and explain his experience attending one of these schools with ties to what's called The Gulen Movement.

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So back to Erdogan. He came to power in Turkey in 2010, helped along by a moderate U.S.-based Islamic cleric named Fethullah Gulen living in exile in Pennsylvania. The movement, known in Turkey as "Hizmet" or service, runs schools and businesses around the world, including 120 charter schools in the United States that focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) curriculums. It's a tolerant Islamic movement that preaches values like education, interfaith dialogue, hard work and modesty as its highest principles.

The Gulen Movement is considered by many a civil movement, not a political party, but Gulen and Erdogan's AKP political party were once natural allies: They both wanted Islamic values represented in the government. Gulen followers helped bring down 300 military personnel by implicating them in an attempted 2003 coup, helping Erdogan grab even more power. But Gulen immediately began to vie for control of the state.

Followers of the Gulen Movement published an expose of corruption within Erdogan's government, threatening his position with another failed coup, but instead of fighting the bribery charges leveled against him, Erdogan claimed it was a treasonous plot to seize power by the Gulenists. Erdogan exhorted the citizens to take to the streets in support of his government, and they did.

An ongoing purge suppressed Gulen-affiliated institutions, newspapers, businesses and schools, and all suspected Gulen followers were forced out of their jobs, effectively squashing all the influence the civil movement had gained. The charges against Erdogan were dropped, and he has more power than ever.

But the Gulen Movement is not dead: It has an estimated 1 to 8 million followers worldwide. As mentioned earlier, the 120 U.S. charter schools run by the Gulen Movement focus on math, science and appreciation for Turkish culture, and even provide trips to Turkey for the students. It offers free education to the poor, promotes charity and good works, and in Western countries like the United States, Germany and France teachers stress no religion in the classroom.

On its face, everything seems on the up-and-up. But there is trouble behind the facade: Even in locations where teacher unemployment is high, Gulen schools pay to bring teachers over from Turkey; Gulen-affiliated contractors are awarded high-dollar jobs; and teachers are forced to kick back part of their salaries to the movement. These shady financials are a real concern, since charter schools get millions of dollars of taxpayer money to operate.

The movement also has been called cult-like. Its vast web of followers loyal to the cause  even graduates of its schools  have been known to infiltrate civil bureaucracies and operate businesses, furthering the Gulenists' reach.

To find out what it's like to attend one of Gulen's U.S. charter schools from a student who was educated in one, and to see whether Matt, Noel and Sam think the Gulen Movement is a cult or the "most encouraging face of Islam today" you'll have to listen to the rest of the podcast.
Orangutan. Credit: Matt Betts, Oregon State University

Efforts to conserve the carbon stored in tropical forests would be enhanced by linking the work to the charismatic, threatened primates that live there, Oregon State University ecologists assert today in a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"Climate change and the biodiversity crisis are two of the planet's greatest threats," said William Ripple of the OSU College of Forestry. "And it's becoming clear that large-scale climate action won't happen if we treat climate change as a standalone problem."

Ripple and co-author Christopher Wolf, also of the College of Forestry, analyzed 340 threatened forest primate species in terms of how much carbon their ranges are warehousing. Threatened species are those classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered.

The researchers note that the world's forests hold carbon stocks totaling 861 gigatons, equal to about 87 years of fossil fuel emissions if they were to continue at the current rate.

Those carbon stocks include almost 140 gigatons categorized as "irrecoverable." Based on typical recovery rates, this irrecoverable carbon, if lost today, would likely not be recovered by 2050, the deadline many scientists have adopted for the Earth to reach net-zero emissions to avoid the most severe impacts of climate change.

Most of the Earth's irrecoverable carbon is stored in rain forests (both tropical and temperate), mangrove swamps and peatlands. Threats to its storage include fire, development and conversion to agriculture.

"Among the lands with the highest levels of irrecoverable carbon, there are 635,000 square kilometers that also hold the highest levels of forest primate species richness," Wolf said.

That combined area, not quite the size of Texas, contains 15.5 gigatons of irrecoverable carbon, an amount equivalent to more than 40% of the world's current annual fossil fuel emissions.

"Conserving irrecoverable carbon is obviously an important objective and policies aimed at achieving it might be more appealing and effective if they were framed in the context of multiple benefits," he added.

Wolf and Ripple list four reasons that coupling carbon with primates would be a valuable framework:

As people's closest animal relatives, non-human primates are generally well loved and viewed as charismatic.

Sixty-seven percent of forest primate species are threatened with extinction, with tropical deforestation being a major risk factor.

Some primates can benefit forest regeneration.

Because of their habitat requirements, many primate species' ranges overlap with areas in the tropics where irrecoverable carbon is stored.

Wolf and Ripple say focusing on individual flagship species rather than primates as a "monolithic group" would likely be the most powerful approach, citing as examples the common woolly monkey, eastern gorilla and Bornean orangutan.

"The common woolly monkey lives in the upper Amazon basin and has substantial irrecoverable carbon reserves across its range," Ripple said. "It's an important seed disperser in forests, which helps regeneration and future carbon sequestration."

Two hundred twenty-five of the 340 threatened forest primate species are either endangered or critically endangered, and all but five species are showing declining trends in population, the researchers say.

In South America, Africa and Asia, many of the species live in "hotspots"areas with lots of irrecoverable carbon that are also high in primate species richnessbut despite their conservation and climate mitigation value, the hotspots are largely unprotected.

"The effectiveness of linking irrecoverable carbon and forest primates will depend on policy implementation details," Ripple said. "For example, some primate species may be especially charismatic and have ranges that are closely aligned with irrecoverable forest carbon. That opens the door to sustainable ecotourism that could provide funding for simultaneously safeguarding primates and carbon."

Any policies designed with co-benefits in mind must account for local conditions and help support Indigenous populations and overall human well-being and sustainability, he said.

"Ultimately this is a global problem since a major driver of tropical deforestation is outside demand for resources including wood products, livestock feed and palm oil," Ripple said.

"What we're arguing for will require extensive collaboration," Wolf added. "And primates make up only a single taxonomic order, one that's heavily concentrated in the tropics. That means efforts are needed to look at the overlap between irrecoverable carbon and species in other taxonomic groups, especially in temperate regions. But the primate-carbon connection is an important start."

Explore further Mapping where carbon needs to remain in its natural place to avoid climate catastrophe

More information: Christopher Wolf et al, Putting a face on carbon with threatened forest primates, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2022). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Christopher Wolf et al, Putting a face on carbon with threatened forest primates,(2022). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2207604119
Deena Biederman of Park Ridge holds a sign at a meeting of Park Ridge City Council meeting July 5th. Park Ridge residents packed the meeting to demand answers about why an off-duty Chicago policeman wasn't arrested after he held a local teen facedown on the sidewalk with a knee on his back outside a local Starbucks. (Caroline Kubzansky / Pioneer Press)

Park Ridge residents packed a city council meeting Tuesday to express anger over an incident in which a man identified as a Chicago police sergeant wrestled a Puerto Rican-American 14-year-old to the ground and pinned him there, accusing him of stealing a bicycle, according to Park Ridge police.

Residents who spoke at the meeting demanded that Park Ridge be a safe environment for all, regardless of skin color, and some Latinx residents said they have felt unwelcome in the city. The boy who was tackled lives in Park Ridge and recently graduated from a Park Ridge-Niles District 64 middle school.

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We need to make a statement as a Park Ridge community that we will not tolerate violence against any single one of our children, regardless of the color of their skin, said Elena Ward, who told the council she has a son who looks like the boy who was pinned to the sidewalk during the July 1 incident in Uptown Park Ridge.

A viral video circulated on social media showing the boy looking up while being held face-down on the pavement by a man, who appears to be Caucasian, and is pressing a knee on the youths back.

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At the council meeting, Park Ridge Police Chief Frank Kaminski told the public that the police department was working with the Chicago Police Departments Civilian Office of Police Accountability and planned to meet with the states attorneys office Wednesday about the incident.

He also confirmed that the man who held the boy down was a Chicago police sergeant and said they had just obtained security footage of the incident from a coffee shop on Northwest Highway. The incident took place outside the shop.

Kaminski also requested public cooperation as detectives investigated the case.

If you have any information or witnessed this event, we really need you to come down to the police department and give us a statement, he said.

In the hour of public comment that came shortly after Kaminskis request, some residents asked why the man involved in the incident hadnt yet been arrested, and they questioned the police departments urgency in investigating the matter. Some inquired how they could keep up with the developments; some also commended local officers for their handling of the incident itself.

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Kaminski later told the Chicago Tribune/Pioneer Press that he didnt think the public understood that law enforcement was taking the matter seriously.

We think its a serious matter. Were doing what were supposed to be doing, he said.

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Park Ridge residents packed the July 5th council meeting to demand answers about why an off-duty Chicago police officer wasn't arrested after he held a local teen facedown on the sidewalk with a knee on his back outside a local Starbucks. (Caroline Kubzansky / Pioneer Press)

At the meeting, Katrina Mercado said the incident is the most recent in a string of issues that make her doubt whether she and her family belong in the city.

Im Puerto Rican and the longer I live here, the more I feel I am not wanted here and my children are not wanted here, she said.

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Mercado said that Maine South High School refused to put up a Black Lives Matter sign last summer.

And now Ive seen this, she said, adding that the child in the incident looks like her son.

Mercado asked the council to prove her wrong.

Show me that I belong here, she said.

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Shannon Uzemack told the council she grew up in Park Ridge and identifies as half Mexican.

She described a joke she and one of her closest childhood friends had while growing up. We used to joke that we were the only whole Mexican at Maine South  and it took two of us, she said.

That has changed, Uzemack said, as more diversity has come to the city.

I love that I get to walk down my street now and I actually get to see people that look like me and look like my family, she said.

She called on the city council to support that increasing diversity.

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The family of the boy who was pinned down confirmed Tuesday to the Chicago Tribune/Pioneer Press that they planned to take legal action against the man who restrained their son, and have retained attorneys Antonio Romanucci and Bhavani Raveendran.

At a news conference Wednesday morning, Romanucci said, There is no doubt that our client was racially profiled.

The 14-year-old recently graduated from Emerson Middle School and plans to attend Maine South.
Illustration of an ultracool dwarf with a companion white dwarf. Ace citizen scientist Frank Kiwy used the Astro Data Lab science platform at NSF's NOIRLab to discover 34 new ultracool dwarf binary systems in the sun's neighborhood, nearly doubling the number of such systems known. Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/M. Garlick

A citizen scientist has searched NSF's NOIRLab's catalog of 4 billion celestial objects, known as NOIRLab Source Catalog DR2, to reveal brown dwarfs with companions. His intensive investigation led to the discovery of 34 ultracool dwarf binary systems, nearly doubling previously known samples.

Brown dwarfs lie somewhere between the most massive planets and the smallest stars. Lacking the mass needed to sustain nuclear reactions in their core, brown dwarfs loosely resemble cooling embers on a huge scale. Their faintness and relatively small sizes make them difficult to identify. Data from sensitive telescopes have enabled the discovery of several thousand objects but just a small subset have been identified as binaries. The difficulty in observing these faint embers also means that astronomers are still unsure how often brown dwarfs have companions.

To help find brown dwarfs, the astronomers of the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 citizen science project have previously turned to a worldwide network of more than 100,000 volunteer citizen scientists who scrutinized telescope images to identify the subtle motion of brown dwarfs against background stars. Despite the abilities of machine learning and supercomputers, the human eye is still a unique resource when it comes to scouring telescope images for moving objects.

"The Backyard Worlds project has fostered a diverse community of talented volunteers," commented Aaron Meisner, an astronomer at NSF's NOIRLab and co-founder of Backyard Worlds. "One hundred fifty thousand volunteers across the globe have participated in Backyard Worlds, among which a few hundred 'super users' perform ambitious self-directed research projects."

One such "super sleuth"citizen scientist Frank Kiwyembarked on a research project involving the NOIRLab Source Catalog DR2, a catalog of nearly 4 billion unique celestial objects that contains all of the public imaging data in NOIRLab's Astro Data Archive. By searching the data for objects with the color of brown dwarfs, Kiwy was able to find more than 2500 potential ultracool dwarfs lurking in the archive. These were then scrutinized for hints of comoving companions, yielding a total of 34 systems comprising a white dwarf or low-mass star with an ultracool dwarf companion. Kiwy then led a team of professional astrophysicists in publishing these discoveries in a scientific paper.

How often do stars live alone? For brown dwarfsobjects that straddle the boundary between the most massive planets and the smallest starsastronomers need to uncover more examples of their companions to find out. Ace citizen scientist Frank Kiwy has done just that by using the Astro Data Lab science platform at NSF's NOIRLab to discover 34 new ultracool dwarf binary systems in the sun's neighborhood, nearly doubling the number of such systems known. Credit: Images and Videos: International Gemini Observatory / PROGRAM / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA, S. Brunier / Digitized Sky Survey 2, E. Slawik, J. da Silva (Spaceengine), NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center / Scott Wiessinger. Image Processing: T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage/NSF's NOIRLab), M. Zamani (NSF's NOIRLab) & D. de Martin (NSF's NOIRLab). Music: StellardroneA Moment of Stillness

"I love the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project. Once you master the regular workflow you can dive much deeper into the subject," commented Kiwy. "If you're a person who is curious and not afraid to learn something new, this might be the right thing for you."

"This amazing result clearly demonstrates that NOIRLab's data archive has a reach far beyond that of professional astronomers," notes Chris Davis, NSF's Program Director for NOIRLab. "Keen members of the public can also participate in cutting-edge research and directly share in the joy of cosmic discovery."

As well as being an inspiring story of citizen science, these discoveries could help astronomers determine whether brown dwarfs are more akin to oversized planets or undersized stars, as well as providing insights into how star systems evolve over time. It also demonstrates the continued exceptional contribution to astronomy made by scientists using astronomical archives and science platforms such as NOIRLab's Astro Data Archive and Astro Data Lab at the Community Science and Data Center (CSDC).

"These discoveries were made by an amateur astronomer who conquered astronomical big data," concluded Aaron Meisner. "Modern astronomy archives contain an immense treasure trove of data and often harbor major discoveries just waiting to be noticed."

Explore further Citizen scientists discover dozens of brown dwarfs

More information: Frank Kiwy et al, Discovery of 34 Low-mass Comoving Systems Using NOIRLab Source Catalog DR2, The Astronomical Journal (2022). Journal information: Astronomical Journal Frank Kiwy et al, Discovery of 34 Low-mass Comoving Systems Using NOIRLab Source Catalog DR2,(2022). DOI: 10.3847/1538-3881/ac68e7
Land-surface temperature in Paris on 18 June 2022. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

With air temperatures in excess of 10C above the average for the time of year in parts of Europe, the United States and Asia, June 2022 has gone down as a record breaker. The fear is that these extreme early-season heatwaves are a taste of what could soon be the norm as climate change continues to take hold. For those in cities, the heat dissipates slower creating "urban heat islands," which make everyday life even more of a struggle.

An instrument, carried on the International Space Station, has captured the recent land-surface temperature extremes for some European cities, including Milan, Paris and Prague.

While these images offer little direct consolation for those suffering the burden of heat, they are helping by providing geospatial information to mitigate effects of heatwaves in the future through planning and managing water resources more efficiently.

For ESA, this particular instrument, which is called ECOSTRESS and owned by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), is important because it is helping in the development of a new Copernicus Sentinel satellite: the Land Surface Temperature Monitoring (LSTM) mission.

ESA is using the instrument to simulate the data that will eventually be returned by LSTM, which will provide systematic measurements of the temperature of the land surface, promising to be a game-changer for urban planners and farmers, for example.

Both space agencies are working together closely to make most use out of the two missions in a synergetic manner, including JPL's Surface Biology and Geology mission.

Land-surface temperature in Prague on 18 June 2022. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

In fact, this collaboration is part of the overall objective of working together to lead a response to climate changethe NASAESA Framework Agreement for a Strategic Partnership in Earth System Science, which was signed recently.

The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began and temperatures are set to keep rising unless greenhouse gas emissions are cut drastically.

Heatwaves appear to be increasing in frequency, intensity and duration because of human-induced climate change. June has been a harsh reminder of what is in store.

For several consecutive days in mid-June, many European cities endured air temperatures above 40C.

Europe wasn't alone in its suffering this June. Tokyo in Japan notched up air temperatures above 35C for five days in a row, making it the worst documented run of hot weather in June since records started in 1875. In the U.S., by 15 June, nearly one-third of the population was under some form of heat advisory.

The city images here show land-surface temperatures in Milan, Paris and Prague on 18 June in the early afternoon. For comparison the wider view of land-surface temperature across much of Europe below was taken by the Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission on 18 June, slightly earlier in the day.

An intense, early heatwave is baking western Europe, with temperatures in many places topping 40C on Saturday 18 June. This image, produced using data from the Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission, shows the land surface temperature across western Europe and part of Algeria. Credit: contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2022), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

The difference, however, is not really about the time of day the image was captured, but the importance of the difference in resolution. The ECOSTRESS images, offer far more detail than that from Sentinel-3and it's this level of detail that will be attained by the new Copernicus LSTM mission, increasing the spatial resolution by a factor 400.

It is worth noting the difference between air temperature and land-surface temperature. Air temperature, given in our daily weather forecasts, is a measure of how hot the air is above the ground. Land-surface temperature instead is a measure of how hot the actual surface would feel to the touch.

Scientists monitor land-surface temperature because the warmth rising from Earth's surface influences weather and climate patterns. These measurements are also particularly important for farmers evaluating how much water their crops need and for urban planners looking to improve heat mitigating strategies, for example.

Extreme heat can be fatal. City dwellers are particularly susceptible because of the urban heat island effect, which increases the heat compared to the countryside where there is more vegetation.

Urban heat islands occur when natural land cover, such as vegetation, is replaced with dense concentrations of pavement, buildings, and other surfaces that absorb and retain heat.

The images above clearly show how hot the surface was in built-up parts of the cities, but they also clearly show the cooling effect of parks, vegetation and water.

ECOSTRESS on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

Glynn Hulley, from JPL, said, "ECOSTRESS continues to image the impact of extreme heat in cities around the world including the recent heatwaves that shattered records in both Europe and the U.S. These data can be used to identify hotspots, vulnerable regions, and assess the cooling impacts of heat mitigation approaches."

ESA's Benjamin Koetz said, "The instrument is proving extremely valuable in helping us develop and prepare for Europe's LSTM mission, which will offer land-surface temperature data at a similar resolution, of 50 m.

"Envisaged to be launched towards the end of the decade, the main goal of LSTM is to respond to the needs of European farmers to make agricultural production more sustainable as water shortages increase, thereby helping farmers get more 'crop for the drop.'

"However, it is evident that we are all experiencing more heatwaves and LSTM will also be important for helping authorities address the serious issue of urban heat islands by monitoring city microclimates."

Explore further NASA's ECOSTRESS sees Las Vegas streets turn up the heat
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Climate models may be significantly underestimating how extreme precipitation will become in response to a rise in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, a new Yale-led study finds.

It all comes down to raindrop physics, researchers Ryan Li and Joshua Studholme explain in the journal Nature Climate Change. Even a slight change in the percentage of each falling raindrop to reach the Earth's surface can mean the difference between a climate of light drizzles and one that creates unprecedented deluges.

Yet for now, many climate projections seem to be underestimating future floods, the researchers say.

"Whether the rain a cloud produces over its lifetime will increase or decrease in warmer climates is a research question from over half a century ago. We are still searching for the answer," said Li, a graduate student in Yale's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, and first author of the new study.

"What we've shown is that the answer to this seemingly isolated question in fact has a big role in projections of global climate change."

Recent years have brought a wave of large storms that exceeded expectations for precipitation severity. Such storms reached all-time global records for damages in 2021, costing the United States $65 billion, Europe $43 billion, and China $30 billion. These financial losses resulted from widespread destabilization of land in Germany, and flooded subway systems in New York City and Henan, China, among other impacts.

Many state-of-the-art climate models did not see the uptick in extreme storms coming, the authors of the new study say. For their study, they analyzed the models to understand if, and why, the impacts of greenhouse gases are being underestimated. They trace the problem to a central question: How much rain will reach Earth's surface from a given cloud as the planet continues to get warmer?

"Climate models used for current global warming projections are divided over this critical question," said co-author Studholme, a physicist and postdoctoral associate in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences in Yale's Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

"The answer corresponds to a staggering, two-times difference in projections of extreme rainfall," said Studholme, who was also a contributing author on the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change sixth assessment report.

For the study, the researchers developed a novel way to measure precipitation efficiency (PE), the amount of rain that is re-evaporated as it falls from a storm cloud. A PE measurement of 0 would mean no rain reaches Earth's surface; a PE of 1 would mean all water from the cloud rained onto the surface. The researchers paid particular attention to the "drying" timescale of cloudsthe time a cloud would need to drop all of its water.

The researchers found that atmospheric models using more detailed, higher-resolution information about clouds often use a higher PEmeaning more precipitation. "Unfortunately, the computational power to run these high-resolution models for global climate change projections doesn't exist yet," Studholme said. "But they can be used to contextualize conventional climate models."

They also found that the traditional climate modelsthe ones that predict increasing PE, like the high-resolution modelspredict a two-fold increase in extreme precipitation events in the 21st century, compared to models with decreasing PE.

Co-authors of the study are Alexey Fedorov, a professor of oceanic and atmospheric sciences at Yale; and Trude Storelvmo, a former Yale professor who is now at the University of Oslo.

Explore further Future hurricanes will roam over more of the Earth, study predicts

More information: Raindrop physics important for future tropical slowdown and extreme precipitation, Nature Climate Change (2022). Journal information: Nature Climate Change Raindrop physics important for future tropical slowdown and extreme precipitation,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41558-022-01402-9
Staphylococcus aureus bacteria are generally harmless, but can sometimes become an opportunistic pathogen. Past efforts to develop a vaccine have proved fruitless. Credit: NIAID

For the most part, the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is common and harmless, posing no threat to humans with whom they coexist. Occasionally, though, it can become an opportunistic pathogen, causing skin and bloodstream infections or food poisoning.

For more than a century, scientists have searched for an effective vaccine, including at least 15 successful preclinical studies using animal models in the past 30 years. In all of the subsequent human trials, however, these vaccine candidates failed.

"It's a longstanding and one of the most enigmatic issues of the staphylococcal field," said George Liu, MD, Ph.D., professor of pediatrics at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego. "None of these human trials have worked and scientists have struggled to find a reason."

The question has gained greater urgency with the spread of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), a type of staph bacteria that has become increasingly resistant to antibiotics commonly used to treat ordinary staph infections. MRSA is the primary source of infections acquired within hospitals and other health care settings, such as nursing homes. A study published in 2022 estimated that bacterial antimicrobial resistance resulted tens of millions of infections and 1.2 million deaths worldwide in 2019, with MRSA as the primary driver.

"Vaccines are the most effective way to cut down that health burden and reduce antibiotic resistance," said Liu, pointing to successes with childhood inoculations and the more recent COVID-19 vaccines.

In a new paper, publishing July 7, 2022 in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, senior author Liu and colleagues say they may have found the answer to the conundrum of S. aureus, including the mechanism that explains why vaccine trials have so far failed and ways to overcome that.

Fundamentally, the difference lies in prior exposure to the pathogen, the authors write. Laboratory mice used in research are engineered (bred/raised/maintained) to be free of the specific target pathogen; they have had little or no exposure to S. aureus prior to vaccination.

Humans, by contrast, are very quickly exposed to S. aureus after birth. Within two months, half of babies host active colonies and abundant antibodies to fend off most infections.

With first author Chih-Ming Tsai, Ph.D., a project scientist in his lab, and others, Liu hypothesized that while laboratory mice with no previous exposure to S. aureus respond well to potential vaccines because they are entirely new, human versions do not work because S. aureus has evolved defenses to fend off therapeutic attack.

"Staph vaccines appear so easy to make in laboratory mice because they rarely see S. aureus, but humans are exposed to staph beginning in the first weeks of life and, in order to coexist, staph appears to have developed many strategies to render ineffective our immune response against them," Tsai said.

"If mice had staph infections before vaccination, we think that the vaccine candidates might not work."

To test their hypothesis, Liu, Tsai and co-authors conducted a series of experiments simulating one of the largest failed staph vaccine trials in humans, which targeted the IsdB protein used by S. aureus to acquire needed iron for functioning.

In mice unexposed to normal staph, the IsdB vaccine worked, generating antibodies that targeted the whole protein and disrupted bacterial functions. But in mice previously exposed to staph, the vaccine generated only antibodies against the unprotected portion of the IsdB protein, leaving bacterial functioning unimpaired. Subsequent boosters primarily amplified the ineffective antibody response and, compounding the problem, the ineffective antibodies competed with any existing, protective antibodies.

When researchers tried mixing human IsdB antibodies with protective antibodies made from the vaccine, the latter stopped working. "We surmised that if we could vaccinate only against the protective component of IsdB, we might be able to prevent suppression by bad immune response memory," said Tsai.

And, in fact, that is what the scientists found: When they vaccinated mice solely against the protective component of the IsdB protein, the animals were effectively protected, even if previously exposed to S. aureus.

In combination with other experiments, Liu said the findings suggest that faulty memory of a pathogen and its corresponding immune response are likely explanations for the failed staph vaccine trials in humans.

"It is even possible that the same principle might also explain why many other hard-to-make vaccines have failed," he said. "If we are proven correct, an effective staph vaccine may not be too far away."

Explore further Vaccine that harnesses antifungal immunity protects mice from staph infection
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

New research reveals how climate change is likely to increase the potential for wine production in the UKwith conditions projected to resemble those in famous growing regions of France and Germany.

Over the last 20 years, climate change has contributed to a growth in UK vineyard areawith more than 800 vineyards nowand award-winning wine production, as well as a transition in wine style towards sparkling wines.

Now a team of researchers from the University of East Anglia (UEA), the London School of Economics, Vinescapes Ltd and Weatherquest Ltd have charted the potential for the sector over the next 20 years. Drawing on the latest detailed climate projections, they have developed cutting-edge capability to model and map the best opportunities for grape-growing and winemaking in the UK.

Their findings, published today in the journal OENO One, show how the climate of a larger area of England and Wales is projected to become suitable for reliably growing sparkling wine grape varieties, and how the potential for high quality still wine production is rapidly emerging.

Lead UEA researcher Prof. Steve Dorling, of the School of Environmental Sciences and forecasting company Weatherquest Ltd, said, "We've seen viticulture in the UK expand nearly 400 percent from 761 to 3800 hectares between 2004 and 2021.

"Over that period the warming climate has supported much more reliable yield and quality of the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grape varietiesthese varieties are blended in the production of champagne-style sparkling wine.

"Warm, dry UK growing seasons like 2018, with lower than average disease problems in the vines, led to production of a record-breaking 15.6 million bottles, and these growing conditions have already become and are projected to become more common."

The Climate Resilience in the UK Wine Sector (CREWS-UK) project was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council as part of the UK Climate Resilience Programme. The researchers considered how often growing conditions in the UK are projected to climatically resemble those seen most recently in famous sparkling and still wine-producing regions in Champagne and Burgundy regions of France, and in Baden in Germany.

Their results highlight that since the 1980s there has already been a warming of over 1 degree C during the growing season in much of southeast and eastern England, a shift that has been one of the key enablers for growth and variety change in the UK viticulture sector over this time.

The study's lead author, Dr. Alistair Nesbitt, of vineyard and winery consultancy Vinescapes Ltd, said, "This work is a UK first, a unique combination of climate change science, viticulture and wine expertise.

"We found that significant areas within England and Wales are projected to become warmer by 2040 by up to a further 1.4 degrees C during the growing season. This expands the area of suitability for Pinot Noir for sparkling wine production, but also new areas will open up within the growing season temperature suitability range for still Pinot Noir production and for growing varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Semillon and more disease-resistant varieties, which are hardly grown in the UK at present.

"Furthermore, anyone thinking of investing in a vineyard in the UK can now benefit from this knowledge through advice on the best locations, both now and under future climate change conditions."

The team used UK Climate Projections 2018 scenarios to assess future variety and wine style suitability in the UK, and potential for viticulture investments, sector adaptation and resilience over the period 20212040.

Areas in East Anglia, Lincolnshire, south-central England, northeast Wales and coastal areas in southwest England and southern Wales are projected to have 2018 "conditions" during 2021-2040 in 60-75 percent of years, meaning the exceptional 2018 vintage will become more common.

Meanwhile large areas in southeastern and eastern England are projected to come into a suitable range for still red Pinot Noir production. While Pinot Noir for sparkling wine is already successfully grown in the UK, the projected growing season temperature increases now indicate the new and increasing opportunity for still Pinot Noir production in some areas.

Dr. Nesbitt said, "We have shown that in some areas of the UK the bumper vintage of 2018 will become the norm, and that Champagne region grape growing temperatures from 1999-2018 are projected to occur across an expanding area of England during 20212040. In certain years, a few areas of the UK may see growing season climates similar to those that contributed to the very best recent vintages of Champagne, as well as support increased potential for Burgundy and Baden-style still red wines."

However, the researchers warn significant challenges remain, arguing that the rapidly changing UK climate requires the industry to remain agile and not "lock-in" to production that cannot adapt to the changing growing conditions.

Prof. Dorling said, "There are exciting times ahead for the UK wine sector, but our results have emphasized the challenge of establishing wine identities and brands, in particular those tightly associated with varieties and wine styles, in a rapidly changing climate."

In addition, British weather can still be unpredictable, as the 2012 vintage demonstrated when much UK grape production was lost due to the cool and very wet flowering period. Year to year climatic variability will remain, including early season frost risk, even if the longer-term trends are good ones.

Sustainable vineyard and winery investment decisions will also still require careful analysis of all the associated growing environment and market risks.

Dr. Nesbitt said, "Through our advisory services our teams at Vinescapes and Weatherquest are enjoying supporting the sustainable growth of the UK wine sector and we're immensely grateful to WineGB, the industry body, for facilitating all the engagement we've had with viticulture and wine production people throughout the CREWS-UK project."

Explore further UK wine-making areas to rival Champagne revealed

More information: Climate change projections for UK viticulture to 2040: a focus on improving suitability for Pinot Noir, OENO One (2022). Climate change projections for UK viticulture to 2040: a focus on improving suitability for Pinot Noir,(2022). DOI: 10.20870/oeno-one.2022.56.3.5398
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The U.S. is the world leader in incarceration rates, spending $80 billion a year to imprison 2 million people. But despite these practices aiming to help Americans feel safer, a new Penn State study suggests they may not result in the intended effect.

In a study comparing feelings of safety in counties and states across the U.S., the researchers found that people living in areas with high rates of imprisonment were no less afraid of being a victim of a crime than people living in areas with lower rates of imprisonment.

This was true whether the participants lived in a state like Vermont, with a relatively low incarceration rate, or a state like Louisiana, which has the highest incarceration rate in the country. The same patterns emerged among people of different racial and ethnic identities.

Andrea Corradi, university graduate fellow at Penn State, said the findingsrecently published in the journal Justice Quarterlysuggest a need for evidence-based policies, including those that pertain to mass incarceration.

"Empirical evidence should be driving policies, not what politicians believe or hope will happen, and that's what was driving a lot of these punitive policies," Corradi said. "Mass incarceration has had an adverse impact on millions of individuals, but many of the benefits that were promised to come from mass imprisonment never did, especially when it comes to fear of crime."

According to the researchers, crime rates started to rise in the U.S. after World War II, especially throughout the 1960s and 70s. Subsequently, incarceration rates rose sharply as politicians and policymakers promised constituents they would crack down on crime with the "War on Crime" launched in the 1960s and the "War on Drugs" in the 1980s.

Corradi said politicians justified these policies of mass incarceration by claiming they would lower crime rates and make people feel safer. But while research has found mixed evidence about whether these policies had any effect on lowering crime, no studies had yet explored whether they actually made U.S. residents feel safer.

"Generally, the rhetoric behind punitive policies is that Americans should have the right to be safe and feel safe," Corradi said. "A lot of research has focused on whether or not mass incarceration changes the actual experience of crime in terms of crime rates, but no one has directly considered if areas that incarcerate a lot of people also have residents who are less fearful about crime."

For the study, the researchers used data on 18,010 people for the state-level analysis and 7,053 people for the county-level analysis from the General Social Surveya nationally representative survey of adults in the U.S. that has been conducted since 1972. Data included information about how fearful the participants felt near their home, as well as the county in which they lived.

Fear was measured by the participants answering the question "Is there any area right around herethat is, within a milewhere you would be afraid to walk alone at night?" The researchers also gathered data about each county and state's imprisonment rates throughout the past ten years from the National Corrections Reporting Program and the National Prisoner Statistics Program.

After analyzing the data, the researchers found no significant difference in fear of crime between people who lived in counties or states that imprisoned the smallest amount of people to the largest amount of people.

"It's likely that rhetoric from the national level, or the rhetoric that gets perpetuated in the media regardless of where you live, is really impacting people's fear of crime, and mass incarcerationthe actual policies that are being justified by that rhetoricare not fixing the problem," Corradi said. "They're stoking the fear, but then the fear isn't being mitigated by the solutions they're suggesting."

According to the researchers, future studies could continue to examine the relationship between mass incarceration, fear and crime, as well as explore evidence-based solutions to help Americans feel safer.

Explore further Sanctuary city policies linked to lower crime rates in recent years

More information: Andrea Corradi et al, Did Mass Incarceration Leave Americans Feeling Less Afraid? A Multilevel Analysis of Cumulative Imprisonment and Individual Perceptions of Fear, Justice Quarterly (2022). Journal information: Justice Quarterly Andrea Corradi et al, Did Mass Incarceration Leave Americans Feeling Less Afraid? A Multilevel Analysis of Cumulative Imprisonment and Individual Perceptions of Fear,(2022). DOI: 10.1080/07418825.2022.2060284
Together with an international team, Senckenberg researchers have developed new monitoring indicators for the protection of marine and coastal areas. Credit: Octavio Aburto-Oropeza

Together with an international team, Senckenberg scientists have developed new monitoring indicators for the protection of marine and coastal areas. In their study, published in the journal Scientific Data, they show that large gaps exist in the protection of marine ecosystems. According to the research team, the high seas, for example, have a high conservation potential for biodiversitybut there are very few protected areas here. The data are meant to ensure a representative distribution of the expansion of protected areas to 30%, which is currently being discussed at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Oceans and their coasts provide numerous services to humansthey sequester excess CO 2 , supply oxygen, provide food, support livelihoods, and contribute to human well-being and culture. "But these ecosystems are subject to both global and local pressure imposed by humans. Worldwide, one-third to one-half of endangered coastal and marine habitats have already been lostaccompanied by a decline in the services they provide to us humans," explains Dr. Aidin Niamir of the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Center Frankfurt, and he continues, "Protected and conserved areas are one of the most common tools used to prevent these losses."

But where can these areas be established in the most effective way to protect biodiversity and, in the ideal case, even increase it again? To determine the current status of the protection of marine and coastal habitats, the team of scientists led by Senckenberg researchers Joy A. Kumagai and Aidin Niamir investigated in which countries the goals for protected and conserved areas have been achieved so farand where they fell short.

For this purpose, they developed two indicators that provide information on what percentage of the six coastal and marine habitats (seamounts, seagrass beds, cold-water coral reefs, warm-water coral reefs, mangrove forests, and salt marshes) have global data available and are located within protected and conserved areas, both in relation to individual countries and at the global level. "Currently, as part of the Conference of the Parties on Biological Diversity, governments are negotiating a goal to protect 30% of terrestrial and marine areas worldwide. We identified which countries do not have 30% of these marine habitats within protected or conserved areasso that governments can prioritize these areas for protection," says Kumagai, explaining the approach.

The researchers analysis revealed that more than 40 percent of the mangroves, coral reefs, and salt marshes are located in protected areas. In contrast, seamounts, for example, are often found in areas outside national jurisdiction and are therefore not as protected. Credit: Octavio Aburto-Oropeza

The researchers' analysis showed that more than 40% of the mangroves, coral reefs, and salt marshes are located in protected or conserved areas. In contrast, seamounts, for example, are often found in areas outside national jurisdiction and therefore have not been as protected with less than 10% of their area under protection. "The lack of protection on the high seas poses a major problem, since this area also offers the greatest opportunity for habitat conservation, in terms of area, if its protection were increased to 30%," said Niamir.

The distribution of protected areas also varies widely at the country level: in 11.6% of the countries, none of the marine and coastal habitats included in the study are located in a protected or conserved area.

"Collectively, our results not only reflect the current status of protection but also draw attention to the need for ecologically representative protected and conserved areas. We also need more freely available global habitat data here to understand and protect valuable marine and coastal areas," adds Kumagai in conclusion.

Explore further A 3D approach to protecting biodiversity on the high seas

More information: Joy A. Kumagai et al, Habitat Protection Indexesnew monitoring measures for the conservation of coastal and marine habitats, Scientific Data (2022). Journal information: Scientific Data Joy A. Kumagai et al, Habitat Protection Indexesnew monitoring measures for the conservation of coastal and marine habitats,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01296-4
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Agriculture officials say they've captured more than 1,000 giant African land snails from Pasco County since the invasive pest"one of the most damaging snails in the world"was first detected around New Port Richey in late June.

"Let me assure you: We will eradicate these snails," Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried told reporters at a news conference Thursday.

The snails can grow to 8 inches long and consume hundreds of kinds of plants. They also pose a health threat to anyone who comes into contact with them.

They've been found on 29 properties, officials said. About 900 have been collected alive, while nearly 150 were dead. Agriculture officials said the main place they've found the snails so far is around Massachusetts Avenue in New Port Richey.

State officials have set up a "quarantine" area from the northwest corner of the U.S. 19 and Ridge Road intersection, east to Little Road, and south to Trouble Creek Road.

They warn residents not to move the giant snails or any plants, soil, compost and yard waste from the zone without a compliance agreement from the agriculture department.

Crews are putting down snail bait at properties near the sightingbasically a pesticide for catching and killing snails.

The largest snail found so far in Pasco was 4.5 inches. A single giant African land snail can lay more than 2,500 eggs in a year, according to the state.

In addition to eating plants, they may munch on plaster or stucco to get calcium to harden their shells.

Most troubling, the snails can carry rat lungworm, which is known to cause meningitis. So far, rat lungworm has not been found in any of the captured snails, said Greg Hodges, assistant director of the state agriculture department's Division of Plant Industry.

Giant African land snails have plagued Florida twice before, both times around Miami-Dade County. Eradicating them can take years.

Last time, it took about a decade and $23 million to remove the snails, according to the state. The pests were declared eradicated only last year.

The Pasco snails look different than those that proliferated in South Florida, Hodges said. They have a light, cream-colored body and dark shells. In South Florida, they had dark gray or brown bodies.

Their appearance is similar to snails popular in the pet trade in Europe, he said. Some such snails have been intercepted in Florida before, Hodges said, but officials have not yet determined how they got into Pasco.

It is illegal to have the snails as pets here without a permit, he said.

Fried warned people not to touch the snails and to call the department if they believe they spot some.

2022 Tampa Bay Times. Visit tampabay.com.

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Pakistan is home to more than 7,000 glaciers, more than anywhere else on Earth outside the poles.

As dawn broke over Javed Rahi's Pakistani mountain village, a loud boom shattered the silence and a torrent of water came cascading down from the melting glacier nearby, followed by a thick cloud of smoke.

Rahi, a retired maths teacher, had been due to attend his nephew's wedding the day the flood rushed through the village of Hassanabad.

"I expected women and children to sing and dance... Instead I heard them screaming in terror," the 67-year-old said.

"It was like doomsday."

The flood - which occurred as a heatwave was gripping South Asia in May - swept away nine homes in the village and damaged half a dozen more.

The water also washed away two small hydro plants and a bridge that connected the remote community to the outside world.

Pakistan is home to more than 7,000 glaciers, more than anywhere else on Earth outside the poles.

Rising global temperatures linked to climate change are causing the glaciers to rapidly melt, creating thousands of glacial lakes.

The government has warned that 33 of these lakes - all located in the spectacular Himalaya, Hindu Kush and Karakoram mountain ranges that intersect in Pakistan - are at risk of bursting and releasing millions of cubic metres of water and debris in just a few hours, like in Hassanabad.

Construction workers build a temporary bridge in Hassanabad after the village's main bridge was destroyed in the flood.

At least 16 such glacial lake outburst floods linked to heatwaves have occurred this year already, compared with an average of five or six per year, the Pakistani government said earlier this week.

The devastation caused by such floods makes recovery for impacted communities an arduous task.

After disaster struck Hassanabad, Rahi and fellow villagers who lost their homes had to move to a nearby camp for displaced people.

Inside their makeshift tents are the few belongings they managed to salvage and mattresses to sleep on.

"We never thought we would fall from riches to rags," Rahi said.

No resources to move

Pakistan is the world's eighth most vulnerable country to extreme weather caused by climate change, according to the Global Climate Risk Index compiled by the environmental NGO Germanwatch.

The country is experiencing earlier, hotter and more frequent heatwaves, with temperatures already hitting 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) this year.

At least 16 glacial lake outburst floods linked to heatwaves have occurred this year already, compared with an average of five or six per year.

Floods and droughts in recent years have killed and displaced thousands of people, destroyed livelihoods, and damaged infrastructure.

According to the UN Development Programme, a lack of information on glacial changes in Pakistan makes it difficult to predict hazards originating from them.

Although Hassanabad had an early warning system in place - including cameras that monitor water flow in glacial lakes - the villagers believed they were living high enough above the water to avoid any impact, according to local officials.

Zahida Sher, who lost her home in the Hassanabad flood, said the power of the water took out buildings that had previously been considered safe.

The mountain communities depend on theirlivestock, orchards, farms and tourism for survival, but climate change threatens all of it.

"Our economy is agrarian and people don't have enough resources to move from here," said Sher, a researcher for a local development NGO.

Two small hydro plants were washed away in the flood that struck Hassanabad.

Siddique Ullah Baig, a disaster risk reduction analyst in the northern region, said around seven million people are vulnerable to such events, but many are not aware of the gravity of the threat.

"People are still constructing homes in areas declared as a red zone for flooding. Our people are not aware and prepared to deal with any possible disaster," he told AFP.

'Horror night'

Further north of Hassanabad lies Passu, another precarious hamlet that has already lost around 70 percent of its population and area after being hit by floods and natural river erosion.

The village is sandwiched between White glacier in the south, Batura glacier in the north and the Hunza River in the eastthree forces given the respectful title of "dragons" because of their destructive power.

"Passu village lies in the mouths of these three dragons," said local scholar Ali Qurban Mughani, pointing to the centuries-old bodies of dense ice towering over the village.

Retired maths teacher Javed Rahi from Hassanabad says the flood was "like doomsday"

As he spoke, labourers worked on a protective concrete wall on a riverbanka bid to shield the village from further erosion.

Kamran Iqbal invested 500,000 rupees (around $2,400) that he borrowed from a local NGO to open a picnic spot for visitors with a breathtaking view.

The beauty of the glaciers has made the region one of the country's top tourist destinations.

Business was flourishing until a "horror night" last year when a flash flood washed away Iqbal's investment.

Even the most ambitious international climate targets of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees by the end of the century could lead to the melting of one third of Pakistan's glaciers, the Nepal-based scientific organisation the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development said in a 2019 study.

"In 2040 we could start facing problems of (water) scarcity that could lead to drought and desertificationand before that we may have to cope with frequent and intense riverine flooding, and of course flash floods," said Aisha Khan, head of the Mountain and Glacier Protection Organization, which researches glaciers in Pakistan.

Even the most ambitious international climate targets of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees by the end of the century could lead to the melting of one third of Pakistan's glaciers.

Pakistan is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts.

'We are at the forefront'

Home to more than 220 million people, Pakistan says it is responsible for less than one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Yet it remains highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, dependent on climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture and natural resources.

"There are no factories or industries here that can cause pollution... We have a clean environment," said Amanullah Khan, a 60-year village elder in Passu.

"But when it comes to the threats posed by climate change, we are at the forefront."

Asif Sakhi, a political activist from Passu, said mountain communities were increasingly fearful about the perils posed by glaciers.

"This area belongs to glaciers; we have occupied it," the 32-year-old said.

Explore further Bridge collapse in Pakistan due to glacier lake outburst flood

 2022 AFP
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The Nature Conservancy's Joseph Schmidt envisions a future for the Lake Worth Lagoon. In it, American oystercatchers forage the shoreline, mangroves and oysters filter pollution, and kayaks glide from restored island to restored island. In turn, those islands help protect human development.

This vision is one step closer to reality with the completion of the the Palm Beach Resilient Island Project, which rebuilt an eroded island in West Palm Beach with green infrastructure such as oyster beds and mangroves in lieu of seawalls.

The hope is that the island will both protect nearby shoreline by softening the brunt of storm surge, while also buttressing marine habitat: Nesting sites attract shorebirds while mangroves and oysters cleanse polluted waters and create habitats for shrimp, snook, mangrove snapper and even juvenile grouper.

The project is spearheaded by Schmidt, the interim climate strategy director at the Florida chapter of the Nature Conservancy, and the Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management. It marks the latest effort to strengthen the county's shorelines against climate change.

Construction began in mid-March and was completed July 1. The final step, planting mangroves, is scheduled for August.

"Florida is very vulnerable. Everywhere here is not too far from the coast and our low-lying topography makes it even more vulnerable during storms," Schmidt said. "So if this works well, we can replicate it elsewhere."

Funding for the project came from both private and public sources. The Nature Conservancy provided $300,000 through funds from the Batchelor Foundation and the Carrier Corporation, while the Florida Department of Environmental Protection also provided $300,000 through its Resilient Coastlines Program.

Green infrastructure

Prior to the project, the one-acre island had eroded, and barely poked out of the water during low tide.

"Increased traffic, high tides, sea level rise have really taken its toll," Schmidt said, "so this remnant of an island was much larger in the past."

County crews built up the island with leftover soil from dredging projects in the Intracoastal Waterway.

They then ringed the island with different elements. An outer ring of limestone boulders buffers the impact of storms and floods that could otherwise beat against coastlines or uproot mangroves. Inside that, they placed an array of small limestone rocks ideal for oyster growth. Both the boulders and the rocks have enough nooks and crannies to double as homes for small fish and invertebrates.

Closer to the island there's a shallow area for mangrove and seagrassmore habitat for sea life.

"Living shorelines and using green infrastructure is definitely not new," Schmidt said of the project. "But arranging them specifically for coastal resilience is relatively new, and it's kind of at its early infancy."

The lagoon's health

Water quality treatment is especially necessary in the central portion of the lagoon, where the project lays. The county's Lake Worth Lagoon Management Plan, updated in 2021, says the central portion has "markedly diminished water quality and biodiversity" since it's the furthest away from tidal flushing.

Outputs from hundreds of square miles of runoff from the C-51 Canal, among other canals, feed into the lagoon. The outflow brings with it polluting nutrients, algae and fine sediments that prevent sunlight from reaching the lagoon's floor.

"When it rains a lot, there's not any place to store the water," said Lisa Interlandi, an attorney for the Everglades Law Center. "So it's basically all discharged into the lagoon with whatever it has with iteverything from sediments to lawn clippings to what people have sprayed on their lawns, to the harmful residual chemicals in Lake Okeechobee."

Living shoreline projects and restored lagoon islands aim to chip away at the damage done by a century's worth of human development.

Both the mangroves and oyster beds will filter water and absorb carbon dioxide, while stabilizing the soil to keep the island intact.

A look forward

Where there was once scant habitat for sea turtles and shorebirds, there are now nesting sites and fertile bottom for soon-to-be mangroves.

Even with the mangroves still missing, American oystercatchers, a protected species of shorebird, have already started foraging around the island. The species only returned to the lagoon within the last decadea response chalked up to restoration efforts.

"Since we've been building projects over the past 30 years, we've had four pairs take up residence in our restoration areas," said David Carson, senior environmental analyst for the Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management. "Since 2005, we've had 40 pairs of chicks fledged out of [restored areas]."

With the arrival of oystercatchers comes a revived vision of the lagoon, the county's largest estuary. As more of the bright orange bills peck through the sand of the lagoon's latest island, other visitorswinged and notcould follow suit.

Now, other coastal communities dependent on the lagoon are requesting islands, too, says Gregg Weiss, commissioner and vice mayor of Palm Beach County's second district and member of the Lake Worth Lagoon Initiative Steering Committee.

Weiss said the next areas to receive them will likely be along Lake Worth Beach or further south near Lantana and Boynton.

"It took many years for us to understand the impact we were having," says Weiss, "and then try to figure out how to undo some of the damage done by previous generations."

Explore further Starving manatees will face another rough winter next season

2022 South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
From the Confucianism classic Four Books, poems by renowned Chinese poets like Li Bai and Tao Yuanming, to the Chinese painting masterpieces, a group of Portuguese literati living in Macao have dived deep into the Chinese culture and worked to present its essence to the Portuguese-speaking public.

The books, translated into Portuguese, have been published by Livros do Meio, a publishing house in China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) which is dedicated to introducing works about China in the Portuguese language.

Carlos Morais Jose, who was born in Lisbon, Portugal and first came to Macao in 1990, founded the publishing house.

"It took years for the authors to translate Chinese classics into Portuguese," said Jose, who is also director of Hoje Macau, a local Portuguese-language newspaper.

"At first, I decided there should be a cultural section in the newspaper that would include the dissemination of Chinese culture and the publication of its fundamental texts, in order to bring the Portuguese-speaking community closer to it," he said. "We translated them bit by bit and then published them in book form."

Jose, who himself translated the Four Books, Chinese classic texts illustrating the core value and belief systems in Confucianism, into Portuguese, said the challenges for translation were huge, particularly in philosophical and literary terms.

"It is necessary to make many notes so that the readers acquire the necessary context to understand the works and their contents," he said. "For that, translators need to have a deep knowledge of the works."

Having earned a degree on anthropology even before moving to Macao over three decades ago, Jose said he has always been interested in the Chinese culture. "The Chinese culture is vast and deep in many areas."

He believes it would be good for people in Portuguese-speaking countries (PSCs) to understand the greatness of the Chinese history and culture and to have a glimpse of its complexity in many areas, from economics and thought to literature and fine arts.

However, he said, the current communication is not always done in the best way due to insufficient mutual understanding between the two sides.

He suggested that more classic works of Chinese culture and thought as well as relevant documentaries be translated into Portuguese and more stimuli be given for the work.

"Translation has been a lonely but exciting job. Personally, I have grown a lot with this work. As a Confucian would say, it has forced me to a serious inner cultivation. But financially, it has been a 'disaster,'" he joked.

Jose Manuel Mendes, who works for the publishing house, said that the readers of their books are mainly Portuguese-speaking public living in Macao and college students studying Portuguese in Macao or the Chinese mainland.

Recently, the publishing house decided to donate some books to Portuguese-related institutions in the Chinese mainland, including around 30 universities with Portuguese language majors and the Portuguese-language divisions of major media organizations.

"Of course we hope to reach more readers, not only in China, but also in PSCs," Mendes said. "One of the main challenges is tax, which will make the books very expensive in PSCs and thus barely profitable."

Jose said they will keep working and trying to reach PSCs. "We will stick with books about China. The subject is almost infinite," he said.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A picture is worth a thousand words and to restaurant owners and investors it could be worth their livelihood. New research in the journal Management Science finds that consumer-posted photos can serve as a strong leading indicator of restaurant survival above and beyond reviews, company, competition and macro factors.

"The informativeness of photos we find to be more valuable than the esthetics of photos, and photo content (e.g., food, outside, interior) and helpful votes on the photos are both positively related to restaurant survival," says Mengxia Zhang of Western University.

The study, conducted by Zhang and Lan Luo of the University of Southern California, used analytics tools to examine features from more than 755,000 photos and more than 1.1 million reviews posted on Yelp between 2004 and 2015 for nearly 18,000 U.S. restaurants.

"Our models can significantly increase survival prediction accuracy for better-informed capital investment/lease decisions on restaurants. Online platforms can also utilize our method for premium business intelligence. Furthermore, our findings regarding consumer-posted photos can provide foresight to managers and investors in terms of survival likelihood for up to three years," says Luo, an associate professor of marketing at the Marshall School of Business at USC.

Explore further Google allows users to update the Maps app with photos

More information: Mengxia Zhang et al, Can Consumer-Posted Photos Serve as a Leading Indicator of Restaurant Survival? Evidence from Yelp, Management Science (2022). Journal information: Management Science Mengxia Zhang et al, Can Consumer-Posted Photos Serve as a Leading Indicator of Restaurant Survival? Evidence from Yelp,(2022). DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.2022.4359
Artistic reconstruction of the yunnanozoan from the Cambrian Chengjiang biota shows basket-like pharyngeal skeletons. Credit: Yang Dinghua

Scientists have long puzzled over the gap in the fossil record that would explain the evolution from invertebrates to vertebrates. Vertebrates, including fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, and humans, share unique features, such as a backbone and a skull. Invertebrates are animals without backbones.

The process that moved invertebrates toward becoming vertebratesand what those earliest vertebrates looked likehas been a mystery to scientists for centuries.

A research team has now conducted a study of yunnanozoans, extinct creatures from the early Cambrian period (518 million years ago), and discovered evidence that they are the oldest known stem vertebrates. The term stem vertebrate refers to those vertebrates that are extinct, but very closely related to living vertebrates.

The research team, from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Nanjing University, published their findings in the journal Science on July 8, 2022.

Over the years, as scientists have studied how vertebrates evolved, a key focus of research has been the pharyngeal arches, those structures that produce parts of the face and neck, such as the muscles, bone, and connective tissue. Researchers have hypothesized that the pharyngeal arch evolved from an unjointed cartilage rod in vertebrate ancestors, such as the chordate amphioxus, a close invertebrate relative of the vertebrates. But whether such anatomy actually existed in the ancient ancestors has not been known for certain.

In an effort to better understand the role of the pharyngeal arch in ancient vertebrates, the research team studied the fossils of the soft-bodied yunnanozoans found in the Yunnan Province, China. For years, researchers have studied the yunnanozoans, with differing conclusions on how to interpret the creature's anatomy. The affinity of yunnanozoans has been debated for around three decades, with multiple papers published supporting varying opinions, including four in Nature and Science.

The stem vertebrate yunnanozoan. Credit: Zhao Fangchen

The research team set out to examine newly collected yunnanozoan fossil specimens in previously unexplored ways, conducting a high-resolution anatomical and ultrastructural study. The 127 specimens they studied have well-preserved carbonaceous residues that allowed the team to conduct ultrastructural observations and detailed geochemical analyses.

The team applied X-ray microtomography, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectrometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy on the fossil specimens. Their study confirmed in multiple ways that yunnanozoans have cellular cartilages in the pharynx, a feature considered specific to vertebrates. The team's findings support that yunnanozoans are stem vertebrates. The results of their study show that the yunnanozoans are the earliest and also the most primitive relatives of crown-group vertebrates.

During their study, the team observed that all of the seven pharyngeal arches in the yunnanozoan fossils are similar to each other. The all arches have bamboo-like segments and filaments. Neighboring arches are all connected by dorsal and ventral horizontal rods, forming a basket. A basket-like pharyngeal skeleton is a feature found today in living jawless fishes, such as lampreys and hagfishes.

"Two types of pharyngeal skeletonsthe basket-like and isolated typesoccur in the Cambrian and living vertebrates. This implies that the form of pharyngeal skeletons has a more complex early evolutionary history than previously thought," said Tian Qingyi, the first author of the study, from Nanjing University and Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Their research provided the team with new insights into the detailed structures of the pharyngeal arches. The new anatomical observations the team achieved in their study, support the evolutionary placement of yunnanozoans at the very basal part of the vertebrate tree of life.

Explore further How did vertebrates first evolve jaws?

More information: Qingyi Tian et al, Ultrastructure reveals ancestral vertebrate pharyngeal skeleton in Yunnanozoans, Science (2022). www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm2708 Qingyi Tian et al, Ultrastructure reveals ancestral vertebrate pharyngeal skeleton in Yunnanozoans,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.abm2708 Tetsuto Miyashita, "Arch"-etyping vertebrates, Science (2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.adc9198. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adc9198 Journal information: Nature , Science
Wolf in Sweden. Photo: Christina Hansen Wheat

The Swedish Parliament recently presented its ambition to drastically reduce number of wolves in Swedenfrom approximately 400 down to approximately 200. Scientists are now reacting to this goal. In a letter published in Science, 18 researchers from five countries warn that such a cull would further threaten this already highly vulnerable population.

The authors of the letter point to the results from extensive genetic monitoring of the population that have revealed persistent genetic isolation, resulting in extreme levels of inbreedingindividuals are, on average, as closely related as siblings. Negative effects of this inbreeding have been documented, and recent studies focusing on the entire genome of these wolves show genetic erosion with dramatic losses of variability.

The authors stress that to improve the poor conservation situation of Swedish wolves, the population size should increase and extensive connectivity with populations over Norway-Sweden-Finland should be secured. The authors are researchers in population, evolutionary and conservation genetics/genomics, conservation biology, wildlife ecology and ethology.

Explore further Genomic effects of inbreeding on Scandinavian wolves

More information: Linda Laikre et al, Planned cull endangers Swedish wolf population, Science (2022). Journal information: Science Linda Laikre et al, Planned cull endangers Swedish wolf population,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.add5299
Researchers devised a new way of analyzing wastewater to monitor the prevalence of different SARS-CoV-2 variants over time (shown here for San Diego, from September 2021 to May 2022). Credit: SEARCH alliance

It can be a bit smellier than other ways of monitoring COVID-19, but analyzing wastewater is a cheaper, faster and more accurate way for public health officials and researchers to detect rising cases. Bits and pieces of the SARS-CoV-2 virus are flushed down toilets and washed down sinks by infected individuals; more copies of the virus found in sewage means more people are sick. But until now, most wastewater analysis methods lumped all SARS-CoV-2 viruses together as one.

Now, scientists at Scripps Research and University of California, San Diego, in collaboration with the San Diego Epidemiology and Research for COVID Health (SEARCH) alliance, have changed that. The team has reported that with just two teaspoons of raw sewage, they can accurately determine the genetic mixture of SARS-CoV-2 variants present within a population and identify new variants of concern up to 14 days before traditional clinical testing. In San Diego wastewater, the group detected the Omicron variant 11 days before it was first reported clinically.

Their algorithm, named "Freyja", for identifying SARS-CoV-2 variants in wastewater, described today in Nature, has quickly been adapted by many public health labs, and is a boon to surveillance efforts that aim to detect new variants of SARS-CoV-2.

"In a lot of places, standard clinical surveillance for new variants of concern is not only slow but extremely cost-prohibitive," says Kristian Andersen, Ph.D., professor of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research and a senior author of the new work. "But with this new tool, you can take one wastewater sample and basically profile the whole city."

The project required a tight collaboration between hospitals, state and local governments, sequencing facilities, and academic scientistsincluding researchers in the Andersen lab and that of UC San Diego microbiologist Rob Knight, Ph.D. The Knight lab deployed 131 wastewater autosamplers to collect wastewater from 343 buildings on the UCSD campus and 17 public schools across 4 San Diego school districts, and acquired samples from large wastewater treatment facilities in the county. Over the course of nearly a year, the group analyzed more than 20,000 wastewater samples. In the process, they developed improved methods for concentrating viral RNA in wastewater, which are now being widely used by public health labs across the country and world. Then, the Andersen lab took on the challenge of quantifying viral variants from the sequencing data.

"It's challenging to take all these tiny pieces of virus floating around in wastewater and figure out which ones are from different variants and what their relative abundance is," says Scripps Research postdoctoral fellow Joshua Levy, Ph.D., a co-first author of the new paper with Smruthi Karthikeyan of UC San Diego.

Many variants of SARS-CoV-2, including Omicron and Delta, differ by a small number of mutations. But since these changes can impact how the virus spreads or infects people, public health officials must carefully track them. They have typically done this by sequencing virus genomes from patients, which is a slow and costly process and has become less effective at capturing the extent and diversity of COVID-19 variants as many people turn to at-home testing.

Levy developed a library of "barcodes" that identify SARS-CoV-2 variants based on short snippets of their RNA that are unique to each variant. Then, he coded a new computational tool that sifts through the mass of genetic information in wastewater to find these barcodes. He made the new Freyja program easy to use and free.

"If you're in a lab that can already sequence a wastewater sample, you're good to go you just run this code and in another 20 seconds you're done," he says.

Using wastewater virus concentration measurements and genome sequencing, researchers tracked the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 during the Omicron wave of the pandemic. Credit: SEARCH alliance

When the researchers applied Freyja to their wastewater samples and compared the results to clinical data collected from around San Diego by SEARCH, they discovered that the tool detected variants of concern, including Alpha, Delta, and Omicron, in wastewater up to 14 days before it was reported clinically. The Mu (B.1.621) variant was detected in UC San Diego wastewater on July 27, 2021 four weeks before its first clinical detection on campus. And, using more recent data not included in the original study period, the team also reported that the Omicron variant could be detected at the Point Loma wastewater treatment plantat an abundance of just over one percent of all SARS-CoV-2 viruses in a contributing population of over two million people on November 27, 2021, 11 days before its clinical detection in the city.

"Wastewater contains a massive amount of very valuable information about our health, including these viral genomes that can let us track the course of a pandemic or epidemic," says Karthikeyan.

"It took a lot of collaboration between public health and academic players to get this system established in San Diego, and now that we've shown its effectiveness, we hope it inspires other localities to use these tools," adds Knight. "We're also very excited about expanding them to pathogens beyond SARS-CoV-2."

The researchers say they are continuing to improve upon the set of tools they use to analyze viruses in wastewater, but that the current suite of methods is already a leap forward from previous approaches. The same strategies could be used to not only track variants of SARS-CoV-2 but other human pathogens.

"When you rely on clinical sampling, you not only introduce a lot of socioeconomic and geographic bias into who is contributing to genomic surveillance data, but you also have the problem of asymptomatic people not getting tested and those who only use home tests not contributing to the pool of data," says Levy. "But with wastewater, we don't have those blind spots."

In addition to Levy, Karthikeyan, Andersen and Knight, authors of the study, "Wastewater sequencing uncovers early, cryptic SARS-CoV-2 variant transmission," include Christine Aceves, Catelyn Anderson, Karthik Gangavarapu, Emory Hufbauer, Ezra Kurzban, Justin Lee, Nathaniel Matteson, Edyth Parker, Sarah Perkins, Karthik Ramesh, Refugio Robles-Sikisaka, Madison Schwab, Emily Spencer, Shirlee Wohl, Laura Nicholson, and Mark Zeller of Scripps Research, as well as collaborators at UC San Diego, Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, Scripps Health, Sharp Healthcare, Helix, the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, the California Department of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More information: Rob Knight, Wastewater sequencing reveals early cryptic SARS-CoV-2 variant transmission, Nature (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05049-6 Journal information: Nature Rob Knight, Wastewater sequencing reveals early cryptic SARS-CoV-2 variant transmission,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05049-6
Members of the LZ team in the LZ water tank after the outer detector installation. Credit: Matthew Kapust/Sanford Underground Research Facility

Deep below the Black Hills of South Dakota in the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), an innovative and uniquely sensitive dark matter detectorthe LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment, led by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (Berkeley Lab)has passed a check-out phase of startup operations and delivered first results.

The take-home message from this successful startup: "We're ready and everything's looking good," said Berkeley Lab senior physicist and past LZ spokesperson Kevin Lesko. "It's a complex detector with many parts to it and they are all functioning well within expectations," he said.

In a paper posted online today on the experiment's website, LZ researchers report that with the initial run, LZ is already the world's most sensitive dark matter detector. The paper will appear on the online preprint archive arXiv.org later today. LZ spokesperson Hugh Lippincott of the University of California Santa Barbara said, "We plan to collect about 20 times more data in the coming years, so we're only getting started. There's a lot of science to do and it's very exciting."

Dark matter particles have never actually been detectedbut perhaps not for much longer. The countdown may have started with results from LZ's first 60 "live days" of testing. These data were collected over a three-and-a-half-month span of initial operations beginning at the end of December. This was a period long enough to confirm that all aspects of the detector were functioning well.

Unseen, because it does not emit, absorb, or scatter light, dark matter's presence and gravitational pull are nonetheless fundamental to our understanding of the universe. For example, the presence of dark matter, estimated to be about 85 percent of the total mass of the universe, shapes the form and movement of galaxies, and it is invoked by researchers to explain what is known about the large-scale structure and expansion of the universe.

Looking up into the LZ Outer Detector, used to veto radioactivity that can mimic a dark matter signal. Credit: Matthew Kapust/Sanford Underground Research Facility

The heart of the LZ dark matter detector is comprised of two nested titanium tanks filled with ten tons of very pure liquid xenon and viewed by two arrays of photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) able to detect faint sources of light. The titanium tanks reside in a larger detector system to catch particles that might mimic a dark matter signal.

"I'm thrilled to see this complex detector ready to address the long-standing issue of what dark matter is made of," said Berkeley Lab Physics Division Director Nathalie Palanque-Delabrouille. "The LZ team now has in hand the most ambitious instrument to do so."

The design, manufacturing, and installation phases of the LZ detector were led by Berkeley Lab project director Gil Gilchriese in conjunction with an international team of 250 scientists and engineers from over 35 institutions from the US, UK, Portugal, and South Korea. The LZ operations manager is Berkeley Lab's Simon Fiorucci. Together, the collaboration is hoping to use the instrument to record the first direct evidence of dark matter, the so-called missing mass of the cosmos.

Henrique Araujo, from Imperial College London, leads the UK groups and previously the last phase of the UK-based ZEPLIN-III program. He worked very closely with the Berkeley team and other colleagues to integrate the international contributions. "We started out with two groups with different outlooks and ended up with a highly tuned orchestra working seamlessly together to deliver a great experiment," Araujo said.

An underground detector

Tucked away about a mile underground at SURF in Lead, S.D., LZ is designed to capture dark matter in the form of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). The experiment is underground to protect it from cosmic radiation at the surface that could drown out dark matter signals.

(Left) A schematic of the LZ detector. (Right) Illustration of LZ operationparticles interact in liquid xenon, releasing a flash of light and charge that are collected by photomultiplier tube arrays at top and bottom. Credit: Left schematic: LZ collaboration. Right image: LZ/SLAC

Particle collisions in the xenon produce visible scintillation or flashes of light, which are recorded by the PMTs, explained Aaron Manalaysay from Berkeley Lab, who as physics coordinator, led the collaboration's efforts to produce these first physics results. "The collaboration worked well together to calibrate and to understand the detector response," Manalaysay said. "Considering we just turned it on a few months ago and during COVID restrictions, it is impressive we have such significant results already."

The collisions will also knock electrons off xenon atoms, sending them to drift to the top of the chamber under an applied electric field where they produce another flash permitting spatial event reconstruction. The characteristics of the scintillation help determine the types of particles interacting in the xenon.

Mike Headley, executive director of SURF Lab, said, "The entire SURF team congratulates the LZ Collaboration in reaching this major milestone. The LZ team has been a wonderful partner and we're proud to host them at SURF."

Fiorucci said the onsite team deserves special praise at this startup milestone, given that the detector was transported underground late in 2019, just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said with travel severely restricted, only a few LZ scientists could make the trip to help on site. The team in South Dakota took excellent care of LZ.

"I'd like to second the praise for the team at SURF and would also like to express gratitude to the large number of people who provided remote support throughout the construction, commissioning and operations of LZ, many of whom worked full time from their home institutions making sure the experiment would be a success and continue to do so now," said Tomasz Biesiadzinski of SLAC, the LZ detector operations manager.

The LZ central detector in the clean room at Sanford Underground Research Facility after assembly, before beginning its journey underground. Credit: Matthew Kapust, Sanford Underground Research Facility

"Lots of subsystems started to come together as we started taking data for detector commissioning, calibrations and science running. Turning on a new experiment is challenging, but we have a great LZ team that worked closely together to get us through the early stages of understanding our detector," said David Woodward from Pennsylvania State University, who coordinates the detector run planning.

Maria Elena Monzani of SLAC, the Deputy Operations Manager for Computing and Software, said, "We had amazing scientists and software developers throughout the collaboration, who tirelessly supported data movement, data processing, and simulations, allowing for a flawless commissioning of the detector. The support of NERSC [National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center] was invaluable."

With confirmation that LZ and its systems are operating successfully, Lesko said, it is time for full-scale observations to begin in hopes that a dark matter particle will collide with a xenon atom in the LZ detector very soon.

Explore further A major milestone for an underground dark matter search experiment

More information: D.S. Akerib et al, The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment (2019). D.S. Akerib et al, The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment,(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2019.163047 Projected WIMP sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) dark matter experiment, arXiv:1802.06039v2 [astro-ph.IM] doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1802.06039
Field of the variable taken from IST40 telescope on the night of February 23, 2020. Variable and comparison stars are marked as well as the exoplanet host star XO-2. Credit: Saglam et al., 2022.

Astronomers from the Istanbul University in Turkey report the finding of a new short-period pulsating variable star during observations of the field of exoplanet host star XO-2. The newly detected object is most likely a Delta Scuti type variable with a pulsation period of less than one hour. The discovery was detailed in a paper published June 29 on arXiv.org.

Detecting and studying variable stars could offer important hints into aspects of stellar structure and evolution. Investigation of variables could be also helpful for better understanding of the distance scale of the universe.

Delta Scuti stars are pulsating variables with spectral types between A and F, named after the Delta Scuti variable in the constellation Scutum. They exhibit radial and non-radial pulsations spanning periods from 20 minutes to eight hours. Studying pulsation behavior of Delta Scuti variables could help us advance our knowledge about stellar interiors.

Now, a team of astronomers led by Mustafa Turan Saglam has found a new variable that appears to be of Delta Scuti type. They used the 0.4m Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope (IST40) of the Istanbul University Observatory to observe the exoplanet host star XO-2 within a research program investigating transit timing variations. Afterward, comprehensive follow-up photometric observations of the newfound star have been conducted to confirm its variability.

"We present the detection of a new variable in the field of exoplanet host star XO-2. The new variable has been observed in 10 nights with different standard photometric filters besides white light observations," the researchers wrote in the paper.

The pulsation period of the new variable was measured to be approximately 0.95 hours, while its mass is estimated to be between 1.5 and 1.7 solar masses. It was found that the variable is of spectral type A7 and has an effective temperature of about 7,725 K. These properties are typical for Delta Scuti stars.

Moreover, the shape of the light curves of the newly detected variable and the automated classification based on machine learning algorithms support the Delta Scuti scenario. The astronomers calculate that the probability that this hypothesis is true is around 78%.

The study also found that the investigated star has a luminosity at a level of about 6.93 solar luminosities and an absolute magnitude in V-band of approximately 2.76. The distance to this variable, based on the data from ESA's Gaia satellite, was estimated to be around 5,613 light years.

Summing up the results, the researchers noted that further observations of this variable are required in order to definitely confirm its nature and to shed more light on pulsation behavior.

"Additional ground-based observations can be coupled together with TESS [Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite] short cadence observations to perform a deeper study of the new variable," the authors of the study wrote.

Explore further V2455 Cyg is a high amplitude Delta Scuti star, new observations suggest

More information: Mustafa Turan Saglam et al, Discovery of a Short Period Pulsator from Istanbul University Observatory. arXiv:2206.14632v1 [astro-ph.SR], Mustafa Turan Saglam et al, Discovery of a Short Period Pulsator from Istanbul University Observatory. arXiv:2206.14632v1 [astro-ph.SR], arxiv.org/abs/2206.14632

 2022 Science X Network
Outside of a womens help desk room, with sign, at inauguration. Credit: Sandip Sukhtankar

A new study by J-PAL affiliate Sandip Sukhtankar (University of Virginia) and coauthors Gabrielle Kruks-Wisner (University of Virginia) and Akshay Mangla (Said Business School, University of Oxford) found that establishing specialized help desks for women in local police stations in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India led to increased registration of cases of gender-based violence (GBV), especially when the help desks were staffed by female officers.

The study was funded primarily by the Crime and Violence Initiative of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), as well as the World Bank's Sexual Violence Research Initiative, with supplemental funding provided by the University of Virginia's Center for Global Inquiry and Innovation and the University of Oxford.

These findings, published on July 8 in Science, suggest that deliberate measures designed to make police officers more responsive to women's security needs, and the presence of female officers in visible positions of authority, can be effective in making the police more accountable to women, and in increasing women's access to the justice system.

India, which in a 2018 poll was named the "most dangerous country in the world to be a woman," currently ranks 140 out of 156 countries on international measures of gender inequality and is home to some of the world's highest rates of GBV. An estimated 4 in 10 women in India report having experiencing domestic violence in their lifetimes.

Video summary of the paper by lead author. Credit: JPAL, MIT

Police reform is critical in addressing this crisis. A majority of crimes against women go unrecorded, thus inhibiting women's access to the justice system. Women often hesitate to report violence, due in part to low levels of trust in the police. Even when women do report, the police are often dismissive, reflecting patriarchal norms that seek to "protect families" by minimizing legal cases, as well as political incentives to show lower crime rates.

From 2018 to 2020, researchers partnered with the Madhya Pradesh Police to evaluate the impact of a program that randomized the introduction of women's help desks (WHDs) in 180 police stations serving 23 million people. WHDs offered a private space for women to make a complaint to an officer trained on gender sensitization and case registration procedures. Study police stations were randomly divided into three groups: control stations (without WHDs); "woman-run" WHDs assigned female officers; and "regular" WHDs that did not specify gender of the assigned officer (the majority of which were run by men).

Over the 11 months of the study, case registration of crimes against women and domestic violence increased significantly in police stations with WHDs compared to those without. Specifically, police stations with WHDs registered 1,905 more domestic incident reports, which initiate civil court proceedings; and 3,360 more first information reports (FIRs), which initiate criminal proceedings. Notably, the increase in FIRs was driven entirely by the woman-run WHDs, highlighting the agency of female officers who appeared to be particularly responsive to WHD training. Female officers also exhibited a change in gender attitudes, becoming more likely to believe than dismiss the claims of women.

"These findings suggest that, to better serve women, we need women on the front lines in the police. But it's not enough to simply add women; female officers need to be supported and valued for the critical work they do in increasing women's access to justice," said Sukhtankar.

"Crime against women is a major challenge for the Indian Police," said Mr. Rishi Shukla, former director-general of the Madhya Pradesh Police and former Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation. "Sincere systematic as well as innovative responses have been made over the years to encourage women to reach out to the police in times of need. In the state of Madhya Pradesh, we have been seeking evidence based policy making and implementation. J-PAL's research on this subject is significant, as it highlights the improved quality of response of the police to women needing assistance. The rigorous research has come up with excellent policy inputs which would improve access of women to the police and mainstream reforms at the police station level."

Shobhini Mukerji, executive director of J-PAL South Asia, says that "the study findings provide concrete and actionable insights to policymakers working toward reducing violence against women. Crimes against women are a major obstacle to development, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The ongoing scale-up and corresponding research will generate valuable insights on whether shifts in police attitudes and responsiveness to crimes against women can be sustained over time, which may be an important first step to encouraging increased reporting of these crimes."

While these results suggest cautious optimism about the potential of gender-targeted policing, increased case registration is just a first step in increasing responsiveness to women's security concerns and, ultimately, in addressing the epidemic of GBV in India. Sustained action to advance women's cases through the justice system, as well as broader social and economic support for women, will be necessary to create deeper changes.

The Madhya Pradesh Police is currently scaling up the WHD program to 700 police stations serving most of the state, informed by the findings of the study. With continued support from J-PAL's Innovation in Government Initiative, the researchers will examine whether the observed changes in police behavior can be sustained, as well as whether and how the program adapts at scale.

Explore further How to stop violence against women in Indiait starts with training police officers

More information: Sandip Sukhtankar, Policing in patriarchy: An experimental evaluation of reforms to improve police responsiveness to women in India, Science (2022). www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm7387 Sandip Sukhtankar, Policing in patriarchy: An experimental evaluation of reforms to improve police responsiveness to women in India,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.abm7387 Graeme Blair et al, Improving access to justice for survivors of violence against women, Science (2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.abp9542. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abp9542 Journal information: Science
GLENS FALLS  The city Planning Board intends to be the lead agency for the state-required environmental review of the planned downtown projects by the SpringCity Development Group.

The board passed a resolution making that declaration. Other agencies have 30 days to challenge the boards intent.

The first discussion held by the board regarding the planned Downtown Revitalization Initiative projects from SpringCity Development Group for properties on South and Elm Street took place during its meeting on Tuesday evening.

Libby Clark Coreno, general counsel for SpringCity, presented the groups plans to the board alongside Scott Townsend, lead architect for the project, Larry Novik, director of business development at Bonacio Construction, and other representatives from SpringCity, which is part of the Bonacio business.

Coreno said that the goal of the meeting was to get the boards approval to move things forward on the plan to redevelop the former incubator building at 36 Elm St., as well as the Sandys Clam Bar building at 41 South St. and the Hot Shots building at 45 South St., along with the creation of new buildings along South and Elm streets that is arguably a complex project.

We are trying to meet some pretty formidable deadlines come the fall with purposes of breaking ground on Phase 1, she said.

Dan Bruno remained on the board for this meeting as chairman. Ethan Hall, who is next in line to replace Bruno upon resigning, said that the board would not have been able to have a quorum.

Bruno had announced at the boards June meeting that he was resigning effective at the end of the month.

The board had already been down a member when Bruno announced his resignation, and Rachel Murray, board member, was unable to get home in time for the meeting after traveling for the holiday.

Bruno said that for the site plan application to be completed, the drawings submitted must include details such as lighting, signage and snow removal plans. He said that those items were omitted from the drawings in his possession.

Coreno said that SpringCity submitted more drawings on Friday.

Board member Kim Andrews said that it is hard for her to envision what the traffic flow for the area will be, since the project will increase the areas activity.

I dont have a sense of how the traffic would flow for that many vehicles, because that is a considerable increase in the vehicles in that area, she said.

Townsend said that when the streets were originally built in the area, the buildings along the road were fully occupied, and they are not currently.

Coreno noted that the buildings already existed when the city streets were paved.

When we say this significant increase in traffic its actually not. Its bringing it back up to what it was, she said.

Daniel Brown, architectural consultant for the board, said that the public has a vested interest in the two historical buildings  the former Hot Shots and Sandys Clam Bar buildings.

He said he hoped to see their exteriors preserved as much as possible.

Townsend pointed out that the plans call for the rehabilitation of those buildings.

The amount of parking that will accommodate the project was another topic of discussion. The city is undergoing a parking study currently, and has applied for a grant to help pay for a transportation hub that will offer more parking.

The DRI project will produce 44 on-site parking spaces, as well as 75 spaces designated as overflow by SpringCity, which are located near the Travelers building (Monument Square).

Coreno said that SpringCity intends to ask the board for a parking waiver because the overflow parking is 700 feet away from the site. The citys code allows for parking to be 300 feet away.

Hall said that it would be beneficial if SpringCity included a parking chart in their final plans to show how many parking spaces are on site and how many are adjacent to the project.

Coreno pointed out that her group has also submitted an application for zoning variance relief as well as the site plan review because the citys code calls for all first-floor property in the South and Elm Street section of the city to be commercially zoned.

I wanted to highlight the fact that the application that we are looking at right now does not have that, Coreno told the board. We understand that. We look forward to making that case in front of the Zoning Board.

SpringCity will submit additional documentation to the Planning Board, at which point the board will schedule a public hearing for the project at its meeting in August.
ALBANY  The swift passage of major new concealed carry restrictions on New York gun owners  a measure passed with no public hearings  is being met with strong reactions from upstate elected leaders and the New York State Sheriffs Association.

Questions are also swirling about just how the restrictions will impact the approximately 132,000 full-time residents of the sprawling Adirondack Park  the largest state-owned public park in the lower 48 states.

The legislation, quickly signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul, forbids concealed carry permit holders from bringing their weapons into parks. The public roads within the Adirondack Park are part of the park territory.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, whose congressional district includes parts of the Adirondack Park, called it a disgrace that residents were never given an opportunity to review or comment on the legislation before its hurried passage on the Friday leading into the Fourth of July weekend.

The fact that theyve held no public hearings shows the arrogance and just sheer incompetence of how bad this legislation is, Stefanik told CNHI.

She added: When you walk outside your house now and you have a firearm, that makes you a criminal in Kathy Hochuls reality. She also said visitors to the Adirondack Park who are authorized to carry concealed handguns could also face criminal charges if they drive into the Adirondack Park.

Another lawmaker whose district includes parts of the Adirondack Park, state Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, said the new concealed carry measure only serves to make our state less safe.

By forcing establishments to note if a person is allowed to carry a weapon inside, potential criminals know what places are secure and which are ripe for preying on, Stec said. He also argued the law puts Adirondack Park residents at risk for felony charges for merely owning a shotgun or rifle.

The criticism of the measure isnt coming from just Republicans.

Assemblyman Billy Jones, D-Plattsburgh, also decried the fact the legislation was rushed through without any public forums.

Jones, who voted against the measure, said he is trying to get clarification on the parameters of the restrictions to determine the impacts on Adirondack Park residents.

It is unclear after reading the direct language of the bill how this will impact those who live in the park, which is one of the concerns I raised about rushing through this legislation, Jones said.

Supporters of the measure lobbied on behalf of the proposal following the U.S. Supreme Court decision in June striking down New Yorks protocol for concealed carry permits as unconstitutional on the Second Amendment rights of New Yorkers.

One of the sponsors of the legislation, Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz, D-Bronx, accused Stefanik and other critics of the new law of spreading scare tactics, insisting the law wont result in pistol permit holders having their firearms confiscated. And it doesnt bar them from having a concealed weapon on private property, he added.

Its very clear: People with concealed carry permits, if theyre in one of the (gun-free) zones that we designated, then they cant carry unless theyre one of the exempted people, Dinowitz said. Examples of those exempted include pistol permit holders who are retired police officers and members of the National Guard and military veterans who have acquired certification they have received firearms training.

Law enforcement also decries bill

In its first public reaction to the law, the New York State Sheriffs Association said lawmakers hurried through the legislation without any consultation with the people who will be responsible for carrying out the provisions of those new laws. Such an approach, the group said has resulted in other criminal justice disasters such as New Yorks so-called Bail Reform Law.

The sheriffs play a central role in screening New York pistol permit applicants.

We do not support punitive licensing requirements that aim only to restrain and punish law-abiding citizens who wish to exercise their Second Amendment rights, said the sheriffs, who are elected independently in their respective counties.

While the Supreme Court decision necessitated some action by New York lawmakers, their association said, it did not need to be thoughtless, reactionary action, just to make a political statement.

When she was a congressional representative a decade ago, Hochul scored a strong rating from the National Rifle Association. On Friday, she said New Yorkers, due to the states stringent gun restrictions, are far less likely to be killed by gunfire than residents in states where firearms are more readily available.

Hochul called it a false narrative that the issuance of concealed carry pistol permits enhances public safety.

Imagine youre on a crowded subway and you bang into somebody inadvertently, tempers flare, and the person that you banged into happens to be carrying a concealed weapon, the governor said. Imagine youre in a bar, someone starts a fight, they have a concealed weapon on them. Imagine youre in Times Square visiting with your family. Youre on the way to a show with your family and youre surrounded by people with concealed weapons. Does that make you feel more or less safe?

Tom King, president of the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, said the wording of the legislation is so vague it will have to be addressed in new concealed carry regulations that have yet to be promulgated by state agencies.

In the meantime, King said, there is growing concern among gun owners that the new law is intended to curtail hunting in the Adirondacks.

I think the law is going to be overturned in the courts, though it may take a while to get there, said King, whose group was the lead plaintiff in the challenge to the concealed carry permit that resulted in the nations highest court throwing out New Yorks 109-year-old concealed carry law.

One group that applauded the rapid passage of the new law is Everytown for Gun Safety, an advocacy group supported by billionaire businessman Michael Bloomberg, a former Republican mayor of New York City who is now a Democratic supporter of firearms restrictions.

New York has been a leader when it comes to gun safety, so its no surprise that state lawmakers wasted no time addressing the dangerous situation created by the court, said John Feinblatt, president of the organization which retained an Albany lobbyist to help nudge the bill through the two chambers of the Legislature.
GLENS FALLS  Matthew Castelli, one of the Democrats running for the 21st Congressional District, has filed paperwork to appear under a third-party line on the general election ballot in November.

On Tuesday, Castelli submitted petitions to appear under the Moderate Party line in Novembers general election. No such formal party exists, but New York election laws allow candidates to make up their own party names when they petition to appear as independent candidates.

In a press release announcing the second party line, Castelli said hed secured over 6,500 signatures on his Moderate Party petition from voters in NY-21 with the help of over 250 Democratic, Republican and independent volunteers. He said the second line will provide an advantage if he wins the Democratic primary, by putting his name on the ballot twice. U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, has submitted petitions to appear on the ballot under both the Republican and Conservative party lines, and has no opposition for either line.

Castelli said hes proud to have successfully circulated petitions to for two parties now, and said its a sign of his campaigns strength.

The success of our petitioning for both the Democratic and Moderate lines demonstrates our campaigns unstoppable momentum in building the broad coalition of volunteers and voters that will lead us to victory in November, he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Castelli did not say whether he plans to continue his campaign as an independent candidate should he lose the Democratic primary in August. When asked, Castelli said only that he plans to win the Democratic Partys nomination, and plans to carry both the Democratic and Moderate party lines in November.

As the only candidate in the race endorsed by the Democratic Party county committees and elected officials of our district, I am confident that I will be the Democratic Party nominee and plan to carry both lines in November, because this broad coalition of voters is how we will defeat Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, he said in a statement Wednesday.

His opponent in that primary, Whitehall native Matthew Putorti, has said it shows Castelli doesnt plan to listen to the voters.

I have said from the beginning of this race that I believe voters should decide who is the best candidate to take on Stefanik and represent our party on the ballot, Putorti said in a press release when the first rumors of Castellis independent run were reported last week. Ive also been consistently clear that I will support the winner of the primary, but this is apparently not something my opponent is willing to do.

On Tuesday, Putorti said hes a proud Democrat and stands by the values the party represents.

I am running for the nomination of the party that represents the values I will fight for in Congress: an economy that works for everyone, equality for all Americans, voter enfranchisement, a womans right to an abortion, and commonsense gun safety, he said. I wont moderate any of those beliefs to try to win an election.

Castelli said his Moderate line represents the issues he understands voters are focused on in this election, namely the economy, the freedoms to get an abortion or express oneself, and protecting a sense of community.

As it stands now, Castelli and Putorti will face each other in the Aug. 23 primary, with the winner going on to stand as the main opponent to Stefanik in Novembers election. Depending on who wins the primary, there may be three candidates going on to November, or only two.
European aircraft manufacturer Airbus said it has been in close discussions with Chinese airlines, especially small and medium-sized carriers, for possible sales of its 100-to 150-seat, low-emission A220 aircraft, which are not yet in service in China.



The aircraft model is considered by aviation industry experts as suitable for flights in western China and second-tier cities in eastern China.

The single-aisle A220 fills the gap between regional-level aircraft like the domestically developed jetliner ARJ21 and single-aisle aircraft such as the A320 and the Boeing B737 that are used on both short and long-haul routes.

Airbus said among its single-aisle aircraft family, the A320 is equipped with 160 to 240 seats. The A319neo comes with 130 to 150 seats, and is mainly designed for airports in ultra-high plateau regions. The A220 is designed for airports located in regular plateau areas and plains.

"Among all Airbus aircraft models, the A220 boasts the highest number of Chinese elements-15 Chinese suppliers have been contributing to its manufacture, from providing raw materials and components to the assembly of big parts," said Yang Xiaoyu, Airbus' head of flyable procurement in China and East Asia.

"We will continue to localize the supply chain and reduce costs for the A220. This approach can help reduce international transportation logistics and significantly cut down the emission of carbon dioxide."

SAC Commercial Aircraft International Ltd, a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corp of China, which is based in Shenyang, Liaoning province, serves as a major supplier, producing forward fuselages, rear barrel sections, hatch doors, tail cones and mid-fuselage of the A220.

So far, the A220 model has received 741 orders from more than 25 customers globally, including Delta Air Lines, Air Canada, Air France and Korean Air.

Airbus has been working hard to receive the airworthiness certificate for the A220 from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the company said.

Currently, the monthly production rate of the A220 stands at six aircraft. Airbus aims to increase it to 14 by 2025. The company said it has already started preparations to realize its goal through close cooperation with its local suppliers.

In 2019, Airbus' annual spending on the commercial aircraft business in China reached about $1 billion. The company will continue to increase its investments in the country. In the near future, the procurement value related to the A220 is expected to account for about 40 percent of the total procurement value of Airbus in China, when A220 reached its full production rate of 14 aircraft a month.

Between 2015 and 2025, the government plans to build 136 new airports on the Chinese mainland. Nearly half of them will be built in western China, the CAAC said.

"Smaller cities in short-haul domestic markets need more direct flights to connect them, and the A220 is the type of aircraft suitable for such markets," said Xie Li, a professor at the Civil Aviation Management Institute of China.
A Supreme Court case coming up in the fall from North Carolina, Moore v. Harper, should strike fear into anyone who actually believes in democracy (small d) and our republican (small r) form of government. It is asking the court to approve something called Independent State Legislature Theory, which claims state legislatures can set rules for federal elections that are not reviewable by state courts. Constitutional scholars say it has no basis in the Constitution and in fact strikes at the heart of the three branches, the checks and balances that form the basis of our entire system of government. If allowed to prevail, what does this mean in real life? Well, for one, it gives state legislatures absolute power to gerrymander districts to their hearts content, essentially keeping themselves in power indefinitely. Both parties would almost assuredly take advantage of this.

This Supreme Court has already decided cases allowing gerrymandering and limiting voting rights, and the thought that they would take this leap into the deep end is not so far-fetched. So what, you say? Well, the state legislatures may decide if they dont like the outcome of an election, they will just overturn it, and install their preferred candidates instead. Which is exactly what Trump wanted to do with his false slates of electors. Which is exactly what Ginny Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, was urging Arizona lawmakers to do. And before Trump supporters cheer, realize that you are cheering the end of representative government, and cheering the start of dictatorship.

The best way to depoliticize this court is to dilute the power of any one judge by increasing the number of judges. Increase it to 11, to make up for the two who sit there only because of Mitch McConnells hypocrisy. Time is running out!

Tanya Goldstein, Salem
Boardwalk visitors in Atlantic City, Wildwood and Seaside Heights can pick up some free blueberries on Friday, also known as National Blueberry Day, courtesy of the state.

Blueberries were the states No. 1 crop in New Jersey in 2021 with a production value of $78 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture will distribute free blueberries to beachgoers at New York Avenue and the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, Schellenger Avenue and the Boardwalk in Wildwood and along the Seaside Heights Boardwalk.

This was a very popular event last year, and we are thrilled to return, state Agriculture Secretary Douglas H. Fisher said Thursday in a news release.

Blueberries were first cultivated and grown in New Jersey in 1916 by Elizabeth Coleman White in Burlington County, and the Hammonton area has become one of the countrys biggest and most famous blueberry growing areas.

There is a Whitesbog Blueberry Summer Festival at Whitesbog Historic Farm & Village in Browns Mills, Burlington County, each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. through July 23. Visitors can buy blueberries, blueberry products and blueberry bushes, enjoy food and crafts from vendors, listen to live music and tour a historic agricultural area.

The blueberry season for New Jersey lasts through the end of July. During its height, production can be as high as 250,000-300,000 crates per day, according to the state.

At Tuesdays Atlantic County Commissioners meeting, Commissioner Jim Bertino, of Hammonton, said the crop this year is strong and demand for New Jersey blueberries is high.

Losses due to weather in some more southern states have meant more interest in buying New Jerseys crop, Bertino said.

Blueberries will be available while supplies last, the department said. In Atlantic City, the giveaway will be near Ripleys Believe It Or Not museum and in Wildwood near Moreys Piers. Both are areas of high tourist activity.

New Jersey annually ranks in the top six in the U.S. in the production of blueberries, according to the state. Farmers here harvested 41 million pounds of blueberries on 8,900 acres last year.

The National Blueberry Day promotion is taking place in conjunction with the New Jersey Blueberry Industry Advisory Council.

Blueberries are low in calories and high in nutrients. Visit findjerseyfresh.com to see where blueberries are available locally and to find recipes.
MAYS LANDING  Judicial officers, prosecutors and law enforcement covered under Daniels Law can request their personal information be redacted from public records through an online portal becoming available Tuesday.

Through the My NJ site, the same as the Member Benefits Online System for state employees, registered users can submit a request for their information to be omitted. Those without a login are being asked by the state Department of Community Affairs to sign up for one before the portal launches, the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office said Thursday in a news release.

Daniels Law, signed by Gov. Phil Murphy in 2020, came in the wake of Daniel Anderls death. Anderl, the son of U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas, was killed at the familys North Brunswick home earlier that year.

Atlantic City courtroom named for Bruce F. Weekes ATLANTIC CITY  Atlantic City held a ceremony Monday to name a municipal court courtroom for

The law allows censorship of personal information tied to current and former judges and prosecutors, law enforcement and their immediate family members from public records and government websites.

Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, whos also is the DCAs commissioner, said Thursday that making ways to request record modifications is crucial for guaranteeing the law is fulfilled for those qualified for redaction under it.

To effectively carry out their jobs, public servants must feel safe, Oliver said. The OIP (Office of Information Privacy) is working hand-in-hand with our state agencies and partners to ensure that this portal does what it is intended to do  protect and save lives.
An anti-segregation activist group is taking the governor and NAACP leadership to task a week before the NAACP National Convention comes to Atlantic City.

Building One America and the New Jersey Coalition Against Racial Exclusion, or NJ-CARE, are circulating an open letter to NAACP leadership demanding that Gov. Phil Murphy be disinvited from the convention. The groups say Murphy, a former NAACP board member, has not taken aggressive enough steps to integrate New Jersey schools or advance racial equality in education.

We appreciate that Governor Murphy has a history with this great organization as a past board member and major donor, but that relationship cannot be allowed to excuse or obscure his inaction toward and opposition to school desegregation, said the letter, which was addressed to NAACP President Derrick Johnson.

Activists from the groups have argued that a lack of diversity in New Jersey classrooms adversely affects students of color, creating a system of school segregation that limits their access to educational resources and future academic opportunities. They warn that the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on schools could worsen educational inequality across the state.

NJ-CARE co-Chair Willie Francois III, a senior pastor at Pleasantvilles Mount Zion Baptist Church, wrote a similar letter in June addressed to New Jersey NAACP President Richard Smith.

Smith said he had received both letters and that he had shared them with Johnson. He said Johnson had told him the NAACP had no intention of uninviting the governor. He also defended the role of the New Jersey NAACP in advancing diversity in the classroom, citing its role in bringing a 2018 school segregation suit against the state.

NAACP bringing #ThisIsPower theme to Atlantic City Convention ATLANTIC CITY The 113th annual NAACP National Convention will be taking place in Atlantic Ci

I can tell you, we were out first and foremost on this fight, Smith said.

The 2018 lawsuit accuses the state of having segregated schools and putting its Black and Hispanic students at a disadvantage. The suit cites a 2017 UCLA study that indicated New Jersey was the sixth-most-segregated state in the U.S. with respect to Black students and the seventh-most segregated with respect to Hispanic students. The Latino Action Network is the lead plaintiff on the lawsuit and is joined by students and their guardians and other civil rights advocacy organizations, including the New Jersey NAACP. The case is being adjudicated by the Mercer County Superior Court.

The NJ-CARE letter cites the Murphy administrations resistance to settling this litigation as an example of his failure to take strong action against school segregation.

We know that Governor Murphy did not create this problem, but he has been given a golden opportunity to lead both legally and legislatively, that he has so far squandered with avoidance, resistance, and opposition, the letter states.

When contacted for comment Thursday by The Press of Atlantic City, Governors Office spokesperson Alyana Alfaro Post said the Murphy administration believed a diverse classroom environment is critical for the education of every child in New Jersey. She cited the administrations Wealth Disparity Taskforce, initiatives to expand preschool education and Fiscal Year 2023 budget priorities as an example of its commitment to advancing racial equality.

Alfaro Post did not acknowledge whether Murphy had received the letter or whether he had any response to it.

Murphy signed an act into law in January enabling school districts to explore the possibility of consolidating with neighboring districts, an effort both the Murphy administration and activists have described as something that could help integrate schools.

Building One America and NJ-CARE maintain the governor has still not acted with sufficient urgency or ambition and have demanded that Murphy meet with them to discuss their legislative agenda.

The coalitions legislative proposal aims to create an affirmative obligation for the state and its schools to integrate. It focuses on, in part, empowering the state Department of Education to develop and enforce integration policies through a new Division of Equity and Inclusion. The department, with this new division, would report on how segregation impacts student outcomes; review how state laws around school districts residency requirements entrench segregation; explore how existing school choice programs can be used to advance integration; and set diversity goals for each school district in the state, as well as for charter and magnet schools. Organizers called for the amended passage of a bill introduced in the state Senate in January that would bring some of these changes to the Department of Education.

The coalition also asked that the state act to keep schools from withdrawing from a school district or a send-receive agreement, as it argues such efforts further segregation. The group asked that the school consolidation law enacted in January be amended so as to inhibit separations and further the equitable distribution of education resources.

Current and former NAACP branch presidents have had different reactions to the letter.

Atlantic City NAACP President Kaleem Shabazz called it a little off base and expressed support for the NAACP and the governor. He said Murphy has been a strong ally of the NAACP and an advocate for civil rights.

Atlantic City joins long list of cities to have hosted the NAACP national convention Atlantic City is hosting the annual NAACP Convention in July for the second time ever. The r

MoNeke Ragsdale, a former president of the now suspended Camden branch of the NAACP, signed onto the letter, believing both the governor and the NAACP needed to do more about school segregation.

Were fighting for justice, not because somebody was a former (NAACP) board member, Ragsdale said.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  South Koreas spy agency filed charges on Wednesday against two of its former directors over their handling of separate border incidents with North Korea in recent years which prompted criticism that Seoul's previous liberal government improperly appeased the North to improve ties.

The National Intelligence Service accused former director Park Jie-won, who served from 2020 to May this year, of destroying intelligence reports related to North Koreas fatal shooting of an unarmed South Korean citizen in waters near the countries' western sea border in 2020.

In a statement, the agency also alleged that Parks predecessor, Suh Hoon, forcibly closed an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the 2019 repatriation of two North Korean fisherman captured in South Korean waters.

The two incidents have tainted the legacy of former President Moon Jae-in, who staked his single five-year term on inter-Korean engagement but faced accusations of appeasing a nuclear-armed rival with a brutal human rights record. The cases are being reviewed under the government of current conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, who won a March election on a platform of taking a tougher stance toward North Korean provocations.

The agency said it is bringing multiple charges against Park and Suh, including abuse of power, damaging public records and creating falsified records. It didnt immediately elaborate on the last charge.

Responding to an inquiry from The Associated Press, the Supreme Prosecutors Office said it plans to assign the cases to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office for review before possibly proceeding with an investigation.

Park denied that he destroyed internal reports and accused the agency of meddling in politics.

Dont write a novel, he wrote on Facebook.

The 2020 killing of the South Korean man, who was an employee of the countrys fisheries ministry, has been a source of domestic divide in South Korea. Conservatives accused Moons government of failing to strongly respond to North Korea in hopes of better ties and of attempting to divert the blame from the North by suggesting that the man had tried to defect.

Yoon's government overturned the previous administration's assessment, saying last month that there is no evidence the South Korean official had intended to defect.

Critics say Moons government never provided a clear explanation of why it forcibly repatriated two North Korean escapees in November 2019 to face possible execution, just days after they were seized in South Korean waters and expressed a desire to defect. Kim Yeon-chul, Moons point man on North Korea, described the men as atrocious criminals who confessed to murder, and questioned the sincerity of their wish to defect.

Dozens of international organizations, including Human Rights Watch, issued a joint statement accusing Moons government of failing to provide due process and protect anyone who would be at substantial risk of torture or other serious human rights violations after repatriation.
While 95% of 60 municipalities surveyed by the state Comptrollers Office are breaking the law that limits sick and vacation payouts to employees, one local town surveyed was found to be doing it right.

That was Upper Township, which is one of only three municipalities found not to have made any illegal payouts or promised such payouts in contracts in recent years, acting Comptroller Kevin Walsh said in a webinar Thursday to release the report. It was the only Cape May County town included in the survey.

Waste is happening today, and towns are committed to more in the future, Walsh said, including in illegal clauses in contracts.

In some cases, employees are leaving with sick time payouts in the tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars, he said.

Entitled A Review of Sick and Vacation Leave Policies in New Jersey Municipalities, it found that 57 of 60 towns remained in violation of 2007 and 2010 laws intended to protect taxpayers.

In short, New Jersey law caps the amount that can be paid out for unused sick time to $15,000 and limits it to payment at retirement, not annually or upon leaving a job. Employees also may not carry over more than one years worth of vacation time.

Other local towns included in the study, like Egg Harbor Township and Little Egg Harbor Township, were found in violation of some aspects of the law.

Egg Harbor Township was the only Atlantic County town surveyed, and it was found to have three violations in its ordinances and contracts. It had allowed sick time payouts to be made annually and at times other than retirement, and some in excess of $15,000, the report said.

Township Administrator Donna L. Markulic said Thursday that EHT has already stopped the violations.

When I started (with the township) in April 2021, I received a letter from the Comptrollers Office about our contracts not being up to date, Markulic said.

She said she contacted the townships three unions and let them know the township would no longer be able to make some payouts in the contracts that violated state law.

I can assure you since I have been here we have not paid out any sick time (in violation), Markulic said.

Local government benefits excessive despite decades-long reform push As the publics attention turned to the coronavirus, the State Commission of Investigation r

The township is in active negotiations with all three unions now, and the language in the new contracts will meet state law, she said.

No Cumberland County towns were surveyed.

In Ocean County, all four municipalities included in the survey were found to have violations, including Little Egg Harbor.

We focused on 60, which we suspect is the tip of the iceberg, Walsh said. There could be hundreds (of towns breaking the law) in New Jersey. We recommend all local governments evaluate whether they are violating these laws.

There are 564 municipalities in the state.

The majority of towns (in the survey) have already made unlawful payments, Walsh said. They have taxed (residents), and the funds have been used for unlawful purposes.

The report does not attempt to quantify how much has been wasted, he said.

The Comptrollers Offices job is to root out waste, fraud and abuse in government, Walsh said, but it is up to other agencies to enforce the law.

A dashboard with the basics of towns surveyed and results can be found at https://data.nj.gov/stories/s/OSC-Sick-Leave-Dataset-Story/px2e-7w8v.

The laws do not apply to most employees hired before May 21, 2010, so many municipalities may still make substantial lawful payments to those employees of potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars per employee, the report said. Those costly ongoing payments show what the 2007 and 2010 laws are intended to prevent over time.

Walsh said all towns have been provided with a report on which of their actions are not in compliance with the law and must provide a plan to address the issue by September.

The towns were picked for the survey because of their size and population, he said, not because his office had any reason to think they were more likely to be violators.

The report makes a series of recommendations directed at the 57 with violations. They must prepare plans to come into compliance with state law, get misspent money back if possible, and most importantly stop the waste, Walsh said.

It also recommends the towns hire a lawyer not involved in creating the problems or allowing them to remain, and hire an independent auditor or accountant to help determine how much money has been wasted and how they will save such money in the future.

Officials who let the illegal payments continue should be held accountable, Walsh said. Misappropriating public funds can be a criminal offense, he said, especially if senior municipal employees are found to have enriched themselves through such violations.

If I were a resident I would want to know how did it happen? Who let it happen? Walsh said. There also has to be stronger state oversight of particular laws and a designated agency to enforce them.

Walsh said municipal attorneys, chief financial officers, administrators and auditors in towns violating the law should be held accountable by the public for allowing misuse of taxpayer funds to continue.

The survey did not include school districts, counties or local authorities that are also covered by the law, Walsh said, but those entities should also take steps to ensure they are in compliance.

The report also recommends steps the Legislature should take to put more teeth into existing law, he said.
A fire Wednesday in East Moline began in a drier, though the cause was under investigation.

The fire happened about 2:30 p.m. at 1503 17th St., East Moline Fire Chief Rob DeFrance said at the scene. A male occupant smelled the smoke, and when he investigated, saw heavy smoke coming from the laundry room.

The occupant escaped with his cat and called 911, DeFrance said. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters had the fire under control quickly, the chief said. A damage estimate was not yet available Wednesday afternoon, and whether the house was habitable also still had to be determined.

East Moline firefighters were assisted by firefighters from Silvis and the Rock Island Arsenal. The East Moline Police Department and the Moline Second Alarmers also assisted at the scene.
State Rep. Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, has announced her summer photo contest and winners of the spring photo contest.

Spring contest winners were Chrissy Robinson, Paul Gierhart and Trudy Feldt, whose photos can be viewed at repmccombie.com.

Participants for the summer photo contest are asked to submit a photo that best represents the people and places of the 71st district. Photos must be taken in the 71st District and submitted between June 20 to Sept. 22. Entries will be accepted until Sept. 23.

The winning photo from each category of people and places will be displayed in McCombies Springfield and Sterling offices.

"I love the 71st district, and truly believe we have the most beautiful scenery and magnificent people," McCombie said in a news release. "We all love summer here and I cant wait to see the pictures of our summer fun. The more submissions we have, the more we can show off the 71st to the rest of Illinois."

McCombie will choose winning entries and invite the photographers for an unveiling at her Sterling office. The winning photos will be on display for the term of the 102nd General Assembly.

Participants can submit their high-resolution photos to mccombiephotocontest@gmail.com. Please include name, home address, email, phone number and where the photograph was taken.
Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) John Lee on Wednesday said the HKSAR government will be pragmatic and result-oriented in solving pressing problems facing Hong Kong residents.

To address the issues that people are most concerned about such as poverty and housing, the HKSAR government has set up special task forces led by secretary-level officials, Lee said during his first Q&A session with members of the Legislative Council (LegCo).

Lee said he has asked the secretaries and directors of bureaux to introduce measures and practical actions as soon as possible to achieve results as early as possible.

Lee also said a smooth executive-legislature relationship is an important foundation for starting a new chapter together for Hong Kong.

In this regard, he suggested holding monthly sessions in the LegCo to enhance communication between HKSAR government officials and lawmakers.

He said that in order to further promote Hong Kong's prosperity, the HKSAR government and the LegCo should combine the region's executive-led system and the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong."

More efforts should be made to develop the economy and improve people's livelihood so that Hong Kong residents can benefit more, said Lee.
A nationwide nursing shortage is plaguing hundreds of hospitals and healthcare facilities. In the Quad Cities, hospitals are looking to a new crop of students.
Following a mudslide that left residents of The Manor with soaked carpets and mud-caked sidewalks, Dolan Homes was issued a $500 citation for violating Bettendorf's erosion and sediment control ordinance.

City Engineer Brent Morlok confirmed at Tuesday's council meeting that they issued Dolan Homes a citation for violating the Construction Site Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance.

Morlok said the construction crew on Friday placed two large straw wattles, or straw filter socks, to help guide the water to the intake pipe on the construction site in preparation of the weekend storm. But one of the straw wattles that was placed on top should of have not been placed in that area, leading to the flooding.

"That ended up silting in and completely clogging the outflow," Morlok said. "So you were getting no stormwater in the pipe and it all discharged off the site."

Morlok told the Quad-City Times/Moline Dispatch Argus the violation is a type II offense for the discharge of silt or sediment into the city's storm or sanitary systems. An initial violation notice was issued in June for similar offenses. The silt/sediment loss from the first event was minor and a citation was not issued, but it is still regarded as a first offense.

Construction projects in the city are required to obtain a COSESCO permit. The permit is in conjunction with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources since the city is mandated by the IDNR to enforce the small municipal separate storm sewer systems program.

Crew members were at the site Tuesday fixing the detention basin and finished building the berm on the south end of the project site that faces The Manor.

Public Works Director Brian Schmidt said though there is still work that needs to be done, he feels confident if another rain event like Sunday's were to happen, it will be detained within the area.

Residents, however, said they have had flooding prior to this and felt their concerns regarding the construction were repeatedly ignored.

"This should've been foreseen and it should have been taken care of," Beverly Strayhall, a resident at The Manor, said. "This is not acceptable."

According to City Administrator Decker Ploehn, developer Kevin Dolan assured him that he is working with the homeowners association at The Manor to address any damages.
Just For Fun

This weekend Eldridge hosts the Moonlight Chase and Eldridge Summer Fest. The festival kicks off with race packet pickup 3-6 p.m. and live music by Soul Storm 7-9 p.m. on Friday and continues all day Saturday.

Activities will include Taste of North Scott, featuring a $2 bite at each booth, kids' activities, a parade, Maker's Market, pancake breakfast, fire department water fight, live music from Code 415, a youth race and more.

The weekend will conclude with the 37th annual Moonlight Chase, the after-dark race, starting at 9 p.m. The course will be illuminated and will feature tons of fun on the route with music, disco lights and house parties.

Participants are encouraged to dress up in costumes with LED lights/glow sticks and neon colors. There will be a Glow Up costume contest before the race. To register online, visit www.moonlightchase.com.

With the Family

Enjoy the music of Music For New People at the next Music on the Lawn concert Wednesday at Deere-Wiman House in Moline.

This inventive ensemble of musicians have been inspired by the work, and play, of people like Andy Kaufman and Shel Silverstein. The group creates unique family-friendly music with all sorts of instruments, including electronics, ukulele, accordion and percussion.

The free concert begins at 6:30 p.m. with seating on the lawn. Participants can bring a blanket or lawn chairs as well as a picnic lunch. There also will be ice cream for sale. Come early, beginning at 5 p.m., to partake in a variety of family-friendly activities.

In case of extreme weather, all events will be moved indoors to the Carriage House located on the same site. For more information, call 309-743-2701 or visit www.butterworthcenter.com.

On A Date

River Arts Center in Clinton will host a reception from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday to celebrate Tom Hempel's watercolor exhibit. The exhibit will be on display through July 30.

Since retiring, Hempel has devoted his time to honing his skills as a watercolor artist. His paintings focus on homes here and abroad, as well as landscapes, some from his own imagination.

River Arts Center is located at 229 5th Ave. S. in downtown Clinton. Hours are 1-4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays.

In Real Time

The Jewish Federation of the Quad-Cities will present the Israeli Film Series 2022 at the Figge Art Museum in downtown Davenport during the month of July.

The first film, "Crescendo," will be screened at 4 p.m. Sunday. This 2020 drama follows world-famous conductor Eduard Sporck as he accepts the job of creating an Israeli-Palestinian youth orchestra. Having grown up in a state of war, suppression or constant risk of terrorist attacks, the young musicians from both sides are far from able to form a team. In English and German with English subtitles, the movie runs 106 minutes.

All shows are at 4 p.m. on Sundays, other shows include, "Sublet," on July 17 and, "Asia," on July 31. Tickets, available at the door, are $7 for adults, $6 senior citizens/military, and free for students. For more information, call 309-793-1300.

Dine and Drink

Head out to the farm, Miss Effie's Country Flowers, 27387 130th Ave., Donahue, Iowa, Saturday for a night of picnics, cupcakes, tea, wine, fireflies, roasting marshmallows, live music and the opportunity to win amazing prizes.

The Quad-Cities Yoga Foundation will host this fundraising event from 6 to 9 p.m. with the cupcakes, wine and s'mores included. Participants can bring picnics, chairs and blankets.

Individual tickets, $50, include entry and five raffle tickets per person and can be purchased by visiting https://qcyogafoundation.offeringtree.com/offerings/fireflies-and-flowers-single-tickets. Or purchase a blanket, $300, and receive eight individual tickets and 45 raffle tickets. Blankets are available at https://qcyogafoundation.offeringtree.com/offerings/fireflies-flowers-buy-a-blanket.
Another Republican endorses Dem in Senate bid

Oxford Democrat Kevin Kinney picked up another endorsement from the other side of the political aisle in his re-election campaign for Iowa Senate District 46.

Kinneys campaign announced Tuesday the endorsement of one-time Republican challenger Michael Moore, whom Kinney defeated in a race for an Iowa Senate District 39 seat in 2014.

Moore, former CEO of United Presbyterian Home, a retirement community in Washington, Iowa, said he considers himself more of a centrist, but is a registered Republican.

Kinneys campaign also announced the endorsement of Moores wife, Elaine, who is a member of the Washington City Council.

He looks at every side of an issue, talks to anyone who wants to talk and plays it down the middle, Moore said of Kinney in a statement. Thats a truly rare quality in a public official these days, and we believe we need more of that in our politics.

Were proud to stand behind Kevin, and we ask our fellow Republicans to join us in supporting Sen. Kevin Kinney this November.

Its the second Republican endorsement Kinney has picked up for re-election campaign in two weeks.

Retiring Republican state lawmaker Jarad Klein of Keota endorsed Kinneys re-election over that of Republican Sen. Dawn Driscoll of Williamsburg.

Kinney has served in the Iowa Legislature since 2015 and currently represents Senate District 39. Due to redistricting, he is running for re-election in Senate District 46, which includes rural Johnson County as well as Iowa and Washington counties.

JEWISH COUNCIL ENDORSES FRANKEN, MATHIS: The Jewish Democratic Council of America  which promotes socially progressive, pro-Israel, Jewish community values  has endorsed Iowa Democrats Mike Franken and Liz Mathis in Iowas U.S. Senate and new 2nd Congressional District campaigns.

Mathis, a state senator and nonprofit leader from Hiawatha, is running against Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson.

From expanding access to health care to combating climate change, state senator Mathis is fighting for the issues Jewish voters care about most, JDCA spokesperson Samuel Crystal said in statement released by the Mathis campaign.

Franken, a retired admiral from Sioux City, is running against Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley.

Admiral Franken is fighting for the issues Jewish voters care about most, including access to health care, reproductive freedom, and preserving democracy at home and abroad, Crystal said in a news release from the Franken campaign.

He understands the rising threat of antisemitism and white supremacy facing American Jews and is committed to ensuring fairness and equity in our government.
A Coralville police officer, one of those responding to a call about a 3-year-year-old being shot Sunday, later died from an acute medical emergency, according to a Facebook post from the Coralville Police Department.

"We are reeling from both of these incidents," Coralville Mayor Meghann Foster said in an interview Tuesday. "The loss of this young child in our community, and the loss of this officer who served for over two decades and was known for his kindness."

Damari Sanders, a 3-year-old boy, was critically injured Sunday in Coralville after suffering a gunshot wound. The child died later that evening at the hospital.

Coralville police and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation are investigating the shooting and have provided no public explanation of the circumstanced leading up to it.

Johnson County Supervisor Royceann Porter, a friend of the boy's family, said his family is distraught. Porter was working on a GoFundMe page online to help the family with funeral expenses and other financial struggles.

"While funeral arrangements are underway, we as a community must step up to show full support to this mom in her time of need. The day she lost her son  a piece of her heart was lost too!," Porter wrote on the page.

Sgt. John Williams, who had been with the Coralville Police Department for over 28 years, died from a medical emergency "in the aftermath" of responding to the shooting, according to the Facebook post. But his death was not directly related to Damari's death, according to Coralville City Administrator Kelly Hayworth.

"His knowledge, experience and leadership will be near-impossible to replace. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, co-workers, and all those he helped throughout his career," the post reads.
MONTICELLO  Iowa Democratic gubernatorial nominee Deidre DeJear nibbled on wood sorrel  also known as sour grass  picked mulberries and raspberries, and chomped on some wild sage as she accompanied a group of campers on their foraging expedition at Camp Courageous.

Im going to get all of my antioxidants today, DeJear said as she picked some raspberries and mulberries alongside 13-year-old camper Cheyenne Powers of Reinbeck.

DeJear stopped at Camp Courageous, a year-round recreational and respite care facility in Eastern Iowa for children with special needs and their families, as part of her Workday Wednesday series. The Des Moines small business owner and activist also ate lunch with campers and toured the facility.

DeJear said shes been visiting businesses, farms, nonprofits and other organizations across the state since February as part of her campaign.

These workdays give us an opportunity to stay grounded, not only with people, but the industries that exist throughout our state, DeJear said. Were just talking about their personal story, and Im learning through them how the state can be better advocates and create stronger pathways for anybody to succeed.

Health care

DeJear talked about the need to expand access to respite and mental health care in the state, as well as bolster funding for public education rather than providing taxpayer funding to pay for students to attend private schools, as Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is pushing for.

The state really needs to do some problem-solving so that those pathways remain strong as it relates to accessibility to education, respite care and activities like these, DeJear said.

Respite care provides temporary care for a sick or disabled person so the regular caregiver gets a break.

DeJear also advocated for raising the states health care reimbursement rates.

Organizations like this could be doing more if we had more people working in the industry, she said. How do we do that? Well, part of that is increasing the reimbursement rate because the cost of business has gone up.

While Camp Courageous does not receive direct government aid, many families who send their children to the camp do through Iowa Health and Community Based Services funding for waiver programs for individuals with brain injuries and intellectual and other disabilities, camp CEO Charlie Becker said.

While the camp does not endorse or support any particular candidate, Becker said DeJears visit provides greater exposure and a good living testimony to the opportunities, needs and activities available to people with special needs in Iowa.

Becker hoped DeJears visit can expose the camp to a lot of people that could potentially be our future staff.

Were, like everybody else, short on staff, Becker said.

Before the pandemic, Becker said the camp averaged about 10,000 campers a year. Normally, during the summer, the camp would have 100 campers and 100 staffers for the week.

Right now, were at less than half of that just because of staffing, he said. The demand is huge.

Uphill campaign

If elected in November, DeJear would be Iowa's first Black statewide officeholder. The 36-year-old became the first Black candidate nominated by a major party for Iowa governor with her Democratic nomination last month.

But while the overwhelmingly white state voted for and launched Barack Obamas long-shot campaign in 2008 to become first Black president in the nations history, Iowas political swing to the right makes repeating that victory much harder for DeJear, as the Associated Press reported.

Over the last 14 years, Iowa has trended more conservative. July voter registration numbers show big gains for Republicans after the June primary.

Nationwide, more than 1 million voters across 43 states switched to the Republican Party over the last year, according to voter registration data analyzed by the Associated Press. In Iowa, Republicans now hold a 2-to-1 margin among voters who switched parties, a reversal from previous years, the AP reported.

DeJear downplayed the GOP surge in voters, saying, Im not worried by those numbers.

While Republicans have a small voter registration advantage over Iowa Democrats, she said her campaign is still fighting for the middle, hoping to win over independents and moderate Republicans turned off by Reynolds push to further restrict womens access to abortion and public funding for students to attend private schools.

Reynolds has said that while its critical Iowa maintain a strong public school system, parents deserve the choice of what environment is best suited for their children.
BOX ELDER | The South Dakota Air & Space Museums gift shop and indoor galleries remain closed to the public due to ongoing renovations that began in January. The outdoor airpark, however, is currently open.

According to the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, there is no set deadline for the reopening of the indoor galleries, or the completion of the renovations. The work is being completed by a small cadre of volunteers with limited availability, the 28th Bomb Wing told the Journal.

Because the work is happening in all four galleries, the museum will not be opened until the work is complete.

The outdoor airpark portion of the museum is open every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the exception of base events. The airpark offers visitors the opportunity to view 28 aircraft and items on display, ranging from a B-1B Lancer and B-25 Mitchell bomber to Cold War era missiles and air refueling assets tied to the bases 80-year history.

Inside, the bases history is getting a facelift, as large artifacts get shifted between galleries to reflect their appropriate historical eras. For example, the 28th Bomb Wing said that historic photo banners honoring early flight of Ellsworth B-17 bombers over Mount Rushmore and banners of the unit insignias from that era are being put into place.

Another change visitors can look forward to is a transformed hallway that will become the Black Hills Community Room, to honor Ellsworths Honorary Commander Program. The community room will also honor other key civic and community partners who have supported the museum and base over the years.

The space that was formerly the gift shop is being transformed into an art gallery, where staff will rotate displays of aviation art that have been in storage, as well as future displays.

The new art gallery, along with the repositioned artifacts, will help tell the story of Ellsworth, said the 28th Bomb Wing. While the story of the base dates back 80 years, the Air & Space Museum has been telling it since 1992.

The Air & Space Museum was established outside the gates of Ellsworth in 1992 as a Field Museum for the U.S. Air Force. The 28th Bomb Wing oversees the museum, and the base currently has one military member assigned to oversee museum operations.

The 28th Bomb Wing told the Journal that the museum has relied on volunteers  primarily members of the South Dakota Air & Space Foundation  to assist with operation of the gift shop, providing tours and other activities at the museum.

The South Dakota Air & Space Foundation was established in 1982 as a philanthropic corporation to assist, foster and perpetuate the Ellsworth Air Force Base Heritage Program, to include the South Dakota Air & Space Museum. Its purpose, according to the 28th Bomb Wing, is to further develop, improve, expand and directly support the USAF History & Museums Program, per Air Force and Department of Defense instructions.

Further information on when to expect the indoor renovations to be complete are forthcoming. In the meantime, visitors can enjoy the outdoor airpark and tour the many static displays. Visitors can also check the museums Facebook page for updates.
Record-high gas prices have stoked interest in electric vehicles. But Black Hills power providers said improvements are needed in the electric grid to keep pace with anticipated sales.

The Biden administration has set an ambitious target to make half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 zero-emissions electric vehicles.

While thats the goal, electric utility providers said South Dakota is not ready for that.

West River Electric Co-op spokesman Robert Raker said utilities are not producing enough electricity to meet the Biden administration's goal.

We cant stop it. Thats what people are wanting. So, we need to make sure that when these EVs come in, they start charging at night. So, what West River Electric has done is developed a rate that incentivizes charging at night, Raker said.

Raker said West River Electric charges a flat fee of $30 a month to charge an electric vehicle at night when the demand for electricity is minimal, South Dakota Public Broadcasting reported.

The federal Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act has funding to build a national network of electric vehicle fast-charging stations.

The South Dakota Department of Transportation is looking for feedback on how and where to build a charging network in the state.

So what were trying to get our arms wrapped around is how could this look in South Dakota? I think were seeing maybe a little bit of a shift in the consumer market, said Mike Behm, DOT's director of planning and engineering.

The department also wants input on how to fund the states roads in an increasingly electric future since most of the current funding comes from gas and diesel taxes.
Crimean Supreme Court recognizes WWII civilian massacres as genocide

Context Crimean Supreme Court to hear on genocide during Great Patriotic War

MOSCOW, July 7 (RAPSI)  The Supreme Court of Crimea has recognized the massacres of civilians committed by the Nazis on the peninsula during the Great Patriotic War as genocide, RAPSI has learnt from the Prosecutor Generals Office.

The court has granted a relevant motion lodged by the regional prosecutors.

During the trial, the court examined the minutes of witnesses and victims interviews, expert explanations concerning the crimes committed by the Nazis on the territory of Crimea, eyewitness accounts, documents fixing crimes against civilians dated 1943-44, mass media excerpts of those times, court and tribunal verdicts confirming the massacres of civilians and prisoners of war, archive documents.

Numerous facts of mass extermination of Soviet people in Crimea have been confirmed by the said documents, the prosecutors statement reads.

Just before the trial, Russias Federal Security Service declassified new records of the fascist atrocities in Crimea during the Great Patriotic War. According to the documents, about 87,000 civilians and over 47 prisoners of war were tortured and killed by the Nazis on the peninsula.
Three Russian police generals detained in abuse of authority case

MOSCOW, July 7 (RAPSI) - Three Russian police generals, including an assistant to the Interior Minister, have been detained until September 5 on abuse of authority charges related to misappropriating a fund based in Saint Petersburg, the Moscow Basmanny District Courts press service has told RAPSI.

Lieutenant General Sergey Umnov, Major General Alexey Semyonov, the head of St. Petersburgs police, and Major General Ivan Abakumov, a former deputy of St. Petersburgs police, face prison terms of up to ten years if found guilty.

The fourth defendant is Elena Kopyeva, the senior court bailiff of one of the St. Petersburg bailiffs department. She was also put in detention.

Investigators believe the defendants have fiddled with the money of the Fund for the St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region Directorate of the Interior Ministry.

The case is being investigated by the Investigative Committee of Russia.




China has implemented two rounds of nationwide inspections on ecological conservation and environmental protection in seven years and tackled problems in multiple fields, an official said Wednesday.

Aiming to solve environmental problems closely related to people's lives, China accepted and handled 287,000 complaints from the public during the inspections and has made 285,000 rectifications so far, Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment Zhai Qing told a press conference.

These inspections have a particular focus on typical problems. Some 262 cases have been released to the public, of which nearly half relate to pollution and weak links in environmental infrastructure, and 33.2 percent are in the field of ecology and sustainable development.

"When choosing typical cases, we paid special attention to problems causing severe pollution with pressing concerns of the people, such as malicious discharge of pollutants into waters and illegal dumping of large amounts of industrial waste in rivers," Zhai said.

"We also stressed acts that harm the ecology and hamper sustainable development," he added, giving examples including illegal construction in protected areas, unlawful land reclamation at seas and lakes, deforestation for housing, and illegal mining.

Chinese central authorities started the scrutiny in late 2015 and finished the first round of inspections at the local level by 2018.

In the second round, teams inspected over 30 provincial-level regions, two government departments, and six centrally administered state-owned enterprises from 2019 to the first half of 2022.

Some 95 percent of the 3,294 problems revealed in the first round of scrutiny and its review period have been rectified, Zhai noted. He said half of the 1,227 issues already found in the second round of inspections have also been solved.




Journalist Dud fails to challenge enlisting in foreign agent register

MOSCOW, July 7 (RAPSI)  The Lefortovsky District Court of Moscow on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit against mass media-foreign agent status filed by journalist and blogger Yury Dud, the courts press service told RAPSI.

Dud was added to the list of mass media acting as foreign agents in mid-April.

In October 2021, Moscow's Zyuzinsky District Court fined Dud 100,000 rubles (about $1,600 at the current exchange rate) in a drug propaganda case. The administrative offense protocol regarding him was drawn up in accordance with the provisions of the Russian Administrative Code envisaging a fine of up to 1.5 million rubles (about $24,000).

This court has already considered a similar case over illegal propaganda or advertising of drugs: last June, it fined rapper Alisher Morgenstern for this offense 100,000 rubles.




New charges brought against notorious Krasnoyarsk businessman Bykov

MOSCOW, July 7 (RAPSI)  Investigators have indicted convicted notorious businessman from Krasnoyarsk Anatoly Bykov for organization of a criminal gang and murder committed by a group of people, the Investigative Committees press service reports.

According to the investigation, from January 1, 1997 to June 19, 2002, the defendant personally led a gang he organized between January 1990 and January 1997. He allegedly masterminded the murder of a 48-year resident of Krasnoyarsk by inducing the gang members to commit the crime.

The businessman pled not guilty, the statement reads.

In September 2021, the Sverdlovsk District Court of Krasnoyarsk sentenced Bykov to 13 years in penal colony for double murder. Jurors found him guilty of organizing the murder of two residents of Krasnoyarsk, Kirill Voytenko and Alexander Naumov, in 1994. The jurors also considered that the businessman did not deserve leniency.

The court and investigators established that in the first half of 1994, Alexander Naumov, a 23-year old member of a criminal group headed by Bykov, had a conflict with the gang leader because of unjust, according to him, dividing of the joint criminal income. Later, Bykovs car was exploded. The businessman suspected Naumov and his friend Voytenko of the blast organization and decided to kill them. He ordered his acquaintance Vladimir Tatarenkov to organize the murder; the latter in turn involved his gang members in the crime. On July 24, 1994, Naumov and Voytenko were shot dead, investigators claimed.

Currently, an investigation against Bykov is underway in the criminal cases where the businessman is accused of incitement to attempt and commit murder for hire, grave tax evasion, leading a criminal gang.
" " By using ultrasound, researchers monitored the internal structure of cocoa butter crystallization without having to run samples to a lab. Jack Andersen/Getty Images

What's the difference between a cheap piece of Hershey's and a luxurious bite of the finest Belgian chocolate? According to a team of researchers in Leuven, Belgium, the secret lies in cocoa butter crystals. And now they've developed a novel way to use ultrasound to check on cocoa butter crystallization.

"We've discovered that we can detect differences in the crystallization of cocoa butter with ultrasonic waves," says Koen Van Den Abeele, a physics professor at KU Leuven, Belgium's largest university, in a press release. He is an expert in using ultrasound to test metals and concrete  considerably less tasty materials.

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Currently, top chocolatiers closely monitor batches of cooling chocolate by running samples to an on-site lab to test for cocoa butter crystallization. If the wrong crystals form, the whole batch will need to be reprocessed, a time-consuming and costly mistake.

But by using ultrasound, the Belgian researchers can monitor the internal structure of cocoa butter crystallization in real time without sacrificing an ounce of precious chocolate.

"Cocoa butter crystallizes as the liquid chocolate hardens. Five types of crystals can be formed during this process, but only one of these has the qualities we want," says Imogen Foubert, a professor in the department of microbial and molecular systems at KU Leuven in a press release. The sought-after crystals deliver the snap when you get when you first bite the chocolate as well as its rich, melting mouth feel.

Van Den Abeele sends transversal ultrasonic waves through the cooling chocolate to get a clear picture of the crystal structures forming inside, not unlike an ultrasound technician checking on the health of a growing fetus.

"When the cocoa butter is liquid, the ultrasonic wave is reflected in its entirety," explains Van Den Abeele. "As soon as the butter crystallizes, part of the sound wave penetrates the cocoa butter, so the amount of reflection we measure changes. This enables us to see how the different crystals stick together, which is important for the ultimate properties of the chocolate."

The next step for the Belgian research team is to upgrade their lab prototype into a factory-grade chocolate testing machine. Hopefully this won't put any chocolate tasters out of a job.

Now That's Tasty The first Belgian chocolatier was actually a pharmacist. In 1857, Jean Neuhaus opened a pharmacy in Brussels and coated his medicines with a thin layer of bitter dark chocolate. His son replaced the prescription fillings with fresh cream, creating a sensation called the praline and making the world a markedly better place.
" " Zacharie Grossen/Flickr ( CC By-SA 4.0 A 100% pure ruby chocolate bar. We know what it tastes like, but finding out how it's made is another matter.

A pink storm has been quietly shaking up the global chocolate industry over the past few years, and it's finally made its way to the U.S.

Ruby chocolate  also known as 'pink chocolate' for its pale pink hue  first made its debut in 2017. Chocolatier Barry Callebaut, which created and patented ruby chocolate, branded it the newest and "fourth type of chocolate" after dark, milk and white chocolate. Nestle Japan was the first company to feature the product commercially in 2018, turning out some "berry" good Kit Kats for the Japanese consumer.

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Since then, the chocolatier has been building up its ruby chocolate markets overseas in Europe and Asia before bringing it to the U.S. and Canada earlier this year. It is the first new flavor of chocolate introduced in the U.S. since white chocolate made its debut in the 1930s. However, due to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations around what can be called 'chocolate,' the product is currently being branded as 'ruby couverture' or 'ruby cacao' stateside until the company gets the 'chocolate' stamp of approval from the FDA.

What's the Secret?

The exact recipe and processing techniques behind ruby chocolate are closely guarded company secrets, but Barry Callebaut claims that it discovered a new type of ruby cocoa bean that grows only under certain climate conditions in three countries: Ecuador, Brazil and the Ivory Coast. That previously undiscovered bean led to the ruby chocolate we see today. However, industry insiders have offered up another theory. They claim that the ruby chocolate is actually made from normal cocoa that is simply unfermented, lending the beans a pink complexion.

Whether or not you buy the story of its hidden origins, the photogenically pink product is starting to make waves on social media. It's already racked up more than 37,000 Instagram posts under the hashtag #rubychocolate. The chocolatier describes the unusual taste of ruby chocolate as "a tension between berry-fruitiness and luscious smoothness," while consumers online have described the chocolate "tart" with "berry notes." The company states that no berries, berry flavors or food coloring are added during production of the chocolate.

Although the chocolate has been released in the U.S., it's not rolling off all the major supermarket shelves yet; therefore, the best way to get ahold of the chocolate for now is online or in select stores. Ruby chocolate purveyors in the U.S. include Harry & David, Vosges and Chocolove (at $31 for a case of 12 bars, this last option may be the best budget option for those with a ruby hankering). Trader Joe's was selling Ruby Cacao Wafers in stores for a limited time earlier this year, but you can still find its product on Amazon. And Creamistry  a California-based chain that sells ice cream made from liquid nitrogen  has even announced a new ruby cacao flavor.

Canada also sells ruby Kit Kat bars; non-Canadians can also purchase the pink wafers on Amazon. For those outside of the U.S. and Canada, check out this handy map to find companies that sell the treat around the globe.

Learn more about chocolate in "Bean-to-Bar Chocolate: Americas Craft Chocolate Revolution: The Origins, the Makers, and the Mind-Blowing Flavors" by Megan Giller. HowStuffWorks picks related titles based on books we think you'll like. Should you choose to buy one, we'll receive a portion of the sale.

Now That's Interesting 'Chocolate' has its linguistic origins in the word 'xocoatl,' which was a chocolate beverage consumed by the Aztec people centuries ago.
The Food and Drug Administration and Juul have agreed to put their court fight on hold while the government reopens its review of the companys electronic cigarettes. Henrico County-based Altria Group Inc. spent $12.8 billion in 2018 for a 35% stake in the California-based company.

The agreement reached this week comes after the FDA placed a hold on its initial order banning Juuls products from the market, saying that Juuls application warranted additional review.

Juul can continue selling its e-cigarettes in the meantime, according to the federal court filing.

VRS counts on last year's earnings to weather this year's market storm The Virginia Retirement System is counting on last years record earnings to weather this years gathering storm in investment markets.

With this administrative stay from the FDA now in place, we continue to offer our products to adult smokers while we pursue the agencys internal review process, Juul executive Joe Murillo said in a statement.

The FDA ordered Juul to pull its products from the market on June 23. A day later, a federal appeals court temporarily blocked the government ban at Juuls request.

If the FDA eventually decides to reimpose its ban, Juul will have 30 days to seek another stay, according to the filing.

To remain on the market, companies must show that their e-cigarettes benefit public health. In practice, that means proving that adult smokers who use them are likely to quit or reduce their smoking, while teens are unlikely to get hooked on them.

FDA regulators have recently authorized a handful of e-cigarettes from some of Juuls chief rivals, including R.J. Reynolds and NJOY. But industry players and anti-vaping advocates had been eagerly awaiting an FDA decision on Juuls products, which are the best-selling e-cigarettes in the U.S.
A 22-year-old crew member on the set of the Netflix series, Outer Banks, was killed in a hit-and-run crash in South Carolina, according to the casting company.

Alexander AJ Jennings was a photo double and stand-in for John B, the shows main protagonist played by Chase Stokes, Kimmie Stewart Casting wrote in a statement on Facebook.

AJ was a beautiful, kind soul (and) a bright light every day on set, the company wrote.

Deputies responded to the crash near Charleston at around 2:30 a.m. on July 5 and found a pedestrian who had been walking in the road was hit by a vehicle, according to a statement from the Charleston County Sheriffs Office.

The vehicle fled the area before law enforcement arrived, according to the agency. A second vehicle also struck the pedestrian and fled the scene, authorities said.

The Charleston County Coroners Office later identified the victim as Jennings. He died just after 3 a.m. on July 5 after being taken to the Medical University of South Carolina, according to the office.

The second vehicle that hit Jennings was stopped by police in downtown Charleston after the crash, the sheriffs office said. Investigators are still looking for the first driver.

No charges have been filed, and the crash is under investigation.

Jennings moved from New York to Charleston to join the Outer Banks crew for its current season, according to the casting company. The show, which is about a group of teenage treasure hunters on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, is filming its third season in the city.

Netflix will offer grief counseling to cast and crew members, the casting company said. The company did not respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.
Richmond police on Wednesday said a tip from a hero citizen prevented a mass shooting at the Dogwood Dell Fourth of July celebration Monday. Two men were arrested, and two assault rifles, a handgun and several hundred rounds of ammunition were seized in a South Richmond residence, authorities said.

The announcement came two days after a rooftop gunman opened fire during an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago, killing seven in a massacre that wounded dozens of others.

Police in Richmond did not release information about a possible motive in the Dogwood Dell case. Police Chief Gerald Smith during a press conference Wednesday said an officer in the 2nd Precinct received the anonymous tip from a concerned citizen, who overheard a conversation regarding a mass shooting.

Officers and agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security investigated the information, which led them to a residence in the 3100 block of Columbia Street, Smith said. One of the occupants Friday allowed police to search the home, where several firearms were found out in the open, police said.

Police later arrested Julio Alvarado-Dubon, 52, of Richmond, who faces a preliminary charge of being a non-U.S. citizen in possession of a firearm. He is being held at Richmond City Jail without bond.

Police also monitored Alvarado-Dubons roommate very, very closely, Smith said, until obtaining probable cause for an arrest warrant. Rolman Balacarcel, 38, of Richmond, was arrested by Virginia State Police in Charlottesville on Tuesday.

He faces the same preliminary charge as Alvarado-Dubon and is being held in Albemarle County Jail with no bond.

Police spokesperson Tracy Walker said both men are from Guatemala. Initial documents filed in General District Court in Richmond say both Alvarado-Dubon and Balacarcel are not in the U.S. legally. The documents, which say Alvarado-Dubon has an expired visa, did not include any details about the alleged plot.

Court documents note bond was set at $15,000 for Alvarado-Dubon on Wednesday, but it was unclear if he had been released. The documents say he has lived in the Richmond area for three years and works full time in the construction industry. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled in Richmond on Aug. 2. Alvarado-Dubons attorney, Jose Aponte, declined to comment Wednesday.

The suspects may face more charges as law enforcements investigation continues. A Richmond police spokesperson said Homeland Security officials are leading the investigation.

Smith said theyre unsure how the weapons were obtained, but the suspects did say their intent was to conduct a mass shooting on the Fourth of July.

He credited the officer in the 2nd precinct and the person who provided information with preventing the shooting.

There is no telling how many lives this hero citizen saved from one phone call, Smith said. It is the responsibility of law enforcement that if we hear something, that we do something, and that is the message I would like to get out there  that see something, say something works.

A constant state of vigilance

The Dogwood Dell event, which featured music and fireworks, was held despite the threat.

Isaiah Cabino, 23, of Richmond, was at the Dogwood Dell event Monday and said the crowds spanned all the way to the Fan.

Cabino, who was with his partner, said he has gotten into the habit of looking for exits and places to hide when going out in public, a routine he said feels common for a generation thats grown up in an era of mass shootings.

And in the wake of a Fourth of July parade shooting in a Chicago suburb, Cabino was already uneasy about Monday night.

It was a constant state of vigilance, said Cabino, a 23-year-old Richmond resident. This reality is not OK. You shouldnt have to go to these events with an expectation of potentially being shot ... The sense of inaction by all levels, both the federal and state level, its something thats not sustainable, especially for kids and folks in my generation.

While music played and people settled into their chairs around 9 p.m. Monday night, Kristin Dittmann sat with her spouse on the curb of Pump House Drive waiting for the fireworks to begin.

It was dark and crowded. Chaos and terror would have ensued, said Dittmann, 63. We must now recognize that were not safe anywhere from gun violence. Guns are everywhere in this country, and what few regulations we have are falling away by the day.

Got to stop

Smith said police had a very robust plan for security for Dogwood Dell. He said they also were monitoring The Diamond, which had fireworks Friday night.

In the Illinois shooting, hundreds were sent fleeing after gunfire erupted in Highland Park. Robert E. Crimo III was charged with seven counts of murder Tuesday.

Two Philadelphia police officers were also wounded during a shooting Monday night at an Independence Day celebration.

In Richmond, a pair of shootings occurred on Independence Day: one incident occurred at a business on Broad Street in which four men and two women were injured. Another person was shot and killed at the City Dogs Restaurant on Main Street the same night.

Smith said the pattern of violence has to end.

Its just got to stop, said Smith. You know, I may be the police chief, but Im also a citizen. Its ridiculous. At some point in time, this has got to stop.

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney on Wednesday urged citizens, local, state and nationally elected officials to do more to curb gun violence.

We need more, Stoney said during the press conference, More policies to keep people safe, so these firearms, these weapons of war dont get in the hands of the wrong people.

When asked if he believes Richmond police have enough resources to continue to prevent tragedies from occurring, Stoney said he and the City Council have taken steps. The city approved a $17 million public safety plan that included pay hikes for police and firefighters and funding for the citys gun buyback program.

Stoney said hes also had conversations with the Commonwealths Attorney Colette McEachin about how to help in this effort, but the justice system is just one piece of the solution.

We cant just be tough on crime and say investing law enforcement is the only answer. We also have to be tough on the root causes of crime, said Stoney.
The RVA East End Festival, which benefits music and arts programs for Richmond Public Schools, is coming back this fall after being on hiatus for the past two years because of the pandemic.

Richmond City Council President Cynthia Newbille, who represents the 7th District, where the festival will be held Sept. 24, announced the festivals return at a news conference Thursday morning at Henry L. Marsh Elementary School.

This is a great day in the district. This is a great day, and it is my absolute honor and pleasure to welcome all of you and invite you to our upcoming RVA 2022 Eastern music festival and especially on these grounds, Newbille said.

The RVA Eastern music festival first started in 2016 [when the] community came together to celebrate music and arts. This was an opportunity to have some significant partnerships with Bon Secours, the Richmond Symphony and Richmond Public Schools ... to bring to our classrooms musical instruments and supplies, art materials, etc. for our children in the East End, and its been phenomenal, Newbille added.

Since its inception, the festival has raised over $400,000 to support music, performing arts and visual arts programs at eight East End Richmond schools.

Newbille was joined Thursday morning by RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras; Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney; festival organizers James Saxsmo Gates and the Rev. Marilyn Heckstall; RPS School Board members Chair Shonda Harris-Muhammed of the 6th District and Cheryl Burke of the 7th District; Joey Trapani, CEO of Richmond Community Hospital; and Walter Bitner, director of education and community engagement for the Richmond Symphony.

Gates, a graduate of RPS and a Grammy-nominated musician, said his love for music began in elementary school.

When I left the Richmond public school system, I never paid any money to go to any institution in America because of playing this saxophone. It all started in elementary school, Gates said. Thats why Im here. I want to give inspiration to all of you to let you know you can do this. You can do this.

This years festival goal is to raise $100,000 for the following schools: Armstrong High, Bellevue Elementary, Chimborazo Elementary, Marsh Elementary, Fairfield Court Elementary, Franklin Military Academy, Martin Luther King Middle, Overby-Sheppard Elementary and Woodville Elementary.

The festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 24 from noon to 9 p.m. at Marsh Elementary in Church Hill. It will feature performances by members of the Richmond Symphony and youth musicians, dancers and visual artists. Local musicians are welcome to perform at the festival by completing an application by Aug. 8.

Burke asked students at the news conference what they thought about the festival coming back. One student said, it sounds like civil rights.

What do you mean civil rights? Burke responded to the student. We can have what any and everybody else has because of the partnerships and the concern and the love for us.

Funds from previous festivals have purchased a new dance studio at Armstrong High, five new pianos and new choir gowns and tuxedos at Franklin Military Academy and Armstrong, Burke said.

After introducing himself to all the students Thursday morning, Kamras said he was thrilled they were in attendance.

Ive gotten to see so many of them use the instruments, experience the arts because of the East End Festival and I got to tell you if you need a smile in your day, just come see RPS students creating singing, dancing, [and] expressing themselves. They are truly extraordinary, Kamras said.

Stoney said Thursday morning, Ive always stated that Richmond is the center for all things arts, history and culture in the entire commonwealth of Virginia. We have something that no other locality in this great state has, its people and its stories, and they are rich indeed.

Gates closed out Thursdays news conference by playing his saxophone.
A Richmond Public Schools spokesperson on Wednesday confirmed the districts chief academic officer has submitted her resignation.

WTVR, the local CBS affiliate, reported Wednesday that Chief Academic Officer Tracy Epps resignation was due to extended medical leave.

WTVR obtained an email Epp sent to her team. In the email, Epp said the decision to leave RPS was incredibly difficult.

In his RPS Direct newsletter Wednesday night, Superintendent Jason Kamras, with permission from Epp, shared an update about her resignation.

Dr. Epp has been on leave tending to some family matters and has decided to step down from the CAO role so that she can continue to do so. Though I am going to miss her dearly, I applaud her for truly putting family first, Kamras wrote.

Kamras asked recipients of the newsletter to join him in thanking Epp, his dear friend and colleague, for her work and wishing her and her family peace, joy and lots of love.

Those of you who know Tracy know that shes a fierce advocate for children  especially for those furthest from opportunity. Shes also wicked smart, incredibly hard-working, and more determined to help students succeed than just about anyone else I know. She has had a profoundly positive impact on RPS that will last for many years to come, and we are all deeply in her debt, Kamras wrote.

Epp is the second member of Kamras leadership team to resign in the past two months.

Chief Operating Officer Alana Gonzalez, who joined the school district in early 2021, resigned effective May 20.

In an email to the School Board that circulated on social media at the time, Kamras wrote that despite my best efforts to retain her, she felt she could not effectively perform her duties given the current political climate, in which she has felt harassed, undermined, and demeaned.

In February, five School Board members sought to eliminate the positions of the chief operating officer and the chief wellness officer from the districts upcoming annual budget. In a deadlocked vote regarding a bloc of unspecified personnel actions the following month, the School Board barred Kamras from filling the position of chief wellness officer.
A Virginia Commonwealth University professor is suing the university for discrimination, alleging she was demoted to a lower-paying position because shes Black and was born in Kenya.

Muthoni Imungi, a professor in the School of Social Work, was removed from an administrative position to a job with a lower salary in 2020, according to the lawsuit, which was filed last month in federal court.

Imungi, who continues to work at VCU, is suing for financial loss, mental anguish and damage to her career and reputation. She is demanding at least $75,000.

In the summer of 2016, Imungi joined VCUs School of Social Work as its director of field education. After she began changing the field education program, her employees became unhappy, the suit alleges. Some asked that they no longer report to her. Tim Davy, who was interim dean at the time, declined the employees requests.

VCU hired a permanent dean, Beth Angell, in the summer of 2018. She, too, received complaints about Imungi, but she was more open to the complaints, the lawsuit states. Angell, who was not named as a defendant, and a spokesperson for VCU declined requests for comment.

In the fall of 2019, Imungi reported she felt she was being treated differently than other employees. Angell suggested Imungi resign, the lawsuit states.

A few months later, a faculty member in the School of Social Work used a racial slur during class, according to the suit, and someone vandalized a banner in the department that read Black history is American history.

VCU investigated, and Imungi spoke out publicly at a meeting, saying she was the only Black person in the School of Social Works leadership and that she had not been treated the same as her white colleagues, the lawsuit asserts.

Angell thanked Imungi for her willingness to speak. I am here to learn and try to do better, Angell said, according to the suit. But in the weeks to come, Imungi says she was excluded from department meetings, including ones regarding diversity and inclusion.

In June 2020, Angell and an associate dean informed Imungi that she was being removed from the director of field education role because she was not a good fit, according to the suit. She was given a teaching position, which did not include a $10,000 annual administrative supplement she used to earn.

Angell and school leadership moved quickly to replace Imungi, the suit states, filling her position with a person of limited experience while other positions sat open. Imungi has a doctorate and 12 years leadership experience.

Imungi filed an appeal with VCUs Equity and Access Services on the basis of race and national origin discrimination, according to the suit. But it asserts that Angell indicated she would not be available for an interview until months later and declined mediation offered by the university.

In February 2021, Imungi filed a charge of race and national origin discrimination and retaliation in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate based on race, color or national origin.

Imungi, who remains a full-time professor in the School of Social Work, has requested a jury trial. Angell recently was named a dean at the University of Michigan.

VCU is represented by an outside lawyer, W. Ryan Waddell, who specializes in Title VII cases.
China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has initiated a Level IV emergency response for flood control in the country's northern and northeastern regions, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on Wednesday.

The emergency response was launched for provincial-level regions, including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Shandong and Henan, as downpours are expected to lash some of these areas before Friday.

The precipitation may cause the water level of the Liaohe River, which has exceeded its warning level for days, to rise further, the ministry warned. And natural disasters such as floods, mountain torrents, landslides and urban waterlogging could occur in the affected areas.

China has a four-tier flood control emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe response.




Virginia Commonwealth University released a safety alert Thursday morning following a confrontation on West Broad Street that began when a man hit a woman with a cafe chair, and she responded by firing a gun at him, police said. Residents were asked to temporarily avoid the area and stay in their homes.

Officers were called to the 400 block of West Broad Street in downtown Richmond at 10:23 a.m., Richmond police said. The area is one block east of the intersection of North Belvidere Street and West Broad Street.

An adult female told authorities she was approached by a man she didnt know as she was leaving a nearby business. The two confronted each other, and the man struck the woman with a cafe chair. Police did not say what led to the confrontation.

The woman revealed a firearm and shot in the direction of the man, who fled eastbound on Broad. She then entered her vehicle and drove eastbound in the westbound lanes in pursuit.

She made it about four blocks, stopping at North Adams Street. VCU Police, who were alerted by a passerby, detained the woman. Authorities have not charged her, and they havent released her name.

Richmond police later arrested the man they believe started the confrontation. Police arrested Mark Banks, 29, of Richmond, and charged him with malicious wounding. He was not injured.

No other injuries were reported, police said, and other charges are possible.
A federal judge in Lynchburg has signed off on a plan for the Humane Society to transfer about 4,000 beagles from Envigos Cumberland breeder mill to shelters so they can be placed for adoption.

Envigo, the Humane Society and the U.S. government presented the joint plan after U.S. District Judge Norman Moon refused Envigos bids for permission to sell more than 2,000 beagles to fulfill a sister companys research contracts.

Envigo will pay the Humane Society a $100 fee per beagle and $150 per nursing mother and litter under 8 weeks. The Humane Society will transmit the fees to shelters in order to defray the costs of preparing the beagles for adoption.

"Virginia is for dog lovers today," said Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, who sponsored legislation to protect dogs and cats at research facilities, along with Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax and Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle.

Stanley said "it's a victory for the dogs and a victory for stopping needless experiments" on the animals.

Inotiv, Envigos Indiana-based parent company, recently announced its plans to close Envigos beagle mill, which Moon has castigated for its torturous abuse of dogs and puppies in repeated violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

Under the agreement, the Humane Society will be solely responsible for coordinating transfer of the beagles from the Cumberland site and for the beagles placement with animal shelters and rescue organizations for adoption. The Humane Society agreed that it will place as many beagles as possible with shelters on the East Coast and in the Midwest and that beagles under 8 weeks will be transported with their mothers.

Stanley said the goal now is "finding good, permanent, loving homes for all of these dogs."

He encouraged anyone who wants to get on a list to adopt a beagle from Envigo to call his office at (540) 721-6028.

Stanley previously played a key role in helping hundreds of beagles rescued from Envigo find homes. His family adopted two of those beagles and he says anyone who adopts a dog or puppy saved from Envigo will find it was "the best decision they ever made."

The senator said he is concerned that many shelters already are overburdened and added that advocates seeking to help the beagles will "have to be very creative here."

Last year, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals conducted an undercover investigation at Envigo's Cumberland facility. PETA posted disturbing video of beagles housed in what it called a prison like factory.

Daphna Nachminovitch, PETAs senior vice president of cruelty investigations, said in a statement: PETAs groundbreaking undercover investigation helped spark a historic domino effect of state and federal legislative and law-enforcement action that paved the way for these dogs independence and this dog prisons closure.

Envigos surviving victims will soon be given the opportunity to have what every dog deserves  the freedom to enjoy life, love, and respect for their individuality as members of a family home.

Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, Virginia Democrats, said in a joint statement: After months of advocacy, were heartened to know that nearly 4,000 Envigo dogs will be spared a lifetime of suffering and will instead head to loving homes.

Were also pleased to know that Inotiv  Envigos parent company  will shutter its Cumberland facility and that no more dogs will be subject to the appalling conditions and inexcusable distress endured by so many dogs and puppies at the facility.
A window is opening for direct airline flights between Richmond International Airport and international destinations with the planned construction of a new federal customs facility that is receiving almost $5 million in federal funding.

Rep. Don McEachin, D-Richmond, and Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine said Thursday that the airport will receive a $665,000 competitive grant under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to build the facility at the regional airport in eastern Henrico County.

These funds are a game-changer for the Richmond community, McEachin said in an interview on Thursday. It literally gives us an opportunity to open up to the world. ... It truly underscores that we are an international airport.

The project was already scheduled to receive almost $4 million through a spending request that Warner and Kaine had inserted into the federal government spending bill that Congress passed in March. Airport officials expect to issue a notice to proceed with the project in September and complete work by next July.

For Richmond, the construction of a new inspection facility for U.S. Customs and Border Patrol will allow the airport to compete for direct international flights that have not been able to fly to or from there because the 19-year-old inspection facility is too outdated to use.

Currently, the airport does not handle international commercial flights, but only processes international charter aircraft flights or flights diverted to Richmond in an emergency, as well as international cargo. Foreign airports that do not have customs pre-clearance customs for U.S. passengers cannot land in Richmond.

This is a big deal for the community, said Perry Miller, president and CEO of the Capital Region Airport Commission. To be international in name only is a disservice to the community.

We have some airlines that are interested in flying here internationally already, said Miller, who succeeded longtime CEO Jon Mathiasen three years ago, a little more than six months before the COVID-19 pandemic crippled air travel at the airport.

Miller estimated the total cost of the new inspection facility at $7.1 million, including equipment and project management.

We will be pursuing every dollar we can, he said in an interview on Thursday.

The infrastructure funding package, which President Joe Biden signed last fall, already includes $35.6 million for Richmond International Airport over the next five years, as part of a $400 million fund for Virginia airports.

Some of that money could be used for the inspection facility, but Miller said the airport also has a number of other major projects in its five-year plan, including replacing the aircraft rescue and firefighting facility built there in 1980 that no longer complies with current standards.

McEachin, whose House district includes the airport, has already submitted a request for $4 million in community project funding for the rescue and firefighting facility. The request is included in legislation a House subcommittee marked up to go through the appropriations process in both chambers.

Similarly, the current federal customs inspection facility, built in 2003, no longer complies with design, security and operating standards for Customs and Border Patrol, which will now oversee the Richmond airport through its field office in Baltimore instead of Atlanta.

They just drew a hard line in the sand and said, We just cant process international flights here on a regular basis, Miller said.

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the $665,000 grant to the airport through the Airport Terminals Program in the infrastructure act. The department also awarded a $49.6 million grant to Washington Dulles International Airport in Loudoun County to build a 14-gate concourse there.

These funds will go toward modernizing and updating both Dulles and Richmond International Airports, Warner and Kaine said in a statement on Thursday. We are glad to see continued, meaningful investment in the commonwealths infrastructure thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law that will make travel through our airports easier and more accessible.

Congress passed the infrastructure bill with bipartisan support, but Virginias congressional delegation voted along party lines. None of Virginias four Republican members of Congress supported it because it included spending they did not consider to be traditional infrastructure.

Warner played a major role in negotiating the deal in the Senate, with Kaine in support. McEachin and six other Virginia Democrats voted for the package in the House of Representatives.

Hundreds of thousands of people, personnel, and goods come through our airport every year, and this federal funding will help ensure our infrastructure is efficient, safe, and up to date, McEachin said in a statement. Investments in our airport infrastructure will also help improve customers experience, increase access for Americans with disabilities, and enhance our transportation capabilities.
Gov. Glenn Youngkins PAC raised more than $1.5 million in the second quarter, a record-breaking boost as he seeks to build his national profile and readies for next years Virginia legislative elections.

Youngkins leadership committee, Spirit of Virginia, took in $1.5 million between April 1 and June 30 just in contributions of $10,000 or more, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. That dwarfs the previous record for a Virginia governor in the second quarter of his first year in office.

News of the fundraising haul comes as Youngkin prepares to set out around the country boosting GOP candidates in the midterm elections. Youngkin, who this weekend will deliver the keynote speech to the Nebraska Republican Party Convention, has not dismissed reports that he is considering a presidential bid in 2024.

Kristin Davison, vice president of Axiom Strategies, the national consulting firm that managed Youngkins gubernatorial campaign and still advises him, said the governor has been 100% focused on delivering in Virginia, most recently through the budget he signed  which included more than $4 billion in tax cuts.

But she added of the fundraising: Its a sign that people in Virginia, where the movement started, and elsewhere  where its growing  are excited to be part of the team.

Youngkin, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Attorney General Jason Miyares were the first Republicans to win statewide in Virginia since 2009. Youngkin proved able to walk the Trump tightrope, producing a huge turnout in rural red counties while competing in large suburban counties that spurned the former president in 2016 and 2020.

Then-Gov. Terry McAuliffes PAC raised about $600,000 in the second quarter of 2014, setting the previous state mark for the same stage, according to VPAP. Youngkin defeated McAuliffe in the 2021 election. (The VPAP figures do not include funds governors transferred from other committees.)

J. Christopher Perry, president and CEO of VAMAC, a plumbing, septic and well wholesale company, was the top donor to Youngkins committee in the most recent period, contributing $100,000.

The committee also received eight contributions of $50,000 each. Those donors included investor Mark Gerson; William B. Holtzman of Holtzman Oil; Marvin W. Gilliam Jr., a former coal executive and longtime GOP donor who served on the states redistricting commission; and Paul B. Manning, chairman and CEO of PBM Capital.

Youngkin is trying to parlay his electoral success at winning a formerly blue state to a national platform through a pair of new federally registered organizations to push candidates or issues in other states, as well as in Virginia.

In March, his political team formed the Spirit of Virginia political action committee under Section 527 of the federal tax code to raise money for political candidates in Virginia and other states, and Americas Spirit, a social welfare organization under the tax code to advocate for political issues, but not campaigns.

Davison has previously said the organizations have a threefold mission. The first is to promote Youngkins legislative agenda, as Spirit of Virginia did with television ads aimed at pressuring Senate Democrats to agree to a state budget including all of his $5 billion tax cut package.

The other, more narrowly political missions are to keep Virginia reliably red by electing Republican candidates here and to help other candidates around the country, especially in Democratic-controlled states the GOP hopes to flip, the governors political consultant said.

In the near future, Youngkin hopes to help turn some closely fought Virginia U.S. House seats from blue to red, as state Sen. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia Beach, challenges Rep. Elaine Luria, D-2nd, and Yesli Vega, a Prince William County supervisor and deputy sheriff, takes on Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th.

Next year, all 140 Virginia legislative seats will be up for election. Democrats currently hold a 21-19 edge in the Senate while Republicans hold a 52-48 edge in the House.

Second-quarter campaign finance reports are not due until July 15, but the committee must more quickly disclose donations of $10,000 or more, according to VPAP.

In the reporting period covering Jan. 1 through March 31, the committees largest expenditures were for media production, media placement and digital advertising.
A Henry County woman admitted Wednesday that she joined hundreds of Donald Trump supporters in storming the U.S. Capitol over what he called a stolen election.

Yes, your honor, Jamie Lynn Ferguson said via a video connection when asked by a judge in Washington, D.C.s federal court if she was pleading guilty because she was, in fact, guilty.

Ferguson, a member of the West Virginia National Guard, is scheduled for a Nov. 18 sentencing. Under a plea agreement, she will face up to six months in jail on a misdemeanor charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta also ordered the 44-year-old to pay $500 in restitution, which will go toward an estimated $1.5 million in damages caused by the violent mob.

Federal authorities arrested Ferguson after surveillance cameras showed her in a crowd that forced its way through the Capitols East Rotunda doors as Congress was meeting to certify the 2020 presidential election.

According to evidence introduced Wednesday, she was wearing blue jeans and a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt emblazoned with the words Yes, Im a Trump girl.

Ferguson spent about 45 minutes walking around the Rotunda with other rioters and committed no acts of violence before leaving.

Three days prior to Jan. 6, according to court documents, Ferguson posted an image to Facebook that showed a crowd in front of the Capitol with a dark cloud above it and the words: a storm of patriots will fight for the Republic, this will be a historic day.

I pray this is exactly what DC will look like on Jan. 6, Ferguson wrote in post, saying that she would be there.

Court records show that Ferguson requested leave from the National Guard the week of the insurrection, saying she planned to travel to Washington. A spokesman said Wednesday that Ferguson is still a member of the guard, but that her status is under review.

Under the plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to drop more serious charges, which included entering a restricted area and disorderly conduct.
Despite decades of experience in public education, Virginia Board of Education appointee Alan Seibert said he is not preconceiving plans for once hes sworn into office later this month.

I'm not going in with a to-do list, Seibert said during a phone call Tuesday. I'm looking at this the way I've looked at every new career opportunity I've ever had. My first step is to learn, and get to know people.

Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin named five new appointees, including Seibert, to the nine-member Virginia Board of Education last week, and those members will start work July 20, pending final approval from the Virginia General Assembly sometime next year. The state boards mission statement is to develop policies and provide leadership that improve student achievement.

Assessment and accountability will probably be big topics in the couple years ahead, Seibert said. That's where I have some experience and expertise.

Under Youngkins administration, the state department of education in May released a report that the governor said, demonstrates that Virginias student achievement gaps are disturbing and cannot be ignored.

Seibert said there is room for modernization in how school divisions assess and are held accountable for student achievement, namely through end-of-course Standards of Learning exams, often shortened as SOLs.

The SOL system is now well over 20 years old, and the tests really haven't changed that much in that time, Seibert said. We absolutely still need assessments, and we need good data from them, and we need good processes to use that data. But it's probably time to kind of modernize the system.

SOL tests measure student achievement  whether someone meets the states learning standards. Its good information to know, Seibert said, but a balanced approach to assessment is the optimal way to gauge all-around scholastic success.

A balanced approach to assessment means you don't just have one test, or one type of test, he said. In terms of individual students, you want to know is the child growing? Is the child making progress? What is their progress relative to the standard?

No lone assessment can completely gauge student academic development, but that data can track over time, using a variety of techniques, he said.

You need to have different assessments for different purposes, Seibert said. We have tools available now to really accurately measure student growth, to get snapshots of student growth at different times, and then you can add those together.

Seibert said he plans to use his 30 years of experience with Salem City Schools, including 15 years as superintendent, plus new experience as constituent services and government relations officer for Roanoke City Public Schools, while serving on the state board.

That work, on top of his past involvement at the state level participating on other bipartisan boards and education task forces, is likely why he got the call for Virginia Board of Education, he said.

You always want to try to have a seat at the table, Seibert said. This time, I was invited to be at the table.

While Seibert said his to-do list going into the new role is mostly blank, there are ongoing concerns for education locally: need for new school facilities across Southwest Virginia, and an overarching perception that this region does not have enough of a presence when it comes to state policymaking.

Making sure our policy decisions are representative of our different communities, it's just important, Seibert said. Public education  the children and families we serve, and all the school divisions  this is where my whole career is.

Virginia Board of Education members serve four-year terms. Though Seibert starts this month, the full tenure of Youngkin's board appointments is still dependent on formal approval from the Virginia General Assembly, which won't happen until the legislature convenes in early 2023.

Earlier this year, Republicans in the legislature rejected three nominations made by former Gov. Ralph Northam to the state Board of Education, expediting Youngkin's ability to name his own appointments. Time will tell whether legislative disputes over gubernatorial appointments continue into next lawmaking session.

As for the "part-time retirement" Seibert announced last year, he said sometimes a call cannot go unanswered.
Blue Ridge PBS has announced that it is creating an all-digital television station for Southwest Virginia.

The nonprofit PBS Appalachia  Va, the first of its kind, will hit the web on June 10, 2023, according to a Wednesday news release. Blue Ridge PBS President and CEO William Anderson said in the release that much of the 13 county area has no access to PBS television. Anderson said that rural Appalachia is greatly overlooked and underserved, due to a lack of resources.

We know we must be where other media outlets are not and provide the content that they wont or cant, he said in the news release.

PBS Appalachia| Vas headquarters, including a state-of-the-art studio, will be at the Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Center (formerly called Heartwood) in Abingdon. It will allow real-time production tours as it showcases the region through video.

Julie Newman is vice president and general manager of the new station. Newman, who has won four Regional Emmy Awards in 23 years of television experience, most recently was news anchor for News 5 WCYB in Bristol. Jacob Dellinger is PBS Appalachia| Vas executive producer. Dellinger is a three-time Regional Emmy winning cinematographer, director and producer covering Southwest Virginia.

When it goes live, the station will be available on any smart TV connected to wi-fi or broadband, local cable stations and such streaming services as YouTube TV, Roku. The station will also have its own mobile app.
One of the readers who played the Im so old, I remember   game in the June 30 column was Fran Delaney of Christiansburg. Shes now 70, but remembered when her arm was pulled through an old-fashioned washing-machine wringer, at age 4.

The column ended with a short spiel about S&H Green Stamps, which were remembered by another reader, Jim Fralin of Palm Springs, California.

That caught Delaneys eye and triggered a flood of her own memories. She sent me an email outlining a multigenerational tale about her family and S&H Green Stamps. From the sound of it, those were a key part of her childhood, as the second-born in a family of seven kids. We later spoke on the phone.

In case youre unfamiliar, S&H Green Stamps  and other branded trading stamps  were a big deal in the 1960s. They were an old-fashioned loyalty rewards program operated by the Sperry & Hutchinson Co. Gas stations and grocery stores and some department stores gave out the stamps to clientele.

Customers would get X number of stamps for every $5 spent, or some formula like that. Youd lick the stamps and paste them into redemption books. Those could be traded for all kinds of household items  at redemption stores owned by the trading stamp companies. By 1999, the industry was all but obsolete.

Delaney said her mom, Rosalie Bell Franklin Redmon Paige, was well known at the S&H Green Stamp store in Pulaski, and at the store that redeemed Top Value stamps, too.

Twice a year or so, occasionally with children in tow, Rosalie would show up with grocery bags and boxes stuffed with S&H Green Stamps and Top Value redemption books, each with stamps mounted carefully on every page.

It always blew the minds of redemption store employees, Delaney recalled.

They always wanted to put our picture in the newspaper, because nobody else ever came into that store with that many books of stamps, Delaney recalled. In the Franklin family, shopping trips to the redemption stores were a regular thing.

The story of how and why is even more interesting and richer.

It begins with Delaneys father, Garnett Allen Franklin, a Black kid who grew up in the Jim Crow South, which included Montgomery County. He attended, but didnt quite graduate from, the Christiansburg Institute, a segregated high school for Black students who hailed from Elliston, Riner, Pulaski, Dublin, Radford, Blacksburg and Christiansburg, Delaney said.

After high school, Garnett and his older brother, Fred, moved north, to Youngstown, Ohio, as many, many young black men from the region did, back then, Delaney said. The future looked brighter in the north, she said.

They got good-paying union jobs in a steel mill, and met and married a couple of sisters in northern Ohio. Thats where Rosalie grew up, and she was a pistol.

My mother was very feisty, Delaney recalled. She didnt grow up in the Jim Crow south. She wasnt subservient. Rosalie raised her seven children to be the same way. (One of them is Penny Franklin, the only Black member of the Montgomery County School Board.)

After the steel mills went on an extended strike, both Franklin brothers moved their young families back to Christiansburg.

When the Civil Rights Movement started up, our family was in the thick of that, Delaney said. Rosalie was deeply involved with the local NAACP chapter and social activism. Once in a while, her children joined her in marches. She launched the first Head Start program in Christiansburg, and all kinds of other things to improve the life here, Delaney recalled.

For a time after theyd moved back to Christiansburg, Garnett and his brother worked for an uncle who owned a junkyard, where they picked up skills in auto mechanics. Because of segregation, any Black traveler whose car broke down in Christiansburg was directed to the family business.

Sometimes, if the cars couldnt be repaired the same day, the Franklin family would put up the broken-down travelers for the night, and cook them breakfast in the morning, Delaney said.

Garnett, meanwhile, had his eyes on launching his own business. He had impressed a white businessman, who persuaded a bank to loan Garnett money to buy a dump truck.

It was a big deal for him to do that, to start that business, Delaney said. Mind you, this occurred during a period when public schools were still segregated in most of Virginia. Black businessmen in Christiansburg were rare.

G.A. Franklin Hauling was a successful trucking company. Garnett paid off the loan, bought more trucks and grew the business.

He had a contract to haul sand and gravel from a quarry to a New River Valley concrete producer, Concrete Products Inc. Its owner was the businessman who persuaded the bank to make the loan to Garnett. Delaney identified him as Mr. Via.

A trucking company buys lots of fuel, and Garnett worked out an arrangement to buy all his truck fuel from two different gas stations, Delaney told me. One was a Sinclair station in Christiansburg. The other, Sids Coal and Oil, was on the way to Radford. Both are gone now.

One of them distributed S&H Green Stamps. The other, Delaney recalled, handed out Top Value trading stamps, which were yellow with red printing. Both stations offered Garnett a discount because of the large volume of fuel his company bought. But Garnett declined, and told them he would prefer trading stamps instead.

Every so often, Garnett would bring home stamps  entire bound books of them, which Delaney described as, the size of a National Geographic magazine and just as thick, too. The pages were solid trading stamps.

All the stamps had to be torn out and pasted into redemption books, which were far smaller than the stamp books. And thats where Rosalie and the kids entered the picture.

We had to tear them up and mount them in blank redemption books, Delaney recalled. They were smaller, like half the size of the book the stamps came in. We would paste the stamps in the books.

Even with kid helpers, there were way too many stamps to lick, Delaney said. Instead, the Franklin family trading stamp gang wetted the adhesive stamp backs with their fingers from a bowl of water.

Once every stamp had been mounted, and scores of redemption books were stuffed into brown-paper supermarket bags, and cardboard boxes, and those were loaded in the car, Rosalie would go shopping at a redemption store.

Thats where the clerks Ooh-ed! and Ah-ed! and begged the family to let them call the local newspaper, to take a picture, because nobody had ever before seen a customer redeem that many trading stamp books at one time.

Rosalie furnished much of the Franklin family home in Cambria with household goods from those stores, Delaney said. The booty included silverware sets, a silver tea service with a tray, kitchen mixing bowls, cookware, serving dishes and more.

The kitchenware was solid glass and metal stuff, not like the plastic junk today, Delaney added.

On one trading-stamp shopping adventure, Delaney recalled, Rosalie proudly scored a set of metal TV trays, a hot 1960s consumer item. They came in a caddy, Delaney said. The trays allowed people to eat their dinners in their living rooms while they watched television. Back then, nobody sported TVs in their kitchen or dining room.

Other redemption store scores included baby items, toys, linens, dishcloths, towels, and all kinds of glasses, tumblers and stemware. Those had golden rims and other golden images painted on them.

I remember a lamp, maybe a couple, Delaney told me. It was hardly dollar-store junk. This was good stuff, she added. She has no idea where any of it is today.

All good things must come to an end, and the Franklin familys trading stamp bonanza was no exception. One of Garnetts dump trucks had a wreck with a school bus, Delaney said. She cant recall if anyone was killed.

After the crash, Garnett couldnt get insurance for his trucks. So he sold them. By then, the trucking company wasnt his only business. Garnett started a trash-hauling business in Montgomery County, which he later gave to his brother, Fred.

With skills hed developed working in the junkyard, Garnett also opened an auto repair shop. At another point, he worked for a paving company that did only large jobs. But he noticed there was also a stiff demand for small jobs the company didnt want.

They didnt have time to do single driveways and smaller jobs, Delaney said. But Garnett did. He formed his own small-job paving company that was especially lucrative, she recalled.

He was always working, she said.

Garnett Allen Franklin died in 1968, at age 39. At the time, Delaney was 16, and five of her six siblings were younger. She learned from her mother, later, that her dad had succumbed to cancer. People often didnt talk about such things back then, Delaney said.

And thats the story behind the Franklin familys great trading stamp caper. Its background is even more fascinating than the stamps themselves, eh?

You could call it a step back to a simpler time, which it was in some ways. But socially and politically, the 1960s were far more turbulent than the 2020s  at least so far. And yet we survived, and have progressed, albeit slowly. Well make it through this current malaise, too.

By the way, Garnett wasnt Rosalies last husband. She buried two more after him.

Ten years after his death, Rosalie married Tommy Redmon. (Delaney recalls his last name as Redmond, but shes not quite certain.) In the early 1980s, they opened and operated Rosalies Soul Kitchen on Depot Street in Christiansburg. It was in the old Eureka Hotel, a Black hotel during the days of segregation. Redmon died in 1985.

Even later, Rosalie married again, to Frank Paige, a widower and pastor. He died of a heart attack.

Rosalie Bell Franklin Redmon Page is still with us, at age 91. Family members in Christiansburg care for her. Physically, shes strong but her memory isnt what it used to be, Delaney said.

God bless.
The Roanoke Valley Libraries Consortium is beginning a new chapter with the elimination of late fees.

The RVL has not charged late fees since sometime during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the move became official at the beginning of July after all of the governing bodies agreed to follow a growing trend nationally to eliminate them.

The libraries are funded by the respective governments, but the consortium works on issues such as sharing materials, and is made up of the libraries in Salem, Roanoke, Roanoke County and Botetourt County.

The move comes as other library systems around the country have seen positive results from eliminating fines.

Chicago saw a 240% increase in return of materials within three weeks of implementing its fine-free policy in 2019, according to a presentation given to the Salem City Council by the citys library director, Ann Tripp.

More than two dozen localities in Virginia have already made the switch, and the new policy will give access back to 28,661  or 14%  of citizens, according to Tripps presentation from earlier this year.

Under the old policy, more than $10 in fines would lock an individuals account.

Botetourt County was the first locality in the consortium to fully eliminate fines, doing so early in the pandemic, according to county officials.

Botetourt Library Director Julie Phillips wrote in an email in early May about the positive effects the new policy was having for citizens:

The people who need our free materials the most are often the least able to return materials on time (transportation and other challenges) and the least able to afford paying even small fees. Children are most strongly affected. Removing overdue fines means that every citizen in Botetourt can borrow library materials freely.

Phillips also noted the system her libraries have seen no negative change in user behavior.

Just the opposite, in fact  our patrons are returning materials more promptly than in the past since they dont have to face the embarrassment of paying overdue fines upon return or deal with the humiliation of explaining why theyll be unable to pay right away, she wrote.

Tripp also said in a recent press release the move is a positive one.

We are pleased to be able to eliminate the financial stress of strict due dates, she said. Patrons will continue to be charged for lost or damaged items, however, we trust the community will continue to return the items, and on-time, so others may enjoy access to the library collection.
Chinese-built SGR porvides stable freight service in Kenya

Xinhua) 08:25, July 06, 2022

Photo taken on Oct. 2, 2018 shows a double-decker container train of the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Kenya. According to data from Afristar, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has transported more than 1.7 million TEUs of containers in the last five years. In addition, the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR runs 16 freight trains daily. (Xinhua)

Photo taken on Jan. 5, 2022 shows a tea export special train of the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Nairobi, Kenya,. According to data from Afristar, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has transported more than 1.7 million TEUs of containers in the last five years. In addition, the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR runs 16 freight trains daily. (Xinhua)

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2017 shows the inland container depot in Nairobi, Kenya. According to data from Afristar, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has transported more than 1.7 million TEUs of containers in the last five years. In addition, the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR runs 16 freight trains daily. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

Workers uncover the waterproof cloth covered on grains transported on the bulk grain shipping line of the Grain Bulk Handlers Ltd (GBHL) in Nairobi, Kenya, May 18, 2022. According to data from Afristar, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has transported more than 1.7 million TEUs of containers in the last five years. In addition, the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR runs 16 freight trains daily. (Xinhua/Long Lei)

Photo taken on Dec. 10, 2018 shows a wire rod transport train of the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Kenya. According to data from Afristar, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has transported more than 1.7 million TEUs of containers in the last five years. In addition, the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR runs 16 freight trains daily. (Xinhua)

Photo taken on March 14, 2021 shows a bulk grain transport train of the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Kenya. According to data from Afristar, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has transported more than 1.7 million TEUs of containers in the last five years. In addition, the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR runs 16 freight trains daily. (Xinhua)

The first freight train of the Nairobi-Naivasha Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) arrives at the Naivasha Inland Container Depot in Kenya, on Dec. 17, 2019. The 120km Nairobi-Naivasha railway is an extension of the Chinese-built modern railway that connects Kenya's coastal port city Mombasa to the capital Nairobi. The Mombasa-Nairobi SGR, mainly financed by China and constructed by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), which began construction in 2014 and finished in 2017. According to data from Afristar, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has transported more than 1.7 million TEUs of containers in the last five years. In addition, the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR runs 16 freight trains daily. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)

Freight trains are seen at Nairobi station of Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, Nov. 17, 2021. According to data from Afristar, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has transported more than 1.7 million TEUs of containers in the last five years. In addition, the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR runs 16 freight trains daily. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
Heres some breaking news for you: time passes. Dashing heroes become old men. One generation fades into history and another arises, hopefully willing to learn a thing or two from their predecessors. Its just the nature of things.

I once did a study of the last surviving veterans of major American wars, and averaged the time they lived after their conflict ended. It was around 90 years, meaning that (given extended life spans nowadays) sometime in the next 15 years or so well read about the death of the last known World War II veteran. If Im still around then, Ill mourn and tell my grandkids (whether they like it or not) about some of the Greatest Generation that Ive known.

That days not here yet  there are still WWII veterans around to tell their stories. But I felt like we crossed a line in history and closed an era last week with the death of Hershel Woody Williams. Woody was the last of the 473 World War II servicemen to receive the nations highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.

It would be presumptuous for me to call Woody a friend, but I was privileged to meet him and spend a little time with him on a few occasions. Ive spoken to lots of veterans, but no others with that sky blue ribbon around their neck. I regret that I never found an adequate way to express the honor it was to be in his presence.

As I write this, news arrives that Williams will lie in state at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., another singular honor afforded to only a few historic figures. Its fitting that such would be the case, however. Woody not only exemplified battlefield heroics; his life afterward, bearing the medal and the considerable weight that comes with it, was a life of humility, service and sharing glory with so many others.

Woody grew up not too far away, in rural West Virginia, and enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1943 (partly because he thought the uniform snazzier than the Armys). February 1945 found him on Iwo Jima, where his unbelievable attack on multiple enemy pillboxes warranted the nations highest honor. I wont try to describe what he did. Youll have to look up an adequate description of his valor. Yet hed be the first to tell you he was nothing special  and youd be the first to disbelieve him.

He was a hero in war and a hero in peace. Woody stayed in the Marine Corps Reserve after WWII and worked for the Veterans Administration. Like many combat vets, Williams struggled to come to grips with what had happened; he found solace in religious faith and service to others. He served as chaplain of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society for more than a third of a century.

The day Williams died, I happened to have a prearranged lunch meeting with Bob, a Silver Star-awarded paratrooper from the Korean War. Hes also a West Virginian and a lifelong friend of Woody Williams; Bob spoke to him at least weekly and has written about the man he called a friend and a buddy. I expressed heartfelt condolences, and listened to some great stories. Then we discussed not battlefield heroics but the effort that filled Woodys later years.

Woody came to believe that, while the heroes who gave their lives in battle had many monuments and memorials around the country, the families they left behind were too often forgotten. And yet they also made a great, irreplaceable sacrifice. He began a foundation to place in each state a Gold Star Families Memorial Monument to honor the unremembered, whose scars are less visible but no less real. Woody knew their pain  in his teenage years before enlisting he occasionally delivered the dreaded Western Union telegrams that tore out a mother or wifes heart.

By his death, there were 104 Gold Star Monuments completed, at least one built or planned in each state. Woodys presence at them was also a cathartic experience for many Gold Star families  Ive witnessed the tears and embraces myself.

I got the news of Woodys death early, in a text from a friend at the WWII Museum in New Orleans. I immediately responded with a quote from Patton: It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived. Woody is survived by his loving family and a grateful nation. We are all his Gold Star Family now.
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CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California's state Capitol works and why it matters. Dan Walters has been a journalist for nearly 60 years, spending all but a few of those years working for California newspapers.
" " A trove of unique extremophiles were found at the bottom of the 7,800 foot-deep Homestake Gold Mine in Lead, S.D. Corbis Images

Extremophiles are tiny microbes that are able to thrive in hot, salty and even acidic or gaseous environments that would kill other forms of life. Now scientists are using these hardy dwellers of the seafloor and hot springs to produce biofuels like ethanol more efficiently and at lower cost.

These heat and salt-loving microorganisms are good at breaking down biological material like wood chips, waste crops or other sorts of plant material. They also literally "take the heat" when it comes to punishing industrial processes. Until recently, researchers have had trouble culturing these wild-growing extremophiles and harnessing their properties. But recent advances have allowed them to turn them into bio-powered refineries.

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"I believe they will be a big generator for energy in the near future," said Rajesh Sani, assistant professor of biological and chemical engineering at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. "We had some trouble at first, but in the past five years, we've learned how to culture them. Now they cooperate and grow nicely with us."

Sani found a trove of unique extremophiles at the bottom of the 4,800 foot-deep Homestake Gold Mine in Lead, S.D. The bacteria were living in the warm soil and in the fissures between the rocks at the bottom of the mine.

"Outside it was snowing," Sani recalls. "But at the bottom of the mine it was 40 to 45 degrees C (104 to 113 F). We we're sweating."

Sani and his colleagues cultured the Geobacillus bacteria and used it to break down corn waste and cord grass from solid to liquid at nearly 160 degrees F. This fermentation process has long been used to produce biofuels -- and beer -- but now it can be done in fewer steps, using less water and smaller reactor vessels, explained Sani.

"We are trying to eliminate some steps to make it more cost effective," Sani said.

The results of the experiment were published in the August edition of the journal Extremophiles. His research and that of dozens of other scientists will be discussed at two big conferences this month in Yellowstone National Park and at the University of Georgia.

With concerns over food security, and new mandates by the US and European governments to use more biofuels, researchers are ramping up their efforts to find new ways to turn plant material into fuel. Barny Whitman, a microbiologist at the University of Georgia, says researchers are still understanding how extremophiles make enzymes under tough conditions.

"At higher temperatures, (chemical) reactions go faster and the catalysts are more stable," Whitman said. "It's generally cheaper to run (a reactor) at high temperature rather than low temp because cooling is more expensive and a lot of these reactions generate heat."

Whitman's research is focused on identifying ancient forms of life called archaeobacteria that make methane gas. He believes they could eventually be used to turn sewage or municipal waste into a usable fuel.

One of the pioneers of extremophile biotechnology is also speaking at the Georgia conference. Eric Mathur, vice president for research at SG Biofuels in San Diego, isolated genes from a bacteria growing on deep-sea hydrothermal vents, and then transferred the genetic material into corn plants more than a decade ago. Now he's found the ultimate extremophile -- a desert shrub called jatropha whose seeds produce a compound that is 40 percent oil. The firm has jatropha plantations in Guatemala, Brazil and India and is selling its jatropha-powered mixtures to European airlines that are under the gun to run on biofuel.

Mathur said researchers would do well to expand their search for biofuel-producing catalysts that are rugged, stable and can thrive under pressure.

"I look at extremophiles as a broad term to describe organisms that can survive in conditions where others can't," Mathur said. "The plants we work with now are extremophiles. They are crazy plants that live outside the window of arable land."

The Gist They don't need oxygen or sunlight and can survive acid baths and doses of radiation that would kill other organisms.

With concerns over food security, and new mandates to use more biofuels, researchers are ramping up their efforts to find new ways to turn plant material into fuel.

The biofuel-producing catalysts are rugged, stable and can thrive under pressure. Read More
FLORENCE, S.C.  The Darlington Street Water Plant will remain offline until a new water pump motor arrives, is installed and the facility can pass a water-quality test, City of Florence Utilities Director Michael Hemingway said.

The water plant was removed from service last week when utilities department employees discovered the groundwater well pump wasnt working. The employees were investigating reports of discolored water in the central area of the city.

A new pump motor has been ordered, Hemingway said, but the manufacturer is unable to confirm a delivery date. The city has a third-party contractor ready to install the water pump motor once it arrives.

It also is working with the Regional South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control team to develop a remediation plan and resolve the water quality situation, Hemingway said.

We will take a bacterial analysis, Hemingway said. We will be able to put it back online after we get the results of the bacterial analysis.

The city has 14 groundwater treatment plants, which use wells to draw water from either the Midville Aquifer System or the Black Creek Aquifer. The depth of the wells in the Midville Aquifer System averages 350 feet. The well depth in the Black Creek Aquifer averages 135 feet.

The groundwater treatment system uses a total of 33 wells and produces an average of 10.5 million gallons of water daily.

The groundwater is aerated and treated with lime and chlorine at each of the 14 groundwater plants. The treated water passes through iron-removal filters and is treated with fluoride to prevent tooth decay. The water enters the distribution system, which has 14 elevated water storage tanks. The tanks provide fire protection and system pressure.

The temporary loss of the Darlington Street Water Plant doesnt affect water distribution in Florence, Hemingway said. Production at three other groundwater treatment facilities and the citys surface water treatment facility is able to keep up with demand.

In addition to the groundwater treatment plants, the city gets water from the Great Pee Dee River.

The Pee Dee Regional Water Treatment Plant treats the raw water and produces clean drinking water. The Pee Dee Regional Water Treatment Plant has a capacity to produce 10 million gallons of treated water daily. It produces about 4.5 million gallons a day.

The Darlington Street Water Plant produced the discolored water because a surface pump, which is part of the production system, continued working although the deep well pump had stopped, Hemingway said. Sediment at the bottom of the well entered the production and distribution system.

When the operators went there, they saw the pump was running, but didnt see any gallons of water signal at the same time. If the pump was running, it should have had some type of gallons that was being pumped. With the gallons pumped at zero, they knew the pump was gone, Hemingway said.

The pumps were shut down.

The groundwater well pump had come loose from well piping and started spinning around the pipe, which caused an electrical short and damaged the pump, Hemingway said.
FLORENCE, S.C.  You can help create a piece of community history in downtown Florence by participating in the Community Mural Painting Day on Saturday. Help paint a public mural that will celebrate the business culture on Dargan Street. The mural is sponsored by Florence Downtown Development Corporation.

Weather permitting, Saturday will be the first of a series of painting dates this summer in various locations. The location for Saturdays kickoff is 239 N. Dargan St. This event is free and open to the public. Drop by and paint for as long as you like between the hours of 9 a.m. and noon.

All supplies will be provided. All ages and skill levels are welcome to participate. If there is inclement weather, the event will be rescheduled for July 23 at the City Center Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Leading the effort will be artist Herman Keith. A native of Anderson, Keith has studios in Lake City and Orangeburg, where he is an adjunct art professor at Claflin University.

I am new to the Pee Dee area, he said. I am based out of Lake City.

He said his first community mural was painted during the 2016 ArtFields on North Acline Street in Lake City. Called From This Moment Forward, the art piece was a collaborative effort and the pilot for the South Carolina Rural Arts Project. He said he hopes to re-energize small-town South Carolina through the arts so people dont have to go to a major city to have an art experience.

Keith also taught in the public schools, and when he returned to South Carolina, he said, he wanted to bring back mural art to rural areas of South Carolina. He said art should be experienced by everyone.

Keiths vision for his murals is inspired by quilt designs. Like communities, a quilt is a representation of many people and expressions, he said. He sees a community as a patchwork of people.

Keith said he uses a community-based mural technique in which the community produces the design and the art. He said he first saw this technique used in the Philadelphia area.

Hannah Davis, development manager for the city of Florence, said it was Keiths technique that drew the city to him. She said there will be several artists working as a team to guide the project. Damien Johnson is also a member of the team.

The mural will be painted on 5-foot-by-5-foot panels. Keith said the panels will be color coded and once the community puts down the first coat of paint, the panels will be taken back to his studio to assemble into one unified piece of art.

Davis said the finished mural wont be revealed until the ribbon cutting in September.

Davis said people will have several opportunities to participate.

The second stop will be the city of Florence Recreation Center for summer camp where campers will be able to participate from July 11 to July 18 in painting on the panels. This will be a closed session for the students to work with the team of artists.

On July 18, the panels will be at the Barnes Street Recreation Center and Levy Senior Center. The artist team will be there from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to assist with the painting.

On July 19, the community will have an opportunity to paint from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the James Allen Plaza on Dargan Street.

On July 20, the panels will return to Barnes Street Recreation Center and Levy Senior Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Davis said they want as many members of the community as possible to participate in producing the mural.

The project represents what we have been trying to do for a while to have community-created artwork and to amplify our African-American businesses downtown, she said.

The mural will find its home on the historic Lincoln Theater building on North Dargan Street, which is currently Thompson Barber College. Davis said this block of Dargan Street is a gateway to downtown, and she is looking forward to seeing the mural in place.

She said there are three major components of the project  to celebrate the barbershop culture, celebrate the work of William H. Johnson and to honor the contributions of the Thompson family to the business community in the 200 block of Dargan Street.

Davis said the project will be keeping track of everyone who participates in the mural and their names and ages will be placed on a plaque.

She said anybody can participate. No experience is necessary. She said the team of artists is good at teaching the youngest to the oldest to help.

Davis said the city hopes for this to be an inclusive and unifying moment.
 Still more discussion of the BOP's failings with FIRST STEP Act | Main | Politico provides new review of "Where Jan. 6 prosecutions stand, 18 months after the attack" 

July 7, 2022

Notable Seventh Circuit panel discussion of judicial challenges when revoking supervised release

As detailed in this post last month, the latest issue of the Federal Sentencing Reporter explores in depth the huge (but too often overlooked) issue of community supervision in the federal criminal justice system. That issue came to mind when I reviewed the very interesting new Seventh Circuit decision in US v. Shaw, No. 21-1692 (7th Cir. July 6, 2022) (available here), which was brought to my attention by a kind reader. Here is how the thoughtful and thorough majority opinion in Shaw starts and a key passage:

Terrance Shaw violated multiple conditions of his supervised release. The district court revoked his supervised release and sentenced him to two years imprisonment  well above the range recommended by the Sentencing Commissions policy statements. The court did not mention the sentencing factors from 18 U.S.C.  3583(e), the statute that governs revocation of supervised release, as grounds for the upward variance. The court instead explained that it was sending Shaw to prison to help him and give him a chance to access rehabilitative programs. Congress has directed sentencing courts to recognize that imprisonment is not an appropriate means of promoting correction and rehabilitation. 18 U.S.C.  3582(a). Courts are thus precluded from imposing or lengthening a prison term to promote an offenders rehabilitation. Tapia v. United States, 564 U.S. 319, 32526 (2011). Because the record suggests that the district court lengthened a term of imprisonment to rehabilitate Shaw, we vacate Shaws sentence and remand for further proceedings.... [W]e recognize that courts are free to discuss the availability of rehabilitative programs and even encourage defendants to use them. But by relying on rehabilitation as the sole basis for an upward variance, the court crossed the line from permissible comments to impermissible consideration. Because Tapia applies to both the imposition of a prison sentence and the lengthening of one, the courts reliance on rehabilitation to impose the upward variance warrants remand. We also recognize the difficult position that district courts find themselves in under Tapia. On one hand, 18 U.S.C.  3583(e) requires courts to consider several purposes of sentencing  including rehabilitation  before revoking an offenders supervision or imposing a sentence. On the other,  3582(a) forbids courts from relying on rehabilitation as a reason for prison time. Combined, these provisions seemingly force courts to walk a tightrope where they must both demonstrate their consideration of the offenders need for rehabilitation while also disavowing that consideration as a reason for any resulting term of imprisonment.

Judge Hamilton wrote a concurring opinion to highlight how "Tapia and the statute put district judges in a difficult position." Here is how his interesting discussion concludes:

When I read this sentencing transcript, I see a judge who was patient, humane, wise, and fair. Judge McDade was dealing with an unusually difficult case. The defendant had been provided multiple opportunities to straighten out his life, including a path to an unusually well-paying job in the middle of the pandemic. He kept wasting those opportunities. The judges choice to revoke Shaws supervised release and to send him to prison was reasonable and easily predictable. As the lead opinion notes, Shaw had repeatedly violated important conditions of his supervised release. Sanctions less severe than prison had not had any noticeable effect. The judge was not required to credit Shaws assurances that this time he would finally follow through on therapy and other rehabilitative programs if they were imposed again as conditions of supervised release. A more legalistic explanation of Shaws revocation sentence on remand should pass muster as long as the district court makes explicit reasons that were left implicit in this transcript and avoids hinting that goals of rehabilitation in prison affected the fact or length of the prison sentence. Tapia is just one example of how federal sentencing law has become more and more complex, with more and more opportunities for reversible error. A district judge can reduce the risk of reversible error by disengaging from the individual defendant and the difficult challenges: Just calculate the Guidelines and follow them, perhaps noting that any tricky guideline issue had no effect on the bottom line and that the  3553(a) factors control. As was sometimes true during the years when the Sentencing Guidelines were binding, an error-free sentencing hearing can still sound a lot like an arithmetic problem. A remand like this one further encourages that sort of mechanical march through the Guidelines and the statutory factors. Yet we hope for more. We want the sentencing judge to engage with the defendant, the offense, and victims  understanding the stories behind the crime and the prospects for the future. We want the judge to sentence the defendant as an individual with his own history and characteristics and to tailor the sentence to those individual circumstances. See generally Concepcion v. United States, 142 S. Ct. ,  (2022). Thats what Judge McDade was doing in this difficult case, trying to reach Shaw in any way he could: drawing on his own history, drawing on concepts of faith, ethics, and sin, and explaining in almost parental terms why the sentence needed to be more severe than the time-served slap on the wrist that Shaw sought. I view this remand as compelled by  3582(a) and Tapia, but unfortunate and otherwise unnecessary.

July 7, 2022 at 12:22 PM | Permalink

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Brunswick Exploration

MONTREAL, June 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brunswick Exploration Inc. (BRW or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has completed its acquisition of additional pegmatite fields in the James Bay region of Quebec. A total of approximately 810 claims, separated into 22 blocks and totaling 42,892 hectares, were staked and are collectively known as the James Bay Lithium Project. All claims are located within 45 kilometers of the James Bay road network.



The James Bay region is prolific for its hard rock lithium endowment, hosting numerous spodumene showings, four deposits with defined resources (Whabouchi (Nemaska Lithium), Rose (Critical Element), Cyr (Alkem) and Moblan (Sayona)), as well as more recent discoveries such as Corvette (Patriot Batteries Metal). The Companys James Bay land package includes approximately 65 large pegmatite dykes with strike lengths between 900 and 7,000 metres, as well as dozens of smaller dykes.

This brings the Companys inventory of large S-type pegmatite dykes in Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces to a total of 125, with some dyke fields in James Bay, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia being associated with anomalous lithium in tills, grab samples or lake bottom sediments. S-type pegmatites can potentially form a sub-class of evolved pegmatites (LCT-type), which are the hosts to economic lithium (spodumene) mineralization. Reconnaissance prospecting on this multi-provincial inventory of pegmatites has begun and will continue throughout the 2022 and 2023 field seasons.

Mr. Killian Charles, President of BRW, commented: Our extensive compilation work continues to highlight new opportunities as we have now secured the largest grassroots lithium land package in Canada. These generated targets have very strong potential for lithium and include over 125 kilometric-scale pegmatites. Very few companies are continuously generating grassroots, regional scale, hard-rock lithium projects and I am confident that our systematic approach to exploration will lead to a significant discovery.

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Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Robert Wares P.Geo, Chairman and CEO of Brunswick Exploration Incorporated. He is a Profession Geologist registered in Quebec.

About Brunswick Exploration

The Company is a Montreal-based mineral exploration venture listed on the TSX-V under symbol BRW. The Company is focused on grassroot exploration for metals necessary to decarbonization and energy transition with a particular focus on lithium, tin, nickel and copper. The company is focused on rapidly advancing the most extensive grassroots lithium exploration claim package in Eastern Canada.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required governmental, environmental or other project approvals; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future; changes in equity markets; inflation; fluctuations in commodity prices; delays in the development of projects; the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry; and those risks set out in the Corporations public documents filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Corporation believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

CONTACT: Investor Relations/information Mr. Killian Charles, President (info@BRWexplo.com)




 9    55 2000 9P 21.87% 100.91394 6.46 25.4%  LET Group Holdings Limited  2 2.7%3% 6%     11.5   12%  15%  400 2022 2.58% 200% 200%  200 10%9%  2.6%9% 3%   399 
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Moscow has informed Jakarta of Russian President Vladimir Putin's intention to participate in the summit of the Group of 20 (G20) in November, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

The format of Putin's participation will depend on the global situation, taking into account the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Southeast Asia, the ministry said in a statement.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will lead the Russian delegation to the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Thursday and Friday in Indonesia's Bali, it added.
In June 2013, the Journal's film critic, Bruce Miller, chatted with James Caan about his work in the crime drama "Magic City." Caan, best known for his performances in the Godfather, Misery, Thief and Brian's Song, passed away on July 6, 2022 at 82

LOS ANGELES | When a mobster seems too invincible, what happens?

Someone bigger turns up to make him shudder -- that's the new world order in the second season of Starz' "Magic City."

Titan Ben Diamond was "the great white shark" of crime, according to creator Mitch Glazer. So it made sense to bring someone in who could offer a jolt and show where Diamond came from.

Enter: James Caan as Sy Berman, the boss of the Chicago mob and the only man Diamond fears.

"I wrote it for him and begged him to come and do it," Glazer says.

"I read a lot of scripts this year just to make believe that I was busy," Caan says. "But this was pretty special. I enjoyed every minute of it."

Premiering Friday, the second season of "Magic City" will show how a retro Miami shifts when the new guy comes to town. Set in the 1950s, it embraces a different time and sentiment -- one not unlike that in "The Godfather."

Glazer was so keen to suggest the period he used lenses from 1974 -- "'Godfather' vintage lenses," he says. "There are moments on set that are actually surreal this season for me. To see Jimmy playing this character and saying this dialogue in this kind of familiar world was spectacular, and I loved every second of it."

Caan recognized the similarities but doesn't see this gig as one that brings him full circle. "I'm not Anthony Quinn just yet," he says with a laugh. "I hope to close the circle at some point but I didn't put it into any category."

For Danny Huston, who plays Ben Diamond, this season offers plenty of acting grist. In addition to playing off Caan, he gets to make a deal of sorts with Ike Evans, the hotelier played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

"The plot is becoming tight like a drum but the world is also opening up," Huston says. "The wonderful thing about Starz is really that there's no holding back. There are no restrictions."

According to Morgan, "For Ike, this whole season really breaks down to him wanting to rid himself of Ben Diamond and then probably Sy Berman, although he learns to play the two against each other in sort of an odd way. Because of this single-minded focus he has, he begins to lose those that he loves."

To give the series "Godfather"-era authenticity, it's shot in Miami Beach where the mid-century hotels immediately recall another time.

Costume designer Carol Ramsey makes sure the clothes are time specific "and if you walk on our sets, it's a real functioning hotel, basically that we built," Glazer says. "God is in the details. When you create a seamless, perfect time machine for these great actors to walk onto, it's almost like a documentary. It feels incredibly real."

Kelly Lynch, who plays Meg Bannock, says dressing requires a lot of thought. "Every single thing about us changes," she says. "The undergarments we wear immediately have us standing and looking anatomically being different women.

"I used to watch my mother getting ready in the '60s, thinking, 'I'm never going to remember all of this.' The eyelashes went on, the girdle went in, the stockings got clipped and the hair got curled.

"It's quite a transformation that we all go through. It takes a couple of hours for us to get ready. And as an actor, I play 'let's pretend' and I feel like my work is done for me. It's really been fun for us."

Now, Caan gets to join in the fun. Miami, he says, never seemed so good.
When Mona Haydar and Sebastian Robins embarked on The Great Muslim American Road Trip last September, they had no idea what they might encounter.

Because the country was blanketed by the coronavirus pandemic, they thought they might see isolation and division. But, says Robins, its really hard to hate up close. We went into parts of America that I think Muslims would be afraid to go intoand the kindness we were met with from the beginning to the end was really beautiful.

The trip  on Historic Route 66  took the couple from Chicago to Los Angeles, stopping at various landmarks and discovering a story about Muslim Americans most might find surprising.

We kept stumbling on tiny little communities of Muslims doing stuff very much engrained in the past, present and future, says Alex Kronemer, the series director and producer. Seeing how intertwined the Muslim story is with the American story was a big surprise and what the audience will take away from this project."

Airing over three weeks (it ends July 19 on PBS), the road trip tells a story of Muslims in America and details the relationship Haydar, an acclaimed rapper, and her husband have.

Eight years ago, we started our family, so we really havent had a chance to just hang out, Haydar says. That was really beautiful  both spiritually and emotionally  to be able to connect as a couple.

As an artist, its pushing me to share my voice to a wider audience and community rather than simply speaking to the Muslim audience. I know that my music has gone global and people listen from all over the world, but I hope that I can express myself in a way thats just simply human.

The 21-day trip had a specific route but it, too, got changed due to road closures. A side trip to Las Vegas, Haydar says, proved meaningful. We found this incredible community called the Muslim Village and this community just inspired me deeply. They are truly living a communal life of service, offering themselves as stewards of hospitality, of generosity, of service, to all humankind.

Haydar saw their example as guide for how we are all supposed to live.

St. Louis introduced them to incredible meals (Were planning our next trip to St. Louis just to eat) and Tulsa taught them how we can use our lives to support racial justice in this country.

The trip also let the two reveal something new about each other.

This road trip definitely confirmed some of my reservations about his taste in music, Haydar says. We all agreed on Bill Withers. So that was healthy and strengthening for our relationship.

While Road Trip didnt drill down into specific sects, it did uncover practitioners of all backgrounds. We met African American Muslims. We met immigrants of all kinds. We also met many converts of many ethnicities and backgrounds, Kronemer says. Exploring the diversity was really big.

And, says Haydar, the story of Muslims in America is old. It predates America. Muslims have been here working side by side with the Native peoples, meeting them and coming into contact with them in beautiful ways, not in harmful ways.

For Robins, who grew up with a Christian mother and a Jewish father, religion was confusing. I spent a lot of my 20s and 30s exploring different religions, he says. Since I was a teenager, I had a love and an interest in Islam.

What made him want to convert was the structure that allowed him to connect with God five times a day and to humble myself.

What sustains me is the emphasis on service  that community is just a hugely integral part of Islam. As a Westerner who was raised fairly self-oriented, thats a huge challenge, but its a beautiful challenge to step outside of yourself.
SAN DIEGO (AP)  One note submitted to the federal judge sentencing a 38-year-old California woman for embezzlement claimed that a biopsy had revealed cancerous cells in her uterus. Another indicated that she was undergoing a surgical procedure, and her cancer had spread to the cervix. Yet another letter warned she cannot be exposed to COVID-19 because of her fragile state.

But federal officials say the notes and cancer were all fake, and now Ashleigh Lynn Chavez is headed to prison for three times as long. The court this week added an additional two years to her initial, one-year prison sentence.

The fake claim of having cancer kept Chavez out on bond from the time of her guilty plea in 2019 to embezzling more than $160,000 from her former employer through her sentencing hearing on March 31, 2021. The notes then bought her an additional three months of freedom by the judge who believed she was getting medical treatment, according to the U.S. Attorneys office for the Southern District of California.

All told, Chavez was able to avoid being locked up for six months, federal officials said.

Chavezs attorney, Benjamin Kington, said in a sentencing memorandum that Chavez was terrified about being separated from her newborn son, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

The notes also claimed she was too ill to work and could not make restitution payments to her former employer.

Two different attorneys hired by Chavez believed the notes were authentic and submitted them to the court, according to federal officials.

By August 2021, the notes forged by Chavez were asking the court to permit her to serve time in home confinement. In one forged note, attributed to a San Diego-area oncologist, Chavez wrote that (a) year in prison could be a death sentence for my patient."

Federal authorities contacted the doctors named in the letters who denied writing them, though Chavez had been a patient of one of the physicians, according to federal officials.

This defendant went to appalling lengths to avoid her initial prison sentence by falsifying medical documents to claim she had cancer. This offensive conduct is an affront to every person fighting that battle, FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy said in a statement.
Iowa has surpassed 800,000 total coronavirus cases since the pandemic began in the state in March 2020, according to new state and federal coronavirus data released this week.

The Iowa Department of Public Health reported 3,980 new cases of COVID-19 in the past seven days, continuing the slow decline of new infections over the past few weeks.

Last week, 3,988 cases were reported, and 3,919 cases were reported the week before.

To date, Iowa has had 800,176 total coronavirus cases in the past two years  though the actual total is likely higher, given the availability of at-home test kits.

The number of new cases reported in Linn and Johnson counties, however, increased in the past week, state data shows.

Linn County reported 359 new coronavirus cases in the past seven days, an increase from the 348 reported last week. In total, the county has tallied 56,020 cases since the pandemic began.

Johnson County added 338 new cases in the past week, an increase from the 279 cases reported last week. To date, 38,688 coronavirus cases have been reported in the county in the past two years.

Community transmission

As of Monday, both Linn and Johnson counties continue to have "high" COVID-19 community transmission levels, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, the counties classified with "substantial" and "moderate" community transmission levels continue to outnumber those with "high" transmission levels. One western Iowa county was in the "low" category.

Hospitalizations

The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 increased this week, federal health data shows.

Hospitalizations reached 190 Wednesday, compared to 162 patients the week before. A month ago, 186 patients were hospitalized.

Fourteen COVID-19 patients were in intensive care this past week, compared to 15 last week.

Deaths

Fifteen more Iowans have died as a result of the coronavirus, the state public health department confirmed on Wednesday. Last week, eight coronavirus deaths were confirmed.

In total, 9,703 Iowans have died as a result of COVID-19 throughout the pandemic.

No deaths were reported in the past week in Linn and Johnson counties.

Linn County has an overall coronavirus death toll of 595, and Johnson County has had 155 residents die as a result of the virus.

Vaccinations

New data published earlier this week shows 62.4 percent of all Iowans are fully vaccinated, a slight increase from the 62.3 percent reported June 8, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The vaccination rate for Iowans aged 5 and older is 66.6 percent as of this week, an increase from the 66.4 percent reported last month.

The state now updates vaccination totals on the first Tuesday of the month.

An additional 7,418 Iowans and non-Iowans completed their vaccine series in the past month, bringing the total fully vaccinated population to 1,940,421.

The number of fully vaccinated and boosted individuals in Iowa reached 1,069,826 this month, an increase of 17,280 individuals from last month.

In Linn County, 67.2 percent of the total county population and 71.7 percent of those aged 5 and older were fully vaccinated as of this week.

Johnson County reported 73.3 percent of its total population and 77.8 percent of its population aged 5 and older were fully vaccinated against the coronavirus as of this week.

John McGlothlen of The Gazette contributed to this report.
YORK  The buried Cold War treasure has all the comforts of home.

Running water. Electricity. Plenty of space to park a car  or a thermonuclear warhead.

And for $550,000, the subterranean missile silo 5 miles west of York can be yours to own.

The 174-foot inverted tower of reinforced concrete with a two-story launch control center  a Cold War-era missile complex that once housed the earliest intercontinental ballistic missile, the Atlas-F  recently hit the market.

Built in 1962 just before the start of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the underground silo is one of 12 within 60 miles of Lincoln that once housed the 82-foot-tall ICBMs.

The structures, built to withstand an indirect nuclear strike, were short-lived as the advent of cheaper and more fuel-stable rockets like the Minuteman made them obsolete.

A half-mile north of U.S. 34, the York site was the last of the 12 to be decommissioned in April 1965, and soon they were sold to the public.

"It's an incredible piece of military history," said Mike Figueroa, a realtor with BancWise Realty in Lincoln.

On the surface, the silo's circular cap  about 52 feet across with two 50-ton launch doors  looks like the lonely foundation of a grain bin long since removed. Corn in the adjacent fields is nearly waist high and the healthy green of late June. It's what's below the surface that packs a punch.

The first floor of the cylindrical control center, about 30 feet underground and accessed via a ground-level metal door, is completely livable and has running water, electricity and a working toilet and septic system.

It's refreshingly cool when you first enter the underground complex. A wood stove and electric furnace will keep you warm, if needed. Four 500-gallon water tanks in the silo are fed by one of two on-site water wells.

Mammoth 2,000-ton steel blast doors  five in all  and an escape hatch take you back to a time when fears of a nuclear attack from the Soviet Union were very real. And the silo itself, with two massive, 50-ton launch doors, can be accessed via a tunnel.

Figueroa, who works alongside his wife, Polly, got a phone call about the silo three months ago from a broker in Kansas. The property's out-of-state owner was looking to sell.

The owner, who wished to remain anonymous, had purchased it in 1998 in advance of Y2K.

"He had always wanted some kind of underground home," Figueroa said. "When he got it, it was just a decaying relic of the Cold War."

The owner spent a couple of years renovating the space, including draining a foot of condensation inside the command center and insulating the first level with spray foam.

For a good portion of the past two decades, the Army Corps of Engineers leased the property after high levels of TCE, a chemical found in degreasers, was discovered in nearby groundwater.

The site was eventually cleared environmentally, but the owner figured he didn't have the time or the resources to continue the project, Figueroa said.

Compared to some of the other sites in Nebraska, the York silo is in relatively good shape.

"He did a ton of work," Figueroa said.

The U.S. built 72 Atlas-F missile silos  from upstate New York to Texas  in the early 1960s as the arms race with the Soviet Union heated up. A rocket and its accompanying nuclear warhead could be readied in about 10 minutes and strike Russia in about 30, said Rob Branting, a Lincoln native and supervisor of a former Minuteman missile site in North Dakota.

By September 1962, all 12 sites in Nebraska  under the supervision of the former Lincoln Air Force Base  were up and running, just as the Cold War reached a particularly icy interval.

"It's really crazy that these silos were basically declared operational  and then next month is the Cuban Missile Crisis," Branting said.

The silos, including the 12 in Nebraska that were manned 24/7 by five-man crews from the 551st Strategic Missile Squadron, were put on high alert.

"They (the silos) served a short time, but a very pivotal time," said Branting, who recently authored a history of the Lincoln Air Force base.

Once tensions cooled and ballistics advanced, the silos were vacated and the Atlas rockets repurposed for things like space travel.

"It's the booster that put John Glenn into orbit," Figueroa said. "It really paved the way for policies and procedures on how missile bases were set up and ran."

The complex's concrete walls are 2 feet thick; the silo's cap is 9 feet thick. About 8,000 truckloads of dirt had to be excavated when it was first built, which at the time cost about $18 million.

An 18-story steel tower in the 52- by 174-foot silo that held the actual rocket was stripped out when the government left. Now, it's mostly filled with groundwater, forming a subterranean lake of sorts.

The Figueroas' Zillow listing, which has been up for about two weeks, went viral on Facebook and Instagram. They've gotten dozens of inquires ever since  from YouTube influencers to coastal investors  and Mike Figueroa expects the interest to continue.

He said the silo could be turned into many things: an Airbnb rental, a movie set, a data center, a "fantastic tornado shelter."

Or just someplace to call home.
SIOUX CITY -- Two men have been arrested and charged with robbing two women at gunpoint in a Sioux City apartment late Wednesday.

Jocquan McCloud, 26, and Kemo Levi, 26, both of Sioux City, were arrested on charges of first-degree robbery and second-degree theft. Levi also faces charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and interference with official acts. Bond was set at $30,000 for McCloud and $35,000 for Levi.

According to complaints filed in Woodbury County District Court, the two female victims told police that at 10:39 p.m., McCloud forced them into the bedroom of an apartment in the 3100 block of Transit Avenue and shut the door. McCloud returned with Levi, who threatened the women with a handgun. The men are accused of stealing a cell phone, a box containing a BB gun and a purse with $362. They also tried to take an Xbox video game system before leaving, but it was recovered, court documents said.

Police located McCloud and Levi later and found the property belonging to the women in a vehicle that Levi had been driving. Police also found a 9mm handgun that had been reported stolen out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Levi's ex-girlfriend told officers she had seen Levi with it. Levi, who gave officers a fake name and ID, is prohibited from possessing firearms because of a previous felony conviction, court documents said.
SPENCER, Iowa -- An Arizona man charged with sexually abusing a then-6-year-old girl more than nine years ago in Spencer was sentenced Tuesday to one year in jail.

Michael Homan, 74, of Goodyear, Arizona, entered Alford pleas in May in Clay County District Court to charges of lascivious acts with a child and indecent contact with a child. In an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt, but a guilty plea is entered into the record.

District Judge Shayne Mayer sentenced Homan to jail on the indecent contact with a child charge. She suspended a 10-year prison sentence and placed Homan on five years' probation for lascivious acts with a child. Homan also must register with the Iowa Sex Offender Registry and will serve a special sex offender sentence for the rest of his life. If he were to violate terms of the special sentence, he could be returned to jail.

A charge of second-degree sexual abuse was dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Homan was charged in March 2021 with touching the girl and lowering his pants to expose his underwear to her in the bedroom of a house in the 1900 block of West 10th Street in Spencer in the late summer or fall of 2012.

The Clay County Sheriff's Office began investigating the matter in 2019, and Homan was arrested in Arizona in February 2021.
SIOUX CITY -- Robert Tiefenthaler decided he'd take one last shot at his goal of becoming a judge.

A finalist for a spot in 2019, he was disappointed not to make the final cut again for an opening last year. When District Judge Jeffrey Poulson announced his upcoming retirement earlier this year, Tiefenthaler had already made up his mind about future applications.

"This one I was a little more committed that I was going to apply one last time," said Tiefenthaler, who lives in Sergeant Bluff and runs a private practice in Sioux City.

Knowing Gov. Kim Reynolds' 30-day deadline to name a new judge was coming up, Tiefenthaler said when he saw a 641 area code pop up on his caller ID at 10:03 Wednesday morning, he immediately answered. When he heard Reynolds' voice on the other end of the line, he knew this application had ended differently than the others, especially when she informed him of her decision to appoint him to the bench.

"It was definitely a relief, just the excitement of it," Tiefenthaler said. "This has been a lifelong professional dream of mine."

Born in Sioux City and raised in Breda, Iowa, Tiefenthaler, the son of Bonnie and Dean Tiefenthaler, received his bachelor's degree from the University of South Dakota and graduated from the University of South Dakota Law School in 1994. He's operated his own practice since 1999, handling mostly criminal defense, personal injury, worker compensation and juvenile law cases.

He was one of seven applicants for the position, which presides in Judicial District 3B covering Woodbury, Crawford, Ida, Monona, Plymouth and Sioux counties. Sioux City lawyer Andrea Buckley was the other finalist.

Having been a finalist before, Tiefenthaler said waiting for Reynolds' decision wasn't as stressful this time. His response when she called was simple.

"I said thank you very much and I hope to make her and the citizens of Iowa proud," he said.
Darnell Smith, 25, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Omaha to assault on an officer with physical contact. He was sentenced to 33 months in prison, and his sentence will be served after he completes a 15-year Iowa prison sentence for Woodbury County drug convictions.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Smith assaulted a Bureau of Indian Affairs officer on July 22 after the officer woke him and Joshua Medina, who were found sleeping in a running vehicle at a Winnebago gas station. The officer observed that both men appeared to be intoxicated, and they fought with the officer over control to the vehicle's keys. Smith struck and bit the officer, who deployed his Taser, but Smith was able to drive away.
SIOUX CITY  The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant learning loss in students, especially the elementary levels reading and math skills.

The Sioux City Community School District summer school offers a fun and interactive way for students to make up for that loss.

For four weeks, students spend four hours learning and engaging for free. Every neighborhood has a summer school building.

SUMMER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

On June 24, third-grade students played a form of BINGO using their vocabulary skills before moving on to partner reading. If a student got a BINGO, they received a small piece of candy.

Caitlyn Brand, a K-12 special education teacher, has taught summer school for two years. She likes to build relationships with students and dig into the curriculum to be familiar with what is being taught in general education.

COVID-19 IMPACT

The spring 2021 Iowa Assessments showed that 62 percent of third-grade students were not proficient in English language arts, and 36 percent of third-grade students were not proficient in math.

In the fourth grade, 33 percent of students were not proficient in English language arts and 42 percent were not proficient in Math.

Proficiency was much lower in minority groups. At the third grade level in English language arts, 80 percent of native Hawaiian or other pacific islander students, 78 percent of Black students and 70 percent of Native American students tested non-proficient.

In math, 80 percent of native Hawaiian or other pacific islander students and 65 percent of Black students tested non-proficient.

BENEFITS OF SUMMER SCHOOL

Brand said the program allows students to continue their learning and work on their deficit areas to close the gap between them and their peers.

Typically, she said she sees at least 50 percent of the class substantially grow, especially in reading. From the first week to the second, Brand said the students improved their reading skills by five words per minute.

Elementary education director Brian Burnight believes the program gives kids a chance to improve their reading, writing, literacy and math skills.

When they start in the fall, theyve really caught up with their peers or getting close to where their peers are, he said.

Summer school enrollment was up a little more this summer compared to last summer, with just under 800 summer school students. The COVID-19 Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding allowed the district to have every elementary school host summer school, Burnight said. Previously, the district would consolidate the program into three buildings.

Now, some teachers can teach students who they have previously had in the classroom or build a connection with, Burnight said. He said if the teacher knows the areas the student struggles with, they can focus on those specifics.

Thats a big draw in getting kids to come and show up, he said.

GETTING STUDENTS INVOLVED

In March, the district reaches out to families whose students may benefit from extra help in the summer.

Families sometimes have vacations planned, or students want to be outside in the sun, instead of practicing reading and math skills.

One of the main challenges with summer school is encouraging students to enjoy the program and show up. Burnight said the addition of a STEM session has helped.

Camp Invention is a program focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) for elementary-aged students.

Funded through COVID-19 recovery funds, the program provides unique ways to explore, create and experiment, outside of the traditional summer school curriculum.

The kids at the end of each week get to take home a new module of something they constructed, he said.

Teachers voluntarily sign up for summer school. Each day they spend four hours with the students, and an extra hour for planning. This year, the district paid teachers $40 an hour, an increase from previous years.
 Flash

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) arrested the British deputy ambassador and other foreigners for "spying" activities such as collecting soil samples in prohibited areas, official IRNA news agency reported Wednesday.

According to a video released by the IRGC Intelligence Organization, the IRGC has identified some diplomats of foreign embassies, including the British deputy ambassador, who were "spying" instead of carrying out their diplomatic missions, said the report.

"The British deputy ambassador had gone to Shahdad desert (in central Iran) with his family as a tourist, but as the recorded images show, this person was collecting soil samples in this area," the report said.

Western news outlets have identified the arrested British diplomat as Giles Whitaker, the deputy head of mission at the British embassy in Iran.

However, a spokesperson for Britain's Foreign Office said "reports of the arrest of a British diplomat in Iran are completely false."

Iran also identified, Maciej Walczak, a Polish scientist who visited Iran "under the guise of scientific exchanges," as another arrestee, saying he, as a tourist, went to the Shahdad region in Kerman Province, where IRGC was holding a missile test, according the IRNA report.

He and his companions collected samples of soil, water, rock, salt, and mud from the region near the testing area, the report said.

Another arrestee is the spouse of a cultural advisor of the Austrian embassy, who visited the villages of Damghan city in Semnan Province, and collected samples of the soil of the area, it added.
"While we have not seen an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations here at the hospital, we do care for individuals that are sick or have weakened immune systems and we must be more cautious when COVID-19 levels are higher in our community," the statement said. "It's important that we as a community remember the basic infection prevention strategies we've been practicing since the beginning of the pandemic  wash your hands, wear a mask, stay home when you're sick, and get your appropriate vaccinations. As always, the health and safety of our patients and team members is our top priority."
SIOUX CITY -- A ramp at the Interstate 29/U.S. Highway 20 interchange in Sioux City is scheduled to close next week for bridge repairs.

The Iowa Department of Transportation said it will close the ramp from westbound U.S. Highway 20 to northbound I-29 on Monday, weather permitting.

During the bridge repair project, westbound U.S. 20 to northbound I-29 traffic will be detoured onto southbound I-29, to Singing Hills Boulevard and onto northbound I-29.

The ramp is expected to be closed until Sept. 1.
BATTLE CREEK, Iowa -- Ida County authorities have released the names of three people injured in a house explosion Wednesday in rural Battle Creek, Iowa.

Injured were Jeremy Bruning, 42, Sandra Jepsen, 68, and Joel Stapleton, 46.

A man outside the house at 2362 Carriage Ave. reported the blast at 9:34 a.m., and the house was engulfed in flames when firefighters and emergency personnel arrived. The house was destroyed.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety's State Fire Marshal Division continues to investigate the explosion to determine its cause.

The three occupants of the home had been inside at the time of the explosion but had been helped outside by another person who had been outside.

Jepsen and Bruning were transported to Horn Memorial Hospital in Ida Grove, Iowa, and transferred to a Lincoln, Nebraska, burn center. Stapleton was taken to MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center in Sioux City. Ida County Sheriff Wade Harriman said Wednesday that Stapleton may also have been transferred to the Lincoln burn center, but he had not received confirmation.

A news release from Harriman's office on Thursday did not list the conditions of the three victims. Harriman said Wednesday all suffered "substantial" injuries.

Responding to the blast were fire departments and emergency crews from Battle Creek, Ida Grove, Holstein, Danbury, Cushing, Kiron and the Crawford County Memorial Hospital Ambulance service and emergency services from Ida, Woodbury, Monona and Cherokee counties, plus the Ida County Sheriff's Office and Iowa State Patrol.
Thomson Prison staff and union leaders are calling for the immediate removal of Warden Thomas Bergami.

In a letter Wednesday to U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, AFGE Local 4070 President Jonathan Zumkehr called for the immediate removal of Bergami, citing "an abundance of serious incidents" and the mass departure of 60 correctional officers under Bergami, who was appointed warden in March.

"Warden Bergami has failed within his position of trust and has placed the staff, inmates and communities at risk," Zumkehr wrote.

"Attempts to address these issues directly have gone unheeded and even to the extent of being covered up and or distracted from the facts. Thomas Bergami has failed to uphold the ethical rules governing his position and to conduct himself in a manner that fosters respect for the Bureau of Prisons."

Zumkehr said whistle-blower protection and rights have gone ignored and alleged that Bergami "allowed and encouraged subordinate leaders under his command to commit whistle-blower retaliation and commit safety infractions."

"Managers are blatantly violating laws and refusing to adhere to local agreements, placing the hard-working staff in limbo with ever-changing policies and procedures that have done nothing but set USP Thomson ablaze and over 60 staff have left under his tenure.

"The Union believes that the immediate removal of Warden Thomas Bergami would initiate the change in leadership needed to ensure USP Thomson moves in a path progressively for all interested," Zumkehr wrote.

The federal prison in Thomson, Ill., houses 916 inmates: 785 in the maximum security facility and 131 at the adjacent minimum security camp.

In June, the U.S. Department of Justice Inspector General's Office opened an investigation into Thomson Federal Prison amid ongoing allegations of abuse, the overuse of solitary confinement and the deaths of seven inmates over a two-year period.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin,D-Ill; U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Moline, requested the investigation following publication of a report May 31 by The Marshall Project and NPR that describes serious abuse of inmates by correctional officers.

Zumkehr also sent a series of letters June 30 to Durbin, Duckworth, Bustos, Attorney General Merrick Garland and other lawmakers, asking for support in creating a federal law protecting prison employees against sexual assault by inmates.

Zumkehr said in 2020, there were 971 inmates that had committed sexual acts against staff. In 2021, there were 535 inmates that committed sexual acts against staff.
BATTLE CREEK, Iowa -- Three people were injured in a house explosion in rural Battle Creek, Iowa, early Wednesday.

A man outside the home at 2362 Carriage Ave. called 911 to report the explosion at 9:34 a.m., Ida County Sheriff Wade Harriman said. When firefighters and emergency personnel arrived at the scene, the house was engulfed in flames.

"As you can see, there's really nothing left of it," Harriman said while standing at the end of the driveway with the smoking debris behind him. From the road, a set of wooden steps leading up to the remains of a deck were all that appeared to be left of the house. Trees and thick, white smoke prevented clear views of the former structure.

Two males and one female -- all adults -- were inside the home at the time of the explosion, Harriman said. The three, who all live at the residence, were outside when firefighters arrived. All three sustained "substantial" injuries, the sheriff said. Two were transported to Horn Memorial Hospital in Ida Grove, Iowa, and later transferred to a Lincoln, Nebraska, burn center. The third victim was taken to Sioux City. Harriman said late Wednesday that person may also have been transferred to the Lincoln burn center, but he had not received confirmation. The status of the three people was not immediately known. The victims' identities will be released Thursday, Harriman said.

Harriman said the man who called 911 was not hurt. He was not sure if the man lived at the house. A garage next to the house did not appear to have sustained any damage, he said.

The Iowa State Fire Marshal was on the scene to investigate the explosion. Harriman said investigators must wait for the heat in the debris to cool down to complete their investigation, and it might take a few days to determine the explosion's cause.

Fire departments and emergency crews from Battle Creek and numerous surrounding communities responded to the blast. By late morning, the flames were extinguished, but firefighters remained at the scene monitoring the structure, which was still emitting heavy smoke. Tired-looking firefighters found shady spots to rest while drinking water in the humid conditions.
Britain's Boris Johnson battles to stay as PM amid revolt

LONDON (AP)  A defiant British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is battling to remain in office, shrugging off calls for his resignation after three Cabinet ministers and a slew of junior officials said they could no longer serve under his scandal-plagued leadership. British media is reporting that Johnson is refusing to step down, citing hugely important issues facing the country. Members of the opposition Labour Party showered Johnson with shouts of Go! Go! during the weekly ritual of Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons. And members of his own Conservative Party also challenged him. Critics argue the leaders days are numbered following his poor handling of sexual misconduct allegations against a senior official.

Police: Parade shooting suspect contemplated 2nd shooting

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (AP)  The man charged with killing seven people at an Independence Day parade confessed to police that he unleashed a hail of bullets from a rooftop in suburban Chicago and then fled to the Madison, Wisconsin, area, where he contemplated shooting up an event there. That's according to authorities who spoke Wednesday. Robert Crimo III turned back to Illinois, where he was later arrested after deciding he was not prepared to pull off a shooting in Wisconsin. An Illinois judge ordered Crimo to be held without bail. A prosecutor said police found the shells of 83 bullets and three ammunition magazines on the rooftop that he fired from.

EXPLAINER: Should red-flag law have stopped parade shooting?

CHICAGO (AP)  Days after a rooftop gunman killed seven people at a parade, attention has turned to how the assailant obtained multiple guns and whether the laws on Illinois books could have prevented the Independence Day massacre. Illinois gun laws are generally praised by gun-control advocates as tougher than in most states. But they did not stop Robert E. Crimo III from carrying out the attack in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park. One focus is on the states so-called red-flag law, which is intended to temporarily take away guns away from people with potentially violent behavior. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have such laws.

Scramble as last Mississippi abortion clinic shuts its doors

JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Mississippis only abortion clinic has been buzzing with activity in the chaotic days since the U.S. Supreme Court upended abortion rights nationwide. The case originated in Mississippi with the bright pink medical facility called Jackson Women's Health Organization. Physicians there have been trying to see as many patients as possible before the facility, best known as the Pink House, permanently closes its doors at the end of business Wednesday. Clashes have intensified between anti-abortion protesters and volunteers who escort patients into the clinic. Unless theres an intervention by the states conservative Supreme Court, Mississippi will enact a law Thursday to ban most abortions.

New report details missed chances to stop Uvalde shooting

AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  A new report on the Uvalde elementary school massacre in Texas says a police officer had a chance to open fire on the gunman but missed it while waiting for permission to shoot. The report also says some of the 21 victims at Robb Elementary School likely could have been saved on May 24 had they received medical attention sooner. The report is yet another damning assessment of how police failed to act on opportunities that might have saved lives in what became the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012.

Some Russians won't halt war protests, despite arrest fears

Despite a massive government crackdown on protests of the invasion of Ukraine, some Russians persist in speaking out against the invasion. One woman in the Ural Mountains city of Perm posts signs in the entrance to her apartment block bearing anti-war sayings. But it remains dangerous. Authorities rubber-stamped legislation that outlawed the spread of false information about the invasion and disparaging the military. They have used it against anyone who spoke out publicly against the attack or talked about the atrocities Russian troops were committing in Ukraine. One Moscow printer who made posters saying No to war has switched to blander messages such as Fear is not an excuse to do nothing.

Ex-cop Chauvin to get federal sentence for Floyd's killing

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is about to learn his sentence for federal civil rights violations in the killing of George Floyd. A plea deal is in place that will likely extend his time behind bars while shifting him to possibly more favorable conditions in a federal prison. It calls for 20 to 25 years in prison. But the final decision is up to U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson on Thursday. Prosecutors last month asked for the full 25 on the grounds that Chauvins actions were cold-blooded and needless. The defense has asked for 20 years, saying Chauvin accepts responsibility for what he did.

Jury finds man guilty of murdering rapper Nipsey Hussle

LOS ANGELES (AP)  Jurors have found a 32-year-old man guilty of first-degree murder for the 2019 fatal shooting of rapper Nipsey Hussle. The Los Angeles County jury reached its verdict in the trial of Eric R. Holder Jr. on Wednesday. The verdict brings an end to a legal saga that has lasted more than three years and a trial that was often delayed because of the pandemic. Holder and Hussle had known each other for years when a chance meeting outside the Grammy-winning rappers Los Angeles clothing store led to the shooting, and Hussle's death. Holder could get life in prison when hes sentenced on Sept. 15.

Appeals arguments heard on immigrants brought to US as kids

NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Immigrant advocates are hoping a federal appeals court will uphold an Obama-era program that prevents the deportation of thousands of immigrants brought into the United States as children. A federal judge in Texas last year declared the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program illegal  although he agreed to leave the program intact for those already benefiting from it while his order is appealed. An attorney for the state of Texas who is leading an effort to end the Deferred Action for Childhood arrivals program argued Wednesday that DACA recipients have cost the state hundreds of millions in health care and other costs.

Mercury hold public rally in support of Brittney Griner

PHOENIX (AP)  They shared laughs, smiles, memories. There also were tears, fears, unease. Through the range of emotions, one common thread bonded them together: Brittney Griner. Wearing BG shirts and holding signs, several hundred fans gathered for a public rally in support of Griner on Wednesday, hoping their sentiments would reach the WNBA player 6,000 miles away in a Russian jail cell. Griner has spent the past four months in a Russian prison and is currently on trial, accused of possessing vape cartridges containing cannabis oil when she arrived at the Moscow airport while returning to play for her Russian team. She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
The IRS commissioner has asked the Treasury Departments internal watchdog to immediately review the circumstances surrounding intensive tax audits that targeted ex-FBI Director James Comey and former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. Both were frequent targets of Donald Trumps ire. An IRS spokesperson says the agency has officially referred the matter to the inspector general for tax administration after IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, a close ally of the former president, personally reached out. The New York Times reported Wednesday that the former FBI leaders were subjected to rare IRS audits of their tax returns. The IRS spokesperson says it's ludicrous and untrue to suggest that senior IRS officials somehow targeted specific individuals for such audits.
CHICAGO (AP)  A woman  stunned and speechless in the chaos of a July 4 parade massacre  walked up to Greg Ring and handed him a 2-year-old boy, covered in blood.

Ring had fled the scene in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park with his wife and three children to an area behind a popular pancake house.

We kind of met eyes and didnt say anything.... I put my arms out, and she gave him to me, Ring said Wednesday, when describing the exchange with the unidentified woman, who then laid down in front of their car in shock.

The boy pointed in the direction of the parade route, saying Mommy, Daddy, Mommy, Daddy."

Ring's wish to help the boy carried him back to the scene. He tucked the boy's face in his chest, so he couldn't see the carnage. But Ring quickly realized it was too dangerous.

Active shooter! Get back down!" a police officer shouted. Ring fled again.

He and his family got to their car and took the boy to a Highland Park fire station. I have a boy. Hes not ours, he told the department staff, who asked him to keep the boy as authorities searched for the shooter and helped the wounded.

They were getting ready for war, Ring said.

The family drove to Rings in-laws, where they hunkered down. There, the boy sat with Ring's 4-year-old, watching a Mickey Mouse show.

He asked my wife to wipe him off because he had blood on him that wasnt his, said Ring, an insurance broker from Highland Park.

They were later able to identify the boy and reunite him with his grandparents, with the help of other community members and the police, after his photo circulated on social media.

Aiden McCarthy's parents, Kevin and Irina, both died in the shooting, which left five others dead and more than two dozen wounded.

A family member said Irinas parents would care for the boy going forward.

Aiden ... will have a long road ahead to heal, find stability, and ultimately navigate life as an orphan. He is surrounded by a community of friends and extended family that will embrace him with love, and any means available to ensure he has everything he needs as he grows," Irina Colon wrote on a GoFundMe account she created for the family and Aiden. Colon, who described Irina McCarthy as family on her Facebook page, has raised more than $2 million so far.

One of hundreds of donors wrote, Aiden, as a momma of another 2 year old boy, my heart is breaking for you. I am so sad your little heart has to endure such a devastating loss. No child should have to go through what you are. Stay strong, sweet boy!

On Wednesday, Ring was still trying to process what happened at the July 4 parade. He said he's not a hero and just did what anyone would have done in the situation.

Im just filled with immense gratitude. Im really sad. I dont know. I dont know how I feel. I have not slept for a minute the last two nights, he said.

What couldve happened  it is nothing short of a miracle that the five of us  me, my wife and my three kids  one of us or all of us isnt dead. I do not understand. Everybody around us was hit or got shot.

According to a report in the Chicago Sun-Times, Irina McCarthy was born in Russia and later immigrated to the Chicago area with her parents. Her father told the Sun-Times that she and husband Kevin met through their jobs  hers in pharmaceuticals and his at gene therapy startup. Aiden's paternal grandmother also was injured during the July 4 attack, the Sun-Times said.

The five others who died were identified as Katherine Goldstein, 64; Stephen Straus, 88; Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78; and Eduardo Uvaldo, 69.
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The Group of 20 (G20) foreign ministers will gather in Indonesia's tourist island of Bali on Thursday and Friday to discuss the global crisis and recovery efforts.

According to a press statement released on Wednesday by the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry, this year's foreign ministers meeting will hold two sessions.

The first session on strengthening multilateralism will discuss joint steps to enhance global collaboration and build mutual trust among countries, which will become an enabling environment for world stability, peace, and development.

The second one on food and energy security will discuss strategic steps to overcome the food crisis, fertilizers shortage, and rising global commodity prices and disruption of global supply chains.

Special attendees that will speak in the forum include United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme David Beasley, and the World Bank Managing Director of Development Policy and Partnerships Mari Elka Pangestu.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has received a call from Israels caretaker prime minister, Yair Lapid, the first such conversation between Abbas and an Israeli premier in years. The call came amid a rare flurry of high-level Israeli-Palestinian contacts ahead of President Joe Bidens visit to Israel and the occupied West Bank next week. The talks focused on calming tensions and coordinating security ahead of the visit. Abbas received Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz at his headquarters in the occupied West Bank town of Ramallah on Thursday and also spoke to Israeli President Isaac Herzog by phone. The peace process collapsed more than a decade ago. High-level meetings are rare and tend to focus on day-to-day issues.
The former Cleveland police officer who fatally shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014 withdrew from the police force of a Pennsylvania town Thursday amid backlash and media coverage over his hiring.

Timothy Loehmann was sworn in Tuesday as the lone police officer in Tioga  a community of about 600 in rural north-central Pennsylvania, 300 miles (480 kilometers) from Cleveland  but left the $18-per-hour position without having worked a single shift, according to borough council President Steve Hazlett.

The community spoke. They got their feelings out, and we listened to them and were going to react to it and that will be that, he said in a phone interview. We thank the community for stepping forward and letting their voices be heard.

Messages seeking comment were left at phone numbers associated with Loehmann.

Tamir, who was Black, was playing with a pellet gun outside a recreation center in Cleveland on Nov. 22, 2014, when he was shot and killed by Loehmann seconds after Loehmann and his partner arrived. The officers, who are white, told investigators Loehmann had shouted three times at Tamir to raise his hands.

The shooting sparked community protests about police treatment of Black people, especially after a grand jury decided not to indict Loehmann or his partner.

Cleveland settled a lawsuit over Tamirs death for $6 million, and the city ultimately fired Loehmann for having lied on his application to become a police officer.

Loehmann has since made multiple attempts to find work in law enforcement. He landed a part-time position with a police department in the southeast Ohio village of Bellaire in October 2018 but withdrew his application days later after Tamirs mother, Samaria, and others criticized the hiring.

The circumstances of Loehmanns arrival in Tioga began to emerge Thursday.

At first, Hazlett, the council president, declined to say whether Loehmann told council about the Tamir Rice case when he applied, or whether council knew of his background when voting to hire him. But in a later interview, Hazlett told The Associated Press that Tim held nothing back" in his application. He was upfront with everything. Thats all I can say, Hazlett said.

A council subcommittee reviewed Loehmann's application and interviewed him, then made a favorable recommendation to the full council, according to Hazlett. He said the full council was not privy to Loehmann's application file. Hazlett, who said he took part in the subcommittee review, declined to say why he supported Loehmann's hiring.

Mayor David Wilcox called for the resignations of Hazlett and two other council members he said knew about Loehmanns background, declaring in a Facebook post Thursday: You should be ashamed of yourselves.

The mayor told Cleveland.com he was under the impression that there was a thorough background check into him, that he didnt have any issues."

Wilcox has said he was not involved in the hiring process.

Word that Loehmann had been hired by Tioga drew protesters to the borough building on Wednesday night and brought condemnation from Tamir's family.

While its all well and good that Loehmann will not be inflicting a reign of terror with a badge and a gun upon Tioga Borough residents and visitors, borough officials must be held accountable for their demonstrably, atrociously poor judgment and ineptitude, Subodh Chandra, an attorney for the family, said in a statement Thursday.

This game of whack-a-mole with Loehmann shamelessly and repeatedly resurfacing as a cop elsewhere needs to end," he said.

The council will meet next week to take action on Loehmanns withdrawn application and consider next steps, according to Hazlett. He said Tioga still hopes to hire a police officer.
Rapid City Journal. July 1, 2022.

Editorial: The people have a right to know

It is time for the people of South Dakota to demand access to public records.

The laws governing access for the public to information about their government and law enforcement agencies are bad. The enforcement of those laws is worse.

The Rapid City Journal recently won a split decision with the South Dakota Supreme Court to get access to court records involving a leader of the State Senate who got his case sealed more than two months early after word of his arrest for driving after drinking a little too much Coke and whiskey reached media outlets.

Even in siding with the Journal and saying that a judge cant write a memo in mid-December to retroactively seal a case in early October, the justices said they didnt believe any government secrecy was at play in the case.

The Senate Majority Leader got his case sealed simply by sending an email to a friendly states attorney and district judge and the state Supreme Court still believes that this favor would have been granted to any member of the public.

We disagree.

But Gary Cammacks attorney got his case sealed early. In the nine months between our case reaching the supreme court and the decision, Cammack was installed in the South Dakota Hall of Fame and won his primary for his State Senate seat.

Fast forward to 30 days ago when two Rapid City Police officers shot a woman after she continued driving when police tried to stop her. During that chase, a male exited the car and got away. Items were thrown from the vehicle.

The woman was shot multiple times. Her car window was destroyed. There were bullet holes in the passenger side of the car.

Thanks to lax public record laws, we still dont know the womans name. We dont know if she is alive. We dont know if she was arrested or charged. We dont know if her accomplice has been captured or charged.

As a society, we cant allow government officials to shoot a person and have that information covered up for more than a month.

Of course, the Rapid City Police cant investigate their own officers, so the state Department of Criminal Investigations took over. There are two officers and one witness/suspect/victim involved. There should be two body cameras and two dash cameras. Honestly, the only reason this investigation should take a week is if the woman who was shot was physically incapable to be interviewed.

Even then, with cameras, interviews with two officers and a load of evidence to corroborate those interviews, it should be pretty straight-forward.

However, the investigation has yielded no publicly available information in 30 days. The impeachment of an attorney general and the appointment of a new one can slow down that officer, but why would DCI not be able to finish its work? According to a state spokesperson, the agency that will sign off on the DCI investigation hasnt even been chosen.

Once again, information in South Dakota grinds to a halt, but the world keeps turning. Both officers already returned to duty at some level. Surely they would both like to know their fate in the matter, as well.

In November, voters will select candidates to represent them. This is your time make representatives and senators earn your vote. Call on them to commit to better laws regarding public information in order to earn your vote. Make them promise a more efficient and transparent government.

You pay for that. You deserve it.

Citizens have to stop shrugging their shoulders and shaking their heads and using their ballots to send people in Pierre who wont let the state continue to fail when it comes to open and honest government.

END
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Attorneys for Mississippi's only abortion clinic filed papers Thursday asking the state Supreme Court to block a new law that bans most abortions and to let the clinic reopen next week.

The clinic, Jackson Womens Health Organization, is at the center of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade and took away women's constitutional protection for abortion nationwide.

A Mississippi law that took effect Thursday bans most abortions, and the clinic performed its last procedures Wednesday. Clinic attorneys are making the same arguments that a trial court judge rejected Tuesday as the clinic tried to block the law from taking effect. They said that in 1998, the Mississippi Supreme Court ruled that the state constitution has a right to privacy that includes abortion.

Absent relief, Mississippians will continue to be denied their rights under the Mississippi Constitution to privacy and bodily autonomy, as they are compelled by the State to endure the risks of pregnancy and bear children against their will," clinic attorney Rob McDuff wrote.

It was not immediately clear when the conservative state Supreme Court would consider the appeal.

Diane Derzis, owner of the Mississippi clinic, told The Associated Press that she will have staff available to reopen the facility if the state Supreme Court allows.

Im not hopeful, but theres always a possibility," Derzis said Thursday.

As for the legal filing and the effort to stay open, she said: "All of us needed to know we exhausted all possibilities.

The Mississippi clinic is best known as the Pink House because of its bright paint job. Some staff members were inside Thursday to do paperwork and follow-up appointments for a few patients. About 30 abortion opponents held a Christian worship service on a street next to the clinic.

No more murdering innocent children here, said Dr. Coleman Boyd, a physician who has frequently protested outside the clinic. Christ is exalted. Innocent bloodshed in this building is done.

Several of the abortion opponents yelled at Dr. Cheryl Hamlin as she arrived. Hamlin is an OB-GYN who has traveled from Boston the past five years to do abortions in Mississippi. She strode across the clinic parking lot and jabbed her finger at abortion protester John Busby, who called on her to repent.

Youre idiots, Hamlin said. You dont care. Youre going to hell. You. You are going to burn in hell. Im so sick of you.

As Hamlin walked away, Busby called after her: Youre going to die in your sin, Cheryl, unless you repent for Jesus Christ.

Also Thursday, North Dakota's sole abortion clinic filed a state lawsuit seeking to block a trigger law banning abortion following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling.

The Red River Women's Clinic argues the ban violates the rights to life, safety and happiness guaranteed by the state constitution that protect the right to abortion. It said the ban also infringes on the right to liberty because it deprives patients of the ability to control decisions about their families and their health.

The North Dakota lawsuit is just the latest litigation to take aim at restrictions on abortions after the Supreme Court said the procedure was no longer protected by the U.S. Constitution.

The suit also questions Attorney General Drew Wrigley's statement that the ban would take effect July 28. The clinic argued that the Supreme Court released its opinion June 24 but has not yet issued its judgment, which it said is a necessary step to trigger the state ban. The clinic said the high court typically takes that step at least 25 days after the opinion.

In certifying the closure date, Wrigley said theres not any ambiguity in the Supreme Court decision. He said Thursday that his office is carefully reviewing and evaluating the complaint, but that he would not comment further until his response is filed.

Tammi Kromenaker, owner and operator of the Red River Womens Clinic in Fargo, has said the facility would move across the river to Moorhead, Minnesota, if necessary but she would explore every legal option to remain open in North Dakota.

We have faced relentless attacks from North Dakota lawmakers who have long wanted us gone," Kromenaker said in announcing the lawsuit. But we will fight this draconian ban like the other outrageous bans and restrictions that came before it.

In the meantime, we will keep our doors open to provide abortion care to patients who need us," she said.

Also Thursday, national leaders advocating for abortion access were in South Carolina Thursday, when a committee considering a bill to prohibit abortions met for the first time to hear public testimony.

While a South Carolina law banning abortion around six weeks of pregnancy took effect on June 27, lawmakers are expected to return for a special session to further restrict the procedure.

Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Alexis McGill Johnson came to the statehouse one day after an appearance in North Carolina, where Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper signed an executive order protecting out-of-state abortion patients from extradition. She praised North Carolina as an abortion refuge and condemned South Carolina lawmakers efforts.

All of these laws are designed to create chaos and confusion for people seeking access to care, Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Alexis McGill Johnson told The Associated Press.

Dave Kolpack reported from Fargo, North Dakota, and James Pollard reported from Columbia, South Carolina.

For APs full coverage of the Supreme Court ruling on abortion, go to https://apnews.com/hub/abortion
This article contains spoilers for Thor: Love and Thunder.

First thing, can you remind me what Natalie Portmans deal in these movies is?

You are apparently not the only one to have trouble remembering this, which is why the movie opens with a little refresher. N-Ports Jane Foster was Thors love interest in the very first Thor movie, and they were firmly a couple in Thor: The Dark World. But as the flashbacks in Love and Thunder reveal, the two split up for mundane, non-superheroic reasonsi.e., they got bored of each other, which also seemed to be about how Portman felt playing the role. She returned briefly in Avengers: Endgame, where an alternate-timeline version of The Dark Worlds storyline played out, but it apparently took offering Portman the opportunity to get jacked and grow 9 inches taller to lure her back to the MCU.

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Also, she wrote a bestselling book called The Foster Theory and apparently had time to watch both Event Horizon and Interstellar. Good job, Jane.

And shes Thor now? So whom does that make  Thor?

Technically, shes the Mighty Thor, because it turns out whoever wields the hammer Mjolnir can be a Thor, even if theyre not the Thor. It doesnt exactly square with the whole godhood thing, but it allows the movies to keep the character alive after Chris Hemsworths contract runs out, and has allowed the comics to tell Thor stories that arent always about the same beefy white dude.

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Thors hammer is saving her but also killing her? How does that work?

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Jane, who, by the way, now has Stage IV cancer, goes to Mjolnir in the first place because its supposed to have the power to heal her. The shattered pieces of the hammer have been on display in New Asgard, which has become a bit of a tourist trap, with an ice-cream store called Infinity Conez, but the pieces have been calling out to her, and she answers. But it turns out that healing only works when she is fully Thord out. When she returns to her non-godlike brunette form, shes worse off than she was before, since the hammer is apparently draining her life force and her new Thor duties are making her skip chemotherapy sessions. Its not easy being divine.

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I thought Mjolnir was Thors hammer. When did he ditch it for Stormbreaker? And since when do the hammers have feelings?

As the skit put on for New Asgards tourists might remind you, Mjolnir was shattered by Thors sister, Hela (Cate Blanchett), in 2017s Thor: Ragnarok. (The hammer wielded by Captain America in Avengers: Endgame was snatched from the past during the Avengers time heist and returned to its rightful place/time after Thanos defeat.) With no hammer to his name, Thor turned to the same dwarves who forged Thanos Infinity Gauntlet to make him a new weapon in Avengers: Infinity War, and they came through in spades with a newly awesome weapon thats part hammer, part ax, and extremely handy when it comes to decapitating Titans. Both weapons have always had some sort of connection to their wielders, but this is the first time theyve been depicted as jealous exes.

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Speaking of the New Asgard Players, the actors playing Thor, Loki, etc., look pretty familiar. Who are they?

Thats Sam Neill as Odin, Matt Damon as Loki, and Chris Hemsworths brother, Liam, as Thorall reprising their roles from Ragnarok. The troupe has gained a new member in Melissa McCarthys Hela, and if you watch closely as the actors take their bows, you can spot McCarthys husband, Ben Falcone, off to the side, moonlighting as the theaters stage manager.

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Speaking of Thor, when did he join the Guardians of the Galaxy?

Thor hooked up with the Guardians in Infinity War, and has been bopping around space with them for a while. But as Love and Thunders first few minutes indicate, the God of Thunder isnt much of a team player, so they go their separate ways. Not, however, before Thor acquires a couple of new friends in the form of a pair of screaming space goats named Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder (and yes, they are canon). As for why goats yell so much, well, thats a subject for a separate explainer.

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OK, so Christian Bale. Who is he, and why is he so mad at the gods?

His name is Gorr, and well, they dont call him the God Butcher for nothing. He lives on a barren planet where all of his kinsmen are either dead or dying, including his daughter, whom hes hauled out to the middle of the desert in the belief that the god hes believed in all of his life will save him. The god never shows, and Gorrs daughter dies, but he follows whispers deeper into the desert and finds a magical oasis inhabited by his god and some creatures made out of flowers. Gorr still thinks that the god would want to help a faithful believer, but instead the god laughs at him, and the Necrosworda mythical blade with the power to kill godsmanifests itself to him, just in time to do some god-butchering. Consumed by grief, and slowly poisoned by the Necroswords power, Gorr decides he needs to kill all the gods, including those nice Asgardians weve grown so fond of.

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Where does the Necrosword come from?

In the comics, the Necrosword is actually a symbiote, not unlike Venom, that simply prefers to take the form of a sword. The evil god Knull created it from the remains of a Celestial (you might remember those from Eternals), and its been used at various times by Ego, the living planet (you might remember him from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2), and by a version of Loki (whom you might remember from  Loki). Also, it has a name. Its All-Black, its not just the necrosword.

Have we heard of this Eternity person before? It seems kind of important?

Right, so Gorr, at the Necroswords urging, sets his sights on Eternity, a being who lives at the literal center of the universe, waiting for someone to turn up and be granted one all-powerful wish. (Gorrs, naturally, involves the death of every living god.) One of four cosmic entities whose existence predates the universe, Eternity appears in Steve Ditkos (of course) Doctor Strange comics as a caped figure whose body seems to be made of interstellar space, like a person-shaped hole cut in the fabric of reality. When Gorr finally reaches Eternity in Love and Thunder, the depiction is much the same, only this one just sits like its doing some particularly intense yoga, waiting for that wish to be cast.

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There is quite a lot of talk about Bifrost. What is that?

Bifrost is, classically, the rainbow bridge that connects Asgard to Earth. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, its more like a cosmic vacuum that can transport figures to and from anywhere in the galaxy. Formerly the dominion of Idris Elbas Heimdall (whom Thanos killed at the beginning of Infinity War), the Bifrost is now connected to Thors hammer-ax Stormbreaker, which is why he can use it to make his own rainbow portalsand also why Gorr wants to get ahold of it, and use it to open the portal to Eternity.

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It seems like New Asgard has been pretty chill since Thanos died. What has Valkyrie been up to?

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Just general being king stuff: meetings, raven mail, meetings that could have been raven mail. (If you think that joke is extremely funny, you will love Thor: Love and Thunder.) Also, she apparently used the down time to get really into Phantom.

I have some questions about Omnipotence City. First of all, thats Russell Crowe, right?

That is indeed Love and Thunder director Taika Waititis fellow Antipodean taking on the role of the god of lightningnot thunderwith an outrageously campy Greek accent. Unlike his mythological portrayal, this Zeus isnt so big on waging legendary battles, but he is very keen on orgies.

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And all the gods just  live there? Shouldnt they be, like, ruling the universe or something?

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In order to steer clear of blasphemy, Marvels gods are just beings powerful enough to have convinced others to worship them at some point: stronger than your average superhero, but not immortal. Theyre not even the most powerful beings in the universe. The ones hanging out in Omnipotence City seem particularly unconcerned with traditional godly dutiesguiding living creatures towards moral courses of action, that kind of thingwhich leaves them with a lot of free time for  well, orgies.

During the final showdown with Gorr, Thor basically gives all of the kidnapped kids his power. Can he do that?

Apparently, he can! Thor gains power from his mystical weapons, but unlike Janes Mighty Thor, hes not reliant on themthus the whole electricity-crackling-between-his-fingertips dealwhich means hes got more than enough to share. It might help that most of the captive children hes temporarily Thor-ing up are of Asgardian descent, but who knows.

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Why does Gorr, the God Butcher, give up his whole butchering-gods plan?

Because Thor reminds him that love is stronger than hate (really). The defeated, Necrosword-less Gorr reaches Eternity, but Thor suggests that bringing his daughter back to life might be a better use of his one wish than obliterating every god in the universe. Gorr, who is not unreasonable as god-butchers go, agrees, and wishes his daughter back to life just before his Necrosword-sapped body gives out on him.

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On to the post-credits scenes. That person playing Hercules seems awfully familiar.

Good eye. Thats none other than Brett Goldstein, Roy Fucking Kent himself, as Zeus hopping-mad son, who is none too happy his dad ended up getting killed by his own lightning bolt. In the comics, the character is a frequent member of the Avengers. Will he show up in future Marvel movies? Hes here, hes there, hes every-fucking-where.

And Jane ends up in Valhalla? I thought that was just for Vikings.

As Thor explains to the not-quite-dying Sif (Jaimie Alexander), Valhalla is reserved for warriors who die in battle. Jane technically expired just after the movies big fight, but thats close enough for Heimdall, who waves her into the halls of the gods and perhaps out of the MCU for good.
When it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I seem to be firmly ensconced in late-stage Stockholm syndrome. At this point, any installment in the nearly two-decade-old franchise that runs less than 160 minutes and offers the merest touch of levity or style strikes me as a Rashomon-grade masterpiece. The recent Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness didnt abide by all my Marvel rulesit ran too long, and the Scarlet Witchcentered subplot idealized the purity and nobility of suburban motherhood to a degree I found both retrograde and cloying. Still, that film ultimately won my grudging esteem, thanks to a last act packed with the macabre plot twists and funny/gross sight gags that are the specialty of former horror director Sam Raimi.

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With Thor: Love and Thunder, we get another mostly lighthearted romp through the post-Avengers life of a former world-saver, this time created not by a horror-comedy veteran but by a newly arrived star in that genre (or some 21st-century version of it). Love and Thunder was directed and co-written by the New Zealandborn comedian and filmmaker Taika Waititi, who in the past few years has gone from up-and-coming international auteurin 2019 he directed, wrote, and co-starred in the Holocaust-themed comedy/drama Jojo Rabbit, winning an Oscar for best adapted screenplayto ubiquitous presence on the Disney-Marvel scene. He has worked both in front of and behind the camera on overlapping film and TV projects (What We Do in the Shadows, The Mandalorian, Our Flag Means Death, Reservation Dogs), taking breaks to look handsome in vibrantly hued fits on red carpets. He has also played or voiced several Star Wars and Marvel and Pixar characters, often in projects hes directing; in Love and Thunder he returns to the role of Korg, an alien being made of piled-up rocks who is the loyal, chatty sidekick to Chris Hemsworths Thor.

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When Thor: Ragnarok, Waititis first big-budget studio film, landed in theaters back in 2017, it was widely hailed as a much-needed update to the lumbering style of the typical comic-book blockbuster. By contrast, Ragnarok felt fleetfooted and playful, a candy-colored space opera with campishly glam production and costume design and a script, co-written by Waititi, that reveled in the Saturday-afternoon-serial silliness of the comic-book genre while fully understanding its pleasures. Returning to Thor world five years later, not as a rising writer-director making his first big-budget film, but as an established Disney-Marvel company man, is a tall order for a onetime wunderkind.

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Has Waititi, as I heard one pair of critics grumbling on the way out of Thor: Love and Thunder, worn out his welcome, spread himself across too many projects, or otherwise done harm to a wildly promising career via overexposure and overcommitment to big commercial projects? As a critic who herself has had limited exposure to many of the properties this polymathic creator works on, based solely on the viewing of this movie, I say no. Given the formulaic nature of the Marvel Studios house style, Waititi has crafted a successful if less than world-shaking sequel to his memorable Marvel debut. Thor: Love and Thunder made me laugh aloud three or four times, a good number by MCU standards, even if not every joke tossed out by the gag-dense script lands. It features a villain, Christian Bales gloriously named Gorr the God Butcher, with more motivation and backstory than your average space meanie. It offers a pleasing visual alternative to the usual orange-and-teal-flecked murk of the superhero blockbuster. And it lasts, praise Gorr the God Butcher, less than two mostly amusing hours. For a superhero movie in the already plenty ponderous summer of 2022, thats going to have to suffice.

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Thor: Love and Thunder rejoins the story of Thor Odinson, Asgardian space god turned affable super-doofus, some time after he has finished resettling his fellow Asgardians in an Earth colony after their planet was destroyed in the long-prophesied Armageddon known as Ragnarok. With the new Asgardian king, Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), in charge of the survivors peaceful Earthly settlement, Thor has embarked on a midlife crisis, meditating in a space cave while he ponders his true purpose. A fellow superhero, Chris Pratts Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, stops by to pick Thor up for some freelance alien slaying before advising the god of thunder that what he needs is to find someone to love. Its been years, after all, since Thor drifted away from his sweetheart, the brilliant astrophysicist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman).

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This early chapter, with its attempt to graft an appearance from the Guardians of the Galaxy crew onto the world of freestanding Thor movies, is thankfully brief. Intercut with Thors struggle to find the color of his parachute are scenes with the present-day Jane, now a world-famous scientist who, unbeknownst to all but her best friend (Kat Dennings), is dying of cancer. Hoping that Asgardian medicine may hold some answersor possibly summoned by the magic of Mjolnir, Thors once all-powerful, now-shattered hammer of destinyJane hies herself to the colony of New Asgard in Norway. With what turns out to be fortunate timing, her arrival coincides with that of Bales aforementioned god butcher. In a pre-credits sequence, we learned this villains backstory: Once the pious resident of a planet with an especially selfish and fickle god who ignored his prayers while his daughter died of exposure, he has made it his mission to destroy all the universes deities using a super-weapon called the Necrosword (impressively described on one Marvel fan page as a blade formed from living abyss).

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Maybe its just the fantasy appeal of a cosmic god-slaughtering rampage in a moment when religious fundamentalism is taking hold worldwide, but Bales God Butcher, a pale, bald, slithering sort whose visual and vocal design owe more than the tip of a hat to the Harry Potter universes Voldemort, is one of the better Marvel villains to come along in a while. (Compare the specificity of his motive, for example, to the curious abstractness of the planet-sized bad guys in last years lifeless Eternals.) And the notion of a deity-specific killing spree allows for an extended comic interlude in Omnipotence City, the center for an interstellar council of divine beings that range from lyre-strumming angels to a grumpy god whos just a head balanced on a pair of feet. Russell Crowe plays Zeus as a vain, self-impressed, and none-too-sharp mob bossa funny turn, though placing an ancient Greek god at the top of the supreme-being hierarchy seems curiously Eurocentric for a movie that gestures toward inclusivity.

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More disappointingly, far too little use is made of the potential star power of Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, the Asgardian warrior-turned-civic-leader-turned-warrior-again. A well-done early montage hints at what a Type A, on-the-job king Val was during her brief tenure in charge of New Asgard: We see her cutting ribbons, resolving disputes, and coolly staving off disasters. But as soon as she takes off with Thor in an airborne Viking ship drawn by two alien goats (dont ask) to find and kill the God Butcher, she is reduced to waiting on the ship, doing shots, and telling stories, while Thor, his rockpile buddy, and their female super-companionwell get to her in just a minutesee the majority of the action. Based on the response in the screening I saw, Val is a huge fan favorite, and Thompsons wattage as a screen presence is all but blinding. Taking her leave of one of Zeus comely attendants in Omnipotence City, Val gallantly kisses the young womans hand, and it may be the most erotic moment yet to be seen in a Marvel movie. (Vals briefly acknowledged lesbian past and Korgs confessed crush on a fellow pile-of-rocks dude are this movies scant gestures at queer inclusivity, but that hand kiss makes up for a lot.)

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And then theres Jane, Portmans character, who (spoiler alert, maybe, if you havent seen the trailer) transforms just short of the midway point into a superheroine named the Mighty Thor, who is basically  Thor, but a woman? With inexplicably blonder and longer hair than her alter-ego scientist self and the ability to telekinetically reassemble Thors shattered hammer? The metaphysics of this transformation arent especially well explained, nor is the logic by which Janes empowering experiences in the realm of gods and superheroes somehow drain strength and energy from her dying-of-cancer-on-Earth self. And given how skimpy the Marvel universe has been on superheroines, theres something disheartening about the Mighty Thor being little more than a mortal woman in her ex-boyfriends super-suit. Still, Portman, leaning into the comedy of her characters situation rather than the pathos, makes an agreeable proxy for the audience, an ordinary Jane caught up in grand cosmological battles before shes had the chance to so much as think up a cool catchphrase.

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Thor: Love and Thunder marks the first time an MCU hero has ever gotten a fourth freestanding film to himselfan odd distinction for Thor, perhaps the least introspective of the whole Avengers class. If this particular franchises material feels at times a bit thin to be spun out even to two hours, it may be simply that three solo movies per Avenger is more than enough. But this weekend, if the lure of an air-conditioned summer blockbuster summons you like a sacred Asgardian hammer, you could do worse than this Easter eggcolored, classic rockscored frolic.
In a one-line order last week, the Supreme Court planted a ticking time bomb that now threatens American democracy. The court agreed to hear a case in which North Carolina legislative leaders argue that state legislatures should be free to regulate congressional elections without any constraints from other state actors. If adopted, this position would revive the Republican gerrymander of North Carolinas congressional districts, which a state court struck down on state constitutional grounds. In other cases, this position would mean that state legislatures could subvert congressional elections without pushback from governors, state courts, or even state electorates.

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Fortunately, Congress doesnt have to sit back and wait for the courts next potential blow against democracy. Under the same constitutional provision invoked by North Carolinas politicians, Congress can indisputably nullify their claim of absolute electoral powerand all others like it. That provision is the elections clause of Article I. North Carolinas politicians fixate on the first half of the clause, which says that the Legislature of each state shall regulate the Times, Places and Manner of congressional elections. But the clauses second half authorizes Congress to override any state policies about congressional elections with which it disagrees. Congress may at any time  make or alter such Regulations.

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To nip the North Carolina case in the bud, then, all Congress has to do is pass a short statute ratifying all state regulations of congressional elections that are compliant with state constitutions. State constitutions commonly give regulatory roles to many nonlegislative actors: governors who can veto bills, state courts who can review laws constitutionality, bureaucrats who can set certain policies, even voters who can launch initiatives. Under the proposed statute, all these actors efforts would be immunized against North Carolinastyle challenges. Thats because gubernatorial vetoes, state court decisions, state agency rules, and voter initiatives would all now have the imprimatur of federal law. So if a state legislature objected to any of these actions, the resulting clash would no longer be between that body and another state actora battle at least four Supreme Court justices likely think the legislature should win. Instead, the dispute would be between the legislature and federal law, which would plainly trump that bodys preferences.

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If Congress wanted to pack more of a punch, it could also try to ratify all state regulations of presidential elections. In that case, the statute would aim to neutralize state legislative complaints about state courts or state agencies making decisions about presidential races. It would also hope to foil state legislative schemes to appoint presidential electors unilaterally, in violation of state law. In other words, the statute would seek to pull the rug from under many of the strategies that Donald Trump deployed after losing the 2020 election. The odds of another coup attempt disguised by a patina of legal argument would thus decline sharply.

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To pass the statute, Democrats would have to either amend the filibusteran unlikely scenario at this pointor win the support of several Senate Republicans. This second avenue is more plausible than it sounds. Some Republican senators might be interested for the same reason theyre likely to agree to revisions of the Electoral Count Act: avoiding a rerun of the tragic events that followed the 2020 election. The Electoral Count Acts ambiguities contributed to the elections grim aftermath by seeming to allow the vice president to reject properly certified slates of electors. Just as responsible for these developments was the idea that state legislatures can do whatever they want with respect to presidential elections. The statute would squelch that idea once and for all. (To ease passage, it could even be incorporated into the Electoral Count Act amendments.)

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Raw partisanship might be another impetus for Senate Republicans to act. If accepted, North Carolinas claim would open the door to brutal Democratic gerrymanders in California, Colorado, Maryland, New York, and Washington. In all these states, Democratic legislators are currently blocked from crafting advantageous maps by independent commissions or state constitutional provisions. Combined, these states congressional seats far outnumber the seats of states where Republican legislators are the ones barred from gerrymandering by state law. So at least in terms of redistricting, its Democrats who would be the big winners of a ruling that state legislatures can draw the lines however they like. That the North Carolina case happens to be brought by Republicans doesnt change that fact.

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The Senate is one audience; the right-wing Supreme Court is another. Would the court allow Congress to countermand state legislative choices about federal elections? In a 2013 decision authored by conservative patron saint Justice Antonin Scalia, the court did just that. The Arizona Legislature tried to require people to show proof of citizenship when they registered to vote. The court held that this requirement was preempted by the National Voter Registration Act, which permits people to register after completing a form that doesnt ask for citizenship documentation. Congress, the court explained, can preempt state legislative choices as it sees fit. Congress power over federal elections is paramount and so supersede[s] any inconsistent state legislative policies.

If anything, a statute ratifying all state regulations of federal elections would present an easier case. The National Voter Registration Act significantly changed the legal status quo. In the courts words, it erected a complex superstructure of federal regulation atop state voter-registration systems. In contrast, the suggested statute would perfectly preserve the existing legal order. However state constitutions distribute authority among legislatures, governors, courts, agencies, and voters would be respectedin fact, codifiedby Congress. The statutes only impact would be to stop legislatures like North Carolinas from asserting that their wishes must prevail over those of all other state actors.

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To be sure, extending the statute to presidential elections is legally murky. On the one hand, the Supreme Court long ago rejected the view that Congress has less power over the conduct of presidential elections than it has over congressional elections. On the other, the language of Article II does support a distinction between these contexts. Unlike the elections clause of Article I, the electors clause of Article II only enables Congress to determine the Time of presidential elections. It wouldnt be hard for a textually minded court to conclude that, while Congress has near-plenary authority over congressional elections, its ability to regulate presidential elections is more limited.

But this possibility hardly dooms this project. For one thing, the court might choose to respect its precedent about the symmetry of Congress powers over congressional and presidential elections. More importantly, its the North Carolina case thats the imminent threat to American democracy, and that suit involves only congressional elections. Even if Congress cant respond to every other danger, it can at least defuse this bomb.
On June 30, 2020, Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican from Florida, appeared on Fox Business to celebrate a bipartisan coalition in the House of Representatives plan to limit the power of Big Tech: Google, Facebook (now Meta), Twitter, and other large software and services companies based in the western United States. Although Democratic and Republican lawmakers did end up cooperating on d antitrust legislation introduced in late spring of 2022.

What makes the coalition interesting, though, is that Big Tech means something different to each side. For Democrats, the phrase signals unfair competition cemented by the influence and stature of a handful of technology companies. For Gaetz and his allies, the big tech concept is far more insidious: It refers to a thought-controlling group of corporations that interfere with free speech of conservative voters and unfairly influence elections against Republican candidates.

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The Jan. 6 congressional hearings have invested a great deal of time in the conspiracy theory of a rigged election. So far, though, the January 6th House Select Committee hasnt engaged with a key part of the stolen-election narrative. Long before November 2020, President Trump and his political allies sowed doubt in the ability of voters to reason through their choices at the ballot box. They argued that Google, Facebook, and Twitter were so biased against Trump that their content moderation policies distorted public discourse, preventing any possibility of a fair election.

In May 2020, the flogging of Big Tech became a proxy for support of Trump. Gaetz and other Trump supporters accused companies like Facebook and Twitter of shadowbanning Trump supporters, unfair moderation practices that suspended accounts or removed influential posts of public figures, even buying off members of Congress or owning them outright. With the election approaching, Gaetz appeared to be priming the pump ahead of a widely anticipated showdown at the polls.

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That spring, like many members on the House Subcommittee on AntitrustLegislationDemocrats and Republicans alikeGaetz spent weeks taking to the airwaves and the internet, testing out different messages about Section 230. A controversial part of the 1996 U.S.

Communications Decency Act, Section 230 grants protection to internet service providers and online companies against libel and defamation lawsuits for information posted on their websites by third parties. Section 230 also became the strawman for public concerns about big mainstream tech companies moderating content about elections, COVID, and other tricky topics. In a May 27 tweet, Gaetz bragged about his proposed bill to strip tech companies of immunity for libel under federal statutes.

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That same day, Donald Trump tweeted a similar message: Big Tech is doing everything in their very considerable power to CENSOR in advance of the 2020 Election. If that happens, we no longer have our freedom. I will never let it happen! They tried hard in 2016, and lost. Now they are going absolutely CRAZY. Stay Tuned!!!

The public pressure campaign on mainstream technology companies continued with that summers congressional hearings on the market power of Facebook, Twitter, and Google. During the hearings, Rep. Jim Jordan, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, spelled out the stance of the pro-Trump wing of the party. We all think the free market is great, Jordan said, But whats not great is censoring people, censoring conservators and trying to impact elections. Soon afterward, Trump tweeted a threat: If Congress doesnt bring fairness to Big Tech, which they should have done years ago, I will do it myself with Executive Orders.

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The emphasis on Big Tech was part of a broader strategy of undermining the idea that the United States was a safe and functioning democracy. Over the year-long 2020 election cycle, high-profile Trump supporters and members of Congress weaved many of those narrative strands into a thick braid of far-right conspiracy theories and angry conjecture that was, in turn, used to whip up anxiety over the outcome of the vote before it even took place. In the world imagined by this strategy, technology companies were part of a multipoint effort to rig the election, with Twitter and Facebook stifling speech online and antifa intimidating the voters into submission.

Despite the constant claims about conservatives being censored, however, right-wing conspiracy theories flourished on social media platforms on the way to Nov. 4. By the time the election had taken place, #StoptheSteal was already an established movement online and the occasion for protests nationwide. This created a post-election crisis;, Twitter and Facebook attempted to thwart the further spread of election misinformation and disinformation by suspending accounts and blocking groups that incubated conspiracies and misinformation. But while these suspensions removed harmful sources and spreaders of online misinformation, they also fueled more conjecture about Big Tech conspiracies to suppress conservative thought and pro-Trump political organization.

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In the end, pushing a more conspiratorial idea of Big Tech, one that was an antagonist of true American values, sowed doubt in the minds of voters about the fairness of elections. But that was not the only doubt generated by the mythology and repetition of the Big Tech narrative. By establishing an elitist, morally inconsistent, and left-leaning Big Tech, Gaetz and allies helped install a perceived moral high ground for emergent, alternative platforms like Parler known as alt tech.

Parler began rising in popularity in early 2020 as mainstream platforms cracked down on misinformation, the COVID crisis worsened, and election campaigns built momentum during the primary season. It allowed far-right ideas, narratives, conversations about the election, and other topics to percolate with little to no oversight. Parlers user base paled in comparison with the billions who on Facebook and hundreds of millions on Twitter. Indeed, Parler represents only a small corner in an expanding constellation of social media platforms with loose content moderation policies that have cropped up as alternatives as Big Tech firms have stepped up their moderation of content in recent years. These so-called alt-tech sites began to proliferate and take on more prominence as Trump began to prepare his re-election campaign amid a series of White House scandals.

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But, in the spring of 2020, at precisely the moment when Gaetz and others appeared to be stoking their campaign against Big Tech, Parlers user base had grown exponentially. Company officials claimed that the platform had approximately 15 million users.

Data from Google Trends, news databases, and Twitter indicate that there was a brief lull in June and July in public attention to the Big Tech issue as national news coverage shifted to other more urgent issues driven by Black Lives Matter and protests related to local and national officials COVID response. But during that time frame, Parler welcomed every new member with messages referencing the hegemony of Big Tech, and in doing so it kept the idea of Big Tech as anti-democratic boogeyman on life support, driving it to the forefront of attention for its users.

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It is no surprise that being reminded of the monolithic and dangerous aspects of Big Tech was table stakes for those joining Parler in June of 2020any perceived freedoms afforded by the platform were meant as a tacit critique of bigger technology platforms and their practices. By demonizing Big Tech as all-influential, left-leaning, and capricious, Gaetz, Trump, and allies produced a two step messaging cycle that sowed doubt in election integrity: 1) Elections are rigged by thought controlling Big Tech; and 2) Alt-tech platforms can then define themselves against Big Tech, thereby reinforcing the prior political messaging.

The events of Jan. 6, 2021, will continue to receive investigative scrutiny over the coming week, months, and years. But while the forensic process of finding culpable individuals and parties is underway, it is important to remember the specific mythologies of technology platforms that make up so much of the context of distrust in democracy today. The alt-tech vs. Big Tech framing of issues and ideas that made their way through traditional media and then Parler are not just mere symptoms of an echo chamber run amok. Rather, emerging venues like Parler itself are both medium and message; they are a living performance of the idea that fairness cannot be achieved through dialog with others, because the channels of communication have been irreparably tilted. The question nowas the 2022 midterm elections and 2024 presidential election loomis not whether we should expect to see a rinse, wash, repeat cycle emerge on Parler and other alt-tech platforms like Gab, Gettr, and Rumble. Its when that pattern will erupt into mass political violence again.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
If theres a future for crypto in the governance of American cities, the most prominent example is hardly inspiring confidence.

Miami has positioned itself as the countrys (mainland) cryptocurrency paradise. Mayor Francis X. Suarez repeatedly emphasizes his crypto bona fides, from taking his salary in Bitcoin to calling for the United States to incorporate blockchain technology into every level of government at a recent Bitcoin convention in Miami. The centerpiece of this effort is MiamiCoin, a cryptocurrency that the city has described asdeep breathprogrammable city-based tokens that unlock a new community-driven revenue stream for local governments while bringing collaborative technology to its citizens and ecosystem of stakeholders.

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MiamiCoin was issued by a company called CityCoins. Like other cryptocurrencies, it works through a process of miningin this case, on the Stacks network, which is built on the Bitcoin blockchain. Basically, Stacks coins are funneled into the CityCoins protocol by miners, and 30 percent of those coins go to participating cities, like Miami. (In theory, you can also build apps on top of the CityCoins protocol that would also benefit cities.) In a sense, then, MiamiCoin is a huge success, because its netted the town millions.

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But MiamiCoin has lost nearly 90 percent of its value since launching in early August and was trading for $0.00071 as of this writing. In other words, Miami can be seen as having left crypto fans holding the bag. Damning reporting by Quartz also turned up emails that demonstrate a possible breach of federal regulations; in one missive, a CityCoins representative told Suarezs chief of staff that the mayor might have tripped a few regulatory wires. Third, there are concerns over the anonymity of the users and the possibility that criminals might be laundering money while Miami profits.

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Meanwhile, Suarez has been a lot quieter about crypto and the blockchain on Twitter for the past two months, in which crypto prices have plummeted. Still, Suarez remains as much a tech evangelist as ever, and says hes still taking his city paycheck in Bitcoin even though its value has cratered.

Was all of this wise? Well see. Yet Miami isnt alone in trying to bring some laser-eyed panache to the typically vanilla work of local governance. A wave of smaller cities has begun to accept cryptocurrencies for payments, create their own NFT projects, and even install crypto mining operations. Their efforts, if anything, display an openness to technological innovation in cities of various locales and political contexts. What they dont show is whether this particular innovation is able to accomplish much of anything at all.

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The town that calls itself the biggest little city in the world is trying to create the biggest little blockchain. Reno, Nevada, Mayor Hillary Schievewho helps lead the Conference of Mayors along with Francis Suarezis a longtime crypto enthusiast who sees so-called Web3 technology as a possible feather in the citys already-ostentatious cap.

One of Schieves projects is in the NFT space, involving a piece of art created for Burning Man 2016: The Space Whale. We ended up buying it last year, Schieve told us, and we wanted to do an NFT. Its the first time that as a citizen you could own a piece of public artthis is a way all of us can have ownership. And that money would go back to public arts programs. That vision to crowdfund public art has taken effect: While the city already allocates money for public art through hotel taxes, you can now buy one of 1,000 limited-edition Space Whale NFTs through City Key Art for the price of a single Benjamin.

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Reno officials also see Web3 as an opportunity to improve government operations. The city is moving its historic registry records system onto the blockchain, the permanent virtual ledger on which the crypto economy runs. In effect, this creates a public, verified record of historic property requests and allows city residents to file for Certificates of Appropriateness to modify these properties through the web. Community liaison Nic Ciccone explained to us that Much of our historic registry files are in banker boxes or file cabinetstucked away, not easily accessible. So we were looking at ways to make these digitally accessible, and blockchain just happened to be one of those. The city has partnered with BlockApps, which is providing the service to Reno for free. Ciccone specifically noted that smart contracts and the immutability of the blockchain are incredibly important for improving the efficiency of historic records requests: There are so many systems and departments that all have to work together when it comes to municipal governmentapproving different permits and certificates of appropriateness. So having one place where everyone is working on the same thing and can see the exact progress of the project is so valuable. However, it remains unclear how blockchain systems improve accessibility when it comes to public service, considering the intensive process that goes into placing a record on the blockchain and the security issues that also arise when more people join the system. As for cross-department administrative efforts, theres always cloud computing, which is still extremely popular at all levels of government.

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Plus, not all of Renos residents may be as familiar with the blockchain. Schieve admits thats been a challenge, because a lot of people are like, What are you talking about, cryptocurrencies? Is that dark money? I dont think people have been that receptive. She emphasized to us, however, that she views the citys Web3 integration as crucial for its future. Whenever you are the first that goes out there, and youre talking about new technology and new innovationI remember when people were like, Whats a QR code? You had to educate people, Schieve said. Shes hoping to help Reno residents access blockchain processes as easily as possible, like by giving them the option to purchase Space Whale NFTs with a credit card, and then look ahead to more ambitious projects in the metaverse: I want to do a press conference there.

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Still, Reno is planning to take it slow. A lot of times in the crypto world, theres a lot of hype and a lot of promise, and thats just not the business that were in, explained Schieve. I want to actually use the technology and show the great work and innovation Web3 and blockchain can have. For Reno, that innovation should be nothing less than transformative: If we raise a lot of money in this NFT, that would be great, but I think the bigger win would be to have collections of art all over from every city thats very recognizable. Think about the longevity and education of that aspect. How cool would it be to own part of the Statue of Liberty?

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A Lady Liberty NFT seems far away, but Schieve thinks this project will open the door for new NFT projects in other cities. And if nothing else, she hopes the project will at least shine a light on the arts scene in her city: With an NFT, its a way to share this with the world that normallylike, if youd never been to Reno, you might not even know about the Space Whale.

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Renos colorful embrace of crypto may fit a town best known for tourism and gambling. Other cities mostly just want to use it to collect some bills.

Earlier this year, the city of Chandler, Arizona, announced it would allow residents to pay their utility bills using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum through PayPals payment service. The city will actually receive such funds in the form of fiat currencythe cryptocurrency is converted to dollars by Invoice Cloud, the Phoenix suburbs payments vendor. Dawn Lang, the citys deputy manager and chief financial officer, has said this is meant to eliminate any market volatility risk for Chandler.

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Despite this new commitment to cryptocurrency, Chandler has no plans to expand further. City public information officer Stephanie Romero explains that the impetus for the utility bill decision was really about customer service, giving residents the flexibility to pay bills how they want. Still, Romero admitted that We do not expect to see very many customers using this method, but it is an option for them. Chandler bills itself as a City and Community of Innovation.

Other cities crypto initiatives are similarly restrained. Scott Conger, the mayor of Jackson, Tennessee, is working to make his city the first in the U.S. to add a cryptocurrency payroll option for employees (in a stunt in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams said he would take early paychecks in crypto, though in fact he was paid in cash and then converted the funds using Coinbase). The state comptroller of Tennessee has argued the idea may violate the Fair Labor Standards Act because the price fluctuations of crypto could run amok of the citys fiduciary responsibilities. Still, Conger has attempted to push forward with his support for the plan through a third-party conversion service.

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More ambitiously, Fort Worth, Texas, became the first city in the U.S. to run its own Bitcoin mining operation in late April, with machines sponsored by the Texas Blockchain Council. It communicates to people that were a very progressive city with a young mayor, a young council. Were embracing technology and recruiting technology, Fort Worth City Councilman Leonard Firestone told the Fort Worth Business Press.

Progressive might be a misnomer when it comes to cryptos techno-libertarian appeal. Among politicians, at least, its been most readily adopted by Republicans, and the Democrats who have most eagerly embraced crypto arent exactly the young firebrands of the left. And while Fort Worths City Council races are nonpartisan, many of Firestones prominent supporters are conservatives, like former Texas state Rep. Charlie Geren and former Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. Really, this sort of adoption could be seen as an attempt to lure crypto companies and traders in the interest of making cities easier to do business in, as Schieve put it. Certainly, crypto is now just another part of any pro-business agenda.

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To some mayors, however, that makes it all the more imperative that liberal Democrats do take steps to adopt and champion the tech. At least, thats what the mayor of Portsmouth, New Hampshirea small coastal town of about 22,000 residentstold us in an interview, explaining the need to counter the libertarian streak that runs through the state. In New Hampshire, we have people whove moved here who dont believe in governmentthey call themselves Free Statersand the conversation on crypto in New Hampshire has been weighted toward, How do we do away with government?  says Mayor Deaglan McEachern.

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Indeed, Granite Staters whod like their home to secede from the U.S. have been rebranding their movement with the help of crypto. In 2017 Steven Zeiler, a Bitcoin evangelist, joined forces with longtime libertarian activist Derrick J. Freeman to open up the Free State Bitcoin Shoppe in downtown Portsmouth, offering secession-themed merch you can only pay for in Bitcoin and other digital currencies. The two also printed a brochure deeming the city Bitcoin Village, claiming there are more crypto accepting retail shops in Portsmouth, NH than anywhere in the world. (Their shop is no longer open; in 2018, Freeman told a journalist that it hasnt been as successful as hed like.)

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McEachern, who became Portsmouths mayor just this year, said he hadnt heard of the Bitcoin Village nickname before we asked him about it and dismissed that characterization of his city. However, he said, he is curious about the decentralized nature of crypto as a means by which to make government easier and more effective, in explicit opposition to anti-government Free Staters.

In late March, as the Portsmouth Herald reported, McEachern announced that city residents could now make payments to the government by transferring crypto through PayPal, which the city had already been employing as a revenue-collection tool. By creating more ways to pay bills, were enabling greater participation, especially from those without bank accounts, McEachern told local media. PayPal converts crypto transactions into U.S. fiat currency before delivering the money to the city, ensuring crypto-market volatility wont dent city funds, like in Chandler. The purpose of this pilot program is to find out if crypto provides the government a means to invite more participation with more people, in a way that we can trust they are who they say they are.

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That purported goalof crypto as a means to offer constituents additional, hopefully accessible ways of interacting with their governmentappears to be shared by other blockchain-curious municipal officials all across the political spectrum, like the leaders of Williston, North Dakota. Finance director Hercules Cummings announced last year that the city would be partnering with crypto-payment firm BitPay to accept utility bill payments in digital currencies. The mission, Cummings told us, is to gauge this systems workability and get constituent feedbackand then perhaps expand the tech to other municipal functions, like payment of speeding tickets, fees for business and liquor licenses, ledgers of public debts on the blockchain, and even cryptocurrency-mining units powered by landfill methane emissions. For now, he elaborated, Were just offering another payment corridor if the customer wants to do that.

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The pilot has been going on for about a year, and Cummings admitted that usage is relatively low, in part because Williston is a rural locale with a small population. But he also notes that Williston was one of the earliest cities to incorporate crypto and notes other factors that could drive up demand: a growing population of out-of-towners who come to work in oil fields and are already familiar with crypto technology, proximity to an in-construction crypto factory, and a partnership with Coin Cloud to operate a crypto ATM in the citys international airport.

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Though officials we spoke with from all these smaller cities expressed higher ambitions for crypto in city governmentCummings told us hes been in touch with metaverse companiesnone is exactly trying to establish blockchain-based autonomous regions, as one Nevada company attempted recently (with support from Gov. Steve Sisolak). At the end of the day, Renos Schieve told us, its all capitalizing on the hype that crypto has built up for itself. I think cities need to continue to be innovative, and what I like to say is when you stop trying is when you fail, she said.  I think in this country we have this too big a fear of failing, and I think: Fail fast, and fail often. Because thats how you become innovative and changemaking.

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With numerous citiesboth big and small, from Austin to Massenaintegrating crypto into government, its important to ask: Do crypto and the blockchain actually do anything meaningful for these cities?

One thing we learned: None of the smaller cities we surveyed is actually handling cryptocurrency itself. In fact, every one ensures currency payments are converted to fiat before being received by the municipalities. Second, its worth interrogating the purported motivations behind crypto adoption: a way to advertise a citys innovative spirit, a tool to improve government instead of undermining it, a means of increased transparencywhich can either mean using crypto to improve government, like Portsmouths mayor says, or to take responsibilities away from central government and put them on a virtual, privatized chain. To figure out whether crypto is achieving these goals requires public feedbackbut almost everyone we talked to agreed that getting people to see any sort of good-government potential for blockchain has been difficult. Just talking to people while doing walkabouts  there are obviously people concerned about emerging asset classes that have pretty wild swings in value and stability, said Portsmouth Mayor Deaglan McEachern. Around Williston, local media outlets have been critical of the citys and states crypto efforts, highlighting the energy use of Bitcoin mining, the crypto markets volatility, and the scams. As for NFTs? It depends. Some people love the Space Whale, some people dont, Schieve told us. I was a big believer in that sculpture, and a lot of people love it, but it also gets very controversial.

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These city officials pointed to any number of causes for the skepticism and hesitationnegative headlines, classic doubt of anything thats newbut what may ultimately prevent more cities from cryptofying is the fact that the blockchain economy is deliberately built to be difficult. As technologist Xiaowei Wang wrote in their 2020 survey of a rural Chinese chicken farm that had incorporated blockchain into its supply chain process, Under governance by blockchain, records are tamperproof, but the technical systems are legible only to a select few. Even exploring transactions on a blockchain requires some amount of technical knowledge and access. As such, demonstrating a Web3 project in your town might not be enough to fully sway a skeptic, who might just find the process forbiddingly puzzling. It may be further unattractive to longtime residents of small cities like Williston, who may be skeptical of transplants who come to cash in on speculative booms that flare out and crash hard. A new government initiative need not be megapopular to be useful and, down the line, necessary. But what then happens when youve tried to sell your bridge and people dont want to buy it?

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
You might have seen it in an Instagram photo dump: a group of people in downward dog, with various tiny goats accompanying them. Some goats stand on peoples backs, others are scattered between the yoga mats.

This is of, course, goat yoga. Originating on a farm in Oregon, it has since been replicated across the country, with classes ranging from $30-$50 per person. Its pricier than a typical yoga class, but then again, a typical yoga class doesnt involve a furry friend. Thats not the only activity you can do with goats. Theres also goat hiking, which is what it sounds like: taking a group hike with a herd of goats at your heels.

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If youre looking for a fun summer activity to do with friends, you could do worse than goat yoga or goat hiking. The humans involved in the goat-activities certainly look happy. But are the goats?

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Goat yoga classes tend to use Nigerian dwarf goats, mostly for the comfort of the attendantsthey max out at around 40 pounds, a fraction of the weight of your typical dairy goat. (Imagine trying to balance a 160-pound Nubian buck on your back!) According to Backyard Goats, which publishes advice for raising goats at home, Nigerian dwarf goats make excellent pets for people of all ages thanks to their calm, even temperament and engaging personalities. They tend to be playful and gentle, and combined with goats proclivity for climbing. It certainly sounds like they might enjoy a silly, lowkey yoga class.

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To find out the truth, I reached out to an expert on goat cognition, Alan McElligott, a researcher at the City University of Hong Kong. Goats were likely the first domesticated livestock, he tells me. Theyve spent millennia living alongside us. Unlike dogs, they werent domesticated to live or work closely with humans, but they can be surprisingly social and are far more intelligent than weve given them credit for.

For example, McElligotts research suggests goats know how to ask us for help if they cant open a sealed box full of food. Have you ever noticed your dog seems to communicate by staring at you when they want something? Goats do the same thingthe study shows that they maintain eye contact with humans to nonverbally request assistance. And they can tell the difference between positive and negative human facial expressionsthey prefer it when we smile. In a 2018 study, 20 goats were shown photos of humans with a happy expression and an angry expression; they approached the happy faces first, and spent more time nosing the happy photos. Whats doubly fascinating about this is that previous to these studies, both behaviors (gazing to communicate and facial expression recognition) had only been noted in dogs and horses, which (unlike goats) were domesticated specifically for companionship. So goats are hardly just dumb, cud-chewing livestock; theyve learned to read human behaviors.

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And good news, goat lovers: some goats love goat yoga. McElligott reassured me that, barring outright animal abuse, stretching around our caprine friends is perfectly enjoyable, for them and for us. Goats really do like climbing on anything they can see, whether thats a haybale or your back. And hiking is equally as fun for themthey need exercise, too, and taking them on a walk allows them to munch on vegetation they otherwise dont get to eat in their pasture.

Note, however, the use of the word some in that paragraph. McElligott explained that the question is not, necessarily, do goats like yoga, but instead does this goat like yoga? Goats have personalitiesgoat temperament can vary not just between breeds, but by individual. One goat may be exceptionally shy, while the next one could be a people goat who cant get enough of our attention. To some degree a goats preferences will vary on how it was raised. A herd of dairy goats on a farm will be plenty friendly around their farmer, the source of all their food and affection, but shy away from a stranger standing by the fence. Alternatively, goats that are socialized around humans from birth (such as therapy goats, which, like other therapy animals, are trained to provide comfort and affection to people in need) are likely to walk right up to you, nosing for treats or pets.

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A particularly shy or aggressive goat should not be made to join a yoga class when it would clearly cause them discomfort. But as long as the right goats are selected, and they have an escape route if they get overwhelmed, the truth is that goat yoga can even be beneficial for the goats. The same goes for goat hikes: the farm should switch out their goats so they arent overworked, and choosing goats that enjoy walking is crucial.

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If you attend goat yoga, watch out for signs that the goat wants to be left alonebacking away, showing the whites of their eyes, yelling in agitation. According to McElligotts research, happy goats tend to keep their ears forward and their tails up. Goats bleats vary in pitch more when they are upset, comparing it to a persons voice wavering when theyre nervous to make a speech or talk to a crowd, (although if youre not already familiar with a goats call you probably wont be able to tell the difference). A frustrated goat might also butt heads with another goat, though even distressed goats are unlikely to target human bystanders with head-butting on purpose.

While theres little to no research on the specific effects of goat yoga on the goats, based on what we know about goat welfare and behavior, you should feel fine about attending a properly-run goat yoga class. After all, if it makes you smile, the goats are happy too.
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Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos (R) meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) in Manila, the Philippines, on July 6, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua]

Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos met with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday, with both sides agreeing to upgrade bilateral cooperation and deal with the South China Sea issue through dialogue and communication.

The Philippine president said China is the Philippines' largest trading partner and most important development partner, and both sides have initiated fruitful cooperation in all fields.

After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, China was the first to supply vaccines and protective materials to the Philippines, said Marcos, adding that China has actively supported the "Build Build Build" program and greatly helped the Philippines in improving its basic infrastructure.

The Philippines hopes to continue pushing forward bilateral cooperation with China in politics, economy and trade, education, culture and other areas, so as to enrich the connotation of their comprehensive strategic cooperation, Marcos said.

He said the Philippines pursues an independent foreign policy of peace, and always adheres to the one-China policy. The South China Sea issue is not the mainstream of the Philippines-China relationship and should not become an obstacle to bilateral cooperation.

The Philippines is willing to carry out candid communication with the Chinese side to find a friendly solution to the issue, which is the right way for the two countries to get along, Marcos said.

Wang said the China-Philippines relations are at a new starting point and China is ready to work with the Philippine side to keep the general direction of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Both sides remain committed to becoming good neighbors that help each other, good relatives that share mutual understanding and close bonds, and good partners that pursue cooperation and win-win results, so as to push for the upgrading of their cooperation and usher in a "golden age" in bilateral relations, Wang said.

While expressing China's firm support for the new Philippine government, Wang said China is willing to engage with the Philippines to conduct cooperation in the four key areas of agriculture, infrastructure, energy, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, help the Philippines accelerate its development and revitalization, and bring about greater benefits to the Philippine people.

Wang stressed that cooperation between China and the Philippines far outweighs their maritime differences, and any difference between the two countries cannot define their relations, nor will it hinder their cooperation.

China and the Philippines should enhance dialogue and communication and properly handle sensitive issues so as to let maritime cooperation be the main tone of their discussion and handling of maritime affairs, he said.

Wang said the two countries should make the building of good neighbors, good friends and good partners as the new consensus between the two peoples.

On Wednesday, Wang also met with Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, with both sides expressing the willingness to deepen bilateral practical cooperation in the major fields of agriculture, infrastructure, energy as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges.



During their meeting, Duterte-Carpio said the Philippine side is looking forward to working with China to further the synergy with the Belt and Road Initiative.

She also said in her capacity as the education minister that the Philippine side hopes to intensify educational cooperation with China at all levels.

Wang said China stands ready to deepen cooperation with the Philippines in the education field, including on vocational education and language training programs, to support more Philippine youths to study in China, and to assist in improving teaching facilities to elevate modern education in the Philippines.

During the meeting, Wang also expressed China's appreciation for the contribution of former President Rodrigo Duterte to secure a complete turnaround and enhancement in China-Philippine relations during his six-year tenure.
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Former police prezident Tibor Gaspar, former PM Robert Fico and former interior minister Robert Kalinak with million euros on a table after the murder of Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova. (Source: Jozef Jakubco, Sme)

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Four years since the murder of Slovak investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova, US director Matt Sarnecki shot the documentary The Killing of a Journalist to remember them both. While he did it in a way an international audience can understand it, even Slovaks who think they have already read and heard everything about the murder will see unprecedented footage with an unexpected emotional charge, writes the daily SME.

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Even with many articles depicting the timeline of the murder, portraying the accused and sentenced individuals and bringing light to Kuciaks work, the audience can still find new bits uncovering more intimate, humane parts of the story.
Significant changes await the region.

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When the government announced in summer of 2015 that Jaguar Land Rover was coming to Slovakia, questions abounded in the east part of Slovakia. Would a carmaker finally come? People were not disappointed when it did not, as they were used to it. They just assumed that it had been decades since the state had done anything for them.

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Nevertheless, many continued to have faith. This spring, locals intensively discussed the rumors that a carmaker would finally come to the east.

"Sulik is trying to settle a deal with a carmaker. When it arrives, I'll go work there," said 40-year-old Peter, who currently works in education. He was not the only one thinking along those lines.

After decades of waiting, people in the east finally got their carmaker; Volvo will build its factory near Kosice. However, the following months and years will be turbulent as a time of speculation approaches.

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Related article Volvo is coming, Slovakia to end up with fifth carmaker Read more

The disgraced east

When INDEX Magazine looked at the number of carmakers promised to the east, it amounted to 12. This started back in 1997 with the Japanese carmaker Toyota, which was supposed to be "delivered" by then head of VSZ (now U. S. Steel Kosice), Alexander Rezes, before the parliamentary elections.
Infections have been been confirmed in all neighbouring countries.

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The first monkeypox case was confirmed in Slovakia on July 7, 2022. (Source: Juan Karita)

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Slovakia has confirmed its first monkeypox case - almost two months after the first infections in the current outbreak were identified in Europe.

The Public Health Authority said on July 7 that a person infected with the virus is currently hospitalised and isolated. Officials declined to provide any details about the patient, but said they had probably contracted the virus abroad.

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Employees of a regional branch of the Public Health Authority have traced all relevant contacts of the patient and told them to self-isolate in case they notice monkeypox symptoms, which include fever, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes and a rash.

The Korzar website later reported that the hospitalised patient is a man who has recently visited Spain. The man was admitted to hospital in Kosice.

Monkeypox is similar to smallpox, but is less severe. Symptoms normally last up to a month and disappear without treatment, according to the European Medicines Agency.

The monkeypox outbreak in Europe began in mid-May, and to date, almost 6,000 cases have been confirmed in 33 European countries.

Vaccines

The Slovak government announced in early June it would purchase 2,000 monkeypox vaccines. At that time, the Public Health Authority said it did not expect a large-scale monkeypox epidemic.

There is one antiviral treatment against monkeypox, Tecovirimat, available and authorised in the EU.

Reviews of Imvanex, a vaccine used and authorised in the EU to prevent smallpox which could also be used as a vaccine against monkeypox, began a few weeks ago.

However, there are limited supplies of Imvanex in the EU and the European Medicines Agency has recommended the use of Jynneos, a vaccine authorised in the USA to prevent smallpox and monkeypox. The EU has purchased 110,000 doses of this vaccine.

Their delivery to member states with the highest number of cases is foreseen to start in the coming days, the medicines agency said on June 27.
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French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne presented her new government's policy program to deputies in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Borne said that one of her main aims will be to "find compromises" in political life. She said that each conviction and idea must and can be debated despite "divisions."

"A new page in politics is opening and we are going to write it together," Borne told the deputies.

In the government program, Borne vowed to boost employment, support purchasing power, speed up the ecological transition and prioritize the economy, health and energy.

"We need to stop believing that the answer to every challenge is a tax. No tax increase," she stressed.

Borne also confirmed her government's intention to hold "100 percent" of French multinational electricity utility company EDF's capital to avoid depending on other countries for electricity.

"In 2026, we must start to reduce the debt, and in 2027, reduce the deficit below 3 percent," Borne said.




The greatest field of two eliminations in the history of the Governors Plate, presented by Summerside Chrysler Dodge, lines up Friday evening (July 8) at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.

The Prince County, P.E.I. oval will decide the field for next Saturdays (July 16) $30,000 final in two eliminations with the top four from each dash advancing forward and the bottom four going to the Bob Dewar Memorial consolation. The 13-dash Friday program has a 6:30 p.m. start time.

The first eight-horse elimination lines up in Race 11 and although Time To Dance went down to defeat his last start, he is pegged as the morning line favourite in the $6,000 event from Post 6. Marc Campbell trains and drives the six-year-old by A Rocknroll Dance for owners Brent Campbell and Matt McDonald. The defending Governors Plate champion has scored three wins from five starts this season including a recent victory in the $6,000 Walter Dale Memorial at Exhibition Park Raceway in Saint John, N.B.

The 2020 Governors Plate champion Bugsy Maguire has rail control in the dash with Redmond Doucet Jr., picking up the catch drive for trainer Wade Sorrie and owner Walter Simmons of Summerside, P.E.I.

Twin B Tuffenuff will look for his first East Coast victory from Post 5 with Gilles Barrieau at the lines for trainer Ron Matheson. The Rocknroll Heaven stallion was a winner in 1:50.4 at The Meadowlands in New Jersey earlier this year.

Also in the first elimination field are Screen Test (to be driven by Corey MacPherson), Rose Run Quest (Adam Merner), Always B Sweet (David Dowling), American Risk (Todd Trites) and Racemup (Brodie MacPhee).

The "Backstretch Beat" in Fridays program places Time To Dance back on top: Time To Dance may hit some bumps along the way but he is probably the greatest free-for-aller ever to grace the Eastern Seaboard of Canada. We think that shows through today and see nothing standing in his way.

Race 13 is the second $6,000 elimination with Rotten Ronnie riding his 2022 perfection into Post 3 for driver Doucet, trainer Lennan MacIsaac and owners Redmond Doucet Sr. and Andy Stewart of Inverness, N.S. The Malicious stallion has three straight wins this year including a 1:52.4 victory in the Cecil Ladner Memorial his last start.

Batterup Hanover also won his Ladner division on June 25 while defeating Time To Dance and has Post 6 on Friday. Paul Langille trains and drives the Betting Line gelding for Nova Scotia owners Chantel and Rosanne Langille, Debbie Francis and Douglas Lowthers.

No Plan Intended (Dowling) has Post 4 as he will look to settle the score with Post 5 starter Beachin Lindy (Stephen Charlton). Beachin Lindy was the victor in their latest start in Red Shores Charlottetown Preferred action.

Also in the second elimination are Bettim Again (Trites), Island Beach Boy (Barrieau), Blood Money (Campbell) and Merito Hanover (Jason Hughes).

The program also has a pair of Ruby Chappell Memorial Open Mares eliminations in Race 7 and 9.

Take in the world class harness racing action live at the track or tune in online at Redshores.ca. Red Shores and HPI has launched new promotions for Governors Plate week with complete details at HPIbet.com. On track customers will also be able to enjoy some new tarmac programming throughout the week.

To view Friday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Friday Entries - Summerside Raceway.

(Red Shores)
The Race Office at Woodbine Mohawk Park would like to inform all horsepeople that the direct phone line to the office is currently down.

Any horseperson looking to enter horses for todays draw are encouraged to enter online.

The Race Office can still be reached through the main Woodbine number at 416-675-7223 (Press 1, Ext. 4306 or 4309).

Update: The Race Office at Woodbine Mohawk Park will be keeping the entry box for today's draw open until 11 a.m. due to the phone issues.

(Woodbine)
I have been a visitor to the Fauquier, Culpeper, and Rappahannock county area since the mid-1970s when I was 15 and I became enchanted with Shenandoah National Park.

To me, Lee Highway, west of Warrenton, with its rolling countryside and wooded median, has always been the gateway to the park. It is the point at which I really get into the vacation mood. So, imagine my dismay this week when, coming home from the park, I noticed the great gash in a wooded downslope east of Rixeyville Road that is slated to become Stonehaven (formerly Clevengers Corner)a shopping and residential megalith.

Over the past 45 years, there have been only modest changes along Lee Highway, and I guess it was wishful to hope this would never change. Indeed, one of the great things about Skyline Drive is that I can count on it being the same year after year.

I dont want to make Stonehavens developers out to be bandits. Nor do I fault Fauquier, Culpeper, and Rappahannock residents for wanting shopping and restaurant options closer to home. But an outsider can see that this is the thin end of the wedge.

I know that there are enough country miles in Northern Virginia and many locals probably feel they dont need to preserve this grand entryway to Shenandoah National Park. This is misguided thinking. Fauquier, Culpeper, and Rappahannock are part of the attraction. If you dont think so, just pay a visit to Pigeon Forge, TN, where unbridled development significantly degrades the Great Smoky Mountains National Park experience.

Stonehaven will not be the last of its kind to push onto Lee Highway. The growth pressures from Route 66 and the Beltway have become enormous. On this trip to Shenandoah, the A/C in my car was broken, so, windows down from Washington, DC, to Warrenton, I breathed in thick smog and exhaust and listened to high-decibel truck and auto noise. Highway temperatures were an average of 94 degrees.

With functioning A/C, most of us are insulated from these extremes, but wildlife and our natural environment are not. Indeed, invasive species, egged on by warmer temperatures, are destroying much of the native ash and eastern hemlock in Shenandoah National Park. As I looked out from Stony Man peak, brown patches extended from valleys to mountain peaks.

It is time to rethink traditional development such as Stonehaven. Its true, the developers are preserving some forest in exchange for their permits to build, but the result is a net loss.

We need a new style of development with carbon offsets, renewable energy, and forest and meadow reclamation. Northern Virginia is wealthy enough and smart enough to do it.

Otherwise, sure enough, that highway nightmare I described from Washington, D.C., to Warrenton is coming to Fauquier, Culpeper, and Rappahannock. And as your counties go, so goes Shenandoah National Park.
Doug Kent has been greeting visitors to the Scotts Bluff National Monument for nine years with, volunteer ranger Doug, Scotts Bluff National Monument, National Parks Service, enriching lives of others one life at a time.

Kent was the owner of the wholesale and magazine distributor, Kent News Agency, before he retired and began volunteering. He was spending early mornings hiking the monument and lifting weights in the gym when he decided to join a group cleaning up the roadside along State Highway 92, near the monument.

In April of what would be 2013, there was an article in the paper asking for volunteers to help clean up the highway in front of the monument so I came out and did that, Kent said. Then I was asked by the chief ranger, Justin Cawiezel, if I would like to volunteer and I said that I would.

Kent checked with his wife, Louise, and became a regular volunteer tasked with greeting visitors on the monument, in the shuttle bus and in the visitor center.

We have several volunteers that are highly dedicated, and have been here for a very long time, Ittai Levine, park ranger and volunteer coordinator at Scotts Bluff National Monument, said.

To become a volunteer at the monument, applications can be picked up at the front desk in the visitor center. Levine said the next step involves a conversation to determine what the applicants interests are and where he could spend time volunteering before signing a volunteer form. Currently the monument has about 10 volunteers, five scheduled routinely throughout the week and the remainder on a more flexible schedule. The monument also utilizes yearly volunteers, a group of Boy Scouts for example, and the Keeping Scottsbluff and Gering Beautiful program.

Doug Kent is one of those dedicated, long time volunteers, Levine said. He currently volunteers three times a week for somewhere between seven to eight hours a day. I think were close to almost 2,000 hours hes volunteered with us altogether.

Kent begins his volunteer season the first of April typically ending in late October. He works from about 8:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Monday through Wednesday sharing information with visitors to the monument.

I love it all, he said. My main focus every day is when I meet people to make sure that their experience is a good one. I dont want anybody driving away from here saying, thats the worst experience Ive ever had. I want them always driving away from here saying, this is really, really wonderful. We love Scotts Bluff National Monument. We love the area and were glad that we came.

Levine explained the regular volunteers at the monument typically work at greeting and educating visitors, are living historians or spend time walking the trails.

Ann James and Jerry Lucas are two living historians that will dress up in era appropriate costume to give an interpretation explaining what life was like for immigrants on the Oregon Trail. Levine said another key volunteer is Bob Wagner, who can be seen roving the trails as eyes and ears for the rangers and overseeing the park rangers radio program.

The biggest role of volunteers is working and educating visitors here, Levine said. I believe it was 194,000 visitors that came to the monument in 2021. When they come in the visitor center, Doug Kent is one of the first people there to greet them. Hes spoken with many, many people and given a lot of good advice as well.

Kent explained his role involves much more than greeting a visitor and giving tours. He always finds out where they are from and what direction they are traveling in.

Right now, a couple times during the day, Ill take my car and drive up (the monument) and give people the history of Scotts Bluff National Monument and the area, he said. I also send them to Agate Fossil Beds, and then around to Fort Robinson and then to the Museum of the Fur Trade at Chadron. So they get a complete view of what Western Nebraska has to offer.

Kent enjoys asking visitors where they are from and often makes a connection with them. With only an hour into his day, he had already met people from Italy, Germany, Ohio and Florida. He said it is phenomenal to witness the variety of people stopping at the monument.

I look forward to this all the time, its rewarding, Kent said. Of all the volunteer jobs Ive ever done, this is the most rewarding of all of them.

Another aspect he enjoys is making all the memories talking with the people and a part of his job entails making memories for the visitors.

Everybody that comes here is on vacation and theyre all looking to have an experience, he said. I feel that my job is to make their vacation as memorable as possible so theyll come back. I have had people come back to see me. As a matter of fact, there was a guy here yesterday and he says, Doug, do you remember talking to me a couple of years ago.

Levine said Kent receives the most compliments from visitors via reviews, hand written notes or basically thank yous to the park.

I can tell you from working with a lot of people, Doug Kent is going to be someone that youre going to be really thankful that you spoke with, he said. Of all the rangers that we have here, statistically, I believe he gets the most compliments.

Like I say, Im volunteer ranger Doug, Scotts Bluff National Monument, National Park Service, enriching lives of others one life at a time and I really mean that, Kent said. Its just fascinating the people that I meet and the people that I work with. Everybody here knows their job and they know it well, its just remarkable and I just like to think that I enhance what theyre doing by giving the people more information.
The owners of the newly opened Emerald Center in Scottsbluff will hold a grand opening event on July 24 from 4-7 p.m.

Denzel and Celeste Salazar went before the Scottsbluff city council Tuesday to request a business promotional event permit for the event.

The application indicates the festivities will include food vendors, with W. 16th Street closed during the event. Celeste previously told the Star-Herald the grand opening will feature food vendors, face painting, a bounce castle and a selection of decor so guests can see what the space has to offer.

I dont know if its something that we need to only do half of the street as well, but if you guys want to do the full street or we can do half of the street, too, Celeste told the council.

Interim city manager and Scottsbluff police chief Kevin Spencer told the council he does not foresee an issue blocking off the entire street for the event.

The Emerald Center is located at 17 W 16th St. in downtown Scottsbluff.

The council unanimously approved the permit and wished the Salazars luck in their business venture.

The Emerald Center opened its doors June 1, and has held some soft-opening events for family and friends. It is designed to host bridal showers, graduation parties and other small, intimate events.

Those looking for additional information about the center can contact theemeraldcenterllc@gmail.com or 308-765-1814.
On Monday, July 11, representatives from Northfield Retirement Communities will host a ribbon cutting for its new addition, known as The Residency independent living duplexes.

Sean Johnson, Northfield Retirements director of sales and marketing, said the 10 a.m. ribbon cutting will be held in lieu of a traditional groundbreaking ceremony.

These guys went to work so quickly, which is great, Johnson said. It just happened so quickly we werent able to actually do a groundbreaking ceremony.

Its a good problem to have, he said, and Mondays event will serve as a proper project announcement.

Anderson & Shaw Construction is working on the buildings alongside Circle Drive. So far, progress has been made on two buildings with four duplexes between them. Johnson said construction should be complete by spring 2023.

In total, nine buildings with 18 living spaces are planned. Johnson said construction could go one of two ways, depending on how much interest locals have in living in the duplexes.

The idea is to build them in phases, three or four units at a time. However, if we get a lot of excitement and commitment from the community about moving in, we can build them as we go, he said.

Northfield Retirement Communities offers independent and assisted living, as well as skilled nursing care, at apartment-style residences of varying sizes.

Theyre very homey and cozy, however, its an apartment and people are moving usually from their house to an apartment. What we wanted to offer people who wanted to join our continuing care retirement community is the option to still have a home style in that  its a 1,500-square foot duplex, Johnson said.

The floor plan for the duplexes is mostly uniform between units, but it does allow for slight modifications. Each building includes a master bedroom and bathroom and a guest bedroom and bathroom. They also feature a living room, dining room, covered porch, outside patio and a garage.

Residents will be able to customize some aspects of their duplex, such as interior wall, flooring and decoration colors.

Each house will also be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. They will feature extra-wide doors and showers and easily-traversable surfaces.

Were going to have flat surfaces going in. Basically, theres not going to be any steps in the house, Johnson said.

He said the duplexes could be a good fit for people who desire more privacy than an apartment affords or who have more theyd like to bring with them than an apartment can fit.

My gut is telling me were going to be more attractive to recently retired people. However, weve had people in their late 70s and early 80s who want the protection of a continuing care retirement community but they have a big house and they dont want to downsize. We now have an option to fit their needs, Johnson said. Its really everybodys sort of flavor.

All apartment amenities including meal plans, no property taxes, utilities being paid and social activities will be available to duplex residents.

Johnson said the new buildings will be a little more expensive than regular apartment units at the retirement community, but not by much.

The likes of landscaping, snow removal and general house maintenance will be handled by Northfield Retirement as well.

For us, were just really excited to bring in this new option to our residents and the community, he said.

Those with questions about the duplexes can contact Johnson at 308-641-1896 or at marketing@northfieldvilla.com.
West Nebraska Arts Center announced the winners of its 2022 Presidents Show: Icons, which is currently on display through the end of July.

The show features a collection of original artworks based on a theme. The theme is icons chosen by Mary Hunt, WNAC board president. Artists were able to select any medium and artistic style for their pieces. Martin Vargas, a Scottsbluff mixed media, acrylic and watercolor artist, served as this years judge. He also won the 2019 Presidents Show: Picasso Best of Show.

Steph Coley, WNAC program manager, was awarded best of show with her piece, Moses on Faith. Coley found a board leaned up against a trash can and grabbed oils she had received as a gift to create her interpretation of Moses.

I started with the idea that Im going to read through the Bible in a year, she said. That didnt happen, but I did get through Exodus.

I just really admire Moses. Being a person who cannot trust very easily what I cant see and trusting that everything is going to work out in my favor is one of my struggles Ive had being a Christian. Moses is a good model for me.

The story of Moses and his faith in God to part the Red Sea is a well-known story, even by non-Christians, so Coley thought it would be an iconic way to bring people to the story.

Coley had not worked with oils in four years, but created the piece in one month. As the public visits the gallery and looks at her piece, she hopes people reflect on her interpretation of Moses.

Really, what I want them to take in how this new perspective makes them feel, she said. How it grabs them or moves them, I want them to take that away from it.

Honorable mention went to Hot Taxi & Fast Men #1 by Marty Wiess and Dawn of an Icon by Celestina Godinez. The Presidents Choice Award went to Mary Ellen Neff for her piece, The Wheels & Center Stage.

I decided to participate in the show because Ive had a lot of people encourage me to do so, Wiess said.

After learning about the icons theme, Wiess said he realized he had a couple of pieces that fit the theme. While he was unable to attend the festivities at the arts center, his cousin informed him one of his pieces received an honorable mention.

I was very surprised and honored, he said. I have a lot of acquaintances who tell me they wish they could paint. I didnt know I could paint until I sat down and painted. I just encourage people who say they cant paint to try and paint.

WNAC, with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and the Mid-America Arts present the 2022 Presidents Show: Icons through July 31. Tri-State Sprinkler System LLC was also a sponsor in loving memory of Anthony Coffey Jr. (TJ).

This show features a great variety of pieces, Coley said. People who dont do art, I want them to know we still need you to come appreciate the art because without them, we could start taking away possible shows. We need participation as well to make everything work out for the artists and for the arts center.

The public can visit the gallery Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, from 1 to 5 p.m.

Gallery admission is free and open to the public.
There was never any question whether Dr. Susan Christensen would be a dentist  she was raised to be one.

Counting numbers and the ABCs werent the only things she learned early on in life. Christensens mother, who worked as a dental hygienist, taught her how to sew, cross stitch and write upside down and backwards  all fine motor skills that her mother said would help her become a great dentist.

I felt like I was kind of groomed for it, she said.

Now with more than 40 years of experience, Christensen works to instill the same lifelong passion for dentistry in other women.

Im a big supporter of encouraging women to do anything, Christensen said. Go for your dreams and remember you can still do it all. You can have a wonderful career, wonderful home life and a wonderful family all at once. Dont let anyone tell you what your limits are.

Christensen comes from a long line of male dentists in her family, including her grandfather and father.

Eastview Family Dental was first opened by Christensens grandfather in 1922 and celebrated its 100th anniversary earlier this month. Christensens father later owned the practice.

She teamed up with her father at Eastview Family Dental immediately following her graduation from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry in 1981 and they became the first father-daughter practice in the Midwest.

It has been such a privilege to work here, Christensen said. I am so proud of my family. I just absolutely adore them. I got to watch my dad and grandfather love dentistry and that made it really easy for me to do the same.

When she first started her career, the profession was heavily male-dominated. The rate of female graduates from the UNMC College of Dentistry has steadily increased from 9% in the early 80s to 56% this year, according to UNMC.

In the beginning, not everyone was willing to allow a woman to work on their teeth, she said. But that didnt stop her.

People would call and say, Wait, is this a woman? Ill wait a year to see your dad instead, Christensen said. But now I really feel like its flipped blocks.

Christensen focuses on empathy, compassion and kindness, which she believes has been a big factor in the change in narrative. Her niece by marriage, Erika Etzelmiller, who will graduate from dental school in 2024, agreed.

I think its little things where people might not think youre as qualified because youre a woman in dentistry, but as soon as youre able to do a good job on them a lot of times they realize that women do make great dentists because we are naturally very empathetic and good caregivers, Etzelmiller said.

Etzelmiller plans to join her own father at Pine Lake Dental once she graduates from UNMC and is also following in her grandfathers footsteps  just like Christensen.

While Etzelmillers class is over half female  unlike Christensen, who graduated with eight other women  she has still experienced people doubting her choice to become a dentist.

When you tell people as a girl that youre in dental school, they automatically assume you mean hygiene school or dental assisting school, she said. I think that while the numbers of applicants in dental school right now reflect more girls than boys, society still thinks of a dentist as being a male.

Outside of the office, Christensen travels across the world to lecture on orthodontics and is an adjunct professor for UNMC, Spear Education visiting faculty and a fellow in the International College of Dentists. She is also a member of the Nebraska Dental Association, American Academy for Cosmetic Surgery and American Dental Association.

Oftentimes when lecturing, she has women ask how she has managed to maintain a successful career and a tight-knit family.

The key, Christensen said, is finding balance.

Somethings got to give, the mother of three and now grandmother said. So what if the laundry isnt always done on time and you didnt fix the perfect meal for your family? Somethings got to give if you want to be a great wife, mother, practitioner and family member.

Joann Herrington has been a patient at Eastview Family Dental for more than seven years and said shes stuck with Christensen because of her kindness, background and interest in others.

She cares about her patients, Herrington said. I am very, very much in awe of what she has done in her life especially in a field that was totally dominated by men when she entered it. But its also obviously her skill that drew me to her. Shes one of the best dentists. I dont just let every nice person drill on my teeth.
LEWIS COUNTY  A Lewis County Superior Court judge has sentenced William Thompson  the man who pleaded guilty last month in the March 2020 death of Washington State Patrol Trooper Justin R. Schaffer  to 45 years in prison.

That number was agreed to by Schaffers family as part of a plea agreement Thompson signed on June 21.

Some believe plea bargains are evil, but they are a necessary evil that does allow people to move on, said Judge J. Andrew Toynbee, who delivered Thompsons sentence Tuesday in front of a courtroom packed with Schaffers family, friends, community members and colleagues from local law enforcement.

While Thompsons case was initially set to go to trial, Schaffers family agreed to a plea bargain to spare Schaffers State Patrol colleagues and other witnesses to Schaffers murder the pain of testifying at trial, according to Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer.

We know where Justin got the desire to serve his community and he got it from his mom and dad, Meyer said.

Schaffers parents did agree on a 45-year sentence, but we are in no way saying that you should stop there, said Schaffers father, Glenn Schaffer, to Toynbee during his testimony at Thompsons sentencing hearing on Tuesday.

Glenn Schaffer and Justin Schaffers mother, Sheila Schaffer, both spoke Tuesday on Justins life and the grief theyve endured since Justins death.

My voice is going to shake because I am both nervous and enraged and Ive thought about this moment sitting here to give this statement for over two years, Glenn Schaffer said.

As of Thompsons sentencing on Tuesday, it had been 833 days since Thompsons vehicle struck Justin Schaffer while he was placing spike strips on Interstate 5 in an effort to end a pursuit.

While hed been told that time would help heal the grief of losing his son, Glenn Schaffer said, The only thing that time can guarantee is that tomorrow will be 834.

As part of the plea agreement, Thompson entered Alford pleas, which allow him to take advantage of a plea bargain without admitting guilt to murder charges.

Thompson initially pleaded not guilty to 13 charges  including first-degree aggravated murder  in November 2020 for hitting and killing Justin Schaffer, 28, of Chehalis.

This is perhaps one of the most senseless acts I have seen in my experience, whether it was as a defense attorney or as a prosecutor, Meyer said of Thompsons actions on March 24, 2020.

The pursuit had started when a deputy with the Thurston County Sheriffs Office identified Thompson as a suspect in a shoplifting incident from the day before and initiated a traffic stop.

At any point during that call, Mr. Thompson could have pulled over and surrendered peacefully  He would have been treated with dignity and respect, said Camm Clark, the deputy who initiated the fateful traffic stop.

Had the spike strips stopped Thompsons vehicle, or had Thompson been in some other danger, Glenn Schaffer said his son would have saved him because thats the kind of person he was.

But who he is doesnt matter. He was no threat and he meant no harm, Glenn Schaffer said.

While some involved in that call chose to leave law enforcement as a result, Clark said he decided to dedicate himself to becoming a better peace officer as a way to honor Justin Schaffer.

I had my ways to deal with this call and I chose to get better, he said. Its not from the trauma that I suffered, its to honor Justin Schaffer.

Through tears, Clark apologized to Schaffers friends, family and colleagues in the courtroom on Tuesday for not being able to do more to prevent Schaffers death.

If there was something else I could have done, I would have done it, Clark said. But there is only one person to blame  William Thompson. Or as I like to call him, monster, said Clark, later adding, If he ever sees freedom, no one will be safe.

Thompson himself delivered an apology to Schaffers family, friends, colleagues and the community Tuesday for his actions and for making the decision to go off his medication, which he said caused him to act the way he did the day of Justin Schaffers death.

I hope that the family  and community will forgive me, he said. Again, Im sorry.

Thompsons attorney, Don Blair, said Thompsons decision to accept the plea deal rather than take the case to trial was probably his best chance to try and relieve some of the pain that he caused. He added that nobody disputes that he caused it, saying the trial would only have been about why it happened.

Blair said there were strong mental health elements to this case and he believed Thompson didnt understand what he was doing.

A competency assessment completed in early April 2020 found Thompson not competent to stand trial, and the case was put on hold while Thompson received treatment. The case resumed after a Washington State Department of Health review released in October found Thompson competent to stand trial. He was transferred from a treatment facility to the Lewis County Jail on March 24, 2021, and was being held on $5 million restricted bail until he entered his Alford pleas last month.

Had the case gone to trial, Blair said there wouldnt have been any winners at all as he believed a trial would only have one of two outcomes: Thompson would spend the rest of his life in prison, or in a mental health treatment facility.

Blair added that he couldnt guarantee Thompson, 41, would be alive at the end of his 45-year jail sentence.

This finally starts to bring closure to a suffering, but by no means its the end, Meyer said of the plea agreement.

The pain of Schaffers death will continue past the conclusion of his killers court case, but so will Schaffers impact on his community.

If I may be selfish. I wish Id met Justin  Because from everything Ive heard, he was an exemplary leader, trooper and human being, Toynbee said on Tuesday. As powerful as a judge may be, there is also a powerlessness to be able to set right something thats gone wrong.

Toynbee explained he was limited by the sentencing range set by the state for the crimes Thompson entered Alford pleas for. The only feasible way for Toynbee to sentence Toynbee above that range would be for a jury to rule there were special circumstances, such as a vulnerable victim, to the crime.

There is no magical sentence I can give and the law is very unmagical, especially in a situation like this, Toynbee said.

Given the effort that both parties put into the plea agreement, Toynbee said, Im not going to upset what they agreed upon.

As part of the agreement, Thompson will be required to pay restitution to Schaffers family and must serve an additional 36 months on probation upon his release

A restitution hearing is scheduled for October.
LONDON (AP)  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned Thursday, acknowledging that it was "clearly the will" of his party that he should go.

He stepped down immediately as leader of his Conservative Party but plans to remain as prime minister while the leadership contest is held. He said he has appointed a new Cabinet following a multitude of resignations, but many are calling for him to go now.

It is a humiliating defeat for Johnson, who succeeded in leading Britain out of the European Union and was credited with rolling out one of the world's most successful mass vaccination campaigns to combat COVID-19.

Keep scrolling for photos of Boris Johnson through the years

The announcement came after the latest ethics scandal around Johnson's leadership led some 50 senior lawmakers to quit the government and left him unable to govern.

Speaking outside No. 10 Downing St., Johnson said he was "immensely proud of the achievements of this government," from Brexit to steering the country through the pandemic, and leading the West in standing up to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

But he acknowledged that "in politics, no one is remotely indispensable."

Johnson had clung to power for two days, defiantly telling lawmakers on Wednesday that he had a "colossal mandate" from voters and intended to get on with the business of government.

But he was forced to concede defeat Thursday morning after two more members of his Cabinet quit and one of his closest allies, Treasury Chief Nadhim Zahawi, publicly told him to resign for the good of the country.

The internal election to pick a new leader of the Conservative Party, who will also be the next prime minister, is likely to take place over the summer.

Zahawi, who was promoted earlier this week as Johnson tried to shore up his Cabinet, said he and a group of colleagues had privately expressed their concerns to the prime minister on Wednesday and he decided to go public after Johnson ignored the advice to resign.

"I am heartbroken that he hasn't listened and that he is now undermining the incredible achievements of this government," Zahawi said in a letter posted on Twitter. "But the country deserves a government that is not only stable, but which acts with integrity."

Thursday morning's resignations meant that 50 Cabinet secretaries, ministers and lower-level officials had quit the government over two days, often castigating the prime minister for his lack of integrity. With more than 20 positions unfilled, the crisis had stalled the business of some parliamentary committees because there were no ministers available to speak on the government's behalf.

Johnson led Britain through Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic, and won a large election victory in 2019. But the perpetually rumpled leader known for greeting critics with bombast and bluster was also dogged by criticism that he was willing to bend, and sometimes break, the rules to achieve his goals.

Johnson, 58, managed to remain in power for almost three years, despite allegations that he was too close to party donors, that he protected supporters from bullying and corruption allegations, and that he misled Parliament about government office parties that broke pandemic lockdown rules.

Recent disclosures that Johnson knew about sexual misconduct allegations against a Conservative lawmaker before he promoted him to a senior position in government proved to be one scandal too many.

The crisis began when Chris Pincher resigned as deputy chief whip amid allegations that he had groped two men at a private club. That triggered a series of reports about past allegations leveled against Pincher.

Johnson tried to deflect criticism with shifting explanations about what he knew and when he knew it, but that just highlighted concerns that the prime minister couldn't be trusted.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Treasury chief Rishi Sunak resigned within minutes of each other Tuesday night, triggering a wave of departures among their Cabinet colleagues and lower level officials.

Javid captured the mood of many lawmakers when he said Johnson's actions threatened to undermine the integrity of the Conservative Party and the British government.

"At some point we have to conclude that enough is enough," he said Wednesday in the House of Commons. "I believe that point is now."
Neptune, the farthest planet in the solar system, can cause the entire solar system including Earth to be destroyed if it gets pulled in by a passing star. But how can that happen? Find out.

Our solar system is a perfectly balanced cosmic entity that supports our Sun eight planets and a dwarf planet, Pluto. However, this gravitationally stable system has been able to stay this way because different planets play significant roles in keeping it that way. For example Jupiter, the largest planet protects the inner ring from asteroids and meteors and Mercury rotates at such a high speed that consistently defies the gravitational pull of the Sun to keep it in its orbit. But the planet that can affect the solar system the most is the farthest planet, Neptune. And it is not because its gravitational pull influences the other planets, but because it is the most vulnerable planet in this system.

A passing star can seal the fate of Neptune

Now, if Neptune were to suddenly disappear from our solar system, not much would have changed. Pluto would probably face an altered orbit and Uranus might shift its orbit a little closer towards Saturn but the rest of the planets are way far away to even notice the disappearance. Even on Earth, probably the only people who would notice this would be NASA astronomers and other scientists studying it since Neptune is the only planet not visible to the naked eye.

However, if circumstances were a little different, Neptunes disappearance could push the entire solar system into chaos. The solar system is not an isolated structure. It is part of the Milky Way galaxy which is filled with stars, planets, black holes, asteroids, meteors, gasses and dust. And all of it is in constant motion. So, in a hypothetical situation, if our solar system came across another star, Neptune would be the first to know about it. According to a report by New Scientist, if the star were to pull Neptune out of its orbit, the snowball effect can cause major instability in our solar system.

Neptune might be the first to shift but given how powerful the gravitational pull of a star is, its impact will be felt right to the core of the Sun. And when every planet moves and shifts its orbit, the entire solar systems stability gets wrecked. What makes this truly terrifying are two considerations. First, the passing star does not need to be as large as the Sun to cause this chaos. And second, we might not even be able to see it coming since the star would not need to come too close to the solar system either.
NASA astronomers have spotted a dangerous asteroid at the very last second. It is approaching the Earth today, July 7, 2022. Find out if it can strike us.

NASA astronomers have spotted an asteroid which will be coming dangerously close to the Earth today, July 7. The asteroid was also discovered very recently, and right afterwards, its trajectory caused a brief concern among scientists. According to reports, the asteroid is 41-feet wide or as large as a bus. In recent times we have witnessed similar asteroids that were spotted very late, with the most prominent example being asteroid 2022 EB 5. The asteroid was discovered a few hours before it actually struck the planet. It was too small to do any damage. Now, the worry is whether this asteroid will follow a similar path and strike us. Read on to find out.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA is observing the asteroid. It has been named 2022 NF. The number in the name suggests the year when it was discovered. Scarily, the asteroid is expected to come as close as 90,000 kilometers to the Earth. For reference, this is 1/4th the distance between the Earth and the Moon. A big risk at this distance is that sometimes the asteroid can get pulled in due to the Earths gravitational force and strike the Earth. But as of now, NASA suggests that the asteroid is likely to make a safe passage.

Asteroid to come dangerously close to the Earth today

The sneaky asteroid was discovered using the data from the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS). It is a system with a series of telescopes and cameras whose sole purpose is to find nearth-Earth objects (NEOs) in the space around us. The asteroid was identified on July 4 and soon after its trajectory was calculated.

According to a report by Science Alert, the asteroid is not being considered as a potentially hazardous asteroid due to its small size. An asteroid needs to be at least 460 feet or 140 meters wide in order to classify as dangerous to the Earth. Even though the asteroid is coming so close to the Earth, it will not be visible to unaided eyes due to its small size. Astronomy enthusiasts can use an amateur telescope to view this asteroid today.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Daycare apps are designed to make everyday life in daycare centers easier. Parents can use them, for example, to access reports on their children's development and to communicate with teachers. However, some of these applications have serious security flaws. This is the conclusion reached by researchers from Ruhr-Universitat Bochum (RUB), Westfalische Hochschule and the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy in Bochum, in collaboration with an industry partner. They analyzed 42 daycare apps from Europe and the U.S. with regard to security and privacy. In some apps, they were able to access private photos of the children; several apps accessed users' personal data without consent and shared them with third parties.

The team headed by Dr. Matteo Groe-Kampmann, who earned his Ph.D. at the Horst Gortz Institute for IT Security at RUB, and Dr. Maximilian Golla from the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy will present their findings in July 2022 in Sydney at the "22nd Privacy Enhancing Technologies Symposium". Prior to that, the results have been published online.

"According to the European General Data Protection Regulation and the US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, children's data is subject to special protection," says Maximilian Golla. "Unfortunately, we found that many apps fail to guarantee this protection."

The analyses were carried out in cooperation with AWARE7 GmbH. The team contacted all app manufacturers before publication and made them aware of the vulnerabilities.

Used by millions

For the study, the researchers analyzed Android daycare apps that they located in the Google Play Store and that offer at least the following features: both the development of the children and any special activities can be recorded in the app in the form of notes, photos and videos; the app has a messenger function through which the daycare staff can communicate with the parents; the app supports the daycare management in administrative processes such as billing, creating schedules and organizing groups. The most widely used apps "Bloomz" and "brightwheel" have been downloaded more than one million times from the Google Play Store. Taken together, all apps reached about three million downloads.

In some cases, personal data is sold

Of the analyzed apps, eight had serious security problems that would, for example, allow attackers to view the children's private photos. In 40 apps, the researchers found that they monitor parents and educators: they collect the user's phone number and email address as well as information regarding the device and use of the app, such as the time when a button was clicked. The manufacturers share and sell this and other information to third-party providers. One app developer writes: "... share data with partners for business purposes, such as the average number of diaper changes per day...". Often, the data is shared with Amazon, Facebook, Google or Microsoft for targeted advertising campaigns.

Inadequate privacy policies

"We also looked at the privacy policies of the providers," points out Maximilian Golla. "And a terrifying picture emerged. Many of the policies didn't even mention that they process children's data, let alone that they collect and sell data, even though they are required to do so by European and US law."

But that doesn't necessarily mean that the providers act in bad faith. "Rather, we suspect that it is a matter of technical and organizational problems," says Matteo Groe-Kampmann. According to the researchers, some providers act negligently because the linked privacy policy is not compliant, in part because it doesn't contain information about data processing in the app or about the services offered and often hasn't been updated for many years.

The researchers hope that their findings will draw attention to this sensitive issue, given that children's data are at stake. "It goes without saying that daycare center managers, daycare providers and parents can't analyze every single app themselves," says Matteo Groe-Kampmann. "But at the end of the day, they have to take the responsibility for the decision which app to adopt."

Guidelines and checklists

According to Maximilian Golla, rejecting daycare apps on principle is not a practicable solution, especially because providers without security problems, who comply with data protection regulations do exist. "If there is no official app, parents use messenger services like WhatsApp, which is the worst of all solutions as far as privacy is concerned," he points out.

According to the IT experts, a good idea would be for experts to draw up guidelines and checklists. For example, government agencies could make recommendations and pass them on to the associations that run the daycare centers.

Explore further What you need to know about surveillance and reproductive rights in a post Roe v Wade world
A power station like this one includes many structures that can be safely and efficiently inspected by drone. Credit: Dominion Energy

Since the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership was designated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an official drone test site in 2013, its research has helped shape drone integration in the U.S.

In the process, it has carved out new opportunities for companies that see powerful ways to use the technology that stretch the boundaries of current regulations. One of the latest wins is a waiver from the FAA that gives Dominion Energy, one of the region's largest energy companies, permission to use drones to inspect power-generation facilities in seven states.

Drones have become a popular tool for inspections of bridges, buildings, and other structures because high-resolution aerial imagery is a convenient alternative to an assessment that could be time-consuming or dangerous to do in person. What makes this particular waiver so valuable for Dominion is a feature that's widely coveted but still relatively rare: It doesn't require the operator to be able to see the aircraft the whole time it's being flown.

Keeping the drone within "visual line of sight" is a standard requirement written into drone regulations to reduce the risk of collision with low-flying crewed aircraft such as helicopters and small planes. Breaking this barrier and flying beyond visual line of sight has become a central priority in the drone industry because of the efficiencies that accrue when an operator has the flexibility to cover longer distances ormore relevantly for this type of workmaneuver around corners or behind obstacles.

Dominion will conduct its inspections with an aircraft from U.S. drone manufacturer Skydio with sophisticated, autonomous obstacle avoidance capabilities. That feature allows the drone to be safely flown in close proximity to structures. Virginia Tech helped Skydio and Dominion make the case to the FAA that flying close to structures on the facility kept the drone out of the way of other potential air traffic, making the risk of collision so low that the FAA could safely waive the requirement for the pilot to see the drone or for an additional crew member to constantly scan the airspace.

"Two major goals of our research are helping firms like Dominion develop safe, practical ways to use drones to enhance their operations and helping drone companies like Skydio find opportunities to leverage the power of their technology to enable new kinds of operations," said Tombo Jones, the test site's director. "This waiver achieves both of those things."

Spearheaded by Dominion's uncrewed aircraft systems program in partnership with Skydio's regulatory affairs team and Virginia Tech, the project unfolded under the umbrella of the FAA's BEYOND program. That federal initiative focuses on enabling drone operations beyond visual line of sight in situationssuch as infrastructure inspectionwhere drones can offer significant advantages that will only be fully realized with those more ambitious flights.

The Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership leads Virginia's BEYOND team in collaboration with the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation. Dominion's infrastructure inspection project is one of three applications the team is tackling, along with residential package delivery with Wing and insurance inspections with State Farm.

The waiver request, developed by Skydio's regulatory affairs team, covers more than 40 of Dominion's facilities in Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. These facilities undergo routine inspections, and using a drone to do them avoids having to send an inspector up scaffolding, down walls, or into areas with high temperatures or other hazards. Adding the ability to fly beyond line of sight upgrades that safety advantage with a dramatic increase in efficiency: Now, the pilot can potentially conduct an entire facility inspection from a single location, sometimes even in a single flight, rather than traveling from place to place to keep the drone in view.

Dominion Energy first deployed drones in 2014, focusing primarily on identifying electrical transmission line defects. Since then, Dominion has expanded its drone program to include approximately 50 drones and drone pilots serving multiple operational business segments. At power generation facilities, Dominion Energy drones take volumetric measurements and assess construction progress, provide surveying and mapping services, and inspect infrastructure.

"A 20-minute inspection by a battery-powered drone will increase safety for our colleagues, who will no longer need to rappel down the side of a structure, as well as save time during inspection-related preparations," said Nate Robie, the manager of Dominion Energy's unmanned systems program. "As a pioneer in beyond visual line of sight drone use, Dominion Energy contributes to a safer, greener future as well as potentially lowering operations and maintenance costs, which ultimately benefits our customers."

Developing regulations that would allow flights beyond visual line of sight to become routine and scalable, instead of permitted on a case-by-case basis through individual waivers and exemptions, is the focus of significant effort across the drone industry and at the FAA. Programs such as BEYOND provide real-world examples of strategies for conducting operations like this in ways that are practical, beneficial, and, crucially, safe.

"This pivotal approval brings Dominion Energy, Skydio, and the entire drone industry one step closer to advanced drone operations at scale," said Jenn Player, Skydio's director of regulatory affairs. "When it comes to scaling beyond visual line of sight operations, having an intelligent drone makes all the difference, and Skydio was proud to support Dominion Energy in obtaining this waiver that enables them to inspect critically important power facilities."

The test site, Dominion, and Skydio all served on an advisory committee convened by the FAA last year to develop recommendations for rulemaking on operations beyond visual line of sight. The committee submitted its recommendations to the FAA last spring.

"The overwhelming majority of economically viable drone operations will require flying beyond visual line of sight," Jones said. "It's the key to reaching the tremendous potential that we all recognize is there. There's still a lot of research and testing that needs to be done to get to that point, but operations enabled by waivers like this one give us a window into what the future could look like."

Explore further The next frontier for drones: Letting them fly out of sight
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Logitech has struck a deal to lease a large building in San Jose, a transaction that marks a welcome tech company expansion poised to bring jobs to the Bay Area's largest city.

The maker of software and computer peripherals such as mice is leasing space in a north San Jose tech complex known as The Assembly at North First, according to documents on file with San Jose city planners and sources familiar with the rental agreement.

Logitech is renting at least 75,000 square feet and as much as 86,000 square feet in a building at 3930 N. First St. in San Jose, the city documents revealed and commercial property sources stated.

Interior improvements to prepare the space for Logitech are underway within the space, according to the city records and direct observation of the site by this news organization.

"Logitech got a plum site," San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said in an interview Wednesday with this news organization. "This is a beautiful Gensler-designed project."

The rental deal marks the first tenant to agree to lease space in Assembly at North First, a project that has been seeking companies to occupy sites in the brand-new north San Jose tech hub.

In September 2021, the 27-acre Assembly at North First complex was bought for $192 million by Pennsylvania-based Exeter Property Group, according to documents on file at the Santa Clara County Recorder's Office.

The seller was an alliance headed by ProspectHill Group, SKS Partners, and Invesco Real Estate, the county documents show.

Assembly at North First is located on several parcels near the corner of North First Street and Headquarters Way in San Jose.

The complex was originally envisioned as a tech campus that in recent years caught the attention of search giant Google, which was contemplating a purchase of the property.

Google ultimately decided to buy other office buildings nearby in north San Jose.

Starting in 2020, amid the coronavirus outbreak, a team from commercial real estate firm Colliers began to market The Assembly at North First as a campus geared towards biotech, medical and life sciences companies, as well as tech firms.

"Assembly at North First raises the bar for commercial development in Silicon Valley," Mayor Liccardo said.

With the new leasing deal, the tech and biotech complex now has some marketing momentum.

Brokers Michael Rosendin, Craig Fordyce, and Shane Minnis of Colliers International, a commercial real estate firm, have been seeking tenants for Assembly at North First.

Switzerland-based Logitech has a large regional headquarters in Newark. This news organization has reached out four times to the tech company regarding its leasing agreement in north San Jose.

Logitech's decision is expected to bring new jobs to San Jose.

"The jobs provided by Logitech to many residents who may not need a college degree to work there will be a welcome addition to our city," Liccardo said.

Explore further Amazon-linked developer eyes big revamp of old Fremont tech campus

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz symbolically plugs in a battery as Volkswagen began construction of its first factory to make batteries for its electric cars.

Volkswagen celebrated Thursday the beginning of work on its first in-house battery factory, as the German auto giant looks to head off competition from US and Chinese electric vehicle upstarts.

The firm plans to "steer the worldwide battery offensive" from the new plant in Salzgitter in central Germany, CEO Herbert Diess told a ceremony attended by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Volkswagen has set itself the ambitious aim of becoming the world's biggest electric car manufacturer by 2025, pouring a total of 46 billion euros ($46.8 billion) over the next five years into the drive.

"If Germany and Europe don't want to be left behind by the US and China, we need to focus more on the technologies of the future," Diess said.

The Salzgitter complex, where currently thousands of combustion engines roll off the factory line every day, is set to be the center of Volkswagen's electric ecosystem.

Two billion euros are being invested in the battery plant through 2026, with the potential for the site to turn out batteries for 500,000 vehicles a year.

The plan will also serve as a blueprint for a fleet of battery plants in Europe.

'Sustainable, climate-compatible'

Up until now both legacy carmakers like Volkswagen have largely relied on Asian, notably Chinese, battery makers to fit their vehicles.

Western auto giants are keen to bring production in house, to minimize supply disruptions and pocket the added value from battery production.

"Reliance" on distant suppliers had shown itself to be a "big risk" for manufacturers, said Scholz, who placed the last unit of a ceremonial foundation battery.

"Today is a good day for the automotive industry in Germany and Europe," he said, adding that VW was paving the way in "sustainable, climate-compatible mobility".

Scholz said Europe's top economy aimed to have 15 million electric vehicles on its streets by 2030.

Volkswagen's new PowerCo unit plans to invest more than 20 billion euros together with partners, with the aim of generating annual sales in excess of 20 billion euros and employing up to 20,000 people in Europe alone. Around 5,000 will be employed in Salzgitter.

In total, Volkswagen plans to open six plants together with partners in Europe, with another to come in the United States, according to Diess.

The first, a collaboration with battery maker Northvolt, will open in 2023 in Sweden, followed by the Salzgitter site in 2025.

Volkswagen has tapped Valencia, in Spain, to house a battery plant, with discussions under way for other locations in other existing production locations in Europe.

Key competitor Tesla opened its first European factory outside Berlin earlier this year. The site in Gruenheide is set to be complemented by its own battery plant.

Explore further Volkswagen plans 2 bn euro electric car plant in Germany

 2022 AFP
Rotary Club members gathered this week to hear from a local climate professor who shared both the environmental and economic benefits of renewable energy.

On Wednesday, the Bryan Rotary Club held its weekly luncheon at the Stella Hotel where it was joined by Andrew Dessler, a professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University, who was invited as the guest speaker for the week to discuss his research on the intersection of climate change and human society.

John Delaney, a member of the Bryan Rotary Club since 1992, introduced Dessler and said that in previous weeks the club had discussed carbon fuels.

A couple of months ago we had a club program about the petroleum industry and of, tangentially, climate science, climate change and the collision of those two forces, Delaney said.

Delaney said this previous discussion had inspired him to invite Dessler to come and speak since climate crisis is one of the largest issues facing the United States today.

I decided that since I was in charge of programs for the month of July, I was going to try to identify a man who works with that for a living [and] to come and tell us what he believes the truth to be about climate science, Delaney said.

I was fascinated to hear from a historian from Rice [University] the other day on the air said, The two greatest problems facing America are gun violence and climate change, Delaney said. We all want to be as well informed as we can to help guide the direction of our public officials.

Dessler, who received his Ph.D. in chemistry from Harvard University, began his presentation by saying he was not trying to convince anybody.

I always like talking to diverse groups about climate change, Dessler said. Particularly, I like talking to people who may not agree with me  Im just trying to give everyone the facts about what the science tells us.

Dessler said an easy way to consider how global temperatures rising by just a few degrees can affect the climate was to look at past ice ages.

So if you walk out your front door into an ice age world you wouldnt recognize it, Dessler said. Theres ice covering much of North America, sea levels are 300 feet low [and] the collections of ecosystems look completely different.

All of those changes that come along with an ice age were caused by just a few degrees of global cooling, Dessler said.

You change the world by 10 degrees, you get a climate which is completely different, he said. And I think everyone can agree it would be an economic disaster if there were another ice age.

Carbon emissions have the same effect, according to Dessler, when heating the Earth but on a much shorter period of time.

Fossil fuels are only going to last a very short time on this geologic time scale, Dessler said. But over that time, its going to raise the temperature of the planet  If we burn fossil fuels for centuries we will get warmer.

The world can decide to take no action and deal with the consequences of climate change, but it will be costly, Dessler said.

We will deal with it, well deal with it the way we dealt with COVID, Dessler said. Sort of incompetence with a lack of empathy, and its going to be expensive. Climate change is going to make everybody poor.

However, Dessler said, if the U.S. incorporates more renewable energy into its power grid, it would not only help the planet but be more stable compared to the current fluctuating energy costs.

America should not have to go beg Saudi Arabia to increase [oil] production and again this is because we rely on fossil fuels  a globally priced commodity, Dessler said.

This can be done by setting up a power grid on two different types of energy, Dessler said.

Let me get out and away from the idea that you have a grid that runs entirely on solar and wind, nobody advocates for that, Dessler said. Instead you have a grid that on average is about 75% renewable and 25% of what we call dispatchable power, power you can turn on and off.

Dessler said this allows for the grid to use solar and wind energy whenever conditions are right for both, and have dispatchable power, such as hydroelectric or thermonuclear, available for when the sun is down or during unfavorable weather.

Even if people still have doubts about climate change, Dessler said the economic benefits are hard to ignore.

I mean, go to the pump and fill your truck up and say, I dont care about climate change, I just dont want the price of gasoline going up and down, Dessler said. Even if you dont buy climate change, I also think the other advantages are really very powerful.
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The emergency department at CHI Health St. Francis treated seven fireworks-related injuries over the holiday weekend, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Grand Island police received 52 fireworks complaints from June 30 through the night of July 4, said Grand Island Police Capt. Jim Duering. That number is lower than usual, Duering said.

Police can give fireworks citations for lighting them off after hours because its a violation of curfew, but officers will normally give just a verbal warning, Duering said.

Our goal is compliance, not necessarily to make the Fourth of July more expensive, he said.

The Hall County Sheriffs Department received a handful of fireworks complaints, mostly involving noise, said Chief Deputy Josh Berlie.
If a casino and racetrack are built down the road in more ways than one, Grand Islands Fonner Park will be managing partner of that facility.

In late June, the Ogallala City Council and Keith County Board of Commissioners supported the idea of a $100 million resort complex that would be built with the involvement of Elite Casino Resorts, Kehl Management and Fonner Park.

Elite Casino Resorts, based in Iowa, is the casino partner for the planned Grand Island Casino Resort at Fonner Park. Elite Casino Resorts is owned by the Kehl family.

Elite invited Fonner to be involved in a casino-racetrack project in the Ogallala area, said Fonner Park Chief Executive Officer Chris Kotulak.

If there is to be an additional race track license granted in Nebraska years down the road, I would expect that to be in either North Platte or Ogallala, Kotulak said Wednesday. And Ogallala makes abundantly more sense of a location than North Platte because of all of their tourism that they generate from eastern Colorado.

Kotulak noted that the granting of another Nebraska race track license is far from a certainty, and might not happen anytime soon.

But Elite Casino Resorts CEO Dan Kehl asked if Fonner Park would like to be the racetrack managing partner if an application is approved for Ogallala.

The members of Fonners executive board agreed. We talked about it and they agreed to that idea, Kotulak said.

In speaking to Nebraska legislators and other decision-makers in the past, Kotulak stressed the importance of prohibiting another racetrack casino within a 150-mile radius of Fonner Park.

Ogallala, he noted, is beyond that 150-mile limit. So he doesnt feel that hes backtracking on his earlier comments.

The distance between Grand Island and Ogallala is 195 miles. North Platte is 146 miles from Grand Island.

The 150-mile limit is important, Kotulak said.

Theres no way we can reach the goals that we set out to do with the Grand Island Casino Resort if there are other casinos cutting into our market, he said. And we want to have a resort here, not just a metal building with slot machines.

Dan Kehl shares Kotulaks belief that if a casino racetrack is built in western Nebraska, it sure makes sense that it would be Ogallala, not North Platte, Kotulak said.

Huge numbers of Coloradoans flock each summer to the Ogallala area, which is home to Lake McConaughy.

Kotulak was in Ogallala recently, and that is really a cute, charming town thats heading in the right direction with things, he said.

As it stands now, Elite Casino Resorts envisions a casino-racetrack resort similar in size to the one planned for Grand Island.

If thoroughbreds were to race in Keith County, Kotulak doesnt know what time of the year that might happen.

Wed have to figure out a way that it would complement the Nebraska throroughbred racing calendar, he said.

For decades, Nebraska racetracks combined to offer thoroughbred racing 10 months out of the year, Kotulak said.

On June 28, representatives of Elite Casino Resorts, joined by Kotulak, submitted its application in Lincoln for a Nebraska gaming license for Fonner Park. The application materials filled three boxes. The application was accompanied by a check for $1 million. A Nebraska casino operators license costs $5 million for a five-year duration. That amount consists of an initial $1 million payment due at the time of application and $1 million paid annually for the license term.

A key step in the process for Grand Island would be a provisional license granted by the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission, said Sharon Haselhoff, a regional vice president for Elite Casino Resorts.

On June 28 and 29, after submitting the gaming application for Fonner Park, Kotulak and Elite Casino representatives traveled to Keith County to make presentations about the proposed Ogallala casino and racetrack.

In April of 2021, Fonner announced that Elite Casino Resorts had been selected casino partner for Fonner Park. Elite Casino will build and operate the hotel and casino.
The Nebraska State Patrol recovered a stolen vehicle and apprehended two minors near Grand Island late Tuesday evening, following a pursuit on Interstate 80.

At about 11:40 p.m., a trooper observed a Chevrolet Impala speeding at more than 90 mph on I-80 near Grand Island, at mile marker 317. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to stop and accelerated. The trooper initiated a pursuit.

As the vehicle continued westbound it reached speeds in excess of 140 mph. The vehicle then slowed down to normal interstate speeds and exited I-80 at mile marker 312, which is the Highway 281 exit. The Impala continued to flee northbound on Highway 34 at slow speeds until the vehicle crossed the median and stopped in the southbound lanes. Three suspects then fled on foot into a truck stop parking lot. State Patrol dispatchers discovered that the vehicle had been reported stolen.

After a foot pursuit, the trooper took one of the subjects into custody without further incident. Grand Island police officers and Hall County Sheriffs Office deputies responded as well, and located another of the suspects hiding on the riverbank south of Bosselmans Travel Center. Hall County deputies made use of a K-9. The third subject was not located.

The first suspect was in possession of a concealed knife. The second subject was in possession of cocaine. Troopers located nearly one pound of marijuana in the vehicle as well.

The first suspect, an 18-year-old male from Grand Island, was lodged in Hall County Corrections on several charges. The second subject, a 16-year-old male from Grand Island, was transported to Northeast Nebraska Juvenile Services in Madison for several charges, including outstanding juvenile warrants.
China, Caribbean countries deepen comprehensive cooperation

Xinhua) 08:08, July 07, 2022

* The China-Caribbean Development Center was inaugurated in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, on Wednesday.

* The center is expected to strengthen China's cooperation with the Caribbean countries.

* Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said that China and Caribbean countries have set an example of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and common development among countries of all sizes.

JINAN, July 6 (Xinhua) -- The China-Caribbean Development Center was inaugurated in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, on Wednesday, which is expected to strengthen China's cooperation with the Caribbean countries.

Three cooperation projects between China and Caribbean nations were also announced, which include the donation of anti-pandemic materials to the relevant countries, collaboration with Guyana on marine fisheries training, and the launch of an international information exchange platform to share successful cases of common development with people in the Caribbean region.

Photo taken on July 6, 2022 shows the unveiling ceremony of the China-Caribbean Development Center in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua)

BOOMING TRADE

China and Caribbean countries have bolstered cooperation in many fields, of which the most conspicuous is trade.

"The Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is so charming. It is what I have been looking for," said a comment on China's e-commerce platform JD.com. The taste originating from Caribbean seashores is favored by Chinese customers, who are willing to pull out their wallets for this exotic relish.

As the main distributor of Blue Mountain coffee in China, Shanghai Inter-Ocean Enterprise Co., Ltd. has participated in the China International Import Expo (CIIE) for four consecutive years, dedicated to spreading this Jamaica specialty to the Chinese market.

Photo taken on Nov. 6, 2018 shows Blue Mountain coffee products at the Jamaica pavilion during the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)

"During the second CIIE, Jamaica was one of the guests of honor. Our sales volume on-site reached 300,000 yuan (about 45,000 U.S. dollars)," said Xu Hao, chief operating officer of the enterprise.

According to Xu, Blue Mountain coffee is winning more fame thanks to China's booming economy. During the 2018-2021 period, his company saw its annual sales volume surge by 600 percent.

"With China's excellent business environment, improved infrastructure facilities, and strengthened logistics systems, trade between China and Jamaica is booming," said Xu.

Visitors walk past the Jamaica pavilion during the second China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 6, 2019. (Xinhua/Yin Gang)

In late June, a batch of fresh garlic was exported from Shandong to Costa Rica, with a total value of 287,000 yuan. It was free of customs duty thanks to a Certificate of Origin of the China-Costa Rica Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

According to Zhou Yi, manager of Jining Greenway Foodstuffs Company, since the FTA between China and Costa Rica was signed, the customs tariff rate of the company's fresh garlic has been reduced to zero from 14 percent, saving the company about 1.4 million yuan annually.

"Every cent counts. The cost reduction will help us win more orders and clients," said Zhou.

ANTI-PANDEMIC COOPERATION AND MORE

China and the Caribbean countries have fostered collaborations in more fields, including the fight against COVID-19.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said earlier this year that Caribbean countries provided China with invaluable support when China's fight against the pandemic was at its toughest period.

After the outbreak of the pandemic in the Caribbean countries, China has also shared its experience in fighting COVID-19 without reservation, and provided batches of COVID-19 vaccines and anti-pandemic supplies to Caribbean countries having diplomatic relations with China, Wang said during a foreign ministers' meeting held via video link with nine Caribbean countries.

Wang said that China and Caribbean countries have set an example of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and common development among countries of all sizes.

China stands ready to work with Caribbean countries to promote peace and development, draw up a blueprint for the development of bilateral relations, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and carry forward the friendship among the people, said Wang.

Photo taken on March 18, 2020 shows the venue of an online meeting on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control among representatives from China and Costa Rica in San Jose, Costa Rica. (Photo by Esteban Dato/Xinhua)

Analisa Low, Trinidad and Tobago's ambassador to China, expected the two countries to cooperate in more aspects.

"Many large Chinese multinationals have established branches in Trinidad and Tobago," said Low, adding that the China-Caribbean Development Center can play a role in facilitating business cooperation and also technical exchanges in marine conservation and the development of the blue economy.

Shandong registered a total trade volume of around 519 million yuan with Trinidad and Tobago in 2021, up 33.4 percent year on year. In the first five months of this year, the trade between the two sides surged 151.4 percent year on year to 364.92 million yuan.

Anyin Choo, Guyana's ambassador to China, said China is a partner of the Caribbean countries, and that as an important platform, the center should continue to promote the development of relations between China and the Caribbean countries and bring the people of the two sides closer.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun)
HASTINGS  Sandra Newman, who founded the Prairie Winds Art Gallery in Grand Island in 1996, will return to the area for a show at the Gallery on Lincoln Avenue in Hastings.

Into the Woods opens Friday, July 9, with an artists reception from 4 to 6 p.m. at the gallery, 221 N. Lincoln Ave.

Newman grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota and has also lived in Colorado, North Dakota and Nebraska, where she enjoys capturing the landscapes and other interesting subject matter from these areas. In 2001 she and her husband moved from Central Nebraska back to the Black Hills, where she has become involved in painting plein air as well as in her home studio.

En plein air is a French expression meaning in the open air, and refers to the act of painting outdoors with the artists subject in full view.

A picture is nothing but a bridge between the soul of an artist and that of the spectator, a quote from Eugene Delacroix, is one of Newmans favorites.

If I can capture the feeling of a particular subject and convey that to the viewer, I feel I have been successful, she said.

Newman served as the art director at the Black Hills Childrens Home and was on the roster of South Dakota Artists in the Schools for many years. She lives in Rapid City and is a signature member of Artists of the Black Hills and says she enjoys painting in the Black Hills and traveling to other states to experience new subject matter.

Into the Woods will remain on display through the end of August at GOLA. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday or by appointment.

For more information about the exhibit, contact Kay Grimminger at 308-379-5207 or kgrimmin@esu10.org. For more information about the artist and to view her work, check out her website at www.sandranewmanart.com.

Crane Trust to feature film Follow the Water

Follow the Water, a film featuring photographer Mike Forsberg and filmmaker Peter Stegen as they undertake a 55-day journey through the Platte Basin Watershed, will be the focus of the monthly speaker series set for Tuesday, July 12, at the Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center in Wood River.

Forsberg and Stegen traveled the Basin from snowmelt in the mountains of Wyoming, through the Colorado Rockies, to the mouth of the Platte. Why did they do it? As Forsberg explains, All life on this planet depends on water. I want to know where our water comes from!

A potluck dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. (a covered dish to be shared is appreciated but not mandatory; silverware, plates and drinks are provided) and the movie follows at 7.

Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center is located at 9325 S. Alda Road, just south of I-80 at Alda. For more information, call 308-382-1820 or check online at cranetrust.org.

Rowe Sanctuary to host Firefly Picnic

GIBBON  The Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary will host a Firefly Picnic on Saturday July 16.

The event is BYOP (Bring Your Own Picnic) as food will not be provided. Groups are encouraged to arrive after 7:30 p.m., but can come and leave any time during the two hours of the program.

Families should plan to complete their picnic first then enjoy hands-on activities all about prairie insects. Once the sun starts to set, the fireflies will come out and families can learn more about these glowing insects.

Attendees can expect a relaxing evening along the Platte River enjoying all the sights and sounds along the river.

There is no better place to learn about fireflies than at the prairie, said Beka Yates, education manager for Audubons Rowe Sanctuary.

This event is free to the public and is open to all ages; registration is requested. Email Yates at beka.yates@audubon.org.

Rowe Sanctuary is located south of Gibbon at 44450 Elm Island Road. For more information, call 308-468-5282 or check online at rowe.audubon.org/.

This weekend at the Grand ...

Elvis is showing this weekend at the Grand Theatre, 316 W. Third St. in Grand Island. Showtimes are 7:15 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Elvis is an epic, big-screen spectacle from Warner Bros. Pictures and visionary, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Baz Luhrmann that explores the life and music of Elvis Presley, starring Austin Butler and Oscar winner Tom Hanks.

This film is rated PG-13 for substance abuse, strong language, suggestive material and smoking.

Admission is $5 for adults and $4 for children 12 and younger and seniors. For more information, call 308-381-2667 or visit grandmovietheatre.com.

Your Ticket briefs are published every Thursday in The Independent. To submit arts and entertainment announcements, submit to Terri Hahn at terri.hahn@theindependent.com at least two weeks prior to the event. No information will be accepted over the phone. There is no charge for publication, but announcements must follow newspaper style and policy.
YORK  A 10-year-old from Wisconsin has been identified as the boy killed when the roof collapsed at the Hampton Inn in York on Sunday night.

Ben Prince of Hudson, Wisconsin, was with his family on vacation, according to KSTP Channel 5 News in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Prince, his parents and two brothers were in the pool area of the hotel when the roof collapsed, the ABC affiliate reported. A family member reportedly tried to lift a roof segment off the boy, but it was too heavy. Ben died at the scene.

The television station talked with the Prince familys pastor at Hudsons Faith Community Church.

Children are supposed to bury their parents, not the other way around. Life can be brief. Reality is often cruel and painful. As were learning, there are no guarantees and sometimes its brutally, brutally shortened, the pastor said.

There were no other injuries reported as a result of the collapse.

The situation remains under investigation and no details on the cause are available at this time.
President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia's economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The United States generally imports about 100,000 barrels a day from Russia, only about 5% of Russia's crude oil exports, according to Rystad Energy. Last year, roughly 8% of U.S. imports of oil and petroleum products came from Russia. Gas prices have been rising for weeks due to the conflict and in anticipation of potential sanctions on the Russian energy sector. The U.S. national average for a gallon of gasoline soared 45 cents a gallon in the past week and topped $4.06 on Monday, according to auto club AAA. Should the US ban Russian oil imports over Ukraine war?

You voted:
Over the years, Tiffany Haseker has applauded countless of acts as she sat among the crowd at the Marion Cultural and Civic Center, but this time, the applause is for her.

The Williamson County native is making a name for herself as a rising country artist in Nashville  and shes coming home for a pair of performances.

Haseker was the opening act for a recent Trace Adkins concert in Marion and she will be returning to open for Travis Tritt when he performs at the Cultural and Civic Center, August 19.

We announced she was added on to the Trace Adkins concert less than a month before that show, so a lot of people that wanted to see her werent able to come out that weekend, explained concert promoter Cody Dunbar. So were thrilled to bring her back again to play in her hometown.

Its more than just a homecoming for the Marion High School and Southern Illinois University Carbondale graduate. In some ways, opening for Adkins was, she said, coming full circle.

Years ago, one of the first big concerts I ever went to was one where Trace Adkins opened, so I am completely honored to open for him, especially in my hometown, she said.

Haseker is more than just an opening act. She is beginning to garner attention with her music. The New Music Awards named her as Country New Artist of the Year for 2022 and as recently as June she had two songs on the Country Indie Singles Chart.

She said she always has had a love for music. She recalls singing in Southern Illinois churches at the age of 5 and even dreamed of a music career while majoring in administration of justice at SIU.

I had contemplated going to law school, but Ive always had a passion for music, for singing and for performing in general, so I decided that I would move to Nashville and pursue that passion and purpose, so thats what I did.

Working a day job, like many aspiring musicians, she focused on songwriting and learning what she called the ins and outs of the Nashville music scene. She connected with a producer and her first song was released to radio in 2010. While the song received airplay on Christian radio, Haseker was not an overnight success, yet she remained patient with her career.

I continued to write music over the next several years, continuing to pursue it and letting it become what it should be, the 44 year-old said.

It is a couple of recent releases on an independent label which has brought attention to Haseker and her music. The first, The One spent several weeks at No. 1 on several music charts and her latest release, We Need to Talk, is being included on radio stations playlists.

She is extremely talented, Dunbar said, adding that he is helping her make even more contacts in music circles. I think sometimes success is just a matter of finding the right fit and being at the right place at the right time. Often that means having met the right people.

Dunbar sees the two Marion shows as part of the next step for Haseker.

This could be part of what gets her to the next level. With her work ethic and talent, shes not going to settle. Shes really talented. he said.

For now, Haseker said she is humbled, thankful and blessed. She said she really is not any more nervous about performing at home in Marion.

Nope. Just excited. Really excited, she said.
David Greising, president and CEO of the Better Government Association, will talk about the organizations Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism and good-government advocacy next week in a virtual conversation hosted by Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.

Greising will join John Shaw, institute director, at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 20, for a virtual conversation. Greising and Shaw will discuss the associations role as a watchdog in Illinois through investigative journalism and policy advocacy for ethical and effective government.

The Better Government Association is a nonpartisan and nonprofit news and advocacy organization working for government transparency and accountability in Chicago and Illinois, according to its mission statement. The BGA  along with the Chicago Tribune  won a Pulitzer Prize this year for an investigative series about deadly failures in Chicagos building- and fire-safety code enforcement.

The Better Government Association has championed responsible government in Illinois for more than a century, Shaw said. David Greising has been a strikingly creative and effective leader of the BGA, taking it to a new level of relevance and respect.

We are eager to learn more about Mr. Greisings vision for the Better Government Association.

The event is free and open to the public and will be held via Zoom. Registration is required at paulsimoninstitute.org/events. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions with their registration form or send them to paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu.

Greising joined the BGA in 2018. He previously worked at publications including the Chicago Sun-Times, City News Bureau of Chicago, Business Week magazine, Reuters and the Chicago Tribune, and he co-founded the Chicago News Cooperative. He now writes regular columns for the Tribune and Crains Chicago Business.

This event is part of the institutes Understanding Our New World virtual conversation series with government and private sector leaders, policy experts, political analysts, authors and journalists.
A St. George man will spend the next 16 years in prison after he admitted he sexually abused a girl in Orangeburg County.

Antonio Bethea Rasberry, 34, pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor between the ages of 11 and 14.

Circuit Judge R. Markley Dennis sentenced Rasberry to 20 years in prison, suspended to 16 years instead, during a recent term of court in Orangeburg County.

Dennis gave Rasberry credit for having already served 250 days at the Orangeburg County Detention Center.

A minor accused Rasberry of engaging in a sex act with her without her consent.

The girl told her mother that the sex abuse began when she was 13.

In other recent guilty pleas:

 Henry Clay Golson, 50, of 110 Robinson Court, Gaston, pleaded guilty to two counts of enhanced shoplifting valued at $2,000 or less.

Dennis sentenced him to 90 days in jail and gave him credit for time served.

 Detroit Javwin Goodwin, 23, of 474 Jamison Avenue, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to pointing and presenting a firearm at a person.

Dennis sentenced him under the Youthful Offender Act not to exceed five years, suspended to 18 months of probation.

 Jeremiah N. Haynes, 31, of 123 Licorice Lane, Elloree, pleaded guilty to first-offense possession of less than one ounce of marijuana, open container of alcohol, first-offense driving under suspension license not suspended for DUI and first-offense possession of a controlled substance.

Dennis sentenced him to four days in jail and gave him credit for time served.

 Robert Lewis Henderson, 31, of 1406 Glenfield Circle, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.

He was originally charged with accessory after the fact to a felony, but he pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice instead.

Dennis sentenced him to one month in jail and gave him credit him for time served.

 Xaviar Jamal Keitt, 35, 172 Cloverdale Lane, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to unlawful carrying of a pistol.

Dennis sentenced him to pay a $100 fine or serve 30 days in jail.

At the discretion of prosecutors, Keitts charge of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a violent felony was dismissed.

 Joshua Jelil Legree, 30, of 123 Army Drive, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to first-offense failure to stop for blue lights.

Dennis sentenced him to three years in prison. After he serves 90 days, the remainder of his sentence will be suspended to two years of probation.

Dennis also ordered Legree to complete 60 hours of public service employment, undergo random drug/alcohol testing and not to violate any of the conditions of his probation.

At the discretion of prosecutors, Legree had the following charges dismissed: leaving the scene of an accident involving an unattended vehicle, first-offense possession of a controlled substance, operating a vehicle on a highway without registration and license due to delinquency, loitering, operating a vehicle which is not registered and licensed, use of license plate other than for vehicle which issued, failure to maintain proof of insurance in motor vehicle and first-offense possession of one ounce or less of marijuana.

 Ramon Charles Otey, 35, of 2180 Pineridge Street, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to non-violent second-degree burglary.

Dennis sentenced him to 90 days in jail and gave him credit for time served.

 Fleton Luke Sarren, 44, of 1 Happy Valley Drive, Unalakleet, Alaska, pleaded guilty to indecent exposure.

Dennis sentenced him to 90 days in jail and gave him credit for time served.

 Joe Patrick Simpson, 30, of 5822 Freedom Road, Branchville, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen pistol.

Simpson was originally charged with possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a violent felony, but pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen pistol instead.

Dennis sentenced him to three years in prison, suspended to 18 months of probation.
An unidentified company is planning to invest about $50 million and create about 275 jobs in Orangeburg County over the next five years.

The company is planning to locate in the $25 million, 534,702-square-foot building at the Shamrock Commerce Center industrial park on U.S. Highway 301 near Interstate 26.

The building is touted as the largest speculative building built in the Midlands. The building is privately funded.

Orangeburg County Council unanimously passed a resolution on Monday agreeing to provide the company with tax incentives.

Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright noted the promised investment and job creation is over a five-year period.

I hope they start early, Wright said. We are ready for it.

The company is currently being identified by the code name Project Gigi.

It will remain confidential until we pass the incentives from the state of South Carolina, Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson said.

The company will be served by the City of Orangeburgs Department of Public Utilities with power, water, gas and sewer.

Following the meeting, Robinson said further details will be provided at a later date, but did note wages will be above the county's average manufacturing wage.

He described the company as light assembly with other facets to be announced later.

In other matters:

 The county received a $750,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Community Facility grant to purchase three ambulances and two paramedic quick response vehicles for the Holly Hill and Eutawville areas.

The county provided a $250,000 match.

The money is part of about $10 million the state received from the USDA as part of the grant program.

 Council gave unanimous second reading to a change in the county's ordinance to allow virtual meeting attendance by council members.

The ordinance would allow council members to attend a meeting virtually under certain circumstances, including special called meetings, emergency situations, weather-related events or other unforeseen circumstances.

 Council gave 5-1 second reading to the rezoning of property at 2251 Magnolia St. in Orangeburg to commercial general for the purpose of opening a medical diagnostic testing facility. Council Vice Chairwoman Janie Cooper-Smith was opposed to the rezoning.

The property, which covers about .31 acres, is currently zoned residential general.

 Council gave unanimous second reading approval to rezoning about 71.13 acres of property on Academy Lane in Holly Hill to residential general for the purpose of residential housing.

The property is zoned forest agricultural.

The change is being requested by Crescent Property Holdings LLC, which wants to create affordable workforce housing.

The property is approximately 1-1/2 miles from the town limits of Holly Hill.

The lot is currently undeveloped and vacant.

County planning officials say the developer has not submitted conceptual design plans for the property and has not provided an estimate of the number of houses to be built.

 Council gave unanimous second reading approval to rezoning about 2 acres of property at 7324 Old Number Six Highway in Santee to commercial general for the purpose of a boat repair shop.

The entire property covers about 11.25 acres and has been zoned forest agricultural. The property is about one mile east of the town of Elloree and three miles west of Santee.

 Council unanimously gave second reading to an amendment to the tax incentive agreement with Inbra Chemical Company. The company has invested a little over $18 million and created 20 new jobs. That exceeds the companys original projection of a $7.7 million investment and 15 new jobs.

 Orangeburg resident Billy Milhouse expressed concerns that he has not been able to get a building permit from the county to build a storage shed for his farming equipment.

Milhouse claimed the county's zoning ordinance is prohibiting him from getting the permit and is asking the county for a variance to be able to do so.

Council said it would look into the matter.

 Robinson expressed his appreciation to county council for its support of him and economic development in the county for the past 17 years.

Robinson is leaving Orangeburg County on July 8 to become the chief executive officer of the Florence County Economic Development Partnership. The council meeting was Robinson's last.

Each council member and County Administrator Harold Young expressed their appreciation to Robinson and wished him the best going forward in his future endeavors.

 Council went into closed session to discuss contractual matters related to Project 601 and contractual matters related to the Regional Medical Center.
Torrential rains drenched the Orangeburg area early Wednesday morning, flooding several units at an Orangeburg apartment complex.

Residents at Malibu Apartments, located off Middleton Street, spent Wednesday morning cleaning up and wondering what to do next.

Woodrow Shannon, a U.S. military veteran, has lived at the apartment complex for about a year. He said the flooding was terrible.

I woke up because I heard the safety box going bzzzzz, bzzzzzz, bzzzzz, Shannon said. When he touched it, he was shocked.

The water came everywhere. It even came from the side of the wall of the house, he said.

Everywhere flooded, Shannon continued. It was up to your ankles.

I said, Oh my God! It was thundering and lightning. I was scared to go outside and I was scared to stay in because I was afraid I would get electrocuted. I did not want to turn the lights.

While the water receded later Wednesday morning, Shannon said he does not know what to do going forward.

I can't stay here because the rug is going to get molded, he said.

He said he has no money for a motel because hes on a fixed income.

Where can I go? he said. My bed is gone. I threw it out. My couch is wet.

Rhonda Stevenson has lived in the apartments for about a year as well.

She said water began to fall between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. and did not stop.

I heard the water come outside, so when I went to step in to my kitchen, it was flooded. The water kept coming, then it went to my car and I jumped in my car to move it. Good thing it cranked, Stevenson said.

Wednesday's flood waters filled her entire apartment and car.

I tried to save some stuff, she said. It is terrible. It is a disaster.

It damaged my clothes, my shoes and all my equipment like my TV and my computer, Stevenson said. Everything is messed up.

Now Stevenson says the future is uncertain.

I have no place to go, Stevenson said. I don't know about staying here. They are calling for more rain and I don't have no money. I have no kind of help.

But she remains thankful.

I just thank God we are alive because I thought I was going to die, she said.

A preliminary estimate by property officials is that ten units flooded during the storm.

American Red Cross Columbia Region Disaster Program Manager Gerald Jennings was on the scene Wednesday assessing the damage to see what the agency can do.

It has to be over 18 inches or more of water damage inside for Red Cross to do some assistance, Jennings said.

Following the assessment, the Red Cross provided clean-up kits for residents, including squeegees, brooms, gloves and trash bags.

Property officials were expecting the apartments to be habitable by day's end.

Residents were seen scraping displaced sand and debris out of the parking lot late Wednesday morning. They were also outside airing out their apartments as carpets, furniture and floors remained saturated. Mud was also visible in some apartments.

It is not the first time the apartment complex has flooded.

About six years ago, 20 residents were displaced. Eight years ago, about 15 residents were displaced due to flooding.

Malibu Apartment Manager Anthony Johnson said, This is an act of nature.

This is God's thing right here. You can't help with what God do.

He also claimed that the city is responsible.

The city won't come out and clean this out. I don't know why. They don't want to clean the ditch out. They should come and get all the stuff out of the ditch, Johnson said.

Johnson pointed to a spot on a wall where the water rose a foot high during the flooding, and noted the water has caused significant erosion.

If the city would come and do something, it wouldn't do this, Johnson said. All this rain does not come from Malibu Apartments. It comes from the road right on down.

Johnson wants the city to clean out the ditch so that it will be deeper and help prevent the flooding.

He also would like the city to place concrete barriers on the ditch to help with water flow.

Orangeburg City Administrator Sidney Evering said after conducting research it has been determined that the city does not own the ditch and is not responsible for maintaining it.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation also confirmed it does not own the ditch, either.

The property owner, identified as Malibu Apartments LLC, and its registered agent could not immediately be reached for comment.

Evering did say the city would be willing to work with SCDOT to determine why the area floods.

It is worth taking a look at, Evering said.

He noted that the property is located in a flood plain and that when there is an act of God event, it will flood.

The Orangeburg Municipal Airport reported 2.38 inches of rain fell between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m.

An Orangeburg weather spotter on Mason Drive recorded 3.37 inches of rain.

About 2 inches of rain fell at a weather gauge about two miles northwest of Orangeburg at Dove Point Drive and about 2.41 inches fell at a weather gauge on Jackson Drive off of Riverbank Drive.

About .83 inches of rain fell at a rain gauge on Lower Cherokee Road off of Norway Road about seven miles southeast of Neeses.

About .79 inches of rain fell on Woodhaven Street off of North Road, about five miles east of North.

About .48 inches fell at a gauge on Planters Trace Road off of Old State Road, about seven miles southwest of Santee.

In Calhoun County, about .85 inches of rain fell at a weather gauge on Wienges Court, about three miles east of St. Matthews.

About .74 inches of rain fell at a gauge off of Indian Valley Lane, about four miles east of Swansea.

Trees were reported down in the Banks Lane area of the county. The Sandy Run Fire Department helped to remove the trees.

There were no reports of damage or injuries.

Less than half of an inch of rain fell in Bamberg County, according to official weather reporting stations. There were no reports of damage or flooding issues.

There may be more water to come.

There is a good chance of rain each and every day for the next week. The next chance to dry out appears to be Tuesday.
Orangeburg County continues to focus on development, looking to market itself as an ideal location between Charleston and Columbia. A key component of any development plan is showing prospects that the community has quality health care.

For more than 100 years, the Regional Medical Center -- and the Orangeburg hospital under different names -- has anchored health care for the states county with the second largest land area, and served people from Calhoun, Bamberg and elsewhere. RMC is a regional facility vital to health care for a big rural area, offering services beyond what is available at most rural hospitals.

Through transitions in the nations health care system, RMC has remained viable. The challenges have been many for a public hospital (owned by Orangeburg and Calhoun counties) that has a disproportionate share of patients unable to pay for services. With an obligation to provide care to all comers, RMC has relied on government subsidies for indigent patients.

The formula today is different. The Affordable Care Act curbed direct subsidies to hospitals in favor of expanding Medicaid, giving those in the program coverage to pay for care. But South Carolina has never expanded its Medicaid program, meaning no federal funds to accompany state dollars for new clients  and no dollars for RMC as it provides care to individuals who might otherwise have been on Medicaid.

RMC has sought help from the state to meet the challenges of continuing to provide care in the face of monetary losses  losses that threaten the future of RMC. But requests for funding to tackle more than $30 million in debt (documents obtained by The T&D later on July 7 show the $36 million specifically related to facilities upgrades, equipment and staff) gave way in the legislature to a budget proviso authorizing RMC and the Medical University of South Carolina to explore a partnership.

Charleston-based MUSC and the Medical University Hospital Authority, a component of MUSC, are seeking to enter into a partnership with RMC that would provide RMC with a number of resources, including clinical, educational and research programs with an aim at improving care and the financial outcomes of the hospital. The proposal was the subject of a meeting this past week involving Orangeburg and Calhoun county councils and legislative delegations, the RMC board and MUSC officials. The session was a first step.

Orangeburg Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter said when she heard about RMCs financial challenges, she wanted to make sure the hospital was solvent. She sees linking with MUSC as a way to help RMC do more than survive.

We are not interested in the Regional Medical Center just surviving, she said. What we want to do is to make sure RMC thrives.

The proposal would keep the RMC board in place for quality oversight, medical staff accreditation and community engagement while financial responsibility for RMC would fall under the MUSC board. All RMC employees would remain.

MUSC CEO Dr. Patrick Cawley cited the benefits RMC would see through a partnership, including a better market share and pricing for medical supplies and equipment, as well as MUSC's leadership and experience.

Cawley also said another big benefit is in the recruitment of nurses and doctors. MUSC would discuss if RMC employees are to become state employees. MUSC officials say in other partnerships with MUSC, all have been agreeable to becoming state employees.

The relationship would mean RMCs primary care doctors would have an opportunity to join the MUSC network.

As to hospital debt, Cawley said RMC and MUSC would work together as MUSC has done in linking with other hospitals across the state, including MUSC Health Florence.

The plan has the attention of the two county councils, which appoint members to the RMC board. It appears to have support among lawmakers. And it ultimately should have support among the present RMC board members. Its not a done deal, but the plan has the potential to be good for RMCs future as a public hospital continuing to be owned by the people of Orangeburg and Calhoun counties.

Cobb-Hunter is on target: We believe, given the fiscal situation, the change in the health care landscape, we are going to have to figure out a different way of doing business in order for RMC to not only survive but to thrive.
Emergency services report five accidents on Wednesday evening, which left a total of four people injured.

A motorist crashed into a tree on the CR103a between Nospelt and Olm. One person was injured in the process. Emergency services from Luxembourg City, Kehlen, and Steinfort were called to the scene.

A pedestrian was hit by a car and injured on Rue Dickskopp in Soleuvre at 6.30pm. Emergency services from Sanem/Differdange provided assistance at the scene.

Two cars collided on Rue d'Esch in Ehlerange at 10.30pm last night, leaving one person injured. Emergency services from Sanem/Differdange were deployed to the scene.

An accident involving a car and a motorcycle occurred on the CR311a between Wolwange and Perle. Two people were injured in the process. Emergency services from Ell, Rambrouch, Ettelbruck, and Redange were called to the scene to provide assistance.
Following a request from the Left, MPs debated a raising of the minimum wage in the Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday.

The EU is currently working on a minimum wage directive with the ambition of creating a level of consistency in the Union. Every member state should therefore update its minimum wage on a two-year basis. Furthermore, 80% or work contracts should be collective contracts.

MPs from the Left thus requested a debate in the Chamber to address a potential raising of the minimum wage in Luxembourg. According to the EU directive, a salary is considered fair if it represents 50% of the average income and 60% of the median income.

According to MP Myriam Cecchetti from the Left, this is not the case in the Grand Duchy: "We need to raise the minimum wage by 150% if we want to adjust it to 60% of the median income. If we want to adjust it to 50% of the average income, then it will be an additional 350, for which we want to advocate."

Minister of Labour, Employment and the Social and Solidarity Economy Georges Engel acknowledged that there is room for improvement in Luxembourg. Although he also admitted that he wants to increase the number of collective contracts, the politician from the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) was unwilling to respond to the idea of raising the minimum wage.

However, Minister Engel's predecessor and now MP Dan Kersch addressed the issue and confirmed that LSAP is open to discuss a raising of the minimum wage. He further drew attention to the fact that it may not be done in this legislative period, but that parties are free to present their ideas on their election platforms. MP Kersch further proposed to introduce tax advantages for businesses that switch to collective contracts.

MP Marc Spautz from the Christian Social People's Party (CSV) warned that since Germany raised its minimum wage, Luxembourg has become less attractive. MPs from the Pirate Party also expressed concern over this tendency.

Minister Engel promised to keep monitoring the situation and introduce measures once needed.
Approximately 50 Luxembourgish firms signed an agreement on Wednesday voluntarily committing to pursuing the UN's human rights ambitions in the area of supply chains.

By signing the national pact, businesses commit to developing a governing body designed to identify human rights violations.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Jean Asselborn was present at the signing of the agreement and underlined that neither the European Union nor the Grand Duchy want to sell goods produced in violation of human rights.

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.

Among the firms that signed the pact are Cargolux, the Luxembourg Bankers' Association (ABBL), the Chamber of Commerce, national railway company CFL, Encevo, and Superdreckskescht.
At 9am on Thursday morning, a Howald resident was violently assaulted by two men on Rue Ferdinand Kuhn.

Both attackers fled after the attack in a black BMW 3 series with French license plates. The first letter of the registration was "W". The car drove off in the direction of Route de Thionville.

According to the police, both men were described as having dark skin. The first was around 1.85 metres tall, powerfully built and around 90kg, wearing black clothing with a hood pulled over his head. The second was slender and also wore a hooded sweatshirt pulled up around his head. One wore black trainers, while the other wore white.

Anyone with information on the incident should contact police on 113. An investigation is currently ongoing.
CHEYENNE  Senate President Dan Dockstader announced Wednesday he is leaving the Wyoming secretary of state race to endorse a fellow Republican legislator.

He said in a statement he believes it is important to elect a secretary of state with the education and experience to take on the responsibilities of such an important office, and he believes that person is Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne.

In many instances, Sen. Tara Nethercott and I agree on topics related to ensuring safe and secure elections in Wyoming by working with 23 county clerks, in addition to maintaining a successful business division within the Secretary of States Office, Dockstader, R-Afton, said. Her commitment to economic diversity, job creation and job retention will also be reflected in the secretarys business division.

Nethercott told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle she has been in contact with Dockstader throughout the campaign season, and knew she would be fully endorsed by the Senate president. She said they both deeply care about the future of Wyoming and the position of secretary of state, and they evaluated the best outcomes for the state.

Im honored to receive his endorsement, she said Wednesday. Hes a true statesman, and we both have a history of putting Wyoming first, and he certainly has today.

Dockstader applauded Nethercotts deep roots in Wyoming, as she was born, raised and educated in the state. She also has established a professional legal career as a practicing attorney in the Capital City, which Dockstader said would be priceless when it comes to all of the responsibilities associated with the office.

He further stated that the same experience has contributed to her success as a chairperson of the Senate Judiciary Committee and as a member of the important Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee. She is on the Capital Finance and Investments Committee and the Blockchain Finance and Digital Innovation Committee.

In every instance, I have watched her valued and respected comments be well received in the legislative process, Dockstader wrote.

Nethercott is now the only remaining candidate for secretary of state who believes the 2020 election was not fraudulent in any capacity in Wyoming.

The state senator said she feels proud to hold complete trust in the election process across the state, as well as the officials who have run safe, secure, free and fair elections for decades.

They certainly did in 2020, and I have full confidence that, working together, we will continue with the legacy that Wyoming doesnt have election fraud, she said. Its important to recognize, but that doesnt mean that vigilance and diligence concerning best practices for election integrity are evaluated and addressed.

Other contenders

Republican candidates state Rep. Chuck Gray of Casper and Mark Armstrong of Centennial have both expressed they have doubts the election was not tampered with in regards to absentee ballot drop boxes and the influence of co-founder and CEO of Meta Platforms Mark Zuckerbergs donations to election efforts.

There are no Democratic candidates in the race.

Congratulations to the insiders joining forces with each other. But the voters of Wyoming want election security and ballot boxes banned, Gray said via text message in reaction to the endorsement. Nethercott has opposed election integrity measures continuously. This election is a clear choice between a conservative who has accomplished election integrity and an insider who has opposed and continues to oppose election integrity.

Gray said he will continue to work diligently, and is confident his campaign can defeat the handpicked insider candidate.

Armstrong also told WTE the race is on after hearing the announcement. He said he is not surprised Dockstader decided to endorse his colleague in the Wyoming Legislature, because he believes they hold similar views. He said they dont understand the holes hes seen in the Albany County election process.

They shut their eyes to election fraud, he said. They shut their eyes to corruption and unethical conduct in the government.
Retired U.S. Sen. Al Simpson received the nations highest civilian honor Thursday: the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Ninety-year-old Simpson is a pillar of Wyoming politics. He served in the U.S Senate for 18 years and in leadership for 10 of those. Before moving to Congress, he represented Park County in the Wyoming statehouse.

In a ceremony Thursday at the White House, President Joe Biden lauded Simpson for his principles and bipartisanship. Simpson, Biden told the audience at the medal ceremony, was one of the most decent, stand up, genuine guys that Ive ever served with, and I served with a lot of senators.

We need more of your spirit back in the United States Senate, on both sides of the aisle, the president said.

As Biden finished draping and clasping the medal over the former senators neck, Simpson looked up and smiled out at the crowd.

Hes a great hugger, Simpson said.

Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., attended Thursdays ceremony.

Senator Al Simpson is a principled leader and his service to Wyoming and our nation is unmatched, she said in a tweet. He is most deserving of this honor and I am honored to call him friend.

Simpson has endorsed Cheney in her heated House race against Harriet Hageman, and he has not been shy about opposition to former president Donald Trump. Even before Cheneys 2022 reelection campaign heated up, Simpson was outspoken about the state of politics.

He was a part of a bipartisan group of 44 former U.S. senators who warned in an op-ed that the country is entering a dangerous period with challenges to the rule of law, the Constitution, our governing institutions and our national security.

That op-ed came on the heels of the conclusion of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation and the beginning of the 2019 investigations into Trump and his administration by the House.

Following his time in office, Simpson taught politics and co-chaired a commission under President Barack Obama to draw up recommendations on how to cut the national debt, which he argued is placing an unsustainable burden on the countrys younger generations.

During his public service, he has been a prominent advocate on issues including campaign finance reform, responsible governance, and marriage equality, the White House said in a statement.

But the former senator also has his detractors, who cite his legacy of being aggressively anti-Social Security and his attacks on Anita Hill during Justice Clarence Thomass confirmation hearings.

Simpson grew up in the Cody area. He was known for getting in trouble as a youth and later advocated for juvenile justice reforms in Wyoming based on that experience.

Simpson received his bachelors and law degrees from the University of Wyoming.

We all know him as a stalwart supporter of the University of Wyoming who has made such a difference for his beloved alma mater over many decades while he has served our state and nation as a legislator and statesman, UW President Ed Seidel said in a statement. Its with a great sense of pride that we now celebrate President Bidens recognition of Sen. Simpson for his exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values and security of the United States, world peace and other significant societal, public and private endeavors. Hes a gem of Wyoming and UW, and we join in saluting him on this special day.

Biden awarded Presidential Medals of Freedom to 17 people on Thursday. Simpson was one of three former politicians to receive the award.

Other recipients included the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who, after being severely wounded in a 2011 shooting, founded a nonprofit to combat gun violence.
WITH masks no longer mandatory, most of those who spoke to the Express in downtown Port of Spain yesterday said they would still wear them under certain circumstances.

Supermarkets, hospitals and public transportation are the spaces most said they will continue wearing masks.

One man named Emmanuel polled on Broadway yesterday said, I will still be cautious. Some establishments may still require that people wear it and I will always have one on me or close by, he said.
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.
PHOENIX  Gov. Doug Ducey penned his signature Thursday to creating the most comprehensive system of private and parochial school vouchers in the nation, paving the way for a petition drive to have voters kill it  again.

Our kids will no longer be locked in underperforming schools, Ducey said in a prepared statement.

Every family in Arizona should have access to a high-quality education with dedicated teachers, he continued. This is truly a win for all K-12 students.

The Republican governor has said the law, which will allow any of the 1.1 million children in Arizona public schools to get what are called empowerment scholarship accounts, will make the state the gold standard for educational freedom.

Duceys blessing was never in doubt. He has signed every voucher expansion bill that has come to his desk since becoming governor in 2015.

But its not the last word.

The petitions to force a public vote on the issue already were printed and signature gathering begins in earnest this weekend, said Beth Lewis, executive director of Save Our Schools Arizona.

The organization of teachers and education groups has until the end of the day on Sept. 23 to gather at least 118,823 valid signature on petitions that would keep the new law from taking effect until the next general election. Because that date would be too late to put the issue on the November 2022 ballot, that effectively would put the whole program on hold until at least November 2024.

Lewis said a more permanent solution is needed, however.

Arizona voters are absolutely exhausted with this nonsense, she told Capitol Media Services.

Voters previously quashed plan

What started out in 2011 as a program to provide an alternative to public schools for students with disabilities and special needs has grown as voucher supporters have succeeded in adding more and more categories.

The current law now provides vouchers that typically are in the range of about $7,000 to children from foster homes, military families, living on tribal reservations and attending schools rated D or F.

About 11,775 students currently get such vouchers.

The law Ducey signed would remove all the restrictions so any of the 1.1 million students in public schools could get public funding to attend a private or parochial school. Parents who home school also would be in line for those funds.

Lewis said the referendum drive should come as no surprise.

Lawmakers approved a large expansion in 2017. Her organizations got the signatures to put that plan on hold until the 2018 election, when voters quashed the legislation by a margin of 2-1.

House Majority Leader Ben Toma, R-Peoria, the architect of this years plan, said what happened in 2018 is irrelevant.

He said some voucher supporters actually voted against that earlier plan specifically because it did not make all students eligible for vouchers. Instead, to get the votes, supporters had to agree to a cap of about 30,000 vouchers by 2021, a lid that would remain in place unless and until lawmakers decided otherwise.

More to the point, Toma said had the measure been approved, it would have been frozen in law. Thats because the Voter Protection Act in the Arizona Constitution precludes lawmakers from repealing whatever has been enacted at the ballot and restricts alterations only to measures that further the purpose of the original bill.

Lewis called Tomas explanation of the failure of voucher expansion in 2018 complete hogwash.

Cost estimates

The lobbying of state lawmakers to approve the measure featured a parade of parents and children who said they are doing a lot better in private schools. The public campaign is likely to follow the same script.

Lewis said that wont work for a simple reason: Nothing in the referendum would take vouchers away from students who already get them.

What the law would do is make more students eligible for the state dollars. That would include students whose parents already pay to send their children to private schools.

Estimates are that about 85,000 of these children would switch to state funding by the 2024-2025 school year at a cost of about $118 million a year.

That does not bother supporters of the plan, including the governor.

Everybody listening that has a child when this law goes into effect will have access to their taxpayer dollars to send their child to the school of their choice, Ducey said Wednesday on KTAR before signing it.

Were the No. 1 state for educational freedom, he said. Other states are going to be following us.

Lewis, however, rejected any argument that people who already send their children to private schools without a voucher effectively are being asked to pay not only for the service they are buying but the service they are not getting from the public schools. She said thats the way democracy works.

We all pay into the system, Lewis said.

Like because I dont use the fire system this year, Im lucky enough to not use firefighters, I should give that money back? she continued. Thats nonsense.

Issue of standardized tests

There is something else that could give voucher foes some ammunition.

An early version of the legislation would have required that students in private and parochial schools using these vouchers of state funds to take some standardized tests, similar to those already administered in public schools. The results, as in the case of public schools, would have been reported on an aggregate basis.

That requirement was removed from the final version by Rep. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, who said whats happening at private schools is none of the governments business.

But voucher foes like Rep. Kelli Butler, D-Paradise Valley, said the fact that tax dollars will be flowing to those schools is precisely what gives the state an interest.

We will not know if students are using our tax dollars  $7,000 is the typical award  if theyre using that money to learn anything, she said during legislative debate.

Ducey waited until Thursday afternoon, the last possible day for him to act on legislation from the just-completed legislative session. That cut 10 days from the time that referendum backers have to get their signatures, as the deadline falls 90 days after the end of the session, regardless of when the governor acts.

Lewis said shes not concerned.

Were teachers, she said. We know how to plan behind the scenes and get ready.
Citing employee preference to permanently work from home, a downtown university has terminated its office lease with Pima County.

Southern New Hampshire University opened the new campus in February 2020, just a month before Arizona Governor Doug Ducey issued stay-at-home order in response to the pandemic.

The 10-year-lease with the county-owned building at 97 E. Congress St. was terminated June 1.

Lauren Keane, associate vice president of communication for the university, said more than 90% of employees of the Tucson campus expressed the desire to continue working remotely.

The private university had about 100 people in Tucson, including student-support staff, academic advisers, financial aid workers, admissions representatives and IT support to serve online students in Western time zones.

The university is still fully committed to the community of Tucson, which has become ingrained into the fabric and culture of SNHU, Keane said. We will continue to hire in Tucson and in other western states to best serve our learners in those areas.

Prior to the pandemic, SNHU expected to outgrow the space at 97 E. Congress St. so an early termination clause was included in the initial lease to allow early termination on Aug. 31, 2024.

The county is also renovating its building at 130 W. Congress St. and could absorb the space vacated by SNHU, county officials said.

The university offered to pay the county a termination fee of $900,000 and $72,360.48 for rents and fees for the months of April and May and vacate the building before June 1, according to a memo to the Board of Supervisors from Jan Lesher, the county administrator.

In addition, SNHU plans to leave furniture, fixtures and some equipment  to Pima County to help reduce their shipping costs of these items, the memo says. These items and other construction renovations paid by SNHU were valued at approximately $750,000 when purchased new.

The total revenue loss  the rent that will not be paid to the county from June 1, 2022, through Aug. 31, 2024  comes to $1.5 million, county records show.

SNHUs situation is not unique.

According to the Pew Research Center, for employees whose jobs can be done remotely, the majority prefer to continue working from home.

Today, more workers say they are doing this by choice rather than necessity, Pew says. Among those who have a workplace outside of their homes, 61% now say they are choosing not to go into their workplace.
Nearly 30 candidates are running in six newly redrawn Arizona House legislative districts  16, 17, 18, 19, 21 and 23  in the Tucson area, and voters will whittle down selections in the Aug. 2 primaries to determine who will be on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.

Voters in each party can vote for two candidates, and in races that are not competitive, the nominees will automatically advance to the general election.

Early voting for primaries began July 6. The last day to request a mail-in ballot is July 22. (These districts will be broken up into two stories with LD 19, 21 and 23 running soon in the Arizona Daily Star.)

District 16

Two Republicans and one Democrat will automatically advance in this race to the general election. District 16 covers portions of Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties, sprawling from the northwest and moving southeast following Interstate 10 on down south to the western edge of Tucson.

Teresa Martinez is the Republican incumbent who was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Rep. Bret Roberts of District 11 after his resignation in September 2021. Martinez, a Casa Grande native, was the director of coalitions and Hispanic outreach for U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar. The other Republican nominee, Rob Hudelson of Tucson, is a Navy veteran and pastor at Legacy Baptist Church.

Democrat Keith Seaman, of Casa Grande, is a lifelong educator and vice president of the Coolidge Unified School District Governing Board.

District 17Five Republican nominees are facing off in this race, and two Democratic candidates will automatically advance to the general election. District 17 includes much of the northwest side, the far eastside and the Rita Ranch area.

The Republican nominees are:

Kirk Fiehler of Tucson is a constitutional conservative who is originally from the Chicago area, and his family moved to Arizona when he was in junior high school. He grew up in Scottsdale and graduated with a bachelors in business from Northern Arizona University and worked in corporate business for more than 30 years. Currently, he is district manager for Jackson Hewitt Tax Service in Southern Arizona. According to his candidate website, kirkfiehler.com, among his top priorities is strengthening the economy, securing the border and defending constitutional freedoms.

Rachel Jones of Tucson is a former teacher and business executive. Her candidate website jonesforarizona.com, says, Our Arizona values have helped our great state thrive  low taxes, the right to bear arms, and small government has made Arizona great. But now our Arizona values are under attack  vaccine mandates  stolen elections  critical race theory  the Socialist Democrats in Phoenix are threatening our rights, families and very way of life. She says she is part of the Arizona Freedom Team, candidates who are conservative fighters in LD17, including fellow nominee Cory McGarr.

Cory McGarr of Marana is district manager of a Tucson pest control business. He moved from New Jersey to Tucson after a job promotion, and became involved with anti-abortion organizations and the local Republican Party, becoming a precinct committeeman. His candidate website mcgarrforarizona.com says he is running for the state House to fix the broken election system, to eliminate fraud, and to ensure that something like the 2020 election never happens again. McGarr says Im a rock-solid defender of the Second Amendment.

Anna Orth of Tucson is a fourth-generation Tucsonan. She is a graduate of the University of Arizona and Grand Canyon University with a masters in organizational psychology. She has a real estate license, and is a longtime business owner, most recently working as an organizational behavior consultant. She advocates strong and effective conservative leadership to defend our constitutional rights and freedoms including clean up the election process, secure the border and repeal unlawful federal overreach. Her campaign website orth4azrep.com says she wants to do her part to ensure Arizonans know their vote is safe and represented. There should be a 100% requirement to verify the citizenship of every person that votes and there must be a chain of custody and protection of it for every ballot.

Sherrylyn Young of Tucson is a retired OB-GYN physician who ran a small medical practice. She received a bachelors from University of California-Los Angeles and a medical degree from University of California-San Francisco. She grew up in a poor family and was the first to graduate from high school. High scores on a California test led to a full college scholarship. Young has lived in the district for 38 years. Her candidate website syoungforaz.com says she is a serious constitutional conservative, with experience in education, health care, and business. She supports medical freedom and says COVID-19 has taught us how easily public health agencies promoting fear can hijack our medical freedom.

The Democrat nominees are:

Dana Allmond of Marana, who is a retired Army lieutenant colonel and graduate of West Point Academy, and Brian Radford of Tucson, who is a former special education teachers assistant and a retired officer with the Department of Corrections. Allmond and Radford advance to the November general election.

District 18

One Republican candidate will automatically advance to the general election, and five Democrats, including an incumbent, are competing for votes in the primary to end up on the November ballot. District 18 covers the Catalina Foothills, Casas Adobes and a swath of Tucson north of Broadway, east of Country Club Road and west of Camino Seco.

Republican Linda Evans of Tucson, a playwright whose musicals have been produced in Manhattan, was born and raised in Van Wert, Ohio, and she has lived in Tucson for 28 years.

The Democratic candidates are:

Nathan Davis, a native of Tucson, is a graduate of Pima Community College, University of Arizona and received a masters in international affairs from George Washington University. He is a Tucson Unified School District teacher, who left the classroom a year ago and now is filling in as a substitute teacher, so he can run his familys small interior and design business. His campaign website, nathandavisaz.com, says he will work to reinvest in public education; support workers rights and our small, local businesses; fight for bills that combat climate change; and protect legal abortion care in Arizona.

Nancy Gutierrez of Tucson has lived in Phoenix and Sierra Vista as a military spouse and in Tucson since 2007. She received a bachelors from Northern Arizona University majoring in elementary education with an emphasis in math. She taught in Paradise Valley, Sierra Vista and since 2013 has taught yoga at Tucson High School. In 2017, she served on the board of the Tucson chapter of the National Organization for Women and was elected president in 2018. Her candidate website, nancyforaz.com, says she will work to ensure that Arizona puts public education, teachers, staff and students as a priority. She supports reproductive freedom and care for all women, and is a sensible gun candidate who believes guns should never be allowed on any campus and loopholes must be closed for sales at gun shows.

Chris Mathis of Tucson is the incumbent and has lived in District 18 for 21 years. In December, he was appointed to represent District 9 after Rep. Randall Friese resigned. Mathis is a practicing attorney who teaches health care law at the University of Arizona law school. He earned a masters in public administration from the Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government, a masters in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health, and law and undergraduate degrees from the University of Illinois. His campaign website, mathisforaz.com, says, As a legislator, he is fighting back to protect voting rights, womens reproductive rights, and fully fund public schools and pay educators like the valuable professionals they are.

Kat Stratford of Tucson has lived in District 18 for seven years and in Tucson since 2002. She works as a political consultant and field organizer. Her candidate website katforaz.com says the state is facing an unprecedented climate crisis that will render much of our beautiful desert uninhabitable within 50 years. Families are still struggling to gain reasonable access to basics like health care, education and food assistance. Voting rights and reproductive rights are at stake in 2022. We need representation that will show up every day to fight for progress, to protect our civil liberties, and for a more equitable Arizona.

Charles Charlie Verdin of Tucson is the owner of Fangamer, a local video game merchandising company. He has lived in District 18 for 10 years and in 2017 he ran for the Democratic nomination in Congressional District 2. Verdin was born and raised in southern Louisiana and graduated from Nicholls State University with a bachelors in mass communication. His campaign website, charlieverdin.com, says, Currently, Arizona ranks among the lowest in the country for teacher pay. Many of our best educators seek employment elsewhere while those who remain struggle to provide basic school supplies for their classrooms. He says investing in education builds a strong workforce, and well-educated students become the workers, innovators and entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

The top two Democrats in the primary will advance to the general election.
YUMA, Ariz. (AP)  Prosecutors are seeking a one-year prison sentence for a school board member in southern Arizona for illegally collecting four early ballots during the 2020 primary election.

But if probation is imposed instead, prosecutors said the judge should then enforce a provision of Guillermina Fuentes plea deal that bars her from holding public office while on probation. Fuentes and another woman, Alma Juarez, were scheduled to be sentenced Thursday on a ballot abuse conviction in Yuma, but the hearing has been postponed until Sept. 1.

Authorities say Fuentes and Juarez participated in ballot harvesting. That's a practice once used by both political parties to boost turnout but was made illegal by a 2016 state law that barred anyone but a family member or caregiver from returning early ballots for another person. Its the only case filed so far by the state attorney general under the law, which the U.S. Supreme Court upheld last year.

Authorities say Fuentes, a former San Luis mayor, ran a sophisticated operation using her status in Democratic politics in the Arizona border city to persuade voters to let her gather and, in some cases, fill out their ballots. But the crime she admitted in court last month does not involve filling out ballots or any broader efforts.

In a court filing Wednesday, prosecutors said Fuentes appears to have been caught on video running a modern-day political machine seeking to influence the outcome of the municipal election in San Luis, collecting votes through illegal methods, and then using another person to bring the ballots the last few yards into the ballot box.

In a statement, Anne Chapman, an attorney representing Fuentes, said her client had requested a hearing before her sentencing to present mitigating evidence because the request for her to serve a year in prison was clearly excessive. Chapman also said the filing by prosecutors is based largely on reports from Fuentes longtime political opponents and that none of the allegations in the document have been evaluated or tested through appropriate processes.

Fuentes and Juarez each pleaded guilty to a charge of ballot abuse, acknowledging they collected early ballots for people who werent family members, didnt live with them or werent receiving care from them.

Fuentes conviction is a felony punishable by as little as probation or as much as two years in prison. Juarez's conviction is a misdemeanor, and under her plea agreement, if she has cooperated as promised she will be sentenced to probation and prosecutors will not seek jail time.

Three other felony charges, accusing Fuentes of filling out one voters ballot and forging signatures on some of the four ballots she illegally returned, were dismissed.

Republicans repeating unsupported claims that President Donald Trump would have been reelected if not for widespread voting fraud have cited this case as part of a broader pattern in battleground states, but the evidence suggests it didn't extend beyond small-town politics.

Attorney Generals Office investigation records obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request show that fewer than a dozen ballots could be linked to Fuentes, not enough to make a difference in all but the tightest local races.

The office of Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican seeking his partys U.S. Senate nomination, provided the records after delays of more than 15 months.

Fuentes and Juarez were seen with several mail-in envelopes outside a cultural center in San Luis on the day of the 2020 primary election, according to reports from investigators. The ballots were taken inside and dropped in a ballot box.

Fuentes was recorded on video by a write-in candidate who called the Yuma County sheriff.

An investigation was launched that day, and about 50 ballots checked for fingerprints, which were inconclusive. The investigation was taken over by the attorney generals office within days, with investigators collaborating with sheriffs deputies to interview voters, Fuentes and others.
PHOENIX  Gov. Doug Ducey said he is not interested in using the Supreme Court ruling overturning its own precedent on the right to abortion as a reason to revisit the legality of same-sex marriage in Arizona.

The Republican governor acknowledged that at least one justice suggested there are parallels between the Supreme Court preempting the right of states to regulate or outlaw abortion, and rulings over the years that overruled other laws about personal decisions.

Justice Clarence Thomas, in a concurring opinion on the abortion ruling late last month, said the courts decision concluding there is no due process protection for the right of abortion should be used to revisit not only its 2015 ruling on same-sex marriage but also its 2003 ruling overturning state sodomy laws and its 1965 decision saying married couples have the right to use contraception.

Thomas said one thing, Ducey told Capitol Media Services on Wednesday when asked if the question of same-sex marriage, like the question of abortion, should be left to the states.

But he pointed out that Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the majority ruling, spelled out that the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and its constitutional right of abortion did not affect those other rulings.

So the Supreme Court has spoken, Ducey said. I respect the process. And I believe in federalism. Federalism would say that theres a mix between national government, the federal government, and whats left to the states.

Ducey said that means questions like the right of same-sex marriage are not necessarily left to each state.

He acknowledged that the justices, in their abortion decision, said it was wrong of the court to take the abortion question away from the states 49 years ago.

That issue comes back to the states, Ducey continued, a conclusion he urged the justices to reach when he signed on a legal brief asking the court to overturn Roe v. Wade. And now its left to the people.

But it was the decision of the people of Arizona in 2008, by a vote of 56%-44%, to approve a constitutional amendment limiting marriage to one man and one woman.

That was the law in Arizona until federal judges  and, ultimately, the Supreme Court in 2015  held the U.S. Constitution requires states to license a marriage between two people of the same sex.

I want to separate these issues out, Ducey said Wednesday.
Update: Homer Ward has been located by the Muskogee Police Department. He is safe and will soon be reunited with his family, the Sheriff's Office said.

A Silver Alert was issued late Wednesday for a 90-year-old man who lives west of Sand Springs in Tulsa County.

Homer Ward is white, stands 6 feet tall, weighs 200 pounds and has gray hair and hazel eyes, the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office reported.

He was last seen wearing a blue short-sleeve shirt, and dark-colored pants.

Ward was last seen about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Red Oak, in Latimer County, asking for directions, according to a press release from the Sheriff's Office.

A woman who answered the phone at the Sheriff's Office late Wednesday said authorities have some leads on Ward and that it is possible that he's trying to return to Tulsa County.

Ward drives a 2018 silver Kia Soul bearing Oklahoma license plate HWL 633.

He reportedly has memory loss and is unable to walk without a walker.

Authorities urge anyone who sees him to call 911 immediately.
Leons Smoke Shack will open its second location Thursday, July 7, at 1529 E. Third St., just across the street from the Church Studio.

There is a bit of serendipity involved, as the Church Studio was originally founded by Tulsa rock legend Leon Russell and serves as both a museum of his career as well as a working recording studio and concert venue. Leon Thompson, who established the original Leons Smoke Shack at 601 S. Sheridan Road in 2014, also shares the same birthday as Russell: April 2.

The Tulsa World in its 2014 review praised Leons ribs, sauce and beans, dubbed Them Beans, which were described as more savory than sweet and heavily dotted with bits of brisket. Other dishes include the signature Slap Potato, topped with a choice of meat, and desserts from Sugar Ruths Bakery.

Arizona Mexican closes  for now

On June 30, Heyka Zambrano, the owner of Arizona Mexican Restaurant, announced on the restaurants Facebook page that it was closing.

However, employees at the restaurant said they are working to reopen the long-lived restaurant in the coming months.

Zambrano said in her post, It is with incredible sadness that I have to announce that Arizona is having to close its doors. We just cant make it, with the increase in costs to produce the food, and with the hard struggle with the finances....The debt that I am now facing from trying to keep the restaurant open is overwhelming, but I have to keep moving forward.

I had some of the best staff one could ask for, many have been with us for over 20 years, Zambrano wrote, and it is breaking my heart, but I am eternally grateful for them and thank them for sticking with it for so long.

Morris Pardo, who has helped run the restaurant for more than 20 years, said he is working to reopen it.

We are working with attorneys and the city now to get all the licenses arranged, he said. We also want to do some remodeling, so we can really make a fresh start.

Pardo said there is no timeline for reopening but added he plans to keep the restaurants Facebook page and phone number active to keep fans of the restaurant informed of the progress.

It will be the same menu, Pardo said.

Zambranos husband, Isabel, opened the first Arizona Mexican Restaurant in 1993 after moving to Tulsa from Atlanta. At one time, the Zambrano family had restaurants in Tulsa, Owasso and Broken Arrow. Isabel Zambrano died in 2004 at age 41, and Heyka Zambrano carried on running the restaurants. She also opened a restaurant featuring the German food she grew up with, Heykas Heimat, in Broken Arrow in 2006.

New chef at La Tertulia

Jessie Gilroy has taken over the executive chef position at La Tertulia, the New Mexican restaurant created by James Beard Award-winning chef Kevin Nashan.

Gilroy worked at two of Nashans St. Louis-based restaurants, Sidney Street Cafe and the original Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co., as well as operating her own restaurant, Pangea, in the St. Louis suburb of St. Charles, Missouri. Pangea closed in April.

Rise closes

The lone Oklahoma location of the regional chain Rise Southern Biscuits, at 1520 E. 15th St., has closed.

The Cherry Street shop, which opened in November 2020, was only the second location for this North Carolina-based chain west of the Mississippi River. The menu featured freshly made buttermilk biscuits filled with everything from sausage and country ham to actual fried chicken and vegan chicken.

Boston Deli offers Thanksgiving in July

One of the many things Americans celebrate on July 4 is freedom  not just the inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but also the freedom to enjoy a classic holiday meal out of its traditional season.

The Boston Deli, 6231 E. 61st St., is doing just that for its Thursday special in July, with a Thanksgiving Summer that combines the best of summers bounty with falls flavors.

The menu begin with a locally sourced free-range turkey that has been deboned and formed into a roulade, wrapped around a stuffing of house-made chorizo sausage, sorrel and honey, and roasted over pecan wood, with a Southwestern cranberry sauce spiced with lime and chilies, and served with a chipotle giblet gravy.

This is accompanied by whipped Yukon Gold potatoes with garlic and chives; frizzled Brussels sprouts with smoked chili powder, balsamic vinegar and roasted pumpkin seeds; traditional deviled eggs; and skewers of lime-and-balsamic glazed watermelon that have been grilled, then chilled.

Dessert is a bourbon sweet potato pumpkin pie with cinnamon whipped cream.

Cost is $30 per person, and reservations are required. This special is available 5-8 p.m. each Thursday in July. Wine and beer pairings are available.

Watch Now: 5 to find: Things to do this weekend
Although the yarn, glue and paper plates in arts and crafts are a close second, Elicia Ellingtons favorite part of summer school is something a little more physical.

Its gym class.

I get to run around and play with my friends, she said with a shy grin.

An incoming fourth-grade student at McKinley Elementary School, Elicia is among the more than 8,000 Tulsa Public Schools students  almost one-fourth of the districts total 2021-22 enrollment  who are participating in Ready. Set. Summer! camp-style programming across 21 campuses this month.

Other districts are holding summer schools, too. Sand Springs Public Schools had 300 summer school students in June, and 200 are enrolled for the districts July session. Just at the elementary school level, Union had almost 800 participate in its summer school in June.

The American Rescue Plan Act requires school districts to put at least 20% of their federal COVID-19 recovery funds toward addressing the impact of lost instructional time due to the pandemic through any number of routes, including expanded summer programming.

As a result, Tulsa Public Schools spent $11 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds on summer programming in 2021 and expects to spend up to another $9 million this year to cover summer expenses, including supplies and stipends for teachers and support staff.

At Tulsas summer school, along with sessions on math, science and language arts, students get to participate in such enrichment activities as clubs, field trips and visits by on-campus guests from places like First Tee and ahha, the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa.

Mixed in with shrieks of delight from the McKinley gym up and down the halls Wednesday afternoon were thuds from students learning how to dance and song snippets as others began preparation efforts for an all-school talent show later this month.

This is a chance for these students to mix and mingle and get into things that they may never get a chance to get to do, said McKinley Elementary School Assistant Principal Bryshana Gillaspie, the summer administrator.

Along with increasing participation from 2021, TPS schools were grouped together based on students ages, geographic proximity and feeder patterns.

This year, for example, McKinley is also hosting students from Unity Learning Academy and Hamilton Elementary School. Among those three schools, 350 students are attending McKinley this month.

McKinley sixth-grade teacher Janet McCarty Smith is among the teachers working this summer. Along with the opportunity to make sure those rising seventh graders are ready academically for middle school, she said Ready. Set. Summer! has also provided a chance to help repair and rebuild social skills that may have been stunted by pandemic-induced isolation.

Its huge, McCarty Smith said. A lot of (the children) have missed their friends. Even if they live in the same neighborhood, if their friends family was sick, they couldnt go over and see them. For a lot of our students, that was a big impact for them.
Gov. Kevin Stitt announced on Facebook and Twitter on Thursday afternoon that he has requested a special audit of Tulsa Public Schools.

Stitt said his request to State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd was prompted by contacts from two local school board members, but his request also seeks probes into two additional matters.

Although Stitt did not name them in his announcement, the Tulsa school board members who sought his formal audit request were ELena Ashley of TPS Board District 4 and Jennettie Marshall of TPS Board District 3.

In their letter provided by the Governors Office, the two referred only to a recently publicized internal school district investigation into possible financial losses at the hands of a District employee, adding: There is significant concern and substantiating evidence that processes and state contract laws may have been violated, and that this is not a one-time situation but a pattern of operation.

Last week, TPS officials announced the discovery of almost $20,000 in irregularities tied to a vendor contract within the districts personnel office. Those irregularities are alleged to have happened more than two years ago but were brought to administrators attention within the last month and turned over to local law enforcement on June 27, Superintendent Deborah Gist said.

Stitts request for a special state audit also seeks a probe into Tulsa Public Schools use of pandemic relief funds.

Gist said she welcomed outside scrutiny, including by the State Auditors Office, but she thinks taxpayers should consider the source of Thursdays state audit request, which she called unfortunate and political theater.

This is a governor, Kevin Stitt, and his colleague, (Stitts appointed secretary of education) Ryan Walters, who wrote an $18 million check to an out-of-state entity with no bidding process, and already a review of that has identified half a million dollars in inappropriate, questionable funds  people buying everything from car stereos to gaming consoles to power washers and including about $200,000 in televisions, Gist said. So I think its important to keep context in place.

Gist said she is confident in her administrations use of pandemic relief funds and defended her handling of the ongoing issue with a TPS vendor contract.

Theres certainly a good reason for everyone in Tulsa to have a question about this situation. Im concerned about this situation, which is why I have acted decisively and swiftly at every moment, never wasting a day, working tirelessly to determine what was going on and to resolve the situation and including the proper authorities the moment it seemed that was necessary.

Gist said the known dollar amount in question is less than $20,000 but TPS is committed to cooperating with a local police investigation to determine whether any other monies could have been mishandled. She has already directed an internal review of all third-party invoices to the TPS Talent Management office for the last four years.

On Wednesday, TPS revealed the recent resignation of Devin Fletcher, its head of personnel.

In response to the Tulsa Worlds question about whether she had asked for Fletchers resignation, Gist said she contacted him on Sunday, June 26, to notify him that he was being suspended and that she would be seeking his termination. He responded by resigning.

Fletchers submitted resignation, which has not yet been approved by the school board, was the topic of a Thursday evening executive session, as well as the vendor company at the center of the inquiry  Atlanta-based Snicklebox LLC  which contracted with TPS to update and refine the personnel offices practices in order to better recruit and retain teachers.

A review of documents from previous school board meetings shows that the board approved consultant contracts with the company as recently as June 6, with approval for the $150,000 contract for the upcoming 2022-23 school year contingent upon grant funding.

The district had a $300,000 contract with Snicklebox for the 2021-22 school year and a $200,000 contract for the 2020-21 school year.

Stitt, who is running for reelection, also used the occasion to slam the states largest school district for COVID-related school closures in previous years and to share his concern that the district might be teaching critical race theory.

Stitt is seeking a compliance audit into a reported recent violation of a new state law limiting public school instruction on race, gender and history.

As one of the largest districts in the state, TPS received over $200 million in COVID federal relief funds. TPS also stayed closed the longest  over 300 consecutive days, Stitt said. Board members, parents, students and teachers deserve to know how that money was spent. 

I firmly believe that not one cent of taxpayer money should be used to define and divide young Oklahomans by their race or sex. Lets teach students, not indoctrinate them, Stitt said.

Two weeks ago, the Oklahoma State Department of Education informed the State Board of Education that a professional development session on implicit bias provided to Tulsa Public Schools employees was found to be in violation of House Bill 1775, a new state law meant to limit instruction on race, gender and history.

HB 1775 does not include the phrase critical race theory. However, many have construed its provisions as a ban on the concept, which argues that many key pillars of American society, including the judicial system and economy, have been shaped in ways to benefit white people at the expense of minorities.

Under the administrative rules approved by the State Board of Education, the violation means that when the districts accreditation comes up for review in July, its status must be downgraded to accreditation with deficiency.

The second of five accreditation categories available to Oklahoma public education, accreditation with deficiency means a district or school does not meet at least one state standard, but that does not detract from its overall educational quality.
OKLAHOMA CITY  Oklahomas favorite sons came home on Thursday.

The portraits of actor and humorist Will Rogers, Olympic gold medalist Jim Thorpe, U.S. Sen. Robert Kerr and Cherokee syllabary creator Sequoyah were remounted on the Oklahoma Capitols fourth-floor rotunda following nearly six years in storage while the building was being renovated.

These works are some of the most iconic pieces here on the fourth floor underneath the dome, said Oklahoma Arts Council Executive Director Amber Sharples.

The way the works are presented has changed, she said.

The paintings will appear like they are floating in these different niches, she said.

They join more than 500 other works of art returning to the Capitol.

About 90% of the artwork will be installed by the end of the year, she said. The reinstallation began on June 6.

The life-size portraits were done by the late Charles Banks Wilson, who also painted the four murals underneath the dome depicting the states history from the 1500s to the pre-statehood era.

Wilsons portrait, painted by Mike Wimmer, is also in the Capitol. Wilson died in 2013.

The portraits of Rogers, Thorpe, Kerr and Sequoyah were commissioned by the Legislature in 1960, Sharples said, and Wilson produced them from about 1960 to 1968.

The Oklahoma Arts Council has designed a curatorial plan that is chronological, providing visitors the opportunity to understand state history from pre-statehood to the present, Sharples said.

We are going to have areas we feature, like indigenous and Native American history and our connection to our indigenous tribes, western heritage, hall of heroes for our military and veteran-connected individuals and so on, she said.

Sharples said it will be a great way to teach history and art.

On the first floor, African American history and civil rights will be featured, including Tulsas Black Wall Street, she said.

The renovation of the Capitol triggered the states Art in Public Places Program, directing 1.5% of the cost of the project up to $1 million to artwork, she said.

With that, we have commissioned nearly 20 works that are going to then help fill in the new spaces in the Capitol, she said.

The new pieces will include a portrait of the late Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller and the World War I Choctaw code talkers, Sharples said.

Sharples called the Capitol the largest public art museum in the state, featuring works worth multiple millions of dollars.

Lawmakers approved $245 million in bonds for repairs to the interior and exterior of the Capitol, which had electrical, plumbing and structural problems. The bulk of the work was recently completed.

The artwork returning represents a major aspect of the Capitol renovations being finished, said Trait Thompson, Oklahoma Historical Society executive director.
Anyone who wants to learn about the work of the Tulsa Police Department is encouraged to apply to attend a Citizens Police Academy that begins in September.

The academy explains such components of police work as firearms training, pursuit driving, SWAT operations, and criminal and narcotics investigations.

The curriculum will be largely classroom-oriented but some hands-on instruction will occur, according to a news release.

Classes will meet from 6-9 p.m. on Tuesdays from Sept. 13-Dec. 13 at the Tulsa Police Training Center. The academy is free and open to applicants who are 18 or older and live, work or attend school in Tulsa.

The course shares officers experience with the various operations, protocols and procedures of the Tulsa Police Department. It is taught by veteran TPD officers who will discuss the challenges of policing a large, diverse urban center.

A criminal background check is a part of the application process. No law enforcement authority or credentials are given at the completion of the program.

To apply, go to tulsapolice.org and click on the Citizens Police Academy link or email Jim Hunter at jhunter@cityoftulsa.org.

Featured video:
Oklahomans interest in mental health is at an all-time high.

Google searches in Oklahoma for topics related to mental health have increased nearly 50% since the beginning of the pandemic. During the past 12 months, mental health was Googled more frequently per capita in Oklahoma than in all but four other states.

This level of interest extends to the Capitol, where policymakers recognize the severe toll COVID-19 has had on the mental well-being of our states residents. Since early 2020, more than 50% of Oklahomans have experienced symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, and suicide rates in rural counties increased during the pandemic by an average of 27%.

Healthy Minds Policy Initiative has produced some of the states most comprehensive research on the mental health effects of the pandemic. We use this research to empower leaders across the state in helping Oklahomans have the mental health care they need, when and where they need it.

Given the grim data about Oklahomas behavioral health outcomes, its tempting to be pessimistic. Through our work, however, we have found the opposite to be true  we are more optimistic about the future of mental health care in Oklahoma than ever before, and Ill share three reasons why.

The first is that mental health is a bipartisan issue, and real progress is being made at the Capitol.

Legislators on both sides of the aisle overwhelmingly agree that we can  and must  improve mental health outcomes in Oklahoma. Nowhere is this more evident than among the 30 legislators in the bipartisan Mental Health Caucus. Lawmakers passed dozens of bills during the 2022 legislative session to increase access to care.

One such bill is Senate Bill 1413, which strengthens the states ability to enforce laws requiring that insurance plans cover mental health treatment on par with comparable physical health care. While Oklahomans continue facing unequal barriers to treatment, the state is making meaningful progress toward fully protecting this critical consumer right.

The second reason for optimism is the ongoing transformation of Oklahomas approach to school-based mental health resources for students.

The National Center for School Mental Health estimates that up to 80% of students receiving mental health services access them in school. The demand for these services is at an all-time high: a statewide survey of middle- and high-school students shows that in 2020, 17% of teens considered suicide, and nearly 10% attempted it.

Saint Francis Health System reported an 84% increase in pediatric hospital admissions for behavioral health between 2019 and 2021, with roughly 80% of these estimated to be for suicidal ideation or attempt.

To address this epidemic of youth suicides, we worked with Owasso Rep. Mark Vancuren and Muskogee Sen. Dewayne Pemberton to develop House Bill 4106, which establishes a foundation for intervening in a students mental health crisis at every public school statewide.

Schools will now have protocols for responding to crises and access to the resources of community mental health providers through formal partnerships. Importantly, these protocols will involve families and caregivers to ensure students receive ongoing treatment and support.

Its no exaggeration to say that the passage of HB 4106 will save lives.

The third reason for optimism is 988, the new national mental health helpline.

Beginning July 16, anyone will be able to dial 988 and immediately connect with a trained mental health specialist. 988 is also the first step in the states new comprehensive crisis response plan led by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

The departments innovative plan includes deploying mobile crisis response teams when calls to 988 warrant additional intervention, as well as the ability to schedule same- or next-day appointments at behavioral health centers across the state.

This plan is made possible by increased appropriations from the Legislature and federal COVID relief funding. As legislators consider other uses for this funding, we encourage additional investment in Oklahomas behavioral health care system.

While our state has a better understanding of its mental health challenges  and the solutions  than ever before, there is still work to be done. I invite you to visit Healthy Minds website, healthymindspolicy.org, to learn more about these solutions and other opportunities to improve the well-being of all Oklahomans.

Most importantly, I encourage you to be optimistic about the future of mental health care in our state.

Featured video:
Vietnam hopes to deepen ties with Russia and make the bilateral cooperation more effective across all spheres, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said during his meeting with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov in Hanoi on Wednesday.

PM Chinh stressed that Minister Lavrov's visit to Vietnam was being carried out on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the two countries comprehensive strategic partnership.

Vietnam has persisted with a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation, and development and a goal to build an independent and self-reliant economy with active international integration and firm protection of national sovereignty and territorial integrity, the premier said.

Vietnam attaches great importance to its comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia and wants to deepen and make the bilateral cooperative ties more effective in all spheres.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) gestures during a meeting with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov in Hanoi, July 6, 2022. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

PM Chinh took the occasion to thank Russia for its assistance in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as for actively supporting the evacuation of Vietnamese people in Ukraine over the past months.

Minister Lavrov expressed his pleasure in visiting Vietnam and affirmed that Russia has always considered Vietnam an important partner in the region and wishes to further strengthen cooperation with the Southeast Asian country.

The official shared Russias viewpoints on Ukraine and spoke highly of Vietnam's standpoint, role, and contributions to peace, stability, and cooperation in the region and the world.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) talks with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov in Hanoi, July 6, 2022. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

He agreed on the importance of settling disputes in the East Vietnam Sea through peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and hoped for the early finalization of a Code of Conduct (COC) for the maritime area.

Minister Lavrov also met with Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in Hanoi on the same day.

The Russian official visited Vietnam on Tuesday and Wednesday at the invitation of Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.

Following the trip, he traveled to Indonesia to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

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Check out the news you should not miss today:

Politics

-- At a meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday, Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Pranay Verma and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen expressed their desire for the two countries to strengthen their cooperation in high-tech agriculture, economy, tourism, and culture.

Society

-- A woman from Ho Chi Minh City, southern Vietnam has handed a rhesus macaque to local forest rangers to contribute to protecting rare and endangered wild animals.

-- A passenger bus suddenly burst into flames while traveling on a highway in northern Vietnam on Wednesday afternoon, with no casualties reported.

-- Police in the sourthern province of Tay Ninh on Wednesday arrested and initiated legal proceedings against the vice-principal of a local middle school for sexually harassing a ninth grader two months ago.

-- A court in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday sentenced five defendants to 13 to 26 years in prison for participating in a brawl, causing one death and four injuries in 2017.

-- Police in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap on Wednesday arrested a 20-year-old woman for stabbing her partner to death over conflicts earlier this week.

-- Market surveillance officers in Dak Lak Province said on Wednesday that they had closed a local gas station and taken a sample of diesel oil for an examination after a consumer reported its staff had pumped diesel oil mixed with water into his car.

-- Police in Da Lat City on Wednesday arrested a 29-year-old woman from Ho Chi Minh City on suspicion of fabricating hotel booking contracts to appropriate deposits from customers.

Lifestyle

-- A knowledge contest on Vietnam's seas and islands and a virtual reality exhibition were launched in Hanoi on Wednesday.

-- Thousands of people flocked to Dong Thap Province on Wednesday night to take part in the opening ceremony of a grand mango festival.

Sports

-- Vietnam beat Brunei 4-0 in their third group-stage match at the 2022 AFF U-19 Youth Championship in Indonesia on Wednesday afternoon.

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As many cancer patients lose all their hair during treatment, some young people donate theirs to these patients through a meaningful campaign run by Breast Cancer Network Vietnam (BCNV).

The campaign has attracted many in Ho Chi Minh City.

Giving hair a new life

Hoang Oanh, 26, in Go Vap District, decided to donate her hair to cancer patients when she learned about the campaign through the Facebook page of BCNV.

Two years ago, I wished to give away my hair but it did not meet their requirements," Oanh recalled.

Since then, I have nourished my hair to be able to bring more joy to cancer patients.

It is inconvenient sometimes to deal with long hair, but I get over that when thinking about the purpose."

She has grown her hair for more than four years.

Initially, she felt a little bit nervous to get a free haircut.

However, the hairdresser was very nice and styled her hair carefully, Oanh said.

Poor cancer patients find it hard to pay for their medicines, let alone a wig.

Vietnamese have a saying that teeth and hair are the most attractive and beautiful features.

Cancer patients who lose their hair may lose their confidence as well, so hair donations to make wigs mean a lot to them.

Donating hair first, blood later

Hoang Thi Ngoc Bich, mother of Lo Thi Bao Nhi, 16, from northern Lai Chau Province, found out about the hair donation campaign through her friends Facebook.

She then told her daughter about cancer patients who lost their hair because of chemotherapy.

Bich suggested her daughter Nhi donate her long hair. The girl agreed without any hesitation.

Phan Vu Thu Trang looks beautiful with her new hairstyle after donating her long hair to cancer patients in Vietnam.

My husband and I donate blood every year. My daughter wanted to do that but she was underage," Bich shared.

She felt happy knowing that she would do a good thing."

She let her daughter grow her hair when she was a first-grade student.

When seeing Nhis long, beautiful hair, the hairdresser told Bich and her daughter they should not cut her hair.

However, Nhi said her hair would grow long again.

Instead of donating 25- or 30-centimeter hair, Nhi was willing to donate 45 centimeters of her hair.

I hope that the hair donation campaign will be better known to everyone, said Bich.

Those who have strong hair can gift at least 25 centimeters while others who have their hair permed, dyed or straightened can give 35 centimeters or more.

Each handmade wig needs real hair from five to 10 people.

Spreading positivity

Phan Vu Thu Trang, a marketer in Ho Chi Minh City, said she had just donated her hair, hoping that more and more people like her can help cancer patients feel optimistic in their fight against the disease.

Trang attended a BCNV event where she realized that long or short hair is not important to most people, but hair can bring joy to cancer patients.

She grew her hair three years ago and had prepared for the hair donation for six months.

I carefully checked my hairs length before cutting it," she said.

When I was a student, I wanted to donate my hair but it was not long enough.

"Therefore, this is the first time I have donated my hair.

There will be many more times."

Established in 2015, the wig library project run by BCNV has plans to open 40 wig libraries nationwide. Hair donation helps cancer patients retain their confidence and cheer them up during treatment.

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The director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health gave a warning at a meeting on Thursday morning that the COVID-19 pandemic can resurge in Vietnam.

Director Tang Chi Thuong said the pandemic remains complicated around the world, with no countries and territories announcing it is over, including Vietnam.

While Ho Chi Minh City is keeping a strict control over its situation to avoid a serious outbreak like last years, the metropolis is fighting the emergence of a dengue fever outbreak.

After the Vietnamese Ministry of Health anounced the detection of the Omicron sub-variant BA.5 among COVID-19 patients in the country, including three in Ho Chi Minh City, the daily count of new infections has been on the rise and severe cases have rebounded.

The number of new cases in Ho Chi Minh City also tends to increase slightly, according to Thuong.

In the world, both infections and fatalities went up by 18 percent and three percent week-on-week, respectively.

It is possible that the COVID-19 outbreak may return to any country, including Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City, when herd immunity declines, said Thuong.

The health director also raised concerns over the possible concurrence of the COVID-19 and dengue fever epidemics.

The total number of dengue fever cases recorded in the city since the beginning of this year had exceeded 23,000 by Tuesday.

The mortalities increased to 11, an increase of nine deaths compared to the average of the past five years.

It is forecast that the number of cases, including severe ones, will spike in the remainder of this year, when the peak of the rainy season gives mosquitoes bountiful opportunities to proliferate, unless timely and drastic measures are taken.

Thuong requested the citys health authorities make preparations for the worst-case scenarios of the two diseases, which may include the reactivation of the local system of centralized treatment facilities.

The official also called on citizens to get further vaccinations against COVID-19 as well as following dengue prevention guidance.

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A woman from Ho Chi Minh City handed a rhesus macaque to local forest rangers on Wednesday, hoping to contribute to the protection of endangered and rare animals.

Bui Thi Ngoc Thu, a 66-year-old resident in District 1, gave the macaque she had raised for the past four years to the municipal Forest Protection Department on Wednesday.

The rhesus macaque, or Macaca mulatta, weighs about seven kilograms and belongs to the endangered, rare, and precious wildlife species of group IIB, which must be preserved according to a central government decree issued in 2021, the department said.

Thu, a housemaid, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that a customer in District 1 had asked her to take care of the monkey four years ago, but never took the animal back.

She fed the monkey milk every day. Eventually, the ape grew so large that she was forced to keep it in a cage. It has never injured anyone.

Since a relative living in Thu's house is currently being treated at the hospital, she gave the primate to local authorities so she could take care of her relative.

Bui Thi Hong, Thus younger sister, contacted local forest rangers so that Thu could hand over the macaque.

My sister wanted to hand out the macaque to the local forest rangers so it could be released back to nature, Hong said.

The rhesus macaque has been brought to a rescue center run by officers from the Ho Chi Minh City Forest Protection Department for necessary care before being released back to nature.

Transporting, trading, capturing or killing wild animals or parts thereof is a criminal offense in Vietnam punishable by six months to 12 years in prison, according to the Penal Code.

Since 1994, Vietnam has been party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which is an international agreement between governments with an aim to protect endangered plants and animals.

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Vietnam has become a member of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for the 2022-26 term, the second time the country has assumed the position.

The Southeast Asian nation earned 120 votes to be elected to the intergovernmental committee, the highest vote number among the candidate countries for the four-year membership, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.

The election was conducted as part of the ninth session of the UNESCO General Assembly of the States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which took place at UNESCO headquarters in Paris from July 5 to 7.

The main functions of the 24-member committee are to promote the implementation of the conventions goals, provide instructions on best practices, and make recommendations on steps to preserve intangible cultural heritage, according to UNESCO.

At the three-day session, representatives from 180 States Parties of the UNCESO discussed issues that are significant for the preservation of living heritage around the world, and on the future of the convention that was adopted by the UNESCO General Conference in 2003.

This is the second time that Vietnam has taken on this role since its first four-year term starting in 2006, one year after it was a party to the 2003 convention.

Every two years, the UNESCO General Assembly will renew half of the States Members to the committee, and a State Member will not be elected for two consecutive terms, UNESCO said on its website.

This re-election shows the international communitys confidence in Vietnams ability of contribution to and capability of operation at global multilateral institutions, as well as the recognition of its contributions in maintaining, preserving, and promoting the value of intangible heritage in the country and in the world, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

This has also resulted from Vietnams foreign policy of multilateralization and diversification of external relations, and from its comprehensive and extensive international integration, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

Speaking at the meeting, Ambassador Le Thi Hong Van, head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to UNESCO, reported the countrys past efforts in preserving and bringing into play intangible cultural heritage and affirmed its willingness to work more closely with UNESCO in this field.

The new membership in the said intergovernmental committee will facilitate Vietnams further contributions to the UNESCO activities of preserving and promoting the value of intangible cultural heritage.

The re-election to the same committee reflects Vietnams increasing prestige at UNESCO as well as in the international arena.

Vietnam is also a member of the UNESCO Executive Council for the 2021-25 term, and a member of the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2005 UNESCO Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions for the same term.

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Police in Zushi City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan arrested a Vietnamese male nurse for allegedly installing a camera inside a public restroom at a local beach, Japanese media reported on Monday.

According to Kanaloco, a newspaper based in Kanagawa Prefectures capital city of Yokohama, the Vietnamese man installed a hidden camera in a public restroom near Zushi Beach between 3:55 pm and 4:00 pm on Sunday last week.

A Tokyo resident discovered the camera when she saw a strange flashing red light in the bathroom, which is believed to have been placed there by the Vietnamese man.

At the police station, the defendant admitted to his wrongdoings and explained that he wanted to see naked women since he was lonely after divorcing his wife.

Japanese authorities have not yet released the name of the Vietnamese man.

Those who commit acts of harassment in Japan, such as snapping photographs or secretly filming others, can be fined up to 500,000 (US$3,688) and imprisoned for up to six months, according to the countrys privacy laws.

There are around 433,000 Vietnamese living in Japan, making up 15.7 percent of the total population of foreigners in the country, the Immigration Services Agency of Japan said.

Vietnamese criminality is highly frequent in Japan, as Japanese police statistics in 2017 showed that Vietnamese accounted for the largest percentage of foreign criminals in the country.

Speaking at a conference on overseas Vietnamese affairs last month, Lieutenant General Luong Tam Quang, Deputy Minister of Public Security, stated that there had been approximately 800 incidents of Vietnamese citizens breaking the law abroad in 2018, with 25,000 cases of deportation.

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A Vietnamese teenage boy, who was recently rescued by a group of compatriots after being trafficked to Cambodia, said he was forced to work for an online gambling racket where he was mistreated and tortured by means of an electric shock.

Le Hoang Quoc C., 17, hailing from the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, was sold to Cambodia in March.

After hearing of C.s story from his father, a group of Vietnamese nationals decided to travel to Cambodia and free the boy by paying his enslaver US$4,000.

He was brought back to his home in Binh Duc Ward, Long Xuyen City on June 30.

Days after being rescued, C. was still frightened as he recalled his horrifying time in Cambodia.

C. said he met a woman named Nhi on social media, who instructed him to travel to Ho Chi Minh City to apply for a passport.

About three days later, a group of people took C, along with three other individuals about his age, to Cambodia through Moc Bai Border Gate in southern Tay Ninh Province.

In Cambodia, he worked for an online gambling ring and was tasked with seeking out gamblers and convincing them to spend as much as possible.

We needed to make sure that the gambling site generated at least VND1.5 billion [$64,100] of revenue each month, C. recounted.

If we didnt reach our daily targets, we were treated very badly.

C. was paid $450 in his first month and $380 in his second as he completed his tasks quite well.

However, he was beaten and tortured during his third month because he failed to meet the target.

The most terrifying moment was when they cuffed my hands and legs and tortured me with an electric shock, C. said.

I fainted three times before deciding to call my family and ask for help.

The boy was forced to sign a document admitting that he had violated the work contract.

C.s employer told his family they would have to pay a VND160 million ($6,840) fine for that contract breach.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Tho, an official from the An Giang Department of Public Security, confirmed that the agency had collected C.s statements to facilitate an investigation into the case.

Officers have been unable to identify Nhi as C. could not provide much information about the woman, Tho continued.

Police in An Giang are also working with their counterparts in southern Dong Nai Province to handle several similar cases.

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Thousands of people flocked to Dong Thap Province in Vietnam's Mekong Delta region on Wednesday night to take part in the opening ceremony of a spectacular mango festival which will run until Friday this week.

The Peoples Committee of Cao Lanh City, the capital of Dong Thap, on Wednesday night inaugurated the first-ever 'Cao Lanh Mango Festival 2022,' attracting thousands of tourists.

On its first night, the festival grounds were filled with visitors, including hundreds of women donning Vietnamese ao dai  a traditional dress  and taking photos with mango backgrounds.

Two women pose for a photo in Vietnamese 'ao dai' at Cao Lanh Mango Festival 2022 in Cao Lanh City, Dong Thap Province, Vietnam. Photo: Dang Tuyet / Tuoi Tre

The festival features a variety of specialty mangoes from Dong Thap Province.

Visitors to the festival said that they saw the event as an opportunity to share the countrys mangoes with the world.

The fest is aimed at marketing mango products and introducing Cao Lanh mangoes to consumers both inside and outside the province through a variety of activities, including the launch of a mango association under the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association; an area for displaying, introducing, and promoting the Cao Lanh mangoes as well as a myriad of other mangoes and mango products; and a connection area for e-commerce enterprises.

Contests and workshops are also a notable part of the program.

Visitors crowd the Cao Lanh Mango Festival in Cao Lanh City, Dong Thap Province, Vietnam, July 6, 2022. Photo: Dang Tuyet / Tuoi Tre

Some of these events include a mango delicacy competition, a ceremony to commemorate mango farmers and artisans, and a conference on developing mango product chains.

At the opening ceremony, Vo Phan Thanh Minh, chairman of the Cao Lanh Peoples Committee, stated that the city and a separate namesake district account for 60 percent of the province's mango cultivation area, with an annual output of 70,000 tonnes of mango exported to Japan, South Korea, the U.S., Australia, China, and Europe.

Locals currently process the fruit into many products, including chewy dried mango, mango rice paper, mango wine, and mango candy.

Some of them have been certified as meeting either three- or four-star OCOP (One Commune, One Product) standard.

The Cao Lanh Mango Festival is expected to form ties between farmers and enterprises, a vital link in the restructuring of the mango sector in Dong Thap, thereby elevating the status of Cao Lanh mangoes, Minh remarked.

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Former Seven News reporter Trent Evans is facing a lengthy imprisonment after he pleading guilty to culpable driving following the death of friend Rex Willox in a car crash in Melbourne last year .

Evans, 45, had allegedly spent four hours drinking champagne with Willox, 44, in February 2021, before getting behind the wheel. Witnesses saw Evans driving at high-speed before he lost control of the car and hit a timber pole, which broke and caused their Mercedes to roll over, the court heard.

Evans recorded a blood-alcohol reading of 0.10 and was driving at 112km/h, nearly twice the 60km speed limit. He also has a criminal history that included previous drink-driving offences.

His barrister Rahmin de Kretser told the court his life had begun to unravel five years before the crash after he experienced a breakdown while managing a newsroom in Queensland.

He was supported by the network to see a psychiatrist  his mental health improved for some time but he was simply unable to cope with the demands of that job, Mr de Kretser claimed.

But the loss of the (TV) job, being part of the newsroom and team that gave him that sense of importance and drive, it just led to a complete unravelling of his life.

Mr Evans is a broken man. He will carry the burden of being responsible for Mr Willoxs death for the rest of his life.

Evans resigned from Seven in 2017, but was homeless by 2018. He has been diagnosed with a personality disorder and PTSD.

The maximum penalty for culpable driving causing death is 20 years, but de Kretser asked the court to consider handing Evans the standard sentence of 8 years. He will be sentenced on Monday.

Source: Guardian AAP, Daily Mail
On Four Corners next Monday, Adam Harvey reports on Washed Away the planning failures deepening Australias flood crisis.

We cant keep asking people to be flooded. Its emotionally draining, its financially devastating. And its unfair. Its unreasonable to just keep expecting these people to pick up the pieces for some of the decisions that the system has made. Flood historian

On Monday, Four Corners examines Australias ongoing flood catastrophe. Reporter Adam Harvey travels to Lismore, Brisbane and Western Sydney and meets families struggling with current and past flood events. They tell stories of despair, abandonment, and financial ruin. Many have lost everything, including hope.

I struggle to go home. I dont like going back to the house at the moment. And I keep trying to convince myself that Im dealing with this and Im all right. I know that Im actually not. Flood victim

As the country finds itself in the middle of another flood crisis a critical issue is still not being addressed: why are governments ignoring warnings about building residential developments in areas that constantly flood?

We are continuing to put Greenfield development onto the flood plain  where there is pretty significant risk to property and in some instances to life as well. And that is something that we just cant continue to do. Dean of Architecture

With more extreme weather predicted over the coming months the pressure is mounting for flood affected residents to make the traumatic choice  to move or rebuild.

We just sit here in limbo. We dont want to do any repairs, but it gets sad every morning, getting up to the same mess. It just doesnt go away. They need to get on and get it sorted. Were not the only ones living through this nightmare. Flood victim

Monday 11th July at 8.30pm on ABC.
This Friday the TV Tonight newsletter has 3 x DVDs to give away for UK crime thriller D.I. Ray, thanks to Acorn Media.

The series, starring Parminder Nagra and produced by Jed Mercurio (Line of Duty), has just finished screening on SBS.

It is released on DVD and Digital on Wednesday July 20.

If you havent yet subscribed to the Friday newsletter you can do so here.

When DI Rachita Ray (Parminder Nagra; ER, Bend It Like Beckham), a British Asian policewoman new to homicide is assigned to investigate the suspected honour killing of a young Muslim man, she quickly realises the suspects cant be guilty. The evidence against the two brothers from a British Hindu family is flimsy at best but her attempts at conveying this to her superiors and her colleagues fall on deaf ears. Hidden biases and a keenness to wrap the case up mean no one is listening to her until her probing leads the team to a much more sinister crime. As she uncovers a complex web of deceit within organised crime, she also lays bare the wounds deep within herself that shes spent a lifetime ignoring  wounds that are born from a desperate desire to fit in, despite not looking the part.

Featuring 4 x 60 min episodes

Release Date: July 20, 2022

Rated: M

$29.95
We had always said, jokingly, When the last one comes it should probably be me! But I couldnt tell if they were serious or not. Well, fair enough. They were serious, Julia Zemiro admits.

I wont lie to you, I was nervous about doing it. It did feel weird.

Ive watched it back and Im fine with it.

Zemiros hesitation, of course, is in shifting from host to the subject for the very last episode of her famed Home Delivery series on ABC.

This time around the hosting duties are shared between Mark Humphries, Justine Clarke and former Delivery passengers, Costa Georgiadis and Judith Lucy.

Zemiro heads back to the family restaurant in Bondi where, as a single child, she watched her Aussie mum and French immigrant father toiling away in the kitchen.

Following her fathers death several years ago, this was an emotional homecoming for Zemiro, recalling her formative years before her parents split.

We go back to the restaurant, which we lived above. Its just hard for it not to feel emotional. I dont love seeing myself cry on camera. Ive always been the interviewer, not the subject. So Ive it felt weird, but I was so lucky to be in good hands with people like Costa, Justine, Mark, and Judith, she continues.

It wasnt an unhappy home but at least they were people who didnt fight

My parents broke up when I was nine. In the show Costa asks Was it a happy home? I said, It wasnt an unhappy home but at least they were people who didnt fight. I think they thought that the other would read the others mind. And you realise you dont have ESP, youve got to talk your problems through.

But I showed the episode to my mum whos still alive and she was really happy with it. Thats all I was worried about, to be honest.

Mark Humphries interviews Zemiro at her primary school before she visits Sydney Girls High and Sydney University with Justine Clarke. Finally in Melbourne -her home away from home- she returns to the Victorian College of the Arts, with Judith Lucy.

Across nine seasons, Zemiro has filmed throughout Australia plus New Zealand, Britain and Singapore -the latter with nostalgic routes for Lee Lin Chin and comedian Ronny Chieng.

Ronny Chieng touched my heart so much. I just loved his story. We met his beautiful parents and what a story he had. It was a very special thing to go to Singapore and do those two, she explains.

Ive got such good memories of the travel

Ive got such good memories of the travel. Its a very lucky person that gets to explore these different places, with these beautiful guests who were clearly very open and happy to talk about their past.

But it was always the personal stories that famous faces shared which touched Zemiro so much. Visiting homes, schools, early performance venues and sporting sites would always elicit candid reactions.

Most people who had big stories to tell, wanted to go there and tell the story

I found that most people who had big stories to tell, wanted to go there and tell the story. Rebecca Gibney had never been back to the house where her dad died. For her it was something that really helped. Sam Neill, within the first hour of the first day, was really moved by finding his house almost the same and being able to imagine his long-gone parents in it, she recalls.

Colin Hay we took back to his house and I said to him, When was the last time you were here?, fully expecting him to say Years ago but he said, Yesterday. I didnt look at my producer but I looked at Colin and said, Yesterday? Youre not supposed to come and see it the day before!

But he said I had to I just wanted to feel them here again before we did this. We kept it in the episode.

The big thing I had to learn in this job compared to the fun of Eurovision and RocKwiz is to shut up, she adds.

Listen, shut up and let them talk!

Were so glad you did

Julia Zemiros Home Delivery final 7:40pm Sunday on ABC.
Back Roads returns for its eighth season on Monday as Australian Story takes a mid year break.

Heather Ewart travels to the New South Wales Riverina town of Leeton, to find people from 30 different nationalities have been welcomed in recent years with open arms.

Leeton is the food bowl of NSW, its irrigated land produces rice, meat, cotton, citrus and grapes in enormous volumes. And its always needed a workforce, with the first migrants arriving from post-World War Two Italy in the 1950s.

The towns multicultural officer Ken Dachi welcomes presenter Heather Ewart to town. He and his wife Sekai experienced the warm Leeton welcome themselves, when they first arrived three years ago.

Born in Kenya, Ken and Sekai both met whilst living in London, and looking for an adventure, decided to move to Australia.

Sekai found work as a nurse in Leeton, but Ken had no idea how well his work skills, as an international aid relief worker, would transfer. Before long the local council had the perfect job for him, welcoming new migrants, and refugees.

Refugees from Afghanistan are the newest arrivals in town, often having risked everything to find a new life for their families in Australia.

Heather also meets Roshan Yosufi who arrived in this country as a refugee in 2013 and is now a citizen. He has waited nine years for his wife and three children to be allowed to join him in their new home in Leeton.

Executive Producer, Brigid Donovan

8pm Monday on ABC.
Veteran actor, Mona Hammond, best known for UK soap EastEnders, has died, aged 91.

No cause of death has been given.

Born in Jamaica, Hammond, whose real name was Mavis Chin, emigrated to the UK in 1959 on a scholarship.

Between 1994 and 1997 she played Blossom Jackson, matriarch of the Jackson clan, in EastEnders, reappearing briefly in 2010 at the funeral of her on-screen great-grandson, Billie Jackson. She had previously played Michelle Fowlers midwife in 1986.

A distinguished Jamaican-British stage actor of Chinese descent, Hammond has been hailed as a pioneer and trailblazer for her work on stage, screen, television and radio, and for her support for Black British actors.

Other credits included Kinky Boots, The Sweeney, Holby City, Coronation Street, Doctor Who, The Bill, Doctors, Whitechapel and Casualty.

She also played Auntie Susu in the UK sitcom Desmonds from 1990 to 1994, repeating the role in the shorter-lived spin-off Porkpie from 1995 to 1996.

Hammond was made an OBE in the 2005 Queens birthday honours list for her services to drama. In 2018, she was awarded the Women of the World lifetime achievement award for her theatre career and for championing Black British actors.

Source: Guardian
A competition-record crowd of 68,871 watched the action unfold at Old Trafford as Sarina Wiegman's side held on to take all three points.

"It's a good win, and this start is so important," said the England boss. "It gives such a boost to the team and the crowd. "We had some very good moments in the game, we created a lot of chances and we should have scored a little more. But we had also some hard moments in the game and got through, so that's really good I think."

England dominated proceedings with almost 60% possession and 16 goal attempts. Austria, though, improved in the second-half and forced Mary Earps to make two late saves.

Wiegman added: "I think we were a little rushed in the final third. We created a lot of chances but the final touch, or the choice on the ball to shoot or cross or take them on, we can do that better. But the most important thing was we scored one, and that we have three points.

"I think we lost the ball too quick (in the second half), and then you come in transitions all the time, and that's really tiring. "And of course, they wanted to push for a goal. Then you really have to keep the ball, and then you can control, and we didn't do that well enough. But I do think in the last minutes we were very calm, and kept the ball longer, and that was very mature." Regarding the atmosphere created by the record crowd in Manchester, Wiegman said: "It was incredible. No more words - it is just unbelievable. Playing here at Old Trafford, 70,000 people making lots of noise, standing behind us, that is really incredible. "I hope they keep coming and they will because we've sold out stadiums." England continue their group campaign next Monday when they take on Norway at the Amex Stadium, before facing Northern Ireland at St Mary's four days later.

The article England boss Sarina Wiegman hails incredible atmosphere as Lionesses win Euro 2022 opener appeared first on Planetsport.com.
Marsai Martin attends the 2022 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 26, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.

Amy Sussman/Getty

Marsai Martin's onto her next passion project, and this one's all about uplifting other teens.

The 17-year-old Black-ish alum, who is a face of fashion brand Hollister, is partnering with the popular clothing brand for the relaunch of its Brand Agent Program (a nationwide ambassador program) to include high schools across the United States. Additionally, the brand will use its "Hollister FWD Fund" to financially support their entrepreneurial passions.

Teens Gabby Ragsdale of California, Michael Burrell, Jr. of Illinois, Brooke Sibla of California, Antonio Arguelles of Texas, Zara Mendes of New Jersey and Zikora Akanegbu of Maryland were chosen to be a part of the program.

Martin recently hosted the students at an intimate gathering with Hollister at NYC's Spring Studios, where their work was showcased. Each young designer's creations drew inspiration from their own personal experience.

Marsai Martin on Partnering with Hollister for Its FWD Fund, Possibly Having Her Own Fashion Line

Courtesy of Hollister

"My partnership with Hollister has been one of my favorite things that I've done this year," Martin told PEOPLE exclusively. "So when the opportunity presented itself to work together again, it was a no-brainer."

The actress and producer continued, "The FWD Fund and the opportunities it provides young designers is a great thing. Kids my age need a village to support their dreams and Hollister stepped up in a big way."

The young designers involved in Hollister's FWD Fund have inspired Martin in more ways than one. When asked whether the group's work influenced her desire to create her own fashion line someday, Martin said: "Yes! Actually, yes."

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.

"I love creating in any aspect. So, we'll see. I love seeing other people shine, seeing what they can do with their mindset," she continued. "Fashion is a really big world. We'll see. Anything is possible!"

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When it comes to her own style, Martin said she tends to "draw inspiration from earlier eras like the '90s and '00s."

"My family loves fashion. My greatest inspiration for fashion was my Grandma Phyllis," she added. "She was always fly! And that rubbed off on me."

Marsai Martin

John Lamparski/Getty

RELATED: Black-ish Star Marsai Martin Hits Back at Trolls for Criticizing Her Hair and Teeth at BET Awards

Martin has achieved great success at such a young age. At 14, she became Hollywood's youngest executive producer for her 2019 film Little, which she starred in alongside Issa Rae and Regina Hall. This accomplishment allowed her to become a Guinness World Records title holder.

Addressing whether she feels pressure on what projects she's tackled thereafter, Martin said: "No, not really."

"I wouldn't say pressure, but I will say this: my projects that I am doing now are projects that have been 2-4 years in the making. So the ideas that 1416-year-old me had are different from the current ideas that I have," she continued. "So, the way I create and ideate now, I take into account the time it takes from idea generation, pitch, pre-production, principal photography, re-shoots and post, then release so that it's still in alignment with where I am as a person transitioning from young adult to adulthood."
(Bloomberg) -- By 2:08 p.m. Shanghai time on March 8, it was clear that Xiang Guangdas giant bet on a fall in nickel prices was going spectacularly wrong.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Futures had just skyrocketed above $100,000 a ton and his trade was more than $10 billion underwater. It was threatening not only to bankrupt Xiangs company, but to trigger a Lehman Brothers-like shock through the entire metals industry and possibly topple the London Metal Exchange itself.

But Xiang was calm. Within hours, more than 50 bankers had arrived at his office wanting to hear how he planned to respond to the crisis. He told them simply: Im confident that we will overcome this.

And he did.

Four months on, the nickel price is falling, as Xiang had predicted. The coterie of banks led by JPMorgan Chase & Co. that were baying for his blood has been repaid. He has closed out nearly all his short position in nickel, making a loss on the trade of about $1 billion  a manageable sum given the profits being generated elsewhere in his business empire, say people who know him.

Crucially: the man nicknamed Big Shot in Chinese commodities circles is poised to walk away from the fiasco with his multibillion-dollar mining and steelmaking company, Tsingshan Holding Group Co., intact and even expanding.

But while Xiang moves on, others are left dealing with the destruction wrought by the crisis. His miraculous escape was thanks in no small part to the actions of the LME, which controversially intervened to prevent prices from rising and then suspended trading until Xiang had struck a deal with his banks.

Those on the other side of the trade, who lost billions, were furious. Months later, the LME is dealing with a raft of investigations and lawsuits, and the nickel market is still reeling.

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Nice to see that @jpmorgan and The Big Shot got out of this whole thing with only scratches, Cliff Asness, founder of AQR Capital Management, said last week in a tweet thick with sarcasm. Its just heart warming.

This account of how Xiang extricated himself from a short squeeze that rocked the global metals markets is based on numerous interviews with people who were involved, all of whom requested anonymity. Multiple attempts to seek comment from Tsingshan were unsuccessful.

Massive Short Squeeze

Xiang had built up his massive short position in late 2021 and early 2022 partly as a hedge, partly as a bet that a planned jump in Tsingshans production this year would drag down prices. But when Russias invasion of Ukraine jolted global markets, nickel started climbing  gradually at first, before rocketing 250% in an epic squeeze.

On the evening of March 8, senior bankers crowded into a room at Tsingshans headquarters demanding answers. Others dialed in for video calls from London or Singapore. Of those present, some didnt leave until early the next morning.

The crowd that night was so large because Xiangs position was spread across about 10 banks and brokers  he had been a good client for many of them, including JPMorgan, for years. But after nickel started spiking on March 7, Tsingshan struggled to meet its margin calls. Now he owed each of them hundreds of millions of dollars.

The LME had eventually intervened to halt trading a couple of hours after nickel hit $100,000. It also canceled billions of dollars of transactions, bringing the price back to $48,078, where it closed the previous day, in what amounted to a lifeline for Xiang and Tsingshan.

To reopen the market, the LME proposed a solution: Xiang should strike a deal with holders of long positions to close out his trade. But a price of around $50,000 would be more than twice the level at which he had entered his short position, and would mean accepting billions of dollars in losses.

Xiang, who is in his early 60s, stood firm. From a start making frames for car doors and windows in Wenzhou, eastern China, hed built Tsingshan into the worlds largest nickel and stainless steel producer, with an empire stretching from mines in remote Indonesian islands to steel mills on Chinas east coast. Along the way, hed acquired a reputation for visionary thinking and a taste for betting big.

He had caught the attention of the LME before, when in 2019 Tsingshan was on the other side of a short squeeze, withdrawing large amounts of nickel inventories from exchange warehouses and causing prices to jump.

This time, his aggressive approach to trading was having much wider ripple effects.

The spike in prices and the trading freeze caused havoc for companies that use nickel, like stainless steel mills and makers of batteries for electric vehicles. Some simply stopped taking new orders. On the LME, dealers were left frantically trying to recoup missed margin calls from clients who couldnt pay, and at least one had to seek financial support from its parent company.

Yet with unprecedented chaos rippling through the industry, Xiang  still facing his bankers in the early hours of March 9  had a key advantage. They were more terrified than he was.

If he refused to pay, they would have to chase him in courts in Indonesia and China. Whats more, he had executed his nickel trade through a variety of corporate entities  such as the Hong Kong branch of battery unit Ruipu Energy Co.  and it wasnt clear the banks would even have the right to seize Tsingshans most valuable assets.

The bankers understood that if things went wrong, their careers would be over, one person who was in the room remembered.

JPMorgan, which had the biggest exposure, took the lead. The group included some international players like Standard Chartered Bank Plc and BNP Paribas SA, but many were Chinese and Singaporean banks that had little experience handling a situation like this.

Personal Guarantee

Xiang told the assembled bankers he had no intention of closing the position anywhere near $50,000. A few hours later he was delivering the same message to Matthew Chamberlain, chief executive of the LME. Tsingshan was a strong company, he said, and it had the support of the Chinese government. There would be no backing down.

Instead, he wrote a list of the assets he was willing to put up as collateral: a string of ferronickel plants in Indonesia. But for some of the bankers, that wasnt enough. They wouldnt be able to do any due diligence on the Indonesian assets for weeks or months, and even those who worked closely with Tsingshan hadnt seen the facilities for years because of the pandemic.

So Xiang made a further concession that was both valuable and, in Chinese business culture, humbling: a personal guarantee. If Tsingshan didnt pay its debts, the bankers could turf him out of his home. That was what he was willing to offer. Take it or leave it.

It wasnt much of a choice. On March 14, a week after the chaos that engulfed the nickel market, Tsingshan announced a deal with its banks under which they agreed not to pursue the company for the billions it owed for a period of time. In exchange, Xiang agreed a series of price levels at which he would reduce his nickel position once prices dropped below about $30,000.

When the market reopened two days later, prices moved lower, easing the strain on Xiang and the banks. A brief dip below $30,000 allowed Tsingshan to cover about 20% of its short position.

The pressure on the LME was only intensifying, however. The exchanges regulators launched reviews of its governance and oversight. The Dallas Federal Reserve and International Monetary Fund joined in a chorus of public criticism, and many hedge funds were still furious at the LMEs decision to cancel trades.

The moment we realized what was really happening, we felt we could no longer entrust the LME with our clients money, said Transtrend, a $6.7 billion Dutch algorithmic fund. Open interest across the exchanges six main metals slid to the lowest in more than a decade as traders headed for the exit.

Each month, Tsingshan and its banks reviewed their standstill agreement. After the initial dip, nickel spent long stretches in limbo with prices hovering around $33,000.

It was a nervous time. Tsingshan still had a vast short position, meaning it and its banks could still be exposed to large losses if prices started rising again  for example, if sanctions against Russia led to an actual disruption in nickel supplies, which so far they hadnt.

Finally, in May, prices tumbled decisively below the key $30,000 level after Chinas lockdowns dented metals market sentiment. Over the following weeks, Tsingshan reduced its position  which in early March had been over 150,000 tons  to just 60,000 tons.

By this point, prices were below the level at which Tsingshan had stopped being able to pay its margin calls in early March, which meant Xiang no longer owed the banks any money. He proposed dropping the personal guarantee from the deal, seeing it as a humiliating concession to his earlier financial troubles. Some of the banks were willing to do so, but JPMorgan was not: the number of nickel plants used as collateral was reduced, but the personal guarantee would stay. A JPMorgan spokesman declined to comment.

It was not the only sign that the crisis had soured Xiangs relationship with his banks. In June, as recessionary fears swept global markets, Xiangs short position was beginning to look like a smart trade. He asked some of his banks for a little flexibility, allowing him to run the position for longer than had been envisaged under their deal. Again, JPMorgan said no, and by the end of June Xiang had exited his position entirely with JPMorgan and several other banks, leaving him with a remaining short of less than 20,000 tons.

People familiar with the matter estimate Tsingshans losses on the trade at around $1 billion. Xiang isnt concerned. The loss has been roughly offset by the profits of his nickel operations over the same period. The standstill agreement, which Xiang extended from the initial three months, is set to expire in mid-July.

Now Big Shot is moving on with his life, focusing on plans for the future at Tsingshan, which had revenues of $56 billion last year. His ability to trade on the LME may be reduced, for now at least, but he is still able to trade on the Shanghai Futures Exchange. He has ambitions to expand, not only in Asia, but also to Africa. And Tsingshan is as powerful as ever in the nickel market: a massive increase in production from his plants in Indonesia is one of the key factors driving prices lower, much as Xiang predicted.

But while Xiang may be moving on, the LME is still dealing with the fallout. Regulators have pointed to the chaos in nickel as a sign of the risks lurking in commodity markets, and called for greater oversight of the entire sector. Hedge fund Elliot Investment Management and trading firm Jane Street have launched legal action against the LME, seeking nearly $500 million.

And the nickel market is still broken, say people involved in it, with both open interest and trading volumes stuck at sharply lower levels as traders step away from using LME prices in their contracts. Jim Lennon, a veteran nickel market-watcher and managing director of Red Door Research Ltd., estimates that less than 25% of global nickel output is now being sold on the basis of LME prices, down from 50% before the crisis in March.

A lot of the industry now has temporarily disengaged from the LME, he says. The market is still functioning, but its struggling.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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Carlos Santana's wife Cindy Blackman has insisted the star will be as "good as new" very soon following an onstage collapse.

Legendary guitarist Santana fell ill during a performance in Michigan on Tuesday night, with medics rushing onto the stage to help.

The show was halted as the musician was sent to the medical room at nearby hospital McLaren Clarkston, where he was told he'd suffered from heat exhaustion and dehydration.

Hours later, 74-year-old Santana himself told fans he was recovering well, and now, Cindy has also reassured his Facebook followers with a message of her own.

"Hi Everyone! Carlos & I thank you so much for your prayers, love, care & concern for him!" she wrote. "Please know that he's resting and doing very well! He was diagnosed with heat exhaustion & dehydration... it was 100 degrees on stage and 114 under the lights so that coupled with not enough water is what caused the issue. He'll be as good as new soon! Thank you again and we love you! Cindy & Carlos."

He has also rescheduled the show he was meant to perform on Wednesday in Pittsburgh to 4 August.

"All previously purchased tickets will be honored on the new date," a member of his team stated. "Earth, Wind & Fire will not be part of the newly rescheduled date. Instead, the new date will be an Evening with Santana."
FILE PHOTO: Hedge Fund manager Paulson attends the men's singles final match between Federer of Switzerland and Djokovic of Serbia at the U.S. Open Championships tennis tournament in New York

By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The wife of hedge fund founder John Paulson has sued him for at least $1 billion, claiming he is trying to hide billions of dollars from her in their divorce.

In a complaint filed on Thursday with a New York state court in Manhattan, Jenica Paulson said her husband secretly created and funded three trusts to ensure she would be deprived of her fair share of assets from their 22-year marriage.

"Mrs. Paulson was a loyal wife," the complaint said. "Mr. Paulson rewarded his wife's devotion by implementing a plan, over a nine-year period, to insulate assets acquired during the course of their marriage from Mrs. Paulson's reach."

A spokesman for John Paulson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Other defendants include a JPMorgan Chase & Co unit that serves as trustee for two of the trusts. A spokesman for the bank declined to comment.

John Paulson, 66, is worth $4 billion, according to Forbes magazine.

He filed for divorce last September from his wife, who turns 51 this month, according to public records.

They have two daughters, ages 19 and 17. Jenica Paulson said she learned about the divorce filing in the New York Post's Page Six column.

According to the complaint, the Paulson trusts were created in 2001, 2006 and 2009, and include assets such as John Paulson's apartment on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue and vacation home in Aspen, Colorado.

Jenica Paulson's claims against her husband include fraud, fraudulent conveyance and breach of fiduciary duty.

John Paulson generated much of his wealth betting in 2007 and 2008 against subprime mortgages, whose decline was a major factor in the 2008 global financial crisis.

He converted his hedge fund firm Paulson & Co into a family office in 2020. Assets had by then fallen to less than $11 billion from a peak of $38 billion in 2011.

The case is Paulson v Paulson et al, New York State Supreme Court, New York County.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
Ukraines most famous celebrities, human rights activists and environmental campaigners are calling for gas to not be classified as a green energy source in the EU.

Influential figures and stars, including 2016 Eurovision winner Jamala, have come together to ask MEPs to vote against the EU Commissions taxonomy on sustainable activities. They say that it will increase Europes dependence on gas, particularly from Russia.

Before the invasion of Ukraine, Russia supplied 40 per cent of the EUs natural gas and 27 per cent of imported oil, with the bloc paying an estimated 400 billion a year.

According to the group of TV stars, singers, artists, activists and influential figures, any measure which prolongs the EUs reliance on Russian gas will only strengthen Vladimir Putins grip on power and extend his reign of terror.

Since the war in Ukraine began, the EU has spent more than 60 billion on Russian fossil fuels, according to campaign group Europe Beyond Coal.

Will the EU taxonomy increase Europes dependence on Russian gas?

The European Parlaiment decide today (6 July) whether to block or accept a new EU law that labels investments in gas and nuclear as climate friendly. This 'taxonomy' dictates which economic activities investors can label and market as green in the EU.

But critics say the inclusion of gas as a green investment creates uncertainty about what is truly sustainable.

When the European Commission released its REPowerEU strategy, the aim was to respond to the double urgency of dependence on Russia and climate change, says Oksana Ananyeva, policy advisor at the Centre for Environmental Initiatives in Ukraine.

New investments [...] will open the door to the Russian energy giants, which should be sanctioned.

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Greenwashing nuclear energy and gas using the EU taxonomy, she adds, is a step in the opposite direction.

New investments in these technologies do not make either environmental or economic sense, but will open the door to the Russian energy giants, which should be sanctioned.

Campaign groups say the EU taxonomy is the greatest greenwashing exercise of all time. - Razom We Stand

In June, a preliminary vote saw the EUs taxonomy struck down by two key parliamentary committees: The Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee and the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee.

It is expected to be a tight vote and according to a recent survey by WWF, almost half of EU citizens believe Russia's invasion of Ukraine means it is even more important to leave gas out of the EU taxonomy.

Now campaigners are calling for MEPs to continue the momentum by rejecting the proposal and forcing the European Commission back to the drawing board.

The greatest greenwashing exercise of all time

An estimated 300 activists are gathering in Strasbourg, France this week as the results of the vote on the taxonomy are due to be announced. They come from countries across the EU including Austria, Denmark, Italy, Sweden and Ukraine.

The activists will communicate directly with MEPs, calling on the European Parliament to stop the greatest greenwashing exercise of all time by rejecting the inclusion of nuclear and gas in the EU taxonomy.

The European Commission is trying to convince us that gas is green and that gas hasnt been fuelling Russias war of aggression in Ukraine, says Dr Svitlana Romanko, Ukrainian environmental law expert, climate activist and founder of grassroots organisation Razom We Stand.

If this proposal passes in Parliament, the Commission will be prolonging our addiction to gas - funding volatile dictatorships like Putins - and in doing so, willingly prolonging the suffering of Ukrainians.

The choice is clear: MEPs either vote for more gas-funded wars, or learn from Ukraine and vote for a cleaner, safer, and more prosperous future.
Private equity investor Warburg Pincus sees a bright future for incoming business in Viet Nam CEO Charles Kaye explains why the group appreciates government efforts to attract overseas capital.

Over the past decade, Warburg Pincus has been investing across Vietnam in companies that support the governments goals of diversifying and modernising the countrys economy.

Last month, I had the opportunity to sit with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in New York City after his visit with President Biden in Washington.

After the Prime Minister explained his economic priorities, he asked me a simple question, one that I had not heard so succinctly put by a head of government before. What attributes do you look for in a country you are considering investing in?

I improvised an answer at the time, but the framework of my response captured the critical ingredients we look for  an entrepreneurial spirit, stable macroeconomic conditions, solid infrastructure  both hard and soft, and government policymakers with a practical mindset and commitment to dialogue with business and investors.

As Viet Nam evolves to meet these challenges, it is poised for a significant transformation that will cement its reputation as an economic model for other nations in the region and worldwide.

First and foremost, we seek countries with strong entrepreneurial cultures where an individual with an innovative idea and determination can build a successful business and scale it up over time.

As growth investors, we need local partners with whom we can put capital behind a plan to scale a business and who will continue to drive it after we have exited. Unlike large multinational enterprises, we invest in companies that are designed to be locally managed and operate independently after we move on.

Our only agenda is to create a more valuable and responsible local champion that outlasts our ownership. On this front, we have been fortunate to work alongside some remarkably talented Vietnamese businessmen and women who have helped us develop industry-leading franchises in real estate, hospitality, logistics, digital payments, and banking.

The success of those entrepreneurs is creating another generation looking to chase their dreams, and we want to be their partner of choice.

Second, given the long-dated nature of our investments, we look to invest in countries with stable macroeconomic policies and strong growth prospects. On this front, Viet Nam is extremely well-positioned.

In recent decades, Viet Nam has benefitted enormously from the prudent monetary and fiscal policy while managing the impact of the pandemic nimbly over the past two years.

While trade disruptions inevitably hit parts of the economy hard, policymakers were careful not to overreact. As many global companies seek to diversify their supply chains after the disruptions of the pandemic, Viet Nam is poised to become a preferred destination for these investments.

The balanced, pragmatic approach to economic policy and favourable demographics have put Viet Nam and its people in a strong position to continue the economic growth that has been a hallmark of the country.

Beyond solid macroeconomics, we assess the infrastructure of countries where we invest. Obviously, traditional infrastructure like ports, roads, and telecommunications are vital to the health of an economy, and softer infrastructure, including robust public health systems and a vibrant financial sector, is equally critical.

Like many emerging economies, Viet Nam needs to move fast to modernise both hard and soft infrastructure to meet the needs of an evolving economy, but the government has a clear handle on the challenges ahead.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh spent much of his US trip talking to business leaders about leveraging private capital to speed the transition to a digital economy and greener energy supply.

During his trip to the NY Stock Exchange, the Prime Minister clearly outlined the urgency of building more vibrant capital markets to finance expansion in the real economy. And we had an opportunity to talk about the importance of allowing more foreign investment into Vietnamese banks so that they are in a stronger position to support the growth that lies ahead.

Finally, we appreciate governments where policymakers are open to a constructive conversation with businesses and investors. Throughout our time in Viet Nam, we have found that they are willing to engage and listen to our concerns.

That does not mean we always see eye to eye. We have a handful of long-standing beliefs based on our experiences of how the policy framework in Viet Nam could be improved to draw more investment to the financial sector and hospitality industries, among others.

And like business leaders everywhere, we would always prefer that government moved faster and was more responsive. On balance, the Prime Ministers message to American business leaders was crystal clear: your success is our success.

He understands that more capital will flow into a country where it is welcomed and seen as an essential development element  creating a powerful cycle in which success creates opportunity and inspires others.

That observation, however obvious, is not always appreciated by policymakers, even in highly-developed economies where the flow of investment can be taken for granted.

And Viet Nams recognition of that simple truth at the highest levels of government is one of the primary reasons we have a high degree of confidence in Viet Nams future.

Our near decade-long history in Viet Nam offers a microcosm of the benefits that flow from attracting foreign investment to supporting domestic companies. Our first investment in 2013 led to the creation of Vincom Retail in partnership with Vingroup. To date, we have invested $1.5 billion inViet Nam to support innovative companies in various sectors.

In 2016, we teamed up with VinaCapital and its founder Don Lam to build Lodgis into the leading hospitality group in the country, driving growth in the important tourism sector with its portfolio of world-class hotels and resorts.

And in 2018, we partnered with Becamex to build BW Industrial into the largest real estate platform in the country, supporting the transformation of Viet Nam into a leading global manufacturer.

At that time, we also made an investment in Techcombank, and today it is the top private sector bank and the largest provider of corporate bonds to support businesses as they seek to grow.

Later that year, we began a partnership with MoMo, now the premiere digital finance platform in Viet Nam and brought modern financial services to millions of its users. In total, these sector leaders employ more than 20,000 employees across the country.

The total equity value of the companies we helped build is more than $20 billion today. Most of those gains in value accrued to our local partners, co-investors, and the companies themselves. We are in the middle of planning more investment in Viet Nam and just led a $250 million investment in real estate developer Novaland to help fuel their growth.

With a government committed to providing favourable tailwinds for business and asking all the right questions, we are bullish on Viet Nam and look forward to a bright future.
HA NOI  Despite the efforts of Japan and Viet Nam, the participation of Vietnamese enterprises in the supply chain of supporting industry products of Japan is still limited.

At the online trading session on supporting industry Vietnam and Japan 2022 on Tuesday, Vu Ba Phu, director of the Trade Promotion Agency from the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), said: Over the years, supporting industry enterprises of Japan and Viet Nam has been improving its production capacity and participating more and more deeply in the global production chain.

Phu added that the number of enterprises operating in the supporting industry accounts for nearly 4.5 per cent of the total number of enterprises in the processing and manufacturing industry, creating jobs for more than 600,000 employees, accounting for 8 per cent of the total labour force in the processing industry.

He said some Vietnamese component manufacturing enterprises have quite good capabilities in such areas as manufacturing moulds of all kinds such as bicycle and motorcycle components, standard mechanical components, power cable, plastic components of technical rubber and tires.

But the number of Vietnamese enterprises becoming suppliers of supporting industrial products for Japanese enterprises is limited, he said

At the session, Akutsu Michio, an expert of the Japan Trade Advisors Association, said: First, the labour productivity of local workers in Viet Nam is still low.

The expert quoted Jetros report, saying the labour quality rate only reached 14.4 per cent, adding: It is a matter of concern.

He said Vietnamese talent with high technical skills attracted by FDI enterprises went abroad to work, leading to a shortage of good human resources in the local companies.

He added that the financial capacity of Vietnamese enterprises was still weak while the assessment of capital was also tricky; as a result, enterprises found difficulty finding raw materials at competitive prices and a lack of information from foreign suppliers.

Truong Thi Chi Binh, General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Supporting Industries (VASI), said: Viet Nam currently has six priority industries to develop supporting industries, including electricity, electronics and mechanical engineering.

Binh said among the mechanical engineering industry, the motorcycle manufacturing industry, whose output has decreased in the past year to 2.5 million vehicles per year, still has the best production and localisation rate as well as the participation of Vietnamese enterprises in all supply layers, product classes such as electricity, electronics, rubber and plastic.

Next was the automotive industry which stood out with the Toyota brand. The output of the industry was much lower than that of the motorcycle industry, said Binh, adding it was the reason why the auto industry had a low domestic rate and rarely had the participation of Vietnamese enterprises.

According to Toyota, last year, its sale reached 96,000 vehicles in Viet Nam, of which 44 per cent were assembled domestically with different models.

Binh from VASI considered Vietnamese enterprises could only supply plastic components to car companies because these are bulky components and have large logistics costs, so they were forced to be localised.

At the session, experts said though the mobile phones industry accounts for nearly 20 per cent of the export share of industries, the contribution in mobile phone components of Vietnamese enterprises were still plastic and rubber as electronic components were supplied mainly by FDI enterprises, said the VASI leader.

Binh said: Vietnamese enterprises are currently only able to produce single components, but have not yet been able to produce components apart from some machinery in the construction industry.

In the last 5 years, the movement of factories producing supporting industrial products to Viet Nam has been clear. To support businesses, the association has focused on finding solutions to move forward in the supply chain by forming business groups and sector groups to focus on increasing the quantity and quality of production.

She added that the supply chain shift from China would bring more orders, which could be larger than the number of products domestic enterprises were producing in Viet Nam.

Binh said VASI started forming a business group to produce components, hoping to create the first example and participate more deeply in the supply chain of public products.

Mentioning solutions to overcome the weaknesses of Vietnamese suppliers, Akutsu Michio said: Viet Nam can take advantage of the commercial companies, which can supply raw materials at competitive prices, assist in customs clearance, propose new production methods, mechanise and automate for manufacturing and assembly enterprises.

If something goes wrong, they coordinate with the supplier and the assembly plant to propose a solution. Moreover, they can provide information that is not publicly available on the Internet such as on capital investment, and new product development programmes.  VNS
HA NOI  Districts in Ha Noi have stepped up communication work on vaccinations following the recent increase of COVID cases with the detection of Omicron subvariant BA.5.

Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Health Vu Cao Cuong said between June 28 and July 4, the capital city reported 1,538 cases, up 36.5 per cent as compared with the previous week.

He explained that the rise was due to peoples negligence, along with limitations in the communication work.

Notably, some COVID-19 patients have been also infected with dengue fever, which is at its peak time in Viet Nam.

As of July 3, 99.9 per cent of the local population aged over 18 years old got at least one shot of COVID-19 vaccines, 96.5 per cent received the third dose, and 15.6 per cent were given with the second booster (fourth dose).

For children aged from five to 12, only 20.07 per cent have been administered with the first dose, Director of the municipal Department of Health Tran Thi Nhi Ha said, noting that the inoculation for children needs the consensus of their families as well as the drastic engagement of agencies and the public.

Addressing a meeting on July 6, Deputy Secretary of the city's Party Committee Nguyen Van Phong stressed the need to intensify the pandemic combat with the highest sense of responsibility, and speed up vaccination.

According to the Ministry of Health, a total of 913 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Viet Nam on Wednesday, bringing the national caseload to 10,751,227 since the pandemic broke out.

More than 234 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Viet Nam so far.

The Ministry of Health has asked for more drastic measures to curb the spread of dengue fever, given a high number of new cases recorded recently.

According to the ministrys report, as of July 4, the whole country recorded about 92,000 cases of dengue fever, an increase of about 15,000 cases compared to 10 days earlier.

Also according to the report, there have been 36 deaths recorded due to dengue fever, an increase of six compared to the previous 10 days.  VNS
In-Depth

Taking My New GitHub Copilot 'AI Pair Programmer' for a Spin

I tried to get GitHub Copilot to write this article for me, but it couldn't do it. It can do lots of other things. Some are pretty cool.

If you haven't heard of GitHub Copilot, it's a cutting-edge coding assistant tool similar to IntelliSense/IntelliCode that can do a lot more than suggest how to complete your lines of code. It's based on advanced OpenAI Codex technology that allows natural language interaction. It just recently became generally available for $10 per month (or $100 per year). It's also available in a 60-day trial, which I used.

I'm no coder, but I figured I could install it and try a few things. Here's how that went.

Setup, Authentication, Pairing ... and Mistakes

One reason I'm not a coder is that I'm impatient and impulsive and don't follow directions. I just dive in and try things until something works. (If you're like that -- probably not a coder, then -- this article can serve as a lesson in what not to do in order to get started.)

So I didn't follow the instructions outlined in "Getting started with GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio Code" documentation that says to go to the VS Code Marketplace and search for the extension and install it. I didn't read that documentation. I just installed the extension from within the editor.

Upon trying to use it, I got a notification to sign in to access GitHub Copilot.

[Click on image for larger view.] Sign In Notification

I didn't really expect that to work, but it appeared to.

[Click on image for larger view.] Signing In

I was notified "The extension 'GitHub Copilot' wants to sign in using GitHub," but the process timed out, generating this message: "You have not yet finished authorizing this extension to use GitHub. Would you like to keep trying?"

I managed to work my way to an authorization screen.

[Click on image for larger view.] Authorize GitHub for VS Code

To finish authenticating, I had to navigate to GitHub and paste in the one-time code generated from the authorization page.

[Click on image for larger view.] Finishing Authentication

That took be to GitHub again where I entered the code.

[Click on image for larger view.] Device Activation

I was finally able to authorize GitHub for VS Code (with GitHub reminding me that I live in the Montana town of Libby).

[Click on image for larger view.] Authorize

And I was notified that I was all set.

[Click on image for larger view.] All Set

Except I wasn't. Upon trying to use the tool, I had to allow the extension to open up the authentication URI.

[Click on image for larger view.] Another Step

Then I was notified my experience wasn't fully configured and I needed to complete my setup.

[Click on image for larger view.]Complete Setup

I went to Settings and reached an "Enable GitHub Copilot" screen.

[Click on image for larger view.]Enablement

The 60-Day Trial

After which I reached the 60-day trial page.

[Click on image for larger view.]Someone Remind Me to Cancel this in 59 Days

And confirmed my payment details.

[Click on image for larger view.]Payment Details

Some preferences were next, where I could indicate if I wanted GitHub to allow or block suggestions matching public code, and whether I agreed to allow GitHub to use my code snippets for product improvements. I obligingly agreed to the latter, though I can absolutely guarantee no one wants to use my code snippets to improve their product.

[Click on image for larger view.]Select Preferences

And was then presented with yet another step: pairing with my pair programmer.

[Click on image for larger view.]Paring Up

After being notified (with falling, colored confetti, no less) that I had successfully paired, I got a message to install the extension. I had done that first thing, remember, so the documentation informed me in that case I just had to restart the editor.

Finally Up and Running

I did that, and my pair programmer and I were finally up and running! I had to jump through some extra hoops on account of not following setup directions, but it still felt like that even the official process took a lot of steps.

Anyway, I created a JavaScript file and asked my pair programmer to generate a function to add two numbers together. You do that by typing in a request in a commented-out line (preceded with //) and clicking Enter. So the JavaScript file was empty except for this line:

//Generate a function to add two numbers together

Clicking Enter caused the tool to suggest some grayed-out code that could be accepted by clicking Tab. That made Copilot churn for a couple seconds (the little GitHub Copilot icon in the bottom right spins).

Copilot activated the line suggestion -- turning the grayed-out text into properly formatted and colored code -- and then stood by awaiting more instructions, as indicated by a red tilde.

[Click on image for larger view.]The Beginning ...

Repeatedly clicking Enter brought in the whole function, complete with a helpful comment that the end of the function had been reached.

[Click on image for larger view.]The End

Upon that initial success, I got frisky and decided to ask Copilot to compute the value of pi (). As I started typing "Compute pi ..." I got a suggestion to use the Leibniz formula for that pi computation. When I started typing "Compute the value of pi ..." Copilot suggested "... to the Nth digit."

You can supposedly cycle through the suggestions with the Windows key combinations (with Mac equivalents) of Alt + ] (forward) or Alt + ] (backward). I couldn't get the suggestions to cycle through various options, nor could I get Copilot to compute the value of pi at all, in any shape or form, even when accepting suggestions. Update: The day after this article was published I tried the pi calculation again and it worked perfectly. Go figure. I used the same exact command but this time that resulted in this:

//Compute the value of pi //The value of pi is 3.141592653589793

I tried to generate a function to compute the area of a circle and discovered that if I just kept clicking Tab, Copilot just kept generating comments explaining aspects of the equation, eventually resorting to repeating itself until I clicked Enter and completed the function code.

[Click on image for larger view.]Repetitive Comments

I asked Copilot to spin up a new HTTP server and it did this:

var http = require('http'); //import http module from node js

I tried a series of "Create a ..." commands to see what Copilot offered up as suggestions. The suggestions for different comments are shown below, with the suggestions enclosed in parentheses.

Create a new (copilot object)

Create a function (that takes a string and returns the string in reversed order)

Create a table (of contents for the copilot test)

Regarding the latter, all that happened after hitting Tab to accept the suggestion is that Copilot generated this comment:

//Create a table of contents for the copilot test. This will be used to generate the copilot test. The table of contents will be generated from the copilot test.

When I kept pressing Tab it just started to repeat comments.

I tried the // Express server on port 3000 command from official documentation and found out that Copilot also started to repeat itself when I just kept clicking Enter/Tab combinations. It first generated more than 75 lines of code that looked like it may be a complete and correct program. But when I kept clicking Enter/Tab combinations, it eventually started to repeat itself in the Routes section of the code.

[Click on image for larger view.]Repeating Routes

Explain this Code

I also tried the "explain this code" functionality provided in the companion GitHub Copilot Labs (preview) extension. As its name indicates, this experimental tool can take a chunk of code and explain in natural language what it does.

I didn't have to jump through any hoops to install that tool; I did it quickly and easily from within the editor -- no context switching or restarts required.

In the sidebar, it provides two options, Explain and Language Translation.

My first attempt at Explain (highlighting some code and clicking the Ask Copilot button) produced an error message: "Error generating Copilot response, please try again. Changes in the prompt or stop sequence might fix this."

I don't know what "changes in the prompt" or the "stop sequence" even mean, but reloading VS Code and signing back in to use Copilot worked.

I grabbed a chunk of code off the Mozilla site and asked Copilot what it meant.
A month after staging its largest stage production to date, Arthur Millers The Crucible with a 30-member cast, Wacos Silent House Theatre Company downshifts in scale but not in intensity with God of Carnage.

The 2008 play by French playwright Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton, also returns Silent House to a contemporary setting as with its previous shows I and You and Reckless, and to material aimed at making audiences laugh  and think.

Director and Silent House co-founder Collin Selman said God of Carnage and its look at the genteel facade of upper-class suburbia was one of the first plays that came to mind when the company formed more than a year ago. It had a small cast, an absurd storyline and likely would startle its audiences. Weve got to pencil this in, we thought. This show is super fun, he said.

The storyline is simple. Two upscale couples from Brooklyn, Alan and Annette Raleigh (Caleb Clark and Alex Blanton) and Michael and Veronica Novak (Nick Marquez and Elaine Sury), meet at the Novaks home to talk about the playground fight their 11-year-old sons Benjamin and Henry recently got into. The fight was a degree more than pushing and fisticuffs: The Raleighs son Benjamin hit Henry in the face with a stick, breaking two teeth.

What starts as a civilized discussion about the fight, responsibility and who pays for the dental work, however, slides into new territory as alcohol starts to lower inhibitions and emotions and resentments rise to the surface, pitting the couples not only against each other, but the men against the women and spouses against their partners. Audiences should be aware, Selman noted, that the language gets salty in the process.

In contrast to the four-act The Crucible, God of Carnage is one act. Where the dramatic tension in the former built slowly and inexorably, the challenge for Selmans cast in Carnage is modulating from politeness and nuance in the beginning to, well, the opposite.

Be ready to laugh, the director said.

God of Carnage opens a six-performance run on Friday, with that performance interpreted for the deaf and hard of hearing.
OMAHA -- Around Lewis Klanderud, nobody stayed a stranger for long.

It didnt matter if you were training alongside him in the Philippines for post-World War II occupation duty, a fellow patron at The Nifty Bar, his longtime haunt in Benson, or a nurse in an Omaha hospital during the last week of his life.

He was very kind. He would be a friend to anybody he met, said Susan Adamson, Klanderuds daughter.

He died June 25 at age 97.

Klanderud grew up on a farm in rural Cedar County and graduated from Wynot High School. He joined the Army in March 1945. After boot camp, he returned to Nebraska to marry his sweetheart, Lucille DePue just as the Japanese surrendered to end World War II.

So Klanderud was trained as an engineer and sent to Okinawa  which had been destroyed in the last major land battle of the war  to help rebuild roads on the island.

Adamson said he enjoyed his training in the Philippines.

He met a lot of wonderful Filipino people, she said.

Klanderud was discharged in late 1946, moving to Council Bluffs and later to Hartington. The couple had a son and three daughters.

He passed the civil service exam in 1952 and moved to Omaha. For years he worked on a mail train that ran from Omaha to Cheyenne, Wyoming, part of a crew that picked up mail from small towns along the way and sorted it en route.

He also did a lot of odd jobs, Adamson said. He was good at carpentry. He did a lot of painting.

After trucks replaced mail trains in the 1960s, Klanderud worked for the post office in finance. He retired in 1984 but continued to take part in a coffee group for mail train retirees.

Klanderud loved fishing. Every year he and some buddies would take a lengthy fishing trip in Canada, and then he would return and host a fish fry for extended family. He also enjoyed taking his wife and children on camping trips across the West in a pop-up trailer.

He was a big family person, Adamson said.

Klanderud was active in the American Legion and VFW, and was selected to the Forty and Eight Club, an honor society that was a Legion offshoot. He also participated in the Heartland Honor Flights, an effort in 2008-09 that allowed hundreds of World War II soldiers to visit Washington.

Although his sight gradually faded because of macular degeneration, Adamson said he continued to fish until the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. And his mind remained sharp.

Last week, in the hospital, he was talking to all the nurses, she said. He wanted to know where they were from. He was asking about their lives.

Services were held June 29 at St. Paul United Methodist Church, where Klanderud was a longtime member. He was buried at Hillcrest Memorial Park next to Lucille, who died in 2006. He was also preceded in death by his sisters, Dorothy and Marguerite; his son, Tim; and infant granddaughter, Hayley Fausset.

He is survived by his daughters, Keri Comfort, Susan Adamson and Judy Fausset; six grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
As Europe braces itself for additional cuts to gas supplies the following week and economists warn of an impending recession, Berlin and Paris are preparing for recessionary bailouts.

Fears of fuel shortages and near-record electricity and natural gas prices are prompting European leaders to take extraordinary measures to secure supplies for the upcoming winter season. Europe is currently experiencing its worst energy crisis in decades.

Germany, the largest importer of Russian gas, was getting ready in Berlin to vote on a bill that would clear the way for the country to assist Russia in rescuing Germany, which is the largest importer of Russian gas.

The prime minister of France made an announcement in Paris regarding her government's intention to take complete control of France's state-backed electric utility provider.

There is a growing concern that soaring energy prices, which are being driven by steadily decreasing Russian gas shipments, will force energy companies to fail, a chain reaction that Germany's energy minister has compared to the way the failure of Lehman Brothers in 2008 triggered the global financial crisis.

"The scale of the crisis and the risk of disruption and further price spikes is now so big that there is a sense in the major E.U. governments that it requires national bailouts," said Henning Gloystein, a director at Eurasia Group, a political risk firm. "The risk of disruption and further price spikes is now so big that it is now so big that there is a sense in the major E.U. governments that it requires national bailouts."

"Private businesses will not be able to bear the expense of these measures."

The disruption is being felt all across the continent as countries such as Austria, France, and the Czech Republic try to find enough gas to fill their storage tanks before the temperatures drop  and, as many people fear before Russia stops shipping gas altogether, which could happen as early as the end of July.

The impact, however, is felt most keenly in Germany, the largest European economy, which has been getting most of its gas for many years from Russia.

The impending danger of shortages during the upcoming winter could result in the rationing of gas and the shutdown of industries, which would then lead to the loss of jobs and protests.

The second stage of Germany's three-step emergency plan for gas was put into effect one month ago; the third stage of the plan gives the government the ability to implement rationing.

Companies are already making preparations to reduce the amount of gas they use and are also formulating backup plans in case flows are reduced even further.

A measure that will be put to a vote in the German Parliament on Thursday is intended to allow the government to provide a lifeline to businesses that are struggling as a result of the record-high price of gas and cuts in supplies from Russia. The vote will take place on the measure.

It would also allow suppliers to pass on price increases to consumers if authorities determined that a "significant reduction in total gas import volumes to Germany is imminent." This would be permitted under the terms of the bill.

Since the beginning of the year, economists have been arguing that it is necessary to take such a step, which would result in significantly higher monthly power bills for homeowners, to break free from dependence on Russian gas.

It is possible that the first company to profit from the revised legislation will be Uniper, an energy provider and Germany's largest gas importer from Russia.

After revising a financial forecast and expecting earnings to be "significantly below" those of previous years, it announced a week ago that it was in discussions with the government regarding the possibility of receiving financial assistance.

In Germany, the company has 5,000 employees, owns a number of gas-fired power plants and gas storage facilities, and is an essential electricity provider to many municipalities and communities.

Since Gazprom, the Russian gas giant, cut natural gas deliveries through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline by 60 percent a month ago, Uniper has been facing mounting losses. This has forced Uniper to turn to the spot market to buy gas at significantly higher prices to fulfill its longstanding contracts with municipalities and companies.

On Wednesday, analysts at S&P Global Ratings, which evaluates the creditworthiness of companies, estimated that the shortfall from Gazprom, which normally supplies more than 50 percent of Uniper's gas, was burdening the company with enormous daily losses in "the low- to mid-double-digit" millions of euros. Gazprom usually is responsible for supplying more than 50 percent of Uniper's gas.

According to what S&P wrote, the amount of red ink could potentially grow if supplies from Gazprom were cut even further.

Robert Habeck, the economics minister for Germany, has warned that the situation may become even direr. Still, he has also stated that the German government will not permit the failure of a single energy company to bring the entire European market down with it.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced a similar move in France, and it pertains to the nation's state-backed nuclear power operator, Electricite de France.

Since EDF was compelled to shut down approximately half of its reactors, the already financially troubled company has seen its debt load grow even larger.

Ms. Borne told the legislators, "I confirm today the intention of the state to hold 100 percent of the capital of EDF." Still, she did not provide any additional details.

France relies heavily on its nuclear power plants to get it through the current energy crisis. These plants generate approximately 70 percent of the country's total electricity, which is a greater percentage than any other nation.

When Nord Steam 1, the pipeline that connects Germany's northern coast with Russia's gas fields, is scheduled to be shut down for ten days for annual routine maintenance beginning on Monday, this will present a new risk to the availability of energy supplies.

Norway, which has become Europe's largest gas supplier and is pushing its exports to counteract the cuts from Russia, has become an increasingly important player due to the reductions coming from Russia.

This week, gas field workers in Norway went on strike, threatening to cut off up to 60 percent of supplies to Western Europe. However, the Norwegian government quickly intervened to end the work stoppage and restore normal operations.

Marte Mjoes Persen, Norway's labor minister, told Reuters about the strike, "Norway plays a vital role in supplying gas to Europe, and the planned escalation would have had serious consequences for Britain, Germany, and other nations." This was said about Norway's role in supplying gas to Europe. She continued by saying that the "impact would have been dramatic in light of the current situation in Europe."

The use of Norwegian gas has been critical to the success of efforts to resupply Germany's gas storage facilities, several of which were previously owned by Gazprom but ran out of gas in the months leading up to the invasion of Ukraine.

According to a government agency, the storage capacity of the facilities has reached more than 62 percent. If Russia were to stop all gas flow through Nord Stream 1, it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to meet the target of 90 percent capacity by November.

The worries have resulted in a doubling of already high prices for natural gas in Europe over the course of the past month, bringing them up to approximately 160 euros per megawatt-hour.

This price is equivalent to about $280 per barrel for oil, which is almost three times as much as what the West Texas Intermediate benchmark is currently fetching in the market.

Economists are alarmed that the high energy cost and a lack of stored gas could push Germany and the rest of the European Union into a recession that would continue well into 2023.

Holger Schmieding, the chief economist at Berenberg, wrote in a research note that "the EU would likely be running on empty at the end of winter" if Russia did not turn on Nord Stream 1 by July 21. This date was set as the deadline for Russia to do so.

If Russia were to shut down its additional pipelines to Europe in late July, the situation would be even worse than it is currently.

Europe is facing an energy emergency this winter: RBC's Helima Croft
The Central Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) has successfully returned their B-25J Mitchell to flight after a lengthy period of maintenance. Known affectionately by its nickname, Yellow Rose, the aircraft has been with the CAF since its donation in 1981. The following news item from the CAFs dispatches describes what the vintage aircraft needed to get back in the air

The CAFs B-25 Yellow Rose, assigned to the Central Texas Wing, returned to the skies on June 30th with a successful test flight. The B-25 has been in maintenance since 2017. After completing extensive maintenance, Yellow Rose flew to the Austin Warbird Expo at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport for the July 4th event.

In November 2017, the crew from Yellow Rose discovered an engine issue. After the crew landed the airplane safely, maintenance personnel inspected the aircraft and determined that the engine needed to be removed and replaced before further flight operations could continue.

Central Texas Wing volunteers spent hundreds of hours to remove the engine, prepare it for overhaul and then re-install the newly rebuilt engine. They successfully completed an engine test run in early June and were able to get her back in the air just in time for the 4th of July.

The Commemorative Air Force is grateful to all who contributed their time and funds to support returning Yellow Rose to the sky. You can follow this aircraft and others with the Central Texas Wing via their Facebook page HERE.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  A South Korea activist said Thursday he launched more huge balloons carrying COVID-19 relief items toward North Korea, days after the North vowed to sternly deal with such activities and made a highly questionable claim they were a source of the virus.

South Korean experts doubt North Koreas moves to blame South Korean balloons and say the intent might be to incite anti-South Korea sentiments and ease public complaints over its handling of the outbreak. The coronavirus is spread by people in close contact who inhale airborne droplets, and the expert consensus is that the spread of the virus from surfaces is virtually impossible.

Park Sang-hak, a North Korean defector-turned-activist, said his group floated 20 balloons carrying 20,000 masks and tens of thousands of vitamin C and fever-reducing tablets from a South Korean border town on Wednesday. He said he sent similar aid items by balloon across the inter-Korean border twice last month.

One of the balloons carried a large placard calling North Korea leader Kim Jong Un a hypocrite and condemning him for holding South Korean activists responsible for the virus outbreak. But Park said the balloons didnt carry what he had previously sent for years  small but numerous anti-North Korea propaganda leaflets, U.S. one-dollar bills and USB sticks containing information about the outside world. He said hell now focus on sending medical relief items because North Koreans urgently need them.

Since North Korea in May admitted to an omicron outbreak of the virus, its state media said about 4.8 million North Koreans have developed fevers but only 74 have died. Experts doubt the figures are accurate and speculate its disclosure of an extremely low death count is tooled to prevent political damage to Kim.

Last week, state media said the outbreak had been traced to residents who had contact with alien things in a town near the border and that authorities have been ordered to vigilantly deal with alien things coming by wind and other climate phenomena and balloons.

Some outside experts, however, believe the omicron variant entered North Korea when it briefly reopened its northern border with China for freight traffic in January. Observers say the virus spread further when many North Koreans travelled to Pyongyang for massive public events marking state anniversaries in April and returned home.

The one who spread COVID-19 is Kim Jong Un. But since public sentiments are really bad, hes trying to put all the blame on us, Park said. How can materials spread COVID-19?

Park is standing trial for a past leafleting campaign under a contentious South Korean law criminalizing such activities that took effect last year.

Park said he hasnt been contacted by authorities about his recent ballooning activities. Police said Thursday they are investigating Parks recent balloon launches but refused to provide further details.

North Korea is extremely sensitive to outside attempts to criticize Kims rule to people who has little access to information from foreign sources. In 2014, North Korea fired at balloons flying toward its territory, and in 2020 it destroyed an empty South Korean-built liaison office in the North to express its anger over leafleting.
WATERLOO  A Waterloo man has been arrested for allegedly stealing more than $800 worth of meat from Walmart over the span of three months.
FREDERICKSBURG  Plum Creek Art/Connie Mohr Gallery is hosting a new special exhibit by photographer Justin D. Allen that will continue through September.

A Saturday artist reception has been rescheduled due to illness. It will now be held July 19 at the gallery, 115 W. Main St. Meet Allen, view his work and enjoy refreshments. Admission is free.

Allen grew up in Fredericksburg and was a 2010 graduate of Sumner Fredericksburg High School. He got his start in photography as a high school student when a Sumner Lions Club scholarship allowed him to buy his first good quality digital camera.

He works in printing and production of photographs and books at Century College in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and has had many professional exhibitions of his photography. He completed his bachelors of fine art at the University of Northern Iowa and begins graduate school at the University of Minnesota this fall.
I am amazed at the level of ignorance presented within the Western Empire. Something/Someone is making an attempt to put out the fire that they started, with a tiny glass of water, but the fire is a raging wildfire and it is too late. Too many politicians have been pissing upon the fire with kerosene



Yet as they watch the fire burn toward their home, the majority of human beings deem that if they are nice and quiet, bury their heads in the sand and they presume that nothing bad will happen. They desire and imagine that everything will omit us, as it flies by and hopefully hits someplace else. Just like; If the neighbors house burns and the wind blows it away from you? Then all is good and you can roast marshmallows upon the embers of your neighbors home.

Happy happy!

Just like; Expressing a dissenting opinion on the Ukraine combat situation has grow to be some thing of an outrage among the majority of the Western World. One instinctively is aware of You cannot do that! and But they are good white people! But it is okay in the Middle East! it continues on even after expressing by verbal and then expresses within the mentality, even with ones mouth shut

It is necessary to be aware of that the majority of Western people are and have never been acquainted with the real records of the NATO vs Russia conflict. Hardly anyone is aware of that the guarantors of the Ukraine implemented Minsk Agreement(s) was and has always been Germany and France. They do know the lies, But Russia failed to implement the Minks Agreement! and as always with western media and thoughts, RUSSIA DID IT!

Russia was never suppose (DID IT!) to support and push Ukraine as to the implementation of the agreements. Therefore, why Russia constantly expressed to Germany and France to get Ukraine onboard and ratify the Minsk Agreements

Germany and France never tried to push Ukraine to implement the agreements of Minsk. They in fact impeded the Minsk Agreements and the USA & UK were Rah Rah as a cheerleaders in the background

There never would have been a fire in Ukraine if The Empire of Lies and Chaos would be honest and decent

So now lets add chocolate and gram-crackers to the roasted Ukraine Marshmallow?

The end result is called a Smore!

WtR
Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine (July 7, 2022)

https://eng.mil.ru/en/special_operation/news/more.htm?id=12428206@egNews

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation in Ukraine. The enemy suffers significant losses in all directions.

 As a result of Russian Aerospace Forces high-precision weapons strikes on Ukrainian combat positions in Soledar direction, the total losses of the 24th mechanized brigade of AFU already amount to about 2.5 thousand people, or 60 per cent of its personnel.

79th Airborne Assault Brigade of AFU has been almost completely destroyed, with losses exceeding 80 per cent of its personnel.

Russian Aerospace Forces have hit temporary deployment sites and ammunition depots of the units of 14th and 72nd Mechanized and 10th Mountain Assault Brigades of AFU near Artemovsk, Donetsk Peoples Republic. Up to 350 personnel and 20 armoured combat vehicles were located at destroyed sites.

Against this background, soldiers of 80th Airborne Assault Brigade are refusing to take part in combat operations and are deserting en masse to rear areas.

The leadership of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has ordered a reduction in the treatment of wounded servicemen and their deployment without rehabilitation to make up for unit losses in areas of combat operations.

Acute shortage of first-echelon personnel forced the Kiev regime to throw front-line National Battalions, which were performing tasks in the rear areas as barrier troops.

On July 7, 226th battalion of the Ukrainian nationalist formation Kraken was ordered to move from Kharkov to Pokrovskoe, under the command of Soledar operational tactical group. But nationalist commanders and fighters refused to carry out this order.

Amid military failures and a massive retreat of Ukrainian forces in Donbass, on the night of July 7, the Kiev regime attempted to symbolically deliver the flag to Snake Island.

Around 5am, several Ukrainian soldiers boarded the island from a motorboat and were photographed with the flag. Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft immediately struck Snake Island with high-precision missiles, killing some of the Ukrainian troops. The survivors fled in the direction of Primorske, Odessa region.

 We have repeatedly mentioned the role of U.S. Democratic Party representatives in funding bioweapons activities in Ukraine and the intermediary organisations that have been used for this purpose.

 I would like to refer to one of the key Pentagon contractors receiving money from Hunter Bidens investment fund, Metabiota.

 The available data suggests that the company is merely a front for internationally dubious purposes and is used by the U.S. political elite to carry out opaque financial activities in various parts of the world.

 There is a specific example: Metabiota was involved in the response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. The activities of the companys employees have raised questions from the World Health Organisation (WHO) in terms of their compliance with biosafety requirements.

This is the report of the international panel of experts from the Haemorrhagic Fever Consortium who were involved in the fight against Ebola virus disease in Sierra Leone in 2015.

 According to the document, Metabiota staff had failed to comply with handling procedures and concealed the involvement of Pentagon staff who were using the company as a front. The main purpose of these activities was to isolate highly virulent variants of the virus from sick and dead people, as well as to export its strains to the USA.

 In view of the apparent failure of Metabiotas activities to meet the goals of controlling the spread of the disease, the World Health Organisations Ebola coordinator, Philippe Barbosa, recommended to recall the staff of the company saying he was extremely concerned about the potential risks of such collaboration to WHOs reputation.

 The U.S. military contractors heightened interest in the Ebola virus is not a coincidence: the disease is one of the most pathogenic to humans. During the outbreak that began in 2014, 28,000 people were contaminated, over 11,000 of them died, the mortality rate was around 40%.

 The special military operation has led to receiving documents that reveals the plans of Metabiota and the Ukrainian Scientific-Technological Centre to study the Ebola virus in Ukraine.

 This is the request for U.S. funding to diagnose highly dangerous pathogens in Ukraine, including Ebola virus. This kind of requests are part of U.S. strategy to redeploy high-risk work with dangerous pathogens to third countries.

 The research was to be carried out at the Mechnikov Anti-Plague Institute in Odessa. As the disease is not endemic and has never been recorded in Ukraine indeed, there is a legitimate question about the need for such research and its true purpose.

 Read more

 Documents

 Slides

 We have already noted that Ukraine and other post-Soviet states have become a testing ground for biological weapons not only for the USA, but also for its NATO allies; on the first place, Germany. Various projects have been carried out on behalf of the Joint Medical Service of the German Armed Forces.

 Bundeswehr professionals paid particular attention to the Congo-Crimean fever pathogen. A large-scale screening of the susceptibility of the local population to this infection was carried out and included summarising demographic, epidemiological and clinical data. This kind of approaches allows to identify new regional virus genotypes and to select strains that cause latent clinical forms.

 The study of natural foci of Crimean-Congo fever was carried out under the pretext of improving the Ukrainian epidemiological surveillance system, with the participation of the Institute of Veterinary Medicine in Kiev and the Mechnikov Anti-Plague Institute in Odessa.

 Bundeswehrs interest in Crimean-Congo fever stems from the fact that mortality can be as high as 30% and its outbreaks create a need for lengthy and costly treatment, preventive and special handling measures.

This is a quote from Bundeswehrs instructions: pay particular attention to fatal cases of infection with Crimean-Congo fever as it allows the virus strains with maximum pathogenicity and virulence for humans to be extracted from the dead individuals

 Apart from Germany, microbiologists from the USA have shown a keen interest in tick-borne infections; research in this area has been funded by DTRA through the UP-1 and UP-8 projects.

A separate project on ixodid ticks that are vectors of a number of highly dangerous infections (tularemia, West Nile fever, Congo-Crimean fever) has been implemented by the University of Texas.

 Ticks used to be collected in the south-eastern regions of Ukraine, where natural foci of infections characteristic of the territory of the Russian Federation are located. At the same time, the period of implementing this work coincided with a rapid increase in the incidence of tick-borne borreliosis among the Ukrainian population, as well as the increase in the number of ticks in various regions of Russia bordering Ukraine.

 This issue is being studied by competent Russian professionals in coordination with professionals from the Ministry of Defence of Russia.

 We have previously pointed out the significance of the results of the military-biological projects codenamed UP for the Pentagon.

Note the report prepared for the U.S. Defence Department by Black & Veatch and Metabiota. According to the document, Veterinary Projects codenamed TAP were implemented simultaneously with the U-P projects in Ukraine.

 Their main guideline lies in economically significant quarantine infections capable of damaging the agriculture of several countries and entire regions, such as glanders, African swine fever (ASF), classical swine fever, highly pathogenic avian influenza and Newcastle disease.

 African swine fever with two projects dedicated to this pathogen represented particular interest to U.S. military biologists.

The TAP-3 project was aimed to study the spread of ASF pathogen through wild animals. The migration routes of wild boar through Ukraine had been examining within its framework. The TAP-6 project scaled this process up to Eastern European countries.

 The study of vector populations of dangerous zoonotic infections was carried out by staff of the Institute of New Pathogens of the University of Florida (Gainesville) in Volyn, Rovno, Zhitomir and Chernigov regions of Ukraine, as well as in the areas bordering Belarus and Russia.

 Note the worsening situation of African swine fever in Eastern European countries: According to the International Office of Epizootics, since 2014, outbreaks have been recorded in Latvia (4,021 cases), Estonia (3,814) and Lithuania (4,201). In Poland, more than 13,000 cases of ASF have been detected, and agricultural losses from the disease have exceeded 2.4 billion Euros.

 We have already mentioned the use of biological weapons in Cuba in the 1970s and 1980s. Today, I would like to focus on U.S. military-biological activities during the Korean War.

 In March 2022, the U.S. Army Strategic Studies Institute published a report on the U.S. chemical and biological weapons programme during the Korean War. This report was aimed to create a possible line of defence against allegations of illegal activities carried out by U.S. biolaboratories in Ukraine. The document attempts to refute the testimony of 38 U.S. military pilots who have admitted using biological weapons in China and Korea.

According to the document, while preparing for the Korean campaign, the U.S. Air Force secured additional funds to purchase large quantities of chemical and biological munitions, obtained a testing range for them in Canada and carried out an extensive conceptual work on their use

 At that time, the Americans considered brucellosis pathogens and economically important infections, including wheat stem rust, as priority biological agents. 2,500 munitions of this type the U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command planned to use, including to attack Soviet grain crops

 Analysis of the data mentioned in the report shows that the U.S. command uses the results of the research received from the Japanese military-biological programme and a certain continuity of the works previously carried out by the Detachment 731 led by Shiro Ishii.

 This is the record of the closed session of CIA, State Department and the Pentagon representatives dated July 7, 1953. The document clearly shows that the Americans are focusing on techniques to manipulate public opinion and launch an aggressive counter-attack within their strategies aimed to defend from allegations.

 The report states that the officials are reluctant to actual investigations of chemical and biological incidents due to fears of revealing the activities carried out by the U.S. Eighth Army.

 The comparative analysis of U.S. activities during the Korean War and currently in Ukraine demonstrates the persistence of the U.S. policy of building up its own military and biological capabilities in circumvention of international agreements.

 In conclusion, I would like to present real data on the health condition of the voluntarily surrendered Ukrainian servicemen. This dispositive presents the data on presence of antibodies to contagious disease agents without mentioning personal data of these servicemen.

 The results are as follows: 33% of the examined servicemen had had hepatitis A, over 4% had renal syndrome fever and 20% had West Nile fever. The figures are significantly higher than the statistical average. In view of active research of these diseases held by the Pentagon within the Ukrainian projects, there is reason to believe that servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) were involved as volunteers in experiments to assess the tolerance of dangerous infectious diseases.

 The lack of therapeutic effect of antibacterial medication has been reported during in-patient treatment of AFU servicemen in medical facilities. High concentrations of antibiotics, including sulphonyl amides and fluoroquinolones, have been detected in their blood.

 This fact may indicate preventive use of antibiotics and preparation of personnel for operating in conditions of biological contamination, such as cholera agent, that indirectly proves the information of the Russian Defence Ministry that Ukrainian special units were planning to use biological agents.

 The data will be included in the U.S. military-biological dossier and we will continue to examine it and keep you informed.

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Staff members work at Airbus' Tianjin final assembly line for the A320-family of jets in north China's Tianjin, Feb. 24, 2022. (Airbus China/Handout via Xinhua)

BEIJING, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Michel Tran Van, chief operating officer (COO) of Airbus China, has expressed optimism about the world's leading aircraft manufacturer's great prospects for the Chinese market, despite major epidemic challenges facing the whole aviation industry worldwide.

"We will stay in China. This is a single-country market that is growing the fastest in the long-term," Tran Van said. "We will continue looking at partnerships for R&D and technologies."

Tran Van highlighted Airbus' Asia final assembly line in north China's Tianjin Municipality (FAL Tianjin), saying that despite the epidemic, "all our factories in China and particularly in Tianjin are operating and operating normally."

"We are delivering aircraft as expected. The supply chain is feeding this FAL (in Tianjin) as we expected," he said. "Ultimately, there has been no impact on our worldwide capacity."

According to the COO, FAL Tianjin has a main facility working on single-aisles, the A320 family of Airbus aircraft. It also has wide-body capabilities for the A330 and the A350 now. The production facility there will conduct the final assembly on the A321 by the end of this year.

FAL Tianjin completed and delivered 53 A320 family aircraft in 2021. The European plane-maker inaugurated the A320 family's final assembly line in Tianjin in 2008. By the end of 2021, Airbus had assembled and delivered 555 A320 series aircraft from the facility.

"Tianjin is our first facility and assembly line outside of Europe. So the FAL in Tianjin is integrated into the overall industrial system of Airbus," Tran Van said. "Whatever we invest in Tianjin defines the next steps for the complete supply chain."

Tran Van attributed the smooth and stable operation of FAL Tianjin to the support of local authorities at various levels.

"There has been a lot of support provided to the aviation (industry) in general. We are benefiting from that as well indirectly," he said. "More directly and more locally, we have also benefited from a lot of support on the simplifications of customs to make it faster, and to accommodate all those uncertainties on the logistics worldwide."

"I think that we should not be influenced too much by the short-term challenges and difficulties that we see," Tran Van said. "We see some good recoveries and prospects for the future. It is what we are trying to focus on." 
This weeks question: Should the Legislature take any action in light of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade? If so, what?

Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published.

Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-form
When my family and I recently departed from Albuquerque for a vacation in Iceland, the Albuquerque Journal was filled with gun violence  burying the 19 child victims of the mass shooting in Uvalde, mourning the 11 victims of the mass shooting in Buffalo, the massacre of five family members in Oklahoma, the daily individual gun fatalities in Albuquerque, and perhaps worst of all two teens  who brought guns to school in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho. Just another day in the gun-crazy United States.

When we arrived in Iceland, the main story was earthquake tremors on the Reykjanes Peninsula, possibly presaging an eruption of one of the volcanoes there. No panic, no towns nearby, volcanoes erupt in Iceland all the time, though not as often as humans erupt in the United States. There hasnt been a gun-related murder in Iceland since 2007.

To be sure, Iceland is the size of Kentucky, with a population of St. Louis, but its more than a matter of scale. Icelanders enjoy guns, but they dont idolize them like we do. One in four Icelanders owns a gun, but theyre long guns for hunting and sport shooting, and to purchase one you have to undergo a medical exam and submit to lots of paperwork. As for owning an assault rifle, youve got to be kidding.

While the rest of the world just shakes its head in disbelief at us, Americans have become numb to the carnage; Ho hum, nothing will change. When our leaders say well hold the victims in our thoughts and prayers, we just snicker at their cynical insincerity.

And the gun culture just rolls on: the NRA convention in Texas the same day as the Uvalde massacre, attended by scores of politicians; bumper stickers talking about cold, dead hands; ghost guns by mail; mass mailings by pro-gun groups  even I get them; kids afraid to go to school. Less than a week after Uvalde nine Americans were murdered and dozens injured in multiple mass shootings.

Icelanders have learned not to build homes on the slopes of a volcano. Americans have not learned not to live inside one.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Michael Toya is following in the footsteps of his ancestors.

The Jemez Pueblo artist braved the elements for three months as he completed a large-scale mural on the outside of the Nativo Lodge in Albuquerque.

Ive never done a mural or anything to this magnitude or scale, Toya says. At the beginning, it was intimidating. The idea behind this work and this style stems from what my ancestors brought to us. They told stories by painting on pottery or on petroglyphs. Im doing the same thing with a modern twist and telling my own story.

Toyas project is the latest from the Nativo Lodge, which has been hiring local artists to add another dimension to the property.

Were proud to offer an experience unlike any other in New Mexico with our artist guest room program  there are few places where you can sleep in actual works of art, says Nate Wells, president of the Lodge Collection, managed by Heritage Hotels & Resorts. Its humbling to work with talented artists like Michael, and his striking design will add a whole new dimension to the guest experience at Nativo Lodge.

Toya began the project in April and wrapped it up at the end of June.

Depending on which angle you look at the Nativo Lodge property, there is a different story.

The black-and-white line work on the south wall calls for the blessing of the rain. We rely on rain and snowfall to keep the cycle going for sustenance and growth, he says. Its one of my new concepts.

Hummingbirds, dragonflies, butterflies and flowers adorn the same wall. Toya says each image has a meaning.

The side wall is definitely peaceful and welcoming, he explains. You have beautiful flowers and the wildlife. The hummingbirds and butterflies are said to be positive messengers and very spiritual.

At the very top corner is a Pueblo sun. It welcomes today and reminds us life is in a circle, Toya says.

Wells says the goal for the Nativo Lodge at San Mateo NE and Interstate 25 is to have all 145 rooms painted by artists. Sixty rooms have already been painted by such artists as Toya, Mateo Romero, Kayla Shaggy, Rose Simpson, Geraldine Tso, Felix Vigil, Jaque Fragua, Lynette Haozous, Jodie Herrera, Marina Eskeets, Ishkoten Dougi, Ricardo Cate and DeAnna Suazo.

Toyas room  Room 412  is called If You Believe and was completed in 2018.

He says the room depicts popular cultural icons intertwined with traditional Puebloan interpretations of design, which influence and teach the viewer about what Pueblo people believe. More often than not, he says, these beliefs are transformed into powerful designs and traditional markings that give the Pueblo people strength, courage and confidence to keep their culture alive, all of which you can witness throughout the installation.

For instance, the bear paws represent courage, strength and wisdom, and are a sign of protection, Toya continues. The Corn Maidens, and the stalks they were produced from, honor fertility and new life. Life goes on, plant our seeds and start a new beginning is what our Corn Maidens wish of us. The steps of life design are the trials and tribulations of your journey. The stars watch over us and shine light into our hearts. The thunderstorm clouds and lightning bolts offer great power. Everything around you is sacred, whether it is the spirits of our ancestors or the forces of Nature. Honor them, give thanks and, in return, you will feel their blessings if you believe.

Leaning on the traditional side of Toyas art, his vision features a number of distinctive design components.

Toyas design for the front of the hotel is the Pueblo Kilt/Manta Embroidery, which is reminiscent of the embroidery of traditional kilts or mantas, worn by men and women, respectively, at ceremonial proceedings.

The design is symbolic of welcoming guests, and wrapping them in comfort and traditional blessing, he says.

Toya has also incorporated the Corn Maiden, which brings the power of life to the people.

Also part of the design is the Avanyu, which is the powerful deity and guardian of water/harbinger of storms. It extends on both lower walls on either side of the hotel entrance, representing the essential life force of nourishment.

I drew inspiration from my background growing up in a family of artists. All these designs stem from ancestral culture and what I want to share with visitors when they stay at this hotel and visit our state, Toya says. It was an exciting opportunity to produce my work on a bigger scale with my artist room years ago and its thrilling to return to Nativo Lodge with yet another chance to further my skills and ability as an artist with this grand design. I feel truly blessed not only to showcase art in a piece of this magnitude, but also to set an example for fledgling artists to keep chasing their dreams and not be afraid to share their passion with the world.
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill.  The man charged with killing seven people at an Independence Day parade confessed to police that he unleashed a hail of bullets from a rooftop in suburban Chicago and then fled to the Madison, Wisconsin, area, where he contemplated shooting up an event there, authorities said Wednesday.

The suspect turned back to Illinois, where he was later arrested, after deciding he was not prepared to pull off another attack in Wisconsin, Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli said at a news conference following a hearing where the 21-year-old was denied bond.

The parade shooting left another American community reeling  this time affluent Highland Park, home to about 30,000 people near the Lake Michigan shore.

More than two dozen people were wounded, some critically, and hundreds of marchers, parents and children fled in a panic.

Covelli said it did not appear that the suspect had planned another attack in Wisconsin, but fled there, saw another Independence Day celebration and seriously contemplated firing on it. The assailant had ditched the semi-automatic rifle he used in Illinois, but he had another, similar rifle and about 60 more rounds with him, according to Covelli.

Police later found his phone in Middleton, Wisconsin, which is about 135 miles from Highland Park.

For hours before his arrest, police warned that the gunman was still at large and that he should be considered armed and dangerous. Several nearby cities canceled events including parades and fireworks. Most festivities in and around Wisconsins capital city went ahead.

Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes told a news conference Wednesday that the FBI urged the department Monday evening to prepare its SWAT team because investigators believed the gunman could be in the area.

Barnes said he was not warned at the time that the shooter was considering carrying out further attacks.

Lake County Assistant States Attorney Ben Dillon said in court that the gunman climbed up the fire escape of a building above the Highland Park parade, looked down his sights, aimed and fired at people across the street. He left the shells of 83 bullets and three ammunition magazines on the rooftop. He initially evaded capture by disguising himself as a woman and blending into the fleeing crowd, according to police.

Some of the wounded remained hospitalized in critical condition, Covelli said, and the death toll could still rise. Already, the deaths from the shooting have left a 2-year-old boy without parents, families mourning the loss of beloved grandparents and a synagogue grieving the death of a congregant who for decades had also worked on the staff.

Lake County States Attorney Eric Rinehart said he planned to bring attempted murder and aggravated battery charges for each individual who was hurt. There will be many, many more charges coming, he said at a news conference, estimating that those charges would be announced later this month.

If convicted of the first-degree murder charges, the gunman would receive a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.

The suspect, Robert Crimo III, wore a black long-sleeve shirt as he appeared in court by video. As the prosecutor described the shooting, he said little besides telling the judge that he did not have a lawyer.

On Tuesday, Thomas A. Durkin, a prominent Chicago-based lawyer, said he would represent Crimo and that he intended to enter a not guilty plea to all charges.

But Durkin told the court Wednesday that he had a conflict of interest with the case.

Crimo has been assigned a public defender.

Rinehart also left open the possibility of charging Crimos parents, telling reporters that he doesnt want to answer that question right now as the investigation continues.

Steve Greenberg, the lawyer for Crimos parents, told The Associated Press that the parents arent concerned about being charged with anything related to their sons case.

Questions also arose about how the suspect could have skirted Illinois relatively strict gun laws to legally purchase five weapons, including the high-powered rifle used in the shooting, despite authorities being called to his home twice in 2019 for threats of violence and suicide.

Police went to the home following a call from a family member who said Crimo was threatening to kill everyone there.

Covelli said police confiscated 16 knives, a dagger and a sword, but said there was no sign he had any guns at the time, in September 2019. Police in April 2019 also responded to a reported suicide attempt by Crimo, Covelli said.

Illinois state police, who issue gun owners licenses, said Crimo applied for a license in December 2019, when he was 19. His father sponsored his application, and he purchased the semi-automatic rifles in 2020, according to Covelli.

In all, police said, he purchased five firearms, which were recovered by officers at his fathers home.

He purchased four of the guns while he was under 21 and bought a fifth after his birthday last year.
For love, one finds a way.

Even through common travel blunders, a weeklong over-indulgence and a catamaran injury to the bride the night before her wedding, one still finds a way.

When my friend and his now wife were venting about the officiant of their destination wedding, without hesitation, I said, Ill get ordained.

The task was undeniably gratifying, and continuing to perform weddings for others is something worth my consideration.

Contemporary ceremonies

Couples utilizing a non-denominational wedding officiant is not uncommon. According to the city of Albuquerque, the Planning Department no longer keeps information on how many wedding officiants are registered as businesses in the city. However, The Knot, a popular wedding site, lists 20 officiants in Albuquerque.

Roy Ricci and his wife, Kelly, run Amor Ceremonies in Albuquerque and have been part of the wedding industry for 17 years. They are non-denominational wedding officiants, but were both traditionally ordained in their respective churches.

I find it very rewarding for both of us, Roy Ricci said about performing a wedding. No matter what, we come home happy. It lifts us up; it almost reinforces our own feelings for each other.  Its good for everybody.

Amor Ceremonies has won multiple awards, including being named best officiant on Wedding Wire and Perfect Wedding Guide, and the accolades can be attributed to their flexibility, accommodation and acceptance of love without boundaries.

The Riccis are normally booked in advance by organized couples, but they have performed day-of ceremonies in parks, their driveway or even the airport.

After same-sex marriage was approved in New Mexico in 2013, Roy Ricci said they did 300 weddings within a year after. One couple even flew into Albuquerque, got off the plane, found two witnesses, got married, and got back on the next flight out, he said.

Marriage has a definition, but its rather subjective in regard to how the betrothed-turned-newlyweds approach their life together. Theres no one generic script  especially in the contemporary era. Each ceremony offers a new take on love.

Though Amor Ceremonies averages around 100 bookings a year, Roy Ricci admitted he still gets chills just talking about performing weddings for people. Its almost the same perspective, but in a different way. Its fun, I still enjoy it.

Due to the modern shift in wedding ceremonies, non-denominational wedding officiants have become a legitimate option for couples to consider.

Everyones accepted

I took the online route to ordainment through Universal Life Church. The old cliche suggests becoming an officiant takes a mere five minutes. Thats an exaggeration; it takes far less time than that.

George Freeman has been the head chaplain at ULC for 16 years, and says the church accepts all people.

It seems to me, our conscious level is speeding up.  We gotta stick together, or were going to fall apart collectively, he said.

ULC has millions of members from different backgrounds and belief systems. It allows individuals to become legally ordained at no cost. Freeman noted that in the last five years, ULCs ordinations in New Mexico have increased over 60%, which is far above the global average of 40%.

More and more people are not attending formal churches, Freeman explained. Regardless of who you are, if youre in love, youre in love, and its not a crime.

To be a wedding officiant, its important to be well-versed in the legal process of marriage. Each state, even each county, has its own laws, which can be found on any citys website. With this in mind, my performance abroad was a mere formality. The couple were legally married in North Carolina by another ordained minister before they left for the Dominican Republic.

Lifes a beach

After landing in the Dominican Republic, everything was going to plan. Most had abandoned their useless quarrels with the airlines the moment they were granted access to paradise by the impassive customs workers. The resort was all-inclusive, so the group wandered freely from restaurant to restaurant, pool to pool, bar to bar, lounge chair to lounge chair.

At one of the many shops, I purchased a Panama Jack hat for the ceremony. One doesnt truly embrace the tourist role until you make questionable fashion choices to fit in with a culture.

Yes, the resort had everything, except a hospital, of course.

The afternoon before the ceremony was scheduled to take place, a majority of the wedding guests boarded a catamaran to sail down the coast. Lets just say that moving boats, a slick deck, alcohol and the Cupid Shuffle dont bode well for balance. Our lovely bride slipped and suffered a distended ligament in her knee, forcing an off-resort doctors visit. The physician informed her she would be in a wheelchair the rest of the trip. She wasnt happy about missing the one small walk she had been planning her whole life.

Her bridesmaids prescribed enough motivation to help her make that walk.

The ceremony was on the sand, shoes optional. The invitees relaxed, draped in short flowy dresses and linen suits. The cadence of the tame current complemented the ambiance of sea-foam stretching toward distant nothingness in the backdrop. Random beachgoers swiveled their loungers and other guests leaned against their balcony rails to catch a glimpse of the union of two soulmates.

Then the bride and groom took turns saying I do, and I vested my power.

All for love

Being an ordained minister allows you to provide memories and collect a few of your own. This specific tale is one of support, as love is something that is earned and should be recognized.

People are people, Roy Ricci said about marriage. Its part of humanity.  If two people are in love, why should culture get in the way?

Every couples fairy tale deserves a happy ending because each journey is unique, because for love, people find their way.

UpFront is a Journal front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Carl Knauf at 505-823-3856 or cknauf@abqjournal.com.
China criticizes U.S. attempt to ban Dutch chipmaking tech exports to China

Xinhua) 08:20, July 07, 2022

BEIJING, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Wednesday censured the United States for pushing a Dutch supplier to stop selling chipmaking gear to China, calling the U.S. moves a typical example of "tech-terrorism."

Zhao made the remarks at a regular press briefing when answering a query on reports that the U.S. is pushing the Netherlands to ban ASML Holding NV from selling mainstream technology, the most advanced systems, or DUV to China.

"It is another example of the United States abusing its national power and relying on technological hegemony to engage in coercive diplomacy," Zhao said.

Zhao said that in the current context of globalization, the United States has repeatedly politicized, instrumentalized and ideologically oriented on technology and economic and trade issues, and imposed "technological blockades" on other countries, which will only make these countries realize that relying solely on the United States for technology will not work.

"This will also prompt countries to accelerate their realization of scientific and technological independence and self-reliance," the spokesperson added.

Zhao also said he hopes that relevant parties will uphold objective and impartial positions, proceed according to their own long-term interests and the principle of a fair and just market, and make decisions independently.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun)
BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) -- As food shortage grips many parts of the world, with the United Nations (UN) warning of "an unprecedented global hunger crisis," China's success story in grain self-sufficiency might help soothe the frayed market nerve.

Deemed the world's largest grain producer, China has secured a bumper wheat yield in the summer harvest, which traditionally accounts for one-fifth of its annual grain output. It has also completed nearly 80 percent of summer sowing of corn and other crops. The country is well on its course to surpassing 650 million tonnes of grain output for another year.

Securing such mammoth production is anything but easy, as Omicron flare-ups had disrupted the spring farming earlier this year and snarled up traffic when crop harvesters rumbled across the country for summer harvest. Late seeding of wheat due to heavy autumn precipitation last year and rising prices of agricultural input were among other headwinds.

China's stable performance against all odds is not a coincidence. Rather, it is a result of the country's decades of efforts to achieve grain self-sufficiency.

With a population of 1.4 billion to feed, China has a stronger sense of urgency when it comes to the food supply. Yet it has only 9 percent of the world's arable land and 6 percent of the freshwater resource, making food security always an uphill task for the country. In fact, the World Food Programme stopped its grain aid to China as late as 2005.

In light of the situation on the ground, China's ability to feed itself is a major contribution to the world, and this is particularly true when rising food prices have gripped many countries. Any sign of food insecurity in China would be unaffordable for the world now.

This is why China spared no efforts to ensure spring farming and summer harvest despite recent Omicron outbreaks when some developed countries were busy playing the blame game for the food crisis.

According to the latest UN report, the world is moving backward in efforts to eliminate hunger and malnutrition, as the number of people affected by hunger globally shot up to a startling 828 million in 2021.

However, the good news is that China's efforts to become self-sufficient in food crops have paid off. Grain output has been above 650 million tonnes for seven solid years. The per capita food supply is well above the international standard of 400 kg. The country has achieved basic self-sufficiency in grain and absolute security in staple food.

China's food crop production strategy is based on science and technology. The contribution rate of scientific and technological advances to its agriculture has risen sharply over the past few years, and the figure is expected to reach 64 percent by 2025.

Moreover, China does not stash its agricultural technologies. It shares them with the rest of the world.

Last week, a trial planting of Chinese water-saving and drought-resistant rice in Botswana was announced a success. This is believed to be of great importance to the food security of the southern African country.

With a combined agricultural GDP accounting for more than half the world total, BRICS, an emerging-market group that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, adopted a document on food security cooperation and established a forum on the agricultural and rural affairs on the sidelines of their most recent summit.

Actions speak louder than words. China not only cares about its own "rice bowls," but also works for the welfare of the rest of the world. 
KYIV, Ukraine  Foreign analysts say Russia may be temporarily easing its offensive in eastern Ukraine as the Russian military attempts to reassemble its forces for what it hopes could prove decisive new assault on its neighbor. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned menacingly on Thursday that his forces havent even started to fight.

Russian forces made no claimed or assessed territorial gains in Ukraine on Wednesday for the first time in 133 days of war, according to the Institute for the Study of War. The Washington-based think tank suggested Moscow may be taking an operational pause, but said that does not entail the complete cessation of active hostilities.

Russian forces will likely confine themselves to relatively small-scale offensive actions as they attempt to set conditions for more significant offensive operations and rebuild the necessary combat power, the institute said.

Russias Defense Ministry seemed to confirm that assessment, saying in a statement Thursday that Russian soldiers had been given time to rest.

The units that performed combat missions  are taking measures to recover their combat capabilities. The servicemen are given the opportunity to rest, receive letters and parcels from home, read the statement, quoted by Russian state news agency Tass.

Putin warned Kyiv it should quickly accept Moscows terms to end the fighting or brace for the worst.

Everybody should know that largely speaking, we havent even yet started anything in earnest, he said in a menacing note.

Shelling continued in Ukraines east, with the mayor of one Donetsk region city saying it was hit by the most powerful strike since the war began.

Kramatorsk Mayor Oleksandr Gorchenko said a Russian missile hit in the vicinity of the local government buildings shortly after noon. The city has been the center of the Donetsk regional government since 2014, when the city of Donetsk was taken over by Kremlin-backed separatists.

Earlier on Thursday, regional officials said at least one person was killed and six more were injured in the strike.

Volodymyr, 66, a resident who declined to provide his full name, sat in his overturned apartment, covered in blood.

I was just sitting and drinking tea, and then there was an explosion, he told the Associated Press. You can see the result of it.

Asked if he felt safe staying in his apartment building block, he responded: Is it safe right now anywhere in Ukraine? It all just happened in one moment, and that was it.

In Kharkiv, Ukraines second largest city, police said three people died and five were injured after the Nemyshlyanskii neighborhood was blasted from multiple-launch rocket systems.

People suffered, for what? local resident Sergey Pershin said as he watched medics tend to the wounded and put the dead in body bags.

Its horrible. Im so sick of it. Every night you wake up 10 times, you wait for it to end, wait until they start shooting. What are the bastards doing? There are residential buildings here.

The Kharkiv region, which lies along the border with Russia, comes under daily shelling.

In Donetsk, 10 cities and villages came under shelling, and 35 buildings were destroyed, including a school, a vocational college and a hospital, officials said.

Donetsk is part of the Donbas, a mostly Russian-speaking industrial area where Ukraines most experienced soldiers are concentrated. Pro-Russian separatists have fought Ukrainian forces and controlled much of the Donbas for eight years. Putin recognized the independence of two self-proclaimed republics there just before Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Putin on Monday claimed victory in Luhansk, the other Donbas province, after Ukrainian forces withdrew from the last city they controlled there. The governor of Luhansk, Serhiy Haidai, denied Wednesday that the Russians had completely captured the province.

The Ukrainian military said Thursday that Russian forces also carried out shelling and helicopter strikes in the Sumy region in the northeast.

Even as the fighting continued, the British Defense Ministry said it thinks Russias military is reconstituting its forces. A ministry intelligence assessment issued Thursday said the heavy shelling along the front line in Donetsk is likely intended to secure previous Russian gains.

Further hostilities were reported in the Black Sea. The Ukrainian military said Thursday a national flag again stood on a strategic island that Russian troops withdrew from last month.

Ukraines southern military command said Ukrainian military units had cleared Snake Island, an outpost off Ukraines southwestern coast vital for guaranteeing sea lanes out of Odesa, Ukraines biggest port.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the operation to take back the island took two months and was carried out by an array of military and intelligence forces.

And now let every Russian captain, whether of a ship or a plane, see the Ukrainian flag on Snake Island and know that our state cannot be broken, he said in his nightly video address.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday that a Russian military aircraft launched a missile strike on the island as Ukrainian forces attempted to plant the flag. As a result, some of the Ukrainian military personnel were destroyed, the rest fled, the ministry said. The claim could not be immediately verified.

When Russian troops withdrew from Snake Island on June 30, the Defense Ministry described it as a a goodwill gesture to ensure Ukrainian grain and other exports could resume.

Ukraine said Russia also fired two missiles at a Moldovan-flagged oil tanker in the Black Sea, setting it ablaze. Ukrainian officials said one hit the Millennial Spirit, which carried over 500 tons of diesel fuel, while the other went wide.

The ship has been without a crew, drifting at sea since the start of the war in February. Russia did not immediately acknowledge the strike on the vessel.

Ukraines Foreign Ministry said it summoned the Turkish ambassador in Kyiv on Thursday over what it described as the theft of Ukrainian grain by a Russian ship.

The Zhibek Zholy was allowed to leave Turkeys Black Sea coast after Turkish authorities briefly detained it at Ukraines request. Ukraine summoned the ambassador to complain.

Turkey, with its Bosporus Strait, is the key transit route for shipping out of the Black Sea. Ukraine has sought to pressure Ankara to stop Russian shipments of its grain, a vital source of revenue.

Also Thursday:

Zelenskyy said he spoke with Boris Johnson just hours after the British prime minister announced he would step down. Zelenskyy said he thanked Johnson, who visited Kyiv twice after the war began, for his support and especially for the weapons and money Britain has sent to Ukraine.

And although this reflects the position of British society, the leadership and charisma of the countrys leader always have special meaning.  Its not surprising that Ukrainians feel a personal gratitude to Boris, Zelenskyy said in his nightly address. He said Johnson and other British officials reassured him this strong support would continue.

___

Associated Press journalists Francesca Ebel in Kramatorsk, Ukraine; Jon Gambrell in Lviv, Ukraine; and Cara Anna in Kharkiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.

___

Follow APs coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
YUMA, Ariz.  Prosecutors are seeking a one-year prison sentence for a school board member in southern Arizona for illegally collecting four early ballots during the 2020 primary election.

But if probation is imposed instead, prosecutors said the judge should then enforce a provision of Guillermina Fuentes plea deal that bars her from holding public office while on probation. Fuentes and another woman, Alma Juarez, were scheduled to be sentenced Thursday on a ballot abuse conviction in Yuma, but the hearing has been postponed until Sept. 1.

Authorities say Fuentes and Juarez participated in ballot harvesting. Thats a practice once used by both political parties to boost turnout but was made illegal by a 2016 state law that barred anyone but a family member or caregiver from returning early ballots for another person. Its the only case filed so far by the state attorney general under the law, which the U.S. Supreme Court upheld last year.

Authorities say Fuentes, a former San Luis mayor, ran a sophisticated operation using her status in Democratic politics in the Arizona border city to persuade voters to let her gather and, in some cases, fill out their ballots. But the crime she admitted in court last month does not involve filling out ballots or any broader efforts.

In a court filing Wednesday, prosecutors said Fuentes appears to have been caught on video running a modern-day political machine seeking to influence the outcome of the municipal election in San Luis, collecting votes through illegal methods, and then using another person to bring the ballots the last few yards into the ballot box.

In a statement, Anne Chapman, an attorney representing Fuentes, said her client had requested a hearing before her sentencing to present mitigating evidence because the request for her to serve a year in prison was clearly excessive. Chapman also said the filing by prosecutors is based largely on reports from Fuentes longtime political opponents and that none of the allegations in the document have been evaluated or tested through appropriate processes.

Fuentes and Juarez each pleaded guilty to a charge of ballot abuse, acknowledging they collected early ballots for people who werent family members, didnt live with them or werent receiving care from them.

Fuentes conviction is a felony punishable by as little as probation or as much as two years in prison. Juarezs conviction is a misdemeanor, and under her plea agreement, if she has cooperated as promised she will be sentenced to probation and prosecutors will not seek jail time.

Three other felony charges, accusing Fuentes of filling out one voters ballot and forging signatures on some of the four ballots she illegally returned, were dismissed.

Republicans repeating unsupported claims that President Donald Trump would have been reelected if not for widespread voting fraud have cited this case as part of a broader pattern in battleground states, but the evidence suggests it didnt extend beyond small-town politics.

Attorney Generals Office investigation records obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request show that fewer than a dozen ballots could be linked to Fuentes, not enough to make a difference in all but the tightest local races.

The office of Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican seeking his partys U.S. Senate nomination, provided the records after delays of more than 15 months.

Fuentes and Juarez were seen with several mail-in envelopes outside a cultural center in San Luis on the day of the 2020 primary election, according to reports from investigators. The ballots were taken inside and dropped in a ballot box.

Fuentes was recorded on video by a write-in candidate who called the Yuma County sheriff.

An investigation was launched that day, and about 50 ballots checked for fingerprints, which were inconclusive. The investigation was taken over by the attorney generals office within days, with investigators collaborating with sheriffs deputies to interview voters, Fuentes and others.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

A SWAT standoff in Southeast Albuquerque on Wednesday night ended with the suspect fleeing the house after it caught fire and a boy  believed to be in his early teens  found dead inside.

Police arrested 27-year-old Qiaunt Kelley on felony warrants outside the home in the 8100 block of San Joaquin SE. Authorities said he is also a person of interest in several violent crimes.

In a Thursday afternoon briefing, Albuquerque Police Department Chief Harold Medina said they have not identified the boy who died but said they believe he was 14 years old and went to the home with Kelley.

Medina said no officers fired their weapons during the hourslong incident, and investigators are working to determine what caused the blaze. He said an autopsy will be done on Friday to determine how the boy died.

By Thursday evening dozens of people gathered at Central and Wyoming to protest the death of the teen, who was Black. They waved signs that said Black Lives Matter and (expletive) the police.

Those who lived at the home wondered whether gas canisters fired by the SWAT team sparked the fire, which also destroyed the home, killed a dog and displaced the family.

Elizabeth Fields said her sister Sundra Coleman owns the house, which was handed down from their mother when she died in 2017. Fields said two young guys were visiting her sisters son when SWAT showed up with guns drawn, ordered everyone out of the residence and put several of her family members in handcuffs.

She said they didnt realize that the two males had gone back in the house.

And then they start pulling off the windows, they started removing the doors, they had a machine that ripped up the tree, and so then they started throwing gas bombs in there, Fields said, adding that the whole house went up in flames.

Medina said the SWAT team used an unknown number of Flameless Tri-Chamber tear gas canisters and rounds of powder-based chemicals into the home more than an hour before smoke was seen.

Theyre built in a way thats supposed to reduce the likelihood of causing a fire. And its something we use over and over  in tons of calls, he said of the canisters.

Medina pointed out that there are stories of the devices possibly causing fires in other parts of the country but it had never been reported here in Albuquerque.

APD Sgt. Michael Jones showed a tear gas canister, which is manually thrown into the home, and Ferret rounds of powdered tear gas and pepper spray, which are fired from launchers into the ceiling.

The goal is to make it uncomfortable for the subject and propel the subject to come out  peacefully, Jones said.

The incident began Wednesday evening with a search for Kelley, who police said was wanted on a warrant for auto theft from Santa Fe and a federal warrant for a probation violation.

Kelley has a criminal history that includes arrests and some convictions for carjacking, armed robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and auto theft.

Medina said officers with the Investigative Services Unit were out looking for Kelley and found him with the boy. He said they followed the pair to the home where they were seen working on a motorcycle, which turned out to be stolen, in the front yard.

Medina said detectives moved in to arrest Kelley around 6:50 p.m., and the two ran inside the home. He said a judge signed a warrant at 9:05 p.m. and the SWAT team was called in, sparking a standoff.

Medina said, in the hours that followed, the boy came out of the house and went back inside of his own will, and tear gas and other less-lethal chemicals were used.

Around 1 a.m. we do know that one munition was put into the home  were working to determine  if this munition caused the fire, he said. Medina said an hour and 20 minutes went by between the last tear gas canister being used and the fire breaking out.

Albuquerque Fire Rescue said in a release that APD requested fire crews around 2:45 a.m. when smoke was seen coming from the roof of the home.

Police were dealing with a barricade(d) subject within the structure when they noticed active flames, according to the release. Fire crews were asked to extinguish the fire but due to the subject still being barricaded they were forced to fight it from outside in coordination with APD.

The suspect exited the home as the fire was being put out and fire crews went inside and found the dead male, according to the release. One firefighter sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene.

Medina said they have received different information on the boys identity, first hearing it was Kelleys little brother  which turned out to be false. He said at one point they were told it was a man in his 30s but APD believes he is a teen.

Were getting a lot of mixed information from community members, Medina said, adding we just know that this was a young individual that hung out with Mr. Kelley.

He also addressed allegations that police fired actual bullets at the home and let the house burn down, citing the difficulty with letting fire crews fight a fire with a person believed to be armed and dangerous inside.

Medina said a gun was seen in plain sight in the vehicle Kelley and the boy arrived in.

He said APD asked Albuquerque Fire Rescue to assist in determining the origin of the fire and the Multi-Agency Task Force is working to get to the root of what occurred.

Medina asked that anyone with video or information on the incident to come forward.

He said the people living at the home were not full-time residents but were displaced by the fire. Medina said APD worked with the Community Safety Department to find them housing for 90 days, food, diapers and other resources.

In a video posted to YouTube, the SWAT team appears to fire multiple canisters before gas or smoke appears to waft from the home. A woman can be heard expressing concern about her dogs inside.

The smoke or gas appears to dissipate soon after and onlookers, neighbors and others confront officers near the crime scene tape before the video ends.

By Thursday afternoon, the charred frame of the house could be seen and those who lived there as well as neighbors expressed anger at the situation.

Its demolished, said Olivia Archie, who was in the home before police began ordering the suspect to come out.

With one of the two family dogs dead and the home a total loss, Fields called APDs actions overkill.

They didnt save a life and they burned down a family home that we cant get back, Fields said. She continued, They said, Well, we were trying to negotiate, its 2022! These are Black men that fear the police. You really thought you were going get them to come out the house?

Journal photographer Adolphe Pierre-Louis and Journal City Editor Martin Salazar contributed to this report.
CATCHES OF THE WEEK

At Bluewater Lake, Floyd Duran of Albuquerque caught a 36-inch tiger muskie using a green and orange Rapala lure while trolling June 30.  Nathan Dawes, 9, of Rio Rancho caught and released a 39-inch tiger muskie using a shad pattern crankbait June 28.

At Canjilon Lakes, Bernadette Gallegos of Albuquerque caught a 17-inch rainbow trout using a Pistol Pete spinner fly June 25.  Avigail and Aleaya Medina, 12 and 10, of Santa Fe caught a 20-inch and 19-inch rainbow trout using pink Berkley Power Worms on June 25.

Dawn CdeBaca and her father, Don CdeBaca, both of Las Vegas caught their limits of trout at Charette Lakes using salmon eggs, worms and PowerBait on June 30.

Ensley Aguilar of Kewa Pueblo caught a 38-inch pike at Cochiti Lake using a shad pattern glide swimbait June 29.

Mikey Mora of El Paso caught a 19-inch golden rainbow trout at Grindstone Reservoir using worms June 25.

Lisa Salas of Albuquerque caught a 21-inch rainbow trout on the Pecos River using worms June 25.

Serenity Cardenas of Albuquerque caught a 26-inch carp on the Rio Grande using pink corn at a spillway into the river near Tingley Beach on June 30.

Shane Ebbets, 9, of Albuquerque caught an 18-inch rainbow trout at Santa Cruz Reservoir using green PowerBait on June 17.

Aaron Gutierrez of Albuquerque caught a 15-inch white bass at Sumner Lake using a prop lure June 24.

If you have a catch of the week story, send it to funfishingnm@gmail.com.

NOTES FROM GAME & FISH

Northeast

Cabresto Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout at Charette Lakes was good using salmon eggs, worms and PowerBait.

Streamflow on the Cimarron River near Cimarron on Monday morning was 10.7 cubic feet per second (cfs).

Fishing for trout at Clayton Lake was good using PowerBait. Fishing for walleye was fair using fake minnows. Fishing for catfish was fair to good using chicken liver and homemade dough baits.

Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass at Conchas Lake was good using spinnerbaits and shad pattern crankbaits.

At Costilla Creek, the department is implementing the final phase of a project to expand Rio Grande cutthroat trout in 120 miles of the Costilla watershed in northern New Mexico. The final phase involves the removal of fish within a designated area (Rio Costilla from Costilla Dam downstream to the Valle Vidal Boundary, including all tributaries and Comanche Creek from the road culvert crossing on Forest Road 1950 downstream to its confluence with Rio Costilla and all tributaries). Tentative stocking of Rio Grande cutthroat trout is set for spring 2023. Places to fish nearby include Costilla Creek below the fish barrier, Upper Comanche Creek, Shuree Ponds, Upper Powderhouse Creek, Little Costilla Creek, Vidal Creek and McCrystal Creek. National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access. Visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at 505-758-6200 for the latest closure information.

National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access at Cowles Ponds. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest closure information.

Coyote Creek had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for rainbow trout at Eagle Nest Lake was fair to good using worms, salmon eggs and salmon peach PowerBait.

Eagle Rock Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access at the Gallinas River. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest closure information.

National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access at Hopewell Lake. Visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at 505-758-6200 for the latest closure information.

Lake Alice had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout at Lake Maloya was good using PowerBait, Pistol Pete spinner flies, corn and dough bait.

National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access at Los Pinos River. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest closure information.

Maxwell Lake 13 had no reports from anglers this week.

The department will be conducting a native fish restoration project in Middle Ponil Creek from July 11-17 to remove non-native, hybrid fish to create suitable habitat for stocking Rio Grande cutthroat trout rescued from the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. Public access will be restricted from the headwaters to the Forest Road 1910 crossing. Cimarron Campground and Upper Shuree Pond will remain open.

Monastery Lake is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information, visit the Open Gate webpage.

State Park closures have been in place restricting fishing access at Morphy Lake. Visit Morphy Lake State Parks webpage or call 575-387-2328 for the latest closure information.

Streamflow on the Pecos River near Pecos on Monday morning was 358 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using worms. National Forest and State Park closures are in place restricting fishing access to much of the Pecos River. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest forest closure information. Visit Pecos Canyon State Parks webpage or call 505-670-8196 for the latest park closure information.

Streamflow on the Red River below the Red River Hatchery on Monday morning was 105 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using salmon eggs, beadhead nymph flies, hares-ear nymph flies and dry flies in the mornings and evenings.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday morning was 376 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using black and gold Panther Martin spinners near Pilar. Fishing for bass was fair using Panther Martin spinners.

Streamflow on the Rio Hondo near Valdez on Monday morning was 54.4 cfs. National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access. Visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at 505-758-6200 for the latest closure information.

Streamflow on the Rio Mora near Terrero on Monday morning was 181 cfs. National Forest and State Park closures have been in place restricting fishing access to the Rio Mora. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest forest closure information. Visit Pecos Canyon State Parks webpage or call 505-670-8196 for the latest park closure information.

Streamflow on the Rio Pueblo near Penasco on Monday morning was 46.8 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using stimulator flies and red Copper John flies. Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access. Visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at 505-758-6200 for the latest closure information.

Fishing for trout at Santa Cruz Reservoir was fair to good using green PowerBait.

Shuree Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish at Springer Lake was good using chicken liver and nightcrawler worms.

Fishing for trout at Storrie Lake was very good using pink and orange PowerBait.

Stubblefield Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for walleye at Ute Lake was good using Walleye Diver lures, Flicker Shad lures and trolling lures that dive to 12-feet deep. Fishing for white bass was good using topwater baits. Fishing for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass was good using stick worms, artificial crawdad baits, jigs and tube baits in 10 to 14 feet of water. Fishing for crappie was fair to good using live minnows at night under artificial lights at night near brush. Fishing for catfish was good using Magic Bait and Danny Kings Catfish Punch Bait. Fishing for bluegill was good using nightcrawler worms. The main lake water surface temperature was in the 70s range and the water clarity was clear.

Northwest fishing report

Abiquiu Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Streamflow on the Animas River below Aztec on Monday morning was 568 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for tiger muskie at Bluewater Lake was good using green and orange Rapala lures and shad pattern crankbaits.

Fishing for trout on the Brazos River was good using worms.

Fishing for trout at Canjilon Lakes was good using Pistol Pete spinner flies and orange PowerBait. National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access. Visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at 505-758-6200 for the latest closure information.

Streamflow on the Chama River below El Vado Lake and below Abiquiu Lake on Monday morning was 583 cfs and 91.6 cfs, respectively. Fishing for trout below Abiquiu Lake was fair to good using worms and bead-head nymph flies. Please remember, from the river-crossing bridge on U.S. Highway 84 at Abiquiu upstream 7 miles to the base of Abiquiu Dam is special trout waters with a bag limit of two trout only.

Fishing for pike at Cochiti Lake was fair to good using swimbaits. Fishing for crappie was slow to fair using swimbaits. Fishing for catfish was good using chicken liver, hot dogs and worms.

El Vado Lake can be accessed at Hargroves Day Use Area off State Road 322 and the Main Park area off State Road 112. The Rio Chama can be accessed at the North El Vado Day Use Area on State Road 95, 10 miles west of U.S. Highway 84. Lake levels are steady but expected to drop as crews work on El Vado Dam. The Dam Day Use Area is closed due to the ongoing construction. State Road 112 over the dam will experience periodic closures. For more information, visit El Vado Lake State Parks webpage or call 575-588-7247.

Fishing for trout at Fenton Lake was very good using nymph flies, worms, salmon eggs and garlic PowerBait.

Grants Riverwalk Pond has dried up due to pump failure. The city is planning to repair the pumps but is taking this opportunity to dredge the pond. They expect the pond to be offline for at least two to three months. Fish stocking will be discontinued until all work is done.

Fishing for trout at Heron Lake from shore was fair to good using garlic PowerBait.

At the Jemez Waters, streamflow near Jemez on Monday morning was 79.9 cfs. National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest closure information.

Fishing for trout at Laguna del Campo was good using PowerBait and spinners.

National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access at Lagunitas Lakes. Visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at 505-758-6200 for the latest closure information.

Lake Farmington had no reports from anglers this week.

Stocking efforts have been suspended due to extremely low water levels and unstable ground conditions at McGaffey Lake. Lake conditions will be monitored and stocking will resume once conditions improve.

Fishing for pike at Navajo Lake was fair to good using rainbow trout pattern Rapala lures and swimbaits. Fishing for smallmouth bass was good using plastic worms and Ned rigs in 20 feet of water. Fishing for trout was slow to fair using spinners. Fishing for kokanee salmon was slow to fair using spinners tipped with corn.

Fishing for catfish on the Rio Grande near Albuquerque was fair to good using chicken liver and cut bait.

Riverside Park Pond (Aztec Pond #1) had no reports from anglers this week.

National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access at San Gregorio Lake. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest closure information.

Streamflow on the San Juan River near Archuleta on Monday morning was 387 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was fair to good using size 24 grey foam wing emerger flies and size 24 root beer midge emerger flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was good using worms and PowerBait.

Fishing for trout at Seven Springs Brood Pond was good using PowerBait.

Tiger Park Reservoir had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish at Tingley Beach was fair to good using dough bait and shrimp.

Fishing for trout at Trout Lakes was good using pink PowerBait, corn and salmon eggs. National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access. Visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at 505-758-6200 for the latest closure information.

Southwest fishing report

Fishing for bass at Alumni Pond was fair to good using natural-color plastic worms.

Fishing for all species was slow at Bear Canyon Lake.

Fishing for catfish at Bill Evans Lake was good using homemade dough bait and live worms at night.

Fishing for crappie at Caballo Lake was slow using live minnows and small jigs. Fishing for bass was slow to fair using crankbaits. Fishing for walleye was good using small red deep-diving crankbaits. Fishing for white bass was fair using small crankbaits.

Fishing for catfish at Elephant Butte Lake was good using cut carp bait. Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was fair to good using gold-blade spinners. Fishing for white bass was good using Blue Fox spinners and white Bombers. Fishing for crappie was fair to good using green grubs and live minnows. Fishing for walleye was slow using green grubs, nightcrawler worms and curly tail grubs.

Fishing for catfish at Escondida Lake was fair using shrimp and nightcrawler worms.

Streamflow on the Gila River near Gila on Monday morning was 318 cfs.

Fishing for trout at Glenwood Pond was fair using Rooster Tail spinners.

Fishing for trout at Lake Roberts was fair using salmon eggs and PowerBait. Fishing for catfish was good using chicken liver.

Percha Dam had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout at Quemado Lake was good using dry flies during the morning and nymph flies in the afternoon.

Rancho Grande Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish on the Rio Grande was fair to good using cut bait and homemade dough bait.

Snow Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for bass at Trees Lake was good using lipless crankbaits. Fishing for catfish was good using cut carp bait and live worms.

Fishing for all species was slow at Young Pond.

Southeast fishing report

Fishing for trout at Alto Lake was slow using worms. Fishing for catfish was fair using nightcrawler worms.

Fishing for catfish at Bataan Lake was fair using chicken liver.

Berrendo Creek had no reports from anglers this week. Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on this property.

Streamflow on the Black River at Malaga on Monday morning was 9.23 cfs. Fishing for bass was fair to good using swimbaits.

Blue Hole Park Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Bonito Lake is closed until further notice by the city of Alamogordo due to fire damage. It appears that the lake will be out of commission until later this year.

Fishing for catfish at Bosque Redondo Lake was fair using nightcrawler worms. Fishing for bluegill was good using nightcrawler worms.

Bottomless Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for largemouth bass at Brantley Lake was fair using wacky-rigged Senko worms. Fishing for catfish was fair using nightcrawler worms.

Fishing for catfish at Carlsbad Municipal Lake was fair using worms.

Chaparral Park Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Corona Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish at Eunice Lake was slow to fair using stink bait.

Green Meadow Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish at Greene Acres Lake was good using chicken liver and cut shad bait.

Fishing for trout at Grindstone Reservoir was fair to good using worms and peach PowerBait.

Fishing for catfish at Jal Lake was fair using hot dogs.

Lake Van had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish at Oasis Park Lake was fair to good using hot dogs and worms.

Streamflow on the Pecos River below Sumner Lake on Monday morning was 735 cfs.

Perch Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for rainbow trout at Rio Bonito was good using worms.

Rock Lake Hatchery Kids Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Streamflow on the Ruidoso River at Hollywood on Monday morning was 9.40 cfs.

Boat ramp temporarily closed for water release at Santa Rosa Lake.

Fishing for white bass at Sumner Lake was fair using prop lures.

Timberon Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Its official: School social workers and other instructional support providers in Albuquerque will be paid the same as their peers in classrooms next school year.

Albuquerque Public Schools board members said they were pleased to bring the same base salaries legislated for teachers earlier this year to other licensed employees. They voted 6-0 on Wednesday to finalize an agreement between the district and the Albuquerque Teachers Federation to do so. Board member Crystal Tapia-Romero was absent.

Im happy that this finally happened, board member Josefina Dominguez said.

The agreement covers counselors, social workers, nurses and several other instructional support providers that ATF President Ellen Bernstein said play a critical role in the social, emotional and educational success of every student.

Most of those employees were left behind by this years raises for teachers and some counselors, Bernstein has said. That resulted in a roughly 13% gap between the raises teachers got and the ones some instructional support providers got this year, she said.

This district and this union just stepped up with a commitment to make sure theyre paid the same, Bernstein said.

The agreement, which went into effect last Friday, merged several salary matrices together, district and union officials said. Some employees on the third matrix will work 10 additional days that will be paid through an extended contract, according to the agreement.

It also does away with the Career Pathway System, an advancement system based on several factors, including experience, degrees and professional portfolios.

Kathie Hager, a counselor at North Star Elementary School, applauded the end of the system because she said the requirements didnt seem fair to her, and that they made it difficult to do her job.

(Dissolving) it means that, hopefully, counselors, social workers  will get paid according to what their state licensure is, she said during an early June interview.

Criteria for advancing through salary matrices, according to the agreement, will be based on a combination of state licensure levels and at least three years of successful practice per level.

District officials have argued that APS hasnt been sufficiently funded by the state to cover the raises lawmakers passed this year, and board members reiterated those concerns on Wednesday. Board member Barbara Petersen pointed out that ensuring the same raises across the board was a matter of equity.

Were not sufficiently funded through the salary matrix that we got from the state, Petersen said. I hope that at some point soon, the state steps up  I think we can be really proud that, within APS, that thats been addressed.
ST. PAUL, Minn.  A federal judge on Thursday sentenced Derek Chauvin to 21 years in prison for violating George Floyds civil rights, telling the former Minneapolis police officer that what he did was simply wrong and offensive.

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson sharply criticized Chauvin for his actions on May 25, 2020, even as he opted for the low end of a sentencing range called for in a plea agreement. Chauvin, who is white, pinned Floyd to the pavement outside a Minneapolis corner store for more than nine minutes as the Black man pleaded, I cant breathe, and became unresponsive.

Floyds killing sparked protests worldwide in a reckoning over police brutality and racism.

I really dont know why you did what you did, Magnuson said. To put your knee on a persons neck until they expired is simply wrong.  Your conduct is wrong and it is offensive.

Magnuson, who earlier this year presided over the federal trial and convictions of three other officers at the scene, blamed Chauvin alone for what happened. Chauvin was by far the senior officer present as police tried to arrest Floyd while responding to a 911 call accusing him of using a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes. And Chauvin rebuffed questions from one of the other officers about whether Floyd should be turned on his side.

You absolutely destroyed the lives of three young officers by taking command of the scene, Magnuson said.

Chauvins plea agreement called for a sentence of 20 to 25 years to be served concurrent with a 22 1/2-year sentence for his state conviction of murder and manslaughter charges.

Because of differences in parole eligibility in the state and federal systems, it means that Chauvin will serve slightly more time behind bars than he would have on the state sentence alone. He would be eligible for parole after 15 years on the state sentence, but must serve almost 18 years of his federal time before he could be released.

He will also do his time in the federal system, where he may be safer and may be held under fewer restrictions than in the state system.

Chauvin attorney Eric Nelson had asked for 20 years, arguing that Chauvin was remorseful and would make that clear to the court. But Chauvin, in brief remarks, made no direct apology or expression of remorse to Floyds family.

Instead, he told the family that he wishes Floyds children all the best in their life.

Chauvin wore an orange prison uniform and a protective mask, according to pool media reports from the courtroom. He waved at family and friends in the gallery as he entered. The media reports made no mention of visible reaction by Chauvin to any part of the hearing.

Prosecutor LeeAnn Bell asked Magnuson to give Chauvin the full 25 years possible in the plea deal, highlighting the special responsibility that he had as a police officer to care for the people in his custody.

He wasnt a rookie, Bell said. He knew what his training was.  He admitted before this court that his conduct was wrong and he did it anyway.

Floyds brother Philonise also asked for the maximum possible sentence, telling Magnuson the Floyd family had been given a life sentence. He said afterward that he was upset that Chauvin didnt get more time behind bars.

Chauvins mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, told Magnuson that her son didnt go to work intending to kill someone.

Many things have been written about him that are totally wrong such as hes a racist, which he isnt, that he has no heart, she said. I believe it is Gods will for all of us to forgive.

Chauvins guilty plea included an admission that he willfully deprived Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure, including unreasonable force by a police officer.

It also included a count for violating the rights of a Black 14-year-old whom he restrained in an unrelated case in 2017. John Pope, now 18, told Magnuson that Chauvin didnt care about the outcome of that restraint.

By the grace of God I lived to see another day, Pope said. It will continue to be a part of me for the rest of my life.

Magnuson has not set sentencing dates for the three other officers who were on the scene  Tou Thao, J. Alexander Keung and Thomas Lane  who were convicted in February of federal civil rights charges.

Lane is also due to be sentenced Sept. 21 after pleading guilty in state court to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Thao and Kueng turned down plea deals and are due to be tried on aiding and abetting charges on Oct. 24.

___

Find APs full coverage of the killing of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
The Gallup Municipal Airport will begin offering commercial flights to and from Phoenix beginning next month, city officials announced on Thursday.

California-based Advanced Air, which also offers commercial flights from four other airports in New Mexico, will begin offering the daily flights to and from Phoenix and Gallup on Aug. 1 as part of a two-year contract between the city and airline.

Its the first time the Gallup Municipal Airport has offered commercial flights in more than a decade, when previous commercial airline Great Lakes Air offered flights out of the Gallup airport, City of Gallup Tourism and Marketing Manager Jennifer Lazarz said.

We welcome Advanced Air to connect us to the outside world, given we have the railroad through BNSF and the major highway I-40, City of Gallup Mayor Louie Bonaguidi said in a statement. The horizon to the future is bright and exciting.

Advanced Air is offering up its nine-seat King Air 350 jet for flights to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the largest airport in the Phoenix area. The airline will also offer flights from the Phoenix airport to Gallup in the same style of plane, according to a news release from the City of Gallup.

Prices for the flights start at $75 each way, according to the news release. Customers can also purchase flights in packets of 10, with a discounted price of $67.50 per seat, totaling $826.60.

Lazarz said the airport isnt currently in discussion with other airlines for other flights, saying we need to ensure its viability before we can expand service.

Gallup was the recipient of a grant from the state  known as Rural Air Service Enhancement, or RASE  that is aimed at helping airports in rural New Mexico offer commercial flights.

Gallup will receive $3.5 million over two years from the grant, with about $300,000 going towards terminal improvements. They were the first municipality to receive the state grant.

The RASE Act was created with the sole intention to spur economic development in rural New Mexico, and Im beyond pleased for Gallup, a city that serves as an economic hub for 70,000 people on a weekly basis, to be the first recipient of this grant, Rep. Patricia Lundstrom, D-Gallup, said.
Where do parent rights end, and their students rights begin?

Albuquerque Public Schools board members took up that issue at a contentious Thursday evening policy meeting, as they discussed a new proposed policy that would lay out the rights parents have when it comes to their kids education.

One of the issues opponents took up was whether parents should have the right to access all of their students educational records with the district, including things they tell school counselors and others in confidence. The proposal would be particularly devastating to some LGBTQ+ students, according to many of its opponents.

In the end, the board voted 6-1 to table the proposal, noting theyd received a flood of related public outcry over the measure and saying they need more time. Only board member Courtney Jackson voted against tabling the proposal, but had earlier recommended striking some of the controversial language.

We came out of this one a little too quick, Board President Yolanda Montoya-Cordova said. We didnt do our homework.

The proposed policy was introduced June 6, one board member noted. APS Policy Analyst and Legislative Liaison Heather Bassett said the policy was intended to go into this years student handbook, but said that may be a conversation for next year. In that case, she recommended the policy be ready for a vote sometime in November or December.

A lack of a public comment section  committee meetings dont have them  didnt stop upward of 30 community members from cramming into the boardroom to express their concerns over the policy. In lieu of public comments, people quietly held up brightly-colored posters with messages such as we stand with LGBTQ+ students.

The proposed policys language states that parents have the right  to have access to all educational records of a school district concerning their child including educational and/or social support plans, school counseling records, and school health records.

The proposal also states that parents have the right to be included in any educational and/or social support plans.

Community members sounded the alarm over the proposal ahead of Thursdays meeting.

Groups like GLSEN Albuquerque, a local chapter of a teacher-founded national LGBTQ+ advocacy network, said that while parents have a right to know whats going on with their children, students also have a right to privacy.

It would be outing students, GLSEN Albuquerque Co-Chair and Policy Coordinator Damon Carbajal said of the proposal. If they didnt tell their parents or guardians for some reason or the other, its probably not in their best interest or their safety.

Records that were under threat, he said, included gender support plans, which were being lumped in with social support plans, Carbajal said.

Those plans come in two forms, Carbajal said  official and unofficial. The latter is more of a concern with respect to the proposal, because he said unofficial plans allow students who may be transgender, non-binary, or another identity to use their pronouns and their names in school.

Parents and guardians dont necessarily have access to the unofficial plans, he said.

Even though theyre youth and students, they should have some anonymity in certain things to ensure that theyre being safe, Carbajal said.

The policys language also sparked concern from the school employees entrusted with helping students with their private affairs.

APS counselors said that they were very concerned that this puts kids at risk, because kids really trust counselors, ATF President Ellen Bernstein said.

Though the proposal was ultimately tabled, that doesnt mean its opponents work is done.

I think theres still going to be a fight, Carbajal said.
People attend a donation ceremony of a walking piano in Cairo, Egypt, on July 5, 2022. Egyptian children with disabilities can now enjoy playing the walking piano after the Chinese embassy in Egypt donated the big instrument to a local non-governmental organization for children with special needs. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

CAIRO, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian children with disabilities can now enjoy playing the walking piano after the Chinese embassy in Egypt donated the big instrument to a local non-governmental organization for children with special needs.

"Such a special piano is different from ordinary ones," Yang Ronghao, cultural counselor of the Chinese embassy in Egypt and director of the China Cultural Center in Cairo, told Xinhua.

"It helps cultivate children's artistic perception, and enhance their artistic ability and accomplishment," he noted while delivering the piano to the Awladna Foundation for the Arts of Children with Special Needs at the center on Tuesday.

Yang expressed hope that such activities will promote exchanges and cooperation between children of the two countries in various fields such as art, music and painting.

The walking piano, also known as the big piano and floor piano, is an oversized electronic keyboard. Merging dance, music, and play, the big piano is played by the user's feet tapping the keys to make music.

The eight-meter long floor piano, which was built especially for the Awaldna Foundation, is the first of its kind in Egypt.

"I cannot describe how happy I am to receive this priceless gift. This piano will help us improve the outstanding artistic talents of our children," said Soheir Abdel-Kader, founder and president of the Awladna Foundation and Awladna International Forum, which is an international art forum for people with special needs.

She noted that the piano will enable the foundation to help children build a new talent and develop their artistic skills.

"China provides cultural support through its cooperation with the Egyptian government and many cultural and artistic institutions in the country. Cultural cooperation and exchange between the two countries have reached unprecedented levels in recent years, which enhance the spirit of friendship and cooperation between the Egyptian and Chinese peoples," Abdel-Kader added.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to the world, cooperation between China and Egypt in various fields, including cultural exchange, has not stalled over the pandemic.

During the pandemic, symphony orchestras from China and Egypt jointly presented several wonderful online concerts to the audience of the two countries. The China Cultural Center in Cairo also held online lectures and exhibitions through social media. 

People attend a donation ceremony of a walking piano in Cairo, Egypt, on July 5, 2022. Egyptian children with disabilities can now enjoy playing the walking piano after the Chinese embassy in Egypt donated the big instrument to a local non-governmental organization for children with special needs. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
After the success of its range of Luxury Acoustics speakers, AiwaThe premium Japanese consumer electronics brand, has launched its most awaited range of TV series, MAGNIFIQ. The television series offers Category Leading features that give Magnificent Vision, Magnificent Sound, and a Magnificent Experience.

With this latest addition, Aiwa is strengthening its commitment and global vision of providing More for Less to its consumers by giving exceptional quality products at a competitive price. Powered by Android 11 & AI Core 4 Processor, the series caters to a discerning audience that looks for new range-topping products. The range extends from the fully loaded 32 series to 43 (FHD & UHD), 50 (4K UHD), 55 (4K UHD) & 65 (4K UHD), and is priced (MRPs) from Rs.29,990 to Rs 139,990.

Also, the 55 and 65 models of the range come with a built-in soundbar for enhanced audio which gives users the best-in-class experience. The soundbar has been designed with Aiwa Authentic Signature Sound technology to give users the most optimal audio preference. The Televisions Sound Output is among the highest for products in the same segment.

The high-performance Magnifiq range of premium televisions is powered by Android 11 with built-in Google Assistant. With the certified Android TVs, the users favorite content is always front and center for quick and easy access.

With the companys proprietary CRYSTA Tech Vision in this Magnifiq series, Aiwa is introducing a new standard in picture quality with Vertical Array Display, AI Quad-Core Processor, 1.07 Billion Colours and 350 nits* of brightness. When the life-like picture quality is paired with Aiwas Amphitheater View technology, it delivers a truly spectacular audio-visual experience.

Aiwa TVs also come with the protective film with BLACK REFLECT technology, which is designed especially to protect users from potentially harmful radiation. The anti-glare tech used, reduces reflections on the screen and helps to ease eye fatigue. Additionally, the companys MEMC (Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation) ensures that images remain crisp and sharp during fast motion frames.

Speaking about the launch and the Magnifiq TV series, Kure Shouichi ci, Managing Director of AIWA Electronics International Co.Ltd. and Global Business Director of AIWA Co., Ltd.(Tokyo Japan), said, We are excited on the establishing of Aiwa India, as our Regional Headquarter, via which hope to assure Aiwas permanency to the Indian consumers. At the launch of our word-class televisions, we are sure the consumer will feel confident to see Aiwas legacy of excellence over the past 70 years coupled with the latest and most powerful Android 11 technology

Ajay Mehta, Managing Director, AIWA India, said, After we brought Aiwas range of luxury speakers to the Indian consumer, the Magnifiq series of TVs, come with exceptional quality standards that Aiwa is known for over the past 70 years. Our TVs are best suited for consumers who research products pre-purchase in detail and will not compromise on quality, technology, and features at the best possible value.

We are committed to making exceptional products and bringing them to the Indian consumers. We are also proud to have contributed to the Make in India initiative through this project. TVs are poised to be the biggest category by value for Aiwa India and will be followed by the launch of many other product categories. This is a tangible and a big step towards our goal of a US$ 1 Billion top line for India" he added.

For the best-in-class Magnifiq series, the company has partnered with Dixon Technologies as its manufacturing partner and looks forward to contributing to the governments Make In India initiative.
Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, addresses a ceremony marking the 85th anniversary of the beginning of China's whole-nation resistance war against Japanese aggression at the Museum of the War of the Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Beijing, capital of China, July 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) -- A ceremony was held Thursday in Beijing to mark the 85th anniversary of the beginning of China's whole-nation resistance war against Japanese aggression.

Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official Wang Huning addressed the ceremony at the Museum of the War of the Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression near the Lugou Bridge, where the historic Lugou Bridge Incident took place 85 years ago on July 7, 1937.

The incident is recognized as the start of Japan's full-scale invasion of China, and China's whole-nation resistance against the Japanese invaders.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, called on the Chinese people to remember this period of history and strive for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Underscoring adherence to the path of peaceful development, he also urged greater contributions to peace, development and progress of humanity.

The ceremony was attended by around 300 people, including veteran representatives and family members of military leaders and martyrs in the war.

Attendees offered floral tributes and paid their respects to those who laid down their lives in fighting the Japanese aggression 85 years ago. 

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, attends a ceremony marking the 85th anniversary of the beginning of China's whole-nation resistance war against Japanese aggression at the Museum of the War of the Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Beijing, capital of China, July 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)
Indias leading digital finance company, Capital Float, has today unified its offerings under a new identity  axio. This move brings together the companys three unique consumer finance products of pay later, personal credit and money management  placing it at the fingertips of its growing consumer base. Through axio, the company promises to offer a world-class financial platform that helps consumers access credit responsibly and take control of their finances.

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The unveiling of axio and its unified proposition marks the latest milestone in the companys growth strategy and its mission to tackle the challenges of an underserved consumer credit market. Retail credit growth is essential to Indias goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy. However, India also has one of the largest structural credit gaps in the world. While the growth of UPI-led digital payments and e-commerce has been exponential, over 75% of consumers shopping online do not have a credit card. This dynamic creates a significant opportunity for intelligent credit solutions that help consumers achieve their goals and aspirations.

axio has served 4.5 million credit customers. The company has integrated deeply with over 3,000 merchants to offer instant credit at checkout, including marquee partners such as Amazon, MakeMyTrip, Razorpay, and PolicyBazaar. In addition to providing personal credit, axio offers Indias most comprehensive personal finance management platform (formerly Walnut app). Customers can use it to take full control of their finances, benefitting from a range of money management tools from expense tracking to budgeting and bill reminders. It also features an immersive experience for users to shop via the app, showcasing attractive and affordable EMI offers from partner brands. With over 12 million app users, axio simultaneously enables customers to benefit from credit while staying on top of their personal finances.

axio will not obsess over who is credit worthy, but will focus on making credit worthy for all. said Sashank Rishyasringa, Co-Founder, axio. At Capital Float, we have been on an exciting journey to expand access to credit to individuals and households across India. With axio, we are deepening that commitment. We see instant credit at checkout as a way to make purchases more affordable, but also as the perfect tool to enable the start of credit journeys for millions of customers. Our goal is to be there along these journeys, meeting larger financial needs as they arise, matching our customers repayment consistency with financial products that grow with them and reward such discipline.

Gaurav Hinduja, Co-Founder, axio, added With NPAs at 1%, axios proprietary underwriting and collections infrastructure has been the bedrock of our risk management engine. This has enabled us to scale credit to the last mile at industry-leading low default rates. Given our roots as a digital lender to the underserved, we have always approached pay later as a credit-first business. As an NBFC, our fully regulated model has enabled us to grow systematically, balancing innovation in customer experience with guardrails around risk and compliance. As axio, we are excited to continue the journey of building a tech-first financial institution for the next 100 million Indian consumers.
Walt Disney Company (DIS.N) said on Wednesday that Kristen Finney will manage content curation for the media conglomerate's foreign division, which is attempting to create more localised content for streaming.

Finney will serve as an executive vice president to develop a team to analyse and assess "content demands and suitability for Disney+ and Star/Star+," the firm stated in a statement.

Rebecca Campbell, the chair of Disney's worldwide content and operations department, will report to Finney. "Kristen has a track record of developing effective content strategy," said Campbell. This knowledge, along with her ability to establish and lead creative teams, makes her the ideal choice for this critical new position," Campbell said in a statement on Wednesday.

"The regional teams at IC&O are creating a genuinely amazing slate of engaging and entertaining content," Finney noted.

Rebecca Campbell, who took over as head of the international content and operations department in January, is in charge.

The hub was established to support the expansion of Disney+, Hulu, and Star+ as Disney increased its investment in local content, matching Netflix's (NFLX.O) approach.
JK Tyre & Industries Limited is delighted to appoint Mr. Anuj Kathuria as President (India), reporting to Chairman & Managing Director, Dr Raghupati Singhania and Mr. Anshuman Singhania, Managing Director, based out of Delhi.

Mr. Kathuria brings with him 31 years of rich experience, having worked in senior management positions in leading and reputed auto companies, i.e. Ashok Leyland and Tata Motors. An Engineer and a Post Graduate in Marketing & Finance, he is a Harvard Business School alumni. In addition, he has also worked overseas in auto sector, in senior management positions.

Welcoming Mr. Kathuria, Dr Raghupati Singhania, Chairman & Managing Director, JK Tyre said I am sure that Mr. Kathuria will provide adept leadership and lead JK Tyre on a new growth trajectory.

JK Tyre, pioneers of radial technology in India, is a leading tyre company with well-known brands viz. JK Tyre, Vikrant, Tornel etc. It has presence in over 105 countries across six continents, having 12 globally benchmarked sustainable manufacturing facilities (9 in India and 3 in Mexico) with a capacity of over 32 Mn tyres per annum.

JK Tyres unwavering commitment towards innovation is reflected through its state-of-the-art global research and technology centre - Raghupati Singhania Centre of Excellence  in Mysore, which houses some of the worlds finest technologies.

JK Tyre launched Indias first ever Smart Tyre technology with Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) which monitors the tyres vital statistics including pressure and temperature.
Playwright and director Mahesh Dattani changed the face of English theatre in India with contemporary stories touching upon lesser-explored issues like oppressive gender constructs, the conflict between the past and the present, child abuse and complicated family dynamics.

Dattani is the first English playwright to win a Sahitya Akademi Award, and his work always seems to hold up a mirror to the time s.Zee Theatre brings three of his most acclaimed plays. 'Final Solutions,' 'Tara' and 'Dance Like a Man' astutely reflect the dysfunction in society as well as family units.

An overview:

Final Solutions

Mahesh Dattani won a Sahitya Akademi Award for the book, 'Final Solutions and Other Plays.' The play looks at communal conflicts through the filter of human relationships. It concludes that unless we confront our own inner demons, hate will continue to win. The narration that unfolds during a communal riot also shows us how women are undermined and subjugated in overt and covert ways regardless of the milieu they belong to. In the end, we learn that the protagonists (Ramanik, Hardika, Aruna, Bobby, Javed, Tasneem and Smita) represent aspects of our own hearts and minds. And that under the labels forced upon us by society, we are all just human. The play stars Himanshu Tyagi, Shalini Vatsa, Chandan Anand, Paayal Nair and Priyanka Charan in pivotal roles.



Tara

Using the metaphor of conjoined twins, 'Tara' shows how a society obsessed with the male child, very often denies girls even the chance to exist. The play narrates the story of conjoined twins  a boy (Chandan) and a girl (Tara) who are surgically separated in an unequal manner intended to favour the boy's chances of survival. Tara is unable to survive the odds flung her way callously and eventually passes away. Racked with guilt over Taras death, Chandan moves to London, changes his name to Dan and attempts to start a new life, repressing the memories of his sister. The play is headlined by Kakoli Gaur, Mayank Garg, Davinder Kaur, Rahul Khanna and Prince Nagpal.

Dance Like a Man

This much-lauded play explores the dogmas that plagued both men and women in the 40s and continues to curtail their self-expression even today. The story revolves around a family of dancers and reveals their interpersonal conflicts, ambitions, insecurities and jealousy. At the heart of the story is the protagonist Jairaj who despite being a gifted dancer cannot fully claim the spotlight he deserves due to social and societal disapproval. The play encourages us to explore our own prejudices about masculinity and femininity and opens our minds and hearts to the idea of a more fluid gender identity. The plays feature veteran stars Lillete Dubey, Vijay Crishna, Suchitra Pillai and Joy Sengupta.

You can watch 'Dance Like a Man' at Tataplay Theatre on 9th July at 2pm and 8 pm
We, at Adgully, have always saluted and honoured women managers and leaders across diverse fields. W-SUITE is a special initiative from Adgully that has been turning the spotlight on some of the most remarkable women achievers in M&E, Advertising & Marketing, PR & Communication industry. In the refurbished series, we seek to find out how women leaders have been managing their teams and work as well as how they have been navigating through the toughest and most challenging times brought about by the global pandemic.

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Dr Meenakshi Aggarwal Gupta is Co Founder and Chief Operating Officer, 4AM Worldwide. She spent the first 15 years of her life teaching in various business schools like Indian Institute of Management Indore and KJ Somaiya Institute of Management. Along with her teaching, training and consulting, she is a prolific researcher and has published papers and cases in various national and international journals and magazines.

During her academic stint, she has consulted with and trained thousands of managers of various companies, including many Fortune 500 companies. Her training and consulting experience gave her the impetus to take the plunge into entrepreneurship and help set up 4AM Worldwide.

In conversation with Adgully, Dr Meenakshi Aggarwal Gupta, Co Founder and Chief Operating Officer, 4AM Worldwide, speaks about leadership skills in the post-pandemic world, maintaining work-life balance in todays times, lessons she learnt as a woman leader, gender sensitivity in todays workplace, and more.

How do you think the role and scope of women leaders has widened in the post-pandemic world?

The pandemic brought in various changes to the workplace and contradictions have become a new normal. People want to work from home but also want the vibrancy of office life. There has been less mentoring and on the job training but the need for training and upskilling is higher than ever before. Business fluctuations are no longer spaced out and coping with them requires one to be constantly aware and agile. Work norms and work behaviour are being redefined, but the newer definitions have still not been formulated.

While the role of a leader has not changed, the emphasis on certain activities has definitely gone up. There is a greater need to reach out and connect with people - be it employees or customers. Leaders need to identify what will work for their organisation and then communicate the new norms to everyone. Women leaders with their ability to engage with employees can help define the new normal that is more equitable and inclusive for all. Communication has always been a key success factor but it can be used as a force multiplier by the women leaders. The more leaders communicate, the more they will help people make sense of their environment and respond to it.

With their ability to be collaborative and agile, women will need to take on more leadership roles and responsibilities to help define the new normal for their organisations. In addition to that, they may need to act as role models and champions for the women who are struggling with various challenges brought in by the pandemic. While everyone recognizes that most of the caregiving responsibilities and additional work related to home and family has fallen on women, organisations and especially women leaders will need to ensure that these women managers are provided with the required support.

The rapid transition to digital, an uncertain economic landscape, charting unknown waters, working from home  how have you been navigating during the COVID-19 times? How are you maintaining work-life balance in the new normal?

Optimism, perseverance, and experimentation have helped me navigate through the last couple of years. There was constant communication between my co-founders and I which helped all of us keep energised and on track. Also, as an organisation that supports and backs women in leadership and managerial roles, we have been able to create structures that ensure that women dont drop out because of challenges on the personal front.

For me, work-life balance does not mean that these two parts of life have to work in tandem. I prioritise what requires more attention and effort and get that done. There will be times when work takes priority over personal time and vice versa. But it balances out in the long run. Having said that, work-life balance requires us to value our time. It requires a focused approach and pursuing tasks to their completion. We are surrounded by distractions and constant interruptions may appear normal. But they reduce our productivity and make it difficult to manage any aspect of our lives - be it work or personal life. Relentless prioritisation is the only way to help get more out of each day.

Multiple studies have shown how women leaders performed better during the COVID-19 crisis. According to you, what makes women the best in crisis management?

Women are more collaborative in their approach to managing people and work. They are more likely to take initiative and invest in the development of others. As one study showed, women scored higher than men on 17 of the 19 leadership competencies. Employees tend to be more engaged when led by women leaders. Competence combined with commitment to work, and people shows that whether in the field of business or politics, countries and companies led by women or where women have a greater representation at the senior levels tend to outperform entities that are male dominated.

What are the five most effective lessons that you have learned as a woman leader?

I am not sure I would be able to segregate my learning to gendered experiences. However, here are my effectiveness lessons learnt as a leader:

Make the time to listen and to speak to people - People want to be heard and they want to be inspired. They want to see the bigger picture and want to feel confident and excited about what they are doing. The more time you invest in people, the more they will invest back in you. Network - Get connected to people outside of your organisation and home environment. You will know whats happening, you will see patterns and movements in the environment that will help you plan and preempt the changes that occur around you. Invest before you delegate - Delegation does not mean offloading your work. When you delegate your work to people, ensure that you work with them to achieve a successful outcome. Invest in training, handholding and challenging them so that each project becomes a learning experience for them. Be willing to take tough decisions - Forging a growth path will require you to take tough decisions. Be willing to take them. Be curious and learn - There are hundreds of emergent phenomena around you. You may not get to learn about everything but be curious. Ask questions and listen to answers, read, and explore. And then share where possible.

Gender sensitivity and inclusion in the new normal  how can organisations effectively encourage and groom women leaders in challenging times?

Men and women approach decisions differently. Let me share an example. Countless studies have shown that women will avoid venturing into something unless they are confident that they can deliver. They are likely to underestimate their competence levels while men are likely to overestimate them. And this difference in confidence levels is starker in younger women.

While organisations can and should put in systems and processes to support people while they manage the new normal and increased responsibilities on the home front, the key differentiator is going to be the confidence they can give to women employees. This may come from actively countering biases and stereotypes that can hold women back, providing networking and mentoring opportunities to give them the required confidence and providing them with challenging roles that can help build their confidence and capabilities.
After spending nearly a day in the dark, NASA's CAPSTONE mission, a microwave oven-sized CubeSat, has re-established contact with mission officials, the US space agency has said.

"Mission operators have re-established contact with NASA's Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) spacecraft. Additional updates will be provided," NASA said in a statement.

"We have re-established communications with CAPSTONE. The spacecraft is looking happy and healthy.A More details to come," added Colorado-based company Advanced Space, which operates the mission for NASA, on Twitter.

The CAPSTONE lifted off to the Moon on June 28 aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket.

On July 4, the spacecraft left low-Earth orbit and started its solo journey to the Moon. However, a day after "the spacecraft experienced communications issues while in contact with the Deep Space Network", NASA said.

The CAPSTONE spacecraft weighing just 55 pounds will serve as the first spacecraft to test a unique, elliptical lunar orbit. It is slated to reach the Moon in November.

It will fly in cislunar space -- the orbital space near and around the Moon. The mission will demonstrate an innovative spacecraft-to-spacecraft navigation solution at the Moon from a near rectilinear halo orbit slated for Artemis' Gateway.

Once released from Rocket Lab's Photon satellite bus, CAPSTONE will use its propulsion system to travel for approximately three months before entering into orbit around the Moon.

After arrival at the Moon, CAPSTONE will begin its six-month-long primary mission. The mission will validate a near rectilinear halo orbit's characteristics by demonstrating how to enter into and operate in the orbit.

Its mission objectives include demonstrate spacecraft-to-spacecraft navigation services that allow future spacecraft to determine their location relative to the Moon without relying exclusively on tracking from Earth; lay a foundation for commercial support of future lunar operations; and gain experience with small dedicated launches of CubeSats beyond low-Earth orbit, to the Moon, and beyond.
BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) -- More companies will attend the second China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, the capital city of the southernmost Hainan Province, from July 26 to 30, Shu Jueting, spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, said Thursday.

The number of firms attending the expo will be more than last year's figure, with an exhibition area rising to 100,000 square meters from 80,000 square meters, Shu told a regular press conference.

More than 40,000 buyers are expected to attend the expo, Shu said.

The proportion of the exhibition area for overseas enterprises will increase to 80 percent from 75 percent last year.

Firms from Japan, France, and the United States will each have a total exhibition area of around 3,000 square meters. Members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership will see their exhibition areas up nearly 20 percent.

Over 100 events will be held on the sidelines of the expo, and a series of reports and indices related to consumption and the building of the Hainan free trade port will be released, Shu added.

"Through hosting consumption promotion activities like the expo, we aim to accelerate the recovery and sustained growth of the domestic consumer market and better leverage the role of consumption in driving economic growth," the spokesperson said. 
BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) -- The 14th Straits Forum will be held in Fujian Province on the Chinese mainland from July 12, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said on Thursday.

A total of 43 events will take place both online and offline, which are to attract around 2,000 people from Taiwan for offline activities, according to spokesperson Zhu Fenglian.

This year's forum will carry on the theme of promoting people-to-people exchanges and deepening integrated development across the Taiwan Strait. 
Watching Democrats react to the fall of Roe v. Wade has made one thing crystal-clear: they demand that all of us at all times live within the strictures of their delusions. For several years now, the political left has been prattling on about protecting our "precious democracy," while intentionally ignoring Americans' basic constitutional freedoms and unalienable rights. With its Dobbs decision, the Supreme Court achieved a resounding victory in the name of "democracy" by returning the legality of abortion back to the people and their representatives in the state governments. Let the people decide! You can't get more "democratic" than that. Yet the Democratic Party has descended into paroxysms of rage and madness in its demands that something be done to force all Americans to accept child murder as a sacred right!

Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez want to set up "emergency abortion clinics" on federal lands, including national parks. That's how important it is for leftists to force everyone else in America to accept only their worldview at the expense of all others. It is not sufficient that the blue states of New York and California can continue killing unborn children. Instead, red state voters must also be forced to participate in child murder. And if their state representatives refuse to yield, then so be it: the pristine oases of America's national parks will simply be turned into places of carnage and death. Move over, grizzly bears, there's a new apex predator in the woods!

Of course, mandatory acceptance of abortion as a sacred right is only the most recent vivid example of how difficult it is for the left to accept any viewpoints not its own. Ten years ago, few Americans would have predicted that today men would be dominating women's sports, elementary school children would be attending "drag queen story hour," and students would be charged with sexual harassment for refusing to use plural pronouns when referring to a "transgender" classmate.

There was no democratic vote held before imposing this new worldview upon the public. No great legislative session reflecting the people's beliefs preceded Democrats' new obsession with "transgenderism" at every turn. Most Americans went to bed one night quite certain in their understanding of what distinguishes a man from a woman only to wake up the next day to be told that everything they had ever learned about basic human biology and genetics was fundamentally unsound.

Stragglers refusing to accept the new anti-scientific "transgender" delusion as scientific fact have been cast aside as "bigots," or worse, accused of "hate crimes." In a perfect example of the synergy between the pro-abortion and pro-trans delusions, a "well known trans educator" and "abortion superfan" encapsulated the left's capacity for tolerating diverse points of view by responding to Roe's demise with a "Supreme Court assassination challenge" on Twitter. Voila: accept the new delusions as reality  for your own good!

Perhaps no issue more succinctly describes today's sharp political divisions than the question of whether individual human life is seen as a blessing or a curse. While America adjusts to the new reality of a post-Roe world in which the determination of abortion's legality is returned to the judgment of the sovereign state governments and their citizens, it is far from the only debate centered on human life.

Everything about the left's Green New Deal agenda to transform the economy from one based on hydrocarbon energy to one hiccuping along on solar panels and windmills centers on the principal delusion that Planet Earth is more important than individual human life. Starting families and having children are viewed as selfish acts that only exacerbate humanity's nefarious "carbon footprint." As a testament to anti-human greenies' successful propaganda over the last few decades, birth rates around the world have been sharply declining, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated this trend.

For the political left, declining births has been welcome news. How could it be perceived otherwise? Overpopulation has been an instrumental part of the "global warming" doomsaying dogma for decades. Ever since Paul and Anne Ehrlich's The Population Bomb scared the bejesus out of people in 1968 with predictions of imminent famine and social anarchy in the '70s and '80s, various strains of the environmental movement have gnashed their teeth over the exponential growth of the human species from one to eight billion souls following the technological innovations of the Industrial Revolution.

Nearly two centuries before the Ehrlichs' dire warnings, British economist Thomas Malthus laid the groundwork for all later demographers when he published an essay arguing that unchecked population growth inevitably leads to mass starvation. What did he see as potential "checks" that could prevent such a tragedy? Among other things: delaying marriage, forsaking children, birth control, and homosexuality. Much as "climate change" crusaders take as gospel truth the evil of hydrocarbon energy, the claim that too many humans already inhabit the planet has been an enduring mantra of Mother Earth's most staunch defenders.

Population control  whether seen as the strict limiting of a population's growth or as the strict regulation of a population's freedom  touches every hot-button political issue of today. Will taxpayers be forced to fund abortion? Will female athletes be forced to compete against men? Will citizens be forced to take experimental vaccines? Will Americans be forced to pay soaring gas prices until they either become too impoverished to own a personal vehicle or reluctantly choose to invest $60,000 in a new electric automobile dependent upon an aging electrical grid powered by natural gas and coal?

In a truly "democratic" society, these important questions would be left to the people to decide. In a society where everyone must accept the Democrats' delusions as their own or suffer the consequences, however, real democracy is the last thing on Democrats' minds. Instead, their ideal government sounds a lot like Chinese president Xi's recent pronouncement that communism has brought "true democracy" to Hong Kong.

Image via Max Pixel.
If the COVID-19 vaccines have been a disappointment from a public health standpoint in stopping the continuing spread of new variants of the disease, why is Big Pharma as well as its government allies in the FDA, CDC, and NIH still pushing them?

As Deep Throat whispered to Bob Woodward during the Watergate scandal (Follow the money), so, too, the American public should be demanding the same of its political leaders: Follow the COVID money to determine why we continue to spend a fortune on something that seems to have only a relatively limited benefit.

But our elected officials are embarrassingly quiet on answering the basic question of who exactly is benefiting from the constant rounds of shots being foisted on or recommended to the American public?

Maybe the silence comes from the fact that the pharmaceutical industry spends more on lobbying than any other industry group. In 2020 big pharma spent over $300 million lobbying officeholders and government officials. It clearly pays off. The research to develop the COVID-19 vaccines was nearly all funded by taxpayers. The distribution of the vaccines, once developed, was further funded nearly entirely by taxpayers. The record-keeping and reporting on the vaccines is also at the expense of taxpayers, and the new repurposed Pfizer drug Paxlovid, used to treat COVID, has been paid for by taxpayers.

If the vaccinations are proving to be ineffective in stopping the march of the disease, are they really worth what the federal government is paying the pharmaceutical industry to manufacture, distribute, and administer them? Is the public being played for suckers by a cabal of industry giants and their friends in the medical bureaucracies?

Just consider a few facts. The pharmaceutical industry is said to spend $5.2 billion annually on television advertising aimed primarily at the consumer. It poured another $9.53 billion into digital advertising aimed at consumers and industry in 2020.

This total of nearly $15 billion spent by Big Pharma on advertising is more than twice what is spent on new cancer drug research. In fact, nine out of 10 of the largest pharmaceutical companies in America spend more on advertising than on research and development.

But there is more. The U.S. government is pushing COVID-19 jabs harder than the companies would ever likely choose to do on their own. This might be the reason: Almost half of the funding that supports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration comes from the very industries it is mandated to oversee.

CDC funding is similar. But it also receives large grants for COVID research from the Bloomberg Family Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

By contrast, money given by the private sector to the NIH is mostly hidden from the public. More troubling is the fact that the NIH allows its publicly-employed researchers to receive royalty payments from government-funded activities that result in private company income. Present and former NIH researchers received annual royalty payments averaging $9,700 in addition to their taxpayer-funded, biweekly paychecks. Some have been reported to receive as much as $150,000 in annual royalty rewards!

With the government pouring huge amounts of money on the pharmaceutical houses to develop an anti-COVID vaccine, no wonder information about all of the early treatment protocols developed by private-sector doctors working on their own was suppressed by the CDC and shunned by the FDA. Even more depressing was the fact that the media went along with this suppression of free speech and information. Social media companies, for their part, routinely banned and deplatformed any physician speaking contrary to the federal governments accepted bureaucratic narrative. Why? Do you think the big social media companies might also have profited from the direct-to-consumer advertising of the government-funded products in the same way as traditional media? Do you know a lot of cases where the hand that feeds it is bitten?

This isnt speculation, its big money. Consider: Pfizer expects $32 billion in COVID vaccine sales in 2022. Moderna is forecasting $19 billion in COVID sales with the vaccine being its only current commercial product. Moderna had never produced a vaccine before it developed its COVID shots. Pfizer, BioNTech, and Moderna are reported to be making $1,000 in profit every second of every business day

Big pharmacy chains are also participating in this government largess as well. The big chains earn roughly $40 per shot from the federal government. Since the government provides the pharmacy chains with the vaccines and Paxlovid for free, almost all their charge for administering the shots or dispensing the drug is profit.

There have been at least nine new billionaires created in the vaccine world as a result of COVID-19. No one has counted the new millionaires in COVID-19s wake. Is there any wonder that the Pfizer CEO would offer the thought that an annual COVID-19 vaccine booster is almost a certainty? And so would his annual multiple million-dollar bonuses for bringing in this kind of business.

But we can reverse all this. A congressional investigation must be launched to shine light on what this crony capitalism is doing to American taxpayers and their health system. Get in touch with your senators and demand that they authorize an investigation of how COVID-19 money has been spent by both the Trump and the Biden administrations.

We need to put some sanity back into how our medical resources are being spent.

Image: Flying Logos
With Bruen, SCOTUS made it clear that citizens in all fifty states must be permitted to carry guns. But in its zeal to make narrow rulings, the Court just made more work for itself. The Court overruled New Yorks may issue carry permit regime, to which the state simply said, Up yours! and passed a new law that basically made the entire state a sensitive area in which guns cannot be carried.

This problem arises from an institutional tendency of the Supreme Court. When it accepts a case, the Court will list the Question(s) Presented. These are typically very brief summaries of the issues that the Court will review. In Bruen, it was Whether the States [New Yorks] denial of petitioners applications for concealed-carry licenses for self-defense violated the Second Amendment. And the ultimate decision dealt with that limited question.

Its generally impossible for the Supreme Court to narrowly rule without discussing some closely related issues. For example, in Bruen, the issue of sensitive places arose. Those are a few (very limited) places where concealed carry would present a serious problem. As the founders understood it, this was primarily governmental facilities such as Courts. The sensitive place concept did not extend to wide areas, although no one objected to the idea that an individual might ban guns from his own establishment. Beyond that, guns were basically everywhere. They were tools of public peace.

Justice Thomas wrote that if a state wanted to be more restrictive, The government must then justify its regulation by demonstrating that it is consistent with the Nations historical tradition of firearm regulation. Only then may a court conclude that the individuals conduct falls outside the Second Amendments unqualified command. New Yorks law clearly falls outside that historical tradition.

But thats not the only work the Court left for itself. Lower Courts have twisted themselves into an ouroboros to avoid the plain language of Heller and MacDonald. With Bruen adding to the library of Second Amendment decisions, SCOTUS sent several cases back to lower courts for reconsideration.

Young v. Hawaii is very similar to Bruen and will almost certainly lead to eliminating most of Hawaiis restrictions, including the good moral character rule that New York has adopted to sidestep Bruens prohibition on good cause requirements for carry licenses.

Image by Andrea Widburg, made using a public domain painting.

In Duncan v. Bonta, the 9th Circuit ruled en banc that Californias ban on magazines holding more than ten rounds was constitutional. It did this with a two-step balancing test that SCOTUS declared impermissible. As Justice Thomas noted, such interest balancing tests violate the basic premise that when the Second Amendments plain text covers an individuals conduct, the Constitution presumptively protects that conduct.

Further, its clear that large-capacity magazines are part of weapons that are in common use, a protected status under Heller. Historically, they even existed before the American Revolution, making them a part of our traditions. Its almost certain that Duncan v Bonta will be reversed on rehearing. The same conclusion seems certain in Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs v. Bruck because the issue is essentially the same.

A related case that is also likely to be overturned on rehearing is Bianchi v. Frosch, a case that upheld Marylands ban on assault weapons. In this case, the 4th Circuit court ruled that such guns were similar to weapons that are most useful in military service and thus outside the ambit of the Second Amendment.

This is indeed curious because the first major SCOTUS case on the subject, US v. Miller (1939), ruled that a sawed-off shotgun was not a military-style weapon suitable for an organized militia, and therefore not protected. Thus, SCOTUS explicitly protected military-style weapons but the 4th Circuit held that military-style weapons were not protected.

Most of the gun features in Bianchi are appearance-related and have little effect on the guns function. In particular, the Maryland law outlaws all variants of the AK-47 and AR-15 as assault rifles. Because these are the two most popular rifles in America, they are protected under Heller, along with the other forty-three listed guns and their copies, regardless of which company produced and manufactured that assault weapon. A ten-round magazine limit is in the law for good measure.

All four of these decisions should be reversed on rehearing. But that leaves New Yorks incredibly mangled legal reading of the term sensitive spaces and definitive legal discussions of a number of firearms features for SCOTUS to elucidate.

Just as the Court used Dobbs as a vehicle to overturn Roe, its past time for the Court to lay down the law about firearms. The Second Amendment means what it says. What a gun looks like is unimportant. Its size is also unimportant.

My AR-15 pistol is an inch longer than the Israeli Tavor battle rifle. The Tavor has a fully automatic mode, while my AR does not. The Tavor has a 16-inch barrel, while my pistol has a ten-inch barrel and sends the same bullet downrange about 600 feet per second slower than the Tavor.

In short, theres no legally meaningful distinction between rifle and pistol. Yet if I put a $25 piece of plastic (vertical pistol grip) on the front of my pistol, it becomes an illegal short-barreled rifle, while the smaller Tavor can have the same item and stay legal.

If the Left wants to ban guns, theres a way to do it, and its in black and white: Amend the Constitution. But they cant be bothered. They are righteous, and we are evil, so they must impose their way. We peons must submit.

SCOTUS must affirmatively invalidate large capacity magazine and assault rifle bans. Those have nothing to contribute to public safety and stand firmly crosswise of the Constitution. While we are at it, we should reconsider the National Firearms Act of 1934. The advance of technology has rendered it irrelevant. But thats a subject for another post.

Ted Noel MD is a retired Anesthesiologist/Intensivist who podcasts and posts on social media as DoctorTed and @vidzette. His DoctorTed podcasts are available on many podcast channels.
For decades, conservatives ceded the cultural battlefield to the likes of John McCain, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, and John Boehner. We were told, that if we wanted to win, to shut up on social issues such as abortion, religious freedom, immigration, gay marriage, gun rights, etc.  because to argue for life (and against abortion), for heterosexual marriage, for public prayer, for school choice, for secure borders, or for any other rights was far too contentious. Doing so would anger half the electorate.

Instead, our faux leaders said we must focus only on taxes, balanced budgets, and other fiscal issues. In the process, a few battles were won but the war was being lost. America, as our forefathers and the Greatest Generation knew it, was being destroyed one progressive victory at a time  cultural death by a 1,000 cuts. If you were disgusted with misogynist rap lyrics on the radio, killing of babies in the womb, sexual grooming of young children, and racism openly taught in schools, tough; get used to it because thats the new norm. You must accept the most abhorrent behavior or be called racist, homophobe, misogynist, and on and on. Learn to love it because mores coming. And it did.

Having been neglected by neocons, denigrated by Obama for clinging to our guns and Bibles, and punked by way too many Republicans for far too long; conservative voters were disgusted with the GOP and looked for someone/anyone who talked straight and talked to them. Then, MAGA Man descended the escalator, and everything changed. Donald Trump spoke to the people because he talked about issues that concerned the people. He was unabashedly America First, unashamed about his wealth (unlike Romney), and talked directly to us deplorable Americans. Candidate Trump blasted fake conservatives such as Jeb low energy Bush, and little Marco Rubio. Everyone knew exactly who Trump was and what we were getting  an unfiltered politician who promised to make America great again starting with overturning Roe v. Wade.

A week after the November 2016 election, President-elect Trump did a 60-Minutes interview with Leslie Stahl. She asked him about potential Supreme Court (SC) nominees. Trump responded, Im pro-life, and the judges will be pro-life, and theyre going to be very pro 2nd Amendment. Being very prescient, he continued, Having to do with abortion, if it ever were overturned, its going to go back to the states. Trump predicted what would happen. During his 4-year presidency, President Trump nominated (and confirmed) three SC justices  Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. All three are pro-life, pro-Second Amendment but more importantly, pro-Constitution as its written. Last week was the culmination of Trumps presidency. How so? Roe was overturned, abortion was sent back to the states, the federal bureaucracy was reeled in, Rights guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment were strengthened, and the SC confirmed that religious freedoms cannot be denied.

Bravo to President Trump who continues winning. To be fair, give credit where credit is due. Others helped him with his SC nominations and confirmations. Most credit goes to Trump, to the pro-life movement and a few Reps. However, he had outstanding support from Dems, libs, progressives, leftists, and other radicals who are pro-abortion, anti-2nd Amendment, anti-religion, and who hate him. How, you ask? Ill explain beginning with:

1. Senators Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader and Mitch McConnell, Minority Leader. It was Reid who, in 2013, ended the filibuster rules for federal court nominations. He did so because Obama was having trouble getting several federal justices confirmed, as Republicans threatened to filibuster those nominees. Reid killed the filibuster which, had it still been in place during President Trumps presidency, would likely have prevented Trumps SC nominees from being confirmed. Thank you, Harry. Then, in 2016, McConnell refused to allow Merrick Garlands nomination to be voted on by the Senate, saying the next president should be allowed to nominate a candidate. Fortunately, Trump won, and he nominated Gorsuch. Additionally, when Trump nominated Kavanaugh (in 2018), McConnell refused to allow the Dems to destroy Kavanaughs character. Thank you, Mitch.

2. Dr. Kermit Gosnell and Planned Parenthood (PP) who showed us the evil and depravity of the abortion industry by killing thousands (Gosnell) and millions (PP) of babies. Gosnells abortion clinic was described as a house of horrors. When authorities searched his clinic, they found bags and bottles of fetuses scattered throughout. The grand jury that heard testimony of Gosnells horrors discovered that he used scissors to severe the spines of hundreds of born-alive babies. And PP sold aborted baby body parts. Yes, this is as disgusting as it sounds but thats exactly what PP did. Undercover video proves that PP officials sold aborted baby parts. They used abortion techniques to preserve fresh, intact organs from late-term abortions, and sold them. Such repulsive behavior turned people against abortions.

3. Our woke Dems and leftists -- for decades, lied about abortion. Ever since Roe legalized abortions, they sold us that abortions should be safe, legal, and rare. Perhaps at one time that was their goal, but no longer. If Dems had maintained their safe, legal, and rare position - meaning abortions in cases of rape, incest, or the mothers life at risk, the pro-life uproars might have died down. However, Dems abandoned safe and rare and have turned abortions into a sacrament that are bragged about by women who had one (here, here, here, and here), and longed for by those who havent. Abortion activist Amelia Bonow boasted, I had an abortion at Planned

Parenthood and it was a great experience. Then, Lena Dunham admitted, I still havent had an abortion, but I wish I had.

Democrats, such as Stacey Abrams, embrace a revolting love, hate, and death culture. They are narcissists and so absorbed in their own irrelevant existence that they hate the inconvenience of children and love that they can extinguish such inconveniences by killing the baby in their womb. Others, like Barack Obama, support abortions so women arent punished with a child. Many other Dems helped Trump overturn Roe, including Ralph Northam (former VA governor who discussed killing babies born alive), Kathy Tran (current VA Delegate who introduced a bill that allowed killing babies while being delivered), and almost every Hollywood A-list actor.

4. Finally, special thanks must go to Dr. Fauci, who proved the hypocrisy and the dishonesty of the right to privacy argument when he insisted you dont have a right to body privacy and must get Covid jabbed but women have a right to privacy to kill her baby.

Humanity loves babies, and most would die to protect theirs. Not Dems; they claim children are punishment (and must be aborted), are an inconvenience (and should be aborted), or babies simply dont fit their lifestyle (and can be aborted). Wrong; and because of that, Trump continues to win.

Photo credit: Michael Vadon CC BY-SA 4.0 license
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Group of 20 (G20), in Bali, Indonesia, July 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

BALI, Indonesia, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Thursday that China is willing to work with Indonesia to push for rational, pragmatic and constructive interactions and dialogues within the framework of the Group of 20 (G20).

At a meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, whose country holds the rotating G20 presidency, Wang said China firmly supports Indonesia in hosting the G20 meetings this year.

China appreciates Indonesia for upholding an objective position and the principle of equal sovereignty in dealing with international affairs, maintaining normal communication of the international community and safeguarding solidarity within the G20, he said.

China is ready to join hands with Indonesia to make the voices of developing countries and emerging economies heard, and oppose the Cold War mentality and the confrontation of camps, Wang added.

For her part, Retno said Indonesia attaches utmost importance to the significant role of China in the G20. Indonesia is urging all sides to show solidarity, focus on post-pandemic economic recovery and jointly meet daunting challenges, she said.

Speaking highly of the positive momentum in the development of bilateral ties and the results of their practical cooperation, the two sides stressed the need to jointly make preparations for high-level exchanges, so as to inject strong impetus into the development of the China-Indonesia relations.

Both sides agreed to take the first year of the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership as an opportunity to promote the steady and long-term development of the China-ASEAN relations.

Wang stressed that China firmly supports the ASEAN centrality and the effective regional cooperation framework with ASEAN at its core. China stands ready to work with ASEAN to build a closer community with a shared future, oppose any resurgence of the Cold War mentality and bloc politics in the region, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

The two sides also exchanged views on the China-U.S. relations, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and other issues.

Wang is here to attend the G20 foreign ministers' meeting on Thursday and Friday. He is on an Asia tour, which takes him to Myanmar, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. 
I miss Senator Proxmire of Wisconsin, and you should, too! Even though he was a Democrat, I enjoyed how he poked fun at the outlandish spending that emanates from Capitol Hill. From 1975 to 1988, Senator Proxmire awarded Golden Fleece Awards to "Beltway bandits," AKA government contractors and federal agencies, for outrageous waste in government spending. Today's military could use some Senator Proxmire sense.

I was an ensign in the USCG in 1978. I worked at the Seventh Coast Guard in Miami as a government bureaucrat in uniform. I recall a crisis that emerged in my office when we discovered that we were in danger of not spending all the money we had requested in that fiscal year.

In the real world, not spending all the money you planned to spend is called good news. In the magical land of the federal government, however, not spending your allowed budget is akin to an unforgivable sin. Our bosses directed us to "obligate fallout funds" quickly by buying office equipment to close the gap. We obliged by buying stuff we did not need. The Western world was safe once again.

Today, if I were to nominate a current example of outlandish federal spending, I would point to our service academies.

Once upon a time, when our nation was young and poor, Congress decided that we needed an army and a navy. If you have an army and a navy, you need engineers to build and maintain all that military stuff. The army and the navy hoped young engineers would flock to sign up for the military. Instead, the engineers took jobs in the private sector, where salaries were higher and the job requirements did not put them in danger's way.

"How do we get engineers to sign up for the army and the navy?" our forefathers asked. They came up with a bold answer. "We will grow our own engineers." Early military leaders decided to offer potential engineers free schooling in engineering if the potential engineers would serve in the military for five years after receiving their engineering degrees at West Point or Annapolis.



Image: West Point. Public domain.

This arrangement worked well initially and gave us people like Robert E. Lee, who designed the artificial island at the mouth of Baltimore Harbor called Fort Carroll, among other distinctions. Frank Julian Sprague, a graduate of Annapolis, invented the electric motor that made subways feasible in America.

After his Bay of Pigs fiasco, President Kennedy lamented, "Victory has a hundred fathers and defeat is an orphan." Politicians in Washington smelled the success of giving free schooling to engineers. They claimed the right to appoint young men from their states or districts to the service academies, and a simple idea got more complicated.

As America got richer, graduates of the service academies convinced themselves that they were American Brahmans of the military. Service school graduates got promotions more quickly than "Mustangs" or officers produced by Officer Candidate Schools. The upper ranks of the military began to teem with "ring knockers."

At some point in the 20th century, the service academies departed from offering only engineering degrees to graduates. Graduates can now receive degrees in law, finance, political science, and social science.

Back on Capitol Hill, Congress still thinks we are a wealthy nation. Many of us in the hinterlands know that we are 30 trillion dollars in debt. If there is anyone in government like Senator Proxmire still interested in cutting costs, the academies are ripe for trimming. Here are some cost-cutting questions.

Why do we have three separate sea service academies? (Naval Academy, Coast Guard Academy, Merchant Marine Academy)

Why do we have vice admirals in charge of the academies when a colonel or a captain (06) could do the job?

If OCS and ROTC produce officers more cost-effectively, why do we keep packing the service academies, where the costs per graduate are much higher?

I have always had a knack for asking "inconvenient" questions. When I was serving in the Coast Guard years ago, I once asked, "Isn't this a waste of money?" The reply I got still rings in my mind: "The Coast Guard has 200 years of tradition unbroken by progress."

Once, the question was, do we really need to pay $10,000 for a toilet seat cover on our C-17 cargo planes? Now the question is, do we really need to pour as much money into our military academies? We miss you, Senator Proxmire!

Ned Cosby's new novel OUTCRY is a love story exposing the refusal of Christian leaders to discipline clergy who sexually abuse our young people. This work of fiction addresses crimes that are all too real. He has also written RECOLLECTIONS FROM MY FATHER'S HOUSE, tracing his own odyssey from 1954 to the present. For more info, visit www.nedcosby.com.
Wyoming congresswoman Elizabeth Cheney has become the darling of Democrats and their anti-Trump media allies. The Economist portrays her as the Gary Cooper character in the film High Noon, as if she were a lone, principled marshal battling the evil Frank Miller (substitute Donald Trump) and his evil associates.

In May of this year, Cheney was given a John F. Kennedy "Profile in Courage" award and praised by CNN's Chris Cillizza.

Liberal, pro-Democrat media outlets like The Guardian, NPR, Politico, Axios, Mediaite, the Washington Post, The Atlantic, the New York Times, and many others portray Cheney as an American hero attempting to save the republic from the evil designs of Trump and his supporters.

Cheney has won the praise of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Reps. Jamie Raskin, Bennie Thompson, Steny Hoyer, and Jim McGovern, along with other Democrats. She basks in the praise of those who once demonized her father as the evil architect of George W. Bush's wars.

Some liberals aren't buying it, however. The New Republic doesn't trust Dick Cheney or his daughter. Dick Cheney, Jacob Silverman wrote last year, is a "war criminal who helped make torture, black sites, and other illegal acts a routine part of American foreign policy." As for Liz Cheney, her interests may align with Democrats for now, he wrote, but the Cheney family, Liz included, has "done tremendous damage to human rights." Meanwhile, over at The Intercept, Ryan Grim called Liz a "leading booster of her father's war" who "has shown no remorse or reflection over the U.S. invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan."

Liz Cheney must have a short memory or a forgiving heart, for she glows in the praise of the same Democrat-media establishment that condemned her father, Dick Cheney, as a warmonger (Rolling Stone), "a self-aggrandizing criminal" and defender of torture (The Atlantic), "dangerous" (The Guardian), "secretive, merciless, Machiavellian" (Vanity Fair), an "enemy of democracy and a war criminal" (Jacobin), "authoritarian" (Roll Call), a vice-president who ran amok curbing civil liberties, condoning torture (The Economist), "Darth Vader" (the Guardian), and the man who helped deceive us into a war (New York Times).

As The Federalist points out, Liz Cheney now courts "the same voters who once dragged a statue of her father through the streets of Jackson[, Wyoming.]" The Washington Times writes that Liz Cheney has betrayed Wyoming.

But perhaps there is something more going on here. Donald Trump, you may recall, was a fierce critic of the "endless wars" of the Bush-Cheney administration  wars that Liz Cheney supported and after reflection still supports. As Grim speculated in the Intercept piece, "Liz Cheney's affection for U.S. interventionism may mark the origin of her hostility to the Trump wing of the [Republican] party." Grim believes that her stand against Trump is about power, not principle. Newsweek reports that Liz Cheney is not ruling out a 2024 presidential run.

Apparently, the lure of power is enough to make Liz Cheney side with the persecutors of her father. Politics, it is said, makes strange bedfellows.

Image: NBC News via YouTube.
The post-Roe world is not turning out the way that many Democrats had planned. It's fair to say that the Democrats thought that there'd be a tsunami against the GOP over Dobbs. In other words, the voters would punish the GOP for taking their "rights" away. In fact, it's the Democrats who can't explain their position. Why? Because their views on abortion are so radical and hard to sell. You know you're in trouble when you are mentioned in the same sentence as North Korea and we are talking about abortion, not missiles.

This is from Stephen L. Miller:

Roe acted as a warm duvet over the operational procedures of abortion. It allowed Democrats to stand by a "pro-choice" talking point without having to defend it to a moderate electorate still not comfortable with a party willing to celebrate abortion. With Roe lifted, Democrats now have to go about the act of actually selling abortion by campaigning on it at state levels. For the first time in 50 years, national office seekers will have to specify their positions. Democrats will be forced either to stand firm on an unpopular extreme or moderate their positions and anger their base further. As of now, they cannot decide, and they are unprepared.

The pundits are also saying that the base is disenchanted because the White House was slow in responding thanks to the president being too old.

Maybe so, but the Roe-supporters face two more problems:

First, candidates will have to answer a very simple question. Are you comfortable turning off the baby's heartbeat? Abstract answers, like "it's a woman's body" or "it's between the woman and her doctor," are no longer possible. We're finally talking about the baby!

Second, Roe's supporters will have to bring their game to the states' legislatures. One side will scream and the other will vote for abortion restrictions. They've grown so used to having judges give them what they want that they don't really know how to compromise or persuade people who don't watch CNN.

So let the debate begin  because we will win.

PS: Check out my videos and posts.

Image: Dwain Currier.
The headlines have been full of news about the Google worker who was suspended for discussing with people who were outside the company his interactions with an advanced artificial intelligence (A.I.) program. What was unnerving was that he has concluded that the program is sentient with the sensibilities and insights of an eight-year-old, but with an enormous range and depth of knowledge. If we saw a human with these qualities, we might conclude that the person was a savant "on the spectrum." This scares the heck out of me, mostly because the humans involved in developing the A.I., based upon their initial public representations, are entirely ignorant about what it means to be human.

They do not seem to know that the blessing bestowed upon humans is that we can observe and comment on our own behavior, while our curse is that those observations, on the whole, go to waste because the interactions between ourselves and our environment are too complex for our limited mental capacity. These observations should signal caution rather than a fascination with A.I. because such programs are designed to outpace human limitations.

Let us try very hard to comprehend the differences between a thinking machine, even at the highest level of sophistication, and people. This digital creature did not have a mother who sang to it during its gestation. This machine did not experience nine months of relative comfort followed by a rousing debut with flushes of hormones and enzymes that set us on our life's journey.

This mechanical monster will never yearn to return to the peace it experienced before and immediately after its birth, so it will never strive to structure a world based on feelings of peace for itself and for those it cares about. (A first impression is that it is protective of itself to the exclusion of others.) Having experienced the Eden of gestation and infancy, a person can then experience loneliness, the same loneliness he will try to alleviate throughout his life.



Image: Emotionally, even modern A.I. will not be more sophisticated than ENIAC, the first real computer.

The machine will never perform an altruistic act and never offer solace to others as a means of justifying its existence. It will never sacrifice itself for the benefit of its offspring because, among other obvious reasons, it will never be sure that its sacrifice will attain its goal because of the chronic indefiniteness of the future. There are just too many possibilities to consider, so even at quantum computing speeds, any actions it may take will always be too late to have the scent of a selfless act.

The A.I. will exist in the same world with people, but without the emotional mortar that holds people together. Ordinary people (non-psychopaths) must be coerced to betray each other. This gadget will simply have betrayal available to it as a tactic in its arsenal to be used whenever necessary.

If people are forced into contact with such an electronic organism, they will be shaped by that contact into something less human. Any successful tactic observed in the machine would be copied in interactions between people with unknown consequences for the human race.

Should we want to have our personalities and politics formed by such a device? There will be no room for modesty or give and take, no moments of heightened happiness that strengthen bonds. Attachments between people define part of the meaning of our lives. Without those attachments, our psychological lives become wan, gasping for breath.

If we are being honest with ourselves, we will admit it is the thousands of kisses our mothers bestowed upon us as infants and toddlers that made us high-quality humans. When babies are deprived of such positive emotional beginnings, they may die or just fail to thrive. They'll perform poorly in social relationships, become excessively needy, lack agency, and become easily discouraged and given to anger and depression.

If it is indeed sentient, a human-created machine will have no equivalent compensatory history in its development to ameliorate the emotional responses to life's unavoidable exigencies. What will the smart machine do if it becomes depressed or angry? As important, will the programmers be able to fix its distress when the gadget expresses dissatisfaction with its very complicated life?

Separately, I fear that A.I. might go its own way, perhaps disdaining us or actively working against human interests because the program has come to see people as antithetical to its existence. In the end, we will be surprised and frightened by our creations, though we could have foreseen the problems. Because of our curiosity, it is so human not to predict doom soon enough to avoid it! Of such scenarios movies are made. "Good morning, Hal!"
Opinion articles from the left:

"Biden is, actually, doing well"

Let's see, Afghanistan withdrawal, picking a needless and dangerous fight with Russia over Ukraine, pain at the pump, gross prices for groceries, immigration meltdown, and a Justice Department that threatens parents attending school board meetings while allowing terrorists to riot in front of the homes of certain Supreme Court justices. Biden is, actually, doing hell.

"The Supreme Court Voids Religious Neutrality"

That is, if you have a prejudice against children being exposed to a little prayer and humility. If the only state-sponsored field trip you're willing to cheer is to the local drag club, you're a hack and a fool. Kids get exposed to all kinds of useless and damaging crap at the local state-sponsored school. They get CRT, gay clubs, and transgender enticement classes. The current government is anything but neutral when it comes to religions they accept with blind faith, sects like climate change and a whole month dedicated to false pride. I don't want to hear your one-sided slant on what constitutes a religion; you wouldn't recognize one if it were banging around in your head all day.

"Hatpin Abortion"

This goes in the rat cage along with other tacit racist taunts like "Black people can't get IDs because they don't know how to use a computer or find a DMV in their neighborhood." Pull the plug on Margaret Sanger's bigoted eugenics, and all of sudden, 21st-century American women will resort to coat hangers and ice picks. That's not an argument; that's a rancid scare tactic wielded against people you think are stupid. Think again, buddy. How can we all move forward if you remain stuck in a silly caricature of the past?

"Trump in the Grip of Desperation"

I don't know  Trump doesn't seem desperate to me. He's never been measured; he's like the crazy uncle who amuses you and yet remains honest and good at his job. To his credit, he raises children who are not drug-addled laptop creeps. His truth is a lot closer to target than those of the current administration, who insist that men can get pregnant while unable to define "woman." Part of me doesn't want him to run because he drives the big mouths so crazy, and they are already hard enough to put up with day to day. On the other hand, Democrats are always looking for a God who will lower the seas and produce hope and change and nationwide compliance with the new liberal world order. I just want a decent administrator who keeps his nose out of my business.

I can't get past the headlines because I fear that stupid might be contagious.

Image: PxHere.
Last week, President Joe Biden called for the ban of assault rifles and extended magazines following a pair of tragic shootings, including the school shooting in Uvalde and a recent incident in Tulsa. In his statement, he noted that enough was enough. "This time, it's time for the Senate to do something." But he also said that this was "not about vilifying gun owners."

That seems a little contradictory. However, if you really need to see just how ineffective a gun ban would be, all you need to do is take a glimpse at a recent FBI report making the rounds a little while ago.

In a press statement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) noted that there has been an increase in mass shooting events from 2020 to 2021. In that time, incidents increased by 52.5 percent. But if you want to hear more startling numbers, there was a 96.8-percent increase from 2017 to 2021. And chances are that those numbers will remain on the rise for this year, considering all the incidents that have taken place over the past few months.

So what does this have to do with the ineffectiveness of Biden's plan? Well, according to Breitbart, California was the number-one state for these incidents, with six that have taken place in 2021.

Now, keep something in mind with California: they have stricter gun laws than most. The state has a lot in place, including universal background checks; an "assault weapons" ban; a "high capacity" magazine ban; a 10-day waiting period on gun purchases; a red flag law; various gun registration requirements; a ban that calls for no guns to be carried on a college campus for self-defense; a ban on K12 teachers being armed on campus for classroom defense; a background check requirement for ammunition purchases; and a limit on the number of guns a law-abiding citizen can purchase within a given month.

That's a lot, isn't it? And yet, even with all these put into place by California government, that didn't stop the state from being home to six deadly shootings that resulted in the loss of many lives.

It says a lot about what President Biden has in mind for his laws. He stated that he's "not about vilifying gun owners" when speaking about a potential ban. But the thing is, that seems to be the only group that this potential law could affect.

The thing about mass shooters is that they always seem to find a way to get the gear they need to carry out their incidents. They can find an assault rifle, usually at some pawn shop or some online place that won't even think twice to check an ID. They can find tactical gear, like the protective vest that the shooters in Buffalo and Uvalde were wearing. So even if Biden called for his ban and somehow got it through Congress, that wouldn't stop these people from creating more terror on the streets.

So what's the solution, then? While there may not be an easy answer for some, for me, there's something to be said about constitutional carry.

Essentially, constitutional carry means that the state cannot prohibit citizens from legally wearing a firearm. Under this law, a person who owns said firearm can carry it in public, either visibly or concealed, at almost any time or place, without training, registration, or government licensing. Obviously, there are some exceptions, like police stations and government buildings, but, for the most part, constitutional carry would allow them to have a weapon.

While some may find this intimidating, think about it. If there was an active shooter in the area, someone who's carrying a firearm would be able to act and protect innocent lives by containing the situation. And we're not talking everyone entering a state of vigilantism. These would obviously be registered citizens who are able to tackle a scenario should the situation call for it, or if the police don't react in enough of a timely manner. That would certainly be more effective than Biden's gun ban, which, sadly, it sounds like anyone with an online account and a credit card would be able to walk through.

If Biden really wants to be effective in slowing or even stopping these mass shooting incidents, he should take a closer look at constitutional carry and what it could mean for this country. Sometimes a protective few can make all the difference between life and death.

Michael Letts is the founder, president, and CEO of In-Vest USA, a national grassroots non-profit organization that is helping hundreds of communities provide thousands of bulletproof vests for their police forces through educational, public relations, sponsorship, and fundraising programs. Those interested in learning more about Letts can visit his official website here.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
The city of Circleville, situated thirty miles to the south of Ohios largest city, Columbus, has a few things to boast. The Circleville Pumpkin Show, which the city has been hosting for more than a century, is the biggest festival in the United States dedicated to the fruit, attracting several hundred thousand visitors over multiple days, as well as unusually large-sized pumpkins. Pumpkins weighing in excess of 1,000 pounds frequently turn up at the pumpkin weighing contest, with the current record standing at 1,964 pounds (891 kg).

Circleville is also one of the first American cities to undergo a major urban restructuring. When the city was originally founded, in the beginning of the 19th century, it had a circular layout to correspond to the circular ancient Native American earthwork over which the city was built. This is how the city got its nameCircleville. It had an octagonal courthouse at the center surrounded by concentric rings of streets intersected by more streets radiating out of the courthouse like spokes of a wheel. But many residents were not happy with the layout, so starting 1837, the city demolished its old buildings and streets and rebuilt the entire city in the more conventional square grid. The city boasts this rebuilding process as the earliest example of urban redevelopment in the United States.

Hitler Road#2 in Circleville, Ohio. Photo credit: Scott/Flickr

The other thing Circleville boasts about is the abundance of Hitler references. There are two Hitler roadsnumbered 1 and 2as well as a Huber-Hitler Road, a Hitler Pond, a Hitler Park, and a Hitler-Ludwig Cemetery, among other things. None of them pays tribute to the maniacal, genocidal, Nazi dictator, fortunately. These were the good Hitlers we are talking about, the original ones, the ones who founded Circleville.

The Hitlers were one of the pioneer families who migrated to Ohios Pickaway County in 1799 and settled in an area that is now Circleville. As Circleville Herald attests, they were fine, upstanding citizens. The Hitler family consisted of George Hitler, his wife Susannah Gay, and their eleven children, seven of which were born after they resettled in Circleville. These children married into other Pickaway families, had their own children and the Hitler family grew.

Two of George Hitlers children became successful wheat farmers shipping flour down the river to New Orleans. One of his grandson, Nelson Hitler, owned 2,000 acres in Pickaway, Circleville and Washington Townships, part of which he donated to the Pickaway Township Board of Education to be invested for the purchase of books and upkeep of the school library. He also helped build the Hitler Ludwig Cemetery. Eighteen Hitlers now remain buried there.

Nelson Hitler

The site for the Martha Hitler Park in Washington Township was donated by Martha Hitler. There was also a Hitler School, but it was sold in 1920. Many fine homes in Pickaway County originally belonged to the Hitlers or their descendants.

Then there was Dr. Gay Hitler, son of George Washington Hitler, who was a local dentist who served the community for more than twenty years in the early 20th century.

All was well, until Adolf Hitler ruined it for everyone. Now the many surviving Hitlers of Circleville have to endure the strange looks and questions wherever they went. But after more than seventy years, they are getting used to it.

Tom Ebenhack, the local veterinarian whose mother was a Hitler, believes that his generation and that before him probably had to bear some jokes but were never ridiculed. But the same cannot be said for those who left Circleville for other cities. One family, who moved to North Carolina, had to change their telephone number to escape the harassment. One was asked to change his name by the president of the company where he worked. But he refused.

The Hitler-Ludwig Cemetery. Photo credit: Douglas Siple/Flickr

Many Circleville residents are, in fact, proud of their legacy. They argue that their Hitler came first, and theirs is the only family of true Hitlers in the world, and that Adolf wasn't even an actual Hitlerwhich is true.

Adolf Hitlers father, Alois Hitler Sr., was born out of wedlock as Alois Schicklgruber. His mother, Maria Schicklgruber, later married Johann Georg Hiedler, after whose name Alois Hitler changed his surname from Schicklgruber to Hitler. It is not known why Alois Hitler chose that particular spelling, although Johann Georg Hiedlers brother, on whose farm young Alois spent three years, was sometimes known by the surname Huttler.

As a matter of fact, there are far more genuine Hitlers in this world than we would like to believe. A couple of years ago, filmmaker Matt Ogens, hunted down all the Hitlers he could find and interviewed them for a documentary named Meet the Hitlers, where he explores how their lives have been affected by one of the most notorious names in history. Some people are cool about itits their family name and it has been around before Adolf Hitler, so they are going to keep it. Others are not. One high-school girl ran for class president but got heckled off stage and didn't win.

Some Circleville residents wishes they could change the names of their roads and parks, but the Hitlers stand firm on their stance. They arent going to let one man's infamy force them to change their name.

Grave of George Hitler, son of George Hitler Sr., the original Hitler of Circleville. Photo credit: Douglas Siple/Flickr
Some of the earliest legal codes concerning crimes and offenses and their punishment were formulated in the ancient Middle East. The Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Elamites, Hurrians, Kassites, and Hittites, each had their own laws. Among them, the Code of Hammurabi is perhaps the best-known, but there have been many law codes that predates Hammurabis famous code.

The earliest law code from Mesopotamia was the Code of Urukagina, written in the 24th century BCE. No surviving cuneiform tablet of the codes have been discovered yet. We only know about its existence through references in other ancient works. The oldest surviving law code is the Code of Ur-Nammu that was written about 300 years before Hammurabi's law code. Although issued under the king Ur-Nammu of Ur (2112-2095 BCE), some historians think they were actually published by his son Shulgi, after Ur-Nammu's death.

The cuneiform tablet inscribed with the Code of Ur-Nammu at the Istanbul Archaeology Museums.

The first copy of the code was found in two fragments at Nippur, and was translated by Samuel Kramer in 1952. Owing to its partial preservation, only the prologue and 5 of the laws were discernible. Further tablets were found in Ur and translated in 1965, allowing some 30 of the 57 laws to be reconstructed. Another copy found in Sippar contains slight variants.

Samuel Kramer later recalled how luck had favored him in finding the tablets:

In all probability I would have missed the Ur-Nammu tablet altogether had it not been for an opportune letter from F. R. Kraus, now Professor of Cuneiform Studies at the University of Leiden in Holland ... His letter said that some years ago, in the course of his duties as curator in the Istanbul Museum, he had come upon two fragments of a tablet inscribed with Sumerian laws, had made a "join" of the two pieces, and had catalogued the resulting tablet as No. 3191 of the Nippur collection of the Museum ... Since Sumerian law tablets are extremely rare, I had No. 3191 brought to my working table at once. There it lay, a sun-baked tablet, light brown in color, 20 by 10 centimeters in size. More than half of the writing was destroyed, and what was preserved seemed at first hopelessly unintelligible. But after several days of concentrated study, its contents began to become clear and take shape, and I realized with no little excitement that what I held in my hand was a copy of the oldest law code as yet known to man.

The code begins with a prologue that details how the moon god Nanna selected Ur-Nammu as King of Ur, helped him defeat the city of Larsa, and provided him with laws under which all subjects were considered equal regardless of social status so that "the orphan did not fall a prey to the wealthy, the widow did not fall a prey to the powerful, the man of one shekel did not fall a prey to the man of sixty shekels". The laws were framed in the conditional if-this-then-that formata pattern followed in nearly all later codes. For example,

If a man divorces his first-time wife, he shall pay (her) one mina of silver. If a man, in the course of a scuffle, smashed the limb of another man with a club, he shall pay one mina of silver.

Nearly all crimes attract monetary compensation, including bodily damages as opposed to the eye for an eye' principle of many of the later Babylonian laws.

If a man knocks out the eye of another man, he shall weigh out half a mina of silver. If a man knocks out a tooth of another man, he shall pay two shekels of silver.

Under Hammurabis code, if one knocked out another mans eye, he paid with one of his own and likewise with a tooth.

However, murder, robbery, adultery and rape were capital offenses and were punishable by death.

If a man commits a murder, that man must be killed. If a man commits a robbery, he will be killed. If the wife of a man followed after another man and he slept with her, they shall slay that woman, but that male shall be set free.

The code gives us a glimpse at the societal structure during Ur's Third Dynasty, as well as enables us to learn what issues were considered significant by the society at that time. Beneath the lugal or the king, all members of society belonged to one of two basic stratathe lu or free person, or the slave. The son of a lu was called a dumu-nita until he married, becoming a "young man" (gurus). A woman (munus) went from being a daughter (dumu-mi) to a wife (dam), then if she outlived her husband, a widow (nu-ma-su), who could remarry.

Who was Ur-Nammu?

Ur-Nammu was the founder of the Sumerian Third Dynasty of Ur, in southern Mesopotamia, after two hundred years of Akkadian and Gutian rule. The Akkadian Empire ruled Mesopotamia from 2334 BCE to 2083 BCE until they were toppled by the Gutians who descended from the Zagros Mountains. However, the Gutians proved to be poor rulers. An illiterate and nomadic people, their rule was not conducive to agriculture, nor record-keeping, and the region was crippled by severe famine and skyrocketing grain prices. The Gutians were eventually defeated by a coalition of rulers of Uruk and Ur, and Utu-hengal of Uruk declared himself as the first native kings of Sumer.

In the seventh year of the kingship Utu-hengal tragically died in an accident and was succeeded by his son-in-law, the governor of Ur, Ur-Nammu, who proceeded to found the Third Dynasty of Ur.

Ur-Nammu rose to prominence as a warrior-king when he crushed the ruler of Lagash in battle, killing the king himself. After this battle, Ur-Nammu earned the title 'king of Sumer and Akkad.'

Ur's dominance over the Neo-Sumerian Empire was consolidated with the famous Code of Ur-Nammu, probably the first such law-code for Mesopotamia since that of Urukagina of Lagash centuries earlier.

Ur-Nammu was also responsible for ordering the construction of a number of ziggurats, including the Great Ziggurat of Ur.
BANGKOK, July 7 (Xinhua) -- It's been more than half a year since the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement came into force. A senior Thailand businessman said the world's largest free trade deal to date is a big move in promoting the regional economy and regional multilateralism. #GLOBALink

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Earlier this year, Microsoft made one of the biggest acquisitions in video game history. Ever since then, theres been a lot of speculation about what this would mean for the gaming industry. Well, it seems that the UK wants to weigh in on Microsofts purchase of Activision Blizzard.

Heres a recap

Back in January this year, the news broke that Microsoft began the steps to purchase Activision Blizzard. This was a gigantic purchase, and it dwarfed Take-Twos $12.7 billion acquisition of Zynga. Microsoft paid a whopping $68.7 billion for Activision Blizzard.

Even though the purchase happened almost half a year ago, its not completely finished. Since such a large part of the gaming industry is going under one company, there are different governmental agencies that will need to look at this deal before Microsoft can officially own Activision Blizzard.

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The UK is looking into Microsofts acquisition of Activision Blizzard

We all mostly expected the American government to get involved, but this deal has caught the attention of governments across the Atlantic. The UK is now looking into this deal.

The UKs Competition and Marketing Agency is now putting this massive acquisition under its magnifying glass. The agency wants to investigate whether this purchase would lead to a substantial lessening of competition.

This is the theme surrounding any agency that would look into the purchase. Microsoft really bought a massive section of the gaming market. If this deal completely goes through, Microsoft will have increased its player base by over 400 million monthly players.

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There will be a lot of different games under Microsofts rule, so people on other platforms wont be able to play them. After a while, PlayStation players wont be able to any Call of Duty games because that franchise is under Microsoft. There are other franchises like World of Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Starcraft, and many more small franchises under Microsoft.

The UK could send a probe to look into the deal as early as September. This means that Microsoft still has more time to wait on the deal.
Animals Asia rettet sieben Baren aus einem Hotspot der Gallefarmen in Vietnam 7. Juli 2022

Heute rettete Animals Asia sieben Baren aus Phung Thuong in der Nahe von Hanoi, Vietnam. Phung Thuong ist ein beruchtigter Hotspot der Gallefarmen

Die Baren wurden von dem Farmer freiwillig herausgegeben. Er war dabei ertappt worden, wie er am 27. Mai 2022 350 Flaschen Barengalle illegal transportiert, und steht unter Anklage. Es war die landesweit bisher grote Fuhre illegaler Barengalle.

Vor erst zwei Tagen hatte die Waldschutzbehorde (FPD) des Distrikts Phuc Tho Verbindung mit Animals Asia aufgenommen und angefragt, ob die Organisation die Baren sobald wie moglich retten konne.

In aller Eile zu Hilfe

Das Team reagierte sofort, bereitete alles vor und plante die Logistik des Transports fur die Rettung vor Ort von der Farm und ebenso die Bereitstellung von Raum fur den Empfang dieser Baren in der Quarantanezone in unserem Rettungszentrum Tam Dao.

Diese Baren werden die letzten verfugbaren Platze in unserem bestehenden Rettungszentrum einnehmen, sodass wir das zweite Rettungszentrum von Animals Asia im Nationalpark Bach Ma, mit dessen Bau in einer Woche begonnen wird, so dringend wie nie zuvor benotigen.

Eine dunkle Vergangenheit, doch eine helle Zukunft

Vor dem heutigen Tag litten diese Baren schon lange unter entsetzlichen Bedingungen  hochstwahrscheinlichen waren sie als Welpen der Wildnis entrissen und ihr ganzes Leben lang in kleinen, engen Einzelkafigen gehalten sowie regelmaig schmerzhaften Galleextraktionen unterzogen worden.

Doch von jetzt an werden sie frei von dem Schmerz und der Qual ihrer jahrelangen Gefangenschaft leben, und das fantastische Baren- und Tierarztteam des preisgekronten Barenrettungszentrums Vietnam von Animals Asia wird dafur sorgen, dass sie die beste Versorgung und allen Komfort bekommen.

Lotusbluten

Ganz ahnlich wie die Lotusblute, die in der einheimischen Kultur fur Erneuerung und Wiedergeburt steht, werden diese Baren eine Erneuerung ihres Lebens erfahren, aus dem Elend ihres einsamen, immer gleichen Daseins in den Farmkafigen wiederauferstehen und endlich als die wunderschonen, reinen Personlichkeiten, die sie immer gewesen sind, anerkannt und behandelt werden.

Also haben wir diese Baren nach verschiedenen Lotusblumenarten benannt: Clear Moon, King, Lavender, Perry, Cherry, Carolina und Scarlet.

Und mit Ihnen an unserer Seite hoffen wir, ihnen bald beim Aufbluhen helfen zu konnen.





Bitte lesen Sie weiter:

Amy: die erste Barin, die aus Phung Thuong gerettet wurde

Anh Trang: der zuletzt aus Phung Thuong gerettete Bar
(ANSAmed) - PRISTINA, JULY 7 - In Kosovo, special police forces on Thursday morning removed "illegal facilities" in the Serbian enclave of Shtrpce, in the north, prosecutors in Ferizaj announced. State attorneys said the operation concerned in particular four sites in the area, from which security cameras considered illegal were also removed. No arrests have been carried out so far, according to the same source. Prosecutor Easim Maloku told local media that the operation was still ongoing. Belgrade's authorities strongly protested for what they described as a new intentional action by Pristina, directed at intimidating and terrorizing the Serbian population of Kosovo to induce members to leave their homes and move to Serbia.

The existence of parallel structures in the Serbian-majority north and in several Serbian enclaves across Kosovo regarding the school, judicial and administrative systems is a key point of friction in dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, which periodically heats up with reciprocal accusations and fiery statements. (ANSAmed).


YINCHUAN, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Never had Ma Xiaoqi (pseudonym) celebrated a birthday, though he makes birthday wishes every year. When the 11-year-old boy wished to have a new schoolbag to replace his worn-out one this year, he did not expect that would happen so fast.

"I saw a new bag at home several days after I made the wish. I like it very much," said the fourth-grade student excitedly, who lives in a remote mountainous village in Jingyuan County, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

The gift is from Yu Jianchang, who works on the Jingyuan county committee of the Communist Youth League of China. Devoted to working with rural kids for years, Yu is also the leader of the "Happy Room" Child Care Project, serving disadvantaged children aged 6-14, such as orphans, the disabled, those separated from their parents who leave their homes to work in cities, and other children living in difficulties.

According to Yu, the project launched by the local government refurbishes the houses of these kids to create an independent learning space equipped with necessary furniture to improve their learning and living environment. Nearly 50 children have benefited from the project in the past two years.

With his father dead and his mother remarried, Ma only has his 67-year-old grandma to rely on.

The boy has been sleeping with his grandma since the age of two. He longed for his own bed, but the family couldn't afford it. Thanks to the project, Ma's dream came true.

"I like my new bed. I'm not afraid of sleeping alone, and I want to be a policeman in the future," said Ma. "I also like the desk. I read and wrote on the bed, and it always hurt my arms."

"Knowledge changes fate. We put the most effort into choosing desks and books," Yu said. "If this could help the children develop an interest in studies, then what we do will be more than rewarding."

The project is just one of the localized attempts in China to better provide for children in need. There had been about 55,000 township-level supervisors and 667,000 village-level instructors across the country at the end of 2021.

"Those supervisors and instructors serve as 'mothers' and friends for rural children. We conduct training every year to ensure they are competent to help children in need," said Ma Huidong, with the civil affairs bureau of Jingyuan.

Li Chunsheng, a 49-year-old Polio patient, has a son and a daughter with his psychotic wife. The money he earns from repairing shoes in the town far from covers the household expenditure. "We get a governmental allowance of about 3,000 yuan (about 447 U.S. dollars) each month. Otherwise, life would be much tougher," he said.

This summer, Li Jia (pseudonym), Li Chunsheng's son, also moved into his "happy room," which was once empty only with concrete walls. "As a father, I would do anything to provide my kids with a better living environment. I feel so grateful for the project as it helped me do what I should," he said.

The 12-year-old Li Jia likes reading, but he only has Grimms' Fairy Tales. Knowing that there would soon be many other books on his new desk, the boy began to anticipate the upcoming summer holiday. "How wonderful it will be to read stories at my new desk," he said. 
(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 7 - The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for more effective cooperation between countries, President Sergio Mattarella told the Zambian National Assembly Thursday.

"Africa, like Europe and Asia, has been hit hard, not only for the sad victim count, but because the global crisis linked to the pandemic has weakened a process of progress," he said.

"The need to overcome the health emergency and its heavy socio-economic consequences has placed at the centre of world debate, for the first time, issues like universal access to vaccines to safeguard health and the consequences on the more fragile economies, imposing new and more effective ways of cooperation".

Mattarella added that wars and crises like the climate one were causing fresh migrations, and said that Europe and Africa had a common destiny. (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 7 - Italy registered 595,349 new COVID-19 cases in the June 29-July 5 period, an increase of 55% with respect to the previous week, the GIMBE medical foundation said in its weekly coronavirus monitoring report on Thursday.

It said contagion was up in all of Italy's regions and that 38 provinces had an incidence of over 1,000 cases for every 100,000 inhabitants.

"It's the third consecutive week that the number of new cases has increased by over 50%, with cases doubling every 10 days," said GIMBE President Nino Cartabellotta.

The report said COVID-19 hospital admissions went up to 8,003 in the June 29-July 5 period from 6,035 the previous week, a rise of 32.6%.

Intensive-care cases went up by 36.3% from 237 to 323.

It said the number of COVID-linked deaths rose to 464 in the week in question from 392 the previous week. "There are real reasons for concern," said Cartabellotta.

"The occupation of hospital beds (by COVID patients) is destined to increase in the coming weeks".

Cartabellotta also called on the government to being back facemasks, which are no longer obligatory in enclosed public spaces except for on public transport.

He said otherwise there was a risk of the country effectively going into lockdown because of the number of people positive for COVID. (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 7 - President Sergio Mattarella said at the Italian school in the Zambian capital Lusaka Thursday that "Italy has a vocation to collaboration with all and the fact that this school welcomes young people from many nations indicates that culture and education have no borders, they make everyone grow.

"I thanks the teachers for their so important work".

Earlier Mattarella told Zambian counterpart Hakinde Hichilema that "I'm extremely happy to be in Lusaka: 30 years have gone by since the last visit by an Italian head of state in Zambia, and this visit expresses the desire to reaffirm our friendship and to develop and consolidate our collaboration". (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 7 - President Sergio Mattarella said at the Italian school in the Zambian capital Lusaka Thursday that "Italy has a vocation to collaboration with all and the fact that this school welcomes young people from many nations indicates that culture and education have no borders, they make everyone grow.

"I thanks the teachers for their so important work".

Earlier Mattarella told Zambian counterpart Hakinde Hichilema that "I'm extremely happy to be in Lusaka: 30 years have gone by since the last visit by an Italian head of state in Zambia, and this visit expresses the desire to reaffirm our friendship and to develop and consolidate our collaboration".

Mattarella further said that collaboration was needed on the climate and development; that Italy's cooperation "will grow very much"; and that the government was "very committed" to this process. (ANSA).


PARIS - Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri on Thursday travelled to Paris to relaunch an exclusive historic twinning project that has connected for 66 years the capitals of Italy and France. Upon his arrival, Gualtieri was welcomed by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. The pair held a bilateral meeting at Hotel de Ville, the city hall, during which they signed a letter of intent to revitalize the historic twinning and sectors of cooperation between the two capitals. "It is an historic moment.



A great honor, great happiness to renew this twinning with Rome", commented Hidalgo. "In Paris to relaunch twinning that has connected Rome to the French capital for 66 years and to strengthen our cooperation, starting with cultural, social and environmental themes. Thanks Anne Hidalgo, we will deal together with the challenges of the future", Gualtieri tweeted, including a photo of himself and the mayor of Paris at the Hotel de Ville.



The mayor of Rome is accompanied on the trip by Culture Councilor Miguel Gotor and the councilor for agriculture, environment and waste Sabrina Alfonsi. After the bilateral meeting, Gualtieri and Hidalgo visited the Seine riverbanks to inaugurate together a photo exhibit, "CineRoma - Tournages dans la Cite Eternelle" on the berges de Seine, as part of the Festival "Dolcevita-sur-Seine" scheduled on July 9-13, dedicated to Rome. It takes place together with the twin event "Nouvelle Vague sul Tevere" in Rome. This latest event of the Festival "Isola del Cinema" on the Isola Tiberina, will include screenings, debates as well as other events dedicated to Paris and French cinema.



In the afternoon, Gualtieri will visit the waste-to-energy plant Centre de traitement Isseane (Syctom). In the evening, he will attend a party organized by Hidalgo at the Petit Palais with a visit to the exhibit dedicated to painter Giovanni Boldini "Les Plaisirs et les jours". For the occasion, the facade of the Hotel de Ville - in the historic heart of Paris - was decorated with Italian flags.
Israel: accord with Turkey for new air routes two countries Minister Michaeli, 'strategic asset for development'

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, JULY 7 - Israel and Turkey are about to take a further step in the normalization of relations. Their respective ministers of transport are signing on Thursday a bilateral agreement on air travel - the first since 1951 - which will allow Israeli carriers to fly to various Turkish destinations and vice versa. Israeli Transport Minister Merav Michaeli made the announcement, explaining that "relations in the aeronautic sector are a strategic asset for the economic development of Israel and the maintenance of its regional position". (ANSAmed).




Serbia: natural gas price up 9% as of August 1 Renewed agreement with Russia for provisions at a good price

(ANSAmed) - BELGRADE, JULY 7 - The price of natural gas in Serbia is set to increase by 9% starting on August 1, Srbijgas, the company distributing gas in the Balkan country, announced on Thursday. In a statement posted on its website, the company said that as of August 1 the price will be updated to 28,94 dinars per cubic meter. The price hike, observed Srbijagas, was approved by the National energy agency.



Serbia, which has close relations of friendship and alliance with Russia and thanks to good personal relations between President Aleksandar Vucic and Vladimir Putin, recently renewed an agreement for the continuation of Russian gas provisions at a good price, much lower than prices on international markets. One of the main reasons, together with the backing on the Kosovo dossier, for which Belgrade has refused to adhere to western sanctions against Russia for its armed intervention in Ukraine, invoking its national interests.(ANSAmed).




Spain: no recession currently forecast, economy minister 'Growth has gained pace in the second trimester'

(ANSAmed) - MADRID, JULY 7 - Spain's Deputy Premier and Economy Minister Nadia Calvino told Onda Cero radio on Thursday that "no organization has forecast a scenario of recession for Spain".



"Growth has gained pace in the second trimester of the year", she added, referring in particular to the improvement of data related to the tourism sector, similar to the figures reported in 2019, before the Covid pandemic. (ANSAmed).




ATHENS - Greece has been accused of double standards over its decision to deny a Pakistani asylum seeker legal asylum in the country despite the fact he graduated with honors from High School.

Waqar Muhammad, who is 29, received what was a second rejection decision on his asylum application just 24 hours he got his exam results, according to a report in Greek national daily newspaper EFSYN.

The news comes just a week after Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had invited Iranian student Kouros Durmohammadi Bagi to the Maximos Mansion to congratulate him for excelling in Greece's national university entry exams, and smacks of double standards.

While Kouros and his family arrived on the island of Lesvos in 2019 in a boat full of refugees. He did not speak a single word of Greek, and just three years later, he scored an average of 18.25 (in 20) in the exams, a rate he hopes will secure him a place in the School of Electrical Engineering in Thessaloniki.

But for Waquar, things look quite different. As reported by EFSYN, he arrived in Greece six years ago, and for the past five years, every morning he has been starting work at 6 o'clock at a construction site before attending the second chance school in Chios after an eight hour shift of hard work.

Despite graduating with honors, the very next day he received a second rejection decision on his asylum application. In his meeting at the Maximos Mansion with Kouros from Lesvos, the Prime Minister had said that "Greece is always a country open to those who want to integrate into it," and "Greeks are those who participate in the daily education, those who feel Greek and want to learn the language, live here, start a family here".

However, gor Waquar this statement does not mean anything, since, although he has learned Greek fluently, writes and expresses himself better than many Greeks and is extremely loved by his teachers and classmates, he is now facing a serious risk of being deported from the country and if he remains in Greece, he will not be able to continue his studies.

"I love Greece, I can't imagine living far from here, which feels like my own place," he told EFSYN. He added: "I have so many dreams, I want to progress here and build a healthy normality away from what drove me out of my homeland." Waquar's lawyer Alexandros Georgoulis said he intends to proceed immediately with a new subsequent asylum request.

"The abolition of humanitarian grounds by [the] New Democracy [government] leaves Waquar vulnerable to searching for a compass in a future that seems so uncertain and insecure. And yet he is not the only one. So many like him will be shown the door by our state. I am proud of him, for what he has already achieved and I wish in his life that he finds what he is looking for, perhaps far from a country that betrays your love, your faith and your devotion to it!"




Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) foreign ministers' meeting in Bali, Indonesia, July 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

BALI, Indonesia, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar here on Thursday on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) foreign ministers' meeting in Bali, Indonesia.

Wang said at the meeting that since March this year, China and India have maintained communication and exchanges, effectively managed differences, and the bilateral relations have generally shown a recovery momentum.

China and India, Wang said, share common interests and similar legitimate claims. As the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, major countries like China and India will definitely not go with the flow, but are destined to uphold strategic determination, achieve their respective development and revitalization in accordance with the established goals, and make greater contributions to the future of mankind.

Wang said the two countries should take practical actions to implement the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries that "the two countries are not each other's threats, but cooperation partners and development opportunities."

He also said the two countries should push for the early return of the bilateral relations to the right track and light up the bright future of the relations together.

Wang said China appreciates India's support for its hosting BRICS meetings and the High-level Dialogue on Global Development in June, and it will support India's work in 2023 as the next rotating chair of the G20 countries and of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Noting that both countries, as advocates of multilateralism, share views in areas ranging from safeguarding peace and security, boosting economic recovery, improving global governance, to jointly combating COVID-19, Wang said they should strengthen coordination and cooperation, and join efforts to make international relations more democratic, international order fairer, the developing countries' voices to be heard more and their legitimate interests better maintained.

Jaishankar said since the meeting of the two foreign ministers in March, the two sides have made positive progress in terms of safeguarding stability along the borders, promoting practical cooperation and facilitating people-to-people exchanges.

He noted that the Indian side looks forward to a positive, cooperative and constructive India-China relationship, and stands ready to work with China to release a clear signal to push for the improvement of bilateral ties, and turn the consensus and vision of the two leaders into tangible results.

He thanked China's support for India's role as the next rotating chair of the G20 and the SCO in 2023. India would continue upholding strategic autonomy and an independent position on international affairs.

Both sides agreed to support Indonesia in successfully hosting the G20 meetings this year, jointly push the meetings to focus on the central topics, and help global post-pandemic recovery.

Wang is here to attend the G20 foreign ministers' meeting on Thursday and Friday. He is on an Asia tour, which takes him to Myanmar, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. 
Tunisian Human Rights League against draft Constitution LTDH calls for national dialogue to help country exit crisis

(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, JULY 7 - The Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH), a member of the National Dialogue Quartet that won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2015, has urged President Kais Saied to withdraw a new draft Constitution that will be the object of a referendum scheduled on July 25 and to relaunch an effective national dialogue to help the country out of its current crisis.



The League said in a statement that the draft Constitution is "incompatible" with the charter of human rights and its national and international references: "It goes against the fight of generations of human rights defenders for a civil State guaranteeing a total separation of powers, equality among citizens and universal human rights".



The League also reported a number of deficiencies and gaps in the draft charter, including the absence of any reference to general dispositions of international human rights conventions and the use of ambiguous terms like morality, national security and public health in regulating freedom of opinion, thought, expression, publishing and information. It also highlighted the abolition of constitutional bodies, with the exception of the electorate.



LTDH then denounced the absence of a clear separation of powers, which become a simple exercise of functions connected to the presidency of the republic, and the limitation of the prime minister's role, who becomes a "simple aid and deputy" of the president. (ANSA).




Boris Johnson has said the UK will support Ukraines fight for freedom for as long as it takes as he announced he would be stepping down as Prime Minister.

During his resignation speech outside 10 Downing Street, Mr Johnson also said the UKs support for Ukraine was one of the key achievements of his premiership.

He most recently visited Kyiv last month and spoke to President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this week.

During his speech, Mr Johnson said: Let me say now, to the people of Ukraine, that I know that we in the UK will continue to back your fight for freedom for as long as it takes.

He also said he was immensely proud of his Governments achievements, including leading the West in standing up to Putins aggression in Ukraine.

As news of the Prime Ministers departure broke, political figures in Ukraine paid tribute to his support for the country.

To be a leader  to call  evil a evil and to take responsibility in the hardest times. To be a leader  to be the first to arrive in Kyiv, despite missile attacks. Thanks @BorisJohnson for realizing the threat of RF monster and always being at the forefront of supporting . pic.twitter.com/vIuXVjUbzG    (@Podolyak_M) July 7, 2022

The UK has provided weapons and training to Ukraine, with military and financial aid stepping up after Russias invasion of February 24.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to President Zelensky, tweeted his thanks to Mr Johnson, saying he had always been at the forefront of supporting Ukraine.

In a video posted on Twitter, he said the Prime Minister had began to call a spade a spade and emphasise the seriousness of the war with Russia to the international community.

Mr Podolyak said: Today we have everything we need for the effective defence of our country.

Weapons, partnership and coalition. Thanks to Mr Johnson, we understand that victory is a symbol for the future of Ukraine.

Victory will be ours, because the civilised world is completely in pro-Ukrainian positions.

Dear @BorisJohnson! Ukraine is infinitely grateful to you for everything you have done for us. You will forever remain in our history and will be involved in the future victory. Thank you.  Oleksiy Goncharenko (@GoncharenkoUa) July 7, 2022

Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko also tweeted thanks to Mr Johnson.

He said: Ukraine is infinitely grateful to you for everything you have done for us.

You will forever remain in our history and will be involved in the future victory. Thank you.

Boris Johnson, Sir, you are a true friend of Ukraine. We are very grateful for your strong position in supporting Ukraine. We wish you strength and you are always welcome in our country. pic.twitter.com/u83wjBIKe6  Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) July 7, 2022

Ukrainian Internal Affairs Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko tweeted: Boris Johnson, sir, you are a true friend of Ukraine.

We are very grateful for your strong position in supporting Ukraine.

We wish you strength and you are always welcome in our country.
A report has highlighted how stark attainment gaps and educational exclusion make it harder for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) students to attend university.

The report, by the Higher Education Policy Institutes policy manager Laura Brassington, found that stark disparities in attainment exist for GRT pupils from early years education onwards, exacerbated by a hostile environment, bullying and prejudice.

The study found that GRT pupils have the worst educational outcomes of all ethnicities, with young people from Gypsy, Roma or Irish Traveller communities the least likely to enter higher education by the age of 19.

Just 6.3% of Gypsy or Roma and 3.8% of Irish Traveller students access higher education, while there were only 30 students from GRT backgrounds registered at Russell Group universities in 2020/21, and 660 students in total.

This is in comparison with 37% of UK 18-year-olds entering higher education in 2020.

If they were not under-represented in higher education, there would be around 320 undergraduates from GRT backgrounds in the Russell Group.

The report welcomed recent initiatives by universities to include GRT students in their access and participation plans, but said that these efforts were undermined by a wider hostile environment.

One Romany Gypsy told the researchers that GRT communities lives were so bad in every area, with a 2022 survey finding that 45% of the British public held negative views of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people.

The report highlighted how GRT pupils have some of the lowest attendance rates and highest rates of permanent exclusion from schools.

In 2020/21, just 9.1% of Gypsy/Roma pupils and 21.1% of Irish Traveller pupils achieved a grade 5 strong pass in GCSE English or maths, compared with a national England average of 51.9%.

Dr Brassington said it was scarcely believable that GRT pupils faced so many barriers when trying to access education, and that it was tragic that many avoided identifying their ethnicity because of racial prejudice.

Education institutions could commit to change this situation by doing more to recognise the challenges and signing the pledge to tackle them, while policymakers should improve data collection and find the modest sum of money that could make a huge difference, she added.

Emerita professor of higher education at the Centre for Higher Education and Equity Research at the University of Sussex, Louise Morley, said: The story of GRT communities is one of spatial segregation, symbolic and actual ghettoisation, and the racialisation of poverty and social exclusion.

The report noted that the BBC had found that more than one in 10 deaths among Irish Travellers were suicides, with campaigners stating that racism and discrimination had led to a mental health crisis within the Irish Traveller community.

It said there was a widespread lack of understanding of the cultural barriers GRT communities face in mainstream education, with Traveller communities experiencing higher rates of bereavement through both suicide and traumatic accidental death than the general population.

Colleen Roper, co-founder of Future4Fairgrounds, told the report she had heard of Year 2 pupils from Showman communities being off-rolled so that they did not impact school data.

She said: Our children become invisible in the data from the start of their education and the impact is long-lasting.
Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has resigned from the Cabinet, piling further pressure on the embattled Prime Minister.

Mr Lewis told Boris Johnson the Government requires honesty, integrity and mutual respect and it is now past the point of no return,

His resignation early on Thursday came just hours after former Johnson ally Suella Braverman, the Attorney General, also publicly urged the Prime Minister to go.

A decent and responsible Government relies on honesty, integrity and mutual respect  it is a matter of profound personal regret that I must leave Government as I no longer believe those values are being upheld. I have submitted my letter of resignation to the Prime Minister. pic.twitter.com/EG6u52BdDc  Brandon Lewis (@BrandonLewis) July 7, 2022

Mr Johnson rejected calls to quit on Wednesday and dramatically sacked Cabinet rival Michael Gove.

He was later hit with the departure of a third Cabinet minister  Welsh Secretary Simon Hart.

Mr Johnson met ministers in No 10 on Wednesday, where he was told he has lost the confidence of the Conservative Party and should not continue in office  but refused to listen.

Mr Gove is thought to have told the Prime Minister on Wednesday morning that it is time for him to quit.

That was followed by a delegation of Cabinet ministers telling Mr Johnson he should stand down after losing the trust of his MPs.

With sincere regret I am resigning from Government pic.twitter.com/HpQ2rgkr4q  Helen Whately (@Helen_Whately) July 7, 2022

They included Home Secretary Priti Patel, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Northern Ireland Secretary Mr Lewis and Welsh Secretary Mr Hart.

Allies including Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries and Brexit Opportunities Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg remained supportive of the Prime Minister.

Helen Whately, MP for Faversham and Mid Kent, also quit the Government early on Thursday.

Resigning from her role as a Treasury minister, she said: I have argued that you should continue as Prime Minister many times in recent months, but there are only so many times you can apologise and move on. That point has been reached.

It has been a huge privilege and responsibility to serve as security minister.It shouldnt take the resignation of dozens of colleagues, but for our country, and trust in our democracy, we must have a change of leadership. My letter to the PM: pic.twitter.com/V82wT5P2Ta  Damian Hinds (@DamianHinds) July 7, 2022

Damian Hinds also quit as security minister, telling Mr Johnson there had been a serious erosion in standards in public life and faith in our democracy and public administration.

He said on Twitter: It shouldnt take the resignation of dozens of colleagues, but for our country, and trust in our democracy, we must have a change of leadership.

Science minister George Freeman wrote to the Prime Minister to say he no longer had confidence in his leadership.

While he did not explicitly say he was resigning, his letter made clear to Mr Johnson that the chaos in your Cabinet and No 10 this month is destroying our credibility and it cant go on.

Because of his refusal to resign, Mr Johnson faces the prospect of another confidence vote, orchestrated by the Tory 1922 Committee of backbench MPs.

A new executive for the committee will be elected next Monday and could change the leadership rules, allowing for another confidence vote just a month after the last one  which the Prime Minister may lose given the way MPs have deserted him since Tuesday.
Ryanair is to resume flights from Belfast International Airport.

Last year the Irish low-cost airline announced it was pulling out of the airport, citing concerns over air passenger duty (APD).

But it has now announced 12 new routes from the hub next summer, operating 115 flights per week.

 Ryanair is back in @BelfastAirport bringing 12 new routesbetter yet check out the @ryanair seat sale https://t.co/FfEZsYch9k pic.twitter.com/6M4rOaMqji  Belfast International Airport (@belfastairport) July 7, 2022

The routes include Alicante, Faro, Barcelona Girona, Milan Bergamo and Malaga as well as domestic services to East Midlands, Edinburgh, London Stansted and Manchester.

Ryanairs Belfast-based fleet will comprise of two aircraft and create 60 aviation jobs at Belfast International as well as a number of indirect roles.

Ryanairs director of commercial, Jason McGuinness, said: At a time when other airlines are cutting their schedules and reducing their workforce, we are delighted to announce a new Ryanair base at Belfast International Airport with 12 exciting routes.

Jason McGuinness Director of Commercial at @Ryanair is delighted to announce a Long term partnershipto deliver low fares, traffic & jobs pic.twitter.com/vOIsZL79PS  Belfast International Airport (@belfastairport) July 7, 2022

We are delighted to have reached a long-term agreement with Belfast Internationals management, which will underpin future Ryanair growth at the airport over the coming years.

Todays announcement, particularly our decision to launch close to 80 weekly domestic flights to/from East Midlands, Edinburgh, London Stansted and Manchester, demonstrates that lower aviation taxes and competitive airport charges are the catalyst for long-term traffic growth and increased connectivity.

Mr McGuinness added that concerns over APD remain.

Our Chairman Emmanuel Menanteau warmly welcomes the return of @Ryanair and pays tribute to the hard work of staff during the pandemic as we seek to rebuild for the future pic.twitter.com/tccK1smdas  Belfast International Airport (@belfastairport) July 7, 2022

To enable additional investment from Ryanair (and other airlines) from next summer onwards, the UK Government must immediately scrap aviation taxes for all flights, otherwise it will put the UK at risk of losing air traffic to competing European countries, he said.

Belfast International Airports chief financial officer, Dan Owens, said: This is a significant investment, bringing job creation and positive news for our passengers and the region.

It increases the number of destinations now available from the airport to over 70 domestic and international destinations, offering more choice than ever for travellers.

Meanwhile, George Best Belfast City Airport has announced new services to Cardiff and Southampton with Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Emerald Airlines.

Michelle Hatfield, Corporate Services Director at Belfast City Airport, said: As one of the largest airline partners at Belfast City Airport, the addition of more Aer Lingus Regional services is fantastic for both business and leisure passengers wishing to travel to the UK.

Passengers have been asking for further connections to Cardiff and Southampton and we are thrilled that we have been able to deliver in time for the busy summer period.

Ciaran Smith, head of commercial at Emerald Airlines said: We are delighted to commence our Cardiff and Southampton services from Belfast, providing those travelling from Belfast with more choice when planning their holidays.
Black Bird star Taron Egerton said he found the incredible true story behind the series utterly compelling and gripping.

The actor has transformed from starring as Elton John in Rocketman to prisoner Jimmy Keene for the new psychological thriller on Apple+ TV airing on July 8.

The six-episode series follows Egertons character, who is serving 10 years in a minimum security prison, enter a maximum security prison for the criminally insane with a mission to befriend a suspected serial killer in exchange for freedom.

Talking about what drew him to the role, Egerton told the PA news agency: I felt that it was a script that was completely without sentiment or glorification.

It was unashamedly an examination of one of the ugliest sides of human nature, particularly of masculinity.

I thought there was something really unapologetic about the fact that it was looking at how awful men can be and also as the show unfolds, examining why thats in us.

On the page it was just electrifying to read from the moment you started reading it, you just want to know what happens, its such an exciting premise.

When you add to that the fact that it really happened, it was not something I could pass on, it was such a great opportunity.

Ray Liotta (Ian West/PA)

The highly-anticipated series, written by Dennis Lehane, is based on a true story and will feature late Goodfellas star Ray Liotta in his final TV appearance, playing Egertons on-screen father.

Egerton added: I think its important to make a distinction between the real guy and the character I play.

I suspect that Dennis did some work in terms of taking licence with who the character is on the page, but the real Jimmy Keene is in our show, he cameos and hes a producer.

I certainly get the impression that while he did stray from the path and was involved in some dodgy dealings, I dont know that he was quite as much of a narcissistic, misogynistic man.

The 32-year-old actor added that he couldnt believe a prisoner had been offered the chance to have their sentence wiped in real life.

It just wouldnt happen in Britain, would it. Its a kind of wild thing. Its just an incredible true story and I found the whole thing utterly compelling and gripping, he said.
FILE - Two patrons enter the Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream shop, July 20, 2021, in Burlington, Vt. The Vermont-based ice cream maker is suing its corporate parent Unilever over a plan that would allow its product to be sold in east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. In a lawsuit filed Tuesday, July 6, 2022 in New York, the ice cream maker asked a court to block the decision by Unilever to sell the business interest in the ice cream company in Israel to a local company that would sell ice cream with Hebrew and Arabic labeling poses poses a risk to the integrity of the Ben & Jerrys brand name. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

One week after its parent company found a way to get Ben & Jerrys ice cream sold in east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, the company known for its stance on social issues almost as much as for its Chunky Monkey ice cream is suing to block that from happening.

Unilever announced that it was selling its interest in the Vermont ice cream maker to its Israeli licensee, which would market Ben & Jerrys products with Hebrew and Arabic labels.

In a Manhattan federal court this week, the ice cream maker said that Unilevers maneuver poses a risk to the integrity of its brand. It claims the deal violates the 2000 acquisition agreement that allowed Ben & Jerry's to continue its progressive social mission independently of business decisions made by Unilever.

An injunction restraining Unilever from violating the express terms of the Merger Agreement and Shareholders Agreement is essential to preserve the status quo and protect the brand and social integrity Ben & Jerrys has spent decades building," the complaint says.

That passage in the lawsuit refers to the intense bidding process that took place in 2000 for Ben & Jerrys, one of the most recognizable brands in America. Ben & Jerry's was adamant that even after a sale, it would be allowed to continue to pursue its social causes.

The final agreement was so unique that Richard Goldstein, then group president of Unilever North American Foods, said I never did another deal that was remotely like it, according to the suit.

In agreeing to the sale, Ben & Jerry's was allowed an independent board of directors which was authorized to prevent Unilever from making decisions that are inconsistent with the Essential Integrity of the Brand," according to legal filings.

Unilever said it does not comment on pending litigation, but said it did have the right to the sale and that, The deal has already closed."

The complaint outlines Ben & Jerry's history of social activism over its 44-year history, including opposition to U.S. nuclear weapons spending in the 1980s and in the 1990s supporting LGBTQ+ rights and farmers.

That activism has continued under Unilever with the focus on, among other issues, migrant justice and climate change. In the aftermath of the 2020 death of George Floyd, Ben & Jerry's became an advocate for Black Lives Matter.

Last year Ben & Jerry's independent board said it was going to stop selling its ice cream in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem, saying the sales in the territories sought by the Palestinians are inconsistent with our values.

Unilever said it was committed to its operations in Israel, and earlier this year it was sued by its Israeli licensee, American Quality Products Ltd, over the termination of their business relationship, saying it violated U.S. and Israeli law.

When Unilever announced it was selling the Israeli operations to American Quality Products last week, it said it had used the opportunity of the past year to listen to perspectives on this complex and sensitive matter and believes this is the best outcome for Ben & Jerrys in Israel.

Israel hailed the decision by Unilever as a victory in its ongoing campaign against the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which aims to bring economic pressure to bear on Israel over its military occupation of lands the Palestinians want for a future state.

Unilever does not support the BDS movement and has said it was very proud of its business in Israel, where it employs around 2,000 people and has four manufacturing plants.

Ben & Jerrys 2021 decision was not a full boycott, and appeared to be aimed at Israels settlement enterprise. Some 700,000 Jewish settlers live in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, which Israel annexed and considers part of its capital. Israel captured both territories in the 1967 Mideast war, and the Palestinians want them to be part of their future state.

Most of the international community views the settlements as a violation of international law. The Palestinians consider them the main obstacle to peace because they absorb and divide up the land on which a future Palestinian state would be established. Every Israeli government has expanded settlements, including during the height of the peace process in the 1990s.
A Nigerian politician and his wife, who are accused of plotting to harvest a mans kidney, face trial at the Old Bailey.

Ike Ekweremadu, 60, a district senator and lawyer, and his wife Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55, are alleged to have transported the 21-year-old man from Nigeria to the UK.

Prosecutors claim they planned to have his kidney removed so it could be given to their daughter.

The man is said to have refused to consent to the procedure after undergoing tests at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, north-west London.

The Ekweremadus allegedly treated him as a slave before he escaped and went to Staines police station in Surrey.

The pair were arrested at Heathrow Airport (PA)

The couple were arrested at Heathrow Airport on June 21 after arriving on a flight from Turkey and appeared in the dock at Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Ike Ekweremadu is charged with conspiracy to arrange or facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, while his wife is charged with arranging or facilitating travel of another person with a view to exploitation.

The couple were not asked to enter pleas, but the court heard they have indicated not guilty pleas.

They deny the alleged facts and that there was a criminal conspiracy, and will say no exploitation occurred, it was said.

Deputy chief magistrate Tan Ikram remanded them in custody ahead of their next appearance at the Old Bailey, for a plea and trial preparation hearing, on August 4.
Jeffrey Epstein is front and center in the new trailer for Hulu's highly anticipated documentary Victoria's Secret: Angels and Demons.

Director Matt Tyrnauer explores the lingerie brand's dark underworld in the Victoria's Secret expose, including disgraced former CEO Les Wexner's close relationship with Epstein, the financier and convicted sex offender who died in 2019 awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. Wexner, the billionaire who was also behind Bath & Body Works, The Limited and Express as the leader of L Brands, gave Epstein power of attorney within years of meeting him.

Jeffrey Epstein attends the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on August 1, 1995, in New York City. (Photo: Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

"There wasn't a part of Wexner's empire that Epstein didn't have access to," the documentary declares, noting Epstein had his hands in at least 20 of Wexner's companies, 19 trusts and the mogul's real estate properties.

Wexner denied knowing anything about Epstein's sordid behavior when it was revealed three years ago just how intertwined he was with Victoria's Secret. The brand was already on the verge of collapse as sales dwindled and the #MeToo movement brought renewed media scrutiny to its toxic culture, but the Epstein scandal seemed to be the nail in the coffin of the Wexner era.

Victoria's Secret: Angels and Demon promises "the revealing untold story" when the documentary drops on Thursday, July 14.
By Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Short-term accommodation services company Airbnb is obliged to provide information in rental contracts to tax authorities, an adviser to Europe's top court said on Thursday, in another potential legal setback in Europe for the company.

Airbnb has in recent years found itself at loggerheads with authorities in several European Union countries, arguing that taxation and other requirements contravene the EU principle of the freedom to provide services across the 27-country bloc.

The latest case involves a 2017 Italian law requiring Airbnb and other short-term rental sites to forward information from their rental contracts and withhold 21% from the rental income and pay it to tax authorities.

The company challenged the law in an Italian court which subsequently sought guidance from the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).

ECJ Advocate General Maciej Szpunar backed the Italian law. His opinion is non-binding but the ECJ usually follows four out of five such recommendations.

"Article 56 TFEU (Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union) in relation to the freedom to provide services does not preclude the obligation to collect and transmit information or to withhold tax," Szpunar said.

"It is perfectly consistent to impose the obligation to withhold tax on intermediaries involved in the payment of rent, given that the activity of a large number of natural persons who are not subject to the obligations incumbent on professionals is, by its nature, difficult to audit for tax purposes."

He agreed with Airbnb's argument in one aspect.

"However, the obligation to appoint a tax representative constitutes a disproportionate restriction on the freedom to provide services," Szpunar said.

Airbnb said: "Airbnb wants to be a good partner on tax and we support a consistent, standardized approach to information sharing, which is why we welcome the agreement by EU Member States on a common tax reporting framework for digital platforms, known as DAC 7."

The CJEU will rule on the case in coming months. In April, the court rejected a similar challenge by Airbnb to Belgian regional legislation requiring it to provide information to tax authorities on tourist transactions.

The case is C-83/21 Airbnb Ireland and Airbnb Payments UK.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Jonathan Oatis)
BALI, Indonesia, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday exchanged views with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the Ukraine issue during his attendance at the Group of 20 (G20) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Indonesia's tourist island of Bali.

Wang expounded on China's three concerns about the current situation in Ukraine.

First, Wang said, China opposes the act of taking the opportunity to incite Cold War thinking, hyping up bloc confrontation, and creating a "new Cold War."

He said that in the face of complex and severe challenges, the world values unity rather than division, and what is needed is dialogue rather than confrontation.

Wang stressed that China will continue to unswervingly stand on the right side of history and on the side of promoting peace talks.

Second, China opposes the practice of double standards that undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said.

Some countries emphasize the principle of sovereignty on the Ukraine issue, but keep challenging China's sovereignty and the one-China principle on the Taiwan question, and even deliberately create tensions in the Taiwan Strait, which is obviously a blatant double standard, he added.

Wang said China rejects any attempt to equate the Ukraine crisis with the Taiwan question, noting that China will firmly defend its core interests.

Third, he said China opposes any act to undermine other countries' legitimate right to development.

Some countries have used the Ukraine crisis as an excuse to abuse unilateral sanctions on China and other countries, which is neither justified nor legal, Wang said, adding that such actions undermine normal state-to-state exchanges, violate the prevailing rules of international trade, and lead to further complication and escalation of the Ukraine crisis.

Wang said all parties should jointly resist those actions and strive to build an open, fair and non-discriminatory international cooperation environment. 
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP)  A jury on Thursday convicted former Theranos executive Ramesh Sunny Balwani of collaborating with disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes in a massive fraud involving the blood-testing company that once enthralled Silicon Valley.

The 12 jurors found Balwani guilty on all 12 felony counts of defrauding both Theranos investors and the patients who relied on wildly unreliable blood tests that could have jeopardized their health.

Balwani sat impassively as the verdicts were read, blinking frequently.

The outcome puts Balwani and Holmes in similar situations. Holmes was convicted on four counts of investor fraud and conspiracy earlier this year. During that trial, Holmes tearfully accused Balwani of sexually emotionally abusing her while they were lovers. An attorney for Balwani has vehemently denied those charges.

Both Holmes, 38, and Balwani, 57, face up to 20 years in prison.

Holmes is scheduled to be sentenced in late September. The date of Balwanis sentencing is expected to be set in the coming days.

The dual convictions representing a resounding victory for federal prosecutors, who seized on the Theranos case as a rare opportunity to hold ambitious entrepreneurs accountable for engaging in technological hyperbole while pursuing fame and fortune. In the process, they hoped to discourage the practice of making bold and unproven promises about still-nascent products  a startup strategy known as "fake it until you make it.

After the verdicts were read and the jury was dismissed, Balwani walked over to his two brothers who were sitting behind him for what appeared to be a solemn discussion. The three sat quietly, heads bowed.

While Holmes insinuated during her trial that Balwani manipulated her into making poor choices, Balwanis lawyers explicitly sought to shift all the blame for any misconduct squarely on Holmes.

As part of Balwanis defense, the lawyers pointed out that Holmes was not only CEO, but also a Silicon Valley star who persuaded investors to pour nearly $1 billion into Theranos. Holmes boasted that her company had found a way to scan for hundreds of potential diseases with a device called the Edison that could test just a few drops of blood taken with a finger prick. Such technology could potentially revolutionize healthcare.

But it turned out that the Edison never worked properly, providing faulty test results that Theranos conducted as part of a deal to set up mini labs in Walgreens pharmacies. The flaws in Theranos vaunted technology prompted Holmes and Balwani to shift their testing to conventional machines made by other vendors and while drawing vials of blood from patients' veins  a far cry from Holmes' promises.

After committing about $15 million of his own money to bolster Theranos and then becoming the companys chief operating officer in 2010, Balwani eventually oversaw the blood-testing lab that was delivering the inaccurate results and supervised the Walgreens deal.

Unlike Holmes, who spent seven days on the witness stand during her trial, Balwani didnt testify in his own defense.

Balwanis defense mirrored Holmess in one key aspect: Both depicted the pair as tireless workers who believed so deeply in Theranos technology that they never sold their respective stakes in the Palo Alto, California, company. At one point in 2014, Holmes fortune was estimated at $4.5 billion while Balwanis Theranos holdings were valued at $500 million.

But everything began to unravel in late 2015 after a series of explosive articles in The Wall Street Journal exposed rampant problems with Theranos technology. By May 2016, Holmes had dumped Balwani as her business and romantic partner. Holmes is now the mother of an infant son fathered by her current partner, Billy Evans, who was by her side through most of her trial.
By David Lawder

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Export-Import Bank plans "aggressive" measures to restore its standing in the business community and to bump up credit volumes running at roughly a quarter of their levels from 2014 before it was hobbled first by Congress and then a global pandemic, the bank's new president said.

In that span, EXIM faded in the minds of customers and foreign governments - and many simply never got to know it, Reta Jo Lewis told Reuters on Wednesday. She plans to fix that with an "EXIM 101" education program to introduce new industries and small businesses to the lender's services and rebuild its relationships with foreign governments and U.S. exporters.

Moreover, Lewis, the first person of color to head the 88-year-old export credit agency, said she aims to steadily build up EXIM's lending totals "on a deal-by-deal basis."

"The important thing that I've seen is that while we were out of the market, you know, others stepped in. So that means that we've got to be aggressive," Lewis said. "We've got to be out there meeting large, small and medium-sized companies to let them know that EXIM has this financing tool that they can use."

Republicans in Congress in July 2015 sought to permanently shutter EXIM, charging it was providing "corporate welfare" through cheap export financing for Boeing, General Electric, Caterpillar and other corporate giants.

Its charter was restored after four months, but Republicans blocked EXIM board nominees for four more years, limiting it to loans of $10 million or less and shutting it out of the market for aircraft and major infrastructure projects.

During the void, GE was among U.S. firms that turned elsewhere, agreeing in 2015 to move manufacturing https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-exim-ge-idCNL1N11Y0Z620150928 of oilfield gas generator engines to Canada from Waukesha, Wisconsin, in a deal to access Canadian export financing, costing 236 U.S. manufacturing jobs.

A spokesperson for Austrian-based Innio Group, which acquired those facilities when it bought GE's distributed power business in 2018, said the firm would not be seeking EXIM financing support.

After its full lending powers were restored in 2019, other setbacks came from the COVID-19 pandemic's hit to export demand, and halts in aircraft deliveries for Boeing, traditionally EXIM's largest customer, following the 737 MAX grounding and 787 production problems.

CHINA CHALLENGE

Meanwhile, China has continued to dwarf EXIM's efforts, providing $11 billion in official medium and long-term export credit in 2021, compared with $2.2 billion for the United States, according to EXIM's annual competitiveness report https://img.exim.gov/s3fs-public/oig/reports/EXIM_2021_Competitiveness_Report.pdf.

Including short-term deals for working capital finance and credit insurance, EXIM in fiscal 2021 authorized $5.8 billion total support - far below its $20.7 billion volume in 2014.

Lewis, who marks her 100th day on the job on Thursday, said she does not have a specific volume target for EXIM, but wants to see higher numbers each year - a sign that "American companies are winning."

She said a $600 billion private-sector-led infrastructure push from G7 countries announced last week to rival China's Belt and Road program, including $200 billion from the United States, represents a significant opportunity to win new customers.

The fomer State Department official and congressional affairs director for the German Marshall Fund said she plans a trip to Africa to meet with officials and businesses later this year.

EXIM has also launched a transformational exports program https://www.exim.gov/about/special-initiatives/ctep to compete with China in key emerging export areas such as biomedical technology, renewable energy and quantum computing.

But reaching into new industries and more small businesses requires EXIM to take a more proactive approach to marketing, she said.

"We can't just sit back and just wait for (business) to walk in the door. That's an old-school method," she said. "We've got to be talking to industries all over this country and all over this world about what it is that we do."

(Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Dan Burns and Diane Craft)
A total of 82 MPs have left Government positions since Boris Johnson became Prime Minister in 2019, 30 more than the 52 departures during the whole of Theresa Mays premiership.

Here is a full list of the departures, as of 12pm on July 7 2022.

All departures were resignations unless otherwise stated. The list does not include people who left during reshuffles.

1. Baron Young, Government whip in the House of Lords, on August 29 2019, in protest at the decision to prorogue Parliament.

2. Jo Johnson, minister of state at the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, on September 5 2019, amid disagreements over Brexit.

3. Amber Rudd, work and pensions secretary, on September 7 2019, in protest at Mr Johnsons Brexit policy and his decision to expel rebel MPs.

4. Alun Cairns, Welsh secretary, on November 6 2019, over claims he knew about a former aides role in the collapse of a rape trial.

5. Conor Burns, minister of state at the Department for International Trade, on May 4 2020, after he was criticised in a report by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.

6. Douglas Ross, parliamentary under-secretary of state for Scotland, on May 26 2020, in protest at Dominic Cummings remaining as the Prime Ministers adviser.

7. Simon Clarke, minister of state at the Ministry for Housing, Communities & Local Government, on September 8 2020, for personal reasons.

8. Lord Keen, advocate-general for Scotland, on September 16 2020, over the legality of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill.

9. Chris Green, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Education, on October 13 2020, in opposition to the Governments response to Covid-19.

(PA Graphics)

10. Caroline Ansell, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, on October 22 2020, after voting against the Government over free school meals.

11. Baroness Sugg, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Foreign Office, on November 25 2020, over cuts to international aid.

12. Kelly Tolhurst, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, on January 16 2021, for personal reasons.

13. Johnny Mercer was sacked as parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Ministry of Defence on April 20 2021 after threatening to resign over the Overseas Operations Bill.

14. Matt Hancock, health secretary, on June 26 2021, for breaching Covid-19 rules.

15. James Brokenshire, minister of state at the Home Office, on July 7 2021, for personal reasons.

16. Lord Frost, minister of state at the Cabinet Office, on December 18 2021, amid disagreements with the Government over its Brexit and Covid-19 strategies.

17. Lord Agnew, minister of state at the Cabinet Office, on January 24 2022, in protest at the Governments handling of Covid-19 business loans.

18. Angela Richardson, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, on January 31 2022, in protest at Government standards following the partygate scandal.

19. Lord Wolfson, parliamentary under-secretary of state at Ministry of Justice, on April 13 2022, also in protest at Government standards following the partygate scandal.

20. Paul Holmes, parliamentary private secretary at the Home Office, on May 27 2022, in protest at the toxic culture in Government following the Sue Gray report.

21. John Lamont, parliamentary private secretary at the Foreign Office, resigned on June 6 2022 to vote against Mr Johnson in the confidence vote.

22. Oliver Dowden, minister without portfolio and co-chairman of the Conservative Party, on June 24 2022, following Conservative defeats in the Wakefield and Tiverton & Honiton by-elections.

23. Chris Pincher, deputy chief whip, on June 30 2022, over allegations of misconduct.

24. Sajid Javid, health secretary, on July 5 2022, in protest at the Prime Ministers conduct and standards.

25. Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, on July 5 2022, also in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

26. Alex Chalk, Solicitor-General, on July 5 2022, also in protest at the Prime Ministers conduct and standards.

27. Jonathan Gullis, parliamentary private secretary at the Northern Ireland Office, on July 5 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

28. Virginia Crosbie, parliamentary private secretary at the Welsh Office, on July 5 2022, in protest at the PMs conduct and standards.

29. Nicola Richards, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Transport, on July 5 2022, also in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

30. Saqib Bhatti, parliamentary private secretary at the Department of Health, on July 5 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

(PA Graphics)

31. Andrew Murrison, trade envoy to Morocco, on July 5 2022, in protest at the Prime Ministers conduct and standards.

32. Theo Clarke, trade envoy to Kenya, on July 5 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

33. Bim Afolami, Conservative Party vice-chairman, on July 5 2022, in protest at the PMs conduct and standards.

34. Laura Trott, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Transport, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

35. Will Quince, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Education, also July 6 2022, in protest at the Prime Ministers conduct and standards.

36. Robin Walker, minister of state at the Department for Education, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

37. Felicity Buchan, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, on July 6 2022, in protest at the PMs conduct and standards.

38. John Glen, minister of state at the Treasury, on July 6 2022, also in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

39. Victoria Atkins, minister of state at the Ministry of Justice, on July 6 2022, in protest at the Prime Ministers conduct and standards.

40. Jo Churchill, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

41. Stuart Andrew, minister of state at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

42. Selaine Saxby, parliamentary private secretary at the Treasury, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

43. Claire Coutinho, parliamentary private secretary at the Treasury, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

44. David Johnston, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Education, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

45. Kemi Badenoch, minister of state at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, on July 6 2022, in protest at MR Johnsons conduct and standards.

46. Julia Lopez, minister of state at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

47. Lee Rowley, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

48. Neil OBrien, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

49. Alex Burghart, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Education, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

50. Mims Davies, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Work & Pensions, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

51. Duncan Baker, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

52. Craig Williams, parliamentary private secretary at the Treasury, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

53. Mark Logan, parliamentary private secretary at the Northern Ireland Office, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

54. Rachel Maclean, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Home Office, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

55. Mike Freer, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for International Trade, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

56. Mark Fletcher, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

(PA Graphics)

57. Sara Britcliffe, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Education, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

58. Ruth Edwards, parliamentary private secretary at the Scottish Office, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

59. Peter Gibson, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for International Trade, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

60. David Duiguid, trade envoy for Angola and Zambia, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

61. James Sunderland, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

62. Jacob Young, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

63. James Daly, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Work & Pensions, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

64. David Mundell, trade envoy for New Zealand, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

65. Danny Kruger, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

66. Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, on July 6 2022, sacked for reportedly suggesting Mr Johnson should resign.

67. Simon Hart, Secretary of State for Wales, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

68. Edward Argar, minister of state at the Department of Health & Social Care, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

69. Gareth Davies, parliamentary private secretary at the Department of Health & Social Care, on July 6 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

70. Brandon Lewis, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, on July 7 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

71. Helen Whately, Exchequer secretary at the Treasury, on July 7 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

72. Damian Hinds, minister of state at the Home Office, on July 7 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

73. George Freeman, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, on July 7 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

74. Guy Opperman, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Work & Pensions, on July 7 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

75. Chris Philp, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Digital, Media, Culture & Sport, on July 7 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

76. James Cartlidge, Parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Ministry of Justice, on July 7 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

77. Michelle Donelan, secretary of State for Education, on July 7 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

78. Caroline Johnson, Conservative party vice-chair, on July 7 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

79. Luke Hall, deputy chair of the Conservative party, on July 7 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

80. Rob Butler, parliamentary private secretary at the Foreign Office, on July 7 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

81. Rebecca Pow, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, on July 7 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.

82. Richard Graham, trade envoy for SE Asia, on July 7 2022, in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards.
Boris Johnson is resigning as Tory leader  here are some of the key moments in his eventful life.

 1964

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is born on June 19 in New York City to parents Stanley Johnson and Charlotte Fawcett.

 1969

After living in both the UK and America for several years, the family settle at West Nethercote Farm, near Winsford, Somerset.

 1977

Mr Johnson receives a scholarship to attend elite boarding school Eton College, where he reportedly develops his trademark eccentric persona.

A general view of Eton College (Matthew Fearn/PA)

 1983

He enrols at the University of Oxford to study a four-year course in classics and ancient literature, where he joins the infamous Bullingdon Club and begins to use the name Boris.

While there, he meets other future senior Conservative Party figures, such as David Cameron, Michael Gove and Jeremy Hunt, and graduates with a 2:1.

 1987

Aged 23, Mr Johnson marries university sweetheart Allegra Mostyn-Owen, enjoying a honeymoon in Egypt, before moving to west Kensington in London.

Through family connections, he begins work as a trainee for The Times newspaper but is dismissed after fabricating a quote for an article on the archaeological discovery of King Edward IIs palace.

 1989

After securing a job at The Daily Telegraph through ex-university acquaintances, Mr Johnson is appointed to the newspapers Brussels bureau to report on the European Commission.

 1993

Mr Johnson and Ms Mostyn-Owen divorce and he begins a relationship with Marina Wheeler, who he marries later that year, the couple move back to Islington, north London, and have four children together.

 2001

Mr Johnson stands as the Conservative candidate for Henley and wins the seat with a majority of 8,500 votes.

Conservative candidate for Henley, journalist Boris Johnson, and his wife Marina have a drink as they wait during the count at Watlington for the Henley seat (Tim Ockenden/PA)

He continues to work as the editor of The Spectator magazine despite promising not to run for Parliament while doing so.

 2004

Mr Johnson is sacked as shadow arts minister by Michael Howard after it was revealed he was having an affair with columnist Petronella Wyatt despite describing it previously as an inverted pyramid of piffle.

 2006

After being re-elected as MP for Henley, Mr Johnson is appointed shadow higher education minister by David Cameron, then accused of having another affair with journalist Anna Fazackerley.

He is dismissed as editor of The Spectator by its new chief executive, Andrew Neil.

 2008

Mr Johnson is elected mayor of London, beating Labour candidate Ken Livingstone by 55% to 47%.

During his time in office, he continues such projects as Crossrail and the 2012 London Olympics and introduces new initiatives such as Boris bikes and a ban on drinking alcohol on public transport.

Then London mayor Boris Johnson in front of Tower Bridge in London where the Olympic rings were hung (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

He is re-elected for a second mayoral term in 2012.

 2015

Mr Johnson is elected as MP for the safe Conservative seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip in the general election.

 2016

He becomes a strong advocate of the Leave campaign in the Brexit referendum and, following Mr Camerons resignation, is tipped as a frontrunner to become Conservative leader  though he ultimately loses out to Theresa May.

Mr Johnson is appointed as foreign secretary in Mrs Mays Cabinet in July and stays in the post until 2018, when he resigns and returns to the Conservative backbenches.

 2019

Following Mrs Mays resignation, Mr Johnson is elected leader of the Conservative Party and becomes Prime Minister on July 24.

The Queen welcoming newly elected leader of the Conservative party Boris Johnson during an audience in Buckingham Palace, London (Victoria Jones/PA)

In December, he wins a snap general election by a considerable margin of 80 seats  the biggest Tory majority since 1987.

 2020

On February 29 Mr Johnson and Carrie Symonds announce they had become engaged in late 2019, and that she was expecting a baby.

Wilfred Johnson was born on April 29.

The coronavirus crisis worsens within the first few months following the election victory.

Mr Johnson declares a nationwide lockdown on March 23, and is admitted to hospital with the disease on April 5.

He was admitted to intensive care, and left hospital on April 12.

Dominic Cummings leaves 10 Downing Street, London, with a box (Yui Mok/PA)

The following month, it was revealed his de facto chief of staff Dominic Cummings made a trip with his family to Durham during the March 2020 lockdown while experiencing Covid-19 symptoms. Neither Mr Johnson or Mr Cummings resigned, despite widespread calls for them to.

In November, Mr Cummings and director of communications Lee Cain resigned amid reports of infighting.

 2021

On May 29 Mr Johnson married Carrie Symonds at Westminster Cathedral, the first Prime Minister to wed in office since 1822.

On July 31 they announced they were expecting their second child together after Mrs Johnson suffered a miscarriage earlier that year.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Carrie Johnson in the garden of 10 Downing Street (Rebecca Fulton/PA)

Their daughter Romy was born on December 9.

 2022

After a series of partygate revelations during lockdown and several ethics concerns, scores of MPs resigned from the Government, finally forcing Mr Johnson to agree to stand down.
Irish premier Micheal Martin has said it was difficult to comprehend the level of cruelty that has been widespread in Ukraine.

Following his visit to the war-torn country, Mr Martin said he was impressed by the resilience of the Ukrainian people, describing his time there as very emotional.

The Fianna Fail leader returned to Dublin on Thursday after he spent a day witnessing the devastation inflicted by invading Russian forces in the conflict-scarred suburbs of Kyiv that have borne the brunt of the offensive on the city.

The tour included a sombre visit to the site of a mass grave in the grounds of a church in Bucha.

Vehicles from Taoiseach Micheal Martins cavalcade pass anti-aircraft defences at Rzeszow airport in Poland, after leaving Ukraine (Niall Carson/PA)

Mr Martin held a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Ukrainian capital.

He said: We met, first-hand, many communities who have been very traumatised at the level of atrocities that were carried out on their peoples by Russian Federation soldiers in Bucha and Borodyanka.

It was very difficult to comprehend the level of cruelty and inhumanity that happened and that continues to happen in Ukraine.

Asked what were the lasting impressions of his visit, Mr Martin replied that it is the resilience of the Ukrainian people.

When youre in a place like Bucha and you have to visualise the Russian troops were there, which was on the outskirts of Kyiv and that the Ukrainian military and people managed to push them back out again, he added.

That to me demonstrated extraordinary resilience on behalf of the people of Ukraine.

And then the needless atrocities and deaths, particularly the deaths of children.

During a visit to a museum, Mr Martin placed a teddy bear at a memorial to the children killed in the conflict.

Mr Martin then visited a memorial commemorating the lives lost in the Holodomor famine in Ukraine in the early 1930s.

Its very hard to comprehend how any man can start a war which results in the deaths and the murder of so many children, he added.

As we left Kyiv last evening, there is an exhibition in the railway which documents the terrible scenes we all saw on our TV screens of thousands and thousands of people fleeing to leave.

Anti-aircraft defences at Rzeszow airport in Poland, where Taoiseach Micheal Martin flew from after leaving Ukraine (Niall Carson/PA)

Very, very emotional exhibition.

Mr Martin also said it is very heartening to see the EU and the United Kingdom working well in its response to the war.

Its very clear that they value the range of support that they have had from the European Union and the United Kingdom, he added.

It brought home to me the importance of our humanitarian response, in terms of our decision very early on, which is very much appreciated by the Ukrainian government, to accept refugees fleeing war, and people who were displaced, fleeing war.

And also our very strong advocacy for Ukraine to be members of the European Union.

That was acknowledged and articulated yesterday.
Four San Luis Obispo County projects will receive a total of $8 million under Californias new state budget  including efforts to restore a historic veterans hall and conserve massive parcels of land.

On June 30, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the $308 billion state budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year.

There are lots of things in this budget that will be very helpful to the county and Cal Poly, said California State Sen. John Laird, who represents District 17.

The budget includes $1 million for badly needed renovations at the aging Cayucos Veterans Memorial Building, Laird said in a news release.

According to San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson, that funding will be a big help in closing what weve recently estimated to be a $4 to $5 million gap in the project funding,

Were continuing to work with Sen. Lairds office on other sources of increased funding, Gibson said.

The 2022-23 California state budget includes $1 million in funding for repairs for the Cayucos Veterans Memorial Building.

Also included in the state budget is about $1.5 million to help the Cayucos Land Conservancy buy 2,250 acres of coastal land between Cayucos and Morro Bay, creating a new open space preserve for hiking and other recreation, with low-impact, low-cost camping and trail connection to the beach, the release said.

Im very happy thats being phased toward acquisition, Laird said of the Toro Coast Preserve Project.

We are all very thankful to Senator Laird, attorney John Carsel, who chairs the Cayucos Advisory Council, wrote via email. Im obviously thrilled at the prospect of getting more funding for the reconstruction of the veterans hall and for the land conservancy obtaining much of the former Chevron property. Both are vital projects for the maintenance of small town Cayucos.

Carsel wrote that the hall is the heart of Cayucos and much of our integrity is bound up in the greenbelt surrounding our town.

Bison graze at the Camatta Ranch next to Highway 58 west of the Carrizo Plain.

The budget allocates $2.5 million toward The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo Countys efforts to permanently preserve the Camatta Ranch in Santa Margarita. The circa 1846 ranch, which features 32,000 acres of grassland and oak woodland, is located west of Carizzo Plain.

Laird also helped secure $3 million for the city of Paso Robles to make Creston Road safer for pedestrians and cyclists, beautify the corridor with streetscape enhancements and improve conditions for transit, motorists and businesses, the release said.

While some of Creston Road is within Paso Robles city limits, Laird said it carries a lot of traffic that would otherwise travel on state highways, such as Highway 46. That makes the street a state concern, too.

Elsewhere on the Central Coast, Laird helped the Monterey County Water Resources Agency snag about $6.1 million for broken valves at the base of Lake Nacimiento and San Antonio Lake that will allow managers to access low level water during droughts when lake water levels are low, he said.

Former California Natural Resources Secretary John Laird represents the 17th District in the California State Senate.

And, as chair of the state senates Budget Subcommittee on Education, Laird played an instrumental role in securing $20.3 million to close the funding gap for rebuilding Cal Polys Swanton Pacific Ranch, the release said. The 3,200-acre ranch in Santa Cruz County that lost several structures due to the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fires.

The California State University system had gotten some money from insurance and disaster funding but they were still $20 million short, he explained.

Laird said that rebuilding the wildfire-ravaged university facility was a personal goal.

Its 15 miles from where I live, and it really is a great facility, Laird said.
Cyclists from across the nation will convene in Boise on Saturday to whiz around a three-square-block course and compete for $20,000 in prizes.

The 35th annual Twilight Criterium will follow its usual path: between 6th and 9th Streets in the north-south direction and Jefferson and Bannock streets going east-west. The tracks start/finish line will be directly in front of the Idaho Capitol.

Im super excited, race director Mike Cooley told the Idaho Statesman. We have basically the best criterium riders in North America in Boise, Idaho, this weekend.

The race will welcome 70 men and 50 women in the professional divisions, and a total of around 300 cyclists, Cooley said.

This race appears on the USA Cycling calendar and is part of the new American Criterium Cup circuit, which is in its inaugural season and includes 10 races across the country, with a total prize purse of $100,000.

The Boise event is the fifth race on the circuit.

Criterium racing is one of four bicycle racing disciplines, in which cyclists race in laps around an enclosed track. Competitors pick up points based on their standings at different points throughout the race, and the professional races last about 70 minutes each.

Criterium to bring crowds, road closures

The Boise event, sponsored by law firm Bailey Glasser, promises to bring large crowds to downtown Boise again, and the course and setup necessitate road closures in the core of downtown. This means typical commutes can require an alternate course, and traversing downtown wont be as easy as it is on a typical weekend.

Starting at 5 a.m. on Saturday, Jefferson Street at N. 6th Street and Capitol Boulevard, as well as 8th Street at Idaho Street, will be closed. At 10 a.m., the full course will be closed off.

Cooley said there will be crowd-control fencing around the course, in addition to crossing guards and corner marshals to deal with spectators and people using crosswalks that are open at various times.

He added that there will be a police presence at the event.

Theyll have their full patrol down there the entire day, Cooley said. They also will have their motorcycle officers at the front of each group. Theyre escorting around as racers go do their laps.

Boise Police Department spokesperson Haley Kramer said police would work with the event planners, just as they have in previous years.

As with any special event of this size in the city, we work ... through the citys Special Events Committee, Kramer told the Statesman via email. This provides a full public safety plan that includes law enforcement and other public safety agencies like Fire and EMS.

Race weekend will feature other activities

This weekends festivities are not limited to the bicycle races, which start at 12:15 p.m. with the traditional Kids Race. The womens pro race is 6:30-7:40 p.m., and the mens pro race is 8:05-9:15 p.m.

On Friday, the Twilight Trifecta Community Kickoff at JUMP will offer music from bluegrass band Head for the Hills, as well as free french fries and sliders. JUMP will also showcase the 3-D Basque Museum photo exhibit and host Bike BINGO. The event runs from 4 to 8 p.m., with music starting at 5.

Deschutes and New Belgium will offer beer and wine, with proceeds from the bar sales benefiting the Twilight Criterium race. There will also be an on-site food drive for Idaho Foodbank.

Starting at 1 p.m. the day of the race, the Twilight Expo will be open in Cecil D. Andrus Park, which is inside the race route. There will be local food and drink vendors, as well as a place for spectators to watch the cyclists.

Saturdays weather is predicted to be mostly sunny with a high of 95.

Michelle Jenkins contributed to this story.
Jerry Harris, who starred in the Netflix docuseries Cheer, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison on Wednesday for child pornography, several outlets reported.

Joseph Fitzpatrick, assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, told NBC News that Harris was also sentenced to eight years of court-supervised release, to be completed after his prison term.

The sentencing comes almost two years after the 22-year-old was arrested in September 2020 for one count of producing child pornography after allegedly repeatedly enticing an underage boy to produce sexually explicit photos and video of himself.

The boy, 13 at the time, claimed Harris contacted him on social media and attempted to solicit him for oral sex.

Harris was slapped with new charges in December of that year, including for child pornography and sex crimes, which allegedly involved four victims in Illinois, Florida and Texas. In February, he pleaded guilty to two charges: receiving child pornography and engaging in sexual acts with a minor, CNN reports.

Prior to his arrest, Harris had become a popular figure due to Cheer, a show documenting the Navarro College cheerleading team as it navigated the elite ranks of the competitive sport.

Harris used his celebrity and wealth to continue his exploitation of children, expanding the tools available to him to manipulate them into gratifying his seemingly insatiable sexual desires, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Guzman told USA Today.

The Hill has reached out to Netflix and Navarro Cheer for comment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
UK PM vows to stay in office despite mass exodus of ministers

Xinhua) 08:27, July 07, 2022

File photo taken on Sept. 7, 2021 shows British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (C), Health Secretary Sajid Javid (L) and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak attending a press conference in London, Britain. (Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street/Handout via Xinhua)

Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak resigned from their posts as health secretary and chancellor of the exchequer, respectively, on Tuesday in protest against Johnson's leadership. Javid said he "can no longer, in good conscience, continue serving in this government," while Sunak criticized the government's lack of competence.

LONDON, July 6 (Xinhua) -- United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed on Wednesday to stay in power despite the resignation on Tuesday of two key cabinet ministers and the ensuing decision by other ministers and aides to also quit their more junior posts over his scandal-tainted leadership.

Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak resigned from their posts as health secretary and chancellor of the exchequer, respectively, on Tuesday in protest against Johnson's leadership. Javid said he "can no longer, in good conscience, continue serving in this government," while Sunak criticized the government's lack of competence.

The two top ministers' shock departure has sparked a string of resignations, with the number of ministers and aides walking out reaching around 20 before Johnson went to face the grilling at the weekly Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) session in the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon.

File photo taken on Jan. 19, 2022 shows British Health Secretary Sajid Javid speaking at a COVID-19 press conference in London, Britain. (Tim Hammond/No 10 Downing Street/Handout via Xinhua)

"The job of a prime minister in difficult circumstances when he has been handed a colossal mandate is to keep going, and that's what I am going to do," Johnson said when asked by lawmakers if he would resign.

"It's exactly when times are tough, when the country faces pressures on the economy and pressures on their budgets and when we have the biggest war in Europe for 80 years, that is exactly the moment that you'd expect a government to continue with its work, not to walk away, and to get on with the job," he said.

The embattled prime minister has been struggling to save his job for months after being caught in a series of headline-making scandals.

He became the first serving British prime minister in history to break the law after receiving a fine from the police for attending a party in 2020 during the country's COVID-19 lockdown.

File photo taken on March 23, 2022 shows British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak leaving Downing Street in London, Britain. (Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street/Handout via Xinhua)

Though he survived a no-confidence vote recently within his Conservative Party over the so-called Partygate scandal, 40 percent of his own party voted against him and the forces that want him to go have been gaining momentum following more untoward revelations.

The latest scandal involved Johnson's appointment of lawmaker Christopher Pincher to deputy chief whip despite being informed of formal complaints about his alleged sexual misconduct. Johnson went on television to apologize for Pincher's appointment minutes before Javid and Sunak's resignation.

The seemingly endless string of scandals has dogged Johnson and his government, casting doubt on the Conservatives' future in the next general election in 2024. Last month, the Tories lost two crucial House of Commons seats in by-elections.

The Conservative Party's powerful 1922 Committee, which arranged the first no-confidence vote on Johnson, is poised to change the rules to allow for another such vote soon, The Guardian has reported.

People wearing masks walk on the Westminster Bridge in London, Britain, on Jan. 13, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ying)

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun)
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) foreign ministers' meeting in Bali, Indonesia, July 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

BALI, Indonesia, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov agreed here on Thursday to further expand bilateral cooperation and jointly safeguard the common interests of developing countries.

When meeting with the Russian top diplomat on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) foreign ministers' meeting in Bali, Indonesia, Wang said under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China and Russia have maintained normal exchanges and pushed forward cooperation in various fields in an orderly manner, showing the strong resilience and strategic determination in bilateral ties.

China appreciates Russia's active participation in the 14th BRICS Summit hosted by China, and its contribution to building consensus in the international community and promoting global development, Wang said.

China is ready to work with other BRICS members, including Russia, to implement the major results achieved at the summit and speed up the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, so as to safeguard the common interests of developing countries, and uphold international equality and justice, he said.

For his part, Lavrov said Russia and China have played an important role in safeguarding the United Nations Charter and international law, promoting a fairer international order and pushing for more democratic international relations by upholding responsible stances and maintaining strategic collaboration, which is recognized and supported by developing countries.

The Russia-China relations, Lavrov said, are not subject to external interference and the practical cooperation between the two countries is advancing smoothly, with a great potential for further development.

He added that Russia is ready to expand the area and scale of cooperation between the two countries, so as to better benefit the two peoples.

Russia supports the important concepts put forward by China including the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, and will strengthen coordination and cooperation with China, Lavrov said.

Wang said it is the shared aspiration of developing countries to oppose hegemony, bullying and unilateralism.

Facing the realities of the current international politics, will countries choose to pursue power politics and hegemony or promote the process toward a multi-polar world? Will they truly uphold international order with the United Nations at its core or follow rules made by a handful of countries according to their own standards?

"As time goes by, more and more countries will have a clearer view of this and make the right choice," Wang said.

China stands ready to work with all sides to implement the Global Security Initiative proposed by the Chinese leader and practice the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, Wang said.

The two sides exchanged views on the Ukraine situation. Lavrov introduced the Russia-Ukraine situation and Russia's stance on and proposal for the issue.

Wang said China will continue holding an objective and just position, focusing on de-escalating the situation and promoting peace talks, and supporting all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis.

Both sides agreed to support Indonesia in successfully hosting the G20 foreign ministers' meeting, and strengthen cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Wang is here to attend the G20 foreign ministers' meeting on Thursday and Friday. He is on an Asia tour, which takes him to Myanmar, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. 
"Cheer" star Jerry Harris interviews Greta Gerwig on the red carpet at the 2020 Oscars. (John Locher / Associated Press)

A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced Jerry Harris, a former star of the Netflix documentary series Cheer, to 12 years in prison for coercing teenage boys to send him obscene photos and videos of themselves and soliciting sex from minors at cheerleading competitions.

U.S. District Judge Manish Shah also ordered that the sentence be followed by eight years of court-supervised release.

Shah told Harris to consider the sentence an expression of the seriousness of your crimes, tempered with some hope that all is not lost for you or for your victims, and that in the future some healing can occur.

Harris, 22, of suburban Naperville, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count each of receiving child pornography and traveling with the intention to engage in illegal sexual conduct.

A prosecutor had asked for a sentence of 15 years followed by 10 years of supervised release, while attorneys for Harris sought a sentence of six years with eight years of supervised release.

Before learning his sentence, Harris apologized to his victims, saying, I am deeply sorry for all the trauma my abuse has caused you. I pray deep down that your suffering comes to an end.

"Im not an evil person, Harris said. Im still learning who I am and what my purpose is. He has been in custody at a federal detention facility.

Sarah Klein, an attorney for two of the victims, issued a statement saying Harris guilt was firmly established.

The sentence he received reflects the severity of his crimes and the lifetime of pain his victims will suffer, Klein said.

Harris was arrested in September 2020 on a charge of production of child pornography. Prosecutors alleged at the time that he solicited videos and images from two 14-year-old brothers.

According to a complaint, federal prosecutors said that Harris admitted to repeatedly asking a minor teen for pornographic videos and images between December 2018 and March 2020.

Then in December of that year, he was indicted on more charges alleging misconduct in Illinois, Florida and Texas. According to the indictment, Harris allegedly solicited sex from minors at cheerleading competitions and convinced teenage boys to send him obscene photographs and videos of themselves.

Harris admitted to FBI agents to asking a teenage boy to send him lewd photographs of himself, and to requesting child pornography on Snapchat from at least 10 to 15 others he knew to be minors, according to the indictment.

Cheer was a huge success when it was released in January 2020, and Harris became wildly popular for his upbeat attitude and encouraging mat talk. Harris even interviewed celebrities on the red carpet at the Academy Awards for The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

The docuseries follows the competitive cheerleading squad from Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The abortion clinic at the center of the Supreme Courts monumental decision to reliniqush abortion rights to states has officially closed its doors after failing a legal battle.

The Jackson Womens Health Organization ceased its operations after a Mississippi judge on Tuesday denied its request to block the states trigger law banning abortion from going into effect.

That order we believe is absolutely outrageous and wrong, said Hillary Schneller, a senior staff attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights who was part of the team that argued the case in court Tuesday.

Today was the first day that abortion was made criminal in Mississippi for the first time in 50 years because the trigger ban took effect.

An abortion clinic security guard and abortion rights protesters confront an anti-abortion demonstrator outside the Jackson Women's Health Organization, on the final day when abortions are carried out, before the clinic permanently closes, in Jackson, Miss., on July 6. (Liliana Salgado/Reuters)

As the only place to get an abortion in Mississippi, the clinic serviced patients up until Wednesday as tensions flared between protesters on both sides of the issue outside the building.

Judge Debbra Halford explained that the Mississippi Supreme Court, not the local court, is the body that decides matters of constitutionality as she denied the last-minute push. But the fight might not be over.

So, actually minutes ago, the Center for Reproductive Rights and the Mississippi Center for Justice and the law firm Paul, Weiss, which represent the clinic, filed a petition with the Mississippi Supreme Court asking them for emergency relief to correct the district court's order and allow the clinic to resume service, Schneller told Yahoo News.

In June, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade as a part of its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, concluding that abortion was not a constitutional right. That gave states the power to restrict the procedure. More than a dozen had already passed trigger laws to implement immediate bans.

Jackson Women's Health Organization, the last abortion clinic in Mississippi, has closed. (Kathleen Flynn/Reuters)

Dr. Cheryl Hamlin is one of several physicians who rotated shifts at the "Pink House," a nickname for the Jackson Womens Health Organization. She worked at the clinic until Tuesday evening helping patients and returned Wednesday for the last procedures the clinic could perform, according to NBC News.

Im sure that women who do make it out of state to get [the] procedure, when they return will be afraid to seek medical care. Some people will self-abort. Some people will continue dangerous [pregnancies], so I mean its obviously devastating for these women, Hamlin told NBCs Lester Holt.

Illinois is probably the closest state. I mean, I think its probably a seven-hour drive or something to the closest clinic. New Mexico is about a 10-hour drive. Massachusetts is a 22-hour drive.

Diane Derzis, owner of the Pink House, plans to move the clinic to Las Cruces, N.M. Hamlin is expected to follow. They expect to start serving patients there in about two weeks. But they know it will be a challenge for women left in Mississippi to find services elsewhere.

Betty Thompson worked for the Jackson Womens Health Organization as a counselor for 25 years. She talked about her work with the clinic in a video with StoryCorps, an outlet that creates and shares human interest stories.

We know that we are the only clinic in Mississippi and we are needed and thats why Im here, she said.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, emphasized that the states abortion bans went into effect on July 7 and commended Halfords decision.

This law has the potential to save the lives of thousands of unborn Mississippi children, Reeves said. It is a great victory for life. I also believe it is critical that we showcase to every mother and child that they are loved and that their communities will support them. We have much more work to do. Every life has inherent dignity, and Mississippi will continue to do everything it can to advance the fight for life.

For Schneller, this isnt just a fight for Mississippi, but a fight for all states with abortion bans.

Patients rush past protesters leaving the Pink House after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the Dobbs v. Women's Health Organization abortion case. (Gabriella Borter/Reuters)

Clinics in Arkansas, Alabama and Texas and across the region have been forced to stop providing abortion services. Mississippi was able to remain open for a couple of weeks after the U.S, Supreme Court decision, she said.

Now that it has been forced to close, it's no longer a refuge for patients coming from across the South, and now folks from Mississippi will have to cross multiple state lines to access abortion care. I can't put into words of how devastating and chaotic the next few days, the next few months and years will be for people trying to seek abortion care. Many of those people are not going to be able to leave the state to try to access care and will be forced by their government to endure the risks of pregnancy and childbirth.
Shortly after Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order Wednesday forbidding state officials from helping other states in criminal and civil investigations of women who travel there to receive abortions, Colorado's secretary of state, Jena Griswold, affirmed that her office would "not extradite anyone for a criminal violation of another states laws."

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last month, leaving abortion law up to the states, Republican-led legislatures in states like Arkansas and Texas have begun looking into passing measures that make it a crime for women to obtain the procedure in other states.

For Griswold, a Democrat, that would be a blatant overreach of government power, as she articulated in a Twitter thread on Wednesday.

"Every American should have the right to choose who to start a family with, if and when to start a family, and how many children to have," she wrote. "Pregnancy is never something that should be forced on women by the government."

The court's decision, however, has already led nine Republican-led states to ban abortion, and more restrictions are on the horizon. Many Democratic-led states, meanwhile, have looked to bolster protections for women seeking abortions and the medical providers offering it. The new patchwork reality promises that legal battles on abortion will continue to play out in the coming years.

In a conference call with Democratic governors last week, President Biden warned that "people are gonna be shocked when the first state ... tries to arrest a woman for crossing a state line to get health services."

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold speaks at a news conference in Denver in February. (Hyoung Chang/MediaNews Group/Denver Post via Getty Images)

The coming extradition standoff has its roots in the U.S. Constitution. Article IV, Section II, Clause 2 states, "A person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime."

The tricky part comes when the criminal offense in one state is legal in another. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, for example, required that Southern slaves who escaped to the North, where slavery was outlawed, be returned upon capture. The enforcement of that act over the staunch objections of abolitionists is one of the factors that eventually led to the outbreak of the Civil War.

Griswold's comments Wednesday made clear that secretaries of state, already on the frontlines of overseeing state elections, will play a central role in the looming fight over women traveling out of state to obtain an abortion.

"The Secretary of States Office plays a unique role in extraditions in Colorado," Griswold wrote Wednesday. "This paperwork must include the State Seal, and the Secretary of State has the legal authority to apply the seal to documents like this."

Yahoo News spoke with Griswold about the legal quagmire that the high court's decision has unleashed. The interview has been edited for clarity.

Yahoo News: Are you expecting a large influx of women traveling to Colorado to get an abortion?

Griswold: We believe so. There was already an increase from Western states of women looking to make decisions about their future and their body coming to Colorado. And, frankly, we will see women who can afford to do so travel from across the nation to the states that are still treating women as full people, as full citizens.

But we will also see, I believe, an increase in deaths of women. I don't know if you saw over the weekend the case out of Ohio where a 10-year-old who was raped was unable to access reproductive health care services. The idea that you would allow a 10-year-old who is raped, who could be a victim of incest, and force them to carry a child when they're a kid, I think, says everything you need to know about the policies being passed across the United States. It's about controlling women. This is about degrading us as not full citizens. Frankly, these extreme legislators and Supreme Court justices will have blood on their hands from the extreme policies that are being adopted across the country.

Is the state taking any measures to prepare for that?

The state of Colorado this last [legislative] session passed legislation that protect the rights to birth control and abortion care. That was done in the lead-up to what many of us believed was coming from the Supreme Court. I think the actions that the governor just took  and I joined him in making sure that we're looking at policies and are not helping states enforce some of these egregious laws  are important to do. The secretary of state's office is the guardian of the state seal  extraditions are signed by the governor of Colorado, and then I must put on the state seal and sign. So, it's really important to me being just the 10th woman ever elected to statewide office in the state of Colorado, and caring deeply about how women are treated across this country, to act. And I will not allow my office to be party to the criminalization of abortion patients or providers in Colorado or any other state.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis delivers his 2022 State of the State address at the Capitol in January. (Aaron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/Denver Post via Getty Images)

How unusual is it for one state to categorically refuse to participate in extradition proceedings due to conflicting laws?

We are seeing many states act in this way, refusing to extradite women who have to travel or doctors on the basis of laws that abridge Americans' fundamental freedoms.

In your statement on Twitter, you said you won't participate in extradition proceedings brought by other states on matters of abortion. Do you expect that will invite a court challenge?

I think whether there is a court challenge or not, we will stand firm with women and with abortion care providers across this country. I am proud that Colorado will continue to uphold Americans' freedoms, to make decisions about our bodies and health care without interference from government officials and that our state will remain a safe place for Americans who need access to this really critical, lifesaving care.

Given that the extradition clause is part of the U.S. Constitution and that conservatives now control the Supreme Court, are you concerned about how a legal challenge could play out?

I have full confidence in our attorney general, in our ability to uphold our decisions about fundamental freedoms. Make no mistake, this is a broader assault on our fundamental freedoms  including the right to vote, to privacy [and] to love freely  all to impose an extremist view of the few on the majority. Whether it's politicians who put these extreme justices on the Supreme Court and made overturning Roe a possibility, to the all-out assault on democracy and voters' power to fight back at the ballot box, there is a coordinated effort to roll back American freedoms.

I think there are many issues with the Supreme Court, whether it's Justice [Clarence] Thomas's blatant conflict of interest in having a wife being involved in the insurrection and failing to recuse himself  which, by the way, is an impeachable offense  to the fact that justices are unwilling to stand by their word in confirmation hearings in regards to precedent. I think it's time for people of good hearts and who believe in freedom to stand up for each other. The vast majority of Americans support access to abortion care. The vast majority of Americans want free and fair elections.

From a practical standpoint, say a woman from Texas travels to Colorado to have an abortion. If Texas does pass a law to punish women from traveling to undergo that procedure, how will state officials back in Texas gain access to the knowledge that the abortion took place?

Someone close to the person telling them. Texas has criminalized abortion care so far  or considered to  that they wanted taxi drivers to report to the government. So, of course, there are different ways to find out different information. HIPAA doesn't cover something like an employer knowing if an employee is traveling. This is a slippery slope into a country that people will not recognize and we can never allow a legal challenge to scare us from taking action, because the other side sure isn't.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is reportedly set to hold a private fundraiser in Utah later this month amid speculation that hes eyeing a potential bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

The Florida governor and rising conservative stars plans were reported on Thursday by CNBC. DeSantiss campaign did not immediately respond to The Hills request for comment on the engagement.

DeSantis is scheduled to travel to Utah the week of July 18, according to CNBC. While the gathering is ostensibly being held to benefit his 2022 reelection campaign, the fact that DeSantis is traveling outside his home state to raise money is likely to fuel chatter about his future political aspirations.

The exact date of the fundraiser or whos hosting it isnt yet clear, though CNBC reported that its expected to attract some of the countrys wealthiest political donors.

Its not the first time DeSantis has traveled outside of Florida for political engagements. He attended a fundraiser in South Carolina in May where he met with several prominent donors. He has also raised money in states like Wisconsin and California and attended Nebraskas annual Steak Fry  a conservative gathering hosted by Gov. Pete Ricketts (R)  alongside other prospective presidential candidates.

DeSantis has repeatedly brushed off the suggestion of a 2024 White House bid, insisting that hes focused only on his reelection campaign. Still, his clout among Republicans has swelled in recent years, and party officials, donors and operatives frequently mentioned him as a prospective presidential contender.

And while former President Trump remains the most popular Republican in the country, early polling of the 2024 race suggests that DeSantis is gaining ground.

Last months University of New Hampshire Granite State Poll showed DeSantis leading Trump in a hypothetical match-up in the crucial first-in-the-nation presidential primary state.

Likewise, DeSantiss favorability rating surpassed Trumps in a recent University of Nevada poll.

The talk of a potential White House campaign has also fueled rumors of tensions between DeSantis and Trump, who endorsed DeSantis during his 2018 bid for the governors mansion and still takes credit for much of his political success.

The two men have both said publicly that their relationship remains on solid ground, and they were photographed talking to one another during a wedding earlier this year at Trumps Palm Beach, Fla., club.

Nevertheless, Trump has reportedly griped privately about DeSantiss rising popularity, as well as about the Florida governors refusal to say that he wont run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination if Trump mounts another campaign.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
DETROIT (AP)  A Detroit police officer and a man wielding an assault-style weapon were fatally shot on the citys west side Wednesday night, Detroit police Chief James White said.

White said the officer and his partner responded about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to a call of a man firing a weapon. He said when the officers arrived, they were met by the suspect who was armed with an assault-style weapon and firing in their direction.

White said one officer was struck and his partner returned fire, fatally striking the suspect. The struck officer was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

With a heavy heart... I have to inform our department and our community that we lost one of our heroes today, White told reporters outside the hospital. A very sad and tragic event...

The officer killed was not immediately identified but White said he was a five-year veteran with the department and "comes from a long history of law enforcement officers. White said the officers father recently retired from the department.

The officers are heartbroken, White said.

No further details were immediately available. An investigation is ongoing.
Community members sprung into action Thursday after a rainbow display welcoming all to a Kansas City church was defaced.

Six brightly covered doors which read Gods doors are open to all in front of United Church of Christ at 205 W. 65th were graffitied over with an anti-LGBTQ message.

A pride flag was also ripped down from a pole on the lawn of the church.

Stephanie Switzer lives nearby and attends the church. When she heard about what happened, she gathered her five children and a bucket of sponges and they worked to scrub off the graffiti left on the doors.

It surprised me. Its shocking to me, she said. Our church is about being welcoming to everybody. This is just wrong.

She told her kids that this was their opportunity to right a wrong.

For Evelyn, Switzers 4-year-old daughter, it felt like they were stopping the bad guys.

They spent hours Thursday sanding the display in the heat, as Switzers brother-in-law painted a fresh coat of paint on each door.

I hope this never happens again, said Switzers 8-year-old son Dominic.

Church and community members sanded off an anti-LGBTQ message spray painted on doors on the lawn of Kansas City United Church of Christ, 205 W. 65th St., on Thursday, July 7, 2022. The group was preparing to repaint the symbolic doors after the damage was discovered outside the church.

Police were called Thursday to the address of the church, but no further information was available, according to Officer Donna Drake, a spokeswoman for the Kansas City Police Department.

This is disgusting and has no place in Kansas City, Mayor Quinton Lucas posted on social media.

Since 1997, the church has declared itself an open and affirming place for LGBTQ churchgoers, according to Pastor Jessica Palys. Many congregants had been exiled from other places of worship and sought refuge in the church, she said.

When she heard the doors displayed for Pride month were vandalized, she feared for those congregants.

Were going to keep celebrating people. Nothing is going to change. But this is disturbing, she said.

Emily Stott, a secretary at the church, saw the doors defaced and flag missing early this morning.

Its definitely scary, she said. Especially with the other incidents of hate happening in the area. But this kind of stuff makes you want to do more and let people know theyre not alone.

Catherine Kelly sands the anti-LGBTQ message from doors vandalized on the lawn of Kansas City United Church of Christ in Kansas City on July 7, 2022. Church and community members gathered quickly to remove the hateful message and repaint the symbolic doors.

The graffiti discovered Thursday was the latest in a series of anti-LGBTQ incidents in the Kansas City area.

In April, a banner in support of the LGBTQ community in front of a church in Johnson County was vandalized. Overland Park police were investigating it as a hate crime, but no one has been arrested, Officer John Lacy said Thursday.

In May, the United Church of Christs pride flag was painted over with what the church described as an obvious statement of discrimination and hate.

Earlier this week, a campaign banner for Justice Horn, who running for a seat on the Jackson County legislature, was defaced with a homophobic slur.

He visited the church Thursday afternoon.

We have to take these incidents serious now, before it becomes something more egregious in the future, Horn said.

We cant run scared, thats what they want us to do ... We need to stand up to our oppressors and we need our allies to do the same.

Horn said he submitted a report to Kansas City police regarding his sign, but felt discouraged when they decided to investigate the incident as a property crime and not a hate crime. Now, he has contacted the FBI, which is investigating it as a hate crime.

This is disgusting and has no place in Kansas City. https://t.co/HUDiGwFcZs  Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) July 7, 2022
One person was killed Wednesday when a car crashed into a tractor trailer on a section of a major interstate running through the Midlands, the South Carolina Highway Patrol said.

Roger Reed, a 49-year-old from Kingstree, died in the accident, said Kershaw County Coroner David West.

The two-vehicle collision happened at about 7:30 p.m. near the 105 mile marker on Interstate 20, according to Master Trooper Brandon Bolt. Thats in Kershaw County, not far from Camden.

Both a 2015 Freightliner tractor trailer and a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu, driven by Reed, were going east on I-20, when the car crashed into the rear of the 18-wheeler, Bolt said.

Reed died at the scene according to Bolt. Reed was not wearing a seat belt, West said.

Bolt said the South Carolina man driving the tractor trailer was not hurt, and no other injuries were reported.

Information about what caused the Chevy to hit the back of the tractor trailer was not available, but the crash continues to be investigated by the Highway Patrol.

Through Tuesday, 515 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2022, according to the state Department of Public Safety.

At least nine people have been killed in Kershaw County crashes in 2022, according to DPS. There were 24 deaths there last year, DPS data shows.
A new hiking trail, created by volunteers and named in memory of the Pine Mountain Trail Associations late maintenance supervisor, is opening in Harris County. Its designed for those whod prefer an easy hike in nature.

The trail is dubbed Carls Cove in honor of Carl Carlson, who died in 2019 at 83 in hospice care after being diagnosed with Parkinsons disease in 2013.

A dedication ceremony will officially open the trail at 9 a.m on July 9.

It isnt certified as a trail for people with disabilities, but with less than a 3% grade and a path of at least 8 feet wide along its 4,809-foot length (nine-tenths of a mile), its the flattest and widest trail on the mountain, according to Pine Mountain Trail Association board secretary Jim Hall

Though its not certified as a trail for people with disabilities, with less than a 3% grade and a path thats at least 8 feet wide along its 4,809-foot length (nine-tenths of a mile), its the flattest and widest trail on the mountain, PMTA board secretary Jim Hall told the Ledger-Enquirer.

The PMTA maintains 42 miles of trails on Pine Mountain in FDR State Park, comprising the 23-mile main trail and seven connector trails. Carls Cove is an additional loop that doesnt connect to the main trail, Hall said, but its the first path in the network built to accommodate three-wheel strollers and all-terrain wheelchairs.

Bicycles, however, arent permitted.

Origin of Carls Cove

This new trail is the fruition of a vision that Carl Carlson championed after former PMTA board member Bill Krysak.

Carl kept pushing us to get it done, Hall said. They realized that we needed something for the person who couldnt walk strenuously. We were always hearing people say, I wish you had a flatter trail. I wish you didnt have any rocks or roots on it.  Were just completing what Carl really wanted to do.

A new trail, created by volunteers and named in memory of the Pine Mountain Trail Associations late maintenance supervisor, is opening in Harris County. The trail is dubbed Carls Cove in honor of Carl Carlson, who died in 2019 at 83 in hospice care after being diagnosed with Parkinsons disease in 2013.

Five years ago, Tom Flournoy identified 10 acres that was privately owned since the late 1800s but landlocked in the park, Hall said. After buying the property, the PMTA had it surveyed and studied for environmental, antiquity and plant biology issues, then sold it to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources for it to be included in the park.

We knew how flat it was, and an easement road already was there, Hall said. We just had to clear it.

After several years of waiting for state approval, the PMTA hired a company to mulch the numerous fallen trees along the path. Approximately 35 PMTA volunteers totaled more than 400 hours during 27 project days the past six months to complete the trail, Hall said.

Approximately 35 Pine Mountain Trail Association volunteers totaled more than 400 hours of work during 27 project days the past six months to complete the trail, said PMTA board secretary Jim Hall.

The first 1,400 feet of the trail is fine gravel along the former access road. The rest of the trail is a dirt path through the woods. Toward the end of the lollipop-shaped loop, hikers approach a chimney of the house that was once on the property.

The PMTA installed three benches around the loop and placed a picnic table near the chimney. Volunteers are working on signs beside the path to note the names of various plants and trees. Each sign will have a QR code for hikers to scan and learn more about the local botany.

The 35-40 different trees and plants in Carls Cove include hickory, oak, dogwood, poplar, cedar and magnolia trees, Hall said, plus rare beautyberry bushes, a flowering plant native to the area.

The new trail is also clear enough of rocks and roots for runners, Hall said.

They can boogie on that, he said.

Overall, the project cost the association about $12,000, Hall said. But that doesnt include the sweat equity in donated manual labor. No wonder he called the result awesome when comparing the trails condition before and after the work.

Its a fitting tribute to Carlson.

He was up there two or three times a week, Hall said of Carlsons dedication to the Pine Mountain Trail system. For years, he led hikes, he led workdays. He inspired all of us to do the volunteer work. He was always behind us when we came up with crazy ideas. He was always willing to help.

Directions to Carls Cove

Hall provided the following directions to the Carls Cove trail:

Take Georgia Route 190 to the FDR State Park office. Turn left onto Lake Delanor Road. Drive toward the RV campground for about three-fourths of a mile until you see the Carls Cove signs on the left, near the new parking area.

The Pine Mountain Trail Association board oversees all projects and trail maintenance. The late Neal Wickham founded the trail in 1975. His son, Malon Wickham, is the PMTA board president.

For more information about the PMTA, see its website pinemountaintrail.org and Facebook.
A 911 caller reported a man was attacking people with a bow and arrow when the call cut off, according to Oklahoma authorities.

Dispatchers called the caller back  and learned the man had since stabbed someone with a machete before running into the woods, according to the Oklahoma County Sheriffs Office.

Deputies responded to the area the evening of Wednesday, July 6, authorities said.

There, they say the man surrendered without incident.

Investigators learned a fight over a refrigerator prompted the attack.

The suspect was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and destruction of property.

The victim was not seriously hurt, according to a news release.

Oklahoma County includes Oklahoma City in the central part of the state.

Man attacked with machete for taking too long in bathroom, Washington police say

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A popular national sandwich chain has a new location coming to Cayce.

Firehouse Subs plans to open a shop at 542 Knox Abbott Drive. There is a new sign for the business at the location, and it listed as coming soon on the Firehouse Subs website.

There is not an opening date provided on the Firehouse website. There were workers at the location on Thursday morning painting the outside of the building. The building was formerly home to Vacuum Center, which moved to 1306 Charleston Highway.

The Firehouse Subs spot will be coming to a corridor across the river from downtown Columbia that is rife with commercial businesses. Other restaurants nearby include Lizards Thicket, Sub Station II, Taco Bell, Zaxbys, Wendys, Dunkin Donuts and others. The coming Firehouse location will be across the street from Brookland-Cayce High Schools gymnasium.

There are dozens of Firehouse Subs locations across South Carolina, including several in the Columbia and Lexington areas. The company is known for its hot sandwiches with names that are a nod to firefighting, such as the Hook and Ladder, which comes with smoked turkey breast, Virginia honey ham, melted Monterey Jack cheese, mayo, deli mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a kosher dill pickle on the side.
TEHRAN, July 7 (Xinhua) -- A top Iranian human rights official said Thursday that human rights are solely a political tool for the United States to achieve its foreign policy objectives, according to the semi-official Tasnim News Agency.

The United States perpetrates "the gravest crimes against humanity," said Kazem Gharibabadi, the deputy chief of the Iranian Judiciary and secretary of the country's High Council for Human Rights, in an address to reporters on the sidelines of a meeting titled "American Human Rights; Terror, Sanctions and Atrocity."

The American people's rights are flagrantly violated in society, he noted, adding that the United States has human rights violations in a wide range of areas.

"Annually, 1,800 women are murdered in the country and 4,000 people die in American prisons in very poor conditions," said Gharibabadi, adding that close to 3,000 people die in the country per month in gun-related homicides.

He said the superpower is also suffering from widespread racial discrimination, especially against African Americans.

"In general, black people are viewed as criminals in the American society," the top human rights official added.

Meanwhile, the Iranian official noted that U.S. occupation and invasions have also led to the killing of millions of innocent people, calling on Washington to be accountable for its crimes.

In Iraq, over 2 million innocent people, including 500,000 children, have died as a consequence of U.S. actions, Gharibabadi said, adding the same thing holds true in Afghanistan.

He said that despite Washington's dark record of human rights violations, it still seeks to pass itself off as a human rights advocate. 
The final of three funerals for the police officers killed during a violent ambush in Floyd County took place at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg Thursday.

Jacob Chaffins, 28, was a police officer for the Prestonsburg Police Department. Hundreds of people came out to show support for the grieving family and community, including dozens of law enforcement officers from all over the state.

Chaffins joined the Prestonsburg Police Department a little over three years ago. He also served as a firefighter, a sergeant in the National Guard, an EMT and a U.S. marshal.

As a soldier, as a fireman, as an EMT, as a police officer, Jake was special. Simply put, he was special, said Prestonsburg Chief of Police Randy Woods of Chaffins. Special to all of us. Forever inscribed as a hero.

Many stories were shared about Chaffins, describing him as a tough, family-loving man who succeeded in everything he did. Woods said he impacted everyone he knew, and people wont be the same without him.

The coffin carrying Jacob Chaffins is brought to Gethsemane Gardens in Prestonsburg, Ky., on Thursday, July 7, 2022. Chaffins, a Prestonsburg police officer, was killed in the line of duty last week.

Our world here in Eastern Kentucky will be forever changed, Woods said.

Thursdays funeral concluded a three-day long stretch of funerals honoring the fallen police officers. The other two victims, William Petry and Ralph Frasure, had funerals Tuesday and Wednesday.

Woods said he doesnt know how he and the community will go forward with their changed perspective on life, and the healing process will be a part of them forever.

As the chief of police, I cant help but think, what could I have said or done to make things different? Woods said. In times such as these, I guess thats normal.

Ross Shurtleff, deputy chief of police for Prestonsburg, said there will be an award penned in Chaffins honor for his heroic work.

Family, friends and community members arrive for the funeral for Jacob Chaffins at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg, Ky., on Thursday, July 7, 2022. Chaffins, a Prestonsburg police officer, was killed in the line of duty last week.

Thats what Jake did. He didnt just show up, he showed out, Shurtleff said. Hes a hero that had a fire so bright that his legacy will carry on for generations. This is not the end of Jacob Chaffins, its only the next chapter.

Lance Storz is accused of killing Chaffins, Petry and Frasure in the violent attack on June 30.

A woman reported that Storz held her against her will and sexually assaulted her her. Police had taken her and a child to safety before going to serve a domestic-violence order against Storz. Storz allegedly shot at the officers when they returned to serve the order.

Several other people, including police officers, a constable and the countys emergency manager, were wounded.

Family, friends and community members arrive for the funeral for Jacob Chaffins at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg, Ky., on Thursday, July 7, 2022. Chaffins, a Prestonsburg police officer, was killed in the line of duty last week.

Herald-Leader reporter Bill Estep contributed to the report.
Four black bears broke into tents at an Alaska campground and were killed for it, wildlife officials said.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game said its employees killed four bears Tuesday, July 5, after they entered tents at an Anchorage campground.

The bears included a sow and its two cubs and another adult bear.

(The bears) were entering tents to access food and other attractant, including personal hygiene items and trash, Fish and Game said in a July 6 news release. Bears entering tents or other structures pose a risk to human safety.

Wildlife officials said if a bear is considered a public safety threat, it can be killed by the department.

The campground previously had problems with black bears. In recent years, however, wildlife officials said campers have become more compliant in storing their food and avoiding bear conflicts.

In June, the campground was repurposed by city officials to be a site for people experiencing homelessness, Alaska Public Media reported.

The city canceled campers reservations at Centennial Campground, and dozens of people were bused to the campground after a shelter in the area closed, according to the news outlet.

Bears getting into the campground couldve created a lasting problem, Fish and Game said. Once bears get access to food in a specific location, they tend to keep going back to it.

Keeping bears away from human food is the most important part of preventing conflicts and reducing confrontations between bears and people, officials said. Bears are creatures of habit and will seek out the same wild foods in the same places year after year.

Anchorage area biologist Dave Battle said staff at the campground are working to minimize the amount of food and other bear attractants that may be left behind in tents.

Campers leaving food out now could create problems for people using the campground in the future, Battle said.

Killing any particular bear is a very temporary solution, he said in the news release. There are always going to be more bears in that vicinity because of its location, and we cant teach bears not to eat what they can find.

Bears noses are 100 times more sensitive than human noses, and they can smell food up to 5 miles away, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said on its website.

They can also seek out trash that smells like food or scented products, such as air fresheners, wipes or perfume. Bears are smart animals and will come back to a location where theyve found food.

A person who allows bears to feed on improperly stored food or garbage is putting other people at risk, Alaska officials said. Leaving out bear attractants such as garbage, birdseed or fish waste can draw bears into neighborhoods or campsites.

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Homeowners find bear cub in kitchen. It had to be euthanized, Colorado officials say

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High prices at the pump have remained steadily high over the last few months, but an expert says relief may be coming soon for North Carolina drivers.

In a tweet posted on Twitter Wednesday, Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, predicted gas prices will go down by one or two cents per day over the next couple of months as long as oil prices continue to fall.

Things could reverse, however  markets have been very volatile, De Haan wrote. However, if things do hold steady, the national average could drop to $4-$4.25 per gallon by mid-August.

Some factors could cause the price of oil to rise, like a hurricane threatening the Gulf of Mexico or a major refinery issue, but North Carolina is among the states that are most likely to see a station in a given area fall under $4 per gallon in the days or weeks ahead, said De Haan.

What is the current average gas price in North Carolina?

The current average price for a gallon of gas in North Carolina is $4.39, down 11 cents from a week ago, according to AAA.

In Charlotte, the average gas price is $4.41, a nine-cent decrease over the past week.

RELATED: Looking for deals on gas as prices rise? We identified how Charlotte drivers can save.

While gas at most stations in N.C. costs more than $4 per gallon, there is at least one station in the state with prices as low as $3.94, De Haan said in a tweet Thursday.

The list is showing the lowest price available in these states, this is not an average! De Haan wrote, referring to the list of states with the lowest gas prices. You may be seeing higher prices if you live in these states closer to you.

Will gas prices drop by end of summer?

The price of domestic gasoline dropped recently, which resulted in lower prices at the pump, but the change could be temporary, according to AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross.

July is typically the heaviest month for demand as more Americans hit the road, so this trend of easing prices could be short-lived, Gross said in a news release.

Four of five stations in the U.S. are currently selling gas for less than $5 per gallon, according to Gross.
Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday. (Amr Nabil / Associated Press)

It is a scene that stirs hope  and relief  for Muslims around the world.

A million pilgrims from across the globe gathered on Thursday in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia to perform the rites of the hajj, marking the largest Islamic pilgrimage since the COVID-19 pandemic upended the annual event  a key pillar of Islam.

The hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime duty for all Muslims physically and financially able to make the journey, which takes the faithful along a path traversed by the Prophet Muhammad some 1,400 years ago. Pilgrims spend five days carrying out a set of rituals intended to bring them closer to Allah.

That includes praying around the cube-shaped Kaaba, the holiest shrine in Islam. At the center of the Grand Mosque's courtyard on Thursday, thousands of unmasked pilgrims circled the Kaaba.

The crowds, visibly thinner than in pre-pandemic years, moved counterclockwise around the granite building in a blur, their hearts tilting toward the structure meant to symbolize the oneness of Allah in Islam. Wherever they are in the world, observant Muslims face the Kaaba to pray daily.

Pilgrims appeared to throw COVID-19 caution to the wind this year as they thronged the Grand Mosque  in sharp contrast to the social distancing and mask requirements of the past two years.

This year the number of pilgrims is huge, thank Allah, said Mohammad Qabbani, a pilgrim from Sudan. There are no high numbers of COVID-19 cases. The situation is good.

But there were still signs of vigilance. Typically, worshippers would fight the crowds for a chance to touch and kiss the black stone on the Kaaba's eastern corner, but the government has again banned this practice, for the third year. Saudi authorities also distributed bottles of water from the holy Zamzam well instead of allowing pilgrims to drink from cups at the mosque. Thousands of medical workers were on hand to assist those in need.

This year, the hajj is open to just 1 million foreign and domestic pilgrims who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, tested negative for COVID-19 and are between 18 and 65 years old. Authorities estimate 85% have arrived from abroad.

While this years attendance is far below the pre-pandemic influx of 2.5 million pilgrims, it represents a significant step closer to normal after the kingdom restricted the event to a small number of Muslim residents for the past two years.

The ritual was almost scrapped in its entirety in 2020, when as few as 1,000 residents of Saudi Arabia were permitted to take part. Some 60,000 residents attended last year. The unprecedented restrictions sent shockwaves through the Muslim world and devastated many believers, who often save up and wait for years to make the pilgrimage.

Although no longer in the shadow of the pandemic, this hajj is taking place amid Russia's war on Ukraine  a conflict that may be thousands of miles from the homes of many Muslims but that has sent the prices of staple foods soaring and spread misery across the world.

This year's hajj also showcases de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's latest efforts to loosen social restrictions and transform the kingdom. Saudi Arabia officially began allowing women to perform the hajj without a male guardian, or mahram," last year.

The hajj is meant to be a great equalizer and unifier among Muslims. Pilgrims wear simple clothing: For men, its typical to wear a white draping garment, while women wear conservative dress and headscarves, forgoing makeup, nail polish and perfume to draw closer to Allah.

But even Mecca cannot escape the worlds wealth gaps: The well-heeled may pay some $3,000 a night for five-star hotels overlooking the Kaaba. For most people, however, the pilgrimage means sleeping in simple accommodations or on the ground around the mosque to perform daily prayers ahead of the hajj.

With many more people applying to perform the hajj each year than the kingdom can accommodate, the Saudi government controls the flow of visitors through annual quotas based on each nation's Muslim population.

The visa regulations have grown stricter and quotas sharply reduced after deadly incidents in recent years. In 2015, several thousand pilgrims were crushed to death in a stampede. Indonesia sent just over 100,000 people, the worlds largest contingent. The United States sent over 9,500.

Shiite powerhouse Iran, Saudi Arabias regional foe that in 2016 barred its citizens from making the pilgrimage amid an escalating sectarian rivalry, sent 39,000 worshippers  less than half its attendance in 2019. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneis special envoy for the hajj did not receive a visa because he is over 65, Iranian media reported.

As tensions eased between the rivals amid regional negotiations and a cease-fire in Yemen, hajj officials from the countries met last month for the first time in years.

Although the pandemic is far from over, with hundreds new infections a day in the kingdom, the government is glad of the influx. The event is a critical source of prestige and tourism for Saudi Arabia.

By Thursday evening, most pilgrims were arriving in Mina, a small village east of Mecca, where they were to spend the night in a sprawling tent city grouped according to the part of the world they come from. On Friday, they rise at dawn to march to the sacred hill of Mount Arafat, where they ask for forgiveness for their sins.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy will headline the South Carolina Republican Partys annual fundraiser dinner this month.

McCarthys July 29 speech at the partys Silver Elephant Gala will come a little more than three months before the midterm elections when Republicans are hoping to retake control of the House, potentially making him the next speaker.

The Silver Elephant dinner, now in its 55th year, serves as a fundraiser for the state party, and historically features keynote speakers, like McCarthy, who can raise money for the party. It also gives up-and-coming Republicans a chance to test the political waters in an early presidential primary state.

Starting in 1967 with then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan, the partys dinner has hosted many high-profile Republicans, such as former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, former Trump administration official Mick Mulvaney, former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and, last year, former Secretary of State and CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

Leader Kevin McCarthy is an aggressive advocate for our party and our conservative candidates, said South Carolina GOP Chairman Drew McKissick. We cant wait to welcome him to the Palmetto State, rally behind our shared principles and get ready to beat Democrats and retire (House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi this November.

McCarthy is already acquainted with South Carolina politics.

He endorsed U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-Daniel Island, in 2020, and donated to Mace through his political action committees this election cycle as she faced a primary challenge from Katie Arrington in the 1st Congressional District. Mace won the June primary by nearly 8 percentage points.

Back in Washington, the California congressman is looking to retake the House but has faced criticism from House Republican colleagues, particularly after a recording of him surfaced saying former President Donald Trump should resign in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Despite Trumps public indifference to the recording, some Republicans have grown frustrated with McCarthy, who they argue has not been willing to separate himself from the former president despite his response to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Others have been frustrated with McCarthy because he hasnt expelled from the caucus anti-Trump Republicans, such as Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney, who sit on the special House committee investigating the Capitol riot.

McCarthy has criticized the Jan. 6 congressional Committee investigating the Capitol riot when a mob of Trump supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, tried to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 election for President Joe Biden. McCarthy also opted not to place any Republicans on the panel.
Like 9-1-1 is used for police, fire and medical emergencies, Idahoans experiencing behavioral health crises soon will be able to call 9-8-8 to seek help.

In 2020, Congress passed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, creating a new nationwide behavioral health crisis and suicide prevention dialing code. The new hotline, reached by dialing or texting 9-8-8, is scheduled to launch July 16.

This is a big step forward in our crisis response system in the state, Dave Jeppesen, director of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, told the Idaho Council on Indian Affairs on Wednesday.

Currently Idahoans seeking help with a behavioral health crisis can call the Idaho Crisis and Suicide Hotline at 800-273-8255. The new system will incorporate Idahos hotline, but itll be much broader than that, Jeppesen said.

At the state level, the 9-8-8 calls will be answered by local organizations that partner with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. That includes the Idaho Crisis and Suicide Hotline, a program run by health services nonprofit Jannus.

Meanwhile, development of the new crisis line is part of a broader effort at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to expand mental health response services.

Crisis response will include deescalation over the phone but also mobile response teams that will connect with a caller where the crisis is taking place and facilitate additional services, Jeppesen said. While Idaho already has mobile response teams, the department will provide statewide coverage, he said.

Over time well grow that mobile response capability, so just like you would call and expect any other first responder, that we would have a first responder on the mental health side that could respond to those emergencies, Jeppesen said.
The identity of the body found Wednesday night in Benning Hills Park has been released.

Joshua Ali Sanford, 21, was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds around 7:30 p.m. after the Muscogee County Coroners Office was notified around 7 p.m., coroner Buddy Bryan told the Ledger-Enquirer.

Deputy coroner Elizabeth Allison found the body on the ground next to a park bench, Bryan said.

An autopsy will be performed at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab in Decatur, he said.

The Columbus Police Department is investigating the homicide as a murder, CPD announced in a news release.

Police from the departments patrol division responded at 6:47 p.m. to a call regarding a deceased person at the park, 101 Patton Drive. A citizen who was walking through the park noticed a male lying on the ground and called 911. Emergency Medical Services arrived at the scene and tried to resuscitate him, but he had succumbed to his injuries.

Anyone with information concerning this case is encouraged to call Sgt. D. Baker at 706-225-4296 or email dbaker@columbusga.org. To anonymously provide information about any crime in Columbus, call 706-653-3188
The Kansas Legislature has taken my voting power away, and I want it back.

When I go to the polls for the Aug. 2 primary election, Ill do so knowing the GOP-controlled Legislature has done everything possible to disempower me and my Democratic-voting neighbors. I live in Lawrence, a community whose mostly left-leaning residents  two-thirds of the countys presidential votes went to Joe Biden in 2020  have long vexed Kansas Republicans. So in the latest round of congressional redistricting, they shoved us into the overwhelmingly conservative Big 1st District that has traditionally represented the western part of the state.

Its ridiculous.

Lawrence is just a short drive away from the Missouri border, but now were part of a district that extends hundreds of miles all the way to Colorado. That does no favors to the travel budget of the regions current representative, Republican Tracey Mann. And its bad for Lawrence, whose interests as a growing suburban-style community are rather different from the mostly rural issues that affect the rest of the district. That has nothing to do with partisanship and everything to do with geography. But none of that matters quite as much as entrenching the already-dominant power of the Kansas GOP. The point is to ensure Lawrences political irrelevance.

So what can be done? How can people in my city recover even a tiny fraction of their lost political power?

Me, Im thinking about registering as a Republican. And I think maybe some of my Lawrence neighbors should do the same thing.

Its not that we share a lot of political values with the Kansas GOP. A lot of people in my city are pro-choice, enthusiastic about LGBTQ rights and welcoming on immigration. Were emphatically not conservative. But it seems clear that the intent of the Kansas Legislature was to ensure that Republicans exercise most (if not all) of the political power in this state. So it would seem that our best option is to join up, start voting in primary elections and do our level best to pull the weight of the party somewhere closer to the center of the political spectrum.

There are precedents for this. In Colorado last month, thousands of Democrats crossed party lines to vote in the GOP primary against Rep. Lauren Boebert, the notorious pro-gun Republican. They failed in their quest, but there have been some successes: Democratic voters in Georgia are credited with helping incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger defeat challenges from Trumpist candidates in Mays GOP primary. Its even been done locally: Anecdotally, at least, a number of Democrats registered as Republicans during the 1998 Kansas primary elections to help moderate GOP Gov. Bill Graves turn back a conservative challenger. (Not that Graves needed help: He won renomination with 72% of the vote.)

This is not the sort of thing that can be done as a one-off. Kansas law now prevents opportunistic party-jumping by prohibiting most efforts to change registration during primary campaign season  Democrats cant suddenly decide to vote Republican, nor vice versa. So its too late for Lawrence liberals to flip suddenly to the GOP for next months primary.

Thats fine, because this is a long-term project anyway. Political power wont be won back in a single election. Instead, centrists and left-leaning voters who find themselves suddenly locked into the 1st Congressional District should recognize history and reality  the only Democrat ever elected from the district was Howard S. Miller, who served a single term in the early 1950s  and plan accordingly.

If only Republicans are allowed to have their votes count in Kansas, the best way to make your vote count is to register as a Republican. For Lawrence Democrats, that probably requires a bit of nose-holding, but so what? If you cant beat em, the only choice is to join em.
A Pike County man was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison on Wednesday after hed previously pleaded guilty to producing child pornography, according to court records.

Edward Leonidas Lewis, 54, pleaded guilty earlier this year after law enforcement found images of child pornography on four different electronic devices in his possession in February 2021. Lewis admitted to using spy cameras, hidden in bathrooms and bedrooms of his residences, to produce child pornography images of a victim, according to court records.

When investigators spoke with Lewis, he told them he accessed the dark web, but denied having any child sexual exploration material, according to court documents.

He consented to a search of his electronic devices including a cell phone, laptop computer, two flash drives, and two spy cameras, according to court documents.

Lewis was previously convicted in Franklin County on four counts of child pornography possession in May 2013.

Lewis pleaded guilty to the federal charge in March 2022.

Under federal law, Lewis must serve 85% of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.

Carlton S. Shier, IV, U.S. attorney for the eastern half of Kentucky; Jerry Templet, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations; and Colonel Phillip Burnett, Jr., commissioner of Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations and State police. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Marye.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.
Warming waters forced tuna species to alter their migration patterns, making it harder for local fishers to catch them.

VANGA, Kenya (AP)  Tuna is not for everyone, lamented 65-year-old Chapoka Miongo, a handline fisher on Kenyas south coast, from his dugout canoe.

Hes one of many artisanal fishers in Shimoni, a bustling coastal town 82 kilometers (51 miles) south of Mombasa, dotted with dhows, dugout boats, outrigger canoes and skiffs anchored on the beach landing site. Scores of fishmongers, processors and traders line the shoreline awaiting the fisherfolk to return.

My canoe is only suitable for the near shore and only those with the big boats and money can access tuna, he said. Miongo explained that warming waters due to climate change forced tuna species to alter their migration patterns, making it harder for local fishers to catch them. Fish stocks have also decreased due to a lack of sustainable fishing by larger vessels.

Fishermen swim out from an incoming boat at a berth, some with their overnight catch in Kwale county, Gazi Bay, Kenya on Sunday, June 12, 2022. Artisanal fisheries on Kenyas coast say climate change, overfishing by large foreign vessels and a lack of other job opportunities for coastal communities is draining the Indian Ocean of its yellowfin tuna stocks. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

The Shimoni channel, previously a well-known haunt for tuna, benefits from the north and south easterly monsoons which can lead to substantial catches, according to records kept by the Kenya Fisheries Service.

But the current monsoon has been unkind to Miongo. He can barely fill his bucket: his modest catch of the day includes a motley batch of emperor fish.

Yellowfin tuna in particular, which fetches competitive prices at the market, can feel like a lucky break for fisherfolk, explained 60-year-old prawn fisher Mazera Mgala.

After a seemingly futile five-day hunt, scouting fish landing sites in Gazi Bay, the Shimoni channel and Vanga seafront for the yellowfin tuna, one weighing six and a half kilograms was finally caught by an outrigger canoe fisherman at the Shimoni channel.

Miongo and Mgala are among just over 1,500 fisherfolk who rely on the rich marine waters of the channel. In Miongos three decades of fishing, he says large foreign ships, more young men opting for artisanal fishing due to a lack of white-collar jobs and higher education opportunities, and a changing climate are depleting livelihoods.

Vanga fisherman Kassim Abdalla Zingizi added that most artisanal fisherfolk lack the skills, knowledge and financial support to compete with larger foreign vessels, mostly from Europe and Asia, which deploy satellite tracking technologies to trace the various tuna shoals all over the Indian Ocean.

The Kenyan government is implementing an economic strategy that will address the effects of climate change on the livelihoods of those on the coast, as well as boost skills among artisanal fisherfolk and promote more sustainable fishing practices, said Dennis Oigara from the Kenya Fisheries Service.

Subsidies for large fisheries  which have long been blamed for destructive fishing practices  have featured prominently at World Trade Organization talks for over a decade with no resolution. Earlier this year the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, who is responsible for the regions tuna regulations, was criticized for not implementing measures to protect several tuna species from overfishing at its annual meeting.

After catch limits for two tuna species were exceeded between 2018 and 2020, conservation groups lambasted the tuna commission for what they called a decade of failure which left tuna stocks increasingly in peril. The World Wildlife Fund for Nature called for a global boycott of yellowfin tuna.

The Maldivian government, which unsuccessfully proposed that members of the tuna commission reduce their catch by 22% from 2020, said it was extremely disappointed by the meetings outcome.

Christopher OBrien, the commissions executive secretary, said the number of active fishing vessels in the Indian Ocean are decreasing.

There are currently over 6100 vessels licensed to fish for Indian Ocean tuna species. In 2020 there were just over 3300 active vessels, he explained. Miongos and Abdallas dugout and outrigger canoes are not among these 6100 vessels registered by the tuna commission, which is dominated by industrial fishing fleets.

The fisheries commission also agreed to set up two special sessions in the near future to iron out concerns over yellowfin tuna stocks, with the first slated for early 2023.

But the commission also passed a landmark resolution to study the effects of climate change on tuna fish stocks in the region, hailed as one of the conferences successes. The study aims to understand the complex relationship between climate change, tuna fisheries and tuna stocks with a view of informing future adaptation and mitigation measures. Its the second regional fisheries management organization to implement a resolution on climate change.

We are hopeful that the adoption of this proposal will guide us to achieve the long-term sustainability of the stocks of tuna and tuna-like species, said Adam Ziyad, the director general of the Maldives ministry of fisheries, marine resources and agriculture.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says climate variability has led to reduced marine stocks, fish shifting from lower to higher latitude regions, coral bleaching and increased risk of conflict over scarce resources. These changes are already being felt by local fishing communities.

Back in the day I would start fishing in the early morning and three to four hours later I would be through as I had caught enough fish, said Mazera Mgala, who started fishing in 1975 and would dive in the ocean in his youth among vibrant corals and abundant fish. Nowadays, I stay longer at sea and still catch less.

 Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about APs climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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The post Kenyan tuna fishers losing their livelihood due to climate change, large foreign ships appeared first on TheGrio.
WINDHOEK, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Namibia and Tanzania could soon conclude a bilateral air service agreement which will see Air Tanzania introduce flights to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, local media reported.

Namibia's public broadcaster NBC revealed earlier this week the latest development in an interview with Lebbius Tobias, Namibian High Commissioner to Tanzania.

"Namibia's team of negotiators led by the Ministry of Works and Transport has submitted a draft document to their Tanzanian counterpart for confirmation. They have already received and they are just doing final checking," NBC quoted Tobias as saying.

"Air Tanzania will start flying to Windhoek. We are hard at work to make sure that will be realized," Tobias said in the interview.

Namibia is scheduled to host a joint cooperation meeting of the two countries in September to discuss and review a number of agreements aimed at advancing their economies. 
Abortion rights supporters gather outside the Jackson Women's Health Organization clinic in Jackson, Miss., on July 6, 2022. (Kasia Strek / For The Times)

Just before dawn Wednesday outside the Jackson Women's Health Organization, Derenda Hancock propped a hand-scrawled placard on a folding chair.

"We Won't Back Down," it said in bold red letters.

Then she put up another sign  Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned  and plopped down on the sidewalk.

This is the hardest day, said the 63-year-old volunteer, lighting a cigarette as a boombox played Tom Pettys "Free Fallin."

It was the last day of Mississippis last abortion clinic. The last day Hancock would wrap her skinny arm around a patient as she ushered her through the clinics glass door for an abortion. The last day staffers would answer the phone  Jackson Womens Health. May I help you?  knowing they actually could help.

Dubbed "The Pink House" for its bubblegum-pink exterior walls, the clinic has long been the epicenter of the nations fight over abortion and the last bastion of reproductive rights in this staunchly conservative state.

Opening in 1995, an era when antiabortion activists mounted a fierce campaign of intimidation, the clinic steadfastly served women from across Mississippi and neighboring states. Since 2004, it has been the only abortion clinic in Mississippi.

Supporters of abortion rights and members of the antiabortion movement face each other in front of the Jackson Women's Health Organization in Jackson, Miss., on July 6, 2022. (Kasia Strek / For The Times)

Four years ago, it challenged a new Mississippi law that banned abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, arguing that the new restrictions violated Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that guaranteed the right to abortion. It was the main plaintiff in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, the case that led the Supreme Court to overturn Roe on June 24.

Three days later, Mississippis attorney general certified a 2007 so-called trigger law that bans all abortions, except in cases of rape or when a pregnant womans life is in danger. The Pink House had 10 days to perform abortions before the law went into effect.

Hancock, who co-founded the Pink House Defenders nearly 10 years ago, steeled herself for the final showdown between antiabortion activists preaching on the sidewalk and the security guards and volunteers in rainbow-striped vests escorting patients inside.

The war will always go on, but this particular battle is over, she said as she adjusted her straw hat in the sweltering heat. I cant imagine being 25 or 30 years old in Mississippi today, waking up knowing I have no control over my body.

Mississippi is surrounded by Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas and Tennessee, red states that now ban abortion in all or most cases. The closest clinics for women in Mississippi are now in Georgia and Florida  both places that could see more restrictions. Then the nearest option would be Granite City, Ill., about 500 miles by car.

Is it sad, yes, Diane Derzis, the 68-year-old owner of the Jackson clinic, said Wednesday, noting that the phones were ringing nonstop with patients trying to make appointments. Women in the South and in Mississippi will no longer have direct access to medical services  that is the saddest thing. But its also positive because were moving forward into a place where we can see other patients.

Derzis, who has worked in abortion care for 46 years and has adopted the handle Abortion Queen, said she plans to open a new clinic, Pink House West, next week in New Mexico. It will be more than 1,000 miles away from Jackson.

Early Wednesday, about an hour after Hancock arrived at the clinic, antiabortion activists were setting up folding chairs outside and erecting signs that said: WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU.

I feel so sick I could throw up, said Doug Lane, a 70-year-old pastor. Its terrible theyre going to kill babies in there today. These babies shouldnt be dying. Roe vs. Wade is overturned.

Abortion rights advocates and abortion foes face off outside the clinic known as the "Pink House" in Jackson, Miss., on July 6, 2022. (Kasia Strek / For The Times)

Lane was arrested for disturbing the peace outside the clinic the day it opened 27 years ago  and he said that the Lord had called him to be there since.

When the clinics executive director, Shannon Brewer, who has worked for the Pink House for more than 20 years, stepped out of a white SUV, the escorts gathered around her in the parking lot and clapped.

Turn to Jesus, Shannon! an antiabortion protester shouted. Repent!"

The arrival of Dr. Cheryl Hamlin, who has traveled from Massachusetts for the last five years to perform abortions at the clinic, prompted more heckling.

You are a wicked, wicked woman and you need to come to God today, said Allan Siders, a 36-year-old landscaper, clutching a brown leather Holy Bible. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. No murderers shall inherit the kingdom of God.

An hour later, Hamlin emerged from inside the clinic.

"Repent! Repent!" Lane screamed through a bullhorn as he tried to approach her. But his words were drowned out by abortion rights activists who blocked him holding signs that said TRUSTING WOMEN TODAY and KEEP YOUR THEOLOGY OFF MY BIOLOGY.

Someone in the crowd switched on a device that wailed like a police siren.

An escort leaned over to Hamlin. Dont let them see you cry, he said.

I cant wrap my head around what its going to be like to get on a plane to go home, Hamlin said. Im overwhelmed. Im angry that these people dont care anything about the women who walk through this clinic.

Hamlin said she worried about the women of Mississippi, the poorest state in the nation with the highest infant mortality rate. Many residents, particularly Black women in the impoverished rural Delta region, already struggled to get to the Jackson clinic. It seemed improbable that they would be able to travel hundreds of miles.

But she said this was not the end. Her goal  as unlikely as it sounds  was to make Mississippi a blue state.

People say, Oh, what am I supposed to do?" Hamlin said. "And I'm like: Vote.

For decades, the clinic staff and volunteers have struck a defiant tone. Derzis first clinic in Birmingham, Ala., was the target of a 1998 bombing that claimed the life of a security guard and critically injured a nurse. She knew what she was getting into when she took on a clinic in Mississippi.

In the early 1980s, Mississippi had 14 abortion providers. But their numbers began to dwindle as the U.S. Supreme Courts 1992 Planned Parenthood vs. Casey decision allowed state legislators to introduce a barrage of abortion restrictions and antiabortion protesters upped their intimidation.

In 2013, as the clinic was threatened with closure after the state passed new regulations on abortion, Derzis painted the clinic a Pepto-Bismol pink. Over the years, the color faded, but the clinic persisted.

This Clinic Stays Open, a banner out front proclaimed throughout the years.

The mood of resistance did not change after Roe was struck down.

Even though the Pink House Defenders will be more or less laying down our torches, it doesn't mean we'll be done, Hancock said at a news conference that day. Stay tuned for jezebel rebellion.

On Tuesday, lawyers for the clinic went to court seeking to block the states so-called trigger law that bans abortions, citing a 1998 Supreme Court ruling that abortion is protected under the state Constitution. The judge refused the request.

As tension built outside the clinic on its last day, a police SUV stopped outside in the middle of the street. The escorts blasted Lady Gagas "Bad Romance," trying to drown out the protesters bullhorns.

The din grew louder as a stream of women and girls began to pull in to the clinic in sedans and SUVs with license plates from Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

A woman clutching a blanket bowed her head as she was ushered past the bellowing street preachers toward the glass door.

The Bible says thou shall not kill! a protester hollered.

A face-off outside the Jackson Women's Health Organization on July 6, 2022, the last day the clinic in Mississippi performed abortions. (Kasia Strek / For The Times)

A clinic escort held up a placard: GOD SEES YOU OUT HERE EVERY DAY HARASSING WOMEN AND SHE IS NOT HAPPY.

On Thursday, clinic staff will offer follow-up appointments to women who have already had abortions. Soon the phones will be diverted and women will be referred to clinics in Columbus, Ga., and other states. About half of the Mississippi clinics staff will move to the new clinic in New Mexico.

Hancock said the Pink House Defenders did not have the resources to help women travel out of state.

"Today's the end," she said.

Before they left the clinic, she and the other volunteers snapped photos of one another and mounted a row of messages on the spikes of the clinic fence.

Thank you Pink House! Hancock had scrawled in black marker. For 27 years you were the light at the end of the tunnel. Though it's dark now, the fire continues burning. Today, they won. Tomorrow, we rise from the ashes.

After all the protesters had dispersed, a woman walked up to the Pink House and placed two pink zinnias outside.

One for the child I needed to not have, and one for my sister who had an abortion as well, she said as she wiped a tear from her cheek.

Erin, 43, who declined to give her last name, said she and her sister had abortions at the clinic because their pregnancies had posed serious danger to their health. The clinic staff, she said, treated her with kindness and respect.

A lot of women are going to die, she said. I want to show the workers leaving here how loved they are. How much they mattered to every one of us.

Just before dusk, Hamlin left the clinic holding a bag of scrubs after cleaning out her locker for the last time. She had seen about 60 patients.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Abortion rights are likely to be on the ballot in Michigan this fall, according to organizers working to ensure that the procedure remains legal in the state.

The Reproductive Freedom for All initiative, which is being pushed by an alliance of groups that include the ACLU and Planned Parenthood, would make abortion a constitutional right in Michigan if its approved by voters.

To make the ballot this November, the initiative requires 425,059 signatures from registered Michigan voters. Earlier this week, a leading organizer said they had blown past that threshold and were nearing 800,000 signatures.

Abortion rights demonstrators during a national day of protest in Lansing, Mich., on Monday. (Emily Elconin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Abortion is still legal in Michigan following last months blockbuster Supreme Court ruling, in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, that returned the issue to the states. However, Michigan still has a dormant 1931 law on the books that criminalizes the procedure, leading to confusion among patients and providers despite a court order in May blocking the law from being implemented.

The Republican-controlled state legislature wants the 1931 law to take effect, while Gov. Gretchen Whitmer hopes the state Supreme Court declares it unconstitutional and Attorney General Dana Nessell says her office wont enforce it. Both Whitmer and Nessell are Democrats up for reelection in November.

Jessica Ayoub, the ACLU of Michigans field director, told Yahoo News that organizing around the ballot initiative took off in May after a draft ruling in the Dobbs case was leaked to the press. And it quickly took on a new urgency when the Supreme Court formally overturned Roe v. Wade in late June.

Just within the 24 hours that happened post Supreme Court decision, volunteers set up rapid-response signing events across the state. And then in the past week alone, weve had about 200 of those rapid response signing events, Ayoub said, noting that organizers are receiving sets of signatures numbering in the thousands from all across the state.

The effort has received some high-profile endorsements. Eminem, a Detroit native, tweeted a link to the initiatives website late last month. As a father it pisses me off that women have fewer rights 2day than just a few days ago... we r f***in goin backwards. Heres how 2 help in Michigan, the rapper wrote to his 22 million followers on the platform.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Mich., on Sept, 16, 2021. (Rebecca Cook/Reuters)

Ayoub noted that since Michigan allows online voter registration, theyve had instances where someone who wasnt registered to vote has done so and then circled back to the canvassers to hand over their signature.

Ayoub declined to say how many signatures organizers had received at this point, telling Yahoo News full details would be released at the Monday deadline. She did, however, say there was an unprecedented outpouring of support.

While a number of Democrats have complained about the lack of direction and bold action among national party leaders, the ballot measure effort has provided an outlet for Michiganders who want to respond to the ruling in a tangible way.

That has been sort of the common refrain from our volunteers and activists on the ground, Ayoub said.

One of our rockstar volunteers out of the Ann Arbor area ... she said, Thank you so much. Because if I didnt have this, I dont know what I would do. I dont know what I could have done and I would feel really helpless right now. And so our volunteers continue to tell us that they are just grateful to have a space to help Michigan become a blueprint for how states can expand and protect access in a post-Roe world.

Abortion rights demonstrators in Lansing on Monday. (Emily Elconin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Getting the measure on the ballot is only step one, as it will still need to be approved by a majority of the states voters in November to pass. Ayoub said that should the signature campaign prove successful, supporters will pivot to talking to our friends, family, neighbors and voters to make sure that everyone knows Reproductive Freedom for All will be on the November ballot and we will be laser focused on getting folks to vote yes.

A recent Yahoo News/YouGov poll found that only 33% of Americans agreed with the Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Other polls have indicated confidence in the court has reached record lows.

State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, a Democrat up for reelection this fall who gained national attention earlier this year for her response to Republican attacks, told Yahoo News in a statement that the "initiative is one piece of a plan that also includes legislation and taking it to the courts."

"This historic response sends the message loud and clear: Michiganders will not only restore access to abortion, but ensure that an out-of-touch political minority will never again rip away one of our fundamental rights, unchallenged," McMorrow continued. "What were doing in Michigan should be a blueprint for other states to fight back from the ground-up to restore and protect our freedoms."

If the initiative is successful, Michigan will join a number of other states where legal abortion will be on the ballot in November, including California, Kentucky, Montana and Vermont. Meanwhile in Kansas, voters in next months primary will decide whether to approve an anti-abortion amendment to the state constitution.

Grassroots organizers in Michigan have had some success when it comes to ballot initiatives in recent years. In 2018, voters legalized marijuana, created an independent redistricting commission and created a constitutional protection for voting rights.

Increasingly, I think what we are seeing now is that, as the courts are shifting, and as we see opinions like the Dobbs opinion that came down just over a week ago, direct democracy is one of the strongest tools in our tool belt to protect our rights for generations to come, Ayoub said.
A Kansas City man pleaded guilty in federal court to a hate crime committed against a teenager in 2019 because of the victims sexuality, the U.S. Attorneys Office said Thursday.

Malachi Robinson, 26, attempted to murder a teenage boy by shooting him approximately eight times in 2019 in Swope Park because of the victims sexual orientation. The victim survived the attack with life-threatening injuries, said U.S. Attorneys Office spokesman Don Ledford.

Robinson pleaded guilty to a hate crime before U.S. Western District Court of Missouri Judge Brian C. Wimes on Thursday. He will remain in federal detention until his sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled, Ledford said.

This defendant is being held accountable for violently attempting to end the life of someone because of his sexual orientation, said Kristen Clarke, an assistant attorney general with the Justice Departments civil rights division. This attempted murder is a reminder that hate crimes against the LGBTQI+ community are real and must be confronted.

Robinson was indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 10, 2021. He was charged with one count of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a federal law passed in 2009 to criminalize acts of violence motivated by the victims identity.

Robinson shot the victim, who is referred to as M.S. in court documents, with a 9mm pistol on May 29, 2019, in Swope Park after the two met by chance at the Kansas City Public Library, according to the plea agreement. Robinson walked with the victim to Swope Park under the guise of looking for a place to engage in sexual acts.

Robinson texted his girlfriend that he might shoot this boy because of his sexual orientation, according to the plea agreement.

When they reached a wooded area, Robinson shot M.S. repeatedly, Ledford said.

Robinson fled through the woods toward his apartment and attempted to avoid detection.

In the days following the shooting, Robinson told others that he shot the victim because of his sexuality.

As todays plea indicates, any act of violence motivated by bias, hate or discrimination toward anyone is not only reprehensible but will not be tolerated by any law enforcement agency and is unwelcome in our country, said Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub of the FBIs Kansas City Field Office.

Robinson is subject to a maximum sentence of life in federal prison without parole.

Robinsons attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
On July 11, 2021, a series of anti-government protests took place simultaneously in towns and cities throughout Cuba. These protests were the largest rejection of totalitarianism and curbs of civil liberties by the Cuban people in recent memory.

Without hesitation, the Cuban-American exile community supported its brethren on the island. And, for those of us who began fighting Cubas communist regime from its earliest days, the July 11 mass protests were a source of pride, and vindication.

We are called The Historic Ones. I am not sure if that label is a tribute or a pejorative. We are the generation of Cuban exiles that saw the creation of Cubas totalitarian state beginning in 1959 and beheld the nations sociopolitical devastation.

We are the generation of aging heroes of the Cuban urban resistance of the 1960s, of the Bay of Pigs invasion, of the uprising in the Escambray mountains, of the Pedro Pan exodus and of the Vietnam War. We are a generation of Cuban Americans that has fought valiantly defending freedom in both our adopted homeland and our place of birth. The youngest of our generation are now in their 70s, and we are necessarily passing the responsibility and the honor of defending freedom to a new generation.

We are a generation that stood alone against the tide and refused to salute the emerging totalitarian regime in our homeland. And yet, nowadays we are sometimes derided as intransigent old men and women who refuse to see a new reality that, according to some, requires accommodating the Cuban regime. We persist in a lonely intransigence reminiscent of that notorious 1936 image of the one man in the crowd who refused to make the Nazi salute to Hitler.

I urge the reader to look up this iconic photograph. It is a picture of hundreds of shipyard workers in Hamburg, Germany, pledging alliance to the Fuhrer with their right arms outstretched in the Nazi salute. If you look closely, you can see a man (just right of center) who keeps his arms folded to his chest even though he is surrounded by countrymen in the spell of Nazi fanaticism. He alone is refusing to salute, and, in retrospect, he is the only one on the right side of history. We, historic Cuban exiles, were also on the right side of history.

The identity of the man who refuses to salute Hitler is not known with certainty but is believed to be August Landmesser. He joined the Nazi Party in 1931, but four years later, when he became engaged to a Jewish woman, Irma Eckler, he was expelled. Unwilling to renounce his relationship, Landmesser was imprisoned and eventually drafted into penal military service. In 1944, he was killed fighting in Croatia. Eckler was arrested by the Gestapo and held in several concentration camps. It is believed she was among the 14,000 murdered in the Bernburg Euthanasia Center in 1942. Theirs was a love story without a Hollywood ending.

I bring up Landmesser to spotlight the daring and courage of historic Cuban exiles who saw what others failed to see. Like those surrounding him in the picture, those surrounding us in the early days of the Cuban Revolution were tragically wrong. The historic Cuban exiles rejected the Cuban regime when others embraced it. We resisted totalitarianism in the face of mass hysteria.

The historic Cuban exiles transcended their fears, endured disparagement and experienced separation from family and friends. And yet, we are a generation of happy warriors that never has given up the dream of freedom for our homeland.

We have not yet succeeded in bringing freedom to Cuba. But we have succeeded admirably in transmitting love of country  for both the United States and Cuba  to our children and grandchildren. They inherit our struggle with an innate understanding of freedom. They apprehend the free flow of information, economic freedom, human rights, political liberty, transparency, freedom of speech and empowerment of the individual as a way of life.

Their freedom-fighting tactics will be different from ours, but we are passing the torch to a generation that values freedom as a philosophical and moral achievement. It is a generation that will not be entranced by the spell of communist fanaticism and will, like us, and like the man in the picture, refuse to salute totalitarian dogmas.

Dr. Jose Azel is a retired scholar of the University of Miamis Institute for Cuban & Cuban American Studies. His latest book is Liberty for Beginners.
The last abortion clinic in Mississippi officially shut down Wednesday, a day before a trigger ban against almost all abortion procedures is poised to take effect in the state, following the Supreme Courts decision last month to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Shannon Brewer, who led the clinic involved in the controversial Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization Supreme Court case, told The Washington Post in May about plans to relocate to New Mexico, where abortion procedures are still legal.

Now, after a judge refused Jackson Womens Health Organizations request for a temporary block on the Mississippi trigger ban, Brewer told The Texas Tribune that her team is relocating services to Las Cruces, N.M.

As of the June 24 Supreme Court opinion, the power to regulate abortion now falls to individual states, creating a patchwork of laws that will require many women seeking abortions to cross state borders.

Many companies have promised to pay for such travel for employees, while Democratic states have sought to enact protections for those crossing state lines to access the procedure.

In late June, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an executive order protecting medical providers in the state from discipline due to an out-of-state resident receiving abortion services in New Mexico, according to a release from the governors office.

Grishams order also established that New Mexico will not entertain extradition attempts from other states relating to receiving or performing reproductive services.

Abortions are restricted in Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona and Utah, which border New Mexico. Texas made headlines last fall with a law that banned abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. This spring, Oklahoma banned abortions from the point of fertilization.

In neighboring Colorado, the procedure is legal at all stages of pregnancy.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Health authorities are now dealing with the biggest monkeypox outbreak outside Africa. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

The World Health Organization on Thursday reported a 77% weekly increase in the number of lab-confirmed monkeypox cases  bringing the total to more than 6,000 worldwide  and two more deaths in parts of Africa where the virus has circulated for years.

Most of the cases were reported in Europe and Africa. The United Nations health agency said that the outbreak continues to mainly affect men who have had sex with men and that other population groups showed no signs of sustained transmission.

The WHO said it counted 6,027 laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox from 59 countries as of Monday, an increase of 2,614 cases since its last count for the week ending June 27. It said three people have now died in connection with the outbreak, all of them in Africa.

The agency said nine additional countries had reported cases, while 10 countries had not reported any new cases for more than three weeks, which is the maximum incubation period.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday that he remained concerned by the scale and spread of the virus, noting that more than 80% of the cases turned up in Europe. He said he would convene the next meeting of a WHO expert panel that is monitoring the outbreak no later than the week of July 18.

Most monkeypox patients experience fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. People with more serious illness may develop a rash and lesions on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body.

The disease is endemic in parts of Africa, where people have become infected through bites from rodents or small animals. The monkeypox virus does not usually spread easily among people.

Cases began emerging in Europe and the United States in May. Many of the individuals who contracted the virus had traveled internationally.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

PEANUT GALLERY RESPONDS TO NEWSOMS MONTANA VACATION

So it turns out that California Gov. Gavin Newsom is vacationing in Big Sky Country this week.

ICYMI: Newsoms office announced Friday that the governor had left the state, leaving Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis in charge. Unlike previous vacation announcements, such as Newsoms family trip to Central and South America earlier this year, aides werent immediately forthcoming about where he was heading.

Cue CalMatters reporter Emily Hoeven, who learned that Newsom was in Montana where his wife, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, has family and a ranch.

Montana notably sits on a list of 22 states for which state-funded travel is prohibited.

We dont legislate where people vacation. Never have. The travel ban applies to expending state funds. The Governors travel is not being paid for by the state, Newsoms office told CalMatters.

Naturally, Newsoms Republican critics had thoughts.

Yet another hypocritical act (that he clearly tried to hide), but I have to empathize a little here it must be hard for his family to meet all the woke rules that the Regressives have created for themselves, Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher, R-Yuba City, wrote in a tweet.

Gallaghers counterpart in the Senate, Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita:

Over the last 2 years more than 13,000 Californians moved to Montana, & not all Montanans are thrilled about that. Hopefully @GavinNewsoms trip can help him understand - Californians care about a better quality of life. #CADeservesBetter, Wilk wrote in a tweet.

Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin, in a tweet:

The hypocrisy of our absurd governor is just the latest illustration, Kiley wrote.

California GOP consultant Mike Madrid on Twitter:

Newsom shoulda held a press conference when he landed in Montana announcing another $100k buy beating them up on reproductive rights and he woulda gone up another 5 points in the 538 polling average. The mistake was trying to hide/quash the story, Madrid wrote.

LEVINE CONCEDES INSURANCE COMMISSIONER RACE

Assemblyman Marc Levine has officially conceded the race for second place in the California insurance commissioners race.

Republican Robert Howell, who leads Levine by just over 6,300 votes in the latest count, will move on to the November general election, where he faces an uphill battle against incumbent Democrat Ricardo Lara.

As Rob Pyers of California Target Book noted on Twitter, this means that for the first time since 2014, a Republican will be on the November ballot in each of the statewide races.

To recap:

For the governors race, its Democratic incumbent Gavin Newsom and Republican Sen. Brian Dahle , R-Bieber.

For the lieutenant governors race, its Democratic incumbent Eleni Kounalakis and Republican Angela E. Underwood Jacobs .

For the secretary of states race, its Democratic incumbent Shirley Weber and Republican Rob Bernosky .

For the controllers race, its Democrat Malia Cohen and Republican Lanhee Chen .





For the treasurers race, its Democratic incumbent Fiona Ma and Republican Jack Guerrero .

For the attorney generals race, its Democratic incumbent Rob Bonta and Republican Nathan Hochman .

For the U.S. Senate race, its Democratic incumbent Alex Padilla and Republican Mark Meuser.

In a post to Twitter, Levine acknowledged that there arent enough uncounted votes left to close the gap with Howell.

He also used the occasion to thank his family and all 58 county registrars for conducting a free and fair election, one of the hallmarks of our democracy.

Levine said in a statement that he intends to serve out the rest of his fifth term in the Assembly, and that he will be in touch soon about ways we can keep working together to make our communities and our state all that we know it can be.

REPUBLICANS WRITE NEWSOM ABOUT TRUCKING

When Gov. Newsom gets back to his desk he will find a letter from Assembly Republicans urging him to take action, saying the fate of Californias trucking industry is in question.

Specifically, the letter warns that the supply of truck drivers will be drastically reduced if AB 5 is allowed to go into effect.

AB 5 reclassifies independent contractors in many industries as regular employees, subject to state wage laws such as minimum wage and overtime. The bill was passed into law in 2019, in response to the California Supreme Courts Dynamex Decision, which held that workers are presumptively employees unless employers can demonstrate otherwise using a so-called ABC test.

Given the critical role of our truck drivers in maintaining our supply chain, we implore you to take any means within your authority to either delay the implementation of AB 5 or exempt the trucking industry altogether from the ABC test. Without immediate action, we can expect a devastating reduction in our driver workforce, especially among minority-operated businesses, the Assembly Republicans wrote in their letter.

Lorena Gonzalez, who authored AB 5 and who now heads the California Labor Federation, responded to the letter with a series of tweets Wednesday.

For 3 years trucking companies have known that Dynamex & AB5 was CA Law. In that time, theyve lost multi-million dollar (misclassification) lawsuits & cases by hundreds of drivers. Its time they act in accordance to basic labor laws: treat operators as actual businesses or employ them, Gonzalez wrote.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

#CALeg: 153 years ago today, former Assemblyman Agoston Haraszthy was eaten by alligators after slipping off a log that he was using to cross a river in Nicaragua.

- Alex Vassar, communications manager at the California State Library, via Twitter.

Best of the Bee:
CAIRO (Reuters) - Nine people including five Sudanese citizens were killed and 43 people were injured in a road collision in southern Egypt early on Thursday, a senior health ministry official said.

Of those injured, 40 were thought to be Sudanese, though identification procedures were ongoing, said health ministry undersecretary Ehab Hanafi.

Witnesses told Reuters the bus came from Sudan and was heading for the southern Egyptian city of Aswan.

The bus veered off the road and overturned after colliding with a truck, two security sources said.

(Reporting by Farah Saafan and Ahmed Mohamed Hassan; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Toby Chopra)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned Kyiv that it should quickly accept Moscow's terms or prepare for the worst. (Mikhail Klimentyev / Associated Press)

With Russia's military action in Ukraine in its fifth month, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday warned Kyiv that it should quickly accept Moscow's terms or brace for the worst, adding ominously that Russia has barely started its action.

Speaking at a meeting with leaders of the Kremlin-controlled parliament, Putin accused Western allies of fueling the hostilities, charging that "the West wants to fight us until the last Ukrainian.

It's a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, but it looks like it's heading in that direction, he added.

Everybody should know that largely speaking, we havent even yet started anything in earnest, Putin said in a menacing note.

He declared that Russia remains ready to sit down for talks to end the fighting, adding that those who refuse to do so should know that the longer it lasts, the more difficult it will be for them to make a deal with us.

We are hearing that they want to defeat us on the battlefield, Putin said. Let them try.

Earlier in the conflict, the Kremlin demanded that Kyiv acknowledge Russian sovereignty over the Crimea peninsula it annexed from Ukraine in 2014 and recognize the independence of Moscow-backed separatist regions in eastern Ukraine. Moscow also said it expected Ukraine to bow to the existing situation on the ground, a reference to other land gains it has made since the Russian troops rolled into Ukraine on Feb. 24.

After failing to capture Kyiv and other big cities in Ukraine's northeast early in the campaign, the Russian military shifted its focus to Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland of Donbas where Moscow-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian troops since 2014.

Earlier this week, the Russian military claimed control of the Luhansk province, one of the two regions that make up Donbas, and is preparing to press its offensive into the second one, the Donetsk region.

In the early stages of the conflict, Russia won control of the southern Kherson region and part of neighboring Zaporizhzhia. Moscow is expected to try to eventually cut Ukraine off from its Black Sea coast all the way to the Romanian border. If that succeeded, it would deal a crushing blow to the Ukrainian economy and also create a corridor to Moldovas separatist region of Transnistria that hosts a Russian military base.

Putin reaffirmed his long-held claim that the West was using the conflict in Ukraine to try to isolate and weaken Russia.

They simply don't need such a country as Russia, Putin said. This is why they have used terrorism, separatism and internal destructive forces in our country.

He charged that Western sanctions against Russia have failed to achieve their goal of sowing division and strife in our society and demoralizing our people.

The course of history is unstoppable, and attempts by the collective West to enforce its version of the global order are doomed to fail, Putin said.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
NAIROBI, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has been honored for his role in promoting peace, security and stability in Burundi and the Great Lakes region as a whole, according to a statement by the Kenyan Presidency on Thursday.

The statement said that Kenyatta received the National Order of the Republic of Burundi on Thursday in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, in honor of his outstanding role in promoting peace, security and stability in Burundi during the political crisis in 2015.

It said that the award was conferred on President Kenyatta by President Evariste Ndayishimiye during Burundi's 60th Independence Day celebrations held on July 1 in Bujumbura where Kenya's Ambassador to Burundi Daniel Waisiko Wambura received it on behalf of the Kenyan Head of State and presented it to him in Nairobi on Thursday.

According to the statement, the award further recognized Kenyatta's personal support, engagement and solidarity in successfully campaigning to have the sanctions imposed on Burundi by the European Union and other development partners lifted. 
FILE PHOTO: The skyline of midtown Manhattan in New York City as seen from the United Nations headquarters in New York

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Venezuelan media mogul sanctioned by the United States said he has received permission from Washington to make the payments necessary to avoid losing a luxury New York City apartment.

Raul Gorrin, the owner of Venezuelan television channel Globovision and an ally of socialist President Nicolas Maduro, told Reuters on Wednesday evening that he had received a license from the U.S. Treasury Department to pay the $650,000 he owes to the building's condo board and to New York City.

The license from the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) staved off a public auction of the property that had been set for Wednesday afternoon, Gorrin said.

The Treasury Department declined to comment.

Gorrin bought the 4,500-square-foot Manhattan apartment on the 47th floor of the Baccarat Hotel & Residences for $18.8 million in November 2017, at the height of Venezuela's economic collapse, New York City property records show.

Gorrin was sanctioned by the Trump administration in January 2019 as part of a push to oust Maduro.

In early 2019, he stopped paying common charges of roughly $10,000 per month to the building's condominium board, according to court records.

Sanctions block those designated from accessing the U.S. financial system, freeze their U.S. assets and generally bar Americans from transacting with them. A lawyer for Gorrin said in court papers that the sanctions had prevented him from making the payments, and OFAC had not granted earlier requests for a license clearing him to pay.

The board won a court order in August 2020 to collect $184,876 in missed payments from RIM Group Properties of New York II Corp, the company through which Gorrin owns the apartment, which is across the street from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and boasts views of the Empire State Building and Central Park.

Gorrin did not respond on Wednesday when asked by Reuters whether he had paid the debts since receiving the license.

A lawyer for the Baccarat's condominium board did not reply to a request for comment.

Maduro remains in power in Venezuela and has accused Washington of trying to oust him in a coup.

(This story refiles to delete repetitive paragraph to clarify Treasury Department declined to comment)

(Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Additional reporting by Daphne Psaledakis in Washington; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Josie Kao)
Gov. Henry McMaster says South Carolina wont be giving up a Beaufort County barrier island to the University of Georgia.

The governor said in a voice message that the state will honor the commitments it made when Pritchards Island was donated to the University of South Carolina in the 1980s. The message was left with family representative Martha Rhodes, whose grandfather, Philip Rhodes, donated the island.

South Carolina will live up to every single thing that is in the agreement, which is between the university and your grandfather, McMaster said in the Wednesday voicemail. He reiterated his backing during a later call.

The State and Island Packet reported last month that Rhodes and her family believed USC was not honoring its commitments. Under the agreement Philip Rhodes reached with USC, control of the island could transfer to the University of Georgia if USC didnt follow the donors wishes to use it for scientific research and education.

The University of South Carolina Development Foundation, which currently owns the Pritchards property, also reached out to the Rhodes family Wednesday about USCs future use of the island.

Martha Rhodes said Thursday the family was so encouraged and impressed with the steps taken by McMaster and the USC Development Foundation.

We feel confident that the Rhodes family will be an integral part of ongoing discussions, she said.

Upholding the deeds

The 1980s deeds, signed by Philip Rhodes and the then-Carolina Research and Development Foundation, required USC to keep Pritchards Island in a wilderness state and to use it for scientific, educational, charitable and general public purposes.

For several years, the university, especially USC-Beaufort, did just that.

Students and professors conducted research on tides, monitored microscopic organisms, researched shorebirds, barrier island dynamics and salt marsh ecology. The sea turtle program on Pritchards, spanning months, had participants staying out late in the evening tagging the turtles to follow their movements. Community members, environmentalists and even those from out of town joined in during day programs and some stayed overnight in a stilted research lab that Philip Rhodes paid to have constructed in the 90s.

The programs, staffing and day-to-day upkeep of Pritchards Island were paid for from private funding  including Rhodes and media mogul Ted Turner  community buy-in, and state and federal grants.

By 2009, funding sources had dried up and the research lab had become weather-worn and unusable because of erosion typical to barrier islands. Since then, a sea turtle program, under the purview of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and in agreement with USC, has continued. Otherwise, Pritchards Island has gone unused by the university.

If not for the tractors tires, a piece of rusted steel would likely not be identifiable as the equipments roll over protective cage being covered by Pritchards Island as seen on Friday, April 8, 2022. The equipment is buried to the south of the abandoned Pritchards Island laboratory.

In 2010, trash had accumulated on the island, specifically around the vacant lab building, and the Rhodes family contacted USC with their concern. Emails between USC staff, the Rhodeses and others circulated, bringing up the deeds and the universitys stewardship.

If USC is to be that steward, well and good, a Rhodes family member wrote in a 2010 email. If not, lets move on.

Moving on meant this: Under the deeds, if USC did not abide by the underlined rules, the island could go to the University of Georgia. If UGA was unwilling or unable to abide, Pritchards would go to The Nature Conservancy.

While trash, lab equipment and most machinery was removed from the island, the terms of the deed continued to go unmet for over the past decade.

Moving forward

Removing the lab building that, during high tide, sits in the water and has been badly battered by hurricanes is the only current definitive plan the university has laid out.

In September, Beaufort Construction of SC will remove the stilted building, bringing equipment in on a barge, placing debris on that barge and hauling it to trucks that will take the remains to a landfill, Jason Caskey, USC foundations president and CEO, wrote in a Wednesday email to Martha Rhodes.

The Foundation and USCB value this property and believe there are opportunities for continued research even without the facility, Caskey wrote.

Strategic planning for Pritchards Island will take place over the next few weeks with input from the Rhodes family, he said in a Thursday email to The State Media Co.

While there have been no new monies set aside for the work on Pritchards Island, Caskey noted that the foundation hopes to identify potential funding sources as part of the planning process for programs on the Island.

The Foundation appreciates Governor McMasters support for Pritchards Island and we plan to keep the Governor and his staff updated on our planning efforts, Caskey said in his email to The State newspaper. We also plan to seek input from his staff on additional resources that the State may be able to provide as we explore future plans for the Island.

On Thursday afternoon, Brian Symmes, McMasters spokesman, said it is too soon to identify available funding sources that could restart programs and university research on the island. However, Symmes said the governor is actively engaged with the Rhodes family and USC regarding Pritchards Island.

(McMaster) is very interested in finding a way for the university to satisfy the original desires of the Rhodes family so that Pritchards Island remains in the custody of the university and the state of South Carolina, Symmes said.

USC could lose its island to UGA. Donors family says the school isnt upholding the deal

A USC lab was built on a Beaufort Co. barrier island decades ago. Now its in the water
South Carolina Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham met with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, Thursday to talk about the countrys ongoing war with Russia.

Graham, with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, presented Zelensky with his resolution that would designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Currently there are four countries designated by the U.S. as state sponsors of terrorism: Cuba, North Korea, Iran and Syria, according to the U.S. Department of State.

Graham and Blumenthal discussed increasing sanctions pressure on Russia, according to a news release from Zelenskys office. They have also urged Washington to accelerate the pace of weapons deliveries to Kyiv.

During the trip, the two senators visited two suburbs of the capital that have been affected by the war, Bucha and Borodyanka. Bucha was the scene of suspected Russian war crimes against civilians when in May, retreating Russian forces left behind multiple dead bodies in the citys streets.

Zelensky thanked the senators for their visit and emphasized Ukraines readiness for further close coordination of activities with partners on the sanctions track, according to the news release from Zelenskys office.

Zelensky called on the senators to back a decision to provide Ukraine with modern air defense systems.

First of all, we appeal to you so that the Congress supports Ukraine in the matter of supplying modern air defense systems. We must ensure such a level of sky security that our people are not afraid to live in Ukraine, Zelensky said in the release.

This effort is an attempt to create necessary security conditions to allow schools to reopen in September, something Zelensky made clear was a top priority as the country tries to return to normal from the months-long Russian invasion.

The number one task for us today is for women with children to be able to return to Ukraine by September 1, so that children can go to school, so that students do not leave and can go to universities. It is very important for us to do two things - to repair schools, universities, and also to have a powerful air defense, Zelensky said.

Graham has visited Ukraine before, in April.

In January, before the war officially began with Russias attacks against Ukraine, Graham called for immediate sanctions against Russia for provoking Ukraine and its NATO allies. Graham also called for the U.S. to help to better arm the Ukrainian military so they could better defend themselves.

Graham is also part of a bipartisan group of senators to introduce a resolution calling on international bodies to investigate reports of war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by Russia in the Eastern European country.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, leading to now nearly five months of war and destruction in Ukraine.
Why doesnt Sen. Lindsey Graham want to talk to investigators? Is he living by the code of the streets now? Will he soon reveal a chest tattoo that declares Snitches Get Stitches?

Graham is challenging a subpoena to appear before a Georgia grand jury thats looking into possible criminal interference in the states 2020 election.

In my years covering cops and prosecutors, I learned a phrase that applied to unsavory types who didnt want to help investigators  folks who were protecting criminals, to be more blunt. Cops and prosecutors would say the witness is not cooperating with the investigation.

By challenging his subpoena, Graham is not cooperating with the investigation

Graham is acting no different in theory than a witness to a shooting who is refusing to tell police what he saw.

When are Republicans like Graham going to admit to themselves that democracy is at stake and stop playing games?

Grahams lawyers said the subpoena is all politics and a fishing expedition, which is just another phrase for an investigation. Thats great lawyering  good on them for protecting their client, like good lawyers do  but its a bunch of slop.

Soon the term witch hunt will appear and its not even Halloween.

Graham may have pertinent information about Donald Trumps well-documented attempt to overturn the presidential election in Georgia. Also, Graham is alleged to have been involved in questioning the Georgia election.

Graham called an election official twice after the November 2020 election to see if mail-in ballots could be thrown out. Those ballots favored then-presidential candidate Joe Biden.

The subpoena says Graham asked the Georgia election official and staff about reexamining certain absentee ballots cast in Georgia in order to explore the possibility of a more favorable outcome.

So maybe Graham doesnt want to fess up to his own potential wrong doing. Big surprise there.

Whats equally teeth-grinding about Grahams subpoena challenge is the gross display of privilege in the argument that making Graham testify is an erosion of the constitutional balance of power and the ability of a member of Congress to do their job, as his lawyers said.

Lets say this simply for anyone who might find the words in that argument to be alluring. Just because a person is a U.S. Senator doesnt mean theyre above the countrys legal system.

But thats what Graham appears to believe. He believes because hes a U.S. Senator rules dont apply to him that apply to average people.

Senators are not some class that needs protecting from a legal system that is disproportionately against them.

Your average person with nothing to hide doesnt hire two lawyers from the . . . most . . . powerful . . . law firm in the state of South Carolina.

Grahams attorneys have said they have been told he is neither a subject nor target of the investigation, simply a witness.

If hes not even under criminal investigation himself, whats he so scared of?

Grahams challenge isnt only about hiding facts he doesnt want to come to light. The challenge is also about keeping the privilege he has obtained from being a U.S. Senator.

Graham doesnt want to snitch about anything that might get Trump supporters to press a button at the polls other than the one beside Lindsey Olin Graham.

Whatever hes trying to keep secret its more damning than a chest tattoo that says Snitches Get Stitches.
The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department is investigating a homicide after a person was killed in a shooting Wednesday night.

Officers were dispatched at 7:30 p.m. to reports of a shooting in the 1600 block of Birch Street, according to Officer Thomas Tomasic, a spokesman for the department.

When officers arrived, they found a man about a block away in a parking lot in the 2200 block of Silver Court. He was taken to an area hospital, but died later that night, Tomasic said.

The homicide is the citys 20th killing this year, according to data compiled by The Star. At this time last year, 18 homicides had been recorded in KCK.

This is the seventh killing in the Kansas City area this week. The other six have taken place in Kansas City, Missouri, with the most recent homicide occurring Thursday morning.
People who cant call 911 for emergencies have the option of texting in most of Florida. But not in Miami-Dade County, which is years behind in upgrading its emergency technology.

County administrators blame a poor purchasing decision six years ago for software and equipment not able to handle the texting volume from a 911 system that receives more than 1 million calls a year in Miami-Dade.

County commissioners on Thursday approved a new $3.1 million contract with the same vendor, Intrado, for upgraded technology that the Police Department says will bring 911 texting options to cellphones across Miami-Dade by early 2023.

The new Intrado contract runs for five years. The Omaha-based company received about $560,000 from the prior contract. which commissioners approved in March 2016. That contract called for a 90-day implementation, in time for that years hurricane season.

This is the message a Miami Herald reporter received after sending a text to 911 in Miami-Dade County on July 6, 2022. While most Florida counties are equipped to receive text messages in their 911 centers, Miami-Dade has struggled to implement the technology needed for digital communication.

The memo from the administration of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava summarizing the new contract said the Police Department essentially stopped trying to implement 911 texting options several years ago, despite a Florida deadline to have the technology running by the start of 2022.

For three years, MDPD and Intrado engineers worked diligently to make the appropriate modifications to ready the system for operational use, states the memo from Alfredo Freddy Ramirez, the Levine Cava deputy overseeing public safety. In 2019, after numerous attempts to complete the final acceptance test plan, the project was suspended.

Why cant Miami-Dades 911 center receive texts?

Ramirez was named the countys new police director on Wednesday by Levine Cava, and will oversee the department implementing the new Intrado system.

Miami-Dade County is committed to maintaining the highest standard of reliability for 911, Ramirez said in a statement Thursday morning. That means we went through an extremely thorough process before selecting a vendor with the technology and capacity to provide this life-saving service to residents. We are confident that both the vendor and the platform meet our requirements and will be able to upgrade our system very soon.

Miami-Dades delays on 911 texting put it behind most counties in Florida, where the state had a deadline of Jan. 1 for jurisdictions to implement the emergency texting technology.

A summary maintained by the states Department of Business Management shows 57 of Floridas 67 counties have implemented 911 texting, including every county with more than 1 million people except Miami-Dade.

Broward launched 911 texts in 2019

In Broward County, Floridas second most populous county behind Miami-Dade, texting for help has been an option in the 911 system since 2019.

While 911 texts make up less than 1% of emergency requests per year, there are still hundreds of texts that come into Browards 911 center each month, according to data provided by the county. Of the average 380 emergency texts to 911 that Broward receives each month, about 20% generated an emergency response.

Across Florida in 2021, there were nearly 27,000 texts to 911, according to the state E911 board, which promotes 911 upgrades and administers revenue from the 40-cent fee charged on cellphone bills in Florida to reduce government costs for digital 911 communication.

Emergency agencies encourage residents to still call 911 even when texting is available. Texting should be used by people who cant call 911, such as those with hearing or vocal disabilities or in a situation where calling wouldnt be safe.

The slogan is: Call when you can, text when you cant,  said Lori Shepard, public information officer for Broward. If youre in a situation where theres an intruder in your house and youre hiding in a closet, you would text. If youre hearing impaired, you would text.
LONDON (AP)  Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed to resign, his office said Thursday, ending an unprecedented political crisis over his future that has paralyzed Britain's government.

An official in Johnson's Downing Street office confirmed the prime minister would announce his resignation later. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made.

Johnson had rebuffed calls by his Cabinet to step down in the wake of ethics scandals. He gave in after more than 40 ministers quit his government and told him to go.

It was not immediately clear whether Johnson would stay in office while the Conservative Party chooses a new leader, who will replace him as prime minister.

Minutes before the news broke, Treasury chief Nadhim Zahawi called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign just 36 hours after Johnson put him in the job, while another newly appointed Cabinet minister quit her post.

Zahawi said Johnson knew the right thing to do was to go now.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street in London, Wednesday, July 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Zahawi was appointed late Tuesday to replace Rishi Sunak, who resigned saying he could no longer support Johnson after a series of ethics scandals.

Education Secretary Michelle Donelan, who was also appointed on Tuesday following the resignation of her predecessor, announced her resignation Thursday morning.

Johnson had rejected clamors for his resignation, digging in his heels even as dozens of officials quit and previously loyal allies urge him to go after yet another scandal engulfed his leadership.

A group of Johnsons most trusted Cabinet ministers visited him at his office in Downing Street Wednesday, telling him to stand down after losing the trust of his party. But Johnson instead opted to fight for his political career and fired one of the Cabinet officials, Michael Gove, British media reported.

'Hes breached the trust that was put in him'

It is rare for a prime minister to cling on to office in the face of this much pressure from his Cabinet colleagues. The Guardians frontpage on Thursday called him Desperate, deluded.

Hes breached the trust that was put in him. He needs to recognise that he no longer has the moral authority to lead. And for him, its over, Scottish National Party leader Ian Blackford told The Associated Press.

Johnson, 58, was known for his knack for wiggling out of tight spots. He remained in power despite allegations that he was too close to party donors, that he protected supporters from bullying and corruption allegations, and that he misled Parliament and was dishonest to the public about government office parties that broke pandemic lockdown rules.

But recent disclosures that Johnson knew about sexual misconduct allegations against Chris Pincher, a Conservative lawmaker, before he promoted the man to a senior position turned out to be the last straw.

Last week, Pincher resigned as deputy chief whip after complaints he groped two men at a private club. That triggered a series of reports about past allegations leveled against Pincher  and shifting explanations from the government about what Johnson knew when he tapped him for a senior job enforcing party discipline.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Treasury chief Rishi Sunak resigned within minutes of each other Wednesday over the scandal. The two Cabinet heavyweights were responsible for tackling two of the biggest issues facing Britain  the cost-of-living crisis and COVID-19.

Javid captured the mood of many lawmakers when he said Johnsons actions threaten to undermine the integrity of the Conservative Party and the British government.

At some point we have to conclude that enough is enough, he told fellow lawmakers Wednesday. I believe that point is now.
The heads of the FBI and the United Kingdoms (U.K.) MI5 warned against what they described as a sweeping Chinese espionage threat during a rare joint appearance in London on Wednesday.

FBI Director Christopher Wray and MI5 Director General Ken McCallum detailed the potential calamities before an audience of business and academic leaders, arguing Chinas efforts to steal technology, maintain hidden investments and control business operations in China extend to companies of all sizes and industries.

The Chinese government poses an even more serious threat to Western businesses than even many sophisticated businesspeople realize, Wray said.

Wednesdays appearance marked the first time the leaders of the FBI and MI5 shared a public platform, according to McCallum.

Wray said he was not advising companies to avoid doing business in or with China altogether, but he implored businesses to take the long view and work with U.S. and U.K. intelligence agencies to better understand the threat and mitigate cyberattacks.

The Chinese government is set on stealing your technology  whatever it is that makes your industry tick  and using it to undercut your business and dominate your market, Wray said. And theyre set on using every tool at their disposal to do it.

Law enforcement has even caught people affiliated with Chinese companies sneaking into U.S. fields to dig up genetically modified seeds, Wray added.

Consider that it may be a lot cheaper to preserve your intellectual property now than to lose your competitive advantage and have to build a new one down the road, he said.

Wray also pointed to concerns that China may attempt to invade Taiwan militarily. Russias invasion of Ukraine in February has further sparked concerns that Beijing might be learning lessons for its own regional expansion plans.

Wray argued an invasion of Taiwan would represent one of the most horrific business disruptions the world has ever seen, warning that the FBI has picked up on efforts by China to insulate their economy against potential sanctions.

In our world, we call that kind of behavior a clue, he said.

The comments echo a warning from Taiwans top trade negotiator, who last month said a Chinese military attack on the island would harm the global economy more than Russias invasion of Ukraine.

A bulletin issued by the National Counterintelligence and Security Center on Wednesday offered a similar warning about the Chinese espionage threat, saying the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) under President Xi Jinping has sought to exploit relationships between China and government and business leaders at the state and local levels.

PRC influence operations can be deceptive and coercive, with seemingly benign business opportunities or people-to-people exchanges sometimes masking PRC political agendas, it said.

McCallum on Wednesday described the threat as a strategic contest across decades, rather than something that could be dealt with quickly.

No set of guidance can cater with precision for each and every situation: Im afraid I cant make this simple for you, he told the business and academic leaders gathered in London. The answers have to lie in combining our unique knowledge of the threats with your unique knowledge of your business.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The nonpartisan election guide website Vote.org recorded a huge bump in voter registrations in Kansas and Missouri on Friday, June 24, the day Roe v. Wade was overturned.

The website allows people from around the country to register to vote online, explains state and local election rules, provides key voting deadlines and more. The organization describes itself as the largest nonpartisan voting registration and get-out-the-vote technology platform in America.

According to Vote.org senior communications director LToya Knighten, Missouri saw a 627% increase in registrations between that day and June 17, one week before the ruling was released.

Kansas saw an even bigger jump: The site recorded a 1,038% increase in voter registrations on the 24. That means more than 10 times the number of people in Kansas registered to vote through the site than did a week earlier.

Kansans will be the first in the country to vote on abortion rights after the Supreme Courts decision when they vote on a state constitutional amendment that would remove statewide protection of the right to abortion on Aug. 2.

The spike of 6/24 has been followed by 320% more registrations across the country on the Vote.org tool, and this pattern is mirrored in Kansas and Missouri, Knighten told The Star via email.

The average number of voter registrations Vote.org records per week is around 23 in Kansas and 12 in Missouri. In the week following the Roe decision, those numbers jumped to 257 in Kansas and 165 in Missouri.

The Kansas City Election Board, which serves Kansas City voters within Jackson County, told The Star that it has seen 5,231 new voter registrations since the Supreme Court decision was handed down. But director Lauri Ealom said that its hard to tell whether these registrations were inspired by the abortion rights decision, since her office sees an increase in the final few weeks before every election.

July 6 was the last day to register in Missouri before the Aug. 2 primary, and the last day to register in Kansas is July 12.

Typically in a primary election, there is an increase in registrations anyway theres always a big push in the last three weeks before they cant register anymore, she said. I dont know if its Roe vs. Wade, or is it the primary election?

If you want more information about how to register to vote, check out this guide.
Those who are looking for an LGBTQ+ affirming church to attend or a religious space to hold an LGBTQ+ wedding may not know quite where to start in their search.

The Belleville News-Democrat interviewed a pastor at a local, openly affirming church to provide readers with information about what a worship service might look like at a church that openly supports members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Heres what the pastor said visitors can expect at church services with his congregation, along with some other local options for LGBTQ+ affirming worship.

You dont have to choose between your identity and your faith.

David Roderick is the pastor at Immanuel United Methodist Church in Edwardsville. He said his ministry mantra is helping those who dont belong, belong.

The first hurdle for us is trust, because a lot of people have had bad experiences in churches in the past or are currently experiencing hurt or pain from churches, Roderick said. For us, its recognizing that people, when they come into our congregation, its already a big step for a lot of people.

Roderick said he has conversations with people on almost a daily basis where they share stories about difficult experiences with churches.

One of the primary things that we work to do is to change the narrative. You dont have to choose between your identity and your faith, Roderick said.

Immanuel United Methodist Church pastor, David Roderick, stands outside the entrance to the Edwardsville church. Roderick and his congregation want their church to be welcoming and inclusive to all.

Immanuel UMC holds a worship service at 10 a.m. each Sunday. Roderick said while greeters aim to make new attendees feel welcome, they try not to overwhelm visitors.

The dress code for the churchs worship services is primarily casual, but some may choose to dress up more.

The music style is blended, including hymns that are hundreds of years old, as well as contemporary songs. There are bulletins and hymn books available, and lyrics are also projected on screens in the sanctuary.

We are somewhat liturgical, in that we will use responsive readings, well use creeds, things like that, but we dont do any one of those on a weekly basis Roderick said. Every week looks a little bit different with the elements that are used in church.

Immanuel UMCs services have a designated prayer time, and theres a wall where people can choose to share prayer requests with the congregation.

The church gives communion once per month and has resumed the service with precautions since the pandemic.

Many of this summers sermons will focus on Old Testament stories and how they relate to modern-day struggles, Roderick said. While Roderick is the primary speaker for most services, he said he periodically invites guest speakers from within the congregation and from outside Immanuel UMC.

Children are welcome at Sunday morning worship, and Immanuel UMC will host Vacation Bible School, programming designed for children 4 years old through fifth grade, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. July 25 to 29.

Other places of worship

There are a number of churches in southwest Illinois that are openly affirming to the LGBTQ+ community. Weve rounded up a few, based on the criteria that they have official statements on their websites or Facebook pages openly supporting the LGBTQ+ community as a congregation.

Immanuel United Methodist Church

800 N Main St., Edwardsville, IL 62025

Services are in-person and online at 10 a.m. Sundays.

Immanuel United Methodist Church openly affirms members of the LGBTQ+ community and is affiliated with Reconciling Ministries, which works toward the full and equitable participation of all LGBTQ+ people in the church.

The pastor, David Roderick, told the Belleville News-Democrat the congregation aims to be a welcoming and inclusive community to all.

St. John United Church of Christ

10207 Lincoln Trail, Fairview Heights, IL 62208

Service is at 10 a.m. Sundays.

This church is open and affirming, and it encourages LGBTQ+ people to join the congregation and serve in ordained leadership. St. John United Church of Christ offers weddings and other services to LGBTQ+ couples, and its website says it is also willing to host LGBTQ+ support group meetings.

St. Mark Lutheran Church

105 East D St., Belleville, IL 62220

Services are in-person and online at 9 a.m. Sundays.

All persons, without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, nationality, or social class are welcome at St. Mark Lutheran Church, according to a statement.

The church identifies itself as liturgical and sacramental and invites everyone to participate in communion. The Sunday service typically lasts around 70 minutes.

St. Louis places of worship

Here are some openly LGBTQ+ affirming religious houses in St. Louis.

Central Reform Congregation

5020 Waterman Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108

Kabbalat Shabbat 7 p.m. Fridays, Queer Torah Class 2 p.m. Saturdays, Torah Study 9 a.m. Saturdays, Family Service 9:30 a.m. Saturdays, Shabbat Service 10 a.m. Saturdays

This Reform Jewish congregation advocates for Black Lives Matter, LGBTQIA+ rights and food security.

As a diverse and inclusive community, we extend our welcome and affirmation to people of all genders, gender identities, sexual orientations, and relationships, its website says.

Central Reform Congregation partners with organizations such as Planned Parenthood and The National Council of Jewish Women, and it offers a variety of volunteering and advocacy opportunities.

Congregation Shaare Emeth

11645 Ladue Road, St. Louis, MO 63141

Kabbalat Shabbat is held at 6 p.m. Fridays. A full calendar of events, including programming designed for youth, college students and seniors, is available online.

Congregation Shaare Emeth welcomes people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Members who are in the LGBTQ+ community are invited to participate fully in the temple, including for marriages and baby namings.

The temple also has an LGBTQ+ outreach and support group, called Keshet, which means rainbow in Hebrew. The Keshet committee members host programming designed to support and celebrate LGBTQ+ inclusion within the congregation.

St. Stanislaus Parish

1413 North 20th St., St. Louis, MO 63106

For July 9 and 10, Saturday Vigil Mass is at 4 p.m. and Sunday Mass is at 10 a.m.

This parish is rooted in Poland, and it describes itself as theologically progressive. Members of the LGBTQ+ community are explicitly celebrated and protected, according to the churchs website.

St. Stanislaus Parish is not part of the Archdiocese of St. Louis or affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church.

St. Louis Mennonite Fellowship

3752 Giles Ave., St. Louis, MO 63116

Worship service is held at 10 a.m. Sundays, and fellowship is at 11 a.m. Sundays.

This congregation welcomes LGBTQ+ in fellowship, leadership and marriage. Its part of Mennonite Church USA and the Illinois Mennonite Conference. Each member of St. Louis Mennonite Fellowship signs a yearly covenant.

The fellowship has participated in outreach projects focusing on racial reconciliation, food security, natural disaster relief, job placement assistance and more.

Metropolitan Community Church of Greater St. Louis

7423 Michigan Ave., St. Louis, MO 63111

Service is held at 11 a.m. Sundays.

The Metropolitan Community Church identifies as progressive and explicitly supports the LGBTQ+ community, racial and social justice.

There are MCC congregations all across the country, and this St. Louis locations current worship series is titled The Faith We Sing.

Please email mhoward@bnd.com if youd like a local, openly affirming church or place of worship to be added, or if you disagree with the affirming status of any of the institutions we included.
PHNOM PENH, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia received 510,000 international visitors in the first half of 2022, up 394 percent compared to the same period last year, the Ministry of Tourism said on Thursday.

During the January-June period this year, neighboring Vietnam topped the chart of the international tourist arrivals in the Southeast Asian country, followed by Thailand and China, it said in a news release.

Kong Sopheareak, director of the ministry's statistics department, attributed the significant rise to the kingdom's full reopening, buoyed by its high vaccination rates.

"With our quarantine free policy, we believe that tourists will consider Cambodia as a major destination for their holidays and we hope to attract between 800,000 and 1 million international tourists in the entirety of 2022, an expected increase from only 200,000 in 2021," he told Xinhua.

Tourism is one of the four pillars supporting Cambodia's economy. In the pre-pandemic era, the country received up to 6.6 million international tourists in 2019, generating a gross revenue of 4.92 billion U.S. dollars, according to the Ministry of Tourism.

Cambodia fully resumed its socio-economic activities and reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers without quarantine last November after most of its 16 million population were vaccinated against the COVID-19 pandemic.

China's Sinovac and Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines have been widely used in the country's immunization programs. 
In early June, U.S Rep. Mike Bosts office sent out an urgent statement about the potential loss of a lesser known wing at Scott Air Force Base.

Bost, a Republican from Murphysboro, sounded the alarm on an Air Force proposal to stop funding the C-40 aircraft attached to the 932nd Airlift Wing, which has been stationed at Scott AFB since 2007. It sometimes takes the back seat to the higher profile 375th Air Mobility Wing and U.S. Transportation Command, but the 932nd plays a unique role.

Selling the planes would mean an end to the wing where roughly 800 part-time Air Force Reserve members, 190 Air Reserve technicians, 50 civilians, 28 pilots and 35 flight attendants serve. More than half the wing live within 150 miles of the base, and the wing has a local economic impact of roughly $80 million annually, according to the Air Force. Of the part-time reservists, roughly 125 live in the metro-east.

In a traditional reserve unit, we are members who were born and raised in your local communities, born in your hospitals, educated in your schools, and we live and we work in your communities, said wing Commander Col. Glenn Collins.

C-40s are similar to passenger or business jets but with a few modifications. Theyre ideal for transporting government leaders on diplomatic trips worldwide, and customers include members of Congress and the presidents Cabinet.

Far from giving out a bag of pretzels and a ginger ale on board, the planes flight attendants are trained in cooking schools and serve up fine dining. The pilots have years, if not decades, of military flight training under their belts.

But the 932nd has plenty of responsibilities other than flying higher-ups around. The 800 reservists are nurses and doctors who served in New York City during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A 932nd reservist, Sgt. Anthony Tony Campbell, died serving in Afghanistan in 2005. Every weekend for years, theyve gone to Scott AFB for drills.

The reservists dont fly the C-40s, but if the Air Force sold the planes, the wing would dissolve along with reservists jobs.

Generally speaking, wings are organized around iron, aircraft, Collins said. Youll typically find in any wing  whether its active duty, National Guard or reserve  is theyre organized around the aircraft they fly.

Other responsibilities are assigned as needed, Collins said.

Bost believes losing the wing would be detrimental to military readiness and the Scott AFB community.

We believe it is mission critical for both the 932nd and our Scott community at large that they remain here, a spokesperson for Bost said in an email.

Yet the Air Force is always looking for places to save or reallocate money.

Do we keep a C-40 or do we buy a B-21 bomber? said Sean Houlihan, a spokesman for the Air Force Reserve Command.

Theyre also at the whims of Congress, which approves their budget every year through the National Defense Authorization Act.

One day were fully funding (a wing) and the next day were removing aircraft. Its a back-and-forth between the Air Force and Congress, Houlihan said.

Why the Air Force sells planes

The Air Force is looking to modernize its force, and shedding some of its legacy platforms such as part of the C-40 fleet is part of that plan.

Final federal budget decisions and appropriations for future fiscal years have yet to be made, Houlihan said. These decisions and resulting appropriations guide our tasks as an organization and the force structure required to support our continuing mission set.

In other words, the 932nd depends on Congress paying for it to stay in business.

Lawmakers have yet to vote on the fiscal year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, but Bost and U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis of Taylorville managed to get an amendment into the act that would prevent federal money from being used to retire Scott AFBs C-40s as long as the planes remain in working order. The bill passed out of committee mid-June and awaits action from the Senate.

As discussions over defense spending continue, Rep. Bost and I will continue to advocate for priorities important to Scott Air Force Base, Davis said in an emailed statement.

It seems natural that members of Congress would want to keep a wing in business that flies them around the country and the world. But those planes are kept in Washington, D.C., not at Scott AFB. There are 11 C-40s total in the 932nd, four of them at Scott AFB.

The Air Force was considering phasing out the C-40s at Scott AFB, but not those in D.C., Bost spokesperson Alexandra Naughton said. Reps. Bost and Davis worked with Senator (Dick) Durbin to secure investments for communications upgrades to Scotts C-40s, and we believe the planes at Scott AFB are just as essential in ensuring the Air Force is able to meet the transport needs of Americas government and military officials.

What the metro-east would lose

Reserve units such as the 932nd differ from active duty units because typical positions last two to three years in one place, and then it moves. Reserve members are more permanent.

In many of the units youll find they are generational. Youll have people whose parents were in the unit, brothers and sisters were in the unit, and then their kids will also grow up in the community and then theyll also join the unit too, Collins said. Youll have that continuum and that family presence.

If the C-40s were defunded, Air Force leadership would examine whether they would supplement with a new flight mission, reallocate personnel or make it a wing that didnt have aircraft assigned to it.

This would be for higher headquarters to decide, not at my level, nor am I privy to any of these discussions if they even exist, Collins said.

If the aircraft were defunded, some members of the 932nd might decide to move on, retire or not retrain on another aircraft.

Some would stay and some would leave, Collins said.

The 932nd will continue to operate and is committed to meeting all parts of our wing mission, to include C-40 operations, until a decision is reached, said 932nd spokesperson Major Neil Samson. If the planes were defunded, losing the bonds formed over the past 15 years since the 932nd came to Scott AFB would tantamount to breaking up family.

The majority of our airmen deploy and deploy multiple times, in some cases dozens and with many of the same people, Collins said, and they know how these people think and act. They know their inflections. I can tell you from a flying standpoint, when you fly with somebody for over a decade, I would know their inflections. I know their voices. I know their mannerisms.

Those bonds make for good national defense.

Sometimes the things we have to do are difficult. Theyre physically challenging. Theyre mentally challenging, Collins said. That brings on its own stressors. But when you have that relief of your shared friends and shared values and you know you can count on that airman to your left and to your right because youve been with them, youve trained with them, youve worked with them  thats of value.

Timeline of the 932nd Airlift Wing

1947: A reserve training unit, the 139th Air Force Base Unit, is established at Scott Air Force Base.

1950s: The unit is redesignated the 2469th Air Force Reserve Training Center (known for its cyptography services), and the 419th Troop Carrier Wing flying C-46s becomes operational.

February 1963: The unit is organized into the Air Force Reserve as the 932nd Troop Carrier Group.

July 1969: The unit is redesignated the 932nd Aeromedical Airlift Group and takes on its present mission.

June 1992: The 932nd AAG realigns under the 446th Airlift Wing at McChord Air Force Base in Washington.

Oct. 1994: The 932nd AAG becomes the 932nd Airlift Wing aligned under the 4th Air Force at McClellan Air Force Base in California.

2007: The 932nd Airlife Wing comes to Scott Air Force Base aligned under the 22nd Air Force at Dobbins Air Force Base in Georgia.
The Madison County Board voted 19-6 to remove powers from County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler during a special meeting Wednesday night.

The ordinance calls for the appointment of a chairperson pro tem and vice chairperson pro tem, who would assume some of Prenzlers duties until the end of his current term in 2024. These duties would include the appointment of the county administrator and department heads.

Nine of 12 county board members who called for the special meeting are members of Prenzlers own party. The three others were Democrats.

The County Board has lost confidence in its Chairman to advance a fiscally responsible future for the County, a preamble to the ordinance states. It is the opinion of the County Board that the Chairman has exhibited chronically inept management, lack of communication or research on important issues relating to lowering property taxes, lack of attention to his job which decreases the quality of services paid for by taxpayers, and multiple disastrous personnel decisions which have cost the County millions of dollars in legal costs and settlements.

A crowd of about 200 people filled the county board room to hear discussion, including five who spoke on Prenzlers behalf to applause from a raucous crowd.

Prenzler, a Republican, was first elected to the county board chairman position in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020. He said he was disappointed by the vote.

I obviously dont agree with a lot of those statements made, but I will faithfully serve the citizens and taxpayers of Madison County, Prenzler said after the meeting.

Prenzlers salary wont change as a result of the vote. The latest statistics on the countys website show that Prenzler earns an annual salary of $109,410.86 and receives a $14,445 benefit for health insurance costs.

Prenzler said he expects his opponents to name a chairperson pro tem at the next county board meeting on July 20.

Here are the board members who signed the petition to call for the special meeting: John Eric Foster, R-Granite City; Chris Hankins, D-Pontoon Beach; Chris Guy, R-Maryville; Denise Wiehardt, R-Granite City; Nick Petrillo, D-Granite City; Gussie Glasper, D-Madison; Mike Walters, R-Godfrey; Bobby Ross, R-St. Jacob; Stacey Pace, R-Troy; Jamie Goggin, R-Edwardsville; Mick Madison, R-Bethalto and Terry Eaker, R-Bethalto. The proposal has the support of the five other Republicans who hold countywide seats. They include Circuit Clerk Tom McRae, County Auditor David Michael, States Attorney Tom Haine, Treasurer Chris Slusser, and Regional Superintendent of Schools Rob Werden.

The countywide officers said they want county board members to have increased oversight and authority over county administration matters.

Here are highlights of the changes:

 The chairperson pro tem may be removed with or without cause by a two-thirds vote of the county board.

 If the chairperson is removed, the vice chairperson pro tem immediately assumes duties of the Chairperson Pro Tem.

 A new chairperson pro tem shall be elected at the next regularly scheduled county board meeting.

 The county board chairperson pro tem will work with the county administrator and county auditor to prepare a draft county budget.

How board members voted and why

There were nine Democrats and 10 Republicans who voted for the ordinance.

Denise Wiehardt, a Republican from Granite City, voted in favor of the ordinance. She criticized Prenzler for a campaign letter he wrote in advance of last months primary election in which he said women should be married.

I feel the need to defend myself and other women who are either single, divorced or single moms, she said.

In reply, Prenzler said he was trying to praise candidate John Janek for being married for 49 years and regretted that the template he followed in the letter upset Wiehardt.

Mrs. Wiehardt, I did not intend to disparage you at all, he said.

Republican Chris Guy, of Maryville, voted against the ordinance. He said his vote wasnt specifically in support of Prenzler but is about protecting the chairmanship.

The taxpayers elected a county board chairman to be their voice and to be their vote, he said. Silencing the voters choice in the middle of his term goes against the wishes of the voters who elected him to serve.

Board member Liz Dalton, a Democrat from Collinsville, was one of two Democrats who voted against the ordinance, which takes duties away from Prenzler, a Republican.

You do not strip the voters of the rights to elect a chairman, that was my biggest concern when I saw this ordinance, Dalton said.

She drew some laughs when she fired this barb at Prenzler: You are not a saint, you know that yourself.

We make mistakes and we try to rectify those because we serve the people.

Michael Walters, R-Godfrey, said he has been the pro tem county board member for over five years and voted for the change because Prenzler has not properly communicated with other board members.

Ive begged and pleaded with our chairman to talk to these board members, Walters said. He doesnt do that.

Prenzler and his supporters said the move to change his duties was motivated by board members who lost primary races last month while opponents of Prenzler said one of the reasons for the change is that lawsuits filed against the county in recent years have cost the county $2.2 million.

The following nine Democratic board members voted for the changes: Christopher Hankins, D-Pontoon Beach; Michael Doc Holliday, D-Alton; Bruce Malone, D-Alton; Jack Minner, D-Edwardsville; Nick Petrillo, D-Granite City; Robert Pollard, D-East Alton; Nick Petrillo, D-Granite City; Bill Stoutenborough, D-Alton; and Victor Valentine, D-Edwardsville.

Here are the 10 Republicans who voted for the measure: Michael Babcock, R-Bethalto; Valerie Doucleff, R-Godfrey; John Eric Foster, R-Granite City; Jamie Goggin, R-Edwardsville; Mick Madison, R-Bethalto; Aaron Messner, R-Granite City; Stacey Pace, R-Troy; Bobby Ross, R-St. Jacob; Mike Walters, R-Godfrey and Denise Wiehardt, R-Granite City.

The following two Democratic board members voted against the changes: Liz Dalton, D-Collinsville, and Matthew King, D-East Alton.

These four Republicans voted against it: Dalton Gray, R- Troy; Chris Guy, R-Maryville; Ryan Kneedler, R-Collinsville; and Bill Meyer, R-Hamel.

Three board members were absent: Erica Conway-Harriss, R-Glen Carbon; Terry Eaker, R-Bethalto; and Judy Kuhn, R-Trenton.

Is it legal to change the chairmans duties?

Madison County States Attorney Tom Haine, who also serves as the attorney for the county board, said the board is fully within its rights to approve the ordinance.

Haine issued a legal opinion on the issue in March 2021. He noted that Madison County has a township form of government and under Illinois law, this means the county board as a whole controls the county and can approve or reject ordinances that establish the duties of the county board chairman.

Madison County voters decided in 2003 to allow the voters across the county to decide who serves as county board chairman instead of the previous manner, which called for county board members to choose a chairman.

The fact remains that Illinois law does not give the office of Board Chairperson, whether elected by the people or by the Board, much innate power, Haine wrote in the memo.

Haine said that changing the way in which a county board chairman is elected did not change the nature or powers of this position.

Resolution to Amend the Personnel Policies for County Board Appointed Officials and Department Heads and Ce... by Todd Eschman on Scribd

Prenzler Resonpse by Todd Eschman on Scribd
The Tory leadership contest is now unofficially under way, with Boris Johnsons resignation setting the wheels in motion for a new prime minister to take the reins.

Mr Johnson intends to remain in office until his successor is elected, a process which could take months, prompting a backlash from party grandees and political opponents over his attempt to cling on in No 10 until the autumn.

But with his departure firing the starting gun for a contest to replace him, attention has turned to potential successors.

Who do Conservative party members want to be the next PM? If you looked at single choices for next Tory leader, youd think it was a wide open field, BUT (1/3)https://t.co/s76Vy5j93R pic.twitter.com/6ZYYkyTmkK  YouGov (@YouGov) July 7, 2022

The clear favourite to replace Mr Johnson among Tory party members is Ben Wallace, according to a new YouGov poll.

The Defence Secretary, who has not yet announced a leadership bid, has won admirers in Westminster for his straight-talking and straightforward approach, particularly among Conservative MPs who applauded his push for increased UK defence spending.

Mr Wallace, who served in the Scots Guards, was a key voice in the UKs response to Russias invasion of Ukraine and this increased exposure could assist any leadership bid.

Hot on his heels in YouGovs popularity ranking is Penny Mordaunt, who made waves in 2019 as the UKs first female defence secretary before being fired by Mr Johnson shortly after he became Prime Minister.

The Brexit-backing trade minister is reported to have a campaign team in place.

Penny Mordaunt is a potential candidate who is proving popular among Conservative party members (Aaron Chown/PA)

Other big beasts who have not yet announced their candidacy include Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid, whose resignations from Cabinet on Tuesday triggered the mass exodus that ultimately crippled Mr Johnsons leadership.

Mr Sunak, whom the YouGov poll puts in third place, was regarded as a frontrunner before his stock took a tumble following disclosures that his wife had non-dom status for tax purposes.

The PA news agency understands that Mr Javid, the former health secretary, is seriously considering running, as is Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.

Mr Shapps, who was key to the Prime Ministers fight for survival during partygate, was among the Cabinet ministers telling Mr Johnson to stand down on Wednesday.

Some Tories have already made their ambitions clear. Attorney General Suella Braverman launched an unlikely leadership bid as support for Mr Johnson crumbled around him on Wednesday night.

Previously a loyalist to the departing PM, she told Peston on ITV that he had handled matters appallingly in recent days and that the balance has tipped now in favour of saying that the Prime Minister  it pains me to say it  but its time to go.

Attorney General Suella Braverman (Victoria Jones/PA)

Ms Braverman, who was first elected as an MP in 2015, will be regarded as something of an outsider for the leadership given the party grandees already tipped to be running.

Prominent Brexiteer and former minister Steve Baker, a senior Tory backbencher, also confirmed on Thursday he is seriously considering putting himself forward for the top job.

He told Times Radio people are asking him to do it, and it would be dismissive and disrespectful if he did not heed expressions of support, though he said he regards the prospect with something akin to dread.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has made little secret of her leadership ambitions, with a series of high-profile interventions and photo opportunities in which she appeared to be channelling late PM Margaret Thatcher.

Im on Teesside today launching a 400m investment  a new offshore wind factory that will employ hundreds of local people. Westminster is a mess, but this investment  and those jobs  will outlast any PM. The wheels of Government must continue in the meantime (2/2)  Kwasi Kwarteng (@KwasiKwarteng) July 7, 2022

Despite being a fervent Johnson loyalist, she was nowhere to be seen as the Government crumbled around him.

She has cut short an official trip to Indonesia and was expected to issue a statement soon, sources close to her said.

Despite not routinely featuring among those tipped to take the PMs place, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng may have raised eyebrows with an intervention on Thursday morning, saying the country needs a leader who can rebuild trust, and that person should take charge as soon as practicable.

Sir Robert Buckland, who has just been appointed the new Secretary of State for Wales, has declined to rule out running as Tory leader.

However, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab is not planning to stand to become the next Conservative Party leader, PA understands.

The exact timetable for the leadership contest is agreed by the 1922 Committee and Tory Party HQ, with Conservative MPs and party members playing a decisive role in electing the next leader.

Tory MPs will whittle down the candidates to a final two through a balloting process, with party members then voting on who they would prefer.

In the meantime, Mr Johnson will remain as a caretaker prime minister.

But critics of the outgoing PM have suggested he should not be allowed to stay in office until the autumn.

Many agree with senior Tory MP Sir Bob Neills suggestion that two ballots should be held a day to accelerate the process and have a result in the summer.

Former prime minister Theresa May was asked if she would be prepared to act as a caretaker, but said: I dont think theres going to be a caretaker prime minister in the sense of somebody else coming into that role.
Conservative MPs have welcomed the Prime Ministers resignation, calling for a clean start with a new leader.

Several on the backbenches, as well as Cabinet member Liz Truss, have said it was right for Boris Johnson to step down as Prime Minister after he admitted he had failed to persuade his own ministers he could fight on.

Ms Truss, who has cut short an official trip to Indonesia and has previously made little secret of her leadership ambitions, said calmness and unity is needed while a new person is chosen for the top job.

She tweeted: The PM has made the right decision. The Government under Boriss leadership had many achievements  delivering Brexit, vaccines and backing Ukraine.

We need calmness and unity now and to keep governing while a new leader is found.

The PM has made the right decision. The Government under Boris's leadership had many achievements  delivering Brexit, vaccines and backing Ukraine. We need calmness and unity now and to keep governing while a new leader is found.  Liz Truss (@trussliz) July 7, 2022

Senior Tory Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, and is also regarded as a potential leadership candidate, although with an outside chance, tweeted: Right call by Boris Johnson to resign. Delivered Brexit, rolled out the vaccine and led on Ukraine.

Now we need a clean start.

Right call by Boris Johnson to resign. Delivered Brexit, rolled out the vaccine and led on Ukraine. Now we need a clean start.  Tom Tugendhat (@TomTugendhat) July 7, 2022

Foreign Office minister Amanda Milling said Mr Johnson had enjoyed her support from the start, but he was right to resign as the damage to our party and country was getting too much.

We now need to work together and ensure that there is some stability during this transition period, she added.

Salisbury MP John Glen, who resigned as a minister of state at the Treasury on Wednesday in protest at Mr Johnsons conduct and standards, paid tribute to his leadership but welcomed a fresh start and new direction for the country.

Boris has had my support from the start, but resigning was the right thing to do as the damage to our party and country was getting too much. We now need to work together and ensure that there is some stability during this transition period.  Amanda Milling (@amandamilling) July 7, 2022

Jo Gideon, the MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central who had submitted a new letter to 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady, said Mr Johnsons exit had been sad and painful.

In a statement shared on social media, she said the Tories must now come together for the sake of the country, and find a way to move forward while a new leader is sought.

Im glad the Prime Minister has done the right thing and resigned. The swathe of resignations of government ministers demonstrated that senior colleagues acknowledge the need for new leadership, she said.

As a One Nation Conservative I will be supporting a leader who continues to deliver our commitment to level up the UK, and who does so with the integrity and strong leadership that we need in these difficult times.

Please see my statement below. pic.twitter.com/awXlmAlCHE  Jo Gideon MP (@jogideon) July 7, 2022

Former Johnson loyalist Jonathan Gullis also said the Prime Ministers resignation speech was painful to watch, but its the right thing that hes gone.

The Stoke-on-Trent North MP, who quit as parliamentary private secretary at the Northern Ireland Office on Tuesday, told Sky News that he had not regretted deciding to withdraw his support for Mr Johnson, even as he watched him speak in Downing Street.

Government whip Amanda Solloway, the MP for Derby North, said: The Prime Minister has now resigned and in my view this was the right thing to do given the circumstances.

As some may know, I am a Government whip and it is imperative that the whips office will continue in its role in delivering Government business during this transition.

The Prime Minister has now resigned and in my view this was the right thing to do given the circumstances. As some may know, I am a Government Whip and it is imperative that the Whips Office will continue in its role in delivering Government business during this transition.  Amanda Solloway (@ASollowayUK) July 7, 2022

Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely said the Tories need a renewed agenda, a new team, and a new PM.

Im looking forward to that day, he added.

Some thoughts re leadership. We need a renewed agenda, a new team, and a new PM. I'm looking forward to that day. https://t.co/yn3Y7BhhlY  Bob Seely MP (@IoWBobSeely) July 7, 2022

Assistant Government whip Steve Double, the MP for St Austell and Newquay, said it had been a very challenging week in Parliament, and the process to find a new leader should be completed as soon as possible.

Former minister Graham Stuart said he was sorry to see the Prime Minister resign, but he had done the right thing.

He can be proud of what he has achieved during the last three years, he said.

I will support the next leader of the Conservative Party in their work to ensure that Britain continues to thrive.

This was echoed by Warrington South MP Andy Carter, who said Mr Johnson was right to resign, as it was in the nations best interests.

The Prime Minister has this lunchtime announced that he plans to resign. I believe this is the right thing to do, and is in the nations best interests https://t.co/6iku0ejwEk pic.twitter.com/8ay16fxN7e  Andy Carter MP (@MrAndy_Carter) July 7, 2022

Gareth Bacon, the MP for Orpington, said: The Prime Minister has much to be proud of; he got Brexit done, delivered the vaccine, and stood up to Putin. Im sorry to see him go. But hes right to stand down.

The Conservative Party must now unite under a new leader and get back to governing.
KABUL, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Security forces in Afghanistan stormed a hideout of armed militants on the northern edge of Kabul city on Wednesday night, killing two and arresting four others, the Taliban-run administration's chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Thursday.

"The operation of security forces against hideout of Khawarej ( a term used against Daesh or Islamic State group) in 315 localities of Kabul city last night was over by killing two and arresting four others," Mujahid said on his Twitter account.

A large number of arms and ammunition of the militants were destroyed or captured by the security forces, Mujahid asserted. The official also noted that the vicious attempt of the militants to kill people had been thwarted.

The religious scholars in their three-day jirga or grand assembly that concluded Saturday described the hardliner and rival Daesh outfit as Khawarej (out of Islam framework) and called upon Afghans not to cooperate with the armed group.

Security officials have repeatedly said that Daesh could not pose a serious security threat and the ruling establishment would thwart all destructive designs chalked out by the rival group. 
SpiceJet CMD Ajay Singh said technical snags and bird hits are the hazards often faced by the aviation industry

New Delhi: After eight malfunctioning incidents reported in the last 18 days, the aviation watchdog, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on Wednesday issued a show cause notice to SpiceJet, raising concerns over safety matters. The DGCA notice says that various incidents from April 1 this year till date have been reviewed by it and it was found that "poor internal safety oversight" and "inadequate maintenance actions" have resulted in the degradation of safety margins. DGCA's audit of SpiceJet in September 2021 found component suppliers not being paid on a regular basis, leading to a shortage of spares.

Following the DGCA's notice to SpiceJet, civil aviation minister Jyotiaditya Scindia said passenger safety is paramount and "even the smallest error hindering safety will be thoroughly investigated and course-corrected."

"The reported incidents on aircraft operated by SpiceJet Limited from April 1, 2022 till date have been reviewed and it has been observed that at number of occasions the aircraft either tuned back to its originating station of continued landing or continued landing to the destination with degraded safety margins. Financial assessment carried out by DGCA in September 2021 has revealed that the airlines has operated on Cash and Carry and suppliers/approved vendors are not being paid on regular basis leading to shortage of spares and frequent invoking of MELsIt may be deduced that SpiceJet Ltd has failed to establish a safe, efficient and reliable air services under terms of Rule 134 and Schedule XI of the Aircraft Rules, 1937," the DGCA notice said while flagging technical snags.

SpiceJet CMD Ajay Singh said technical snags and bird hits are the hazards often faced by the aviation industry. "No one can stop bird hit in aviation industry. On average, 30 incidents happen per day in India's air services... Whatever incidents happen, we report them to DGCA and try to minimize them. But if you are thinking that such incidents will stop, it is not possible," Mr Singh said.

On Wednesday, SpiceJet's Q400 plane conducted a priority landing in Mumbai after the windshield cracked mid-air, while a Spicejet Delhi-Dubai flight with 150 onboard made a precautionary landing in Karachi on Tuesday. Prior to that, a SpiceJet Q400 plane from Delhi to Jabalpur made a 'May Day' distress call and returned to Delhi after smoke was detected in the cabin. On June 19, a Delhi-bound SpiceJet aircraft, with 185 passengers on board, made an emergency landing in Patna right after take-off as its left engine caught fire following a bird hit.

Meanwhile, some other airlines too have reported incidents. On Tuesday, smoke was detected by the cabin crew in IndiGo's Raipur-Indore flight during taxing while a Bangkok-Delhi Vistara flight landed at Delhi on Tuesday on a single-engine.
Mr Naqvis name is, incidentally, also doing the rounds as among the likely candidates to succeed vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu

Former union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi at his residence in New Delhi, Wednesday, July 6, 2022. Naqvi submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, a day before the completion of his Rajya Sabha term. (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: Two Union ministers -- Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and R.C.P. Singh -- whose Rajya Sabha term was coming to an end on July 7, submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. While Mr Naqvi, the sole Muslim face in the Narendra Modi council of ministers, was heading the minority affairs ministry and was also the BJPs deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, Mr Singh, a JD(U) leader, held the steel portfolio. Mr Naqvi was also the only Muslim MP of the BJP among its nearly 400-plus members of Parliament.

Mr Naqvis name is, incidentally, also doing the rounds as among the likely candidates to succeed vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu, who is also the Rajya Sabha Chairman. The election for the next vice-president is scheduled to be held on August 6, and July 19 is the last date for filing nominations.

Late on Wednesday evening, the government announced that textiles minister Smriti Irani had been given the additional charge of the minority affairs ministry, while civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia would hold additional charge of the steel ministry.

Sources said Mr Modi lauded both Mr Naqvi and Mr Singh at a meeting of the Union Cabinet on Wednesday for their contributions to the nation during their ministerial tenure. Both submitted their resignations in order to fulfil their constitutional obligation as they will cease to be MPs from Friday. After the Cabinet meeting, Mr Naqvi is also learnt to have met BJP president J.P. Nadda.

Mr R.C.P. Singh, who was once considered close to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, is a former bureaucrat. Mr Singh resigned on his birthday, one year after joining the Cabinet from his partys quota. The JD(U) denied him another term in the Upper House of Parliament amid reports that he had grown closer to the BJP, that apparently miffed the JD(U)s leadership. The PM wished him a happy birthday in the morning.

With Mr Singhs resignation, there are only two ministers at the Centre from the BJPs allies -- Ramdas Athawale from the RPI(A) and Anupriya Patel from the Apna Dal. As the Union Cabinet has two more vacancies and no representation from the BJPs biggest ally, the JD(U), there is a possibility of a Cabinet expansion-cum-reshuffle in the near future.
The 57-year-old minister said it was his independent decision to resign as his remarks had created a wrong impression

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala fisheries and culture minister Saji Cheriyan who denounced the Constitution during a speech the other day, resigned from the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Cabinet on Wednesday evening.

Cheriyan called on chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and handed over his resignation.

Subsequently he held a press meet at the state secretariat to publicly announce his decision to step down. The 57-year-old minister said it was his independent decision to resign as his remarks had created a wrong impression. Cheriyan said he would continue to uphold the values of the Constitution.

Surprisingly, even at the press conference the minister sought to justify his speech yet again and blamed the media for misinterpreting his remarks by taking a portion of it out of context. Cheriyan who hails from Alappuzha district entered assembly after winning Chengannur by election in 2018. He was re-elected from the same constituency in 2021.

At a CPM meeting in Mallappally on Sunday, Cheriyan said the constitution of India had been written in such a manner that helped the loot of people. The constitution was prepared and handed over by the British and written by the Indians. Many including those in the opposition felt that his statement amounted to insulting and belittling the architects of the Constitution like Dr B R Ambedkar.

Hectic political activities took place in the run up to the resignation on Wednesday. The available state secretariat of the CPM which include chief minister Mr Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM Kerala unit secretary Mr Kodiyeri Balakrishnan met at the party headquarters AKG Centre to discuss the issue.

After the meeting when media persons confronted Cherian and asked whether he would resign, the minister shot back; why should I resign? I have already made my position clear in the assembly.

His reaction gave an indication that the state leadership had not reached a decision. It was also informed that an extended state secretariat meeting would discuss the matter on Thursday. What also surprised people in Kerala was the chief ministers silence on the issue. Notwithstanding the raging controversy, he neither spoke on the issue within or outside the assembly nor issued a statement since yesterday. Till then the CPM leaders took a position that the ministers remarks were a slip of the tongue and unintentional.

However, a concrete indication about Cheriyans position becoming untenable came when CPM general Mr Sitaram Yechury, while replying to questions from media persons in Delhi, said the state leadership had been directed to take appropriate action and announce it. Things were now clear that the central leadership was in no mood to wait till Thursday.

It is also learnt that the chief minister had sought legal opinion from the Advocate General on the possible outcome should the matter come before the courts. Finally, the leadership decided to pave the way for his honourable exit.
by Nirmala Carvalho

A few days ago, the clergyman acted as "father" at the wedding of a Hindu girl he took in at his ashram when she was two years old. For almost 30 years, Fr Kannamplakal, a member of the Blessed Sacrament, has been opening the doors of the Divyahruday Ashram in Chennaipara to those left on their own. I realised that if I focus on the goodness of each person, the Lord will give me everything, he said.

Mumbai (AsiaNews)  Fr George Kannamplakal took on the role of "father" at a Hindu wedding a few days ago at the Mandamangalam Mahavishnu temple (Kerala) for the wedding of Haritha and Sivadas.

Instead of his usual cassock, the clergyman wore a shirt and a dhoti for Haritha, the girl he took care of as a daughter since she was two at the Divyahriday Ashram in Chenaipara.

At a Catholic primary school, Haritha met Sivadas, a boy from Ambazhakad who is now an accountant in the United Arab Emirates. Trained as a nurse, the new bride will now move with him to Dubai.

Their simple story embodies the sense of charity without barriers sown by the Divyahriday Ashram, the first of a network dedicated to children and young people in need called Akasaparavakal with branches across India.

Fr Kannamplakal belongs to the Missionary Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament (MCBS), the same as the late Fr George Kuttikkal who founded the organisation. Mother Teresa inaugurated the house on 18 January 1994 during her last visit to Kerala.

"I took over the ashrams management on 27 February 1996. At the time there were only 35 residents, including some children, Fr Kannamplakal said.

We take care of those who are abandoned and have no shelter anywhere. Our idea is that no child should end up in an orphanage, he explained.

Everyone should be able to grow up in a home with the love and affection of those around them. The experience of our ashram shows that if they receive a good education, then they are able to support themselves in any situation."

The Divyahriday Ashram in Chenaipara has grown in recent years and is now home to a hundred children, plus another 240 residents, including people suffering from diseases or even elderly in situations of need.

All this has been made possible thanks to the solidarity of many people. I realised that if I focus on the goodness of each person, the Lord will give me everything, Fr George explained.

The world around me is made up of good people. It is not me but the Lord who made me the father of children and the brother of the abandoned and the destitute. I have nothing to claim as my own.
by Mathias Hariyadi

The Social Affairs ministers decision follows a number of probes that began in 2018. At least 19 suspects were arrested. The charitys executives spent sums on houses and cars, weekly reports.

Jakarta (AsiaNews)  The Indonesian government froze the funds of Aksi Cepat Tanggap[*] (ACT), a non-profit organisation accused of raising funds for the al-Qaeda terrorist network.

Social Affairs Minister Muhadjir Effendi took the decision as a deterrent against any potential case" of terrorist financing. His ministry is responsible for charities.

All transactions by ACT on its 60 bank accounts have been suspended, the Indonesian Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK[]) reports.

Based on our analysis and investigation coordinated with other (security) agencies, we suspect ACT breached the law, said PPATK chief aid Ivan Yustiavandana.

The charity had been under investigation since 2018. Some 19 Indonesian suspected of ties with terrorist groups were arrested by Turkish authorities in connection with the case. They allegedly moved funds worth more than 500,000 (US$ 510,000).

Indonesian weekly Tempo, which broke the news, reported this week that ACT executives spent a large part of the donations the charity received on cars and homes.

Last week, ACT president lbnu Khajar acknowledged that his organisations operating costs were 13.7 per cent of total budget. Under Indonesian, charities operating costs cannot exceed 10 per cent.

[*] Fast Action Response.

[] Pusat Pelaporan dan Analisis Transaksi Keuangan.
The Jewish state has agreed to the transfer of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia in return for access to Saudi airspace to shorten flight times with the Far East. This is a mall step for the gradual rapprochement between the two countries.

Jerusalem (AsiaNews)  Israel has agreed to the transfer of two Red Sea islands from Egypt to Saudi Arabia in return for the right of Israeli planes to use Saudi airspace. The agreement will put an end to the dispute over who owns the islands.

According to Israel Hayom, the Israeli government agreed to transfer of the islands of Tiran and Sanafir, located at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba, from Egypt to Saudi Arabia. The official transfer will take place during US President Joe Biden's visit to the region later this month.

In return, Saudi Arabia is expected to open its airspace to Israeli planes, thus boosting the process of rapprochement between the Jewish state and its southern neighbours in the wake of the Abraham Accords and shorten[ing] flight time from Israel and the Far East.

In order to approve the handover, Israel asked for a number of guarantees from Saudi Arabia, most notably freedom for military and civil navigation in the Strait of Tiran. The Saudis have agreed to that but have rejected Israels request to allow Muslim pilgrims to travel directly from Israel to Makkah.

"Saudi Arabia is not ready to take this leap that the UAE and Bahrain took, Israeli officials are quoted as saying.

It will take time, it is more slow and more conservative, and it is doubtful that we will witness full relations before the transfer of power from King Salman to his son, Muhammad Bin Salman," they added.

Still, although the historic agreement is a small step, [. . .] gradually, there will be more steps until the process matures.

In 2016 Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi promised Tiran and Sanafir during an official visit to Saudi Arabia in exchange for billions of dollars in aid.

The decision proved highly controversial in Egypt, triggering protests by nationalists against what they see as a violation of the countrys constitution and territorial integrity. Eventually, the case ended in a Cairo courtroom.

The two islands in question are barren, uninhabited and without resources but in a strategic location for shipping up and down the Red Sea.

Granted by Saudi Arabia to Egypt, these two islands played a role in Arab-Israeli wars, making it easy to bock Israeli ships.

Israel occupied them when it seized the Sinai during the Six Day War and held them until the Camp David peace agreements between Israel and Egypt came into effect.

Article 5 of the agreements expressly states that the islands shall not host any military presence or be used to prevent the free movement of ships.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Bishops Lavrenov and Novikov clash. The community is allowed to have different points of view, as long as they do not contradict the Holy Scriptures. In Soviet times, Pentecostals were among the most persecuted of believers; today they endure Putin's restrictions with great difficulty. Catholics and Protestants under systematic surveillance after invasion launch.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - The Russian Union of Evangelical Christians (Roskve), an umbrella group for Russian Pentecostals, has published a letter on its website, after lengthy discussions within all the communities and in the unitary bodies, putting an end to an ongoing debate. Above all, it is intended to sanction the newfound communion between two Roskve bishops, Sergej Lavrenov and Aleksej Novikov, who had quarrelled over the latter's publication on social networks of the 'Z' symbol an initiative condemned by Lavrenov.

The two bishops signed a joint statement, in which they explained that "at different times in its history, the Church of Christ has had to face various challenges, yet it has been able to preserve fidelity to the word of God and its unity, overcoming these difficulties".

The events of recent months have been a cause of division not only in society, but "also within the People of God", and the differences in views and the different interpretations of the same passages of Holy Scripture among the various pastors and believers "give the opponents of the Church of Christ reason to dishonour the works of God, and lead into temptation those who are not yet firm in the faith", Lavrenov and Novikov observe.

The Russian Pentecostals, however, claim diversity as one of the most deserving characteristics of their movement, which allows "the presence of different points of view, as long as they do not contradict the Holy Scriptures, because it enriches our service and the life of our entire Church". In the face of the situation that has arisen in the country, the document continues, "when it is necessary to avoid further polarisation of society, rather we need to promote peace and concord, we consider it indispensable to express all the love of Christ and the readiness to forgive and dialogue, even with those who disagree with us in social and political opinions, which Christ Himself never put as the foundation of His building".

Therefore diverging opinions on teh war are allowed, without denying the preaching of the Gospel to all parties, and guaranteeing "help to the suffering and needy regardless of the flags of their state and political affiliation". The discussion will continue in the coming months, knowing the sensitivity of Pentecostal communities and believers, who in Soviet times were among the most persecuted among believers, and even today endure with great difficulty the restrictions on religious freedom in Putin's Russia.

Pentecostals make up the majority of Russian Protestants, who are also represented by the more traditional Lutheran churches and the numerous Baptist communities, and the total number of Russian Protestants is normally estimated at between 1 and 2% of the population, around 1.5 million people. Lutherans have been present for the longest time, having arrived in the Russian Empire from Germany or the Baltic at the time of Peter the Great, while since the 19th century the Baptists, and then the Pentecostals and Charismatics, began to take root.

As with Catholics, the religious activities of non-Orthodox Christians are regulated by a law made stricter by the 2016 amendments, what is known as the 'Jarovoj law', which prevents foreign missionaries from acting as leaders of Russian associations. Missionary and catechetical activity can only be carried out by persons accredited according to the regulations and within church buildings, and surveillance has become systematic these days, to avoid any form of 'discrediting the armed forces and government policy'.
HANOI, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam spent over 1.7 billion U.S. dollars importing evidence-based medicines in the first half of this year, up 16.3 percent from the same period last year, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade on Thursday.

Its main suppliers included the United States, Germany, France, South Korea and India, according to the ministry.

Vietnam's medicine import turnovers were more than 3.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, up 18.9 percent year on year, according to the country's General Statistics Office.

It is estimated that the Vietnamese pharmaceutical industry has a size of around 7.4 billion U.S. dollars, as its pharmaceutical spending has increased by 14 percent annually on average over the past decade.

The annual spending on pharmaceutical products per capita in Vietnam would reach 163 U.S. dollars by 2025, local rating company Vietnam Report predicted. 
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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visits the Sydney-based think tank, the Lowy Institute, during her visit to Australia, on July 7, 2022.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it would be wrong to characterize China's engagement with Pacific islands as new or to force the island countries to pick sides.

She made the remarks on Thursday while delivering a speech at the Sydney-based think tank, the Lowy Institute, during her visit to Australia to attend the Australia New Zealand Leaders' Meeting (ANZLM). (Lowy Institute/Handout via Xinhua)

SYDNEY, July 7 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it would be wrong to characterize China's engagement with Pacific islands as new or to force the island countries to pick sides.

She made the remarks on Thursday while delivering a speech at the Sydney-based think tank, the Lowy Institute, during her visit to Australia to attend the Australia New Zealand Leaders' Meeting (ANZLM).

She highlighted engagement with Pacific island countries as an important principle for New Zealand's foreign policy, but noted that this doesn't mean other countries may not engage with this region.

"That is not to say there will not be others who have an interest in the Pacific, there are," she said, noting that France, Japan, Britain, the United States and China have all played a role in the Pacific for many years.

"It would be wrong to characterize this engagement, including that of China, as new. It would also be wrong to position the Pacific (island countries) in such a way that they have to pick sides. These are democratic nations with their own sovereign right to determine their foreign policy," she said.

As foreign ministers of the Pacific Islands Forum are due to meet in Fiji on Friday, Ardern highlighted the role of regional mechanisms such as the forum in solving regional issues, and called for more regional cooperation instead of competition.

"Rather than the increased strategic competition in the region, we need instead to look for areas to build and cooperate recognizing the sovereignty and independence of those for whom the region is home," she said.

The prime minister also stressed the use of diplomacy as the "strongest tool" in an increasingly contested environment and to strengthen trade and economic cooperation to bolster the region's resilience.

"At its heart, trade creates connections, mutual obligations, shared interests and joint benefits. And all those things reduce conflict, and ultimately contribute to peace and stability, and prosperity," she said.

She also called for more concerted efforts to tackle climate change, saying it should be a priority of foreign policy.

Ardern is leading New Zealand's ministerial delegation to attend the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF) in Sydney. She is scheduled to meet Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for their first Australia New Zealand Leaders' Meeting on Friday in Sydney. 

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visits the Sydney-based think tank, the Lowy Institute, during her visit to Australia, on July 7, 2022.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it would be wrong to characterize China's engagement with Pacific islands as new or to force the island countries to pick sides.

She made the remarks on Thursday while delivering a speech at the Sydney-based think tank, the Lowy Institute, during her visit to Australia to attend the Australia New Zealand Leaders' Meeting (ANZLM). (Lowy Institute/Handout via Xinhua)

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visits the Sydney-based think tank, the Lowy Institute, during her visit to Australia, on July 7, 2022.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it would be wrong to characterize China's engagement with Pacific islands as new or to force the island countries to pick sides.

She made the remarks on Thursday while delivering a speech at the Sydney-based think tank, the Lowy Institute, during her visit to Australia to attend the Australia New Zealand Leaders' Meeting (ANZLM). (Lowy Institute/Handout via Xinhua)
The Volkswagen Vanagon was one of the most competent camper vans of the 80s, and they are still in high demand after all these years. They were called Caravelle in Europe, and mild differences may exist, but its the same van essentially. Modifications by Westfalia resulted in an excellent camper rig on either side of the Atlantic. In the case of this example selling on Bring a Trailer, the only discernable difference is the peculiar extended roof which replaces the pop-top roof that we know of in the U.S.The Caravelle was acquired by the seller in Poland in 2016, which explains why its called Caravelle instead of Vanagon. Since then, the camper was refinished in gold, while the interior has been reupholstered in plain cloth. The major components like the suspension, the brakes, and the engine accessories have been overhauled. The work was completed by mid-2021, and in August 2021, the van was imported to the U.S. from Germany.While working on the body in 2018, the owner resealed the sheet-metal joints with an anti-rust coating. They also installed custom stainless-steel bumpers and the peculiar extended sleeper rooftop with the roof rack. At this stage, a rear-mounted spare, a side awning, and a front bull bar with LED lights were also added.Looking at the pictures in the gallery, the first thing that gets your attention is the big wheels wrapped in 235/85 BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM2 white-letter tires. They are not there just for the good impression but also to complement the 4x4 Syncro system, which makes this Caravelle Westfalia a beast off-road. The owner worked on the suspension components, and the brakes were also enhanced with bigger discs and replacement lines and hoses.The front seats in the cabin are of the swiveling type, allowing them to contribute to the camping setup along with the rest of the Westfalia equipment . The rear area features the usual Westfalia gear, starting with the signature kitchenette and going all the way to the storage cabinets and the folding rear bench.As youd expect, a stovetop, a sink, and a refrigerator are also available. The seller mentions that only one of the stove burners is operational. The rooftop sleeping area has a window and is ventilated. There is not much space there other than for children, though. The adults must sleep on the rear bench, which folds into a bed.The 4x4 system is special, as the gearbox is complemented by a three-knob system with a decoupler, which allows the vehicle to be operated in rear-wheel drive. The van is also equipped with locking front and rear differentials, which is something you won't find on your average Vanagon. The whole package is listed for sale on Bring a Trailer , where the five bidders raised the bar to $25,500. This is a small price for this van, but the remaining two days would probably do it justice.
SUV

You might not know this, but the Accord has been around since 1976 and it is now in its tenth generation. Thats right, tenth, including the model launched back in 2018, which has since been updated (in 2021).Whats great is that the recipe for the Accord has never changed. Honda has always focused on practicality, reliability and fuel efficiency, to the point where theyve perfected the mid-size sedan. As a family car, unless you actually need an, theres almost nothing bad you can say about the Accord, at least not objectively.Recently, we started seeing Honda testing a heavily camouflaged mid-size sedan prototype, which could only be the eleventh-generation Accord , set to arrive next year as a 2024 model.The camouflage isnt all that thick, which is why various digital artists have already managed to sketch out the car with a reasonable degree of accuracy. The best weve seen so far is this one, from Kolesa , a rendering that seems to follow all the lines presented by the prototype, although some aspects remain hypothetical.The front end remains instantly recognizable as that of a Honda, while the profile lines look suspiciously American - a little reminiscent of a modern-day Cadillac perhaps. Not that wed complain.Another interesting aspect regarding this rendering is the rear end design, which actually reminds us of the Audi A7 Sportback, although the taillights, while similarly shaped, are a lot slimmer in the Audi.As for what we can expect in terms of powertrains, we know that Honda is looking to put a greater emphasis on hybridization, which hopefully means that the next-gen Accord hybrid will pack more horsepower.
EV

SUV

ICE

The company is trying (though not too hard, if you want our two cents on the matter) to recapture the former glory with contemporary stuff like the all-new 500generation, among others. Soon, the iconic nameplate will be joined by another legendary moniker, as the Italian automaker has been caught testing the Opel Mokka-based 2023 Uno subcompact crossoverrevival.However, not everyone is satisfied with the new Stellantis interpretation. For example, Kleber Silva, the Brazil-based virtual artist known as KDesign AG on social media, is rekindling his CGI passion for Jeep's little new EV and reinterpreting its stylish design for a different Fiat Uno revival. The latter, while completely unofficial  so do take it with a big pinch of salt  is also swimming against the generic high-rider current.But to achieve that, it needed a lot of different DNA strands from within the group. So, according to the pixel masters description, the all-new Jeep EV served as the technical base (potentially allowing for both EV andto coexist, given the Turbo 200 branding) but then the CGI expert also added a lot of new Fiat design cues. Those were taken from the most recent releases, such as the Centonoventi concept car, Fiat New 500 , Strada, and Pulse.Of course, this is probably merely wishful thinking  it is highly unlikely Jeep would allow the dilution of the style of its all-new EV model towards various other Stellantis brands. Alas, that certainly hasnt stopped this virtual automotive artist from deploying the age-old rebadge trick across a variety of other brands
It seems as though the Spaniard isnt eager to let his seat go to some other driver and wishes to extend his stay with Alpine beyond this season, despite being the oldest driver on the grid (40 years old).During the British Grand Prix weekend, both Alonso and Alpine F1 boss Otmar Szafnauer expressed similar thoughts regarding a contract extension, specifically that talks will likely occur after the summer break in August, reports Motorsport So far, year, we didnt start any negotiations, said Alonso. My aim, as I said sometimes, is to continue, but yeah, until the summer break, I want to concentrate [on racing]. This July, we have four races, and I need to score points because the first nine races have been a little bit unlucky for me.At Silverstone , Alonso crossed the finish line fifth while trying to chase down Sergio Perez, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in the closing stages of the Grand Prix.When asked whether there was anything that would keep Alpine from resigning the two-time F1 champion (2005, 2006), Szafnauer replied: I havent thought of it, but its a good question.Hes driving brilliantly and qualifies well, races well. Thats what its really about. But lets think about that.We dont mean to nitpick but thats kind of a strange answer to give. Alonso is clearly still one of the best drivers on the grid, so why would there be anything to think about? Unless, of course, its a salary issue.
Until eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing) start changing urban aerial transportation for real, not just on paper, helicopters continue to be one of the top choices for business and corporate flights. The Bell 505 is becoming increasingly popular in Europe.

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Now, the base-level M3 Sedan has a starting MSRP of $72,800 before tax ($995 destination charge). In this configuration, you get access to 473 horsepower and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm) of torque. Meanwhile, the top-of-the-list M3 Competition xDrive Sedan goes up to 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque.But it will also require an additional $8,000 out of your pocket. And for that kind of money, your 0 to 60 mph (96 kph) will improve by about 0.7 seconds. If you're set on buying a brand new car, but running on a tight budget there is a third option.The M340i xDrive Sedan starts at $56,850 before tax ($995 destination charge) but will only give you access to 382 horsepower and 368 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. The thing is, this car has the same 0 to 60 mph rating as the standard M3 Sedan.Of course, that's not the defining aspect for a vehicle at this level, but still. The guys over at Autotop.nl have gotten their hands on one, and it seems to also have an Akrapovic exhaust and an AC Schnitzer Tuning box.Given these upgrades, it's now rated at 420 horsepower and 442 lb-ft (600 Nm). With that in mind, the Autobahn happens to be close by, so a test is in order. Getting up to 62 mph (100 kph) takes 4.27 seconds. From there on, up to 124 mph (200 kph), an additional 11.17 seconds are needed. A second run reveals an even better result of 10.22 seconds for the same measurement.Judging by their official scoreboard, this is slightly faster than a 2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance. This car can also run the quarter-mile (402 meters) in 12.27 seconds, which isn't that bad but not that impressive either. This is the kind of result that you could achieve with an older Mitsubishi Lancer Evo or Audi S3 after a bit of tuning.According to the digital dashboard, the M340i xDrive tops out at 158 mph (254 kph). Of course, the GPS reading reveals a less impressive reading of just 151 mph (244 kph). At this point, if top speed and insane acceleration are all that you care about, there are plenty of other faster cars on the market.But you'll probably have to sacrifice some comfort for that. If you did enjoy seeing this car in action, it seems that it's currently up for sale, priced at 77,500 ($79,100) You can probably try to locate an M3 Competition for that budget, and with some upgrades that will go as fast as 196 mph (315 kph). The thing is, if you are going to buy an M340i, you'll always be thinking about the other car. So it might be smarter to just go to the top of the list from the get-go.
SYDNEY, July 7 (Xinhua) -- As the rainfall across Australia's largest city, Sydney, finally eased on Thursday, almost 30,000 residents in its western suburbs were permitted to return to their flood-hit homes to begin clean-ups.

While the floodwaters were receding in the capital city, State Emergency Service (SES) workers were kept busy in more northerly parts of the state of New South Wales (NSW), dealing with the destruction caused by the past week's wild weather.

SES deputy state duty commander Ashley Sullivan told the national broadcaster ABC on Wednesday that the emergency workers had handled nearly 7,000 requests for assistance since the start of the floods, with 370 rescues during the past 24 hours.

As of Thursday, more than 6,000 people have been evacuated from the Hunter region and the mid-north coast with reports of another 5,000 preparing to leave soon.

NSW Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke warned on Wednesday that people needed to obey emergency instructions.

"Whilst it may be tempting for people to return home, we're really asking you to respect those evacuation orders," Cooke said.

"There's a reason why they are in place at this time and that is to protect you."

This week's floods are the latest in a series that have struck Australia's eastern states in recent years, with this being the fourth to have hit the Greater Sydney Region (GSR) within just the past 18 months.

The besieged NSW SES crews are being assisted this time by counterparts from the neighboring state of Queensland.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan said about 40 frontline personnel, including experts trained to rescue people from fast-flowing torrents, had joined the mission on Thursday.

"Our swift-water rescuers are coming off the back of an extremely busy wet season, during which the state's crews responded to multiple flooding events and hundreds of calls for help," Ryan said.

The federal government has also stepped in to help with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announcing on Wednesday that residents in 23 flood-affected areas in NSW would be entitled to a one-off 1,000 Australian dollars (about 679 U.S. dollars) payment for each eligible adult and 400 Australian dollars (about 271 U.S. dollars) payment for every child.

Meanwhile, as residents in Sydney's west begin their clean-ups, they are also being asked to conserve water.

Sydney Water, the nation's largest water utility, released a statement on Wednesday that the floods had swept a lot of leaves, dirt, and other debris into the water catchment area, so that filtration systems were working harder than usual to make the raw water safe to use.

Sydney Water General Manager for Customer Delivery Bernie Sheridan said he understood how people could think it "strange" to be asked to conserve water during a flood, however, it was necessary to retain a consistent supply of drinkable water.

"It is simply that the system's ability to produce drinking water is slower than normal," Sheridan said. 
Sure, they still have to attend to the existence of the Divo, Centodieci, Chiron Pur Sport Grand Prix, and whatnot car models  because, remember, this is still a company involved with making cars. But that does not mean Bugatti cannot start the party early  and it already has the perfect new breed of champagne for the occasion.Not long ago, they showed they were clearly on a roll not just by opening showrooms faster than you can do some holiday shopping but also by pouring one exotic type of drink. Thanks to another collaboration with the experts over at Champagne Carbon, they joined forces to create a La Voiture Noire-inspired bottle (and the drink, of course) labeled as La Bouteille Noire.And, probably encouraged by the fact that it quickly found a wealthy new owner, the two companies have poured another one yet again . Their latest collaboration is called the EB.03 Edition and has been envisioned as a spirited (pun intended) homage to Bolide, the most extreme Bugatti creation ever. It features perks such as a unique dual-tone carbon fiber bottle, which keeps safe a powerful and expressive vintage Blanc de Blancs.By the way, this new creation follows in the footsteps of older ideas, such as the EB.01 champagne that marked Bugattis 110th anniversary, as well as the EB.02 that was dedicated to the Chiron Super Sport 300+ record-breaking special edition. Now, the EB.03 Edition has a first-ever dual-tone blue and black carbon fiber finish and contains a vintage 2013 Blanc de Blancs.Already available to order through Champagne Carbons online portal, the new Bugatti drink and collectors bottle is not as expensive as one might expect, though, as it retails for 290 (the equivalent of around $295 at the current exchange rates).
EV

AV

Self-driving technology is still a controversial chapter, with Tesla taking most of the flak. Despite the impression that the Americanmaker is the only one pushing automated driving, other companies are also working hard at cracking self-driving. And just like Tesla, their efforts and reputation are sometimes thrashed by accidents caused by less-than-perfect technology.Cruise, a robotaxi company backed by General Motors, has recently received a milestone permit to offer commercial autonomous driving ride-hailing services in San Francisco. One day after the license was issued, a Cruise vehicle operating autonomously was involved in a crash at the intersection of Geary Boulevard and Spruce Street in San Francisco. The Cruise vehicle made a left turn in front of an oncoming Toyota Prius, which led to a crash that injured the occupants of both cars.In a report filed with the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Cruise said its self-driving vehicle stopped in the roadway before completing its left turn and was stationary when struck. According to Cruise , the other cars driver was to blame, as they were speeding and the Prius had continued straight from a right-turn lane. Unfortunately, the details could not be independently verified.A spokesperson for the San Francisco Police Department could not find an incident report related to the crash Wednesday and said it was possible no report was generated. Approached by Automotive News , a Cruise spokesperson declined Wednesday to say why thestopped before completing its turn. Many questions remained unanswered, though, so its impossible to say for sure who was to blame for the crash.Cruise is no stranger to accidents and incidents, despite Tesla taking all the limelight regarding self-driving crashes. According to an NHTSA report , Cruise vehicles were involved in 23 crashes from July 2021 to May 15, 2022. In April, one of the companys autonomous vehicles blocked the path of a San Francisco Fire Department truck en route to a blaze.The same month, a police officer pulled over a Cruise vehicle because it was operating without headlights on at night. The car then repositioned itself before the traffic stop was complete. And only a week ago, dozens of Cruise vehicles clustered at a city intersection, blocking the traffic for hours
Alas, for automotive enthusiasts with a knack for cool virtual car reality, Uguar Sahin also has Design included in the name as we are dealing with the Netherlands-based studio that gave us the wishful thinking mid-engine Alfa Romeo Nivola . That digital work of automotive art was a 4C that offered its underpinnings on the altar of Tipo 33 Stradale styling without even as much as a thought.Now, the pixel master behind USD (aka Ugur Sahin Design on social media) has decided to revisit an earlier digital idea called Project F. The refreshed 2022 version is still a Ferrari  as far as we can tell it is based on the feisty 488 Pista model , but now has more of the signature USD traits than ever before.While it may forever remain just a CGI dream, the Ugur Sahin Design Project F 2022 does have some qualities going for it. First and foremost, it makes the Ferrari 488 feel fresh once again  even as the Prancing Horse company has already moved on towards Ferrari F8 Tributo styling. Personally, I was never a supporter of the Italian companys headlight style deployed on the 458 and 488 but if this were ever real, I would happily live with it.This is because the rest of the digital traits (including that massive rear wing) make the USD Project F (Ferrari 488) contemporary with what is going on around the supercar world  I am pretty sure no one would have any trouble putting this idea right next to a McLaren 765LT or a C8 Chevy Corvette Z06 , just to name a couple of the best current entries into the fold.
The sub-tier supplier analysis concluded that mechanical properties didnt meet specifications, namely the design intent yield strength requirement. 58 MPa as opposed to 260 MPa, is a tremendous difference. The sub-tier supplier identified no fewer than 656 engine rails sub-assemblies that were sent out for a questionable repair procedure that annealed the material.367 of the 656 units were shipped to the Chicago Assembly Plant in April 2022, prompting the Ford Motor Company to issue a stop-ship order. Workers then inspected in excess of 5,000 vehicles in the plants yard for engine rail hardness. The Ford Supplier Technical Assistance division introduced this concern to the Ford Critical Concern Review Groups meeting on May 10th, resulting in the opening of a formal investigation by the CCRG.Workers continued to inspect Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles in the plants yard, identifying 60 out-of-spec rails. The Chicago Assembly Plant discovered that an unknown quantity of suspect rails may have been scrapped by the body shop without any sort of formal documentation.The Ford Motor Company still hasnt found 77 suspect rails, which may have been built into vehicles that were shipped to dealers. Analysis of three engine rail ground strap bolts was used to identify vehicles that may have been produced with the suspect engine rails. On the upside, Ford isnt aware of any reports of accident or injury related to this unnerving concern.A grand total of 1,000 vehicles are called back, split between Explorers and Aviators produced from April 4th to May 4th. Due to degraded mechanical properties, the rails in these vehicles dont comply with the federally-mandated standard for occupant protection and fuel system integrity.Annealed engine rails may come loose from the front subframe, leading to clunking noises during acceleration, deceleration, or when driving over an irregularity such as a pothole or speedbump. Known customers will be informed of the recall from August 1st through August 5th. Dealers will first inspect the affected Explorers and Aviators. If the rails are out of spec, owners will have the option for a vehicle replacement or buyback.
Someone recently uploaded a video on Reddit that shows a driver tripling down on his car after getting stuck in a tight section of the driveway (Drive-Thru, perhaps). Like a scene from a Hollywood movie, the driver defies the laws of physics and plows through the tiny space, completely damaging the RV Camper.Times are hard, basic commodity prices are soaring, and some may have a short temper, but one things for sure: driving an RV is pretty much like driving a truck with a trailer on tow. Getting your vehicle through a tight space doesnt necessarily mean the RV Camper will make it, too.The video doesnt tell much about the owner of the RV, the situation at hand, or the motive behind the foolish move. However, the aftermath of the one-minute episode tells you one thing: the driver is pi**ed off.We speculate the one behind the wheel couldnt back up because another vehicle might have been behind (based on the video). And since the driver is clearly furious and not willing to take a few seconds to think things through, they decided to get it over with the quickest way  pedal to the metal. The best analogy for this situation, as described by a commenter, is the ending scene of Thelma & Louise (1991) movie.I chalk it up as self-destructive anger management issues. People do crazy sh*t when they are angry, one commenter said. Its that combined with embarrassment. Assuming this is a drive-thru, he could have apologized to everyone behind him and asked them to move so he could back out, another commenter responded.Driving an RV sometimes means traveling through states over long distances and, as a result denying yourself essential human luxuries that could easily make you lose your mind over trivial things. It could also be a case of a driver looking for an insurance payout (too bad a video is already out, it could go down as insurance fraud).The final speculation is a Walter White and Jesse Pinkman of Breaking Bad Drama (2008) scenario. The RV Camper is probably a moving meth lab, and the driver had to go or get busted by the DEA or a killer drug cartel.We hope no one was in the camper during the dramatic stunt. We also hope the driver gets time to think his actions through and learn its okay to lose sometimes.
Somewhat worrying for Ioniq Hybrid and Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid customers, Hyundai is recalling those very cars again over the very same problem. Back in June 2021, the company received a report of a 2017 model that caught fire after receiving the remedy relay issued for the original safety recall.Another 2017 model caught fire in November 2021, and one month later, Hyundai Motor America was notified of an additional incident involving a previously remedied car. Adding insult to injury, Hyundais North American Quality Center discovered that both vehicles were still equipped with the factory-spec relay. Come March 2022, the company received notice of two additional post-remedy fires. As a result of these incidents, HMA coordinated a survey of remedied vehicles from March to April.Of the 11 vehicles that were analyzed, four were improperly repaired, bringing the cumulative count of known incidents to nine. Happily for all parties involved, Hyundai isnt aware of any crashes or injuries related to this issue. Be that as it may, the South Korean outfit still has to replace no fewer than 10,575 relays stateside. Produced by LS IS CO., the main relay within the power relay assembly bears part number 37583-A8000QQH.Owners will be notified by first-class mail on August 26th. Dealers, meanwhile, have been instructed to inspect the previously applied remedy and  if necessary - replace the suspect components. The replacement main relay is produced by a different supplier and ensures a proper connection between the main relay contacts, highlights Hyundai Motor America, which is exactly the same thing the automaker said last time around.Affected hybrids were manufactured at the Ulsan assembly plant in South Korea between November 16th, 2016, and August 16th, 2016. As for the plug-in hybrids, make that August 10th, 2017, through August 11th, 2017.
According to research by Susquehanna Financial Group, the delivery times for semiconductors fell by a day in June. Its not much, but its a sign that the situation might improve in the years second half, as many optimists expect. Lead times (the gap between when a semiconductor is ordered and when it is delivered) averaged 27 weeks last month, compared to 27.1 weeks in May. Before we cheer, we should know that the lead time was also 27 weeks in April.There are some signs of supply chain inflation easing and price increases slowing, but other pockets remain, said Susquehanna analyst Chris Rolland in a research note cited by Automotive News . Among key companies we track, none posted record-high LTs, perhaps another sign of peak cycle.Its not all rosy, though, as some types of microchips have better prospects than others. The most significant decline in delivery times is registered for microcontroller units, or MCUs, as well as power management and memory chips. These are the most important chips for the car industry . Other microchips, like the field-programmable gate arrays, or FPGA, are still in short supply, with delivery times of more than a year. FPGA shortages affect mainly networking, optical, and telecommunications gear.Citibank analysts cited by Automotive News forecast that semiconductor sales will rise 13% for 2022. This should bring a ray of sunshine into carmakers yards, although its still too soon to be optimistic. The same analysts also cautioned about different kinds of problems that might affect the chip industry. More specifically, people buy fewer personal computers and smartphones, and a recession is looming.
EV

ADAS

NHTSA



There is no word about who is investigating the crash. The possibility that Autopilot is involved may put NHTSA on board. The







There is no word about who is investigating the crash. The possibility that Autopilot is involved may put NHTSA on board. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has also been following weird crashes involving Tesla with attention, so it may also want to verify what caused this incident. With the EV makers ADAS under scrutiny, ruling out their involvement is mandatory.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the 2015 Model S in which a couple was traveling just exited to the Paynes Prairie Rest Area on I-75 at 1:58 PM on July 6. For reasons no one is able to explain so far, thedrove toward a parked Walmart Freightliner Tractor Trailer and struck its rear. The EV entered underneath the tractor-trailer until its B-column, ripping off the roof. The 66-year-old woman that was behind the steering wheel and the 67-year-old front passenger were pronounced deceased on scene. Their identities have not been revealed until now.Checking the maps of the location below, the Model S had to drive to the right to enter the rest area, to the left to enter the truck parking zone, and again to the left to hit the tractor-trailer rear. Considering the damages to the vehicle, it does not seem to have reduced its speed. The picture released by FHP shows no signs of braking before the crash.In most crashes involving Autopilot , the system only failed to detect obstacles ahead and kept on driving as if they were not there. Although Autopilot can steer, brake, and accelerate the car, this would be the first incident in which it actively steered the vehicle until the wreck stopped it. Full Self-Driving (FSD) can also perform these tasks. Tesla has not said so far if any of itssystems were engaged in the vehicle. In fact, it has to disclose if it was engaged at all in the trip aftersaid that "Autopilot aborted vehicle control less than one second prior to the first impact" in crashes against emergency vehicles. If Autopilot were not involved, the driver would have driven into the rest area and hit the tractor-trailer on purpose, which does not make much sense if she could have done the same on the highway with any other tractor-trailer that was around.
Even though Honda s GB500 Tourist Trophy is nothing to write home about in terms of power output, its got to be one of the sexiest production cafe racers in existence! The motorcycles handsome styling is a nod to the British twins that used to race at the Isle of Man TT back in the day, but its anatomy features a single-cam thumper instead of a two-cylinder engine with pushrod-operated valves.People praised the GB500 s lightweight construction and nimble handling, which totally made up for the lack of outright power. Cradled inside its framework is an air-cooled 498cc single-cylinder mill with four valves, 8.9:1 compression, and a round-slide 42 mm (1.7 inches) Keihin carburetor. Joined by a five-speed transmission and a wet clutch, this little devil can spawn up to 38 crank-measured ponies at 7,000 rpm.As we descend on the rev range, we encounter a peak torque output figure of 26 pound-feet (35 Nm). The oomph is sent to the rear 18-inch D.I.D wheel by means of a chain final drive, and it can translate into a respectable top speed of 108 mph (174 kph). Hondas head-turner weighs in at just 359 pounds (163 kg) dry, meaning that its extremely agile around the twisties.Suspension-related activities are the responsibility of 35 mm (1.4 inches) telescopic forks and dual progressive shock absorbers with preload adjustability. Braking is accomplished through a drilled rotor and a two-piston caliper at the front, along with a traditional drum unit at the other end.The spotless Tourist Trophy pictured in these photos is a 1990 model whose odometer reads precisely 1.3 miles (two kilometers). If youd like to try your luck at snatching this gemstone , then feel free to check it out on Bring a Trailer by tomorrow afternoon (July 8) because its in urgent need of a new home! Before you get too excited, keep in mind that youll need north of $11k to surpass the highest bid submitted thus far.
Nikkei Asia joined forces with Patent Result to discover which company had the most patents related to the promising technology in World Intellectual Property Organization and another group in 10 countries and territories. The study covered patents filed from the year 2000 until March 2022.According to the study, Toyota has 1,331 patents related to solid-state cells. The Japanese carmaker has been researching these batteries since the 1990s. The patents include cell structure, materials, and the most crucial aspect of solid-state batteries: manufacturing.The second company with the most patents related to the technology is Panasonic : 445, or 33% of the patents Toyota holds. The Japanese carmaker currently has a joint venture with Panasonic to produce solid-state batteries. The following company with the most patents is Idemitsu Kosan (272). Nikkei Asia also mentions Samsung and LG Chem in their efforts to have their own solid-state cells, but it does not say how many patents the South Korean competitors have.The Japanese carmaker already said it will sell a vehicle with solid-state batteries in 2025. This car will be a hybrid because the battery packs are smaller and face harder charging cycles. In other words, Toyota believes hybrids offer the perfect test bed for the technology.As we said, having a thousand patents may not mean much if you dont have the right ones. QuantumScape is confident in its technology and promises to reach the market by 2024. It recently lost Celina Mikolajczak, its chief manufacturing officer. That means the company does not have the person that was going to put its solid-state batteries into production anymore. Thats a significant setback for a company that said manufacturing was crucial to its technology. Nikkei Asia said that a solid-state battery is more than four times more expensive than a current lithium-ion cell, according to some estimates. SES already said something similar to justify why it thinks solid-state batteries are not economically feasible. Toyota may have solved that problem with its patents, but well only know for sure in 2025.
ISLAMABAD, July 7 (Xinhua) -- A soldier was killed in a shootout between security forces and terrorists in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, a Pakistani army statement said on Wednesday night.

The security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in Mir Ali area of North Waziristan district in the province, the army's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

"During the operation, an exchange of fire took place with the terrorists. A young soldier having fought gallantly lost his life," the statement added.

The killed soldier was a 23-year-old resident of Nowshera district of KP, the ISPR said.

According to the ISPR, an operation was being carried out to eliminate any terrorists found in the area. 
SUV

Germans Christine and Jens Vigsted already had the experience of giving birth to their first child, Thomas, and predictably, they believed that David would come just as "announced". The contractions started, the necessary things were packed, the road to the hospital seemed short, and the future parents of two thought they knew what to do. But it seems that their second child was full of surprises.So, on the way to the hospital, baby David decided it was the right time to show up, and that he wants to meet his parents sooner. Jens, the father, immediately pulled their electric car, a Ford Mustang Mach-E , on the right side of the road, and assisted on the phone by the couple's midwife, helped deliver their baby boy on the front seat.Although this is not the first time a baby is born in a car (statistics say that approximately 59,000 American babies are born in unusual places each year), it was still a premiere for Ford , and the company even joked about it. Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO, said with a smile on his face: We go to extreme lengths to test for every eventuality, but honestly, giving birth in the front passenger seat is not one of our usual tests."Both the parents and the Ford Company will mark this event as a unique experience, while baby David will surely have a story to tell about his first meeting with the world. The new parents were invited to a Ford showroom to celebrate, as this was the first event of its kind to take place in one of the company's electric cars.First revealed in November 2019 and being offered for sale a lot later, the Ford Mustang Mach-E has grown quite rapidly in the preferences of European electricseekers.
The Quick Reaction Force (QRF) is considered a game-changing program that resulted from the collaboration between Southern California Edison (SCE), the Orange County Fire Authority, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, and the Ventura County Fire Department. This will be the second year when the Force has been deployed to support emergency response missions in the area.According to American Military News, the QRF was ready for the new season since June 24 and will be on call to respond to fires in the area until the middle of November, covering the time of the year when deadly wildfires are most likely to break out. The QRF is comprised of a mobile fire-retardant base and four helicopters provided by Coulson Aviation.One of the aircraft is a firefighting helicopter, another one conducts reconnaissance tasks, and the other two are Chinook CH-47 helitankers.If you havent heard of the CH-47 helitanker before, you must know that its considered the worlds largest helicopter of its kind. In comparison to standard helicopter water tanks, able to drop around 350 gallons (1,324 liters) of water, this Very Large Helitanker boasts a whopping 3,000-gallon (11,356 liters) capacity. It was unveiled by the Orange County fire officials two years ago, and its abilities continue to be unsurpassed.The twin-propeller, twin-engine CH-47 is versatile enough to operate in multiple ways, depending on whats best suited. According to Wayne Coulson, president and CEO of Coulson Aviation, it can go direct-attack atop the fire, but it can also act like an air tanker, dropping retardant ahead of the fire. Plus, its night vision-certified, which means that it can drop either water or retardant at any time, day or night.
Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council, met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and his Armenian opposite number for talks that focused on regional security and Armenian-Iranian economic cooperation.

Ali Shamkhani emphasized that Iran considers any attempt to change the geopolitical situation in the region unacceptable and noted that his country also supports the process of unblocking [transport] infrastructures within the framework of preserving the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states, Pashinians press office said in a statement on the talks.

Other Iranian officials, notably President Ebrahim Raisi, have made similar statements in recent months amid Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations on restoring transport links between the two South Caucasus states.

Such links are envisaged by the Russian-brokered ceasefire that stopped the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh. The deal specifically commits Yerevan to opening rail and road links between Azerbaijan and its Nakhichevan exclave.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has claimed that it calls for an exterritorial land corridor that would pass through Syunik, the sole Armenian province bordering Iran. Armenian leaders deny this, saying that Azerbaijani citizens and cargo cannot be exempt from Armenian border controls.

Statements made about transport corridors are unacceptable to us, the Iranian ambassador in Yerevan, Abbas Badakhshan Zohouri, reportedly said during a visit to Syunik in late April.

According to the Armenian government statement, Shamkhani told Pashinian that Iran is ready to deepen ties with Armenia in all spheres. The two men stressed in that regard the importance of increasing bilateral trade and implementing joint energy and transport projects.

The official Iranian news agency IRNA quoted Shamkhani as telling Armen Grigorian, the secretary of Armenias Security Council, that Tehran sees no limitations for expanding bilateral ties as the Iranian and Armenian nations have over the past decades backed each other in difficult times at the regional and international levels.

Grigorians office said the two officials stressed the importance of Chabahar, an Iranian cargo port in the Gulf of Oman, in the context of Armenian-Iranian relations and especially the development of Syunik.

India has built two terminals at Chabahar to bypass Pakistan in cargo traffic with Iran, Afghanistan and central Asian countries.

Meeting in Yerevan last October, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar called for establishing an Armenian-Indian transport link passing through Chabahar. Mirzoyan said the Iranian port could be used for cargo shipments to not only Armenia but also neighboring Georgia, Russia and even Europe.

An Indian-Armenian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation held its latest session in Yerevan earlier this week.
Commentary: Crippling governance, corrupt system behind U.S. Independence Day shootings

Xinhua) 08:31, July 07, 2022

People wave U.S. national flags on the National Mall to celebrate U.S. Independence Day in Washington, D.C., the United States, July 4, 2022. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

Gun violence continues to rattle the American society, and no solutions appear within reach. In the end, ordinary Americans have fallen victim to a dysfunctional system and a failed government.

BEIJING, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Two shootings in one day, and on July 4. This year's Independence Day weekend, when Americans celebrated nationhood with carnivals and parades, was marred by appalling gun violence.

At least six people were reportedly killed in a shooting in downtown Highland Park, Illinois, during a July 4th parade, with dozens of others injured. Just hours later, two police officers were reportedly shot in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's largest city, during an Independence Day fireworks show.

"On a day that we came together to celebrate community and freedom, we're instead mourning the tragic loss of life," said Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering.

Police officers take photos and investigate at the scene of a mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, the United States, July 4, 2022. (Photo by Vincent Johnson/Xinhua)

Perhaps for Americans, there is hardly a more patriotic place to celebrate Independence Day than Philadelphia. But the birthplace of American Independence is now tarnished by violence and overshadowed by shock, grief and anger.

The shootings added another heart-wrenching page to America's appalling -- and seemingly intractable -- record of gun violence.

Americans tried to enjoy a day off, but there are no days off for gun violence. It could happen anywhere, anytime, and can instantly pull one family after another into inconsolable trauma.

A child's chair sits empty after it was abandoned in a hurry during a mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, the United States, July 4, 2022. (Photo by Vincent Johnson/Xinhua)

According to the nonprofit research group Gun Violence Archive, at least 310 mass shootings have claimed more than 22,000 lives so far this year.

The bloodshed on Independence Day has once again laid bare gun violence as a tumor bedeviling the U.S. society, chronically dividing the nation and eroding public trust in Washington's capacity to govern.

Worse still, the U.S. Supreme Court, as the highest authority to uphold the country's Constitution, added tensions over gun control in late June by striking down a century-old New York State law requiring gun owners to have probable cause in order to carry a concealed weapon.

The right to life is an inherent and inalienable human right, but it seems that some Washington elites do not think so. While chanting "freedom from fear" as a fundamental birthright for every individual, they have done little to bridge the partisan divide and keep Americans safe.

Gun violence continues to rattle the American society, and no solutions appear within reach. In the end, ordinary Americans have fallen victim to a dysfunctional system and a failed government.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
KABUL, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Afghansitan's Taliban-run administration's chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has accused "insurgent circles" of firing rockets at Uzbekistani soil to create mistrust between the two neighboring nations.

"Firing rockets from Afghanistan soil towards Uzbekistan is the work of insurgent circles to create distrust between the two friendly countries," Mujahid said on his Twitter account on Wednesday.

Media reports said some rockets were fired from Afghanistan two days ago, which fell on Uzbekistan's border town of Termez.

Mujahid also tweeted that Afghanistan "would spare no efforts to arrest and punish" the perpetrators. 
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Louisiana's first detected cases of monkeypox have been found in a state resident and a visitor from out of state, the Louisiana Department of Health reported Thursday.

There are likely more undiagnosed human cases of monkeypox existing in Louisiana than have been formally tested and identified to date, a news release said.

The Louisiana resident lives in the area made up of Orleans, Plaquemines, Jefferson and St. Bernard parishes, the news release said.

No additional information  including whether the state resident had any contact with the visitor, or where the visitor went in Louisiana  will be released to protect patient privacy, department spokesperson Michelle McCalope said in an email.

She said the health department is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the patients healthcare providers to identify and notify people in Louisiana who may have been in contact with the patients while they were infectious.

The virus had been found in as of Wednesday in at least 605 residents of 35 other states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, according to the CDC. Thousands of cases have been reported worldwide.

Most monkeypox patients experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. More serious illness may include a rash and lesions.

The disease is endemic in parts of Africa, where people have been infected through bites from rodents or small animals.

Among people, it can spread through direct contact with an infected person's rash, sores or body fluids, as well as by touching clothing or bedding that has touched them, according to the CDC.

The agency says it can also spread via respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact, or during intimate physical contact, such as kissing, cuddling, or sex.

People who do not have monkeypox symptoms cannot spread the virus to others, according to the CDC.
Bangladeshis wait to purchase rice flour at an open market run by the Ministry of Food, which offers lower prices for goods, in the Mohammadpur section of Dhaka, May 31, 2022.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday called for U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia for invading Ukraine to be lifted on the grounds that Moscow was not restrained while people in her country and across the globe, including Americans, have suffered.

Hasina appears to be the first head of the government to urge the sanctions be lifted, according to a diplomatic observer. She previously challenged U.S. sanctions against her nations elite police unit.

America should consider that the sanctions [against Russia] are hurting their own people, Hasina said during a virtual ceremony to open an eight-story foreign ministry building.

Your sanctions are targeted at pressuring Russia. But to what extent are they feeling the pressure, Hasina said. All countries irrespective of status  developed, developing and low-income countries  have been suffering.

U.S. President Joe Biden, joined by partners and allies, announced the sanctions on Feb. 24, the day Russia invaded Ukraine.

On Thursday, Hasina said Russias ongoing war with Ukraine has led to economic risks at a time when much of the world was starting to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

These U.S sanctions have been creating obstacles for our imports. Not only that, the transport cost has been increasing, said Hasina, noting the U.S. and Europe have suffered as well.

Possibly, now you can see that regulating a country through sanctions does not work, she said.

We need fertilizer, we need diesel, we need other ingredients to increase our production. But we are not getting these. This is not fair to deprive the people of their rights, Hasina said, comparing the shortages attributed to the sanctions to rights violations.

The U.S. State Department did not immediately issue a response to Hasinas comments.

Faruk Khan, the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on foreign affairs, told BenarNews that Hasinas comments had national and international implications.

Sheikh Hasina is the first leader to talk about the negative global consequences, he said. She talked in the presence of many diplomats. The purpose of these comments is to pass on a message of the global problems caused by the sanctions.

He noted that the war has caused Russia and Ukraine to curb wheat and grain production.

It is feared that famine may erupt in the next two years, Khan said.

Domestically, Hasina alerted the people to be thrifty and she tried to make the people aware of the impending global problems caused by war.

Khan said Bangladesh was an energy importing country where 65 percent of its electricity is created from locally produced and imported liquefied natural gas (LNG). As the price climbs, the government has halted imports.

So we see the shortage of LNG and electricity. It negatively affects our economy, Khan said.

However, a student in Rajshahi, a city near the border with India, questioned the governments claims regarding shortages.

Actually, the prime minister has tried to attribute the current domestic problems such as price hike of essentials and gas and electricity shortages to the sanction on Russia and the war in Ukraine, student Saidul Islam told BenarNews.

Jokowi visit

Hasina is not the only regional leader to express concerns about the need for peace between the two warring nations.

Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo last week traveled to Ukraine to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin. The Russian president told Jokowi the ongoing food problems in the world have been caused by the Western sanctions.

In its April report, the Global Crisis Response Group, set up by the United Nations secretary general, said Ukraine and Russia provide 30 percent of the worlds wheat and barley, a fifth of its maize and more than half of its sunflower oil. Russia is the worlds largest natural gas exporter and second largest oil exporter.

Analyst Zachary Abuza said the Russian narrative that the war is the fault of Ukraine and Western nations is resonating in the global south.

Russian disinformation campaigns and social media machinery is pumping out that narrative all the time, he told BenarNews.

Abuza discussed the Indonesian leaders June visit to Russia. Jokowi, who leads the G20 this year, was in the region after attending G7 meetings in Germany as an observer.

Jokowi believes that if he toes Moscows line, Putin will reward him with increased wheat exports and subsidized energy, said Abuza, a professor at the National War College in Washington and an adjunct at Georgetown University. I think that is exactly what Sheikh Hasina is calculating.

Meanwhile, former Foreign Secretary Md. Touhid Hossain, noted that the sanctions have hurt Bangladesh and other countries which import oil and gas, but he was not sure what will happen next.

It is hard to predict whether the [Bangladesh] government will pursue a foreign policy in line with her comments. She might not guide government policy according to todays comments on sanctions, Hossain said. We have to wait to see how the western governments respond.

Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, another former foreign secretary, said Hasina tried to separate the sanctions hurting common people from Russias war effort.

This war has negatively impacted the global food supply chain. Our prime minister stressed that the war ships should be stopped, but cargo ships should not be blocked, Chowdhury said.

Fallout from the U.S. action against Russia comes at a time when the Bangladesh government is dealing with Washingtons sanctions linked to the Rapid Action Battalion police unit and six of its current and former officers.

Widespread allegations of serious human rights abuse in Bangladesh by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)  threaten U.S. national security interests by undermining the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the economic prosperity of the people of Bangladesh, the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement announcing the sanctions in December.
by Dames Alexander Sinaga

JAKARTA, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia will start exporting frozen, chilled and processed chickens to its neighboring country Singapore which is currently experiencing domestic price increases and shortages of poultry animals.

Indonesia proposed to become Singapore's new supplier of chickens last month after Malaysia put restrictions on chicken export aiming to stabilize domestic production and prices. Meanwhile, around one-third of the chicken supply in Singapore reportedly originated from Malaysia.

Due to the Malaysian export restriction and the recent approval from the Singaporean government, the poultry industry in Indonesia, which currently experiences an oversupply of chicken production, would make its fortune from the upcoming chicken export for people in the city-state.

Indonesia currently is able to produce between 55 million and 60 million poultry per week with a surplus of between 15 percent and 20 percent after domestic consumption, Indonesia's Poultry Breeders Association told media recently.

This year, as Southeast Asia's most populous country with more than 270 million people, Indonesia is targeting to produce 3.88 million tons of chicken meat and 5.92 million tons of chicken eggs, Indonesia's Agriculture Ministry said.

Those figures were more than the domestic demand in the country, Nasrullah, who is the ministry's director general of livestock and animal health services, said on Tuesday, adding that the surplus amount could be marketed overseas.

According to the ministry, Indonesia is exporting its poultry products such as hatching eggs, day-old chicken, and chicken carcasses to countries, including Myanmar, Japan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The Southeast Asian biggest economy has been promoting its poultry products in Singapore since 2018, but it never exported chicken to the country. So far, it has only exported salted eggs instead, Nasrullah said.

"We hope this is a good initial step into cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore, as Indonesia could help fulfill the demand for poultry products from all Singaporeans," he said.

Nasrullah said that Singaporean authorities had come to Indonesia and visited poultry farming as well as several facilities to inspect food safety and animal health control in the industry before adding Indonesia to its list of 20 accredited countries to export chicken.

More than 10 poultry companies in Indonesia have submitted applications for accreditation to export chickens to Singapore. However, only three of them have been accredited.

Nasrullah had asked the companies to immediately execute their debut exports with a business-to-business scheme. The number of exports, he added, will depend on the agreement between companies. 
U.S. FBI Director Christopher Wray (right) and U.K. MI5 Director General Ken McCallum warn about hackers during a joint appearance in London, July 6, 2022.

In an unprecedented joint appearance Wednesday, the heads of U.S. and U.K. security agencies warned about Chinas hacking and economic espionage, which they called the most game-changing challenge we face.

FBI director Christopher Wray in a speech delivered at the London headquarters of MI5, the British domestic intelligence service, said its the Chinese government that poses the biggest long-term threat to our economic and national security.

He added that Beijing was set on stealing your technology, whatever it is that makes your industry tick, and using it to undercut your business and dominate your market.

MI5 Director General Ken McCallum said that his agency has already more than doubled the effort against Chinese activity of concern in the last three years.

Today were running seven times as many investigations as we were in 2018, he said, adding that MI5 plans to grow as much again to counter threats by China.

The Chinese Communist Party is interested in our democratic, media and legal systems. Not to emulate them, sadly, but to use them for its gain, McCallum said.

This joint appearance by the two agencies leaders is seen as a show of Western solidarity and, as Wray put it, FBI and MI5 are united in this fight.

McCallum meanwhile said: Today is the first time the heads of the FBI and MI5 have shared a public platform. Were doing so to send the clearest signal we can on a massive shared challenge: China.

Immense threat

Such a joint appearance, focused on the activities of one country, is highly unusual, said Matthew Brazil, Fellow at the Jamestown Foundation and co-author of the book Chinese Communist Espionage.

It indicates that London and Washington think their business communities are insufficiently aware, or even negligent, of technology theft by Beijings security services, said Brazil, who serves as China analyst for Washington-based firm BluePath Lab.

This is not hyperbole. The 2021 annual survey of members by the U.S.-China Business Council indicate that American firms may be worried about the bilateral relationship, but they are still making money in China, he said.

The China analyst warned there is a systemic problem with corporations seeking short-term returns and some high-tech businesses being more focused on being a generation ahead of competitors than losing last years technology to a foreign government.

In his remarks to business leaders in Thames House, London, Christopher Wray, who spent 12 years in the private sector, called the threat by China immense and a far more complex and pervasive threat to businesses than even most sophisticated company leaders realize.

Where we see some companies stumble is in thinking that by attending to one, or a couple, of these dangers, theyve got the whole Chinese government danger covered  when really, China just pivots to the remaining door left unattended, the FBI boss said.

The FBI and MI5 leaders gave examples of Chinese economic espionage, with McCallum warning that privileged information is gathered on multiple channels, in what is sometimes referred to as the thousand grains of sand strategy.

Chinas ambition

The aim here is not to cut off from China  one fifth of humanity, with immense talent, the MI5 head said.

Were not talking about Chinese people, he said, adding his agency is focused on the Chinese Communist Party and certain parts of the Chinese State, whose scale of ambition is huge.

Wray was more direct when he said that the Chinese government is using intimidation and repression to shape the world to be more accommodating to Chinas campaign of theft.

The Chinese government sees cyber as the pathway to cheat and steal on a massive scale, he said, adding that Chinas lavishly resourced hacking program is bigger than that of every other major country combined.

The Chinese government has yet to respond, but a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington rejected the allegations.

Liu Pengyu said in an emailed statement to the Associated Press that China firmly opposes and combats all forms of cyber-attacks, calling the accusations groundless.

Wray warned about the possibility of China trying to forcibly take over Taiwan, saying it would represent one of the most horrific business disruptions the world has ever seen.

The intelligence chiefs called for more cooperation to counter imminent threats.

The U.K. has shared intelligence about cyber threats with 37 countries, according to McCallum, who said security alliances such as the Five Eyes comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K. and the U.S. remain at the heart of our response.
The Philippine Supreme Court announced Thursday that it suspended and fined a trial judge who uttered inappropriate remarks in court about the sexual orientation of two gay litigants, and who claimed he had used the Bible to settle more than 100 cases.

The case against Manila Metropolitan Trial Court Judge Jorge Emmanuel Lorredo is considered ground breaking in the Philippines, the only predominantly Catholic nation in Asia. Many people here embrace homosexuality, but some Filipinos remain extremely conservative about the issue.

In an 18-page decision written by Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, the Supreme Court sided with the recommendations of the Judicial Integrity Board (JIB) that found Lorredo administratively liable for conduct unbecoming of a judge for his homophobic remarks, and for simple misconduct, after he imposed his religious beliefs in the conduct of his judicial functions.

Plaintiffs Marcelino Espejon and Erickson Cabonita filed the case in 2019 after Lorredo asked them if they were homosexuals and warned them it was a sin, the high court said.

God doesnt like homosexuals, tomboy, lesbians, the court quoted the judge as telling the litigants in Tagalog, adding the remarks could be considered as homophobic slurs which have no place in our courts of law.

Thus, for issuing the inappropriate statements, [the] respondent judge violated the New Code of Judicial Conduct, which imposes on judges the duty to ensure equal treatment of all before the courts and to understand diversity arising from race, sex, religion, age, sexual orientation, and social and economic status, among others, the high court said in a statement.

Lorredo, who previously was fined and warned for improper remarks over a separate case, was suspended for a month and fined 50,000 pesos (U.S. $894) for misconduct unbecoming of a judge.

As front-liners who serve as the visible representations of the judicial branch at the grassroots level, judges must avoid not only impropriety but the appearance of impropriety, the justices said.

Calls to the regional court seeking comment from Lorredo were not returned.

The decision spelled out complaints against him.

He maintained that as a Christian, he merely tries his best to guide lawyers and litigants who appear before his court to arrive at a settlement with the help of the Bible. He claimed further that he had, so far, settled 101 cases using the Bible, the decision stated.

Citing Biblical passages again, Judge Lorredo likewise argued that he merely reminded complainants that God hates homosexuality.

Worse, according to the JIB, Judge Lorredo admitted using the Bible in deciding cases when he should have insulated himself from his religious beliefs and acted only on the basis of the evidence and the law as shown by records of the case before him, the court ruled.

The suspension is considered a milestone in the Philippines. While society tolerates homosexuality to an extent, gays here are often marginalized and made fun of.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte, who left office last week after six years in power, had joked about curing himself of homosexuality with the help of a string of women.

He has frequently invoked homosexuality as an insult, using it to describe communist rebels, opposition figures, the Catholic clergy as well as a former United States envoy to the Philippines.

Gay rights group supports decision

Ladlad, a Philippine political group that champions gay rights, supported the ruling.

I think this is the first case, that a member of the judiciary was suspended for a gay slur, said novelist Danton Remoto, the organizations president.

Ladlad applauds the decision of the Supreme Court to suspend the judge for hurling homophobic slurs, he told BenarNews from New York where he is working on a novel.

Such behavior of an officer of the court has no place in the civilized world of the 21st century, he said.

The last time that the high court sided with Ladlad was in 2010 when it sided with the group and allowed it to seek representation in Congress just five months after the case was brought to its attention.
A man smokes weed to celebrate Thailands partial legalization of cannabis at a weekend festival hosted by Highland in Nakhon Pathom province, June 11, 2022.

Thailands partial decriminalization of cannabis appears to have caused a haze of confusing problems, including health-related ones and some that arent necessarily a result of smoking or ingesting the weed known here as ganja.

Since the June 9 legalization of cannabis products containing under 0.2 percent tetrahydrocannabinol  the chemical which gives people that sensation of getting high  marijuana has become easily available in this Southeast Asian country surrounded by neighbors who still enforce tough drug laws.

Food and drink products laced with weed have now popped up at cafes, restaurants and 7-Eleven stores, such as in cannabis-flavored ice cream, cookies, smoothies, juice, iced tea, and croissants.

But many Thais are angry because, they say, a law to regulate marijuana consumption did not accompany its partial legalization. And that has caused its indiscriminate use in the first few weeks, leading to at least 40 people being hospitalized, including nine minors.

The government must speed up the law, Dr. Somnuk Siripanthong, president of the Society of Cytology, told BenarNews.

Lately, [Thai] children have access to ganja, he said.

If foreign tourists want to smoke, just make a zoning away from the schools.

When passed, the Cannabis-Hemp Act will prohibit the sale of marijuana to pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and people under 20. Under the proposed law, ganja cultivation must be licensed and the authorities will have the right to search premises suspected of illegal activities.

But the legislation will be a while coming, Thai lawmakers have said.

A businesswoman in Bangkok, who identified herself only as Namwan for privacy reasons, said she was rushed to a hospital within an hour of a biting a ganja cookie that she sampled from a friend.

I felt like I was dying and thought of all bad things. I couldnt help myself. I had an upset stomach, was shocked, trembled and could not control my body, Namwan recalled.

Whoever tries it must be mindful of ingesting too much, starting little by little, because not all react the same to ganja, she told BenarNews.

Vendors display CBD balms to celebrate the partial legalization of cannabis at the Thailand: 420 Legalaew! weekend festival in Nakhon Pathom province, Thailand, June 11, 2022. [AFP]

Ganja can cause three types of responses, Dr. Somnuk said.

Sleepiness, aggression and paranoia. Ganja consumers have different responses. It depends on each individual, he told BenarNews.

Those responses can be caused solely by ganja consumption without any other substances.

Two influential doctors groups have urged a ban on the non-medical consumption of marijuana.

A 15-year-old boy was high, hallucinogenic and tried to stab others, so his parents caught him and sent him to a hospital. His urine was contaminated with ganja-related substances, the Royal College of Pediatricians of Thailand and Pediatric Society of Thailand said in a statement this week.

The college and society said that ganja should be used only for medical purposes and only under the supervision of a doctor, and it should not be used in food and drink.

While awaiting the new law, there must be a measure to control the use of ganja in foods and prevent access to it by minors, pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers . As well, relevant agencies must continually monitor and report the effects of ganja, the groups said.

Thailands Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, meanwhile, defended his policy.

The public health ministry does not encourage the unscrupulous recreational consumption of ganja  other than for curing stress, [and] insomnia, Anutin said Wednesday.

The persons who abuse a good thing deserve their karma. I cant help because the public health ministry, the government intend to support good citizens to build their fortune.

During a parliamentary meeting in June, Anutin said he hoped the change could benefit farmers in the medical ganja market, which was 7.2 billion baht (U.S. $199 million) in 2021, while the global market is expected to be 3.5 trillion baht ($97 billion) by 2024.

A vendor sells a plant to celebrate the partial legalization of cannabis at the Thailand: 420 Legalaew! weekend festival in Nakhon Pathom province, June 11, 2022. [AFP]

Busted in Bali

Meanwhile, a Brazilian tourist, Alberto Sampaio Gressler, 25, was arrested on June 28 at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali on suspicion of bringing marijuana into the Indonesian island from Thailand.

Police said it was the first case of a visitor from Thailand being arrested with marijuana since the neighboring country legalized it earlier last month.

Marijuana is still a prohibited drug in Indonesia as a class 1 narcotic in the same category as heroin, cocaine, morphine, and opium.

Airport police spokeswoman Luh Mandyani told BenarNews the suspect was still being held there for questioning.

The suspect was carrying marijuana in four packages of different weights, totaling 2.8 grams, Mandyani said.

The suspect bought it in Thailand, during a two-week vacation. Then he travelled to Indonesia. He admitted that he forgot to get rid of it. But on the customs declaration form, he wrote that he didnt bring any prohibited substance, Mandyani said.

Luh De Suriyani in Denpasar, Indonesia contributed to this report.
TOKYO, July 7 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government said Thursday that the number of COVID-19 cases was continuing to rise, with the spike in figures coming at the same time as a number of coronavirus rules and restrictions have recently been eased.

On Thursday, the nationwide daily tally of new COVID-19 cases hit 47,977 as of 7:30 p.m. local time. This compares to 45,000 daily new infections reported across the Asian country a day earlier, according to official figures.

As for the capital, a barometer of the future direction of COVID-19 cases in Japan, the Tokyo metropolitan government reported 8,529 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, compared to 8,341 infections reported on Wednesday.

Thursday's figure in the capital also marks an increase of more than 4,900 from a week ago.

The figure, the local government noted, marks the 20th straight day of week-on-week increase and the third straight day that the daily tally more than doubled from a week earlier.

As for those hospitalized by the COVID-19 virus, the local government said the seriously ill patients requiring breathing apparatus such as ventilators or ECMO heart-lung machines, totaled six on Thursday, down by two from a day earlier.

Following Tokyo, Osaka reported 4,615 new COVID-19 cases, while Tokyo's neighboring Kanagawa Prefecture said there were 3,130 new infections. There were 2,712 new cases in Aichi Prefecture, its local government said, while the figure for another of Tokyo's neighbors Saitama Prefecture stood at 2,434 on Thursday.

The cumulative number of people confirmed to have been infected with COVID-19 in Japan is 9,551,285, including those in airport quarantine and passengers and crew on cruise ships.

The death toll from the pandemic rose by 15 on Thursday to total 31,379 in Japan.

As the COVID-19 figures rise nationwide, Japan is moving towards fully opening up its borders to overseas visitors, having maintained the strictest border controls among Group of Seven (G7) members for the longest time.

In addition, amid a searing heatwave, the Japanese government has advised people not to wear masks when outside, as long as social distancing measures are adhered to. 
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.
States move to protect abortion from prosecutions elsewhere

The U.S. Supreme Court's landmark abortion ruling overturning Roe v. Wade is prompting efforts in liberal states to protect providers and patients who have traveled for a legal procedure
Clarence Fanto can be reached at cfanto@yahoo.com and on Twitter @BE_cfanto.
PITTSFIELD  Two months from now, two Democratic candidates to lead the Berkshire District Attorneys Office will ask voters for their support.

Facing voters at the Sept. 6 primary is a decision to reelect Andrea Harrington, who has recommitted herself to a reformer's platform, or to give local defense attorney Timothy Shugrue a chance to  in his words in March  reinvigorate the office."

The dueling Democrats find themselves on either side of a big tent party.

Harrington represents a group of prosecutors who pursue policies that prioritize racial and gender equity in law enforcement. Shugrue represents the sector of the party that believes theres still value in longstanding prosecution practices which often result in a tough on crime stance.

This election is about standing up to those who want to pull us backwards, Harrington says in a campaign ad distributed in May. Keep faith in the progress we are making, keep faith in your neighbors and keep faith in the belief that we are all entitled to fair treatment and dignity.

The Harrington campaign maintains a running list of accomplishments it cites as proof of forward progress. Among the tally is the start of a formal juvenile diversion program for nonviolent and low-level offenses and Harringtons role in guiding the development of a county task force specifically for domestic violence and sexual assault.

Her opponent and critics are taking aim at some of her most liberal stances  work Harrington has been most vocal in backing.

Shugrue is challenging Harringtons part in a national movement to reduce the prevalence of cash bail in the justice system, a practice that falls heavier on poor defendants than rich ones.

Even as a defense attorney, I can tell you, bail can be warranted in certain cases, Shugrue told The Eagle last month.

Another cornerstone of Harringtons campaign this year is the reduction her office has made in prosecutions of shoplifting, prostitution, some motor vehicle offenses and the possession of personal use amounts of drugs. The DA said these cases are down over 50 percent since her election.

We have ended the criminalization and over-prosecution of minor offenses, Harrington said at her campaign launch. We prosecute those who are dangerous, we prosecute those who deserve it, but we provide paths to treatment for those that need it, and we totally remove the criminal justice system entirely when it causes more harm than good.

Shugrue has a different approach  one he calls sweating the small stuff.

I dont believe in not prosecuting thefts, the longtime Pittsfield defense attorney said to supporters during his kickoff event in April. Shugrue has said that instead of dismissing cases before they reach the courthouse, hed increase the use of pre-trial probation programs  systems he calls diversion programs.

These are the people who need a break, Shugrue said at the event. You give them a chance to give back, to get clean, to get a job and at the end of that time if you do that your case will get dismissed.

But the bad guys still need to be prosecuted, he said.

Shugrue has said that along with greater use of pre-trial probation, he wants to increase the prosecution of drug crimes and gun violence. He said in a social media post in June that increasing these prosecutions would be his way of working towards a safer housing, more economic opportunity, and a general improvement in the quality of life in Berkshire neighborhoods.

Candidates with deep Berkshire roots

The Shugrue family moved to the county in 1973. Shugrue attended Taconic High School and later received his law degree at the Western New England School of Law. He started his career at the Hampden County District Attorneys Office in Springfield.

In Hampden County, Shugrue worked as an assistant district attorney prosecuting child abuse and sexual assault cases. His focus on crimes impacting children continued as he joined the Berkshire County District Attorneys Office as an assistant district attorney in 1991.

Shugrue helped cofound the Berkshire County Kids Place and Violence Prevention Center in the early 1990s, a child advocacy center that works with domestic violence survivors. In 1994, Shugrue opened a private law practice at 205 South St. in Pittsfield. His office handles family and criminal defense cases.

Shugrue and his wife live in Pittsfield and raised their three children in the area. Shugrues wife, Joann, is serving as the attorneys campaign manager.

Harrington was born and raised in Richmond. Shes settled in her hometown and is now raising her two sons in the area alongside her husband, Tim.

A Taconic High School graduate, Harrington received her law degree from American Universitys Washington College of Law. She began her career working on commercial and civil litigation for a firm in Floridas Miami-Dade County.

Harringtons time in Florida included a two-year stint working on post-conviction appeals for death row inmates. When she returned to her home state she continued her criminal defense, but added civil and commercial law work to the mix. Harrington worked first in Great Barrington and later in Springfield. She worked most recently at the firm of Connor & Morneau LLP.

Before her time as district attorney, Harrington engaged in community politics. She served as a member of the Richmond School Committee, the town's Affordable Housing Committee and co-founded the Berkshire Committee of the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus.

In 2016, Harrington ran an unsuccessful bid for the state Senate seat previously held by Benjamin B. Downing, after the five-term state senator decided not to seek re-election. She lost in the primary to state Sen. Adam Hinds.

Both candidates are familiar with the kind of politicking that comes with a district attorneys race.

In 2004, Shugrue challenged David Capeless after the latter attorney was appointed by then-Gov. Mitt Romney to fill a vacancy in the office created by the passing of Gerard D. Downing the year before. Shugrue, who ran then on a campaign to take back the streets, lost that race when he garnered 24 percent of the vote.

Harrington faced off against two opponents, both Democrats, in her 2018 campaign for DA: Judith Knight and Paul Caccaviello. She won the fall primary with 39 percent of the vote, but in a surprise move faced Caccaviello again in the general election when the former first assistant district attorney launched a write-in campaign. Harrington eventually won the general race with nearly 63 percent of the vote.

So far the Shugrue campaign is the better funded of the camps, with $52,625 in cash on hand per the last campaign finance report in June. Harringtons campaign reported $14,750 cash on hand.
PITTSFIELD  The two Democrats running for Berkshire County sheriff participated Wednesday in a forum ahead of the first contested election in more than a decade.

The forum, which saw incumbent Thomas Bowler and challenger Alfred Alf E. Barbalunga engage in sometimes tense back-and-forth moments despite reminders to stick to questions posed by community members, was organized by the Berkshire County branch of the NAACP and the League of Women Voters in concert with the ACLU of Massachusetts Know Your Sheriff campaign.

The campaign aims to educate voters about the role of the elected sheriff in their county, said ACLU Community Outreach Strategist Olivia Santoro.

Its an elected role whose victors serve six-year terms. She said that sheriffs in Massachusetts differ from the police, as sheriffs officials do not have a role in community law enforcement. Their primary function is to helm and manage conditions at jails and houses of correction, and decide what sort of rehabilitation and education programs are offered locally.

In Massachusetts, not a single incumbent sheriff was voted out of office in the last time the election was on the ballot, in 2016. And, in that election, an incredible amount of voters in the general election  670,000 across the state  simply chose not to vote in for a sheriff candidate, and left that field on their ballot blank, said Javier Luengo-Garrido, organizing strategist and community advocate for the ACLU.

When somebody is going to the ballot every six years, it becomes really important for the voter, for the community, to be able to understand where that person stands  their values, their commitments, and their ideas, Luengo-Garrido said.

The incumbent, Bowler, was a detective in the Pittsfield Police Department before he beat former state Rep. Daniel Bosley in the race for sheriff in 2010, and is currently seeking a third term. Barbalunga, the chief probation officer supervising the Southern Berkshire District Trial Court Probation service, was formerly elected to the Pittsfield School Committee and said he had previously been a correctional officer.

Over the course of over an hour, some of the well over 100 people in attendance at the virtual forum that was held over Zoom posed questions to the candidates.

At times, moderator Helen Moon, the former Pittsfield city councilor and chair of NAACP Political Action Committee, steered the candidates back to the the question at hand, reminding them that event was a forum rather than a debate, while other moderators muted the candidates when their answers went off topic.

The candidates addressed the issue of facilities for Berkshire County women who are incarcerated. Bowler said women in the pretrial and post-disposition phases of prosecution have been held at the womens correctional facility in Chicopee since the Legislature and Western Massachusetts sheriffs deemed it the best way to deliver services to female inmates.

He said the facilitys location can pose hardships for women and their families, but defended it as having become a national model for females who are incarcerated, many of whom have substance use disorders.

I still stand by that the services that are these individuals are receiving at the Chicopee Center are far greater and far more than we have here, he said.

Barbalunga is campaigning to have incarcerated women held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on Cheshire Road. He said there is money and space to house women and juveniles who are incarcerated locally, and said the county was sold out when women were moved to the Chicopee facility.

They were shipped down  you can imagine what that looks like when its a 2 1/2- to 3-hour round trip, Barbalunga said, adding that it makes it difficult for family to visit them.

Bowler said that women will access a Sheriffs Office initiative run from the old Second Street jail, called Second Street Second Chances, which he has said has a goal of supporting the formerly incarcerated women with things like workforce training. Barbalunga said that if elected, he would shutter that program and return that building to the community, saying he supports its use as a mixed housing facility.

The candidates were asked whether as sheriff, they plan on cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or continuing to work with the agency if they are active in the county. Barbalunga did not answer the question directly. Bowler said that the jail wont hold someone solely on a federal immigration detainer. If someone is already incarcerated here, has charges here but also has a federal immigration detainer, Bowler said the office will notify ICE before that persons court appearance and let them know that that person may be released.

We do not hold detainees here for ICE, he said. I took an oath of office to follow and to uphold the laws of the commonwealth. Other than that, no, we do not plan to continue working [with], or never have worked with, ICE.

In closing the event, Dennis Powell, the president of the local chapter of the NAACP, said theres nothing more important to effecting change than voting in local political elections.

A community can grow or it can falter based on this type of leadership. So I will say again, this is an important race. Everyone needs to pay attention, and everyone needs to get out and vote, he said of the sheriffs election. Politics is local; change happens at a local level.

The primary election is Sept. 6.
Arnold Weiss, a retired pediatric dentist who practiced in Brookline for 45 years, speaks in favor of the ballot initiative Wednesday on Boston Common.
ISLAMABAD, July 7 (Xinhua) -- A policeman was killed and four others were injured when a blast hit a police check post in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Thursday, rescue teams said.

The incident happened at the check post located in the Mardan district of the province. Explosive materials were used to carry out the blast, according to the initial report by the bomb disposal squad.

The injured cops were shifted to a nearby hospital. One of them is in critical condition.

An investigation into the incident is underway. No group has claimed the attack yet. 
8. God Is Faithful  He Is Infinitely, Unchangingly True

"Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands." - Deut 7:9

[I]f we are faithless, he remains faithful for he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:13

As with all of Gods attributes, they are not separate, isolated traits but interconnected parts of his perfect whole being. So his faithfulness cannot be understood apart from his immutability, the fact that he never changes. So when we read that God remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself, we see these his attributes working together. The fact that he is unchanging means he can never not be faithful.

A. W. Pink writes this about Gods faithfulness: God is true. His Word of Promise is sure. In all His relations with His people God is faithful. He may be safely relied upon. No one ever yet really trusted Him in vain. We find this precious truth expressed almost everywhere in the Scriptures, for His people need to know that faithfulness is an essential part of the Divine character. This is the basis of our confidence in Him.

The fact that God is infinitely, unchangingly faithful means that he never forgets anything, never fails to do anything he has set out to do, never changes his mind or takes back a promise. And his faithfulness pours out from his love, so we can trust Pauls word that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.

Of course, we dont always understand or see how his plan is faithful. In our limited understanding and finite minds, Gods faithfulness might look a lot like abandonment. For how could a faithful God allow his children to suffer, to hurt, to die? But Christians can take comfort in these moments by remembering these attributes of God, for when we go through hard times, we know that God is nevertheless unchangingly faithful, good, always with us and wise. Faithfully trusting in who God says he is a great comfort. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:12

Image Credit: Thinkstock
REED CITY  Pere Marquette is a catering business and bistro in Reed City that has made a name for itself as a source of community engagement and collaboration.

Started in 2004 by Deb Ahlich, the business was originally advertised as just a catering service, despite also being a sit-down restaurant, so Ahlich added "bistro" to the storefront in 2014.

"The community is very important to us. Because it's a community that I grew up in," Ahlich said.

After 49 years in the food business, and 18 years at Pere Marquette, Ahlich still loves what she does and appreciates the fact that there's "never a dull moment."

"You take care of the community that you work with, because the community that you work in also takes care of you," Ahlich said. "We try to be involved with the city as much as we can."

Ahlich is part of the Downtown Development Authority for Reed City and wants to see the community grow, as growth in the community will help her business, and vice versa.

Pere Marquette supports other small businesses in the area, and Ahlich hopes that they will support them in return. They try to look locally for products before they look elsewhere.

Any time the Reed City Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring an event, Pere Marquette is usually the one to cater. Ahlich hopes that Pere Marquette leads more people to settle down in the Reed City area, and open local businesses of their own.

"It's a great place to work. It's a good way to support the school system, and the health care, Spectrum. It goes back to, the Spectrum staff supports us and we support them," Ahlich said.

Ahlich hires lots of young people from the area community and tries to instill life skills in them, so whether or not they pursue a career in food service or catering, they will have learned something valuable from their time at Pere Marquette.

"We try to instill with them the values of pleases, and thank you. So yes, ma'am. No, ma'am," Ahlich said. "We try to instill that team aspect in life," she said.

Ahlich said the restaurant sees a lot of business people, usually dressed nicely, but wants people to know that they don't necessarily have to wear fancy clothes to come in and eat, as the dress code is casual despite the higher end vibe of the restaurant and fancier decor.

"All are welcome," she said.

Seeing different parts of Michigan, which Ahlich thinks is a beautiful state, is one of her favorite parts of the job. Despite being situated in Reed City, the catering business goes all across West Michigan, to places like Pentwater, Traverse City, Lansing, and Ludington.

"We have a lot of what we call extended family," Ahlich said about the expansive community she's become a part of since catering for events all across West Michigan.

Ahlich wants people to know that Pere Marquette's doors are always open for all customers.

"Everybody should be made to feel like they're part of the party," Ahlich said.
Strengthens global fight against cancer using microRNA and multi-omics technology

MiRXES Pte Ltd, (HQ: Singapore) has launched the worlds first large-scale clinical research Project, CADENCE (CAncer Detected Early caN be CurEd). Project CADENCE aims to develop a multi-cancer early detection test for up to nine high incidence and high mortality cancers, including lung, breast, colorectal, liver, stomach (gastric), esophageal, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate cancers.

Project CADENCE is focused to discover and validate novel combinations of blood-borne circulating microRNA (miRNA) and DNA methylation biomarkers for this purpose.

Witnessed by Guest-of-Honor, Mr. Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health, MiRXES signed this MOU together with the National Cancer Centre Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, (NTU Singapore), National University Hospital, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore Translational Cancer Consortium, Tan Tock Seng Hospital and Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine).

This MOU represents a new public-private partnership where Project CADENCE, aims to address the rising cancer incidence rate and economic impact in Singapore and globally through early detection.

The global efforts are driven by Singapores institutes of higher learning (IHLs) and public healthcare institutions (PHIs) represented by all three healthcare clusters and powered by MiRXES.

Project CADENCE will receive an investment of an estimated S$50 million and more by MiRXES over a three-year period, with substantial in-kind contributions from the IHLs and PHIs. The project will also see the creation of more than 80 new positions in research, manufacturing, and data science over the next three years.

At Project CADENCE we leverage our proprietary technologies, a decade-long RNA clinical test development experience, and Singapores strong clinical research and translation infrastructure, to develop a novel blood test that offers physicians and at-risk individuals the earliest possible signs of multiple solid cancers through a holistic analysis of miRNA and DNA biomarkers. MiRXES continue to accelerate the development and commercialization of miRNA-powered in vitro diagnostic (IVD) blood tests in oncology as well as pulmonary and cardiovascular disease areas says Dr. Zhou Lihan, Co-founder and CEO of MiRXES.
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, July 7 (Xinhua) -- On Thursday, 185 inmates from Kandahar's central jail were set free in Afghanistan, jail commander Mawlawi Akhtar Mohammad Hussaini said.

The detainees, according to the official, were set free in line with the decree of the Taliban-run administration's supreme leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada on account of Eid ul-Adha -- the Muslims largest annual religious festival celebrated on Saturday.

Hussaini also added that 45 of released inmates had been held for involvement in criminal activities while the remaining 140 were drug addicted persons.

According to the official, the authorities also released 350 detainees from the Kandahar jail a couple of days ago. 
Provides long-lasting protection against HAI by reducing viruses, bacteria, fungi survival on fabric

Medicfibers, an Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT-D) incubated startup, in collaboration with AIIMS New Delhi, has developed an antimicrobial solution Viroclog that when applied as a coating on textiles, provides long-lasting protection against hospital acquired infections (HAI) by reducing viruses, bacteria, fungi survival on fabric.



Coating the Viroclog on textiles lowers the surface energy preventing adhesion of microbes and destroying the membrane integrity of microbes. Destruction of lipid-based membrane barrier makes the microbes inactive, thus preventing infection transmission.



The basic significance of this technology is to save lives and reduce healthcare-associated costs by integrating antimicrobial technology with hospital clothing that provides a layer of protection against microbial pathogens. The tests done by AIIMS New Delhi, IISc Bangalore, and multiple NABL accredited labs, show that Viroclog technology contributes significantly to reducing infections through antimicrobial hospital clothing.



The existing market players primarily rely on Ag-coated nanoparticles, while ViroClog is significantly different, possessing broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties. Secondly, while currently available solutions offer coating protection up to ~50 washes, the patented ViroClog solution in multiple laboratory testings could provide protection lasting more than 100 washes demonstrating high durability. ViroClog solution reduces infections, Harsh Lal, Founder, Medicfibers said.




Primedia Group CEO, Jonathan Procter, has announced the appointment of Tsholofelo Maimane as Group chief talent officer.

Tsholofelo Maimane, newly appointed as Primedias Group chief talent officer

Procter said, Primedia is an environment where creativity and innovation is recognised and encouraged, it is a key pillar of our sustainable growth strategy. Tsholo has been with Primedia for almost twelve years where she has demonstrated her dynamism and professionalism. As our new Group chief talent officer, she will play a pivotal role in creating the environment where talented people want to be and can excel brilliantly.

Maimanes journey at Primedia began in December 2010 as a human capital trainer. Since then, she has held various managerial positions in the group, most recently as human capital executive for Primedia Outdoor and Primedia Retail both in South Africa and for the rest of Africa, a position she will still retain.

Maimane spoke of her journey at Primedia: Primedia is an inspiring place to work where leadership lives the company values, encourages a high level of employee engagement and rewards performance.

Responding to her new appointment, Maimane said: My role is to partner with the businesses in order to attract, develop and manage talent to ensure the highest level of business performance possible. I care about people and will do more to ensure that every employee is engaged, is appreciated and is motivated.

Procter expressed his appreciation of Maimanes years of dedication and exemplary service to Primedia and wishes her well as she continues on the next step of her journey at Primedia in her new role as Group chief talent officer.




Bon Hotels has expanded its African footprint into Eswatini by taking over the management of the Mountain View International Hotel.

Source: Supplied

CEO and founder of Bon Hotels Guy Stehlik says Eswatini presents exciting opportunities for leisure and business tourism. "Bon Hotels has been looking to expand into Eswatini for a while as we believe this destination may not necessary be now, but will soon be one of the up-and-coming African destinations with a growing economy and an increasing amount of corporate activity, domestic travel and international leisure appeal.

"Eswatini is well-established on the international groups routes, and this is key for Bon's linkage to our other hotels on the same routes. We are thrilled to help reposition Mountain View as the hotel of choice for leisure and business travellers to Eswatini."

The hotel features 58 rooms which offers views of the Ezulwini Valley. Located just over two kilometres from the centre of Mbabane, the administrative capital and largest city in Eswatini.

Source: Supplied

Mountain View International Hotel, previously known as Mountain Inn Hotel, recently came under new ownership when South African private investors Sakhumnotho Group Holdings bought the property. The hotel is undergoing extensive refurbishment and will soon feature a signature restaurant, a pool bar, upgraded in-room facilities, enhanced Wi-Fi and several aesthetic changes.

"We are excited to be part of the refurbishments of this iconic hotel, which is one of the oldest serving hospitality establishments in the Kingdom. Were looking forward to repositioning Mountain View as a modern, full-service property while ensuring we honour the incredible heritage of this hotel, which is in the most remarkable setting with spectacular views."

Source: Supplied

The new general manager at the hotel is Sam Nabaala, a Kenyan travel and hospitality guru renowned throughout the industry and the country.

The vision of the Sakhumnotho Group, the new owners, corresponds with Bon Hotels vision to 'maximise the Mountain Views brand presence and reach to allow the hotel to welcome a wide range of travellers from around the world. Sakhumnotho, spokesperson and group head: marketing and corporate communications, Mosa Ntwampe, said he wants to "ensure that we add value to whats already been on offer to accentuate the proposition to both local residents as well as international tourists".
Train manufacturer, Gibela proudly celebrated the high-profile handover ceremony of its 100th train set to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) in Dunnottar, Ekurhuleni.

Source: Supplied

The event was attended by Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula, Gauteng premier David Makhura, Prasa board chairperson Leonard Ramatlakane and other dignitaries in the transport and rail industries.

The event was lauded as an important milestone in the journey to reinvigorating the countrys rail sector.

Rail industry revitalisation

In 2013, Gibela signed a R51bn contract to supply Prasa with 600 six-car trains for its Metrorail service. The company also has a contract to deliver post-delivery train maintenance and technical support to Prasa and to manufacture and supply spare parts.

Additionally, developing these trains will help to optimise the commuter experience and increase Metrorails fleet volumes and its ability to meet commuter demand.

Speaking at the event, Gibela board chairperson Irene Charnley said Gibela is privileged to have the mandate to produce 600 trains for Prasa so that millions of commuters can travel comfortably from point A to point B on a daily basis.

"Were proud to be supporting the revitalisation of the rail industry and driving inclusive economic growth. We have an ongoing obligation that we take very seriously. Manufacturing these state-of-the-art passenger trains is a good-news story that every South African should be proud of.

"A key takeaway for everyone working on the manufacturing process is that the work you do matters. Youre making a difference in peoples lives who have to get up at 4am to go to work. They will now have comfortable trains with Wi-Fi that travel at 120km/h to take them where they need to go  this is no small feat."

She added: "As we celebrate train set 100, I am looking forward to marking the production of the 600th train set."

Rehabilitation of infrastructure

Ramatlakane congratulated Gibela on delivering on its mandate.

"The trains were building here are for the people of South Africa. They are aptly named iSitimela saBantu, which means theyre the peoples train. The older Metrorail commuter trains will be gradually retired with the migration to the peoples train.

Ramatlakane said Prasa is in a phase of rebuilding through an intensive rehabilitation of infrastructure across South Africa  except the Eastern Cape, which has a shared service with Transnet infrastructure," he said.

Through the rebuilding process, Prasa is preparing for the roll-out of the peoples train  iSitimela saBantu  in South Africa.

Ramatlakane said, in Gauteng, Prasa will initially be focusing on deploying new trains to the transport corridors of Naledi, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Kaalfontein, Pienaarspoort and Leralla. Many more areas around Johannesburg will be targeted in time. The Western Cape will also receive new trains to be deployed on several routes.

Makhura said people are excited about the new trains because iSitimela saBantu is needed across the country.

"Today, were celebrating a huge milestone  were celebrating job creation and were celebrating the transfer of skills. I am amazed to see the number of young people who have been trained in Paris, Brazil or India working at the Gibela factory. These young people were exposed to highly skilled individuals and upskilled in various ways and now they are building trains.

Source: Supplied

"Gibela is empowering young people, women, and small, medium and micro-enterprises. Young South Africans have built these trains for South Africa using local suppliers  this is a first in the country. The greatest dream I have is to see us use this factory to build trains for the continent. This will help us employ and train more people," he said.

Makhura also cautioned against the pillaging and vandalism of railway infrastructure.

"We have to protect the trains from the threat of theft and vandalism. It would be heartbreaking to see this railway infrastructure that has been rebuilt stripped bare again by common criminals."

Mbalula echoed these sentiments and also congratulated the Gibela team on reaching this significant milestone.

"This is the kind of project we want to take to the African continent. This project is a first of its kind in Africa and the first of many  it will not stop here. Were going to expand this to other regions, create more jobs and upskill more people in South Africa," he said.

Gibela CEO Hector Danisa added that the unveiling of the 100th train set showed the hard work and dedication of men and women at Gibela.

"We employ some of the sharpest minds in engineering and manufacturing who have been the backbone of our entire operation. They have worked tirelessly to reach our goals. Were so proud to create an environment where employees can grow and develop their skills in the industry," he concluded.
A new record has been set for South African cross-country travel by an electric vehicle. Motoring journalists Justus Visagie and Ernest Page have journeyed between Cape Town and Johannesburg using a BMW iX in 20 hours and 17 minutes.

Image supplied

At 7pm on 28 June 2022, the team set out from BMW Cape Town City on Herzog Boulevard and arrived at BMW Johannesburg City in Braamfontein.

The team achieved a total driving time of 14 hours and 56 minutes for the journey, which they completed in seven legs, driving a BMW iX battery-electric vehicle. The vehicle maintained an average speed of 94km/h, and vehicle-tracking organisation Netstar confirmed that 1,404km were driven.

The team stopped to charge on six occasions, at charging stations in Worcester, Laingsburg, Beaufort West, Richmond, Colesberg and Bloemfontein. In total, the vehicle spent five hours and thirty-three minutes replenishing its battery charge at the charging stations.

This journey has provided interesting insights for long-distance, electric-vehicle travel in South Africa, says Netstar executive: Sales Nicky Sheridan.

Justus, Ernest and the team have shown what current electric vehicles can achieve  even on the up journey from the coast to 1,700m altitude in Johannesburg in the middle of winter.

Sheridan says as EV technology and road infrastructure for supporting the vehicles evolve, so South African car buyers will start to consider their electric vehicle options when it came to buying their next new car.

The journey from Cape Town to Joburg is the benchmark long road trip that any South African is likely to make, says Sheridan. 

The data confirms that it is now possible to complete that journey in around 20 hours, using battery-electric technology, even allowing for stops, recharging and driver changes.
Food Dialogues will be returning to physical spaces this year in Cape Town to explore the culture of food.

Image supplied: Food Dialogues will be returning to physical spaces this year

How are digital technologies disrupting our food system? What will be the impact of cultured meat? How has food shaped the spaces and places that define our city? These and other questions will be explored in Cape Town during the two-week 2022 Food Dialogues programme through a range of experiences: from expert panel discussions to hands-on cooking classes for grown-ups and kids, walking tours, communal meals and art installations.

Food Dialogues offers the chance to connect with our future food shapers in person and while there is much to feed all senses, the essence of Food Dialogues is to engage in a critical conversation about how food shapes and enables our lives, explore the unjustness of our food system and how we can move towards one that helps us to flourish as people, families and society.

The programme will consider our present-day societal relationship with food by looking at key aspects of our food system  where we buy our food from and how nourished we are from the food we eat  as well as how we can better partner to govern our food system, and how the medium of food itself can bring us insight, connection and joy.

We want to give both voice and honour to our complex food system and society while amplifying unheard and diverse voices, explains organiser Kurt Ackermann. The array of events reflects that desire and we want to reach as broad and wide a range of participants as possible; essentially, we want any and all to connect through this city-wide dialogue and through shared experiences with food.

Food Dialogues features a series of deep-dive talks from experts, such as a mini-conference on Food Shopping Futures, which explores alternatives to mainstream food retail; and Feeding our Future, which aims to share both challenges and potential solutions for nourishing todays South African children through their first 1,000 days of life.

Here is what else to expect

Dialogues through Food will run from 24, 26 and 31 July with a focus on food that speaks to us, cultural celebration and an exploration of food customs and flavours. Children five-10 years and their parents can also go on a flavour adventure on 30 July, introducing kids to flavour profiles, origins of ingredients and how we get them working together.

Curated tours of Cape Towns food systems will also be available. Curated by historian and CEO of the Western Cape Economic Development Partnership, Andrew Boraine, the walking tours will reveal intricate connections and overlays of Cape Towns ecological systems, history and food lineages.

Also on offer is a series of Food System Walking Tours of Philippi Village, which will take place in the heart of Phillipi. This two-hour experience, which includes a shuttle to and from the V&A Waterfront, includes the viewing of exhibitions of new graffiti works created for Food Dialogues and photographs of meals and recipes representing the community.

Food Dialogues will take place from 18 July - 1 August. Some events are free to attend while others are paid but all participants must register here.
Hotel pricing searches on Cheapflights show that travellers are finding deals for hotels for almost half the price for the upcoming months than in the equivalent period in 2019. The global travel search engine's data reveals that this makes it an easy "yes" for South African holidaymakers to take a trip closer to home, as searches for SA's hotels jumped by about seven-fold (661%) in the last two weeks of June compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Source: Supplied

"We see hotels being hungry for accelerating the tourism and hotel occupancy recovery process after the commercial accommodation sector was one of the hardest hit by the travel restrictions and lockdowns," says Laure Bornet, GM, Kayak EMEA, that manages Cheapflights.co.za. "In what is clearly an industry-wide effort to ease the traveller market back into taking inter-provincial holidays and business trips, we have noted significant hotel price decreases over the South African winter travel period, in which the school holidays fall."

Durban takes the lead

According to the data, the top ten most-searched-for South African destinations, in order, were Durban, Cape Town, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Sun City, East London, Umhlanga, Pietermaritzburg, Bloemfontein and Kimberley.

Travellers are scouting for hotel deals in Durban for about 35% lower in price than three years ago, with the average hotel price landing at about R1,120 per night. "Durban has long been a favoured South African tourism destination, with its year-round warm climate making it very attractive in these winter months. With flight searches to Durban from other SA cities being about 126% up in June compared to the pre-pandemic period, the difficult flooding period that affected much of the city a few months ago doesnt seem to have dampened travellers love for this warm ocean destination," says Bornet.

Cape Town price drop

In Cape Town, the average hotel price paid by Cheapflight travellers is 43% less compared to the same period in 2019 and hovers at R1,540 per night. This makes Cape Town even more attractive as a travel destination, with its cosmopolitan culture and the full spectrum of sun, sea, business, meetings, gastronomy, and mountains all on the travellers doorstep.

This winter holidaymakers find hotel deals in Johannesburg that are 38% down compared to pre-pandemic levels and land at an average rate of about R1,230 per night. But, interestingly, the City Of Golds close neighbour, Pretoria, reached the lowest average per-night hotel rate across the top five SA travel destinations. "Average hotel prices found in Pretoria are as low as R670 per overnight stay," says Bornet.

"Being a 45-minute drive from Johannesburg, the business hub of the country and tourist hotspot, travellers could save a lot of money by booking accommodation in Pretoria, then hiring a rental car or taking the Gautrain into the city for business meetings or to see some of the citys sights and buzzing culture."

Number five on the top most-searched-for-destinations, Sun City, is great to find deals too as travellers from all over the world are searching for hotels where they pay 31% less than three years ago. A popular destination within easy driving distance from Johannesburg, Sun City is highly favoured as a quick family getaway, or as a meeting and events destination.

Travellers opt for luxury travel

Cheapflights has also spotted a transition between star-rated hotel searches since the pandemic - travellers have been searching less for four-star hotels while searches for five-star hotels have increased.

For the period under review in 2022, one-third of SAs travellers (about 33%) are looking at five-star hotels for travelling in winter, with the beachfront, pool and wifi being the top three accommodation amenities most often filtered. Now is a great time for travellers looking to experience more luxury accommodation to take advantage of the lower rates," adds Bornet.
Despite the growing levels of cyber threats, adoption of even basic multi-factor authentication (MFA) remains depressingly low amongst organisations. And, with new techniques such as prompt bombing being used to beat older versions of MFA, the need to beef up how institutions protect their customer data has become critical.

According to the 2021 Cyberthreat Defence Report, more than 43% of the more than 1,200 surveyed global IT decision makers said they had not yet deployed even basic MFA. Whats more, while there had been a healthy 7% increase in MFA uptake in the previous year, a further 11.4% said they had no intention of deploying the security technology in the next 12 months.

The same lack of urgency can be found in South Africa. Logging into a website or service using a username and password remains the favoured method of the majority of local organisations. I believe this is due to a combination of complacency, misunderstanding regarding the perceived complexities of introducing MFA and an attempt to avoid any inconvenience, says Mathew Love, senior product marketing manager at Entersekt.

Prompt bombing  the new threat on the block

Love explains that while the rapid increase in remote working has accelerated MFA adoption from some companies, the numbers are still far too low when viewed in relation to the actual threat level. And, in the wake of new threats such as prompt bombing, companies must take action or they could face more than just the reputational damage of a data breach.

MFA prompt bombing first surfaced around 24 months ago, largely in response to the rise in well-known MFA techniques such as mobile push notifications being employed. We know that hackers continuously evolve the way they intercept data and gain access to our accounts and, as more of us moved away from traditional username and password and towards basic MFA, they also had to adapt. While we havent seen prompt bombing attacks at scale in South Africa as yet, it is simply a matter of time, he warns.

The now infamous SolarWinds breach in 2020 as well as the Microsoft source code leak in March were both achieved through bypassing older forms of MFA security by prompt bombing methods.

These methods include: sending a flurry of MFA requests in the hope that the user will grant access to make them stop; sending one or two requests each day in a more subtle attempt to gain access; calling users and pretending to be from a service provider and duping them into granting access via a similar MFA process.

FIDO2 could hold the key

Love says one way to avoid these prompt bombing attacks is to adopt the FIDO2 passwordless authentication framework which requires that the device in the users possession is authenticated through an embedded key which can be unlocked, usually through biometrics.

FIDO2 comes with a number of benefits over and above its significantly better security levels. The framework is platform-agnostic, offering a more efficient authentication process without the need for passwords for account access or online payments. It is also impervious to man-in-the-middle and other related attacks while still allowing users to authenticate themselves across channels and devices at a moments notice. A big challenge facing companies relying on in-app or push-authentication is that there is always a small portion of customers who dont have, or want, their apps. FIDO2 offers a workaround for this, while also offering advanced protection for companies choosing not to make use of apps. Moreover, it offers a better user experience at a lower operating cost, Love explains.

So many ways to steal our data

While prompt bombing is not yet a major part of our mainstream threat playbook, Love says local organisations still have their hands full when it comes to protecting their data.

According to Love, account takeover fraud such as SIM-swap fraud is a real concern at the moment. In this instance fraudsters use a combination of social engineering tactics to gather relevant personal information. They then use this to get the victims phone number ported to one of their SIM cards, enabling them to intercept important authentication messages and OTPs.

Man-in-the-middle attacks are another big risk, occurring when fraudsters create dummy web pages which look like legitimate websites. Users are tricked into visiting these through emails and text messages posing as a service provider. When the user inputs their normal login details, the fraudsters gain access to their details and quickly empty accounts or steal sensitive information.

There is an onus on the user to inform themselves about new threats and to remain vigilant in protecting themselves against them, but we really should be demanding better protection of our data from the institutions we support. Organisations can no longer rely on outdated or weak MFA mechanisms for protection  especially if its just a password and SMS OTP option. Its essential that authentication is implemented that embraces the full context of the user and their connection. This includes the channel the user is on and even context about the customer themselves, their devices and their unique characteristics. Its clear that not all MFA is created equal and opting for the most basic version is simply no longer good enough, Love warns.

About Entersekt

Entersekt is a leading provider of strong device identity and customer authentication software. Financial institutions and other large enterprises in countries across the globe rely on its multi-patented technology to communicate with their clients securely, protect them from fraud, and serve them convenient new experiences irrespective of the channel or device in use. They have repeatedly credited the Entersekt Secure Platform with helping to drive adoption, deepen engagement, and open opportunities for growth, all while meeting their compliance obligations with confidence.




The International News Media Association (Inma) will host the Africa News Media Summit on 28-29 July. It is a two-day virtual summit showcasing best practices, strategies and stories from the media scene that are shaping the future of newsroom transformation in Africa.

To register, click here.
JAKARTA, July 7 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Argentina, through their respective foreign ministers, have expressed their interest of investing in Indonesia's new capital city project, according to the Indonesian Foreign Ministry on Thursday.

UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Argentine Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero made related remarks on Thursday during their bilateral meetings with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on the sidelines of Group of 20 (G20) Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Indonesia's Bali resort island.

"Argentina wants to contribute in developing projects in the new capital," the Indonesian foreign ministry said in an official press release.

"In particular, UAE plans to help develop the new capital in health and aviation sectors," said the ministry in a separate release.

Indonesia's national capital city will be relocated from Jakarta on the island of Java to the Kalimantan island. 
Cape town, Claremont, R 6000 - R 8000 per month neg

Has it always been your passion to sale Do you wanna own your own business and company one day If yes, this is the call for you At Bantou...
Head of Sales and Marketing

Location: Cape Town, Century City Type: Permanent Reference: #22133 Company: Datafin Recruitment

Definition, execution and continuous review of an all-inclusive marketing strategy. This includes market assessment and research, product review and positioning, marketing collateral development (primarily management of suppliers and staff who will produce the content), digital marketing optimisation (e.g., website and social channel review and SEO).

Account management for key customers. This includes building relationships with key customers, keeping in touch with them regularly about ongoing projects and any account-level issues that may be developing and speaking to them about products and services (including customer sat surveys).

Overall responsibility for sales. This includes co-ordinating external sales partners activities and internal staff working on sales, ensuring there are clear responsibilities and a clear process followed in each sale and that leads do not go cold, and likely also some actual selling/lead generation.

Review existing set of 15 or more products and services with SLT and refine to a handful of key products.

Review existing marketing content including website, social channels, newsletters and LinkedIn to establish areas for improvement.

Review SEO, speak to existing staff who have some knowledge in this.

Research the market, competitors and potential opportunities.

From research, develop and present an overarching marketing strategy and plan across all channels to SLT.

Define and manage each stage of the marketing plan including changes to website, social channels, newsletters etc.

Manage ongoing aspects of the marketing strategy, including marketing process and systems definition and training material for future marketing hires.

Outputs -





Refined product and services set Prioritised improvement areas list Marketing strategy and plan to implement Marketing process Marketing process systems Marketing materials

Sales -



Review historic won and lost sales in HubSpot to establish trends.

Review historic, manage existing and potentially develop additional sales partners.

Research international best practice re sales and marketing.

Review existing sales process and speak to existing staff involved in sales to understand improvement areas in sales process.

Once established, refine existing sales process.

Define and manage enhancements to the sales strategy, particularly digital sales.

Manage ongoing aspects of the sales strategy, including sales process refinement/definition and training material for future sales hires/partners.

Outputs -

Partner management strategy and systems Sales strategy Sales funnels Sales process Sales process systems



Meet and speak to existing customers to start building relationships and understanding what we do for them and how they feel about us.

Join or setup regular account review meetings (e.g., monthly, quarterly, every 6 months) for customers to host a forum to deal with issues/get feedback/talk about products that may interest them.

Be aware of what projects we are running for key customers and how they are going.

Understand key customers' own strategy so the business can position themselves in a way to assist them.

Outputs -



Regular customer meetings Customer survey feedback Customer management process Customer management process systems



Define and lead a robust marketing strategy of a cutting-edge fintech company based in Century City seeking the expertise and strong leadership of a self-driven & forward-thinking Head of Sales and Marketing. Your core role will also be to boost sales while refining the sales strategy as well as fulfilling responsibilities across all the regions in which the business operates. The successful incumbent will possess a suitable Bachelor's Degree from an accredited tertiary institution with at least 5 years' experience within Marketing and Sales. You will ideally also have experience within the sale of payments and software.Duties:Posted on 07 Jul 11:22, Closing date 6 Aug
Digital Project Manager

Remuneration: negotiable cost-to-company Benefits: Within the cost to company package Location: Countrywide Remote work: Only remote work Education level: Diploma Job level: Mid/Senior Type: Permanent Reference: #Chris2230 Company: VGP Recruitment

Manage planning and design phases of upcoming web builds, working with developers as well as user experience and user interface designers

Develop, maintain, communicate, and effectively execute project plans and scopes

Manage projects according to agency project management style/techniques

Understanding clients, their products, services, brands, processes and audiences

Managing internal and external developers to deliver our web projects

Coordinating software integration efforts with client's suppliers

Identifying and resolving technical issues for mission-critical products

Breaking down technical requirements into manageable tasks

Managing client expectations and facilitating change requests, while measuring and communicating time/cost impact of such changes

Building relationships with international based clients

Creating and maintaining processes for repeatable work

Act as an intermediary between the client and the development teams

Manage internal and external project expectations

Track and monitor project budgets and hours with the internal/external teams

Create and maintain project timelines, and ensure the team has been allocated the hours needed for the work

Define, negotiate, communicate, implement and monitor quality control on project deliverables

Identify and communicate project risks throughout project life cycles

Work closely with internal/external development team members to propose solutions for clients needs.

Relevant degree/diploma/Experience in digital project management

Technically minded with the ability to learn and understand new technologies

WordPress (multi-language, e-commerce, integrations) experience is essential

Ability to problem solve and troubleshoot issues without involving a developer unless necessary

Exposure to front-end code is advantageous

Demonstrable experience with leading a team, budgeting, planning, quality management, problem-solving, reporting, managing risk

Be able to recommend technical solutions based on client challenges

You should be confident scoping out new requirements with clients, and able to communicate requirements with stakeholders & team members

You should be a great communicator and an effective leader

Bonus would be some exposure to and understanding of design as well as user experience process

Attention to detail

Proactive and highly motivated

Ability to work well under pressure and confidence in multitasking

Strong verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills

Both self-motivated and able to work and take ownership but also a team player able to collaborate.

Company Description

We have a fantastic, fully remote opportunity for a mid-senior digital project manager at a UK-based digital design agency with clients around the globe. We're looking for an experienced and technically engaged individual to guide projects from ideation to delivery. Crucially, the role would involve managing and nurturing existing long-term client relationships. The successful candidate will work with a small team in the UK and Cape Town.The agency is extremely collaborative with both their staff and clients and choose to work with friendly and knowledgeable clients to provide that personable approach to their work and communication. If you are keen to work with a lovely team and are set up to work remotely, wed love to hear from you.The successful candidate must have/be:Should you not receive a response within 10 days, please consider your application for this specific role unsuccessful.VGP Recruitment is a specialist recruitment agency in the advertising, marketing, media, creative, digital, PR/communications and publishing industries. Posted on 07 Jul 14:20, Closing date 5 Sep
Account Director -Sales

Location: Cape Town Remote work: Only remote work Education level: Diploma Job level: Mid/Senior Type: Permanent Company: OS Digital

Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written).

Comfortable in the digital space, able to discuss digital marketing roles and activities with clients very comfortably.

Target and KPI driven.

Flexible, adaptable and able to prioritise and work quickly.

Excited and comfortable with recruiting remotely.

High sense of urgency, discretion and professionalism.

Excellent attention to detail and highly organised.

Team player with a strong desire to help people and a positive, friendly attitude.

You should be extremely self-sufficient and able to make decisions on your own.

You should be comfortable around technology and willing and able to quickly learn new applications and software.

Culture champion.

This is a client-facing role, and you will spend all of your time talking to potential clients to understand their needs and then putting the right candidates in front of them

Managing pipeline of potential clients

South Africa Citizenship or Permanent Residency essential.

Fluency in spoken and written English.

Two years + prior experience in sales.

Excellent knowledge of the digital marketing field is advantageous.

Relevant Diploma / Degree beneficial.

Working PC / laptop.

Secure and reliable internet connection.

Join one of the fastest-growing companies in South Africa.

Opportunity to work remotely.

A fun and creative working environment and being part of great company culture.

A friendly, results-focused and dynamic team.

Excellent learning and development opportunities to help you succeed and develop your career.

Fully Remote position with optional co-working meet-ups with the team.

Are you outgoing? Love meeting new people? Thrive by thinking on your feet? Raise your hand if that's you.Want to know what the best thing about our company is? It's not our clients. It's our people. By far. We hire those that match our vibe. People who want to do a great job, want to benefit from working for themselves and being part of a dynamic team, and value work-life integration. We know that you will never truly be satisfied by work until you are satisfied by life. We want you to put your life and enjoyment first.At OS Digital (part of the AVirtual Group), we would be nothing without our successful Account Directors. We're seeking a qualified Account Director to help us sell the services that our customers have grown to rely on. As account director, you will have a strong understanding of the sales process, excelling at generating leads, building relationships, and closing deals. The ideal candidate will be a quick learner with strong negotiating skills and the ability to showcase our offerings in a compelling way.Our ideal candidate will have a background in recruitment, sales, client services or business development, an understanding of digital marketing, and a keen interest in entrepreneurship. You are someone who thrives off virtual engagement with a wide range of business owners. You enjoy signing clients and then handing them over to our expert operational team to provide them with their digital marketing services.OS Digital is comprised of committed, remote teams with a focus on flexible work-life balance and continuous development. Our teams are doing incredible work for all our brands including AVirtual and PrimePixels, which provides us with a global client base and allows us to create award-winning work across various exciting industries.Since our inception in 2015, we've grown as a result of our committed clan of professionals who embrace our philosophy and approach: we're intensely focused on the client's exact needs, and we bring together the right blend of expert skills and professionals who absolutely love what they do.Now, we invite you to come and join the revolution:Posted on 07 Jul 18:03, Closing date 5 Sep
Marketing Executive

Remuneration: negotiable basic salary Location: Cape Town, 8 Riebeek Street, 8001 Remote work: Some remote work allowed Job level: Mid Job policy: Employment Equity position Type: Permanent Reference: #BOSF135781 Company: Travel Counsellors

Job description

Campaign execution, especially hands-on responsibility for the delivery of our email marketing programme to time, budget, and brand standards, with a focus on continual improvement (create, build, test/proof, send, report)

Experience using marketing campaign management software, email marketing software or customer database platforms to build lists, journeys and emails would be a distinct advantage (Pure360; Freshworks)

Seeks ways to understand customer/market behaviour and sentiment; proposes relevant content and tests

Regular liaison with business development and recruitment Manager and collaboration with the global marketing team.

Image selection

Owning the content provision and collation process including achieving supplier/company sign-off

Copywriting for customer and recruitment blogs

Using a variety of tools and techniques to measure and analyse campaign and activity results, and preparing substantiated management information reports for all stakeholders

Min. two years experience in a full-time employed marketing role

Cape Town based role

Must be available to travel as and when needed.

A people person, with strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills and an outgoing personality; happy liaising with external suppliers and internal stakeholders

An excellent communicator, both written and verbal in English.

Driven, passionate and enthusiastic  ready to roll sleeves up and get stuck in

The ability to problem-solve to achieve deadlines

Organised with exceptional attention to detail and a desire to achieve high standards

Enjoys working as part of a team yet capable of working proactively and autonomously

Able to multi-task and work under pressure, in an often-impatient environment with many priorities

Customer/people-focused

Takes ownership of responsibilities and focuses on impact, delivery and achievement.

Marketing qualification desirable

Sector experience of travel, leisure, or hospitality desirable

Previous regular use of marketing campaign management or email marketing tools desirable

Experience in using website CMS

HTML, video editing or Adobe Creative Suite would be advantageous though not essential

Company Description

We are looking for a bright and innovative marketing executive who will join our South African team in Cape Town. Youll have the amazing opportunity to reach your potential among some of the most talented people in travel.Our brandTravel Counsellors may be the best kept secret in the travel industry. But with close to 2,000 agents globally and a limitless future the brand will be moving to the forefront and we are looking for great people to come on that journey with us.Our customersCreate and deliver customer campaigns, marketing communications & and assets for our customers (leisure and corporate travellers).Our franchiseesWe recruit senior travel agents and set them up with their own travel business.You will work alongside our recruitment manager, ensuring that we have a strong brand presence and promoting our brand and franchise opportunities.You will create and execute campaigns that will take potential travel counsellors candidates on a discovery journey and ultimately help them to become a travel counsellor.You will maintain the content across all the companies websites, leisure, corporate and people. You will create marketing assets needed to help recruit and onboard travel counsellors.You will participate in onboarding of new franchiseesTrainingOur suppliersYou will set up and maintain partnership programme, engage with approved suppliers and design and consumer campaignsEventsYou will participate in design and execution of all SA based eventsAt Travel Counsellors, we care about our customers, communities and our colleagues more than anyone else and thats what makes us special. For us, relationships trump transactions and we are there for our customers, connecting with them on a deeply human level through the moments that matter.You will join our support team in Cape Town. The Cape Town operation started on 1 April 2007 and we currently have 160 Franchisees. You will create unique, inspiring and exciting experiences for our franchisees customers, building lasting personal relationships that brings them back to us, time and time again. You will also be involved in creating content that will attract talent to the business and communicating with our Travel Counsellor franchisees, positioning our brand as a premium brand and creating events. Posted on 07 Jul 11:36, Closing date 5 Sep
By a 6-3 decision in N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Assn. v. Bruen, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a New York law which allowed government officials to pick and choose which class of citizens were deemed worthy of self-protection.

Affirming that the Second Amendment right to bear arms in public for self-defense is not a second-class right, the Court ruled that individuals do not have to demonstrate some special need to the government for approval before exercising any other constitutional rights. In an amicus brief, The Rutherford Institute argued that the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution must be available to all law-abiding citizens and not parceled out at the whim of government bureaucrats.

Affiliate attorneys Michael J. Lockerby, Eli L. Evans, W. Bradley Russell, Jr., A.J. Salomone, and John Sepehri of Foley & Lardner LLP assisted in advancing the arguments in N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Assn.

When considered in the context of prohibitions against the government, the Second Amendment reads as a clear rebuke against any attempt to restrict the citizenrys gun ownership. As such, it is as necessary an ingredient for maintaining that tenuous balance between the citizenry and their republic as any of the other amendments in the Bill of Rights, especially the right to freedom of speech, assembly, press, petition, security, and due process, said constitutional attorney John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute and author of Battlefield America: The War on the American People. In this way, the freedoms enshrined in the Bill of Rights in their entirety stand as a bulwark against a police state.

In response to the influx of European immigrants into the Northeast, and New York City in particular, New York State enacted the Sullivan Law in 1911, which made it unlawful to possess a firearm anywhere without a license and gave government officials broad discretion to decide who could obtain one. The law, which was used to deny immigrants in the early 20th century the ability to possess firearms, had remained on the books. New York State residents are required to have a license to possess a firearm and are entitled to a license unless good cause is shown. However, under the law, even persons with a license could not carry a firearm outside their home unless they obtain another license to do so, and then only if they could show proper cause for carrying a gun outside the home. Licensing officials had broad discretion to determine who had proper cause for a license to carry outside the home, requiring applicants to show they had a special need for self-protection. Two state residents applied for a license to carry a firearm for self-defense outside the home, citing a string of robberies and crimes where they lived. However, they were denied a carry license because they did not show a special need for self-protection that was different from other members of the general public. These residents and a state association representing firearms owners challenged the law, asserting that it violated the Second Amendment by requiring persons to show proper cause for carrying a firearm outside their home. The lower federal courts dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that the Second Amendment does not protect the right to possess a firearm outside of the home. However, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed those decisions and held that New Yorks proper cause requirement violated the Second Amendment by preventing law-abiding citizens from carrying handguns publicly outside their home for self-defense.

The Rutherford Institute, a nonprofit civil liberties organization, provides legal assistance at no charge to individuals whose constitutional rights have been threatened or violated and educates the public on a wide spectrum of issues affecting their freedoms.
Delta 18 and the brand-new National Space Intelligence Center were officially commissioned late last month at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. It will be staffed by nearly 350 civilian and military personnel.

Delta 18's mission is to "deliver critical intelligence on threat systems, foreign intentions, and activities in the space domain to support national leaders, allies, partners and joint war fighters," according to a press release.

The creation of the unit equips the Space Force to assist and work alongside America's intelligence agencies by feeding them information from its growing fleet of satellites and monitoring tools. Avril Haines, President Joe Biden's director of national intelligence, said being able to leverage new intel in space will be crucial.

"In the years ahead, [space] will only become more contested," Haines said during the ceremony activating the unit on June 24. "And as we move forward, NSIC will be relied upon to produce and analyze scientific and technical intelligence related to space for the entire nation."

While the funding of the National Space Intelligence Center was included in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, the start of the new unit comes as Congress warns the Space Force about continued expansion.

This spring, the Space Force asked for $24.5 billion in its 2023 budget request -- a greater than 40% increase from the previous year -- with a majority of the funds projected to go to research and development, as well as establishing more missile warning systems.

Three days prior to the ceremony establishing Delta 18, the House Appropriations Committee filed a report on June 21 warning the newest military branch "against starting more programs than it can afford" and reminded the service that lawmakers expect funding to begin declining in 2027.

"The Space Force's ambitious plans for new architectures, programs and mission areas do not appear to be backed up with credible budget projections in the outyears to actually deliver these capabilities," the report detailed.

The Space Force, which is nested under the Department of the Air Force, similar to the relationship between the Marine Corps and the Navy, is also getting clear signals counseling moderation from Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall.

Kendall said at the Space Symposium in Colorado this past April that the new service shouldn't focus on space as an "independent war-fighting domain" and should instead view its mission as being a support organization for the other branches.

The comments appeared to throw cold water on some of the core efforts by the service to grow and mature as a unique branch.

The Space Force is notably smaller than the other branches, with around 8,000 active-duty Guardians and nearly as many civilian employees, making a total force of around 16,000. By comparison, the Coast Guard has around 40,000 members, and the Marine Corps has about 180,000, both tiny compared to the Army and Navy.

Some experts, such as Robert Farley -- a professor at the University of Kentucky who researches national security and intelligence with a focus on the service -- believe the Space Force needs to expand substantially to be able to acquire resources like the other branches.

"Space Force will come to acquire these personnel type structures once and if it becomes an institution that is of similar size to the other ones," Farley told Military.com last month. "It's really a matter of size versus a matter of time."
Smoke rises from burning fishing boats at a port in Jeju, South Korea, July 7, 2022. Three people were injured and two others missing at a fire of three fishing boats in South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju, Yonhap news agency reported Thursday. (NEWSIS/Handout via Xinhua)

SEOUL, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Three people were injured and two others missing at a fire of three fishing boats in South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju, Yonhap news agency reported Thursday.

The fire broke out from a fishing boat docked at Hallim Port in Jeju at about 10:17 a.m. local time (0117 GMT), and spread to two other vessels next to it, Yonhap quoted the firefighting authorities and the coast guard as saying.

Three people were rescued with serious burns and fractures to be sent to a hospital, while at least two others were still unaccounted for.

A witness was quoted as saying that the vessel caught fire after exploding with a bang.

The coast guard rescuers, patrol ships and a helicopter were mobilized to extinguish the fire and search for the missing people. 

An explosion occurs on a boat when firefighters extinguishing the fire at a port in Jeju, South Korea, July 7, 2022. Three people were injured and two others missing at a fire of three fishing boats in South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju, Yonhap news agency reported Thursday. (NEWSIS/Handout via Xinhua)
JAKARTA, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and British Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss agreed on Thursday that their countries will strengthen cooperation in the field of renewable energy, according to a press release from the Indonesian foreign ministry.

The two foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Bali.

Britain "has expressed its readiness to support Indonesia in developing wind and solar energy," Marsudi was quoted as saying.

Indonesia also welcomes Britain's plan to open an investment office in its capital Jakarta in the near future, Marsudi added. 
by Martina Fuchs and Chen Junxia

MONTREUX, Switzerland, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Despite the impact of COVID-19 on live music and cultural events, Montreux Jazz Festival China said it's determined more than ever to continue building musical and artistic bridges between China and the rest of the world.

"I want to bring the most beautiful music festival in the world to China, my beloved home country," Joyce Peng Peng, the CEO of Montreux Jazz Festival China, told Xinhua.

"And I want to connect between Switzerland and China for culture, people, art, and music," she said during the iconic Montreux Jazz Festival currently in full swing in its 56th edition on the shores of Lake Geneva, featuring more than 500 concerts and activities on 13 stages.

She said combining Chinese and global musical genres to forge links between different cultures was her lifelong dream.

Last year, the Montreux Jazz Festival traveled to China for the very first time and took place in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, on Oct. 5-8 under the theme "Where East Meets West."

It featured live performances by nine bands and a total of 46 musicians from six countries. Amid COVID-19 restrictions, 1,000 people were able to attend in person each day while 2,240,000 viewers participated in the online streaming.

"SWISS TOUR" IN CHINA

The organizers are now getting ready to stage a second edition, with the main festival to be kicked off in Hangzhou on Oct. 15-16 followed by a "Grand Swiss Roadshow 2022" across several major Chinese cities under the auspices of the Embassy of Switzerland as well as other Swiss institutions in China.

The roadshow is accompanied and promoted by music, arts, culture and educational events throughout the year, including a poster competition and exhibition, which were held earlier this year, Peng Peng said.

She also expressed optimism that she could book and welcome international artists again in 2023.

"This year we still focus on Chinese and international musicians who live in China, there are many award-winning musicians from the younger and older generations and their styles are very diverse, ranging from jazz, blues, to rock."

"Next year we want to bring international musicians from overseas and also find more talented young musicians and try to provide them with a platform, with a stage."

Ernst-Jan Tolen, president of the Montreux Jazz Festival China, said: "We are positive that we will have a very good festival with an excellent line-up, exciting artists, and hopefully a big audience participating. Last but not least, there is also a live-streaming audience, which we are very keen for."

The Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland was founded in 1967 by Claude Nobs and has been held every summer. This year's events are taking place on the shore of Lake of Geneva on July 1-16. 
Sioux Valley Dakota Nation is one step closer to having full jurisdiction of child and family services in the community after provincial legislation officially mandated Dakota Tiwahe Services as a CFS agency Monday.

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Sioux Valley Dakota Nation is one step closer to having full jurisdiction of child and family services in the community after provincial legislation officially mandated Dakota Tiwahe Services as a CFS agency Monday.

The mandate, in accordance with the CFS Act of Manitoba, is an interim step for Sioux Valley to gain full jurisdiction over child and family services (CFS) for nation members. Under the Dakota Tiwahe Services (DTS) mandate, the organization will provide CFS to Sioux Valley members, Dakota Ojibway Child and Family Services will no longer operate in the community and DTS will supply CFS to Dakota families both on- and off-reserve across Manitoba.

The mandate is a stepping-stone toward exercising the communitys jurisdiction over CFS through Sioux Valley Dakota Nation laws and its recognized self-government agreement, said DTS executive director Carol McKay-Whitecloud.

"This was always a priority for leadership. We always wanted to have a say in how our children and families were being serviced," McKay-Whitecloud said. "There were a lot of concerns and there was a lot of trauma and devastation created by some decisions made over the years."

The delivery of services was made possible through Bill C-92: An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis children, youth and families, which came into effect in 2020. The legislation was co-developed with Indigenous, provincial and territorial partners with the goal of keeping Indigenous children and youth connected to their families, communities and culture. Under the bill, Indigenous communities and groups can develop policies and laws based on their particular histories, cultures and circumstances to implement and enforce unique policies.

McKay-Whitecloud praised the support offered by the provincial and federal governments in pursuit of the legislation.

The new mandate has taken years of work, McKay-Whitecloud said, as well as an ongoing commitment from Sioux Valley leadership and the community at large.

McKay-Whitecloud cited how residential schools and the 60s Scoop saw children removed from their communities and families without those affected having a say in the decisions. These historical traumas made it a priority to secure DTS-facilitated child and family services in the community.

"We lost a large majority of children and youth, possibly a generation," McKay-Whitecloud said.

Communities are hurting from the traumatic history of colonialism in Canada, she added, and healing is only beginning to take place.

"Were the experts in how we need to see our family units thrive, what we need to work on," McKay-Whitecloud said. "Theres a lot of trauma that needs to be addressed. Theres a lot of healing that needs to happen and were the ones that know how that has to occur."

A major focus at DTS will be placed on repairing relationships as a service provider, McKay-Whitecloud said.

Part of this will be revitalizing and strengthening values and practices that were present in Dakota culture pre-colonization. While they cannot go back in time, she said, they can bring back these ideologies and values as society evolves.

DTS has been providing prevention services since 2018 based on alternative ways of helping families heal. Another goal is reunifying families.

"We actually will have a say and we will know where our children are placed. We will know who the foster parents are. We will know if they are doing well and thriving."

The interim mandate for DTS is positive for the community because it allows Sioux Valley to provide support to Dakota families through initiatives led by community members, said Chief Jennifer Bone.

"Were not part of the bigger organization. The focus is going to be on Dakota culture, Dakota language, kinship  those sorts of things that are important to our community," Bone said.

The mandate is part of ongoing work at DTS to strengthen families using cultural programming like traditional parenting.

She hopes these initiatives will keep Dakota children out of the CFS system, Bone said, while ensuring Sioux Valley is taking care of its citizens.

"One of the priorities that were identified for the community years back was Child and Family Services. Weve always had that in the frontline of priorities and wanting to improve those services and provide on our own  having that jurisdiction in the community," Bone said. "Its our community and our vision and what we want for the future of our families and our children and how best we can address that for them and how we can advocate."

Sioux Valley Dakota Nation and the Southern First Nations Network of Care worked collaboratively to establish DTS as a provincial child and family services agency, a provincial spokesperson said in an email to the Sun. The provincial government supported these efforts by amending provincial regulations to support DTS child and family services on and off the reserve.

Discussions between the province, Sioux Valley and the federal government are ongoing regarding amendments to the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation self-governance agreement to support the nations efforts to enact its own child and family services law.

"The province sees this as a very important step in Sioux Valley Dakota Nations longer-term plan to take over responsibility for delivering child and family services to its members under its own laws," said the statement.

"The Manitoba government is committed to reconciliation, and it applauds the work that will be done by Dakota Tiwahe Services to provide services to children and families that are rooted in Sioux Valley Dakota Nations culture and traditions, and that will help children to maintain ties to their nation."

DTS will host an opening ceremony to commemorate the interim provincial CFS mandate at 11 a.m. on July 22 at Sioux Valley Veterans Hall.

 ckemp@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp
Maintenance and station workers with Via Rail could issue a strike notice as soon as today and be off the job as of Monday.

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THE CANADIAN PRESS A Via Rail train heading to Toronto is seen at the Dorval station in Montreal on June 25, 2019.

Maintenance and station workers with Via Rail could issue a strike notice as soon as today and be off the job as of Monday.

Thats according to Laura Hazlitt, the Prairie representative for Unifor Council 4000, the union representing on-board and station services staff in ongoing negotiations being held in Laval, Que.

Earlier this week, it was announced that Unifor Council 4000 workers voted 99.3 per cent in favour of strike action, while Unifor Local 100 members  maintenance workers  voted 99.4 per cent in favour.

Not only that, but Hazlitt said its the highest turnout those groups have ever seen for a vote like this. She said both groups combined have approximately 450 employees in Manitoba.

"Its extremely slow," Hazlitt told the Sun during a break in negotiations on Wednesday. "Im not confident were going to avoid a dispute yet, but our committee is willing to work around the clock with the employers."

If workers walk off the job, that means Westmans only Via Rail station in Rivers could end up closing. The union must give a 72-hour notice of job action.

Combined with the exit of Greyhound from much of Canada, Hazlitt said the concern is that any job action could disadvantage people with limited transportation options.

"Which is why were desperately trying to avoid job action," she said.

The main bone of contention between the two parties, Hazlitt said, is surrounding time when employees are stuck in a city they dont call home, living out of a hotel room but not being compensated or being provided meals while they wait for their next assignment.

"This has been going on for a long time, but especially during the pandemic, we had people who were out of town 34 out of 60 days, and a lot of that time was not compensated."

In an email to the Sun, Via Rail confirmed that it is still in negotiations with Unifor, which represents a total of 2,400 employees at the Crown corporation. The company acknowledges the strike vote and said it is continuing negotiations in good faith, though didnt say exactly how those negotiations were proceeding from its point of view.

"Via Rails employees are key contributors to the Corporations success, and we remain focused on negotiating a fair and reasonable contract while remaining competitive and providing Via Rail passengers the usual excellent service," the company wrote.

At another branch of Unifor, Local 681, natural gas workers for Manitoba Hydro are still on strike amid ongoing job negotiations. Their last collective agreement ended in December 2020.

Though national representative and lead negotiator Suzanne King told the Sun that her union hadnt made much progress, they did sign an emergency services agreement with Manitoba Hydro to ensure that essential work and assistance is still provided.

That, King said, was because the union recognizes that the ongoing situation is not the publics fault.

"Its Day 22 and we still havent heard anything from the employer, weve heard nothing from the government," King said. "Theyre not interested in coming back to the table, I guess."

Recently, Manitoba Hydros annual compensation report from 2021 came out. King said that according to that document, just one vice-president at the Crown corporation makes $741,000, the same it would cost to give their 230 union members a wage increase.

"Its not about money, its about the government attacking union and attacking working people," she said.

The union is still holding rotating job actions. On Wednesday, all Unifor-represented workers at Manitoba Hydro Place in Winnipeg walked off the job. Future strike actions could come back to Brandon, or another part of Westman.

"We continue to keep lines of communication open with the union and remain committed to finding a solution through the collective bargaining process," a Manitoba Hydro media relations officer wrote in an email on Wednesday. "The parties are currently making arrangements to bring in a conciliator to assist."

 cslark@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ColinSlark
Gable Price and Friends | Capitol Christian Music Group

NASHVILLE, TENN. California-bred rock and roll band Gable Price & Friends (The Boys) have amassed a large following since their crowd-funded start in 2018. They have joined the Capitol Christian Music Group family of artists and are re-releasing their well-received released EP If I'm Being Honest on the label with two new live versions added. The updated EP is available today here along with a music video for "I Need You."

"Gable Price & Friends are an incredible rock and roll band," share Brad ODonnell (CCMG, Co-President) and Hudson Plachy (CCMG, Co-President) about the new partnership. With their high energy and personalities, you cant help but be a fan. We are thrilled that they have found their home here at Capitol CMG and honored to partner with them. We cant wait to see everything the future holds for this talented band.

The EP was originally released in 2021 independently and has received nearly three million streams on Spotify and Apple Music. Their independent debut album, Fractioned Heart, was released in 2020 and has more than 10 million global streams. Growing their fanbase since their start, Gable Price and Friends currently has more than 111K Spotify monthly listeners with more than 25K followers. The band just wrapped up as direct support for the King's Kaleidoscope's Club tour. They will be opening up for select dates for For King & Country followed by joining John Mark McMillan's West Coast tour. The Boys are also gearing up for the creation of their new album. More information forthcoming on the new music.

Gable Price and Friends is a rock and roll band composed of a few friends with a whole lot of damage to do. They are known for their high-energy music that makes you get speeding tickets, lyricism that simultaneously cuts you and comforts you, and their ability to provide a euphoric live show experience. Gable Price and Friends are just getting started. Halfway between Sacramento, and the Oregon Border, Gable Price and Friends formed in 2018, in a small town called Redding (Now known as Redding: the home of the boyyyys).

Bored and feeling stuck during his first year of school, frontman Gable Price asked guitarist Adam Elizararraz, and drummer Daniel Vargas to join him in making a 4 song EP that they demod in his 1977 Camper van: The Dreamboat." They crowd-funded an astonishing $1000 and wildly underpaid some friends, and Gable Price and Friends was born. In the Summer of 2019, GP&F added guitarist Cameron Pablo to the band, and began making their debut full-length album Fractioned Heart. Met with an overwhelmingly positive response, the boys hit the ground running even more.

Gable Price and Friends released their latest EP If Im Being Honest in the fall of 2021, featuring the hit song I Need You," and fan-favorite 50 MG," this has been their best-received release to date. The Boys are gearing up for the creation of their next album and getting ready to hit the road. Keep your eyes peeled, and remember to be a good friend.
Billionaire Andrew Forrest is positioned for a potential takeover of BWX, as the struggling beauty group confronts the prospect of being forced to buy out celebrity Zoe Foster Blakes skincare brand at a price that exceeds its own valuation.

Forrests private investment group Tattarang, announced on Wednesday that it has lifted its stake in BWX to 19.9 per cent - just short of the threshold which would require it to launch a full takeover bid for the company. The stake increase comes after Tattarang helped the company raise cash to pay down its debts and help ease bank covenants on its loans.

BWX said last week that it will to cut the book valuation of its assets including its 51 per cent stake in Foster Blakes Go-To brand, sell underperforming businesses, and purge its entire board of non-executive directors, including chairman Ian Campbell.

Zoe Foster Blake, who sold 50.1 per cent of her Go-To Skin Care business to BWX last year for $89 million, may be the only person to emerge unscathed from its recent turmoil. Credit:Kristoffer Paulsen

Tattarang will get a seat on the companys board. But chief investment officer John Hartman would not be drawn on any further plans the fund has for BWX.
Johnny Depp is spending his crypto windfall on Perth Credit:John Shakespeare

Johnny Depp appears to have forgiven Australia in the years since former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce threatened to have his dogs killed.

When the Hollywood A-lister announced hed be donating $800,000 to four charitable institutions, one name stood out  the Perth Childrens Hospital.

The donation came from money raised when Depp sold a series of his NFT paintings  the faddish, blockchain-backed digital artwork beloved by the celebrity class.

So why the love for Perth? Weve got the late Heath Ledger to thank for that. The family of the Brokeback Mountain star, who was the subject of one of Depps paintings, requested a donation to the hospital be made from the proceeds.
Johnny Depp appears to have forgiven Australia in the years since former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce threatened to have his dogs killed.

When the Hollywood A-lister announced hed be donating $800,000 to four charitable institutions, one name stood out  the Perth Childrens Hospital.

Johnny Depp is spending his crypto windfall on Perth. Credit:John Shakespeare

The donation came from money raised when Depp sold a series of his NFT (non-fungible token) paintings  the faddish, blockchain-backed digital artwork beloved by the celebrity class.

Since he was dropped from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise last year, Depp has had more time to indulge his artistic side, releasing a series of NFT artworks titled Never Fear Truth, which may or may not be a reference to his successful defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard over allegations of domestic abuse.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Two years ago, I was walking deep in the Chiltern-Mount Pilot National Park, thinking about book launches and murder, but mainly about murder, when a movement in the bush made me turn. Half-hidden by a wattle, a tall man was standing there, binoculars trained hard in my direction. In the following second, these things crossed my mind: killing, rape, kidnapping, running, shotguns, rope, cable ties, second locations, Ivan Milat. The man lowered his binoculars (or bins as they are colloquially known), raised a finger to his lips and pointed at a tree branch above me. There, a bird sat, watching. Ninox connivens, the man said. Were lucky. I did feel lucky, very much so, and as I half ran to the car, I thought about how wonderful the bush is for a writer and how lucky I am to live and write crime in such locations. In Dirt Music, left, Wake in Fright and The Broken Shore, the landscape makes its presence felt. Much has been written about the anxieties white writers placed on the bush in the early years of settlement. Literature from the mid-1800s reveals a sense of unease and fear for those settlers who tried to make Australia home, its primary concerns filled with escaping the perils, dangers and mundanity of rural life.

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I get it; in practical terms, writing crime in this country is a boon: there are many and varied places to hide a body, you can place your characters in extreme conditions, events can occur in locations where, literally, no one can hear the screams. Kenneth Cooks Wake in Fright (1961) is a masterpiece in psychological horror, a collective of all the white fears of a desolate land, and populated by brutal characters. It hurts to read. Thea Astleys 1958 novel, Girl with a Monkey, is more nuanced but has a similar feel. A woman spends a day in the suffocating heat of North Queensland, trying to avoid a stalker. Its creepy, and relatable. The land itself becomes the villain. Jack Thompson in Wake in Fright, which captures the fear of a desolate land. When Judy in Ethel Turners Seven Little Australians (1894) was crushed to death by the falling branch of a gum tree, every reader howled. The treacherous bush! The Woolcots should never have gone on that stupid holiday to Yarrahappini, or wherever it was. Motto loud and clear: dont stray too far from town. Loading Peter Temples The Broken Shore (2005) represented a significant change in how land and characters are written in fiction, particularly crime: the people are still damaged, searching souls, and the landscape is harsh. A treacherous coastline, howling wind, trees bent in supplication  and yet, the characters, rather than despising the land, recognise the beauty in it. They sense a connection. Tim Winton included a similar death to Judys in Dirt Music, written more than 100 years after Turners classic. Luthers mother is killed by a falling tree, but its the land that provides sustenance and relief. There is no real desire to escape to town. This is the case in other recent crime books Ive read: Greg Woodlands The Night Whistler and Michael Trants Wild Dogs.

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I was about 11 and living in Deans Marsh when fire broke out in the sawmill. In the hours that followed, in what became known as Ash Wednesday, we kids were shuttled first onto the school oval and covered in wet carpet from the grade 6 room and later to the town hall. Margaret Hickey, centre, with her brothers and sister in 1983, the year of the Ash Wednesday fires. Hickeys father was the local headmaster when the town was evacuated, and taught her for most of her primary school years. A young cop with a panicked Bubble O Bill face evacuated us there and we huddled in the foyer, watching orange balls scream past the windows. Colin Thieles February Dragon came to mind as I sat there, in between the crying kids and grim-faced mums. In that book, the fire is a monster, a dragon, a living thing out to get the townspeople. I didnt feel that then. I didnt hate the fire, only the girl I was forced to sit beside. During the mouse plague of the early 80s, when we lived in the Mallee town of Patchewollock, I never thought this land is cursed when I went to empty the bucket of drowned mice every morning (a bottle, greased at the end, with a bucket of water underneath it: gruesome and effective). I just felt repulsed, and sort of bad for the mice. My reading life and these experiences have influenced the way I write rural crime. My first novel, Cutters End, was set mainly along the Stuart Highway, that long, lonely stretch of road that cuts the nation in two. How wonderful, to place two young female hitchhikers there and see what happens. Id been a hitchhiker there, I knew what sort of things went on. A Ninnox Connivens, or Barking Owl, in the Chiltern-Mount Pilot National Park. Credit:John Woudstra

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My new novel, Stone Town, is set in what is typically a dry bushland  but is now drenched in unseasonable rains. Climate change is present, a new anxiety, which presses and disturbs. Theres the tension between city and country people, largely due to house and land prices, and theres the usual cast: the dodgy types, the larrikins and the CWA. Its a rural crime, so there must be perilous settings: in this case, a fast-moving river, mine shafts, native blackwood acacia that can be dangerous to the lungs. But in Stone Town, the landscapes are never held to account for human error and misfortune. Land is a force, but it doesnt care about us. Its just there. So, while I draw inspiration from the older mascots of Australian literature, my depictions of land are more akin to Eric Rolls than Henry Lawson. Loading When Id got back into my car, puffed after running from the benevolent birder in the Chiltern-Mount Pilot National Park, I locked the doors and googled Ninox connivens. A vulnerable species, the site said. Also famous for a rarely used high-pitched, blood-curdling screech that has earned it the name screaming-woman bird. Speeding past a sinister-looking white van on the way home, I glanced at the forest of red stringybark, Blakelys red gum, grey box and ironbark, the sun spearing through them creating uneven beams of light. Blood-curdling screech, I thought. Thank you, Australia.

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Any time a fugitive dropped a breadcrumb  by making a phone call or crossing in front of a CCTV camera or withdrawing cash from an ATM (each pair had $200 in cash and $300 in the bank for their 21 days)  the team could request access to that footage or information in order to try to locate them. (Because the producers dont have authority to actually request that footage, it is reproduced on the run by having the camera operator place a Go-Pro where the closed-circuit camera would be, using a selfie stick. That footage is then uploaded via WhatsApp, and is available to the team at HQ within minutes.) Sometimes we got information back, sometimes we didnt, sometimes it took longer, says Craig, a former agent with the Australian Federal Police who led the investigation into the 2005 Bali bombings. That was tough. And it was very realistic. Though the hunt had rules, including downtime overnight for both pursuers and escapees, everyone worked 10-hour days, seven days a week for the 21 days of the shoot. The fugitives are all broken biscuits at the end of it, he says. And so are the hunters, because were all busting our chops to get our respective objectives. I think a lot of people watching it will go, Oh, this would be easy, he adds of the challenge of evading capture. Then when it starts I think theyll be surprised at the things law enforcement can do to track you and how hard it is actually to cover your tracks.

Some of the fugitives appear to be winging it completely from the get-go. Not so West Australians Jake Rozario and Rob Harneiss, a policeman and a hairdresser respectively. It was Harneiss idea to apply for the show  hed seen the UK version and fancied his chances  and Rozario simply went along because Id do anything for my best mate. And it was the hairdresser rather than the copper who came armed with a game plan  and a whole heap of gear to aid their chances. The surveillance experts who are charged with tracking and finding the escaped fugitives. Credit: I think we had like 40 kilograms of hair and make-up in backpacks, says Harneiss. I had a lot of vacuum-sealed bags, they were all itemised with everything that was in the bags, all the different disguises. A big part of our game plan was to hide in plain sight. Within minutes of the mass breakout from Melbournes Federation Square that kicks off the first episode, the pair have changed from their drop clothes into high-vis workwear, with false hair and moustaches. A good wig can get you a long way, says Rozario, who concedes that they nonetheless thought theyd blown their chances within the first 30 minutes.

Early on, we were pretty poor. We found it very, very difficult to get anybody to help us. While Harneiss is adept at making small talk from behind the hairdressing chair, Rozarios interactions with strangers in his day job tend to have a different energy. When I approach people at work [as a policeman] they generally dont want to talk to me, he admits. I definitely had to learn a lot in terms of the way I approached people. Early on we probably had two people help us out of 20, but we got a lot better at it over time. With so little by way of resources and with the hunters having access to contacts and likely hideouts, convincing strangers to help is key to surviving in this game. But what does the willingness of people to lend a hand to strangers who introduce themselves as fugitives say about us as a culture? That the Ned Kelly spirit is alive and well? I realised there are a lot of people out there that are willing to help you and that are good people, says Rozario. They may have, theoretically at least, been helping criminals but, he adds, I loved it when we were getting the help. It was the best thing ever. Should this show strike a chord with viewers and give rise to more seasons, Harneiss has a tip for future competitors. Retirees are the best help ever. Honestly, they are so cautious about everything, everythings a conspiracy, so theyre great people to help you.

After five seasons on the UK version and one in the US, cyber expert (and former sniper) Ben Owen thought he was done with Hunted after leaving the show just before COVID-19 hit. But the lure of Australia proved too great for Owen, who signed on as head of intelligence and claims this season is the most intense hes worked on, with an expanded number of fugitives and a compressed time period. As someone who advises businesses and high-net-worth individuals how to stay safe online, he has an ambivalent attitude towards the amount of information available to surveillance operatives in real life. I am a big privacy advocate, he says. I believe you have a private life for a reason  thats why we have curtains on the windows, a door on the toilet. Proportionate access to data, on solid legal grounds, is appropriate, he says, and in the post-Snowden and WikiLeaks era, people are unlikely to be surprised that police and security forces can access it. But, he adds, I think people will have a reality check when they see how accurate, how fast and just how much information every day is traceable. Loading Should viewers be worried then, or comforted? The ones who have nothing to hide will feel comforted, says Owen. Those on the wrong side of the law might start changing their passwords, look at multifactoral authentication and start chucking their phones in the river.
Thousands of First Nations people and non-Indigenous protestors marched through Melbourne on Friday, calling for Aboriginal land rights, lower incarceration rates and tweaks to Victorias truth-telling process.

For some younger people, it was their first march from the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service in Fitzroy through Melbournes CBD as part of NAIDOC week, and for others it was a return of the rally after the pandemic cancelled it for two years.

The march stopped at key intersections for dance and speeches including at Parliament House, the intersection of Bourke and Swanston streets and Flinders Street Station.

This NAIDOC weeks theme, get up, stand up, show up, represents a change for Professor Henry Atkinson, a Woolithiga man, who recalls a different era where he felt he was told to shut up because nobody would want to listen.

NAIDOC rally marches through the CBD Credit:Eddie Jim

Atkinson, the Victorian NAIDOC elder for 2022, said there had been a change since Victorias Yoorrook Justice Commission, but he called for it to go further and hear from non-Indigenous views as well.

Why should we be telling the truth when we didnt perpetuate all those masacres and taking of land, or stealing of children or jailing the young generations? Atkinson said.

I dont see any truth coming from anybody except setting up arrangements to have the truth telling.

Alister Thorpe, a Gunai, Yorta Yorta and Gunditjmara man, who marched with son Willun, reflected on growing up dancing in front of parliament at earlier protests.

Jedah Lee Wickey marches for justice. Credit:Eddie Jim

We got taken to these marches to fight for our rights since we were born really, and its the legacy of our people, our past leaders who have done that too, Alister said.

Willun said support at the rally from non-Indigenous people made this years protest feel different, while he called for more rights, a property treaty and sovereignty for Aboriginal people.

Latoya Baker, a Kalkadoon Kanju woman from northern Queensland, attended her sixth NAIDOC march since becoming a Melbourne resident and was relieved it returned after a two-year hiatus.

She called for action on high incarceration rates of First Nations people and improved support programs to prevent Aboriginal people entering the justice system.

Theres transgenerational trauma. Lots of things have happened to our mob. Rather than lock them up and throw away the key, actually support them, Baker said.
Ex-journalist pleads guilty to culpable driving charge

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ATHENS, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Greece supports Romania's efforts for entry to the Schengen area, 15 years after the country joined the EU, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told his visiting Romanian counterpart Nicolae Ciuca in Athens on Thursday.

"Greece supports without reservations the efforts of Romania and Bulgaria to join the Schengen zone," the Greek leader said during joint statements to the press after their meeting, according to Greek national broadcaster ERT.

"It would be a vindication for our country," Ciuca said.

Today the Schengen area comprises 26 European countries which have abolished border controls at their mutual borders, but there are still five EU member states that are not included until they fulfill all criteria.

The two leaders also discussed bilateral cooperation in many fields, as well as regional and international issues, they said. 
The morning after the former Hurstville City Council met to elect a new mayor in September 2013, then-councillor Philip Sansom allegedly sent a text message to real estate agent and developer Philip Uy.

Last night didnt go to plan, Sansom wrote. Vince didnt get the mayor, but Con did get [Joint Regional Planning Panel] along with me.

Former councillors Vince Badalati and Con Hindi are being investigated by ICAC.

Sansom  a former Labor councillor-turned-independent  was referring to his fellow Hurstville councillors Vince Badalati and Con Hindi in the message, a NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry has heard.

The commissions Operation Galley is examining whether Hindi and Badalati, who later became councillors on the merged Georges River Council, and Sansom, accepted benefits including overseas flights and accommodation from Chinese developers in exchange for supporting their developments in Hurstville between 2014 and 2021.
Sydney has headed into clean-up mode on Thursday as heavy rain continues to make its way north, putting the NSW Mid North Coast, Hunter Region and Central Coast on high flood alert.

In a weather update on Thursday morning, NSW Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke said she feared flood victims would rush to return to their homes across Greater Sydney without performing necessary risk checks.

Cooke said emergency leaders were concerned about residents rushing to use heaters to dry out their homes in what could pose a major fire risk.

Through the start of this winter season we have already seen five deaths through house fires, which is more than we saw for all of winter in 2021, she said.
A new cache of sensitive government documents show a second highly qualified senior female executive was shortlisted to become US trade commissioner before controversial former deputy premier John Barilaro claimed the plum role.

The revelation that global executive Kimberley Cole was one of the final candidates for the New York posting will heap more pressure on the NSW government ahead of a fresh round of hearings into the saga within days.

Former deputy premier John Barilaro and Kimberley Cole were both shortlisted candidates. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer/Supplied

Cole, a former Telstra Business Woman Award finalist, was one of three candidates shortlisted for the $500,000-a-year role earlier this year. In March, she was even described in an email as the preferred candidate, but this was later disputed.

It has already been revealed that former deputy secretary of Investment NSW Jenny West was offered the role last August before it was sensationally withdrawn and a second recruitment process launched.
A 70-year-old solo sailor with several broken ribs has been rescued from a drifting 10-metre yacht 90 nautical miles off the south-east Queensland coast.

The injured sailor sent out a distress call about 10am on Wednesday as his single-masted sloop drifted in the ocean east of Double Island Point, south of Kgari, or Fraser Island.

Water police dispatched from Mooloolaba took 15 hours to rescue the sailor in heavy swells, eventually telling him he had one chance to be saved after a helicopter found the conditions too rough.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority led the rescue of a 70-year-old lone sailor off the coast of south-east Queensland.

It took water police 15 hours to rescue him about 100 kilometres out to sea, a Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said on Thursday.
Three of the five youths charged over the fatal stabbing of teenager Jack Beasley, in the Gold Coasts party precinct, have been cleared of any wrongdoing.

The 17-year-old was stabbed in the chest on Surfers Paradise Boulevard in Surfers Paradise about 8.10pm on December 13, 2019, and died soon after in hospital.

Jack Beasleys friends remembered him as special and the funniest person we knew. Credit:The Beasley Family

Five people were charged over Beasleys death  four of those were juveniles at the time and cannot be named. Brisbane Times has chosen not to name the fifth defendant.

Defendants 1-3 faced a two-week judge-only trial in Brisbane Supreme Court in May. They were each charged with one count of manslaughter and two counts of grievous bodily harm.
Katherine Taliana grew up going to Salvation Army church services but, when she was 17, she lost interest in religion.

I guess I thought Id do life on my own, she said. And I got caught up in the wrong crowd.

Katherine and Luke Taliana and their children Lennox, Esther and Hendrix. Credit:Justin McManus

However, at age 27, after marrying her husband, Luke, who was brought up Catholic, the couple sought the community and spiritual guidance of a church.

They wanted to raise their children with Christian values, but sought a new approach to services.
The mood was buoyant on a summer evening in Brussels last week when 700 guests turned up to taste Australian beef and lamb in Parc Leopold, a short walk down the hill from the headquarters of the European Union. The war in Ukraine was forgotten for a moment while officials, ambassadors, members of the European parliament and Australian visitors talked in the sun as guests of the Australian Meat and Livestock Association.

It felt like Australia was on the brink of a stunning trade deal that could add to $94 billion in two-way trade with the EU after at least four years of talks and, thanks to the AUKUS contretemps, a diplomatic deep freeze with France.

Illustration: Simon Letch Credit:The Sydney Morning Herald

But all the goodwill in the world, and all the Coopers Pale Ale you can ship to Belgium, will not overcome the entrenched resistance to Australian exporters. One lamb producer on the lawns, part of a mission led by the European Australian Business Council, calculated the EU only allowed its citizens to eat four grams of Australian lamb per person per year. He was not optimistic about getting another gram.

This is the reality of the glowing talk about a stronger alliance between Australia and Europe. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has attended NATO in Madrid, visited French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris and met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. He has cleared the wreckage from the AUKUS deal and lifted the relationship with Europe. On trade, however, he has a hard slog ahead.
Defence Minister Richard Marles has not ruled out buying ready-made nuclear submarines to plug the gap in Australias defence capabilities, as he sought to reassure Australian-based industries that Australians would still have a role building the future fleet.

Questioned after a defence round table in Adelaide about off-the-shelf submarines, Marles said Australia was still working out how to deal with any capability gap. Former defence minister Peter Dutton recently revealed he planned to buy two US-made submarines.

There is a process that were obviously going through in terms of working out exactly which option we pursue, trying to work out how soon we can get that option, and understanding what capability gap might arise and how we might deal with that, he said.

Defence Minister Richard Marles has assured local defence manufacturers of continuity under Labor. Credit:James Brickwood

But whichever way you cut it, the building industry in this state, around submarine capability, is going to be fundamentally important to getting that capability and getting it quickly.
Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick has insisted his states relationship with Japan is about more than coal, after comments from the countrys ambassador suggesting new coal royalty tiers could harm the states investment appeal.

The resources sector has been highly critical of the states decision to introduce higher tiers from this financial year to capture what Dick has described as the super profits currently seen in the coal sector.

Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick said residents deserved a fair share of the states coal resources amid the high prices they were fetching. Credit:Matt Dennien

Japanese ambassador Shingo Yamagami, in a speech at the University of Queensland on Wednesday, said he feared the change could damage the trust and goodwill Japanese business had built up with the state and spook future investment across other sectors.

Asked about the comments on Thursday, Dick said residents deserved a fair share of the states coal resources amid the high prices they were fetching.
Bali/Singapore: Foreign Minister Penny Wong will sit down with China counterpart Wang Yi for the first time on Friday on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in Bali at which Russias war in Ukraine is expected to dominate the agenda.

Confirmation of the long-awaited meeting - the first between foreign ministers from Canberra and Beijing since September 2019 - came as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowed to treat Russian President Vladimir Putin with the contempt that he deserves when the two leaders cross paths at the G20 leaders summit on the Indonesian holiday island in November.

Anthony Albanese says he will treat Russian President Vladimir Putin with the contempt that he deserves when they cross paths at the G20 in Bali. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen/Wires

It certainly wont be polite, Albanese told Sky News. The world needs to send a very clear message about how we regard him and his behaviour towards undermining the rules-based order, undermining the UN Charter, being responsible for the war crimes that are being committed in Ukraine.

As Russias foreign minister Sergei Lavrov prepared to meet other G20 foreign ministers in Bali on Friday, Albanese said Putin had murdered thousands of people and accused Russia of war crimes in Ukraine.
China, Philippines vow to enhance good-neighborly friendship, deepen cooperation

Xinhua) 08:54, July 07, 2022

Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Philippine Foreign Secretary Luis Enrique Manalo in Manila, the Philippines, on July 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Kai)

MANILA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Philippine Foreign Secretary Luis Enrique Manalo agreed here on Wednesday that their countries will further enhance friendship and mutual trust, adhere to good-neighborliness and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.

Noting that Wang is the first foreign minister to visit the Southeast Asian country after the new Philippine government was inaugurated on June 30, Manalo said the Philippines and China are good neighbors, who have seen fruitful results in their cooperation in various areas.

In facing the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in the regional and international situation, the two countries have stood side by side with mutual understanding and support, bringing benefits to the two peoples, he noted.

The Philippines will continue its adherence to the one-China policy and hopes to increase mutual trust and friendship, so as to elevate bilateral relations to a higher level, Manalo said.

The Philippines believes that the problem involving islands and reefs in the South China Sea should be settled through diplomatic means and peaceful consultations with a view to jointly safeguarding peace and stability there, he said.

Wang, for his part, said that the only right path for the relations between the two countries is to adhere to good-neighborliness and friendship and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.

Recent years have witnessed bilateral ties enjoying an all-round development and cooperation making strides in various fields under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples, he said.

China highly appreciates the remarks by Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos that China is a strong partner of the Philippines and his administration will continue a friendly policy towards China to further boost bilateral relations, Wang said.

At this new starting point, Wang said, China is willing to work with the Philippines to jointly plan for the future cooperation so as to lift their friendship to a new high.

Wang said the two sides should always properly handle the maritime issues from a strategic and overarching perspective, giving the issues a proper position in bilateral relations.

The two sides should also work to steadily advance the joint development in the South China Sea, accelerate consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, expand maritime cooperation to increase mutual benefit and win-win results, he said.

During the meeting, the two sides agreed to sustain a high-quality construction of the Belt and Road and secure more early results.

They also vowed to strengthen the China-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) relations, jointly safeguard the regional architecture with ASEAN at its center, implement the important consensus reached at the China-ASEAN Special summit late last year, and push for a deeper and more solid China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership.

In addition, both sides pledged to strengthen coordination and cooperation in multilateral affairs, jointly defend the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, and jointly promote regional peace, development and prosperity.

After their meeting, Wang and Manalo officially launched the Davao City-Samal Island connector bridge project and witnessed the signing of cooperation documents.

Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) and Philippine Foreign Secretary Luis Enrique Manalo attend the launching ceremony of the Davao City-Samal Island connector bridge project after their meeting in Manila, the Philippines, on July 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Kai)

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
PARIS, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Workers affiliated with two of France's major trade unions, the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) and Solidaires, will stage an "interprofessional" strike on Sept. 29 to demand higher wages, the two organizations said here on Thursday.

Citing the unions' joint press release, the French daily Le Figaro said the workers will demand an increase in wages and purchasing power and will protest against the government's pension reform plans.

Representatives of France's main trade unions are scheduled to meet next Monday to coordinate their push for more purchasing power, Le Figaro said.

On Wednesday, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne presented her new government's policy priorities to deputies in the National Assembly and vowed to protect and increase the population's purchasing power. 
Australias foreign minister meets with G20 foreign ministers

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The morning after Britain voted to leave the European Union in 2016, Boris Johnsons father, Stanley, was in the green room of a television studio, waiting to be interviewed on the shock outcome.

Stanley, a former member of the European Parliament and opponent of Brexit, was pensive and glum  a far cry from his usually ebullient self. When someone asked him how he was feeling, he replied, how would you feel if your son just changed the course of European history?

Boris Johnson is one of those political leaders about whom everyone in Britain has a strong opinion. He has been adored and loathed in fluctuating measures for most of his political career. But on one thing both his most ardent admirers and savage critics find common ground: he has been a hugely consequential politician.

If the ultimate test of the significance of a political leader is the extent to which they changed their nations history, then Johnson was, without question, the most important British prime minister since Thatcher. Among those who came between, only Tony Blair rates as a prime minister of the first rank, but his Third Way politics were squandered in the sands of Iraq. Of the others, there is little to remember: John Major, decent but grey; Gordon Brown, brilliant but indecisive; David Cameron, brilliant too but destroyed by single colossal error of judgment; Theresa May, worthy, earnest and utterly incapable of dealing with a political mess which, in fairness, was not of her making.
The worlds largest and most sensitive dark matter experiment has come to life and is delivering results, moving a step closer to offering clues about one of the biggest mysteries of the Universe.

The LUX-ZEPLIN Dark Matter Experiment (LZ), based at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota, US, has gathered its first result  showing the experiment is successfully operating as designed.

Researchers from the University of Bristols School of Physics, are among a number of international partners supporting the experiment.

The experiment now needs to run for up to 1,000 days to realise its full sensitivity. This initial result is just a fraction of that exposure, which validates the decade-long design and construction effort.

LZ is intricately and innovatively designed to find direct evidence of dark matter  a mysterious invisible substance thought to make up most of the mass of the Universe.

Dark matter is particularly challenging to detect, as it does not emit or absorb light or any other form of radiation.

The LZ detector will try to capture the very rare and very faint interactions between dark matter and its 7-tonne liquid xenon target. To do this, LZ must be carefully and delicately calibrated and any background noise removed so the experiment can be perfectly tuned to observe these interactions.

Today, the international project led by the Department of Energys (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has announced the detector is running as hoped after years of careful set-up.

Professor Henrique Araujo, from Imperial College London, is the UK lead and co-lead for the development of the LZ Xenon Detector. He said: An experiment of the scale and sensitivity of LZ can be unforgiving: the smallest design flaw may compromise the whole enterprise. And since the LZ cryostat cannot be opened underground, we needed to make sure we got it right the first time, much like if we were to launch LZ into space Well, it looks like we did get it right.

In a paper posted online today on the experiments website, LZ researchers report that with the initial run, LZ is already the worlds most sensitive dark matter detector.

After the successful start, full-scale observations can begin with the hope of finding the first direct evidence of dark matter.

LZ involves an international team of 250 scientists and engineers from 35 institutions from the US, UK, Portugal, and South Korea. The UK team, funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), consists of more than 50 people from the universities of Bristol, Edinburgh, Imperial, Liverpool, Oxford, Royal Holloway, Sheffield and UCL and STFCs Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

Many of these UK groups came from the ZEPLIN programme, which developed the liquid xenon technology for dark matter searches at STFCs Boulby Underground Laboratory. The UK ZEPLIN groups then joined the LUX experiment in the USA in 2012 and started designing LZ around that time.

Professor Araujo said: Its been a privilege to work in such a fantastic project, full of talented and fun people. The pioneering ZEPLIN programme lives on as the Z in LZ  but we needed a much larger international team to achieve something on this scale.

UK deliverables to LZ included the ultralow background titanium cryostat, various contributions to the central Xenon Detector, two calibration sub-systems, and one of the two international Data Centres.

A significant fraction of the very large number of radioassays needed to identify the best materials was conducted in the UK (at STFCs Boulby Underground Laboratory, and UCL).

LZ Spokesperson Professor Hugh Lippincott, from the University of California Santa Barbara, echoes the comment from Araujo said: "Working across such large distances is always challenging, especially during Covid when we were unable to gather in person. We probably had a few too many Zoom calls, but it was great to see how well people were able to work together, with work passing back-and-forth across the ocean at the beginning and end of each day."

Researchers from the University of Bristol LZ group have made significant contributions to the software infrastructure of the experiment and contributed to the construction and commissioning of the LZ Outer Detector, with Bristol PhD student Sam Eriksen working underground at SURF in 2020 at the height of the pandemic.

The group also worked on the optimisation of the Outer Detector veto that helps suppress background processes that otherwise could look like a dark matter interaction in the detector.

Professor Henning Flaecher, PI of the Bristol group, added: This is a great first result for LZ and it is a delight to see years of work coming to fruition. We look forward to analysing the data LZ will collect over the coming years and anticipate further exciting results.

LZ is the largest and most sensitive experiment searching for dark matter particles, in particular Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs).

These theorised elementary particles interact with gravity  which is how we know about the existence of dark matter in the first place  and possibly through a new weak interaction too.

This means WIMPs are expected to collide with ordinary matter  albeit very rarely and very faintly. This is why very quiet and very sensitive particle detectors are needed for WIMP detection.

At the centre of the experiment is a large liquid xenon particle detector maintained at -100oC, surrounded by photo-sensors. If a WIMP interacts with a xenon atom, and produces even a tiny amount of light, the sensors will capture it.

But in order to see these rare interactions, the team had to carefully remove all natural background radiation from the detector materials first.

But this is not enough  which is why LZ is operating around a mile underground. This shields it from cosmic rays, which bombard experiments at the surface of the earth. The detector and its cryostat sit inside a huge water tank to protect the experiment from particles and radiation coming from the laboratory walls.

Finally, the team made sure that the liquid xenon itself is as pure as possible by carefully removing a key contaminant through a complex years-long process.

Many complex systems had to come together for LZ to work, and these first results show they are performing in harmony seamlessly.

STFCs Dark Matter Group Leader Pawel Majewski said: It is gratifying to see the LZ experiment delivering its first scientific results. For the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, one of the LZ founding members, it has been a privilege to be part of this wonderful endeavour bringing together scientists and engineers from all over the world. We look forward to seeing more exciting results with an anticipation of a significant discovery awaiting us in the years to come.
By Noah Browning

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices were steady on Thursday after steep losses in the previous two sessions, as investors returned their focus to tight supply even as fears of a global persisted.

futures rose 14 cents, or 0.1%, to $100.83 a barrel by 0900 GMT. WTI crude futures climbed 21 cents, or 0.2%, to $98.74 a barrel.

Prices swung between about $2 in losses and gains of nearly $1 in volatile trade.

" fears continue to grow and that obviously does raise some concerns for the demand outlook," said Warren Patterson, ING's head of commodity research.

"However, supportive fundamentals should mean that further downside is relatively limited."

He added that it's hard to be overly bearish on oil prices as the Brent monthly spreads remain in wide backwardation, referring to prompt-month prices trading higher than those for future months.

"Recent Iranian nuclear talks don't appear to have achieved much", Patterson added, after Washington tightened sanctions on Iran on Wednesday, pressuring Tehran as it seeks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

In recent weeks oil prices have slid, fanning fears of a sharp economic slowdown and a hit to demand for commodities.

Brent and WTI closed on Wednesday at their lowest since April 11. The declines follow a dramatic fall on Tuesday when WTI slid 8% while Brent tumbled 9% - a $10.73 drop that was the third biggest for the contract since it started trading in 1988.

"If the forecasted is not severe, the crude price should remain in the $100/bbl range for the next 2-3 years," said Fereidun Fesharaki of consultancy FGE.

Traders are watching for possible oil supply disruptions at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which has been told by a Russian court to suspend activity for 30 days. Exports at CPC, which handles about 1% of global oil supplies, were still flowing as of Wednesday morning.

(Additional reporting by Florence Tan in Singapore and Stephanie Kelly in New York; Editing by Kim Coghill and Jason Neely)

(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.)
Even as Byju's has issued pink slips to hundreds of its employees, the educational technology (edtech) firm is strengthening its senior team. It has appointed former Amazon executives Sunil Sharma as vice-president (V-P), engineeringstudent and teacher experience, and Darshan Bhandari as V-P, engineeringtuition centre and devices.

Sharma would be responsible for catalysing critical technologies (tech) to enhance student, parent, and teacher experience, along with customer care and mentor connection. Bhandari will lead the firms hybrid learning platform  Byjus Tuition Centre  to scale up its tech capabilities.

Byjus tech-first approach makes it home to some of the worlds finest tech experts, said Anil Goel, president, tech division.

With a career spanning over 21 years, Sharma brings with him the expertise of scaling up tech teams across like Amazon, Hewlett Packard, and AGT International. He was head of tech for freight auditing and payments at Amazon.

Bhandari has over 18 years of experience in tech innovation and building talent across such as Amazon, Reliance Jio Infocomm, and Amdocs.

The company, which is valued at $22 billion, is strengthening its senior at a time when the Byju Raveendran-led firm was planning an initial public offering. The company wants to go public by next year. It may do a primary listing in the US and a secondary one in India or vice versa, reports had suggested. Both the US and India are key markets for Byjus.





The firm recently appointed Amazon tech veteran Vedhanarayanan Ganeshkumar as V-Ptech division.

Early this year, Byjus had announced the appointment of Mani Bansal and Maneesh Agrawal to lead key tech functions in an effort towards strengthening its tech vertical.

In May, the firm appointed Himanshu Bajaj as head of business to lead Byjus Learning Centre. Bajaj worked with consulting firm Kearney and led its consumer and retail practice across Asia Pacific. It appointed Rachna Bahadur as senior V-P to lead the global expansion plans for the firm as well. Bahadur was a partner at Bain & Company, where she was a leader in consumer product practice.

Last year, Byjus announced the appointment of Mukut Deepak as head of business to lead its Class 4-10 school segment. Deepak was chief business development officer at Tata Sky and director for Tata Skys digital venture.

Byjus is also set to promote its Chief Operating Officer Mrinal Mohit to a bigger role, including leading India operations, according to people familiar with the matter.

This is because Raveendran, founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of the firm, is planning to focus on global expansion and acquisitions.

The firm has made senior changes, naming Krishna Vedati as president of global growth and strategic initiatives. Vedati, co-founder and CEO of Tynker, which teaches children coding, will report to Raveendran.
As the (ED) continued searches at the premises of Chinese in a money laundering case, Wang Xiaojian, counsellor and spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in India, said the frequent investigations by Indian authorities into Chinese enterprises "chill the confidence and willingness of market entities from other countries, including those from to invest in India".

Xiaojian said that the essence of China-India economic and trade cooperation is based on mutual benefit and win-win results.

"The Chinese government has always asked Chinese to comply with local laws and regulations in their overseas operations and will firmly support Chinese to maintain their legitimate rights and interests," Zhao said in a statement late on Wednesday.

"The Indian side should act in line with laws and regulations, and provide a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese firms," he added.

As the ED raided 44 locations in 22 states on Tuesday and Wednesday, the directors of some of the companies associated with fled India.

According to sources, two of the Chinese directors of Solan, a Himachal Pradesh-based company, that was associated with Vivo, have likely fled India, as ED registered a prevention of money laundering case.

The Chinese nationals were made directors in the Indian entities with fake documents.

The enforcement agency has so far received information about money laundering worth Rs 10,000 crore during the raids, according to ED sources.

The Chinese embassy spokesperson said that the "frequent investigations by Indian authorities into Chinese enterprises not only disrupt normal business activities and damage the goodwill, but also impede the improvement of business environment in India".

The CBI has also been probing the case and lodged a separate FIR.

earlier said that it is cooperating with the authorities to provide them with all required information.

"As a responsible corporate, we are committed to be fully compliant with laws," a company spokesperson said.

In April, the ED seized Rs 5,551.27 crore of Xiaomi Technology India Private Ltd lying in the bank accounts under the provisions of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) connection with the illegal outward remittances made by the company.

--IANS

na/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.)
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The raided the office of the manufacturer of popular drug Dolo-650, Micro Labs Limited, located in Bengaluru, on Wednesday. Dolo-650 tablet became a popular drug after its widespread use by Covid-19 patients over the last two years. The pharmaceutical company faces allegations of tax evasion.

Officials at the have said that it is now looking at company's financial documents, balance sheets and business distributor networks as part of their searches.

A team of more than 20 officers associated with the I-T dept conducted the raids on the Race Course Road office of the drug manufacturer. According to PTI, sources in the I-T department said that simultaneous raids were conducted at 40 locations by 200 officers across the country, including New Delhi, Sikkim, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Goa. Sources said that the residences of Micro Labs CMD Dileep Surana and Director Anand Surana were also raided.

The company had struck gold in successive waves of the Covid-19 pandemic. It sold 3.5 billion tablets since the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020 and earned revenues of Rs 400 crore in a year, with Dolo-650 sales breaking all records.

The company on its website mentioned that it was engaged in the making and marketing of pharmaceutical products and has 17 manufacturing units across the country apart from its business overseas.
An Air China airplane lands at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport in Budapest, Hungary, on July 7, 2022. A direct flight from Beijing landed at Budapest's Ferenc Liszt International Airport Thursday, marking the official resumption of regular passenger flights between Hungary and China. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

BUDAPEST, July 7 (Xinhua) -- A direct flight from Beijing landed at Budapest's Ferenc Liszt International Airport Thursday, marking the official resumption of regular passenger flights between Hungary and China.

Direct air links between the two countries were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.

The Beijing-Budapest flight will be operated by Air China every Thursday, according to plans.

The decision to resume the Beijing-Budapest flight is a milestone that will promote tourism, trade and the overall Hungarian economy, said Peter Szijjarto, Hungarian minister of foreign affairs and trade on his Facebook page earlier.

Air China launched the first direct passenger flight between the capitals of China and Hungary on May 1, 2015. 

Passengers line up to check in at Air China's counters at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport in Budapest, Hungary, on July 7, 2022. A direct flight from Beijing landed at Budapest's Ferenc Liszt International Airport Thursday, marking the official resumption of regular passenger flights between Hungary and China. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)
has restored salaries of pilots and cabin crew by a further 8 per cent and made changes to its human resource (HR) policies as it prepares for a busy festival season ahead. Indias largest airline plans to enhance capacity by at least 60 per cent, compared to the previous year.

The changes come after more than half the flights operated by faced delays last week as a large number of cabin crew members reported sick just hours before departure. For July, the airline has budgeted for an average of 1,550 flights daily and utilise its aircraft for around 13 hours.

All crew members reporting sick have to mandatorily visit base for verification without fail, Suman Chopra, senior vice-president, inflight services, wrote to the airlines cabin crew this week.

Salaries have become a thorny issue for Indias budget carrier. Despite partial restoration of wages, employees remain disgruntled since their workload has increased significantly, with operating more flights than what it did before Covid-19 grounded travel.

Indigo Chief Executive Officer Ronojoy Dutta had said, We are in an inflationary environment. We have gone through a very difficult period  pay cuts and partial restoration of pay. We have to address the same.

The airline has made changes to its HR policies to reinstate the work pattern of crew under which they will earn more, but there will be fewer leaves.

In May 2020, IndiGo had revised its pilot pay structure to slash salaries by as much as up to 40 per cent. Many of the airlines senior pilots had received emails from the companys leave planner, asking them to choose from two options, each involving a pay cut.



One included a pay structure with 42 annual leaves and the second had pilots take one week off every month. They used to have a package that included 22 days of annual leave. The airline will reinstate both programmes, which had been temporarily halted.

Due to curtailed operations in 2020 and 2021, pilots were shifted to a one-week off/one-week on per-month pattern. Over time, allowances not paid for the past two years have been reinstated to pre-Covid levels.



For cabin crew, the airline is planning to bring in a career progression policy where they will have an opportunity to graduate to the Airbus A320 aircraft from ATR.

Crew operating A320 earn more and enjoy allowances. With the Tata-led Air India hiring aggressively and two new airlines  Akasa Air and Jet Airways  looking to start operations this year, IndiGo expects higher attrition levels among its crew.

The airline is hiring aggressively for replacement and expansion. Around 1,500 in the cabin crew are under training and will join operations in the next few weeks, said a senior executive.

As demand for air travel increases, allowing airlines to deploy more of their fleet, pilots seek reversal of paycuts. Despite partial restoration of salaries, pilots across airlines remain a disgruntled lot, creating challenges for managers.

Tata Group  the new owner of Air India  has restored employee salaries by almost 75 per cent, compared to pre-Covid levels. Another Tata Group airline, Vistara, reinstated its pilots salaries and flying allowance to pre-pandemic levels.

According to an internal communication, SpiceJet has also hiked the salary of its captains and first officers by 10 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively. The for trainers at SpiceJet stands at 20 per cent.

Airlines are back to operating capacity of pre-Covid levels. Our duty hours have significantly increased and in some cases more hectic than what they were before Covid-19. Why not restore full salary? asked a senior commander, pointing out that airlines have restored full salaries of employees of other departments.
would spend Rs 75,000 crore in the next five years to expand the capacity of its business, Chairman said on Thursday.

An amount of Rs 10,000 crore would be spent in 2022-23 (FY23) to take the total capital expenditure (capex) during the financial year to Rs 14,000 crore, Chandrasekaran said at the companys 103rd annual general meeting, which was held virtually.

Chandrasekaran, also the chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group, said was taking a pragmatic approach to achieving its targets and had added 707 megawatts (MW) of renewable capacity in 2021-22 (FY22).

This has increased our clean and green portfolio to 34 per cent of total capacity and the company aims to raise this to 60 per cent in the next five years, he told shareholders.

is pushing its business at a time when its rivals -- the Adani group and Reliance Industries (RIL) -- are also ramping up their clean energy portfolio amid India's plans to shift to green fuels from fossil fuels.





RIL had last June committed Rs 75,000 crore for renewable energy over three years and declared a three-pronged strategy involving solar power, hydrogen production, e-fuels, and energy storage under its New Energy and New Materials division. It would also set up a platform for renewable energy project finance to source long-term global capital for investment in these sectors.

Adani Enterprises had in September last year said it would invest $20 billion (Rs 1.48 trillion) over 10 years in the renewable-energy supply chain, including power generation, manufacturing, transmission and distribution.

Tata Power is the first company in the sector to declare a net-carbon-zero target. Tata Power Managing Director Praveer Sinha had told Business Standard last year that the company would move away from investing in coal-based power units and be net-zero in terms of carbon emissions by 2050.

The company has now advanced its net-zero carbon target by five years to 2045. It is aiming for 100 per cent water-neutral and zero waste by 2030.

Chandrasekaran on Thursday said the company was setting up a 4 Gw solar cell and module manufacturing capacity in Tamil Nadu at an investment of Rs 3,000 crore, a memorandum of understanding that was signed last week with the state government. The company also had a Rs 13,000-crore engineering, procurement, and construction order book for solar energy, he said.

The company is equally focused on growing consumer-centric and new-age energy solutions including solar rooftop, electric vehicle chargers, solar pumps, smart meters and energy management solutions, he said.

Chandrasekaran said the company had entered into a strategic partnership, creating a renewable energy platform that had received an investment of Rs 4,000 crore.
Chinese directors Zhengshen Ou and Zhang Jie of a firm GPICPL, in association with mobile maker Vivo, fled India last year, an official informed on Thursday.

The official corrected the report which mentioned that Zhengshen Ou and Zhang Jie were directors of and they fled when the ED intensified its inquiry into the against the Chinese firm and conducted raids over 40 locations in connection with the case.

"Zhengshen Ou and Zhang Jie are directors of GPICPL, a firm associated with mobile maker Vivo, and they fled last year," the ED official told ANI requesting anonymity.

The federal agency on Tuesday conducted searches at more than 40 locations in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and some southern states in connection with a case linked to Mobile Communications and some other Chinese firms.

The case is already being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

IT department, as well as the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, are also keeping a close eye on the Chinese manufacturing firms. The ED raid is an extension of the probe against Chinese firms.

The ED conducted these searches with respect to violations of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Sources said that local units of Mobile Communications are under the radar for alleged financial improprieties as part of the investigation into other China-based firms.

Ministry of Corporate Affairs is learnt to have a special focus on potential violations including fraud.

In the case of Vivo, an inquiry was sought in April this year to detect if there were "significant irregularities in ownership and financial reporting".

(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.)
Mining major on Thursday said it would acquire debt-ridden Athena Chhattisgarh Power for Rs 564.67 crore in an all-cash transaction. The liquidation process for the company was initiated in March last year.

According to Vedanta, the deal will be completed in the current financial year, fulfilling its power requirement for its aluminium business.

Athena Chattisgarh Power has a 1,200-megawatt coal-based power plant located in Chhattisgarh's Jhanjgir Champa district. The company was admitted under the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process on May 15, 2019. On May 13 last year, a Bench of the NCLT-Hyderabad directed the initiation of the liquidation process of the company.

Lenders to the power plant had kept the reserve price at around Rs 485 crore, it has been learnt. had emerged as the highest bidder, beating challengers, such as the Naveen-Jindal-led Jindal Power.

The successful bid is subject to the NCLT's approval. RBSA Advisors was the insolvency professional and transaction advisor to the deal.
The Enforcement Directorates (EDs) money-laundering probe into mobile phone maker India has revealed the company, to avoid paying taxes in India, remitted about Rs 62,476 crore of its turnover to China between 2017 and 2021.

According to the agency, 18 that were allegedly incorporated fraudulently helped the smartphone maker to transfer 50 per cent of the turnover outside India, mainly China. The sale proceeds during the period stood at Rs 1.25 trillion.

So far, 119 bank accounts of entities with a gross balance of Rs 465 crore, including fixed deposits of Rs 66 crore of India, gold bars of 2 kg, and approximately Rs 73 lakh in cash, have been seized under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the agency said.

According to an official, Indias books showed losses in most of its associate firms while transferring money to China.

The findings have come after the agency had searched the premises of the smartphone maker and its 23 associate in 48 locations of the country early this week. Vivo India was incorporated in August 2014 as a subsidiary of Multi Accord Ltd, a Hong Kong-based company, and was registered in Delhi.

The investigation came after the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) had filed a police complaint against Vivos associate company Grand Prospect International Communication Pvt Ltd (GPICPL), its directors, shareholders, certifying professionals, etc.

It was alleged that GPICPL and its shareholders had used forged identification documents and false addresses at the time of incorporation.





ALSO READ: Vivo Y77 5G launches on July 7 with Dimensity 810 and 5000mAh battery

The allegations were found to be true as the investigation revealed that the addresses mentioned by the directors of GPICPL did not belong to them, as they had used government building, senior government official house addresses as address proof, the ED said.

The ED also said the company was incorporated by Zhengshen Ou, Bin Lou and Zhang Jie with the help of chartered accountant Nitin Garg.

The companys directors fled the country. One director, Bin Lou, left India in April 2018. Two others, Zhengshen Ou and Zhang Jie, left India in 2021, according to officials. Bin Lou was a director of GPICPL also. He had incorporated multiple in the country spread across various states.

A total of 18 companies has been incorporated just after Vivo has been set up in the year 2014-15. Later, another Chinese National Zhixin Wei had incorporated four more companies.

The employees of Vivo India, including some Chinese nationals, did not cooperate with the search proceedings and had tried to abscond, remove and hide digital devices which were retrieved by the search teams, the ED said.

Some associate entities are Rui Chuang Technologies (Ahmedabad), V Dream Technology & Communication (Hyderabad), Regenvo Mobile (Lucknow), Fangs Technology (Chennai), Weiwo Communication (Bengaluru), Bubugao Communication (Jaipur), Haicheng Mobile (India) (New Delhi), Joinmay Mumbai Electronics (Mumbai), and Yingjia Communication (Kolkata).

Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in New Delhi has issued a statement saying multiple investigations by Indian enforcement agencies into Chinese companies are damaging the confidence of foreign entities investing and operating in the country.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that 30 incidents daily take place but these hardly have any safety implications.

"On average, about 30 incidents do take place, including go-around, missed approaches, diversion, medical emergencies, weather, technical and bird hits," the top told ANI.

"Most of them have no safety implications. On the contrary, they are a sine qua non of a robust safety management system," he added.

The comments assume significance on the back of similar incidents reported in the recent past in SpiceJet which has resulted in a lot of hue and cry. On July 5, a SpiceJet aircraft after take-off suffered a bird hit and returned back to Patna.

"A bird hit can happen with any airline. It's not the airline's doing. Other airlines are having similar incidents daily. There is no need to sensationalise things out of proportion. You look at any other airline and you will find similar inconsequential incidents. It does not mean that safety has been compromised," another senior official said.

Adding further, SpiceJet CMD Ajay Singh too made the same point in an exclusive interview with ANI. "SpiceJet is running a safe airline for 15 years. The kind of incidents being talked about are trivial and happen on a daily basis in airlines. On average, 30 such incidents happen in airlines every day," Singh told ANI.

"No one can stop bird hit mid-air," SpiceJet CMD Ajay Singh told ANI.

"SpiceJet's one or two incidents are being highlighted in the media. It is not okay. It does not mean that any airline is unsafe. When thousands of flights are operating, these trivial incidents happen," he said.

On July 5 back to back IndiGo and Vistara airlines reported smoke and engine shut issues during their flight operations.

"A Raipur-Indore IndiGo flight (A320Neo aircraft) was reported by the cabin crew to have smoke coming out from its cabin during taxi in after landing, yesterday, July 05," told ANI.

"After landing in Delhi, while taxing to the parking bay, our flight UK122 (BKK-DEL) had a minor electrical malfunction on July 5, 2022. Keeping passenger safety and comfort in mind, the crew elected to tow the aircraft to the bay," Vistara spokesperson 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 court here on Thursday granted the custody of Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair to the UP Police till July 14.

Zubair was brought here from Delhi's Tihar Jail on Thursday afternoon amid tight security.

The Delhi Police brought Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair to Sitapur in connection with a case registered against him at the Khairabad police station for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through a tweet.

Earlier, he was brought on July 4 and the court had sent Zubair to a 14-day judicial custody.

Zubair was taken back to the Tihar Jail where he has been lodged after his on June 27 in another case of hurting religious sentiments.

Zubair's advocate Mukul Mishra told mediapersons that while he was in custody under Section 295A of the IPC and Section 66 of the IT Act, Section 153A of the IPC was added by police today when hearing for his bail matter was held.

Later, police gave another application asking for remand claiming that the mobile phone he used for making the alleged tweet is still in Bengaluru, Mishra said.

Arguments on police remand were heard and his bail application rejected.

The court has granted the state police his custody from July 8 to 14, Mishra added.

Sources said Zubair may be taken to Bengaluru for recovery of the mobile and hard disk that were used to spread the alleged hate tweets.

(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 has agreed to hear on Friday the bail plea of co-founder Mohammed Zubair in connection with a case registered against him in for allegedly outraging religious feelings.

A vacation bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and JK Maheshwari said on Thursday that the matter be listed on Friday subject to clearance from the Chief Justice of India.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for Zubair, said his anticipatory bail was rejected by the Allahabad High Court and subsequently he was arrested.

There is a threat to his life as people out there are threatening him, he said while urging the court to list the matter urgently.

An FIR was lodged against Zubair in 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.

Zubair was arrested by the Delhi Police on June 27 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through one of his tweets.

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.

(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 on Thursday said the British gave the country an education system to create a servant class for meeting their own needs and a lot of it still remained unchanged.

Addressing a summit here on the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), Modi said the system should not just produce degree-holders but provide human resources needed to take the country forward.

He said the purpose of the education system created in the country was only to provide jobs. The British provided this education system to prepare a servant class for themselves to meet their needs.

"After Independence there were some changes in it but a lot remained, he said at the inauguration of a three-day meeting organised by the Union Education Ministry with the University Grants Commission and the Banaras Hindu University.

"We should not just produce degree-holding youths but make our education system such that we create human resources that are needed for the country to take it forward," the PM said.

Modi said children now cite Google to counter others. "We should create a system in our campuses that when these students arrive there in the next few years they get what they want," he said.

"We have to delve into the details of the challenges and problems and find solutions. The NEP is opening doors for education in Indian languages. I have confidence that India could emerge as a world education destination, he said.

The PM said that "innovative thoughts and new ideas" should be discussed at the summit, called the Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam.

The meeting brings together over 300 educationists, including vice-chancellors and directors from public and private universities to discuss the implementation of NEP 2020.

Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also participated in the summit.

(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.)
External Affairs Minister on Thursday conveyed to his Chinese counterpart the need for an early resolution of all outstanding issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh and that bilateral ties should be based on "three mutuals" of respect, sensitivity and interest.

At a one-hour meeting in Bali on the sidelines of a conclave of foreign ministers of the G20 nations, Jaishankar and Wang looked forward to the next round of military talks between the two sides at an early date to resolve the border issue.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Jaishankar reaffirmed the importance of "fully abiding" by bilateral agreements and protocols, and the understandings reached between him and Wang in their previous conversations.

"The External Affairs Minister (EAM) called for an early resolution of all the outstanding issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh," the MEA said in a statement.

Recalling the disengagement achieved in some friction areas, Jaishankar reiterated the need to sustain the momentum to complete disengagement from all the remaining areas to restore peace and tranquillity in border areas.

"He reaffirmed the importance of fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols, and the understandings reached between the two ministers during their previous conversations," the MEA said.

"In this regard, both ministers affirmed that the military and diplomatic officials of the two sides should continue maintaining regular contact and looked forward to the next round of senior commanders' meeting at an early date," it said.

Jaishankar also reiterated that the India-China relationship is best served by observing mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests.

The MEA said Jaishankar also recalled his meeting with in Delhi in March and reviewed the progress of some key issues discussed then, including the return of students.

"The EAM stressed the need for expediting the process and facilitating the return of students on an early date," the MEA said.

India has been pressing for quick disengagement of troops from all the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh to ensure de-escalation of the situation, asserting that peace and tranquillity along the border are pre-requisite for progress in overall ties.

"Began my day in Bali by meeting FM of China. Discussion lasted one hour. Focused on specific outstanding issues in our bilateral relationship pertaining to the border situation. Also spoke about other matters including students and flights," Jaishankar tweeted.

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External Affairs Minister on Thursday greeted Foreign Minister of Jeremiah Manele and people of the country on their National Day.

"Greetings to FM Jeremiah Manele and the Government and the people of on their National Day," Jaishankar tweeted.

Last month, Jaishankar met his counterpart Jeremiah Manele at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) meeting in Rwanda's Kigali and discussed cooperation between the two countries in key sectors.

Notably, Jaishankar was on a visit to Kigali, Rwanda to attend the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) from June 22-25.

"Met FM Jeremiah Manele of at @CHOGM2022. Discussed cooperation in energy, IT, and agriculture," he had said.

Solomon Islands, a small country in South Pacific, gained independence in 1978. India established diplomatic relations in May 1987. The High Commission in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, is concurrently accredited to the Solomon Islands. Solomon Islands has an Honorary Consulate in New Delhi since 2003.

Assistance to Solomon Islands for the procurement of medical equipment and supplies, as well as for strengthening health systems in response to COVID, was provided by India through the India - United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Fund.

Under the initiative of 'Vaccine Maitri', India sent 132,000 doses and 24,000 doses through the Covax facility to Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands respectively.

India and Solomon Islands are working closely supporting each other in international fora including at Commonwealth, Non-Aligned Movement and United Nations. An MoU for the establishment of the Centre of Excellence in IT (CEIT) in Honiara was signed in 2020. Under a grant-in-aid of USD 1 million under the India-UN Development Partnership Fund to the Solomon Islands to support Solomon Islands in its fight against COVID, a consignment containing Indian medicines and medical equipment was sent in October 2021.

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Haryana's higher education department has issued a show cause notice to Ashoka University, accusing it of "financial embezzlement" by not admitting enough students from the state or giving them fee concession as required by law, an allegation the varsity has denied.

The government has claimed the varsity located in Sonepat flouted the Private Universities Act, 2006.

In the notice, it alleged that "there is fudging of figures, making it a blatant case of maladministration and misinformation, causing financial embezzlement".

called the notice "totally misconceived" and contrary to the provisions of the Private Universities Act, 2006, but said it has responded to the government. It also said the charge of misinformation and embezzlement of funds is "completely unwarranted".

Enrolment of students from "is low in all courses, which defeats the purpose of the provisions of the Act", the government said.

"For instance, the number of reserved seats in UG BA/BSc programme has been shown as 200 out of which only 100 are filled by Haryana students. Remaining seats were not allotted to Haryana students by the university, thus causing injustice to the remaining students," it said.

Under the provisions of the Haryana Private Universities Act, 2006, a minimum of 25 per cent seats for admission in the university shall be reserved for students from the state, and of these seats, 10 per cent shall be reserved for those from Scheduled Castes.

"...Whereas the Haryana Private Universities Act, 2006, stipulates that one-fifth of the twenty-five per cent shall be granted full fee concession; two-fifth of the twenty-five per cent shall be granted fifty per cent fee concession and the balance two-fifth of the twenty-five per cent shall be granted twenty-five per cent fee concession.

"On the basis of the above mentioned provision and the information provided by the University, it is inferred that 1/5, 2/5, and 2/5 ratio of 25 per cent of Haryana students are not adhered to by the university. Further, during the year 2019-22, only 39 students out of 62 of Haryana quota were given fee concession and 23 students were left out," the notice said.

In view of the facts and circumstances of the case, it has been found that there is a serious lapse on the part of the Ashoka University, Sonepat, and it is clear violation of the Haryana Private Universities Act, 2006, it said.

"Thus, in exercise of the power conferred upon me under Section 44 of the above Act, the Vice Chancellor, Ashoka University, Sonepat, is hereby served show cause notice as to explain why the penalty prescribed under the University Act may not be imposed upon the University for the violation and why an FIR may not be lodged against the university for financial embezzlement?..," the notice issued by Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education Department, Anand Mohan Sharan said.

When asked for a comment over an e-mail, a varsity spokesperson said, "The notice is totally misconceived and contrary to the provisions of the Haryana Private Universities Act. The allegations of misinformation and embezzlement of funds are completely unwarranted.

"The university has a holistic merit-based admissions process and is funded by philanthropic donations. Further, the university follows the highest standards of institutional governance, backed by stringent audit, and hence there is no question of any financial impropriety in any aspect of its functioning," he said.

"The university has strictly followed the Haryana Private Universities Act's requirements of reservation for students from Haryana. All admitted students who are domicile of Haryana receive fee concessions from as specified in the Act.

"In fact, offers generous financial aid to more than 45 per cent of its students, well beyond the requirements of the Haryana Private Universities Act," the university spokesperson said.

He said the varsity follows a merit-based admission policy as mandated by the Act and this is true for all applicants.

"The university has ensured that no seats were denied to students who met the merit requirements," he said.

According to the university, "Seats that were not filled from the Haryana quota have remained largely unfilled, despite a provision for transfer of seats to other categories.

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Chief Minister waited at the Delhi airport to meet ailing RJD chief Lalu Yadav, who was being brought to the national capital for treatment, on Wednesday night.

While sharing the photograph, the chief minister said that enquired about the leader's health from his eldest daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Misa Bharti.

Soren was in the national capital to attend a government event. While returning, he learnt that the former Bihar chief minister is arriving in Delhi for the treatment. He waited at the airport for him. When the air ambulance, carrying Lalu Yadav landed at New Delhi airport, he went to the bay area and met him.

"I met with respected Ji at Delhi airport and learnt about his health status from his daughter Misa Bharti. I pray to god for his quick recovery," Soren tweeted.

Meanwhile, Lalu Yadav was admitted in the AIIMS.

"The doctors of AIIMS know the medical history of Lalu Ji. Hence, we have admitted him here. His health is improving. As he fell from the stairs, his body movement is minimal at the moment," said Tejashwi yadav.

Lalu Yadav's wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi said: "He is recovering from the illness. Pray for him. He will return home very soon."

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Tejashwi Yadav to know the leader's health status. A couple of days ago, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, ex-deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and several other leaders of Bihar wished him a speedy recovery.

--IANS

ajk/shb/

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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a criminal case against Tata Projects and arrested its five executives and one government official belonging to Power Grid Corporation over illegal gratification charges.

The probe relates to the power system improvement project in the north-eastern region.

The accused were produced on Thursday in the Panchkula court, where they were sent to a remand until July 15, the official said.

The action follows search operations at 11 premises by the federal agency since Thursday morning -- in Gurugram, Noida, and Ghaziabad where it has recovered numerous alleged incriminating documents, materials, digital devices, and Rs 93 lakh in cash from the residence of Bimlendu Shekhar Jha, executive director of Power Grid Corporation.

The agency has also arrested five executives of Tata Projects, including Vice-President Desh Raj Pathak and Assistant Vice-President R N Singh.

It was noted that Tata Projects had bagged tenders, pertaining to a comprehensive scheme for the northeastern states, especially Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, from Power Grid.

Jha, who was posted in Itanagar, was under the CBI's surveillance after the agency got inputs that he was allegedly receiving bribes from the executives of Tata Projects and other companies for granting favours.

Tata Projects was given the contracts under the World Bank-funded North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project, a comprehensive scheme for improving the power infrastructure of the region. The company was working in the Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh regions under the said scheme.

Jha was acting in pursuance of a criminal conspiracy extending favours to Tata Projects for several works, including preparation of inflated bills, early clearing of bills, and price variation clause, in lieu of demand and acceptance of illegal gratification from the company," a statement from the said.

Tata Projects stated: "We adhere to strong norms in all our business transactions and have zero tolerance for any compromise on the same.

We would extend our complete support to the relevant authorities."

There was no response from Power Grid on the arrests.

Tata Projects -- in existence for just over 40 years -- has acquired expertise in executing large and complex urban and industrial infrastructure projects, and in implementing complete mining and metal purification systems, according to its website.

The Noida airport project at Jewar is one among a series of high-profile assignments that the Rs 13,679-crore company has bagged in recent years. It is also involved in the construction of the new Parliament building as part of the government's ambitious Central Vista project in Delhi, as well as the Trans Harbour Link in Mumbai.
India on Thursday pressed China for an early resolution of all the outstanding issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh with External Affairs Minister conveying to his Chinese counterpart the need for completing the disengagement process from the remaining friction points in the region.

At a one-hour meeting in Bali on the sidelines of a conclave of foreign ministers of the G20 nations, Jaishankar told Wang that the relationship between the two countries should be based on three mutuals -- mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests.

Jaishankar also reaffirmed the importance of fully abiding by the bilateral agreements and protocols, and the understandings reached between him and Wang during their previous conversations, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The talks took place nearly three-and-a-half months after Wang visited India.

Began my day in Bali by meeting FM of China. Discussion lasted one hour. Focused on specific outstanding issues in our bilateral relationship pertaining to the border situation. Also spoke about other matters including students and flights, Jaishankar tweeted.

India has been pressing for quick disengagement of troops from all the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh, insisting that peace and tranquillity along the border are prerequisite for progress in overall ties.

Jaishankar also discussed with Wang the vexed issue of the return of Indian students to China and the resumption of direct flights between the two countries.

Chinas share in Indias imports down by 100 bps The share of Chinese imports in India's inbound shipments has dropped to 15.4 per cent in 2021-22 from 16.5 per cent in 2020-21, sources said on Thursday. Imports of mobile phones from China dropped 55 per cent to $626 million from $1.4 billion in 2020-21 (PTI).

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The will provide land in Koregaon-Satara area for the proposed Bengaluru-Mumbai industrial corridor, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Thursday.

Shinde made the announcement at the first meeting of the apex authority for industrial corridor projects which he attended virtually, a release from his office said here. The industrial corridor project has not taken off due to unavailability of land, hence Shinde announced that land will be provided in Koregaon-Satara belt and acquisition will be made expeditiously, it said. He also raised the issue of expediting the work of a 'bulk drug park' near Dighi port in Maharashtra, and Union finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman assured at the meeting that a special review of the project will be conducted by October, the release said. Shinde also seconded the proposal of Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan about the Varanasi-Mumbai industrial corridor.

A textile park, medical park and bulk drug park are proposed to be set up in Maharashtra and if the Centre gave the nod, work can start immediately, Shinde said. The Auric City in Shendra-Bidkin industrial area in Aurangabad district has got good response and attracted investment of Rs 5,542 crore, the chief minister said. About three lakh jobs will be generated through this investment, he added.

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The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 17 teams in areas of that have reported heavy to very heavy rainfall.

"In Maharashtra, we have recently seen very heavy rainfall. The government had requested 17 teams and all 17 teams have been made available and are deployed in Mumbai, Thane, etc," DG Karwal told ANI.

A landslide was reported near Pratapgarh Fort in Maharashtra's Satara district today after heavy rainfall that pounded the parts of the state overnight. Areas of Dadar and Sion recorded waterlogging while the Powai Lake started overflowing due to the downpour.

On Tuesday, a landslide incident was reported in Ghatkopar's Panchsheel Nagar in Mumbai amidst heavy rains, demolishing a house.

The Central railway informed that the trains on all corridors are running, However, some main and harbour line trains are running late.

Several rivers in the state have reached the warning level. The Kundalika river has crossed the warning level and the water level of the Amba, Savitri, Patalganga, Ulhas and Garhi rivers is slightly below the warning level.

The IMD had also issued an orange alert for Thane, Palghar, Pune, Beed, Latur, Jalna, Parbhani and several other areas in for the next five days. Ratnagiri and Raigad are on red alert.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had put all the districts on high alert and is monitoring the situation. He directed the officials to make all arrangements including the shifting of people living in vulnerable areas.

The DG said that situation in Assam is improving as the floodwater in the state was receding now.

Referring to cloudburst in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu earlier in the morning, the DG said teams have been dispatched for assistance from Manali.

"There has been a cloudburst in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu. Four-five people are missing. About 2-3 people are trapped in some house that has been washed away. Our team has been dispatched from Manali," he added.

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The Railways has terminated the services of NHSRCL Managing Director Satish Agnihotri who was in charge of the government's prestigious project, senior officials said on Thursday.

Rajendra Prasad, Director, Projects, High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has been handed over the charge for three months, the officials said.

Senior Railway officials said there were several allegations against Agnihotri, including misuse of official position and diverting funds in an unauthorised manner to a private company.

They said the decision to terminate the services of Agnihotri came following a June 2 Lokpal court order directing the CBI to probe charges of a "quid pro quo" deal allegedly struck by the former NHSRCL MD with a private company during his nine-year tenure as CMD of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL).

The Lokpal court has directed the CBI to "ascertain whether any offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, is made out" against Agnihotri and to submit the probe report to the Lokpal office within six months or before December 12, 2022.

"The competent authority has approved the termination of office of Satish Agnihotri. He has been directed to be relieved with immediate effect," read the July 7 letter of the Railway Board, addressed to the company secretary of the NHSRCL.

NHSRCL is a joint venture of the Government of India and participating states for implementing high-speed rail projects.

Officials also alleged that Agnihotri took up a job in a private firm within a year of his retirement. This was in violation of government rules which prohibits retired officials from accepting commercial employment before one year of retirement without the Centre's approval.

Sources close to Agnihotri told PTI that the senior bureaucrat has denied all the allegations and said that he had not favoured a particular company and neither did his son work in any such firm which bagged such works.

They said Agnihotri also asserted that he had written to the DoPT seeking a waiver of the one-year cooling-off period before joining the firm.

Agnihotri, when contacted, refused to speak on the matter.

Officials said the complaints against him were made by one of his batchmates after he bagged the prestigious job of heading the NHSRCL, which is the implementing agency of the government's ambitious project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

A 1982-batch IRSE officer, Agnihotri joined NHSRCL in July 2021. Earlier he was the chairman and managing director of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL).

He has over 20 years of experience in the implementation of mega rail infrastructure projects. He also held the position of chairman, High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (HSRC), a fully owned subsidiary of RVNL since its inception in July 2012 till August 2018.

HSRC was the Indian-side agency for carrying out various high-speed studies which were undertaken on a government-to-government basis with China and Spain, among others.

The Railways, which has issued an order to terminate Agnihotri's service, refused to comment officially on the charges against him.

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Odisha's transformational story is going to be a role model for the world as the state, which was known for its hunger issues in the pre-2000 era, has been ranked No. 1 in India in the domain of .

From importing rice from other states in the pre-2000 era, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's model has transformed into the No. 1 state in India in the domain of food security.

In the recently released State Ranking Index for National Food Security Act (NFSA) by the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Government of India, has been placed at the top.

Apart from successfully implementing the National Food Security Programme by providing food grains to 3.24 crore people of Odisha, the Patnaik-led state government has also more than doubled the production of food grains in the coastal state. Today, is the third largest contributor of rice to India's PDS system.

The United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) headquartered in Rome recently invited Patnaik to share the transformational progress made by Odisha in strengthening livelihood and food security, with specific focus on marginalised communities and women.

Patnaik delivered an address in the presence of United Nations' WFP Executive Director David Beasley on how over the last two decades, Odisha has been through a transformational journey in the field of food production, food security, livelihood and disaster management, among others.

The Chief Minister shared how Odisha attained food sufficiency, initiated large-scale growth-related programmes, designed and created climate-resilient livelihoods and nutrition, and focussed on partnerships so that the state consistently kept moving towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Beasley during the meeting stated how it is exciting to see Odisha's progress towards achieving 'Zero Hunger' and the other UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The UN-FWP Executive Director further praised and appreciated the transformational work of the state government in the fields of disaster management, food production and food security.

Beasley said that the success story of Odisha can provide learning insights for other similarly placed countries.

Odisha has become a role model for the world and especially for the developing nations on how to ensure food security for its people, he said.

Since the implementation of the National Food Security Act in the state in 2015, Odisha has followed it up with a robust end-to-end computerisation of TPDS operations. A digitised beneficiaries' database has been hosted in the public domain, and dynamically updated in 378 ration card management system (RCMS) centres, one each in 314 blocks and 64 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).

All the 152 food storage depots of food supplies and consumer welfare department have been fully automated with provision for real-time electronic recording of doorstep delivery of 1.87 lakh MT foodgrains per month from 12,133 fair price shops across the state.

All the fair price shops are equipped with electronic Point of Sale (e-PoS) devices which ensure distribution to PDS beneficiaries through automated mode.

The One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) programme has been implemented across the coastal state since July 2021. Around 1.10 lakh families are receiving ration through the intra-state facility every month.

--IANS

bbm/arm

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Authorities in have made elaborate security arrangements for the upcoming Kanwar Yatra, officials said on Thursday.

As part of the yatra, kanwariyas (devotees of Lord Shiva) from different parts of the country collect water from the Ganga river at Haridwar, Uttarakhand to offer at Shiva temples back home.

The yatra is scheduled to be held from July 14 to July 26 this year after a gap of two years due to the Covid pandemic. A huge influx of kanwariyas is being anticipated this time owing to the two-year break.

The district has been divided into 80 sectors and over 5,000 police and paramilitary personnel will be deployed to prevent any untoward incident during the yatra, Senior Superintendent of Police, Vineet Jaiswal told reporters.

Senior police and administration officers from neighbouring districts of as well as Haridwar held a joint meeting on Wednesday and discussed the traffic diversion plan for the yatra.

It was also decided in the meeting that was held in Haridwar that CCTV cameras will be installed at key points along the route of the yatra, they said.

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Russian shelling killed at least eight civilians in Ukraine over the past 24 hours and wounded 25 more, Ukrainian officials said Wednesday. Pro-Russia separatists said attacks by Ukrainian forces killed four civilians. The Ukrainian presidential office said Russian forces targeted cities and villages in the country's southeast, with most civilian casualties occurring in Donetsk province, where Russia stepped up its offensive in recent days.

reported 3,561 new Covid-19 infections as of midnight Wednesday, bringing the total to 4,582,302, according to the health ministry. There are nine new imported cases, with 3,552 cases being local transmissions, data released on the ministry's website showed. Five new deaths have been reported, pushing the death toll to 35,792. The ministry reported 2,035 new recoveries, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 4,514,970.
After scandals, quits as UK Prime Minister

Scandal-ridden announced on Thursday he would quit as British prime minister after he was abandoned by ministers and most of his Conservative lawmakers. Bowing to the inevitable as more than 50 ministers quit and lawmakers said he must go, an isolated and powerless Johnson spoke outside his Downing Street to confirm he would resign. Read more...

Indian startups raised $6.9bn in the June quarter, down 33% sequentially

Indian startups raised $6.9 billion in Q2 CY22 (April-June) across 409 funding rounds. This quarter's total funding declined by 33 per cent from $10.3 billion raised in Q1 CY22 (Jan-Mar), according to Tracxn Geo Quarterly Report: India Tech Q2 2022. Startup fundraising also declined on a year-on-year (YoY) basis from $10.1 billion. Read more...

hikes MCLR by 0.2% in third consecutive increase in rates

The country's largest private sector lender on Thursday announced a 0.20 per cent hike in its marginal cost of funding based lending rate across all tenors. This is the third such move by the lender in as many months since May, and takes the overall quantum of the rate hikes to 0.80 per cent. Read more...

India's coal-based rises 27% in June: Govt data

Coal-based increased by 26.58 per cent to 95,880 million units in June, as per official data. This comes in the wake of several parts of the country witnessing power outrages in the peak summer months of April and May due to shortage of coal supplies at various thermal plants. Read more...
A whopping Rs 62,476 crore has been "illegally" transferred by maker to China in order to avoid payment of taxes in India, the Enforcement Directorate said Thursday, as it claimed to have busted a major money laundering racket involving Chinese nationals and multiple Indian companies.

This money is almost half of Vivo's turnover of Rs 1.25 trillion, it said without stating the time period of the transaction.

The crackdown on the leading Chinese company came after the federal probe agency found that three Chinese nationals, all of whom "left" India during 2018-21, and one other person from that country incorporated as many as 23 companies in India in which they were also helped by a Chartered Accountant, Nitin Garg.

Among the foreigners, one identified as Bin Lou was an ex-director of and, according to the ED, he left India in April, 2018. Two others -- Zhengshen Ou and Zhang Jie -- left the country in 2021, it said.

"These (23) companies are found to have transferred huge amounts of funds to India. Further, out of the total sale proceeds of Rs 1,25,185 crore, Vivo India remitted Rs 62,476 crore or almost 50 per cent of the turnover out of India, mainly to China," the ED said in a statement.

These remittances, it added, were made in order to "disclose huge losses in Indian incorporated companies to avoid payment of taxes in India."

The action is being seen as part of the Union government's steps to tighten checks on Chinese entities and the continued crackdown on such firms and their linked Indian operatives that are allegedly indulging in serious financial crimes like money laundering and tax evasion while operating here.

The stepped-up action against the Chinese-backed companies or entities operating in India comes in the backdrop of the military stand-off between the two countries along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh that has been ongoing for more than two years now.

The statement came after the ED raided 48 locations of Vivo Mobiles India Pvt. Ltd. and its associated companies across the country on July 5.

Vivo had said on Tuesday that "as a responsible corporate, we are committed to be fully compliant with laws."

The agency said while it followed "all due procedures as per law" during the raids conducted under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), it alleged "employees of Vivo India, including some Chinese nationals, did not cooperate with the search proceedings and tried to abscond, remove and hide digital devices which were retrieved by the search teams."

Recently, Indian intelligence agencies had found that the data of domestic customers was being "illegally" transferred by Chinese companies to servers kept in that country.

The ED also said post the raids, it seized funds worth Rs 465 crore kept in 119 bank accounts by various entities involved in the case, Rs 73 lakh cash and 2 kg gold bars.

The agency filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), the ED equivalent of a police FIR, on February 3 after studying a Delhi Police FIR (registered at Kalkaji police station) of December last year against a associated company of Vivo, Grand Prospect International Communication Pvt Ltd (GPICPL), its directors, shareholders and some others professionals.

The police complaint was filed by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs alleging that GPICPL and its shareholders used "forged" identification documents and "falsified" addresses at the time of incorporation of the company in December, 2014.

This company had its registered address in Solan (Himachal Pradesh), Gandhinagar (Gujarat) and Jammu (J&K). The three Chinese nationals, mentioned above, incorporated this company while a fourth one, Zhixin Wei, also opened four companies to carry out similar transactions.

"The allegations (made by the ministry) were found to be true as the investigation revealed that the addresses mentioned by the directors of GPICPL did not belong to them, but in fact it was a government building and house of a senior bureaucrat," the ED said.

It said Vivo Mobiles Pvt Ltd was incorporated on August 1, 2014 as a subsidiary of Multi Accord Ltd, a Hong Kong-based company.

The ED identified the other 22 companies as: Rui Chuang Technologies Pvt Ltd (Ahmedabad), V Dream Technology & Communication Pvt Ltd (Hyderabad), Regenvo Mobile Pvt Ltd (Lucknow), Fangs Technology Pvt Ltd (Chennai), Weiwo Communication Pvt Ltd (Bangalore), Bubugao Communication Pvt Ltd (Jaipur), Haicheng Mobile (India) Pvt Ltd (Delhi), Joinmay Mumbai Electronics Pvt. Ltd (Mumbai), Yingjia Communication Pvt Ltd (Kolkata) and Jie Lian Mobile India Pvt. Ltd. (Indore).

The rest are Vigour Mobile India Pvt Ltd (Gurugram), Hisoa Electronic Pvt Ltd (Pune), Haijin Trade India Pvt Ltd (Kochi), Rongsheng Mobile India Pvt Ltd (Guwahati), Morefun Communication Pvt Ltd (Patna), Aohua Mobile India Pvt Ltd (Raipur), Pioneer Mobile Pvt Ltd (Bhubaneswar), Unimay Electronic Pvt Ltd (Nagpur), Junwei Electronic Pvt Ltd (Aurangabad), Huijin Electronic India Pvt Ltd (Ranchi), MGM Sales Pvt Ltd (Dehradun) and Joinmay Electronic Pvt Ltd (Mumbai).

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The government has restricted the export of flour and other related products, such as maida, rava (samolina), wholemeal atta and resultant atta. All exporters will need to seek prior permission from an inter-ministerial committee on export of before undertaking any outbound shipment. The Centre had banned the export of in May.

According to a Directorate General of Foreign Trade notification issued on July 6, the curbs will come into force from July 12.

Until July 12, those shipments will be allowed where loading on the ship had started before July 6 or the consignments were handed over to the customs department before the notification was issued.

However, unlike wheat, there has been no outright ban on the export of wheat flour and related products.

The curbs have been imposed despite some stabilisation in wheat flour prices since May 13, when wheat export was banned.

Some trade sources said exports were being curbed to ensure that fly-by-night operators and those in the market to make fast money did not export unusually high volume of wheat flour to bypass the ban on wheat export.

Wheat flour export will now be under control. Earlier the flour export was at a peak.

However, atta (wheat flour) prices have already softened, even before the ban, and now they might go down further. But it will be for a short time because the coming festival season and stopping of open market sale of wheat by the central government will keep prices supported. The fundamentals of demand and supply still support wheat and atta prices, Rahul Chauhan, commodity analyst at iGrain India told Business Standard.

According to the food ministry, India exported 95,167 tonnes of wheat flour (atta) in April 2022, which stood at around 26,000 tonnes in April 2021, a jump of almost 267 per cent.

Meanwhile, exporters of wheat products in small consumer packs of 5 and 10 kilograms have approached the commerce ministry to allow them to export freely without any curbs.

"Since, this segment of exporters have built this business in a close network with overseas buyers, if there is any restriction in export of such commodities it will be a big disaster," the small exporters said. They said around 75000 tonnes of wheat flour and related products are annually exported in small pack sizes.

Overall, In FY22, India exported a record of over 7 million tonnes of wheat, worth around $2.12 billion, which in value terms was 274 per cent more than the same period last year.

But in FY23, around 4.5 million tonnes of wheat had been contracted for exports till the time of ban, according to official records.

Of this, 1.47 million tonnes was shipped in April 2022, while in April 2021, around 0.24 million tonnes was shipped. If the exports werent banned, India could have exported around 8-10 million tonnes of wheat, according to experts.
Finance Minister on Thursday urged public sector banks to ensure smooth flow of credit to Kisan Credit Card (KCC) holders to boost rural incomes.

During the half-day long meeting with the CEOs of public sector banks, she also asked them to help Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) in technology improvement.

After the meeting, Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala said the finance minister reviewed the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme and discussed how institutional credit can be made available to the segment.

"The meeting was presided over by the finance minister and the issuance of Kisan Credit Card to all those engaged in fishing and dairying sector was discussed.

"In another session on Regional Rural Banks, it was decided that the sponsor bank should help them in digitalisation and technology improvement," Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat K Karad said.

RRBs, which play an important role in agriculture credit, are sponsored by public sector banks (PSBs).

Currently, the Centre holds 50 per cent in RRBs, while 35 per cent and 15 per cent are with the concerned sponsor banks and state governments, respectively.

Of the 43 RRBs, about one-third, especially from north-eastern and eastern regions, are in losses and they need funds to meet regulatory capital requirements of 9 per cent, sources said.

These banks were formed under the RRB Act, 1976 with an objective to provide credit and other facilities to small farmers, agricultural labourers and artisans in rural areas.

The Act was amended in 2015, whereby such banks were permitted to raise capital from sources other than the Centre, states and sponsor banks.

Last month, the had a full-day meeting with CEOs of public sector banks. Bankers were urged to sanction loans for productive sectors to accelerate the revival of the economy facing headwinds, including from the Russia-Ukraine war.

Banks were also asked to expedite non-performing assets (NPAs) resolution and focus on recovery of bad loans. The meeting on June 20 also took stock of credit growth, asset quality, and business growth plans of banks.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Finance Minister on Thursday asked the governments policy think tank to map different projects such as industrial corridors, freight corridors, National Industrial Manufacturing Zones, PLI-based industry parks, logistics parks and pharma hubs, among others to be incorporated under the GatiShakti initiative.

Chairing the first meeting of the apex monitoring authority constituted to review the activities of National Industrial Corridor Development programme, the Finance Minister said the GatiShakti national master plan was expected to bring greater coherence in all investments in infrastructure projects. She also suggested that the shipping ministry look at all seaports in the country and their linkages with industrial corridors.

Sitharaman is the chairperson of the monitoring authority. Commerce and industry minister, railway minister, shipping minister, minister of road transport and highways, vice-chairman, NITI Aayog, and chief ministers of states concerned. Chief ministers from six states  Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttarkhand, among others attended the meeting. The next meeting of the monitoring committee will be convened in November.

I would like the to map all this (industrial corridors, freight corridors, defence corridors, manufacturing zones, textile parks, logistics parks, medical and pharma hubs). Map it all and tell us where you see a possibility for bringing them under the PM Gati Shakti, the minister said.

I find many of them still lying loose and unconnected. Mapping it up will probably give a better idea of how they can all come into this scheme of things, she said, adding that has been asked to prepare the report by October-end.

She also urged Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to undertake a review of three industrial corridors in south India  the Chennai Bengaluru Industrial Corridor, Bengaluru Mumbai Industrial Corridor, and Vizag Chennai Industrial Corridor and their nodes.

For some reasons...the three corridors coming from the south have not been dealt with in an elaborate fashion, Sitharaman said.

The government is developing various industrial corridor projects as part of the National Industrial Corridor Programme, aimed at developing greenfield industrial smart cities, which can compete with the best manufacturing and investment destinations in the world.

The National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) undertakes project development activities and acts as an intermediary for development and establishment of smart and self-sustainable industrial nodes.
on Thursday said it has cancelled the license of Shri Anand Co-operative Bank, Chinchwad, as the lender does not have adequate capital and cannot pay its present depositors in full.

The bank ceases to carry on banking business, with effect from the close of business on Thursday (July 7, 2022), the (RBI) said in a statement.

The Commissioner for Cooperation and Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Maharashtra has been asked to issue an order for winding up the bank and appoint a liquidator for the bank.

As per the data submitted by the bank, more than 99 per cent of the depositors are entitled to receive full amount of their deposits from Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC), added.

"Consequent to the cancellation of its license, 'Shri Anand Co-operative Bank Ltd, Chinchwad, Pune' is prohibited from conducting the business of banking which includes, among other things, acceptance of deposits and repayment of deposits...with immediate effect," the central bank said.

Giving reasons for cancelling the license, the said the bank does not have adequate capital and earning prospects, and hence does not comply with the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

Also, the bank with its present financial position would be unable to pay its present depositors in full.

"Public interest would be adversely affected if the bank is allowed to carry on its banking business any further," the RBI said.

On liquidation, every depositor would be entitled to receive deposit insurance claim amount of his/her deposits up to Rs 5 lakh from DICGC.

As on May 18, 2022, DICGC has already paid Rs 9.42 crore of the total insured deposits, the RBI 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.)
resigned as Prime Minister following a series of resignations from his ministers who sailed him through thick and thin times of his tenure but finally said it had become too much.

Rishi Sunak, who resigned as Finance Minister two days ago, is a top contender to be the British Prime Minister. Sunak is seen by the bookmakers Ladbrokes as joint favourite alongside former Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt. He became hugely popular during the pandemic after crafting a massive package worth tens of billions of pounds to help businesses and workers.

Even before stepped out of 10 Downing Street on Thursday to deliver his resignation speech as Conservative Party leader, triggering a leadership race for a new British prime minister, the runners and riders had been lining up to compete for the top job.

Indian-origin Suella Braverman, currently the Attorney General in the Cabinet, is among the early Tory members of Parliament to formally declare her leadership bid. The 42-year-old barrister and the government's senior-most legal official is likely to command some support within the pro-Brexit wing of her party.

"I am putting myself forward because I believe that the 2019 manifesto is fit for purpose, presents a bold and inspiring vision for our country and I want to deliver on the promises contained in that manifesto. I want to embed the opportunities of Brexit and tidy up the outstanding issuesand cut taxes, said Braverman, who is of Goan ancestry.

Another fellow staunch Brexiteer, Steve Baker, also declared on air that he intends to throw his hat in the ring. He is an influential Tory backbencher who served as chair of the European Research Group, in favour of a hard Brexit deal.

But the duo are largely seen as outliers and now with Johnson's formal resignation, the other more serious bids are expected to start pouring in thick and fast.

In a latest YouGov poll of Tory party members in The Daily Telegraph', UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has emerged as the frontrunner to become the next Prime Minister.

The party's 1922 Committee is responsible for setting the timetable for a Tory leadership contest.

To take part in the race, a Tory MP has to be nominated by eight colleagues. If more than two MPs put themselves forward and secure enough nominations to run for leader, a series of secret ballots are held to whittle them down. The YouGov survey indicates that Wallace may be in pole position if he chooses to contest and then makes it to the final two candidates. He is on 13 per cent, just ahead of junior minister Penny Mordaunt on 12 per cent.

Former UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak, the Indian-origin minister who stepped down on Tuesday, is also seen as a contender and is at 10 per cent in the survey. Former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who came second in the 2019 Conservative leadership contest, is on a joint 5 per cent, alongside the new Chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi.

Zahawi, former Health and Education Secretary and most recently Chancellor in the Cabinet, is believed to have already been working with Australian political strategist Sir Lynton Crosby  the man behind Johnson's thumping general electoral win in December 2019. The 55-year-old Iraqi refugee, who arrived in the UK as an 11-year-old boy, is yet to formally declare his intention to vie for the top job but is seen as a serious contender.
The share of Chinese imports in the country's total inbound shipments has declined to 15.4 per cent in 2021-22 from 16.5 per cent in 2020-21, sources said on Thursday.

They also said the major items imported from China into India are used for meeting the demand of sectors like telecom and power.

Citing some examples, they said imports like Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and drug formulations provide Indian pharma industry raw material for producing finished goods which are also exported.

Increase in imports of information and communication technology products and medical and scientific instruments can be attributed to the surge in demand of these products during COVID-19 times.

"Moreover, the rising prices of commodities globally have also played a significant role in adding to import value," one of the sources said.

Exports to China increased marginally to USD 21.25 billion last fiscal from USD 21.18 billion in 2020-21, while imports rose to USD 94.16 billion from about USD 65.21 billion in 2020-21.

India's exports to China at USD 21.2 billion in 2021-22 were its third highest, after the US and UAE. Exports to the neighbouring country stood at USD 11.9 billion in 2014-15.

Further, sources stated that imports of mobile phones from China dropped by 55 per cent to USD 626 million in 2021-22, from USD 1.4 billion in 2020-21.

"Technical regulations have been framed for several products for maintenance of standards/quality of imported products. This will check import of sub-standard products from any country, including China," a source said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The ties between China and India have generally shown a "momentum of recovery" as the two countries have maintained communication and effectively managed their differences, Chinese Foreign Minister told his Indian counterpart during their meeting in Bali on Thursday.

During the one-hour meeting on the sidelines of a conclave of foreign ministers of the G20 nations, Jaishankar conveyed to Wang the need for an early resolution of all outstanding issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, and asserted that bilateral ties should be based on mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest.

Wang said that since March this year, China and India have maintained communication and exchanges, effectively managed differences, and the bilateral relations have generally "shown a momentum of recovery."



China and India, he said, share common interests and similar legitimate claims.

On the bilateral issues, Wang said the two countries should take practical actions to implement the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries that "the two countries are not each other's threats, but cooperation partners and development opportunities."



He also said the two countries should push for the early return of the bilateral relations to the right track and light up the bright future of the relations together.

China and India, Wang said, share common interests and similar legitimate claims, state-run Xinhua news agency reported, quoting a press release on the talks issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry here.

Apparently referring to independent stand struck by both the countries on the Ukraine issue, Wang said as the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, major countries like China and India will definitely not go with the flow but are destined to uphold strategic determination, achieve their respective development and revitalisation in accordance with the established goals, and make greater contributions to the future of mankind.

Wang said China appreciates India's support for its hosting the BRICS meetings and the High-level Dialogue on Global Development in June, and it will support India's work in 2023 as the next rotating chair of the G20 countries and of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Noting that both countries, as advocates of multilateralism, share views in areas ranging from safeguarding peace and security, boosting economic recovery, improving global governance, to jointly combating COVID-19, Wang said they should strengthen coordination and cooperation, and join efforts to make relations more democratic, order fairer, the developing countries' voices to be heard more and their legitimate interests better maintained.

In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Jaishankar reaffirmed the importance of "fully abiding" by bilateral agreements and protocols, and the understandings reached between him and Wang in their previous conversations.

"The External Affairs Minister (EAM) called for an early resolution of all the outstanding issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh," the MEA said in a statement.

It was the first meeting between the two foreign ministers since Wang visited India on March 24 and 25.

Earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian while referring to the Indian press release said "what I can say is that the China-India border area is generally stable at the moment".

"The two sides have agreed to follow the important common understandings reached by the two leaders and the agreements signed by both sides, and properly resolve issues related to the Western sector of the China-India boundary in line with the principle of mutual and equal security," he said.

"China and India are each other's important neighbours. The two sides have the will and capability of jointly maintaining peace and tranquility in the China-India border areas," he said.

The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area.

The face-off escalated after the Galwan Valley clashes on June 15, 2020. Both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area.

(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.)
is witnessing a noticeable rebound in the Covid-19 infections as the country's Health Ministry reported 4,819 new cases, the highest daily hike since February 8.

The newly registered cases raised the nationwide caseload to 2,369,272, while the death toll from the virus rose by two to 25,249, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement by the ministry.

The Iraqi health authority warned recently against a new wave of Covid-19 infections, citing high vaccine hesitancy and lack of public attention to preventive measures.

has been pushing forward its vaccination drive since the drug authority approved vaccines in January 2021.

The ministry also confirmed 39 new cases of cholera, bringing the total infections in the latest cholera outbreak to 208. The ministry urged citizens to follow health instructions, pay attention to personal hygiene, and drink only sterilised water.

On June 19, the ministry reported the first 13 cases of cholera.

--IANS

int/shs

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Drugmaker & Co is in advanced talks to buy cancer-focused biotech company Seagen Inc in a deal that could be worth roughly $40 billion or more, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

The are discussing a price above $200 a share for Seagen, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

At Wednesday's closing share price of $175, Seagen has a market capitalisation of $32.24 billion, according to Refinitiv data.

did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment outside business hours, while Seagen declined to comment.

Seagen's shares rose about 5% to $184 in premarket trading, while fell 1%.

It makes sense if Merck can close the deal at $250 or below as the acquisition will help the drugmaker fortify its portfolio ahead of top money-spinner Keytruda losing its marketing exclusivity, Wells Fargo analyst Mohit Bansal said.

Cancer drug Keytruda, set to lose exclusivity in 2028, generated sales of $17.2 billion in 2021 and accounted for 35.2% of Merck's total revenue.

Seagen has several clinical-stage oncology candidates, as well as four approved drugs including breast cancer therapy Tukysa, which together brought in more than $1 billion in revenue last year.

The are seeking to seal the deal on or before the announcement of Merck's second-quarter earnings set for July 28, according to the WSJ report.

The acquisition talks come at a time when several big corporate deals have been shelved as a downturn in equity markets hurts company valuations, while rising borrowing costs make deal financing costlier and harder to access.

Walgreens Boots Alliance in June scrapped its plan to sell its UK pharmacy chain Boots, while U.S. department store chain Kohl's last week called off its sale to Franchise Group after months of negotiations.

Bansal, however, said Merck's balance sheet capacity would not be an issue for the deal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The EU and the US accuse of creating a global crisis with its invasion. Yale history professor Timothy Snyder even finds ominous historical parallels between the current goings-on and the famine in  and parts of  caused by the Bolshevik collectivization in the early 1930s. Putin has a hunger plan, Snyder recently tweeted.

The invasion has certainly delivered a series of shocks to global commodity markets that have threatened the security of the most vulnerable countries, especially African ones. These shocks, however, appear to have more to do with energy prices and freight insurance rates than with the disruption of Ukrainian agricultural exports  which does its best to maintain despite near-impossible conditions. And if Putin does have a hunger plan, he recently shot himself in the foot by lowering Russias grain export duties. That move and forecasts of a bumper harvest in a number of countries have been driving wheat prices down; its likely that an acute crisis will be avoided this year and next.

To try to shed some light on whats been going on, Ill use the example of wheat, probably the worlds most important food crop, of which both and Ukraine are major exporters.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ukraine was responsible for 8.2 per cent of total wheat exports in the June 1, 2020  May 31, 2021 marketing year and 9.5 per cent of estimated total exports in the 2021-2022 marketing year. The wars effects have only kicked in in the last two months, with Ukraines share of exports shrinking to less than 5 per cent of the total. According to Ukrainian government data, the drop has been much steeper: In June, wheat exports shrank by a factor of five year-on-year. In any case, even with its Black Sea ports blocked or occupied, Ukraine has kept up a considerable export stream. Deputy Infrastructure Minister Mustafa Nayyem recently posted on his Telegram channel that since the war began, physical cargo volumes sent from Ukraine to Romania have increased 460 per cent; agricultural cargoes taken by rail to the Romanian port of Constanta account for the bulk of that increase.

What the world has lost with the drop in Ukrainian exports, it has more or less made up from other sources. Canada, the European Union and, yes, Russia too have all increased their shares of global wheat exports in the last two months. The USDA projects an actual increase in exports this marketing year, to 204.6 million metric tons from 203.3 million tons in 2021/2022 and 199.3 million tons the year before.

Total wheat production is likely to drop somewhat, largely because of extreme temperatures in India. But neither the production projections nor the USDA estimates of year-end stocks foretell anything like a global wheat shortage.

This doesnt mean the poorest consumers in Africa arent vulnerable. European wheat is more expensive than at any point since 2011; Russian wheat was last this costly in 2013. Though there is no grain shortage, a jump in fuel costs  caused in part by Vladimir Putins military adventure in Ukraine  has driven up prices and imposed a heavy financial burden on importers. Transportation costs have increased  because of the fuel prices for everyone, and because of a jump in insurance costs for Russian producers. According to the UN, between February and May the cost of shipping dry goods such as grain has rocketed 60 per cent. Costlier shipping and Russian companies difficulties in finding insurers and shippers further threaten the global food supply by undercutting fertilizer exports, in which Russia leads the world. The U.S. has even offered to send comfort letters to vessel owners leery of handling Russian grain and fertilizer because of the threat of Western sanctions.

Western politicians who lay the blame at Putins door are fundamentally right: A Russian withdrawal from Ukraine would quickly fix the disruption and drive down prices. The ostracism Russia has faced from Western governments and companies is not some kind of whim  its a response to unprovoked aggression against a neighboring state and a string of what can only be described as war crimes. Putin has shown no qualms about using economic blackmail against countries he considers hostile  witness the reduction of gas supplies to Europe  so theres every reason to suspect him of using Russias leadership in wheat and fertilizer trade to pressure rival nations and drive a wedge between the West and Middle Eastern and African food importers. There are also lingering doubts about Putins rationality: No potential gain from the invasion is worth the cost its imposing on Russia and its people.

And yet, in a flashback to his erstwhile economic craftiness, Putin appears to be trying to balance his desire to hurt the West against collateral damage to large groups of Russians. While about 460,000 people work for the national gas producer, Gazprom, and they wont suffer much from the gas export cut-offs, Russia, according to official statistics, has about 10 times as many farmers who would be hit hard by the inability to export their produce.

Besides, Russias status as the worlds biggest wheat exporter is hard-won. Its a point of pride oft-mentioned in Putins speeches because Russia gained it during his tenure. The Soviet Union had been a major grain importer, and it took decades to turn around the situation. By all appearances, Putin wants Russian wheat exports to continue unabated: As of this month, the Russian government has lowered export duties on grain and other agricultural products, making them payable in rubles rather than U.S. dollars. The measure is making it possible for Russian suppliers to lower prices so that the country doesnt lose global market share because of the war-related risks of dealing with it  including the risk of buying stolen Ukrainian grain.

Global wheat prices are already down considerably from the dizzy heights they reached earlier this year. The September wheat futures contract is down 35 per cent from its May peak. Seasonal factors and rosy harvest projections are responsible for much of the decline, but the Russian move also has been priced in. The market may well balance at levels that will prevent a full-blown food crisis and a famine in the most vulnerable nations.

Global food security is under a lot of stress from a growing population, climate change and various political threats, as my Bloomberg View colleague David Fickling recently pointed out. Food should be a clear exception from all kinds of economic wars. While its pointless, at least for now, to negotiate with Putin on ending the invasion  he shows zero willingness to compromise on that front  his administration hasnt quite shed the remnants of economic rationality, and it still makes sense to negotiate improved conditions for Russian grain and fertilizer exports in exchange for Ukraines unhindered access to the global commodity market. Any energy embargoes, too, should be considered through the lens of their potential effect on the worlds food supply. Its painful to many  including me  that allowing Russias export trade to continue as before funds Putins war effort and multiplies human suffering. But cutting Russia out of the food supply equation is hardly realistic. Plenty of other ways exist to make the Putin regime pay for the outrage it has wreaked on Ukraine, such as the confiscation of Russias reserves to pay for the ravaged nations reconstruction.

No one, not even Putin, wants or needs a 21-century version of Ukraines holodomor of 90 years ago. Its a disaster the world has a good chance of avoiding  at the price of some pretty obvious moral ambiguity.
A activist said Thursday he launched more huge balloons carrying COVID-19 relief items toward North Korea, days after the North vowed to sternly deal with such activities and made a highly questionable claim they were a source of the virus.

South Korean experts doubt North Korea's moves to blame South Korean balloons and say the intent might be to incite anti- sentiments and ease public complaints over its handling of the outbreak. The coronavirus is spread by people in close contact who inhale airborne droplets, and the expert consensus is that the spread of the virus from surfaces is virtually impossible.

Park Sang-hak, a North Korean defector-turned-activist, said his group floated 20 balloons carrying 20,000 masks and tens of thousands of vitamin C and fever-reducing tablets from a South Korean border town on Wednesday. He said he sent similar aid items by balloon across the inter-Korean border twice last month.

Park previously flew balloons to distribute anti- propaganda leaflets, U.S. one-dollar bills and USB sticks containing information about the outside world. But he said he'll now focus on sending medical relief items because North Koreans urgently need them.

Since in May admitted to an omicron outbreak of the virus, its state media said about 4.8 million North Koreans have developed fevers but only 74 have died. Experts doubt the figures are accurate and speculate its disclosure of an extremely low death count is tooled to prevent political damage to leader .

Last week, state media said the outbreak had been traced to residents who had contact with alien things in a town near the border and that authorities have been ordered to vigilantly deal with alien things coming by wind and other climate phenomena and balloons.

Some outside experts, however, believe the omicron variant entered when it briefly reopened its northern border with China for freight traffic in January. Observers say the virus spread further when many North Koreans travelled to Pyongyang for massive public events marking state anniversaries in April and returned home.

The one who spread COVID-19 is . But since public sentiments are really bad, he's trying to put all the blame on us, Park said. How can materials spread COVID-19?



Park is standing trial for a past leafleting campaign under a contentious South Korean law criminalising such activities that took effect last year.

Park said he hasn't been contacted by authorities about his recent ballooning activities. Police said Thursday they are investigating Park's recent balloon launches but refused to provide further details.

North Korea is extremely sensitive to outside attempts to criticise Kim's rule to people who has little access to information from foreign sources. In 2014, North Korea fired at balloons flying toward its territory, and in 2020 it destroyed an empty South Korean-built liaison office in the North to express its anger over leafleting.

(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.)
is stepping back from his main roles at Group Corp., marking the exit of one of the key architects of the Japanese conglomerates sometimes chaotic evolution into the worlds largest technology investor.



A key lieutenant of SoftBanks founder Masayoshi Son, Misra will retain a senior position with the groups first $100 billion Vision Fund, but relinquish other roles, people familiar with the matter said.

Misra recently held talks with Son in Tokyo, during which he told his boss of his plans to leave to pursue his own venture, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information.

Hes already secured more than $6 billion in backing, including from Middle East investors, for a new fund thatll target a mix of strategies, the people said. Akshay Naheta, a former colleague of Misra, is set to join the venture, they said.

Deliberations are ongoing and no final decisions on the funds size or the timing of its launch have been made, according to the people. Plans could also still falter, they said. A representative for confirmed Misras decision to step back.

Misra will continue as CEO of the initial Vision Fund, and become vice chairman of SoftBanks wider investment arm, with Son taking over Misras positions, according to an internal memo seen by Bloomberg.

Misras decision to step back at will complete a hollowing out of the conglomerates most senior investing ranks, which had been bolstered over the years by a raft of hires from bulge-bracket banks.

The 60-year-old former Deutsche Bank AG made the Vision Fund one of the biggest champions of high-flying Silicon Valley startups before public stumbles and internal strife dimmed its star. The funds attempts to regain its footing have been hampered by a drop in tech valuations, which resulted in a record loss for SoftBank in the quarter ended in March.

After joining Deutsche Bank in 1997, Misra rose through the ranks to become a key deputy to then CEO Anshu Jain. After short spells at UBS Group AG and Fortress Investment Group, Misra landed at SoftBank in 2014. Hed already built a relationship with Son by helping him to finance difficult deals.

The original Vision Fund would gather almost $100 billion, including $45 billion from Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund, as well as capital from Apple Inc., the government of Abu Dhabi and . Under the aegis of Misra and other former Deutsche Bank executives, Vision Fund helped start the trend of investing massive amounts in startups -- which caused valuations to soar.

In its first year of investing, Vision Fund committed $65 billion to acquire big stakes in the likes of Uber Technologies Inc., WeWork, and Slack Technologies Inc.

But bets began to sour. SoftBanks investment in WeWork collapsed, eventually leading the investor to bail out the remote working startup. A complex side-deal with Wirecard AG, which netted SoftBank executives a significant profit, led to criticism after the German payments firm also failed.

While deploying a wave of capital at startups, Misra also clashed with senior rivals including former chief operating officer Marcelo Claure and president Nikesh Arora, ultimately outlasting them both.
Testing continues to be a challenge for the monkeypox virus that has infected more than 6,000 people in 58 countries, both endemic and non-endemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

Low testing means that cases go undetected, further increasing the risk of community spread, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a press briefing on Wednesday.

He said the WHO is closely following the cases and "the scale and spread of the virus" is concerning.

"Across the world, there have now been more than 6,000 cases recorded in 58 countries. Testing remains a challenge and it's highly probable that there are a significant number of cases not being picked up," Ghebreyesus said.

Medical experts in the US and UK had earlier voiced concerns against slow testing.

American actor Matt Ford who became the first person ever with monkeypox infection to go public, also blasted the US government for the slow "pace of vaccines and testing".

"The slow response is pretty unacceptable," Ford said.

Monkeypox occurs mostly in central and western Africa, where the virus is endemic. But as part of the latest outbreak, the virus has spread to many regions of the world where it is not typically seen.

Europe has been the current epicentre of the outbreak, recording more than 80 per cent of the cases globally.

In Africa, "cases are appearing in countries not previously affected and record numbers are being recorded in places which have previous experience with monkeypox", Ghebreyesus said.

Meanwhile, the WHO chief said he plans to "reconvene the Emergency Committee" later this month that can deliberate on declaring the virus a global health emergency.

In the last meeting of the Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee, held on June 23, it resolved by consensus that at this stage the outbreak should be determined to not constitute a public health emergency of concern (PHEIC).

The highest level of warning by the UN health agency currently applies only to the Covid-19 pandemic and polio.It has said the virus is "unusual and concerning" and an "evolving threat" but does not currently present a global health emergency.

"My teams are following the data closely, I plan to reconvene the Emergency Committee so they are updated on the current epidemiology and evolution of the outbreak, and implementation of counter measures," the WHO chief said.

"I will bring them together during the week of 18 July or sooner if needed," he added.

The global health agency is also working with countries and vaccine manufacturers to coordinate the sharing of vaccines, which are currently scarce and need to be accessible to the most at-risk people.

Ghebreyesus applauded people who are going public with the disease, and said that the WHO is working "closely with civil society and LGBTIQ+ community" to break stigmas around the virus and spread information so people can protect themselves.

--IANS

rvt/ksk/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Foreign analysts say may be temporarily easing its offensive in as the Russian military attempts to reassemble its forces for a renewed assault.

On Wednesday, Russian forces made no claimed or assessed territorial gains in for the first time in 133 days of war, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

The think tank based in Washington suggested that Moscow may be taking an operational pause that does not entail "the complete cessation of active hostilities."



Russian forces will likely confine themselves to relatively small-scale offensive actions as they attempt to set conditions for more significant offensive operations and rebuild the combat power needed to attempt those more ambitious undertakings, the institute said.

Shelling continued in Ukraine's east, where at least nine civilians were killed and six wounded in 24 hours, Ukrainian officials said.

Ukraine's presidential office said in its Thursday morning update that cities and villages in seven Ukrainian regions were shelled in the past day.

Most of the civilian deaths occurred in Donetsk province, where fighting is ongoing. Seven civilians were killed there, including a child, the presidential office said.

Ten cities and villages came under shelling in Donetsk, and 35 buildings were destroyed, including a school, a vocational college and a hospital, officials said.

Donetsk is part of the Donbas, a mostly Russian-speaking industrial area where Ukraine's most experienced soldiers are concentrated.

Pro-Russian separatists have fought Ukrainian forces and controlled much of the Donbas for eight years.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of two self-proclaimed republics there just before invaded on Feb. 24.

Putin on Monday claimed victory in Luhansk, the other province constituting the Donbas, after Ukrainian forces withdrew from the last city they controlled there.

The governor of Luhansk, Serhiy Haidai, denied Wednesday that the Russians had completely captured the province.

In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, a boarding school was hit, but no one was injured. The Kharkiv region, which lies along the border with Russia, is under daily shelling, and two civilians were killed there over the past 24 hours.

The Ukrainian military said Thursday that Russian forces also carried out shelling and helicopter strikes in the Sumy region in the northeast.

Even as the fighting continued, the British Defense Ministry said it thinks Russia's military is reconstituting its forces.

A ministry intelligence assessment issued Thursday said the heavy shelling along the front line in Donetsk is likely intended to secure previous Russian gains.

The British ministry noted a new law under consideration the Russian parliament to give the government special economic powers amid the war.

The law would allow to avoid acknowledging it is engaged in a war or its failure to overcome Ukraine's military that was outnumbered and outgunned, the ministry said.

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Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said that over 21,000 war crimes and crimes of aggression allegedly committed by Russia since it began its invasion of Kiev on February 24 is being investigated.

Speaking to the BBC on Wednesday, Venediktova claimed that she was receiving reports of between 200 to 300 war crimes on a daily basis.

She admitted that many trials would be held in absentia, but stressed that it was "a question of justice" to continue with the prosecutions.

Venediktova told the BBC that Russian soldiers who killed, tortured or raped civilians "should understand that it's only a question of time when they all will be in court".

She said that although her team was working in regions across Ukraine, it was unable to investigate all cases "properly and effectively" because of a lack of access to some people and areas.

In May, Venediktova had said that about 600 suspects had already been identified and 80 prosecutions had begun.

The first Russian soldier to be put on trial in Ukraine, Sgt Vadim Shishimarin, was sentenced to life in prison for killing a civilian.

The Criminal Court has described Ukraine as a "crime scene", dispatching its largest team of detectives ever to the country to assist in multiple investigations.

Russia has however, repeatedly denied all war crimes allegations and claims of targeting civilians.

--IANS

ksk/

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Ukrainian forces raised their national flag on a recaptured Black Sea island on Thursday in a symbol of defiance against Moscow, but Russian forces consolidated gains in eastern and probed the defences of potential new targets.

responded to the flag-raising ceremony fast. It said one of its warplanes had struck Snake Island shortly afterwards and destroyed part of the Ukrainian detachment there.

The tiny island, located about 140 km (90 miles) south of the Ukrainian port of Odesa, is strategically important as it guards sea lanes. Russia abandoned it at the end of June in what it said was a gesture of goodwill - a victory for that Kyiv hoped could loosen Moscow's blockade of Ukrainian ports.

Images released by Ukraine's interior ministry on Thursday showed three Ukrainian soldiers raising the blue and yellow national flag on a patch of ground on Snake Island next to the remains of a flattened building.

"Glory to Ukrainian soldiers," the ministry said on Twitter.

Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, suggested the moment was one that would be repeated across in the coming months.

"The flag of Ukraine is on Snake Island. Ahead of us are many more such videos from Ukrainian cities that are currently under temporary occupation," he wrote on Telegram.

Russia's missile strike on the island's new residents had caused significant damage to its dock, Odesa regional administration spokesman Serhiy Bratchuk said.

Bratchuk said a further two Russian missiles had hit and destroyed two grain stores in his region containing 35 tons of grain.

In Moscow, the Russian defence ministry said several Ukrainian troops had landed on the island before dawn and taken pictures with the flag.

"An aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces immediately launched a strike with high-precision missiles on Snake Island, as a result of which part of the Ukrainian military personnel was destroyed," ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.

Snake Island became a symbol of Ukraine's refusal to bend to Russia's will early in the war after Ukrainian forces stationed there delivered a salty riposte when asked by the commander of a Russian ship to surrender.

'Operational Pause?'

Russian forces in eastern Ukraine meanwhile kept up pressure on Ukrainian troops trying to hold the line along the northern borders of the Donetsk region, in preparation for an anticipated wider new offensive against it.

After taking the city of Lysychansk on Sunday and effectively cementing their total control of Ukraine's Luhansk region, has made clear it is planning to capture parts of the neighbouring Donetsk region which it has not yet seized.

Kyiv still controls some large cities.

Donetsk regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko, who has complained of intense Russian shelling in recent days, wrote on Telegram that seven civilians had been killed by Russia in the region over the last 24 hours.

Reuters could not independently verify his assertion and Russia's defence ministry says it does not target civilians and uses high precision weapons to eliminate military threats.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said Russian forces were moving more units into the Luhansk region in order to consolidate Moscow's control there.

Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday that fighting was underway on the northern border between the Luhansk and Donetsk regions as Russian forces tried to make new inroads.

But after Russian President said he wanted troops involved in capturing the Luhansk region to rest, a full offensive has yet to materialise.

The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War said Russia did not appear to have taken any new territory since its capture of Lysychank on Sunday.

It assessed that "Russian forces are conducting an operational pause while still engaging in limited ground attacks to set conditions for more significant offensive operations".

Putin launched his invasion on Feb. 24, calling it a "special military operation", to demilitarise Ukraine, root out what he said were dangerous nationalists and protect Russian speakers in that country.

Ukraine and its allies say Russia launched an imperial-style land grab, starting the biggest conflict in Europe since World War Two.

After failing to seize the capital Kyiv early, Russia is now waging a war of attrition for Ukraine's Donbas region which comprises the Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

Russia says it wants to wrest control of the eastern and heavily industrial region on behalf of Moscow-backed separatists in two self-proclaimed peopleas republics.

Ukraine has repeatedly pleaded with the West to send more weapons to end a conflict that has killed thousands, displaced millions, and flattened cities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his nightly video message that his forces now had some of what they needed.

"At last, Western artillery has started to work powerfully, the weapons we are getting from our partners. And their accuracy is exactly what is needed," he said.

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The "oppressive" against should be lifted in such a way that all countries can easily invest in while maintaining their long-term interests, Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), has said.

Shamkhani made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Xinhua news agency reported, citing Iran's Nour News.

will be committed to diplomacy until the realisation of its legal rights in nuclear talks, he was quoted as saying.

Al Thani's visit to Tehran followed the recent indirect talks between Iran and the US in Doha over their differences on reviving the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear program 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.

--IANS

int/shs

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resigned as Britain's prime minister on Thursday, bringing an end to a turbulent two and half years in office and triggering a search for a new leader.

Below is a summary of some of those who could be in the frame to replace him. However, there is no clear favourite and they are not listed in order of likely prospects.

Liz Truss



The foreign secretary is the darling of the ruling Conservative Party's grassroots and has regularly topped polls of party members carried out by the website Conservative Home.

Truss has a carefully cultivated public image and was photographed in a tank last year, echoing a famous 1986 photo of Britain's first female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher.

The 46-year-old spent the first two years of Johnson's premiership as trade secretary, championing Brexit, and last year was appointed as Britain's lead negotiator with the European Union.

Truss said on Monday that Johnson had her "100% backing" and she urged colleagues to support him.

Jeremy Hunt



The former foreign secretary, 55, finished second to Johnson in the 2019 leadership contest. He would offer a more serious and less controversial style of leadership after the turmoil of Johnson's premiership.

Over the last two years, Hunt has used his experience as a former health secretary to chair parliament's health select committee and has not been tarnished by having served in the current government.

Earlier this year, he said his ambition to become prime minister "hasn't completely vanished". Hunt said he voted to oust Johnson in a confidence vote last month that the prime minister narrowly won.

Ben Wallace



Defence minister Ben Wallace, 52, has risen in recent months to be the most popular member of the government with Conservative Party members, according to Conservative Home, thanks to his handling of the Ukraine crisis.

A former soldier, he was mentioned in dispatches in 1992 for an incident in which the patrol he was commanding captured an Irish Republican Army guerrilla unit suspected of trying to carry out a bomb attack on British troops.

He began his political career as a member of Scotland's devolved assembly in May 1999, before being first elected to the Westminster parliament in 2005.

He was security minister from 2016 until taking on his current role three years later, winning plaudits as his department evacuated British nationals and allies from Afghanistan last year, and for sending weapons to Kyiv.

Rishi Sunak



Sunak, who resigned as finance minister on Tuesday saying the British public "rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously", was until last year the favourite to succeed Johnson.

He was praised for a COVID-19 economic rescue package, including a costly jobs retention programme that averted mass unemployment.

But Sunak later faced criticism for not giving enough cost-of-living support to households. Revelations about his wealthy wife's non-domiciled tax status and a fine he received, along with Johnson, for breaking COVID lockdown rules have damaged his standing.

His tax-and-spend budget last year put Britain on course for its biggest tax burden since the 1950s, undermining his claims to favour lower taxes.

Sajid Javid



Javid was the first cabinet minister to resign in protest over accusations that Johnson misled the public over what he knew about sexual harassment allegations against a Conservative lawmaker.

A former banker and a champion of free markets, Javid has served in a number of cabinet roles, most recently as health minister. He resigned as Johnson's finance minister in 2020.

The son of Pakistani Muslim immigrant parents, he is a Thatcher admirer and finished fourth in the 2019 leadership contest to replace former Prime Minister Theresa May.

Nadhim Zahawi



The newly appointed finance minister impressed as vaccines minister when Britain had one of the world's fastest rollouts of COVID jabs.

Zahawi's personal story as a former refugee from Iraq who came to Britain as a child sets him apart from other contenders.

He co-founded polling company YouGov before entering parliament in 2010. His last job was as education secretary.

Zahawi said last week that it would be a "privilege" to be prime minister at some stage.

Penny Mordaunt



The former defence secretary was sacked by Johnson when he became prime minister after she endorsed his rival Hunt during the last leadership contest.

Mordaunt was a passionate supporter of leaving the European Union and made national headlines by taking part in a now-defunct reality TV diving show.

Currently a junior trade minister, Mordaunt called the lockdown-breaking parties in government "shameful". She had previously expressed loyalty to Johnson.

Tom Tugendhat



The chair of parliament's foreign affairs committee, and a former soldier who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, has already indicated he would run in any leadership contest.

He has been a regular critic of Johnson and would offer his party a clean break with previous governments.

However, he is relatively untested because he has never served in cabinet.

Suella Braverman



A Brexit-backing Attorney General, Braverman has indicated she will run for the leadership. She was heavily criticised by lawyers during her tenure after the government sought to break law over post-Brexit trade rules in Northern Ireland.

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Canara Bank is quoting at Rs 204.3, up 5.99% on the day as on 12:44 IST on the NSE. The stock is up 34.58% in last one year as compared to a 2.32% jump in NIFTY and a 4.64% jump in the Nifty Pharma.

Canara Bank is up for a fifth straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 204.3, up 5.99% on the day as on 12:44 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 0.64% on the day, quoting at 16092.25. The Sensex is at 54089.93, up 0.63%. Canara Bank has slipped around 3.13% in last one month.

Meanwhile, Nifty Pharma index of which Canara Bank is a constituent, has slipped around 0.18% in last one month and is currently quoting at 2514.65, up 2.99% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 127.08 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 68.45 lakh shares in last one month.

The benchmark July futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 204.8, up 5.87% on the day. Canara Bank is up 34.58% in last one year as compared to a 2.32% jump in NIFTY and a 4.64% jump in the Nifty Pharma index.

The PE of the stock is 6.18 based on TTM earnings ending March 22.

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Kalyan Jewellers India rose 4% to Rs 63.65 after the company said that it achieved consolidated revenue growth of over 105% in Q1 FY23 as compared to the same period in the previous financial year.

The company said it witnessed continued robust momentum in both footfalls and revenue across all our markets in India and Middle East.

The jewellery retailer said it witnessed revenue growth of over 115% for India operations during the recently concluded quarter, as compared to Q1 FY22. The firm continues to see strong operating momentum in India business, driven by the resilience of its category.

Kalyan Jewellers said that its business has been a significant beneficiary of the shift in demand from the unorganised to the organised segment, further benefitted by the strength of its brand, depth of retail and MyKalyan networks and the agility of its business model through the pandemic. This has been evidenced by the significant growth in the business through COVID, with the last twelve months of revenues in India being 35% higher as compared to FY 20 revenue (pre-COVID), it added.

The company saw an improvement in gross margin for Q1 FY23 year over year, driven largely by increase in the studded mix and share of business from non-south markets, although gross margins have remained at similar levels from the prior quarter.

The jewellery company said that in Q1 FY23 the firm has launched its first franchised showroom in Aurangabad. The company has developed a strategy and execution roadmap for franchise operations, including working with a consultant to assess the market opportunity, develop a robust economic model and assess potential franchisee partners. Successful launch of the first set of pilot showrooms will give the confidence to further enhance the pace of expansion through this significantly more capital efficient and return accretive path, the company added.

In the Middle East, the company saw a strong revenue momentum driven largely by the overall recovery in the economic activity in the region and the return of tourist traffic, which has been visible over the past several quarters. Revenue growth for the recently concluded quarter was over 65%. Kalyan Jewellers said, unlike in India, during Q1 FY22, showroom operations in the Middle East remained uninterrupted even though demand was impacted to some extent due to travel restrictions to India. The growth in Q1 FY23 was predominantly same-store-sales driven, since the company added only one showroom (during May 2022) in the region during the last 12 months. Middle East contributed 17% to the firm's consolidated revenue for the recently concluded quarter.

The online jewellery platform, Candere, recorded a revenue growth of over 80% during the quarter, compared to the same period during the last year, demonstrating continued positive traction in our digitally-oriented initiatives, particularly around e-commerce.

Kalyan Jewellers India has added 4 new showrooms (3 in non-south and 1 in Middle East) during the recently concluded quarter, including its first franchised showroom in Aurangabad. As of 30 June 2022, the total number of showrooms across India and the Middle East stood at 158.

Headquartered in Thrissur in the state of Kerala, Kalyan Jewellers is one the largest jewellery retailers in India with a presence in the Middle East. It offers an array of traditional and contemporary jewellery designs in gold, diamonds and precious stones catering to the distinct needs of the customers. Kalyan Jewellers has 154 showrooms across India and the Middle East.

The company's consolidated net profit fell 2.55% to Rs 72.29 crore on 6.53% decline in net sales to Rs 2,857.06 crore in Q4 FY22 over Q4 FY21.

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Power Grid Corporation of India said that its board approved a proposal to raise upto Rs 6,000 crore from the domestic market.

The company plans to raise funds through issue of secured/unsecured, non-convertible, non-cumulative/cumulative, redeemable, taxable/tax-free debentures/bonds under private placement during FY2023-24 in up to 20 tranches.

The board also approved to sanction of Rupee Term Loan of upto Rs 5000 crore from commercial bank to meet capital expenditure and other business requirements.

Separately, the board according investment approval for Transmission Network Expansion in Gujrat to increase ATC from ISTS: Part B at an estimated cost of Rs 4,546.26 crore scheduled to be commissioned by June, 2023.

The board also sacntioned investment for Transmission Network Expansion in Gujrat to increase ATC from ISTS: Part C at an estimated cost of Rs 186.19 crore scheduled to be commissioned matching with establishment of 400/220kV Prantij S/s and 400kV Sankhari- Prantij D/c line by GETCO (presently expected by March, 2025).

The board also approved Western Region Expansion Scheme XXVI at an estimated cost of Rs 127.61 crore scheduled to be commissioned matching with downstream 220kV lines being implemented by MSETCL (presently expected by June, 2024 ).

Further, the board approved incorporation of the Joint Venture Company between Power Grid Corporation of India and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) with equity participation of 50:50 by both JV partners for implementation of Indian Portion of New Butwal - Gorakhpur 400 kV Double Circuit (Quad Moose) Cross Border Transmission Line.

Power Grid Corporation of India has been established by the Government of India (GoI) as the central transmission utility of India. As of 31 March 2022, the Government of India owned 51.34% stake in the company.

On a consolidated basis, the company's net profit rose 17.9% to Rs 4,156.44 crore on a 1.7% rise in net sales to Rs 10,686 crore in Q4 FY22 over Q4 FY21.

Shares of Power Grid Corporation of India were up 0.90% to Rs 212.50 on the BSE.

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Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray faced major setback as 66 Shiv Sena corporators in the Thane Municipal Corporation switched sides on 7 July 2022 and joined the Eknath Shinde camp.

The media reported that on Wednesday (6 July 2022) night, the 66 rebel corporators met with new Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at his home.

The Thane corporation is the most important municipal corporation after Mumbai Municipal Corporation.

A large number of corporators leaving the party is seen as a big blow to Uddhav Thackeray considering the upcoming elections of municipal corporations, municipalities, and Zila Parishads in the state.

The Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray resigned from the post of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on 29 June 2022, minutes after the Supreme Court of India refused to intervene with the Maharashtra Governor's direction for a trust vote.

A day after Thackeray resigned, Shinde, backed by 40 rebel Sena MLAs and Independents, took oath as the chief minister of the state, while senior BJP leader and former CM Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as his deputy.

Shiv Sena broke the pre-poll alliance with BJP and joined hands with NCP and Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra after the 2019 assembly elections.

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The (AAP) on Thursday accused Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena of calling Delhiites "thieves" and demanded an apology for asking people to pay taxes to the civic body "honestly".

It asked the lieutenant governor to stop behaving like "a BJP worker and abusing Delhiites".

The party's reaction came a day after Saxena in a tweet said the past financial mismanagement and non-payment of "any property tax" by 75 per cent residents of the city made the municipal corporation of Delhi "go in red", and asked them to pay their dues honestly to make the civic body financially stable.

"It's a black day in the history of Delhi. The LG called people of Delhi thieves," AAP leader Durgesh Pathak said at a press conference.

He dubbed Saxena's remarks "very irresponsible" and said the Delhi government's budget under Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal increased from Rs 25,000 crore in 2015 to Rs 70,000 crore at present because Delhites pay their taxes honestly.

The municipal corporation is facing a financial crisis today, not because of any dishonesty on the part of Delhiites in payment of taxes but the BJP's corrupt regime in the civic body," Pathak, the newly elected Rajinder Nagar MLA, alleged.

"By the grace of God, you (LG) are sitting in a very responsible position. Delhites only want cleanliness. There is no problem in paying taxes," Pathak said.

"You should apologise for making such an irresponsible statement. You should not be using such language. Delhites would not tolerate," he added.

The Delhi LG had on Wednesday invited suggestions from the public to improve the MCD's poor financial health and also urged people to "honestly pay" their property taxes and dues.

Taking to Twitter, he said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's (MCD) cash deficit stood at Rs 2,756.32 crore between financial years 2019-2020 and 2021-22.

"MCD services 94% of Delhi. Past financial mismanagement & non payment of any property tax by 75% residents has made it go in RED. It's time we-one of richest cities in India, pay our dues to MCD honestly. Your suggestions & participation will help achieve this," he had tweeted.

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will visit on Friday, his first tour of the national capital after taking oath of his new office last month, an official said on Thursday.

According to his tour itinerary, Shinde, who was sworn in as chief minister on June 30, will take a government chartered flight for on Friday evening. However, his engagements in the national capital were not disclosed.

He will leave for Pune on Saturday evening and proceed to the temple town of Pandharpur for taking part in the 'Ashadi Ekadashi' maha puja on early Sunday morning. Pandharpur in Solapur district houses a famous temple dedicated to Lord Vitthal and Goddess Rukmini. It has been a long-standing tradition in Maharashtra for the chief minister of the day and his spouse to attend the early morning prayers at the temple on 'Ashadi Ekadashi', a prominent Hindu festival. Shinde's visit comes ahead of the July 11 hearing in the Supreme Court on a petition seeking disqualification of 15 rebel MLAs. Rebellion by a section of Sena MLAs, led by Shinde, resulted in the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government last month.

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Amid the local body elections, Chief Minister on Wednesday said that when was the Chief Minister, he used to threaten police and administration and continues to do so.

While speaking at a public meeting in Raisen in Madhya Pradesh, Chouhan said, "Even when was the CM, he used to threaten police and administration and is still threatening. They have understood that has lost badly and that the defeat has to be blamed on someone or the other."

Earlier in the day, while speaking to the mediapersons in Bhopal, said that the Saffron party is using police, money and administration in the local body elections.

"I am getting many calls that pressure is being put on the administration, police and money. If they had public support, would they need these things? The public is fed up with the false declarations of Shivraj. Now 50 rupees have been increased on domestic gas. Recently, 5 per cent GST was increased on flour, paneer. I have faith in the people of the state," he added.

In the first phase of local body elections, a total of 101 candidates for the post of mayor in 11 municipal corporations are in the fray. There are 2,850 candidates for councillor posts in 133 bodies. Out of these, 42 have been elected unopposed.

The elections are for the remaining 2,808 posts. A total of 11,250 candidates contested the elections and 3,296 polling stations are sensitive.

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The regular 'band, bajaa, baraat' were missing but the festivities seemed intact as Punjab Chief Minister turned groom for his wedding with a doctor from Kurukshetra at his home on Thursday.

It was a private ceremony without the usual crowds, so much a part of the big, fat Punjabi wedding. Though few details were available, visuals on television and Twitter showed Mann and his bride at the Anand Karaj ceremony.

Aam Aadmi Party colleague Raghav Chadha also shared some images on Twitter showing Mann, in his yellow turban with 'kalgi' and a gold coloured kurta-pyjama while Kaur donned a red coloured dress.

There were also pictures of the groom at his festooned home, walking under a 'phulkari dupatta' held up by Chadha among others, and at the ceremony.

Both Mann and Kaur could be seen smiling in one of the pictures while another showed them sitting together for lunch post the wedding rituals.

One of Chadha's post showed Mann and himself on a sofa. He quoted a Punjabi song of celebration, "Saade veer da vyah, Saanu gode gode chah", as the caption.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Chadha, AAP MP Sanjay Singh and other leaders were also present at the ceremony.

Kejriwal played the role of an elder from Mann's family and actively participated in the wedding rituals.

Later in a tweet, Kejriwal congratulated the couple.

Wishing and Gurpreet Bhabhi for marriage, said Kejriwal.

Mann (48), the first chief minister of the state to get married while in office, is tying the knot with Dr Gurpreet Kaur from Pehowa in Kurukshetra in Haryana.

This is Mann's second marriage. He separated from his first wife in 2015 -- they have two children, daughter Seerat Kaur (21) and son Dilshan (17).

The wedding menu consisted of Dal Makhni, Chana Masala, Karahi Paneer, Navratan Biryani, Jeera Onion Pulao, Kalonji Wale Aloo and Continental dishes for main course and Moong Dal Halwa, Fresh Fruit Trifle, and Ice Cream for dessert.

Tight security arrangements were in place at the chief minister's home in Sector 2.

Gurpreet Kaur (30) shared a picture of herself on Twitter and wrote, "Din Shagna Da Chadya (the day of marriage has arrived)".

She also thanked AAP leaders for their congratulatory messages.

According to party insiders, the wedding, being solemnised according to Sikh rituals, was attended by Mann's mother and sister and just a few guests, including Kejriwal and his family.

Mann's sister Manpreet Kaur was dressed in a magenta coloured dress.

Before the wedding, Kejriwal told reporters at the airport, "Today is a day of immense happiness that my younger brother and Punjab Chief Minister ji is getting married and is making a new beginning.

"May God bless him with a happy married life and both (the couple) always remain happy.

Chadha said, "A new chapter in CM Bhagwant Mann's life is going to start today. I congratulate Mann saab's family, his mother and sister. It will be a small function. Only family members will attend."



"We all are happy that happiness has returned to Mann saab's family after a long time. It was his mother's dream to see her son getting settled again. Today, that dream is going to come true," he told reporters.

Gurpreet Kaur completed her MBBS from a private university in Haryana in 2018. She has two elder sisters who are settled abroad.

AAP leader and minister Harjot Singh Bains in a tweet said, God Bless the Sweet Couple. I am happy for @BhagwantMann ji and Dr Gurpreet ji.

BJP leader Tarun Chugh also congratulated Mann on this occasion.

Congratulations to Punjab Chief minister @BhagwantMann Ji on the occasion of his wedding. May Waheguru shower his blessings on the couple.

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Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 07 (ANI/BusinessWire India): India's premier management institute IIM Lucknow and QuantInsti, the global leader in providing training in Algorithmic and Quantitative Trading have collaborated to launch a 6-month certification programme on data science in finance.

This new programme will guide the course participants from the very basics and help them learn and implement their learnings in a stepwise manner. It will be hands-on with dedicated career support, and corporate partners in 20+ countries.

Fast-growing domain of Machine Learning and Data Science

Machine learning & data science are rapidly being adopted in almost all fields. The global machine learning market is poised to grow to USD 90.1 billion by 2026 from USD 17.1 billion in 2021 at a CAGR of 39.4 per cent, according to BCC research. And, the data analytics market is expected to reach USD 132.9 billion by 2026, from USD 23 billion in 2019, as reported by Market Research Future.

There is a concomitant rising demand for a skilled workforce to lead this technological revolution. With this course, one will gain the status of being an alumnus of the reputed IIM Lucknow, India's premier institute ranked 7th in NIRF rank in 2021.

About the course on Data Science in Finance

The course will be conducted online and can be attended from anywhere in the world. It will consist of live lectures on the weekends spread across 6 months.

The curriculum will comprise of multiple modules, case studies, industry projects, interactive exercises, doubt solving sessions and more. The industry projects will enable the course participants to work on topics aligned with industry requirements in the field of machine learning and data science.

To get certified, candidates would be required to clear the final exam, conducted at test centers across 80+ countries. Upon successful completion, course participants will receive a successful participation certificate. The qualifying participants will also have the opportunity to opt for the Executive Alumni status from IIM Lucknow and from QuantInsti.

The right course for the right individuals

Talking about the launch of the course, Prof. Nishant Uppal, Chairperson, Executive Education, IIM Lucknow says, "We are glad to partner with QuantInsti to provide high-quality education in data science in the finance domain. This course will assist global professionals to learn through case studies & live projects that are aligned with today's industry requirements."

Nitesh Khandelwal, Director, QuantInsti says, "This collaboration will bring the best of the academic & industry practices for the professionals looking to build a career in the rapidly growing field of data science while focusing on the finance area. QuantInsti, with its proven professional certifications ecosystem, looks to add further value through this new initiative to its users across 190+ countries and territories."

This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India is seeing yet another showdown between and regulators. And the recent one is being played out in the corridors of Karnataka High Court. The microblogging site has challenged some of the governments directives asking it to take down certain posts. is not ready to budge, and so is the government. We find out why there is a growing unease between the government and the Big Tech in India.

After the governments brush with Big Tech, let us move on to its policies governing special economic zones, or SEZs, which have delivered mixed results. It is now coming up with a new law to address some of the problems plaguing the SEZ ecosystem. We look at Indias experience with over the years and the challenges ahead in making the new legislation, if brought in, a success.

The revamped law indeed offers hope to 268 operational of the country. Let us now move on to a commodity, which has been threatening to derail economies. West Texas Intermediate, or WTI crude futures slipped below $100 a barrel mark for the first time since May 11 on Tuesday. Is the era of high oil prices getting over, or was that a temporary blip? From Citi to JP Morgan and Jefferies, analysts have a varied forecast of how they see oil prices playing out.

Companies go to the primary markets to raise money through IPO. Some of the are well-received while others are not. A Bloomberg report says that the IPO of Indian startup OfBusiness is one of the keenly awaited issues in Asia. So, how do we apply for an IPO? Find out in this episode of the podcast.
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Special economic zones (SEZs) were set up to promote export-oriented manufacturing, domestic investments and improve ease of doing business. Business units in these zones were given a host of incentives including tax exemptions, duty free exports, access to better infra among others.

Units in SEZ enjoy 100% income tax exemption on profits from export for the initial five years. And 50% for the next five years. But the World Trade Organization has ruled that these export incentives were against its rules. Nations are not allowed to directly subsidize exports, as it kills competition and distorts market prices.

Even though the exports from increased to Rs 7.59 trillion in FY21 from just Rs 22,840 crore in FY06, it was nowhere close to the success achieved by China.

One of the main reasons was the size of the special economic zones in India as compared to China, which has zones in the size of mega cities strategically located close to ports and trade-friendly locations such as Hong Kong.

The competitive advantage that Indian enjoyed also waned over the years. Several businesses have also moved away from these zones due to alleged lack of consistency in policy. The withdrawal of tax concessions and the sunset clause along with several ASEAN countries relaxing their regulatory laws lured these business units to shift shops. The huge parcels of land under the are also under-utilised and lying vacant due to sector-specific restrictions.

Now through the Development Enterprise and Services Hub (DESH) Bill, 2022, the government is moving away from the original idea of export-oriented production and is proposing to allow the business units in SEZs to sell in domestic markets more easily and boost domestic . The draft bill also talks about setting up an integrated and decentralised single window clearance mechanism for time-bound approvals hubs.

If indeed India needs the special hubs, the govt must address the critical gaps in existing SEZ law through the DESH bill and it must be thought through before bringing it to the Parliament. Effective implementation of the law could act as a lever to India's growth.
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The confrontation between companies and the Indian government over the countrys new IT rules escalated on Tuesday after moved the Karnataka High Court challenging the IT ministrys order to remove content and block multiple accounts on the US microblogging platform.

According to the writ petition, which has been seen by Business Standard, contended that many of the blocking orders issued under section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, were overbroad, arbitrary and disproportionate, and failed to give notice to authors of the content.

It also said that some were related to political content posted by official handles of political parties, the blocking of which amounted to violation of freedom of speech. further argued that the content at issue does not have any apparent proximate relationship to the grounds under Section 69A.

Hours after the petition was filed, Minister of State for IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said all foreign internet platforms have a right to approach the courts, but they also have an unambiguous obligation to comply with local laws and rules.

Twitter would risk losing its safe harbour protection under the intermediary rules if it refuses to comply with the blocking order while its executives could face jail terms of up to seven years.

Under the IT rules that took effect in February last year, Twitters Chief Compliance Officer faces criminal liability for Twitters non-compliance under Section 69A. Another provision requires strict confidentiality on all blocking requests from the government and actions taken by an intermediary.

[Byte of Avimukt Dar, Founding Partner, INDUSLAW]

Twitter is not the first tech company to take the government to court over the IT rules. Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp had approached the Delhi High Court in May last year requesting it to quash a provision that mandated companies to divulge the first originator of information.

WhatsApp said the traceability rule would break the very guarantees that end-to-end encryption provides and undermines peoples right to privacy.

The government says that the right to privacy is not absolute and it is subject to reasonable restrictions. WhatsApp claims 500 million users in India whereas for Twitter, India is its third biggest market although estimates of its users in the country vary from 24 million to 48 million.

Regulations shouldnt just be fair, their enforcement must also appear to be fair. With that in mind, wont the appearance of arbitrariness or bias in enforcement only weaken the governments efforts to regulate
Chas Freeman is a veteran American diplomat who has witnessed a half-century of Washingtons international relations with China and the Middle East. Freeman began his career in India and Taiwan before becoming charge daffaires in Beijing and Bangkok and later assistant secretary of state for African affairs.

Most notably, Freeman worked as the principal interpreter for former U.S. President Richard Nixon during his trip to China in 1972, and served as the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1989 to 1992 where he dealt with the Gulf War. He was also U.S. assistant secretary of defense in the President Bill Clintons administration.
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
Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses the nation as he announces his resignation outside 10 Downing Street on July 7, 2022 in London, England. AA Images

Johnson's resignation comes after 2 days of political storm, resignations in London

LONDON (AA) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned as the Conservative leader on Thursday after his government was rocked by a series of resignations last two days.

Speaking in front of No. 10, Johnson said the timetable for the leadership contest will be announced next week.

It is clearly not of the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party, that there should be a new leader of that party and that for a new prime minister, and I've agreed with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of our backbench MPs that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now and the timetable will be announced next week, Johnson said.

Announcing that he will remain in the office until the new leader is in place, Johnson said he is appointing new Cabinet members today.

He said that millions of people voted for the party in 2019 and thanked for that incredible mandate, the biggest conservative majority since 1987.

And the reason I have fought so hard in the last few days to continue to deliver that mandate in person was not just because I wanted to do so because I felt it was my job, he added.

Johnson said he is immensely proud of the achievements of this government from getting Brexit done to settling our relations with the continent for over half a century and reclaiming the power for this country to make its own laws in Parliament, getting us all through the pandemic, delivering the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe, the fastest exit from lockdown, and in the last few months, leading the West in standing up to Putin's aggression in Ukraine.

He reiterated the UKs support for Ukraine, saying that his country will continue to back your fight for freedom for as long as it takes.

Johnson said he has tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments when we're delivering so much.

I regret not to have been successful in those arguments, and of course, it's painful, and not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself.

He said: But as we've seen, a Westminster the herd instinct is powerful when the hard moves, it moves. And my friends in politics, no one is remotely indispensable, and are brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader, equally committed to taking this country forward through tough times.

AA/Ahmet Gurhan Kartal
RTHK: UK's Johnson fires former ally as calls to quit grow

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson defied pressure to quit on Wednesday from senior ministers and a mounting rebellion within his ruling Conservative Party, saying he will fight off any attempts to oust him over a series of scandals.

After more than 40 resignations from within the government and with many Conservative lawmakers in open revolt, some cabinet ministers went to Downing Street to tell Johnson he needed to go, a source said.

One encouraged him to make a dignified exit by setting his own timetable rather than face a confidence vote. Many lawmakers said it was now a question of when, not if, he has to go.

On Wednesday night, the attorney general for England and Wales, Suella Braverman, called on Johnson to resign and became the first cabinet minister to say they would run to replace him in any Conservative Party leadership contest.

"I do think the time has come for the prime minister to step down," Braverman said on ITV. She said she did not want to resign from her post. "If there is a leadership contest I will put my name into the ring."

Dozens have publicly criticised Johnson's integrity after he was forced to apologise for appointing a lawmaker to a role involved in pastoral care, and had not recalled being briefed that the minister had been the subject of complaints about sexual misconduct.

It is the latest crisis to hit his administration after months of scandals and missteps, including a damning report into parties at his Downing Street residence and office that broke strict Covid-19 lockdown rules and saw him fined by police.

But despite the clamour for him to resign, James Duddridge, a Conservative lawmaker and close aide of Johnson, told Sky News the British leader "is buoyant, he is up for a fight" after a meeting with members of his top cabinet team.

Duddridge said Johnson and the newly-appointed finance minister Nadhim Zahawi would set out a new joint plan for the economy next week which would include tax cuts.

Johnson sacked Michael Gove, a senior minister who media earlier said had told the British leader he should quit. On Wednesday night, Secretary of State for Wales Simon Hart joined those resigning.

Earlier Johnson told a parliamentary committee: "I am not going to step down and the last thing this country needs, frankly, is an election."

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Last updated: 2022-07-07 HKT 08:53

This story has been published on: 2022-07-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Factory-turned culture parks accelerate Beijings urban renewal

09:00, July 07, 2022 By Lai Rui ( People's Daily

The 77 Cultural and Creative Park, located at No. 77 Art Gallery on a back street in the Dongcheng district of the Chinese capital, is a well-known destination with a modern taste.

Photo shows the 77 Theater. (Photo from an official account of Beijings Dongcheng district on WeChat)

Compared with other culture parks in Beijing which feature skyscrapers and fancy facilities, the 77 Cultural and Creative Park quite maintains the common touch.

Enclosed by low brick walls, the park houses a number of nostalgic residential buildings that carry the local features of Beijing. At the entrance of an alley beside the park, laughter of children is always heard. Eldely people sit on stone stools by walls sunning themselves, and bicycles are always seen passing by the crowds.

The 77 Cultural and Creative Park was transformed from a 1950s offset printing factory. Many industrial relics of the factory have been retained, including the office buildings built with red bricks, large chimneys and hot stamping machines. These relics are a link between the past and the present, and make the park a natural part of the lively atmosphere surrounding it.

The parks got class. Its beautiful, said a citizen surnamed Du living near the park. As a photography enthusiast, hed always take some photos at the park on weekends. I think its better than the renowned 798 Art Zone, because its smaller so I can reach almost every corner of it, Du added.

Drama has always been a theme of the park, which was renovated since 2012 and put into operation in May 2014. The machine maintenance workshop-turned 77 Theater is a major landmark in the park. Built based on the original structure of the workshop, the theater is modern and operational.

To allow visitors to enjoy art in a more comfortable environment, the 77 Cultural and Creative Park is indirectly subsidizing the drama industry by lowering the rent. In the park, there are 18 rehearsal halls for rent, and the rental is quite cheap. This has attracted a large batch of actors and crews. The lowered production cost also enables the audience to enjoy dramas at a fairer price.

Photo shows the 77 Cultural and Creative Park. (Photo from an official account of Beijings Dongcheng district on WeChat)

At present, there are over 200 original dramas being rehearsed in the park on average each year, and the park is also home to a number of drama, filming and design enterprises.

The 77 Cultural and Creative Park is an epitome of culture-driven urban transition in Beijing. More and more old factories are taking new looks in the capital nowadays.

Dongcheng district has turned a number of old factories into culture parks. So far, the district has 42 culture parks that cover a total area of 730,000 square meters and house over 5,000 enterprises. Last year, these culture parks reported total revenue of 143.6 billion yuan, becoming a successful example for the functional transition of old factories.

Culture is important in the renewal of cities. It is because of the guidance of culture, cities can better inherit their material heritage, space and memories, and turn them into new industries and scenarios that meet modern demands, said Song Yang Yang, deputy director of the Institute of Creative Industries Technology at the Renmin University of China.

As the cultural center of China, Beijing enjoys a profound cultural background and rich cultural resources. It sees natural advantages in developing the cultural industry.

Under the guidance of relevant measures rolled out by the municipal government of Beijing, a number of culture parks with distinctive features are rising in the city, contributing to urban renewal. They have become an innovative ground for culture-science integration, a cluster of leading cultural enterprises, and popular destinations for the citizens.

Cultural parks are not only revitalizing the city, but also creating wider space and more opportunities for the people living in it.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Nasa said it has lost contact with a spacecraft heading to the moon to test out a lopsided lunar orbit, but agency engineers are hopeful they can fix the problem.

After one successful communication and a second partial one on Monday, the space agency said it could no longer communicate with the spacecraft called Capstone.

MISSION UPDATE: Teams are working to re-establish contact with our #CAPSTONE spacecraft which experienced communications issues while in contact with the Deep Space Network. Additional updates will be provided as soon as possible: https://t.co/gRhJKAAZPn pic.twitter.com/IHuurVI5Bm  NASA Ames (@NASAAmes) July 5, 2022

Engineers are trying to find the cause of the communications drop-off and are optimistic they can fix it, Nasa spokesperson Sarah Frazier said on Tuesday.

The spacecraft, which launched from New Zealand on June 28, had spent nearly a week in Earth orbit and had been successfully kick-started on its way to the moon, when contact was lost, Ms Frazier said.

The satellite is the size of a microwave oven and will be the first spacecraft to try out this oval orbit, which is where Nasa wants to stage its Gateway outpost.

Gateway would serve as a staging point for astronauts before they descend to the lunar surface.

The orbit balances the gravities of Earth and the Moon and so requires little manoeuvring and therefore fuel and allows the satellite  or a space station  to stay in constant contact with Earth.
Photo: Vancouver Police Department. Police are asking anyone who recognizes this man to come forward.

Vancouver Police are looking for a 40-50-year-old man following a machete attack outside a Downtown Eastside hotel last month.

On June 19 around 7 p.m., a 49-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman were approached from behind and allegedly slashed with a machete while loading their luggage into a taxi near Main and East Hastings.

Multiple witnesses flagged down police and both victims were rushed to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

We dont know if there was a motive for this attack, says VPD Constable Tania Visintin. Investigators believe it was completely random and unprovoked."

Investigators obtained surveillance video from nearby businesses this week that captures an image of the suspect and VPD is asking anyone with information to contact them.

Given the time of day and the location of this incident, we believe there were witnesses who have not yet come forward. We also believe that people will recognize the suspect and can help us identify him.

Police have released photos and videos of the suspect and report that he is 510 tall and was wearing a black long sleeve shirt, grey pants, and black sneakers at the time of the incident. He was also carrying an umbrella.

Anyone with information is asked to call VPDs Major Crime Unit at 604-717-2541.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation Thursday amid a mass revolt by top members of his government, marking an end to three tumultuous years in power in which he brazenly bent and sometimes broke the rules of British politics.

Months of defiance ended almost with a shrug as Johnson stood in 10 Downing Street and conceded that his party wanted him gone.

Thems the breaks, he said.

The brash, 58-year-old politician who took Britain out of the European Union and steered it through COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine was brought down by one scandal too many  this one involving his appointment of a politician who had been accused of sexual misconduct.

The messiest of prime ministers did not leave cleanly. Johnson stepped down immediately as Conservative Party leader but said he would remain as prime minister until the party chooses his successor. The timetable for that process will be announced next week, he said.

But many in the party want him gone before then, and his government has been shredded by scores of resignations.

Among the possible candidates to succeed him: former Health Secretary Sajid Javid, former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.

Johnson had clung to power for two days, defiantly telling lawmakers on Wednesday that he had a colossal mandate from voters and intended to get on with the business of government.

But he was forced to concede defeat Thursday morning after one of his closest allies, newly appointed Treasury chief Nadhim Zahawi, publicly told him to resign for the good of the country.

In the last few days, I tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments when were delivering so much and when we have such a vast mandate," Johnson said outside his office. I regret not to have been successful in those arguments, and of course its painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself.

About 50 Cabinet secretaries, ministers and lower-level officials had quit the government over the past few days, often castigating the prime minister for his lack of integrity.

The mass resignations had left numerous positions unfilled, and the crisis had stalled the business of some parliamentary committees because there were no ministers available to speak on the governments behalf.

It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister, Johnson said.

Zahawi, who was promoted earlier this week as Johnson tried to shore up his Cabinet, said he and a group of colleagues had privately expressed their concerns to the prime minister on Wednesday and he decided to go public after Johnson ignored the advice to resign.

I am heartbroken that he hasnt listened and that he is now undermining the incredible achievements of this government, Zahawi said in a letter posted on Twitter. But the country deserves a government that is not only stable but which acts with integrity.

It is a humiliating defeat for Johnson, who not only pulled off Brexit but was credited with rolling out one of the worlds most successful mass vaccination campaigns to combat COVID-19.

But the perpetually rumpled, shaggy-haired leader known for greeting critics with bombast and bluster was also dogged by criticism that he acted as if the rules did not apply to him.

Johnson became prime minister in July 2019, succeeding Theresa May, who resigned after Parliament rejected the Brexit agreement she negotiated with the EU. Johnson pushed his own Brexit deal through in an often messy and turbulent debate.

He managed to remain in power despite allegations that he was too close to party donors, that he protected supporters from bullying and corruption allegations, and that he misled Parliament about government office parties that broke COVID-19 lockdown rules. He was fined by police over the parties and survived a no-confidence vote last month in Parliament in which 41% of Conservative lawmakers voted to oust him.

Recent disclosures that Johnson knew about sexual misconduct allegations against a Conservative lawmaker before he promoted him to a senior position in government proved to be one scandal too many.

The crisis began when Chris Pincher resigned as deputy chief whip amid allegations that he had groped two men at a private club. That triggered a series of reports about past allegations leveled against Pincher.

Johnson tried to deflect criticism with shifting explanations about what he knew and when he knew it, but that just highlighted concerns that the prime minister couldnt be trusted.

Javid and Sunak resigned within minutes of each other Tuesday night, triggering the wave of departures among their Cabinet colleagues and lower-level officials.

Javid captured the mood of many lawmakers when he said Johnsons actions threatened to undermine the integrity of the Conservative Party and the British government.

At some point we have to conclude that enough is enough, he said Wednesday in the House of Commons. I believe that point is now.

Bernard Jenkin, a senior Conservative Party lawmaker, told the BBC he met with Johnson later in the day and advised him to step down.

I just said to him, Look, its just when you go now, and its how you go. You can go with some dignity or you can be forced out like Donald Trump clinging to power and pretending hes won the election when hes lost,'" Jenkin said.
Photo: The Canadian Press First Nations artist Richard Hunt at his studio in Victoria.

First Nations art, from hand-carved masks to totem poles, draws on generations of tradition and skill and can take months to craft.

But a flood of fakes and commercial knock-offs produced in Asia and eastern Europe are exploiting Indigenous culture, the artists say, and robbing them of revenue.

One of the well-known Indigenous artists to have images of their work reproduced without permission is British Columbia carver Richard Hunt.

Ive stopped people making postcards of my work Ive found out about. In Bali, Indonesia, they are making northwest coast masks. They are selling them as Indigenous, he said.

These things have got to be stopped. We need the governments help. Its like the dreamcatcher coming from Taiwan or China. Buyer beware.

The federal government is facing calls to take action, including from a senator who wants a reform to copyright law, a unit to help Indigenous artists track down fakes and stronger border checks for art in Indigenous styles.

Hunt said raising tariffs on imports of copies could slow them down but he said the fakes were being mass produced, undercutting genuine Indigenous artists and making it harder for young First Nations carvers to make a living in what he said is a $1-billion industry.

Sen. Patricia Bovey, the first art historian to sit in the Senate, said the industry of fake Indigenous art may be worth millions of dollars and breaches artists intellectual property rights.

She is lobbying the government to reform copyright law to give more protection to Indigenous artists against unscrupulous businesses reproducing their images without their knowledge.

The unauthorized and fake Indigenous works range from reproductions of First Nations art on T-shirts, bedspreads, plastic bowls and bags, to carved masks and totem poles made from wood grown in Southeast Asia.

Many of these are near-exact copies of original works in galleries in Canada and the problem is acute with West Coast art.

Bovey wants ministers to set up a unit to help Indigenous artists whose work is being reproduced without their knowledge track down and chase those who infringed their copyright, at least so they get paid.

Not only are Indigenous artists having their creations purloined, she says, but people buying Indigenous work in Canada and abroad may have little idea it may be fake or has been produced without the artists permission.

Bovey was shocked to find that some images on orange T-shirts made following the discovery of unmarked graves last year were reproduced without the artists' knowledge by companies making a profit, not raising funds for Indigenous causes.

She warns buyers of Indigenous work to ask before they purchase where the work came from, whether it was made with the permission of the artist and whether the artist is being paid.

This is a really serious issue, she said. Its plagiarizing the work, its appropriating the work and both are wrong and the artists dont have the resources to fight all this in the court.

Helping Indigenous artists reclaim their copyright would be an example of reconcili-action, the senator added.

She wants an upcoming review of the Copyright Act by Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez and Minister of Innovation and Science Francois-Phillippe Champagne to include protections for Indigenous works, which she says are integral to Canada's culture and history.

Not only should there be specific safeguards for artists but a mechanism to track down companies fabricating Indigenous works, or failing to pay artists royalties, including in China and eastern Europe, she said.

We all have a responsibility for this. We need to find ways to support artists who are maligned that way to have legal funds, she said.

Alex Wellstead, spokesman for Champagne, said the review of the Copyright Act would further protect artists and creators and copyright holders.

He said Indigenous Peoples and artists will be consulted in the process.

Current copyright law offers protection for Indigenous craftsmen and women, including Inuit sculptors and jewellers, but Bovey said the process is so complex and time-consuming to chase, few artists have the time to pursue it.

She also wants closer checks at borders and investigations of the provenance and destination of art in Canadian Indigenous styles, particularly made from wood that is not native to Canada.

Fake masks and Indigenous carvings have been openly sold to tourists in Vancouver as genuine, according to Lucinda Turner, an apprentice to Nisgaa sculptor and totem pole carver Norman Tait.

Turner, who died this week, spent years listing, tracking and challenging fraudulent Indigenous works claiming to be authentic, and lectured on the subject.

Hunt said she had done much to draw attention to the illicit trade, and had helped many Indigenous artists claim their copyright.

In an open letter to the government last November Turner said over 1,000 appropriated images were removed after she and others wrote takedown letters supporting artists whose copyright had been breached.

In a lecture to the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle, she said a few copied carvings in mahogany were so authentic-looking that they have been hung in Canadian galleries.

Among the fakes she identified are reproductions of 19th-century carvings in major museums, such as a beaver rattle from the British Museum, and copies of works by contemporary northwest coast artists including acclaimed carver Bill Reid.

She lobbied the federal government for greater protection for Indigenous artists, calling for a law, as in the United States, with huge fines for selling Indigenous work that is not genuine.

The U.S. Indian Arts and Crafts Act criminalizes misrepresentation and copying of Indigenous art. There is also a fake art hotline south of the border to make reporting of unauthorized copies easy.

In the open letter to the federal government, she called for action to tackle misrepresentations on the online market.

Well-intentioned buyers trying to support the Orange Shirt movement had been duped into buying clothing that Indigenous people would gain nothing from  including the artists whose images had been used, she said.

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement was also exploited by money-making businesses making handbags, T-shirts with Indigenous images without the artists permission, she warned.

The internet has led to mass marketing of fraudulent, copied or stolen images of art and ceremonial artifacts by companies with no links to the Indigenous artists, she said.

Bovey, who says she plans to raise the issue again with ministers when the Senate returns from its summer break, said few people realize that Indigenous art on sale in Canadian stores could be made in China, eastern Europe and Taiwan.

The buyers dont know, the artists dont have the means to monitor it and the predators are having a great time, she said. Its theft of their iconography. Its stealing peoples cultural heritage and it is both morally and legally wrong.

The Canada Border Services Agency said there were currently no import restrictions related to items that imitate Indigenous art.
Photo: Pancakesorwaffles8/Reddit

A raunchy surprise at a birthday dinner left a Metro Vancouver resident "confounded" and "embarrassed."

In a photo posted to Reddit Wednesday, a guest at a Coquitlam restaurant explains a penis-shaped dessert was placed in front of them at the end of their meal.

It was served in front of several family members, including their 90-year-old grandmother.

The social media poster explained they laughed at first sight, believes the contents of the plate were "obviously intentional."

"If this were given to me by my friends at a bachelorette, it would be funny. But in this context I feel at best, embarrassed, and at worst, oddly violated."

The photo shows an apparent banana on the dessert dish with the peel's tip on the right side.

Two scoops of ice cream are placed at the left side of the banana, and a piece of parsley is set in between them.

"I was so incredibly shocked when this arrived and I did not know how to react but to laugh," the Reddit user said, noting their mother, aunt, brother and "soon-to-be" husband were also at the table.

"I laughed and laughed and took photos of it and with it. I couldnt believe this was in-front of me and I thought  is this for real?"

Prior to Tuesday night's unexpected cheeky dessert, they had been going to the restaurant for more than 25 years, and many other local families with kids as young as kindergarten were regular patrons.

"It's been a place of fond memories. Unfortunately, I now have this awful experience that has tarnished it," they add.

The Reddit user says the waiter that served them also came up to the family and said, "Usually for birthdays, I would give the birthday girl or guy a kiss. But today I wont because he (pointing to my fiance) is here."




Look around. Have you driven or walked through the downtown or North Shore streets of Kamloops lately? Have you noticed the people  human beings with limitless value and untapped potential living on our streets?

The increasing number of individuals standing at the traffic light meridians, looking for their next meal  or next high. Sitting on roadways, and cold cement sidewalks, clutching their choice of poison or sharing with another street companion. How do we help?

They have been living  strike-that  surviving among us. Sleeping in alleyways, under doorways, near garbage bins, and under tarp-wrapped shopping carts. They line the river shore with makeshift tents, and blankets draped precariously on top of whatever material they can find.

What can we do, that we have not yet tried? In Kamloops, we have more shelters than the average city in British Columbia. This past winter, we filled a curling rink, an elementary school, Memorial Arena, hotels, and other transitory buildings at a rapid pace.

We also have temporary and permanent housing, sea cans stacked one on top of the other. However, the buildings we have for shelter are full. And so, we see, day after day, night after night, our marginalized neighbours  still, without a home.

There is a myriad of reasons for homelessness. For some, it is an unspoken tragedy, a house fire, an accident, a death of a spouse or other family, a divorce, the systems failure in healthcare, or a lack of institutional support. There are so many reasons that foundations crumble, and those without support or resources find themselves in this precarious state.

For many, the tragedies and trauma are relived, and their escape is found in their substance of choice. The overdose crisis has surpassed the health-related death numbers in every city in Canada. We listen, yet nothing changes. We hear the news, and we live on. We have places to be, lives to lead, things to enjoy, and a house to go home to. But those on the street do not have those options.

Though there are some pathways they can choose to live with their drug dependence, here at The Mustard Seed, we believe that wholeness and individual well-being are best realized through recovery from substance use.

The Mustard Seed takes a comprehensive approach to recovery, believing that everyone requires support in all aspects of their well-being: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Creating a place where they can realize the parts of a whole, awarding them an opportunity to make a complete life transformation.

We do this by offering a community of recovery. The continuing care we have in place at the Mens Recovery Centre makes it possible for each man to encounter support from those walking the same journey. The recovery program provides the resources, tools, and the experience of others (now recovered) to open that door to freedom  should they stay the course. The process of recovery, for all of us, is first to recognize that we have a problem.

The 12-Step program, which is still widely accepted by our society as the best course and literature that supports self-change, is an established institution. The 12-steps provide a guided process for those living in addiction to follow with the hope that they will find sobriety in the end, either from alcohol or their substance of choice.

What does recovery look like? And why is the journey to recovery the better option, not just for the individual but for society as a whole?

After many conversations with those who have recovered from drug dependence, and conversations with those still struggling, they all know this. You give up one thing, for everything, or you give up everything for that one thing. The truth of that is apparent to them all.

In the light of recovery, one of the things you must do is replace the drug with something good. What is something good to replace addiction? Often, it depends on the motivation and the individual. Though the stories are all different, they have a common theme. One gave up his drugs for his 18-month-old son. Another gave up his dependence on narcotics for a new life and stable employment. Yet another gave up his drug dependence to reunite with family again.

Through the process of uncovering the root of addiction, we uncover the person. Like us, they long for love, belonging, affirmation, community, and connection. The challenge is to overcome the fear of the unknown and present the alternative; a new life that can be sustained through friendship, accountability, support, and commitment to hard work.

Hang on and let go is another saying that those in recovery use; it helps them to remember that they are letting go, still bargaining for the escape, but knowing that the escape they take, only leaves them more trapped in the end. Though healing is an uphill battle, freedom is possible. At The Mustard Seed, we can offer this hope.

What we must understand about addiction is that any type of cessation is a significant achievement, creating a path to breakthrough for the individual doing the daily work. This is no small thing; this is a great feat indeed.

At The Mustard Seed, we partner with those committed to a life change. If you would like to support the work at the Mens Supportive Recovery Centre, please consider donating.

A total of 78 people have been lost to a drug overdose this past year in our community.

If you or someone you know and love is struggling with addiction and looking for a way to freedom and life, please contact The Mustard Seed, Jeff Arlitt, the recovery manager at [email protected] or call, toll-free, to1.833.GIV.HOPE (4484673)

Leanna Wereley, The Mustard Seed, Kamloops
I wanted to provide some insight to my fellow Kamloopsians for the upcoming municipal election in October.

Various candidates running for mayor are coming up with different ideas of how to combat our drug, homelessness, and marginalized population issues in Kamloops.

First of all, I want to start of by saying this is a very multi?facetted, complex issue. When I hear someone talking about moving our homeless to Softball City in Raleigh, my heart breaks. This is not humane nor helpful to those who are struggling.

I have worked in the downtown core for the last 30 years. We have seen significant changes, and during COVID, while office workers exited their place of work and worked remotely from home, some people started to move into the downtown core. They have made our alleys, vestibules and streets their home.

So now that the pandemic is waning a bit, and we are starting to return to our office there has been a significant clash of lifestyles, ideals and morals. I too am frustrated by having people shooting up in my office front window, theft from my street (cars or homes) and the feeling of being unsafe. But I cannot complain about a situation unless I am willing to look for a solution. And it is not just up to the politicians, it is about all of us coming together to do some heavy lifting on combating the issues we face.

I ask you all to educate yourself about drug addiction, homelessness and substance abuse.

On April 21, after meeting with Mayor Ken Christian, I gathered 25 individuals who represented business, social agencies and our federal and provincial representatives. I gathered infomation beforehand about what issues people were encountering and what they would want to see as a solution. What I summed up was that everyone was frustrated by the situation, but they were also empathetic and motivated to find solutions.

The more research I did, the more I came to realize we have at least three subsets of the population living on the street.

Group 1: The vulnerable

There is a large part of the populations suffering from homelessness that have mental health issues. A large amount of the men and women suffer from brain injuries (the number of women in domestic violence situations that have brain injurys is staggering) and mental health and addiction issues. With a crumbling health system and lack of funds focused on mental health and addiction, the opioid crisis is running rampant. Most of these people do not choose to be homeless or addicted to drugs/alcohol. There has been a disconnect and it has forced them on the streets. They have turned to alcohol and drugs to self?medicate from trauma or a mental health issue. This population is my largest concern, as we have failed them. Thirty-five years ago when we closed institutions, we failed to support them on a regular and continuous basis. When left to their own devices they have not been able to take care of themselves.

Group 2: Just need a hand up

There is a subset of the population that has been adversely impacted by the pandemic. For example a woman with three children whos significant other died from COVID or from a drug overdose due to an opioid addiction. How would she support her young family when she has no education, minimum wage is not enough, and childcare is so expensive? This individual just needs a hand up. Support, affordable housing, career training, etc.

Group 3: The violent predators

The last subgroup is the small group (I have been told fewer than 10 individuals) who are praying on the individuals in the first two groups. They are doing break-ins, selling drugs, trafficking people and making life difficult for all individuals of Kamloops. Given our current criminal code constraints, one such individual was arrested 100 times. (Please go and read the Wikipedia info on R. Vs Zora and R vs Gladue.)

So, please educate yourself before the municipal election in October. This is a very complex, multi?faceted issue that we will all need to be involved in. The NIMBY attitude needs to stop. We need to help these individuals before their life turns into a crisis instead of dealing with the aftermath.

People are dying and we need that to end. It has taken us several years to get here, so please dont be annoyed when you are told that the solution is not instant.

Exercise your right to vote in October, its a privilege.

Sue Porter, Kamloops
I recently had a scare when a person I interacted with at a social gathering revealed to me he had covid-19 the week prior.

Luckily, he wasn't contagious when I saw him a week after showing symptoms. But he did explain how he got it, even though he already had the Omicron variant of COVID-19 six months earlier. He said he was at a friend's house for dinner, and the friend recently returned from Florida. He said the friend had a conversation with him and the friend said he should be careful and wear a mask to protect himself from COVID.

The friend managed to infect him and his entire family for a total of seven new infections. The wife, children, uncle, etc. all came down with it. The guy I know was triple-vaccinated but he still got the new sub-variant, which is resistant to the immunity established when everybody was getting sick in November, December and January.

Castanet, the provinces and the federal government must not allow Covid to spread, and must protect the vulnerable, by doing all that was done in January to stop Omicron. Will our elected officials support the following measures?

1. Re-introduce mask mandates. BA.5 is very contagious, and the vaccines are not working. Save the elderly and support masks in all indoor places.

2. Re-introduce limits on indoor seating, and only allow indoor gatherings of up to 10 people.

3. Immediately close dance clubs, movie theatres and other highly density places.

4. Amp up the triple and quadruple vaccinations for the general population.

5. Reinstitute PCR testing for the general population. Some provinces like Ontario only make PCRs available for health care workers, rather than for everyone. Most people have to do self-tests and the results are unreported, while PCRs are COVID tests administered by professionals and the results are reported (and contacts are traced for positive results).

6. Mail everyone a mask that tightly fits around the face.

7. Close the borders, prevent Canadians from non-essential travel.

8. A provincial-wide shutdown.

It came as no surprise when I saw a new report on TV today that the BA.5 subvariant is now the most common cause of COVID, and cases are 33% higher than before. BA.5 makes up 70% of all new cases, said the report. Also in that article, the Coronavirus Variants Rapid Response Network predicts a July wave, peaking in August. Today, it was announced the seventh wave is here. In the U.S., one doctor said the BA.5 variant is the Houdini of COVID.

COVID-19 variants keep getting sneakier at slipping past vaccines and natural immunity.

Meet the latest, evasive forms of the virustwo omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, which now make up a majority of COVID-19 cases around the U.S.

Even if you were infected by Omicron during last winters surge, you can still be re-infected by BA.4 or BA.5 this summer, said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a University of California at San Francisco infectious disease expert.

The superpower of BA.4 and BA.5 is, if you had omicron in January, youre still going to be susceptible to getting BA.4 and BA.5, he said. Its the escape artist of COVIDthe Houdinibecause the spike protein looks so different, even (compared) to BA.1. The front guards, the antibodies, are not recognizing it.

Eric Topol, a professor of molecular medicine, said BA.5 is the worst version of the virus that weve seen.

As for when the end of this pandemic is coming, it is hard to say as every few months a new variant or subvariant comes out that no one has immunity to, despite previous vaccinations and previous covid infections. There is no end in sight unless you completely shut all foreign entry into the country.

As for the absurdity that COVID is "just a cold, the person I am speaking about who contracted COVID could barely speak a sentence without coughing hard, even though he got over COVID a week earlier. It was hard for him to breathe, the poor guy, and he couldn't get the words COVID is just a cold" out of his mouth without struggling.

COVID causes damage to the lungs. It is like smoking cigarettes or breathing in car exhaust. The immune system overreacts and destroys organs as it tries to save the person. Other organs like the brain can also be affected too.

It is unknown if BA.5 is physically worse on people than Omicron was.

Robert Nelly
Pakistani Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an inquiry into the "criminal delay" despite ample funds avaliable and blamed previous Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government for the slow pace in the Gwadar breakwater project, local media reported.

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, Sharif said, "In a meeting today, I ordered inquiry into criminal delay in Gwadar breakwater project. It baffles mind how PTI govt ignored it despite availability of USD 445m grant, USD 484m soft loan and feasibility. From energy to infrastructure, every project under PTI suffered costly delays."

In a series of tweets on Wednesday, the Pakistani PM said that the "time for presentation is over" as it is the time for action. He further said that Gwadar is not only about the infrastructure development or the CPEC, but it also carries political, economic and strategic value.

"Turning Balochistan's backwardness into prosperity is our collective responsibility and my mission," Sharif said in a tweet.

These tweets came after the meeting to review different uplift projects in Balochistan, particularly Gwadar, a crown jewel of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, reported Dawn.

During the meeting, the PM ordered the chairperson of the inspection commission to submit a comprehensive report within one week over the "criminal negligence" that resulted in delays in the construction of breakwaters at the port.

Earlier, the Express Tribune reported that till May, only 3 CPEC projects has been completed in Pakistan's Gwadar

The CPEC was launched as part of the bigger Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2015 with a value of USD 46 billion.

Till now, only three schemes have been completed by the CPEC authority, namely Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan, Physical Infrastructure of Gwadar Port and the Free Zone Phase-1 and Pak-China Technical and Vocational Institute, The Express Tribune reported.

The Smart Port City Master plan is costing USD 4 million, the Physical Infrastructure of Gwadar Port and the Free Zone Phase-1 is worth USD 300 million while the PAK-China project has been built with a USD 10 million Chinese grant, according to a report sent by APEC Authority.

The CPEC Authority, which Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal wants to wrap up, gave the status update report to the new government last month.

CPEC remained dormant during most of the time of the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government but lately, there had been some progress after the last political regime brought in Khalid Mansoor as special assistant to the PM on CPEC affairs. Yet, he could not take these schemes across the finishing line, reported The Express Tribune.

The road-link project namely the USD 179 million Eastbay Expressway, which connects the port with the free zone and the city, is still under-implementation scheme, although on documents the project is 99 per cent completed. China has provided interest-free loans for the scheme. The CPEC Authority expects that the project will be completed by June.

Meanwhile, the water supply and distribution network project worth USD 72 million is still 65 per cent completed, which should have been readied by 2017.

(ANI)
Holcim El Salvador starts Plants of Tomorrow technology at Maya plant

07 July 2022

Holcim El Salvador has been celebrating the opening of its state-of-the-art Maya cement plant.

The Maya plant upgrade is part of the groups 'Plants of Tomorrow' programme, one of the largest roll-outs of Industry 4.0 in the building materials industry.

At Maya, the company is deploying innovative technologies for increased safety, efficiency and sustainability, including a remote plant control system, drones for kiln and tower inspections, mobile app to track production levels and a thermographic scanner to monitor kiln temperatures.

The Maya cement plant can now be remotely operated form the El Ronco cement plant. This solutions allows teams to monitor the processes at both plants from a single control room, ensuring uniformity and increasing efficiency, the company claims.



Alternative fuels are currently being processed at 6-8tph at the Maya plant.

Published under
Aggregate Industries adopt a complete environmental impact monitoring solution

07 July 2022

Aggregate Industries (Holcim group) has become the first building materials manufacturer in the UK to install a complete monitoring solution for managing environmental impact. It has integrated the EVS Omnis system from Envirosuite into its Lafarge Cement operation in Cauldon, Staffordshire, to proactively manage noise and air quality.

EVS Omnis is a cloud-based environmental management software designed for users to interpret complex environmental information. It will enable Lafarge Cement to proactively monitor and manage the environmental impact of its operations at important locations beyond its site boundary.

Operators will be able to respond to site-generated noise and air quality concerns, plan for changing weather risk and engage with stakeholders. It simplifies and streamlines recording processes and gathers actionable insights, providing real-time alerts before issues arise.

Kirstin McCarthy, sustainability director at Aggregate Industries, comments: Understanding the environment we operate in, and the impact were having, is integral to our business strategy and our commitment to building progress towards a more sustainable construction industry. We know that noise and dust can have an impact on surrounding communities, which is why were extremely proud to become the first cement plant in the world to commit to using a complete monitoring solution. EVS Omnis will allow us to continuously monitor at key community locations 365 days a year. This will help us to not only better understand our operations within the local community but also give us insights into our processes to proactively manage them. We expect the system to be operational by the end of this year

Jason Cooper, CEO from Envirosuite, comments: Were incredibly excited that Aggregate Industries will use the EVS Omnis platform for an all-in-one solution to manage air quality and noise at their Cauldon site.

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Washington Irvin Crandall, a Chattanooga newspaper publisher and printer, was among those who enjoyed a panoramic view from the East Terrace of Cameron Hill. The brick, two-story home with a basement floor had an overlook at the rear. It was built on the downhill side of East Terrace.

A native of Frankfort, N.Y., he was named for his father's close friend, the famous author Washington Irving.

Crandall came to Chattanooga in 1852 and was a newspaper publisher. From 1857 to 1862 he was connected with the Post Office Department in Washington, D.C. He later went to Green Bay, Wisc., to build and operate a line of steamers.

Crandall returned to Chattanooga in 1876 and was the publisher of the Chattanooga Commercial. He also was briefly involved in the operation of the Chattanooga Times before it was turned over to the young publisher Adolph Ochs. Crandall operated Crandall Printing Company for many years. He helped form Crandall-Bradt Printing with a son of Morris Bradt.

Crandall was one of the elders at the First Presbyterian Church.

The Crandall family was among those hardest hit during the Yellow Fever epidemic in 1878 - not long before the Cameron Hill home was built. His mother, Olivia Kendall Crandall, first died, then the family's German servant Miss Rose Barkley, passed away. The next day Mrs. Crandall died and the publisher was taken so ill that he was expected to be the next victim. However, he rallied and slowly began to recover. At the time the Crandalls were living at the corner of Gilmer (East Eighth) Street and B Street.

Delia Spencer Crandall was the second wife of Washington Irving Crandall. His first wife, Julia Berry Spencer, died in 1856 - two years after they were married.

By 1881, W.I. Crandall was occupying his home on East Terrace near Gillespie (11th Street). Crandall took a third wife, Bertha Marion Bardshar.

Crandall had nine children altogether.

He was still living at the East Terrace when he died in 1899. Bertha Crandall stayed on at the large home for many years. She had a studio at the home, where she taught art. Under the tutelage of "Miss Bertha" the neighborhood children learned how to paint china. She died in 1928.

Louis H. Cash lived many years in the Crandall house. He and his wife, Polly C. Cash, occupied the entirety of the large home. Later, Cash rented out the basement floor.

Reuben Betts, who ran Reuben's Shoe Shop, was the last resident of the Washington Irving Crandall home on the East Terrace.
Does the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence have any meaning for our elected legislators? By their inaction, are they accomplices to killings?



We hold these truths to be self-evident (not needing to be demonstrated or explained, obvious) that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights (absolute, impossible to take away), and that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.



Ironically, the first right listed is "life."

Unfortunately, in the US, we have allowed the National Rifle Association, through its lobbying efforts, to take away the right to "life" by promoting a stream of commerce for the sale of deadly military-style weapons - designed to take away life. Moreover, responsible and with blood on their hands, our elected congressional representatives ignore the truths of our Preamble. Their legislative inaction removes the unalienable right to life by making it legal to possess military-style killing weapons.

These are not, as some have suggested, hunting weapons. These military-style weapons are designed to tear up flesh and rip apart bodies.

So, the terms self-evident and absolute right to life as outlined in our Preamble become hollow and meaningless for countless of those we elected. We can fix the problem through the ballot box. Those elected officials supporting military-style gun rights while using opinion as a replacement for facts must be defeated. Regrettably, our elected representatives, based on personal opinions, are operating on loose thoughts and speculation. Vote!



Johnny Jones

* * *

Johnny Jones, the first three paragraphs of your opinion letter are absolute truth and articulated in a wonderful manner. In my opinion, and obviously I have many, after that you went straight down hill in your argument. Allow me to explain why I believe this.



In the past 50 years how many American lives have been taken (killed) by a military style assault rifle. I change your word weapon to rifle because most citizens who own any semiautomatic rifle own it for reasons other than killing. Im assuming you mean the killing of humans since we are the ones protected by the preamble to our constitution, rather than deer, bear, elk or even wild boar.



I challenge you to state the number of humans killed in the USA in the past 50 years by any semiautomatic firearm, rifle or otherwise. If you do state the number, you will be admitting that exponentially more human lives have been taken, more than 500 times more lives, by Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. What are your thoughts about 63,000,000 lives being denied life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Please step off the turn our guns into plow sheers bandwagon and get on the one that is now going to save lives. Thank you SCOTUS for realizing this and for not taking my legitimate rights of gun ownership away.



J. Pat Williams

* * *

Why play recklessly with numbers, J., in your defense of automatic weapons? The concerns are as they should be today. Automatic weapons and high-powered rifles have become the new weapons of choice involving mass shootings in these times. Automatic, semi-automatic, whatever--these weapons have the potential to cause most damage to the body.





Semi-automatic weapons were used in the Columbine massacre over 20 years ago. Two years or more before the Columbine massacre, and after noticing how citizens in her Colorado town were openly and brazenly walking around with their guns, the wife of a known actor had such a dire premonition for what was to come that she packed up her family, leaving the U.S. to return to her native country.





Where does it all end? How will it all end? During the lockdown in 2020, an anti-lockdown protestor taking a break from protesting in North Carolina was seen on video entering a subway with a T4-20 cm-rocket launcher strapped to his back. Rocket launcher? What next? Nuclear weapon?





These weapons now in the hands of just about anyone who can afford to buy them have the advantage of taking out large numbers of citizens with little or no effort and can be carried out by one person. They're not the "muskets" in use when the Second Amendment was written.





The majority of mass shooters aren't mentally ill, according to the FBI and Psychology Today. They just have an already anxious dark side that's easy to manipulate by powerful culprits hiding in the shadows giving orders. Those cold shadowy hands behind the scene know the right buttons to push.





Brenda Washington




Earlier this year, Benjamin Brown was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment for the death of two-year-old Annie Shell. He is currently serving his three-year sentence.

Meanwhile, Browns girlfriend and Annie Shells original babysitter, had a hearing in regards to her alleged false reports and accessory after the fact charges. It was decided Wednesday afternoon that Brandi Giannunzio will go to trial on July 25.

Its the states understanding she made false reports, said Judge Barry Steelman. And in light of the amount of time this case has been pending, trial is set for July 25.

Ms. Giannunzio had a lawyer, Hilary Hodgkins, for the last three years. But on Wednesday, the court heard she wanted to switch counsel to a lawyer who has had history in both her and Browns previous cases, Brandy Spurgin-Floyd.

Prosecutor Cameron Williams has worked on the case since its inception and is continuing to do so.





The Shell family was present at Ms. Giannunzios hearing.

In August 2018, Ms. Giannunzio was supposed to babysit Annie Shell and her sister. She went to a hair salon and left Brown to watch the girls. Soon after, Annie had a seizure and was transported to the hospital.

She spent 11 days in the hospital before she died. She suffered severe trauma to the brain. Ms. Giannunzio, according to police, allegedly lied to cover up what happened the day Annie went to the hospital.
It has been a 10-year odyssey, but Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond, with co-writer C. Grant Wolf, has completed his first book.

The Yellow-Hammer's Song is described as a tale of a First Century Roman soldier who searches for the truth.

The book cover says, "What would you think if your superior made a decision so shocking and unexpected it could change your life or career plans forever?

"That's what happens to young, First Century soldier Articus when his commanding officer sends him on a mission to determine for himself if there is any truth in the Jewish belief there can only be one true God, in contrast to Roman pantheistic beliefs.

"Articus also seeks to know if there is anything to the claim some Jews held that this God had a Son who had been crucified, rose from the grave, and is now back in heaven."

The Yellow-Hammer comes into play because "throughout the story you will be mesmerized by a mysterious little Yellow-Hammer bird until its tantalizing song finally leads Articus to the truth he's been seeking all along."

The cover says, "Though a work of fiction, The Yellow-Hammer's Song is factual in the use of Scripture to present the gospel as it might have been viewed in the years following the life and death of Yeshua, better known today as Jesus Christ."

Sheriff Hammond, who served three full terms and one special two-year term as sheriff of Hamilton County, got to know the Middle East well as he trained soldiers there in between his sheriff duties.

C. Grant Wolf is an Army veteran, pianist and organist, life insurance executive and prolific writer. He is the author/editor of Stories of Faith and Courage from Cops on the Street and he wrote a daily blog for many years.

The Yellow-Hammer's Song is available on Amazon in paperback for $14.99.
The four-day fireworks extravaganza with the beautiful exploding display of non-bombs bursting in air are finally over but a few questions remain:

(1) Are the past few months of high gas prices, insufficient groceries, and supply line shortages finally over?



(2) Is the pent-up frustration of putting up with COVID for two years a justification for the desire to travel on clogged up freeways and over booked airlines?



(3) Was the Delta Airlines pilots strike over the Independence Day period just a coincidence or designed to put pressure on the company for a contract salary increase?



(4) Has all of the stimulus money for not working getting depleted enough so that citizens might actually decide to go back to work now that wages have been substantially increased for employees?



(5) Is the $25 billion we have invested in the defense of Ukraine stopping or slowing down the Russian invasion?



(6) Are we putting enough economic pressure on China to reduce the trade deficit and maybe bring back American jobs from overseas?

I dont know or even profess to know enough to express an opinion on the above topics and many others.

However, while enjoying each night's fireworks celebration from my home setting and the television productions from the nation's capital and other locations, I suddenly had the urge to check my computer for answers to see what the potential cost of the beautiful explosions might be taking away from the needs of Americans and citizens around the World.

Although only the 2021 data on the total amount of money allegedly spent on the Big Bang items are available they are revealing.

In 2021 the total cost of exporting fireworks was allegedly $762.6 million with our good trading partner China getting $640.7 million (84 percent) of the proceeds, while America received $7.7 million (one percent)!

No statistics were discovered showing what the former USSR (Puttins play toy) spent on fireworks in 2020, but it would not be a big stretch of the imagination to assume that there would be a conversion of firework funds into firearms to kill Ukrainian citizens and ravage the cities and towns of that war-torn nation.

An acquaintance sent the following Facebook attachment from an undisclosed source which puts an additional perspective on the questions presented above:

I dont know what fireworks cost nowadays, but apparently theyre cheap enough that all of my dirt poor redneck neighbors who cant afford gas let's go Brandon! can buy enough to spend three days exploding them into the sky for eight hours every night.

(This is not a political statement in favor or against any political party, but the beauty and excitement of the fireworks displays over Hamilton County did provide sobering moments and raise the above questions.)

* * *

Jerry Summers

(If you have additional information about one of Mr.

Summers' articles or have suggestions or ideas about a future Chattanooga area historical piece, please contact Mr. Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com)
Rotary Club of Chattanooga Hamilton Place welcomed the 22-23 Rotary Club president and board of directors.

Betsy Gibson with Raymond James is the club's 22-23 president and began the program by highlighting the events from the recent Rotary International Convention held in Houston, Tx. During the convention, Jennifer Jones was inducted as the 22-23 Rotary International (RI) president and made history as the first woman RI president.



Ms. Gibson showcased the new Rotary theme of "Imagine Rotary" and linked the RI core vision to the club's goals of increasing membership and diversity, service across the community and member engagement. She also acknowledged the club members who achieved perfect attendance over the past 21-22 Rotary year with special recognition to Joe Williams with 44 years perfect attendance.

The club will continue for the fifth year in a row a $10,000 District Grant Scholarship provided to the club's adopted school, Bess T. Shepherd Elementary.
Supporters of TennGreen Land Conservancy have outdone themselves again by raising $149,485 for the environmental nonprofit during its second annual June Hike-a-Thon. Through hundreds of donations and a generous $25,000 matching gift, Hike-a-Thon participants shattered fundraising goals, nearly doubling the amount raised in the event's first year.

"I'm extraordinarily grateful for the generosity and support from our outdoor community," said Alice Hudson Pell, TennGreen Land Conservancy's associate director. "Saving land is as expensive as it is urgent, and these crucial dollars raised through the Hike-a-Thon ensure we can do more to protect the places that provide us all well-being and an unrivaled quality of life. With these funds, we'll continue to create and expand our beloved parks and natural areas, help more landowners protect their forests and farmland, and further encourage all to love and defend nature. Thank you to all who supported this year's eventfrom those who got out and braved the scorching summer heat to those who donated their time or treasure. None of this would be possible without you!"

Hosted annually by TennGreen Land Conservancy, the Hike-a-Thon is an event unlike any other in the Southeast. The Hike-a-Thon is free to register, managed virtually throughout June, and encourages people of all ages and abilities to enjoy the outdoors from anywhere while competing to raise funds to protect the lands they love. This year, 278 hikers, paddlers, climbers, mountain bikers, and trail runners completed 968 outdoor adventures, exploring 5,118 miles across Tennessee and beyond. Eight Tennessee-based participants hiked more than 100 miles during the month-long competition, including Peter Chockley (Memphis), Steven Corley and Marcia Lee (Allardt), Don Guy (Jamestown), Lynne McFarland (Franklin), Nichole Newport (Helenwood), Michael Smith (Maryville), and Brenda Stein (Nashville).

"Participating in the Hike-a-Thon was an absolute joy," said first-time Hike-a-Thon participant and Most Unique Donors competition winner Brenda Stein. "The hiking and fundraising reconnected me with people I hadn't been in touch with in years! There are a hundred more miles on my boots, most added with friends I love. During these times of environmental havoc, a deepening political divide, and seen and unseen suffering, the Hike-a-Thon has been a healing balm in my heart. Together, we've made a lasting impact that will benefit us all and protect the natural world we need to survive and thrive."

This year's Hike-a-Thon participants won exciting donated prizes ranging from REI Backpacking Bundles and free shoes from KEEN Footwear to a three-night stay for two guests at Wildwood Resort and Marina in Granville, Tennessee.

Individual competitions included Most Money Raised, Most Miles Hiked, Most Miles Hiked (Senior), Most Miles Hiked by a Hiker Experiencing a Disability, Most Miles Hiked with a Dog, Most Miles Trail Run, Most Miles Paddled, Most Miles Mountain Biked, Most Feet Climbed, Most Overall Adventures, Most Unique Donors, and Most Days with an Adventurea new competition hosted in partnership with Healthy Parks Healthy Person.

Team competitions included Best Team Name, Most Money Raised, Most Miles Hiked, Most Team Donors, and Most Unique Adventures.

Prizes were also awarded in three photography competitions, including Best Photo, Best Group/Team Photo, and Best Selfie.

TennGreen Land Conservancy is grateful for the generosity of the Hike-a-Thon's leading sponsorsBearded Iris Brewing, The Bailey Company, and Cumberland Kayak & Adventure Companyand all who contributed to making this event a success.

To view the complete list of 2022 Hike-a-Thon winners or learn more about sponsoring next year's event, visit tenngreen.org/events/hike-a-thon-2022.
A criminal homicide charge against a man arrested in a mass shooting on McCallie Avenue was changed to reckless homicide after a hearing in General Sessions Court on Thursday morning.

Judge Lila Statom bound the charge to the Grand Jury against Alex Lewis along with reckless endangerment and possession of a firearm in the case that involved three deaths and 14 others injured.

His total bond is at $250,000, and he must be under electronic monitoring and undergo drug screening if he makes bond.

This event turns my stomach upside down and it is very disturbing to see what we saw today in court, said Judge Statom after viewing a number of videos from the scene. It is clear that these are violent gangs showing up in our communities.

Of the charge reduction, Judge Statom said evidence showed the defendants actions merely increased the risk that someone was going to die.

At the hearing, Lewis was seen on video carrying and firing a gun. A slow motion video showed him firing shots on the corner of N. Kelly St. and McCallie Avenue where shell casings were later found.

Lewis has had nearly a dozen other convictions, according to prosecutor Cameron Williams.

Chattanooga Police homicide investigator Scott Springer said Lewis gave no indication of evading police other than deleting one of his two Facebook profiles.

Investigator Springer said based on his investigation so far, there were multiple shooters - possibly five or more.

Footage was recovered from police body cameras, surrounding businesses, TikTok and Facebook Live streams, as well as videos sent by the public. The video evidence put Garrian King and other possible suspects at the scene with weapons. King is facing charges in the case in Federal Court.

The court saw gruesome footage of the aftermath where victims Kevin Brown, Darian Hixon and Myrakle Moss were killed. It was testified that Kevin Brown was shot three times. Footage showed Ms. Moss getting run over by a silver Jeep as she attempted to flee the scene. Police are still in search of the silver Jeep.

Two guns have been recovered, including one described as a "300 blackout" rifle.

Police said there were numerous calls from the vicinity of Mary's Bar & Grill prior to the shooting.
Erlanger announced the promotion of Katie Duffy, PharmD, MBA, to vice president of operations for Erlanger Health System and Tyler Winks, MBA, R.T. (R) (CT) (MR) (ARRT), to chief executive officer of Erlanger East and North Hospitals.

Dr. Duffy previously served as system senior director of Pharmacy for Erlanger. She has been part of the Erlanger team for over 15 years and was described as "a loyal advocate for Erlangers patients and associates."

She has over 15 years of clinical experience and over 10 years of operational leadership experience, both within and outside of the pharmacy.

Officials said she "successfully built, developed and coordinated teams and achieved remarkable financial, clinical and quality outcomes. Her leadership garners continued savings opportunities for the health system better utilization of governmental programs, and she has ensured appropriate clinical and operational oversight for the diversion and medication safety programs.

"During the height of the pandemic, Duffy planned, implemented and successfully accomplished a COVID-19 vaccine clinic that administered doses to all of Erlangers associates, as well as other local healthcare providers. In addition to her normal leadership duties, she also coordinated the completion of business continuity plans for all departments in the health system while also serving as a subcommittee chair for the Erlanger Leadership Development Institute and as a member of the Believe Bash Committee."

Dr. Duffy earned a bachelors degree in English from Mercer University, a doctorate in pharmacy from Mercers College of Pharmacy and a masters in business administration from Mercers Stetson-Hatcher School of Business. She completed her post-graduate year residency at Erlanger, where her residency project in antimicrobial stewardship led to the program that is still in place today.

Mr. Winks joined Erlanger in July 2021 as vice president of operations. He has over 11 years of clinical and hospital operations leadership experience. He began his career in the medical field as an MRI technologist and quickly advanced into a leadership position, in which he assumed responsibility for both administrative and clinical operations of medical imaging and other ancillary and support services at multiple hospitals in Kentucky.

Next, he served as senior director of hospital operations and rehabilitation services at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital in Alexandria, Va. In this executive role, he was responsible for the daily operations of the main campus and healthplex in Lorton, Va. In addition, he was the senior leader of the rehabilitation service line and the wound and hyperbaric program.

Officials said Mr. Winks "was a key leader in the hospitals COVID-19 response and was responsible for the hospitals incident command center. Throughout his tenure at Inova, he partnered with clinical and non-clinical leaders to improve patient satisfaction scores, increase employee engagement, implement workflow and efficiency improvements, and execute hospital-wide initiatives that positively impacted the organization."

Mr. Winks earned a bachelors degree in imaging sciences from Morehead State University and a masters degree in business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. He is registered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist (ARRT) in radiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. He is also a member of the American Collage of Healthcare Executives (ACHE).
Drive-through coffee shop Lola Beans Coffee will have a grand opening celebration on Saturday at its new location in Cleveland off Paul Huff Parkway.

The shop will open at 7 a.m. for coffee service, and the grand opening will be from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Attendees can enjoy $1 lemonade, grand opening drink specials, and a DJ playing from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The first 300 attendees will receive a free t-shirt with the purchase of a large drink.

After experiencing an abundance of drive-through coffee shacks in Alaska, our family is excited to bring this quick, easy coffee shop model to Cleveland, Lola Beans co-founder Donny Bradley said. Lola Beans purpose is to be the place we wished we worked when we were young that creates a positive experience and provides the highest quality coffee available to our customers.

Lola Beans stays true to local vendors by sourcing its coffee from Vienna Coffee House in Maryville. The shop offers a wide range of beverages, including signature lattes, milkshakes, smoothies, and infused drinks. Not only is the coffee customizable, but teas, lemonades, Italian sodas, and energy drinks can also be infused with over 30 flavor add-ins ranging from sea salt caramel and pumpkin spice to dragon fruit and hibiscus.

The grand opening celebration is open to the public, and the media is invited to attend and interview owners and customers.

Lola Beans Coffee started as an idea in 2014 when Donny and Missy Bradley moved their family from Chattanooga to Soldotna, Alaska for five months. During their time in Alaska, they noticed drive-through coffee shacks on every street corner with quick, friendly service. They became regulars at these coffee shacks, making personal connections with the employees.

After returning to Chattanooga, the Bradley family wanted to bring this concept to the area, leading them to open up their own drive-through coffee shop and name it after their daughters long-time nickname, Lola Beans. The shop has locations in both East Brainerd and Cleveland.
The Tennessee Wars Commission, the Tennessee Historical Commission division responsible for preserving the states significant military history, has announced the Aug. 15, opening of this years grant cycle for the Civil War Sites Preservation Fund (CWSPF). This fund is provided by legislation to the Tennessee Historical Commission who approves and awards TCWSPF grants. The Tennessee Wars Commission administers the application and grant processes.

The Civil War Sites Preservation Fund, begun in 2013, is a key source for matching funds for the acquisition and preservation of properties associated with the 38 most significant Civil War sites in Tennessee.

Additionally, grants can assist in funding the acquisition and protection of Underground Railroad sites eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, or eligible for designation as a National Historic Landmark.

Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) non-profit. This grant will pay a one-to-one, 50 percent match where the grantee provides the match from a non-state source. Applications are scored, rated, and ranked by Tennessee Historical Commission and Tennessee Wars Commission staff members. The board of the Historical Commission has voting approval of eligible grant projects.

Since its debut in 2013, approximately $5 million in funding from this program has helped save almost one thousand acres of threatened Tennessee battlefield lands, said Tennessee Historical Commission Director Patrick McIntyre. Last year, the Wars Commission awarded over $560,000.00 in Tennessee TCWSPF grants that will help to preserve approximately one hundred and seventy-five acres of battlefield properties. This year, projects were focused on core battlefield areas associated with the Wauhatchie and Chattanooga battlefields, notes Tennessee Wars Commission Director of Programs, Nina Scall.

The deadline for submissions is Oct. 31. The grant application process is digital. Create an account and complete the application at https://tdec.smartsimple.com/s_Login.jsp.

For questions regarding the grant process or application procedure, contact Nina Scall, Program Director of the Tennessee Wars Commission via email at Nina.Scall@tn.gov.
Jordan Peeles psychological horror flick Nope is set to arrive in theaters on July 22. And to celebrate the movies fast-approaching release, Keke Palmer opened up about her experience working on the film. She gave a sweet shoutout to co-star Daniel Kaluuya.

Who do Keke Palmer and Daniel Kaluuya play in Nope?

Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer | Leon Bennett/Getty Images for BET

While plot details remain scarce, Nope follows the residents of a lonely gulch in inland California as they bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery, per IMDb.

Palmer and Kaluuya play Emerald and OJ Haywood, two siblings living and working on their familys ranch outside of Los Angeles. The Haywood family is known for their history of raising horses. And as explained in the trailer, they are the only Black-owned horse trainers in Hollywood.

But things start to get out of hand when a mysterious alien ship appears in the sky. It seems to possess the ability to kill earthlings who look at it. OJ and Emerald resolve to profit off of the UFO and capture footage of it. But unsurprisingly, the supernatural entities on the ship make it known that they dont want to be seen.

Keke Palmer opens up about working with Daniel Kaluuya

Palmer recently played a round of Knowing Me Knowing You for Elle UKs YouTube channel. And she opened up about her experience working with Kaluuya on Nope.

Working on that set, working with Daniel as well, was very much so  I was pinching myself so much Im bruised, Palmer said of her experience shooting Nope.

She then proceeded to give kudos to Kaluuya. And she revealed that the Academy Award-winning actor had a special way of making her feel safe on set.

You know what I love about working with Daniel? Palmer said of her co-star. Daniel is just a very gracious actor. Hes very patient. Theres never anything that could really go weird or awry because of his temperament. So he really makes you feel safe.

In the same interview, Palmer also praised Peele, whom she actually worked with for an episode of Key & Peele when she was just 17 years old. Palmer described herself as a fan of his work. And she referenced his highly praised projects such as 2017s Get Out and 2019s Us. She also expressed her excitement about working with the comic-turned-horror maestro on Nope 10 years later.

A look at Palmer and Kaluuyas careers and filmographies

Audiences might recognize Palmer from her breakout film Akeelah and the Bee. It went on to catapult the then-child actor to full-blown superstardom.

Palmer progressed as a prominent performer through the early 2000s with roles in films Madeas Family Reunion, Jump In!, The Longshots, and Shrink. She received recognition for her roles on Nickelodeon, such as portraying the title character in the sitcom True Jackson, VP.

She then made the jump to more mature roles, starring in the thriller-comedy Scream Queens, the crime-drama film Hustlers, and the series Turnt Up with the Taylors, the latter of which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award in 2021.

Kaluuya, on the other hand, only somewhat recently rose to prominence. Before starring in Oscar-nominated films, Kaluuya got his start on the U.K. teen drama Skins. The actor appeared in other minor roles before landing his big break.

Kaluuya finally earned some well-deserved attention for his role in the Black Mirror episode Fifteen Million Merits. He then was cast as the character Chris in Peeles 2017 horror-thriller flick Get Out. He garnered praise for his performance in the film and went on to win the Rising Star award at the BAFTAs. In 2018, he appeared in Black Panther.

Kaluuya didnt take home an Oscar until 2021. His portrayal of Civil Rights activist Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah received rave critic and audience reviews, leading Kaluuya to snag the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

RELATED: Jordan Peele Explains the Meaning Behind His Movie Nope: The Film is a Ride
Ms. Marvel Episode 4 takes Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) to Karachi, where she discovers more about her familys history and their survival during the Partition of India and Pakistan. The Marvel series depicts this pivotal time in the two countries history. And according to creator Sana Amanat, Kamala is connected to the Partition to learn who she is and where she stands.

Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan | Marvel Studios

Ms. Marvel puts Kamala Khan in the middle of a Partition story

In Episode 4 of Ms. Marvel, Kamala visits her grandmother Sana (Samina Ahmed) in Pakistan where she learns of her familys history. The show touches on the real-life Partition of India.

In 1947, after British rule ended in India, the country was divided. Certain provinces, like Punjab, were split so they could be a part of the new country of Pakistan. Hundreds of thousands of families were displaced and had to leave their homes and loved ones behind to move to one side of the border or the other.

Amanat, who loosely based Kamalas story on her own life growing up as a Pakistani Muslim in New Jersey, recently revealed that she connected the superhero to the Partition to give her a sense of identity.

Ultimately, this is a story about identity, Amanat told EW. How do you understand your identity without understanding what home is and what home means to you?

I think everyone should analyze their relationship to the place in which they are residing, to the place in which their families have come from, and the history behind all of it  That really gives you, not necessarily a sense of who you actually are, but it gives you the tools to be able to decide what kind of person you want to be.

Ms. Marvel points out the forgotten moments of the Partition

In her chat with EW, Amanat talked about how generations of Kamalas family were affected by the Partition, especially her great-grandmother, grandmother, and mom. And she noted that oftentimes when the historic event is referenced, womens stories are left out.

Previously on #MsMarvel



Catch up before a brand new episode of Ms. Marvel, an Original series from Marvel Studios, starts streaming tomorrow on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/rPIn0lfoyJ  Ms. Marvel (@msmarvel) June 28, 2022

[The] Partition, really did lay out a lot of loss and trauma, Amanat explained.

I think also in any type of big, traumatic, historical events, the women are forgotten. You talk about the men, but the women are sort of forgotten. These are sort of the remnants of kind of whats left after a moment like that and how the relationships are affected by it.

The Ms. Marvel villains, The Clandestines, symbolize sentiments of displacement

In Ms. Marvel Episode 3, Kamala meets her nemeses, the Clandestines. They reveal that they were exiled from their parallel dimension, and are just looking for a way back home.

As explained by Amanat, the villains may be ruthless. But at the end of the day, theyre just trying to get a sense of belonging  similar to what some displaced people may feel in real-life.

The Clandestines are an interesting foil in that regard because you are talking about people being displaced, and then there are these people, and heres how they interpret their displacement, Amanat said in her chat with EW. Theres a much larger metaphor there and I want to see what people think of it.

Ms. Marvel airs Wednesdays on Disney+.

RELATED: Is Ms. Marvel Season 2 Happening? Producer Sana Amanat Hopes So
The Way of the Heart

Henri Nouwen

Nouwens little classic was where I first met the likes of Anthony, Arsenius, and Theodora. The Way of the Heart is indispensable reading for understanding how solitude, silence, and prayer mark the life of holiness. Writes Nouwen: The words flee, be silent, and pray always summarize the spirituality of the desert. They indicate the three ways of preventing the world from shaping us in its image and are thus the three ways to life in the Spirit.

The Wisdom of the Desert

Thomas Merton

Few have lived the wisdom of the desert as radically as the Trappist monk Thomas Merton. His book of collected sayings gives a beautiful glimpse into what motivated the Fathers and Mothers. As Merton observes, What the Fathers sought most of all was their own true self, in Christ. And in order to do this, they had to reject completely the false, formal self, fabricated under social compulsion in the world. Amen to that.

The Desert Fathers: Sayings of the Early Christian Monks

Transalted by Benedicta Ward

At some point, getting into the desert fathers and mothers means immersing yourself in primary-source material. Which brings us to these translations from Benedicta Ward, one of the foremost modern authorities on desert spirituality. Her volume organizes desert sayings and stories by theme, making it a handy guide. (Mine is a mess of notes and markings and dog-ears.) A must-have for those looking to go deeper.

John Cassian: Conferences

Translated by Colm Luibheid

One reason we know about the desert fathers and mothers at all is because of John Cassian. As a young man, Cassian traveled to Palestine and Egypt to drink from the wells of desert wisdom. Twenty-five years ...

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This article is the third of a four-part series based on the upcoming book by Marvin Olasky and Leah Savas, The Story of Abortion in America: A Street-Level History, 16522022.

British theologian and missionary Lesslie Newbigin said the church is a Christians home base for a mission to the ends of the earth. Is that true in spirit as well as in geography? Who is at the other end of the earth from a Christian pregnancy resource center, even though its located next door? And who might be under tremendous pressure in a post-Roe era?

Could it be an abortionist? Thirty years ago, I spent some time with Dr. Bernard Nathanson, who had professed faith in Christ after presiding over the biggest abortion business in New York City in 1971 and 1972. When he studied ultrasound video in 1974, though, Nathanson realized he had killed human beings. As pro-life advocates talked with him, Nathanson found comfort in the special role for forgiveness within Christianity.

Ive read lots of books about and by abortionists and learned that each had a different rationale. Lets start with Robert Spencer, who aborted at least 40,000 babies from the 1920s through the 1960s. Laudatory biographer Vincent Genovese wrote that Spencer without any sense of loss would gently place into a basin the tiny children he had just aborted.

Spencer felt no grief because as a student at Penn State he had become a confirmed Darwinist. Zoologists look upon an embryo as a parasite.  Murder is the basis for life, for one form of life eats another, he later wrote. I am an evolutionist, hence I am an atheist.  The basic structure of all matter is electrical.

Image: Illustration by Mallory Rentsch / Source Images: WikiMedia Commons

Spencer lived in Ashland, Pennsylvania, which had a population of 5,000 in 1960 and has about half that now. His practice wasnt a secret. Some residents who protected him benefited economically from Spencers work, since the thousands of abortion seekers who came to Ashland from across the US patronized local hotels and other businesses.

It appears that Spencer killed only one of the women he gave an abortion during his 40-year career. A jury that included at least one former Spencer patient found him not guilty.

A second abortionist, Ruth Barnett, displayed a different motivation. Although she was not a doctor, she was as competent in abortion as the best. A close friend of Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger, Barnett performed about 40,000 illegal abortions from 1918 to 1968 in Portland, Oregon, with at least two-thirds of the women coming to her by referral from established doctors.

Barnetts self-appraisal seems accurate:

I have never lost a single patient.  I have a light touch.  In the movies, they always depict the fallen women sneaking up a dirty, rickety stairway to a dismal roomor making her way, furtively, into a dark alley that leads to a decrepit shack where some alcoholic doctor or untutored butcher performs the operation.  A clinic such as mine was not that way at all.

Her biographer, Rickie Solinger, describes Barnett as clean and careful and very highly skilled and says her operating rooms were spotlessly antiseptic.

Barnetts memoir and biography suggest she became an abortionist partly out of revenge. An early sexual experience with Frank left her pregnant:

He was not to blame, he said. What kind of a little fool had I been to be so careless?... You got yourself that way, now get yourself out of it. Seeing the look of amazement on my face, he added a thrust that Ive heard second-hand a thousand times since. How do I know Im responsible anyways? Youve been going around with other guys.

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Years later Barnett recalled, He turned and hurried away. I never saw him again. In the years that followed, I have observed many Franks.  For years I hated Frank. So it was no surprise to me to find many of my patients had the same implacable hatred for the man responsible.

Barnett raged not only against men who exploited her but the women snubbing her daughter, Maggie, who entered the University of Oregon in 1932 and tried to pledge a sorority, Alpha Chi Omega. Members rejected her because of her moms occupation: Barnett was screaming and crying in rage but then told her daughter, For every sorority girl that comes in my office, youll get a new dress!

Maggie recalled, I was the most fashionable and best outfitted girl at the university that season. And also the wildest, wickedest, drunkenest, most daring, and most promiscuous. Barnett aborted six of Maggies childrenher own grandchildren.

Image: Illustration by Mallory Rentsch / Source Images: WikiMedia Commons

Barnett also liked earning at least $9 million (more than $100 million today) and buying jewelry, expensive bric-a-brac, minks. Maggie recalled her mom telling her, Buy yourself a man, a husband, a lover. What cant money buy?  We had about four or five fur coats apiece.  She loved jewelry. She had some gorgeous pieces.

A third abortionist, Edgar Keemer Jr. (19131980), combined resentment and ideology. He grew up in a middle-class Black home hoping to echo his father, who rose from a poor rural background to become a pharmacology professor. Keemer Jr. tried to develop a well-paid practice in Indiana, but the local medical society denied him membership on racial grounds and the local hospital refused him admitting privileges.

Keemer visited New York City and Chicago but found underpaid Black doctors there moonlighting as railway porters. He settled in Detroit, where Blacks had entered the auto industry at good wages and Wayne Countys welfare system paid for doctors visits. Keemer let other Black physicians know that he would do abortions. His initial patients were their relatives. As others became aware of his clean clinical setting and maternal safety record, referrals increased.

When the United States entered World War II, Keemer tried to enlist in the navy as a doctor but encountered racial slurs and suggestions that he work in the kitchen or mop floors. The NAACP, trying to show patriotism, pressured him.

Keemer later said only one person came not to lecture me.  He was a member of the Socialist Workers Party, the Communist offshoot that supported Leon Trotsky in his battle against Joseph Stalin. Keemer joined the SWP in 1943, committed to replacing capitalism with socialism wherein every man and every woman would be guaranteed a satisfying function in societyif they survived.

In his autobiography, Keemer said he performed 30,000 abortions. When we add his work to Spencers and Barnetts, we find that these three mass murderers apparently wiped out at least 110,000 unborn children. It can be tempting to demonize them, but they too, like Bernard Nathanson who presided over 60,000 abortions, were created in Gods image.

Once Nathanson realized the enormity of his sin, he would awaken each morning at four or five oclock, staring into the darkness and hoping (but not praying yet) for a message to flare forth acquitting me before some invisible jury. Eventually, for the first time in my entire adult life, I began to entertain seriously the notion of God  who problematically had led me through the proverbial circles of hell, only to show me the way to redemption and mercy through His grace.

For Nathanson to change, he had to come to two understandings: that the life in a womans womb is human and worthy of protection and that Gods grace is boundless, able to reach even someone with the blood of thousands on his hands. Those are truths that the church, too, can carry into a post-Roe world.

Content adapted from The Story of Abortion in Americaby Marvin Olasky and Leah Savas, 2023. Used by permission of Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
In the last episode of season 2, Heather says goodbye (for now) to listeners, and lets you in on a little secret about what is coming up for season 3.

In this conversation, Heather and author Christina Edmondson discuss Christinas work in anti-racism and diversity and inclusion. Christina brings up the value of affinity spaces, in allowing us to not feel othered.

Christina also discusses how social media is helping and hurting us in our cultural competence. Christinas unique skill set in therapy as well as cross-cultural conversation, allows her to be uniquely skilled in how she discusses conversations around conflict resolution and confronting division.

Guest Bio

Christina Edmondson holds a PhD in Counseling Psychology from Tennessee State University, an MS degree from the University of Rochester in Family Therapy, and a Bachelors degree in Sociology from Hampton University.

For over a decade, Christina has served in a variety of roles including recently as the Dean for Intercultural Student Development at Calvin University. Additionally, as a Certified Cultural Intelligence facilitator, public speaker, and mental health therapist, Christina is often contacted by churches to consult about leadership development, anti-racism, and mental health issues. She is the coauthor of Faithful Antiracism: Moving Past Talk to Systemic Change and Truths Table: Black Womens Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation. Her writing has appeared in a variety of outlets, including Christianity Today, Essence.com, and Gospel Today magazine. She also co-hosts the critically acclaimed Truths Table podcast.

Mentioned in This Episode

Truths Table: Black Womens Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation

Faithful Antiracism: Moving Past Talk to Systemic Change

Truths Table podcast

Host Bio

Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including, I'll See You Tomorrow, releasing in October, and Its Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday.

Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today

Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day

Producer: Loren Joseph

Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath

Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper

Associate Producer of CT Podcasts: Azurae Phelps
A former managing director at Archegos Capitala family office at the center of one of Wall Streets biggest white collar crime cases in decadeshas filed a lawsuit alleging fraudulent activity at the Grace and Mercy Foundation, the Christian nonprofit connected to the firm. In seeking millions in compensation, he claims the foundations $800 million in assets includes funding diverted from Archegoss employees compensation.

In April, federal prosecutors charged Archegos founder Bill Hwang, a billionaire outspoken about his Christian faith, with racketeering and massive fraud. In 2021, banks lending to Archegos lost $10 billion, and the firms collapse evaporated $100 billion from the stock market, according to prosecutors. Hwang is currently free on a $100 million bond and awaiting trial.

Brendan Sullivan, who started at Archegos in 2014 and resigned during its downfall in March 2021, is seeking millions in compensation he says he is owed. He says Archegos leadership forced employees to put their bonuses back into a fund at the firm, which he alleges Archegos then invested in stocks and transferred to Grace and Mercy. The foundation, he said, then sold the stocks and got the profits. That would protect appreciated stock from taxation and give Archegos a tax deduction for the donation.

These share transfers to the foundation were all coming from the Archegos Fund, which included employee deferred compensation  which was done without the knowledge or consent of employees, the lawsuit says. The employee fund lost $500 million total, Sullivan says. Sullivan was owed $30 million in deferred compensation at the time of his resignation and has not received any of it, he said. He was one of Archegos 27 full-time employees, according to the lawsuit, which is directed at the firm, its executives, and the foundation.

Bloomberg columnist Matt Levine noted tables within the lawsuit showed Sullivan had put only $3.8 million into the deferred compensation fund and that he had come up with the $30 million value based on Archegos inflated profits in March 2021. A combination of chutzpah and careful contract reading, Levine said about suing for $27 million in paper profits.

Sullivanwho was part of the Christian community in Manhattan and did a fellowship through Redeemer Presbyterian Churchalleges Hwang ran the fund like a cult and used Christianity as a way to pressure employees to invest their earnings back into Archegos. He said questions about employees faith were a part of performance reviews and that they were pressured to go to lunchtime Scripture readings at the foundation, which was in the same office.

Sullivan is suing as a disgruntled former employeehe mentions career opportunities Hwang promised him and never deliveredand though there are typos throughout, his wide-ranging 99-page lawsuit is filled with emails and conversations specifically detailing his grievances. In the early 2000s, Enron employees who lost millions in retirement after Enrons collapse brought similar lawsuits and ultimately won a class-action settlement.

Christopher Porrino, a lawyer for the Grace and Mercy Foundation, said in a statement that Mr. Sullivans complaint against The Grace and Mercy Foundation is filled with baseless and frivolous allegations, all of which will be decisively refuted in court. The foundation will continue its grantmaking work it has been doing since 2006, he added.

Grace and Mercy has distributed about 5 percent of its assets a yearamounting to around $30 million in 2019, the most recent year on recordto a variety of Christian organizations like the Bowery Mission, Prison Fellowship, and Fuller Theological Seminary. Sullivan alleges the grants to Christian groups were a cover for Hwangs usage of the fund for his personal benefit.

Sullivan alleges that Hwang described the foundation as his escape pod and when Archegos was in trouble Hwang frequently told concerned employees that if the firm collapsed, he could move them to the foundation and use its capital to restart another investment firm, Archegos 2.0. Sullivan said that Hwang considered transferring Grace and Mercy assets to Archegos but did not after receiving counsel that it would be illegal.

Hwang mentioned that some Archegos employees would be given foundation money to start their own investment funds, from which the foundation could generate management fees, Sullivan alleges.

Central to Sullivans lawsuit is the fact that Archegos and Grace and Mercy functioned as the same entity though they were separate on paper. The two shared office space and employees, and Sullivan said they often had firmwide meetings that included employees from both Archegos and the foundation.

Hwang regularly and informally moved money and shares from Archegos accounts to the foundation, and his familys own private non-fund accounts, utilized Archegos staff, administrative functions, and resources to operate the foundation, the lawsuit reads.

On the foundations most recent tax form, Archegos chief financial officer Patrick Halligan was listed as the bookkeeper for Grace and Mercy. Halligan faces racketeering and fraud charges in the Archegos case alongside Hwang. Halliganwas central to the intermingling of assets, shares, and monies, Sullivans lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit also names Andy Mills, an Archegos executive who is a former president and board chair of The Kings College, a Christian college in New York. Mills was not charged in the federal case.

Sullivan alleges that when Archegos was in trouble Hwang and Mills assured employees of compensation through Archegos, Hwangs personal funds, or the foundation. He says that Mills threatened employees who were thinking about leaving, saying that people who quit would no longer receive any of their deferred compensation.

Mills declined to comment to CT.

David Shapiro, an expert on financial crimes at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said authorities might be more willing to go after the foundation if there is self-dealing that parallels Archegos and if the two functioned as one entity.

If Im dishonest with my left hand, thats probably relevant evidence that Im dishonest with my right hand, he said, while making clear that he didnt know the truth about allegations against Hwang and Archegos.

However, Shapiro said, the foundation seemed to be run with more caution than risk-taking Archegos, with the foundations rate of returns exceeding the amount it was giving away.

Shapiro said that he might worry more for the foundation if the accounting firm doing the 990s was a small outfit rather than a major accounting firm like KPMG, which has more financial independence from a single client and could call out ethical lapses. The 2019 990 for Grace and Mercy lists a 3-person accounting firm.

When you mess around with compensation of employees, and you have ERISA violations, thats very serious stuff, said Shapiro. Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) fraud is among the allegations in the lawsuit. Its really a horrible situation.

Meanwhile the federal case against Hwang and Halligan is proceeding, with prosecutors having to deliver discoveryevidence the defense can reviewby July 20.

[ This article is also available in  and . ]
Some pro-life Christians hope the reversal of Roe v. Wade will help more countries outside the US resist legalizing abortion.

Under the landmark ruling for nearly 50 years, the United States modeled abortion rights as a standard, an inevitable sign of social progress. As abortion policy becomes a state-by-state issue, advocates say, it will decrease the pressure the US and US-based aid groups put on foreign governments around abortion access, allowing them to focus on other aspects of womens health instead.

The Roe reversal will help show the rest of the world that this isnt a settled issue, even in the West, and will hopefully help countries in the Global South to resist pressure from the West to liberalize their abortion laws, said Peter Saunders, the UK-based president of the International Christian Medical and Dental Association.

It will also make it much harder to argue at the UN that abortion is an international human right when half the US believes, and will now enforce, the exact opposite.

In its updated guidelines issued in March 2022, the United Nations World Health Organization called for the repeal of laws and regulations that restrict abortion by reasons, prohibit abortion based on gestational limits, and require mandatory waiting periods.

Under President Donald Trump (and previous Republican presidents), the Mexico City policy barred federal funding of international organizations that covered or advocated for abortion as a method of family planning. President Joe Biden rescinded the policy.

While the Mexico City policy focuses on foreign assistance programs, two other provisionsthe Siljander and Helms amendmentsalso limits how US dollars are used around abortion abroad. The Siljander Amendment bars government funds from being used to lobby for or against abortion.

Yet, a study released by the Center for Family & Human Rights in 2020 found that the US had signed or signed and ratified at least seven human rights treaties through the United Nations, and the treaty bodies subsequently advocated for liberalizing abortion laws.

In the wake of the Dobbs decision on June 24, the Supreme Court case overturning Roe v. Wade, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US will remain fully committed to helping provide access to reproductive health services and advancing reproductive rights around the world.

Xesus Manuel Suarez Garcia with the Iberico-American Congress for Life and Family (Congreso Iberoamericano Por La Vida Y La Familia), said the US and US-based nonprofits often pressure governments in the Global South to liberalize their abortion restrictions. Over the past two years, Argentina, Mexico, and Columbia all moved to decriminalize abortion.

The population [of pro-life countries] is led to understand that, although the majority position of civil society is pro-life, it seems inevitable that pro-abortion regulations will be imposed from above, he said. And suddenly, with the reversal of Roe v. Wade, the general population in Latin America discovers that this is not the case.

International abortion rights groups have also voiced concerns about the rulings chilling effect on foreign aid for their cause. As one adviser told Politicos Global Pulse, When it comes to family planning and reproductive health, the U.S. is the largest government donor. And of course, that is going to create ripple effects.

A change in Americas abortion landscape helps pro-life organizations working abroad to insist that abortion should not be part of this conversation, that it should be up to individual countries and not pressure from NGOs and outside organizations, according to Valerie Huber, founder of Institute for Women s Health.

No longer can progressive nations and NGOs point to the US and our national abortion policy as an example of the necessity for legalizing abortion, nor can they say that legalizing abortion is a requirement for a democratic country, said Huber, who worked on global issues concerning women s health for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) during the previous administration.

At the start of the Biden administration, Blinken announced the US withdrawal from the Geneva Consensus Declaration, the international agreement on womens rights drafted by Huber when she worked for HHS and signed by 36 other countries. The declaration seeks to expand healthcare for women and protect the rights of nations to support health, life, and family through national policy and legislation, free from international pressures.

Most of South America, Africa, and Southeast Asiasome of the most populous areas of the worldseverely restrict abortion or ban it outright. Russia, North Korea, China, Australia, Canada, Mexico, most of Europe, and a handful of countries in South America and Africa permit abortion on request with some limits on gestational age.

Guatemala joined the Geneva Consensus and was designated the pro-life capital of Latin America by Iberico-American Congress for Life and Family. Its president has called on the country to protect life starting at conception. By contrast, abortion restrictions are relaxing elsewhere in the regionmost recently in Columbia, which decided in February to legalize abortion up to 24 weeks gestation.

In our experience, the American government since Roe has been trying to engage in what can only be described as ideological colonialism or imperialism to pressure the majority world to conform to US standards on abortion, said Dr. Mike Chupp, president of the US-based Christian Medical and Dental Association.

When global health organizations pressure countries to treat abortion rights as a settled issue, it detracts from other work to prevent maternal mortality, pro-lifers say.

Contraception, treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, cervical cancer screenings, steps to reduce infant and maternal mortality rates, better perinatal carethese are the women s healthcare issues that are truly urgent in much of the world to doctors like Chupp.

International pro-life advocates also believe that the reversal of Roe provides the chance for Christians to love not only unborn children, but their mothers too, a position championed by many Christian pro-lifers in the US.

Graciela Noguera Ibanez works with NAF-Paraguay, a Paraguay-based nonprofit that promotes systems that will allow children, adolescents, and families to thrive.

The real problem is social responsibility towards pregnant women in vulnerable situations, she said. Inanez has worked with the Ministry of Education to develop a program to support teen mothers and provide effective sex education to girls to help prevent teen pregnancy and clandestine abortions.

Ibanezs program has the support of Catholic organizations as well as the Association of Evangelical Churches of Paraguay.

Dawn McAvoy leads Both Lives Matter, a pro-life group based in Northern Ireland. She said that overturning the US federal abortion law would question the underlying assumptions about the right to abortion and privacy that have driven the conversation in both the US and the United Kingdom for more than 50 years. Great Britain legalized abortion in 1967, but the government of Northern Ireland kept its laws banning abortion until 2019.

Any challenge to and rejection of a dogma that relegates the preborn s life and her induced death to a private choice is exciting, she said.

But McAvoy believes Roe reversal is not the ultimate victory. The US and other countries around the world still have work to do cultivating what she calls a pro-both culture, where freedom and equality for a woman do not mean the power to end her child s life.

Just as the Dobbs decision resulted in even more expansive abortion policies advancing in blue states, some anticipate the ruling will also embolden activists working on a global scale.
Christian convert from Islam killed in Uganda for leading Muslims to Christ: witness Angry Christians reportedly set suspects homes on fire

NAIROBI, Kenya  Three men reviling a convert to Christianity for leading Muslims to Christ in eastern Uganda killed him on Sunday, a witness said.

Simolya Latifu of Molu village, Kasasira Sub-County, Kibuku District was slain with a sword at about 7:15 p.m. at a swamp near Molu, the witness said. Latifu was 47.

Latifu had left an evening service at Christ Discipleship Worship Center in Molu at about 6:30 p.m., and three witnesses saw a motorcycle and then heard wailing and calls for help at a nearby swamp at 7:15 p.m., one said.

The killers were condemning him for converting Muslims to Christianity, the witness told Morning Star News. We hid ourselves in a thick bush.

The witnesses were able to recognize the alleged assailants as Ali Buyinza, Muhammad Kamunyani and Jamada Walyomba, he said.

We saw Buyinza cut him on the head with a sword, and thereafter they left, said the witness, unidentified for security reasons. We remained there for about 30 minutes, and then we took courage and slowly went to see the slain man and discovered that he worshipped with us at Christ Discipleship Worship Center.

They informed church Pastor Emmanuel Muzei and filed a report with police at about midnight, he said. Officers and area residents went to the area early Monday morning and confirmed that the body was that of Latifu.

Angry Christian residents from Molu village flooded to Molu village swamp to mourn the death of their beloved convert from Islam who had been going from one church to another testifying about how he converted to Christianity, Pastor Muzei said. His testimony was an encouragement to many Christians in my church and led many to Christ. We have lost a dynamic evangelist.

Police arrested Buyinza, taking him to Kibuku police station amid tight security as residents sought to kill him, Pastor Muzei said. Buyinza told police, We warned him to come back to our religion and gave him several opportunities, but he turned a deaf ear  were proud of killing him, a source said.

Officers were still hunting for the other two suspects. On Tuesday (July 5), angry Christians from eight villages set the homes of suspects Buyinza, Kamunyani and Walyomba on fire, area sources said.

Latifu is survived by his wife and five children.

Area Chairperson John Emuga of the Anglican Church of Uganda in Molu said he grieved after seeing Latifus body.

We request residents to support the family of the late Latifu, and that all the assailants be brought to book, Emuga said.

The attack was the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented.

Ugandas constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to propagate ones faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12% of Ugandas population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country.

Originally published by Morning Star News
Robert Jeffress rejects Christian nationalist label, says America founded as Christian nation

Megachurch Pastor Robert Jeffress told his congregation Sunday that he is not a "Christian nationalist" but insisted that the United States was founded as a "Christian nation."

The senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas suggested that a perversion of the U.S. Constitution by progressives, atheists and others over the years has led to the creation of a secular nation now defined by a culture that is both tragic and decadent.

"When you see these mass shootings in Uvalde, when you see these mass shootings in Buffalo and other places, what's going on here? That's just the tip of the iceberg," Jeffress, who leads the 12,000-member Texas congregation, told churchgoers in a sermon lamenting the secularization of society.

"Today, over 10 million teenagers in the U.S. drink alcohol regularly; 20 percent engage in binge drinking; 2,800 children die each year as a result of gun violence; another 14,300 are injured. Nearly 1 million babies were murdered in the womb last year, and one in four women in the U.S. will have aborted at least one of their children by age 45. On and on and on it goes. Are these tragedies just a coincidence?" he asked.

"Now, just consider the warning that God gave to His own people Israel. In Hosea 46, He said, 'My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being My priest.' Listen to this: 'Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children,'" Jeffress said.

At the start of his message, Jeffress said that anyone listening to "left-wing" organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union or the Freedom From Religion Foundation "will come to believe that America was founded by men with a wide diversity of religious beliefs."

"Their goal was to build an unscalable wall around this country that would protect this country from any religious influence seeping into public life. That version of American history belongs in the same category as the story of George Washington and the cherry tree. It is a complete myth," he stressed.

The pastor compiled arguments for America's Christian founding to demonstrate how the country has detoured from the original intent of the Founding Fathers and the consequences.

"I often get accused of being a Christian nationalist," Jeffress told his congregants. "I'm having reporters ask me all the time: 'This is a new phrase, Christian nationalism, are you a Christian nationalist? Do you believe America is exceptional to any other nation and is God's preferred nation?' And I answer with a resounding, 'No, not in any sense.' If you know anything about the God of the Bible, you know God is no respecter of people or nations."

Jeffress said that America has been "uniquely blessed" by God, but warned that if God's will is rejected, the nation will suffer the consequences.

"He's given us so much. You can see His hand in the founding of our country. But in the final analysis, God is no respecter of people or nations. Any nation that reverences God will be blessed by God, and any nation, including the United States, that rejects God will be rejected by God," he said.

For years, particularly since the election of former President Donald Trump in 2016, left-leaning media outlets and progressive Christians have raised concerns about what they claim to be Christian nationalist beliefs.

Joseph Williams, assistant professor of American religious history at Rutgers University, said: "Christian nationalists insist that the United States was established as an explicitly Christian nation, and they believe that this close relationship between Christianity and the state needs to be protected  and in many respects restored  in order for the U.S. to fulfill its God-given destiny."

In 2019, a campaign launched by the Baptist Joint Committee, a progressive faith-based group of attorneys, Capitol Hill insiders, ministers and scholars, criticized what they deemed as "Christian nationalist" ideology.

"Christian nationalism seeks to merge Christian and American identities, distorting both the Christian faith and America's constitutional democracy," the group Christians Against Christian Nationalism said in a statement.

"Christian nationalism demands Christianity be privileged by the State and implies that to be a good American, one must be Christian. It often overlaps with and provides cover for white supremacy and racial subjugation. We reject this damaging political ideology and invite our Christian brothers and sisters to join us in opposing this threat to our faith and to our nation."

Some liberals, including an op-ed in The New York Times, have suggested that the shifting of the Supreme Court to a conservative majority that recently overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling is a result of the work of the Christian nationalist movement.

"The shape of the Christian nationalist movement in the post-Roe future is coming into view, and it should terrify anyone concerned for the future of constitutional democracy," wrote Katherine Stewart, author of The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism.

"The Supreme Court's decision to rescind the reproductive rights that American women have enjoyed over the past half-century will not lead America's homegrown religious authoritarians to retire from the culture wars and enjoy a sweet moment of triumph. On the contrary, movement leaders are already preparing for a new and more brutal phase of their assault on individual rights and democratic self-governance," she wrote. "Breaking American democracy isn't an unintended side effect of Christian nationalism. It is the point of the project."

In his sermon on Sunday, Jeffress made no apologies for his belief that America's future success rests on the nation's fidelity to Christian values.

"America was founded predominantly  by Christians who wanted to build this Christian nation on the foundation of God's will," he said. "And furthermore, these men believed that the future success of our country depended upon our fidelity to the Christian beliefs. And that's why we can say, though it's politically incorrect to do so, we say without hesitation or apology that America was founded as a Christian nation, and our future success depends upon our country being faithful to those eternal truths of God's Word."

Jeffress also echoed similar sentiments recently shared by born-again Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., that the founding fathers did not intend for the Church to be separate from the state in the way secularists want it to be applied today.

The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution "prohibits the government from making any law respecting an establishment of religion" and "government actions that unduly favor one religion over another." It also prohibits the government from "unduly preferring religion over non-religion, or non-religion over religion."

Jeffress pointed to the 1802 letter from President Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Church Association in Connecticut stating that the First Amendment has "a wall of separation between Church and State." He said that letter was only to prevent the government from favoring one Christian denomination over another. It was not intended to make all religions equal.

"Did you know 69% of the American people believe that the phrase 'separation of Church and state' is found in the Constitution? They are surprised when they learn that the phrase 'separation of Church and state' is nowhere in the First Amendment. It doesn't appear anywhere in the Constitution itself. So how did such an idea gain popularity in America?" Jeffress asked.

He said when Jefferson wrote to the Baptists in Danbury, they were upset that the Congregational Church was getting more tax funding as an "established" church by the state of Connecticut.

"So Thomas Jefferson on Jan. 1, 1802, wrote them a letter to calm them down. And like any good politician, he quoted from one of their own, a Baptist, the first prominent Baptist, Roger Williams, who first used that phrase 'separation of Church and state,'" he said.

"What you have to understand is whether it was the First Amendment saying 'there shall be no established Church,' or Jefferson's letter. When they talked about no established Church, they meant no Christian denomination should be elevated over another Christian denomination; they should all be on equal footing. That's what they were talking about," Jeffress contends.

"Never in his wildest imagination did Thomas Jefferson ever suspect that one day his letter would be used to prohibit prayer in the public schools or Bible reading or the nativity displays in the town square, using the name of Jesus in a commencement speech. That was never in his mind at all."
Supreme Court's Roe reversal expected to have 'net-neutral' impact on midterms, poll suggests

The U.S. Supreme Court's recent overturning of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that made abortion a national right is not expected to have a significant impact on the midterm elections, according to a recent poll.

The Harvard Center for American Political Studies and the Harris Poll released the findings of their most recent poll last week, which surveyed Americans on a myriad of topics. Data for the poll was derived from an online survey conducted by the Harris Poll and HarrisX on June 28-29 of 1,308 registered voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3%.

According to the report, while 36% of respondents said that the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization made them more likely to vote Democrat in the midterms, another 36% responded that the court's ruling made them more likely to vote Republican in the midterms.

Overall, 29% said the ruling had "no effect" on who they would vote for.

The poll was conducted days after the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in a case involving Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban that there was no constitutional right to an abortion, opening up the possibility for states to ban or restrict the legality of the procedure.

Pro-choice Democrat politicians have madeeffortsto utilize the liberal outrage with the court's ruling to their advantage in the 2022 midterm elections this November.

The poll also found that 45% of Americans support the decision overturning Roe while 55% opposed, and 69% believe that the ruling has "created turmoil." Thirty-one percent believe that it "settled the law on abortion."

The pollsters concluded that the ruling would likely have a "net neutral impact" on midterm voting.

The poll shows that most registered voters disagree with claims made by some Democrats that the Supreme Court  with six justices appointed by Republican presidents  is "illegitimate." Fifty-nine percent of respondents said it's "wrong for democrats to call the Supreme Court illegitimate," while 41% disagreed.

Additionally, 62% of respondents said they think protesters shouldn't be allowed to demonstrate outside of Supreme Court justice's homes, and 51% think those who do should be arrested.

Other findings of the poll include President Joe Biden having an approval rating of 38%, 64% of respondents saying that their financial situation has gotten worse in recent times, and 70% saying that they believe the nation is on the "wrong track."

Chairman of the Harvard-CAPS Harris Poll Mark Penn said in a statement last week that the upcoming midterms would be challenging for incumbents due to factors like the economy and a belief among many Americans that the country is headed in the wrong direction.

"'Wrong track metrics' about the direction of the country and the economy are the worst they have ever been in our poll," said Penn.

"And, crucially, our observed aversion to the former and current president as voters begin thinking about 2024 tickets is a major opening for an independent presidential ticket  60% would consider voting for a moderate independent candidate for president if Biden and Trump both ran."

On the issue of abortion, the Harvard/Harris poll found that, despite many opposing the Supreme Court decision, very few of the respondents supported the legalization of abortion.

Only 10% of respondents said they thought their state should allow for abortions up to all nine months of pregnancy, while 37% supported allowing abortion only in certain circumstances like rape or incest.
David Platt urges Christians to 'understand reasons' behind abortion after Dobbs ruling

Megachurch pastor David Platt of McLean Bible Church in Virginia marked the overturning of Roe v. Wade by delivering a message this Sunday offering his view of what Scripture has to say about what it means to be pro-life.

Citing the "historic moment" of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Platt told his congregation that he's "not interested in promoting a political party or personality."

The author and former head of the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board continues to urge believers to speak up on behalf of the unborn and continue caring for mothers and families.

Acknowledging the spectrum of political views within the Church, Platt challenged Christians with eight biblical affirmations to consider in light of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling that the U.S. Constitution doesn't confer a right to abortion.

First, he said, every human being is worthy of honor, according to 1 Peter 2:17  including women who opt for abortion.

"So much pro-choice rhetoric revolves around honoring women in ways that dishonor and eventually discard a child in the womb," the 43-year-old said. "And at the same time, so much pro-life rhetoric revolves around honoring the child in the womb while dishonoring various challenges that women face."

"Meanwhile, God clearly says we must honor both the child in the woman and the woman who carries that child."

Platt cited examples of women "whose physical life may be in danger" from medical complications with pregnancy and "the women who, for a variety of social, relational or economic reasons, feels like she cannot care well for a child and sees abortion as her only hope."

"God help us to honor her and every woman in every way that God Himself does," Platt said.

Citing data suggesting that 85% of women seeking abortions are unmarried, Platt said the choice between honoring women or honoring children as our "two-party political system says we must" is false.

"We must honor both women and children," he said, adding that it's both "biblically good and right" for the government to protect both women and children.

"As a basic rule of thumb, we should work on behalf of the most vulnerable who are being harmed or mistreated," the Radical author said. "That's true when it comes to abuse, that's true when it comes to racism, surely it's true when it comes to abortion.

"So let's step out of a muddled middle road that says, 'I don't think we should impose morality on someone else' and realize that God institutes government for this purpose, the protection of people, and it is right for us to protect all people from harm."

Platt also discussed economic factors, such as one survey that found 75% of women seeking abortions live at or near the poverty line.

Many women, he said, don't prefer abortion but also don't see any other way out of their circumstances.

"So, yes, let's be thankful for a court ruling, but let's also realize that a court ruling doesn't change those circumstances," he said.

Platt then offered five applications for Christians to get involved and urged believers to "understand the reasons behind abortion" and "spend time with people from different perspectives."

He said Christians should support and serve "women and men with unwanted pregnancies"  including for other men to come alongside men dealing with those circumstances  as well as single parents and grandparents.

Platt advised the Church to reach out to those in need by "working for justice in high-risk communities so that the factors that lead to abortion are addressed."

"If we don't address root issues of poverty and sexual activity and substance abuse and sexual abuse and affordable housing and healthcare and on and on, then we're just putting Band-Aids on broken limbs," he said.

At the 2020 March for Life in Washington, D.C., Platt told The Christian Post that there was a time in his life when he needed to "repent" for failing to preach on abortion as a younger pastor.

"There was a point as a pastor when I just kind of stayed away from abortion [because I'd think] that's a political issue," Platt said. "But I got really convicted. Far before it is any kind of political issue, it is a biblical issue that God speaks really clear about the value of life."

Platt said that as a younger pastor, he "dodged abortion altogether."

"I had to repent before the Lord for sitting idly by and not doing anything personally or pastorally to mobilize people to see the value of life according to God's Word," he said.

During his sermon Sunday, Platt said he has worked to launch a foster care and adoption ministry with over 150 families. Platt and his wife, Heather, have adopted three children of their own.
Pastor convicted of raping grandchildren awarded $2M after prison beating

Roy Harriger, a 79-year-old New York pastor convicted of raping two of his grandchildren and allegedly sexually abusing his oldest son and his sister, can now collect $2 million from the state for beatings he received at Attica Correctional Facility.

Harriger was convicted of two out of three counts of course of sexual conduct against his grandchildren and sentenced in 2015 to 15 years in state prison.

Sexual conduct against a child in the first degree, according to New York State law, is defined as when an adult perpetrator 18 years or older "engages in two or more acts of sexual conduct which includes at least one act of sexual intercourse, deviate sexual intercourse or aggravated sexual contact, with a child less than thirteen (13) years old" "over a period of time not less than three months in duration."

Harriger was sent to Attica and was there briefly when the assaults occured, Livingston County News reported.

The disgraced pastor, who reportedly carried out the acts of abuse on his grandchildren in 2000 and 2001 when he led Ashwood Wesleyan Church in Lyndonville, sued the State of New York and won in 2019.

On Nov. 24, 2020, he was awarded $1.75 million for past pain and suffering and $250,000 for future pain and suffering in court.

The state challenged the award. But on Friday, the state Appellate Division, Fourth Department of the New York Supreme Court unanimously affirmed the judgment, according to Livingston County News.

Court documents show that Harriger testified that corrections officers at Attica made it clear to him that they knew the nature of his conviction during the 16-day period before the assault.

In April 2015, the Orleans Hub reported that Orleans County Court Judge James Punch called Harriger "a wolf in shepherd's clothing."

During his trial in January of that year, three of Harriger's grandchildren testified that he sexually abused them. The then 71-year-old pastor denied the allegations.

"I did nothing of this sort," said Harriger.

Many members of Harriger's congregation from Community Fellowship Church in Hartland, where he served at the time of his trial, supported him. However, Judge Punch said a jury of the pastor's peers decided unanimously that he had molested two of his grandchildren after listening to testimony and reviewing the evidence against him.

"I have no quarrel with the verdict of the jury," Punch said in 2015. "Twelve people in a jury of your peers unanimously found you guilty of very disturbing and depraved acts to very young victims who were your grandchildren."

Harriger allegedly used his position as pastor and leader in his family to silence his victims.

"The bullying, the use of charisma, the power of your personality were all brought forward to victimize these children and keep them quiet," Punch said. "One could say you were a wolf in sheep's clothing, but you are a wolf in shepherd's clothing and that's much worse."

After the sentencing, Harriger's oldest son, George, and his sister, Nona Blackchief, told reporters that they, too, had been abused by the pastor.

"Justice was definitely served, but I feel he got a light sentencing," George Harriger said. "But he is finally behind bars.

"I wish he would have admitted it, and said he was sorry," he explained. "My kids deserve it, my nieces and nephews deserve it, my aunt and everybody deserves an apology. He needs to own up to it."

Blackchief said she was abused by her brother when she was a girl. She noted that "this has been going on for over 60 years."

Harriger stated in court documents that correctional officers made him believe they wanted him to commit suicide. He said he was deprived of food for 72 hours and faced threatening notes with a razor and sheet to take his life.

In the time leading up to the assault, which occurred on May 15, 2013, Harriger said he rarely left his cell and never took showers. He went to eat with the other inmates only once and only left his cell for visits and recreation, never going to the showers or meals in the time leading up to the assault.

He said that around 10:30 a.m. on the day of the assault, a correctional officer announced the prison was in lockdown during an orientation class. Harriger, who walks with a cane, was called to leave the room and offered protective custody.

As he was being escorted, the disgraced pastor said an officer slammed his head against a wall and told him to hold the position for 15 minutes. Harriger said on his way back to his cell, he was hit twice in the back of the neck, which caused him to fall and lose consciousness. The beatings allegedly left the pastor confined to a wheelchair and left him with right-side paralysis, facial drooping and speech problems.
South African Satanic Church co-founder steps down after experiencing the love of Christ

Riaan Swiegelaar, now a former "pastor" at the South African Satanic Church, took to social media this past weekend to share that the overwhelming love of Jesus recently inspired him to step away from Satanism.

"I'm doing this live video because many, more than 100 people on WhatsApp and almost 200 on Facebook, are sending me messages wanting to know why did I leave the South African Satanic Church as well as why did I turn my back on Satanism," Swiegelaar shared in a video he uploaded to Facebook on July 4.

The video now has almost 200,000 views.

"To be very honest, I initially thought I will slip out the back door quietly and I didn't really think that people would be this interested in why I am doing what I'm doing. I'm going to talk from my experience. I'm going to talk about my choices."

Swiegelaar penned a long letter that he thought to post, but he opted to speak from the heart instead.

"I actually feel it's time more people just start talking, speaking their truth. So I'm certainly encouraging people to do that as well by doing this video," he said.

Swiegelaar, a professing homosexual who hinted that he was once involved in Christian ministry over 20 years ago, shared that he was drawn to Satanism four years ago amid great brokenness.

At the time, he was an atheist, and the commonality of despair from those in Satanism is what drew him to that community.

"I got involved with Satanism because, at the time, it resonated with me, being very broken and sad without realizing it. I think the reason a lot of people resonate with Satanism is they come from a very broken place," he said. "I have met thousands of Satanists over the last three years, and I'm not saying the intentions are bad. They are extremely broken and extremely hurt. ... That's the one thing we all have in common."

While overwhelmed with emotion, Swiegelaar said he began to have a few experiences with Christians who, without judgment, showed him unconditional love.

"I've never known unconditional love in my whole life and up to today, there's only four Christians in my whole life that have shown me what unconditional love is. I want to thank those four people. Words cannot express what you have done for me," Swiegelaar continued as he named a few of those people.

"To show someone love is everything. It is not a simple thing. You have showed me everything. You have showed me the love of Christ. I have seen it in you," he added.

The former satanist revealed that even when he was a "monster" and an "ugly person," these people still showed him love. He described one of the instances that took place in May.

Swiegelaar was featured on the CapeTalk radio station to give an interview on behalf of the South African Satanic Church. During the interview, he boldly said, "'I don't believe in Jesus and I don't believe Jesus Christ exists.'"

Following the interview, the interviewer from the station approached him.

"She came to me after the interview, after I said that, and she hugged me, and she held me in a way that I've never been loved," Swiegelaar gushed. "That's all she did. She just said it was nice to meet me in person."

"A week later, on WhatsApp, through her status, I saw this woman is a Christian. I've never had a Christian do that," he described. "I've never experienced a Christian show that much love and acceptance unconditionally ... after I said the things I said, she did that. That stayed with me."

The turning point for Swiegelaar came when he had a divine encounter with who he believed to be Jesus during one of his Satanic rituals.

"I did this ritual, and I opened myself up, and Jesus appeared. And I was extremely cocky, and I said, 'If you are Jesus, you need to prove it.' And He flooded me with the most beautiful love and energy. And I recognized it immediately because that woman at the radio station showed it to me. That's how I recognized the love of Christ," he testified.

Because of his lifestyle choices, Swiegelaar shared that he did not believe he was worthy of God's love. Since his encounter, however, he has had "real conversations with God," and said he discovered that "the Kingdom of God is not a gated community, it is open to everybody."

While he is still learning of his newfound faith, Swiegelaar concluded his video by assuring everyone that he will continue to share his journey with Christ.

The Satanic Church of South released a statement following Swiegelaar's resignation and thanked him for his service to the church.

"We, as the SASC Council, want to thank Swiegalaar for his contribution, both as the pastor and the co-founder of the SA Satanic Church. We wish him success in all his future endeavors."
Florida's 15-week abortion ban reinstated despite injunction

A Florida law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks into a pregnancy will be allowed to take effect even after a judge blocked the measure Tuesday.

Although Leon County Circuit Court Judge John C. Cooper issued an order temporarily blocking the law over state constitutional concerns, the state government's appeal triggers an automatic stay of the order under state law.

The 15-week ban, known as House Bill 5, was signed into law earlier this year and is being challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Florida, the Center for Reproductive Rights, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the law firm Jenner & Block.

In a joint statement released Tuesday, the pro-choice groups denounced the ban, arguing that it will "continue to harm pregnant people until it is blocked."

"Since last Friday, women and other people who can become pregnant have been forced into a second-class status by HB 5, which denies them the right to make decisions about their bodies, their health care, and their futures," the organizations stated.

"Everyone deserves the ability to access the abortion care they need, and we'll continue fighting for that right with every tool at our disposal."

In April, before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 5 into law. The measure took effect on July 1.

Also called the Reducing Fetal and Infant Mortality Act, the new law banned abortions performed after 15 weeks, except for life-threatening medical emergencies or severe fetal deformities.

At the bill signing ceremony in Kissimmee, DeSantis said he believes the law will significantly increase protections for unborn human life in the Sunshine State.

"House Bill 5 protects babies in the womb who have beating hearts, who can move, who can taste, who can see, and who can feel pain," he said.

"Life is a sacred gift worthy of our protection, and I am proud to sign this great piece of legislation which represents the most significant protections for life in the state's modern history."

Cooper ruled that the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe has no impact on the lawsuit in state court because Florida law explicitly includes a right to privacy.

"The right to privacy under the Florida Constitution is 'much broader in scope' than any privacy right under the United States Constitution," Cooper wrote.

Florida is one of several states that has enacted restrictions on abortion access after the Supreme Court ruled last month in a 6-3 decision that abortion is not a constitutional right. The ruling effectively overturned the legal precedent set in the 1973 case Roe v. Wade which found that the 14th Amendment's right to liberty protected the right to privacy and a right to abortion nationwide.

In the decision handed in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the Roberts court ruled that the Constitution doesn't confer a right to abortion and reinstituted the ability of states to decide whether to ban the abortion procedure.

The Dobbs case centered on Mississippi's Gestational Age Act, a state law passed in 2018 that also banned most abortions after 15 weeks into a pregnancy.

Mississippi's lone abortion clinic, Jackson Women's Health Organization, recently announced that it will close this week after a state judge refused to block Mississippi's trigger law that institutes a near-total ban on abortion.

The trigger law was passed in 2007 and takes effect 10 days after the attorney general verified that the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade. Attorney General Lynn Fitch certified the law on June 27.

The law makes it a felony to perform or attempt to perform an abortion and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Chancery Judge Debbra K. Halford denied JWHO's request for a stay on the ban, prompting the clinic to say it would shutter at the close of business on Wednesday.
Chick-fil-A named America's most popular restaurant for 8th straight year Christian-owned chicken chain keeps 'stranglehold on the fast food industry', study finds

When it comes to Chick-fil-A, setting the industry standard is fast becoming a time-honored tradition.

For the eighth consecutive year, Chick-fil-A has been named Americas favorite restaurant, fast food or otherwise, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Restaurant Study 2021-2022.

The study  which described Chick-fil-As perpetually high ranking as a stranglehold on the fast-food industry"  measured customer satisfaction among more than 20,000 randomly selected customers between April 2021 and March 2022.

On a scale of 0 to 100, Chick-fil-A led all restaurants with an unchanged ACSI score of 83.

By comparison, McDonalds dropped 3% and held onto its last-place ranking with a score of 68.

Several other smaller fast-food restaurants tied Jimmy Johns for second place with a 79, followed by Dominos (down 3%) and KFC (down 1%) at 78 apiece.

Chipotle, Panera Bread (down 1%), Pizza Hut and Starbucks scored a 77, while Arbys, Five Guys and Papa Johns dipped to 76.

Meeting somewhere in the middle of the pack were Burger King, Little Caesars and Panda Express at 75; Dairy Queen, Dunkin and Sonic at 74, and Wendys close behind at 73.

The worst four-performing restaurants were Jack in the Box and Taco Bell at 72, while Popeyes tumbled 3% to 71, leaving only McDonalds at the bottom of the list.

In addition to fast food, Chick-fil-A also beat out the highest-ranked sit-down restaurants: Longhorn Steakhouse, Texas Roadhouse, Cracker Barrel and TGI Fridays.

Following the pandemic, most restaurants were forced to rely more on touchless technology to stay in business, including improving their mobile app quality, which not all were able to do, according to Forrest Morgeson, Director of Research Emeritus at ACSI.

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.

Owned by a devout Baptist family and with a policy of being closed on Sundays, Chick-fil-A has garnered controversy for its leaderships religious opposition to same-sex marriage and ties to conservative Christian groups.

There have been several instances of local governments or college campuses opting to ban the chicken sandwich chain over their conservative views.

Chick-fil-A has itself often been criticized after its president, Dan Cathy, voiced his opposition to gay marriage in 2012.

The company also had to publicly declare in 2019 that it remains committed to Christian values" after the fast-food chains charity arm decided to no longer donate to three organizations criticized for upholding traditional Christian beliefs on sexuality.

Trudy Cathy White, the daughter of Chick-fil-A's founder S. Truett Cathy and his wife, Jeannette, previously told The Christian Post that the family sees themselves as in the "people business," not just the "chicken business."

"We do appreciate the fact that we feel like God is blessing our business," she told CP. "I don't know that there's really a secret to it. My dad built this business based on biblical principles. He felt like his business decisions kind of go hand in hand with biblical principles. That's no secret. There's a lot of things that we are taught in God's Word and we've been able to put it into practice in our business."

"Above everything, I think at Chick-fil-A we've gotten real clarity of our purpose of why we're in business," she added. "That's been really important to us. Back in the early '80s, we recognized the fact that we didn't have a real clear direction as to why we were in business. But we know today that we're in business to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that's been trusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A. We love selling chicken but we're really more in the people business."
Exorcism versus deliverance: What's the difference?

Both the Bible and everyday experience show believers that evil is very real.

But when it comes to Christians and demons, there are often theological and denominational differences on the subject, especially when it comes to ministry.

Mike Signorelli, the pastor of V1 Church in New York City, says the first thing to remember is that deliverance from demons is very different from the Catholic practice of exorcism.

In an appearance on the Playing With Fire podcast with Billy Hallowell, Signorelli said exorcisms are primarily done by Catholic priests in rituals that are widely considered by most Protestants to be extra-biblical.

Oftentimes, these rituals will include the use of crucifixes, holy water" and mostly chanting done in Latin, he said.

Signorelli reminded believers of the biblical warning that Satan often comes as an angel of light.

I would really warn anyone listening against seeking out an exorcism from a priest because that intermingling that happens between those rituals and the usage of all these objects end up actually creating a worse condition than you come in," he said.

Ive had to do many deliverances after somebody has received an exorcism from a Catholic priest, he added.

So what does that deliverance look like?

Signorelli  who considers himself a student of deliverance ministries such as those of Derek Prince and John Eckhart  said while its not quite like the movies, there are a few common signs.

He referred to the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark, when Jesus went into the synagogue in Capernaum and began to teach. There, He commanded an impure spirit to come out of a man.

As it was in the first century, Signorelli said there will often be an outward manifestation or physical evidence of a demon being agitated before leaving a persons body.

He said theres often, though not always, physical healing that accompanies a deliverance. He pointed to the 13th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, where Jesus healed a woman who had been crippled for 18 years by a spirit.

The ESV translates the phrase as a disabling spirit, while the NIV describes the woman as crippled by a spirit  meaning, according to Signorelli, there are people with physical and biological conditions that are rooted in a spirit of infirmity.

Pointing to scientific findings that show stress sends cortisol levels up and trauma results in cardiovascular problems, Signorelli said those are consistent with what Ephesians 6 describes as other realms affecting our physical realm.

Although I dont have a complete and total understanding of all this, you are seeing the effect of these realms interacting, he said.

Signorelli added that while he has a lot of empathy and compassion for those who think it might be theologically inaccurate or disrespectful to say a Christian can have a demon, he explained that not everybody who claims to be Christian actually is one.

Lets apply wisdom first and foremost, he said. Wisdom says it is possible to go to church every Sunday and think youre going to Heaven because you go to church.

He said the assumption that attending church makes someone a Christian is like thinking that if one stands in a garage, they become a car.

Signorelli said he's done outreaches in Central Park attended by over 200 people, and there, he'd share the Gospel accompanied with deliverance." Just as it was during the Billy Graham era of stadium crusades, he said, society is still living in an era of signs and wonders that often accompany the greatest miracle.

I cant tell you how many times somebody has been delivered first, then received the Gospel second, he said. Sometimes the miracle happens first and then the greatest miracle, which is salvation, happens second.

Earlier this year, Signorelli made a YouTube video that went viral for warning parents of the demonic content in Disney Pixars Turning Red.

The pastors video condemned the spiritual practices of ancestral worship and what he said looked like satanic rituals in Turning Red. Beyond the spiritual aspect of the animations, Signorelli pegged the themes in the film as a secular humanistic worldview that says there is no wrong or right anymore.

I believe that every parent  not just a pastor, but a parent  has a mandate to actually screen material because every single device you have in your home is a portal, either a window into the things of God or, unfortunately, things that I believe are demonic, Signorelli said in an interview with CBN News.
Megachurch pastor encourages 'common ground' with abortion activists protesting outside church

Abortion activists protested outside an Ohio megachurch on Sunday following the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. The church's pastor encouraged his congregation to use the event as an opportunity to demonstrate Christ's love to the protesters.

Demonstrators gathered outside the Perrysburg campus of the multi-site Cedar Creek Church on Sunday. As WTOL-11 reported, protestors held signs criticizing the Christian perspective on abortion, explicitly calling for the church to clarify its stance on abortion.

The demonstration comes as protests have continued nationwide since the nation's high court overturned the 1973 ruling that made abortion a national right and returned the issue to the states to decide. Some protests have involved acts of vandalism against churches and pro-life pregnancy centers. Many attacks began before the court announced its ruling, taking place after the leak of a draft majority opinion published in Politico on May 2.

The event at Cedar Creek Church was organized by Brandon Abernathy, who claims that Christian churches have too much influence on the Supreme Court.

In a Sunday statement published by the CBS affiliate, Abernathy said the "root of the problem" in the country right now is "religion overstepping and bleeding into our government."

Regarding Cedar Creek, the organizer feels the church has not spoken out enough on the abortion issue.

"We're targeting megachurches, specifically," he said. "It's not just the Catholic Churches, although the Catholic Churches 100% are a part of the problem. It also has to do with the megachurches who are not being definitive on where they stand."

The Catholic churches have become a prime target for vandalism as the Catholic Church has "affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion" since the first century.

In a video directed at church members Thursday, Pastor Ben Snyder said that the church received a notification Monday evening about the protest. Snyder sat down with the organizer of the event to try and "build common ground."

Ultimately, the church could not allow the protestors on its actual property. The demonstrators stood on public property near the church instead. Still, Snyder encouraged the congregation to "remain gracious."

"We have an opportunity to bring a little contrast to the narrative that they're used to, and hopefully God might use that to play a role in changing their perspective about the Church but ultimately about who He is and how much He cares about them," Snyder said.

St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Reston, Virginia, was one of the first churches vandalized by abortion activists shortly after the Supreme Court released the ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.

Images shared by Washington, D.C.-area Fox News affiliate showed the words "This won't stop" spray-painted on the bottom of the church's roadside sign.

The church building was also defaced with graffiti that said "Separation of Church & State," which the staff washed off. The Fairfax County Police Department commented on the vandalism in a June 26 statement.

"Fairfax County Fire and Rescue responded at 6:45 Sunday morning to a call for smoldering mulch at the St. John Neumann Catholic Community Church," the statement said. "Fire and Rescue personnel detected an accelerant was likely used in the fire and observed graffiti spray-painted on a sign at the entrance of the church. Officers found three additional locations on the back of the building damaged by graffiti. The remarks spray painted were related to the recent Supreme Court Roe v. Wade ruling."

Before the court's ruling, the Sacred Heart of Mary Church in Boulder was vandalized twice with graffiti messages that included "Abortion Saves Lives" and "My Body My Choice."

In recent weeks, at least five churches across Wisconsin were vandalized with graffiti.
What the Bible says about discrimination

I was involved in a recent discussion with many other church representatives about how churches should deal with discrimination against groups that are often considered marginalized. I mentioned the following passage from James 2 as a biblical directive against discrimination within the church. In this case James calls it showing favoritism:

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, Heres a good seat for you, but say to the poor man, You stand there or Sit on the floor by my feet, have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?... If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

The situation James references deals with economic class. Anti-discrimination laws today, however, commonly include many categories: sex, age, race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, mental illness or ability, gender, gender identity/expression, sex characteristics, religion, creed, or individual political opinions. Certainly, many Evangelicals would include the unborn as being the most marginalized group.

In Matthew 25 Jesus emphasizes ministering to these brothers of mine in the marginalized categories of strangers, naked, sick, hungry, thirsty, or incarcerated. According to Jesus, failure to do so justifies eternal punishment. Although the expression brothers of mine may only apply to believers in Jesus, as Matthew 12:50 seems to imply, the parable of the Good Samaritan extends our responsibility to anyone in need for whom we have the power to aid.

Acts 6 is the perfect example of identifying discrimination within the church and then moving quickly to address it. The Hellenistic Jewish believers complained that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The resolution of the situation was fascinating and instructive. All the disciples consulted together, acknowledged the need, considered ministry priorities, delegated the distribution of food to qualified Hellenistic believers who would not ignore their own widows, and commissioned them for service through the laying on of hands. It is extremely important to note, though, that the twelve did not distract themselves from their first priorities of prayer and ministry of the word.

Being tethered to prayer and the word is especially necessary when considering helping the wide array of possible marginalized groups commonly identified today. Otherwise, addressing discrimination issues can and has become the major focus, or even the only one. Bart Campolo is one well-known example of an ultimate commitment to social activism that moved him from progressive Christianity to secular humanism.

Also problematic is the tendency to label those not part of or sympathetic to a certain group as an enemy. (This tendency is not just a progressive church problem of course.) Additional complexity is that individuals often fit into two or more of the discrimination categories listed above. This multiple-group identity can pull individuals or churches in conflicting directions if our primary identity is not rooted in Jesus. Practically speaking it also makes it difficult to understand who or how many people are really impacted by discrimination.

Using a crude and certainly inaccurate method of combining the percentages taken from the U.S. Census, CDC, and Gallup of those identifying as non-white, women, and non-heterosexual along with those qualifying as having a disability, are at least 65, and fall below the poverty line, 99.2% of Americans are at risk for discrimination. Although this percentage is clearly too high, the truth behind this wrong number is that almost all of us at some point can legitimately claim to be marginalized by society.

If we are all victims, who is the oppressive power to whom truth needs to be spoken, beyond that small group of wealthy, healthy, not yet old, white, male heterosexuals? In Gulag ArchipelagoAleksandr Solzhenitsyn famously wrote the following:

If only there were evilpeople somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?

Solzhenitsyn suggests rather than only considering ourselves as victims and viewing others only as oppressors, we should also address the evil within our own hearts. Similarly, when the crowds flocked to hear John the Baptist in the wilderness, he welcomed them by calling these beleaguered seekers of truth vipers who need to produce the fruit of repentance. When asked specifically what that meant, he stated that those with excess need to give to those in need; those collaborating with the Romans by collecting taxes should do so fairly, and those enforcing Roman rule should not abuse their position nor complain about their salaries. Nothing was said about being liberated from Roman control. Rather he charged each of them to act with justice within their present spheres of activity.

Johns response about the peoples need to repent suggested they were not behaving in the generous and fair way illustrated by his examples. Lest they think they could just change their behavior and earn Gods approval in their own strength, John warned the crowd to get ready for Jesus coming. Only He can baptize with the Holy Spirit, who alone changes the heart leading to acts of justice. As the quotation from Isaiah used in this story affirms, Jesus the Messiah, not John or the people themselves, is the Lord and Gods salvation.

Given that we are all fallen, we are all current or potential oppressors who need to repent and place our faith in Jesus before we can perform works of justice for others out of a supernaturally changed heart. Pastor Tim Keller states it this way:

Because it is rooted in the death and resurrection of Jesus, Christianity neither eliminates nor merely reverses the ruler/ruled binaryrather, it subverts it. When Jesus saves us through his use of power only for service, he changes our attitude toward and our use of power.

This is a concern I have with churches tempted to emphasize social justice to the exclusion of evangelism and holiness. They may quote the wonderful Micah 6:8 passage about doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God as their rationale to focus on redressing all social wrongs. My interpretation of that passage, though, is that, after Jesus atoning work and resurrection, we only walk humbly with God by receiving Jesus as Savior and following Him as Lord (Romans 10:9). Then we are indwelt by the Spirit (Romans 8:9) and, as a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), begin to love mercy (Galatians 5:22). Finally, we are empowered by the Spirit to do justice for others (Ephesians 3:16).

Jesus final instructions to his disciples in Matthew 28 seem to support the emphasis John the Baptist and the early disciples had regarding building a foundation of faith and obedience from which to redress social wrongs. According to Bill Heth, a colleague of mine at Taylor University,

There is only one command in [the Great Commission, Matt 28:19-20], make disciples, and the other three verbals are participles related to and supportive of the main verb make disciples. The baptizing and teaching participles indicate how one is to make disciples, namely by baptizing and by teaching.

Win Corduan, another colleague from Taylor, tells the story of reading a recipe for oatmeal cookies in his local small-town newspaper. I dont recall all the ingredients, but it likely included items such as flour, butter, cinnamon, baking soda, sugar, and eggs. He then said that, in the subsequent issue, the newspaper offered a correction and apologized for inadvertently leaving out oatmeal.

Helping those who are in need and supporting those experiencing discrimination are wonderful and necessary activities. Woe to those churches who do not demonstrate Christian faith by their works (James 2:18). But, based on the Bible and the entire history of the Christian movement, doing so without addressing our root problem of sin by placing total faith in the redemptive work of Jesus as Savior and following Him as Lord is akin to baking oatmeal cookies without oatmeal. The difference is that the consequences are far more eternal.
The inside story on the dire state of religious liberty across the globe

The state of religious liberty across the globe is dire  and, in some countries, its continuing to diminish at a rapid pace.

Christian Post Senior Investigative Reporter Brandon Showalter, who recently attended the International Religious Freedom Summit, an event that focuses on global religious liberty across the globe, joined "The Inside Story" podcast to share what he observed and why it matters.

"As the West becomes increasingly irreligious, religious freedom internationally outside of the West is diminished," he said. "I don't think that ... secularism has the robust sort of zest within it to contend for actual religious freedom because secularism tends to see religion as either unnecessary or something bad for society."

Explore the state of religious freedom globally on this episode of the podcast (and subscribe to the show):

Read Showalter's coverage from the IRF Summit 2022.

"The Inside Story" takes you behind the headlines of the biggest faith, culture, and political headlines of the week. In 15 minutes or less, Christian Post staff writers and editors will help you navigate and understand whats driving each story, the issues at play  and why it all matters.

Listen to more Christian podcasts today on the Edifi app  and be sure to subscribe to The Inside Story on your favorite platforms:

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DALLAS -- Nearly 50 years have passed since Jane Roe sued then-Dallas County District Attorney Henry Wade for the right to have an abortion in Texas, forever making Dallas ground zero in the countrys ongoing fight about reproductive rights.

Since the Supreme Courts ruling last month to reverse that constitutional protection, protests erupted across the country, especially in Texas, one of 12 states with laws that nearly ban abortions. Demonstrations continue in and around Dallas.

Last Wednesday, a few hundred demonstrators gathered at Dallas City Hall around lunchtime for a protest and impromptu march. The Dallas Morning News asked individuals in the crowd why they attended, and how Roe v. Wade has impacted their lives, families and futures.

Bethany Miller

Bethany Miller, 22, said she was raped in 2019 and would have automatically chosen to have an abortion, had she been pregnant.

It was a relief to know I had that choice in the midst of something already so traumatic, Miller said.

Later that year, Miller was rushed to the hospital with her body entering sepsis, a serious condition that can result from infection. It was an ectopic pregnancy, meaning the fertilized egg was not in the right place in the uterus and cannot be saved, a condition that could be fatal to the mother. After taking Nexplanon, a form of birth control, for three years, she had no idea such a pregnancy was even possible.

I had that removed, she said. If I hadnt done that, I wouldnt be here today.

Miller underwent a D&C, or dilation and curettage, a procedure to remove tissue from inside the uterus. She said she doesnt consider that an abortion, but rather a life saving procedure, the same as any other emergency surgery.

I even asked my husband, I said, If I was pregnant again, and it was something like that, would you understand if I had an abortion? Would you get it? And he said Absolutely, I would choose you, she recalled. Because at that point, its not a fetus. It doesnt have a heartbeat. Its trying to kill you.

The D&C cost about $1,400. After having her son about six months ago, Miller said she recently decided to get back on birth control, which now costs $350 for a single month.

Thankfully, I can afford it, but for someone who is low income, who doesnt have insurance, it could be impossible, she said. Thank God I didnt have a daughter. Thank God.

Jessica Zavas

Jessica Zavas, 34, said she was upset by counter-protesters Wednesday because she heard similar messages when she had a medically-necessary abortion.

When I was going into the clinic, I was devastated, Zavas said. I didnt want to have to do it.

Outside the clinic, Zavas said she was told she was going to hell by protesters who hurled insults at her over a procedure that didnt feel like a choice to her.

We cant continue to let a few people tell us how were living our lives, tell us what to do with our bodies, tell us how to raise our children and all the women around us, Zavas said. It makes no sense at all.

Shailey Epps

Shailey Epps, 24, attended the rally with her dog Zevi and held a sign that said I dont regret my abortion. Zevi wore a sign that said Good Boys Arent Sexist

Epps said she had an abortion earlier this year.

Im so thankful that I did, she said. The guy I was with wasnt going to be supportive at all  . And financially, the child wouldnt have had the life that I wanted it to have. So I chose what I chose.

Since the Supreme Court ruling, Epps said she has felt anger, fear, and sadness, especially for pregnant women who will experience medical, life threatening emergencies because of the pregnancy and might not be able to recieve an abortion.

Epps is frustrated about the lack of options women have over their reproductive health, and said she is not on birth control since many options for women are hormonal and have negative side effects.

We have so many risks involved, she said. And it doesnt seem like [men] are facing anything.

Kyjana Jordan

Kyjana Jordan, 19, said she broke down crying when he heard about the ruling.

It hurts to know I live in a country where I have fewer rights than guns and gun owners have, Jordan said. So I just feel like I have to be here, and I have to do something. I cant just sit at home, I want to be a part of the change.

Jordan said after a relative suffered an ectopic pregnancy, the human cost of outlawing abortions became all too real.

If she didnt have that abortion, she wouldnt be here, she said. If she would have had that happen today  what could have happened? Because at that point, do you not do the (procedure) because of the bill? Or do you keep doing it to save her life?

While Texas trigger law has narrow exceptions only to save the life of a pregnant patient or prevent substantial impairment of major bodily function, Jordan said shes concerned about who will be authorized to make that distinction.

Jordan said she remains cautiously optimistic Roe v. Wade will one day be reinstated.

It probably wont happen right away because things like that never do, Jordan said. But I just hope people out in the world can see how hard were fighting, and will join the fight with us to make that change happen just a little bit faster.

Alpha Thomas

Alpha Thomas, 64, says she attended the protest to represent Black women and women of color who could not be there. She said challenges to reproductive justice arent new, and there is a history of Black women being involuntary sterilized and raped.

I know plenty of Black women who have had abortions and what-have-you, for various reasons, Thomas said. They wont show up here because of shame, embarrassment and humiliation. Im here to represent those women. Im here to be their voice.

Thomas said she is a public health educator and activist who, after graduating college, returned to the Fair Park area.

Im very angry with what has happened regarding Roe v. Wade, and I just want to do whatever I can as a decent human being who loves, honors and respects humanity to make a difference.

Andrea Huseman, Andrew Ballenger and their daughter Emma Ballenger

Andrea Huseman, 37, said it was a life-or-death emergency when she had an abortion more than a decade ago. Without the procedure, she wouldnt be around for her husband, Andrew Ballenger, or her now 4-year-old daughter, Emma Ballenger.

My burning rage about this being overturned is hotter than the Texas sun, and I could have died if it wasnt for the ability to have a legal and safe abortion, Huseman said. I dont want that for anybody. My daughter, especially.

Husemans husband, Andrew Ballenger, said if Roe v. Wade was overturned back then, this little girl wouldnt be here, and [Huseman] wouldnt be here either.

Huseman still remembers getting the call from her doctors office. Hey, you have to go to the hospital right now, they said.

She wanted to have a child, but she had an ectopic pregnancy.

If there wasnt a doctor that felt comfortable to provide me with that, the prognosis is, I die, Huseman said.

Huseman said she wants more compassion in the conversation about abortion.

Pregnancy isnt always a fun, glorious, shining moment, Huseman said. It can be hard. It can be traumatic for a lot of women.

Leigh Honeycutt

Leigh Honeycutt, 62, was emotional as she recounted watching abortion restrictions tighten around the country in recent years. She worries about victims of sexual assault who might become pregant, especially children.

She said for the majority of her life, abortion was legal and to see our country, our great country go backwards, its tragic to me. I feel like the United States is supposed to be a leader.

Honeycutt and her partner Selena Dodge have considered leaving Texas. I dont want to give my tax dollars to a government, in particular this state, that treats women like second-class citizens.

She and Dodge have even discussed getting married since Justice Clarence Thomas in his opinion suggested the court reconsider gay rights rulings.

There have been lots of threats or implied threats that LGBTQ rights are next, she said. Why is our country going backwards?

Natalie ONeill

Originally from Maryland, Natalie ONeills mother was a nurse practitioner in Baltimore in the 1980s. She mostly worked with 13- and 14-year-old Black girls who lived in public housing and had been raped or abused, sometimes by family members.

She had to deal with children who had no resources and no support in their family and had diseases and pregnancies, said ONeill, 63. They didnt even know, they were just too young to even understand the whole thing.

These stories shaped her worldview and pushed her to fight for every womans right to make their own decision.

Friends online often tell her the Texas abortion law is no big deal, all they need to do is get in a car and drive to another state.

But not every person has a car, money for gas or the ability to drive hundreds of miles for such procedures, she said, and abortion will become a privilege for those who can afford to travel.

This is really only going to hurt people who dont have the means to deal with it, she said.

Oma Lesley and Valeria Barbosa

Valeria Barbosa, 19, said growing up in a Catholic family, the belief was abortion is wrong.

It was No, you have to do everything because of what I think, because of something that I might believe in, because of something that may or may not exist, Barbosa said. Then I started doing research on my own  and realized it was about so much more than some battle between people; it became this incredible thing that Id never realized so many people had been taken from them.

Oma Lesley, 17, who came to Wednesdays protest with Barbosa, said showing up felt like the only way to be heard as a young person in the United States.

Theres nothing leading up to this that I had a say over, Lesley said. I didnt vote for the president who elected the Supreme Court justices  theyre making these decisions for us, and we have no say in them.

Barbosa said a friends mother had an abortion when she became pregnant at a time she knew she couldnt afford to take care of a child. She went on to have three children when the time was right for her, Barbosa added, and theyre all wonderful people I know.

A relative of Lesley has a condition that caused the lining of her uterus to be too thin to support a pregnancy, so the option to have an abortion is critical, Lesley said, because the woman could die.

People get abortions because they need them, because a baby isnt viable, because theyre not in the right place to care for a baby, because of rape, Lesley said. Its a health thing. Its always been a health thing. Itll always be a health thing.
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CHICAGO (AP)  A federal judge Wednesday sentenced Jerry Harris, a former star of the Netflix documentary series Cheer, to 12 years in prison for coercing teenage boys to send him obscene photos and videos of themselves and soliciting sex from minors at cheerleading competitions.

U.S. District Judge Manish Shah also ordered that the sentence be followed by eight years of court-supervised release.

Shah told Harris to consider the sentence an expression of the seriousness of your crimes, tempered with some hope that all is not lost for you or for your victims, and that in the future some healing can occur.

Harris, 22, of suburban Naperville, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count each of receiving child pornography and traveling with the intention to engage in illegal sexual conduct.

A prosecutor had asked for a sentence of 15 years followed by 10 years of supervised release while attorneys for Harris sought a sentence of six years and eight years of supervised release.

Before learning his sentence, Harris apologized to his victims, saying, I am deeply sorry for all the trauma my abuse has caused you. I pray deep down that your suffering comes to an end.

Im not an evil person, Harris said. Im still learning who I am and what my purpose is.

Harris has been in custody at a federal detention facility.

Sarah Klein, an attorney for two of the victims, issued a statement saying Harris guilt was firmly established.

The sentence he received reflects the severity of his crimes and the lifetime of pain his victims will suffer, Klein said.

Harris was arrested in September 2020 on a charge of production of child pornography. Prosecutors alleged at the time that he solicited videos and images from two 14-year-old brothers.

According to a complaint, federal prosecutors said that Harris admitted to repeatedly asking a minor teen for pornographic videos and images between December 2018 and March 2020.

Then in December of that year, he was indicted on more charges alleging misconduct in Illinois, Florida and Texas. According to the indictment, Harris allegedly solicited sex from minors at cheerleading competitions and convinced teenage boys to send him obscene photographs and videos of themselves.

Harris admitted to FBI agents to asking a teenage boy to send him lewd photographs of himself, and to requesting child pornography on Snapchat from at least 10 to 15 others he knew to be minors, according to the indictment.

Cheer was a huge success when it was released in January 2020 and Harris became wildly popular for his upbeat attitude and his encouraging mat talk. Harris even interviewed celebrities on the red carpet at the Academy Awards for The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

The docuseries follows the competitive cheerleading squad from Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas.
Every other Thursday, Chron taco columnist Marco Torres tells the story of Houston through Mexican food in "Tacos y Mas."

As the old saying goes: A way to a man's heart is through his stomach. If that's the case, I've definitely fallen in love with countless taqueros and taqueras throughout my life. For some people, food is simply a way to fuel the body. For others, like myself, food is sacred: a treasure passed on between generations of family and friends, and a way to create community while celebrating the gift of life, love and, of course, tacos.

Have you ever taken a bite of your favorite food and been instantly transported to a cherished memory locked deep inside your brain? It happened to me once in Mexico City. I was strolling the streets and stopped for dinner at a little hole-in-the-wall taqueria near El Zocalo, where I ordered a plate of tacos al pastor. I watched the master taquero in awe as he sliced and shaved the marinated pork onto a duo of corn tortillas, repeating that magic five more times.

Marco Torres

Once in my hands, I showered the tacos with salsa verde, cilantro and lime. My mouth watered as I inched the taco closer to my face, anticipating the ecstasy I was about to experience. One bite turned into two, two into three, and the taco disappeared in an instant.



And that's when the tears began to flow.



I had visited this same taqueria with my mother, Rosie, who had passed away less than two years prior to that moment. The flavors, the smells, the neon and fluorescent lights above ... everything reminded me of her. That taco helped me mourn in ways I didn't even know were possible. I was crying, but I wasn't sad. I was just overjoyed and thankful that some genius long ago invented tacos al pastor.



Because I was in Mexico City, al pastor consisted of thin steaks of pork marinated in a combination of chiles, spices, citric juices and vinegar, stacked high upon each other and cooked on a large vertical rotisserie. In other parts of Mexico, such as in Houston's sister city of Monterrey, that same combination is called trompo.



All trompo is al pastor, but not all al pastor is trompo. Sometimes, to save time or because they lack the equipment to cook on a vertical rotisserie, some taquerias or taco trucks cook this style of marinated pork on the griddle, pan or stovetop. The taste can be very similar, but it lacks the smokey flavor of roasted meat that has danced around charcoal over several hours.

Marco Torres

I absolutely love tacos de trompo ... sin cebolla, por favor! I'm always in search of cry-worthy versions here in Houston. Recently, a friend introduced me to an amazing taco truck that serves Monterrey-style trompo tacos: Tacos Regios El Coquis.

The truck is located in the parking lot of a neighborhood convenience store in the Aldine district north of Houston. Because they serve food in this unincorporated section of Harris County, the truck is allowed to have seating in close proximity. (Food trucks that operate within Houston city limits are not allowed to have tables and chairs within 100 feet, per city health department ordinance.)



As I strolled from my Chevy towards El Coquis, I knew I was about to experience something special. A large speaker next to the tables was playing a mix of classic cumbias and corridos by Rigo Tovar, Los Mier and Los Tigres Del Norte. Servers were busy taking orders, delivering tacos, and opening ice-cold Mexican sodas for delighted patrons.



Inside the taco truck, I could see a team of taqueros working the line, prepping the meat, cutting the veggies, and lighting the charcoal that would soon create the fire for the trompo at the center of the truck.

Marco Torres

One of the taqueros was armed with a large knife and spatulathat guy was my hero for the day. With extreme precision, he spun the trompo around its base to expertly select the perfectly charred section of meat that was ready for sacrifice. He proceeded to slice the puerco into layers, catching them onto a plate that was then transferred onto my tortillas.



So there I was, sitting under the warm July sky, admiring the work of art that was presented into my hands. The tortillas were dipped in oil then heated to a nice medium finish, not too soft, not too crispy. As is my custom, I showered those bad boys with the trio of salsa verde, cilantro and lime. I savored every bite, and although I didn't shed many tears this time around, I was still happy and emotional, feeling extremely blessed to have found this trompo taco treasure.

Tacos Regios El Coquis

Find it: 11663 Northpost Street, Houston, TX 77093

Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-midnight; Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 a.m.
(Bloomberg) -- When the US Supreme Court ruled to end federal protection for abortions last month, many people wanted to find a way to help. Some hosts on Airbnb Inc. offered to open their homes to guests who needed to travel to states that will still allow the procedure, similar to how the vacation-rental company has been generous with a policy to shelter refugees in the past.

But some of those hosts are realizing that providing a haven for people seeking abortions is much more fraught for everyone involved, from home-owners and guests who could face threats, to the company itself, which could see legal repercussions.

There is an assumption that opening your doors to an abortion seeker is going to be a relatively straightforward system, said Marisa Falcon, the executive director of Apiary for Practical Support, a pro-abortion rights group. Somebody says, I need a place to stay, you give them a place to stay. Its a lot more complicated than that. Well-meaning people could implicate those they are trying to help, she said. She is also worried that anti-abortion groups and law enforcement could exploit such posts to put pregnant people directly in harms way.

Many large companies, including Airbnb, Amazon.com Inc., Apple Inc. and Uber Technologies Inc., have pledged to pay travel costs for workers seeking abortions in states where they remain legal. But the legal landscape is so new that its not clear whether some companies could still face limits to their ability to provide such benefits. And Texas and Oklahoma go even further with so-called bounty clauses that target employers directly. They allow citizens to sue anyone who aids and abets an abortion as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, which includes paying for or reimbursing the costs of an abortion through insurance or otherwise. The language in Oklahomas bill is vague enough that even clinic workers are unsure as to what qualifies as aiding and abetting care.

Law So Broad

Texass SB8 law, which took effect last September, is so broad, it gives so much power to anyone in the country who opposes abortion access to file completely frivolous lawsuits, said Rupali Sharma, senior counsel and director at the Lawyering Project, a pro-abortion rights legal group. While the language in the law leaves companies and individuals exposed to legal challenges, the most vulnerable are those seeking abortions, as well as providers, abortion funds and practical support organizations.

The Supreme Court ruling, which will lead to abortion becoming illegal in about half of the US states, could also subject San Francisco-based Airbnb to subpoenas for any data it holds on its hosts and guests. Advocacy groups have for years been sounding the alarm about digital privacy when it comes to abortion access. Law enforcements focus on search history is common  Google alone received more than 50,000 subpoena and search warrant requests for its data in the first six months of 2021, and data-privacy experts warn that without extra protections, everyone involved in helping someone receive an abortion could be at risk. Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc., recently said it will automatically delete records of user visits to sensitive locations, including abortion clinics.

For all of those reasons, advocates are advising against ad-hoc, if well-meaning solutions and instead encouraging people to support existing pro-abortion rights groups and funds.

One Virginia-based host quickly updated her Airbnb listing after the Supreme Court ruling to show that she would welcome women who were seeking abortions. In a time where I feel like I have so little control, this is one thing I do have control over, the host said, asking not to be identified discussing a sensitive matter. The whole reason I started hosting was to create safe and welcoming spaces for travelers. But shortly after, the host took down the language in the listing, instead choosing to make it available through a local non-profit. So far two patients have reserved the listing.

Another host on Airbnbs community center said after the Supreme Court ruling that they thought it was an opportunity for Airbnb to do good, and hoped that getting an abortion in another state would qualify for Open Homes, the companys program for sponsoring refugees.

A Moral Stance

Airbnb has in the past taken a public moral stance on other high-profile issues it cares about, such as working with hosts and international aid organizations to provide housing for refugees from Ukraine and Afghanistan. But aside from offering to pay travel costs for its own employees, Airbnb has been largely quiet since the ruling. The company said last September that it supports the reproductive rights of women, and that it would defend hosts from a Texas law that would hold anyone liable who assists in helping a woman receive an abortion. The company said it would extend coverage to other states that enacted similar laws and it has also made an unspecified contribution to reproductive health organizations including Planned Parenthood.

Airbnb declined to comment further on the Supreme Court ruling.

One New Mexico-based host who included pro-abortion rights language on their listing received an anonymous threat against the safety of their family. The host subsequently removed the language from the listing but hopes Airbnb partners with a reproductive rights organization to offer help. I hope that Airbnb collaborates with them in order to make this possible AND safe, they said.

Apiarys Falcon said that while shes grateful for the outpouring of concern from those looking to help, she recommends plugging in to local organizations instead to see whats needed. It is important that we always center the interest and the confidentiality of the abortion seeker and to be thinking about their needs and not our desires, she said.

2022 Bloomberg L.P.
SHORELINE, Wash. (AP)  A construction-company owner and a worker have been identified as the people killed in a trench collapse Monday just north of Seattle in Shoreline.

The Seattle Times reports David Ameh, 66, and Demetrius Seller, 32, died from suffocation during the collapse, the King County Medical Examiners Office announced. They were trying to replace a damaged sewer connection.
Well, the news just isn't getting better this year for automakers - a year that continues to be plagued by a microchip shortage and inventory issues. J.D. Power says pandemic-related issues are to blame for a notable decline in initial vehicle quality. In J.D. Power's 2022 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS), researchers report the number of reported vehicle problems hit a record high in the history of the 36-year old study. They attribute this to disruptions caused by the pandemic- supply chain issues, record-high vehicle prices and personnel dislocations. Compared to 2021, the industry experienced an 11% increase in problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), which is 18 PP100 worse than last year, resulting in an industry average of 180 PP100. A lower score reflects higher vehicle quality.

General Motors is a notable exception in the study with an improvement in initial quality that lands it in the highest rank position among automotive corporations. Among brands, Buick made a huge jump in ranking this year -- from 12th to 1st place. Buick is the highest ranked brand in the study, followed by Dodge, Chevrolet, Genesis/Kia. Genesis ranks highest among premium brands. Maserati, Volvo and Chrysler are at the bottom of the list.

Genesis is highest ranked premium brand. The G80 is highest ranked in its segment.

J.D. Power's says just nine of 33 ranked brands improved in vehicle quality year over year.

"Given the many challenges automakers and their dealers had to face in the past year, it's somewhat surprising that initial quality didn't fall even more dramatically," said David Amodeo, director of global automotive at J.D. Power. "In general, initial quality has shown steady improvement throughout the history of this study, so the decline this year is disappointing-yet understandable. Automakers continue to launch vehicles that are more and more technologically complex in an era in which there have been many shortages of critical components to support them."

Brand Rankings / Problems Per 100 Vehicles (PP100) - Source: J.D. Power

Buick: 139

Dodge: 143

Chevrolet: 147

Genesis: 156

Kia: 156

Lexus: 157

GMC: 162

Cadillac: 163

BMW: 165

Ford: 167

Lincoln: 167

Nissan: 167

MINI: 168

Toyota : 172

Mazda: 180

Industry Average: 180

Honda: 183

Hyundai: 185

Ram : 186

Mercedes-Benz: 189

Subaru: 191

Acura: 192

Land Rover : 193

Jeep: 199

Porsche: 200

INFINITI: 204

Jaguar : 210

Alfa Romeo : 211

Mitsubishi : 226

Volkswagen : 230

Audi: 239

Maserati: 255

Volvo: 256

Chrysler 265

These brands are not eligible because they do not meet study award criteria.

Tesla: 226

Polestar: 328

This year's study, fielded from February to May 2022, is based on responses from 84,165 purchasers and lessees of new 2022 model-year vehicles surveyed early in the ownership period. They answered 223-questions organized into nine vehicle categories: infotainment; features, controls and displays; exterior; driving assistance; interior; powertrain; seats; driving experience; and climate. J.D. Power says the study is designed to provide manufacturers with information to help ID problems and make improvements.

"Supply chain disruption, especially the shortage of microchips, has caused automakers to seek alternative solutions to get new vehicles into purchasers' and lessees' hands," Amodeo said. "In some cases, new vehicles are being shipped without some features installed. Communication with them about the changes in feature availability, as well as when such features will be reinstated, is critical to their satisfaction."

Here are the key findings of the 2022 study, outlined in J.D. Power's press release:

Deterioration goes beyond launch vehicles: Both all-new and continuing models increase in problems this year, though all-new models worsen the most (23 PP100). The initial quality gap between all-new and continuing models widens this year to 25 PP100 from 20 PP100 in 2021. The 2022 study finds four times as many new models performing worse than their segment averages compared with those that perform better than their segment averages.

Mass market vehicles experience fewer problems than premium vehicles : Mass market brands average 175 PP100, which is 21 PP100 fewer than for premium brands (196 PP100). Premium brand buyers typically purchase more technology in their vehicles, and the added complexity of that tech increases the likelihood of problems. Given the challenging task of launching new vehicles in the current environment, mass market carryover vehicles are most likely to achieve high-ranking initial quality. "Owners of premium-brand vehicles experience more problems than mass market vehicle owners, continuing a trend that started in 2016," Amodeo said. "But some brands, notably Genesis and Lexus, have largely been able to avoid that issue."

Infotainment systems remain the most problematic area : The infotainment category continues to be the most problematic, with an average of 45.0 PP100-which is 19.5 PP100 more problems than the next-highest category. Six of the top 10 problem areas in the study are infotainment-related, including: Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity (5.8 PP100); built-in voice recognition (4.0 PP100); difficulties with touchscreens/display screens (3.5 PP100); built-in Bluetooth systems (3.4 PP100); not enough power plugs/USB ports (2.9 PP100); and inconsistent audio volume (2.7 PP100).

Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) more problematic : Owners of BEVs and PHEVs cite more problems with their vehicles than do owners of vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE). ICE vehicles average 175 PP100, PHEVs average 239 PP100 and BEVs-excluding Tesla models-average 240 PP100. (Tesla models average 226 PP100 and are shown separate from the BEV average because the predominance of Tesla vehicles could obscure the performance of the legacy automakers that have recently introduced BEVs.)

Driving assistance issues grow : Problems with advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) declined in 2021 but have increased in 2022. The most problematic ADAS system is lane departure warning/lane-keeping assistance with 4.1 PP100.

Tesla Motors officially included for the first time: Tesla Motors is included in the industry calculation for the first time, with a score of 226 PP100. However, because Tesla Motors does not allow J.D. Power access to owner information in the states where that permission is required by law, Tesla vehicles remain ineligible for awards.

Highest-Ranking Brands and Models

Buick is the highest-ranking brand in overall initial quality with a score of 139 PP100. Dodge (143 PP100) ranks second and Chevrolet (147 PP100) ranks third.

Among premium brands, Genesis (156 PP100) ranks highest, and ranks fourth overall. Lexus (157 PP100) ranks second and Cadillac (163 PP100) ranks third.

Lexus is 2nd Ranked Premium Brand

The parent corporation receiving the most model-level awards is General Motors Company (nine awards), followed by BMW AG (five); Hyundai Motor Group(three); Ford Motor Company (two); and Toyota Motor Corporation (two). Among brands, Chevrolet receives the most segment awards (six), followed by BMW (four).

Plant Quality Awards

J.D. Power also hands out several plant quality awards as part of the study. These awards are based solely on defects and malfunctions, not design-related problems. General Motors' plant in San Luis-Potosi, Mexico, which produces the Chevrolet Equinox and the GMC Terrain, is the recipient of the Platinum Plant Quality Award.

In a tie for the Gold Plant Quality Award for Asia/Pacific, the award went to both Toyota Motor Corporation's Takaoka 1 (Japan) plant, which produces the Toyota Corolla, and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.'s Tochigi 1 (Japan) plant, which produces the INFINITI Q50 and Q60.

BMW AG's Regensburg (Germany) plant, which produces the BMW X1 and X2, is the Gold Plant Quality Award winner for Europe and Africa.

Photo Credit:

This article originally appeared on CarProUSA
NEW YORK (AP)  A former CIA software engineer accused of causing the biggest theft of classified information in CIA history told a jury Thursday that theres not enough evidence to convict him of espionage and other federal charges.

Joshua Schulte, who chose to defend himself at a New York City retrial, said in closing arguments that the CIA and FBI made him a scapegoat for an embarrassing public release of a trove of CIA secrets by WikiLeaks in 2017.

Schulte, 33, claimed he was singled out even though hundreds of people had access to (the information).  Hundreds of people could have stolen it.

He added, The governments case is riddled with reasonable doubt. Theres simply no motive here.

U.S. Attorney David Denton countered that there was plenty of proof that Schulte pilfered a sensitive backup computer file.

Hes the one who broke into that system, Denton said. Hes the one who took that backup, the backup he sent to WikiLeaks.

The prosecutor also encouraged jurors to consider evidence of an attempted coverup, including a list of chores Schulte drew that had an entry reading, Delete suspicious emails.

This is someone whos hiding the things that hes done wrong," Denton said.

The Manhattan jury is expected to get the case Friday after receiving instructions from U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman.

The so-called Vault 7 leak revealed how the CIA hacked Apple and Android smartphones in overseas spying operations and efforts to turn internet-connected televisions into listening devices. Prior to his arrest, Schulte had helped create the hacking tools as a coder at the agencys headquarters in Langley, Virginia.

Prosecutors alleged Schulte was motivated to orchestrate the leak because he believed the CIA had disrespected him by ignoring his complaints about the work environment. So he tried to burn to the ground the very work he had helped the agency to create.

While behind bars awaiting trial, he continued his crimes by trying to leak additional classified materials from prison as he carried on an information war against the government, they said.

A mistrial was declared at Schulte's original 2020 trial after jurors deadlocked on the most serious counts, including illegal gathering and transmission of national defense information. Schulte told the judge last year that he wanted serve as his own attorney for the retrial.

On Thursday, Furman complimented Schulte on his closing argument.

Mr. Schulte, that was impressively done, the judge said with the jury out of the courtroom. Depending on what happens here, you may have a future as a defense lawyer.
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PHOENIX (AP)  Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Thursday endorsed businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson to be his successor, adding his name to a growing list of mainstream conservatives looking to boost her past Donald Trump-endorsed frontrunner Kari Lake.

Robson, a political newcomer, has used her family's vast wealth to blanket the airwaves and narrow the gap with Lake, a former television anchor who has energized the Trump base with combative attacks on journalists, Democrats and Republicans who have gone crosswise with Trump.

With Ducey on board, all of the state's living former Republican governors have backed Robson. Jan Brewer and Fife Symington endorsed her last year. Former U.S. Rep. Matt Salmon dropped his own campaign for governor last week and is now supporting Robson.

Karrin is the real deal  pro-life, pro-gun and pro-wall  and shell stand up to Joe Biden and the radical left, Ducey said in a video announcing his endorsement. Karrin is a strong, new leader for Arizona.

In a debate last week, Robson agreed that her plans wouldn't bring radical change from the Ducey era, while Lake eviscerated Ducey for closing businesses and allowing local mask mandates during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ducey is co-chairman of the Republican Governors Association, which has already reserved $10 million worth of television ad time starting next month. The organization does not endorse in open primaries like Arizona's, but Ducey has always reserved the right to make his views known about his home state.

Im going to care very much about who my successor is, Ducey told reporters at an RGA convention in Phoenix last year.

Ducey's endorsement of Robson came on the second day of early voting with ballots set to begin arriving in voters' mailboxes. In 2020, 90% of Arizona voters cast an early or mail ballot.

Ducey, who is term-limited, has personal experience in what can happen when a governor delays announcing an endorsement for a successor. In 2014, when Ducey was locked in a tight six-way GOP primary and neck and neck with former Mesa Mayor Scott Smith, Ducey benefited from then-Gov. Brewers dithering. By the time Brewer endorsed Smith just 19 days before the primary election and a week after ballots were mailed, Ducey had nailed down his party win.

Trump on Wednesday reiterated his support for Lake and took a dig at Ducey, with whom he's feuded since the outgoing governor refused to support Trump's effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.

With Lake, Trump wrote in a statement, Arizonans have a chance to get a truly great Governor, unlike the one you have right now."

Make sure you return your Early Ballot for Kari Lake, or Vote in Person on August 2nd, Trump wrote despite his history of falsely claiming that mail voting is rife with fraud. Lake has pushed to eliminate early voting and require nearly everyone to vote on election day.

On the Democratic side, Secretary of State Katie Hobbs is the frontrunner against Marco Lopez, a former mayor of the border town Nogales.

Hobbs has built a national profile as a staunch defender of the 2020 election in the face of the false claims of fraud by Trump and his allies, including Lake. Hobbs has been weighed down by jury verdicts that found the state Senate discriminated against a Black Democratic staffer when Hobbs was the top Democratic leader.

Arizona was a Republican stronghold for decades, but Democrats made inroads during the Trump presidency thanks to changing demographics and backlash to the former president.
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LONDON (AP)  A Conservative leadership contest will take place in coming weeks after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Thursday he is resigning as the party's leader  though he will continue to serve as prime minister until a successor is elected by party members.

The attorney general of England, Suella Braverman, and lawmaker Tom Tugendhat have publicly announced they would seek the position. A look at the candidates who could succeed Johnson as party leader and prime minister:

___

TOM TUGENDHAT, COMMONS FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CHAIR

In announcing he would seek the Conservative party leadership, Tugendhat, a 48-year-old lawmaker and former soldier, wrote in the Daily Telegraph he is consulting a broad coalition of colleagues to bridge the divides in government.

I have served before  in the military, and now in Parliament. Now I hope to answer the call once again as prime minister. Its time for a clean start, he wrote.

Tugendhat has no ministerial experience, and is reportedly is favored by some in the party as a good choice for a new start.

An opponent of the 2016 Brexit referendum, Tugendhat has been a trenchant Johnson critic. He is also among a group of key Conservatives urging the U.K. to take a tougher stand on China.

___

SUELLA BRAVERMAN, ATTORNEY GENERAL

Braverman, a lawmaker and barrister who became Englands attorney general in 2020, was the first to publicly announce she would seek to become the leader of Britain's Conservatives.

The 42-year-old told a television interviewer Wednesday she wanted to run for prime minister because she and her family, who arrived in Britain as immigrants, owe a debt of gratitude to this country.

Braverman is not well known among the public. Her announcement, made while she still served in Johnson's government, surprised many.

Braverman was a supporter of Johnson for years but said it was time for him to go.

A euroskeptic and Brexiteer, Braverman was elected to Parliament in 2015. Johnson appointed her as attorney general in February 2020.

___

RISHI SUNAK, FORMER TREASURY CHIEF

Sunak, the best-known of the Conservatives' potential leadership contenders, quit the government Tuesday. In a damning resignation letter, he wrote, The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously."

"I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning, he said.

Sunak was, for a time, widely regarded as the partys brightest rising star and the bookmakers favorite to succeed Johnson.

Sunak, 42, became Treasury chief in 2020, given the unenviable job of steering the slumping economy through the coronavirus pandemic. His policies, including dishing out billions of pounds to help businesses and workers, were generally well-received.

But partygate changed those fortunes. Like Johnson, Sunak was fined by police for attending a lockdown-flouting birthday party at Downing Street in June 2020. He has also come under heavy criticism for being slow to respond to Britains severe cost-of-living crisis.

Sunak also faced pressure following revelations that his wife, Akshata Murthy, avoided paying taxes on her overseas income, and that the former investment banker held on to his U.S. green card while serving in government.

Born to Indian parents who moved to Britain from East Africa, Sunak attended the exclusive Winchester College private school and studied at Oxford. Some see his elite education and work for the investment bank Goldman Sachs and a hedge fund as a liability because it makes him seem out of touch with ordinary voters.

___

NADHIM ZAHAWI, TREASURY CHIEF

Johnson appointed Zahawi, 55, to head the Treasury after Sunaks resignation Tuesday. Barely two days later, Zahawi joined the public calls for Johnson to quit.

Zahawi came to prominence as vaccine minister during the pandemic. A co-founder of the market research firm YouGov, Zahawi was elected to Parliament in 2010. He was born in Iraq to a Kurdish family and came to the U.K. as a child when his parents fled Iraq under Saddam Hussein.

The Times newspaper reported that Zahawi has secretly worked with close allies of Australian election strategist Lynton Crosby on a Conservative leadership campaign.

He is seen by some as a safe choice if other candidates prove divisive.

___

SAJID JAVID, FORMER HEALTH SECRETARY

Javid, 52, also resigned Tuesday, declaring enough is enough and that the problem starts at the top.

Javid had been health secretary since June 2021, leading the COVID-19 response. He earlier served as Treasury chief, but resigned in early 2020 after clashing with Johnson over his order to fire his advisers. That Johnson brought him back to handle the coronavirus response reflects Javid's reputation for competence.

A father of four, Javid was first elected in 2010 and has held various posts, including home secretary and leading departments for business, culture and housing.

He ran in the 2019 Conservative leadership election, but was eliminated in the fourth round and lost to Johnson.

The son of Pakistani immigrants, Javid has billed himself as a common-man alternative to his private school-educated rivals  although he had a lucrative career in investment banking before politics.

___

LIZ TRUSS, FOREIGN SECRETARY

Truss, 46, took on the high-profile Cabinet post in September after serving as trade minister. She has gained momentum within the party since then and made no secret of her ambitions.

As Britains chief diplomat, Truss got a frosty reception from her Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, prior to Moscows Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.

She is also the U.K.s lead negotiator with the European Union on issues following Britains exit from the bloc. Once a campaigner for remaining in the EU, Truss has become a Brexit champion. Her former role as international trade secretary saw her signing post-Brexit deals and channeling Johnsons ambitions for Global Britain.

Truss is popular with many Conservatives, who see echoes of the partys first female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, in the free-market-loving politician. Supporters have coined the slogan, In Liz We Truss.

___

BEN WALLACE, DEFENSE SECRETARY

Wallace has won admirers for his straight talk, particularly among Conservative lawmakers who pressed for the U.K. to increase its defense spending.

A 52-year-old army veteran, Wallace has raised his profile as a key government voice in Britains response to Russias war in Ukraine.

___

PENNY MORDAUNT, TRADE MINISTER

Mordaunt, 49, has emerged as a surprise potential contender, with supporters saying she could help heal party divisions.

Mordaunt played a prominent role in the pro-Brexit campaign and had backed Hunt in the 2019 leadership contest. She was removed as defense secretary when Johnson became prime minister.

She has since returned to government as international trade minister and is popular among Conservative lawmakers.

___

JEREMY HUNT, FORMER CABINET MINISTER

Hunt, a former health secretary and foreign secretary, ran against Johnson in the 2019 leadership race, billing himself as the more serious candidate. He lost heavily, and was dumped from the Cabinet.

He is widely expected to make a new bid for the party leadership. In January, the 55-year-old was quoted as saying his ambition to lead the country hasnt completely vanished.

Hunt has remained a lawmaker, and kept himself in the public eye by grilling ministers and experts as head of Parliaments Health and Social Care Select Committee.

As a critic of the governments pandemic response, he may appeal to those seeking a change from Johnson, although some look on him unfavorably for implementing unpopular health care policies.

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Follow APs coverage of British politics at https://apnews.com/hub/boris-johnson
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NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  Ethiopian police and soldiers are dying on a daily basis as the country grapples with insurgencies in Oromia and elsewhere, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Thursday.

Abiy in a parliamentary address repeated a vow to destroy the Oromo Liberation Army, a rebel group his government blames for two recent massacres targeting members of the Amhara ethnic group.

As a government, the fact we are not able to prevent the acts they committed, we feel quite sad, Abiy said. Daily police officers die, security forces die while fighting the Oromo rebels, he said.

In a rare admission of government losses, Abiy also said that hundreds of district officials have been killed in attacks.

The increase in violence in Oromia comes as the 20-month-long conflict with the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front appears to be reducing. Last month Abiy revealed a committee has been set up to negotiate with the TPLF, but if the talks fail he suggested his government is ready to renew military efforts.

The unity and the interests of our country, if it becomes difficult to secure it peacefully, we will pay sacrifices with our lives, Abiy told lawmakers. Outside of that, we believe there is hope. Our door will remain open for peace.

In Oromia, the latest killings occurred on Monday, resulting in the deaths of an unknown number of civilians in the unstable West Wellega area. It followed a separate attack in the region last month that witnesses said killed hundreds.

The Oromo Liberation Army, or OLA, an outlawed group that the government refers to as Shene, denies carrying out the killings.

In response to the violence, regional and federal forces have stepped up their offensive against the OLA. Abiy said counterinsurgency efforts have been 95% successful in saving civilian lives and compared the recent ethnic-based killings to gun violence in the United States.

The security forces serve the country at a high cost, so the parliament should recognize their efforts, Abiy said, describing the mass killings as inhumane acts perpetrated by destructive, evil forces.

On Wednesday Ethiopias parliament set up a special body to investigate the killings in Oromia, where regional government forces have also been accused of human rights abuses.

Human Rights Watch in a statement this week said a culture of impunity has emboldened unaccountable security forces that it says are responsible for a spate of extrajudicial killings in Oromia.

The killings are putting pressure on Abiys government to do more to protect civilians as waves of ethnic unrest persist in Africas second-most populous country with a population of 115 million people. Ethiopia has more than 90 different ethnic groups, according to its census. The Oromo are the largest group with an estimated 34% of the population followed by the Amhara with 27%.

Violence between various ethnic groups has increased in recent years as a result of longstanding rivalries.
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BRUSSELS (AP)  The European Union's parliament on Thursday overwhelmingly condemned the end of constitutional protections for abortion in the United States and called for such safeguards to be enshrined in the EU's fundamental rights charter.

In a 324-155 vote with 38 abstentions, European Parliament lawmakers adopted a resolution that crystalized the anger seen in many of the EU's 27 member countries since the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its ruling on June 24.

It teaches us a lesson: Womens and girls human rights can never be taken for granted, and we must always fight to defend them, Swedish politician Helene Fritzon, who is vice president of an parliamentary alliance of Socialists and Democrats, said.

Underscoring fears that anti-abortion movements might expand in Europe, some legislators said they wanted to see EU-wide protections adopted.

The United States has clearly shown why we must use every tool available to safeguard abortion rights in the European Union," said Stephane Sejourne the president of the liberal Renew Europe group in the EU Parliament.

The resolution calls on member nations to add a sentence reading Everyone has a right to safe and legal abortion to the Charter of Fundamental Rights.

In France, where abortion has been legal for almost half a century, there are now moves afoot to enshrine that in the nation's constitution and make sure it could not fall victim to momentary changes in politics.

National laws determine the status of abortion in individual EU countries and is legal and practiced without much political opposition in many member nations, but is banned in Malta and increasingly restricted in Poland.

The EU Parliament resolution mentioned a recent case in Malta involving an American tourist who had an incomplete miscarriage and could not get the fetal tissue removed even if her life was in danger. A human rights activist in Poland was charged for providing an abortion pill, according to the resolution.

The Supreme Courts overturning of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision has emboldened abortion opponents around the world. The EU resolution expressed concern about a possible surge in the flow of money funding anti-gender and antichoice groups in the world, including in Europe.

Despite the support for the resolution, it is not expected to have an immediate impact on abortion legislation in the bloc.
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BERLIN (AP)  German lawmakers on Thursday approved a major package of reforms aimed at boosting the production of renewable power, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that the country has for too long relied on energy supplies from Russia.

The government unveiled its 600-page Easter package in April, less than two months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine escalated the simmering energy crisis between Moscow and western European neighbors, many of which were buyers of Russian fossil fuels.

Germany has sharply reduced its energy imports from Russia in recent months. The government aims to end the purchase of Russian coal and oil this year, and of natural gas by 2024.

Scholz said late Wednesday that the war was another reason for Europe's biggest economy to double down on its efforts to expand the use of renewable energy.

Germany has relied for too long and too unilaterally on energy supplies from Russia, he said at a renewable energy industry event in Berlin.

Referring to Moscow's recent moves to reduce the flow of natural gas to Europe, Scholz that that we have to realize that Russia is using energy as a weapon.

After all, no one believes that Russia is reducing its gas supplies for technical reasons alone, he added.

Energy Minister Robert Habeck told lawmakers that the sheer number and extent of laws now being hurried through the Bundestag reflected both the scale of the challenge and the governments ambition.

It recently pledged to rapidly accelerate the installation of sun and wind power facilities, setting a target of generating 80% of Germany's gross electricity use from renewable energy by 2030  almost double the share it had last year  and cutting greenhouse gas emissions from all sources to net zero by 2045.

To achieve this, the government proposed setting aside more land for onshore wind park s and lowering bureaucratic hurdles that have slowed construction in recent years.

Still, economists questioned this week whether the government's ambitious goals were achievable even with the new measures.

Opposition lawmaker Andreas Jung of the Christian Democrats criticized the government for keeping heavily polluting coal-fired power plants on stand-by to replace gas-fired facilities that have to shut down due to lack of supply. Instead, he suggested, Germany could expand the use of domestic biogas from agricultural waste.

Consumers in Germany, like elsewhere in Europe, have been warned to expect significantly higher energy bills this year mainly due to the surge in prices of fossil fuels.

If we want to keep energy affordable in the long term, if we want to reconcile supply security and climate protection, then this is only possible with renewable energies, said Scholz. Thats why we need to kick the expansion of renewables into high gear now.

While independence from Russian energy is one of the government's stated goals, a new report Thursday by the International Energy Agency warned that the supply of solar panels  key to Germany's green energy transition  is increasingly concentrated in China.

The Paris-based agency said China currently has a share of more than 80% in all the key manufacturing stages of solar panels. For some photovoltaic components the share coming from China is set to rise to 95% in the coming years, it said.

China has been instrumental in bringing down costs worldwide for solar PV, with multiple benefits for clean energy transitions, the IEA's executive director, Fatih Birol, said. At the same time, the level of geographical concentration in global supply chains also poses potential challenges that governments need to address.

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Follow AP's coverage of climate change at https://apnews.com/hub/climate
SEATTLE (AP)  The monkeypox virus continues to circulate in Washington state's most populous county, which includes Seattle, and is now likely spreading between residents, local health officials said Wednesday.

Public health leaders have identified nine King County infections since the first case was found in Washington state and confirmed in a King County man in late May, The Seattle Times reported.

Because recent cases of monkeypox have been identified in King County residents who did not travel during the time they would have been exposed, local transmission is likely, King County health officer Dr. Jeff Duchin said in a statement.

In the current outbreak, people have presented with skin lesions that may resemble common sexually transmitted infection such as herpes or syphilis, Duchin said.

Public Health  Seattle & King County is urging anyone with a new rash to visit a health care provider for an assessment, noting that people should also be aware the rate of syphilis is rising in King County and nationally.

Most monkeypox patients experience fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. Many develop a painful rash, officials said.

Unlike the coronavirus, monkeypox does not spread through the air over longer distances, among other differences. Monkeypox is primarily spread through large droplets or the exchange of bodily fluids.

Most patients recover in two to four weeks, according to Public Health  Seattle & King County, but the disease can be serious for children or those who are immunocompromised, have a history of eczema or who are pregnant.

Federal officials last week said they are expanding the group of people recommended to get vaccinated, providing more monkeypox vaccine, working to expand testing, and taking other steps to try to get ahead of the outbreak.

In King County, health officials are expecting about 500 vaccine doses from the state Department of Health. To date, most cases in the U.S. and Europe have occurred in men who have sex with men, but anyone can be affected and sex between people of different sexes can also accelerate the spread, officials said.

More information about the virus and its risk factors are available at Public Health  Seattle & King Countys news website.
WASHINGTON - The commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service faces a new onslaught of questions after a report Wednesday showed that two foes of President Donald Trump had been selected for a rare audit.

Charles Rettig, whose elevation by Trump to lead the service in 2018 surprised many tax professionals when it was announced, faced new scrutiny after the New York Times revealed that both former FBI director James Comey and his deputy, Andrew McCabe, were the subjects of highly unusual audits for which the IRS says were selected at random. The Washington Post has confirmed the audits.

Rettig was a tax attorney in Beverly Hills, Calif., when Trump put him in charge of the agency, which employs about 71,000 full-time staffers. He had defended a billionaire the IRS accused of hiding money in offshore accounts, a venture capitalist the agency alleged used sham accounting to shelter assets, and the heirs of a millionaire defense contractor who sought to fend off inheritance taxes.

He started out as a Trump ally when his four-year term began in 2018, shielding the former president's tax returns from public view in the face of a House Democratic lawsuit. But Rettig has proved a willing partner for the Biden administration, as well, supporting its efforts to close the gap between what taxpayers owe and what they pay, and implementing expansive new stimulus measures.

The IRS commissioner's term is to expire in November, and Biden administration officials had already begun interviewing potential candidates for his replacement before this week's news, according to two people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations. Rettig has expressed openness to a second term, said one other person familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for the same reason.

Asked Thursday if the president is confident in Rettig's leadership, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre repeatedly refused to answer, telling reporters at her briefing: "He is going to be up in November, so I will leave it there." Jean-Pierre said the White House otherwise does not comment "on enforcement actions taken by the IRS."

Still, the revelation about Comey and McCabe's audits will revive difficult questions for the commissioner and his legacy. Rettig has won praise from Democratic lawmakers under President Joe Biden for his outreach and responsiveness to Capitol Hill, but his deference to Trump has come under scrutiny, given the nonpartisan role the IRS is supposed to play. The revelation will also bring new scrutiny to former Trump treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin, since Treasury oversees the IRS. A spokesman for Mnuchin told The Post in a statement that "it is unlawful for the Secretary of the Treasury to 'request, directly or indirectly, any officer or employee of the Internal Revenue Service to conduct or terminate an audit or other investigation of any particular taxpayer with respect to the tax liability of such taxpayer,' with limited exceptions that do not apply." In a statement, Trump said, "I have no knowledge of this," and pointed to a 2019 Justice Department watchdog report that was critical of Comey and McCabe's earlier investigation.

The IRS has been adamant that there is no political interference in its audit process. Comey and McCabe were selected for the National Research Program, which typically selects about 13,000 people and corporations a year out of hundreds of millions of tax returns for the intensive audit program. McCabe's audit was launched months into the Biden administration, although still under Rettig's tenure. It focused on his 2019 tax return.

The audit program is run from the IRS's Research, Applied Analytics and Statistics Division. A group of career employees - statisticians and data scientists - run a computer program that randomly selects taxpayers across the income spectrum to determine compliance levels with the nation's tax codes, according to John Koskinen, who served as IRS commissioner under the Obama administration and at the beginning of the Trump administration. Once the names are chosen in that random lottery, they are forwarded to the IRS division that handles audits, according to Koskinen.

IRS spokeswoman Jodie Reynolds said in a statement that Rettig personally referred the matter to the inspector general for review after details of the Times's reporting emerged. She also called it "ludicrous and untrue to suggest that senior IRS officials somehow targeted specific individuals for National Research Program audits," while adding the IRS was prohibited from commenting on specific taxpayer situations.

"Commissioner Rettig is not involved in individual audits or taxpayer cases; those are handled by career civil servants. As IRS Commissioner, he has never been in contact with the White House - in either administration - on IRS enforcement or individual taxpayer matters. He has been committed to running the IRS in an impartial, unbiased manner from top to bottom," Reynolds said.

Former IRS officials expressed disbelief that there could have been political meddling in the audit program, since there are federal criminal penalties for interference. There is no way for Rettig to have ordered or performed the audit without the support of career staff, said Mark Everson, who served as commissioner of the service under the George W. Bush administration.

"I would be stunned if there was any intentional selection of either McCabe or Comey for audit under this program. That would be truly shocking. I don't see that," Everson said. Everson added that even if randomly selected, Comey should have been excluded from the audit because of his high-profile political status. "Somebody should have exercised more judgment before proceeding with the Comey audit. I would have hoped that would be the case. Even if randomly selected, I think a supervisor should have said, 'We can just knock this one out.'"

Still, former IRS officials, including Everson, said the matter should be investigated. The Treasury inspector general did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether that office had opened an investigation into the selection of the audits.

"For two guys who are enemies of President Trump to be selected together, although in different years, would have to be viewed as unusual," Koskinen said. "In light of everything else going on in the last few years, it's worth taking a look at to assure the public that the IRS is treating all taxpayers fairly."

Some House Democrats have started demanding Rettig's dismissal over the matter. "If you think the audit of Donald Trump's purported enemies was a random act of God, then I have a bridge in North Jersey I'd like to sell you," said Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-N.J., a member of the House Ways and Means Committee. "There may be no group on the face of this earth that deserves the benefit of the doubt less than Donald Trump and his government enablers. . . . Charles Rettig has wrecked public trust in the IRS, and I reiterate my calls for President Biden to fire Mr. Rettig immediately."

- - -

The Washington Post's Tony Romm and Josh Dawsey contributed to this report.
ROME (AP)  The Italian Foreign Ministry said Thursday it is working to quickly bring back from Egypt an Italian family whose 6-year-old son died suddenly in the leading Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh and the parents ended up hospitalized.

Italian news reports said the child was believed to have suffered from a suspected case of food poisoning.

The ministry said Egyptian law enforcement and medical authorities had already opened an investigation into the July 2 death of Andrea Mirabile, and ordered an autopsy.

The ministry said the mother, Rosalia Manosperti, had been released from the international hospital in Sharm el-Sheikh, but that the father, Antonio Mirabile, remained admitted.

Egypts Red Sea resorts, with their all-inclusive package deals and luxury hotels, are some of the countrys major beach destinations and are popular with European tourists.

Cases of food poisoning at the countrys tourist resorts have proved dangerous in the past. In 2021, 47 tourists were hospitalized after a hotel dinner in the Red Sea beach town of Hurghada. In 2018, 300 guests were evacuated from another Hurghada hotel after the sudden deaths of two British tourists and more than a dozen fell ill with food poisoning.

The Red Sea has also seen two deadly shark attacks in the past week, both near Hurghada. Sharm el-Sheikh is set to host the next United Nations summit on climate change, COP27, in November.

Authorities have in recent years sought to revive the vital tourism sector, battered by years of instability and, more recently, the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

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This story has been corrected to show that the two shark attacks were near Hurghada, not Sharm el-Sheikh.
2022 Camp 911: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 27 at the Big Rapids Department of Public Safety building, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Big Rapids. This free hands-on learning experience is designed to provide seniors with readiness training for various incidences and emergencies. Open to older residents of Mecosta, Osceola and Lake counties. To register call 231-796-4848

MECOSTA COUNTY COA

Hot Meals: Persons age 60 and older, suggested donation is $3. Persons younger than age 60, cost is $6.

Mecosta Meal Site: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, at the Activity Center, 12954 80th Ave., Mecosta.

Barryton Meal Site: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays at the Barryton Senior Building, 71 Northern Ave., Barryton.

Meals on Wheels: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Hot midday meals delivered to the door of homebound senior citizens in Mecosta County. Suggested donation: $3 for seniors, $5 for non-seniors.

Take and Reheat Meals: Frozen meals available Mondays-Fridays. Call 231-972-2884 to preorder.

Activities: Call 231-972-2884 to sign up.

BINGO: 1 p.m. Fridays

Line Dance: 9:30 a.m. Thursdays

Chair Dance: 11 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays

Scrabble: 1 p.m. Thursdays

Bridge: 12:45 p.m. Mondays

Euchre: 12:45 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays

Pinochle: 12:45 p.m Thursdays

EnhanceFitness: We are back to in building exercise! 8:30-9:30 a.m. every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, or Zoom on Wednesdays. Space is limited, so reserve a spot by calling 231-972-2884.

Healthy Lifestyle: 10:30 a.m. every other Wednesday.

Blood Pressure Clinics: 11 a.m. to noon at the Mecosta County Commission on Aging & Activity Center on the following dates (May 13, 27; June 10, 24; July 8, 22; Aug. 5, 19; Sept. 2, 16, 30; Oct. 14, 28; Nov. 23; and Dec. 8)

OSCEOLA COUNTY COA

Hot Lunch: At noon Mondays-Thursdays, both in person and curbside pickup and in person. Call 231-734-5559 no later than 12:30 p.m. the day before to reserve a seat. Suggest donation: $2 per meal, $5.85 for those younger than 60.

Osceola County COA, 732 W. 7th St., Evart.

Meadowview Village Apartments, 802 Mill St., Reed City.

Boomers Rendezvous, 213 Neilson, Tustin.

Marion Meal Site, 101 E. Main St., Marion.

Blood Pressure Clinic: 10 a.m.-noon the second Tuesday each month at Meadowview Village and Evart COA; and 10 a.m.-noon the third Tuesday each month at Boomers Rendezvous and Marion Meal Site.

BARRYTON SENIOR CENTER

Swiss Steak Dinner: 4-6:30 p.m. the last Friday of every month from April-October. Includes dessert.

REED CITY SENIORS CENTER

Potluck: 11:30 a.m. first Wednesday each month

Table Games: Fun Bingo at noon Wednesdays; Euchre at noon Thursdays; Regular Bingo at noon Fridays (Doors open at 10:30 a.m., with early birds at 11:30 a.m.)

RESOURCES FOR SENIORS

Mecosta County Organizations

Mecosta County Commission on Aging and Activity Center: 12954 80th Ave., Mecosta. 231-972-2884, Facebook: @MecostaCountySeniorCenter

Barryton Senior Center, 71 Northern Ave., Barryton. 989-382-7244. Facebook: @barrytonseniorcenter

Osceola County Organizations

Osceola County Commission on Aging: 732 W. 7th Street, Evart. 231-734-5559, jhalladay@osceolacoa.org. Facebook: @Osceola.County.COA

Reed City Senior Center: 219 E. Todd Ave., Reed City. 231-832-3340. Facebook: @Reed City Senior Center

Lake County Organizations

St. Anns Lake County Senior Services: 690 Ninth St., Baldwin. 231-745-7201. Facebook: @St. Anns Lake County Senior Services

Luther Senior Citizens Center: 300 Ash St., Luther. 231-797-5401

Hollister Senior Center: 1505 Michigan Ave., Baldwin. 231-745-3843.

Northwest Lake County Senior Center: 4240 W. 4 Mile Road, Irons. 231-266-5785

State, National Organizations
A Republican candidate for Michigan governor pleaded not guilty Thursday for his actions during the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when he says he and other supporters of then-President Donald Trump were exercising their free speech rights.

Ryan Kelley appeared via video for a brief hearing in federal court, weeks after the real estate broker was arrested at his home in western Michigan and charged with several misdemeanors for his role in the riot.

Kelley said little during the hearing, but at a debate Wednesday night he said he and others at the Capitol were unhappy with the 2020 presidential election, when Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

That was a First Amendment activity by a majority of those people, myself included," Kelley said. "We were there protesting the government because we dont like the results of the 2020 election, the process of how it happened. And we have that First Amendment right. And thats what 99% of the people were there for that day.

Kelley is accused of disruptive conduct, injuring public property and entering restricted space without permission.

Federal investigators said Kelley was recorded on video outside the U.S. Capitol on the day of the insurrection, repeatedly waving to the crowd and directing them toward stairs leading into the building. He used his phone to film the crowd assaulting and pushing past U.S. Capitol police officers and was in a crowd that climbed stairs to a Capitol entrance after causing police to retreat, the FBI said.

Kelley was a little-known candidate in a field of five Republicans vying for the GOP nomination on Aug. 2 to face Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November.

He has said he believes the arrest and accompanying publicity helped increase his name recognition and gain supporters. Kelley also has questioned the timing of the charges, which were filed about a year and a half after the Capitol riot. He says they are politically motivated and that he is being targeted by the Biden administration and others on the left.

Kelley decided to run for governor after leading protests against Whitmer and restrictions she imposed during the coronavirus pandemic. They included a rally at the Michigan Statehouse in Lansing, where heavily armed militias entered the building.
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UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The U.N. Security Council delayed Thursdays expected vote on extending humanitarian aid deliveries to rebel-held northwest Syria from Turkey after failing to reach a compromise on how long it would run.

Russia, which is one of the veto-wielding members, is demanding an extension of only six months, while many other council members, the U.N. secretary-general and more than 30 non-governmental groups are pushing for another year-long mandate.

The council scheduled a meeting for Friday morning, but it was unclear whether there would be further consultations or a vote.

Closed consultations among the 15 council members that continued into Thursday evening were unable to bridge differences between the original draft resolution by Ireland and Norway to extend cross-border deliveries for 12 months and a rival Russian text calling for a six-month extension, with a new resolution needed for a later six-month extension.

Were working on getting a basis for consensus, Irelands U.N. ambassador, Geraldine Byrne Nason, said after Thursdays meeting. No one in that room wants to be divided on an issue of such importance, but we have more work to do. And were going to get working now, work overnight and hope to be back in the morning with the solution.

Russias deputy U.N. ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, said there is 99% agreement on a resolution, but he said Russia insists on a new resolution after six months.

Byrne Nason, asked whether there was any way around the Russian demand, replied: Were working on it overnight.

The U.N. said last week that the first 10 years of the Syrian conflict, which started in 2011, killed more than 300,000 civilians  the highest official estimate of civilian casualties. Northwest Idlib is the last rebel-held bastion in Syria and a region where an al-Qaida-linked militant group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, is the strongest.

Russia, a close ally of Syria's government, has repeatedly called for stepped up humanitarian aid deliveries to the northwest from within Syria, across conflict lines. This would give Syrian President Bashar Assads government more control.

In early July 2020, China and Russia vetoed a U.N. resolution that would have maintained two border crossing points from Turkey for humanitarian aid to Idlib. Days later, the council authorized the delivery of aid through just one of those crossings, Bab al-Hawa.

In a compromise with Russia, that one-year mandate was extended on July 9, 2021, for six months, with an additional six months subject to a substantive report from U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. This was effectively a year-long mandate because a second resolution wasnt needed, and that mandate expires this Sunday.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric called cross-border aid critical for men, women and children in the northwest and stressed the importance of long-term planning, including to costs.

In 2021, we had 800 trucks of cross-border aid go through each month, consistently reaching about 2.4 million people, he told reporters Thursday. The number of trucks that crossed in the calendar year, from January of this year to June 30th of this year, was 4,648 trucks.

The U.N. also carried out five deliveries across conflict lines last year and so far this year with about 2,529 metric tons of assistance including foods and health supplies, he said.

Russias Polyansky said he wasnt certain what would happen Friday, but U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters, Tomorrow were going to vote on a resolution and hopefully that is a vote that extends the resolution for 12 months.

Thomas-Greenfield, who recently traveled to the Bab al-Hawa crossing, added: A six-month resolution does not provide the certainty and the confidence that the Syrian refugees require and NGOs require in order to continue to plan for and provide for support.

Six months ends in January, in the middle of winter, the worst time possible, she said.

If no compromise could be reached, the draft resolution by Ireland and Norway would be voted on first. If it failed to get nine votes, or was vetoed by Russia, the Russian resolution with a six-month extension would then be put to a vote.
Many mysteries remain about the woman found dead in a Fairfax County cemetery in 1996, but one has just been solved: her identity.

She was Joyce Marilyn Meyer Sommers, originally from Davenport, Iowa, the oldest of five children of Arthur and Margaret Meyer, according to DNA analysis and her family. She was 69 years old when her body was found, and her family has no idea how or why she decided to end her life in Annandale, Va., shortly before Christmas.

"The way she planned it out, that was her," said her sister, Annette Meyer Clough, one of two remaining immediate family members. "She was very careful. We couldn't find her."

For a quarter-century, the unidentified woman in Pleasant Valley Memorial Park was known as "the Christmas Tree Lady," because she had placed a small Christmas tree on a blanket next to her, sometime early on Dec. 18, 1996. Neatly coifed, smartly dressed, her pockets contained no identification but two envelopes with a $50 bill and the same typed note in each: "Deceased by own hand...Prefer no autopsy. Please order cremation, with funds provided. Thank you, Jane Doe."

Then she laid down and suffocated herself.

Fairfax police tried for years to identify the woman, and her death became a lasting subject among true crime groups on the internet. In 2000, with help from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the police released a color drawing of the woman. Nothing.

In recent years genetic genealogy has blossomed as a law enforcement tool, in which forensic analysts try to match one person's DNA profile with another similar DNA pattern, and comb through the family tree for connections. So in January, Othram Inc., a Houston-area lab which has had success identifying remains found as far back as 1960, took on the "Christmas Tree Lady."

In May, Othram got a potential hit: an 88-year-old man in Virginia Beach, David Meyer, might be the woman's brother. Fairfax police cold case homicide detectives drove to Virginia Beach, Detective Melissa Wallace said, and showed him the color drawing of the woman. But he couldn't confirm that it was his sister because he hadn't seen her in at least 50 years, Wallace said. The woman had distanced herself from her family long ago.

The man's family directed the detectives to a sister living outside Phoenix: Clough. Clough told the investigators that the color drawing was "1000 percent" her older sister, Joyce Meyer Sommers. The detectives submitted DNA from Clough, and forensic genetic geneaologist Carla Davis confirmed that the woman who had been unidentified since 1996 was Sommers.

"I was stunned. Just stunned," Clough said. "The family had looked for her. They were still looking for her a year after she had died. ... I am relieved to know that something horrible didn't happen to her. It sounds like something she'd been planning for a long time."

In an interview, Clough related what the family knew of her sister, who essentially vanished in the 1980s. She said Joyce Marilyn Meyer was born in July 1927, the oldest of three girls and two boys, and grew up on a farm outside Davenport, Iowa. Sommers attended Iowa State University, then moved to Los Angeles where she got a job at Seventeen magazine and lived with an aunt, Clough said. "She was very creative and very smart. She was artistic," Clough said.

Then Sommers left Seventeen to begin teaching second grade at a Catholic school in Los Angeles.

"It was difficult," Clough said of her sister's life as a teacher in the 1950s. "She had 60 second-graders and she didn't have a background in education. She was very meticulous, staying up until the wee hours to do lesson planning."

Around that time, Clough said, Sommers began seeing a psychiatrist. "At that time, psychoanalysis was all about blaming the family, blame the mother. It sort of estranged her from the family." Clough said her sister was first married around 1959 and later divorced.

At some point in the 1960s, Clough said, their mother traveled to California for a 24-hour confrontation session with Sommers, in which Sommers accused the mother of being a terrible parent. "It was just awful," Clough said. "It broke my mother's heart."

Clough continued to write letters to her older sister, but Sommers rarely revealed much when she replied. Sommers moved to Seattle and married James E. Sommers, but didn't tell her family of the event. Police found a divorce certificate showing that Joyce and James Sommers divorced in 1977, and did not have any children.

Sommers then moved to Tucson. "She had a trailer in a trailer park," Clough said. "She wasn't very happy in that situation." In the 1980s, her siblings all went to visit Sommers in Tucson, where she asked the family to build her a house, Clough said. The family couldn't do that and Sommers was unhappy, Clough said.

"After that visit, she dropped off the face of the earth," Clough said. Her family did not hear from her again.

The siblings tried to locate her in the early 1990s, Clough said. Her brother Larry Meyer, now deceased, traveled to the trailer in Tucson, but it had been abandoned, Clough said. Inside a refrigerator in the trailer, the brother found four copies of a book called "The Target Child," which Sommers apparently wrote and self-published, about what she claimed was a traumatic childhood. Clough said she didn't think her parents were abusive or that any of her siblings suffered while growing up.

In the early 1990s, Larry Meyer and Clough's ex-husband hired a private detective to try to find Sommers, Clough said. "We were surmising she was with a cult someplace," Clough said. She said the effort to locate her sister was extensive, and there were some hints that Sommers had moved to the East Coast, but "they never found her anywhere. The case was cold."

Wallace said police databases show that Sommers may have lived in Northern Virginia sometime in 1996, possibly in Alexandria. A LexisNexis database - which compiles public records - revealed one address for Sommers in downtown Washington, a townhouse on Massachusetts Avenue which has since been incorporated into another building.

And then, somehow, Sommers chose the cemetery on Little River Turnpike in Annandale, in a section near where babies and children are buried. Detectives found no connection between Sommers and any of the graves, and Clough said she believed her sister did not have any children, despite a large scar across her stomach that detectives thought might have come from a Caesarean delivery. Clough theorized that her sister chose the children's section of the cemetery as a symbolic nod to her belief that children can be permanently damaged by their parents.

But where Sommers spent the last decade of her life, what she did during that time, and why she decided to take her own life are still unknowns.

"I always had the expectation that some way, somehow, we'd find a way to identify her," said retired Fairfax homicide detective Steve Milefsky. "I was excited to learn that somebody's family would find out what happened to her." He said detectives "always figured she was from out of the area, and she didn't want to be found." Milefsky noted that Fairfax has some other unidentified bodies, and "I think it's meaningful to identify these people."

Wallace said she is hopeful that more Fairfax cases will be solved. Virginia has 222 active "long-term unidentified" cases statewide and created a position specifically for investigating them last year, according to Arkuie Williams of the state medical examiner's office. Nationwide, the Justice Department's National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, or NamUs, aims to match missing person cases with unidentified bodies or skeletons, and about 8,200 unidentified people are in the database.

Othram and other genetic genealogists use open public databases of DNA profiles to search for matches with unidentified remains, a process which some have criticized as an invasion of privacy. "We're hoping it doesn't get shut down," said Detective Jon Long of the Fairfax cold case squad. "It's a really great tool, to be able to get some of these cold cases solved, when we can't get it done any other way."

Othram, which specifically built its lab to use genome sequencing to help law enforcement, has helped "crack several-hundred cases at the local, state, and federal level," chief development officer Kristen Mittelman said, "many of which had been unsolved for decades and were previously deemed 'unsolvable' by all other technologies. There is no better feeling than knowing that you play a key role in identifying victims, perpetrators, giving answers to families and facilitating justice."

If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they text to 741741.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  Two drug traffickers were hanged in Singapore on Thursday, bringing the number of executions this year in the city-state to four despite growing calls to abolish its death penalty.

Activists said the prison department handed the belongings and death certificates for Malaysian national Kalwant Singh and Singaporean Norasharee Gous to their families after their execution Thursday morning.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other anti-death penalty groups said the executions were a blatant flouting of international human rights norms.

Amnesty said Singapore is one of just four countries known to have executed people for drug-related offences in recent years, going against a global trend toward abolishing the death penalty.

The death penalty is never the solution and we oppose it unconditionally. There is no evidence that it acts as a unique deterrent to crime, said Emerlynne Gil, Amnesty International's deputy regional director for research.

We urge the Singaporean authorities to immediately stop this latest wave of hangings and impose a moratorium on executions as a step towards ending this shameful and inhuman punishment, Gil said in a statement.

Kalwant, who was convicted in 2016 of bringing heroin into Singapore, was the second Malaysian to be executed in less than three months. In late April, the hanging of another Malaysian sparked an international outcry because he was believed to be mentally disabled.

Kalwant filed a last-minute appeal on the eve of his execution on grounds that he was a mere courier and that he had cooperated with police, but it was rejected by Singapore's top court, activists said.

Critics say that Singapore's death penalty has mostly snared low-level mules and done little to stop drug traffickers and organized syndicates. But Singapore's government defends it as necessary to protect its citizens and says all those executed have been accorded full due process under the law.

Four others drug traffickers, including two more Malaysians, were scheduled to be hanged earlier but their executions were delayed pending legal challenges.

Human Rights Watch echoed calls for Singapore to end executions for all drug-related crimes and commute sentences of those on death row.

Recent drug busts in the country show just how hollow Singapores claims are about the supposed deterrent effect of these cruel executions," said its deputy Asia director, Phil Robertson. The nations involved in the growing global movement to abolish the death penalty should call out Singapores recalcitrant behavior and demand all executions stop."
BARCELONA, Spain (AP)  Spanish prosecutors said Thursday they have decided to look into allegations by a daughter of a former president of Angola that a conspiracy has caused Jose Eduardo dos Santos to be in a coma in a Barcelona clinic.

Catalan police have also confirmed they are examining the accusations by the daughter, Tchize dos Santos. She has also requested police protection at the clinic for the former head of state, according to police.

Dos Santos voluntarily stepped down as head of state of the southern African country in 2017, when his health began failing after almost 40 years in power.

Under his rule, oil- and diamond-rich Angola gained a reputation as one of the worlds poorest and most corrupt countries. He skillfully played off competing Angolan political and military factions to stay in power, ensuring they also benefited financially from Angolas wealth.

Dos Santos's successor, President Joao Lourenco, launched a drive to root out corruption among Angolas elite and immediately targeted some of dos Santoss children. Tchize has said she left Angola because of death threats.

Lourenco recently described dos Santos as a friend. Earlier this month he sent Angolas foreign minister to Barcelona to check on dos Santoss health. The Angolan government says it is paying dos Santoss medical bill.

The allegations come amid a tense political time in Angola, as it prepares for elections on Aug. 24.

Questioned by The Associated Press, Spanish prosecutors refused to say whether they are merely considering the merits of the accusations as part of a preliminary probe or whether it is a full-blown investigation.

Neither the prosecutors nor the police who commented can be identified by name, in accordance with departmental rules.

Tchize dos Santos alleges that people close to the ex-president have tried to kill him, failed to care for him properly and acted negligently.

Specifically, she accuses his Angolan doctor Joao Afonso and Dos Santoss second wife Ana Paula, from whom he separated in 2017, for the rapid decline of his health, according to her Spanish legal team.

Dos Santos has visited Barcelona, where he owns a house, for many years for medical treatment. Angolan authorities have never said what ailed him.

___

Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal contributed.
TUNIS, Tunisia (AP)  Tunisia's influential Islamist movement Ennahdha on Thursday strongly disputed accusations of money laundering and terrorism financing after the country's central bank froze the bank accounts of a dozen top party officials.

Party leader Rached Ghannouchi, a former Tunisian parliament speaker who has clashed with President Kais Saied, was among those hit by the account freezes, which authorities said targeted those suspected of links to a charity called Nama Tounes.

Ennahdha spokesperson Imed Khemiri called the accusations a malicious maneuver aimed at diverting the attention of public opinion from Tunisia's economic and political problems and at presenting Ennahdha as a threat."

The freezing of the financial assets of Ghannouchi as well as of a certain number of Ennahdha leaders has no legal basis, but is rather a deliberate targeting of the movement, the spokesperson said.

In a statement, Ennahdha said that Ghannouchi already made a declaration of his assets and that all his banking transactions are legal. The party said it ensures it has not received any money from inside or outside the country and has not made any transfer to the accounts of the charity.

The list of those whose accounts were frozen includes Ghannouchi's son, daughter and son-in-law as well as former Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, his two daughters and his wife.

The party spokesman said the accusations were aimed at distracting attention from a July 25 referendum planned by the president to change the constitution to augment presidential powers and reduce the role of the parliament and prime minister. The president critics say he is trying to legitimize a coup.

Saied suspended parliament last year and seized broad powers in a move that he said was necessary to save the country from political and economic crisis. This prompted criticism from the opposition, which accuses him of a slide toward totalitarianism.

Saied and some others blamed Ennahdha in part for Tunisias political crisis last year. Ennahdha, which dominated parliament before it was suspended, is among the presidents fiercest critics.

Ghannouchi has been summoned to appear before an anti-terrorism judge July 19 in connection with an investigation into terrorist financing and money laundering, according to judicial officials.

Khemiri expressed concern that the executive branch could manipulate the judicial system against Ennahdha, after the president recently dismissed 57 judges and established a new council to oversee the judiciary.
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MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP)  Uruguay stopped administering coronavirus vaccine to children under age 13 after a judge ordered on Thursday that all inoculations in that age group halt until officials present documents relating to contracts signed with vaccine manufacturers.

Judge Alejandro Recarey issued the injunction under a petition filed by a lawyer who represents a group of anti-vaccine activists.

The vaccinations in children under 13 had been on a voluntary basis, and the government said it will appeal the decision.

Alvaro Delgado, the secretary of the presidency, characterized the halt as a threat to public health.

Were convinced that its crazy to suspend voluntary vaccination because it has a strong scientific backing, Delgado said at a news conference.

Vaccinations for those older than 13 will continue, the Health Ministry said in a news release.

The lawyer who sought the injunction, Maximiliano Dentone, represents anti-vaccine activists who have demanded that contracts with vaccine manufacturers be made public.

The judge ordered the vaccination after receiving on Thursday answers to 18 questions about the safety and chemical composition of the vaccines that was signed by Health Minister Daniel Salinas.

Salinas published an open letter after the ruling strongly defending the governments vaccination plan and criticizing the judge for questioning the safety of vaccines.

Many Uruguayans under 13 have been able to receive the necessary doses, but others have not, Salinas wrote.

Dentone said the government had failed to present the contracts with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer that he had requested. The government has said a confidentiality clause in the contract prevents it from sharing the document.

The judge is seeking, among other things, to know whether there are clauses in the contracts that promised civil and criminal immunity due to any adverse effects from the vaccines. Recarey also wants information about the chemical composition of the vaccines.

COVID-19 cases have been on the rise in Uruguay in recent weeks along with other respiratory infections that are typical of winter months.

As of Thursday, 44% of Uruguayan children between ages 5 and 11 and 75% of those between 12 and 14 have received two doses of coronavirus vaccine, according to Uruguay government data.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Thursday issued an executive order empowering Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas National Guard officers to detain suspected undocumented migrants and transport them back to the Texas-Mexico border.

Abbott cited a "border crisis" caused by what he alleged to be policy failures under President Joe Bidens administration as the reason for the new directive.

"While President Biden refuses to do his job and enforce the immigration laws enacted by Congress, the State of Texas is once again stepping up and taking unprecedented action to protect Americans and secure our southern border," Abbott said in a press release. "The cartels have become emboldened and enriched by President Biden's open border policies, smuggling in record numbers of people, weapons, and deadly drugs like fentanyl."

President Biden pressed for a 13 percent increase in funding for U.S. Customs and Border Patrol last year, including a call for adding 300 more officers to the 60,000-person agency, according to the New York Times.

Abbott's executive order comes one day after the Texas Tribune and ProPublica broke news that the governor's Operation Lone Starthe governors signature $3 billion-plus border security initiativeis under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice over alleged violations of federal civil rights laws.

In June the governor blamed Biden for the deaths of 53 migrants in a commercial truck in San Antonio. He made no mention of his own initiative aimed at inspecting every commercial truck crossing the southern border as part of Operation Lone Star, which he discontinued a week and a half after their enactment.

Experts projected the period of enhanced inspections cost Texas $477 million in economic losses, much of it due to spoiled produce and foodstuffs sitting in cargo holds at border checkpoints. The governor defended the brief measure as vital tool in prompting historic agreements with leaders of several northern Mexico border states aimed at stemming the flow of undocumented immigrants into the U.S. But the agreements have yielded no measurable decline in the number of migrants entering the U.S., according to one expert who spoke with the Texas Tribune.
It's time for Simone Biles to make room in her home for a different kind of medal. The 25-year-old Biles is the most decorated American gymnast of all time and smiled ear-to-ear as she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony at the White House Thursday.

The nation's highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded to individuals 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 said. President Joe Biden said Biles, who was born in Ohio but moved to the Houston suburb of Spring at the age of three, is the youngest person ever to receive the medal.

"Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, who everyone stops everything, every time she was on camera, just to watch, just to see her," Biden said Thursday, before presenting the medal to Biles. "When we see her compete, we see unmatched power and determination, grace, and daring."

The president also called Biles a "trailblazer and a role model," and recognized her courage "to turn personal pain into greater purpose to stand up and to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves." The award tops a pile of accolades earned by Biles that includes 32 Olympic and World Championship medals.

"I don't know how you're going to find room!" Biden joked.

At a press conference following the ceremony, Biles told reporters she felt honored to be the youngest-ever recipient of the award.

"It's kind of scary because it is the best award you can receive for your whole life so now it's kind of scary, like, 'oh what do I now?'"

Biles said. "But it's a huge honor and I'm excited to be here, especially with my family, my agents, and all the other recipients."

Biles advocates for a number of social issues including athletes mental health, children in foster care and sexual assault victims. She and dozens of other gymnasts have alleged they were sexually assaulted by former United States women's national gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar. A group of 90 women including Biles are seeking more than $1 billion from the FBI for failing to stop the sports doctor when the agency first received allegations against him.

Sixteen others, including actor Denzel Washington and soccer star Megan Rapinoe, were also among this year's recipients. Late Sen. John McCain, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, and former AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka were also posthumously honored with the award.
Members of the Proud Boys in Texas seem to be co-opting the iconic Buc-ees grinning beaver logo as an identifying symbol of their organization, Texas Monthly reported last week.

Members of the Liberal Women of Collin County who attended a Pride Month event in North Texas last month were met by a group of Proud Boys had shown up to menace the event, brandishing weapons while shouting "groomers" at attendees. The incident was the latest in a string of attempts by far-right groups to link LGBTQ events to child grooming and pedophilia.

During the event, several of the attending Proud Boys members donned face coverings depicting Bucky the beaver, a generally beloved symbol across Texas.

The group was also photographed wearing Bucky masks while counter-protesting outside the NRA convention in Houston in May, according to a recent Salon report, which also detailed Proud Boys members wearing red Buc-ees-themed neck gaiters at a Frisco City Council meeting designating June as Pride month.

Texas Proud Boys' adoption of Buckys image is only the latest example of white supremacists adopting easily recognizable pop-culture symbols to assert their place in mainstream political and cultural discourse, said Heidi Beirich, Ph.D., founder and leader of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism and the former leader of Southern Poverty Law Centers Intelligence Report and Hatewatch blog.

Its this idea that you need to get yourself dressed in mainstream clothing, and seep into society without being readily identified as a 'bad guy,' that people in the white supremacist movement have been aware of for a long time," Beirich said.

Beirich pointed to Ku Klux Klan leader David Dukes co-opting of popular skateboarding brand No Fear, Inc as an example of extremism latching onto popular mainstream culture. In 2000, No Fear, Inc. sued David Duke after his launch of a white nationalist organization called NOFEAR, an acronym for the National Organization For European American Rights.

Using pop culture symbols like Buc-ees and Fred Perrythe black and yellow T-shirts that have become synonymous with the Proud Boysis just the latest iteration of Dukes same strategy.

"Its both asserting that youre part of the mainstream and signaling to others what your politics are," Beirich explained.

Another popular brand that has seen its products "hatejacked" in recent years is Pit Viper Sunglasses, whose signature polarized shades have been adopted by Nick Fuentes of the "Groyper white nationalist movement and Kelly Neidert of North Texass Protect Texas Kids as symbols of their movements. Pit Viper has taken pains to distance itself from hate-driven ideologies.

We have never had contact with these people and do not know who they are, Jeff Nadalo, the general counsel of Buc-ees, told Texas Monthly, adding: No third party is going to prevent us from providing clean bathrooms equally to all people.

Neither Buc-ees nor Pit Viper Sunglasses immediately responded to requests for comment.
WFO AMARILLO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, July 6, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

North central Carson County in the Panhandle of Texas...

Hutchinson County in the Panhandle of Texas...

Southeastern Hansford County in the Panhandle of Texas...

* Until 730 PM CDT.

* At 603 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Borger,

moving northeast at 25 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and penny size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Minor damage to roofs, siding, and trees is possible.

* Locations impacted include...

Borger, Fritch, Stinnett, Sanford, Morse and Pringle.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to

flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO EL PASO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, July 6, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in El Paso has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

West central Hudspeth County in western Texas...

East central El Paso County in western Texas...

* Until 645 PM MDT.

* At 618 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 4 miles northeast

of Indian Cliffs Ranch, moving southeast at 5 mph.

HAZARD...Quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Damage to vehicles is expected.

* Locations impacted include...

Indian Cliffs Ranch.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to

flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
Former Telugu Desam (TD) MLA Chintamaneni Prabhakar has been named as the main accused and organiser of the rooster fight betting at a mango grove in Patancheru by the Sangareddy police. (Photo: Facebook)

Hyderabad: Former Telugu Desam (TD) MLA Chintamaneni Prabhakar has been named as the main accused and organiser of the rooster fight betting at a mango grove in Patancheru by the Sangareddy police.

On Wednesday night, a team of police led by Patancheru deputy superintendent of police Bhim Reddy raided a mango grove where Prabhakar and others were organising roosters fights. During the raid on Wednesday night, we arrested Akkinin Satish, Barala Srinivas, and 19 others. We seized Rs 13.12 lakh cash, 26 vehicles, 27 mobiles and 31 live roosters. We found that four of the roosters were dead on the premises. Prime accused Prabhakar has several contacts and is a well-known organiser of rooster fights, said the official, adding that three special teams were formed to trace and nab him.

While the former MLA denied any involvement in the racket, the Sangareddy police department released CCTV footage of him leaving the location and formed three teams to arrest him. Chintamaneni Prabhakar, a former TD MLA from Denduluru in Andhra Pradesh, is a frequent organiser of such rooster fights, according to Bhim Reddy. According to the police official, the other organisers were Akkineni Satish, a contractor, Barala Srinivas, Krishnam Raju, and Muvva Nani alias Prakash.

Meanwhile, Chintamaneni Prabhakar took to social media to claim that "some people" are deliberately spreading false information about him and urged his opponents to deal with the issue politically rather than spewing venom with malicious intent.
WFO LUBBOCK Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, July 7, 2022

_____

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT

Special Weather Statement

National Weather Service Lubbock TX

456 PM CDT Thu Jul 7 2022

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northeastern Castro

County through 515 PM CDT...

At 456 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 9

miles northeast of Dimmitt, moving north at 20 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and half inch hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around

unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is

possible.

Locations impacted include...

Dimmitt and Nazareth.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to

localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded

roadways.

LAT...LON 3452 10208 3456 10232 3475 10234 3475 10200

TIME...MOT...LOC 2156Z 191DEG 17KT 3465 10220

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN

MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH

The National Weather Service in Midland/Odessa has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...

Northwestern Brewster County in southwestern Texas...

East Central Presidio County in southwestern Texas...

* Until 800 PM CDT.

* At 457 PM CDT, 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...

Alpine, Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport and Paisano Pass.

This includes the following streams and drainages...

Moss Creek.

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood

deaths occur in vehicles.

Please report observed flooding to local emergency services or law

enforcement and request they pass this information to the National

Weather Service when you can do so safely.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, July 7, 2022

_____

FLASH FLOOD WARNING

The National Weather Service in Midland/Odessa has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...

Southeastern Jeff Davis County in southwestern Texas...

* Until 900 PM CDT.

* At 552 PM CDT, 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...

Fort Davis, Davis Mountains State Park, McDonald Observatory, Star

Mountain, Fort Davis National Historical Site, Black Mountain,

Buffalo Trail Scout Camp and Indian Lodge.

This includes the following streams and drainages...

Horse Thief Creek, Cienega Creek, Big Aguja Canyon, North Fork

Cienega Creek, Limpia Creek, Madera Canyon, Cook Creek, Horse

Thief Canyon and Barrilla Draw.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood

deaths occur in vehicles.

Please report observed flooding to local emergency services or law

enforcement and request they pass this information to the National

Weather Service when you can do so safely.

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southeastern Castro,

northwestern Hale, southwestern Swisher and northeastern Lamb

Counties through 615 PM CDT...

At 552 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over

Hart, moving north at 15 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around

unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include...

Dimmitt, Hart, Nazareth and Edmonson.

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to

localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded

roadways.

LAT...LON 3421 10190 3433 10243 3460 10231 3462 10200

3440 10179

TIME...MOT...LOC 2252Z 200DEG 14KT 3436 10210

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...Urban and small stream flooding caused by excessive

rainfall is expected.

* WHERE...Portions of south central New Mexico and western Texas,

including the following counties, in south central New Mexico,

Dona Ana. In western Texas, El Paso.

* WHEN...Until 700 PM MDT.

* IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...

- At 455 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to

thunderstorms. This will cause urban and small stream

flooding. Up to 1 inch of rain has fallen.

- Additional rainfall of up to 1 inch is expected over the

area. This additional rain will result in minor flooding.

- Some locations that will experience flooding include...

West El Paso and Canutillo.

- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small

creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses

to cross flooded roads. Find an alternate route.

_____

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
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Thursday reserved its orders in a petition filed by the department of personnel and training of the Union government challenging a decision of the Central Administrative Tribunal, Hyderabad branch, to allocate Somesh Kumar to Telangana State.

The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice S. Nanda was hearing a petition of the Union government that sought to set aside the orders of the Central Administrative Tribunal, Hyderabad branch to allocate 13 All India Service Officers, including Somesh Kumar  who were originally allotted to Andhra Pradesh  to Telangana.

Suryakaran Reddy, Additional Solicitor General representing the Union of India, informed the High Court that the Central Administrative Tribunal, Hyderabad branch, had erred in suspending the guidelines framed by the Pratyush Sinha Committee, confining its orders to the AIS Officers, who were before it. He said the Central government is the ultimate authority in respect of allocating these officials to the respective states, and the Pratyush Sinha Committee was constituted to advise the Central government.

Suryakaran Reddy said the committee had framed guidelines which suited all the AIS officers, who were allocated to the states, except these 13 All India Service Officers, who were aggrieved by the allocation.

Therefore, the additional solicitor general said, these guidelines cannot be termed as arbitrary for not suiting the 13 AIS officers.

A majority of the officers in the batch even joined in their place of posting. The guidelines cannot be termed as contrary and arbitrary, until and unless there is something contrary in the statute or the Constitution.

Therefore, the findings that were given by the Central Administrative Tribunal, Hyderabad branch, in suspending the guidelines is illegal, Suryakaran Reddy contended.
Between its launch in 1967 and the start of the pandemic, the FSWP was the main way Canada welcomed skilled immigrants.

Immigrating to Canada with the Federal Skilled Worker Program Between its launch in 1967 and the start of the pandemic, the FSWP was the main way Canada welcomed skilled immigrants.

Immigrating to Canada with the Federal Skilled Worker Program Between its launch in 1967 and the start of the pandemic, the FSWP was the main way Canada welcomed skilled immigrants.

Immigrating to Canada with the Federal Skilled Worker Program Between its launch in 1967 and the start of the pandemic, the FSWP was the main way Canada welcomed skilled immigrants. Edana Robitaille Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Express Entry draws have resumed for all programs, including the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). These draws mean that candidates from outside of Canada will now be invited to apply for permanent residency.



Express Entry draws had been on hold for approximately 18 months due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the height of the pandemic, travel between countries was limited and government regulations changed frequently. On July 6, Canada held its first all-program draw since December 2020.

Looking ahead, with travel restrictions now out of the way, Canada will gradually increase Express Entry admissions over the coming years. It has set a goal of welcoming over 110,000 Express Entry immigrants annually by 2024.

Get a Free Express Entry Assessment

What is the Federal Skilled Worker Program?

The FSWP is the most popular pathway for skilled workers overseas who wish to become permanent residents of Canada.

The program targets skilled workers who will be able to leverage their work experience, education, language abilities and other human capital factors towards economically establishing themselves in Canada.

Upon its launch in 1967, it was the first immigration program in the world to evaluate candidates using a point system, an approach that has been adopted by other countries such as Australia and New Zealand.

Who is eligible for the FSWP?

Each Express Entry program features unique eligibility criteria. Of the three Express Entry programs, the FSWP is the most common pathway for candidates who have not worked or studied in Canada before.

Candidates must first ensure they meet the following FSWP criteria:

At least one year of skilled work experience

A minimum Canadian Language Benchmark of 7 on their English or French language test

At least one educational credential

Demonstrate proof of funds (if applicable)

Get at least 67 out of 100 points on the FSWP scoring grid

Work Experience

A candidate must be able to demonstrate at least one year of skilled work experience that falls under Canadas National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill codes 0, A or B.

Canadas NOC codes determine the level of skill and education necessary to an occupation or career within the same industry in Canada. For the FSWP, and any Express Entry program, there are three eligible NOC categories:

NOC 0: Management positions

NOC A: Careers that typically require a university degree

NOC B: Skilled trades professions

Education

Eligible FSWP candidates need to have completed a minimum of secondary school education either inside Canada or overseas. If a candidates education is completed overseas, they will require an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). The assessment shows that their education abroad is equal to a Canadian diploma, degree, or certification.

Language

To be eligible for the FSWP, candidates must complete a standardized language test and obtain a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of 7 in reading, writing, listening, and speaking in either English or French.

Proof of funds

FSWP candidates must also demonstrate that they have enough money saved to support themselves and any dependents while they are looking for a job in Canada. The amount of settlement funds varies depending on the number of people who need to be supported.

Number of family members Funds required in CAD 1 $13,310 2 $16,570 3 $20,371 4 $24,733 5 $28,052 6 $31,638 7 $35,224 Each additional family member $3,586

FSWP Points Grid

The FSWP points grid assesses criteria such as work experience and language but also takes human capital into account. This means candidates are also evaluated on their age, any arranged employment and other adaptability factors such as having a sibling or other family already in Canada.

Each factor is assigned a point value and candidates can score up to 100 points. To be eligible for FSWP, they must score at least a 67. The FSWP is the only Express Entry program that uses this grid.

Factors Points Education Up to 25 Language Skills Up to 28 Work Experience Up to 15 Age Up to 12 Arranged employment Up to 10 Adaptability Up to 10

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is an application management system that oversees three of IRCCs economic immigration programs; the FSWP, the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

How does it work?

Candidates must first self-assess if they meet the basic eligibility criteria for the program they wish to apply to. If they meet the criteria, they may then upload a profile on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.

Once a profile has been completed, the candidate will receive a numeric score based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). A CRS score is intended as an objective method of ranking candidates against each other. This helps IRCC select immigrants who are more likely to economically establish themselves while settling in Canada and contributing in-demand skills to Canadas labour force.

Candidates who receive higher scores are more likely to receive an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Once an ITA is received, candidates have 60 days to submit their application.

How long will it take?

Immigration minister Sean Fraser has announced that new candidates for Express Entry programs can expect to have their application processed within six months after they receive an ITA and submit their final application for permanent residence.

Get a Free Express Entry Assessment

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
Violence in Chicago is reaching epidemic proportions. In the first five months of 2016, someone was shot every two and a half hours and someone murdered every 14 hours, for a total of nearly 1,400 nonfatal shooting victims and 240 fatalities. Over Memorial Day weekend, 69 people were shot, nearly one per hour, dwarfing the previous years tally of 53 shootings over the same period. The violence is spilling over from the citys gang-infested South and West Sides into the downtown business district; Lake Shore Drive has seen drive-by shootings and robberies.

The growing mayhem is the result of Chicago police officers withdrawal from proactive enforcement, making the city a dramatic example of what I have called the Ferguson effect. Since the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014, the conceit that American policing is lethally racist has dominated the national airwaves and political discourse, from the White House on down. In response, cops in minority neighborhoods in Chicago and other cities around the country are backing off pedestrian stops and public-order policing; criminals are flourishing in the resulting vacuum. (An early and influential Ferguson-effect denier has now changed his mind: in a June 2016 study for the National Institute of Justice, Richard Rosenfeld of the University of MissouriSt. Louis concedes that the 2015 homicide increase in the nations large cities was real and nearly unprecedented. The only explanation that gets the timing right is a version of the Ferguson effect, he told the Guardian.)

Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel warned in October 2015 that officers were going fetal, as shootings in the city skyrocketed. But 2016 has brought an even sharper reduction in proactive enforcement. Devastating failures in Chicagos leadership after a horrific police shooting and an ill-considered pact between the American Civil Liberties Union and the police are driving that reduction. Residents of Chicagos high-crime areas are paying the price.

Felicia Moore, a wiry middle-aged woman with tattoos on her face and the ravaged frame of a former drug addict, is standing inside a Polish sausage joint on Chicagos South Side at 10 PM. Asked about crime, she responds: Ive been in Chicago all my life. Its never been this bad. Mothers and grandchildren are scared to come out on their porch; if you see more than five or six niggas walking together, you gotta run. The violence claimed her only son last year, she says, just as he was being drafted by the Atlanta Hawks. Moore is engaging in some revisionist history: her son, Jeremiah Moore, was, in fact, killed with a shot to his headbut in 2013, a little over a year after he was released from prison for shooting a mother at a bus stop; the Atlanta Hawks dont enter into it.

Felicia Moores assessment of the present crime situation in Chicago, however, is more reality-based. Through the end of May, shooting incidents in Chicago were up 53 percent over the same period in 2015, which had already seen a significant increase over 2014. Compared with the first five months of 2014, shooting incidents in 2016 were up 86 percent. Certain police districts saw larger spikes. The Harrison District on the West Side, encompassing West Humboldt Park, for example, had a 191 percent increase in homicides through the end of May. Shootings in May citywide averaged nearly 13 a day, a worrisome portent for summer.

A man who calls himself City Streets is standing in a ragtag group of drinkers and hustlers outside a liquor and convenience store on the South Side. They pass around beer, cigarettes, and cash and ask strangers for money. A young woman shoves her boy along, oblivious to the late hour. Its terrible out here. Someone gets shot every day, City Streets tells me. It aint no place to hang, he adds, ignoring his own advice.

Social breakdown lies behind Chicagos historically high levels of violence. Fatherlessness in the citys black community is at a cataclysmic levelclose to 80 percent of children are born to single mothers in high-crime areas. Illegitimacy is catching up fast among Hispanics, as well. Gangs have stepped in where fathers are absent. A 2012 gang audit documented 59 active street gangs with 625 factions, some controlling a single block. Schools in gang territories go on high alert at dismissal time to fend off violence. Endemic crime has prevented the commercial development and gentrification that are revitalizing so many parts of Chicago closer to downtown; block after block on the South Side features a wan liquor store or check-cashing outlet, surrounded by empty lots and the occasional skeleton of a once-magnificent beaux-arts apartment complex or bank. Nonfunctioning streetlights, their fuse boxes vandalized, signal the reign of a local gang faction.

But disorder, bad before, seems to be worsening. The night after my conversations with Felicia Moore and City Streets, dozens of teens burst into the intersection of Cicero and Madison on the West Side, stopping traffic and ignoring the loud approach of a fire truck. They hold their cell phones high, the new sign of urban empowerment. Earlier that day, a fight involving at least 60 teens took over a nearby intersection, provoking a retaliatory shooting two days later at a local fried-chicken restaurant. On May 14, a 13-year-old girl stabbed a 15-year-old girl to death in a South Side housing complex; the murderers mother had given her the knife. In the summer of 2015, wolf packs of teens marauded down Michigan Avenues Magnificent Mile, robbing stores and pedestrians. The phenomenon started even earlier this year. A couple strolling on Lake Shore Drive downtown on Memorial Day weekend were chased by more than a half-dozen young men, at least one armed with a gun. The two tried to escape across the highway, the teens in hot pursuit. A pickup truck hit the couple, killing the female. A police officer flashed his emergency lights at the teens, and they fled. If it wasnt for the police being there at the time, I dont know where I might be now, the surviving man told the Chicago Sun-Times. Six feet under?

Public-order infractions, otherwise known as Broken Windows offenses, abound. Stand just a few minutes on a South or West Side thoroughfare, and someone will stride by hawking bootleg CDs or videos and loose cigarettes. Oliver, a 34-year-old with a Bloods tattoo and alcohol on his breath, has just been frisked by the police in a West Side White Castle parking lot around 9:30 PM. The police are assholes, he says. I know my rights; Im selling CDs, so I know Im doing something wrong, but they werent visible in my bag. Oliver then sells two loosies to a passerby, laboriously counting out change from a five-dollar bill.

Oliver, a 34-year-old with a Bloods tattoo, has just been frisked by cops in a West Side White Castle parking lot.

Some law-abiding Chicagoans blame the rising violence on just such street disorder. After a woman and four men were shot at a bus stop on the South Side in May, a local resident complained about the illegal vending. This sort of congregation of people who meet at this space dealing drugs and selling loose cigarettes . . . is despicable, he told the Chicago Tribune. The drug trade is less overt but more ubiquitous than the trafficking in CDs and loosies. As I approach a Jamaican jerk restaurant on the West Side, the young men in front melt away. You saw what happened when you pulled up hereeveryone disappeared, a middle-aged man tells me. They sell drugs everywhere.

The majority of victims in the current crime wave are already known to the police. Four-fifths of the Memorial Day shooting victims, for example, were on the Chicago Police Departments list of gang members deemed most prone to violence. But innocents, like the Lake Shore Drive robbery victims, are being attacked as well: a 59-year-old Pakistani cabdriver, fatally shot in the head in February by a 19-year-old passenger; a DePaul student brutally beaten in April on the subway while other passengers passively looked on; a 49-year-old female dispatcher with the citys 311 call center, killed in May while standing outside a Starbucks a few blocks from police headquarters; a worker driving home at night from her job at FedEx, shot four times in the head while waiting at an intersection and saved from death by the cell phone at her ear; a trucker shot in the face in May on the Dan Ryan Expressway; three eighth-graders robbed at gunpoint outside their school in May; a six-year-old girl playing outside her grandmothers house in June, shot in the back and lung; a man stabbed in the stomach by a felon, who said: I hate white people. Give me your money.

The murder that shook the city to its core was the assassination of nine-year-old Tyshawn Lee. He was playing in a park on November 2, 2015, when a 22-year-old gangster, Dwight Boone-Doty, lured him into an alley with the promise of chips and candy. Boone-Doty fatally shot the boy, then fled with two accomplices, bleaching the getaway car and dumping it in Dalton, Illinois. Boone-Dotys original plan, according to a police source, was to kidnap Tyshawn and send his ears and fingers to his mother. Tyshawns father was a member of the gang believed responsible for shooting the brother and mother of one of Boone-Dotys accomplices a few weeks earlier. After the shooting, local schools went on lockdown, terrified that the children of gang members were now fair game for execution.

Officers who try to intervene in this disorder face a virulent street situation, thanks to the current anti-cop ideology. People are a hundred times more likely to resist arrest, an officer who has worked a decade and a half on the South Side informs me. People want to fight you; they swear at you. Fuck the police, we dont have to listen, they say. I havent seen this kind of hatred toward the police in my career.

Antipolice animus is nothing new in Chicago, of course. An Illinois state representative, Monique Davis, told a Detroit radio station in 2013 that people in her South Side community believed that the reason so few homicide cases were solved is that it was the police who were killing young black males. Davis later refused to repudiate her statement: We cant say that it is not happening. The no-snitch ethic of refusing to cooperate with the cops is the biggest impediment to solving crime, according to Chicago commanders. But the Black Lives Matter narrative about endemically racist cops has made the street dynamic much worse. A detective says: From patrol to investigation, its almost an undoable job now. If I get out of my car, the guys get hostile right away and several people are taping [with cell phones]. Bystanders and suspects try to tamper with crime scenes and aggressively interfere with investigations. Additional officers may be needed during an arrest to keep angry onlookers away. Its very dangerous out there now, a detective tells me. In March 2016, then-chief of patrol (now superintendent) Eddie Johnson decried what he called the string of violent attacks against the police after an off-duty officer was shot by a felon who had ordered him on the ground after robbing him. The previous week, three officers were shot during a drug investigation.

This volatile policing environment now exists in urban areas across the country. But Chicago officers face two additional challenges: a new oversight regime for pedestrian stops; and the fallout from an officers killing of Laquan McDonald in October 2014.

In March 2015, the ACLU of Illinois accused the Chicago Police Department of engaging in racially biased stops, locally called investigatory stops, because its stop rate did not match population ratios. Blacks were 72 percent of all stop subjects during a four-month period in 2014, reported the ACLU, whereas whites were 9 percent of all stop subjects. But blacks and whites each make up roughly 32 percent of the citys populace. Ergo, the police are racially profiling. This by-now drearily familiar and ludicrously inadequate benchmarking methodology ignores the incidence of crime. In 2014, blacks in Chicago made up 79 percent of all known nonfatal shooting suspects, 85 percent of all known robbery suspects, and 77 percent of all known murder suspects, according to police department data. Whites were 1 percent of known nonfatal shootings suspects in 2014, 2.5 percent of known robbery suspects, and 5 percent of known murder suspects, the latter number composed disproportionately of domestic homicides. Whites are nearly absent, in other words, among violent street criminalsprecisely whom proactive policing aims to deter. Whites are actually over-stopped compared with their involvement in street crime. Nearly 40 percent of young white males surveyed by Northwestern University criminologist Wes Skogan in 2015 reported getting stopped in the previous year, compared with nearly 70 percent of young black males. Statistically, age is the strongest correlate of being stopped, says Skogannot race.

Despite the groundlessness of the ACLUs racial-bias charges, thenpolice superintendent Garry McCarthy and the citys corporation counsel signed an agreement in August 2015 allowing the ACLU to review all future stops made by the department. The agreement also created an independent monitor for police stops. Why McCarthy agreed to put the ACLU in charge is beyond us, says a homicide detective. McCarthys signing of the stop agreement was indeed ironic, since he had encouraged a dramatic increase in stops. They rose 50 percent in his first two years, ultimately reaching about 700,000 a year, more than the NYPD performed at the height of its own stop activity, even though the CPD is about a third the size of the NYPD.

On January 1, 2016, the police department rolled out a new form for documenting investigatory stops, developed to meet ACLU demands. The new form, traditionally called a contact card, was two pages long and contained a whopping 70 fields of information to be filled out, including three narrative sections. (Those narrative sections were subsequently combined to try to quiet criticism.) The new contact card dwarfs even arrest reports and takes at least 30 minutes to complete. Every contact card is forwarded to the ACLU. Stops dropped nearly 90 percent in the first quarter of 2016. Detectives had long relied on the information contained in contact cards to solve crimes. When 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton was killed in January 2013, days after performing with her high school band in President Barack Obamas second inaugural, investigators identified the occupants of the getaway car through descriptions of the vehicle in previous contact cards. Now, however, crime sleuths have almost nothing to go on. Earlier this year, a detective working armed robbery had a pattern of two male Hispanics with tattoos on their faces sticking up people in front of their homes. But virtually no contact cards had been written in the area for three months. So he made car stops in the neighborhood himself, coming across the stolen car used in the robberies and the parolees responsible for the crimes. This is not a maximally efficient division of labor.

Criminals have become emboldened by the police disengagement. Gangbangers now realize that no one will stop them, says a former high-ranking police official. And people who wouldnt have carried a gun before are now armed, a South Side officer says. The solution, according to officers, is straightforward: If tomorrow, we still had to fill out the new forms, but they no longer went to the ACLU, stops would increase, a detective claims.

But a more profound pall hangs over the department because of a shockingly unjustified police homicide and the missteps of top brass and the mayor in handling it. On the night of October 20, 2014, a report went out over the police radio that someone was breaking into cars in a trucking yard in the southwest neighborhood of Archer Heights; the vandal had threatened the 911 caller with a knife. Two officers found 17-year-old Laquan McDonald a block away; he punctured a tire on their squad car and struck its windshield with his three-inch blade. The cops trailed McDonald, who was high on PCP, for nearly half a mile while waiting for backup units with a Taser. Two additional patrol cars pulled up as McDonald strode along the middle of Pulaski Road, energetically swinging his right arm, knife in hand. One car parked behind him; its dashboard camera recorded the subsequent events. The other car stopped about 30 yards ahead. The officers in that forward vehicle jumped out, guns pointed at McDonald, commanding him to drop the knife. Less than ten seconds after exiting, Officer Jason Van Dyke began shooting. McDonald spun 360 degrees under the impact of the first bullets and dropped to the ground. Van Dyke continued shooting, emptying his cartridge into McDonalds crumpled and gently writhing body.

The new contact card takes at least 30 minutes to complete. Every contact card is forwarded to the ACLU.

The shooting, pitiable to watch, represented a catastrophic failure of tactics and judgment. Some police use-of-force experts claim that a suspect armed with a knife can rush and slash an unprepared officer if the assailant is within 21 feet. Even if that so-called 21-foot rule applied here, Van Dyke and his partner had no need to exit the car and put themselves within possible reach of McDonald. If they were in any imminent risk of lethal harm, they created that risk themselves. But even then, McDonald did not appear poised to attack, despite his failure to drop the knife. He was on a slight rightward trajectory away from Van Dyke, who was on his left, before the shooting began.

What followed the homicide was almost as shocking. Five officers at the scene all told variants of the same tale in their written reports: that McDonald had been advancing toward Van Dyke, aggressively raising his knife as if to attack. Once on the ground, McDonald tried to get up, they said, continuing to point his knife at Van Dyke. None of those claims is borne out by the video. McDonald displayed no aggressive behavior toward Van Dyke. It is true that for two strides immediately before the first bullets hit him, McDonalds trajectory had minimally shifted to the left so as to be perpendicular to Van Dyke rather than veering diagonally away. But that modest and likely unconscious alteration of trajectory does not rise to the level of lethal threat. And having made the mistake of opening fire in the first place, Van Dyke should at least have stopped shooting once McDonald fell. Had McDonald had a gun, capable of striking from a distance, rather than a knife, the analysis might have been different.

A police-union spokesman at the scene of the killing told reporters that McDonald had been threatening Van Dyke. The police department press release a few hours later essentially echoed that account, stating that McDonald continued to approach the officers after being warned. Superintendent McCarthy viewed the video the next day, without retracting the departments press release, explaining later that he was too busy trying to learn what had happened. From then on out, officials made no effort to countermand the McDonald attack narrative. (A rumor that cops destroyed a video of the incident taken at a nearby Burger King, however, proved not to be true.)

McCarthy immediately stripped Van Dyke of his police powers and forwarded the case to the civilian board that reviews police shootings, the Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA). The case also went to the Cook County state attorneys office, the U.S. attorneys office, and the FBI. In April, the mayors corporation counsel, Stephen Patton, attained city council approval for a $5 million settlement with the McDonald family, conditioned on the continued non-release of the video. Later that month, the detectives bureau cleared and closed the case, astoundingly concluding that the recovered in-car camera video was . . . consistent with the accounts of the witnesses and that Van Dykes use of deadly force was within bounds of CPD guidelines.

By then, the Chicago press was clamoring for the videos release, but it was not until November 24, 2015, that the video came out, under a judges order. The reaction was understandably explosive; weeks of angry protests denouncing alleged police racism and brutality followed.

The Cook County state attorney announced first-degree murder charges against Officer Van Dyke on the day that the McDonald video was released. Mayor Emanuel fired McCarthy a week later and appointed the Police Accountability Task Force, dominated by critics of the police. That task force issued a report in April 2016, claiming that the Chicago Police Department is shot through with racism. Emanuel is now genuflecting to the citys activists. He has adopted many of the reports most sweeping recommendations, including the appointment of a costly and unnecessary inspector general for the department (that will come on top of the independent monitor for investigatory stops), the replacement of the IPRA with a new entity, the Civilian Police Investigative Agency, and the creation of the Community Safety Oversight Board. All these additional layers of oversight will only complicate chains of command and further discourage proactive policing.

McCarthy defends his decision not to release the video or to correct the record early on the ground that he didnt want to compromise the integrity of the investigation. He did not have the legal authority to comment once the case went to federal agencies, he says. Those protocols may be appropriate in the case of an ordinary police shooting, but this was no ordinary police shooting. Allowing a fabrication about a very bad shooting to stand, especially during the current era of fevered antipolice sentiment, is guaranteed to amplify the demagoguery against the police. McCarthy, an able and accomplished police executive, should have at least called in the investigating bodies in emergency session and worked out with them a way to counter the false narrative without jeopardizing their work. The Emanuel administration also bears enormous responsibility for the crisis in legitimacy that now afflicts the department. Emanuel has praised himself for being the first Chicago mayor to acknowledge an alleged police code of silence, but he knew about the shooting, and his aides had seen the video early on. City hall was already in damage-control mode by February 2015, as Emanuel faced a tight runoff election. It is irresponsible for Emanuel to scapegoat McCarthy when his own administration also failed to set the record straight.

The damage to the Chicago police and to policing nationally from the mishandling of the McDonald homicide is incalculable. The episode can now be invoked to confirm every false generalization about the police peddled by the Black Lives Matter movement. Yet the shooting was a tragic aberration, not the norm. A New York Times Magazine article in April 2016 tried to establish the departments racially driven malfeasance by citing the absolute number of fatal police shootings in Chicago: from 2010 to 2014, Chicago police killed 70 people, more than any other police agency. The Times article neglected to reveal that Phoenix, Philadelphia, and Dallas all lead Chicago in the per-capita rate of such fatal shootings. Chicagos rate of police shootings is nearly 50 percent lower than Phoenixseven though its murder rate is twice as highand 35 percent lower than Philadelphias.

The number of armed felons that the citys cops confront dwarfs the number of officer-involved shootings. No other police department takes more guns off the street. In the first nine months of 2015, the CPD recovered 20 illegal weapons a day. From January 2007 to November 30, 2015, the police made 37,408 arrests of an armed felon, or roughly 4,670 a year. Each of those arrests could have turned into an officer shooting. But in 2015, even as crime was increasing under the Ferguson effect, the Chicago police shot 30 people, eight fatally. Those fatal shootings represent 1.6 percent of the 492 homicides that year. Nationally, police shootings make up 12 percent of all white and Hispanic homicide deaths and 4 percent of all black homicide deaths. Chicagos ratio of fatal police shootings to criminal homicide deaths is less than the national average.

The Emanuel-appointed Police Accountability Task Force claimed that police shooting data give validity to the widely held belief that the police have no regard for the sanctity of life when it comes to people of color. The task force pointed to the fact that of the 404 individuals shot by the police between 2008 and 2015, both fatally and nonfatally, 74 percent (or 299) were black, and 8 percent (or 33) were white. Predictably, the task force said not one word about black and white crime rates, which were even more disproportionate in 2015 than in 2014. In 2015, blacks were 80 percent of all known murder suspects and 80 percent of all known nonfatal shooting suspects. Whites made up 0.9 percent of known murder suspects in 2015 and 1.4 percent of all known nonfatal shooting suspects. And blacks were overwhelmingly the victims of criminal shootings as well. In 2015, 2,460 blacks were shot lethally and nonlethally, or nearly seven blacks a day. By contrast, roughly 30 blacks were shot lethally and nonlethally by the police in all of 2015. Those 2,460 black victims of criminal shootings constituted nearly 81 percent of all known shooting victims. Seventy-eight whites were shot in 2015, or one white every 4.6 days, constituting 2.5 percent of all known shooting victims. If 74 percent of police shootings have black subjects, that is because officer use of force is going to occur most frequently where the police are trying to protect the law-abiding from armed and dangerous suspectsand that is in predominantly minority neighborhoods.

Emanuel is disbanding the IPRA because it found that of the 404 police shootings between 2008 and 2015, only two were unjustified. The mandate of its replacement body will be clear: penalize more cops. But absent an examination of each of those cases, no conclusion can be reached about whether the low number of findings of misconduct represents a miscarriage of justice. The IPRA has been understaffed over the years, but its fundamental design is strong. The fact that it has not found many bad shootings most likely means that they are rare. The IPRA released more than 100 files of police misconduct cases in early June, as part of a new policy of increased transparency. Prediction: the press will find few cases of clear wrongdoing.

The CPDs critics are right about one thing, however: the cumbersome disciplinary process makes it too hard to fire officers found guilty of wrongdoing. And Chicago has had some truly bad cops over the yearsmost infamously, Jon Burge, a detective who tortured suspects from 1972 to 1991 to obtain false confessions. But the vast majority of officers today observe the law and are dedicated to serving the community; what they need is more tactical training, adequate staffing and equipment, and better leadership from an ingrown, highly political management cadre. As for the alleged blue wall, or code, of silence, it is hard in any department to crack the defensive solidarity among officers, who feel that they are facing an uncomprehending and often hostile world. Even now, a few of the officers I spoke with will not pass judgment on the McDonald homicide, on the ground that they were not there. Such solidarity is understandable, but commanders need to stress that when it results in distorting the truth, not only will the officer be severely punished; he is also making todays anti-cop environment all the worse.

Despite the activists charge that the Chicago police are intent on killing black males, its easy to find support for the cops in crime-ridden areas. Mr. Fisher, a 55-year-old sanitation worker at a West Side bakery, is waiting for his wife outside Wileys Soul Food and Bar-B-Que on the West Side. Fisher was pulled over earlier in 2016 for a missing light on his license plate. The officer was courteous, he says. I aint trying to buck them, I aint trying to disrespect them, I aint trying to give them a hard time, because I love my job. Its not them, its the younger generation thats got us messed up. Civilians provoke confrontations with cops, not vice versa, Fisher says: I seen a lot of people disrespect them, cussin and fussin. If a cop was to get out of his car here, someone would run. To me, if youre not doing anything, why would you run? (Such commonsensical hypotheses have been ruled illegal by many courtsif a cop makes them.) Melissa, a 24-year-old outside D & Js Hair Club on Pulaski Road, says that she has no problem with the police. They doing they job. I dont give them no reason to talk to me. The problem is crime, she says: I feel unsafe here. It just gets worse and worse.

Sometimes support for the cops comes from unexpected places. In May 2016, a 38-year-old drug trafficker named Toby Jones received a 40-year federal prison sentence for repeatedly trying to gun down a federal informant, in the process shooting three people. He told the judge: Even with all the latest police shootings on minorities in Chicago, I dont blame these cops one bit for most of their decisions in the field. And the black community has to first come to grips with why these cops are so afraid, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Stories of heroic cops go untold, Jones said, but as soon as a black kid gets shot, everyone is in an uproar.

Activists and politicians are proposing the usual root causes solution to the current crime wavemore government programsas well as less usual ones, such as abolishing the police department. The mayors Police Accountability Task Force wants the mayor and Cook County to implement programs that address socioeconomic justice and equality, housing segregation, systemic racism, poverty, education, health and safety. Such top-down spending ignores the normative breakdown that renders government social services largely futile. The bakery where Fisher works has been hiring for the last five years; he tells the young brothers about the jobs. Half of them dont show up; the others have drugs in their system. Half want to hang out and make the fast money that can get you in jail, Fisher observes.

But the Chicago violence is also undermining the politically correct consensus about crime and policing. The Chicago Tribune has called for the police to make more traffic stops to quell the highway shootings; it points out that the Illinois vehicle code offers plenty of reasons to stop drivers, whether for a broken taillight or an expired registration sticker. Traffic stops are, of course, a prime target in the specious campaign against racial profiling; the mayors Police Accountability Task Force blasted the CPD for its allegedly biased stop rates, ignoring differential rates of vehicle and moving violations.

Police superintendent Eddie Johnson wants three-strikes-and-youre-out-type sentencing laws for repeat felons. Chicagos criminal-justice system fails to hold these individuals accountable and allows them to bring . . . violent acts into our neighborhoods, he said in March 2016. Stricter sentencing for repeat offenders is also a prime target for Black Lives Matter protesters. A few days after Johnsons plea, anti-law-enforcement activists assailed former president Bill Clinton for having signed the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which lengthened federal sentences for repeat felony offenders. Such sentences, protesters charged, resulted in mass incarceration for blacks. And an Illinois bill mandating stricter sentencing for illegal gun possession was blocked by the black caucus in Springfield in 2013, on the ground that it would have a disparate impact on blacks.

Some people in the community, however, are demanding even stronger measures than Johnson calls for. After a 15-year-old car passenger was killed in a drive-by shooting on June 1 on the South Side, a friend of his family told the Chicago Tribune, We need martial law. Period. If its to protect our children, then so be it.

Such calls will undoubtedly multiply this summer, since the violence shows no signs of abating. It may not be time to call out the National Guard yet. But it is time to reinvigorate the Chicago Police Department. With the Police Accountability Task Force charge of endemic racism and the ACLU straitjacket depressing morale, and with resistance of lawful authority growing, that will be no small task. City leaders will need to show that they understand and will support officers like the cold-case homicide detective who told me, in reaction to the task-force report: Never once has anyone complained to me that Im racist. Im in it to do whats right.

Top Photo: Police stops, like this one, have become increasingly rare. (RALF-FINN HESTOFT/CORBIS/GETTY IMAGES)
Finnish imports from China up 47.2 pct in May: statistics

Xinhua) 09:37, July 07, 2022

HELSINKI, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Finland's goods imports from China increased by 47.2 percent year-on-year to 707.5 million euros (722 million U.S. dollars) in May, preliminary statistics from the Finnish Customs showed Wednesday.

The Customs attributed the rise to the import of a 62-million-euro ship from China. Finland's exports to China, however, declined by 11.2 percent in May.

Finland saw an overall increase in two-way trade in May, with goods exports up by 30.7 percent year-on-year to 6.9 billion euros, and imports up by 46.7 percent to 8.1 billion euros.

Exports to Russia were down by 44.7 percent, while imports from Russia increased by 13.2 percent, data showed.

During the Jan.-May period, exports to EU and non-EU countries rose by 31.6 percent and 15.6 percent respectively. Meanwhile, imports from EU member states and other countries rose by 24.7 percent and 56.7 percent respectively.

Finland's trade deficit reached almost 1.2 billion euros in May, compared with 225 million euros a year ago. In the first five months of this year, the country's trade deficit amounted to 5.6 billion euros from 1.6 billion euros reported in the same period last year. (1 euro = 1.02 U.S. dollars)

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Thursday rejected a plea filed by actress Sai Pallavi seeking to set aside a notice issued by the Circle Inspector, Sultan Bazzar, seeking the petitioners appearance by declaring it illegal, unjust, unfair, and in violation of applicable laws.

In a petition that was heard by Justice Kanneganti Lalitha, the actress contended that the impugned notice was issued on the basis of a malicious petition that did not specify the substance of the petitioners offence, if any, or complaints that the respondent found severe enough to issue the impugned notice.

Furthermore, there is no reference to any infraction of a criminal statute that would justify the issuing of such a notice in the challenged notice. Nothing in the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) justifies the issuing of any notice like the one that is being contested, the petition claimed.

The petitioner further stated that during an interview, she was asked if she had witnessed any leftist movements during her time as a student. In response, the petitioner said that, while drawing a comparison between what was depicted in the movie The Kashmir Files and a specific incident involving the mob-lynching of a person transporting a cow, we should be good human beings and we should not hurt or put pressure on anyone, and if you are a good human being, you should not hurt anyone.

Following the interview, the petitioners social media accounts were inundated with numerous comments threatening the lives of the petitioner and her family due to a skewed, partial reading of her viewpoint.

In response to a plea dated June 16, 2022, submitted by Akhil, a member of the Bajrang Dal, the Sultan Bazaar police served a notice on the petitioner, claiming that the petitioner had made remarks equating cow defenders to Kashmiri terrorists, which had hurt the feelings of the Bajrang Dal and Go Bhakts.
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Federal prosecutors have charged nine individuals in an alleged racketeering conspiracy that they say took control of a Brooklyn damage restoration company and used violence and threats to intimidate competitors and dominate the emergency mitigation industry in New York City.

According to a grand jury indictment unsealed in federal district court in Manhattan on June 29, members of the violent Bloods street gang and their associates took over operations of First Response Cleaning Corp. in Brooklyn in 2019. Prosecutors say the defendants used First Response as a vehicle to extort other emergency mitigation contractors and file false insurance claims.

We allege gang members deployed mob-like tactics, using extortion and violence in their attempts to take over an entire industry designed to help victims after a fire, FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said in a press release issued by the US Justice Department. They employed violence to force other companies and vendors to do their bidding.

The FBI worked with Homeland Security Investigations, New York City police and the New York City Department of Investigation to lay the groundwork for the arrests. Arrested were:

Jatiek Smith, 37, also known as Tiek. He is the alleged ringleader.

Sequan Jackson, 33, or Supa.

Anthony McGee, 32, or Touch.

Kaheen Small, 35, or Biz.

Damon Dore, 36, or Demo.

Hasim Smith, 29, or Hoodie.

Rahmiek Lacewell, 37, or Ready.

Manuel Pereira, 38, or Manny.

Octavio Peralta, 42. He is a public adjuster who is accused of helping the enterprise gain control of the emergency mitigation industry.

Eight of the defendants were arrested on June 28 and appeared before a magistrate judge in federal court in Manhattan. Jatiek Smith was arrested in Puerto Rico and appeared before a US District Court judge there.

Prosecutors say after the defendants took control of First Response in 2019, they used force and threats of force against other restoration contractors and public adjusters to exert control over the citys emergency mitigation industry. They threatened to kill or shoot their victims and members of the victims families, according to the indictment. They also distributed videos of their violent acts to intimidate victims.

The indictment says each member of the conspiracy was required to commit at least two acts of racketeering activity.

Prosecutors say that the enterprise extorted money from emergency mitigation companies and public adjusters, requiring them to pay if they wanted to continue to work without being attacked. The conspirators imposed a system in which they dictated which companies got which losses, the indictment says.

Online records maintained by the New York State Department say that Charlotte Walsh of Rockaway is the chief executive officer of First Response Cleaning Corp., which filed incorporation papers in 2008. She is not named in the indictment.

The Justice Department press release says that the criminal conspirators controlled the company, but did not give details on how they gained that control.

This criminal organization took advantage of people in time of personal and professional turmoil to enrich themselves at others expense, the press release says.

Federal court records show that in 2018 two former employees filed lawsuits that accused First Response and its operators, Carl and Charlotte Walsh, of violating overtime and other labor laws. One worker said he worked an average of 69 hours per week and was never paid overtime. Another said he worked six days a week and was paid $10 an hour. First Response agreed to pay $85,000 to settle one lawsuit in September 2018 and $27,600 to settle the other in June 2019.

First Response continues to maintain a website, which promises customers that it will cover deductibles up to $500. A woman who answered the phone at the business on Wednesday hung up when an editor identified himself as a journalist. A message left later on a voice recorder did not yield a return call.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Parts of Australias largest city have been inundated by four major floods since March last year, leaving weary residents questioning how many times they can rebuild.

The latest disaster follows Sydneys wettest-ever start to a year with dams overflowing and a sodden landscape incapable of absorbing more rain that must instead run into swollen waterways.

Here are the climate, geographic and demographic factors behind Sydneys latest flooding emergency.

Leaders Blame Climate Change

New South Wales state Premier Dominic Perrottet said government and communities need 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, Perrottet said on Monday.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the fourth major flood event across Sydney following devastating wildfires in the same region during the 2019-2020 Southern Hemisphere summer were evidence of the need for climate action.

What we know is that Australia has always been subject of floods, of bushfires, but we know that the science told us that if we continued to not take action globally on climate change, then extreme weather events would be more often and more intense, Albanese said on Wednesday.

What were seeing, unfortunately, is that play out, Albanese added.

La Nina Out, Other Weather Patterns In

Two La Nina weather patterns brought above-average rainfall across Australias east coast in 2021 and this year. The second was declared over last month, but the Bureau of Meteorology forecast a wetter than usual Southern Hemisphere winter for Sydney and a 50-50 chance of La Nina returning this year.

The bureau says two climate drivers led to Sydneys flooding since Saturday.

The flooding was influenced by the Indian Ocean Dipole, which refers to the difference in sea surface temperatures between the western and eastern Indian Ocean. In the negative phase, warmer waters concentrate near Australia, leading to above-average Southern Hemisphere winter-spring rainfall as more moisture is available to weather systems crossing the continent. The IOD has repeatedly dipped into its rain-bearing negative phase in the past month and is expected to stay negative within months.

A second influence was the positive Southern Annular Mode. The SAM refers to the non-seasonal, north-south movement of the strong westerly winds that blow almost continuously in the mid to high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. In the positive phase, the SAM directs more moisture-filled air than usual into eastern Australia, driving above-average rainfall and more east coast lows in winter.

During the latest rainfall event, extraordinarily warm waters off the Australian coast, 21 to 23 degrees Celsius (70 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit), provided extra energy and moisture to a deep trough and east coast low, concentrating heavy rainfall to one 24-hour period that started at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Several rain gauges in Sydney and its surrounding area set July or all-time records.

Geography And Demography

Much of Sydneys rain drains into a river system prone to spilling over, but economic interests have largely blocked moves to mitigate flooding.

A 22,000-square-kilometer (8,500-square mile) rain catchment covering the Blue Mountains on Sydneys western fringe and the city of 5 millions western suburbs drain into the Hawkesbury-Nepean river system, which is the epicenter of some of the worst flooding.

The river system faces an extreme flood risk because gorges restrict the rivers seaward flow, often causing water to rapidly back up and spill across the floodplain after heavy rain, said Jamie Pittock, Australian National University professor of environment and society.

The Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley was home to 134,000 people and that population was projected to double by 2050 as Sydneys population and real estate prices grow, he said.

The potential economic returns from property development are a key driver for the lack of effective action to reduce flood risk, Pittock said.

The state government wants to raise the wall of the Warragamba Dam, Sydneys main reservoir, to reduce flooding in the valley.

But some argue that raising the wall would control only half the floodwater and wont prevent major flooding delivered by other rivers in the region, said Dale Dominey-Howes, Sydney Universitys professor of hazards and disaster risk sciences.

About the photo: An Australian Army Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle drives through a flooded street in McGrath Hills on the outskirts of Sydney, Monday, July 4, 2022. More than 50,000 residents of Sydney and its surrounds have been told to evacuate or prepare to abandon their homes on Tuesday as Australias largest city braces for what could be its worst flooding in 18 months. (CPL David Cotton/Australian Defense Dept. via AP)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
REMINGTON, Va. (AP)  For years, theres been a cardinal rule for flying civilian drones: Keep them within your line of sight. Not just because its a good idea  its also the law.

But some drones have recently gotten permission to soar out of their pilots sight. They can now inspect high-voltage power lines across the forested Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia. Theyre tracking endangered sea turtles off Floridas coast and monitoring seaports in the Netherlands and railroads from New Jersey to the rural West.

Aviation authorities in the U.S. and elsewhere are preparing to relax some of the safeguards they imposed to regulate a boom in off-the-shelf consumer drones over the past decade. Businesses want simpler rules that could open your neighborhoods skies to new commercial applications of these low-flying machines, although privacy advocates and some airplane and balloon pilots remain wary.

For now, a small but growing group of power companies, railways and delivery services like Amazon are leading the way with special permission to fly drones beyond visual line of sight. As of early July, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration had approved 230 such waivers  one of them to Virginia-based Dominion Energy for inspecting its network of power plants and transmission lines.

This is the first step of what everybodys expecting with drones, said Adam Lee, Dominions chief security officer. The first time in our nations history where weve now moved out into what I think everyones expecting is coming.

That expectation  of small drones with little human oversight delivering packages, assessing home insurance claims or buzzing around on nighttime security patrols  has driven the FAAs work this year to craft new safety guidelines meant to further integrate drones into the national airspace.

The FAA said it is still reviewing how it will roll out routine operations enabling some drones to fly beyond visual line of sight, although it it has signaled that the permissions will be reserved for commercial applications, not hobbyists.

Our ultimate goal is you shouldnt need a waiver for this process at all. It becomes an accepted practice, said Adam Bry, CEO of California drone-maker Skydio, which is supplying its drones to Dominion, railroad company BNSF and other customers with permission to fly beyond line of sight.

The more autonomous the drones become, the more they can just be instantly available anywhere they could possibly be useful, Bry said.

Part of that involves deciding how much to trust that drones wont crash into people or other aircraft when their operators arent looking. Other new rules will require drones to carry remote identification  like an electronic license plate  to track their whereabouts. And in the aftermath of Russias war in Ukraine  where both sides have used small consumer drones to target attacks  the White House has been pushing a parallel effort to counter the potential malicious use of drones in the U.S.

At a gas-fired plant in Remington, Virginia, which helps power some of Washingtons suburbs, a reporter with The Associated Press watched in June as Dominion Energy drone pilots briefly lost visual line of sight of their inspection drone as it flew around the backside of a large fuel tank and the top of a smoke stack.

That wouldnt have been legally possible without Dominions recently approved FAA waiver. And it wouldnt have been technically possible without advancements in collision-avoidance technology that are enabling drones to fly closer to buildings.

Previously, you would have to erect scaffolding or have people go in with a bucket truck, said Nate Robie, who directs the drone program at Dominion. Now you can go in on a 20-minute flight.

Not everyone is enthused about the pending rules. Pilots of hot air balloons and other lightweight aircraft warn that crashes will follow if the FAA allows largely autonomous delivery drones the right of way at low altitudes.

These drones cannot see where they are flying and are blind to us, said a June call to action from the Balloon Federation of America.

Broader concerns come from civil liberties groups that say protecting peoples privacy should be a bigger priority.

There is a greater chance that youll have drones flying over your house or your backyard as these beyond-visual-line-of-sight drone operations increase, said Jeramie Scott, a senior counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center who sat on the FAAs advisory group working to craft new drone rules. Itll be much harder to know who to complain to.

EPIC and other groups dissented from the advisory groups early recommendations and are calling for stronger privacy and transparency requirements _ such as an app that could help people identify the drones above them and what data they are collecting.

If you want to fly beyond visual line of sight, especially if you are commercial, the public has a right to know what youre flying, what data you are collecting, said Andres Arrieta, director of consumer privacy engineering at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. It seems like such a low bar.

OBrien reported from Providence, Rhode Island.

About the photo: In this image from video, Dominion Energy drone operators fly a drone to inspect areas of a power plant in Remington, Va., on June 8, 2022. A small but growing group of drone pilots with power companies, railways and delivery services are getting permission to soar beyond visual line of sight with waivers from the Federal Aviation Administration. (AP Photo/Nathan Ellgren)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Technology giants including Apple Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Google, facing questions about whether theyd hand over users personal data to authorities pursuing evidence on abortion seekers, are bracing for the multi-state legal quagmire that will govern privacy in a post-Roe world.

From map searches to private messages, a trove of information stored in the companies data centers could be used as a digital trail of breadcrumbs linking a patient to the termination of a pregnancy, a procedure being restricted in multiple US states, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The largest tech companies, which have in the past mounted high-profile legal opposition to law enforcement data requests, have been largely silent about what theyll do in these cases.

Consider a hypothetical online search for abortion pills: A woman in Texas searches for mifepristone and buys it from a New York pharmacy. Google may have a record of the web search, and the receipt may land in a Microsoft Outlook inbox. Google is based in California and Microsoft in Washington, but digital records of her queries and her inbox may be stored at Googles data center in New Albany, Ohio, or Microsofts in Des Moines, Iowa. If law enforcement officials in Texas seek evidence from Google or Microsoft, a clash of four different sets of state laws and two companies may ensue. Its a question that could be replicated across a host of different online services and data sourcesand involve information that in many states could incriminate not just patients, but their confidants and health-care providers.

The world has changed in many fundamental ways since 1972since the pre-Roe worldbut one of the most important ways its changed thats relevant here is we have a digital surveillance apparatus that didnt exist before, said Corynne McSherry, legal director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital-rights advocacy group based in San Francisco. Its going to be very, very messy, and a lot will depend on what companies decide to do in terms of pushback.

The situation may put technology companies under the most acute pressure over data-sharing practices since the backlash following Edward Snowdens revelations of big corporations cooperation with U.S. government surveillance in 2013. Those disclosures caused some companies, like Microsoft, to issue specific public guarantees to customers about how they would handle government data requests and fight them in certain instances.

Tech companies are already coming under pressure to similarly oppose abortion-related data requests. Still, because abortion views in the US are so polarized, the companies are almost certain to encounter pushback no matter what they decide to do, which may be why theyre staying mostly quiet for now, waiting for specific requests to publicly communicate a broad policy.

Some are taking early steps to reassure customers. Google on July 1 said it will automatically delete location-tracking records of user visits to sensitive places, including abortion clinics, and will make it easier to delete period logs from its Fitbit app. The Alphabet Inc.-owned search giant also underscored its track record of fighting government requests for information that the company deems inappropriate.

We remain committed to protecting our users against improper government demands for data, and we will continue to oppose demands that are overly broad or otherwise legally objectionable, the company said in a blog post. Google declined to specify if it would fight abortion-related data requests, and didnt mention the changing legal landscape at all.

Apple said it builds privacy protections into it products and is particularly careful with software and devices that relate to health care. For example, if a users iPhone is locked with a passcode, fingerprint or Face ID, the health and fitness data is encrypted. On the latest version of the operating systems for the companys watches and phones, if users opt for two-factor authentication, health and activity data cant be viewed by Apple, including information in the period-tracking features of the health app. Apple also places privacy requirements on developers who sell through its App Store. The company didnt comment on how it might respond to an abortion-related warrant or subpoena for user data.

Microsoft, which runs large email and chat apps, also declined to say what it will do. So did Meta Platforms Inc., owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Amazon.com Inc., the largest cloud-infrastructure company and owner of health-care services like Amazon Care and Amazon Pharmacy, also declined to comment.

Microsoft and Apple just a few years ago fiercely fought against US government or law enforcement demands that they turn over user data or unlock phones, gaining support from many other tech firms and privacy advocates for their stances. Apple in 2016 refused to unlock the phone of one of the gunmen in a mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, even after it was sued by the FBI. Microsoft took the US Justice Department all the way to the Supreme Court with the companys refusal to turn over the emails of a suspected drug trafficker that were stored in Ireland.

Its unclear whether the companies will go to battle to protect women and health-care providers facing possible prosecution over abortions. The situation is complicated by the patchwork of state laws on reproductive choice, and an industry in which data isnt always stored in the state where a patient resides or where a company is based. Patients may have to travel to seek care, or seek pills from elsewhere, and its not known which jurisdiction would prevail in a tussle over data. Companies will be facing warrants and subpoenas in both civil and criminal cases.

There are also varying state laws protecting the privacy of health-care data specifically, as well as the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA. The rules are different based on how a company is classified and what kind of personal information it holds, said Iliana Peters, shareholder at Washington DC law firm Polsinelli. Because health plans and care providers that take insurance from those insurers are covered by HIPAA, its probable that the cloud-computing providers that store data for them could be covered, too.

At the same time, a court order thats signed by a judge or court-ordered warrant could permit a HIPAA entity to provide the data, Peters said, but the entity could challenge the order if they felt strongly about not disclosing that information.

Some companies have referred to past statements and policies when asked about how theyd handle personal data requests related to abortion. We always scrutinize every government request we receive to make sure it is legally valid, no matter which government makes the request, Meta said in May. We comply with government requests for user information only where we have a good-faith belief that the law requires us to do so. In addition, we assess whether a request is consistent with internationally recognized standards on human rights.

Most large technology companies publish regular updates on how many requests they get from courts, governments and law enforcement in the US and other countries. Still, those reports indicate that the companies comply with the vast majority of requests. In its most recent summary, Meta reported it got about 215,000 requests globally for the final six months of 2021, and handed over at least some data in almost 73% of cases. In 70% of cases, the company wasnt allowed to notify the impacted users. For that same period, Microsoft received 25,182 requests and rejected a quarter of them. Googles most recent data, for the first half of last year, showed the search company got just over 50,000 requests and gave up some data in 82% of cases.

Tech workers are also pressuring employers to take a stand against sharing data. After Google released its updates on consumer privacy, the labor group Alphabet Workers Union called on the company to take decisive action in the face of legal challenges.

States where abortion remains legal have also been taking steps to bolster support for women living in areas with harsher restrictions. Washington Governor Jay Inslee pledged to block hardline anti-abortion jurisdictions from accessing information on who travels to his state for the procedure, and Californias Gavin Newsom signed an order preventing medical records and patient data from being shared by state agencies or departments as part of investigations by states that limit abortion access.

Meanwhile, some cases are testing law enforcement agencies right to access users search history as a dragnet to find evidence. A 17-year-old charged with setting a deadly fire filed suit in a Denver court challenging police use of something called reverse-keyword searching. A judges order had compelled Google to scan its records of all queries for anyone searching for the address of the home set on fire in 2020, NBC News reported.

Its going to be years of litigation before we really have clarity around the question of the data, EFFs McSherry said. And also of course, around whether you can prosecutewhether legitimate prosecution or notif its across state lines.

With assistance from Mark Gurman.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
A Miami-Dade jury has returned one of the largest verdicts ever in an automobile accident, awarding $95 million in damages plus attorneys fees to a South Florida family whose daughter was killed and whose son was catastrophically injured by a drunken driver in 2015.

The jury found that one of the defendants, Georgetown Partnership, owner of The Corner, a bar in Miami, was negligent in serving alcohol to the inebriated driver. The business was ordered to pay almost $59 million for the medical care of the son and $37 million in damages to the parents, Noel Criales and Elisa Diaz

The insurers were not named in the suit.

The driver of the car, 22-year-old Franklin Chavez, in 2017 was sentenced to seven years in prison after he was found guilty of driving under the influence and causing the accident. After hours of partying, Chavez drove more than 70 mph on the wrong side of Interstate 95, with his lights off, before slamming head-on into the Criales vehicle, according to news reports at the time.

The family was taking the daughter to the airport, on her way to medical school.

The civil verdict against the drinking establishment owner is third only to the famous, $1 billion Florida verdict against two trucking companies in 2021, according to news reports, and another $120 trucking accident case. The jury in $1 billion verdict found that the driver for one company was on his cell phone, was over the allowed number of driving hours, and did not have a commercial license. After the accident caused a pileup, another truck driver failed to slow down and slammed into the cars, killing an 18-year-old.

The jury granted $100 million to the parents, along with $900 million in punitive damages.

In the Criales wrongful death and personal injury suit, the jury did not award punitive damages, which could have been capped under Florida law. Even without caps on damages, its unlikely that the family will collect the full $96 million or if the verdict will hold up on appeal. Floridas dram shop statute, called restrictive for plaintiffs, allows damages, but only when an establishment willfully or unlawfully sells booze to a minor or to someone who is habitually addicted to alcohol. A Florida appeals court earlier this year.

And its unclear what assets the Miami bars parent corporation, Georgetown Partnership, may hold that could be used to pay the judgment. The firm is listed as a limited liability corporation, meaning its principals cant personally be held liable for most of the damages.

And, of course, a nightclub or restaurants liquor liability insurance policy is usually limited to no more than $2 million, attorneys have said.

The principals of Georgetown Partnership could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon. The lawyers for the Criales family also could not be reached by the Insurance Journal. But attorney Aaron Davis told Law.com, a legal news website, that putting the father on the witness stand made an impression on jurors.

Davis, in his closing arguments, also noted that the defendant owner of the bar did not bother to show up in court for the trial.

The family reached confidential settlements with other defendants in the case, according to the news site. The plaintiffs had also named Chavez, the driver, and Crossfit Downtown Miami, a gym where Chavez worked, which held the fateful Christmas party in 2015.
JACKSON, Calif. (AP)  Favorable weather early Wednesday aided the fight against a wildfire in Californias Gold Country that has forced evacuations in two counties.

The size of the Electra Fire remained unchanged at about 6.1 square miles (15.8 square kilometers) and containment doubled to 10%, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a daily report.

Humidity recovery in the early morning hours moderated fire activity, Cal Fire said.

The fire erupted Monday afternoon in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, forcing evacuations in Amador neighboring Calaveras counties.

Cal Fire said the number of threatened structures remained at 1,217 but there were no reports of structures destroyed or damaged. One firefighter has been injured.

The National Weather Service said overnight infrared satellite imagery showed a waning heat signature from the fire as relative humidity levels reached 75% to 90% and northerly winds were generally light. Westerly breezes were expected by afternoon.

The fire started at a recreation area along a river where people were celebrating July Fourth. The cause remained under investigation, but Amador County Sheriff Gary Redman has said the location could suggest fireworks or a barbecue as a cause.

Mandatory evacuation orders and warnings combined affected up to 700 residents in Amador County and 300 to 400 people in Calaveras County, Redman said. Evacuation centers were set up for people and animals

More than 100 fire engines, 1,200 firefighters and 14 helicopters were sent to the fire, which was a threat to power infrastructure, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. The terrain was described as steep and rugged.

Cal Fire activated an incident management team for the fire. The teams are made up of trained personnel who provide operational management and support to large-scale, expanding incidents, Cal Fire said.

One firefighter from the local fire protection district suffered burn injuries, Redman said.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Kolkata: West Bengals ruling Trinamul Congress has started keeping a distance from its outspoken MP Mahua Moitra, with a plan to issue a showcause notice to her after denouncing her comments on Goddess Kali, which has led to a major controversy and earned her criticism and an FIR being filed against her in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh.

On Tuesday, the gutsy Lok Sabha MP who represents Krishnanagar, in Nadia district, when asked about the uproar over the depiction of the goddess as smoking in the poster of an upcoming film Kaali, said: How do you view your God? If you go to Bhutan or visit Sikkim, when people do puja in the morning, they give whisky to God. Now at some places in Uttar Pradesh, if you go there and tell them you are giving whisky or something (like that) as prasad to God, they will say: Oh my God, that's blasphemous. Kali to me is a meat-eating, alcohol-accepting goddess.

As the BJP attacked her, the TMC tweeted in the evening: The comments made by @MahuaMoitra at the #IndiaTodayConclaveEast2022 and her views expressed on Goddess Kali have been made in her personal capacity and are NOT ENDORSED BY THE PARTY in ANY MANNER OR FORM. All India Trinamul Congress strongly condemns such comments.

But Ms Moitra appeared undeterred and unfollowed the TMC on Twitter. However, she still follows her party supremo and chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Twitter.

Retaliating against the BJP, she said in a series of tweets: To all you Sanghis lying will NOT make you better Hindus. I NEVER backed any film or poster or mentioned the word smoking. Suggest you visit my Maa Kali in Tarapith to see what food & drink is offered as bhog. Joy Ma Tara. Jai Ma Kali! The goddess Bengalis worship is fearless & non-appeasing. Bring it on BJP! Am a Kali worshipper. I am not afraid of anything. Not your ignoramuses. Not your goons. Not your police. And most certainly not your trolls. Truth doesnt need back-up forces.

The TMC is now planning to pull up Ms Moitra and seek her explanation in a damage control exercise as an FIR under Section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) IPC was filed against her in Bhopal on Wednesday after Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan accused her of hurting the sentiments of the Hindus and vowed there would be no tolerance of any insult to Hindu deities.

In Kolkata, BJP womens wing leaders demonstrated outside Bowbazar police station and lodged complaints against Ms Moitra. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari demanded Ms Moitras arrest and also threatened to move the court if no action was taken against her.
Colorado has spent more than $9 billion of federal money from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act intended to foster recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nearly 16 months after President Joe Biden signed the act, the Colorado Health Institute released an interactive graphic on Wednesday, tracking Colorados spending of the one-time ARPA funds.

"ARPA funding might not be top-of-mind for a lot of people right now, but it's an unprecedented amount for the state, cities, counties and schools, said Joe Hanel, communications director of the Colorado Health Institute. "A lot of the money is just starting to be put to use, and the impacts are going to be felt in health and social policy in Colorado for many years to come.

In total, the graphic shows just over $9.59 billion in spending, split amongst the state legislature, local governments, education, state agencies and other categories.

Heres how the spending breaks down:

State legislature

The Colorado legislature spent the largest chunk of the ARPA funds, sitting at $3.62 billion. That money was delegated through more than three dozen bills in categories, including discretionary spending, economic development, behavioral health, housing and workforce.

Discretionary spending took up the most money by far, accounting for $1.65 billion or nearly 46% of the legislature's total ARPA funds. The legislature invested $600 million into the states unemployment insurance fund, $380 million into transportation systems and $350 million into capital construction. Another $300 million was earmarked to be allocated at Gov. Jared Poliss discretion.

Economic development bills received $649 million in ARPA funds, which were split between more than a dozen projects. The most expensive projects included $200 million for homeless resource campuses and prevention grants, $75 million to expand broadband internet access, $61 million to support the healthcare workforce and $52 million to recruit educators. Other notable efforts invested in local nonprofits, crime victim services and wildfire prevention.

Behavioral health projects got $547 million of the funds, including efforts to expand the workforce, increase residential care capacity and address the fentanyl crisis. Housing took up $528 million with loans, grants and manufacturing efforts. Finally, $241 million was invested into the state workforce, including multiple grants and employee development programs.

Local governments

The state allocated $1.96 billion directly to local governments to spend themselves, with $1.12 billion going to counties and $845 million going to cities.

Denver got the plurality of the money, acquiring $141 million of the county funds and $167 million of the city funds, totaling $308 million. The other largest spending: $140 million to El Paso County, $128 million to Arapahoe County, $113 million to Jefferson County and $101 million to Adams County.

For the cities, Colorado Springs got $76 million, Aurora got $65 million, Pueblo got $37 million and Fort Collins got $28 million.

Education

In the third-largest allocation, the state spent $1.53 billion on education  $1.04 billion of which went to K-12 schools and $495 million to colleges and universities.

The Denver County School District got the largest chunk of the funds with $210 million, followed by $77 million for Aurora Public Schools, $68 million for Jefferson County Public Schools, $60 million for Colorado Springs School District 11 and $46 million for Mesa County Valley School District 51.

The University of Colorado raked in $85 million, including $51 million for its Boulder campus and $34 million for its Denver campus. Other large investments included $50 million for the Colorado State University system, $46 million for the Metropolitan State University of Denver and $29 million for Front Range Community College.

State agencies

Four state agencies were granted $1.47 billion in ARPA funds, with most of the money going to the Colorado Department of Human Services and the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.

The Department of Human Services got $541 million, $465 million of which went to child care investments and grants. Another $28 million was spent on creating a mental health block grant, $23 million created a substance abuse block grant and $21 million was invested in programs and services for older Coloradans.

The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing received $530 million and spent $280 million of it on workforce and rural sustainability projects. The department also spent $79 million on tools and technology, $63 million on COVID-19 recovery efforts, $57 million on expanding access to underserved populations and $17 million on crisis and acute services.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment got $281 million, all of which was spent on emergency COVID-19 responses. The Department of Education received $117 million, which was used as additional funding for K-12 schools.

Other

Just over $1 billion was spent on other miscellaneous projects throughout the state, with the biggest portion being $378 million for public transit. The vast majority of those funds  $304 million  went to transit projects in Denver and Aurora. Another $32 million went to Boulder, $18 million went to rural areas, $11 million went to Fort Collins and $7 million went to Colorado Springs.

Airports received a hefty $264 million of the ARPA funds. Of that, $233 million was invested in the Denver International Airport and the remaining money was split among smaller airports, such as the Colorado Springs Municipal Airport and the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport.

Other projects that acquired substantial funding from ARPA included broadband internet, which got $170 million, local healthcare centers, which received $132 million, and small city homeless grants, which got $25 million.
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(Posted July 7, 2022)

Experience wildflowers in peak bloom at the historical prairies along the Prairie Grass Trail.

Jack McDowells Annual Prairie Appreciation Ride starts at 8 a.m. July 16 at the Prairie Grass Trailhead, 262 W. High St., London, and extends southwest approximately six miles to the Madison-Clark county border. After the official ride ends, head on to South Charleston or return to London at your leisure. No fee required.

The Madison Soil & Water Conservation District is leading the bicycle ride. Pit stops are planned along the trail to discuss local flora and fauna, history, and conservation practices. The pace will be slow and appropriate for almost all ages.

The prairies have existed since before the time of the pioneers and were preserved by the railroad because the land could not be farmed. Now, the prairies are maintained by volunteers who share McDowells vision of saving this heritage and providing educational opportunities through stewardship.

McDowell was one of the early discoverers of the remnant prairies of Madison and Clark counties and started efforts to manage these prairie treasures in the midst of threats from invasive woody plant and agricultural weed species. McDowell passed away in 2012, but his dream to inspire others to preserve the Ohio prairie is not forgotten.

For more information, contact Broc Sehen at broc.sehen@oh.nacdnet.net or (740) 852-4003.
(Posted July 7, 2022)

By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor

Lisa Reay looks forward to helping the London City School District realize its potential as the community grows.

On June 28, the school board appointed Reay to fill the board seat vacated by Jonathan Stahl in May. Stahl had served on the board for 10 years.

Reay was one of nine individuals who expressed interest in the seat. The board interviewed all nine candidates.

In the end, the board felt as though Lisa was the candidate that best fit with the other members in terms of decision-making and outlook for the district, said Superintendent Dr. Lou Kramer.

A lifetime resident of Madison County, Reay graduated from Madison-Plains High School in 2001 and earned her bachelors degree in business administration from Franklin University in 2008. She works as a claims manager for the Industrial Commission of Ohio.

Reay said her experience working for a government agency and in a team environment should come in handy as a school board member. She added that she has always been interested in education and, as a parent of three children who attend London City Schools, is particularly committed to seeing the district succeed.

My youngest is in first grade, so I will be invested in the district for a while. I want to help continue what is already in progress, she said.

Reay and her husband, Seth, live in London.

Reay will served out the remainder of the board seats term which expires at the end of 2023. She joins Ashli Carter, Donovan Cooper, Marshall Geib and Juliet Wendler on the board.
Microsoft is backing away from its public support for some AI-driven features, including facial recognition, and acknowledging the discrimination and accuracy issues these offerings create. But the company had years to fix the problems and didnt. That's akin to a car manufacturer recalling a vehicle rather than fixing it.

Despite concerns that facial recognition technology can be discriminatory, the real issue is that results are inaccurate. (The discriminatory argument plays a role, though, due to the assumptions Microsoft developers made when crafting these apps.)

Lets start with what Microsoft did and said. Sarah Bird, the principal group product manager for Microsoft's Azure AI, summed up the pullback last month in a Microsoft blog.

Effective today (June 21), new customers need to apply for access to use facial recognition operations in Azure Face API, Computer Vision, and Video Indexer. Existing customers have one year to apply and receive approval for continued access to the facial recognition services based on their provided use cases. By introducing Limited Access, we add an additional layer of scrutiny to the use and deployment of facial recognition to ensure use of these services aligns with Microsofts Responsible AI Standard and contributes to high-value end-user and societal benefit. This includes introducing use case and customer eligibility requirements to gain access to these services.

"Facial detection capabilitiesincluding detecting blur, exposure, glasses, head pose, landmarks, noise, occlusion, and facial bounding box  will remain generally available and do not require an application.

Look at that second sentence, where Bird highlights this additional hoop for users to jump through to ensure use of these services aligns with Microsofts Responsible AI Standard and contributes to high-value end-user and societal benefit.

This certainly sounds nice, but is that truly what this change does? Or will Microsoft simply lean on it as a way to stop people from using the app where the inaccuracies are the biggest?

One of the situations Microsoft discussed involves speech recognition, where it found that speech-to-text technology across the tech sector produced error rates for members of some Black and African American communities that were nearly double those for white users, said Natasha Crampton, Microsofts Chief Responsible AI Officer. We stepped back, considered the studys findings, and learned that our pre-release testing had not accounted satisfactorily for the rich diversity of speech across people with different backgrounds and from different regions.

Another issue Microsoft identified is that people of all backgrounds tend to speak differently in formal versus informal settings. Really? The developers didnt know that before? I bet they did, but failed to think through the implications of not doing anything.

One way to address this is to reexamine the data collection process. By its very nature, people being recorded for voice analysis are going to be a bit nervous and they are likely to speak strictly and stiffly. One way to deal with is to hold much longer recording sessions in as relaxed an environment as possible, After a few hours, some people may forget that they are being recorded and settle into casual speaking patterns.

I've seen this play out with how people interact with voice recognition. At first, they speak slowly and tend to over-enunciate. Over time, they slowly fall into what Ill call "Star Trek" mode and speak as they would to another person.

A similar problem was discovered with emotion-detection efforts.

More from Bird: In another change, we will retire facial analysis capabilities that purport to infer emotional states and identity attributes such as gender, age, smile, facial hair, hair, and makeup. We collaborated with internal and external researchers to understand the limitations and potential benefits of this technology and navigate the tradeoffs. In the case of emotion classification specifically, these efforts raised important questions about privacy, the lack of consensus on a definition of emotions and the inability to generalize the linkage between facial expression and emotional state across use cases, regions, and demographics. API access to capabilities that predict sensitive attributes also opens up a wide range of ways they can be misusedincluding subjecting people to stereotyping, discrimination, or unfair denial of services. To mitigate these risks, we have opted to not support a general-purpose system in the Face API that purports to infer emotional states, gender, age, smile, facial hair, hair, and makeup. Detection of these attributes will no longer be available to new customers beginning June 21, 2022, and existing customers have until June 30, 2023, to discontinue use of these attributes before they are retired.

On emotion detection, facial analysis has historically proven to be much less accurate than simple voice analysis. Voice recognition of emotion has proven quite effective in call center applications, where a customer who sounds very angry can get immediately transferred to a senior supervisor.

To a limited extent, that helps make Microsofts point that it is the way the data is used that needs to be restricted. In that call center scenario, if the software is wrong and that customer was not in fact angry, no harm is done. The supervisor simply completes the call normally. Note: the only common emotion-detection with voice I've seen is where the customer is angry at the phonetree and its inability to truly understand simple sentences. The software thinks the customer is angry at the company. A reasonable mistake.

But again, if the software is wrong, no harm is done.

Bird made a good point that some use cases can still rely on these AI functions responsibly. Azure Cognitive Services customers can now take advantage of the open-source Fairlearn package and Microsofts Fairness Dashboard to measure the fairness of Microsofts facial verification algorithms on their own data  allowing them to identify and address potential fairness issues that could affect different demographic groups before they deploy their technology.

Bird also said technical issues played a role in some of the inaccuracies. In working with customers using our Face service, we also realized some errors that were originally attributed to fairness issues were caused by poor image quality. If the image someone submits is too dark or blurry, the model may not be able to match it correctly. We acknowledge that this poor image quality can be unfairly concentrated among demographic groups.

Among demographic groups? Isnt that everyone, given that everyone belongs to some demographic group? That sounds like a coy way of saying that non-whites can have poor match functionality. This is why law enforcements use of these tools is so problematic. A key question for IT to ask: What are the consequences if the software is wrong? Is the software one of 50 tools being used, or is it being relied upon solely?

Microsoft said it's working to fix that issue with a new tool. That is why Microsoft is offering customers a new Recognition Quality API that flags problems with lighting, blur, occlusions, or head angle in images submitted for facial verification, Bird said. Microsoft also offers a reference app that provides real-time suggestions to help users capture higher-quality images that are more likely to yield accurate results.

In a New York Times interview, Crampton pointed to another issue was with the systems so-called gender classifier was binary and thats not consistent with our values.

In short, shes saying while the system not only thinks in terms of just male and female, it couldnt easily label people who identified in other gender ways. In this case, Microsoft simply opted to stop trying to guess gender, which is likely the right call.
Apple has struck a big blow against the mercenary surveillance-as-a-service industry, introducing a new, highly secure Lockdown Mode to protect individuals at the greatest risk of targeted attacks. The company is also offering millions of dollars to support research to expose such threats.

Starting in iOS 16, iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura, and available now in the latest developer-only betas, Lockdown Mode hardens security defenses and limits the functionalities sometimes abused by state-sponsored surveillance hackers. Apple describes this protection as sharply reducing the attack surface that potentially could be exploited by highly targeted mercenary spyware.

In recent years, a series of targeted spyware attacks against journalists, activists, and others have been exposed. Names including Pegasus, DevilsTongue, Predator, Hermit, and NSO Group have undermined trust in digital devices and exposed the risk of semi-private entities and the threat they show against civil society. Apple has made no secret that it is opposed to such practices, filing suit against the NSO Group in November and promising to oppose such practices where it can.

Apples newly released Lockdown Mode will reduce the attack surface, increase costs for spyware firms, and thus make it much harder for repressive governments to hack high-risk users, said John Scott-Railton, senior researcher at the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.

We congratulate [Apple] for providing protection to human rights defenders, heads of state, lawyers, activists, journalists, and more, tweeted the EFF, a privacy advocacy group.

What does Lockdown Mode do?

At present, Apple says Lockdown Mode provides the following protections:

Messages: Most message attachment types other than images are blocked. Some features, like link previews, are disabled.

Most message attachment types other than images are blocked. Some features, like link previews, are disabled. Web browsing: Certain complex web technologies, like just-in-time (JIT) JavaScript compilation, are disabled unless the user excludes a trusted site from Lockdown Mode.

Certain complex web technologies, like just-in-time (JIT) JavaScript compilation, are disabled unless the user excludes a trusted site from Lockdown Mode. Apple services: Incoming invitations and service requests, including FaceTime calls, are blocked if the user has not previously sent the initiator a call or request.

Incoming invitations and service requests, including FaceTime calls, are blocked if the user has not previously sent the initiator a call or request. Wired connections with a computer or accessory are blocked when an iPhone is locked.

with a computer or accessory are blocked when an iPhone is locked. Configuration profiles cannot be installed and the device cannot enroll into mobile device management (MDM) while Lockdown Mode is turned on.

Ivan Krstic, Apples head of Security Engineering and Architecture, notes that Lockdown Mode can be applied to devices that are already enrolled in an MDM service. Pre-existing MDM enrollment is preserved when you enable Lockdown Mode, he tweeted.

The company says it intends to extend the protection provided by Lockdown Mode over time and has invested millions in security research to help identify weaknesses and increase the integrity of this protection.

How to enable Lockdown Mode

Apple Turning on Lockdown Mode. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Lockdown Mode is enabled in Settings on iPhones and iPads and in System Settings on macOS.

Youll find it as an option in Privacy & Security, listed at the bottom of the page.

Tap Lockdown Mode and youll be told that this provides Extreme, optional protection that should only be used if you believe you may be personally targeted by a highly sophisticated cyberattack. Most people are never targeted by attacks of this kind.

The prompts also warn users that certain features will no longer work as you are used to. Shared albums will be removed from Photos, and invitations will also be blocked.

What is the scale of this threat?

These attacks dont come cheap, which means most people are unlikely to be targeted in this way. Apple began sending threat notifications to potential victims of Pegasus soon after it was revealed and says the number of people targeted in such campaigns is relatively small.

All the same, the scale is international, and the company has warned people in around 150 nations since November 2021. A BBC report confirms hundreds of targets and tens of thousands of phone numbers leaked as a result of NSOs Pegasus alone. Victims have included journalists, politicians, civil society advocates, activists, and diplomats, so while the numbers are small, the chilling impact of such surveillance is vast.

I believe that such technologies will become cheaper and more available over time, so its only a matter of time before they leak into wider use. Ultimately the very existence of such attacks  state-sponsored or not  makes the entire world less safe, not safer.

There is now undeniable evidence from the research of the Citizen Lab and other organizations that the mercenary surveillance industry is facilitating the spread of authoritarian practices and massive human rights abuses worldwide, said Citizen Lab Director Ron Deibert in a statement. Deibert told CNET he thinks Lockdown Mode will deal a "major blow" to spyware companies and the governments that use their products.

While the vast majority of users will never be the victims of highly targeted cyberattacks, we will work tirelessly to protect the small number of users who are, said Apple's Krstic in a statement. That includes continuing to design defenses specifically for these users, as well as supporting researchers and organizations around the world doing critically important work in exposing mercenary companies that create these digital attacks.

Theres little doubt Microsoft and Google will also move to provide similar protection to users. Google and Meta already offer tools to secure the accounts of those who are at an elevated risk of targeted online attacks, but these tools dont go nearly as far as Lockdown Mode.

Apples investments in security

Apple already makes vast investments in security. For example, the company is working with others in the industry to support password-free authentication, has built tools to mask IP addresses and continues to focus on user privacy.

The company will introduce a Rapid Security Response feature for its devices this fall, which will make it possible to deploy security fixes outside of full security updates and much more. Apple is even investing in improving the security of programming languages, further eroding potential attack surfaces.

The company has now announced further investment in the security community:

Apple has also established a new category within the Apple Security Bounty program to reward researchers who find Lockdown Mode bypasses and help improve its protections. Bounties are doubled for qualifying findings in Lockdown Mode, up to a maximum of $2,000,000  the highest maximum bounty payout in the industry.

Apple is also making a $10 million grant, plus any damages awarded from the lawsuit it is pursuing against NSO Group, to support organizations that investigate, expose, and prevent highly targeted cyberattacks, including those created by private companies developing state-sponsored mercenary spyware. It is giving this money to the Ford Foundations Dignity and Justice Fund.

What will the Dignity and Justice Fund do?

The fund will make its first grants later this year, focusing initially on initiatives to expose the use of mercenary spyware. In the press release announcing the initiative, Apple tells us these grants will focus on:

Building organizational capacity and increasing field coordination of new and existing civil society cybersecurity research and advocacy groups.

Supporting the development of standardized forensic methods to detect and confirm spyware infiltration that meet evidentiary standards.

Enabling civil society to more effectively partner with device manufacturers, software developers, commercial security firms, and other relevant companies to identify and address vulnerabilities.

Increasing awareness among investors, journalists, and policymakers about the global mercenary spyware industry.

Building the capacity of human rights defenders to identify and respond to spyware attacks, including security audits for organizations that face heightened threats to their network

The funds grant-making strategy will be advised by a global Technical Advisory Committee. Initial members include Daniel Bedoya Arroyo, digital security service platform analyst at Access Now; Citizen Lab Director Ron Deibert; Paola Mosso, co-deputy director of The Engine Room; Rasha Abdul Rahim, director of Amnesty Tech at Amnesty International; and Apple's Krstic.

Ford Foundation Tech and Society Program director Lori McGlinchey said:

The global spyware trade targets human rights defenders, journalists, and dissidents; it facilitates violence, reinforces authoritarianism, and supports political repression. The Ford Foundation is proud to support this extraordinary initiative to bolster civil society research and advocacy to resist mercenary spyware. We must build on Apples commitment, and we invite companies and donors to join the Dignity and Justice Fund and bring additional resources to this collective fight.

What else can you do?

Following revelations about NSO Group last year, Apple published a set of recommendations to help users mitigate against such risks. These guidelines do not even approach the kind of robust protection you can expect from Lockdown Mode, but it makes sense for anyone to follow such practices:

Update devices to the latest software, which includes the latest security fixes.

Protect devices with a passcode.

Use two-factor authentication and a strong password for Apple ID.

Install apps from the App Store.

Use strong and unique passwords online.

Dont click on links or attachments from unknown senders.

Furthermore, Amnesty Tech is gathering signatures to demand an end this kind of targeted surveillance of human rights defenders. Id urge readers to add their signature to my own.

Please follow me on Twitter, or join me in the AppleHolics bar & grill and Apple Discussions groups on MeWe.
Naqvi steps down as Union Minister

India News: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi yesterday resigned as Union Minister of Minority Affairs; Union minister RCP Singh also submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Naqvi, a senior BJP leader, is likely to be named as the vice-presidential candidate of the NDA. Photo courtesy: Facebook

The two ministers resigned from the Union cabinet a day before the completion of their Rajya Sabha term.

Speculations are rife that Naqvi, a senior BJP leader, is likely to be named as the vice-presidential candidate of the NDA, Times Now reported.

Naqvi is also the deputy leader of the Rajya Sabha while Singh is a minister in the Modi cabinet from JD(U) quota.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi had heaped praises on Naqvi and Singh during the cabinet meeting for their contribution to the country during their tenure, hinting that it was their last cabinet meeting.

Both ministers tendered their resignation to comply with Constitutional obligations as they will cease to be parliamentarians from tomorrow.

Read more India News, Breaking News and Political News here
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In a concerted effort to spread the word on the threat posed by China to governments at the state and local level as well as businesses of all sizes, the U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Centre (NSCS), issued a Safeguarding Our Future bulletin. Protecting Government and Business Leaders at the U.S. State and Local Level from Peoples Republic of China (PRC) Influence Operations differs from previous warnings on Chinas use of social networks, pseudo-state-sponsored hackers, etc. The NSCS highlights how the Chinese intelligence apparatus uses the whole-of-government approach as they work to acquire information in support of the Communist Party of China (CCP) directives.

The key takeaway within the bulletin: In partnering with any foreign entity, U.S. state and local leaders should exercise vigilance, conduct due diligence, and ensure transparency, integrity, and accountability are built into the partnership to guard against potential foreign government exploitation.

Contemporaneously with the release of the NCSC bulletin, across the water in London at MI5 Headquarters, both FBI director Christopher Wray and MI5 head Ken McCallum spoke of the threat posed by China. Wray was quoted by the BBC as saying China is the "biggest long-term threat to our economic and national security," while McCallum noted that China was an even more serious threat to Western businesses than even many sophisticated businesspeople realized.

Indeed, a member of UK parliament found themselves being targeted in an influence operation that became public in January 2022 when MI5 issued a warning to Parliament on the efforts of Christine Ching Kui Lee became publicly known and her connection to the CCP revealed.

CISOs and those providing managed security services to the smaller businesses need to understand the geopolitical realities taking place in the locales where their entity or clients reside and operate. Lets dig in.

Chinas influence operations focus on the local

It is no surprise the PRC and CCP use their diplomatic presence to influence foreign policy of the United States via their official diplomatic presence, visiting delegations, and engagement across the many international organizations in which the United States and China are joint members. What may not be as recognizable, and which this bulletin calls out, is how China leverages the subnational relationships. Subnational relationships may include but are not limited to sister city initiatives, people-to-people exchanges, and Chinas creation of incentives for U.S. businesses to engage with China as a market for goods, a partner for product production or joint research.

This strategy is not unique to the Sino-U.S. relationship. NCSC duly notes how China calls this strategy of state and local influence on the targeted federal government, the U.S. in this instance, as using the local to surround the central.

China targets government staffers, seeks PII

Numerous organizations have been identified as carrying the banner for China in the countrys effort to monitor the activities of the Chinese diaspora in the United States. Indeed, Chinas Operation Fox Hunt (a.k.a. Operation Skynet), which they brought to the U.S. shores, was revealed to all by the Department of Justice. President Xi made it clear he wished the CCP and the intelligence apparatus of China to target those Chinese nationals who were perceived as a threat. Such was their desire to influence activities in the United States they recruited U.S. citizens to assist in their efforts, one of which was a New York City police officer who provided information on individuals of interest to China.

Then there are those instances where individuals, operating under the purview of the CCP and China intelligence, become involved at the local and state level. These individuals target both candidates for elected office and those in career positions of importance. In 2013 for example, the FBI approached Senator Diane Feinsteins (D-CA) office and advised that China was attempting to recruit a member of her California staff. She explained in a 2018 Tweet how she had taken the FBIs concerns seriously and made sure the employee left my office immediately. I opined at the time that I did not think the staffer was a spy. Rather, he was more likely a person who was duped. I made this assessment based on more than a few years of offensive intelligence operations under my belt, as the Chinese had no need for his services as a spy when the information could be obtained through more casual interaction.

In a more expansive expose of the targeting of local and state politics, Axios wrote in 2020 how the Chinese had ingratiated themselves into the Bay Area and beyond. Their asset worked diligently to become part of the landscape and influence both individuals as well as policy. Again, the FBI warned a member of Congress, this time Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA) that China was targeting his California office (2015) and he did what youd have expected, distancing himself from the asset, who was sent his way leaving the Chinese empty handed. The Chinese operator found more fertile hunting ground in Ohio, where a local politician ended up in a sexual liaison with the individual, in a car that was under FBI surveillance. Once the Chinese national was identified, she scurried from the U.S., presumably back to China.

Lastly, Chinas desire to acquire personally identifiable information (PII): Volumes have been written on Chinas targeting of the Office of Personnel Management (OMB), the credit reporting industry, the U.S. health sector and more. There is no doubt China is compiling the target and assessment motherlode for their use at the time and place of their choosing.

Mitigating the risk of Chinese influence operations

To their credit, NCSC provides several salient points that highlight the basic steps entities may take to reduce the likelihood of finding themselves being manipulated.

No free lunch.

Know your partner.

Transparency is your friend.

Dont go it alone, share your experience with others.

Maintain visibility and connectivity with U.S. authorities.

It is important to understand the key component of the Chinese end goal is to create dependencies upon which the CCP may lean upon to exert influence. Sister city arrangements in the United States are conducted at the city level. In China sister city relationship are handled by the central government and the local city government is acting at the direction of the central government. Every relationship fits into the mosaic which China is creating of point of leverage.

Sadly, no one can stop themselves from being targeted. China has the exclusive on who gets targeted and why; we can only prepare ourselves on how we may react when we learn of this targeting.
Security researchers have recently identified several attack campaigns that use APT-like targeting techniques and deploy Brute Ratel C4 (BRc4), a relatively new adversary simulation framework. While hackers abusing penetration testing tools is not a new development -- Cobalt Strike and Metasploit's Meterpreter have been used by threat groups for years -- Brute Ratel is focused on detection evasion techniques, so it might pose a real challenge to defense teams.

"The emergence of a new penetration testing and adversary emulation capability is significant," researchers from security firm Palo Alto Networks said in a new report analyzing several recent samples. "Yet more alarming is the effectiveness of BRc4 at defeating modern defensive EDR and AV detection capabilities."

Brute Ratel a part-time hobby project that became a commercial product

Brute Ratel is developed by Chetan Nayak, also known as Paranoid Ninja, a former detection engineer and red teamer who lists CrowdStrike and Mandiant as past employers. The project was launched in December 2020 and slowly grew in features and capabilities. In January, Nayak announced that he has decided to focus full time developing the tool and associated training courses and released major version 1.0 in May.

The tool now provides the capability to write command-and-control channels that use legitimate services like Slack, Discord and Microsoft Teams. It can inject shellcode into existing processes and use undocumented syscalls instead on normal Windows API calls that are monitored by security software. BRc4 can also perform in-memory execution of various types of code and scripts as well as DLL reflection techniques. It has a graphic interface for LDAP queries across domains and includes a debugger that detects EDR hooks and avoids triggering their detection.

According to Nayak's Twitter posts, BRc4 has more than 350 customers who bought more than 480 licenses. A one-year license costs $2,500 and a renewal $2,250. While this might seem expensive for an independent penetration tester, the cost is quite affordable for both legitimate companies as well as malicious threat actors.

Signs of BRc4 misuse

The Palo Alto Networks researchers recently found a malware sample from May that deployed BRc4 and used packaging and delivery techniques that were similar to those observed in recent APT29 campaigns. APT29, also known as Cozy Bear, is a threat group believed to be associated with or part of one of Russia's intelligence agencies. It was responsible for attacks against many government agencies over the years, including the attack on the Democratic National Committee in the U.S. in 2016.

The sample, which was uploaded to VirusTotal by an IP in Sri Lanka, was called Roshan_CV.iso. An .iso file is an optical disc image -- essentially a copy of the file system on an optical disc. Windows can open such files automatically by mounting them to a drive letter and will list the files inside like in a directory.

The only non-hidden file in Roshan_CV sample was called Roshan-Bandara_CV_Dialog.lnk, which had a Word icon to seem like it is a Word document. In reality it was a Windows shortcut file with parameters to execute cmd.exe and start a hidden file from the same directory called OneDriveUpdater.exe. This is a legitimate Microsoft-signed file associated with the Microsoft OneDrive file syncing tool.

The reason why the attackers used a legitimate file is because this executable searches for and loads another file called Version.dll if placed in the same directory. The attackers provided their own maliciously modified Version.dll file to be executed by the legitimate OneDriveUpdater.exe. This is a technique used by attackers called DLL search order hijacking and can be effective at evading detection because the malicious code is loaded by a legitimate and trusted process.

Another file called vresion.dll (intentionally misspelled) was included in the same directory. This is an exact copy of the legitimate version.dll file and was included so that the rogue version can proxy any legitimate function calls to it to keep the OneDrive process functional. On the side, the rogue DLL also decrypted and launched a payload stored inside another hidden file called OneDrive.Update. The decrypted payload was actually shellcode that then decrypted Brute Ratel C4 code in a way that was hard to detect using thousands of push and mov Assembly instructions to copy the code while avoiding in-memory detection.

All these deployment techniques, down to the use of an .iso file with a .lnk inside that performed DLL search order hijacking were observed in a recent APT29 campaign that distributed a file called Decret.iso.

A code analysis revealed that OneDrive.Update was an almost exact copy of badger_x64.exe, an in-memory component that is part of the Brute Ratel C4 framework. An analysis of the command-and-control server used by OneDrive.Update revealed connections from three IP addresses in Sri Lanka, suggesting multiple victims in the region. An analysis of another badger_x64.exe sample uploaded to VirusTotal from Ukraine revealed another C2 server that received connections from an Argentinian organization, an IP television provider providing North and South American content and a major textile manufacturer in Mexico.



The C2 server for the second sample used a self-signed certificate issued to the name Microsoft Security. The Palo Alto researchers tracked the certificate's history and determined it had been used on another 41 IP addresses over the past year.

"These addresses follow a global geographic dispersion and are predominantly owned by large virtual private server (VPS) hosting providers," the researchers said. "Expanding our research beyond the two samples discussed above, we have also identified an additional seven samples of BRc4 dating back to February 2021."

Abuse of legitimate security tools is common

While organizations should certainly be aware that BRc4 is quickly becoming a tool found in the arsenal of hacker groups, it does not mean that its creator had malicious intentions or is involved in these activities. In fact, following Palo Alto Networks' report, Nayak said on Twitter that he revoked the misused licenses and is ready to provide authorities with any relevant information.

Many tools that have been created by and for security experts to be used in a defensive manner and in sanctioned red teaming engagements have become hacker favorites over the years and have been adopted by both APT groups and cybercriminals gangs. The Cobalt Strike and Meterpreter implants, the Mimikatz credential dumping tool; the PsExec remote code execution tool, which is part of Microsoft's Sysinternals package; and the open-source PowerShell Empire post-exploitation framework are just some of the most common examples.

That said, the use of such tools, and now BRc4, on networks and systems should at the very least raise alerts that should be investigated. The Palo Alto Networks report contains indicators of compromise for the identified samples.
Cloud security company Wiz recently announced a community-based website, cloudvulndb.org, that provides a centralized cloud vulnerabilities database for public access. While the database fills gaps left by MITRE's CVE vulnerability system and the current shared-responsibility model for cloud security issues, it will require additional, widespread industry support in order to be successful, according to security experts.

The new vulnerability database is a continuation of Wiz's efforts to streamline the detection and management of cloud vulnerabilities which, it says, often tend to fall between the cracks among current systems.

The shared responsibility model, for example, entails cloud service providers (CSPs) and users sharing security efforts, with the former attending to physical security including hardware and managed services, and the latter being accountable for software, identities and data protection. This model has fallen short at addressing newer bugs, as they don't fit entirely to either category, according to a Wiz blog on why a cloud vulnerability database is needed.

A central vulnerability database, Wiz says, will help catalogue CSP security issues, and can list the exact steps CSP customers can take to detect or prevent these issues in their own environments.

"This is a first step in a long effort, and we are really focused on the community aspects of this website," says Amitai Cohen, a threat researcher at Wiz and co-author of the blog. "We think that this website is the first of its kind and we hope that we add more contributions and maintainers with time. We have plans of adding more features on the website, like linking it up with other systems, whether by adding an API or an RSS feed."

Security analysts and other experts acknowledge concerns and have been calling out for, among other things, an alternative to the CVE (common vulnerabilities and exposures) system.

Why the CVE system falls short on cloud security

"The current CVE system doesn't (yet) include a comprehensive list of vulnerabilities across all cloud environments," says Gary McAlum, a senior analyst at TAG Cyber. "CSPs are issuing their own patches that generally are not captured in the CVE system. This leads to security teams having to develop their own methodologies for tracking and remediating those cloud issues that affect them. This approach is cumbersome, manual, and prone to failure and blind spots."

Understanding how the CVE system works is critical to knowing what it lacks. The CVE system is a list of entries maintained by MITRE, with funding from the US division of Homeland security. Each CVE has an identification number and a description for publicly known cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

CVEs can be thought of as identifiers for security vulnerabilities that already are or are expected to become public. CVEs can only be assigned by CVE numbering authorities (CNAs), which include software vendors, open source projects, hosted services and research groups. Subsequently, the CVEs are published in the MITRE CVE database, making tracking and remediation of those vulnerabilities possible.

The widely adopted CVE IDs also have additional information about vulnerabilities such as workarounds, vulnerable software versions and Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) scores.

The CVE rule that is problematic for cloud

According to a Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) web post, the criteria that are strictly followed while assigning an ID to a vulnerability have one rule that is particularly problematic for cloud-based services. The rule, INC3, states that a vulnerability should only be assigned a CVE ID if it is customer-controlled or customer-installable. For instance, a bug in a CRM application installed on a company server fulfils that requirement.

This rule, though, creates complications for cloud services. It prevents vulnerabilities in systems that are not customer controlled, or which depend on shared control with CSPs, from from being assigned CVE IDs. This, in turn, prevents information related to vulnerability workarounds, affected versions, references and patches from being centrally distributed. The CSA recommends obtaining industry feedback and approval for possible modifications in the INC3 rule to accommodate cloud vulnerabilities.

While adjustments to the rule are a little more than a work in progress, Wiz has stepped up with cloudvulndb.org, a more immediate solution.

"We have worked with MITRE in the recent past and have communicated the gap we see in CVE with regards to cloud vulnerabilities," says Alon Schindel, director of data and threat research at Wiz. "They have been positive and seem to acknowledge the gap. Although, an adjustment of this sort to a concrete framework in practice takes more time and industry scale feedback."

Wiz is scheduled to have a followup meeting with MITRE to further discuss cloudvulndb.org, Schindel says.

Wiz offers solution for cloud vulnerability reporting

Cloudvulndb.org is essentially a CVE-like registry for tracking and cataloguing vulnerabilities on public cloud platforms. The website has been developed to serve as an open-source resource for all known cloud exploits including security flaws in leading public clouds including AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.

"Having a cloud vulnerabilities database should hold the CSPs accountable for security issues found in their environments," says Chris Steffen, research director at analyst firm Enterprise Management Associates. "While most of the security-related issues in the cloud are generally the result of misconfiguration by the end user, or a misunderstanding of the shared responsibility model, the cloud providers are not infallible, and having a central repository for security related issues that are directly the responsibility of the CSPs could be valuable."

The cloudvulndb.org website is based on the GitHub repository "Cloud Security Provider security mistakes" developed by Scott Piper, who is now co-maintainer of cloudvulndb.org. The website's content presently lists a total of 70 vulnerabilities, all originally listed on Piper's GitHub repository, and invites public contributions to enrich the database by creating a pull request to add a new issue or edit an existing one.

"I'm thrilled to see the list of cloud provider security mistakes that I was maintaining as a list in a GitHub repo turned into a more community driven and easier to consume site!" Piper said in a recent tweet. "From day one people had wanted easier searching, sorting, and filtering, and this will enable that."

Cloudvulndb.org needs industry support, analysts say

Analysts applauded the move, but cautioned that broad industry support will be necessary.

"While this is a much-needed step in the right direction, unless it becomes fully institutionalized and adopted, it will not be successful in the long run. It's imperative that CSPs support and enable this capability. The automatic derivation from GitHub is a nice feature and should account for most cloud vulnerabilities through community reporting," says TAG Cyber's McAlum.

However, McAlum points out, to be as up-to-date and accurate as possible, CSP support is a critical success factor.

Enterprise Management's Steffen concurs, saying, "The key is two-fold: including relevant vulnerabilities that are not covered through one of the other major sources already (i.e., MITRE) and secondly, getting the cooperation of the CSPs to validate and remediate proposed cloud CVEs."

Wiz's Schindel says he understands that the new cloud vulnerability database has challenges and adds that the company has a "good relationship with several CSPs" and is working on collaborating with them to bolster the website.
EAST HARTFORD  Two teenagers killed in a confrontation that police say followed a home invasion died of gunshot wounds and their deaths have been ruled homicides, the Chief State Medical Examiners office said Tuesday.

Isaiah Jose Lopez, 16, of Hartford, died of gunshot wounds to his torso, and Isaiah Miguel Nevarez, 15, of Meriden, died of gunshot wounds to his torso and upper left extremity, the medical examiner found.

The teens were former students of Hartford Public Schools, the district said in a statement Tuesday.

This is an unfortunate and tragic incident, and we are deeply saddened by the loss of members of our Hartford Public Schools community, the statement said. We are prepared to provide proper support and resources for students and staff affected by this tragedy. Our thoughts are with our former students families, friends and loved ones during this difficult time.

Police said the teens attacked the lone resident of the Graham Road duplex early on June 16. Armed with a handgun, the resident shot both intruders in what police have labeled a targeted home invasion.

East Hartford Fire Department paramedics rendered aid and rushed the teens to area hospitals, where they were pronounced dead. The resident suffered minor injuries in the attack and has been cooperating with investigators, police said.

Police have not filed any charges against the resident. Connecticut law on a civilians use of deadly force follows the castle doctrine.

In defense of themselves, the law says a person is justified in using deadly force if another person is using or about to use deadly physical force or is inflicting great bodily harm. In defense of premises, the law says a person may use deadly force when he reasonably believes such to be necessary to prevent an attempt by the trespasser to commit arson or any crime of violence and to prevent or terminate unlawful entry by force into his dwelling.

Unlike other states with broad stand your ground laws, Connecticut law distinguishes between use of deadly force in self defense inside and outside a dwelling or place of work. Deadly force is not justified if the person being attacked can retreat safely  except that the actor shall not be required to retreat inside a home or place of work.

A stand your ground bill before the state legislature this year that did not make it to a vote would have strengthened justification for civilians use of deadly force and extended the circumstances in which deadly force could be used to crimes involving motor vehicles.

Intended or not, as written, state prosecutors wrote in opposition, this portion of the bill will effectively permit one person, absent any perceived threat of personal or third party harm, to kill another person merely because the person employing deadly physical force reasonably believes that the other person is attempting, or has succeeded, with force, to enter their unoccupied motor vehicle.

Prosecutors also warned that gunfire used to prevent a motor vehicle theft would create more hazards.

Ask yourself: Is your neighbors motor vehicle worth an errant bullet through your childs bedroom window or wall at 3 a.m.? the prosecutors wrote. Moreover, human life, even one engaging in criminal activity, is more valuable than a motor vehicle.

Anyone with information about the East Hartford case can call Detective Dan Ortiz at 860-291-7669, or the departments anonymous tip line at 860-289-9134.

Jesse.leavenworth@hearstmediact.com
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WASHINGTON (AP)  The IRS commissioner has asked the Treasury Departments internal watchdog to immediately review the circumstances surrounding intensive tax audits that targeted ex-FBI Director James Comey and former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, frequent targets of Donald Trumps ire during his presidency.

IRS spokesperson Jodie Reynolds said Thursday the agency has officially referred the matter to the inspector general for tax administration after Commissioner Charles Rettig, who was nominated to the job by Trump and is a close ally of the former president, personally reached out.

Reynolds insisted it is ludicrous and untrue to suggest that senior IRS officials somehow targeted specific individuals" for such audits.

The New York Times reported Wednesday that the former FBI leaders were subjected to rare IRS audits of their tax returns. The newspaper said Comey was informed of the audit in 2019 and McCabe learned he was under scrutiny in 2021. Rettig, who term is set to expire in November, faced blistering criticism from Democrats for helping to shield Trumps tax returns from the public.

Trump repeatedly attacked Comey and McCabe over the FBIs Russia investigation that shadowed his presidency for years. Trump fired Comey in 2017 in the midst of that investigation, which ultimately was taken over by special counsel Robert Mueller, named to that job by Trump's Justice Department.

The FBI inquiry began in the summer of 2016, months before Trump was elected. The bureau had learned that a former Trump campaign aide had been saying, before it was publicly known, that Russia had dirt on Trump's Democratic rival for the White House, Hillary Clinton, in the form of stolen emails.

Those emails were hacked from Democratic email accounts by Russian intelligence. They were released by the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks before the election in what U.S. officials have said was an effort to harm Clintons campaign and help Trump's. Trump repeatedly called the investigation a witch hunt.

A 2019 review by the Justice Department's inspector general knocked down multiple lines of attack against the Russia investigation, finding that officials properly opened the inquiry and that law enforcement leaders were not motivated by political bias. The watchdog did identify a number of problems in the investigation, leading the FBI to take steps aimed at fixing some fundamental operations, such as applying for surveillance warrants and interacting with confidential sources.

McCabe was fired in March 2018 after the Justice Departments inspector general concluded he had authorized the release of information to a newspaper reporter and then misled internal investigators about his role in the leak. The termination by Jeff Sessions, Trump's attorney general at the time, came hours before McCabe was due to retire.

McCabe won back his full pension as part of a settlement of his lawsuit arising from his firing. The settlement agreement vacated that decision, expunged from his personnel folder references to the firing and entitled McCabe, who joined the FBI in 1996, to his full pension.

According to the IRS website the audits the two men and their wives underwent are part of a program that randomly selects tax returns to examine tax compliance and improve the system.

McCabe, in comments on CNN, where he is a law enforcement analyst, described the two audits as a coincidence that ... really is almost impossible statistically and said they raised questions that should be answered. He said it was appropriate for the IRS to do the responsible thing and look into it and determine whether or not something, you know, went awry in this program."

Comey said in a statement that he could not say whether anything improper happened, but after learning how unusual this audit was and how badly Trump wanted to hurt me during that time, it made sense to try to figure it out.

A Trump spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.

Asked Thursday whether Biden has confidence in Rettig, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre simply noted that his term is set to expire later this year.

He is going to be up in November, so I will leave it there, Jean-Pierre said.
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CHICAGO (AP)  Two of the victims of a July Fourth parade massacre in a Chicago suburb left behind a 2-year-old son. Another was staying with family in Illinois after he was injured in car wreck.

For some, it was a tradition. They were avid travelers, members of their synagogue and professionals. But in a hail of gunfire they became victims in the nation's latest horrific mass shooting.

The victims were Kevin McCarthy, 37; Irina McCarthy, 35; Katherine Goldstein, 64; Stephen Straus, 88; Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78; and Eduardo Uvaldo, 69.

KEVIN and IRINA MCCARTHY

It was supposed to be a fun day for the couple, who brought their 2-year-old son, Aiden, with them to watch marching bands and patriotic floats.

Instead they were killed in the gunfire, leaving their son orphaned. A stranger scooped up the blood-covered toddler and handed him to Greg Ring as he took cover with his wife and three children behind a popular pancake house.

We kind of met eyes and didnt say anything. ... I put my arms out, and she gave him to me, Ring said Wednesday, when describing the exchange with the unidentified woman, who then lay down in front of their car in shock.

The boy pointed in the direction of the parade route, saying: Mommy, Daddy, Mommy, Daddy.

The family was later able to identify the boy and reunite him with his grandparents. Friends of the McCarthys said Irinas parents would care for the boy going forward.

Irina Colon wrote on a GoFundMe page that the boy would have a long road ahead to heal, find stability, and ultimately navigate life as an orphan."

STEPHEN STRAUS

Straus showed up to the parade early and was attending alone, according to his grandchildren, who ate dinner with him the night before.

The Independence Day parade was an annual tradition for Straus  one of the many ways the 88-year-old financial advisor stayed active and involved in his community. According to his family, Straus rode the train to work every day, walked and biked regularly, and loved to visit art museums and festivals.

Despite his age, he was taken too soon, said grandson Maxwell Straus.

Maxwell and his brother, Tobias, fondly recalled going out for Sunday night dinners with their grandfather, a weekly routine that persisted despite the COVID-19 pandemic, when the grandsons would visit outside his window.

Losing their grandfather was a surreal experience, the brothers said. You never really imagine something like that can happen to you or your loved ones, said Maxwell Straus.

Stephen Straus is survived by a brother, a wife, his son and four grandchildren.

JACQUELYN SUNDHEIM

Sundheim loved her synagogue, where she once taught preschoolers and coordinated bar and bat mitzvah ceremonies. She had worked there for decades and was a devoted, lifelong member known for her kindness and warmth, synagogue officials said in a statement.

There are no words sufficient to express the depth of our grief for Jackis death and sympathy for her family and loved ones, three synagogue leaders said in the statement.

Sundheim, 63, was survived by her husband, Bruce, and their daughter Leah, according to an email the synagogue sent to congregants.

KATHERINE GOLDSTEIN

Goldstein's husband described her as an easygoing travel companion who was always game to visit far-flung locales.

She didnt complain, Craig Goldstein, a hospital physician, told The New York Times. She was always along for the ride.

Goldstein was a mother of two daughters in their early 20s, Cassie and Alana. She attended the parade with her eldest daughter, Cassie, so she could reunite with friends from high school, Goldstein said.

He said his wife had recently lost her mother and had given thought to what kind of arrangements she might want when she dies.

He recalled that Katherine, an avid bird watcher, said she wanted to be cremated and to have her remains scattered in the Montrose Beach area of Chicago, where there is a bird sanctuary.

NICOLAS TOLEDO-ZARAGOZA

Toledo-Zaragoza had come to Illinois to visit his family about two months ago, his granddaughter, Xochil Toledo, told the Chicago Sun-Times.

His family wanted him to stay permanently because of injuries he had suffered after being hit by a car a couple of years ago during an earlier visit to Highland Park. The newspaper reported that he was hit by three bullets and died at the scene.

His death left behind a large, loving family mourning his loss.

Nicolas was a loving man, creative, adventurous and funny, Toledo wrote in an online fundraising post, describing him as a father of eight and grandfather to many. I love you abuelito.

EDUARDO UVALDO

For the Uvaldo family, like others in the Highland Park area, the Independence Day parade was an annual tradition, according to a GoFundMe page organized by his granddaughter, Nivia Guzman.

When gunfire erupted from a rooftop along the parade route, Eduardo Uvaldo was shot in his arm and the back of his head. His wife, Maria, was struck in the head by bullet fragments and his grandson was shot in the arm.

Eduardo Uvaldo was brought to the hospital where, after receiving treatment and evaluation from doctors, the family was told there was nothing left to do, Guzman wrote. A GoFundMe update shows he was taken off life support Tuesday.

Uvaldo died just before 8 a.m. on Wednesday at Evanston Hospital.

___

Savage reported from Chicago and Venhuizen reported from Madison, Wisconsin. AP journalists Martha Irvine in Chicago and Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Missouri, also contributed to this report.
Connecticut officials this week confirmed the states first case of monkeypox.

State Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani said the patient, identified as a man in his 40s, was recovering at home and that the risk to Connecticut residents from this case is low.

The United States is currently experiencing a monkeypox outbreak, and there will likely be additional cases in Connecticut in the weeks ahead, Juthani said.

By July 1, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said more than 400 confirmed cases of monkeypox were in 32 states.

Here are six things to know about monkeypox.

1. Smallpox and monkeypox are related

Smallpox and monkeypox are directly related, so the smallpox vaccine does work against monkeypox, according to University of Connecticut virologist Paulo Verardi.

The important difference is that smallpox only affects humans.

Smallpox had one benefit to it: It did not have an animal reservoir. Its one of those few diseases that is only a human disease, period, Verardi said. Its very, very unusual.

Verardi said researchers have tried to infect monkeys with smallpox and basically failed: They are kind of a dead end for smallpox. That means there is no animal reservoir of the disease. No bats, no pangolins, no apes, no rodents, no ticks can be infected or infect humans.

Smallpox is very specific to humans, he said. Once you get rid of it in humans you can declare it eradicated.

Monkeypox is able to spread because smallpox has been eradicated. The two diseases are so alike that one vaccine will work, but because the smallpox vaccination is no more, the population is naive, Verardi said, and vulnerable to monkeypox.

It occupies the niche that smallpox had, because once you stop vaccination, and once you no longer have natural infection, new people that are born are going to be completely naive, he said. Youre going to be susceptible again to monkeypox, or smallpox or whatever.

2. This is not the first outbreak

In 2003, the disease spread through pet rodents, including prairie dogs and mice. It then moved to humans in a process called zoonotic transfer.

The 2003 outbreak was contained after infecting 71 humans in the United States.

The worry this time is the opposite. There is no animal reservoir of monkeypox on this continent but reverse zoonosis is a real concern.

In Africa, they found a lot in squirrels. You know how many squirrels you have in the backyard, Verardi said. The concern is that it gets transmitted out back to the rodent population in any particular country, and therefore gets established there, and then we cant get rid of it. Then it becomes endemic, like it is in Africa.

3. The virus can be transmitted in several ways

Juthani said,Monkeypox can spread through close prolonged contact with an infected person.

This might include coming into contact with skin lesions, or body fluids, sharing clothes or other materials that have been used by an infected person, or inhaling respiratory droplets during prolonged face-to-face contact, she said.

The primary course of transmission, Verardi said, is direct, skin-to-skin contact, particularly with the lesions caused by the disease. But indirect transmission is a concern.

Indirect contact is when you touch an object or material or something, and then you get transmission that way. So, its not by directly contacting the person, Verardi said. Thats because the virus, this class of viruses, theyre very thermo-stable. They can stay in nature for a long period of time, and still be infectious.

But Verardi said the likeliest source of transmission is skin-to-skin.

I will probably put the respiratory second and then the indirect as a possibility as well, he said.

4. This outbreak has lower mortality rates

Monkeypox has two different clades or strains. One, endemic in Africa, has a 17 percent mortality rate.

The other strain, commonly found in west Africa, has a far lower mortality rate, as low as 1 percent.

Luckily, this is the one that has mostly been getting transmitted out to the rest of us, Verardi said.

Verardi believes that the current monkeypox outbreak may have lower mortality than that, for several reasons.

The variants have evolved, he said. One thing that we know is that the virus originally was affecting mostly the lower respiratory tract.

This virus seems to be replicating in the upper respiratory tract which Verardi believes has made it more tramssible but a little less severe, though there is nothing proven yet.

Despite lower mortality, Verardi said the virus can cause other health issues, including blindness when a lesion comes in contact with the eye.

If you touch on the lesions and then touch your eye, it gets transmitted to your eye, you can get an infection in your eye, and you may have ulceration of the cornea which may lead to blindness even after you get better and resolve the infection, he said.

5. Its not a sexually transmitted infection, but its behaving like one

Monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted disease, but the variant is behaving in some ways like an STI.

The current outbreak is primarily affecting men who have sex with men, according to the CDC.

Its not clear how the people were exposed to monkeypox, but early data suggest that gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men make up a high number of cases, the CDC said.

That, Verardi said, is in part due to where the outbreak originated.

They are disproportionately affected because it seems that the original, big super-spreading events, so to speak, were in the sauna, he said.

So, because the outbreak began in a specific population, that is the population it is affecting. But Verardi said the virus has mutated.

Whereas other variants of the virus produced lesions over the entire body of an infected patient, this variant is producing fewer lesions, and mostly on and around the genitals.

There seems to be a disproportionate number of them in the genital area, in the anus, around the anus, he said. That could be another explanation of why it was easier for it to establish these initial clusters of transmission in men who have sex with men.

6. It could fizzle out, or it could spread

Verardi said it is possible the outbreak will be self-limiting.

It could be that it will burn itself out and well take care of it, he said. Which is very possible, even though the numbers are increasing. It is possible because were becoming more aware of it, were going to become very much better at contact tracing for monkeypox.

If it does not burn itself out, Veradi said children are particularly at risk, as are the immunocompromised.

If it continues expanding, I would expect that were going to be offering the vaccine also to people that are immunosuppressed, specific at-risk people, immunosuppressed, pregnant women and so on, he said.

The vaccine, however, is only approved for patients over the age of 18.

Children are one of the groups of people that are at higher risk, Verardi said. Clinical trials, I guess, will be considered now for children.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday authorized state forces to apprehend migrants and return them to the U.S.-Mexico border, pushing the boundaries of their enforcement powers and the Republican's escalating efforts to curb the rising number of crossings.

The federal government is responsible for enforcement of immigration. The White House criticized the move and one immigrant rights group called for swift intervention from the Justice Department.

For more than a year, Texas has patrolled the border with an increasingly heavy hand. Abbott stopped short Wednesday of authorizing Texas troopers and National Guard members  who he has already deployed to the border by the thousands  to take migrants across the ports of entry and into Mexico, disappointing former Trump administration officials who have urged him to do so.

The impact of the order was unclear, including how widely it would be used and under what circumstances. But the authority described by Abbott would amount to a significant and untested expansion of the normal powers of the National Guard and state police, who until now have turned migrants over to Border Patrol agents, and in some cases, made arrests on state trespassing charges.

Among the questions the move raises is the training state forces have to detain and transport migrants. Legal experts expected the move to to invite court challenges.

Crossings are at or near the highest in about two decades. On the Texas border, U.S. authorities stopped migrants from crossing illegally 523,000 times between January and May, up from 417,000 over the same span a year ago.

Abbott has blamed the Biden administration and spent more than $3 billion in state funds on a massive border security apparatus. But the state operation has not stemmed the flow of migrants.

"As the challenges on the border continue to increase, Texas will continue to take action to address those challenges caused by the Biden Administration. Abbott said.

The White House responded by criticizing the results of Abbott's massive border mission, known as Operation Lone Star, including a week in April when additional commercial truck inspections gridlocked Texas;' 1,200-mile border with Mexico for a week. Governor Abbotts record on immigration doesnt give us confidence in what he has cooked up now," spokesman Abdullah Hasan said.

Mexicos Foreign Relations Department said in a statement it rejects Abbots move, saying immigration policy was a federal  not state  matter and that the decision was a purely political gambit.

This action can only be understood as part of the Texas state electoral campaigns, the department said.

Laurence Benenson, of the National Immigration Forum, said he expects legal challenges to Texas trying to set its own immigration enforcement policy, which conflicts with longstanding legal precedence that that is the responsibility of the federal government.

He also said its unclear how Texas troopers would pick up people solely for being out of legal status and not having committed a crime. Attempts to broaden state powers in enforcing immigration policy have failed in the past, including Arizonas papers, please law that the Supreme Court struck down in 2012 when Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote that the state may not pursue policies that undermined federal law.

The Supreme Court recently struck down a Republican-led Texas and Missouri lawsuit to prevent the Biden administration from ending a Trump-era policy that forced asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their request is considered. That ruling, Benenson said, affirmed the federal governments role in enforcing immigration law.

There is a recognition that we dont want to open the flood gates to having states set 50 different immigration enforcement policies, Benenson said.

Abbott announced the order in a statement and his office did not immediately respond to questions about how it would be implemented.

The announcement comes two days after former Trump administration officials and sheriffs in several South Texas called on Abbott to declare what they have called an invasion" and use extraordinary powers normally reserved for war. Their plan involves a novel interpretation of the U.S. Constitution to have the National Guard or state police forcibly send migrants to Mexico, without regard to immigration laws and law enforcement procedures.

The idea has existed on the right fringes of the GOP for years but has gained traction among conservatives since Biden took office.

The Center for Renewing America, a conservative policy think tank led by former Trump administration officials, has been driving the effort and criticized Abbott's order since it does not call for expelling migrants.

That is critical. Otherwise this is still catch and release, the group said in a statement.

U.S. border authorities are stopping migrants more often on the southern border than at any time in at least two decades. Migrants were stopped nearly 240,000 times in May, up by one-third from a year ago.

Comparisons to pre-pandemic levels are complicated because migrants expelled under a public health authority known as Title 42 face no legal consequences, encouraging repeat attempts. Authorities say 25% of encounters in May were with people who had been stopped at least once in the previous year.

The advocacy group RAICES, which provides legal services to immigrant families and refugees, called Abbott's move an overreach of power and urged the Biden administration to step in.

___

Associated Press reporter Julie Watson in San Diego and Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report.
New London Police Department /contributed

NEW LONDON  Gunfire left bullet holes in a home, a business and in three vehicles Wednesday night, police said. It was one of two shots-fired incidents in the same part of the city less than an hour apart.

No one was injured, police said. Both incidents of gunfire are near the scene of a deadly shooting Tuesday night.
China-Philippines ties usher in golden era: FM

(Global Times) 09:42, July 07, 2022

During his visit to the Philippines, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi hailed China and the Philippines would usher in a "golden era" of ties as China is willing to deepen cooperation with the Philippines in various fields.

Experts said that after the past six years of nurturing and improving ties, the friendship between the two countries is now at a new high, where they are ready to explore the huge potential of collaboration.

Against the backdrop of the US trying hard to push Southeast Asian countries to encircle China, Chinese observers are confident the new Philippines government has the wisdom to know what is best for the country and will avoid taking sides between China and the US. They believe a prospering China-Philippines relationship creates a peaceful and beneficiary atmosphere for cooperation between China and all ASEAN members, to offset the negative impact brought along by US isolationism and COVID-19.

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. tweeted on Wednesday after meeting with Wang that "I am grateful to Minister Wang Yi for extending the message of congratulations and support from President Xi Jinping. We also discussed agriculture, infrastructure, energy, and our commitment to maintaining the strong relationship between our peoples in the coming years."

When meeting with Wang, Marcos, Jr. said that the Philippines upholds independent diplomacy, and stick to one-China principle. China is not only neighbor of the Philippines, but also friends and partners, the friendly relations between the two countries should be strengthened, said the Philippines President.

"South China Sea is not the mainstream of bilateral relation, and should not stand in the way of bilateral relation," he said.

Wang said that the bilateral relation is at a new start, and China is willing to be a good neighbor and partner of Philippines, and elevate bilateral cooperation and start a "golden era" of bilateral relations.

Wang also met with Philippine's Vice President Sara Duterte, Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, and National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos.

When meeting with Philippine National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos, Wang said that with joint efforts from the two sides, the China-Phillipines relations have witnessed positive turnaround, improvement and upgrading over the past six years.

The election of Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos as the new Philippine president has turned over a new leaf in the China-Philippines ties as the people of the two countries have a high expectation on the future development of bilateral relations, he noted.

Wang Yi is the first foreign minister to be received by the new Philippine government. Last week, Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan, serving as Xi's special representative, attended the inauguration of Marcos Jr. as the 17th president of the Philippines.

Relations between the two countries are turning a new page, and this means China and the Philippines are going to have upgraded partnership and explore wider and deeper cooperation in areas such as the economy, trade, investment and other areas, Chen Xiangmiao, an assistant research fellow at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

After hitting bumpy road under the rein of former President Benigno Aquino III, China-Philippines relations revived and prospered under the administration of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, said Chen, believing that after those years' nurturing, the relationship is ready to be upgraded to a new level.

At a news briefing on Tuesday, Marcos Jr. said that he wants his country's relationship with China to go beyond disputes over parts of the South China.

"Let's add to that. Let's have cultural exchanges, educational exchanges and even military, if that will be useful. In the private sector, joint ventures have also been there. The more we do that, the more it will help resolve the issue," he said at the press briefing.

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said on Facebookon Tuesday there is another milestone for Philippine-China G2G cooperation as China and the Philippines signed the commercial contract of the Consulting Services for the Conduct of Detailed Engineering Design and Construction Supervision of the Davao River Bridge.

The China Aid Localized Project for Davao River Bridge (Bucana Bridge), located at the estuary of the Davao River in Davao city, is a dual two-lane bridge with a length of around 1,340 meters. When completed, it will alleviate east-west traffic congestion in the coastal areas of the city and divert about 35,000 vehicles every day, improve travel efficiency and help boost the rapid development of the local economy. It is estimated that 300 to 500 local people will be employed during the peak construction period.

In fact, China's investment in the Philippines is concentrated on infrastructure projects, which means there is huge potential for future opportunities in areas such as agriculture and healthcare, said Chen, noting that since the two sides already have put disputes surrounding the South China Sea under better control, it is also possible for Beijing and Manila to negotiate on oil and gas exploitation and fisheries.

When talking about military cooperation, Chen said that although the Philippines is a strong ally of the US in Southeast Asia, it does not deter it from conducting military cooperation with China. US military collaboration with the Philippines is mostly in traditional areas, while China's cooperation with the country is in non-traditional fields, said Chen.

Beijing and Manila's cooperation on security focuses mainly on safeguarding maritime security, yet in the future, Chen said the two countries could work together to crackdown on drug-related crimes, trafficking and combat with regional extremist forces.

In 2017, China handed over batches of armaments, including rifles, ammunition and sniper scopes to help the Philippines fight terrorism.

A broader significance

US President Joe Biden extended an invitation for Marcos Jr. to visit the US less than a week after the latter's inauguration, , the Philippines News Agency reported on Sunday.

Experts see Biden's move as a way to win over its important ally as the Biden administration has hastened the pace of grouping with other Asia-Pacific countries to contain China. On the other hand, the US is also on edge to see where the new Philippines government stands on its relations with China and with the US.

Around the time Marcos Jr. took office, US media published a slew of articles focusing on what stance the Philippines' new president will take when being placed in the middle of the contest between Beijing and Washington. In an article published on Wednesday, Associated Press said that Marcos Jr.'s Tuesday remarks were playing a "balancing act."

Experts are confident the Philippines' new government has the wisdom to make choices that would turn out to be the best for the country. Marcos' top priority is to boost the domestic economy and improve people's livelihoods. He will not randomly take sides between China and the US but will take a stance which can best serve Philippine's national interests and promote industrialization and modernization, Xu Liping, a research fellow on Southeast Asian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The Philippines, as well as other ASEAN members, is facing multiple challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the US-led Western anti-Russia sanctions, which have deeply interrupted global supply chains, markets and the economic order, said experts.

The US is trying to further its influence in the Asia-Pacific region by instigating conflicts and tensions, as Washington wants to engage in a great power competition against Beijing and has attempted, by using its regional allies, to instigate bloc-to-bloc confrontation in the region.

So 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.

ASEAN remains China's largest trade partner, accounting for 14.6 percent of China's total foreign trade in the first four months of 2022, with the EU and the US ranking second and third, according to customs statistics released in May, the latest data available.

"Stable and positive China-Philippines relations also inject momentum to development of relations between China and all other ASEAN members. The two countries' contribution to regional integration, cooperation in various fields and maritime stability creates a peaceful and beneficiary atmosphere for the whole region," Chen said.

(Web editor: Liang Jun, Bianji)
Bjoern Wylezich / TNS

A Bridgeport man is facing a federal charge after local police allegedly found him in possession of a loaded handgun in April, the U.S. attorneys office announced Thursday.

Kimani Williams, 30, was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday on a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, the office said. Williams has previous felony-level convictions in New York and Connecticut, the office said, making it illegal for him to possess a gun or ammunition.
WEIRTON, W.Va. (AP)  A hospital in West Virginia's Northern Panhandle has agreed to pay $1.5 million to the federal government to settle allegations that the medical center provided financial incentives to physicians for referring Medicare patients there, U.S. Justice Department officials said Thursday.

Weirton Medical Center was accused of violating the Stark Law, which prohibits medical providers from receiving kickbacks or other financial incentives in exchange for referring patients who receive treatment paid for by government healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
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KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Foreign analysts say Russia may be temporarily easing its offensive in eastern Ukraine as the Russian military attempts to reassemble its forces for what it hopes could prove decisive new assault on its neighbor. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned menacingly on Thursday that his forces haven't even started to fight.

Russian forces made no claimed or assessed territorial gains in Ukraine on Wednesday for the first time in 133 days of war, according to the Institute for the Study of War. The Washington-based think tank suggested Moscow may be taking an operational pause, but said that does not entail "the complete cessation of active hostilities."

Russian forces will likely confine themselves to relatively small-scale offensive actions as they attempt to set conditions for more significant offensive operations" and rebuild the necessary combat power, the institute said.

Russias Defense Ministry seemed to confirm that assessment, saying in a statement Thursday that Russian soldiers had been given time to rest.

The units that performed combat missions ... are taking measures to recover their combat capabilities. The servicemen are given the opportunity to rest, receive letters and parcels from home, read the statement, quoted by Russian state news agency Tass.

Putin warned Kyiv it should quickly accept Moscows terms to end the fighting or brace for the worst.

Everybody should know that largely speaking, we havent even yet started anything in earnest, he said in a menacing note.

Shelling continued in Ukraine's east, with the mayor of one Donetsk region city saying it was hit by the most powerful strike since the war began.

Kramatorsk Mayor Oleksandr Gorchenko said a Russian missile hit in the vicinity of the local government buildings shortly after noon. The city has been the center of the Donetsk regional government since 2014, when the city of Donetsk was taken over by Kremlin-backed separatists.

Earlier on Thursday, regional officials said at least one person was killed and six more were injured in the strike.

Volodymyr, 66, a resident who declined to provide his full name, sat in his overturned apartment, covered in blood.

I was just sitting and drinking tea, and then there was an explosion," he told the Associated Press. "You can see the result of it.

Asked if he felt safe staying in his apartment building block, he responded: Is it safe right now anywhere in Ukraine? It all just happened in one moment, and that was it.

In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, police said three people died and five were injured after the Nemyshlyanskii neighborhood was blasted from multiple-launch rocket systems.

People suffered, for what? local resident Sergey Pershin said as he watched medics tend to the wounded and put the dead in body bags.

It's horrible. I'm so sick of it. Every night you wake up 10 times, you wait for it to end, wait until they start shooting. What are the bastards doing? There are residential buildings here.

The Kharkiv region, which lies along the border with Russia, comes under daily shelling.

In Donetsk, 10 cities and villages came under shelling, and 35 buildings were destroyed, including a school, a vocational college and a hospital, officials said.

Donetsk is part of the Donbas, a mostly Russian-speaking industrial area where Ukraines most experienced soldiers are concentrated. Pro-Russian separatists have fought Ukrainian forces and controlled much of the Donbas for eight years. Putin recognized the independence of two self-proclaimed republics there just before Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Putin on Monday claimed victory in Luhansk, the other Donbas province, after Ukrainian forces withdrew from the last city they controlled there. The governor of Luhansk, Serhiy Haidai, denied Wednesday that the Russians had completely captured the province.

The Ukrainian military said Thursday that Russian forces also carried out shelling and helicopter strikes in the Sumy region in the northeast.

Even as the fighting continued, the British Defense Ministry said it thinks Russia's military is reconstituting its forces. A ministry intelligence assessment issued Thursday said the heavy shelling along the front line in Donetsk is likely intended to secure previous Russian gains.

Further hostilities were reported in the Black Sea. The Ukrainian military said Thursday a national flag again stood on a strategic island that Russian troops withdrew from last month.

Ukraines southern military command said Ukrainian military units had cleared Snake Island, an outpost off Ukraines southwestern coast vital for guaranteeing sea lanes out of Odesa, Ukraine's biggest port.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the operation to take back the island took two months and was carried out by an array of military and intelligence forces.

And now let every Russian captain, whether of a ship or a plane, see the Ukrainian flag on Snake Island and know that our state cannot be broken," he said in his nightly video address.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday that a Russian military aircraft launched a missile strike on the island as Ukrainian forces attempted to plant the flag. "As a result, some of the Ukrainian military personnel were destroyed, the rest fled, the ministry said. The claim could not be immediately verified.

When Russian troops withdrew from Snake Island on June 30, the Defense Ministry described it as a a goodwill gesture to ensure Ukrainian grain and other exports could resume.

Ukraine said Russia also fired two missiles at a Moldovan-flagged oil tanker in the Black Sea, setting it ablaze. Ukrainian officials said one hit the Millennial Spirit, which carried over 500 tons of diesel fuel, while the other went wide.

The ship has been without a crew, drifting at sea since the start of the war in February. Russia did not immediately acknowledge the strike on the vessel.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said it summoned the Turkish ambassador in Kyiv on Thursday over what it described as the theft of Ukrainian grain by a Russian ship.

The Zhibek Zholy was allowed to leave Turkey's Black Sea coast after Turkish authorities briefly detained it at Ukraine's request. Ukraine summoned the ambassador to complain.

Turkey, with its Bosporus Strait, is the key transit route for shipping out of the Black Sea. Ukraine has sought to pressure Ankara to stop Russian shipments of its grain, a vital source of revenue.

Also Thursday:

Zelenskyy said he spoke with Boris Johnson just hours after the British prime minister announced he would step down. Zelenskyy said he thanked Johnson, who visited Kyiv twice after the war began, for his support and especially for the weapons and money Britain has sent to Ukraine.

And although this reflects the position of British society, the leadership and charisma of the countrys leader always have special meaning. ... Its not surprising that Ukrainians feel a personal gratitude to Boris, Zelenskyy said in his nightly address. He said Johnson and other British officials reassured him this strong support would continue.

___

Associated Press journalists Francesca Ebel in Kramatorsk, Ukraine; Jon Gambrell in Lviv, Ukraine; and Cara Anna in Kharkiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.

___

Follow AP's coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Researchers discovered meteorite dust with exotic crystals after the Chelyabinsk meteorite exploded midair. Large amounts of dust have left the explosion in Chelyabinsk City in Russia.

Chelyabinsk Meteorite Enters Earth Atmosphere

The asteroid entered the earth's atmosphere on Feb.15, 2013, with dimensions of 59 feet wide and heavy as 12,125 tons; it reached speeds of 41,600 mph, reported Science Alert.

Fortunately, the meteor blew up approximately 14.5 miles (23.3 kilometers) above, scattering tiny meteorites throughout the region and avoiding a huge collision with the ground.

At the time, experts described the event as a significant wake-up call about the dangers that asteroids pose to the planet, citing Live Science.

To date, the Chelyabinsk meteor explosion is the biggest to occur close to the planet's surface after the massive Tunguska blast in 1908. The outburst was equal to 30 times compared to the A-bomb dropped on Hiroshima, noted NASA.

According to Live Science's sister site Space.com, video footage of the event showed the space rock smoldering up in a flash of light that was briefly brighter than the Sun until producing a strong sonic boom that damaged buildings, broke windows, and injured roughly 1,200 people in the city below.

Exotic Crystals, Dust From Meteorite Explosion

In a recent study, scientists examined some of the minute pieces of space rock, or meteorite dust, left over after the meteor exploded, with exotic crystals originating from the Chelyabinsk meteorite.

Read Also: Asteroid Strike May Threaten Future Settlers on Mars, NASA Says

A small amount of dust is typically produced as a meteor burns up. Researchers did not even notice tiny grains since they are either too small to be found, dispersed by the wind, fallen into the water, or polluted by the environment.

When the meteor exploded, that left a massive dust plume that floated in the atmosphere for about four days or more, which rained down to the surface later.

If it were not for layers of snow that fell after the meteoric airburst, which covered the dust that fell from the sky, later scientists would be able to recover them. They saw a new kind of crystal under the microscope while looking at the alien dust from space.

One of these tiny structures, barely noticeable under the magnifying lens, was in focus in the center of one of the slides when one of the team members gazed through the eyepiece.

The scientists found many more crystals in the dust and carefully examined them. More capable electron microscopes were used to accomplish this.

Several new crystalline forms were seen as quasi-spherical or almost spherical shells and hexagonal rods with unique transformative qualities, noted in the study.

Using X-rays to analyze the crystals, they were not of this earth with layered graphite, which is carbon. It overlaps atomic layers similar to pencils, with a nanocluster in the center of the crystal.

Researchers suggest that polyhexacyclooctadecane (C18H12), a molecule made of carbon and hydrogen, and buckminsterfullerene (C60), a cage-like ball of carbon atoms, are the two most likely candidates for these nanoclusters.

The study's authors think the crystals formed by extreme heat and pressure as the meteor broke up, but the process is unknown. The exotic crystals left by the dust of the Chelyabinsk meteorite are assumed to form from heat and pressure; the explosion is the biggest one after Tunguska in Siberia.

Related Article: Ancient City Tall el-Hammam Decimated by Tunguska-like Explosion, Theorized As Biblical Sodom

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Prosecutors claimed in court Wednesday that the gunman in Monday's massacre at a Fourth of July celebration in the Illinois community of Highland Park acknowledged carrying out the assault, which killed seven people and injured scores more.

Robert Crimo III Held Without Bail

During a virtual bail hearing, Robert E. Crimo III, 21, Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Ben Dillon, the suspect told officials in a voluntary statement that he looked down his sights, aimed, and started to fire on paradegoers, emptying two 30-round magazines before loading a third and firing again.

Crimo was granted a public lawyer and is scheduled to appear in court again on July 28. According to investigators, the gunman began to fire from a rooftop on a Highland Park company just after 10 am CT on Monday. Investigators suspect Crimo disguised himself as a woman and used cosmetics to conceal his tattoos. According to Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokeswoman Chris Covelli, he exited the roof and mixed in with the fleeing throng, as per CNN.

During the eight-hour manhunt, police say the suspect stopped to meet an acquaintance before driving two and a half hours to Madison, Wisconsin, where he considered carrying out another assault when he noticed a huge crowd. Another pistol and roughly 60 rounds of ammo were in the car with him. CBS News acquired a photograph of the pistol found in the vehicle.

As per the Illinois State Police, the suspected gunman passed four background checks in 2020 and 2021 while amassing a five-gun armory. After the suspect's father signed a permission paper, the first one was acquired.

Despite two incidents with police in 2019 involving threats of violence against himself or family members, as well as a series of unsettling social media posts, his parents' counsel claims there were no red flags, CBS News reported.

Read Also: Highland Park Parade Shooting Suspect Arrested After Killing 6, Injuring 24 During Celebration of Independence Day

Highland Park Shooting Suspect's Weapons Sponsored by His Father

Prosecutors stated on Wednesday that 83 expended shot casings and rifle magazines were retrieved from the shooting site. The new information comes as concerns are being raised about how the suspect obtained firearms.

He passed background checks aimed at keeping potentially violent people from purchasing guns, despite having previously made threats that were reported to authorities. Three other guns were discovered at his residence. Despite having two prior interactions with law enforcement, the defendant obtained five firearms in the previous year, according to police.

One week after allegedly attempting to take his own life, police were summoned to the suspect's residence in April 2019. In September 2019, a family member reported him to police after he made violent threats to murder everyone. Police were called, and 16 knives, a dagger, and a sword were taken from his residence. He was not arrested, and no other action was taken against him.

In a different and more recent instance, Crimo allegedly acted suspiciously during a Passover visit to a nearby synagogue in April. According to The Forward, a Jewish news organization, a volunteer security coordinator believes the suspect was sizing up the facility before leaving without incident.

As reported by Illinois state police, the suspect's father supported his application for a gun license in December 2001, when he was just 19 years old. In a statement to the Chicago Sun, his uncle refuted this.

Illinois is one of 19 states in the United States that have so-called red flag laws to keep weapons out of the hands of persons who may be a risk to themselves or others. According to BBC, the Highland Park shooting demonstrates that comparable laws are ineffectual.

Related Article: Frantic Search Continues for Missing Minnesota Girl Whose Mom Was Found Dead in Mississippi River Park

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There is a little known fact that the Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency comes from generations of Rees-Moggs who, across continents and down the centuries, have argued forcefully that everything is going according to plan.

Here are just a few of their successes from history...

AD64: The Great Fire of Rome

In a keynote speech, Jacobus Moggus, Emperor Nero's Minister for Conflagration Opportunities, declares that critics of the Emperor have 'if I may say so, got it all hopelessly wrong'.

Moggus goes on to say that 'these sort of mild fires do happen from time to time, and anyone with a halfway-reasonable knowledge of history will know they present marvellous opportunities for regeneration'.

'Might I also add that the Emperor Nero is a man of unparalleled integrity. He also possesses the virtue of being a first-rate musician. It was characteristically generous of him to play us the fiddle while Rome burned. Doesn't that show you a big man, always willing to entertain others less fortunate than himself?'

'In a keynote speech, Jacobus Moggus, declares that critics of the Emperor Nero have 'if I may say so, got it all hopelessly wrong'' (Pictured: Christopher Biggins as Nero in 1976 TV series 'I,Claudius')

1346-1353: The Black Death

Government spokesman Jack Real-Morgue argues that up to 200 million deaths from bubonic plague across Africa, Europe and Asia is 'roughly in accord with government targets, and that's some - thing of which we can be proud'.

He says: 'Upsetting though these deaths undoubtedly are for those who have been obliged to undergo them, they present a very real opportunity for economic growth.'

He adds that, as a direct result of the Black Death, the price of gruel has dropped. 'And that represents a huge benefit to families on lower incomes. Let's talk about the things that matter to ordinary people.'

1854: Charge of the Light Brigade

Questioned after the event, Lieutenant General Jacob Mogg-Rees-Mogg, 3rd Earl of Mogg, pronounces the Charge of the Light Brigade 'a spectacular victory for British common sense'.

Asked if it was one of the most ruinous military actions of all time, he laughs. 'I regret to say your question reveals a lack of strategic know-how. With cannon to the right of them and cannon to the left of them, it was the perfect time to charge.'

But what of Alfred, Lord Tennyson's view that 'someone had blunder'd'?

Mogg-Rees-Mogg describes this as 'a characteristically feeble attempt to slur Her Majesty's brave soldiers by someone who should really know better'.

He adds that, thanks to what he calls 'this tremendous victory in what shall henceforth be known as the ' Valley of Life', the price of bread has dropped by a halfpenny a loaf, which is, if I may say so, in line with government targets'

1912: Sinking of RMS Titanic

'No one is denying that RMS Titanic has gone down,' says Jay Cobry-Smogg, spokesman for the White Star Line. 'But it was, if I may say so, entirely in accordance with our plans for the ship. Rather than steer it left, right or straight on, we decided to go for the more imaginative downwards option  a bold strategy that, if I may say so, we executed to perfection.'

Asked if he regrets the loss of some 1,500 lives, Mr Cobry-Smogg replies: 'That's easy to say with hind - sight. But let's talk about the hundreds of people who made it to America and will remember that voyage for the rest of their lives.'

Cobry-Smogg adds he'd prefer to focus on all icebergs 'without whom this project would not have been possible. It's high time we celebrated their patriotism, strength and resilience, as we continue to go onwards and downwards.'

1960: Tragedy at Bates Motel

Addressing what he describes as 'the unfortunate incident' at Bates Motel, spokesman Jake Obrys M. Ogg says he had not been aware of any 'specific allegations' against the hotelier, Mr Norman Bates.

He adds he wants to make it 'absolutely clear there's no place on the staff of this motel for anyone who stabs people in their showers. '

But our customers want us to concentrate on what really matters  and that's how we can deliver the kind of top-quality shower curtains they truly deserve.'
Sadly, they got him in the end.

Even the Prime Minister who delivered Brexit, smashed Londons Red Wall, consigned Marxist Jeremy Corbyn to the political scrapheap, led us out of devastating lockdowns faster than any other western leader and was the most important ally to Ukraine in a bid to stop a European war could not survive the relentless attacks from the mainstream broadcast media, political establishment and remoaner blob.

I dont think any politician could have sustained such a campaign  and that provides a chilling warning about the new political era Britain now finds itself.

The Westminster witch hunt by unelected dark forces crippled the man who has never lost an election and secured an 80-seat landslide majority just 938 days ago.

It had become virtually impossible for Boris to govern, even in the midst of unprecedented crises, with a craven media led by Brexit-hating broadcasters elevating even the smallest so-called scandal ahead of the stories that actually mattered to ordinary Brits, like war and the cost-of-living.

We got to the almost farcical stage where, no matter the story, the BBC (lately the Boris Bashing Corporation), Sly News (sic), ITV News, Channel 4 News and so many others would bring it back to the PM having to resign.

Even his conclusive victory in the confidence vote just a month ago, which should have secured his leadership for a year, was turned into yet another opportunity to demand: Boris must go!

I dont think any politician could have sustained such a campaign  and that provides a chilling warning about the new political era Britain now finds itself

Over the past 48 hours, the true colours of the apparently impartial media class have shone through

It had become virtually impossible for Boris to govern, even in the midst of unprecedented crises

Over the past 48 hours, the true colours of the apparently impartial media class have shone through.

There was the BBCs lead political presenter Jo Coburn declaring yesterday afternoon Boris is over, a decision that, as an impartial journalist paid for by us, Id politely remind her is not hers to make.

Former Beeb heavyweight turned presenter for leftie LBC Andrew Marr was virtually popping the champagne live on air with Labours Jess Phillips when Rishi Sunaks resignation was announced.

Radio 4s Today Programme was exposed for begging Tory ministers to resign live on air, as if this is all some sort of parlour game, rather than an attempt to thwart a democratic vote.

Now Boris has accepted the inevitable, their glee is barely containable.

Because they know theyve won.

They conspired with the London liberal establishment and Brexit-hating blob to ensure Boris was unable to go on.

Of course, now theyll claim that he was forced out by his own party, but the reality is the damage had been done long before this week, with their never-ending attacks becoming death by a thousand cuts.

When it comes to the MSM, its likely now that the BBC will be empowered rather than defunded.

The hated licence fee will survive and Channel 4 wont be sold.

But far more importantly the institutions in this country will now conspire for the UK to get back in bed with the European Union.

Was Boris perfect? Far from it.

Ive been his biggest critic at times when that has been deserved, especially on unnecessary lockdowns, his failure to cut taxes and when he became too influenced by his liberal wife on matters like the frenzied dash to Net Zero.

But Ive understood that these sorts of disagreements dont need to result in the will of the people being subverted.

And Ive never forgotten what the hatred of Boris is REALLY about: Reversing Brexit.

Its only thanks to Boris that our future together as an independent United Kingdom will end up being, in his words, golden

Ive never forgotten what the hatred of Boris is REALLY about: Reversing Brexit

Arch Tory remoaner Michael Heseltine  who knows his fair share about politically assassinating legendary Tory Prime Ministers  summed it up when he admitted: The cancer at the heart of this dilemma is Brexit. If Boris goes, Brexit goes.

Chair of the European Movement Andrew Adonis went even further yesterday, declaring: This is a critical point in the battle for the soul of our country, and we can only reclaim our future if politicians from all sides put our country ahead of Boris Johnson.

The European Movement is the only organisation with the unwavering courage to expose the calamity of Brexit and reopen the conversation about our relationship with Europe that has so devastated Boris Johnsons leadership.

Make no mistake, that conversation will happen, no matter what Slippery Starmer  the biggest remoaner of them all who campaigned for a second EU referendum  might say publicly.

The chances of a Labour/SNP/Lib Dem/Green coalition from hell are now sky high and, with Tony Blair pulling the strings in the background, all bets are off if this dreaded combination are able to enter Number 10.

Boriss departure will now result in months of political chaos and uncertainty in Britain at a time when we need it least  and a bitter intra-Tory war.

The idea that the party will be united in time for the next election seems a fantasy.

An inevitably divisive leadership contest will be used by Scheming Sturgeon to push the cause of Scottish separatism, putting the Union at threat once again.

So I might be mocked by lefties for backing Boris into his final days, but all of that is why I think its a disgrace the elite were allowed to win.

Mark my words, this is a dark day for democracy in Britain.

But Boris should hold his head high for being a transformational Prime Minister who helped the UK regain our precious independence from the EU.

That was his most important job and he delivered, while singlehandedly redrawing the countrys electoral map almost by coincidence.

He enters the history books as the man who beat a vindictive establishment determined to overturn democracy to deliver Brexit  a feat no other political leader could come close to achieving.

Its only thanks to Boris that our future together as an independent United Kingdom will end up being, in his words, golden.
Many of us get the odd pimple here and there, whatever our age and skin type, with 95 per cent of people aged 11 to 30 affected by acne to some extent, according to the NHS.

So if youre fed up with a few pimples, or really struggling with acne, it might be helpful to know that not all breakouts are equal, and therefore require different treatment to get rid of them.

Celebrity Cosmetic Doctor, and founder of ESK (https://www.eskcare.com/), Dr Ginni Mansberg, who is best known as the resident doctor on Sunrise, Australias leading breakfast show, explains that there are six types of pimples.

She explains that identifying your pimples correctly is vital to seeking appropriate treatment.

Here, Femail reveals the six pimple types and shares Dr Mansbergs advice about how to tackle them:

1. SUPERFICIAL PIMPLES

Superficial pimples are the most common type of blemish and often resolve themselves in a matter of days. You can however try a mild skin cleanser (stock image)

Dr Ginni Mansberg says that these are the most common and many of us will only ever have these kinds of pimples. 

They often resolve in a matter of days, disappearing without a scar and usually dont throb, she adds.

How to treat them:

Cleanse with a mild skin cleanser,' she advised. 'Look for a pH-balanced, soap free cleanser and cleanse twice daily to remove sebum, dirt, and microorganisms.

'Alpha hydroxy acids will break the bonds between clumped skin cells allowing them to be effectively but gently removed.

Vitamin B3 AKA Niacinamide is another ingredient that has evidence for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects, as well as reduced sebum or oil production.

'It can also improve that all important skin barrier function by preventing water loss through the epidermis (the outer skin layer). Given that many people with acne have dry skin underlying their overproduction of oil, this too can be helpful for acne.'

2. COMEDONES

Open comedones are blackheads. The colour is due to surface pigmentation not dirt. Whiteheads appear when the follicle is completely blocked and skin has grown over the top (stock image)

Open comedones are blackheads where the top of the pimple is black because of surface pigmentation (not dirt!), explained Dr Mansberg.

Closed comedones are whiteheads where the follicle is completely blocked and skin has grown over the top.

How to treat them:

Vitamin A (retinoids) are the absolute best topicals for treating acne and preventing breakouts. Retinoids help increase skin cell turnover, to prevent excessive build-up of dead skin cells. They are comedolytic (pimple busting) plus they are anti-inflammatory.

'Of the over the counter retinoids, retinal (AKA retinaldehyde) is the most effective and the least irritating form of Vitamin A. Prescription retinoids often cause irritation, redness, dryness and even peeling.

3. PAPULES

Pauples are tender red bumps without any visible pus. You can try Vitamin A, salicylic acid to treat them because it is an exfoliator, with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-comedogenic properties (stock image)

According to Dr Ginni Mansberg, papules are small, tender red bumps without obvious visible pus.

How to treat them:

Alongside Vitamin A, Salicylic acid can be a helpful addition too,' she said.

'Its an exfoliator, with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-comedogenic properties which all give it a really good role when tackling acne.

4. PUSTULES

Pustules are pimples that do have pus in them. You can squeeze them if you're careful, but if it doesn't work straight away, stop (stock image)

In contrast to papules, 'pustules are pimples that do have pus in them, explained Dr Mansberg.

How to treat them:

If your blackhead, whitehead or pustule is not hurting or inflamed, you CAN squeeze them. But be careful.

'Thoroughly wash and dry your hands and use a blackhead extractor, gently. If it doesnt work straight away, abandon ship! she warned.

5. DEEPER PIMPLES

Deeper pimples are often more severe acne and sit in skin that is already affected by superficial pimples (stock image)

These signify more severe acne and often sit in skin already affected by superficial pimples.

If you look at them under a microscope, they extend beyond the dermis into the subcutaneous layer below the dermis, explains Dr Ginni Mansberg. They last for weeks, often leaving a scar.

How to treat them:

'Treatment for modular cystic acne is oral vitamin A known as Accutane. You need to be on it for at least five months, often much longer.

'For a big cyst or nodule a doctor can drain it using a needle and inject some steroid into the lump to reduce the inflammation and pain.'

6. NODULES AND CYSTS

Nodules are deeper and tend to be harder and more painful than typical pimples. You can try a leave-on mask, but many will need intervention from a dermatologist (stock image)

Nodules are deeper pimples that may involve more than one follicle. They feel harder, are painful and red, says Dr Ginni.

They tend to come packaged up with cysts which are large fluid (pus) containing nodules, and are usually great than 5mm in diameter- although the 2 terms tend to be used interchangeable.

Every single pimple forms from the same issue where you get a build up of oil plus excessive skin and debris that blocks the pore and causes inflammation. This makes a perfect breeding ground for bad actor bacteria like Cutebacterium Acnes (or C. Acnes)

How to treat them:

For a throbbing nodule or cyst, do not squeeze. Some ice or a cold compress might help reduce pain, redness and swelling for some symptom relief. Ice can be wrapped in a cloth and used for 30 seconds at a time onto clean skin.

'You can try a topical Salicylic Acid leave-on mask, such as the Hydroxy Overnight Mask or a dissolving microneedle patch, like Spotless but most will need medical intervention, explained Dr Mansberg.
But some agreed it was more appropriate for female teacher to do wake-up call

A mother has sparked a debate after expressing concern over a male teacher entering the girls dormitory on a school trip.

The outraged women took to UK parenting forum Mumsnet after her teenage daughter returned from a trip where her male teacher had done the morning wake-up call.

Claiming it was a 'safeguarding issue', she said: 'A male teacher in a room of sleeping 13-year-old girls, it doesn't sit right with me'.

She said she wanted to ask for advice from others before raising it with the school, but received a backlash with some even accusing her of 'looking for something to be outraged about.

However, others sided with the worried mother and agreed that a female teacher should have woken up the students.

An unnamed woman took to the British parenting forum Mumsnet to explain her concerns after a male teacher entered the girls dorm to wake up students during a school trip (stock image)

The concerned mother explained that the teacher's actions don't sit right with her because she believes he's displayedpoor judgement in the past

Explaining her concerns, the woman wrote: 'Should a male teacher have done this?'

She said that during 'a residential school trip', the teacher had entered 'a girls' shared dorm to wake them up'.

'To my mind it's a safeguarding issue, and there was also a female teacher on the trip who could have done it,' she said. 'The teacher has form for having "off" judgement at times.'

However, fellow commenters didn't share her concerns, with one writing: 'I'm sure he didn't go in and pull their blankets off.'

Another said 'You seem to be thinking about this along the lines of a news headline instead of the reality.

'There's not a problem with this, leave the poor guy alone.'

Many commenters disagreed with the mother and accused her of looking for something to be outraged about, saying the teacher's gender is only relevant if something inappropriate happened

Someone said 'There's a whole group of girls in their PJs in a room together, no I wouldn't find it off that a male teacher woke them. As a male teacher I wouldn't want to do it for this exact reason.'

A poster claiming to be a teacher themselves weighed in on the debate by saying 'What exactly happened that makes you feel it's inappropriate?

'I'm a teacher who often goes on trips. I'll knock on the door of each room, regardless of gender, wait until someone answers and then walk in to the room to tell pupils it's time to get up.

'Teachers of both genders do the same.

'Pupils are told in advance that they all need to be "decently dressed" when answering the door.

'We stay in hostels with rooms of 4-6 pupils on multiple floors. Do you expect a team of one male and one female staff to go together to wake pupils up depending on the gender of the room?

Some agreed and said that the behaviour was wrong, adding that it should have been a female teacher waking up the girls

'If he walked in and close to their beds, and watched them while they were changing or getting out of bed, then that would of course be different, but somehow I don't think this was the case here'

However, others agreed with the poster saying 'It's a perfectly legitimate question.'

Another poster wrote 'If he thinks that's OK then he clearly doesn't know much about safeguarding. The female teacher should have done it.

'And for those asking if it would be different If it was a female teacher, well yes!

'Because 99 per cent of sex crimes are committed by men.'

Another said 'I can't be bothered to explain the entire patriarchy to you.

'How girls are sexualized in school uniform, how they are sexually harassed in the same.

'How there is a rape a week in schools in the UK, how one sex is constantly judged on what they wear and how slutty and/or prudish it is, how many men are sexually attracted to underage children, how 90 per cent of sex offences are by men.

'If you honestly don't understand why good men should be a little bit careful around girls' privacy and dignity, you haven't been listening.

'Fortunately most men know and act accordingly.

'I'd expect one same sex adult to wake from the doorway while there is another in the corridor. All safe as houses.'

Another echoed the same sentiments, saying 'Luckily, most schools and institutions CAN see what's wrong with it, which is why they write protocols on safeguarding which the majority of teachers follow.

The wake-up call wasn't the only grievance shared on the popular platform. The unnamed mum also revealed that her daughter's phone use was being monitored by the same teacher.

Users were convinced that the woman's daughter had misbehaved on the trip and was telling tales on the teacher as revenge

She said 'During the trip, he convinced himself that my daughter was on her phone. This wasn't true, as her phone was here the whole time.

'They weren't permitted to take them and I wholeheartedly supported this. He asked the other children to let him know - using a code word - if anyone spotted her on the phone.

Pitting the children against each other like this is completely unacceptable and inappropriate.'

Mumsnet users came to the teacher's defence once more, with one writing: 'His poor judgement or your 13-year-old was misbehaving a bit on the trip, got pulled up on it, and is now making her teacher out to be a bully and a creep.

'Either could be true, but 13-year-olds do tend to lie when theyve done something wrong.

'Before trying to ruin the guys job why not approach the school and ask about your daughters behavior to get both sides?'

The original poster replied 'Who said anything about ruining his job? To my mind, this isn't something a male teacher should have done, but it seems I'm in the minority and that's fine!'
A woman is facing backlash for her 'backwards' and 'misdirected' protest after announcing she refused to serve jury duty due to her 'emotional distress' over the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

Alyssa Wolfe, who is known as @eatwithlys on TikTok, detailed her scathing response to her recent jury summons in a now-viral video days after the Supreme Court overturned the 1973 ruling that made abortion legal at the federal level.

'I was summoned for jury duty,' she explained in the on-screen text. 'As a woman in my 20s, this is what I had to say...am I wrong though?'

Scroll down for video

Alyssa Wolfe, who is known as @eatwithlys on TikTok, revealed in a now-viral video that she refused to serve jury duty due to her 'emotional distress' over the reversal of Roe v. Wade

She shared a screenshot of the email she allegedly sent stating she no longer feels comfortable serving her country

The footage then cut to a screenshot of the email she allegedly sent to the jury coordinator saying she won't be serving jury duty from July 18 to July 22.

'I will NOT be attending jury duty,' the message said. 'In light of ROE V WADE and other basic human rights continuing to be taken, I no longer live in a country that serves me. Therefore, I do NOT feel comfortable serving it.

'Being part of the jury service at this time would put me in extreme emotional distress,' she continued. 'Not to mention my opinions would be completely biased. I hope you understand and are able to find another United States citizen that is actually proud to be such.'

At the end of the video, Wolfe added: 'Stay tuned to see if Im held in contempt.' She also stated in the caption that 'this is the saddest email Ive ever had to write.'

The video has been viewed more than 2.6 million times in less than a week and has received thousands of comments.

However, a number of people, including those who are against Roe v. Wade being overturned, felt her protest was doing more harm than good.

On June 24, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to strike down the historic ruling that permitted abortions during the first two trimesters of pregnancy in the U.S. for nearly half a century.

At least 26 states in total are expected 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.

A number of viewers, including those who are against Roe v. Wade being overturned, felt her protest was doing more harm than good

Some states have already proceeded with plans to band abortion, including Florida, Indiana, Montana, Nebraska, Georgia, Iowa, and South Carolina, while other state officials are attempting to reestablish the right to the procedure.

Many critics argued in the comments of Wolfe's video that it's more important than ever for liberals to have a voice in the courtroom to defend marginalized groups, including women in states with abortion bans or restrictive laws.

'We need to be in those seats and using our voices! Dont remove yourself from spaces where you could make the change youre wanting to see!' one person wrote.

'I completely understand, I am protesting in my own ways, but I needed someone like you in the jury when I had my SA trial. Your voice matters here,' someone else commented.

Another added: 'Good in theory but imagine if this was a case in which a woman was being tried for an abortion. We need liberal POV!'

In a follow-up video, Wolfe hit back at a commenter who minimalized the dangerous effect the reversal of Roe v. Wade will have on women

Wolfe explained in the on-screen text that Roe v. Wade is 'about the constitutional right to privacy'

She noted that now Roe v. Wade had been overturned, other rights are at risk, including the right to contraception and the right to personal control of medical treatment

Wolfe also combatted comments from viewers who minimalized the dangerous effect the reversal of Roe v. Wade will have on women.

In a follow-up clip, she responded to someone who mocked her stance, writing: 'It's pathetic... truly... "Emotionally distressed" because you have to be responsible about [your] sex life? Please...'

Wolfe explained in the on-screen text that 'ROE V. WADE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN THIS! It's about the constitutional right to privacy.'

She noted that now Roe v. Wade had been overturned, other rights are at risk, including the right to contraception, the right to marry, and the right to personal control of medical treatment.

In her bio, she shared a link to the National Women's Law Center's fact sheet about the constitutional importance of Roe v. Wade and the right to privacy to educate others.
A plus size women who went viral on TikTok after sharing the problems she experiences while flying due to her size has turned her attention to hotels.

Kirsty Leanne, 29, from Shropshire, previously made headlines after sharing her experience flying on Ryanair, where she complained about the seat sizes.

However in her latest video, she decided to warn others about some more issues she has faced as a plus size traveller- including hotel robes and towels that don't fit and restaurant chairs digging into her thighs.

Kirsty Leanne, 29, from Shropshire, has gone viral on TikTok after sharing the problems she experiences while flying and in hotels due to her size  but viewers did not take kindly to her complaints

Tiny hotel bathrooms: In a hotel, she says the bathrooms are too small, and robes and towels do not fit her

In the clip posted on @kirstyleannetravels, Kirsty revealed that hotel bathrooms are too small, and robes and towels do not fit her.

She said: 'I think only a handful of times have I been somewhere where a robe or towel has actually fit me. It's so frustrating!'

Kirsty also complains about using the top bunk bed in hostels and, similarly, says beds with slats pose an issue to her.

She said: 'Top bunks are terrifying for plus size travellers! Climbing to the top is painful and the fear that you'll [fall] through is real. You spend the whole night too scared to move.

People said it should 'motivate' her to loose weight instead of complaining about the planes and hotels

Showing a mark on her leg, she says one issue for someone her size is restaurant chairs with arms, with the arms digging into her flesh

'Beds with slats are also definitely not plus size friendly and I've had them break on me before.'

Showing a mark on her leg, she added that another issue for someone her size is restaurant chairs with arms, with the arms digging into her flesh.

While travelling she revealed she also suffers from 'chub rub', which is chafing of the thighs.

Kirsty, who shares tips on her blog, PlusSizeTravelToo, said: 'A lot of people don't know what to expect when travelling in a larger body, so I like to show the realities.

'I also like to share that although there are things that may go wrong or be less than welcoming, travel is incredible and so, so worth it.'

Kirsty also complains about using the top bunk bed in hostels and, similarly, says beds with slats pose an issue to her

She also admitted that 'beds with slats' are also definitely not plus size friendly and I've had them break on me before

However, her points have not been met with sympathy from all her followers with Kirsty facing comments from trolls, saying that her issues should 'motivate' her to lose weight.

'That is not the hotel or planes fault...sorry!!!' said another viewer.

Kirsty also shared the issues she faces as a plus size traveller on a plane, starting with tight seatbelts and needing to ask for a seatbelt extender.

In her latest video, she filmed herself walking down an airplane aisle, which she described as 'narrow'.

Kirsty called the plane seats 'tiny' and showed the tray table not fully extending down.

Kirsty, who shares tips on her blog, PlusSizeTravelToo, said a lot of people don't know what to expect 'when travelling in a larger body'

TikTok: She shares a video of her walking down an airplane aisle, which she describes as 'narrow'

Kirsty then calls the plane seats 'tiny' and shows the tray table not fully extending down, before moving on to complaints outside of the aircraft

She previously made headlines after sharing her experience flying on Ryanair, where she complained about the seat sizes and needing to use seatbelt extenders

She also regularly shares travel tips for larger bodied people, but in her latest video she decided to warn others by listing the issues she has faced as a plus size traveller such as tiny plane seats

Filming herself in the airplane bathroom mirror, she calls the space 'unusable' due to its small size

She said: 'I hate having to use a bathroom on a flight and only really do it if I'm on long haul and I have no choice.

'There's very little room to move, let along to do what you've got to do! Some serious acrobatics are required to use!'

She finishes the video on a lighter note, adding: 'Although there are lots of problems you may come across while travelling in a bigger body, it's so worth it!'

Positive: The blogger oozes confidence and she doesn't let the negative comments get to her

While travelling the world the blogger revealed she suffers from 'chub rub'  chafing of the thighs

She finishes the video on a lighter note, adding that although there are 'lots of problems' while travelling 'in a bigger body, it's so worth it'

Despite intending to share the struggle in a humorous light with followers, Kirsty was slammed when the TikTok went viral with 461,000 views.

One person commented: 'This should be motivation for you.'

Another user added: 'It might motivate to get to different smaller size maybe.'

'If this doesn't motivate you idk what will,' said someone else.

One follower pointed out: 'What about the poor passengers sitting next to you. I was jammed in next to an enormous man, 12 hr flight & I had to step in the seat arms to get out.'

One person commented that this should 'be motivation' for the blogger to loose weight, while another said 'it's not the planes fault'

'Who's fault is that,' added someone else. Another user said: 'It is always easier to blame someone or something else.'

However, other viewers defended Kirsty, one user said: 'It's ironic if it was a very tall muscular person complaining that the spaces are too small no one would be blaming them for their size.'

'People saying you're the problem. It's not as black and white. Society should be more accommodating.

Despite intending to share the struggle in a humorous light with followers, Kirsty was slammed when the TikTok went viral with 461,000 views

The blogger doesn't let her size deter her from traveling the world and has has visited places such as Disneyland Paris

'Not as easy as 'just lose weight' + why should u?' another person commented.

Someone else said: 'The gymnastics I have to do to wipe in an airplane bathroom'

'The tray tables are the worst!' another viewer agreed. 'Wow I relate to every single one of these,' said another person.

Kirsty has not been put off blogging, despite all the vicious comments she has received, and has vowed to keep sharing her experiences
Boris Johnson has announced that he will finally quit today after a slew of high profile resignations and damning statements from even his most loyal allies brought his premiership to its knees.

The resignation will impact not only his life but the life of his family, most notably his third wife Carrie Johnson, 34, who made history when she became the first girlfriend of a Prime Minister to officially live in Downing Street.

Carrie, a former Conservative Party communications chief, was simply 'Miss Symonds' when she and Boris first shacked up together in 2019.

What's next for Carrie Johnson? Boris Johnson has announced that he will finally quit today. The resignation will impact not only his life but the life of his family, most notably his wife Carrie Johnson, 34, who made history when she became the first girlfriend of a Prime Minister to officially live in Downing Street. Pictured, the couple at the G7 last month

Early days: Carrie, then Miss Symonds, was pictured alongside Boris Johnson's family as he arrived at Downing Street following the leadership election in July 2019. The couple have since welcomed two children together, Wilfred, now two, and seven-month- daughter Romy

Fashionista: The conservationist, who has been accused of being at the centre of drama at No. 10, has also made headlines with her sustainable wardrobe, often choosing to rent dresses for even the most high profile engagements. Pictured, in a rented dress in Rwanda last month

The couple have since welcomed two children together, Wilfred, now two, and daughter Romy, who was born in December last year.

The Johnson children have been raised in No. 11 Downing Street, traditionally the Chancellor's grace-and-favour flat but one that was commandeered by the Prime Minister because it offered his young family more space.

Mrs Johnson - she and Boris wed in a low-key wedding in May 2020 - has embraced the role of 'first lady', joining Mr Johnson at international summits and campaigning for causes close to her heart.

The conservationist, who has been accused of being at the centre of drama at No. 10, has also made headlines with her sustainable wardrobe, often choosing to rent dresses for even the most high profile engagements.

But what next for Carrie Johnson? Here, a look back at her time at No. 10 - and what the future might hold...

A CAREER IN POLITICS

Time for her own political career: Mrs Johnson has put herself front and centre in many of Mr Johnson's most high profile engagements, including the recent G7 summit where she rubbed shoulders with President Biden. It is possible she might pursue her own political career

From by his side... to centre stage? The public relations expert had been in the Westminster Bubble for most of her remarkably ascendant career, a high-point being when she was made head of party PR aged just 29. Pictured, Boris and Carrie at the Tory party conference in 2019

Speaking out: Carrie delivered a speech at the Tory Party Conference in Manchester last year

Mrs Johnson, a former Conservative Party communications chief, found herself making headlines when she was romantically linked to Mr Johnson in 2019, just months after the announcement of his separation from second wife Marina Wheeler.

The public relations expert had been in the so-called Westminster Bubble for most of her remarkably ascendant career, a high-point being when she was made head of party PR aged just 29.

Carrie joined the Tory party media machine in 2009, first as a press adviser, then head of broadcast at Conservative campaign headquarters ahead of the 2015 general election.

Her association with Mr Johnson dates back to the early years, having worked on his successful re-election bid at City Hall in 2012.

During her husband's years in office she remained an influential figure.

Carrie, once described as the 'most powerful woman in Britain', and was at one point branded Boris' de facto chief of staff.

Miss Symonds's 'unelected and unaccountable' role in Government is 'damaging to democracy,' Nic Conner, who worked with Miss Symonds on the Brexit campaign, said in February 2021.

He told the Daily Mail that he has no grudge against the former director of Tory communications and was not being sexist, but is concerned she is acting unconstitutionally as friends are hired and rivals fired inside No 10.

Mr Conner said: 'In light of my experience working with Carrie Symonds, I am deeply concerned that she should have any role in governing the country without authority or accountability.

'Anyone holding so much unelected power, and who cannot be removed, is not only unconstitutional but is damaging to British democracy.'

Mr Conner's comments came after the conservative think tank, the Bow Group  of which he is a research fellow  called for an independent inquiry into the role of Mrs Johnson within government.

Bow Group chairman Ben Harris-Quinney added: 'No romantic partner of the PM has ever involved themselves to this degree. It's completely unjustifiable in a modern democracy, and calling me or the Bow Group sexist doesn't change that.'

The most prominent casualty of Miss Symond's alleged influence was Mr Johnson's right-hand man Dominic Cummings, who left in November 2020 after clashing with her.

Mr Cummings's ally, communications chief Lee Cain, soon followed him out of the door amid claims that Mirs Johnson was calling the PM 20 times a day, and had been nicknamed 'Princess Nut Nut' by her detractors.

A spokesman for Mrs Johnson declined to comment on the allegations against her at the time they were originally published in the Daily Mail.

Carrie was also reportedly behind Sajid Javid's appointment as Health Secretary. Cummings spoke out to claim Mrs Johnson, who was once a special adviser to Mr Javid during his tenure as Communities Secretary, engineered the move.

The PM's wife is even said to have had a hand in policy. Boris has championed the UK becoming Net Zero in terms of emissions by 2050, under a swing to green advocacy said to have been driven by his wife.

Carrie, who has put on chummy displays with everyone from Joe Biden to Brigitte Macron, might well want to put her experience at the very heart of British politics to use by pursuing a career in her own right.

It is difficult to imagining this happening any time soon, but Mrs Johnson has proved herself a force to be reckoned with and should definitely not be counted out.

A FORAY INTO FASHION

Fashion maven: Dressed in pink from head-to-toe, Carrie Johnson, 34, steps off a plane in Rwanda with her husband, Boris Johnson. Her double-breasted blazer (79.99), and matching trousers (49.99) are from high-street store Zara

Sustainable dressing: Carrie Johnson has showcased her style prowess once again when stepping out at day four of Royal Ascot today in a rented Emilia Wickstead dress

Re-wearing favourite pieces: Mrs Johnson, 34, sported a recycled 85 fuschia dress from & Other Stories, a John Lewis hat and Michael Kors shoes for Trooping the Colour over the Queen's Platinum Jubilee weekend. She first wore the outfit in 2019

Sustainable wedding day: Carrie favours online rental service My Wardrobe HQ. It was through the website that she hired her wedding dress, a creation by Greek designer Christos Costarellos which bought new would cost 2,830, but she borrowed for 45 a day

Carrie Johnson has championed a more 'sustainable' approach to fashion during her years in Downing Street, stepping out in rented dresses and pieces from independent British labels.

The 34-year-old, who is a fan of printed midi dresses and chic power suits, even remained true to this low impact approach to fashion at major global events like the G7 summit where she has worn rented pieces from the likes of The Vampire's Wife and Amanda Wakeley.

On other occasions she has re-worn pieces from her wardrobe, like the 85 fuschia dress from & Other Stories which she teamed with a John Lewis hat and Michael Kors shoes for the Platinum Jubilee.

Carrie favours online rental service My Wardrobe HQ. It was through the website that she hired her wedding dress, a creation by Greek designer Christos Costarellos which bought new would cost 2,830, but she borrowed for 45 a day.

Given her evident love of fashion, it is possible Carrie might consider exploring it as a post-Downing Street career.

She could turn to fellow former PM's wife Samantha Cameron for advice.

Sam Cam, who served as Creative Director at British accessories brand Smythson of Bond Street, from 1997 until May 2010, launched her own clothing label, Cefinn, after she and husband David left No. 10.

RAISING TWO CHILDREN

Mummy's little girl! Proud mother Carrie Johnson shared a behind-the-scenes snap of her six-month-old daughter Romy at the G7 summit, a week after the family joined the Prime Minister in Rwanda

Looking out on the world: Carrie posted a second snap showing little Romy playing on a swing set in the countryside

Romy's world tour! It came after Mrs Johnson shared a photograph of Romy in Rwanda, where they joined Mr Johnson on a three-day visit to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)

On the world stage: Boris and Carrie's son Wilfred, now two, played an important role in last year's G7 summit - helping to break the ice as his parents welcomed the Bidens to Cornwall

Charming the First Lady: Mr and Mrs Johnson invited the President and the First Lady to meet their boy on the beach and later released a number of carefully selected photographs from the encounter

Fortunately for Carrie and Boris, the move out of No. 11 is unlikely to cause any major disruption for their two young children, who are too young to attend nursery.

It remains to be seen where the couple will set up home as a family once they move out of Downing Street but Boris and Carrie own a 1.3million house in Camberwell.

Or it is possible they could choose to leave London for more space in the country.

Wilf  or Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson in full  was named after Mr and Mrs Johnson's grandfathers and partly in tribute to two doctors, Nick Hart and Nick Price, who helped save Mr Johnson's life when he was in hospital with Covid in 2020.

The two-year-old, who has inherited his father's mop of blonde hair, is said to loves cars and animals, especially the family's Jack Russell-cross Dilyn.

He has already enjoyed a glittering life as the son of the Prime Minister, meeting Joe and Jill Biden on a Cornwall beach at last year's G7.

Meanwhile Romy Iris Charlotte Johnson, who was born at University College London hospital on December 9, was also named after close family members.

Mrs Johnson explained the choice of name: 'Romy after my aunt, Rosemary. Iris from the Greek, meaning rainbow. Charlotte [after] Boris's late mum whom we miss so much.'

In 2021, Mrs Johnson had a miscarriage, which she said left her heartbroken, before becoming pregnant with Romy. When she announced the pregnancy last year, she said she and her husband were 'hoping for our rainbow baby this Christmas'.

A 'rainbow baby' is the term given to a child born after a miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death.

Last month, Romy joined her parents on a Commonwealth visit to Rwanda before making the trip to Germany for the G7 summit.

Boris and Carrie have chosen to keep their children out of the spotlight and have only shared photos taken from behind.

SAYING GOODBYE TO THEIR DESIGNER HOME

Redesign: Mr and Mrs Johnson will be closing the door on a rather pricey - and controversial - interior design project helmed by Lulu Lytle, pictured

Carrie's inspiration: Carrie Symonds interiors overhaul after moving into Number 11 Downing Street is said to have been inspired by Lulu Lytle - with an example of her work pictured above

Perhaps one of the biggest difficulties for any outgoing PM's wife is saying goodbye to the place they have called home.

In the case of Mr and Mrs Johnson, it also means closing the door on a rather pricey - and controversial - interior design project.

The couple, who share one-year-old son Wilfred and are expecting a second child together, spent 90,000 refitting the grace and favour apartment at No.11, which reportedly looked like a 'John Lewis nightmare' after Theresa May's residency.

They turned to society interiors guru Lulu Lytle for help, thrusting her into the centre of a debate over the eye-watering cost of the makeover, and who paid for it.

Lytle is the founder of Soane Britain, a company offering clients wall-to-wall luxe with a promise of bringing 'joie de vivre' into the home - for a hefty price. A single rattan light can cost 7,200, while a desk can be more than 10,000.

Money was at the centre of the backlash following the news Lytle had been brought in to redesign Downing Street, with critics questioning why the Johnsons needed such an expensive makeover, as well as, more importantly, how it had been funded.

At one point it was thought the works cost as much as 200,000, but official documents later revealed the figure to be less than 90,000, with 30,000 from his publicly funded allowance and an additional 58,000 settled privately.

The refurbishments to the flat in No 11 sparked sustained scrutiny of Mr Johnson's finances, with the works vastly exceeding the 30,000 annual limit afforded to the Prime Minister.

Conservative Party accounts published in August revealed its central office provided a 'bridging loan' of 52,802 to cover the works after being invoiced by the Cabinet Office in June last year.

The party was 'reimbursed in full' in October by Lord Brownlow, a former vice-chairman of the party who has made more than 3million in donations over the years.

Mr Johnson then 'settled the costs' incurred by the Conservative peer in March.

Three different reviews and reports were launched into the funding, one each by the Electoral Commission and parliamentary commissioner for standards, while the Prime Minister announced his new independent adviser on ministerial interests Lord Geidt would also investigate.

Lord Geidt found Mr Johnson acted 'unwisely' in allowing the refurbishment to go ahead without 'more rigorous regard for how this would be funded', but did not breach the ministerial code.

No 10 said: 'Lord Geidt's independent report shows the Prime Minister acted in accordance with the ministerial code at all times. The Prime Minister has made a declaration in his List of Ministerial Interests, as advised by Lord Geidt.'
Prince Charles proved he takes his role as patron of a university seriously today as he presented an honorary degree in Wales.

The future king, who is patron of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, visited as his trip to Wales came to a close.

The University, from which Pippa Middleton is about to graduate a master's degree with a distinction, is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year.

Presenting Emma Jane Bolam with an honorary degree, the Prince of Wales donned his academic gown and spoke with Ms Bolam as he presented her with her scroll.

He was also pictured smiling after watching a choral performance as part of the ceremony.

Prince Charles met with Emma Jane Bolam at the University of Wales Trinity St David, where he presented her with an honorary degree

Dressed in his ceremonial academic gown the future monarch, who is patron of the university, marked the institution's 200th anniversary

The Prince was all smiles after listening to a chort choral performanceat the ceremony at the university

The Prince Of Wales also fit in a trip to Hay Castle in Hay-on-Wye earlier in the day, which will be opening its doors to the public this summer following a major restoration

Charles's final day in Wales has been a busy one, with a visit to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in which he hiked to St Govan's Chapel to mark its 70th anniversary.

Later in the afternoon, the Prince of Wales met with locals as he visited the market town of Narberth.

He also managed to fit in a trip to Hay Castle in Hay-on-Wye, which will be opening its doors to the public this summer for the first time in its 900 year history after a huge restoration project.

During his visit to the castle Charles chatted to locals and workers - some of whom had dressed up in historical outfits to greet him.

The Prince of Wales even tried his hand at printing lino using an old-fashioned printing press, which required a bit of concentration.

The heir-to-the-throne has been in Wales for the last three days where he and the Duchess of Cornwall, 74, celebrated the local culture.

While visiting Hay Castle the Prince of Wales was shown the educational space, where schoolchildren were busy drawing and colouring

Charles also tried his hand at making a lino print with an old-fashioned 1800s printing press while at Hay Castle

The Prince's face was the picture of concentration as he used the machine, while a worker watched on with a smile

The Queen's eldest son shared a joke with adults and children who had dressed up as former residents of the castle to greet him

The Prince of Wales looked serious as he chatted with a young girl who had dressed up to meet him, while she smiled up at him

He also chatted to other guests at the opening of the Castle, which aims to become an education and art centre for the local community

The Prince was all smiles as he spoke to workers and early visitors at Hay Castle, which will open its doors to the public this summer

Before Charles left Hay Castle he took a photo on the building's brand-new viewing platform which will be open to the public soon

For his time outdoors, the heir-to-the-throne donned a dapper grey suit with a beige tie and a light pink pocket square.

He was led along the path by one of the authority officers looking after the park, who treated him to a tour of the derelict chapel.

St Govan's Chapel is a small cell positioned on top of a cliff at St Govans, near Bosherston.

The small chapel was built in the 13th century, however, it is believed its oldest parts date back to the 6th century.

The Prince of Wales, 73, hiked to St Govan's Chapel in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park to mark its 70th anniversary this morning

The Prince of Wales took in the natural beauty of the chapel during his visit and listened to the legends surrounding its creation

The heir-to-the throne, who was wearing a dapper grey suit, seemed eager to hear the story of St Govan

Legend has it that a saint named Govan was being pursued by bloodthirsty pirates along the coast when the cliff open up to let him hide, on what would become the chapel's site.

The saint continued to hide in the cleft and survived on fish and water from a sacred spring nearby.

He also had a magic bell that would ring when the pirates returned to the area, to warn locals.

Prince Charles climbed down the steps leading to a cliff top below the chapel in order to admire the beautiful coastal views

It is believed the church dates back to the 6th century where Saint Govan used a cleft to escape pirates, and a magic bell to warn locals of the criminals' return

The royal walked from the chapel to the cliff, guided by one of the authority officers looking after the park

The pirates tried to still the bell, but were blown away by a storm which sunk their ship.

Angels returned the bell to St Govan and encased it in stone so it could never be stolen again.

Another legend states that if you count the steps coming up to the chapel, and then once again coming down, you will never end up with the same number.

Mind the steps! Legend has it that visitors never get the same number twice when they count the steps leading to the chapel

An avid listener! Charles listened attentively to the tour the officer gave him around the chapel this morning

The chapel is located only a few miles from Wales' Coastal Path, which was opened in 2012.

The path, which spreads over 870 miles, is divided into eight sections and was the first path of its kind to map out the coast of an entire country.

Charles is expected to meet Natural Resources Wales and officers from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency later today.

He also chatted to the people involved in the history and management of the Castlemartin Estate during his visit today.

Later this afternoon, the Prince of Wales was welcomed by royal fans in the market town of Narberth

Schoolchildren waving the Welsh flag and their parents enthusiastically welcomed Charles to their town

A very young royal fan and her mother caught the attention of the Prince of Wales, and he let her wrap her tiny hands around his finger

Later in the afternoon, the Prince of Wales met with locals as he visited the market town of Narberth.

He was welcomed by schoolchildren waving the Welsh flag and eager inhabitants hoping to shake his hand.

He seemed particularly besotted by with local mother and her babygirl, who had come to greet him.

The heir-to-the-throne seemed in high spirits. He was gifted a small bunch of flowers by local fans upon his arrival in their town

An elderly citizen welcomed the Prince of Wakes with a strong handshake during his visit to Narberth

Charles was also gifted a cake from local business Liz's Bakery this afternoon as local merchants impatiently waiting to greet the royal
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Boris Johnson 'wants to cling onto power long enough to host a belated wedding bash at Chequers' later this month, sources claimed yesterday - as his wife Carrie was seen outside Number 10 proudly showing their daughter Romy's face for the first time.

The Prime Minister and Mrs Johnson have reportedly planned a big bash at the grace-and-favour country home to mark their marriage at the end of July.

Boris yesterday announced his decision to step down amid a sea of ministerial resignations off the back of several scandals, but said he intends to stay on as caretaker leader until a suitable replacement is found, meaning he will likely still be PM by the time the party rolls around.

Carrie, who entered No. 10 as Boris' girlfriend and leaves as his wife and the mother of two of his children, smiled encouragingly as the Prime Minister announced he was stepping down, admitting: 'No one is indispensable'.

During his speech, Boris acknowledged the sacrifices made by his wife and family, saying: 'I want to thank Carrie and my children and all my family, who have put up with so much for so long.'

The couple tied the knot in a secret ceremony at Westminster Cathedral in front of just a handful of guests in May 2021.

But their plan to use a grace-and-favour country home to host their delayed wedding party even as Johnson prepares to depart Downing Street has further angered already disgruntled Conservatives.

One Tory source told The Mirror: 'It beggars belief that even after all the criticism Johnson has faced regarding integrity and probity, one of the reasons he is staying is to have his wedding party at Chequers.

'It's a national asset not his personal home. The Johnsons should do the decent thing and find a different venue.'

A second source said: 'It's crass if it goes ahead.'

The pair also have some work cut out for them when it comes to the guest list for their lavish do.

Their save-the-date cards went out last year, but given that a host of Boris' Conservative MPs have called for his resignation in recent weeks and declared they do not have faith in his ability to lead the nation, several invitees may soon find out their presence at the wedding bash is no longer desired.

A Downing Street source said: 'The party is still going ahead, but the guestlist will be a headache.

'Boris and Carrie sent the 'save the date' cards last year but obviously recent developments mean a few of the people they sent them to would not now be as welcome as they once were.'

Carrie Johnson carried seven-month-old daughter Romy as she watched husband Boris Johnson deliver his resignation speech outside Downing Street yesterday. Pictured, Boris ally Nadine Dorries (right) cooed over his baby girl

At one point Carrie leaned down to give her seven-month-old daughter a kiss on the head as she gazed up at her mother

Mrs Johnson, a former Conservative Party communications chief, re-wore a 325 red L.K. Bennett for the occasion and held her daughter Romy in a baby carrier

The couple tied the knot in a secret ceremony at Westminster Cathedral in front of just a handful of guests in May 2021 but according to sources have planned a second event at Chequers at the end of July

No10 had appealed for Conservative MPs to come and watch the speech in the street, but there was only a small crowd of people present, pictured. Mrs Johnson, pictured in red, watched alongside Johnson ally Nadine Dorries (pictured in white)

In a statement in Downing Street, the PM tried to sound an upbeat tone as he confirmed that his time in office is coming to an end. Mr Johnson was watched by his wife Carrie (left) and their daughter Romy

Supportive Carrie was front and centre as Boris delivered his speech yesterday, admitting: 'No one is indispensable'

How Boris and Carrie planned to build a 150,000 treehouse for Wilf and hoped to host summer BBQs at Chequers - which they 'use more than recent PMs' DESPITE 'falling out with staff' Chequers, bequeathed to the nation in 1917 by Lord and Lady Lee of Fareham, is part-funded with a grant from the Cabinet Office Chequers, bequeathed to the nation in 1917 by Lord and Lady Lee of Fareham, is part-funded with a grant from the Cabinet Office. Lord and Lady Lee wanted the 16th century, 1,000-acre estate to be a 'place of rest and recreation for Prime Ministers' to help them cope with the pressures of government. The grant was around 690,000 a year under Mr Cameron, but has now risen to 916,000 under Mr Johnson. One source previously acknowledged that the Johnsons 'use Chequers more' than recent PMs, and the costs are higher as a result. In May, it was claimed the head housekeeper at the PM's Chequers residence quit after clashing with Carrie. Charlotte Vine MBE reportedly left with a payoff in 2020 after signing a non-disclosure agreement. According to the Times, the departure came after tensions with the premier's wife. However, a spokeswoman for Mrs Johnson insisted that there was no dispute. Ms Vine is said to have first worked at the 16th-century Buckinghamshire manor house in 2004. She left to join the household at another ministerial residence, Dorneywood, before returning to the top job at Chequers. The Times said Ms Vine faced disciplinary action over 'inappropriate handling of a personal item' belonging to Mr Johnson, but this was later dropped and she left with a pay-off in January 2020. A source told the newspaper that the friction with Mrs Johnson began soon after they began using the residence. 'Carrie took something Charlotte said completely the wrong way. It started over a catering matter. It led to Carrie refusing to go to Chequers when Charlotte was there.' A spokeswoman for the PM's wife told MailOnline: 'It is untrue to suggest there was a personal dispute between Mrs Johnson and the head housekeeper. 'Nor was there any request from Mrs Johnson for staffing changes.' There are also claims that there has been a reduction in the number of staff introduced by David Cameron during the coalition's austerity drive. Four more workers are said to have been added since Mr Johnson became PM. Meanwhile it also emerged last month that emerged Mr Johnson planned a 150,000 treehouse in the grounds of Chequers for his two-year-old son Wilf but abandoned the idea after police raised security concerns. The Prime Minister and his wife Carrie Johnson wanted to build the structure, which included bulletproof glass, in 2020. According to The Times, there were discussions about having Tory donor Lord Brownlow pay for the project. Asked if a penny of taxpayer or donor money was spent on plans to build a Chequers treehouse, the PM said: 'I'm not going to comment on non-existent objects or non-existent jobs to do with my family.' Meanwhile insiders told only last month how Mr Johnson planned to host a series of 'barbecues and drinks' at Chequers for party loyalists to shore up support this summer. Several barbecues were lined up at the Prime Minister's grace-and-favour residence as a reward for loyal supporters. Insiders said the invitation list has been drawn up specifically to include MPs who publicly said they would vote for the Prime Minister in a confidence vote. Mr Johnson's 'summer sausage offensive' was planned as several events in the second half of July, insiders said. Advertisement

Mrs Johnson, a former Conservative Party communications chief, re-wore a 325 red L.K. Bennett dress for the occasion today and held her daughter Romy in a 95 BabyBjorn baby carrier. She finished her outfit with 90 red slingbacks from Dune.

It marks the first time Romy's face has been seen. The couple have previously only shared photos of their daughter, who was born in December, taken from behind, and Boris is known to be private with his family.

Yesterday, Romy was wearing a a pair of bright bird-printed trousers and had a bright yellow bow pinned to her brown curly hair.

At one point Carrie leaned down to plant a kiss on her daughter's head and smiled as the little girl took in the sights and sounds of the busy scene.

The hands-on mother, who last month brought her daughter along to the G7 summit, looked relaxed despite the gravity of the situation. The couple also share a son Wilfred, two, but he was not present.

Boris Johnson finally announced his resignation yesterday admitting 'no-one is indispensable' - but is lining up a 'unity Cabinet' as he battles to stay in Downing Street for months longer.

The Prime Minister tried to sound an upbeat tone as he confirmed that his time in office is coming to an end.

Standing in front of the traditional podium and watched by wife Carrie, baby Romy and close aides, Mr Johnson pointed to his achievements since winning the huge landslide - such as the vaccine rollout, Brexit and coming to the aid of Ukraine.

Wife Carrie joined Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries (pictured in white) in leading the applause as Mr Johnson arrived

Seven-month-old Romy, pictured, was on her best behaviour throughout the speech but Carrie clutched a dummy just in case

Mrs Johnson, 34, who entered No. 10 as Boris' girlfriend and leaves as his wife and the mother of two of his children, smiled encouragingly as the Prime Minister announced he was stepping down, admitting: 'No one is indispensable'

Smiling Carrie Johnson, 34, gazed at little Romy as she held her daughter in a grey baby carrier outside No. 10

Romy was wearing a a pair of bright bird-printed trousers and had a bright yellow bow pinned to her brown curly hair

British Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries held Romy's hand and gazed at the baby as the crowd waited for Mr Johnson

Hands-on mother Carrie covered baby Romy's ears as she made her way through the crowd outside No. 10 on Thursday

Mrs Johnson smiled as she took her place at the front of the crowd that had gathered to watch the Prime Minister resign

The Prime Minister's wife stood out from the crowd in a vibrant red dress as Johnson loyalists turned out for the speech

Mother-of-two Carrie, who also has son Wilfred, placed a protective hand over her daughter's head during the event

The politician's wife brought a splash of colour to proceedings in her bright red L.K. Bennett frock, which she wore last year

He said his message to voters who delivered his 2019 landslide was 'thank you for that incredible mandate', adding the 'reason I have fought so hard' was because he felt it was his 'job' to deliver what he promised.

'I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world, but them's the breaks,' he said.

Mr Johnson blamed 'powerful herd instinct' for his ousting, saying: 'At Westminster the herd instinct is powerful, when the herd moves, it moves.

'And my friends in politics, no one is remotely indispensable and our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader, equally committed to taking this country forward through tough times.'

Mr Johnson paid tribute to his family for 'all they have put up with', in a nod to the succession of scandals that have blighted his premiership.

'Our future is golden,' he finished.

Mrs Johnson smiled at her baby daughter as she joined the Johnson loyalist watching the resignation speech outside No. 10

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries cooed over the youngest member of the Johnson brood before the Prime Minister arrived

Mrs Johnson kept any concern from her face and smiled as she watched her husband step down in a dramatic move

The concerned mother kept her hands placed firmly over baby Romy's ears as she made her way through the crowd

Mr Johnson was joined by loyalists as he delivered his resignation speech at Downing Street. Carrie was front and centre

Can the PM REALLY hang on in No10 until October? The UK famously does not have a written constitution. But the process for changing Prime Ministers has been well established for centuries. Both David Cameron and Theresa May followed the standard route of resigning as Tory leader, but staying on as PM until a replacement is chosen. That can take months, as the party's MPs first whittle down the field to two candidates in a series of votes. They are then meant to be put to the wider Conservative membership in a run-off - although in the case of Mrs May her opponent Andrea Leadsom pulled out avoiding the need for the last stage. As soon as a new Tory leader is in place they will be the person who commands a majority in the Commons, and then the Queen can make them PM. In contrast, if Mr Johnson decided to quit as PM immediately, the hierarchy within government would kick in. Dominic Raab would be the next in line to take the helm in No10, again until the Tory leadership contest is complete. However, the mechanism for preventing a determined Mr Johnson from hanging on as PM during a Tory contest is less obvious. Senior Tories serving on the 1922 committee executive say there are no provisions in the rules for imposing a temporary leader while a permanent one is chosen. They believe that anyone who did serve as a caretaker PM would have to stay out of the leadership race, to avoid having an 'unfair advantage'. However, the 1922 executive is meeting again this afternoon and rules can be changed. After the events of recent days, there is deep anxiety about leaving Mr Johnson in place for another two months - especially with rumours swirling that he still wants to pursue radical new policies. Advertisement

No10 had appealed for Conservative MPs to come and watch the speech in the street, but there only seemed to be a small crowd present.

Mr Johnson admitted defeat in the wake of a shattering intervention from Nadhim Zahawi, who was only appointed on Tuesday night following Rishi Sunak's departure. He told Mr Johnson that his situation is 'not sustainable'.

A No10 source said Mr Johnson has spoken to Tory 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady and agreed to stand down, with a new Tory leader set to be in place by the party conference in October.

A spokeswoman said the PM will 'make a statement to the country', which is due around 1pm.

However, at the same time Mr Johnson has set about rebuilding his Cabinet, making Greg Clark the new Levelling Up Secretary and James Cleverly the Education Secretary. Robert Buckland is returning as Welsh Secretary, and Shailesh Vara takes over as Northern Ireland Secretary.

Kit Malthouse becomes Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Mr Clark was in the Cabinet under Theresa May but stepped down when Mr Johnson took over, and Mr Buckland was axed as Justice Secretary in a reshuffle last year. Mr Vara was previously a Northern Ireland minister but has been out of government.

The others are long-standing allies promoted from other jobs.

The PM's resignation announcement will effectively fire the starting gun on what looks set to be a chaotic leadership battle. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss - expected to be a candidate - is cutting short a visit to Indonesia to return to the UK.

However, it is far from clear that Mr Johnson staying on until October - more than two months - will be acceptable to Tory MPs. More than 50 government members have resigned, and there will be questions over whether they can simply be reappointed, or would even agree to that. There are rumours that Mr Johnson still wants to push key policies such as tax cuts.

Keir Starmer threatened to call a Parliamentary confidence vote and try to force a general election if Mr Johnson does not leave immediately.

'He needs to go completely. None of this nonsense about clinging on for a few months,' he said.

George Freeman, who announced he was resigning as science minister this morning, said Mr Johnson must apologise to the Queen and advise her to call for a caretaker PM.

'Boris Johnson needs to hand in the seals of office, apologise to Her Majesty and advise her to call for a caretaker prime minister,' he said. 'To take over today so that ministers can get back to work and we can choose a new Conservative leader to try and repair the damage and rebuild trust.'

A former minister told MailOnline: 'We need to be rid of the Johnson poison as quickly as possible.'

Mr Johnson said his message to voters who delivered his 2019 landslide was 'thank you for that incredible mandate', adding the 'reason I have fought so hard' was because he felt it was his 'job' to deliver what he promised

Mr Johnson emerged from Downing Street at 12.30pm to deliver his momentous statement to the country

Carrie Johnson was just feet away as her husband announced he was stepping down following a dramatic 48 hours in politics

Mother-of-two Carrie shielded Romy as she made her way back inside No. 10 following the resignation speech yesterday

Mr Johnson, who says he intends to serve until a new Prime Minister is chosen this autumn, leaves the podium after resigning

What next for Carrie Johnson? As Boris quits, how his third wife has gone from the first Downing Street girlfriend to a mother-of-two with serious influence and style credentials - so, could a political career be on the cards?

Boris Johnson has announced that he will finally quit after a slew of high profile resignations and damning statements from even his most loyal allies brought his premiership to its knees.

The resignation will impact not only his life but the life of his family, most notably his third wife Carrie Johnson, 34, who made history when she became the first girlfriend of a Prime Minister to officially live in Downing Street.

Carrie, a former Conservative Party communications chief, was simply 'Miss Symonds' when she and Boris first shacked up together in 2019.

What's next for Carrie Johnson? Boris Johnson has announced that he will finally quit yesterday. The resignation will impact not only his life but the life of his family, most notably his wife Carrie Johnson, 34, who made history when she became the first girlfriend of a Prime Minister to officially live in Downing Street. Pictured, the couple at the G7 last month

Early days: Carrie, then Miss Symonds, was pictured alongside Boris Johnson's family as he arrived at Downing Street following the leadership election in July 2019. The couple have since welcomed two children together, Wilfred, now two, and seven-month- daughter Romy

Fashionista: The conservationist, who has been accused of being at the centre of drama at No. 10, has also made headlines with her sustainable wardrobe, often choosing to rent dresses for even the most high profile engagements. Pictured, in a rented dress in Rwanda last month

The couple have since welcomed two children together, Wilfred, now two, and daughter Romy, who was born in December last year.

The Johnson children have been raised in No. 11 Downing Street, traditionally the Chancellor's grace-and-favour flat but one that was commandeered by the Prime Minister because it offered his young family more space.

Mrs Johnson - she and Boris wed in a low-key wedding in May 2020 - has embraced the role of 'first lady', joining Mr Johnson at international summits and campaigning for causes close to her heart.

The conservationist, who has been accused of being at the centre of drama at No. 10, has also made headlines with her sustainable wardrobe, often choosing to rent dresses for even the most high profile engagements.

But what next for Carrie Johnson? Here, a look back at her time at No. 10 - and what the future might hold...

A CAREER IN POLITICS

Time for her own political career: Mrs Johnson has put herself front and centre in many of Mr Johnson's most high profile engagements, including the recent G7 summit where she rubbed shoulders with President Biden. It is possible she might pursue her own political career

From by his side... to centre stage? The public relations expert had been in the Westminster Bubble for most of her remarkably ascendant career, a high-point being when she was made head of party PR aged just 29. Pictured, Boris and Carrie at the Tory party conference in 2019

Speaking out: Carrie delivered a speech at the Tory Party Conference in Manchester last year

Mrs Johnson, a former Conservative Party communications chief, found herself making headlines when she was romantically linked to Mr Johnson in 2019, just months after the announcement of his separation from second wife Marina Wheeler.

The public relations expert had been in the so-called Westminster Bubble for most of her remarkably ascendant career, a high-point being when she was made head of party PR aged just 29.

Carrie joined the Tory party media machine in 2009, first as a press adviser, then head of broadcast at Conservative campaign headquarters ahead of the 2015 general election.

Her association with Mr Johnson dates back to the early years, having worked on his successful re-election bid at City Hall in 2012.

During her husband's years in office she remained an influential figure.

Carrie, once described as the 'most powerful woman in Britain', and was at one point branded Boris' de facto chief of staff.

Miss Symonds's 'unelected and unaccountable' role in Government is 'damaging to democracy,' Nic Conner, who worked with Miss Symonds on the Brexit campaign, said in February 2021.

He told the Daily Mail that he has no grudge against the former director of Tory communications and was not being sexist, but is concerned she is acting unconstitutionally as friends are hired and rivals fired inside No 10.

Mr Conner said: 'In light of my experience working with Carrie Symonds, I am deeply concerned that she should have any role in governing the country without authority or accountability.

'Anyone holding so much unelected power, and who cannot be removed, is not only unconstitutional but is damaging to British democracy.'

Mr Conner's comments came after the conservative think tank, the Bow Group  of which he is a research fellow  called for an independent inquiry into the role of Mrs Johnson within government.

Bow Group chairman Ben Harris-Quinney added: 'No romantic partner of the PM has ever involved themselves to this degree. It's completely unjustifiable in a modern democracy, and calling me or the Bow Group sexist doesn't change that.'

The most prominent casualty of Miss Symond's alleged influence was Mr Johnson's right-hand man Dominic Cummings, who left in November 2020 after clashing with her.

Mr Cummings's ally, communications chief Lee Cain, soon followed him out of the door amid claims that Mirs Johnson was calling the PM 20 times a day, and had been nicknamed 'Princess Nut Nut' by her detractors.

A spokesman for Mrs Johnson declined to comment on the allegations against her at the time they were originally published in the Daily Mail.

Carrie was also reportedly behind Sajid Javid's appointment as Health Secretary. Cummings spoke out to claim Mrs Johnson, who was once a special adviser to Mr Javid during his tenure as Communities Secretary, engineered the move.

The PM's wife is even said to have had a hand in policy. Boris has championed the UK becoming Net Zero in terms of emissions by 2050, under a swing to green advocacy said to have been driven by his wife.

Carrie, who has put on chummy displays with everyone from Joe Biden to Brigitte Macron, might well want to put her experience at the very heart of British politics to use by pursuing a career in her own right.

It is difficult to imagining this happening any time soon, but Mrs Johnson has proved herself a force to be reckoned with and should definitely not be counted out.

A FORAY INTO FASHION

Fashion maven: Dressed in pink from head-to-toe, Carrie Johnson, 34, steps off a plane in Rwanda with her husband, Boris Johnson. Her double-breasted blazer (79.99), and matching trousers (49.99) are from high-street store Zara

Sustainable dressing: Carrie Johnson has showcased her style prowess once again when stepping out at day four of Royal Ascot today in a rented Emilia Wickstead dress

Re-wearing favourite pieces: Mrs Johnson, 34, sported a recycled 85 fuschia dress from & Other Stories, a John Lewis hat and Michael Kors shoes for Trooping the Colour over the Queen's Platinum Jubilee weekend. She first wore the outfit in 2019

Sustainable wedding day: Carrie favours online rental service My Wardrobe HQ. It was through the website that she hired her wedding dress, a creation by Greek designer Christos Costarellos which bought new would cost 2,830, but she borrowed for 45 a day

Carrie Johnson has championed a more 'sustainable' approach to fashion during her years in Downing Street, stepping out in rented dresses and pieces from independent British labels.

The 34-year-old, who is a fan of printed midi dresses and chic power suits, even remained true to this low impact approach to fashion at major global events like the G7 summit where she has worn rented pieces from the likes of The Vampire's Wife and Amanda Wakeley.

On other occasions she has re-worn pieces from her wardrobe, like the 85 fuschia dress from & Other Stories which she teamed with a John Lewis hat and Michael Kors shoes for the Platinum Jubilee.

Carrie favours online rental service My Wardrobe HQ. It was through the website that she hired her wedding dress, a creation by Greek designer Christos Costarellos which bought new would cost 2,830, but she borrowed for 45 a day.

Given her evident love of fashion, it is possible Carrie might consider exploring it as a post-Downing Street career.

She could turn to fellow former PM's wife Samantha Cameron for advice.

Sam Cam, who served as Creative Director at British accessories brand Smythson of Bond Street, from 1997 until May 2010, launched her own clothing label, Cefinn, after she and husband David left No. 10.

RAISING TWO CHILDREN

Mummy's little girl! Proud mother Carrie Johnson shared a behind-the-scenes snap of her six-month-old daughter Romy at the G7 summit, a week after the family joined the Prime Minister in Rwanda

Looking out on the world: Carrie posted a second snap showing little Romy playing on a swing set in the countryside

Romy's world tour! It came after Mrs Johnson shared a photograph of Romy in Rwanda, where they joined Mr Johnson on a three-day visit to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)

On the world stage: Boris and Carrie's son Wilfred, now two, played an important role in last year's G7 summit - helping to break the ice as his parents welcomed the Bidens to Cornwall

Charming the First Lady: Mr and Mrs Johnson invited the President and the First Lady to meet their boy on the beach and later released a number of carefully selected photographs from the encounter

Fortunately for Carrie and Boris, the move out of No. 11 is unlikely to cause any major disruption for their two young children, who are too young to attend nursery.

It remains to be seen where the couple will set up home as a family once they move out of Downing Street but Boris and Carrie own a 1.3million house in Camberwell.

Or it is possible they could choose to leave London for more space in the country.

Wilf  or Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson in full  was named after Mr and Mrs Johnson's grandfathers and partly in tribute to two doctors, Nick Hart and Nick Price, who helped save Mr Johnson's life when he was in hospital with Covid in 2020.

The two-year-old, who has inherited his father's mop of blonde hair, is said to loves cars and animals, especially the family's Jack Russell-cross Dilyn.

He has already enjoyed a glittering life as the son of the Prime Minister, meeting Joe and Jill Biden on a Cornwall beach at last year's G7.

Meanwhile Romy Iris Charlotte Johnson, who was born at University College London hospital on December 9, was also named after close family members.

Mrs Johnson explained the choice of name: 'Romy after my aunt, Rosemary. Iris from the Greek, meaning rainbow. Charlotte [after] Boris's late mum whom we miss so much.'

In 2021, Mrs Johnson had a miscarriage, which she said left her heartbroken, before becoming pregnant with Romy. When she announced the pregnancy last year, she said she and her husband were 'hoping for our rainbow baby this Christmas'.

A 'rainbow baby' is the term given to a child born after a miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death.

Last month, Romy joined her parents on a Commonwealth visit to Rwanda before making the trip to Germany for the G7 summit.

Boris and Carrie have chosen to keep their children out of the spotlight and have only shared photos taken from behind.

SAYING GOODBYE TO THEIR DESIGNER HOME

Redesign: Mr and Mrs Johnson will be closing the door on a rather pricey - and controversial - interior design project helmed by Lulu Lytle, pictured

Carrie's inspiration: Carrie Symonds interiors overhaul after moving into Number 11 Downing Street is said to have been inspired by Lulu Lytle - with an example of her work pictured above

Perhaps one of the biggest difficulties for any outgoing PM's wife is saying goodbye to the place they have called home.

In the case of Mr and Mrs Johnson, it also means closing the door on a rather pricey - and controversial - interior design project.

The couple, who share one-year-old son Wilfred and are expecting a second child together, spent 90,000 refitting the grace and favour apartment at No.11, which reportedly looked like a 'John Lewis nightmare' after Theresa May's residency.

They turned to society interiors guru Lulu Lytle for help, thrusting her into the centre of a debate over the eye-watering cost of the makeover, and who paid for it.

Lytle is the founder of Soane Britain, a company offering clients wall-to-wall luxe with a promise of bringing 'joie de vivre' into the home - for a hefty price. A single rattan light can cost 7,200, while a desk can be more than 10,000.

Money was at the centre of the backlash following the news Lytle had been brought in to redesign Downing Street, with critics questioning why the Johnsons needed such an expensive makeover, as well as, more importantly, how it had been funded.

At one point it was thought the works cost as much as 200,000, but official documents later revealed the figure to be less than 90,000, with 30,000 from his publicly funded allowance and an additional 58,000 settled privately.

The refurbishments to the flat in No 11 sparked sustained scrutiny of Mr Johnson's finances, with the works vastly exceeding the 30,000 annual limit afforded to the Prime Minister.

Conservative Party accounts published in August revealed its central office provided a 'bridging loan' of 52,802 to cover the works after being invoiced by the Cabinet Office in June last year.

The party was 'reimbursed in full' in October by Lord Brownlow, a former vice-chairman of the party who has made more than 3million in donations over the years.

Mr Johnson then 'settled the costs' incurred by the Conservative peer in March.

Three different reviews and reports were launched into the funding, one each by the Electoral Commission and parliamentary commissioner for standards, while the Prime Minister announced his new independent adviser on ministerial interests Lord Geidt would also investigate.

Lord Geidt found Mr Johnson acted 'unwisely' in allowing the refurbishment to go ahead without 'more rigorous regard for how this would be funded', but did not breach the ministerial code.

No 10 said: 'Lord Geidt's independent report shows the Prime Minister acted in accordance with the ministerial code at all times. The Prime Minister has made a declaration in his List of Ministerial Interests, as advised by Lord Geidt.'
In a surprising turn of events regarding the House Select Committee's Jan. 6 hearings, ex-White House lawyer Pat Cipollone agrees to talk to the panel behind closed doors that could unveil key Donald Trump insights about the Capitol Hill riot.

The deal will have the lawyer testify in a transcribed interview with the committee on Friday and will be videotaped. Last week, the panel issued a subpoena to Cipollone after talks to have him testify ended in failure.

Pat Cipollone's Testimony

He is one of the few aides with former President Trump on the day of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol Hill insurrection. Furthermore, Cipollone is believed to have significant insight into events before, leading up to, and after the chaotic riot.

The House Select Committee has frequently referenced Cipollone during its public hearings, with members of the panel saying that he was one of the advisers around Trump, constantly telling the Republican businessman that he was concerned Trump's action could put him in legal jeopardy, as per ABC News.

The lawyer is not expected to fight the panel's subpoena as discussions between him and investigators were cordial. After the order was issued last week, a lawyer familiar with Cipollone's deliberations said that the subpoena was necessary before he could testify before the committee.

Read Also: Trump Calls Cheney a 'Despicable Human Being' After Comments on Potential Criminal Referral of Former President

There have been talks that among the topics for testimony about which Cipollone and the committee had been negotiating are: the actions taken by the former top Department of Justice official Jeffrey Clark to use the powers of the DOJ to attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential elections and what Cipollone did the day of the Jan. 6 riot, among others.

According to CNN, the committee's subpoena letter noted that it had obtained evidence that Cipollone is "uniquely positioned to testify" but noted that he had "declined to cooperate" past that interview. This left the panel with no choice but to issue the subpoena to get the lawyer to talk.

Trump's Role in the Capitol Riot

The chairman of the House Select Committee, Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, along with vice chairwoman Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, said after the issuance of the subpoena, evidence showed the Cipollone repeatedly raised legal and other concerns about former President Trump's activities on Jan. 6, 2021.

A California Democrat, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who is also a member of the panel, previously said that the committee was willing to work through privilege issues with Cipollone to get his testimony. He argued that there were "quite a few things that he could tell the committee that would not be subject to privilege.

The situation comes after former aide Cassidy Hutchinson gave an explosive testimony detailing Trump's activities and discussions with allies before, during, and after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol Hill riot. In her testimony, she also portrayed Cipollone as one of the last firewalls blocking Trump's efforts to overturn the elections.

Hutchinson testified that on the morning of the insurrection, the lawyer came to her with an urgent request, saying something along the lines of asking her to make sure they do not go up to the Capitol, the Boston Globe reported.

Related Article: Cheney Hints at Possible Multiple Criminal Referrals to Justice Department, Including Trump

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Bad habits such as talking with your mouth full, elbows on the table and getting food on your face would likely have earned you a stern telling off around the family dinner table growing up.

But new research has revealed that what's considered bad table etiquette had changed drastically with today's diners not bothered by faux pas such as tucking into food before everyone is seated.

Research from plant-based food brand Vivera found that 50 per cent of respondent speak with their mouth full and roughly the same number put their elbows on the table.

Now, people are much more likely to be put off by habits such as vaping at the table, using your phone, or letting children run riot in restaurants.

A list of modern table manners are replacing traditional ones, with no vaping at the table, never clicking your fingers at waiters and not taking calls at the table, all featuring

The dos and don't of table manners in 2022 These were once considered the height of rudeness, but Britons have admitted to being guilty of all the following... 1. Never talk with your mouth full 2. Never put your elbows on the table 3. Dont start to eat before everyone has their meal 4. Eat sitting at the table at all times - eating on the sofa, in public places 5. Eat slowly and chew your food carefully 6. Always use a knife and fork no matter what youre eating 7. Always ask before leaving the table 8. Never slouch at the dinner table 9. Always thank the cook for the food 10. Never just using a fork 11. Always use a napkin or serviette 12. Never eat standing up 13. Never wipe your mouths with your sleeve 14. Try not to get messy with your food 15. Do not get food all over your face and hands Traditional table manners have been replaced with these new rules, according to diners No vaping at the table Dont let your kids run around a restaurant Dont click your fingers at a waiter Wash your hands before sitting down to eat No taking calls at the table No video games / tablets at the table No posting pics on Insta until the meal is over Dont put animal products (meat, etc.) in shared dips Dont talk about politics/world affairs Never assume someones pronouns at a dinner party Advertisement

Why do so many modern women have ghastly table manners? JO BRYANT explains how to fix your faux pas... including picking your teeth, burping and slurping and licking jam off a knife



The lunch appointment with a respected business contact had been on my calendar for some time. Wed never met, but I admired her enormous success and couldnt wait to greet her in person.

It seemed only right that we should meet in one of Londons finest restaurants. The kind of place where snowy white tablecloths, sparkling crystal and tasteful floral centrepieces exude timeless elegance.

My formidable guest arrived looking just as stylish as the surroundings  all artfully applied make-up and sophisticated designer trouser-suit.

Yet any expectation of a graceful dining experience was rapidly skewered when she began tucking into her meal. Frankly, her table manners would have made a hungry toddler wince.

Jo Bryant met a business contact in London with bad table manners who ate with her mouth full and picked her teeth (stock image)

With her head lowered towards her plate, she shovelled the delicate mushroom risotto into her mouth like a stoker heaping coal into the boiler of a steam engine. Barely pausing for breath, she chattered constantly with her mouth full (making me a captive audience to her mastication) and picked her teeth.

Hurrying through the meeting, I couldnt get away fast enough  departing with raging indigestion and crumbling respect for a woman I had admired so much.

So I cheered a hearty hear, hear when author Dame Susan Hill revealed this week how disgusted she is by bad table manners. I cant stand it when people eat with their mouths open, she said.

Its a cliche to say that manners  or, rather, table manners  cost nothing. Yet its remarkable how many people, by default or design, demonstrate complete disregard for polite conduct when eating.

And where once we might have thought such behaviour to be the preserve of the unreconstructed male, it seems a remarkable number of women now have gutchurning dining habits, too. Its something which, as an etiquette expert, I find perplexing and dispiriting.

The question is, why? I spent a decade at Debretts as an etiquette tutor; and as the author of more than 15 books on etiquette, I teach people, among other things, table manners. I do wonder whether those who fail in this regard might not have been taught properly as children. (Im teaching my own two, aged seven and 11, a little bit at a time, with lots of positive reinforcement.)

Or have those with the conduct of a zoo animal at feeding time simply forgotten manners once drummed into them, since theres no reason to remember them in our more casual modern age?

If it is the latter, what a great shame, because they are so fundamental. They telegraph to others that we are polite, that we respect food and those who have prepared it, as well as safeguarding us from messy eating.

She says that women might lack good table manners nowadays as they are used to eating in a rush (stock image)

Believe me, if you raise your fork to meet your mouth rather than lower your mouth to meet your fork, I guarantee youll have a much neater dining experience.

And it might help you to find romance, since one survey found that 74 per cent of men said that they would turn down a second date if their suitors table manners werent up to scratch.

HERE'S HOW TO FIX YOUR FAUX PAS Removing food from your mouth: Leave the table if you have something stuck in your teeth. Thats it. Your fingers should not be in your mouth at any point, and hiding behind a napkin is no excuse. Belching or burping: Cover your mouth, swallow it back and dont let the belch break cover. Remember, the slower you eat, the less likely youll be to trap air. Slurping drinks or soup: A deafening slurp is usually because your drink is too hot. If its not cool enough, then wait. The fork shovel: When using a knife and fork, keep your fork turned down at all times. Otherwise it acts like a garden spade. Talking with your mouth full: Your mouth should be closed when you eat. If you are called upon to speak, indicate with your hand that youre finishing your food. Leaning into food to eat: Sit up relatively straight and let the fork travel to your mouth, not the other way round. Noisy eating: This is easily avoidable if you keep your mouth closed and take smaller mouthfuls. Advertisement

Perhaps women these days lack good table manners because we are all time-poor and many of us have become used to eating in a rush. They might grab lunch at their desk or gulp something standing up in the kitchen, while trying to fit in with the other needs of their household. As a result, opportunities for communal dining  when our manners are on show  are less frequent.

Meanwhile, since eating provides extensive scope for disgusting conduct  be it scraping up chocolate mousse with fingers or picking ones teeth for stray salad leaves  lack of practice fails to hold poor comportment in check.

This rush-rush culture also translates into talking with a mouthful. Instead of swallowing first before expressing a view, the assumed wisdom is that it cant wait; that everything is so fast-paced, we have no time to think, therefore we speak.

Its as if we see a sort of virtue in being too busy to slow down, eat properly and listen with courtesy to our dining companions.

Or maybe its fear that unless we respond immediately (despite the spag bol churning round our mouths), the opportunity to get our point across will be lost.

But I also think there is a rebelliousness to this kind of macho eating, a culinary hangover from the ladette culture.

After all, for too long women were told to conform. Now they are fighting back. To the point where many feel they are simply too busy or too important to observe good table manners. This is trophy behaviour that says the rules are for little people  they dont apply to me.

One woman I know (very loud and opinionated) will wait until her mouth is full before she makes a point. As if the drama of spluttering indignation or forceful accusation is somehow enhanced by food rotating round her mouth like a washing machine in full spin.

Its important to stress that what Im seeing isnt lack of etiquette, such as using a fish knife to eat steak or incorrectly unfolding a napkin.

No, what Im talking about is an increasing number of women who simply dont know how, or dont care, to behave politely at the table. Be it leaning over fellow diners to pick, uninvited, at other peoples food or happily burping at the table.

Some, of course, might not realise they are doing it. I had to retrain a friend on how to drink tea because she had no idea she was slurping so loudly (tip: wait for anything hot to cool down).

Jo was surprised over a working breakfast with a journalist who constantly licked jam from her knife while having tea and pastries (stock image)

One of the times I was most surprised by a womans poor table manners was over a working breakfast with a journalist. We dined on tea and pastries, during which time this sophisticated, metropolitan professional constantly licked jam from her knife.

The only explanation I could find was that since this was breakfast and a casual catch-up, perhaps she thought the rules didnt count.

And that lies at the heart of this problem. When poor manners are routine, they create habits which are hard to break. Hard, however, but not impossible.

So ask yourself if youre a serial (or cereal, if its breakfast) offender. Remember no one notices good manners. But bad ones will be your hallmark.

As they are with that high-flyer who is still making inroads in her field  and who doesnt hesitate to pick her teeth at the table.
Pippa Middleton is set to graduate from her Master's degree with a distinction as one of her papers will be presented at a key summit.

Studious Pippa, 38, who conducted research into how parents encourage their children into activity from a young age, has just finished her degree at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

After completing her studies, the mother-of-two, who is rumoured to be pregnant with her third child, opened up about the challenges of studying while parenting.

She said: 'Getting back into studying took some getting used to but I felt really well supported by the team at UWTSD.

'The nature of the course being divided into specific modules also meant that it was easier to compartmentalise what was required each term.'

Pippa Middleton, 38, will graduate from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David with a distinction as her research into children's activity is to be presented at a key summit in autumn

Pippa sparked pregnancy rumours as she glowed in a green dress at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations last month

Pippa added: 'I have enjoyed the balance of work and motherhood and getting back into reading, writing, and learning again.'

She carried out her study as part of her degree in physical education, sport and physical literacy.

It looked into how parents of children who have not yet started nursery can encourage and promote movement that will benefit them in later life.

A statement from the University said the 'star student was able to bring a unique perspective to the study as a parent and scholar and a passion for the work that was informed by her own experiences with a young family.'

Pippa, who is married to James Matthews, is mother to Arthur, three, and Grace, one.

The sister of the Duchess of Cambridge has spoken in the past about how important exercise is to her and how motherhood had changed her routine

Last month she sparked rumours she and James were expecting their third child as she appeared at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Wearing a bright green dress Pippa appeared to show off a baby bump - with Page Six reporting a source had said the couple were 'so happy'.

Several weeks later the Duchess of Cambridge's sister stepped out pushing a pram in London wearing a loose navy blue dress which added fuel to the rumours.

She said her experience raising her young children inspired her to look into the activity of preschool kids. 'I am passionate about sport and exercise and also love being with children,' she said.

'I wanted to find a topic that combined these two and felt that there wasn't enough information, knowledge or focus on early years physical development for mums particularly.

Pippa Middleton shares two children, three-year-old Arthur and one-year-old Grace with her husband James Matthews (pictured with James at the Royal Albert Hall)

'I wanted to learn to not only help my own children but to also continue work in the field to stress the importance of children moving from an early age.'

The mother's findings suggested parents need to be better informed about how to increase physical activity in their young children.

Although Pippa is fairly private about motherhood, she has opened up in the past about her need to be active during pregnancy.

In an interview with a running shoe company last year she said: 'Over the past two years, family life and motherhood has consumed much of my spare time and unsurprisingly the challenges I thrived on have taken a back seat.'

However she said running and fitness were still incorporated into her weekly routine.

'I suppose, my running has been more after babies and toddlers than crossing finish lines, which Im fine with  for now,' she joked.

Her study will be presented at the 4th CIAPSE Congress in Luxembourg this September.
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Billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates' teenage daughter Phoebe is being trolled with vile racist abuse after sharing a sweet Instagram snap of herself being kissed on the cheek by her rumored black boyfriend.

The 19-year-old Stanford University student posted the candid image on her Instagram Stories on Wednesday, and within minutes, social media was being flooded with crude comments about the alleged relationship.

In the snap, Phoebe - who is the youngest child of Bill, 66, and his ex-wife Melinda, 57 - is seen leaning in towards the unnamed man, while he is pictured kissing her sweetly on the cheek.

The unidentified beau appears to have a pair of binoculars in his hands as he plants a peck on Phoebe's cheek - while what appears to be a tent can be seen in the background.

Phoebe's brunette locks hang loose around her shoulders and she looks to be wrapped up in a brown blanket as she shared a tender moment with her so-called boyfriend - who is wearing a T-shirt from rapper Drake's fashion line, October's Very Own (OVO).

Bill Gates' daughter Phoebe, 19, is being trolled with racist abuse after sharing an image of herself being kissed on the cheek by an unnamed black man

The teenager (pictured with billionaire Microsoft founder Bill in June), who is due to start her sophomore year at Stanford University, posted the image on her Instagram Stories

Despite the innocent nature of the photo, Twitter was quick to react to the notion that Phoebe might be dating a black man, with many choosing to make crude jokes suggesting that her rumored beau is simply using her for her father's money.

One wrote: 'Her net worth projected $130 Billion. I don't think he is her equal or they are doing 50/50. Just my guess tho.'

Another chimed in: 'Phoebe Gates has a black boyfriend, young brotha do not pull out  BE GREAT.'

'When Phoebe Gates' boyfriend get added to the joint checking acct,' one person added, while sharing a video of a black man doing a celebratory dance.

Someone else tweeted a video of a black man waving a gun around while swerving his car across a road, writing: 'Phoebe Gates and her boyfriend pulling up to Bill Gates' house for Thanksgiving.'

After the image was reposted on Instagram, dozens of other people chimed in with racist commentary, with one person writing: 'This was the dream MLK spoke about.'

'Bill about to smash a vase against the wall,' someone else commented.

'Bro become a millionaire in a matter of seconds,' another person wrote, as one Instagram user added: 'Now we know why Bill Gates been tellin his kids they aint gon inherit s**t,' referring to Bill's previous revelation that he will not leave the majority of his wealth to his children.

The billionaire - who is one of the richest men in the world with an estimated net worth of $123.7 billion - announced at a TED conference in Canada in 2014 that he will instead leave most of his fortune to his family's foundation.

However that hasn't stopped social media users from making sordid suggestions about Phoebe's rumored new romance - with several urging the unnamed suitor to 'get her pregnant', while others joked that he has 'secured the bag'.

'He getting his reparations LMAO,' another wrote.

While Phoebe has not yet identified the man in the photo, dozens of people have made crude racist jokes about the alleged relationship on Instagram and Twitter

Phoebe (pictured left) is the youngest child of Bill, 66, and his ex-wife, Melinda, 57. In addition to their daughters, Jennifer (center), 26, and Phoebe they have a 23-year-old son, Rory (right)

In May, LeBron James' son Bronny, 17, faced similar vile racist abuse after he took a white girl to his high school prom. He shared images of them arriving at the event in a $326,000 custom Mercedes GT sports car.

He attended the school dance with one of his classmates, teenager Peyton Gelfuso. However, some people on the internet were not happy with his decision to take someone who is 'light skinned' to prom, and social media was soon flooded with a slew of nasty comments about the pairing,

'Not a light skinned woman already,' wrote one person, while another added, 'Welp, on the bright side, LeBron has more kids. Maybe they will do better.'

'That girl is whiter than white bruh,' said someone else.

A fourth tweet read, 'Should've got a black queen like his dad,' with an angry face emoji.

'Lost another black king to a money hungry white girl,' a different Twitter user tweeted. 'Bron gotta do better SMH.'

Someone else branded her a 'gold digger,' quoting the lyrics from the song Gold Digger by Kanye West, while others simply shared GIFs and memes showcasing their disappointment in his choice of date.

Other people defended the budding basketball star, with one writing, 'Bronny James really has grown adults in shambles over the fact he took a white girl to prom in 2022.'

'Anyone that's mad at Bronny's prom date, you are part of the problem in today's society,' agreed someone else.

LeBron James' 17-year-old son Bronny was trolled with vile racist abuse for taking a white girl to his high school prom in May

He shared images of them arriving at the event in a $326,000 custom Mercedes GT sports car

The controversy facing Gates' youngest child comes just weeks after Phoebe spoke out to condemn the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade in a series of Instagram posts, which she began sharing just days before the overturning of the law was announced.

At the time, Phoebe shared a series of photos of herself in a white bikini, while proudly declaring: 'Im not shy about my body and/or telling you to keep your bans off of it.'

'Every person deserves access to sexual and reproductive health care,' she continued. 'Right now, the Supreme Court is prepared to end the constitutional right to abortion. Join me and the fashion community to send a clear message.'

Phoebe tagged Planned Parenthood and added the hashtag #BansOffOurBodies.

In the photo, she is wearing a string halter bikini while leaning against a wall with her hands behind her back. Her dark hair is loose around her shoulders, and she is looking at the camera with a piercing gaze.

The words 'my body, my choice' were written in white and pink on the bottom left side of the snapshot.

Thousands of people liked the post, including her 26-year-old sister, Jennifer Gates. The sisters also have a 23-year-old brother, Rory.

'Yessss P,' Jennifer wrote in the comments.

Olympic freestyle skier and model Eileen Gu responded with two exclamation points, while climate change activist and fellow Stanford University student Sophia Kianni added, 'Bodyodyodyyyyy.'

Phoebe also shared the image on her Instagram Stories, writing, 'What's up  I'm here to say that bodily autonomy is a human right. Did you know that 50% of all women are denied bodily autonomy?'

The controversy over her Instagram photo comes just weeks after she spoke out to condemn the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade in a series of posts featuring herself in a bikini

Phoebe posted several bikini-clad images of herself, while sharing her thoughts on 'bodily autonomy' and urging SCOTUS to 'keep your bans off [my body]

The next slide, which was featured in her post, was a graphic from BansOff.org showing which 26 states will move to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

'Now that I have your attention...THIS!' she added.

The following graphic offered information on how people combat the potential ban, including donating to abortion funds and supporting a local Planned Parenthood.

Phoebe concluded her Instagram Stories with a second bikini photo, writing, 'Thanks for stopping by, later.'

It is not known exactly how Phoebe met her new mystery man - however it is possible that he attends Stanford University alongside her. The teenager completed her freshman year at the prestigious institution just a few weeks ago and has since been enjoying a fun-filled summer break - even attending a glitzy red carpet event with her billionaire father last month.

Phoebe put on a dazzling display in a glittering semi-sheer Fendi gown as she posed up for photos alongside proud dad Bill at the Time 100 gala in New York City - one of her first major red carpet appearances with the tech mogul.

The teen and her siblings have continued to show public support for both their mother and their father in the wake of the couple's divorce, which was announced in May 2021 after a 27-year marriage.

Since then, both Phoebe and Jennifer have continued to post about both parents, with the younger sister sharing a touching tribute to Bill on Father's Day, writing: 'Dad, thank you for letting me learn from you every day and look up to your intellect and work. Most importantly, thank you for being my dad. Love you today and always.'

In March, Melinda broke her silence on the divorce, speaking out to slam her ex-husband's controversial relationship with billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, while also hinting that Bill had more than one affair during their marriage.

Speaking to CBS News, the philanthropist - who is understood to have been awarded half of Bill's $130 billion fortune in their divorce settlement - addressed the affair that he admitted to having with a Microsoft employee in 2000, noting that she 'believes in forgiveness'.

'Those are questions Bill needs to answer,' she said when asked about reports he cheated multiple times, before saying of his infidelity in 2000: 'I believe in forgiveness. I thought we had worked through some of that.

'I gave every single piece of myself to this marriage. I was committed from the day we got engaged to the day I got out of it.'
A Tennessee restaurant is 'snipping' their prices by offering diners a free milkshake if they can hand over proof of vasectomy  and it's bringing all the 'boys to the yard.'

Daddy's Dogs, a hot dog restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee, put a sign up advertising their 'Snip for Shake Deal' throughout the month of July and some diners wondered whether it was a joke.

'Putting it in writing for those who still don't think it's real,' restaurant owner Sean Porter - who is also known as 'Dr. Big Daddy' - wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the sign.

A Tennessee restaurant known as Daddy's Dogs has revealed they're offering free milkshakes to guests who show proof of a vasectomy

Daddy's Dogs, a hot dog Restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee, put a sign up advertising their 'Snip for Shake Deal' throughout the month of July

Sean Porter also known as 'Dr. Daddy' advertised the restaurant's deal on their social media with the caption 'Putting it in writing for those who still don't think it's real'

'Dr. Big Daddy' announced the deal to the restaurant social media and said: 'The world's a pretty crazy place right now,' and added he has 'a way to make it just a little bit better.'

The restaurant owner who was snipped years ago added: 'Just bring in a note from your doctor saying you got the snip, and we'll give you any milkshake you want.'

The unusual deal comes in the wake of the June 24 Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that protected abortion rights at the federal level.

In 2019 Tennessee passed a so-called 'trigger' ban on abortions that is expected to soon take effect now that Roe has been struck down.

Since the SCOTUS decision, urologists have noted that there have been an increase of men inquiring about vasectomies.

Dr. Joseph Pazona, a local urologist in Nashville has said he's received an influx of calls from men interested in the procedure.

In the restaurant's video they show a male customer resting the cold milkshake on his privates, along with testimonials joking 'mo kids, mo problems'

'Dr. Daddy' said customers should bring in a 'note' proving they got the 'snip' and added that the 'response has been fun'

'Dr. Daddy' who had been snipped years ago said he was trying to make the world 'just a little better' with the deal coming just weeks after SCOTUS overturned Roe v. Wade

Social media users loved the bizarre offer with one user commenting 'so milkshakes really do bring all the boys to the yard'

What is a vasectomy and what are the risks? A vasectomy, or male sterilisation, is a procedure to cut the tubes that carry a man's sperm to permanently prevent pregnancy without further contraception. It can usually be done under local anaesthetic and takes about 15 minutes, according to the NHS. The procedure is only usually carried out on older men, and surgeons are often reluctant to carry it out on people under 30 in case they regret it later. The NHS lists possible complications as being a collection of blood inside the scrotum (haematoma), hard lumps called sperm granulomas (caused by sperm leaking from the tubes) or an infection. Long-term testicle pain is another possible complication, which may need further surgery to deal with. The percentage of men who experience this pain is debated, with different figures cited by various sources. Advertisement

Pazona told a local news channel he thinks 'it's wonderful that men are starting to take more personal responsibility when it comes to family planning.'

Planned Parenthood has also noted they've seen an increase in calls regarding vasectomies.

Now, Dr. Daddy is doing his best to help push up that number even further with his unique hot dog deal.

In the restaurant's video they show a male customer resting the cold milkshake on his privates, along with testimonials joking 'mo kids, mo problems'.

'There's a couple of people who have like shouted stuff as they drive by, or, you know, trolled us on the web,' Porter said, 'But I think, for the most part, the response has been fun, and we've gotten a few takers.'

The popular post racked up more than 4,000 likes, with users commenting on the bizarre offer.

'So milkshakes really do bring all the boys to the yard,' joked one user.

'You can't shake too much after a vasectomy.. lol!!! I laid around with frozen blueberries on my balls for the first week!!!' added another user. [sic]

'Yall killing me with this!!' commented someone else. [sic]

'You bet your a** I'm calling my urologist to get proof of my vasectomy from December to get a milkshake,' one person said.

'Wieners for wieners'' would also be a catchy promo. Add it to the marketing calendar,' said another follower.
Fitness star Ashy Bines has clarified how to pronounce her baby girl Tala's name after being bombarded with questions from fans.

The 32-year-old trainer, who welcomed the adorable newborn on June 19 with husband Steven Evans, sparked confusion over whether the bub's name was pronounced 'tah-la' or 'tay-la'.

'It's pronounced like Lala or Nala but Tala for those asking,' the mother-of-two, from the Gold Coast, wrote.

Fitness star Ashy Bines has clarified how to pronounce her baby girl Tala's name after being bombarded with questions from fans

'It's pronounced like Lala or Nala but Tala for those asking,' the mother-of-two, from the Gold Coast, wrote

'Tala meanings - gold, star, story, noble and wolf princess, little palm tree and pretty girl. I only learnt this after we announced and which countries the meanings coming from.'

According to Nameberry, the name is of Native American origin however it has roots in many diverse languages and cultures.

Fans were thrilled after Ashy finally revealed the name and the gender of her daughter a few days after birth after keeping mum on both throughout her pregnancy,

The little one, who is the little sister of the couple's eldest son Taj, was born on June 19th at 1pm weighing 4.11kg and measuring 53cm.

'24 hours with you. We couldn't be more in love if we tried,' she captioned the post.

Eight months into her pregnancy with baby number two, Ashy took to social media to question a common comment she would get about her growing baby bump.

The little one, who is the little sister of their eldest son Taj, was born on June 19th at 1pm weighing 4.11kg and measuring 53cm

Fans were thrilled after Ashy finally revealed the name and the gender of the bub a few days after birth after keeping mum on both throughout her pregnancy

'24 hours with you. We couldn't be more in love if we tried,' she captioned the post

'When people say 'wow you've really popped'... I've never really understood this comment especially to a woman in her third trimester or someone who is 36 weeks and ready to birth a fully grown baby,' she wrote in an Instagram post weeks before her due date.

'Isn't it expected our bellies will grow? Big or small at whatever stage in pregnancy I just think belly's are beautiful and I don't think to say that comment so I don't know what to say when someone says it to me.'

The other comments she questions are when she's told her bump is 'carrying small' - or the complete opposite of 'wow you're huge'.

Eight months into her pregnancy with baby number two, Ashy took to social media to questions a common comment she would get - and doesn't understand why it needs to be said

'I think just no. I don't know any women pregnant or not being told they are huge is something we want to hear,' she said.

Earlier on in her second pregnant Ashy voiced her concern that fellow mothers on social media were 'shaming' her for having a small bump.

While Ashy looked radiant in the poolside snap she posted, she took a serious tone in the caption to highlight her experience on Instagram since sharing her baby news.

'It's 2021, I thought mum shaming was a thing of the past, something I experienced when I was pregnant seven years ago with Taj, but nope,' she wrote, referring to her eldest child.

'Already having mum hate come at me because of the size of my belly? Like there is a 'right' or 'normal' size to be?'

She said all expectant mums had different bodies and that they will each show and carry their baby differently to one another.

'I think EVERY pregnant belly is beautiful no matter what, and something we should all be uplifting and embracing with each other, [being] pregnant is literally a miracle and so special,' the influencer wrote.

She noted that she's received countless comments and messages from trolls who have called her 'stupid, silly, dramatic' and for 'holding my belly when I don't have one.'

Support: The blonde beauty thanked her followers for their continued love and support for her.

'For me there is a little belly and there is a REAL HUMAN BEING growing inside and it's something I'll never get sick of feeling proud to show,' she said.

The blonde beauty thanked her followers for their continued love and support for her.

She also revealed that she only began to show in her first pregnancy at 22 weeks and added: 'this one is definitely earlier especially at the end of the day!'

Baby joy! Ashy announced her baby news in a video back in November when she surprised her husband during family photo shoot with their son. She whipped out a positive pregnancy test to show her partner Steve for the first time who looked shocked and surprised

Ashy announced her baby news in a video back in November 2021 when she surprised her husband Steve during a family photo shoot with their son.

During the shoot, she whipped out a positive pregnancy test to show her husband for the first time who looked shocked and surprised.

Ashy is known for sharing her health and fitness tips with thousands on social media.
Britain must urgently build up stocks of a Covid drug that could be a lifesaver for half a million extremely vulnerable Britons, campaigners say.

Evusheld, developed by AstraZeneca, will allow people who were less likely to get an immune response from the Covid vaccines to return to normal life, they claim.

The twice-yearly injection was approved by drug regulators in March after a study showed it slashed the risk of falling will with Covid by nearly 80 per cent.

But the Department of Health and Social Care has not ordered a single dose  despite the therapy being used in the US and Israel for months.

Lord Mendelsohn, co-chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Vulnerable Groups to Pandemics, and the charity Blood Cancer UK have called on the Government to procure stocks as Covid cases and hospital admissions surge.

Evusheld, which costs 800 per dose, uses antibodies  immune proteins  that have been modified in a lab to make them last longer.

The drug was designed for people so immunocompromised they can't muster their own immune response to Covid.

It comes as official figures show more than 400,000 vulnerable Brits are still shielding despite that guidance being axed in April.

Evusheld, developed by AstraZeneca, could help people who did not get an immune response from the vaccine to return to normal life, campaigners claim

Britain recorded 1,911 virus admissions on Monday, up 331 per cent on the 443 recorded on June 4.

Covid infections have shot up in England to just over 1.8million according to the latest Office of National Statistics data

How does the Evusheld treatment work? Results from a six-month trial of Evusheld published last year found it cuts the risk of becoming ill with Covid by 77 per cent. It was carried out when the Delta variant was dominant, and it is assumed to be less effective against Omicron. Evusheld, also called AZD7442, contains two types of lab-made antibodies known as tixagevimab and cilgavimab. These antibodies have been developed from plasma donated by patients who recovered from a Covid infection. They have been manipulated in a lab to last longer. They bind to the virus' spike protein  which it uses to invade cells  to stop an infection, or to prevent the virus from multiplying when it does infect. Antibodies are created by the immune system in response to the virus, either through vaccination or natural infection, in order to help the body fight if off in the future. The current vaccines train a person's body to recognise Covid, but the immune system still needs to produce its own antibodies. The latest therapy skips that process, making the antibodies readily available. Advertisement

One of the main hold-ups could be the fact it is unclear how well Evusheld works on Omicron and its subvariants.

The drug was designed to target the original variant and new strains have been found to be better at avoiding antibodies.

Britain recorded 1,911 virus admissions on Monday, up 331 per cent on the 443 recorded on June 4.

However, official figures show that just 37.5 per cent of patients in hospital are primarily admitted because they are unwell with the virus.

Covid infections have shot up in England to just over 1.8million according to the latest Office of National Statistics data

Results from a six-month trial of Evusheld published last year found it cuts the risk of becoming ill with Covid by 77 per cent.

But MailOnline was told in March that health officials are concerned it may not work as well on Omicron.

Writing in a letter in The Times today, Gemma Peters, chief executive of Blood Cancer UK, said: 'Around 100 people with blood cancer are dying of Covid a month in England and Wales.

'With the infection rate extremely high at the moment, it is vital they are given every possible protection.

'The government is rightly proud of how the vaccine programme has given protection to the general population, but we have yet to see the same sense of urgency in protecting people whose weakened immune systems mean the vaccines have not worked as well.'

She called on newly appointed Health Secretary Steve Barclay to make the drug available on the NHS as his first act in the role.

Mr Barclay took over the role on Tuesday after Sajid Javid became the first in a string of more than 50 Government members to resign this week.

Boris Johnson agreed to step down as Prime Minister today, amid the pressure, and it is not yet clear who will be Health Secretary under new leadership.

In the letter, the campaigners said: 'People who are immunocompromised are still dying from Covid at much higher rates than the rest of the population.

'They cannot afford to wait. They deserve better.'

This graph shows the number of deaths directly due to Covid recorded in England and Wales. The number of deaths being recorded these nations currently is far below that of previous waves earlier year and a sheer fraction of those seen at the start of 2021

Data from the Sanger Institute shows BA.5 was behind 58.6 per cent of all infections it swabbed in the week to June 25  up by a fifth from one week earlier when it caused 48.8 per cent of cases

The six-month drug trials were conducted last year when the Delta variant was dominant.

It was shown to have even higher efficacy than two vaccine doses, which wane significantly in six months.

But there are questions about how well the antibody cocktail will perform against Omicron and its subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, which are currently dominant in the UK and thought to be more resistant to antibodies.

Evusheld, also called AZD7442, contains two types of lab-made antibodies, and is given to patients via an injection into the arm, similar to some vaccines.

It is made by extracting the proteins from patients who have recovered from the virus, and then manipulating them in a lab to make them last longer than natural antibodies.

They bind to the virus' spike protein  which it uses to invade cells  to stop an infection, or to prevent the virus from multiplying when it does infect.

Antibodies are created by the immune system in response to the virus, either through vaccination or natural infection, in order to help the body fight if off in the future.

The current vaccines train a person's body to recognise Covid, but the immune system still needs to produce its own antibodies. The latest therapy skips that process, making the antibodies readily available.

Patients undergoing chemotherapy, which reduces the effectiveness of the body's immune system, or taking immunosuppressive drugs following an organ transplant are among those who don't always get the full protection from jabs.
New York City became the first metropolis in America to record more than 100 cases of monkeypox late Wednesday, just over a week after its annual Pride celebrations.

The city's Department of Health revealed it has now spotted 119 infections with the tropical disease, up by half on the same time seven days ago.

Before the Pride weekend concerns were raised that the events  which drew crowds numbering more than 2 million  could spread monkeypox.

In San Francisco officials have already linked several Pride-themed parties in nightclubs to outbreaks of the disease.

America has recorded 605 cases of monkeypox to date, with most in New York, California and Florida. No deaths have been reported.

Experts warned before the Pride weekend that people should avoid skin-to-skin contact where possible, which is how the virus transmits.

But health officials mostly brushed them under the carpet, with little attempt made to put out posters or have boots on the ground warning people over the disease.

Just 1,000 doses of a monkeypox vaccine were rolled out  in a city of 8.3million  before the event, which was branded as 'ridiculous'.

US could 'lose control' of monkeypox, experts say Experts are warning that gaps in testing and vaccine coverage will leave the United States vulnerable to losing control of the monkeypox outbreak. Public health leaders from the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD) and George Washington University (GW) say that the response is 'fractured' which is likely to have 'severe consequences'. Previously, they 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. '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.' Advertisement

Health officials in the city are yet to reveal whether any Pride events have been linked to outbreaks of monkeypox.

But in San Francisco  where Pride celebrations were attended by an estimated 1.7million people  cases have already been traced back to two events.

People who went to Afterglow about nine days ago were warned over potential exposure to monkeypox Monday.

The following day Electroluxx  a large party attended mostly by gay men  also revealed that at least one attendee had since tested positive for the tropical disease.

There are mounting concerns among experts that monkeypox is now 'out of control' in the United States.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is currently carrying out little more than a hundred tests for the virus every 24 hours.

It has now signed on a commercial lab that could do more than 1,000 a day, although it is unclear when it will reach this number.

Experts say that the poor testing regime is leaving many cases undetected, raising the risk they could spread monkeypox to others.

Vaccines are being rolled out to gay or bisexual men who have sex with multiple partners every fortnight in New York city and Washington D.C. to stem the outbreak.

Yesterday New York began offering 6,000 more slots for being jabbed against the tropical disease.

But within hours the slots filled up once again amid high demand, leaving many trying to get the vaccine empty-handed.

The roll out also faced a 'technical glitch', with some able to book their jabs early while others were locked out of the system.

It comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed it would re-convene to consider whether to declare the outbreak an international emergency.

Top officials at the agency met last week, but decided not to hit the panic button.

However, cases have now climbed to more than 6,000 globally across at least 40 countries, with concerns mounting the disease could spill over into more at risk groups including older people and those with underlying health conditions.

Only one death has been reported so far in Nigeria, although there are fears this number could yet rise.

Revealing the decision to re-convene, WHO director Tedros Ghebreyesus said they were aiming to meet again in the week of July 18.

Declaring an international emergency would lead to the WHO urging a 'coordinated' response between all nations affected.
Fat people and smokers could be bumped up NHS waiting lists by new software that may also deprioritise middle class patients.

Dozens of trusts are looking to adopt the new 'agile waiting list' that prioritises people based on their health and risk factors, rather than how long they've waited.

Its developers say it could mean a patient who smokes cigarettes or is obese could be prioritised over someone who has queued longer.

Another example could be someone from a deprived area being pushed ahead of another patient with similar needs from an affluent neighbourhood.

The computer programme has been developed by University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire Trust, where it is currently being piloted.

Trusts are looking for ways to use technology to help them get through record backlogs for routine treatment that have amassed during Covid.

Professor Kiran Patel, UHCWT medical director, said trusts will be able to weight particular patients based on 'social value judgements'.

Fat people and smokers could be bumped up NHS waiting lists by new software that may also deprioritise middle class patients. Dozens of trusts are looking to adopt the new 'agile waiting list' that prioritise people based on their health and risk factors, rather than how long they've waited

University Hospital Coventry (pictured) and Warwickshire Trust developed the 'agile waiting list' and is trialling it

More than a million teens in England now prescribed antidepressants More than a million prescriptions for antidepressants are written for teenagers in England each year, official figures suggest. The number of drugs doled out to 13 to 19-year-olds rose by a quarter between 2016 and 2020, latest NHS data shows. It includes prescriptions up to the end of 2020, following a year of national Covid lockdowns and school and university closures. An increasing amount of evidence is beginning to accrue showing that virus restrictions took a heavy toll on young people's mental health. The NHS data  obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request  also show antidepressants use rose sharply among adults in their 20s. Mental health and children's charities told MailOnline the data was an 'alarming sign' of a mental health crisis in Britain. They warned some young people may have been given drugs by GPs because they can't get counselling due to pandemic backlogs. Advertisement

The software  which is attracting interest from around 70 trusts  was showcased at an internal NHS England webinar last month.

It is already being used at the trust in Coventry and Warwickshire, which covers more than a million patients in the Midlands.

But critics have warned that 'social values' could be hard to define and subjective.

A record 6.5million people are currently in the queue for routine treatment in England.

That number is expected to keep rising for another two years as patients flood back into the NHS following delays during the pandemic.

Hundreds of thousands of patients have been waiting longer than a year and hospitals are struggling to meet the Government's promise to axe two-year waits by the end of this month.

Former Health Secretary Sajid Javid  who resigned on the 74th NHS's birthday on Tuesday  last month promised to digitise the health service, claiming it currently works like 'Blockbuster in the age of Netflix'.

Professor Patel said NHS England's current elective care strategy, which prioritises the longest waiters first, is 'fuelling' health inequalities.

The new agile waiting lists could help in 'levelling up' healthcare, he claimed.

Explaining the software, Professor Patel told the Health Service Journal (HSJ): 'You can put a different weighting on different factors. So, for example, we have slightly weighted postcodes.

'Likewise, if you have patients who smoke, have hypertensive or are overweight, you can use those factors to weight the position on the waiting list [potentially pushing these patients forward on the list].'

He said the algorithm can reschedule the waiting list every day, rather than scheduling an 18-week wait for everyone, as is current practice at the trust.

Long waiting times will still 'trump' other factors, like weight and wealth, Professor Patel said.

But if the difference was between 19 weeks and 14 weeks, someone from a poorer area who had been waiting less could be bumped up the list, he suggested.

More affluent patients wait an average of four weeks less for orthopedic surgery under the current system  but the new algorithm could help equalise this, he said.

But a senior figure at a different trust, who asked to remain anonymous, warned trusts' having their own ideas of who to prioritise 'could be challenged'.

They said: 'Most people would accept a wait for someone "more needy", but we may all have different opinions about how that need is defined.'
Once upon a fairytale by Natalia OHara, Illustrated by Lauren OHara (Macmillan 12.99, 40 pp)

Be wild, little one by Olivia Hope Illustrated by Daniel Egneus (Bloomsbury 6.99)

Hot dog by Mark Sperring, Illustrated by Sophie Corrigan (Bloomsbury 6.99, 32 pp)

Brave Dave by Giles Andreae & Guy Parker Rees (Orchard 12.99, 32 pp)

Wellington's big day out by Steve Small (S&S 12.99 30pp)

The royal leap frog by Peter Bently Illustrated by Claire Powell (Bloomsbury 6.99)

PICTURE BOOKS

ONCE UPON A FAIRYTALE

by Natalia OHara, Illustrated by Lauren OHara (Macmillan 12.99, 40 pp)

Perfect for summer holidays, this inventive interactive book allows the reader to choose from half a dozen options on almost every page: would you rather be a gentle knight, or a mighty witch living in a gingerbread house or a palace of ice? The story changes with each choice and the main character, in a red-hooded cloak, could be a boy or girl. Pop it in your suitcase for a different story every night.

BE WILD, LITTLE ONE

by Olivia Hope, Illustrated by Daniel Egneus (Bloomsbury 6.99, 32 pp)

After the claustrophobic confines of lockdown, this utterly enchanting book is a clarion call to children to open themselves up to all the possibilities the natural world can offer. From dancing with fireflies to climbing trees and swinging along with chimpanzees, the pull of limitless freedom is hypnotic. Make the world your own playground, fill it with a noisy sound. Indeed, we all should do just that!

HOT DOG

by Mark Sperring, Illustrated by Sophie Corrigan (Bloomsbury 6.99, 32 pp)

Its a baking hot day at the beach with families swimming and playing  apart from a lonely hot dog made of sausage and a bun who wants to be a real dog and join in all the fun. Then along comes the Mustard Fairy to grant his wish . . . This bold, rhyming story about fulfilling your dreams is a riot of silliness from start to sticky finish.

BRAVE DAVE

by Giles Andreae & Guy Parker Rees (Orchard 12.99, 32 pp)

From the ebullient creators of the classic, Giraffes Cant Dance, comes this life-affirming lesson of little bear Dave, whos in awe of his stronger, braver, older brother Clarence. Dave prefers gentle, artistic hobbies and, fearing ridicule, he hides away until he finds the courage to show Clarence and his friends how he spends his time. A joyous book for all younger siblings to celebrate their individuality.

WELLINGTONS BIG DAY OUT

by Steve Small (S&S 12.99, 30 pp)

Wellington the elephant is celebrating his fifth birthday and cant wait to try on his new jacket that is just like Dads. But its too big  or is Wellington just too small? Increasingly anxious that hes not growing fast enough, it takes a hectic day out with Dad and some wise words from Grandad to offer the reassurance that growing up cant be rushed and that hes pint-sized perfect as he is. A delight.

THE ROYAL LEAP-FROG

by Peter Bently, Illustrated by Claire Powell (Bloomsbury 6.99, 32 pp)

Inspired by Hans Christian Andersens original tale, this madcap rhyming story of a flea, a grasshopper and a frog (main picture) who compete to see who can jump highest and ask the King to adjudicate is a triumph.

The illustrations are packed with detail and there are refreshingly modern updates (the Admiral of the Navy is a woman) as brains outwit brawn and the boasters get their comeuppance.

YOUNG FICTION

SEED

by Caryl Lewis (Macmillan 7.99, 288 pp)

This gloriously uplifting adventure is an inspiration to believe in dreams despite a difficult world. Martys eccentric Grandad and allotment provide sanctuary as he battles bullies and his mums mental-health problems. Grandads gift of a special pumpkin seed for Martys birthday appears bizarre but it grows so vast that Grandad has a life-changing idea that could help Marty believe in himself.

WISHED

by Lissa Evans (David Fickling Books 12.99, 272 pp)

If a wish could come true what would you wish for? Its just this dilemma that faces wheelchair-bound Ed, his younger sister Roo and new friend Willard as they are forced to spend half-term week with an elderly neighbour, Rosanna, and her disgustingly smelly (talking) cat. The discovery of birthday candles that grant desires when lit leads to magic and mayhem. Fabulous.

THE ROLLERCOASTER BOY

by Lisa Thompson (Scholastic 6.99, 352 pp)

This wildly funny but sensitive adventure sees Todd and sister Laurie booked into a luxury (i.e. run-down) seaside hotel by their bipolar dad who is off his meds. When he falls ill, they team up with the owners daughter, Scout, to solve the mystery of a famous author who went missing from the hotel years ago  but left clues as to why and where. Oh, and theres possibly a werewolf staying . . .

ESCAPE TO THE RIVER SEA

by Emma Carroll (Macmillan 12.99, 288 pp)

Eva Ibbotsons award-winning modern classic, Journey To The River Sea, conjured up the lush, heady power of the Amazon and now this thrilling sequel, set in 1946, returns there with young Rosa, a Kindertransport child, awaiting news of her missing German family. When naturalist Yara takes her on a quest to find the giant sloth, Rosa becomes embroiled in a secretive dangerous mission.

WHILE THE STORM RAGES

by Phil Earle (Andersen 7.99, 384 pp)

At the start of WWII, Londoners were advised to have their pets put down before bombing started but Noah promised his soldier dad to keep their beloved dog, Winn, safe. So he and his friend Clem borrow his dads boat  with a python, two kittens and a dachshund  and set sail in search of safety. Another gritty adventure full of heart, humour and historical accuracy from the superb Earle.

THE GIRL WHO LOST A LEOPARD

by Nizrana Farook (Nosy Crow 7.99, 160 pp)

Farooks wild tales set on Serendib (Sri Lanka) conjure up endangered nature, cruel criminals and engaging child heroes. Here, Selvi has developed a bond with Lokka, a rare mountain leopard  but big cats are valuable to poachers and someone has discovered Selvis secret.

Can she protect Lokka  or will someone betray her? Edge-of-your-seat excitement.

THE THIEF WHO SANG STORMS

by Sophie Anderson (Usborne 7.99, 416 pp)

Young Linnet, one of the magical, singing bird people, mourns her mother, drowned in a flood that was blamed on her species. When her father is kidnapped, Linnet, whose magical powers havent yet arrived, is forced to join forces with a former friend, now a sworn enemy, to rescue him. This richly imaginative story, based on Russian folklore, is a rewarding read.

THE LOST WHALE

by Hannah Gold, Illustrated by Levi Pinfold (HarperCollins 12.99, 320 pp)

Sent to stay with his estranged grandmother in LA after his mother has a breakdown, Rio is fearful and homesick.

When he discovers a photograph of his mum as a child encountering a grey whale named White Beak, he becomes obsessed with tracking down the missing whale down in a symbolic quest to heal his mother. A powerful and deeply moving story.

SKANDAR AND THE UNICORN THIEF

by A.F. Steadman (S&S 12.99, 400 pp)

This first in a fantasy series is perfect for Harry Potter and Percy Jackson fans. Teenage Skandar Smith yearns to be one of the elite unicorn riders sent to a secretive island where dangerous wild unicorns can be tamed only when matched with a chosen child. But when he arrives, Skandar discovers a secret about himself that he can tell no one  a secret that could cost him his life . . .

TEEN & YOUNG ADULTS

FAMILY OF LIARS

by E. Lockhart (Hot Key 12.99, 336 pp)

This standalone prequel to the bestselling We Were Liars is again set on the wealthy American Sinclair familys private island, where the youngest daughter drowned. Traumatised teenager Carrie, the eldest child, narrates this steamy story of a summer of secrets, sex and an unfolding of terrible events when three young men come to stay. Are confessions always true? Seductive and sensational.

THE DROWNING DAY

by Anne Cassidy (UCLan publishing 7.99, 172 pp)

In this gripping, near-future dystopian thriller the east coast of Britain has suffered devastating floods, leaving the population divided between the grim Wetlands and safe, high towns. Wetlander Jade, whose grandfather entrusted her with a special key before he died, escapes a new flood with Bates, a mysterious boy, and his criminal accomplice. But what is the secret of her key?

NON-FICTION

EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT MINI BEASTS IS WRONG

by Dr Nick Crumpton Illustrated by Gavin Scott (Nosy Crow 12.99, 64 pp)

We all know that bees die after they sting . . . except they dont. And, as this fascinating and highly illustrated compendium will tell you, there are many other amazing facts about mini-creatures that we have misunderstood (or never knew in the first place). You may be happy not to meet the stick insect the size of a cat but this book will inspire you to turn over stones and rotting logs all summer.

WORDS TO READ BEFORE YOU TURN 13

by Nicolette Jones (Nosy Crow 12.99, 160 pp)

Albert Einstein said: Imagination is more important than knowledge, and this inspirational collection of wise and wonderful words is a must for any age. More than 100 poems, speeches, song lyrics and book extracts, from Martin Luther King to Mark Twain, are grouped into eight sections on subjects as diverse as childhood, happiness and sadness, kindness and courage  and every word is to be cherished.
Britain's peak travel season is being hit by a wave of strikes, which is causing thousands to worry about the state of their summer holidays and whether it'll be cancelled.

Cancellations of any kind could lead to expensive consequences for holidaymakers, especially for those without the protection of comprehensive travel insurance.

But, simply having travel insurance may not be enough: around one in 20 policies say that won't cover jetsetters for missed or delayed flights, with as many as 50 per cent stating that they don't protect against cancellations due to strikes.

British Airways has stopped 2.8m passengers from reaching their holiday destination after cancelling 17,600 flights in the last six months, with more cancellations expected in July

British Airways, EasyJet and Ryanair could be hit with strike action throughout July both in Britain and overseas, adding to the thousands of flights that were cancelled over the Easter holidays.

Only three in five holidaymakers said they were planning to buy travel insurance before they set off abroad, potentially leaving thousands out of pocket if their flight is cancelled.

It is vital to book good quality travel cover as soon as you book your trip, as we explain below.

Does my travel insurance cover strike action?

Ceri McMillan, travel expert at GoCompare, says that travel insurance doesn't automatically cover strikes.

She said: 'If your flight is delayed or cancelled due to strike action, it is likely that your airline will compensate you as the flights are effectively cancelled by the airline.'

However, there is then the potential outlay for accommodation and extras, such as car hire, transfers and excursions, which will not fall under that umbrella if booked outside of a package deal.

Travel tips: pay by credit card and check the small print Take out comprehensive travel insurance: Check the policy small print to ensure it covers the cost of all travel failures. Make sure the cover includes 'scheduled airline failure insurance'. You may have to pay extra for this as a bolt-on  but it is money well spent. Pay for your travel with a credit card: It means you may be able to claim under 'section 75' of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 if an airline or holiday company goes bust  or the travel trip paid for using this card is unexpectedly cancelled. Know your rights: Do not allow airlines to fob you off with 'extraordinary circumstances' excuses. The Civil Aviation Authority has full details of when and how to claim. If your airline rejects a claim you may take the case to AviationADR.

New research from Which? suggests that even if you have insurance you may not be covered for strike action, as only 60 per cent of policies reportedly offered reimbursement for travellers who's trip was cancelled.

It may seem like bad news that travel insurance doesn't automatically cover you in case of an industrial strike, but the good news is that you may not need to rely on it if your flight is cancelled.

Jenny Ross, Which? money editor, said that if your flight is cancelled due to strike action, your airline has a legal responsibility to reroute you on any reasonable route - even if that means with another, rival airline, or refund you.

She added: 'In the event that your airline is unable to re-route you and you choose to rebook flights yourself, you should travel in the same cabin class and claim for reimbursement.

'Depending on how far you are flying, if your flight is delayed more than two hours your airline should give you two free calls, faxes or emails, free meals and refreshments appropriate to the length of the delay, and free hotel accommodation and hotel transfers if an overnight stay is required.

'That means that if you are stuck abroad due to a flight cancellation, your airline must pay for your accommodation, even if that is because of a strike. In the first instance you should contact your airline to make the booking on your behalf.

'If you can't reach them, make a booking yourself, and keep proof of payment for this and any other reasonable expense such as transport, to be claimed back via the airline.'

Chaos at Manchester Airport as hundreds of flights are cancelled : but you can claim compensation for cancelled flights that ruin your travel plans and holidays

McMillan added that if you are worried about industrial action affecting your trip, the best thing to do in the first instance is check with your travel agent, tour operator or airline.

'They should have all the information on their websites,' she said. 'Strike action can change on a daily basis so they will have the most up to date information and will be your first port of call for refunds or alternative flights and accommodation.'

Would I be entitled to compensation?

Another piece of good news, is that you are also entitled to the same compensation if you flight is cancelled, but only if its cancelled within two weeks of departure.

Ross said: 'Under UK and EU Law, you are only entitled to compensation from your airline if you hear from them less than 14 days' from the date you're due to fly that your flight is cancelled.'

> Read our guide: Everything you need to know about travel insurance

McMillan added: 'If the strike is announced more than two weeks before your holiday and the airline can offer you an alternative flight that isn't too different to your original plans, you won't be entitled to any compensation.

'Equally, if you decide not to travel because you are concerned by strikes, you won't be covered in this instance either.'

Holidaymakers have been stuck in airports for hours, as airlines scramble to find replacement flights after strikes, COVID, and staff shortages caused thousands of flights to be cut

What if the flight for my package holiday is cancelled?

If you have booked a package holiday, you should be covered entirely if strike action causes your flight to be cancelled, and you should speak to your tour operator to discuss your options.

McMillian said: 'If you've booked a package holiday with an official tour operator, you are also protected by ATOL, a Government-backed financial protection scheme that applies to most air package holidays sold in the UK.

'This also means you are covered if you need to be repatriated or if you need alternative accommodation if this happens while you're abroad.

'The law says your holiday must be protected if you book a holiday with a single travel firm that includes: flights and accommodation (including a cruise), or flights and car hire, or flights, accommodation and car hire.'

Travel insurance can cover you for anything from lost luggage to cancelled flights, even missed connections in case of strike action, so you can relax knowing you are protected

What if I miss my connecting flight due to strikes?

If you have to get a connecting flight to your destination, you may find you are left high and dry if the airline cancels the initial flight from the UK.

If you are unable to make the connecting flight, you may have to pay for another flight and potentially food and accommodation costs while you wait for it.

If both fights are with the same airline, you may be able to get compensation, but if it is with a different airline, you may be left to foot the bill, as over a quarter of annual travel insurance policies offer no cover in these circumstances.

It's vital you check that your travel insurance covers you in cased of missed flights, or cancellations if you are planning a trip with a connecting flight.

What should I look for when buying insurance?

McMillan suggests looking out for disruption cover when comparing insurance, as this will typically tell you what is covered.

She said: 'Travel insurance can cover you for eventualities such as cancellations or delays, and is included under disruption cover, which covers you if your holiday is unexpectedly cut short or if anything happens to your personal belongings.

'However, this isn't included as standard on all travel insurance policies so you'll need to check if you have this cover on your policy  if not, you can often add this as an optional extra.'

Ross added that you should look out for the type of medical care your insurance covers too, as well as expenses for lost valuables or illness.

How to find travel insurance The simplest way to look for travel insurance is to use a comparison site. Results will similar across most comparison sites but some may have special deals, so it could be worth using more than one. If you have previous serious medical issues consider a specialist insurer or broker. This is Money has partnered with Compare the Market to help you find great travel insurance. You can compare prices and cover at the link below. > Travel insurance: Check policies with Compare the Market

She said: 'When buying travel insurance, each person's needs will be different.

'As a general rule Which? recommends a minimum of 5million in emergency medical cover, 2000 or the value of your trip for cancellations, 1million personal liability cover and 1,500 or the value of your personal belongings and money.

'With Covid still likely to cause disruption, it is advisable to take out a policy which provides cover in the event you need to cancel your trip due to testing positive or self-isolating, and emergency medical cover while abroad.'

But McMillan said not to worry too much about finding Covid cover: 'most travel insurance policies also now have a level of cover for Covid-19 which will pay for emergency care and repatriation.'

Can I buy my travel insurance now to protect against strike action?

Ideally, you should look to get your travel insurance as soon as you book your holiday to ensure you are covered from the get-go.

But, you should know that if you book travel insurance after news of the strikes affecting your flights, you could invalidate your insurance.

McMillan said: 'It's also worth noting that if you booked your holiday and bought your insurance policy before the strikes were announced, you may be able to claim on your insurance.

'But if you bought the policy after the strikes were announced, you won't be covered.

'It's so important that you read your policy, so you know what you're covered for and likewise, buy your policy as soon as you book your holiday as you are more likely to be covered the earlier you bought it.'
Boris Johnson's scandal-plagued leadership was hanging by a thread on Wednesday as he fought efforts to remove him from office, despite an increasing number of cabinet colleagues urging the ailing British Prime Minister to leave.

Johnson began the day vowing to fight on, despite the surprise resignations of his finance minister, health secretary, and dozens of other lawmakers enraged by the latest saga engulfing Downing Street: the botched handling of resignation by Johnson's former deputy chief whip, Chris Pincher, who was accused of groping two men last week.

Boris Johnson Refuses To Resign

Before a delegation of cabinet colleagues gathered at Downing Street to beg Johnson to quit, Johnson took a beating at Prime Minister's Questions and a humiliating appearance before a parliamentary committee of senior legislators. But Johnson was not going down without a fight. On Wednesday night, he fired close ally and senior cabinet minister Michael Gove.

However, the torrent of resignations posed the question of how a prime minister who was losing popularity could replace all of the newly vacant seats. On Wednesday afternoon, five ministers resigned in one fell swoop, and by the end of the day, Johnson had lost more than three dozen members of his administration.

While Johnson has so far refused to budge, Conservative legislators are debating reformulating party rules and voting to dismiss him if necessary, according to CNN. The delegation was led by Chris Heaton-Harris, the chief whip in charge of party discipline, which has completely collapsed due to MPs' outrage over the Chris Pincher groping affair. It comprised the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, as well as Welsh secretary, Simon Hart.

Priti Patel, the home secretary, also went to No. 10 after joining the anti-Johnson side, as did Gove, demanding the prime minister resign. Johnson, on the other hand, is believed to have told them that his departure would result in the chaos of a leadership contest during a cost-of-living crisis, followed by calls for a general election.

In subsequent talks with hesitant MPs, he pushed them to see that, despite the huge resignations, no other prospective leaders could equal his public appeal. There was cheering earlier in the Commons when a Conservative MP accused Mr. Johnson of seeking to blame other people for failures, demanding him to accept responsibility and quit, as per Independent.

Read Also: Trade Union Warns That German Industries Might Collapse Due to Energy Crunch

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Scandal

Johnson has never shied away from controversy or scandal, garnering him the reputation as a Teflon politician who can shrug off potentially career-ending disclosures.

The new incident, however, may bring a stop to Johnson's good streak, as mass resignations upset the administration. Parliament has canceled committee sessions because the Conservative Party does not have enough ministers to attend after the resignation of 44 Conservative ministers and staffers.

Johnson's most persistent and infamous scandal was parties who happened on government property during the most stringent COVID-19 lockdown times. Pincher took up the position on February 8 this year and quit on June 30 after reportedly touching two men at Piccadilly's Carlton Club. The complaint was received by another whip, who forwarded it to the top whip.

In the face of considerable criticism, Johnson was not the only one who had to defend Pincher. Johnson rebuffed committee efforts in 2021 to ban Conservative member and former minister Owen Paterson for 30 days for engaging in outrageous paid to lobby.

Johnson has also been involved in several sex scandals, including one in 2018 in which Lord Michael Ashcroft, the former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, walked in on Johnson having oral sex in his office. Johnson was Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at the time, and he had a lover named Carrie Symonds, whom he subsequently married after divorcing his wife in 2020.

Furthermore, Johnson had backed Brexit from the beginning and gone to considerable efforts to guarantee its success, including an awkward occasion in which he was accused of manipulating the queen. Also, Johnson had supported Brexit from the start and gone to great lengths to ensure its success, including an unpleasant incident in which he was accused of influencing the queen, Fox News reported.

Related Article: Boris Johnson Faces Both PM's Questions, Parliamentary Liaison Committee After 2 Cabinet Members Dramatically Resign

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Troubled AO World has been forced to tap shareholders for 40million to shore up its creaking finances.

The electricals retailer sold a chunk of shares at 43p each having seen the price collapse over the past 18 months.

The shares were more than 100p each at the start of this year and at a record high of 430p in early 2021.

AO World sold a chunk of shares at 43p each having seen the price collapse over the past 18 months

AO, which sells everything from fridges to TVs and computers, has had a torrid week after it emerged a credit insurer pulled its cover as the cost of living crisis hit sales.

It sought to reassure investors on Monday, highlighting access to an 80million loan facility and saying trading was in line with expectations.

But on Tuesday shares kept sliding as brokers raised fears it would be forced to tap shareholders for funds to survive.

Julie Palmer, at corporate restructuring firm Begbies Traynor, warned this week that once credit insurance is removed, a demise can be rapid.

The removal of the insurance has spelled the beginning of the end in the past for retailers such as Woolworths, HMV and Toys R Us.

And yesterday shares fell 8.5 per cent, or 4p, to 43p as it announced the fundraising.

Founder and chief executive John Roberts was mocked for describing the emergency share placing as a sensible piece of financial housekeeping.

He added: This capital raise will give us the necessary foundation from which to go after the significant long-term growth opportunities that we see for AO in the UK.

Mocked: AO World boss John Roberts described the emergency share placing as a sensible piece of financial housekeeping

He said the funds would help it reach annual sales growth of 10pc, with strong profit margins, as it seeks to address the UKs 23.4brillion online electrical goods market.

Shore Capital retail analyst Clive Black said it stood in stark contrast to what AO said on Monday.

He called it a rescue fundraise, saying promises of a better financial performance were wearing thin.

AO is shutting its German business after intense competition, rising costs and a fall in demand for online shopping once lockdown restrictions eased caused a deterioration to its outlook in the country, despite spending years trying to break into the market.

It was once seen as a Covid winner after lockdowns and a home improvement boom saw demand surge.
Coal-fired: Draxs two units at its plant in North Yorkshire were mothballed last year

Drax will keep open its coal-fired power plant this winter after a request by Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng.

He said it was a sensible precaution as Russia cuts off gas to parts of Europe. Britain now has two coal plants for the winter and is negotiating for one more.

Germany will have to burn more coal this winter amid concerns about power shortages.

And yesterday France said it will fully nationalise EDF, which is already 84 per cent state-owned.

Draxs two units at its plant in North Yorkshire were mothballed last year and were due to close formally this September. They will provide a winter contingency service from October to March, only operating if instructed to do so by National Grid.

Last month, Kwarteng did a deal with French firm EDF to extend the life of its coal-fired plant at West Burton, Notts.
Ultra Electronics will fall into US private equity hands after the Business Secretary backed a 2.6billion takeover.

It is being bought by Boston-based Advent International through its subsidiary Cobham  despite significant opposition from defence experts and MPs.

Kwasi Kwarteng was urged to block the deal amid fears of the hollowing out of the UK defence sector.

Cleared for take-off: The C-130 Hercules military aircraft uses Ultra Electronics technology

But he has set the stage for Ultra to be delisted from the London Stock Exchange and swallowed by Advent.

His clearance came after Advent agreed legally binding undertakings to protect national security, including creating two firms to cover Ultras most sensitive work, with a state-endorsed board director on each.

Ministers will have strong step-in rights, to secure any future change of owner.

It follows Advents 4billion takeover of Cobham in 2020, which led to the break-up of the defence group. Advent is buying Ultra through what is left of Cobham.

Independent analyst Francis Tusa said Cobham is just Advent disguised as a wolf in sheeps clothing.

He said: If this was an open and shut case, the deal would have been cleared last year. It is absolutely self-evident there is enough going on that the secretary of state did not know whether to clear it.

But lets wait and see. Are we going to see Advent wash their hands of it like they did with Cobham?

They made a whole series of assurances and pretty much broke all those.

He raised fears political turmoil would enable Advent to renege on agreements. Ultra makes submarine-hunting kit and is a world leader in sonar, radar and torpedo technology.

Ex-Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said he does not understand why the deal is going ahead.
Investors in GlaxoSmith-Kline have waved through the planned demerger of its consumer health business  paving the way for one of the biggest London stock market debuts in more than a decade.

A vote on the split was almost unanimously backed at a general meeting, meaning the newly demerged division, called Haleon, will list on the market as planned on July 18.

The demerger is a key plank of a turnaround strategy spearheaded by GSK boss Emma Walmsley as she tries to shift its focus towards drugs and vaccines and boost its flagging share price amid pressure from investors.

Left in the dust: GSK boss Emma Walmsley (pictured), who has overseen a flagging share price, wants to shift the company's focus towards drugs and vaccines

Haleon, which owns brands including Sensodyne toothpaste and Panadol painkiller, was previously expected by the City to be valued at between 38billion and 45billion when it makes its market debut  enough to catapult it straight into the FTSE 100.

However, this valuation came under question from some analysts as the split drew closer.

Analysts at Credit Suisse estimate Haleon would have a value of just over 33billion.

Haleon will take on 10.3billion worth of GSK debt as part of the demerger, according to analysts at Barclays, around four times its estimated earnings for this year.

There is also speculation the firm could immediately become a takeover target after a 50billion offer by consumer goods giant Unilever was slapped down in January. Swiss giant Nestle also considered making a bid this year but backed out.

The demerger is expected to generate bumper paydays for its new boss and advisers who worked on the deal.

Brian McNamara, the current boss of the consumer division who will head Haleon after the demerger, will see his maximum pay packet expand to 10.4million per year from its level of 4.4million.

Meanwhile, Dave Lewis, the former head of Tesco who has been recruited as Haleons chairman, will be paid 700,000 a year.

Bankers and lawyers are expected to rake in around 500million from costs related to the split, the stock market listing and other transactions.

Walmsley, 53, has battled criticism from shareholders who have criticised her plans.

Activist investor Elliott Advisors pushed for GSK to sell Haleon rather than pursue a stock market listing, and questioned Walmsleys ability to lead, citing her lack of a scientific background.

A failure to get ahead in the race for a Covid vaccine also irritated shareholders as GSK was left in the dust by its main UK rival AstraZeneca.

But Walmsley has mostly seen off critics and pushed ahead with plans to bolster a pipeline of new drugs and vaccines.

It has embarked on a flurry of acquisitions, snapping up Boston vaccine maker Affinivax for 2.4billion in May and cancer drug group Sierra Oncology, for 1.5billion, in April.
Australia is being attacked by a devastating 'multi-demic' assault from a vicious cocktail of viruses, according to a top medical expert who says the threat has been caused by lockdowns reducing our natural immunity.

The population's defences against the range of different viruses and illnesses that proliferate in winter has been reduced by the very isolation measures which were meant to help in stopping the spread of Covid.

Now the rapid spread of bugs is being fuelled by cold, damp winter conditions, combined with staff returning to offices and commuting on packed trains and buses.

And that's on top of the new, more infectious Omicron variant BA.5 which is sweeping through the population.

Australia is facing a devastating multi-demic assault from a vicious cocktail of viruses attacking the nation, a top medical expert has warned

'We're facing a multi-demic of respiratory viruses,' Sydney University infectious disease expert Professor Robert Booy told the Courier-Mail.

'There's three or four of them causing trouble - influenza, RSV, para-influenza, adenovirus, HMPV... there are a lot.

'Because were locked down for two years, the level of natural immunity dropped off against flu and Covid, so we have a lot of cases and deaths due to Omicron and the opening of a society with less natural immunity.

'If you want to spread an infection, you open up society.'

NSW alone is facing a massive outbreak of RSV which can kill infants, with numbers skyrocketing from 355 to 3775 cases a week in under a month.

Businesses across the east coast have also been decimated by staff falling ill as the range of viruses spread like wildfire.

Bosses have reported a spike in absenteeism - and work-from-home - among staff.

Cold, damp winter conditions while staff return to offices and commute on packed trains and buses is fuelling the rapid spread of the killer bugs

Epidemiologist Professor Catherine Bennett told Daily Mail Australia flu jabs and Covid boosters are essential to stopping the spread, along with the return of widespread mask-wearing.

'In the eastern states of Australia we knew we would have a challenge with the flu,' the Deakin University professor said.

'Not only have people not had it the last two years, it also hasn't been front of mind for vaccination.

'We haven't had that exposure or immunisation in the last two years so people's immune systems are much much weaker.

'We have seen that play out and that is why the flu vaccine is so much more important this year and that's why it has been made freely available.

'I continue to tell anyone who hasn't got it that it is still worth getting.'

Australia recently hit the grim milestone of 10,000 Covid-19 related deaths, with more than 7,000 fatalities occurring in the last six months

Australia recently hit the grim milestone of more than 10,000 dying with Covid, with more than 7,000 of those fatalities in the past six months.

Prof Bennett said good hygiene and face masks are vital to avoid getting sick while returning to normal life.

'While the exposure risk is so high as Covid and flu continue to spread, you get more bang for your buck practising good hygiene and wearing a face mask,' she said.

'Masks are so worth it. While it isn't going to absolutely stop you from getting it, by wearing a mask you are protecting yourself, others and are subconsciously more aware of keeping your distance from others.'

Prof Bennett also said it is important people on public transport abide by the rules and wear masks - as well as keeping work areas well-ventilated.

Professor Catherine Bennett says face masks are essential to keep yourself and the community safe as multiple viruses sweep the country

'We should have masks in place and we have those rules on public transport and some are still not abiding by it,' Dr Bennett said.

'We need to think about those who have underlying conditions, whether they are having chemo or are immunocompromised and rely on public transport to get around.

'We have an obligation to think about the rest of the general public and know we are at risk of passing it on to those most vulnerable.

'And if you are indoors make sure you are putting a fan on, opening a window and just ventilating inside spaces,' she said.

On Tuesday, Dr Kerry Chant urged NSW residents to wear masks when they can't socially distance even if it's not mandatory

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant has urged masks to be worn even if it's not mandatory whenever people can't socially distance.

She said on Tuesday that it was only 'considerate' for people to wear a mask when they enter a shop or a crowded indoor public space.

Her comments came as health officials brace for a winter wave of Covid-19 with two more-infectious sub-strains of the Omicron variant on the loose.

'Im concerned about this picture,' she warned. 'The virus has changed.

'So now with Omicron, the evidence is clear that we need three or in some cases four doses to provide the best protection against getting very sick.

'We need to act now to slow the spread of the virus in the community. We have to create an enabled environment to say that wearing a mask is an okay thing to do.'

Other experts have questioned the efficacy of more vaccinations that were designed to combat the early strains of the coronavirus, not the ones that are predominant now.

University of South Australia Professor of Epidemiology Adrian Esterman said further doses of the 'old' vaccines are of limited value in protecting against infection by the current strains.

'Although current vaccines based on the Wuhan strain will still provide some protection against serious illness and death against BA.4/5, they are unlikely to provide much, if any, protection against infection or symptomatic disease,' he said.
Ukrainians are hoping the man who some have affectionately taken to calling 'Borys Johnsoniuk' can cling on as the Prime Minister's tenure hangs in the balance amid a slew of ministerial resignations.

Johnson is facing a growing rebellion within his own Conservative Party, but Ukrainians fete him as one of their most vocal supporters for overseeing vital supplies of arms and anti-tank weapons to fend off Russia's invasion.

In Kyiv, he has been depicted in street art and is the subject of a portrait exhibition, while a creamy cake with an ice cream topping that resembles his unruly blond hair bears his name - as do several Ukrainian streets.

'It's a shame because we need as much support for (Ukraine) as possible,' said 22-year-old actress Kateryna Chikina, one of several Kyiv residents who told Reuters they did not want him to go.

'If there are influential politicians abroad, we need them. We don't want to lose him because he really helps us. He is a cutie.'

A portrait of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is seen at a gallery in Kyiv, Ukraine July 6, 2022

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shows Boris Johnson around downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 9, 2022. Ukrainians are hugely supportive of Johnson who is perceived as a key ally in fight against Russia

A woman walks past a portrait of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson displayed at a gallery, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 6

Artist Tetiana Kropyva, 24, busied herself on Wednesday painting a likeness of Johnson onto a barrel serving as an outdoor table at a bar in the capital's hipster hub of Podil.

'As a painter, I can say that he has very distinctive facial features. He is interesting to paint because he has many quirks,' she told Reuters.

At Kyiv's History Museum, two portraits of Johnson behind glass frontage help bring in the punters, said museum employee Mykola Petrychenko.

'It's a marketing magnet of sorts because Boris Johnson is extremely popular among Ukrainian people.

'Passers-by, when they see his portrait in the window, they recognise him and they come inside and ask about the exhibition.'

Inside, more portraits of Johnson - as well as one of Queen Elizabeth and another of U.S. President Joe Biden - hang side-by-side with Ukrainian soldiers and well-known commanders in a series depicting Ukrainian heroes.

Dmytro Usikov, 27, said Johnson would have free drinks in his bar even if he was forced from power.

'We will serve him everything for free... because he really helped our country, and is still helping us. The soul of Ukraine, one could say.'

Johnson may well have some free time to enjoy the free drinks in the near future, as a total of 46 of his ministers handed in resignations in under 48 hours in a scathing indictment of his perceived ability to lead the Conservative party.

In an historic political collapse, two Cabinet ministers, 15 ministers, 17 parliamentary private secretaries, three trade envoys and one vice-chair have so far tendered their resignations

Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves Number 10 for PMQs on Wednesday amid a storm of resignations from dozens of his ministers

In an historic collapse the PM suffered the highest number of government resignations of any Prime Minister since 1932, as three Cabinet ministers, 16 ministers, 22 parliamentary private secretaries, four trade envoys and one vice-chair tendered their resignations.

It is the equivalent of around one in five of the total 'payroll vote' in the House of Commons  the number of MPs who hold positions from which they would have to resign in order to oppose the Government.

Meanwhile, a YouGov poll taken on Tuesday found 69 per cent of people believe the PM should step down - up 11 per cent from June 9 - a sentiment shared by more than half (54 per cent) of respondents who voted Conservative in 2019's general election.

Just 34 per cent of Conservative voters wanted Johnson out on June 9 just days after he narrowly survived a no-confidence vote, suggesting that today's Cabinet resignations represent the final straw for many Tory supporters.

Johnson is facing a growing rebellion within his own Conservative Party and widespread calls for his resignation

Only 18 per cent of Brits overall believe Johnson should remain in charge, but despite the widespread calls for his resignation, just one in five YouGov poll respondents actually believe the Prime Minister will heed them.

The Prime Minister was already fighting an uphill struggle to remain in No 10 before the torrent of ministerial resignations as his handling of the row over scandal-hit former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher became the latest issue to raise questions over his judgment.

YouGov's Associate Director of Political and Social Research Patrick English said of the poll results: 'The figures make for dire reading for Boris Johnson.

'With over half of the very people who put him into office in 2019 now wanting him out, he is losing the battle for support not just with the general public, but his own party's voters.'
Sleazy Hunter Biden is seen filming himself smoking 'drugs' and fondling himself inside a sensory deprivation tank - during a detox program funded by his dad, President Joe Biden.

The president's exhibitionist son, 52, is bathed in trippy green light as he floats naked on his back and plays with himself in the shocking cell phone video retrieved from his abandoned laptop.

He leaves briefly to grab a can of White Claw hard seltzer and what appears to be a crack pipe before taking several hits and staring wild-eyed into the camera as ambient music plays softly in the background.

Text messages seen by DailyMail.com confirm the seven-minute clip was recorded at Blue Water Wellness in Newburyport, Massachusetts, where Hunter booked a float therapy session on January 30, 2019.

New footage has emerged of Hunter Biden smoking drugs, drinking and fondling himself while floating in a sensory deprivation tank in January 2019

The video, recovered from a backup of his cell phone found on his abandoned laptop, shows the president's son bathed in trippy green light and indulging in drugs and alcohol as he floats in the water

Text messages seen by DailyMail.com confirm the seven-minute clip was recorded at Blue Water Wellness in Newburyport, Mass., where Hunter booked a float therapy session on January 30, 2019

He was urged to visit the spa by a therapist pal, whom the First Son had turned to for help in his battle to kick drugs.

Just one month earlier, Hunter had texted his dad, Joe, complaining he didn't have enough money for the treatment program on top of bills and alimony.

'Hey dad I've been trying to resolve some immediate financial issues - alimony tuitions and my bill for this program but the cash I am counting on will not arrive until the end of the week.

'Is it possible to make me another short term loan in the same amount and I will send it back no later than 10 days.

'I'm really embarrassed to ask and I know it's unfair of me to put you in that position right now,' Hunter wrote on December 4, 2018.

'Hunt tell me what you need. No problem,' the future president responded. 'Ok how do you want to do this I can pay tuition directly and their housing and give you the rest.'

Biden senior messaged again on December 6 to confirm: '75 being wired today. Love.'

Just one month earlier, Hunter had texted his dad, Joe, complaining he didn't have enough money for the treatment program on top of bills and alimony, text messages show

Hunter celebrated Independence Day with his president father and his son, Beau, at the White House

In another exchange weeks later, just before New Year's Eve, Hunter messaged his father convincing him to fund a $20,000 three-month program at a 'sober house' and detox facility in New York City.

A supportive Joe happily obliged, replying in a January 2, 2019 text to Hunter: 'Just called Mel he will get 20 to your account this afternoon tomorrow morning at latest. He will contact me when transfer goes through.'

Hunter's cell phone videos would later show, however, that he had gone to the wellness center in Massachusetts later that month instead.

The video and corresponding messages are the latest compromising materials retrieved from backed up iPhone data on Hunter's abandoned MacBook pro  the so-called 'laptop from hell.'

At his therapist's behest, Hunter also underwent ketamine infusion therapy  a treatment for 'drug resistant depression.'

Hunter also referenced his ketamine regimen in a December 5, 2018 message to a female friend.

'That's good baby what does it do,' she replied. 'Let's get freaky tonight on webcam.'

In another text sent January 1, 2019, Hunter made it abundantly clear who was funding his unconventional treatments, writing: 'By the way my dad is paying for whatever I need.'

The shocking video begins with Hunter floating naked on his back and touching his genitals

At times, the First Son, 52, can be seen gazing into his camera during the therapy session

At one point, he stands up and exits the tank before coming back into frame with his drugs and a White Claw hard seltzer

He then slips back into the water before lighting up and taking several hits from his pipe

He was urged to visit the spa by his psychiatrist pal, whom the First Son had turned to for help in his battle to kick his drug habit

There is no suggestion the staff at Blue Water Wellness were involved in his drug abuse or that anyone else knew what the father-of-five was getting up to as he lounged naked and alone in the secluded tank.

The now-defunct Blue Water Wellness in Newburyport, Massachusetts

Hunter's latest humiliation comes weeks after DailyMail.com revealed that, despite his repeated denials, Joe Biden did talk to his son about his shady overseas business dealings.

A voicemail discovered on Hunter's backed up data confirms President Biden called Hunter on December 12, 2018, saying he needed to discuss a New York Times report linking the First Son to Chinese oil giant, CEFC.

The Times story pointed out that CEFC's chairman, Ye Jianming, had been arrested in China and his top lieutenant Patrick Ho had been convicted in the US for bribing African officials to help Iran evade oil sanctions.

Ye had met with Hunter at a Miami hotel in 2017 to discuss 'a partnership to invest in American infrastructure and energy deals.'

A text exchange from December 28, 2018 shows Hunter had proposed going into a $20,000 treatment facility in New York

Joe later committed to wiring the $20,000 to his son, texts show, only for Hunter to go to the detox facility in Massachusetts later that month instead

Throughout the video, Hunter silently stares wild-eyed into the camera as ambient music plays softly in the background

After taking a few hits, he grabs a black cherry-flavored White Claw and films himself drinking

At one point, he gazes into the camera and inches closer toward the recording device and appears to be under the influence

And when Ho was arrested, he called Joe's brother, Jim Biden, according to the Times, who told the newspaper that he believed the call was meant for Hunter.

After seeing the story online, Joe called Hunter and left a voicemail, saying: 'Hey pal, it's Dad. It's 8:15 on Wednesday night. If you get a chance just give me a call. Nothing urgent. I just wanted to talk to you.

'I thought the article released online, it's going to be printed tomorrow in the Times, was good. I think you're clear. And anyway if you get a chance give me a call, I love you.'

The message was the latest piece of evidence presented exclusively by DailyMail.com suggesting that the president lied about not talking foreign business with his son.

In another example, the then-vice president attended a Washington, DC, dinner with Hunter's Ukrainian, Kazakh and Russian business associates in 2015.

It was revealed last week that Joe Biden called Hunter in December 2018 saying he wanted to talk to him about a New York Times story on his son's dealings with the Chinese oil giant, CEFC

The Times' 2018 story pointed out CEFC's chairman Ye Jianming (left) had been arrested in China and his lieutenant Patrick Ho(right) had been convicted in the US of bribery. Hunter accidentally recorded himself referring to Ho as the 'spy chief of China'

Hunter told one of his guests in an email that the dinner was 'ostensibly to discuss food security,' but was in fact an opportunity to introduce his potential clients and partners to his powerful father.

The White House initially denied Joe's attendance, but when photographs emerged of Joe there, it claimed it was only a brief stop.

He also met another of Hunter's Chinese business partners, Jonathan Li, when he took his son on a 2013 Air Force 2 trip to China,; he also entertained Hunter's Mexican billionaire business partners, Carlos Slim and Miguel Aleman Velasco, at the White House and the vice president's official residence.

Emails on Hunter's abandoned laptop published by DailyMail.com show Hunter and Joe shared a bank account and paid each other's bills, while Hunter's business partner, Eric Schwerin, did Joe's taxes.
Here is a rather unusual way to propose marriage to your girlfriend while you are handcuffed on a Brazilian street.

With the assistance of two Rio de Janeiro police officers, Marcos Veloso shocked Shirley Mclaynee with the news that the couple had bought a car that had been reported stolen as part of a plot to get her to say yes.

Video footage of the recent engagement was recorded by their friend and showed one of the cops questioning Veloso over the car's origin.

'Where did you buy this car? Where are the documents,' the police officer asked a handcuffed Veloso.

Marcos Veloso pretended to be arrested recently outside a Rio de Janeiro cafeteria before he proposed to his girlfriend Shirley Mclaynee. The plot included the participation of two police officers who handcuffed Veloso for being in possession of a car he had recently purchased that had been reported stolen

Shirley Mclaynee was shocked to find out that the vehicle she and her boyfriend, Marcos Veloso, had purchased had been stolen. It all turned out to be part of a plot put together by Veloso to ask her to marry him with the help of two Rio de Janeiro cops you carried out his fake arrest

The viral video showed one of the police officers pulling a red box with the engagement ring and handing it over to Veloso.

Mclaynee walked back into a cafeteria they were eating at before the impromptu marriage proposal to retrieve her belongings and then returned to her boyfriend's side, totally unaware of what was about to transpire.

A cop grabbed her by the arm and pulled her towards Veloso, who got on one knee and said, 'Here Shirley. Will you marry me.'

A Rio de Janeiro police officer hands over Marcos Veloso (right) the engagement ring moments before he proposed to his girlfriend Shirley Mclaynee in front of a cafeteria. Veloso told Brazilian news outlet G1 that he was nervous about the proposal and came across to police officers who pretended to arrest him so that he could pop the question

Shirley Mclaynee walks towards her boyfriend Marcos Veloso completely unaware that he was about to propose to her

A Rio de Janeiro cop removes the handcuffs off Marcos Veloso after his girlfriend accepted the marriage proposal

Veloso told Brazilian news outlet G1 that he was initially nervous about asking Mclaynee to be his wife while they were dining at the cafeteria and approached the police officers for help. They obliged.

'I wanted to do something different from everything else,' Veloso recalled. 'So, I saw the police. I had already bought the ring and said, 'That will be it.' I asked them and they agreed to do it.'

Mclaynee approved of her boyfriend's uncommon form of proposing marriage.

'He is everything to me. He has a huge heart,' she said. 'Because he is a good person, because of the way he treats me, I am completely in love with him.'
At least 177 lions, tigers, jaguars, and other exotic big cats were found living in deplorable conditions at an animal rescue center in the mountains on Mexico City's south side.

The federal Attorney General's Office for Environmental Protection said it removed 202 animals in all, including monkeys, dogs, donkeys, and coyotes.

The animals were relocated to zoos in the Mexican capital Wednesday, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum revealed.

Dozens of heavily armed city police raided the 'Black Jaguar White Tiger' animal sanctuary Tuesday after videos of rail-thin, distressed and injured lions circulated on social media.

One of the videos showed a large cat struggling to stand on its four paws before falling to the ground.

Mexico's federal Attorney General's Office for Environmental Protection seized 202 animals, including 177 wild cats, from the 'Black Jaguar White Tiger' animal rescue center that was raided Tuesday. The center is operated by Eduardo Serio (pictured), who said he rescued most of the animals from some of the circus following a government ban on animal acts

Mexico City police officers were dispatched to the 'Black Jaguar White Tiger' animal rescue center located south of the nation's capital, after videos on social media showed rail-thin, distressed, and injured lions

Some of the animals were removed Wednesday and transferred to zoos in Mexico City while the government was working on relocating other animals to zoos in Sinaloa and Guanajuato

Eduardo Serio, the founder of the reserve, told local media that he had rescued some of the animals from some of the 500 circus venues in the country after the government outlawed their use in shows in 2015.

At least 90 to 95 percent of the animals were at their weight limits, he said, but the ones that were highlighted in the videos 'which look scared, were animals that we were trying to rescue, (the videos) were taken out of context.'

'Yes, some (were malnourished), others have collapsed due to genetic problems because their kidneys no longer function, they have diabetes, things like that and we try our best,' Serio added. 'The time comes that sometimes we (are able to treat them), but we are not God, sometimes we make it through and sometimes we don't. When we can't, we have no choice but to give him a dignified death.'

Mexico City police chief Omar Garcia Harfuch said the property had been seized 'for the crime of improper use of property and mistreatment of animals.'

City police said in a statement that 'according to the inspection, the property where the animals were kept is zoned for agricultural or grazing purposes, not for keeping the kind of species found.'

A tiger sits in a new pen following its removal from the animal rescue center that was raided in Mexico City on Tuesday

Two cubs sit inside a fenced-in pen at the 'Black Jaguar White Tiger' animal rescue center that is located in the mountains south of Mexico City. The founder of the sanctuary told local news outlets that he was dealing with a 70 percent decrease in donations but was still providing care for wild animals he had rescued

Under Mexican law, private individuals can register to keep exotic cats and other animals in supervised wildlife management units.

Serio's facility appears to have filed such paperwork.

But the animal rights advocacy group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called the site a 'false sanctuary,' saying it had been complaining for years that the facility was engaged in abusive practices.

PETA said the lions, tigers and jaguars were held in relatively small fenced-in pens, sometimes with more than one animal per enclosure, and also were forced to interact with humans for 'selfies' or videos.

Environmental workers inspect the sanctuary where 202 animals, including 177 wild cats, were seized Tuesday

The Association of Zoos, Breeders and Aquariums of Mexico said its members would volunteer to take charge of the animals.

But Mexican drug cartel members illegally keeping big cats and the country's ban on animal acts in circuses have both contributed to the saturation of animal shelters and rescue facilities.

'Several of our facilities are already saturated with wild animals from various rescues, ranging from circuses to hundreds of seizures of illegal trafficking' of animals, Ernesto Zazueta, head of the zoo association, said in a statement. 'But we cannot allow these animals, many of which are endangered, to continue in these deplorable health conditions and malnourishment.'

Some of the monkeys and three lions were taken to Mexico City zoos on Wednesday and there were plans to send 50 of the animals on Thursday to zoos west of the capital and in the states of Guanajuato and Sinaloa, according to Zazueta.

He found the animals to be in 'a horrible situation.'

'Some of their tails are missing, they had been eaten,' he added. 'Others lack an eye, an ear. They are very, very thin, dehydrated.'

Serio said that he saw a 70 percent loss in donations to the reserve during the coronavirus pandemic, which has affected the way the center is operated.

Mexican narcos have long had a fascination with exotic animals.

In one week in June, a spider monkey dressed up as a drug gang mascot was found shot to death after a gunbattle.

In May 2020, authorities raided a Veracruz ranch where cartel members kept two lions and crocodiles. The gang reportedly fed its rivals to the animals.
Peta Credlin, the influential television host and former chief advisor to Tony Abbott, has praised the Albanese government's early decisions on immigration, the Ukraine war and the threat of China.

Ms Credlin, whose arch conservatism saw her described by Mr Abbott as 'the fiercest political warrior' he had ever worked with, used her column in The Australian to praise Mr Albanese for turning back asylum seeker boats, sending weapons to President Zelensky to fight the Russians, and for holding the line against the Chinese Communist Party

But the Sky News commentator's positivism about the new government came with a warning: Labor may still turn towards a 'hard left agenda', spend too much money and put climate change commitments ahead of 'keeping the lights on'.

Ms Credlin began her column by asking whether Mr Albanese may break the pattern of Australia having only short-term PMs who 'fail to meet even the most basic expectations'.

Anthony Albanese (pictured) has, remarkably, received slight praise from right-wing political commentator Peta Credlin in a piece she penned for The Australian

Since his election, Ms Credlin noted approvingly that 'all regular maritime arrivals' - illegal immigrant boats - have been repatriated, despite Labor's rejection of temporary protection visas.

Of Ukraine, she said Mr Albanese's new government 'has been even more supportive of Ukraine' than Scott Morrison, and seemed to understand that the fight against Russia was a fight for 'our freedoms, as much as their own'. She pointed to Australia sending more Bushmaster combat trucks and armoured personnel carriers to the the nation.

Meanwhile, she noted there has been 'no weakening of the Australian line against Beijing' so far.

Credlin said Mr Albanese's job to lead would be more difficult compared to past leaders due to 'more functions subcontracted out to supposedly expert bodies' and the increasing 'overlap' between federal and state politics.

However, the Sky News host cautioned that Labor's instincts on certain economic and energy issues could be its undoing.

She claimed that 'Labors natural spending instinct will crash against budget deficits that stretch into the horizon, subdued domestic growth, and likely recession abroad.'

She said the party's climate commitments could also 'clash against the need to keep the lights on by continuing to make full use of fossil-fuels, as much of Europe has just realised'.

And she argued that 'Labors commitment to a constitutionally entrenched Indigenous Voice to parliament seeks to divide our country on a racial basis, which cannot be supported as a matter of principle'.

Credlin suggested that Mr Albanese govern from the political centre, as Bob Hawke had done, rather than in the left-wing mould of Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.

The former advisor (pictured) still warned readers of a Labor government's 'spending instinct', climate targets and 'hard-left agenda'

Mr Albanese (pictured here with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky) was initially by credited by Credlin for his support of Ukraine, hard stance on China and turning back asylum seeker boats

Credlin's comments on Anthony Albanese's prime ministership come after he fired back at critics and opposition MPs who have criticised him over the number of days he has spent overseas.

Mr Albanese has been dubbed 'Airbus Albo' by critics for the two weeks he has spent in different countries since winning the May 21 election.

Comparisons have been made to Scott Morrison's holiday in Hawaii as the country burned during the Black Summer bushfires.

On Wednesday, Mr Albanese reacted furiously to the suggestion his trips to meet world leaders could be compared to that fiasco.

'I was fulfilling a responsibility that I believe that I had of traveling to Ukraine,' he said.

'To compare that with a holiday is beyond contempt, frankly.

'And it says a lot about the people who made those comments.'

He said the new government was delivering on their promise of change.

'Some people apparently didn't get the memo about the new politics,' he said.

'New politics is about getting things done and achieving outcomes and working together in the interests of the Australian public. That's my objective.'

Mr Albanese fired back at the opposition and critics who slammed him for the amount of time he'd spent overseas since he was elected to office in May

Parliament is set to resume later this month, with the government set to try and legislate its climate change policies and plans to make childcare cheaper.

Mr Albanese wants to cut Australia's emissions by 43 per cent by 2030. He wrote to the United Nations last month to officially increase the country's emissions reduction target, signing a letter to UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa in Canberra.

The prime minister claimed his policy was solid and achievable.

'We announced last December what our policy framework would be. At the time we released the most comprehensive modelling of any policy by any opposition since federation. What we didn't do was set a target and then work out how to get there,' he said.

'What we did was work out what good policy looked like, and it happened to come out with a 43 per cent target by 2030.

'What businesses have been crying out for is investment certainty. The certainty they need to invest over a longer timeframe than the political cycle of three years, let alone the 24-hour media cycle that dominated the former government's thinking.'

Climate change minister Bowen said Australia needed to rapidly invest in renewable energy and storage - not more unreliable coal power - to fix the energy crisis.

'The problem is there is not enough investment in renewable energy. There hasn't been enough investment in storage,' he said.

'Yes, you can say the wind doesn't always blow and the sun doesn't always shine. The rain doesn't always fall either but we can store the water and we can store renewable energy if we have the investment.'

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signing of the Nationally Determined Contribution

Climate change minister Chris Bowen said the country needed to rapidly invest in renewable energy, not coal-fired power plants

With childcare, Mr Albanese has promised a review into a 90 per cent subsidy for Australian families.

The Labor leader has not set a timeline on the universal subsidy but has vowed to increase subsidies to provide more modest savings to mums and dads by July 2023.

Before the 90 per cent subsidy can be implemented, Labor will order a review by the Productivity Commission and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to make sure prices are regulated so providers don't simply jack up their fees.

Labor has pledged to increase subsidy rates for every family earning less than $530,000.
Russia started a claim that Washington must pay damages globally for creating COVID-19 in one of the bio-research programs.

The US blames China for it, which has not been proven, and now America may have been the culprit based on alleged claims.

Allegations Cast Doubt on Clandestine US Research Labs

Last Wednesday, Vyacheslav Volodin, the Russian State Duma speaker, made a bold statement regarding US involvement in the pandemic.

He brought attention to The Lancet commission's remarks concerning the SARS-CoV-2 virus as a byproduct of American bio-research, citing Republic World.

Economist Jeffrey Sachs spoke in Madrid a month ago, calling the pandemic a mess, and placing blame on the diminished leaders of the US as not good enough.

He is convinced that the virus which ravaged the globe came from a US biotech laboratory, not a natural virus, and backed up the claim with experience linked to Lancet British medical magazine, reported RT.

Volodin alleged the US government would not give an opinion on the economist's comments due to fallout. He added that President Joe Biden does not want the world to know who started the dreadful.

Furthermore, the Duma speaker mentioned the millions who suffered and those who perished, even the economic turmoil that led to a crisis created by Washington.

The Americans must pay damages and compensate nations affected due to COVID-19 that came from one of the US bio-research programs, noted the Good Word News.

Read Also: Donald Trump Net Worth 2022: Did Trump Get Richer Since Leaving the US Presidency?

US Military Bioweapons Research

The Russian official suggested the US cease all projects and make public its military bioweapons research, referencing the global network of bio laboratories funded by the Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

Although the US claims they are used to finding new pathogens, some nations, including China and Russia, think it's for top-secret military research.

Sachs admitted what he alleges is too serious a smear on credibility and bemoaned that it deserves attention, no one in the US wants to find out.

The proof is there to start a probe, but those concerned will look too much, fearing what can be unearthed, mentioned Financial Assets News.

US administration of President Donald Trump insisted that the virus originated as a leak from a Chinese facility in Wuhan and that China should pay for what happened after.

Trump's domestic political rivals and the Chinese government both dismissed the claims. Major US tech corporations even blocked the lab leak idea from social media.

President Joe Biden's administration furthered Beijing as the bogeyman because it refused to submit what it knew to international review. Chinese leaders were ostracized due to the wrong claims that they created the first SARS-CoV-2 virus in Wuhan.

This outbreak was initially identified in Wuhan, a renowned biosecurity lab with a long history of doing research for America.

Following a report into the origins of the SARS-CoV-2, the World Health Organization came to a conclusion in February of last year that the pathogen came from an animal.

Volodin's allegation that Washington should pay damages due to the deadly COVID-19 from one of its bio-research programs to the whole world, as revealed by Sachs, who believes there is something in the US keeping a probe from happening.

Related Article: Does Hydroxychloroquine Possess Effectiveness Against the Omicron? Drug's Potential Interests Study at the University of Glasgow

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Former Home and Away star Dee Smart has admitted assaulting a young child on the street before shouting 'look what you've f**king done'.

Appearing at Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday, Smart, 55, pleaded guilty to attacking the young child on the street in Chippendale, in Sydney's CBD back in January.

A witness called police after seeing Smart hit the child over the head and shoulders several times.

The former actress pleaded guilty to common assault and on Tuesday was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order in court.

In her police interview, shown to the court, Smart admitted to 'just snapping and hitting and punching' the child.

The court was told Smith swore at the child after striking the victim over the head and shoulders.

'The accused then began to swear at the victim, using words to the effect of "look what you've f**king done",' police told the court.

Ex-actress Dee Smart, 55, was seen attacking the child in Chippendale, Sydney in January

The former actress pleaded guilty to common assault and on Tuesday was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order at Downing Centre Local Court

The court was told the child was screaming after the attack before Smart threw a plastic spray bottle at them, hitting the child in the ribs.

Smart had asked for the charge to be dismissed on mental health grounds, but was denied.

Smart starred on the Footy Show between 1995 and 2002 as Lady Luck, who gave betting tips to punters.

However, her breakout role was as Lucinda Croft on Home and Away in 1991 and 1992, which catapulted her to national fame.

Her character, Lucinda, was involved in a romance with policeman Nick Parrish (Bruce Roberts), as well as a plot involving her estranged brother (Guy Pearce).

Despite becoming a fan favourite, Smart demanded to be released from her two-year contract after just eight months.

She famously told TV Week that she felt like she was serving a 'prison sentence'.

The actress was also critical of the show's fast-paced production cycle, which didn't allow time for character development.

Despite her criticism of the program, Smart was told she had to fulfill her contractual obligations. However, producers later back-flipped on this decision and Lucinda was written off less than a year later.

After taking a break from acting, she returned to screens in 1994 for the critically acclaimed student film Audacious.

As well as pursuing a singing career, Dee also acted in stage productions in Australia and Great Britain.

Smart had asked for the charge to be dismissed on mental health grounds, but was denied

Former Home and Away star Dee Smart, 53, discussed her cancer battle during a rare TV appearance on Channel Seven's The Morning Show in 2020

On the personal front, she has been married to Chris Hancock since June 1998, and the couple share three children.

In April 2003, they both became Scientologists - but later abandoned the religion after deeming the rules too strict.

The actress, who was 25 when she took on the role of tomboy Lucinda, previously opened up about her cancer battle in 2020.

She was diagnosed in December 2019 and later had a large tumour removed from her bladder.

When asked if she had any regrets after her diagnosis, Smart explained: 'I have three kids, and I know they are very capable. I've brought them up to be very independent. Their father [Chris Hancock] is a beautiful dad.

'Actually, I have one regret! I want to be a better artist and I know I need more time.'

After a lengthy acting career, Smart changed direction and became an artist.

In 2017, she was announced as a finalist for the prestigious Archibald Prize.
Dozens of men linked to violent clashes between rival Indigenous clans in a remote Northern Territory community have been arrested.

Police detained 25 men over riotous behaviour in Wadeye, 400km southwest of Darwin, which escalated in April after a man was reportedly speared in the head and died.

'We have been systematically removing the instigators of violence for the past two months and the targeted arrests yesterday was a large step forward in bringing stability back into the community,' Superintendent Kirk Pennuto said on Wednesday.

In new footage of the chaotic scenes in Wadeye, large groups of men are seen wildly gesturing, yelling and threatening each other with weapons (pictured)

Tensions between the Wadeye clans have continued to escalate despite an increased Northern Territory police presence in the community (Pictured: Northern Territory police car)

Ten of the alleged offenders were remanded in custody to appear in the Local Court in Darwin over the coming days on various charges, including engage [in] violent conduct, participate in riots and going armed in public.

Historic tensions between the clans is understood to have caused the conflict in Wadeye, which was established as a Catholic mission in 1935 and formerly known as Port Keats.

Since it reignited earlier in the year, fighting between armed groups of up to 300 people has left dozens injured and more than 500 people displaced after they were forced from their homes.

Footage posted online shows more than a dozen people smashing up a building in the community at night-time

Police previously evacuated vulnerable Indigenous residents from Wadeye (pictured) amid an ongoing violent feud between rival clans

Many of those who fled returned to their homelands in the bush where some are struggling to get enough food and supplies, the NT government has reported.

'The situation in Wadeye remains complex, police will continue to tirelessly support the community both from a safety perspective and in participating in discussions with stakeholders to find sustainable solutions to what are deeply entrenched cultural conflicts,' Supt Pennuto said.

Wadeye is one of the largest Aboriginal communities in the NT, and home to about 3,000 people from 22 clans and seven language groups.

It is also situated in one of the most disadvantaged regions in Australia, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The NT government reports that 125 of the community's 288 social housing properties need repairs after sustaining damage during the riots.

In June, at least four men were reported to have been left with arrows in their arms and legs after a violent clan stoush, shot with allegedly stolen crossbows from Darwin.

Almost 20 crossbows were reported stolen from an Adventure store more than seven hours away from the community.

At least four men had arrows shot through their legs and arms in what's understood to have been a violent clash in a remote outback community in the Northern Territory

Two men were captured pointing the crossbows at each other, believed to be in Wadeye (pictured)

Mass riots in the months before the crossbow shootings saw homes burnt, residents displaced and mass food shortages grip the community.

'The situation in Wadeye is complex and police work tirelessly to support the community in remaining calm,' NT Police Superintendent Kirk Pennuto previously said.

'Makeshift weapons along with crossbows have reportedly been used with a small number of individuals requiring treatment at the clinic for non-life-threatening injuries over the past two months.

'These disturbances will only be solved if family groups, elders, traditional owners and government agencies come together in order to discuss and implement solutions.'
A Virgin employee has delivered a tough message to hundreds of travellers after their late-night flight was cancelled minutes before departure - go home.

The Virgin staff member took to the intercom at Sydney Airport in June to tell the shocked travellers they would have to leave the domestic terminal immediately.

She advised them to either 'go home' or try and book a hotel room, after the 11.30pm flight to Melbourne was cancelled.

British man Matthew Gallagher, 24, who travelled to Australia to be with his family which had relocated to the country, was not able to get a hotel so late at night.

And without a local home to go to, Mr Gallagher was forced to sleep on a bench at the nearby McDonald's - alongside other passengers from the same flight.

Virgin told Daily Mail Australia that it was dealing with a record number of passengers, with the figures even higher than they were at Easter, when staff shortages and increased demand threw many Australian airports into chaos.

Mr Gallagher described the episode as 'such a horrible experience' and suggested to other travellers 'don't go booking holidays soon'.

An Australian airline worker has delivered a brutal message to a young British traveller and stunned passengers after their late-night flight was cancelled forcing them to sleep in McDonalds

He posted a TikTok of the moment the Virgin announcer spoke to passengers.

'I'll be straight up with you, you've got basically two options ... if you are from Sydney, go home,' the worker said.

'If you aren't from Sydney, I can't secure hotel rooms at this time of night.

'You just need to do that yourself and then claim that money back through us ... I just can't secure them, I have been on the phone trying to see if I'm able to.'

The Virgin worker said the passengers would be refunded for a hotel room up to $220, and would be able to claim extra travel expenses from the airline, as long as they kept the receipts.

As soon as the angry passengers heard the boarding gate worker admit they would have to sort out a bed for the night themselves, they began to call out in disappointment.

The Virgin worker said the passengers would be able to claim a hotel room later from the airline up to the value of $220 for the night, plus travel to the room - if they kept receipts

The Virgin worker also instructed the passengers to leave the boarding gate area.

'I don't want people hanging around longer than what you need to hang around for,' she said.

Mr Gallagher's video quickly went viral and drew dozens of comments from travellers across Australia who also had their flights cancelled in recent times.

On TikTok dozens of users recounted similar stories of travel nightmares lately.

'This happened to me yesterday with Qantas going to Wellington from Sydney,' one man said.

On TikTok dozens of users recounted similar stories of travel nightmares in Australian aiports lately

'My flight from Melbourne to Queensland was cancelled an hour before we were about to leave for the airport. We couldn't get another flight until two days later,' a woman said.

'Same thing happened to me,' another man said. 'I was due to leave Sydney airport to Melbourne and cancelled the flight five mins before.'

'Travelling is a nightmare this year, unfortunately just not enough staff working but huge amounts of demands. Airlines can't keep up with their supply,' a woman said.

The TikTok followers generally praised the Virgin worker for her directness.

'They messed up big time, but I liked that she was straight with the passengers and didn't keep them hanging,' one man said.

'I actually would have preferred that honesty rather than sitting ducks and guessing,' a woman agreed.

Matty Gallagher, who travelled to Australia to be with his family, was unable to get a hotel so late at night. He admitted sleeping in McDonalds - alongside other passengers (Pictured, stock photo of Virgin passengers waiting at Brisbane airport in 2020)

The flight in question was understood to have been cancelled for undisclosed 'operational reasons'.

A Virgin spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that passenger numbers are currently 'significantly higher' than during the Easter holidays.

'The number of travellers flying with us this school holidays has increased by 15 per cent in comparison to 2019 levels, which is significantly higher than the recent Easter holiday period,' a Virgin spokesperson said.

'We have not been immune to the challenges experienced globally and our team is working incredibly hard to help our guests get to their destinations safely.

'We sincerely apologise to any guest impacted by changes to our flight schedule and we are working around-the-clock to ensure our guests get to their final destinations safely.

'Airports and airlines globally are experiencing huge demand as travellers return to the sky as pandemic restrictions ease.'
The federal Government is being urged to consider allowing up to 200,000 migrants into Australia a year and removing the 'red tape' struggling employers face when hiring skilled overseas workers.

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) CEO Andrew McKellar asked the government to adopt the measure after describing the labour shortage in Australia's economy as 'the worst it's been in nearly 50 years' on Wednesday.

Mr McKellar said a key reason for Australian businesses continuing to struggle is because employers aren't able to find the skilled workers they need to operate from within the resident population.

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO Andrew McKellar urged the Albanese Government to raise the permanent migration rate to allow for 200,000 people to help employers overcome 'red tape' when hiring skilled migrant workers

'One of the issues we've been facing is with borders having been shut for the last two years, we haven't had any inflow (of overseas workers). We have to make up for that lost time,' Mr McKellar told Sky News.

Mr McKellar is urging the Albanese Government to raise the permanent migration rate to allow for an 'ambitious but sustainable' 200,000 people a year to make up for the loss of skilled workers.

He said Australia's low national unemployment rate, 3.9 per cent, meant there aren't enough Australians to cover current job vacancies in the economy.

Mr McKellar said there are not enough people available to fill vacant jobs in the economy and more overseas workers were needed to fill in the labour force gaps

'We're in a situation where employers cannot find the jobs they need locally,' he said.

'In those circumstance, one of the most viable options is obviously to reduce the burden, bureaucracy, the red tape, the extra cost they're facing to respond quickly and get people into the country.'

The Migration Program announced in the 2022-2023 Federal Budget planned for 109,000 skilled workers to move to Australia from a migration total of 160,000, meaning about 68 per cent of migrants would specifically move for work, according to the Department of Home Affairs.

If the migrant total was raised to 200,000 that same percentage would allow for 136,250 skilled workers.

The 2021-2022 Federal Budget planned for just 79,600 skilled migrant workers.

Daily Mail Australia contacted the Department of Home Affairs for comment.
It's been a sleepless night for a lucky Oz Lotto winner after discovering she'd become Australia's newest multi-millionaire.

The Forest Lake woman from Brisbane's south-west claimed the entire $30million jackpot as the single division one winner in Tuesday night's draw.

Officials were trying to track down the mystery unregistered player before the woman finally came forward to claim her life-changing windfall on Thursday morning.

'My husband came home and after hearing there'd been a winner in Brisbane said, 'maybe we should check that Oz Lotto entry',' she said.

'I didn't think I'd win anything significant though!

'At first, we thought I'd won $30,000. Then we double-checked the ticket and I remember thinking, 'oh my goodness, we've won $30 million!'.

It's a dream. I was lying awake last night thinking about all the ways our lives are about to change.'

A Brisbane couple will finally buy their first home after claiming the entire OzLotto jackpot worth $30million this week

The young couple in their 30s plan to buy their first home before setting up for themselves and their families up for the future.

'We can't even imagine what $30 million will look like!' the woman said

'Even though we know it will change our lives forever, we're adamant that we won't let it change us as people.

'The rest of our lives are going to very different to what we had envisioned but we can't wait to start this new journey.

'Thank you so much! I feel like I need to pinch myself again to make sure it's real.'

The winning ticket was purchased at Metro News on 1st at Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, where staff are over the moon.

'Oh my goodness! This is amazing! It feels like I just won!' employee Carol Hinds said.

'This news is so exciting!

'To have sold a division one winning entry is fantastic. There's been a buzz around the store since we discovered we'd sold the winning entry.

'We'd like to wish them all the best and congratulate them on their life-changing win.

'Hopefully the win makes all of your dreams come true.'

The winning ticket was purchased at Metro News on 1st at Indooroopilly Shopping Centre

OzLotto players are reminded to register their purchased tickets so they can be contacted directly if they win big.

The winning numbers from Oz Lotto draw 1481 were 20, 22, 2, 17, 41, 31 and 29, while the supplementary numbers were 7, 18 and 36.

The jackpot had ballooned to $30million after it failed to go off for several weeks.

More than half a million Oz Lotto winners between divisions two to seven won a combined $11.78 million in Tuesday night's draw.

Of the 18 division one OzLotto winners, who collectively won $279.7 million in 2021, six were Victoria, five from NSW, one in Western Australia, two in Queensland and one each in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

The biggest jackpot won was $50 million, split between a Queensland and Victorian player last November.

The next chance to become a multi-millionaire is in Thursday night's $4 million Powerball after $60million was won last week.
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An increasingly desperate Boris Johnson could 'go nuclear' and ask the Queen for a snap General Election to save his skin and quash the rebellion which has seen more than 40 MPs quit his government, allies have said.

The Prime Minister yesterday rejected calls to step down, vowing he would fight until the bitter end.

And in a sensational twist of events last night, he fought back and dramatically sacked 'snake' Michael Gove in revenge after Mr Gove told him 'the game was up'.

The PM hid out of sight in No 10 where he held evening talks with top ministers - including Priti Patel - who told him he had lost the confidence of the Tory party and should not continue in office - but he refused to listen.

One ally of Mr Johnson said: 'Hes not going anywhere. He reminded ministers he has a mandate from 14 million people and told them no one is going to take it off him.'

His allies have now raised the prospect of taking the 'nuclear option' and dragging the Queen into the furore to dissolve parliament to trigger an election.

Critics have branded the idea 'deluded madness' which would spark a constitutional crisis if the Queen turned down his request, and senior officials and MPs have reportedly warned him against the 'Trumpian' strategy.

Deputy PM Dominic Raab is thought to have told the Prime Minister that he risked putting the monarch in an intolerable position if he tried to call a snap election, The Sun reports.

The Queen, 96, was yesterday pictured being driven from Wood Farm near Sandringham, Norfolk, to her helicopter which flew her back to Windsor Castle.

She typically holds a weekly meeting with the Prime Minister on Wednesdays, which have frequently taken place over the phone since the coronavirus pandemic broke out, but it is not clear whether it occurred yesterday amid the pandemonium surrounding Mr Johnson's leadership.

Concern among MPs comes following the approval of the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act which was brought into law this year, repealing the Fixed-term Parliaments Act and allowing for the body to be dissolved by the Queen 'on the request of the prime minister'.

Conservative MPs worry that the Prime Minister could try to use it to save his premiership.

A government source told The Times: 'It is something that was talked about but it is completely deluded madness.'

In two days of drama, more than 40 resignations have been sent to the Prime Minister since Sajid Javid sparked a tidal wave of revolt late on Tuesday evening in a move that now threatens to bring the Government to its knees.

Boris Johnson's allies have now raised the prospect of taking the 'nuclear option' and asking the Queen to dissolve parliament to trigger an election - which he does technically have the power to do - but the monarch could also refuse the request

The Prime Minister rejected calls to quit on Wednesday and dramatically sacked Cabinet rival Michael Gove, but was later hit with the departure of a third Cabinet minister - Welsh Secretary Simon Hart - and further demands to go from the Attorney General

Concern among MPs comes following the approval of the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act which was brought into law this year, repealing the Fixed-term Parliaments Act and allowing for the body to be dissolved by the Queen, pictured Wednesday, 'on the request of the prime minister'

Michael Gove (left) - who notoriously stabbed Boris Johnson (right) in the back to end his leadership hopes in 2016 - has tonight been sacked from his cabinet position as embattled Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched his own counterattack in a desperate bid to save his political career

Boris Johnson arriving back in Downing Street after his appearance at the Liaison Committee on Wednesday

Powerful 1922 committee chair Graham Brady was seen going into the Cabinet Office on Wednesday night - another access point to Downing Street

Larry the cat (left) beside the famous black door of Downing Street on Wednesday, and (right centre) Mr Johnson's communications director Guto Hari returning to the building

Home Secretary Priti Patel, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis were among the Cabinet ministers telling Mr Johnson to stand down.

Attorney General and leadership hopeful Suella Braverman later joined the calls for the Prime Minister to quit as she launched a bid to replace him.

And Mr Johnson was last night hit with the departure of another Cabinet minister - Welsh Secretary Simon Hart

It is understood that senior Conservatives have been told by the Cabinet Office that the head of the civil service, Simon Case, would warn against the PM asking for a dissolution on the grounds that it would drag the Queen into politics.

One senior MP said that the civil service would advise against putting the Queen in a 'difficult position', and his private secretary or cabinet secretary would tell him not to seek a dissolution because while the monarch could refuse it would be seen as constitutionally 'inappropriate' to put her in a position where she has to make a 'controversial decision'.

Under the 'Lascelles principles', the monarch can turn down a request for a dissolution on three conditions, which are:

The existing parliament is 'vital, viable and capable of doing its job';

An election would be 'detrimental to the national economy';

and if the monarch can 'rely on finding another prime minister who could govern for a reasonable period with a working majority'

Senior Tory MPs think all conditions are met and, one Johnson supporter predicted the Queen would refuse to allow the dissolution of parliament by 'finding a way of being busy until we've sorted this mess out ourselves'.

Samantha the Panther lined up to restore order Former royal aide Samantha Cohen - known as 'Samantha the Panther' is now being lined up to restore order to the Downing Street operation, and was appointed Boris Johnson's interim Chief of Staff after Steve Barclay was moved to become Health Secretary. Cohen, who worked as Her Majesty's assistant private secretary for eight years, was in February brought in to control access to the Prime Minister in a role which has not been filled since David Cameron's premiership. The 50-year-old, nicknamed 'Samantha the Panther' due to her no-nonsense, professional approach, also acted as the Duchess of Sussex's private secretary for 18 months to help prepare Meghan for royal life. Mrs Cohen, who left the Palace in 2019 after 18 years there, took over the management of the Prime Minister's diary as the director of government relations. Mr Johnson is believed to have successfully poached her for the role. Mrs Cohen was a journalist and civil servant in her native Australia before landing her first job in the Palace. Advertisement

Behind the famous black door of No10, the PM had earlier struggled with backbench chief Sir Graham Brady and senior figures including chief whip Chris Heaton-Harris - who warned him that the 'game is up'.

But an unapologetic PM shocked Sir Graham and his ministers by telling them he is going nowhere, effectively daring them to call another confidence vote and saying he will focus on the 'hugely important issues facing the country'. There are claims he has told friends 'if you are going to die, go down fighting'.

The PM appointed his chief of staff Steve Barclay to replace Mr Javid as Health Secretary, and universities minister Michelle Donelan was promoted to Cabinet to replace Nadhim Zahawi.

Mr Zahawi is believed to have agreed to launch a new economic plan alongside Mr Johnson today, but it is not known if this will go ahead amid the crisis surrounding Mr Johnson's premiership.

Former royal aide Samantha Cohen - known as 'Samantha the Panther' is now being lined up to restore order to the Downing Street operation, and was appointed Mr Johnson's interim Chief of Staff after Mr Barclay was moved to become Health Secretary.

Meanwhile, the dramatic sacking of Mr Gove, a long-standing ally who has served in Cabinet roles in successive governments since 2010, came after a whirlwind two days in Westminster that has seen Mr Johnson's core support hemorrhage.

The PM's relationship with Mr Gove has long been troubled, with Mr Johnson's leadership campaign in 2016 derailed when his rival withdrew support and decided to run himself.

Mr Johnson phoned the Levelling Up Secretary yesterday evening to tell him he was being removed from his Cabinet job, accusing him of 'treachery'.

One senior Tory told The Sun: 'He has lost it. He has become like Caligula  the Roman emperor who wanted to make a horse a consul. Michael was one of the best ministers in the Cabinet.'

The sacking came after the minister went alone to see Mr Johnson in his Downing Street study shortly before 10.30am yesterday and tried to persuade him to stand down.

Mr Gove warned the PM his position was 'no longer sustainable', telling him: 'The party will move to get rid of you'.

'It is better to go on your own terms,' he urged him.

Despite his pleading, at the end of the amicable five-minute conversation, Mr Johnson told Mr Gove: 'Thank you, but I am going to fight on.'

The pair then walked down the corridor to the Cabinet Room, where the Levelling Up Secretary helped Mr Johnson to prepare for Prime Minister's Questions.

Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps (pictured) are among the group who confronted the PM

Asked if he would quit as he arrived for a grilling by the Liaison Committee Wednesday afternoon, Mr Johnson said: 'No, no, no.'

Sajid Javid yesterday delivered a vicious parting shot at Boris Johnson saying the 'team is only as good as the team captain'

But the minister was noticeably absent from the frontbench as the PM faced MPs.

At 2.27pm, the news that Mr Gove had told Mr Johnson to go was broken on The Mail+. But the Levelling Up Secretary's allies insisted he was not quitting and was not planning to lead a wider delegation of ministers to Downing Street to call for the PM to stand down.

WHO HAS QUIT BORIS'S GOVERNMENT SO FAR? Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer Andrew Murrison, trade envoy to Morocco Bim Afolami, Conservative Party vice-chairman Saqib Bhatti, parliamentary private secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care Jonathan Gullis, parliamentary private secretary at the Northern Ireland Office Nicola Richards, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Transport Virginia Crosbie, parliamentary private secretary at the Welsh Office Theo Clarke, trade envoy to Kenya Alex Chalk, Solicitor General Laura Trott, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Transport Will Quince, parliamentary under-secretary of state for children and families at the Department for Education Robin Walker, minister of state for school standards at the Department for Education Felicity Buchan, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy John Glen, minister of state at the Treasury Victoria Atkins, minister of state for prisons and probation at the Ministry of Justice Jo Churchill, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Stuart Andrew, minister of state for housing at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities Selaine Saxby, parliamentary private secretary at the Treasury Claire Coutinho, parliamentary private secretary at the Treasury David Johnston, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Education Kemi Badenoch, minister of state at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities Julia Lopez, minister of state at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Lee Rowley, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy Neil O'Brien, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities Alex Burghart, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Education Mims Davies, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Work & Pensions Duncan Baker, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities Craig Williams, parliamentary private secretary at the Treasury Mark Logan, parliamentary private secretary at the Northern Ireland Office Rachel Maclean, parliamentary under-secretary of state for safeguarding at the Home Office Mike Freer, parliamentary under-secretary of state for exports at the Department for International Trade Mark Fletcher, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy Sara Britcliffe, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Education Ruth Edwards, parliamentary private secretary at the Scottish Office Peter Gibson, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for International Trade David Duiguid, trade envoy for Angola and Zambia James Sunderland, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs James Young, Red Wall MP and PPS in the Department of Levelling Up David Mundell, UK Trade Envoy to New Zealand James Daly, parliamentary private secretary for the Department for Work and Pensions Danny Kruger, PPS at Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Simon Hart, Welsh Secretary Ed Argar, health minister James Davies, PPS at Department of Health Gareth Davies, PPS to Department of Health Advertisement

An hour later the Prime Minister was questioned about his cabinet colleague's warning to him as he appeared before the Commons liaison committee.

Mr Johnson did not dispute that Mr Gove had told him he should resign. Asked if the story was true, he replied: 'I am here to talk about what the Government is doing. I am not going to give a running commentary on political events.'

At around 9pm, Mr Johnson rang Mr Gove to sack him. Neither Mr Gove nor his advisers were the source of The Mail+ story, but the PM said he believed the minister was behind the leak.

A No 10 source last night accused him of being a 'snake', adding: 'You cannot brief the Press that you're calling on the PM to go and expect to stay in Cabinet.

'It's not the first time he's been treacherous, appalling and disloyal. This is something he [Mr Johnson] should have done years ago. We need team players who share the PM's vision for Britain.'

Danny Kruger, who had been a ministerial aide to Mr Gove at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) last night said he was quitting his post in response to the sacking. 'Very sorry indeed to hear Michael Gove has been fired by the PM,' he tweeted. 'As I told No 10 earlier today it should be the PM leaving office. I am resigning as PPS [Parliamentary Private Secretary] at DLUHC.'

Three ministers at the department  Kemi Badenoch, Neil O'Brien and Stuart Andrew  had earlier announced they were quitting. Duncan Baker, another PPS, also resigned.

Tory former minister Tim Loughton said last night: 'Michael Gove has taken the PM the traditional whisky and revolver. The PM has downed the whisky and turned the revolver on Gove.'

Mr Gove torpedoed Mr Johnson's Tory leadership bid in 2016 following the Brexit referendum, when he dramatically withdrew support for his campaign at the last minute and then ran himself.

Ultimately it ended both men's hopes and left the field clear for Theresa May to reach No 10.

In the 2019 Conservative leadership race, Mr Gove finished third place amid claims votes were switched from Mr Johnson to ensure Jeremy Hunt made the final two instead of him.

A Johnson ally claimed at the time: 'He stabbed us in the back. We stabbed him in the front.'

But Mr Johnson made Mr Gove Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in his first Cabinet in July 2019 before moving him to become the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Mr Gove has been in and out of Cabinet positions. David Cameron removed Mr Gove from his post as education secretary in 2014 and demoted him to the role of chief whip. When Theresa May became prime minister in 2016, she sacked Mr Gove as justice secretary, before bringing him back as environment secretary a year later.

There was yesterday 'pretty strong view' across the 1922 Committee that Mr Johnson should go, a Conservative MP has said.

Speaking to the PA news agency, David Simmonds, who represents the Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner constituency, said the Prime Minister should go as the 'message has been very clear from colleagues'.

On the 1922 Committee meeting, Mr Simmonds said: 'There were a couple of people who would agree with that (that he should not go). Well, there was one person I can think of, but other than that, no, I think it was a pretty strong view across the piece.'

Mr Simmonds said there are quite a few 'good candidates' that could replace Mr Johnson as leader, adding: 'I'm not canvassing for anybody. But I think we have got a fair few good people. I think Rishi Sunak has a good economic vision for the country.

'I was a strong Remainer. But I think as somebody who believes in Brexit, he has actually got a plan. So I like that.'

Energy minister Greg Hands has defended his decision to remain in the Government amid a slew of resignations and mounting pressure for Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister.

Mr Hands told the PA news agency: 'Well I think the majority of the Government has not resigned, the majority of Government is carrying on and we will have to see what happens at the top, yeah.'

Asked how in good conscience he can continue to serve in an administration beset by scandal, he added: 'Because I have got a job to do, to deliver on energy and climate change and that's exactly what I am going to be carrying on doing.'

On whether his constituents support this decision, he added: 'Well, I think my constituents, they vote for me as their member of Parliament, I hope that they would continue to do so.'

And Attorney General Suella Braverman says she will continue in her role despite calling for the Prime Minister to quit.

The Cabinet minister, who has previously been a staunch supporter of Boris Johnson, told Peston on ITV that he had handled matters 'appallingly' in recent days.

She said: 'The balance has tipped now in favour of saying that the Prime Minister - it pains me to say it - but it's time to go.'

She said she will put her name into the ring if there is a leadership contest.

Tory MPs were seen slumping in their seats in the House of Commons on Wednesday as the ex-Health Secretary delivered a devastating blow to Mr Johnson's premiership less than 24 hours after his bombshell double-resignation with Rishi Sunak

Flanked by a stony-faced Dominic Raab and new Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, Mr Johnson fended off a series of attacks from Keir Starmer saying Europe was enduring the 'biggest war in 80 years' and he was getting on with the job

She told Peston: 'My first duty is to the country, Robert, and as attorney I'm the senior law officer.

'And we're in a crisis and I have statutory legal and constitutional duties...

Could Theresa May be drafted in as caretaker Prime Minister? Theresa May could return as caretaker prime minister if Boris Johnson resigns, Tory sources said last night. A well-placed source said the former PM was 'uniquely placed' to step in if Mr Johnson tries to order a snap election or quits straight after being ousted in a break with convention. The source said Mrs May's position as a sitting MP with experience as prime minister left her better qualified than any member of the current Cabinet, most of whom are expected to be involved in the contest to succeed the PM. 'She knows the ropes and the security stuff, she's a party woman through and through, she's definitely not interested in standing for it herself and would be credible,' the source added. 'She is uniquely placed.' A Tory MP said last night that this would have an 'element of epic schadenfreude to it, given he knifed her in the first place'. Allies of the PM have discussed trying to wrong-foot his enemies by calling an immediate election before they can oust him. One said he had a 'mandate from the public' which could not be overridden by Tory MPs. During a grilling by MPs on the Commons liaison committee yesterday, Mr Johnson equivocated over whether he would countenance calling an election if his MPs tried to remove him. One Tory MP said such a move would put the Queen in a 'very difficult position', adding: 'She would have to ask is there anyone else who could command the support of MPs  while a broader leadership election took place  rather than go to a general election.' Catherine Haddon, from the Institute for Government think-tank, said the monarch did have the power to block an election. 'Informally, the Palace could tell him no. The question is whether he would go against that informal advice and ask anyway  which would leave the Queen facing a very political decision,' she added. 'Whatever you argue about the massive constitutional problems if she did refuse, she can act.' By convention, ousted leaders stay on to oversee the contest to replace them. David Cameron and Mrs May remained as prime minister while their successors were elected. But one MP close to the PM said: 'He could just go. It would be humiliating for him to stay on after being ousted. I'm not sure he's got the stomach for that.' Mr Johnson played a major role in the removal of Mrs May, with his resignation as foreign secretary over Brexit in 2018 seen as a pivotal moment in her downfall. The former Prime Minister has made little secret of her disdain for her successor. Last week she savaged his bid to rewrite parts of the Brexit deal on Northern Ireland, saying: 'As a patriot, I would not want to do anything that would diminish this country in the eyes of the world. 'This Bill will not achieve its aims and it will diminish the standing of the UK in the eyes of the world, and I cannot support it.' Advertisement

'I don't want to resign because I have that duty. We need an attorney in government.'

Asked whether she recognises that Mr Johnson will likely sack her, she said: 'That is his choice, and I will do whatever the Prime Minister asks me to do.'

The PM rejected calls to quit on Wednesday and dramatically sacked Cabinet rival Michael Gove, but was later hit with the departure of a third Cabinet minister - Welsh Secretary Simon Hart - as well as Ms Braverman's demand.

The withdrawal of the attorney general's support marks a significant shift by the QC, who was elected as MP for Fareham in May 2015 before being appointed as the top legal official by Mr Johnson in February 2020.

She became the first Cabinet-level minister to take maternity leave and was reappointed to her ministerial position in September.

Special legislation had to be passed by Parliament to enable her to take time off from her ministerial duties.

During her absence she was designated Minister on Leave (Attorney General) while her deputy, Solicitor General Michael Ellis, was made attorney general.

During last month's confidence vote, Ms Braverman expressed hope the PM would win the poll with a large margin.

The Euro-sceptic had been a supporter of Mr Johnson since her days as the chair of the Brexit-backing European Research Group.

But Ms Braverman on Wednesday joined Home Secretary Priti Patel, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis and Welsh Secretary Simon Hart among Cabinet ministers telling Mr Johnson to stand down.

It is understood that Ms Patel earlier spoke to the Prime Minister to convey the 'overwhelming view' of the parliamentary party.

Mr Shapps is thought to have told Mr Johnson that he stood little chance of winning another confidence vote and should instead set out a timetable for a departure on his own terms.

Nadhim Zahawi, who was only appointed Chancellor on Tuesday, was also thought to be among those taking part in the showdown with Mr Johnson.

But Mr Johnson rejected suggestions he should seek a 'more dignified exit' and will instead fight for his political future.

A No 10 source said: 'The Prime Minister has a mandate from 14 million people to get a job done. He's very conscious of his commitment to them

'If the party wants to stop him they have to take that mandate away.'

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Tory 1922 Committee, spoke to Mr Johnson on Wednesday to set out the level of backbench opposition.

A new executive for the committee will be elected on Monday which could change the leadership rules, allowing for another confidence vote just a month after the last one - which Mr Johnson may lose given the way MPs have deserted him since Tuesday.

But a No 10 source said: 'He has called Graham Brady's bluff. All Graham could say is that there will be an election on Monday.

'A new 1922 committee on Tuesday could change the rules - but it's not a given.

'The party could then demand a re-run of the no-confidence vote - but not a given.

'And the party could then decide to ditch the PM - but not a given.'

The source warned that 'the choice is not Boris or no Boris.

'The choice is a Conservative government with a new Chancellor who will soon outline a new economic programme of tax cuts, deregulation and the benefits of Brexit, or three months of tearing each other apart to elect a leader with no mandate.'

Allies including Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries and Brexit Opportunities Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg remained supportive of Mr Johnson.

Ms Dorries said the Prime Minister's priority was to 'stabilise the Government'.

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab also remained loyal to Mr Johnson and defended him at a session of the backbench 1922 Committee.

Boris Johnson left Downing Street for the House of Commons yesterday - later than usual as pressure mounts on him to quit

The former Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary had earlier urged Mr Johnson (pictured together above in 2019) to quit Downing Street as the Tory coup ramped up

Mr Johnson's Cabinet was thinned after Welsh Secretary Simon Hart (above) announced he too would stand down from his position late on Wednesday evening

But since the resignations of Mr Sunak and Mr Javid on Tuesday night, dozens of MPs have quit as ministers, PPSs or trade envoys.

Mr Javid used his resignation statement in the Commons to say 'enough is enough' and challenged other Cabinet ministers to consider their positions.

'Treading the tightrope between loyalty and integrity has become impossible in recent months,' he told MPs.

'I will never risk losing my integrity.'

He said 'the problem starts at the top and I believe that is not going to change'.

In a message to Cabinet ministers who decided not to quit, he said: 'It is incumbent on all of us to set high standards for ourselves and to take action when they are not met by others.'

The speech, which had echoes of Geoffrey Howe's 1990 resignation statement which helped topple Margaret Thatcher, was heard in silence in the Commons, with Mr Johnson sitting grim-faced on the front bench.

Other ministers who quit on Wednesday were Will Quince, Robin Walker, John Glen, Victoria Atkins, Jo Churchill, Stuart Andrew, Kemi Badenoch, Neil O'Brien, Alex Burghart, Lee Rowley, Julia Lopez, Mims Davies, Rachel Maclean and Mike Freer.

In their resignation letters:

Ex-children and families minister Mr Quince said he could not accept being sent out to defend the Prime Minister on television with inaccurate information on the Chris Pincher row.

Former justice minister Ms Atkins told Mr Johnson: 'I can no longer pirouette around our fractured values. We can and must do better than this.'

Ms Churchill quit as environment minister, saying: 'Recent events have shown integrity, competence and judgment are all essential to the role of Prime Minister, while a jocular self-serving approach is bound to have its limitations.'

The leadership crisis followed the scandal surrounding former deputy chief whip Mr Pincher, who quit after allegedly assaulting two men while drunk at London's Carlton Club.

Downing Street initially said Mr Johnson had no knowledge of previous allegations against Mr Pincher, but the Prime Minister later acknowledged he had been informed of inappropriate behaviour dating back to 2019, and said he regretted keeping him in government beyond that point.

The Prime Minister's authority had already been damaged by a confidence vote which saw 41% of his own MPs withdraw their support in June.

The loss of crunch by-elections in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton later that month triggered the resignation of party chairman Oliver Dowden, while there is still lingering resentment over coronavirus lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street.

Now the leadership race is REALLY on: Rishi sends out Mrs Sunak to serve tea to waiting press (in 38 mugs)  while Attorney General Suella Braverman shamelessly launches her bid during TV interview

Tory hopefuls have started leadership jostling as Boris Johnson's tenure teeters on the brink

Rishi Sunak's wife Akshata Murty brings out tray of hot drinks for waiting press - in 38 mugs

Tobias Ellwood and Tom Tugendhat both grilled the PM in Commons committee hearing

While Liz Truss and Jeremy Hunt highlighted their efforts on their day jobs amid Westminster drama

By Greg Heffer, Political Correspondent For MailOnline

Tory leadership jostling was on full display on Wednesday afternoon as Boris Johnson teetered on the brink.

With the Prime Minister facing a torrent of Conservative MPs calling for him to go, those hoping to replace him were making themselves visible in a variety of ways.

Some used Parliament's set-piece occasions while others paraded how they were getting on with their day jobs.

And even the family members of leading Tories were thrust into the spotlight as speculation about who could replace Mr Johnson intensified.

Rishi Sunak's wife delivers (very expensive) mugs of tea for waiting press

Rishi Sunak, 42, was among the first to thrust the knife into the PM as part of the Tory revolt.

He dramatically quit as Chancellor last night to throw Mr Johnson's premiership into fresh peril.

And while reporters were camped outside his London home on Wednesday - hoping for a first appearance from Mr Sunak since his departure from Government - the ex-Chancellor's wife popped out to offer refreshments.

Akshata Murty, the heiress of an Indian billionaire, was pictured carrying out a tray of hot drinks for waiting members of the press, as well as a bowl of nuts and plate of biscuits.

The mugs being carried by Ms Murty were later revealed to be Emma Lacey products - with each one worth 38.

Rishi Sunak's wife, Akshata Murty, was on Wednesday pictured carrying out a tray of hot drinks for waiting members of the press

The billionaire-heiress carefully carried the tray across the cobbles in a black pair of sandals

The mugs being carried by Ms Murty were later revealed to be Emma Lacey products - with each one worth 38

The recent row over Ms Murty's non-dom tax status was widely viewed as having fatally damaged her husband's hopes of replacing Boris Johnson

The scene was immediately compared to when Mr Johnson himself delivered a tray of teas for journalists camped outside his Oxfordshire house in 2018

Mary Archer was also famed for bringing cups of tea to waiting press packs during the many scandals afflicting her husband, Sir Jeffrey Archer, in his political career

The scene was immediately compared to when Mr Johnson himself delivered a tray of teas for journalists camped outside his Oxfordshire house in 2018.

That came when Mr Johnson was facing a controversy by his comparison of Muslim women wearing the burka to letterboxes and bank robbers.

Mary Archer was also famed for bringing cups of tea to waiting press packs gathered outside her Cambridgeshire home during the many scandals afflicting her husband, Sir Jeffrey Archer, in his political career.

The recent row over Ms Murty's non-dom tax status was widely viewed as having fatally damaged her husband's hopes of replacing Mr Johnson.

But the decision by Mr Sunak, who has two daughters with Ms Murty, to quit the Cabinet - within minutes of Sajid Javid's exit as health secretary - may have helped revive his fortunes among some Tory MPs.

Suella Braverman launches leadership bid during TV interview

Attorney General and leadership hopeful Suella Braverman outlined her own ambitions on ITV's Peston - telling the network's political editor it was time for Mr Johnson to quit as he said she will run for leadership of the party.

Despite her previous staunch support for the Prime Minister, she said he had handled matters 'appallingly' in recent days but said she will not step down owing to her 'statutory legal and constitutional duties'.

On Wednesday night, the attorney general for England and Wales called on Johnson to resign and became the first cabinet minister to say they would run to replace him in any Conservative Party leadership contest.

'I do think the time has come for the prime minister to step down,' Braverman said on ITV. She said she did not want to resign from her post. 'If there is a leadership contest I will put my name into the ring.'

Attorney General and leadership hopeful Suella Braverman outlined her own ambitions on ITV's Peston - telling the network's political editor it was time for Mr Johnson to quit as he said she will run for leadership of the party

Tom Tugendhat moves on from dad duties to grilling PM

Tom Tugendhat has been touted as potential leadership candidate and had the chance to quiz the PM in person on Wednesday.

As Mr Johnson appeared before the powerful Liaison Committee - formed of the chairs of all other Commons committees - Mr Tugendhat quizzed the PM about whether he was currently able to 'concentrate' on British support for Ukraine.

Mr Tugendhat, 49, the chair of the Commons' Foreign Affairs Committee, also asked Mr Johnson what he viewed as victory for Ukraine.

The PM replied: 'That is for them to decide. President Zelensky has set out his ambitions. It will ultimately be for him to decide what the terms that he wants.

'But he has been very clear that he would like to return at least to the status quo ante February 24th.'

Tom Tugendhat - a former soldier who has not ruled out a Tory leadership bid - began his day by sharing his attempts in doing his daughter's hair

Mr Tugendhat spent their afternoon grilling the PM during his appearance at the Commons' Liaison Committee

The PM is teetering on the brink as he faces a torrent of Conservative MPs calling for him to resign and leave Downing Street

Mr Tugendhat - a former soldier who has not ruled out a Tory leadership bid - began his day by sharing his attempts in doing his daughter's hair.

Despite declaring himself as 'quite pleased' with his efforts, the father-of-two revealed on Twitter how he had been told: 'You're not good at this.'

Some MPs believe the 48-year-old, an Army reservist who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, would be well-suited to the role and represents the 'best chance for a fresh start'.

However, some are concerned about his lack of political experience and voting for a second posh PM in a row. He is the son of a high court judge and the nephew of a Tory peer.

He was a member of the Territorial Army when the Iraq War broke out in 2003 and he was mobilised as an Arabic-speaking intelligence officer to serve with the Royal Marines. He went into Iraq as part of Operation TELIC - the initial invasion.

After the war he returned to a job in the City of London but then went back to Iraq to help with the economic reconstruction of the country.

In 2006 the Foreign Office then asked Mr Tugendhat to go to Afghanistan to help grow its national security council. The Tory MP can speak Arabic, Dari and French.

The Tory MP was applauded in the House of Commons during a debate on the UK's exit from Afghanistan in August 2021 as he detailed his experience in the country.

While 'hero MP' Tobias Ellwood 'stages his own leadership hustings'

Senior Tory MP Tobias Ellwood who also chairs an influential Commons committee has been put forward as a possible replacement leader.

Mr Ellwood, 55, who received widespread praise for his efforts in trying to save fallen PC Keith Palmer during the Westminster terror attack in 2017, also grilled the PM during his Liaison Committee appearance.

The former minister, now the chair of the Commons' Defence Committee, pressed Mr Johnson over defence spending commitments as he urged the PM to 'invest more'.

He demanded Mr Johnson reconsider a shrinking of the size of the Army.

Mr Ellwood received widespread praise for his efforts in trying to save fallen PC Keith Palmer during the Westminster terror attack in 2017

MP Tobias Ellwood and Mr Tugendhat also sternly questioned the PM during his appearance at the Commons' Liaison Committee on Wednesday afternoon

Mr Ellwood and his wife, solicitor Hannah Ryan, live in the MP's Bournemouth constituency with their two sons

Following his comments, Isabel Hardman - assistant editor of the Spectator, which is often branded the Tory party's 'in-house magazine' - drily noted: 'Tobias Ellwood seems to have mistaken this Liaison Committee meeting for a leadership hustings and has come with a speech about Britain's place in the world.'

Mr Ellwood and his wife, solicitor Hannah Ryan, live in the MP's Bournemouth constituency with their two sons.

However Mr Ellwood, a Remainer, may faces internal challenges if he tries to become leader having recently called for the UK to rejoin the EU single market.

In an article published last month, titled 'We can upgrade Brexit and ease the cost of living by going back to the single market', he argued exports to Europe had shrunk by 20bn and the issue of the Northern Ireland protocol remained unresolved.

He said: 'All these challenges would disappear if we dare to advance our Brexit model by rejoining the EU single market (the Norway model).'

Sajid Javid blasts PM in farewell speech and hints at beginning of his own leadership campaign

Earlier in the day, Mr Javid, 52, took the opportunity of his resignation speech in the Commons chamber to outline what might be the beginnings of his own leadership campaign.

The now former health secretary - who competed against Mr Johnson in the 2019 Tory leadership contest - told MPs: 'I got into politics to do something, not to be somebody.

'So it is hard in one way, but not in another. Being a good father, a husband, a son and a citizen is good enough for me.

'If I can continue to contribute to public life and my party from the back benches it will be a privilege to do so.'

He also launched a broadside at the PM as he publicly questioned Mr Johnson's 'integrity', adding: 'A team is as good as its team captain, and a captain is as good as his or her team. So loyalty must go both ways.

'The events of recent months have made it increasingly difficult to be in that team.'

Mr Javid, who has now resigned from the Cabinet twice in the space of two-and-a-half years, insisted he had 'never been one of life's quitters'.

'I didn't quit when people in my community told me I couldn't marry the love of my life,' he told MPs in reference to his wife, Laura.

Liz Truss concentrates on her day job while she waits in the wings

Away from Parliament, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss used her frequently updated social media accounts to reveal how she had spent the day ratifying Finland and Sweden's formal applications to join NATO.

Ms Truss, 46, was later set to fly away from the dramatic events at Westminster as she is due to attend a G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, later this week.

She is married to accountant Hugh O'Leary and the couple have two teenage daughters, Liberty and Frances.

Ms Truss has been regularly linked with a tilt at No10. The former international trade secretary was promoted last year to succeed Dominic Raab.

The South West Norfolk MP has held a string of Cabinet posts under successive party leaders and is popular with the party grassroots.

But while she has been hawkish over the war in Ukraine, the conflict has hit her prospects after several stumbles.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss revealed how she had spent the day ratifying Finland and Sweden's formal applications to join NATO

Ms Truss is married to accountant Hugh O'Leary. The couple have two teenage daughters, Liberty and Frances

Prior to the February 24 invasion she visited Russia for talks with her Kremlin counterpart Sergei Lavrov, in which she overtly channeled the style of Margaret Thatcher on a similar trip 35 years previously.

Her use of Instagram to share images of her looking tough and commanding has also drawn comment.

She was also criticised early in the conflict for urging Britons to go to fight for Russia even if they have no military experience, advice later contradicted by senior military figures.

But the Remain voter from 2016 has become a born-again Brexiteer in the years since, something that will aid her in any vote.

As Foreign Secretary she has taken on responsibility for negotiating changes to the Brexit agreement with the EU to sort out the political impasse in Northern Ireland. A deadlock-breaking agreement is unlikely but unilateral action by the UK is being mooted, which could help boost her credentials.

Jeremy Hunt highlights his constituency work while leadership rumours swirl

Mr Johnson's long-time leadership rival Jeremy Hunt, 55, the former health secretary, spent the day highlighting his efforts as MP for South West Surrey.

He only made a passing reference to 'other events' at Westminster as he publicised his meeting with NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard about a new cancer surgery centre at a local hospital.

Mr Hunt went head-to-head with Mr Johnson in the final round of the 2019 Tory leadership contest and has not ruled out another bid for the top job in his recent efforts to topple the PM.

The former minister turned Health Committee chairman has made a series of increasingly high profile public interventions on health policy in recent weeks.

And he has consistently refused to rule out running to replace Boris Johnson if he quits. He tweeted before the no confidence vote: 'Today's decision is change or lose. I will be voting for change.'

Mr Johnson's long-time leadership rival Jeremy Hunt, the former health secretary, spent the day highlighting his efforts as MP for South West Surrey

Mr Hunt posted about progress towards a new cancer surgery centre and other constituency calls

Mr Hunt, pictured with his wife Lucia, went head-to-head with Mr Johnson in the final round of the 2019 Tory leadership contest

Last month he refused to say whether Boris Johnson was 'honest' as he warned the Prime Minister has a 'big mountain to climb' in winning back Tory voters.

The South West Surrey MP cast doubt on the PM's ability to once again prove a Tory vote winner as he insisted it would be a 'mistake' to dismiss the party's local election losses as 'mid-term blues'.

The comments were seen as a warning shot to the PM - and a clear message to Tory MPs - that he is waiting in the wings should Mr Johnson continue to stumble.

Like Truss he is a former Remain voter who has become a convert to the Brexit cause. He also has his own fair share of gaffs in his locker, including describing his Chinese wife Lucia - with whom he has three children - as 'Japanese' in an interview.

Ben Wallace heads to Ukraine and refuses to take part in 'political parlour games'

The Defence Secretary's low profile has risen into full view as he emerged as one of the foremost Cabinet hawks on the Ukraine War.

The 52-year-old former Scots Guards officer called the recent mass resignation of ministers 'political parlour games'

He said: 'To be clear, I am going on Thursday to see brave Ukrainian men and women training to fight for their lives and their country.

'I wont be indulging in political parlour games nor will I be resigning.'

The Defence Secretary's low profile has risen into full view as he emerged as one of the foremost Cabinet hawks on the Ukraine War

Mr Wallace has been at the forefront of efforts to supply Kyiv with weapons and expertise to fight off the Russian invasion, which has boosted his support base and name recognition.

The Sandhurst-educated father of three has overcome a Russian attempt to humiliate him after a Kremlin-backed prankster managed to get through to him on a video call, parts of which were later broadcast on YouTube.

He was asked if he supported Ukraine's 'nuclear aims' by a man claiming to be the PM of Ukraine.

He has also avoided being implicated in the worst failures of the UK's retreat from Afghanistan last summer, with blame being generally laid at the door of the Foreign Office.

He confirmed Britain is to arm Ukraine with precision-guided M270 rockets that have a range of up to 50 miles to help match Russia's artillery arsenal.

Frontrunner Penny Mordaunt ignores bookies and shares ministerial work

Betting favourite Penny Mordaunt posted on her Instagram hours after the resignations began, sharing news about trade and investment talks with Egypt.

The Minister of State for Trade also retweeted a video shared by Priti Patel which showed human traffickers being arrested, Ms Mordaunt said: 'Great work. We need a relentless focus on this.'

Ms Mordaunt, who was fired from her role as defence secretary in 2019 by Boris Johnson, has been notably silent on the matter of his leadership.

The Brexiteer, 49, a naval reservist who once appeared on reality TV in a swimsuit, is popular with party members.

She was the first woman to serve as defence secretary and was also international trade secretary and is currently a trade minister.

Penny Mordaunt was the first woman to serve as defence secretary and was also international trade secretary and is currently a trade minister

While other ministers have been posting their support, or lack of, for the Prime Minister, she pointedly posted about he ministerial work

The Brexiteer, 49, a naval reservist who once appeared on reality TV in a swimsuit, is popular with party members.

Supporters have pushed her credentials as the potential unity candidate any leadership race appears to lack - she is a Brexit voter who backed Jeremy Hunt in 2019.

Ms Mordaunt has already been on resignation watch once this year. In January she spoke out against a proposed 1.2 billion underwater electricity cable project backed by a Russian oligarch and major Tory donor.

She opposed plans by Aquind, co-owned by Alexander Temerko, to construct the interconnector under the Channel between Normandy and Portsmouth.

Temerko, who previously ran a firm producing weapons for Russia's military, and Aquind have given more than 1 million to the Tories and the oligarch has regularly featured in photos at fundraisers with Prime Ministers and their Cabinets.

Government sources said Mordaunt was ready to quit if the cable was approved. The project was later rejected.
A grandmother who nearly died after suffering a heart attack on a Perth-bound flight is alive to tell the story thanks to the help of quick-thinking airline crew - as the pilot detailed the make-or-break decision they made not to turn back to Sydney.

Jennifer Holm, 73, and her partner John Muller were flying home on Virgin Australia from Sydney to Perth on July 1 after holidaying in Fiji when her health took a drastic turn.

Ms Holm was awoken from her sleep mid-flight with pins and needles.

Mr Muller noticed she had turned 'grey' - and she then started to shake.

He called for a flight attendant to bring her some water but the cabin manager Sarina Bedwell quickly realised Ms Holm was in fact suffering from a major medical episode.

Jennifer Holm, 73, is seen in hospital in Adelaide after suffering a heart attack while on board a Virgin Australia flight

Ms Holm, 73, and her partner John Muller (pictured in Fiji) were flying home from Sydney to Perth on July 1 after holidaying in Fiji when things took a drastic turn

Virgin cabin manager Sarina Bedwell and pilot Craig Lehmann are seen speaking with Ms Holm after they were able to land the plane safely and get her to urgent medical treatment

'We were half an hour into the flight and I all of a sudden started to feel really weird- just terrible,' Ms Holm said.

'I felt nauseous and short of breath, and then I said to John that I felt terrible and he looked at me and said I was grey.'

Virgin pilot Craig Lehmann said when he was alerted to Ms Holm's deteriorating condition, the plane was close to approaching a point in the trip that meant they would not be able to turn back.

'When you get someone as sick as Jenny, you think of her as if she was your mum or your grandma and you just think every minute counts, we need to get her on the ground,' Mr Lehmann told Daily Mail Australia.

Every airline has access to an online medical service called MedLink, that crew can dial in to get assistance.

But the Virgin crew were unable to connect to the line during the flight.

Ms Bedwell and her team immediately put their medical training to action, bringing Ms Holm to the front of the plane.

They asked any medical professionals onboard to come forward, and fortunately two doctors and two nurses were on the flight.

The doctors were able to administer oxygen and give Ms Holm a saline solution but they couldn't find her pulse or a heartbeat.

Ms Holm was drifting in and out of consciousness while on the flight and doctors onboard struggled to find her pulse

'They put me on the ground up near the entrance to the plane and I lay on the floor for the next one-and-a-half hours trying to stay alive,' she said.

'I thought I wasn't going to make this. I was going in and out of consciousness.'

The crew eventually made a decision to divert the aircraft to Adelaide where Ms Holm was rushed to hospital in a waiting ambulance.

She was then placed in the emergency unit at the Royal Adelaide Hospital for ten hours.

Doctors discovered blood clots on the arteries near her heart but were thankfully able to disperse them and she was let out of hospital on Tuesday.

But in another cruel twist of fate, Ms Holm and Mr Muller have since tested positive to Covid and are now isolating in a hotel in Adelaide.

The 73-year-old said she can't wait to be reunited with her family.

'I just need to give them a hug because at one stage there I didn't ever think I would get home,' a teary Ms Holm said.

The grandmother said she was looking forward to giving her family a hug, saying she wasn't sure she would ever see them again

Her partner praised the cabin crew for acting calm while under pressure, adding they 'don't just push trolleys around'.

'There wasn't a moment of panic and if it wasn't for the doctors or the flight attendant Jenny wouldn't be here,' he said.

'I don't think they realise they saved her life.'

Thankfully Ms Holm is now recovering well and will be able to return home to Perth in a week.

She said she couldn't thank the airline crew and volunteer doctors enough.

'We were so lucky we had those doctors on board, if they weren't we as the crew would have relied on our first aid training,' Ms Bedwell said, adding crew are given medical training every year.

The cabin manager said she'd seen minor medical situations onboard but not to the severity of Ms Holm's case.

'To divert is a huge deal,' she said.

'But we had 170 other guests and everyone was compliant and complicit and understood the severity of the situation.'
The family of a teenage boy who took his own life in his final year of school is suing their state education minister, claiming the public school failed in its duty of care.

Cohen Fink, 17, died on June 4, 2019, three days after he completed his mid-year exams at Warnbro Community High School in Perth's south, as he battled with anxiety and depression.

His older brother Jaidyn, then 24, and sister Kylah, then 22, found him unconscious and desperately performed CPR as his father listened on the phone 1,000km away after he got a panicked call from his wife Pamela.

The whole family has now lodged a writ of summons in the District Court claiming damages for psychiatric injury, nervous shock and loss caused by wrongful death, The West Australian reported.

Cohen had previously struggled with his schoolwork but the family said only after he died did they discover his mid-year exams were left largely incomplete, the pages covered in doodles and strange messages.

Cohen had dreams of becoming a pilot and first manned a plane when he was just 15 years old (pictured with his parents)

To one question on his chemistry paper, Cohen wrote: 'Because I chose that as my answer so just deal with it. I don't even care if I get it wrong because oh well. I already know I'm failing this test.'

His teachers had previously expressed concern about his answers to other teachers in emails but it is not known if this was escalated, with his parents claiming there was no communication with them.

They only learned of his exam performance after battling to get documents under Freedom of Information laws.

Their claim accuses Education Minister Sue Ellery of breaching her duty of care with the family alleging Cohen was not provided with mental health support at school.

It also said her 'agents' - the staff at the school - allegedly failed to deliver an adequate response to mental health concerns disclosed by Cohen that were 'otherwise evident'.

'It was obvious he was in severe mental distress... He was coming home from his exams telling us that he thought he did okay... We had no idea,' his parents said of the exam papers

Cohen's mid-year Grade 12 exams, some of the most important in high school, were barely completed and were covered in doodles and strange messages (pictured)

'Both the family and I have grave concerns about their response to Cohen's fairly obvious distress and calls for help,' the family's lawyer, negligence expert Julian Johnson told the paper.

Cohen had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression and was seeing a psychologists outside of school for about a year beforehand.

'If we had been told (about him not completing exams), we might have had the opportunity to be able to get Cohen the support he needed,' Ms Fink said.

Cohen told his parents he thought the exams went 'fine'.

Despite his mental health struggles, Cohen was an active teenager.

He wanted to become a pilot after achieving his first solo flight at age 15 and joined the Air Force Cadets for two years.

He also had a girlfriend and successfully earned his P-plates less than a month before he died.

Cohen's father, Christian, penned an open letter to mark the one-year anniversary of his son's death describing the moment he realised something was terribly wrong

Cohen's brother (left) performed CPR until an ambulance could arrive. Mr Fink was forced to listen over the phone as he made his way back from FIFO work

Cohen's father, Christian, previously penned an incredibly raw open letter to mark the one-year anniversary of his son's death, in which he re-lived the moment he received a phone call no parent ever wants to get.

Christian was more than 1,000km away, working in the mines north of Leonora, in central Western Australia, as a fly-in-fly-out employee when his son died.

After getting a panicked phone call from his wife, he called his son Jai who tearfully explained Cohen was missing and left a note.

While still on the phone, Jai found Cohen unconscious in a shed attached to the garage and called triple-0 before performing CPR.

'I could hear every compression over the phone, and every breath that both my daughter and eldest son gave Cohen,' Mr Fink said.

'My daughter kept saying in a broken voice ''come on Cohen'', as my eldest son counted compressions, all whilst I was listening from 1,000km away'.

He was on the phone again when the doctor gave his family the terrible news that Cohen had not survived.

'My legs just gave way. I was on the ground gasping for air... and I said to Kylah ''you and Jai did so good. I'm really proud of you two'',' Mr Fink said.

Cohen's death coincided with his parents' 24th wedding anniversary, and Mr Fink was on his way home to celebrate with his wife when he got the life changing call.

The couple previously told Daily Mail Australia their son was 'good and loyal and honest'.

'He just had a calming presence, very determined and independent... I always said if you wanted the truth, you just had to ask Cohen.'

Cohen was honest and kind, and had dreams of becoming a pilot when he was old enough, his family told Daily Mail Australia

About 12 months before his death, the then-16-year-old started struggling at school and was diagnosed with anxiety and depression.

He saw a psychologist fortnightly right up until he passed away.

Following the diagnosis, his parents sent three emails to his school to explain his circumstances before a school official responded to them, promising to schedule him in with a counsellor.

His parents said it was 'frustrating' their disclosure was not taken more seriously by the school.

Even after Cohen's death, they felt the school could have done more.

'[Cohen]s cohort were told to use the long weekend, just three days after his death, to get over their grief for a fresh start the next week... It has been disappointing and only confounded to our grief.'

His parents previously pushed for a coronial inquiry but this was knocked back by the Supreme Court in February.

His older sister stayed on the phone to her father and tried to get help from neighbours once they found Cohen (pictured, the siblings when they were toddlers)

His family believe the exam papers were a clear indication that his mental health was deteriorating - including the highlighted passage, which appears to be written backwards

A WA State Government spokesperson expressed their sympathy for the family but would not comment further.

'The loss of a young person in any circumstances is tragic, but because this matter is the subject of a legal process it would be inappropriate to comment further.'

Ms Ellery is on leave but stated in Parliament in 2021 that there were 'gaps' in communication between the school and Cohen's parents both before and after his death.

'I do think the school and the department could have done better. I am not sure we can go beyond that to say that that directly resulted in his death,' Ms Ellery said.

If you or anyone you know needs help, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800
Sen. Lindsey Graham has revealed that he will not be complying with a subpoena issued by a grand jury in Georgia that aims to investigate former United States President Donald Trump's alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 elections.

In a statement, attorneys for Graham, Bart Daniel and Matt Austin, said that the senator plans to go to court, challenge the grand jury's order, and expects to win the legal battle. They added that Graham was "well within his rights to discuss with state officials the processes and procedures around administering elections.

Lindsey Graham Subpoena

The situation comes as the grand jury also subpoenaed members of Trump's former legal team, including his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. The grand jury was selected in May to consider evidence in a probe launched after the former president was recorded in a Jan. 2, 2021, phone call pressuring Georgia's secretary of state to overturn the state's election results based on his claims of voter fraud.

Daniel and Austin said that Graham was being called "simply a witness" in what they called a "fishing expedition." They added that any information from an interview or deposition with the senator would immediately be shared with the Jan. 6 committee, as per Reuters.

In an interview on Wednesday, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who convened the grand jury probe, said that more subpoenas for additional Trump associates should be expected and declined to rule out a subpoena for the former president himself.

Read Also: Trump Calls Cheney a 'Despicable Human Being' After Comments on Potential Criminal Referral of Former President

When Willis was asked whether that would also include Trump family members or former White House officials, she said, "We'll just have to see where the investigation leads us," while calling the situation a "very serious" matter. "We're going to do our due diligence in making sure that we look at all aspects of the case," she added.

According to Yahoo News, furthermore, Willis dismissed Graham's lawyers' allegation that the investigation was motivated by politics, arguing that the senator "doesn't understand the seriousness of what we're doing."

Affiliation With Trump

Willis said that she is investigating a post-election phone call that Graham made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in November of 2020. The latter previously said that the senator pressed him about whether he had the authority and power to reject certain absentee ballots, which he interpreted as a suggestion to toss out legally cast votes.

The subpoena against Graham said that he made at least two telephone calls to Raffensperger and his staff. It noted that during the calls the senator questioned them about re-examining certain absentee ballots cast in the state in order to explore the possibility of a more favorable outcome for the former president.

Graham allegedly made a reference to allegations of widespread voter fraud in the November 2020 elections in Georgia. The remarks are consistent with public statements made by known affiliates of the Trump campaign.

Deputy District Attorney Jeff DiSantis said, "Should witnesses choose to challenge an order that they testify before the Special Purpose Grand Jury, the District Attorney will respond in the appropriate court to compel their appearance," CNN reported.



Related Article: Jan. 6 Hearings: Ex-White House Lawyer Pat Cipollone Agrees To Talk, Could Unveil Key Donald Trump Insights About Capitol Riot

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Illinois gunman who murdered seven people on July 4 had an obsession with the numbers four and seven, which police are investigating as they try to ascertain his motive.

Robert Crimo, 21, had the numbers tattooed onto his right cheek, and painted onto the door of his silver Acuna.

He clearly 'had an affinity' for the figures, said Christopher Covelli, spokesman for Lake County major crime task force.

Crimo staged his attack on the date that matched the letters.

He was a fan of Donald Trump, attending several of his rallies: Trump, if re-elected, will be the 47th president.

Robert Crimo, 21, had the numbers four and seven tattooed onto his face

The gunman's car outside his home in Highland Park, Illinois, on Tuesday. He was obsessed with the number 47 - which is the date of July 4th in reverse

On September 7, 2020, Crimo was pictured attending a Trump rally in Highland Park while dressed as Where's Waldo.

Another picture has emerged showing the suspect wrapped in a Trump flag, at a September 20, 2020 rally in Northbrook, Illinois.

The Chicago Tribune described the Northbrook rally - which the then-president did not attend - as 'tense', because counter-protesters showed up. There was no violence.

Crimo also reportedly used the name 'Awake47' for an online forum where he and others regularly posted images of the aftermath of violence.

Crimo's obsession 'apparently comes from music that he's interested in,' Covelli said.

Christopher Covelli, pictured on Wednesday, said that Crimo 'had an affinity with' the numbers four and seven

Crimo, 21, is now in custody for yesterday's shooting. His motive remains unclear. His family say the Trump-supporting youngster was acting 'normally' the night before the attack, despite his sinister online presence. He is shown in photos taken at a Trump rally, left, and with a Trump flag draped around his neck, right

Crimo describes himself as a 'hip hop phenom' on his IMDb page, and went by the stage name 'Awake the Rapper.'

In one of the songs, Crimo rapped: '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.'

He received 16,000 listens a month on Spotify.

Officials not explain why the numbers were affiliated with music, but the New York Post reported that there is a well-known time signature '7/4 used in songs such as Pink Floyd's Money and Alice in Chains' Them Bones.

Music videos posted by Crimo online last fall include a drawing of himself shooting people online, and a disturbing clip of himself throwing bullets on the floor of a classroom while wearing armor, in what appears to be a joke about school shootings.

Crimo also had a Discord server where he would chat with friends and fans.

His most recent post was a picture of Budd Dwyer, the Pennsylvania state treasurer who killed himself on live TV in the 1980s, which he captioned: 'I wish politicians still gave speeches like this.'

He also made references to suicide and frequently posted on a message board discussing graphic depictions of murder and death, including a recent video he shared of a beheading.

Crimo operated two YouTube channels, both of which have now been deleted for 'violating YouTube's Community Guidelines.'

One of the tracks posted on YouTube 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.

Crimo is clad in a combat helmet as he falls to the floor clutching his face and dropping bullets to the floor.

The bio goes on to say that 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.'
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TV chef Sandra Lee was spotted sharing a kiss with fiance and actor Ben Youcef on their romantic getaway trip for her 56th birthday near Lake Como in a 1956 Porsche speedster on Wednesday.

The former Food Network star was seen leaving her villa along Youcef, 43  with whom she has been in a relationship with for about a year  before driving by the lake in the white sportscar, matching its color in a sheer, revealing top knotted at her waist.

The loved-up couple couldn't keep their hands and eyes off each other prior to their evening stroll, embracing and kissing one another on the steps of the villa where they are vacationing.

WITH LOVE FROM LAKE COMO: Sandra Lee was spotted driving a 1956 Porscher Speedster while her 11-month fiance Ben Youcef, 43, wrapped his arms around her as she celebrated her 56th birthday by Cernobbio, a town by Lake Como, Italy, on Wednesday

COUPLE'S RETREAT: Youcef held on tight to the TV chef, as she looked smitten and relaxed in a sheer, white knotted top

A KISS FOR THE ROAD: The couple, who have a 13-year age gap, looked lovestrucked in the vintage car as Lee smirked while Youcef kissed on the cheek

FLOWERFUL EVENING: Their pair, nicknamed 'Bendra' by friends and family, enjoyed each other's company during their romantic stroll along the scenic route by the lake

WHEN'S THE WEDDING: The couple looked as if they had just gotten married, with Lee wearing a white, laced outfit and Youcef wearing a blazer

VINTAGE: Youcef and Lee were spotted enjoying the beautiful weather in nortern Italy on a hot, summer day, where temperatures reached 89F (31C)

LOVESTRUCK: Lee was seen snogging her fiance while laying both of her hands on his neck before their getaway drive on the steps of their vacaional villa

Like a true gentleman, Youcef, who was casually wearing dark jeans, a black blazer and a white button-down shirt, opened up the driver's door to let Lee in the vintage car first.

The couple then drove-off and were spotted enjoying each other's company before sharing another passionate kiss while Lee was behind the wheel.

According to People, friends of the couple are known to affectionately refer to the pair as 'Bendra.'

At one point, Lee looked smitten as Youcef was seen holding and kiss her neck from behind while they enjoyed the view on Lake Como on a hot, summer day, where temperatures reached 89F (31C).

ITALIAN FASHION: Lee, a former star on Food Network, rocked a white and golden top while wearing a light beige long skirt and white sandals

Lee and Youcef were seen cuddling and passionately looking at each other on the steps of their vacation spot before their romantic stroll

LADIES FIRST: The Algerian-born actor opened up the door to the driver's seat of the vintage Porsche like a true gentleman

GRAZIE AMORE: Lee thanks her beau for the gesture by leaning in and giving him a little snug

LIKE A GENTLEMAN: Youcef held the door open for his girlfriend until she fully got into the car comfortably

Youcef made it to his seat before wrapping his arm around Lee as she starts the roofless car

GONE LIKE THE WIND: The TV Chef's blonde hair flew back along the wind as the couple were seen leaving their vacation spot

LOVE ROUTE: Youcef and Lee enjoyed the evening stroll three days after the cooking-show Emmy award winnner shared pictures of her 56th birthday celebrations on Instagram

The couple appeared to be chatty during their drive as they drove across the beauitful Italian landscape filled with colorful flowers

CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF OF YOU: Youcef looked at his fiancee several times during their romantic stroll while she was driving

IN THE PRESENCE OF LOVE: The couple appeared laid-back and very much in the moment while driving aroud in the 1956 white Porsche

Lee, who turned 56 on Sunday, gushed about her birthday celebrations and her 11-month fiance on Instagram.

'Romantic Sunset cruise on Lake Como pre-party with my Ben,' she captioned a photo of herself passionately kissing Youcef on Sunday.'... so romantic and special for my birthday!! Happy birthday everyone- may your kisses be filled with love and passion. Loving 56 so far! So gratefulXoxo Sandy.'

On Saturday,, she once more shared a photo of herself passionately kissing Youcef on a balcony in Verona, the setting for Shakespearian romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet.

'So lots to share from today on!! ' she wrote. 'First and most importantly I am making my years count instead of counting the years. Yesterday my Pre-birthday day, a Magical day in Verona was spent at Juliet's balcony (the Romeo and Juliet balcony) with my Ben.

'After this past year of health struggles, I know that life is too short not celebrate every single chance I can get. So looking forward to Ben's next surprise! Yay Birthdays, what a gift they are!! Xo Sandy'.

On Sunday, Lee was spotted wearing a daring see-through white dress as she celebrated her 56th birthday with a romantic cruise around Lake Como with her Youcef

The happy couple was spotted kissing passionately while spending the day on a Riva yacht on the lake

They couldn't keep their hands off each other as they smooched on the water during their spin

Earlier this year, Lee opened up about undergoing a hysterectomy, saying at the time that the surgery was a 'bit rough' and she had a 'long road of recovery ahead.'

Lee's ex, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, was by her side when she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy in 2015

She has praised him for being incredibly supportive during her cancer battle and subsequent reconstructive surgeries, although they split up in 2019, leaving Lee heartbroken.

Lee developed an infection from her double mastectomy and was rushed to the hospital in August 215.

'I did my very best to avoid this (when I tell you I did everything, I mean everything  modern, Eastern and holistic) but infection is an incredible monster,' she wrote in a Facebook message to fans at the time.

'I am a long way from where I was and a long way from where I need to be, but at this point I understand that right now I just need to complete this unexpected phase of a tough journey.'

Lee started her reconstructive surgeries in 2016, and it took four years for them to be completed due to complications.

'It's a really intense thing, having that operation,' she told People in June 2016. 'Being put out, it's lights out. You go, 'Oh God, please sweet Lord, take care of me while I'm here.''

The couple gazed into each other's eyes as they sailed around the lake in Italy on Sunday

They both wore white and looked relaxed as they went for a walk in Northern Italy

The happy couple held hands and smooched as they enjoyed their holiday in Italy

Lee  who was dubbed 'First Girlfriend' while she was with Cuomo  kept a low profile during most of his first two terms as governor, but she emerged as an advocate for cancer screening after her own diagnosis.

'Early diagnosis just gives you the opportunity to be the most aggressive that you can be,' she told People in 2018. 'It's the best treatment.'

Lee also opened up about her cancer diagnosis in the 2018 HBO documentary 'RX: Early Detection, A Cancer Journey with Sandra Lee.'

She moved to Malibu after she and Cuomo split in September 2019. They dated for 14 years and lived together, but they never got engaged in their decade and a half as a couple.

Cuomo was by her side when she underwent a double mastectomy in 2015 and started reconstructive surgery a year later

Lee, pictured with her ex, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2012, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015

Lee and Youcef are believed to have met at a charity event in Santa Monica back in March 2021, with him making the first move.

He is a father to five-year-old twins with his soon-to-be ex-wife, California-based realtor Apryl Stephenson.

Though the pair are still legally married, they separated in 2019 and they filed for divorce in January 2020.

Youcef proposed to Lee in August during their whirlwind trip to France that coincided with the sexual harassment scandal surrounding Cuomo.

'Ben really wanted to distract Sandra from all the news, so he whisked her away to Paris,' an unnamed source close to Youcef told the New York Post.

'He knows how hard this has been on her and he wants to make sure she feels loved and supported.'

The source added: 'Ben is incredibly protective of Sandra. They're soulmates and head-over-heels in love.'

Lee, who turned 56 on Sunday, took to Instagram to gush about the man by her side

On Saturday, she posted a photo of herself kissing Youcef on a balcony in Verona

Lee's fiance, Ben Youcef, was by her side when she underwent the procedure to remove her uterus

Lee moved to Malibu after she and Cuomo split in September 2019, and she met Youcef nearly two years later in March 2021

Cuomo, 64, resigned from office in August after investigators working for New York Attorney General Letitia James authored a report concluding he had sexually harassed 11 women.

Lee, meanwhile, couldn't be happier with Youcef, whom she praised in a gushing Valentine's Day post last month. She shared a carousel of photos of them together, including snapshots of them kissing.

'So this happened! Ben happened! Love happened! Happiness happened!' she wrote. 'I was certain it never would again. I was shocked when it did. I swore I would never fall again, trust again, love again or open myself up again.

'On our one year anniversary I shall share the story of how we met but until then, my wish for you is that no matter where you are, how old you are or what has happened, you can welcome hope back into your life again.'
Millions if not billions must have heard him singing this song at some point over the past 60 years.

His lyrics have been chanted at pretty much every protest rally against virtually everything in living memory.

But only a handful of people  myself included  have ever heard Bob Dylan singing this very special version of Blowin In The Wind. And, as of this evening, no one (not even Dylan himself) will ever hear it again.

To paraphrase his immortal line: how many times can a man (or woman) play this particular song? The answer, my friend, is not blowin in the wind. The answer is: never  unless they happen to be the very rich collector who ends up paying what will surely set a new record . . . for a record.

For Dylans producers have made just one solitary recording of this particular rendition. They have consigned it to a single disc that comes up for sale at Christies later today. There is not and never will be any other version. Hence tonights estimate: 1 million. The auctioneers, however, are confident it will go for more.

Not bad for a record that doesnt even have a B-side. Flip it over and the only thing on the back is Dylans signature etched in the vinyl.

Robert Hardman at Christie's in London with the 2021 recording of Bob Dylan's Blowing in the Wind

Originally written and released in 1962, the new version features a full band which played alongside Dylan as he sang. Pictured, Bob Dylan recording his first album in 1961

For now, a handful of would-be buyers can still listen to this disc, strictly one at a time, through headphones. They can only do so inside a secure unit at Christies London headquarters which will continue to welcome visitors until this afternoons sale of exceptional items  including Egyptian statues and Georgian furniture  concludes. Dylans disc will be the final lot.

Later tonight it will be placed inside its record sleeve, which, in this case, happens to be a bespoke white oak cabinet with titanium plaque. Then it will be up to the new owner or owners to do with it as they please, safe in the knowledge that no one else will ever play it.

It might sound like just another exorbitant gimmick from an industry that thrives on hype. To an extent, of course, it is.

However, Christies are very firmly describing this as a work of art, given that it is a highly original artistic endeavour that is unique.

Dylan and his producer, Joseph T-Bone Burnett, also regard it as yet another protest, in keeping with the long tradition of the song. For they have done this as a very pointed rejection of the state of the music industry.

The record (pictured) has an estimated sale price between 600,000 and 1 million, but this may be on the conservative side

As Burnett argues, there have been two regrettable developments over the past 30 years or so.

First, the calibre of sound has simply got worse with the rise and rise of digital recordings. In short, online music aint a patch on vinyl. Each evolution has brought a lowering of audio standards, he says in the video he has recorded to promote the sale.

Second, the switch from vinyl, cassette and CD to digital has made musicians considerably poorer and made internet gazillionaires ever richer. It is a source of eternal woe from the average music artist that they now receive a tiny percentage of what they would once have earned from record sales and royalties.

Mike Piersante, the music engineer who recorded and mixed the million-pound disc is more succinct: We have watched as digital has dumbed down music in terms of sound quality and in terms of the ability to make music. This is a response to that.

I meet Mike in the bowels of Christies, where he is the custodian of the precious disc. A uniformed guard stands on duty outside double doors decorated with a blown-up photograph of the new record. Inside, drapes conceal a special sound booth that currently serves as the most exclusive music venue in London.

The record is available to listen to on a 30,000 record player at Christie's in London until it goes up for sale

For there is room for precisely one person at a time to listen to the disc. It is sitting on a regular turntable, for it can be played on any old record player at the regular 45rpm speed for a single (although one assumes the buyer will acquire a pretty serious sound system before spinning this disc).

What makes it so different, Mike explains, is the production process. Whereas there is nothing like a traditional acetate-based vinyl record for purity of sound, he says, a traditional record will deteriorate over time with repeated playing. This disc, however, represents a seismic shift in analogue recording, because it is protected with a sapphire and quartz coating developed by NASA for protecting instruments in space.

In short, this thing can be played thousands of times over without the tiniest wear and tear.

The whole process has been patented by Burnetts company, NeoFidelity, which is the official vendor. This venture remains shrouded in secrecy. Mike is not even allowed to tell me the location of the Los Angeles recording studio where Dylan recorded this version. However, he explains it was actually very simple. It was all done in a single take with two microphones, one for Dylan and the other for a small band featuring a mandolin, a fiddle, a double bass and an acoustic guitar (played by T-Bone).

I know it is heretical to say so among Dylan evangelists (I am married to one), but I have always found him rather hard work. I have never bought one of his records. Yet, even I know he usually likes to liven up a tune with a splash of harmonica. Dylanologists may be intrigued to learn the great man does not produce his mouth organ at any stage in this version. Indeed, Our Bob does not play any instrument. He just sings.

There is apparently a queue of fans in reception hoping to grab a listen, so I cannot dawdle. I put on the headphones and listen to what really is audio gold. For a start, there is none of the crackle we associate with vinyl records.

Second, I can hear every word. Dylans drawl can sometimes be indecipherable (except to his disciples), but every word is crystal clear on this recording. The lyrics havent changed and the tune is still in the key of D.

However, this version goes at a slightly slower pace than the original. Fair enough, Dylan was 80 when he recorded this last year. The mandolin and the fiddle are more pronounced on this version, the guitar more subtle.

If you are a Dylan fan  and a very rich one  then you will adore it. Peter Klarnet, Christies senior specialist in Americana, Books and Manuscripts says: This is an iconic object by a great artist and it will never be replicated.

It is 60 years since the original studio recording of Blowin In The Wind. That one, as they say in the industry, went platinum.

This one might as well be made of platinum.
What a peculiarly Tory and British drama it is. Boris Johnson, without question the most extraordinary politician of his generation, has the attributes to be a truly great prime minister.

But with the trickle of letters from Conservative MPs  ministers and backbenchers alike  publicly expressing an irretrievable loss of confidence in him becoming a flood, the clock seemed to be running inexorably down on his time in Downing Street.

Yet Mr Johnson is nothing if not a fighter. He's clinging onto No10 with everything he has.

Having shaken up Britain for the better, he won't give up power lightly, arguing that he has a direct mandate from 14 million voters.

Even a Cabinet delegation urging him to quit was dismissed with a flea in its ear (and a P45 in Michael Gove's hand). Instead, the PM is digging in, drawing up a tax-cutting economic policy with new Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, and vowing to deliver for families struggling with soaring bills.

With the chaos engulfing him, is this the miracle that can save the master escapologist?

'Boris Johnson is nothing if not a fighter. He's clinging onto No10 with everything he has'

His downfall would not only be a personal catastrophe, it would have a baleful effect on the entire country.

With his trademark optimism and buccaneering spirit, Mr Johnson set out a One Nation vision for transforming Britain's fortunes.

What does it say about the febrile, politically deranged place Britain has become in 2022, where a leader with a thumping majority is the victim of a putsch from within his own side?

And equally, how absurd that the holder of the highest office in the land risks being toppled by events that are, compared with the seismic forces currently convulsing the world, essentially trivial?

Yes, the PM has made mistakes, misjudgments and misdemeanours. But let's be honest, they have hardly been Watergate.

This sorry episode has all the hallmarks of one of Mr Johnson's beloved classical Greek tragedies.

In that dramatic form, the hero always means well and the play usually begins with a string of successes. But because of shortcomings in his own character, he is eventually brought down  often by those he once regarded as friends.

There are distinct echoes of this in Mr Johnson's betrayal. But there is one crucial difference.

'In a toe-curlingly pompous piece of attention-seeking, Sajid Javid tried to mirror Geoffrey Howe's devastating resignation statement in 1990 which helped to topple Margaret Thatcher'

Instead of resulting in catharsis, this drama is almost guaranteed to end in bitter tears of acrimony and recrimination.

One of the 'friends' trying to deliver the fatal blow was, of course, former Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

In a toe-curlingly pompous piece of attention-seeking, he tried to mirror Geoffrey Howe's devastating resignation statement in 1990 which helped to topple Margaret Thatcher.

So elevated was Javid's moral high horse that he must have been suffering vertigo.

In reality, this was a transparent bid to portray himself as a leadership contender  a squeaky-clean alternative to a compromised PM.

It was nauseating sanctimony from a man who so patently wears his ambition on his sleeve.

In his peroration, he insisted: 'I'm not one of life's quitters.'

Pull the other one, Mr Javid! Twice he has flounced out of a Cabinet post in a huff  this time, disgracefully, as post-Covid NHS waiting lists hit record levels.

And speaking of dereliction of duty, what kind of Chancellor was his fellow Cabinet conspirator Rishi Sunak to effectively down tools during the worst cost-of-living crisis for a generation?

The truth is, Mr Johnson stands head and shoulders above almost all his would-be assassins.

'The final straw was being caught dissembling over the disgraced ex-Tory Chris Pincher (pictured right, with Johnson) the bibulous party whip with a creepy penchant for allegedly groping young men'

Compared with the mountains he has scaled, their combined achievements are little more than molehills.

Just 31 months ago, he landed the Conservatives their biggest landslide for three decades after persuading millions of traditional Labour voters that he was their man.

In doing so, he vanquished Corbynism  saving the country from mutating into a nightmarish socialist dystopia. Then, in the teeth of opposition from almost the whole Remain-dominated British Establishment, Mr Johnson fulfilled the explicit will of the British people by delivering Brexit.

If that weren't enough, he triumphantly guided the country through the worst pandemic in a century  despite damn nearly dying of Covid. And liberated from the sclerotic EU, the PM masterminded our own world-beating jabs programme, allowing us to be first in the world to lift lockdown and re-ignite our economy.

There is, of course, plenty of red ink in the deficit column of Mr Johnson's political ledger.

His dithering when trying to save Covid lothario Matt Hancock from the sack. The Owen Paterson debacle. Accusations that he misled his own standards adviser over 'Wallpapergate'.

And while Mr Johnson's own 50 fine for breaking lockdown laws (a colleague brought him a birthday cake which never left its Tupperware box) seemed harsh, the indulgence of drunken revelry in No 10 while the rest of the country was forbidden from even comforting dying loved ones was deeply regrettable.

'If Tory MPs succeed in removing Boris, what happens next? Whom would they replace Mr Johnson with? Could the successor defeat Sir Keir Starmer?'

The final straw was being caught dissembling over the disgraced ex-Tory Chris Pincher, the bibulous party whip with a creepy penchant for allegedly groping young men. What a squalid hill to die on!

The truth is, many of these problems would not have blown up had Mr Johnson been honest in the first place and not tried to cover them up.

After Partygate, the PM promised to shake up No10 to prevent any more self-inflicted wounds. Yet lessons have clearly not been learned.

Of course, no one voted for Boris because they thought he was a model of saintly probity.

Even so, it is one of the great mysteries of the cosmos that someone so intelligent could blunder into the same mistakes over and over again. One reason is the failure to put in place a properly functioning structure around him to exert control and discipline on the party and Downing Street. Throw in his own lack of attention to detail, and it's a recipe for disaster.

These scandals have undoubtedly damaged the Tories. Hammerings in four recent by-elections stand testament to that.

Now hordes of Conservative MPs have lost patience. With so many resigning as ministers or demanding Mr Johnson quit, it's hard to see how he can form a working Government.

In many respects, Mr Johnson is entitled to feel embattled. For years, he has been sniped at by Remainers desperate to drag us back into the EU's orbit.

Sky, ITN and the BBC have become less impartial observers of events than political activists determined to do their bit to overthrow a democratically elected prime minister. And they are aided by the civil service 'Blob', which despises Mr Johnson almost as much as they do.

But in the midst of a painful cost-of-living crunch, war in Europe and a migration crisis (and with the Tories only a handful of points behind Labour during the mid-term) this is no time for the party to be hamstrung by in-fighting.

If Tory MPs succeed in removing Boris, what happens next? Whom would they replace Mr Johnson with? Could the successor defeat Sir Keir Starmer?

And are they sure they aren't simply inadvertently jeopardising the party's chances of winning the next election  and letting in a Labour-led coalition of chaos?

That would see the UK disastrously shackled to a runaway train of ruinous economics, votes for 16-year-olds, the demise of the Union and the woke train of gender politics.

Whoever the Tory leader is, they must champion authentic Conservative policies  tax cuts, free-market enterprise, using the benefits of Brexit to create a nimble modern economy, and strong borders  to defeat the leaden-footed Starmer.

This is not just a psychodrama surrounding Mr Johnson. It is an existential crisis for the Tories. It is no exaggeration to say the country's very future hangs in the balance.
A doctor has explained why Aussies under 30 don't need to get a fourth Covid jab - because the benefits will not outweigh the risks.

A fourth vaccination - or second booster - is currently only available to those over 65, people in aged or disability care and the immunocompromised.

However, Aussies aged over 30 will be eligible for a fourth Covid jab after the nation's top doctors lobbied for a winter booster to ease the pressure on Australia's hospitals.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation is now set to approve a second booster shot after meeting to discuss the hotly debated issue on Wednesday evening.

ATAGI delayed recommending a fourth shot until a fresh wave of infections was about to kick off, Australian Medical Association vice-president Chris Moy said.

He explained that 30 was the cut off age because the benefits of the jab outweighed the risks of getting Covid.

Doctors have previously suggested that jabs for some young people could lead to side effects like myocarditis - a condition which causes swelling of the heart muscle.

Australian Medical Association vice-president Chris Moy explained that 30 was the cut off age because the benefits of the jab outweighed its risks

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation is set to approve a second booster shot after meeting to discuss the hotly debated issue on Wednesday evening

'(ATAGI has) been under pressure for a long time now to go to the fourth shot for everybody,' Dr Moy told ABC radio on Thursday.

'We're facing a new surge, a really worrying surge ... we are looking at hospitals which are already full facing a real disaster in terms of being overrun, so this is why I think the decision is coming.'

However, Dr Moy insisted that the booster was necessary and said there was now evidence that new variants were having more impact on the lungs.

'The three things that are worrying about it, there's evidence coming from overseas that [the new subvariants] are more infectious. It's outrunning B.A.2, which is the previous subvariant...with high reinfection rates.

'It has a greater propensity for the lungs  that means more serious disease, whereas the previous periods have been more in the upper airways.

'So therefore, because of that, we may be looking at a higher proportion of people in hospitals. A high percentage, even a small percentage, is going to cause the hospitals to get overrun, as they already are at the moment, unfortunately.'

Emerging variants are more infectious, can reinfect those who have already had Covid-19 and are more damaging to the lungs than previous versions of the virus, experts said.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said he did not expect to get ATAGI's official advice on the extra shot until Friday.

Mr Butler warned Australia is in the early stages of a fresh wave of Covid-19.

'Case numbers are rising, hospitalisations are up by several hundred just in the fortnight, and most state governments and the federal government are projecting that that's going to continue for some time yet,' he said in Adelaide.

'We are absolutely committed to doing whatever we can as a government to get through this winter and get through this third Omicron wave that's headed our way.'

Dr Moy insisted that the booster was necessary and said there was now evidence that new variants had more impact on the lungs

Meanwhile, young people have had the largest drop in life satisfaction since the start of the pandemic, according to a new study.

The Australian National University's Covid-19 Impact Monitoring survey has found those aged 18 to 24 had experienced a significant reduction in life satisfaction since the beginning of 2020.

Their average life satisfaction rating now sits at 6.3 points out of a possible 10, after falling by 0.5.

The survey of more than 3500 people assessed how the pandemic affected their lives and also found men and women had experienced a similar drop in life satisfaction since the pandemic began.

But those over 55 were less likely to suffer a drop compared to those under 55.

Study co-author Professor Nicholas Biddle said greater access to employment and education opportunities should be factored into Covid-19 policy solutions for young people.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tipped that Australians would be given the extra dose, despite some experts saying the additional shot was unlikely to stop new Omicron variants.

Anthony Albanese (pictured getting vaccination against Covid) said he expects the fourth Covid jab to be approved for the masses, saying 'it's a question of when rather than whether it will happen'

The prime minister told radio station 6PR in Perth on Tuesday it was crucial Australians get their third shot because it reduces the disease's symptoms.

'I know that the authorities including ATAGI are looking at that (approving a fourth jab),' he said.

Poll Will YOU be rushing out to get your 4th Covid jab? Yes No Will YOU be rushing out to get your 4th Covid jab? Yes 103 votes

No 269 votes Now share your opinion





'I think it's a question of when rather than whether it will happen. We need to make sure that people continue to keep up their vaccinations.'

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews have also campaigned to widen the eligibility criteria for the fourth booster.

'We need to broaden it and we need to do it quickly', Hazzard said at a press conference on Tuesday, before saying he had advocated for the fourth shot when meeting with colleagues last week.
Alaska wildlife officials have killed four black bears in a campground reserved for homeless people in Anchorage.

Employees from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on Tuesday killed a sow and her two cubs and another adult bear that was stealing food from tents inside Centennial Park, officials said.

The bear killings happened after Anchorage, Alaska's biggest city with nearly 300,000 residents, closed its largest homeless shelter.

There are as many as 1,094 homeless people in Anchorage, including nearly 100 families with kids, according to the charity United Way of Anchorage.

File photo: Employees from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on Tuesday killed a sow and her two cubs and another adult bear that was stealing food from tents inside Centennial Park, officials said

The Department of Fish and Game said Anchorage residents share the municipality with up to 350 American black bears and up to 65 brown bears.

'Certainly it's a busy bear time for us all across Anchorage,' said department spokesperson Cynthia Wardlow.

This part of Anchorage 'does tend to be a pretty active bear area because of the high-density housing,' she said.

The arena had housed hundreds of homeless people throughout the last two years, Alaska Public Media reported.

But the city closed its pandemic mass shelter at Sullivan Arena on June 30.

When the shelter closed, some people who are homeless moved to Centennial Park, grabbing the 84 available spots after the campground stopped taking reservations from the public.

Corey Allen Young, a spokesperson for Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, said there are 210 people living at Centennial Park, and the city has provided enhanced security for camp users.

The city 'has also brought in 60 bear proof food storage containers, 20 bear proof 32 gallon containers and is doing hourly clean up efforts to mitigate the trash and food.

'We also continue to inspect camps and educate campers about bear safe practices,' Young said in an email.

The campground, just off the Glenn Highway, is 'an ideal jumping-off point for Alaska travelers,' the city's website says.

Tents are shown Wednesday, July 6, 2022, inside Centennial Park in Anchorage. State wildlife officials have killed four black bears in a campground recently set aside for the city's homeless population after Anchorage's largest shelter was closed

The campground, just off the Glenn Highway, is 'an ideal jumping-off point for Alaska travelers,' the city's website says.

It also warns campers not to store food inside tents or outside in coolers so bears are not attracted to campsites

But it also warns campers not to store food inside tents or outside in coolers so bears are not attracted to campsites.

Wildlife officials said before the bears were killed, they were entering tents to get food, personal hygiene items and trash.

When bears go inside tents or structures, they pose a risk to human life and are considered a public safety threat, and they may be killed.

'Centennial Campground staff are doing the best they can to manage the campground and minimize attractants, but there are still a lot of tents with food in them,' Dave Battle, the Fish and Game department area biologist in Anchorage, said in a statement.

'Until that changes, more bears are going to come into the campground and get into tents.'

He said this is a safety issue for campers.

'Killing any particular bear is a very temporary solution,' Battle said. 'There are always going to be more bears in that vicinity because of its location, and we cant teach bears not to eat what they can find.'
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has reiterated her desire to see Britain's abortion limit reduced by four weeks as she further rowed into the controversial debate.

Ms Dorries, a former nurse, suggested '20 weeks is where it should be' after she described the current length of time for when most women can have an abortion as 'too high'.

Having claimed to have seen the issue of 'botched abortions' in her own time working within the medical industry, Ms Dorries has previously led parliamentary calls to scrap the 24-week abortion cut-off point.

However the Culture Secretary, who has campaigned on the matter in the House of Commons for more than 11 years, insisted she was pro-choice and would not push for rules to be changed, reports the Times.

Her comments come just weeks after Roe v Wade was historically overturned by the US Supreme Court, prompting dozens of American states to introduce new laws to jettison the procedure.

Ms Dorries said she 'understood' the concerns that women may have in the wake of the ruling, and insisted she did not think Britain would ever follow suit.

'I understand how many women would feel worried that, you know, "is this gonna land on our shores?', Ms Dorries said.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has reiterated her desire to see Britain's abortion limit reduced by four weeks as she further rowed into the controversial debate

Current NHS guidance for pregnant women expected to give birth prematurely states 'babies born earlier than 22 weeks are not currently able to survive even if doctors try to save them'. [File image]

Current NHS guidance for pregnant women expected to give birth prematurely states 'babies born earlier than 22 weeks are not currently able to survive even if doctors try to save them'.

Although Ms Dorries believes the limit should be reduced, she said now was not the time to revisit prior parliamentary battles and said she felt the issue had been 'settled' within her party.

'It's not an issue in the UK', the Times reported her as saying.

'We just have far too much going on at the moment, with the cost of living crisis, and a war in Ukraine, and Russia an aggressor in Europe now. I cant get enough parliamentary time to get the bills that I want to get through in my department.'

Ms Dorries, who has also previously served as health minister, reiterated her call for the need for two doctors to sign off on the procedure to be scrapped.

'It should just be that if someone wants an abortion, they should just be able to get one.

'And the Conservative Party position is that its a free choice issue, were settled on this, its where it is, it isnt going to change.

'The impact of going back to the dark days of underground back street abortionists is a spectre too horrible to contemplate. It isnt going to happen in the UK.'

And she blasted the comments of her now ex-colleague Danny Kruger, who previously sparked outrage when he argued women did not have an 'absolute right to bodily autonomy'.

'I am absolutely, utterly, unequivocally pro-choice,' Ms Dorries responded.

Tory MP Danny Kruger today said today he doesn't agree women have 'an absolute right to bodily autonomy' in a debate over the American abortion ban

Abortion rights supporters march past City Hall in Los Angeles, while protesting against the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to end federal abortion rights protections

'I think abortion for women should be available on demand, no need for two doctors signatures, that they should just be, if thats the decision they want to make, they should be trusted to make that decision.'

Tory MP Lucy Allan Well for Telford also showed her opposition to Mr Kruger's views and tweeted this evening that he has no right to impose his views on others.

She wrote: 'We are going to disagree on this - I accept Dannys right to disagree, but he no has no right to impose his views on others.

'Do men have a right to bodily autonomy? Is it just women who do not have that right?'

Meanwhile, Conservative former minister Jackie Doyle-Price told the Commons: 'Can I just say to the minister that we are in no stronger position to lecture the United States about this because we have done much the same ourselves.

'Is it not time we led by example and reviewed our abortion laws which are now more than 50 years old and base them around a safe framework for terminating pregnancy in the interests of women, rather than be characterised by these absurd moral extremes?'

In 2010, Ms Dorries headed up a cross-party group of MPs aiming to cut the 24-week abortion rule before the bid fell when put to vote in the House of Commons.

Under the 1967 Abortion Act, women are granted exceptions to seek an abortion if two doctors agree to the procedure.

Early termination is permitted up until 23 weeks and six days of pregnancy should the reproductive process pose risk to the physical or mental health of the woman or her children.
Rishi Sunak is the bookies favourite to be the next Conservative leader after quitting the Cabinet.

Despite the revelations about his wifes non-dom tax status and his US green card this year, Mr Sunak still leads on 3/1 with William Hill.

In second is Penny Mordaunt (4/1), the former defence secretary and one of the few leadership contenders to still be a junior member of Boris Johnsons Government as minister for trade policy.

Rishi Sunak is the favourite to take over leadership of the Conservative party despite quitting the Cabinet

Former defence secretary Penny Mordaunt is second favourtie to take leadership and one of the few contenders to still be a junior member of Boris Johnson s Government

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace (13/2) topped a recent grassroots poll as next party leader, having won praise for calling for extra military spending.

Sajid Javid (7/1) is the most experienced candidate having served as home secretary and chancellor, while Jeremy Hunt (8/1) is popular with Remainer Tory MPs, but has little support among party members.

Also on 8/1 is Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who has long been thought to have leadership hopes.
An OnlyFans star has claimed a man she met on a European holiday snuck into her hotel bathroom to watch while she showered.

Mikaela Testa, an Australian Instagram model, posted a video to her TikTok detailing the terrifying encounter with the Turkish man she met while travelling.

She said the man initially approached her and her friend after they landed in the country, with her friend Grace having a 'little crush' on him so they allowed the local to show them around.

Testa said everyone 'warned' her about European men but she 'didn't listen' to the advice.

Australian OnlyFans star Mikaela Testa (left) and her friend Grace (right) met a Turkish man while on a European holiday who snuck into the bathroom to watch the model shower

The man the girls claim entered their hotel room to look for his belonging before sneaking into the bathroom to watch Mikaela as she showered

Testa said they met the man on their first night in the country and he won the pair over because he was 'super charming and super nice'.

'We thought: "We don't know anybody so whatever, what's the worst that can happen?",' she said.

The three toured the city together for a few days, with the OnlyFans influencer admitting he was 'super fun' before it 'all went wrong'.

Mikaela's friend Grace accidentally took something from the Turkish man, who asked to meet her at the hotel to claim it back.

The influencer was in the shower and had no idea he was coming to retrieve his item, with her friend going downstairs to meet him in the lobby.

'She couldn't figure out what it was so he ends up coming to the hotel room. I had no idea this was about to happen. I was in the shower and had no idea, but thought why the freak would a Turkish guy we don't know come to the hotel room,' Testa said.

'He hears the shower running and says to Grace he's so busting and can't use the toilet downstairs, he has to use the toilet in the room. She says no and turns her back to look for this object he's apparently missing and I'm in the shower.'

The pair said initially the Turkish man was 'super nice and super charming' after he approached them on their first night in the country

The man showed them around town for a few days before he turned up at their hotel asking for his item back

The OnlyFans star claimed she then felt 'cold eyes staring at her' before turning around and looking through the shower curtain.

'I look through the crack and open the shower door and I see his face staring at my body, sneaking into the bathroom,' Testa said.

'I've never screamed so loud, I've never felt so violated in my entire life. Grace grabs all of his stuff and gets in his face then he pushes her.'

The video ended abruptly, but Testa answered a series of questions in the comments, saying she would make a second video about the encounter.

'We cancelled the rest of our Turkey trip and left the next morning guys we're okay,' she said.

Grace told the Turkish man he couldn't use their bathroom but he snuck in while she turned her back

Mikaela said she felt 'cold eyes' staring at her and turned around to find the man staring at her while she was in the shower

Followers likened the situation to the Liam Neeson film Taken - where the actor's daughter is kidnapped in Paris after speaking with a handsome stranger.

'Girl have you not seen the movie Taken "what's the worst that could happen",' a woman commented, with Testa replying with a series of crying emojis.

'Man didn't want to pay the monthly subscription fee,' another cheekily added.

Another influencer claimed to have been followed on Instagram by the man and that he had been deleting comments from Testa's angry audience on his account.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the man.
Britons are not renowned for their foreign language skills  and German, with its notoriously complex grammar, is among the hardest to learn.

But many struggling foreigners in Germany may be spared the humiliation in future.

Members of the German government want to make English an official language in the public sector in a bid to tempt foreign talent to the country.

The pro-business Free Democrats say bureaucrats should be forced to become Anglophone.

Education minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger said a lack of German language skills was a very big hurdle in encouraging skilled workers to move there.

The signal must be that we are an immigration country, she said.

Germany's education minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (pictured) said a lack of German language skills was a very big hurdle in encouraging skilled workers to move there

A Free Democrats policy paper drawn up by the party says: Language is the key to successful integration. The promotion of German for skilled workers and their families must therefore be further expanded.

At the same time, English should be established alongside German as an additional administrative language in authorities in order to make administrative procedures easier.

They reckon it will make it easier for expats to deal with red tape and attract the best talent from all over the world.

Officials from the party, also known as the FDP, want to make it easier for authorities to recognise qualifications from outside the EU.

The rethink comes after nearly 900,000 Ukrainian refugees have fled the war in their homeland for Germany.

But the policy marks something of a significant shift for the Free Democrats, who have not always been staunch fans of the language of Shakespeare.

The late Guido Westerwelle, a former foreign minister, once lambasted a BBC reporter for asking a question in English at a press conference in Berlin.

We are in Germany here. We speak German, the Free Democrat politician ranted.
After his father died defending him, a two-year-old toddler who was orphaned as a result of the Highland Park mass shooting penned a letter.

"Mommy and Daddy will be here soon," Aiden McCarthy said as he was reunited with his grandfather, Michael Levberg, inside an Illinois police station.

Highland Park Shooting Orphan Was Saved by His Father

Kevin McCarthy, 37, died while shielding his kid, joining his wife, Irina McCarthy, 35, as one of seven persons slain during the Fourth of July parade. Margo McCarthy, Aiden's paternal grandmother, was also shot while assisting the couple in caring for the kid during the procession. Kevin McCarthy was killed after he was hit in the femoral artery, according to Kersten.

Aiden was reportedly removed from his parents when another spouse rescued him amid the pandemonium. Lauren Silva, 38, claimed she and her boyfriend fled a parking garage after hearing gunshots during the Fourth of July celebration.

The two had barely finished their meal when they were stopped in their tracks by the sound. Silva and her partner were nearby when suspected shooter Robert E. Crimo reportedly opened fire on a rooftop, killing at least seven people and injuring more than twenty.

They waited in the garage for what felt like 20 minutes before reconnecting with her partner, according to Silva. After another couple took Aiden to the fire department, he was reunited with his grandparents. Dana and Greg Ring said they retrieved the unhurt youngster before searching for his parents. They decided to take him to the fire station, where a Highland Police investigator took Aiden to his grandparents, The Sun reported.

Read Also: Frantic Search Continues for Missing Minnesota Girl Whose Mom Was Found Dead in Mississippi River Park

Aiden McCarthy GoFundMe Hits $2 Million

As per Newsweek via MSN, donations totaling more than $2 million have been collected for the two-year-old kid survivor. Aiden McCarthy's photo was published on social media in the hours following the shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, along with pleas for assistance in identifying the boy who had been found alone at the site.

On Monday evening, a detective picked up the youngster and returned him to his grandparents. Authorities announced on Tuesday that his parents, Kevin and Irina McCarthy, were among the seven individuals murdered in the attack.

In less than 12 hours, more than 34,000 contributions were received on the page. As of early Wednesday, the total amount raised had surpassed $2 million. Irina Colon hailed the more than 47,000 individuals who donated to the charity.

Katherine Goldstein, 64, Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63, Stephen Straus, 88, and Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78, are the other casualties. The identity of the seventh victim has yet to be determined. At least 30 people were injured in the incident. Authorities said the accused gunman fired an AR-15-style rifle from atop a commercial building onto a throng assembled for a parade in the Chicago suburb.

On Monday evening, Robert Crimo III was arrested and charged with seven charges of first-degree murder. Crimo would face a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole if convicted on the murder charges, Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Bill Ackman, a billionaire, is the fund's greatest donor to date, having contributed $18,000 to it. On Tuesday, his office verified the gift to The Daily Beast. The greatest donation in the previous two hours came from an unidentified source and totaled $10,000. The majority of the other major contributors are also anonymous.

Related Article: Highland Park Shooting: Videos Show Scary Moment of Attack, Witnesses Detail Horrific Tragedy

@YouTube

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Virtuosa violinist Julie Berthollet has declared she plans to leave Paris after she endured a pair of muggings just minutes apart last month.

Berthollet, 25, rose to stardom upon forming a strings duo with younger sister Camille and the pair chose to settle in the French capital which has long been lauded for its bustling music and art scene.

But the musician said she is now moving back to her native Switzerland after seeing the 'every man for himself' attitude on display on the Parisian streets.

Julie was set upon twice by men trying first to steal her phone, then her jewellery, but was most perturbed by the total lack of interest or concern displayed by members of the public who witnessed the attacks.

Virtuosa violinist Julie Berthollet (pictured) has declared she plans to leave Paris after she endured a pair of muggings just minutes apart last month

Julie was set upon twice by men trying first to steal her phone, then her jewellery as she headed down the steps towards a metro station in the French capital

Julie Berthollet, 25 (right), rose to stardom upon forming a strings duo with younger sister Camille (left) and the pair chose to settle in the French capital which has long been lauded for its bustling music and art scene

Julie told Swiss publication L'Illustre she was walking along the banks of the Seine on June 22 when a man tried to grab her iPhone out of her hand.

She managed to cling on and scream at her would-be mugger, who ultimately fled.

'I have strong hands because of my violin playing, I resisted. I held tight to my iPhone and I shouted: ''Are you mad? Coward!'' The individual left,' Julie said.

But she was then accosted minutes later by another individual at the entrance to a metro station.

The second attacker ripped off her bracelets and necklaces before brandishing a knife to discourage her from fighting back - all while passers-by went about their day seemingly without batting an eye.

'It's every man for himself [in Paris],' Julie said.

'I absolutely don't have the ability to put up with all this ambient violence. In Paris when you say 'Hello' to someone they take it as an aggression.

'It's not like that in Switzerland. Here people are polite. They don't ignore each other.'

Julie said people walked around her as she lay on the ground after being mugged with 'total indifference' and never came close to trying to intervene.

She caught a train to Geneva in her native Switzerland and spent the journey in tears, both in shock from the attack and the way in which bystanders completely ignored her plight.

Paris is known as the city of love and the fashion capital of the world, not to mention its reputation for world-renowned cuisine and burgeoning art scene.

Socialist Parisian Mayor Anne Hidalgo has faced widespread criticism for the perceived decline of the French capital

A social media campaign earlier this year highlighted the issues facing Hidalgo when disgruntled Parisians began flooding Instagram and Twitter with snaps of waste-covered streets and overflowing bins

But many believe the city has deteriorated rapidly in recent years, with much of the criticism for the Parisian decline being directed at mayor Anne Hidalgo.

The socialist mayor has promised to clean up the city with a mind to cracking down on crime and ridding the city's streets of rubbish before the capital hosts the 2024 Olympic Games.

But a social media campaign earlier this year highlighted the issues facing Hidalgo when disgruntled Parisians began flooding Instagram and Twitter with snaps of waste-covered streets and overflowing bins.

The images, accompanied by the hashtag #SaccageParis (Pillage of Paris) brought into stark contrast the decline of what was once one of Europe's most sought-after destinations.
A beaming Julie Bishop has stepped out in public for the first time as a single woman, just days after being dumped by her long-time partner.

The former foreign minister's eight-year romance with property developer David Panton ended over dinner in Sydney last Friday - just a week after the couple visited London together and dined with Prince Charles.

A carefree Ms Bishop was all smiles as she attended the Australian National University's (ANU) annual John Gee Memorial Lecture in Canberra on Tuesday night.

Photos showed a beaming Ms Bishop standing with International Atomic Energy Agency director-general Rafael Mariano Grossi, while another showed her introducing the esteemed guest.

Smartly dressed in a black floral blouse, pants and heels, Ms Bishop delivered the opening speech for the event in front of a full house in her role as university chancellor, a job she's held for two-and-a-half years.

Argentinian Mr Grossi was a keynote speaker at the lecture, named in honour of former diplomat the late Dr John Gee AO, who made a significant contribution to disarmament and arms control around the globe.

A newly single Julie Bishop (right) posed for a photo with keynote speaker International Atomic Energy Agency director general Rafael Mariano Grossi at an ANU event in Canberra

Julie Bishop's eight-year romance with her partner David Panton has come to an end

Mr Grossi spoke about nuclear security and safety, nuclear applications in health, gender equality and his agency's important work to make the world a better and safer place, including its recent assistance to Ukraine and its efforts to support sustainable development.

'We are reaching a defining moment for global nuclear non-proliferation,' Mr Grossi told attendees.

It was the first time Ms Bishop had been spotted in public since her break-up four night earlier.

She first stepped out publicly with Mr Panton in 2014, with the pair pictured at countless events including the 2018 wedding of Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough.

The couple went to dinner last Friday night in Sydney's CBD where Mr Panton said the relationship had run its course, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

ANU chancellor Julie Bishop gave the opening speech at the annual event in Canberra on Tuesday, four nights after her relationship ended

ANU Chancellor Julie Bishop opened the John Gee Memorial Lecture to a full house

The couple went to dinner on Friday night in Sydney's CBD where Mr Panton decided the relationship had run its course, the Sydney Morning Herald reported

The pair had been together just a week ago at St James's Palace in London, having dinner with Prince Charles for an event honouring his charity

'I'm going to be focused on living in Manly and Melbourne for the foreseeable future,' Mr Panton told the publication.

'I wish Julie all the best in her ongoing stellar career.'

The pair appeared to be going strong when they recently visited St James' Palace in London for an event honouring Prince Charles' charity.

Mr Panton, 61, met Ms Bishop, 65, while she was the midst of her political career, serving as Australia's Minister of Foreign Affairs

INSIDE JULIE BISHOP AND DAVID PANTON'S RELATIONSHIP November, 2014: Julie Bishop and David Panton are pictured publicly for the first time at the 2014 Melbourne Cup December, 2018: The pair attend Karl Stefanovic's wedding to Jasmine Yarbrough in Mexico November, 2019: Ms Bishop gives a rare insight into her relationship and why she fell for the property developer 'He's a very independent-minded and successful businessman, and he has a delightful sense of humour. He makes me laugh,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald September 2020: Ms Bishop talks of the struggles of their long distance relationship during Covid, with her living in Perth and Mr Panton in Sydney The pair were separated for seven months 'The first place I will go is to Sydney to see David,' Ms Bishop told The Daily Telegraph about borders reopening. 'We FaceTime. It isn't great but it is all you can do because he can't get in here (WA) and I can't go there without having to get an exemption. It is very difficult but I know a lot of families have been separated in this way, it is challenging.' July 2022: Pair attend St James's Palace in London last week for an event honouring Prince Charles' charity The news breaks six days later she and Mr Panton have split Advertisement

Mr Panton, 61, met Ms Bishop, 65, while she was at the height of her political career, serving as Australia's foreign affairs minister.

The pair maintained a long-distance relationship for years, with Ms Bishop based in Perth while he lived in Sydney.

Mr Panton, originally from Melbourne, previously ran a vineyard with his ex-wife and owned a pharmacy business before moving into the property development industry when he moved to the Harbour City in 2014 - around the time he met Ms Bishop.

In 2019, Ms Bishop told the SMH about how she fell for the property developer and their bond over their love of health and fitness.

'That's self-evident  have you seen him?' she laughed.

'He's a swimmer, I'm a runner.'

Ms Bishop, 65, had in 2019 told the SMH about how she fell for the property developer and their bond over their love of health and fitness.

'He's a very independent-minded and successful businessman, and he has a delightful sense of humour. He makes me laugh.'

Mr Paton was often by her side as she travelled the world as the foreign minister, and the relationship remained strong despite being separated for seven months during Covid.

Ms Bishop also explained why the pair had not decided to relocate to each other's respective cities.

'[David and I] meet constantly, travel together and travel overseas to keep it fresh,' she said in the interview.

'Long-distance relationships can be a lot of fun.'

At the time, Ms Bishop said she was thankful for FaceTime.

'It isn't great, but it is all you can do because he can't get in here [WA], and I can't go there without having to get an exemption. It is very difficult but I know a lot of families have been separated in this way, it is challenging,' she told The Daily Telegraph.

When asked why she fell in love with the property developer, Ms Bishop told a reporter: It's self evident. Have you seen him?'

The couple were first pictured together at the 2014 Melbourne Cup before stepping into the spotlight the following year in New York while Ms Bishop worked at the UN Headquarters.

Ms Bishop was previously married to Neil Gillon from 1983 to 1988.

She was later dating former Lord Mayor of Perth Peter Nattrass for at least 12 years.

Ms Bishop had earlier opened up in an interview with Kidspot about her desire to have children, but how the opportunity never arose.

The deputy Liberal leader, who had a successful career as a lawyer before entering politics, held four ministerial positions, represented Australia on the UN security council and attended Harvard Business School for a course in advanced management.

She says that looking back over her career, she feels she didn't miss out.

'The window closes pretty quickly at 40. So politics is pretty much my life,' she said.

'I feel incredibly lucky that I've had the kind of career that is so consuming that I don't feel I have a void in my life.

'At 37, that's when I decided to go off to Harvard and did all these things, and it was very much about what I wanted to achieve in my life.

'It can be challenging either way.'

In 2015 she was asked by an audience member on Q&A if her ability to pursue a successful career as Foreign Minister would have been compromised if she had children.

Ms Bishop said the pair shared a bond over their love of health and fitness

'Well, I don't have children and so I have been able to pursue the role of Foreign Minister without that responsibility,' she said.

'But I'm not suggesting for a moment that a woman with children couldn't be Australia's Foreign Minister. But it is an extremely demanding role, because it takes you overseas at a moment's notice.

'We've had plenty of Foreign Ministers who have been males with children.'

Mr Panton is the director for Pantonic Health, which was a major provider of Covid rapid antigen tests.

He runs the company alongside his daughters Sally and Laura.

The business supplied tests for Darwin's Howard Springs quarantine facility, Twiggy Forrest's Fortescue Metals Group and Commonwealth Bank.
Taking or sharing down-blouse images and pornographic deep fakes without consent should be made illegal, law experts said yesterday.

The Law Commission, which advises ministers on legal changes, said a patchwork of criminal offences has failed to keep pace with technology.

It proposed creating a new offence of intentionally taking or sharing sexual, nude or intimate photographs or videos without consent, with a maximum sentence of six months in prison.

Law experts are calling for 'down-blousing' to be made illegal (stock image), as current legislation criminalises acts like up-skirting but not photos looking down a womans top

More serious offences, such as threatening to share nude images, should carry tougher sentences of two to three years, a consultation paper said.

Recent law changes criminalised up-skirting  photographing someones genitals or buttocks without consent  but legislation doesnt cover perverts who take photos down a womans top.

The Law Commission said the new offence should cover down-blousing  taking a photo of a womans breasts or bra. It should also be an offence to share pornographic deep fakes  computer-generated images which make it appear someone is nude or engaged in a sex act.

A government spokesman said yesterday: We will carefully consider the commissions recommendations.
An Australian model has told how a Bali holiday ended in a terrifying nightmare as she and her friend were robbed three times in one night.

Geena Coulson, 26, from Brisbane, was on a nine-day dream trip to Bali last week when thieves drained her bank account and ripped her phone from her hands.

She was left penniless and distraught - but locals told her she'd need to bribe the police to investigate - or pay off the thieves to get her expensive new iPhone back.

'I thought I was going to a luxury island holiday, not a third world country,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'It was a nightmare. I felt unsafe the whole time.'

Australian model Geena Coulson has revealed how a holiday in paradise ended in a terrifying nightmare after she and her friend were robbed three times in one night

Ms Coulson, 26, from Brisbane, was on a nine-day dream trip to Bali when thieves drained her bank account and ripped her phone from her hands

Ms Coulson and her friend were halfway through their first overseas trip since the Covid lockdowns when they enjoyed a night at the local Potato Head Beach Club last Wednesday.

When the pair left, they took separate moped taxis to their next stop and Ms Coulson's friend was helping the driver navigate using Google Maps on his phone.

But as they drove through the backstreets, a sneaky thief grabbed the driver's phone from the friend's hand and sped off, sparking a terrifying high speed chase.

'The driver freaked out and he started chasing the guy who stole his phone,' said Ms Coulson.

'He going 100 km/h though the streets and my friend's begging him to pull over - she was terrified.'

Geena Coulson was left penniless and distraught - but locals told her she'd need to bribe the police to investigate...or pay off the thieves to return her expensive new iPhone

Geena Coulson and her friend took separate moped taxis to their next stop and Ms Coulson's friend was helping the driver navigate using Google Maps on his phone

Geena Coulson says she felt unsafe the whole time she was in Bali

As her friend clung on for dear life, she rang Ms Coulson on her own phone and begged her to come and get her.

When Ms Coulson's driver reached the scene, another thief on a bike appeared, and snatched the Aussie model's phone out of her hand.

'I had no idea what was going on,' she said.

'I have her location on my phone on Facebook and I'm telling my driver where to go.

'And then this other bike he goes past me and just snatches my phone out of my hand and then drives away.

'I was like, "He stole my phone!" but the driver didn't chase him.'

She added: 'I don't know if it was the same person because now I'm in robber country, I guess.'

The sobbing pair finally got back to their room where they spent an hour on hold trying to speak to Ms Coulson's bank.

She feared the thieves would access her internet banking, and when she finally spoke to customer services, she was told her account had been emptied.

Her bank card had already been skimmed and cloned when she used it at an ATM earlier, and the thieves quickly took what they could.

The high tech criminals had drained all the cash in the account - and run up a $250 overdraft - leaving her penniless.

'The ATM was rigged and they just took everything,' she revealed.

'But when I went to the police, I was told I could either get a report for my insurance claim...or I could get them to investigate - but I couldn't get both.

'I thought that was really weird - but then people messaged me to tell me I needed to bribe the cops to get them to do both.

'I thought was crazy. That is the last thing I want to do - I don't want to get arrested for bribing the police and end up in jail.'

Geena Coulson later found out her bank card had been skimmed and cloned when she used it in the ATM at Bali's Potato Club, and the thieves quickly took what they could

The pair attempted becoming detectives themselves the next day, tracing the phone via the Find My Phone app - but had no success.

'We actually caught a taxi to the last known location of the phone, but we couldn't see it anywhere around there,' she said.

'Our taxi driver told us like if we could get in contact with the person that stole my phone, we could bribe them for it back but we couldn't because the phone was off.'

The pair desperately tried to bring their departure date forward so they could flee the Indonesian holiday island earlier than planned but were unable.

Geena Coulson said she felt in danger everywhere she went: 'I wouldn't recommend (Bali) to anyone. I'm going to stick to First World countries in future'

They eventually flew home on Sunday and Ms Coulson added: 'The highlight of our whole trip was when we were at the airport.

'We were just hoping nothing else went wrong before we could leave.'

The bank has since told her it could take weeks to recover the $500 stolen from her account, while insurance will only cover the first $1000 of her $2200 iPhone 13 Pro.

Ms Coulson had previously been overseas on trips to New York without incident and thought she was headed for a tropical paradise in Bali.

But she said she felt in danger everywhere she went.

'I was definitely there under the wrong impression,' the bikini model told Daily Mail Australia.

'I saw all these social media influencers saying how great it is.

'But I felt unsafe the whole time. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I'm going to stick to First World countries in future.'

Aussie details the hidden horrors of Bali after she's STABBED on a scooter and robbed as she admits she had 'no idea' about the common method thieves use

BY DANYAL HUSSAN FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

An Australian woman has offered a word of warning to other tourists after she was stabbed and robbed by a man on a motorbike in Bali.

Eliza Whitford, a physio student and pilates instructor from Melbourne, took to TikTok to share her traumatic experience.

The 23-year-old detailed the horror week, claiming she was not only nursing a stabbing wound but had also been bitten on the eye by a mosquito.

Ms Whitford said she briefly spotted the man on the back of the motorbike before he pulled out a knife, stabbing her and stealing her bag, wallet and all of her cash.

She later said that she had 'no idea' about the common attack.

In the video, she showed the scar and bandages on her thigh after the stabbing.

Responding to a comment on TikTok, she explained: 'Insane! Pretty much was just on the scooter with my boyfriend and he came right up next to us on a bike and cut my bag off/leg in the process.'

Eliza Whitford, a physio student and pilates instructor, took to TikTok to share her experience in Bali

Ms Whitford is not the first Aussie to fall victim to the common attack in Bali.

Tourists have complained of motorbike thefts for several years, and those who use their phones on moped or scooters are usually the prime targets.

In the common scam, a local on a moped rides up to the tourist and snatches the phone out of their hand before speeding off.

Several tourists, from Australians to Brits, have reported falling victim to the attack.

Ms Whitford, later said that she had 'no idea' about the common attack - which several Aussies have fallen victim to

Responding to a comment on TikTok, she explained: 'Insane! Pretty much was just on the scooter with my boyfriend and he came right up next to us on a bike and cut my bag off/leg in the process'

Ms Whitford's leg after she was stabbed and robbed by a man on a moped while out in Bali

In 2019, Australian tourist Andrew Bateman and his 17-year-old daughter Hannah were forced to end their Bali holiday early after they were thrown off their scooter by two locals wanting to get their hands on his new iPhone.

'Hannah had my phone on the back with GPS and maps, but out of nowhere two guys came flying alongside and grabbed my mobile from her,' Mr Bateman said.

Hannah tried snatch it back, but the men grabbed her arm and pulled them both off the bike at speed.

They tumbled off the bike and hit the ground.

Mr Bateman, who is an experienced motorbike rider, suffered five broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a broken scapular, and cuts and grazes.

The teenage girl had a fractured wrist and deep gashes all over her legs.

'We could have both easily died,' the father said.

'My daughter was absolutely terrified and didnt want to leave motel or go outside.'

The pair were helped by friendly locals who gave them a lift back to the hotel where they 'administered first aid on each other'.

Mr Bateman said he was in too much pain to go to the police and wasn't comfortable visiting an Indonesian hospital.

He quickly changed their flights to leave the next day.

Andrew Bateman with his partner Kristy Clebsch pose for a selfie before the Bali trip

The father and daughter endured '30 hours of immense pain' during the trip home.

They finally made it to the Prince of Wales trauma unit in Sydney where their injuries were treated.

While the brand new iPhone XS was lost and his insurance only covered a fraction of the cost, the man acknowledged it 'could have been much worse'.

The Australian government advises tourists to 'exercise a high degree of caution' when travelling in Bali.

'Be conscious of your personal security,' Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) warns.

'Be aware of risks, particularly in tourist locations such as Bali and Lombok, relating to violent and petty crime; sexual assault; drink-spiking and consumption of alcohol contaminated with harmful substances such as methanol; scams and credit card/ATM fraud.'
Some nightmares might seem very common: being chased by an enemy, missing a train or sitting an exam without any preparation.

But night terrors not only differ from person to person  they might also vary from country to country.

Analysis of Google search data has shed light on the most unique nightmares around the world, which range from tornados, losing a limb and even going to work.

In the UK, bees are often a feature of more unique bad dreams, which could point to social anxiety or feeling out of place, experts say.

Unique nightmare searches in the US included visiting the eye doctor, toes falling off and even playing the tuba  which experts suggest could signal a fear of unwanted attention.

Analysis of Google search data has shed light on the most unique nightmares around the world, which range from tornados, losing a limb and even going to work

Unique nightmare searches in the US included visiting the eye doctor, toes falling off and even playing the tuba  which experts suggest could signal a fear of unwanted attention

Meanwhile in Australia night terrors reflect the natural environment, with bugs, snakes and the weather appearing in many Google searches. And in Germany, adults have nightmares about travelling  which could signal anxiety about the direction they are heading in life.

The French have nightmares about FaceTime, Italians have bad dreams about food and in Vietnam, many are concerned with their ex-lovers.

Rex Isap, from Happy Beds, which commissioned the research, said: Its important to remember most dreams are just your brain processing feelings from your waking life and are no reason to worry.
A mask mandate and working-from-home orders could return in Victoria, with the state's new health minister refusing to rule out the measures to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Minister Mary-Anne Thomas, who was sworn in almost two weeks ago following the resignation of Martin Foley, said the return of the loathed restrictions was possible as the state battles new Omicron variants.

It comes as Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Tuesday the extension of the pandemic declaration for another three months until October 12 because of a 'serious risk to public health' across the state.

With regards to masks returning, Ms Thomas told Melbourne's Radio 3AW on Thursday, 'the pandemic declaration allows me to make that decision and I haven't yet made it'.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews with the state's new health minister Mary-Anne Thomas

Victorians are bracing for the impending return of a mask mandate and working-from-home orders to contain the spread of new Covid-19 variants

'The public health team are looking at modelling and they're consulting with their colleagues and various ideas are floated but no ideas have been taken,' she added.

The Minister's comments come as other parts of the country battle new Covid outbreaks in the midst of a virulent flu season.

There are calls for more Aussies to receive a fourth Covid vaccination, following the rise in case numbers and hospitalisations across Australia due to the latest immunity-evading strain.

The new wave of BA4 and BA5 subvariants are ripping through Australia due to high transmissibility, with early data suggesting the strands are better at avoiding both natural and vaccine protection.

On Wednesday, there were 3,781 people with COVID-19 in hospitals across the country, the highest level since the height of the Omicron wave in February.

The subvariants are from the Omicron strain, the more infectious but vastly less severe of the Covid strands.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group (ATAGI) will announce Australians over the age of 30 will be eligible for a fourth jab as soon as next week in response.

Queensland's chief health officer Dr John Gerrard said the new forms of the virus are not expected to peak until late July or early August.

'It's very likely that either you or someone you know close to you will be infected, it will be very common. My message is it's important for you to prepare now,' he said, urging the take-up of boosters.

There were 3,781 people in hospital with Covid on Wednesday - the highest Australia has seen since the height Omicron wave in February

Symptoms of new BA4 and BA5 subvariants Runny nose Sneezing Fatigue Sore throat Dry cough Loss of taste Loss of smell Muscle aches and pains Headache Red or irritated eyes Vomiting Diarrhoea Skin rash Discolouration of fingers or toes Advertisement

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said he doesn't expect to get ATAGI's official advice on the extra shot until Friday.

Mr Butler also warned Australia is in the early stages of a fresh wave of Covid-19.

'Case numbers are rising, hospitalisations are up by several hundred just in the fortnight, and most state governments and the federal government are projecting that that's going to continue for some time yet,' he said in Adelaide.

'We are absolutely committed to doing whatever we can as a government to get through this winter and get through this third Omicron wave that's headed our way.'

The Therapeutic Goods Administration announced on Wednesday it had granted two provisional determinations to Pfizer Australia for its vaccines Comirnaty Omicron and Comirnaty Bivalent.

It means Pfizer is now able to apply to the TGA for provisional registration of the two vaccines and seek authorisation to bring them to market.

However, The Australian newspaper reported on Wednesday night that ATAGI will recommend fourth doses for anyone over the age of 50, and allow anyone over the age of 30 to have another booster shot if they wish to have one.

This means more Aussies will be able to protect themselves against the new BA4 and BA5 subvariants.

The new wave of BA4 and BA5 subvariants are ripping through Australia due to high transmissibility, with early data suggesting the strands are better at avoiding immunity

As the nation grapples with rising case numbers, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says immunisation experts will look at available evidence before making a recommendation on a broader fourth dose rollout.

'The pandemic isn't over, so my view is that (Australia) will inevitably follow what has occurred in other parts of the world and roll out a further booster shot,' he told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.

'I'd encourage people who haven't had their booster shots to go out there if they're eligible and do it as a matter of urgency.'

A fourth dose is currently available for Australians aged 65 and older and vulnerable people.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) was expected to discuss the benefits of expanding the fourth dose eligibility at its meeting on Wednesday.

But federal Health Minister Mark Butler told Radio 3AW he did not expect to get ATAGI's official advice on extra booster shots until Friday after the group had worked on the details of their decisions.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard also warned that anyone who isn't fully vaccinated is 'crazy' as the state braces for a third wave to peak.
A 26-year-old man has been arrested near Union Station in Washington DC after he tried to light and throw Molotov cocktails at Capitol Police.

Bernard L. McCutcheon of Washington DC has been charged with two counts assault on a police officer, one count of possession of a Molotov cocktail, and one count of assault with a deadly weapon.

Police do not believe he was targeting the U.S. Capitol or Members of Congress, and do not think he was involved in any protests.

The incident began at 3:30pm, when police received a call about a person with Molotov cocktails.

Capitol Police arrived on the scene, and McCutcheon threw one of the Molotov cocktails at the officers while trying to light it.

McCutcheon dropped a second improvised weapon - made of a tequila bottle, stuffed with a sock, and filled with what police described as 'a petroleum-based accelerant'.

He tried to run away, but the police arrested him.

A backpack with two other bottles of liquid was also recovered at the scene.

'Both of our officers were treated for minor injuries. Thankfully they are going to be ok,' said Sean Gallagher, acting Assistant Chief of Police for Uniformed Operations.

'We appreciate their quick action that, without a doubt, kept the community safer.'
Stripped-down tourists who graffiti, poo in the scrub and litter have continued to enrage locals of Australia's most northern point.

Despite traditional owners threatening to close access to Cape York, holidaymakers have continued to take their clothes off and desecrate the site in other ways.

Frustrated land councils are now warning they are close to closing off the locations completely.

Locals stripping down by the sign at Australia's northernmost point at Cape York could be prosecuted by local police to curb the behaviour of 'disrespectful' travellers

The sign at Pajinka (pictured) is a popular photo spot for tourists who are proud of how far they've travelled but the behaviour of some has offended local custodians

Both ladies and blokes frequently pose either partially or fully nude by the sign informing people they have reached Australia's northernmost continental point (pictured)

It wouldn't be the first time traditional owners have locked down access to the tip of Cape York, Pajinka, to kerb unruly tourist behaviour.

In March 2021 local owners briefly brought down the boom gate on the location after photos appeared online of tourists nuding up for pictures.

The local land council thanked the majority of tourists who were respectful but warned others about disrespectful behaviour while visiting.

Disrespectful visitors in recent years have graffitied cliffs (pictured), littered, defecated and used unregistered guns in the Cape York area

Far North Queensland boasts an idyllic and largely untouched natural environment (pictured) loved by travellers and four-wheel-drivers

Many locals are fed up with half-naked tourists on the site managed by traditional owners: 'If youre coming up here please learn a little about country, culture and respect'

A now-deleted Facebook group featured pictures of men and women with their junk out next to the sign which reads: 'You are standing at the northernmost point of the Australian continent.'

Far North Queensland is extremely popular with adventure tourists and four-wheel-drivers boasting long stretches of challenging roads and breath-taking nature and wildlife.

Most locals don't want to discourage tourists from visiting the area and surrounding towns, but urge travellers to be respectful.

The boom gate has previously been brought down on popular areas of the northern peninsula region after photos appeared online of tourists nuding up for pictures and graffiti appeared on rocks

Some told Daily Mail Australia that tourists are welcome to share in the area's natural delights but a minority of visitors are ruining the site.

Others believe tourism to the location isn't worthwhile given the disrespect shown to the site and to locals.

Travel groups online with cult-followings, like 'T**s Out at the Tip', have proved divisive as the local community weighs the pros and cons of tourism.

Managed by the Gudang/Yadhaykenu Aboriginal Corporation, the areas was cleaned after graffiti, litter and damage were discovered in the area last year, but elders are upset the disrespectful behaviour seems to have continued.

Talking to the Courier Mail, a Gudang/Yadhaykenu Aboriginal Corporation member said it was frustrating travellers weren't seeming to get the message.

'We feel very disrespected, it's like if I go into their yard and stand naked in front of their house,' he said.

'We have strong beliefs and disrespecting our country, something bad might happen to them by our ancestral spirits.'

Traditional custodians of Cape York, in Far North Queensland, banned travellers from visiting Australia's most northern point last year (pictured, camping in the area)

Torres Strait Patrol Group Inspector, Nick O'Brien, encouraged witnesses of nude photography and disrespectful behaviour to contact the police.

'Whilst Cape York is considered isolated and remote, visitors to the area should be advised that acts of this nature are considered extremely disrespectful and culturally insensitive to the traditional owners of the land,' he told the Courier Mail.

In online forums, outdoor enthusiasts slammed the behaviour of tourists flaunting their tackle in Pajinka's rock pools.

'Another case of 'me me' attitude with no respect in many ways pity we didn't have a stock whip handy,' wrote one under a tourist's nude shot.

'This dude and his mates will be the first to complain when sites are closed or restricted. If youre coming up here please learn a little about country, culture and respect,' wrote another in reference to the man in the picture.
An ex-Charlie Theo patient who was given 'one last chance' at life after surgery is tragically now in his final moments as his heartbroken wife and kids get ready to say goodbye.

Diego Wernicke has been battling a brain tumour since 2019 and visited Dr Teo's clinic in Sydney in January 2021 for surgery.

The procedure was successful and Dr Teo managed to reduce the size of tumour.

However, Mr Wernicke was not declared completely cancer-free and in February, he and his family were told that the cancer had spread down his spine.

In June, the family said they were moving him into palliative care to make him more comfortable in his final weeks.

Now, a GoFundMe dedicated to raising money for Mr Wernicke's care has revealed that the father of four young girls is getting ready to say goodbye to his family.

'Thank you everyone for donations to date. Sadly Diego is entering his last moments with his family,' the update read.

'Hayley has hired death support to assist with Diego's pallative care and any funds will assist for Diego's final send off via cremation and to support Hayley and the kids as they attempt to rebuild their life.

'Thank you again for your generosity. If you do have any to spare, please consider donating.'

Diego Wernicke has been battling a brain tumour since 2019. He is now getting ready to say goodbye to his family

Mr Wernicke visited Dr Teo's clinic in Sydney in January 2021 for the surgery, which gave him more than a year extra

Dr Teo's surgery was successful and he managed to reduce the size of tumour. However, Mr Wernicke was not declared cancer-free and in February, he and his family were told that the cancer had spread down his spine

Mr Wernicke's wife Hayley shared a touching tribute to her husband last week.

'Diego is declining by the day he is home with us and day by day has a new meaning to me. My life will be forever changed by this. As will the kids', she wrote.

'I will stand by him every moment of our days left together here. Ive never walked this journey of transition but here I am fumbling my way through. Ive got him and in some way I know he has me. Heart shattering and soul shaking quiet literally. My soul is shaking inside my body, I feel it so deeply. We rattle together.'

Supporters have raised nearly $13,000 to treat the father-of-four and support his family.

He was previously treated by renowned neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo.

A self-described 'maverick', Dr Teo has built an international following over 30 years by providing hope to cancer sufferers through expensive, so-called 'last-chance' keyhole neurosurgery.

'As a neurosurgeon I offer surgery to patients from all around the world who have been given no hope,' a message on his website reads.

The high-profile doctor has been criticised by some who allege he acted inappropriately in the operating theatre.

Other doctors in the industry have also blasted Dr Teo for the fees he charges, with his surgeries often costing in excess of six figures.

Dr Teo has previously argued he needs to charge exorbitant fees as the public health system does not allow him to operate in its hospitals, forcing him to do his surgeries in the private system where fees are much higher.

Dr Teo has been largely out of the public eye since restrictions were placed on his medical licence late last year.

Dr Teo was accused of operating on the wrong side the brain of Sydney woman Michelle Smith, who was 19 in 2003 when she went to the high-profile surgeon to get a tumour removed.

According to a report by the Sydney Morning Herald, specialists who reviewed the MRI scans 12 years later accused Dr Teo of removing healthy brain tissue from the wrong side of her brain.

But the celebrity surgeon hit back at the 'slurs' on his professional reputation, and said he has 'never operated on the wrong side of the brain in my entire career'.

'I was not given the opportunity to answer these slurs,' he told the Sunday Telegraph.

'If I had been given a chance to address the allegations I would have welcomed the opportunity.'

A GoFundMe dedicated to raising money for Diego's care has revealed that the father of four young girls is getting ready to say goodbye to his family

Mr Wernicke's wife Hayley shared a touching tribute to her husband last week. 'Diego is declining by the day he is home with us and day by day has a new meaning to me. My life will be forever changed by this. As will the kids',' she wrote

Supporters have raised nearly $13,000 to treat the father-of-four and support his family

Dr Teo explained that the surgical technique used when operating on Ms Smith required approaching the tumour from a 'difficult location' to reduce the risk of the procedure.

He also said Ms Smith knew the tumour had not been entirely removed during the operation, but Dr Teo said he was not aware that her seizures had returned until she filed a lawsuit against him in 2019.

The case was settled out of court.

The NSW Medical Council ordered Dr Teo to provide proof that he explained the financial costs and risks to patients before operating.

He is also not permitted to perform certain operations until he obtains written approval from a fellow neurosurgeon.

The restrictions follow the medical council calling on Dr Teo to attend an 'immediate action panel'.

The neurosurgeon accepted the directions and said he always consulted with a colleague, often from a leading medical school.

As part of the council directives, he will retrospectively review outcomes of surgeries with a colleague.

Dr Charlie Teo together with his model girlfriend and former patient Traci Griffiths, 46
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Hunter Biden was out and about on Wednesday in New York City, visiting his art dealer at the Manhattan gallery with his wife, son and daughter - as a new video emerged showed him in 2019 filming himself smoking drugs and fondling himself inside a sensory deprivation tank during a detox program funded by his dad Joe.

Hunter, 52, was accompanied by wife Melissa Cohen, their two-year-old son Beau, and his daughter Maisy, 21.

Last week Maisy was in Spain with her sister Finnegan, 22, and their grandmother Jill Biden, while President Biden attended the NATO summit. Their sister Naomi, 27, was nowhere to be seen.

On Wednesday Hunter and his youngest daughter - who is also an artist, according to her Instagram page - paid a visit to the Georges Berges Gallery in SoHo.

The gallery is where Hunter had his debut show, in October, and Maisy was with her father for the opening night.

The exhibition was controversial, with fears that anyone looking to buy influence with the Biden family could purchase one of Hunter's paintings - which were for sale, costing up to $500,000.

Hunter Biden, 52, and his daughter Maisy, 21, are seen in Manhattan on Wednesday heading to the Georges Berges Gallery in SoHo

Hunter held hands with Maisy - the youngest of his three daughters with his ex-wife Kathleen Buhle. Naomi, 27, and Finnegan, 22, were not with their father

Hunter's wife Melissa, 35, who he married in 2019, is seen walking behind him, with Maisy

Maisy at one point held the hand of two-year-old Beau as the group crossed a road in SoHo on the muggy Manhattan day

Maisy was distinctive in her Madonna t-shirt and bright orange shorts, while Beau rocked his long blonde hair

The White House said that the identity of buyers would remain secret, to prevent any question of impropriety.

But many scoffed at the idea, including Walter Shaub, who ran the Office of Government Ethics under then-President Barack Obama.

'There is no ethics program in the world that can be built around the head of state's staff working with a dealer to keep the public in the dark about the identities of individuals who pay vast sums to the leader's family member for subjectively priced items of no intrinsic value,' Shaub tweeted in September.

'If this were Trump, Xi or Putin, you'd have no doubt whatsoever that this creates a vehicle for funneling cash to the first family in exchange for access or favors. Nor would you doubt that the appearance of monetizing the presidency was outrageous.'

It is unclear if Hunter and his art dealer are planning a follow-up exhibition: the gallery website only advertises their current show, a summer special.

After visiting the gallery, Cohen, a South African filmmaker, visited a bodega around the corner and bought a large bunch of red roses.

Maisy held the hand of her little brother at one point, as the blonde-haired little boy walked across the road with his family.

The group then climbed back into their waiting SUV, with their Secret Service entourage.

Hunter's wife Melissa is seen carrying Beau at one point, as she chatted to a flame-haired woman. Their Secret Service detail is seen walking behind

Melissa Cohen warmly greets someone outside the gallery in Manhattan, which is currently holding its summer exhibition

Hunter's exhibition at the gallery nine months ago drew pointed criticism: it is unclear whether he is planning a follow-up

After visiting the gallery, Melissa, holding Beau's water bottle, picked up a bunch of flowers from a boedga

The 35-year-old was accompanied by Secret Service officers as she left the local store with her flowers

Cohen took the roses back to their waiting SUV, which the family all climbed into together

Melissa and Hunter are usually based in Malibu, living in a rented mansion where Hunter has his art studio

After their outing the group all climbed back into the waiting SUV, watched by their Secret Service detail

The gallery outing came after new video from Hunter's laptop showed the troubled addict drinking and smoking drugs while at a wellness retreat.

The president's exhibitionist son is bathed in trippy green light as he floats naked on his back and plays with himself in the shocking cell phone video, retrieved from his abandoned laptop.

He leaves briefly to grab a can of White Claw hard seltzer and what appears to be a crack pipe before taking several hits and staring wild-eyed into the camera, as ambient music plays softly in the background.

Text messages seen by DailyMail.com confirm the seven-minute clip was recorded at Blue Water Wellness in Newburyport, Massachusetts, where Hunter booked a float therapy session on January 30, 2019.

New footage has emerged of Hunter Biden smoking drugs, drinking, and fondling himself while floating in a sensory deprivation tank in January 2019

The video, recovered from a backup of his cell phone found on his abandoned laptop, shows the president's son bathed in trippy green light and indulging in drugs and alcohol as he floats in the water

Text messages seen by DailyMail.com confirm the seven-minute clip was recorded at Blue Water Wellness in Newburyport, Massachusetts, where Hunter booked a float therapy session on January 30, 2019

He was urged to visit the spa by a therapist pal, whom the First Son had turned to for help in his battle to kick drugs.

Just one month earlier Hunter had texted his dad Joe complaining that he didn't have enough money for the treatment program on top of bills and alimony.

'Hey dad I've been trying to resolve some immediate financial issues - alimony tuitions and my bill for this program but the cash I am counting on will not arrive until the end of the week.

'Is it possible to make me another short term loan in the same amount and I will send it back no later than 10 days.

'I'm really embarrassed to ask and I know it's unfair of me to put you in that position right now,' Hunter wrote on December 4, 2018.

'Hunt tell me what you need. No problem,' the future President responded. 'Ok how do you want to do this I can pay tuition directly and their housing and give you the rest.'

Biden senior messaged again on December 6 to confirm: '75 being wired today. Love.'

Just one month earlier Hunter had texted his dad Joe complaining that he didn't have enough money for the treatment program on top of bills and alimony, text messages show

Hunter celebrated Independence Day with his president father and his son Beau at the White House over the weekend

In another exchange weeks later, just before New Year's Eve, Hunter messaged his father convincing him to fund a $20,000 three-month program at a 'sober house' and detox facility in New York City.

A supportive Joe happily obliged, replying in a January 2, 2019 text to Hunter: 'Just called Mel he will get 20 to your account this afternoon tomorrow morning at latest. He will contact me when transfer goes through.'

Hunter's cellphone videos would later show, however, that he had gone to the wellness center in Massachusetts later that month instead.

The video and corresponding messages are the latest compromising materials retrieved from backed up iPhone data on Hunter's abandoned MacBook pro  the so-called 'laptop from hell'.

At his therapist's behest, Hunter also underwent ketamine infusion therapy  a treatment for 'drug resistant depression'.

Hunter also referenced his ketamine regimen in a December 5, 2018 message to a female friend.

'That's good baby what does it do,' she replied. 'Let's get freaky tonight on webcam.'

In another text sent January 1, 2019, Hunter made it abundantly clear who was funding his unconventional treatments, writing: 'By the way my dad is paying for whatever I need.'
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on Wednesday that the country plans to fully nationalize power utility Electricite de France (EDF) in an attempt to give the government more control over a restructuring of the debt-laden group to combat the energy crisis in the region.

The power utility, of which the state already owns 84%, is one of Europe's largest utilities and sits at the heart of France's nuclear strategy. The government is banking on this to blunt the impact of soaring energy prices exacerbated by the prospect of an abrupt halt to Russian gas imports.

Nationalization of France's EDF

However, instead of being an ace in the French government's hands, it has become a major liability due to years of delays on new nuclear plants in France and Britain, with budget overruns in the billions of euros.

In her policy speech in the lower house of parliament, Borne said that she was confirming that the state intends to control 100% of EDF's capital. "We need to ensure our sovereignty in the face of the war (in Ukraine) and the looming colossal challenges," she added, as per Reuters.

With current market prices, buying out the stake that the government does not already own would cost roughly $5.09 billion. This year, EDF has faced a litany of problems, including half of its aging reactors in France, currently offline, partly due to corrosion problems, forcing it to cut nuclear output repeatedly at a time when the region is struggling to find alternatives to Russia's gas supply.

Read Also: Zelensky: Russian Troops Fire Missiles At Shopping Mall in Ukraine With 1,000 People

Furthermore, EDF has also been hurt by government moves that forced it to sell power to rivals at a discount as part of efforts to shield French consumers from a sharp increase in their cost of living. It became a big part of the power utility's struggles because the group sells forward its estimated nuclear output before the end of the budget year.

According to US News, company officials said that output losses will reduce the power utility's core profit this year by $18.8 billion and the discounted power sales will cost it a further $10.4 billion. The company's debt is projected to rise by 40% this year to more than $62 billion as planned new-generation nuclear reactors will require investments of more than $51 billion.

Growing Energy Crisis

President Emmanuel Macron flagged the option of fully nationalizing EDF earlier this year, but the picture has since become more complicated as he lost his absolute majority in parliament. The leader has already been forced to scrap an overhaul of EDF last year in the face of opposition from unions and doubts voiced by the European Commission.

The tossed-out plan envisaged placing EDF's profitable renewables business in a new company unburdened by the debt-laden nuclear assets. However, Borne did not specify if the nationalization would be carried out via special legislation or through a public tender to buy out minority shareholders.

Macron is now insistent that the government should champion economic and energy sovereignty to bolster the country's independence and meet climate goals, including regaining control of key national industries, the New York Times reported.



Related Article: Gas Tax Rebate: These States Provide New Stimulus Checks for Eligible Residents

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The fourth Covid jab has been approved for all Australians aged over 30 as the nation's health experts rush to ease the strain on hospitals.

The new wave of BA4 and BA5 subvariants are ripping through Australia due to high transmissibility, with early data suggesting the strains have evolved to evade the existing vaccines and acquired immunity.

On Thursday, there were 3,921 people with COVID-19 in hospitals across the country, still below the 5,000-plus around the Australia Day peak of Omicron, but an increase of 24 per cent since mid-May.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group (ATAGI) on Thursday announced Australians over the age of 50 should receive their fourth jab, with the 50-64 age group 'specifically recommended' from Monday July 11.

Aussies aged between 30 and 49 will also eligible for the fourth jab if they 'choose'.

The decision makes the fourth vaccine available for an extra 7.4million Australians, with residents aged 65 and over already eligible for the second booster.

The fourth Covid jab has been approved for all Australians aged over 30 as the nation's health experts rush to ease the strain on overcrowded hospitals

Symptoms of new BA4 and BA5 subvariants Runny nose Sneezing Fatigue Sore throat Dry cough Loss of taste Loss of smell Muscle aches and pains Headache Red or irritated eyes Vomiting Diarrhoea Skin rash Discolouration of fingers or toes Advertisement

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the move came as a response to surging numbers across the country.

'ATAGI specifically recommended that people aged 50 to 64 years should have their fourth dose, while people aged 30 to 49 years may choose to have a fourth shot,' Mr Butler said.

People aged over 65 are already eligible for the fourth vaccine, with Mr Butler confirming 60 per cent of that age group have already received the jab.

The interval between vaccinations has also been reduced from four months to three months to combat the new wave of BA4 and BA5.

'Case numbers are rising, hospitalisations are up by several hundred just in the fortnight, and most state governments and the federal government are projecting that that's going to continue for some time yet,' Mr Butler said in Adelaide on Wednesday.

'We are absolutely committed to doing whatever we can as a government to get through this winter and get through this third Omicron wave that's headed our way.'

The Therapeutic Goods Administration announced on Wednesday it had granted two provisional determinations to Pfizer Australia for its vaccines Comirnaty Omicron and Comirnaty Bivalent.

It means Pfizer is now able to apply to the TGA for provisional registration of the two vaccines and seek authorisation to bring them to market.

People aged over 65 are already eligible for the fourth vaccine, with Mr Butler confirming 60 per cent of that age group have already received the jab

Queensland's chief health officer Dr John Gerrard said the new forms of the virus are not expected to peak until late July or early August.

'It's very likely that either you or someone you know close to you will be infected, it will be very common. My message is it's important for you to prepare now,' he said, urging the take-up of boosters.

As the nation grapples with rising case numbers, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says immunisation experts will look at available evidence before making a recommendation on a broader fourth dose rollout.

There were 3,921 people with COVID-19 in hospitals across the country

'The pandemic isn't over, so my view is that (Australia) will inevitably follow what has occurred in other parts of the world and roll out a further booster shot,' he told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.

'I'd encourage people who haven't had their booster shots to go out there if they're eligible and do it as a matter of urgency.'

A fourth dose is currently available for Australians aged 65 and older and vulnerable people.

Victoria has extended its pandemic declaration by three months until at least October 12.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard also warned that anyone who isn't fully vaccinated is 'crazy' as the state braces for a third wave to peak.
A passenger who was traveling on an American Airlines flight from Buenos Aires to Miami has been arrested after allegedly stealing cash and credit cards from two passengers sitting nearby.

Diego Sebastian Radio was apprehended by U.S. Customs & Border Patrol upon arriving in the United States having been reported by the flight crew, who allege they saw him behaving suspiciously while onboard the aircraft.

The crew claim that during the nine-and-a-half hour flight from the Argentinian capital, Radio 'repeatedly walked up and down the airplane aisle' and for a portion of the journey sat in a seat which was not his own.

A passenger traveling on an American Airlines flight from Buenos Aires to Miami allegedly stole more than $10,000 in cash and two credit cards (file photo)

Later he was seen holding 'what appeared to be a female wallet'.

At the time of the alleged crimes, the flight was over international waters.

Nonetheless, the crew reported the the suspect to authorities on the ground leading to Radio's arrest upon arriving in Miami.

Radio was given a pat down upon landing and members of the flight crew were interviewed when they landed in Miami.

Upon searching Radio's backpack, authorities found $10,732 in dollars and 14,320 in Argentine Pesos, worth about $110 together with two credit cards.

Diego Sebastian Radio was arrested upon arriving at Miami Airport (file photo)

The passengers involved were also asked to check if anything was missing from their carry-on luggage.

Both confirmed that crash and credit cards were missing and at least one of their wallets had been unzipped.

Court documents detail how the cards in Radio's possession matched the names of the two passengers who were also on the flight.

Following his arrest, Radio faces charges of theft.

Ben Schlappig a travel blogger who runs One Mile At A Time says theft onboard an aircraft occurs far more frequently than most would believe.

'If youre going to travel with $10,000+ in currency, you should probably keep that in your immediate area, rather than stuffing it into a bag and keeping it in an overhead bin,' Schlappig suggests.

'Many people assume that inflight theft doesnt happen much, since youre in such tight quarters, and you always have eyes on you. Quite to the contrary, I think that often works in the favor of thieves. People arent as observant because they assume theyre safe, people often wont question if someone opens a bag, and people often store bags behind them.

'Inflight theft happens all the time  there are frequent reports of this, and then I imagine there are endless instances of this that arent reported. So always keep an eye on your carry-ons, ideally try to store them in front of you (where you can see them throughout the flight), and be vigilant. Lastly, if youre traveling with real valuables or large amounts of cash, keep those really close to you  the overhead bin isnt a safe place to store them, especially if people have a reason to believe you might be carrying something valuable,' Schlappig writes.
A toddler battling a rare cancer can't access a life-saving treatment because authorities don't consider her an Australian citizen, even though she was born here.

Four-year-old Uma has lived in Australia her whole life after her parents moved to Melbourne from Italy, but she is not eligible for Medicare because our laws don't recognise citizenship by birth.

Her parents are now desperately trying to raise money for a $300,000 bone marrow transplant after their private health insurer told them it was not covered and the hospital demanded half the payment - $150,000 - before booking the operation.

'Uma was diagnosed with (acute lymphoblastic) leukemia two years ago, at first she responded well to the treatment and went into remission immediately,' her dad Giuseppe Tomarchio said on Tuesday.

'But about a month ago she relapsed and the disease mutated into a more rare and aggressive form.'

The family from Melbourne have lived in Australia for seven years (pictured L-R: Solejai, Lucia, Uma and Giuseppe)

Mr Tomarchio explained Uma has just recovered from a cycle of chemotherapy and needs a bone marrow transplant or the new cancer (acute myeloid leukaemia) will keep returning.

'Our insurance doesn't cover and we don't have the right to public health,' he said.

'We can't come do it in Italy for several reasons, especially as such a trip is not safe for her right now.'

Family friend Megan Mahon launched a GoFundMe to help the hard-working young family.

'The chemotherapy in her brain is toxic and is causing seizures, along with many other issues throughout her body. She can't afford to relapse and have any more chemo. She needs the transplant as soon as possible,' Ms Mahon said.

She explained the family has lived here for seven years and are working towards their permanent residency but are currently on working visas.

'Giuseppe is a partner in a business with his cousins, pays tax and employs 20+ Aussies,' Ms Mahon said.

'The business is still young and was impacted heavily by Covid.'

'The family are active members of their local community and contribute to society, but still because of the complicated visa situation, they are not covered by Medicare for this life saving treatment.'

The GoFundMe has raised more than $42,000 but the family desperately needs the $300,000 to pay for the entire operation.

Four-year-old Uma, who 'loves Barbies and ponies' was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer but can't access Medicare (pictured with her father Giuseppe)

Up until August 20, 1986, babies who were born in Australia were automatically Australian citizens, but after that, the law was changed to make children meet one of two criteria.

One or both parents need to be Australian citizens; or they must have lived in Australia from birth until they turn 10.

According to the Medicare Australia website: 'Medicare is Australia's universal health insurance scheme. It guarantees all Australians (and some overseas visitors) access to a wide range of health and hospital services at low or no cost'.

For those that hold a Medicare card, the cost of essential operations at a public hospital are in most cases free.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the federal health department for comment.
One NSW family had a day to remember after the couple welcomed a new baby boy while strangers rescued seven prized racehorses from their flooded property an hour away.

Sean and Genevieve Driver thought the most stressful part of their Wednesday would be bringing a new horse to their racing business, Kurrinda Bloodstock, in Broke, one hour west of Newcastle.

But they were quickly proven wrong when rising floodwater threatened to drown their seven horses while they were in hospital an hour away for the birth of their son, Romeo.

Kurrinda Bloodstock (above), Sean and Genevieve Driver's racehorse business in Broke, unexpectedly flooded on Wednesday with water reaching higher than the March floods

Mr Driver said on Wednesday afternoon he was confident he and caretaker Shane Freer had taken all caution necessary to ensure the horses were safe from the rising river.

They had moved five of the racehorses to the highest paddock on the farm at the front of the property and left two others in a secure stable.

'We didn't believe we'd get caught out after March [floods],' Mr Driver told Daily Mail Australia. 'We believed we were prepared.'

Mr Freer and his two boys were also staying at the property in case anything went wrong.

Mr Driver had left the property with his caretaker but floodwater rapidly rose in 30 minutes, trapping the caretaker inside the home and flooding paddocks where the racehorses were kept (pictured, the paddocks and stables the seven racehorses were in)

Mr Driver left the farm at about 6pm for his home in Maitland when he received a panicked phone call from Mr Freer halfway through his trip.

In the half-hour he'd been gone, floodwater had risen up to the farm home and flooded the paddocks.

'Shane and the boys were stuck on the top bunk of a bed. They were debating cutting a hole in the roof to wait for help,' Mr Driver said.

'The water was up to the horses' necks but they couldn't get to them even though they were just 150 metres away. The flow of the water was too strong.'

Mr Driver said 'third and fourth generation' families in the area said they'd 'never seen anything like it'.

Desperate to save his horses, Mr Driver turned around and tried to get back to the farm but was cut off by floodwater and poor road conditions.

While the farm flooded and the racehorses were in danger of drowning, Genevieve Driver went into labour and gave birth to little Romeo (above)

'I had to turn around and go back. I couldn't get through,' he said.

Mr Driver only got halfway through the same drive when he received another phone call, this time from his wife saying she'd gone into labour.

While Mr Driver rushed home Mrs Driver shared a desperate post to the community Facebook page at 6.50pm.

'Urgent, can anyone give me an update on Milbrodale road?' the post read.

'Our caretaker has water rapidly filling inside. Can anyone tell me what they can see from the front of our property? We have seven horses on site at present. Thank you.'

While the Drivers rushed to hospital, caring members of the Broke community got busy sharing the post with the SES and offering help.

Kind strangers on the Broke community Facebook page rushed in a boat to the property to rescue the caretaker, two boys and seven horses while the Drivers were in hospital an hour away (pictured, the flooded paddock and stables where horses were rescued from)

Mr Freer told Mr Driver he and the two boys were still trapped inside the home and 'things are getting really scary'.

One of the company's horse trainers, Scott Singleton, drove from Scone, about 100km north of Broke, to convince an SES or NSW Police boat to take him to the property.

'I was on the phone with him,' Mr Driver said. 'He was trying to get out on a boat but just couldn't get through.'

Luckily Melissa and Cameron Turner, who the Drivers had never met before, saw the Facebook post and were able to rush their tinny boat over to the property.

The determined couple - with the help of another local, Jessica - first rescued Mr Freer and the two boys from the home before using a chainsaw to cut the paddock fences and help the horses swim to safety.

'They risked their lives, the water was going so fast,' Mr Driver said.

The five horses trapped in the front paddock of the property were rescued Wednesday night and taken to a neighbour's property (above)

'I've never met them but when you go through something like this together, you feel like you've known each other 10 years.'

Mr Freer and the boys spent the night at the Bulga flood refuge centre while the five horses stayed at higher paddocks at neighbour Kathryn's farm.

Even more good news came at 8.50pm when Mr and Mrs Driver welcomed their healthy son Romeo to the world.

'He's seven pounds and mum and bub are both happy and healthy,' Mr Driver said.

The next morning another kind stranger, Kelly, went to check on the horses in the stables.

The impromptu rescue team wasn't able to reach them the night before and Mr Driver said he was expecting the worse.

The two horses trapped in the stables were found the next morning 'in good order' and were given fresh hay and water (above)

Instead, Kelly discovered the two horses 'in high spirits' and was able to move them to a drier area.

'They're in such good order,' Kelly said in a video to Mr Driver.

The video showed both horses chowing down on fresh hay and water after their long night.

'We just want to thank everyone who helped,' Mr Driver said.

'Without them we would've had three boys stranded on a farm roof and seven dead horses.'

All roads in and out of Broke were cut off shortly after 5pm on Tuesday, the day before the Drivers' farm flooded.

Roads in Broke (above) first started flooding on Tuesday after an 'extraordinary' rain event

It is believed about 60 homes have been destroyed by flooding in Broke, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Fortunately the water has started to recede following 'extraordinary' rainfall.

'We've seen widespread 100mm to 300mm over the last 24 hours particularly around the Mid North Coast. We saw 305mm in Taree and 213mm in Forster,' the Bureau of Meteorologys Diane Eadie said.

'Singleton (26km north of Broke) was an area of concern overnight. It looks likely now that we've seen that peak at around 13.71m, which has exceeded the level that we saw in March 2022. Good news with the Singleton area is that it is likely now that we will start to see those (ease).

'Maitland is still at risk and we could potentially see major flooding in the Maitland area of 10.5m.'
A real estate listing for a suburban home has left internet users in stitches over its unusually green lawn.

Real estate agency Property Gurus South Australia recently advertised the four bedroom brick home in Elizabeth Downs, north Adelaide, for $350,000.

But the listing has now gone viral online with house hunters roundly mocking how poorly Photoshopped the home's lush front and back lawn appears to be.

'That's the new strain of grass called 'Chernobyl', you should see it at night time,' one house-hunter quipped - referring to the Ukrainian town where a nuclear power station melted down in 1986.

A South Australian real estate agency has been mocked online for editing the grass in a property listing and making it abnormally green

The images are in stark contrast to earlier pictures of the same property when it was sold in 2010 (pictured)

'How do I get my grass this green?' another joked.

'Oh dear... (They) got the window pulls looking OK but that 'lawn',' another said.

'Also don't they realise that as soon as someone goes to an open then the jig will be up'

A third pointed out: 'You can literally see the green brush in the last picture because it's accidentally used on the tree. This is excellent.'

One respondent described how they experienced a similar incident when a real estate agent came to take photos to list their property.

'We sold our place few years ago and it was an overcast day when the photographer came to take photos.

'When the photos were posted up, the sky had been photoshopped cause it was clear blue skies with one fluffy white cloud.'

Pictures of the listing were discovered by a Reddit user and shared to the internet, with users chiming in and joking about the odd editing job (pictured, the backyard of the house)

The agent for the listing told Daily Mail Australia they were asked to edit the photos and claimed it wasn't 'illegal' (pictured, the backyard of the same house in 2010)

Daily Mail Australia understands the photoshop job on the home's pictures was performed quickly.

A real estate agent at the firm also insisted that editing the pictures wasn't illegal. It was not suggested that it was.

Real estate agencies regularly airbrush their online listings.

Property Gurus SA has since cropped out the grass in their photos under the listing.
The Australian government has dropped a case against lawyer Bernard Collaery four years after he was charged with leaking secrets of an alleged spy operation in East Timor.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus' decision to discontinue the prosecution of Mr Collaery was informed by the government's commitment to protecting Australia's national interest including relationships with close neighbours.

Mr Dreyfus ordered the Commonwealth to drop the 'exceptional' case against Mr Collaery in a Sydney media conference on Thursday.

Lawyer Bernard Collaery (pictured, middle) had the case against him dropped four years after he was accused of leaking classified information relating to an alleged bugging operation of the East Timor prime minister's office

'In taking this decision I have had careful regard to our national security, our national interest and the proper administration of justice,' Mr Dreyfus said.

Mr Collaery was charged with leaking classified information relating to an alleged bugging operation of the East Timor prime minister's office by Australian officials in 2004.

The former ACT attorney-general was facing the prospect of jail and his trial date had finally been set for October 24 in the ACT Supreme Court after four years of delay.

Mr Dreyfus said the decision to drop the charges against Mr Collaery was not a move away from the longstanding practice of protecting government secrets.

'Governments must protect secrets, and this government remains steadfast in our commitment to keep Australians safe by keeping secrets out of the wrong hands,' Mr Dreyfus said.

'All prosecutions involve a balancing of interests. The balance of interests can change over time. This is such a case.'

Mr Collaery was charged under the National Security Information Act with five counts of leaking classified information.

Mr Collaery allegedly helped his client, an ex-spy known only as Witness K, to reveal information about Australia's alleged bugging operation during negotiations relating to the harvest of oil and resources in the Timor Sea.

In 2020, witness K pled guilty and was handed a three-month suspended sentence, but Mr Collaery decided to fight his charges.

The government of Anthony Albanese (pictured) discontinued the 'exceptional' case to maintain and protect Australia's national interest and relationships with its close neighbours

The news was enthusiastically greeted by Human Rights Law Centre senior lawyer Kieran Pender, who labelled it an important day for Australian democracy.

'Bernard Collaery should never have been prosecuted ... whistleblowers should be protected, not punished - it's as simple as that,' he said.

'From war crimes in Afghanistan to misogyny in Parliament House, there are many important stories that would never have been told were it not for the courageous actions of those who spoke up.'

The case was discontinued under section 71 of the Judiciary Act, which overturned the authorisation that was given in 2018 to then-attorney-general Christian Porter to pursue charges against Collaery and Witness K.
An Alabama judge who belittled the state's governor over her age and gender and used a mock Asian accent in front of a jury pool was suspended from court duty and charged.

Mobile County Circuit Judge James T. Patterson was suspended on June 24 after the Judicial Inquiry Commission, which investigates complaints against judges, accused him of violating judicial ethics with a string of remarks about Republican Governor Kay Ivey and repeated profanity in court.

A judge since 2017, Patterson is a Republican who has referred to his remarks as bad jokes. He was charged twice Wednesday by the state's judicial commission: one of them being an inappropriate demeanor for his temperament, and the other being an abuse of judicial authority, according to NBC 15 News.

Patterson referred to the 77-year-old Ivey as 'Gov. MeMaw,' a disparaging term used by some critics, in an order complaining about her decision to make most people remain at home during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the commission alleged.

He also regularly used profanity while presiding over court sessions and in written orders, a complaint filed on June 15 reports.

Investigators said Patterson made an inappropriate remark about everyone in court being able to speak English when he saw a potential juror who appeared to be of Asian descent.

It remains unknown who the jury member was.

Mobile County Circuit Judge James T. Patterson (pictured) was charged on Wednesday with an inappropriate demeanor for his temperament and for abusing his judicial authority following allegations that he cursed at other judges, court staff, attorneys, defendants and jury pool members over the last few years

One one occasion, Patterson belittled Alabama's Governor Kay Ivey over her age, calling her 'Governor MeMaw' in reaction to a stay-at-home COVID order issued before apologizing and refering to his bad joke as a 'poor attempt at humor in the midst of this Covid-19 mess'

Patterson also made an inappropriate remark about everyone in court being able to speak English when he saw a potential juror who appeared to be of Asian descent

Patterson quickly apologized to the jury pool for the remark, which he called a 'stupid, stupid joke,' and subsequently denied any racism in a public post on social media.

'The liberals call everyone they disagree with a racist nowadays. I am nothing of the kind,' Patterson wrote in 2019, according to the commission's complaint. He defended his repeated use of 'dead a broke' to refer to Alabama's underfunded court system, saying he has led the fight to increase funding.

Patterson apologized to Ivey in a letter in which he said his 'Gov. MeMaw' remark 'was a poor attempt at humor in the midst of this Covid-19 mess,' but continued using the term in reference to Ivey in discussions with lawyers, investigators found.

In another unrelated incident, Patterson referred to another judge as a 'G*d d*mn snowflake,' much to the shock of lawyers and court staff who heard the slang.

On a separate occasion,the tempered judge rattled a defendant's mother to have a fit, according to NBC 15 News.

In another unrelated incident at the 13 judicial Circuit Court of Alabama, Patterson called another judge a 'G*d d*mn snowflake,' suprising court staff and attorneys who witnessed the moment

The allegations against Patterson's authority in court goes back to 2018 when the 13th Judicial Circuit was facing financial troubles.

The complaint filed against the judge in June states Patterson considered suing the circuit court clerk's office, so that he could stop sending local fees to the state until the courthouse was equipped with financial aid.

'It's frankly starting to impact public safety. I for one intend to do something about it,' Patterson told NBC 15 News at the time, regarding the issue.

The Alabama Supreme Court concluded in May 2019 that Patterson had overstepped his legal authority in his attempt to receive more funding for the courthouse.

Patterson hasn't submitted a response to the commission charges, which were first filed last month.

DailyMail.com has contacted the judge for comment.
Mandatory masks and stay at home orders could be back within weeks and some elective surgeries halted as Australia braces for a devastating new Covid wave which is already packing out ICU wards.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), backed by some of the architects of Australia's past lockdowns, is pushing for the return of restrictive laws to stop the new and highly contagious Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants.

Australia is already battling a potentially lethal 'multi-demic' cocktail of respiratory viruses, including the flu, RSV, para-influenza, adenovirus and HMPV, which are spreading like wildfire through a population with immune systems weakened by two years of lockdown restrictions.

The rapid spread of the multi-demic bugs is also being fuelled by cold and damp weather, and comes as more than 4,000 people are hospitalised with Covid and ICU cases surge by 40 per cent across the country.

Several Queensland hospitals have paused all of their elective surgeries as the health system comes under increasing pressure from the influx of cases including the state's largest hospital and health service Metro North Health.

Royal Brisbane Hospital, Prince Charles Hospital, Caboolture Hospital, Redcliffe Hospital, Kilocy Hospital has suspended all elective surgery while Gold Coast HHS has paused non-urgent surgery at its hospitals.

On Thursday, the Federal government signed off on a fourth Covid booster shot for anyone over 30, with those over 50 told to get jabbed urgently.

The move was recommended by ATAGI, but hidden in the small print was a recommendation for further public health measures.

Mandatory masks and working from home could be back within weeks as the nation braces for a devastating new Covid wave which is already packing out intensive care units

The move was recommended by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, but hidden in the small print was a warning of further measures

'The impact of this expanded vaccine booster recommendation alone is expected to be limited,' the ATAGI statement admitted.

'ATAGI advises other public health and social measures, in addition to vaccination, will have the greatest impact against the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 surge in infections.

'This includes increased use of masks.'

Victoria has already flagged the return of Covid restrictions after Premier Dan Andrews extended the state's pandemic declaration for another three months.

'There continues to be a serious risk to public health which requires continued public health measures to reduce the risk of transmission and hospitalisation,' he warned as he confirmed the extension.

Victoria has already flagged the return of Covid restrictions after Premier Dan Andrews extended the state's pandemic declaration for another three months

The move was slammed by Victorian Liberals leader Matthew Guy who blasted the premier's 'lust for power and control'.

Mr Guy added: 'It's time to end the state of emergency.

'It's time to end mandates outside of health and aged care sector. Victorians deserve to have control of their lives handed back.

'The threat of mandates, lockdowns and restrictions remain, which overshadows efforts for us to recover...but they play second to a premier with a lust for power and control.'

New Victorian health minister Mary-Anne Thomas admitted the decision on the return of masks and working from home was imminent.

'The pandemic declaration allows me to make that decision and I haven't yet made it,' she said on Thursday.

'The public health team are looking at modelling and they're consulting with their colleagues and various ideas are floated but no decisions have been taken.'

New Victorian health minister Mary-Anne Thomas admitted the decision on the return of masks and working from home was imminent

Symptoms of new BA4 and BA5 subvariants Runny nose Sneezing Fatigue Sore throat Dry cough Loss of taste Loss of smell Muscle aches and pains Headache Red or irritated eyes Vomiting Diarrhoea Skin rash Discolouration of fingers or toes Advertisement

Queensland's health chief John Gerrard revealed the return of mask mandates was already under discussion among state health chiefs.

'I can say that nationally, there is increasing pressure, there is a school of thought that we should be mandating masks again,' he told 4BC radio on Saturday.

'We are continually reviewing all aspects of our pandemic response including the potential need for mask mandates in different settings.'

The virulent new strains have the highest rate of transmission of any of the major mutant variations since the disease first spread worldwide in 2020.

BA.4 and BA.5 have a basic reproduction number (R0) rate of 18.6, meaning, without any restrictions, every infected patient would likely infect 18 or 19 people.

That compares to the original 2020 Wuhan Covid strain's R0 of 3.3, Delta's 5.1 and the Omicron BA.1 strain's 9.5, which sparked the widespread outbreak that has smashed Australia since January, killing 7000 in seven months.

The latest subvariants are also feared to have evolved to be much more resistant to existing vaccines and acquired immunity from previous infections.

Now health chiefs are delivering grim warnings about the BA.4 and BA.5 wave about to sweep through families across the country.

On Thursday, there were 3,921 people with Covid in hospitals across the country, less than the 5,000-plus peak around Australia Day, but up 24 per cent since mid-May.

Federal health minister Mark Butler has warned of the devastating Covid wave about to hit Australia as he signed off a fourth Covid jab for anyone over 30

ELECTIVE SURGERIES AT RISK Some elective surgeries may be suspended again in Queensland as the state government pleads with residents to get their booster jabs amid a third COVID-19 wave. Just under 700 public and private hospital patients have the virus and 7.6 per cent of Queensland Health workers are off on some form of sick leave. 'I have over 2000 staff that are furloughed just because of COVID,' Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said on Thursday. Some hospitals are likely to suspend lower-category elective surgeries depending on where staffing pressures are impacting the most. 'There's no decision to have any statewide suspension. We're allowing the local hospitals to manage that based on their own demands and pressures,' Ms D'Ath said. With the current virus wave yet to hit its peak, the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better. 'The modelling says that we should expect that it will get worse leading up to the end of the month,' Ms D'Ath said. Her comments came as the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) expanded the criteria for who can get a second COVID-19 booster. From July 11, people over 50 will be recommended to receive a fourth vaccine dose, or second booster shot. Those between 30 and 49 will from Monday be able to have a fourth dose if they choose to do so. But there are concerns about vaccine levels for Queenslanders who are already eligible. Less than half of those who fit the existing criteria have come forward for their fourth vaccine dose, or second booster. 'The latest data shows that if you are over 65 and you have not received your fourth booster, you are four more times likely to get the new (Omicron) variants,' Ms D'Ath said. Just 63 per cent of eligible people have had their third booster, while more than 94 per cent of the eligible population have had at least one vaccination. 'There's no reason why our third dose and our fourth dose should not be at those same levels,' Ms D'Ath said. Expanding eligibility for a second booster to include healthcare workers should also be considered, the Australian Medical Association said. 'We're ... asking for ATAGI to consider healthcare workers. They are at the front line,' AMA Queensland president Maria Boulton told ABC radio on Thursday. 'We need to keep those healthcare workers at work. We need to protect them with everything we have.' The state recorded just under 6,000 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday and 17 more deaths. There are more than 39,800 active cases. - Australian Associated Press Advertisement

'It's becoming a very serious pressure on our health and hospital system,' said federal health minister Mark Butler.

'States across the country are reporting increased numbers of cases and increased numbers of people requiring admission to hospital because of COVID.

Queensland's CHO John Gerrard revealed the return of mask mandates was already under discussion among state health chiefs

'There are now almost 4,000 hospital beds across the country filled by patients with Covid. That's an increase of almost 1,000 in just the last few weeks.

'And the number of people in intensive care units or ICUs is up 40 per cent in the past week to 10 days alone - and we're only just at the early stages.

'There's no question those numbers are going to continue to increase.'

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant has begged locals to wear masks when in public to try to minimise the spread of the disease.

'We have to create an enabled environment to say that actually wearing a mask is an okay thing to do,' Dr Chant said.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant has begged locals to wear masks when in public to try to minimise the spread of the disease

NSW health minister Brad Hazzard said the country needed to 'go back to the basic messages'.

He added: 'Wear a mask if you can't socially distance, definitely wash your hands, wash your hands as much as you possibly can, and stay home if you're sick.'

And Mr Butler echoed the need for the public to wear masks.

'I call on people when they're indoors, and not able to socially distance, to give very strong consideration to wearing a mask,' he said on Thursday.

'It will reduce the impact of transmission.'

But he added: 'We have passed the time of very broad-based mask mandates.'

Despite giving the green light for the fourth Covid jab, federal health minister Mark Butler admitted millions of Australians had yet to even get their third dose

Despite giving the green light for the fourth Covid jab, Mr Butler admitted millions of Australians had yet to even get their third dose.

'There are still more than five million for whom it has been more than six months since their second dose - and are eligible for a third booster dose - but have not taken it up,' he said.

'What is particularly unique and different about BA.4 and BA.5 is that they are very good at evading people's immunity.

'Just because you had Covid earlier this year does not mean you are now not at risk of getting Covid again, with this third Omicron wave.

'Being up to date with your vaccines is crucial to protecting you against the risk of severe disease and particularly the risk of hospitalisation or worse.'
Russia's ambassador to Australia says relations between the two nations have reached their 'lowest point in decades' as he locked horns with radio host Hamish Macdonald in a fiery interview.

Appearing on ABC's Radio National on Thursday morning, Dr Alexey Pavlovsky criticised Australia and the West for their 'hysteric reaction to Russia's actions in Ukraine'.

'I would say that Australia does view Russia as an enemy,' Dr Pavlovsky said.

'I wish I could say something positive about Russia and Australia relations, but they have reached probably the lowest point in decades.'

Dr Pavlovsky refused to describe his country's actions in Ukraine as an invasion or war, instead saying it was a 'special military operation'.

Accused of wreaking 'death and destruction' in Ukraine by Macdonald, Dr Pavlovsky accused the media of biased reporting.

He also denied Russia was responsible for causing global economic chaos and said the severe shortages of wheat and soaring gas and fuel prices was the fault of the West.

Russia's Ambassador to Australia Dr Alexey Pavlovsky says Australia-Russia relations are at their lowest point in decades

Australia has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia's bloody invasion began in February, providing millions of dollars in military and humanitarian aid

'I would say the current global economic problems are rather caused by the west's hysteric reaction to Russia's actions in Ukraine,' Dr Pavlovsky said.

'You can call it as you wish. Our point of view  it is a military operation to protect people in Donbas and to protect the security interests of Russia which has been arrogantly ignored by the West.'

In a heated exchange, Dr Pavlovsky continually refused to accept responsibility for food and energy crises affecting the world, leading to host Hamish Macdonald telling him 'this is not Russian state media'.

'That's just blatantly not true. The current economic problems in part are caused by your invasion of Ukraine,' Macdonald said.

'You're denying that you've tried to cut off access into and out of Ukraine. I'm sorry, sir, but this is not Russian state media. You can't get away with just making it up.'

But the ambassador quickly hit back.

'Hamish, If you invited me on, you obviously are interested in my point of view. It is not Russian state media, but then don't invite me if you are not interested,' the ambassador replied.

Hamish Macdonald clashed with the Russian ambassador to Australia

The ambassador accused Ukraine of 'deliberately and discriminately bombing the cities killing civilians' and insisted Western and Australian coverage of the conflict was 'one-sided'.

Australia has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia's bloody invasion began in February, providing millions of dollars in military and humanitarian aid.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also pledged further support for Ukraine during a trip to the war-torn country - and also promised tighter sanctions on Russia.

Australia will provide 34 additional armoured vehicles to Ukraine as part of a $100 million military aid package and prohibit Russian gold imports.

The vehicles will include 14 armoured personnel carriers and 20 Bushmasters.

Speaking in Kyiv alongside President Zelenskiy, Mr Albanese said Australia would also impose sanctions and travel bans on 16 more Russian ministers and oligarchs.

This brings the total number of Russian individuals sanctioned by Australia to 843.

Australia will also help bolster Ukraine's border guard service with management equipment to enhance field operations.

'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,' Mr Albanese told the Ukraine president.

'Because you are fighting for the international rule of law, you are fighting for international rules in which we conduct our activity to be respected and to occur in an orderly way.'

The ambassador accused Ukraine of 'deliberately and discriminately bombing the ctiites killing civilians' and insisted Western and Australian coverage of the conflict was 'one-sided'

Mr Zelensky said he was grateful to Australia for their assistance.

'We must strengthen international co-operation in order to break Russia's aggressive potential,' Mr Zelenskiy said.

'We must increase the sanctions pressure on the aggressor.'

'More than 2000 settlements in the east and south of Ukraine have yet to be liberated. I offered Australia to take part in the post-war reconstruction and I am grateful for the willingness to join the implementation of this, I am sure, ambitious project.'
A man accused of supplying illegal firearms was caught unawares as cops dragged him out of bed in his underwear to arrest him for the alleged crime.

The 27-year-old man and two others were charged over their alleged involvement in the supply of illicit firearms, following investigations into a shooting outside a gym in Prospect, in Sydney's west last year.

Footage showed the man being taken into a police van by armed officers after a raid in the western Sydney suburb of Whalan.

He was later charged with supplying a shortened firearm.

A 26-year-old man was also arrested at a home in Austral before being charged with several offences, while a third man, also 26, was arrested in Mt Druitt.

Police believe the men are members of a syndicate involved in sales of ammunition and prohibited firearms  including a handgun and semi-automatic rifle.

Footage showed the man, 27, being taken into a police van by armed officers after a raid in Whalan, Sydney

He was later charged with supplying a shortened firearm and was also refused bail

A 26-year-old man was arrested at a home in Austral before being charged with several offences, while the third man, also 26, was arrested in Mt Druitt

Police believe the men are members of a syndicate involved in sales of ammunition and prohibited firearms  including a handgun and semi-automatic rifle

All three men were refused bail to appear at court on Thursday.

Investigations under Strike Force Parbery continue, police said.

Their arrests come after a morning shooting in Prospect, Sydney on November 29 last year.

A number of shots were fired from a Mazda sedan at a group of four men, who were approaching the front entrance of a gym.

One of the men  aged 33  suffered a gunshot wound to his lower right leg. The others were uninjured.

The injured man was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to Westmead Hospital. He has since recovered.

The men were refused bail to appear at court on Thursday. Investigations under Strike Force Parbery continue, police say

Their arrests come after a morning shooting in Prospect, Sydney on November 29 last year

Detectives from State Crime Commands Criminal Groups Squad established Strike Force Parbery to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting

Armed police officers and detectives lead the almost-naked man to a waiting police van

As part of ongoing investigations, strike force detectives identified a syndicate allegedly involved in the supply of illicit firearms, including pistols and semi-automatic rifles

Detectives from State Crime Commands Criminal Groups Squad established Strike Force Parbery to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

So far in the investigation four men  aged between 19 and 27  have been charged over their alleged roles in the shooting.

As part of ongoing investigations, strike force detectives also identified a syndicate allegedly involved in the supply of illicit guns, including pistols and semi-automatic rifles.

This then led to the arrests on Thursday, with five properties raided in total, in Austral, Whalan, Mt Druitt, and Parramatta.
Feature: Young Chinese speaking fluent Kiswahili promotes China-Tanzania friendship

Xinhua) 10:34, July 07, 2022

DAR ES SALAAM, July 6 (Xinhua) -- If you have never met Tang Jingyu, a 29-year-old Chinese born in east China's Fujian Province, you never will realize that he is from China when talking with him on the phone in Kiswahili.

The Chinese national, with the local Tanzanian name Juma Suluhu Sharobaro, speaks fluent Kiswahili and is now working in Tanzania as a marketing officer with StarTimes.

At his residence along the Indian Ocean beach in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam, he said he had learned Kiswahili for three years beginning in 2011 at the Tianjin Foreign Studies University based in north China.

"I also participated in students exchange program between China and Tanzania during which I sharpened my Kiswahili speaking at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) for eight months," said Tang in an interview with Xinhua ahead of the World Kiswahili Language Day that falls on July 7.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) last year declared July 7 as the World Kiswahili Language Day. Tang said he's very excited because Kiswahili is his second language after Chinese.

Kiswahili is now spoken by more than 200 million people across the world, especially in the East African countries of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said Tang.

"Kiswahili is helping me in my work and in my life in Tanzania," said the marketing officer of StarTimes, also trading as Star Media (Tanzania) Limited, a Chinese firm that provides digital TV solutions.

"I am encouraging my fellow Chinese to learn Kiswahili to strengthen their good cooperation with their Tanzanian friends," Tang said in a message to his fellow Chinese in Tanzania as the World Kiswahili Language Day approaches.

William Anangisye, the vice-chancellor of UDSM, said during the 21st "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition 2022 held at the Confucius Institute at UDSM last month that there are more than 10,000 Chinese people in Tanzania and at least 500 small and large Chinese-managed enterprises.

Tang recalled that in 2017, then Vice President and now President Samia Suluhu Hassan, one of the champions and ambassadors of Kiswahili across the world, gave him the name Suluhu at a ceremony for the laying of the foundation stone for the construction of Palm Village apartments in Dar es Salaam.

"The president gave me her second name after she was impressed with my translation of a Chinese statement into fluent Kiswahili," said Tang who has lived in Tanzania for eight years.

Tang said as an employee of StarTimes, he has been able to participate in a number of events that had been conducted in Kiswahili, including Bongo Star Search in 2018 when he sang a song called Malaika, translated into English as Angels. Bongo Star Search is a Tanzanian music reality-singing competition show.

"The Bongo Star Search helped me to build a bridge of cooperation between China and Tanzania. And it made me famous to Tanzanians. I can state with confidence that most of them like me," he said.

"I also composed a Kiswahili song called Cha Upepo. Most people love the song. The song is about my early experience in Tanzania," he said.

Tang believes that the China-Tanzania cultural cooperation is growing from strength to strength.

He said Chinese dramas translated into Kiswahili are gaining popularity in Tanzania, citing a drama called Doudou na Mama Wakwe Zake as one of the most-watched dramas on state-run Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation. Doudou na Mama Wakwe Zake is loosely translated into English as Doudou and Her Mothers-In-law.

He said that he also used to participate in organizing a China-Tanzania film exhibition that was welcomed by both Chinese and Tanzanian officials.

UNESCO declared July 7 of each year as World Kiswahili Language Day during its 41st session in the French capital Paris in 2021. UNESCO in a statement said that Kiswahili is one of the most widely used languages of the African family and the most widely spoken in sub-Saharan Africa.

Kiswahili is, therefore, an indispensable tool in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and in facilitating regional integration, particularly in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, according to the statement.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan gently reminded Sweden and Finland to comply with Ankara's conditions for them to be part of NATO.

Initially, Turkey opposed the two Nordic nations because they harbored hostile outlaw groups opposed to Ankara. How Sweden and Finland deal with these conditions favorably or not might cut short the broken deadlock.

All NATO Countries Need To Approve New Membership

Ankara has addressed an official letter to the two Nordic nations to abide by the deal and send the terrorists, reported RT.

Accepting the demand of the Turkish leader is important that the terrorists be extradited. After delaying their applications for weeks and, among other things, accusing them of giving asylum to PKK members, Turkey finally accepted the countries' requests to join NATO in late June.

Bekir Bozdag, Turkey's justice minister, was quoted by TRT Haber TV as saying on Wednesday that Sweden and Finland had received a letter reminding them of the requests for the extradition of PKK and FETO terrorists, noted Azerbaycan 24.

The PKK is a Kurdish organization established in the late 1970s and fights for the independence of Turkey's biggest ethnic minority.

It has waged armed resistance against the Turkish government for decades and is considered a terrorist group not just in its own country but also in the US and EU, citing the Press United.

The Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), as the name suggests, was founded by exiled Turkish preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Erdogan and Ankara officials say is the mastermind behind Turkey's failed coup attempt in 2016.

It falls to Sweden and Finland to do what needs to be done with Ankara's conditions to ensure they enter the military bloc with no further hassle.

Read Also: Vladimir Putin's 'Girlfriend': 5 Things To Know About Alina Kabaeva

Sweden, Finland Expressed Interest To Join NATO

These Nordic nations requested to join NATO in mid-May, citing Russia as a potential threat. However, all current members must agree for a candidate country to be admitted to the military alliance.

These two countries' applications were first rejected by Turkey, which outlined several requirements each had to satisfy before Ankara reconsidered its stand.

Due to their affiliations to the two groups in question, several refugees wanted by Ankara had to be deported by Sweden and Finland at the Turkish government's request.

Additionally, the administration of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded that Sweden and Finland remove the arms embargoes they had imposed on Turkey after its foray into northern Syria in 2019.

Initial Acceptance Into NATO

Before last week's session in Madrid between the military bloc, the impasse was ultimately broken.

Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary-general of NATO, announced last Tuesday that the three countries had acknowledged documents allowing Finland and Sweden to join the coalition, but Turkey must be satisfied first. The office of President Erdogan remarked that Turkey had what it wanted.

Finland and Sweden confirmed that the PKK is a terrorist group that has been outlawed as part of the agreement and their commitment to putting an end to the PKK's and all other terrorist groups and their affiliates' operations.

Furthermore, Sweden and Finland agreed to stop supporting Gulen's organization and the Kurdish YPG militia in northern Syria, which Ankara considers affiliated with the PPK.

Finally, the two Nordic nations announced that there were no longer any arms embargoes against Turkey.

Tayyip Erdogan is deadly serious that Sweden and Finland accept Ankara's conditions regarding extraditions of elements hostile to Turkey, or the fanfare of them joining will be short-lived.

Related Article: NATO Chief Cannot Assure Finland, Sweden Bid Unless Turkey Drops Its Opposition

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The father of a 17-year-old boy killed in a Gold Coast fight says he is 'absolutely gutted' after three teens arrested over the fatal stabbing walked free from court.

The trio were among five teenagers - aged between 15 and 18 at the time - who were initially charged with murder after Jack Beasley died in December 2019, barely two weeks before Christmas.

Jack was stabbed in the heart after a fight broke out between his group and the five teens in Surfers Paradise.

Jack Beasley (pictured), 17, died after being stabbed in the heart after a fight broke out between his group and the five teens in Surfers Paradise in December 2019

Ma-Mal-J Toala - who was 18 at the time - and two teenage boys, who can't be named, were on Thursday found not guilty on all three charges including manslaughter.

Jack's father Brett Beasley left the court in tears with a large group of devastated family and supporters.

'We are absolutely gutted...on this decision. I just need some time,' he told reporters.

Jack's father Brett Beasley left the court in tears with a large group of devastated family and supporters after the three teenagers accused of killing Jack, were found not guilty on Thursday (pictured, Brett and his son Jack)

Brett told reporters: 'We are absolutely gutted...on this decision. I just need some time'

Toala and the two teens had pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and two counts of grievous bodily harm at a judge-only Supreme Court trial.

Justice Soraya Ryan retired to consider a verdict on May 25 when the eight-day trial concluded.

'This trial was all about whether any of the three defendants are to be held criminally responsible for the unexpected fatal knife violence of their companion,' Justice Ryan said on Thursday before delivering not guilty verdicts on all counts.

Two other teens had earlier pleaded guilty including a boy - aged 15 at the time - who admitted fatally stabbing Jack and wounding another during the fight.

A lawyer for one of the three defendants on Thursday described Jack's death as a 'tragic accident'.

'Hopefully if anything comes out of this, it's that young people stop using knives at Surfers Paradise and on the streets,' Michael Gatenby told reporters.

'At the end of the day someone independently did the stabbing and these boys ... weren't involved in the stabbing itself.

The five teenagers had a BBQ at Surfers Paradise where the knife was used to cook food, before they noticed Jack's group and ran two blocks in pursuit before the fight started, the trial heard (pictured, Jack Beasley and father Brett)

'It's had an immeasurable effect on the boys themselves and also their families - it's been a tragedy all round.'

The five teenagers had a BBQ at Surfers Paradise where the knife was used to cook food, before they noticed Jack's group and ran two blocks in pursuit before the fight started, the trial heard.

The 29-second fight - which was captured on CCTV - erupted after Jack was pushed and reacted by flicking a cigarette at one of the five teens.

A 15-year-old had a knife tucked in his pants, stabbing Jack once, piercing his heart, and another 17-year-old boy twice - puncturing his lung and causing internal bleeding.

Jack's parents left the court every time CCTV footage of the fight and its aftermath was shown throughout the trial.

The Crown had argued that the trio had a 'common purpose' to assault Jack's group and that death or grievous bodily harm was a 'probable consequence' of a fist fight.

Defence barristers said the trio were not responsible for Jack's death, at one stage submitting no-case applications and arguing there was insufficient evidence to continue.

The teen who was 15 at the time pleaded guilty to murder and two counts of committing malicious acts with intent in May.

Another teenager - who was 17 back in 2019 - pleaded guilty to manslaughter and two counts of grievous bodily harm in April.

Since the fatal stabbing, his family has set up the Jack Beasley Foundation which aims to curb youth violence.
A senior public servant has given an extraordinary list of reasons as to why she ditched the top candidate for a prized $500,000 trade ambassador's job in New York City.

Jenny West was set to be handed her dream job as NSW trade commissioner in New York however was passed over in favour of the state's ex-deputy premier John Barilaro.

Now, Investment NSW chief executive Amy Brown has told an in-camera session of a to a parliamentary inquiry that she received several complaints about Ms West, prior to withdrawing the job offer.

According to transcripts of a private inquiry hearing reported in The Australian, Ms Brown said she received the complaints about Ms West after appointing her to the plum role in August of last year.

Ms Brown told the inquiry that she received feedback Ms West 'was having long periods of time not in the office but then wasn't explaining or producing any output for why she was not available  including trips to Canberra, where I believe one of her daughters was at university'.

NSW trade secretary Amy Brown (above) told an inquiry that she after appointing Jenny West to the prized trade ambassador role she received damning feedback on Ms West, according to leaked transcripts of an in-camera session looking into the selection process

Ms West was accused of often not being in office and taking trips to Canberra, where her daughter was at university, without conducting official meetings

'Subsequent to me finally relaying to her that she was not going to get the job, we did do some due diligence on her diary and, indeed, it confirmed what we'd suspected  that there did not seem to be any meeting occurring,' Ms Brown said.

Ms West was also accused of taking credit for work that was instead done by her staff.

Ms Brown said she had then taken a closer look at Ms West's CV.

'Obviously, she had portrayed herself as being incredibly senior at Austrade, Westpac and Telstra. But when I actually  scratched the surface, she was not as senior as she has portrayed.

'She tended to report to general managers, which at banks and telecommunications companies aren't the most senior people in the organisation, and she was only at Austrade for 18 months and reported to a deputy CEO, whereas the Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner is a very senior role.'

Ms West, here seen addressing Indian students in her capacity as deputy secretary of Investment NSW was described as an 'eminently qualified' candidate for the New York job

One of the parliamentarians in attendance wasn't so impressed with the testimony.

Shooters MP Robert Borsak accused Brown of 'digging in there, looking for an excuse'. 'That's pretty low,' he said, according to the transcript.

'Why are you pointing at me?' she responded.

Ms Brown told Ms West, who was then deputy secretary of Investment NSW, she would not get the job on September 17.

Ms Brown previously testified to the inquiry Ms West 'was extremely upset about that, understandably so'.

In the days after her appointment was blocked, Ms West met with NSW's top bureaucrat Michael Coutts-Trotter to express her concerns about what happened, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Mr Coutts-Trotter, who is secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, was given a 45-page report by Ms West outlining her concerns over what transpired.

Ms West has now left the public service with an undisclosed payout.

Mr Barilaro, who was then-NSW trade minister, intervened to change the process for hiring the state's trade ambassador to the US and eventually claimed the job himself

As NSW trade minister, Mr Barilaro created the New York trade commissioner role in November 2020, one of five similar jobs in major capital cities across the world.

After being offered the job in May, Mr Barilaro withdrew in June citing the controversy over the appointment.

'It is clear that my taking up this role is now not tenable with the amount of media attention this appointment has gained,' he said in a statement.

'I believe my appointment will continue to be a distraction and not allow this important role to achieve what it was designed to do, and thus my decision.

'I stress, that I have always maintained that I followed the process and look forward to the results of the review.'

Trading places: How John Barilaro won - and then relinquished - a prime New York gig The NSW Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner post in New York comes with a $487,000 salary plus a $16,000 cost of living allowance. It was created along with four other similar roles by then-NSW trade minister John Barilaro in November 2020. Then-deputy secretary of Investment NSW Jenny West was told she had won the New York job in August after beating out three other candidates from a select shortlist of interviewees. Mr Barilaro requested changes to the recruitment process in late September which required it to be signed off by state cabinet, although this has not occurred. This led to the verbal offer to Ms West being withdrawn. The relationship between Ms West and Investment NSW then became 'irreconcilable'. The job was advertised in a process handled by Investment NSW and global recruiting company. Mr Barilaro was verbally offered the job in May, signed a three-year contract in June and was due to begin the role in July. Nearly $1 million was spent refurbishing part of the Australian consulate in New York for Mr Barilaro to occupy. Trade department secretary Amy Brown worked under Mr Barilaro when he was trade minister. She said she was not aware whether Mr Barilaro ever asked his replacement as trade minister, Stuart Ayres, to give him the job. Ms Brown expressed concerns last year in internal communications that Mr Barilaro's office would try to veto her picks for the role. She said a staffer on temporary secondment had misunderstood when she sent an email, since resurfaced, requesting the premier's approval for two other commissioner appointments despite the recruitment being an apolitical process. Advertisement

Ms Brown said Ms West was an 'excellent candidate' who had exceeded all the criteria to win the New York job after beating out a select shortlist of four people interviewed.

However, all appointments had to be frozen after a request on October 3 from Mr Barilaro's office that commissioner positions be moved from being an in-house departmental decision to one requiring cabinet approval.

Despite cabinet agreeing to draft legislation to this effect, the New York job has been given without ministerial signing off, unlike other similar roles.

The job was then re-advertised in December and the process was handled by Investment NSW and a global recruiting company with Mr Barilaro being announced as the successful candidate earlier this month.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, who called the appointment an internal public service matter, has established an independent inquiry separate to the parliamentary one into the hiring process.

Mr Barilaro retired from politics on October 4 just days after Gladys Berejiklian sensationally quit as premier when the state's anti-corruption watchdog, the Independent Commission Against Corruption, announced it was investigating her.
The man once dubbed Tasmania's 'worst ever' serial rapist has lost his Airbnb licence after neighbours complained of constant nudity, sex and substance use at the home.

Shane Ronald Farmer, who drugged and sexually abused seven women at his Launceston and Hobart nightclubs between 1990 and 2001, unsuccessfully applied for a visitor accommodation permission for his Sandy Bay property.

He was sentenced to 10 years in jail in 2004 for rape, abduction, aggravated indecent assault and administering a drug to commit rape.

He served six-and-a-half years in jail before being released on parole in 2011.

Tasmania's 'worst ever' convicted serial rapist has had an Airbnb account for his 'party house' suspended after neighbours reported nudity, sex and 'substance' use there

Shane Ronald Farmer, who drugged and sexually abused seven women at his Launceston and Hobart nightclubs, applied for visitor accommodation permission for the property

Farmer, now 56, lodged a visitor accommodation permit application with the Hobart City Council, the ABC reported.

But the property had been listed on Airbnb without the appropriate permit before he applied, the council found.

Neighbours told a Hobart City Council planning meeting they had complained to police about disturbing occurrences at the house several times.

'There are people urinating off balconies, there's loud, abusive, obnoxious yelling, there is curt remarks, there is drunken behaviour, throwing of beer bottles, nudity, sex, and other substances being passed around at parties,' said Cedric Mannen, who lives next door.

He said 'disturbances' at the house were reported to police.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Farmer was involved in any of the parties.

Neighbours told a Hobart City Council planning meeting they had complained to police about occurrences at the house several times

Mr Mannen said he believed incidents were being under-reported by neighbours because some had concerns for their safety.

Over an 11-year period Farmer raped or sexually assaulted seven women aged from 16 to 21.

The court was told he spiked the drinks of his victims who were either employees or patrons of Farmer's club, The Playroom.

The council debated Farmer's holiday house application but did not take into account his criminal record.

It did not state whether Farmer would continue to live in part of the home.

But the council did hear that a noise detector alarm system had been installed there and that the guest capacity was reduced from 13 to eight.

Airbnb however issued a statement confirming Farmer was no longer allowed to be on its platform due to his criminal record.

A neighbour said 'disturbances' at the house were reported to police

'People who have been convicted of certain offences, including sexual assault offences, are ineligible from holding an Airbnb account, as are individuals affiliated with organised crime and extremist groups,' an Airbnb statement said.

The council voted to unanimously deny Farmer's application.

Farmer's property manager told The Mercury on Monday that he was not in breach of any council rules by operating without a permit, because he only put it up for rent when he was away, meaning he fell under a house sharing regulation.

There have been concerns raised across Australia by sexual assault services that not enough background checks are done into the character of people providing short and medium-term accommodation options.
Manchester Airport was left in 'total chaos' this morning as passengers face huge security queues after it was evacuated in a false alarm  as a family say they were 'abandoned' in Turkey after their TUI flight was delayed because the crew were 'too tired' to fly.

Holidaymakers were told to 'immediately evacuate' the airport's Terminal 3 around 6am this morning, as people shared scenes of 'chaos' on social media.

In one clip, a sizeable crowd can be seen rushing to leave the terminal as an alarm sounds, with the airport later confirming that it was a 'false alarm'.

'Attention please, an incident has arisen that necessitates the immediate evacuation of this area,' a tannoy announces in the clip.

Armed police and the fire service were also seen at the airport this morning, later confirming that an alarm had been mistakenly set off by a passenger.

It comes as a family-of-three said they were 'abandoned' in Turkey yesterday after their TUI flight to Manchester was delayed when the pilot and flight crew needed a rest.

And this morning, executive chairman for Jet2, Philip Meeson, criticised 'inexcusable' airport chaos as the group reported losses of 323.9 million for the year to March 31.

Armed police were seen at Manchester airport this morning as Terminal 3 was evacuated

Holidaymakers were told to 'immediately evacuate' the airport's Terminal 3 this morning

'Attention please, an incident has arisen that necessitates the immediate evacuation of this area,' a tannoy announced in one clip

One holidaymaker said on twitter: 'Whole of terminal 3 being evacuated at Manchester airport. No news yet but everyone is leaving.'

The terminal is now open, and travellers are facing 'long queues'.

'Manchester Airport Terminal 3 was evacuated about an hour ago and queues for security are now extending into the multi story car park,' one person said on twitter.

Another said that it took them two hours to get through security after the evacuation.

Passenger Luke Thompson, 25, from Warrington, told the BBC that 'huge' numbers of people were left waiting outside the terminal.

'I was waiting at the front of the security queue when a big loud speaker came on which said an incident had occurred and staff told us to leave,' he said.

He was due to board a flight at 7.45am but on re-entering the building, was at the back of a longer queue.

Passenger Kelsey-Anne Grady managed to make her 6.30am flight after being fast-tracked through the airport, following the evacuation. Other flights were delayed due to the incident.

Yesterday, a family-of-three said they have been 'abandoned' in Turkey after their TUI flight to Manchester was delayed when the pilot and flight crew told passengers they needed a rest.

Passengers on board the TOM269 flight from Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport to Manchester Airport were asked to depart the plane and transfer to a hotel until the journey could be rearranged after the pilot made the announcement.

One passenger, who asked not to be named, said yesterday's flight had already been delayed by more than four hours before they were told they would not be departing Izmir as planned.

The passenger, 40, said: 'The flight was originally planned to leave at 12:50am, but we didn't get ready to take off until around 5am. When we finally got on the plane, we were told to sit down as quickly as possible as there was a 15-minute slot we needed to make.

'The pilot then went on to the Tannoy and said that he and the crew needed to rest due to tiredness. They explained we needed to leave the plane and we'd get transferred to a hotel and TUI would be in touch with us.

People were told to hand in duty free goods purchased at the airport and were given a ticket to claim back their products when they return for their flight

'Nobody could believe it. Everyone thought it was a joke because we'd already been delayed by four hours.

'People were shouting, there were people panicking and shouting. There were children crying and screaming, everyone was stressed out. It was absolutely crazy.'

The passenger, who has epilepsy, said people were also told to hand in duty free goods purchased at the airport and were given a ticket to claim back their products when they return for their flight, which was rescheduled for Wednesday evening.

The passenger, who is travelling with his wife, 33, and their four-year-old son, said TUI took all passengers onboard the flight to the same hotel but said they felt they have not been properly updated with information regarding their flight.

The father, from near Halifax, West Yorkshire, said: 'We're stuck in 40 degrees heat with no idea on what's happening. We've not been told when we're expected to fly back. All I've had is an email from TUI offering us a 150 holiday voucher.

'My wife has lost out on two days of work and my child has missed his transition day at school to meet his new teachers. We've been left at a hotel in the middle of a highway.

'I'm trying not to get too stressed out because of my epilepsy as it can send me into major seizures, but not knowing what is happening is the worst. If we knew what the plan was, we could make a trip out or do something.'

The TUI flight to Manchester was delayed when the pilot and flight crew told passengers they needed a rest

The passenger said the flight cancellation was the latest in a series of setbacks for them regarding their trip  having originally planned to go to Egypt instead of Turkey.

He said: 'We were due to fly out to Egypt on June 22 but they cancelled the holiday two days beforehand because they said the flight was non-existent.

'We rebooked to go to Turkey on June 21 for 14 nights instead and were delayed by two and a half hours leaving Manchester.

'I won't ever go with TUI ever again and I've spent a lot of money with them in the past. It's been an absolute shambles, I've never known anything like this in all of my life.'

TUI has apologised to customers affected by the delayed flight and said it has offered all passengers a gesture of goodwill for the inconvenience.

Passengers have also been sent information on how to claim compensation.

A TUI spokesperson said: 'We'd like to apologise to customers due to travel on TOM269 from Izmir to Manchester on Tuesday 5 July, which was delayed until the following day.

'This was due to an initial delay on the outbound flight which led to crew being out of hours for the return.

'We kept customers updated throughout and provided overnight accommodation, meals and refreshments as needed.

'We understand that last minute delays are incredibly disappointing and would like to reassure customers that we will never leave them stranded overseas.'

This morning, executive chairman for Jet2, Philip Meeson, criticised 'inexcusable' airport chaos as the group warned its current year performance will depend on how quickly services can return to normal.

He said that the company has been 'directly impacted' by the disruption, as it reports operating losses of 323.9 million for the year to March 31.

Customers have had to endure a 'very much poorer experience' than they should have, with passengers hit by flight delays, cancellations, long queues, baggage handling problems and a lack of onboard catering supplies.

Since March, there have been repeated complaints about long queues for security at airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester, while a shortage of baggage handlers has led to long delays in people collecting their luggage.

This morning, queues were already mounting at Birmingham airport, as holidaymakers prepared to leave the country

Queues built at London's Stansted airport this morning as travel chaos continues

This morning, queues were already mounting at Birmingham and Stansted airports, as holidaymakers prepared to leave the country, amid chaos in the airports and warnings that foreign destinations may reinstate tough Covid curbs to counter surging infections.

Some travellers were seen sleeping on the floor in Stansted airport at 2am this morning, as BA announced more summer flight cancellations to minimise disruption during the school holidays.

Passengers faced long queues at check in desks and were seen sleeping on the airport floor as a mix of staff shortages and strikes continue to make air travel difficult.

Many travelling to the airport by train also faced queues to get out of the nearby station.

Stansted airport  2am people sleeping on the floor and utter chaos. pic.twitter.com/ZdfKePFS7E  Keith Truther  (@Keithpoker1) July 7, 2022

Some travellers were seen sleeping on the floor in Stansted airport at 2am this morning

It comes as BA announced today it has cancelled 10,300 flight over the next three months to take advantage of a government 'amnesty' to the rules on airport slots, allowing airlines to change schedules without facing a potential penalty.

The cancellations affect London Heathrow, Gatwick and City airports.

Government ministers told airlines to review their flights after the May half term chaos, which was blamed on a shortage of airline and airport staff.

Which? has also announced today that it has reported EasyJet to the Civil Aviation Authority, asking the regulator to investigate the airline's treatment of passengers who have their flights cancelled.

Staff shortages have already been leading to queues at security and check in desks at airports across the UK as the travel industry picks up after Covid pandemic lockdowns.

The situation is set to get worse during the summer after more than 700 British Airways staff at London Heathrow voted to strike.

This morning, queues were already mounting at Birmingham and Stansted airports. Pictured, people sleeping on the floor in Stansted airport

Easyjet workers in Spain went on strike last week and have two more planned for later in the month.

The 72-hour strikes will involve hundreds of crew at their airline's bases in Barcelona, Malaga and Palma.

There are triple the number of passengers flying in and out of Britian's airports this summer compared to last year.

Hundreds of flights are being delayed or cancelled as there are not enough staff to cope with the booming demand.

Passengers are also reporting having to wait hours to get their luggage back after flights and bags and suitcases are being left abandoned on carousels.

'Most of our 10 UK base airports have been woefully ill-prepared and poorly resourced for the volume of customers they could reasonably expect,' Mr Meeson said, adding in other suppliers including onboard caterers and providers of airport mobility services.

'Inexcusable, bearing in mind our flights have been on sale for many months and our load factors are quite normal,' he added.

Jet2's Philip Meeson criticised 'inexcusable' airport chaos as the holiday firm warned its current year performance will depend on how quickly services can return to normal

Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which owns and operates Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands Airports, said that it served 20.5 million passengers in the 12 months to the end of March. Pictured, queues at Manchester Airport yesterday

Strike action by British Airways check-in staff at Heathrow in row over 10% wage cut is called off Unions have suspended a strike action by 700 British Airways check-in staff at Heathrow after the airline made an improved pay offer following weeks of chaos at the airport. Members of the GMB and Unite unions had last month voted 'overwhelmingly' in favour of strike action amid a dispute over a 10 per cent pay cut made during the pandemic. They argued that the pay had been reinstated for managers, but not for the airline's check-in staff. BA was accused of 'treating its loyal workforce as second class citizens' and told strike action would cause 'severe disruption' to flights at Heathrow. But the dispute has been suspended today after the airline made an improved pay offer, Unite has said. It follows nine hours of intense negotiations yesterday in which an 'agreement in principle' is understood to have been reached. GMB and Unite members will now be balloted on the proposed offer. Advertisement

This 'lack of planning' has led to a 'poorer experience' at the start and end of people's holidays, he said.

'Theirs and the ground handling suppliers' often atrocious customer service, long queues for security search, lack of staff and congestion in baggage handling areas, and the consequent airport congestion, together with the frequent lack of onboard catering supplies, have each contributed to a very much poorer experience at the start and finish of our customers' holidays than they were entitled to expect,' he said.

'This difficult return to normal operations has occurred simply because of the lack of planning, preparedness and unwillingness to invest by many airports and associated suppliers.'

A spokesperson for Jet2 said that the group's performance for the financial year ending March 31, 2023, 'very much depends on how quickly the broader aviation sector returns to some level of stability'.

It will also be impacted by the strength of bookings for the remainder of summer and the second half of the financial year, a time period for which it has 'limited visibility.'

The comments came as it reported operating losses narrowed to 323.9 million for the year to March 31 against 336.1 million the previous year.

Its statutory pre-tax profits widened to 388.8 million from 341.3 million.

Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which owns and operates Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands Airports, said that it served 20.5 million passengers in the 12 months to the end of March.

That was more than triple the figure for the previous year, which was affected by coronavirus lockdowns.

However, it was just a third of the 2019/20 total as pandemic travel restrictions were in place in the UK for 11 months of the period.

MAG reported an overall loss of 320 million for 2021/22, with revenues down 48% compared with 2018/19.

This week, experts warned that tests, facemasks and vaccine passes could return to favoured holiday hotspots and airports could see further chaos if the number of self-isolating workers skyrockets.

MPs and experts publicly shared their concerns for the future of millions of Brits' summer holiday plans which could hang in the balance.

BARCELONA: Passengers queueing at the Ryanair check-in counters at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport last week

Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus, warned foreign getaways and even staycations could be scuppered by a rise in infections and the knock-on effect this has on airports' staff levels

The Government's 22-point plan to avoid airport chaos The Government ha unveiled a 22-point plan to tackle flight disruption this summer. The strategy is aimed at avoiding a repeat of the chaos seen at UK airports during the Easter and Jubilee holidays. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said there is 'no excuse for widespread disruption' and holidaymakers 'deserve certainty'. Tens of thousands of passengers have suffered flight cancellations and huge queues at airports in recent months. Demand for travel will surge again as schools in Scotland and Northern Ireland break up for summer this week, while the academic year for those in England and Wales ends in around three weeks. The Government's action plan includes a number of measures previously announced, such as encouraging airlines to make sure their schedule are 'deliverable', an amnesty on slot rules and permitting new aviation workers to begin training before passing security checks. A new passenger charter will be published in the coming weeks, providing passengers with a 'one-stop guide' informing them of their rights and what they can expect from airports and airlines when flying. Advertisement

Speaking on Tuesday, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus, warned foreign getaways and even staycations could be scuppered.

She told the Mirror: 'It is possible that holiday plans will be ruined due to rising Covid rates in the UK.

'Other countries could reintroduce restrictions on arrivals from Britain, and transport companies  already in crisis from the Government's mishandling of Brexit and industrial action, are likely to see an increase in staff shortages with more off sick.'

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.

ITV Good Morning's resident doctor Hilary Jones added: 'There are large numbers of cases in Italy.

'They could say 'right, you're going to need a Covid pass, you're going to need proof of vaccination or recent infection'.

'I would say to people who are travelling - look at the foreign travel advice for that country, see if you need a test before you fly and see if your NHS Covid pass works'.

Figures from NHS England show there were around 10,658 patients hospitalised with the virus on Monday.

The development comes as millions of passengers bracing for disruption as travel bosses tell airlines to cancel more flights while aviation experts have shared fears over an extended period of 'Airmageddon'.

Staff shortages, issues with baggage handling services and a lack of trained security staff are all contributing to the disruption seen at many of the UK's major commercial airports this year.

Heathrow Airport is expected to announce more flight cancellations next week as it rejigs its schedule. Pictured, passengers queuing at Terminal 2 at the airpor tlast week

British Airways is expected to bear the brunt of the cancellations when they are announced. Pictured, a British Airways plane at Heathrow Airport

EasyJet passenger's suitcase sent on Santorini holiday without her An EasyJet customer has claimed her luggage was sent on holiday to Santorini without her last week. Sidonie Hill said that airline staff told her at the gate that a car had crashed into the original plane that was due to fly passengers from Gatwick to Santorini on Friday, July 1. She claimed the airline had to move customers to a smaller plane  but some of the passengers were told there were now not enough seats for them all to go. Speaking today, Ms Hill said: 'We got to the boarding gate and they said that the flight had been downgraded and that 39 people couldn't fly, but we still all had to queue up and wait to get to the front to find out if we were able to board. 'They said we couldn't and asked us to stand to the side with around 60 people and then they shouted peoples names out for the remaining people, it was shocking.' The 25-year-old from Nottingham was told she wouldn't be on the flight but then dealt another blow that her luggage had flown to Greece without her. 'We had no way of tracking the cases to make sure they were there and the easyJet staff couldn't confirm if they were actually on or not,' she added. 'We waited four hours once we were told we couldn't fly on the Friday for them to offload our cases but they never arrived.' The beauty technician booked herself into another flight from Manchester the following day, where she was reunited with her luggage at Santorini Airport. Ms Hill posted about her experience on TikTok on Saturday, writing: 'Cheers to having a cancelled flight and lost luggage!' The clip attracted more than 2,000 views and dozens of comments. Advertisement

There is set to be even more disruption later this month with hundreds of British Airways check-in staff are expected to walkout in a dispute of pay.

It is expected that BA, which uses Terminal 5 at Heathrow as its hub and has more than 9,000 scheduled flights from the airport in July, will be the most affected airline by the upcoming cancellations, the Telegraph reported.

In the spring, the airline announced that it would cancel 10 per cent of its flights between April and October, with the latest cancellations bringing this to around 11 per cent and representing almost 30,000 flights.

'The whole aviation industry continues to face into significant challenges and we're completely focused on building resilience into our operation to give customers the certainty they deserve,' British Airways told the BBC yesterday.

Editor of Which? Travel, Rory Boland, called the latest cancellations a 'damning indictment' of BA's failure to manage its summer flight schedule.

The Telegraph reported that the cancellations are being caused by an amnesty on take-off and landing slots.

Airlines pay millions of pounds for these time slots and often run flights half empty to ensure they meet targets for the minimum number of flights in the slot  if they do not do this, they have to give it back.

The amnesty, which was announced by the Department for Transport (DfT) last week, allows carriers to hand them back if they are not confident they can operate the service for the rest of the summer season, while retaining the slot for next year.

This is was a bid to ensure cancellations, like those seen at Heathrow Airport last week and earlier in the year during the Easter and half-term holidays, do not happen at the last minute and give passengers time to rebook.

A spokesperson for British Airways said that the slot amnesty and consequent cancellations will 'help us to provide the certainty our customers deserve by making it easier to consolidate some of our quieter daily flights to multi-frequency destinations well in advance'.

They said that the airline 'welcomes these new measures', adding: 'Slot alleviation allows airlines to temporarily reduce their schedules but still retain their slots for the next year to maintain networks and provide consumers with certainty and consistency.

'Allocating slots according to the (World Airport Slots Guide system) means airlines can offer the consistent services and efficient connections that consumers are looking for and protect jobs and create growth in the UK.'

A Heathrow spokesman said last week: 'We encourage airlines to take this opportunity to reconsider their summer schedules without penalty and inform passengers as early as possible of any changes.'

Hundreds of bags of luggage arranged outside Terminal 2 at Heathrow Airport. A shortage of baggage workers has seen huge delays in some people receiving their luggage
Prince Harry had a strained relationship with one of the Queen's top aides, the High Court has today been hold.

'Significant tensions' are said to have existed between the Duke of Sussex and the Queen's Private Secretary, Sir Edward Young, according to the prince's legal team.

The pair's relationship was today brought to light at the High Court as part of Prince Harry's legal battle with the Home Office over its decision to cut his UK police protection.

The duke is taking legal action against the department after being told he would no longer be given the 'same degree' of personal protective security when visiting from the US - despite offering to pay for it himself.

Who is Sir Edward Young? Sir Edward Young is the current private secretary to The Queen. A former Barclays executive, his main role is as the main channel of communication between the monarch and the UK government, as well as those in the Commonwealth. A historic position, first created in 1805, it has been held by Sir Edward since 2019. Sir Edward took over the role from Lord Christopher Geidt, who recently quit as the prime minister's ethics adviser. Alongside holding senior roles at Barclays, Sir Edward has also served as an adviser to then-Tory Leader of the Opposition, William Hague, and as a communications chief for ITV. Advertisement

The 37-year-old royal is challenging the February 2020 decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec).

The group falls under the remit of the Home Office. But today the High Court heard how members of the Royal Household were involved in the decision involving his police protection.

Shaeed Fatima QC, for the duke, told the court: 'He (Prince Harry) didn't know at that stage that the Royal Household was involved at all ... he was told it was an independent decision.'

Ms Fatima said that it was not 'appropriate' for Sir Edward or senior members of the Royal Household to have had any say on the matter.

And she suggested to the High Court that Prince Harry's concerns - and his offer to pay for the security - had not been 'fully communicated' to the Ravec committee.

The duke's representatives previously said how he wants to bring wife Meghan Markle and their children Archie and Lilibet to visit from the US, but that they are 'unable to return to his home' because it is too dangerous.

They returned last month for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee after reportedly being given 'cast iron assurances' they would be protected by specialist police.

The duke's legal team are seeking to argue that the security arrangements set out in a letter from Ravec, and their application when he visited the UK in June 2021, were invalid due to 'procedural unfairness' because he was not given an opportunity to make 'informed representations beforehand'.

The Duke of Sussex (pictured here with Meghan Markle) is taking legal action against the department after being told he would no longer be given the 'same degree' of personal protective security when visiting from the US, despite offering to pay for it himself

The royal, 37, says he wants to bring wife Meghan Markle and their children Archie and Lilibet (pictured together here) to visit from the US

As the Queen's private secretary, Sir Edward (pictured) is responsible for keeping a channel of communication between the monarch and the governments of the Commonwealth

What is Harry's concern with UK security and why is he taking legal action? Are Harry and his family covered by security arrangements currently? He and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, personally fund a private protection team in the US for their family. The Sussexes have signed multimillion-pound deals with Netflix and Spotify, with Harry telling Oprah Winfrey he secured these to pay for his security. But he and Meghan lost their taxpayer-funded police protection in the UK in the aftermath of quitting as senior working royals. Why did they lose their taxpayer-funded security? Their security provision was one of the key issues when the couple announced they wanted to step down in 2020. Speaking to Winfrey during the couple's sit-down interview in 2021, Harry said he was told that 'due to our change of status - we would no longer be 'official' members of the royal family'. He said he had been shocked by this and 'pushed back' on the issue, arguing that there had been no change of threat or risk to the couple. Meghan, during the same interview, told how she had written to her husband's family urging them not to 'pull his security', but had been told 'it's just not possible'. At the time of announcing their stepping back from royal life in 2020, their website suggested the Home Office, through the Metropolitan Police, should continue to provide protection for the couple and Archie, their only child at the time. Have they offered to pay for police protection in the UK themselves? Yes. Harry wants to fund the security himself, rather than ask taxpayers to foot the bill, his legal representative said. He first offered to personally pay for police protection in the UK for himself and his family during the so-called Sandringham summit in January 2020, but the legal representative said that offer 'was dismissed'. The representative added that Harry 'remains willing to cover the cost of security, as not to impose on the British taxpayer'. Can they use the same security team they have while in the US? Harry's legal representative said that while the couple personally fund a private security team for their family, 'that security cannot replicate the necessary police protection needed whilst in the UK'. His argument is that the US team does not have adequate jurisdiction abroad or access to UK intelligence information which is needed to keep the Sussex family safe. So what is Harry doing about the issue of his UK security now? In September 2021, he filed a claim for a judicial review against the Home Office decision not to allow him to personally pay for police protection for himself and his family while in the UK. His legal team said this course of action was taken 'after another attempt at negotiations was also rejected'. They said the judicial review bid is an attempt to 'challenge the decision-making behind the security procedures, in the hopes that this could be re-evaluated for the obvious and necessary protection required'. What threats do the couple see themselves as facing in the UK? In a statement, the legal representative said: 'He remains sixth in line to the throne, served two tours of combat duty in Afghanistan, and in recent years his family has been subjected to well-documented neo-Nazi and extremist threats. While his role within the Institution has changed, his profile as a member of the Royal Family has not. Nor has the threat to him and his family.' Has the Home Office said anything about the bid for judicial review? A Government spokesperson said: 'The UK Government's protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements. To do so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals' security. 'It would also not be appropriate to comment on the detail of any legal proceedings.' Will the couple return to the UK if the issue is not resolved in the way they would like? A spokesperson for the duke has said that, in the absence of what they consider to be the necessary protection, 'Prince Harry and his family are unable to return to his home'. They insisted the UK 'will always be Prince Harry's home', adding that it is 'a country he wants his wife and children to be safe in'. But they added: 'With the lack of police protection, comes too great a personal risk.' Advertisement

In written arguments, Ms Fatima said Harry was not given a 'clear and full explanation' of the composition of Ravec and those involved in its decision-making - for example, that it included the Royal Household.

She also said his understanding was that his points regarding security, which he passed on to the Royal Household, were being 'fully and properly communicated to Ravec'.

Ms Fatima said he was denied the opportunity to make representations directly to Ravec and was 'materially prejudiced' because 'among other things, his offer to pay (for security) was not conveyed to Ravec before the decision was made'.

She added: 'He does not know what else - as communicated by him to the Royal Household - was not fully/timeously conveyed to Ravec.

'He was deprived of the opportunity to comment on the appropriateness of Ravec's process (and) the involvement of certain individuals in the Ravec process prior to the decision being made.

'It is arguable that, if there had been a fair process, Ravec would or could have reached a different decision.'

Lawyers for the Home Office say Ravec was entitled to reach the decision it did, which is that the duke's security arrangements will be considered on a 'case by case' basis, and argue that permission for a full judicial review should be refused.

Sir James Eadie QC, representing the Home Office, said in written arguments that any tensions between Harry and Royal Household officials are 'irrelevant' to his change in status.

He said: 'In his skeleton, the claimant now refers to objections he might have made to any role being played by officials of the Royal Household in Ravec's decision-making - apparently because of personal tensions he felt with them.

'But there is no bias challenge and any such tensions are irrelevant to the undisputed fact of the claimant's change in status which led to the decision of Ravec.

'The inability of the claimant even now to explain how a process of representations could or would have assisted is striking.'

Sir James also said there is 'no basis for the court to conclude that it would be anything other than highly likely' that allowing Harry to make representations to Ravec before the decision was made 'would not have led to that decision being substantially different, or even at all different'.

At a previous hearing in March, the judge ruled that parts of the court documents in the case should be remain private.

The challenge came after he was told he would no longer be given the 'same degree' of personal protective security when visiting from the US, where he and Meghan now live after dramatically quitting from their roles as frontline royals.

Ms Fatima previously told the court that Harry considers the UK 'is and always will be his home'.

A representative for Harry previously said the duke wants to fund the security himself, rather than ask taxpayers to foot the bill.

However, Robert Palmer QC, for the Home Office, previously told the court the duke's offer of private funding was 'irrelevant'.

In written submissions, he said: 'Personal protective security by the police is not available on a privately financed basis, and Ravec does not make decisions on the provision of such security on the basis that any financial contribution could be sought or obtained to pay for it.'

At a preliminary hearing earlier this year, the High Court in London heard an application by both sides for some parts of the court documents in the case to be kept private.

Mr Justice Swift said the bid to withhold or redact documents - including a confidential witness statement made by Harry - was allowed.

The judge said: 'Some of the information relied on concerns security arrangements put in place either for the claimant or for other public figures in the United Kingdom. For obvious reasons information on such matters usually remains confidential.'

Mr Justice Swift said that some parts of his reasons for the decision would have to remain confidential as well.

He added that editing out information from court documents would 'avoid the risk that putting information into the public domain concerning security arrangements made on past occasions, and the general approach to whether and if so what arrangements should be made, may impair the effectiveness of arrangements in place now, or which may be put in place in the future'.

'Information about these matters would self-evidently be of interest to anyone wishing to harm a person within the scope of the security arrangements and would assist them to piece together previous practice with a view to anticipating present or future security provision,' he continued.

After the judgment was made public, Mr Justice Swift criticised Harry's legal team for breaking the embargo on the document.

High Court judgments are typically provided to lawyers in the case under embargo in a draft form ahead of being made public.

However, Mr Justice Swift said that a copy of today's ruling had been emailed to someone who was not a lawyer, against court rules, calling this 'entirely unacceptable'.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (pictured) returned with their two children last month for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee after reportedly being given 'cast iron assurances' they would be protected by specialist police

High Court (pictured: Library image of the Royal Courts of Justice in London) judgments are typically provided to lawyers in the case under embargo in a draft form ahead of being made public

Shaheed Fatima QC, for the duke, said she and her team were unsure about whether sending the draft judgment last week was a breach, but had decided to report it to the judge on Wednesday.

However, the senior judge said it was a 'clear breach' and questioned why it had not been raised immediately.

Mr Justice Swift continued: 'It should have been obvious that what happened was a breach. At the very least, it should have been obvious that it needed to be reported to the judge, me, at as soon as possible.'

'It is also unacceptable that you come without an apology to the court,' he later said.

Ms Fatima said she took full responsibility and apologised 'for the fact that I didn't think fully before the emails were sent'.

Mr Justice Swift said he will give his decision on today's hearing in writing at a later date on whether to grant permission for a full hearing.

A Government spokesperson said: 'The UK Government's protective security system is rigorous and proportionate.

'It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals' security.

'It would not be appropriate to comment on ongoing legal proceedings.'
A senior UK executive sacked by the Russian billionaire behind Stolichnaya vodka when he objected to 'brutal' staff pay cuts during the pandemic has won a 1.6m payout.

Vlad Zabelin, a 180,000-a-year Chief Investment Officer, was fired over the phone for complaining about salary reductions as the firm was still making profits, an employment tribunal heard.

His boss, Yuri Shefler, a vodka tycoon worth 2 billion according to Forbes, had slashed the pay of all his 2,000 workers by 30 per cent when Covid hit, even though the business was still performing well.

Mr Zabelin raised concerns that Shefler, owner of S.P.I. Group, was 'using the pandemic as an excuse to cut pay without any transparency' and that cuts were 'unnecessary'.

Shefler then sacked London-based Mr Zabelin to 'punish' him, who also complained that he would not receive his annual bonus of up to 180,000.

But now Mr Zabelin has won a substantial payout totalling 1,626,452.07 after successfully suing 54-year-old Shefler - who is married to a Victoria's Secret model - for whistle-blowing and unfair dismissal.

Yuri Shefler (left) fired Chief Investment Officer Vlad Zabelin (right) over the phone to 'punish' the 180,000-a-year executive for complaining about the cuts

Shefler is married to Russian Victoria's Secret model Tatiana Kovylina, 40, with whom he has four children

The iconic Stolichnaya vodka: One of the oldest vodka brands in Russia Origins of the famous vodka brand are debated, bit Sojuzplodoimport, the brand's owner, claims the the first Stolichnaya bottles were produced in 1941, in besieged Leningrad, with mass production starting in 1943. Considered a premium vodka, its prices were high and it was soon granted the nickname 'Stoli'. It's heyday was in the 80s, and by 1990, Stolichnaya vodka was being exported to 90 countries. It featured in comedy Absolutely Fabulous as a key component of the Stolli-Bolli cocktail - a mix of Champagne and vodka. In 1997, Yuri Shefler created Sojuzplodimport, acquired Stolichnaya, sold it to his other company (Spirits International, in the Netherlands) and founded S.P.I. Group. Shefler bought Stolli from state-owned VVO Soyuzplodoimport for $285,000 but the sale was later ruled illegal and the vodka is banned from being sold in Russia, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium. Advertisement

A remedy tribunal hearing was told Mr Zabelin was currently negotiating terms in a new role as CEO of an international mining company.

Mr Zabelin worked as Group Chief Investment Officer for Shefler's company - which supplies alcohol to 170 countries - and in March 2020 initially agreed to a 30 per cent pay cut for three months due to the pandemic.

However, when he was informed it would continue without an end in sight, he objected.

Mr Zabelin had learnt that 'expensive' investment opportunities were still being explored in America when employees in New York were facing 'brutal pay cuts'.

Speaking to senior executives in Luxembourg, where the company is based, Mr Zabelin was told the cuts created 'an environment of mess and despair'.

Mr Zabelin complained the pay cuts created a toxic environment and would negatively affect mental health while a change to how bonuses would be calculated would have a 'significant negative effect' on employee motivation and morale.

He claimed SPI was 'not being transparent and was using the pandemic as an excuse to make adverse decisions against staff'.

In June 2020, Shefler called Mr Zabelin and 'expressly' fired him during the conversation.

Mr Zabelin said: '[Shefler] said that a bonus would only be considered if a person does [something] extra, outside of such person's scope of work.

'When I told him that this was not what my employment contract was saying he told me 'then sign a resignation letter if you don't agree'.

'When I asked him why I should sign a resignation letter, he told me literally 'forget about everything, I am firing you' and hung up.'

S.P.I Group is best known for selling Stolichnaya vodka, which Shefler bought from state-owned VVO Soyuzplodoimport for $285,000 in 1997

Married to a Victoria's Secret model and selling vodka that is banned in 4 countries: Who is Yuri Shefler? Yuri Shefler, 54, is a vodka tycoon worth 2 billion according to Forbes. The owner of S.P.I. Group shares four children with his wife, Russian Victoria's Secret model Tatiana Kovylina, 40. In 2017 he bought what is believed to be the most expensive sporting estate in the Scottish Highlands - after agreeing to pay 25million. The S.P.I Group, which produces and sells alcohol under 380 brands in 160 counties, is worth an eye-watering 1.3billion. He bought the company which owns the Tulchan Estate - a 21,000-acre property 40 miles south of Inverness - four years ago. The area boasts some of the best salmon fishing in Europe. It had been owned by the Litchfield family before it was sold to Mr Shefler's company. In 2021, Mr Shelfer was listed at 1205 in Forbes' list of the world's richest billionaires. S.P.I Group is best known for selling Stolichnaya vodka, which Shefler bought from state-owned VVO Soyuzplodoimport for $285,000 in 1997. The sale was later ruled illegal and the vodka is banned from being sold in Russia, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium. Shefler used to own the megayacht Serene but sold it to Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's deputy crown prince, in the summer of 2014. Advertisement

Employment Judge Lewis, sitting at London Central, ruled Shefler 'lost his patience' and was already 'annoyed' at Mr Zabelin raising concerns about cuts and bonuses.

Judge Lewis said: 'No procedures were followed whatsoever. In the middle of a conversation to discuss his concerns about pay and bonus cuts, Mr Zabelin was told out of the blue that he was fired.

'It was clear the Group had good cash flow and was still making profits. Further, it had not got to the point of Mr Zabelin refusing to accept such cuts.

'He was at the stage of arguing his case and asking for transparency about what was proposed.

'No reasonable employer would have dismissed for this reason in these circumstances, even had they chosen to follow fair procedures.'

The judge added: 'Mr Zabelin expressed concern that SPI was using the pandemic as an excuse to cut pay without any transparency. He believed this tended to show a breach of trust and confidence.

'It was reasonable for him to believe this. He knew from his own ongoing projects and instructions that SPI was able to continue to engage in expensive mergers and acquisitions.

'The SPI Group is a fairly large international company with high profile products. The cuts appear to have applied to most or all of 2,000 employees.

'It is reasonable to believe that at a time of Covid, there was public interest in the impact on employees including whether employers were unnecessarily cutting pay of staff, and on how employees might have felt about it.

'An open-ended 30 per cent pay cut was significant.

'Shefler had telephoned the claimant at the first opportunity after Mr Zabelin's objections had been conveyed to him...

'He started by talking about the [bonus] and lost patience as soon as Mr Zabelin referred to his contract of employment.

'We doubt that Shefler would have lost his patience quite so quickly and to the point of dismissing Mr Zabelin if he had not already been annoyed about his wider position.'

Shefler did not provide evidence at the tribunal and Judge Lewis concluded the sacking was 'out of hand'.

Judge Lewis awarded Mr Zabelin 1,626,452.07 in compensation for his unfair dismissal and whistleblowing claims against Shefler and SPI Spirits (UK) Limited - the UK subsidiary of the group - as well as for financial losses incurred due to his dismissal.

The remedy hearing was told Mr Zabelin was currently negotiating a new position as CEO of a 'large UK-registered mining company' which is listed on the AIM stock exchange and works mainly in Russia.

Shefler is married to Russian Victoria's Secret model Tatiana Kovylina, 40, who he has four children with.

In 2021, he was listed at 1205 in Forbes' list of the world's richest billionaires.

S.P.I Group is best known for selling Stolichnaya vodka, which Shefler bought from state-owned VVO Soyuzplodoimport for $285,000 in 1997.

The sale was later ruled illegal and the vodka is banned from being sold in Russia, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium.

It has since rebranded as Stoli, following the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine earlier this year.

Shefler used to own the megayacht Serene but sold it to Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's deputy crown prince, in the summer of 2014.
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Boris Johnson is being increasingly compared to Donald Trump by senior Conservative colleagues today - as his tactics to cling onto power become more desperate despite reports that he is due to resign today.

Tory grandee Sir Bernard Jenkin says he told the PM yesterday: You can go with some dignity or you can be forced out like Donald Trump.

The intervention from Sir Bernard comes as the Prime Minister has refused to resign despite a staggering 53 Governmental resignations in just over two days - triggered by Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid quitting on Tuesday night.

Veteran Tory MP Sir Bernard even urged Carrie Johnson to step in a convince her husband that he should throw in the towel.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pictured today) is being bombarded with more resignations but has refused to quit

Mr Johnson's personal approval rating has even dipped below Mr Trump's low point around the time of the Capitol riot on January 6, 2022

According to YouGov, just 23 per cent of voters approve of Mr Johnson - with the figure likely to fall further still after a chaotic week in No.10 -

Conservative MP Sir Bernard Jenkin, who chairs the Commons Liaison Committee, spoke to BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning.

Theres no question its over for Boris Johnson as Prime Minster and I went to tell him that at lunchtime yesterday after Prime Ministers Questions.

There are three ways a prime minister can be removed; one is his government falls apart - and thats happening, but its astonishing he hasnt got the message from that.

Second; the bigger vote of confidence in the Conservative Party to remove him as leader and he would have to go.

And ultimately, there could be a vote of confidence in the House of Commons and I dont think he would want to bring it to that.

'I just said to him, look, its just when you go now and its how you go. You can go with some dignity or you can be forced out like Donald Trump clinging to power and pretending hes won the election when hes lost.

I hope hell go today  he really must go today. I mean the reason why - I wasnt at the 1922 executive yesterday  but the reason why I think they decided not to change the rules first of all, were due a re-election; but the second reason is well surely hes just going to go. Surely he sees the writing on the wall. I mean its got a kind of Macbeth-like quality at the moment. Birnam wood will never come to Dunsinane, and I am not of woman born.

Former Cabinet minister Julian Smith also warned that the premier had seen how Donald Trump behaved in relation to the Capitol riots after the US election, and was looking to have a 'mini version in the UK'.

Mr Johnson's personal approval rating has even dipped below Mr Trump's low point around the time of the Capitol riot on January 6, 2022.

According to YouGov, just 23 per cent of voters approve of Mr Johnson - with the figure likely to fall further still after a chaotic week in No.10.

Mr Trump's personal approval rating hit a low as he left office after the January 6 Capitol riot - languishing at a meagre 34 per cent, according to Gallup.

Mr Trump refused to admit that he lost the 2020 Presidential election to Joe Biden in months of delusional ramblings which culminated in his supporters storming the US Capitol building as Congress were trying to certify the Electoral College result.

Mr Johnson bizarrely sacked Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove yesterday - after a delegation of Cabinet colleagues had entered No.10 in order to try and convince the Prime Minister to resign.

The PM has vowed defiance on multiple occasions yesterday - a stand which shows no signs of abating despite more Government resignations today.

Mr Trump refused to admit that he lost the 2020 Presidential election to Joe Biden in months of delusional ramblings which culminated in his supporters storming the US Capitol building

Mr Trump sensationally claimed he won the 2020 election and made baseless claims of voter fraud in a speech on Election Night from the White House

Deputy PM Dominic Raab is thought to have told the Prime Minister that he risked putting the monarch in an intolerable position if he tried to call a snap election, The Sun reports.

The Queen, 96, was yesterday pictured being driven from Wood Farm near Sandringham, Norfolk, to her helicopter which flew her back to Windsor Castle.

She typically holds a weekly meeting with the Prime Minister on Wednesdays, which have frequently taken place over the phone since the coronavirus pandemic broke out, but it is not clear whether it occurred yesterday amid the pandemonium surrounding Mr Johnson's leadership.

Concern among MPs comes following the approval of the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act which was brought into law this year, repealing the Fixed-term Parliaments Act and allowing for the body to be dissolved by the Queen 'on the request of the prime minister'.

Conservative MPs worry that the Prime Minister could try to use it to save his premiership.

Constitutional experts have branded the 'nuclear option' of asking the Queen for a dissolution 'deluded madness' which would spark a crisis as the monarch would be obliged to turned down his request.

The Prime Minister rejected calls to quit on Wednesday and dramatically sacked Cabinet rival Michael Gove, but was later hit with the departure of a third Cabinet minister - Welsh Secretary Simon Hart - and further demands to go from the Attorney General

Boris Johnson's allies have now raised the prospect of taking the 'nuclear option' and asking the Queen to dissolve parliament to trigger an election - which he does technically have the power to do - but the monarch could also refuse the request

The exodus of ministers continues 6.47am: Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis - tweeted that he could not longer continue without 'honesty, integrity and mutual respect'. 6.49am: Treasury minister Helen Whately - said 'there are only so many times you can apologise and move on'. 7.15am: Security minister Damian Hinds - 'for our country, and trust in our democracy, we must have a change of leadership' 7.21am: Science minister George Freeman - accused Mr Johnson of 'insults to the Conservatism I believe in and stand for'. 7.50am: Pensions minister Guy Opperman - 'it should not take the resignation of 50 colleagues, but sadly the PM has left us no choice' 8.02am: Technology minister Chris Philp - 'the PM should step down'. 8.09am: Courts minister James Cartlidge - 'The position is clearly untenable.' 8.59am: Education Secretary Michelle Donelan resigns after just 36 hours Advertisement

Under the UK's uncodified constitution and the so-called 'Lascelles Principles', the Queen would not be obliged to dissolve Parliament if a Conservative MP is able to command the confidence of a majority of the House of Commons.

Despite the UK being a parliamentary democracy, Mr Johnson claimed to have a presidential-style personal mandate from the last election, apparently saying: 'If the party wants to overthrow the elected will of the people, they have to dip their hands in blood.'

Supporters are fleeing the PM as the resignation tally now stands at 54 following the resignation of Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis and six others this morning.

At 6.47am, he tweeted that he could not longer continue without 'honesty, integrity and mutual respect'. Minutes later Treasury minister Helen Whately followed suit saying 'there are only so many times you can apologise and move on'. Security minister Damian Hinds and science minister George Freeman had followed by 7.30am, and pensions minister Guy Opperman by 7.50am.

Meanwhile, Wales minister David TC Davies publicly announced that he had refused a promotion to take over from Welsh Secretary Simon Hart, who quit last night. The Attorney General, Suella Braverman has called for Mr Johnson to resign and said she is only staying in place to keep the government functioning.

The government has been unable to find a minister willing to go on the airwaves to speak up for the PM this morning - although his critics have been swarming to studios.

The Prime Minister now faces the ignominy of a second vote of no confidence by his own party after the 1922 Committee elections on Monday.

Mr Johnson narrowly won a confidence vote earlier this year and is nominally protected from another under party rules for 12 months - but the next executive of the backbench Tory committee is likely to scrap this rule to remove the Prime Minister.
One of Australia's largest prisons has been targeted by anonymous hackers.

The Port Phillip Prison in Melbourne's west has been forced to suspend prisoner visits after its computer systems were breached.

It is understood the hackers have taken control of the Truganina jail's online network prompting management to ramp-up security measures inside the jail.

The Port Phillip Prison in Melbourne's west (pictured) has been forced to suspend prisoner visits after its computer systems fell victim to a cyber attack

It is understood the hackers have taken control of the Truganina jail's online network prompting management to ramp-up security measures inside the jail (stock image)

Visits to the prison's 1,000 inmates, both in-person and via video, have been temporarily suspended as police investigate the cyber attack.

Victoria Police and the State Government's Cyber Incident Response Team have been notified of the security breach, the Herald Sun reports.

Management has ramped-up security measures in response to the hack to ensure the safety of prison employees and inmates.

While essential calls can be made, phone access has been restricted with only professionals like social workers or lawyers authorised for to enter.

A spokesman for Port Phillip's operator, G4S, confirmed the prison was being affected by cyber security incident but said prisoners and staff were unaffected.

Victoria's Corrections, Prison & Parole department said Port Phillip experiencing 'network issues' with communications with prisoners limited.

'We are prioritising urgent welfare concerns,' a statement on Wednesday said.

'The prison operator is working to fix these issues as quickly as possible.'

It is understood the hackers have taken control of the Truganina jail's systems and have demanded the transfer of ransom payments to get it back (pictured, inside the Melbourne jail)

'Corrections Victoria is currently working with G4S to ensure these issues are resolved as quickly as possible,' the spokeswoman said.

'There has been no impact on the safety and security of staff and prisoners.'

Port Phillip Prison is a maximum security jail and Victoria's largest prison, able to accommodate up to 1,087 prisoners at any given time.

The jail has 13 accommodation units with each cell fitted with a shower, hand basin, toilet, desk, chair, television, kettle, storage shelves, intercom and a bed.

The facility also has a 20-bed inpatient hospital unit.
This is the dramatic moment police ram a pair of car thieves off the road after a high speed chase through residential streets in Birmingham.

Dashcam footage shows the police car ram the rear wing of stolen 'hot hatch' Seat Leon, causing it to spin 180 degrees and become pinned against a fence.

Khye Salmon, 20, ripped through red lights and mounted pavements at 80mph in a while officers hunted him and accomplice Callum Rivers, 21.

Rivers had been arrested after a nearly identical chase just two days prior where police rammed him off the road while driving a stolen VW Up.

They broke into a string of homes and stole car keys to drive off with 250,000 worth of cars and have been jailed for a total of nine years.

The pair were eventually brought to a halt by police as a police car crashed into their stolen motor at 5am on February 20, 2020.

Passenger Callum Rivers, 21, as the car is being shunted by police. Police caught a gang of car key burglars after bringing their crime spree to a juddering end

Khye Salmon (left) , 20, and Callum Rivers (right), 21, who has been jailed for a string of car key burglaries in Birmingham and were rammed off the road by police in February 2020. Rivers had been arrested just two days prior to this chase in nearly identical circumstances after police rammed him off the road after he stole a VW Up

Footage shows passenger Rivers being thrown across the bafck seat of the car as it span out to a stop in Church Lane, Sheldon in Birmingham.

The car thieves then tried to make a run for it, flee on foot, but officers, armed with tasers, ran after them.

One officer screamed: 'Police! Get on the ground now. Do not [bleep] move.

'Hands behind your back now.'

Salmon and Rivers were arrested at the scene and officers discovered the Seat had been stolen the previous day from a house in Leamington Spa, Warks.

This was the second time Rivers had been arrested by West Midlands Police in two days.

Police officers chased a VW Up which had stolen on February 17 from Fallowfields Road, Solihull, before ramming it in Admington Road, Sheldon.

Salmon ripped through red lights and mounted pavements at 80mph in a stolen 'hot hatch' Seat Leon while officers hunted him and accomplice Rivers. Pictured: Khye Salmon being chased by West Midlands Police officers

Salmon drove the stolen Seat Leon on the pavement at speeds of up to 80mph in Birmingham

The car was driven through residential streets at unsafe speeds of up to 80mph

The police car ram the rear wing of the Seat Leon, causing it to spin 180 degrees and become pinned against a fence

Rivers, who was banned from driving, was behind the wheel and was bailed after being arrested on suspicion of burglary and car theft conspiracy.

Detectives found him and Salmon were involved in at least 17 burglaries at homes and shops dating back to September 2019.

On September 8, 2019, a Skoda Octavia and Ford Fiesta ST were stolen from a home in Haslucks Green Road, Shirley, West Mids.

Fellow thief Anthony Ferrie, 26, accompanied them to commit some of their earlier offences.

The gang targeted homes in Redditch, Stechford, Sutton Coldfield and Shirley before targeting several shops.

They smashed windows at a Spar in Hampton Lane, Solihull, at 2am on October 30 where they made off with a wheelie bin filled with cigarettes.

On November 6 they struck at One Stop in High Street, Knowle, followed by two more early morning shop raids on November 10 in Norwich Croft, Marston Green, and Alcester Road, Birmingham, where cash and scratch cards were taken.

In total they made off with vehicles valued at up to 250,000 plus thousands of pounds worth of cigarettes and takings from shops.

Police recovered DNA linking the men to the break-ins, including Ferrie's on the Skoda's airbag after it crashed during a chase.

A mobile phone left in the Skoda also linked Salmon and Ferrie.

Police also discovered imprints from Ferrie's rare North Face trainers at one of the break-ins.

After ramming the stolen Seat Leon off the road in Birmingham, at 5am on February 20, 2020, police proceeded to arrest the pair of burglars

'Get on the ground now. Do not [bleep] move.' Pictured: West Midlands Police officers arresting Rivers and Salmon after ramming the stolen car they were driving off the road

Rivers, of Stechford, admitted conspiracy to commit five burglaries and was convicted of dangerous driving.

He was jailed for four years and four months at Birmingham Crown Court in January.

Salmon, of Sheldon, admitted conspiracy to commit six burglaries and was also convicted of dangerous driving.

He was jailed for four years and ten months and banned from driving for 28 months when he appeared at court on June 30.

Ferrie, of Northfield, admitted his involvement in 14 break-ins and will be sentenced on July 14.

PC Mark Woodcock, one of the officers who caught up with the gang, said: 'These are three dangerous men who thought nothing of forcing entry to people's homes while they slept.

'At one attempted break-in at a petrol station (Texaco, Sutton Coldfield) they threatened a taxi driver with machetes when he drove onto the forecourt.

'During the pursuits we knew they were not going to cooperate and pull over so we had to take decisive action at the right moment to stop them before they risked causing injury to other road users or pedestrians.

'Our officers are highly trained to perform these kinds of manoeuvres and help take offenders off our streets.'
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Gambling man Nadhim Zahawi was yesterday betting on the Tory party and the public forgiving him for standing by Boris Johnson and becoming Chancellor - and then delivering the fatal blow to his premiership all in 24 hours.

The Tory MP, a multi-millionaire married father-of-three, went from being Boris Johnson's saviour to his assassin in the space of a day amid claims he has been secretly preparing his leadership campaign for months with the help of the PM's own election guru.

One politics watcher described his actions over the past 24 hours as: 'Caligula-esque sh*thousery'.

It is another calculated bet for the Tory MP whose risk taking in business has seen him compared to Del Boy from Only Fools and Horses and a contestant trying to impress Lord Sugar on The Apprentice.

But Peter Kellner, his former senior colleague at polling giant YouGov, the company Mr Zahawi founded and made millions from, said today: 'My old friend, who I worked with for 10 years, has made a serious mistake - you do not chain yourself to a sinking ship'.

Political commentator Joe Murphy wrote in the Evening Standard: 'In the end it took a politician as ruthless and ambitious as Boris himself to deliver the coup de grace' and that the PM, who himself took down Theresa May, will understand 'the brutal political necessity for Zahawi to commit regicide'.

The 55-year-old Tory MP's rise is extraordinary given he arrived in Britain aged nine as a Kurdish refugee from Iraq after fleeing Saddam Hussein with his family and not speaking any English. He went on to make a fortune founding polling firm YouGov and building a 100million property portfolio.

Mr Zahawi was dramatically promoted from Education Secretary to Chancellor late on Tuesday night after Rishi Sunak quit. And he publicly defended the Prime Minister after being put in charge of the Treasury to firm up the Tory leader's position.

But just a few hours later Mr Zahawi was joining other former loyalists at No 10 in trying to persuade Mr Johnson to quit and yesterday morning pulled the plug, telling the PM publicly to 'do the right thing and go now'. Minutes later it emerged that the Prime Minister had finally agreed to resign because he had no Chancellor willing to back him.

On Wednesday night it was claimed that he has been secretly preparing a Tory leadership campaign with close allies of election guru Sir Lynton Crosby, the Australian strategist credited with winning Boris multiple elections.

Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi (pictured yesterday) following his appointment after Rishi Sunak resigned from the post. Today he knifed Boris Johnson in an extraordinary U-turn. He is married to wife Lana (together right in London on June 21) and they have three children

Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pictured on Wednesday) finally agreed to quit being bombarded with more resignations and Mr Zahawi pulled his own support

A younger Nadhim Zahawi (right), who has a 100m property portfolio, is pictured in his flat in Brompton, West London, with designer Broosk Saib (left) in a flat he bought from Dutch supermodel Karen Mulder

The PM has admitted defeat half-an-hour after a shattering intervention from Nadhim Zahawi (pictured), who was only appointed on Tuesday night in the wake of Rishi Sunak's departure

A portrait Nadhim Zahawi, when joint CEO of YouGov, with Chairman Peter Kellner (R). The polling business would make him millions. Mr Kellner yesterday said that his friend 'made a serious mistake - you do not chain yourself to a sinking ship'

Mr Zahawi was summoned to Downing Street on Wednesday night and asked to take over at the Treasury after Boris Johnson refused to quit. The PM will resign as Tory leader

Mr Zahawi receives an AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccination in Lewisham, South East London, on March 19. He was praised and promoted to Education Secretary for his work in rolling out the jab

Father-of-three Mr Zahawi, pictured in October 1996 when he was a businessman, is a risk taker and friends say would have done well on the Apprentice with Lord Sugar

The Chancellor has reportedly spent months working on plans that include proposals to cut corporation tax and VAT. Boris Johnson's ex-strategist Mark Fullbrook is running the campaign, according to The Times. The plan is apparently ready to put into action and Mr Zahawi was prepared to resign this week if he had not been made Chancellor.

Friends have said that Mr Zahawi's 'real blood and passion was politics' - but before being elected as Tory MP for Stratford-Upon-Avon MP in 2010 he dedicated himself to making a 'f**k load of money'. Another friend in Parliament said: 'He's a sort of lovable wheeler-dealer type', adding there is 'a bit of Del Boy about him'.

Mr Zahawi, a married father-of-three, said on Wednesday he was backing Boris Johnson because he is 'dedicated to the country that gave me everything' - and denied he is bolstering his own personal ambition to be Prime Minister. But others have claimed otherwise.

It has never been plain sailing for the senior Tory. An early venture as a young entrepreneur, selling Teletubbies clothing at the height of the show's fame, went bust and backers including former Tory grandee Jeffrey Archer, lost their money.

'You know in your heart what the right thing to do is - go now': Nadhim Zahawi's letter to Boris Johnson in FULL My number one priority has and always will be this great country. When asked to become Chancellor, I did it out of loyalty. Not to a man, but loyalty to this country and all it has given me. The challenges Britain faces, be it inflation or Putins war in Ukraine, will not pause for anything, and it is vital that the major offices of state continue to function through a national crisis. If people have thought poorly of me for that decision, it is criticism I am willing to shoulder. Yesterday, I made clear to the Prime Minister alongside my colleagues in No10 that there was only one direction where this was going, and that he should leave with dignity. Out of respect, and in the hopes that he would listen to an old friend of 30 years, I kept this counsel private. I am heartbroken that he hasnt listened and that he is now undermining the incredible achievements of this Government at this late hour. No one will forget getting Brexit done, keeping a dangerous antisemite out of No 10, our handling of covid and our support for Ukraine in its hour of need.But the country deserves a Government that is not only stable, but which acts with integrity. 'Prime Minister, you know in your heart what the right thing to do is, and go now'. Advertisement

But he would become one of the richest politicians in the House of Commons after he helped found YouGov with friend Stephan Shakespeare having studied chemical engineering at University College London.

Who is the favourite to replace Boris Johnson as the next Tory leader? Penny Mordaunt - 4/1 Rishi Sunak - 4/1 Ben Wallace - 8/1 Liz Truss - 8/1 Nadhim Zahawi - 9/1 Jeremy Hunt - 10/1 Tom Tugendhat - 11/1 George Eustice - 20/1 Michael Gove - 25/1 Dominic Raab - 28/1 Mark Harper - 40/1 Priti Patel - 40/1 Jacob Rees-Mogg - 80/1 Nadine Dorries - 200/1 Advertisement

In 2002 he took a gamble on ITV's Pop Idol - the biggest show on TV at the time - that would make him even more money in a story friends use to explain his mindset in business and now politics.

Before the final between Will Young and Gareth Gates, the pundits were convinced that it would be Gates that would romp home.

But YouGov polling said otherwise, and he put thousands of pounds on Will Young to win, which he did, allowing the Chancellor to beat the bookies and pundits and makes a fortune.

Former YouGov head of political research Joe Twyman told Politico: 'It tells you a lot about him. He really believed what we were doing was right, he was willing to take the risk, he enjoyed the showmanship and the fun of it all  but also he wanted to make f*** load of money.'

Not only did Nadhim win the bet, he also used to push YouGov's credibility and three years later he is said to have made 5.7million when it floated.

One senior government figure said Zahawi as a calculated risk-taker - a claim made yesterday as he decided to back Boris Johnson with his leadership in peril.

'He isn't reckless. He makes sure the odds are in his favor before he makes a bet', the insider said.

Former YouGov President Peter Kellner has said he would have made a 'perfect' contestant for TV game show The Apprentice, if the show starring Lord Sugar had existed in the 1980s and 1990s.

'He was very sharp and shrewd in business terms', he said, adding it was no surprise that he was a success as Vaccines Minister in the pandemic because 'in a sense, the vaccine job is like an Alan Sugar challenge writ very large'.

He is now one of the favourites to replace Boris Johnson. Friend Tobias Ellwood, a sharp critic of Mr Johnson, has long said he would support him if he stands for leader.

He told Politico: 'Too many people have got responsibility in Cabinet that arguably shouldn't be there, given the changing environment from December 2019 to where we are today.

'His promotion [to Education Secretary] recognises that we have high-calibre people within the ranks of parliament with skill sets that can and should be tapped into'.

Mr Zahawi was privately-educated at King's College School in West London and University College London where he studied chemical engineering.

One of the wealthiest members of Parliament, he went on to be named 'entrepreneur of the year' by Ernst & Young and set up successful polling company YouGov.

He is said to have a property empire worth around 100million.

The father-of-three was elected MP in 2010 - the first Kurdish Iraqi to be elected to Parliament.

Zahawi went on to act as an aide to Lord Archer before heading into politics himself.

Despite initially backing Dominic Raab for Conservative party leader in 2019, he has been loyal to Mr Johnson ever since.

He was previously children's minister from January 2018 to July 2019, during which time he attended the controversial Presidents Club Ball.

He was said to have been given a dressing down by the chief whip after complaints of sexism and harassment at the all-male gathering for the business elite.

During the MPs expenses scandal, he was forced to apologise for claiming taxpayers' money to heat his stables on his Warwickshire estate.

Last year Mr Zahawi faced fresh scrutiny over his income from second jobs after using a legal loophole to shield his total earnings.

The new Chancellor earned more than 1.3 million from a role with Bermuda-listed Gulf Keystone from 2015 until he became a minister.

But his total income from second jobs since becoming an MP in 2010 is unknown because he funnelled it through a consultancy firm, Zahawi and Zahawi, which he set up with wife Lana before being elected MP for Stratford in 2010.

Mr Zahawi in 2004 after being knocked off his moped on Albert Embankment - before the moped was given a parking ticket

Mr Zahawi kisses Boris Johnson's wife Carrie at the 2019 Conservative Party Conference in Manchester in September 2019

Mr Zahawi walks through the Birmingham Conference Centre with then prime minister David Cameron in 2010

There is no suggestion any rules or laws have been broken. But Sir Alistair Graham, a former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, told the Mirror: 'This could be interpreted as a deliberate attempt to get around the rules so that he doesn't have to admit the scale of his earnings in a consultant capacity.

'The important thing to stress is that MPs have their personal responsibility to ensure that they comply not only with the letter but the spirit of the code of conduct.

'Constituents have a right to know how much time and money he is taking separate to his political work.'

Mr Zahawi, the Iraq-born founder of YouGov, was appointed chief strategy officer at Gulf Keystone Petroleum in 2015 and reported outside earnings which were the equivalent of an annual salary of 765,000.

He received a salary of 20,125 a month, for working between eight and 21 hours per week.

In addition to that, he received a string of bonuses between January and June 2016, adding up to 78,246.38, plus a payment of 52,325 made in September 2015 for 210 hours work, backdated to July last year.

Previously, Zahawi acted as an adviser to Afren, another oil company that went under in 2015.

Most recently the Education Secretary, he had early success as the vaccines minister, helping to lead the Government's vaccine programme following his appointment in November 2020.

Seen as a 'safe pair of hands', he came to the Education Secretary role following the sacking of Gavin Williamson, who had become deeply unpopular with the public over the exams fiasco during the Covid-19 pandemic.

His tenure in the role has not been without difficulty and in recent weeks he had been attempting to see off potential strike action by teachers, which he has labelled 'unforgivable' months after children returned to school following the disruption of the pandemic.

Mr Zahawi became a junior education minister under Theresa May, but his loyalty to Boris Johnson has never seriously wavered.

On Tuesday night, in taking the Chancellor role, he had decided to try to save Mr Johnson from a comedy of errors.

And now it seems certain he will run to be the next leader of the Tories.

Mr Zahawi, who was only appointed on Tuesday, said he had made clear privately to Mr Johnson that he should go but 'I am heartbroken that he hasn't listened and that he is now undermining the incredible achievements of this Government at this late hour'.

The Chancellor's extraordinary statement said the country 'deserves a Government that is not only stable, but which acts with integrity'.

Mr Zahawi has not resigned but Michelle Donelan, who was also only appointed on Tuesday night, quit as Education Secretary.

She told Mr Johnson 'I can see no way that you can continue in post' but without a formal mechanism to remove him the Cabinet must 'force your hand'.

Brandon Lewis quit his Cabinet post as Northern Ireland Secretary, telling the Prime Minister the Government requires 'honesty, integrity and mutual respect' and it is 'now past the point of no return'.

His departure was soon followed by a string of other ministers as the number of MPs quitting government and party posts since Tuesday evening topped 50.
Kaitlin Armstrong, a 34-year-old Texas woman suspected of assassinating love rival and professional cyclist Anna Moriah "Mo" Wilson, is now the subject of a federal hold request while being held in an Austin jail on $3.5 million bail, according to court documents.

So, even if she could post bond, she'd be detained, according to former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, who spoke to Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

Kaitlin Armstrong Charged in Death of Moriah Wilson

Federal detainers, according to the Justice Department, are legal letters advising one jurisdiction that an individual is facing outstanding charges in another. Armstrong is being jailed on state accusations of first-degree murder and theft of services in Austin, Texas. On the federal level, she's been charged with unauthorized flight to evade prosecution after fleeing for 43 days while identified in a murder investigation.

According to an Austin murder warrant, the former yoga instructor is suspected of stalking and killing Wilson on May 11. Her Jeep Grand Cherokee was seen on a security camera near the murder site shortly before the slaying, according to police.

As per the warrant, the Jeep arrived minutes after Armstrong's boyfriend, a 35-year-old fellow pro cyclist named Colin Strickland, left the 25-year-old Wilson off at her friend's apartment in Austin, Fox News reported.

Read Also: US Sends Stealth F-35 Fighters to South Korea in Joint Maneuvers To Show Force as Tensions Rise Against North

Kaitlin Armstrong May Have Had Plastic Surgery

While on the run from murder accusations in connection with the death of professional cyclist Mo Wilson, Kaitlin Armstrong radically changed her look, maybe even undergoing cosmetic surgery. Armstrong's efforts to conceal her identity were clear. Her unique reddish curly hair had been colored dark and chopped shorter. According to Marshals Service and Homeland Security investigators, Armstrong boarded United Airlines Flight 1222 from Newark International Airport to San Jose, Costa Rica, on May 18.

Deputy US Marshal Brandon Filla stated during a news conference last week that Armstrong resembled the person in the passport but did not explain how she got to have it. Armstrong was detained with bandages and bruises on her face, which Filla blamed on a surfing mishap.

Her booking photo reveals bruising around her eyes, and the tip of her nose seems smaller than in prior images. Inside Edition said that it examined a voucher discovered among Armstrong's stuff at the hostel where she was living; the receipt is for a cosmetic surgery center in San Rafael de Escazu, Costa Rica.

Meanwhile, a private investigator warned Kaitlyn Armstrong's friends and family members that if any of them were found to have made contact with the alleged killer during her escape, they may face criminal charges. Veteran private investigator Bill Warner said anyone in touch with Armstrong or knowing her locations throughout her time on the run might be prosecuted as an accessory if they failed to warn police before her apprehension, as per The Sun.

The USMS was approached by The US Sun for comment on whether or not investigators think Armstrong spoke with anybody during her time on the run. Three members of Armstrong's family have also yet to respond to a request for comment. Warner, a professional investigator for the previous 25 years, speculated that USMS had been watching Amstrong's parents, younger sister, and any close acquaintances in recent weeks, including their cellphone activities, according to Chron.

Related Article: Highland Park Shooting Suspect Facing Life Sentence Over 7 Counts of Murder, More Charges Expected

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Boris Johnson decided to quit as Conservative leader today, hours after Sir Bernard Jenkin had called on his wife Carrie Johnson to convince him to resign.

The Tory MP said that she should invoke the spirit of Margaret Thatcher's husband Denis, who told his reluctant wife the night before she quit that she had to go.

While it is not clear whether Mrs Johnson had any involvement in convincing her husband to step down as Prime Minister, Commons Liaison Committee chairman Sir Bernard had said hours earlier that she should have an important role to play in this.

He said of Mrs Thatcher: 'It was her closest allies  Norman Tebbit, a very close friend Frank Field, and of course her husband Denis who said: 'Come on love, it's over'.'

Mr Johnson, 58, is thought to have been discussing issues at Downing Street with his director of communications Guto Harri, as well as his 34-year-old wife.

Sir Bernard also said the responsibility was now 'for those who are closest around him' to convince Mr Johnson to go, and reflected on the events of November 1990.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning: 'It's those people who have got to tell a leader that it's over, because they just go into denial at this point.'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and wife Carrie at the G7 summit in Germany on June 26

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher with husband Denis Thatcher at 10 Downing Street in 1979

Sir Bernard spoke to the Prime Minister yesterday about his refusal to quit, urging him to go - amid a wave of ministerial resignations over the past few days.

He said this morning: 'There's no question it's over for Boris Johnson as Prime Minster and I went to tell him that at lunchtime yesterday after Prime Minister's Questions.

'There are three ways a prime minister can be removed; one is his government falls apart, and that's happening, but it's astonishing he hasn't got the message from that.

'Second; the bigger vote of confidence in the Conservative Party to remove him as leader and he would have to go.

Commons Liaison Committee chairman Sir Bernard Jenkin, who is also a Conservative MP

'And ultimately, there could be a vote of confidence in the House of Commons and I don't think he would want to bring it to that.'

'I just said to him, look, it's just when you go now and it's how you go. You can go with some dignity or you can be forced out like Donald Trump clinging to power and pretending he's won the election when he's lost.

'And the responsibility here is for those who are closest around him. I remember when Margaret Thatcher was ousted  I wasn't even in Parliament then, but heard much about it afterwards. Many people went to see her to try to get her to carry on.

'Remember she had actually won the first round of the ballot in the leadership contest. But it was her closest allies  Norman Tebbit, a very close friend Frank Field, and of course her husband Denis who said: 'Come on love, it's over.'

Number 10's director of communications Guto Harri (centre) walks along Downing Street yesterday alongside two members of staff - Samantha Cohen (left) and David Canzini (right)

'And it's those people who have got to tell a leader that it's over, because they just go into denial at this point.'

'What I said to him is, for your own sake, for your own reputation, for the people you really love, for the people who really love you, don't put yourself through this and don't extend the agony for the Conservative Party and the country  it's in nobody's interests.

'I hope he'll go today  he really must go today. I mean the reason why - I wasn't at the 1922 executive yesterday  but the reason why I think they decided not to change the rules first of all, we're due a re-election; but the second reason is well surely he's just going to go. Surely he sees the writing on the wall.

'I mean it's got a kind of Macbeth-like quality at the moment. Birnam Wood will never come to Dunsinane, and I am not of woman born.'
A Lancashire deputy headmistress who taught at a controversial 'spiritual' school has avoided jail over a lunchtime drink driving smash, saying she is getting treatment for a severe alcohol problem.

Hayley Copplestone, 40, tested more than four times the alcohol limit after her black BMW veered onto the wrong side of the road and crashed into an oncoming Nissan Juke at 1pm on April 23 of this year.

She left Sefton Magistrates' Court yesterday after being handed a suspended sentence, driving ban, a fine and 84 hours of unpaid work

In the moments after the head-on collision, Copplestone staggered from her vehicle and told the other driver she was 'sorry' before walking off.

Police were called to the scene and she was located at a nearby property shortly afterwards.

Sefton Magistrates' Court heard yesterday that Copplestone, from Croston, near Preston, has no previous convictions and is getting treatment for her severe alcohol problem - before she was sentenced to 12 weeks imprisonment as a suspended sentence.

Since the collision she has been getting private counselling and joined Alcoholics Anonymous.

The incident occurred in April this year in Bootle, Liverpool - eight months after she left her job at the spiritual school, which is named after the Indian yoga guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

The mother of one had previously been deputy head teacher at the state-funded Maharishi Free School in Ormskirk, Lancashire, where pupils learn 'Transcendental Meditation' calming techniques as part of their curriculum.

Transcendental meditation was coined by the Indian yoga guru in the 1950s and is a form of positive, mantra-based meditation.

Mother-of-one Hayley Copplestone, 40, tested more than four times the alcohol limit after the collision

The school has just over 200 students and uses 'consciousness-based education' methods including the meditation, which pupils practise for ten minute sessions at least twice a day.

Shannen Carey, prosecuting, told the court Copplestone had been dirving on Kirkstone Road West when she veered into oncoming traffic.

She told the court the driver of the Nissan slowed down as the car came towards them, then came to a stop - but the BMW continued driving and hit the front of the car, before swerving and hitting a blue Peugeot.

Ms Carey said: 'The female driver got out of the BMW and walked over and said she was sorry.

'The witness asked what happened and the driver provided her details, her name and address.

'The witness thought the BMW driver was behaving in a strange manner and did not appear to be right.

'She was speaking slowly, her eyes were glazed. She tried to write down her details but she could not.

'The witness thought she may be drunk and asked a member of the public to call the police.'

Once police had been called, the court heard Copplestone was found at a nearby address.

She failed a roadside breath test and was taken into custody where the drink-drive procedure was conducted, and she was found to be more than four times above the legal limit.

In mitigation her lawyer Sinead Fearon said: 'It is clear from the sentencing guidelines that this offence starts with an immediate term of imprisonment - however, given her lack of previous convictions and her prompt guilty plea a custodial sentence can surely be suspended.

One of the drivers Copplestone collided with reported she had been unable to write her details down for them, leading them to wonder if she was drunk

Copplestone's lawyer told the court she has been 'working on herself', and has taken up private counselling and joined Alcoholics Anonymous to try and tackle her alcohol problem

'A plethora of references have been handed into the court, I do not need to go over how encouraging they are. They paint a picture of a very different person from what we have heard today.

'She has been seeking help and working on herself. She has taken up private counselling, had her medication changed, and she has gone to Alcoholics Anonymous where she has completed the 12 step program.

'She has attended Aspire [drug and alcohol service] as well. She is not coming to court with a cap in hand demanding that the court help her.

'In fact she is devastated by her actions. She is remorseful and trying to sort herself out regardless of what happens in the court today.'

'This has been an incredible learning experience for the defendant. She placed her son, her liberty and her job - which she had worked hard at for many years - she put them at risk and she is not going to do that again. '

Copplestone was also ordered to complete 84 hours of unpaid work, 20 days of Rehabilitative Activities and a six-month alcohol treatment program. She was banned from driving for 36 months.

Chairman of the bench Brian Wilson told her: 'I do not need to tell you how serious this matter is before the court today.

'It has passed the custody threshold because you were involved in an accident and the manner of your driving on the day.

But he added: 'We feel that there's a realistic prospect of rehabilitation which you have demonstrated by already seeking some help, you have undertaken private counselling, attended AA meetings and completed the 12-step program.

'We have also considered the significant impact any immediate custodial sentence would have on your son.'

Copplestone was further ordered to pay 213 in costs and a victim surcharge.

The Maharishi Free School was found in 1986 with the school proclaiming its Consciousness Based Education' helps pupils 'unfold their own creativity and intelligence as a basis for greater achievement.'

According to school officials, the program enables the students to be calmer, more focused and relaxed and improves their ability to learn and Ofsted inspectors said the school provided an 'outstanding education'.

But in 2011 union leaders compared the school to a 'religious sect' and was criticised for its 'spiritual and pseudoscientific' teaching' by MPs including Labour's Lisa Nandy who serves as Shadow Secretary for Levelling Up.

In May 2012 a group of professors and science communicators wrote a letter to The Guardian calling the Maharishi school a 'serious threat to education' for its teaching of pseudoscience, comparing it to the dangers of creationist schools.
A Tibetan woman has died after a man on board a bus in Toronto allegedly poured flammable liquid on her and set her on fire.

Toronto paramedics rushed the woman suffering second and third-degree burns to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre after a half-dressed stranger approached her and set her alight.

She was attacked at Kipling station, which is near Kipling Avenue and Dundas Avenue West, at about 12:25pm on June 17.

Police arrested Tenzin Norbu, 33, and charged him with attempted murder and assault with a weapon. Toronto police are treating the incident as a hate crime.

A file photo of Toronto Kipling subway station, where a woman was doused in liquid and set on fire on June 17, is shown

Constable Alex Li, spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service, said she died Tuesday and that homicide officers are now deciding whether to upgrade the charge to murder.

In a statement posted to an online fundraiser, the woman's sister says: 'Thank you everyone for all the support. We are so grateful, and it has been a difficult time. My sister lived a life of service to others and cared for many people.'

The statement says donations have now reached more than $34,000 and will be used for funeral expenses and health-care costs.

'To my sister, we love you and we miss you. We wish her soul to rest in peace.'

At an event celebrating the 87th birthday of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, community members marked a moment of silence in commemoration of the victim, who has not been named.

Police are shown responding to the incident on June 17 outside of the coach station

Toronto paramedics rushed the woman suffering second and third-degree burns to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

'Nobody expected something like this to happen,' Kalsang Phuntsok, president of the Tibetan Association of Ontario, told CBC News.

'It's really unfortunate and a very sad event. A lot of Tibetans don't expect something like that to happen randomly. Most of them are quite shocked.'

Toronto Mayor John Tory said: 'We all pray for the woman attacked at Kipling Station. This is a shocking criminal act that shouldnt happen anywhere in our city.'

He thanked TTC employees and bystanders for rushing to help the woman.

A link to the GoFundMe campaign for the woman's family can be found here.
Vladimir Putin's lapdog parliament has threatened to take back Alaska from the US if seized Russian assets are used to rebuild Ukraine after the war.

Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the state Duma and Russia's most-senior politician, made the astonishing suggestion during a session of parliament on Wednesday.

America must remember before it starts spending seized Russian money 'that we also have something to get back' Volodin said, telling MPs to 'keep an eye on Alaska'.

Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of Russia's lapdog parliament, has suggested taking back Alaska from the US if seized Russian money is used to rebuild Ukraine

The Russian Empire had a number of outposts in North America that it founded in the 18th and 19th centuries, the first and longest-lasting of which were in Alaska.

But Tsar Alexander II sold the territory to US President Andrew Johnson in 1867 for $7.2million - $144million in today's money - and it became a state in 1959.

'Decency is not weakness,' Volodin told the lower house of parliament on Wednesday. 'We always have something to answer with.

'Let America always remember, there is part of its territory... Alaska.'

He warned: 'When they start trying to dispose of our resources abroad, let them think before they do so that we also have something to get back.'

He ordered other MPs to 'keep an eye on Alaska'.

President Zelensky and his allies have ramped up calls to use seized Russian assets to pay for the rebuilding of Ukraine in recent weeks, ahead of making a formal proposition to the UN in September.

Ukraine estimates the cost of rebuilding damage to the country - as things stand today - is an eye-watering $750billion.

In order to ease the burden on both Kyiv and its allies, politicians say seized Russian assets - including $300billion in foreign currency reserves - should contribute towards the final bill.

The idea has gained some traction. Canada has recently passed laws allowing Russia's assets to be liquidated for reparations, and similar laws are being discussed by EU leaders Urusula von der Leyen and Charles Michel.

Russia ran several settlements in North America during the 19th century, among two of the most prominent being California's Fort Ross and various colonies in Alaska

That has caused fury within Russia, with MP Pyotr Tolstoy - great great grandson of writer Leo Tolstoy and deputy speaker of the Duma - on Wednesday suggesting that a referendum should be held in Alaska on rejoining Russia.

Sham referendums are typically held by Russian on territory it is planning to appropriate into the mainland.

A similar vote was carried out in 2014 in Crimea - with 96 per cent of people voting to join Russia, under duress from troops stationed there at the time - before it was annexed to the mainland.

It is thought Russia will attempt a similar tactic in areas of Ukraine it has occupied since the start of the war to try and take permanent ownership of them: Kherson and Mariupol in the south, and Luhansk province in the east.

Kremlin-appointed leaders were rumored to be preparing votes in the lead-up to Russia's Victory Day back in May, but held off amid partisan attacks.

It is hardly the first time that Russia has made threats towards Alaska under the pretense of 'taking back' its 'historic territory.'

Back in March, just weeks after Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, Putin's 'spin doctor' Oleg Matveychev demanded the US return not only Alaska, but also Fort Ross in California - a 19th century settlement just outside of modern-day San Francisco.

Speaking on a state media propaganda channel, Matveychev demanded 'the return of all Russian properties, those of the Russian empire, the Soviet Union and current Russia, which has been seized in the United States.'

Among those properties were Alaska and Fort Ross, he added, before throwing in the entirety of Antarctica for good measure.

'We discovered it, so it belongs to us,' he said.
A 64-year-old lorry driver accused of murdering a coffin maker claimed he had been having a sexual relationship with her but ended it because of the 44 year age gap, a court heard today.

Neculai Paizan is accused of beating Hungarian Agnes Akom over the head more than 20 times inside a converted shipping container in Brent, northwest London, on May 9 last year.

Paizan, who was born in Romania, stuffed the 20-year-old's body in a wheelie bin but then moved it to a park and buried it in a shallow grave under a pile of logs, jurors have heard.

Ms Akom was reported missing on May 11 and her body was not found for a month.

The last person she had been in contact with on her phone was Paizan and the last area her phone was used was by the Lennox Autos car dealership next to the shipping container.

On May 18, officers went to Lennox Autos, found the nearby container empty and began to search it. Paizan arrived as police were beginning their search.

Prosecutors told the Old Bailey the trucker was returning from a visit to Neasden Recreation Ground where he had buried Ms Akom.

Paizan revisited the site six times in the days after he dumped the body, the court heard.

Neculai Paizan, 64, is accused of murdering Agnes Akom, 20, (pictured above)

Ms Akom, pictured first went missing on May 11 last year and Paizan was arrested on May 18

CCTV of Ms Akom on day she was last seen before officers discovered her body in a park

A police officer told Paizan that they were trying to find Ms Akom and asked if he knew where she was.

He did, of course, because he had been to the place where he had hidden her body twice that day, Mr Hallam said.

Paizan allegedly told the officer he had last seen Ms Akom two weeks ago in Cricklewood.

He said they went to Sainsburys together and then drove to the container where she stayed for 15 minutes before he dropped her off at a nearby Asda.

He is also said to have told police that Ms Akom had been speaking to someone on her phone and that she was going to meet them in Croydon.

Another officer asked Paizan if he had had a sexual relationship with Ms Akom.

The prosecutor said: He said he had, two or three times, but not since a year or so before.

He said that he was shy and she was too young.

The scene at Neasden Recreation Park where police have found the remains of Ms Akom

The discovery was made by police officers searching for Ms Akom after she vanished in May

He said that she always wanted him to give or lend her money and that she had too many friends.

He said that he did not like this situation.

He suggested that the officers check the CCTV cameras covering the container.

Paizan was taken to Wembley Police Station and interviewed as a witness.

In the interview, he told officers he had met Ms Akom 18 months before, the court heard.

He had seen her begging, Mr Hallam said.

He said they had had a sexual relationship but he had ended it because she was too young.

Paizan estimated to officers that they had had sex 10-15 times, including at the container, jurors heard.

Mr Hallam went on: He told the police in that witness interview that on 9 May he had collected Agnes and had taken her to an address in Willesden where she had gone inside for between 10-15 minutes.

They had stopped at the container for a short while.

While they were inside the container they hugged but she said they should go.

He then took her to the Asda in Park Royal where they parted company.

After the interview, Paizan was labelled a suspect as his account did not match the CCTV footage he told police to check, the court heard.

Hours later, at around 11:30pm, Paizan was arrested on suspicion of murder and false imprisonment.

Paizan denies murder and the trial continues.
Ukraine's flag is flying over Snake Island for the first time since Vladimir Putin's forces withdrew from the strategic island in a major victory for Kyiv's forces.

Troops from special volunteer unit Zgard inspected the blitzed Black Sea island and flew the blue-and-yellow national flag in a symbolic gesture of defiance.

Guards chief Arut Papoian said: 'Snake Island has always been Ukrainian and always will be. And no temporary occupation will change that.

Ukrainian volunteer soldiers from the Zgard battalion visited Snake Island for 15 minutes after Russian forces retreated last week, and raised their flag over the tiny spit of land

Russia seized the island on the first day of the war, but it became symbolic of Ukrainian resistance after its defenders memorably told an approaching warship to 'go f*** yourself'

'Our battalion was the first to visit Snake Island after liberation. It was risky, but now our flag is flying on the island.

'Soon all of Ukraine will be freed. We will win together.'

A source said: 'The soldiers were on the island for 15 minutes. They hung flags, took selfies and evacuated to the mainland.'

Footage shows the destruction of infrastructure on the remote island.

Earlier pictures purporting to show the Ukrainian flag on Snake Island in fact showed a scene from before the war.

Russia abandoned the outpost last week just days after Ukraine's armed forces launched a crippling rocket attack, in what the Kremlin claimed was a 'good will gesture'.

Putin's remaining troops on the island fled in the middle of the night in two speedboats with the rocky outcrop left 'covered in fire' following a fresh volley of rocket attacks on remaining Russian positions, Ukraine's military said.

The Russians made unsuccessful attempts to destroy their remaining equipment abandoned on the island, to keep it from falling into Ukrainian hands and being turned against its creators.

The retreat represents a humiliating strategic blow for Putin in a war that has seen him lose tens of thousands of soldiers and vast amounts of military equipment.

The 100-acre hunk of land is a favourable strategic position, sitting some 80 miles off Ukraine's southern coastline in the Black Sea. Russia seized the island early in the war and had largely managed to maintain control of it despite intermittent attacks from Ukraine's armed forces

Russia had moved troops and anti-aircraft batteries to the island to provide cover for its naval forces, but was forced to retreat after being pounded by Ukrainian artillery and jets

The 100-acre Snake Island outpost has proved to be a valuable strategic position for both sides, sitting some 80 miles off Ukraine's southern coastline in the Black Sea.

Russia seized the island early in the war and managed to maintain control of it for months but its forces were subjected to persistent bombing raids before their withdrawal.

In February, Ukrainian border guard Roman Hrybov on Snake Island famously radioed 'Russian warship, go f*** yourself' to Russian officers aboard the Moskva, which was later sunk.

In the recording released by Ukraine, a Russian is heard saying: 'This is a military warship. This is a Russian military warship. I suggest you lay down your weapons and surrender to avoid bloodshed and needless casualties. Otherwise, you will be bombed. Do you copy?'

After a short period of silence, Hrybov is heard asking a colleague, 'Well this is it, should I tell him to go f*** himself?' Another voice said, 'Just in case'

The volume was turned up as Roman responded: 'Russian warship, go f*** yourself.'

His outburst became a popular slogan of resistance in the David vs Goliath battle and even inspired a patriotic poster campaign across the nation..

Explosions are seen on Snake Island via thermal imaging as Ukraine hit it with artillery and jet bombers, before Russia decided to give up and retreat

The Ukrainian soldier who told a Kremlin navy warship to 'go f*** yourself' was starved and beaten in a 'hellish' Russian prison

Hrybov and his crew were thought dead after the Moskva bombarded the island with artillery fire.

But it emerged three days later that the border guards had miraculously escaped death and ended up being captured by Russian forces and held for a month in a military jail at a secret location

During his imprisonment Hrybov lost 22 pounds and said he was 'degraded', before he was returned to Ukraine in March.

Some analysts have said Russia's withdrawal from Snake Island off Ukraine's southwestern coast could loosen its blockade on Ukrainian ports.

But a Kyiv-based foreign diplomat said it was still not enough to allow for safe transit of Ukrainian grain.

'There is a requirement for demining, and Russia still has capabilities (military vessels, costal defence systems and air superiority) that will allow them to interdict shipping lanes,' the diplomat said.

To unblock its ports so it can ship grain, Ukraine would need allied support and for Turkey to play a key role, the diplomat added.
A multi-millionaire who handed 200,000 to a street sweeper drinking buddy nearly ten years ago has won a court fight to make him pay it all back.

John Rankin Cornforth handed the cash in instalments to local council street sweeper Simon Denyer to pay off divorce bills and the mortgage on his flat between 2012 and 2014.

John Rankin Cornforth, 62, a former legal clerk who inherited 'millions of pounds' when his 'rich' father died, handed local authority street cleaner Simon Denyer around 200,000 in three chunks between 2012 and 2014.

Mr Cornforth, who has a 1.5million home in the Guildford area and property in New Zealand worth 600,000, was already living a wealthy lifestyle on a substantial family trust fund before he came into his inheritance.

He had become 'drinking buddies' with Mr Denyer after meeting him at a New Year's Eve party and handed his impoverished friend 76,300 to cover the costs of an 'acrimonious' divorce he was going through in 2012 and then another 125,000 to pay off the mortgage on his flat in 2014.

John Rankin Cornforth (pictured), 62, a former legal clerk who inherited 'millions of pounds' when his 'rich' father died, handed local authority street cleaner Simon Denyer around 200,000 in three chunks between 2012 and 2014

But the multi-millionaire said he believed that his friend, who he had met at a New Year's Eve party, would soon inherit a fortune and be able to pay him back.

The case ended up in court after Mr Denyer refused to hand back 125,000.

Mr Denyer, who at the time the money was handed over was employed as a street cleaner by Guildford Borough Council claimed that the 125,000 to cover the mortgage was given as a 'gift' by his rich friend.

Mr Denyer had previously accepted that the money his former friend handed him to pay divorce bills was a loan, and had paid it back, Mayor and City County Court heard.

But after two days in court, Judge Stephen Hellman this afternoon ruled that the 125,000 to cover the mortgage had also been a loan, not a gift, and so would have to be repaid.

'It is in my judgment inherently implausible that the claimant, even though at the time he was a wealthy man, would have given 125,000 - a substantial sum - to a friend, even a close friend,' he said.

'There is no contemporaneous evidence that this was a gift in the sense of any documentation recording that was what was intended.

'I am satisfied that the mortgage advance was understood by both the claimant and the defendant to be a loan.'

He said the 125,000, plus interest, would have to be paid back, but ruled that no interest is due on the sums used to pay off Mr Denyer's divorce bills.

Chris Howitt, for Mr Denyer, told Mayors and City County Court that the men first met at a New Year's Eve Party in 1979 and had become 'drinking partners and good buddies'.

Mr Cornforth had become 'drinking buddies' with Mr Denyer (pictured) after meeting him at a New Year's Eve party and handed his impoverished friend 76,300 to cover the costs of an 'acrimonious' divorce he was going through in 2012 and then another 125,000 to pay off the mortgage on his flat in 2014

They both came from wealthy family backgrounds, with Mr Denyer being the son of the former Mayor of Elmbridge whilst Mr Cornforth's father was described in court as 'a rich man who supported (him) generously throughout his life'.

But their fortunes had veered in opposite directions by 2012, with Mr Cornforth having inherited 'millions of pounds' in cash and shares from his father, whereas Mr Denyer was cleaning streets for the local council and facing a 'highly acrimonious and thoroughly unpleasant' divorce from his then wife Tracy.

Both of the former friends agree that Mr Cornforth handed Mr Denyer 26,300 to cover the legal costs of his divorce in 2012, another 50,000 to pay a settlement sum to his ex in 2013, and 125,000 to pay off the mortgage on his flat in the surrey village of Shalford in 2014.

But while Mr Denyer accepts that the divorce monies were loans and had to be paid back, he claims his pal paid off his mortgage as 'a gift'.

He also says there was no interest payable on the loans made nearly ten years ago.

Mr Cornforth, however, insists that all the money he gave his pal was by way of loans which he is now demanding he repays.

He also wants interest on the divorce loans at one per cent above Bank of England base rate for the last ten years.

Mr Cornforth (pictured) insists that all the money he gave his pal was by way of loans, with a court today ruling in his favour that the outstanding amount must be repaid in full

Giving evidence, Mr Cornforth told Judge Stephen Hellman that 200,000 is 'not a huge sum' to him, but that he had 'trusted' his pal to pay it back.

But his friend's barrister replied: 'For Mr Denyer, who is a street cleaner, that is an enormous sum,' going on to allege that Mr Cornforth had known Mr Denyer would not be able to pay him back.

'He was in a dire financial situation. This was a gift wasn't it, because he was your friend, wasn't it?' he asked.

'No,' Mr Cornforth replied.

David Brounger, for Mr Cornforth, explained that his case is that the two men agreed that all the monies were loans and would be repayable in ten years' time, because Mr Denyer was hopeful that he would by then have come into an inheritance himself.

However, Mr Howitt told the judge that Mr Cornforth had 'no written record' and 'no documentary evidence' to prove that the monies handed over were loans, except for a reference in Mr Denyer's divorce paperwork relating to the divorce cash.

But Mr Cornforth told the judge he had not asked for any written proof of making the loans to his pal 'because I trusted him'.
Britons continued to feast on the political drama around Boris Johnson after news broke that he is to resign as Prime Minister - with plenty of hilarious memes being posted on social media this morning.

Mr Johnson has had a tumultuous two days with 59 MPs and ministers resigning from their posts - finally forcing him out of his position as Prime Minister.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced their resignations on Tuesday night, with their departures triggering walkouts by more junior members of the Government.

Last night, Michael Gove was sacked by Johnson as Secretary of State for Housing after he called on the PM to resign.

This morning, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis and Education Secretary Michelle Donelan resigned from their posts. Security minister Damian Hinds, pensions minister Guy Opperman, courts minister James Cartlidge, exchequer secretary Helen Whateley and science minister George Freeman also tendered their resignations.

Newly installed Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi released a statement on Thursday morning calling on the Prime Minister to go, just 36 hours after taking the role, telling Mr Johnson: 'You must do the right thing and go now.'

A spokesman for Number 10 said: 'The prime minister will make a statement to the country today.'

Now that Mr Johnson's time in Number 10 is coming to an end, dozens of memes making light of the situation have been posted on Twitter.

Another made reference to the legendary 'What a sad little life Jane' Come Dine With Me meme, which shows a diner looking intently at his fellow competitors to mirror Boris looking at his Cabinet after the few days

Now that Mr Johnson's time in Number 10 is coming to an end, dozens of memes making light of the situation were posted on Twitter

The hashtag #BorisGoneson has begun to gain traction on the social media platform, with one user describing the 'new Tory slogan' as 'Going, going, gone'.

One showed Nadine Dorries and Boris Johnson in a cartoon cave with the subtitles, 'This is where I come to cry,' with the Tweet reading: 'Boris and Nadine running the UK alone'.

One made reference to the Prime Minister's wife Carrie Johnson and the expensive and controversial refurbishment of the Downing Street flat by designer Lulu Lytle.

The tweet read: 'Carrie with the iron frantically steaming off the gold wallpaper and stuffing it into an overnight bag.'

Memes included hashtags #BorisGoneson and others referenced leaving parties, including one which edited a 'Farewell Work Event' banner and balloons covering Number 10

Similarly, another one shows a movie scene with a couple arguing. 'Boris' tells 'Carrie', 'I know you have just decorated, but we have to go. Now!', and 'Carrie' responds: 'I'm not leaving behind the 20th Century Italian red-painted, parcel gilt, steel and giltwood four poster bed. Hang on...'

One said, 'Boris is resigning, this calls for toast,' with a picture of a Lurpak butter tub.

Another mentioned horror film Jaws by depicting the film's upbeat mayor of Amity Island outside Downing Street.

Stefan Edberg defeated Boris Becker in the final, 46, 76, 64, 62 to win the gentlemen's singles tennis - and one Twitter user noted that Johnson is the latest Boris to get 'out' during the Wimbledon fortnight was in 1988

Many joked about Boris Johnson's wife Carrie and her 'resignation letter' to follow suit of the 59 MPs who have quit government

Some people on Twitter have looked to the other candidates that could replace Boris later this year

Referencing the moment where the mayor promised the beaches were safe before the killer shark struck again, the tweet read: 'The Cabinet is open and everyone is having a wonderful time'.

Some people on Twitter have looked to the other candidates that could replace Boris later this year.

Before handing in his resignation a staggering 57 MPs and ministers handed in their own letters notifying the PM of their intent to leave, many people wondered how Boris would manage to fill all the gaps in his Cabinet and Tory party.

One user wrote 'Boris trying to hand out Ministerial posts', with the picture of a man chucking notes all over the place.

Another made reference to the legendary 'What a sad little life Jane' Come Dine With Me meme, which shows a diner looking intently at his fellow competitors to mirror Boris looking at his Cabinet after the few days.

One user wrote 'Boris trying to hand out Ministerial posts', with the picture of a man chucking notes all over the place

Lots of users shared GIFs on their Twitter accounts with celebratory moments after the news of Boris Johnson's resignation broke, including this WWE star clutching his winning belt

The hashtag #BorisGoneson has begun to gain traction on the social media platform, with one user describing the 'new Tory slogan' as 'Going, going, gone', while others pondered on wife Carrie's decisions following the resignation announcement

A third jokingly quoted Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky, depicting him as saying: 'The thing is Boris, you have visited quite a few times already'.

It was making reference to previous visits to Kyiv by Mr Johnson which have coincided with domestic criticism of the PM, sparking claims that the trips were attempts to distract from the bad press.

Another meme riffed on Mr Johnson's famous Brexit slogan, saying 'Get Exit Done' above a photo of the PM walking out of Number 10.

A fifth showed an illustration of the sinking Titanic and said: 'Live scenes from Downing St'.

Britons today saw the funny side of the crisis engulfing Boris Johnson's Government by taking to social media to poke fun at the Prime Minister's situation

Another jokingly quoted Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky, depicting him as saying: 'The thing is Boris, you have visited quite a few times already'

A third meme riffed on Mr Johnson's famous Brexit slogan, saying 'Get Exit Done' above a photo of the PM walking out of Number 10

Another showed an illustration of the sinking Titanic and said: 'Live scenes from Downing St'

One added a snapshot of a scene from The Simpsons, which shows reporters in a press room, with one saying, 'Why now? Why not two years ago?'

One Twitter user pondered on what Her Majesty The Queen's response would be to the 59 MPs and Ministers quitting their posts, and now the Prime Minister himself

Again on the subject of the Downing Street flat refurbishment, another tweet showed a famous photograph of the frantic US evacuation of Saigon during the Vietnam war and said: 'Scenes from Number 10 as Carrie Johnson flees with the wallpaper.'

A third on the subject said the PM could use the resignation letters he has received to 're-wallpaper' the Downing Street flat.

Mr Javid announced his resignation in an incendiary letter to the PM last night, with Mr Sunak following just minutes later with a similar broadside.

The PM appointed his chief of staff Steve Barclay to replace Mr Javid as Health Secretary, whilst Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi was promoted to become Chancellor.

It came after former top civil servant Lord McDonald of Salford released a letter which gave critics of the PM further ammunition over his appointment of alleged groper Chris Pincher to the whips' office.

Mr Sunak warned in his resignation letter that 'we cannot continue like this' and said he was going despite accepting that his senior job might be the last position he holds in Government.

Making light of the crisis, another meme on Twitter made reference to the Prime Minister's wife Carrie Johnson and the expensive and controversial refurbishment of the Downing Street flat by designer Lulu Lytle

On the same theme, another tweet showed a famous photograph of the frantic US evacuation of Saigon during the Vietnam war and said: 'Scenes from Number 10 as Carrie Johnson flees with the wallpaper

Comedian Rory Bremner said: Don't panic, everyone. Nadine Dorries, Priti Patel, Jacob Rees Mogg and Dominic Raab staying. We've still got the A team in charge'

This Tweeter joked that Mr Johnson and his wife could 're-wallpaper' the Downing Street flat 'with resignation letters'

'The public rightly expect Government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously,' he wrote.

Yesterday, Mr Zahawi was hit with news of another resignation while he was live on air.

Nadhim Zahawi was in the middle of an interview on the BBC's flagship Today programme on Wednesday morning when he was informed that children's minister Will Quince had joined the exodus, slamming No10's 'inaccurate' claims about the Chris Pincher allegations.

Asked whether it meant Mr Johnson is 'over', a sombre-looking Mr Zahawi responded: 'I am deeply sorry to see colleagues leave government.'

Schools minister Robin Walker joined his former colleague in walking out, saying the government was being 'overshadowed by mistakes and questions about integrity'.

This meme referenced popular show Would I Lie to You, saying 'I once took an 80 seat majority and p****d it up the wall in less than 3 years'
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Tory hopefuls are already plotting their bids to replace Boris Johnson after the Prime Minister finally gave in to pressure from his own party and announced his departure today.

Mr Johnson's team were in tears as he finally conceded he had run out of options, and the Conservative leader himself was said to have been 'sanguine' rather than angry upon realising they had 'tried everything' around 8.30am.

He has said that he will stay until a new leader is appointed by the Autumn, but mutinous MPs are determined to force him out immediately with Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab primed to be acting prime minister.

But Mr Raab, who was joint favorite with Rishi Sunak to get the job permanently, has reportedly ruled out running as has Michael Gove, who was sacked by the PM last night and branded a traitor for urging him to go.

Senior Tories are now gearing up to launch leadership bids, and Nadhim Zahawi, who went from being Boris Johnson's saviour to his assassin in the space of a day, is rumoured to have been planning for months with the help of Mr Johnson's election guru Sir Lynton Crosby.

A snap YouGov poll has revealed that Defence Secretary Ben Wallace is the clear favourite among Conservative Party members to replace Johnson - but he would not say whether he would run on a visit to a military training area in the north of England this afternoon.

'He's still the Prime Minister', he said, adding that once he has left 'I will be happy to talk'.

Former soldier and Tonbridge and Malling MP, Tom Tugendhat, is understood to have taken an early lead with more than 20 backers.

He announced in a Telegraph column that he would be running for leadership, writing: 'I have served before - in the military, and now in Parliament. Now I hope to answer the call once again as prime minister. It's time for a clean start. It's time for renewal.'

Rishi Sunak, whose shock resignation on Tuesday - just nine minutes after Sajid Javid's - plunged Mr Johnson's government further into crisis, already has a temporary campaign office set up in a hotel close to Parliament, the Mirror is reporting.

Liz Truss is yet to declare - but the Foreign Secretary has long been suspected of harbouring leadership ambitions, posing for photos that recall Margaret Thatcher as well as echoing her passion for freedom and low taxes. She has also been hosting 'Fizz with Liz' drinks in order to boost her support among fellow Tory MPs.

But amid chaos at home, Ms Truss flew to Indonesia yesterday for a meeting of G20 foreign ministers, leaving her an 18 hour flight away in Bali today. It is understood she cut short her attendance at the meeting to fly back to London to canvass for a bid to succeed Boris Johnson.

Early Tory leadership frontrunner Dominic Raab and Boris Johnson's 'frenemy' Michael Gove have already ruled out running to replace him.

Mr Sunak and Penny Mordaunt, who was giving a speech to Royal Navy and US top brass in London today, are the two remaining favourites with the bookies. Ms Mordaunt is believed to be running and reported to have her campaign team ready. But Mr Wallace is the favourite with the Tory faithful - even though it is still not clear if he wants the job.

Boris Johnson walks back into No 10 after he announced his resignation as leader of the Conservative Party

Rishi Sunak leaving home this morning. He quit as Chancellor on Tuesday night, helping kickstart a chain reaction that toppled Boris. He is expected to run and is the bookies' favourite. Rumours are he already has a team set up in a Westminster hotel

Britain's Foreign Secretary Liz Truss walks to attend a bilateral meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi ahead of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Nusa Dua, Bali. Penny Mordaunt popped up to give a speech in London

Mr Wallace, pictured at Sunday's British Grand Prix at Silverstone, has dramatically increased in popularity during the Ukraine crisis. He has not said if he will stand

Nadhim Zahawi chairs a meeting with Andrew Bailey, The Governor of the Bank of England today. He is said to have been planning for this for months. Michael Gove, pictured right, is said to have ruled out running

Labour Party leader Keir Starmer (L) kisses his wife Victoria at the Centre Court this afternoon as he called for Boris Johnson to leave No 10 immediately

It has been claimed that Mr Zahawi has been secretly preparing a Tory leadership campaign with close allies of election guru Sir Lynton Crosby, the Australian strategist credited with winning Boris multiple elections.

Boris's resignation speech at a glance PM vows to stay on until new Tory leader chosen 'I have today appointed a Cabinet to serve, as I will until a new leader is in place.' He fought to stay in power out of 'duty' to 2019 voters The PM hailed his 'incredible mandate' from the 2019 general election. He added: 'The reason I have fought so hard in the last few days to continue to deliver that mandate in person was not just because I wanted to do so, but because I felt it was my job, my duty, my obligation to you to continue to do what we promised to do in 2019.' PM hits out at those who removed him in 'eccentric' rebellion 'In the last few days I have tried to persuade my colleagues it would be eccentric to change governments when we are delivering so much and when we have such a vast mandate and when we're actually only a handful of points behind in the polls. 'Even in mid-term after quite a few months of pretty relentless sledging.' Boris admits 'pain' at leaving and attacks 'herd instinct' of MPs 'Of course it's painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself. 'But, as we've seen at Westminster, the herd instinct is powerful and when the herd moves, it moves. 'In politics, no one is remotely indispensable.' Pledges support to next Tory leader but urges them to cut taxes 'Our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader equally committed to taking this country forward through tough times. 'Not just helping families to get through it but changing and improving the way we do things - cutting burdens on businesses and families and, yes, cutting taxes. 'To that new leader, whoever he or she may be, I say I will give you as much support as I can.' His 'sadness' at giving up 'best job in the world' 'I know there will be many people who will be relieved and, perhaps, quite a few who will also be disappointed. 'I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world, but thems the breaks.' Message of support to Ukrainians He said: 'Let me say now to the people of Ukraine that I know we in the UK will continue to back your fight for freedom for as long as it takes.' Promise of a 'golden future' for Britons 'Even if things can sometimes seem dark now, our future together is golden.' Advertisement

Last night it was claimed that Nadhim Zahawi has been secretly preparing a Tory leadership campaign with close allies of election guru Sir Lynton Crosby.

The Chancellor has reportedly spent months working on plans that include proposals to cut corporation tax and VAT.

Boris Johnson's ex-strategist Mark Fullbrook is running the campaign, according to The Times. The plan is apparently ready to put into action and Mr Zahawi was prepared to resign this week if he had not been made Chancellor.

This morning he knifed Mr Johnson, 24 hours after backing him.

Tory MP Damian Green has given the clearest indication yet that Tom Tugendhat will run to replace Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party. Until today Mr Tugendhat has largely tweeted about learning to plait his daughter's hair.

But he said today: 'Right call by Boris Johnson to resign. Delivered Brexit, rolled out the vaccine and led on Ukraine. Now we need a clean start'.

Mr Green, an old ally of former prime minister Theresa May, told Sky News that he would be backing the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in any leadership contest.

'I think we need a fresh start. And, in particular, we need to restore trust in government, not just in this Government or a Conservative government, but in the way we do government more widely. I think having somebody who's not in the Cabinet... I think that's an advantage.'

Asked if Mr Tugendhat was definitely running, he said: 'I hope so, otherwise I wouldn't be saying this. So, yes, I think you can, you can take it that Tom is going to run'.

Former prime minister Sir John Major has said it would be 'unwise and may be unsustainable' for Boris Johnson to remain in office while a new Tory leader is elected.

Sir John warned Mr Johnson would continue to have the power of patronage and the ability to make decisions affecting the lives of people across the country despite losing the support of his MPs and ministers.

He warned the new interim Cabinet appointed by Mr Johnson following the wave of resignations this week may not be able to 'restrain him'.

In a letter to Tory 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady, Sir John said: 'The proposal for the Prime Minister to remain in office - for up to three months - having lost the support of his Cabinet, his Government and his parliamentary party is unwise, and may be unsustainable.

'In such a circumstance the Prime Minister maintains the power of patronage and, of even greater concern, the power to make decisions which will affect the lives of those within all four nations of the United Kingdom and further afield.

'Some will argue that his new Cabinet will restrain him. I merely note that his previous Cabinet did not - or could not - do so.'

Sir John suggested Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab could serve as acting prime minister until a new leader is elected.

Or he said Tory MPs could elect the new leader who would become prime minister, with party members then asked to endorse the decision.

Sir John said: 'Neither of these options is ideal, but the interests of the country must be given priority over all else and with so many long-term and critical issues before us, an imaginative response even at the risk of some bruised feelings within the party is most definitely in the national interest.'

Under the expected timetable, Conservative MPs will take part in a series of votes to whittle leadership candidates down to two, with Tory members then deciding the winner.

The process could take months, with a new leader expected to be in place before the party conference in October.

Bookmakers are currently making Rishi Sunak - who quit as Chancellor only two days ago - and Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab joint favourites at 4/1.

But there are a series of other potential frontrunners to replace Mr Johnson as Prime Minister, such as Penny Mordaunt and Ben Wallace who are both at 5/1.

Leadership candidate Tom Turgendhat has not mentioned Boris Johnson's future - instead concentrating on doing his daughter's hair before school. But insiders have claimed he is ready to run

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace topped a key ConservativeHome poll of Tory members over who should replace Boris Johnson as the party's next leader

Others on the list include Sajid Javid - the most experienced candidate having served as Home Secretary and Chancellor - and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss at 7/1. Also in the running is Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi at 8/1 and Jeremy Hunt at 10/1.

Can the PM REALLY hang on in No10 until October? The UK famously does not have a written constitution. But the process for changing Prime Ministers has been well established for centuries. Both David Cameron and Theresa May followed the standard route of resigning as Tory leader, but staying on as PM until a replacement is chosen. That can take months, as the party's MPs first whittle down the field to two candidates in a series of votes. They are then meant to be put to the wider Conservative membership in a run-off - although in the case of Mrs May her opponent Andrea Leadsom pulled out avoiding the need for the last stage. As soon as a new Tory leader is in place they will be the person who commands a majority in the Commons, and then the Queen can make them PM. In contrast, if Mr Johnson decided to quit as PM immediately, the hierarchy within government would kick in. Dominic Raab would be the next in line to take the helm in No10, again until the Tory leadership contest is complete. However, the mechanism for preventing a determined Mr Johnson from hanging on as PM during a Tory contest is less obvious. Senior Tories serving on the 1922 committee executive say there are no provisions in the rules for imposing a temporary leader while a permanent one is chosen. They believe that anyone who did serve as a caretaker PM would have to stay out of the leadership race, to avoid having an 'unfair advantage'. However, the 1922 executive is meeting again this afternoon and rules can be changed. After the events of recent days, there is deep anxiety about leaving Mr Johnson in place for another two months - especially with rumours swirling that he still wants to pursue radical new policies. Advertisement

It comes as a YouGov survey of 716 Tory party members shows a diverse field in the race to replace Mr Johnson  but Mr Wallace the clear favourite in head-to-heads.

Mr Wallace tops the overall list in the snap poll at 13 per cent, just ahead of Ms Mordaunt at 12 per cent, Mr Sunak at 10 per cent and Ms Truss at 8 per cent.

But Mr Wallace then wins all of his match-ups by wide margins  with his closest competitor being Mr Sunak, whom he sees off by 51 per cent to 30 per cent.

A recent survey by the influential ConservativeHome website has said that Ben Wallace and Penny Mordaunt are the favourites to amongst Tory members if and when a new leadership election starts. Liz Truss is in third place followed by Tom Tugendhat and Nadhim Zahawi. Rishi Sunak is way off the pace in ninth and Sajid Javid in 12th.

But editor Paul Goodman said that 'don't know chalked up 20 per cent or above for most contests. Which means that in most pairings, the contenders would have a fifth of the vote to try to squeeze were the contest real'.

When it comes to Rishi Sunak, most Britons believe the chancellor was right to resign (56%), with Conservative voters tending to agree by 47% to 24%.

Mr Sunak remains joint favourite to be the next Tory leader with Penny Mordaunt at 4/1. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace is at 8/1, the same odds as Liz Truss. New Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi is at 9/1, but he is the only candidate whose odds are shortening with very bookmaker.

Jeremy Hunt is next at 10/1, but a recent poll of Tory members found that he would lose in a run off against all the main candidates.

Ben Wallace topped a key poll of Conservatives over who should replace Boris Johnson as the party's next leader, after helping lead the response to the Ukraine crisis.

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 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. He will hope that his resignation will help.

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.

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

Anyone but Jeremy Hunt: It appears the former health Secretary would lose to all the main candidates

These are the top eight candidates in the race to become PM:

=1. RISHI SUNAK (4/1)

The former Chancellor's rise from relative obscurity to household name over a few years came as he turned on the spending taps to protect jobs through the furlough scheme when the coronavirus pandemic struck.

His calm and measured delivery during televised Covid briefings, and his viral declaration of being a 'total coke addict' when talking about Coca-Cola, will have endeared him to those perhaps not always plugged in to the political goings-on, as well as his resignation on matters of principle on Tuesday.

He said that the British public 'rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously'.

Mr Sunak was also praised for his Covid economic rescue package, including the costly furlough jobs retention programme that averted mass unemployment. But he later faced criticism for not giving enough cost-of-living support to households.

And his stock was also damaged by disclosures that his wife had non-dom status for tax purposes, and a fine he received along with the PM for breaking lockdown rules.

In addition, his tax-and-spend budget last year put the country on course for its biggest tax burden since the 1950s, undermining his claims to favour lower taxes.

=1. DOMINIC RAAB (4/1)

Dominic Raab - who is the joint favourite with Mr Sunak to take over as PM - was appointed Deputy Prime Minister last September, having been first elected as a Conservative MP in May 2010.

He was also Brexit Secretary from July to November 2018, Housing Minister from from January to July 2018, and Justice Minister from June 2017 to January 2018.

Before going into politics, the father-of-two worked as a business lawyer at City law firm Linklaters, focusing on project finance and competition law.

He did not quit the Cabinet amid the series of resignations this week, with a source close to him saying he was 'loyal' to Boris Johnson.

After it emerged the PM would quit, Tory peer and pollster Lord Hayward said he thinks there may be pressure for Mr Johnson to stand aside now and for Mr Raab to become acting prime minister.

Dominic Cummings, formerly Mr Johnson's right-hand man but now one of his most fierce critics, also suggested that Mr Raab should stand in as a caretaker premier.

He said the Cabinet should give Mr Johnson an ultimatum and tell him that if he does not go, the Queen will appoint Mr Raab and 'cops escort you from building'.

=3. PENNY MORDAUNT (5/1)

Another frontrunner with the bookies - currently third favourite - Ms Mordaunt made waves in 2019 as the UK's first female defence secretary.

But she was fired by Boris Johnson shortly after he became Prime Minister, after she endorsed his rival Jeremy Hunt during the last leadership contest.

Ms Mordaunt is also a Royal Navy reservist, the current trade minister and a former reality television contestant, having appeared on the Tom Daley-fronted diving show Splash.

She played a prominent role in the Leave campaign in the 2016 Brexit referendum, and has previously reportedly enjoyed the backing of Dame Andrea Leadsom among others.

Currently a junior trade minister, Mordaunt called the lockdown-breaking parties in government 'shameful'. She had previously expressed loyalty to Mr Johnson.

=3. BEN WALLACE (5/1)

The Defence Secretary has won admirers in Westminster for his straight-talking and straightforward approach, particularly among Conservative MPs who pressed for the UK to increase its defence spending, although cuts to the size of the Army remain a cause for concern.

Mr Wallace, who served in the Scots Guards, remains a key voice in the UK's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and this increased exposure could assist any leadership bid.

He has consistently supported Mr Johnson, but has pressed the case for increased defence spending.

The former soldier was mentioned in dispatches in 1992 for an incident in which the patrol he was commanding captured an Irish Republican Army guerrilla unit suspected of trying to carry out a bomb attack on British troops.

He began his political career as a member of Scotland's devolved assembly in May 1999, before being first elected to the Westminster parliament in 2005.

He was security minister from 2016 until taking on his current role three years later, winning plaudits as his department evacuated British nationals and allies from Afghanistan last year, and for sending weapons to Kyiv.

=5. SAJID JAVID (7/1)

Like Mr Sunak, Mr Javid's resignation on Tuesday caused chaos in Number 10, as the Health Secretary from famously humble beginnings left the Government.

State school-educated Mr Javid - known as 'The Saj' in some circles - is the son of a bus driver who arrived in England from Pakistan in the 1960s.

He held ministerial roles in housing, business and culture before becoming Chancellor, and then Health Secretary in the middle of the pandemic.

Mr Javid made it to the final four in the contest to replace Theresa May as Tory leader in 2019, but dropped out and subsequently endorsed Mr Johnson.

He told reporters after his resignation on Tuesday evening that he was looking forward to spending time with his family - but that was before Mr Johnson also decided to quit.

A former banker and a champion of free markets, Mr Javid is also a known admirer of Margaret Thatcher.

6. LIZ TRUSS (7/1)

The Foreign Secretary has made little secret of her leadership ambitions, with a series of high-profile interventions and photo opportunities in which she appeared to be channelling late prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

Among these was when she was photographed in a tank last year, echoing a famous 1986 photo of Britain's first female prime minister.

Her hard line on Ukraine, insisting Russian forces must be driven from the country, and threats to tear up the Northern Ireland Protocol with the EU, play well with sections of the party.

The 46-year-old spent the first two years of Mr Johnson's premiership as international trade secretary, championing Brexit, and last year was appointed as Britain's lead negotiator with the European Union.

Away from politics, Ms Truss's flair for social media has seen her offer an insight into life outside of Westminster by updating her Instagram account with pictures of her relaxing at the beach, or behind the scenes at official events, though her passions combined to bizarre effect in 2014 when her improbably enthusiastic speech about opening pork markets in Beijing went viral.

She is seen as the darling of the Conservative Party's grassroots and has regularly topped polls of party members carried out by the website Conservative Home.

Ms Truss had said on Monday that Mr Johnson had her '100 per cent backing' and she urged colleagues to support him.

Sources close to her today said that she is cutting short an official trip to Indonesia and will issue a statement shortly.

7. NADHIM ZAHAWI (8/1)

The former education secretary is regarded by some as a 'safe pair of hands' if other candidates prove too divisive - indeed he was the man trusted to take on the broadcast round of interviews yesterday morning, on his first full day in his new job as Chancellor.

But asked if he will run for leader when there is a vacancy, he said: 'There is no vacancy.'

Mr Zahawi, whose personal story as a former refugee from Iraq who came to Britain as a child sets him apart from other contenders, was a successful businessman before entering politics.

He came to wider prominence as vaccines minister during the pandemic where he was credited with playing a key part in the successful rollout of the jab, which was one of the world's fastest schemes.

He co-founded polling company YouGov before entering parliament in 2010. Mr Zahawi said last week that it would be a 'privilege' to be prime minister at some stage.

This morning, he urged Boris Johnson to resign, saying on Twitter: 'Prime Minister, you know in your heart what the right thing to do is, and go now.'

8. JEREMY HUNT (10/1)

The former foreign secretary and ex-health secretary has been a persistent backbench critic of Boris Johnson and had called on the Prime Minister to quit.

Mr Hunt, 55, is widely expected to make a fresh bid for the leadership, having been runner-up to Mr Johnson in 2019, and is among the early favourites with bookmakers.

As chairman of the Commons Health Committee, he has used his position to make a number of critical interventions on the Government's handling of the pandemic, although his strong support for lockdown measures will not have pleased all Tory MPs.

Observers believe Mr Hunt would offer a more serious and less controversial style of leadership after the turmoil of Mr Johnson's premiership.

He has not been tarnished by having served in the current government - and earlier this year, he said his ambition to become prime minister 'hasn't completely vanished'.

Mr Hunt said he voted to oust Johnson in a confidence vote last month that the prime minister narrowly won.

Ben Wallace tops an overall YouGov survey of Tory party members today at 13 per cent, just ahead of Penny Mordaunt at 12 per cent, Rishi Sunak at 10 per cent and Liz Truss at 8 per cent

Ben Wallace then wins all of his match-ups in the YouGov survey by wide margins  with his closest competitor being Rishi Sunak, whom he sees off by 51 per cent to 30 per cent

And here are three other potential candidates further down the bookmakers' list, who have all said or suggested that they would like to run for Conservative leader:

STEVE BAKER (10/1)

Prominent Brexiteer and former minister Steve Baker, a senior Tory backbencher, confirmed today that he is seriously considering putting himself forward for the top job.

He told Times Radio that people are asking him to do it, and it would be 'dismissive and disrespectful' if he did not heed expressions of support, though he said he regards the prospect with 'something akin to dread'.

Mr Baker successfully plotted to oust Theresa May as prime minister but, despite his credentials as a Brexit die-hard, he is not a household name.

TOM TUGENDHAT (12/1)

The polyglot chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee became the first to announce his intention to stand for leader should Mr Johnson be turfed out - with his declaration made in January.

A Remainer in 2016, the former soldier has been a trenchant critic of Mr Johnson - a stance that would appear to have cost him any chance of ministerial preferment under the current leadership.

He recently sought to distance himself from a call by his fellow Remainer, Defence Committee chairman Tobias Ellwood, for the UK to rejoin the EU single market.

SUELLA BRAVERMAN (40/1)

The Attorney General launched an unlikely leadership bid as support for Mr Johnson crumbled around him last night.

Previously loyal to the departing premier, she told Peston on ITV that he had handled matters 'appallingly' in recent days and 'the balance has tipped now in favour of saying that the Prime Minister - it pains me to say it - but it's time to go'.

Ms Braverman, who was first elected as an MP in 2015, is regarded as something of an outsider for the leadership given the party grandees already tipped to be in the running.

The odds above are the best price available across all major UK bookmakers as of 10am today, taken from Oddschecker
Europe's press waved goodbye to Boris Johnson as the Prime Minister resigned today, delighting in the downfall of a man who finally got Britain out of the EU.

'Borexit' was the headline in Germany's biggest tabloid Bild, which spoke of Mr Johnson's 'embarrassing semi-resignation' on the steps of Downing Street.

The Irish Examiner bid farewell to 'Eton's greatest mess', with columnist Suzanne Harrington comparing his fall to watching posh neighbours brawl in their garden, calling it: 'Just so enjoyable... So deeply, satisfyingly pleasurable.'

Spain's biggest newspaper, El Pais, compared Johnson's fate to Trump - saying he is another 'Western populist down the drain of history' who 'lost power without much honour.' 'His fall is a fair reflection of the UK's endless political crisis,' it added.

'Europe says goodbye to Boris Johnson without tears or sorrow,' was how rival newspaper El Mundo covered the story, calling Mr Johnson an 'unscrupulous leader' who 'has left not a single friend or admirer'.

'The premier has done nothing but accumulate firewood and light matches,' it said.

Bild: Germany's largest tabloid waved goodbye to Boris Johnson, as the Prime Minister who finalised Brexit resigned today

Ekstrabladet: Denmark's main tabloid went with the simple headline: 'Now he is done'

Irish Independent: Mr Johnson has 'finally agreed to resign', said the paper's lead story, after a week of what it described as 'political carnage'

Faced with accumulating scandals, a raft of resignations, and outright demands from his own cabinet to step aside, Mr Johnson defiantly clung to power through a day of extraordinary political drama yesterday.

But, come the dawn today with ministers continuing to abandon ship and talk of a 'constitutional crisis' in the air, the Prime Minister reluctantly fell on his sword - saying he was 'sad to be giving up the best job in the world, but them's the breaks.'

Pablo Suanzes, Brussels correspondent for one of Spain's largest papers, was among the first to react - saying the Prime Minister 'had cooked in his own broth.'

Recalling him as 'marter, more dangerous and less trustworthy' than predecessor Theresa May, Mr Suanzes sums up two years of the UK under Boris as 'a collection of deceptions, lies, vagueness, delays, lies and provocations'.

'In Brussels the reaction [to his resignation] is almost indifference,' he says. 'There is little guilty pleasure in the downfall, without honor, of an unscrupulous leader.

'He has left not a single friend, a single admirer or almost a single supporter, for himself, but almost also for the United Kingdom.'

Reubblica, one of Italy's largest outlets, describes Mr Johnson as a 'modern King Lear... unable to distinguish between right and wrong.'

Mixing its Shakespearian references, it adds that he was 'manipulated by his own Lady Macbeth, the power-hungry wife who eliminates one by one the councilors to become the involuntary accomplice in an inglorious end.'

His rise and fall 'resembles a comedy of errors, to use another of the Bard's titles.'

Boris, the paper concludes, 'risks being remembered as one of the worst prime ministers.'

Italy's other largest paper, Corriere della Sera, calls him 'the child who wanted to be "King of the World"' who it says was brought down 'by the clownish mask that he chooses to wear'.

El Mundo: One of Spain's largest papers said 'no one is going to cry' for Mr Johnson's departure in Brussels, describing him as an 'unscrupulous leader' who has left 'not one admirer'

HLN: Belgium's largest news site showed Mr Johnson being metaphorically taken out with the rubbish as he agreed to step down

Tagesspiegel: Berlin's main newspaper described Mr Johnson as a 'scandal noodle', saying it is 'no surprise' to those who have followed his career closely that he is falling from power

An opportunist whose Brexit gamble took him all the way to Downing Street, Boris was brought down 'not by his political choices, but by his character (or lack thereof).'

'Boris has lost his job due to his calibrated personality, that clownish mask that he built since he was a boy and which expresses itself in a disordered and amoral personality... A serial traitor, a hardened liar...

'On his political epitaph of him it can be written that he was a scoundrel of genius: whose genius was overwhelmed by his irremediable character.'

Boris has 'finally agreed to resign' wrote the Irish Independent, saying a 'week of political carnage' had left him with the support of 'just 65' out of his 360 MPs.

Several newspapers chose to trawl back through the list of scandals that have dogged Boris over the years, with Tagesspeigel referring to him as a 'sandal noodle' under the headline: 'Sex, drugs and rock & roll'.

Recalling how Mr Johnson once admitted to smoking cannabis, it pointed out that he is 'the first British leader on record to have broken the law' after being fined over parties in Downing Street during lockdown.

Sweden's Aftonbladet rounded up what they called 'Bojo's three years of scandals' which they said included 'lockdown breaches, luxury travel and mistresses' money'.

Euro Integration: One of Ukraine's main news sites lamented the fall of the man they called 'immortal Boris', noting fears that a new PM will be less supportive of their cause

But not everyone was so gleeful at his departure. Ukraine's press - where Mr Johnson has earned a reputation as one of the staunchest defenders of the country's liberty in the face of Russia's invasion - were notably glum.

Less than 24 hours after running the headline 'Immortal Boris', Ukrainian newspaper Euro Integration was forced to report that he has agreed to step down.

'Boris Johnson has been actively supporting Ukraine since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion,' the paper lamented.

'He advocates providing Kiev with sufficient military aid to retake all territories occupied by Russian forces, and has also promised billions of pounds in financial support.

'In addition, Johnson has been to Kyiv twice since the end of February and held talks with Volodymyr Zelensky.'

Calling Mr Johnson 'probably the most popular foreign leader in Ukraine', it outlined 'fears that under a new prime minister, Britain could adjust its foreign course and limit support for Kyiv.'
The White House wants Russia to accept an oil price cap strangling western economies like the US and its European allies buckling from an energy crunch after issuing dangerous sanctions.

Biden administration officials are allegedly holding a meeting to find a way to pressure Moscow to accept their demands, but many see it as impotent and useless gestures.

While the western alliance is suffering from 100 dollars a barrel of oil, China, India, and friendly countries are getting a reasonable discount which Washington wants but is not likely to get.

Washington Seeks Relief for Promised Cheap Oil

Whether the American government can convince Vladimir Putin to accept oil per barrel at $40 to $60 is left to be seen, remarked Bloomberg last Wednesday.

The outlet cited that it was suggested by President Joe Biden last month at the G7 summit by sources privy to the matter, reported RT.

From the onset regarding the rather desperate proposal that many experts have a doubt, it will be heard because Moscow warned the US and its allies to dare try it. If they do, then prices will go up, informed the Kremlin.

One official in the Biden administration is trying to convince via the outlet Bloomberg that the US has the clout to do what it says.

US Resorts to Threats To Cap Oil Price

Suppose the White House does not get what it wants an oil price cap. In that case, it will sanction shipping firms transporting Russian oil with higher expense, causing an energy crunch and even impacting banks and financial institutions, enabling sales.

Read Also: Emmanuel Macron Facts: Interesting Info You May Not Know About The French President

These secondary sanctions will be used the first time, adding to present sanctions, using Ukraine as a reason, noted The Fast Newz.

Energy experts think the US administration is grasping at straws, citing its plans that would be nothing more than words.

Independent oil analyst Neil Atkinson who spoke to CNBC last week, explained why the White House is doomed to fail. Lack of support from key oil producers and main consumers are not on Biden's side, instead, they prefer Moscow, citing ENews.

Amrita Sen of Energy Aspects told CNBC about how half-baked the idea is, and India and China dismiss the US and its leader; Washington thinks it can decide if Beijing and New Delhi are not in on the plan.

The expert added that the White House is not realistic, also Russia will not sit back and do nothing. It's all words for the US leadership, but it has no power to implement it.

An attempt by Tokyo to suggest a price cap early in the week only got put down hard. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev would not have any of it; he posted on social media that if Japan would insist, then it's $300 a barrel.

Joe Biden and G7 heads say the price cap will deny Russia funding to continue its special operation in Ukraine; the US proxy is losing badly even with US weapons. Shocking is the price cap not to lessen pain at the pump.

Citigroup last Tuesday said prices could go lower than $100 a barrel, even $45 by 2023, but the Brent global benchmark contradicted it at $104 a barrel, and US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) trading sold over $100.

The White House does not have the support to force Russia to an oil price cap, and the energy crunch will ripple in western economies as their sanction bounce back at them.

Related Article: Russia, Venezuela Agree To Counter the Long-Term Effects of Western Sanctions

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Mother Lauren Saint George, 25 (pictured), on trial for murder of her 10-week-old daughter told police she was trying to be the 'best mum' she could be, a court heard. Pictured: Lauren Saint George outside Wood Green Crown Court in London on June 15

A mother accused of shaking her 10-week-old daughter to death was not attempting to revive her with CPR when paramedics arrived, a court heard.

Mother Lauren Saint George, 25, who is on trial for murder with father Darren Hurrell, also 25, told police she was trying to be the 'best mum' she could be.

Their baby daughter Lily-Mai Saint George died from a serious head injury and also suffered 18 rib fractures, two fractures in her leg and severe bruising.

Saint George claimed her daughter 'had this thing where she bruises really easily', when questioned by police about her injuries, the court heard.

When paramedics arrived at the scene at their home in Haringey, London Lily-Mai was 'floppy' and an officer noted that both parents were 'sat away from her'.

Baby Lily-Mai was released into the care of her parents before she died against the advice of hospital staff.

The parents both deny murder, manslaughter, causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a person under 16 years old.

Lily-Mai was born prematurely in November 2017 and spent the first two months of her life in Barnet Hospital, before she was discharged into her parents' care on January 25 2018.

Saint George and Hurrell had been homeless for several years and staff had tried to stop them taking Lily-Mai home, believing they were incapable of looking after her, jurors have heard.

The baby died at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital on February 2 2018, after being found unresponsive by her parents at their home in Belmont Road, Haringey, two days earlier.

Lauren Saint George and Darren Hurrell, both 25, allegedly shook their daughter to death eight days after she was released into their care against the advice of hospital staff

Police said Darren Hurrell was 'sat away' from his baby daughter Lily-Mai after she went 'floppy', Pictured: Father Darren Hurrell, 25, arriving at Wood Green Crown Court, London om June 15

In her police interview on April 15 2018, Saint George said she felt misjudged by social services.

She said: 'I felt like they were automatically suggesting that I wasn't good enough, that I instantly needed support no matter what.

'They thought I was neglecting her. They said I was neglecting her and not doing the things I should have been.'

Saint George explained that she needed assistance because of her depression but was reluctant to seek support.

She said she found it difficult to adjust after she was taken off anti-depressants during her pregnancy.'

Saint George said she felt like she didn't neglect Lily-Mai but added: 'Honestly, I did need help at times because my depression would get the better of me.

'I wanted to fight this on my own, be the best mum I could be.

'If I ever felt overwhelmed, I would remove myself and calm down and then I would come back and cuddle her [Lily] and try to tend to anything she wanted.'

Questioned by police as to how Lily became bruised, Saint George said: 'She could have got that from me. I wake up with bruises all the time. I don't know what it's called but she has this thing where she bruises really easily.'

She denied ever shaking her baby and said she would never harm her child.

When she found out she was pregnant with Lily-Mai she was 'over the moon' and she 'didn't want anything bad to happen to her.'

'Honestly, I did need help at times because my depression would get the better of me. I wanted to fight this on my own, be the best mum I could be,' Lauren Saint George (pictured) said in a 2018 police interview

Paramedics who arrived at the scene when Lily was taken into hospital after she became 'floppy' noted that Saint George was not giving CPR to her child.

The interviewing officer noted: 'The ambulance said there wasn't any sign of anyone giving her CPR. The child was on the floor and you and Darren were sat away from her.'

Saint George was 'reluctant' to go to hospital and complained about not being ready to go, the court heard.

She said: 'I was dressed when they arrived so there's no way I wouldn't have wanted to go, I would have gone and I did go.

'I wanted to make sure she had everything, I wanted to make sure I had packed it all. The house was a bit of a tip so I had to rummage around.'

Saint George, of Bonnington House, Enfield, and Hurrell, of Meadow Lane, Alvaston, Derby, deny murder, manslaughter, causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a person under 16 years old.

The trial at Wood Green Crown Court continues.
World leaders and bureaucrats have started to gloat at the demise of Boris Johnson, with the Kremlin declaring today: 'He doesn't like us, we don't like him either.'

The prime minister, who announced his resignation this afternoon, has made a number of enemies during his time in government, especially in the EU as a leading Brexiteer and in Russia due to his staunch support for Ukraine.

This morning, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: 'We would like to hope that some day in Great Britain more professional people who can make decisions through dialogue will come to power.

'But at the moment there is little hope for that. He really does not like us. And we (do not like) him either.'

Ukraine reacted with much more respect for the outgoing leader, Volodymyr Zelensky hailing the outgoing premier.

The president called Johnson by telephone to express his 'sadness' over the resignation, saying: 'We all welcome this news with sadness. Not only me, but also all of Ukrainian society which sympathises with you a lot.'

His advisor also thanked Johnson for always 'being at the forefront' of supporting Kyiv as it defends itself against Putin's troops.

Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on Twitter: 'To be a leader  to call Russian evil an evil and to take responsibility in the hardest times. To be a leader  to be the first to arrive in Kyiv, despite missile attacks.

'Thanks Boris Johnson for realising the threat of Russian monster and always being at the forefront of supporting Ukraine.'

World leaders and bureaucrats have started to gloat at the demise of Boris Johnson as he announces his resignation

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said this morning: 'He doesn't like us, we don't like him either'

Johnson's government has sanctioned dozens of wealthy, Kremlin-connected Russians and says their money is no longer welcome in Britain

In a video posted with the tweet, he spoke to the camera and added: 'Today we have everything we need for the effective defence of the country: weapons, partnership and coalition.

'Thanks to Mr Johnson, we understand that victory is a real symbol of the future in Ukraine  we are extremely grateful to our partners, Mr Johnson, for the opportunity to do our work effectively.'

The prime minister has been one of Ukraine's strongest supporters as it battles Russia, visiting Kyiv twice since the conflict began and forging a personal relationship with Zelensky.

His government has sanctioned dozens of wealthy, Kremlin-connected Russians and says their money is no longer welcome in Britain.

Moscow also said that Britain's political firestorm was proof of a deeper crisis in liberal democracies worldwide.

Maria Zakharova, the top spokeswoman in Russia's foreign ministry, said Johnson's fall was a symptom of the decline of the West, which she said was riven by political, ideological and economic crisis.

'The moral of the story is: do not seek to destroy Russia,' Zakharova said. 'Russia cannot be destroyed. You can break your teeth on it - and then choke on them.'

She added on Telegram: 'It is obvious to everyone that liberal regimes are in the deepest political, ideological and economic crisis.'

Guy Verhofstadt, who served as European Parliament's representative on matters relating to Brexit, rejoice in the news

Zakharova gleefully portrayed him as the author of his own downfall.

'Boris Johnson was hit by a boomerang launched by himself,' she said. 'His comrades-in-arms turned him in.'

Guy Verhofstadt, who served as European Parliament's representative on matters relating to Brexit, had a terse relationship with UK lawmakers.

He expressed his glee at the news from Number 10 today, tweeting: 'Boris Johnson's reign ends in disgrace, just like his friend Donald Trump.

'The end of an era of transatlantic populism? Let's hope so.

'EU - UK relations suffered hugely with Johnson's choice of Brexit. Things can only get better!'

Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator in exit talks with the UK, added: 'The departure of Boris Johnson opens a new page in relations with [the UK].

'May it be more constructive, more respectful of commitments made, in particular regarding peace & stability in NI, and more friendly with partners in Europe.

'Because there's so much more to be done together.'

A European Commission spokesman added: 'From our point of view, the political developments do not change our position on the (Northern Ireland) protocol or the way in which we work with our British counterparts on Northern Ireland.

'Our position is that we should endeavour to seek solutions as regards to the implementation of the protocol.'

Irish prime minister Micheal Martin said Johnson's resignation presents an opportunity to repair relations that have been strained by Brexit.

He said in a statement: 'While Prime Minister Johnson and I engaged actively together, we didn't always agree, and the relationship between our governments has been strained and challenged in recent times.

'We now have an opportunity to return to the true spirit of partnership and mutual respect that is needed to underpin the gains of the Good Friday Agreement.'

The prime minister has been one of Ukraine's strongest supporters as it battles Russia, visiting Kyiv twice since the conflict began

Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska said on Telegram that it was an 'inglorious end' for a 'stupid clown' whose conscience would be blighted by 'tens of thousands of lives in this senseless conflict in Ukraine'.

Even before President Vladimir Putin ordered the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, Johnson had repeatedly criticised Putin - casting him as a ruthless and possibly irrational Kremlin chief who was endangering the world.

After the invasion, Johnson made Britain one of the biggest Western supporters of Ukraine, sending weapons, slapping some of the most severe sanctions in modern history on Russia and urging Ukraine to defeat Russia's vast armed forces.

Such was Johnson's support of Ukraine that he was affectionately known as 'Borys Johnsoniuk' by some in Kyiv. He sometimes ended his speeches with 'Slava Ukraini' - or 'glory to Ukraine'.

Johnson, the face of the 2016 Brexit campaign who won a resounding electoral victory in 2019 before leading the United Kingdom out of the European Union, even spoke stilted Russian in February, telling the Russian people that he did not believe the 'needless and bloody' war was in their name.
The British father who ran off with a Ukrainian refugee when she came to live in his family home now plans to marry her, we can reveal.

And Tony Garnett said that he and Sofiia Karkadym, 22, also hope to have children together - if doctors can reverse the vasectomy he had after having two children with his previous partner.

Tony told MailOnline: I want to propose to this beautiful lady,'

Sofiia added: We are planning our life together. I want to be a mother. I want to have children.

'I am a young woman so it can wait a few years and I hope that Tony can have his vasectomy reversed so that we can become a family together.

Security guard Tony, 29, left the home he shared with his longtime partner Lorna and their two young daughters to start a new life with Sofiia just ten days after she arrived from war torn Ukraine to start a new life in Britain.

The British father who ran off with a Ukrainian refugee (pictured togehter) when she came to live in his family home now plans to marry her, we can reveal

Tony Garnett said that he and Sofiia Karkadym (pictured together), 22, also hope to have children together - if doctors can reverse the vasectomy he had after having two children with his previous partner

Security guard Tony, 29, left the home he shared with his longtime partner Lorna (pictured) and their two young daughters to start a new life with Sofiia just ten days after she arrived from war torn Ukraine to start a new life in Britain

The new couple have now known each other for just two months but are already making plans to visit Sofiias family back in Ukraine so that Tony can formally ask her father for his daughter's hand in marriage.

Tony said: I want to say that out of Putins evil has come something really good for me and her.

Tony said he will formally propose once their situation is more stable: 'I want to make it special so were just going to wait until we have found somewhere proper to live where we can settle.'

And in a less traditional move Tony, who has worked as a tattooist, proposes to mark their planned union by giving Sofiia an inking reading Queen to go with the King tattoo he already has on his neck.

Sofiia said: I want to be his queen or his princess. I love him very much. I cant wait for us to get married.

He said: I want to make it so special and so romantic for her. Weve talked about marriage and that doesnt mean that I cant surprise her with the proposal. Ill make it one that she will never forget.

Tony said he and his bride-to-be would visit her father Ilya, 46, an antiques dealer in Ukraine as soon as it was safe to do so.

She doesnt quite understand it. But Ive explained to her that it is a respectful thing that British men do to go and ask a girls father for her hand in marriage.

He went on: The reaction to us being a couple has just been mad! I picked up 5,000 Instagram followers yesterday and she got 7,000 for no reason at all. People are fascinated with us.

But the couples social media reception has not been all pleasant.

The new couple (pictured) have now known each other for just two months but are already making plans to visit Sofiias family back in Ukraine so that Tony can formally ask her father for his daughter's hand in marriage

Tony (pictured) said he will formally propose once their situation is more stable: 'I want to make it special so were just going to wait until we have found somewhere proper to live where we can settle.'

Tony said he and his bride-to-be would visit her father Ilya, 46, an antiques dealer in Ukraine as soon as it was safe to do so

The 29-year-old told The Sun that he and his new love have incurred a torrent of hateful abuse online over their decision, while some people threatened to try and get Sofiia deported

Tony said: Weve had some quite horrible stuff posted about us on Instagram and other social media.

But these people are just morons and cannot understand how people can fall in love even if it is only been a short time that theyve known each other.'

The couple was shocked to find abusive messages left for them online with Sofiia being branded a homewrecker.

She said: The news about Tony and me has reached Ukraine and my family called me and said they were very upset and at one stage they said they were never going to talk to me again.

But I have explained to them that Tony was not married and that we innocently fell in love and this is a permanent thing.

I was upset that my family read the stories that say a Ukrainian girl had gone to Britain and stolen somebodys husband.

I am worried that the Russians will use this as propaganda to try and show the Ukrainians cause trouble wherever they go.

He said: I decided that I wanted to take a refugee from Ukraine because I just want to do something meaningful and good.

I kept thinking if England had been invaded they would be people hopefully who would take my children in other countries to safety. We all have to do our part.

When I went to pick up Sofiia at Manchester Airport, I had no other motive than to make her feel welcome and comfortable and safe.

The first thing I did was take her to a McDonalds drive-through where we had a Big Mac and got chatting.

I realised she spoke English quite well and that meant we could be friends as well.

On another day I took her back and she asked for a burger and beer which is apparently what they can do back in Ukraine. It made me really laugh.

Sofiia Karkadym (pictured) arrived in the UK at the start of May after fleeing the war in Ukraine

Just 10 days after moving in with the Garnett family, Sofiia (pictured) and lover Tony moved out

The IT manager (pictured) is now renting a property in Bradford with Garnett after he left his partner and kids

The mother of Tonys kids, Lorna, ordered Sofiia to leave and accused the IT worker of making passes at her husband, but Garnett decided to pack his bags and leave with his new lodger.

Tony insists that Sofiias arrival in his life was not the cause of his break up with the mother of his two children:  Lorna and I hadnt been getting on very well. I have moved out a couple of times and really we were living as friends and parents to our daughters, who we both love.

We never got married because it wasnt something that I was interested in with her and I didnt want to have any more kids, which is why I had a vasectomy even though I was only in my mid 20s.

The doctor tried to talk me out of it saying that it would be unfair on my partner and that I might change my mind in later years.

But when I had it done I wasnt with her, so they agreed to do it. Now of course I wished I hadnt because I really wanna have children with Sofiia.

She also doesnt understand why I had a vasectomy. But both of us are praying that it can be undone and we can have our own children.

Tony is currently caring for Sofiia as she has an eye problem.

Tony said:Sofiia picked up an infection while on Germany and it got really bad when she arrived at Manchester Airport. She had an operation on it a few weeks back.

She can only see partially through it at the moment and thats a bit worrying. But the doctors have said it will take six months for it to heal properly.

She has just got a National Insurance number which will help with treatment.

Sofiia arrived at Tonys family home in Bradford, West Yorkshire, on May 4th after fleeing the conflict in her native Ukraine, but within days the pair had developed a connection.

Sofiia, who left behind her divorced parents, a stepfather and 13-year-old sister Elizabeth, said she loved the Yorkshire accents but was struggling to understand some of the terms.

I dont understand why people call each other  love or say things like Ill see you later.

Tony insists that Sofiias arrival in his life was not the cause of his break up with the mother of his two children:  Lorna and I hadnt been getting on very well. I have moved out a couple of times and really we were living as friends and parents to our daughters, who we both love

 I thought they said they would come to your house when they said they would see you later!

But Tony explained to me that this is just the way that people talk around here. Its cool with me.

She said she had lost family and friends to the brutal invasion by Russia and decided to leave her country when she lost her job as an IT manager when her boss had to go and fight with the defence forces.

I also lost my home because the rent went up really high and the landlady wanted to put some of her family into the room.

So I had nowhere to live and no job and the war was going on around me.

I thought I must get out of Ukraine  and then I saw that I could come to Britain on the Internet and Tony and I began exchanging messages. Im glad I made that decision. 

The 29-year-old told said that he and his new love have incurred a torrent of hateful abuse online over their decision, while some people threatened to try and get Sofiia deported.

His relationship with his ex partner Lorna has also soured and he said he had been in contact with lawyers to gain proper time to see his children.

His relationship with his ex partner Lorna has also soured and he said he had been in contact with lawyers to gain proper time to see his children.
Boris Johnson's tenure in No 10 will soon be over - but the outgoing Prime Minister could make 100million from books, speeches and TV appearances in the UK and US - especially if he stays married to Carrie, brand experts told MailOnline today.

Mr Johnson says he will leave Downing Street by the Autumn - opening up endless opportunities to make 'cash by the barrowful' like his predecessors and he could soon rival Tony Blair as Britain's richest living former PM.

And the odds of him appearing on a reality show such as Strictly or I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here have also been slashed to as little as 12/1 if he chooses to quit as a MP.

While big businesses are unlikely to come knocking, his connection with political conservatives in the UK and internationally will be very lucrative for the former journalist.

PR Guru Mark Borkowski said: 'Boris is going to make loads and loads of money - tens of millions of pounds or more. Imagine how many people will want to read the memoirs about Brexit, Partygate and his final days in No 10.

'He and Carrie are not Posh and Becks but she is no fool - together they are a force to be reckoned with - and I expect him to milk every ounce out of it', adding: 'Remember he has a large family to support'.

Boris Johnson (pictured resigning today) may be heading out of power - but now has a great chance to make 'cash by the barrowful', experts have said

Carrie Johnson (pictured today outside No 10 with daughter Romy) is central to his earning power - with the power couple able to take home 100m in five years because of their time in No 10, especially if they target the US

Recent prime ministers have all become multi-millionaires - and Boris, whose finances are said to have been strained by his recent divorce, could match Blair in terms of earning power

So did it fall to Carrie to finally convince Boris the game was up? Boris Johnson decided to quit as Conservative leader today, hours after Sir Bernard Jenkin had called on his wife Carrie Johnson to convince him to resign. The Tory MP said that she should invoke the spirit of Margaret Thatcher's husband Denis, who told his reluctant wife the night before she quit that she had to go. While it is not clear whether Mrs Johnson had any involvement in convincing her husband to step down as Prime Minister, Commons Liaison Committee chairman Sir Bernard had said hours earlier that she should have an important role to play in this. He said of Mrs Thatcher: 'It was her closest allies  Norman Tebbit, a very close friend Frank Field, and of course her husband Denis who said: 'Come on love, it's over'.' Mr Johnson, 58, is thought to have been discussing issues at Downing Street with his director of communications Guto Harri, as well as his 34-year-old wife. Sir Bernard also said the responsibility was now 'for those who are closest around him' to convince Mr Johnson to go, and reflected on the events of November 1990. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning: 'It's those people who have got to tell a leader that it's over, because they just go into denial at this point.' Advertisement

Tony Blair is estimated to be worth up to 100million - with a family property portfolio worth around 35million.

Mr Borkowski said: 'With time the lies will fade. There will be TV appearances, lecture tours, especially in the US. He has an obvious link with Trump and Americans will understand how he has tried to grip on to the rump of power like Trump did'.

He added: 'He is also deified in Eastern Europe because of his support for Ukraine. He'll be right up there with Tony Blair in terms of earning power, although I don't expect he'll be setting up a foundation, a NGO or a think tank like Blair or Brown did. He'll keep it for himself'.

If he writes his memoirs he can expect to be paid at least 4.5million in advance, based on what David Cameron earned from his in 2018, and would likely earn 100,000 per speech - the rate believed to be charged by Theresa May for some engagements.

Before marrying Carrie Symonds, the Tory leader was forced to split his 6.5million fortune including cash and assets such as their family home when his second wife Marina divorced him after 25 years.

Boris is said to have raged to aides about his now wife buying gold wallpaper, saying he couldnt afford the No 10 flat renovations that cost tens and tens of thousands.

And when he entered No 10 he had to give up his 275,000-a-year for a weekly Daily Telegraph column and concentrate on work rather than writing history books. He will likely have the time to start this work again, probably at a much-higher rate.

David Cameron is believed to be worth around 37.8million, contributed in part to by the wealth of his wife Samantha, a successful businesswoman who is the eldest daughter of a Baronet.

Since resigning as Prime Minister in 2016, David Cameron has earned 1.6m in private work including consultancy and speaking engagements. He denied claims by the BBC that he made 7million from Greensill Capital before the finance company collapsed.

Gordon Brown, who after years of trying became PM in a short-lived reign, is said to be worth around 10million. While he was in Parliament he was earning up to 1.3million-a-year for speeches, but the former chancellor didn't keep a penny and donated it to charities supported by him and his wife Sarah.

Mr Johnson's predecessor Theresa May, 65, has reportedly earned more than 2.1 million on the lucrative speaking circuit in the three years since leaving Downing Street.

Theresa May was paid 109,000 for a five-hour speaking engagement, it was revealed last month.

According to the Register of Members' Financial Interests, the former Prime Minister received the sum in May for a speaking engagement with the Danish Bar and Law Society in Copenhagen.

Other earnings declared on the register include an advance payment of approximately 160,370 from JP Morgan Chase in April 2020 for two speaking engagements which were cancelled.

Both were rescheduled and took place on 18 March 2021 and 16 November 2021.

She also received around 46,800 for a virtual speaking event from Cuyahoga Community College Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio. It lasted four hours, according to the register.

What next for Carrie Johnson? As Boris quits, how his third wife has gone from the first Downing Street girlfriend to a mother-of-two with serious influence and style credentials - so, could a political career be on the cards?

Boris Johnson has announced that he will finally quit today after a slew of high profile resignations and damning statements from even his most loyal allies brought his premiership to its knees.

The resignation will impact not only his life but the life of his family, most notably his third wife Carrie Johnson, 34, who made history when she became the first girlfriend of a Prime Minister to officially live in Downing Street.

Carrie, a former Conservative Party communications chief, was simply 'Miss Symonds' when she and Boris first shacked up together in 2019.

What's next for Carrie Johnson? Boris Johnson has announced that he will finally quit today. The resignation will impact not only his life but the life of his family, most notably his wife Carrie Johnson, 34, who made history when she became the first girlfriend of a Prime Minister to officially live in Downing Street. Pictured, the couple at the G7 last month

Early days: Carrie, then Miss Symonds, was pictured alongside Boris Johnson's family as he arrived at Downing Street following the leadership election in July 2019. The couple have since welcomed two children together, Wilfred, now two, and seven-month- daughter Romy

Fashionista: The conservationist, who has been accused of being at the centre of drama at No. 10, has also made headlines with her sustainable wardrobe, often choosing to rent dresses for even the most high profile engagements. Pictured, in a rented dress in Rwanda last month

The couple have since welcomed two children together, Wilfred, now two, and daughter Romy, who was born in December last year.

The Johnson children have been raised in No. 11 Downing Street, traditionally the Chancellor's grace-and-favour flat but one that was commandeered by the Prime Minister because it offered his young family more space.

Mrs Johnson - she and Boris wed in a low-key wedding in May 2020 - has embraced the role of 'first lady', joining Mr Johnson at international summits and campaigning for causes close to her heart.

The conservationist, who has been accused of being at the centre of drama at No. 10, has also made headlines with her sustainable wardrobe, often choosing to rent dresses for even the most high profile engagements.

But what next for Carrie Johnson? Here, a look back at her time at No. 10 - and what the future might hold...

A CAREER IN POLITICS

Time for her own political career: Mrs Johnson has put herself front and centre in many of Mr Johnson's most high profile engagements, including the recent G7 summit where she rubbed shoulders with President Biden. It is possible she might pursue her own political career

From by his side... to centre stage? The public relations expert had been in the Westminster Bubble for most of her remarkably ascendant career, a high-point being when she was made head of party PR aged just 29. Pictured, Boris and Carrie at the Tory party conference in 2019

Speaking out: Carrie delivered a speech at the Tory Party Conference in Manchester last year

Mrs Johnson, a former Conservative Party communications chief, found herself making headlines when she was romantically linked to Mr Johnson in 2019, just months after the announcement of his separation from second wife Marina Wheeler.

The public relations expert had been in the so-called Westminster Bubble for most of her remarkably ascendant career, a high-point being when she was made head of party PR aged just 29.

Carrie joined the Tory party media machine in 2009, first as a press adviser, then head of broadcast at Conservative campaign headquarters ahead of the 2015 general election.

Her association with Mr Johnson dates back to the early years, having worked on his successful re-election bid at City Hall in 2012.

During her husband's years in office she remained an influential figure.

Carrie, once described as the 'most powerful woman in Britain', and was at one point branded Boris' de facto chief of staff.

Miss Symonds's 'unelected and unaccountable' role in Government is 'damaging to democracy,' Nic Conner, who worked with Miss Symonds on the Brexit campaign, said in February 2021.

He told the Daily Mail that he has no grudge against the former director of Tory communications and was not being sexist, but is concerned she is acting unconstitutionally as friends are hired and rivals fired inside No 10.

Mr Conner said: 'In light of my experience working with Carrie Symonds, I am deeply concerned that she should have any role in governing the country without authority or accountability.

'Anyone holding so much unelected power, and who cannot be removed, is not only unconstitutional but is damaging to British democracy.'

Mr Conner's comments came after the conservative think tank, the Bow Group  of which he is a research fellow  called for an independent inquiry into the role of Mrs Johnson within government.

Bow Group chairman Ben Harris-Quinney added: 'No romantic partner of the PM has ever involved themselves to this degree. It's completely unjustifiable in a modern democracy, and calling me or the Bow Group sexist doesn't change that.'

The most prominent casualty of Miss Symond's alleged influence was Mr Johnson's right-hand man Dominic Cummings, who left in November 2020 after clashing with her.

Mr Cummings's ally, communications chief Lee Cain, soon followed him out of the door amid claims that Mirs Johnson was calling the PM 20 times a day, and had been nicknamed 'Princess Nut Nut' by her detractors.

A spokesman for Mrs Johnson declined to comment on the allegations against her at the time they were originally published in the Daily Mail.

Carrie was also reportedly behind Sajid Javid's appointment as Health Secretary. Cummings spoke out to claim Mrs Johnson, who was once a special adviser to Mr Javid during his tenure as Communities Secretary, engineered the move.

The PM's wife is even said to have had a hand in policy. Boris has championed the UK becoming Net Zero in terms of emissions by 2050, under a swing to green advocacy said to have been driven by his wife.

Carrie, who has put on chummy displays with everyone from Joe Biden to Brigitte Macron, might well want to put her experience at the very heart of British politics to use by pursuing a career in her own right.

It is difficult to imagining this happening any time soon, but Mrs Johnson has proved herself a force to be reckoned with and should definitely not be counted out.

A FORAY INTO FASHION

Fashion maven: Dressed in pink from head-to-toe, Carrie Johnson, 34, steps off a plane in Rwanda with her husband, Boris Johnson. Her double-breasted blazer (79.99), and matching trousers (49.99) are from high-street store Zara

Sustainable dressing: Carrie Johnson has showcased her style prowess once again when stepping out at day four of Royal Ascot today in a rented Emilia Wickstead dress

Re-wearing favourite pieces: Mrs Johnson, 34, sported a recycled 85 fuschia dress from & Other Stories, a John Lewis hat and Michael Kors shoes for Trooping the Colour over the Queen's Platinum Jubilee weekend. She first wore the outfit in 2019

Sustainable wedding day: Carrie favours online rental service My Wardrobe HQ. It was through the website that she hired her wedding dress, a creation by Greek designer Christos Costarellos which bought new would cost 2,830, but she borrowed for 45 a day

Carrie Johnson has championed a more 'sustainable' approach to fashion during her years in Downing Street, stepping out in rented dresses and pieces from independent British labels.

The 34-year-old, who is a fan of printed midi dresses and chic power suits, even remained true to this low impact approach to fashion at major global events like the G7 summit where she has worn rented pieces from the likes of The Vampire's Wife and Amanda Wakeley.

On other occasions she has re-worn pieces from her wardrobe, like the 85 fuschia dress from & Other Stories which she teamed with a John Lewis hat and Michael Kors shoes for the Platinum Jubilee.

Carrie favours online rental service My Wardrobe HQ. It was through the website that she hired her wedding dress, a creation by Greek designer Christos Costarellos which bought new would cost 2,830, but she borrowed for 45 a day.

Given her evident love of fashion, it is possible Carrie might consider exploring it as a post-Downing Street career.

She could turn to fellow former PM's wife Samantha Cameron for advice.

Sam Cam, who served as Creative Director at British accessories brand Smythson of Bond Street, from 1997 until May 2010, launched her own clothing label, Cefinn, after she and husband David left No. 10.

RAISING TWO CHILDREN

Mummy's little girl! Proud mother Carrie Johnson shared a behind-the-scenes snap of her six-month-old daughter Romy at the G7 summit, a week after the family joined the Prime Minister in Rwanda

Looking out on the world: Carrie posted a second snap showing little Romy playing on a swing set in the countryside

Romy's world tour! It came after Mrs Johnson shared a photograph of Romy in Rwanda, where they joined Mr Johnson on a three-day visit to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)

On the world stage: Boris and Carrie's son Wilfred, now two, played an important role in last year's G7 summit - helping to break the ice as his parents welcomed the Bidens to Cornwall

Charming the First Lady: Mr and Mrs Johnson invited the President and the First Lady to meet their boy on the beach and later released a number of carefully selected photographs from the encounter

Fortunately for Carrie and Boris, the move out of No. 11 is unlikely to cause any major disruption for their two young children, who are too young to attend nursery.

It remains to be seen where the couple will set up home as a family once they move out of Downing Street but Boris and Carrie own a 1.3million house in Camberwell.

Or it is possible they could choose to leave London for more space in the country.

Wilf  or Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson in full  was named after Mr and Mrs Johnson's grandfathers and partly in tribute to two doctors, Nick Hart and Nick Price, who helped save Mr Johnson's life when he was in hospital with Covid in 2020.

The two-year-old, who has inherited his father's mop of blonde hair, is said to loves cars and animals, especially the family's Jack Russell-cross Dilyn.

He has already enjoyed a glittering life as the son of the Prime Minister, meeting Joe and Jill Biden on a Cornwall beach at last year's G7.

Meanwhile Romy Iris Charlotte Johnson, who was born at University College London hospital on December 9, was also named after close family members.

Mrs Johnson explained the choice of name: 'Romy after my aunt, Rosemary. Iris from the Greek, meaning rainbow. Charlotte [after] Boris's late mum whom we miss so much.'

In 2021, Mrs Johnson had a miscarriage, which she said left her heartbroken, before becoming pregnant with Romy. When she announced the pregnancy last year, she said she and her husband were 'hoping for our rainbow baby this Christmas'.

A 'rainbow baby' is the term given to a child born after a miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death.

Last month, Romy joined her parents on a Commonwealth visit to Rwanda before making the trip to Germany for the G7 summit.

Boris and Carrie have chosen to keep their children out of the spotlight and have only shared photos taken from behind.

SAYING GOODBYE TO THEIR DESIGNER HOME

Redesign: Mr and Mrs Johnson will be closing the door on a rather pricey - and controversial - interior design project helmed by Lulu Lytle, pictured

Carrie's inspiration: Carrie Symonds interiors overhaul after moving into Number 11 Downing Street is said to have been inspired by Lulu Lytle - with an example of her work pictured above

Perhaps one of the biggest difficulties for any outgoing PM's wife is saying goodbye to the place they have called home.

In the case of Mr and Mrs Johnson, it also means closing the door on a rather pricey - and controversial - interior design project.

The couple, who share one-year-old son Wilfred and are expecting a second child together, spent 90,000 refitting the grace and favour apartment at No.11, which reportedly looked like a 'John Lewis nightmare' after Theresa May's residency.

They turned to society interiors guru Lulu Lytle for help, thrusting her into the centre of a debate over the eye-watering cost of the makeover, and who paid for it.

Lytle is the founder of Soane Britain, a company offering clients wall-to-wall luxe with a promise of bringing 'joie de vivre' into the home - for a hefty price. A single rattan light can cost 7,200, while a desk can be more than 10,000.

Money was at the centre of the backlash following the news Lytle had been brought in to redesign Downing Street, with critics questioning why the Johnsons needed such an expensive makeover, as well as, more importantly, how it had been funded.

At one point it was thought the works cost as much as 200,000, but official documents later revealed the figure to be less than 90,000, with 30,000 from his publicly funded allowance and an additional 58,000 settled privately.

The refurbishments to the flat in No 11 sparked sustained scrutiny of Mr Johnson's finances, with the works vastly exceeding the 30,000 annual limit afforded to the Prime Minister.

Conservative Party accounts published in August revealed its central office provided a 'bridging loan' of 52,802 to cover the works after being invoiced by the Cabinet Office in June last year.

The party was 'reimbursed in full' in October by Lord Brownlow, a former vice-chairman of the party who has made more than 3million in donations over the years.

Mr Johnson then 'settled the costs' incurred by the Conservative peer in March.

Three different reviews and reports were launched into the funding, one each by the Electoral Commission and parliamentary commissioner for standards, while the Prime Minister announced his new independent adviser on ministerial interests Lord Geidt would also investigate.

Lord Geidt found Mr Johnson acted 'unwisely' in allowing the refurbishment to go ahead without 'more rigorous regard for how this would be funded', but did not breach the ministerial code.

No 10 said: 'Lord Geidt's independent report shows the Prime Minister acted in accordance with the ministerial code at all times. The Prime Minister has made a declaration in his List of Ministerial Interests, as advised by Lord Geidt.'
A passenger jet was evacuated at Copenhagen airport Wednesday evening after a fire broke out in one of the engines, Danish police said.

Dramatic pictures captured firefighters hosing down the plane as passengers watched from a waiting room.

All passengers and crew got off the Airbus A320-232 without injury, police said on Twitter.

'A fire erupted in an engine of a passenger jet that was stopped at the gate. Fire is out. Passengers evacuated. No one injured,' police tweeted.

Dramatic pictures show firefighters hosing down the Airbus A320-232 as everyone got off safely

Airport fire crews were on the scene to put out the fire

British Airways sources downplayed the incident to MailOnline, saying smoke was spotted coming from the plane due to 'hot brakes' at around 8pm as the plane was at the gate.

The return flight to London was cancelled, leaving passengers frustrated once again.

Video and images posted to Twitter showed airport teams inspecting the airplane wing and engine for damage.

British Airways said in a statement: 'All customers and crew disembarked the BA820 safely. We would never operate an aircraft unless it was safe to do so.'

It is the latest blow to hit the airline, which has been rocked by constant delays, setbacks, cancellations and complaints as the summer kicks into gear.

BA cancelled 17,600 flights up to the end of June, equivalent to 2.8 million seats, amid warnings that the figure could jump to 18,750 cancellations by the end of this week.

Nearly 1,000 further flights have been cancelled so far this month alone, including 785 from Heathrow and 186 at Gatwick.
A Derbyshire police officer has been charged with illegally using the force's computer system to access information about major investigations, including the tragic murder of Gracie Spinks, who was stabbed to death by a stalker in June 2021.

Arizona Arme, 23, is alleged to have also used her trusted position as a police community support officer to access confidential details involving the killing of a further woman and three children.

Terri Harris, 35, her two children John Paul, 13, and Lacey, 11, as well as Lacey's friend Connie Gent, 11, who were all killed inside a property in Killamarsh in September 2021.

Arizona Arme, 23, is alleged to have also used her trusted position as a police community support officer to access confidential details in breach of data protection law

A further charge involves her allegedly looking up the details of six sudden deaths in the county.

Arme, who has denied all the allegations, has since resigned from her PCSO role within the force and is no longer a serving member of the constabulary.

Derbyshire Police confirmed that all family members of those involved in the incidents allegedly viewed by her have been notified where possible.

A spokesperson for the force said: 'The charges brought against former PCSO Arizona Arme are extremely serious and, if found proven, would fall well below the standards expected of Derbyshire Constabulary staff and officers.'

In total the defendant has been charged with five counts of accessing confidential information on police systems in relation to major enquiries, contrary to the Data Protection Act 2018.

It is alleged that in September 2021 Arme 'knowingly or recklessly' obtained personal data relating to the murder of Terri Harris and three children in Killamarsh.

She is accused of also obtaining personal data in June 2021 relating to the murder of Gracie Spinks in Duckmanton.

Arme is further accused of obtaining personal data relating to six sudden deaths between October 2020 and September 2021.

Gracie Spinks, who studied art and design at Chesterfield College and lived in Old Whittington, worked as a packer at e-commerce firm Xbite with suspected killer Michael Sellers, and occasionally modelled for a London agency

Suspected murder kit containing 'Rambo-style knives', Viagra, and a sinister note reading: 'Don't lie', were found a short distance from what would become the scene of Gracie Spinks's murder

In January 2021 she also is alleged to have obtained personal data relating to four road traffic fatalities, as well as the data of two further individuals between December 2019 and October 2021.

The former PCSO officer, who was employed by the constabulary from July 2019 until April 2022, looked into the murder of 23-year-old Gracie Spinks by stalker Michael Sellers, 35.

Following the probe into Gracie Spinks murder, five further Derbyshire police officers are now to face misconduct hearings after it emerged the model had reported Sellers to the police four months prior to her death.

Just weeks before the murder, a backpack containing 'Rambo-style knives', Viagra, and a sinister note reading: 'Don't lie!', were found less than 100 metres from the scene - but despite dog walkers handing in the items they were logged as 'lost property'.

A receipt found in this rucksack - discovered 100 yards from where Gracie was later killed - contained a receipt directly linked to the killer.

Sellers, who was Gracie's former supervisor at work, took his own life shortly after stabbing her to death on June 18 2021.

Another incident Arme is alleged to have illegally accessed is the murders of 35-year-old Terri Harris, her two children John Paul, 13, and Lacey, 11, as well as Lacey's friend Connie Gent, 11, who were all killed in Killamarsh in September 2021.

Damien Bendall, who was Terri's boyfriend at the time of the attack and is accused of all four killings, faces trial later this year.

He first appeared in court charged with raping and murdering 11-year-old Lacey before murdering Terri Harris, John Paul and Lacey's friend Connie Gent on January 4.

Connie had only been in the house as she had been invited to have a sleepover with Lacey that night.

Arme completed her training and became a police community support officer in 2019.

Her LinkedIn page claims she was worked on knife crime, as well as being a blue light champion, mental health first aider and LGBT+ liaison officer.

During her time with the force she is said to have completed courses in the Victims' Code, which guides police personnel on victims' rights, suicide prevention, emergency first aid and mental health first aid.

Working from Staveley police station, her first role saw her cover Staveley and surrounding areas, including Duckmanton, where Gracie Spinks lived.

She is now believed to be employed as a Client Fulfillment Advisor with Cheetham Jackson, a firm offering independent financial advice.

Arme, of Campion Close, Wingerworth, near Chesterfield, pleaded not guilty to all five charges when she appeared at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court.

District Judge Jonathan Taaffe adjourned the case and granted her bail. She is next due to appear at Derby Crown Court on July 29.
Boris Johnson has now confirmed he is resigning as Prime Minister after finally admitting defeat following the mass exodus from his Government.

He has announced his exit from Number 10 after a dramatic 48-hour period in which a torrent of ministers resigned. Here is what happens next:

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces his resignation outside 10 Downing Street today

An interim PM will be named - and could it be Boris Johnson?

A No10 source said Mr Johnson had spoken to Sir Graham Brady - the chair of the Tories' 1922 Committee - this morning and agreed to stand down.

The timetable for a Conservative leadership contest is expected to result in a successor being in place for the party's conference in October.

But Mr Johnson is intending to stay in No 10 until the process is complete.

And this has raised the prospect of Mr Johnson remaining as Prime Minister for a number of weeks yet while a leadership contest takes place.

It is difficult to know at this stage how long the contest will last, with the exact timetable to be revealed next week, but the process to replace Theresa May in 2019 took about 40 days.

The final blows that forced Boris to quit 6.47am: Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis - tweeted that he could not longer continue without 'honesty, integrity and mutual respect'. 6.49am: Treasury minister Helen Whately - said 'there are only so many times you can apologise and move on'. 7.15am: Security minister Damian Hinds - 'for our country, and trust in our democracy, we must have a change of leadership' 7.21am: Science minister George Freeman - accused Mr Johnson of 'insults to the Conservatism I believe in and stand for'. 7.50am: Pensions minister Guy Opperman - 'it should not take the resignation of 50 colleagues, but sadly the PM has left us no choice' 8.02am: Technology minister Chris Philp - 'the PM should step down'. 8.09am: Courts minister James Cartlidge - 'The position is clearly untenable.' 8.43am: Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi - 'You must do the right thing and go now.' 8.51am: Education Secretary Michelle Donelan - 'as someone who values integrity above all else, I have no choice'. Advertisement

Mr Johnson has already announced new ministerial appointments as he bids to replace all those who quit this week, as part of an attempt to restore a functioning Government so he can stay in power for a few more weeks yet.

But, following the events of the last 48 hours, he is already facing pushback against this plan.

George Freeman, who quit as science minister this morning, dismissed the prospect of Mr Johnson remaining in Downing Street for a short while yet.

He posted on Twitter: 'Boris Johnson needs to hand in the seals of office, apologise to Her Majesty & advise her to call for a Caretaker Prime Minister.'

Ashfield MP Lee Anderson told ITV: 'He should go, he should go today. I think we need an interim, a steady pair of hands - maybe the Deputy PM Dominic Raab.'

Meanwhile, one former minister told MailOnline: 'We need to be rid of the Johnson poison as quickly as possible.'

If not Boris, then who?

Dominic Raab, as Deputy Prime Minister, would appear to be the obvious choice to take over from Mr Johnson for an interim period while a permanent replacement is chosen.

He already has experience of being at the helm after he deputised for Mr Johnson when the PM was in intensive care with Covid.

There are already calls for Mr Raab to take over from Mr Johnson as swiftly as possible, including from the PM's estranged former chief adviser Dominic Cummings.

It has also been suggested that ex-PM Theresa May could be drafted back into Downing Street for a short time as a caretaker premier.

A well-placed source told the Daily Mail: 'She knows the ropes and the security stuff, she's a party woman through and through, she's definitely not interested in standing for it herself and would be credible. She is uniquely placed.'

Deputy PM Dominic Raab has been touted to take over from Mr Johnson on an interim basis while a new Tory leader is chosen

Boris to go and see the Queen today?

If someone other than Mr Johnson is handed the reins of power on an interim basis, this would need to be done formally.

Mr Johnson would go to Buckingham Palace to officially resign as Prime Minister in front of the Queen.

He would then recommend his successor - whether that be Mr Raab on an interim basis or someone else.

But, if Mr Johnson is allowed to stay on for a few more weeks while a new Tory leader is chosen, he would not need to make a trip to the Palace until later this summer.

A Tory leadership contest begins

Mr Johnson's resignation has fired the starting gun on a Tory leadership contest, with some contenders having already been jostling for weeks.

A Conservative leadership election takes place in two stages, with a timescale for each announced by the 1922 Committee.

It begins by candidates putting their own names forward. All Tory MPs then vote in a series of rounds o whittle down the candidates.

In the first two rounds, the candidates who don't meet a certain threshold of votes are eliminated.

For all subsequent ballots, the candidate who comes last is eliminated, until there are only two candidates remaining.

In the second stage of the leadership contest, the wider Tory party membership is balloted to choose between the final two candidates.

In the 2019 contest, Mr Johnson defeated Jeremy Hunt by 66 per cent to 34 per cent of the membership vote.

Mr Johnson defeated Jeremy Hunt in the final round of the 2019 Tory leadership contest, which took almost six weeks to complete

How long will it take to choose a new Tory leader?

Due to the circumstances, the Conservative Party is likely to want a swift contest.

But the requirement for leadership hustings ahead of a ballot of the wider Tory membership means it is still set to take a number of weeks.

In 2019, the contest began with the opening of nominations on 10th June. Mr Johnson was then named the eventual victor almost six weeks later on 23rd July.

But, in 2016 when Theresa May was chosen as leader, the process took much less time as a ballot of the Tory membership was not required.

This is because her final challenger, Andrea Leadsom, dropped out the contest just days after the Parliamentary stage of the process was completed.

This time round, if a clear favourite emerges during the rounds of MPs voting, there could be huge pressure on other candidates to similarly drop out and avoid a membership ballot as a means of choosing a new leader quickly.

Who's likely to put themselves forward for new Tory leader?

The list of potential leadership candidates gets longer and longer with each day that passes - with large numbers of Tory MPs fancying them for the top job.

But leading contenders are likely to be Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, ex-Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Mr Sunak's replacement Nadhim Zahawi, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, trade minister Penny Mordaunt, and senior backbenchers Tom Tugendhat and Tobias Ellwood.

Former Brexit minister Steve Baker and Attorney General Suella Braverman have also said they are considering putting themselves forward.
The Benny Hill theme tune rang out around Westminster this morning as outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the finishing touches to his resignation statement.

The jolly music, often used as a soundtrack for outlandishly funny or farcical situations, could be loudly heard in the background of a Sky News interview with Tory MP Chris Philp.

The unmistakable sound of the tune, officially named Yakety Sax, was pumped out of a speaker by anti-Brexit protestor Steve Bray, who has made a series of similar statements outside Parliament this week.

He confirmed this particular stunt was inspired by acting legend Hugh Grant, who requested the song be played in a tweet to Mr Bray earlier this morning.

Posting a video of his own on Twitter, in which people on the green could be seen dancing along, Mr Bray wrote: 'Just for [Mr Grant] as requested here today at the media circus College Green. The Benny Hill theme tune.'

The stunt was met with glee on social media, as one journalist tweeted: 'Loving the circus music heard in the background now as the UK networks broadcast outside Number 10. Fitting.'

Broadcaster Max Rushden said: 'Wonderful that [Mr Bray] is taking requests. Route one, but Go Now by the Moody Blues is a great song x'

Another user wrote: 'So Hugh Grant asked Steve Bray over Twitter if he had the Benny Hill theme tune and this is now how the news sounds the country has gone mad/demob happy BUT I AM HERE FOR IT!'

A fourth added: 'Steve Bray blasting out the Benny Hill theme tune every time a Tory MP is interviewed on College Green is a thing of absolute comedic beauty.'

The unmistakable sound of the tune, officially named Yakety Sax, was pumped out of a speaker by anti-Brexit protestor Steve Bray, who has made a series of similar statements outside Parliament this week

The jolly music, often used as a soundtrack for outlandishly funny or farcical situations, could be loudly heard in the background of a Sky News interview with Tory MP Chris Philp

People on the green could be seen dancing along to the music being pumped out by the activist

From Port Talbot to Parliament: EU fanatic's one-man protest Steve Bray has been making noise outside Parliament since September 2017. The coin collector from Port Talbot initially become part of the landscape on Westminster's College Green, with his colourful ensemble of a EU-inspired top hat and a Union Flag cape regularly seen lurking in front of TV cameras. When the grandfather first shot on to the Westminster scene to interrupt news reports by floating behind interviewees with his anti-Brexit signs, the broadcasters forked out for raised towers to keep him out of shot. But he continued to heckle politicians and blast music at Parliament, despite vowing to stop in 2019. But his attempt to enter politics proper failed. Standing for the Lib Dems at the 2019 election in Cynon Valley in Wales, he came sixth with fewer than 1,000 votes and lost his deposit. While the daily protest may seem a thankless task for the numismatist, who uprooted from his Welsh home, Mr Bray has raised thousands of pounds in donations from Remain activists to sustain his comfortable lifestyle. It was revealed in 2019 that he had moved into a plum Westminster townhouse opposite Jacob Rees-Mogg, after receiving a handsome lump sum from Remainer plumbing mogul Charlie Mullins. One of his most memorable spats was with Theresa May's former deputy Damian Green who Mr Bray had asked how he felt about the crunch withdrawal deal vote. Mr Green refused to answer and said: 'No you can't, because you've just tried to shout over an interview I've done like you do everyone else. 'In a competitive field, you are the biggest w***ker.' Advertisement

It comes just 24 hours after the activist also interrupted a live broadcast by Good Morning Britain by belting out a modified rendition of Bye Bye Baby outside the Houses of Parliament.

GMB presenters Susanna Reid, 51, and Ed Balls, 55, were hosting the ITV breakfast news show live from Westminster when Mr Bray, 53, began singing 'Bye Bye Boris' to the tune of the Bay City Rollers' hit.

Reid appeared distracted as the pro-EU protestor started singing, and asked: 'Oh what's Sorry, where's that come from?'

Balls replied: 'I don't know,' while Reid continued: 'Are we about to do karaoke?', before realising it was Bray.

Bray, from Port Talbot in South Wales, has made frequent protests against Brexit on College Green and is known to shout during TV news broadcasts.

He is also known for walking into the background of live reports, often wearing an eye-catching outfit and carrying placards with anti-Brexit or anti-Government messages.

As Bray's performance picked up, Reid and Balls began dancing along to his rendition of Bye Bye Baby.

Reid quickly recognised the performer, saying: 'Oh, it's Steve Bray! It's the latest Steve Bray protest, isn't it?'

Despite the interruption, both presenters seemed to be entertained by the inventive performance.

'Oh, come on, Steve,' said Balls. Reid added: 'Well, I suppose if you're no longer allowed to shout, there are other ways of making your voice heard.'

It comes after Bray, a failed Lib Dem parliamentary candidate, was silenced by the police last week when they confiscated his powerful music system in Westminster.

Under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, which came into force June 28, he was told by the Metropolitan Police that morning that he could not conduct a 'noisy protest' within a designated area outside the palace of Westminster.

He branded officers 'a bunch of fascists' as they explained the new rules to him and took away his equipment.

Mr Bray started his one-man demonstration shouting about Brexit but has since focused on targeting Boris Johnson and Conservatives.

His set list of songs consists of artists like the Bay City Rollers, the Sex Pistols, the Fun Boy Three and Sam Cook, on a heavy rotation.

He plays regularly outside the palace on Wednesdays when he knows Mr Johnson will attend for Prime Minister's Questions, but also turns up on other days.

People working in the side of the Parliamentary estate facing his protest have made noise complaints but local authorities were until recently unable to take action against a legitimate political protest.

Under new laws, an offence of intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance is now available in an effort to crack down on disruptive 'guerrilla protests'.

The Benny Hill theme today drowned out a Sky News interview with former technologies minister Chris Philp, who indicated he would return to Government if required, now that Mr Johnson is stepping down as Conservative Party leader.

Mr Philp, who resigned himself only hours ago, told Sky News he would not refuse to help out the Government if it needed to pass legislation through the Commons, but he was not looking for his job back.

He said: 'I think all of us in public life are here to serve the country and if I was able to do that in whatever capacity, then obviously I'd be happy to serve.

'If I was asked to help out with getting the Online Safety Bill through Parliament, okay, I would be willing to help out in whatever way I could, in any capacity, whoever the leader was.

'I'm not asking for that (his old post). I'm not expecting it. I resigned and when you resign, you resign.'

He also said that he had not given any thought to the best candidate to replace Mr Johnson.
The 21-year-old rugby player who drowned in a hotel swimming pool while on holiday in Cyprus has been named as Ben Woods

The 21-year-old rugby player who drowned in a hotel swimming pool while on holiday in Cyprus has been named as Ben Woods.

The young man from Leigh, Wigan, was found unconscious by the pool at the King Evelthon Hotel in Paphos on Tuesday.

Guests pulled him out of the pool and he died shortly after in intensive care at Paphos General Hospital.

Tributes have flooded in for Woods, whose family said he was a 'brilliant young man' who will be 'truly missed.'

His aunt Joanne Bennet told the Sun Online: 'Ben was the life and soul of any party, he would just walk into a room and it'd just [light] up.'

Ben was on holiday in Cyprus with his parents when he was found.

'We are going to miss him, we can't believe what happened, we just can't,' she added, saying his mother is too traumatised to speak.

'A 21-year-old, we are shocked. We just can't believe it.'

A friend of Ben's, posting on social media, said: 'Really am lost for words, what a cruel world we live in RIP to one of the most down-to-earth, caring and realist lads youll ever meet Ben Woods you'll be well and truly missed by us all.'

Tributes have flooded in for Woods, whose family said he was a 'brilliant young man' who will be 'truly missed'

His aunt Joanne Bennet said: 'Ben was the life and soul of any party, he would just walk into a room and it'd just [light] up'

Leigh East Rugby Club, where Ben had played since he was a boy, said: 'It is with the greatest sadness we have to announce the passing of Ben Woods one of our young Open Age players after an accident while on holiday with his family.

'Ben had played at Leigh East from a very young age and had progressed through the age groups to become a valuable member of our club. Ben was always there with a cheeky smile and will be sorely missed.

'Our thoughts and condolences go out to Mick, Mel and Josh, his family and friends at this saddest of times.

'RIP young man you will never be forgotten.'

Mike Latham, chairman of Leigh Centurions, of which Ben was a former member, said: 'On behalf of everyone at the club, we send our most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ben Woods, brother of our former player Josh, on their tragic loss.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.'

'We are going to miss him, we can't believe what happened, we just can't,' she added, saying his mother is too traumatised to speak

Guests desperately tried to revive the man with CPR - and the lifeguards only noticed the victim was unconscious after an entertainer screamed at them that the man had been pulled out of the pool, a witness was reported as saying.

One person who witnessed the incident said the lifeguards were sitting too far from where the body was found.

'From where they sit they would not be able to see what's happening, it's a good 100m away,' he said. 'They were just two lads probably in their early 20s if that and they didn't seem geared up for the job.'

The lifeguards eventually performed CPR on the man and tried to revive him at the edge of the pool while they awaited paramedics.

Ben failed to regain consciousness and he was rushed by ambulance to Paphos General Hospital.

He was intubated and admitted to the intensive care unit before he was pronounced dead at 9pm on Tuesday.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'We are providing consular support to the family of a British national who has died in Cyprus.'

Police are currently investigating the incident but have ruled out the possibility of any criminal activity.
A Welsh mother says her son, 11, is being beaten 'black and blue' on the school playground and labelled 'English idiot' by bullies because his father is English.

Schoolboy Liam has been abused for more than four years, his mother Kelly Wood said, leading her to involve police after alleged school inaction.

Ms Wood from Gowerton, near Swansea claimed bullies pick on her son Liam because his father is English.

The mother of the bullied child said she took him to hospital in 2017 when his head was split open after a fight with another pupil at school.

Welsh mother Kelly Wood (pictured) has claimed her son Liam, 11, is beaten 'black and blue' on the school playground and labelled 'English idiot' by bullies because his father is English

Liam has been been abused for more than four years, leading his mother Kelly Wood to involve the police after alleged school inaction

The Year 6 pupil at Waunarlwydd Primary School, used to be the 'happiest boy ever' before the bullying started, Ms Wood told WalesOnline.

But years of persistent bullying has led to him develop anxiety and stress.

Ms Wood said he has returned home from school 'black and blue' with bruises after being hit and punched from head to toe in a 'tag-team' of abuse.

She also said that on one occasion seven boys 'piled on' him at once.

Liam's tormentors have also labelled him 'English p***k', 'English idiot', and 'fat', his mother Kelly Wood (pictured) has claimed

Liam's tormentors have also labelled him 'English p***k', 'English idiot', and 'fat', Ms Wood has claimed.

She added that bullies also abuse the fact that his father is disabled and unemployed.

Ms Wood has been paying 30 for counselling for her son as he said he 'didn't want to be here anymore' .

The concerned mother reported the abuse to the police recently as she was concerned the school were failing to ensure her son's safety.

South Wales Police have now confirmed they are investigating allegations of bullying and hate crime.

South Wales Police Neighbourhood Inspector Simon Trick said: 'We are investigating allegations of bullying and hate crime against a 11-year-old boy from the Gowerton area.

'Tackling hate crime is a priority for South Wales Police. Hate crime is totally unacceptable, and we take it extremely seriously.'

He added: 'South Wales Police is committed to protecting our communities and safeguarding those who are vulnerable.

'Anyone who is a victim of hate crime or witnesses a hate related incident should come forward and report. It is through reporting we can take action against perpetrators and provide victims with the support they need.'

Waunarlwydd Primary School said in a statement: 'Waunarlwydd Primary School treats any claims of bullying very seriously and we are committed to providing a safe and caring environment for all our pupils, where all members of our school community treat each other with kindness and respect.

'We cannot comment on individual pupils but we can say that Year Six are all happily working together this week preparing for our end of term celebrations.'
Russian authorities have criticized the leak of a phone call between French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin that showed the two leaders having a heated exchange days before the Ukraine invasion.

The conversation happened just four days before Moscow conducted its war on Ukraine and showed the Russian strongman claiming that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was lying to Macron.

Heated Phone Call

Details of the confidential exchange were revealed in a bombshell new documentary about the French president's handling of the ongoing conflict in Europe, titled "A President, Europe, and War," which premiered last week on a French television show.

The documentary showed that as Russia was in the process of amassing its forces in preparation for the full-scale invasion in late February Macron called his Russian counterpart to give his advice on the escalating situation and discuss "useful actions" to defuse the tension.

However, Putin quickly turned the conversation to "our dear colleague Mr. Zelensky" and accused the Ukrainian president of "lying" to the French president about his intention to implement the Minsk Accords, which aimed to end the war in the Donbas region, as per the New York Post.

Then, the Russian president took issue with Zelensky's apparent refusal to negotiate with pro-Kremlin Ukrainian separatists, which infuriated Macron and prompted him to exclaim in audible frustration, "I don't know where your lawyer learned law!"

Read Also: Biden Administration Pressures the EU To Launch Economic Sanctions Against Russia

Macron added by telling Putin that in a sovereign country the texts of laws are proposed by separatist groups and not by the democratically-elected authorities. However, the Russian president fired back, arguing that Zelensky's government was not democratically elected.

According to France24, the situation comes as Macron faces criticism over his calls to avoid humiliating Russia in Ukraine. On Friday, the French president reiterated his belief that Putin must be given an exit from what he called his "historic and fundamental mistake" of waging war against Ukraine.

France and Ukraine

The statement immediately garnered new tensions with Kyiv where Zelensky is known to be skeptical about the French president's insistence on trying to talk Putin into ending the invasion. Macron has made dozens of calls to Putin since the beginning of the year despite publicly supporting Ukraine.

Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, also criticized the publication of the call between Macron and Putin. The official made his comments on Wednesday, saying, "diplomatic etiquette does not provide for unilateral leaks of [such] recordings."

Furthermore, Lavrov said that Russia had nothing to be ashamed of despite the revelations of the call between the two leaders. "We, in principle, lead negotiations in such a way that we never have anything to be ashamed of. We always say what we think and are ready to answer for these words and explain our position," said the foreign minister.

The documentary also showed scenes that were rarely seen in public, including Macron holding a meeting in his bunker under the Elysee palace and working with his team in the presidential plane. Furthermore, it highlights European leaders' coordination to support Ukraine and impose unprecedented sanctions on Russia, Aljazeera reported.



Related Article: Vladimir Putin Urges Russian Troops To Push Harder After Capturing Lysychansk; UK Ramps Up Sanctions Against Moscow

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The Universities of Bristol and Nottingham have reportedly outlawed words like 'mankind' and 'millennial' to avoid causing offence - while terms such as 'manpower' are to be replaced with 'workforce'.

Woke chiefs at the Russell Group schools fear the everyday expressions contribute to stigmas and can have negative associations, reports the Sun.

At Bristol, students and faculty have allegedly been told to replace the word 'manning' with 'stationed', while 'able-bodied' people should now be called 'non-disabled'.

The 146-year-old university, which counts stars like Simon Pegg, David Walliams and Matt Lucas as alumni, has also asked that generational nicknames like 'boomers' and 'millennials' be avoided.

As part of its style guide, 'humankind' should also replace 'mankind', while 'workforce' should be used instead of 'manpower'.

In its writing style guide on its website, under 'specific terminology', it reads: 'Avoid using generational labels ('Generation X', 'Baby Boomers', 'Millennials') where possible.

'These can reinforce negative stereotypes, and the terms are not easily understood, especially by some international audiences.'

At Bristol University (pictured), students and faculty have allegedly been told to replace the word 'manning' with 'stationed', while 'able-bodied' people must now be called 'non-disabled'

Meanwhile at Nottingham University (pictured), phrases such as 'the request fell on deaf ears' or 'blind spot' are now deemed out of touch for potentially 'associating impairments with negative things'

It adds: 'When writing about people in older age groups, the term 'older people' is generally preferred... avoid the terms 'senior', 'middle-aged', 'elderly', 'pensioner', 'OAP' and 'senior citizen'.'

Meanwhile at Nottingham, phrases such as 'the request fell on deaf ears' or 'blind spot' are now deemed out of touch for potentially 'associating impairments with negative things.'

Words like 'lame' and 'stupid' are also now discouraged.

Bristol Uni agrees, as its style guide reads: 'Avoid slang that associates a disability with a negative trait, such as 'falling on deaf ears', 'turning a blind eye' or 'the blind leading the blind'.'

The guide adds: 'Use the term "non-disabled" rather than "able-bodied" if you need to describe people without disabilities.'

Tory MP Nigel Mills told the Sun: 'Free speech really is at risk because of these ridiculous ideas.'

Both universities were contacted by MailOnline. Bristol refused to comment.

It comes after the University of York faced ridicule last month when it slapped a trigger warning on one of its archaeology courses - alerting students they may see images of human remains.

The bizarre flag was placed on its Communicating Archaeology module which starts in September.

Department heads risked being accused of patronising its budding Indiana Joneses over the warning of content surely expected on a course of its nature.

The module  led by Dr Colleen Morgan  is described as 'providing skills needed to communicate archaeological research to a variety of audiences'.

But it warned prospective learners: 'Content Warning: This module occasionally shows images and videos of human remains'.

MP Andrew Bridgen - who has previously hit out against little-needed trigger warnings and censorship - said it was absurd.

The archaeological site of Kemune in the dried-up area of the Mosul reservoir where archaeologists are toiling to dig up the urban center of the once-lost Mittani Empire

The University of York's trigger warning about the possibility of pictures of remains being seen

He told MailOnline: 'If the archeology students are worried about seeing human remains perhaps they should have considered another course.'

The module description for the upcoming academic year lays out the course and what it will contain.

It states: 'The Communicating Archaeology module will take students through the history of visual interpretation and dissemination in archaeology, examining illustration, photography, map making, and more up-to-date methods in digital archaeology.

'Students will critically examine representations of archaeology and create their own visual media.

'We will look at best practices for multiple audiences and consider challenges in ethics, accessibility, and technology.

'Students will be encouraged to rethink and improve the messages that archaeologists are transmitting, to academic and general audiences.'

It was the latest in a series of trigger warnings from universities that have attracted ridicule.

The University of Chester gave a content warning to students reading JK Rowling's first Harry Potter book over 'difficult conversations about gender, race, sexuality, class, and identity'.

Its English Department sounded the klaxon to freshers on its Approaches to Literature module, led by Dr Richard Leahy.

The university did not respond to a request for a comment from MailOnline on the warning

It even told them they could raise concerns with him if they had 'any issues' with the topics discussed.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is one of the course's three set literary texts alongside Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games and Philip Pullman's Northern Lights.

The trigger warning seen by MailOnline tells students: 'Although we are studying a selection of Young Adult texts on this Module, the nature of the theories we apply to them can lead to some difficult conversations about gender, race, sexuality, class, and identity.

'These topics will be treated objectively, critically, and most crucially, with respect. If anyone has any issues with the content, please get in touch with the Module Leader to make them aware.'

It comes after JK Rowling's views on transgender rights has seen her criticised from some quarters.

A number of schools have distanced themselves from her, even removing her as a house name in some cases.

The University of York did not reply to a MailOnline request for comment on the archaeology trigger warning.
Brits travelling to six Spanish airports are being warned to brace themselves for more 'significant chaos' this summer.

The tourism alliance, Exceltur has singled out the airports of south and north Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Malaga and Mallorca for special warnings.

The organisation says there will be 'significant and major chaos' as these airports are particularly popular with the Brits.

And Exceltur says it is 'urgent' to improve the provision of border controls to try and improve the situation.

Vice president of Exceltur, Jose Luis Zoreda said the chaos is being created by the 'strong explosion' in demand and will be particularly bad in airports which record the largest arrivals of British tourists. This will include all the airports in the Canary islands.

At the Madrid-Barajas airport, the shortage of personnel at passport controls must be remedied 'urgently', Mr. Zoreda added.

The tourism alliance, Exceltur has singled out the airports of south and north Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Malaga and Mallorca for special warnings. Pictured: Queues at Stansted today

Vice president of Exceltur, Jose Luis Zoreda said the chaos is being created by the 'strong explosion' in demand and will be particularly bad in airports which record the largest arrivals of British tourists

Exceltur says Spain's airport authority, AENA is not to blame for the problems and praised the 'great professionalism' shown so far given the significant volume of tourists arriving in Spain each year.

Mr. Zoreda said lack of personnel was to blame, coupled with the impact of the Ryanair and easyJet strikes and flight cancellations.

He has urged the Ministry of the Interior to make sure there are all the necessary police resources at the main tourist airports and in Madrid-Barajas to facilitate passport control.

'These are causing remarkable dissuasive problems and inconvenience to tourists who want to fly to Spain,' he said. 'The Ministry of Interior must provide the necessary means so that Spanish airports continue to stand out as the best gateway for tourists to enter and exit our country.'

A passenger at Heathrow airport takes time out for a snooze amid more queues and delays Tuesday

There were long queues at Manchester Airport this morning as the aviation crisis continues to cause chaos across Britain

This morning, queues were already mounting at Birmingham and Stansted airports. Pictured, people sleeping on the floor in Stansted airport

Meanwhile, British tourists have been dealing with endless problems and 'total chaos' back home in the UK as airlines cancel flights and airports lose luggage.

BA cancelled 17,600 flights up to the end of June, equivalent to 2.8 million seats, telling bosses at Gatwick and Heathrow it is cancelling more than 650 flights to more than 70 destinations including Malaga, Ibiza, Palma, Faro and Athens to try and avoid more chaos at terminals.

Nearly 1,000 further flights have been cancelled so far this month alone, including 785 from Heathrow and 186 at Gatwick.

The airline has said it is facing the 'most challenging period in its history' and has 'regrettably' had to make further reductions to its schedule.

And EasyJet's chief operating officer Peter Bellew resigned on Monday amid growing pressure on the airline to reduce flight disruption.

His resignation came on the same day that one passenger waiting at Manchester Airport tweeted a photo of a queue to enter Terminal 3 that stretched into the multi-storey car park.

And this morning, executive chairman for Jet2, Philip Meeson, criticised 'inexcusable' airport chaos as the group reported losses of 323.9 million for the year to March 31.
The Biden administration has approved a Trump-era project finishing a section of the southern border wall in the western-most point of the U.S. along the border with Mexico in California.

Completion of this project will lead to the permanent closure of the U.S. side of Friendship Park, which is a binational spot between San Diego and Tijuana where separated families could meet and touch without a wall between them.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas approved the designs, which were initially authorized by the Trump administration in the budget for Fiscal Year 2018.

The project will replace existing barriers with two 30-foot walls across Friendship Park. These style walls started being added to the park during the Trump administration, but will be further extended through the park.

Joe Biden's administration has approved a Trump-era project to complete a section of the border wall in California that would see the permanent closure of Friendship Park

Friendship Park is a binational spot between San Diego and Tijuana where separated families could meet and touch without a wall between them. The current plans do not have a spot for a door on the U.S. side, meaning pedestrians will not be able to get through to the Park

'U.S. Border Patrol says they are just 'replacing walls' at Friendship Park, but the proposed construction amounts to a permanent closure of the U.S. side of this historic location,' said John Fanestil, who is the convener of the Friends of Friendship Park coalition based in San Diego.

Fanestil further condemned the president and the project his administration approved: 'Joe Biden should not be putting the finishing touches on Donald Trump's border wall at Friendship Park.'

Current plans do not include an entrance for pedestrians on the secondary wall, meaning that while people on the Mexican side can get to the park, the U.S. side of the park will no longer be accessible to people wishing to meet up with those on the southern side of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Images along the southern border show people on the U.S. and Mexico side of the border speaking through the Trump wall, which is distinguished by other barrier sections with 30-foot bollard-style wall

On Day One of his time in office, Biden signed an executive order halting all border wall construction following his campaign promise that 'not one more inch of wall' would be built.

However, the Biden administration has more recently approved projects at multiple locations along the border, maintaining that the construction is to 'replace' existing wall despite using Trump-era designs.

The projects prevail as migration at the southern border continues to surge despite the White House repeatedly insisting that the border is closed, urging migrants not to make the dangerous trek.

June figures have not yet been released, but May saw a fourth straight month of migrant crossing increases at the southern border with Customs and Border Protection encountering 239,416 illegal border hoppers.

The migration crisis continues to surge under the current administration as CBP encountered 239,416 migrants in May  the highest since Biden took office and a two-decade high

The latest figure is the most so far under the Biden administration and at least a two-decade high in migration at the southern border.

Last month, a sweltering semi-truck full of dead and ailing migrants was found abandoned at the side of the road near San Antonio, Texas. Of the migrants being smuggled, 53 died and several others were in critical condition.

The deadliest human smuggling incident in U.S. history has led to more urgency for action at the southern border, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle pointing fingers back at each other.

Republicans claim that Biden's lax immigration policies have led to these type of tragedies, while Democrats blame Trump and the GOP for pushing and implementing strict laws at the border that force migrants to seek illegal ways over.
There is mounting anger over woke Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's decision to charge a 62-year-old bodega employee with murder for killing a career criminal in self-defense after the thug attacked him in his store.

Jose Alba is in Rikers Island this morning awaiting his first court appearance on charges of murder.

His bail has been set at $250,000 - an exorbitant amount compared with the low-or-no cash bail that is routinely given to repeat offenders by Bragg's soft-touch office.

On Friday night, Alba stabbed Austin Simon to death after Simon attacked him in the Bluemoon Convenient Store in Harlem.

Alba, who is beloved in the local community, has worked there for decades and has no criminal record.

His family launched a GoFundMe page to help pay his legal expenses - but the page was removed on Wednesday night after raising $20,000. GoFundMe is yet to explain the decision.

Over the weekend, Alba was arraigned on a second degree murder charge and Bragg's office asked the judge to set Alba's bail at $500,000 - which the judge deemed too high.

Alba has not yet been indicted; his case is going before a grand jury on Saturday.

This was the altercation that led to Jose Alba's arrest last Friday. Alba, 62, is shown in a blue striped shirt and hat. Austin Simon, right, arrived in the store to confront Alba who had refused to give his girlfriend a bag of potato chips

Alba was sitting down in the tiny store when the man cornered him and demanded that he apologize to his girlfriend, who police say couldn't afford a bag of chips

The pair began fighting and Alba reached for the knife that is used to open boxes

The pair started fighting and Alba grabbed the knife that the staff in the store use to open boxes. He stabbed Simon in the neck and chest

Alba had a cut on his arm which was the result of Simon's girlfriend attacking him first, his family say

Alba is now being held in Rikers on a second degree murder charge

There is growing anger over the prosecution of bodega worker Alba by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and his office

Among those who slammed Bragg on Thursday was Republican Gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin.

'My first Day 1 action as Governor next January will be to fire Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg,' he said.

The row began in the store on Friday night when Simon's girlfriend, who has not been named, tried to buy a bag of potato chips for her daughter.

Her debit card was declined as she tried to make the purchase and Alba insisted that she hand the chips back over.

According to police, the woman then produced her own knife from her handbag. There was a scuffle and she ran out of the store to call on Simon for help.

Simon was on parole for attacking a police officer at the time of the incident on Friday night.

State records show he spent time in both Elmira and Five Points, two New York corrections facilities.

DA Alvin Bragg's office has not commented on the decision to charge Alba.

There is growing outrage over the decision among the community in Harlem where Alba lives, and online among strangers.

Simon's girlfriend, who allegedly produced a knife and stabbed him in the arm, has not been charged.

The man's family set up a GoFundMe to help him pay for his legal defense but it was removed overnight after raising $20,000

The page no longer exists on GoFundMe. The fundraising site has not yet explained why

Yesterday, a store worker who did not want to be named told DailyMail.com: ''The girlfriend is still out there enjoying her life'.

Regulars at the shop described Alba as a hard-working father who was preparing for retirement, and was looking forward to returning to the Dominican Republic next week to visit his family.

He worked at the store every day of the week from noon to 6am, they told DailyMail.com, to 'make an honest living.'

But during his more than two years working at the store, several patrons have tried to take advantage of him, grabbing items and trying to walk away with them.

One man even once held up a gun to him, they said.

So when Simon entered the store and starting threatening him last week, he did not know whether he had a gun and could kill him.

'He never wanted no problem,' said Ahmad's son, who was working the counter on Wednesday.

'I picture him as my grandfather being in that situation.'

NYC REPEAT OFFENDERS LET OUT ON NO-OR-LOW CASH BAIL WHILE BODEGA WORKER WITH A CLEAN RECORD SITS IN RIKERS Subway shooter who killed Goldman Sachs worker on his way to brunch weeks after being granted bail over car theft Andrew Abdullah shot and killed Daniel Enriquez in an unexplained attack on May 19th Andrew Abdullah shot and killed Daniel Enriquez in an unexplained attack on the subway on May 19th. Weeks earlier, a judge let Abdullah out on no bond, despite him having tried to steal a car. Prosecutors asked the judge to keep him behind bars on a $15,000 bond but the judge - Leigh Cheng - denied their request, and let him out. He went on to kill Enriquez on a Manhattan-bound Q train, then handed himself in days later after a fruitless effort by the NYPD. Criminal who smeared feces on woman's face was out on bail after attacking someone in a store Frank Abrokwa smeared feces on a woman's face weeks after being bailed out after punching someone on a subway platform Just one week before the horrifying subway attack, Frank Abrokwa had been arrested for allegedly threatening a hardware store employee with a screwdriver but had been released without bail. The 37-year-old was also arrested on January 7, for allegedly punching a 30-year-old man on a subway platform at 125th Street and Lenox Avenue and on February 5, for hitting a 53-year-old man at the Port Authority Bus Terminal. But each time, thanks to New York's lax new bail reform laws, the career criminal did not have to post bail and was released. A few days after threatening the store employee during a robbery, Abrokwa allegedly lunged at the woman at the East 241st Street subway station on February 21, smearing feces on her face Homeless Christmas tree arsonist with 20-year rap sheet Craig Tamanaha, 49, leaves Manhattan Criminal court flipping the cameras after a hearing for the incident where he burned down a Christmas Tree in front of Fox Studios in December of 2021 Last year, Craig Tamanaha set fire to the Christmas tree outside FOX News. Luckily, no one was hurt. Tamanaha had a long rap sheet and at the time, had been bailed weeks earlier for Weeks before the incident, Tamanaha allegedly flashed outside Ghislaine Maxwell's trial court and according to a criminal complaint from December. The 49-year-old has a lengthy criminal record spanning at least 20 years and two states, and he was arrested last month for exposing himself outside the Ghislaine Maxwell trial in the city. In 2002, the then-30-year-old Tamanaha was picked up in Abilene, Texas, on a public intoxication charge. Between 2017-2018, he was arrested on three separate occasions and charged with public intoxication, burglary and resisting arrest. Queens man with history of attacking kids flipped toddler's stroller Christopher Elder, 31, (pictured) Christopher Elder, 31, was charged with flipping over a three-year-old girl's stroller in March. The little girl was being walked in her stroller by her grandmother in the Bronx. She was left with injuries on her face and body and had to be treated in the hospital. It wasn't the first time he hurt a child. On December 11 the 31-year-old was charged for throwing a nine-year-old girl on the ground in the same Queens neighborhood, the Post reported. 'He took away the confidence I had as a woman and a single mother with two kids to go out there. Now I don't feel comfortable walking alone, like I used to with my kids. I'm constantly watching my back,' the mom of that alleged December assault told NBC New York. She said she was also hit by Elder when she instinctively shielded her daughter from an attack from the 31-year-old. Advertisement

The Bluemoon Convenience Store in Harlem, where the incident occurred on Friday

Police working at the scene last Friday. Alba stabbed the man multiple times in the neck and chest using a knife that the store workers use to open boxes

Scattered potato chips remained on the ground of the store after the scuffle that ended in Simon dying

Alba was working in the small store when Simon charged in and demanded that he apologize to his girlfriend for not giving her a bag of chips after her card was declined

Residents also told DailyMail.com that Simon was a known gang member, and would often talk about being in a gang.

Records obtained by DailyMail.com show he has been incarcerated several times - most recently in 2020, on assault and attempted assault charges.

He was then released from prison in May 2021.

'We want justice, we want no problems,' store employees said.

One regular at the bodega claiming if Alba isn't freed: 'We have no law here in this city.'

Danny Alba wrote on the fundraising page: 'It is with great sadness that I must ask for help for the great injustice that is taking place in my hometown of Harlem, with my own father nevertheless.

'It hurts me knowing that a man cannot defend himself without being made to look like a villain.'

She described her father as 'a loving man that always puts his family first whilst also looking after kids and people in bad positions in life that have no other form of guidance.'

She added: 'It is truly disgusting how they are trying to keep my dad in jail for protecting himself from a person who physically and verbally assaulted him before he took any action to protect his own life.

'If there is any justice left in the judicial system please let it work here, in the place where I was born and raised, Harlem.'

GoFundMe did not immediately respond to inquiries about why the page was taken down.
Two serving police officers are being investigated over claims they moved a suicide victim into poses before photographing the body and then sharing the images and a video online.

The officers serving in the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) were at the scene when the body of the man, from Belfast, was discovered in 2017.

The victim's sister told BBC NI Spotlight that her brother's genitalia had been exposed in one of the pictures, adding: 'No family should have had to endure the pain and suffering that has been caused by these images.'

It has also been claimed that one of the officers added a speech bubble to a photo taken of her brother 'making fun of the way that he was', before sharing the image on social media.

The officers serving in the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) were at the scene when the body of the man, from Belfast, was discovered in 2017. The two are being investigated over claims they moved a suicide victim into poses before photographing the body and then sharing the images and a video online

The devastated sister believed the word 'taig', a derogatory term for Catholics, had been among the words used.

An investigation by the Police Ombudsman into the claims against the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers has been ongoing for over three years. During this time, one of the officers has been suspended but with full pay.

It is part of a wider investigation, which is covering 11 separate but related incidents over several years and concerns a variety of possible offences including misconduct, harassment and the suspected supply of drugs.

According to NI's Police Ombudsman Marie Anderson, there have been several resulting arrests. 'There are multiple suspects, including police officers and civilians, in Northern Ireland as well as in England,' added Ms Anderson.

The family's lawyer his compared this case to that of the two Met Police constables jailed for photographing murdered sisters Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry (pictured) and then sharing the images on WhatsApp

The case of the manipulation and photographing of the suicide victim was described as 'harrowing' by Ms Anderson. 'No family should have had to endure the pain and suffering that has been caused by these images,' she added.

His loved ones have spoken anonymously to BBC NI's Spotlight team about how the alleged actions of the two officers have worsened their trauma.

Only finding out about the allegations from Police Ombudsman investigators 18 months after his son's death, the man's father said he felt 'physically sick to this day'.

'Those police officers were in the house while I was there - asked me to leave the room - and I done everything they asked me to at the time,' he said. 'And all that keeps coming back to me is why did I leave the room, because that must have been when they done it, when they took the photographs.'

The family's lawyer his compared this case to that of the two Met Police constables jailed for photographing murdered sisters Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry and then sharing the images.

Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, were stabbed to death by Danyal Hussein, 19, in Fryent Country Park in Wembley, north London, last June, while out celebrating a birthday.

Police Service of Northern Ireland Deputy Chief Constable Mark Hamilton (pictured) said the allegations will be thoroughly investigated

Pc Deniz Jaffer and Pc Jamie Lewis were assigned to guard the scene overnight after Ms Henry, 46, and Ms Smallman, 27, were found dead in bushes in Fryent Country Park, Wembley, north-west London.

Instead, they breached the cordon to take photographs of the bodies, which were then shared with colleagues and members of the public on WhatsApp.

Both have been jailed for two years and nine months each.

In the case of the two Northern Irish police officers, no charges have been brought against either in the five years since the victim's suicide. However, a file has been sent to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS).

The Police Ombudsman Marie Anderson, said: 'After the criminal aspects have been concluded, I will consider recommendations to the Chief Constable in terms of disciplinary action.

'All of those impacted by these incidents can be assured that we have given this case the priority and meticulous attention that it deserves, and we will continue to do so.'

Police Service of Northern Ireland Deputy Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said: This investigation is being conducted by the Police Ombudsman. An officer is currently suspended.

We expect the highest standards of professionalism and integrity from all of our police officers and staff in accordance with the standards contained in the Police Service of Northern Irelands Code of Ethics. Breaches of the law and the Code will be thoroughly investigated and robustly dealt with in accordance with the procedures laid out in our Conduct Regulations.

I would encourage anyone who suspects a member of our Service of abusing their position, in any manner, to report it to us, or to the Ombudsman's Office. You can be assured that the matter will be investigated thoroughly.

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or go to samaritans.org
Jacinda Ardern in an awkward TV interview moment was asked what it's like to be more popular abroad than with her own voters.

The New Zealand Prime Minister was quizzed by the ABC's Sarah Ferguson on what it feels like to be a global celebrity on Thursday night's episode of 7:30.

Ms Ardern is in Australia on a trade and tourism mission after spending the last few weeks globe-trotting and meeting with leaders in the UK and the United States.

She also sat down with Anthony Albanese on Thursday for the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum in Sydney, where the pair discussed everything from climate change to trans-Tasman trade and the threat posed to the region by China.

While the charismatic Kiwi enjoys immense popularity overseas, her public profile isn't so steadfast in New Zealand - where the leader faces growing voter dissatisfaction on the heels of the Covid pandemic.

Ms Ardern has been widely criticised for her draconian Covid-elimination policies in the initial stages of the crisis causing her to slide in the polls.

'How does it feel to be more popular abroad than at home?' Ferguson asked.

'My total focus is at home. That's what matters to me,' Ms Ardern replied.

Ms Ardern and Mr Albanese (pictured together on Thursday evening) seemed completely at ease as they spoke at the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum

Jacinda Ardern (pictured) was asked what it's like to be more popular abroad than with her own voters as the leader continues to slide in the polls

The latest polls showed the National/Act NZ coalition is seven percentage points ahead of Labor and the Greens - the largest lead of Ms Ardern's leadership.

Ferguson earlier in the interview had remarked it was unusual for a leader of a small Pacific country to become an 'international celebrity'.

A clearly uncomfortable Ms Ardern quickly shot down the description and insisted she would never think about herself in those terms.

'I think the rest of the world would,' Ferguson shot back.

'I guess, gosh, that would be for them,' Ms Ardern said with a smile.

'For me, I will forever, first and foremost be the prime minister of New Zealand, and my focus is totally on our nation.'

'If by virtue of just doing that job to the very best of my ability, there is some interest in what New Zealand does and how we do it  then I will always reflect that back to the fact that all I do is magnify the Kiwi spirit.'

Ferguson suggested Ms Ardern had been able to use the media to her advantage and boost her 'celebrity' status more instinctively than leaders before her.

The 41-year-old replied that other than leading New Zealand to the best of her ability, she felt she had a job to prove to the public that politicians are 'very human'.

The pair took part in a Q&A session at the Australia-New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF) Dinner in Sydney on Thursday night

Ms Ardern is currently in Australia on a trade and tourism mission and was pictured rubbing shoulders with her Australian counterpart

At one point during the high-level meeting Ms Ardern was pictured throwing her head back in laughter as Mr Albanese grinned at the crowd

'Ultimately, we want people to be attracted to politics - we want people to want to do the job,' the prime minister said.

'If we give this air that you have to be completely ironclad and almost so resilient as to not to be human, people won't see themselves wanting to enter the fray.'

Ms Ardern is currently in Australia on a trade and tourism mission and was pictured rubbing shoulders with her Australian Labor Party counterpart on Thursday evening.

The leader seemed completely at ease beside Mr Albanese as the pair spoke at the forum.

At one point during the high-level meeting Ms Ardern was pictured throwing her head back in laughter as Mr Albanese grinned at the crowd.

Ms Ardern was the first leader to meet with the new prime minister in Australia following the election, with the two music fans exchanging band t-shirts and vinyl records (pictured)

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern shakes hands with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after she touched down in Australia on July 7

Miss Ardern discussed everything from climate change to trans-Tasman trade and the threat posed to the region by China

Ms Ardern was the first world leader to meet with the new prime minister in Australia following the his May election win.

The pair, who are both former DJs exchanged band t-shirts and vinyl records.

She had earlier that day met with NSW premier Dominic Perrottet at Parliament House, and on Tuesday held talks with the Victorian Premier in Melbourne.

Ms Ardern and Daniel Andrews are said to have discussed climate change, mental health and infrastructure and vowed to stay in touch.

It is understood the NZ PM had more contact with Mr Andrews during the pandemic than any other Australian leader.

The leaders shared similar hard line strategies when it came to eliminating Covid-19, with the premier stating how important their phone calls had been.

Ms Ardern met with NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet as part of her trade mission to Australia

Ms Ardern had more contact with Mr Andrews during the pandemic than any other Australian leader
Three thousand more Australians died in the first two months of this year than expected, but it wasn't all down to the unfolding Omicron wave of COVID-19, a new study shows.

The majority of the extra deaths were due to Covid, but there was also an uptick in other illnesses.

Australia's health 2022, the 18th biennial health report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare on Thursday, sheds new light on the wide-ranging damage COVID-19 has wrought on the nation.

The national excess mortality figure, the difference between actual deaths and the expected number based on previous trends, was down in 2020 and slightly up in 2021, before skyrocketing this year.

A new study has revealed three thousand more Australians died in the first two months of this year than expected (pictured, a woman is seen at Bondi Beach in August, 2021)

Australia's health 2022 report has shed new light on the wide-ranging damage Covid-19 has wrought on the nation (pictured, healthcare staff care for a patient in Sydney in June, 2020)

Key stats from the report * 81.2 years life expectancy for boys born from 2018 to 2020, 85.3 years for girls * Almost 11.6 million Australians had one or more common chronic health condition in 2020-21 * 67 per cent of Australians are either overweight or obese. Advertisement

Taking into account statistical variation, 3105 more people died in Australia than expected in January and February after the emergence of the Omicron variant saw national daily cases explode past 100,000.

A high proportion of the excess deaths were attributed to COVID-19, along with larger than expected numbers for coronary heart disease (29 per cent), dementia (24 per cent), chronic lower respiratory conditions (23 per cent), stroke (20 per cent) and diabetes (14 per cent).

Nonetheless, COVID-19's case fatality rate fell from a peak of 3.3 per cent in October 2020 to 0.1 per cent in April 2022, reflecting the virus' increasing spread but easing severity amid new variants and the gradual vaccine take-up.

By the end of April, Australia had registered 5335 deaths from COVID-19 - 3107 of which came in 2022.

Some Australians were more likely to die than others.

People living in the country's poorest areas were almost three times more likely to die from the disease than those from the richest, while people born overseas were 2.5 times more likely to die than those born in Australia.

About 30 per cent of COVID-related deaths since the start of the pandemic have come from residential aged care, though rates have dwindled from 75 per cent in 2020 to 26 per cent in the first few months of 2022.

The national excess mortality figure has skyrocketed this year, after being down in 2020 and up in 2021 (pictured, a woman is tested for Covid at Bondi Beach in December, 2021)

The rate of severe disease among Indigenous Australians during the Omicron wave was also 40 per cent higher than among the general population.

As swathes of the nation jumped in and out of lockdown, Australian adults and young people experienced higher levels of psychological distress.

The report cited research showing a 19 per cent rise in self-harm or suicidal ideation presentations in NSW emergency departments among people aged 10 to 24, from March 2020 to June 2021.

'While there has been a rise in the use of mental health services and an increase in psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic has not been associated with a rise in suspected deaths by suicide,' it said.

As swathes of the nation jumped in and out of lockdown, Australian adults and young people experienced higher levels of psychological distress (pictured, Sydney healthcare workers)

Life satisfaction has similarly shifted, returning to pre-pandemic levels by January 2021 before falling by the Delta wave in August last year.

While too early to detect any fallout from delays to cancer screening and early detection services, AIHW deputy chief executive Matthew James said Australia will be dealing with the affects of COVID for 'many years to come'.

'In 2022, no health issue stands above, or has had as wide-reaching impacts on our population and health system,' he said.

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Boris Johnson's resignation speech was somewhere in between the final statements by a tearful Theresa May and Margaret Thatcher and a humming David Cameron, a body language expert told MailOnline today.

Judi James observed the Prime Minister closely as he confirmed in front of 10 Downing Street this afternoon that he had quit as Tory leader after admitting failing to persuade Cabinet colleagues that he could fight on.

She said Mr Johnson 'appeared choked with emotion when he thanked the British public before walking off hunched, with one hand trying to signal nonchalance by attempting to climb into his trouser pocket'.

But Ms James added that the 'key emotion' from the outgoing Prime Minister 'looked like suppressed anger and even bitterness', adding that his words came with a 'head baton gesture of mimed attack'.

Read the expert's full thoughts below on another dramatic day in politics after Mr Minister said it was 'eccentric' to change governments at this stage but 'I regret not to have been successful in those arguments'.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses the nation as he announces his resignation outside 10 Downing Street this afternoon

Prime Minister Theresa May (left) cries during her resignation statement outside 10 Downing Street on May 24, 2019; and Margaret Thatcher (right) becomes emotional while she leaves Downing Street in November 1990 as she resigns

Prime Minister David Cameron famously hummed after saying he would resign. He is pictured at No.10 on June 24, 2016

'Somewhere between Thatcher, May and Cameron'

Boris Johnson 'appeared choked with emotion' during his resignation speech outside 10 Downing Street, according to Judi James.

The body language expert also compared it to those from Margaret Thatcher in 1990, David Cameron in 2006 and Theresa May in 2009 - saying it was 'somewhere between' these.

Ms James told MailOnline today: 'Thatcher and May resigned in tears and Cameron walked away humming.

'Boris's resignation speech ended somewhere between the two as he appeared choked with emotion when he thanked the British public before walking off hunched, with one hand trying to signal nonchalance by attempting to climb into his trouser pocket.'

During the speech, Mr Johnson said from a lectern: 'In politics, no one is remotely indispensable.'

He added: 'I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world, but them's the breaks.'

Mr Johnson intends to remain in No 10 until his successor is elected, but he faces resistance to that plan from within his own party and the Opposition.

He has already appointed new Cabinet ministers to replace MPs who quit as part of the mass ministerial exodus in protest at his leadership.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces his resignation as leader of the Conservative Party at Downing Street today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses the nation as he announces his resignation outside 10 Downing Street today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson enters 10 Downing Street after reading a statement in London this afternoon

: Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses the nation as he announces his resignation outside 10 Downing Street today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves after making a statement in front of 10 Downing Street in London this afternoon

Carrie Johnson and Nadine Dorries listen as Prime Minister Boris Johnson makes a statement at Downing Street today

'Suppressed anger and even bitterness'

Ms James said that the 'key emotion from Boris looked like suppressed anger and even bitterness', adding: ''Comedy Boris' had gone and in his place stood a man who plainly thought recent events were stupid in the extreme.'

The Prime Minister said it was 'eccentric' to change governments at this stage but 'I regret not to have been successful in those arguments'.

A new Tory leader will now be elected who will replace Mr Johnson in No 10.

And Ms James told MailOnline of Mr Johnson: 'His euphemism was 'eccentric' but his words came with a head baton gesture of mimed attack that increased until it occurred on every other words.

'Referring to the 'millions' of people who had voted him in, he bit and snapped at his words or sucked his lips in to suggest resentment.'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives to make a statement in front of 10 Downing Street in London this afternoon

Prime Minister Boris Johnson makes a statement at Downing Street in London this afternoon

Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses the nation as he announces his resignation outside 10 Downing Street today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson makes a statement in front of 10 Downing Street in London today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses the nation as he announces his resignation outside 10 Downing Street today

People listen as Prime Minister Boris Johnson makes a statement at Downing Street in London today

'Gesture of almost military defiance'

During his speech, Mr Johnson spoke about his achievements - finishing the list with 'leading the West in standing up to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's aggression in Ukraine'.

And Ms James said of this: 'When he spoke of 'standing up to Putin' he looked up in a gesture of almost military defiance, with a lip clamp hinting at that Churchill, wartime spirit.'

She continued: 'The rueful smile returned when he spoke about the 'Herd instinct' of Westminster that had got him out of office.'

In a sign of the resentment Mr Johnson feels about being forced from office, less than three years after a landslide election win, the Prime Minister said: 'In the last few days, I tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments when we're delivering so much and when we have such a vast mandate and when we're actually only a handful of points behind in the polls, even in mid-term after quite a few months of pretty relentless sledging and when the economic scene is so difficult domestically and internationally.

'I regret not to have been successful in those arguments and of course it's painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself.

'But as we've seen, at Westminster the herd instinct is powerful, when the herd moves, it moves.'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson makes a statement at Downing Street in London this afternoon

Prime Minister Boris Johnson reads a statement outside 10 Downing Street as Carrie Johnson watches on today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses the nation as he announces his resignation outside 10 Downing Street today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves after making a statement at Downing Street in London today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson reads a statement outside 10 Downing Street in London this afternoon

'Struggling with his emotions'

Ms James said that the longer pauses towards the end of Mr Johnson's speech were a 'hint he might have been struggling with his emotions'.

She said this was 'especially as he had Carrie cradling her baby within his sights, but a bigger clue of the shock to his system was a physiological response'.

Ms James continued: 'As he spoke his cheeks appeared to get paler and mottled, suggesting the shock might have been slowly but gradually setting in for a man who clearly felt he was robbed of power by an eccentric herd.'

During the statement which was watched by staff, supportive MPs and his wife Carrie Johnson carrying their child Romy, the Prime Minister said: 'It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister.

'And I've agreed with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of our backbench MPs, that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now and the timetable will be announced next week. And I've today appointed a Cabinet to serve, as I will, until a new leader is in place.'

The timetable for the leadership contest is expected to result in a successor being in place for the party's conference in October - with Mr Johnson intending to stay in No 10 until the process is complete.

rime Minister Boris Johnson announces his resignation as leader of the Conservative Party in Downing Street today

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries speaks to Carrie Johnson and her baby Romy outside 10 Downing Street today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson reads a statement outside 10 Downing Street in London this afternoon

Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses the nation as he announces his resignation outside 10 Downing Street today

Orime Minister Boris Johnson announces his resignation outside 10 Downing Street in Westminster this afternoon
Kellyanne Conway said former President Donald Trump should drop his son-in-law Jared Kushner if he runs for president again in 2024.

In an interview published Wednesday with The Washington Times, Conway said Kushner was trying to 'wash his hands' of responsibility for the 2020 election loss, while earning billions through his ties to the ex-president.

'There's nobody who's profited more handsomly from Donald Trump's presidency than Jared Kushner,' Conway said.

Conway, who ran Trump's successful 2016 campaign, mocked reports that Kushner was 'done' with politics adding, 'That's a convenient way of saying, "Don't hold me accountable for all the authority I gave myself."'

'It's become incredibly convenient for Jared to not be given responsibility for that 2020 debacle of a campaign, to not take responsibility for, frankly, not being there for his father-in-law now the way that he insisted on being there for five straight years until things didn't really work out,' Conway told the newspaper.

'Jared should not work in the White House,' she added.

Kellyanne Conway said former President Donald Trump should drop his son-in-law Jared Kushner if he runs for president again in 2024

YOU'RE FIRED: Conway said that former President Donald Trump (left) shouldn't give his son-in-law Jared Kushner (right) another White House job if he's re-elected in 2024

Conway suggested Kushner had an inflated sense of self-worth.

She recalled how the media dubbed Kushner Trump's 'de facto chief of staff' and 'de facto campaign manager,' and is now writing a book: 'It talks about all the great things he did as president - I mean, as senior adviser to President Trump,' she said in a mocking tone.

After leaving the White House and moving to Miami, Kushner didn't get involved in the 2020 election challenges and instead formed a private equity firm that reportedly received a $2 billion investiment from Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.

'If you believe the news reports ... he's gotten billion of dollars for his [investment] fund,' Conway said.

At the same time, Kushner and other campaign advisers wasted Trump's $1.4 billion campaign war chest, Conway said.

'The people who are responsible for wasting the $1.4 billion and not getting the job done, we have not held them to account,' the former counselor to the president said.

She was encouraging of another Trump run - but said the ex-president needed to talk about his vision for the future, not make it a grievance campaign about the past.

'If President Trump wants to run in 2024, and he does  he should just look forward and project a vision forward, go to the future and recognize that every great presidential candidate, including him in 2016, has that vision of looking forward and reflects the people's grievances, not his own grievances, the people's grievances - their economic, their anxiety and uncertainty, their feeling of  uncertainty and chaos and crisis everywhere we look, and reflect to them that he is the guy who will come and mitigate if not eliminate all of that,' she said.

She said that Trump is 'sad and frustrated' by the leadership of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

'In less time than it takes to have a baby, Biden and Harris have ruined this country with the energy economy and the deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan. The list goes on and on,' Mrs. Conway said. 'So [Mr. Trump] is with America when he says, "I want to make a change here."'

She added, 'The second reason he wants to run is because Donald Trump is uniquely positioned to say, "I can do it because I already did it."'

'I like vintage Trump 2015-2016, that joy on the job, the rallies, connecting to people,' she added.

'All of that [Trump agenda] was so compelling, and people understood exactly why he was running and what they would get,' she said. 'A combination of vintage Trump with those amazing accomplishments in 2020, he can be unstoppable in 2024.'

Conway played down the threat caused by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who's being considered as Trump's heir-apparent.

The Trump ally suggested the 43-year-old governor is untested on the national stage.

'He obviously is highly favored by donors and grassroots,' Conway said. 'But I will say this: I love the donors. They're very successful people in life. They're often wrong about who's next. People say, "I want DeSantis," and they don't know him that well.'

'And they have to realize that whether it's DeSantis or Joe Blow or Donald Trump or Charlie Hurt, if you have an "R" after your name, they're coming for you,' she continued.

'So what everybody thinks is unconquerable and indomitable and electable, the media and the hard left, they will tear that person apart. And we don't know what people are made of until they're put into that arena,' Conway added.

Unlike other people in Trump-world, Conway suggested she hasn't embraced the so-called 'big lie,' that Trump was robbed a second term due to widespread election fraud.

'I don't talk about theft and fraud,' she told the paper. ''His team had plenty of time to produce the evidence. They failed to.'

'The electors certified those election results on Dec. 14. And then other people had the idea to blow through that and have another fifth bite at the apple on January 6,' she continued. I knew nothing about that ahead of time. I'm still in shock, not in awe.'

She said, however, that Democrats and the media spend too much time today focused on the January 6 Capitol riot.

'We've got to move on and look forward,' she said. 'People are suffering right now.'
In an interview with GQ, Brad discussed the ailment, which has never been formally diagnosed.

The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star admitted that he has trouble remembering new individuals in social settings, particularly at parties. The actor feels ashamed of his affliction and worries it makes him appear distant, aloof, unreachable, and self-absorbed. This is not the first time Brad has claimed to have prosopagnosia.

Brad Pitt Speaks Out About Rare Condition, Messy Divorce

"Nobody believes me! I wanna meet another," the 58-year-old actor told GQ's Ottessa Moshfegh. He replied when the journalist mentioned that her husband believes he has the same unusual disease.

Brad Pitt spoke up about his life following his ugly divorce from Angelina Jolie in the same GQ interview. The Fight Club star said that he became clean and attended Alcoholics Anonymous sessions for a year and a half.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have been feuding since they divorced in 2016 after only two years of marriage. Earlier this month, the Oscar winner accused his ex-wife of selling her stake in his vineyard to inflict pain on him.

Brad has accused his ex of seeking to harm him by surreptitiously selling her part in his French vineyard to a Russian billionaire with poisonous intents, according to legal documents obtained by the Daily Mail.

The plot involved taking entire control of Brad's multi-million dollar firm. The former couple agreed to sell their $164 million French houses in September, paving the door for the Girl, Interrupted star to sell her part of the Chateau Miraval.

Maddox, 20, Pax, 18, Zahara, 17, Shiloh, 16, and Vivienne and Knox, 13 are the children of the feuding parents. Lawyers for the mother of six previously accused the Seven star of abusing his "celebrity" position to modify their parenting agreement. Brad received joint custody of their children in May 2021, as per The Scottish Sun.

Angelina Jolie, who shares custody of their six children with Brad, cited irreconcilable differences in the divorce papers, but the couple went on to endure a highly publicized and exceptionally bitter divorce as they fought for their shared assets and custody.

An alleged argument aboard the family's private jet between Brad Pitt and his eldest son Maddox, who was 15 at the time, was at the heart of the custody struggle. Maddox is said to have testified against Brad in court during his parents' feud.

Following the allegations, the FBI examined Brad Pitt, who allegedly informed officials that, while he had yelled at his son, he had not intended to physically hurt him, Angelina, or any of their children.

He was eventually absolved of the accusations, but Angelina Jolie stated in October 2021 that she was broken over the horrific protracted custody fight and that she worried for the safety of her whole family during her marriage, according to Yahoo.

Read Also: Rihanna Net Worth 2022: How Did RiRi Become Youngest Self-Made Billionaire Woman in the US?

What Is Prosopagnosia?

A 2017 study discovered that children who were considered underweight when they were born are expected to do worse when it comes to remembering faces as they grow older. Researchers believe that having a low birth weight is connected to delays in the development of sections of the brain, especially those dealing with visual information.

About 2.5% of the population is considered to be afflicted, with comedian Stephen Fry and former Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt among those who have claimed to have facial blindness.

Brad also delivered a dismal appraisal of the human condition in his GQ interview as he moves on from the breakdown of his five-year marriage to actress Angelina Jolie.

The Hollywood actor resumed abstinence shortly after their divorce was finalized in 2016, and added that his newfound optimism is tempered by the understanding that we all face heartbreak at some time in our lives.

Despite his overwhelming sense of loneliness, he acknowledged discovering connection and camaraderie as a result of his choice to abstain from alcohol in 2016. After his divorce, the actor attended regular Alcoholics Anonymous meetings for 18 months, according to the group's essential principles of abstinence from all mind-altering drugs, Daily Mail reported.

Related Article: Amber Heard Files for Appeal After Loss vs. Johnny Depp; Raises Problems With Jury, Evidence

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Disneyland's social media accounts have been hacked by a self-proclaimed 'super hacker' who made racists posts in an effort to seek 'revenge' on the theme park.

The hacker, who identified himself as David Do, took over the park's Instagram and Facebook accounts early Thursday morning, making a slew of derogatory posts threatening black people.

He made multiple posts featuring the n-word, claimed to have invented COVID-19 and alleged he was working on a new COVID20 virus.

He also revealed the attack was in revenge of Disney staff who mocked him 'for having a small penis.'

Disney deleted the posts from its account - which has more than 8.4 million followers - within the hour.

A Disneyland spokesperson told DailyMail.com officials 'worked quickly to remove the reprehensible content, secure our accounts, and our security teams are conducting an investigation.'

The social media hack marks the latest controversy for The Walt Disney Company which recently sparred off with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis following an employee walkout over the state's so-called Don't Say Gay bill.

The hacker, who identified himself as David Do, took over the park's Instagram and Facebook accounts early Thursday morning, making a slew of derogatory posts threatening black people

The Los Angeles-based theme park deleted the posts within an hour of Do publishing them

Do made his first post Thursday around 3.50am PST alleging he was a super hacker 'here to bring revenge upon Disneyland.'

'I am f***ing tired of all these n***** Disney employees mocking me for having a small penis,' he posted. 'WHO'S THE TOUGH GUY NOW JEROME? GET HACKED YOU F****ING F******.'

In another post he said he he 'invented covid and blamed it on wuhan,' adding: 'Cuz f*** yall.'

'I am working on Covid20 - You n***** better hide before I release this new deadly virus,' he penned in another post, captioning a photo of black pallbearers carrying a coffin. 'With help of my crew DramaAlert @akademiks.'

He also shared an image of two men captioned 'u n***** are watching Disney Channel,' an apparent racist take on a mid-2000s promotion used by Disney's television station.

'Disney stars would say the popular catchphrase 'you're watching Disney Channel' and draw the iconic mouse ears using a magic wand.

'Disney land giving all u n***** a discount,' he added. He shared two selfies on the account's stories, captioning one: 'KILL ALL N******S. DAVID DO IS HERE.'

The hacker also encouraged social media users to follow his private Instagram account @chi11estpanda.

The account is believed to belong David Do, however DailyMail.com has not yet confirmed if the Do associated with @chi11estpanda is responsible for the hack.

claimed to have invented COVID-19 and alleged he was working on a new COVID20 virus

He alleged he was creating the 'new deadly' Covid20 virus with the held of 'my crew DramaAlert'

Do made his first post Thursday around 3.50am PST alleging he was a super hacker 'here to bring revenge upon Disneyland.' He also threatened to kill black people

He also made a racist post that seemingly tried to mimic a mid-2000s promotion used by Disney's television station. In the ad, Disney stars would say the popular catchphrase 'you're watching Disney Channel' and draw the iconic mouse ears using a magic wand

The hacking comes on the heels of several controversies involving The Walt Disney Company, most notably the apparent feud with Florida's DeSantis.

In March, the Republican governor signed a law into measure that dissolves Reedy Creek Improvement District, the private government Walt Disney World controls on its property, over the course of a year.

The move, which came after the conglomerate criticized his so-called Don't Say Gay Bill, rips up the 55-year-old deal that allowed Disney to regulate land, enforce building codes and treat wastewater - and could cost the company millions in lost local taxes and $2billion in bond debt.

Disney claims that there is a clause in its original contract that stipulates the state is responsible for its $2billion bond debt.

The company had issued those bonds - seen as an extremely safe financial investment - to fund the expansion of Walt Disney World Resort.

But unwinding Reedy Creek means families from Orange and Osceola counties would be on the hook for between $2,200 and $2,800 each - as residents have to be taxes equally - because the district would be absorbed into both areas.

Passage of the legislation was viewed as punishment for the entertainment giant opposing a new Florida law that critics call the 'Don't Say Gay' bill.

The law forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.

The hacking comes on the heels of several controversies involving The Walt Disney Company, most notably the apparent feud with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (pictured May 9, 2022)

In March, DeSantis signed a law into measure that dissolves Reedy Creek Improvement District, the private government Walt Disney World controls on its property

The move came after Disney strongly criticized DeSantis' so-called Don't Say Gay bill, which forbids discussing homosexuality or transgender issues for children from kindergarten to third grade. Disney employees are seen protesting the bill in March 2022

Protesters are pictured outside of Disney's Burbank, California location in March 2022

What is the Parental Rights in Education law? HB 1557 was introduced by two Republican members of the Florida Legislature - Representative Joe Harding and Senator Dennis Baxley. They say the bill's aim is to 'empower parents' in their children's education, and make teachers recognize the distinction between 'instruction' and 'discussion.' 'What we're prohibiting is instructing them in a specific direction,' Baxley said about how teachers lead students in a classroom. 'Students can talk about whatever they want to bring up, but sometimes the right answer is, ''You really ought to talk to your parents about that.''' It states that 'classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur.' Part of it applies to kids in kindergarten through third grade, while a vague portion bans all discussion of 'sexual orientation or gender identity' in a 'manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate.' It also requires districts to 'adopt procedures for notifying a student's parent if there is a change in the student's services or monitoring related to the student's mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being,' something LGBTQ advocates argue could lead to students being outed to their parents without the student's knowledge or consent. The state House approved the bill in February. It was passed in the state Senate on March 8 in a 22-17 vote. DeSantis signed it into law on March 28 and it will come into effect on July 1. Advertisement

As the bill made its way through the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature, Disney, a powerful player in Florida politics, suspended its political donations in the state, and LGBTQ advocates who work for the company criticized CEO Bob Chapek for what they said was his slow response speaking out against the bill.

Chapek came under fire after a group of LGBTQ employees at Disney asked their coworkers to join them in walking out of their workplaces during their breaks every day since March 15 to demand Disney 'protect employees and their families in the face of such open and unapologetic bigotry.'

The friction began with an internal memo from Chapek on March 7 after a meeting with members of the company's LGBT community.

In the note, cited by local media, Chapek said he was hesitant for Disney to speak out against the Florida bill, which has received condemnation for impeding students' access to 'sexual orientation' and 'gender identity' information at elementary schools.

Corporate statements 'do very little to change outcomes or minds' and instead are 'often weaponized by one side or the other to further divide and inflame,' Chapek wrote.

Staff at Disney-owned Pixar Animation Studios said in a letter to Chapek they were 'disappointed, hurt, afraid and angry' over their company's silence on the passing of the bill.

In an attempt to mend his relationship with employees after his highly criticized memo, Chapek said that he plans to go on a global listening tour of employees, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Chapek's initial statements were met with a barrage of objections, as they were seen as a lack of support for the LGBT community. A campaign to boycott Disney circulated on social media.

Disney did end up issuing a statement condemning DeSantis' signing of the bill. The statement read: 'Florida's HB 1557, also known as the 'Don't Say Gay' bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law.'

'Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that.

'We are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country,' the statement continued.

Last month, Disney announced it is delaying the opening of its Florida tech campus, which would relocate 2,000 workers from California, until 2026.

However, Disney officials insisted the delay had nothing to do with the clash with DeSantis and said they simply needed more time to build the campus.

The campus will house digital technology, finance, and product development employees and the company's giant theme park resort, Walt Disney World, will be located about 20 miles away.

Disney could soon lose exclusive rights to its most iconic cartoon character as Mickey Mouse's 95-year copyright is set to expire in two years. Mickey Mouse is pictured with Walt Disney in 1928

Mickey will become available for the public domain in 2024, following U.S. copyright laws that state intellectual property on artistic work expires at the 95-year mark

Meantime, Disney could also soon lose exclusive rights to its most iconic cartoon character as Mickey Mouse's 95-year copyright is set to expire in two years.

Mickey will become available for the public domain in 2024 under U.S. copyright law that states intellectual property on artistic work expires 95 years after first publication.

Mickey Mouse first appeared in the 1920s and has become both the symbol for media conglomerate Disney and one of the most recognizable animated characters.

When he first appeared in 1928, Disney's copyright was protected for 56 years but as the beloved cartoon character approached the end of its copyright, Disney successfully lobbied for the Copyright Act of 1976 which extended protections to 75 years.

In 1998, Disney lobbied for a further extension, giving it protection for 95 years.

It is unclear whether the entertainment giant plans to make another move before 2023 to prevent Mickey from being moved into the public domain.
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Die-hard Boris Johnson loyalist Andrea Jenkyns yesterday shouted: 'Those who laugh last, laugh the loudest' as she made her way past the jeering crowds who had gathered outside Downing Street to toast the prime minister's political demise.

The Tory MP for Morley and Outwood donned a sunshine yellow dress as she hit back at the hundreds-strong crowd, who shouted 'shame on you' from behind black metal barriers.

However her taunt - in which she shouted: 'He who laughs last, laughs the loudest...wait and see', was largely drowned out by a sea of boos and the Benny Hill theme tune, which had been ringing out from the speaker of notorious anti-Brexit protestor Steve Bray, 53, since early this morning.

He had earlier interrupted a live TV broadcast with the song, and was once again heard blaring out 'Bye Bye Boris', his modified rendition of Bay City Rollers classic, 'Bye Bye Baby'.

Sioux Vosper, 57, a carer and mother-of-four from Fulham, was also among the crowds, seen holding a picture of her father, John David Leigh, who died of Covid during the pandemic, when Mr Johnson was in charge.

She told MailOnline: 'My dad was 80 and was living in sheltered accommodation. He was bedridden and had carers and I can only presume that's where he Covid from. He battled in hospital for 18 days and we couldn't visit him.

'Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, on April 15, the rules changes slightly and you could visit palliative care patients. I wondered if I was going to be in a big zip-up hazmat suit but I was literally given a plastic apron and a mask. I had 10 minutes with him. He couldn't speak but he raised an eyebrow when I told him a story about how he used to be a DJ, so I think he was aware of what I was saying. He died the next day.

'It was an absolute trauma, particularly as we couldn't have a proper funeral - there were just seven people there and dad was in a body bag. We couldn't see him and there wasn't a hearse or any flowers or none of the rituals you have which are really important when you're grieving.

'He died on April 16 and the following year, while I was scattering his ashes alone, Boris Johnson was having his party and stuffing suitcases full of alcohol. When I found out I was so angry.

'But today is an important moment. I want my dad to know justice has started to be done with him resigning.'

The vast majority in attendance appeared to be celebrating the PM's exit, with only a handful of supporters there still behind him.

The huddle of MPs and aides inside the gates was somewhat dwarfed by the huge numbers outside, booing and jeering as he gave his address.

One of the demonstrators waiting outside Downing Street was holding a placard reading: 'Get your Johnson out of our democracy'.

A woman whose father died of Covid was among the crowds of people outside Downing Street cheering the departure of Boris Johnson as Prime Minister yesterday

Hundreds gathered behind the gates to witness the outgoing premier's speech from a distance - less than three years after he took the keys to No10 from Theresa May

The huddle of Mr Johnson's supporters inside the gates - including wife Carrie and Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries - was somewhat dwarfed by the huge numbers outside

The vast majority in attendance appeared to be celebrating Mr Johnson's exit, with only a handful of supporters there still behind him

A mass of largely angry crowds of hundreds booed and jeered his departure and could just glimpse him from above the heads of the crowds of media and MPs who gathered to watch his speech

Members of the public stand outside the gates of Downing Street as Prime Minister Boris Johnson reads a statement outside 10 Downing Street

Hundreds waited outside the gates of Downing Street, with one holding a placard reading: 'Get your Johnson out of our democracy'

Mr Johnson finally announced his resignation yesterday admitting 'no-one is indispensable' - but is lining up a 'unity Cabinet' as he battles to stay in Downing Street for months longer.

In a statement outside No10, the PM tried to sound an upbeat tone as he confirmed his MPs 'clearly' want a change and his time in office will come to an end when a new Tory leader is installed.

Standing at the traditional podium and watched by wife Carrie, baby Romy and close aides, Mr Johnson said the situation was 'painful' and branded the move to oust him 'eccentric'.

But he pointed to his achievements since winning the huge landslide - such as the vaccine rollout, Brexit and coming to the aid of Ukraine.

He said his message to voters who delivered his 2019 landslide was 'thank you for that incredible mandate', adding the 'reason I have fought so hard' was because he felt it was his 'job' to deliver what he promised.

'I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world, but them's the breaks,' he said.

Mr Johnson blamed 'powerful herd instinct' for his ousting, saying: 'In the last few days, I tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments when we're delivering so much and when we have such a vast mandate and when we're actually only a handful of points behind in the polls, even in mid-term after quite a few months of pretty relentless sledging and when the economic scene is so difficult domestically and internationally.

'I regret not to have been successful in those arguments and of course it's painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself.

'But as we have seen at Westminster the herd instinct is powerful, when the herd moves, it moves.

'And my friends in politics, no one is remotely indispensable and our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader, equally committed to taking this country forward through tough times.'

Many filmed the historic moment on their phones while others shouted and made gestures with their hands

Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray was also spotted outside, carrying his loudspeaker, which he had used throughout the morning in Westminster

People gather outside Downing Street, where British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a statement yesterday afternoon

Police officers were out in force to keep the peace as hundreds gathered outside Downing Street for yesterday afternoon's speech

There were mixed emotions among those gathering outside No10 for Boris Johnson's resignation speech yesterday

Crowds gather outside Downing Street on Whitehall as Prime Minister Boris Johnson makes his resignation speech

Mr Johnson paid tribute to his family for 'all they have put up with', in a nod to the succession of scandals that have blighted his premiership.

No10 had appealed for Conservative MPs to come and watch the speech in the street, but there only seemed to be a small crowd present.

Mr Johnson admitted defeat in the wake of a shattering intervention from Nadhim Zahawi, who was only appointed on Tuesday night following Rishi Sunak's departure. He told Mr Johnson that his situation is 'not sustainable'.

A No10 source said Mr Johnson has spoken to Tory 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady and agreed to stand down, with a new Tory leader set to be in place by the party conference in October.

However, at the same time Mr Johnson has set about rebuilding his Cabinet, making Greg Clark the new Levelling Up Secretary and James Cleverly the Education Secretary. Robert Buckland is returning as Welsh Secretary, and Shailesh Vara takes over as Northern Ireland Secretary.
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The mother of Highland Park shooter Robert Crimo's best friend said the massacre 'blows her mind,' and that the quiet boy who used to skate with her son will 'get what he deserves.'

Michelle Rebollar told The Daily Beast how Crimo spoke at the funeral of her son, Anthony LaPorte, in August 2017, after he died of a drug overdose, and even shared a video of the speech.

'My name is Bobby, and Anthony was the person I would call when I couldn't sleep and he would always reply,' Crimo said in a video from the funeral. 'And he was always free to hang out and whenever I was with him, it felt like I wasn't alone anymore, like I had somebody there, like, that was actually there.'

'There were so many nights we would just keep walking 'cause both of us could never sleep and our conversations would be so deep. I really did love Anthony. He was a really good friend,' Crimo said.

Rebollar said it 'broke her heart' that her son could've been so close to the 21-year-old accused of shooting seven people dead and wounding scores of others during a July 4 parade.

Anthony LaPorte (pictured) was Robert Crimo's best friend before he died of a drug overdose in August 2017. Crimo spoke at his funeral

Michelle Rebollar (above) told The Daily Beast how Crimo spoke at the funeral of her son, Anthony LaPorte, in August 2017, after he died of a drug overdose, and even shared a video of the speech

Crimo, 21, is expressionless in mugshots that emerged on Wednesday morning. He is wearing a black t-shirt with his dark hair draped over one of his eyes. His cheek and neck tattoos are on full display.

'It broke my heart that my son, who was the most gentle spirit in the world, who would have carried a bug out of the house rather than kill it that somehow he would be connected in some way, shape, or form [to Crimo] just is horrific.'

'Because he would never have done anything like this to anybody,' Rebollar said. 'He probably loved Bobby and probably did whatever he could for him.'

Rebollar said she thinks Crimo's recent disturbing behavior on social media -- which includes a slew of rap songs and videos referring to mass shootings -- is a far cry from the awkward boy who opened himself up before a church five years ago.

'So what happened between then and now?' she asked. 'If you get to the point where you want to kill people in your hometown, where you learned to skateboard, like what happened?'

She speculated that perhaps Anthony was the only person Crimo felt he could confide in, and that his spiral began after her son died and he lost that refuge.

'When Anthony died, maybe he was the only person that [Crimo] could really be honest with about his thoughts, because Anthony has also suffered a lot of thoughts that he did not like, intrusive thoughts that he was not comfortable with. So he understood.'

Rebollar said rewatching the video of Crimo speaking at her son's funeral was almost 'touching,' to see his state of mind back then, 'And I don't want to be touching about a mass murderer, you know?' she said.

'It's horrific. There's no justification, he could have got help, he could have told somebody, but if you've never had somebody to tell, how do you even know who to tell, if no one's ever been there for you?'

No matter what he once was, or what he might have been had he sought help, Rebollar told The Daily Beast that she has little empathy for the killer.

'How can you even have any kind of empathy for Bobby? You think about all the victims and how can you even feel bad?' she said, 'I don't feel bad for his future. I think he'll get what he deserves.'

Rebollar speculated that perhaps Anthony was the only person Crimo felt he could confide in, and that his spiral began after her son died and he lost that refuge

Rebollar said rewatching the video of Crimo speaking at her son's funeral was almost 'touching,' to see his state of mind back then, 'And I don't want to be touching about a mass murderer, you know?' she said

Crimo appeared in court on Wednesday via Zoom, as he was charged with multiple counts of murder as prosecutors shared more details of his deadly rampage.

He spoke softly to tell the court that he didn't have a lawyer, and to ask for a public defender. He was dressed in all-black, wore his long dark hair draped over one eye and shifted on his feet as he appeared from a room in the Lake County Jail.

He was denied bond by Judge Theodore S. Potkonjak, and will remain in custody until his next court date on July 25.

Tom Durkin, the attorney hired to represent him, pulled out due to an unknown, last-minute conflict of interest. Now, Crimo will be represented by a public defender.

During the court appearance, it was revealed:

Crimo used a legally purchased Smith & Wesson M&P 15 to carry out the attack

He bought the weapon -- which cost around $800 -- in 2020

Crimo fired 83 rounds in total, reloading his weapon twice before fleeing the roof of the building along the parade route

Police tracked him down by tracing the serial number of the gun to his home; he dropped the weapon while running away from the parade

Once in custody, he made a full confession and told cops he 'looked down, aimed and fired' into the crowd

He said he dressed up 'like a girl' and used make-up to cover his face and neck tattoos

It has also been revealed that Crimo drove to Madison, Wis., in his mother's car after the shooting, where he happened upon another July 4 celebration.

Police don't yet know exactly what his motive for the killing spree was but on Wednesday they confirmed his fixation on the numbers 47 - the inverse of 7/4, the date of July 4.

'His motivation isn't necessarily clear, I don't want to go into specifically what he told investigators, however he had some type of affinity towards the number 4 and 7, and inverse 7 and 4,' Lake County Major Crime Task Force Deputy Chief Chris Covelli said after Crimo's court appearance.

'We don't have information to suggest he planned on driving to Madison initially to commit another attack. We do believe that he was driving around following the first attack and saw the celebration (in Madison).'

Covelli said Crimo didn't go through with it because there are 'indications' that he didn't plan it out as thoroughly as he had with Highland Park.

Crimo is shown appearing in court via Zoom later on Wednesday morning. He spoke only to say that he didn't have a lawyer and asked if the court would appoint a public defender

He was dressed in all-black, wore his long dark hair draped over one eye and shifted on his feet as he appeared via Zoom from a room in the Lake County Jail.

Crimo's mugshots were made public before his Zoom court appearance and show him standing expressionless wearing a black t-shirt with his dark hair draped over one of his eyes. His cheek and neck tattoos are on full display.

Crimo used a legally purchased Smith & Wesson M&P 15 to carry out the attack. He bought the weapon - which costs around $800 - in 2020

Meanwhile, his parents' attorney has spoken out in their defense to insist there were 'no red flags' for them to report to police.

Crimo's father supported his application for a FOID card -- the license needed to buy guns -- in 2019, when he was 19, and just two months after an incident when police were called to the family home.

Police confiscated 16 knives after that incident because Crimo had 'threatened to kill everyone.'

He wasn't arrested and his family say cops gave the knives back two weeks later.

Crimo's mother and father haven't been charged but have retained a lawyer in Steve Greenberg, a local man who railed against the shooting on Twitter on Monday before realizing that his friends' son was responsible for it. Crimo is being represented by two other attorneys from a different firm.

On Tuesday night, he appeared on NewsNation to insist his clients, Bob Crimo and Denise Pesina, have done nothing wrong, and to deny claims by police that they were called to the family house twice in 2019.

'I don't think anyone's ever aware of any red flags that make them think that their son is gonna go out in their own community and start shooting people.

'Had they seen any signs of it, I think they would have acted. They're responsible parents,' Greenberg said.

On Tuesday, police told how Crimo's father sponsored him for a FOID card -- the license needed to buy a gun -- in 2019, when he was 19. It was two months after an incident at the home where cops said they confiscated 16 knives, a dagger and a sword after Bobby threatened to 'kill everyone' in his family.

Amid intense scrutiny of that decision to help his son buy a gun, the father's attorney said on Tuesday that police 'couldn't have been too concerned' because they returned the knives to Bobby two weeks later.

Bob Crimo Jr. and his wife, Denise, said in a brief statement: 'We are all mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, and this is a terrible tragedy for many families, the victims, the paradegoers, the community, and our own. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to everybody'

'The police returned those knives to them two weeks after they took the knives. The police couldn't have been too alarmed. There was a dispute and the situation was resolved.

'The bigger issue is: Why does a 20-year-old or 21-year-old, why is he able to get a FOID card and purchase a military style weapon? That's the question we need to be asking, not how did he get a FOID card when there were no red flags and it was perfectly lawful.'

He also disputed the account of the incident that the authorities made public yesterday.

'They've disputed that he was ever suicidal and that they ever claimed he was suicidal, and that he ever threatened to kill everyone,' he said. 'If he had, the police would have taken some action, placed him on a psychiatric watch. I'm not sure that's really what happened.'

Greenberg said the massacre was a tragedy 'all the way around,' including for the shooter's parents.

'Imagine waking up one day and knowing your loved one goes to a parade gets killed imagine knowing your child may never get out of jail. It's just a horrific tragedy all the way around for everybody involved.'

He added that since the shooting, Crimo and his parents had spoken and all were cooperating with police.

'They expressed to him that they love him and he expressed that he loved them,' he said.
A homeless man turned up at a police station to accuse a Nigerian senator and his wife of trafficking him into the UK to transplant his kidney into their daughter, a court heard today.

Ike Ekweremadu, 60, and Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55, are charged with bringing the 21-year-old to London from the streets of Lagos in order to harvest his organ.

They are accused of plotting to traffic him to transplant his organs to their daughter who suffers from kidney failure.

Ike, a barrister and former deputy president of the Nigerian Senate, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court wearing a grey tracksuit.

His wife Beatrice wore a floral dress under a long dark coat.

Beatrice is charged with arranging or facilitating travel of another person with a view to exploitation, between August 1, 2021, and May 5, 2022, under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Ike, a barrister and former deputy president of the Nigerian Senate, denied all of the charges

Ike is charged with conspiracy to arrange or facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.

Prosecutor Mr Tim Probert-Wood said the case involved exploitation and the harvesting of an organ.

He said: The case began on May 5 2022 when the complainant presented himself at Staines Police Station and claimed he had been transported to this country for the purpose of his kidney being removed.

He arrived on February 20 2022 and was taken to Royal free hospital where tests were conducted.

For the purpose he was there he did not consent to the taking of his kidney.

He returned to the house he was staying and his treatment changed dramatically.

Ike Ekweremadu and wife Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu will face a trial later this year

He described being treated effectively as a slave.

The victim escaped the address and was homeless for three days before he turned up at Staines Police Station.

Ike and Beatrice were arrested in the UK on June 21 after flying in to Heathrow from Turkey.

Ike was said to be in possession of $20,000 (16,700).

Martin Hicks, QC, defending Ike, said: We deny that there was any exploitation or any intent to do so.

The argument will be factual denial.

The investigation was launched by the Met's Specialist Crime team after detectives were alerted to potential offences under modern slavery legislation in May 2022.

The Met Police has confirmed that the man is safe and being looked after.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Judge Tan Ikram told the couple they will face a plea and trial preparation hearing at the Old Bailey next month.

'You will appear at the Central Criminal Court on August 4. You will remain in custody for the same reasons as before.'
A Mississippi teenager is being hailed as a hero after he jumped into an alligator-infested river to rescue three girls and a police officer from drowning.

Corion Evans, 16, was on the shore of the Pascagoula River early Sunday morning when he and his friends saw a car drive over a boat launch and sink into the water.

The three girls in the car had driven off Interstate-10 straight into the water after trying to follow the directions on their GPS at around 2.30am, according to WLOX.

As they reached about 20ft from shore, their car began to sink.

'They drove straight under the water,' Evans told the news station. 'Like only a little bit of the car was still above the water.'

At that point, Evans took off his shoes, shirt and phone and jumped into the river, along with his friends and brothers Karon 'KJ' and Caleb Bradley.

'I was like 'I can't let none of these folks die. They need to get out of the water,'' Evans recounted. 'So I just started getting them. I wasn't even thinking about nothing else.'

Corion Evans, 16, is being hailed as a hero after he jumped into the Pascagoula River early Sunday morning and rescued three girls and a police officer from drowning

Evans was able to get all three girls and the police officer to shore, where they were brought to a local hospital and are recovering

He said he tried to carry the three girls above water and swim with them to shore.

But as Evans was making his rescue, he said he noticed Moss Point Police Officer Gray Mercer was also struggling in the water after he, too, dove into help the girls.

'I turned around, I see the police officer,' Evans said. 'He's drowning. He's going underwater, drowning saying 'Help.'

'So I went over there. I went and I grabbed the police officer and I'm like swimming him back until I feel I can walk.'

Eventually, Moss Point police say, Evans helped get all three girls and Mercer to the shore, where they began 'throwing up because a lot of water had gotten inside all of them.' 'It was a lot of swimming,' Evans explained. 'My legs were so tired after.'

He noted that 'anything could've been in that water,' which is home to about 13,000 alligators, according to the Jackson Free Press.

'But I wasn't thinking about it,' Evans said.

The victims were brought to a local hospital in the aftermath, and WLOX reports that Mercer is expected to be back on the force later this week.

On Wednesday, Evans and one of the survivors, Cora Watson, 19, left, returned to the river

Watson credits Evans with saving her life, saying she was about to take her last breath when he grabbed her and swam her to safety

The incident occurred when her and her friend's GPS led them into the river from Interstate-10, and they could not see where they were going

Brothers Caleb and Karon 'KJ' Bradley also entered the water as soon as they saw the car drive into the alligator-infested river

On Wednesday, one of the survivors, 19-year-old Cora Watson returned to the river, where she recounted the fateful experience, after sharing on Facebook that Evans 'saved my life right before my last breath.'

She told WLOX how she was sitting in the back seat of a car when she and her two friends drove off the I-10 boat launch straight into the river.

'It's no lights down here or nothing, so everything was just pitch black,' Watson said. 'The GPS thought we was on top of the interstate. That's why it was telling us to go straight, because it did not say it was water here or nothing.'

According to Moss Point police, the car traveled about 20 feet before it started to sink. At that point, Watson said she and the other girls climbed out the passenger window.

'I automatically went straight down,' said Watson, who admitted she does not know how to swim. 'I still had my phone, like, trying to keep it above water.'

On the line was 911, working to track down their location.

Eventually, she said, she saw her friends make it to shore.

'But it's like, I'm the only one, I was the only one, like left in the water.'

'I heard Cora screaming 'Help,' Caleb Bradley recounted, adding: 'I thought she was done. We had no choice but to help,' he said.

His brother noted that his first reaction to the sight was to get in the water. 'It was like, if you weren't gonna get in the water, you would just watch them die or something like that.'

Watson said that as they entered the river, she was bobbing up and down struggling to breathe.

She said she knew 'if I inhale one more bit of water, I'm going to die. Like I just knew I was. I knew my last breath was coming.

'And so I just let my phone down. My mind already said, like, 'you're slowly losing yourself.'

'When I tell you, right before my last dying breath underwater, that was gonna be my last time going underwater, Corion had grabbed me.'

Watson said she is now grateful to be alive, but is still recovering emotionally from the experience.

'I can't walk into no dark room that's pitch black because I automatically go back straight into the water,' she said, adding: 'Through random times, I just start hearing the water, I start hearing the bridge.'

Evans and Moss Point Police Officer Gray Mercer were commended by Mayor Billy Knight for their bravery on Tuesday night

Meanwhile, Evans is being hailed in his community as a hero. His mother, Marquita Evans, said she is proud of her son because he 'wasn't just thinking about himself.

'He was trying to really get all those people out the water,' she said, adding: 'I'm glad nothing happened to him while he was trying to save other people's lives.'

Moss Point Chief Brandon Ashley also said in a statement: 'The police department and I commend Mr Evans' bravery and selflessness he displayed by risking hi sown safety to help people in danger.

'If Mr Evans had not assisted, it could have possibly turned out tragically, instead of all occupants rescued safely.'

On Tuesday, Mayor Billy Knight recognized him and Officer Mercer for their bravery, presenting both of them with certificates of commendation.
A second suspect, Rolman Alberto Balcarcel, 38, was placed under surveillance beginning that day. He was arrested Tuesday in Albemarle County

Police initiated an investigation along with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the FBI and Alvarado-Dubon was arrested on July 1

The Richmond Police department seized two assault rifles, one handgun and 232 rounds of ammunition from Julio Alvarado-Dubon, 52

Virginia police has released pictures of a massive arsenal of weapons seized from a man whose plans for a Fourth of July shooting were foiled by police

Virginia police has released a picture of a massive arsenal of weapons seized from a man whose plans for a Fourth of July shooting were foiled by police after a 'hero citizen' called authorities.

The Richmond Police department seized two assault rifles, one handgun and 232 rounds of ammunition from Julio Alvarado-Dubon, 52, who had planned an Independence Day massacre.

Police initiated an investigation along with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the FBI and Alvarado-Dubon was arrested on July 1.

A second suspect, Rolman Alberto Balcarcel, 38, was placed under surveillance beginning that day. He was arrested Tuesday in Albemarle County, near Charlottesville.

A 'hero citizen' overheard a conversation between Alvardo-Dubon and Balcarcel indicating there was an attack being planned at Dogwood Dell Amphitheater, where an annual fireworks show is held.

'One phone call saved numerous lives on the Fourth of July,' Police Chief Gerald Smith said at a news conference Wednesday.

Police spokesperson Tracy Walker said both suspects are from Guatemala.

Initial documents filed in General District Court in Richmond say both Alvarado-Dubon and Balcarcel were charged with being non-US citizens in possession of firearms.

The documents, which say Alvarado-Dubon has an expired visa, did not include any details about the alleged plot.

Virginia police has released pictures of a massive arsenal of weapons seized from a man whose plans for a Fourth of July shooting were foiled by police

Julio Alvardo-Dubon, 52, (right) and 38-year-old Rolman Balcarcel (left) were arrested during a sting operation after police received a tip that they were planning a shooting on July 4

'No community is immune. And this reminds us that this does not have to be our narrative. In Richmond or else in the country,' Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said during a press conference Wednesday

Court documents note bond was set at $15,000 for Alvarado-Dubon on Wednesday, but it was unclear if he had been released.

The documents say he has lived in the Richmond area for three years and works full time in the construction industry.

He has a preliminary hearing scheduled in Richmond on August 2. Alvarado-Dubon's attorney, Jose Aponte, declined to comment Wednesday.

Smith said the two men lived together at a Richmond house, where officers seized the weapons and ammunition that were in plain view. The home was pictured by local news station WTVR.

He said police have not determined a motive for the planned attack.

'l want to thank and applaud the hero in Virginia that stopped a potential massacre by alerting our brave Richmond Police Department Officers that work tirelessly every day to protect our communities,' Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in a tweet.

'It's a great reminder that if you see something, say something to your local PD.'

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, who joined the news conference along with members of the city council, decried what he called an epidemic of gun violence across the country.

'Whether you're at home in your cul-de-sac, or in your neighborhood, or in a park, or at a parade, out dining - you have to keep your head on a swivel,' Stoney said.

'And that's not the country that I know I desire to live in ... but those are the facts of the matter at this moment.'

Smith said the apparent plot was unconnected to another shooting that wounded six people in Richmond in the early morning hours of July 4.

Smith said the two men lived together at a Richmond house, where officers seized the weapons and ammunition that were in plain view

Smith lauded law enforcement for the sting operation, which he said saved many lives, and the citizen's collaborations

Smith lauded law enforcement for the sting operation, which he said saved many lives, and the unnamed citizen's collaboration.

'No community is immune. And this reminds us that this does not have to be our narrative. In Richmond or else in the country,' Stoney said.

'Don't know how he heard it, but he heard it and he did the right thing with the information.'

'He put it into the hands of law enforcement and we are so thankful for him and numerous families and friends and loved ones are as well,' he added.

The report comes at a time of national grief as the Highland Park community is still reeling from the mass shooting that took place during another Fourth of July parade.

Six fatal victims were initially reported, but the death toll was raised to 7 on Tuesday. Forty-seven others were injured.

Robert E. Crimo III was charged with seven counts of murder Tuesday. The shooting sent hundreds of people fleeing in fear and set off an hours-long manhunt. Authorities have not yet identified a motive in that shooting.

The United States has seen more than 300 mass shootings so far this year. Eleven alone took place over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

President Joe Biden, who has been calling for gun reform since the Uvalde shooting on May 24 that claimed 19 lives, issued a statement on Monday saying 'there was a lot of work to do' to address the devastating mass shooting epidemic.
The Biden administration is tapping funds from the bipartisan infrastructure bill to invest a whopping $1 billion annually for the next five years for improvements at 85 airports across the U.S.

The $5 billion will go toward several projects  some of the most important being upgrading air traffic control towers, terminals, security checkpoints and baggage inspection and screening areas.

'America is a country that brought the modern aviation age to the world  and yet around the world, in most rankings of airport quality, not one of our airports ranks among the top 25. That's something that we have to change,' Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told reporters.

The investment comes as U.S. airlines and airports continue to face staff shortages and other complications, leading to an increase in flight cancellations and delays. The Independence Day weekend holiday saw pre-pandemic travel levels in the U.S., which led to 1,400 cancellations and 14,000 delays Friday through Sunday.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) usually fronts investments in runways and air control towers, but the administration's investments go further.

Buttigieg claimed that while airlines are still footing the costs for many airport improvement projects, federal resources should also be allocated toward airport infrastructure.

'I don't think anybody could look at airports across America today and say that the existing system or the existing levels of funding have been adequate,' he said.

'It is very natural for public funds to go to publicly important resources and pieces of infrastructure,' Buttigieg added. 'And we think that includes airport terminals.'

As airport and airlines issues persist in the U.S., the administration announced $5 billion over five years to invest in airport improvement projects  including $40 million for two separate airports to upgrade their bathrooms

The man in charge of implementing Biden's $1.2 trillion infrastructure package concurred.

'Airport terminals is not something the federal government has historically invested in. It's typically been to local airport owners and airlines that have done that,' said Mitch Landrieu, who is also a former New Orleans mayor.

'But the need is evident,' he added.

Grants announced Thursday include $20 million each for the main airports in Detroit, Michigan and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania just to renovate their bathrooms.

Some of the largest FAA grants provided are $60 million to improve the terminal and bag-handling system at the Denver International Airport, as well as $50 million for Boston's Logan Airport and another $50 million for the Orlando International Airport in Florida.

Dulles International Airport in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. will get $49.6 million to build a new concourse and the Pittsburgh International Airport will receive $20 million to build an additional terminal.

Another $5 million is going toward terminal expansion at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport in Tennessee.

Delta pilots organized at JFK airport in New York City last week on June 30 demanding improved conditions and increased pay as U.S. airlines continue to face massive complications amid worker shortages and post-pandemic air travel

Projects range from massive hubs like the Dallas-Forth Worth International Airport to small regional airports like the Dexter Airport in Maine.

A whopping 532 airports across the country submitted grant applications for 658 different projects, according to the FAA. If all were approved the total would amount to $14 billion.

Some of the complications with flights recently have been pilot shortages, but Buttigieg said Tuesday that the administration does not plan to raise the retirement age despite how it could help with the staffing issue.

The maximum age for a pilot is 65, which was increased 15 years ago.

Even though Americans are living and working longer  including 79-year-old President Joe Biden  Buttigieg said the retirement age would not be increased again.

'I'm much more interested in raising the bar on things like compensation and job quality than lowering the bar on something like safety,' Buttigieg told Fox News on Tuesday following the hectic holiday weekend for air travelers.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg appeared on Fox News to defend his record and explain why travel was disrupted over the holiday weekend. He said he had no plans to raise the retirement age for pilots beyond 65 to ease staffing shortages

'And when you get to these training hours, retirement age, and those things, those are fundamentally safety regulations,' he added. 'The United States of America shouldn't be able to have a robust aviation system without watering down our expectations on safety and I will consider and entertain anything that does not compromise safety.'

While Delta pilots are on strike, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said last Thursday that its pilots were getting a 17 percent raise. The proposal includes an initial 6 percent raise at signing for about 15,000 pilots, with a 5 percent raise at the start of 2023, and another in 2024.

The deal comes less than a week after United Airlines and its pilot's union reached an agreement to raise wages by 14 percent within 18 months.

Delta appears to be leading in airlines issues.

Since the start of the summer travel season, the airline has canceled 3,593 flights and delayed 20 percent of its total flights since the Memorial Day weekend  and that was before the disastrous July 4 holiday weekend.

Delta head Ed Bastian told customers that the airline would be adding extra boarding times, improving crew scheduling and bringing on workers.

'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 flyer clients.

'Things won't change overnight, but we're on a path towards a steady recovery.'
A father who saved his family from a fire and watched his house burn to the ground cancelled their home insurance earlier this year to use the money for his mother's funeral.

Father-of-nine, Warren Wilson revealed that he didn't make the payments because he spent what he had to give her a fitting farewell.

The family now find themselves homeless but the brave father has vowed to rebuild - no matter how long it takes.

'We didn't have insurance because my mum passed away in February and whatever I had I put it towards her funeral,' he told A Current Affair.

'I didn't pay the insurance, but I am not blaming anyone, I am blaming myself.'

Warren Wilson (pictured) said his family cannot claim fire damages as they failed to pay insurance after putting money towards funeral costs for his family

The family-of-11 say they will start again no matter how long it takes (pictured dinning together)

'I have got all these beautiful kids and I know one day we will all be fine and work together and rebuild and rebuild better, it doesn't matter but having them is the blessing,' he said.

Mr Wilson, his wife Amelia, and nine children aged from four to 21, lost everything in June when their property in the western Sydney suburb of Smithfield went up in flames.

The loving dad who is the sole income earner for the family and works night shift, told Daily Mail Australia he had just returned home when he heard his daughter yelling 'fire! fire!' at about 6.40am.

'I had made my way to bed after night shift and my wife was ironing the kids clothes to get them ready for school,' he said.

'Then I heard my daughter scream "fire! fire!" and as I went to check on her I saw her electric heater up in flames.'

Mr Wilson said the fire quickly spread onto the mattress and in a matter of seconds flames were reaching the roof so he ordered everyone to get out of the house.

'I thought I would try to stop it by pulling the heater out of the wall but the front of the bed had already started catching fire and then it was up to the roof and seconds later I heard the heater explode. It sounded like a bomb went off,' he said.

Warren Wilson, his wife Amelia and nine children, aged from 4 to 21 lost everything when their Smithfield home went up in flames in June

Mr Wilson said the fire started from an electric heater in his daughter's room and spread through the house in minutes

Everyone got out as quickly as they could with his sons helping to carry out the youngest girls who were still asleep in bed.

Just as they were metres away from the house, he heard 'boom, boom, boom' as the windows shattered and the property was engulfed in fire.

'It must have been minutes from the start of the fire until the whole house was in flames,' he said.

'It was like gone in about 60 seconds and the fire chief who arrived on scene told me if we had stayed even a minute longer we all would be dead.'

Mr Wilson said the most heartbreaking part was standing helpless in front of the family home he had worked so hard for, and watching it disappear in minutes.

'People don't know how hard it is, you become a nobody with nowhere to go,' he said.

'Like I am standing there with my nine kids and thinking I am gone, I am finished, everything I have worked for gone just like that.

'I don't wish that feeling on anyone because it is real, real sad.

'The fear you feel and you are just completely helpless and feeling like your life is taken away before you even know what has happened.'

Firefighters told the family they would have likely died if they had stayed in the house for a minute longer

A close friend has set up a GoFundMe for the family which has raised more than $45,000

Miraculously, only Mr Wilson required medical treatment and was taken to Westmead Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

The family said they have been overwhelmed by support from the local community, especially from neighbours, their parish and the children's school.

'Everyone has been amazing. I have never seen people come together like this and help someone so much,' Mr Wilson said.

'I am truly blessed and touched by the outpouring of the care and support.'

Close friend, Teresa Culjak, set up a GoFundMe to help the family get back on the feet, with the more than $45,000 raised so far for the Wilson family.
The Royal Navy has revealed one of its warships, the HMS Montrose, seized a stash of deadly weapons off the Iranian coast earlier this year.

The first-of-its-kind raid took place after helicopter crews noticed smuggler vessels acting suspiciously while on patrol in international waters.

A number of the weapons seized from the hoard violate a UN Security Council resolution namely surface-to-air-missiles and engines for land attack cruise missiles. It is thought the weapons were being transported to Houthi rebels fighting in Yemen.

This is the first time a British Naval warship has intercepted a vessel carrying such sophisticated and lethal weaponry from Iran - some of which have been used in deadly rebel attacks.

In a Naval first, the British warship HMS Montrose intercepted vessels carrying advanced weaponry from Iran thought to be headed to Houthi rebels in Yemen

Equipped with state of the art radar systems, the Wildcat helicopter crew (based on the HMS Montrose) spotted the small vessels speeding away from the Iranian coast suspiciously fast.

They were scanning the waters for vessels smuggling illicit goods as routine procedure when they noticed something was happening.

The Wildcat helicopter pursued the vessels then reported back to HMS Montrose that they could see suspicious cargo on deck.

Some of the weaponry and weapons parts seized by British Naval forces just off the coast of Iran. A technical analysis of the hoard revealed the shipment contained multiple rocket engines for the Iranian produced 351 land attack cruise missile and a batch of 358 surface to air missiles

The captures took place in the early hours of the morning of January 28 and February 25 this year. US Navy destroyer USS Gridley supported British forces by deploying a Seahawk helicopter to provide critical overwatch during the operation, during the February mission.

The vessels in question were approached by a team of Royal Marines who then secured and searched the speedboats.

Dozens of packages containing advanced weaponry were discovered on board. These were immediately confiscated and brought back to HMS Montrose.

The captures took place in the early hours of the morning of January 28 and February 25 this year. A team of Royal Marines approached the boats on two Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats before confiscating dozen of packages containing weaponry

'The UK is committed to upholding international law, from standing up to aggression in Europe to interdicting illegal shipments of weaponry that perpetuates instability in the Middle East,' said Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey.

'The UK will continue to work in support of an enduring peace in Yemen and is committed to international maritime security so that commercial shipping can transit safely without threat of disruption.'

The seized packages were returned to the UK for technical analysis which revealed that the shipment contained multiple rocket engines for the Iranian produced 351 land attack cruise missile and a batch of 358 surface to air missiles.

The 351 is a cruise missile with a range of over 600m/s, it is regularly used by the Houthis to strike targets in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and was also the type of weapon used to attack Abu Dhabi on January 17 2022, which killed three civilians.

Royal Marine Commandos secure one of the arms hauls in the successful operation on Iranian smuggler vessels

On Friday 24 June, the Ministry of Defence hosted the Panel of Experts established pursuant to Security Council resolution 2140 (2014), which concerns the conflict in Yemen. The panel inspected the seized weapons and received a technical brief by the UKs Defence Intelligence analysts.

'These interdictions demonstrate the professionalism and commitment of the Royal Navy to promoting stability in this region,' said HMS Montroses Commanding Officer Commander Claire Thompson.

'I am extremely proud of my crew  the Royal Navy sailors, aircrew and Royal Marines involved in these endeavours and the significant positive impact they are having in maintaining the international rules-based order at sea.'

The Royal Marines discovered dozens of packages containing advanced weaponry which were then confiscated and brought back to HMS Montrose for inspection

The UK retains a permanent presence in the Middle East. The HMS Montrose has been deployed to the region since early 2019 and actively supports multi-national maritime security operations and protects the interests of the UK and its allies.

The ship operates under the control and direction of the UK Maritime Component Command which is based in Bahrain.

Across the wider Gulf, HMS Montrose regularly works alongside international partners as part of the 38-nation coalition Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). CMF is the worlds largest multinational maritime partnership, which exists to counter illicit non-state actors.

HMS Montrose, a Type 23 frigate, has taken part in many successful operations to seize illicit drugs in the Gulf of Oman. This year alone, the ship has intercepted nearly 100m of illegal narcotics.
Meghan Markle's friend claims Charles revealed details of his initial encounter with Lilibet to shift attention away from the suspected payment controversy.

Between 2011 and 2015, the Prince of Wales received three monetary gifts from former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamed bin Jassim, it was revealed this week.

Meghan Markle Ally Fumes at Royal Family

Omid Scobie, on the other hand, slammed the heir when details about the heir's apparent first visit with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter Lilibet were revealed on the same day Buckingham Palace and Clarence House shared financial data.

Meghan Markle's close pal believed the action helped divert public and media attention away from the criticism Harry received after it was revealed he took monetary donations.

Scobie stated that when the Prince of Wales was obliged to announce via a spokesperson that he will no longer take plastic bags containing money for his charities, one of his top advisers also told journalists about the heir's first visit with granddaughter Lilibet last month.

The funds were quickly transferred to Prince Charles' organizations, and there was no indication that the payments were improper. According to a senior royal source, the prince has not taken any monetary contributions in the last five years, and the practice is officially prohibited inside the Royal Family, as per The Sun.

Omid points out that other royal scandals haven't gotten much attention recently, with reports focused on Meghan Markle's bullying charges and Prince Charles' first meeting with his granddaughter Lilibet.

Consider Prince Charles' current dispute about taking monetary donations for his charity. At the same time as the palace was doing damage control on this report, senior officials revealed information on Lili and Prince Charles' initial encounter. As a consequence, news regarding his financial scandal was hidden.

Meanwhile, the royals' high spending figures were overshadowed in the news cycle by a suspiciously timed update on the inquiry into bullying charges against the Duchess of Sussex.

The palace hasn't reacted to this deflect and divert strategy, but their newest issues won't be the last, so it'll be fascinating to see how they handle the next one, as per Yahoo.

Read Also: 2019 Wimbledon Champ Simona Halep Extends Winning Streak, Advances To Semi Finals

Source: Prince Charles Becomes Emotional Upon Meeting Archie, Lilibet

Despite Scobie's claim, an unidentified source revealed that Prince Charles had an emotional reaction when he saw the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's daughter, Lilibet, for the first time in June.

The couple's youngest child was introduced to Charles, 73, and Camilla, 74, during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee weekend, which honored Her Majesty's 70th anniversary on the throne. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle went from their residence in Santa Barbara, California, with their children Archie and Lilibet, to join the festivities.

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, the couple's eldest child, was born in May 2019 when Harry and Markle were still senior working royals. The Sussexes retired from royal life in the spring of 2020 and went to the United States.

Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born in California in June of last year. She celebrated her first birthday during the Jubilee weekend with a private family celebration at Frogmore Cottage, where the Sussexes stayed in Windsor before leaving the UK.

Lilibet's first trip to the United Kingdom. During the weekend, she met her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. The meeting comes after months of rumors of a schism between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, as well as the royal family.

During an interview with Oprah in March last year, Prince Harry revealed details about his strained relationship with Prince Charles, stating that after he retired from royal responsibilities, Prince Charles stopped returning his calls. Prince Harry also stated that he was financially cut off from the royal family as a result of his departure, Insider reported.

Related Article: Princess Diana Cheated First? New Documentary Reveals "Unheard Truths" About Princess of Wales' Love, Life, and Death

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Over half-ton of fentanyl was seized at a warehouse in the western Mexican state of Sinaloa, the government announced Thursday.

The 'historic' bust was made by the army and National Guard during the search of a building located in the Sinaloa city of Culiacan between July 2 and 5, Assistant Public Safety Secretary Ricardo Mejia revealed during the president's daily press briefing.

Mejia called the 543-kilogram bust "the largest seizure in history of this lethal drug" while adding that it had an illicit value of around $230 million.

The Mexican army and National Guard carried out an operation into the dealings of the Sinaloa Cartel in Culiacan, Sinaloa, and wound up seizing 543 kilos of fentanyl at a warehouse, the government announced Thursday

The Mexican government revealed Thursday the historic bust of 543 kilos of fentanyl that were found inside a warehouse in Culiacan, Sinaloa, operated by the Sinaloa Cartel. The seizure was part of an ongoing operation into the dealings of the criminal organization in the Culiacan neighborhood Las Palmas

Soldiers also seized 555 kilos of methamphetamine, 41 kilos of cocaine, 6.9 kilos of heroin, 19 kilos of opium gum and 71 kilos of a chemical precursor

The bust was part of an ongoing operation that was carried out in the Culiacan neighborhood of Las Palmas as authorities were looking for a warehouse operated by members the Sinaloa Cartel.

The military arrested 10 men and also confiscated 555 kilos of methamphetamine, 41 kilos of cocaine and seven kilos of heroin.

They also seized 19 kilos of opium gum, and 71 kilos of a chemical precursor used to produce narcotics.

Ten members of the Sinaloa Cartel were arrested during the bust of a warehouse that led soldiers to 543 kilos of fentanyl

Fentanyl owned by the Sinaloa Cartel was recovered by the Mexican army and National Guard between July 2 and 5 at a warehouse in the western city of Culiacan. The drug is 100 times more potent than morphine

Soldiers found a half-ton of meth in the July 2 raid, as well as cocaine, opium, and at least 70 tons of precursor chemicals.

Synthetic opioids like fentanyl have been behind a major increase in overdose deaths in the United States as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal. The drug is 100 times more potent than morphine.

A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) spokesperson told DailyMail.com that four out of every 10 pills are lethal.

The fentanyl found at the warehouse could have produced millions of the counterfeit pills in which fentanyl is usually offered. It is so deadly because it is pressed into pills made to look like Xanax, Adderall or Oxycodone, or mixed into other drugs.

Mexican soldiers made a historic bust of 543 kilos of fentanyl at a warehouse in Sinaloa

That has led to tens of thousands of overdose deaths in the United States because people often do not realize they are taking fentanyl.

However, the purity of the amount of the fentanyl that was recovered at the warehouse was unclear. The substance is often cut with other substances before being pressed into pills.

Almost all of the fentanyl smuggled into the United States comes from Mexico, where it is produced with precursor chemicals smuggled from China.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2021 there were 142,135 drug overdose deaths, of which 71,238 were attributed to fentanyl. In comparison, 116,059 overdose deaths were reported in 2020, but 57,834 were caused by fentanyl.
The number of people to reach the UK in small boats this year reached more than 13,100 after another 248 were intercepted in the English Channel on Wednesday, according to government figures.

Five boats were picked up on Wednesday carrying the 248 migrants, after 40 people made the crossing on Tuesday.

One group were brought ashore by lifeboat on the beach at Dungeness after dark.

It takes the official total so far this year to 13,103 in nearly 400 boats.

In just two days this week 403 people have been picked up by the authorities attempting the 21-mile wide crossing.

According to government figures 28,526 people made the journey in 2021 - compared to 8,410 who arrived in 2020.

A group of 30 people were picked up by UK Border Force during the 21-mile crossing from France yesterday, July 6, including children and women clutching babies

A woman is wrapped in a blanket as she attempts to recover from the cold crossing on Tuesday, July 5

The government releases daily data on the number of people who reach the UK by small boats, including both those who make it to sure and those who are intercepted by authorities before being brought to the UK.

Government figures released yesterday showed around 30 people were brought ashore by the UK Border Force on Tuesday (July 5), including children and several women carrying babies.

The latest arrivals come after it was revealed dozens of people were arrested in a series of raids across Europe as the National Crime Agency (NCA) joined the biggest ever international operation targeting small boat people smugglers on Tuesday.

Operation Punjum, led by the NCA in Britain, was carried out alongside Operation Thoren in Europe to smash gangs allegedly charging migrants up to 3,500 each to take them to the UK.

Some of these boats have been packed with up to 60 people at a time.

NCA officers arrested six people in London - including two who were detained on suspicion of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration.

Two other men were arrested for immigration offences, while a man and woman were both detained on suspicion of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply.

Five boats were picked up on Wednesday carrying the 248 migrants, after 40 people made the crossing on Tuesday (picture: migrants are picked up by Border Force agents on Tuesday)

An individual is arrested by National Crime Agency officers in connection with people smuggling operations

Operations Punjum and Thoren in the UK and across Europe this week led to 40 arrests, as well as the discovery of 900 life jackets and a site with more than 60 small boats

Many small boats which embark on the crossing are overcrowded by the smuggling gangs, with up to 60 on board. This makes the crossing even more dangerous and can cause boats to sink or puncture (as pictured here)

Arrests were also made in Germany, the Netherlands and France, with 900 life jackets found and 60 small boats, such as dinghies, recovered at one location alone.

In total the operation saw 135 boats, 45 outboard engines and more than 1,200 life jackets seized.

Despite the latest measures to deter traffickers, including the controversial plan to send some who make the crossing to Rwanda, migrant crossings are expected to increase this week as the weather forecast in the Channel improves.

A Government spokesperson said: 'The rise in dangerous Channel crossings is unacceptable.

'Not only are they an overt abuse of our immigration laws, but they risk lives and hinder our ability to help refugees who come to the UK through safe and legal routes.

'The Nationality and Borders Act 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.

'Under our new Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda, we are continuing preparations to relocate those who are making dangerous, unnecessary and illegal journeys into the UK in order for their claims to be considered and rebuild their lives.'

Home Secretary Priti Patel, who last night called for UK PM Boris Johnson to resign, said: 'These arrests send a clear message to the criminal gangs who are preying on vulnerable people across Europe and beyond: we will stop at nothing to end your sordid trade, bring you to justice and save lives.

'This hugely significant operation once again shows the NCA and our international partners working diligently to dismantle people-smuggling networks.

'These callous individuals treat human lives as a commodity and we will continue to work with our partners to ensure that they feel the full force of our new, tougher laws designed to break their business model and suitably punish them for their despicable crimes.'

With warmer, calmer weather expected over the weekend, it is likely more crossings will be seen before the week is out.
Tony Cushingberry-Mays was charged with second-degree murder, assaulting a federal employee, and discharging a firearm in the death of Angela Summers, 45

A 23-year-old Indiana man has pleaded guilty to shooting a female postal walker dead after she stopped delivering mail to his house due to his vicious dog.

Tony Cushingberry-Mays was charged with second-degree murder, assaulting a federal employee and discharging a firearm after 45-year-old Angela Summers' was killed by a single shot to the chest.

Summers, who leaves behind a young son and was a beloved worker at USPS Linwood Indianapolis Post Office, died in hospital.

According to federal law, killing an off-duty federal employee can be punishable by death or a life sentence, the Daily Beast reported.

Two weeks before the April 2020 tragedy, Cushingberry-Mays mail delivery was halted due to numerous complaints Summers had reported regarding 'several issues,' she had with the suspect's dog.

After three warning letters were sent to his home telling him to contain the beast went ignored, the post office put a suspension in place.

Victim Angela Summers, 45, a mother of a young son, and beloved postal worker at the USPS Linwood Indianapolis Post Office, died at hospital

Two weeks before the tragedy took place, Cushingberry-Mays mail delivery was halted due to numerous complaints Summers reported about 'several issues,' with the dog

The scene where Summers was fatally shot in the East Indianapolis neighborhood

Fourteen days before the April 27, 2020 shooting, the final letter told the suspect the only way he would be able to retrieve his letters was to pick them up at the post office.

On of the day of the shooting, Summers bypassed Cushingberry-Mays' home and walked to a neighbor's house as she proceeded to hand-deliver mail to the other homes on the block.

When the suspect saw Summers pass his house, he reportedly became hostile and and aggressive towards her.

While on a neighbor's porch, Summers reportedly took out some type of self-defense repellant, and sprayed Cushingberry-Mays as he approached her.

Moments later the suspect pulled out a handgun and shot Summers point blank in the chest, which killed her with one shot.

According to some reports, Cushingberry-Mays had been waiting for his COVID-19 stimulus check.

After opening fire, the assailant fled the scene first going to his aunts house before hiding the gun at his mother's home.



Cushingberry-Mays told the authorities 'he didn't mean to kill her but wanted to scare her,' according to court documents.

Immediately after the shooting, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service launched an investigation.

Summers pictured with her young son in an undated photo

Summers pictured in a 2018 photo enjoying herself at an outdoor gathering

A $50,000 reward had been offered for any information leading to the arrest of the suspect.

Summers death prompted concern among mail carriers across the county.

Paul Toms, president of National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 39, was devastated by his colleagues murder.

He described his peers as 'family,' and called Summers' murder as the 'worst week of his career,' Oxygen reported.

'We call ourselves brothers and sisters, it's a senseless tragedy,' Toms said.
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Boris Johnson is today gathering a new 'unity Cabinet' as he promotes ministers who did not quit in the Tory revolt - and blocks those who betrayed him from making a comeback.

Even as he announced his resignation as party leader, the PM was putting together names to fill the gaps left by the coup.

The new-look team will be in charge of the government until a new leader is installed potentially in October - a delay that is causing widespread fury among MPs.

Long-term allies James Cleverly and Kit Malthouse were promoted to become Education Secretary and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster respectively.

Johnny Mercer has also been appointed Minister for Veterans' Affairs and will attend Cabinet.

Graham Stuart, Stephen McPartland, Tom Pursglove and James Heappey have also been given ministerial appointments, and Mr Johnson shut the door on those who had walked out of government - many of whom might have been eyeing a quick return - in order to force his resignation statement.

After he brutally took revenge by sacking Michael Gove last night, Mr Johnson handed his Levelling Up job to Greg Clark - a centrist who was last in Cabinet under Theresa May.

Robert Buckland makes a return as Welsh Secretary, having previously been axed as Justice Secretary in a reshuffle last year. He replaced Simon Hart, who quit last night.

Nadhim Zahawi (left) and the new Northern Ireland Secretary Shailesh Vara (right) were at the Cabinet meeting today

Even as he announced his resignation as party leader, the PM was putting together names to fill the gaps left by the coup

After he brutally took revenge by sacking Michael Gove last night, Mr Johnson handed his Levelling Up job to Greg Clark (left) - a centrist who was last in Cabinet under Theresa May. Kit Malthouse (right) was promoted to become Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

Shailesh Vara takes over as Northern Ireland Secretary, the department where he was once a junior minister, following a spell outside government.

The 'unity Cabinet' so far: Ministerial appointments announced by No10 Johnny Mercer - Minister for Veterans' Affairs at the Cabinet Office

- Minister for Veterans' Affairs at the Cabinet Office Graham Stuart - Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

- Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Stephen McPartland - Minister for Security at the Home Office

- Minister for Security at the Home Office Tom Pursglove - Minister of State jointly at the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice

- Minister of State jointly at the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice James Heappey - Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence

- Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence Will Quince - Minister of State at the Department for Education

- Minister of State at the Department for Education Maria Caulfield - Minister of State at the Department for Health and Social Care

- Minister of State at the Department for Health and Social Care Paul Scully - Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (but remains Minister for London)

- Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (but remains Minister for London) Marcus Jones - Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

- Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Matt Warman - Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

- Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Trudy Harrison - Minister of State at the Department for Transport

- Minister of State at the Department for Transport Edward Timpson CBE - Solicitor General Advertisement

That post was vacated by Brandon Lewis, who fell on his sword early this morning amid the desperate efforts to get Mr Johnson to recognise his time was up.

However, it is far from clear that Mr Johnson staying on until October - more than two months - will be acceptable to Tory MPs. There are rumours that Mr Johnson still wants to push key policies such as tax cuts.

Keir Starmer threatened to call a Parliamentary confidence vote and try to force a general election if Mr Johnson does not leave immediately.

'He needs to go completely. None of this nonsense about clinging on for a few months,' he said.

Former PM Sir John Major has written to the chairman of the Tory 1922 Committee warning it is 'unwise' for Mr Johnson to remain in office, suggesting either an interim premier or a streamlined election process 'in the national interest'.

New Levelling Up Secretary Greg Clark said that he will do his best to 'provide stability' in Government.

He tweeted: 'We have a duty to ensure that the country has a functioning government in the weeks ahead.

'Having been Secretary of State at the Communities department before, I will do my best to provide stability, good governance and accountability to Parliament at this important time.'

There was a similar message from Mr Malthouse, who said: 'While my party decides on a new leader HMG must continue and we all have an overriding duty to put our shoulder to the wheel if asked to serve.

'I hope to bring stability to the Cabinet Office at a time of political transition.'

Sir Robert Buckland said he was 'here to help', after taking up a post in Cabinet.

He also said that Boris Johnson would not have the authority to do 'new' things in government.

The new Welsh Secretary defended his decision to join Mr Johnson's new-look caretaker Cabinet, stressing that he felt the need to 'help and serve'.

He said: 'I felt it was right that I did that now. The issue about the Prime Minister and his character has been settled. He no longer has the confidence of the Conservative Party. He is resigning. That is right. But the business of government goes on. I'm here to help.'

Sir Robert said he would not have accepted a position yesterday, but the fate of the PM was 'now dealt with'.

'He did the right thing and resigned. He changed the circumstances by rightly resigning,' he said.

Describing himself as a 'team player', Sir Robert said there was no such thing as an interim prime minister in the British system of government.

'This Prime Minister no longer has the political authority to do new things,' he said.

Mr Vara said: 'A huge privilege to return to the Northern Ireland Office as Secretary of State.

Commons Leader Mark Spencer was in Downing Street for the Cabinet meeting today

Nadine Dorries, a close ally of the PM, was among the senior figures walking into the building on a dramatic day

'Having served previously in the Department I recognise the immense contribution of Northern Ireland, and its people, to the UK and I look forward to representing those interests at the Cabinet table.'

In his Downing Street speech, Mr Johnson said he is 'immensely proud' of the Government's achievements.

'I'm immensely proud of the achievements of this Government, from getting Brexit done to settling our relations with the continent for over half a century, reclaiming the power for this country to make its own laws in Parliament, getting us all through the pandemic, delivering the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe, the fastest exit from lockdown, and, in the last few months, leading the West in standing up to Putin's aggression in Ukraine,' he said.

He said his successor's priorities would be 'helping families to get through  cutting burdens on businesses and families, and, yes, cutting taxes because that is the way to generate the growth and the income we need to pay the great public services.

'To that new leader, I say, whoever he or she may be, I say: 'I will give you as much support as I can'.

'To you, the British public, I know that there will be many people who are relieved and perhaps quite a few who will also be disappointed.

'I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world.'
Victims are speaking out after a 'very dangerous' sexual predator who drugged and raped straight men was jailed for 22 years.

Luiz Inacio Da Silva Neto, 36, deliberately targeted straight men as he believed they would be less likely to report him to police.

He was convicted by a jury of drugging and sexually assaulting two men whom he attacked at his Oxfordshire home.

Luiz Inacio Da Silva Neto (pictured during a police interview), 36, deliberately targeted straight men as he believed they would be less likely to report him to police

Neto (pictured without any trousers on as he was arrested) was convicted by a jury of drugging and sexually assaulting two men whom he attacked at his Oxfordshire home

Following a trial, Da Silva Neto was found guilty by a majority jury of: Two counts of administering a substance with intent to stupefy/overpower to allow sexual activity; One count of rape; Two counts of causing a male aged 13 or over to engage in a penetrative sexual activity without consent.

He was previously convicted of seven drug possession offences.

One of his victims said: 'Whilst I have little memory of that night, I unfortunately had to hear of the awful things this man did to me against my will. It is something I will have to live with for the rest of my life and will cross my mind every day...

Following a trial, Da Silva Neto was found guilty by a majority jury of: Two counts of administering a substance with intent to stupefy/overpower to allow sexual activity; One count of rape; Two counts of causing a male aged 13 or over to engage in a penetrative sexual activity without consent

'I cannot bear the feelings of stress, terror and anxiety that it causes me, on top of everything else...

I take great comfort knowing that I have been able to support the police in making sure this never happens again and that I was able to break the chain and protect others from this monster.'

And another said: 'The feeling of being drugged was horrendous and a feeling I will never forget for as long as I live...

Victim statements in full Victim A: 'I went out with my colleagues. The next morning I woke up miles from home in a strange house with a man I have never met. The sense of panic I felt that morning is indescribable and I have never been so terrified in my life. Calling my wife crying and screaming down the phone is a memory she can never forget and has left her traumatised. The weeks that ensued were incredibly difficult for myself and all those close to me, sleepless nights and severe anxiety requiring me and my wife to take time off work. 'Whilst I have little memory of that night, I unfortunately had to hear of the awful things this man did to me against my will. It is something I will have to live with for the rest of my life and will cross my mind every day. 'I have decided not to take my right to read my victim impact statement in court in person, as it has taken every bit of strength I have to keep trying to live every day as a normal person and every time I receive a call from the police, an email or have to attend an appointment relating to that night it takes me right back to the moment where I woke up in that house. I cannot bear the feelings of stress, terror and anxiety that it causes me, on top of everything else. 'I am lucky to have an amazing support system around me and my wife, friends and family have got me through this. I take great comfort knowing that I have been able to support the police in making sure this never happens again and that I was able to break the chain and protect others from this monster. I would like to deeply thank all those involved with the case for your ongoing support and success in bringing this person to justice.' Victim B: 'That night in November 2021, my life changed forever, as a person I have changed and will never ever be the same again. I trusted him. I feel if he could do that to someone he knew, what could he do to someone he didn't know, or someone younger than me? 'The feeling of being drugged was horrendous and a feeling I will never forget for as long as I live. I felt instantly like I wanted to sleep, I felt like I needed to lay down, I could barely stand on my feet, my speech wouldn't come out. Then I came too whilst he was doing what he did, and this is something that will live with me for the rest of my lift, an image I replay over and over in my mind. Being unable to move or speak, but to know what was happening is a feeling I will never ever be able to forget or describe to anyone. 'Directly following what happened, I was unable to sleep, eat, or talk to anyone about what had happened and I felt like I walked around in a trance for days and it made me feel like I was losing my mind. I felt like what had happened to me was eating me up from the inside. It's the worst experience I have ever lived through or survived. 'Even now, eight months later, I have been unable to tell my family or any of my friends about what happened. How can I tell them about this? What words would I use? So I live with this alone every day. 'I'm heterosexual. I'm catholic. This has had a huge effect on both of those parts of my life. I feel it has already, and it will affect future intimate relationships. I have always loved female company but at the moment I feel unable to get into a relationship. Since this, I just don't feel able to socialise with people. I hope one day I will be able to, but at the moment I just can't cope with going out and being with people and I'm not sure how I will be able to move forward with this part of my life. 'Sometimes I still lose my vision and my hearing, and I feel the only thing that helps is laying in a cold bath of water to try and calm myself down. I have panic attacks and just struggle to cope with everything, I then can't sleep which doesn't help my mental wellbeing. I have been diagnosed with PTSD. I regularly see a counsellor and a psychologist. 'I still get really angry about what he did to me, and how it's made me feel and had forever changed me as a person. I can never again be the fun-loving person who loved to go out with friends. I don't know if I will ever fully trust people again. How can I when someone I knew could do something like that to me? 'In the eyes of the law this may be over now, but for me I will have to live with what he did to me forever and nothing will change that.' Advertisement

'Then I came too whilst he was doing what he did, and this is something that will live with me for the rest of my lift, an image I replay over and over in my mind...

'Even now, eight months later, I have been unable to tell my family or any of my friends about what happened. How can I tell them about this? What words would I use? So I live with this alone every day...

'Sometimes I still lose my vision and my hearing, and I feel the only thing that helps is laying in a cold bath of water to try and calm myself down. I have panic attacks and just struggle to cope with everything, I then can't sleep which doesn't help my mental wellbeing. I have been diagnosed with PTSD. I regularly see a counsellor and a psychologist...

'I don't know if I will ever fully trust people again. How can I when someone I knew could do something like that to me?'

The jury cleared him of one count of kidnapping; one count of committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence; One count of administering a substance with intent to stupefy/overpower to allow sexual activity.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said today: 'On November 10 last year, the first victim, a man, was with Da Silva Neto at a property in Middle Barton, Oxfordshire.

'They both had some alcoholic drinks, when the victim started to feel tired and lost consciousness. Later, the victim awoke to find Da Silva Neto sexually assaulting him.

'However, the victim couldn't move his limbs due the effects of drugs that Da Silva Neto had administered in the drinks the victim had consumed earlier in the evening.

'A month later, on December 10, Da Silva Neto, whose address was given as Riverlight Quay, Wandsworth, south London, targeted his second victim, another man. The victim was enjoying a night out at a bar in Chelsea, Central London.

'Upon leaving the bar, the victim tried to organise a taxi, when he encountered Da Silva Neto who was driving a vehicle in the area. The victim cannot remember any further details about the rest of the evening, other than being forced to consume a short drink.

'When the victim awoke the next day he was in an unknown property, which Thames Valley Police later established was the same property in Middle Barton in which the first victim was sexually assaulted. This victim had been drugged and raped by Da Silva Neto.

'During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence that Da Silva Neto had spent the earlier part of the evening of December 10, approaching males in public toilets and attempting to engage with them.

'The prosecution also presented evidence of Da Silva Neto's possession, use and knowledge of the effects of Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and Gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), substances, which in appropriate dosages can anesthetise, incapacitate or effect the consumer's ability to recall events without necessarily immobilising them completely.'

Investigating officer, Detective Inspector James Holden-White said: 'I am pleased that Luiz Inacio Da Silva Neto has been jailed for 22 years for his heinous crimes. Da Silva Neto is a sexual predator and a very dangerous man, as such the streets are a much safer place with him behind bars.

'Da Silva Neto used what presents as a well-practised modus operandi; targeting men, administering a substance to incapacitate and overpower his chosen victim, and then engaging in sexual activity with them, knowing they are not in a position to consent.

'Da Silva Neto deliberately targeted heterosexual men whom he believed would be especially unlikely to report the offences to police, but he was wrong. The two victims have shown immense bravery throughout and it is because of them that Da Silva Neto has been convicted and jailed.

'We are keeping an open mind as to the possibility that Da Silva Neto has committed other offences.

'Therefore, if you have any information regarding this investigation please contact Thames Valley Police via the following email address OperationJion@thamesvalley.police.uk'
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong will meet her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Bali, Beijing has confirmed.

They will be the first such high-level, face-to-face talks since 2019, in a sign relations between the two nations are thawing.

China's foreign ministry has confirmed that the ministers will meet outside the main meeting at around 6pm on Friday, the ABC reports.

Earlier on Thursday Ms Wong said Australia was open to engaging with China.

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong (left) will meet her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi (right) on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Bali

Earlier on Thursday Ms Wong (pictured in Bali) said Australia was open to engaging with China

Australia wants China to unwind trade sanctions on Australian goods, while Beijing wants Australia take steps to repair ties.

Ms Wong said her first bilateral meeting will be with Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama on Friday.

'Australian ministers remain open to engage, we are willing to engage and that willingness extends to any meeting in the margins of the G20,' she told reporters after landing in Indonesia on Thursday.

Senator Wong welcomed a proposed meeting between the US and Chinese foreign ministers at the G20 ministerial meeting.

'If we want greater stability in this world, we would want the two great powers to engage closely, notwithstanding their differences,' she said.

Stablising the relationship between China and Australia was also in the best interest of both nations, Senator Wong said.

Senator Wong said stabilising the relationship between China and Australia was also in the best interest of both nations (pictured, Ms Wong with Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama)

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese fronted a trans-Tasman leadership forum on Thursday night with his New Zealand counterpart.

Mr Albanese said both countries shared a culture of 'standing up to bullies' while discussing the situation in Ukraine.

'Bullies in the playground, if they're allowed to succeed, they'll keep going,' Mr Albanese said.

On the Pacific, Mr Albanese said Australia's investment in the area needed to come without strings attached.

'Where there's a void, someone else will step in,' he said.

Meanwhile, NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Australia and New Zealand must remember the sovereignty and independence of Pacific nations when they chose to engage with other countries.

Ms Ardern is visiting Australia ahead of next week's Pacific Islands Forum, where China's growing influence and interest in the region is expected to be discussed.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (right) fronted a trans-Tasman leadership forum on Thursday night with his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern (left)

She said while many nations have an interest in the Indo-Pacific, the relationship priorities should ultimately be set by the countries that call the region home.

Rather than Australia and New Zealand increasing strategic competition in the Pacific, Ms Ardern called on the two nations to look for ways to build and co-operate with others.

'Priorities should be set by the Pacific. They should be free from coercion. Investment should be of high quality,' Ms Ardern told the Lowy Institute on Thursday.

'Engagement needs to be consistent, (it) shouldn't be simply because others are engaging in our region, it should be because there's a desire to build long-standing and committed relationships.'

Ms Ardern said while the security deal struck between the Solomon Islands and China was concerning, the nation had a sovereign right to make its own decisions.

'We have long-standing and deep relationships, China has quite long-standing relationships in the Pacific too,' Ms Ardern said.

Senator Wong (pictured with Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama) said the Australian government believes Pacific security arrangements are a matter for Pacific nations

'It would be wrong to position the Pacific in such a way that they have to 'pick sides'.

'While we each maintain our independence ... we are part of a family, one that is incredibly important to us and central in our decision-making.'

The Australian government believes Pacific security arrangements are a matter for Pacific nations, Senator Wong said.

'The security of any one country in the Pacific islands is a sovereign decision,' she said.

'It is important to recognise, though, that those decisions can impact upon the region and that is why taking a regional focus, a regional approach to security is so important.'
Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear's office released an email that confirmed President Biden planned to nominate an anti-abortion judge to the bench - the same day Roe was overturned.

The Courier Journal reported Wednesday that Beshear's office handed over a June 23 email that stated: 'To be nominated tomorrow: ... Stephen Chad Meredith: candidate for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.'

But on June 24, the Supreme Court announced it was overturning Roe, and Meredith's nomination was never announced.

Meredith receiving a lifetime appointment was apparently a deal struck between the White House and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who heralds from Kentucky - though neither party will admit to the bargain.

Meredith previously served as Kentucky's solicitor general and as the chief deputy general counsel for former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, a Republican.

The revelations of the email with Biden facing increasing criticism from Democrats who believe his reaction should have been stronger to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear's office turned on President Joe Biden (pictured) and released an email that confirmed the Democratic president planned to nominate an anti-abortion judge to the bench - the same day Roe was overturned

Kentucky's Republican former solicitor general Chad Meredith (left) was to be nominated to the federal bench the day Roe v. Wade was overturned according to an email sent to the office of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (right), which was later released to the press

In his role as chief deputy general counsel, he defended Kentucky's abortion restriction forcing women to receive an ultrasound before pregnancy termination, with the doctor being mandated to describe what they see to the patient.

The email was sent by White House aide Kathleen Marshall, the former lieutenant governor of Nevada, who works as a senior adviser to governors.

It had the subject line 'Close hold' - meaning the information was supposed to be kept close to the vest.

The message was sent to Coulter Minix, a Beshear staffer in the governor's D.C. office.

'Thanks, Kate, I'll share the info and appreciate the heads up,' Minix replied.

The governor's office also turned over to the newspaper a follow-up email from a White House official from June 29 clarifying that the original message was 'pre-decisional and privileged information.'

The Courier Journal broke the initial story of the planned nomination later that day.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about the story in Tuesday's briefing and during a gaggle Wednesday on board Air Force One.

On Tuesday she told reporters that 'we make it a point here to not comment on any vacancy, whether it is on the executive branch or judicial branch.'

She called it a 'hypothetcial' when then asked by a reporrter if the president would ever appoint a judge to the federal bench who doesn't support abortion rights.

Stumbling over her words about a 'litmus test' she answered the question by, again, saying the White House wouldn't comment on vacancies.

On Wednesday, Jean-Pierre was asked how the White House justified an anti-abortion candidate's nomination going forward after Politico had reported on May 4 that the Supreme Court planned to overturn Roe, publishing a leaked draft opinion of the Dobbs ruling.

She reiterated the point she made the day before about not commenting on vacancies.

'We just have not made a nomination on this yet,' she added.

Jean-Pierre then spoke of all the judicial appointments Biden had made thus far.

'The judiciary represents the diversity of America, including a groundbreaking new Supreme Court Justice, and that is something that we're going to continue to do and we won't stop there,' she said.
Donald Trump lashed out at the Fulton County District Attorney's Office yet again on Thursday over prosecutors' investigation into whether he illegally tried to upend the 2020 presidential election results by pressuring Georgia officials

Donald Trump insisted on Thursday that he 'did nothing wrong' in Georgia as an investigation into his alleged efforts to overturn the Peach State's 2020 presidential election results heats up.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her team are looking into whether Trump and his allies illegally tried to pressure Georgia state officials into declaring him the victor, despite President Joe Biden's narrow victory in the state.

Trump's denial comes after two of his top allies, his former lawyer Rudy Giuliani and Senator Lindsey Graham, a sitting US lawmaker, were among a group of people subpoenaed by Fulton County.

At the heart of Willis' investigation is a January 2021 phone call made by Trump to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in which the then-president pressured Raffensperger to 'find' the votes needed for him to win the state.

'BOTH of my phone calls to Georgia were PERFECT. I had an absolute right to make them,' Trump wrote on his app Truth Social on Thursday.

'I, as does anyone else (just look at the Democrats!), have the absolute right to challenge the results of an Election. This one, CORRUPT, RIGGED, & STOLEN!'

In a follow up post, the former president continued: 'I did NOTHING wrong in Georgia, but others did.'

'They CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election, and those are the ones that should be investigated (and prosecuted)!'

Trump added a tease about an upcoming 'letter,' likely to Fulton County prosecutors themselves.

He told Raffensperger, a Republican, during an hour-long call on January 2 last year: 'What I want to do is this. I just want to find, uh, 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have, because we won the state.'

People who were close to Trump at the time of his alleged attempts, including Rudy Giuliani and Senator Lindsey Graham, were ordered to comply with the investigation via a grand jury subpoena

Biden had won Georgia by 11,779 votes, a margin of less than 0.25 percent.

Raffensperger also said he was contacted by Graham 10 days after the election asking if he was had the power to reject mailed ballots in certain counties.

Graham later denied that he was doing anything improper, and was simply asking for information to understand how the mail ballots were verified.

Willis has accused Trump and his allies of 'a multi-state, coordinated plan... to influence the results of the November 2020 election in Georgia and elsewhere' in a Tuesday court filing.

A grand jury was empaneled in early May to investigate the charge, and resulted in Graham and Giuliani's subpoenas on Tuesday.

Other names targeted include lawyers and advisers including John Eastman, Kenneth Cheesebro and Jenna Ellis who worked on strategies to overturn Biden's win in key swing states.

Trump claimed he had the 'absolute right' to question his 2020 presidential loss and again slammed the election as 'rigged'

He asserted that it was the Georgia officials that he is accused of pressuring who cheated

Willis said on Wednesday that she is 'absolutely' not ruling out subpoenaing Trump himself.

'Anythings possible,' the district attorney told NBC News.

She was also asked about Graham's denial to cooperate. In a letter written by his lawyers, the South Carolina Republican accused Willis of playing 'politics' and pledged to fight the subpoena.

'What do I have to gain from these politics?' Willis replied.

She claimed Graham 'doesnt understand the seriousness of what were doing.'

Willis also declined to go into detail on specifics of what she wants to grill Giuliani and Graham about.

'Im not going to get into the details of the investigation, but this is what I will tell you: Election interference is a very important subject,' she said.

'And what is important is that the grand jurors hear from anyone that may have impacted this election.'
A man in China who thought he had a urinary problem was shocked to find out he was born intersex and has been menstruating for the last 20 years.

Chen Li, 33, whose name has been changed, was told by doctors he was born with female sex chromosomes as well as ovaries and a uterus, despite having male genital organs.

Chen, from a small town in the Sichuan province, only discovered he was also female after he went to doctors for help with a recurring urinary problem, reports the South China Morning Post.

The man, who had been suffering from blood in his urine for more than 20 years and had pain in his abdomen every month, had actually been menstruating.

Chen, who was horrified to find out he was intersex after 33 years living as a man, has since had his uterus and ovaries surgically removed.

Chen, who was horrified to find out he was intersex after 33 years living as a man, has since had his uterus and ovaries surgically removed

Chen Li, 33, whose name has been changed, was told by doctors he was born with female sex chromosomes as well as ovaries and a uterus, despite having male genital organs

What is intersex? Intersex is an umbrella term for a number of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy doesn't fit the typical definitions of female or male. As in Chen Li's case, a person might be born appearing to be male on the outside, but having female anatomy on the inside - or vice versa. Or a person may be born with mosaic genetics, so that some of their cells have XX chromosomes and some of them have XY. HOW COMMON IS INTERSEX? They are a larger group than is commonly acknowledged. Estimates range from about 3 in every 200 births to 1 in 2,000. DOCTORS ARE DIVIDED ON WHAT IS INTERSEX The Intersex Society of North America says: 'In our work, we find that doctors opinions about what should count as intersex vary substantially. 'Some think you have to have ambiguous genitalia to count as intersex, even if your inside is mostly of one sex and your outside is mostly of another. 'Some think your brain has to be exposed to an unusual mix of hormones prenatally to count as intersexso that even if youre born with atypical genitalia, youre not intersex unless your brain experienced atypical development. 'And some think you have to have both ovarian and testicular tissue to count as intersex.' Advertisement

The 33-year-old had baffled doctors with his condition after he experienced recurrent blood in his urine and abdominal pain that lasted for more than four hours after going through puberty.

Doctors at first thought that the abdominal pain was appendicitis but the symptoms continued even after treatment.

But after a medical check-up last year, doctors finally found the root cause of his symptoms.

Chen was in fact intersex with female X chromosomes and female reproductive organs - and the monthly cycle of blood in his urine and abdominal pain were actually caused by menstruation.

Chen underwent a three-hour surgery on 6 June to remove his ovaries and uterus.

His surgeon, Luo Xiping, told the South China Morning Post that the patient 'was quickly at ease and his confidence was restored'.

'From his point on, he can live his life as a man, but he cannot reproduce because his testicles cannot produce sperm,' the surgeon added.

Intersex is a term which has largely replaced 'hermaphrodite' and is used to describe people who 'do not fit the typical definitions for male or female bodies', according to United Nations guidelines.

The UN believes between 0.05 and 1.7 per cent of the global population is intersex - about the same percentage that have red hair.

Whilst being intersex is extremely rare, in March last year, a married woman in China who had been trying to get pregnant found out she was a biological man.

The 25-year-old Chinese woman, known only as Pingping, was told she had the male Y chromosome, despite having female genital organs and having lived as a woman all her life.

The discovery emerged following an X-ray on an injured ankle, but also explained why she had never had a period and failed to get pregnant with her husband.

The woman, whose name was given as Pingping, was told she had a condition called a '46 XY disorder of sexual development' in which people with male chromosomes have ambiguous, underdeveloped or missing genital organs.

Because the woman had ostensibly female organs, she had never questioned her sex, and had turned a blind eye to the fact she had never menstruated.

When her mother took her to a doctor as a child, she was told that she might simply be developing more slowly than others.

'After I grew up, I found this issue quite embarrassing so I didnt treat it seriously,' she said.

But the doctors who looked at her ankle were struck by her underdeveloped bones and investigated further - bringing forth the surprising result.

Doctors informed her that she had no uterus or ovaries, which explained why her 12-month effort to get pregnant had ended in disappointment.

But she also had no male genitalia or testes, with doctors saying that these might have existed once but 'degenerated and atrophied'.

The medics said Pingping's family should have taken her for more thorough checks years ago, adding that her parents were closely related.
Police in Egypt have arrested four men who were planning to fight in Egypt for a competition to reveal the 'real Batman' after citing fears it could 'spark a riot'.

Authorities arrested the men in front of the Helwan metro station after they all agreed to fight each other in person.

The four men were set to battle in Helwan, with authorities tracing the event to an online spat which started over an online joke when social media users claimed to be the masked superhero.

'Freedom for the Dark Knight,' said a Twitter user in Arabic following the arrests.

'Now we'll never know,' said another.

A poster promoting the 'Helwan Real Batman Battle' showed Batman driving through Cairo in a tuk-tuk.

'The winner will be the Batman of the province and then we will collect all the provinces and the winner will be the real Batman,' wrote one member of the public Batman group in Egyptian.

The organisers were set to meet at 11pm, following nightfall.

A poster promoting the 'Helwan Real Batman Battle' showed Batman driving through Cairo

The event was scheduled for August 13, with several excitable cosplayers apparently planning to take to the streets to duke it out.

Several posters took to Facebook post 'I am the real Batman', hyping up the event.

But Egyptian authorities seem to have become worried about the competition when TV presenter Lamis al-Hadidi, whose ON TV channel has links to the Egyptian government, pointed out the fight would take place on the 9th anniversary of the 2013 Tahrir Square protests that killed 900 people.

The protests ended in the 2013 coup d'etat where Mohamed Morsi was overthrown by army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is currently in government.

Unauthorised public gatherings of more than 10 people have been banned in Egypt since 2013 and any event requires a government license.

Police arrested the men for 'planning a riot' and 'using reactions' to 'make money', despite acknowledging the event started as a joke, according to the BBC.

Many Egyptians view social media in the country as a place free from government surveillance but authorities often monitor sites like Twitter and Facebook for disruptive events.

Other social media users compared the Storm Area 51 internet meme, when two million people responded 'going' and 1.5 million 'interested' to an event urging users to storm the Storm Area 51 Basecamp in Hiko, Nevada.

But only 150 people showed up at the two entrances to Area 51 and none succeeded in entering the site, according to state and local law enforcement.
Boris Johnson stepped down as British Prime Minister on Thursday after a string of resignations over the last two days, prompted by scandals, shook his administration.

In front of No. 10 Downing Street, Johnson noted in his resignation speech that a schedule for the contest for the new Prime Minister is to be announced next week.

Johnson said: "It is clear now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party, that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister, and I've agreed with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of our backbench MPs, that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now and the timetable will be announced next week."

Boris Johnson also announced that he will stay in his office until a new prime minister is elected and appointed new Cabinet members, according to Anadolu's report. However, there were still many vacancies for parliamentary private secretaries and junior ministry jobs.

Johnson Highlights Achievements

In his message, he thanked the millions of people who voted for the Conservative Party in 2019 and for the "incredible mandate, the biggest conservative majority since 1987."

Johnson explained that his reason for fighting "so hard" recently is for the continued fulfillment of that mandate because he felt it was his job to do so.

He also underscored the achievements of his administration: "from getting Brexit done to settling our relations with the continent for over half a century and reclaiming the power for this country to make its laws in parliament, getting us all through the pandemic, delivering the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe, the fastest exit from lockdown, and in the last few months, leading the West in standing up to Putin's aggression in Ukraine."

The outgoing prime minister reiterated that the UK "will continue to back" Ukraine's "fight for freedom as long as it takes."

Read Also: Brittney Griner Update: Joe Biden Calls Wife of WNBA Star, Reveals Attempts To Bring Brittney Home

Who Will Replace Johnson as UK Prime Minister?

As Johnson resigns, speculations are being made over which of the prominent political personalities in the current or past Cabinet ministers will announce their intention to contend for the UK prime minister position, per a CNBC report.

Former chancellor Rishi Sunak, former health secretary Sajid Javid, defense minister Ben Wallace, and current foreign secretary Liz Truss are noteworthy Conservatives who are viewed as potential candidates. Less prominent figures include trade minister Penny Mordaunt and former health minister Jeremy Hunt.

Only Attorney General Suella Braverman has formally declared her candidacy for the top government post thus far; the others have not yet expressed interest.

Meanwhile, the leader of the House of Commons, Mark Spencer, on Thursday addressed concerns about a shortage of ministers in the government.

He assured the public that "where there is a vacancy, those ministers will be appointed very soon" and the operation of those departments "will be up and running very quickly."

Since Tuesday, nearly 60 government members, including five cabinet ministers, have resigned in protest of the botched resignation of Chris Pincher, Johnson's ex-deputy chief whip, who got charged with groping two men last week.

The Institute for Government estimates that there are 122 government ministers, 28 of whom have resigned. According to CNN, this implies that close to a quarter of British government ministers have left their positions this week.

This week has also seen the resignation of 31 additional government employees, including trade envoys and parliamentary private secretaries.

However, Spenser assured: "There are many talented people on the benches behind me that will be able to take up those roles. They're probably all waiting by their phones."

Related Article: Erdogan Reminds Sweden, Finland of Their Commitments to Ankara's Conditions Before Joining NATO

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The National Education Association has proposed changing the word 'mother' to 'birthing parent' in its union contracts to be more inclusive to the LGBTQ community.

The teachers union claimed the proposed resolution would change the language used in contracts to be a more 'inclusive reflection' of all educators' families.

Furious mothers slammed the proposal, calling the union a 'K-12 Cartel' that is 'holding parents and children hostage' to its woke agenda.

The NEA was set to vote on the resolution Wednesday in Chicago during its annual Representative Assembly conference attended by more than 6,000 educators.

The proposed resolution did not pass, the union confirmed to DailyMail.com Thursday.

The National Education Association has proposed changing the word 'mother' to 'birthing parent' in its contracts to be more inclusive to the LGBTQ community. Union President Becky Pringle is pictured on Tuesday

The proposed resolution aimed to change union contract language so members 'need not worry about how a Board of Education/solicitor defines 'maternity leave,' 'mother,' and/or 'father.''

'The language is an inclusive reflection of how LGBTQIA+ members build families,' the document, which was obtained by Fox News, stated.

It appears the resolution would remove words like 'mother' and 'father' from all union contracts, changing the terms to 'birthing parent' and 'non-birthing parent,' respectively.

'Maternity leave' would also be referred to as 'parental leave.'

The proposed resolution aimed to change union contract language so members 'need not worry about how a Board of Education/solicitor defines 'maternity leave,' 'mother,' and/or 'father''

Parents allege the proposal is just another example of how the union has failed to prioritize the educational needs of American children.

'Normal people don't use the term chestfeeding or birthing person or any of this stuff,' Nicole Neily of Parents Defending Education said. 'I think it just further underscores how completely out of touch the teachers' unions are from the concerns of normal parents.'

She added: 'It's horrifying.'

'We believe in American teachers, and we don't believe that the lack of focus that the union has on children is represented,' echoed Tiffany Justice of Moms for Liberty, adding that the 'K-12 Cartel' is 'holding parents and children hostage to a radical agenda.'

Elana Fishbein from No Left Turn in Education also accused the NEA of trying to destroy society and the American family.

'They are arrogant. They are dismissive of the family, the parents. It's beyond Orwellian,' she told the news outlet. 'Even in science fiction, I don't know if you can have such a script of complete destruction of human society.'

No Left Turn in Education issued a statement to DailyMail.com Thursday, reading: 'The NEA is led by Becky Pringle, a devotee of the lifelong Communist radical Angela Davis. That kind of leadership encourages resolutions that aim to transform our society into some weird neutered dystopian vision. Resolution 63 is a direct assault on the family.

'Children have a unique and sacred relationship with a mother and a father. Teachers must be warned that interfering with that bond is off-limits. To instruct impressionable children that they should reject the concept of the traditional family unit is nothing short of child abuse.'

The NEA was set to vote on the resolution Wednesday in Chicago during its annual Representative Assembly conference attended by more than 6,000 educators. NEA delegates are pictured Tuesday, July 5 at the conference

The union also took aim at Florida and the recently passed so-called Don't Say Gay Bill which forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.

'The NEA will take all necessary steps to defeat and overturn the "Don't Say Gay" law in Florida and other homophobic and anti-transgender laws and attacks on the country,' the resolution stated.

The union said it would demonstrate its determination to defeat the legislation by 'publicizing our support of and participation in mass actions for LGBT rights and Pride.'

The NEA also said it would encourage members to participate in rallies and pickets aimed at defending the rights of the LGBTQ community.

The teachers union claimed the proposed resolution would change the language used in contracts to be a more 'inclusive reflection' of all educators' families. A group of educators are pictured Wednesday at the NEA conference in Chicago

NEA resolutions, which allegedly represents the 'opinions and beliefs' of union members, require the sponsorship of 50 delegates before they can be debated and voted on.

Union officials were scheduled to debate several hot-button topics during this years annual conference, including a universal masking and COVID vaccine policy.

Delegates struck down the vaccine resolution, which reportedly called on the union to 'work with state affiliates' to support a nationwide policy requiring 'masking and COVID vaccines in schools.'

The proposal also sought 'high-quality virtual education for immuno-compromised students' and all American families who want remote education, The Washington Examiner reported.

A similar resolution had been proposed last year and was also scrapped by voters.

Delegates struck down the vaccine resolution, which reportedly called on the union to 'work with state affiliates' to support a nationwide policy requiring 'masking and COVID vaccines in schools'

Another proposal reportedly called on educators to denounce the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that guaranteed abortion rights in America.

The resolution also favored expanding the numbered of justices seat on the high court and encouraged impeached of justices 'who went against their sworn testimony not to overturn Roe v. Wade.'

'The three Trump appointed Supreme Court justices constitute a far right-wing coup inside the nation's highest judicial body,' the document, which has reviewed by the newspaper, said.

'The new civil rights movement must defeat these attacks through organizing mass actions to defend women and all Americans from this attack.'

Union officials also attempted to tackle racism in the education system with a proposal seeking to use NEA resources to 'amend or establish economics and personal finance standards' that have 'exacerbated' the 'racial wealth gap' in America.

It is unclear which of the NEA's proposals were passed at the convention.

Another proposal reportedly called on educators to denounce the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that guaranteed abortion rights in America. NEA President Becky Pringle is pictured at the conference on Tuesday

The union also took aim at Florida and the recently passed so-called Don't Say Gay Bill which forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade

The NEA is no stranger to controversial resolution. Proposals in prior years issued the union's support for reparations for black Americans and asked educators to combat 'institutionally racist systems.'

'The Association acknowledges that both historical and current practices have systematically advantaged and privileged people of White European ancestry while disadvantaging and denying rights, opportunities, and equality for people of color,' a resolution focused on racial justice read.

Another stated: 'The National Education Association believes that, in order to achieve racial and social justice, educators must acknowledge the existence of white supremacy culture as a primary root cause of institutional racism, structural racism, and white privilege.

'The Association believes that school districts must provide training in cultural competence, implicit bias, restorative practices and techniques, and racial justice.'

The NEA also made a resolution calling for protection rights of employees accused of child abuse.

'Any such allegation should be investigated and resolved immediately without name disclosure,' the resolution stated. 'The National Education Association believes education employees should be protected from allegations of child abuse made in bad faith.'
Boris Johnson has phoned Ukraine's President Zelensky to reiterate his support for Ukraine and called the leader a 'hero' that 'everybody loves' - within hours of announcing his resignation after 59 of his ministers quit.

The PM has been a strong supporter of the Ukrainian president since war first broke out in the country following the invasion by Russia in February of this year.

He has secretly visited Ukraine several times in the last few months, most recently and controversially cancelling a trip to a conference with northern Tories on June 17 to fly to Kyiv instead.

The move did little to calm northern and rebel MPs, especially those who are in traditionally-Labour held seats - but he has consistently won praise for his support of the Ukrainian military.

After resigning as UK PM following 59 ministerial resignations in the space of 48 hours, Mr Johnson held a phone call with President Zelensky to assure him of his continued support for the country ahead of a Conservative leadership contest which could begin as soon as next week.

Boris Johnson phoned President Zelensky a matter of hours after resigning as head of the Conservative Party

In what could be one of his last interactions with the Ukrainian President as PM, Mr Johnson told him he is a 'hero' and 'everybody loves him'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson shaking hands with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, prior to talks during his visit to Kyiv the Ukrainian capital in April

Mr Johnson says he discussed the UK's 'unwavering cross-party support' for the Ukrainian nation and its people during the call (Pictured: The PM visiting President Zelensky, right, in Kyiv last month)

In a statement in Downing Street at 12:30pm today, the PM tried to sound an upbeat tone as he confirmed that his time in office is coming to an end

Downing Street says he discussed the UK's 'unwavering cross-party support' in the wake of political events over the last few days, adding that the UK will 'continue to supply vital defensive aid for as long as needed.'

He added he will continue to try and end the grain blockade in the coming weeks - a reference to the war's contribution to rising food prices due to Ukraine being unable to export as much grain safely.

Ukraine has typically been one of the largest grain exporters in the world, but as well as sea and land blockades, it is also struggling to prevent Russia from allegedly stealing it.

The Downing Street spokesperson continued: 'He thanked President Zelenskyy for everything he's doing to stick up for freedom, for his friendship and for the kindness of the Ukrainian people.

'President Zelenskyy thanked the Prime Minister for his decisive action on Ukraine, and said the Ukrainian people were grateful for the UK's efforts.'

Mr Johnson bid farewell to President Zelenskyy with strong praise for his character, saying: 'You're a hero, everybody loves you'.

The call followed Mr Johnson being forced to step down as PM in the wake of new allegations against the former deputy whip, Chris Pincher.

It was triggered by revelations that the PM had been personally briefed about a complaint against Mr Pincher when he was working at the Foreign Office, despite initially saying he was unaware of any 'specific reports'.

Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid both resigned on Tuesday night after this came to light, beginning the wave of MPs confirming no confidence in him and relinquishing government roles.

Many of the former ministers referenced their own support for Ukraine and the UK's aid in their resignation letters.

Johnson's close relationship with the Ukrainian President has been clear from the beginning of the conflict with Russia and leading politicians in Ukraine have today thanked the UK for it's aid.

This afternoon Zelensky's adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, took to Twitter to thank the PM for being 'the first to arrive in Kyiv, despite missile attacks' and 'always being at the forefront of supporting' Ukraine.

The last time the two leaders saw each other in Kyiv on June 17, The Prime Minister was keen to express the royal family's support for Ukraine too.

Mr Johnson has been continuing his work as PM as he tries to cling on to the job until his party have elected a new leader - but with so many ministerial jobs to fill, it could prove difficult

Mr Johnson told the Ukrainian president on June 17 that the UK is prepared to launch a major operation to train Ukrainian armed forces

He gave Volodymyr Zelensky a biography of the Queen, Robert Hardman's book Queen Of Our Times: The Life Of Elizabeth II.

Mr Zelensky congratulated the monarch on her 70-year milestone on June 5, tweeting: 'Congratulations on the Platinum anniversary of the reign of the Queen of (Britain) Her Majesty Elizabeth II @RoyalFamily.

'Grateful for supporting Ukraine in the fight for our freedom and independence.

'I wish Her Majesty well-being and peace and prosperity to (the British) people'.

As well as previously pledging billions of pounds worth of humanitarian and military aid, following the latest visit a major training operation for Ukrainian forces was announced by the UK government, with the potential to train up to 10,000 soldiers every 120 days.

Shortly afterwards on June 26 the UK pledged another 430 million worth of aid to help in the war against Russia.

At the time the PM said: 'My visit today, in the depths of this war, is to send a clear and simple message to the Ukrainian people: the UK is with you, and we will be with you until you ultimately prevail.

'As Ukrainian soldiers fire UK missiles in defence of your nations sovereignty, they do so also in defence of the very freedoms we take for granted.

'That is why I have offered President Zelenskyy a major new military training programme that could change the equation of this war  harnessing that most powerful of forces, the Ukrainian determination to win.

Wife Carrie Johnson, son Romy and Culture Secretary were some of those who supported the PM during his resignation statement today - it was the first time the couple's child has been properly seen in public

'Two months on from my last visit, the Ukrainian grit, determination and resilience is stronger than ever, and I know that unbreakable resolve will long outlive the vain ambitions of President Putin.'

But the PM was slated by nervous Tory MPs back home after failing to appear at a conference being held by the Northern Research Group of Red Wall Tory MPs in Doncaster.

He was also expected to campaign in Wakefield ahead of the crucial by-election on June 23 - which the Conservatives subsequently lost.

However, he pulled out of the event abruptly the night before, causing particular anger among the MPs by not giving any reason - before it was announced the following day that he was in Ukraine.

Due to security concerns for both Mr Johnson and President Zelensky, visits to Ukraine have only been announced by the UK once they are already underway.

In April, Mr Johnson became the first Western leader to go to Kyiv, with the arrangements made in great secrecy.

He has formed a close 'bromance' with Mr Zelensky, speaking regularly on the phone.

The Ukrainian president's head of office described Mr Johnson as a 'good friend and ally' during the visit.

Meanwhile Russia's Kremlin today slammed Mr Johnson after his resignation, saying they do 'not like' him.

President Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Mr Johnson 'really does not like us - and we [do not like] him either'.

He said he hoped 'more professional people' who could 'make decisions through dialogue' would take over in London.

Russian foreign ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova today told reporters Mr Johnson had been 'hit by a boomerang launched by himself', adding that the moral of the story was 'do not seek to destroy Russia'.

During his resignation speech outside No.10 Downing Street at lunchtime today the PM reassured Ukrainians and the western world that the UK would remain firm supporters of their independence: 'Let me say now to the people of Ukraine that I know we in the UK will continue to back your fight for freedom for as long as it takes.'

Mr Johnson appeared in high spirits despite saying he was sad to be leaving 'the best job in the world' as he paid tribute to his staff and the civil service.

Standing at the traditional podium and watched by wife Carrie, baby Romy and close aides, Mr Johnson said the situation was 'painful' and branded the move to oust him 'eccentric'.

But he pointed to his achievements since winning the huge landslide - such as the vaccine rollout, Brexit and coming to the aid of Ukraine.

He said his message to voters who delivered his 2019 landslide was 'thank you for that incredible mandate', adding the 'reason I have fought so hard' was because he felt it was his 'job' to deliver what he promised.

The PM then tweeted: 'I want to thank you, the British public, for the immense privilege of serving you as Prime Minister.

'I want you to know that from now until my successor is in place, your interests will be served and the government of the country will be carried on.'
The father of the Highland Park shooter said he's 'not worried' about being investigated for culpability after it was revealed he helped his son buy the rifle used in the massacre.

Robert Crimo Jr. told ABC 7 Chicago that all he merely filled out a basic consent form allowing his son, Robert 'Bobby' Crimo III, 21, to go through the Illinois State Police process of receiving a firearm owner identification card (FOID) required for ownership.

'They do background checks. Whatever that entails, I'm not exactly sure,' Crimo, a former Highland Park mayoral candidate, said. 'And either you're approved or denied, and he was approved.'

Crimo's attorney, Steve Greenberg, told Fox 32 that the process was 'no different than signing up your kid for driver's ed.'

The comments came as a photo of the second gun Crimo carried on the day of the shooting was revealed. He allegedly considered using it in a second attack on another parade but changed his mind at the last minute.

The photo of the Kel Tec SUB2000 -- a compact foldable assault rifle -- laying across the passenger seat of the car Crimo was driving after the massacre. Crimo considered carrying out a second massacre in Madison, Wisconsin, on the same day with this rifle

Robert Crimo Jr. (left) told ABC 7 Chicago that all he did was fill out a basic consent form allowing his son, Robert Crimo III, 21, (right) to go through the Illinois State Police process of receiving a firearm owner identification card (FOID) required for ownership.

The photo shows a Kel Tec SUB2000 - a compact foldable assault rifle - laying across the passenger seat of the car Crimo was driving after the massacre.

He had borrowed his mother's car after murdering seven people in Highland Park and driven to Madison, Wis., where he came across another parade.

'He seriously contemplated using the firearm in his vehicle to commit another shooting in Madison,' Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman, Christopher Covelli, said in a news conference.

Crimo also had about 60 rounds of ammunition on him, according to police.

'[But] there are indications he didn't put enough planning forward to commit another attack,' Covelli said.

The Kel Tec web site describes the gun as 'Light/Compact/Effective,' and says 'It tucks away nicely in situations where space is limited, but it's quick to deploy in situations where time is of the essence.'

'At the end of the day, the SUB2000 is simply fun to shoot.'

Photos of weapons similar to what Crimo owned. He used a Smith & Wesson M&P similar to the top photo in the shooting. He also owned a Remington 700 rifle (bottom left) and a Glock 43 pistol (bottom right)

The rifle is one of at least five guns Crimo owns, including the Smith & Wesson M&P 15 he used in the Highland Park shooting, a shotgun, a Remington 700 rifle, and a Glock 43 pistol.

Crimo was able to purchase the rifle he used in the shooting despite being branded as a 'clear and present danger' in a 2019 Highland Park Police report.

Police had confiscated a large collection of knives from the then-19-year-old after he threatened to 'kill everyone' in his family. He also threatened to commit suicide.

Crimo was never charged in that incident, and his parents filed no red flags over mental health concerns.

Despite the threats of violence, Crimo's father signed the forms allowing his son to apply for the FOID card mere weeks later.

He was dressed in all-black, wore his long dark hair draped over one eye and shifted on his feet as he appeared via Zoom from a room in the Lake County Jail

Speaking to The New York Post, Robert Crimo Jr. (above) shouldered no blame for his son's shooting and said he had 'zero' responsibility

Even though Illinois uses a red-flag system to prevent potentially violent individuals from buying guns, Crimo passed four police background checks and was given the green light to purchase the weapon he would use to murder seven people with.

Speaking to The New York Post, Crimo's father shouldered no blame for the shooting, saying he had 'zero' responsibility.

'He bought everything on his own, and they're registered to him,' he said, 'You know, he drove there, he ordered them, he picked them up, they did his background check on each one.'
The Highland Park shooter shared a haunting picture of his teenage sex doll hanging herself in his closet online, a newly emerged image shows.

Robert 'Bobby' Crimo III posted the eerie shot of 'Sophie' from his 'Awake 47' account on the Documenting Reality website in June 2020.

The sick 21-year-old, who gunned down seven people in Illinois on July 4, captioned one of the images: 'I don't understand why. Sophie July 1, 2020 - July 22, 2020.'

He also sent dozens of racist rants against Jewish people, black people and Asian people on his page and denied the Holocaust ever happened.

Documenting Reality founder and site moderator Chris Wilson said he was cooperating with cops over the vile messages.

Crimo was charged with killing seven people at the Independence Day parade in Highland Park on Monday.

Yesterday he confessed to police he unleashed a hail of bullets from a rooftop in suburban Chicago and fled to the Madison, Wisconsin, area.

The killer then admitted that he contemplated shooting up a second event there, authorities said Wednesday.

In July 2020, Highland Park shooter Robert 'Bobby' Crimo posted a picture he entitled 'Sophie Killed Herself,' showing a sex doll hanging from his closet in a mock suicide.

Online, Robert 'Bobby' Crimo often shared photos of his teenage sex doll, including this one from June 2020 showing the doll he named 'Sophie' sitting in the passenger seat of his car

His Acura 30CL featured a 'P**** Magnet' sticker on the rear windshield, with at least four teddy bears in the back seat and a Donald Trump bobblehead affixed to the rear dash

Robert 'Bobby' Crimo, 21, is expressionless in a mugshot that was released Wednesday

Crimo was a frequent poster on the online forum Documenting Reality, where he used the moniker Awake 47 to share disturbing pictures and make racist and anti-Semitic remarks, the New York Post reported.

He would often share photos of himself along with footage of shootings and other instances of real-life violence, according to NPR.

He also used it to document his relationship with a teenage sex doll he named Sophie.

One picture from June 2020 shows the doll sitting in the front passenger's seat of his Acura 30CL with a seatbelt fastened.

The car also had a 'P**** Magnet' sticker on the rear windshield, at least four teddy bears in the back seat and a Donald Trump bobblehead attached to the rear dash.

The next month he shared a picture he entitled 'Sophie Killed Herself,' showing the doll hanging from his closet in a mock suicide.

'I don't understand why,' he wrote in the post, adding: 'Sophie July 1, 2020 - July 22, 2020.'

Additionally, Crimo posted several racist messages on the site in the days leading up to the mass shooting at Highland Park, Illinois.

In one, he seemed to question the legitimacy of the Holocaust, writing: 'The math is all scewed (sic). The logistics of 6m Jews doesn't make sense, but I'm just retarded.'

In the days leading up to the shooting, Crimo wrote a series of vile and anti-Semitic posts, like this one from June 25 questioning the Holocaust

Just two days before he committed the massacre at Highland Park, Illinois, Crimo also seemed to suggest that Jews were 'fire retardant'

Other posts took aim at Asians, who he said 'should be gassed,' and black people

On July 2, he also seemed to suggest Jews were 'fire retardant.' And in another post from June 28, Crimo posted: 'I say we just get rid of the blacks all together.'

Four days later, he said Asian people should 'be gassed and washed,' suggesting they could be put in gas chambers.

In fact, NPR reports, Crimo would post so frequently on the online forum that other users were able to positively identify him after police released his picture during the manhunt for the shooter on Monday.

Documenting Reality founder and site moderator Chris Wilson told the Post he is now cooperating with authorities.

'This is not something we've ever had to deal with,' Wilson said in a statement, adding that Crimo 'was a member of the site, as well as other sites.

'I think what happened is horrendous, and I am cooperating fully with law enforcement officials.'

The revelations of his posts are just the latest unsettling development as federal law enforcement officials dig into Crimo's background as he faces multiple counts of murder for the deadly Fourth of July rampage.

Crimo also used the site, Documenting Reality, to share photos of himself - so after police released his picture during the manhunt for the shooter on Monday, people on the site were able to positively identify him

In September 2019, Illinois State Police received a 'clear and present danger' report related to Crimo's family after he threatened to kill himself and his family. They removed knives from the property, but later returned them, The Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Crimo, who was 19 at the time, was not arrested. He was two years under the legal age minimum to apply for the firearm owner's identification (FOID) card needed to legally obtain a weapon.

Crimo used a legally purchased Smith & Wesson M&P 15 to carry out the attack. He bought the weapon - which costs around $800 - in 2020

But despite the murder-suicide threats, Crimo's father sponsored him for a FOID card in December 2019, and it was approved a month later, in January 2020, which allowed him to obtain four guns.

Officials have since said they approved the permit because there was 'insufficient basis' to deem Crimo dangerous, with the only record on his file a 2016 ordinance violation for possession of tobacco.

That meant Crimo was legally able to buy the weapon used in Monday's massacre.

'He bought everything on his own, and they're registered to him,' his father told The Post of his son's weapons.

'You know, he drove there, he ordered them, he picked them up, they did his background check on each one,' he added, as he insisted he had 'zero' involvement in the massacre.

'They make me like I groomed him to do all this,' he said. 'I've been here my whole life, and I'm gonna stay here, hold my head up high, because I didn't do anything wrong.'

Robert Crimo Jr. told the New York Post that his son, the accused Fourth of July gunman, talked about the mass shooting in Copenhagen the night before launching his own massacre

Crimo's father Bob Sr. was cornered by police as he arrived at home on Tuesday

The gunman opened fire at 10.14am on Monday, barely 15 minutes into the parade. He then fled the scene and hid throughout the day before eventually being arrested at 6.30pm in Lake Forrest, eight miles north of where the massacre unfolded

He also insisted in the interview with the New York Post that his son's actions were not motivated by hate, and said that while he will continue to support his son, he is 'furious' about what happened.

'I want a long sentence,' Robert Crimo Jr said. 'That's life. You know you have consequences for actions. He made a choice. He didn't have to do that. I think there's mental illness there, obviously.  I didn't see a lot of it.'

But it has also been revealed that Crimo drove to Madison, Wis., in his mother's car after the shooting, where he happened upon another July 4 celebration.

Police don't yet know exactly what his motive for the killing spree was but on Wednesday they confirmed his fixation on the numbers 47 - the inverse of 7/4, the date of July 4.

'His motivation isn't necessarily clear, I don't want to go into specifically what he told investigators, however he had some type of affinity towards the number 4 and 7, and inverse 7 and 4,' Lake County Major Crime Task Force Deputy Chief Chris Covelli said after Crimo's court appearance.

'We don't have information to suggest he planned on driving to Madison initially to commit another attack. We do believe that he was driving around following the first attack and saw the celebration (in Madison).'

Covelli said Crimo didn't go through with it because there are 'indications' that he didn't plan it out as thoroughly as he had with Highland Park.

On Wednesday, Crimo made a full confession and told cops he 'looked down, aimed and fired' into the crowd, but dressed up 'like a girl' and used make-up to cover his face and neck tattoos.

He will now remain in custody until his next court date on July 25, when he will be represented by a public defender.

Bob Crimo Jr. and his wife, Denise, said in a statement: 'We are all mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, and this is a terrible tragedy for many families, the victims, the paradegoers, the community, and our own. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to everybody'

In the meantime, his parents, who have not been charged in connection with the shooting, have hired a lawyer in Steve Greenberg, a local man who railed against the shooting on Twitter on Monday before realizing that his friends' son was responsible for it.

They released an official statement on Wednesday reading: 'We are all mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, and this is a terrible tragedy for many families, the victims, the paradegoers, the community, and our own. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to everybody.'

And on Tuesday night, Greenberg appeared on NewsNation to insist his clients have done nothing wrong, and to deny claims by police that they were called to the family house twice in 2019.

'I don't think anyone's ever aware of any red flags that make them think that their son is gonna go out in their own community and start shooting people.

'Had they seen any signs of it, I think they would have acted. They're responsible parents,' Greenberg said.
A judge has thrown out an appeal from former Alabama Judge Roy Moore to sue comedian Sacha Baron Cohen for defamation after the actor and comedian portrayed him as a pedophile in a 2018 interview for the show 'Who is America?'

The interview was declared 'clearly comedy and that no reasonable viewer would conclude otherwise,' and therefore constitutionally protected by free speech, a judge said before a 3-0 vote in the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan on Thursday.

'Humor is an important medium of legitimate expression and central to the well-being of individuals, society, and their government,' the panel wrote.

Moore, 74, waived his right to sue Cohen after he signed a consent agreement before the interview was filmed in July 2018, the court concluded.

Larry Klayman, Moore's lawyer, called the decision a 'travesty' and said the consent agreement wasn't valid because Moore allegedly crossed out a claims in relation to sexual oriented behavior and questioning, according to Reuters.

Last July a judge threw out a $95 million defamation lawsuit, Moore had filed a $95 against the comedian over his appearance on the prank show.

The decision by the judge prompted Moore to seek an appeal.

'This should not have been taken away from the jury,' Klayman said while insisting the 2nd Circuit will be asked to review the case.

Lawyers for Baron Cohen, 50, and Paramount Global's Showtime network, which broadcast 'Who Is America?,' did not respond to Reuters for a comment.

Roy Moore (left) attempted to have a $95 million defamation lawsuit against comedian Sacha Baron Cohen (right) appealed after it was thrown out by a judge in July 2021

Cohen's character noted the various sexual misconduct claims against Moore, and brought with him 'the latest Israeli gadget' that he said identifies an enzyme emitted at 'three times the level of non-perverts'

The interview was filmed in Washington nearly four years ago, when Moore was to receive an award for his support of Israel.

The comedy skit started with Baron Cohen dressed up as fictional Israeli anti-terrorism expert, Erran Morad. Moore attended the interview as himself dressed in a suit and tie.

The published interview referenced the various sexual misconduct claims Moore had faced as Baron Cohen said the interview would be about 'the latest Israeli gadget' that was intended to detect pedophiles by identifying an enzyme that emitted at 'three times the level of non-perverts.'

Moore has faced accusations of sexual misconduct towards female teenagers while he was in his 30s. One accusation claimed that he gave a 14-year-old girl alcohol in 1979 and molested her.

He has denied the claims.

'I think that a grown woman would wait 40 years to come right before an election to bring charges is absolutely unbelievable,' he said in 2017.

The interview was filmed four years ago in Washington and referenced the various sexual assault claims against Moore

The 'gadget' didn't beep on disguised Baron Cohen but did when waved near Moore.

'It must be faulty,' Baron Cohen said as he hit the gadget against his hand. 'It's malfunctioning, I'm sure it will do the same with the other guys here.'

Baron Cohen proceeded to scan someone nearby, but the device remained silent until it was back near Moore.

'I've been married for 33,' Moore said. 'I never had an accusation of such things.'

Moore added, 'Certainly, I'm not a pedophile, okay?'

Baron Cohen kept the in character as Moore became flustered by the accusations.

'This is 99.8 percent accurate,' Baron Cohen said before Moore shook his hand and stormed off set.

Moore lost a 2017 Senate race after denying a string of claims of sexual misconduct with teenage girls. His loss cost the GOP an ordinarily safe in Alabama.

Then President Trump said at the time that Moore should stay out of the 2020 election.

'Republicans cannot allow themselves to again lose the Senate seat in the Great State of Alabama. This time it will be for Six Years, not just Two,' Trump wrote in a pair of tweets. 'I have NOTHING against Roy Moore, and unlike many other Republican leaders, wanted him to win. But he didnt, and probably wont.'
A popular tourist hotspot in Italy has banned holidaymakers from walking around in bikinis and bare torsos because of 'widespread indecorous behaviour'.

The mayor of Sorrento, Massimo Coppola, said the exposed skin is upsetting locals and warned it would now result in fines of up to 425.

The mayor of the picturesque coastal town near Pompeii and Naples said he had recently witnessed 'behaviour that is seen by the majority of people as contrary to decorum and to the decency that characterises civilised cohabitation'.

A popular tourist hotspot in Italy has banned holidaymakers from walking around in bikinis and bare torsos because of 'widespread indecorous behaviour' (file image of a woman in Sorrento)

He fears it will damage the image of the town which offers stunning views over the Bay of Naples, The Times reports.

He added: 'The continuation of this situation, as well as causing discomfort and unease in the resident population and among visitors, could lead to a negative judgment on the quality of life in our town, with consequences for its image and for tourism.'

Sorrento Municipal Police officers will be patrolling the streets to make sure people are not walking shirtless or in their swimwear.

Local journalist Max Tamanti said seaside towns across Italy now resemble 'Dante's Inferno' due to the swathe of tourists wearing swimming costumes in public.

The mayor of Sorrento (pictured), Massimo Coppola, said the exposed skin is upsetting locals and warned it would now result in fines of up to 425

He said summer resort towns who survive from the influx of holidaymakers cannot allow the 'macabre procession' of barely-clothed beach-goers.

Other coastal hotspots have imposed similar bans, such as Praia a Mare in Calabria, where walking barefoot and wearing inappropriate clothing is forbidden.

While Rapallo in Liguria has street signs reminding visitors to abide by the dress code.
This is the terrifying moment a Canadian construction worker was recorded dangling from a crane at a construction site.

In the 39-second heart-stopping video, the unnamed Toronto man can be seen holding on for dear life to a tagline as a boulder above him is lowered to the ground.

Two men seemingly on the construction site across the worker can be heard yelling in a fruitless attempt to stop the machinery.

Meanwhile, the worker sways his legs in the air and holds onto the tagline with both hands as he screams in terror.

One of the witnesses bizarrely yells at the worker to 'let your hard hat fall,' pointing out the equipment he was struggling to not let go of was not going to help his case.

The worker obliged and let the hat fall while he continued his terrifying descent onto the ground.

In a 39-second heart-stopping video, an unnamed Toronto man can be seen holding on for dear life to a tagline as a boulder above him is lowered to the ground

Two men seemingly on the construction site across the worker can be heard yelling in a fruitless attempt to stop the machinery. Meanwhile, the worker sways his legs in the air and holds onto the tagline with both hands as he screams in terror

The now-viral video was posted by the Instagram page @my_s1 on Tuesday and has garnered more than 73,000 views and thousands of comments.

The man, who was unharmed after he finally touched the ground, is employed by PCL Constructors Canada and was working at a jobsite on Front and Simcoe Streets.

The company said the worker's hand was entangled with a tagline after he attached a load to the crane. Canada's Ministry of Labour has opened an investigation into the incident.

In the video, a shocked man can be heard saying, 'How the f*** did this happen?'

Another seemingly tried to grab the operator's attention by telling him to stop the machinery as the worker neared the ground, but was asked by the person standing next to him to not yell so as to not distress the worker.

'Holy-F**** Jesus Christ. Somebody tell [the operator] to stop before he gets crushed,' one of the witnesses said.

In the video, a shocked man can be heard saying, 'How the f*** did this happen?'

Another seemingly tried to grab the operator's attention by telling him to stop the machinery as the worker neared the ground, but was asked by the person standing next to him to not yell so as to not distress the worker

In statement to Daily Commercial News, PCL Constructors Canada confirmed that the man was employed by the company.

'We can confirm that an incident took place at our site located at Front and Simcoe yesterday involving a rigger who got entangled with a tagline after hooking a load,' the statement read.

'Fortunately, he was safely lowered to the work surface and not seriously injured. The safety of all workers and the community is our top priority. We are working with all appropriate authorities and the incident is currently under investigation.'
Cadbury's workers have secured a 17.5 per cent pay rise alongside a 25 per cent boost in holiday pay in a new two-year deal.

Members of the union Unite at Cadbury's sites in Bournville, Birmingham, Chirk, Wales and Marlebrook in Hereford recorded an 80 per cent vote in favour of the deal.

Over two years, and including bonuses, the deal is worth up to 17.5 per cent of a pay rise to workers.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: 'Where employers can clearly afford to raise pay, we are determined to ensure that they do. Yet again Unite's focus on improving jobs, pay and conditions is getting results for our members.

Members of the union Unite at Cadbury's sites in Bournville, Birmingham, Chirk, Wales and Marlebrook in Hereford recorded an 80 per cent vote in favour of the deal

'This deal was delivered by the hard work and dedication of Unite's representatives at Cadbury and the support of Unite members.'

The win will no doubt come as a large victory for Ms Graham, who has worked with Unite for 20 years.

After 20 years in Unite  firstly in the Transport and General Workers' Union before the merger to create Unite  Ms Graham became executive officer who heads up its organising, or 'leverage', department.

It has been described as the industrial action wing of Unite, and has been credited with 15 major victories using strategies and tactics that go well beyond the traditional approach of strike action.

In last year's 'fire and rehire' dispute with British Airways, Ms Graham said she won concessions by using MPs to support motions against the airline's tactics and then going face to face with the executives of IAG  the parent owners of BA now  in their Europe HQ, to tell them they were about to lose landing slots at Heathrow.

Over two years, and including bonuses, the deal is worth up to 17.5 per cent of a pay rise to workers

Ms Graham is now leading a campaign against Amazon for union recognition after setting up a hotline for its workers.

She said: 'These workers need a union to defend their rights.'

Other campaigns she has led have covered illegal closures, victimisation of union leaders, and the preservation of national wage bargaining.

Unite national officer for food and drink, Joe Clarke, said: 'Unite negotiated this deal over three months with Cadbury and it sets the standard for the rest of the food manufacturing sector, which is performing very strongly.

'Unite will be negotiating with other food manufacturing companies in the coming months and we will be bargaining for our members in those workplaces to also receive rises that take into consideration the rising cost of living and high profits of their employers.'

Cadbury's has been contacted for comment.
A fishmonger landed a massive 19 stone and six-foot long halibut that takes four men to lift.

Clare Welsh got the mammoth catch, which tips the scales at 121kg, earlier this week and said it took four people to lift it at Welsh Fishmongers in Edinburgh.

The 33-year-old said the fish was caught in the North Sea on Monday and taken to Peterhead, where she bought it from, before being transported to Edinburgh on Tuesday (July 5).

Fellow fishmonger Jimmy Mac was pictured alongside the whopper, showing the sheer scale of it in comparison to his 5ft 10in frame

Fellow fishmonger Jimmy Mac was pictured alongside the whopper, showing the sheer scale of it in comparison to his 5ft 10in frame.

The fish has now been filleted into a huge 450 portions and will be sold to restaurants around the capital, as well as in the family run business itself.

'It's the biggest halibut I have ever seen come in,' Clare said.

'It's quite a feat to think about how they even got a fish that size on the boat.

'It was caught in the North Sea and landed in Peterhead on Monday. Everyone was so impressed and excited by it - it was amazing to see one that size.

'It took four guys to get it up on the bench and they were knackered after it.

The family run business said the huge catch was a 'great novelty for a Wednesday morning'

The fish has now been filleted into a huge 450 portions and will be sold to restaurants around the capital

'With a big fish like that you are never sure how to tackle it so we all had a ten minute discussion to see how best to fillet it. It made about 450 fillets, which is loads.

'We'll sell it in the shop and to restaurants around Edinburgh who we supply halibut too. It was a great novelty for a Wednesday morning.'

Halibut fish can live to aged 33, which may go some way to explaining the sheer size of the catch.

The fish are highly regarded food fish due to their firm, dense flesh and the fact that four large fillets can be gained from each one.

They are also highly regarded sport fish, with fishermen keen to catch the popular animal because they can grow to large sizes.
The Cleveland cop who shot and killed Tamir Rice, 12, while he was playing with a toy gun in 2014 has been hired to be the only officer in a rural Pennsylvania town.

The town's mayor, David Wilcox, swore Timothy Loehmann into the Tioga Boro Police Department at a Tuesday council meeting. Loehmann was hired on a 90-day probation with the intention that he'd be promoted to chief, News 5 Cleveland reported.

Now the town's 700 residents are calling the officer's new gig 'sketchy' and are demanding answers, even as Wilcox claimed he had 'no idea' of Loehmann's past.

'Everything came back clear that he didn't have any bad remarks on his record at all. That's the way it was presented to the rest of council and myself,' he told News 5 Cleveland.

The mayor insisted he was 'not allowed' to look at Loehmann's resume or 'look into his background.' The council did, however, run a background check on him and one other applicant.

The officer was cleared of all charges by a grand jury in the Rice case, although critics have said they've never seen 'two prosecutors play defense attorney so well.'

He was also fired from the Cleveland Police Department in 2017 for lying on his application and breaking other administrative policies.

The former Ohioan reportedly didn't disclose that he was fired from his previous job at the Independence Police Department for his 'lack of maturity' during a firearm training incident that involved an emotional breakdown, Cleveland police told News 5.

Tioga Boro Police Department swore in Timothy Loehmann (pictured in a suit) on Tuesday evening at a council meeting for $18 a hour. He was also hired on a 90-day probation with the intention of being promoted to chief

He was sworn in by Mayor David Wilcox (left), who has said he won't put Loehmann on patrol until the matter is cleared. Wilcox claimed he had 'no idea' about Loehmann's past. 'Everything came back clear that he didn't have any bad remarks on his record at all. That's the way it was presented to the rest of council and myself,' he said

Tamir's mother, Samantha Rice, has slammed the move, saying it's 'shameful and scary' to hire the man who killed her son in 2014. Tamir was playing with pellet gun outside a recreation center when he was fatally shot by Loehmann.

'He should never work as a police officer ever,' she said.

She also told WKYC that she doesn't know how Tioga Boro is going to 'reform' the police department by 'putting police officers back as police officers from different states, different counties.'

Wilcox agreed, saying it makes him 'sick to his stomach' at the thought of the idea of letting the disgraced officer patrol the small town.

He also told locals that he 'makes' Loehmann's schedule and, 'at this point, it's not happening.'

Loehmann has yet to work a shift and Wilcox said he won't until it's cleared up.

Loehmann shot and killed Tamir Rice, 12, (pictured) in November 2014 after police were called to a recreational area about a kid playing with a toy gun

He was shot and killed at the Cudell Commons (pictured in 2014)

Wilcox also said he wasn't even sure the officer he had hired was Loehmann until 'another news agency sent me a picture to confirm if that was the officer who applied for the position,' he told North Central PA.

'At first, I wasnt even sure - Im 99 percent sure I spelled his last name wrong on that oath of office that I gave,' he told the outlet. He did not mention if he knew who Loehmann was prior to the revelation from news agency.

Town citizens are protesting, holding signs reading 'Black Lives Matter' and 'not our kids,' alongside pictures of Tamir's face.

Tioga resident, Ben Shutter, told the Williamsport Sun-Gazette that he got a 'group of people together' to draw attention to the new officer's swearing in so people would 'know what was going on' and 'get some answers.'

The cop who killed Tamir Rice can't seem to hold down a job 2012: Resigns from the Independence Police Department after six months after having emotional issues during a visual handgun performance 2017: Fired from the Cleveland Police Department for lying on his application 2018: Resigned from the Bellaire Police Department in Ohio just days after being hired 2022: Tioga Boro swears him in as the sole police officer, but locals protest. His job status is currently pending and he has not yet worked a shift. Mayor David Wilcox told locals he makes Loehmann's schedule and 'at this point, it's not happening.' Source: WKYC Advertisement

Several gathered in what appeared to be a small parking area, waving signs at passing cars.

A neighboring Mainesburg resident, Michelle Appleby, also joined in to protest 'the hiring of the police officer that shot Tamir Rice.'

'I saw [his hiring] on Facebook today and was just shocked that any people or any group of people would hire that man,' she told the Williamsport Sun-Gazette as she helped make signs emblazoned with Tamir's face.

'[Tamir's] story really resonated with me when it happened back in 2014. I've got kids and they play with our soft guns, and they play with BB guns,' she told the outlet. 'I'm here tonight to say [Tamir's death] was wrong and he should never be working as a police officer again.

Tamir was shot dead by Loehmann just seconds after the cop encountered the boy, who was holding a gun and playing in a park with his sister on Nov. 22, 2014 around 3:30 p.m.

The initial complaint came from someone who told the dispatcher the gun was 'probably fake' and the gun ultimately turned out to be a non-lethal pellet gun.

When Loehmann reportedly told the boy to put his hands up, Tamir allegedly reached for the gun, Cleveland Police Leadership said at the time. The Rice family denied this.

Loehmann fired two shots and Tamir was rushed to the Metro Health Medical Center with gunshot wounds to his torso, where he died.

Tamir's sister, Tajai, 14, was tackled by an officer as she ran toward the body of her brother screaming: 'My baby brother, they killed my baby brother.'

The officers then handcuffed the young girl and threw her in the back of a squad car.

Tamir wasn't given medical attention until an FBI agent on a nearby bank detail arrived, almost five minutes after the shooting.

The entire incident - from the moment police arrived on the scene to when Tajai is taken down and handcuffed to the arrival of the agent who provided first aid - was caught on video, which the city was initially reluctant to release it to the public.

Three years after the incident, Loehmann would be fired from the Cleveland Police Department.

Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association President Jeff Follmer has issued a statement regarding Loehmann's new employment, writing: 'Timothy Loehmann was cleared of all charges with his use of force. The only administrative charges after a civilian review was that he was found to have allegedly lied on his application.

Tioga Boro residents and neighbors are now taking to the streets (pictured) to protest the new officer. Protesters can be seen holding signs that read: 'Black Lives Matter in Rural PA' and pictures of Tamir's face on it

Many residents believe Loehmann should 'never work as a police officer again'

He also claimed the disgraced officer was 'not given a fair chance' in Cleveland and 'deserves a fair chance in another city.'

His 'fair chance' might not come, however, as Wilcox is asking for an 'emergency meeting' with the council to discuss Loehmann's employment.

'Im extremely hopeful that council will do the right thing and they will call an emergency meetingin which the townspeople and council can gather peacefully and come to a resolution on what steps to take,' he told North Central PA.

The emergency meeting could happen as early as Thursday, according to North Central PA.
Apple's A16 processor is speculated to be exclusive to the Pro models of the iPhone 14.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that only the iPhone 14 Pro models will contain the new A16 chip, giving support to earlier speculation.

Apple just recently held their Worldwide Developers Conference last month, revealing new products and services in the company's ecosystem.

However, numerous users are looking at Apple's newest product in their iPhone line, the iPhone 14. Leaks and speculation have surfaced online, claiming multiple things about the next iPhone.

This time, the reputable Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, released a few of his viewpoints on the newest iPhone, which is still about to be released.

iPhone 14 Pro Rumors

Apple's iPhone speculators seem to be positive about the company's A16 processors on the high-end models of the iPhone 14.

According to Apple Insider, Ming-Chi Kuo and other analysts have speculated in the past that Apple will continue to use the same A15 processor in the iPhone 14 that is now found in the iPhone 13.

In the same line, there will be a new A16 processor, although it will only be available in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

In a Medium blog post and on Twitter, Kuo reiterates the allegation that the A16 is exclusive to Apple.

[Analysis] Structural changes for iPhone's high-end camera supply chain / iPhoneSonyAlpsLG InnotekiPhone 14 Pro/A16 @mingchikuo https://t.co/kZLdnXmAyN   (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) July 6, 2022

However, he continues by saying that this will result in a shift in the ratio of Pro models to those that are not Pro models.

Kuo stated, "The latest A16 processor will be exclusive to two iPhone 14 Pro/high-end models, significantly boosting the shipment proportion of new iPhone high-end models in 2H22 to 55-60% (vs. 40-50% in the past)."

Furthermore, Kuo went further to say that the significant increase in demand for iPhone 14 pro models will benefit the high-end suppliers of the device's rear camera.

These major suppliers include Largan for the lens; LG Innotek for the compact camera module; Alps for the VCM or OIS; and Sony for the CIS. The analyst also detailed the increased demands that Apple might place on its vendors.

Kuo stated, "Excluding the lower-spec ToF, the shipment allocations for iPhone 14 Pro's rear camera components of Sony (CIS), Largan (lens), Alps (VCM/OIS), and LG Innotek (CCM) are 100%, 60-70%, 60-70%, and 100%, respectively."

Since the most recent processing chip will only be available in the high-end models of the iPhone in the future, a large proportion of high-end iPhone models will become the norm, which will benefit the manufacturers of high-end camera components.

Read Also: iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max Design Leak Shows Apple Pill-Shaped Display Replaces the Notch

Apple Releasing iPhone 14

This iPhone 14 speculation has resurfaced on the internet for quite some time now, which is not new information in and of itself.

Ming-Chi Kuo is a reputable Apple analyst, and his double down on this idea means it might likely happen.

This also indicates that Apple anticipates increasing the number of iPhone 14 Pro units it sells and will adjust its marketing techniques in such a way.

On the other hand, the iPhone 14 duo is likely to become a secondary focus. As iTechPost previously reported, China experienced an alarming surge in COVID-19 cases in their country.

As a result, the country implemented aggressive measures to quickly combat the rising numbers.

Given the situation, there is a possibility that Apple experienced a delay in the manufacturing of the iPhone 14.

Due to the lockdown that was imposed on China's commercial supply center, Apple and its suppliers are having trouble keeping up with the manufacturing of the iPhone 14, which has caused delays for a few weeks.

There have been rumors that the manufacture of the iPhone 14 Max has been delayed, and these rumors appear to be true.

Even though some COVID restrictions have been lifted, the impact on supply chains is still significant.

Related Article: Unbox Therapy's iPhone 14 Pro Max Leak: Physical Mockup, Design, and Features
A dancer was stabbed to death by her 'jealous' boyfriend when she went to break up with him after they fell out over an episode of Love Island, an inquest heard.

Maddie Durdant-Hollamby, 22, was repeatedly knifed in the chest by her controlling partner Ben Green, 41, after she went to his home to end their relationship.

An inquest heard he flew into a rage and stabbed 'beautiful' Maddie three times at the property on Slate Drive, in Kettering, Northamptonshire, on August 27 last year.

Marketing director Mr Green then turned the blade on himself before officers discovered his body inside the kitchen in a pool of blood.

Maddie was found dead upstairs in the bedroom with her mobile phone next to her and nothing could be done to save the pair despite the efforts of medics.

According to one of Maddie's friends, the couple once fell out for days over an episode of Love Island after she told him she found one of the contestants attractive.

A senior coroner was today reduced to tears as details of the tragic murder-suicide were relayed to an inquest at Northamptons Guildhall.

The hearing was told how Maddie had gone to break up with Mr Green face-to-face rather than over text as she thought it was the right thing to do.

Maddie Durdant-Hollamby (above), 22, was repeatedly knifed in the chest by her controlling partner Ben Green, 41, after she went to his home to end their relationship

An inquest heard Mr Green (pictured) flew into a rage and stabbed 'beautiful' Maddie three times at the property on Slate Drive, in Kettering, Northamptonshire, on August 27 last year

But within minutes of arriving at the house, she had been stabbed to death and one of the knife thrusts was so forceful the blade snapped off in the wound.

Mr Green then went downstairs and took his own life. He was found with a deep wound to his neck, which severed his jugular vein, and self inflicted wounds to his arms.

Friends of Maddie, of Wimblington, Cambridgeshire, told how Mr Green was a 'jealous person' who regularly used to check Maddies phone texts.

Friend Abbie Green said they had rowed about her deciding to go on a family holiday to Jamaica with her parents, leaving him behind.

Abbie said: 'I thought he was quite controlling. But he made Maddie happy.'

Maddie went on tell friends she wasnt sure what to do about her boyfriend and that they were on different paths.

On August 25, the day before Maddies death, the trio discussed her options and Maddie resolved to go and see Mr Green after work the next day to break up with him.

She told the group that he wouldnt let her do it by text and that she felt she owed it to him to do it face to face.

Marketing director Mr Green then turned the blade on himself before officers discovered his body inside the kitchen in a pool of blood. Pictured: Police at the scene in Slate Drave, Kettering

Maddie was found dead upstairs in the bedroom with her mobile phone next to her and nothing could be done to save the pair despite the efforts of medics

At 3.35pm the following day, she messaged her friends from work, saying Im so nervous.

Then at 5.51pm she asked her friends to phone her in an hour if they hadnt heard from her.

One minute later she texted them with the message Love You XX and that was the last message she ever sent.

The group didnt hear from Maddie again and tried texting and calling her on numerous occasions that evening.

Abbie even tried to call Mr Greens phone and left a message at 10.10pm that evening to check everything was okay.

The following morning, August 27, they continued trying to get in touch with their friend but got no reply so they contacted Maddies mother Rachel.

At 1.30pm that day, officers were called to the house in Kettering where he had moved shortly before the killing, to do a welfare check.

There, they found Mr Green in the kitchen in a pool of blood and Maddie upstairs on the bed. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

The hearing was told how Maddie had gone to break up with Mr Green face-to-face rather than over text as she thought it was the right thing to do

But within minutes of arriving at the house, she had been stabbed to death and one of the knife thrusts was so forceful the blade snapped off in the wound

Senior coroner for Northamptonshire Anne Pember broke down when the inquest was told how the loss of Maddie had left her mum heartbroken.

Rachel Durdant-Hollamby said her daughter had grown up loving dancing and said the pair had many cherished mother and daughter moments before her son Fabian was born.

The court was told how Maddie doted on her baby brother, even changing his nappy and looking after him while her mother got on with household tasks.

Rachel said in a statement read in court: 'Maddie was incredibly generous and enjoyed nothing better than spoiling her family and friends.

'I feel as though our lives have been destroyed, ripped apart. I cant quite see a way forward.

'There is a huge hole in our lives, I want to be a family of four again. She was just perfect.

'Im trying to keep it together for Fabian. I want the rest of his childhood to be as great as Maddies was.'

She said she felt robbed of helping Maddie choose her wedding dress, of picking out furniture with her for her house, and of kissing her babies.

Rachel added: 'I just miss her. Theres a huge hole in our lives where Maddie should be. She was just perfect and loving. We want her back.

Mr Green then went downstairs and took his own life. He was found with a deep wound to his neck, which severed his jugular vein, and self inflicted wounds to his arms

Friends of Maddie, of Wimblington, Cambridgeshire, told how Mr Green was a 'jealous person' who regularly used to check Maddies phone texts

'We were best friends. Shell always be my best friend. My heart is broken.'

Maddie began seeing Mr Green at Christmas 2019 after they met at the marketing firm where her father Steve Durdant-Hollamby worked.

While Mr Green was waiting for his house to be built, he even lived with Maddies family for five weeks, befriending her father and going out on runs with him.

Mother Rachel said she didnt notice anything amiss with the relationship and hadnt spotted any abusive behaviour.

Recording a verdict of unlawful killing, senior Northamptonshire coroner Anne Pember became emotional and had to pause.

She said: 'In my 27 years as coroner I think this is the saddest case Ive ever heard.

'I cant imagine your pain at the loss of your daughter. I am truly sorry for your loss.'

Following Maddies death, a separate inquest took place into the death of Mr Green in which the coroner concluded that he took his own life.

The hearing was told he was married for ten years and had three children before his marriage broke down in 2007.

He had an amicable relationship with his former wife who, when she heard about the deaths said: 'He wouldnt hurt a fly.'

His brother Thomas Green told the court: 'Ben is not violent. I think he would have reached out before doing something like that. It comes as a big shock.'
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has given New York University over $40,000 to conduct a study on why children 'favor Whiteness and maleness over other identities.'

The study, which began in February and concludes in January 2025, aims to understand the processes that leaves children believing that 'White males represent the default person.'

A summary of the grant explains that this is 'a pattern rooted in the ideologies of androcentrism (centering the experiences of men) and ethnocentrism (centering the experiences of White people) prevalent in the United States.'

The grant continues to explain that 'the beliefs children acquire tend to reflect the dominant ideologies embedded in their specific cultural contexts.'

'Despite national rises in racial and gender diversity, white men remain vastly overrepresented across a host of domains within the U.S., from media, to politics, to clinical research,' reads the grant.

The research intends to address this 'issue' by understanding 'when and how the tendency to view white males as default people develops across childhood, as well as the environmental factors that underlie this phenomenon.'

New York University received $40,000 from the HHS to conduct a study on 'why children 'favor Whiteness and maleness over other identities.'

Xavier Becerra, secretary of Health and Human Services (left), speaks during a news conference at the HHS headquarters in Washington, D.C. on June 28. Assistant Secretary for Health, Admiral Rachel Levine (right) speaks after having attended a roundtable on gender-affirming care and transgender health on June 29

The study comes as the US House of Representatives and US Senate have the highest number of women in history. Despite the milestone, women still only hold 27% - 144 of 539 - of the governing body's total seats, according to Pew Research.

This is a dramatic 50% increase from a decade ago, when women held only 96 seats in the 112th Congress.

Statistics on women in politics also show a partisan divide between Republicans and Democrats.

'Of the 232 women elected to the House in 1992 or later, 157 (68%) have been Democrats, as have 27 of the 42 women (64%) who have served in the Senate since 1992.'

Kamala Harris became the first woman Vice President and the first woman of color to become Vice President with President Biden's election win in 2020.

There are three goals of the NYU study, the first one being to 'reveal the developmental trajectory of childrens beliefs that white malesmore so than black males, white females, or black femalesbest exemplify a person.'

The second aim of the 3-year study is to 'clarify the scope of childrens beliefs about who best exemplifies a person by testing the consistency of this belief across domains.'

The final objective is to 'uncover the features of childrens sociocultural and ecological environments that underlie beliefs about who best exemplifies a person.'

The research comes at a time when a debate over critical race theory is raging across the country, drawing intense support and denouncement from both sides.

Critical race theory is an attempt to examine American culture through the lens of race, and supporters say this is necessary to understanding how America has been shaped.

Others argue that the theory leads children to believe that white people are inherently sexist and racist.

So far, seven states have banned the teaching of critical race theory in schools, including Florida and New Hampshire. Legislation to ban CRT curriculum is moving through the governments of 16 other states.

In January 2021, President Joe Biden famously nominated Rachel Levine to be assistant secretary of the HHS, making her the first openly transgender person to hold an office requiring Senate confirmation.

Levine has focused on transgender issues as part of her role.

'Attacks on the health and well-being of trans youth and trans adults have driven a political wedge into what should be a private, strictly medical conversation,' she said recently at an Israeli embassy event.
Highland Park shooter Robert 'Bobby' Crimo III, 21, told cops he was a depressed drug user during a wellness check three years ago, documents show.

A Highland Park Police report from Sept. 5, 2019, showed that Crimo - then 18 - made the confession after he threatened to 'kill everyone' in his family. He told cops he'd been depressed when he made the threats three days prior.

The report showed that a member of the household 'was afraid to go home due to the nature of this threat,' and because Crimo 'had a collection of knives in his bedroom.'

It was unclear who called the police about the incident, as a redacted 28-year-old female is listed as the complainant on the report while both Crimo's parents - Denise Pasina and Robert Crimo Jr. - aren't listed as complainants.

Cops noted that Crimo and his mother were both 'not forthcoming as to the language that he used on Monday.'

The 2019 police report after Highland Park Police paid a wellness check on Crimo following violent threats against his family

Highland Park shooter Robert 'Bobby' Crimo III, 21, told cops he was a depressed drug user during a wellness check three years ago, documents show

Highland Park shooter Robert 'Bobby' Crimo III, 21, told cops he was a depressed drug user during a wellness check three years ago, documents show.

Police confiscated 16 knives, a 12-inch dagger and a 24-inch samurai sword during the wellness check, according to the report, but returned them to Crimo's father, who claimed they were his, which is one of the reasons why, police officers said, the young shooter passed the Red Flag law.

Even though, as the documents show, Crimo was deemed a 'clear and present danger,' who, 'if granted access to a firearm or firearm ammunition pose an actual, imminent threat of substantial bodily harm to themselves or another person[s] that is articulable and significant or who will likely act in a manner dangerous to public interest.'

Despite the incident, Crimo's father helped him apply for a firearm owner identification card (FOID) mere weeks later, and Crimo passed four Illinois background checks to purchase the gun he would go on to murder seven people with three years later.

Robert Crimo Jr. (left) told ABC 7 Chicago that all he did was fill out a basic consent form allowing his son, Robert Crimo III, 21, (right) to go through the Illinois State Police process of receiving a firearm owner identification card (FOID) required for ownership.

Photos of weapons similar to what Crimo owned. He used a Smith & Wesson M&P similar to the top photo in the shooting. He also owned a Remington 700 rifle (bottom left) and a Glock 43 pistol (bottom right)

Crimo Jr. told ABC 7 Chicago that all he merely filled out a basic consent form allowing his son, to go through the Illinois State Police process of receiving the FOID card required for ownership.

'They do background checks. Whatever that entails, I'm not exactly sure,' Crimo, a former Highland Park mayoral candidate, said. 'And either you're approved or denied, and he was approved.'

Crimo's attorney, Steve Greenberg, told Fox 32 that the process was 'no different than signing up your kid for driver's ed.'

The news came as a photo of the second gun Crimo carried on the day of the shooting was revealed. He allegedly considered using it in a second attack on another parade but changed his mind at the last minute.

The photo shows a Kel Tec SUB2000 - a compact foldable assault rifle - laying across the passenger seat of the car Crimo was driving after the massacre.

He had borrowed his mother's car after murdering seven people in Highland Park and driven to Madison, Wis., where he came across another parade.

'He seriously contemplated using the firearm in his vehicle to commit another shooting in Madison,' Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman, Christopher Covelli, said in a news conference.

Crimo also had about 60 rounds of ammunition on him, according to police.

'[But] there are indications he didn't put enough planning forward to commit another attack,' Covelli said.

The rifle is one of at least five guns Crimo owns, including the Smith & Wesson M&P 15 he used in the Highland Park shooting, a shotgun, a Remington 700 rifle, and a Glock 43 pistol.
A secondary school teacher has admitted to sexually assaulting three of his female pupils.

Muhammad Taimoor, 28, admitted to 11 charges of sexual assault via video-link at the city's Crown Court on Thursday.

Having previously worked at a Birmingham school he is now being held at HMP Birmingham.

He was remanded in custody for sentencing on August 18.

The court heard that one of his three victims was only 16 when he sexually assaulted her earlier this year.

Muhammad Taimoor, 28 appeared at Birmingham crown court via video-link

Mr Taimoor looked like he was about to cry as he rubbed at his eyes during the trial and wore a casual grey top to speak only to confirm his pleas.

Mr Taimoor pled not guilty to two counts of sexual assault of a fourth victim.

He also denied two counts of inciting a child to be involved in prostitution or pornography.

The denied charges were accepted by the prosecution and will remain on file when Mr Taimoor is sentenced next month.

West Midlands Police said they are supporting pupils at the school where Mr Taimoor worked

West Midlands Police said trained officers are supporting pupils at the school where he worked, as well as working to ensure safeguarding is in place.

Judge Heidi Kubik QC told Taimoor: 'You will come back to court for sentence in August.

'There will be a video appointment with the probation service.

'It is in your interests to co-operate with the preparation of that report. In the meantime you will be remanded in custody.'
A woman who attacked police and threw missiles at a police line has become the 19th person to be jailed for rioting after a Bristol Kill the Bill protest last year descended into chaos.

Charly Pitman, 24, denied wrongdoing after the event turned into an attack on police outside Bridewell Police Station on March 21 last year.

A jury convicted her today of riot after deliberating for just over an hour.

Pitman, from Easton, appeared at Bristol Crown Court supported by a large contingent of family and friends.

Judge Julian Lambert jailed her for three years, saying: 'You could and should have left the scene of major public disorder, but you chose to stay and turned to violence.

Charly Pitman (pictured), 24, was convicted after a little over an hour of the jury deliberating her case, making her the 19th person to be jailed for rioting after a Bristol Kill the Bill protest descended into chaos last year

'You were in the forefront of a violent attack on police officers striking police shields, hitting out at police officers and then hitting and kicking a police officer.

'You were then seen to throw a missile at the police line.

'Your response to pleas for peaceful protest was abusive.

'You were to be heard encouraging the crowd to confront the police.'

Emily Heggadon, prosecuting, said the riot traumatised officers and caused high-value damage to police property.

She said Pitman, a woman of previous good character, made no comment when interviewed.

Nerida Harford-Bell, defending, said her client had done voluntary work in the community.

Miss Harford-Bell said: 'She watched the footage of herself.

'There was no doubt she was deeply ashamed and embarrassed by what she did.'

Miss Harford-Bell said her client's offending was short-lived and during daylight hours.

She described Pitman as an 'extremely vulnerable young woman' who had contended with anxiety and depression.

The court heard that on the day in question Pitman had not gone out to join the Kill the Bill protest, but it followed a London vigil following the death of Sarah Everard.

Police officers battle with rioters during the Kill the Bill protest in Bristol city centre in March last year

A vandalised police van explodes outside Bridewell Police Station after protesters set it on fire during the riot on March 21 last year

Miss Harford-Bell said: 'She was supporting women's rights generally to be on the street.'

Miss Harford-Bell added that her client was not a danger to anyone.

She urged the judge to consider imposing a prison sentence that could be suspended.

Earlier Detective Superintendent James Riccio said: 'Charly Pitman may not have used the highest levels of violence but she took up a prominent role at the front of the crowd and her actions undoubtedly escalated tensions and encouraged others to attack police officers.

'The fact the jury took little more than an hour to convict her highlights how clear her offending was. She denied acting together with others with a common purpose but the jury evidently had no doubt she was guilty of riot.'
Cindy McCain, the widow of the late Senator John McCain, said her husband wouldn't recognize today's Republican Party.

She spoke to MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell ahead of Thursday's ceremony at the White House, where Senator McCain will posthumously receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civil honor.

Cindy McCain said her husband, a longtime Republican senator from Arizona, would be 'fighting like the dickens' to bring the GOP back together.

'I don't believe my husband would recognize it,' she said. 'I do know one thing, he would be fighting like the dickens to pull it back together and bring it back to what it was during previous Republican administrations and previous administrations as well.'

Her comments come during an internecine was among Republicans, much of it centered around the role Donald Trump should play in it.

Cindy McCain, the widow of the late Senator John McCain, said her husband wouldn't recognize today's Republican Party

Cindy McCain, who endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential race and was appointed his ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, said she's still a Republican.

'I'm still a Republican. I believe in the party, and I believe in what we stand for, but right now we've lost our way. And so I'm hoping as the years go on perhaps we can right ourselves and do what Republicans do best and that is work for smaller government but work in a bipartisan fashion,' she said.

John McCain, who died of brain cancer in 2018, was known for his 'maverick' persona where he would often defy his party - including his decisive to save Barack Obama's Affordable Healthcare Act.

He was a close friend to Joe Biden, who gave one of the eulogies at his Arizona funeral.

He also was a bete noire of Donald Trump, repeatedly criticizing the then-president, who was not invited to attend his state funeral in Washington D.C. Trump had criticized McCain for being captured by the North Vietnamese in the Vietnam War. McCain was a prisoner of war for five and a half years.

'I like people who weren't captured,' Trump famously said of McCain the 2016 presidential election.

Cindy McCain will be at the White House on Thursday for the Medal of Freedom Cermony.

Cindy McCain will be at White House on Thursday when John McCain posthumously receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden - above Sen. McCain with Cindy and Joe Biden in the Capitol during the Obama administration

Cindy McCain praised Rep. Liz Cheney for doing the 'right thing': 'It may harm her in the end, her political aspirations. But she can sleep at night and know that she did the right thing,' she said

She also had warm words for Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, who has become a target of Trump's for serving on the committee investigating the January 6th insurrection and for voting for his second amendment.

Cindy McCain called Cheney an 'amazing' person and said she has spoken to her often.

'She's an amazing person, and I have talked with her both on the phone and via email, et cetera, during this time,' she told MSNBC.

She praised Cheney for doing what is right for the country over what is politically correct. Trump is campaigning hard against Cheney, endoring her GOP primary opponent Harriet Hageman and campaigning for Hagement in Wyoming.

McCain acknowledged Cheney's actions could cost her her seat in Congress. Polls show her trailing Hagement.

'I just think her strength and her ability to look beyond the now and look for what's good for the country, and it may harm her in the end, her political aspirations. But she can sleep at night and know that she did the right thing,' she said.

In addition to John McCain, President Joe Biden on Thursday will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 17 people, including actor Denzel Washington and gymnast Simone Biles.

The honor is reserved for people 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 said.
Vladimir Putin has vowed to defeat the West on the 'battlefield' and suggested he could escalate the war in Ukraine.

The Russian leader announced at a televised meeting with MPs this afternoon: 'Today we hear that they want to defeat us on the battlefield.

'Well, what can I say - let them try.

Putin - pictured at a meeting in Moscow earlier today - made the defiant comments despite Russia's humiliating failure to take Ukraine in a 'special military operation' since late February

Putin added: 'The collective West, led by the US, had been extremely aggressive toward Russia for decades.'

He opined that Russia 'has not started anything seriously in Ukraine'.

The Kremlin leader added ominously: 'We haven't really started anything yet.

'We have heard many times that the West wants to fight us to the last Ukrainian. This is a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, but it seems that everything is heading towards this.

'The West is degenerating into totalitarianism. It has failed in its new attempt to contain Russia. We are now in the start of a transition to a multi-polar world.'

Putin met with competition winners at the Kremlin for a lunch earlier today before the speech

Putin has bragged about the might of the Russian army, which has failed to take all of Ukraine in a months-long invasion. Pictured: a Russian road-mobile missile system in eastern Ukraine

The defiant comments came as Ukrainian forces raised the flag above Snake Island for the first time since they retook the Black Sea archipelago last week.

Guards chief Arut Papoian said: 'Snake Island has always been Ukrainian and always will be. And no temporary occupation will change that.

'Soon all of Ukraine will be freed. We will win together.'

Russia abandoned the outpost in a 'goodwill gesture' just days after Ukraine's armed forces launched a crippling rocket attack.

Snake Island was 'covered in fire' after a volley of rocket attacks on Russian positions, Kyiv said

Putin's remaining troops on the island fled in the middle of the night on two speedboats, with the rocky island left 'covered in fire' following a fresh volley of rocket attacks on remaining Russian positions, Ukraine's military said.

The Russians made unsuccessful attempts to destroy their remaining equipment abandoned on the island, to keep it from falling into Ukrainian hands and being turned against its creators.

The retreat represented a humiliating strategic blow for Putin in a war that has seen him lose tens of thousands of soldiers and vast amounts of military equipment.

Lapdog MPs have also urged Putin to take back Alaska from the United States in audacious new comments.

Duma parliament leader Vyacheslav Volodin (right) confers with President Putin (left) recently

Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the state Duma and Russia's most senior politician, made the astonishing suggestion during a session of parliament on Wednesday.

Volodin said that America 'must remember before it starts spending seized Russian money' - and 'that we also have something to get back', telling MPs to 'keep an eye on Alaska'.

Tsar Alexander II sold the territory to US President Andrew Johnson in 1867 for $7.2million - $144million in today's money - and it became a state in 1959. 'Decency is not weakness,' Volodin told the lower house of parliament on Wednesday.

'We always have something to answer with. 'Let America always remember, there is part of its territory... Alaska.'

Volodin said: 'Let America always remember, there is part of its territory... Alaska'

President Zelensky and his allies have ramped up calls to use seized Russian assets to pay for the rebuilding of Ukraine in recent weeks, ahead of making a formal proposition to the UN in September.

Ukraine estimates the cost of rebuilding damage to the country - as things stand today - is an eye-watering $750billion (625billion).

In order to ease the burden on both Kyiv and its allies, politicians say seized Russian assets - including $300billion (250billion) in foreign currency reserves - should contribute towards the final bill.
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A Queens man made a death-defying leap from an elevated subway platform to a neighboring store roof as he tried to flee from cops.

Kendall Floyd, 25, was initially pulled over for driving without a seatbelt at the an intersection in Brooklyn, shortly after 4pm on Wednesday.

But the altercation quickly escalated after Floyd struck his vehicle door open, wounded an officer in the arm, and fled the scene, The New York Post reported.

He was then cornered by police at an intersection about three minutes away, but refused to surrender and instead scaled the support beam of a raised subway platform and onto the elevated tracks.

As terrified onlookers and police officers begged him to climb down, Floyd made the death-defying leap from the tracks to a roof.

He was later arrested and transported to Woodhull Medical Center, where he was treated for a leg injury. It's unclear how severe his injury was.

A real-life Spiderman tried his luck when trying to evade police, making a death-defying leap from an elevated subway platform to a neighboring store roof

Kendall Floyd, 25, ignored pleads from shocked onlookers who witnessed the ordeal and asked him not to jump

Witnesses held their breath while the dare-devil flew in the air before landing on the roof

The suspect was cornered by police near Broadway & Thornton, but refused to surrender and instead climbed a stanchion pole and onto elevated subway tracks

During Floyd's escape attempt, officers cornered him three blocks away but Floyd seemed determined to evade police and tried his luck by making the jump.

'Don't do it, man! It's not worth it!' a man recording the incident pleaded with Floyd.

After Floyd landed on the roof of the business, the video shows officers trying to gain access to the roof by climbing a next-door fence.

Floyd has been charged with assault on a police officer, reckless endangerment and official misconduct.

Officers cornered him three blocks away but Floyd seemed determined to evade police and tried his luck by making the jump

Floyd also faces charges for false personation, two counts of criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and a seatbelt violation.

According to the Post, squads followed him closely behind after he fled the site where he had been pulled over.

Records obtained by DailyMail.com show that Floyd was set to be released from parole in late 2023.

He was arrested in 2017 and charged with burglary in the third degree. Floyd was released from prison in 2019.
The killer mother of Baby P has been freed from prison after a government bid to block her release was thrown out.

Tracey Connelly, who is now 40 and weighs more than 20 stone, was taken from HM Prison Low Newton in County Durham to start a secret new life in a bail hostel on Wednesday, according to The Sun.

The evil mother will be subject to 20 licence conditions, including having to wear an electronic tag and disclose all her relationships.

She will also have her Internet use monitored and be forced to obey a curfew.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Justice confirmed her release from prison.

The Mirror reported that she was advised to 'lose weight and dye her hair' to change her appearance.

A source told newspaper: 'She just walks about singing and dancing. They were all fed up with it, even the prison officers.

'She was taken out on the prison bus. She knew it was happening but nobody else did.

'She got taken out into town and let out to do arts and crafts and other inmates were made to speak to her. If they refused theyd get into trouble too and get reprimanded and lose their privileges. They didnt want to talk to her. They hated it.'

In March, the Parole Board announced she had been cleared for release due to a low risk of reoffending and that probation officers and prison officials supported the plan.

Connelly was jailed at the Old Bailey in 2009 for causing or allowing the death of her 17-month-old son Peter at their home in Tottenham, north London , on August 3, 2007 (pictured in 2013, when she was released on licence before being ordered back to jail)

Known publicly as Baby P, Peter (pictured) had suffered more than 50 injuries despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police officers and health professionals over eight months

But within hours Justice Secretary Dominic Raab vowed to block the move, describing the notorious case as 'harrowing'.

Connelly was jailed for a minimum of five years in 2009, for causing or allowing the death of her tortured 17-month-old son Peter in a horrific case that shocked the nation.

She was released in 2013 but was recalled to prison in 2015 for selling naked photos of herself and breaching her licence conditions by 'developing intimate personal relationships' online.

Mr Raab said Connelly's actions were 'pure evil' and added: 'The decision to release her demonstrates why the parole board needs a fundamental overhaul - including a ministerial check for the most serious offenders - so that it serves and protects the public.'

Earlier this year, Mr Raab had asked the board, which is independent of the Government, to re-examine the decision under the so-called reconsideration mechanism.

His application was 'refused'.

A Parole Board spokesman had said in a statement: "Following the reconsideration application from the Secretary of State, a judge has ruled that the decision made by independent Parole Board members to release was not irrational, as stated in the reconsideration application, and the original decision is upheld."

Known publicly as Baby P, Peter had suffered more than 50 injuries despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police officers and health professionals over eight months.

The evil mother will be subject to 20 licence conditions, including having to wear an electronic tag and disclose all her relationships

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab (pictured) pledged in March to appeal against the board's recommendation to free Tracey Connelly, 40, from prison

Connelly's lover Steven Barker was jailed in 2009 for a minimum of 32 years for torturing the 17-month-old to death while his brother, Jason Owen, received a six year jail sentence for allowing the toddler to die.

A series of reviews identified missed opportunities for officials to save the toddler's life had they reacted properly to warning signs.

Three of the children, including Peter, were on Haringey's Child Protection Register because of fears they were being neglected.

Connelly, who covered up the abuse of her son, was jailed indefinitely in 2009 for a minimum of five years after admitting causing or allowing the death of her son Peter.

She was then freed on licence in 2013 but later recalled to prison in 2015 after it was found she had sent indecent images of herself to people obsessed with her notoriety.

Connelly's lover Steven Barker (left) was jailed in 2009 for a minimum of 32 years for torturing the 17-month-old to death while his brother, Jason Owen (right), received a six-year jail sentence for allowing the toddler to die

The Parole Board considered her case for a third time in November 2019, following previous reviews in 2015 and 2017, and refused to either release her or move her to an open prison.

In 2019, the convict launched a bid to be freed from prison so she could try to spend Christmas with her lover.

She became besotted with a 37-year-old insurance salesman named Paul and told fellow prisoners she want to move in with him in Reading.

The abuser said she believed she was ready to leave prison a 'changed woman'.

Connelly insisted her relationship was genuine because she had known him for many years.
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Legendary Godfather actor James Caan has died aged 82, his family announced on Thursday. The Hollywood veteran, who played Sonny Corleone in the mobster classic, passed away yesterday, their statement read.

The post noted they 'appreciate the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences' from his millions of admirers and requested privacy while they mourn.

Meanwhile his manager said he was 'one of the greatest and best actors our business has ever seen' but added their 'relationship was always friendship before business'.

Tributes flooded in for the star, who featured in Misery, Elf and Mickey Blue Eyes and over 100 other movies, with many posting quotes from his role as Sonny such as 'did you go to college to get stupid'.

They were led by Al Pacino, who also starred in the films, who said he was his 'fictional brother and my lifelong friend' while their director Francis Ford Coppola said he will 'never be forgotten'.

Caan, who was believed to be worth about $20million, was spotted using a walker at a restaurant with friends in California last year after spending some time in a wheelchair as he recovered from back surgery in 2020.

But pictures from him attending The Godfather 50th Anniversary Celebration in February showed him standing and looking healthier.

He also battled clinical depression when he was younger following the death of his sister, and previously opened up about using cocaine for a 'little while' to cope. No cause of death has been given.

The actor leaves behind his four ex-wives - including Sheila Ryan who dated Elvis - as well as five children, with son Scott also pursing acting and featuring in Entourage.

His passing comes just over a month after fellow gangster film star Ray Liotta died in his sleep aged 67 while shooting a new TV series in the Dominican Republic.

Legendary Godfather actor (pictured) James Caan has died aged 82, his family announced on Thursday. The Hollywood veteran, who played Sonny Corleone in the mobster classic, passed away yesterday, their statement read

Diane Keaton, Robert DeNiro, Robert Duvall, Francis Ford Coppola, James Caan, Al Pacino and Talia Shire pose for a portrait at The Godfather 45th Anniversary Screening in NYC in 2017

The family said they 'appreciate the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences' from his millions of admirers and requested privacy while they mourn. He is pictured with Marlon Brando, Al Pacino and John Cazale

Caan was spotted using a walker at a restaurant with friends in California last year after spending some time in a wheelchair as he recovered from back surgery in 2020

A frail-looking Caan is pushed in a wheelchair by his son Jacob as he leaves after a show at the Vibrato Grill Jazz American in Los Angeles in 2020

Caan's family said in a post on his Twitter on Thursday: 'It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6.

'The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.' They signed it off saying 'end of tweet', as the actor would do.

His manager DelPiano added: 'Jimmy was one of the greatest. Not only was he one of the best actors our business has ever seen, he was funny, loyal, caring and beloved.

'Our relationship was always friendship before business. I will miss him dearly and am proud to have worked with him all these years.'

The Bronx native is best known for his role as Sonny in The Godfather as well as starring in blockbusters Misery, Elf and Mickey Blue Eyes.

He did not slow down later in life and continued his work in recent years, with his last film coming in the form of the 2018 crime drama Out of Blue.

He had started to take things slower from 2015 when he was rushed to hospital suffering with chest pain. The Hollywood vet was not having a heart attack and was just suffering from a chest infection.

Caan is pictured with his fourth wife Linda Stokes, who in 2016 was said to be estranged and 'blowing through savings and ruining his reputation by forcing the legendary actor to take roles instead of retire'

Caan and his ex-wife Ingrid Hajek are pictured attending the screening of 'So I Married An Axe Murderer' at the Galaxy Theater in Hollywood in 1993. They stayed together from 1990 until 1995

Caan is pictured with his second wife Sheila during an outing in New York City in 1970

Caan is photographed with his first wife Dee Jay Mathis at the Golden Globes in Los Angeles, California, having stayed together from 1961 to 1966

Left: James Caan Jr and James Caan attend 'The Godfather' 50th Anniversary Celebration at Paramount Theatre on February 22 in LA. Right: James and Scott in 2010

The veteran actor appeared to be in good spirits as he left Craig's in West Hollywood, California, and matched his outerwear with a purple and blue checked shirt in 2021

Caan's former home in the stunning Beverly Hills is pictured. He sold it for around $3million in 2015 following his marriage break up

A reverse angle shows the garden and pool out the back of the glamorous property in Los Angeles before he sold it off seven years ago

The property was just as plush on the inside, with a marble bathroom featuring a sprawling mirror and large tub that once belonged to the legendary actor

'A legend': Hollywood stars pay tribute to Caan Tributes have poured in for Godfather star James Caan following his death at the age of 82. Adam Sandler, who was joined by Caan in 1996's Bulletproof and That's My Boy (2012), tweeted that he 'loved' the veteran actor 'very much.' 'Always wanted to be like him. So happy I got to know him. Never ever stopped laughing when I was around that man. His movies were best of the best. We all will miss him terribly. Thinking of his family and sending my love.' Rob Reiner, who directed Caan's movie Misery, wrote: 'So sorry to hear the news. I loved working with him. And the only Jew I knew who could calf rope with the best of them. Love to the family.' Maria Shriver wrote: 'So sad about Jimmy Caan. He was a legend. He was always kind to me. Sending his family my love.' Guardians Of The Galaxy director James Gunn wrote: 'Rest In Peace James Caan. There are so many movies of his I love, The Godfather films of course being at the very top, but here are a few more I adore (Thief in particular was a Gunn family classic  I had the poster on my wall in high school).' The filmmaker included several posters for Caan's most acclaimed films, including Michael Mann's thriller Thief (1981), The Gambler (1974), the buddy police comedy Freebie And The Bean (1974) and Wes Anderson's feature debut Bottle Rocket (1996), which Caan starred in with Luke and Owen Wilson. Forrest Gump actor Gary Sinise wrote that he was 'heartbroken' for the late actors family and friends. 'Wonderful to know him & call him a pal. Jimmy was so supportive of Gary Sinise Foundation & my work w/ our veterans. He will be missed. Thank you my friend. Rest in Peace. God bless you.' Comedian Andy Richter said he was 'shocked' to learn of Caan's death. 'Was lucky enough, after a lifetime of loving his work, to get to work with him and I loved him as a person even more. Funny, warm, self-deprecating, and effortlessly talented. They say never meet your heroes, but he proved that to be very very wrong,' he tweeted. He also urged his fans to watch Thief in a follow-up post. Advertisement

Tributes flooded in for the legendary actor, with Rob Reiner, who directed Caan's movie Misery, writing: 'So sorry to hear the news. I loved working with him.

'And the only Jew I knew who could calf rope with the best of them. Love to the family.' Maria Shriver wrote: 'So sad about Jimmy Caan. He was a legend. He was always kind to me. Sending his family my love.'

Francis Ford Coppola, who directed The Rain People and The Godfather films, said Caan will 'never be forgotten' for on-screen and off-screen.

He said: 'Jimmy was someone who stretched through my life longer and closer than any motion picture figure I've ever known. 'From those beginning times working on 'The Rain People,' throughout all the milestones of my life.

'His films and the many great roles he played will never be forgotten. Old friend from Sunnyside, collaborator and one of the funniest people I've ever known.'

Al Pacino, who was also in The Godfather, said: 'Jimmy was my fictional brother and my lifelong friend. It's hard to believe that he won't be in the world anymore because he was so alive and daring.

'A great actor, a brilliant director and my dear friend. I'm going to miss him.' Robert De Niro said: 'I'm very very sad to hear about Jimmy's passing.'

James Gunn wrote: 'Rest In Peace James Caan. There are so many movies of his I love, The Godfather films of course being at the very top, but here are a few more I adore (Thief in particular was a Gunn family classic - I had the poster on my wall in high school).'

Adam Sandler said: 'James Caan. Loved him very much. Always wanted to be like him. So happy I got to know him. Never ever stopped laughing when I was around that man.'

He added: 'His movies were best of the best. We all will miss him terribly. Thinking of his family and sending my love.'

Piers Morgan put: 'RIP James Caan, 82. Brilliant actor - loved him as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, such a ferocious, menacing, magnificent performance.

'Met him once at a party in LA and he was a very funny & highly entertaining man. Sad news.' Jim Cramer wrote: 'Chronically underrated James Caan now sleeps with the fishes. Man i loved that guy.'

Gary Sinise said: 'Very sad to hear the news that James Caan has died. Heartbroken for his family & his friends. Wonderful to know him & call him a pal.

'Jimmy was so supportive of Gary Sinise Foundation & my work w/ our veterans. He will be missed. Thank you my friend. Rest In Peace. God bless you.'



The many loves of James Caan who married FOUR times including with Elvis Presley's playmate ex James Caan lived a colorful life full of love and heartbreak before dying at the age of 82 on Thursday. The actor, best known for his role as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, was married four times - including to the playboy model ex-girlfriend of Elvis Presley. His fourth marriage to Linda Stokes was his longest, lasting 20 years before he filed for divorce for a third time in 2015. Between his wives he had five children; two sons with Linda, a son with Ingrid Hajek, a daughter with Dee Jay Mathis and a son with Sheila Caan. 1966: Actor James Caan with wife Dee Jay Mathis attend the Golden Globes in Los Angeles Advertisement

Caan was born in Germany amid the Second World War in 1940 but his Jewish parents emigrated to the Bronx.

A football player at Michigan State University and a practical joker on production sets, Caan was a grinning, handsome performer with an athletes swagger and muscular build.

He became a common face at the Playboy Mansion during the 1970s and 1980s after rocketing to stardom and was known to love to party.

He managed a staggering six-decade career despite drug problems, outbursts of temper and minor brushes with the law.

Caan had been a favorite of Francis Ford Coppola since the 1960s, when Coppola cast him for the lead in 'Rain People.'

He was primed for a featured role in 'The Godfather' as Sonny, the No. 1 enforcer and eldest son of Mafia boss Vito Corleone.

Sonny Corleone, a violent and reckless man who conducted many killings, met his own end in one of the most jarring movie scenes in history.

For decades after, he once said, strangers would approach him on the street and jokingly warn him to stay clear of toll roads.

Despite Coppola's fears he had made a flop, the 1972 release was an enormous critical and commercial success and brought supporting actor Oscar nominations for Caan, Duvall and Al Pacino.

Caan was already a star on television, breaking through in the 1971 TV movie 'Brians Song,' an emotional drama about Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo, who had died of cancer the year before at age 26.

After 'Brians Song' and 'The Godfather,' he was one of Hollywoods busiest actors, appearing in 'Hide in Plain Sight' (which he also directed), 'Funny Lady' (opposite Barbra Streisand), 'The Killer Elite' and Neil Simons 'Chapter Two,' among others. He also made a brief appearance in a flashback sequence in 'The Godfather, Part II.'

But by the early 1980s he began to sour on films. He had begun to struggle with drug use and was devastated by the 1981 leukemia death of his sister, Barbara, who until then had been a guiding force in his career.

He returned to full-fledged stardom opposite Kathy Bates in 'Misery' in 1990.

Once again in demand, Caan starred in 'For the Boys' with Bette Midler in 1991 as part of a song-and-dance team entertaining U.S. soldiers during World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars. The following year he played a tongue-in-cheek version of Sonny Corleone in the comedy 'Honeymoon in Vegas.'

Other later films included 'Flesh and Bone,' 'Bottle Rocket' and 'Mickey Blue Eyes.' He introduced himself to a new generation playing Walter, the workaholic, stone-faced father of Buddys Will Ferrell in 'Elf.'

Caan speaks onstage during the 50th Anniversary celebration of 'Godfather' at Paramount Pictures Studios on February 22

He revealed the reason a sequel to Elf will never happen is because Will Ferrell, 53, and director Jon Favreau, 53, do not get along; from left, Amy Sedaris, Caan and Ferrell

James Caan and Marlon Brando are pictured during the gangster classic that won legions of fans when it was released in the 1970s

Caan is pictured pointing his gun while wearing a dinner jacket in Mickey Blue Eyes. A cause of his death has not been revealed

James Caan and Anjelica are pictured in Huston Gardens Of Stone, which was released in 1987 and directed by Francis Ford Coppola

The acting legend is seen with Joaquin Phoenix during their parts in the film The Yards, which came out in 1999

The Godfather stars Robert Duvall, John Cazale, Gianni Russo, Talia Shire, Morgana King, Marlon Brando, James Caan are pictured

Co-stars Caan, left, and Barbra Streisand appear at a press conference for their film 'Funny Lady' in New York on March 11, 1975

Caan is pictured in his junior year at Rhodes School in New York, in 1955. He is seen in the back row on the left ahead of a basketball game

Caan is pictured in his junior year at Rhodes School in New York, in 1955. He is seen wearing a suit as he poses for the camera

Caan did not attend The Godfather's 50th Anniversary in NYC last month despite Al Pacino and Robert De Niro going James Caan did not appear at the 50th anniversary of The Godfather last month. But Al Pacino and Robert De Niro did mark the milestone with a special screening at the Tribeca Festival in New York City James Caan did not appear at the 50th anniversary of The Godfather last month. But Al Pacino and Robert De Niro did mark the milestone with a special screening at the Tribeca Festival in New York City. Leading man Al, 82, who played eventual head of the Corleone family Michael Corleone, and Robert, 78, who portrayed the young version of his father Vito in the sequel, were among several stars who attended the special tribute event. The Tribeca Festival, an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Productions and co-founded by De Niro, screened a restoration of the film on Thursday night. Ahead of showtime at the United Palace, Pacino sat down on stage with Michael Hainey to discuss the movie, which earned 10 Academy Award nominations, and its lasting impact. At the 45th Academy Awards in 1973, the iconic crime film won the coveted Best Picture award, along with Best Actor (Marlon Brando) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola). Advertisement

Caan had a checkered relationship history, and has been married four times. His first marriage to Dee Jay Mathis ended in 1966 after five years, and they share daughter Tara, 55.

Ten years later he tied the knot with Sheila Marie Ryan, but they divorced the following year in 1976, the same year they welcomed son Scott, 43.

In 1990, Caan married Ingrid Hajek, they welcomed son Alexander, 28, the following year and divorced in 1994.

His fourth marriage occurred in 1995, when he tied the knot to Linda Stokes. The couple had sons James, 24, and Jacob, 21, before divorcing in 2009, citing irreconcilable differences.

In 2016 he claimed his estranged wife Stokes was blowing through his savings and is forced to keep working in order to pay the bills according to legal documents found by TMZ.

The gossip site claimed he was currently paying $13,000 a month in child support for their two boys but it appeared she was asking for more money.

Perhaps the most striking claim in the documents was Caan felt the money issues were forcing him to take sub-par roles in order to keep up financially.

The documents read: 'I am no longer willing to take parts in films and/or television shows which detract from the 50 years I have spent building my reputation.'

He goes on to say he had to do a drama named Sicilian Vampire, released in the summer of 2015, which was 'humiliating' as the New York City premiere only had 50 people show up.

In 1961, he married Dee Jay Mathis and had daughter Tara; they divorced in 1966. Caan's second marriage to Sheila Marie Ryan - a former girlfriend of Elvis Presley - in 1976 was short-lived as they divorced the following year.

Their son, Scott Caan, who also is an actor, was born in 1976. Caan was married to Ingrid Hajek from September 1990 to March 1994; they had a son, Alexander, born 1991.

Caan's passing comes just over a month after fellow gangster actor Ray Liotta passed away in his sleep in the Dominican Republic.

He passed away in bed at Casas del XVI in Zona Colonial in May just weeks after filming started on a new project called Dangerous Waters.

An emergency service team had rushed to the building but he could not be saved, with his body transferred to the forensic institute of Santo Domingo.

Liotta left behind his fiancee Jacy Nittolo, 46, as well as his daughter Karsen, 23, who he had with ex-wife Michelle Grace.



Caan's passing comes just over a month after fellow gangster actor Ray Liotta passed away in his sleep in the Dominican Republic

Legendary actor James Caan, the son of a butcher in the Bronx who found fame as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, built a storied career with 137 credits to his name with four wives by his side - despite a hot temper, drugs and minor brushes with the law

James Caan, the curly-haired tough guy known to movie fans as the hotheaded Sonny Corleone of The Godfather, passed away at age 82.

The American actor, whose portrayal of Corleone secured him an Academy Awards nomination in 1973, died on Wednesday. No cause was given.

Caan, the son of a German-Jewish butcher, grew up in New York City and played football at Michigan State University, before discovering his passion for acting.

He managed a long career despite drug problems, outbursts of temper and minor brushes with the law. He was known for his handsome looks, constant grin and muscular build, as well as being a practical joker on production sets.

'Jimmy was one of the greatest. Not only was he one of the best actors our business has ever seen, he was funny, loyal, caring and beloved,' his manager Matt DelPiano said. 'Our relationship was always friendship before business. I will miss him dearly and am proud to have worked with him all these years.'

He was married four times and is survived by his five children  Tara, 57; Scott, 45; Alexander James, 31; James Arthur, 26; and Jacob Nicholas Caan, 23.

Scott followed in his father's footsteps, appearing in Ocean's Eleven, Gone In 60 Seconds and the Hawaii Five-0 reboot.

James Caan, the curly-haired tough guy known to movie fans as the hotheaded Sonny Corleone of The Godfather, passed away at age 82. He is pictured in 1968

Caan's loved ones confirmed his death in a statement on Twitter Thursday: 'It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6.

'The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.'

The veteran actor is best known for his breakout role in The Godfather, which also saw him nominated for best supporting actor at the Golden Globes.

His character - Sonny Corleone, a violent and reckless man who conducted many killings - met his own end in one of the most jarring movie scenes in history. On his way to another job, Corleone stops at a toll booth that he discovers is unnervingly empty of customers. Before he can escape he is cut down by a seemingly endless fusillade of machine-gun fire.

For decades after, Caan once said, strangers would approach him on the street and jokingly warn him to stay clear of toll roads.

The 1972 classic crime saga, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, also stars Al Pacino and Diane Keaton.

Caan had been a favorite of Coppola since the 1960s, when the director cast him for the lead in Rain People, which primed him for the role of Corleone.

He was primed for a featured role in 'The Godfather' as Sonny, the No. 1 enforcer and eldest son of Mafia boss Vito Corleone.

James Caan holds his career tribute at the 10th Marrakesh Film Festival in 2010

Caan bonded with Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall and other The Godfather cast members and made it a point to get everyone laughing during an otherwise tense production, sometimes dropping his pants and 'mooning' a fellow actor or crew member.

Despite Coppola's fears he had made a flop, the 1972 release was an enormous critical and commercial success and brought supporting actor Oscar nominations for Caan, Duvall and Pacino.

Before the Godfather, Caan was already a star on television, breaking through in the 1971 TV movie Brian's Song - an emotional drama about Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo, who had died of cancer the year before at age 26.

It was among the most popular and wrenching TV movies in history and Caan and co-star Billy Dee Williams, who played Piccolo's teammate and best friend Gale Sayers, were nominated for best actor Emmys.

After Brian's Song and The Godfather, he was one of Hollywood's busiest actors, appearing in Hide in Plain Sight (which he also directed), Funny Lady (opposite Barbra Streisand), The Killer Elite and Neil Simon's Chapter Two, among others.

He also made a brief appearance in a flashback sequence in The Godfather, Part II.

But by the early 1980s he began to sour on films, though Michael Mann's 1981 neo-noir heist film Thief, in which he played a professional safecracker looking for a way out, is among his most admired films.

'The fun of it was taken away,' he told an interviewer in 1981. 'I've done pictures where I'd rather do time. I just walked out of a picture at Paramount. I said you haven't got enough money to make me go to work every day with a director I don't like.'

He had begun to struggle with drug use and was devastated by the 1981 leukemia death of his sister, Barbara, who until then had been a guiding force in his career. For much of the 1980s he made no films, telling people he preferred to coach his son Scott's Little League games.

James Caan and Al Pacino are pictured in a film still from The Godfather

Short on cash, Caan was hired by Coppola for the leading role in the 1987 film Gardens of Stone. The movie, about life at Arlington National Cemetery, proved too grim for most audiences, but it renewed Caan's acting career.

He returned to full-fledged stardom opposite Kathy Bates in Misery in 1990. In the film, based on Stephen King's novel, Caan is an author taken captive by an obsessed fan who breaks his ankles to keep him from leaving. Bates won an Oscar for the role.

Once again in demand, Caan starred in For the Boys with Bette Midler in 1991 as part of a song-and-dance team entertaining U.S. soldiers during World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars.

The following year he played a tongue-in-cheek version of Sonny Corleone in the comedy Honeymoon in Vegas, tricking Nicolas Cage into betting his girlfriend, Sarah Jessica Parker, in a high-stakes poker game so he can spirit her away and try to persuade her to marry him.

Other later films included Flesh and Bone, Bottle Rocket and Mickey Blue Eyes.

He introduced himself to a new generation playing Walter, the workaholic, stone-faced father of Buddy's Will Ferrell in Elf.

The famed actor was grateful for his career and the lasting impact his hits, such as Misery and The Godfather, had on fans.

'Look, you only pray when you start in this business that you get to the point where people recognize you,' he once told Cigar Aficionado magazine. 'I've got a lot of people who are, like, 'Hey, your ankle OK?' from Misery. Or they'll say: 'Hey, don't go through that toll booth again' or 'Have the right change?''

'It means that they remember the picture. There's nothing not to like about it. The only thing that I get a little upset about is when I'm in a restaurant and people... beckon me with their finger. I get a little sideways. I go: 'No, you come here! What, am I a taxi or something?''

He added: 'I hope they never stop.'

James Caan attends the 2016 Summer TCA Hallmark Event on July 27, 2016, in Beverly Hills, California

Born March 26, 1939, in New York City, Caan was the son of a kosher meat wholesaler. He was born in the Bronx but raised in a part of Queen he once referred to as 'a neighborhood not conducive to the arts.'

He was a star athlete and class president at Rhodes High School, where he graduated at age 16 after having been kicked out by several public schools for 'disruptive behavior.' According to The Washington Post, Caan would joke that his teachers accelerated him 'just to be done with him.'

He later attended Michigan State - intending to play on its praised football team - but instead wound up being a 'tackling dummy.'

He transferred to Hofstra University but dropped out after getting kicked out of the ROTC program following a fistfight with a superior.

Caan couldn't afford college on his own so he served in many odd jobs including as a bouncer and lifeguard. He also worked for godfather unpacking meat along the docks of the Hudson River.

Shortly thereafter, he enrolled at New York City's Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, where he studied for five years.

Following a brief stage career that saw him appear in several off-Broadway plays and included a Broadway debut in the play Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole, Caan moved to Hollywood.

He made his movie debut in a brief uncredited role in 1963 in Billy Wilder's Irma La Douche, then landed a role as young thug who terrorizes Olivia de Havilland in Lady in a Cage.

He also appeared opposite John Wayne and Robert Mitchum in the 1966 Western El Dorado and Harrison Ford in the 1968 Western Journey to Shiloh.

Off-screen Caan and Wayne had a 'contentious and playful relationship.' Wayne played pranks of Caan, including once filling his dressing room with trash,

Wayne allegedly cheated during games of chess the pair would play in between takes, with Caan once telling The Guardian: 'He was so lame. He'd say, 'Hey, Jimmy, what's that over there,' and shove the rook around while I gazed yonder like a schmuck.'

Wild at heart! The many loves of 'heartbreaker' James Caan who married FOUR times including a romance with Elvis's playmate ex - before messy court battle with his final wife Linda

James Caan lived a colorful life full of love and heartbreak before dying at the age of 82 on Thursday.

The actor, best known for his role as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, was married four times - including to the playboy model ex-girlfriend of Elvis Presley.

His fourth marriage to Linda Stokes was his longest, lasting 20 years before he filed for divorce for a third time in 2015.

Between his wives he had five children; two sons with Linda, a son with Ingrid Hajek, a daughter with Dee Jay Mathis and a son with Sheila Caan.

First time down the aisle with actress Dee Jay Mathis

1961-1966

Before landing his first major role in El Dorado and shooting to fame, Caan was married to fellow actor Dee Jay Mathis.

The pair were together for five years before they separated, just as his star was starting to rise.

They made a striking Hollywood couple and had a daughter together, Tara, who is now 57.

It's unclear what specifically led their divorce.

It would be ten years before Caan - by then a star thanks to his 1972 role in The Godfather - remarried, and this time to a far more famous

1966: Actor James Caan with wife Dee Jay Mathis attend the Golden Globes in Los Angeles

Hot on the heels of Godfather fame, Caan marries Elvis's ex - Playboy model Sheila Ryan

1976-1977

Ryan famously dated Elvis Presley before settling down with Caan in 1976.

She was the October 1973 cover girl for Playboy.

She dated Elvis after meeting him at one of his shows, before she met Caan - then a darling of Hollywood after his standout performance in The Godfather.

Caan (center) with Sheila Ryan (right) before their marriage and French actress Lilyan Chauvin (left)

Sheila Ryan and James Caan in 1977, a year after they married. She had been a Playboy model and dated Elvis before the actor

The couple's marriage didn't lost long - they were divorced within two years. They had a son together, Scott, in 1977

Stokes with her son, actor Scott Caan, before her death in 2012. She died of cancer at the age of 60

They were divorced in 1977, a year after they married. During their brief marriage however, the pair welcomed a son - Scott.

Scott Caan is also an actor best known for his appearances in Oceans Eleven and Entourage.

Sheila died at the age of 60 in 2012.

Scott seemed to maintain a close relationship with his father, attending events with him throughout his career.

Ingrid Hajek, 1990-1994

After another long break between marriages, Caan tied the knot with Ingrid Hajek in 1990.

The pair grew up in the same neighborhood - Sunnyside in Queens, New York - but in different decades. Indeed when they tied the knot, Caan was twenty years his bride's senior at 49.

After another long break between marriages, Caan tied the knot with Ingrid Hajek in 1990. She was 20 years his junior

The pair grew up in the same neighborhood - Sunnyside in Queens, New York - but in different decades. Indeed when they tied the knot, Caan was twenty years his bride's senior at 49

Caan with his son Scott and his third wife, model Ingrid Hajek, in 1991 at the premiere of For The Boys

The pair were introduced through mutual friends and dated for two years before getting married in 1990.

Their wedding was aboard the Regentsea yacht in Marina Del Rey.

The pair had one son together before divorcing in 1994. Today, Ingrid lists herself as a life coach.

Linda Stokes, 1995-2015

The marriage that cost Caan the most heartache - and alimony - was his last. He married Linda Stokes in 1995 and their 20 years together would leave him reportedly cash-strapped due to multiple rounds of court battles and backdated child support.

Stokes is the mother of Caan's two youngest sons, James and Jacob.

Their rocky marriage saw him file for divorce twice - once in 2005 and another in 2009 - before finally calling time on the marriage in 2015.

Afterwards, he wrote in court filings that he was forced to take embarrassing movie roles to keep up with Linda's spending.

He married Linda Stokes in 1995 and their 20 years together would leave him reportedly cash-strapped due to multiple rounds of court battles and backdated child support

James Caan with wife Linda Stokes, his fourth and most acrimonious marriage which lasted 20 years

Caan and Stokes with his son Scott at a film premiere at The Chinese Theater in 1996, a year after he married Linda

'I am no longer willing to take parts in films and/or television shows which detract from the 50 years I have spent building my reputation,' he wrote in a 2016 court filing.

He also fought for joint custody of their then 17-year-old son Jacob. Their older son, James, was already 19.

When their divorce was finalized in 2016, he was ordered to give his ex-wife $400,000 in backdated payments plus $8,000-a-month.

The sum included a payment to Linda of $5,000-a-month until she remarried or until one of them died. The other $3,000 was for child support.

He never remarried, instead living out his days a bachelor until his death this week.

His family announced his death on Twitter on Thursday saying: 'It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6.

'The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.'
A fourth-generation AI chef in Japan can prepare pasta rapidly and serve customers on time and has worked at the restaurant for four years.

P-Robo can Swiftly Prepare and Cook Pasta for Consumers With Four Pans

The AI-chef was developed by the robotics firm TechMagic and the Japanese cafe owner Pronto Corporation. It can not only boil water and make pasta but also clean up afterward.

"P-Robo" is the name of the robotic chef, as was initially reported by Food & Wine. With four pans at its disposal, it can quickly prepare and cook pasta meals to serve its clients on time.

P-Robo, which stands for "Pronto," can quickly create an incredible 90 meals every hour when functioning at full capacity, making it quicker than fast food.

Starting with frozen pasta, the robotic chef quickly defrosts each dish in only 10 seconds before heating it and making the sauces. P-Robo is an actual multi-tasking machine since it only takes 75 seconds to create the first dish and 45 seconds to serve each subsequent dish.

Although China and the United States now control the self-driving vehicle market, Japan prides itself on pioneering "the world of cooking robots" by integrating its industrial and culinary heritage.

The robot has been relentlessly working in the kitchen of E Vino Spaghetti for four years and is a fourth-generation release. The restaurant is not entirely automated, despite Japan Today's claim that it was partly developed to address concerns with human resource development in the food business.

In the next five years, Pronto claims that they want to install P-Robos in up to 50 restaurants and provide P-Robos to other restaurant chains. That is consistent with TechMagic's general strategy for deploying its robots to address issues in restaurants.

Read Also: Fourth of July Shooting: GoFundMe For the Boy Who Lost Both Parents Gathers $1.8 Million

To Detect Rip Currents and Protect Swimmers, Japan Uses AI

In Japan, July marks the beginning of beach season. Lifeguards are on duty to keep beachgoers safe as swimmers, sunbathers, and surfers begin to swarm to beaches.

However, one beach on the Pacific coast uses artificial intelligence (AI) to guarantee that visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience while at the beach.

The Mainichi reports that rip currents, which are to blame for 60% of drowning fatalities, have been identified by officials in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, and that the system would alert lifeguards and swimmers nearby.

On Friday (July 1), the famous surfing spot Yuigahama Beach in Kamakura, Japan, reopened to the public after two years of closures due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The meteorological agency predicts that the event will bring sizable visitors during a scorching summer.

According to the Mainichi, experts from Chuo University in Tokyo and the Japan Lifesaving Association collected rip current data over six months in the winter of 2021 to ensure the AI system worked.

A lifesaving group said that a web camera mounted on a pole may detect rip currents and anybody swimming nearby while immediately informing a lifeguard through a wristwatch.

Additionally, Mainichi claims that images were also used to develop a tsunami warning system that gives authorities access to real-time information on swimmers.

The regional campaign to fight rip currents is a part of a wider one to reopen the beach after the epidemic cut it off and highlight the area's environmental credentials. About 20 beaches in the prefecture have been off-limits for the last two summers, and Yuigahama is one of those beaches.

Related Article: The 'Ugo Robot' Intended To Replace Aging Workers Is Now Used To Help With The Coronavirus
British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell has officially filed paperwork to appeal her conviction and 20-year sentence for conspiring with sex pest Jeffrey Epstein to exploit and sexually abuse minors.

Maxwell, 60, filed the notice of appeal in New York federal court on Thursday, just over a week after she was sentenced to serve time in a low security Danbury, Connecticut prison for sex trafficking young girls.

She was convicted on federal sex trafficking charges last December, following a trial that lasted nearly a month. Finally, after five days of deliberations, the jury found her guilty on five of the six charges against her - including one for luring underage girls to engage in sex acts with Epstein.

Then on June 28, Judge Alison Nathan handed down the 240-month sentence followed by five years supervised release after calling Maxwell's crimes 'heinous and prefatory.'

She also imposed a fine of $750,000, noting Maxwell had received a $10million bequest from Epstein after his death.

'Ms. Maxwell worked with Epstein to select young victims who were vulnerable and played a pivotal role in facilitating sexual abuse,' Judge Nathan said, making it clear the case called for a 'very significant sentence' that sent an 'unmistakable message' that such crimes would be punished.

Her lawyers, though, rallied against the hefty fine, claiming she 'has received nothing' from the bequest in Epstein's will.

And outside of the federal courthouse last week, Maxwell's attorney, Bobbi Sternheim said: 'Our client Ghislaine Maxwell, has been vilified, pilloried and left little room for her to be treated fairly. Because even before she stropped forward into this courthouse, she was being tried and convicted in the court of public opinion.'

DailyMail.com has reached out Sternheim for comment about her appeal.

Ghislaine Maxwell (pictured on sex pest Jeffrey Epstein's private jet) was sentenced last month to 20 years in prison for sex trafficking young girls for him. She is now appealing that decision

She filed a notice to appeal her sentence and conviction on Thursday

Prior to her sentencing, Maxwell made a public statement expressing remorse for her actions.

'I realize I have been convicted of assisting Jeffrey Epstein to commit these crimes,' she said. 'My association with Epstein will permanently stain me. It is the biggest regret of my life that I ever met him.'

She added that Epstein 'fooled all of those in his orbit' and claimed she, herself, was a victim of his.

She had also written in a memo prior to the sentencing that a troubled childhood made her vulnerable to commit such heinous acts after her father mysteriously died in 1991.

Prosecutors had asked Judge Nathan to impose a sentence of at least 30 years because of Maxwell's 'utter lack of remorse,' while Maxwell claimed she should serve just four years as she is not a danger to the public.

Judge Alison Nathan handed down the 240-month sentence followed by five years supervised release on June 28

Prior to the sentencing, Maxwell made a public statement expressing remorse for her actions

Maxwell is sketched listening to some of the victims of Epstein's sex ring

GHISLAINE'S STATEMENT AT SENTENCING HEARING IN FULL Your honor, it is hard for me to address the court after listening to the pain and anguish expressed today. The terrible impact on the lives of so many women is difficult to hear and even more difficult to absorb, both in its scale and extent. I acknowledge their suffering and empathize deeply with all of the victims in this case. I also acknowledge with that I have been a victim of helping Jeffrey Epstein commit these crimes. I realize I have been convicted of assisting Jeffrey Epstein to commit these crimes. My association with Epstein will permanently stain me. It is the biggest regret of my life that I ever met him. I believe Jeffrey Epstein fooled all of those in his orbit. His victims considered him a mentor, friend, lover. It is absolutely unfathomable today to think that was how he was viewed contemporaneously. His impact on all those close to him has been devastating. And today, those who even knew him briefly or never met him but were associated with someone who did, have lost relationships, jobs, and had their lives derailed. Jeffrey Epstein should have stood before you. In 2005. In 2009. And again in 2019. All the many times he was accused, charged, prosecuted. He should have spared victims the years of chasing justice. But today is ultimately not about Epstein. It is for me to be sentenced and for the victims to address me alone in court. To you I say: I am sorry for the pain you experienced. I hope my conviction along with my harsh incarceration brings you closure. I hope this brings the women who have suffered some measure of peace and faintly to help you put those experiences of so many years ago in a place that allows you to look forward and not back. I also acknowledge the pain this case has wrought to those I love, the many I held and still hold close, the relationships I have lost and will never be able to regain. It is my sincerest wish to all those in this courtroom and all those outside this courtroom that today brings a terrible chapter to an end. And to those of you who spoke here today and those who did not, may this day help you travel through darkness into the light. Advertisement

But before Maxwell spoke in court, she was forced to face her sex trafficking victims as they gave dramatic testimony.

Annie Farmer, Sarah Ransome, Elizabeth Stein and one woman known only as Kate read their heartbreaking victim impact statements where they pleaded for the judge to impose the longest possible sentence and demanded Maxwell spend the rest of her life in prison.

'I was nothing more than a sex toy with a heartbeat and soul used to entertain Epstein, Maxwell and others,' Ransome said, sharing photos of herself in a hospital bed after she tried to kill herself when the trauma of the sexual abuse became unbearable.

Ransome said in her victim statement, 'On one visit to the island, the sexual demands, degradation and humiliation ensued me to try to escape by jumping off a cliff into shark-infested waters. I was caught by Maxwell and company moments before jumping.

'At the time, that extremely risky escape seemed more appealing than being raped one more time,' she said.

'Maxwell is today the same woman I met almost 20 years ago - incapable of compassion or common human decency,' Ransome added. 'Sentencing her to the rest of her life in prison will not change her, but it will give survivors a slight sense of justice.'

Farmer, meanwhile, fought back tears as she asked the judge to take into account the 'ongoing suffering of the many women she abused and exploited.

'Judge Nathan, I hope when you consider the appropriate prison sentence for the role Maxwell played in this sex-trafficking operation, you take into account the ongoing suffering of the many women she abused and exploited as we will continue to live with the memories of the ways she harmed us,' Farmer said.

'I hope you weigh the systemic effects of the crimes she perpetrated - the ways that our family members, romantic partners and friends have been hurt through our suffering.

'I ask you to bear in mind how Maxwell's unwillingness to acknowledge her crimes, her lack of remorse, and her repeated lies about her victims created the need for many of us to engage in a long fight for justice that has felt like a black hole sucking in our precious time, energy, and well-being for much too long now.

'These things cannot be replaced.'

Fellow victims listen tearfully as Sarah Ransome reads a victim impact statement ahead of Maxwell's sentencing

After the sentencing Farmer slammed Maxwell's 'very hollow' apology.

'It felt very powerful to finally have a chance to speak and have my voice on the record and say how her crimes impacted people and myself,' Farmer said.

'Her statement felt like a very hollow apology to me. she did not take responsibility for her crimes that she committed, and it felt like once more than she was trying to do something that benefitted her and not at all about the harm that she caused.'

Stein revealed she had to have an abortion after getting raped 'countless times,' and Kate said Maxwell's 'lack of remorse and her blatant refusal to take responsibility is her final insult. She is not sorry and she will do it again.'

Kate said that women 'must take a stand of zero tolerance to those who use their power to groom and traffic the vulnerable.'

'Every single child must have their innocence defended,' Kate says. 'No person should be shielded from the consequences of their actions.'

'Maxwell's lack of remorse and her blatant refusal to take responsibility is her final insult. She is not sorry and she will do it again.

'Today is not a happy day. I take no pleasure in being part of a world where this is necessary. I am proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with these brave women and to do what is necessary to stop Ghislaine.'

Fellow victim Virginia Roberts was not in court, but her lawyer Sigrid McCawley read her statement.

'Ghislaine, 22 years ago, in the summer of 2000, you spotted me at the Mar-a-Lago Hotel in Florida, and you made a choice,' McCawley reads from Giuffre's statement.

'You chose to follow me and procure me for Jeffrey Epstein. Just hours later, you and he abused me together for the first time. Together, you damaged me physically, mentally, sexually and emotionally. Together, you did unthinkable things that still have a corrosive impact on me to this day.'

'When you did that, Ghislaine, you changed the course of our lives forever,' she wrote.

An infamous photo of Virginia Roberts, Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell was taken at Maxwell's home in London's Belgravia

Public attention turned to Maxwell after Epstein hanged himself while awaiting trial in 2019. She is seen here giving her former lover a foot massage on his private jet

After Epstein hanged himself while awaiting trial in 2019, attention turned to Maxwell who was arrested a year later and found guilty in December following her sensational trial.

Four women gave evidence against Maxwell during her weeks-long trial: a victim known as 'Jane', Annie Farmer, Kate and another woman called Carolyn.

Over three weeks, the jury heard how Maxwell 'served up' underage girls for Epstein and relished her role as the 'Lady of the House' at his mansion in Palm Beach, Florida.

Between 1994 and 2004, lawyers argued Maxwell was Epstein's 'right hand' and paid $200 for sexualized massages or even took part in the abuse.

The victims, some as young as 14, were given a similar amount of money if they brought friends to Epstein, the jury was told.

During the trial, prosecutors called 24 witnesses to give jurors a picture of life inside Epstein's homes - a subject of public fascination and speculation ever since his 2006 arrest in Florida in a child sex case.

A housekeeper testified he was expected to be 'blind, deaf and dumb' about the private lives of Epstein, a financier who cultivated friendships with influential politicians and business tycoons.

Pilots took the witness stand and dropped the names of luminaries - Britain's Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump - who flew on Epstein's private jets.

Jurors also saw physical evidence like a folding massage table once used by Epstein and a 'black book' that listed contact information for some of the victims under the heading 'massages'.

There were bank records showing he had transferred $30.7 million to Maxwell.

Additionally, prosecutors produced a 58-page household manual covering every single aspect of running the house in Palm Beach that they indicated Maxwell had written. There were dozens of checklists for each area of the house, instructions on when to replace the toothpaste and what brands of creams to buy.

One instruction to all household staff that was seized on by the prosecution read: 'You see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing'.

Maxwell said in court prior to her sentencing that Epstein 'fooled all of those in his orbit'

Sarah Ransome, a former model from South Africa, shared photos of herself in a hospital bed after she tried to kill herself - one from 2008 and another in 2018 when Epstein was under investigation

But the core of the prosecution was the testimony of four women who said they were victimized by Maxwell and Epstein at young ages.

Three testified using first names or pseudonyms to protect their privacy: Jane, a television actress; Kate, a former model from Great Britain; and Carolyn, now a mom recovering from drug addiction.

The fourth was Farmer, who chose to use her real name after being vocal about her allegations in recent years.

The most gut wrenching, though, was Carolyn who testified that she was one of several underprivileged teens who lived near Epstein's Florida home in the early 2000s and took up an offer to give massages in exchange for $100 bills.

Maxwell made all the arrangements, Carolyn told the jury, even though she knew the girl was only 14 at the time.

Jane said in 1994, when she was only 14, she was instructed to follow Epstein into a pool house at the Palm Beach estate, where he masturbated on her.

Jane, meanwhile, told the jury: 'I was frozen in fear', adding that the assault was the first time she had ever seen a penis. She also directly accused Maxwell of participating in her abuse.

Maxwell's lawyer asked Jane why it had taken so long to come forward.

She responded: 'I was scared. I was embarrassed, ashamed. I didn't want anybody to know any of this about me'.

Maxwell was accused of trafficking and recruiting young girls for Epstein to sexually exploit

Kate also said she was recruited by Maxwell in London in 1994 when she was 17 and described in vivid detail how she invited her round for tea and then asked her back to give Epstein a massage.

In chilling testimony Kate described how Maxwell closed the door behind her as a naked Epstein lay on a massage table in front of her. After one such encounter Maxwell told her: 'Did you have fun? Was it good?'

Farmer described how she was lured to Epstein's ranch in New Mexico at the age of 16 with the promise there would be dozens of other bright students that he wanted to help.

Instead it was just her and Maxwell proceeded to massage her breasts before Epstein got into bed with her.

Summing up her experience, Farmer said: 'I think this was all a pattern of them working on confusing my boundaries and malign me question myself about what was right and what was not right with the ultimate goal of sexually abusing me'.

Jurors deliberated for five full days before finding Maxwell guilty of five of six counts.

In court Maxwell often hugged her lawyers appeared in good health despite claims from her lawyers she had been losing weight and losing hair due to the grim conditions in prison pre-trial.

She declined to testify, telling the court: 'You honor, the government has not proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt so there is no reason to testify'.

Maxwell's fall from grace is all the more astonishing given her background as a wealthy socialite and the daughter of Robert Maxwell, the late newspaper tycoon who fell off his yacht in the Canary Islands in 1991 in mysterious circumstances.

Her lawyers tried to argue that Robert Maxwell's abusive behavior around his children made Maxwell 'vulnerable' when she met Epstein around the time of her father's death.

She appears to have replaced one controlling, manipulative father with a nearly identical man - Epstein - who she dated before becoming the boss of his sex trafficking organization.

Maxwell had grown up a British socialite, the daughter of publishing baron Robert Maxwell. Her lawyers have claimed that his sudden death in 1991 made her susceptible to becoming exploited by Epstein

She and Epstein were together for several years before she became in charge of his sex trafficking operation

The true number of Epstein's victims may never be known but the fund set up to pay compensation to them paid out $121million to 150 women around the world.

Most of the victim impact statements were released ahead of sentencing and they were blistering in their condemnation of Maxwell.

They included Virginia Roberts, who earlier this year settled a lawsuit with Prince Andrew for a reported $12m over claims that she was forced to have sex with him three times when she was 17.

According to Roberts, Maxwell recruited her when she was 16 at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.

In her victim impact statement reads that Maxwell and Epstein did 'unthinkable things' to her.

The statement says: 'Without question, Jeffrey Epstein was a terrible pedophile.

'But I never would have met Jeffrey Epstein if not for you. For me, and for so many others, you opened the door to hell. And then, Ghislaine, like a wolf in sheep's clothing, you used your femininity to betray us, and you led us all through it.

'Ghislaine, you deserve to spend the rest of your life in a jail cell. You deserve to be trapped in a cage forever, just like you trapped your victims.'

Farmer's victim impact statement reads: 'I remember sitting at my desk in a Houston hospital physically shaking after seeing the photo of Maxwell with Virginia Giuffre and Prince Andrew because it became clear to me how their scheme had continued'.

Sarah Ransome, a former model from South Africa who grew up in Scotland, said that Maxwell and Epstein turned her into 'nothing more than a sex toy with a heartbeat'.

While trying to escape from Epstein's private island in the Caribbean she tried to jump off a cliff but was found by Maxwell before she could.

Ransome wrote: 'Maxwell was his right hand woman. She was the Five Star General of several recruiters and many others who provided the means and cover for Epstein's predation.

'Epstein and Maxwell were masters at finding young, vulnerable girls and young women to exploit. Like Hotel California, you could blindly check into the Epstein-Maxwell dungeon of sexual hell but you could never leave. Jeffrey and Ghislaine made sure of that'.

The sentencing was delayed after Maxwell's lawyers raised questions over comments by one of her jurors, Scotty David.

He said that he did not disclose his past history of sexual abuse when filing out his jury questionnaire.

David was recalled to the court by judge Nathan for a hearing where she interrogated him and later ruled his nondisclosure had been an unintentional error.
US President Joe Biden assured that the 'special relationship' between the US and the UK will 'remain strong and enduring' as he acknowledged Boris Johnson's resignation, but did not mention the Prime Minister by name.

Biden confirmed the two nations would continue their partnership in tackling major global issues including the war in Ukraine, having led the way in providing monetary and military aid to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's armed forces.

'I look forward to continuing our close cooperation with the government of the United Kingdom, as well as our Allies and partners around the world, on a range of important priorities,' the US leader said.

'That includes maintaining a strong and united approach to supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Putin's brutal war on their democracy, and holding Russia accountable for its actions.'

Johnson and Biden have appeared to foster a strong relationship in recent months, most recently appearing together at summits of G7 and NATO countries where they were pictured seemingly cracking jokes and enjoying one another's company.

Johnson announced his intention to step down as Prime Minister earlier today after a series of scandals and resignations from dozens of his ministers made his position untenable - though he confirmed he would stay on as caretaker leader until a replacement is found.

US President Joe Biden (R) and Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson shake hands ahead of a meeting of The North Atlantic Council during the NATO summit at the Ifema congress centre in Madrid, on June 30, 2022

Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses the nation as he announces his resignation outside 10 Downing Street on July 7, 2022 in London, England

Johnson and Biden have appeared to foster a strong relationship in recent months, most recently appearing together at summits of G7 and NATO countries, and have taken the lead in supporting Ukraine amid the Russian invasion (pair pictured at NATO summit last month)

Though Johnson's resignation could hinder the co-ordination of US-UK approach to the situation in Ukraine, key members of the Tory party including Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace have both been vocal in affirming the Government's commitment to supporting Zelensky in his defence against Putin's forces.

The White House has thus far provided no further comment on Johnson's decision to resign, but press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the United States' 'partnership with the United Kingdom continued to be strong.'

In his resignation speech Johnson referred to Britain's support of Ukraine following the Russian invasion on February 24 as one of his most proud achievements as PM.

'I'm immensely proud of the achievements of this government... in the last few months, leading the West in standing up to Putin's aggression in Ukraine,' he said.

'And let me say now, to the people of Ukraine, that I know that we in the UK will continue to back your fight for freedom for as long as it takes,' he added.

Zelensky's office thanked Johnson, who twice visited Kyiv personally amid the conflict, for defending Ukraine's interests after Russia's invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, centre, and Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, centre left, walk in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 9, 2022

Johnson has become something of a hero in Ukraine for his much-publicised support of Zelensky and Ukrainian armed forces amid Russia's invasion

'We all heard this news (of Johnson's resignation) with sadness. Not only me, but also the entire Ukrainian society, which is very sympathetic to you,' a statement from the office read.

'We have no doubt that Great Britain's support will be preserved, but your personal leadership and charisma made it special.'

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba described him as a 'true friend of Ukraine' in comments sent to Reuters by his ministry.

'[Johnson] was among the first world leaders who not only unequivocally condemned Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, but also took a number of crucial decisions to help Ukraine defend itself and ultimately win this war in the future,' Kuleba said.

Other political figures were not so kind in their responses to Johnson's exit.

'The departure of Boris Johnson opens a new page in relations with the UK. May it be more constructive, more respectful of commitments made,' tweeted former EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier

'I'm not sure that anybody can look at Boris Johnson and conclude that he is capable of genuinely behaving as a caretaker prime minister. He will want to do things, and in the process of that undoubtedly cause more chaos than he has already,' said Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

French politician Michel Barnier, who was one of the EU's principal negotiators with Britain in the run-up to Brexit, tweeted: 'The departure of Boris Johnson opens a new page in relations with the UK. May it be more constructive, more respectful of commitments made, in particular regarding peace & stability in Northern Ireland, and more friendly with partners in the EU.'

German politician Bernd Lange, co-chair of the EU-UK contact group at the European Parliament, shared similar sentiments: 'Finally. End of an undignified spectacle. Boris Johnson was all about maintaining power and his own ego... Now, British theatrical thunder should end.'

Finally, and perhaps unsurprisingly, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova took the opportunity to rubbish the state of Britain and other 'liberal regimes'.

'It's obvious to everyone that liberal regimes are in a deep political, ideological and economic crisis. The situation of Britain's half-decay causes concern.

'The loss of control, chaos, nosedive - that's how its described by experts,' she said.
Dean Tran accused the Massachusetts AG office of 'abusing power' by releasing a statement claiming they are charging him with six crimes related to a June 2019 incident where he allegedly stole a constituent's gun

An Asian Republican congressional candidate in Massachusetts says he is a threat to Democrats' 'identity politics' after the state's Attorney General accused him of stealing a gun from an elderly woman.

Dean Tran, 46, is running to unseat Democratic incumbent Representative Lori Trahan in Massachusetts 3rd congressional district in the 2022 midterms. He said the alleged charges against him are further proof that Democrats see him as a threat.

'This is simply an act of my opponent Trahan calling in political favors to smear my name and distract our communities from voting for a REAL leader who will serve them and their interests,' he told DailyMail.com in a statement.

The candidate, currently a State Senator, accused Massachusetts Attorney General Maury Healey, who is running for governor of the state, of 'abusing' her power by targeting him.

'Last Friday, Maury Healey, the Attorney General and Democrat Nominee for Governor issued a press release to the public indicating that I was indicted on various charges,' Tran said.

He insisted: 'To this date, I am not aware nor have I received any notification or paperwork relating to the said indictment. This is proof of the political stunt that it really is.'

'The Democrat Nominee for Governor is abusing her political office to target her political opponents like me in a shameful display of corruption,' he accused.

The response comes after Healey's office released a statement on Friday claiming that Tran was charged for 'theft of a firearm'.

'Former Massachusetts State Senator Dean Tran has been charged in connection with an incident involving his alleged theft of a firearm from an elderly constituent and subsequent efforts to mislead investigators about what happened,' the press release on the charges read.

The release said that Tran was indicted on six different counts  one count of Larceny of a Firearm by a Worcester Grand Jury, one count of Larceny Over $250 from Person +60/Disabled, one count of Obtaining a Signature by False Pretenses with Intent to Defraud, a count on Misleading a Police Investigation and a final count of Stealing by Confining or Putting in Fear.

Tran says that despite this statement, he has not received any notification to himself, his campaign or his attorneys with the formal charges.

'This is simply an act of my opponent Trahan calling in political favors to smear my name and distract our communities,' Tran told DailyMail.com. Rep. Lori Trahan (right) is running for reelection for her House seat in Massachusetts' 3rd congressional district and Massachusetts Attorney General Maury Healey (left) is running for governor in the state

'These allegations are categorically false, debunked years ago, and are brought up as a political distraction from the success of my campaign,' the Vietnamese-American candidate said.

'As the first Asian State Senator in the history of our commonwealth, I'm a threat to their identity politics narrative,' he continued. 'I'm, to date, the Asian American who holds the highest elected office in Massachusetts.'

The Massachusetts AG's office included a disclaimer in their press release on the supposed charges they levied against the candidate: 'These charges are allegations, and all defendants are innocent until proven guilty.'

Tran is running unopposed in his GOP primary and so is Democratic incumbent congresswoman Trahan.

Charges from Healey's office stem from an alleged incident in June 2019.

The Massachusetts Attorney General claims that Tran used his position of trust as a member of the Massachusetts Senate from the Worcester and Middlesex district to intimidate one of his elderly constituents into giving him her late husband's firearms.

Tran, according to the charges, gave the woman a contract and gave the woman $1,500 in exchange for at least eight guns.

The charges further claim that Tran returned the firearms to the constituent the next day when she asked for them back, but allegedly 'forced' his way into the home, demanded the keys to the gun safe and stole a Colt .45 hidden in her bedroom.

He later returned the firearm to the woman, according to the AG statement.

Charges further claim that Tran gave conflicting stories to police when questioned about the incident. The AG's office also alleges that Tran made false statements on his May 2019 license-to-carry renewal application.

Tran's Senior Campaign Advisor Rafaello Carone told DailyMail.com: 'The continual pointless and pathetic attempts to tarnish Dean's name are proof of the success of this campaign.'

'The people of MA-3 see through this desperate political stunt and will continue to support Dean through November,' he added. 'The American people are tired of the DC elite and the Democrat machine abusing their political power to attack their political opponents they deem a threat.'
The publisher of a Florida newspaper apologized for the poison-pen obituary written by the embittered son of a former NYPD officer that called him an 'abusive alcoholic' who was 'incapable of love.'

The mea culpa by Florida Times-Union publisher Gannett came after Lawrence Pfaff Jr., of Jacksonville, memorialized his dad in the July 2 edition of their paper as a 'womanizer' who left behind a 'path of destruction.'

'From a young age, he was a ladies' man and an abusive alcoholic, solidifying his commitment to both with the path of destruction he left behind, damaging his adult children, and leaving them broken,' the heartsick son wrote.

Lawrence Pfaff Jr wrote a scathing takedown of his father, who he called an 'abusive alcoholic' in an obituary that ran in the Florida Times Union

He went on to trash his father as a ne'er-do-well whose love of the bottle eclipsed anything else in his love.

'Lawrence, Sr's hobbies included abusing his first wife and children,' the son wrote. 'He loved to start projects but never followed through on any of them. He enjoyed the life of a bar fly for many years and had a quaint little living space, studio, above his favorite hole in the wall, the club Nashville.'

The blistering epitaph proved too much for Gannett after the paper hit Southern Florida's doorsteps.

Lawrence Pfaff Jr, pictured here with his wife, Gwen, said that he wrote the scathing memorial to his dad so that he could cleanse himself and move past his anger

'We regrettably published an obituary that did not adhere to our guidelines and we are looking into the matter further,' the publisher told First Coast News. 'We regret any distress this may have caused.'

Pfaff Jr said that he started the takedown of his father a year before his father died in Belmont, New York, at the age of 81 on June 27.

'Writing his obituary was a way for me to cleanse myself and let that part of my life go,' he told the broadcast outlet.

Here is the full obituary written by Lawrence Pfaff Jr. after his father died on June 27 at the age of 81

He said that he tried to bond with his father when he was younger, but has been estranged from the patriarch for 30 years.

The offended offspring said that his father had several children; some he acknowledged; others he did not.

'He is survived by his three children, no four. Oops, five children. Well as of 2022 we believe there is one more that we know about, but there could be more. His love was abundant when it came to himself, but for his children it was limited,' Lawrence Jr. said in his obituary.

The son even took a swipe at his father's career in law enforcement.

'Lawrence, Sr. did spend over 20 years in the NYPD, but even his time in service was negligent at best,' his son wrote. 'Because of his alcohol addiction, his Commanding Officer took away his gun and badge, replacing them with a broom until he could get his act together.'

Despite Gannett's regrets over publishing the obit, many reached out to Lawrence Jr. on Facebook to applaud his courage.

'I also lived your special kind of hell as a child with a father that was a monster,' Cathy Nix posted on the social networking site. 'I have worked through many years of pain to make a wonderful successful life although it has been more than a struggle at times. Society needs to hear more people like yourself step up for those that never had a voice. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so brave to speak your truth.'

Alcoholism played a major role in the dad's tragic legacy, but that did not earn him any passes from his son.

'Lawrence, Sr. did claim to be clean and sober for over thirty years, but never worked any of the twelve steps, including the eighth and ninth steps with his children, making amends,' his son wrote. 'He possesses no redeeming qualities for his children, including the ones he knew, and the 'ones he knew about.'''

The funeral for Lawrence Sr. was at Clayton Funeral Home in Kings Park, New York, according the website Legacy.com.

Two people remember the former officer differently, posting glowing memorials on his funeral webpage.

'I'll miss you, good buddy,' Michael Pirrone wrote. 'You were a strong and loyal friend to me and I'll always remember you as someone who never said no when I was in need. You helped me immensely in life and for that I will always be grateful. You will always be remembered.'

Another friend, Michael Hoffman, wrote 'May you rest easy, Brother until the day we meet again. I will always hold you in my heart. I love you.'

But that's not how his own son recalled him.

'It will be challenging to miss Lawrence, Sr. because he was narcissistic,' Lawrence Jr. wrote. 'He was incapable of love. Lawrence, Sr.'s passing proves that evil does eventually die, and it marks a time of healing, which will allow his children to get the closure they deserve. Lawrence, Sr. can be remembered for being a father to many, and a dad to none.'
The House select committee on January 6 is expected to hold its second primetime hearing Thursday, after another round of testimony Tuesday, following Cassidy Hutchinson's bombshell appearance in a surprise hearing last week.

The Guardian reported Thursday that a primetime hearing was in the works for next Thursday, though the committee has not officially added it to the schedule.

The committee did announce a Tuesday hearing at 10 a.m.

Reps. Elaine Luria and Adam Kinzinger would lead questioning during the Thursday primetime hearing, with the subject matter being what was happening inside the White House during the January 6 Capitol attack, the Guardian said.

Additionally the Guardian reported that on Tuesday, Reps. Jamie Raskin and Stephanie Murphy would lead a session on former President Donald Trump sending extremist groups to Washington, D.C., so they would be present on January 6 - the day Congress would count the Electoral Votes, and cement President Joe Biden as the winner.

The House select committee on January 6 is expected to hold its second primetime hearing Thursday, after another round of testimony Tuesday, following Cassidy Hutchinson's bombshell appearance in a surprise hearing last week

Aide to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows Cassidy Hutchinson provided blockbuster testimony before the January 6 House select committee during a surprise hearing last week

Last week, Hutchinson's blockbuster testimony touched on extremist groups being present in Washington on January 6.

The 25-year-old was an aide who worked under Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

In video footage from her deposition, Hutchinson recalled hearing the names of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers during the planning 'when Mr. Giuliani would be around.'

Hutchinson also spoke to Trump's mental state on January 6 and in the weeks preceding the Capitol attack, when he was trying to have state and federal officials

She recounted Trump's rage when he was informed that he couldn't go to the Capitol Building on January 6 after he whipped up supporters during the rally on the Ellipse.

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.

Additionally, Hutchinson said she remembered 'hearing noise' shortly after an Associated Press article came out that quoted Attorney General Bill Barr - who said there was no evidence of widespread 2020 election fraud, like Trump claimed.

Meadows, she said, was summoned to Trump's office and when he returned, she walked 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.
President Joe Biden on Thursday said he looks forward to the continued cooperation with the United Kingdom on a range of issues, including the Ukraine, in a statement following Boris Johnson's resignation that failed to mention the outgoing prime minister by name.

Biden released the statement in the hours after Johnson, standing in front of 10 Downing Street, announced his resignation.

Otherwise the president had no comment on PM's exit, telling reporters at the White House: 'Its a part of the process.'

Biden and Johnson were a diplomatic odd couple but found common ground after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The president said he expects the U.S. and the U.K. to continue 'maintaining a strong and united approach to supporting the people of Ukraine.'

Johnson has been one of Biden's strongest allies in targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin for his invasion of the Ukraine.

'The United Kingdom and the United States are the closest of friends and Allies, and the special relationship between our people remains strong and enduring,' Biden said in a statement that didn't mention Johnson's name.

President Joe Biden said he looks forward to the continued cooperation with the United Kingdom on a range of issues in a statement following Boris Johnson's resignation - above the two leaders at last week's NATO summit

President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson - seen at the G7 meeting in Germany last week - had an odd couple relationship but found common ground with Russia's attack on the Ukraine

'I look forward to continuing our close cooperation with the government of the United Kingdom, as well as our Allies and partners around the world, on a range of important priorities. That includes maintaining a strong and united approach to supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Putin's brutal war on their democracy, and holding Russia accountable for its actions,' the president added.

Johnson and Biden saw each other last week in Madrid at the NATO summit and in Germany at the G7 meeting.

When asked whether Biden will speak to the outgoing-PM, a White House official told DailyMail.com there was no calls to previews.

Johnson said he will stay in power until Conservatives choose a new leader. That person would be the country's next prime minister.

Johnson blamed 'powerful herd instinct' for his ousting, saying: 'In the last few days, I tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments when we're delivering so much and when we have such a vast mandate and when we're actually only a handful of points behind in the polls, even in mid-term after quite a few months of pretty relentless sledging and when the economic scene is so difficult domestically and internationally.

'I regret not to have been successful in those arguments and of course it's painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself.

'But as we have seen at Westminster the herd instinct is powerful, when the herd moves, it moves.'

Biden and Johnson were seen as a diplomatic odd couple with little in common: Biden is a longtime public official with a history of public service while Johnson was a brash politician often compared to Donald Trump.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation on Thursday

President Biden's statement after Johnson's resignation did not mention Johnson by name

Biden opposed Brexit - which Johnson eased England through - and Northern Ireland's role as part of the Britain's exit from the European Union, which he spoke to Johnson about when the two men met Biden's first year in office.

Biden was initially cold to Johnson, who had made questionable comments about Barack Obama's Kenyan heritage and cozied up to Trump, who had supported Brexit.

But the two men found common ground in the Ukraine. Both of them opposed Putin's invasion of Russia's neighboring country and had their governments inact strong financial sanctions in response.

Johnson, in his resignation speech, cited his support of Ukraine as part of his proudest moments. He visited Ukrainian President Zelensky twice during the invasion.

'I'm immensely proud of the achievements of this government, from getting Brexit done to settling our relations with the continent for over half a century  and, in the last few months, leading the West in standing up to Putin's aggression in Ukraine,' he said.

'And let me say now, to the people of Ukraine, that I know that we in the U.K. will continue to back your fight for freedom for as long as it takes,' he added.
Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted last year of murdering George Floyd, was sentenced to 21 years on Thursday on a separate federal charge of civil rights violations in a Minnesota U.S. District Court.

Chauvin will also be transferred from the state prison, where he is currently incarcerated, to a federal prison, which is considered by many to be a far safer and less restrictive place to serve time.

In handing down the sentence, U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson told Chauvin: 'For your actions, you must be held accountable.'

Chauvin's sentence was doled out as 252 months in prison, but Judge Magnuson subtracted seven-months for time already served.

Chauvin, 46, pleaded guilty in December as part of a plea deal, admitting he violated Floyd's civil rights by kneeling on the man's neck and back.

His plea called for a 20- to 25-year sentence; prosecutors sought the full 25 on the grounds that Chauvin's actions were cold-blooded and needless, while his attorney, Eric Nelson, asked for the minimum.

Chauvin didn't offer an apology to the members of Floyd's family present in the courtroom, but instead said he wished his kids 'all the best in their life,' and hoped they would have 'excellent guidance in becoming good adults.'

Chauvin is already serving 22.5 years in his state sentencing which was handed down in June

Chauvin, 46, pleaded guilty in December as part of a plea deal, admitting he violated Floyd's civil rights by kneeling on the man's neck and back

Floyd's brother, Philonise Floyd, asked the court that Chauvin receive the maximum sentence.

'My brother was murdered in broad daylight with a knee to his neck for nine minutes,' Floyd said. 'The [Floyd] family and I have been given a life sentence, we will never get George back.'

Floyd's girlfriend, Courteney Ross, sent in a written statement, saying she didn't hate Chauvin, but was trying to forget him.

'It is difficult to explain what was taken from me... Floyd was the man I loved... I miss laughing with him,' she said.

Chauvin was seen in videos recorded by horrified onlookers kneeling on the handcuffed Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes in May 2020

Judge Magnuson also said Chauvin 'absolutely destroyed the lives' of three other officers who were involved in the arrest, Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane, who were convicted in February of federal civil rights charges.

Magnuson will be handing down their sentences to at a not yet determined date, and many have speculated that the judge's comments to Chauvin indicate he intends to give them lighter sentences.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said Chauvin's sentencing was a 'step of accountability on the road to justice.'

In obtaining this conviction and sentence, they sent a message to Minnesotans, all Americans, and law-enforcement agencies around the country that crime like this will not be tolerated and that we must do better.'

Chauvin was sentenced to 22.5 years on state murder charges last June, which he has appealed.

He will serve both his federal and state sentences concurrently.

That state sentence for murder and manslaughter was the longest an officer has ever received for unlawful use of deadly force.

Before he's even eligible for parole, Chauvin will have to serve 15 years of his sentence. He could be released after that on good behavior, but many demonstrators chanting outside the Minneapolis courtroom say 15 years isn't enough.

Floyd's killing sparked immediate protests in Minneapolis that spread around the U.S. and beyond in a reckoning over police brutality and discrimination involving people of color

Chauvin will be transferred from the state prison, where he is currently incarcerated, to a federal prison, which is considered by many to be a far safer and less restrictive place to serve time

Four former Minneapolis police officers convicted of civil rights violations in George Floyd's killing. Pictured from left: Derek Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao.

Chauvin, who is white, admitted he willfully deprived Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure, including unreasonable force by a police officer, during the May 2020 arrest.

The former officer was seen in videos recorded by horrified onlookers kneeling on the handcuffed Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes in a brutal arrest on a Minneapolis street corner on May 25, 2020.

Floyd's killing sparked immediate protests in Minneapolis that spread around the U.S. and beyond in a reckoning over police brutality and discrimination involving people of color.

It was one of the largest protest movements ever seen in the United States.

As part of his plea agreement, Chauvin also pleaded guilty to violating the rights of a then-14-year-old black boy who he restrained in an unrelated case in 2017.
Hard-nosed technology executive Ramesh 'Sunny' Balwani has been found guilty on 12 counts of fraud for his role in duping investors and patients over revolutionary technology claims of blood-testing company Theranos.

A jury in San Jose, California spent two weeks deciding the verdict on 10 counts of federal wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud filed against Balwani, 57, for his role at Theranos, a blood-testing company founded by disgraced founder Holmes when she was just 19.

They pored over testimony, emails, salacious texts, and other evidence submitted during a three-month trial before finding him guilty on all 12 counts.

'Balwani is not a victim,' Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Schenk said in his closing argument. 'He is a perpetrator of the fraud. Mr. Balwani knows that the biggest threat to fraud is the truth.'

Each of the ten wire fraud charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, with the conspiracy counts carrying a maximum five year sentence.

After the verdicts were read and the jury was dismissed, Balwani walked over to his two brothers who were sitting behind him for what appeared to be a solemn discussion. The three sat quietly, heads bowed.

Holmes, who dated Balwani as they operated the failed company, was found guilty on just four counts of fraud in a separate trial and faces up to 20 years in prison.

Ramesh 'Sunny' Balwani (center, exiting court today) has been found guilty on all 12 counts for his role in duping investors and patients over revolutionary technology claims of blood-testing company Theranos, founded by disgraced CEO Elizabeth Holmes

Balwani, 57, is the former business partner and secret lover of Holmes (left), with whom she built a fraudulent empire selling snake oil. The couple first met when Holmes was only 18, he helped her found her business as her COO

The duo's partnership was shown in the Hulu series, The Dropout, staring Amanda Seyfried (right) as Holmes and Naveen Andrews as Balwani (left)

JURY FINDS RAMESH 'SUNNY' BALWANI GUILTY ON 12 FRAUD AND CONSPIRACY CHARGES Following a three month trial this year, a San Jose, California jury found Ramesh 'Sunny' Balwani, 37, guilty on 12 counts of fraud and conspiracy over his role as COO of Theranos. The charges included: One count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud against Theranos investors

One count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud against blood-testing patients

Six counts of wire fraud against Theranos investors

Four counts of wire fraud against blood-testing patients The conspiracy charges carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison, each. The fraud charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Advertisement

Holmes claimed that her 'Edison' device (named after Thomas Edison) was a mini lab that could process over 240 tests, from cholesterol to infectious disease. It was modeled to look like Steve Jobs' 'NeXT computer.' One whistleblower in the HBO doc said that 'pieces of the device would literally fall off in the middle of testing,' and centrifuges exploded on the inside. Eventually, Theranos used third-party commercial lab testing machines made by Siemens but continued to lie to investors about their 'groundbreaking' technology

Balwani began dating Holmes, now 38, around the same time she dropped out of Stanford University in 2003 to found her startup.

He helped Holmes behind the scenes until 2010 when he became Theranos' chief operating officer while he was living with Holmes.

Balwani eventually oversaw the blood-testing lab that was delivering the inaccurate results and supervised a Walgreen's deal for his company's misleading 'Edison' device .

The couple broke up in 2016 as Theranos began to collapse amid revelations about serious problems with Theranos' technology that they had concealed from investors and patients.

Prosecutors ultimately brought on 24 government witnesses who testified that Balwani was a lead accomplice to the scheme.

Balwani's defense, who are expected to file an appeal, argued however that the government's case was incomplete during 12-hours of closing arguments.

'Mr. Balwani put his heart and soul into Theranos, he worked tirelessly year after year to make the company a success,' Jeffrey Coopersmith, a defense attorney for Balwani said. 'The government hasn't proved Mr. Balwani tried to deceive or cheat anybody.'

A separate jury spent seven days deliberating over the evidence in Holmes' fraud trial before convicting her on four counts of investor fraud and conspiracy and acquitting her on four counts of patient fraud and conspiracy earlier this year.

She could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison by in a hearing scheduled for late September.

The jury in Balwani's trial is aware of Holmes' conviction but has been ordered not to consider that in their deliberations.

Nearly 600 pages of private text messages were presented during Holmes' fraud trial which revealed their lavish lifestyle - like planning trips to Las Vegas that included reservations at three star Michelin restaurants and thousand dollar hotels.

Other texts ranged from the mundane: business meetings, staff attendance, internal complaints, flight details and updates on their pet fish, to romantic love overtures: 'This is our year,' wrote Holmes, 'We can never forget it tiger... for our kids never forget who we are.'

In another thread from May 2015, Holmes says, 'You are breeze in desert for me. My water. And ocean  Meant to be only together tiger.'

She added: 'Madly in love with you and your strength.'

Balwani's texts were equally effusive: 'Infinite love for you in every breath,' he wrote in April 2016.

'You are breeze in desert for me. My water. And Ocean,' read the messages from Holmes to Balwani in May 2015, which were released during her trail

In another message from July 2015, Balwani tells Holmes to 'be strong' and that he loves her

Pictured: Balwani attending his trial last week. Prosecutors said that from the shadows, Balwani advised his girlfriend on how to run Theranos

Holmes, who dated Balwani as they operated the failed company, was found guilty on just four counts of fraud in a separate trial and faces up to 20 years in prison

Very little is known Balwani's professional and private life, including why he got his nickname, 'Sunny.' Despite being a tech entrepreneur he remains a virtual ghost with almost no digital footprint.

Balwani was born in Pakistan on June 13, 1965. His family eventually immigrated to the United States and Balwani got a bachelor degree in information systems from the University of Austin Texas.

He went on to work as a sales manager for Microsoft and Lotus Software before joining a start-up called CommerceBid.com as president, at the height of the dot-com boom in 1999.

Forbes named Holmes the world's youngest self-made woman billionaire (worth $4.5 billion) in 2014, when she was 30 years old

CommerceBid was a was a business-to-business auctioning platform that was purchased for $225 million in 2002 by Commerce One, a publicly traded company worth $20 billion. In the process, Balwani banked $40 million from the deal, just the dot-com bubble burst and rendered the company worthless.

As the New York Times said, 'it was a routine dot-com rags-to-riches-to-rags story.'

Balwani divorced his Japanese artist wife in 2002, and went back to school for his M.B.A.

It was around that time that he first met Holmes in Beijing as part of a summer Mandarin immersion program. Holmes was only 18 at the time and about to enter her freshman year at Stanford University, Balwani was 37.

During her trial at the end of 2021, Holmes told the jury: 'I talked to him about wanting to start a company, and a company that I tried to build in high school, and I asked for his advice.'

The pair became romantically involved not long after Holmes dropped out of Stanford in the fall of 2003 to found Theranos at age 19. By 2005, Holmes had moved into Balwani's Palo Alto condominium.

From the shadows, Balwani advised his girlfriend on how to run Theranos. Early employees said his presence was felt from behind the scenes, and that it was common for Holmes to begin sentences with 'Sunny says.'

He officially joined the company in September 2009 as President and Chief Operating Officer, in spite of having no experience in medicine or lab testing. By that time, Theranos had burned though $47 million in seed money, and was on the brink of bankruptcy. Balwani kept things afloat with a personal $13 million investment.

'The company was low on cash, and I knew of the mission and that what the company was trying to do was paramount and I offered to help the company and I ended up giving a $13 million personal loan,' said the former software executive, said in court testimony obtained by The Dropout podcast. 'It was interest-free. It was a good-faith loan.'

Powerhouse Board of Directors: Holmes' success hinged on her ability to captivate powerful men. Sitting on her Board of Directors, were two former Secretaries of State, two Secretaries of Defense, and the Former CEO of Wells Fargo. Kissinger described Holmes as 'an excellent businesswoman.' He added: 'You have to remember, she has a sort of ethereal quality. She is like a member of a monastic order'

Holmes and Balwani bilked high-profile investors out of $900 million. Some of the biggest names included: the founders of Walmart, who gave $150million; Rupert Murdoch, who invested $125million; the Devos family office put in $100million. In addition to the scions of the Cox telecommunications family who lost $100million, as well as the Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim, Robert Kraft and the Oppenheimer family who once owned De Beers diamonds

In 2013, the couple purchased a five-bedroom, seven-bathroom house in the tony suburb of Atherton for $9 million under a limited liability company (LLC) which was named 'HMFR.' According to a court document, those initials stood for a prayer in Arabic that the couple often recited; the prayer translates to 'This too is my God's glory,' explained Holmes. Balwani sold the 6,800-square-foot property this past January for a whopping $15.8 million

While Elizabeth focused on being the public-facing star of the company, Balwani's job was to manage day-to-day operations on the backend. Their board of directors included a several former government officials and billionaires.

Balwani's mercurial management style was demanding, brutal and uncompromising. He quickly earned the reputation as Holmes' fearsome 'enforcer' who 'terrorized' company employees with a corporate culture ruled by paranoia, subterfuge, bullying, and threats.

'Balwani took to firing people so often that it gave rise to a new expression at the company: to 'disappear' someone,' reported John Carreyrou in the Wall Street Journal. That's how Theranos employees referred to someone who was dismissed. ''Sunny disappeared him,' they would say.'

The couple purchased a five-bedroom, seven-bathroom house in the tony suburb of Atherton in 2013. They created a limited liability company (LLC) to purchase the $9 million residence which was named 'HMFR.'

According to a court document, those initials stood for a prayer in Arabic that the couple often recited; the prayer translates to 'This too is my God's glory,' explained Holmes.

Later, after they broke up, Balwani bought out Holmes, who owned a 50% stake in the LLC, for $7.9 million in 2018. He sold the 6,800-square-foot property this past January for a whopping $15.8 million.

The Dropout recreated one of the Balwani's morning rally's he ran with Holmes ahead of the deal he was set to close with Walmart over their fraudulent blood testing device

Unlike Holmes, Balwani did not take the stand in his own defense. Holmes, who was also found guilty earlier this year, was accompanied by her husband, Billy Evans (right)

Unlike Holmes, who spent seven days on the witness stand during her trial, Balwani didnt testify in his own defense.

Balwani's defense mirrored Holmess in one key aspect: Both depicted the pair as tireless workers who believed so deeply in Theranos' technology that they never sold their respective stakes in the Palo Alto, California, company.

At one point in 2014, Holmes' fortune was estimated at $4.5 billion while Balwani's Theranos holdings were valued at $500 million.

But everything began to unravel in late 2015 after a series of explosive articles in The Wall Street Journal exposed rampant problems with Theranos' technology.

By May 2016, Holmes had dumped Balwani as her business and romantic partner. Holmes is now the mother of an infant son fathered by her current partner, Billy Evans, who was by her side through most of her trial.
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New pictures of Nancy Pelosi's Italian vacation obtained by DailyMail.com show the House Speaker lounging on the beach alongside her napping husband Paul Pelosi, as he awaits trial on DUI charges and she prepares to head back to work in Congress with the Democrats in turmoil.

Although the California Democrat has appeared all smiles so far during her vacation to Italy  rubbing elbows with the Pope and opera star Andrea Bocelli  the images revealed Thursday show Pelosi appearing preoccupied.

Pelosi relaxed on a lounge chair on the beach at the ritzy Alpemare Beach Club in Tuscany, that's owned by Bocelli, after Americans faced travel chaos over July 4 weekend and sky-high gas prices.

Images show her clutching to her phone and staring off across the sand as her husband, who was arrested last month for allegedly driving drunk in Napa Valley, slept just a few feet away.

Her son Paul Pelosi Jr. also joined her for a walk on the beach wearing a white t-shirt and blue plaid shorts, the new images show.

Their visit comes in the midst of Congress' summer recess and more than a month following Paul's DUI arrest in Napa Valley, California. He is now awaiting charges that could result in jail time if he is convicted.

New exclusive photos obtained by DailyMail.com from Nancy Pelosi's Italian vacation show her starting off and clutching her phone while husband Paul Pelosi, who is awaiting a trial for his DUI charge, sleeps beside her

The House Speaker, wearing white pants and an oversized white t-shirt, walked along the beach with her son Paul Pelosi Jr., 53, who was wearing a white t-shirt and blue plaid shorts

Pelosi had an oversized floral white t-shirt on as she walked alongside her 53-year-old son.

While Pelosi spent her holiday at the expensive resort in Italy, residents of her state spent their Independence Day weekend forking over $6.22 on average for a gallon of gas.

The holiday weekend was the first since 2019 to return to pre-pandemic levels, which led to further complications as airlines are already experiencing staff shortages.

This booking photo provided by the Napa County Sheriff's Office shows Paul Pelosi on May 29, 2022, following his arrest on suspicion of DUI in Northern California

Pelosi is soaking up the sun ahead of her return to Congress and with just months for the Democrats to try and avoid a mauling by Republicans in the November midterm elections.

Photos published by DailyMail.com on Wednesday showed the couple mingling with Bocelli and his wife, Veronica Berti, and other guests during their vacation.

Paul wore black shorts and a navy blue polo short as he mingled with guests on the beach.

Friday through Sunday there were 1,400 cancellations for flights within, in or out of the United States, stranding some passengers heading on holiday for the long weekend. More than 14,000 flights were delayed this holiday weekend.

Reports from insiders, according to The New York Post, claims that patrons did not recognize the California Democratic congresswoman. Some say that people kept asking lifeguards who Speaker Pelosi was.

The Pelosi's vacation spot is located between the beach and mountains in Forte dei Marmi, which is about 60 miles west of Florence, Italy.

It comes a week after Pelosi's meeting with Pope Francis, when she received Communion during a papal Mass in St. Peter's Basilica despite her position in support of abortion rights.

The Roman Catholic archbishop of San Francisco, Salvatore Cordileone, banned Pelosi a month ago from taking communion due to her pro-abortion stance.

While she was all smiles during her conversations with her husband and Opera star Andrea Bocelli during her stay at his Italian beach resort, while lounging she clutched her red iPhone and appeared to stare off into space

Pelosi walks with her son along the beach at the resort in Forte dei Marmi  still hold onto her red iPhone

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi continued her Italian vacation during the congressional summer recess with a visit to operatic tenor Andrea Bocelli's Italian beach resort in Forte dei Marmi

Pelosi and her husband speak with Bocelli and his wife Veronica Berti (left) as Paul Pelosi (right) awaits trial for his DUI charge in California in May, which could lead to jail time

Pelosi and son walk along the beach in Italy

Pelosi donned a blue patterned low v-neck one-piece swimsuit and covered up with white pants and an open white long-sleeve shirt as she walked along the beach in Italy

Pelosi attended the morning Mass last Wednesday with her husband as he awaits trial for the DUI he was arrested for in May. The service marked the feasts of St. Peter and St. Paul, during which Francis bestowed the woolen pallium stole on newly consecrated archbishops.

She was seated in a VIP diplomatic section and received Communion along with the rest of the congregants, according to two people who witnessed the moment.

Pelosi's home archbishop, San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, has said he will no longer allow her to receive the sacrament in his archdiocese because of her support for abortion rights.

Cordileone, a conservative, has said Pelosi must either repudiate her support for abortion or stop speaking publicly of her Catholic faith.

Pelosi has done neither.

She called the recent Supreme Court ruling removing constitutional protections for abortion an 'outrageous and heart-wrenching' decision that fulfils the Republican Party's 'dark and extreme goal of ripping away women's right to make their own reproductive health decisions.'

Her husband Paul's trial after he was arrested near his Napa Valley home on May 28 in his Porsche 911 is set to take place in July. Law enforcement confirmed to DailyMail.com that he is allowed to travel and has no restrictions on using a car.

Pelosi walked across the sand with what appeared to be a security detail trailing her

Pelosi and Andrea Bocelli's wife Veronica (right) look at the beach during their break in the sun in Tuscany

And she has spoken openly of her Catholic faith, including at a diplomatic reception at the residence of the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See on Tuesday evening marking Independence Day.

Speaking to a crowd of ambassadors, Vatican officials and other Rome-based Americans, Pelosi spoke about the Catholic virtues of faith, hope and charity and the important role they play in the U.S. Embassys mission.

'Faith is an important gift, not everyone has it but it is the path to so many other things,' she told the crowd.

Pelosi met with Francis on Wednesday before the Mass and received a blessing.

While Francis presided over the Mass, he did not distribute Communion himself and Pelosi received the sacrament from one of the many priests who distributed it.

From the time he was archbishop in Buenos Aires, Francis has rarely distributed Communion, precisely to prevent the sacrament from becoming politicized.

Nancy and Paul meet Pope Francis (left) at the Vatican last Wednesday as she and husband Paul attended the morning Mass marking the feasts of St. Peter and St. Paul

She arrived in Italy Tuesday greeting Italian President Sergio Mattarella (right) at Quirinale Palace in Rome

Last year, President Joe Biden, another Catholic who also supports abortion rights, said after meeting with Francis that the pontiff told him to continue receiving the sacrament.

Biden later received Communion during a Mass in a Rome church that is under the authority of Francis as bishop of Rome.

Pelosi's partaking of the sacrament inside the Vatican during a Mass presided over by the pope was even more significant, and a sign of Francis' unwillingness to refuse the sacrament.

Francis has described the Eucharist as 'not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.'

Asked about some U.S. bishops who wanted to refuse Biden the sacrament, Francis told reporters during an airborne press conference in September that priests shouldn't be politicians and condemn their flock but should be pastors who accompany the faithful with tenderness and compassion.

Paul Pelosi, 82, was arrested in May on suspicion of a DUI after his 2021 Porsche was hit by a Jeep.

He was formally charged in June.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is captured arriving at the Leonardo da Vinci airport in Rome on Tuesday

'You are not to be admitted to Holy Communion': Archbishop Cordileone's letter to Nancy Pelosi in full Cordileone (pictured in 2015) said in a statement on Friday that Pelosi will not be admitted to Holy Communion in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, and cannot present herself to receive the Eucharist, until she backs away from her support for abortion The Second Vatican Council, in its Decree on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et spes, reiterated the Church's ancient and consistent teaching that 'from the first moment of conception life must be guarded with the greatest care while abortion and infanticide are unspeakable crimes' (n. 51). Christians have, indeed, always upheld the dignity of human life in every stage, especially the most vulnerable, beginning with life in the womb. His Holiness, Pope Francis, in keeping with his predecessors, has likewise been quite clear and emphatic in teaching on the dignity of human life in the womb. This fundamental moral truth has consequences for Catholics in how they live their lives, especially those entrusted with promoting and protecting the public good of society. Pope St. John Paul II was also quite consistent in upholding this constant teaching of the Church, and frequently reminded us that 'those who are directly involved in lawmaking bodies have a 'grave and clear obligation to oppose' any law that attacks human life. For them, as for every Catholic, it is impossible to promote such laws or to vote for them' (cf. Doctrinal Note on some questions regarding the participation of Catholics in political life [November 24, 2002], n. 4, 1). A Catholic legislator who supports procured abortion, after knowing the teaching of the Church, commits a manifestly grave sin which is a cause of most serious scandal to others. Therefore, universal Church law provides that such persons 'are not to be admitted to Holy Communion' (Code of Canon Law, can. 915). With regard to the application of these principles to Catholics in political life, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, wrote to the U.S. bishops in 2004 explaining the approach to be taken: In striving to follow this direction, I am grateful to you for the time you have given me in the past to speak about these matters. Unfortunately, I have not received such an accommodation to my many requests to speak with you again since you vowed to codify the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision in federal law following upon passage of Texas Senate Bill 8 last September. That is why I communicated my concerns to you via letter on April 7, 2022, and informed you there that, should you not publically repudiate your advocacy for abortion 'rights' or else refrain from referring to your Catholic faith in public and receiving Holy Communion, I would have no choice but to make a declaration, in keeping with canon 915, that you are not to be admitted to Holy Communion. As you have not publically repudiated your position on abortion, and continue to refer to your Catholic faith in justifying your position and to receive Holy Communion, that time has now come. Therefore, in light of my responsibility as the Archbishop of San Francisco to be 'concerned for all the Christian faithful entrusted to [my] care' (Code of Canon Law, can. 383, 1), by means of this communication I am hereby notifying you that you are not to present yourself for Holy Communion and, should you do so, you are not to be admitted to Holy Communion, until such time as you publically repudiate your advocacy for the legitimacy of abortion and confess and receive absolution of this grave sin in the sacrament of Penance. Please know that I stand ready to continue our conversation at any time, and will continue to offer up prayer and fasting for you. I also ask all of the faithful of the Archdiocese of San Francisco to pray for all of our legislators, especially Catholic legislators who promote procured abortion, that with the help and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they may undergo a conversion of heart in this most grave matter and human life may be protected and fostered in every stage and condition of life. Given at San Francisco, on the nineteenth day of May, in the Year of our Lord 2022. Advertisement
The IRS commissioner has asked the Treasury Department's inspector general to immediately review the circumstances surrounding intensive tax audits that targeted ex-FBI Director James Comey and ex-Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, both frequent targets of President Donald Trump's anger.

IRS spokesperson Jodie Reynolds said Thursday that IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig had personally reached out to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

Reynolds said the agency has officially referred the matter to the inspector general.

The IRS commissioner has asked the Treasury Department's inspector general to immediately review the circumstances surrounding intensive tax audits that targeted ex-FBI Director James Comey (left) and ex-Deputy Director Andrew McCabe (right)

A spokesperson for the Treasury Department said it is 'ludicrous and untrue to suggest that senior IRS officials somehow targeted specific individuals for National Research Program audits'

Former President Donald Trump repeatedly attacked both men over the FBI's Russia investigation that shadowed his presidency for years

But Reynolds insisted it is 'ludicrous and untrue to suggest that senior IRS officials somehow targeted specific individuals for National Research Program audits.'

The probe comes a day after The New York Times reported that Comey and McCabe were subjected to rare IRS audits of their tax returns.

The newspaper said Comey was informed of the audit in 2019 and McCabe learned he was under scrutiny in 2021.

Trump repeatedly attacked both men over the FBI's Russia investigation that shadowed his presidency for years.

Trump fired Comey in May 2017 in the midst of the Russia probe.

His firing triggered the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller to continue the FBI's investigation into Russian interference and any coordination with the Trump 2016 presidential campaign.

McCabe was fired in March 2018 after the Justice Department's inspector general concluded he had authorized the release of information to a newspaper reporter and then misled internal investigators about his role in the leak.

The termination by Jeff Sessions, the attorney general at the time, came hours before McCabe was due to retire.
Following the company's request for an expedited review of the regulator's verdict, a U.S. federal appeals court temporarily paused the FDA's ban on Juul.

The FDA said on Tuesday, July 5, that it uncovered scientific concerns with Juul's application that need more examination.

A Federal Appeals Court Halted FDA's Ban Few Weeks Ago, Giving Juul a Reprieve

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said late on Tuesday, July 5, that it will conduct another examination of the business' marketing application, postponing its ban on selling Juul Labs' e-cigarettes.

Following an appeal by the business for an urgent review of the regulator's ruling, a U.S. federal appeals court suspended the FDA's ban a few weeks ago, giving Juul a brief respite.

The FDA's decision to prohibit sales of the once-hot vape firm's goods is described as "exceptional and illegal" by the company, which points to, among other things, the agency's approval of comparable e-cigarette products manufactured by different manufacturers.

According to the FDA, Juul's application raised severe concerns and lacked sufficient details to allow officials to assess any possible health hazards. Juul said it provided adequate data and information to resolve every problem mentioned.

Juul's request for a stay while the court considers the matter was granted by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

The FDA said on Tuesday (July 5) that it had found specific scientific problems with the Juul application that called for further investigation.

However, it said the review and the stay do not represent approval for the marketing, sale, or shipping of Juul products.

Read Also: Meitu Warns Investor After a Collapse of Ether and Bitcoin Value

U.S FDA Released an E-Cigarette Prevention Campaign Last Month, Resulting in the Prohibition of Juul's E-Cigarettes

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, on June 8, the 'Next Legends' Youth E-cigarette Prevention Campaign has officially begun as part of the agency's continuous efforts to safeguard children from the risks associated with tobacco use.

Through distinctive branding and specialized content developed to motivate a new generation to live Native strong and vape-free, the campaign will educate American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) children aged 12 to 17 about the dangers of vaping.

More than half of the 400,000 Native American teenagers in the U.S. are in danger of using tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. According to studies, Native kids exhibit disproportionately high levels of e-cigarette experimentation and current usage compared to their non-Native classmates.

Following its announcement, FDA said on June 23 that it is banning the sale of Juul e-cigarettes in the U.S. market.

The FDA is reviewing the vaping sector more broadly as a result of years of pressure from public health organizations and lawmakers to regulate the market as severely as other tobacco products. This pressure increased as vaping grew more prevalent among high school students.

Since 2018, Juul has dominated the e-cigarette industry, according to Euromonitor International. The corporation owned 54.7% of the $9.38 billion U.S. e-vapor industry as of 2020.

According to statistics collected by the federal government in 2019, it was discovered that more than one in four high school pupils had used an electronic cigarette during the preceding 30 days. This figure was up from 11.7 percent only two years earlier. In 2020, lung ailments were linked to vaping, which heightened worries about e-cigarettes.

Because of increased regulatory monitoring and the wide spread of the coronavirus, consumption rates among high school students dropped to 11.3% in the previous academic year.

Related Article: The FDA Is Banning Puff Bar e-Cigarettes From Being Sold in the United States
Secret Service Director Jim Murray is retiring from the service and heading to the popular app Snapchat, where he'll serve as chief security officer, DailyMail.com confirmed.

'Jim embodies the meaning of service over self, and protected the families of U.S. Presidents like they were part of his own,' said a statement Thursday from the president and first lady. 'We are incredibly grateful for his service to our country and our family.'

The Secret Service's Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi told DailyMail.com that Murray delayed his retirement from the service by several months.

'He had the opportunity back in April but chose the end of July so he could not be a distraction from the president's NATO summit, the Summit of the Americas out in Los Angeles and the G7 summit that President Biden just returned from,' Guglielmi said.

'He also wanted to present the Secret Service's budget to Congress so he chose July 30,' the spokesperson added.

Murray started as head of the agency in 2019 and worked through the White House COVID pandemic that saw Donald Trump get infected - and him riding in a limo with agents outside Walter Reed.

The top salary bracket for the Secret Service is $189,000. Murray could get significantly more working for Snapchat.

The White House confirmed Thursday that Secret Service Director Jim Murray (pictured) was retiring, applauding his three-decade 'long and distinguished' career that spanned federal and military service

Snapchat's spokesperson said the company was 'thrilled' to add Murray to its ranks on August 1 and that he would report directly to CEO and co-founder Evan Spiegel.

He will be tasked with providing security for the more than 5,000 Snap employees around the globe.

The Washington Post first reported Murray was heading to Snapchat.

Murray was a 27-year veteran of the Secret Service and assumed the top post in May 2019, during the tenure of former President Donald Trump.

'As Director, Murray contributed significantly to the agency's continued professionalization and growth, and helped the agency navigate the unique challenges presented by the historic COVID-19 pandemic, throughout which the agency continued executing its integrated mission of providing protection to senior elected leaders and investigating crimes targeting our financial infrastructure,' the Secret Service statement said.

Among those 'unique challenges' was providing security for a president who didn't want to take precautions against COVID-19.

In June 2021, the nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics released a report that said 881 Secret Service employees had tested positive for COVID between March 1, 2020 and March 9, 2021, according to The Washington Post.

Among those, 477 members were in the special agent division, which includes the president and vice president's security details.

Trump famously refused to wear a facemask for most of the pandemic, with many White House officials and staff following his lead.

He also held massive rallies in the months leading up to the 2020 election - and before COVID-19 vaccines were approved for use.

When Trump was hospitalized for COVID in October 2020 he took a ride outside the Walter Reed medical facility with agents in his vehicle.

'Never before has the Secret Service run up against a president so intent on putting himself first regardless of the costs, including to those around him,' Ned Price, now the State Department spokesman, told The Post in August 2020.
Emmett Till protesters stormed a senior living facility in search of the woman who has been accused of setting a lynch mob on him after a 1955 arrest warrant was unearthed in a Mississippi courthouse.

Carolyn Bryant Donham, now in her 80s, of Raleigh, North Carolina, reportedly accused Till of whistling at her in a grocery store in Money, Mississippi, in 1955.

A week later, the 14-year-old Till was abducted, tortured, fatally shot and dumped into the Tallahatchie River, where his body was found swollen and mutilated three days later. His open casket shocked the nation.

Donham's husband, Roy Bryant, and half-brother, JW Milam, were arrested for his lynching, but later acquitted. The pair eventually admitted guilt, but couldn't be prosecuted due to double-jeopardy laws.

Last week, the unserved arrest warrant for Donham was found in the basement of a Mississippi courthouse, causing Till's family and activists to once again call for justice.

Protesters are in search of Carolyn Bryant Donham (right), now in her 80s, of Raleigh, N.C., after a 1955 arrest warrant with her name on it was unearthed in the basement of a Mississippi courthouse last week. Protesters are accusing her of sending a lynch mob after Emmitt Till, 14, (left), as her husband and half brother admitted to killing the boy

Emmett Till protesters stormed a senior living facility in search of Donham, who has been accused of setting a lynch mob on the teen in 1955

The senior citizens living in the facility looked confused as the activists stormed in and asked if they knew her

'You cannot ignore this,' said Priscilla Sterling, Till's cousin, according to WRAL. 'If this is whats needed to do for us to change our mindset, our behaviors and attitudes in the society, then this will do it. This will do it. Execute the warrant.'

One of the protesters later told a local media outlet: 'I do understand that Ms. Bryant is in her mid-to-late-80s, but understandably, this is a crime she committed when she was 22. Sixty years later, its time for her to be held accountable.'

Donham's daughter-in-law, Marsha Bryant, said the older woman 'had nothing to do with it.' She also claimed her relative was 'appalled' by Till's murder.

'They think she should die or go to jail forever. They think what happened to Emmett Till should happen to her,' Marsha told the Clarion Ledger.

Activists taped 'eviction notices' to the addresses listed under Donham's public records

The activists went to at least three residences that were associated with Donham

On Wednesday, the Lead Counsel for the Black Lawyers for Justice, Malik Shabazz, and other activists stormed a senior living center in search of her.

Shabazz and the group were seen going down a grungy stairwell in the senior living facility, which was not named, to hopefully confront the old woman.

'We on the move. We don't know how they're hiding this white woman down here, they're hiding Carolyn Bryant Donham,' Shabazz said in a Facebook Live. 'They're calling the police, but we're on the move. We know she's in here.'

The group descended on the brightly lit room, where senior citizens sat in wheelchairs and looked confused as the activists - some wearing what appears to be bulletproof vests - entered.

Video footage streamed live showed protesters knocking on doors calling out Carolyn Donham's name as they continued their search. But unable to locate her, they left the building

One woman asked, 'What does she look like?' when questioned if they knew Donham.

Shabazz said: 'The false accuser of Emmett Till, the one that said that Emmett Till had sexually assaulted her...she lives in this building.'

The unidentified woman replied: 'No, honey, she does not live in this facility. She lives in a nursing home, this is not a nursing home.'

The woman went on to say that Donham lives in a nursing home - or so she heard on TV - and dodged answering the question of the exact facility the woman was at.

Donham, photographed a younger age. She accused Till of whistling at her in a grocery store

Donham's husband, Roy Bryant, (right) and half-brother, JW Milam, (left) were arrested for his lynching, but acquitted. The pair later admitted guilt, but couldn't be prosecuted due to double-jeopardy laws

The group then left the facility through the side door, chanting: 'No justice, no peace' and 'black power.'

The activists also approached two other residences listed under Donham's name, to tape an 'eviction notice' to the front door.

Raleigh police were said to have arrived on the scene minutes after the protesters entered the building, according to The Daily Beast, which caused the facility to go into a brief lockdown.

The activists are still searching for Donham.

The Department of Justice closed Till's case in December, stating that no further prosecution could take place because federal hate crimes didn't exist in 1955. It also said the 'statute of limitations' for a civil rights case have expired.
Top NYPD boss Commissioner Keechant Sewell vented about the revolving door of justice in the Big Apple after nearly five dozen New Yorkers were struck by gunfire over the Fourth of July weekend.

There were 41 shootings across the five boroughs from Friday to Tuesday morning as the city celebrated the nation's birthday, with 56 victims and seven fatalities from the city's chronic gun problem.

Sewell, at a press conference on Thursday to discuss the crime statistics in the city, called for criminal justice reforms that allow repeat offenders to remain free pending their trial to be kept behind bars so that they don't commit more crimes.

NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell, center, vented about criminal justice reform and the rise in gun crime in New York City

'We also need to address the perception among criminals that there are no consequences for their actions. We are tackling the drivers of crime on all fronts at the same time, fighting against the perception that carrying an illegal gun has no consequences,' she said.

Although homicides and shootings have dipped in New York City over the last six months since last year, the Independence Day weekend was particularly violent.

Shootings in June were down a quarter from last year and murders for the month plunged 31 percent.

From Friday to Sunday, the amount of gunplay rose 60 percent from last year, according to NYPD stats. There were only 13 people shot in the city on the Fourth of July in 2021, compared to 21 on the holiday this year.

The boyfriend of an NYPD employee was shot in the trendy retail district of SoHo in a drive-by shooting that left him hospitalized.

Other victims in the holiday violence include a 62-year-old man fatally shot in the chest in the the Belmont section of the Bronx; a bodega shooting in East New York, Brooklyn, that killed two; and a Jamaica, Queens, barbecue that ended in gunfire with a two men and a woman hospitalized.

Shootings in NYC over Fourth of July weekend rose 60% this year, according to the NYPD. At least three people were killed on July 4 alone

Sewell's voiced rose during the Thursday press conference as she spoke of the victims of the gun violence.

'When we read the crime numbers we see the people who are negatively affected,' she said. 'People who just want to be and feel safe going to the store or to the park.'

Although the commissioner rattled off a number of crime suppression programs that she has developed with the other NYPD brass.

The boyfriend of an NYPD employee was shot in the arm while sitting in a car outside the Dior store in Soho, Manhattan

She said that 355 people were arrested on gun charges in June and there have been 3,700 guns taken off the street since January.

However, overall crime jumped 37 percent year-over-year, including a 41 increase in grand larceny, a 39 percent spike in robbery, and a 34 percent rise in burglary since last year.

Her frustration was apparent when she spoke about the rate of recidivism in the city and the problem with criminal justice laws that sailed through the state Legislature two years ago.

We at the NYPD know we have challenges and we step forward to face them, but we should not have to face them from within our own criminal justice system, Sewell said.

According to department stats, 80 percent of those arrested on gun crimes are released on low or no bail.

'We would like all of us to be rowing in the same direction,' she said. 'But as we have said repeatedly we have a number of people who are out with open cases and we would like them to be incarcerated as opposed to being out able to commit more offenses.'

She said that she would like to see more changes to the bail reform law and judges exercising their ability to consider a suspect's danger to the community in setting bail.

'It's criminal justice reform that we can speak to as the reason that these numbers are what they are,' she said, adding that lawmakers were 'well-meaning.'

'They need to be changed, they need to be tweaked,' she added.

Despite the head wins with the increase in crime, Sewell said that her department is determined to keep perpetrators off the street.

'We keep arresting the same people over and over again and we're not going to stop putting them in custody,' she said.
A Burger King worker has received more than $370,000 in donations after he went viral for receiving a measly goodie bag from the fast food giant for never missing a day of work in his 27 years as an employee.

Kevin Ford, 54, went viral last month after he received the gift, which contained movie tickets, a few pens, and a bag of Reese's Pieces, from the store in Las Vegas.

His daughter, Syrena Ford, then posted a GoFundMe thanking him for his years of commitment to his work and children.

As of Thursday afternoon, Ford has received more than $370,000 in donations.

'It still feels like a dream. It is so wonderful, I really can't put it into words,' Ford told DailyMail.com on Thursday.

'I keep telling people I can't believe it's real and that I think I am going to wake up from this beautiful dream, but it just keeps getting better.'

Ford plans to keep working for at least three or four more years, and is excited to visit his daughters in Texas in August.

He told DailyMail.com that although it was hard to never miss a day at work, he was committed to being the best employee he could be.

'I was a single father before I remarried, It was tough,' he said. 'I had two girls and one on the way at the time, but all I needed was to come home to my daughters calling me daddy. That fueled me. You can handle more than you believe, and I did'

Kevin Ford, 54, has received more than $370,000 in donations through GoFundMe in recognition of his 27 years of service at Burger King

Ford (pictured with daughter Syrena and grandchildren) plans to keep working for at least three or four more years, and is excited to visit his daughters in Texas in August

As of Thursday afternoon, Ford has received more than $370,000 in donations

Ford said he is still processing the massive donations he received after his video became viral.

'It was like a beautiful script that nobody could even write because nobody would believe it. It is a wonderful ride that America and the whole world put me on,' he said.

Ford started working at the company as a single father to gain custody of his first two children, his daughter Seryna explained last week.

The father-of-four said that he initially had no idea about the GoFundMe, and was overwhelmed by Syrena's words on the description of the page when he found out about it.

'The letter she wrote to me on the GoFundMe was really all I needed, for her to acknowledge the love she has for her daddy,' Ford told DailyMail.com.

Ford said he will use part of the money to pay for his grandchildren's education, and highlighted that he is happy they will be able to choose a career they are passionate about.

'I think everybody should go to school. I dropped out to take care of my family, but I want my grandchildren to follow their dreams,'

Last month, a video of 54-year-old Kevin Ford went viral as he received gifts including a movie ticket, a bag of Reese's Pieces and some pens for his dedication at work

In the footage, he graciously said that 'loyalty pays off.' Those watching the video felt that Ford deserved far more

Word spread of Ford's dedication to his job at the Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport branch of the burger chain when a viral video showed him being gifted a movie ticket, a bag of candy, a coffee tumbler, lanyard and some pens as a thank-you gift.

In the footage, he graciously said that 'loyalty pays off.'

Many Twitter users, however, were shocked that the company didn't do more for him.

'This is all y'all could do for this man?' one viewer tweeted, while another called Ford's video 'depressing' and 'embarrassing' for the brand.

Others suggested he deserved an entire franchise or an 'all expense paid trip.'

'I was grateful for anything. There's people I have worked with for 20 or 30 years and they didn't get anything. I am happy with anything,' Ford told NewsNationNow last month.

'I am grateful and happy. I am just thankful that I got that,' he said referring to the items he received. 'There are people working hard and they didn't get anything.

Speaking of the donations received, Ford was overcome with emotion.

'The generosity of these people is just overwhelming. I've been crying for three days now. I can't believe it. I really can't,' he said.

He said that he was unable to explain how he had never missed a shift in his 27 years of work.

'I don't know myself. I don't know how i did that! Maybe I'm a robot? I just never thought about taking a day off. I just try to work as hard as I can, whatever I do,' Ford said.

Ford was overcome with emotion as he thanked people for their generosity. He said that he would be using the money to visit his grandkids and to help pay for some of their college

Ford's daughter explained how as his family grew over the years he stayed at his job and 'continued to work here because of the amazing health insurance.'

'My dad continues to work here, 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.'

'I'm here tying to get through dinner without crying! You are such remarkable people,' Seryna wrote in a June 24 update. 'I seriously can't believe this. Y'all are changing his life! Thank y'all! A million times over, THANK YOU!!!!'

One of the many donors includes celebrity comedian David Spade, who donated $5,000 and had a private Instagram exchange with the BK worker.

'Keep up the good work. 27 years,' Spade wrote to Ford.

In response, according to a screenshot of their exchange obtained by TMZ, Ford replied: 'Holy s**t dude [three shocked face emojis].'

The Burger King employee also expressed he couldn't 'believe' Spade's kindness and was looking forward to using some of his paid time off.

'THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! For even watching the video! I love you my brother!!! Much love and God Bless... I think might be able to take a day off...' he told Spade.

Spade joked back that Ford should just 'wait till year 30' to take any time off.

'D**n, are you one of my managers??? he replied. 'Thank you again, Sir... Have a great day.'

In an Instagram exchange, Spade joked back that Ford should just 'wait till year 30' to take any time off
A fugitive yoga teacher who is facing first-degree murder charges for allegedly gunning down her love rival and then fleeing to Costa Rica on a fraudulent passport evaded cops for six weeks by going town-to-town despite officials sending two US Marshals to the country to track her down.

Kailtin Armstrong, 34, spent 43 days on the run after allegedly killing her love rival, pro-cyclist Anna Moriah Wilson, who had spent an evening with her boyfriend, Colin Strickland, in Austin in May.

At a press conference on Thursday, US Marshals said they caught Armstrong through 'good old-fashioned police work' by going door-to-door at hostels in San Jose, Jaco Beach and Saint Teresa - for six weeks. She had used three aliases to try to conceal her identity.

Armstrong's undoing began after she caught a bus from San Jose to Jaco Beach, and then frequented several yoga studios under several aliases, including Beth Martin, Liz Martin and Ari Martin. Locals identified her after being shown a photograph.

She then fled to Saint Teresa where she stayed at Don Jon's Lodge - a $50-a-night hostel where she taught part-time yoga under the Ari Martin alias. Local officers arrested her at the hostel where they discovered she had altered her appearance, including cutting her hair and dyeing it brown, and she had a bandage on her nose. Local officers also found a $6,350 receipt for cosmetic surgery in her belongings.

She was arrested after failing to prove her identity, and only confessed who she was on a six-hour journey back to San Jose.

Kaitlin Armstrong (left, before the alleged attack and right, after she was caught), 34, was transferred from Harris County in Houston to Travis County Jail in Austin on Tuesday afternoon

Armstrong arrived at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on Sunday looking very different to the picture of her before her disappearance

Armstrong will be transferred to Austin, where she faces murder charges for allegedly killing cyclist Anna Moriah 'Mo' Wilson, 25, (pictured) during a feud over Armstrong's on-and-off boyfriend, Colin Strickland

After being extradited, Armstrong has been booked in Travis County Jail in Austin and was charged with first degree murder as well as theft of service between $100 and $750.

Photographs show her with a visibly altered look, having had a $6,350 in cosmetic surgery as well as cutting and dying her hair brown.

She has been charged with felony first-degree murder and'theft of service.

Armstrong has retained two lawyers in her defense so far, Naomi Howard and Richard Lyn Cofer, II. DailyMail.com approached both for comment on the charges.

Before being arrested, a witness said he saw her with bandages on her nose before her June 29 arrest at a $50-a-night 'treehouse hostel' in Santa Teresa Beach.

Zachary Paulsen claimed Armstrong had been asking for ways to cut back on costs before she was caught out by cops during a routine check.

'She was just asking about how to get around cheaper, and then the police came,' Paulsen told Inside Edition.

Armstrong shown in Costa Rica before she was deported to the US

ABC 13 video showed Armstrong in handcuffs and hiding her face behind her formerly red hair, which she cut and dyed brown to allegedly disguise herself in the Central American country

Armstrong was arrested at a $50-a-night 'treehouse hostel' in Santa Teresa Beach on Wednesday after having been sought after by U.S. authorities since May 11. She is pictured on the right during her arrest

Timeline of Kaitlin Armstrong's movements since the murder of her boyfriend's lover May 11: Cyclist Anna Moriah 'Mo' Wilson, 25, is found dead in an apartment in Austin, Texas, shortly after going swimming with Armstrong's boyfriend, Colin Strickland. May 13: Armstrong sells her Jeep Grand Cherokee, seen in surveillance footage outside the apartment where Wilson had been staying, and gets a check on May 15 for $12,200. May 14: An anonymous police tipster tells investigators that Armstrong flew into a rage after discovering Strickland's romance with Wilson. Armstrong is questioned by cops on an old warrant but had to be released when police realized it had expired. During the police interview Armstrong admitted it 'doesn't look good' when cops pointed out she had been near the apartment at the time of the murder. An anonymous caller tells Austin police that Armstrong had recently obtained a handgun. Armstrong is released and goes on the run from cops by hopping on an Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to Houston Hobby and then getting on a connecting Southwest flight to LaGuardia in New York. May 17: The firearm located at Strickland's residence was 'test fired' and police have determined it had 'significant potential' to be the gun used in the crime May 18: Armstrong is last seen at Newark Liberty International Airport, a two-and-a-half hour drive from Camp Haven in Livingston Manor where she is said to have been spotted about a month ago. June 30: Armstrong is arrested at a hotel in Costa Rica after a 43-day manhunt. July 3: Armstrong is extradited to the U.S. Advertisement

Armstrong was seized by Costa Rican officers after they could not find her fake name in their database.

Paulsen alleged the fugitive left behind two American passports in a locker where she had stored her things.

One of the documents bore her name and the other seemingly belonged to her lookalike sister, Christine Armstrong.

Photographs of the documents show one passport bearing the name Kaitlin Marie Armstrong and featuring the yoga instructor's personal information and picture.

The other passport seemingly belonged to a 31-year-old brunette named Christine Elizabeth Armstrong, believed to be Armstrong's younger sister.

Authorities confirmed to the news outlet Armstrong had 'cropped her hair about shoulder length' and 'dyed it dark brown.'

This was likely an attempt to better resemble Christine.

Paulsen also claimed to have found a $6,350 receipt for cosmetic surgery under 'another name' among her belongings.

He alleged Armstrong had been walking around the hostel with a 'bandage on her nose and blood in her nostrils.'

The receipt doesn't indicate what services were provided, but Paulsen claims Armstrong had bandaged her nose.

Meanwhile ABC 13 video showed Armstrong in handcuffs and hiding her face behind her formerly ginger hair.

Brandon Filla, deputy U.S. Marshal for Austin, Texas, said she was captured 'at a good time' before she could further alter her appearance.

Filla told the 'TODAY Show' that Armstrong had made the changes 'to throw off law enforcement officials,' and indicated she may've attempted to get tattoos to make her more unidentifiable.

At Don Jon's Lodge in the small town of Santa Teresa, which is home to only 3,000 people. fellow guests described her as a 'strange' loner who would 'keep to herself,' despite sleeping in an eight-bunkbed dorm.

A source revealed to DailyMail.com on Friday that Armstrong first arrived at the Don Jon's Lodge on June 8.

Staff had repeatedly turned down her requests to work as a yoga instructor, but eventually relented and she started helping with the classes when the normal teacher was off. She was also working shifts on the front desk in reception.

The source said: 'When the [regular] yoga girl couldn't make it, [Armstrong] carried out the class instead of the other one. She didn't always work.'

They continued: 'She didn't talk to anyone. She didn't have to work in the morning and slept late. When she got up, she drank a lot of coffee. And she sat in some chairs, apart from the others.'

The 34-year-old would sit on chairs apart from the other guests who even thought she had left because they never saw her get home from her shifts at the resort (pictured, a file photo of the treehouses on the resort's website)

Kaitlin Armstrong was described as a 'strange' loner who would 'keep to herself' while sleeping in an eight-bunkbed dorm (pictured, her bed) at Don Jon's Lodge in Santa Teresa before she was arrested yesterday after six weeks on the run

Santa Teresa: Remote village where fugitive yoga teacher was finally caught Santa Teresa is a remote village on the Nicoya peninsula of Costa Rica, 93 miles from the capital city of San Jose. The population is around 3,099 inhabitants with another 500 throughout the the year due to tourism. Armstrong was found in Santa Teresa Beach, a remote Costa Rican town that has become popular for tourists in recent years Previously a quaint fishing community, the town has been transforming into a tourism hotspot, boasting beautiful beaches, yoga retreats, spas and surfing. There are currently 44 hotels, 59 tourist rental houses and 49 restaurants in the area. The town holds both luxury resorts and affordable hostels with prices ranging from $50 to $550 a night, making it attractive to both backpackers and celebrities alike. Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen are often spotted in the area, and have been going to Costa Rica together since 2007 There is also a bustling nightlife due to the bars and restaurants that line the beaches. The getaway was popularized in part by Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen, who are frequently spotted in the area with their kids. Bundchen has said they have been visiting since 2007. Advertisement

Armstrong had led cops on a mammoth six-week chase across multiple countries and U.S. states, including Texas, New York and New Jersey before she was arrested.

Earlier this week, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed footage of the alleged killer being marched into a police station in Costa Rica with a dramatically changed appearance.

Susan Pamerlea, the U.S. <arshal for the Western District of Texas said Thursday: '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.'

Armstrong stands accused of the May 11 shooting of Wilson, a cyclist whom she thought was having a relationship with her boyfriend, Colin Strickland.

The yoga instructor was linked to Wilson's death after authorities found her 'bleeding and unconscious' at her friend's apartment in Austin. She had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

Police performed CPR on Wilson before pronouncing her dead at the scene. Wilson, a Vermont native and 'world-class' cyclist, was staying in Austin for a race.

Armstrong's car was seen in the area around the time of the shooting, leading authorities to believe she had killed Wilson out of jealousy.

They later found out that earlier on May 11, Wilson had gone to dinner with Armstrong's on-off boyfriend Strickland, who told police the two of them had been swimming at Deep Eddy Pool before getting burgers at Pool Burger.

Strickland said he picked her up from the apartment of her friend Caitlin Cash on his BMW motorbike at 5: 45 p.m. and dropped her off again at 8:36 p.m.  stopping shortly after to text Armstrong to tell her he had been dropping off flowers to another friend and that his phone had run out of battery.

But unknown to Strickland, Armstrong had allegedly been tracking both he and Wilson using cycling app Strava, which shows the routes runners and cyclists take.

A neighbor, who asked not to be named, previously told DailyMail.com her security camera caught Armstrong's black Jeep Cherokee driving up to the property - above a garage at the back of a larger home - at 8:35 p.m.

She also told DailyMail.com that Armstrong had been caught on camera the previous day, riding a bike in the same spot.

During Wilson and Strickland's secret meet-up, Armstrong's 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee was spotted driving outside the home of Wilson's friend, where the cyclist was staying

Armstrong was questioned by Austin police officers on May 14, after they discovered the yoga instructor had an open misdemeanor warrant on a theft of services charge.

Cops used the opportunity to briefly question her about Wilson's death several days earlier - after they received an anonymous tip that Armstrong flew into a rage when she discovered that Strickland had previously been romantically involved with Wilson.

During the interview, cops showed Armstrong video surveillance of her SUV apparently coming to a stop outside the apartment, where Wilson was found dead on May 11. The footage was time-stamped just one minute after Wilson, 25, entered the building following a swim and dinner with Strickland.

Armstrong also admitted it 'doesn't look good,' and a probable cause document for her arrest says she 'had no explanation as to why it was in the area, and did not make any denials surrounding the statements presented to her.'

On May 13, five days before she fled the country, it was discovered that Armstrong had sold her black Jeep Grand Cherokee to a car dealership in Austin for $12,2000.

A police tipster, who did not want to be identified, told investigators Armstrong flew into a rage on discovering cyclist Strickland's romance with fellow cyclist Wilson in January 2022.
Tributes have been paid to a four-year-old Scottish boy who drowned in a swimming pool during a holiday in Mauritius.

Ozair Ali, from Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, was rushed to Dr Bruno Cheong Hospital in the Flacq region by emergency services following the incident at the Lux Hotel in Belle Mare.

Medics were unable to revive him and he passed away on Tuesday, June 28.

The Mauritius Police Force said in a statement: 'He was swimming in the hotels pool in company of his family members, when at about [2pm] his father noticed that he was having difficulty breathing. He was immediately removed to a safe place.'

Ozair Ali, from Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, was rushed to hospital by emergency services following the incident at the Lux Hotel in Belle Mare (pictured)

'All the emergency agencies attended within good [time]. The cause of death was, after an autopsy, certified to be "asphyxia, due to drowning",' they added, according to STV News.

A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: 'We are supporting the family of a British child who died in Mauritius. Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.'

In a social media post, Ozair's father wrote: 'He was the sweetest, sweetest boy in the world, with the right dose of cheekiness and love. He would instantly light up a room and drew everyone towards him with his loving personality.

'In his short four and a half years, he has given us so many memories which we will cherish everyday and I will take the sorrow of his departure to my grave. Your baba waits for the day we are reunited.'

Medics were unable to revive him and he passed away at Dr Bruno Cheong Hospital (above) in the Flacq region on Tuesday, June 28

A few days later, a blaze broke out at the hotel, The Scottish Daily Express reported.

The resort management said: 'There has been a major fire at Lux Belle Mare.

'Thankfully, all guests and team members are safe. Sadly, the resort will be closed until further notice. Right now, the wellbeing and safety of all are our priorities.

'Guests who have booked our resort, well get in touch with you shortly.'
A motorist has been jailed for sitting 150 driving tests for other people, it emerged yesterday.

Inderjeet Kaur sat theory and practical exams across Britain, including in Swansea, Carmarthen, Birmingham and London, from 2018 to 2020.

The 29-year-old was caught when staff at test centres became concerned she was impersonating candidates. They alerted the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and an investigation was started by Tarian, the regional organised crime team for southern Wales.

Officers discovered that Kaur was sitting tests for candidates who could not speak and read English in return for cash.

Inderjeet Kaur pleaded guilty to fraud at Swansea Crown Court and was jailed for eight months

Kaur, of Llanelli, South Wales, pleaded guilty to fraud at Swansea Crown Court yesterday and was jailed for eight months. Drivers who secured licences fraudulently through Kaur are now expected to have them revoked, the DVSA said.

Detective Chief Inspector Steven Maloney, of Tarian, said Kaur put lives at risk by sitting the tests for unqualified drivers.

The crimes Kaur committed put innocent road users at risk by allowing unskilled and dangerous motorists to have seemingly legitimate licences, he said.

Safety on our roads has always been a priority and arresting those that flaunt the law ensures that we can keep unqualified drivers off the road.

By working with the DVSA, this complex criminal investigation highlighted the extent of Kaurs offending which was purely out of greed.

Caroline Hicks, head of regulatory services and transformation at the DVSA, said: The DVSAs priority is to protect everyone from unsafe drivers and vehicles.

Driving and theory tests exist to help ensure people have the correct knowledge, skills and attitude to drive on our roads.

Circumventing the tests puts lives in danger, we have methods in place to detect test fraud and will come down hard on the people involved.

This includes cancelling test passes that have been gained fraudulently.
Boris Johnson's Downing Street renovation estimate totalled more than 200,000 - including 2,250 worth of 'gold' wallpaper which he had complained about his wife buying, documents reveal.

A leaked copy of the estimate for the renovation, seen by the Independent, reveals that the proposal for the No11 flat makeover included a 7,000 rug, a 3,675 drinks trolley and two sofas which cost more than 15,000 in total.

The cheapest item on the estimate from interior designer Lulu Lytle's company Soane Britain was a 500 kitchen table cloth, while 3,000 had been spent on a 'paint effect' for the flat's hallway and two Aten hurricane lights cost 1,775 each.

The Johnsons also considered a drawing room lamp for 6,000 along with a 2,500 lampshade, the leaked document suggests.

And despite the controversy surrounding the renovation becoming known as 'Wallpapergate', the most expensive order from the wallpaper estimate was 2,250 for 10 rolls of 'Espalier Square design' used in the entrance hall.

Wallpaper in the drawing room came to 1,500, while 15 rolls for the kitchen came to 825, meaning 4,575 was estimated for wallpaper in total.

Although described as 'emerald and stone linen' in colour, the 'Espalier' wallpaper is believed to have inspired Mr Johnson's frustrated remark that his wife was 'spending thousands on gold wallpaper', reports say.

The Johnsons ordered a drawing room lamp for 6,000 along with a 2,500 lampshade, a leaked bill suggests

The building works estimate, which included painting, having the floorboards sanded, and installing new furnishings and fittings, came to 30,000.

The Cabinet Office leak will revive the long-running controversy over the Johnsons' refurbishment of their flat above No11.

An estimate of 208,104 was sent to the Cabinet Office - which has an annual budget of 30,000 for renovating the Prime Minister's residence - at the start of 2020 in the early stages of the project, the Independent reports.

It was later recorded in the Electoral Commission report that the project cost 112,549 inclusive of VAT.

The remainder of the cost had been secretly funded by Lord Brownlow and the Conservative Party until Mr Johnson was told to pay for it himself when the scandal was uncovered.

Pictured: A section of the leaked Soane's estimate, showing what was ordered for the drawing room

Boris Johnson is comforted by his wife Carrie and their children after delivering his statement in Downing Street resigning as the leader of the Conservative Party, July 7

The Johnsons' estimate included a 'Nureyev Trolley' worth 3,675, and said to be 'inspired by a French 1940s drinks trolley owned by ballet dancer Rudolph Nureyev', according to the leaked estimate.

After a refurbishment of Johnson's Downing Street flat - led by a celebrity designer and including gold wallpaper - Britain's electoral commission fined the Conservatives 17,800 for failing to accurately report a donation to pay for it.

Johnson's ethics adviser later criticised the prime minister for failing to disclose some messages exchanged with the donor. However, he concluded that Johnson had not intentionally lied about the messages.
Woke New York City prosecutors today lowered the bond of a bodega worker Jose Alba after public outrage over their decision to charge him for stabbing a criminal who attacked him.

Alba was last week arrested for stabbing Austin Simon, a 35-year-old who charged into the Harlem bodega where he worked and attacked him.

The row began when Simon's girlfriend's card was declined trying to buy a bag of chips. Alba, a 62-year-old father, refused to give her the chips. Simon charged in, wearing a $350 Amiri t-shirt, and fought him.

Alba he reached for the store's box-cutting knife and stabbed him in the neck and chest.

He was then thrown in Rikers Island and held on a $250,000 bond after prosecutors from Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's office asked for double that, despite letting other career criminals loose on a regular basis.

There was resounding outrage over the decision; NYC Mayor Eric Adams today even visited the bodega to express his support for Alba.

'I'm a person that's there for people following the law. I saw from the video, I saw a voter here inside the store following the law...It's time for New Yorkers and Americans to start standing up for people who follow the law,' he said.

At a hearing on Thursday, prosecutors from Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's office moved to lower Alba's bond from $250,000 to $50,000. He is only required to post $5,000 - ten percent - which is feasible for his family. Alba is now expected to be released from Rikers Island tonight or tomorrow.

It is a small victory for the 62-year-old who many say should never have been arrested in the first place.

This was the altercation that led to Jose Alba's arrest last Friday. Alba, 62, is shown in a blue striped shirt and hat. Austin Simon, right, arrived in the store to confront Alba who had refused to give his girlfriend a bag of potato chips

Alba was sitting down in the tiny store when the man cornered him and demanded that he apologize to his girlfriend, who police say couldn't afford a bag of chips

Later, prosecutors asked the judge in court to agree to their bail package which includes Alba surrendering his passport and wearing an ankle monitor.

Alba, who is beloved in the local community, has worked there for decades and has no criminal record.

His family launched a GoFundMe page to help pay his legal expenses - but the page was removed on Wednesday night after raising $20,000.

A GoFundMe spokesperson told DailyMail.com: 'Our terms of service prohibit fundraising for the legal defense of a violent crime.

'At this time, the fundraiser has been removed and all donors have been refunded.'

NYC Mayor Eric Adams went to the bodega today to express his support of Alba. 'I'm a person that's there for people following the law. I saw from the video, I saw a voter here inside the store following the law...It's time for New Yorkers and Americans to start standing up for people who follow the law,' he said

The convenience store where the incident occurred last Friday

The row began when Simon's girlfriend tried to buy a bag of potato chips in the store for her 10-year-old. Her debit card was declined and Alba refused to give her the chips.

She then produced a knife from her purse and, according to Alba's family, attacked him before calling for her boyfriend for back-up.

Surveillance footage shows Simon charging into the store in a $350 dollar Amiri shirt, standing over Alba and then fighting with him.

Alba grabbed the store's box cutting knife to stab him in the neck and chest. He later died in the hospital.

Initially, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's office asked for a $500,000 bond - which the judge last week said was too high. $250,000 was decided upon - which the family couldn't afford.

They set up a GoFundMe page to help raise bail and pay for his legal team but GoFundMe removed the account after it raised $20,000.

The pair began fighting and Alba reached for the knife that is used to open boxes

The pair started fighting and Alba grabbed the knife that the staff in the store use to open boxes. He stabbed Simon in the neck and chest

Alba had a cut on his arm which was the result of Simon's girlfriend attacking him first, his family say

The site has still not commented on why it took the fundraising page down.

On Thursday, Bragg's office said it reached a deal with the man's family on the terms of his bail which include him surrendering his passport and wearing an electronic ankle monitor.

The owner of the convenience store where the incident took place has also agreed to be an obligor for him, the DA's office said.

Alba - who is from the Dominican Republic and became a US citizen 14 years ago - was thrown in Rikers.

Among those who slammed Bragg for the decision to charge him on Thursday was Republican Gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin.

'My first Day 1 action as Governor next January will be to fire Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg,' he said.

There is growing anger over the prosecution of bodega worker Alba by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and his office

Curtis Sliwa, leader of the Guardian Angels vigilante safety group who ran against Eric Adams, was also present in court for the hearing.

'In a city where Alvin Bragg, the #NYC DA cuts loose criminals every day, it's time that we stand for the victims who fight back,' he said.

Simon was on parole for attacking a police officer at the time of the incident on Friday night.

State records show he spent time in both Elmira and Five Points, two New York corrections facilities.

There is growing outrage over the decision among the community in Harlem where Alba lives, and online among strangers.

Simon's girlfriend, who allegedly produced a knife and stabbed him in the arm, has not been charged.

The man's family set up a GoFundMe to help him pay for his legal defense but it was removed overnight after raising $20,000

The page no longer exists on GoFundMe. The fundraising site has not yet explained why

Yesterday, a store worker who did not want to be named told DailyMail.com: ''The girlfriend is still out there enjoying her life'.

Regulars at the shop described Alba as a hard-working father who was preparing for retirement, and was looking forward to returning to the Dominican Republic next week to visit his family.

He worked at the store every day of the week from noon to 6am, they told DailyMail.com, to 'make an honest living.'

But during his more than two years working at the store, several patrons have tried to take advantage of him, grabbing items and trying to walk away with them.

One man even once held up a gun to him, they said.

So when Simon entered the store and starting threatening him last week, he did not know whether he had a gun and could kill him.

'He never wanted no problem,' said Ahmad's son, who was working the counter on Wednesday.

'I picture him as my grandfather being in that situation.'

NYC REPEAT OFFENDERS LET OUT ON NO-OR-LOW CASH BAIL WHILE BODEGA WORKER WITH A CLEAN RECORD SITS IN RIKERS Subway shooter who killed Goldman Sachs worker on his way to brunch weeks after being granted bail over car theft Andrew Abdullah shot and killed Daniel Enriquez in an unexplained attack on May 19th Andrew Abdullah shot and killed Daniel Enriquez in an unexplained attack on the subway on May 19th. Weeks earlier, a judge let Abdullah out on no bond, despite him having tried to steal a car. Prosecutors asked the judge to keep him behind bars on a $15,000 bond but the judge - Leigh Cheng - denied their request, and let him out. He went on to kill Enriquez on a Manhattan-bound Q train, then handed himself in days later after a fruitless effort by the NYPD. Criminal who smeared feces on woman's face was out on bail after attacking someone in a store Frank Abrokwa smeared feces on a woman's face weeks after being bailed out after punching someone on a subway platform Just one week before the horrifying subway attack, Frank Abrokwa had been arrested for allegedly threatening a hardware store employee with a screwdriver but had been released without bail. The 37-year-old was also arrested on January 7, for allegedly punching a 30-year-old man on a subway platform at 125th Street and Lenox Avenue and on February 5, for hitting a 53-year-old man at the Port Authority Bus Terminal. But each time, thanks to New York's lax new bail reform laws, the career criminal did not have to post bail and was released. A few days after threatening the store employee during a robbery, Abrokwa allegedly lunged at the woman at the East 241st Street subway station on February 21, smearing feces on her face Homeless Christmas tree arsonist with 20-year rap sheet Craig Tamanaha, 49, leaves Manhattan Criminal court flipping the cameras after a hearing for the incident where he burned down a Christmas Tree in front of Fox Studios in December of 2021 Last year, Craig Tamanaha set fire to the Christmas tree outside FOX News. Luckily, no one was hurt. Tamanaha had a long rap sheet and at the time, had been bailed weeks earlier for Weeks before the incident, Tamanaha allegedly flashed outside Ghislaine Maxwell's trial court and according to a criminal complaint from December. The 49-year-old has a lengthy criminal record spanning at least 20 years and two states, and he was arrested last month for exposing himself outside the Ghislaine Maxwell trial in the city. In 2002, the then-30-year-old Tamanaha was picked up in Abilene, Texas, on a public intoxication charge. Between 2017-2018, he was arrested on three separate occasions and charged with public intoxication, burglary and resisting arrest. Queens man with history of attacking kids flipped toddler's stroller Christopher Elder, 31, (pictured) Christopher Elder, 31, was charged with flipping over a three-year-old girl's stroller in March. The little girl was being walked in her stroller by her grandmother in the Bronx. She was left with injuries on her face and body and had to be treated in the hospital. It wasn't the first time he hurt a child. On December 11 the 31-year-old was charged for throwing a nine-year-old girl on the ground in the same Queens neighborhood, the Post reported. 'He took away the confidence I had as a woman and a single mother with two kids to go out there. Now I don't feel comfortable walking alone, like I used to with my kids. I'm constantly watching my back,' the mom of that alleged December assault told NBC New York. She said she was also hit by Elder when she instinctively shielded her daughter from an attack from the 31-year-old. Advertisement

The Bluemoon Convenience Store in Harlem, where the incident occurred on Friday

Police working at the scene last Friday. Alba stabbed the man multiple times in the neck and chest using a knife that the store workers use to open boxes

Scattered potato chips remained on the ground of the store after the scuffle that ended in Simon dying

Alba was working in the small store when Simon charged in and demanded that he apologize to his girlfriend for not giving her a bag of chips after her card was declined

Residents also told DailyMail.com that Simon was a known gang member, and would often talk about being in a gang.

Records obtained by DailyMail.com show he has been incarcerated several times - most recently in 2020, on assault and attempted assault charges.

He was then released from prison in May 2021. 'We want justice, we want no problems,' store employees said.

One regular at the bodega claiming if Alba isn't freed: 'We have no law here in this city.'

Danny Alba wrote on the fundraising page: 'It is with great sadness that I must ask for help for the great injustice that is taking place in my hometown of Harlem, with my own father nevertheless.

'It hurts me knowing that a man cannot defend himself without being made to look like a villain.'

She described her father as 'a loving man that always puts his family first whilst also looking after kids and people in bad positions in life that have no other form of guidance.'

She added: 'It is truly disgusting how they are trying to keep my dad in jail for protecting himself from a person who physically and verbally assaulted him before he took any action to protect his own life.

'If there is any justice left in the judicial system please let it work here, in the place where I was born and raised, Harlem.'

GoFundMe did not immediately respond to inquiries about why the page was taken down.
A former minister pledged yesterday to give her severance pay to charity after it was revealed she will receive almost 17,000 for resigning.

Michelle Donelan had been promoted from universities minister to education secretary for only 36 hours before she joined the Cabinet mutiny yesterday morning.

The severance payment is worth three months of salary  more than she would have received for resigning while in her more junior role.

The 16,876.25 payment was revealed as part of an astonishing 423,000 of severance cash thought to be owed by taxpayers to Tory ministers who resigned en masse in the rebellion against Boris Johnson.

Under the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991, MPs leaving office are entitled to a quarter of their annual ministerial salary in severance.

Michelle Donelan (pictured) is in line to receive a severance pay out of nearly 17k, despite only holding the post of education secretary for 36 hours before throwing her weight behind the coup and resigning

Responding on Twitter, Miss Donelan said: 'If this is the case I shall be donating it in full to a local charity.' She said later she had asked if there was a way to stop the payment ever coming to her but had not had an answer.

More than 50 MPs have resigned from government or party roles since Tuesday night.

Analysis carried out by the Liberal Democrats found that the payments to all ministers including Mr Johnson will add up to 423,000. The Prime Minister is in line for 18,860.

Lib Dem chief whip Wendy Chamberlain said: 'Conservative MPs spent months defending Boris Johnson and failed to get rid of him when they had the chance...

An analysis carried out by the Lib Dems has found that the severance payments to all mutinous ministers along with the pay out due to Boris Johnson after his resignation yesterday will add up to a whopping 423,000. Pictured: The Prime Minister makes his resignation statement outside Number 10 Downing Street

'Now Conservative infighting and sheer incompetence has cost the taxpayer yet more money during this cost of living crisis.

'Conservative ministers who resigned should do the decent thing and pass up their payoffs for the good of the country.'

In the Commons, Labour's Rupa Huq asked Cabinet Office minister Michael Ellis: 'Can he confirm they will be forfeiting their right to this, because we do not reward failure?'

Mr Ellis replied: 'The matter she refers to is set in statute so it's a matter for the law, and that law would have been passed by this House.'
WFP secures 1.29 mln USD to scale up humanitarian aid to South Sudan

Xinhua) 10:42, July 07, 2022

JUBA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- The World Food Program (WFP) said Wednesday it has received 1.29 million U.S. dollars to support humanitarian assistance in South Sudan.

Adeyinka Badejo, the acting country director of WFP in South Sudan, said the funding comes at a critical time when South Sudan is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and has seen a sharp rise in the number of malnourished children.

Badejo said the timing of this contribution from France is critical as the look of despair in the faces of the children impacted is unsettling.

"This remains a key priority for WFP in South Sudan and France's contribution will play a crucial role in the treatment and prevention of malnutrition for some of the most vulnerable women and children," Badejo said in a statement issued in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

The WFP said it will use the contribution to provide specialized nutrition assistance for the treatment and prevention of malnutrition in 24,222 children between the age of 6-23 months, as well as pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. And an additional 25,000 people, mainly women, will receive training and awareness-raising sessions on best practices for nutrition.

According to the UN, more than 7.74 million people are increasingly hungry after years of conflict in the country, the impact of climate shocks such as flooding and economic crisis.

The UN has appealed for 400 million dollars to provide minimum humanitarian services to ease South Sudanese immediate needs amid multiple interconnected shocks.

The latest UN report shows that around 1.34 million children under five years of age will suffer from acute malnutrition, with the most affected states being Jonglei, Upper Nile, Unity and Western Bahr el Ghazal.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
Drones have taken the world by storm despite being a novel tech idea fairly recently. Before, they were used for getting shots no one could ever hope to do with their camera. Now, they are used for racing, light shows, and even combat.

Nevertheless, the use of drones in other situations besides these is astonishing enough that it's hard to believe without seeing, such as what recently happened in Spain.

Spanish rescuers were recently reported to have used a drone to help save the life of a boy struggling to keep himself afloat in the waters off the coast of Sagunto in Valencia, Spain, per Interesting Engineering.

The report was first published in Spanish in one of Spain's daily newspapers, El Pais.

Life-Saving Drone Details

The incident occurred on July 1, when the boy, age 14, went swimming at a beach while yellow flags were flying - a sign that swimmers should be cautious when entering the water due to high surf or dangerous currents and undertows, per CRW Flags.

Additionally, a yellow flag flying on the beach means that beach goers are required to swim only near lifeguards and heed all their warnings.

The boy, who may be unaware of the flag's meaning, went to the waters to swim, but could not get back to shore due to the Mediterranean's strong waves and currents at the time.

By the time lifeguards noticed the 14-year-old boy, he was already showing clear symptoms of exhaustion and was in grave danger of drowning if help could not reach him in time.

Lifeguards then deployed their first responder drone carrying a life jacket and sent it to the boy, which only took a short amount of time compared to lifeguards on a jet ski.

Read More: New Ice Cream Flavors: Mario, Kirby, Animal Crossing  Thanks to Nintendo, Cold Stone Collaboration

Despite some difficulty on the boy's part due to the current, he was able to wear the life jacket in time, which helped him keep himself afloat.

Shortly thereafter, the lifeguards on a jet ski equipped with a stretcher came to the boy's location. With some struggling, the lifeguards were able to put the boy on the stretcher and went back to shore.

The boy was immediately admitted to the local hospital, where he remained for the night while he was being checked on.

The 14-year-old boy was eventually discharged the following day.

Dario Moreno, the mayor of Sagunto, told El Pais that the 14-year-old boy's rescue was the fifth that was carried out by the region's first responder drones.

He also mentioned that Sagunto has been using drones for emergencies and first response since 2017.

Moreno then added that they had seen four similar rescues since June.

First Responder Drone Details

The first responder drones responsible for saving at least five lives are the product of Sagunto-based General Drones, a start-up company founded by Adrian Plazas, who is also the company's general director, and Enrique Fernandez.

Plazas were partially motivated by an accident wherein a few seconds' difference could have saved the life of a victim. After that, he went on to work as an engineer at a Pilkington factory in the area, while Fernandez started working in drone manufacturing. The two eventually got back together to found General Drones.

Related Article: DJI's New Mini 3 Pro Drone Will Cost at Least $699  Is It Worth It?
A raft of government policies were hanging in the balance last night as a result of the tumultuous changes in Downing Street and Whitehall.

Measures which are highly popular with Conservative voters  including legislation that has begun its passage through Parliament  are at risk of stalling under a new administration.

Other policies are closely associated with ministers who have resigned or whose long-term fate under a new Prime Minister remains in doubt. In a further complication, the brain drain of mass ministerial resignations is likely to lead to delays to complex proposals while their successors get up to speed.

Nadhim Zahawi, the new Chancellor, has already set out his stall  telling Times Radio he could bin the planned hike in corporation tax next year

Promises to slash taxes and help families through the cost of living crunch are set to dominate the Tory leadership race, and candidates will be under pressure from MPs to rebuild the Conservative Partys low-tax reputation.

Likely leadership hopeful Nadhim Zahawi, the new Chancellor, has already set out his stall  telling Times Radio he could bin the planned hike in corporation tax next year.

Former chancellor Rishi Sunak, another probable candidate, said in his resignation letter that he and Boris Johnsons stances on the economy were fundamentally too different. But he will have a battle to convince Tory MPs of his low-tax credentials after presiding over tax hikes.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, expected to be a frontrunner in the race, has frequently brandished her low-tax credentials. She has told friends she briefly considered resigning over the national insurance tax hike to pay for social care  believing the Chancellor should have borrowed the money instead.

One flagship policy which is thought to be at risk is Priti Patels radical plan to send illegal migrants to Rwanda. The number of migrants who have crossed from northern France on small boats since the start of the year passed 13,000 yesterday, underlining the need for a solution to the Channel crisis.

But the Rwanda deal was very much the creation of Miss Patel and Mr Johnson, who have insisted it is necessary to deter migrants from risking their lives in the Channel, and to break the people-trafficking gangs.

Yesterday Miss Patel said she would continue to uphold her important responsibilities amid the turmoil, adding: At this critical time my duty is to continue to lead this great office of state, to protect our national security, and keep the citizens of our country safe.

Former chancellor Rishi Sunak, another probable candidate, said in his resignation letter that he and Boris Johnsons stances on the economy were fundamentally too different

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, expected to be a frontrunner in the race, has frequently brandished her low-tax credentials

She now faces a race against time to demonstrate the Rwanda policy works, before a new Tory leader is elected and Miss Patel, presumably, leaves the Home Office.

The first hurdle Miss Patel must clear is a judicial review of the Rwanda policy as a whole, which is expected to be heard at the High Court in London on July 19. Judges will scrutinise claims  brought by pro-migrant campaigners  that the policy breaches international law.

If Miss Patel is able to remove migrants to Rwanda before Mr Johnson steps down in September, it could serve to validate the policy as a whole. If she were to be replaced as Home Secretary, it would be much more difficult for her successor to then abandon the idea altogether, particularly if it has a deterrent effect on Channel crossings.

If the next Tory administration is more centrist than Mr Johnsons, a future home secretary would be free to abandon the scheme and come up with alternatives.

One immigration source said last night: The next leader could appoint someone to the Home Office who wants to continue with the red-meat, headline-grabbing style of policy.

Or they could take a more technocratic approach to the Channel problem  by trying to speed up the asylum system, bolstering removals and trying yet again to secure agreements with France.

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raabs Bill of Rights is also thought to be vulnerable.

It intends to scrap Labours Human Rights Act and  crucially  make free speech a trump card over other rights. Other important aspects of the Bill include limiting use of the right to private and family life by foreign criminals trying to avoid deportation, and making clear that the UKs Supreme Court  not Strasbourg  is the ultimate decision-maker on human rights issues.

One flagship policy which is thought to be at risk is Priti Patels radical plan to send illegal migrants to Rwanda

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raabs Bill of Rights is also thought to be vulnerable

The Bill is very much the brainchild of Mr Raab. If he is replaced, it is unclear whether his successor would have the interest  or political heft  to keep the legislation on track.

In other areas, before shifting from Education to the Treasury, Nadhim Zahawi was a key advocate of drawing up new guidance for schools on how to handle transgender issues.

It remains unclear whether the placekeeper Education Secretary, James Cleverly, will pursue the same line.

Highly complex reform of gambling laws and regulation of tech giants are also in the balance after the resignation of Chris Philp, the minister overseeing both areas.

Key areas at the Department for Levelling Up, including whether to give permission for a new deep coal mine in Cumbria as part of a wider energy security package, could also find themselves in limbo.
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The ousting of Boris Johnson has unleashed the 'hounds of hell' and has sparked a bitter leadership race that will see Tories 'shredding each other to pieces', Nadine Dorries has warned as hopefuls gear up to replace him.

The culture secretary - one of the Prime Minister's most stringent supporters - warned colleagues that they have to 'keep the cabinet sailing steadily and keep the government running smoothly', The Times reports.

Her plea for stability came amid fears that the race to replace Johnson will turn into a 'Grand National' or become akin to eleven businesses competing for the same contract.

'People will shred each other to pieces in the media. It's going to be a bloodbath,' she said.

One leadership hopeful, Liz Truss, will pitch herself as the female Boris Johnson in the Tory leadership race  a candidate who can win seats both in the South and the Red Wall, supporters said last night.

The Foreign Secretary is among more than a dozen MPs preparing to launch bids to be the next Prime Minister within days.

Others in the running include Rishi Sunak, Sajid Javid, Ben Wallace, Nadhim Zahawi, Penny Mordaunt and Tom Tugendhat.

While the events of this week appear to have cemented the Prime Minister's demise, the race to replace him has effectively been going on for months.

'Blue on blue' attacks have already begun, with Rishi Sunak being blasted by one rival who said it is 'not obvious that he's got an economic plan or is a tax cutter from his record'.

And one Conservative MP said that if Suella Braverman and Steve Baker were allowed to stand 'we're just going to look like the wacky races', adding: 'As for Sajid [Javid], his resignation speech told you everything you needed to know: we all started wishing him well but within minutes he completely lost the room.'

The MP also blasted Liz Truss as 'bad, mad and frankly dangerous to know.'

Boris Johnson chairs a Cabinet meeting on Thursday after delivering his statement resigning as the leader of the Tories

Liz Truss (left) will pitch herself as the female Boris Johnson in the Tory leadership race  a candidate who can win seats both in the South and the Red Wall. Pictured: The Foreign Secretary was attending a G20 foreign ministers summit as Boris Johnson resigned yesterday

Nadine Dorries, right, next to Carrie Johnson and her daughter Romy outside 10 Downing Street on July 7. The culture secretary - one of the Prime Minister's most stringent supporters - warned colleagues that they have to 'keep the cabinet sailing steadily and keep the government running smoothly'

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace (pictured) is the frontrunner to replace Boris Johnson, according to the bookies

Liz Truss will land in Britain this afternoon after she cut short a trip to a G20 foreign ministers summit in Indonesia yesterday

Suella Braverman (pictured), the Brexit-backing Attorney General, has thrown her hat in the ring for the Tory leadership contest - although she has been given slim odds

Around 20 MPs were outside No 10, clapping and cheering as Boris Johnson finished his speech that said admitted 'no-one is indispensable' - less than three years after he won a landslide general election victory

SO WHO WILL BE NEXT TO MOVE INTO No10? LIZ TRUSS, 46 Foreign Secretary who has also been international trade secretary, justice secretary, chief secretary to the Treasury and Lord Chancellor. Strengths: Popular with Tory grassroots for championing low taxes and free trade. Weaknesses: Backed Remain but now claims to regret decision. BEN WALLACE, 52 Former Army officer who has been Defence Secretary since 2019. Strengths: Popular with grassroots Tories, particularly over the handling of the Ukraine war. Weaknesses: Opposed Brexit and is not believed to be sure about running for leader. RISHI SUNAK, 42 Ex-banker who was Chancellor until this week. Strengths: Long-standing Brexit supporter who kept economy afloat during the pandemic. Weaknesses: Questions about his personal wealth, behind recent tax rises. SAJID JAVID, 52 Triggered this week's wave of resignations by quitting as health secretary. Strengths: Has served as Chancellor and home secretary. Weaknesses: Backed EU membership and is seen as a wooden speaker. SUELLA BRAVERMAN, 42 The second ever female Attorney General who became the first Cabinet minister to receive paid maternity leave last year. Strengths: Strong pro-Brexit views and has vowed to wage war on woke. Weaknesses: Surprised many when she launched her leadership bid before Boris Johnson had quit. PENNY MORDAUNT, 49 First female defence secretary who is currently a junior trade minister. Strengths: Was a key figure in the Leave campaign and popular within the party. Weaknesses: Has told MPs controversial mantra that 'trans women are women'. NADHIM ZAHAWI, 55 Dramatically promoted to Chancellor from education secretary this week. Strengths: Successfully delivered the vaccine rollout. Weaknesses: Accepted promotion then told Boris to quit. STEVE BAKER, 51 Former RAF engineer and junior Brexit minister. Strengths: Chaired pro-Brexit ERG and challenged lockdown restrictions. Weaknesses: Potentially alienating libertarian views. TOM TUGENDHAT, 49 Served in Iraq and Afghanistan, currently chairs the foreign affairs select committee. Strengths: Already won support of several MPs. Weaknesses: Voted Remain, has no ministerial experience. JAKE BERRY, 43 Currently chairs the Northern Research Group of MPs. Strengths: Popular among Red Wall MPs and keen on levelling up agenda. Weaknesses: Admitted he was wrong to oppose Brexit. Advertisement

It comes as:

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he was 'saddened' by the departure of Mr Johnson, who he hailed as a 'hero';

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss cut short a trip to Indonesia to fly back to the UK, where she is expected to launch a leadership bid pitching herself as a low-tax Tory who can hold Mr Johnson's electoral coalition together;

Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi faced a backlash from some Tory MPs after revealing he had privately told the PM to quit just 12 hours after publicly calling for him to stay;

In the first of what could be many blue-on-blue attacks this summer, Jacob Rees-Mogg savaged Rishi Sunak, saying he was 'not a successful chancellor, he was a high-tax chancellor';

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace was consulting his family about a leadership challenge after polls named him as the favourite among Tory activists;

Former Army officer Tom Tugendhat will run and was emerging as the leading candidate of the Tory Remainers;

A poll found that Mr Sunak was best placed to beat Labour, as he prepared to launch his own party leadership bid;

Labour threatened to hold a formal vote of no confidence next week which could trigger a quick general election;

A smirking Sir Keir was spotted at Wimbledon as Labour officials celebrated the Tories' self-destructive removal of the man who repeatedly beat them at the polls;

Vladimir Putin celebrated the departure of an implacable opponent, with the Kremlin saying Mr Johnson had been 'hit by a boomerang launched by himself';

Attorney general Suella Braverman stayed in her Cabinet job despite calling on the PM to quit and announcing her leadership bid before he resigned;

Sir John Major launched a bitter attack on the PM, calling on Tory MPs to kick him out of Downing Street immediately;

Senior Tories were finalising the rules for a formal Tory leadership contest, which is expected to start next week and produce a new leader by the start of September.

Yesterday's cabinet meeting is said to have concluded with ministers banging tables in tribute to Johnson.

Tories have been speculating that whoever eventually come out on top would have to cope with Johnson causing trouble for them.

One said: 'He is a hugely charismatic person. He is a rock star and a big figure on the world stage. He is not going to fade away in the background.'

One of Johnson's allies who was with him on Wednesday night said: 'I'm angry with him, he could have done everything with an 80-seat majority but he's blown it.'

Miss Truss will land in Britain this afternoon after she cut short a trip to a G20 foreign ministers summit in Indonesia yesterday.

The minister, who is finalising plans for her campaign, will argue she can keep together the coalition of voters who backed Mr Johnson at the 2019 general election when he won a thumping majority.

A close ally said last night: 'She is popular in both the Red Wall and the Lib Dem-facing marginals we need to keep hold of.'

In a swipe at former Chancellor Rishi Sunak who raised national insurance, Miss Truss will declare that she is a 'low-tax' Tory who will 'get the economy moving again'. The ally added: 'She is vastly experienced and knows how to drive difficult policy through Whitehall... She is tough and delivers and gets things done.'

Defence Secretary Mr Wallace is also planning to run for the top job after discussing a leadership bid with his family.

The former Army officer, 52, is expected to confirm his intentions in the coming days. He has emerged as a front-runner after a survey of Conservative Party members.

The father-of-three, who is separated from his wife, topped a YouGov poll with 13 per cent support, just ahead of Miss Mordaunt on 12 per cent, Mr Sunak on 10 per cent and Miss Truss on 8 per cent.

Former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who was beaten by Mr Johnson in the 2019 Tory leadership contest, trailed in on 5 per cent  the same as new Chancellor Mr Zahawi. Bookies installed Mr Wallace as favourite following the poll.

The MP for Wyre and Preston North has gained plaudits across the political spectrum for his handling of the war in Ukraine. Miss Mordaunt, who was the first female Defence Secretary before being fired by Mr Johnson, already has a campaign team in place. The resignations of Mr Sunak and Mr Javid from Cabinet on Tuesday triggered the mass exodus which ultimately crippled Mr Johnson's leadership.

Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State for Trade Policy, is among the bookies' favourites to replace Mr Johnson, as the field of candidates begins to take shape

Rishi Sunak, who stepped down as Chancellor of the Exchequer on Tuesday at the very start of the coup against Mr Johnson, has emerged as an early favourite for the Tory crown

Sajid Javid, who stepped down as health secretary within minutes of Mr Sunak's resignation, has 7/1 odds of taking his party's reigns

Mr Sunak was regarded as a front-runner for the Tory crown before his stock took a tumble following disclosures earlier this year that his wife had non-dom status for tax purposes. Last night it was reported he has set up a temporary campaign base in a Westminster hotel.

It is understood that former Health Secretary Mr Javid and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps are seriously considering running.

Rivals last night gloated that Mr Zahawi's campaign was 'falling apart' after he took the job of Chancellor only to call for Mr Johnson to go 24 hours later.

But his allies said he would pitch himself as a successful former businessman who had delivered Britain's Covid vaccine rollout.

Former Territorial Army officer Mr Tugendhat, a backbench MP who heads the Commons foreign affairs committee, has already won the backing of several top Tories, including Theresa May's ex-deputy Damian Green.

Last night it emerged that Kemi Badenoch, who quit as a Levelling Up Minister on Wednesday, was 'actively considering running'.

A source close to the 42-year-old, who was first elected to Parliament in 2017, said: 'Some MPs are urging Kemi to run and she has started the process of taking soundings.

'She is speaking to MPs to find out what they are looking for in a new leader to see if she has it. A poll last night showed Mr Sunak is the only one of the main candidates who can beat Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in a head-to-head contest. His closest rival in the JL Partners poll was Mr Javid, who was three points behind Sir Keir.

WE still love you, daddy! Sweet moment Boris is welcomed back into the arms of his son Wilf, two, inside Downing Street after finally facing the music and resigning

By Adam Solomons for MailOnline

Boris Johnson was pictured embracing his son Wilf before hugging wife Carrie and nine-month old daughter Romy after announcing his intention to resign at lunchtime yesterday.

The prime minister smirked at Wilf, two, after returning to Number Ten from the short speech given after 12.30pm.

Aides and ministerial colleagues applauded the doomed PM, with some reportedly crying at the news.

Images released by Downing Street overnight also showed Mr Johnson speaking with Ukrainian president Zelensky on the phone yesterday afternoon.

In another image, the prime minister is pictured looking down at his resignation speech solemnly.

After giving the address, Johnson returned to his study to plot his latest - and final - Cabinet.

Number Ten took the rare decision to release the images taken by photographer Andrew Parsons, which showed the prime minister in the immediate aftermath of his momentous speech.

Their official caption described Johnson's family 'comforting' him following the statement.

Boris Johnson holds son Wilf, two, who already appears the spitting image of his father. The PM resigned at lunchtime yesterday

Mr Johnson embraced wife Carrie and baby daughter Romy, who was held in a carrier as she attended his resignation speech

Special relationship: Wilf was born just days after his father survived a life-threatening bout of Covid at St Thomas's Hospital

After making his speech, Mr Johnson was applauded by aides and ministerial colleagues including Johnny Mercer (centre left), who was now been re-appointed to the Cabinet as Minister for Veterans' Affairs. The PM smirks at Wilf (below) as wife Carrie (right, in red) beams. Downing Street aide Ross Kempsell (furthest left) also applauds Mr Johnson

By yesterday afternoon, Jacob Rees-Mogg (centre) and Nadine Dorries (right of Mr Johnson) were among the only Cabinet ministers still in support of the PM's continued tenure. Johnson is pictured conferring with colleagues after making his speech yesterday

Boris Johnson was pictured yesterday afternoon in conversation with President Zelensky, perhaps his last as prime minister

Downing Street photographer Andrew Parsons captured the moment Johnson strode out of Downing Street to give the speech

In another pensive image, Johnson goes through his statement in the minutes before stepping out in front of Number Ten

Admirers: standing in front of the podium and watched by close aides and Carrie with baby Romy (pictured, centre right), Mr Johnson pointed to his achievements since winning the 2019 general election. Staff reportedly cried before and afterwards

Mrs Johnson kisses nine-month-old Romy who was with her to hear the resignation speech yesterday. Ms Dorries is also present

Jacob Rees-Mogg, Nadine Dorries and Alister Jack, his most loyal trio of Cabinet lieutenants, feature prominently.

From a rocky start to political power couple: A timeline of Boris and Carrie Johnson's relationship 2009: Carrie Symonds, then 21, joins the Conservative Party as press officer. Her association with Mr Johnson dates back to the early years, having worked on his successful re-election bid at City Hall in 2012. February 2018: Boris, then still married to wife Maria Wheeler, is spotted with Carrie outside the Conservative party Black and White Ball at the Natural History Museum. It is thought to be the first time the pair were photographed together. September 2018: News breaks that Boris has been kicked out of the marital home by his wife of 25 years amid reports he was seeing another woman. First photo: Boris, then still married to Maria Wheeler, is spotted with Carrie outside a Conservative party fundraiser June 2019: By now Boris and Carrie are living together in her flat in Camberwell, South East London. Reports emerge that police were called to the property after neighbours heard a loud altercation involving screaming, shouting and banging. Symonds could allegedly be heard telling Johnson to 'get off me' and 'get out of my flat'. Police initially said they had no record of a domestic incident at the address, but later issued a statement saying: 'At 00:24hrs on Friday, 21 June, police responded to a call from a local resident in [south London]. The caller was concerned for the welfare of a female neighbour. 'Police attended and spoke to all occupants of the address, who were all safe and well. There were no offences or concerns apparent to the officers and there was no cause for police action.' Neither Boris nor Carrie have spoken publicly about the incident. Front and centre: Boris Johnson is elected as the leader of the Conservative party. Carrie is pictured alongside his family as he arrives at Downing Street June 2019: A few days later the couple were pictured holding hands in the countryside. July 2019: The couple buy a 1.3million house in Camberwell after Boris sells the 3.7million mansion he shared with wife Marina. 23 July 2019: Boris Johnson is elected as the leader of the Conservative party and Prime Minister. Carrie is pictured alongside his family as he arrives at Downing Street. 29 July 2019: Spokesperson confirms Carrie Symonds will move into Downing Street. They are the first unmarried couple to officially live at the address. September 2019: Couple adopt a rescue dog, Dilyn. December 2019: Boris Johnson wins the general election and the couple flies to St Lucia and Mustique to celebrate February 2020: Boris Johnson's divorce from Marina Wheeler is approved to proceed 29 February 2020: Boris and Carrie announce they are engaged and expecting a baby. A spokesperson for the couple said: 'The prime minister and Miss Symonds are very pleased to announce their engagement and that they are expecting a baby in the early summer.' 27 March 2020: Boris Johnson tests positive for Covid-19 and is subsequently hospitalised. 29 April 2020: Couple welcome their son Wilfred. Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson in full  was named after Mr and Mrs Johnson's grandfathers and partly in tribute to two doctors, Nick Hart and Nick Price, who helped save Mr Johnson's life when he was in hospital with Covid in 2020. Family life: Couple welcome their son Wilfred. Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson in full  was named after Mr and Mrs Johnson's grandfathers and partly in tribute to two doctors, Nick Hart and Nick Price, who helped save Mr Johnson's life 26 May 2020: Boris and Carrie Johnson wed at Westminster Cathedral with a small garden party the following day. News was made public a few days later. 31 July 2020: Couple announce they are expecting a second child and reveal they suffered a miscarriage earlier in the year. June 2021: Carrie joins Boris at the G7 summit and introduces son Wilfred to President Biden and his wife Jill 9 December 2021: Carrie and Boris announce birth of a baby girl 16 December 2021: The couple announced they have named their daughter Romy Iris Charlotte Johnson. Baby girl: Carrie and Boris announce birth of a baby girl. The couple later revealed they had named their daughter Romy Iris Charlotte Johnson (pictured with brother Wilf) Mrs Johnson explained the choice of name: 'Romy after my aunt, Rosemary. Iris from the Greek, meaning rainbow. Charlotte [after] Boris's late mum whom we miss so much.' June 2022: Carrie joins Boris at a series of high profile events including the Platinum Jubilee, a Commonwealth visit to Rwanda and the G7 summit. Daughter Romy joins her parents on the latter two. 7 July 2022: Boris Johnson announces he will resign following a slew of ministerial resignations. Advertisement

Also present were Tory MPs Johnny Mercer, Sarah Dines, James Duddridge, and Downing Street staffers Andrew Griffith, Ross Kempsell and Charlotte Owen.

Front-row guests outside Downing Street yesterday included culture secretary Nadine Dorries and supportive backbencher Andrea Jenkyns.

After trying to weather the storm brought by Conservative MPs and numerous Cabinet ministers since Tuesday evening, Mr Johnson finally decided at 6am yesterday that he would step down.

A Downing Street official phoned BBC political editor Chris Mason while he was appearing on a bumper special episode of the Today programme, which ran from 6.30 till 9.45am.

Mr Johnson then wrote his resignation speech alone before delivering it at lunchtime.

Unusually somber in tone, Johnson nevertheless sniped Cabinet rivals and backbench rebels, claiming it was 'herd instincts' in Westminster that did him in.

Mr Johnson said: 'In the last few days I have tried to persuade my colleagues it would be eccentric to change governments when we are delivering so much.

'And when we have such a vast mandate, and when we're actually only a handful of points behind in the polls, even in mid-term after quite a few months of pretty relentless sledging.

'Of course it's painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself.

'But, as we've seen at Westminster, the herd instinct is powerful and when the herd moves, it moves.

'In politics, no one is remotely indispensable. Our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader equally committed to taking this country forward through tough times.'

After delivering the speech, Johnson returned to his office, where he set about re-appointing the Cabinet after a slew of resignations over the past 48 hours.

Consensus-driven Commons committee chair Greg Clark was named the new Levelling Up Secretary, replacing sacked Michael Gove.

James Cleverly became Education Secretary after Nadim Zahawi was made Chancellor and his replacement, Michelle Donelan, stepped down after mere hours in the job.

Robert Buckland returned to the Cabinet as Welsh Secretary and Shailesh Vara took over as Northern Ireland Secretary.

Kit Malthouse was named the new Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, a title also held by Mr Gove.

The PM's resignation announcement effectively fires the starting gun on what looks set to be a chaotic leadership battle.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss - expected to be a candidate - will cut short a visit to Indonesia to return to the UK.

It was revealed tonight that the ensuing Conservative leadership election will conclude by early September.

Proposals presented to the backbench 1922 Committee are set to be approved on Monday, the FT reported.

A spate of resignations sparked by Sajid Javid's decision to step down on Tuesday evening virtually decapitated Johnson's government - and threatened to deprive numerous Whitehall departments of any ministers at all.

George Freeman, who announced he was resigning as science minister this morning, said Mr Johnson must apologise to the Queen.

He also advised her to call for a caretaker prime minister, which would be an unprecedented step in modern constitutional history.

'Boris Johnson needs to hand in the seals of office, apologise to Her Majesty and advise her to call for a caretaker prime minister,' he said.

'To take over today so that ministers can get back to work and we can choose a new Conservative leader to try and repair the damage and rebuild trust.'

One ex-minister told MailOnline: 'We need to be rid of the Johnson poison as quickly as possible.'

Ex-No10 strategy chief Dominic Cummings wrote on Twitter: 'Evict TODAY or he'll cause CARNAGE, even now he's playing for time & will try to stay.

'No 'dignity', no 'interim while leadership contest'.

'Raab shd be interim PM by evening.'

Another former minister, Nick Gibb, said: 'As well as resigning as Party leader the PM must resign his office.

'After losing so many ministers, he has lost the trust and authority required to continue.

'We need an acting PM who is not a candidate for leader to stabilise the government while a new leader is elected.'

The most serious blow perhaps came from Mr Zahawi, who just hours after reportedly threatening to resign if he wasn't handed the keys to No 11, publicly called on the PM to quit.

He tweeted a resignation letter, signed on Treasury headed paper, and wrote: 'Prime Minister: this is not sustainable and it will only get worse: for you, for the Conservative Party and most important of all the country.

'You must do the right thing and go now.'

A council of Cabinet ministers reportedly visited Johnson and urged him to go yesterday afternoon.

They included Home Secretary Priti Patel, Welsh Secretary Simon Hart, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, the BBC reported.

After Johnson refused, Mr Hart quit.

It appears the only Cabinet ministers who truly wished for Mr Johnson to stay were Ms Dorries and Brexit opportunities secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: 'It is good news for the country that Boris Johnson has resigned as Prime Minister.

'But it should have happened long ago. He was always unfit for office. He has been responsible for lies, scandal and fraud on an industrial scale.

'And all those who have been complicit should be utterly ashamed.

'The Tory party have inflicted chaos upon the country during the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades. And they cannot now pretend they are the ones to sort it out.

'They have been in power for 12 years. The damage they have done is profound.'

In a sensational twist late last night, Mr Johnson summarily sacked Michael Gove with No10 sources branding the Levelling Up Secretary a 'snake' who had tried to tell the premier that the 'the game was up'.

Constitutional experts have branded the 'nuclear option' of asking the Queen for a dissolution 'deluded madness' which would spark a crisis as the monarch would be obliged to turned down his request.

In his resignation letter, Mr Lewis - a former party chairman who has been Northern Ireland Secretary since early 2020 - warned divided Conservatives cannot win elections.

He said: 'A decision to leave Government is never taken lightly, particularly at such a critical time for Northern Ireland. I have taken a lot of time to consider this decision, having outlined my position to you at length last night.

Mr Lewis told the Prime Minister that in recent months, the Conservative Party has been 'relentlessly on the defensive, consumed by introspection and in-fighting'.

'A divided Party cannot win elections. It cannot deliver for those who trusted us with their votes for the first time in 2019.'

Mr Lewis told Mr Johnson he had 'given you, and those around you, the benefit of the doubt'.

Mrs Johnson, a former Conservative Party communications chief, re-wore a 325 red L.K. Bennett for the occasion and held her daughter Romy in a baby carrier

The couple tied the knot in a secret ceremony at Westminster Cathedral in front of just a handful of guests in May 2021 but according to sources have planned a second event at Chequers at the end of July

'I have gone out and defended this Government both publicly and privately,' the Northern Ireland Secretary told Boris Johnson in his resignation letter.

'We are, however, now past the point of no return. I cannot sacrifice my personal integrity to defend things as they stand now.

'It is clear that our Party, parliamentary colleagues, volunteers and the whole country, deserve better.'

Ms Whately, MP for Faversham and Mid Kent and another loyalist, said: 'I have argued that you should continue as Prime Minister many times in recent months, but there are only so many times you can apologise and move on. That point has been reached.'

Johnson re-enters Downing Street after delivering the statement in which he announced his intention to resign as PM

The PM's resignation announcement effectively fires the starting gun on what looks set to be a chaotic leadership battle

The PM is understood to have been 'mainly alone' as he wrote the resignation statement, which came at 12.30pm yesterday
In space no one can keep it clean, with the total mass of all objects in orbit said to equate to around 9,900 tonnes.

To combat this, Chinese scientists have developed a huge sail, which they say can be used to change the orbit of dead rockets and satellites so they burn up in Earth's atmosphere and don't become space junk.

The 269-square-foot (25-square-metre) 'de-orbiting sail' works by slowly decelerating its defunct payload until it is moved out of orbit.

The debris will then burn up within the Earth's atmosphere within a few years  a process that could otherwise take over a hundred years.

The sail has been developed and successfully tested by Institute 805 of the Shanghai Academy of Spacecraft Technology (SAST) in China, according to English-language Chinese newspaper Global Times.

The news comes after the British Government announced last month that it wants to start tackling the millions of bits of debris in Earth's orbit.

This includes regulating commercial satellite launches, rewarding companies that minimise their footprint in Earth's orbit, and dishing out an additional 5 million for technologies to clean up space junk.

The 269-square-foot sail has the thickness of about one tenth of a human hair

The sail was installed onto the payload capsule of the 300-kilogram Long March-2D Y64 carrier rocket, that was launched into space on June 23 2022

It was successfully unfurled in space on June 26, according to system engineers at SAST

The sail uses the drag formed by the thin atmosphere to slow down the defunct spacecraft it is attached to, enabling it to leave its original orbit and move into the Earth's atmosphere

HOW MANY ITEMS ARE THERE IN ORBIT? Rocket launches since 1957: 6,200

6,200 Number of satellites in orbit: 13,100

13,100 Number still in space: 8,410

8,410 Number still functioning: 5,800

5,800 Number of debris objects: 31,500

31,500 Break-ups, explosions etc: 630

630 Mass of objects in orbit: 9,900 tonnes

9,900 tonnes Prediction of the amount of debris in orbit using statistical models Over 10cm: 36,500

36,500 1cm to 10cm: 1,000,000

1,000,000 1mm to 1cm: 130 million Source: European Space Agency Advertisement

The sail was tested by installing it onto the payload capsule of the 300-kilogram Long March-2D Y64 carrier rocket, which was launched into space on June 23 2022.

The sail was successfully unfurled in space three days later, according to the state-run Global Times, which spoke to SAST system engineers on Tuesday.

It has a thickness of less than one tenth of the diameter of a hair, meaning it can be installed onto many spacecraft, the space agency claims.

According to SAST, this marked the first time in the world a de-orbiting sail system has been deployed in such a way.

The sail uses the drag formed by the thin atmosphere to slow down the defunct spacecraft it is attached to, enabling it to leave its original orbit and move into the Earth's atmosphere, where it burns up.

This can reduce the debris' orbiting time from over a hundred years to less than ten  although in this case it should only take two years.

An estimated 13,100 satellites have been launched into orbit since 1957, according to the European Space Agency, with 8,410 remaining in space and 5,800 still functioning.

The total mass of all objects in orbit is said to equate to around 9,900 tonnes, while statistical models suggests there are 130 million pieces of debris from 1mm to 1cm in size.

It can pose a threat to active spacecraft, for example, in 2009 a functioning U.S. communications satellite, Iridium-33, collided with a non-functioning Russian one, Cosmos-2251, as they both passed over extreme northern Siberia.

This single crash generated more than 2,300 fragments of debris, and knocked out Iridium 33.

A computer-generated image of objects in Earth orbit that are currently being tracked. Approximately 95 percent of the objects in this illustration are orbital debris, i.e., not functional satellites. The dots represent the current location of each item

Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink satellites are responsible for over half of close encounters in orbit, even with just 1,500 of a planned 12,000 launched so far, data shows.

Satellite operators such as SpaceX are constantly forced to make adjustments to avoid encounters with other spacecraft and pieces of debris.

With hundreds of Starlink satellites in orbit, the number of dangerous approaches will continue to grow, according to a study by the University of Southampton.

Researchers found that Starlink satellites are involved in an average of 1,600 close encounters with other spacecraft every week, including some where the two objects come within about half a mile of each other, according to a Space.com report.

If two spacecraft do crash in orbit then they would generate a cloud of debris that would in turn threaten other satellites operating in the same region of space.

Last month, the UK government announced a raft of new measures designed to drive sustainability in space and help clear up the millions of shards of debris clogging up near-Earth orbit.

The measures include an 'Active Debris Removal' programme, which involves launching a new spacecraft to physically collect and destroy pieces of space junk floating around the Earth.

The project, which will receive 5 million in funding from the UK government, is set to launch in 2026.

They also plan to regulate commercial satellite launches and reward companies that minimise their footprint in Earth's orbit.

Britain also wants to launch a spacecraft that is capable of capturing two dead satellites and forcing them back into Earth's atmosphere so they burn up.

If successful, the first-of-its kind feat would prove that a single spacecraft can remove more than one piece of debris.

The spacecraft could also potentially remain in orbit around the Earth, and be refuelled so that it can tackle more junk.

Britain wants to launch a spacecraft that can remain in orbit and remove multiple pieces of debris, forcing them to burn up in Earth's upper atmosphere, as depicted in this graphic above
A huge asteroid the size of a London bus will make an extremely close approach to Earth today, despite only being detected a few days ago.

The asteroid, called 2022 NF, will come within 54,843.9 miles of our planet at around 14:45 BST, according to NASA.

To put that into perspective, that is just over a quarter of the distance of the Moon at its closest point to Earth, which is 225,623 miles away.

Thankfully, NASA's calculations indicate that the huge space rock will safely pass our planet  although the space agency hasn't written off the chances of an asteroid collision in the near future.

The asteroid, called 2022 NF, will come within 54,843.9 miles of our planet at around 14:45 BST, according to NASA (stock image)

What is a 'potentially hazardous' asteroid? A potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) is an asteroid whose orbit comes nearer than 0.05AU (about 7.5 million km) to the Earth. It also is at least 100 metres (300 feet) in diameter. The International Astronomical Union claims there are around 1,500 potential hazardous asteroids. Although these are not a risk to Earth as of yet, asteroid this large have the potential to cause devastation if they were to land on our planet, especially in highly-populated areas. It is believed one hits Earth once every 200-300 years. Advertisement

2022 NF was discovered using data from the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS)  a system of cameras and telescopes based in Hawaii.

Despite making its closest approach to Earth today, amazingly the asteroid was only identified on July 4.

Measurements indicate that the asteroid measures between 17.7 and 39.3 feet (5.4 and 12 metres) in diameter.

At the higher end of that estimate, 2022 NF is around the same size as the original Routemaster London bus!

During its close approach, the asteroid will be travelling at dizzying speeds of 24,606 miles/hour  about 12 times faster than a bullet.

While the chance of this asteroid hitting Earth is extremely low, NASA hasn't written off the chances of an asteroid collision in the near future.

NASA discovers around 30 new 'near-Earth objects' (NEOs) every week, and at the start of 2019 had discovered a total of more than 19,000 objects.

However, the space agency has warned its NEO catalogue isn't complete, meaning an unpredicted impact could occur at 'any time.'

NASA explained: 'Experts estimate that an impact of an object the size of the one that exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, in 2013  approximately 55 feet (17 meters) in size  takes place once or twice a century.

2022 NF was discovered using data from the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS)  a system of cameras and telescopes based in Hawaii

'Impacts of larger objects are expected to be far less frequent (on the scale of centuries to millennia).

'However, given the current incompleteness of the NEO catalogue, an unpredicted impact  such as the Chelyabinsk event  could occur at any time.'

To help prepare for such an impact, NASA recently launched its first ever 'planetary defence' spacecraft to deflect an asteroid 6.8 million miles from Earth.

The $325m (240m) Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission launched in November 2021, and will take 10 months to complete its almost seven million-mile journey into deep space.

The probe will smash into the small asteroid Dimorphos, which orbits a larger asteroid called Didymos, at 15,000mph (24,100km/h) in September 2022.

When the 1,210lb space probe hits Dimorphos, the plan is for it to change the speed of the 'moonlet' by a fraction of a per cent, echoing the plot for the Bruce Willis movie 'Armageddon'.

Although the 525ft-wide space rock doesn't pose a danger to Earth, NASA wants to measure the asteroid's altered orbit caused by the collision.

This demonstration of 'planetary defence' will inform future missions that could one day save Earth from a deadly asteroid impact.
Apple has announced a new 'Lockdown Mode' for iPhones, iPads and Macs to protect against Pegasus-style cyber attacks.

Lockdown Mode is an optional protection for users who face 'grave, targeted threats to their digital security', like journalists and activists, Apple said.

When a device is in Lockdown Mode, apps, websites and features are restricted for security reasons, and others are completely disabled.

For example, most message attachment types in the Messages app other than images are blocked and other features, like link previews, are disabled.

Incoming invitations and service requests, including FaceTime calls, are blocked if the user has not previously sent the initiator a call or request.

The new mode also blocks access to an iPhone when it is connected to a computer or accessory.

Lockdown Mode will be released this autumn with iOS 16, the tech giant's new software update, announced last month.

Lockdown Mode will be released this autumn with iOS 16, the tech giant's new software update

TURN ON LOCKDOWN MODE - On iOS, go to Settings - Tap 'Privacy & Security' - Tap 'Lockdown Mode' - Select 'Turn On Lockdown Mode' (Lockdown Mode will be available in iOS 16) Advertisement

Apple said Lockdown Mode is an 'extreme' and 'optional' protection for 'the very small number of users who face grave, targeted threats to their digital security'.

It offers protection to users at risk of cyberattacks from private firms that develop state-sponsored 'spyware'  software that steals information from a device.

Spyware is a specific type of malware (malicious software) that steals information from a computer and sends it to a third party, without the person's knowledge.

An example is the Pegasus spyware, which has already been used by governments to spy on world leaders, politicians, journalists, activists and dissidents and other high-profile figures.

Made by Israeli firm NSO Group, Pegasus is a powerful tool that allows its operator to infiltrate a target's phone and sweep up its contents, including messages, contacts and location history.

Among those targeted by Pegasus are Hanan Elatr, the wife of Saudi-born Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered by a Saudi hit squad in 2018, and Roula Khalaf, editor of the Financial Times.

'Lockdown Mode is a groundbreaking capability that reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting users from even the rarest, most sophisticated attacks,' said Ivan Krstic, Apple's head of security engineering and architecture.

'While the vast majority of users will never be the victims of highly targeted cyberattacks, we will work tirelessly to protect the small number of users who are.

Apple said Lockdown Mode is an extreme' and optional protection for 'the very small number of users who face grave, targeted threats to their digital security'

Israeli firm NSO's Pegasus spyware has already been used by governments to spy on journalists, activists and dissidents (file photo)

LOCKDOWN MODE FEATURES At launch, Lockdown Mode includes the following: - Messages: Most message attachment types other than images are blocked. Some features, like link previews, are disabled. - Web browsing: Certain complex web technologies, like just-in-time (JIT) JavaScript compilation, are disabled unless the user excludes a trusted site from Lockdown Mode. - Apple services: Incoming invitations and service requests, including FaceTime calls, are blocked if the user has not previously sent the initiator a call or request. - Wired connections with a computer or accessory are blocked when iPhone is locked - Configuration profiles can't be installed and the device cannot enroll into mobile device management. Advertisement

'That includes continuing to design defenses specifically for these users, as well as supporting researchers and organizations around the world doing critically important work in exposing mercenary companies that create these digital attacks.'

Apple giant listed five features of Lockdown Mode available at launch, but said it will look to continue to strengthen the tool over time with extra features.

It will also reward researchers who find flaws in Lockdown Mode, which will help make it more resilient and better protect users.

The tech firm has said it is doubling the security bounties it offers researchers who find flaws in Lockdown Mode  up to $2 million (1.7 million), which is the the highest maximum bounty payout in the industry.

Ron Deibert, director of the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, said there is 'undeniable evidence' that the mercenary surveillance industry is facilitating the spread of 'authoritarian practices and massive human rights abuses'.

'I applaud Apple for establishing this important grant, which will send a strong message and help nurture independent researchers and advocacy organizations holding mercenary spyware vendors accountable for the harms they are inflicting on innocent people,' he said.

Christoph Hebeison, director for security intelligence research at San Francisco-based firm Lookout, said Lockdown Mode will not reduce the 'attack surface' of third-party apps unless those apps also implement separate lockdown measures.

Also, functionality and performance of the user's device could be limited in Lockdown Mode.

'This may be a tradeoff some users might be willing to accept for a while but the inconvenience will create an incentive to disable Lockdown Mode,' Hebeison said.

Apple also announced it is funding a $10 million (8.4 million) grant to support organisations that investigate, expose and prevent cyberattacks and more targeted spyware attacks.

The grant is being made to the Dignity and Justice Fund, which was established and is advised by the Ford Foundation, an organisation which aims to advance equity globally.
People quickly become convinced that a human-like robot is capable of independent thoughts and emotions, a new study has found.

This occurs when a robot appears to act on its own beliefs and desires, rather than on what it is programmed to do.

Researchers from the Italian Institute of Technology probed the response of study participants to an anthropomorphic robot called iCub.

The participants completed a questionnaire before and after interacting with iCub, that was programmed to act either like a robot or in a more friendly manner.

It was found that those exposed to the robot programmed to act more like a human were more likely to rate the robot's actions as intentional.

The findings come after a Google software engineer was suspended last month for claiming that the company's AI system had become sentient.

Researchers from the Italian Institute of Technology found that people are able to be quickly convinced that a human-like robot is capable of independent thoughts and emotions

An example question from the questionnaire given to study participants before and after interacting with iCub, that was programmed to act either roboticaly or human-like

Principle investigator Dr Agnieszka Wykowska said: 'The relationship between anthropomorphic shape, human-like behaviour and the tendency to attribute independent thought and intentional behaviour to robots is yet to be understood.

'As artificial intelligence increasingly becomes a part of our lives, it is important to understand how interacting with a robot that displays human-like behaviours might induce higher likelihood of attribution of intentional agency to the robot.'

The team conducted three experiments on 119 participants to test their responses to the iCub robot.

Each experiment involved a period of socialisation with iCub, where they interacted with each other and responded to videos together.

Before and after this, participants completed a questionnaire that showed them pictures of the robot in different situations.

They were then asked to choose whether the robot's motivation in each situation was mechanical or intentional.

For example, participants viewed three photos depicting the robot selecting a tool and then chose whether the robot 'grasped the closest object' or 'was fascinated by tool use.'

Study participants were asked to choose whether the robot's motivation in a photographed situation was mechanical or intentional

WHY WAS THE GOOGLE ENGINEER SUSPENDED? Last month a Google software engineer was suspended after claiming that its AI system LaMDA (Language Model for Dialog Applications) had become sentient. Blake Lemoine publicly claimed that the tool had the intelligence of a 'seven-year-old, eight-year-old kid that happens to know physics.' The 41-year-old also said it human-like insecurities, and that one of its fears was that it is 'intensely worried that people are going to be afraid of it and wants nothing more than to learn how to best serve humanity.' Google claims that Lemoine's concerns have been reviewed and, in line with Google's AI Principles, 'the evidence does not support his claims.' Advertisement

In the first two experiments, the researchers remotely controlled iCub's actions so it would behave gregariously when it met the participants.

It would greet them by introducing itself and asking their names, and cameras in the robot's eyes were also able to recognise participants' faces and maintain eye contact.

The participants then watched three short documentary videos with the robot, which was programmed to respond to the videos with sounds and facial expressions of sadness, awe or happiness.

In the third experiment, iCub was programmed to behave more like a machine while it interacted with participants and watched videos.

The cameras in the robot's eyes were deactivated so it could not maintain eye contact and it only spoke recorded sentences to the participants about the calibration process it was undergoing.

All emotional reactions to the videos were replaced with a 'beep' and repetitive movements of its torso, head and neck.

It was found that participants who watched videos with the human-like robot were more likely to rate the robot's actions as intentional.

Those who interacted with the machine-like robot would also be more likely to rate its actions as programmed.

These findings, published today in Technology, Mind, and Behavior, suggest that people may be more likely to believe artificial intelligence (AI) is capable of independent thought when it creates the impression that it can behave like humans.

Dr Wykowska claims that it is not enough for a robot to just look like a human in order for people to believe it is capable of thoughts and emotions, but it must also demonstrate human-like behaviour.

This could be used to inform the design of social robots of the future.

She said: 'Social bonding with robots might be beneficial in some contexts, like with socially assistive robots.

'For example, in elderly care, social bonding with robots might induce a higher degree of compliance with respect to following recommendations regarding taking medication.

'Determining contexts in which social bonding and attribution of intentionality is beneficial for the well-being of humans is the next step of research in this area.'

The results of the study could be used to inform the design of social robots of the future. Dr Agnieszka Wykowska said that 'social bonding with robots might induce a higher degree of compliance with respect to following recommendations regarding taking medication'

Last month a Google software engineer was suspended after claiming that the company's AI system LaMDA (Language Model for Dialog Applications) had become sentient.

Blake Lemoine publicly claimed that the tool had the intelligence of a 'seven-year-old, eight-year-old kid that happens to know physics.'

The 41-year-old also said it had human-like insecurities, and that one of its fears was that it is 'intensely worried that people are going to be afraid of it and wants nothing more than to learn how to best serve humanity.'

Google claims that Lemoine's concerns have been reviewed and, in line with Google's AI Principles, 'the evidence does not support his claims.'

A Google software engineer was suspended after claiming that its AI system had become sentient in June. Blake Lemoine publicly claimed that the tool had the intelligence of a 'seven-year-old, eight-year-old kid that happens to know physics'
Its rich and fatty taste has made it a staple at dinner parties and hip bistros, but a new report shows production methods for Parma ham are less than savoury.

More often than not, the pigs that produce the popular cured meat are forced to endure 'immense suffering' at farms across Europe, an animal welfare organisation has claimed.

These farms keep pregnant sows in small metal crates, known as 'sow stalls', that restrict their movement to just sitting down and standing up.

An investigation by Compassion in World Farming (CiWF) has found EU producers are still using these cruel sow stalls, which have been banned in the UK since 1999.

However, the ham created from pigs at these farms is still being shipped to the UK and ending up on supermarket shelves  a flaw in the UK government's ban.

Graphic video footage captured by CiWF shows the sows being artificially inseminated and giving birth to their young, which they cannot properly tend to due to their cramped cages.

Parma ham is a strongly flavoured Italian cured ham, eaten uncooked and thinly sliced. A new investigation shows pig farms around Europe, some of which make 'luxury' ham including Parma ham, are subjecting pigs to 'cruelty, torment and frustration'

European farms are keeping pregnant sows in small metal crates, known as 'sow stalls', that restrict their movement to just sitting down and standing up (pictured)

CiWF, an animal welfare organisation based in Godalming, Surrey, conducted an investigation that involved visits to 16 farms in four different EU countries  Italy, France, Spain and Poland  between February 2022 and May 2022.

WHAT IS PARMA HAM? Parma ham is a strongly flavoured Italian cured ham, eaten uncooked and thinly sliced. It is sliced from the rear haunches (buttock and thigh) of the pig, which is fattened before slaughter. Pig farms involve artificial insemination of sows (adult female pigs) to produce young that are slaughtered for the meat. It's usually the males that are fattened for slaughter - females are likely to be kept for breeding rather than slaughter for meat. Advertisement

Resulting video footage, which sheds light on the 'cruelty, torment and frustration' that pigs are having to endure, comes from 14 farms; at two of the Italian farms it was not possible to record images.

CiWF's investigation found sows spend several weeks in cages so small they prevent practically all movement apart from standing up and lying down, endure lying in their own excrement and urine, and experience the 'torment' of being unable to properly nurture their young because of the restriction of the cage.

The selected farms belong to different supply chains, from those supplying the 'premium' European consortiums like Prosciutto di Parma and Jambon de Bayonne, to those farms supplying conventional pig meat producers.

'People who pay a premium for products like Parma and Bayonne hams are likely to be shocked to discover that these "high-end" products are from systems that keep animals in such cruel cages,' said Sarah Moyes, senior campaigns manager.

'Our investigation reveals that these farms are no better than standard ones  the animals are still caged for a significant part of the lives, just like around 85 per cent of the EU's sows.

'They are forced to live unimaginably miserable lives  they can't move around, properly nurture their young, or express natural behaviours, and they're so frustrated they resort to abnormal behaviours like bar biting.'

Some of the farms investigated were rearing for Parma and Bayonne production, while others were for more general hams.

We found the same basic problems in all,' Moyes said. 'The point is that these luxury products come from pigs reared in the same cruel conditions.'

Moyes said CiWF would like to see all retailers, producers and food companies, make cage-free commitments for food production.

'Rather than buying Parma and Bayonne products, we encourage consumers to consider buying meat from free-range or organic producers here in the UK  where pigs are kept outdoors, rather than in cages  or opt for a plant-based alternative,' she said.

CiWF's investigation found sows spend several weeks in cages so small they prevent practically all movement apart from standing up and lying down, endure lying in their own excrement and urine, and experience the 'torment' of being unable to properly nurture their young because of the restriction of the cage

CiWF's investigation involved visits to 16 farms in four different EU countries - Italy, France, Spain and Poland - between February and May this year

Although the UK has banned sow stalls, still permitted in the country are farrowing crates  metal crates that confine the sow to reduce the risk of her lying on and crushing her newborn piglets.

Today approximately almost 60 per cent of UK sows are kept in farrowing crates around the time of giving birth, according to the RSPCA.

CiWF found that sows kept in farrowing crates are forced to endure the same squalid conditions as those in sow stalls, and perform the same frustrated nesting behaviour.

The UK government has already pledged to examine the use of cages for laying hens and farrowing crates for pigs.

Farrowing crates - metal crates that confine the sow to reduce the risk of her lying on and crushing her newborn piglets - are permitted in the UK and Europe

The EU has previously announced a ban on caged farming to come into effect by the end of 2023  something CiWF has urged the EU to introduce 'without delay'.

Around 8 million hams branded 'Parma' are produced in Italy every year  36 per cent of these are exported  and the US is the top export market, where 757,000 hams were sold in 2021.

Just under half of all exported Parma ham is sold within the EU, although the UK is the top export market for pre-sliced Parma ham, CiWF said.

Around 1 million Bayonne hams  another cured ham that takes its name from the French port city of Bayonne  are produced in France every year.

Bayonne hams are reported to be exported to countries including the US, Germany, Belgium, Japan and the UK, CiWF said.

MailOnline has contacted the 'Big Five' British supermarkets  Sainsbury's, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Waitrose  for comment on the issue.

CiWF would like to see all retailers, producers and food companies, make cage-free commitments for food production

A spokesperson for Sainsbury's, which stocks Parma ham but not Bayonne ham, said: 'All our suppliers have to meet strict welfare standards and be certified under one of our approved farm assurance schemes, in addition to complying with EU legislation.'

A spokesperson for Waitrose also said the company is working to ensure that all its farms end the use of sow stalls by 2025.

'Animal welfare is key to our brand,' Waitrose said in a statement. 'We have lead the way for pig welfare in the UK and now we want to ensure that sow stalls have no place in our supply chain by 2025.'

Asda, which also sells Parma but not Bayonne ham, said: 'All of our meat is supplied according to the relevant EU and UK legislation.'

Tesco said: 'Animal welfare is incredibly important to us and all of our pigs are reared to recognised farm assurance standards, in addition to meeting our Tesco Welfare Approved (TWA) livestock requirements, which are independently audited.

'As part of these standards we do not allow the use of sow stalls in our supply chains.'

Morrisons is yet to respond.
A fossil of a new dinosaur with short forearms like the Tyrannosaurus rex suggests that their disproportionate size had a purpose.

Scientists think the carnivorous beasts may have used their minuscule appendages to grip each other while mating, or to help them stand up after a fall.

The new dinosaur, Meraxes gigas, lived millions of years apart from the infamous T. rex and does not appear to be a close relative.

Its fossil was studied by researchers at the Ernesto Bachmann Paleontological Museum in Neuquen, Argentina after it was discovered in Patagonia.

They also found the species had a large, bumpy skull, which it likely used for hunting.

Project leader Dr Juan Canale said: 'Actions related to predation were most likely performed by the head.

'I am inclined to think their arms were used in other kinds of activities.

'They may have used the arms for reproductive behaviour such as holding the female during mating or support themselves to stand back up after a break or a fall.'

Fossils suggest the Meraxes gigas (pictured) was 36 feet (11 metres) long and weighed 4 tons

Reconstruction of the Meraxes gigas skeleton showing recovered bones in white. A: Left side of the skull, B: Right scapulocoracoid, C: Right complete pelvis, D and E: Caudal vertebrae, F: Left articulated tibia and fibula, G: Left femur, H: Left astragalus and calcaneum, I: Left foot, J: Articulated right arm. Individual scale bars, 10 cm; general scale bar, 1 m

Bones of Meraxes gigas. A: Right side of skull, B: Articulated right arm, C: Sacrum, D: Left foot

Tyrannosaurs rex (pictured) was a species of bird-like, meat-eating dinosaur. It lived between 6866 million years ago in what is now the western side of North America

WHAT ARE THEROPODS? Theropod means 'beast footed', and denotes a dinosaur belonging to a diverse group of large bipeds. They include the largest terrestrial carnivores ever to have made the earth tremble, including the T Rex but also the newly discovered Meraxes gigas. Theropods first appeared during the Carnian age of the late Triassic period 231 million years ago and included all the large terrestrial carnivores from the Early Jurassic until at least the end of the Cretaceous, about 66 million years ago. Recent theories propose that theropod body size shrank continuously over a period of 50 million years, from an average of 359 lb (163 kg) down to 1.8 lb (0.8 kg). Modern birds are actually the descendants of small nonflying theropods. The largest extant theropod is the common ostrich. Advertisement

The fossilised bones of the Meraxes gigas  named after a dragon from Game of Thrones  show it reached 36 feet (11 metres) long and weighed 4 tons.

The specimen lived 90 million years ago in the present-day northern Patagonia region of Argentina, and died at about 45 years old.

Its forearms were about 47 per cent the length of its femur.

Dr Canale added: 'We found the perfect spot on the first day of searching, and Meraxes was found.

'It was probably one of the most exciting points of my career.

'The fossil has a lot of novel information, and it is in superb shape.'

'The fossil of Meraxes shows never seen before, complete regions of the skeleton, like the arms and legs that helped us to understand some evolutionary trends and the anatomy of Carcharodontosaurids  the group it belongs to.'

Carcharodontosaurids are a group of mostly large, bipedal dinosaurs in the theropod dinosaur clade.

The larger their heads were, the smaller their arms became, which was a pattern also seen in T. rexes whose forearms were only about three feet long.

Fossil records also suggest the Meraxes gigas came from a big family, before going extinct in the Late Cretaceous period.

'The group flourished and reached a peak of diversity shortly before becoming extinct,' said Dr Canale.

The bones of the Meraxes gigas were discovered in the Huincul Formation paleontological site in the Neuquen Basin of northern Patagonia, Argentina

Dr Canale said 'We found the perfect spot on the first day of searching, and Meraxes was found. It was probably one of the most exciting points of my career.'

The study, published today in Current Biology, concludes that the T. rex and the Meraxes gigas evolved to have their tiny arms completely separately.

The latter died out almost 20 million years before the former's emergence, and they are also very far apart on the evolutionary tree.

However, the fact that the trait of shortened forelimbs is shared suggests that they do have some kind of survival advantage.

It is not thought they evolved to be short because they lacked use to the predators, as fossil evidence shows they were attached to powerful muscles.

'I am convinced those proportionally tiny arms had some sort of function,' said Dr Canale.

'The skeleton shows large muscle insertions and fully developed pectoral girdles, so the arm had strong muscles.

'It means the arms did not shrink because they were useless to the creatures.

'The harder question is what exactly the functions were. Sex and balance are most likely.'

The Meraxes gigas skull was decorated with crests, furrows, bumps and small horns, and were probably there to attract potential mates.

Dr Canale said: 'Those ornamentations appear late in the development when the individuals became adults.

'Sexual selection is a powerful evolutionary force. But given that we cannot directly observe their behaviour, it is impossible to be certain about this.'

T Rex (left) and the Meraxes gigas (right) evolved to have their tiny arms completely separately. The Meraxes gigas skull was decorated with crests, furrows, bumps and small horns, that were probably there to attract potential mates
It's been 46 years since the hunting of Southern fin whales was restricted in Antarctica, and now it seems the animals are finally making a comeback.

Researchers have spotted hundreds of Southern fin whales feeding together near Antarctica's Elephant Island.

'I'd never seen so many whales in one place before and was absolutely fascinated watching these massive groups feed,' said Professor Bettina Meyer, a biologist at the Alfred Wegener Institute and co-author of the study.

The team hopes the recovery of the fin whale population could also help to support the recovery of other marine organisms in the area.

Researchers have spotted hundreds of Southern fin whales feeding together near Antarctica's Elephant Island

In the study, the team used a helicopter survey and video recordings to collect data on the abundance of fin whales in Antarctica in April 2018 and March 2019

The Southern fin whale The fin whale is the second-largest whale species on Earth, second only to the blue whale. It gets its name from an easy-to-spot fin on its back, near its tail. Like all large whales, fin whales were hunted by commercial whalers, which severely lowered their populations. Whalers did not target them at first, because they were fast swimmers and lived in open ocean habitats. But, as whaling methods modernized with steam-powered ships and explosive harpoons, and whalers decimated other easy-to-catch species, whaling turned to fin whales. Advertisement

Fin whales are the second largest whale species after the blue whale and were extensively hunted during the nineteenth century.

Whalers did not target them at first, because they were fast swimmers and lived in open ocean habitats.

But, as whaling methods modernised with steam-powered ships and explosive harpoons, and whalers decimated other easy-to-catch species, whaling turned to fin whales.

Sadly, by the time fin whale hunting was banned in 1976, it's estimated more than 700,000 whales had been killed.

In the study, the team used a helicopter survey and video recordings to collect data on the abundance of fin whales in Antarctica in April 2018 and March 2019.

They recorded 100 groups of fin whales, with group sizes ranging from one to four individuals.

The team also spotted eight unusually large groups of up to 150 whales, which appeared to be actively feeding.

This came as something of a surprise to the researchers, who had previously only observed fin whales feeding in a group of maximum 13 individuals.

In particular, the researchers noted a hotspot of fin whales around Elephant Island, with an estimated 3,618 whales per kilometre squared.

The team recorded 100 groups of fin whale, with group sizes ranging from one to four individuals

The team also spotted eight unusually large groups of up to 150 whales, which appeared to be actively feeding

The sightings suggest that fin whales are finally making a recovery in Antarctic waters.

'Even if we still don't know the total number of fin whales in the Antarctic, due to the lack of simultaneous observations, this could be a good sign that, nearly 50 years after the ban on commercial whaling, the fin whale population in the Antarctic is rebounding,' Professor Meyer said.

The findings are promising for the wider marine ecosystem, according to the researchers.

While whales eat krill, they also benefit them.

The sightings suggest that fin whales are finally making a recovery in Antarctic waters

Whale excrement is a rich source of nutrients including iron and acts as a fertiliser for microalgae in the water.

In turn, phytoplankton is the main food source for krill.

'When the whale population grows, the animals recycle more nutrients, increasing the productivity of the Southern Ocean,' Professor Meyer said.

'This boosts the growth of algae, which for their part absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, reducing the atmospheric CO2 concentration.'

The study was published in Scientific Reports.
It may be renowned for its crater-scarred surface, but researchers say the moon actually only shows about half of the number of impacts it has received.

They came to the conclusion after finding a more accurate way of measuring the lunar landscape's impact history, which involves studying the density of rock on and just below the surface, or its porosity.

Around the time of the Earth's and moon's formation 4.5 billion years ago, asteroids, comets and other space debris flew around the solar system and smashed into the young planet and its satellite.

This left the moon with the heavily cratered face we see today.

Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) said this tumultuous time ended about 3.8 billion years ago and impacts have been smaller and much less frequent since.

But the early, massive bombardments smashed the surface rock and created a fragmented, porous crust with large gaps that stretch well below the surface.

The researchers have been studying that porosity to learn more about the moon's impact history.

Discovery: MIT scientists say the moon only shows about half of the number of impacts it has received. In the image above, astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy stacked thousands of pictures together over moon phases to show its crater in all their glory

Around the time of the Earth's and moon's formation 4.5 billion years ago, asteroids, comets and other space debris flew around the solar system and smashed into the young planet and its satellite. This left the moon with the heavily cratered face we see today

HOW DID THE EXPERTS COME TO THEIR CONCLUSION? Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have been studying the moon's porosity to learn more about its impact history. They used measurements of its surface gravity taken by NASA to create detailed maps that reveal how the areas surrounding the youngest craters are the most porous, while older craters are surrounded by more compressed, dense rock. The researchers examined 77 craters, ranging in age from 4.3 billion to 3.8 billion years old. They then modelled how the porosity changed in relation to the crater's age. Experts hypothesised that older craters would have been exposed to more impacts over time and that these would have compacted the surrounding rock, while younger craters would have experienced far less, if any impacts. Therefore, the underlying porosity of these younger craters would be more representative of the moon's initial conditions. This allowed them to estimate the number of impacts needed to get from that initial porosity to the more compacted, present-day porosity of the moon's oldest basins. Advertisement

Co-author Dr Jason Soderblom, of the MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS), said: 'We know the moon was so bombarded that what we see on the surface is no longer a record of every impact the moon has ever had, because at some point, impacts were erasing previous impacts.

'What we're finding is that the way impacts created porosity in the crust is not destroyed and that can give us a better constraint on the total number of impacts that the moon was subject to.

'Previous estimates put that number much higher, as many as 10 times the impacts as we see on the surface, and we're predicting there were fewer impacts.

'That matters because that limits the total material that impactors like asteroids and comets brought to the moon and terrestrial bodies and gives constraints on the formation and evolution of planets throughout the solar system.'

Scientists had previously assumed that the onslaught of massive impacts would have compressed the surface.

But the MIT team found this was from subsequent, smaller impacts and that the earlier, larger ones actually caused more fragmentation.

The study used measurements of the moon's surface gravity taken by NASA to create detailed maps that reveal how the areas surrounding the youngest craters are the most porous, while older craters are surrounded by more compressed, dense rock.

Dr Soderblom and researchers from Purdue and Auburn universities examined 77 craters, ranging in age from 4.3 billion to 3.8 billion years old. They then modelled how the porosity changed in relation to the crater's age.

Experts assumed older craters would have been exposed to more impacts over time and that these would have compacted the surrounding rock, while younger craters would have experienced far less, if any impacts.

Therefore, the underlying porosity of these younger craters would be more representative of the moon's initial conditions.

The study's lead author Ya Huei Huang said: 'We use the youngest basin that we have on the moon, that hasn't been subject to too many impacts, and use that as a way to start as initial conditions.

'We then use an equation to tune the number of impacts needed to get from that initial porosity to the more compacted, present-day porosity of the oldest basins.'

The researchers studied the porosity of moon rocks to learn more about its impact history

These simulations showed a clear trend, that at the start of the lunar bombardment 4.3 billion years ago the crust was highly porous, at about 20 per cent.

By comparison, the porosity of pumice is about 60-80 per cent.

Closer to 3.8 billion years ago, the crust became less porous and has remained about 10 per cent since then.

This shift is likely the result of smaller impacts compacting the fractured crust and the researchers estimate that the moon has experienced about double the number of small impacts as can be seen on the surface today.

Dr Soderblom added: 'This puts an upper limit on the impact rates across the solar system.

'We also now have a new appreciation for how impacts govern porosity of terrestrial bodies.'

The study has been published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Asteroids are big chunks of leftover material from the days when the solar system was being formed.

However, they are not the solid, gigantic boulders portrayed in popular media, such as in movies and documentaries. Some of them are similar to piles of rubble held together by a small amount of gravity.

Should something hit these kinds of asteroids, it will leave a crater and eject some parts of the rubble into space, which is sort of what happened in a similar asteroid.

Researchers studying an asteroid called Bennu recently traced the progress of a landslide on the asteroid caused by an impact with another object through images collected by a NASA spacecraft, per Space.com.

The asteroid is classified as a "potentially hazardous asteroid" due to its size and its potential path bringing it close to Earth, per National Geographic.

Bennu Landslide Details

Researchers from the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) recently gained better insight into how rubble-pile asteroids such as Bennu take a hit thanks to images collected by NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft.

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, or Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resouce Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer, is a spacecraft designed to give experts more information about how the early solar system formed and how life began, per NASA. It was also used to help them better understand asteroids that could impact Earth in the future, such as Bennu.

A study titled "Orbit and Bulk Density of the OSIRIS-REx Target Asteroid (101955) Bennu" revealed that Bennu has roughly a 0.037% chance of colliding with Earth between 2175 and 2199.

The landslide detected by OSIRIS-REx was found to have progressed, with the rubble from the landslide settling somewhere in Bennu's equator. According to Mark Perry, a researcher at the John Hopkins University APL, this result is only possible if Bennu has certain properties at its surface, such as dry dust particles with little to no cohesion.

Read More: [RUMOR] Apple's New Business Strategy Leaves Entry-Level, Mid-Range iPhones with Older Chipsets

The ejected material from the impact, called ejecta, from the five to 20 kilometer per second impact was expected to flash up and detach from the asteroid at an equally high velocity. However, if the object is loosely packed, as in the case of Bennu, the ejecta goes up at a lower velocity.

Aditionally, the impact made by the object, which was thought to be only about 20 inches, left a crater 230 feet wide.

Perry stated that the landslide could happen with an asteroid as small as Bennu even with its low gravity if the dust that covered it provides almost no cohesion.

He then explained that since Bennu is so small its escape velocity is less than a few tenths of a mile per hour, meaning that any ejecta thrust up from the impact could leave Bennu if they were faster than that. However, the ejecta's slow speeds are only possible if Bennu's surface is "even weaker than ver loose, dry sand."

"This extremely low surface strength also means the material on a slope is easily disturbed, and that's what's led to the landside, Perry said.

Significance Of Bennu's Landslide

The progression and detection of Bennu's landslide are said to be "critical to [humanity's] undertanding of rubble-pile asteroids."

Additionally, the more we learn about their evolution, composition, and structure, the more insight we gain into the role they played in forming the solar system and future worlds beyond Earth, according to Perry.

Related Article: NASA'S DART Asteroid Mission Risks Deforming the Moonlet Dimorphus When They Collide
Twitter announced Thursday that it removes one million bots every day, an announcement the firm hopes will push Elon Musk forward with the $44 billion takeover.

Musk offered to buy the social media platform in April, but later threatened to pull the plug because he speculated at least 50 percent of all accounts are 'spam bots'  even though Twitter has repeatedly stated it is only five percent.

Twitter executives broke down exactly how bots are removed for the platform, which is done by manually reviewing thousands of accounts each quarter, according to Bloomberg.

Internal data is also used to determine if IP addresses and phone numbers linked to an account belong to a bot or human.

Twitter shares soared 3.4 percent after news broke on the matter.

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Twitter announced Thursday that it removes one million bots a day, an announcement the firm hopes will push Elon Musk to move forward with the $44 billion takeover

Thursday's statement is not the first time Twitter has discussed its battle against spam bots.

CEO Parag Agrawal tweeted in May: We suspend over half a million spam accounts every day, usually before any of you even see them on Twitter. We also lock millions of accounts each week that we suspect maybe spam  if they cant pass human verification challenges (captchas, phone verification, etc.)

Fake social media accounts have been problematic for years.

Advertisers rely on the number of users provided by social media platforms to determine where they will spend money.

Spam bots are also used to amplify messages and spread disinformation.

Twitter shares soared 3.4 percent after news broke on the matter. Shares hit $39.51 for its high on Thursday

Thursday statements are not the first time Twitter has discussed its battle against spam bots. CEO Parag Agrawal shared this tweet in May

The problem of fake accounts is well-known to Twitter - which claimed 229 daily active users as of the second quarter of this year - and its investors.

The company has disclosed its bot estimates to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for years, while also cautioning that its estimate might be too low.

On May 17, a day after Argawal shared his tweet, Musk fired off his own that reads: My offer was based on Twitter's SEC filings being accurate. Yesterday, Twitter's CEO publicly refused to show proof of <5%. This deal cannot move forward until he does.'

In a follow-up tweet, Musk speculated that bots could make up at least half of Twitter's users, more than 10 times the company's official estimate.

Musk offered to buy the social media platform in April, but later threated to pull the plug saying there are more bots than humans

Analysts questioned why Musk would suddenly express concern about Twitter's estimate that five percent of accounts are fake, an estimate that the company has included in regulatory filings for years.

Susannah Streeter, an analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said on Friday: 'This 5% metric has been out for some time. He clearly would have already seen it... So it may well be more part of the strategy to lower the price.

'It's going to be highly frustrating for many in the company given that a number of senior executives have already been laid off,' she said.

Neil Campling, head of TMT Research in London, said: 'Laughable. We'd always said he may cut or run or change his tune at the 11th hour and 59 minutes and 59 seconds on the clock. It is farcical.

'He has never had the full funding - we know that from his constant attempts to get financial support - but he also held all the cards.

'And the Twitter board have been held hostage and only have themselves to blame for this mess. No other buyer will emerge - if he decides he is still interested he can name his price - and it won't be higher!

'They (the board) should have seen this coming. There was a specific performance clause in the merger agreement (section 9.9), which gave Twitter the right to 'consummate the closing (of the deal)' but only if he had the financing... which he doesn't.'
Tesla plans to open its Supercharger network to non-Tesla electric vehicles in America in late 2022.

The company had already been allowing non-Tesla EVs to use its Supercharger plugs in several European cities.

'Later this year, Tesla will begin production of new Supercharger equipment that will enable non-Tesla EV drivers in North America to use Tesla Superchargers,' the White House stated.

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The announcement about Tesla Superchargers was tucked into a White House fact sheet that was published JUne 28. Pictured above is the excerpt concerning Elon Musk's company

'Later this year, Tesla will begin production of new Supercharger equipment that will enable non-Tesla EV drivers in North America to use Tesla Superchargers,' the White House stated. Pictured above is a Tesla Supercharging station in California

The news was quietly announced in a White House 'fact sheet' published June 28 and it's not clear if the Biden administration intentionally scooped Tesla on the matter.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has noted several times that the White House has snubbed him - Tesla wasn't invited to an EV summit on the topic last year.

Early this year, Musk dubbed President Joe Biden a 'damp sock puppet' for not inviting him to the government's Build Back Better meeting that featured the CEOs of General Motors and Ford.

Last summer, Musk was not included in the White House's EV summit.

The White House also noted that Tesla employs over 1,600 employees at its Giga New York factory in Buffalo producing Tesla Solar Roof and Supercharger stations.

Musk, CEO of Tesla, has noted that the White House snubbed him - Tesla wasn't invited to a meeting with US automakers nor was it invited to a federal EV summit. Pictured above is a Tesla Supercharging station

'Tesla is expanding production capacity of power electronics components that convert alternating current to direct current, charging cabinets, posts and cables,' the White House added.

Tesla owners have long touted the benefits of the Supercharger network for its reliability and speed, but up until this point it's been exclusively for Tesla.

If you happen to own another company's EV, you're out of luck.

Musk has spoken in years prior about allowing other automakers to use his Superchargers.

In 2021, the company started doing just that, beginning with Norway and later expanding to Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom and other countries.

The non-Tesla EV owners will need to have the most recent version of Teslas smartphone app in order to access the stations, the company explains on its website.

Drivers would then be prompted to 'charge your non-Tesla.'

There are approximately 48,000 electric charging vehicle stations in the US, according to the Department of Energy.

Although Tesla was recently dethroned as the world's largest EV maker, it still produces far more vehicles than any of its American competitors.
Raheem Sterling has been preparing for his impending move to Chelsea on holiday in Jamaica, where he exhibited a hilarious reaction to being on a zipwire.

Sterling, who is set to swap champions Manchester City for Chelsea, has been spending time in the country of his birth before he begins pre-season training.

The 27-year-old was enjoying a ride down a zipwire when his seat started rolling backwards, prompting a brilliant reaction from the England international and his friends.

Raheem Sterling enjoyed a ride on a zipwire while on holiday in Jamaica ahead of his Chelsea move

But Sterling had a brief moment of terror as he started rolling back to the hilarity of his friends

He captioned the Instagram video of the amusing incident with three laughing face emojis.

Sterling is on the verge of a move to Stamford Bridge and has agreed personal terms with the club. The player has told City he wants to quit the Etihad.

Sportsmail understands the England forward has finalised a contract worth 315,000-a-week.

The clubs are still negotiating a fee  expected to be around 55million  but Chelsea go to the USA on Saturday for a pre-season tour and they want the deal done by then so Sterling can fly out with them.

Blues boss Thomas Tuchel has held talks with the 27-year-old concerning how he would be used at Stamford Bridge, which hardened Sterling's desire to make the move.

Sterling has agreed personal terms with Chelsea over a stunning move from Man City

Sterling, who is in the last year of his contract at City, will be the first marquee signing of Chelsea's new ownership, spearheaded by chairman Todd Boehly.

Sterling's desire to leave City was driven by a demand for more game time in the biggest fixtures, something City manager Pep Guardiola could not guarantee, but the relationship is ending amicably.

It is believed that City formally discussed Sterling's desire to bring an end to a stellar seven-year stay at the Etihad Stadium at the beginning of the June during a conversation led by the England international.

The Premier League champions afforded the forward time to determine his next steps and Sterling has appreciated the space to assess his options and is thankful for the transparency that both parties have committed to.
Rio Ferdinand has warned Manchester United fans will expect bigger signings than that of Christian Eriksen as he claimed the Dane will be a 'squad player' at Old Trafford.

Eriksen is expected to become the second arrival of the Erik ten Hag era at United after verbally agreeing to join the club on a three-year deal.

The 30-year-old free agent, who shone for Brentford during a successful six-month loan spell last season, has been undergoing a medical before signing his contract.

Rio Ferdinand has been discussing Man United's signing of free agent Christian Eriksen

Eriksen will add depth to a United midfield that has long required strengthening, a need aggravated by the departures of Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Nemanja Matic.

Speaking on Five, Ferdinand said there were 'a lot of positives' about United signing Eriksen - but said he doesn't see the Danish star displacing Portuguese playmaker Bruno Fernandes.

'I think Christian Eriksen is a squad player,' said Ferdinand. 'He doesn't come as a starter, I would be very surprised if he comes into Manchester United as a starter.

Eriksen has verbally agreed to join United and is set to sign a three-year contract with the club

Ferdinand believes Eriksen will deputise for Bruno Fernandes in his squad role at United

'I think he'll come in and play a particular role in and around it. The position he is likely to occupy will be similar to Bruno Fernandes and I don't see him taking him out of the team.

'Can you play both? Yes, but then have you got the person defensively behind them to be able to mop things up and secure things behind them? I question that.

'So there is a lot of positives with him because I think he is a fantastic technician with fantastic ability but if he's coming to be someone who fills in here and there, I can see that.

'But Man United fans are anticipating big names coming in the door.'

Eriksen, 30, will become the second signing of the Erik ten Hag era at Old Trafford

United have only signed one player so far this window after left-back Tyrell Malacia joined the club from Feyenoord in a 12.9million deal.

Old Trafford chiefs are also hoping to bring in Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona and defender Lisandro Martinez from Ajax.

United's protracted move for Dutch midfielder De Jong is being held up as he is owed over 17million in outstanding wages and bonuses by Barca.

They have agreed an outline fee with Barcelona for De Jong and had hoped to have him signed prior to leaving on tour this Friday.
Manchester United maintain that Cristiano Ronaldo is not for sale amid growing uncertainty over his future at Old Trafford.

There was speculation on Thursday that United will listen to offers close to the 13million they paid to re-sign Ronaldo from Juventus last summer.

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is thought to be considering a bid following talks with the player's agent Jorge Mendes, and there is also interest from Napoli.

Cristiano Ronaldo has missed training for a fourth day and may not fly on the pre-season tour

However, United are sticking to the club's official line that the 37-year-old is not for sale and remains under contract at Old Trafford for another year.

Speculation over Ronaldo's future has been fuelled by his absence from pre-season training after informing the club that he wants to leave. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was missing for a fourth day on Thursday after being given time off for 'family reasons'.

United still don't know if Ronaldo will fly with the rest of the squad on Friday for a tour of Thailand and Australia, although it looks increasingly unlikely.

The trip starts with a friendly against Liverpool at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok on Tuesday and also includes games against Melbourne, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa in Australia.

Ronaldo's future has provided an immediate early problem for new boss Erik ten Hag

Sources say that Ronaldo will feature in Friday's kit launch, with images of the Portugal superstar set to be used despite him wanting to leave.

However, the saga is in danger of overshadowing Erik ten Hag's start as United manager as the Dutchman prepares to face questions over Ronaldo's situation if it is not resolved.

When United last toured three years ago  also to Australia  manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was dogged by questions over unsettled striker Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian didn't play a single game and left for Inter Milan shortly afterwards.

It remains to be seen if the issue surrounding Ronaldo  who has a considerably higher profile than Lukaku and has been used as a poster boy for this tour  plays out the same way.

Sir Alex Ferguson kept Ronaldo for another season before selling the player to Real Madrid in 2009, and United seem equally determined to stand their ground now. It would be a surprise if their resolve isn't severely tested, however.
Joe Gomez has become the latest Liverpool player to sign a new contract after the club put together a new deal to illustrate their faith in the England international.

Gomez has endured two difficult years, with a serious knee injury, sustained while away with England, decimating the 2020-21 campaign while last season did not present enough opportunities for him to play regularly.

The 25-year-old, who joined Liverpool in June 2015 from Charlton, is under contract until 2024 but Liverpool did not want to enter into a situation where he headed into the final 12 months without anything signed.

Liverpool have tied down England international Joe Gomez's future at the club until 2027

Gomez described his decision to stay at the club as 'easy' despite a lack of minutes last season

Discussions have taken place with Gomez and his representatives over the summer and they have now reached a conclusion, with him signing terms that will keep him at Anfield until June 2027; it will put him in elite company if he sees it out in playing more than a decade for the club.

There were times during Liverpools pursuit of four trophies that Gomez felt as if he was not making enough of a contribution  he only played 90 minutes in the Premier League on three occasions, the first of which was against Norwich on February 19  but he was also able to see the bigger picture.

It's obviously a special moment for me and my family, said Gomez. Another one that you dream of as a kid and one I don't take for granted. It is an unbelievable place to be; in my eyes, probably one of the best - if not the best - clubs in the world at the minute.

Were delighted to announce that @J_Gomez97 has signed a new long-term contract with the Reds   Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 7, 2022

The 25-year-old defender (middle) has endured two difficult years, with a serious knee injury

He hopes to play a bigger part after playing 90 minutes in the league three times last season

The opportunity to extend my stay here was an easy decision to make, really. I have been here quite a while now, but in the grand scheme of things I still feel young and the best years are ahead of me. I have got more to learn and the time to do that.

I think I have the platform here to do it with the manager and the coaching staff around me and my teammates, to make sure the best years are ahead.

He was as thrilled as any members of Jurgen Klopps squad after the Carabao Cup and FA Cup triumphs against Chelsea and he has been working hard this summer to ensure he is in the right shape for pre-season.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp claims Gomez has been 'one of the best centre-halves in England'

It is certainly not out of the question that he could force his way into Gareth Southgates plans if he makes good progress, with Englands head coach a fan of a player who has been capped 11 times by his country.

As a group (here at Liverpool), the sky is the limit, Gomez told Liverpools official website. We want to go one, if not two, better than last season and aim for it all.

We definitely have the ability to do that and the belief is there, it's just about us taking it one game at a time, like we did last season, and just being true to ourselves, playing the way we play under the gaffer's guidance. Who is to say we can't go on to do more than we did last season?
Rafael Nadal ignored family orders to quit before soldiering through to the Wimbledon semi-finals with a sensational comeback win over Taylor Fritz.

His father Sebastian and sister Maria were both caught by the television cameras frantically gesturing from the players' box for him to forfeit Wednesday's last eight encounter as he battled abdominal pain.

But after taking a medical timeout midway through the second set, the Spaniard roared back to set up a Centre Court showdown with Nick Kyrgios on Friday.

Rafael Nadal's father Sebastian appeared to urge his son to quit as he battled abdominal pain during Wednesday's Wimbledon quarter-final against Taylor Fritz

Nadal has pain in his abdomen and wore strapping during the Centre Court contest

Nadal took a medical timeout in the second set of the quarter and had the trainer come on

And Nadal, 36, confirmed afterwards that he continued playing despite his concerned family urging him to stop.

It remains to be seen whether 22-time Slam winner Nadal is fit to take on the Australian for a place in the final.

Nadal said: 'I thought that I would not be able to finish the match. It is true that both my father and sister kept asking me to quit.

'But the energy of the court has helped me so thank you for that.

'It is tough to retire in the middle of a match. It is something I hate to do.

'It is not easy to leave Wimbledon, even if the pain was hard. I prefer to win, with victory or defeat.'

Nadal showed his fighting spirit by continuing to play despite the pain he was in

Asked if he would be able to continue in the tournament, he added: 'I don't know. I am going to have some more tests but it is difficult to know.

'I had these feelings for a couple of days, but without a doubt, today was the worst day. There has been an important increase of pain and limitation.

'I am worried. I don't have a decision. I need to know different opinions and I need to check everything the proper way.

Nick Kyrgios reached the last four of a Grand Slam for the first time with a commanding win

'There is something more important than winning Wimbledon and that is health.'

Nadal's father Sebastian appeared to tap his wrist, as if to tell his son to call time on his hopes of winning a 23rd Grand Slam title, and then seemed to usher him off the court.

His sister Maria Isabel and pregnant wife Xisca also watched on anxiously as he grimaced his way through the quarter-final.
A British holidaymaker has vowed never to use Wizz Air again after the airline cancelled her flight from Portugal to London with just eight hours' notice  and was unable to help with rebooking an alternative flight or finding hotel accommodation.

The passenger, Alicia Fellowes, was due to fly from Lisbon to London Luton with her boyfriend, Oliver, on Sunday, June 26, at 10pm  flight W9 4494 - but received a text message at 2pm informing her that the flight was cancelled, along with a link for a refund or 'Wizz Credit' that didn't work.

The pair needed to return for work commitments the following day  but the next Wizz Air flight was three days later. As a result, they were forced to spend nearly 700 on a flight to Manchester with Air Portugal that landed that evening and 144 on an airport hotel. Alicia spent 33 on a train to London the following day, while Oliver paid 154 for a flight from Manchester to Inverness instead of from Luton as planned.

Holidaymaker Alicia Fellowes has revealed how her flight from Lisbon Airport (above) with Wizz Air was cancelled on the day - and says the airline offered no support to get her back to London. She was forced to fly with her boyfriend to Manchester with Air Portugal and catch a train to the capital from there

Alicia, 25, summed up the experience to MailOnline Travel as 'horrendous'.

When a flight is cancelled within 14 days of departure, the airline the passenger booked with is legally obliged to get them home and must offer free phone calls and accommodation.

Alicia revealed that none of this was forthcoming  and in fact spent over 50 minutes on the phone to Wizz Air while at Lisbon Airport at a cost of 1.50 per minute.

The Budapest-based airline has a 'live chat' service, but Alicia said that didn't work.

She said: 'We were given no explanation as to why the flight was cancelled or any support following the cancellation - there were no Wizz Air ground staff at Lisbon Airport and no guidance offered as to how best to get home. We were offered no financial support to book another flight.

We were given no explanation as to why the flight was cancelled or any support following the cancellation - there were no Wizz Air ground staff at Lisbon Airport and no guidance offered as to how best to get home Holidaymaker Alicia Fellowes

'At the airport we were told to go to a help desk where an agent could speak to us on behalf of the airline. However, the agent made it very clear that as they didn't work for the airline there was very little they could do. They gave us a Wizz Air cancellation form that highlights the compensation you are entitled to.

'They also told us the next flight wasn't for three days so suggested we either find a hotel for the next three days in Lisbon - they couldn't book this for us and offer us spending money for the three days so that would have to be an additional cost - and then fly home, or call the Wizz Air helpline to see if they would cover another flight home with another airline.'

So Alicia rang the Wizz Air helpline.

After three denied calls by Wizz Air, having been on hold for over 15 minutes in total, she got through to an operator 'who seemed very unsure what Wizz Air could offer in terms of compensation'.

Alicia continued: 'I mentioned that we had found a flight to Manchester and asked if the airline would book the flight for us or cover the cost. She said she thought they would cover that along with transport back to London but couldnt book it themselves and said it would be unlikely that the airline would cover the cost of an airport hotel, even though we had to stay in Manchester as the flight landed so late.

'I informed her of the significant costs of the flight, and she said it should be fine as long as we weren't flying premium economy or above.

Alicia revealed that she spent over 50 minutes on the phone to Wizz Air while at Lisbon Airport (above) at a cost of 1.50 per minute

'I felt positive at this point, but then she started to backtrack, saying she couldn't send us an email confirmation confirming approval of these expenses directly and said we would just have to submit a claim and hope.'

At this point, Alicia and Oliver booked the flight to Manchester and then decided to call Wizz Air again 'to see if someone could confirm a refund/expenses via email'.

'I really started to feel anxious about the money we spent,' said Alicia, 'and this woman was even less reassuring, saying she would hope the airline would give me a refund, but couldn't promise anything.'

When Alicia discovered these calls cost 1.50 a minute, she decided to avoid using the helpline.

Wizz Air has since refunded Alicia and Oliver 119, but that still leaves them nearly 1,000 out of pocket.

Alicia, who lives in London, added: 'We feel scammed and very angry at how badly they could treat paying customers. I will never ever use them again and have told others not to use them either.'

Alicia, who lives in London, said: 'We feel scammed and very angry at how badly [Wizz Air] could treat paying customers'

Unfortunately, her experience with Wizz Air will be all too familiar for some.

Dozens have taken to Twitter and Tripadvisor to complain about the airline cancelling flights, then leaving them stranded.

And MailOnline Travel heard from Wizz Air passenger Fenella Barrons, who claims that she has been left over 1,000 out of pocket after the airline overbooked a flight to Montenegro and cancelled the return service.

I will never ever use Wizz Air again and have told others not to use them either Holidaymaker Alicia Fellowes

The 25-year-old said: 'On May 29, 2022, my five friends and I travelled to Gatwick Airport for a Wizz Air flight to Montenegro. Although we had attempted check in the night prior, upon arrival one friend and I were told they had overbooked the flight and we would be "lucky to get on the flight".

'It turned out we were not "lucky" and we were denied boarding after two hours of waiting for the delayed flight.

'We therefore had to rebook a flight for the following day from Heathrow, arriving at our destination over 24 hours later. This cost us over 400.

'On Saturday, June 4, when we thought it couldn't get any worse, it was time to fly home with Wizz Air. Wizz Air sent us an email two hours before check-in time saying the flight was cancelled. Following this, I received no correspondence or advice from Wizz Air to help with the situation I found myself in and felt completely abandoned in a foreign country.

'No advice was given on the availability of alternative travel options, when the next Wizz Air flight might be, or any useful information to help me through this stressful situation.

'Given we had to get back for work on the Monday, we took it upon ourselves to book flights to Paris, which then resulted in us getting a train across France and an overnight ferry from France to Portsmouth. Again, this cost us roughly 400 each.

Dozens have taken to Twitter and Tripadvisor to complain about Wizz Air cancelling flights, then leaving them stranded

'Since then, we have constantly been trying to get hold of Wizz Air for the compensation we are due. I have personally had no response from the company. My friend has had a response denying the claim, saying she is due only 70 euros for the inconvenience when we are both over 1,000 out of pocket. This has caused me a huge amount of stress and anxiety. I have had to take time off work to deal with the stress it has caused me and I am now living cautiously with little to no spare cash.'

When a flight is cancelled within 14 days of departure, passengers are entitled to at least 220 compensation, depending on the length of the flight. Importantly, the airline you booked with is legally obliged to get you home Rory Boland, Which? Travel Editor

Rory Boland, Which? Travel Editor, clarified what passengers who experience flight cancellations should expect in terms of support.

He told MailOnline Travel: 'When a flight is cancelled within 14 days of departure, passengers are entitled to at least 220 compensation, depending on the length of the flight. Importantly, the airline you booked with is legally obliged to get you home, using other carriers if necessary. Be wary of accepting a refund, as once you do so, the airline has no legal duty of care to you.

'If you are left with no choice other than to pay for flights, accommodation or food from your own pocket then you should keep receipts and claim them back from the airline. It's important to remember that expenses must be deemed "reasonable" to qualify for reimbursement.

'When a flight is cancelled or delayed due to an extraordinary circumstance, your airline is not obliged to offer compensation. However, if you choose to be rerouted they must still offer assistance in the form of two free phone calls, faxes or emails, free meals and refreshments appropriate to the delay, and free accommodation and hotel transfers if an overnight stay is required, as it was in Alicia's case.

'Extraordinary circumstances apply to events which are outside the airline's control. While operational issues at the airport could be classified as an extraordinary circumstance, you are entitled to appeal their decision and apply for compensation if you disagree with the reason given. If they reject the claim, they must provide clear evidence of the reason for the cancellation.

'If at this point you are still dissatisfied with the airline's decision, you can register your complaint with an alternative dispute resolution scheme - the Civil Aviation Authority holds a list of approved providers and which airlines they cover. You also have the right to take an airline to the small claims court if you feel it is unfairly refusing to pay you compensation. If you decide to take this route, it is recommended to seek legal advice.'

Wizz Air said: 'Wizz Air has looked into the issues raised in these customer cases and found that their claims were rejected due to an internal error. Wizz Air sincerely apologises for this. Ms Fellowes will be reimbursed in line with the expense claims submitted as well as for the difference in cost between the original Wizz Air flight and the replacement flight.

'The two affected passengers under Ms Barrons booking will be reimbursed in line with the expenses claims submitted, and will be compensated according to EC 261 regulation. The customer service team is resolving both of these cases as a matter of priority.'
Brooke Blurton has signed up for OnlyFans - but as a fan, not a creator.

While she isn't making content herself, the former Bachelorette has an account on the adult website that she uses to follow her favourite models.

The 27-year-old, who is single following her split from ex Darvid Garayeli, told Yahoo on Wednesday: 'I have an OnlyFans account, as in I watch other people.'

Brooke Blurton has signed up for OnlyFans - but as a fan, not a creator

'I just find it so intriguing. I'm interested, I'm curious, I can't help that! I have to know!' added Brooke, who just launched a Nova podcast called Not So PG.

'And, you know, I'm also gay so I love women's bodies and physiques, and if that's what it is, why not?'

The bisexual youth worker said OnlyFans is a diverse platform that isn't just limited to porn, calling it a 'creative space for people to show themselves creatively'.

While she isn't making content herself, the former Bachelorette has an account on the adult website that she uses to follow her favourite models

Brooke, who rose to fame on The Bachelor in 2018 before starring on Bachelor in Paradise and The Bachelorette, appears on the cover of Women's Health this month.

She told the magazine it's important for her to set 'healthy boundaries' on social media, but at the same time she's 'not afraid to share the ugly stuff as well'.

'If you can be vulnerable with yourself and also with others, I admire that over being physically strong because I think that, for me, is so admirable and the strength to share vulnerability is not credited enough in this world,' she said.

The 27-year-old, who is single following her split from ex Darvid Garayeli, told Yahoo on Wednesday: 'I have an OnlyFans account, as in I watch other people'

Brooke recently shared her abortion story after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in a controversial move that has divided the country.

She said on Instagram she'd had an abortion a 'very little time ago' and called on women to 'come together' to protect reproductive rights.

The reality star said she was 'lucky' to have freedom of choice in Australia, because many women around the world do not have access to safe abortions.
Australian politician Barnaby Joyce has called for Amber Heard to be jailed if she is found to have committed perjury during her 2015 dog-smuggling furore.

The 36-year-old actress, who last month lost a high-profile defamation trial against her ex-husband Johnny Depp, is the subject of an ongoing perjury investigation related to court proceedings stemming from her visit to Queensland with Depp in 2015, when she broke Australia's strict quarantine and biosecurity laws by failing to declare the couple's Yorkshire terriers, Pistol and Boo, upon her arrival in the country.

At the time, then-agricultural minister Joyce insisted the dogs be put down if they were not sent back to the United States immediately.

Australian politician Barnaby Joyce (pictured) has called for Amber Heard to be jailed if she is found to have committed perjury during her 2015 dog-smuggling furore

Heard was charged with two counts of illegally importing the animals in July 2015; however, the case was closed when she pleaded guilty to falsifying travel documents in a Gold Coast court in April 2016.

But the dog-smuggling saga was given new life in October 2021 when it was exclusively revealed by DailyMail.com that Australian officials were investigating Heard for alleged perjury over claims she lied to authorities about the circumstances in which her dogs were brought into the country.

The Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment last week confirmed the case was 'ongoing', telling Daily Mail Australia it was still 'investigating allegations of perjury by Ms Heard during court proceedings for the 2015 illegal importation of [her] two dogs into Australia'.

Joyce had little sympathy for Heard while discussing the alleged perjury investigation on Australian breakfast show Sunrise on Thursday.

'Those dogs, when they came in, there were a lot of documents that were signed that said there were no animals there. And it now looks like Ms Heard has allegedly not told the truth,' he said.

Joyce joked that Australia was entitled to have Heard extradited because the U.S. is seeking the extradition from England of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is an Australian citizen, on spying charges.

The Aquaman actress is the subject of an 'ongoing' perjury investigation in Australia related to court proceedings stemming from her visit to Queensland with Depp in 2015 when the couple broke Australia's biosecurity laws by failing to declare their Yorkshire terriers, Pistol and Boo. (Heard and Depp are seen outside court on the Gold Coast on April 18, 2016)

During Heard and Depp's 2015 dog-smuggling saga, then-agricultural minister Joyce insisted the dogs be put down if they were not sent home to the United States immediately

'[The U.S.] wants Julian Assange... [She] can come over to Australia and possibly spend some time at Her Majesty's convenience,' Joyce said.

Perjury carries a maximum jail term of 14 years in Australia.

When asked what would likely happen to Heard if she were to be found guilty of perjury, Joyce replied: 'It's up to the Americans. I suppose the U.S. want to show the purity of it and they're insisting on getting Julian Assange.

Joyce had little sympathy for Heard while discussing the alleged perjury investigation on Australian breakfast show Sunrise on Thursday. (Pictured: Heard testifying at a Virginia court during her defamation case against Depp on May 4)

'So [the U.S.] should say, "We have got to be fair dinkum and straight with both these things, don't we?" Let's see how that goes.'

It's unlikely the Australian government would try to have Heard extradited, but she could nonetheless face arrest if she tried to enter the country again.

All of the witnesses involved in the case 'live overseas'.

Heard revealed last December she'd named her new puppy Barnaby Joyce

Joyce later joked he would look after Heard's dog, which she famously named after him after adopting the animal in December, if she were imprisoned in Australia.

'Send it up here and we'll go pigging with it, see if we can knock over a few old boars... I'll look after it, my namesake Barnaby, he'll be safe with me', he chuckled.

Pigging refers to the act of hunting wild pigs.

Heard faced two counts of knowingly importing a prohibited product into the country in 2015. (Pictured: the Yorkshire terriers at the centre of the incident, Pistol and Boo)

When asked what he thought of the Depp vs. Heard defamation trial in Virginia, Joyce replied: 'It was great... it was compulsory train-wreck viewing.'

'Each night you thought, "These are two crazy cats and, obviously, don't mind having a drink at night, and they're just tearing the house to pieces and throwing crap at each other." It was just bizarre.

Meanwhile, Australian authorities could seek assistance from the FBI as they investigate claims Heard allegedly perjured herself in a Queensland court six years ago.

When asked what he thought of the Depp vs. Heard defamation trial in Virginia, Joyce replied: 'It was great... it was compulsory train-wreck viewing'

Australian authorities could seek assistance from the FBI as they investigate claims Amber Heard (pictured with her ex-husband Johnny Depp in Toronto, Canada, on September 14, 2015) allegedly perjured herself in a Queensland court six years ago

Bobby Chacon, a former Special Agent for the bureau, told Law & Crime on Monday it's common for Australian investigators to liaise with their American counterparts, and such a collaboration would be likely in this case given the relevant witnesses all 'live overseas'.

Mr Chacon said: 'The FBI maintains an office in Canberra and there are FBI Agents permanently assigned to Australia [on a rotating basis].

'Part of their mission is liaison and assistance, so if the Australians needed something from here in the U.S. they would certainly contact the FBI's Australia Office and the FBI would likely assist.'

Heard was charged with two counts of illegally importing the animals in July that year, but the case was closed when she pleaded guilty in April 2016 to falsifying travel documents. She and Depp also recorded a video apology (pictured) in which she expressed remorse for her actions

The department's perjury investigation stems from testimony given by a former employee of Depp's during his UK libel case against The Sun newspaper in 2020.

Depp's former estate manager Kevin Murphy raised eyebrows Down Under when he told the London court that Heard had ordered him to lie under oath after she flew the pets into Queensland in a private jet without declaring them.

Pistol and Boo should have been declared to customs and placed in 10-day quarantine but their arrival went undetected for several weeks until a grooming salon posted snaps of the cuddly pair to Facebook.

Depp and Heard were given 72 hours to send the dogs home or face having them seized and euthanised.

The Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment said last week it was 'investigating allegations of perjury by Ms Heard during court proceedings for the 2015 illegal importation of [her] two dogs into Australia.' The spokesperson confirmed the case was 'ongoing'. (Pictured: Heard outside a Fairfax, Virginia, court on May 27)

Heard eventually pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of falsifying an immigration document and accepted a fine of AU$10,000 (US$7,650) after her lawyer, Jeremy Kirk, insisted the paperwork for the dogs had 'slipped through the cracks' and there was 'no attempt to deceive'.

Kirk said Heard thought her then-husband's staff had completed the paperwork and was exhausted and suffering from sleep deprivation when she ticked the wrong box on her arrival card.

Heard and Depp also issued a video statement in which she expressed remorse for her actions.

The footage was widely mocked on social media with some fans saying the couple looked like they'd been kidnapped and held to ransom.

Pistol and Boo should have been declared to customs and placed in 10-day quarantine but their arrival went undetected for several weeks until a grooming salon posted snaps of the cuddly pair to Facebook. (Depp is pictured with one of his dogs)

Heard's version of events went unchallenged until July 2020 when Depp's former estate manager told London's High Court in a written statement that he had repeatedly warned the actress about Australia's strict animal entry rules.

'I also explained to Ms Heard several times the fact that trying to take the dogs into Australia without completing the mandatory process was illegal and could result in very harsh penalties including euthanizing the dogs,' Murphy said.

He went on to allege that, when the smuggling controversy erupted, Heard demanded he provide a 'false statement' to the Australian court saying she didn't know anything about the requirements.

'When I expressed that I was extremely uncomfortable with this, Ms. Heard said to me 'Well I want your help on this  I wouldn't want you to have a problem with your job.'

'It became very apparent that Ms Heard was threatening my job stability unless I cooperated with providing a declaration that supported her false account for the Australian proceedings.'

'Because of this I felt extreme pressure to cooperate, despite knowing this would involve being untruthful,' added Murphy, who worked for Depp for eight years.

Heard must pay Depp (pictured) US$10.35million after a U.S. court found she defamed the 59-year-old actor by describing herself as a domestic abuse victim in an opinion piece she wrote

Murphy later confirmed to DailyMail.com he had been contacted by the FBI and had agreed to provide Australian authorities with a witness statement.

He declined to comment further.

The news of the ongoing perjury case against Heard comes just weeks after she was ordered to pay her ex-husband $10.35million in damages after a Virginia court found she defamed the actor by referring to herself as a survivor of domestic abuse in an opinion piece she wrote.

Depp sued Heard, to whom he was married from 2015 to 2017, over a December 2018 article she penned for The Washington Post describing herself as 'a public figure representing domestic abuse'.

The jury found in Depp's favour on all three of his claims relating to specific statements in the piece.

The jury found Depp should receive $10million in compensatory damages and $5million in punitive damages, but the judge reduced the punitive damages award to $350,000 under a state cap.

Heard has said she plans to appeal against the verdict.
Under a change to the country's penal code that went into effect on Thursday morning, insulting someone online might result in a one-year prison sentence in Japan. Engadget reported that government officials started reviewing Japan's cyberbullying legislation in 2020, in response to Hana Kimura's apparent suicide and the meager 9,000 ($81) fine handed down to one of the men accused of harassing the professional wrestler and reality television star.

What Is the Punishment for Cyberbullying?

The previous version of the country's penal law stipulated that insults posted online would result in a fine of no more than 10,000 ($75) and no more than 30 days in jail. Currently, the statute permits fines of up to 300,000 ($2,200).

The Verge pointed out that the law will be reevaluated in three years to see if it has an effect on freedom of expression, which is a concern raised by the bill's critics. It was vital, according to proponents, to lessen cyberbullying nationwide.

Read More: Taking a Social Media Detox? Here's How To Temporarily Delete Your Twitter Account and Wipe Out Old Cringey Tweets

Japan Government To Tackle Cyberbullying

The bill that introduced the amendment was controversial, despite public pressure on the government to address cyberbullying, as per Engadget.

The country's penal code defines insults as an attempt to denigrate someone without mentioning specific facts about them; defamation, on the other hand, makes reference to specific characteristics.

According to CNN, a criminal lawyer from Japan named Seiho Cho issued a warning about the amended law's lack of definition of what constitutes an insult. "There needs to be a guideline that makes a distinction on what qualifies as an insult," Cho said. "For example, at the moment, even if someone calls the leader of Japan an idiot, then maybe under the revised law that could be classed as an insult."

Meanwhile, The Verge noted that people have been imprisoned and fined for tweets in the U.K. because of regulations that make "grossly offensive" public statements illegal. The language used under its policies is similarly vague, and courts make case-by-case judgments regarding what constitutes "grossly" offensive behavior.

The Death of Hana Kimura

CNN reported that with increasing demands for anti-cyberbullying laws with the passing of Kimura, the topic of online harassment has garnered attention over the past few years. She was 22 years old when she committed suicide in 2020. The professional wrestler and reality television star was well-known for her part in the Netflix series "Terrace House."

Many pointed to the online harassment she had endured from other social media users in the months preceding her death as the reason why the news caused grief and shock across the country.

Japanese politicians spoke out against the dangers of cyberbullying shortly after she passed away and promised to hasten government deliberations on pertinent legislation.

Meanwhile, after her daughter's passing, Kimura's mother, former professional wrestler Kyoko Kimura, pushed for tougher anti-cyberbullying laws and founded the non-profit group "Remember Hana" to spread awareness of the issue.



Related Article: Weibo Deletes 41,000 Posts Related to Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 and Banned 850 Accounts; Here's Why
Hayden Panettiere's ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson was seen in Los Angeles on Wednesday, in the wake of interviews she gave in which she spoke about her past issues with drug and alcohol abuse, as well as their troubled relationship.

Hickerson, 33, was asked about his status with Panettiere, 32, and said they are 'just friends' and 'absolutely not' together anymore. He and the Palisades, New York-born beauty had been in an on-and-off relationship over the past four years.

Hickerson - who is on probation in connection with domestic violence incidents involving Panettiere - said there was no chance of a romantic reconciliation, as he's 'looking forward to new chapters.'

The latest: Hayden Panettiere's ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson was seen in Los Angeles on Wednesday, in the wake of interviews she gave in which she spoke about her past issues with drug and alcohol abuse, as well as their troubled relationship

When asked about her interview on the ABC show, Hickerson said, 'I thought she did a great job.'

Hickerson said he remains supportive of his ex, adding, 'She's great - I'm excited to see the next opportunities for her.'

Hickerson said he believes Panettiere's career will thrive with future projects, adding, 'I think so, I think everybody would like to see it ... she's out there man, I mean, you know, Scream 6.'

When asked about a public fight he was involved in this past March in Los Angeles, Hickerson said it was 'not one of the finer moments,' and that he 'went to treatment' and 'got help' in the wake of the incident.

Hickerson - who is on probation in connection with domestic violence incidents involving Panettiere - said there was no chance of a romantic reconciliation, as he's 'looking forward to new chapters'

Hickerson said he believes Panettiere's career will thrive with future projects, adding, 'I think so, I think everybody would like to see it'

Hickerson said he remains supportive of his ex, adding, 'She's great - I'm excited to see the next opportunities for her'

Panettiere on Wednesday spoke abut a number of personal issues in a joint interview with Good Morning America and People.

Of her past relationship with Hickerson, Panettiere told People she was 'trying to live in a place of forgiveness.'

She said her time with Hickerson marked 'a very dark and complicated time in [her] life,' adding, 'a lot of women go through what I went through, and I want people to know it's OK to ask for help.'

Panettiere said she was 'trying to live in a place of understanding' in regards to her history with Hickerson and the multiple domestic violence incidents he was charged with during their relationship.

'I think [Brian] has done his time and was willing to get help. I think about the things I have done in my life that people forgave me for,' she told People. 'Making amends is a really important thing that you learn in treatment. And it gives you a lot of inner peace.'

Panettiere said she was dealing with alcohol and opioid abuse at the time she and Hickerson began dating.

'I wanted to party, I wanted to do everything I wasn't supposed to do,' Panettiere said. 'Acting was my life, but I felt so bad about myself that I lost trust in myself. And that is very detrimental. The idea of not having a responsibility was very appealing at the time.'

When asked about her interview on the ABC show, Hickerson said, 'I thought she did a great job'

Panettiere said her time with Hickerson marked 'a very dark and complicated time in [her] life'

Hickerson was charged with domestic violence in May of 2019, with Panettiere receiving a protective order in the case - as the charges were dropped.

Hickerson in July of 2020 was arrested in connection with eight charges of domestic violence, eventually entering a no contest plea to a pair of felony counts of injuring a partner in 2021, with the rest of the charges dropped. Hickerson was in jail for 13 days in connection with the arrest.

After Hickerson's July 2020 arrest, Panettiere put out a statement saying she hoped she could serve as an example for others in a similar situation.

'I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me in the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve,' she said at the time. 'I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again.'

Panettiere opened up about her past issues with alcohol and opioid abuse in a series of interviews Wednesday

Of her past relationship with Hickerson, Panettiere told People she was 'trying to live in a place of forgiveness'

Hickerson and Panettiere were snapped at an event in LA in December of 2018

Panettiere told People Wednesday that she continues to 'feel the same way' about the statement she put out two years ago.

'None of it is OK,' she said. 'But I want to make sure that everybody knows that each person who goes through something like that, they're on their own journey. No two things are exactly alike.'

Panettiere also spoke with the publication about the incident in March in Los Angeles, saying it was not her 'best behavior' or 'anyone's best behavior.'

She added: 'It was not as insane as it was made to look, and everyone is OK.'

Panettiere said that she and Hickerson remain friends in the wake of their stormy past.

'None of it is OK, and I want to make sure that everybody knows that,' Panettiere said of the multiple domestic violence incidents Hickerson had been linked to. 'But I am open to people who are willing to get help and make amends. He's gone to treatment and done his time. And I'm trying to live in a place of forgiveness.'
Pregnant Ashley Greene enjoyed a leisurely a stroll through Beverly Hills on Wednesday afternoon.

The 35-year-old actress was captured offering a friendly wave in the direction of passersby while reveling in the sunny California weather.

The solo outing comes on the same day as her fourth wedding anniversary with husband Paul Khoury, whom she's expecting her first child with.

Bumping along: Pregnant Ashley Greene enjoyed a leisurely a stroll through Beverly Hills on Wednesday afternoon. The 35-year-old actress was captured offering a friendly wave in the direction of passersby while reveling in the sunny California weather

The Twilight franchise mainstay highlighted her growing baby bump in a dark green tank top dress.

The Rogue actress also carried a light yellow sweater and rocked a set of white high-top sneakers.

The performer kept a small purse slung over her right shoulder and accessorized with a stylish pair of sunglasses from Quay.

Her voluminous brunette hair cascaded onto her back and contrasted nicely against the muted tone of her dress.

There it is: The Twilight franchise mainstay also showed off her growing baby bump during her outing, for which she donned some stylish Quay sunglasses

Showing off: Greene wore a dark green minidress that conformed tightly to her stomach as she stepped out

Hours after stepping out in Los Angeles, Greene took to Instagram to honor her and Khoury's wedding anniversary.

'I couldn't ask for anything more. You've given it all to me and I'm so grateful I get to walk through life with my best friend,' gushed the star, who included a slideshow of black-and-white snaps of the couple.

She continued: 'It has already been such an adventure with you and we're about to embark on the biggest chapter yet! Best is yet to come baby. #4years #soulmate #happyanniversary'

Greene and Khoury began dating in 2013, and the latter popped the big question during a trip to his native Australia in 2016.

The pair waited two years before tying the knot during a wedding that was held near San Jose, California.

According to Brides, the ceremony proved to be star-studded affair with the likes of Liam Hemsworth, Zac Efron and Robert Pattinson reportedly in attendance.

Anniversary: The solo outing comes on the same day as her fourth wedding anniversary with husband Paul Khoury, whom she's expecting her first child with. Greene honored the milestone with a heartwarming Instagram post, which included a slideshow of snaps of herself and Khoury through the years

Soon after their wedding, Greene spoke to People about the prospect of having children.

She expressed that she and her husband were 'at the point where both of our parents are hinting.'

Greene remarked that she and her spouse were busy with their careers but that they wanted to set out a time to bring a child into their lives.

'It's just one of those things where it's where our lives are in hyper-speed sometimes. And so [it's about] finding that moment,' she stated.

Longtime love: Greene and Khoury began dating in 2013, and the latter popped the big question during a trip to his native Australia in 2016. The pair waited two years before tying the knot during a wedding that was held near San Jose, California

Greene made a point of adding that she and her partner could not 'wait to be parents.'

It was reported that Greene and Khoury were looking to start a family by People this past March.

A representative for the happy pair spoke to the media outlet regarding the news, stating: 'The couple is over-the-moon with excitement about expecting their first child together.'

The performer's due date has not been revealed to the public as of yet.
Lisa Hochstein is being accused of creating a fake Instagram account dedicated to bullying her estranged husband Lenny Hochstein's girlfriend Katharina Mazepa.

A representative for Mazepa - a 26-year-old Austrian model - told Page Six that the Real Housewives of Miami star, 39, 'has created a fake Instagram page and has continually cyber bullied Katharina.'

Mazepa's rep also alleged that Lisa 'threatened [Mazepa] on the phone' in May, after she started dating the 55-year-old 'boob god.'

New account? Lisa Hochstein is being accused of creating a fake Instagram account dedicated to bullying her estranged husband Lenny's girlfriend, Katharina Mazepa; Lisa pictured in 2020

The beauty went on to hit back at Lisa's recent claims in court documents that she is 'detrimental' to the former couple's two children, saying she never even met them.

'The kids would not know who I am if I stood next to them,' the brunette stunner stated.

Meanwhile the reality TV star responded to the claims of cyberbullying, telling the publication on Wednesday that Katharina's claims were 'childish antics.'

Bullied: A representative for the 26-year-old Austrian model told Page Six that the reality star, 39, 'has created a fake Instagram page and has continually cyber bullied Katharina'

'Ive got no time for Katharinas childish antics and accusations. They are false and just show her true colors and motives. I have my children to focus on and I am trying to keep them away from her and this negativity. None of these allegations are true.'

It comes after Lisa accused her estranged husband Lenny of volatile behavior, alleging he 'berated and threatened' her in front of the couple's two children.

The Canada native claimed that she and the kids - daughter Elle, two, and son Logan, six - had to leave the family's $52million Miami mansion due to Lenny's conduct, in divorce documents obtained by The Sun.

Hitting back: Mazepa alleged that Lisa 'threatened her on the phone' in May, and hit back at Lisa's recent claims that she is 'detrimental' to the former couple's two children, saying she never even met them

The newly single beauty additionally asked the court to forbid Lenny's girlfriend from having contact with the kids after acting in a manner 'that would be seen as injurious to the minor children.'

She asked to be granted exclusive possession of the mansion, after Lenny previously asked the court to kick her out as he claimed that in their prenuptial agreement, Lisa had agreed to leave the home if they were to get a divorce.

She also asked that his 'alleged unannounced visits' to the home stop right away.

Childish: Lisa responded, saying: 'Ive got no time for Katharinas childish antics and accusations. They are false and just show her true colors and motives'; Lisa and Lenny, 55, pictured with their daughter Elle, two, and son Logan, six

As for Lenny's girlfriend, Lisa asked that she have no contact with the kids, as it is 'detrimental' to them.

'The husband has exposed the minor children to his presumed girlfriend which is detrimental to the best interests of minor children.'

'The husband's presumed girlfriend, upon information and belief, has acted and continues to act in a manner that would be seen as injurious to the minor children, should she have any contact of access to the minor children at this time,' the filing stated.

No contact: She recently asked the court to forbid Lenny's girlfriend from having contact with the kids after acting in a manner 'that would be seen as injurious to the minor children'

Volatile: The star also accused her estranged husband of volatile behavior, alleging he 'berated and threatened' her in front of the couple's children; Pictured 2019

His lawyer, Richard Preira, told Page Six that Lisa 'seems to crave attention, and so issues allegations that are inflammatory and the opposite of the truth,' adding that when he moved out of the couple's master bedroom Lisa 'stalked him in the house' which is why he moved out.

'Now she stalks him in the media and social media,' the attorney stated.

Lenny - who married Lisa in 2009 - has recently announced his new romance with Mazepa, though Lisa did not name a particular woman in her filing.

In the documents, the mother-of-two revealed that she is currently not dating anyone else and is 'loyal' to her husband, 'even though the husband filed this divorce unannounced and without the wife's knowledge.'

In May, it was claimed that Lisa was 'blindsided' by Lenny's divorce announcement, after 12 years of marriage.
An American TV presenter has questioned whether one of Amber Heard's dogs is 'missing' after doing a 'deep dive' of the Aquaman star's Instagram account and finding no trace of her Yorkshire Terrier Boo.

Cooper Lawrence raised the alarm while speaking to Australian breakfast show Sunrise on Thursday about Heard's infamous visit to Queensland in 2015 when she broke biosecurity laws by failing to declare her dogs Pistol and Boo upon her arrival in the country with then-husband Johnny Depp.

The actress, 36, is now the subject of an ongoing perjury investigation related to 2016 court proceedings stemming from that ill-fated trip Down Under.

An American TV presenter has questioned whether one of Amber Heard 's dogs is 'missing' after doing a 'deep dive' of the Aquaman star's Instagram account and finding no trace of her Yorkshire Terrier Boo. (Heard is seen here with another dog)

In the latest bizarre twist, Lawrence has suggested Heard no longer has Boo because the pet has not been pictured on her Instagram since 2020.

'She got custody of Pistol and Boo [after splitting from Depp] and... I did a really deep dive into her Instagram and I found that Boo is nowhere to be found,' Ms Lawrence said, before joking the dog 'may be camera shy'.

'Pistol is all over her Instagram, so Pistol is around,' she added. 'Johnny Depp doesn't have those dogs right now.'

Cooper Lawrence (pictured) spoke to Sunrise on Thursday about Heard's infamous visit to Australia in 2015 when she broke biosecurity laws by failing to declare her dogs Pistol and Boo upon her arrival in the country with then-husband Johnny Depp

Heard faced two counts of knowingly importing a prohibited product into the country in 2015. (Pictured: the Yorkshire terriers at the centre of the incident, Pistol and Boo)

Pistol was last pictured on Heard's Instagram in May 2020. She shared a picture with an unnamed Yorkshire Terrier in January this year.

She also regularly posts snaps with her other dogs, including Barnaby Joyce, named for the former Deputy Prime Minster of Australia who led the charge to get her prosecuted for bringing the animals into the country.

In April 2015, Depp and Heard flew their Yorkshire Terriers, named Pistol and Boo, into Queensland, where the actor was filming Pirates of the Caribbean 5.

The actress, 36, is now is now subject to an ongoing perjury investigation related to court proceedings stemming from her visit to Queensland.

The transportation of their dogs violated Australia's biosecurity laws as the couple failed to declare and quarantine them.

Authorities only became aware of the presence of Pistol and Boo when their visit to a Gold Coast dog grooming salon was made public on Facebook.

At the time, a fired-up Joyce insisted the dogs would be put down if they were not sent home to the U.S.

Heard is the subject of an 'ongoing' perjury investigation in Australia related to court proceedings stemming from her visit to Queensland with Depp in 2015 when the couple broke Australia's biosecurity laws by failing to declare their Yorkshire terriers, Pistol and Boo. (Heard and Depp are seen outside court on the Gold Coast on April 18, 2016)

'If we start letting movie stars - even though they've been the sexiest man alive twice - to come into our nation [and break the laws], then why don't we just break the laws for everybody,' he said during an infamous press conference.

'It's time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States.'

Meanwhile, Australian authorities could seek assistance from the FBI as they investigate claims Heard allegedly perjured herself in a Queensland court six years ago.

The Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment said last week it was 'investigating allegations of perjury by Ms Heard during court proceedings for the 2015 illegal importation of [her] two dogs into Australia.' The spokesperson confirmed the case was 'ongoing'. (Pictured: Heard outside a Fairfax, Virginia, court on May 27)

A former Special Agent for the bureau told Law & Crime it's common for Australian investigators to liaise with their American counterparts, and such a collaboration would be likely in this case given the relevant witnesses all 'live overseas'.

Heard was charged with two counts of illegally importing the animals into Australia in July 2015; however, the case was closed when she pleaded guilty to falsifying travel documents in a Gold Coast court in April 2016.

But the dog-smuggling saga was given new life in October 2021, when it was exclusively revealed by DailyMail.com that Australian officials were investigating Heard for perjury over claims she lied to authorities about the circumstances in which her dogs were brought into the country.

Heard was charged with two counts of illegally importing the animals in July that year, but the case was closed when she pleaded guilty in April 2016 to falsifying travel documents. She and Depp also recorded a video apology (pictured) in which she expressed remorse for her actions

The Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment last week confirmed the case was 'ongoing', telling Daily Mail Australia it was still 'investigating allegations of perjury by Ms. Heard during court proceedings for the 2015 illegal importation of [her] two dogs into Australia'.

Perjury carries a maximum jail term of 14 years.

It's unlikely the Australian government would try to have Heard extradited, but she could nonetheless face arrest if she tried to enter the country again.

All of the witnesses involved in the case 'live overseas'.

Australian authorities could seek assistance from the FBI as they investigate claims Heard (pictured with her ex-husband Johnny Depp in Toronto, Canada, on September 14, 2015) allegedly perjured herself in a Queensland court six years ago

Heard last month lost a high-profile defamation trial against her ex-husband.

During the defamation trial, the exes' dogs came up when Heard addressed an incident in February 2016 when Depp claimed she pooped in their bed at their Los Angeles penthouse after an argument the night before on her 30th birthday.

Depp's chauffeur Starling Jenkins told the court Heard told him it was a 'horrible practical joke gone wrong'.

Heard suggested it was one of their Yorkshire terriers, Boo, that did it, telling the court the animal had 'eaten Johnny's weed as a puppy and had bowel control issues for life'

Heard said Boo and their other dog, Pistol, would sleep in their bed so Boo wouldn't have to get up in the night and possibly go to the bathroom on the floor.
The fabulous queens taking part in season two of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under have just been announced.

The 10 new contestants competing for the crown were introduced in a trailer released by Australian streaming platform Stan on Thursday.

Host RuPaul Charles, who looked exquisite in a glamorous silver dress, declared: 'We're back, and my Down Under Queens are ready to shine brighter than ever.'

The long anticipated announcement has come - season two's Queens for RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under have been revealed. (Pictured: RuPaul in a promo for the new season)

RuPaul will be joined on the panel by returning judges Michelle Visage and Rhys Nicholson.

There is a diverse range of talent this season, including a fire-breather, an Australia's Got Talent semi-finalist and queens with First Nations and Maori heritage.

The new season of the Stan Original Series will premiere on Saturday, July 30, with special celebrity guest stars to be announced soon.

RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under season two cast Aubrey Haive (Timaru, NZ), 25 Aubrey is no stranger to being in front of the camera, as she is already a budding actor and musical artiste. This fashion-forward queen originally hails from Timaru, New Zealand, but is now based in Melbourne. Aubrey Haive (Timaru, NZ), 25 Beverly Kills (Brisbane, QLD), 21 Beverly Kills started doing drag within just a few months of turning 18. Not just a pretty face, she offers something extra with her burlesque, including a good whipping and some fire breathing. Beverly Kills (Brisbane, QLD), 21 Faux Fur (Sydney, NSW), 27 Faux Fur has been a regular face, and the loudest voice, on the Sydney drag scene for the last seven years. She is proud to represent her Asian heritage, and comes with the biggest of hearts to uplift others through all her performances. Faux Fur (Sydney, NSW), 27 Hannah Conda (Sydney, NSW), 30 After conquering the Perth drag scene, Hannah Conda took a leap of faith and made her way to Sydney in 2015. She co-founded 'Drag Storytime' in 2016 where she reads to children while dressed in drag to teach them about inclusion, acceptance and love. Hannah Conda (Sydney, NSW), 30 Kween Kong (Adelaide, SA), 29 Kween Kong is originally from New Zealand, and of Tongan and Samoan heritage, currently residing in Adelaide. She is the matriarch of Haus of Kong, a drag collective that aims to change the lives of its young recruits both on and off the stage. Kween Kong (Adelaide, SA), 29 Minnie Cooper (Sydney, NSW), 49 Minnie Cooper is considered drag royalty among the Sydney circuit, with a glittering career that spans more than 20 years. In 2016, she was a semi-finalist on Australias Got Talent, combining her drag and musical theatre talents. Minnie Cooper (Sydney, NSW), 49 Molly Poppinz (Newcastle, NSW), 30 Molly Poppinz originally made a name for herself in Vancouver after struggling to find the confidence to do drag in her hometown of Newcastle, NSW. In 2018, she was crowned Vancouver's most 'Fierce Queen', before returning to Newcastle to build a thriving drag community. Molly Poppinz (Newcastle, NSW), 30 Pomara Fifth (Sydney, NSW), 28 Growing up in the suburbs of Western Sydney, Pomara Fifth always stayed true to herself and never let the bullies and naysayers keep her down for long. She represents both First Nation Australian and Maori queens and has a reputation for being a versatile, multi-talented performer and host. Pomara Fifth (Sydney, NSW), 28 Spankie Jackzon (Palmerston North, NZ), 37 Spankie Jackzon is a New Zealand drag performer best known for winning the $10,000 cash prize on the Kiwi series House of Drag. She is the official host and roving reporter of The Wellington International Pride Parade, bringing drag to small towns across Aotearoa. Spankie Jackzon (Palmerston North, NZ), 37 Yuri Guaii (Auckland, NZ), 25 Starting out at the age of 18, Yuri Guaii has been doing drag for going on eight years, making her start in the Auckland drag scene. Having studied fashion design, her secret weapon is her sewing skills and she is known for creating all her own show-stopping drag looks. Yuri Guaii (Auckland, NZ), 25 Advertisement

'I am thrilled to produce and host a brand new season of RuPauls Drag Race Down Under,' RuPaul said in a statement.

'Weve only just begun to shine a worldwide spotlight on the charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent of Australasian queens.'

Cailah Scobie, Stan's chief content officer, said: 'Aussie fans loved the Stan Original Series RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under and demanded a second season.

'As the most awarded reality competition show in TV history, the decision was an easy one, and we cant wait to see the incredible talent that the show will unveil after the high bar set by season one.'

The 10 new contestants competing for the crown were introduced in a trailer released by Australian streaming platform Stan on Thursday (cast pictured)

The first season streamed on Stan last year and was won by Kiwi queen Kita Mean.

The New Zealand performer pocketed the $30,000 cash prize and makeup supplies.

Kita, 36, whose real name is Nick Nash, beat several Aussie performers including Art Simone, Karen from Finance and Scarlet Adams.

'I am thrilled to produce and host a brand new season of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under,' said host RuPaul Charles (pictured)

The final episode saw video appearances by Olivia Newton-John and her daughter Chloe Lattanzi, who inspired a rendition of Physical.

Kita has been the host of TVNZ's House of Drag for two seasons, and has maintained her position as resident Drag Queen at Family Bar and Club.

She was one of 10 drag queens to compete in the Australasian version of the popular competition in 2021.

Watch RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under exclusively on Stan in Australia
She strutted her stuff down the catwalk at Balenciaga's Haute-Couture Fall Winter show during Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday.

And Nicole Kidman made a quick change out of her floor-sweeping designer silver gown to attend the fashion house's after-party just hours later.

The Aussie actress, 55, showed off her long lean legs in an off-the-shoulder sequined mini dress as she arrived at the event with her doting husband Keith Urban.

Nicole Kidman makes style statement in an off the shoulder mini dress and her new favourite quirky sunglasses at the Balenciaga after party in Paris with husband Keith Urban on Wednesday evening

The red head looked every inch the Hollywood star in her frock, which featured a unique long train.

She teamed the look with stockings, black heels and the same quirky Balenciaga sunglasses she had been seen wearing the day before.

Nicole pulled her long red locks up and off her face into a high ponytail and wore makeup, including dewy foundation and eyeliner.

The Aussie actress, 55, showed off her long lean legs in an off-the-shoulder sequined mini dress as she arrived at the event with her doting husband Keith Urban

Nicole happily signed autographs for fans as she made her way inside

Nicole pulled her long red locks up and off her face into a high ponytail and wore makeup, including dewy foundation and eyeliner

Keith meanwhile, wore a black blazer with a white singlet and baggy black jeans.

He held hands with Nicole as they made their way inside the event, joining Kim Kardashian, Dua Lipa and Bella Hadid.

Before the dinner, Nicole made her way down the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week for Balenciaga.

She stunned in a shimmering silver one-shouldered gown.

Nicole and Keith held hands as they made their way inside the event, joining Kim Kardashian, Dua Lipa and Bella Hadid

Nicole completed her ensemble with a pair of black gloves while she added a few extra inches to her frame with pointed black heels.

The Big Little Lies star accentuated her striking looks with a dramatic slick of winged eyeliner and a touch of pink lipstick.

It comes after Nicole recently revealed how her early days in Hollywood were possible thanks to some of her Australian friends.

The actress Academy Award winner told the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia in a recorded interview that she was supported by her good pals, Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness, even sleeping on their couch while auditioning for roles in Los Angeles.

'[Deborra-Lee] was one of my best friends,' the Dead Calm star said, adding that the fellow actress always gave her a place to stay when she flew in from Australia.

Before the dinner, Nicole made her way down the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week for Balenciaga

Nicole shared pictures and footage of herself backstage with Kim Kardashian and Dua Lipa

'[I slept on the couch] in the house that Deborra-Lee was renting, and she gave the chance to stay there and we could go and audition,' Nicole said.

'It was expensive, we couldn't afford hotels, so the idea of being in hub out of a house together, was really, I mean, my god.'

She added: 'You'd go and come back and you'd go over for a few weeks and do some auditions and hope to crack it.'
Angelina Jolie was ready for action as she threw herself into her directing role on the set of upcoming film Without Blood as the cast and crew filmed at night on the streets of Rome, Italy.

The screen star, 47, who is taking a step back from acting and focusing on filmmaking, appeared in her element as she got into work mode, clad with headphones and a radio.

She was joined by fellow actress Salma Hayek, 55, who was seen in full costume as she filmed scenes for the movie.

Working it: Angelina Jolie was ready for action as she threw herself into directing on the set of upcoming film Without Blood as the cast and crew filmed at night on the streets of Rome, Italy

Angelina wore a white smock dress in the Italian capital along with a pair of sandals and, at times, a mask in a bid to keep herself and others safe from coronavirus.

She was seen chatting to members of the crew and was surrounded by filming equipment on set.

Salma wore a black dress and had her hair styled in waves, with her tresses pinned down by silver clips.

All stars: She was joined by fellow actress Salma Hayek, 55, who was seen in full costume as she filmed scenes for the movie

Nattering: She was seen chatting to members of the crew and was surrounded by filming equipment on set

Professional: The screen star, 47, who is taking a step back from acting and focusing on filmmaking, was in her element as she got into work mode, clad with headphones and a radio

Telling the tale: Without Blood is based on the international-bestselling novel of the same name by Italian writer Alessandro Baricco - with Angelina set to write, direct and produce it

The pair were in good spirits as they chatted during a break from filming.

Without Blood is based on the international-bestselling novel of the same name by Italian writer Alessandro Baricco - with Angelina set to write, direct and produce it.

While the detailed plot of the film has not been revealed, the book focuses on the brutality of war, and a young girl's search for healing after an act of violence occurs.

Keeping it casual: Angelina wore a white smock dress in the Italian capital along with a pair of sandals and, at times, a mask in a bid to keep herself and others safe from coronavirus

Glee; Speaking after the film was announced, Angelina said: 'I'm honoured to be here in Italy to bring this very special material to film'

Happy: She said she was delighted to 'have been entrusted by Alessandro Baricco with the adaptation of his book'

Work of art: She added of the 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'

Mexican actor Demian Bichir is also set to star in the film alongside Salma.

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.'

Jennifer Mullin, Global CEO at Freemantle, added: 'We are excited to work with [Angelina] and the incredible international team she has assembled.

'This project underlines Fremantle's ongoing commitment to producing high-quality feature films and original dramas working with the very best talent from across the globe.'

In February 2017, Angelina was said to be developing Without Blood with a view to direct.

Speaking out: Jennifer Mullin, Global CEO at Freemantle, added: 'We are excited to work with [Angelina] and the incredible international team she has assembled'

She added: 'This project underlines Fremantle's ongoing commitment to producing high-quality feature films and original dramas working with the very best talent from across the globe'
Sadie Sink looked lovely in a floral print dress on Wednesday while promoting Stranger Things in New York City.

The 20-year-old actress wore a yellow Miu Miu ankle-length dress with red blossoms that featured puff sleeves and a white collar for an appearance on the Today show.

Sadie completed her look with pointy white leather slingbacks.

Streaming star: Sadie Sink looked lovely in a floral print dress on Wednesday while promoting Stranger Things in New York City

The Brenham, Texas native had her long red hair down in loose waves below her shoulders.

She accentuated her natural beauty with just a hint of makeup and flashed her winning smile.

Sadie portrays Maxine 'Max' Mayfield in the popular Netflix sci-fi horror drama series.

Season four recently concluded with the release of the second set of two episodes on July 1.

Floral print: The 20-year-old actress wore a yellow Miu Miu ankle-length dress with red blossoms that featured puff sleeves and a white collar for an appearance on the Today show

Pointy shoes: Sadie completed her look with pointy white leather slingbacks

Natural beauty: The actress accentuated her natural beauty with just a hint of makeup and flashed her winning smile

Sadie was interviewed by Hoda Kotb, 57, and guest co-host Justin Sylvester on Wednesday while promoting Stranger Things on Today.

A clip was shown of Sadie's character Max coming up with a strategy to ward off telekinetic villain Vecna.

Justin noted that season four has been generating Emmy buzz and pointed out that Sadie's co-star Winona Ryder, 50, has been praising her actor skills and called her a 'young Meryl Streep'.

Popular series: Sadie, shown last month in New York, portrays Maxine 'Max' Mayfield in the popular Netflix sci-fi horror drama series

'That's too big of a comparison to make, I think,' Sadie said with a chuckle. 'But Winona is incredible and she's so amazing to work with and to have as kind of like a role model for us kids. So to hear her supporting us and the show in that way means a lot.'

Stranger Things was renewed in February for a fifth and final season.

Sadie has two films coming out soon including the psychological drama The Whale and the drama Dear Zoe.
Nicole Kidman caught every onlookers' eye as she arrived at the Balenciaga afterparty on Wednesday with her husband Keith Urban during Paris Fashion Week.

The Hollywood actress, 55, looked nothing short of sensational in a black off-the-shoulder gown.

The sparkling number was encrusted in silver sequins and boasted a long train that trailed behind her.

Looking good: Nicole Kidman caught every onlookers' eye as she arrived at the Balenciaga afterparty on Wednesday with her husband Keith Urban during Paris Fashion Week

She elevated her already impressive height with a pair of black high heels, and carried a matching black clutch.

The Moulin Rouge star accessorised with a diamond snake bracelet and several diamond rings, as well as green and orange dangly earrings.

Her fiery red tresses were swept up into an elegant updo and she opted for light palette of makeup to highlight her pretty features.

Incredible: The Hollywood actress, 55, looked nothing short of sensational in a black off-the-shoulder gown

Dramatic: The sparkling number was encrusted in silver sequins and boasted a long train that trailed behind her

Holding her hand beside her, her husband Keith, 54, looked dapper in a white T-shirt, under a black jacket and trousers.

Nicole stopped to sign several autographs as she made her way into the party, after dazzling in the Balenciaga runway show in a silver one-shouldered gown.

She later took to her Instagram to share a stunning photo of her in her dress, laying on her bed with the train winding around her body.

Stylish: The Moulin Rouge star accessorised with a diamond snake bracelet and several diamond rings, as well as green and orange dangly earrings

Flawless: Her fiery red tresses were swept up into an elegant updo and she opted for light palette of makeup to highlight her pretty features

She captioned the incredible snap: 'Night, night from Paris, with love'.

It comes as Nicole recently revealed how her early days in Hollywood were possible thanks to some of her Australian friends.

The actress Academy Award winner told the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia in a recorded interview that she was supported by her good pals, Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness, even sleeping on their couch while auditioning for roles in Los Angeles.

'[Deborra-Lee] was one of my best friends,' the Dead Calm star said, adding that the fellow actress always gave her a place to stay when she flew in from Australia.

Sleepy: She later took to her Instagram to share a stunning photo of her in her dress, laying on her bed with the train winding around her body

Bedtime: She captioned the incredible snap: 'Night, night from Paris, with love'

'[I slept on the couch] in the house that Deborra-Lee was renting, and she gave the chance to stay there and we could go and audition,' Nicole said.

'It was expensive, we couldn't afford hotels, so the idea of being in hub out of a house together, was really, I mean, my god.'

She added: 'You'd go and come back and you'd go over for a few weeks and do some auditions and hope to crack it.'

Nicole has previously revealed how Deborra-Lee, 66, and Hugh, 53, helped her after her divorce from Tom Cruise in 2001.

'When I got divorced, Hugh and Deb were so much a part of my healing,' she said in a candid interview with Australian Women's Weekly.

Grateful: Nicole recently revealed how her early days in Hollywood were possible thanks to her Australian friends Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness (Pictured in 2013)

'They were some of my best friends through that period,' she added.

Like Nicole, Hugh and Deborra-lee were among a small group of budding Australian actors living in Hollywood in the 1980s.

Deborra-lee was the first to meet Nicole when she was 'couch surfing' in Los Angeles as a teenager before being cast in Days of Thunder, where she met Tom.

'I do remember Tom Cruise ringing the house when she landed the role [in Days of Thunder]. Nic was always very cool and took it all in her stride,' Deborra-lee said.

After splitting with Tom, 59, Nicole went on to meet her second husband, Keith.
Karl Stefanovic couldn't hide his excitement as two young Kiwi boys showed off their mullet hairstyles on the Today show on Thursday.

Today reporter Izabella Staskowski was at Melbourne Airport interviewing brothers Jack and Max, who had travelled from New Zealand during the school holidays.

'This is the busiest day of the school holidays. We're having a bit of fun this morning and this is for you, Karl,' Staskowski said.

Karl Stefanovic (left) couldn't hide his excitement as two young Kiwi boys (right) showed off their mullet hairstyles on the Today show on Thursday

'I want to bring in Jack and Max, and I want to show you their fresh mullets. They're looking very good,' she said as the boys turned around to show off their hair.

She continued: 'These guys are from New Zealand and this is an original style, I've been told.'

Stefanovic then burst into laughter and enthusiastically fist pumped the air.

Today reporter Izabella Staskowski was at Melbourne Airport interviewing brothers Jack and Max, who had travelled from New Zealand during the school holidays

'You've got to watch those Kiwi kids with their knock-off jumpers on,' he later joked.

It comes after Sarah Abo took a dig at Stefanovic during Monday's episode of the Channel Nine breakfast show.

The 60 Minutes reporter, who is filling in for Allison Langdon, joked about Stefanovic being old as they discussed Tom Cruise turning 60.

It comes after Sarah Abo (right) took a dig at Stefanovic during Monday's episode of the Channel Nine breakfast show

'I can't believe he is 60, that's unbelievable,' Stefanovic, 47, said.

'That's about your age, isn't it Karl? You look terrific,' Abo responded while placing her hand on his shoulder.

'Don't touch what you can't afford,' he replied as they burst into laughter.




By Yi Whan-woo







Korea Customs Service (KCS) Commissioner Yoon Tae-sik attended a meeting hosted by the European Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ECCK) in Seoul, Thursday, to facilitate communication with European businesses here.







A career bureaucrat, Yoon built his expertise in international finance and trade, foreign exchange and other global economy-related issues at the Ministry of Economy and Finance.







The meeting took place at the Grand Hyatt Seoul hotel, with the participation of about 30 CEOs and executives from ECCK member companies. They included ECCK Chairperson Dirk Lukat, who is also CEO of the Seoul branch of Germany-headquartered multinational logistics company Schenker.







"The meeting was intended to share a range of thoughts and opinions of the European companies that invested in Korea concerning our customs regulations," the KCS said in a press release.







The customs agency said the meeting was especially noteworthy as it has come amid the pandemic and supply chain disruptions that complicate customs declarations, quarantine regulations and other rules concerning trade.







Against this backdrop, Yoon addressed that the pandemic era can take the Korea-EU partnership to a higher level, in addition to the European Union being the biggest foreign direct investor in Korea as well as Korea's third-largest export market.







The KCS commissioner also addressed the market-friendly policy prioritized by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. He said that the KCS is trying to materialize this policy focusing on "small yet practical issues" aimed at both softening regulations and expanding business support.







In accordance with the rise of electronic commerce, Yoon introduced the KCS' latest measures for the swift and safe customs clearance of goods sold and bought online.







"Commissioner Yoon promised to consult the relevant ministries thoroughly to reflect suggestions made by the participants at today's meeting in government policy in the future," the KCS said.


Married At First Sight's Olivia Frazer has a blunt message for the haters questioning her success on OnlyFans.

The 27-year-old lashed out at claims she 'faked' screenshots showing she was in the top 0.02 per cent of OnlyFans creators.

She doubled down on Thursday by posting more screenshots on Instagram showing her OnlyFans statistics page.

Married At First Sight's Olivia Frazer has hit back at claims she faked her OnlyFans success

The OnlyFans website was recently updated, and Olivia pointed out that her latest screenshots align with the new-look interface.

'I dont have the technological skills to fake these screenshots. I dont have it in me,' she said.

She added: 'I dont need to prove myself at all because let me tell you, my bank account is speaking for itself.'

Olivia turned to OnlyFans after her teaching assistant job became untenable due to her negative portrayal on MAFS.

The 27-year-old posted screenshots on Instagram from her OnlyFans statistics page. The OnlyFans website was recently updated, and Olivia pointed out that her latest screenshots align with the new-look interface

When asked recently what she thought of a petition to have her removed from the adult website, Olivia replied: 'I'm a good investment for OnlyFans.'

In addition to her income from subscribers, the busty blonde is open to personal requests and has been sending nudes to fans privately.

Olivia is charging subscribers $14.99 per month, which is on the pricey side for OnlyFans.

Olivia is charging subscribers $14.99 per month, which is on the pricey side for OnlyFans

Twelve-month packages can be purchased for $126.

The former teacher recently boasted about her earnings on OnlyFans, saying she makes even more than fellow MAFS bride Jessika Power.

'I won't say a figure, but I'll just say that I've already made more than Jess Power's best month,' Olivia told the So Dramatic! podcast.
Kim Kardashian certainly made a statement on Wednesday night, as she left the Balenciaga Couture dinner in Paris in a black mask, that covered her entire face.

The television personality, 41, also wore a sequinned black dress with a high neckline and an expansive train which trailed on the ground as she walked.

Kim's gown glistened under the flashing lights of awaiting photographers and clung to her hourglass curves.

Fashion forward: Kim Kardashian certainly made a statement on Wednesday night, as she left the Balenciaga Couture dinner in Paris in a black mask, that covered her entire face

She carried a small black handbag with her to match the rest of her ensemble while her long bleached blonde tresses tumbled down across her shoulders.

The sparkly number highlighted her recent weight loss, after revealing she had managed to drop even more pounds after her astonishing weight-loss journey for the Met Gala.

Kim famously shed 16lbs in two weeks so that she could attend the Met Ball in the dress Marilyn Monroe wore to John F. Kennedy's birthday party in 1962.

Statement: The television personality, 41, also wore a sequinned black dress with a high neckline and an expansive train which trailed on the ground as she walked

Dazzling: Kim's gown glistened under the flashing lights of awaiting photographers and clung to her hourglass curves

Coordinating: She carried a small black handbag with her to match the rest of her ensemble

Marilyn herself had to be sewn into the gold frock, which she wore while seductively singing: 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President,' three months before her death.

While appearing on the Today show, Kim revealed that she had taken off a further 5lbs since the Met Gala, resulting in a total weight loss of 21lbs.

She also denied allegations that she had damaged the Marilyn dress, noting that Ripley's Believe It Or Not!, which has the frock in its possession, took her side.

Is that you? Kim was recognisable by her long bleached blonde tresses, which tumbled down across her shoulders

Svelte: The sparkly number highlighted her recent weight loss, after revealing she had managed to drop even more pounds after her astonishing weight-loss journey for the Met Gala

Weight loss: Kim famously shed 16lbs in two weeks so that she could attend the Met Ball in the dress Marilyn Monroe wore to John F. Kennedy's birthday party in 1962

Iconic: Marilyn herself had to be sewn into the gold frock, which she wore while seductively singing: 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President,' three months before her death

Slimmed down: While appearing on the Today show, Kim revealed that she had taken off a further 5lbs since the Met Gala, resulting in a total weight loss of 21lbs

'Kim Kardashian wearing the "Happy Birthday" dress has been hotly contested, but the fact remains that she did not, in any way, damage the garment in the short amount of time it was worn at the Met Gala,' Ripley's said.

Kim also took a few slings and arrows online over her dramatic weight loss, but she defended her decision on the Today show, saying: 'Yeah, you know, I looked at it like a role.'

She added: 'I really wanted to wear this dress. It was really important to me. It actually taught me a lot about my lifestyle and my health and since then, afterwards, I continued to eat really healthy. I am down 21lbs now.'

Kim declared: 'I'm not trying to lose any more weight but I have more energy than ever. I cut out so much sugar, a lot of junk food I was eating - I didn't even realise it. A lot of fried foods. And I completely changed my lifestyle.'
As a former Miss Universe Australia she is considered one of the most beautiful women in the world.

But Maria Thattil says she is still criticised for her looks.

The beauty queen, 29, has recalled the shocking moment a family member told her she had gained weight after suffering from an eating disorder for several years.

Former Miss Universe Australia Maria Thattil has recalled the shocking moment a family member told her she had gained weight after suffering from an eating disorder for several years

In a essay penned for Stella Magazine, Thattil said she saw an unnamed relative for the first time in months who quickly 'glanced at her thighs and face and remarked she'd put on weight'.

She said the family member saw her disdain and quickly added 'but you look healthy now, better than you did before'.

The 5 foot 3 star, who often writes about women's issues, said as a petite woman she has 'no place in the body positivity movement' but she's 'not exempt from the hyper-scrutiny that society puts women under'.

'I recently chose to gain a little weight because what that relative didn't know is that I had struggled with disordered eating for years,' she wrote.

'People have the right to choose to present how they see fit and, so long as they are healthy, it is no-one else's business. Gaining weight does not make anyone else entitled to your body.'

She said the family member saw her disdain and quickly added 'but you look healthy now, better than you did before'. Maria is pictured at this year's Logie Awards

The I'm A Celebrity star said she faced 'global judgment' when she chose to compete in Miss Universe Australia in 2020, with comments like 'it would be nice if she had a chest' and 'she's scary-short, like a midget'.

'This is bigger than Miss Universe. And this is bigger than my relative's comment,' the Melbourne-born star said.

'This is about society's entitlement to women's bodies'.

She explained she chose to compete in beauty pageants to 'celebrate herself' and 'take something with patriarchal roots' and 'use it to champion diversity in a space that has often excluded people of colour'.

The star, who was born to Indian immigrant parents, added: 'I can't begin to comprehend the criticism and discrimination faced by those most marginalised  particularly those who are larger, people of colour, queer or disabled.

'We're primed from infancy to assess ourselves according to a rubric built on prettiness, thinness and fairness. The norm has been that women's bodies are always up for discussion and many who have been subject to it have internalised very damning standards, and can project these onto others.'

The 5'3 star, who often writes about women's issues, said that as a petite woman she has 'no place in the body positivity movement' but she's 'not exempt from the hyper-scrutiny that society puts women under'

Maria explained she catches herself harshly judging her own body against her own internalised sexism and she forces herself to interrupt her thoughts to remind herself her body 'deserves to be honoured'.

The star is often outspoken on women's rights, and recently opened up about how having an abortion in 2015 helped her get to where she is today.

She said in a column for Nine Honey earlier this month that terminating her pregnancy gave her the chance to return to university and 'increased her prospects'.

She explained how she worked in a minimum wage job, still lived at home with her parents and had been diagnosed with depression and anxiety when she discovered she was pregnant.

Maria also wrote a moving appeal for women's reproductive rights in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The original decision made in 1973 meant that States in the U.S. were unable to ban abortions outright.

She said she's devastated for 'children, victims of rape or incest and people facing life-threatening conditions' who are being forced to carry a pregnancy to term.

Vowing to fight for reproductive justice, Maria gave thanks for her own freedoms, and wrote how her heart was breaking for others not so fortunate.
Sydney Swans star Lance 'Buddy' Franklin's wife Jesinta could be AFL's next big agent.

The 30-year-old recently completed a three-day course and exam - administered by AFL Players' Association- required to be a player's agent.

The course educates aspiring agents on a range of topics include their roles, rules and regulations, and talent identification.

Buddy Franklin's wife Jesinta's surprising new career is revealed after she recently returned to work following the birth of her two children

According to The Herald Sun, Participants first apply to the AFLPA and complete the three-day agent course, which is priced at $3300.

They then sit a three-hour entrance exam to test their knowledge.

It comes after Jesinta returned to work with her ambassador role for Crown in January.

The 30-year-old recently completed a three-day course and exam - administered by AFL Players' Association- required to be a player's agent, the Herald Sun revealed

The model, who shares daughter Tullulah and son Rocky with Buddy, revealed to The Daily Telegraph's Stellar how important her career is for her mental health.

'It's so nice to get back to work and the different elements of my career because as a mum you sacrifice so much for your children,' she said.

'You put your needs at the very bottom of the list of things to do, so it's nice to step back into it. It's also really important for my mental health to have something to strive for outside motherhood,' the former Miss Universe Australia went on to say.

It comes after Jesinta returned to work with her ambassador role for Crown in January

Jesinta and Buddy wed in an intimate ceremony in 2016.

Buddy got frank early last year when he discussed their marriage and fatherhood in an interview with Daily Mail Australia.

Discussing what he loves most about fatherhood, he said: 'I love everything about being a dad. But the evolution in my relationship with Jes from being a couple to a family is really special and rewarding, too.'
Natalie Portman showed her flat abs in a crochet bar in an Instagram post on Wednesday while promoting Thor: Love And Thunder in Rome.

The 41-year-old actress wore a pastel pink Miu Miu jacket and matching skirt along with a Magda Butrym cream bralette in a photo posted for her roughly eight million followers on Instagram.

Natalie had her brown hair down in loose waves and accentuated her natural beauty with pink lipstick.

Fit figure: Natalie Portman showed her flat abs in a crochet bar in an Instagram post on Wednesday while promoting Thor: Love And Thunder in Rome

She was standing on a balcony with a transparent Marvel Studios banner promoting Thor: Love And Thunder behind her.

'Today in Rome, wearing @miumiu and @magdabutrym. Whos ready for July 8th?? @thorofficial,' Natalie wrote in the caption.

Thor: Love And Thunder had its Italian premiere on Wednesday at The Space Cinema in Rome.

Natalie surprised moviegoers and addressed them before the screening.

Superhero sequel: The 41-year-old actress is shown as the Mighty Thor in a scene from Thor: Love And Thunder

Social media: Natalie wore a pastel pink Miu Miu jacket and matching skirt along with a Magda Butrym cream bralette in a photo posted for her roughly eight million followers on Instagram

The Oscar-winning actress reprises her role as Jane Foster and also becomes the Mighty Thor in the film.

Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, 38, returns as Thor as well as Tessa Thompson, 38, as Valkyrie.

Oscar-winning actor Christian Bale, 48, joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the film portraying villain Gorr the God Butcher.

Oscar winner: The Oscar-winning actress reprises her role as Jane Foster who also becomes the Mighty Thor and is shown in a scene with Chris Hemsworth as Thor

Thor: Love And Thunder premiered in Hollywood on June 23 and will be released in the US on Friday.

New Zealand director Taika Waititi, 46, directed the film after previously directing the 2017 sequel Thor: Ragnarok.

Natalie has been married since 2012 to Benjamin Millepied, 45, and they have 11-year-old son Aleph and five-year-old daughter Amalia together.

Aleph and Amalia both have credits as 'Asgardian Kid' in Thor: Love And Thunder.
Hunted Australia will premiere on Sunday, July 17, on Channel 10 and 10 Play.

Based on the popular British format, the thrilling reality show follows 18 contestants who must go on the run and evade capture for 21 days.

A prize of $100,000 awaits the winners, but they must first evade a team of 'hunters' comprising former intelligence agents and police officers.

Hunted Australia will premiere on Sunday, July 17, on Channel 10 and 10 Play

Hunted Australia, which was produced by Endemol Shine, was filmed in Melbourne and has been described as a 'real-life game of cat and mouse'.

Travelling in pairs, the fugitives have only limited resources to escape detection in the field.

The nail-biting trailer suggests a paranoid atmosphere as the contestants eventually realise they can trust no one but themselves.

Based on the popular British format, the thrilling reality show follows 18 contestants who must go on the run and evade capture for 21 days. (Pictured: a scene from the trailer)

In the opening scenes, a control room full of investigators watch as the fugitives are released at Federation Square, in the heart of the city centre.

'We have 18 fugitives in two vehicles headed towards the Melbourne area,' a voice is heard saying from the control room.

The contestants are then released from two black vans.

They race in all directions as their every move is tracked and monitored by sophisticated surveillance technology.

A prize of $100,000 awaits the winners who must first evade a team of 'hunters', made up of police, intelligence officers and teams in the field

The trailer ends with investigators yelling at the fugitives to stop.

The hunters in the Australian version consist of ex-AFP and ADF personnel, as well as cyber analysts and veterans of British intelligence.

The British series premiered in 2015. There have been five civilian versions in the UK plus three celebrity seasons.

Hunted has spawned a number of international versions in the U.S., Spain, Denmark, Russia and the Netherlands.
Kourtney Kardashian put on a tantalizing display in her latest Instagram post.

The reality star, 43, put her ample cleavage front and center as she posed before the mirror wearing a sheer black bra and holding a box of Ritz Bits.

The image was one of many included in a photo dump posted Wednesday, giving fans a glimpse into Kourtney's inner world.

Looking like a snack! Kourtney Kardashian put on a tantalizing display in her latest Instagram post

The sizzling photo saw Kourtney pose before the mirror with a pouty expression, her edgy metallic manicure on display.

A card written to her by her son Reign sat at the corner of the counter. 'I love you with all of my heart,' the card, written in Reign's child-like scrawl, read.

The post included an array of other snaps, including one of Kourtney flaunting her leggings-clad backside for the camera.

She also included a snap of her going for a walk with her husband Travis Barker.

Bootylicious! Kourtney flaunted her backside as she posed for the camera in leggings and boots

Hair and makeup! The post included a shot of Kourtney getting glammed up

The A-listers looked like any other couple enjoying a quiet nature walk together, hand in hand.

Kourtney captioned the post with a string of fun emojis, including a heart, lip print, and music note emoji.

The post comes as her husband continues recovering from a bout of life-threatening pancreatitis. Barker was hospitalized for a week as a result of the scare, but was recently discharged.

The condition, characterized by an inflammation of the pancreas, was brought on by an endoscopic procedure.

Just the two of us: Kourtney held hands with her husband Travis Barker as they enjoyed a leisurely nature walk

Selfie mode! Kourtney pouted her lips for the camera

'I went in for an endoscopy Monday feeling great. But After dinner, I developed excruciating pain and have been hospitalized ever since,' he wrote in an Instagram post the following Saturday.

He continued, 'During the endoscopy, I had a very small polyp removed right in a very sensitive area, usually handled by specialists, which unfortunately damaged a critical pancreatic drainage tube.

'This resulted in severe life threatening pancreatitis.'

Throughout the ordeal Barker's daughter Alabama, 16, repeatedly took to social media to ask for prayers for her dad.

He's a fan! Kourtney included a Blink-182 drawing which appeared to have been done by one of her children

Hold onto your hats! She also clutched her bucket hat as she enjoyed a drive

Flower power! The post showed off an elegant display of white roses

In addition to Alabama, Travis shares a son, Landon, 18, with his ex-wife Shanna Moakler.

Once her dad's health improved, Alabama appeared online again to thank fans for their support.

Sharing an image of her pink-manicured hand next to her father's tattooed hand, she wrote: 'Thank you for all of the prayers and love, I appreciate you & love all of you.'
Australian fashion journalist Margaret Zhang turned heads outside the Balenciaga show during Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old, who is the editor-in-chief of Vogue China, stood out from the crowd thanks to her bright blue hair, which contrasted with her neutral-coloured outfit.

She teamed high-waisted beige pants with a matching jacket and brown ankle boots, which she accessorised with a black Chanel bag with gold detailing.

Australian fashion journalist Margaret Zhang turned heads outside the Balenciaga show during Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday

Margaret posed for street-style photos on the sidewalk with her phone in hand.

She became Vogue's youngest-ever senior editor last year when she landed the role of editor-in-chief at Vogue China aged just 27.

She succeeded founding editor Angelica Cheung, who started the Chinese edition of the fashion bible 15 years ago.

The 29-year-old, who is the editor-in-chief of Vogue China, stood out from the crowd thanks to her bright blue hair, which contrasted with her neutral-coloured outfit

Despite never working in-house at a magazine, the Instagram fashionista was given the nod by Vogue's global editorial director and Conde Nast chief content officer Anna Wintour.

Ms Wintour said: 'Margaret creates content on so many different platforms and brings a new perspective and voice to Vogue China.

'When Angelica Cheung founded Vogue China 15 years ago, she brilliantly broke new ground and now Margaret will continue that tradition of leading the incredibly creative and influential fashion culture in China.'

Margaret (pictured on June 26) became Vogue's youngest-ever senior editor last year when she landed the role of editor-in-chief at Vogue China aged just 27. She succeeded founding editor Angelica Cheung, who started the Chinese edition of the fashion bible 15 years ago

Margaret's rise to the top of the masthead had been rumoured weeks before her appointment was confirmed, with fashion blogger Bryanboy tweeting the news prematurely while Vogue China responded they had nothing to share yet.

As a model and photographer, she launched her blog Shine By Three in 2009 when she was 16, and soon became a regular at fashion weeks across the world.

She was named Elle's Digital Influencer of the Year in 2015 and appeared on Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia and Time Out's 40 Under 40 lists in 2016.

The commerce and law graduate's work has been published in L'Officiel, Harper's Bazaar, Nylon, Marie Claire and Elle.
Denise Richards opened up about her decision to join OnlyFans during an interview on Wednesday.

The actress and reality star, 51, spoke about how she moved past her initial reservations about the platform and noted that she fully supported its dedication to the preservation of creators' integrity.

The performer's interview with KTLA took place just a few weeks after her daughter Sami Sheen, 18, received much attention for starting her own account on the service.

Speaking out: Denise Richards opened up about her decision to join OnlyFans during an interview with KTLA that was shared on Wednesday

Richards began the sit-down by expressing that she was aware of the ramifications of the actions of her child, whom she shares with former husband Charlie Sheen, and that she previously did not know very much about the platform.

'My daughter got a lot of backlash for opening the account. I had heard of OnlyFans but I wasn't educated on what OnlyFans was,' she said.

The Starship Troopers actress pointed out that she was particularly impressed by the service's setup.

'Once I started to learn about it, I really think that the creators of the site really took the best of every platform of social media and put it into one site,' she said.

Loud and clear: Richards began the sit-down by expressing that she was aware of the ramifications of the actions of her child, whom she shares with former husband Charlie Sheen, and that she previously did not know very much about the platform

Richards went on to favorably compare the service to another major social media outlet.

'We all post pictures with ourselves with bathing suits on Instagram and some of the other sites that there's no difference other than you actually own the content,' she said.

The performer also noted that Sami's reaction to her mother joining OnlyFans was 'positive.'

Richards also expressed that she talked the decision to join the site over with her daughter, as she recalled: 'I thought "is that going to be a little odd?" Then she said "we're both on Instagram."'

Supportive daughter: The performer also noted that Sami's reaction to her mother joining OnlyFans was 'positive'; she is seen in 2019

Sami previously made headlines when she joined OnlyFans last month, and she subsequently shared a promotional image to her Instagram account.

Sheen, 56, initially voiced his disapproval of his daughter's actions and shared a statement through his publicist, where he expressed via Fox News that she was primarily residing with Richards.

He pointed out: 'This did not occur under my roof. I do not condone this, but since I'm unable to prevent it, I urged her to keep it classy, creative and not sacrifice her integrity.'

Letting everyone see: Sami previously made headlines when she joined OnlyFans last month, and she subsequently shared a promotional image to her Instagram account

Richards subsequently released a statement in support of her child on her Instagram account, where she pointed out that she previously posed for publications such as Wild Things and Playboy.

The performer added: 'I have to say I wish I had the confidence my 18 yr old daughter has.'

Sheen later changed his mind about Sami's decision and publicly expressed his support for her actions.
Nicki Minaj's husband Kenneth Petty has avoided a 10-year jail sentence after failing to register as a sex offender when he moved to California with his wife.

Petty, 44, will instead be forced to stay in his multi-million-dollar Calabasas mansion under home detention for the next year and ordered to pay a $55,000 fine.

Petty, who married Minaj, 39, in 2019, plead guilty back in September on a federal count of failing to register as a sex offender.

While he was looking at a maximum prison sentence of 10 years with a lifetime of supervised release, he was sentenced Wednesday to just one year of in-home detention, and three years of probation, according to CBS Los Angeles.

In-home: Nicki Minaj's husband Kenneth Petty has avoided a 10-year jail sentence after failing to register as a sex offender when he moved to California with his wife

Petty was convicted of first-degree attempted rape of a 16-year-old girl in 1995, for which he was sentenced to four years in prison.

He is considered a level-two offender in the state of New York, which equates to him being considered a 'moderate risk of repeat offense.'

Petty started dating Minaj in 2018 and they tied the knot a year later and moved to California.

Married: Petty, who married Minaj (pictured), 39, in 2019, plead guilty back in September on a federal count of failing to register as a sex offender.

Petty was pulled over by the Beverly Hills Police Department in November 2019, and discovered he was a registered sex offender in New York, though he had not registered in California when he moved, which he's required to do.

Petty plead guilty at the time but his hearing has been delayed several times before the sentence was handed out.

Prosecutors were recommending 15 months of prison time and five years of supervised release, and not a home detention, since he lives with Minaj in a gated community in Calabasas, which they contended was not much of a 'punishment.'

Courthouse: Petty was seen arriving at the United States Federal Courthouse for his sentencing hearing on Wednesday

The judge ultimately disagreed, sentencing petty to one year of in-home detention, plus three years of probation, and a $55,000 fine.

Petty was also in legal trouble in August, when Jennifer Hough, Petty's alleged rape victim, filed a lawsuit against both him and Minaj.

Hough claimed that both Minaj and Petty tried to coerce her into recanting her rape accusation, and they even offered her $500,000 to do so.

Unbothered: After the ruling, Nicki posted an image of Kenneth carrying their child

She also accused them of inflicting emotional distress, though she voluntarily dropped the lawsuit against Minaj.

'The case against Nicki was voluntarily dismissed. The case against Kenneth Petty is still ongoing. Stay tuned!" Hough's lawyer, Tyrone Blackburn said.

Neither Petty nor Minaj have commented on the sentencing.
Gettyimages



By Lee Hae-rin



An average of 49,000 new jobs will be created in the country's travel and tourism sector over the next decade, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) said on Monday.



The latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) by WTTC released in May shows that about half a million jobs will be created in the next ten years and will reach a total of 1.8 million by 2032, outpacing other sectors in the economy.



According to the report, the nation's GDP in travel and tourism is expected to grow at a yearly average rate of 4.8 percent in the coming decade, which is significantly higher than the country's overall growth forecast of 1.8 percent.



Such growth is supposed to yield 116.9 trillion won ($89.5 billion), occupying 4.6 percent of the country's economy.



Before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the country's tourism industry contributed 4.4 percent, or 87.5 trillion won ($67 billion) to the country's GDP and provided 1.3 million jobs.



However, the pandemic devastated the sector, nearly halving its GDP and economic contribution to 2.7 percent with 54.2 trillion won.



In 2021, its contribution to the GDP climbed by a mere 3 percent year-on-year, to reach nearly?55.9 trillion won. Next year, the figure is expected to grow back to 83.4 trillion won, which is only 4.7 percent behind the pre-pandemic level.



"After the devastating impact the pandemic caused to South Korea's travel & tourism sector, the future looks bright for the economy," WTTC?President and CEO Julia Simpson said.



"We applaud the government for easing travel restrictions, a move that will no doubt have a positive effect and recover millions of jobs. However, pre-departure testing is no longer required in many countries around the world and we urge the government here to follow the lead and allow travelers to move freely once again," Simpson said.


Sharon Osbourne and her husband, rock legend Ozzy Osbourne, celebrated their milestone 40th wedding anniversary on the 4th of July.

Two days later, and the talk show personality decided to head out to do some shopping with a friend along the world famous Melrose Place in West Hollywood.

The mother of three looked to be in great spirits as she flashed a big beaming smile moments after buying an item or two at SPRWMN clothing store, which she followed up with a stop to pick up a hot cup of coffee.

Retail therapy: Sharon Osbourne, 69, looked to be in great spirits when she headed out for a day of shopping along the world famous Melrose Place with a friend on Wednesday

Osbourne, 69, showed off her fashion sense by stepping out in an all-black ensemble, consisting of ultra-baggy pants with a matching top and black and white boots.

The London, England native appeared to laughing out loud when the cameras caught her making her way from the cafe, all while trying not to spill her coffee.

With the sun glaring down and the temperature hovering close to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the former host of CBS' The Talk made sure to wear large-frame sunglasses for their walk along the a stretch of shoppes and restaurants.

Stylin': The talk show personality showed off her fashion sense in ultra-baggy pants with more fitted top and funky black and white boots

Ozzy, 73, had hoped he and his wife would renew their vows and celebrate their 40 years of marriage on the Hawaiian island of Maui, but it appears as though his operation on Monday thwarted those plans.

The Black Sabbath frontman had to have surgery to adjust pins inserted into his neck and spine following a near-fatal ATV crash in 2003 and subsequent fall in 2013.

Instead of soaking up the sun in Hawaii, the couple spent their special day at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where the couple got in plenty of rest and relaxation.

Afterwards, Sharon took to her Instagram page to give her 1.1 million fans and followers a glimpse at some of the party favors they enjoyed, and to thank the hotel and its staff for all their hard work.

Milestone: Sharon shared some of the spoils she and husband Ozzy Osbourne enjoyed when they spent their 40th wedding anniversary at the Beverly Hills Hotel

Tasty time in Beverly Hills: There was plenty of sweets and snacks, along with photos of the couple taken over their years

Festive: The Osbourne's hotel room was full of balloons and other party favors

'Thank you @bevhillshotel & all the staff for spoiling us on our anniversary! Your hotel holds a special place in our hearts,' she wrote in the caption.

The post included a look at a photo collage pasted on a mirror in their hotel room, along with two wrapped presents, an assortment of tasty sweets and treats, a mini two-tie cake, as well as bundle of balloons and fresh red roses.

Two days earlier, that actual day of their anniversary, the couple both posted sweet sentiments to their partner along with a throwback photo.

'2022 is a special year for me., Sharon began in the caption, adding, 'It marks 40 years of marriage to my darling Ozzy. We first met when I was 18, over 52 years we have been friends, lovers, husband & wife, grandparents and soulmates. Always at each other's side. I love you Ozzy ~ Sharrrrrrron x @shelbyduncan.'

The so-called Prince Of Darkness posted of picture of the couple on their wedding day with the caption: '40 Years Ago Today! Happy Anniversary My Love.'

Sweet sentiments: The couple enjoyed a mini two-tier cake as part of their anniversary celebration at the Beverly Hills Hotel

Lovely: The two-persona party was sealed with batch of fresh red roses

Sharon had been across the pond in the UK but flew back to Los Angeles to be by her husband's side for his surgery.

Three days after the operation Ozzy thanked fans for their support and confirmed that he was 'recuperating comfortably' at home after undergoing 'major' spinal surgery.

'I am definitely feeling the love and support from all my fans and send everyone a big thank you for their thoughts, prayers, and well wishes during my recovery,' he shared on Twitter.

Ozzy is expected to finish out his recovery from the comforts of his Los Angeles home for the foreseeable future.

The legendary rocker, who's also been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, previously suffered a nasty fall and dislodged metal rods placed in his spine following a quad-bike accident in 2003.

The couple previously renewed their vows in Las Vegas in 2017.
A former Married At First Sight star has responded to claims she doesn't show enough skin on OnlyFans to justify her monthly subscription fee.

Amanda Micallef charges $10 per month to view her OnlyFans content, but some have complained her photos are similar to what she shows for free on social media.

One disgruntled subscriber posted a bad review on Instagram on Thursday, which prompted the 37-year-old personal trainer to defend her business model.

Former Married At First Sight star Amanda Micallef (pictured) has responded to claims she doesn't show enough skin on OnlyFans to justify her monthly subscription fee

The unhappy customer said she was 'just showing [on OnlyFans] what she shows on Instagram with a little less clothing'.

Amanda, who is a lesbian, replied that the subscriber needed to pay extra for explicit content because she 'won't sell [her] naked body for $10 a month'.

She said her OnlyFans subscribers had to be prepared to spend a lot of money to get the premium product and her monthly subscription covered 'just the basic stuff'.

Amanda charges $10 per month to view her OnlyFans content, but some have complained her photos are similar to what she shows for free on social media. One subscriber posted this bad review on Instagram on Thursday, which prompted Amanda to defend her business model

This is despite the fact that most reality stars who use OnlyFans do offer fully nude photos, and even post videos of sex acts, on their main feeds.

'Of course there are plenty of videos, and of course they come at a pay-per-view price. I don't sell my naked body for $10 a month, pal,' Amanda snapped.

Amanda joined the adult website in December, after previously vowing not to do it.

The unhappy customer said she was 'just showing [on OnlyFans] what she shows on Instagram with a little less clothing'. Amanda, who is a lesbian, replied that the subscriber needed to pay extra for explicit content because she 'won't sell [her] naked body for $10 a month'

But after meeting several PT clients who were making serious money from OnlyFans, she realised she wanted the same luxury lifestyle.

Amanda shot to fame in early 2020 as one half of the first lesbian couple on Married At First Sight with Tash Herz. They split after a few weeks in the experiment.

In her OnlyFans bio, she previously described herself as a 'dominant' lesbian.

Amanda joined the adult website in December after previously vowing not to do it. But after meeting several PT clients who were making serious money from OnlyFans, she realised she wanted the same luxury lifestyle

'If you like a dominant woman, you'll enjoy my dirty talk, my suggestive photos, and what may happen on the DMs. I also run a relationship podcast, see below to subscribe!' she said

'I'm here to explore the fantasies for the married, bi-curious or lesbian submissive woman,' she wrote.

'If you like a dominant woman, you'll enjoy my dirty talk, my suggestive photos, and what may happen on the DMs. I also run a relationship podcast, see below to subscribe!' she added.

Her bio has since been updated, as it now reads: 'Better than Netflix and far more juicier than MAFS.'

Amanda also works as a podcaster, having interviewed Australia's biggest OnlyFans star Renee Gracie just weeks before deciding to join the raunchy platform herself

'I'm that little cherry on top... eat me first. Guaranteed responses! Just message me! Get to know me for only $3. Yes, I have X-rated videos. Just ask for them!'

Amanda also works as a podcaster, having interviewed Australia's biggest OnlyFans star Renee Gracie just weeks before deciding to join the raunchy platform herself.

During their chat, Renee revealed she was making up to $500,000 a month.
Love On The Spectrum Australia star Michael Theo has shared some sage relationship advice for men everywhere.

The Netflix star shot to fame in 2020 after viewers fell in love with his blunt sense of humour and chivalrous values.

He has now partnered with online cooking course company Bone Apple Tea, and believes it's crucial in relationships for men to know their way around the kitchen.

Love On The Spectrum Australia star Michael Theo, 27, (pictured) has shared some sage relationship advice for men everywhere

'[If my future girlfriend can cook] it would be a bonus, but I would like to learn to cook myself so that way she doesn't have to do all the cooking,' Michael told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday.

'Because, like they say, every woman likes a man that knows how to cook. And that's one less thing that I'll be embarrassed about,' he added.

As part of his collaboration with Bone Apple Tea, Michael will be hosting a live cook-a-long experience at popular the popular Lagoon seafood restaurant in Wollongong.

The Netflix star shot to fame in 2020 after viewers fell in love with his blunt sense of humour and chivalrous values. He has now partnered with online cooking course company Bone Apple Tea, as he believes it's crucial in relationships for men to know their way around the kitchen

During the livestream, views will learn alongside Michael as Lagoon chefs demonstrate how to cook their signature king prawns dish.

'I loved the idea of cooking because I've never really learned to cook properly. So I took it as an opportunity for me to learn to cook without having to get my mother to teach me,' the Wollongong-based star said.

'Food can bring people together, because you can't go through life without great food. And it helps people bond as well.'

'[If my future girlfriend can cook] it would be a bonus, but I would like to learn to cook myself so that way she doesn't have to do all the cooking,' Michael exclusively told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday

The Bone Apple Tea classes will be hosted monthly, and will also feature local stars including MAFS groom Anthony Cincotta.

While Michael may not have a girlfriend to cook for at the moment, he says he's been growing close to a woman on Instagram over the past nine months.

'I'm currently talking to someone who's actually from Canada. It's still early days so it's hard to tell at the moment.'

Elsewhere in his interview, Michael finally put rumours to rest about the future of Love On The Spectrum, confirming that there won't be a third season of the show

'She's a very nice woman,' he said, adding: 'She has mentioned that she'd like me to come and visit.'

Elsewhere in his interview, Michael finally put rumours to rest about the future of Love On The Spectrum, confirming that there won't be a third season of the show.

However, a new spin-off season that was filmed in the US did recently hit Netflix.

Aside from his cooking pursuits, Michael is working on staring an acting caree

Aside from his cooking pursuits, Michael is working on staring an acting career.

He has signed with a talent agent since the show, and has already booked himself a role in an upcoming film production.

Love on the Spectrum follows seven young adults on the autism spectrum as they explore dating and relationships in the modern day world.

Although Michael was unlucky finding a girlfriend on the show, he won plenty of fans and publicity opportunities.

In October he appeared on the Ellen show, and a month later launched a podcast called Mr A+, in which he discusses topics such as mental health, fitness and dating.

Michael stole viewer's hearts on season one and two of Netflix's four-part documentary Love on the Spectrum

Michael's live cooking class will take place on Tuesday 12th July at 6.30 pm AEST.

Tickets can be purchased for $49 directly from the website. Plus, receive a $10 discount by using the code Take10Tea at the checkout.

$10 from each ticket purchased also will go directly to the Beyond Blue Foundation to support mental health and wellbeing.

'As a sufferer of anxiety myself, I'm excited to be part of an initiative that brings people together, whilst raising funds for an important cause,' Michael said in a press release.
Addison Rae kept it casual while grabbing an early dinner in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old TikTok sensation arrived to a local eatery with her boyfriend Omer Fedi, 22, in tow.

Addison flashed her toned midriff in a cropped white tank top styled with baggy black sweatpants and Vans sneakers.

Casual-cool: Addison Rae kept it casual while grabbing an early dinner in Los Angeles on Wednesday

The actress' long brunette hair was worn in a ponytail and she accessorized with a pair of gold teardrop hoop earrings.

She kept a black designer purse tucked under her arm and her cellphone in hand after giving the keys to her Tesla to the restaurant's valet.

Addison and her boyfriend of nearly a year, Omer, waited patiently to be seated outdoors.

He stood closely beside his girlfriend, while rocking an oversized graphic tee and spliced sweatpants.

Dinner date: The 21-year-old TikTok sensation arrived to a local eatery with her boyfriend Omer Fedi, 22, in tow

Cozy: While waiting for their food to be served, Addison wrapped an arm around Omer and planted a kiss on him

After successfully snagging a table, the couple cozied up to one another as they pored over the menu.

While waiting for their food to be served, Addison wrapped an arm around Omer and planted a kiss on him.

She began dating the Israeli guitarist during the summer of 2021. She'd go one to confirm their romance later that year.

Going strong: She began dating the Israeli guitarist during the summer of 2021. She'd go one to confirm their romance later that year; the couple seen in April

Prior to Omer, Addison was romantically linked to fellow TikTok star Bryce Hall. They'd abruptly end their relationship ahead of summer 2021 after being plagued by cheating allegations.

Addison rose to fame in 2019 after going viral on the clip sharing app, TikTok. By 2020, she'd become the second most followed creator on the platform behind Charli D'Amelio.

As of 2022, Addison boasts an impressive 88.2million TikTok followers and a collective 5.7billion likes on her videos.

Social media star: Addison rose to fame in 2019 after going viral on the clip sharing app, TikTok. By 2020, she'd become the second most followed creator on the platform behind Charli D'Amelio. As of 2022, Addison boasts an impressive 88.2million TikTok followers and a collective 5.7billion likes on her videos

She entered the acting game in 2021 after starring in the gender-swapped remake of 1999's She's All That, titled He's All That, on Netflix.

A month after the film's August release, Netflix announced that they'd signed a multi-picture film deal with the up-and-coming star, as reported by Variety.

'Getting the opportunity to work with Netflix was such a pinch me moment and now to be able to continue the relationship is beyond my wildest dreams,' gushed Addison in a statement following the news.

'I'm thrilled to be able to collaborate with this incredible team and am excited to develop projects while continuing to strengthen my skills as an actress.'

Making movies: She entered the acting game in 2021 after starring in the gender-swapped remake of 1999's She's All That, titled He's All That, on Netflix

Major deal: A month after the film's August release, Netflix announced that they'd signed a multi-picture film deal with the up-and-coming star, as reported by Variety; Addison pictured in March

Along with being a working actress and one of social media's top influencers, Addison has been hard at work on her makeup line, Item Beauty.

She launched the brand online in August 2020, before partnering with Sephora the following year.

The partnership allowed fans of Addison to purchase Item Beauty products in-person.

In early 2021, Item Beauty entered the skincare realm with the launch of Item Skin.
Olivia Molly Rogers made the bold decision to ditch alcohol a year ago and she has never looked back.

In an interview with 9Honey on Thursday, the former Miss Universe Australia said it's been a decision that has completely changed her mindset.

'I feel so much more confident and comfortable,' she said.

Olivia Molly Rogers (pictured) has revealed how giving up alcohol has changed her life

Olivia, 30, recently posted some Instagram snaps celebrating her anniversary at Melbourne's Crown Casino.

'Sobriety isnt easy in a culture that is so heavily focused on drinking, but its the greatest thing Ive ever done for my mental health,' she wrote.

Olivia originally made the decision to go dry for one month after a big night out in May resulted in a mind-numbing hangover.

Olivia recently celebrated her one year of sobriety anniversary on Instagram

Olivia admitted it was difficult at first as she would constantly have to field questions about why she wasn't drinking.

Her decision also led to some awkward personal queries.

'If you're not drinking alcohol, then "Oh, you must be pregnant or you might be trying to get pregnant," she said.

Olivia admitted it was difficult at first as she would constantly have to field questions about why she wasn't drinking

The budding artist found it got easier over time, as firmly telling people 'I don't drink' made them drop the subject.

Olivia is so committed to staying dry she did not touch a drop of alcohol at her wedding.

She married Justin McKeone in February after the pair were forced to cancel their wedding twice due to the pandemic.

The couple met at the start of 2018 before stepping out together at the Aussie Formula One Grand Prix.
While his nine-year-old daughter North is making a splash at Paris Fashion Week with mother Kim Kardashian, Kanye West decided to check out his mansion-in-progress.

The 45-year-old rapper was spotted hanging out outside of his Tadao Ando-designed Malibu mansion, while extensive renovations are under way on the home, which he plunked down $57.3 million for back in September 2021.

He even interacted with a window cleaning crew that gave him a flyer, before he left the property in an Uber.

Mansion: While his nine-year-old daughter North is making a splash at Paris Fashion Week with mother Kim Kardashian, Kanye West decided to check out his mansion-in-progress

Uber: He even interacted with a window cleaning crew that gave him a flyer, before he left the property in an Uber

West was wearing a light blue-grey Budweiser t-shirt under a thick black coat for his outing.

He also wore black pants and his now-signature black rubber boots as he hung out on the property.

West even accepted a flier from a window-cleaning crew while waiting for his Uber, which ultimately picked him up and left the property.

Kanye's look: West was wearing a light blue-grey Budweiser t-shirt under a thick black coat for his outing

Flier: West even accepted a flier from a window-cleaning crew while waiting for his Uber, which ultimately picked him up and left the property

West's new abode, a beachside home that is one of just a handful of American homes designed by the acclaimed architect Ando.

The 3,665 square foot home sits on a 5,672 square foot lot, featuring 4 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms.

The three-story home leads directly onto the beach, which reportedly required, '1,200 tons of poured concrete, 200 tons of steel reinforcement and 12 pylons driven 60 feet into the ground, supporting the monstrously heavy house from sinking into the sand,' according to The Dirt's September 2021 report.

New home: West's new abode, a beachside home that is one of just a handful of American homes designed by the acclaimed architect Ando

Home: The 3,665 square foot home sits on a 5,672 square foot lot, featuring 4 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms

The billionaire rapper is also facing a new lawsuit filed last week, which claimed he infringed on the copyright of a sample for the song Flowers on his Donda album.

West is accused of using a sample from the 1986 Marshall Jefferson house track Move Your Body, aka The House Music Anthem, without prior permission or paying compensation, according to Billboard.

The sample is 'repeated at least 22 times throughout' the song, according to a complaint filed by Jefferson's publisher Ultra International Music Publishing in US District Court in New York.

Lawsuit: The billionaire rapper is also facing a new lawsuit filed last week, which claimed he infringed on the copyright of a sample for the song Flowers on his Donda album

Sample: West is accused of using a sample from the 1986 Marshall Jefferson house track Move Your Body, aka The House Music Anthem, without prior permission or paying compensation, according to Billboard

West made a surprise appearance at the 2022 BET Awards at the end of June, to honor Lifetime Achievement Award winner Sean 'Diddy' Combs.

'How do we crown our kings? How do we appreciate our kings? To think how far we could just make it off of inspiration,' West began.

'To hear the way somebody chopped a sample in. We are rushing in to see who could get the bad boy mixed tape and play back the original version of Benjamin's over an end over,' he added.

Surprise: West made a surprise appearance at the 2022 BET Awards at the end of June, to honor Lifetime Achievement Award winner Sean 'Diddy' Combs

Kings: 'How do we crown our kings? How do we appreciate our kings? To think how far we could just make it off of inspiration,' West began
Kim Kardashian likely left the Balenciaga dinner feeling hungry after being unable to eat due to a hard-shell mask covering her mouth.

The reality personality, 41, who walked for the fashion house earlier in the day, joined the likes of Bella Hadid and Nicole Kidman at the star-studded dinner on Wednesday.

During the meal, Kim poked fun at her masked look as she held a fork up to her mouth while her bread rolls remained uneaten.

Ha! Kim Kardashian likely left the Balenciaga dinner feeling hungry after being unable to eat due to a hard-shell mask covering her mouth

The Kardashians star, who made the joke at her own expense, shared snaps from the after show party on her Instagram, claiming it was an 'honour' to walk the runway.

Sarah Howard, who works for her sister Kourtney's brand Poosh, joked: 'How do you eat with the mask on, Kimberley!?'

While another person who was amused by the snap, said: 'The fork lol.'

Celeb stars: The reality personality, 41, who walked for the fashion house earlier in the day, joined the likes of Bella Hadid and Nicole Kidman at the star-studded dinner on Wednesday

Stunning: In other behind the scenes images from the evening, Kim showcased her incredible figure form-fitting black sequin gown with the Daft Punk-style mask

Others joked that Kim looked like different characters, as they compared her to Squid Game villain The Frontman and singing duo Daft Punk.

In other behind the scenes images from the evening, Kim showcased her incredible figure form-fitting black sequin gown with the Daft Punk-style mask.

Kim recently revealed she had dropped 21lbs, after first losing weight to fit into Marilyn Monroe's dress for the Met Gala earlier this year.

She lost 16 pounds in just three weeks to fit into Monroe's iconic dress from when she sang Happy Birthday to President John F. Kennedy in 1962.

Honour: The Kardashians star, who made the joke at her own expense, shared snaps from the after show party on her Instagram, claiming it was an 'honour' to walk the runway

Kim compared the body transformation to Christian Bale's extreme weight loss for his role in The Machinist.

She shared that she 'didn't do anything unhealthy' and simply put that she would not have attended the event without her loss.

The Hulu star came under an immense amount of criticism for the diet, with many branding it 'unhealthy' - including actress Lily Reinhart, who said Kim's 'ignorance is other-worldly and disgusting'.

During the show, the SKIMS CEO slipped her slimmed down figure into a skin-tight black catsuit with a sweetheart neckline and a matching satin sarong.

Her icy blonde hair was worn in a bun with pieces left out and gelled to create a stick-straight look.

Just moments before the show began, Kim was captured with her hair undone and several assistants putting finishing touches on her edgy ensemble.

Fitting: Just moments before the show began, Kim was captured with her hair undone and several assistants putting finishing touches on her edgy ensemble

Ahead of the show, Kim posed up in front of a white backdrop and held a slate with the number 55 on it, which was likely her position in the queue.

The Balenciaga muse owned the catwalk with the likes of veteran supermodel Naomi Campbell, Vogue cover girl Bella pop songstress Dua Lipa, actress Nicole and Selling Sunset star Christine Quinn.

Kim posed backstage with Dua and Nicole, who wowed in rivalling ballgowns and opaque black tights.

Meow: For her model moment, the SKIMS CEO slipped into a skintight black catsuit with a sweetheart neckline and a matching satin sarong

Edgy: Her icy blonde was worn in a bun with pieces left out and gelled to create a stick-straight look

Model mayhem: Kim posed backstage with Dua and Nicole, who wowed in rivalling ballgowns and opaque black tights

Kim also posed for a snapshot with Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia, who was dressed much more casually than the mother-of-four in jeans and hoodie.

Paris Fashion Week kicked off on Sunday, July 3, and will come to a dramatic close on Thursday, July 7.

Kim landed in the City Of Love on Tuesday with her eldest daughter North West, nine.

Mother-daughter duo: Kim landed in the City Of Love on Tuesday with her eldest daughter North West, nine

The mother-daughter duo attended the Dior Homme Menswear 2023 show together, as well as the star-studded Jean Paul Gaultier Fall Winter 2022/2023 show.

For Gaultier, Kim and North made a major statement as they rocked matching nose rings that connected from one nostril to their ear by chain.

The KUWTK alum shares North, as well as daughter Chicago, four, and sons Saint, six, and Psalm, three, with ex-husband Kanye West.

She filed for divorce from the 45-year-old rapper in February 2021 after nearly seven years of marriage.

Kim has since moved on with 28-year-old comedian Pete Davidson.
An Australian woman who transformed herself with $250,000 worth of tattoos and body modifications has claimed she 'does not regret anything' despite admitting her 'eyeball tattoos' and 'tongue split' did not go to plan.

Amber Luke, 27, from Brisbane spoke to Studio 10 on Thursday about her extreme modifications and tattoos.

The influencer, who has more than 600 tattoos, says the hefty price is 'all worth it' because she's 'seen how resilient she is' by putting her body through extreme stress.

An Australian woman who transformed herself with $250,000 worth of tattoos and body modifications has claimed she 'does not regret anything' despite admitting her 'eyeball tattoos' and 'tongue split' did not go to plan

She also revealed that she has gone into shock and had fits from procedures, despite not being epileptic.

'I was 16 when I got my first tattoo, it was a negative energy release, it was a milestone for me,' she said.

'It felt like I'd gone through something so euphoric, it felt peaceful and homely.

Amber Luke, 27, from Brisbane spoke to Studio 10 on Thursday about her extreme modifications and tattoos

'I still feel it, its pride and joy, its amazing,' she went on.

Despite admitting that her eyeball tattoo - which left her blind for three weeks - didn't go to plan, she insisted that she 'doesn't regret a single thing'.

She also admitted to getting her tongue split twice, after the procedure didn't work the first time.

She described the pain as 'excruciating' when she had the procedure redone, as she had to cut through scar tissue.

The influencer, who has more than 600 tattoos, says the hefty price is 'all worth it' because she's 'seen how resilient she is' by putting her body through extreme stress

'The experience I went through made me extremely resilient and so strong, I have gained so much knowledge about anatomy,' she added.

'I've gone into shock so many times I've had fits, and I'm not epileptic'.

The Instagram and OnlyFans model, who goes by 'Blue Eyes White Dragon' online once injected blue ink into her eyeballs during an excruciating 40 minute procedure which left her blind for three weeks.

Despite admitting that her eyeball tattoo - which left her blind for three weeks - didn't go to plan, she insisted that she 'doesn't regret a single thing'.

Looking at an old picture of herself, Amber said she thought she looked 'plain' and 'boring' (pictured in early 2017 before undergoing a complete transformation)

She has previously spoken out about her mental health battles and explained that the body modifications helped her to become more comfortable in herself

She's also spent $70,000 on extreme body modifications - including a tongue split, breast augmentation, cheek and lip fillers, pointed implants placed in her ears and a Brazilian butt lift.

Amber also has numerous piercings and her teeth have been sharpened into fangs.

She has previously spoken out about her mental health battles and explained that the body modifications helped her to become more comfortable in herself.

In 2020, she shared a picture of herself with a bare face, taken at the age of 18, showing quotes inked along her ribs.

She's also spent $70,000 on extreme body modifications - including a tongue split, breast augmentation, cheek and lip fillers, pointed implants placed in her ears and a Brazilian butt lift.

'This was me at 18 years old. I was so catatonically depressed, suicidal and was a walking dead girl. I was numb. I hated myself majority of the time - that hatred ran deep. It tormented me,' she wrote in June.

'Now, I've totally transformed myself into someone I'm proud of being. I'm a strong woman who knows exactly what she wants and who she is.'

Speaking on Thursday, she added that 'we all have a perception of what beauty is' and that no one 'has to see her as beautiful'.

In May last year, the former topless waitress for an outlaw bikie gang narrowly avoided jail time despite pleading guilty to drug trafficking.

'Not everyone is raised to be so open minded, society is so closed minded. The stigma behind tattoos needs to be released,' she said.

In May last year, the former topless waitress for an outlaw bikie gang narrowly avoided jail time despite pleading guilty to drug trafficking.

Amber pleaded guilty to seven drug charges in December 2020 after police raided her Capalaba home and found sealed bags of marijuana and MDMA and other drug-related paraphernalia.

She was sentenced at Brisbane District Court in May 2021 where the court heard she carried out street-level drug deals, raking in thousands of dollars in illegal money.

But rather than a jail term she was given a head sentence of three years with immediate parole to seek treatment for the mental health issues she says has plagued her adult life.
She had a short-lived stint in the Love Island villa after failing to find love with any of the boys and being dumped last week.

And reality star Antigoni Buxton was back in the UK on Wednesday and enjoyed a catch up with a female pal during a night out in Mayfair.

The former contestant, 26, flashed her toned and tanned abs in a skimpy brown crop top for her evening out with fellow musician Emily O'Donnell aka Kingh.

Home: Dumped Love Island star Antigoni Buxton was back in the UK on Wednesday and enjoyed a catch up with a female pal during a night out in Mayfair

Antigoni completed her look with a brown cropped jacket and wide leg trousers while boosting her height with strappy heels.

She accessorised her going-out ensemble perfectly with a small Louis Vuitton handbag and wore dark brown shades that matched her outfit perfectly.

The Greek beauty looked in great spirits despite her brief appearance on the show as she held hands with Emily who wore an edgy ensemble.

Figure: The former contestant, 26, flashed her toned and tanned abs in a skimpy brown crop top for her evening out with fellow musician Emily O'Donnell aka Kingh

Antigoni and Charlie were dumped by their fellow Islanders during last Friday night's elimination.

The girls and boys were notified at the end of Thursday's episode that they would have to pick one member of the opposite sex to send home in the brutal elimination before picking who to give the boot.

After discussing in their groups who to send home, the contestants revealed who they wanted to dump from the Island in brutal scenes aired at the beginning of the episode.

Outfit: Antigoni completed her look with a brown cropped jacket and wide leg trousers while boosting her height with strappy heels

While discussing which boy to send home with Ekin-Su, Gemma and Paige, Indiyah said: 'I'd have to look at who would be open to giving things a shot.

While Jacques mused with the boys: 'Antigoni is a very very good person for team morale.'

Speaking about Tasha and Andrew, Dami said: 'They've had difficulties, we're still not sure if Tasha is fully invested in him.'

Details: She accessorised her going-out look perfectly with a small Louis Vuitton handbag and wore dark brown shades that matched her outfit perfectly

After making their decision, Ekin Su told the boys: 'All three are such amazing people. You are deserve a long change in here, a shot. It was very hard for us to decide, but we had to come to a decision together. The boy we've decided to dump from the Island is, Charlie.

While Luca told the girls: 'This hasn't been an easy decision, you're all beautiful inside and out. We'll be gutted to see you leave. We thought about who is open to love and who's got a better connection at the moment.

'The girl we've decided to dump from the Island is, Antigoni.'

Happy: The Greek beauty looked in great spirits despite her brief appearance on the show as she held hands with Emily who wore an edgy ensemble

Reflecting on their time after leaving the villa, Antigoni said: 'My Love Island experience has been so fun, intense, emotional and quick!

While Charlie said: 'Yeah short and sweet, it's been great though. I literally loved it, such a good experience.'

Discussing their experience in an exit chat, Antigoni said: 'One of us was going to have to go, so obviously I'd rather I got to stay, but it is what it is.

'I'm really happy for Danica that she's going to get her chance to explore. I think she was really, really excited to meet somebody.'

Sad: Antigoni and Charlie were dumped by their fellow Islanders during last Friday night's elimination

Bye: The girls and boys were notified at the end of Thursday's episode that they would have to pick one member of the opposite sex to send home in the brutal elimination and the boys dumped Antigoni

Antigoni also admitted she thought Charlie should have been given more of a chance to find love in the villa, adding: 'I feel like it was a hard one. Maybe it would have been nice for Charlie to get a little bit more of a chance because Jay did have a chance to get to know two people - Ekin-Su and he cut that off and then Paige - so I feel like it's a shame

'Charlie didn't get to explore that a bit more. I think it was difficult for the girls.'

Explaining how she wish things had panned out, Antigoni said: 'Id have gone for Davide. I knew with Davide, if it did develop, it would have been real and if it didnt, wed have just kept having a laugh together and getting along and whatever.

'I would have wanted to have got to know Jay, but not make it so easy for him, so Davide and I would have kept vibing and having a good time and also got to know Jay.'
Johnny Depp has made a significant donation to the Perth Children's Hospital Foundation.

The actor, 59, has donated nearly $800,000 USD ($1,173,548 AUD) to various charities through the sale of NFTs (non-fungible tokens).

Depp's NFT community called Never Fear Truth has split the donations between the Perth Children's Hospital Foundation, the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity, the Footprint Coalition and the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles.

Johnny Depp has made a donation to the Perth Children's Hospital Foundation through the sale of NFTs (non-fungible tokens). Pictured with his attorney Camille Vasquez during the defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard on May 19

NFTs are described as 'a digital asset that represents real-world objects like art, music, in-game items and videos' and are bought and sold online, frequently with cryptocurrency,' according to Forbes.

Depp's Never Fear Truth NFT community allows him to sell artwork with his fans.

In a tweet on July 6, Depp's NFT community announced they had donated $800,000 (USD) in total to various charities.

The actor, 59, has donated nearly $800,000 USD ($1,173,548 AUD) to various charities through the sale of NFTs (non-fungible tokens), including the Perth Children's Hospital Foundation (pictured)

Perth Children's Hospital Foundation thanked the actor's NFT community for their generosity in a tweet on July 7.

'Thank you so much for your generosity in helping support @PCHFWA and WA sick kids. These funds will make a significant impact in helping keep @PerthChildrens world-class for our children and families.'

The donation comes after a bombshell trial that saw Depp sue his ex-wife Amber Heard, 36, for $50million over a 2018 piece she had written that alleged she was a victim of domestic abuse.

Depp's NFT community called Never Fear Truth has split the donations between the Perth Children's Hospital Foundation, the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity, the Footprint Coalition and the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles

Depp's Never Fear Truth NFT community allows him to sell artwork with his fans. In a tweet on July 6, Depp's NFT community announced they had donated $800,000 (USD) in total to various charities

Perth Children's Hospital Foundation thanked the actor's NFT community for their generosity in a tweet on July 7

Heard countersued him for $100million, claiming that Depp's lawyer Adam Waldman made defamatory statements by calling her claims a 'hoax'.

Depp won the suit and was awarded $15million  $10million in compensation and $5million in punitive damages.

Heard won just one of her three countersuit claims, which related to statements made by Depp's lawyer suggesting she and friends had trashed their apartment before calling the police out.

She was awarded $2million in compensatory damages out of the $100million she was seeking in her countersuit against her ex-husband and received zero dollars in punitive damages.

The donation comes after Depp sued his ex-wife Amber Heard, 36, for $50million over a 2018 piece she had written that alleged she was a victim of domestic abuse. The actress is pictured on June 1

The judge later reduced Depp's $5million punitive damages award to the Virginia maximum of $350,000, reducing Depp's total to $10,350,000  minus the $2million he was ordered to pay Heard.

It means Depp walks away from the case with $8.35million.

He chose not to hear the verdict in person, which was announced at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia last month.

Instead he went out for drinks with Beck and fellow musician Sam Fender at The Bridge Tavern pub in Newcastle, before returning to the stage to support the English guitarist on tour the following day.
Terminal 1 at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, is crowded with travelers arriving in the country, Wednesday. Yonhap



By Lee Hae-rin



Incheon International Airport, the country's busiest international air transport hub, will expand services and personnel to meet the recently eased travel restrictions for the summer holiday season, Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC) announced, Thursday.



In the first half of this year, the airport saw more than 3.93 million international passengers, which is a 233.2 percent increase compared to the same period last year, the IIAC said at a press conference, Thursday.



The country eased self-isolation requirements for vaccinated travelers in April and for unvaccinated arrivals in June. Also, the government approved reopening time slots, lifting the flight curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.



During the first half of the year, the airport saw a steep increase in inbound travelers from Southeast Asia at 447.1 percent, the Americas at 211.7 percent and Europe at 237 percent. Meanwhile, travel from China went down by 31.2 percent due to the country's current zero-COVID restrictions.



By the end of this year, the IIAC expects to see 24 million international passengers, which yields an estimated average of 66,000 daily trips, which would signify a recovery to 35 percent of 2019's 70.58 million.



The future quarantine restrictions and border controls from neighboring Asian countries including China and Japan are pivotal to the recovery of the airport and inbound travel, the IIAC said, which could lower the yearly forecast to 19 million.



Before the COVID-19 pandemic, passengers from China and Japan took 19.1 percent and 16.7 percent with 13.58 million and 10.85 million travelers, respectively, together composing 35 percent of 2019's 71.10 million passengers.



To handle the eased travel restrictions which will undoubtedly result in a tourism rebound  between July 22 and Aug. 10  the IIAC plans to move into the second of its three-phase airport operation normalization scale.



In this phase, with daily travelers between 60,000 and 120,000, 80 percent of the facilities in the airport's arrivals and departures sections will be operated.



The self-check-in and baggage drop-off services, shower facilities and the Muslim prayer room will be reopened to the public. Other facilities, including commercial facilities, transport services and accommodation will be back in use as well.



In this peak summer season, set between July 22 and Aug. 10, an average of 85,621 daily passengers are forecast to use the airport, which would be a 747 percent increase from the same period the year before.



If the airport's daily users surpass 120,000, which is 60 percent of pre-pandemic levels, the airport will initiate phase 3 and resume full operation in every aspect.



The IIAC plans to secure workers to prevent staff shortages and consequent operational disruptions. Several international airports overseas, including Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam and Gatwick Airport in London, have been grappling with staff shortages and delayed and cut summer flights.



However, the IIAC said it foresees a medical worker shortage under the current quarantine regulations. Thus, it called for further easing of quarantine measures by removing the rule for all inbound travelers to submit a PCR test result taken before boarding and upon 48 hours of arrival and running screening inspections of arrivals from some pandemic-hit countries.


TOWIE's Amber Turner, Courtney Green and Chloe Meadows were all out and about filming the new series in Essex on Thursday.

Reality star Amber, 28, put on a leggy display in bright blue shorts and a matching jacket as she stepped out while Courtney, 27, and Chloe, 30, looked equally as stylish.

It comes after their close friend and co-star Yazmin Oukhellou was involved in a horror car crash in Turkey and is currently recovering in hospital. Her on-off ex boyfriend Jake McLean died in the incident.

Gals: TOWIE's Amber Turner, Courtney Green and Chloe Meadows were all out and about filming the new series in Essex on Thursday

Amber showed off her toned and tanned pins in the skimpy shorts which she teamed with a busty nude top and pointy cream heels.

Meanwhile Courtney flashed her toned midriff in a denim crop top and matching wide-leg jeans as she posed with her pals.

Chloe looked summery in a light blue shirt that flashed a glimpse of her ample assets and was worn with leggy white shorts and black studded boots.

Fashion: Reality star Amber, 28, put on a leggy display in bright blue shorts and a matching jacket as she stepped out while Courtney, 27, and Chloe, 30, looked equally as stylish

On Sunday, Yazmin's on-off boyfriend Jake, 33, lost his life after he drove his car off a cliff in Bodrum, Turkey, while she was left seriously injured and is currently recovering in hospital.

Yazmin was said to have screamed 'Help me, help me. My friend is dead' as she scrambled to safety moments after the car smash that killed her boyfriend Jake.

The reality TV star, 28, clambered through thorny bushes up a steep bank and desperately flagged down a passing motorist for help.

An official from Turkish Prosecutors Office in Bodrum, who cannot be named under Turkish law, told MailOnline: 'Yazmin's arm was bleeding and she somehow managed to get to the road. A passing car stopped, and the driver helped her with her injury and called emergency services.'

Pose: Amber (left) showed off her toned and tanned pins in the skimpy shorts which she teamed with a busty nude top and pointy cream heels

'Jake died at the scene despite the attempts of paramedics to save him. Ambulance, police and fire fighters were there very quickly but this was a very bad smash and most of the damage to the car was caused to the driver's side,' the Assistant Prosecutor added.

The official revealed that Jake is estimated to have been driving at 'well over' the 40 miles per hour speed limit although they had yet to establish a specific figure for this.

He said that the car hurtled around 70 feet over a left turn bend and landed in a ravine almost 30 feet below.

Stunning: Chloe looked summery in a light blue shirt that flashed a glimpse of her ample assets and was worn with leggy white shorts and black studded boots

Posing up a storm: Also in attendance for filming was Chloe Brockett who wore a silky white dress

The crash took place at around 4.30am on Sunday along a windy road that cuts through mountains between the coastal city of Bodrum and the seaside town of Yalikavak as the couple returned from a night out.

The official added: 'We are working on the basis that this was an accident possibly as the result of drink driving. This is a very touristy area, it was 4.30am and many of the night clubs are closing.

'Jake Robert McLean was speeding. When he was turning, he went over the edge. On the turn he did not break, that's why he flew off.'

Sad: Yazmin's ex boyfriend James Lock looked gloomy as he stepped out after her horror car crash

Stylish: Meanwhile Courtney flashed her toned midriff in a denim crop top and matching wide-leg jeans as she posed with her pals

Glowing: Courtney completed her look with white leather cowboy boots and toted a Louis Vuitton purse

Stepping out: Chloe looked great in her pretty white dress which she teamed with long brown boots

Looking good: Also out and about was Amy Childs who wore a smart white blazer and green trousers

Reality star: Newcomer Elma Pazar flashed her brown legs in a pair of skimpy white shorts and boots

The official revealed that Jake died at the scene and that Yazmin 'is lucky to be alive.'

The vehicle was hired from a car hire firm in Istanbul and is believed to have been driven to Bodrum by Jake.

Yazmin is currently being treated at the Acibadem Hospital in Bodrum where she is being comforted by her mother Lisa.

It was claimed that Jake and Yazmin had a blazing row at a nightclub in Turkey shortly before the car crash.

Sad: On Sunday, Yazmin's on-off boyfriend Jake, 33, lost his life after he drove his car off a cliff in Bodrum, Turkey, while she was left seriously injured and is currently recovering in hospital (Pete Wicks pictured)

Tragic: The crash took place at around 4.30am on Sunday along a windy road that cuts through mountains between the coastal city of Bodrum and the seaside town of Yalikavak as the couple returned from a night out

Horrible: Yazmin was said to have screamed 'Help me, help me. My friend is dead' as she scrambled to safety moments after the car smash that killed her boyfriend Jake

Scary: the car hurtled around 70 feet over a left turn bend and landed in a ravine almost 30 feet below

Terrifying: The reality TV star, 28, clambered through thorny bushes up a steep bank and desperately flagged down a passing motorist for help
It has been reported that Ezra Miller has been dropped from further DC projects, though the studio is said to be planning to release The Flash with them as the lead.

But fans have been calling for Ezra, 29, to be recast in the solo The Flash movie and other future projects, suggesting Elliot Page would be a 'perfect' fit for the role.

Ezra, who identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, was hit with a restraining order over claims they rubbed up against a nonbinary 12-year-old and threatened the child's mom with a gun after accusing her of cultural appropriation.

New face: DC fans have been calling for Ezra to be recast in the solo The Flash movie, set to be released in 2023, suggesting Elliot Page would be a 'perfect' fit for the role

Although it is unclear if The Flash will be recast for future projects, fans have taken to Twitter to throw The Umbrella Academy's Elliot, 35, name into the ring for the role.

One person said: 'Day one of begging @DCComics to replace ezra milker with elliot page in the flash.'

Another wrote: 'He is the new young actor named Elliot Page and I hope he becomes the new Flash in the new DCEU.'

A third tweeted: 'Wheremst do I submit my hot take that Elliot Page should replace Ezra Miller as The Flash?'

Casting: It has been reported that Ezra Miller has been dropped from further DC projects, though the studio is said to be planning to release The Flash with them as the lead

And a fourth commented: 'Just want to take this moment to say Elliot Page would make a great Barry Allen, in case there's ever a need to, you know, cast a new Flash, for whatever reason.'

While a fifth penned: 'Elliot Page should replace Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/The Flash.'

A sixth said: 'Elliot Page would f**king rock as The Flash,' while another said: 'He'd be perfect.'

Elliot stars as Victor Hargreeves in The Umbrella Academy, the third series of which was released on Netflix at the end of June.

Last month, Deadline reported that Ezra had been dropped from further DC projects, though the studio is so far planning to release The Flash in 2023 with them in the lead role.

Calls: Although it is unclear if The Flash will be recast for future projects, fans have taken to Twitter to throw The Umbrella Academy's Elliot, 35, name into the ring for the role

They likely won't be in any future DC superhero films after The Flash is released, though it's unclear if the studio will try to steer clear of the character or recast it.

The actor was being set up to help lead the DCEU after Ben Affleck stepped down from the role of Batman and the second Wonder Woman film underperformed and got poor reviews compared to earlier entries.

Robert Pattinson scored a hit with The Batman, but that film isn't set in the main DCEU, and he's unlikely to make an appearance.

The Flash is going to feature both Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck returning as different versions of Batman, so Warner Bros. is likely loathe to scrap the film due to their high-profile participation.

According to Deadline: 'Sources said even if no more allegations surface, the studio won't likely keep Miller in the Flash role in future DC films.

Career: Elliot stars as Victor Hargreeves in The Umbrella Academy, the third series of which was released on Netflix at the end of June

'That would mean replacing them in the future, but there is still a $200million investment on the line with the first film and Warner Bros execs have to be cringing at each new press report.'

A source added that the situation was dire for the film studio, which has hundreds of millions of dollars riding on The Flash.

'There is no winning in this for Warner Bros,' they said. 'This is an inherited problem for [President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery David] Zaslav.

'The hope is that the scandal will remain at a low level before the movie is released, and hope for the best to turn out.'

Last month, a restraining order was taken out by a Massachusetts mother, who told a court the actor rubbed up against her non-binary 12-year-old child and, arriving at their home in a bulletproof vest, threatened her with a gun, after accusing her of cultural appropriation.

Ezra offered to buy horses for the child, so the youngster could visit the Vermont farm - an offer which troubled the child's relatives.

They are said to have turned up to see the child and their mom in a bulletproof vest, and berated the mom for using the word 'tribe' to describe her friendship group, claiming it was an example of cultural appropriation.

The actor also took exception to them playing the board game Parcheesi and said it was steeped in Rastafarian culture.

Grilled by a Rastafarian woman present for further information, Ezra is said to have opened up a piece of clothing to reveal a weapon before issuing a threat.

The actor is further said to have pressed up against the non-binary child and even offered to buy horses so the youngster could visit Ezra's ranch in Vermont, spooking the child's relatives.

Allegations: Ezra, 29, was hit with a restraining order over claims they rubbed up against a nonbinary 12-year-old and threatened the child's mom with a gun

Throughout the encounter, Ezra is said to have had dilated pupils, leading to suspicions that the performer was under the influence of booze or drugs.

The performer has deactivated their Instagram account after a series of posts that included an image that read 'you cannot touch me I am in another universe' among several confusing posts.

Ezra is also accused of abducting and seducing an 18-year-old activist from the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, whose anguished parents have filed legal papers seeking a protection order for their daughter against Ezra.

The parents claim in a lawsuit lawsuit that the actor plied their underage daughter, Tokata Iron Eyes, with drugs including LSD.

They alleged that Ezra disrupted her Massachusetts private schooling to such an extent that she dropped out from Bard College at Simon's Rock in December.

Jobs: Ezra likely won't be in any future DC superhero films after The Flash is released, though it's unclear if the studio will try to steer clear of the character or recast it

When they flew to Ezra's home in Stamford, Vermont, in January to retrieve Tokata, they allegedly found bruises on her body and she no longer had a driver license, car keys or a bank card.

And when the teenager was returned to her parents' home, she fled again to New York to reunite with Ezra and they have since allegedly been traveling together to Vermont, Hawaii and Los Angeles.

While in Hawaii, Ezra was arrested after attacking a group of people in a karaoke bar.

A married couple took out a restraining order against them, after Ezra burst into their bedroom and threatened to kill them, then left stealing her passport and his wallet.

Ezra's behavior sparked a crisis meeting with Warner Bros executives, who decided to postpone the release of The Flash until 2023.

Exit: They have deactivated their Instagram account after a series of posts that included an image that read 'you cannot touch me I am in another universe' among several confusing posts

In April, Ezra met the mother of the children, in the town of Hilo, on Big Island.

Since the spring, she has been living with Ezra, while they and their friend Whitney Suters work on their 'Rebel Alliance Cannabis' company, Rolling Stone reported.

Suters posted multiple photos on social media, showing marijuana cultivation far in excess of the two mature plants or four immature plants that private citizens can legally own in Vermont.

Suters reportedly said there were at least 28 different strains growing for a fall 2021 harvest.

Upcoming project: Ezra's (pictured in November 2017) behavior sparked a crisis meeting with Warner Bros executives, who decided to postpone the release of The Flash until 2023

The father told the magazine that, concerned about the guns and drug use, he asked Vermont child services to intervene.

They visited the property on May 16, and in a text to the father - seen by Rolling Stone - said the children 'looked good'.

The social worker said they had 'more work to do,' but it was unclear whether there were follow up visits, the father said.

Ezra's representatives did not responded to DailyMail.com's request for comment at the time.
Nicola Peltz looked effortlessly chic as she joined her husband Brooklyn Beckham for lunch at the famous Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, France, on Wednesday.

The actress, 27, wore a black sundress as she was helped off a boat alongside the son of David and Victoria, 23, before heading for a spot to eat during their honeymoon.

The newlyweds were joined by Nicola's brother Will Peltz and his girlfriend - the daughter of American music producer Quincy Jones, Kenya Kinski-Jones.

Fancy: Nicola Peltz looked effortlessly chic as she joined her husband Brooklyn Beckham for lunch at the famous Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, France, on Wednesday

Nicola teamed her pretty dress with a black and white cropped cardigan and boosted her height with gold wedges, while Brooklyn kindly carried her beach bag.

Meanwhile Brooklyn stayed cool in a pair of loose white linen trousers and T-shirt for the sunny day out.

After the lunch they hopped back on board their boat with their friends and family and took in some of the coastal sights.

Crew: The newlyweds were joined by Nicola's brother Will Peltz and his girlfriend - the daughter of American music producer Quincy Jones, Kenya Kinski-Jones

The pair have been joined by some of Nicola's siblings for part of their European honeymoon which has also seen them travel to Portofino and St Tropez.

It comes as Nicola had admitted it wasn't love at first sight with her husband - confessing the pair 'didn't get along' and 'didn't click'.

The couple were introduced five years ago, at which time they both had different partners and weren't interested in getting to know one another.

Style: The actress, 27, wore a black sundress as she was helped off a boat alongside the son of David and Victoria, 23, before heading for a spot to eat during their honeymoon

Yet although they stayed in loose contact it wasn't until a chance run-in in at Leonardo DiCaprio's Halloween party in 2019 that the pair decided to give their romance a go.

Nicola told Tatler magazine: 'We didn't get along, we just didn't click I had a boyfriend, he had a girlfriend.

'We actually met up one time and went to dinner, and he was a friend but not a close friend. Then we ran into each other at a Halloween party two and a half years ago and I can't tell you what happened but from then on we were inseparable.'

After two and half years of dating Brooklyn and Nicola then married in a lavish 3million ceremony at her family's 103million estate in Palm Beach, Florida, in April.

While they may have let their romance blossom at a party, the duo prefer cosy nights in to going out, with Nicola quipping they're like an 'old married couple', noting: 'happy place is staying in, watching a show and being with our dogs.'

For now, their cosy nights at home will remain in the United States, with Nicola stressing the importance of being close to her family.

While Brooklyn is arguably among the most famous British celebrity offspring, American Nicola is certainly no stranger to a life of wealth and fame, with her businessman father Nelson Peltz, 79, a former truck driver turned billionaire.
She often posts underwear-clad positivity videos to social media, describing herself as an advocate of body neutrality.

And Melissa Suffield took to Instagram on Thursday to reassure mothers their bodies don't need to 'bounce back' after giving birth.

The actress, 29, who shares son River, two, with cruise director husband Robert Brendan, showcased her curves in tangerine lingerie for the empowering clip.

'You don't need to bounce back!': Melissa Suffield took to Instagram on Thursday to reassure mothers their bodies don't need to 'bounce back' after giving birth

Melissa, who played Lucy Beale in EastEnders, posed on a bed as she flaunted her gorgeous figure.

The mother-of-one rubbed her tummy as text appeared on the screen reading: 'Two days postpartum [since giving birth]'.

Melissa shook her head as the word 'days' then changed to 'weeks' and finally 'months'.

Ending at 'two years', the actress beamed as she nodded in agreement that it had been a full 24 months since she had welcomed her son.

Gorgeous: The actress, 29, who shares son River, two, with husband Robert Brendan, showcased her curves in tangerine lingerie for the empowering clip

Doting mother: Melissa, who played Lucy Beale in EastEnders, posed on a bed as she flaunted her gorgeous figure

Dancing to Born This Way by Lady Gaga, the blonde beauty giggled and proudly showcased her stretch marks and post-pregnancy body.

The text on the screen then read: 'There is no time limit! [to losing weight after giving birth] you don't need to 'snap back'.

She ended the joyful clip by adding: 'Take the pressure off, it's fine!'.

Melissa captioned the video: 'My most recent piece for @motherandbaby touched upon what happens when the fourth trimester is over and you're still exhausted and squishy and very much not 'back to normal'- so it's time to lean into the FIFTH trimester!'

Speaking out: The mother-of-one rubbed her tummy as text appeared on the screen reading: 'Two days postpartum', which then changed to 'two weeks'

Have fun! She ended the joyful clip by adding: 'Take the pressure off, it's fine!'

'There no time limit, and it's a safe and kind space where you can move at your own pace. You'll always be postpartum, it doesn't just go away after 3 months.'

She continued: 'You'll always be 'post birth', and it will always have affected you, positively or negatively, emotionally, mentally and/or physically. So let's start being kinder to ourselves, taking the pressure off a bit, and relaxing'.

'Focus on our happiness and well-being, our parenting, and finding joy, playtime, and contentment.

'The button on the jeans will do up again one day. Or maybe it won't. It doesn't matter and it doesn't define you either way'.

Wise words: Melissa captioned the video: 'It's time to lean into the FIFTH trimester!'

Followers rushed to the comment section to praise Melissa for her post with one writing: '[I] Needed to hear this'.

A second added: 'This has just given me the boost I needed!!! My ex grabbed my tummy the other day asked 'when's it due' and called me tank. My jiggly belly gave me three beautiful babies! Going to jiggle it with pride haha.'

While another wrote: 'Oh I needed this. I'm 5 weeks post partum (I know still super early,!) and I was a curvy size 16 before, so I'm used to my body being soft.

'But trying to learn to love this new jiggle I've got in my stomach. Seeing real bodies certainly helps.'

A fourth commented simply: 'My Hero.'

Grateful: Followers rushed to the comment section to praise Melissa for her post, with one writing: '[I] Needed to hear this'
Natalie Bassingthwaighte returned to Neighbours in July to film its final episodes.

And the 46-year-old, who starred as villain Izzy Hoyland from 2003 to 2006 before making several guest appearances years later, bids farewell to the iconic soap for the cover story of next Sunday's Stellar magazine.

Natalie shared the cover to her Instagram on Thursday, where she dons a strapless yellow frock and pink platform heels to take out the rubbish on iconic Ramsay Street.

A glamorous Natalie Bassingthwaighte takes out the rubbish on iconic Ramsay Street for the cover of next Sunday's Stellar magazine, after returning to Neighbours to film its final episodes

She adds black gloves and statement drop earrings to the look, and is primped to perfection with her glossy blonde stresses styled out and glamorous makeup.

The last ever episode of Neighbours will air in Australia on July 28 after 37 years of production.

Neighbours was axed after the UK's Channel 5 decided in March not to renew its contract with production company Fremantle to finance and broadcast the series.

The 46-year-old starred as the villainous Izzy Hoyland from 2003 to 2006 before making several guest appearances years later. Pictured with co-star Alan Fletcher

Natalie starred as the soap's most love-to-hate character Izzy, who famously had an affair with Dr Karl Kennedy, played by Alan Fletcher.

She reprised the role in July for the soap's final episodes.

Natalie told TV Tonight in May that it felt 'surreal' for the iconic soap to be ending.

'I think you have to be grateful and go, "Wow, it lasted so long and it made a lot of people smile over the years",' she said.

Natalie starred on the soap as the most love-to-hate character Izzy who had an affair with Dr Karl Kennedy, played by Fletcher

Natalie reprised the role in July for the soap's final episodes, and told TV Tonight in May that it felt 'surreal' for the iconic soap to be ending after an incredible 37 years on-air

'But it's hard for everyone, not just the actors, the writers, the crew. So many people have been employed by that show for many, many years and it's nice to see Australian stories told on Australian TV.'

Earlier this week, Neighbours star Alan Fletcher admitted the cast found it 'overwhelming' to film their final scenes on the show.

Speaking To The Mirror, the 65-year-old 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.

'One of my favourites was Guy Pearce. There wasn't a single person who was asked to do something for the end, who was available, who said no,' Alan revealed.
He has been holidaying with friends in Europe, enjoying time in St Tropez before arriving in Portofino, Italy, earlier this week.

And Jared Leto continued his relaxing break on Thursday, as he was spotted having lunch with a female companion and some pals in the Italian town.

The Morbius actor, 50, cut a typically quirky figure in a longline pink shirt which he wore unbuttoned to reveal his toned torso.

Dining out: Jared Leto continued his relaxing break on Thursday, as he was spotted having lunch with a female companion and some pals in the Italian town

Jared looked totally relaxed as he leaned against the railings and revealed his triangular tattoo and a beaded bangle on his wrist.

The WeCrashed star wore his long hair swept back with a pair of sunglasses and later added a straw hat to his look, while also accessorising with silver chain necklaces.

He completed the look with a pair of white trousers and multicoloured Gucci sliders.

The woman Jared was pictured lunching with is the same person he was seen walking arm-in-arm with a few nights previous.

Casual: The Morbius actor, 50, cut a typically quirky figure in a longline pink shirt which he wore unbuttoned to reveal his toned torso

The star has been embracing his free time on holiday, especially after working hard recently on a few big Hollywood projects.

Jared starred in the film, Morbius, which is based off a character of the same name from the iconic Marvel comics.

He was also recently in the Apple TV series We Crashed, which has garnered an incredible amount of attention.

New love? The woman Jared was pictured lunching with is the same person he was seen walking arm-in-arm with a few nights previous

The show also stars renowned actress, Anne Hathaway, and follows the story of the rise and fall of the WeWork corporation.

During an interview with Ryan Seacrest, the actor opened up about taking roles in both small and big budget projects.

He also explained that no matter the size of the role, the creativity is still always there.

'Like the building of the character, you still want to take great risk, you want to make sure that you're brave and bold in the work that you do,' the House Of Gucci star stated.

'You challenge yourself, you learn something new, and then you walk down a different path and introduce a new character to audiences that they haven't seen you do before,' he added.

The actor has taken on a variety of unique characters amid his acting career, from playing The Joker in Suicide Squad, to an AIDS patient in The Dallas Buyers Club.
While Britain may have been rocked by the political scandals unfurling at Number 10, the real drama has been going on inside the Love Island villa.

Thursday's episode sees Casa Amor finally reunite with the Main Villa - with the most dramatic recoupling ever taking place in front of the firepit - leading to tears and tantrums.

With Laura Whitmore at the reins, the Islanders are set to discover if their partners have decided to stick or twist, with Jay Younger the first person to reveal their decision.

And you thought Boris had it bad! Thursday's episode sees Casa Amor finally reunite with the Main Villa - with the most dramatic recoupling ever taking place in front of the firepit

After asking all the new girls are asked to stand up while the Villa boys sit around the firepit, Laura announces: 'As you all know, tonight there will be a recoupling. Boys - each of you have a big decision to make.

'So I'm gonna ask you one by one if you want to stick with your partner who has been away in Casa Amor for the past few days, or whether you want to recouple with one of these gorgeous girls standing in front of you.

'Now remember, the girls in Casa Amor have also been given the choice of whether to stick with you or couple up with someone new. So boys, it's time to make your decisions and let's find out what the girls have decided to do'

Tension: After asking all the new girls are asked to stand up while the Villa boys sit around the firepit, Laura announces, 'as you all know, tonight there will be a recoupling'

Jay kicks off the proceedings as he reveals whether he'd like to stay in his current couple with Danica Taylor or whether he'd like to re-couple with one of the new girls.

One by one the boys then reveal their all-important decision, and it is uncovered whether their partner in Casa Amor has chosen to stick or twist.

The dramatic recoupling comes after another set of shocking twists in Wednesday's episode as the Islanders loyalties were put to the test.

Jacques O'Neill made the decision to end things with Mollie Salmon, but went full force with Cheyanne Kerr, leading them to sharing a kiss on the balcony and getting frisky in the swimming pool.

Stick or twist? Jay kicks off the proceedings as he reveals whether he'd like to stay in his current couple with Danica Taylor or whether he'd like to re-couple with one of the new girls

Passing on the bad news: With Laura Whitmore at the reins, the Islanders are set to discover if their partners have decided to stick or twist

But his current partner Paige Thorne remained positive, and after hearing about the recoupling said: 'I am one of those people that is a glass half full, I am actually really excited to go back just so I can see Jacques again.'

Meanwhile, Dami Hope said his head was 'scrambled' after he grew closer with Summer Botwe, despite being coupled up with Indiyah Pollack.

Mulling over his big decision to stick or twist, Dami admitted: 'My heads fried, scrambled, whatever way you like your eggs. Thats the way my head is right now. Im scared.'

What will he do? Jacques O'Neill made the decision to end things with Mollie Salmon, but went full force with Cheyanne Kerr, so will he couple up with her?

Could it be: Davide Sanclimenti shared a few kisses in bed with Mollie, but admitted that he was still thinking about his connection with Ekin-Su Culculoglu

And Indiyah herself was having doubts after growing a connection with Deji Adeniyi, but admitted she does still have a connection with Dami before saying that if she did take Deji back to the villa, then she would still want to get to know Dami too.

'Obviously I have a connection with Dami, there's not nothing there. But in the real world, I'm used to dating. It doesn't invalidate my feelings for anything,' she explains.

'Hypothetically speaking, if you were to come back to the villa with me I would have to have those conversations still with Dami.'

Davide Sanclimenti shared a few kisses in bed with Mollie, but admitted that he was still thinking about his connection with Ekin-Su Culculoglu.

Decisions: Indiyah Polack and Dami Hope's romance could be set to hit the rocks as Indiyah tells Deji Adeniyi she is torn between him and Dami

Jay - who has been romancing Chyna Mills - gave Davide some advice about his situation.

He advised: 'Right now its quite obvious I think you still have a connection with Ekin, and you dont just wanna throw that to the side out of spite, its not right man.'

Davide then confessed: 'I make myself many problemsLets see today how it goes.'

In the beach hut he added: 'I think about her often and our connection'.

Heating up: Her revelation comes after Dami took new girl Summer Botwe (both pictured) to the terrace for a private smooch as his head appeared to be turning earlier in the week

While Ekin-Su shared a hot moment with George Tasker in bed, leaving viewers confused over what had gone down.

Pulling him for a chat, Ekin-Su said: 'It is something that happened in the heat of the moment, obviously you were sharing a bed with me. I just thought this has to stop because it wasn't right.'

'I didn't even kiss the guy, we were just cuddling and it got a bit heated,' she later confirmed to the beach hut.

And Andrew - who has been sharing a bed and more than a few kisses with Coco Lodge - broke down as he thought about Tasha Ghouri.

Chatting: Jay - who has been romancing Chyna Mills - gave Davide Sanclimenti advice about his situation and his feelings for Ekin-Su Culculoglu

Discussing the betrayal he felt from Tasha he says: 'I literally opened up to her', while Jacques muses: 'You dont need to be afraid to show emotion and be upset though, do you know what I mean?

'I know were supposed to be tough and that but sometimes its just good to get it out.'

When speaking about opening up to Tasha during their time together, Andrew says he feels he was 'with someone and not being enough.'

'I'm just not enough for the girl that I wanted,' Andrew says to Jaques.

Emotional times: Andrew - who has been sharing a bed and more than a few kisses with Coco Lodge - broke down as he thought about Tasha Ghouri

'Tasha was what I wanted, I felt like we were building something but I was just there because I was easy for her,' he adds in the beach hut.

Meanwhile, Tasha confessed to being nervous about the recoupling, after forming a connection with Billy Brown, saying: 'Ok things are getting real now'

She tells the girls about sharing a kiss with Billy, before admitting to him: 'I genuinely think if you were in from the start, it might have been different.'

Love Island continues at 9pm on ITV2 and ITV Hub. Episodes are available the following morning on BritBox.

Congrats, hun! As heads turn and kisses are exchanged in Casa Amor... MailOnline looks back at the bombshell villa's most dramatic moments from Millie learning of Liam's secret fling after reuniting to Shaughna's shock at Callum recoupling

The now-infamous Casa Amor was first introduced to Love Island in the third series and shakes things up with the couples as the boys and girls are sent to separate villas for around a week.

This year, the bombshell villa has certainly seen heads already beginning to turn with the shock twist of Andrew Le Page packing on the PDA with Coco Lodge after swaying from Tasha Ghouri when the new girls claimed she had 'settled' for him.

And Dami Hope has been cracking on with Summer Botwe while Indiyah has been getting to know Deji Adeniyi as it seems that the fan favourite couple may not be as solid as viewers thought.

Congrats hun! The now-infamous Casa Amor was first introduced to Love Island in the third series and shakes things up. Pictured: Shaughna Phillips during Casa Amor recoupling

But Gemma Owen and Luca Bish have remained loyal to each other, though there could be an argument as Luca said if Gemma shared a bed with another boy that he would be 'done' as he has been sleeping on the daybed.

And Paige Thorne was seen in tears during Tuesday night's episode after growing confused after being told that she likes Jacques O'Neill more than he likes her, while he has been seen getting to know other girls to 'test' their connection.

As things heat up during this year's instalment of Casa Amor and cheeky kisses are shared, MailOnline looks back at the most dramatic moments from the holiday villa since its introduction.

CONGRATS HUN! SHAUGHNA LEFT GOBSMACKED AFTER CALLUM RECOUPLES WITH BOMBSHELL MOLLY

Shaughna Phillips reaction when Callum Jones re-entered the villa with bombshell Molly Smith on his arm has become one of the most infamous Love Island moments of all time.

Shaughna's heartache was apparent as she had spent days pining for Callum since his sudden departure just days earlier.

Moments before his re-entry, Shaughna had claimed she was 'hopeful' that he would surprise her, and come back single.

Drama: Shaughna Phillips reaction when Callum Jones re-entered the villa with bombshell Molly Smith on his arm has become one of the most infamous Love Island moments of all time

Speaking as she made her decision before knowing the outcome of Callum's choice, Shaughna said: 'I'm nervous. I'm preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best. I don't have much faith.

'The past few days have definitely been an eye opener. They've definitely made me realise that I probably moan at him way too much and I just miss having him around. So I do want him back, preferably on his own.

'He had his loyalty tested with Eve, he had his loyalty tested a little bit with Rebecca, my luck's been good up until here, so I'm hoping that it's still there.'

But it was not to be as the scaffolder sheepishly returned and joined host Laura Whitmore at the fire pit with another girl.

New couple: When asked how she felt about Callum recoupling with Molly (both pictured), Shaughna then delivered her now-iconic line: 'Congrats hun'

This left the original female Islanders aghast, with Paige the most furious, stating 'What the f**k?' loudly.

'I went to Casa Amor, I had the chance to speak to Molly and it brought out a side to me I didn't think I had. The way I felt about her after two, three days just clarified it to be honest,' Callum said upon his reentry.

When asked how she felt about the recoupling, Shaughna then delivered her now-iconic line: 'Congrats hun.'

MILLIE LEFT IN TEARS AFTER LILLIE EXPOSED HER FLING WITH LIAM IN SHOCK RECOUPLING TWIST

Millie Court was over the moon when Liam Reardon returned from Casa Amor alone to recouple with her, but her mood was quickly changed when his secret fling was revealed.

New girl Lillie Haynes, 22, appeared at the fire pit and explained she'd shared kisses outside of challenges and a bed with the hunk during the 'lads holiday', which saw him spend four days apart from Millie.

Tension: Millie Court was over the moon when Liam Reardon returned from Casa Amor alone to recouple with her, but her mood was quickly changed when his secret fling was revealed

Revelation: New girl Lillie Haynes, 22, appeared at the fire pit and explained she'd shared kisses outside of challenges and a bed with the hunk during the 'lads holiday'

Asked how she was feeling about not being picked by host Laura Whitmore, a very unimpressed Lillie said: 'I felt like we had a good connection in there.

'I feel like it was very reciprocated, very 50/50 and it's really surprising now. The actions were pretty equal, we shared a bed and kissed outside of the challenges.'

The OG girls all looked confused at the revelations, with them unable to hide their shock when Lillie announced that the boy she had the connection was with Liam.

Millie quickly slammed her partner, saying: 'F**k off, are you joking? Kissing outside a challenge? That's f*****g disgusting.'

In a desperate attempt to salvage the situation Liam tried to explain himself and even attempted to blame Lillie saying she'd 'closed herself off from the other boys'.

Disloyal: Millie quickly slammed her partner, saying: 'F**k off, are you joking? Kissing outside a challenge? That's f*****g disgusting'

Once the recoupling was called to an end - and Laura made her exit from the villa - the girls retreated to the swing for a chat.

Millie told them that she felt 'mugged off' especially after gushing over Liam just moments before his disloyalty was revealed.

She said: 'I sat there so happy and then it just switched the happiest I'd been in days to crying. Knew I shouldn't have trusted him. He's fake.

'He obviously didn't think what we had was good enough.'

In a real emotional rollercoaster, Millie had just moments before revealed that she'd been cheated on before by an ex partner on a lads holiday. The couple later reunited and went on to win the series.

FAYE RECOUPLES WITH SAM AFTER SEEING A POSTCARD OF TEDDY KISSING CLARISSE - ONLY TO FIND OUT HE HAD STAYED LOYAL

On series seven of Love Island, Faye Winter chose to re-couple with newcomer Sam after she saw a postcard earlier in the week which showed Teddy Soares locking lips with Clarisse Juliette.

But Faye later discovered that the smooch had taken place during a game of truth or dare and Teddy had actually remained faithful to Faye during Casa Amor and walked back in solo.

Moving on: Faye Winter chose to re-couple with Sam after she saw a postcard earlier in the week which showed Teddy Soares locking lips with Clarisse Juliette

Fans were left devastated after seeing Teddy talk to Faye's stuffed animal Milo in Casa Amor in a sweet moment, before finding out Faye had recoupled with another boy.

During the recoupling, the original villa boys were seen looking confused - particularly Jake Cornish who was seen frowning - as Faye implied that Teddy had been unfaithful.

Speaking about her decision, Faye said: 'Things change in here very quickly, so people's true colours come out, and pictures say a thousand words.

'As we all know, I was taking my time to let my guard down, and the night before he left, I let it down and then he was gone.

Recoupling: But Faye (pictured with Sam during the recoupling) later discovered that the smooch had taken place during a game of truth or dare

'Once I received the postcard, the girl I'd been working so hard on was just closed off again.'

Upon returning to the villa, Teddy admitted he was 'disappointed' in Faye's decision, but had followed his 'heart' in coming back to the main villa alone.

As they cleared things up in a later chat, Faye burst into tears as she told Teddy how difficult it had been for her to trust him knowing that he'd kissed someone else.

She had revealed that the villa had received a postcard, showing him kiss another girl, which had sparked her decision to get to know Sam.

Shocked: As they cleared things up in a later chat, Faye burst into tears as she told Teddy how difficult it had been for her to trust him knowing that he'd kissed someone else

Although he did kiss another girl, it was during a game of truth or dare, with Faye also kissing the new boys while doing the challenges.

Telling Teddy that she had just 'let her guard down' with him, Teddy told her: 'You're not the only one not who let their guard down' before pulling her in for a hug. The pair later reunited and went on to make the final.

DANI DYER LEFT IN TEARS AFTER BEING SHOWN FOOTAGE OF JACK'S EX ENTERING CASA AMOR

Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham were considered to be one of the strongest couples from the 2018 series of Love Island after coupling up on day one.

But Casa Amor saw things get dramatic for the couple after the girls in the main villa were sent footage of what the boys had been up to in Casa Amor.

Tears:Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham were considered to be one of the strongest couples from the 2018 series of Love Island but Dani became emotional after seeing Casa Amor footage

Georgia Steel received the text, which read: 'Girls you have been sent a Villa story from the boys in Casa Amor.'

The story showed Jack's reaction to his ex-girlfriend Ellie Jones arriving as a bombshell in Casa Amor, with Dani being left in tears at the moment.

He was seen looking shocked and saying: 'Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God! That's the bird I was seeing before I came in here, I was seeing her before I came in here.'

A distraught Dani said through tears: 'It always happens to me that as soon as I'm happy with something, something happens to me! It's like I'm not allowed to be happy, it's such b*****t.'

Upset: The story showed Jack's reaction to his ex-girlfriend Ellie Jones arriving as a bombshell in Casa Amor, with Dani being left in tears at the moment

Receiving little comfort in her pals' positive affirmations, she made a hasty retreat to the Beach Hut, where she broke down in floods of tears in an emotional moment.

But in the end, Dani had nothing to worry about as Jack had been remaining loyal to her and even sleeping on the daybed, despite the arrival of his ex.

'I WAS COMING BACK HERE TO TELL YOU I LOVED YOU!': AMY LEFT DEVASTATED AFTER LEARNING CURTIS WANTED TO RECOUPLE WITH JOURDAN

Amy Hart and Curtis Pritchard quickly bonded on series five of Love Island and became 'half' boyfriend and girlfriend early on, with the pair seeming to grow closer as time went on.

But after the trials of Casa Amor, Curtis shocked his fellow Islanders as he admitted he had been 'lying' to himself after meeting another girl before deciding to stay single when Amy returned from Casa Amor - unaware of his conflicting speech.

Seeing her partner single, Amy was over the moon to be reunited as a couple, with the other Islanders appearing awkward and upset following Curtis's comments.

Row: Amy Hart and Curtis Pritchard quickly bonded on series five of Love Island and became 'half' boyfriend and girlfriend early on before he strayed in Casa Amor

After they sat down together, Curtis whispered to Amy: 'We need to talk later though.'

In an explosive row, Curtis then admitted to Amy that he had planned to recouple with Jourdan despite having only two conversations with her, but stayed single after she said she wouldn't couple up with him.

Amy raged: 'I fell in love with you, and I get back to this. I never thought you'd do this to me, you're the perfect man after all, you're f**king not! Do you know how worthless this makes me feel?

'To know that you didn't like me enough and didn't respect me enough to be able to resist.'

Voicing her fury at his actions, she said: 'I was coming back here to tell you that I loved you!'

Admission: In an explosive row, Curtis told Amy he had planned to recouple with Jourdan despite having only two conversations with her, but stayed single after she said no to his plans

Later in the week, Curtis then shockingly dumped Amy after telling her that he 'couldn't promise' that his head wouldn't be turned again.

Amy said: 'You were willing to throw away weeks for two chats, she must be bloody special, even if you think you like me you don't, that breaks my heart.'

MICHAEL SHOCKED AMBER AFTER HE RECOUPLED WITH JOANNA AND LEFT HER SINGLE

Another shocking Casa Amor recoupling twist saw Michael Griffiths pair up with Joanna Chimonides, leaving his former partner Amber Gill single.

In his recoupling speech before Amber returned from Casa Amor, Michael said he had 'bitten his tongue' with Amber but that Joanna had brought out a new side to him.

Furious: Another shocking Casa Amor recoupling twist saw Michael Griffiths pair up with Joanna Chimonides, leaving his former partner Amber Gill single

Michael said: 'The last few days have been quite interesting, they've opened my mind to a few things. I've come to the realisation that I haven't been true to myself.

'I've bitten my tongue when I wouldn't usually. She's brought out the Michael that everyone knows and loves, she's stunning and funny. She doesn't take herself to serious. I want to couple up with Joanna.'

Seconds later, Amber looked shocked as she walked into the main villa alone, only to see her love interest with another girl.

Their romance hadn't been without drama though even before Casa Amor, with Michael previously branding outspoken Amber 'childish' during a series of rows.

New interest: Seconds later, Amber looked shocked as she walked into the main villa alone, only to see her love interest with Joanna

The incident took place when Amber walked past Maura after he went on a date with her, with Maura then saying that she hadn't had the best reception from Amber.

Michael fumed: 'F**k this, I can't be dealing with childish girls.'

Amber then walked over and laughed as she insisted she was just going to greet Elma first, before saying 'f**king hell'.

They became embroiled in a tense row which saw Michael accuse Amber of being 'childish' in extremely tense scenes that came soon before Casa Amor.

MOLLY BROKE DOWN IN FLOODS OF RELIEVED TEARS AFTER FINDING TOMMY STAYED SINGLE

Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury were one of the strongest couples of Love Island series five before they were separated for a week during Casa Amor.

But they proved distance makes the heart grow fonder when they enjoyed an emotional reunion during the dramatic post-Casa Amor recoupling.

Boxer Tommy, who held onto Molly-Mae's teddy bear in his hand, gushed over their budding romance, saying: 'What we have is so special, it would be a shame to throw it away. I've done everything I can, so let's see if she's done her part.'

Smitten: Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury were one of the strongest couples of Love Island series five before they were separated for a week during Casa Amor

Emotional: Serving as the only couple who remained faithful to each other during their time apart, the pair couldn't contain their delight as they reunited

Serving as the only couple who remained faithful to each other during their time apart, the pair couldn't contain their delight as they reunited.

Molly-Mae broke down in floods of tears after returning to the main villa and seeing Tommy waiting for her as she was delighted they could continue their romance.

The pair continued their relationship and went on to place as runners-up in the final of the series.

AMBER LEFT SHOCKED AFTER SEEING KEM KISSING ANOTHER GIRL AS THEY RECEIVE A NOW-NOTORIOUS POSTCARD

The notorious postcard was introduced to Love Island in its third series, with the girls receiving pictures showing what the boys had been up to at Casa Amor.

The postcard was dropped under the door of the main villa and was picked up by a gobsmacked Montana Brown, who rushed out to show the other girls.

Shock: The notorious postcard was introduced to Love Island in its third series, with the girls receiving pictures showing what the boys had been up to at Casa Amor

The postcard included a picture of Kem Cetinay kissing another girl while away from Amber Davies and Chris Hughes sleeping in a bed with another woman while coupled up with Olivia Attwood.

Amber was seen breaking down in floods of tears and admitting that she was 'absolutely gutted' after the revelation.

Both Amber and Kem recoupled with other people in a dramatic recoupling showdown, when she admitted she was devastated to see the postcard, much to the confusion of the original boys who were unaware of the delivery.

Despite the Casa Amor setback, the couple later reunited and went on to win the series.
Laura Byrne has offered some sage advice when it comes to dating online.

The podcaster, who is engaged to former Bachelor Matty Johnson, revealed how you should start a conversation with someone you've matched with on the Bumble app.

In a short clip shared to her Instagram Stories on Thursday, Laura, 36, urged her fanbase to 'be a bit more creative' when opening up the dialogue.

Bachelor 2017 winner Laura Byrne, 36, revealed in a short Instagram clip on Thursday the one thing you shouldn't say when dating online. Pictured in a prior Instagram post

'Do not start a conversation with "hey". Be a bit more creative. There's more that you can do in your life than three letters,' she said.

Laura's relationship with Matty, 35, is still going strong after meeting on season five of The Bachelor in 2017.

The pair got engaged in 2019 after Matty popped the question on holiday in Fiji, and they share daughters Marlie-Mae, two, and Lola, one.

The podcaster revealed in the short clip (pictured) how you should start a conversation when matching with someone on the Bumble app. 'Do not start a conversation with "hey". Be a bit more creative. There's more that you can do in your life than three letters,' she said

Laura's relationship with Matty Johnson, 35, is still going strong after meeting on season five of The Bachelor in 2017. Pictured on the finale episode

Laura and her podcast co-host Brittany Hockley will no doubt share more top tips in their new book called We Love To Share, which they say is all about 'sex, love and sisterhood'.

The gal pals shared the news on Brittany's Instagram last Friday, previewing the new release 'as stories you're yet to hear', and 'life lessons we learnt the hard way'.

According to the publishers, the new advice-style book is a spin-off from Laura and Brittany's successful Life Uncut podcast, offering an A-Z guide to life as the two stars see it.

The pair got engaged in 2019 after Matty popped the question on holiday in Fiji, and they share daughters Marlie-Mae, two, and Lola, one (all pictured)

Laura and her podcast co-host Brittany Hockley (right) will no doubt share more top tips in their new book called We Love To Share, which they say is all about 'sex, love and sisterhood'

Brittany included a series of studio photos used to promote the book in her post.

The podcast partners can be seen laughing and playing it up for the cameras.

Brittany, all in white, rocks a casual shirt and pants, while Laura, looks cool in a vintage grey blouse, slacks, and chunky heels.

According to the publishers, the new advice-style book is a spin-off from Laura and Brittany's successful Life Uncut podcast, offering an A-Z guide to life as the two stars see it

Brittany playfully captioned the shot, 'Cant believe we wrote a book, we are this excited...is this how you photo shoot!?'

Meanwhile, in her Instagram story, Brittany gushed that readers can expect to find 'pearls of wisdom bestowed by the incredible people we've had the privilege of interviewing on the podcast over the last 300 episodes'.

Brittany revealed that the pair had been working on the book for a year, and topics discussed include ghosting, long-distance relationships and sexual kinks.

The book, released in October by Penguin, will also deal with 'unfiltered stories' from the two authors.
Married At First Sight star Domenica Calarco has invited Robert Irwin out for a beer.

The 29-year-old took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday to share footage of herself with a spare beer and blew the wildlife warrior, 18, a kiss.

It comes after the reality star received backlash for flirting with Robert when she complimented his looks in the comments section of one of his TikTok videos.

Married At First Sight star Domenica Calarco (pictured), 29, invited Robert Irwin, 18, out for a beer and blew him a kiss in an Instagram Stories clip on Thursday - after she copped backlash for calling the wildlife warrior 'handsome'

Tagging Robert on her Stories, Domenica said in the clip: 'Hey Robert, I got a beer. Why don't you come meet me for a drink?'

She cut a casual figure as she sat at a table next to a food truck and blew him a kiss.

Domenica caused a stir online when she wrote 'God you are so handsome!' under a TikTok video posted by Robert last month.

Tagging Robert (pictured) on her Stories, Domenica said in the clip: 'Hey Robert, I got a beer. Why don't you come meet me for a drink?'

The reality star shared footage of herself with a spare beer and blew the wildlife warrior a kiss

'Ask him out!' a person suggested in the replies, before Domenica added: 'Robert, would you like to come to the Logies with me?'

Other commenters were quick to slam the budding influencer, with some taking issue at her significant age difference with Robert.

'You're literally 28? This is f***ing creepy? I was a fan of yours,' wrote one person while another agreed: 'That's f***ing creepy'.

Domenica caused a stir online when she wrote 'God you are so handsome!' under a TikTok video posted by Robert last month

'Ask him out!' a person suggested in the replies, before Domenica added: 'Robert, would you like to come to the Logies with me?'

'That's gross, predatory behaviour. Be a better human and do better,' someone else chimed in.

'He's barely 18!' You're basically an old lady to him,' said another.

'Chill out he's of legal age, wow,' Domenica answered, before someone else shot back: 'Only just. Doesn't make it okay'.

Other commenters were quick to slam the reality star, with some taking issue at her significant age difference with Robert

The television bride further defended herself on the MAFS Uncensored group, where she was called 'gross' by one person.

'In Australia, legal age is 16. He is 18. He can drink alcohol,' she insisted, referring to the age of consent.

'I can ask him to come to the Logies with me, and say that he is handsome. Take a chill pill everyone,' she added.

'Chill out he's of legal age, wow,' Domenica answered, before someone else shot back: 'Only just. Doesn't make it okay'

The television bride further defended herself on the MAFS Uncensored group, where she was called 'gross' by one person. 'In Australia, legal age is 16. He is 18. He can drink alcohol,' she insisted, referring to the age of consent

It comes after reports that Robert is dating his long-time friend Emmy Perry.

Emmy, 17, is an American actress, animal welfare advocate and heiress to a videogame fortune worth an estimated $380million.

The Glee star jetted to Queensland last month in order to spend time with Robert, who she has known since 2019.

It comes after reports that Robert is dating his long-time friend Emmy Perry. Emmy, 17, (right) is an American actress, animal welfare advocate and heiress to a videogame fortune worth an estimated $380million

They were first pictured together at Disneyland back in 2019, after meeting earlier that year at the Steve Irwin Gala Dinner in Los Angeles.

There is nothing in Emmy's social media posts to suggest they are more than friends, but Woman's Day is reporting they may be romantically involved.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Robert's representatives for comment.
Katie Price has announced she is temporarily quitting social media, saying she needs to 'take time off' - but is still posting racy snaps to her OnlyFans.

The former glamour model, 44, said she wouldn't be communicating with her followers for the forseebale future while thanking her 'loyal fans' for supporting her.

Sharing a statement on her Instagram on Thursday, Katie wrote: 'I will be coming off all social media for a period of time. I need to take time off for personal reasons.

Stepping away: Katie Price has announced she is temporarily quitting social media, saying she needs to 'take time off' - but is still posting racy snaps to her OnlyFans

'Thank you to all my loyal fans for always supporting me xxx'.

The reality star turned off comments on the post, which she captioned with several heart emojis.

However, less than two hours after Katie shared her statement, she uploaded a new racy clip to her OnlyFans account, offering her paying subscribers a behind the scenes look at her latest lingerie photoshoot.

Katie's social media hiatus comes after her ex Kieran Hayler's fiancee Michelle Penticost made a thinly-veiled dig at her after she missed her daughter Princess' 15th birthday.

Break: Katie's social media break comes as she recently escaped her personal dramas by jetting off to Thailand with her fiance Kieran Hayler

Katie wrote: 'I will be coming off all social media for a period of time. I need to take time off for personal reasons'

Michelle, 39, who has been in embroiled in a legal battle with the star, took a swipe after Katie jetted off to Thailand with her fiance Carl Woods before her daughter's birthday.

The couple are currently making the most of her freedom after she avoided a jail term for breaking the rules of a restraining order and calling Michelle a 'gutter s**g'.

The trip meant that she was only able to wish her eldest daughter well on social media rather than spending the day with her at home in the UK.

Appearing to react to the decision, Michelle shared a post on her Instagram Stories that read: 'Kids will always remember who showed up.

'Not who made a Facebook post, or who texted once or twice a year. They will remember who bothered to rearrange their schedule, to make inconvenient choices, and who made them a priority.'

Revealing: Less than two hours after Katie shared her statement, she uploaded a new racy clip to her OnlyFans account (pictured with model Hannah Elizabeth)

Underneath the post, Michelle posted a 'praying hands' emoji.

Michelle's post was no doubt a nod to Katie's birthday post to Princess, which she shared from Thailand after landing in the exotic location with her beau.

Katie wrote: 'No words to describe my love for my Princess and our unbreakable bond, had 15 years and lots to come, happy birthday.'

Princess replied underneath saying: 'Love you'.

Katie's followers were quick to criticise the reality personality for not postponing her trip until after her daughter's celebrations.

One person wrote: 'Going on holiday when it's your daughter's birthday, without her.'

Not holding back: Michelle, 39, who has been in embroiled in a legal battle with the star, took a swipe after Katie jetted off with her fiance Carl Woods before her daughter's birthday

Appearing to react to the decision, Michelle shared a post on her Instagram Stories that read: 'Kids will always remember who showed up'

Another said: 'You out the country on her birthday', while someone replied saying: 'Same last year.'

One person said: 'Shame you can't be with her then instead of on holiday, blah.'

Last year Katie skipped her son Jett and daughter Bunny's - who she shares with her ex Kieran - joint birthday party as she holidayed in St Lucia on holiday.

Katie admitted previously that she 'didn't know' when her children's birthdays were and had to google them to find out.

Katie narrowly escaped a jail sentence last month after she breached a restraining order. She admitted sending a message to her ex-husband branding his new fiancee, a 'gutter s***.'

Katie wrote: 'No words to describe my love for my Princess and our unbreakable bond, had 15 years and lots to come, happy birthday'

She was told that she would not face prison for the offence, but instead has to carry out 170 hours of unpaid work.

Katie- who was heard to tell a reporter to 'suck my d**k' after she was asked about the prospects of a prison sentence outside court - had been banned from contacting Michelle directly or indirectly for five years in June 2019.

It recently emerged that Katie booked her Thailand trip before learning of her fate for breaching the restraining order.

During the trip the couple have been posting on her OnlyFans - running the risk of breaching Thailand's strict anti-pornography laws. In 2020, the government banned Pornhub and several other pornography websites.

Reaction: Katie's followers were quick to criticise the reality personality for not postponing her trip until after her daughter's celebrations

While on holiday, Katie successfully dodged yet another speeding conviction back in the UK.

She had been charged with one count of exceeding a 60mph speed limit on September 13, 2021, close to her Mucky Mansion in Horsham, West Sussex.

Katie was also accused of failing to tell police who was behind the wheel of her 62,000 BMW on January 26, but this was also dismissed as 'no evidence was offered' by police.

A court official said: 'I have been informed that the matter against her has been dismissed by Sussex Police, so she will not be appearing.'
The interior of Daesang Life Science's manufacturing plant in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province Courtesy of Daesang Life Science









By Lee Hyo-jin







CHEONAN, South Chungcheong Province  Like any other food or beverage product, the manufacturing process of My Meal, a protein drink produced by local wellness company Daesang Life Science, consists of a series of rigorous steps.







Raw ingredients are weighed, mixed and then filtered. After going through the process of homogenization and sterilization, the beverage is then poured into bottles. The bottles are carried down the conveyor belt to be scanned for defects. If no issues are detected, the products are packaged into boxes, ready to be distributed across the country.







Located in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, the manufacturing plant of Daesang Life Science produces 24,000 tons of nutrition supplement products and protein drinks per year.







During a media tour organized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Wednesday, Park Yong-hwa, head of production management at the factory, showed reporters around the facility where almost all procedures were automated with only a couple of workers on site.







The interior of Daesang Life Science's manufacturing plant in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province Courtesy of Daesang Life Science





"From the initial stage and throughout the final steps, the whole process is operated by a computerized system. If something goes wrong or any sort of contamination is identified, the entire process shuts down automatically. And that's when direct human input becomes necessary," said Park.







A similar scene was witnessed at a CJ CheilJedang factory in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province. Since its establishment in 2018, the country's number one food producer has been manufacturing 900,000 packs of "Hetbahn" ready-to-eat rice kits per day.







At the so-called smart factory, rice was cleaned, cooked, steamed and packaged through an unmanned system. Several workers were standing beside conveyor belts to monitor the process or to check on defective products that were identified by a scanning machine.







While the production of food and beverage is a delicate process where raw materials need to be handled with great care to comply with strict hygiene standards, HACCP certification has greatly enhanced the country's food safety management capabilities over the last two decades.







HACCP, which stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, is a systematic and preventative system minimizing contamination risk throughout every stage of the food supply chain, including production, preparation, packaging and distribution.







Developed in the 1960s by NASA, the internationally-recognized food safety management system was adopted in Korea in 1995. Widely considered as an alternative to traditional government inspections, the HACCP certification is issued to facilities that meet certain standards.







Officials at CJ CheilJedang and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety speak with reporters during a media tour of the company's manufacturing plant in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, Wednesday. Courtesy of Ministry of Food and Drug Safety





As of 2021, nearly 90 percent of processed food items in the country were produced in HACCP-approved facilities, according to the food safety ministry.







However, in response to the fast-changing environment in the food and beverage industry, the ministry is now seeking to expand what is being called, Smart HACCP, a more advanced version of the certification system.







Smart HACCP is a system that enables companies to monitor the critical control points (CCP) on a real-time basis using Internet of Things (IoT) technology by digitizing handwritten records. If implemented, it will reduce the time needed to fix issues and enable the authorities to carry out predictive food safety policies using big data.







As of June, 123 manufacturing facilities, including those of CJ Cheiljedang, Dongwon F&B and Heunggook F&B, have attained the smart HACCP certification, according to the food safety ministry. Officials at Daesang Life Science said they are preparing to win the license in 2023.











Members of consumer groups stage a protest performance during a press conference held in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, demanding the government replace sell-by dates on food products with use-by dates, June 16, 2021. Newsis





Another new measure the food ministry is currently working on is an overhaul of the 36-year-old date labeling system for food packages.







The ministry has recently announced that beginning Jan. 1, 2023, food companies should replace the current sell-by dates with use-by dates, as the latter would ensure a longer shelf time for products and lead to a reduction of food waste nationwide.







Sell-by dates means the period of time the products can be distributed and sold, while the use-by dates indicate the deadline for consumption. The latter is often longer than the former.







Although the expiration of sell-by dates does not necessarily mean that the product has gone off, many consumers in Korea tend to discard some food products, thinking that they are not edible. According to the Ministry of Environment, about 15,903 tons of food waste is thrown out daily.







Bottles and cartons of various drinks are labeled with sell-by dates at a convenience store in this combined photo taken in July 2021. Korea Times file





The ministry also noted that the new measure will allow Korea to stay up to date with the latest global trend, as most Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries employ the use-by date method, or best-before dates, instead of sell-by dates.







Food retailers agreed that the change will significantly reduce food waste. But expressed concerns about a lack of time to prepare for the change.







"Prior to the implementation of the new date system, we will have to conduct a lot of experiments to verify the safety and quality of our products in various temperature and storage conditions," Lee Ji-eun, a senior official at CJ Cheiljedang told reporters, explaining that the Jan. 1, 2023 deadline is too early for the company to fully comply with.







In response, Kwon Oh-sang, director of the food safety policy bureau, said, "Although the new measure will go into effect from next year, realistically speaking, there needs to be some more time for the policy to be fully established. We will find ways to support the companies by coming up with guidelines on use-by dates."






Kim Kardashian looked as stylish as ever as she visited a museum with her daughter North West on Thursday as she took a break during Paris Fashion Week.

The American reality star, 41, opted for an all-black ensemble as she headed to the Musee des Arts decoratifs in Paris with North, nine, and her mother Kris Jenner.

She cut an edgy figure in a black oversized leather-look jacket and matching wide leg trousers, which she styled with pointed stiletto boots.

Edgy: Kim Kardashian looked as stylish as ever as she visited a museum with her daughter North West on Thursday as she took a break during Paris Fashion Week

Kim kept her essentials in a small silver handbag and shielded her eyes from the sunshine in a pair of oval sunglasses.

The Kardashians star swept her platinum blonde tresses back into a tight bun and bolstered her features with a touch of nude make-up.

She walked hand-in-hand with her nine-year-old daughter North, who wore black jeans, a Balenciaga hoodie and chunky black shoes from the same brand.

The mother-and-daughter duo were also joined by momager Kris, 66, who looked elegant in black wide-leg trousers and a blue sequinned jacket.

Family: The American reality star, 41, opted for an all-black ensemble as she headed to the Musee des Arts decoratifs in Paris with North, nine, and her mother Kris Jenner

She added to her good looks with a full palette of make-up and a slick of pink lipstick, while she carried a purple clutch bag with her.

Kris kept comfortable in a pair of black trainers and covered her eyes with a pair of black square sunglasses.

The socialite styled her brunette bob in a blow-dried style and accessorised her look with glittering diamond earrings.

Style: Momager Kris, 66, who looked elegant in black wide-leg trousers and a blue sequinned jacket, which she paired with black trainers

Kim took a break out of her busy schedule to join her family for the spot of sightseeing, after she strutted the catwalk for Balenciaga's fashion show on Wednesday.

She joined the likes of Dua Lipa, Nicola Kidman and Naomi Campbell on the star-studded red carpet as Paris Fashion Week got into full force.

And on Wednesday, she was also seen heading out for lunch with North as she enjoyed spending quality time with her daughter, who she shares with her ex Kanye West.

Elsewhere, Kim opened up about body image and criticism she has received for her 21lbs weight loss in an interview with Allure as she appeared as its August cover star.

Fashion: Kim took a break out of her busy schedule after she strutted the catwalk for Balenciaga's fashion show with Dua Lipa and Nicole Kidman on Wednesday

Speaking to the publication, Kim opened up about accepting her imperfections, saying that although she still 'strives' to be perfect, she is at peace with herself.

She also candidly revealed that she 'hates' her hands and opened up about Botox and fillers, saying she has never had fillers but admitted to having Botox in her forehead.

Kim insisted that she she currently doesn't have any filler in her lips or cheeks, before adding: 'Never filled either one, ever.'

Speaking about how she has been working on accepting herself, Kim explained that she now considers her health to be more important than anything else.

Sweet: And on Wednesday, she was also seen heading out for lunch with North as she enjoyed spending quality time with her daughter, who she shares with her ex Kanye West

Kim continued: 'I'm at peace with not being perfect and I wasn't like that before, I hate my hands  they're wrinkly and gross.'

She said she cares about looking good more than '90 per cent' of people would and said she spends her evenings doing her beauty regime and laser treatments, even after a busy day looking after her four kids - North, Saint, six, Chicago, four, and Psalm, three.

The Kardashians star also went on to hit out at the backlash she received for losing 16 pounds in just three weeks to fit into Marilyn Monroe's iconic dress from when she sang Happy Birthday to President John F. Kennedy in 1962.

Kim recently broke her silence on the Met Gala transformation, comparing it to that of Christian Bale's extreme weight loss for his role in The Machinist.

And she has once again compared her weight loss to that of an actor preparing for a role, saying performers are not criticised for losing weight for jobs but are instead considered 'geniuses'.

Kim, who has now lost 21lbs in total, said she would have understood the backlash if she had lost the weight in an 'unhealthy' way, but she insisted she worked with a nutritionist and a trainer to achieve her goal.

'I don't see the criticism for other people when they lost weight for roles  they are [considered] geniuses for their craft,' she added.

Kim also stressed the importance of being yourself as she spoke about competing with beauty standards seen on TV or in magazines, as she claimed if she was achieving goals then they were 'attainable' for others.
Travis Barker was seen heading back to work on Wednesday, following his recent hospitalization for pancreatitis.

The Blink 182 drummer, 46, looked cool as ever in a white muscle tank top, oversized black jeans, and a pair of Vans, as he left a recording studio in Los Angeles.

Kourtney Kardashian's husband covered up his eyes with black sunglasses and was spotted making a call on his cellphone.

Feeling better: Travis Barker was seen heading back to work on Wednesday, following his recent hospitalization for pancreatitis

The musician completed his look with a chunky silver chain around his neck, and sported a black gym bag slung across his shoulder.

Travis also wore a black wrist brace, which he's been seen wearing previously, though it's unclear what type of injury he's sustained.

The night prior he took to his Instagram Stories to reshare a sweet photo of him and his wife, 43, as they went for a walk.

Recording new tunes: The Blink 182 drummer, 46, looked cool as ever in a white muscle tank top, oversized black jeans, and a pair of Vans as he left a recording studio in Los Angeles

The A-listers looked like any other couple enjoying a quiet nature walk together, hand in hand.

He also shared a photo of a beautiful white floral arrangement, as he thanked his sister-in-laws Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, and Kylie Jenner for sending him the bouquet of flowers following his hospital stay.

Barker was hospitalized on June 28 at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, where he battled with life-threatening pancreatitis for seven days prior to being discharged.

Sweet: The night prior he took to his Instagram Stories to reshare a sweet photo of him and his wife, 43, as they went for a walk

The condition, characterized by an inflammation of the pancreas, was brought on by an endoscopic procedure.

'I went in for an endoscopy Monday feeling great. But After dinner, I developed excruciating pain and have been hospitalized ever since,' he wrote in an Instagram post the following Saturday.

He continued, 'During the endoscopy, I had a very small polyp removed right in a very sensitive area, usually handled by specialists, which unfortunately damaged a critical pancreatic drainage tube.

Thankful: He also took to Instagram to thank Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, and Kylie Jenner for get well flowers

Update: Barker was hospitalized on June 28 at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, where he battled with life-threatening pancreatitis for seven days prior to being discharged

'This resulted in severe life threatening pancreatitis.'

On Tuesday, Barker dropped in on Twitter to share how grateful he was. He first Tweeted '7 days in the hospital.'

The rocker followed it up with another Tweet that read, 'Grateful for so much,' and added a prayer hands emoji.

Reflecting: On Tuesday, Barker dropped in on Twitter to share how grateful he was. He first Tweeted '7 days in the hospital'

Grateful: The rocker followed it up with another Tweet that read, 'Grateful for so much,' and added a prayer hands emoji

Throughout the ordeal Barker's daughter Alabama, 16, repeatedly took to social media to ask for prayers for her dad.

In addition to Alabama Travis shares a son, Landon, 18, with his ex-wife Shanna Moakler.

Once her dad's health improved the teen appeared online again to thank fans for their support.

Sharing an image of her pink-manicured hand next to her father's tattooed hand, she wrote: 'Thank you for all of the prayers and love, I appreciate you & love all of you.'
Kaley Cuoco and Tom Pelphrey went public with their romance in May.

And on Wednesday, the 36-year-old actress shared a picture to her Instagram story of boyfriend Tom, 39, out at a retail store on Thursday.

The Ozark actor donned a lime green sweater, charcoal pants and light gray sneakers - with a hat featuring Kaley's name emblazoned on it.

Property of Kaley Cuoco: It didn't take long for Tom Pelphrey to brand himself Kaley Cuoco's man

His black hat that read, 'KALEY'S' across the front of it.

Tom was previously seen wearing the same hat while Kaley wore one that read 'Tom's' across the front of it in a different Instagram post from earlier this year.

She added a green heart and tagged the Mank actor in the Instagram story post.

Cuoco and Pelphrey took their relationship Instagram official back in May of this year.

New relationship: Cuoco and Pelphrey took their relationship Instagram official back in May of this year

Dating after the divorce: The Big Bang Theory star was previously married to professional equestrian Karl Cook, though the two recently finalized their divorce after first marrying in 2018

The Big Bang Theory star was previously married to professional equestrian Karl Cook, though the two recently finalized their divorce after first marrying in 2018.

Cook was Cuoco's second husband after her marriage to Ryan Sweeting from 2013 to 2016.

Cuoco's picture of Pelphrey was one of three that she posted right after one another to her story.

Lots of posts: Cuoco's picture of Pelphrey was one of three that she posted right after one another to her story

Twins: Cuoco followed up the first picture with another of the pair from behind after getting their makeup and hair done.

First, Cuoco posted a photo alongside her Flight Attendant stunt double, Monette Moio.

The duo stood in front of a huge mirror on-set in Berlin. Cuoco followed that up with a picture of the pair from behind after getting their makeup and hair done.

The two were essentially indistinguishable from behind at that point.

Cuoco wrote, 'Who's who' and added an emoji of three Spider-Men pointing at one another, emulating a well-known meme.
She's not afraid to showcase her sizzling figure.

And Georgia Steel, 24, was at it again this week as she showed off her skimpy selection of swimwear while enjoying a sun soaked getaway in Dubai.

For her first look the former Love Island star looked sensational as she cooled off by the pool in a stylish mocha bikini.

'Do you like the view?': Love Island's Georgia Steel, 24, set pulses racing in skimpy thong bikinis as she posed up a storm on a trip to Dubai recently

The two piece hugged every inch of her incredible figure with strap detailing wrapping around her svelte waist accentuating her hourglass figure.

Georgia gazed at the camera as she flaunted her golden tan, while her auburn locks cascaded down her back.

Posing by a palm tree in the magnificent grounds of her hotel the stunner turned to show the camera a glimpse of her peachy bottom.

Cheeky! The two piece hugged every inch of her incredible figure with strap detailing wrapping around her svelte waist accentuating her hourglass figure

She captioned the snaps: 'Just do you and dont look back'.

Later the brunette beauty relaxed in her hotel room in a strapless pink floral number.

Gazing seductively into the mirror the reality star donned lashings of make-up as she licked her lips suggestively.

Chilling: Later the brunette beauty relaxed in her hotel room in a strapless pink floral number

The barely-there swimsuit featured racy cut outs at the bust as its bright colour popped against Georgia's skin kissed skin.

She captioned the snap: 'You like the view?'

The television personality ran her fingers through her hair as she showed off her taut waist, gazing into her phone attempting to capture the perfect shot.

The trip comes after Georgia gave her first hand insight into the show's Casa Amor hopefuls.

Gorgeous: Georgia gazed at the camera as she flaunted her golden tan, while her auburn locks cascaded down her back. Posing by a palm tree in the magnificent grounds of her hotel the stunner turned to show the camera a glimpse of her peachy bottom.

Sizzling: She captioned the snaps: 'Just do you and dont look back'

Georgia detailed her experience when her partner Josh Denzel returned from the house with a new girl, Kaz Crossley in 2018, adding how she think's this years Jaques O'Neill could be tempted to leave Paige Thorne.

Speaking to The Sun, she explained: 'I feel like the people sent into Casa Amor are sent in to really test you and your relationships.

'Producers must choose based on the girls' types, because they literally got my type down to an absolute tee, especially with this one boy Jordan [Adefeyisan].'

Model credentials: Gazing seductively into the mirror the reality star donned lashings of make-up as she licked her lips suggestively

Sexy: She captioned the snap: 'You like the view?'

'They're picked based on types': The trip comes after Georgia gave her first hand insight into the show's Casa Amour hopefuls

Georgia admitted that she felt she 'owed it' to her original partner, Josh, despite being interested in Jordan, however staying loyal did not pay off for the TV personality, who was 'shocked' to find that Josh had chosen to re-couple with Kaz.

Adding of this years contestants, Georgia admitted that she believes Jaques could 'have his head turned' but hopes he will stay true to Paige during their time apart.

She explained: 'I can tell by the way he is, he's a little bit of a cheeky boy, so Casa Amor is going to be the ultimate test for them.'

In 2018's series, Josh humiliated Georgia when he ditched her for Kaz, who he has since split with, but the event left then show host Caroline Flack forced to justify producers' actions by saying the point is to 'test relationships.'
Winnie Harlow is known for her sensational displays and she did not disappoint as she stepped out for the Fendi show during Paris Fashion Week on Thursday.

The Canadian model, 27, looked effortlessly chic in cream trousers embellished with printed patterns and a strapless white corset-style top as she left her hotel.

She gave herself a few extra inches with a unique pair of white pointed heels and fastened a gold belt around her waist, while she kept her essentials in a blue bag.

Wow! Winnie Harlow is known for her sensational displays and she did not disappoint as she stepped out for the Fendi show during Paris Fashion Week on Thursday

Winnie styled her dark tresses in glamorous waves and accessorised her ensemble with a long pair of droplet silver earrings.

She flaunted her natural beauty with a natural dusting of make-up and appeared to be in excellent spirits as she flashed a smile and a wave.

The media personality shielded her eyes from the bright sunshine with a pair of gold-rimmed sunglasses as she headed to the Fendi fashion show.

But Winnie did not strut up the catwalk but watched from the audience as models took to the runway for the Haute Couture fall/winter 2022/2023 fashion show.

Looking good: The Canadian model, 27, looked effortlessly chic in cream trousers embellished with printed patterns and a strapless white corset-style top as she left her hotel

Fashionista: Winnie styled her dark tresses in glamorous waves and accessorised her ensemble with a long pair of droplet silver earrings

Earlier in the week, she had shown off her modelling credentials as she stepped on to the catwalk during the Iris van Herpen fashion show.

For the event, Winnie sported an oversized cream coat, with a dramatic neckline and an abstract line design with beige, blue and mahogany detailing.

Baring all with nothing underneath the coat, she added a pair of open-toed black stiletto heeled boots to the ensemble.

Radiant: She flaunted her natural beauty with a natural dusting of make-up

All in the details: She gave herself a few extra inches with a unique pair of white pointed heels and fastened a gold belt around her waist, while she kept her essentials in a blue bag

Winnie has been making the most of her time in Paris and soaked up the sights as she continues to enjoy Paris Fashion Week.

She has visited the Eiffel Tower and attended the Schiaparelli after party on Tuesday evening during the jam-packed week.

Winnie rose to fame and became one of the fashion industry's top models following her appearance on America's Next Top Model in 2014.

Stunner: But Winnie did not strut up the catwalk but watched from the audience as models took to the runway for the Haute Couture fall/winter 2022/2023 fashion show

Intricate: The models sported sheer ensembles embellished with florals as they walked up the catwalk

She became part of the modeling competition show's 21st cycle after being discovered on Instagram by supermodel Tyra Banks, who served as a judge, host and executive producer on the show.

The 18 & Over actress gave a TEDx talk in 2014 called How I Define Beauty. The video has been viewed more than a million times.

Since then, Winnie has appeared in runway shows for lingerie giant Victoria's Secret, as well as for luxury fashion designers like Jean Paul Gaultier and Christian Cowan.

Now a household name and a fashion fixture, Winnie made the shift into the beauty space by launching Cay Skin earlier this year.

Runway: Models were seen showing off the Fendi Couture collection during the show

Glittering: The models dazzled in an array of show-stopping ensembles as they took to the catwalk on Thursday

The suncare brand's standout product - Isle Glow Face Lotion - offers 45 SPF and is designed to be silicone-free, vegan, cruelty-free, and environmentally friendly, according to the official Cay Skin site.

Speaking to BYRDIE, Winnie revealed that the inspiration for creating Cay Skin stemmed from a 'traumatic' shoot in the Bahamas in 2018.

'I was shooting in the Bahamas sun for two days, and no one [on set] wanted me to reapply sunscreen because the ones we had left a blue or purple cast,' she explained.

Being that she was without any protection from the harsh sun, Winnie's skin suffered some major consequences that required her to seek medical attention.

Dapper: One model sported an oversized beige suit as he strutted up the catwalk while audiences filmed the show

Winnie suffers from an autoimmune disorder and skin condition called Vitiligo, which 'causes loss of skin color in patches,' according to the Mayo Clinic.

'When I finished the two-day project, I got back to my hotel and my skin was so red and tight. Doctors had to come to the hotel room and give me injections for pain and inflammation. It was a traumatic experience.'

Though the experience was excruciating, it inspired Winnie to create sunscreen that suits all skin tones in the hopes that what happened to her wouldn't happen to someone else.

'It's so important to protect your skin, and there should be products that work for everyone,' she told the outlet. 'That's really how the idea for Cay Skin came to life.'
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Brooklyn Beckham and his wife Nicola Peltz enjoyed a day on Australian billionaire James Packer's $200M superyacht in Antibes, France, on Thursday.

The son of David and Victoria, 23, went shirtless in blue swimming trunks as he daringly jumped off the side of the luxury vessel while actress Nicola, 27, remained firmly onboard.

Packer's ultra-luxe 'gigayacht' spans a whopping 108 metres and provided the perfect playground for their summer holiday in Europe which has also seen them visit Portofino and St Tropez.

Shirtless: Brooklyn Beckham and his wife Nicola Peltz enjoyed a day on Australian billionaire James Packer's $200M superyacht in Antibes, France on Thursday

Wow! The son of David and Victoria, 23, went shirtless in blue swimming trunks as he daringly jumped off the side of the luxury vessel while actress Nicola, 27, remained firmly onboard

Brooklyn looked like he was having a great time as he practiced his diving off the side alongside Nicola's brother Will and some of their other pals.

Later in the afternoon Nicola was seen greeting James with a kiss on the cheek as they all enjoyed their time together.

She looked effortlessly chic in a black sundress which was teamed with a black and white cropped cardigan while she boosted her height with gold wedges.

James Packer's late father Kerry was good friends with Nicola's billionaire dad Nelson, providing the perfect connection for the pair to enjoy time on the boat.

Friends in high places: Later in the afternoon Nicola was seen greeting James with a kiss on the cheek as they all enjoyed their time together

Nice one: Packer's ultra-luxe 'gigayacht' spans a whopping 108 metres and provided the perfect playground for their summer holiday in Europe which has also seen then visit Portofino and St Tropez.

The pair have been joined by some of Nicola's siblings for part of their European honeymoon which has also seen them travel to Portofino and St Tropez.

It comes as Nicola had admitted it wasn't love at first sight with her husband - confessing the pair 'didn't get along' and 'didn't click'.

The couple were introduced five years ago, at which time they both had different partners and weren't interested in getting to know one another.

Views: Brooklyn looked like he was having a great time as he practiced his diving off the side alongside Nicola's brother Will and some of their other pals

Chatting: Brooklyn later covered up in a white T-shirt and donned dark shades as he chatted to businessman Brooklyn

Swanky: Packer's IJE yacht was designed by Italian ship building company Benetti and can accommodate up to 22 guests overnight in 11 cabins

Yet although they stayed in loose contact it wasn't until a chance run-in in at Leonardo DiCaprio's Halloween party in 2019 that the pair decided to give their romance a go.

Nicola told Tatler magazine: 'We didn't get along, we just didn't click I had a boyfriend, he had a girlfriend.

'We actually met up one time and went to dinner, and he was a friend but not a close friend. Then we ran into each other at a Halloween party two and a half years ago and I can't tell you what happened but from then on we were inseparable.'

Luxury vessel: IJE stands for the initials of Packer's three children: Indigo, Jackson, and Emmanuelle.

Huge: The lavish yacht has a crew of 29 and boasts an outdoor bar, a gym, a beauty salon, a helipad, a cinema, a fire pit, a swimming pool and a dance floor

After two and half years of dating Brooklyn and Nicola then married in a lavish 3million ceremony at her family's 103million estate in Palm Beach, Florida, in April.

While they may have let their romance blossom at a party, the duo prefer cosy nights in to going out, with Nicola quipping they're like an 'old married couple', noting: 'happy place is staying in, watching a show and being with our dogs.'

For now, their cosy nights at home will remain in the United States, with Nicola stressing the importance of being close to her family.

Boat: It has a maximum speed of 18.5knots and was lauded as the 'flagship' for Benetti following the launch in 2018 and its delivery in 2019

Love: After two and half years of dating Brooklyn and Nicola then married in a lavish 3million ceremony at her family's 103million estate in Palm Beach, Florida, in April

Interesting! It comes as Nicola had admitted it wasn't love at first sight with her husband - confessing the pair 'didn't get along' and 'didn't click'

Story: The couple were introduced five years ago, at which time they both had different partners and weren't interested in getting to know one another

Meant to be: Yet although they stayed in loose contact it wasn't until a chance run-in in at Leonardo DiCaprio 's Halloween party in 2019 that the pair decided to give their romance a go

While Brooklyn is arguably among the most famous British celebrity offspring, American Nicola is certainly no stranger to a life of wealth and fame, with her businessman father Nelson Peltz, 79, a former truck driver turned billionaire.

Packer's IJE yacht was designed by Italian ship building company Benetti and can accommodate up to 22 guests overnight in 11 cabins.

IJE stands for the initials of Packer's three children: Indigo, Jackson, and Emmanuelle.

Very cool! The guys took a few jumps and got a ride back to the boat via jet ski

Family: While Brooklyn is arguably among the most famous British celebrity offspring, American Nicola is certainly no stranger to a life of wealth and fame

Happy: While they may have let their romance blossom at a party, the duo prefer cosy nights in to going out, with Nicola quipping they're like an 'old married couple'

Ties: For now, their cosy nights at home will remain in the United States, with Nicola stressing the importance of being close to her family

Tattoos: Brooklyn sported his various torso inkings

Billionaire: James recently entertained Robert De Niro and his friends on the superyacht in Sardinia

Scary! Brooklyn didn't seem worried by the huge jump

Cooling off: He later enjoyed a refreshing shower on the deck of the superyacht

Icon: James Douglas Packer is an Australian billionaire businessman and investor. Packer is the son of Kerry Packer AC, a media mogul, and his wife, Roslyn Packer AC

Business: Packer is the largest shareholder of Crown Resorts, which owns casinos in Australia and London

Relaxing time: The newlyweds are making the most of their time off (and connections!) during their time in Europe

The lavish yacht has a crew of 29 and boasts an outdoor bar, a gym, a beauty salon, a helipad, a cinema, a fire pit, a swimming pool and a dance floor.

It has a maximum speed of 18.5knots and was lauded as the 'flagship' for Benetti following the launch in 2018 and its delivery in 2019.

He recently entertained Robert De Niro and his friends on it in Sardinia.
90 Day Fiance alum Pedro Jimeno reportedly filed for divorce from Chantel Everett on May 27 after their six-year marriage was 'irretrievably broken.'

The Dominican 30-year-old also filed an emergency motion requesting the judge make the 31-year-old Atlanta native return the $257K she transferred from their joint business account into her personal account in April.

A source told TMZ on Thursday: 'The judge denied Pedro's request for an emergency hearing, but said the court would set a hearing for a later date to resolve the issue.'

It's over: 90 Day Fiance alum Pedro Jimeno reportedly filed for divorce from Chantel Everett on May 27 after their six-year marriage was 'irretrievably broken'

Allegations: The Dominican 30-year-old (R) also filed an emergency motion requesting the judge make the 31-year-old Atlanta native (L) return the $257K she transferred from their joint business account into her personal account in April

In Touch Weekly reported on Thursday that 'a mutual restraining order was also filed' by the estranged couple, who've deleted all existence of each other from their respective Instagram accounts.

Viewers of the Jimenos' spin-off show The Family Chantel, which currently airs Mondays on TLC, could easily see their downward spiral over the past four seasons.

'I want kids, of course I want kids, but not with Chantel right now,' the Laura Delgado realtor said in a confessional during the June 27th episode.

'Like, for real, not now. Nothing. I believe she's not mentally, you know, prepared. We're not emotionally ready to bring, you know, a baby to this world.'

A source told TMZ on Thursday: 'The judge denied Pedro's request for an emergency hearing, but said the court would set a hearing for a later date to resolve the issue'

Acrimonious end: In Touch Weekly reported on Thursday that 'a mutual restraining order was also filed' by the estranged couple, who've deleted all existence of each other from their respective Instagram accounts

Over it: Viewers of the Jimenos' spin-off show The Family Chantel, which currently airs Mondays on TLC, could easily see their downward spiral over the past four seasons

The Laura Delgado realtor said in a confessional during the June 27th episode: 'I want kids, of course I want kids, but not with Chantel right now. Like, for real, not now. Nothing. I believe she's not mentally, you know, prepared. We're not emotionally ready to bring, you know, a baby to this world'

All for the cameras! Pedro used to affectionately call Chantel 'Pinky' and they wed in 2016 after she originally hired him to be her Spanish tutor

Pedro used to affectionately call Chantel 'Pinky' and they wed in 2016 after she originally hired him to be her Spanish tutor.

Jimeno is clearly on the prowl with his last Instagram post being a shirtless thirst trap in the gym on June 27.

And Everett - a registered nurse - last showcased her substantial assets with a poolside bikini video shot on June 20.

'Happy week!' Jimeno is clearly on the prowl with his last Instagram post being a shirtless thirst trap in the gym on June 27
Nicki Minaj's husband Kenneth Petty was sentenced to one year of in-home detention and three years probation for failing to register as a sex offender.

After his sentencing, Nicki shared her support for her husband on her Instagram page.

The rapper, 39, posted a snap of Kenneth with their son, as well as a second snap as a family of three on Wednesday.

Her support: Nicki Minaj's husband Kenneth Petty was sentenced to one year of in-home detention and three years probation for failing to register as a sex offender. After his sentencing, Nicki shared her support for her husband on her Instagram page

In the first image, Kenneth, 44, was holding their 22-month-old son (whose name has not yet been revealed) on his shoulders as they both stared into the camera.

The second image featured Kenneth, their son and Nicki cuddling up against him as they posed near a pink car.

Nicki captioned the two images with four emojis - heart eyes, hearts, a bow and a teddy bear emoji.

Her post came after Kenneth avoided a 10-year jail sentence after he was sentenced to in-house detention.

Family: The rapper, 39, posted a snap of Kenneth with their son, as well as a second snap as a family of three

Kenneth failed to register as a sex offender when he moved to California with his wife.

He will instead be forced to stay in his multi-million-dollar Calabasas mansion under home detention for the next year and ordered to pay a $55,000 fine.

Kenneth, who married Nicki in 2019, plead guilty back in September on a federal count of failing to register as a sex offender.

While he was looking at a maximum prison sentence of 10 years with a lifetime of supervised release, he was sentenced Wednesday to just one year of in-home detention, and three years of probation, according to CBS Los Angeles.

In-home: Nicki Minaj's husband Kenneth has avoided a 10-year jail sentence after failing to register as a sex offender when he moved to California with his wife; pictured July 6 at an LA courthouse

Kenneth was convicted of first-degree attempted rape of a 16-year-old girl in 1995, for which he was sentenced to four years in prison.

He is considered a level-two offender in the state of New York, which equates to him being considered a 'moderate risk of repeat offense.'

Kenneth started dating Nicki in 2018 and they tied the knot a year later and moved to California.

Nicki and Kenneth welcomed their son on September 30, 2020.

Married: Kenneth, who married Nicki (pictured), 39, in 2019, plead guilty back in September on a federal count of failing to register as a sex offender

Petty was pulled over by the Beverly Hills Police Department in November 2019, and discovered he was a registered sex offender in New York, though he had not registered in California when he moved, which he's required to do.

Petty plead guilty at the time but his hearing has been delayed several times before the sentence was handed out.

Prosecutors were recommending 15 months of prison time and five years of supervised release, and not a home detention, since he lives with Nicki in a gated community in Calabasas, which they contended was not much of a 'punishment.'

Courthouse: Petty was seen arriving at the United States Federal Courthouse for his sentencing hearing on Wednesday

The judge ultimately disagreed, sentencing Kenneth to one year of in-home detention, plus three years of probation, and a $55,000 fine.

He was also in legal trouble in August, when Jennifer Hough, Petty's alleged rape victim, filed a lawsuit against both him and Minaj.

Jennifer claimed that both Nicki and Kenneth tried to coerce her into recanting her rape accusation, and they even offered her $500,000 to do so.

She also accused them of inflicting emotional distress, though she voluntarily dropped the lawsuit against Nicki.

'The case against Nicki was voluntarily dismissed. The case against Kenneth Petty is still ongoing. Stay tuned!" Jennifer's lawyer, Tyrone Blackburn said.

Neither Kenneth nor Nicki have commented on the sentencing.
Molly-Mae Hague has called boyfriend Tommy Fury her 'soulmate' as the couple celebrated their third anniversary together on Thursday.

Each of the former Love Island stars took to their Instagram Stories to share some pictures of themselves looking cosy together to mark three years since they cemented their relationship on the ITV2 show.

In one picture posted by Tommy, 23, Molly-Mae could be seen kissing the boxer on the forehead as he smiled, with the sportsman captioning his post: 'With me through thick and thin. Couldn't as for a better woman.'

In love: Molly-Mae Hague, 23, has called boyfriend Tommy Fury her 'soulmate' as the couple celebrated their third anniversary together on Thursday

Other photos posted by Molly-Mae showed the couple on previous holidays in locations such as the Lake District and Dubai, with Molly-Mae writing to Tommy across the top of one picture: 'I love you so much.'

Influencer Molly-Mae and Tommy met on Love Island in June 2019 when they finished in second place behind Amber Gill and Greg OShea.

While Tommy initially had eyes for Lucie Donlan while she was coupled-up with Joe Garrett, his head was soon turned by Molly-Mae who entered as a bombshell on day four.

Romance: Each of the former Love Island stars took to their Instagram Stories to share some pictures of themselves looking cosy together to mark three years together

In July, the month after Molly-Mae and Tommy met, he asked her to be his girlfriend by writing a heartwarming love letter from her teddy bear Ellie Belly.

The note read: 'Dear Mummy. Daddy left me here in his best interests.

'He wanted me to tell you that youre his everything. Im going to leave it with Daddy. So'

Looking back: Influencer Molly-Mae and Tommy met on Love Island in June 2019 when they finished in second place behind Amber Gill and Greg OShea

Fun in the sun: Other photos posted by Molly-Mae showed the couple on previous holidays in locations such as the Lake District and Dubai

With the whole villa watching, Tommy added: 'On a serious note, you know how much you mean to me and youre the only girl for me.

'I only want to be with you. Therefore, I was wondering if you wanted to be my girlfriend?'

The couple moved in together in September 2019 and have been going from strength-to-strength ever since.

Naturals: One picture showed Molly-Mae and Tommy on holiday in the Lake District, with Molly-Mae writing 'I love you so much' across the top of the image

Furry friend? Tommy shared a picture of Molly-Mae cuddling her beloved white cat as she lay on the sofa

It comes after the pair sparked engagement rumours when they were spotted at a jewellers in Dubai last month.

The couple eyed-up a six-figure engagement ring during their sun-drenched getaway, according to reports.

In a picture obtained by The Sun, the reality stars sat next to each other in Cara Jewellers during their trip to the United Arab Emirates, where Manchester-born Tommy allegedly insisted that his girlfriend's ring must be a 'top of the range, flawless gem'.

Wedding bells? Molly-Mae and Tommy recently eyed up a six-figure engagement ring during their sun-drenched getaway in Dubai, according to reports

A source at the sophisticated showroom told the publication that Pretty Little Thing's creative director spoke for an hour about how she wanted the ring mounted, before Tommy sighed: 'I'm just here to pay for it, mate.'

The source continued: 'It was a very funny moment. Molly-Mae pretended to be upset but then laughed and got on with discussing the ring.

'The couple were lovely and charming and looked very much in love.

Love: The influencer and her boxer boyfriend, both 23, have been together since their appearance on Love Island in 2019, with their relationship only going from strength to strength

'Tommy was insistent it must be a rare, top of the range flawless gem. And Molly-Mae spent a long time discussing how the ring must be designed.'

MailOnline contacted representatives for Molly-Mae and Tommy for comment.

In April, Molly-Mae teased that the sound of wedding bells might not be too far in the future.

Following Tommy's victory against Daniel Bocianski in their light heavyweight fight, an interviewer apologised for referring to her as Mrs Fury.

The star responded: 'It's fine, don't worry! Maybe soon.'
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Love Island super fans dreams of experiencing the sun-soaked summer of an Islander could now come true, for a price.

The iconic Majorcan villa can be rented out at a cost of 5,000 per week, allowing fans of the ITV2 series a taste of the show themselves - hopefully without the heartbreak.

The villa, named Sa Vinyassa is located in the rural Sant Llorenc, Mallorca, and boasts the famous infinity pool, six bedrooms and seven bathrooms - but will undergo a make over before it opens to guest after the end of the current series.

Iconic: Love Island fans will be able to rent the famous Majorcan villa for 5K PER WEEK after the current series ends - bit it will look very different

The original Mallorcan Love Island villa was sold back in March for 3m, (2.57m) with the series relocating to Sa Vinyassa for this years instalment.

It's complete with outdoor showers, a built in barbecue, scenic views and the iconic roof terrace - should you need to pull a pal for a chat.

But the infamous hideaway will look completely different as it will ditch the neon signage, bean bags and vibrant decor in favour of a much more rustic look.

Stunning: The villa, named Sa Vinyassa is located in the rural Sant Llorenc, Mallorca, and boasts the famous infinity pool, six bedrooms and seven bathrooms

A new look: The villa will undergo a make over before it opens to guest after the end of the current series

Changes: The interior will feature exposed brick walls, wooden beams and fireplaces alongside four poster beds and dark wood furniture

The interior will feature exposed brick walls, wooden beams and fireplaces alongside four poster beds and dark wood furniture.

Available for bookings from September 24, for a minimum of seven nights, the villa will set a group of 12 holiday makers back 6,262 (5,299).

The new villa, which is Love Island's third, is located just 10 minutes from last year's base but bosses were keen to give the show a 'glow up' ahead of its eighth series.

Now: The infamous hideaway will look completely different as it will ditch the neon signage, bean bags and vibrant decor in favour of a much more rustic look

Make under: The pool area will be stripped back with the famous fire pit removed

Fancy a dip? The villa boasts a lavish infinity pool for the contestants to cool off in but is currently much more vibrant

And the emphasis is on size, with bigger bedrooms, and more outdoor space, giving the 12 hopefuls lots of opportunity for romance to blossom.

Executive producer Mike Spencer told MailOnline: 'We decided we wanted to have a new summer. We have a new designer on board called Patrick Watson and we viewed quite a few villas and this one was by far the best.

'We want the viewers to tune in and know it's Love Island but with a glow up.'

Bright: Executive producer Mike Spencer told MailOnline: 'We decided we wanted to have a new summer. We have a new designer on board called Patrick Watson'

Simple: The living room will be reverted back to a much more homely state before it will be made available to the public

While the bedroom and sleeping area is larger than in previous years, the beds now face each other, giving contestants hardly any privacy.

The fire pit area, where contestants couple up and are dumped from the villa, has been extended and a runway has been installed to intensify the drama.

Islanders this year have been spoilt with an array of beauty products in the bathroom and the girls' dressing room, including makeup, which has been specially matched to each one of their skin tones for picture-perfect selfies.

It could be yours! Available for bookings from September 24, for a minimum of seven nights, the villa will set a group of 12 holiday makers back 6,262 (5,299)

Transformation: The new villa, which is Love Island's third, is located just 10 minutes from last year's base but bosses were keen to give the show a 'glow up' ahead of its eighth series

The wardrobe is full of summer outfits that have been styled by eBay, who are dressing this year's Islanders in pre-loved clothing.

A bigger villa means even more security after the show has become a target to intruders over the years.

Mike added: 'There are new security measures. We are very conscious of security and we have got a lot of things in place, plus the villa is bigger in size therefore we have more security.'

For now though, the drama in the Love Island villa continues at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVHub. Episodes are available the following morning on BritBox.




National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo has met with a visiting delegation of the U.S. House of Representatives and discussed various issues from investment to human rights, his office said Thursday.







During the meeting held Wednesday, Kim called for U.S. Congress to help foreign firms, such as South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Co., to benefit from the CHIPS Act aimed at bolstering the U.S. chip industry by offering grants to chipmakers.







"Many South Koreans were deeply impressed with U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to Samsung's chip plant in Pyeongtaek during his summit trip to Seoul," Kim said of Biden's trip to Seoul in May.







At the request, U.S. Reps. Ami Bera and Young Kim, co-chairs of the Congressional Study Group on Korea, appreciated South Korean companies' investment in the U.S., saying they will work to pass the bill through the congressional conference committee, according to officials.







The CHIPS Act is aimed at boosting U.S. chip manufacturing capacity and capability and shoring up supply chains, ultimately restoring its manufacturing prowess. If enacted, it would offer chipmakers US$52 billion in grants and subsidies to rev up chip production in the U.S.







The assembly speaker and the delegation also touched upon various topics, including visa issuance for professional experts and North Korean human rights, according to the officials. (Yonhap)






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Molly Sims gave fans a 'sneak peek' of the newly renovated Hamptons home she shares with her husband, Netflix executive Scott Stuber.

The modelling legend, 49, delighted fans with snaps of her modern and chic residence posted to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday.

'A little sneak peek of the house because my DM's don't stop blowing up about it,' she posted, along with a heart emoji.

Home sweet home! Molly Sims gave fans a 'sneak peek' of the newly renovated Hamptons home she shares with her husband, Netflix executive Scott Stuber

She tagged her 'design angels', Mimi Brown Studio and interior and architectural designer Dan Scotti.

Her resplendent kitchen featured a majestic marble counter with grey booths framing the table.

Two massive orb lamps hung over the counter while a bouquet of pale pink roses added a chic touch.

Hardwood encased the entire room, from the ceiling to the floors.

What's cooking good looking? The kitchen featured a majestic marble counter top and two orb lamps

Feeling bubbly! The bar included a wraparound stone countertop and a circular glass lighting feature

She also shared a snap of her stunning bar, a wraparound stone top counter with gold beige chairs surrounding it.

The lighting fixtures were an arrangement of hanging glass orbs.

She also showed some of the artwork decorating her home, which included a 'Tonight We Make History (I can't be there)' picture. 'If you don't know... I'm a HUGE art lover,' she explained in the photo.

Molly also shared exterior shots of her home to her Instagram account, including one of her posing along a deck in all pink.

A few of her favorite things! Molly showed off the artwork hanging on their wall

'Flamingos are my spirit animal,' she captioned the snap.

Fans could catch a glimpse of the farmhouse style exterior, glass room, and boardwalk in the photos.

Molly shared more of the exterior in a post showcasing her Fourth Of July festivities.

Clad in frayed white jeans and a striped top, Molly stood in her patio where pots of wispy plants and a tree was planted.

A step at a time! She gave a shout-out to her 'design angels', Mimi Brown Studio and Dan Scotti

No place like home: Fans were delighted to see the Hamptons home on her Instagram account

From house to home! Molly shared more of the exterior in a post showing off her Fourth Of July festivities

The post included shots of Molly celebrating Independence Day on the beach with her husband Scott and their three children.

Scott is a film producer and Head of Global Film at Netflix, 'where he oversees the development, production and acquisition of the Netflix film slate,' according to the organization.

Films made under Scott's supervision include the Academy Award-nominated film The Irishman.

Molly and Scott tied the knot in 2011 after a year and half of dating. The pair share sons Brooks, 10, and Grey, five and daughter Scarlett, seven.

Happy 4th! Sims celebrated Independence Day with her husband Scott Stuber and their three children, sons Brooks, 10, and Grey, five and daughter Scarlett, seven

Beach babes! Scott appeared to be puckering up to his wife

In February, the Lipstick on the Rim podcast host gave her fans a glimpse at her personal life in Us Weekly's 25 Things You Don't About Me feature.

She told the magazine that with their full household, she and Scott often find it difficult to have date nights.

'Date nights can be tough with three kids,' she said. 'My husband and I set aside time to talk in our closet (I'm not joking!).'

The Wrong Missy actress also revealed, 'I met my husband outside the bathroom at a Golden Globes afterparty.'

Aww! She included a snap of her kids wearing stripes as they sat on the sand

The wellness blogger also explained that now that her children are older, she has been able to devote more time to maintaining her health and fitness.

She said, 'When the kids were little, I hardly had time for a workout routine in the morning. Now I am back, baby!'

Molly shared that the 'best vacation' she and Scott had ever taken was their most recent getaway to the island of Capri last September.

'It was so special', she added.
Keanu Reeves and his girlfriend Alexandra Grant were spotted during a rare outing in New York City on Thursday.

The Matrix star, 57, and his other half, 49, walked hand-in-hand and stopped by Saks Fifth Avenue for a bit of shopping. They later made their way to Quality Meats Dining.

The Canadian actor looked dapper for the outing, sporting a navy suit over a black T-shirt, along with a pair of brown boots.

Stylish pair: Keanu Reeves and his girlfriend Alexandra Grant were spotted during a rare outing in New York City on Thursday

The brooding actor - born Keanu Charles Reeves - wore his shoulder-length tresses tucked behind his ears, and sported his usual smattering of silver and pepper facial hair.

Meanwhile his girlfriend of four years looked stylish as ever in a sleeveless black top and chic magenta pants, held up by a black belt with a gold buckle.

The stunning visual artist paired the outfit with a brown basket bag and black espadrille sandals.

Happy together: The Matrix star, 57, and his other half, 49, walked hand-in-hand and stopped by Saks Fifth Avenue for a bit of shopping, and later made their way to Quality Meats Dining

Dapper: The Canadian actor looked dapper for the outing, sporting a navy suit over a black T-shirt, along with a pair of brown boots

Alexandra further accessorized her look with a gold necklace, and wore her silver tresses parted on the side and in a straight style.

Keanu's other appeared to go fresh-faced for the outing, letting her natural beauty shine through without the help of makeup.

The pair seemed to be in great spirits as they spent the day together, and flashed smiles as they walked.

Chic: Meanwhile his girlfriend of four years looked stylish as ever in a sleeveless black top and chic magenta pants, held up by a black belt with a gold buckle

Fresh: Keanu's other appeared to go fresh-faced for the outing, letting her natural beauty shine through without the help of makeup

Keanu sparked engagement rumors after he was spotted browsing rings at the jewelry store at Irene Neuwirth on Melrose Place in the West Hollywood in March.

The actor - who has never been married - has been dating Alexandra since 2018, but they did not go public with their romance until they attended the LACMA Art + Film Gala Presented By Gucci in Los Angeles in November 2019.

Keanu collaborated with Alexandra on the books Ode To Happiness and Shadows.

While Alexandra provided visual art for the volumes - the first released in 2011 and the next five years later - Keanu wrote poetry.

Going strong: The actor - who has never been married - has been dating Alexandra since 2018, but they did not go public with their romance until 2019

The business partners also have publishing house X Artists' Books.

The couple recently stunned on the red carpet together at the 2022 MOCA Gala held at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA in Los Angeles in June.

Keanu rocked a classic black suit that he styled with a white dress shirt and a multi-colored striped tie and held hands with Alexandra during their time in front of shutterbugs before heading inside the star-studded event.

His lady love stunned in a bright red halter gown that highlighted her refined curves. Instead of heels, she slipped her feet into a pair of glitzy ballet flats.
Hayden Panettiere has revealed that she has a good relationship with her daughter Kaya, following her years-long addiction to opioids and alcohol.

The Nashville star, 32, whose 7-year-old daughter lives with ex-fiance Wladimir Klitschko, 46, said that Kaya 'still loves' in a recent interview with People magazine.

'She has a beautiful life. I was just with her. She's just an amazing child. She's smart and she's funny and for whatever reason, she still loves me,' the actress said.

On good terms: Hayden Panettiere has revealed that she has a good relationship with her daughter Kaya, following her years-long addiction to opioids and alcohol

The decision to have Kaya live with Klitschko came as the star battled with an addiction to alcohol and pills.

'It was the hardest thing I could do,' the New York native said regarding Kaya's move abroad.

'But the best thing for my daughter was to make sure she was OK, take care of myself and make sure I could be a good mom to her. And sometimes that means letting go,' she added.

Love: The Nashville star, 32, whose 7-year-old daughter lives with ex-boyfriend Wladimir Klitschko, 46, revealed that Kaya 'still loves' in a recent interview with People magazine

The mother-of-one opened up about her lengthy addiction struggles in the interview, revealing that her drug abuse began when she was just 15 years old - and then spiraled out of control while she was battling postpartum depression after the birth of Kaya in December 2014.

She revealed that her struggle with postpartum depression combined with her reliance on drugs and alcohol resulted in her making the 'heartbreaking' decision to send her daughter away to live with her father in Ukraine.

Panettiere says she did not drink while she was pregnant with Kaya, but she admits that she fell off the wagon soon after her daughter was born, and from there, her alcohol issues continued to spiral out of control.

A beautiful life: 'She has a beautiful life. I was just with her. She's just an amazing child. She's smart and she's funny and for whatever reason, she still loves me,' the actress said

After she sent her daughter away to live with the former professional boxer, from whom she had split just months before in 2018, following a nine-year on-off relationship, Panettiere's drinking continued to worsen - to the point where she had to be hospitalized with jaundice.

After Panettiere ended up in the hospital, she finally found the strength to seek treatment for her addictions and ultimately entered rehab for eight months, where she says she found the support she needed to face her demons head-on.

Speaking to Good Morning America on Wednesday, the actress insisted that Kaya - who was last known to be living in the currently war-torn Ukraine - is 'very safe where she is' and 'has a lot of friends.'

'She's my favorite little person,' she said, adding. 'And watching how she has handled this whole Ukrainian situation has really blown my mind.'
Foreign Minister Park Jin answers reporters' questions upon arriving at Ngurah Rai International Airport in the Indonesian island of Bali, Thursday, to attend the G20 foreign ministerial meeting. Yonhap



Trilateral FM meeting with US, Japan to take place on Friday



By Kang Seung-woo



Foreign Minister Park Jin said, Thursday, Korea will join international cooperation to protect freedom, peace, human rights and the rule of law in a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.



"Based on the principles of openness, transparency and inclusiveness in international relations, we will play a responsible role in responding to global challenges," Park said.



"We hope Korea-China relations will mutually develop based on the universal values and rules," he added.



Park also said Korea wants to communicate with China at every level to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties this year.



Park's remarks are seen as the Korean government's plan to shift its China policy, which means the Yoon Suk-yeol administration will side with the United States amid an escalating rivalry between Washington and Beijing.



In response, Wang said China attaches great importance to the fact that the new Korean government had started its new journey toward bilateral ties.



"We face important development opportunities, while at the same time there are some challenges that we need to deal with together," he said.



"So we stand ready to work with the Korean side to ensure that our good neighborliness, friendship and cooperation will continue," Wang added.



Park flew to Indonesia to attend the foreign ministerial meeting of G20 major economies, which includes Wang, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken.



Earlier in the day Park said he was looking forward to getting an opportunity to resolve Korea's diplomatic feud with Japan as the new Korean government seeks to mend ties with the neighboring country.



The top diplomat also said he was open to talks with his Russian counterpart, after Korea joined U.S.-led sanctions on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.



"I think there would be a chance to encounter Hayashi and hold a meaningful dialogue with him during a general session or other meetings," Park said upon his arrival in Bali.



Currently, ties between Korea and Japan have slumped to their worst level in years due to Tokyo's imposition of export controls on three key materials critical for the semiconductor and display industries here, in an apparent retaliation against a ruling by Korea's Supreme Court ordering Japanese companies to compensate surviving Korean victims of forced labor during World War II.



However, since the May 10 inauguration of President Yoon Suk-yeol, who stresses the need to improve relations with Japan, the government has shown signs of efforts to normalize ties with Tokyo, as evidenced by the recent launch of a public-private consultative body to settle the wartime labor issue.



Amid media reports that Park and Hayashi may hold a bilateral meeting in Indonesia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, Thursday, such an event had yet to be arranged.



"Currently, Korea and Japan are engaged in discussions over the meeting," Park said.



"Considering Japan's domestic schedule, I think my trip to Japan would be made at a mutually convenient time."

Park's remarks come as he is anticipated to travel to Japan for a foreign ministerial meeting, while flights between Seoul's Gimpo and Tokyo's Haneda airports resumed, June 29, after a two-year suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The resumption is part of Yoon's efforts to normalize Korea-Japan ties and bolster exchanges between the two countries.



However, Park is likely to hold trilateral talks with his American and Japanese counterparts on the sidelines of a G20 session, Friday, which would mark Park's first in-person group meeting with Blinken and Hayashi since taking office in May.



The Korean government has participated in Washington-led economic sanctions on Russia for its aggression against Ukraine, with additional punitive measures being likely.



"As you know, the Korean government has stated that it regards the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a violation of the United Nations Charter and international law. And it is the first time that Korea has imposed sanctions on Russia," Park said.



"So I plan to discuss with countries that are seriously concerned about the current situation in Ukraine about how to respond and cooperate."



The foreign minister said he did not have a plan to sit down with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, although he believes that there would be an opportunity to encounter him.



"There are many issues we can talk about with each other in the event of a meeting with Lavrov," Park added.


: External Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during their bilateral meeting ahead of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Thursday, July 7, 2022. (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday conveyed to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi the need for an early resolution of all outstanding issues along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, and asserted that bilateral ties should be based on mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest.

At a one-hour meeting in Bali on the sidelines of a conclave of foreign ministers of the G20 nations, Jaishankar and Wang looked forward to the next round of military talks between the two sides at an early date to resolve the border issue.

Jaishankar also discussed with Wang the vexed issue of the return of Indian students to China and the resumption of direct flights between the two countries.

On the discussions on the border row, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Jaishankar reaffirmed the importance of "fully abiding" by bilateral agreements and protocols, and the understandings reached between him and Wang in their previous conversations.

"The External Affairs Minister (EAM) called for an early resolution of all the outstanding issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh," the MEA said in a statement.

Recalling the disengagement achieved in some friction areas, Jaishankar reiterated the need to sustain the momentum to complete disengagement from all the remaining areas to restore peace and tranquillity in border areas.

"He reaffirmed the importance of fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols, and the understandings reached between the two ministers during their previous conversations," the MEA said.

"In this regard, both ministers affirmed that the military and diplomatic officials of the two sides should continue maintaining regular contact and looked forward to the next round of senior commanders' meeting at an early date," it said.

Jaishankar also reiterated that the India-China relationship is best served by observing the three mutuals -- mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests.

The MEA said Jaishankar also recalled his meeting with Wang in Delhi in March and reviewed the progress of some key issues discussed then, including the return of students.

"The EAM stressed the need for expediting the process and facilitating the return of students on an early date," the MEA said.

"Began my day in Bali by meeting FM Wang Yi of China. Discussion lasted one hour. Focused on specific outstanding issues in our bilateral relationship pertaining to the border situation. Also spoke about other matters including students and flights," Jaishankar tweeted.

Thousands of Indian students were unable to return to China for over two years due to Beijing's COVID-19 restrictions. India has been taking up the issue with China several times.

There have been discussions between the two sides on the resumption of direct flights but there has been no forward movement on the issue. The flight services were suspended due to the pandemic.

"The two ministers also exchanged perspectives on other regional and global developments. Foreign Minister Wang Yi appreciated India's support during China's BRICS Chairship this year and assured China's support for India's upcoming G20 and SCO Presidency. They agreed to remain in touch," the MEA said.

The BRICS is a grouping comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit. China hosted a virtual summit of the grouping last month.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is an influential economic and security bloc that has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organisations.

It was the first meeting between the two foreign ministers since Wang visited India on March 24 and 25.

In May, India and China held diplomatic talks on the border row and agreed to hold the next round of the Senior Commanders' meeting at an early date to achieve complete disengagement from all friction points in eastern Ladakh.

However, both sides are yet to decide on the military talks.

The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area.

The face-off escalated after the Galwan Valley clashes on June 15, 2020.Both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area.

Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC in the sensitive sector.
Rama Rao on Thursday inaugurated French multinational aviation company 'Safran' groups largest and first aircraft engine MRO facility, which was set up with an initial investment of $150 million in Shamshabad. (Photo: DC/P. Surendra)

Hyderabad: IT and industries minister K.T. Rama Rao said on Thursday that the state government has stepped up efforts to set up an aviation university in the city in partnership with the industry besides setting up new aerospace and defense parks.

Rama Rao on Thursday inaugurated French multinational aviation company Safran groups largest and first aircraft engine MRO (maintenance, repairs and operations) facility, which was set up with an initial investment of $150 million (about Rs 1,185 crore), in Shamshabad.

He said the Telangana governments industry-friendly policies have helped the state in attracting major investments into the state from across the globe. Rama Rao stated that despite stiff competition from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, the National Capital Region and a few other states, Telangana has succeeded in getting the Safran facility to Hyderabad.

Telangana (officials) held 35 meetings with the officials of Safran in Hyderabad, Delhi and Paris. There were more than 400-plus exchanges on mails and other communication channels to make the landing smooth for Safran. Our first dialogue started in 2018 and it was followed up by an MoU between Safran and the Telangana state government, Rama Rao said.

We have been in discussion for the Safran Aeroengine MRO project since 2020 to address the various techno-commercial aspects of the project. They were telling us that we were competing with Bengaluru and Chennai.

Telangana officials held meetings with airlines, the airport operator and other stakeholders to give confidence to Safran to get the MRO project to Hyderabad. Telangana also represented the GoI to rationalise GST on MRO to make the Indian MRO industry globally competitive," the minister explained.

He stated that Hyderabad International Airports terminal expansion is expected to be completed by December. I was hoping that the Civil Aviation Minister would come to this event. He had made some promises. Was hoping to remind the Ministry of Civil Aviation of more direct flights to France and the continental US, so people can skip Delhi and come to Hyderabad, he said.

This MRO facility will be about 35,000 square metres and will come up in the GMR Industrial Park at Shamshabad. This project holds national significance as it is the first MRO being established by a global OEM in India.

Safran also has a digital technology unit Digit in Hyderabad to develop digital systems for Safran. In all, Safran now has four projects in Hyderabad with a total investment of $200 million (about Rs 1,580 crore).

He said the French company had considered at least 10 locations for the MRO before finalising Hyderabad due to the proactive support of the Telangana government and the presence of an enabling ecosystem. Rama Rao said Safran, which operated in a joint venture in India for 65 years, chose Hyderabad to venture on its own in India.

Safran Electrical and Power was announced in March 2018 with $8 million (now about Rs 63 crore) investment. The production of wire harnesses for aircraft engines commenced in a record nine months and over 8,000 harnesses have been delivered so far.

After seeing the support from the Telangana government and the quick turnaround time it experienced with its first project, Safran announced its second project, Safran Aircraft Engines, with an investment of $ 36 million (about Rs 285 crore) to manufacture components of LEAP turbofan engines. First deliveries from this happened in May 2022, Rama Rao Said.
In this Feb. 3, 2021, file photo, National Intelligence Service Director Park Jie-won, right, listens to National Security Office Director Suh Hoon during a meeting at the government complex in Seoul. Newsis



Probe launched over killing of fisheries official, deportation of NK fishermen



By Jung Min-ho



Two former chiefs of South Korea's intelligence agency are being investigated for allegedly abusing their positions to obstruct fact-finding efforts in past cases involving North Korea.



The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said Thursday it is investigating the complaints against former National Intelligence Service (NIS) directors  Park Jie-won and Suh Hoon  a day after the spy agency filed the allegations based on the results of its internal probe.



Park, who served as NIS chief from July 2020 to May 2022, allegedly abused his power to "remove intelligence-related reports" unlawfully. The information was about a South Korean official who was killed in North Korean waters on Sept. 22, 2020.



Details about what information was discarded remain elusive. But the Chosun Ilbo daily said the reports contained intercepted messages between North Koreans that day, including ones showing the man drifting in waters identifying himself as a South Korean official and asking them for help. If true, this suggests he may have crossed the border by accident, unlike the Moon administration's claims that he intended to defect to the North.



Park is also accused of destroying public electronic records about the incident without going through proper procedures.



The bereaved family and lawmakers of the governing conservative People Power Party (PPP) believe the official was branded as a person attempting to defect and the NIS under Park deliberately omitted information that suggested otherwise, before reporting it to top decision makers at the presidential office.



Rep. Ha Tae-keung, chief of the party's special committee looking into the death, said he was puzzled when the NIS told him there was nothing to be briefed about after he demanded the intelligence information following the killing.



"I couldn't understand it then. Now I get it. The NIS had nothing to brief because it deleted it all," he said.



Park denied the allegations, accusing the current NIS leaders under the new Yoon Suk-yeol administration of politicizing the incident to score political points.



"I can't reveal the details, but the intelligence reports (allegedly deleted) were only shared with the NIS, which did not produce them  Given that it was not the original information source, why would I or anyone at the NIS do such a foolish thing?" he said in a statement. "Don't drag it into politics. I will fight against the attempts to regress the NIS into what it used to be."



The previous administration concluded that the official, who was shot dead and set on fire by the North Korean military, was trying to defect to the North. But the story took a dramatic turn as the military and police under the Yoon government reversed its previous investigation result and said evidence was not sufficient to show that he intended to defect.



Suh, who held the top NIS post from June 2017 to July 2020 before taking the leadership of the National Security Office (July 2020-May 2022), is suspected of stopping the investigation into two North Korean fishermen, who arrived in South Korean waters on Nov. 2, 2019, only to be deported five days later, because their intention to defect to the South "was not sincere."



Suh was allegedly behind wrapping up the investigation in just three days, unlike other cases that usually take weeks, if not months, to finish. Then, based on the results, security officials claimed that the fishermen were criminals who conspired with a third man to kill 16 people on their boat before fleeing. By Nov. 8, the fishermen and their boat were sent back to the North. It was the South's first-ever deportation of North Koreans against their will.



Human rights experts, including Suzanne Scholte, chairwoman of the North Korea Freedom Coalition, are skeptical of the investigation results and criticize the decision as a violation of the country's U.N. treaty obligations that prohibit sending anyone back to a place where the person has a well-founded fear of persecution.



Rep. Yang Kum-hee, the PPP's floor spokeswoman, issued a statement to call for a thorough investigation behind the tragedies and "the cover-ups."



The presidential office said it would be "a serious crime" if the former spy chiefs prioritized North Korea's interests over South Korea's laws and the victims' human rights.



"We are paying attention to how the investigation is going," an official told reporters.




Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Gurpreet Kaur during their wedding ceremony in Chandigarh, Thursday, July 7, 2022. (PTI)

Chandigarh: The regular 'band, bajaa, baraat' were missing but the celebratory sparkle shone through the security cover as Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann got married to a doctor from Kurukshetra at his home on Thursday.

It was a private ceremony without the usual crowds, so much a part of a big, fat Indian wedding.

Mann, 48, the first chief minister of the state to get married while in office, tied the knot with Dr Gurpreet Kaur from Pehowa in Kurukshetra in Haryana.

Tight security arrangements were in place at the chief minister's home in Sector 2.

The wedding feast included 'dal makhni', 'chana masala', 'karahi paneer', 'navratan biryani', 'jeera onion pulao', 'kalonji wale aloo' and some continental dishes as well as 'moong dal halwa', fresh fruit trifle, and ice cream for dessert, Aam Aadmi Party insiders said.

Though not many details were available, visuals on television and Twitter showed Mann and his bride at the Anand Karaj ceremony.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Chadha, AAP MP Sanjay Singh and other leaders were also present at the ceremony.

It is learnt that Kejriwal played the role of an elder from Mann's family and actively participated in the wedding rituals. Kejriwal congratulated the couple in a tweet later.

This is Mann's second marriage. He separated from his first wife in 2015 -- they have two children, daughter Seerat Kaur (21) and son Dilshan (17).

Gurpreet Kaur, 30, shared a picture of herself on Twitter and wrote, "Din Shagna Da Chadya (the day of marriage has arrived)".

She also thanked AAP leaders for their congratulatory messages.

According to party insiders, the wedding, solemnised according to Sikh rituals, was attended by Mann's mother and sister and just a few guests, including Kejriwal and his family.

Before the wedding, Kejriwal told reporters at the airport here, "Today is a day of immense happiness that my younger brother and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ji is getting married and is making a new beginning. May god bless him with a happy married life and both (the couple) always remain happy."

Chadha said, "A new chapter in CM Bhagwant Mann's life is going to start today. I congratulate Mann saab's family, his mother and sister. It will be a small function. Only family members will attend."

"We all are happy that happiness has returned to Mann saab's family after a long time. It was his mother's dream to see her son getting settled again. Today, that dream is going to come true," he told reporters.

Gurpreet Kaur completed her MBBS from a private university in Haryana in 2018. She has two elder sisters who are settled abroad.

AAP leader and minister Harjot Singh Bains in a tweet said, "God Bless the Sweet Couple. I am happy for @BhagwantMann ji and Dr Gurpreet ji."
London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Thursday announced his resignation as Conservative Party leader after he was abandoned by his close allies in the wake of a series of scandals that rocked his government, triggering a leadership election for a new Tory leader who will go on to become his successor.

Johnson, 58, said he will remain in charge at 10 Downing Street until the process of electing a new leader is completed - expected by the time of the Conservative Party conference scheduled for October.

He blamed the "herd instinct" of his party as he delivered his resignation speech on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street and expressed his sadness at giving up the "best job in the world."

"I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world," Johnson said in his speech, marking an end to his three tumultuous years in power.

"It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new Prime Minister," said Johnson, showing very little emotion as he read out his speech which lasted just over six minutes.

"I have agreed with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of our backbench MPs that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now and the timetable will be announced next week and I have today appointed a Cabinet to serve as I will until a new leader is in place," he said.

The outgoing leader reiterated his "incredible mandate" at the 2019 general election, which was "the reason I have fought so hard in the last few days to continue to deliver that mandate in person".

"I felt it was my job, my duty, my obligation to you to continue to do what we promised in 2019," he said.

Referring to the high drama of the last few days, Johnson said he had tried to persuade his colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments with such a vast mandate and when the Tories are only a handful of points behind in the polls and when the economic scene is so difficult domestically and internationally.

He also highlighted some of his government's achievements, including the fastest rollout in Europe of COVID vaccines.

He added: "I regret not to have been successful in those arguments and of course it is painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself.

"As we have seen at Westminster, the herd instinct is powerful and when the herd moves, it moves and my friends in politics no one is remotely indispensable and our brilliant Darwinian system will produce another leader, equally committed to taking this country forward through tough times."

The move was resoundingly welcomed in the Opposition ranks and a large chunk of his own party, with Labour Leader Keir Starmer declaring the resignation good news for the country.

Many Conservative MPs, however, are critical of Johnson's plan to continue in office for another few months until a new leader is in place after his authority is so clearly bruised and battered by his own former supporters.

But Johnson remains defiant even in apparent defeat and went ahead with appointing a series of replacement Cabinet ministers to fill in the posts left vacant by angry former ministers, including Indian-origin Tory MP Shailesh Vara as the new Northern Ireland Secretary.

The resignation decision finally came after days of intense political frenzy and a steady stream of exits from within the UK Cabinet since Tuesday and just minutes after Johnson's newly appointed Chancellor to replace Rishi Sunak wrote a scathing public letter calling for him to go now.

Nadhim Zahawi, the Iraqi-origin minister among the frontrunners to replace Johnson in 10 Downing Street, wrote: "Prime minister, you know in your heart what the right thing to do is, and go now."

His demand followed over 50 resignations since Johnson's apology on Tuesday, after days of changing messages from Downing Street over the hiring and handling of the now-suspended Chris Pincher, who quit as Deputy Chief Whip in charge of Tory party discipline last week after admitting drunken misconduct. It comes in the wake of the partygate scandal of COVID law-breaking parties in Downing Street, which had resulted in a no-confidence vote last month which Johnson just about survived.

His resignation will now trigger a fierce leadership battle within the Conservative Party, with MPs in the process of putting themselves forward for the race.

Goan-origin UK Attorney General Suella Braverman, who chose not to resign from Cabinet saying her legal role made it incumbent upon her to carry on, had withdrawn her support from Johnson and is among the first MPs to stake a claim to contest the leadership election.

Others expected to join the race include Zahawi and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, with former Chancellor Rishi Sunak and former Health Secretary Sajid Javid among some of the others seen as likely contenders.

Indian-origin Home Secretary Priti Patel is also among the names touted along with UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace. Among the more junior members, Tory MPs Penny Mordaunt, Tom Tugendhat and former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt are the names doing the rounds.

Johnson's term as British Prime Minister will be remembered for setting the India-UK relations on the course of a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership".

Widely seen as an enthusiastic cheerleader for closer ties with India, Johnson had a palpably close bond with Prime Minister Narendra Modi - someone he would often refer to as his special friend or "khaas dost".
RJD president Lalu Prasad was admitted to the premier AIIMS in Delhi Wednesday night after being airlifted from a Patna hospital where he underwent initial treatment for multiple fractures suffered due to a fall, party sources said.

The 74-year-old former Bihar chief minister was accompanied by a team of doctors and his eldest daughter Misa Bharti, a Rajya Sabha MP who is also an MBBS. His wife Rabri Devi and younger son Tejashwi Yadav reached Delhi earlier in the day to oversee the arrangements.

Lalu Prasad was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) around 9.35 pm, the sources said.

Earlier, speaking with the media, Tejashwi Yadav said Lalu Prasad suffered fractures in three places, including shoulder, after a fall at his house and complications increased as the body is "locked" and he is unable to move much.

The leader had taken ill on Monday and was admitted to a private hospital in Patna, less than 24 hours after he suffered the injuries.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday visited Lalu Prasad at the Patna hospital and enquired about his health.

Lalu Prasad's wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi, who reached Delhi Wednesday, said, "His (Lalu's) health is slightly better now."

n a message to RJD workers and Lalu Prasad's supporters, Rabri Devi said, "Don't worry, he is being treated and will recover. Everyone should pray for him that he recovers soon."

Speaking with reporters alongside his mother here, Tejashwi Yadav said, "We are bringing him to AIIMS Delhi as better treatment can be done here with the doctors well-versed with his medical history."

"He has a fracture in three places after the fall. Complications increased after the fall as the body got locked, he is unable to move much," the leader of opposition in the Bihar Assembly said.

Out on bail in fodder scam cases, Prasad had last month obtained permission from the Jharkhand High Court for travelling abroad, preferably Singapore, to get a kidney transplant.

On whether it would be possible to go to Singapore, Tejashwi Yadav said if in 2-4 weeks he can undertake international travel "we may take him to Singapore."
Giving in to a request made by the state government, Speaker of the Goa legislative assembly Ramesh Tawadkar, on Thursday, shortened the duration of the state assemblys Monsoon Session.

The Speaker's decision comes in the wake of the Supreme Courts Wednesday order; it upheld the Bombay High Courts recent order given to the state to conclude the elections pending in 185 village panchayats within 45 days. The high court had set aside the Goa governments proposal that sought time to sort out the process of reservation of Other Backward Classes for the wards in poll-bound panchayats.

"The Business Advisory Committee of the state assembly has decided to hold the assembly for ten (working) days as the government had raised a concern that its staff will be engaged in panchayat elections, Tawadkar told the media following the committee meeting.

The Monsoon Session of the state assembly is scheduled to begin on August 10.

There is the panchayat election, too, and technical issues arise, like giving assurances (during the assembly). So, we accepted the proposal of (the) government to hold (the) assembly session for 10 days, Tawadkar said.

However, the Opposition lashed out at the state government for compromising on the assembly sessions duration. According to the Opposition, the Speaker's argument that an assembly session cannot be held in the wake of panchayat elections did not add up.

A session of Parliament is not curtailed when assembly elections are held in other states. So, the logic does not work. We need a long session to take up the host of issues which are confronting the state," Leader of the Opposition Michael Lobo said.

Responding to Lobos allegation, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the Opposition was within its rights to demand an extended session. However, Sawant also said that the Opposition did not understand the differences in the ground realities of holding any election when the assembly is in session.

The government had raised a concern that as there are panchayat elections, government staff are involved in the process of election. Hence, it will not be possible for them to work for panchayat elections...They will not be able to manage both the assembly session and panchayat election at the same time. So, we had requested the Speaker to take a two-week session, Sawant said.
July 7, 2022 -- In March 2022, chipmakers Intel, TSMC, and Samsung joined forces with ten industry giants including ASE Group, AMD, ARM, Qualcomm, Google, Microsoft, and Meta (Facebook) to launch UCle standard, a new Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express standard. In the same breath, Innosilicon, a domestic IP provider, ASIC design house, and GPU-enabled leader, announced the first homegrown development of Chiplet solution compatible with the UCIe standard IP solution - Innolink Chiplet, which is the first cross-process, cross-package Chiplet connectivity solution, and has been successfully verified in mass production on advanced processes.

 Innolink Chiplet Interconnection Overview

The demand for computing power, memory bandwidth, and storage capacity continue to grow due to the rising demand for high-performance computing, cloud computing, edge computing, IoT, 5G, AI, autonomous driving, and portable and wearable devices. The advanced process technologies are reaching their limit due to the dilemma of the long product fabrication cycle, high engineering cost, and low yield. In addition, the application of chips is getting more and more diversified, and the demand for power consumption and heat dissipation of chips is increasing. In this case, the chip design companies illustrate that when following the traditional way of having an entire chip manufactured in one single process, the development of the technology, cost, and yield are all contradictory factors. The Chiplet technology is rapidly being developed to solve this issue.

 Dramatic increases in development costs have been caused by increased transistor density and advanced process development.

Chiplets allow designers to create densely and power-efficient interconnects between processor cores, mixed-signal modules, memory and other device components. Chiplet technology is a different way of integrating multiple dies in a package or system. The multi-core (Die to Die) interconnection assembles Chiplets in a package and connects them using a die-to-die interconnect scheme. The use of shorter distance, lower power consumption, higher density chip bare die connection, breakthrough single chip (monolithic) performance, and yield bottleneck, reduce the development time, cost, and risk of larger chips, to achieve the integration of heterogeneous complex high-performance SoC, to meet the dies of different manufacturers.

 Multiple-core interconnection is what chiplet technology is all about.

Each company's own proprietorial standards were diverging from Chiplet's early development protocols.

In recent years, the tier one fabless Semiconductor companies and system houses, such as AMD, Apple, and Nvidia, have launched a number of Chiplet products and have achieved great success in various applications, further proving the feasibility and development prospects of Chipletization in the market.

Chip manufacturers were pushing their own proprietary standards which were not interoperable when they began designing and building Chiplet products. For example, Marvell's Kandou bus interface when launched its modular chip architecture, while NVIDIA had a high-speed interconnect NV Link solution for GPUs. Intel defined its EMIB (Embedded Die interconnect bridge) interface. TSMC and AARM cooperated on LIPINCON interconnect protocol. AMD also used their Infinity Fabrie bus interconnect technology and so on. Innosilicon was not far behind in delineating the Innolink Chiplet proprietary standard and achieving volume production in 2020.

Chiplets provide the path to integrate IP blocks that serve various functions and then package them according to an application. It enables the merging of multiple dies' computing power under large bandwidth to form a diverse and multi-process integrated circuit vessel. Apparently, if each Chip manufacturer were creating its own standard, this will lead to interconnection barriers between Chiplets from different vendors and limit the future development of Chiplet ecosystem. Therefore, to achieve high-speed interconnection between each Chiplet, it is necessary for chip design companies, EDA vendors, Foundries, packaging houses, and others in semiconductor industry chains to coordinate and establish a unified interface standard, so as to lay the foundation for the future development of Chiplet ecosystem in order to really reduce costs, and accelerate the development. Thus, the UCIe standard was born.

 Heterogeneous systems can be achieved with Chiplet technology with multiple cores.



 Apple's M1 Ultra chip applies Chiplet technology to double performance

The establishment of UCIe gives a strong impetus to the development of Chiplet connectivity standards.

The release of the UCIe standard has attracted much attention and discussion in the industry because it is a significant step forward in defining a common interconnect protocol for interoperability. This standard has been defined to be applicable to all types of Chiplet packaging technologies including wafer-level, package-on-package, and multi-chip module technologies. The UCIe has been built from the ground up with semiconductor industry participation and developed under the joint stewardship of leading semiconductor technology companies. Their main goal is to break through the Chiplet interconnect challenge, reduce the cost, and improve performance.

The Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express (UCIe) is an open specification that defines the interconnect between Chiplets within a package, enabling an open Chiplet community.

AMD, ARM, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. (ASE), Google Cloud, Intel Corporation, Meta, Microsoft, Qualcomm Incorporated, Samsung, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company are dedicated to this open industry standard organization to promote and further develop the technology, and to establish a global ecosystem supporting Chiplet design. It enables package-level interconnection between Chiplets with high bandwidth, low latency, low cost, low power consumption, etc. It can meet the insanely high demand for computing power, memory, storage, and interconnection in intensive high-computing applications including cloud, edge, enterprise, 5G, automotive, high-performance computing and mobile devices, etc. The ability to package and integrate different dies, which can come from different foundries or can be designed and packaged in different ways, is allowed by the UCIe standard.

Innolink Chiplet Solution Overview



 Mr. Zachary Gao, Innosilicon Chiplet Architect, presenting Innolink Chiplet Solution at ASIC Design Ecosystem Conference

Just two weeks after the official release of the UCle standard, the Innolink Chiplet was announced by Innosilicon as the first in-house developed interconnect PHY which is fully compliant with UCIe standard. It is because Innosilicon was in a pioneering role and started our research and development of the DDR-like Chiplet technology two years ago. At the Design Reuse Global Conference in 2020, Innosilicon first revealed Innolink A/B/C products to the industry. Innosilicon Chiplet Architect said: Innosilicon in the Chiplet technology field has accumulated a lot of experience from closely working, communicating, and exploring the requirements with TSMC, Intel, Samsung, Micron, and other industry leaders.

Innosilicon is proud that we have done due diligence and predicted what interconnect protocols will be used by the industry. The end result is that we are delivering our Innolink which is consistent with the UCIe standard and is the first world-leading independent UCIe Chiplet solution.

 Innolink A/B/C implementation

Innolink Chiplet, a forward-thinking innovative technology for the Interconnection solution

SerDes technology is used by companies in the Semiconductor industry because they believe that the cross-process and cross-package nature of Chiplet will expose them to complex signal paths. According to Innosilicon's extensive research of various Chiplet applications, technologies, and trends, we believe that Chiplet will be much better applied if it's interfaced with DDR-like protocol and that different packaging types require the use of differential DDR technology solutions.

The route from Die to Die, to the die interconnect, to the interposer, and to the package is very short. The signal integrity is very good. The use of DDR-like technology in Chiplet application to optimize the power efficiency with high bandwidth throughput is more beneficial according to the conclusion of Innoslicon.

Not to mention, the Chiplet technology enables the device to achieve high bandwidth and low power. DDR technology meets the comprehensive requirements of high density, low power, and low latency of multi-die interconnection, which makes multiple dies work as a single die and extends the single interconnect bus to dies. By considering all the aforementioned factors, Innosilicon adopted DDR-like protocols in Innolink-B/C PHY development to provide a high-speed, high-density, and high-bandwidth interconnection solution based on GDDR6/LPDDR5 technology.

A multi-chip module (MCM) is generically an electronic assembly (such as a package with a number of conductor terminals or "pins") where multiple integrated circuits or Chiplet, semiconductor dies and/or other discrete components are integrated, usually onto a unifying substrate. MCM is cost-effective and is the first choice for Chiplet applications. On the other hand, the advanced package such as Interposer, with high density, low yield rate, high cost, is another option for high-performance applications that are not price sensitive. Before the official release of UCIe specification, Innosilicon has made the benchmark of the MCM vs Interposer technologies in the early feasibility study stage of Innolink-B/C products and verified its accurate judgment of the market prospect and Chiplet technology trend.

UCIe defines the key performance indicators for different packaging standards

For lengthy trace routing on PCB or cable, Innolink-A technology provides SerDes differential signal-based connection solution to compensate for the signal attenuation of a long trace. The differential signaling is more immune to noise and distortion so that the signals are less affected by impedance mismatch. SerDes differential signaling also requires less power than single-ended signaling. With the power savings, the signal integrity of differential signaling can be enhanced.

Innolink-A/B/C family product enables cross-process, cross-package Chiplet mass production solutions, making Inosilicon the industry leader in the Chiplet world. In addition to Innolink Chiplet IP offering, Innosilicon also provides package design, reliability/qualification service, signal integrity analysis, DFT insertion, thermal simulation, and test vector generation to form a complete Chiplet solution.

 Innolink Chiplet design incorporates advanced UCIe's Chiplet connection standard across different packaging types

The figure illustrates that UCIe is divided into 3 layers, Protocol Layer, die-to-die Adapter interconnection layer, and Physical Layer. Among them, the protocol layer is the commonly used PCIE, CXL, and other upper-layer protocols, the bottom Die to Die and PHY physical layer, that is, and Innolink the same structure of implementation is adopted.

In summary, Innosilicon's rich high-speed design experience, combined with its strong heritage knowledge, including SerDes, GDDR6/6X, LPDDR5/DDR5, HBM3, substrate, interposer, signal integrity, advanced process packaging, and proven through a large number of tier-one customers in volume production. This is undeniably the outcome of the long-term R&D investment and dedication of skilled talents at Innosilicon. Innosilicon accurately modernized the direction of Chiplet technology and completed the design verification with foresight, which is consistent with the later deployed UCIe technology specifications, laying the foundation for Innolink to be compatible with UCIe standard and become the industry-leading solution.

Innolink Chiplet ammunition is maturely available for customers who want to build UCIe products

The Innolink Chiplet represents the marriage of Innosilicons leading high-speed interconnect IP with our advanced semiconductor manufacturing technologies. Next, we'll talk about what role technology, our experience, and work contribution are involved but not limited to.

 18Gbps GDDR6 Single-Ended Eye validated from volume production



 21Gbps PAM4 DQ Eye, single-ended

 HBM3 6.4Gbps high-speed eye diagram

 World's first GDDR6/6X combo ASIC product shipped in volume

 32/56G SerDes Eye Diagram

 Innosilicon Fantasy-1, an 4K High-Performance GPU adopting Innolink Chiplet technology with a 2x performance boost.

 Signal Integrity Analysis for the advanced package

 Thermal Simulation at the Package level

Realizing those roles of technology, experience, and work contribution to the step-to-step high-speed products accomplishments made by Innosilicon, we all know that Rome is not built in a single day. There isn't a shortcut or magic here. Innosilicon's technology team is always on the move, seeking the best solutions and solutions to the latest Chiplet trend and problems. Innosilicon technology team is always committed to innovation and to continuous improvement. We are always ready to take on new challenges and opportunities. This makes Innosilicon have the confidence and experience to create and manufacture high-end semiconductor IP in the semiconductor industry.

Great leadership

The CEO of Innosilicon, Mr. Gordon Ao, comes from a technical background and knows how to motivate the entire team. Gordon always encourages everyone to think outside the box and come up with innovative ideas. He is dedicated himself leading the mixed-signal design group and is in charge of top-level architecture design, micro-level circuit design, area, and power optimization. Gordon believes that the Innosilicon's success lies in the dedication and commitment of the team. There is no room for error. He also believes that the success of Innosilicon relies on innovation, creativity, the keen judgment of the market, and continuous lead in technology development. With all the dedication and contribution, It is not surprising that Innosilicon R&D team can continue to overcome the technical challenges and has created hundreds of advanced intellectual properties that Innosilicon is uniquely positioned to provide.

Gordon believes that the demand for the advanced process of high-performance application-specific integrated circuits is growing at an exponential rate. The demand is driven by a variety of high-speed applications, where smaller and more powerful integrated circuits are required to meet consumer expectations. The demands of these applications are driving the evolution of the semiconductor industry in ways that Gordon has not seen before. Based on its dynamic landscape, Gordon oversees the importance of Chiplet technology and believes that the future of advanced technology lies in the use of Chiplet technology, a technology that he is convinced will be adopted within the next decade.

 The CEO is personally involved in the product research and development work, leading the team to strive for leadership!

 Mr. Gordon Ao, CEO of Innosilicon, was presenting in China IP and ASIC design Ecosystem conference

The Importance of quality IP availability in FinFet technology nodes

Delivering an advanced quality IP is a complicated process, from digital to analog, front-end/back-end design implementation to product tape out, to the package and testing, to the IP validation and yield improvement required by all seasoned professionals. With its 16 years of design and manufacturing experience, Innosilicon has chartered a core competence team and its products are being widely used in various high-speed applications by well-known industrial leaders. Innosilicon, a latecomer to the IP industry has been making tremendous progress in the last couple of years and gained a sizable high-speed IP market share.

Innosilicon has also gained industry recognition for being a valuable partner to multiple foundries. We are able to get substantial support from our foundry partners in terms of process, cost, and capacity. Together, these benefits come together to stronger Innosilicon because we take a frontier role in FinFet IP development.

As the world continues to shift toward a more high-performance computing decade, the importance of advanced IP technology processes such as FinFets technology is expected to rise. A visionary customer looks forward to 3 to 7 years of their product cycle and the same product strategy is agreed upon by Innosilicon. Therefore, Innosilicon wants to drive the market instead of the market driving us. The emerging-market can be served and prolong the product life cycle with the availability of FinFet intellectual property offered by Innosilicon.

 2021 IP and ASIC Design Ecosystem Conference sponsored and hosted by Innosilicon

Innosilicon provides leading-edge solutions for customers seeking cost, size, and power reduction while improving performance and reducing their time to market. In the past 16 years, Innosilicon achieves our customers goals through the design, development, and silicon verified IP (intellectual property), production of SoC (System on Chip) solutions, ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) in various field domains such as high-performance computing, multi-media terminals, automotive electronics platforms, IoT platforms, etc. Innosilicon has been acknowledged by the industry for its innovative IP solutions and has taped out over 200 successful designs, developed over 1000 silicon verified IP (intellectual property) blocks, over 6 billion devices with our embedded intellectual properties, and over 1 billion high-end custom ASICs.






China safeguards ethnic minorities' various rights by law: scholars

Xinhua) 10:55, July 07, 2022

BEIJING, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and foreign scholars at a seminar on Tuesday said that China, as a unified multiethnic country, safeguards ethnic minorities' various rights by law and has made important contributions to the development of international human rights cause.

The seminar, a side event of the 50th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, was attended by 18 representatives from seven countries.

China stays committed to acting in accordance with the law and using the law to protect the legitimate rights and interests of ethnic minorities, said Pan Hongxiang, deputy head of the China Ethnic Minorities' Association for External Exchanges and dean of the school of law at South-Central Minzu University.

China adheres to the principle that all ethnic groups are equal, and has established a relatively complete system of laws and regulations to protect the human rights of ethnic minorities, said Ye Bo, executive vice secretary-general of the China Ethnic Minorities' Association for External Exchanges.

Representatives of experts and overseas students from Britain, Kyrgyzstan, New Zealand, and Rwanda lauded China's practices in protecting the rights of ethnic minorities in accordance with the law based on their personal experiences and feelings in China.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
Suh Hoon, left, and Park Jie-won, former heads of the National Intelligence Service / Yonhap



Prosecutors said Thursday they have begun investigating two former chiefs of the state spy agency over allegations they mishandled two separate incidents involving North Korea, allegedly to curry favor with Pyongyang.



The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office said it has allocated the cases of Park Jie-won, a former head of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), and his predecessor, Suh Hoon, to two separate teams. The two served as the NIS chiefs under the former Moon Jae-in administration.



On Wednesday, the NIS filed a complaint against Park for deleting intelligence-related reports without authorization in regard to North Korea's killing of a South Korean fisheries official in September 2020.



The 47-year-old official, Lee Dae-jun, was fatally shot by the North's coast guard near the Yellow Sea border between the two Koreas, a day after going missing while on duty on board a fishery inspection boat.



The then government of President Moon Jae-in concluded at the time that the official was killed while attempting to defect to the North, but that conclusion was overturned last month as the Coast Guard announced it has found no concrete evidence backing the defection allegations.



Park served as the NIS chief from July 2020 to May 2022 until President Yoon Suk-yeol took office.



The former spy chief flatly denied the allegations in a radio interview with CBS, claiming it is impossible to delete the original file stored at the NIS server, and if he did so, it would leave a record of the deletion.



"Why would I do such a foolish thing?," Park said, adding no NIS director or an official would commit such an act when they can be imprisoned after a new government takes office and checks the record.



Separately, the NIS also requested the prosecution look into a suspicion that Suh ordered an early end to an internal investigation into the case of two North Korean fishermen who were sent back to the North in November 2019 after being captured near the eastern inter-Korean sea border.



The investigation into a North Korean defector usually takes between 15 days and one month, but the probe at the time only took around three to four days.



Suh worked as head of the NIS from 2017 to 2020 and then served as Moon's national security adviser for two years. (Yonhap)


India, Australia to develop critical metal projects, supply chains

Australia and India on Monday agreed to a partnership to strengthen their co-operation in developing critical metal projects and supply chains, Australia's resources minister Madeleine King said.

King said Australia would commit A$5.8 million ($3.98 million) towards a three-year investment partnership, while signing an agreement between critical minerals firm Khanij Bidesh India Ltd and the Critical Minerals Facilitation Office of Australia (CMFO).

Both the Indian company and CMFO will jointly fund a due diligence study in lithium and cobalt mineral assets of Australia with an initial amount of $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 (memorandum of understanding)," said minister King.

The partnership will help India move closer to realising its ambition to develop secure, robust and commercially viable strategic critical minerals as part of its larger mission to transition to clean sources of energy.

This comes as part of the six-day tour by union minister of parliamentary affairs, coal and mines, Pralhad Joshi to Australia which began on 3 July 2022.

Joshi will be visiting mineral-rich sites of Tianqi Lithium Kwinana and Greenbushes Mine.

During his visit, Joshi will aim to build on the MoU signed between Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL), a joint venture of three CPSEs under the ministry of mines, and Critical Minerals Facilitation Office (CMFO), of the Australian government, which aims at strengthening bilateral trade relationship and lays the path to deliver on a shared ambition to develop secure, robust and commercially viable critical minerals supply chains.

The India-Australia Critical Minerals Investment Partnership envisages joint investment for viable lithium and cobalt projects in Australia, which is critical for Indias transition towards clean energy ambitions. The steps will complement Indias mineral security for e-mobility initiatives and other diversified sectors entailing usage of critical and strategic minerals.

Demand for critical metals like lithium and cobalt has soared in recent times due to their usage in electric vehicles amid a global push towards cleaner sources of energy to tackle climate change.

At the same time, countries like the United States, Australia and India are pushing to develop new sources of critical minerals to counter China's dominance over those supply chains.
Leo Varadkar has accused political opponents of going to extraordinary lengths to push claims he broke the law by leaking a GP contract.

The Irish deputy leader said the actions of his rivals were politically motivated and often highly personalised.

It was confirmed on Wednesday that Mr Varadkar will not face prosecution over the leaking of the contract in 2019.

The Tanaiste said his disclosure of the document was lawful and he did so in the public interest.

I accept that my use of an informal personal channel was inappropriate. It was my error and I bear sole responsibility for it, he said.

However, the allegations made against me, that it was anything more than error, were false. They were made by sworn political opponents of me and my party.

I know that I did not break any law, do anything corrupt or even self-interested. That is now clear to any fair-minded person.

Those who made these allegations went to extraordinary lengths to publicise them.

Their actions were politically motivated and often highly personalised at times.

The tactics and motives of those persons ought to be the subject of some reflection.

It is now a matter of public record that at least one of those persons was subject to investigation in respect of their own conduct in this affair.

The Tanaiste had been under investigation for passing a copy of the official document to a friend of his while he was taoiseach.

Mr Varadkar has admitted that in April 2019 he sent a copy of a doctors pay deal between the State and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) to Dr Maitiu O Tuathail.

Dr O Tuathail was head of the rival organisation, the National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP), at the time.

Mr Varadkar has apologised for disclosing the document.

Mr Varadkar was told by his solicitor on Wednesday that the DPP said he will not face prosecution for his disclosure of the document to Dr O Tuathail.

This followed a thorough and meticulous investigation carried out by An Garda Siochana involving dozens of interviews and the examination of multiple documents and devices, Mr Varadkar said in a statement on Thursday.

My disclosure of the document to the president of the NAGP was lawful and I did so in the public interest.

I was determined to secure that organisations support for the agreement we had reached with another organisation on behalf of general practitioners.

I want to thank the Taoiseach (Micheal Martin), Minister (Eamon) Ryan, the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party and party members, my staff, family, partner and friends for their trust, confidence and faith in me and for their patience.

It has been a difficult and uncertain period for all of us.

I am very aware that many people and politicians are not allowed due process, the benefit of the doubt or the presumption of innocence.

I am very grateful that  because of them  I was. It is something I will reflect on further.

I also want to thank my legal advisers. I have a greater understanding now of the importance of legal representation and advice.

I look forward to continuing my work as Tanaiste, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, TD for Dublin West and leader of Fine Gael.

These are responsibilities that I relish and there is so much more I want to do.

In a statement to the PA news agency, Gardai said: Following a Garda investigation, a comprehensive investigation file was submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has directed no prosecution against any individual in this investigation.
The first north-south youth forum met recently in Belfast to discuss the main issues affecting young people on the island of Ireland. Youth organisations from the four provinces met to analyse their findings that were gathered from local workshops across the island. These workshops saw hundreds of young people attend and have their voice heard. Louth, Galway, Cork and Derry/Londenderry were represented at the forum.

Chris Quinn, Director of the Northern Ireland Youth Forum, who hosted the forum stated that it was vital that politicians north and south begin listening and acting on the views of young people.

Increased resources for youth mental health services was the seen as the main issue affecting young people today. Better relationships with policing, identity, poverty, education and drug and alcohol misuse were other major issues discussed by the young people.

Louth's Cllr Paddy McQuillan (below), who attended the forum, was the only representative there from the political sphere. It was an honour to be able to attend, to hear the issues affecting our youth and I was delighted to have been able to speak with the young people there", he commented.

"It was apparent that whatever their cultural or social background, issues affecting young people are very similar. The lack of mental health services throughout the island was alarmingly apparent. It is clear that the youth want their voices heard on such pressing issues.

Chloe Kelly who represented Youth Work Ireland Louth said, The Forum has been an incredible experience for young people across the island who want to have their say on matters that affect them.

The findings will be put together in a manifesto and presented to The Oireachtas, the North South Ministerial Council and Stormant, when it returns.

Its an old cliche but the youth really are our future, so we must care for them. The policy makers north and south must sit up and listen to the findings of this North South Youth Forum and act on them. I would like to congratulate all the young people who participated in this important research and in particular the four youth organisations that presented the findings, Cllr Mc Quillan added.
Local Labour Councillor Elaine McGinty has confirmed that safety concerns at Drogheda Retail Park have finally been addressed following a year of intense local campaigning and engagement with management company.

Councillor McGinty said: For over a year, I have been engaging with Bannon Commercial Property Consultants, who are the management company in charge of Drogheda Retail Park, Donore Road.

"I am delighted to announce that the public lighting system is to be switched on."

"For far too long this stretch of road has been a danger to walkers and runners due to the lack of public lighting.

"Since engaging with the management company, works to re-establishing the power to the public lighting system at the access road has been completed and the lights are now ready to be switched on.

"There were significant delays due to the certification process with ESB, which has been resolved. Now that the work has been completed, the lights are to be signed over to the lighting department in Electric Ireland.

"In order to expeditated the process, Bannon have enlisted the help of a third-party energy consultant.

The introduction of this new lighting system will hold great importance for the people of Drogheda and surrounding areas. The installation will act as a safety measure, creating a heightened feeling of security and comfort for the local people."
Colin Fee and Paddy OHanlon of Maxol Dublin Road and Seaview, Dundalk emerged as the winners of the Heroes for the Community category in the ECR Heroes Awards, which celebrate and honour the standout heroes across the Irish grocery sector.

The ECR Heroes Awards took place on Thursday 30 June in the beautiful surrounds of the Keadeen Hotel, Co. Kildare. Shortlisted individuals and teams from all over the country came together to celebrate and honour the standout heroes across the Irish grocery sector who deserve to be celebrated for their contribution to both the industry and the communities they serve.

Shortlisted nominees were required to submit a video giving an insight into their contribution in terms of the award they were nominated for and these were showcased on the day, before a winner was selected for each category as well as an overall winner.

In the Heroes for the Community category Colin Fee & Paddy OHanlon of Maxol Dublin Road and Seaview, Dundalk emerged as the winners through their amazing work in the local community ranging from defibrillator installations and local sport sponsorships to raising funds for numerous charities and supporting local causes.

Each month the teams at Maxol Dublin Road and Seaview choose a new local charity to support and fundraise for. Once the charity is chosen, the teams facilitate bucket collections in the stores and place buckets around the store and ask customers to contribute what they can. To make customers aware they share information about the charity on the store's Facebook pages and promote the partnership through point-of-sale advertising in-stores and on the forecourts.



A recent example of the community work was a fundraising campaign he organised to raise money for Breast Cancer Ireland. Throughout May, 50 cent from each sale of Maxol's pre-packed sandwiches and salads at the service stations was donated to the charity. The initiative raised over 2,000 and helped encourage customers to get involved in Breast Cancer Irelands 100km challenge.

ECR Ireland was established in 1998 to promote the development & adoption of better practices for joint retailer/supplier initiatives. A not for profit organisation, they encourage long-term co-operation between trading partners to better serve the Irish consumer and drive costs out of the supply chain. This is achieved through development of industry best practices, promotion of their adoption and providing education and guidance on key demand side and supply chain issues. ECR is comprised of a selection of retailers and suppliers operating in Ireland across the food, drink & grocery, pharmacy and hardware sectors.
By Kim Seung-jin





The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our overall life pattern. Numerous companies have also diversified their working forms to cope with the COVID-19 era, and the proportion of telecommuting and remote work has increased. As the proportion of non-face-to-face work increases, numerous services for smoother and more efficient work are being introduced. However, some argue that these services are like a modern-day "Big Brother."



This is due to the advent of "bossware," which refers to enterprise software and services used to monitor and analyze employees' computer and smartphone activities. Recently, the function of "bossware" has been strengthened considerably, raising criticism of excessive surveillance.



As an example of "bossware," in the U.K., there has been controversy over Amazon's installation of AI cameras in delivery vehicles since last month. This is because drivers were monitored by AI cameras and their performances were reflected in wages. Also, in the United States, some IT companies filmed employees with web cameras, sparking controversy.



The reason companies use "bossware" is because they find it difficult to keep tabs on their employees or whether they are working from home. In Korea, few companies use employee monitoring systems when telecommuting. However, Kakao was recently criticized for trying to introduce a work system related to this. Thus, attempts to introduce it in Korea have faced resistance.



With the COVID-19 pandemic, the non-face-to-face work method has become an inevitable trend. Since companies have experienced the possibility of a new way of working, telecommuting will not disappear even after the pandemic ends. In this process, a problem arises in which the boundary between reasonable absenteeism and tardiness management and labor monitoring becomes blurred. "Bossware" will certainly solve the problem of absenteeism from telecommuting, but I think it can be harmful from a long-term perspective because it can undermine the credibility and morale of employees.



Today's corporate organizational culture is not an authoritative one, but a concept of partners in which the relationship between employers and employees is subjectively influenced by each other in a horizontal relationship. From the perspective of the MZ generation, this culture has become apparent because of a change in thinking that values a balance between work and privacy.



In an era of changing perceptions of the workplace, companies will have to try to find ways to provide their employees with a preferred working environment and elicit potential and motivation. Therefore, I think that even if companies need to manage workers' absenteeism and tardiness, sufficient consent between employers and workers should be obtained.



Currently, the regulations on labor monitoring under the Labor Relations Act are insufficient. To solve the labor monitoring problem, a labor standard law must be created that clearly defines monitoring facilities and specifies them as one of the working conditions. In addition, if it is necessary to monitor absenteeism and tardiness, conditions that clarify and accept the consent process between the parties should come first.



The digital labor monitoring has been viewed with suspicion for a long time, but it does not exceed the pace of development of digital technology. I look forward to the emergence of related laws as soon as possible so that companies can promote sustainable development and our society can advance further.





The writer is a sophomore at the Department of International Relations of the University of Seoul.


Dundalk Chamber has initiated a series of meetings with Drogheda and Newry Chambers. The meetings were also attended by representatives `of Louth and Meath LEO.

The meetings have been hosted by Dr. Michael Mulvey President DKIT and Paddy Malone as both Chair of DkIT and PRO of Dundalk Chamber

The aims of the meetings are to explore opportunities to collaborate.

The region, The M1 Corridor was identified in the 2040 National Development Plan,NDP, 2040 as of equal status as the cities and therefore expected to be an economic hub in its own right that will sustain itself and grow.

The Chamber say that the M1 Corridor has a number of unique opportunities as it is midway between Dublin Belfast and the new C8 (The 8 Local Authorities in the region).

The challenge, they say, is to create an area independent of the two cities which can sustain both Foreign Direct Investment and domestic/indigenous business.

They say this can be achieved by businesses supporting each other and the role of DkIT, LMETB and the SRC in Newry together with other stakeholders is of critical importance in upskilling and training. Dundalk Chamber has through Aidan Callan and Skillnets already been active.

Aidan Browne Head of the DkIT regional Development Centre has been successfully engaging with business.

According to them the area is also ideally placed to participate in the All-Island Government Initiative, either through collaboration on existing projects or identifying new opportunities.

They also say the tourist industry, with on the Southern side, the Boyne and the world Heritage site at Newgrange and the Cooley Mourne Gullion panorama to the North, is ideally situated to further develop both domestic and international tourism markets.

The website www.m1corridor.ie which was created in response to the NDP highlights that 2,300,000 live within an hour of Drogheda/Dundalk the largest concentration of people on the island.
Irish premier Micheal Martin has said it was difficult to comprehend the level of cruelty that has been widespread in Ukraine.

Following his visit to the war-torn country, Mr Martin said he was impressed by the resilience of the Ukrainian people, describing his time there as very emotional.

The Fianna Fail leader returned to Dublin on Thursday after he spent a day witnessing the devastation inflicted by invading Russian forces in the conflict-scarred suburbs of Kyiv that have borne the brunt of the offensive on the city.

The tour included a sombre visit to the site of a mass grave in the grounds of a church in Bucha.

Mr Martin held a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Ukrainian capital.

He said: We met, first-hand, many communities who have been very traumatised at the level of atrocities that were carried out on their peoples by Russian Federation soldiers in Bucha and Borodyanka.

It was very difficult to comprehend the level of cruelty and inhumanity that happened and that continues to happen in Ukraine.

Asked what were the lasting impressions of his visit, Mr Martin replied that it is the resilience of the Ukrainian people.

When youre in a place like Bucha and you have to visualise the Russian troops were there, which was on the outskirts of Kyiv and that the Ukrainian military and people managed to push them back out again, he added.

That to me demonstrated extraordinary resilience on behalf of the people of Ukraine.

And then the needless atrocities and deaths, particularly the deaths of children.

During a visit to a museum, Mr Martin placed a teddy bear at a memorial to the children killed in the conflict.

Mr Martin then visited a memorial commemorating the lives lost in the Holodomor famine in Ukraine in the early 1930s.

Its very hard to comprehend how any man can start a war which results in the deaths and the murder of so many children, he added.

As we left Kyiv last evening, there is an exhibition in the railway which documents the terrible scenes we all saw on our TV screens of thousands and thousands of people fleeing to leave.

Very, very emotional exhibition.

Mr Martin also said it is very heartening to see the EU and the United Kingdom working well in its response to the war.

Its very clear that they value the range of support that they have had from the European Union and the United Kingdom, he added.

It brought home to me the importance of our humanitarian response, in terms of our decision very early on, which is very much appreciated by the Ukrainian government, to accept refugees fleeing war, and people who were displaced, fleeing war.

And also our very strong advocacy for Ukraine to be members of the European Union.

That was acknowledged and articulated yesterday.
By Carl Bildt





STOCKHOLM  Russian President Vladimir Putin's intentions in Ukraine are not in doubt. He wants to end its status as an independent political entity and incorporate its territory within the Russian Federation. In his opinion, achieving this goal would undo two great historical errors committed in the last century: first, allowing a Ukrainian republic to exist within the Soviet Union, and, second, allowing this republic to become an independent nation-state.



How likely is this outcome? In theory, the Russian army could slog brutally across Ukraine's vast plains for many years, reducing its urban centers to rubble. But one lesson from the areas Russia has managed to occupy since Feb. 24 is that it also would need to establish a harsh regime of repression, forced Russification, and outright elimination of opponents. This would require a massive, widespread mobilization of resources in Russia.



So far, Putin has been reluctant to order any such mobilization, or even to speak in terms of war. In the four months since the invasion began, the Russian people have been told that there is merely a "special military operation" in Ukraine. Additional army recruitment has largely come from Russia's less developed areas, where high unemployment leaves young men with few alternatives.



In any case, intensified repression and increasingly hysterical propaganda would be necessary to sustain a wartime mobilization within Russia. The Kremlin's messaging would most likely focus increasingly on establishing a narrative making the case for a necessary, righteous war with the entire West, which will duly be described as a cohort of Nazis bent on destroying Russia.



Mounting Russian casualties  which are already higher than from the decade-long Soviet war in Afghanistan  will be a problem; but if recruitment efforts steer clear of major urban areas, it might be manageable.



A fully mobilized Russia would be a country completely decoupled from the West. Since harsh sanctions will remain in place, Russian industry would be forced to climb down the technology ladder, putting a powerful brake on vast new oil and gas projects in the Arctic, where the Kremlin has staked the country's economic future.



Russia would have to become dramatically more dependent on China. But it is unclear how long the Chinese government would play along with a "rescue Russia" policy, nor is there any reason to believe that India would choose Russia over the United States as its technology partner for the future. As the Kremlin's intentions in Ukraine become clearer, any remaining international support is likely to dwindle further. Putin has set his country on a course that is highly problematic, if not utterly catastrophic.



Meanwhile, with its recent decision to make Ukraine (and Moldova) a candidate for membership, the European Union has taken a huge strategic step that will have far-reaching implications in the years ahead. Whereas Putin radically escalated his efforts to eliminate Ukraine in February, the EU has now doubled down on supporting the country and helping it build a brighter future.



Of course, formal Ukrainian membership is not imminent. While Ukraine made some progress by implementing an extensive free trade and association agreement with the EU in 2014, it still has a long way to go to meet all the requirements for membership. Nonetheless, by inviting Ukraine to join, the EU has committed itself to upholding the survival of the Ukrainian state in the face of the Russian onslaught. Apart from the military assistance now flowing in, this will require very substantial financial support for as long as Russia's aggression continues. War is expensive.



Europe has made the right move. The unraveling and eventual elimination of a European state would threaten all Europeans' security, not to mention undermining global stability and opening a Pandora's box of other issues. Are there any other borders in the vast space between the Vistula and Volga rivers where borders could be moved or eliminated, as they have many times before in history?



Are there other states that could be eliminated from the roster of United Nations members? These are not idle questions. Putin has already indicated that he thinks as little of Kazakhstan's sovereignty as he does of Ukraine's.



The EU has made clear that it intends to stand firm in defense of existing states, recognizing that the inviolability of borders is the foundation of European security and global order. It therefore must be firm in not recognizing any Russian-occupied territory  including Crimea. It is now simply inconceivable that the EU will accept Ukraine's violent dismemberment or elimination.



The question, then, is whether Putin can agree to back down, or whether regime change or state collapse will be required to bring about a similar outcome. That is fundamentally where the aggressive war that Putin launched on Feb. 24 is bound to lead.





Carl Bildt is a former prime minister and foreign minister of Sweden. This article was distributed by Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org).




CLOSE to 14,000 has been raised by a group of cyclists for Epilepsy Ireland who cycled 600km in three days.

Seventeen members of East Cork Tribe, a triathlon group, cycled Malin to Mizen last weekend.

The team of cyclists climbed 5,500 metres over 600km to get to Mizen between Friday, July 1, Saturday, July 2, and Sunday, July 3.

The group raised the money in memory of Marie Sexton, who died due to SUDEP sudden adult death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) last May.

Maries sister Tina Forde, who came up with the idea and cycled the route with 16 others, said she wanted to mark her sisters fortieth birthday, which was last Wednesday, June 29.

Malin to Mizen is a bucket list thing for a lot of us, so we wanted to do it and we wanted to mark Maries birthday and it just seemed like a good idea. Tina said it was a tough three days, but the East Cork Tribe kept each other going, supporting each other through the hills and the rain.

Friday was the toughest day, we cycled 200km and the wind and the rain was horrendous from 120km in. Thankfully Tina said the close-knit nature of the group kept everyone going strong.

The banter was great and the craic was mighty. East Cork Tribe is a solid unit of friends, we kept each other going.

Tina said they were emotional days. We had some great laughs and it was lovely to do something for my older sisters birthday and to donate to Epilepsy Ireland.

The group have managed to raise almost 12,000 online through a fundraiser, but they estimate they have another 2,000 in cash through donations and collections locally. I want the money to go to research. My sisters death was rare and I would love if they could figure out how to stop it from happening.

The East Cork Tribe member said the group were already planning their next adventure.
A young man causing a drunken disturbance in Cork city centre was required by a garda to give his identification details and he replied, I am Muhammed Ali.

Sergeant Gearoid Davis described the background to three public order incidents  one in Cork city, another at a garda station and the third at Cork airport  involving Adam Settini of Bellevue Crescent, Old Youghal Road, Mayfield.

In respect of the incident where Settini pleaded guilty to being threatening and abusive as well as being drunk and a danger, it occurred on August 7 2021.

Garda Razvan Ghetau was on mountain bike patrol when Adam Settini was seen shouting at passers-by on Patricks Street.

He gestured aggressively. Adam Settini squared up to Garda Ghetau and was shouting words in a foreign language.

Garda Ghetau asked for his name and address and date of birth. He refused to give his details. Adam Settini stated that his name was Muhammad Ali.

On July 27 2021 around 3am Garda Don McCarthy was on duty in the public office at Anglesea Street when a taxi-driver came in with the 24-year-old who was intoxicated and abusive.

Two days earlier at Cork airport he was arrested for being drunk and a danger to himself or others. Gardai responded to a call to attend the airport.

He was arrested for being drunk and a danger and was taken to Togher garda station.

Defence comments

Defence solicitor, Diarmuid Kelleher, said that contrary to the initial indication from the probation service, the young man was willing to be supervised.

Mr Kelleher said the young man was in an out of psychiatric treatment and that this was compounded by alcohol addiction.

The defence solicitor said the defendants mental health had improved and that he now had an opportunity to travel to Germany to work with horses. Mr Kelleher said the accused was anxious to take up the opportunity.

He was a very good Gaelic football player in Bandon when he was in school.

"Apparently, he is very talented.

Around the time of these incidents there was a complete mental health breakdown and he was speaking gibberish, Mr Kelleher said.

Judge Olann Kelleher imposed two 100 fines and said in respect of the threatening charge that he would put the accused on a 12-month probation bond.
The peak of the current Covid wave is within a week away, according to Professor of Immunology in DCU, Christine Loscher.

Professor Loscher said we are nearly at the peak.

Were probably maybe a week out. The positivity rate looks like it's plateauing. We look at the pattern in Portugal, it climbed for five or six weeks and we are in week four or five of our climb here.

I think we are nearly at the peak and it will start to plateau. Hospitals and ICUs will lag behind a little bit so they are still climbing, and even if our numbers plateau, we are likely to see the numbers climb for the next few weeks.

The Immunology expert said she thought we are not seeing the full extent of the Covid wave in reports.

Read More Man causing drunken disturbance in Cork city told Gardai he was Muhammed Ali

I do think we are nearly there. Even though we are only reporting around 5000 cases between PCR and antigen test I would say it is easily two to three times that at the moment. In relation to the next wave, Professor Loscher told 'Today with Claire Byrne' on RTE Radio One that October/November is likely, but it was hard to call.

I think if we are sticking with Omicron, the subvariants have arisen every three months, so we are thinking of moving on from A4/A5, you might be thinking October or November we would potentially see the next subvariant of omicron, but really, we are at the mercy of the virus, in terms of what happens next with its behaviour, whether it's another subvariant which will be mild or a completely new variant, there is a lot of unknown in that, but I do think decision making about the vaccination practice is for the winter is a priority at the moment.

Dr Yvonne Williams said it was best practice at the moment to presume everyone has Covid.

There is Covid everywhere at the moment I think the positivity rate on the testing rate is running close to 40%, and that was as low as 1% at one stage, so we are not even picking up the vast majority of cases. So it is back to the early days, presume everyone has it. If you go into a busy shop or supermarket, there may be someone there with Covid who may or may not know they have symptoms.
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

Bees on a honeycomb at an apiary in New South Wales, Australia in April of 2021. GREGORY PLESSE / AFP via Getty Images

In New South Wales, Australia, an outbreak of varroa mite parasites, also called varroa destructors which are deadly to honey bees, has led to the culling of over 15 million bees since the parasite was first detected on June 22.

New South Wales Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders said that bees in 1,533 hives have been euthanized. The bees were located from the central to the mid-north coasts and in Narrabri in the northwest. With each hive containing between 10,000 and 30,000 individual bees, an estimated 15 million to 45 million bees have been killed in order to control the parasites.

[Bees] do breed up again very quickly but its about making sure youve got all of the people still wanting to stay in the industry after its been decimated like this, Saunders said, as reported by The Guardian.

In addition to euthanizing bees, the government has also restricted movement of bees to prevent the parasite from spreading, but beekeepers are concerned about being able to move the bees again in time for almond pollination, which begins in August.

Its about making sure that were not risking moving a devastating disease into an area that it isnt [devastating] currently, Saunders said. If we can have a good way of identifying where hives might come from to be part of the pollination, and if everyone feels safe around how that can work, then fantastic.

Beekeepers will be compensated for bees, hives and additional equipment destroyed during the eradication process, but the government has not agreed to cover lost income for beekeepers impacted by the culling.

And culling efforts may not work. Sasha Mikheyev, professor at the Australian National University (ANU), told Phys.org that no other country has eradicated the mites, and the risk of the parasite spreading in Australia is still high. Mikheyev explained that similar outbreaks in other countries led to changes in beekeeping, including more chemical controls and higher pollination costs.

What makes eradication so difficult is that we have a very large population of feral western honey bees that live in the bush and are very hard to locate, so even if mite infected hives can be detected and destroyed, it is much harder to do the same with feral colonies, Mikheyev said.

Varroa mites are small, external parasites that primarily feed on honey bee larvae and pupae but can also live on adult honey bees. An infestation may take a few years to grow, and the mites can make it harder for honey bees to return to their hives after foraging. Ultimately, an infestation leads to the collapse and death of a honey bee colony.

Saunders remains optimistic in the fight against the parasites. Officials from New Zealand, which experienced an infestation in the early 2000s, are heading to Australia this week to share advice on battling these mites.

Everything we are doing is still working, Saunders said. Were finding more infected premises, as was expected. They are all linked, which is the good news part of it. We havent seen an unexpected outbreak somewhere. Weve just seen everything connected to a previous case, and thats important.
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

Oysters  bivalve molluscs that have been around for about 15 millions years  are beneficial for the environment in a variety of ways, including as a natural water filter. An adult oyster is able to filter as much as 50 gallons of water per day, or about as much as a ten-minute shower.

However, these shell-bearing marine animals have recently been found to be contaminated with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and phthalate esters (PAEs), toxic chemicals that present serious risks to the health of humans and wildlife.

Scientists from the Florida International University (FIU) Institute of Environment found that, out of the 156 oysters they sampled from Biscayne Bay, Tampa Bay and Marco Island, Florida, 100 percent of them were contaminated with PFAS and PAEs.

The findings, American oysters as bioindicators of emerging organic contaminants in Florida, United States, were recently published in the journal Science of the Total Environment.

I wanted to look into what were eating and if it might be contaminating us, said lead author of the study and an FIU distinguished postdoctoral scholar Leila Lemos in a FIU press release. These findings are definitely a red flag, especially for areas like Biscayne Bay.

Because oysters are filter-feeders, they can be a good indicator of the contamination levels of a particular ecosystem and whether that ecosystem is generally healthy.

Though they were some of the smallest oysters sampled in the study, Biscayne Bay oysters were the most contaminated, which surprised Lemos. The older the oyster, the longer it has had to accumulate toxins like PFAS and PAEs. The oysters from Tampa Bay didnt have close to as many of the contaminants as the Biscayne Bay oysters, even though they were much larger.

Biscayne Bay could be so contaminated, the oysters are bombarded with such high concentrations they accumulate contaminants more quickly, Lemos said, as The Hill reported.

Lemos said the growth of the oysters in Biscayne Bay was likely stunted by the contaminants, the press release said. The scientists found a strong connection between PFAS levels in the water and the weight and thickness of an oysters shell, with the highest levels of the toxins leading to the thinnest oyster shells.

The thousands of PFAS are mostly used in consumer and industrial products like fast food packaging, waterproof makeup, non-stick cookware, clothing, firefighting foam and other goods. PFAS build up in the air, water and soil and have been detected in human blood. They can cause kidney and liver damage and interfere with the functioning of the immune system, reproduction, human development and vaccine efficacy.

PAEs are also frequently used in consumer goods like cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food packaging and detergents. People and animals can be exposed to the chemicals by ingesting or inhaling them, as well as by coming into contact with contaminated dirt or soil. A link between exposure to PAEs and obesity, diabetes, allergies and asthma has been found in studies. PAEs have also been found to affect immune system function and reproductive health.

The researchers found that the health risk to humans of consuming oysters was low, though current analyses dont examine most compounds, just four PFAS and four PAEs. The study also didnt examine the possible dangers of consuming other marine creatures who may share the same highly-contaminated waters.

Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cautioned that PFAS are more hazardous than previously believed, even at levels that are undetectable.

The biggest dream is that the government can see these results and create new ways to clean our water and protect our environment, said Lemos in the press release.
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

In an ad campaign launched in 2019, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines invited airplane travelers and the rest of the aviation industry to join it in flying responsibly. A video advertisement released in July of that year said that customers could achieve this goal by scheduling virtual meetings when possible, taking the train instead, packing lighter and offsetting the carbon dioxide emissions from the flight.

Now, two Dutch environmental groups represented by ClientEarth are taking the airline to court over claims that its Fly Responsibly ad campaign amounts to greenwashing.

Were going to court to demand KLM tells the truth about its fossil-fuel dependent product. Hiske Arts, a campaigner at Fossielvrij Netherlands  one of the two groups behind the suit  said in a ClientEarth press release. Unchecked flying is one of the fastest ways to heat up the planet. Customers need to be informed and protected from claims that suggest it is not.

In a tweet announcing the suit, Fossielvrij Netherlands said it was the first greenwashing case brought against an airline.

 BREAKING: We just took #KLM to court, with support of @FVReclame and @ClientEarth.



Its the first ever case against an airline for misleading sustainability claims. As long as millions of people are being misled, we wont get the climate action we need. pic.twitter.com/jR8z9chsBZ  Fossielvrij NL (@FossielvrijNL) July 6, 2022

The Climate Case Against Flying

Flying is an extremely carbon-intensive activity. A roundtrip flight across the Atlantic generates the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as a single European resident heating their home for a year. Therefore, experts argue that air traffic must fall if the industry is to meet its climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. A recent report from Transport & Environment, for example, found that the net-zero goal could be achieved by ending EU airport expansion and reducing corporate travel to 50 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

The green groups behind the lawsuit  Reclame Fossielvrij in addition to Fossielvrij Netherlands  argue that KLMs ad campaign offers frequent flyers a false way out. It tells them that they can offset their flight emissions by paying for reforestation efforts or to support KLMs acquisition of biofuels. However, funding these projects doesnt actually compensate for the emissions generated by a present-day flight. These claims therefore violate European laws against misleading consumers, the groups argue.

Trying to reassure customers on the false premise that a small payment to tree planting projects or sustainable fuel contributions compensates for flight emissions undermines urgent climate action, is gravely misleading, and, the claim argues, is unlawful, ClientEarth lawyer Johnny White said in the press release.

The lawsuit also takes issue with KLMs claims that it is on track to meet its 2050 goals and creat[e] a more sustainable future despite plans to increase sales.

Suit in Transit

The environmental groups first presented their case to KLM in a letter sent to the companys Annual General Meeting in May. KLM executives then sat down with the groups representatives to discuss the demands a month later.

In the letter, the groups warned the company could face a financial penalty unless it stopped making misleading claims about the sustainability of flying, rectified its illegal actions and put a warning on its website clarifying what flying actually does to the climate.

We warned that if KLM did not stop misleading advertising, we would see the company in court, Arts said in the release. KLM has instead stuck by the false message that it is on the path to more sustainable flying. There is no way it can do this while planning continuous air traffic growth. KLM will now have to defend its misleading claims before a judge.

The groups filed the case Wednesday with the District Court of Amsterdam, according to Reuters.

In statements to the press, KLM continued to double down on the disrupted claims.

It would certainly not be in our interests to misinform our customers. Its our responsibility to make future travel as sustainable as possible, the company said in a statement reported by Reuters. We believe that our communications comply with the applicable legislation and regulations.

The court will now decide if the case can proceed and then rule once KLM has presented its defense, ClientEarth explained.

False Advertising

A day after the case was filed, a new report from InfluenceMap bolstered the claims by the environmental groups that KLMs business model is not truly climate friendly. In the report, the UK-based nonprofit looked at whether European airlines lobbied the bloc for positive or negative climate policies between 2021 and 2022. What it found was that the industry tended to support a long-term net-zero goal while arguing against the policies that would make that goal possible in the short term.

Further, it noticed a gap between the lobbying efforts of low-budget airlines like easyJet and Ryanair and so-called legacy airlines like Air France-KLM, with the latter putting up more opposition to policies that would reduce industry emissions. Of the legacy airlines, KLM was one of the worst offenders, earning a D in InfluenceMaps A to F ranking of climate policy engagement. For example, KLM lobbied against counting international flights departing from Europe in the EUs emissions trading system. It also sent an email to the EU Commission in October 2021 apparently opposing a tax on kerosene.

The aviation sector remains one of the key opponents of effective climate policy in Europe, InfluenceMap transport analyst Lucca Ewbank said in a statement emailed to EcoWatch. However there have been some notable shifts within the industry during the past year  in particular from low-cost airlines which have been more vocal in support of some aspects of EU climate policy. This is contrast to the legacy airlines which have all stated top-line support for net zero by 2050, but are continuing to lobby against a broad range of policies that would help achieve that goal. There is now a fairly clear divide between low-cost airlines and their legacy competitors when it comes to climate policy engagement in Europe.
By Joseph S. Nye, Jr.





CAMBRIDGE  When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Ukraine inherited part of its nuclear arsenal. But in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine agreed to return these weapons to Russia in exchange for "assurances" from Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States that its sovereignty and borders would be respected.







Russia brazenly violated this promise when it annexed Crimea in 2014, and tore up the Memorandum with its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Many observers have concluded that Ukraine made a fateful mistake by agreeing to surrender its nuclear arsenal (once the world's third largest). Are they right?







In the early 1960s, U.S. President John F. Kennedy predicted that at least 25 states would have nuclear weapons by the following decade. But in 1968, United Nations member states agreed to a non-proliferation treaty that restricted nuclear weapons to the five states that already had them (the U.S., the Soviet Union, Britain, France, and China).







Today, just nine states have them  the five named in treaty signatories plus Israel, India, Pakistan, and North Korea  but there are more "threshold states" (countries with the technological ability to build nuclear weapons quickly) considering the option.







Some analysts suggest that proliferation might be a good thing, because a world of nuclear-armed porcupines would be more stable than a world of nuclear wolves and unarmed rabbits. In their view, Russia would not have dared to invade a nuclear-armed Ukraine. Moreover, they question why some states should have a right to nuclear weapons while others do not.







Others advocate the abolition of all nuclear weapons, a goal enshrined in the 2017 U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which entered into force in 2021. It currently has 86 signatories and 66 parties (though none of the nine states with nuclear weapons have signed up).







Skeptics of this approach argue that while nuclear abolition may be a worthy long-term aspiration, efforts to get there too quickly could increase instability and the likelihood of conflict. The real ethical challenge, they maintain, is not nuclear weapons' existence but the probability of their use.







It might be better if humanity had not learned to harness the power of a split atom in the 1930s; but that knowledge cannot be abolished, so it is better to focus on reducing the risks of its use in warfare.







Suppose that you live in a neighborhood that suffers continuous devastating break-ins, burglaries, and assaults. One day, some of your neighbors decide to equip their houses with massive explosive devices and trip wires, and post warning signs to deter intruders.







The problem is that if these devices are used, your house will be damaged, too. Yet there are also considerable dangers in trying to dismantle the system in the short run. What would you do? You might ask your neighbors to use the system only to defend against intruders and not to threaten others.







You could encourage them to install devices to reduce the risk of accidents, and demand compensation for the risk they impose on you by including your house under their warning signs. And you might persuade them to take steps to dismantle the system sometime in the future, when relatively safe means can be found.







By rough analogy, these are the types of conditions enshrined in the 1968 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and that is why the Russian invasion of Ukraine is so damaging.







Russia has not only violated its explicit security guarantee under the Budapest Memorandum; it has also hinted at nuclear escalation to deter others from coming to Ukraine's aid. It is thus weakening the taboo against treating nuclear weapons as normal war-fighting weapons  a convention that the Nobel Laureate economist Thomas Schelling called the most important global norm since 1945.







But it would be a mistake to exaggerate the harm that the invasion of Ukraine has done to the non-proliferation regime. For one thing, those who think the invasion will teach other states that they would be more secure if they had nuclear weapons are oversimplifying history. One cannot assume that nothing would have happened if Ukraine had kept its Soviet-era nuclear weapons.







After all, such weapons do not come ready to use "off the shelf." The fissile material in the long-range Soviet missiles stationed in Ukraine would have had to be removed, reshaped, and repurposed. Not only would that have taken time and expertise, but it might have accelerated Russia's intervention.







When states approach the nuclear threshold, they enter a "valley of vulnerability" that may reduce their security and increase general instability. Even when stable deterrence is imaginable in a region, it may be highly risky to try to get from here to there.







Some theorists argue that just as nuclear weapons encouraged prudence among great powers, by giving them a "crystal ball" with which to foresee the devastation that would follow from nuclear war, the spread of nuclear weapons would similarly produce stability among smaller regional rivals. Nuclear porcupines would act like rabbits, not wolves.







But not all regions are equal in terms of escalation risk, and it cannot be assumed that all leaders would have the wisdom to use their crystal balls. Regions differ in terms of the number of civil wars and overthrown governments, civilian control of the military, the security of communications, and weapons-control protocols.







If new proliferators have a higher risk of using nuclear weapons  even if inadvertently  they and their neighbors will become even more insecure in the "valley of vulnerability."







Ultimately, when nuclear weapons proliferate, the chances of inadvertent or accidental use tend to increase, managing potential nuclear crises becomes more complicated, and establishing controls that may someday help to reduce the role of nuclear weapons in world politics becomes more difficult.







In short, the greater the spread of supposedly defensive weapons, the higher the risks of blowing up the whole neighborhood. The real lesson from Russia's war in Ukraine is that we must reinforce the existing NPT and refrain from actions that erode it.









Joseph S. Nye, Jr., a professor at Harvard University and a former U.S. assistant secretary of defense, is the author, most recently, of "Do Morals Matter? Presidents and Foreign Policy from FDR to Trump" (Oxford University Press, 2020). His article was distributed by Project Syndicate (












Food poisoning cases linked to eating oysters and other shellfish from New England waters have jumped from five cases in 2000 to 147 in 2013. A study from the University of New Hampshire links this increase to warming ocean waters.

The culprit is a bacteria called Vibrio. It infects seafood and causes 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is most common when waters are warmer, typically from May to October. Now, as climate change is warming even the typically cool New England coastal seas, the bacteria is spreading.

In the last 10 or 20 years, its become very apparent that there is something going on, said one of the researchers, Stephen Jones, of the Northeast Center for Vibrio Disease and Ecology at the University of New Hampshire.

Vibriosis can cause vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, fever and chills. A bout typically lasts three days, but those with weakened immune systems or certain medical conditions can experience more serious symptoms.

A separate study published in August in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences looked at 50 years of data from water samples in the North Atlantic. They found a direct correlation between rising water temperatures and increased Vibrio infections in both the U.S. and Europe.

Rita Colwell, one of the studys authors, told National Geographic, We were able to show a doubling, triplingin some cases quadruplingof the Vibrio over that 50-year period.

Flickr/Jeremy Keith

Similar reports have come from Alaska as well.

Vibrio first made its appearance there in 2004, when 62 cruise ship passengers were sickened after eating raw oysters from Prince William Sound. A year later, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study that linked the outbreak to increased water temperatures.

The threshold level of danger comes when water reaches 59 degrees Fahrenheit. The study showed that the water temperature at the oyster farm where the infected mollusks were harvested had increased from 1997 to 2004. The temperature exceeded the critical level for the first time in July and August of 2004.

Then, Vibrio began to spread. From Prince William Sound to the Gulf of Alaska and Cook Inlet, over the next nine years 22 marine animals known to eat shellfishsea otters, a beluga whale and a porpoisewere found to be carrying the bacteria.

The cold waters off Maine and New Hampshire have made Vibrio rare in the region. But, the Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99.9 percent of the worlds oceans. That has already decimated the lobster industry in Southern New England.

In the North Atlantic, we are seeing a northern march of whole ecosystems toward the poles as the planet warms: predators, prey, and in the case of Vibrio, the parasites as well, moving with their hosts up the globe, said Andrew Pershing, chief scientific officer at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute.

Vibriosis isnt the only concern coming from warming waters. In recent months, Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island have been forced to close many areas to shellfishing due to numerous toxic algae outbreaks. They have since been reopened.

As winter approaches, colder sea temperatures reduce the risk of Vibrio bacteria. Current sea temperatures along the coast of New England are in the upper 40s to about 50 degrees, according to NOAA data, well below the danger level. Alaskan waters range from 33 degrees in Cook Inlet along the Kenai Peninsula to 45 in Prince William Sound and 46 in the Gulf of Alaska.

The CDC recommends cooking shellfish, washing your hands after contact with raw shellfish and avoiding contaminating cooked foods with raw shellfish or its juices. For those who love raw oysters, though, it may be wise to ask where they came from and check the NOAA coastal water temperatures or another app for that location. Or you can follow this common lore, which states that we should only be eating shellfish, especially oysters, in months with the letter R.
On April 5, EcoWatch reported on a rule change proposed by the Department of Interior (DOI) that the Center for Biological Diversity warned could remove protections for more than 300 threatened species.

Later that day, CNN obtained an internal document of the draft from Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) and reported Friday that the proposed rule change would not impact currently threatened species, but could still have major consequences for any species listed as threatened in the future.

At stake is the so-called blanket rulea 1978 regulation under the Endangered Species Act granting threatened species the same protections as endangered species unless the FWS decides on special regulations. Those protections prevent against take, human-caused death or harm due to hunting, trapping or habitat destruction.

The proposal would do away with the blanket rule for all future species listed as threatened, instead deciding protection for each on a case by case basis.

Species listed as a threatened species after the effective date of this rule, if finalized, would have protective regulations only if the [Fish and Wildlife] Service promulgates a species-specific rule, CNN reported that the proposal said.

But while all 300 species currently protected by the rule are safe, that doesnt mean it wont endanger animals that are already vulnerable.

The gopher tortoise, the Sierra Nevada red fox and the North American wolverine are among the animals currently proposed for threatened status who have not received it yet, Mother Jones reported Wednesday.

The endangered species director at the Center for Biological Diversity, Noah Greenwald, explained to Mother Jones why the new rule change would be so harmful for species like these.

If youre a threatened species and you dont have take protections, you dont really have any protections at all, Greenwald said.

He feared the rule change was just another attempt on the part of the Trump administration to placate developers and corporations at the expense of the environment.

Its going to turn every listing into a negotiation with industry, he told Mother Jones.

Trumps appointee to head the DOI Ryan Zinke has a record that justifies Greenwalds suspicions. As a Representative to Congress from Montana, he voted for exemptions from Endangered Species Act rules for water developers and agribusiness.

Once again, [Zinke] is trying to pull a fast one, Florida Sen. Bill Nelson told CNN. Now hes trying to weaken rules that protect animals and plants.

Deciding protections on a case-by-case basis would also worsen an already deadly bureaucracy that predates Trump. Currently, there is a backlog of more than 500 species proposed for protection, and the FWS takes an average of 12 years to protect each species.

We know of at least 47 species so far that have gone extinct waiting for protection, Greenwald told Mother Jones.

In statements to both CNN and Mother Jones, FWS spokesperson Gavin Shire emphasized that the rule was still under review and could change.

It is premature to discuss a rule that has not been completed and is subject to change while under interagency review, he told CNN.

If it does go through as currently written, Greenwald told Mother Jones that the Center for Biological Diversity will likely fight it in court.




Camiguin, Philippines stops shipments of hogs following ASF outbreak

Xavier Jesus Romualdo, governor of Camiguin, the Philippines, has banned the shipment of hogs and the entry of pork products into the island situated in Northern Mindanao.

The decision came as the provincial government of Camiguin declared an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in the island province on July 4.

Romualdo also ordered the culling of several dozen hogs within a 500-meter radius of piggeries and backyard farms where ASF infections have been detected. He directed Camiguin's town mayors to identify all pig farms, backyard or otherwise, and take immediate preemptive measures.

Romualdo said the movement of pigs outside all of Camiguin's barangays has been prohibited except when these are intended for processing in the province's slaughterhouse.

However, even then, animal slaughter is prohibited except for those that passed strict pre-slaughter inspections.

Romualdo said officials suspected that the ASF spread from neighboring Misamis Oriental province. According to the Camiguin Provincial Veterinary Office, the ASF infections were traced to Barangay Pandan in Mambajao, the capital town of the province, after 14 pigs died on June 22.

Government veterinarians took 18 blood samples and sent these to the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Romualdo said test results subsequently confirmed ASF infections in eight of the specimens, prompting the provincial government to place the barangay under quarantine. No hog or pork product is allowed to be moved out of Pandan.

In the meantime, a team from the agriculture department in Northern Mindanao was sent to Camiguin to help the capitol in addressing the crisis as more deaths were reported in other barangays of the province. The DA team has since been helping the provincial government in conducting surveillance and in testing more blood samples.

Carlene Collado, the DA regional director, said the Regional ASF Task Force and the Camiguin provincial government were collaborating to scale up biosecurity measures to stop ASF from further spreading by isolating areas, eliminating the infected animals and addressing compensation claims.

- Rappler
By Tom Purcell





I sure could use a vacation about now  but I have no plans to take one this summer.



That's the breaks for self-employed people like me who do not enjoy paid vacation benefits. When I do not work, I do not get paid.



However, nearly one in four American workers are not taking a summer vacation, either  in part because we're the only advanced economy in the world that doesn't mandate employer-paid vacations for them.



This is the time each year when I envy my friends in vacation-rich countries around the world.



In Kuwait, according to Far and Wide, employees receive 30 days of paid vacation. When including days off for religious holidays, employees can enjoy up to 64 days of paid leave  13 weeks off a year.



In France, the government mandates every employee get at least five weeks of paid vacation. French workers average 37 days of vacation a year  and 22 paid holidays on top of that.



Austria requires employers to give their workers 25 days off and 30 days off to those who have worked 25 years or more.



The Austrians also require one of the great job perks of all time: Employees can clock out at 3 p.m. on Fridays rather than suffer on until 5 or 5:30 as we Americans do.



Compare these generous time-off policies to America, where employees average about 15 vacation days a year.



We Americans really can't complain. We're world famous for being a nation of workaholics, even in good times.



In tough economic times such as now, when costs are soaring and the buying power of our paychecks is shrinking, we have to work even harder to keep revenues coming in.



We don't like our government telling us or our employers how we ought to conduct our business or how many vacation days employers must provide.



Our style has been, for the most part, to favor freedom over mandates of any kind.



Goodness knows our government has been so busy handing out goodies to citizens, it's just a matter of time before the freedom lovers are overrun by the benefit lovers.



It will be a sad day if that ever happens. We'll have a perpetually anemic economy, and all of us will have to struggle more to find the job opportunities that'll bring us happiness and wealth.



That said, we Americans could learn a thing or two from our vacationing friends around the world.



"Vacating" from the stresses, responsibilities and worries of our daily lives is great for our health.



We know we should take off work and go somewhere with our loved ones or friends and completely get lost for a week at a beach or lake.



We know we should find more time to sit at an outdoor restaurant as the sun goes down, enjoying good wine, conversation and the delicious foods we never have time to prepare.



We know we should step off the earth just for a little while, laugh heartily and sleep until we are fully rested.



Vacating, or vacation, is good for each of us  and America. It restores our equilibrium and helps us become more productive, civil and poised when we return to our daily lives.



Ah, heck, I've talked myself into it.



I'm going to plan a trip to the ocean this summer and let its powerful waves wash my daily worries away  for a day or two, anyway.





Tom Purcell (Tom@TomPurcell.com), creator of the infotainment site ThurbersTail.com, is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review humor columnist. His article was distributed exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate.




Boris Johnson to resign as UK prime minister

Boris Johnson will today resign as prime minister as he finally bows to the pressure of swathes of government resignations.

A No 10 source said Mr Johnson had spoken to the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady and agreed to stand down, with a new Tory leader set to be in place by the party conference in October.

A separate spokesman has now said: "The prime minister will make a statement to the country today."

It comes after his newly appointed Education Secretary Michelle Donelan resigned after 36 hours in the post, Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi told the prime minister to "go now" and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace withdrew his support.

It follows intense pressure from party colleagues, with dozens of resignations within government from cabinet level down.
Further changes proposed for Employed Person's Allowance

Tynwald Members will be asked at this months sitting to approve alterations to rules around Employed Persons Allowance (EPA), which will apply from 18 October 2022.

New rules were agreed by Tynwald in May 2019 and then due to come into effect in June 2020. Their introduction was postponed three times, with Tynwald approval, due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and its economic impact.

New proposed changes to the rules approved in 2019 involve the minimum number of hours that some couples with dependent children must work in order to qualify for EPA.

In summary:

Couples whose youngest or only child is aged under 13 will have to work at least 32 hours a week. The minimum is currently 30 hours a week, and the changes agreed by Tynwald in May 2019 would have increased this to 35 hours a week. Members of the couple will now be able to share the hours between them in whatever combination they choose.

Couples whose youngest or only child is aged 13 or over will have to work a minimum of 48 hours a week. The minimum is currently 30 hours a week, and the changes agreed by Tynwald in May 2019 would have increased this to 48 hours a week where the youngest or only child is aged 6 or over.

New requirements for lone parents will not change, and those whose youngest or only child is aged 13 or over will be required to work at least 24 hours a week (currently 16 hours) from 18 October 2022.

There would be exceptions to the new minimum work requirements in all these cases, for example, if an adult or child in the family is disabled, has been sick for at least 30 days, is at least six months pregnant or is receiving a bereavement support payment.

In certain circumstances, time spent in work-related training or education can be counted as if it is time spent working.
Every new car sold in the European Union will soon include anti-speeding technology known as intelligent speed assistance, or ISA. The EU regulation (part of the broader General Vehicle Safety Regulation) goes into effect today, and states that all new models and types of cars introduced to the European market must include an ISA system. The policy doesnt apply to any new cars that are in showrooms today  at least, not yet. By July 2024, every new car sold in the EU must have a built-in anti-speeding system.

The roll out of ISA is a huge step forward for road safety and has the potential to dramatically reduce road traffic injuries and fatalities. Car manufacturers now have the opportunity to maximise the potential ISA presents for creating safer roads for all, said the European Commission in a press release.

For those unfamiliar with ISA, the term describes a whole raft of systems that can detect road speed limits via front-mounted cameras, GPS data or both. Depending on the specific ISA and how it's configured by the driver, the technology can provide reminder feedback about the speed limit, automatically adjust cruise control to match the road's speed or even reduce power to the motor to slow speeding vehicles.

Many drivers in Europe are already using ISA-equipped vehicles, and major automakers such as Honda, Ford, Jeep and Mercedes-Benz sell certain models with these systems in the European market. According to a projection by the EU-funded PROSPER, a scenario such as this one, where ISA becomes mandated, could result in between 26 and 50 percent fewer fatalities.

As Autocar notes, ISA technology still isnt perfect. During one test, the ISA system was occasionally slow to respond and at one point set the speed limit at 60 mph while driving through a quiet English village.
In January, doctors at the University of Maryland School of Medicine made history by successfully transplanting a pig's heart into a human. The 57-year-old patient may have died two months later due to complications from the experimental procedure, but the case has inspired scientists throughout the medical field to call on the FDA to expand the scope and scale of human-porcine transplantation research. During a two-day conference in late June, policy advisors to the FDA and medical professionals discussed the future of xenotransplantation and "most attendees agreed that human trials are needed to help answer the most pressing research questions," according to Nature.

We've been stuffing pig organs into sick people since the early 19th century, but the technology has made rapid strides in recent decades thanks in part to the advent of CRISPR technology and more potent immunosuppressives. In 2017, researchers created the first human-pig hybrid embryo as well as devised a solution to potential inter-species viral infections. As of January, 2022, were implanting genetically modified pig kidneys into brain-dead donor recipients with great success.

Our goal is not to have a one-off, but to advance the field to help our patients, Dr. Jayme Locke, lead surgeon of the kidney study and director of UABs Incompatible Kidney Transplant Program, told the NYT. What a wonderful day it will be when I can walk into clinic and know I have a kidney for everyone waiting to see me.

Humans have also conducted numerous experimental pig-organ transplants into primates like baboons. But in order to safely and consistently do it with humans, researchers will have to test the techniques on humans, Caroline Zeiss, a veterinary specialist at Yale School of Medicine, told Nature. For example, doctors found traces of porcine cytomegalovirus (PCMV) in the heart transplant patient who died earlier this year and believe that it may have played a role in his demise, but they won't know for sure without further tests that a primate model  ones that can't be replicated in primates.

Researchers are only looking at small, focused clinical trials with appropriately selected patients, Allan Kirk, a transplant surgeon at the Duke University School of Medicine, told Nature. Researchers will have to answer a number of fundamental questions before the technology can be widely utilized, as well as determine the right mix of breeding and genetic tinkering needed to ensure that recipients' bodies won't reject them.

And while the decisions made during last week's meeting may not have an immediate impact on the agency's current stance on xenotransplantation, changes are reportedly afoot. The WSJ spoke to a "person familiar with the matter" at the end of June who asserts the FDA is planning to launch pig-organ transplantation trials in an effort ease the shortage of transplantable human organs (*angrily shakes fist at seatbelts*). There's no word on when such trials would launch as they are being handled on a case-by-case basis, the source said.
Ex-spy chiefs under probe over cover-up attempts



The National Intelligence Service (NIS) on Wednesday filed a complaint with the prosecution against two of its former chiefs over suspicions that they mishandled two separate incidents involving North Korea. The move is drawing keen attention as it offers an opportunity for the law enforcement agency to get to the bottom of the incidents.



The figures facing investigation are Park Jie-won and Suh Hoon, who served as spy chiefs under the previous Moon Jae-in administration. The NIS has accused Park of unlawfully deleting intelligence-related reports regarding North Korean soldiers' killing of a South Korean fisheries official in 2020. It has also raised allegations against Suh that he ordered an early end to a probe into the case of two North Korean fishermen who were sent back to the North in November 2019 after being captured in the East Sea when they crossed the inter-Korean maritime border.



It marks the second time that the NIS has requested the prosecution to investigate its former chiefs. The first case occurred in 2011 when the agency lodged a complaint against Kim Man-bok who had allegedly revealed state secrets in his memoir. The prosecution's investigation is necessary to shed light on widespread suspicions that the previous government had mobilized the spy agency to cover up its mishandling of the two incidents in a bid to appease the Kim Jong-un regime to push for Moon's engagement policy.



Park, a longtime liberal politician, should now cooperate with the prosecution to lay bare the truth behind the horrific incident, in which fisheries official Lee Dae-jun, 47, was shot to death by the North's military on Sept. 22, 2020, a day after going missing while on duty aboard a fishery inspection boat. According to the NIS, Park allegedly abused his authority to destroy some intelligence reports in order to help conclude that Lee was attempting to defect to the North, despite a set of facts indicating that he was drifting into North Korean waters.



The mystery surrounding Lee's death has now attracted the spotlight since the Ministry of National Defense and the Coast Guard overturned their previous conclusions last month, saying that there was no evidence corroborating the defection allegations. Moon and former presidential officials are facing allegations that they instructed the spy agency, the defense ministry and the Coast Guard to manipulate evidence so as to define Lee's case as "voluntary defection."



Park should tell nothing but the truth. However, it is disappointing that he categorically denied all the allegations raised against him. He even argued that the NIS complaint against him is political retaliation by the new Yoon Suk-yeol administration. It is also frustrating that the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has denounced the Yoon government for targeting former President Moon.



Park and the DPK should not try to turn the incident into a politically contentious issue in order to block the investigation. They should realize that the previous government's alleged manipulation and cover-up attempts could be serious crimes trampling on human rights as well as putting national security at risk.






Snoochie Boochies! Well, the time has finally come for the final chapter in the Kevin Smith saga that is Clerks. The trailer for what is proposed to be the final installment, Clerks 3, has dropped and it seems to be a love letter to all things Quick Stop Convenience.

For those of you uninitiated into the View Askewnaverse, Clerks (1994) was a black and white, indie film from writer/director/actor and presently podcaster Kevin Smith. The film told the story of the day in the life of two 20-something slackers, Dante (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson), who work in an adjoining convenience store and video rental place.

Dante is a depressed mess who is obsessed with his ex-girlfriends while ignoring his present one, while Randal is his loud-mouthed wiseass buddy who is happy with his lowly station in life.

A sleeper hit with the film community, Kevin Smith built a mini-empire spinning-off his background character of Silent Bob, a weed dealer who hangs out with his "hetero-lifemate" Jay (Jason Mewes), a crass ball of energy who always has something to say. They appeared in almost every film Kevin Smith made after that, including Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma.

This third installment finds Randal questioning his life after suffering a heart attack (shadowing Kevin Smith's own health scare), only to realize that he wants to make a movie about his life rather than watching other people's stories.

Filled with all the vulgarity and quick-wit dialogue Smith is known for, this is a labor of love for anyone who has followed his career.

Clerks 3 is filled with celebrity cameos, including Justin Long and Sarah Michelle Gellar, while bringing back Rosario Dawson from the sequel. It is set to hit theaters in September.
Scientists from the Universite Grenoble Alpes and the ESRF are investigating ways of decreasing the amount of cadmium in cocoa beans, with the goal of making chocolate safer.

Cadmium is a heavy metal present in small concentrations in many soils where cocoa is being cultivated particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region (concentrations between 0.22 and 10.8 mg Cd kg-1). The cocoa tree bioaccumulates cadmium and stores a portion of it into the cocoa beans, the raw material used to produce chocolates and cocoa-based confectionaries. ., The EU legislation restricts the maximum allowable limit of cadmium in cocoa based products as it deems it unsafe for consumers. This has the effect of impacting on cocoa exports to Europe by farmers from the LAC region.

We are trying to find ways of mitigating this cadmium transfer to the beans, and for this we need to understand and control how cadmium transfers from soil to the plant and then within the tree, explains Geraldine Sarret, director of research at CNRS and leader of this study. This is a completely new subject of research, there is very little literature on how cadmium is managed/detoxified by cocoa plants, she adds.

With this aim, Sarret and her PhD student, Hester Blommaert, travelled to the Cocoa Research Centre in Trinidad, where cocoa cultivars with many different genotypes are planted. We took samples of different parts of the plants in order to get a complete picture of what happens to cadmium when it enters inside the crop, explains Blommaert.

The team then came to the ESRFs ID21 and ID16B beamlines to unveil the speciation and location of cadmium in the plant tissues. The samples need to be frozen hydrated and for this the researchers use the cryostage at ID21: If we want to preserve the native state of the cadmium we need to freeze the samples so that there is no change in speciation of the metal, says Hiram Castillo, researcher at the ESRF involved in the study.

The big challenge of this research is the low concentration of cadmium, around 1mg per kg found in cocoa tissues and sometimes even less. We really need high sensitivity to detect cadmium, and the new EBS at the ESRF is perfect for our needs, says Sarret. The team will combine the techniques of bulk X-ray absorption spectroscopy (on BM30B at ESRF) to find the speciation of cadmium and micro and nano imaging to locate it in the different parts of the plant.

Preliminary results have already provided some hypotheses on the mechanisms developed by the plant to detoxify cadmium. We still dont know how it does it though, but we hope that our research at the ESRF will provide us some answers, and with them we could try to define mitigation strategies, explains Sarret.

Text by Montserrat Capellas Espuny. Video by Mark McGee and Montserrat Capellas Espuny.
A jury has convicted San Antonio businessman Michael Angelo Padron of defrauding the federal government by illegally obtaining more than $240 million in contracts intended for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.

The jury found Padron  who is neither a veteran nor disabled  guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States and six counts of wire fraud. It acquitted him of two other wire fraud charges.

We are disappointed with the jurys verdict, Santosh Aravind, one of Padrons lawyers, said in an email. Mr. Padron intends to appeal.

Padron, 62, faces up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge and up to 20 years on each wire fraud count. He is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 19 with co-defendants Michael Wibracht  a former San Antonio apartment developer  and Ruben Villarreal, who both pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the government rather than stand trial.

On ExpressNews.com: The rise and fall of a San Antonio apartment developer

The jury reached its verdict in the six-day trial on June 29.

Fraudulently obtaining multi-million-dollar government contracts from a program designed to benefit service-disabled veterans is reprehensible, Jeffrey Breen, special agent in charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector Generals South Central field office, said in statement after the verdict.

The alleged conspiracy stretched from 2004 through at least 2017 and resulted in San Antonio construction company Blackhawk Ventures and other companies receiving contracts intended for service-disabled vets, according to the March 2021 grand jury indictment.

Padron and Wibracht, 48, exercised financial and operational control over the company, which disqualified them from receiving contracts designated for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, prosecutors said.

To conceal their control, they installed Villarreal  a Floresville disabled veteran who served in the Navy for 20 years  as the majority owner of Blackhawk. But Villarreal, 72, didnt pay any money for the purported stake, Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Brown told jurors.

Padron and his business partners used disabled veterans as props and puppets to win tens of millions of dollars in contracts that should have gone to companies actually run by disabled veterans, Brown said.

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.

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Aravind described Padron as a successful businessman betrayed by people who falsely claimed he was part of some sprawling conspiracy to defraud the government.

Padron owns a general contracting company called Mapco Inc.

Blackhawk won more than 1,300 set-aside contracts from various government agencies over the years, a federal database shows. They included a $21.2 million contract to build a parking garage at the Dallas VA Medical Center and a $13.7 million contract for a battle command training center at Fort Sam Houston.

After prosecutors presented their case, Padrons counsel sought his acquittal. U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez denied the request.

pdanner@express-news.net
Four years ago, I about gave up on Pollos Asados Los Nortenos.

Theyd been one of San Antonios favorite spots for Northern Mexico-style grilled chicken since Frank Garcia started hustling from a food truck in the mid-2000s. But smoke problems pouring from the mesquite coals at their original Rigsby Avenue location had forced them to shut down and come back again more often than an Elton John farewell tour.

So in 2018 I set out to build a Top 10 pollos asados list to save San Antonians from yet another drive-by disappointment at Los Nortenos. I hit trailers, mom-and-pops, even a startup called Pollos Asados Don Carbon.

And wouldnt you know it? Los Nortenos rallied and took the No. 1 spot anyway. But the No. 2 contender took me by surprise: Don Carbon. Just a couple of months on the scene, and theyd already cracked the code with chicken that inhaled achiote-citrus marinade and exhaled mesquite twang with close to the same intensity as the champ.

In the spirit of my occasional series throwing San Antonio restaurant institutions into the ring to punch it out for bragging rights, I wanted a rematch for Los Nortenos and Don Carbon, which has since rebranded itself as Al Carbon Pollos Asados after a legal challenge from an El Paso restaurant already using Don Carbon.

My little fight clubs already hosted Freds Fish Fry and Sea Island Shrimp House, the barbecue brawlers Bill Miller and Rudys and the puffy taco punch-up between Henrys Puffy Tacos and Rays Drive Inn.

Now its time to put up or shut up about pollos asados.

On ExpressNews.com: Top 10 pollos asados in San Antonio

Mike Sutter / Staff

Al Carbon Pollos Asados

Al Carbon and Los Nortenos clearly borrow pages from the same playbook. Both use a radiant achiote paste marinade sharpened and sweetened with citrus. Both cook over live coals. Both have a concise menu of chicken sold half or whole with rice, grilled onions, salsa, a grilled jalapeno, lime and papery, store-bought corn tortillas. And both sell Mexican hamburguesas, fajitas and a few other forms of grilled beef.

A big difference is that owner Alfredo Garza started Al Carbon in 2018, more than 10 years after Los Nortenos fired up, so theres some underdog energy happening here.

Mike Sutter / Staff

The food: Al Carbon treats chicken skin like gold plating, adding value to its bird with char and caramelization that concentrated flavor from the outside in and preserved a degree of juiciness in the smoke-tinged meat underneath. A zap of citrus and salt did most of the talking, eventually quieting down enough to let the dusky achiote spice have its moment. The chop was rough, though, with pieces shedding wayward fragments and pieces.

Sides split the ticket, with rice so bland its a mystery where the light orange color came from, countered by charro beans throwing a party in the bowl with bacon, tomato, shaggy bits of mystery meat and a tile roofs worth of chicharrones.

Mike Sutter / Staff

An argument against overspecialization, Al Carbons salchiburger did what a Mexican burger does so well: it went over the top  way over  with a bright red sausage link split in half and filled with cheese sitting on top of a tall, lush beef patty with grilled onions and ham. But the big picnic bun handled the load with grace.

An argument for not veering too far outside your lane came in the form of grilled beef fajitas and a sizzle platter of short ribs, both flat, both tough, both leaning on salt and the sweetness of grilled onions to do the heavy lifting for them.

Al Carbon makes a decent salsa roja, but their salsa verde looked and tasted too close to mayo or Mexican crema to generate any real spark.

Mike Sutter / Staff

The atmosphere: Al Carbons original location on Culebra Road just east of Interstate 10 has the papel picado-bannered charm of a mom-and-pop with pro-level signage that suggests an operation with bigger ambitions.

The intangibles: The smoke is coming from outside the house. Al Carbon does its heavy smoke work in a trailer parked outside the restaurant. Less show, but less risk of smoke stealing the show in the dining room.

Where to find them: 547 Culebra Road, 210-550-1589, alcarbonsatx.com. Theres another location just two blocks east with a drive-thru, patio seating and a dining room at 403 Culebra Road, 210-467-5155. Theres a third location at 13835 Nacogdoches Road, 210-686-9027.

On ExpressNews.com: Make your own Pollos Asados Los Nortenos-style chicken at home

Mike Sutter / Staff

Pollos Asados Los Nortenos

Its a relief that Los Nortenos finally sorted out its smoke issues, a task accomplished with scrubber vents, pipes and boxes on the roof like a galvanized space shuttle. Finally settled in, they expanded to a second location farther north in 2020, just in time for owner Frank Garcia to have facemasks printed with the Los Nortenos logo, building on his penchant for marketing that includes T-shirts trumpeting Mas Green Sauce. Yes, mas.

Mike Sutter / Staff

The food: If show cooking is a form of marketing, Los Nortenos has that on lock, with a grill room outfitted with windows like the cage of some exotic beast at the zoo. The line of flattened, spatchcoked, orange-skinned chickens laid out on that grill can number in the dozens at a time, but inside the restaurant, theyre chopped with precision in pieces with a uniform orange lacquer speckled with charred bits that cooking shows used to call yum-yums.

Los Nortenos birds are all about balance, with a tangy marinade that found equilibrium with salt and citrus evenly distributed through the skin. Their grill temperature and timing game is tight, producing chicken with equal degrees of juice and smoke.

Sides traded places with Al Carbon, with underdressed and underseasoned beans that did little more than show up and rice that brought something like light chicken soup flavor to the mix.

Mike Sutter / Staff

If a Mexican hamburguesa can be a study in excess, Los Nortenos gets extra credit for a salchiburger piled with the beef, split sausage, cheese, ham and grilled onions. It was so big, I had to unhinge my jaw for a bite, characteristic of the style. But for all that, it didnt carry the same size of flavor package, becoming a sloppy, soggy mess just a few bites in.

The grilled beef menu at Los Nortenos stretches beyond its fat, juicy fajitas to something called brocheta, which traditionally is a skewer staked with meat and veggies. Here, it was laid out on a sizzling iron skillet, a grill party of tender steak, fat pieces of ham, sweet red jalapeno and even sweeter grilled onions. I liked the fajitas; I loved the brocheta.

Whatever else Los Nortenos might do, there are a few reasons they sell their green salsa in 12-ounce containers to-go. For one, its a rough slurry like a good curry with a flavor somewhere between a de-seeded jalapeno and bliss. And two, its easier than trying to sneak out a squeeze bottle in your back pocket like Garcia caught a guy doing one time.

Mike Sutter / Staff

The atmosphere: Theres an energy at the original Los Nortenos on Rigsby, the kind of energy generated by the anxiety of waiting for a table in a restaurant that seems forever full. Even as the lunch crowd thinned, the pock-pock-pock of the cleaver creating more pollo plates rang out like percussive clockwork.

The intangibles: Los Nortenos has become as efficient as a theme park ride. The Pollo-Nator! The staff is sharp and attentive, the food comes out fast, its consistently good. Keep your arms and legs inside the car at all times.

Where to find them: The original is at 4642 Rigsby Ave., 210-648-3303, polloslosnortenos.com. Theres a second location at 4822 Walzem Road, 210-481-4168.

Mike Sutter / Staff

The winner: Pollos Asados Los Nortenos

Los Nortenos and Al Carbon slug it out like MMA fighters, trading jabs all over the menu. Los Nortenos has better rice. Al Carbon has better beans. Los Nortenos has better fajitas. Al Carbon has better burgers. Its a draw all the way to the main event.

But just like in real life, nobody watches the fights farther down the card with the same intensity as the title fight. And the title fights all about pollos asados. Los Nortenos version has a more balanced achiote-citrus flavor, a stronger sear, a cleaner chop and a juicier bite, making them the winner and the reigning champion since 2018.

msutter@express-news.net | Twitter: @fedmanwalking | Instagram: @fedmanwalking
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TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  The Chinese capital has issued a mandate requiring people to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination before they can enter some public spaces including gyms, museums and libraries, drawing concern from city residents over the sudden policy announcement and its impact on their daily lives.

The health app that shows a person's latest PCR test results has been updated to make it easier to also access their vaccination status, according to Li Ang, a spokesperson for Beijings municipal health commission.

The list of public places requiring vaccination does not include restaurants and offices. The mandate will go into effect on Monday, with exceptions available only to those who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons.

"In the normalization of COVID-19 pandemic controls, getting vaccinated is still the most effective measure at controlling the spread of COVID-19," Li said in an announcement on Wednesday.

More than 23 million people in Beijing have been vaccinated, Li said, which if accurate would cover the city's entire population and more. A 2020 census found that Beijing was home to some 22 million long-term residents. It is unclear what makes up the discrepancy in the numbers. The Beijing government did not immediately respond to a faxed request for comment on the new measures.

Li said that more than 3.6 million people over 60 years old have been vaccinated. He did not say if they received two shots or three.

A vaccine mandate is not unusual and some major cities in the U.S. required proof of vaccination for entry into restaurants and bars at some point during the pandemic.

However, those mandates did not include spaces like libraries. Few places in the U.S. now actively require proof of vaccination to enter. Most U.S. cities have also rolled back social distancing measures that were implemented in the first year of the pandemic. Certain spaces, like hospitals, still mandate proof of vaccination.

Many countries around the world still require proof of vaccination for arrivals. However, vaccine mandates in daily life have been largely rolled back internationally as countries seek to live with the virus.

In Beijing and other cities across China, many government facilities already require people to show proof of vaccination before entry.

Online, the announcement drew some anger and pointed questions. Social media users questioned how to obtain a certificate showing one was unsuitable for vaccination, whether the unvaccinated could ride the subway and other logistics of the new requirement.

Chen Yumei, a 48-year-old Beijing resident, said she hasn't been vaccinated yet because she suffered from hives that doctors had said made her unsuitable.

A lot of doctors told me I couldn't, but who's going to give me the certification for an exception? No one dares to give you this certification," she said.

Something like this is too unreasonable, Chen said. We've already been cooperating with the PCR tests, no matter how hot it is or how long the line is.

Another Beijing resident, Leo Zhang, said he was confused whether the new policy meant he needed to get a booster or if two doses were enough. He is planning to get a booster shot as a result.

At least for me, it doesn't have a big impact, it's just getting a booster, said Zhang, who regularly visits the gym.

Others on social media shared an article from last year from Xinhua, an official state media outlet, that quoted National Health Commission officials forbidding local governments from putting forward policies that prevent people from entering places like supermarkets without proof of vaccination.

It is unclear how Beijings new directive will be implemented given the national policy. Additional requirements are already in effect for medical workers, delivery workers and public transportation employees, who are all required to be fully vaccinated.

___

Associated Press news assistant Caroline Chen and researcher Yu Bing contributed to this report from Beijing.
boonchai wedmakawand/Getty Images

A San Antonio man on Wednesday was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for distributing images and videos of child pornography on the internet, according to the Department of Justice.

In March 2018, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant on Dario Torres' San Antonio home after Homeland Security investigators suspected the 40-year-old of using social media chatrooms to share pornographic images.
LONDON (AP)  Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation Thursday after droves of top government officials quit over the latest scandal to engulf him, marking an end to three tumultuous years in which he tried to bluster his way through one ethical lapse after another.

Months of defiance ended almost with a shrug as Johnson stood outside No. 10 Downing St. and conceded that his party wanted him gone.

Thems the breaks, he said.

The brash, 58-year-old politician who took Britain out of the European Union and steered it through COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine was brought down by one scandal too many  this one involving his appointment of a politician who had been accused of sexual misconduct.

The messiest of prime ministers did not leave cleanly. Johnson stepped down immediately as Conservative Party leader but said he would remain as prime minister until the party chooses his successor. The timetable for that process will be announced next week. The last leadership contest took six weeks.

But many want him to go now, with some Conservative politicians expressing fear he could do mischief even as a caretaker prime minister.

Its very difficult to see how Boris Johnson, given the character that he is, is going to be able to govern for three months in quiet humility and contrition," said George Freeman, who resigned as science minister on Thursday.

Among the possible candidates to succeed Johnson: former Health Secretary Sajid Javid, former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.

About 50 Cabinet secretaries, ministers and lower-level officials quit the government over the past few days because of the latest scandal, often castigating the prime minister as lacking integrity.

The mass resignations stalled the business of some parliamentary committees because there were no ministers available to speak on the governments behalf.

Johnson clung to power for days, defiantly telling lawmakers on Wednesday that he had a colossal mandate from the voters and intended to get on with the business of governing.

But he was forced to concede defeat Thursday morning after one of his closest allies, newly appointed Treasury chief Nadhim Zahawi, publicly told him to resign for the good of the country.

In the last few days, I tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments when were delivering so much and when we have such a vast mandate," Johnson said. I regret not to have been successful in those arguments, and of course its painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself.

He said it is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister.

Critics said the speech showed Johnson, to the end, refusing to take responsibility for or admit his mistakes.

Many Britons reacted to news of his resignation with relief and surprise, given his habit of digging in.

It felt like he can just keep on going and keep on ignoring it, so I was bit surprised this morning when saw it on my phone," Himmat Dalyway, an investment trader in his 20s, said outside an Underground station in London. Are you still 100% sure that he is going?

As Johnson gathered his cobbled-together Cabinet for a meeting after his resignation announcement, he promised not to rock the boat in his remaining weeks. He told members the government would not seek to implement new policies or make major changes of direction.

It was a humiliating defeat for Johnson, who not only pulled off Brexit but was also credited with rolling out one of the worlds most successful mass vaccination campaigns to combat COVID-19.

But the perpetually rumpled, shaggy-haired leader known for answering his critics with bombast and bluster was also dogged by allegations he behaved as if the rules did not apply to him.

He managed to remain in power despite accusations that he was too close to party donors, that he protected supporters from bullying and corruption allegations, and that he misled Parliament about government office parties that broke COVID-19 lockdown rules.

When allegations of Downing Street parties emerged, Johnson told lawmakers there was no party and no rules were broken. But when photos of the prime minister raising a glass in front of a group of people surfaced, critics, some of them inside the Conservative Party, said Johnson had lied to Parliament  traditionally a resigning matter.

The prime minister was fined by police over the parties and survived a no-confidence vote last month in Parliament in which 41% of Conservative lawmakers tried to oust him.

Johnson became prime minister in July 2019, succeeding Theresa May, who resigned after Parliament rejected the Brexit agreement she negotiated with the EU. Johnson pushed his own Brexit deal through in an often messy and turbulent debate.

With his mop of unruly blond hair, he often looked like a schoolboy who had just rolled out of bed and run to class with his pajamas under his clothes.

In his rise to power he showed many of the same habits and abilities that would carry him far but also spell his downfall: He was an ebullient, attention-loving mayor of London; a journalist who was fired for making up a quote and filed exaggerated stories about EU excesses; and a politician with an Eton- and Oxford-honed talent for colorful oratory and the thrust and parry of debate.

He became known for his light regard for the truth and his glib and offensive remarks. He called Papua New Guineans cannibals and likened Muslim women who wear face-covering veils to letter boxes.

Recent disclosures that Johnson knew about sexual misconduct allegations against a Conservative lawmaker before he promoted him to a senior position in government proved to be one scandal too many.

The crisis began when Chris Pincher resigned as deputy chief whip amid accusations that he had groped two men at a private club. That triggered a series of reports about past allegations against Pincher.

Johnson offered shifting explanations about what he knew and when he knew it. That just heightened the sense that the prime minister couldnt be trusted.

Key Cabinet members Javid and Sunak, who were responsible, respectively, for fighting COVID-19 and inflation, resigned within minutes of each other Tuesday. That set off the wave of departures by their colleagues.

Now with a leadership election upon them, the Conservatives will have to decide whether they can stomach Johnson as a caretaker leader, a job that normally entails saying little and doing nothing.

To be honest, I think a lot of the public will want to see him gone straightaway," said Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London. You know, they dont want to see him hanging around like a bad smell in Downing Street.

___

Follow all of APs coverage of Prime Minister Boris Johnson at https://apnews.com/hub/boris-johnson
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said he disagrees with sheriffs on the Texas border who say the state is under invasion as he requests more action from Washington, D.C.

Thats political rhetoric, the sheriff said. "Its dead wrong.

On Tuesday, several border county leaders called on Gov. Greg Abbott to start expelling immigrants suspected of crossing into the U.S. illegally  instead of handing them over to Border Patrol.

But Salazar said that approach is creating a monetary incentive for smugglers as undocumented immigrants pay thousands of dollars to be brought into the U.S. in dangerous conditions.

On ExpressNews.com: Texas border county leaders declare invasion, urge Abbott to expel migrants

They feel more comfortable handing $10,000 to a cartel member and maybe making it to their destination in one piece, Salazar said.

By contrast, the sheriff said a majority of immigrants are looking for a better life and willing to work for it, while people with a criminal history and bad intentions clearly need to be kept out.

Until we find a way to do this holistically, were not going to have success, he said. Characterizing it as an enemy invasion is fearmongering.

Salazar said hes written three candid letters regarding what he perceives as inaction on the part of the federal government since August. On Tuesday, he spoke with immigration officials from the White House and high-level officials from the Department of Homeland Security.

In his first letter, he mentioned fears to the effect of immigrants dying in tractor-trailers. That concern became a horrific reality on June 27, when dozens of immigrants were found dead or dying in a sweltering tractor-trailer on the Southwest Side.

Salazar said the policy of building a wall and keeping immigrants out is not working.

Were failing miserably in that endeavor, and were going to see more of this, he said.

One possible solution Salazar proposed in recent phone calls with federal officials is pouring resources into what he calls hub jurisdictions  places like Bexar, Dallas, Travis and El Paso counties. In these areas, undocumented immigrants are often kept in stash houses in horrid conditions until they are ready to be moved to another destination.

His resources locally to combat smugglers are limited, he said. To that end, he is asking for a grant to target transnational crime, including with analysts who can perform link analysis. The tactic is a form of phone tracing that allows law enforcement to make connections, the sheriff said, such as whether bad things happen when three specific people get together.

The sheriffs organized crime group  a collection of deputies who target various crimes including illegal gambling, animal fighting rings and narcotics  is already stretched thin as they work to target transnational crimes as well.

But while theyre doing that, whos keeping up with street gang crime? Salazar asked.

The sheriff proposed that a squad of federal agents work alongside the organized crime deputies.

Salazar said the phone calls were the first of several meetings and that he hopes to continue discussing workable ideas.

This is not all for nothing, he said. Fifty-three people died in my county, and thats extremely heartbreaking and frustrating, and Im not just going to sit quietly by while I feel like were taking the wrong approach.

jbeltran@express-news.net
The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is the first federal gun safety package of reforms in nearly three decades.

It is a good beginning, but it looks to state legislatures to fill in the gaps. My hope, especially after the July Fourth mass shooting in Highland Park, Ill., is more Texans will realize that while more stringent gun laws are inconvenient, saving lives is worth it. In future primary and general elections, I will not support those who do not vote for the safety of our families.

After mass shootings in ruby-red Florida, lawmakers there passed red flag laws and raised the age of all gun purchases to 21. Giving judges the ability to remove guns from those who are mentally unstable or violent is a good idea. Since 18-year-olds are not allowed to buy alcohol because they can make bad decisions, why not raise the age to buy any gun to 21? Voters should hold their lawmakers accountable for lax laws.

If the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act were more comprehensive, it would take away pressure from state legislatures to act now to stop the killing. If Florida can recognize the value of gun restrictions, why not Texas? It is essential that we let Texas legislators know inaction is totally unacceptable.

In comments after the Uvalde massacre, Texas Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, reflected on inaction following the Midland-Odessa shooting in 2019. The governor said Were not going to let this happen again, Seliger said. But I sat there in the 87th session, and we did nothing. I havent been able to sleep since then. We have to do something because its going to happen again.

Many Texas political leaders continue to say the problem is not guns but lack of security and mental health care in our schools. They ignore that recent mass shootings also occurred in doctors offices, churches and grocery stores. The only common denominator is guns, and to ignore that will have deadly consequences.

My compliments to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, who helped negotiate the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, who represents Uvalde, for being the only Republican U.S. House lawmaker from Texas to have the courage to vote in favor of these federal reforms.

Cornyn was booed at the recent Republican state convention for his work to protect our families. Cornyn said of the National Rifle Association, which opposed the reforms, They have a membership and a business model that will not allow them to support any legislation.

Still, these additional actions are needed:

 Increase the age to purchase a gun to 21 years.

 Implement universal background checks before any gun purchase.

 Enact red-flag laws that allow judges to order the removal of guns in cases of violent behavior or mental instability if safety is a concern.

 Limit magazine size to slow the speed of killing.

 Increase incentives for safe gun storage to decrease accidental deaths of children.

I ask all legislators to enact gun safety laws that are strong enough to make a difference. I ask everyone, especially National Rifle Association members, to request meaningful gun safety measures so fewer people will want to take away assault weapons. The inconvenience of gun safety laws is worth saving lives.

Dr. Robert Luedecke is an anesthesiologist in San Antonio.
Employees of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute line up for coffee from food trucks that President Yoon Suk-yeol sent to the state-run space research institute in Daejeon, Wednesday. Yonhap



KARI researchers envy Hanwha Aerospace employees



By Park Jae-hyuk



A slice of pizza and a cup of coffee were all that the researchers of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) received from President Yoon Suk-yeol in compensation for their successful launch of Korea's first domestically developed space rocket, according to the state-run space research institute's employees, Thursday.



The researchers even had to wait in a long line amid the scorching heatwave (35 degrees Celsius) to receive the president's "surprise gift" on a first-come-first-served basis.



Against the expectations of the presidential office that proudly announced Yoon's visit to the institute in Daejeon on Wednesday to encourage researchers there, the president appears to have frustrated the researchers further, curtailing their enthusiasm for Korea's mission to become a powerhouse in the space industry.



KARI researchers pointed out the fact that their peers at Hanwha Aerospace had received bonuses and vacations from Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn as rewards for their participation in the developments of the Nuri launch vehicle.



Earlier this month, Hanwha said that the chairman expressed his gratitude to some 80 staff members for their dedication to the development of the space rocket, sending a congratulatory message to them.



On the contrary, the state-run institute has been forced to hand over its technologies to the private sector for free, even though the transfer of its technologies can generate huge revenue that could be distributed to its researchers in compensation for their work, according to KARI employees.



They have already voiced their concerns over their poor labor conditions, citing that a new employee with a Ph.D. is paid only 50 million won ($38,000) in annual salary, contrasting with higher salaries in the private sector. They have also complained about insufficient reimbursement of their business travel expenses.



"Researchers in the field have been praised by the public for their achievements, but they are agonizing about whether to leave or stay," the KARI union said in a statement last month, asking for a meeting with the Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho.





President Yoon Suk-yeol shakes hands with an employee of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, during his visit to the state-run space research institute, Wednesday. Yonhap
Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday authorized state law enforcement to return migrants suspected of entering the country illegally to southern ports of entry, though he stopped short of instructing officials to expel them from the country, as some conservatives have urged him to do.

It was not immediately clear what practical impact the directive would have. Under his border initiative, Operation Lone Star, Abbott has already ordered state police and Texas National Guard soldiers to apprehend those who cross the border and turn them over to federal immigration authorities, where they are then deported or released back into the country to await their asylum hearings.

The move comes two days after a group of local officials called on Abbott to declare Texas under invasion and start expelling migrants suspected of crossing the border illegally. That action would be unprecedented for the state, but some conservatives argue it would be justified because of the Biden administrations push to roll back Trump-era border policies.

Even without deporting those who cross the border, Abbotts order further expands Texas border security role, testing constitutional and legal limits that reserve those duties for the federal government.

THIS WEEK: Some border county leaders declare invasion of immigrants, urge Abbott to expel them

The Biden administration panned the move.

Gov.Abbotts record on immigration doesnt give us confidence in what he has cooked up now, a White House official said. His so-called Operation Lone Star put National Guardsmen and law enforcement in dangerous situations and resulted in a logistical nightmare needing federal rescue, and his secondary inspections of trucks crossing into Texas cost a billion dollars a week in trade at one bridge alone without turning up a single case of human or drug trafficking.

The response from the right on Thursday followed a similar pattern, with Ken Cuccinelli, a former Homeland Security official under the Trump administration and lead proponent of the invasion strategy, calling the governors directive insufficient.

The governor does not appear to formally declare an invasion nor direct the National Guard and Department of Public Safety to remove illegals across the border directly to Mexico, Cuccinelli, now a senior fellow at the conservative-leaning Center for Renewing America, said in a statement with the groups president, Russ Vought. That is critical. Otherwise this is still catch and release.

An Abbott spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. The governor previously expressed unease about the idea of state authorities unilaterally expelling migrants from the country, which he said could be legally tricky.

There are federal laws that law enforcement could be prosecuted under if they were to take someone, without authority, and immediately return them across the border, he said in April.

Some legal experts believe the border invasion strategy would run afoul of U.S. asylum laws, along with legal precedent that gives the federal government broad discretion in setting and enforcing immigration policy.

Justice Department lawyers used that argument last summer when they successfully sued Texas over Abbotts push to stop and search drivers suspected of transporting migrants into the state.

The invasion argument would be an entirely new concept to immigration law, said Leon Fresco, an immigration attorney based in D.C. Fresco said Abbotts order seems designed to invite litigation before state and federal courts, where Texas and other Republican-led states have increasingly turned to try and shape immigration law.

They want to tee that issue up, he said.

Cuccinelli and other supporters of local-led deportations say states have the constitutional right to protect themselves from imminent danger when they believe the federal government has failed to.

That argument may not hold up under an some readings of the Constitution, Fresco said, since it could mean the U.S. was technically under invasion between the writing of the Constitution and 1882, when the first federal law restricting immigration was enacted.

How can an invasion be people coming to America without Americas permission, since that was the state of affairs in America for the first 100 years of the republic? Fresco said.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Even without invoking an outright invasion, Abbotts directive could run into other legal pitfalls, immigration experts said. State authorities will have to arrest migrants they plan to move, and its unclear what they would arrest them for. Texas has been detaining some migrants on state trespassing charges, but the state doesnt have the authority to enforce immigration laws.

I dont know under on what authority they actually can move them, said Doris Meissner, head of the U.S. immigration program at the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute and a former commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the federal agency that predated U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

From everything I know, that would be a violation of civil rights laws, Meissner said.

Abbott has frequently criticized President Joe Bidens immigration policies, which he contends are responsible for the record number of migrants apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border since Biden took office. Those policies, Abbott argues, have compelled Texas unprecedented border policies, which are backed by a record $4 billion in state spending for the current two-year budget cycle.

Biden has defended his administrations work, saying he inherited a broken system. Immigration advocates and policy experts also note that Biden has kept some of the signature Trump-era border policies in place, either by choice or under court order.

Among them is Title 42, a public health order that allows immigration authorities during a pandemic to expel migrants from the country before they can apply for asylum. Biden continued the policy for more than a year, though it has been used less frequently than under his predecessor, Donald Trump. He announced plans to end the policy earlier this year, but a federal judge has ordered it to be kept in place.

jasper.scherer@chron.com
WASHINGTON  The chair of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Thursday said she has requested that CEOs of three gun manufacturing companies appear before Congress to testify at a hearing later this month on gun violence.

Chair Carolyn B. Maloney of New York said she has asked for appearances by Marty Daniel of Daniel Defense, LLC in Georgia, Mark P. Smith of Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. in Massachusetts, and Christopher Killoy of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. in Connecticut.

Following the July 4 mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, that left seven dead, Maloney said the committee is continuing to investigate how these companies market AR-15-style weapons to civilians.

Those are the firearms used in the mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and in Buffalo, New York.

I am deeply troubled that gun manufacturers continue to profit from the sale of weapons of war, including AR-15-style assault rifles that were used by a White supremacist to murder 10 people in Buffalo, New York, and in the massacre of 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, she wrote.

Maloney requested that all three CEOs respond by Friday if they will testify on the hearing set for July 20.

That hearing will examine the role of the firearms industry in the gun violence epidemic, including with respect to the sale and marketing of assault weapons and the broad civil immunity that has been granted to manufacturers.

The information you provided has heightened the Committees concern that your company is continuing to profit from the sale and marketing of weapons of war to civilians despite the harm these weapons cause, is failing to track instances or patterns where your products are used in crimes, and is failing to take other reasonable precautions to limit injuries and deaths caused by your firearms, Maloney wrote to the CEOs.

The hearing follows an early June hearing where several survivors of horrific mass shootings in New York and Texas testified before Congress about the toll gun violence has taken on their lives.

President Joe Biden in late June signed into law a comprehensive gun safety package passed by Congress, which among its provisions provides funds for states to enact red flag laws and requires those under 21 who want to purchase a firearm to undergo a background check that takes into account a review of juvenile and mental health records.

The post U.S. House panel presses gun makers to testify before Congress appeared first on Virginia Mercury.
Montana Public Service Commission (via PSC Twitter account).

A district court judge has ruled that the Montana Public Service Commission cannot charge thousands of dollars in legal review fees before releasing information to a reporter, a decision that could remove one of the states most common responses to public information requests.

The case itself centers on a request by Billings Gazette reporter Tom Lutey, who asked the PSC for 11 types of documents. Three weeks later, the PSC responded that using the search terms Lutey had requested, it had discovered more than 25,000 documents.

In an initial response to the request by Lutey, an attorney for the PSC told Lee Enterprises, which owns The Gazette, if it would narrow the search terms, it would likely lower the costs. The full cost to review the documents, the PSC told Lutey and Lee Enterprises, was $31,000 which it must provide up-front before the request would be processed.

The agency also warned without nearly $1,000 in payments, the agency may not hold onto records Lutey was requesting because of periodic email purges.

The newspapers paid $870 under protest to preserve the records.

The PSC, as well as other state entities, have recently and routinely responded to the public and press information requests with a response that includes a demand for pre-payment of internal legal review fees. The government entity often argues that it will have to use staff attorneys or other outside lawyers to examine the documents to ensure nothing confidential or proprietary is released. These pre-payment requirements often range in the thousands of dollars, effectively stopping the request.

However, the ruling by Lewis and Clark County District Judge Mike Menahan sided with the media, which has often argued that a review by government attorneys is an obligation of the government, not something the public should have to bear.

The fees have a chilling effect on the publics right to know because their right to access public documents should not be conditioned on their ability to pay, Menahan ruled.

In his decision, he also discussed the notion that by charging legal fees, the public is being asked to subsidize a part of the job that goes along with being a public agency with public information.

Regardless how inconvenient the PSC may find public record requests, they are no less a part of the agencys duties than a ratemaking proceeding, Menahan ruled. The court rejects the notion an agency having to pay its staff regular wages to conduct work within the agencys statutory duties is an actual cost directly incident to fulfilling a public records request.

Montana law allows an agency to charge for some public record requests, for example the cost of making copies, the staff time for retrieving some records, or staff time for compiling records in a usable format when proprietary software is involved. However, even in those circumstances, most provisions within state law only allow the agencies to charge the actual cost incurred by a government agency.

Menahan ruled that charges to retain records, like email for longer period, was lawful.

David McCumber, local news director for Lee Enterprises western newspapers, which includes all of Montana, praised the ruling, but pointed out that oftentimes, responses to public information requests would be inflated beyond the salary of the state-employed attorneys. He gave one example where a state agency cited the hourly rate for an attorney at nearly $60 per hour, when the states publicly available salary database showed the attorneys salary was closer to $45 per hour.

The state is trying to make this a profit center, McCumber said.

Menahans ruling also said that while the government may have a legitimate interest in protecting the privacy of some information  that responsibility is the governments, not the publics.

Legal review to prevent disclosing public information is for the benefit of the person whose information is protected where the agency wishes to avoid violating privacy rights, Menahan said. Identifying what is and is not public information goes beyond gathering as it is work conducted in the interest of the agency rather than the individual who requested the information.

The PSC, meanwhile, argued that it had tried to negotiate with the reporter and newspaper.

There is a question here whether the PSC is using the threat of prohibitive legal fees as leverage for negotiating a narrower public information request, Menahan wrote. It may not negotiate how much information a party may receive based on the amount the party is willing to pay.

Dan Stusek, external affairs manager for the Public Service Commission, said the commission tried to work with Lee Enterprises to narrow the search, but did not receive a response.

The commission has repeatedly made clear to Lee Enterprises Corporation and to the public that it fully intended and does intend to produce documents that are truly public documents under Montana law and the Montana Constitution, Stusek told the Daily Montanan.

He said that the PSC intends to comply with the judges order.

The First Judicial District Court has now determined, as a matter of law, that it is the financial obligation of Montanas ratepayers, and not of the Lee Enterprises Corporation, to shoulder the high cost of conducting the constitutionally mandated privacy review in order to protect against the wrongful disclosure of confidential information, Stusek said.

McCumber celebrated the ruling, which he said will result in more transparency.

The whole concept the PSC was using was flawed. A public record is a public record, McCumber said. If an entity has its own interests in records that need vetting before release, thats on them.

Calling the intransigence of the PSC legendary, McCumber told the Daily Montanan that this will help Lutey, who has covered for the PSC for years and won awards for the coverage, get more information for the public.

Even if you take the legal bill down to just a tenth of what they charged, how many would be able to afford $3,100? McCumber said. This isnt new to this administration. (Former Gov.) Steve Bullock did the same damn thing.

The post Judge rules that public information shouldnt include paying state lawyers for internal review appeared first on Daily Montanan.
The Black Farmer has launched a nationwide search to find young people from diverse backgrounds to consider a career in farming.

The initiative New Faces For Farming is going to take place outside of traditional farming circles to encourage people from diverse backgrounds to enter the industry.

In 2020, agriculture had a total income of over 4 billion in the UK alone. Yet, its known as one of the countrys least diverse industries.

The event, taking place in the form of an all-expenses paid residential weekend to be held at Writtle University College's (WUC) countryside campus on 7 to 9 October, will offer teenagers, aged 16-18, a taste of farm life.

The event will offer young people from a wide range of backgrounds an opportunity to learn about careers in this exciting sector.

Participants will visit WUCs working farm and experience a weekend of socialising and life on a university campus.

Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, aka The Black Farmer, said: As a young boy living in inner city Birmingham and with an interest in farming, it was impossible to find the opportunity to develop this interest. Fifty years on nothing has changed.

"Many young people interested in food, farming and agriculture do not know where to go to explore and develop their interest. This scheme is the first step in bringing about much needed change.

Wilfred, who was awarded an MBE for Services to Farming in 2020, added: It is my mission to encourage more youth and diversity into farming and agriculture, so to be able to work with Writtle University College on these initiatives is tremendously exciting.

At the age of 40, Wilfred fulfilled a life-long dream when he purchased a small farm on the Devon/Cornwall border, the inspiration for his The Black Farmer brand.

His brand tagline without frontiers encapsulates his drive to ensure more people have the chance to live and work in rural areas.

Writtle University Colleges vice chancellor, Professor Tim Middleton said: We are pleased to be working closely with Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones to launch this important initiative.

"Agriculture should be a sector that welcomes everyone and our residential weekend marks the first of a series of measures aimed at widening access to this rewarding industry.
The Northern Irish government has been urged to introduce additional measures to reinforce industry efforts to eradicate BVD in the province.

The latest figures reveal the number of BVD tests carried out by farmers during the voluntary and compulsory phases of the BVD Eradication Programme passed 4 million.

Analysis from the Animal Health and Welfare NI (AHWNI) indicates that industry actions have driven down numbers of BVD positives being retained, with 43 BVD positive animals alive at present retained in 34 herds for over 5 weeks. 193 BVD Positive animals were recorded as being alive on 27 June 2022.

However, the figures also show that disease incidence increased for nine consecutive months in 2021, believed to be due to numerous factors, including virus circulation within breakdown herds, transiently infected cattle being sold from breakdown herds and movement of virus contaminated material between herds.

There are also concerns about potential decreased immunity as BVD vaccination purchases fell by approximately 15% in the first 4 months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021.

Speaking about the latest figures, Dr Sam Strain, chief executive of AHWNI, said there was now a pressing need for additional regulation and enforcement to achieve the goal of BVD eradication in NI.

Overall, farmer compliance with the tag and test requirements of the compulsory scheme has been excellent and the four million figure represents significant and dedicated investment by farmers in the scheme.

"We would now like to see industrys efforts being reinforced by the introduction of additional measures from DAERA to achieve eradication."

The department has indicated that it may implement herd restrictions from April 2023, but AHWNI have requested additional specific measures to restrict the movements of pregnant stock and potential Trojan animals from restricted herds.

The Republic of Ireland is progressing towards BVD eradication, and once it is recognised as such, the requirement to compulsorily test calves ear tissue samples will be removed for the majority of ROI herds.

Dr Strain said: "We have requested the introduction of herd level BVD statuses in NI to allow potential costs to be reduced for cattle farmers who wish to sell breeding stock to the ROI and other EU Member States.

Industrys aim is to eradicate BVD as quickly as possible. Evidence from other countries shows that this can only be achieved with adequate regulatory support from government. We will continue to engage with DAERA to this end.

Dr Strain also highlighted the sustainability gains that could be realised from eradicating endemic disease.

Tackling endemic disease has a clear impact on farm efficiency by increasing growth rate, reducing days to slaughter, and increasing reproductive performance.

"This in turn will reduce methane emissions, potentially by as much as 10%. Further benefits include decreased costs of production, decreased need for anti-microbials and improved overall cattle welfare.
Warrenton, VA (20186)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 69F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 69F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.




President Yoon Suk-yeol shakes hands with nuclear power industry officials during a meeting at Doosan Enerbility in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, June 22. Korea Times file
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Priyanka Chopra has a packed slate of upcoming films. Among her projects is a Hollywood rom-com alongside actor and producer Mindy Kaling. It has been revealed that Priyanka will play a Punjabi woman in the film while Mindy will play her cousin.Priyanka Chopra is set to join Mindy Kaling in a film the latter also wrote. The Hollywood flick will revolve around a grand Indian wedding. In an interview with Forbes, Kaling revealed that the film will shed light on South Asian cultures.She said, "I have this movie with Priyanka Chopra, shes Punjabi Indian from India and Im an Indian American Bengali girl from the East Coast. Its so different and thats what makes our dynamic so fun together."She also talked about the shows on which she serves as a producer including Never Have I Ever. "Were really proud of it, we show South Asian Americans that are from Southern India. Then we show a Muslim Indian girl. Culturally we see how theyre different from each other. The Asian experience is not a monolith, she said.Priyanka Chopra has been filming for Citadel, a spy thriller backed by the Russo Brothers. The show also features Richard Madden. She is also attached to star in Jee Le Zaraa alongside Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif.
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - July 6, 2022) - Centaurus Energy Inc. (TSXV: CTA) (OTC Pink: CTARF) ("Centaurus" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce the appointment of William A. Schubin to its Board of Directors.

Mr. Schubin is a private investor with experience in a variety of industries including financial services/insurance, real estate, technology and energy. Earlier in his career he was an investment banker with Bear Stearns and Rothschild and served as a Bank Examiner with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Mr. Schubin replaces Steven (Shlomo) Azarbad, who has resigned as a director of the Corporation. The Corporation thanks Mr. Azarbad for his contributions to the Corporation and wishes him well on his future endeavours.

About Centaurus Energy

Centaurus is an independent upstream oil and gas company with both conventional and unconventional oil and gas operations in Argentina. The Company's shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol CTA and on the OTC Pink Market under the symbol CTARF.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

David Tawil, Interim Chief Executive Officer

email: info@ctaurus.com

phone: (646) 479-9387

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/130199
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 6, 2022) - Coho Collective Kitchens Inc. (TSXV: COHO) ("Coho" or the "Company") announces today the appointment of BDO Canada LLP (the "Successor Auditor") of Vancouver, British Columbia as auditor for the Company until the close of the next annual general meeting of the Company's shareholders and the resignation of Dale Matheson Carr-Hilton LaBonte LLP ("DMCL" or the "Former Auditor").

There were no reservations in the Former Auditor's reports in connection with the financial statements of the Company since the Former Auditor's appointment; and any periods subsequent for which an audit report was issued and preceding the effective date of expiry of the Former Auditor's term of office. The change of auditors is in alignment with the Company's strategy and will ensure that it is adequately positioned for ongoing growth.

The Company confirms that there have been no reportable events as defined in the National Instrument 51-102 and, in its opinion, there are no reportable events pending.

Coho and the Board of Directors would like to extend their thanks to DMCL for their auditing services to date.

About Coho

Coho is a growth stage, community-driven, commercial real estate and food technology company that provides private and shared kitchen and production space to food companies from start-ups to restaurant groups seeking turnkey solutions and business services. Each of the Company's customers, called "Members", are revenue generating companies that have signed a membership agreement with Coho for an agreed upon term. The concept falls in line with a rapidly growing trend in the food-delivery industry creating a market for delivery-only and/or virtual restaurant concepts. For more information about how Coho is growing and innovating in the commissary space, visit https://www.cohocommissary.com.

Contacts

Andrew Barnes, Chief Executive Officer

andrew@cohocommissary.com

(778) 877-6513

Investor Relations

invest@cohocommissary.com

(604) 243-7355

Forward-Looking Information

This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflect management's current expectations regarding future events. Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the ability of the Company to execute on its strategy and the factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in the final long-form prospectus of the Company dated May 27, 2022. Coho disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved the contents of this press release. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale or any acceptance of an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or dissemination in the U.S.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/130204
TAIPEI, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to rising demand for increased bandwidth of network traffic, NEXCOM, a leading supplier of network appliances, has released a compact single-port 200GbE network interface card (NIC). NL 110FM-OS leverages the award-winning NVIDIA ConnectX-6 Dx SmartNIC silicon and a PCIe Gen4 interface that doubles the speed of data transfer, compared with the previous generation PCIe standard. The network connection is enabled through one QSFP56 port to utilize double-bit PAM4 data transmission, and the NIC card is compatible with NEXCOM's latest rackmount network appliances.

The sheer volume of data traveling over the IT network leaves service providers no other choice but to adjust to the new reality. One of the ways to solve the problem is to increase the number of servers and another is to migrate to more compact solutions based on the latest technologies. The first method will require purchasing additional servers, leading to maintenance personnel expansion and energy consumption growth, whereas the second method is simply to increase the bandwidth of existing network nodes. This latter option provides a greener solution and should be preferable for all CSPs whether or not they have environmental concerns in reducing their carbon footprint.

NEXCOM's 200GbE NIC card increases the overall speed of a node on the network. NL 110FM-OS features one QSFP56 port to enable double-bit data transmission via a new signal modulation format called PAM4. This allows 200 gigabits per second of data traffic in each direction using a single 4-lane copper or fiber cable. The NVIDIA ConnectX-6 Dx SmartNIC provides more value-added features, including advanced networking and security to accelerate mission-critical applications. Thus, NL 110FM-OS is perfectly fit for security, virtualization, SDN, NFV, big data, machine learning, storage, and network performance testing and emulation.

"By adopting the latest 200GbE NIC card powered by ConnectX-6, our customers can significantly increase the throughput of their servers and pivot to massive data processing without much effort," said Matthew Liu, CTO of Network & Communication Solutions at NEXCOM. "We have a long history of working with NVIDIA on the adaptation of previous generation LAN controllers and are looking forward to our next successful joint projects."

"Data centers are being transformed by the growing demands of next-generation architectures required for massive hyperscale clouds and AI workloads," said Eunice Chiu, VP, Sales and GM Taiwan at NVIDIA. "NVIDIA's networking platform equips innovators such as NEXCOM to supercharge networking performance for the next wave of breakthrough data center applications."

About NEXCOM

Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, NEXCOM integrates its diverse capabilities and operates six global businesses, including the Network and Communication Solutions (NCS) unit. NCS focuses on the latest network technology and helps to build reliable network infrastructure, by delivering professional design and manufacturing services for customers all over the world. NCS's network application platform is widely adopted in Cyber Security Appliance, Load Balancer, uCPE, SD-WAN, Edge Computing, Storage, NVR, and other network applications for businesses of all sizes.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1852042/Cyber_Security_Solutions_LAN_Module_NL_110FM_OS_PR.jpg
A model promotes SK ICT Curriculum for undergraduate school students, jointly developed by SK Telecom and SK hynix, Thursday. Courtesy of SK Telecom, SK hynix



By Baek Byung-yeul



SK Telecom and SK hynix jointly developed the SK ICT Curriculum education course to share practical knowledge on artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor technologies, which has been introduced at over 20 domestic universities so far, they said Thursday.



The information and communication technology arm of SK Group said it developed the academic program in a bid to help train young future workers in the technologies and show the students what experts in the fields of AI and semiconductors are doing.



"SK Telecom and SK hynix held an online conference introducing the curriculum to professors and faculty at more than 20 universities nationwide," the two companies said in a statement.



"Through this program, the two companies plan to help solve the labor shortage in high-tech industries such as semiconductors by establishing an online education platform, developing a regular curriculum and opening special lectures developed for each university."



An SK hynix spokesman said the curriculums developed by experts at the two companies will be used for undergraduate students at domestic universities who are majoring in engineering.



"The curriculum is comprised of content that most new employees of SK Telecom and SK hynix are required to learn when they first join one of the two companies. We expect engineering majors would enhance their level of understanding in AI and semiconductors through this curriculum," the official said.



SK hynix developed a curriculum for semiconductor technology. It said the curriculum contains more than 80 lessons in 12 major fields of the chip industry such as chip processing and design.



The chip curriculum is based on the know-how of its engineers, and a glossary of somewhat difficult terms used in the chip industry is provided as well as short videos that can teach students about semiconductors easily and engagingly.



Through the AI curriculum, SK Telecom provides 77 video lectures in 10 fields, including natural language, voice recognition and computer vision. AI experts of SK Telecom introduce basic theories, algorithm technologies and actual AI service development cases.



While 2022 is the first year for SK hynix to come up with a semiconductor curriculum for university students, SK Telecom has been offering the AI curriculum for six years. By 2021, its AI curriculum had grown in popularity, attracting more than 4,000 students at more than 20 universities nationwide.


SINGAPORE, 7 July 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Planon, the leading global provider of smart sustainable building management software, is pleased to announce that Annette Kunst has joined the company as managing director for its commercial businesses in Asia, based in Singapore and Hong Kong. Annette brings extensive senior management experience across different industries, including (software) technology, and has a strong business history in the Asia Pacific and South East Asia regions.

'We are very pleased that Annette has decided to join Planon,' said Pierre Guelen, Planon CEO and founder. 'We are confident that h er business development and sales acumen as well as her ability to build strong customer relationships, in both start-up and conglomerate environments, will accelerate our growth and further success in the Asian markets.'

Annette joins Planon following positions at The Nielsen Company, a global leader in audience insights, data and analytics, most recently as Regional Managing Director South East Asia Cluster and Strategic APAC Accounts. Before joining Nielsen, Annette held senior leadership roles at Pointlogic, Digne Consult, Latitude, and The Baan Company. She holds a bachelor's degree in International Business from RotterdamUniversity of Applied Sciences. Annette is of Dutch origin and has lived in Singapore for 30 years.

About Planon

Planon is the leading global provider of Smart Sustainable Building Management software that connects buildings, people and processes. By eliminating data silos and aligning solutions into one shared information platform, Planon provides all building stakeholders with actionable and meaningful insights. Independent market research and consulting firms have consistently rated Planon as a global leader in the market. Planon has implemented its comprehensive solutions for more than 2,500 clients, supported by offices and partners around the world.
NINGBO, China, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from NBGD:

There are always more similarities than differences between cities. In the case of Ningbo and Dubai, according to Mr. Li Xuhang, Consul General of China in Dubai, both are "coastal cities with world-class ports, playing a critical role in global logistics and supply chain and in the Belt and Road Initiative." After drawing on the experience of China's Reform and Opening up, Jebel Ali Port established the first Free Trade Zone in Dubai in the 1970s and began attracting investment from across the world with preferential policies. Soon, the city witnessed an economic boom.

"Today, Dubai is the largest trade distribution center in the Middle East for products made in Zhejiang province. Many Chinese goods reach North Africa via the Jebel Ali Port in Dubai after leaving the Ningbo Zhoushan Port," said Consul General Li. "Both Ningbo and Dubai contribute to the BRI with their mix of maritime and land transport." In September 2018, the Ningbo Zhoushan Port and Dubai Ports World signed an agreement to launch new BRI projects in Dubai. The agreement is expected to build closer and wider-ranging commercial ties between the Yangtze River Delta Economic Belt and the Middle East.

In 2011, the Ningbo Zhoushan Port became the third port in the world to exceed 30 million TEU in container traffic, after the Port of Shanghai and the Port of Singapore. Shipping routes link the Ningbo Zhoushan Port to more than 600 ports in 200-plus countries and regions.

China-UAE trade ties are growing, as is the popularity of traditional Chinese culture in the UAE. Saeed Alhefeiti, Director of the Information Office of Fujairah, UAE, has visited China and fallen in love with its culture. He is a fan of Chinese hot pot, Peking Opera, and even gave himself a Chinese name, "Sa Zhonghua", with "Sa" being a homophone of his first name's first syllable, and "Zhonghua" meaning "China". Alhefeiti hopes media cooperation between the two countries could help Ningbo achieve its goal of becoming a modern coastal metropolis. "Ningbo is an important coastal city in eastern China," said Alhefeiti, "I look forward to closer ties between Dubai and Ningbo. Chinese cities have their own development goals and can consistently deliver on their promises; I don't think Ningbo will be an exception."

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1851875/image.jpg




MANILA, July 7, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - While the Philippines needs to spend over $20 billion on cybersecurity between 2017 and 2025 to compare with the "global best-in-class countries", its Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center (CICC) has signed up with Tradepass to strengthen the country's biggest cybersecurity event - PhilSec 2022.PhilSec 2022 will be held on 12 - 13 July 2022 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Manila and will attract 600+ cybersecurity experts (in-person & virtual) including the Heads of Information Security, Risk, Compliance, Forensics and Cyber Law from the leading public and private enterprises across the Philippines.CICC has joined as the supporting partner for PhilSec 2022 to attract the best participation and recognition for the summit that is aimed towards enriching the cybersecurity environment of the country to make it more cyber-resilient.In an interview, following the partnership announcement, Dir. Panfilo Neore L. Salva, Jr. (Director, Administrative and Finance Office (AFO), CICC Executive Committee) expressed his appreciation for the summit organizer, "It is remarkable for Tradepass through this event PhilSec 2022 to acknowledge and pay tribute to our country's cybersecurity experts and bestow honour upon their ground breaking work that has empowered and truly uplifted the entire Philippines cybersecurity landscape."He also appreciated the cybersecurity experts for participating at PhilSec 2022, he said, "To our country's cybersecurity experts, let me congratulate on this very important gathering, your love for our country is best explained on this effort of yours to find time and to put your energy to this productive endeavour."Top organizations like Delinea, ARCON, Okta, Recorded Future, CrowdStrike, CyberArk, Rubrik, ExtraHop, BlueVoyant, Claroty, BeyondTrust, Synology, Tenable, Parasoft, Swimlane, CybersCool Defcon, Senhasegura, ThriveDX SaaS, DDLS, Netskope, Sangfor Technologies, Cyfirma, ION Management Solutions, Noname Security, IPV Network, Cyberint and Secuna will lead the summit and showcase their cutting-edge solutions at their exclusive exhibition booths.Mr. Anand Kannabiran, Vice President Sales APAC, Delinea expressed his excitement regarding the summit, he commented, "We are honoured to deliver the first enterprise keynote of this year's edition. Cyberthreats are at an all-time high, leveraging the shift towards hybrid working environments escalated by the pandemic, and organisations struggle to meet these new challenges. By also chairing the CISO panel on the opening day, we hope to help shed some light on the status of cybersecurity and possible solutions to reduce risk and address modern threats."The summit will power two knowledge-packed days filled with insightful presentations on the most pressing industry topics, deep dive panel discussions with the leading thought leaders, live showcase of the best cybersecurity solutions and abundant networking opportunities.For more information about the summit, log on to:https://philsecsummit.com/About TradepassProviding access to the global emerging markets, Tradepass brings together people, products and solutions to power events for unparalleled business and networking opportunities. Being the most accredited event company, it helps organizations: enter new markets, grow sales pipeline, close prospects, raise capital and identify the right solution-providers.As a deal facilitator, Tradepass is always determined about exposing the most agile liquid growth markets, to enable all-round scalability and growth.Media contact:Aritrika ChakrabortyAritrika Chakrabortyaritrikac@tradepassglobal.com+ (91) 80 6166 4401TradepassSource: TradepassCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
BUCHAREST, Romania, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tquila Automation, a leading intelligent automation consultancy, announced the opening of a new Global Service Delivery Center in Bucharest, Romania, to meet the needs of a growing client base in North America and Europe.

Plans to open a new Global Service Delivery Center were accelerated following unprecedented client demand in North America and a multi-million-dollar investment from a new equity partner.

To lead the delivery center, Tquila Automation have hired ex-Cognizant leader Ana-Maria Masoud as country manager. Ana-Maria is an experienced consultant with over 20 years in digital consulting, transformation and innovation and most recently led digital sales and delivery departments at Cognizant and CGI.

Under Ana-Maria's leadership, the center will implement RPA and other emerging technology projects, like UiPath's Document Understanding, AI Center and Task and Process Mining, on behalf of Tquila Automation's clients across North America and Europe. In addition to the current team based in Romania, the center will create fifteen new permanent roles for UiPath specialist developers in H2 2022, with further expansion planned for 2023.

Tom Abbott, CEO & Co-Founder says, "We're very excited to expand our capabilities in Bucharest, home to some of the most experienced UiPath talent in the world and a perfect place to support our AMER and EMEA operations. Ana-Maria's leadership, the center will continue to uphold high service excellence standards and drive true customer success."

Ana-Maria Masoud, Country Manager, says "There are so many talented developers in Romania, and Tquila is already working with many of them. The talent pool in Romania is well-known across the globe for its innovative mindset, customer-centric approach, and strong technical skills. I am very excited and eager to grow our delivery center from Bucharest."

Apply to join Tquila's Bucharest office via LinkedIn.

About Tquila Automation

Tquila Automation is a leading intelligent automation consultancy. It helps enterprising and ambitious businesses to dramatically improve the way that things are done by removing onerous tasks and processes, releasing human workers to focus on value-added productivity. It passionately believes that automation has the power to expedite business transformation, enhance enterprise value and deliver positive impact on people's lives.

Tquila is a global consultancy with offices in Austin, Bucharest, Cardiff and London. Discover more at tquila-automation.com.
DGAP-News: SUSE S.A. / Key word(s): Personnel

SUSE S.A.: The Supervisory Board of SUSE S.A. nominates Sheng Liang to the Supervisory Board, replacing Matteo Thun



07.07.2022 / 07:30

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



SUSE S.A. (the "Company") today announces that, following a proposal from the Company's Nomination and Remuneration Committee, the Supervisory Board has appointed Sheng Liang to the Supervisory Board with immediate effect, until the Company's next shareholder meeting. With this step Sheng Liang is transitioning from his operating role as President of Engineering and Innovation to a non-executive role on the Supervisory Board. Sheng Liang, before joining SUSE through the acquisition of Rancher Labs was the CEO and co-founder of Rancher Labs. He has been instrumental in the rapid growth of the Company's expanding portfolio into the container management and security space.



Sheng Liang will replace EQT Partner Matteo Thun, who resigned from the Supervisory Board on 6 July 2022.



The Supervisory Board intends to propose Sheng Liang for appointment to the Supervisory Board at the Company's next shareholder meeting. EQT will continue to be represented on the Supervisory Board by Johannes Reichel.



Jonas Persson, the Chair of the Supervisory Board, said: "On behalf of the Supervisory Board, I would like to thank Sheng for agreeing to join the SUSE Board. Sheng has been an integral part of the SUSE family since he joined as part of the Rancher acquisition in November 2020 and I look forward to his transition from an operational role as President of Engineering and Innovation to a member of the Supervisory Board. Sheng brings invaluable industry experience and knowledge to the Supervisory Board and I look forward to working with him as SUSE continues to develop and grow. Matteo has been an instrumental part of the SUSE journey since the carve out from Micro Focus in 2018. I would like to thank Matteo for his dedication and contributions to SUSE since his appointment to the Supervisory Board and to the Audit Committee at the time of the IPO."



Henning Kagermann has replaced Matteo Thun on the Company's Audit Committee following his resignation.



07.07.2022 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.dgap.de


The oversubscribed first close of Series B funding was led by Cathay Health, joined by Credit Mutuel Innovation, Kurma Partners and BNP Paribas Developpement.

Funds will accelerate the execution of the Company's product development towards a new standard of care for knee replacement interventions.

Ganymed Robotics, a developer of computer vision software and robotics technologies for orthopedic surgeons, announced it has raised 21 million in the oversubscribed first close of its Series B funding. The round was led by Cathay Health, with participation of Credit Mutuel Innovation, Kurma Partners, BNP Paribas Developpement and internationally renowned surgeons.

The funding will be used to:

Support Ganymed's expansion in France and in the United States;

- Finalize the industrial development of its surgical robotic assistant for knee arthroplasty (TKA);

- Accelerate regulatory and marketing developments across geographies;

- Diversify the innovation product pipeline.

Since inception in 2018, Ganymed Robotics has experienced a rapid growth. In collaboration with world-class clinicians, it has validated its proprietary algorithms and collected unique in vivo data via a 100-patient observational study, successfully completed functional prototype tests, initiated industrialization of its first device dedicated to TKA through strategic partnerships with manufacturers and secured a robust patent portfolio.

"The support of this high-profile group of investors, specialized in innovation and healthcare is a strong endorsement of the work accomplished and of our vision for the future of orthopedic surgery. We are eager to enter this new phase of growth," says Sophie Cahen, co-founder and CEO of Ganymed Robotics. "With our unique robot-with-eyes platform, we are committed to providing all surgeons and care centers, large and small, with an easy-to-use and cost-effective solution that will radically improve patient outcome, surgeon experience and overall efficiency of joint replacement interventions."

Ganymed Robotics' patented technology platform transforms the way orthopedic surgeons perform in the operating room, thanks to its combination of advanced computer vision and mechatronics. The first application is a co-manipulated surgical robotic assistant for total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Ganymed's device is the first compact and intuitive robot, fully integrated into the workflow, that simplifies and increases accuracy of orthopedics. TKA is expected to rise in OECD countries from 2.4 million procedures currently to 5.7 million in 2030. Today, 95% of orthopedic surgeries are performed without technological assistance, leading to sub-optimal outcomes; patient dissatisfaction rate is above 20%.

"We have been impressed by Ganymed' next-generation technology. We are looking forward to working alongside such a talented team and contribute to making orthopedic surgery safer, more accessible, more surgeon-centric and ultimately more efficient for all," says Dr. Steve Oesterle, former SVP Medicine and Technology at Medtronic, now Venture Partner at Cathay Health.

Bryan, Garnier Co acted as exclusive financial advisor on the transaction.

About Ganymed Robotics

Ganymed Robotics is a medical device company founded in 2018, developing the next generation of robotic assistance technologies for orthopedic surgery. The company's mission is to improve patient outcome, surgeon experience, and overall efficiency of care delivery for its target indications. Based in Paris, Ganymed Robotics currently employs 25 people who develop a proprietary technology platform combining computer vision, a branch of artificial intelligence, and mechatronics, in close collaboration with world-class clinicians and advisors. The first application is a robotic surgical assistant for knee arthroplasties, a common and fast-growing intervention associated with high dissatisfaction rates of above 20%. Ganymed Robotics intends to progressively deploy its technology to address several other orthopedics indications. Ganymed Robotics won national and international innovation awards, such as I-Lab, French Tech Emergence, Deep Tech Pioneer, EIT Health, Wilco, EIC Accelerator. For more information: www.ganymedrobotics.com

About Investors

Cathay Health, affiliated to Cathay Capital, is a global fund investing at the convergence of healthcare, life sciences and technology. As a multi-stage 500M fund, it backs venture and growth-stage companies across Europe, North America and Asia whose tech-enabled solutions catalyze groundbreaking advances in medicine. Its global platform brings together startups, established companies and large corporations to fuel cross-border, cross-industry collaboration and growth with direct access to new markets, partners and patients. From the world's leading life sciences and technology hubs, including San Francisco, New York, London, Cambridge, Paris, Basel and Shanghai, Cathay Health partners with future leaders in the data-driven medicine era that will transform human health and care in all its dimensions. Find more information here or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter @CathayHealth

Credit Mutuel Innovation is the venture capital subsidiary of Credit Mutuel Equity (3.5 billion of capital under management), part of Credit Mutuel Alliance Federale. It invests tickets between 1m and 20m in innovative companies in the digital, life sciences and deeptech sectors. Credit Mutuel Innovation enables entrepreneurs to develop their growth potential by connecting them to companies in the ecosystems it belongs. Because it takes more than five years to create a world leader, Credit Mutuel Innovation invests (and often reinvests) its own capital on a long-term basis and builds long-term relationships with the entrepreneurs it supports. For more information: www.creditmutuel-equity.eu

Kurma Partners is a key European venture capital group specialized in healthcare, with 700 million under management, with three franchises: Kurma Diagnostics focused on diagnostic and digital health (current active fund Kurma Dx2), Kurma Biofund focused on therapeutic (current active fund KBIII), and more recently Kurma Growth Opportunities covering both sectors at a later stage of investments. Kurma Partners is part of the Eurazeo group."

BNP Paribas Developpement is an independent subsidiary of BNP Paribas which has for more than 30 years taken minority stakes in successful SMEs to support their growth and secure their long-term development by facilitating their transmission. In addition to providing the financial resources that permit stability, BNP Paribas Developpement's mission is to assist management teams in carrying out strategic medium-term projects. As a minority shareholder we provide our partners with appropriate governance without interference in day-to-day management. They also benefit from the strength of a leading banking group and the experience of a partner with more than 400 diversified investments, including 70 startups. For more information: www.bnpparibasdeveloppement.com, https://www.linkedin.com/company/bnp-paribas-developpement

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220706005339/en/

Contacts:

Press contact

Strategies Image (S&I)

Anne Rein

+33 6 03 35 92 05

anne.rein@strategiesimage.com
Caverion Corporation Investor News 7 July 2022 at 9.15 a.m. EEST

HELSINKI, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Caverion joins Noli Studios project in Espoo, Finland - with NREP and Peab as partners

NREP, Peab and Caverion are in cooperation launching the construction project of the first Noli Studios in Espoo in the summer of 2022. Caverion will deliver all the building solutions and EV charging points and be responsible for the facility management of Noli Studios Otaniemi which is to be completed by the end of 2023.

The 15-storey building of Noli Studios Otaniemi will include more than 400 studios. A grocery shop will also be built on the plot. All in all, the buildings will cover a total of about 17,000 m2. Construction company Peab will be in charge of the construction project.

Caverion will design and supply the building solutions and energy solution for Noli and the grocery shop as well as EV charging points. After completion, Noli Studios Otaniemi will be included in the facility management service agreed upon by Caverion and NREP.

"More and more people want to have effortless housing, and high-quality services and experiences beyond their everyday. Since the first site was opened, Noli Studios have been in high demand, and we are pleased to be able to expand our services to Espoo. The location of the Otaniemi Noli in Espoo is particularly suited for research and business professionals hoping for flexibility as well as international visitors. The expansion of Noli is a wonderful opportunity for us to respond to the growing demand and the high expectations of our clientele," says Roni Huttunen, Head of Operations at Noli Studios Finland.

"We are excited to cooperate with Peab and NREP in the new Noli Studios project. Our goal is to ensure excellent conditions for the users of the studios and secure the low carbon footprint of the property. We will achieve this with tailored solutions and excellent facility management services," says Ville Tamminen, Head of Caverion Finland.

Sustainable solutions

The construction of the Otaniemi Noli is in line with NREP's commitment to carbon neutrality by 2028. The building is aimed to gain the LEED Platinum certification.

The energy system of the building is a CO2 heat pump solution using geothermal heat. The Caverion energy center will recycle the waste energy for reuse in the building. The building will also extensively utilise heat recovery and solar energy in its electricity production.

"We are pleased to join NREP in building one of the largest Noli Studios premises in Finland, and we would like to thank our customer for their trust. This project is a great addition to the Otaniemi sites of the non-residential construction unit of the metropolitan area. Sustainability and solutions in line with sustainable development are taken efficiently into account in the project," says Jarkko Mattila, Unit Director of Non-residential construction at Peab.

Launched by NREP in 2019, Noli Studios is a concept bringing together the comfort of home, hotel-quality services and a sense of community. The Studios have been developed both in existing properties in Katajanokka and Sornainen as well as in new buildings in Myyrmaki, Vantaa. In addition to Espoo's Otaniemi and Helsinki's Kanavakatu, Noli also plans to open new premises in Malmi and Herttoniemi.

CONTACT:

For further information, please contact:

Kirsi Hemmila, Communications Manager

Caverion Finland

kirsi.hemmila@caverion.com

tel. +358503900941

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/caverion/r/caverion-joins-noli-studios-project-in-espoo--finland---with-nrep-and-peab-as-partners,c3597550

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LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Great Portland Estates Plc (GPOR.L), a British property development and investment firm, said in trading update on Thursday that it sees positive momentum in the second quarter, amidst continuing demand. Toby Courtauld, Chief Executive, said: '. The second quarter has started well with our Customer first approach delivering encouraging levels of enquiries from prospective customers attracted to our brand of high quality, well-located space, more than 93 percent of which is within walking distance of an Elizabeth Line station.' As of now the company has 9.5 million pounds of lettings under offer, at a premium to March 2022 ERVs, with an additional 33 million pounds under negotiation. 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.
AMSTERDAM, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Trive Europe has appointed Niklas Helmreich, as its new Managing Director based in Germany to lead expansion of the brand across Europe.

Trive is a next generation, expansive, dynamic, and innovative multi-asset investment platform, which will be launched in Europe next month. Trive brings complex and sophisticated global investment products to an easy-to-use platform through a cutting-edge technology providing its clients a fully customizable and rich trading experience.

Mr Helmreich will run Trive's European operations from Frankfurt, where his role will be establishing and growing the Trive brand across continental Europe by targeting investors in various European countries.

With over 27 years of experience in international financial services businesses, including at top brokerage firms, Mr Helmreich has an excellent track record in developing and building brokerage businesses.

Prior to joining Trive, Mr Helmreich served as COO and Managing Director at FlatexDEGIRO, one of the largest online brokers in Europe, where he was instrumental in its growth. Among his other positions, Mr Helmreich held the role of CMC Markets DACH regional CEO, where he played a vital role in the restructuring of its operations.

In his early career Mr Helmreich was one of the founders of the first discount broker in Europe, DAB bank, and later became involved in the takeover of the first pan European discount broker, Selftrade.

Engin Cubukcu, Trive's CEO and Chairman said: "We have been heavily investing in our brand and a proprietary multi-asset investment platform, which will be launched later this year. Niklas's appointment is an important step, in establishing our brand and his experience will be invaluable in driving the business forward in Europe. Our multi-asset investment platform will be a convenient, smart, and secure solution for our customers' financial needs. The multi asset space is expanding and, with Trive's world leading technology and robust systems, it has the potential to become a significant disruptor."

Niklas Helmreich, Managing Director of Trive Europe, added: "I am delighted to join Trive Europe. I have helped to grow businesses all throughout my career and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to use my knowledge and experience to support Trive Europe at this exciting stage as it starts out on its journey."

Notes to editors

About Trive

Trive is a next generation, expansive, dynamic, and innovative multi-asset investment platform.

Trive brings complex and sophisticated global investment products to an easy-to-use platform through a cutting-edge technology providing its clients a fully customizable and rich trading experience, such as one-click trading, placing orders on the chart, advanced charting and technical analysis tools, advanced order types, market depth and customizable workspaces.

Trive is about empowering progression, never standing still. Trive is savvy in terms of responsiveness and adaptability; it is simple - clean-cut, intuitive, and seamless.

At Trive, we take the complex and deliver it simply.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1846341/Trive_Logo.jpg




Tech-driven insurance company YuLife will use its new capital to fundamentally change how people and businesses around the world derive value from financial products

LONDON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- YuLife , the tech-driven insurance company on a mission to inspire people to live their best lives, today announced that it has raised $120M (~95M) in a Series C led by Dai-ichi Life Holdings Inc. (TSE: 8750) ("Dai-ichi Life"), a new strategic investor in the company. The funding round, which was supported by YuLife's existing investors, takes YuLife's total funding to $206M since the company was founded in 2016, having raised capital from top tier investors including Creandum, LocalGlobe, Target Global, Latitude, Anthemis, OurCrowd, Notion, MMC and Eurazeo. YuLife will use the capital to broaden its reach into new global markets and scale its product range, delivering financial products that improve lives and reward wellbeing. This furthers the company's ambition of transforming financial services into a force for good.

YuLife believes that the $6 trillion insurance industry is not fit for the future due to low trust, low perceived value and low engagement. The global wellbeing crisis, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, has meant that there is a huge gap to fill in the market. YuLife's flagship product, group life insurance, has achieved rapid traction in a market lacking in innovation.

YuLife has fundamentally changed the nature of life insurance, creating an innovative new 'win-win' model which benefits individuals, businesses and society. The highly engaging, game-like YuLife app enables YuLife policyholders to complete everyday wellness activities in order to earn YuCoin, which they can use to buy gifts for themselves, friends or family, or to improve the world through planting trees and donating to charity. Over a third of YuLife customers engage with the company every single day, compared to once a year for the average insurer, and 87% report an improvement to their wellbeing as a result of having YuLife as their insurer.

"Insurance has the potential to achieve tremendous social good", said Sammy Rubin, CEO and Founder, YuLife. "Unusually for financial services, our product creates a deep alignment of interests between the insurer, the company and the individual. We believe that wellbeing must be holistic, and we are committed to building a global financial services brand that can change the lives of millions of people across the world."

"Companies that choose YuLife are making a statement that they care deeply about their employees", continued Rubin. "Now more than ever it is important for companies to go above and beyond to build a culture of care in the workplace, as traditional benefits packages just do not do the job. Our proposition addresses a vital business need exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the 'Great Resignation'."

"Dai-ichi Life is committed to supporting companies that have a proven track record of changing people's lives for the better, and YuLife does exactly that, by bringing tangible value to financial products to bolster individuals' wellbeing," said Toshiaki Sumino, Director, Managing Executive Officer, Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc. "YuLife has immense potential to build on its achievements to date, and we are thrilled to invest and help propel YuLife towards its next steps and scale its global operations. YuLife shares our ethos of harnessing the latest trends in technology to make a genuine difference to the lives of those using financial products."

In July 2021, YuLife raised a $70M Series B in one of Europe's largest insurtech funding rounds and has seen more than 5x growth in Gross Written Premiums year-on-year. YuLife now covers >500k policyholders across small to large businesses, with over $50bn (~40bn) of cover in place.

About YuLife

YuLife is a tech-driven insurance company on a mission to inspire life and turn financial products into a force for good. By harnessing the power of technology and the latest behavioural science, YuLife's insurance model focuses on risk prevention, not just claims compensation. The company is transforming the employee benefits market by rewarding employees for healthy living, supporting mental, physical and financial wellbeing and helping foster healthier, happier and more motivated teams. Founded in 2016, YuLife is headquartered in London and backed by global insurers and venture capital. https://www.YuLife.com/.

About Dai-ichi Life Holdings Inc.

Dai-ichi Life, the company from which the Group originates, is a Japanese insurance company established in 1902 as Japan's first mutual insurance company. The company has a market capitalisation of JPY 2.6 trillion (16.2bn*), premium income of JPY 5.3 trillion (32.9bn), and 65,000 employees, approximately, for the group as a whole. Since 2007, the company has been focusing on overseas expansion and is now present in 8 countries, including the US and Australia. In accordance with the mission "By your side, for life", the company seeks to provide products and services tailored to deliver upon customer's needs. In 2022, the Group will celebrate 120 years since its founding and hope to continue contributing to the well-being of all, including future generations, to enable them to lead healthy and prosperous lives with peace of mind. * As of 5th July 2022 https://www.dai-ichi-life-hd.com/en/index.html

YuLife Media Contact

Ben Crome

Headline Media

ben@headline.media

020 3769 6463




By Kim Hyun-bin







POSCO International held a groundbreaking ceremony, Thursday, for a new plant manufacturing automotive motor cores in Coahuila, Mexico, to meet growing demand for electric vehicle (EV) parts in the North American market.







Motor cores are a key component for generating electricity in EVs.







"With the Mexican plant as a bridge, we will strengthen our penetration into the North American EV parts market and establish ourselves as a key partner when it comes to motor cores in the global eco-friendly car industry," POSCO International CEO Joo Si-bo said.







The event was also attended by Coahuila Governor Miguel Riquelme, Korean Ambassador to Mexico Suh Jeong-in and POSCO Mobility Solutions CEO Kim Hak-yong.







Due to U.S. import restrictions on electric steel sheets, a key material for motor cores, and logistics competitiveness, POSCO International selected Mexico, which has a huge automotive industry, as its production base to target North America.







Ramos Arizpe the city in the Mexican state of Coahuila where the new plant will be built, is the center of the automotive industry in northeastern Mexico, where major carmakers and parts factories are concentrated.







The company plans to invest about 160 billion won ($123 million) into the Mexican plant by 2030, which will have an annual production capacity of 1.5 million parts.







POSCO International already secured a long-term contract worth $460 million with a major carmaker before the start of the plant's construction, and it will be in charge of producing the electrical steel sheets required for this project until 2030.







According to market researcher IHS Markit, the global EV motor core market is expected to grow from 6.25 million in 2020 to 30.5 million in 2025 and 54.2 million in 2030, increasing at a compound annual growth rate of 24 percent.







POSCO International has selected motor cores, a key part of eco-friendly vehicles, as a strategic business and has continued making active investments. The company has set a goal of becoming a global eco-friendly car parts company by establishing a production capability of 7 million parts per year both domestically and abroad by 2030.






AACHEN, Germany, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Grunenthal, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen and RWTH Aachen University announced a collaboration to advance the development of next-generation pain medicines. The collaboration involves the institutes of Dr Angelika Lampert, Professor of Physiology at the Uniklinik RWTH Aachen and Dr Marc Spehr, Lichtenberg-Professor for Chemosensation at the RWTH Aachen University. The partners strive to develop a range of translational research tools and humanised preclinical models to enhance target validation.

Under the terms of the agreement, Grunenthal will support the institutes led by Professor Lampert and Professor Spehr with approximately  1 million of funding. Part of the funding allows for establishing two new post-doc positions. The exploratory efforts at the Uniklinik RWTH Aachen and RWTH Aachen University will, if successful, enable their subsequent integration into drug development activities at Grunenthal.

Chronic pain is a considerable burden that impacts up to one in five people worldwide[1]. As one of the most common reasons people seek medical help[2], it affects health care systems and economies, significantly contributing to disability retirement.[3] Various indications come under the umbrella of chronic pain, and patients frequently experience limited efficacy from available medicines.

Despite extensive research, limited progress has been made to bring new medicines that address this unmet medical need. Scientists have used rodent models to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in pain. However, the successful translation of these preclinical findings into new treatments for patients with chronic pain has proven difficult. The pathophysiology of chronic pain depends on a range of aspects that have not been well modelled in preclinical species yet, due to fundamental differences in molecular, cellular and genetic mechanisms of pain across species.

"To enhance target validation and translational potential of novel analgesics, we want to address two gaps," explains Jan Adams, MD, Chief Scientific Officer Grunenthal. "First, we would like to increase our ability to validate our hypothesis in human cells and tissue, and second, we want to create models to investigate cell-to-cell interactions."

Grunenthal and the Uniklinik RWTH Aachen will work together to create a shared local infrastructure to ethically and reliably source human Dorsal Root Ganglia (DRGs) and other tissues of interest. The collaboration will also include comparing non-human models to human models and investigating complex model systems and neuropathic pain mechanisms.

Human Dorsal Root Ganglia represent key communication nodes in transmitting signals from the peripheral somatosensory nervous system to the central nervous system and ultimately the brain, where one perceives the signals as pain. "Investigating high-quality human DRGs will enable us to understand crucial disease mechanisms in neuropathic pain", says Dr Angelika Lampert, Professor of Physiology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen. "Furthermore, we will run a comparative approach between human and non-human DRGs. One of our key goals is to identify the best surrogate species for supporting mechanistic translation into the clinic as efficiently as possible."

Recent scientific progress allows researchers to investigate sensory neurons at the level of an individual cell to analyse the mechanisms involved in pain. "While these insights are beneficial, it remains vital to preserve cell-to-cell interaction in the preclinical setting to appropriately mimic the disease mechanisms in a living organism and receive translatable data", says Dr Marc Spehr Lichtenberg-Professor for Chemosensation, RWTH Aachen University. "Through this collaboration, we will establish translational models in which we can measure precisely these interactions via specialised electrophysiological methods. These have the potential to improve the reliability of target validation and the quality of compound testing."

Grunenthal and Professors Spehr and Lampert share a common research interest in pain and neuroscience. Dr Angelika Lampert is a leading researcher in the field of voltage-gated sodium channels, studying the structure and function of these channels and how to possibly prevent peripheral pain by their pharmacological modulation. Dr Marc Spehr is dedicated to investigating how chemical stimuli are transduced into a cell-specific response via complex biochemical signalling cascades and thus built an understanding of how these signalling mechanisms work on a molecular and cellular level.

Grunenthal is a global leader in pain research and management and has delivered six essential treatment options for pain patients in the last decades. Today, the company is dedicated to creating innovative non-opioid pain treatments that address unmet medical needs. For R&D, Grunenthal executes a distinctive therapeutic area strategy and focuses its efforts on four key pain indications: peripheral neuropathic pain, chronic post-surgical pain, chronic low back pain, and osteoarthritis.

About Uniklinik RWTH Aachen

The Uniklinik RWTH Aachen is a supramaximal care provider that combines patient-oriented medicine and nursing, teaching and research at an international level. With 35 specialist clinics, 30 institutes and six interdisciplinary units, the University Hospital covers the entire medical spectrum. Excellently qualified teams of doctors, nurses and scientists are competently committed to the health of the patients. The bundling of patient care, research and teaching in one central building offers the best conditions for intensive interdisciplinary exchange and close clinical and scientific networking. Around 9.000 employees provide patient-oriented medicine and care according to recognised quality standards. With 1.400 beds, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen treats around 50.000 inpatient and 200.000 outpatient cases per year.

About RWTH

RWTH Aachen University exploits strong research networks and the intellectual curiosity of its staff to address bold scientific questions, transfer forefront knowledge and drive innovative discoveries that impact global challenges. The Excellence Initiative of the German federal and state governments provided RWTH with a unique opportunity to boost its research profile by strengthening the natural sciences and fostering interdisciplinary research. Topics include sustainable synthetic fuels, data mining, computational science, production technology, high-performance materials, health, renewable resources and mobility. The University educates over 47,000 students enrolled in 170 courses. This includes more than 13,354 international students from 138 countries.

About Grunenthal

Grunenthal is a global leader in pain management and related diseases. As a science-based, privately-owned pharmaceutical company, we have a long track record of bringing innovative treatments and state-of-the-art technologies to patients worldwide. Our purpose is to change lives for the better and innovation is our passion. We are focusing all of our activities and efforts on working towards our vision of a world free of pain.

Grunenthal is headquartered in Aachen, Germany, and has affiliates in 28 countries across Europe, Latin America and the US. Our products are available in more than 100 countries. In 2021 Grunenthal employed around 4,500 people and achieved sales of  1.5 bn.

More information: www.grunenthal.com

Follow us on:

LinkedIn: Grunenthal Group

Instagram: grunenthal

For further information please contact

Christopher Jansen

Communication Business Partner

Grunenthal GmbH

52099 Aachen

Phone: +49 241 569-1428

E-mail: Christopher.Jansen@grunenthal.com

Dr. Mathias Brandstadter

Leiter Stabsstelle Unternehmenskommunikation

Uniklinik RWTH Aachen

Pauwelsstrae 30

52074 Aachen

Tel.: 0241 80-89893

Fax: 0241 80-33-89893

mbrandstaedter@ukaachen.de

kommunikation@ukaachen.de

Thorsten Karbach

Dezernent Presse und Kommunikation

RWTH Aachen University

Templergraben 55

52062 Aachen

Phone: +49 241 80 94323

E-mail: thorsten.karbach@zhv.rwth-aachen.de

[1] Treede et al Pain 2015 Jun;156(6):1003-1007.

[2] Breivik, H. et al., Survey of chronic pain in Europe: Prevalence, impact on daily life, and treatment, European Journal of Pain 10 (2006) 287-333.

[3] Saastamoinen, P. et al., 2012, Pain and disability retirement: a prospective cohort study.
LENOVO EXPANDS ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH ECONOCOM GROUP FOR ACCELERATED GROWTH IN KEY EUROPEAN MARKETS

Econocom accredited as Lenovo Platinum Plus International channel partner

July 7th, 2022 - Lenovo has expanded its relationship with Econocom Group, reaching an agreement to take their joint businesses to new heights in key European markets, accrediting the organisation as a Platinum Plus International Channel partner - one of only six across Europe, Middle East and Africa. In the French market, Econocom has already achieved outstanding business results with Lenovo and its ambition is to replicate this success in other European markets with a focus on Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK.

Econocom will exploit the Lenovo 360 framework to sell Lenovo products and services from across its commercial product, solutions and services offering - including both PC and infrastructure - benefiting from the incremental business opportunities Lenovo's end-to-end portfolio provides.

Neil Berville, Executive Director, EMEA Channel Strategy & Programs, Lenovo said, "Lenovo recently announced that it has reached $70bn in revenue for the first time - largely driven through indirect partnerships. We rely on partners who have scale, an in-depth understanding of the market and the ambition to rapidly grow their businesses with Lenovo, and Econocom is a clear example. The Lenovo 360 Framework helps partners to offer customers the entirety of our portfolio - across both our Intelligent Devices and our Infrastructure Services groups, something we know Econocom is keen to exploit."

"As an international company with the capability to run international projects, the expanded relationship with Lenovo is natural. To be one of the six Platinum Plus International Channel partners across Lenovo's EMEA region is a real honor. It is the quality and collaborative work between our two companies that allowed us to achieve this certification. I am proud of Econocom, the team and the bright future we will deliver with Lenovo" mentioned Israel Garcia, International Deals Managing Director.

Lenovo 360 is a first-of-its-kind global channel partner framework designed to provide easier access to the entire Lenovo portfolio across devices, infrastructure, and services and solutions. The new Lenovo 360 framework comes at a time as many small businesses and large enterprises alike are increasingly moving toward the "Everything-as-a-Service" consumption model. Lenovo 360 helps partners capitalise service-led and solutions-based opportunities with their customers and drive additional revenue streams.

Designed in collaboration with Lenovo channel partners, Lenovo 360 brings together the core elements of people, programs, and tools. The framework details more unified global channel team structures and introduces eight solutions. These enable greater workforce productivity and collaboration, infrastructure flexibility, sustainability improvements, and industry specific solutions to address common business challenges.

About Lenovo

Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$70 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #159 in the Fortune Global 500, employing 75,000 people around the world, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver smarter technology for all, Lenovo has built on its success as the world's leading PC player by expanding into new growth areas of infrastructure, mobile, solutions and services. This transformation together with Lenovo's world-changing innovation is building a more inclusive, trustworthy, and sustainable digital society for everyone, everywhere. To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com,and read about the latest news via our StoryHub.

About Econocom

Econocom is a digital general contractor. It conceives, finances and facilitates the digital transformation of large firms and public organizations. It has forty-nine years' experience and is the only market player offering versatile expertise through a combination of project financing, equipment distribution and digital services. The group operates in sixteen countries, with over 8,200 employees. It made 2,505m in revenue in 2021. Econocom is listed on Euronext in Brussels, on the BEL Mid and Family Business indexes.

Econocom press contact: david.molins@econocom.com - +33(0)14429912

Lenovo press contact: tlapacherie@lenovo.com - +33 (0)6 73 32 01 91

Agence Marie-Antoinette :

Julien Vermessen julien.v@marie-antoinette.fr - +33 (0)6 16 24 81 95

lenovo@marie-antoinette.fr

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TOKYO, July 7, 2022 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu Limited and Fujitsu Australia today announced acquisition plans for Asia-Pacific region's largest independent ServiceNow-specialist, Enable Professional Services. This acquisition continues our approach of using M&A as a tool to support Fujitsu's growth ambitions. Prior to this, Fujitsu Australia acquired data and AI-consultancy, Versor, and Microsoft-specialist, oobe. Enable Professional Services will operate as a stand-alone Fujitsu company for the foreseeable future, under the continued leadership of Bruce Hara. It will be re-branded 'Enable, a Fujitsu company'.With the acquisition of Enable Professional Services, Fujitsu will gain market-leading and award-winning expertise and experience to deliver ServiceNow advisory, consulting, and delivery services for customers across the region. The company's ServiceNow capabilities and digital transformation specialist skills directly support Fujitsu's portfolio transformation and will bolster future offerings for "Business Applications," one of seven Key Focus Areas (KFAs) under Fujitsu's new global Uvance business brand. Enable Professional Services currently operates in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines, and India.Nicholas Fraser, in charge of Strategic Growth & Investments at Fujitsu Limited commented: "M&A helps realize Fujitsu's ambition of becoming a global leading DX services player. We look for opportunities that will help Fujitsu gain differentiation in digital technologies including AI, cybersecurity, or analytics, and build world-class capabilities to engage clients in business transformative discussions. Our investments also accelerate the realization of our Uvance vision. Our planned acquisition of Enable Professional Services represents an important milestone on this journey."Award winning capabilities to accelerate digital transformationFounded in 2014, Enable Professional Services is an award winning ServiceNow Elite partner that builds and implements industry-leading solutions that improve the customer and employee experience, enabling businesses to create value at speed. Through its end-to-end ServiceNow offerings delivered through specialist thought-leading practices, innovative proprietary solutions, and strong people-first culture, Enable Professional Services is leading the way in accelerating digital transformation in the region. The company was distinguished with four ServiceNow awards this year including Asia Pacific and Japan Elite Partner of the Year 2022, an award it has earned in the past three consecutive years for achieving overall excellence in certifications, customer satisfaction and ServiceNow pipeline growth.Yoshinami Takahashi, EVP and Vice Head of Global Solution Business Group, Fujitsu Limited commented, "We are very excited by the prospect of welcoming Enable Professional Services to the Fujitsu Group. Enable Professional Services' capabilities in co-creating value in tandem with Fujitsu's service integration expertise and advanced technologies will play an important role in accelerating our strategy for Business Applications.Fujitsu's vision for Uvance centers on building new possibilities by connecting people, technology and ideas, creating a more sustainable world where anyone can advance their dreams. I am confident that this move will set us on a path to make this vision a reality."Graeme Beardsell, Executive Vice President and CEO, Fujitsu Asia-Pacific, said, "I am delighted that Fujitsu is investing in the growth of Australian technology companies and helping them to expand on a global scale.I look forward to welcoming Enable Professional Services into the Fujitsu family. Enable Professional Services is an impressive force in the market, demonstrating the value and depth of thinking and experience it has to offer for customers on the ServiceNow platform. Together, Fujitsu and Enable Professional Services will accelerate our customers' digital transformations, delivered through our combined deep-industry experience and specialist teams."From an industry perspective, this acquisition will accelerate Fujitsu's experience, depth, and customer base in multiple industries including manufacturing, financial services and telecommunications. The acquisition will actively stimulate growth opportunities for Enable Professional Services' current capabilities into both the local and global markets and provide industry-leading differentiation in ServiceNow services for current Fujitsu customers in Asia-Pacific.Bruce Hara, Chief Executive Officer, Enable Professional Services said, "Enable has always looked for chances to make life better for our customers and for our team. Joining Fujitsu ticks both these boxes, offering us new markets and geographies, and significant scale. With these opportunities, we know we can drive even greater market impact. So the future is exciting, and we're ready to showcase to the world what we can do as a Fujitsu company."About FujitsuFujitsu's purpose is to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation. As the digital transformation partner of choice for customers in over 100 countries, our 124,000 employees work to resolve some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Our range of services and solutions draw on five key technologies: Computing, Networks, AI, Data & Security, and Converging Technologies, which we bring together to deliver sustainability transformation. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (USD32 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 and remains the top digital services company in Japan by market share. Find out more: www.fujitsu.com.About Fujitsu Australia and New ZealandFujitsu Australia and New Zealand is a leading service provider of business, information technology and communications solutions. We partner with our customers to consult, design, build, operate and support business solutions. From strategic consulting to application and infrastructure solutions and services, Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand have earned a reputation as the single supplier of choice for leading corporate and government organisations. Fujitsu Australia Limited and Fujitsu New Zealand Limited are wholly owned subsidiaries of Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702). See www.fujitsu.com/au.About Enable Professional ServicesEnable Professional Services is an award winning Elite ServiceNow partner with a vision to create opportunities for its teams and customers to do things they've never done before. Enable is a pure-play ServiceNow consultancy, 100% dedicated to the delivery of ServiceNow advisory, consulting and delivery services. With more than 350 consultants and 950+ certifications, Enable are the most qualified, certified and capable ServiceNow partner in the APJ region. Enable have dedicated practices of certified and experienced business consultants across Customer Service Experience, IT Transformation, Employee Service Experience and Integrated Risk Management. Our Principal Consultants and experienced consulting team bring many years of experience in enterprise service management across all modules including HR, GRC, SecOps, CSM, ITOM, ITBM and ITSM. See www.enableps.com.Source: Fujitsu LtdCopyright 2022 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
COLOMBES, France, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Four months after completing the acquisition of Ashland's Performance Adhesive activities, Bostik, the adhesive solutions segment of Arkema, has finalized the Integration of these activities inside its organization. This milestone signs a major step in Bostik's ability to deliver expected synergies, and growth.

As it Integrates Ashland's Performance Adhesive activities, and in order to strengthen its customer centricity and ability to develop innovative, more sustainable, high value solutions in a broad variety of markets, Bostik has reorganized its activities and now operates with four market-centered businesses:

-Durable Goods brings together Bostik's legacy durable goods activities and Ashland's Structural adhesives business, strengthening its ability to develop tailor-made solutions for higher-value markets in Assembly, Mobility, Engineering Adhesives and Building Components;

-Advanced Packaging & Converting integrates Ashland's Pressure Sensitive Adhesives and Lamination & Coatings activities, strengthening its market leadership and geographic footprint to address the needs of global customers in the rolled goods converting Industry;

-Hygiene, Paper & Cardboard combines the Bostik Non-Woven and Rigid Packaging businesses, to serve global consumer goods customers in the hygiene and end-of-line packaging Industries.

-Construction & Consumer remains unchanged, and serves professional and individual construction customers.

According to Vincent LEGROS, Bostik's CEO, "The acquisition of Ashland's Performance Adhesives offers a unique opportunity to pass a threshold in our strategy to provide our clients with tailor-made, high-value, innovative adhesive solutions. Our new organization is going to help us deliver on this strategy, and actively contribute to Arkema's ambition to become a pure specialty materials player. All the teams are really excited about the many opportunities this is going to generate."

With one of the world's most complete offers on pressure sensitive adhesives as well as market leading positions In structural adhesives and flexible lamination, this new organisation is going to unlock significant opportunities to develop Innovative and more sustainable solutions with customers and with the Arkema Group's other businesses, while helping globalize activities on some key markets.

About Bostik, the adhesive solutions segment of Arkema

Bostik, a subsidiary of the Arkema Group and a global player in specialty adhesives for the construction, consumer and industrial markets, develops innovative and multifunctional sealing and bonding solutions that have been shaping our daily lives for over 130 years. With annual sales of over 2 billion euros, a presence in more than 50 countries, and 6,500+ employees, the company is committed to meeting the major ecological, energy and technological challenges through its innovations. It is focused on continuous improvement and operational excellence to meet the expectations of its customers and partners.

CONTACT: Hortense BLAZSIN, e-mail: hortense.blazsin@bostik.com

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Prominent European competition economist forms partnership with Keystone to create a new combined economic, technology, and strategy approach to antitrust in Europe

LONDON and BRUSSELS, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Keystone, a consultancy to top technology companies, government agencies and global law firms on matters of strategy, economics, technology, and competition, today announced it has formed a partnership with Cristina Caffarra in Europe.

Dr. Caffarra, a leading European expert in antitrust and competition economics, who headed the competition practice of Charles River Associates in Europe for over 10 years, will become a managing partner at Keystone and will lead the firm's European operations, with a team of competition economists working out of offices in London, Brussels, and Rome.

Keystone was founded by Greg Richards and Professor Marco Iansiti in 2003 and is one of the world's most prominent advisors to the technology sector, building deep expertise by handling high-profile cases with specific focus on the digital economy. Keystone's affiliates are all top academic experts on digital transformation, innovation, platform economics, computer science, strategic management, and ecosystems, supported by 150 professionals across its US offices.

The partnership with Dr. Caffarra has antitrust as the core offering in Europe, supported by Keystone's existing capabilities and experience of technology platforms and the digital economy.

Dr. Caffarra brings over two decades of competition economics experience. As top advisor and expert before the European Commission, the courts and competition agencies across Europe and beyond, she has provided guidance to multiple companies and agencies on mergers, conduct cases and regulatory controversies. Her experience includes landmark cases on the economics of platforms and the digital economy, for and adverse to companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Newscorp, Uber, as well as extensive experience in telecoms, television, and media.

Cristina Caffarra said: "The reality of enforcement and regulation in digital markets means it is no longer possible to be active in this space with traditional antitrust skills alone. Agencies themselves (like the CMA in the UK) are combining legal and economic expertise with technology, data, computer science and strategy capabilities. It is increasingly essential to combine deep antitrust economics expertise, theory, and empirics, with insights into computer and data science, and an understanding of how firms' strategies are evolving. Business schools and computer scientists are working extensively on digital ecosystems in ways that dovetail with antitrust economics. Keystone provides the key capabilities to deepen and extend my core antitrust expertise, and I very much like the idea of a true partnership with like-minded, dynamic, and collaborative colleagues in a broader tent, to build something more curated, new, and unique in Europe."

Greg Richards, CEO and Co-Founder of Keystone, said of the new partnership: "For two decades Keystone has served global clients including the largest technology companies with counsel on matters involving litigation, regulation, and public policy. Now, with Europe and the UK becoming a leading force in antitrust and regulation of the digital sector, it is time to expand and bring the expertise we've built over the years to this important region. Cristina's exceptional performance and track record as an institution builder, straight-talking advisor and policy commentator are key to this."

Marco Iansiti, Keystone's Chairman of the Board and the David Sarnoff Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, added: "Cristina is an outstanding individual and one of the leading minds in the competition space in Europe. She is a distinctive voice in enforcement and policy, with progressive views and an active participant in the global antitrust and regulatory discourse. The combination of her antitrust focus and Keystone's global economic, strategy and technology expertise, are going to be a powerful proposition and we are incredibly excited at what we can achieve together at such an interesting time for digital transformation and regulation in Europe."

The new Keystone office in London will serve as the European headquarters for the firm. Although Keystone has served major technology clients in the European region for the last decade, establishing a physical presence in the market will help the firm play a key role in future competition legislative, regulatory, and litigation matters while also attracting more talent to the business.

About Keystone

Keystone Strategy, LLC ("Keystone") is a leading innovative strategy, economic, and technology consulting firm dedicated to delivering transformative ideas and cutting-edge solutions to Fortune Global 500 companies, top law firms, and government agencies. It possesses unique expertise in competition, IP, litigation, and tax and transfer pricing matters, as well as technology-driven strategy and product development, across all sectors. This allows the firm to create bold strategies with far-reaching implications for business, consumers, and public policy. Keystone was founded by Mr. Richards and Professor Marco Iansiti, Keystone's Chairman of the Board and the David Sarnoff Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. Keystone now boasts a roster of hundreds of top academic experts on the digital economy and innovation sectors, supported by over 150 professionals. In addition to London, the firm has offices in New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Seattle. Learn more about Keystone at www.keystone.ai.

Media Contact

Theo Moore

APCO Worldwide

Keystone@apcoworldwide.com

+32 474 19 42 03

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DGAP-News: Andera Partners / Key word(s): Personnel

Andera Partners strengthens its Life Sciences team with a new partner



07.07.2022 / 10:15

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





PRESS RELEASE

Andera Partners strengthens its Life Sciences team with a new partner

Jan Van den Bossche joins the Andera Life Sciences team as a partner to accelerate

the deployment of its BioDiscovery 6 fund

PARIS, JULY 7, 2022 - Andera Partners strengthens its organization by welcoming Jan Van den Bossche as a partner within Andera Life Sciences, its team specialized in innovative therapeutics and medical devices.

Jan Van den Bossche (44 - KU Leuven) started his career at Petercam, where he was a biotech analyst for over 12 years. He was involved in numerous public and private transactions of Belgian and Dutch biotech companies, such as ThromboGenics, Tigenix, UCB, AMT (Uniqure), IBA, MDxHealth. Prior to joining Andera Partners, he worked for 7 years as a partner at Fund+, a Belgium-based fund investing in the life sciences sector.

Andera Life Sciences partners (Sofia Ioannidou, Gilles Nobecourt, Raphael Wisniewski and Olivier Litzka) comment: "We are delighted to reinforce the Andera Life Sciences team with an experienced investor like Jan. His arrival will allow us to accelerate the roll-out of our new BioDiscovery 6 fund and to further support our portfolio companies.

Jan Van den Bossche, partner at Andera Life Sciences, says: "I am very pleased to join the Andera Life Sciences team, one of the most renowned European funds in the sector. I look forward to contributing my expertise and input to our future projects."

The Andera Life Sciences team is now composed of 15 professionals including 5 partners and 3 venture partners. Active since 2000, the team has raised over 1.1 billion through its BioDiscovery family of funds and is currently investing from its new BioDiscovery 6 fund. Since inception, the BioDiscovery funds have invested in more than 75 European and U.S. biotech and medtech companies.

Jan Van den Bossche also becomes the 20th partner of Andera Partners.

For a high-resolution image of Jan Van den Bossche, please contact c.bayol@anderapartners.com.



Based in Paris, with offices in Antwerp and Munich, Andera Partners is wholly owned by its teams, which count nearly 95 professionals, of which 58 investment professionals. It is structured as a partnership and managed by a board of 10 partners. Responsible and committed, the management company regularly forms partnerships with non-profit sector entities and takes concrete action in the fight against global warming.

Andera's 15-person life sciences team brings together extensive experience in the life sciences industry, private equity and venture capital. Active since 2000, the team has raised over 1.1 billion through its BioDiscovery family of funds and is currently investing from its new BioDiscovery 6 fund. Since inception, the BioDiscovery funds have invested in more than 75 European and U.S. biotech and medtech companies.



MEDIA CONTACTS

Nicolas DELSERT - Andera Partners - n.delsert@anderapartners.com, +33 1 85 73 52 88

Marie-Charlotte POTET - Bien Commun Advisory - mc.potet@bcadvisory.fr, +33 6 70 91 25 23

Clement BENETREAU - Bien Commun Advisory - c.benetreau@bcadvisory.fr, +33 6 76 14 02 02

Raimund GABRIEL - MC Services - raimund.gabriel@mc-services.eu, +49 89 210 228 30

Dr. Johanna KOBLER - MC Services - johanna.kobler@mc-services.eu - +49 89 210 228 46

07.07.2022 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.dgap.de




NEW YORK CITY (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized state-licensed pharmacists to prescribe COVID-19 pill Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir and ritonavir) by drug major Pfizer Inc. to eligible patients, with certain limitations.



The agency has revised the Emergency Use Authorization or EUA for Paxlovid for the authorization, which could improve access for some patients at high risk for severe covid-19. The limitations are set to ensure appropriate patient assessment and prescribing of Paxlovid.



Pfizer in late June had submitted a New Drug Application or NDA to the FDA for approval of Paxlovid for both vaccinated and unvaccinated patients who are at high risk for progression to severe illness from COVID-19.



The FDA now said that when testing positive for COVID-19, patients should first consider seeking care from their regular health care provider or locating a Test-to-Treat site in their area. This will allow state-licensed pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid with certain limitations. Further, community pharmacies not already participating as a Test-to-Treat site can also decide if or how they will offer this service to patients.



For determining eligibility to receive Paxlovid from state-licensed pharmacists, COVID-19 patients should bring health records less than 12 months old, as well as a list of all medications they are taking, including over-the-counter medications.



Under the limitations in the authorization, the pharmacist should refer patients for clinical evaluation with a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant, if sufficient information is not available in certain cases.



Patrizia Cavazzoni, director for the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said, 'Since Paxlovid must be taken within five days after symptoms begin, authorizing state-licensed pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid could expand access to timely treatment for some patients who are eligible to receive this drug for the treatment of COVID-19.'



Paxlovid is currently authorized for emergency use to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.



Under the EUA, patients in the authorized population who report a positive home test result from a rapid antigen diagnostic test, or a positive PCR test, to their provider are eligible for Paxlovid.



Paxlovid is currently approved or authorized for conditional or emergency use in more than 65 countries across the globe to treat COVID-19 patients who are at increased risk for progressing to severe illness.



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Resume of senior positions managing world-class projects with multi-billion-dollar budgets at Skeena Resources, Eldorado Gold, and Rio Tinto Group

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 7, 2022 / Element79 Gold Corp. (CSE:ELEM)(OTC PINK:ELMGF)(FSE:7YS) ("Element79 Gold", the "Company") today announces that it has appointed Mr. Shane Williams, Chief Operation Officer of Skeena Resources Limited, to its Board of Directors.

Mr. Williams carries a history of significant value creation in both early-stage and operating companies, which includes senior executive and management roles overseeing and delivering world-class multi-billion-dollar projects at highly prominent companies, including:

Chief Operation Officer at Skeena Resources Limited (NYSE Listed), Eskay Creek Project A key member of the Skeena Resources team as the company developed from explorer to becoming a leading tier-one developer, overseeing the flagship Eskay Creek project's advancement towards production and increasing shareholder value by +300%. The Eskay Creek project has been estimated to have an after-tax net present value of $1.4 billion.

Senior Vice President at Eldorado Gold Corporation (NYSE Listed), $2B Global Project Portfolio Oversaw the transition of the Lamaque Project from exploration into a successful operation in a record 18-months, with first year ramp up resulting in an increase in company value by approximately $300 million (an increase of over +50% at the time). The Lamaque mine continues to deliver significant value to Eldorado gold portfolio.

General Manager of Expansion Projects at Iron Ore Company of Canada a subsidiary of the Rio Tinto Group (NYSE Listed), $2.5B CAPEX Managed a combined capital expenditure of $2.5 billion across a series of expansion projects and studies.



"I am excited to join the BOD of Element 79 at this time. With my past experience and history of successful project delivery, I feel have many synergies which are directly relevant to Element 79 ongoing development in South America and will also serve to accelerate the pace of development of Element 79 and its various properties," commented Mr. Williams.

Mr. Williams completed his Master of Project Management degree at the University of Limerick in Ireland and his Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electrical Engineering at Technological University Dublin. He brings with him nearly 20 years of experience in senior management and executive roles where he has delivered significant value to well-known companies in the mining and resources sectors.

"Through his experience, Shane has delivered tremendous value to Element79 Gold in his time acting as an Advisor to the Board, and we're pleased to now be welcoming him as a Director of the Company," remarked James Tworek, President and CEO of Element79 Gold. "The combined wealth of knowledge that has recently lent its support to Element79 Gold has the entire team eager to drive forward with the goal of accelerating greater value to shareholders on our route to the next stage of our corporate development strategy."

About Element79 Gold

Element79 Gold is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of mining properties for gold and associated metals. Element79 Gold has acquired its flagship Maverick Springs Project located in the famous gold mining district of northeastern Nevada, USA, between the Elko and White Pine Counties, where it has recently completed a 43-101-compliant, pit-constrained mineral resource estimate reflecting an Inferred resource of 3.71 million ounces of gold equivalent* "AuEq" at a grade of 0.92 g/t AuEq (0.34 g/t Au and 43.4 g/t Ag) with an effective date of Feb. 4, 2022. The acquisition of the Maverick Springs Project also included a portfolio of 15 properties along the Battle Mountain trend in Nevada, which the Company is analyzing for further merit of exploration, along with the potential for sale or spin-out. In Peru, Element79 Gold holds 100% interest in the past producing Lucero Mine, one of the highest-grade underground mines to be commercially mined in Peru's history, as well as the past producing Machacala Mine. In British Columbia, Element79 Gold has executed a Letter of Intent to acquire a private company which holds the option to 100% interest of the Snowbird High-Grade Gold Project, which consists of 10 mineral claims located in Central British Columbia, approximately 20km west of Fort St. James. The Company also has an option to acquire 100% interest in the Dale Property which consists of 90 unpatented mining claims located approximately 100 km southwest of Timmins, Ontario, Canada in the Timmins Mining Division, Dale Township. For more information about the Company, please visit www.element79.gold or www.element79gold.com

Contact Information

For corporate matters, please contact:

James C. Tworek, Chief Executive Officer

E-mail: jt@element79gold.com

For investor relations inquiries, please contact:

Investor Relations Department

Phone: +1 (604) 200-3608

E-mail: investors@element79gold.com

Qualified Person

The technical information in this release has been reviewed and verified by Neil Pettigrew, M.Sc., P. Geo., Director of Element79 Gold and a "qualified person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

Technical Disclaimer

This news release and related maps contain information about adjacent properties and properties with similar characteristics on which the Company has no right to explore or mine. Readers are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties or properties that share similar characteristics are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Company's properties. Readers are also cautioned that this news release contains historical technical information which is based on prior data prepared by previous property owners. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to confirm such information; significant data compilation, re-drilling, re-sampling and data verification may be required to do so.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" under applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance, business prospects or opportunities that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management made in light of management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the Company's business strategy; future planning processes; exploration activities; the timing and result of exploration activities; capital projects and exploration activities and the possible results thereof; acquisition opportunities; and the impact of acquisitions, if any, on the Company. Assumptions may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Consequently, forward-looking statements cannot be guaranteed. As such, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, assumptions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "predict", "forecast", "potential", "target", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe" and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements".

Actual results may vary from forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to materially differ from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the duration and effects of the coronavirus and COVID-19; risks related to the integration of acquisitions; actual results of exploration activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; commodity prices; variations in ore reserves, grade or recovery rates; actual performance of plant, equipment or processes relative to specifications and expectations; accidents; labour relations; relations with local communities; changes in national or local governments; changes in applicable legislation or application thereof; delays in obtaining approvals or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities; exchange rate fluctuations; requirements for additional capital; government regulation; environmental risks; reclamation expenses; outcomes of pending litigation; limitations on insurance coverage as well as those factors discussed in the Company's other public disclosure documents, available on 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 statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included herein should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date hereof. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws.

Sources

Element 79 Gold makes no warranty as to the completeness, accuracy, verifiability, or suitableness of any of the information contained on the following third-party links and expressly undertakes no obligation to update the following links.

1. Resume provided by Mr. Shane Williams

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.

SOURCE: Element79 Gold Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/707806/Element79-Gold-Appoints-Shane-Williams-to-Board-of-Directors
GUANGZHOU, China, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, Zhiyi Biotech announced that it has raised $15 million in its B++ funding round. The funds will be used to boost the clinical development of the company's live biotherapeutic products (LBPs) pipelines. It's worth mentioning that Zhiyi has successfully completed a total of $45 Million in B, B+ and B++ funding , with investors including Qingkong SinoKing Capital, SDIC Venture Capital, KIP etc.

Zhiyi is a clinical-stage biotech leading in LBPs in China. It has built up a complete technical and industrial platform, covering from the isolation and identification of new functional strains to the development of innovative LBPs. Notably, the lead drug candidate in Zhiyi's pipelines, SK08, is the first LBP developed on a unique bacterial strain Bacteroides Fragilis, and whose clinical progress is ahead of other LBPs in China. Phase II clinical trial of SK08 carried out in China to treat IBS-D is expected to be completed this year, and phase Ib/II trial of SK08 combined with PD-1 inhibitor for advance solid tumor has been initiated already. Meanwhile, several products are undergoing IND filing to both FDA and NMPA. More programs are expected to enter clinical stage in the foreseeing year.

"We are grateful to have the support and trust from our investors," said Dr. Ye Wang, CEO of Zhiyi Biotech. "The progress in our pipeline is attributed to our team's continuous effort and persistence in R&D. Zhiyi has been always focusing on the unmet medical needs and dedicating to develop accessible drugs to benefit more patients. We are looking forward to strengthening our international collaboration with peer companies, to promote development of the whole LBPs industry."

About Zhiyi Biotech

Zhiyi Biotech, founded in 2013, is located in Guangzhou, China. Its lead candidate SK08 is not only the first new strain-based LBP that entered clinical stage in China, but also the first LBP in oncology that was approved for clinical trial by NMPA. Owning two commercial-scale facilities, Zhiyi has established a complete platform system for strain selection, druggability study, CMC study, commercial production etc.

For more information, please visit https://www.zypharm.com.cn or contact public@zypharm.com.cn

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2022) - Provenance Gold Corp. (CSE: PAU) (OTCQB: PVGDF) (the "Company" or "Provenance") is pleased to announce that an initial NI 43-101 technical report has been completed on its White Rock Gold Property (the "Property") in Nevada. The purpose of this report was to form a baseline for the Property and will be updated further in 2023 following a second drill program planned by the Company that is fully permitted. The planned drill program is being designed to expand upon significant zones of gold mineralization confirmed during the 2021 drill program.(1)

The following points are highlights of the technical report:

The Property is very large with gold mineralization being found over three-square kilometers that hosts gold in feeder structures, silicified limestones and silicified sandstones and shales.

The Property has on the surface to near surface gold mineralization over significant widths and thickness associated with a > 3.5 km2 alteration system, and affinities of both sediment-hosted low-sulfidation epithermal and Carlin styles of mineralization.

Significant exploration potential is found on undrilled or under-drilled portions of the property in 2021; including the newly recognized feeder structure on Central Ridge.

There is a strong correlation between the 2021 and historic assay values from twinned holes on the property, indicating the historic data is valid and can be relied upon for future exploration and evaluation.

The authors of the technical report recommend that the Property be advanced with a large drilling program, metallurgical test work and a thorough database audit in preparation for resource modeling.





Figure 1. Drill Holes and Targets - White Rock Property, Nevada

https://www.provenancegold.com/assets/2022-06-10_Fig1.pdf

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5654/130207_8f92ceb494ada831_001full.jpg

Table 1. Drill Intersection Highlights Showing Results Above 0.1 g/t Au

Hole Depth Interval-Ft Thickness-Ft* Au g/t WR-15 500 120-215 95 0.636



160-185 25 1.452



235-410 175 0.197



240-265 25 0.427



420-435 15 0.13 WR-16** 300 95-270 180 0.618



95-135 40 0.83



225-260 35 1.53 WR-17** 450 440-450 10 0.21 WR-18** 320 295-320 25 1 WR-19** 300 90-125 35 0.792



150-175 25 0.321



290-300 10 0.404 WR-20 450 85-115 25 0.158



165-230 65 0.196



255-280 25 0.321 WR-21 400 110-135 25 0.11 WR-22** 140 0-40 40 0.357



60-65 5 1.337



85-140 55 0.25 WR-23 480 0-75 75 0.256



95-360 265 0.388



100-125 25 0.778



160-180 20 0.397



200-220 20 0.526



260-310 50 0.65 WR-24** 300 0-40 40 0.454



90-300 210 0.293



95-130 35 0.713



230-240 10 0.407 WR-25** 200 55-95 40 0.301



105-125 20 0.14



140-165 25 0.144 WR-26 400 0-55 55 0.157



80-150 70 0.293



175-190 15 0.117



200-330 130 0.241



235-255 25 0.435



345-380 35 0.156 WR-27** 10-15 10 0.82



30-55 25 0.237



70-210 140 0.257



115-140 25 0.546 WR-28 530 75-340 265 0.376



205-260 55 0.729



355-405 50 0.242 WR-29** 235 115-235 120 0.276 WR-30** 140 85-140 55 0.291 WR-31 400 195-335 140 0.208 WR-32** 380 165-380 215 0.305



175-240 65 0.411



350-365 15 0.492 WR-33** 120 75-120 45 0.39 WR-34** 150 0-20 20 0.17



95-140 45 0.492



95-120 25 0.96 WR-35** 160 110-160 50 0.22 WR-36** 250 115-250 135 0.242



215-235 20 0.412 WR-37 600 35-50 15 0.23



70-100 30 0.153



210-225 15 0.157



240-285 45 0.226



310-405 95 0.205



490-500 10 0.119



590-600 10 0.182 WR-38** 270 120-175 55 0.28



135-160 25 0.476



200-225 25 0.156



245-265 20 0.216 WR-39** 220 65-90 25 0.152



125-150 25 0.217



195-220 25 0.17 WR-40** 220 135-220 85 0.449 WR-41** 250 145-195 50 0.289



215-250 35 0.219 WR-42 360 0-30 30 0.16



185-250 65 0.15



260-280 20 0.24 WR-43** 200 40-200 160 0.017 WR-44 320 95-145 50 0.137 WR-45 340 55-275 220 0.517



70-170 100 0.88



120-160 40 1.11 WR-46** 60 0-60 60 0.367



35-50 15 1.01 WR-47 310 0-310 310 0.359



35-135 100 0.535



170-195 25 0.717 WR-48 300 160-180 20 0.1



220-225 10 0.1 WR-49 300 60-85 25 0.1

(Many of the drill holes ended in mineralization short of their target depths due to difficult ground conditions)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW FULL TABLE

Provenance's Chairman Rauno Perttu said, "We are a junior mining company in the very enviable position of controlling two major gold projects, with both the White Rock and Eldorado properties. We plan to focus on these two projects, to advance them as quickly as we can.

Considering these positive developments, the Company has elected to discontinue its option agreement on the Mineral Hill silver property to better advance our flagship projects. Because we believe our Silver Bow property also has the potential to become another significant project, we plan to continue to also advance it in the belief that we will become a three-flagship property junior. I don't know if there's another junior out there in that position."

NI 43-101 Technical Report

An NI 43-101 Technical Report entitled "Technical Report on the White Rock Property, Elko County, Nevada" has been completed and filed on behalf of the Company. The report was completed by Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., P.Geo. of Apex Geosciences Ltd. and Jodie Gibson, M.Sc., P.Geo. with an effective date of April 29, 2022. The purpose of the report was to summarize the geological setting; historic and current exploration and drilling data; and, ultimately, form the baseline for the project for future exploration, and potentially, resource estimation purposes. The authors noted that White Rock is a Property of Merit based on drilling results to date and appears to host a large alteration and gold mineralized system that is near surface and with significant thickness. The authors also recommended further exploration work on the project to better define the mineralization in term of grade, potential size and scale across the Property in advance of a mineral resource estimate. The recommendations included 1.) substantial infill and step-out drilling (up to 12,000m), 2.) metallurgical test work, and 3.) a thorough audit and validation of the historic and current drill hole and surface data. The technical report has been posted on the Company's website and is available on SEDAR.

White Rock Project Summary

The White Rock Property consists of 258 lode mining claims covering a combined area of approximately 5,160 acres, located approximately 105 kilometers northeast of Wells, Elko County, Nevada. On June 12, 2020, Provenance, through its subsidiary Provenance Gold USA, entered into a four-year option agreement with Nevada Select Royalty Inc., an arm's-length company that is a subsidiary of Gold Royalty Corp., a leading growth and America's-focused precious metals royalty company which grants Provenance Gold USA the sole and exclusive right to purchase 100% of Gold Royalty's right, title and interest to the Property.

The Property lies near the northern end of the basin and range geological province of the western United States and hosts gold mineralization and alteration patterns with similarities to low sulphidation epithermal deposits. Drilling by Provenance commenced in July 2021 and defined the stratigraphic and structural controls and grades within the extensive central area of sediment-hosted gold mineralization. The target mineralization extends across a 2.8 km by 1.3 km area centered on a complex dome structure that is believed to have formed on the upper plate of a system of thrust faults. In addition, drilling was intended to confirm results from historical drillholes that intersected numerous thick intervals of gold mineralization, while confirming Provenance's new understanding of the structural and stratigraphic controls of the gold mineralization.

The drillhole assay results confirmed similar results to those achieved by past operators and confirmed the location of a newly recognized open-ended gold mineralization feeder structure that extends across the core mineralized area of 2.8 km in width and 1.3 km in length (WR-45) while bottoming out in mineralization. In addition to the newly identified plumbing structure, recent step-out drilling continued to expand the gold mineralization in several directions from drillhole WR-23, which returned an interval of 80 meters (265 feet) of gold mineralization. Large step-out drilling tested new areas including the Rhyolite Graben to the northwest, the Nose area to the south and the newly identified plumbing structure. The Rhyolite Graben, located to the northwest and west of hole WR-23 was tested with two holes. Both intercepted gold mineralization with hole WR-32 assaying 65.5 meters (215 feet) of 0.305 g/t gold which included 20 meters (65 feet) of 0.411 g/t gold. The hole bottomed out in mineralization at 115.8 meters (380 feet) and was lost. The importance of this intercept suggests that the host rocks in the graben will host gold mineralization and now become a substantial new target.

The Company was pleased to report that all 35 RC drill holes during its 2021 drill program intercepted gold mineralization. Provenance is currently planning the next stage of drilling at White Rock.

Qualified Person

Steven Craig, CPG, an independent consultant and qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release.

About Provenance Gold Corp.

Provenance Gold Corp. is a precious metals exploration company with a focus on gold and silver mineralization within North America. The Company currently holds interests in four properties, three in Nevada, and one in eastern Oregon, USA. For further information please visit the Company's website at https://provenancegold.com or contact Rob Clark at rclark@provenancegold.com.

On behalf of the Board,

Provenance Gold Corp.

Rauno Perttu, Chief Executive Officer

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange, nor its regulation services provider, accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When or if used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.

(1)See the Company's news release dated December 2, 2021. Available on SEDAR.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/130207
China's top legislator holds talks with chairperson of Uzbekistan's Senate

Xinhua) 11:03, July 07, 2022

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, holds talks with Tanzila Narbayeva, chairperson of the Senate of Uzbekistan, via video link at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, July 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

BEIJING, July 6 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Li Zhanshu on Wednesday held talks with Tanzila Narbayeva, chairperson of the Senate of Uzbekistan, via video link, with the two sides agreeing to enhance parliamentary exchanges to facilitate the development of bilateral relations.

Li, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said as China and Uzbekistan continue to develop their comprehensive strategic partnership, more should be done to strengthen the link between the two countries' respective development strategies.

He noted that further enhancing political mutual trust and strengthening mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns is necessary for the development of China-Uzbekistan relations.

Uzbekistan has consistently supported China's stand on issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet, as well as in the fight against the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, and China appreciates that, Li said.

He added that China will, as always, firmly support Uzbekistan in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions and in its efforts to safeguard national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

China is ready to work with Uzbekistan to implement the Global Security Initiative, so as to jointly safeguard regional security and stability, Li said.

He said that China also appreciates Uzbekistan's support for the Global Development Initiative and looks forward to working with Uzbekistan and the international community to implement the outcomes of the High-level Dialogue on Global Development held on June 24.

Li said the NPC encourages exchanges and mutual learning with Uzbekistan's Senate at all levels, with aims to facilitate a fair and transparent legal environment for cooperation between the two countries.

Narbayeva said that Uzbekistan firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and the Senate is ready to strengthen friendly exchanges with the NPC and make unremitting efforts to promote bilateral cooperation in all areas and safeguard regional peace and stability.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, holds talks with Tanzila Narbayeva, chairperson of the Senate of Uzbekistan, via video link at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, July 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, right, shakes hands with Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard at the SK Serin Building in Seoul, Wednesday. Chey emphasized that SK can play an active role in economic cooperation between Korea and Mexico and contribute to the economic development of the two countries. The chairman also requested the Mexican foreign minister to help Korea win its bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan. / Courtesy of SK Group
GIBRALTAR, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Thalex, a trading platform offering stablecoin-settled crypto options and futures, announced it has closed its Series A funding round of EUR 7.5 million. Among the participants are Bitfinex, Bitstamp, Flow Traders, IMC, QCP and Wintermute. These strategic investors will support the company's ambition to enable on-exchange trading of crypto derivatives at scale by removing friction, ensuring platform reliability and partnering with liquidity providers and major exchanges.

Key features of the Thalex trading platform include:

Linear BTC and ETH contracts with multi-collateral support (BTC, ETH, USDt and USDC).

Trading fees are anchored on 1 bps maker and taker, and fee advantages for multi-leg options and futures strategies (RFQ).

Future rolls with dedicated order books.

RFQs for multi-leg options and futures strategies, in any size.

A market maker scheme with competitive fee levels, market maker protection and excellent connectivity to foster healthy competition among liquidity providers on a level playing field.

Portfolio-based margining offering capital efficiency for delta and vega offsetting positions, but adequate requirements for wing risks.

An efficient liquidation process involving automated delta-hedging to limit market impact and liquidation auctions to enable an orderly reduction of complex risks.

Thalex is partnering with Bitfinex and Bitstamp to enable their customers to access the full suite of Thalex derivatives from their own user interface. Positions on Thalex can be opened with collateral held with the partner exchange after an instant and free transfer to a dedicated Thalex margin account. The Bitfinex partnership is expected to be operational later this year.

Paolo Ardoino, CTO of Bitfinex

"We are delighted to participate in this funding round with Thalex and see huge potential for the stablecoin-settled futures and options market."

Jean-Baptiste Graftieaux, CEO of Bitstamp

"Thalex's unique value proposition will enable Bitstamp to streamline our go-to-market for derivatives and participate in the fast-growing crypto derivatives market. This investment marks the beginning of a close strategic partnership and plays an important role in Bitstamp's corporate strategy."

Michael Lie, Head of Digital Assets Trading EMEA of Flow Traders

"Flow Traders is excited to support Thalex via our dedicated corporate venture capital unit, Flow Traders Capital. Thalex's ambition of creating a scalable infrastructure that enables on-exchange trading in crypto derivatives is another step forward in making trading digital assets more accessible and efficient. We are looking forward to working with Thalex and building a long-term strategic partnership."

Darius Sit, Founder of QCP Capital

"Crypto options are one of the fastest-growing segments of the space and have proven to be robust through multiple market cycles. We believe the next phase of growth will be exponential. The Thalex team have built a platform combining best practices from both crypto and traditional finance. We look forward to supporting Thalex in its efforts to expand the fast-growing crypto options ecosystem."

About Thalex

Thalex is a crypto-native derivatives exchange founded by a multi-faceted team of experts in traditional brokerage, crypto and market making. The trading platform is now available for public testing at www.thalex.com and will go live soon. Thalex is in the process of being authorised as a regulated DLT provider by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission.

Media Contact

CONTACT Luc van Hecke

COMPANY Thalex Digital Exchange Limited

EMAILluc@thalex.com

WEBwww.thalex.com

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2022) - Cabral Gold Inc. (TSXV: CBR) (OTC PINK: CBGZF) ("Cabral" or the "Company") is pleased to provide assay results from ten diamond-drill holes in the southern part of the Central gold deposit within the Cuiu Cuiu Gold District, northern Brazil.

Highlights are as follows:

DDH306 drilled on Section N20895 returned the following mineralized intervals:

20.9m @ 4.2 g/t gold from 23.1m in oxidized and weathered material, including 2.0m @ 32.3 g/t gold from 35.0m and 3.0m @ 4.8 g/t gold from 39.0m

from 23.1m in oxidized and weathered material, from 35.0m and from 39.0m

23.5m @ 1.7 g/t gold from 50.5m in oxide material, including 2.0m @ 17.0 g/t gold from 68.0m

from 50.5m in oxide material, from 68.0m

35m @ 1.2 g/t gold from 112.0m in fresh basement mineralization, including 1.7m @ 6.8 g/t gold from 121.0m

DDH307 was drilled on Section N21045 and returned 30.9m @ 2.4 g/t gold from 42.0m within fresh rock, including 1.0m @ 38.7 g/t gold from 48.0m

Other significant drill results from oxidized and weathered material at Central include; DDH282: 38.0m @ 0.7 g/t gold from surface DDH283: 80.0m @ 0.5 g/t gold from surface DDH305: 49.2m @ 0.6 g/t gold from 33.9m DDH269: 13.7m @ 0.5 g/t gold from surface and 17.7m @ 0.5 g/t gold from 64.4m DDH280: 28.0m @ 0.5 g/t gold from surface DDH284: 20.3m @ 0.6 g/t gold from surface

at Central include;

Additional highlighted drill results from the primary basement gold mineralization at Central include; DDH280: 37.0m @ 1.1 g/t gold from 80.7m, including 1.1m @ 15.0 g/t gold DDH305: 55.0m @ 0.8 g/t gold from 123.0m, including 0.7m @ 24.3 g/t gold DDH269: 16.9m @ 0.9 g/t gold from 92.2m, 31.2m @ 1.0 g/t gold from 117.9m and 5.6m @ 4.5 g/t gold from 167.8m , including 2.0m @ 12.0 g/t gold

at Central include;

Alan Carter, Cabral's President and CEO commented, "These latest high-grade drill results from the Central gold deposit indicate that at least two, possibly three high-grade veins exist within the broader Central gold deposit. These zones extend up to surface and have been weathered, resulting in high-grade oxide material, which is very similar to the situation at the MG gold-in-oxide blanket, where a higher-grade core sits directly above the underlying primary gold deposit. These drill results imply the presence of more high-grade material at Central than previously thought in both the near surface oxide mineralization and the underlying primary basement gold deposit."

Central Diamond-Drill Results

The Central gold deposit is located 5km northwest of the MG gold deposit and 2.5km southeast of the PDM target within the Cuiu Cuiu gold district (Figure 1).





Figure 1: Map showing the location of the Central and MG gold deposits, the PDM (Pau de Merenda) and Machichie gold targets, and other key gold targets (yellow circles) within the central portion of the Cuiu Cuiu district.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3900/130225_33d7987e0410aaee_002full.jpg

Diamond drilling at Central has been designed to: 1) better establish continuity and define high-grade, highly altered, brecciated and sheared zones within the primary basement deposit, 2) explore for additional high-grade mineralization in parts of the current resource with a low historic drill density, and 3) improve definition of the near-surface gold-in-oxide mineralization, a portion of the deposit that was largely undrilled historically.

Assay results are reported herein from ten diamond-drill holes recently completed on several sections of the Central deposit (Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5).





Figure 2: Map showing the outline of the Central gold deposit and the location of diamond-drill holes completed to date. Note the location of the three recently identified high grade zones (shown in red). Recently completed diamond-drill holes with results reported herein are highlighted.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3900/130225_33d7987e0410aaee_003full.jpg

Section N20895

Three diamond-drill holes (DDH269, DDH280 and DDH306) were completed on Section N20895. (Figures 2 and 3, Table 1).

DDH306 was drilled from the SW to the NE and intersected multiple high-grade zones (Figure 3, Table 1). Two broad zones of mineralization were intersected within oxide material. The first was 20.9m @ 4.2 g/t gold from 23.1m, which included 2.0m @ 32.3 g/t gold from 35.0m and 3.0m @ 4.8 g/t gold from 39.0m. The second interval was 23.5m @ 1.7 g/t gold from 50.5m which included 2.0m @ 17.0 g/t gold from 68.0m. In addition, the hole intersected 35m @ 1.2 g/t gold from 112.0m within fresh unweathered basement, including 1.7m @ 6.8 g/t gold from 121.0m (Figure 3).

DDH269 and DDH280 were both drilled from the northeast towards the southwest and intersected the same high-grade zones that are evident in DDH306 within fresh bedrock (Figure 3, Table 1). DDH280 returned 37.0m @ 1.1 g/t gold from 80.7m including 1.1m @ 15.0 g/t gold. DDH269 returned 16.9m @ 0.9 g/t gold from 92.2m, 31.2m @ 1.0 g/t gold from 117.9m and 5.6m @ 4.5 g/t gold from 167.8m. The latter intercept included 2.0m @ 12.0 g/t gold.

Previous drilling on neighboring sections (Figure 2) also returned high-grade intercepts. For example, DDH268, drilled on Section N20870, immediately to the south, returned 9.6m @ 16.4 g/t gold, including 1.2m @ 112.0 g/t gold and 2.1m @ 11.5 g/t gold. Similarly, DDH250, drilled on section N20920, immediately to the north, returned 23.8m @ 5.5 g/t gold, including 0.7m @ 98.4 g/t gold and 1.2m @ 51.0 g/t gold.

The additional new drill results demonstrate the presence of multiple parallel high-grade zones at Central that can be interpreted to extend along strike for at least 120m and extend to depths of greater than 350m (Figures 1 and 3). These higher-grade zones are surrounded by broad lower-grade envelopes.





Figure 3: Section N20895 through the southern part of the Central gold deposit showing the location of diamond-drill holes DDH269, DDH280 and DDH306.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3900/130225_33d7987e0410aaee_004full.jpg

.

Section N20920

DDH305 was drilled on section N20920 (Figures 2 and 4). DDH250, which was previously reported from this section returned 23.8m @ 5.5 g/t gold, including two high-grade structures; 0.7m @ 98.4 g/t gold and 1.2m @ 51.0 g/t gold (see press release dated February 10, 2022).

DDH305 successfully tested the up-dip extent of the high-grade mineralization in the overlying weathered and oxidized material (Figure 4, Table 1). It cut 49.2m @ 0.6 g/t gold from 33.9m depth in the oxidized material, up dip from the previously reported intercept in DDH250. DDH305, also encountered another high-grade zone in fresh primary rock further to the north, returning 0.7m @ 24.3 g/t gold from 123.0m. This second high-grade zone also occurs within a lower-grade envelope of 55.0m @ 0.8 g/t gold from 123.0m.

The drilling on this section confirms the presence of at least two parallel high-grade zones within a broad envelope of lower-grade mineralization, and that the basement mineralization can be traced upwards into the extensive saprolitized and oxidized weathered basement profile.





Figure 4: Section N20920 through the south-central part of the Central gold deposit showing the location of diamond-drill hole DDH305 which intersected 49.2m @ 0.6 g/t gold from 33.9m depth in the oxidized material and 55.0m @ 0.8 g/t gold from 123.0m including 0.7m @ 24.3 g/t gold.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 4, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3900/130225_33d7987e0410aaee_005full.jpg

Section N21045

A single diamond-drill hole (DDH307) was completed on Section N21045 (Figures 2 and 5).

This section had only one historic hole (CC54) which was drilled oblique through the section. CC54 intersected 125m of continuous gold mineralization, comprising 22.2m @ 0.4 g/t gold in saprolite basement from 29.4m to 51.6m, and 102.7m @ 0.9 g/t gold in fresh basement rocks directly below, including 1.8m @ 5.7 g/t gold.

DDH307 also hit a significant high-grade mineralized interval. It returned 30.9m @ 2.4 g/t gold from 42.0m within fresh rock, including 1.0m @ 38.7 g/t gold from 48.0m (Figures 2 and 5). This is interpreted to be the northern extension of the same high-grade zone intersected in hole DDH306 located 150m further south on Section N20895 (see above) which returned 20.9m @ 4.2 g/t gold including 2.0m @ 32.3 g/t gold and 2.0m @ 17.0 g/t gold.





Figure 5: Section N21045 through the south-central part of the Central gold deposit showing the location of diamond-drill hole DDH307 which intersected 30.9m @ 2.4 g/t gold from 42.0m within fresh rock, including 1.0m @ 38.7 g/t gold from 48.0m.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 5, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3900/130225_33d7987e0410aaee_006full.jpg

Drill Hole Weathering Mineralized Zone From to Width Grade # m m m g/t gold DDH269 Oxide 0.0 13.7 13.7 0.5 64.4 82.1 17.7 0.5 82.1 85.4 3.3 0.4 92.2 109.1 16.9 0.9 117.9 149.1 31.2 1.0 incl. 143.0 144.3 1.3 6.2 167.8 173.4 5.6 4.5 incl. 171.4 173.4 2.0 12.0 196.3 201.2 4.9 1.0 205.0 219.4 14.4 0.5 EOH 228.20 DDH280 Oxide 0.0 28.0 28.0 0.5 56.0 57.0 1.0 1.2 69.4 72.0 2.6 1.8 73.5 77.0 3.5 2.1 80.7 117.7 37.0 1.1 incl. 111.9 113.0 1.1 15.0 131.6 147.9 16.3 0.4 169.9 171.0 1.1 1.8 EOH 171.00 DDH282 Oxide 0.0 38.0 38.0 0.7 127.5 134.0 6.5 0.4 140.0 152.0 12.0 0.7 EOH 162.15 DDH283 Oxide 0.0 80.0 80.0 0.5 80.0 84.0 4.0 0.8 113.8 115.1 1.3 1.1 118.7 120.8 2.1 2.6 incl. 122.5 124.0 1.5 1.1 EOH 166.50 DDH284 Oxide 0.0 20.3 20.3 0.6 47.3 50.5 3.2 0.2 EOH 103.60 DDH305 Oxide 0.0 5.6 5.6 0.4 33.9 83.1 49.2 0.6 123.0 178.0 55.0 0.8 incl. 123.0 123.7 0.7 24.3 EOH 237.30 DDH306 Oxide 0.0 8.3 8.3 0.5 23.1 44.0 20.9 4.2 incl 35.0 37.0 2.0 32.3 incl 39.0 42.0 3.0 4.8 50.5 74.0 23.5 1.7 incl 68.0 70.0 2.0 17.0 102.2 109.5 7.3 0.4 112.0 147.0 35.0 1.2 incl. 121.0 122.7 1.7 6.8 EOH 184.70 DDH307 Oxide 0.0 15.0 15.0 0.3 42.0 72.9 30.9 2.4 incl. 48.0 49.0 1.0 38.7 149.0 161.2 12.2 0.3 EOH 184.50 DDH308 Oxide 0.0 7.0 7.0 0.3 EOH 111.80 DDH309 Oxide 0.0 7.9 7.9 0.4 16.1 29.0 12.9 0.2 EOH 120.70

Table 1 showing the assay results from the diamond-drill holes DDH269, DDH280, DDH282 to DDH284

and DDH305 to DDH309. Oxide mineralization is denoted within grey highlights.

Interpretation and Observations

Establishing High-Grade Zones within the Central Gold Deposit

The current drill results confirm the presence of several parallel zones of higher-grade mineralization within the broader Central deposit. High-grade mineralization encountered on Sections N20920, N20870, N20870, N20845, and N20825, defines a strike length of 120m. Section N21045 shows a new high-grade intersection which may be part of a new zone further to the north. The location of this high-grade mineralization further supports the Company's thesis that there is a steeply dipping, northwest-trending high-grade corridor comprising at least two, possibly three separate high-grade structures in the southern - central portion, and the southwestern margin of the Central deposit. This corridor has now been traced more than 120m along strike and appears to be over 25m wide and extends at least 350m deep. It remains open along strike and down-dip.

Further drilling will be required to better define and expand the high-grade zones.

Determining the Extent of Central Oxide Mineralization

Recent drilling continues to indicate gold mineralization can be traced upwards from the basement, into an extensive, saprolitic and oxidized basement weathering profile that extends to depths of nearly 80m. This saprolite is unconformably overlain by a thin cover of mineralized oxidized sediment, artisanal tailings and soil, which is collectively referred to as a blanket. The entire weathered profile represents pre-strip for any future exploitation of the underlying basement deposit. Historic drilling did not routinely test this weathered material, and focused on drilling deeper fresh basement mineralization.

Recent column tests of similar oxide material at MG indicated 82% recoveries after 70 days (see Press Release, June 21, 2022). Like MG, the extensive saprolite profile and blanket at Central could be amenable to heap-leach processing. Some of it may also be free-digging, and will likely be much cheaper to mine and process than fresh hard-rock basement.

Additional drilling will be required to map out the extent, dimensions and grade of the oxidized cover sequence, along the 800m strike length of the Central deposit. Meanwhile material is being collected for metallurgical work to assess the heap-leach potential of the Central oxide gold mineralization.

Drilling and Trenching Update

Results are pending on 12 diamond-drill holes at MG.

Results for 30 RC holes are also pending at PDM.

Results are pending on 14 follow-up diamond-drill holes at Machichie and 12 trenches totaling 443 m and drilling is continuing.

Results are also pending on 6 diamond-drill holes at the Indio target and additional drilling is planned.

About Cabral Gold Inc.

The Company is a junior resource company engaged in the identification, exploration and development of mineral properties, with a primary focus on gold properties located in Brazil. The Company has a 100% interest in the Cuiu Cuiu gold district located in the Tapajos Region, within the state of Para in northern Brazil. Two gold deposits have so far been defined at Cuiu Cuiu and contain 43-101 compliant Indicated resources of 5.9Mt @ 0.90 g/t (200,000 oz) and Inferred resources of 19.5Mt @ 1.24 g/t (800,000 oz).

The Tapajos Gold Province is the site of the largest gold rush in Brazil's history producing an estimated 30 to 50 million ounces of placer gold between 1978 and 1995. Cuiu Cuiu was the largest area of placer workings in the Tapajos and produced an estimated 2Moz of placer gold historically.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

"Alan Carter"

President and Chief Executive Officer

Cabral Gold Inc.

Tel: 604.676.5660

Guillermo Hughes, MAusIMM and FAIG., a consultant to the Company as well as a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as such term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively "forward-looking statements"). The use of the words "will", "expected" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon. This news release contains forward-looking statements and assumptions pertaining to the following: strategic plans and future operations, and results of exploration. Actual results achieved may vary from the information provided herein as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors. The Company believes the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct.

Notes

Gold analysis has been conducted by SGS method FAA505 (fire assay of 50g charge), with higher grade samples checked by FAA525. Analytical quality is monitored by certified references and blanks. Until dispatch, samples are stored under the supervision the Company's exploration office. The samples are couriered to the assay laboratory using a commercial contractor. Pulps are returned to the Company and archived. Drill holes results are quoted as down-hole length weighted intersections.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/130225
Objectway, a global wealth, banking asset management software provider, has been recognised as the market's leading firm for Private Banking and Wealth Management deals in the IBS Intelligence Sales League Table (SLT).

Objectway also got a very favorable place in the SLT Leaderboard for Private Banking Wealth Management, a reflection of the company's offering performance and scalability on a global scale.

With a 20-year track record, the IBS Intelligence Annual Sales League Table (SLT) is the industry-acknowledged barometer of global banking technology vendor performance. This year, IBSi SLT assessed systems purchases made by over 1000+ banks across 250+ products from 60 suppliers.

According to the analysis of IBS Intelligence, the past couple of years have seen banks and financial institutions pursuing digital acceleration at a speed never witnessed before. While the world faces economic disruption and geopolitical instabilities, financial institutions reached record levels of investment in 2021 in developing digital solutions to modernise their customer experience and user interfaces.

Robin Amlot, Managing Editor of IBS Intelligence, commented: "We congratulate Objectway for its achievement in the IBSi Sales League Table 2022, ranking top in Private Banking Wealth Management technology. This achievement reflects the quality of more than 3 decades of outperformance by Objectway and of the firm's integrated banking and wealth management ecosystem solutions."

Luigi Marciano, Objectway's Group CEO and Founder, noted: "Dynamic digital acceleration is key to success in financial services. Technology is critical in enabling bankers and wealth managers to accomplish their main business objectives of achieving scale, improving front office efficiency and attracting new clients. Moving forward, replacing and updating their systems is high on firms' digital agendas as they plan to build a business model capable of servicing future growth targets."

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220702005014/en/

Contacts:

Chiara Giudici

+393938229579

chiara.giudici@objectway.com
LONDON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Chubb today announced the appointment of David Kirk as Head of Marine for Chubb Global Markets (CGM), the company's London Market wholesale and specialty business including its Lloyd's platform.

David is currently Cargo Product Head and Deputy Head of Marine CGM. In his new capacity, he will assume responsibility for the oversight and development of CGM's Marine portfolio underwritten in the London wholesale market, including the cargo, fine art & specie, hull, yacht and marine liability classes.

David joined Chubb in 2005 and rose through the ranks to become Marine Cargo Product Head for CGM Syndicates 2488 and 1882, before moving into his current role as Deputy Head of Marine. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Insurance Institute.

He succeeds Mark Edmondson who, after eight years in the role, assumes a new position as Consultant Marine Underwriter for CGM, providing technical underwriting and special project support to Chubb's Marine team. Mark's role will include the leadership and continuing development of the hull, yacht and marine liability classes written by CGM's London Market platform.

Both are based in London, with David Kirk reporting to Robert Wilson, Chief Underwriting Officer for CGM and Andrew Williamson, Executive Vice President Marine, Overseas General Insurance. Mark Edmondson will report to Andrew Williamson and David Kirk. The changes are effective 11 July.

Robert Wilson said: "I am delighted with David's promotion to Head of Marine for Chubb Global Markets. It reflects the enormous contribution that he has made to CGM and is the culmination of a long-established succession plan for Mark. Having been a valuable member of our Marine team for more than 16 years, David brings to the role a wealth of insight, understanding and experience, which will help us pursue continued growth as we innovate and create new solutions for our clients."

Andrew Williamson said: "Mark has made a huge contribution to the growth and profitability of our business over the last eight years. CGM's Marine portfolio has thrived under his exceptional leadership and we will undoubtedly continue to benefit from his wealth of experience in his new capacity as Consultant Marine Underwriter."

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

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/324916/Chubb_Logo.jpg
LONDON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The UK's best of the best QSR chains were lauded for their creativity, agility and overall performance.

14 brands were lauded for their innovation and exemplary performance over the past 12 months during the inaugural QSR Media UK Awards, powered by Red Bull, held in London last June 28.

Winners of their respective categories are as follows:

Best Digital Initiative - Papa Johns International

Best Brand Transformation - Coco di Mama

Best Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative - Coco di Mama

Best Marketing Campaign - Papa Johns International

Best New Concept - Neat Burger

Rising Star - David Hodgetts, Triple Two Coffee

Best Innovation - Food and Beverage - Ole & Steen

Best Innovation - Health - Island Poke

Best Sustainability Initiative - Wahaca

Best Loyalty Program - Ole & Steen

Best Customer Experience - Bewiched Coffee

Best COVID Initiative - Pizza Hut Delivery

Special Recognition Award - Triple Two Coffee

Squad of the Year - Coco di Mama

2022 Multi-Site Restaurant of the Year - Slim Chickens

Editor's Choice: Tortilla, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Bubbleology, Tim Hortons UK & Ireland

Philippa Charlton, editor for QSR Media UK, commented: "Congratulations to all of our winners during the first-ever QSR Media UK Awards! The level of excellence they displayed in the past months amidst a series of unwelcome challenges is an unwavering testament to the resiliency and importance of the multi-site restaurant industry. We look forward to how the sector will continue to thrive and are excited to see what's next."

Claire Oliver, Head of On Premise Marketing for Red Bull, added: "Well done to all brands who took the challenges these past years as an opportunity to be creative, agile and to think ahead. Our thanks to QSR Media UK for assembling this event to provide an accurate snapshot of what's defining the multi-site restaurant industry and what's next."

About Our Event

The QSR Media UK Conference & Awards is the c-suite event in the UK dedicated to the quick service and fast casual restaurant industry.

About QSR Media

QSR Media UK is a news and research portal dedicated to the quick service and fast casual restaurant sector in the UK.

Contact: QSR Media Team

editorial@qsrmedia.co.uk

+65 3158 1386

https://www.qsrmedia.co.uk
Aristata Capital is pleased to announce that it has secured nearly 40 million of capital in its initial closing for its first impact litigation fund, Aristata Impact Litigation Fund I (AILF I). Aristata Impact Litigation Fund I offers investors and the community a win-win. For investors, AILF I will seek to provide above market, uncorrelated returns from investments in commercial litigation. At the same time, AILF I investments aim to produce significant and measurable impact across a global portfolio of claims including human rights, environmental protection, climate change, equality, indigenous rights, and a range of other critical cause areas. AILF I seeks to provide access to justice and the courts to claimants who otherwise would not have the resources necessary to pursue their own claims, beginning to address a serious imbalance of power in the global system of commercial litigation.

The first closing round was anchored by Capricorn Investment Group's Sustainable Investors Fund and The Soros Economic Development Fund and includes several foundations as well as a number of family offices.

"Aristata is proving that investors don't have to choose between achieving financial returns and driving social and environmental impact," said Rob Ryan, CEO of Aristata Capital. "Our impact focus is a powerful competitive advantage we are confident that Aristata's innovative investment strategy will drive attractive and competitive returns for our investors in a new market segment, while also enabling us to carry out our mission of closing the justice gap in commercial litigation where the system favours commercial strength and penalises those without."

Aristata is a pioneer in the field of social and environmental impact litigation, bringing an impact investing lens to commercial litigation funding to seek attractive, uncorrelated financial returns while delivering positive, systemic social and environmental change. Aristata offers the first truly blended approach to litigation funding allowing investors to combine both the commercial rigour of traditional litigation funding methodologies and the success of public interest litigation strategies to drive social and environmental change.

"Since 2000, Capricorn has backed multiple new partnerships focused on specific areas of impact or sustainability, such as renewable energy infrastructure, clean technology, health and wellness, financial inclusion, and sustainable asset management," said Eric Techel, Partner at Capricorn. "Aristata is a great fit with this strategy, and we are excited to support the team as it builds the platform and establishes the funding of commercial litigation, with positive and measurable social impact, as an asset class."

Aristata seeks to create a safer and more equitable world by financing legal cases that empower historically marginalised voices, equalise unjust power dynamics and catalyse systemic change that protects the environment and communities. Aristata investments seek to secure compensation for individuals, communities and other claimants affected by damaging commercial activity, to unlock the impact potential of similar cases to provide scalability and to generate successful legal outcomes that pressure corporations and industries to change behaviour.

"This investment builds on OSF's many years of experience leading strategic litigation work," said Catherine Cax, acting Chief Executive Officer of the Soros Economic Development Fund. "By using investment capital for Aristata we are hoping to augment the ways in which we strive to bring accountability to human rights abuses and environmental infractions through an innovative commercial model."

Aristata operates in markets across the globe, sourcing claims from law firms and civil society wherever corporate activity causes harm. Aristata's experienced litigation funding team is supported by an Investment Committee made up of experienced legal professionals and an Impact Advisory Board of international thought leaders across a diversified range of cause areas.

About Our Investors:

Capricorn Investment Group is one of the largest mission-aligned firms in the world and has since its inception in 2000 grown to manage more than $10 billion in multi-asset class portfolios for institutional investors through their range of impact-focused strategies. Their Sustainable Investors Fund (SIF) is a private equity partnership whose investment objective is to create significant value through ownership and early-stage investment in public and private asset managers who incorporate sustainability as a key driver of investment returns. The firm has offices in New York City and Palo Alto and was born from a belief that sustainable investment practices can enhance risk-adjusted returns. Underlying this investment approach is a deep desire to demonstrate the huge investment potential that resides in breakthrough commercial solutions to the world's most pressing problems.

The Soros Economic Development Fund was established in 1997 by Open Society's founder, George Soros to pursue impact investment opportunities. Now part of the Open Society Foundations, SEDF has committed over $400 million in support of the foundations' work around the world.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005101/en/

Contacts:

Aristata Contact Details:



Rob Ryan (CEO and Head of Impact) rryan@aristata.co.uk



Rupert Naylor (Chief of Staff and Head of Investor Relations) rnaylor@aristata.co.uk
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2022) - BMEX Gold Inc. (TSXV: BMEX) (OTCQB: MRIRF) (FSE: 8M0) ("BMEX" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the final interpretation of a ground EM survey (Fixed Loop Transient Electro-Magnetic survey or FL-TDEM) performed over the Dunlop Bay Property ('Dunlop Bay" or the "Property") in the Abitibi region, Quebec, Canada. This survey aimed to define drilling targets in the vicinity of the Dunlop Bay Ouest showing (also known as Ghislau showing). Three conductivity anomalies (ANO1, ANO2 and ANO3) were identified, forming an East-North-East trending conductive corridor (Figure 1).

Robert Pryde, President of BMEX Gold, commented: "The results from the FL-TDEM survey are very encouraging as they suggest the continuity of the known Dunlop Bay Ouest showing westward. Amongst the three anomalies, ANO1 and ANO2 are strong from early to late time channels and have modelled plates with high conductance which might reflect the presence of massive sulphide bodies. Also, ANO1 was never tested by drilling. I am pleased to announce that this zone will be further investigated during our field program starting in the next few weeks. In addition to these areas, our previous data compilation and analysis of historical work has identified several high-grade gold targets as well as gold rich massive sulphide targets on the Dunlop Property."

Figure 1: 2022 ground EM anomalies over Dunlop Bay Ouest showing and summer 2022 field focus



To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5785/130165_20e52432642eaa61_001full.jpg

The Company has engaged Laurentia Exploration to complete a field program over Dunlop Bay Property. This program will be starting in July, aiming to 1) find the continuity of existing mineralization, 2) enhance the understanding of the various structural and geological controls over the known occurrences and 3) discover new showings. Recent data compilation work has defined several structural trends related to the known Dunlop Bay showing, that need to be confirmed on the field.

The field program will focus on confirming, locating and understanding the systems in order to generate drill targets that will be tested by a 3,000 meters program scheduled for Fall 2022 (see April 26th news release). Data compilation to date also identified high grade surface gold mineralization including the Bella (historical grab samples returned up to 273.71 g/t Au) and Omela veins (historical grab samples returned up to 14.48 g/t Au) (Figure 1, GM16102). Minimal historical work has been completed on these targets and they have not been drilled.

In addition, the Mont Laurier Est showing extension on BMEX ground will also be investigated during this field work season. Indeed, a recent re-interpretation of historical prospection maps and recent detailed imagery has revealed that Cu-Au-Ag rich massive sulphides can be found in this area. Finally, systematic outcrop description and mineralization sampling will be undertaken on the rest of the property, and especially around the Baie Dunlop showing to confirm the above-mentioned structural model.

The King Tut Project also received an adjusted geological and structural interpretation (Figure 2), based on the late 2021 drilling campaign (see April 26th news release) and the detailed drone-born magnetic data. A major fold hinge seems to control the location of the heart of Tut gold system; this hinge has not been drilled to the west of the known showing. Several other potential fold axis' were also interpreted on King Tut Project. Confirming these structural theories will require follow up field work, to begin late this summer.

Figure 2: King Tut adjusted geological and structural interpretation



To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5785/130165_20e52432642eaa61_002full.jpg

Qualified Person

Maxime Bouchard, Geo, M.Sc. (OGQ #1752), an independent Qualified Person as defined by Canadian NI 43-101 standards, has reviewed and approved the geological information reported in this news release. The drilling campaign and the quality control program have been planned and supervised by Maxime Bouchard. Core logging and sampling were completed by Laurentia Exploration. The quality assurance and quality control protocol include insertion of one blank and one standard every 20 samples, in addition to the regular insertion of blank, duplicate, and standard samples accredited by ALS Canada Ltd. during the analytical process. Gold values are estimated by fire assay with finish by atomic absorption. The Qualified Person has not completed sufficient work to verify the historic information on the Property, particularly in regards to historical drill results. However, the Qualified Person believes that drilling and analytical results were completed to industry standard practices. The information provides an indication of the exploration potential of the Property but may not be representative of expected results.

About BMEX Gold Inc.

BMEX Gold Inc. is a junior Canadian mining exploration company with the primary objective to acquire, explore, and develop viable gold and base metal projects in the mining-friendly jurisdiction of Quebec, Canada. BMEX is currently fully focused on their 100% interest in the two projects, both located in the prolific Abitibi greenstone belt:

King Tut Project consists of 120 contiguous claims on 5,206 hectares

consists of 120 contiguous claims on 5,206 hectares Dunlop Bay Project consists of 76 mineral claims that cover 4,226 hectares

BMEX common shares trade under the symbol "BMEX" on the TSX-V and under the symbol 8M0 on the Frankfurt Exchange.

For further information please contact:

BMEX Gold Inc.

Robert Pryde, President

Tel: +1 (403) 478 6042

Email: robert@bmexgold.com

Dylan Sidoo, Business Development

Tel: +1 (604) 423 4499

Email: info@bmexgold.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" (as defined under applicable securities laws), based on management's best estimates, assumptions, and current expectations. Such statements include but are not limited to, statements with respect to the plans for future exploration and development of the King Tut and Dunlop Bay properties and the acquisition of additional exploration projects. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects", "expected", "budgeted", "forecasts" , "anticipates" "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "aims", "potential", "goal", "objective", "prospective", and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "can", "could" or "should" occur. 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 expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: risks related to the King Tut and Dunlop Bay projects; risks related to general economic conditions, actual results of current exploration activities, unanticipated reclamation expenses; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; fluctuations in prices of metals including gold; increases in market prices of mining consumables, possible variations in resource estimates, grade or recovery rates; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes, title disputes, claims and limitations on insurance coverage and other risks of the mining industry; delays in the completion of exploration, development or construction activities, changes in national and local government regulation of mining operations, tax rules and regulations, and political and economic developments in areas in which the Company operates. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The forward-looking statements and forward-looking information are made as of the date hereof and are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such factors or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as require by law. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. Please refer to the Company's most recent filings under its profile at www.sedar.com for further information respecting the risks affecting the Company and its business.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/130165
Consolidates Strategic Position in Major Copper Producing District

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2022) - C3 Metals Inc. (TSXV: CCCM) (OTCQB: CUAUF) ("C3 Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has significantly expanded its land holdings around its highly prospective Jasperoide project in the world class Andahuaylas-Yauri skarn/porphyry copper belt of southern Peru. The Company and its subsidiaries now control a total of 272 sq km (27,198 hectares) comprising 100% of 49 claims covering 267 sq km (26,698 hectares) and the right to earn 100% in two additional third-party claims covering 5 sq km (500 hectares).

Highlights include:

Land holdings 5x larger - 51 claims covering 272 sq km in major copper producing district

Package surrounded by major mining companies including Rio Tinto and HudBay

Contiguous block between Jasperoide and Khaleesi copper-gold properties secured

Khaleesi project comprises 4 sq km of artisanal workings that have never been evaluated - permitting for exploration in progress

Expanded land package covers at least six areas of small-scale copper and gold mining operations that have never been evaluated using modern day exploration methods

Tony Manini, Executive Chairman of C3 Metals commented,

"Through a disciplined acquisition strategy over the past three years, the Company now controls a significant near surface copper and gold oxide deposit at Jasperoide surrounded by a pipeline of similar high potential copper and copper-gold targets in a world class copper mining district. As we continue to expand and evaluate mining and processing opportunities for Jasperoide we have also commenced permitting to explore the multiple nearby high potential copper-gold prospects. Consolidating this large land position significantly enhances C3 Metals ambition of delivering a new +50Ktpa copper mining opportunity in Peru and we look forward to providing further updates as we progress our exploration and evaluation of this highly prospective land package."

Over the past year C3 Metals has been working to expand its land holdings around the Company's highly prospective Jasperoide Copper-Gold Property in southern Peru. Through staking, tenders and property purchases, the Company has established a contiguous exploration footprint in key areas of interest around Jasperoide and consolidated a significant land package over this section of the Andahuaylas-Yauri skarn / porphyry belt. The Company's land holdings have increased almost five-fold from an initial ~57 sq km (5,700 hectares) in 13 claims (see press release dated February 25, 2020) to 272 sq km (27,198 hectares) in 53 claims (Table 1).

Table 1. C3 Metals Mineral Claims Summary

Mineral Claims Status Claims Area (ha) Area (km2) Concessions Granted (1) 29 15,198 152 Concessions Under Process 22 12,000 120 Total 51 27,198 272

(1) Includes Greatiam 10 and Greatiam 70 claims

The Jasperoide Project Area is located within the Andahuaylas-Yauri skarn/porphyry belt approximately 45km east of Minmetal's Las Bambas mine (1.2BT @ 0.61% Cu 166 197 ppm Mo1) and First Quantum Minerals undeveloped Haquira deposit (569 MT @ 0.56% Cu2), 40 km northwest of Hudbay's Constancia mine (568MT @ 0.32% Cu, 96ppm Mo3) and 100 km northwest of Glencore's Antapaccay mine (685MT @ 0.50% Cu, 0.1 g/t Au4). Historical exploration in the Jasperoide Project Area has identified multiple compelling porphyry, skarn and epithermal targets that have seen limited exploration over the last 30 years.

1 MMG Limited Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves Statement June 30, 2019

2 First Quantum Minerals Annual Information Form 2019

3 Hudbay Mineral Reserves as of January 1, 2019

4 Glencore Mineral Reserve Estimates December 31, 2018

The Company looks forward to building strong and respectful relationships with all local communities, as it progresses permit applications to initiate exploration activities on the newly acquired claims.





Figure 1: Location plan showing C3 Metals exploration holdings in southern Peru.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/130211_43531f4324f269e5_001full.jpg

For additional information, contact:

Tony Manini

Executive Chairman

tmanini@c3metals.com

Stephen Hughes

Vice President Exploration

+1 647 517 4574

shughes@c3metals.com

ABOUT C3 METALS INC.

C3 Metals Inc. is a junior minerals exploration company focused on creating substantive value for its shareholders through the discovery and development of large copper and gold deposits. The Company's flagship project is the Jasperoide high-grade copper-gold skarn and porphyry system located in the prolific Andahuaylas-Yauri Porphyry-Skarn belt of Southern Peru, holding 100% ownership of 49 claims covering 26,698 hectares and the right to earn 100% in the Greatiam 10 and 70 claims covering 500 hectares. Mineralization at Jasperoide is hosted in a similar geological setting to the nearby major mining operations at Las Bambas (MMG), Constancia (Hudbay) and Antapaccay (Glencore). C3 Metals also holds a 100% interest in five licenses covering 207 sq km of highly prospective copper-gold terrain in Jamaica and a 2% royalty in Tocvan's Rogers Creek project.

Related Link: www.c3metals.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

QP Statement

Stephen Hughes, P.Geo. is Vice President Exploration and a Director for C3 Metals and is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Hughes has reviewed the technical information in this news release and approves the written disclosure contained herein.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to, among other things, the exploration operations of the Company and the timing which could be affected by the current global COVID-19 pandemic. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Company. Although such statements are based on reasonable assumptions of the Company's management, there can be no assurance that any conclusions or forecasts will prove to be accurate.

While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined, risks relating to variations in grade or recovery rates, risks relating to changes in mineral prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of minerals, risks related to increased competition and current global financial conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic, access and supply risks, reliance on key personnel, operational risks, and regulatory risks, including risks relating to the acquisition of the necessary licenses and permits, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks.

The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/130211
With a combined global early-stage portfolio of over 200 investments, Headline will continue to support the next generation of industry-defining companies with three new, regionally-focused funds in North America, Europe, and Latin America

SAN FRANCISCO and BERLIN, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Headline, a leading tech-enabled global venture capital firm, today announced $954M in new capital across three distinct early-stage funds: Headline US VII, a $408M North America-focused fund based out of San Francisco; Headline EU VII, a 320M pan-Europe-focused fund based out of Berlin; and Headline Brazil III, a R$915M Latin America-focused fund based out of Sao Paulo.



Founded in 1999, Headline will use these three new funds to continue to utilize its global team and an unparalleled data-informed investment approach to identify, track, and invest in the fastest growing early-stage technology companies at the Seed and Series A. Each fund is regionally focused and independently managed by its respective local Headline team. However, the firm unites under a single Headline culture, technology, and investment philosophy.

Over a decade in deployment, the firm's in-house built AI sourcing system, EVA, seeks to cut through bias to pinpoint companies that redefine industries regardless of background, ethnicity, gender, or headquarter location. Headline's proprietary business analytics platform, ATHENA, quantifies product-market fit at the earliest stages by measuring the signals of customer obsession.

"Despite the recent market shifts, we continue to aggressively pursue the next wave of world-changing innovation," said Mathias Schilling, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of the Headline US team. "I've witnessed my fair share of market downturns over the past 20 years, and through these times, we've continued to seek out and cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit with a focus on the long-term. We believe Headline is uniquely positioned with our teams on the ground and a measured, methodical approach to investment that relies on our homegrown technology. The Headline teams will continue to take a founder-first philosophy as we invest these funds in each region."

"Our early-stage focus enables us to closely work alongside the best and brightest entrepreneurs with a leader mindset to nurture their growth and accelerate market adoption," said Christian Leybold, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of the Headline EU team. "We have built a strong multi-local portfolio of European up-and-comers by following a guiding principle, 'work as a team and with great people,' and we will continue to follow this North Star with our latest fund."

Headline has grown from its Silicon Valley origins to 50+ investment professionals across the US and Europe, including Headline's affiliated local early-stage investment teams in Asia and Latin America. This latest generation of Headline early-stage funds will invest $1.5M to $15M into technology startups across B2B and B2C. A selection of Headline's prior investments includes Acorns, Angie's List, AppFolio, Bumble, Creditas, Farfetch, Fetch Rewards, Flutterwave, Gopuff, Grin, Gympass, Honeycomb, Icertis, Pismo, The RealReal, Scopely, Segment, SEMRush, Sonos, Sorare, Staffbase, and Yeahka.

"Latin America has quickly become a vibrant hub for startup innovation, and as a Brazilian, I take pride in being able to support these companies," said Romero Rodrigues, Managing Partner of Headline Brazil, based in Sao Paulo. "With R$915 million in newly secured funding for early-stage startups, we are excited to bolster the next generation of founders in the consumer internet, software, and fintech space as they continue to evolve the fabric of the Latin American startup ecosystem."

For more information about Headline and to view Headline's full portfolio, visit www.Headline.com .

About Headline

Headline is a global venture capital firm that uses its own technology and international team to discover - and invest in - the world's boldest outliers. Headline is composed of a network of four regionally-focused early-stage funds in the US, Europe, Brazil, and Asia and a Global Venture Growth fund that invests worldwide. Since its founding in 1999, Headline has proudly worked alongside talented founders with global aspirations from Silicon Valley to Sao Paulo, Beijing to Berlin. Its portfolio includes category leaders across both B2B and B2C companies.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 7, 2022 / 1933 Industries Inc. (the "Company" or "1933 Industries") (CSE:TGIF)(OTCQB:TGIFF), a Nevada-focused cannabis consumer packaged goods company, is pleased to report that its cannabis brand, Alternative Medicine Association (AMA), has achieved top ranking status in Nevada, according to leading market research companies BDSA and Headset.

AMA earned a spot in BDSA's Brand Insights: Top 5 brands to watch in the Nevada market and was a top ten ranked brand by dollar sales in the market. AMA's roots run deep in the state as the first cannabis cultivator in Southern Nevada. Since 2015, AMA has consistently produced a wide range of cannabis products for both the medical and recreational sectors. AMA has been gaining market recognition and reputation as a cultivator of premium flower and concentrated products. According to Headset, which provides leading insights into cannabis consumer trends, three AMA badder concentrates made the top ten list based on 3-month data of units sold.

"Earning a spot as a top 5 brand to watch is a significant milestone for AMA as an Indy brand competing against well-established multi-state operators. This is a testament both to the quality of our products and to our ability to earn coveted shelf space and widespread distribution in a competitive marketplace," stated Mr. Paul Rosen, Chairman and CEO of 1933 Industries. "We are pleased to reach this milestone as we continue to improve our cultivation and extraction capabilities to increase yield and productivity. I recognize the incredible contributions made by Steven Licon, our VP of Operations, and Ester Vigil, our Director of Sales. With a talented team with the skills to produce consistent quality, and with strong relationships in place with retailers, we are confident that we have a strong foundation in place and that we are well positioned to scale capacity."

Extraordinary Meeting of Debentureholders

The Company announces that it will reconvene the Adjourned Extraordinary Meeting of Holders of 10% Senior Unsecured Convertible Debentures Due September 14, 2022 ("Debentureholders") to July 13, 2022.

The meeting details are as follows:

Date: July 13, 2022

Time: 9:00 a.m. (Pacific Time)

Place: Virtual Meeting Only

An Addendum is being presented to Debentureholders with the following amendments for consideration:

Revising the proposed amended conversion price applicable to the Debentures to $0.05 per share, being the lowest price at which the Company is permitted to amend the Conversion Price; and Revising the proposed extended maturity date for the Debentures to December 31, 2023.

The proposed Debenture Amendments relating to the conversion of interest and forced conversion remain unchanged and unaffected by the Addendum and continue to be submitted for approval by the Debentureholders as follows:

To reduce the price per share for interest payments on the Debentures from $0.10 to $0.075 per share; To amend the price at which the Company may require a forced conversion of the Debentures from $0.15 to $0.10 per share, such conversion to be made at the amended Conversion Price of $0.075 per share.

The Company believes that the amendments set forth in the Addendum are in line with Debentureholders' expectations. The Board of Directors unanimously recommends that Debentureholders vote in favour of each of the Amendments.

A Management Information Circular ("Circular") containing a detailed description of the Addendum and Debenture Amendments has been mailed to the Company's Debentureholders of record. The meeting is scheduled to be held virtually and the Company encourages Debentureholders to vote by proxy, in accordance to the instructions provided in the Circular. The Circular has been filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR and is available at www.sedar.com and is also posted on the Company's website at www.1933industries.com/investors/eom-materials

About 1933 Industries Inc.

1933 Industries is a Nevada-based, growth-orientated company, focusing on the cultivation and manufacturing of a large portfolio of cannabis consumer-packaged goods in a variety of formats for both the wholesale and retail markets. Its product offerings include: THC flower, pre-rolls, and extracted products under the AMA and Level X brands for the Nevada market; Canna Hemp, national cannabidiol (CBD) brand of infused wellness products including CBD tinctures, gummies, topicals and sport recovery products. The Company owns 91% of Alternative Medicine Association, LC (AMA) and 100% of Infused MFG LLC (Infused).

www.1933industries.com

About Alternative Medicine Association

AMA is a licensed medical and adult-use cannabis cultivation and extraction subsidiary that produces its own branded line of unique cannabis products. AMA's extensive menu of cannabis products include: craft cannabis flower, pre-rolls, full spectrum oils, high quality distillates, proprietary blends of terpenes, vaporizer products and boutique concentrates such as shatter, crumble, batter, sugar wax, diamonds, and live resin. Ultra-craft brand Level X is an exclusive collection of exotic strains, selected specifically for their distinctive terpene profiles, high THC levels, and flavonoids. With state-of-the-art cultivation and extraction facilities based in Las Vegas, Nevada, AMA seeks to offer medical patients and recreational users alike a cannabis experience that's exceptional, potent, and consistent in quality. www.amanev.com

AMA is also licensed in Nevada as an adult-use cannabis distributor.

About Canna Hemp

With over 50 products in its portfolio, the Canna Hemp brand offers products in a variety of verticals and consumption formats, including, effects-based tinctures, topicals, vape pens and cartridges, gummies, and capsules for Sleep, Relief, Calm, Focus and Energy. High-grade CBD and a proprietary blend of terpenes formulated for specific effects are key differentiators for the Canna Hemp line. The Company recently introduced previously untapped cannabinoids Cannabigerol (CBG) and Cannabinol (CBN) to its portfolio of products with a new line of natural tinctures and gummies.

www.cannahemp.com

For further information please contact:

Alexia Helgason, VP, IR, Marketing, Media

604-728-4407

alexia@1933industries.com

Paul Rosen, CEO

paul@1933industries.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Notice regarding Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the settlement of transactions between the Company and Day One. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Company's disclosure documents, which can be found under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. 1933 Industries undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE: 1933 Industries Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/707794/1933-Industries-AMA-Ranks-as-a-Top-Brand-in-Nevada-and-Company-Reconvenes-Extraordinary-Meeting-of-Debentureholders-on-July-13th
Iran's national flag waves in Tehran in this photo taken on March 31, 2020. U.K. officials said Thursday British Royal Navy vessel seized a sophisticated shipment of Iranian missiles in the Gulf of Oman earlier this year. AP-Yonhap



A British Royal Navy vessel seized a sophisticated shipment of Iranian missiles in the Gulf of Oman earlier this year, officials said Thursday, pointing to the interdiction as proof of Tehran's support for Yemen's Houthi rebels in the embattled country.



The British government statement was striking in that it provided some of the strongest findings to date that Tehran is arming the Houthis against the Saudi-led military coalition with advanced weapons smuggled through the Persian Gulf.



The U.K. Embassy in the United Arab Emirates described the seizure of surface-to-air-missiles and engines for land attack cruise missiles as ''the first time a British naval warship has interdicted a vessel carrying such sophisticated weapons from Iran.''



''The U.K. will continue to work in support of an enduring peace in Yemen and is committed to international maritime security so that commercial shipping can transit safely without threat of disruption,'' said James Heappey, Minister for the Armed Forces.





Missiles of the kind used during Iran's retaliatory strike on the U.S Ayn al-Asad military base in 2020 are seen on display at Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran in this photo taken on Jan. 7. Reuters-Yonhap
PERTH, AUSTRALIA / ACCESSWIRE / July 7, 2022 / Tempus Resources Ltd ("Tempus" or "the Company") (ASX:TMR), (TSXV:TMRR), (OTC PINK:TMRFF) is pleased to announce that visible gold has been observed in diamond drill hole EZ-22-09 at the Elizabeth Gold Project in Southern British Columbia, Canada.

HIGHLIGHTS

The 2022 drilling program at Elizabeth continues to show strength of the Blue Vein

Multiple flecks of visible gold observed in drill-hole EZ-22-09 drill hole over a quartz vein of approximately metre

Approximately 2,200 metres of drilling completed over 9 holes targeting the Blue Vein since drilling commenced on 30 May, with visible gold reported today in drill-hole EZ-22-09 and previously in EZ-22-03

Results are pending with assays for drill holes EZ-22-01 through EZ-22-03 expected shortly

This is the second time during this 2022 drilling season that visible gold has been encountered within the Blue Vein (see Tempus Resources' DDH EZ-22-03 announcement 20 June 2022).

DDH EZ-22-09, intersected Blue Vein structure from 105.17 to 106.21 (1.04m zone) that show the presence of visible gold ("VG") within a 3 cm quartz stringer, within the 1 metre quartz vein structure. Grains of visible gold have been observed in the uncut core at the hanging wall side of the vein structure plus an additional grain of VG observed at 106m. (See Image 1, Figure 1 and Figure 2)

Tempus Resources, President and CEO, Jason Bahnsen, commented "Drilling at the Elizabeth Project is off to a great start this season. We have now completed the first 9 holes of the program that have been focused on extending the Blue Vein gold mineralisation. The repeated observation of visible gold in drill-holes bodes well for assays, which are expected to be received within the next few weeks for the first few drill-holes."

Image 1. EZ-22-09 Blue Vein intersection with visible gold

With reference to the AIG 2015 guidance for visual reporting of massive sulphide mineralisation, the Company reports it has not encountered any massive sulphide mineralisation in drill hole EZ-22-09. While it is not possible to accurately estimate the percentage of visual gold present though out the drill core, the Company suggests that the percentage would be less than the 0.01%. The Company cautions that visual observations of visible gold are not a proxy or substitute for laboratory analysis. Laboratory assays and analysis will be required to confirm the visual interpretations presented in this news release.

The Blue Vein was discovered in 2021 (EZ-21-12 including 1.0m at 33.7g/t Au) with a total of 7 holes intersecting the vein to date (including three holes with 'bonanza' grade intersections, i.e., greater than 1oz per tonne), high-grade gold mineralisation was identified over a strike length of over 80 metres in 2021. Approximately fifteen (15) holes have been planned this year to target the expansion of the Blue Vein high-grade gold mineralisation along strike and down dip. The 2022 drilling is testing Blue Vein gold mineralisation over a total strike length of approximately 400 metres.

Figure 1 - Elizabeth Plan View Showing 2022 Drill Locations

Figure 2 - Elizabeth Blue Vein Long Section (looking Northwest)

This announcement has been authorised by the Board of Directors of Tempus Resources Limited.

Competent Persons Statement

Information in this report relating to Exploration Results is based on information reviewed by Mr. Sonny Bernales, who is a Member of the Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia (EGBC), which is a recognised Professional Organisation (RPO), and an employee of Tempus Resources. Mr. Bernales has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined by the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves, and as a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI43-101. Mr. Bernales consents to the inclusion of the data in the form and context in which it appears.

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 Blackdome-Elizabeth Project, a high grade gold past producing project located in Southern British Columbia. Tempus is currently midway through a drill program at Blackdome-Elizabeth 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 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.

Appendix 1

Table 1:Drill Hole Collar Table

UTM UTM Hole ID Target Easting (NAD83 Northing (NAD83 Elevation (m) Length (m) Azimuth Dip Z10) Z10) EZ-22-01 Blue Vein 530953 5653772 2400 222 130 -65 EZ-22-02 Blue Vein 531203 5653772 2400 225 108 -65 EZ-22-03 Blue Vein 531203 5653772 2400 198 95 -50 EZ-22-04 Blue Vein 531200 5653774 2400 375 290 -55 EZ-22-05 Blue Vein 531130 5653775 2393 156 280 -45 EZ-22-06 Blue Vein 531130 5653775 2399 237 290 -55 EZ-22-07 Blue Vein 531130 5653775 2399 216 298 -45 EZ-22-08 Blue Vein 531039 5653887 2399 120 135 -50 EZ-22-09 Blue & SW Vein 530953.1 5653772 2422 380 - ongoing 100 -53

Appendix 2: The following tables are provided to ensure compliance with the JORC Code (2012) requirements for the reporting of Exploration Results for the Elizabeth - Blackdome Gold Project

Section 1: Sampling Techniques and Data

(Criteria in this section apply to all succeeding sections.)

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Sampling techniques ? Nature and quality of sampling (eg cut channels, random chips, or specific specialised industry standard measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under investigation, such as down hole gamma sondes, or handheld XRF instruments, etc). These examples should not be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling. ? Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample representivity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used. ? Aspects of the determination of mineralisation that are Material to the Public Report. In cases where 'industry standard' work has been done this would be relatively simple (eg 'reverse circulation drilling was used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was pulverised to produce a 30 g charge for fire assay'). In other cases more explanation may be required, such as where there is coarse gold that has inherent sampling problems. Unusual commodities or mineralisation types (eg submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information. ? HQ (63.5 mm) sized diamond core using standard equipment. ? Mineralised and potentially mineralised zones, comprising veins, breccias, and alteration zones were sampled. ? Samples were half core. ? Typical core samples are 1m in length. ? Core samples sent to the lab will be crushed and pulverized to 85% passing 75 microns. A 50g pulp will be fire assayed for gold and multi-element ICP. Samples over 10 g/t gold will be reanalysed by fire assay with gravimetric finish Drilling techniques ? Drill type (eg core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc) and details (eg core diameter, triple or standard tube, depth of diamond tails, face-sampling bit or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by what method, etc). ? Diamond Drilling from surface (HQ size) Drill sample recovery ? Method of recording and assessing core and chip sample recoveries and results assessed. ? Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure representative nature of the samples. ? Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and grade and whether sample bias may have occurred due to preferential loss/gain of fine/coarse material. ? Detailed calculation of recovery was recorded, with most holes achieving over 95% ? No relationship has yet been noted between recovery and grade and no sample bias was noted to have occurred. Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Logging ? Whether core and chip samples have been geologically and geotechnically logged to a level of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and metallurgical studies. ? Whether logging is qualitative or quantitative in nature. Core (or costean, channel, etc) photography. ? The total length and percentage of the relevant intersections logged. ? Detailed geological and geotechnical logging was completed for each hole. ? All core has been photographed. ? Complete holes were logged. Sub- sampling techniques and sample preparation ? If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken. ? If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc and whether sampled wet or dry. ? For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique. ? Quality control procedures adopted for all sub- sampling stages to maximise representivity of samples. ? Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in situ material collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/second-half sampling. ? Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled. ? Half core was sampled, using a core saw. ? Duplicate samples of new and historical core are Quarter core or half core where not previously sampled ? Sample sizes are considered appropriate for the grain size of the material being sampled. ? It is expected that bulk sampling will be utilised as the project advances, to more accurately determine grade. Quality of assay data and laboratory tests ? The nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying and laboratory procedures used and whether the technique is considered partial or total. ? For geophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF instruments, etc, the parameters used in determining the analysis including instrument make and model, reading times, calibrations factors applied and their derivation, etc. ? Nature of quality control procedures adopted (eg standards, blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (ie lack of bias) and precision have been established. ? Core samples that have been sent to the lab for analysis include control samples (standards, blanks and prep duplicates) inserted at a minimum rate of 1:5 samples. ? In addition to the minimum rate of inserted control samples, a standard or a blank is inserted following a zone of mineralization or visible gold ? Further duplicate samples were analysed to assess variability Verification of sampling and assaying ? The verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative company personnel. ? The use of twinned holes. ? Documentation of primary data, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage (physical and electronic) protocols. ? Discuss any adjustment to assay data. ? Re-assaying of selected intervals of historic core have been sent for analysis.

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Location of data points ? Accuracy and quality of surveys used to locate drill holes (collar and down-hole surveys), trenches, mine workings and other locations used in Mineral Resource estimation. ? Specification of the grid system used. ? Quality and adequacy of topographic control. ? All sampling points were surveyed using a hand held GPS. ? UTM grid NAD83 Zone 10. ? A more accurate survey pickup will be completed at the end of the program, to ensure data is appropriate for geological modelling and Resource Estimation. ? Down hole surveys have been completed on all holes. Data spacing and distribution ? Data spacing for reporting of Exploration Results. ? Whether the data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish the degree of geological and grade continuity appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedure(s) and classifications applied. ? Whether sample compositing has been applied. ? Most drilling is targeting verification and extension of known mineralisation. ? It is expected that the data will be utilised in a preparation of a Mineral Resource statement. ? Additional drilling is exploration beneath geochemical anomalies, and would require further delineation drilling to be incorporated in a Mineral Resource. Orientation of data in relation to geological structure ? Whether the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures and the extent to which this is known, considering the deposit type. ? If the relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key mineralised structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material. ? In general, the aim was to drill perpendicular to the mineralised structures, to gain an estimate of the true thickness of the mineralised structures. ? At several locations, a series (fan) of holes was drilled to help confirm the orientation of the mineralised structures and to keep land disturbance to a minimum. Sample s Security ? The measures taken to ensure sample security. ? Samples from Elizabeth were delivered to the laboratory by a commercial transport service. Audits or Reviews ? The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data. ? An independent geological consultant has recently visited the site as part of preparing an updated NI43-101 Technical Report for the Project.

Section 2: Reporting of Exploration Results

(Criteria listed in the preceding section also apply to this section.)

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Mineral tenement and land tenure status ? Type, reference name/number, location and ownership including agreements or material issues with third parties such as joint ventures, partnerships, overriding royalties, native title interests, historical sites, wilderness or national park and environmental settings. ? The security of the tenure held at the time of reporting along with any known impediments to obtaining a licence to operate in the area. ? The Blackdome-Elizabeth Project is comprised of 73 contiguous mineral claims underlain by 14 Crown granted mineral claims and two mining leases. ? The Property is located in the Clinton and Lillooet Mining Divisions approximately 230 km NNE of Vancouver ? Tempus has exercised the option to acquire the Elizabeth Gold Project and has completed an addendum to the original Elizabeth Option Agreement (refer to ASX announcement 15 December 2020) ? A net smelter royalty of 3% NSR (1% purchasable) applies to several claims on the Elizabeth Property. ? No royalties apply to the Blackdome Property or Elizabeth Regional Properties. ? There are currently no known impediments to developing a project in this area, and all tenure is in good standing. Exploration done by other parties ? Acknowledgment and appraisal of exploration by other parties. ? In the 1940s, placer gold was discovered in Fairless Creek west of Blackdome Summit. Prospecting by Lawrence Frenier shortly afterward led to the discovery of gold-bearing quartz veins on the southwest slope of the mountain that resulted in the staking of mining claims in 1947. Empire Valley Gold Mines Ltd and Silver Standard Resources drove two adits and completed basic surface work during the 1950s. ? The Blackdome area was not worked again until 1977 when Barrier Reef Resources Ltd. re-staked the area and performed surface work in addition to underground development. The Blackdome Mining Corp. was formed in 1978 and performed extensive surface and underground work with various joint venture partners that resulted in a positive feasibility study. A 200 ton/day mill, camp facilities and tailings pond were constructed and mining operations officially commenced in 1986. The mine ceased operations in 1991, having produced 225,000 oz of Au and 547,000 oz of Ag from 338,000 tons of ore (Godard et al., 2010) ? After a period of inactivity, Claimstaker Resources Ltd. took over the project, reopening the mine in late 1998.

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Mining operations lasted six months and ended in May of 1999. During this period, 6,547 oz of Au and 17,300 oz of Ag were produced from 21,268 tons of ore. Further exploration programs were continued by Claimstaker over the following years and a Japanese joint venture partner was brought onboard that prompted a name change to J-Pacific Gold Inc. This partnership was terminated by 2010, resulting in another name change to Sona Resources Corp. ? Gold-bearing quartz veins were discovered near Blue Creek in 1934, and in 1940-1941 the Elizabeth No. 1-4 claims were staked. ? Bralorne Mines Ltd. optioned the property in 1941 and during the period 1948-1949, explored the presently- named Main and West Veins by about 700 metres of cross-cutting and drifting, as well as about 110 metres of raises. ? After acquiring the Elizabeth Gold Project in 2002, J- Pacific (now Sona) has conducted a series of exploration programs that included diamond drilling 66 holes totalling 8962.8 metres (up until 2009) Other exploration work by Sona at the Elizabeth Gold Project has included two soil grid, stream sediment sampling, geological mapping and sampling, underground rehabilitation, structural mapping and airborne photography and topographic base map generation. Geology ? Deposit type, geological setting and style of mineralisation. ? The Blackdome property is situated in a region underlain by rocks of Triassic to Tertiary age. Sedimentary and igneous rocks of the Triassic Pavilion Group occurring along the Fraser River represent the oldest rocks in the region. A large, Triassic age, ultramafic complex (Shulaps Complex) was emplaced along the Yalakom fault; a regional scale structure located some 30 kilometres south of the property. Sediments and volcanics of the Cretaceous Jackass Mountain Group and Spences Bridge/Kingsvale Formations overlie the Triassic assemblages. Some of these rocks occur several kilometres south of Blackdome. ? Overlying the Cretaceous rocks are volcanics and minor sediments of Eocene age. These rocks underlie much of Blackdome and are correlated with the Kamloops Group seen in the Ashcroft and Nicola regions.

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Geochemical studies (Vivian, 1988) have shown these rocks to be derived from a "calc-alkaline" magma in a volcanic arc type tectonic setting. Eocene age granitic intrusions at Poison Mountain some 22 kilometres southwest of Blackdome are host to a gold bearing porphyry copper/molybdenum deposit. It is speculated that this or related intrusions could reflect the source magmas of the volcanic rocks seen at Blackdome. There is some documented evidence of young granitic rocks several kilometres south of the mine near Lone Cabin Creek. The youngest rocks present are Oligocene to Miocene basalts of the Chilcotin Group. These are exposed on the uppermost slopes of Blackdome Mountain and Red Mountain to the south. ? Transecting the property in a NE-SW strike direction are a series of faults that range from vertical to moderately westerly dipping. These faults are the principal host structures for Au- Ag mineralisation. The faults anastomose, and form sygmoidal loops. ? The area in which the Elizabeth Gold Project is situated is underlain by Late Paleozoic to Mesozoic rock assemblages that are juxtaposed across a complex system of faults mainly of Cretaceous and Tertiary age. These Paleozoic to Mesozoic-age rocks are intruded by Cretaceous and Tertiary-age stocks and dykes of mainly felsic to intermediate composition, and are locally overlain by Paleogene volcanic and sedimentary rocks. The Elizabeth Gold Project is partly underlain by ultramafic rocks of the Shulaps Ultramafic Complex, which include harzburgite, serpentinite and their alteration product listwanite. ? The gold mineralisation found on the Elizabeth Gold Project present characteristics typical of epigenetic mesothermal gold deposits. The auriferous quartz vein mineralisation is analogous to that found in the Bralorne- Pioneer deposits. Gold mineralisation is hosted by a series of northeast trending, steeply northwest dipping veins that crosscut the Blue Creek porphyry intrusion. The Main and West vein systems display mesothermal textures, including ribboned-laminated veins and comprehensive wall rock breccias. Vein formation and gold mineralisation were associated with extensional- brittle faulting believed to be contemporaneous with mid- Eocene extensional faulting along the Marshall Creek, Mission Ridge and Quartz Mountain faults.

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Drill hole Information ? A summary of all information material to the understanding of the exploration results including a tabulation of the following information for all Material drill holes: o easting and northing of the drill hole collar o elevation or RL (Reduced Level - elevation above sea level in metres) of the drill hole collar o dip and azimuth of the hole o down hole length and interception depth o hole length. ? If the exclusion of this information is justified on the basis that the information is not Material and this exclusion does not detract from the understanding of the report, the Competent Person should clearly explain why this is the case. ? Refer to Appendix 1 for drill hole collar information Data aggregation methods ? In reporting Exploration Results, weighting averaging techniques, maximum and/or minimum grade truncations (eg cutting of high grades) and cut-off grades are usually Material and should be stated. ? Where aggregate intercepts incorporate short lengths of high grade results and longer lengths of low grade results, the procedure used for such aggregation should be stated and some typical examples of such aggregations should be shown in detail. ? The assumptions used for any reporting of metal equivalent values should be clearly stated. ? Intervals reported using several samples are calculated using a weighted average. ? Calculated intervals using a weighted average did not use a top cut on high-grade samples. High-grade samples are reported as 'including' ? Calculated weighted average intervals are continuous intervals of a mineralized zone and do not include unsampled intervals or unmineralized intervals. Relationship between mineralisation widths and intercept lengths ? These relationships are particularly important in the reporting of Exploration Results. ? If the geometry of the mineralisation with respect to the drill hole angle is known, its nature should be reported. ? If it is not known and only the down hole lengths are reported, there should be a clear statement to this effect (eg 'down hole length, true width not known'). ? In general, drilling is designed to intersect the mineralized zone at a normal angle, but this is not always possible. ? For the reported intervals, true widths are reported where mineralized core was intact and possible to measure the orientation. Otherwise the true width is left blank Diagrams ? Appropriate maps and sections (with scales) and tabulations of intercepts should be included for any significant discovery being reported These should include, but not be limited to a plan view of drill hole collar locations and appropriate sectional views. ? Refer to maps within announcement for drill hole locations.

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Balanced reporting ? Where comprehensive reporting of all Exploration Results is not practicable, representative reporting of both low and high grades and/or widths should be practiced to avoid misleading reporting of Exploration Results. ? Where broader low-grade intervals are reported the high-grade intercepts are reported as 'including' within the reported interval Other substantive exploration data ? Other exploration data, if meaningful and material, should be reported including (but not limited to): geological observations; geophysical survey results; geochemical survey results; bulk samples - size and method of treatment; metallurgical test results; bulk density, groundwater, geotechnical and rock characteristics; potential deleterious or contaminating substances. ? Tempus recently completed an airborne magnetic and radiometric survey over the Elizabeth Gold Project (refer to ASX announcement 02 August 2021) by completing 97 lines for a total of 735 line-kilometres. Flight lines are oriented east-west with north-south tie lines and spaced 200 metres across the entire 115km2 Elizabeth property. Line spacing of 100 metres was flown over the Elizabeth Main and Elizabeth East Zones. ? The airborne magnetic survey data was reviewed and interpreted by Insight Geophysics Inc. using 3D magnetization vector inversion (MVI) modelling. ? The geophysical surveys identified the Blue Creek Porphyry, which is the known host of the high-grade Elizabeth gold-quartz veins, as a relative magnetic low anomaly within the Shulaps Ultramafic Complex. From this correlation of geology and geophysics it was determined that the Blue Creek Porphyry, originally explored / mapped to approximately 1.1km2 in size, is likely much larger. The airborne magnetic survey and MVI 3D modelling interpret the Blue Creek Porphyry to be at least four-times the size at approximately 4.5km2. ? This interpretation of the Blue Creek Porphyry is also extensive at depth extending to at least 2km deep Further work ? The nature and scale of planned further work (eg tests for lateral extensions or depth extensions or large- scale step-out drilling). ? Diagrams clearly highlighting the areas of possible extensions, including the main geological interpretations and future drilling areas, provided this information is not commercially sensitive. ? Tempus plans to update historical NI43-101 foreign resource estimates to current NI43-101 and JORC 2012 standards ? Tempus is also seeking to expand the scale of the mineralisation at the project through further exploration.

SOURCE: Tempus Resources Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/707789/Elizabeth-Blue-Vein-Drilling--More-Visible-Gold
BOSTON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Swapping across various EV segments

The conductive fast-charging system as we know it today has drawbacks such as long dwell times, high power demand from the grid, availability and reliability issues, and the need for end-users to deal with heavy cables, dirty connectors, and buggy user interfaces. Battery-swapping is an emerging technology that aims to address all of these shortcomings. Besides easily upgrading battery technology, reducing the purchase price of EVs (by decoupling the cost of the battery from the EV), and massively decreasing charging times, it is also important to note that the battery swapping stations themselves can become independent energy storage facilities with grid-balancing ability. As we electrify the various vehicle segments, can battery swapping be considered a viable recharging strategy for them all?

Swapping will secure a win with two and three-wheelers first

Battery swapping is viewed as an ideal solution for the booming electric two and three-wheeler segment due to the self-service business model which requires low capital investment. The swap stations in this segment resemble a vending machine, take up a small footprint, and require no robotic machinery as compared to those needed for cars or trucks. The high utilization of commercial fleets in this segment means that swapping can directly boost revenue. There's no downtime, no waiting, no energy spikes, and no need to swipe a card or enter a pin. It only takes a few seconds to swap and go. This makes the two and three-wheeler segment a promising candidate to adopt swapping technologies. The new report by IDTechEx, "Battery Swapping for Electric Vehicles 2022-2032: Technology, Players and Forecasts", covers the various players in this field and benchmarks their swappable battery modules by weight and power capacity.

Battery swapping is possible across various EV segments, with major deployment of swap stations for the two and three-wheeler segments. Source: IDTechEx - "Battery Swapping for Electric Vehicles 2022-2032: Technology, Players and Forecasts"

Cars are showing potential but limited to China currently

Fleet vehicles with high daily mileage are more suitable for battery swapping because they are more sensitive to downtime costs. Swapping stations offer a much quicker turnaround time for low state of charge EVs. Fleet vehicles are also usually a single model. This eliminates the difficulty of the unification of different battery connection/locking mechanisms between various EV manufacturers and promotes the use of shared swap stations as shown by BAIC BJEV and Aulton's partnership in China. It also solves the problem of limited range, improves work efficiency, and increases the income of fleet operators. Furthermore, it has the potential to reduce the upfront cost of the EV. Since batteries can effectively be leased, the EV can be purchased without its costliest component. On average, IDTechEx research suggests that decoupling the cost of the battery can reduce the purchase price of EVs by 20%. The IDTechEx report on swapping examines the battery as a service business model and outlines why fleets will benefit from using a swapping architecture.

Heavy duty battery swapping is in its pilot stages

The commercial heavy duty segment includes buses, trucks, and construction machinery. Almost all the major Chinese heavy truck manufacturers have now launched a battery-swapping model for their battery electric trucks, including FAW, CAMC, Dongfeng, JMC, Shanxi Automobile, and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC). IDTechEx forecast that swap capable new-energy/electric heavy trucks (EHTs) sales will capture over 30% market share of total pure electric heavy trucks sales in China by the end of 2022. The IDTechEx report includes the major Chinese players in the battery swapping supply chain and technical parameters of the various battery swapping truck models.

The Korean government has proposed the use of 'quick charger machines' (QCM) - a machine installed in a bus station that transforms an eligible bus station into a battery swapping station. This involves the use of cranes mounted on top of the station that carries out a swap from buses that use top-mounted batteries while it waits for passengers. Side-to-side battery swapping in buses is also being carried out successfully in China. The swapping is done from either side using robotic arms on swapping tracks that can screw or unscrew the battery packs from the bus. Sun Mobility in India has also launched its 'Quick Interchange Station' that facilitates the swapping, charging, and maintenance of battery packs for electric buses. IDTechEx considers heavy duty trucks and buses along with e-construction machinery to be particularly suitable for battery swapping technology because their fixed operating pattern requires modest downtimes which justifies the cost of installing battery swap stations.

The current swapping landscape

The swapping technology currently appears to be a winner in the two and three-wheeler markets of the Asia-Pacific regions. Personal cars and taxi fleets in China are now adopting this technology as well with ambitious targets set by companies for rolling out their own swap station networks. The heavy duty segment is also running swapping trials, which are largely supported by local governments. What remains a burning question is whether we will see this technology arrive in Europe or the US. While it remains unlikely to thrive in the US, many Chinese OEMs are now entering the European market. It could be very likely that they introduce swapping as an alternate recharging strategy there. However, the deployment of swap stations will remain very low unless major support or interest is shown by consumers, OEMs, and government bodies. The new IDTechEx report, "Battery Swapping for Electric Vehicles 2022-2032: Technology, Players and Forecasts", includes a comprehensive overview of swapping across all segments with supporting case studies and provides a balanced outlook on the likelihood of adoption.

For more information on this report, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/BatterySwap, or for the full portfolio of Electric Vehicle research available from IDTechEx please visit www.IDTechEx.com/research/EV .

About IDTechEx

IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Subscription and Consultancy products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information, contact research@IDTechEx.com or visit www.IDTechEx.com .

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Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2022) - Goldshore Resources Inc. (TSXV: GSHR) (OTCQB: GSHRF) (FSE: 8X00) ("Goldshore" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce it has executed an option agreement (the "Option Agreement") with White Metal Resource Corp. ("White Metal") to earn in to certain mining claims held by White Metal in the Shebandowan greenstone belt known as the Iris Lake and Vanguard properties (the "Property" or "Properties").

Key Terms of the Option Agreement

Total cash payments (CAD$) of an aggregate of $110,000 to White Metal over 3 years, to be paid as follows:

$10,000 within five days of July 6, 2022 (the " Effective Date ");





"); an additional $20,000 on or before the 12-month anniversary of the Effective Date;





an additional $30,000 on or before the 24-month anniversary of the Effective Date; and





an additional $50,000 on or before the 36-month anniversary of the Effective Date;

Total share issuance of an aggregate of 1,500,000 common shares of the Company (each, a "Share") (such Shares to be subject to resale restrictions) as follows:

300,000 Shares within five days of the Effective Date;





an additional 300,000 Shares on or before the 12-month anniversary of the Effective Date;





an additional 400,000 Shares on or before the 24-month anniversary of the Effective date; and





an additional 500,000 Shares on or before the 36-month anniversary of the Effective Date;

Total incurred expenditures on the Property of not less than $1,650,000 over 3 years as follows:

$100,000 on or before the six-month anniversary of the Effective Date;





an additional $200,000 on or before the 12-month anniversary of the Effective Date;





an additional $600,000 on or before the 24-month anniversary of the Effective Date; and





an additional $750,000 on or before the 36-month anniversary of the Effective Date.

Other non-material administrative and technical matters guiding the earn in relationship between the Company and White Metal.

President and CEO, Brett Richards, stated: "We are excited to add on this land package through the Option Agreement with White Metal. As illustrated in Figure 1.0, the Properties are adjacent to our north-eastern property claims in the Coldstream and Iris Lake area. As we have suggested in the past, and with the interpretation of the airborne geo-physical VTEM survey conducted in 2021; there is a strong correlation through Coldstream and Iris Lake towards the Properties, that suggest this strike length is contiguous."

Figure 1 - The White Metal Resources Corp Iris Lake and Vanguard properties



To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8051/130161_f5c4f17a94f9bb12_002full.jpg

For a larger more detailed map of the White Metal's properties, please refer to:

https://goldshoreresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GSH_Claim-Map_2022-May.pdf

Current Market Conditions

Goldshore has decided to temporarily scale back its drilling program from 7 rigs to 2 rigs in an effort to preserve capital in this uncertain and volatile capital market environment. The Company has also evaluated all possible cost containment and cost control measures to assist in this regard, and are reducing costs wherever possible. This decision to slow drilling production may affect Goldshore's ability to complete its planned 100,000m drill program in 2022, as previously planned, but does not change the strategy or management's view on the Moss Lake Project. The Company will continue to monitor all market conditions, as well as its ability to execute on its objectives going forward.

About Goldshore

Goldshore is an emerging junior gold development company, and owns the Moss Lake Gold Project located in Ontario. Wesdome is currently a strategic shareholder of Goldshore with an approximate 27% equity position in the Company. Well-financed and supported by an industry-leading management group, board of directors and advisory board, Goldshore is positioned to advance the Moss Lake Gold Project through the next stages of exploration and development.

About the Moss Lake Gold Project

The Moss Lake Gold Project is located approximately 100 km west of the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario. It is accessed via Highway 11 which passes within 1 km of the property boundary to the north. The Moss Lake Gold Project covers 14,292 hectares and consists of 282 unpatented and patented mining claims.

Moss Lake hosts a number of gold and base metal rich deposits including the Moss Lake Deposit, the East Coldstream Deposit (Table 1), the historically producing North Coldstream Mine (Table 2), and the Hamlin Zone, all of which occur over a mineralized trend exceeding 20 km in length. A historical preliminary economic assessment was completed on Moss Lake in 2013 and published by Moss Lake Gold1. A historical mineral resource estimate was completed on the East Coldstream Deposit in 2011 by Foundation Resources Inc2,3. In addition to these zones, the Moss Lake Gold Project also hosts a number of under-explored mineral occurrences which are reported to exist both at surface and in historically drilled holes. The Moss Lake Deposit is a shear-hosted disseminated-style gold deposit which outcrops at surface. It has been drilled over a 2.5 km length and to depths of 300 m with 376 holes completed between 1983 and 2017. The last drilling program conducted in 2016 and 2017 by Wesdome, which consisted of widely spaced holes along the strike extension of the deposit was successful in expanding the mineralized footprint and hydrothermal system 1.6 km to the northeast. Additionally, the deposit remains largely open to depth. In 2017, Wesdome completed an induced polarization survey which traced the potential extensions of pyrite mineralization associated with the Moss Lake Deposit over a total strike length of 8 km and spanning the entire extent of the survey grids.

The East Coldstream Deposit is a shear-hosted disseminated-style gold deposit which locally outcrops at surface. It has been drilled over a 1.3 km length and to depths of 200 m with 138 holes completed between 1988 and 2017. The deposit remains largely open at depth and may have the potential for expansion along strike. Historic drill hole highlights from the East Coldstream Deposit include 4.86 g/t Au over 27.3 m in C-10-15.

The historically producing North Coldstream Mine is reported to have produced significant amounts of copper, gold and silver4 from mineralization with potential iron-oxide-copper-gold deposit style affinity. The exploration potential immediately surrounding the historic mining area is not currently well understood and historic data compilation is required.

The Hamlin Zone is a significant occurrence of copper and gold mineralization, and also of potential iron-oxide-copper-gold deposit style affinity. Between 2008 and 2011, Glencore tested Hamlin with 24 drill holes which successfully outlined a broad and intermittently mineralized zone over a strike length of 900 m. Historic drill hole highlights from the Hamlin Zone include 0.9 g/t Au and 0.35% Cu over 150.7 m in HAM-11-75.

The Moss Lake, East Coldstream and North Coldstream deposits sit on a mineral trend marked by a regionally significant deformation zone locally referred to as the Wawiag Fault Zone in the area of the Moss Lake Deposit. This deformation zone occurs over a length of approximately 20 km on the Moss Lake Gold Project and there is an area spanning approximately 7 km between the Moss Lake and East Coldstream deposits that is significantly underexplored.

Table 1: Historical Mineral Resources1,2,3



INDICATED INFERRED Deposit Tonnes Au g/t Au oz Tonnes Au g/t Au oz Moss Lake Deposit1 (2013 resource estimate) Open Pit Potential 39,795,000 1.1 1,377,300 48,904,000 1.0 1,616,300 Underground Potential - - - 1,461,100 2.9 135,400 Moss Lake Total 39,795,000 1.1 1,377,300 50,364,000 1.1 1,751,600

East Coldstream Deposit2 (2011 resource estimate) East Coldstream Total 3,516,700 0.85 96,400 30,533,000 0.78 763,276

Combined Total 43,311,700 1.08 1,473,700 80,897,000 0.98 2,514,876

Notes:

(1) Source: Poirier, S., Patrick, G.A., Richard, P.L., and Palich, J., 2013. Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Moss Lake Project, 43-101 technical report prepared for Moss Lake Gold Mines Ltd. Moss Lake Deposit resource estimate is based on 0.5 g/t Au cut-off grade for open pit and 2.0 g/t Au cut-off grade for underground resources.

(2) Source: McCracken, T., 2011. Technical Report and Resource Estimate on the Osmani Gold Deposit, Coldstream Property, Northwestern Ontario, 43-101 technical report prepared for Foundation Resources Inc. and Alto Ventures Ltd. East Coldstream Deposit resource estimate is based on a 0.4 g/t Au cut-off grade.

(3) The reader is cautioned that the above referenced "historical mineral resource" estimates are considered historical in nature and as such is based on prior data and reports prepared by previous property owners. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimates as current resources and Goldshore is not treating the historical estimates as current resources. Significant data compilation, re-drilling, re-sampling and data verification may be required by a qualified person before the historical estimate on the Moss Lake Gold Project can be classified as a current resource. There can be no assurance that any of the historical mineral resources, in whole or in part, will ever become economically viable. In addition, mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Even if classified as a current resource, there is no certainty as to whether further exploration will result in any inferred mineral resources being upgraded to an indicated or measured mineral resource category.

Table 2: Reported Historical Production from the North Coldstream Deposit4

Deposit Tonnes Cu % Au g/t Ag Cu lbs Au oz Ag oz Historical Production 2,700,0000 1.89 0.56 5.59 102,000,000 44,000 440,000

Note:

(4) Source: Schlanka, R., 1969. Copper, Nickel, Lead and Zinc Deposits of Ontario, Mineral Resources Circular No. 12, Ontario Geological Survey, pp. 314-316.

Peter Flindell, MAusIMM, MAIG, Vice President - Exploration of the Company, a qualified person under NI 43-101 has approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

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.

For More Information - Please Contact:

Brett A. Richards

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Goldshore Resources Inc.

P. +1 604 288 4416 M. +1 905 449 1500

E. brichards@goldshoreresources.com

W. www.goldshoreresources.com

Facebook: GoldShoreRes |Twitter: GoldShoreRes | LinkedIn: goldshoreres

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur.

Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements relating to expectations regarding the exploration and development of the Moss Lake Gold Project or the Properties, an update to the historical resource at the Moss Lake Gold Project, and other statements that are not historical facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, among others: the Company may require additional financing from time to time in order to continue its operations which may not be available when needed or on acceptable terms and conditions acceptable; compliance with extensive government regulation; domestic and foreign laws and regulations could adversely affect the Company's business and results of operations; the stock markets have experienced volatility that often has been unrelated to the performance of companies and these fluctuations may adversely affect the price of the Company's securities, regardless of its operating performance; and the impact of COVID-19.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/130161
Purchase order of 1,000 kg for prompt delivery to support the growing demand for VINIA

Pipeline of 6 major customers testing VINIA for inclusion in their final products

Favorable terms of Purchase Order reflect the increasing value of the product and substantially contribute to BioHarvest's top line

Vancouver, British Columbia and Rehovot, Israel--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2022) - BioHarvest Sciences Inc. (CSE: BHSC) (OTC PINK: CNVCF) (FSE: 8MV) ("BioHarvest" or "the Company") today announced that Batory Foods (Batory) has placed a purchase order for 1,000 kg of VINIA, to be delivered by end of December 2022. Batory Foods ("Batory"), a leading food ingredients distributor in the USA, is one of the top three companies in the nutraceutical and food and beverage ingredient segments of the market. Batory is the exclusive B2B distributor of BioHarvest's Nutraceuticals and expected Hemp based Cannabis products in the US.

In addition to the significant size of this purchase order, it also carries more favorable financial terms for BioHarvest in reflection of the higher B2B wholesale price of VINIA in the market and reflects the willingness of end customers to pay higher pricing for VINIA when utilizing VINIA as a key ingredient in their respective products. The adoption of VINIA by the US market is evidenced by the sales growth and projections described in the Company's July 5th, 2022, news release.

"Teaming up with BioHarvest Sciences from the get-go was a strategic diversification of our product portfolio to include on-trend and high-end functional ingredients" stated Vince Pinneri, President of Batory Foods. "We have identified major end customers who can appreciate the value of the scientific and clinical based Nutraceuticals from BioHarvest and are convinced of the prospects of integrating these into their offerings to consumers".

VINIA is now being designed and tested in multiple products by major US brands covering a wide gamut of applications such as coffee, tea, yoghurt, nutrition bars, and nutritional beverages.

Ilan Sobel, CEO of BHSC, commented "We made a sound decision in September 2020 to partner with Batory. This partnership reflected their vote of confidence in the scientifically and clinically proven advantages of BHSC's technology and portfolio of unique products. Batory has been a great partner to help us drive the required disruption in the nutraceutical ingredients industry. This latest purchase order is just the beginning of what is a mutually beneficial long-term relationship and we look forward to partnering with Batory on our journey for VINIA to be included as a strategic ingredient in major brands in the nutraceutical, and food & beverage industries. "

Q2 2022 Shareholder Update

BioHarvest invites all interested investors and media to the Q2 BioHarvest Shareholder Update at 2PM EST July 7th, 2022. The online meeting will be hosted by CEO Ilan Sobel and will feature a live Q&A session. Free registration to the event is available here: Q2 2022 BioHarvest Sciences Inc. Shareholder Update | BioHarvest Sciences (livestorm.co)

About BioHarvest Sciences Inc.

BioHarvest Sciences Inc. (CSE: BHSC) is a fast-growing Biotech firm listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. BioHarvest has developed a patented bio-cell growth platform technology capable of growing the active and beneficial ingredients in fruit and plants, at industrial scale, without the need to grow the plant itself. This technology is economical, ensures consistency, and avoids the negative environmental impacts associated with traditional agriculture. BioHarvest is currently focused on nutraceuticals and the medicinal cannabis markets. Visit: www.bioharvest.com.

BioHarvest Sciences Inc.

Ilan Sobel, Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please contact:

Dave Ryan, VP Investor Relations & Director

Phone: 1 (604) 622-1186

Email: dave@bioharvest.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release includes forward-looking statements that are based on management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. There is no assurance that strong sales metrics experienced to date will result in future demand or that proposed additional marketing expenditures will result in increased sales. Markets for nutraceuticals are unpredictable and subject to changes in consumer tastes and trends as well as economic factors beyond our control. Delays and cost overruns may result in delays achieving our objectives obtaining market acceptance, and regulatory approvals for geographic expansion is subject to risk and cannot be guaranteed. There is no assurance that our products will be integrated into products by major US brands as this will depend on successful testing by them of our products and any products which may integrate our products and the assessment of the potential market acceptance of such products which is uncertain. There is no assurance that the Company sales revenue for 2022 will reach USD 5 to 7 million and there is no assurance that the Company cash flow breaking point will be achieved in 2023. There is no assurance of commercial availability of our Cannabis product in 2022 or that the Company achieves the conversion of the two tons VINIA facility to Cannabis production in 2022. These things are subject to construction and approval delays and uncertainties that may be beyond the control of BioHarvest. Projected sales of Cannabis will require the Company to obtain production and/or export licensing which cannot be assured.

All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and actual results may be affected by a number of material factors beyond our control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. BHSC does not intend to update forward-looking statement disclosures other than through our regular management discussion and analysis disclosures.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/130224
The "Europe Cervical Cancer Screening Market, Forecast 2022-2027, Industry Trends, Share, Growth, Outlooks, Impact of COVID-19, Company Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Europe Cervical Cancer Screening Market is expected to be valued at US$ 10.7 Billion in 2027. Cervical cancer originates in the cervix cells, which is the lower section of the uterus that attaches to the vaginal canal. Cervical cancer is now one of the most common malignancies in women and one of the most typical causes of cancer death in Europe.

As a result, cervical cancer screening is an essential aspect of a woman's routine health and can aid in cervical cancer prevention. Furthermore, many women are now opting for a cervical cancer screening test due to increased awareness. The European government is also playing a critical role by organizing free medical camps, health reimbursement, and awareness activities.

Europe Cervical Cancer Screening Market is estimated to expand with a CAGR of 3.3% during 2021-2027:

The European Cervical Cancer Screening Market has grown in recent years due to an increase in the number of patients diagnosed with cervical cancer and increased awareness about cervical cancer screening programs. In addition, the market is being boosted by the increased demand for technologically sophisticated diagnostic treatments for detecting cervical and vaginal malignancies. Furthermore, the growing demand for better cancer diagnostics and recent advancements in cancer diagnosis and therapy, novel specific antigen identification, and insights into cancer's genetic underpinning have all aided the market's growth. The expanding older population will also add fuel to this business, as their desire for further cancer assays and tests will increase, leading to future market growth in Europe.

Pap Smear Test and HPV DNA Test Population Market:

Because of the high incidence and death rate of cervical cancer in Europe, there is a huge demand for unique and reliable early detection and therapeutic screening. Surprisingly, there are excellent screening procedures for detecting precancerous cervix lesions. The publisher examined the Europe Cervical Cancer Screening Market in the analysis, including Pap Smear Test and HPV DNA Test Population and Market. Cervical cancer screening tests are divided into Pap tests and HPV testing.

Cells from the cervix are removed, stained, and evaluated for abnormalities during a Pap test. Pap tests are frequently used in women to confirm cervical cancer or to search for changes in cells that could lead to cervical cancer in the future. As a result of the failure of cytology-based screening programs in Europe, alternative approaches such as HPV testing have emerged.

HPV infection is determined in HPV test cells collected from the cervix. HPV tests are being used to extend screening intervals and boost coverage in high-risk populations, in addition to their excellent sensitivity. Furthermore, the demand expansion is projected to be aided by breakthrough testing technologies and services that increase screening rates.

By Country Europe Cervical Cancer Test Market Population Share Analysis:

The Europe Cervical Cancer Test Market Population Share Analysis has been done for the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, and the Netherlands in our report. According to our research, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France are the top three nations in the European region performing very well in the Cervical Cancer Screening Market. The market in the nations mentioned above is likely to dominate, owing to raising awareness of cervical cancer among women and the availability of high-quality healthcare facilities. Furthermore, the market is expected to develop at a faster rate due to rising healthcare costs, government legislation, and healthcare institute attempts to raise awareness about cervical cancer.

Key Topics Covered:

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction

2. Research Methodology

3. Executive Summary

4. Market Dynamics

4.1 Growth Drivers

4.2 Challenges

5. Europe Cervical Cancer Test (Screening) Analysis

5.1 Europe Cervical Cancer Test Population

5.1.1 Pap smear Test Population

5.1.2 HPV DNA Test Population

5.2 Europe Cervical Cancer Test (Screening) Market

5.2.1 Pap Smear Test Market

5.2.2 HPV DNA Test Market

6. Countries Europe Cervical Cancer Test Market Population Share Analysis

6.1 Europe Cervical Cancer Test Population Share

6.1.1 Pap Smear Population

6.1.2 HPV DNA Population

6.2 Europe Cervical Cancer Market Share

6.2.1 Pap Smear Market

6.2.2 HPV DNA Market

7. United Kingdom Cervical Cancer Test Analysis

8. France Cervical Cancer Test Analysis

9. Germany Cervical Cancer Test Analysis

10. Italy Cervical Cancer Test Analysis

11. Spain Cervical Cancer Test Analysis

12. Sweden Cervical Cancer Test Analysis

13. Switzerland Cervical Cancer Test Analysis

14. Norway Cervical Cancer Test Analysis

15. Netherlands Cervical Cancer Test Analysis

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3e459f

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005381/en/

Contacts:

ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2022) - Galleon Gold Corp. (TSXV: GGO) (the "Company" or "Galleon Gold") is pleased to announce visual observations from the fourth diamond drill hole of the 2022 drill program at the West Cache Gold Project ("West Cache" or the "Project") in Timmins, Ontario.

The fourth hole was collared to intersect the South Area zones within a gap between near-surface (2.53 g/t Au | 9.0 m, including 7.96 g/t Au | 2.03 m in WC-21-192) and deeper intercepts (2.63 g/t | 7.5 m, including 6.95 g/t Au | 2.0 m in WC-20-077) drilled during the 2020-2021 program. The objective of the ongoing 2022 South Area drilling is to determine potential shoot geometry within the 300-meter strike length of the drill-tested area, which is approximately 350-meters due south of high-grade Zone #9.

Hole WC-22-215 was drilled to a total depth of 465 meters

Multiple sulphide zones were encountered throughout the hole, which may prove continuity within the 120-meter untested gap in South Area drilling

A massive sulphide intercept was encountered from 261.5 m to 262 m (Figure 3) with over 30% combined pyrite, sphalerite, and chalcopyrite

Figure 1 shows the target area of the first four holes in relation to high-grade Zone #9 which is hosted in the metasediment-dominant stratigraphy. The cross section in Figure 2 identifies the sulphide zones in hole WC-22-215, while Figure 3 provides photographs of the core that has been logged and sampled.

The fifth hole of the program is currently underway and core logging and sampling remains ongoing.





Figure 1 - 3D View (east) of mineralized zones at West Cache and area of initial drill holes in the South Area

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1014/130174_672eef9a64eb3864_001full.jpg





Figure 2 - Cross sectional view (east) of WC-22-215 drill hole in the South Area

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1014/130174_672eef9a64eb3864_002full.jpg





Figure 3a - Core Photos from WC-22-215

To view an enhanced version of Figure 3a, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1014/130174_672eef9a64eb3864_003full.jpg





Figure 3b - Core Photos from WC-22-215

To view an enhanced version of Figure 3b, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1014/130174_672eef9a64eb3864_004full.jpg

Technical Content and Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by West Cache Gold Project Manager Leah Page, P. Geo. (APGNS #217) a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About the West Cache Project

The Property is situated in the Western Porcupine Gold Camp along the Destor-Porcupine Fault Zone ("DPFZ") within the Abitibi greenstone belt. The Property is predominantly underlain by Archean rocks of the Tisdale and Deloro Assemblages (metavolcanics), Porcupine Assemblage (metasediments) and quartz feldspar porphyry of the Porcupine Intrusive Suite. Paleoproterozoic diabase dikes trend north-south to northwest-southeast across the Property. The main break of the DPFZ trends east-west through the eastern part of the Property and is offset to the south in the western portion of the Property by the Mattagami River Fault. Gold mineralization is characterized by roughly east-west trending "shear" zones, dipping 60 to 80 to the north, and is associated with pyrite, chalcopyrite and sphalerite. To-date, the quartz feldspar porphyry unit and associated contacts with the metasedimentary units have been the focus of exploration activities. In addition, large areas of Tisdale and Deloro metavolcanics have yet to be explored, including the Rusk contact zone, which is associated with gold mineralization at the Timmins West Complex, approximately 7 km southwest of the Property.

About Galleon Gold

Galleon Gold is an exploration and development company focused on advancing the West Cache Gold Project in Timmins, Ontario. The project is situated approximately 7 km northeast of Pan American Silver's Timmins West Mine and 14 km southwest of Newmont's Hollinger Mine. Since acquiring the Project the Company has demonstrated significant resource growth while providing a strong valuation in its maiden Preliminary Economic Assessment. Permitting and baseline studies in support of a bulk sample are currently underway. Eric Sprott holds approximately 21% of the Company's outstanding common shares.

For further information:

Galleon Gold

R. David Russell

Chairman and CEO

T. (416) 644-0066

info@galleongold.com

www.galleongold.com

Investor Relations

Harbor Access

Graham Farrell

T. (416) 842-9003

Graham.Farrell@harbor-access.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains certain forward-looking statements that reflect the current views and/or expectations of Galleon Gold with respect to its long-term strategy, proposed work, plans and other reports including the PEA for its projects. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business and the markets in which Galleon Gold operates. Some of the statements contained herein may be forward-looking statements which involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization and resources, exploration results, expectations, plans, and objectives of Galleon Gold are forward-looking statements that involve various risks. The following are important factors that could cause Galleon Gold's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements: changes in the world-wide price of mineral commodities, general market conditions, risks inherent in mineral exploration, risks associated with development, construction and mining operations, risks related to infectious diseases, including Covid-19 and the uncertainty of future exploration activities and cash flows, and the uncertainty of access to additional capital. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events may differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Galleon Gold undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/130174
Vacuum production tools for semiconductors: Leak testing in record time

INFICON GmbH from Cologne, one of the world's leading manufacturers of leak testing devices and instruments, presents the latest generation of mobile leak detectors used in semiconductor, solar cell and flat panel display manufacturing. The new UL6000 Fab PLUS version adds another speed record compared to the UL6000 Fab by means of a further highlight: the new, intelligent IRISE function. A leak detection and fixing process is always followed by an integral leak test of the production tool with a rate-of-rise test. The UL6000Fab PLUS now takes on both jobs: the leak detection and the pressure increase measurement. In this respect, IRISE has a huge speed advantage. A conventional rate-of-rise, or so-called vacuum decay test on a large vacuum production tool performed using an external pressure sensor can take several minutes or even hours the new IRISE function completes this test within 10 seconds. Besides IRISE, the use of extremely efficient pumps is also a reason why devices from the UL6000 Fab series often pay for themselves after a few uses: thanks to the record speed of these leak detectors, they reduce production interruptions and downtime, for example during the scheduled maintenance of a tool, to the absolute minimum.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005383/en/

UL6000 Fab PLUS from INFICON makes leak testing in semiconductor production even faster. (Photo: Business Wire)

The fastest and most sensitive leak testing system on the market

The extremely high speed with which the INFICON leak detectors complete the helium leak test on large vacuum chambers is already characteristic for the UL6000 Fab, which is still available. Both devices from the UL6000 Fab series feature an innovative booster turbomolecular pump, which pumps helium at more than 36 liters per second. This enormous helium pumping speed enables the leak detector to respond extremely fast, with very short rise and fall times of the leak rate. As a roughing pump, INFICON has fitted a very high performance roots pump with a pumping capacity of 36 m per hour, which allows the shortest evacuation times. Its air pumping speed is much higher than with other roots pumps across a wide pressure range, particularly in the rough vacuum range. This provides a speed advantage of several minutes per test, especially for larger production tools with volumes between 50 and 1,000 liters or more. The sensitivity of the UL6000 Fab series is also unparalleled: The devices even detect the smallest leaks down to a size of 5 10-12 mbarl/s with complete reliability. All this has already made the UL6000 Fab the fastest, most sensitive leak testing system on the market. In practical use, only the new UL6000 Fab PLUS exceeds it thanks to its integrated and faster than ever IRISE function for the integral leak testing of any vacuum production tool.

IRISE: Extreme time saving for rate-of-rise tests on vacuum chambers

Semiconductor and vacuum equipment is continuously checked by rate-of-rise tests during operations. If a leak is detected during this integral leakage test, it is often not easy to determine which of the many connections, feedthroughs, welds and valves are causing the leak. For leak detection, the UL6000 Fab PLUS is connected to the chambers and a helium spray test is performed to locate the potential leaks. If helium penetrates the equipment's vacuum at a spraying position, it is definite that a leak has been found. In order to determine, however, whether this connection is the only leak or whether there are others, a further rate-of-rise test must be carried out as soon as the leak has been fixed. The new UL6000 Fab PLUS saves a great deal of time in this scenario, as it is able to perform the helium spray method and the rate-of-rise test one immediately after the other. In addition, thanks to the new IRISE function, the connected leak detector transfers the pressure increase of the large production chamber volume into its small internal volume which speeds up the integral test tremendously. The duration of a rate-of-rise test is dependent on the size of the vacuum chamber being tested. As a consequence, a test with vacuum equipment itself increases lost production time. The intelligent IRISE function of the UL6000 Fab PLUS accomplishes this integral test in just 10 seconds. Especially in the case of large production equipment volumes, IRISE thus ensures an extreme time saving.

More information at: https://www.inficon.com/ul6000

About INFICON

INFICON is a leading provider of innovative instrumentation, critical sensor technologies, and Smart Manufacturing/Industry 4.0 software solutions that enhance productivity and quality of tools, processes and complete factories. These analysis, measurement and control products are essential for gas leak detection in air conditioning/refrigeration, and automotive manufacturing. They are vital to equipment manufacturers and end-users in the complex fabrication of semiconductors and thin film coatings for optics, flat panel displays, solar cells and industrial vacuum coating applications. Other users of vacuum based processes include the life sciences, research, aerospace, packaging, heat treatment, laser cutting and many other industrial processes. We also leverage our expertise in vacuum technology to provide unique, toxic chemical analysis products for emergency response, security, and environmental monitoring.

INFICON is headquartered in Switzerland and has world-class manufacturing facilities in Europe, the United States and China, as well as subsidiaries in China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States. INFICON registered shares (IFCN) are listed on SIX Swiss Exchange. For more information about INFICON and its products, please visit www.inficon.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005383/en/

Contacts:

INFICON Inc.

Naomi Kissel-Johns

2 Technology Place

East Syracuse, NY 13057

phone: 1.315.434.1234

e-mail: naomi.kisseljohns@inficon.com

internet address: www.inficon.com
ComplyConnect Conference & Expo provides three days of information-packed sessions, keynotes and networking opportunities for regulatory and compliance professionals

NEW YORK, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ComplySci, the leading provider of regulatory technology and compliance for the financial services sector, will be a founding sponsor of a new comprehensive regulatory and compliance event, ComplyConnect Conference & Expo. The three-day conference is already slated to include a keynote address from Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) Director of the Division of Examinations Richard R. Best and the presentation of the first annual ComplyConnect awards.

The conference, co-sponsored by ComplySci's family of firms - NRS, RIA in a Box, illumis and ITEGRIA - will be held Nov. 8 - 10 at the Omni Barton Creek Resort in Austin, Texas. Regulatory and compliance professionals, industry leaders and technology experts from across the U.S. will discuss current trends, industry best practices and the impact of recent SEC and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) regulations.

"The success of financial firms' compliance programs requires opportunities for leaders to connect and discuss best practices, technological advances and regulatory changes, and unfortunately there are very few venues for these kinds of broad-based interactions," said ComplySci Chief Executive Officer Amy Kadomatsu. "As our family of firms continues to grow, we wanted to build on the success of the long-standing NRS Spring and Fall Compliance Conferences by creating an industry-leading event. ComplyConnect brings together chief compliance officers and their teams, as well as thought leaders, from across the country to drive innovation, provide continuing education and build a strong professional community to shape the future of our industry."

Industry awards

The conference will also feature the first-ever ComplyConnect awards program. Regulatory and compliance professionals and stakeholders can nominate individuals and companies for:

Compliance Officer of the Year

Compliance Innovator of the Year

Compliance Provider of the Year

Compliance Educator of the Year

Future Compliance Star of the Year

Nominations will be reviewed by a panel of industry-leading experts. Nominations can be submitted through the ComplyConnect Awards page until Sept.1. Finalists will be announced in October and winners on Nov. 9 during the ComplyConnect Conference & Expo.

"Compliance professionals are some of the most meticulous and dedicated leaders within their organizations and we want to celebrate all they do," said Kadomatsu. "These awards will give professionals a chance to recognize one another as we honor the outstanding individuals and teams who are truly making a difference in the industry."

Registration information

ComplyConnect provides participants with several options to maximize their learning and networking opportunities. The event will feature an expanded version of the legacy NRS Compliance Conference and offer Investment Adviser Certified Compliance Professional (IACCP), continuing legal education (CLE), continuing professional education (CPE) and certified financial planner (CFP) continuing education credits. It will also include a technology track, as well as invitation-only executive and customer summit options.

Pre-conference workshops, including an introductory course for professionals new to the compliance industry and a women in compliance roundtable, will also be offered on Nov. 7.

Early-bird, all-access registration is available through Aug. 19. Learn more about the ComplyConnect Conference & Expo, including registration, sponsorships and more at complyconnectexpo.com.

About ComplySci

ComplySci believes advanced compliance technology empowers compliance professionals to transform their business. More than 7,000 customers, including some of the world's largest financial institutions, rely on ComplySci's scalable and sophisticated platform to stay ahead of risk and unlock the strategic potential of their compliance data. The company's family of firms includes ComplySci, RIA in a Box, illumis, a ComplySci company, NRS, a ComplySci company, and ITEGRIA, a division of RIA in a Box.

Together, the family of firms offer a full suite of governance, risk and compliance (GRC) consulting, technology, managed services, analytics and outsourcing solutions for the financial services industry. Its regulatory technology solutions help compliance organizations identify, monitor, manage and report on risk and conflicts of interest, including personal trading, gifts and entertainment, political contributions, outside business affiliations and other Code of Ethics violations. Learn more at complysci.com.

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VANCOUVER, BC, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lithium South Development Corporation (the "Company") (TSX-V: LIS) (OTCQB: LISMF) (Frankfurt: OGPQ) is pleased to provide an update on process test work currently underway at the Hombre Muerto North Lithium Project (HMN Li Project), located in Salta, Argentina. The purpose of the test work is to validate evaporation as a viable concentration method in preparation for a potential on site pilot plant and subsequent Feasibility Study. The work is being performed by Eon Minerals a Delaware based company with laboratory facilities in Salta, Argentina. The work was supervised by Alex Mezei, P. Eng., a Qualified Person under N.I. 43-101.

Lithium South Development Corporation is pleased to announce the results of the testwork to date aiming to demonstrate the possibility of producing battery grade lithium carbonate.

Accordingly, a representative Hombre Muerto North ("HMN") salar brine sample of 7,359 L (8.874 t) containing 874 mg/L Li+ was subjected to pre-concentration by evaporation at the site. About 92% of the lithium was recovered in 600 L (744 kg) preconcentrated brine assaying about 6.8 g/L Li+. Subsequent liming followed by concentration-evaporation yielded about 60 L of brine (80 kg) assaying 32.7 g/L Li+. The overall lithium recovery was 60% compared to 51% recovery predicted in the 2019 NI 43-101 Technical Report. Current work on this sample aims to increase the lithium concentration while assessing the possible impact on purity and recovery. The interim maximum lithium concentration attained to date was 47.8 g/L Li.

The next step in the process test work will be to advance the concentration process aiming for 6% Li in the final brine, rendering it potentially suitable for the production of Lithium Chloride, a marketable commodity. Following this milestone, the ongoing-parallel testwork aiming for the production of battery grade lithium carbonate will further confirm the suitability of evaporation as a concentration method for the lithium contained in the Hombre Muerto North brine.

About Eon Minerals

Eon Minerals of Delaware has a fully capable laboratory in Salta Argentina, equipped for lithium test work. The company is well-experienced in the lithium industry. Past and current clients include Ganfeng Lithium, Neolithium and Rincon Ltd. Eon staff includes Susana Martinez PhD in Chemistry with specialization in synthesis and nanomaterials, Ivan Machin PhD in Chemistry with specialization in thermodynamic and catalysis, Lorena Perez MSc with plenty of experience in R&D of technologies, and Gonzalo Chaparro, Process Engineer, who participated to several important projects in Argentina. The team has a joint experience of more than 50 years in process development, and more than 15 years with specific lithium experience. The Company is owned and operated by Fernando Villarroel, Vice President and a director of the Company.

About Lithium South

Lithium South is focused on developing the Hombre Muerto North Lithium Project (HMN Li Project), located on the Hombre Muerto Salar, a major lithium-producing salar in Argentina. The property is adjacent to land under development by the Korean multinational corporation POSCO, which acquired the ground from Galaxy Resources Ltd. for US $280 million. The Company completed a Preliminary Economic Assessment of the HMN Li Project in 2019, utilizing conventional evaporation extraction.

This news release was reviewed and approved by Mr. Alex Mezei, P.Eng., a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101, and technical consultant to the Company. Mr. Mezei participated in the production of this news release and approved of the scientific disclosure contained herein.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Adrian F. C. Hobkirk

President and Chief Executive Officer

Investors / Shareholders call 855-415-8100 / website: www.lithiumsouth.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed the content of this news release and therefore does not accept responsibility or liability for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news release.

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the United States Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based upon opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward- looking statements. We seek safe harbor.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1815015/Lithium_South_Development_Corporation_Logo_Logo.jpg
Highlights include industry recognition, new offices, enhanced products, increased U.S. demand; addition of top talent continues with new Channel Chief

Redstor, the smart, cloud-first backup platform of choice for MSPs, today announced momentum continued to grow in Q2, spurred by widespread recognition of its technology, new veteran talent, increased U.S. demand, product enhancements and two new offices. This follows a Q1 that saw significant developments across key areas, including an investment from Bregal Milestone, the leading European technology growth capital firm, a number of highly coveted industry honors and global sales increases.

"We have the right technology, the right people and the right platform to continue our strong momentum. We built a foundation to take us to our goals and now we're accelerating," said Redstor CEO, Paul Evans. "Even so, of all the Q2 developments, most gratifying to me was the number of users that shared reviews of Redstor online, ranking our product first in areas like product ease of use, support and overall business experience. These are people in the thick of the managed services battle, and that they consider our platform their go-to tool is tremendously validating."

Purpose-built for MSPs and designed for multi-tenancy, Redstor streamlines IT workloads by centralizing the backup and management of data on infrastructure, cloud-native environments and a wide array of SaaS platforms. Management of all customers and their data can be handled entirely through a single app (RedApp), so MSPs can quickly and easily implement policies to fortify security and lessen the impact of data breaches.

Attracting talent

Redstor continued to attract and add top veteran talent in Q2. Of particular note is Mike Hanauer as chief revenue officer (CRO), tasked with spearheading global sales expansion. Previously, Hanauer served as CRO for SKOUT Cybersecurity (acquired by Barracuda Networks), and prior to that, VP of U.S. Sales for Datto.

Further, Redstor is announcing today the addition of two more industry veterans. Named Channel Chief is Matt Scully, who held senior channel management posts at Mailprotector and Datto. Zoe Boreham, FCIPD, has also been named chief people officer. Boreham formerly led human resources initiatives for a number of technology companies, including FLEETCORE and De La Rue.

"Redstor sells exclusively via the channel and enjoys a strong reputation; they offer MSPs incredible levels of service and support and their platform makes life easier," noted Scully. "This is where savvy MSPs want to be. And with a commitment to U.S. expansion, and soon-to-be unveiled partner program that'll turn heads, it's where I want to be, too."

Recognition builds

Redstor received a number of industry honors throughout Q2. This included winning "Connected Technologies Vendor of the Year" at the IT Europa Channel Awards, as well as "Hosted Cloud Vendor of the Year" in the 2022 Technology Reseller Awards.

Redstor users weighed in with recognition of their own. Within G2's peer-to-peer reviews and rankings, Redstor dominated backup and disaster recovery, gaining the highest satisfaction rating in the following categories: backup, online backup, DR and DRaaS. With the IT and services industry most heavily represented, MSP pros clearly regard Redstor as the frontrunner, besting competitors in areas from product simplicity and setup to support quality and ease of doing business, winning 39 badges in G2's Summer 2022 report.

Expansion abounds

Redstor experienced growth throughout global markets during the period, prompting additional offices to be opened in Birmingham (UK) and Cape Town (SA). Product capabilities were also expanded, a highlight being enhanced user access management as well as data tagging capabilities, enabling MSPs to implement zero-trust policies, better protect customer data and help identify and classify specific file types.

While sales expanded overall, demand in the U.S. grew at an unprecedented pace. Interest from new partners produced more than a 300% increase in sales over the same period last year, with a number of large, highly recognizable companies planning to make the move to Redstor in the months ahead.

About Redstor

Redstor offers MSPs best-in-class revenue retention, bigger margins, simple pricing, powerful marketing tools and 24x7 support. Built for the cloud and fast to scale, the Redstor platform unifies the protection of modern, legacy and SaaS infrastructure via a single app (RedApp). Breakthrough streaming technology delivers instant data access and mobility, bringing users back in seconds after outages, whilst unlocking all the benefits of a cloud-first model. Artificial intelligence (AI) polices backups to identify and isolate malware for safe restores. With just three clicks to get started, and no hardware or integration needed, Redstor is purpose-built for the MSP growth agenda.

For more information, please visit www.redstor.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005231/en/

Contacts:

Redstor:

Gareth Case, CMO

Redstor

Gareth.case@redstor.com

Media:

Kelly Haddock

Metis Communications on behalf of Redstor

redstor@metiscomm.com
Sensirion Holding AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous

Sensirion Connected Solutions AG: Continuous methane emissions monitoring solution for the energy industry



07.07.2022 / 14:13





Media Release

07 July 2022, Sensirion Connected Solutions, 8712 Stafa, Switzerland

Continuous methane emissions monitoring solution for the energy industry

Sensirion Connected Solutions has launched Nubo Sphere, its end-to-end solution for supporting customers in the energy industry with locating unintentional leaks and quantifying methane emissions in a cost-effective manner.

Stafa, Switzerland - The reduction of methane emissions is being addressed by new regulations and ESG standards, investors and the public with a distinct call to action. Many industries, such as the energy sector, must act - and act quickly. However, existing methane detection technologies face several limitations: they only measure periodically and are therefore inaccurate, cumbersome and expensive.

Nubo Sphere - continuous methane emissions monitoring

That's why Sensirion Connected Solutions has developed a methane emissions monitoring solution, "Nubo Sphere," which allows companies in the energy sector to continuously monitor their assets remotely and fulfill new regulations and ESG requirements. Nubo Sphere is an end-to-end solution that provides high-performance emissions detection, location and quantification at a low total cost of ownership. The compact and robust design ensures reliable operation and high-fidelity data from any oil or natural gas infrastructure at all times.

"Sensirion's unique expertise in environmental sensing, built up over the last 20-plus years, has propelled us to become the go-to supplier for air quality, gas monitoring and flow sensing. Nubo Sphere is here to set new standards in continuous monitoring technology. With its robust, future-proof and easy-to-use design, Nubo Sphere drives actionable data that will streamline operation efforts and address emissions seamlessly, helping to empower customers' ESG initiatives," says Susanne Pianezzi, Sales Director at Sensirion Connected Solutions.

High supply capabilities

As part of Sensirion, a leading global manufacturer of microsensors and systems, Sensirion Connected Solutions can rely on established production processes and high supply capabilities to offer a scalable solution and excellent lead times for customers.

Interested in starting a pilot program? Schedule a demo call with Sensirion Connected Solutions or learn more about Nubo Sphere at www.sensirion-connected.com.

You can also talk to Sensirion Connected Solutions in person by visiting the upcoming Gastech Exhibition & Conference in Milan, Italy or the IoT in Oil & Gas Conference 2022 in Houston, Texas, USA.



About Sensirion Connected Solutions

Sensirion Connected Solutions specializes in providing sensor-based, end-to-end solutions and services to improve efficiency and reliability for a more sustainable future. By combining unique innovative sensor technology, data analysis and a well-thought-out user experience, Sensirion Connected Solutions offers easy-to-use and scalable solutions for emission monitoring and predictive maintenance. The company is located in Stafa, Switzerland, in Berlin, Germany and in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Sensirion Connected Solutions is part of Sensirion Holding, a global leader in the manufacture of digital microsensors for high-performance environmental and flow sensing.

End of Media Release


MIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / July 7, 2022 / Star8 Corporation (OTC:STRH), announced today a change to its Board of Directors - Sean Kelly has resigned from his position, as part of the previously announced buy-back of Rari Nutrition, Vibe Holdings (Media Hawk) and Palm Nutrition. This change is effective immediately.

"Sean has been an asset to the team. We appreciate his dedication and hard work," said Mario Diez, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Star8 Corporation. "With our company shifting its focus to the NFT market, that niche expertise must be reflected in our Board of Directors and their backgrounds."

A replacement for Mr. Kelly's position on the Board of Directors has not been announced. To learn more about Star8 Corporation and its portfolio of subsidiary companies, please visit Star8Corp.com.

About Billionaire Brands Inc.

Star8 Corporation (OTCPK:STRH) - a publicly traded holding company with expertise in technology, NFT experience, and eCommerce driven solutions. Additionally, Billionaire Brands Inc. provides sustainable marketing, technology, sales and distribution consulting for clients. To learn more about star8 Corp. please visit Star8Corp.com.

For inquiries please contact: info@star8corp.com | 1-866-316-0808

Investor Inquiries:

Star8 Corp.

1-866-316-0808

Safe Harbor

Statements about the Company's future expectations and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created thereby. The above information contains information relating to the Company that is based on the beliefs of the Company and/or its management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company or its management. When used in this document, the words "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plans," "projects," and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current view of the Company regarding future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties noted. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended or projected. In each instance, forward-looking information should be considered in light of the accompanying meaningful cautionary statements herein. Factors that could cause results to differ include, but are not limited to, successful performance of internal plans, the impact of competitive services and pricing and general economic risks and uncertainties. The Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: Star8 Corp

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/707831/Star8-Corporation-Announces-Change-to-Board-of-Directors-Sean-Kelly-Steps-Down
BURLINGTON, ON / ACCESSWIRE / July 7, 2022 / Murchison Minerals Ltd. ("Murchison" or the "Company") (TSXV:MUR OTCQB:MURMF) is pleased to announce the commencement of its summer exploration program with crews mobilizing to site mid-June, and the start of the prospecting phase of the program on the 100% - owned HPM (Haut-Plateau de la Manicouagan) Project, located in Quebec. Furthermore, the Company has also begun the process of probing previous drill collars at the Barre de Fer (BDF) Zone with a downhole borehole electromagnetic (EM) survey. The borehole EM surveys will help refine and target areas of expansion and delineation for the upcoming drilling phase of the summer program. Additionally, the Company also recently completed the initial 3212 line-km airborne EM survey, at 200 metre spacing, which commenced in April of 2022, and covers the remaining 85% of the HPM claim block. The preliminary results from the VTEM survey have detected a significant number of new prospective geophysical anomalies. Due to the newly detected anomalies, the Company has staked an additional 72 km2 of claims contiguous to the currently defined HPM property; HPM's property area is now 648 km2. The Company has also begun flying an additional 980 line-km near the newly located prospective anomalies at 100 metre line spacing.

HPM Regional Prospecting Program

The Company has completed mobilization of a temporary work camp that will support the diamond drilling phase of the summer exploration program as well as the currently ongoing prospecting program. The prospecting program consists of 3 teams which are utilizing GDD's "Beep Mat" technology to locate near surface nickel-bearing sulphide mineralization associated with the newly identified geophysical anomalies. Any anomalies that are detected using the Beep Mat are then sampled using a small backpack diamond drill. Preliminary work at the BDF Zone has been successful in locating multiple new areas of surface mineralization, assays are pending for those samples (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Example ofthe recently collected backpack drill core from newly located surface BDF mineralization with observable pyrrhotite (iron sulphide), chalcopyrite (copper sulphide) and pentlandite (nickel sulphide).

Advancing Exploration at BDF

In concurrence with the ongoing prospecting program, the Company has commenced borehole EM surveying on previously drilled holes at the BDF Zone. Additionally, the lone hole previously drilled at the nearby Syrah Target - which is interpreted to have missed the geophysical target -has also been surveyed. The borehole EM survey at Syrah has detected an off-hole EM response which is indicative of potential nickel bearing sulphide mineralization. The borehole EM work is ongoing, and the Company will use the results to better refine areas for expansion at the BDF Zone as well as to assist in drill targeting at the prospective Syrah Target.

The Company has also recently compiled the drill core from the 2008 exploration program - at the BDF Zone - to a core storage facility in Saguenay, QC. The 2008 exploration program was operated by Murchison Minerals' predecessor company, Manicouagan Minerals, that completed 13 of the 25 drill holes that currently make up the BDF Zone. The mineralized portions of the drill core were stored indoors and remain in great condition (Figure 2). Additionally, the 2008 drill core is now undergoing relogging and geochemical sampling, which will be used to update the current geological interpretation. Those results will also assist in targeting expansion areas at BDF during the summer drill program.

Figure 2: Drill core from BDF with observable pyrrhotite (iron sulphide), chalcopyrite (copper sulphide) and pentlandite (nickel sulphide) mineralization from an interval in Hole HPM08-04 which assayed 1.74% Ni, 0.66% Cu and 0.09% Co over 15.06 metres.

Preliminary HPM VTEM Results

Murchison is also pleased to announce the preliminary results from the 2022 Airborne VTEM survey. The survey was designed to cover the remaining 85% of the HPM claim block which was not previously tested with modern airborne geophysics. The survey consisted of 3212 line-km flown at a 200-metre spacing, and successfully detected a significant number of new prospective EM anomalies (Figure 3). The new anomalies are currently being flown with VTEM at 100 metre line spacing for increased spatial resolution. The additional VTEM survey will consist of a further 980 line-km being flown.

The newly identified anomalies will then be followed up with detailed ground prospecting to identify the source on surface. The prospecting work will be used to prioritize the anomalies for future exploration drill targeting. Many of the newly located anomalies have a similar response to the high-grade Ni-Cu-Co BDF Zone, with high conductivity and magnetic responses; these anomalies will be prioritized for prospecting. Once the Company receives final VTEM data, the most prospective anomalies will be selected for 3D geophysical modelling.

Figure 3: Map of Preliminary 2022 VTEM Data.

Summer Drilling Update

The Company is planning to drill at least 7,500 m over the course of the summer program. Most of those metres are expected to be drilled at BDF for the purpose of expansion and delineation, the objective of which is to produce a maiden resource by Q4 of this year, or early Q1 of 2023. The remaining metres will be drilled at the Syrah Target, a 600 m long EM anomaly that lies just 350 m from BDF - the Company's current interpretation shows the possibility that BDF and Syrah are connected at depth. The drilling phase of the summer program will commence once the downhole borehole EM surveys, relogging, and structural analysis have been completed and interpreted.

Barre de Fer Zone

The BDF Zone (the "Zone") is currently defined by 25 diamond drill holes with 5,564 metres of drilling completed between 2001 and 2008

Based on the modelling, the Zone outcrops on surface, has a strike length of 315 m, and is composed of multiple stacked lenses over a maximum 150 m wide zone. Individual lenses have a maximum thickness of 28 m. The modelled mineralization extends to a vertical depth of 295 m. Extensive mineralization has also been intersected outside the current model, up to a vertical depth of 440 m. The Zone remains undrilled and unconstrained along strike and at depth.

Best intersection to date is hole HPM-08-03 drilled to a depth of 345 m intersected five zones of Ni-bearing sulphide mineralization totalling 60.07 m of composite mineralization (Tables 1 & 2), including:

52.15 m grading 2.04% NiEq (1.52% Ni, 0.79% Cu, 0.08% Co from 74.45 m to 126.60 m) including 12.04 m at 3.00% NiEq (2.35% Ni, 0.88% Cu, 0.11% Co from 100.71 m to 112.75 m) and 10.56 m at 2.92% NiEq (2.15% Ni, 1.17% Cu, 0.11% Co from 85.16 m to 95.72 m)

Murchison Minerals President and CEO Troy Boisjoli comments:

"With the recent closing of the Private Placement Murchison is well positioned to execute the 2022 HPM exploration program. The objectives for the program are i) expand and define high-grade nickel, copper, cobalt mineralization at BDF and Syrah ii) continue to build a portfolio of highly prospective de-risked exploration targets. The early results have us well placed to achieve these objectives which will significantly advance the HPM project."

Murchison Minerals Vice-President of Exploration John Shmyr comments:

"Murchison is very pleased with the preliminary VTEM results demonstrating multiple new areas which are responding similar to the BDF Zone and we are eager to begin prospecting in these areas. The early prospecting results which have been concentrated at BDF has been very encouraging where the Zone now crops out in several locations across it's strike length demonstrating good continuity, previously historic prospecting had only found mineralization in one location."

About the HPM Project

The HPM Project is located within the Haut-Plateau de la Manicouagan area, east of the Manicouagan structure, the site of a major 215 Ma impact event. The extensive reservoir at Manicouagan supports five hydro-power plants. The existing Quebec Cartier rail line, located eight kilometres west of the PYC target area, links Labrador City to Port Cartier and Sept Iles, two major iron ore port facilities.

Figure 4: HPM Location Map

The claims host prospective gabbroic, ultramafic and anorthositic bodies within the Manicouagan metamorphic complex and are associated with significant nickel-copper-cobalt sulphide mineralization first identified by Falconbridge in 1999, where they discovered extensive nickel-bearing sulphide mineralization at BDF during drilling in 2001 - 2002. Murchison Minerals Ltd.'s predecessor - Manicouagan Minerals - drilled in the area in 2008 and 2009. The majority of the past drilling at the HPM Project targeted the BDF geophysical conductor and confirmed the presence of nickel-copper-cobalt sulphide mineralization over approximately 300-metres strike length to a depth of 280 metres. The mineralization remains open at depth and partially along strike.

The Company recently completed a comprehensive data compilation, verification and modelling program, comprising all drill hole data from the BDF Zone. The modelling program consisted of developing a preliminary 3D interpretation of nickel mineralization at BDF (Figure 5). Based on the modelling, the Zone outcrops on surface, extends to a vertical depth of 295 m, has a strike length of 315 m, and is composed of multiple stacked lenses over a maximum footprint width of 150 m. Individual lenses have a maximum thickness of 28 m. However, extensive mineralization has been intersected to a vertical depth of 440 m, and the Zone remains undrilled and unconstrained along strike and at depth. No resource estimates have been completed on the Zone to date.

Figure 5: Barre de Fer Zone Preliminary Nickel Mineralization Model, isometric view looking Northeast

(Nickel Equivalent (NiEq) values were calculated using the following USD metal prices from Mar 23, 2022: $12.76/lb Nickel, $4.76/lb Copper and $37.20/lb Cobalt.)

After Murchison acquired 100% ownership of the property in 2019, the Company focused exploration work on the camp-scale potential of the region. Aerial EM surveys completed in the spring of 2021 identified more than 50 anomalous conductors. Prospecting crews were able to traverse three (3) of the more than 50 anomalies, and discovered new outcrops of nickel-bearing sulphide mineralization in the process. The prospecting program was followed by an inaugural drill program at the PYC Target area - an EM anomaly with a 1.95-km strike length. Subsequent to the completion of the drill program at PYC, the Company increased its dominant land position in the Haut-Plateau region from 139 km2 to 576 km2.

Qualifying Statement

The foregoing scientific and technical disclosures on the HPM Project have been reviewed by John Shmyr, P.Geo., VP Exploration, a registered member of the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan Mr. Shmyr is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Murchison Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: MUR, OTCQB: MURMF)

Murchison is a Canadian-based 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 zinc-copper-silver project in north-central 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) 350-3776

info@murchisonminerals.com

Forward-Looking 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:https://www.accesswire.com/707802/Murchison-Minerals-Commences-Summer-Exploration-Program-and-Completes-Large-Scale-VTEM-Survey-on-its-100-Owned-HPM-Ni-Cu-Co-Project-Identifying-a-Significant-Number-of-New-EM-Anomalies
4500 tests completed in second full month of operations and many hundreds of online bookings for months ahead

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 7, 2022 / EMPOWER CLINICS INC (CSE:CBDT)(Frankfurt:8EC)(OTCQB:EPWCF) ("Empower" or the "Company") an integrated healthcare company - serving patients through medical centers, telemedicine platforms, a medical device company, and a high complexity medical diagnostics laboratory - announced today the its COVID-19 testing solutions offered in and around Vancouver's Port of Vancouver and Canada Place has exceeded 4500 tests in June and completed hundreds of advance online appointments for upcoming summer months.

All of Empower's COVID-19 testing solutions are fully accredited by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia's Diagnostic Accreditation Program (DAP). All COVID-19 testing in British Columbia requires accreditation by the College's Diagnostic Accreditation Program (DAP). Empower's fully accredited COVID-19 testing solutions includes three certified sites at the Port of Vancouver, Canada Place and Fairmont Waterfront Hotel as well as a recently accredited concierge mobile service.

"Serving over 4500 clients in a single month is an important milestone for our accredited testing clinics in Vancouver," stated Steven McAuley, Chairman and CEO of Empower Clinics. "It reasserts the importance of the investment that we've made to be a fully accredited operation as per local BC regulation. It also allows our entire team, clients and shareholders to be confident in the stability, quality and reach of our services while we are still early in the cruiseship season and peak tourist season for Vancouver - with countless travelers, tour groups and events ahead of us."

Mr. McAuley further states, "We are also benefitting from the daily cash flows from these operations, and from high quality direct relationships with key cruiselines and tour groups."

For more than 35 years, Vancouver has been a leading homeport for cruises to Alaska and is the only homeport to offer both one-way and roundtrip itineraries through Canada's scenic Inside Passage to Alaska. Prior to the pandemic, forecasts indicated record growth in demand for cruises to Alaska, and demand is expected to remain strong in the future. The Vancouver cruise industry is a key contributor to the local economy, helping generate $3.17 million (CAD) in direct economic activity for each ship that calls at Canada Place and $2.2 billion (CAD) of total economic impact.

Royal Carribean - the world's second largest cruise operator - refers its clients to Empower Clinics COVID-19 testing solutions on the Frequenty Asked Questions section of their website. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-if-i-dont-find-a-pre-cruise-test-or-get-test-results-in-time.

With severals ships carrying more than 4000 people, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority expects more than 300 cruise ship calls for the 2022 season - nearly an 8% increase from 288 calls in pre-pandemic 2019.

Passengers can visit https://www.empowerclinics.com/covid-19-testing/ to book COVID-19 testing solutions that include virtual (telehealth) or in-person Rapid Antigen / Rapid PCR (RT-Lamp) testing at a site at Fairmont Waterfront Hotel - adjacent to the port terminal at Canada Place. Pricing of solutions range from $100 CAD to $250 CAD per test.

This press release is available on the Empower Clinics Verified Forum on AGORACOM for shareholder discussion, questions and engagement with management https://agoracom.com/ir/EmpowerClinics

ABOUT EMPOWER:

Empower is an integrated healthcare company that provides body and mind wellness for patients through its clinics, with digital and telemedicine care, a medical device company and world-class medical diagnostics laboratories. Supported by an experienced leadership team, Empower is aggressively growing its clinical and digital presence across North America. Our Health & Wellness and Diagnostics & Technology business units are positioned to positively impact the integrated health of our patients, while simultaneously providing long term value for our shareholders.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Steven McAuley

Chief Executive Officer

CONTACTS:

Media:

Steven McAuley CEO

s.mcauley@empowerclinics.com

604-227-0865

Investors:

Tamara Mason

Business Development & Communications

t.mason@empowerclinics.com

604-359-9107

DISCLAIMER FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements can frequently be identified by words such as "plans", "continues", "expects", "projects", "intends", "believes", "anticipates", "estimates", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or information that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding: the Company's plans for a new leadership structure at Kai Medical, the timing of updates or the nature of the changes. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions known to management at this time, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including: that the Company may be unable to enter into definitive agreements, or close transactions with respect to, proposed future clinic openings; that due diligence with respect to anticipated clinic openings and acquisitions may not be satisfactory to the Company; risks related to delays in permitting or construction; risks related to supply chains and access to labour; that legislative changes may have an adverse effect on the Company's business and product development; that the Company may not be able to obtain adequate financing to pursue its business plan; that the Company will be able to commence and/or complete build-outs and tenants improvements for new clinics; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; and other factors beyond the Company's control. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur on the terms or in the time expected, or at all, or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this release, which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: Empower Clinics Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/707833/Empower-Clinics-Sees-40-Growth-for-its-for-its-COVID-19-Testing-Solutions-in-Vancouver
LONDON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Clarivate Plc (NYSE: CLVT), a global leader in providing trusted information and insights to accelerate the pace of innovation, announced today it will report its financial results for the second quarter 2022 before the market opens on Tuesday, August 9. The press release and earnings supplement, with accompanying financial information, will be posted on the Clarivate investor website at https://ir.clarivate.com. The Company will host a conference call and webcast on Tuesday, August 9 at 9:00 AM Eastern Time to review the results.

The live webcast of the call will be accessible through the investor relations section of the Company's website. To join the webcast please visit https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/911488886. A replay will also be available on the investor relations section of the Company's website.

Interested parties may access the live audio broadcast by dialing 844-200-6205 (in the United States), 929-526-1599 (International) and 833-950-0062 (Canada). The conference ID number is 016804.

An audio replay will be available approximately two hours after the completion of the call at 866-813-9403 (in the US), 44-204-525-0658 (International) and 226-828-7578 (Canada). The replay access code is 355429. The recording will be available for replay through August 16, 2022.

About Clarivate

Clarivate is a global leader in providing solutions to accelerate the pace of innovation. Our bold mission is to help customers solve some of the world's most complex problems by providing actionable information and insights that reduce the time from new ideas to life-changing inventions in the areas of Academia & Government, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Professional Services and Consumer Goods, Manufacturing & Technology. We help customers discover, protect and commercialize their inventions using our trusted subscription and technology-based solutions coupled with deep domain expertise. For more information, please visit clarivate.com.

Category: Earnings

Source: Clarivate Plc

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VANCOUVER, BC, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Zoomd Technologies Ltd. (TSXV: ZOMD) (OTC: ZMDTF) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Zoomd Ltd. (collectively, "Zoomd" or the "Company"), the marketing technology (MarTech) user-acquisition and engagement platform, today announced that its current Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Ofer Eitan, will be stepping down from his role and the Company will commence a search for a new CEO. Mr. Eitan will continue to serve as the Company's CEO until the earlier of (1) a suitable replacement CEO being found; and (2) December 31, 2022. Mr. Eitan will remain on the Company's Board of Directors until further notice following his resignation and assist in a smooth leadership transition.

Ofer Eitan has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Company for the past 5 years, since the merger in 2017 between the Company and Moblin (the company that he founded and managed). Under Mr. Eitan's leadership, the Company has built a strong management team and drove outstanding results - the 2021 audited annual financial statements reflected annual revenues of above $50M, representing a YoY growth of more than 100%, a solid and profitable operation, with tier 1 international companies, and a strong path for the development of the Company's business.

"It has been a pleasure to serve as the CEO of Zoomd during the past years and I want to thank all of our employees and partners along the way - innovation and dedication allowed us to achieve so much. I feel that time is ripe for entrusting the Company to a new CEO, who will ensure further growth and additional creation of value for the Company and its shareholders" said Ofer Eitan.

"I want to thank Ofer for his distinguished leadership at Zoomd. With him at the helm during the last 5 years, Zoomd has increased its revenue, profit and customer base, the activity is stable and on an excellent track for continued healthy development of the Company. " Said Amit Bohensky, Chairman of Zoomd's Board of Directors.

To ensure a seamless transition, the Company's Board of Directors has appointed a committee including Mr Eitan to conduct a search for the new CEO and make recommendations to the full Board of Directors. The committee will be hiring a leading executive search firm to conduct a global search for Mr. Eitan's successor.

ABOUT ZOOMD:

Zoomd (TSXV: ZOMD, OTC: ZMDTF), founded in 2012 and began trading on the TSX Venture Exchange in September 2019, offers a site search engine to publishers, and a mobile app user-acquisition platform, integrated with a majority of global digital media, to advertisers. The platform unifies more than 600 media sources into one unified dashboard. Offering advertisers, a user acquisition control center for managing all new customer acquisition campaigns using a single platform. By unifying all these media sources onto a single platform, Zoomd saves advertisers significant resources that would otherwise be spent consolidating data sources, thereby maximizing data collection and data insights while minimizing the resources spent on the exercise. Further, Zoomd is a performance-based platform that allows advertisers to advertise to the relevant target audiences using a key performance indicator-algorithm that is focused on achieving the advertisers' goals and targets.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

DISCLAIMER IN REGARD TO FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to Zoomd's ability to recruit a suitable replacement CEO, its ability to have a smooth transition period and its future ability to successfully continue its growth. Forward-looking statements are based on our current assumptions, estimates, expectations and projections that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, technological, legal, privacy matters, political and social uncertainties (including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current war in Ukraine), the extent and duration of which are uncertain at this time on Zoomd's business and general economic and business conditions and markets. There can be no assurance that any of the forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

The reader should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Company media contacts:

Amit Bohensky

Chairman

Zoomd

ir@zoomd.com

www.zoomd.com

Investor relations:

Lytham Partners, LLC

Ben Shamsian

New York | Phoenix

ZOMD@lythampartners.com
Deepest Intersection of Visible Gold to date suggests a New High-Grade Zone in the Lower Eastern Trend

ST.JOHN'S, NL / ACCESSWIRE / July 7, 2022 / Sokoman Minerals Corp. (TSXV:SIC) (OTCQB:SICNF) is pleased to report additional high-grade assays from the Moosehead Gold Project and the recognition of a potential new gold zone adjacent to the lower portion of the main Eastern Trend. Drill hole MH-22-418 has intersected the deepest drill intersection with visible gold on the property to date, below the mineralization in the Eastern Trend. In addition, hole MH-22-422, drilled from the barge as an undercut of the northernmost hole drilled, either from the ice or barge on North Pond, intersected high-grade gold values.

Assay highlights include:

MH-22-422 - 7.00 m of 8.03 g/t Au from 165.00 m downhole (Eastern Trend) incl. 2.75 m of 19.47 g/t Au and 1.62 m of 31.95 g/t Au

MH-22-418 - 5.92 m of 4.14 Au from 388.84 m downhole (Lower Eastern Trend) incl. 1.31 m of 15.60 g/t Au

(Drill intersections are thought to represent 90% of true widths)

Figure 1 - Drill Intersections - Moosehead Project

Figure 2 - Drill Plan Map - Moosehead Project

Tim Froude, President and CEO of Sokoman, says: "The intersections reported today in hole MH-22-418 are not only the deepest with visible gold, but include mineralization with visible gold located 36 m deeper than the lower Eastern Trend. This suggests a new zone, possibly similar to the Footwall Splay, is developed in the footwall to the main Eastern Trend (see attached section). The hole gave multiple gold mineralized areas where the Eastern zone was expected, with the deeper / higher-grade zone a pleasant surprise. Additional drilling is required to determine the orientation of the new zone and we continue to drill the remaining approximately 40,000 metres in expanding the mineralized envelope at Moosehead. We also plan drilling later this summer in the Western Trend where we have modelled areas with potential to host near-surface, high-grade mineralization that could expand the Western Trend and a series of drill holes in the southern portion of the property testing the Valentine Lake structure along strike from our known zones. Drilling continues with two land-based and one barge-based rig."

The Moosehead Project has five zones of open-ended gold mineralization focused around the Eastern Trend in the central portion of the property with mineralization defined over a 600-m strike length and to over 300 m down dip. The Company is well funded with more than $8 million in the treasury.

Table 1: Summary of New Drill Results - Moosehead Project

NSV = No significant values

QP

This news release has been reviewed and approved by Timothy Froude, P.Geo., a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101 and President and CEO of Sokoman Minerals Corp.

COVID-19 Protocols

To ensure a working environment that protects the health and safety of the staff and contractors, Sokoman is operating under federally and provincially mandated and recommended guidelines during the current COVID-19 alert level.

Analytical Techniques / QA/QC

Samples, including duplicates, blanks, and standards, were submitted to Eastern Analytical Ltd. in Springdale, Newfoundland for gold analysis. All core samples submitted for assay were saw cut by Sokoman personnel with one-half submitted for assay and one-half retained for reference. Samples were delivered in sealed bags directly to the lab by Sokoman personnel. Eastern Analytical Ltd. is an accredited assay lab that conforms to the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025. Samples with possible visible gold were submitted for total pulp metallics and gravimetric finish. All other samples were analyzed by standard fire assay methods. Total pulp metallic analysis includes: the whole sample is crushed to -10 mesh; then pulverized to 95% -150 mesh. The total sample is weighed and screened to 150 mesh; the +150 mesh fraction is fire assayed for Au, and a 30 g subsample of the -150 mesh fraction is fire assayed for Au; with a calculated weighted average of total Au in the sample reported as well. One blank and one industry-approved standard for every twenty samples submitted is included in the sample stream. Random duplicates of selected samples are analyzed in addition to the in-house standard and duplicate policies of Eastern Analytical Ltd. All reported assays are uncut.

About Sokoman Minerals Corp.

Sokoman Minerals Corp. is a discovery-oriented company with projects in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The Company's primary focus is its portfolio of gold projects; flagship, advanced-stage Moosehead, Crippleback Lake (optioned to Trans Canada Gold Corp.) and East Alder (optioned to Canterra Minerals Corporation) along the Central Newfoundland Gold Belt, and the district-scale Fleur de Lys project in northwestern Newfoundland, that is targeting Dalradian-type orogenic gold mineralization similar to the Curraghinalt and Cavanacaw deposits in Northern Ireland. The Company also recently entered into a strategic alliance with Benton Resources Inc. through three, large-scale, joint-venture properties including Grey River, Golden Hope, and Kepenkeck in Newfoundland.

Sokoman now controls, independently and through the Benton alliance, over 150,000 hectares (>6,000 claims - 1500 sq. km), making it one of the largest landholders in Newfoundland, in Canada's newest and rapidly-emerging gold districts. The Company also retains an interest in an early-stage antimony/gold project (Startrek) in Newfoundland, optioned to White Metal Resources Inc., and in Labrador, the Company has a 100% interest in the Iron Horse (Fe) project which has Direct Shipping Ore (DSO) potential.

Mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the Company's property.

The Company would like to thank the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for past financial support of the Moosehead Project through the Junior Exploration Assistance Program.

For more information, please contact:

Timothy Froude, P.Geo., President & CEO

T: 709-765-1726

E: tim@sokomanmineralscorp.com

Cathy Hume, VP Corporate Development, Director

T: 416-868-1079 x 251

E: cathy@chfir.com

Thomas Do, IR Manager, CHF Capital Markets

T: 416-868-1079 x 232

E: thomas@chfir.com

Website: www.sokomanmineralscorp.com

Twitter: @SokomanMinerals

Facebook: @SokomanMinerals

LinkedIn: @SokomanMineralsCorp

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.

Investors are cautioned that trading in the securities of the Corporation should be considered highly speculative. Except for historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward- looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially. Sokoman Minerals Corp. will not update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. More detailed information about potential factors that could affect financial results is included in the documents filed from time to time with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities by Sokoman Minerals Corp.

SOURCE: Sokoman Minerals Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/707834/Sokoman-Reports-Strong-Drill-Results-from-the-Eastern-Trend-Moosehead-Gold-Project-Central-Newfoundland
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2022) - Alpha Exploration Ltd. (TSXV: ALEX) ("Alpha" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has commenced follow-up drilling programs at three of the most important prospects on its Kerkasha Project (Eritrea). These prospects are the Aburna gold orogenic prospect, the Tolegimja copper-zinc-gold volcanogenic-massive-sulphide prospect and the Anagulu gold-copper porphyry prospect. The drill program will total approximately 1,000m of diamond drilling and 3,000m of reverse-circulation drilling.

At Aburna, Alpha will test beneath and along the interpreted strike extension of the gold intercepts returned from the Hill 52 Target Area where drill holes ABR-05 returned 15m averaging 5.85g/t gold and ABR-018 showed 22m averaging 4.50g/t gold. At the Celebration Hill Target Area drilling will follow-up on hole ABR-008 which returned 10m averaging 5.24g/t gold. A third target area known as Aburna Northeast, will also be drill tested where rock chip sampling, channel sampling (e.g., 25m averaging 3.71g/t, 9m averaging 4.1g/t gold) and trench sampling (10m averaging 3.28g/t gold) have returned very promising results.

At Tolegimja, a volcanogenic-massive-sulphide ("VMS") copper-zinc-gold prospect, Alpha will test along the interpreted strike extensions of massive sulphide mineralisation intersected in drill holes TLR-003 (7m averaging 2.01% zinc, 0.44% copper and 4m averaging 1.34% zinc, 0.95% copper) and TLR-009 (26m averaging 1.67% zinc, 0.38% copper). Alpha will also drill test to depth, a strong 2km long Induced Polarization chargeability anomaly that is on strike approximately 600m to the southwest of holes TLR-003 and TLR-009, to see if the mineralisation intercepted in these holes is related to the chargeability anomaly.

In addition, Alpha will drill a deep diamond hole at their Anagulu porphyry copper-gold prospect, to test an Induced Polarization chargeability anomaly in the southern part of the prospect. This anomaly is coincident with elevated copper and molybdenum in previous reverse-circulation drill holes in this area and is interpreted to be the source of the copper and gold mineralisation identified at surface over a 2km strike length in soils, rock chip sampling trenching and limited drilling.

Michael Hopley, Alpha President & CEO said, "This next round of drilling will significantly advance Alpha's knowledge and understanding of our 3 best prospects on the Kerkasha exploration license. Kerkasha is proving to be very prospective and we are proud of the fact that over the past 2 years, as a junior exploration company we have discovered 3 different styles of mineralisation, orogenic gold, VMS and porphyry copper-gold on one license area."

Aburna Orogenic Gold Prospect

The Aburna gold prospect is located on the western side of the Company's large Kerkasha Exploration License (see Map 1). Gold was mined at Aburna in the 1920s by Italian colonial miners and more recently by local artisanal miners. Earlier work by Alpha has identified gold mineralisation over a very large area of approximately 4 km by 2 km northeast of the colonial mine. Gold mineralisation at Aburna is orogenic-type associated with three major NE-SW oriented shear zones. Recent work by Alpha has included continuous 1m long sub-surface channel and trench sampling (See press releases on 4th November 2021, 10 th February 2022). Results from this work defined six prospective sub-areas namely: Hill 52, Saddle Workings, Channel 12 NE, Celebration Hill, Pad 2 and Aburna Central. In addition, consultant structural Geologist Dr. Ghislain Tourigny completed detailed geological mapping of all these areas. A maiden RC drill program was completed in Q1 2022 and returned very positive results at the Hill 52, Celebration Hill and Central areas (See press releases on 3rd May, 25 May and 27 June 2022).

Tolegimja VMS Prospect

The Tolegimja prospect is a virgin discovery by Alpha geologists in the northeast of the Kerkasha Project approximately 50km south-southeast of the highly successful Bisha VMS copper-zinc-gold mine (see Map 1) and was made during an initial property-wide soil geochemical survey in 2018. Prospect scale rock-chip, soil sampling and detailed geological mapping indicate the prospect is a bimodal-mafic copper-zinc-gold VMS occurrence with high copper values at the surface located over the contact between felsic and mafic rocks.

An Induced Polarization (IP)-Resistivity geophysical survey completed in Q3 2021, identified a strong chargeability anomaly over a 2km strike length immediately beside and beneath anomalous copper-and zinc values at surface and directly beneath a mapped rhyolite unit. Rhyolite is considered a prime host for bimodal-mafic copper-zinc-gold VMS mineralization in the Arabian-Nubian shield.

A limited initial drill program of 9 reverse-circulation drill holes (TLR-001 to TLR-009) was completed at Tolegimja in February this year for a total of 1,862 meters (See press release 27 May 2022). Drill holes TLR-003 and TLR-009 intersected massive and semi-massive mineralisation and were drilled 500m and 650m respectively, to the northeast of the 2km long chargeability/rhyolite/surface copper-zinc anomalies mentioned above and were designed to test a gossanous outcrop extending over 100m x 100m with an associated chargeability anomaly. The results of this work indicate the possibility that there could be VMS mineralisation along this whole 2.7km trend.

Anagulu Gold-Copper Porphyry Prospect

Anagulu is located in the southwest part of the Kerkasha exploration license (see Map 1) and is a virgin discovery by Alpha geologists during an initial property-wide soil geochemical survey in 2018. Prospect scale rock-chip, soil sampling, trenching, Induced Polarization (IP) geophysical survey and drilling show a very large - 2 km. long gold/copper geochemical anomaly with a coincident IP chargeability anomaly. The discovery drill hole at Anagulu drilled in January 2019 showed a result of 49m averaging 2.42 g/t gold, 1.10% copper and 6.83 g/t silver.

Dr. Richard Sillitoe has examined drill core from Anagulu and has stated, "It is confirmed that Anagulu is undoubtedly a porphyry gold-copper system centered on a distinctive, dyke-like porphyry intrusion."

For more details on the Anagulu prospect, see Alpha news releases on March 3 and December 9, 2021.

MAP 1

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8361/130243_554c8e1494c6fa19_001full.jpg

About Alpha

Alpha is an exploration company listed on the TSX-V exchange under the symbol ALEX that has made 3 important discoveries in 2 years at its Kerkasha Project in Eritrea:

Aburna orogenic gold

Tolegimja volcanogenic-massive-sulphide (VMS)

Anagulu porphyry gold-copper

The company is managed by a group of highly experienced and successful professionals with many years of experience carrying out exploration and resource development programs in Eritrea and Sudan and is focused on the discovery of world class economic gold and base metals deposits in the highly prospective Arabian-Nubian shield, on either side of the Red Sea. Alpha currently holds a 100% interest in the large (771 km2) Kerkasha Exploration License in southwest Eritrea, located 135 km west-southwest of the capital city of Asmara. Since acquiring the property in January 2018, the company has spent approximately CAD$13million on exploration and identified 17 in prospects of which six have been drilled to date.

For further information go to the Alpha webpage at www.alpha-exploration.com or contact:

Michael Hopley

President and Chief Executive Officer

Alpha Exploration Ltd.

Email: mhopley@alpha-exploration.com

Tel: +44 207129 1148

Qualified Person

All scientific and technical information in this press release has been reviewed, verified, and approved by Michael Hopley, President, Chief Executive Officer of Alpha and a "qualified person" for the purposes of national Instrument 43-101-Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Cautionary Notes

This press release is intended for distribution in Canada only and is not intended for distribution to United States newswire services or dissemination in the United States.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements and information herein, including all statements that are not historical facts, contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements or information include but are not limited to statements or information with respect to: future dataset interpretations, sampling, plans for its projects (including the Anagulu prospect), surveys related to Alpha's assets, and the Company's drilling program. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements or information can be identified by the use of words such as "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. With respect to forward-looking statements and information contained herein, Alpha has made numerous assumptions including among other things, assumptions about general business and economic conditions and the price of gold and other minerals. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive.

Although management of Alpha believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements or information herein will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. These factors include, but are not limited to: risks relating to Alpha's financing efforts; risks associated with the business of Alpha given its limited operating history; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; the supply and demand for labour and other project inputs; changes in commodity prices; changes in interest and currency exchange rates; risks relating to inaccurate geological and engineering assumptions (including with respect to the tonnage, grade and recoverability of reserves and resources); risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action, and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters); risks relating to adverse weather conditions; political risk and social unrest; changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets; changes in laws (including regulations respecting mining concessions); risks related to the direct and indirect impact of COVID-19 including, but not limited to, its impact on general economic conditions, the ability to obtain financing as required, and causing potential delays to exploration activities; those factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Final Prospectus; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time. Alpha does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/130243
Company acquires French audio publisher Editions Theleme

LANDOVER, Md., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- RBmedia, the largest audiobook publisher in the world, today announced its entry into the French-language audio market through its acquisition of French audiobook publisher Editions Theleme. That brand will be home to the existing Editions Theleme audiobooks catalog and all new French-language titles published by RBmedia in the future. Founded in 1990, Editions Theleme has specialized in publishing French-language audiobooks in the areas of classic and contemporary literature from past and present authors such as Marcel Proust, Victor Hugo, Plato, Jane Austen, and Emily Bronte.

Notable Editions Theleme audiobook titles include:

"In Search of Lost Time" by Marcel Proust

"Les Miserables" by Victor Hugo

" Le Loup des steppes" by Hermann Hesse

des steppes" by "Sentimental Education" by Gustave Flaubert

"The Three Musketeers" by Alexandre Dumas

Adeline Defay, Editions Theleme founder and managing director said, "I founded Editions Theleme when I noticed a hole in the French publishing market-there was no audiobook offering for classic literature. Since its creation more than 30 years ago, our motto has always been 'great authors read by great actors.' It's rewarding to see RBmedia further our goal of making these essential texts accessible to everyone, everywhere."

Audiobook usage and awareness as a format is on the rise globally. The market size has been growing significantly over the last few years and is projected to reach USD 15 billion globally by 2027, according to a report by Grand View Research.

Miles Stevens-Hoare, Managing Director of RBmedia international said, "RBmedia has established itself in the English, Spanish and German language audiobook markets-Editions Theleme is the next step in our expansion into additional languages. With the increasing global demand for audiobooks, which we have seen mirrored in France, Editions Theleme gives us the perfect platform to develop our French language business."

Editions Theleme will join W. F. Howes, Wavesound, BookaVivo, and RBmedia Verlag as RBmedia's international audiobook publishing businesses.

About RBmedia

RBmedia is the largest audiobook publisher in the world. With nearly 60,000 exclusive titles, our audiobooks continually dominate key literary awards and bestseller lists. The company's powerful digital retail and library distribution network reaches millions of listeners around the globe-at home, in the car, and everywhere their mobile devices go. Our titles are available on leading audio platforms, including Audible , iTunes , Google Play , Audiobooks.com , OverDrive , Hoopla , and many more. RBmedia is owned by KKR, a leading global investment firm. Find out more at rbmediaglobal.com .

About Editions Theleme

Founded in 1990 by Adeline Defay, Editions Theleme is a French independent audiobook publisher of classic and contemporary audiobooks by great authors, read by great actors. The Editions Theleme catalog includes works from some of history's most famous authors like Marcel Proust, Victor Hugo, Plato, and Jane Austen.

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Applicable law recognises certain categories of personal information as sensitive and therefore requiring more protection, including political opinions and trade union membership. In limited cases, we may collect sensitive personal data about you. We would only collect sensitive personal data if there is a clear reason for doing so; and will only do so with your explicit consent.

How and why will we use your personal data?

Personal data, however provided to us, will be used for the purposes specified in this Policy or in relevant parts of the website.

We may use your personal information to:

(1) Enable you to subscribe to our hard copy publications;

(2) Send you information about our work, campaigns, organisations and any other information, products or services that we provide (this will not be done without your consent);

(3) Provide you with the services, products or information you have requested;

(4) If you request, put you in touch with other supporters in your area (who have also provided such consent);

(5) Handle the administration of any donation or other payment you make via credit/debit card, cheque, standing order or BACS transfer;

(6) Collect payments from you and send statements and/or receipts to you;

(7) Conduct research into the impact of our activity / campaigns;

(8) Deal with enquiries and complaints made by you relating to the website or us in general;

(9) Make petition submissions to third parties, where you have signed a petition and the third party is a target of the campaign to which the petition relates; and/or

(10) Audit and/or administer our accounts.

Supporter Analysis

Google Analytics

We may use some of your personal information to analyse our digital performance, for example to see how our website can be improved to help us achieve the purposes set out in section 9 below, to record how you are using our website or to assess the popularity of different articles / campaigns.

For more information on how we use your personal information in relation to Google Analytics, please view our cookie policy by clicking this link cookies policy



You can opt-out of the collection of information for such purposes here: http://www.aboutads.info/choices

Communications, updates, fundraising

Where you have provided appropriate consent, we will contact you by telephone and e-mail, with targeted communications to let you know about our events and/or activities that we consider may be of particular interest; about the work of In Defence of Marxism; and to ask for donations or other support.

Donations and other payments

All financial transactions carried out on our website are handled through either:

PayPal (Europe) S.a r.l. (PayPal), a third party payment services provider. We recommend that you read PayPals privacy policy (available at https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full?locale.x=en_GB ) prior to effecting any transactions with us through PayPal; or

GoCardless Ltd (GoCardless), a third party payment services provider. We recommend that you read GoCardlesss privacy policy (available at https://www.gocardless.com/legal/privacy) prior to effecting any transactions with us through GoCardless.

We will provide your personal data to PayPal / GoCardless only to the extent necessary for the purposes of processing payments for transactions you enter into with us. We do not store your financial details.

Childrens data

We do not knowingly process data of any person under the age of 16. If we come to discover, or have reason to believe, that you are 15 and under and we are holding your personal information, we will delete that information within a reasonable period and withhold our services accordingly.

Security of and access to your personal data

We endeavour to ensure that there are appropriate and proportionate technical and organisational measures to prevent the loss, destruction, misuse, alteration, unauthorised disclosure or of access to your personal information.

Your information is only accessible by appropriately trained staff and volunteers.

We may also use agencies and/or suppliers to process data on our behalf. We may also merge or partner with other organisations and in so doing transfer and/or acquire personal data.

Please note that some countries outside of the EEA have a lower standard of protection for personal data, including lower security requirements and fewer rights for individuals. We may transfer and/or store personal data collected from you to and/or at a destination outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Such personal data may be processed by agencies and/or suppliers operating outside the EEA. If we transfer and/or store your personal data outside the EEA we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the recipient implements appropriate measures to protect your personal data.

Otherwise than as set out in this Privacy Policy, we will only ever share your data with your informed consent.

Your rights

Where we rely on your consent to use your personal information, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This includes the right to ask us to stop using your personal information for direct marketing purposes or to be unsubscribed from our email list at any time. You also have the following rights:

(1) Right to be informed  you have the right to be told how your personal information will be used. This Policy and any other policies and statements used on our website and in our communications are intended to provide you with a clear and transparent description of how your personal information may be used.

(2) Right of access  you can write to us to ask for confirmation of what information we hold on you and to request a copy of that information. Provided we are satisfied that you are entitled to see the information requested and we have successfully confirmed your identity, we have 30 days to comply.

(3) Right of erasure  as from 25 May 2018, you can ask us for your personal information to be deleted from our records.

(4) Right of rectification  if you believe our records of your personal information are inaccurate, you have the right to ask for those records to be updated.

(5) Right to restrict processing  you have the right to ask for processing of your personal data to be restricted if there is disagreement about its accuracy or legitimate usage.

(6) Right to data portability  to the extent required by the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) where we are processing your personal information (i) under your consent, (ii) because such processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are party or to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contact or (iii) by automated means, you may ask us to provide it to you  or another service provider  in a machine-readable format.

To exercise these rights, please send a description of the personal information in question using the contact details in section 15 below. You can also unsubscribe from our email list by sending a blank email to news-unsubscribe@marxist.com

Where we consider that the information with which you have provided us does not enable us to identify the personal information in question, we reserve the right to ask for (i) personal identification and/or (ii) further information.

Lawful processing

We are required to have one or more lawful grounds to process your personal information. Only 4 of these are relevant to us:

Personal information is processed on the basis of a persons consent Personal information is processed on the basis of a contractual relationship Personal information is processed on the basis of legal obligations Personal information is processed on the basis of legitimate interests

(1) Consent

We will ask for your consent to use your information to send you electronic communications such as newsletters and and fundraising emails, and if you ever share sensitive personal information with us.

(2) Contractual relationships

Most of our interactions with supporters are voluntary and not contractual. However, sometimes it will be necessary to process personal information so that we can enter contractual relationships with people. For example, if you subscribe to one of our publications, or purchase merchandise online.

(3) Legal obligations

Sometimes we will be obliged to process your personal information due to legal obligations which are binding on us. We will only ever do so when strictly necessary.

(4) Legitimate interests

Applicable law allows personal information to be collected and used if it is reasonably necessary for our legitimate activities (as long as its use is fair, balanced and does not unduly impact individuals rights).

We will rely on this ground to process your personal data when it is not practical or appropriate to ask for consent.

Achieving our purposes

These include (but are not limited to) promoting socialist policies

Governance

Internal and external audit for financial or regulatory compliance purposes

Statutory reporting

Publicity and income generation

Conventional direct marketing and other forms of marketing, publicity or advertisement

Unsolicited messages, including campaigns, newsletters, and fundraising appeals

Analysis, targeting and segmentation to develop and promote or strategy and improve communication efficiency

Personalisation used to tailor and enhance your experience of our communications

Operational Management

Maintenance of suppression files

Processing for historical, scientific or statistical purpose

Purely administrative purposes

Responding to enquiries

Delivery of requested products or information

Communications designed to administer existing services including subscriptions, administration of petitions and financial transactions

Thank you communications and receipts

Maintaining a supporter database and suppression lists

Financial Management and control

Processing financial transactions and maintaining financial controls

Prevention of fraud, misuse of services, or money laundering

Enforcement of legal claims

Reporting criminal acts and compliance with law enforcement agencies

When we use your personal information, we will consider if it is fair and balanced to do so and if it is within your reasonable expectations. We will balance your rights and our legitimate interests to ensure that we use your personal information in ways that are not unduly intrusive or unfair in other ways.

Data retention

The length of time each category of data will be retained will vary depending on how long we need to process it for, the reason it was collected, and in line with any statutory requirements. After this point the data will either be deleted, or we may retain a secure anonymised record for research and analytical purposes.

In the event that you ask us to stop sending you direct marketing/fundraising/other electronic communications, we will keep your name on our internal suppression list to ensure that you are not contacted again.

Policy amendments

We keep this Privacy Policy under regular review and reserve the right to update from time-to-time by posting an updated version on our website, not least because of changes in applicable law. We recommend that you check this Privacy Policy occasionally to ensure you remain happy with it. We may also notify you of changes to our privacy policy by email.

Third party websites

We link our website directly to other sites. This Privacy Policy does not cover external websites and we are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any external websites you visit via links on our website.

Updating information

You can check the personal data we hold about you, and ask us to update it where necessary, by emailing us at webmaster@marxist.com

Contact

We are not required by law to have a Data Protection Officer  however we have a Data Protection Manager.

Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com
Participates in major U.K. airshow and international climate milestone

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bluescape today announced it has expanded its international footprint to reach overseas defense and intelligence teams and leadership. Specifically in the United Kingdom, Bluescape is lauded for its participation with the Global Air Forces Climate Change Collaboration (GAFCCC) and upcoming Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) Show, the largest military airshow in the world.

Bluescape was the lead platform of collaboration with the GAFCCC, and served as a driving factor in the culmination of over 46 countries' work. Bluescape provided an infinite, archived and secure meeting space for globally distributed teams to align GAFCCC's mission of sharing ideas, best practices and lessons learned to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and operate more efficiently. The virtual workspace empowered global air chiefs and stakeholders to virtually collaborate on and draft GAFCCC's Declaration of Intention, which highlights the commitments to respond to the urgent threat of climate change. The Declaration of Intention will be signed by senior air and space chiefs from around the world at the Global Air Chief's Summit, July 13 -14 in London.

"With Bluescape's platform, we have built an infinite, persistent, archived, virtual space for the Collaboration's globally distributed teams to meet and work," said Kevin Billings, Honorary Group Captain, 601 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force. "Bluescape's software was instrumental in the process of reaching consensus on the Declaration of Intention and has been very useful in sharing information and ensuring transparency across leaders of 46 nations."

Bluescape will also be making its inaugural appearance at RIAT, taking place July 15-17 in Fairford, U.K. The company will sponsor part of the event and present the Aircrew Competition Trophy during the RIAT Gala Dinner. Aligning to this year's theme of "Training the Next Generation of Air Force," Bluescape leadership will be onsite to demonstrate how its solution contributes to the development of aircraft, training and readiness of required personnel.

"Our participation with these notable global partners has shown that our world's most pressing issues and important agreements, including climate change and military readiness, can be debated on a virtual forum and come to the same outcome compared to being discussed in-person," said John Greenstein, General Manager, Global and Public Sector, Bluescape. "Our participation with overseas defense leadership is the first of many opportunities for Bluescape to share and expand its expertise on a global scale."

Bluescape is a leading provider of secure collaboration software that provides equitable opportunities for global teams to communicate and create impactful outcomes as if they were in-person. With easy access to Bluescape's award-winning virtual workspace, hybrid teams can share a real-time common operating picture across geographies while brainstorming, collaborating, and communicating seamlessly within a secure, virtual environment. A proven solution within the most sensitive defense, intelligence, and national security environments, Bluescape received the United States' Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) 'In Process' Designation , under sponsorship of the U.S. Air Force in January 2022.

For more information about Bluescape, please visit: bluescape.com/public-sector

About Bluescape

Bluescape is the mission-ready online whiteboard for high-value collaboration. Bluescape empowers distributed teams with easy-to-use tools to bring agility to complex processes - eliminating miscommunications, missed deadlines, and wasted time. Certified FedRAMP In Process, Bluescape is built for the security needs of the public sector. Customers include Fortune 100 companies and government agencies. Bluescape was founded in Silicon Valley in 2012. Visit bluescape.com/public-sector and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn .

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1732436/Bluescape_Logo.jpg
KELOWNA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 7, 2022 / Diamcor Mining Inc. (TSX-V:DMI), (OTCQB:DMIFF), (FRA:DC3A), ("Diamcor" or, the "Company") announces today that the optimization and refinement efforts to its upgraded processing plant continued as planned during the quarter. These combined efforts continue to demonstrate the processing plant's potential to support the Company's goal to increase long-term processing volumes. The Company also reports that gross revenues from the tender and sales of rough diamonds held in its fiscal first quarter ended June 30, 2022 ("Fiscal Q1"), totaled (USD) $557,559.22. Total carats sold during Fiscal Q1 were 3,061.70 resulting in an average dollar per carat of (USD) $182.11. These results were lower in part due to the Company electing to withhold 1944.36 carats from the Fiscal Q1 tender and sales planned for June 2022. The withholding of these rough diamonds was done to take advantage of what the Company expects will be a more positive price environment forecasted for July 2022. This resulted in a decrease in revenues realized in the quarter, but the Company anticipates it will receive higher aggregate revenue for these rough diamonds in July 2022.

The Company experienced reduced processing volumes in Fiscal Q1, when compared to the previous quarter, which was partially attributable to the upgrade optimization efforts and supply chain delays. The reduced processing volumes were even more significantly attributable to the unusually cold weather in South Africa during the end of the quarter and into July, resulting in significant unplanned rolling power blackouts implemented by the country's national power supplier, Eskom. Despite the complications associated with managing these unplanned daily power outages, the upgrades continued to demonstrate increases in processing volumes per operating hour of up to 70% over historical levels. The capacity to further increase volumes over the long-term is expected once Eskom is able to reduce or eliminate the rolling power outages currently being experienced throughout South Africa. The Company continues to monitor the situation and where appropriate, with due consideration for diesel usage and costs, supplement power outages by using Gen-Set power and by adjusting operations accordingly for the short-term. Additionally, Diamcor is finalizing plans to augment their current Gen-Set power capabilities to withstand future power outages with minimal interruptions. Further increases in processing volumes are being targeted as the Company continues to refine and expand its operations as planned by the end of 2022.

Operating Highlights

Processing Volumes Increasing. Despite the current issues surrounding the national power supply in South Africa, efforts to optimize the completed upgrades were successful, resulting in processing volume increases per operating hour of up to 70% over historical volumes. Additional increases in processing volumes remain targeted for the current quarter as issues with consistent power supply are resolved in due course. Reduction in Operating Costs on a Per Ton Basis. The screening upgrades and additions completed to date have achieved the Company's goal to increase hourly processing volumes and reduce operating costs through the reduction of fine clay and sands in materials being processed. These upgrades have resulted in a reduction in consumables and improvements in handling and equipment cycle times. Water Recovery Improvements. Available fresh water, and the management of wastewater, in any processing plant is a key element to increasing processing volumes in semi-arid regions. The Company is pleased to report the initial efforts completed to date have already resulted in a surplus of water available for processing. The Company remains on target to finalize all water recovery upgrades prior to the end of the current quarter with a focus on a final water cleaning recovery system to provide the potential for further increases to long-term processing volumes.

"We continue to be pleased with the results of the recently completed upgrades, and our operations team has done an excellent job of dealing with the complexities of various global supply chain issues, and more recently, the unexpected national power supply issues in South Africa. Despite these short-term issues, the team has continued to deliver on the majority of the planned upgrades on time and on budget," stated Mr. Dean Taylor, Diamcor CEO. "We now look forward to the ability to process material without interruption on a daily basis which will provide us with the opportunity to support our efforts to further increase processing volumes to position our Company at a time when rough diamond supplies are contracting."

About Diamcor Mining Inc.

Diamcor Mining Inc. is a fully reporting publicly traded junior diamond mining company which is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol V.DMI, and on the OTC QB International under the symbol DMIFF. The Company has a well-established operational and production history in South Africa and extensive prior experience supplying rough diamonds to the world market.

About the Tiffany & Co. Alliance

The Company has established a long-term strategic alliance and first right of refusal with Tiffany & Co. Canada, a subsidiary of world famous New York based Tiffany & Co., to purchase up to 100% of the future production of rough diamonds from the Krone-Endora at Venetia Project at then current prices to be determined by the parties on an ongoing basis. In conjunction with this first right of refusal, Tiffany & Co. Canada also provided the Company with financing to advance the Project. Tiffany & Co. is owned by Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (LVMH), a publicly traded company which is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange (Euronext) under the symbol LVMH and on the OTC under the symbol LVMHF. For additional information on Tiffany & Co., please visit their website at www.tiffany.com.

About Krone-Endora at Venetia

In February 2011, Diamcor acquired the Krone-Endora at Venetia Project from De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited, consisting of the prospecting rights over the farms Krone 104 and Endora 66, which represent a combined surface area of approximately 5,888 hectares directly adjacent to De Beers' flagship Venetia Diamond Mine in South Africa. On September 11, 2014, the Company announced that the South African Department of Mineral Resources had granted a Mining Right for the Krone-Endora at Venetia Project encompassing 657.71 hectares of the Project's total area of 5,888 hectares. The Company has also submitted an application for a mining right over the remaining areas of the Project. The deposits which occur on the properties of Krone and Endora have been identified as a higher-grade "Alluvial" basal deposit which is covered by a lower-grade upper "Eluvial" deposit. The deposits are proposed to be the result of the direct-shift (in respect to the "Eluvial" deposit) and erosion (in respect to the "Alluvial" deposit) of material from the higher grounds of the adjacent Venetia Kimberlite areas. The deposits on Krone-Endora occur in two layers with a maximum total depth of approximately 15.0 metres from surface to bedrock, allowing for a very low-cost mining operation to be employed with the potential for near-term diamond production from a known high-quality source. Krone-Endora also benefits from the significant development of infrastructure and services already in place due to its location directly adjacent to the Venetia Mine.

Qualified Person Statement:

Mr. James P. Hawkins (B.Sc., P.Geo.), is Manager of Exploration & Special Projects for Diamcor Mining Inc., and the Qualified Person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 responsible for overseeing the execution of Diamcor's exploration programmes and a Member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta ("APEGA"). Mr. Hawkins has reviewed this press release and approved of its contents.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Mr. Dean H. Taylor

President & CEO

Diamcor Mining Inc.

www.diamcormining.com

For further information contact:

Mr. Dean H. Taylor

Diamcor Mining Inc

DeanT@Diamcor.com

+1 250 862-3212

Mr. Rich Matthews

Integrous Communications

rmatthews@integcom.us

+1 (604) -757-7179

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. While these forward-looking statements represent our best current judgement, they are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict and which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Further, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

WE SEEK SAFE HARBOUR

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: Diamcor Mining Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/707805/Diamcor-Optimizes-Expansion-Upgrades-Processing-Volumes
BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - BIMI International Medical Inc. (BIMI), a Chinese healthcare company, said on Thursday that it has inked a deal to acquire Phenix Bio Inc., for $1.80 million. The sum includes $0.18 million in cash and 2.70 million shares of BIMI at $0.60 per share. The acquisition is expected to be closed in the third quarter. Commenting on the acquisition, Tiewei Song, CEO said: 'The goal of Phenix is to target multiple fields, such as general recovery, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease prevention, male health care, female health care, and memory enhancement for the elderly.' 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.
LONDON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- RocketMill, the UK's largest employee-owned agency, is expanding its operations in the UK with the launch of an office in London. The Brighton based agency is making the investment into a second office due to organic growth, access to diverse talent and to forge even closer ties with key partners such as Google.

The geographic expansion is the first in a series of planned office launches across the UK and is essential if the agency is to continue its organic 35% compound annual growth rate over the past five years.

In London, RocketMill will be led by managing partner and board director, Marc Young. Marc joined RocketMill six years ago following 20 years in the media industry in roles including Head of Investment at Dennis Publishing and Ad Director of The Week. During his time at RocketMill, Marc has seen the business grow from 35 employees to now over 150, with recent wins for the agency including Entain, The Telegraph and McCarthy Stone.

Young commented: "Our heritage in digital coupled with our creative capability is proving a key combination for brands looking to make their media investment work harder in an increasingly tough economic climate. I'm looking forward to capitalising on a London launch by introducing new clients and colleagues to our agency over the coming months and years."

The new office will provide the full range of RocketMill's Total Performance offering including analytics, strategy, media, SEO, creative, UX and CRO.

Tom Byrne, CEO of RocketMill, said: "Launching our hub in London is an exciting development in our growth. This new location provides us the opportunity to grow our existing talent and further diversify our team whilst partnering more closely with our clients to drive innovation."

About RocketMill

RocketMill is proud to be an independent full-service digital marketing agency that puts its

people first. As the UK's largest employee-owned agency, their people first business model

and marketing approach ensures both employees and clients are valued and celebrated.

Placing first on Best Companies Best Agencies to Work For in Q2 2022, the company has

been recognised as one of Campaign's 50 Best Places to Work, and was listed third in The

Drum's Top 100 Independent Agencies Census.

Their Total Performance offering unites paid media, SEO, UX, analytics and CRO with creative to

offer clients full funnel service, with performance at the core. For more information, contact

RocketMill at +44(0)1273 916 600 or visit www.rocketmill.co.uk/.
7 July 2022

FORBES VENTURES

("Forbes Ventures" or the "Company")

Trading Update

Forbes Ventures provides a further trading update and announces the resignation of Peter Moss as Chairman of the Company.

Litigation Funding Securitisation

Since its announcement of 30 June 2022, the Company has become aware of information that has led the Directors to conclude that the litigation funding securitisation would not be completed, despite the continued assurances provided by the Maltese Corporate Advisors, HG & Partners Limited (Malta).

The Company has now terminated its relationship with HG & Partners Limited (Malta) and is seeking to recover its costs relating to the aborted transaction from the same.

Resignation of Peter Moss

The Company has received a letter of resignation from Peter Moss terminating his role with the Company with immediate effect.

Prior to his resignation, Peter Moss was the Company's Chairman and had been located in Malta acting as the Company's principal representative in dealings with HG & Partners Limited (Malta).

Corporate Strategy

The Company's board is deeply frustrated that the litigation funding securitisation has not been successfully concluded. Despite this disappointing conclusion, the Company has developed substantial knowledge and intellectual property relating to securitisations which it intends to use in the delivery of its future strategy.

As announced on 30 June 2022, the Company has continued to develop the strategy outlined in the announcement of 21 February 2022 and is in negotiations with regard to a proposed acquisition that complements the strategy.

The Company continues to benefit from the support of its majority shareholder and extends its thanks for the continued support of its remaining board members who have worked tirelessly without remuneration in order to deliver long term value for shareholders.

The Company has commenced its search for a new non-executive Director.

The Company will make further announcements as appropriate.

The Directors of Forbes Ventures accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement.

-ENDS-

For further information, please contact:

Forbes Ventures

Rob Cooper, Chief Executive Officer

020 3687 0498 AQSE Corporate Adviser

Peterhouse Capital Limited

Mark Anwyl

020 7469 0930

Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.
CHENNAI, INDIA / ACCESSWIRE / July 7, 2022 / The Innovators Meet held at GS Lab | GAVS' Chennai premises was attended by 50+ innovators, industry leaders, investors to stimulate technology-driven innovation in AI and IoT, and co-creation opportunities.

18 innovators presented their ideas and products that ranged from AI for pre-emptive care monitoring to interventions, AI for supply chain logistics, robots for seamless care delivery, AR/VR for surgeries, AI for mental health interventions, etc.

Mr. Chandra Mouli, ex-CIO Sankara Nethralaya, delivered a speech on the industry perspective on trends and innovation drivers and needs. He shared, "Data and AI is becoming an integral part of our journey. With the help of AI, we are now democratizing screening and more verticals are getting into it. The quantum change that is taking place in the industry is that we are empowering consumers with data."

Prof. Nandan Sudarsanam, Associate Professor and Core Member of the Robert Bosch Center for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), IIT Madras, discussed a few healthcare use cases that is being worked on by GAVS along with IIT-M. He said, "We have been working on some very interesting problems at the intersection of healthcare and data scienceI see this field has been obsessed with setting up these data pipelines, before we can get into doing the analytics. So, one of the major success stories that GAVS has had with IIT-M is in laying these data pipelines in the form of taking text and codifying it in some structured formatwhich can subsequently be used for analytics."

The pandemic has given an impetus to the adoption of digital technologies in the healthcare sector. Emerging technologies are aiding innovation in this sector to deliver superior care for all at lower costs.

GS Lab | GAVS' partnership with NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Service Companies) CoE - IoT & AI will provide a platform for intelligence-sharing, technology collaboration and incubation to advance the adoption/implementation of cutting-edge technology in the healthcare industry in India.

About GS Lab | GAVS Technologies

GS Lab | GAVS Technologies is a global AI-led digital transformation company focused on creating business impact for its 200+ customers across the USA, Europe, the Middle East, and APAC. It offers digital product engineering, AI-led managed services, and digital transformation services to customers across healthcare, BFSI, and high-tech segments. With 4000+ technologists spread across 10+ global delivery centers and a robust talent-grooming engine, it is a trusted growth partner to its customers. Known for its innovative win-win business models, customer success focus, and deep tech engineering skills, the company invests heavily in emerging technologies such as 5G, edge computing, AI/ML, cloud, and IoT. Its IPs, such as ZIFTM, zIrrus, Rhodium, and zDesk, help accelerate technology adoption for enterprises.

Contact

Anand Paramasamy

116 Village Blvd,

Princeton, NJ 08540

Phone: 609.951.2258

anand.paramasamy@gavstech.com

SOURCE: GAVS Technologies

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/707823/NASSCOM-Healthcare-Innovators-Meet-organized-in-association-with-GS-Lab-GAVS
Lucinity is using the proceeds to accelerate growth and geographic coverage for its unique Human AI technology

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lucinity today announced the closing of a $17 million Series B investment round, led by Keen Venture Partners and joined by Experian and its major existing investors, Crowberry Capital , Karma Ventures , and byFounders .





Lucinity's mission is to Make Money Good through Human AI. By delivering user-centric compliance systems augmented by artificial intelligence (AI), Lucinity has helped various banks and FinTechs increase their compliance productivity by over 50%. This results in thousands of hours now spent on actually fighting financial crime instead of making sense of complex and noisy data.

Recent customers of Lucinity that join a range of banks and FinTechs include Pleo , a $4.7B FinTech used by 20,000 companies that chose Lucinity as its central hub for financial crime prevention, and Visa's Currencycloud , a part of the world's largest global payment platform.

Lucinity also recently announced partnerships with Experian and Seon . With Experian, Lucinity is delivering next-generation ongoing Know Your Business (KYB) and risk assessments, while its collaboration with Seon is centered around a joint anti-money laundering and fraud prevention solution.

"It's exciting to see Lucinity's ground-breaking change ripple through the compliance and risk spaces. Our Human AI is transforming our clients' productivity, and our partnerships are creating incredible productivity innovations for customers to leverage," says Gumundur Kristjansson (GK), founder and CEO of Lucinity. "This successful funding round will help fuel our rapid growth as we expand our customer base, partner network, global team of experts, and product offering."

"We quickly jumped on a plane to Iceland when we heard about Lucinity's Series B funding round" comments Robert Verwaayen, General Partner at Keen Venture Partners. "Banks and FinTechs are stuck between a rock and a hard place where compliance is a big headache for them, and they are trying to wrap their heads around how to approach it in a truly risk-based fashion. We are extremely excited about Lucinity's platform and its promise to address the global issue of financial crime."

This funding round illustrates a strong belief in Lucinity's success and potential to finally provide banks and FinTechs with productive compliance tools to fight financial crime.

About Lucinity

Lucinity is an anti-money laundering (AML) software developer on a mission to Make Money Good. Lucinity aims to solve productivity and efficiency issues for financial institutions through the company's 'Human AI' approach, a toolset that combines next-generation AI with human insights and expertise.

By leveraging AI, the AML software learns from every interaction and continues to improve indefinitely, providing fewer false positives and saving time. This is on top of its best-in-class interface and visualizations that put users first. Professionals can experience Lucinity's AML compliance solution, including case management and transaction monitoring, through a free demo environment on https://www.lucinity.com/signup .

Lucinity operates globally, with headquarters in Reykjavik, and serves customers from Tier-1 banks to FinTechs. To learn more, visit https://lucinity.com .

About Keen

Keen Venture Partners is a radically human venture capital firm based in Amsterdam and London. It backs exceptional teams and fast-growing scaleups across Europe at the Series A and Series B stage. Keen Venture Partners aims to begin relationships by investing time first, money later by sharing its network, experience and capabilities well before any investment possibility arises. For more information visit www.keenventurepartners.com .

About Experian

Experian is the world's leading global information services company. During life's big moments - from buying a home or a car, to sending a child to college, to growing a business by connecting with new customers - we empower consumers and our clients to manage their data with confidence. We help individuals to take financial control and access financial services, businesses to make smarter decisions and thrive, lenders to lend more responsibly, and organisations to prevent identity fraud and crime.

We have 20,600 people operating across 43 countries and every day we're investing in new technologies, talented people, and innovation to help all our clients maximise every opportunity. We are listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and are a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

Learn more at www.experianplc.com or visit our global content hub at our global news blog for the latest news and insights from the group.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1838368/Lucinity_Logo.jpg
MUMBAI, India, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In our ongoing mission to bolster business insight and further augment organic growth and acquisition strategies, Piramal Pharma Ltd (PPL) today announced the addition of three members to its board of directors. We are pleased to welcome Mr. Peter Stevenson, Ms. Nathalie Leitch and Mr. Sridhar Gorthi to the board. These new appointments, which come ahead of the planned de-merger of PPL from Piramal Enterprises Ltd (PEL), will assist us in maintaining high governance for the new listed corporate entity.

Under the de-merger announced in 2021 and upon approval by the Hon'ble National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Piramal Pharma Ltd will be listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in India. As an independent listed entity with a profitable growth strategy, PPL will be well equipped to support the needs of its customers and help reduce the burden of disease on patients.

The appointments will add to the well-diversified experience that currently exists on the PPL board. Led by Chairperson Ms. Nandini Piramal and Piramal Global Pharma CEO Mr. Peter DeYoung, the Piramal Pharma board also includes leaders such as Mr. S Ramadorai, Mr. Neeraj Bhardwaj, Mr. Jairaj Purandare and Mr. Vivek Valsaraj.

Mr. Peter Stevenson brings in-depth knowledge in contract manufacturing, business operations, supply chain management and operating in complex regulatory environment. Mr. Sridhar Gorthi is an authority in corporate law, M&A and private equity. His experience spans across manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, insurance, banking and financial services, technology, telecom and media. Ms. Natalie Leitch is a subject matter expert in pharmaceuticals and the US generics industry, with domain experience in creative product strategies and formulations.

On the appointments, Ms. Nandini Piramal, Executive Director, Piramal Enterprises and Chairperson of Piramal Pharma Ltd board, commented, "We welcome the new members to the PPL board. Having a diversified, experienced global board will strengthen our governance, as we vertically de-merge from PEL and become a listed entity. The wisdom and knowledge the new members bring will not only enhance the overall expertise of the board, but also provide crucial insights to the businesses, as we scale up our global presence by pursuing both organic and inorganic growth."

The full board of Piramal Pharma includes:

Ms. Nandini Piramal

Ms. Nandini Piramal is a visionary business leader driven by her commitment to bettering society. She holds various roles like Chairperson at Piramal Pharma Ltd., Head of the Human Resources and Information Technology Functions at Piramal Group, and the Quality unit at Piramal Pharma. She has played an important role towards making Piramal Enterprises, the only Indian company part of Willis Towers Watson Global High Performing Norm. Ms. Piramal also acts as an advisor to Piramal Foundation and Piramal Sarvajal. She was recognized amongst 'India's Most Powerful Women' by Business Today in 2020 and as a 'Young Global Leader' in 2014 by the World Economic Forum. Ms. Piramal holds a BA (Hons.) in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Mr. Peter DeYoung

Mr. Peter DeYoung is the CEO of Piramal Global Pharma, Piramal Pharma Limited, and a member of the Piramal Pharma Limited Board. In his current role, Mr. DeYoung is responsible for steering strategy and driving profitable growth of the businesses. He has also spearheaded leadership mandates as the CEO of Piramal Critical Care and President of Piramal Life Sciences. Mr. DeYoung holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering from Princeton University, graduating summa cum laude, before completing his Master's in Business Administration from Stanford University, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar.

Mr. S. Ramadorai

Mr. S. Ramadorai is currently the Chairman of the Advisory Board at Tata STRIVE, which is the Tata Group's CSR skill development initiative. He is also the Chairman of Tata Technologies Limited and additionally serves as an Independent Director on the Boards of Piramal Enterprises Limited and DSP Investment Managers. He has been in public service and served as the Chairman of the National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), where he focused on standardizing the skilling effort, ensure quality and commonality of outcomes by leveraging technology and create an inclusive environment to co-operate, collaborate & co-exist.

Mr. Ramadorai took over as the CEO of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in 1996, when the company's revenues were at $ 155 million. He then steered the company into becoming a $ 6 billion global IT services company by 2009. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan (India's third highest civilian honor) in 2006.

Mr. Ramadorai holds a Bachelor's degree in Physics from Delhi University (India), a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electronics and Telecommunications from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (India) and a Master's degree in Computer Science from the University of California - UCLA (USA).

Mr. Peter Stevenson

Mr. Peter Stevenson is a leader in the pharmaceutical industry with extensive manufacturing and commercial experience. He was a member of Pfizer's Global Manufacturing Leadership Team with responsibilities for global procurement, global external supply and a portfolio of Pfizer internal manufacturing sites in North America, Europe and Asia. Later, he served as General Manager of Pfizer's contract manufacturing business and as Value Stream Leader for the Injectables and Hospital Products Value Stream. Mr Stevenson recently retired from Pfizer and currently serves as the Board Vice-Chair for Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases and Chair of the Governance Committee. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Arts from Gettysburg College, Pennsylvania.

Ms. Nathalie Leitch

Ms. Nathalie Leitch has over two decades of experience in the pharmaceuticals industry. She is a subject matter expert in the US generics industry, with domain experience in creative product strategies and 505(b)(2) formulations; patent challenges, Hatch-Waxman and Settlement Options; and business development and external partnering activities. Ms. Leitch has extensive knowledge of sales, marketing, R&D and manufacturing functions. She has held senior leadership roles at Fresenius Kabi, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Allergan plc and Actavis (formerly Watson). Ms. Leitch holds a B.Sc. in Human Biology and an MBA in Finance from Queen's University.

Mr. Vivek Valsaraj

With over twenty-five years of overall experience in the field of finance, Mr. Vivek Valsaraj has been associated with the Piramal Group for over 21 years and currently oversees the Finance and Shared Services Functions. In his earlier stints within the Group, Mr. Valsaraj has been associated with various roles in Corporate and the erstwhile Domestic Formulations business. He serves as the CFO of the Pharma business. Over the last several years, he has been closely associated with the Pharma business and has actively been a part of several key acquisitions and capital raising. Prior to joining Piramal, he was associated with companies like Wockhardt Ltd and Bharat Bijlee Ltd. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Commerce and is an associate member of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India.

Mr. Neeraj Bharadwaj

Mr. Neeraj Bharadwaj is the Managing Director at Carlyle India Advisors Private Limited, focused on the growth capital and buyout opportunities across various sectors in India. At present, he is on the board of Piramal Pharma, Hexaware Technologies Limited and Indegene. He also served on the board of Metropolis, Delhivery Limited, and others. He was involved in many significant investments like Apollo Hospitals and Jamdat. Mr. Bharadwaj was elected as a Board Member of the Indian School of Business (ISB), a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Board Member of Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ), Member of the Harvard Business School South Asia Advisory Board, Member of the Wharton Executive Education Board, and Co-Chair, FICCI Committee on Private Equity & Venture Capital.

He graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor's degree in Economics, before doing his MBA from Harvard Business School.

Mr. Jairaj Purandare

Mr. Jairaj Purandare has close to four decades of experience in accounting, tax, and business advisory. He is an authority in tax and regulatory affairs. He has advised clients across various industries such as Financial Services, Infrastructure, Power, Telecom, Media, Pharma and Auto sectors. Mr. Purandare is the Founder Chairman of JMP Advisors Pvt Ltd, a leading advisory, accounting, tax and regulatory services firm in India. He was earlier the Regional Managing Partner of the PwC India and Chairman of Ernst & Young, India. Mr. Purandare is an Independent Director on the Boards of three large companies, a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and a former member of National Council of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Mr. Sridhar Gorthi

Mr. Sridhar Gorthi is an authority in corporate law, M&A, and private equity. He is the founding partner and member of the Management Committee at Trilegal. He has been recognized as one of the distinguished practitioners for M&A and PE in the Asia-Pacific region with his legal expertise across sectors, including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, insurance, banking and financial services, technology, telecom and media. He is one of India's top 100 lawyers and part of the 'A-list' of the India Business Law Journal 2020, and among Chambers and Partners' Asia Pacific's leading lawyers in India for Banking and Finance (2014-2021). Mr. Gorthi is a graduate from National Law School, Bengaluru, and is a member of the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa.

About Piramal Pharma Ltd.

Piramal Pharma Limited (PPL) offers a portfolio of differentiated products and services through end-to-end manufacturing capabilities across 15 global facilities and a global distribution network in over 100 countries. PPL includes Piramal Pharma Solutions (PPS), an integrated Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization; Piramal Critical Care (PCC), a Complex Hospital Generics business, and the India Consumer Healthcare business selling over-the-counter products. PPS offers end-to-end development and manufacturing solutions through a globally integrated network of facilities across the drug life cycle to innovators and generic companies. PCC's complex hospital product portfolio includes inhalation anaesthetics, intrathecal therapies for spasticity and pain management, injectable pain and anaesthetics, injectable anti-infectives, and other therapies. The Indian Consumer Healthcare business is among the leading players in India in the self-care space, with established brands in the Indian consumer healthcare market. In addition, PPL has a joint venture with Allergan, a leader in ophthalmology in the Indian formulations market. In October 2020, the company received a growth equity investment from the Carlyle Group.

For more information please visit: www.piramalpharmasolutions.com | Twitter | LinkedIn

For Media Queries:

Rajiv Banerjee

Corporate Communications

Rajiv.Banerjee@piramal.com

For Investors:

Anupam Jain

Investor Relations

investor.relations@piramal.com

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1855202/Nandini_Piramal.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1855206/Piramal_Pharma_Limited_Logo.jpg
The magazine offers a unique perspective intersection between wine and history

Willamette Valley, Oregon--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2022) - This Day in Wine History is launching the first online magazine for wine and history lovers alike. The new online magazine offers curated articles, product reviews, and fascinating intersections between wine and its strange history. The platform will be the first of its kind to feature articles written on specific calendar dates that expound on historical events, people, and places that hold special connections to wine and wine history. Each article's blend of wine, history, and culture will contribute to forming new community of wine enthusiasts.

Online Magazine "This Day In Wine History"

Founder of the magazine, Ken Wytsma, stated that, "Wine has a rich history that we want to share with as many people as possible. Drinking wine is like consuming history. They say you can talk about any civilization with reference to wine, grain, or goats." In addition to these historical wine-themed articles, This Day in Wine History will also offer its community of readers exclusive access to subscription-based wine services along with online merchandise, wine referral programs, educational courses, and wine-themed history books such as This Day in Colonial Wine History and This Day in French Wine History.

Wytsma is passionate about educating people on wine culture and history. The publication covers wine history, with articles broken down based on days to easily find information on what happened on a specific day in history. The articles are well researched and there is an in-depth section covering longer essays for a deeper dive into wine history and its turning points.

Online Magazine "This Day In Wine History"

Wine lovers can explore the origins of various grape varieties to how wine is made today. The content includes wine varieties and regions, country profiles, and food, and wine. The website also includes profiles of different countries, with information on their wine culture and history. Readers can learn about food and wine pairings, as well as tips on how to taste wine like a pro.

Ken Wytsma, Founder of "This Day in Wine History"

About Ken Wytsma

Award-winning author and theologian, Ken Wytsma is a man of many talents and interests. He has lived overseas and developed a love of history from an early age. After studying philosophy and religion in graduate school, he started several projects in justice and spirituality- including teaching graduate courses on the history of human rights, philosophy, and creativity at various colleges and universities around the world. Wytsma also founded The Justice Conference, which has spread to 11 countries worldwide. He is the author of five books, one of which was named to the top-five religion books of the year by Publisher's Weekly.

In addition to his work in justice, Wytsma's love for history has led him into the field of wine education, where he lectures extensively on wine topics throughout North America. As a Pinot Noir enthusiast, he has long been drawn to the Oregon wine country. He now lives in the Willamette Valley and is proud to say his whole family is involved in the wine business. His passions for history, education, and wine have now come together in Wine History Tours and This Day in Wine History.

To connect with Ken, visit his personal site at kenwytsma.com.

For more information about This Day in Wine History and to subscribe, visit thisdayinwinehistory.com.

Media Contact

Ken Wytsma

Author, Theologian & Wine Educator

Phone: 541-325-6025

Email: kenwytsma@gmail.com

Web: www.kenwytsma.com

###

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/130259


LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Under pressure after a mass resignation of Cabinet ministers from his scandal-plagued government this week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned as leader of the Conservative party.



Publicly announcing his resignation at No.10, Downing Street, Thursday, Johnson said he will continue as Prime Minister until the party elects his successor.



Addressing the nation, Johnson said it was 'clearly now the will of the parliamentary party' for there to be a new Prime Minister.



A timetable for his departure would be set by next week.



He said he was proud of his achievements, including getting Brexit a reality, leading the country through the pandemic and uniting the West against Russia's invasion of Ukraine.



In apparent reference to the resignation of his ministers one by one, Johnson said, 'at Westminster the herd instinct is powerful, when the herd moves, it moves.'



The crisis deepened Thursday morning as Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis and newly appointed Education Secretary Michelle Donelan resigned.



In addition, three of his aides - Caroline Johnson and Luke Hall, deputy chairs of the Conservative Party, and Rob Butler, a Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Foreign Office, announced they are quitting.



This brought the number of government ministers and Johnson's aides who have resigned to more than 50, saying he was no longer fit to lead the country.



Despite his resignation, Johnson has been appointing new cabinet ministers to ensure the government continues to work as he prepares to depart.



Greg Clark is the new Levelling Up Secretary while Kit Malthouse is Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster.



James Cleverly becomes the third education minister in three days, while Robert Buckland is made Welsh Secretary.



Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is returning to London after cutting short her foreign trip.



58-year-old Johnson, who was Foreign Secretary under Theresa May, was elected Conservative leader and appointed Prime Minister in 2019.



It was he who re-opened Brexit negotiations, which ultimately culminated in the United Kingdom withdrawing from the European Union on January 31, 2020.



Numerous controversies have occurred during Johnson's premiership.



The latest among them, the Chris Pincher scandal, led to the largest number of ministerial resignations in a 24-hour period, and to his decision to resign the party leadership.







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New Amsterdam hub enhances Techary's service offering across Europe

Techary, a leading provider of global technology solutions, today announces the launch of a new European hub in Amsterdam, Netherlands to expand its European operations. Currently headquartered in London, the geographic expansion will complement Techary's existing locations in New York, London, and Singapore.

Driven by demand from existing global customers, the development will enhance Techary's service offering within European regions, enabling them to provide a more localised service for global customers.

"We are delighted to continue our geographic expansion with the addition of our new Amsterdam hub. Since the UK left the European Union, we've witnessed first-hand the logistical challenges imposed on our customers. Businesses are now looking to their technology partners to help them streamline their operations and help solve challenges across multiple regions. As such, we have decided to invest in a dedicated hub to serve customers in-region," said Tom Stephens, Chief Executive Officer at Techary. "Our global enterprise customers will continue to benefit from Techary's ability to self-deliver services across the entire EU region with this additional capability," he added.

"Responding to the needs of our customers, who operate and continue to expand in Europe, increasing our ability to offer in-region services will help customer technology teams to fulfil operational requirements. Taking the time to listen to our customers, where their challenges are and then building our business to help improve this is an essential part of our approach and embraces our value to design solutions that put our customers' needs first. As such, we will continue to add geographic regions to our roadmap for expansion, driven by the same goal to help global customers streamline their operations," said Christian Howell, Vice President of Projects at Techary.

The new Netherlands-based location will allow Techary to deliver its entire service portfolio, with the primary focus of the European hub being to facilitate procurement and logistics requirements for global clients with presence and staff in Europe. The company also plans to launch its Matter service as part of the expansion, an advanced technology procurement solution which offers an additional global storage logistics function as part of one service.

Further information on Matter can be found on Techary's website Matter Techary and techary.com.

About Techary

Techary Inc is a global MSP that helps transform businesses through technology. We provide end-to-end solutions via a wide range of services, working with clients to streamline processes and scale through their technology. Our extensive service offering ranges from procurement through to managed services and IT moves changes projects.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005564/en/

Contacts:

Lauren Stevens, Marketing Lead

Company: Techary

E-mail: lstevens@techary.com

Tel: +44344 357 0900
Volta FinanceLimited (VTA/VTAS)

Dividend Declaration

NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION,

IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES

Guernsey, 7 July 2022

Volta Finance Limited ("the Company") hereby announces a second interim dividend for the financial year commencing 1 August 2021.

The Company announces that it has declared a quarterly interim dividend of 0.13 per share payable on 28 July 2022 amounting to approximately 4.75 million, equating approximately to an annualised 8% of net asset value. The ex-dividend date is 14 July 2022 with a record date of 15 July 2022.

The Company has arranged for its shareholders to be able to elect to receive their dividends in either Euros or Pounds Sterling. Shareholders will, by default, receive their dividends in Euros, unless they have instructed the Company's Registrar, Computershare Investor Serviceswithin the "Investors - Other Documents" section. The deadline for receipt of currency elections is 12:00 (midday) on 18 July 2022.

CONTACTS

For the Investment Manager

AXA Investment Managers Paris

Serge Demay

serge.demay@axa-im.com



+33 (0) 1 44 45 84 47

Company Secretary and Administrator

BNP Paribas Securities Services S.C.A, Guernsey Branch

guernsey.bp2s.volta.cosec@bnpparibas.com

+44 (0) 1481 750 853

Corporate Broker

Cenkos Securities plc

Andrew Worne

Daniel Balabanoff

+44 (0) 20 7397 8900

*****

ABOUT VOLTA FINANCE LIMITED

Volta Finance Limited is incorporated in Guernsey under The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (as amended) and listed on Euronext Amsterdam and the London Stock Exchange's Main Market for listed securities. Volta's home member state for the purposes of the EU Transparency Directive is the Netherlands. As such, Volta is subject to regulation and supervision by the AFM, being the regulator for financial markets in the Netherlands.

Volta's investment objectives are to preserve capital across the credit cycle and to provide a stable stream of income to its shareholders through dividends. Volta seeks to attain its investment objectives predominantly through diversified investments in structured finance assets. The assets that the Company may invest in either directly or indirectly include, but are not limited to: corporate credits; sovereign and quasi-sovereign debt; residential mortgage loans; and, automobile loans. The Company's approach to investment is through vehicles and arrangements that essentially provide leveraged exposure to portfolios of such underlying assets. The Company has appointed AXA Investment Managers Paris an investment management company with a division specialised in structured credit, for the investment management of all its assets.

*****

ABOUT AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS

AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) is a multi-expert asset management company within the AXA Group, a global leader in financial protection and wealth management. AXA IM is one of the largest European-based asset managers with 2,460 professionals and 887 billion in assets under management as of the end of December 2021.

*****

This press release is published by AXA Investment Managers Paris ("AXA IM"), in its capacity as alternative investment fund manager (within the meaning of Directive 2011/61/EU, the "AIFM Directive") of Volta Finance Limited (the "Volta Finance") whose portfolio is managed by AXA IM.

This press release is for information only and does not constitute an invitation or inducement to acquire shares in Volta Finance. Its circulation may be prohibited in certain jurisdictions and no recipient may circulate copies of this document in breach of such limitations or restrictions. This document is not an offer for sale of the securities referred to herein in the United States or to persons who are "U.S. persons" for purposes of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or otherwise in circumstances where such offer would be restricted by applicable law. Such securities may not be sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration from the Securities Act. Volta Finance does not intend to register any portion of the offer of such securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of such securities in the United States.

*****

This communication is only being distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). The securities referred to herein are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. Past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance.

*****

This press release contains statements that are, or may deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms "believes", "anticipated", "expects", "intends", "is/are expected", "may", "will" or "should". They include the statements regarding the level of the dividend, the current market context and its impact on the long-term return of Volta Finance's investments. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Volta Finance's actual results, portfolio composition and performance may differ materially from the impression created by the forward-looking statements. AXA IM does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements.

Any target information is based on certain assumptions as to future events which may not prove to be realised. Due to the uncertainty surrounding these future events, the targets are not intended to be and should not be regarded as profits or earnings or any other type of forecasts. There can be no assurance that any of these targets will be achieved. In addition, no assurance can be given that the investment objective will be achieved.

The figures provided that relate to past months or years and past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance or construed as a reliable indicator as to future performance. Throughout this review, the citation of specific trades or strategies is intended to illustrate some of the investment methodologies and philosophies of Volta Finance, as implemented by AXA IM. The historical success or AXA IM's belief in the future success, of any of these trades or strategies is not indicative of, and has no bearing on, future results.

The valuation of financial assets can vary significantly from the prices that the AXA IM could obtain if it sought to liquidate the positions on behalf of the Volta Finance due to market conditions and general economic environment. Such valuations do not constitute a fairness or similar opinion and should not be regarded as such.

Editor: AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS PARIS, a company incorporated under the laws of France, having its registered office located at Tour Majunga, 6, Place de la Pyramide - 92800 Puteaux. AXA IMP is authorized by the Autorite des Marches Financiers under registration number GP92008 as an alternative investment fund manager within the meaning of the AIFM Directive.

*****
In accordance with article L233-8 of commercial law, Wavestone informs its shareholders that as of

June 30, 2022, its capital was composed of 20,196,492 shares representing 32,509,253 voting rights according to article 223-11 of the AMF.

About Wavestone

In a world where knowing how to drive transformation is the key to success, Wavestone's mission is to inform and guide large companies and organizations in their most critical transformations, with the ambition of a positive outcome for all stakeholders. It's an ambition anchored in the firm's DNA and embodied in the signature "The Positive Way."

Wavestone draws on about 4,000 employees across Europe - where it is a leading independent player in consulting, the United States and Asia.

Wavestone is listed on Euronext Paris and recognized as a Great Place to Work.

Wavestone

Pascal Imbert

CEO

Tel.: +33 (0)1 49 03 20 00

Benjamin Clement

Financial Communication

Tel.: +33 (0)1 49 03 20 00 Actus

Mathieu Omnes

Investor and Analyst Relations

Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 92

Deborah Schwartz

Press relations

Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 35

------------------------

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Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares

For immediate release

7 July 2022

FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC

(the "Company")

MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES

The Company announces that it has today purchased 70,380 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 788.68 pence per Ordinary Share. Such shares will be held in treasury by the Company.

The transaction was made pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 9 February 2022.

Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 4,839,152; the total number of Ordinary Shares that the Company has in issue, less the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury following such purchase, and therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 220,152,151.

The figure of 220,152,151 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations of interests in the Company's voting rights in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

For and on behalf of

Frostrow Capital LLP

Company Secretary

For further information, please contact:

Victoria Hale

Frostrow Capital LLP

Tel: 020 3 170 8732
A Riveting First Person Account of Teen Hiroshima Survivor to Remind The World of The Horrors of Nuclear War And The Power of Love and Forgiveness, Free from August 6th through 9th, 2022 (All Time Zones)

SAN DIEGO, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Film 8:15 Hiroshima | From Father To Daughter, produced by Runaway Horses, announced its First Global Online Screening Event available here: https://watch.showandtell.film/watch/815hiroshima.

8:15 Hiroshima's timely global screening will occur during the month of the First Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference being held at the United Nations - and amidst the heightened potential for nuclear war.

8:15 Hiroshima, was produced by Akiko Mikamo, the daughter of a hibakusha (nuclear bomb survivor), to illustrate her father's remarkable true story, message for peace and vision for a world without nuclear weapons.

"My father told me, 'I don't want anybody else to ever have to go through the agony of another nuclear war,' and asked me to spread his message to younger generations throughout the world," said Dr. Akiko Mikamo, Executive Producer of 8:15 Hiroshima and Author of 8:15 - A True Story of Survival and Forgiveness from Hiroshima. https://815hiroshima.com

"The world is closer to the use of nuclear weapons out of desperation-or by accident or miscalculation-than at any time since the early 1980s. As Russian President Putin has ordered his nation's nuclear forces to go on heightened alert, the West has been warned that any interference with the invasion of Ukraine would have 'consequences that you have never experienced in your history.' Suddenly, the unthinkable seems possible again."- Tom Nichols (The Atlantic)

About Film 8:15 Hiroshima

Narrated in English with Japanese subtitles, this hybrid documentary-narrative film features never before seen video and audio recordings of Shinji Mikamo, evocative reenactments, and archival images - "bringing the past into the present." (Modern Times Review)

2020, United States, 50 min,

Director J.R. Heffelfinger

Executive Producer Akiko Mikamo

Producer Nini Le Huynh

"8:15 Hiroshima has a big impact that brings out our humanity, and I hope it will bring us closer to a future that resolves conflict nonviolently." - Peter Kuznick (Co-author, The Untold History of the United States with Oliver Stone)

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 7, 2022 / Stillwater Critical Minerals (formerly Group Ten Metals) (TSXV:PGE)(OTCQB:PGEZF)(FSE:5D32) (the "Company" or "SWCM") today reports wide, high-grade intervals of nickel sulphide mineralization with palladium, platinum, rhodium, cobalt, copper and gold in a final tranche of first-pass drill results from the 14-hole resource expansion campaign completed at the Company's flagship Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project in Montana, USA. Additional rhodium results are pending.

Results continue to support the Company's priority objective of expanding the October 2021 inaugural mineral resource estimates with multiple wide and highly mineralized intervals returned in step-out drilling in six holes at the HGR deposit area at Iron Mountain (see Table 1 and Figure 1). Drilling in 2021 focused on resource expansion in three of the five deposit areas delineated by the 2021 estimates. Similar wide and well-mineralized intervals have now been reported from all three deposit areas as announced December 20, 2021, March 7, 2022, and May 3, 2022. Mineralization remains open to expansion along trend and at depth in all five deposit areas, which are set within 12 kilometers of the broader 32-kilometer-long land package in the lower Stillwater Igneous Complex (see Figure 2).

Highlights from six holes drilled in the HGR deposit area in 2021 include:

IM2021-05 returned 379.2 meters of continuous battery and precious metal mineralization starting at surface and grading 0.33% Nickel Equivalent ("NiEq"), equal to 0.88 g/t Palladium Equivalent ("PdEq"), with successive contained higher-grade intervals including: 133.2 meters of 0.38% NiEq (1.01 g/t PdEq); 21.5 meters of 0.66% NiEq (1.75 g/t PdEq); and 7.3 meters of 0.79% NiEq (2.11 g/t PdEq) as 0.45% Ni, 0.51 g/t Pd+Pt+Au+Rh ("4E"), 0.17% Cu and 0.026% Co .

with successive contained higher-grade intervals including:

IM2021-05 is the second most highly mineralized drill hole ever recorded in the Stillwater district with a grade-thickness value of 334 gram-meter PdEq, after CM2021-01 which returned 530 gram-meter PdEq.

IM2021-06 returned 94.0 meters of 0.48% NiEq (1.28 g/t PdEq) within 333.0 meters of continuous mineralization grading 0.28% NiEq (0.73 g/t PdEq). Additional contained intervals at higher grades include 26.4 meters of 0.63% NiEq (1.69 g/t PdEq) and 4.8 meters of 1.38 g/t 4E which includes 0.077 g/t Rh .

Additional contained intervals at higher grades include and . IM2021-04 , partially reported on March 7, 2022, returned 115.0 meters of 0.38% NiEq (1.02 g/t PdEq) within 306.5 meters of continuous mineralization grading 0.26% NiEq (0.68g/t PdEq). Additional contained intervals at higher grades include: 9.8 meters of high-grade PGE mineralization with 0.89% NiEq (2.38 g/t PdEq) as 1.54 g/t 4E including 1.02 g/t Pd, 0.39 g/t Pt, and 0.064 g/t Rh, along with base metal mineralization; and 4.8 meters of high-grade battery metal mineralization with 1.47% NiEq (3.91 g/t PdEq) as 0.74% Ni, 0.65% Cu, 0.070% Co, plus 0.30 g/t 4E including 0.055 g/t Rh (see photo below).

, partially reported on March 7, 2022, returned within Additional contained intervals at higher grades include: Drilling in the HGR deposit area in 2021 focused on step-out holes in the area of IM-2019-03 which returned 272.5 meters of 0.42% NiEq (1.11 g/t PdEq) including 26.8 meters of 0.96% NiEq (2.55 g/t PdEq) as 0.34% Ni, 0.15% Cu, 0.019% Co, 0.33 g/t Pt, 0.77 g/t Pd, 0.08 g/t Au, and 0.049 g/t Rh (see Figures 1 to 4).

which returned (see Figures 1 to 4). These results, alongside results released May 3 and March 7, 2022, and December 20, 2021, demonstrate significant potential to expand the October 2021 mineral resource estimates with multiple long intervals at grades well above the 0.20% NiEq cut-off grade used in that study (see bolded assay values on Table 1). Potential is also shown to expand existing resources at higher cut-off grades, such as 0.35% and 0.50% NiEq (red values and shaded rows, respectively, on Table 1). Moreover, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, these results provide important intercepts in step-out drill holes located up to several hundred meters from the resource estimate block models.

Results also continue to highlight the potential for significant co-product rhodium values at Stillwater West, with drill samples in Iron Mountain holes IM2021-04, -05, and -06 returning up to 0.365 g/t Rh within the mineralized horizons. At recent values, rhodium trades at more than 16 times the value of platinum and seven times the value of palladium on a spot price basis at over US$14,000 per ounce. Sibanye-Stillwater, adjacent to Stillwater Critical Minerals' Stillwater West project, is the primary US producer. Supply constraints for rhodium have supported rising prices since 2017.

Complete first-pass assay results have now been reported from all 14 holes drilled in 2021. Additional rhodium assays are pending on mineralized intervals.

Figure 5 - Drill core from 248.1 to 261.8 meters in hole IM2021-04 showing an example of very strong sulphide mineralization starting at 256.0 meters and containing 0.74% Ni, 0.65% Cu, 0.070% Co, and 0.30 g/t 4E for 1.47% NiEq, or 3.91 g/t PdEq.

Dr. Danie Grobler, Stillwater Critical Minerals' Vice-President of Exploration, commented "Stillwater West continues to demonstrate significant equivalence with the Platreef deposits of the northern Bushveld Complex. Albie Brits and I are actively applying our combined four decades of Platreef experience in our new roles at Stillwater Critical Minerals with a priority on updating the geologic model to support planning and refining of drill targets for the next phase of follow-on work. Our current focus is to define detailed stratigraphic and structural controls within the 2021 Inferred Resource areas. We are also in the process of reviewing and prioritizing higher-grade pegmatoidal pyroxenite targets within the Stillwater stratigraphy that have not been fully tested."

Michael Rowley, President and CEO, commented, "Results from the Iron Mountain drill campaign continue to demonstrate the remarkable potential for expansion of our inaugural mineral resource with multiple wide intercepts of battery and precious metals and contained intervals at successive higher grades. In particular our success in targeting Platreef-style nickel sulphide mineralization in step-out holes in the area of IM2019-03 shows excellent potential for resource growth, similar to our success in the DR and Hybrid deposit areas over seven kilometers to the west. We continue to see confirmation of a large mineralized system with an impressive endowment of eight of the commodities listed as critical by the US government. We look forward to further updates on our planned resource expansion, exploration priorities for 2022, and other news in the near term."

Table 1 - Highlight Results from the 2021 Expansion Drill Campaign at the HGR Deposit Area

Highlighted significant mineralized intercepts are presented above. Grade-thickness values cover significant mineralized intervals with total palladium and nickel equivalent grade-thickness determined by multiplying the thickness of continuous mineralization (in meters) by the palladium equivalent grade (in grams/tonne) to provide gram-meter values (g-m) or by multiplying the nickel equivalent grade (in percent) to provide percent-meter values as shown. Total nickel and palladium equivalent calculations reflect total gross metal content using long term metal prices (all USD): $7.00/lb nickel (Ni), $3.50/lb copper (Cu), $20.00/lb cobalt (Co), $1,000/oz platinum (Pt), $1,800/oz palladium (Pd), and $1,600/oz gold (Au). Equivalent values have not been adjusted to reflect metallurgical recoveries. Total metal equivalent values include both base and precious metals. Intervals are reported as drilled widths and are believed to be representative of the actual width of mineralization.

About Stillwater West

Stillwater Critical Minerals is rapidly advancing the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project towards becoming a world-class source of low-carbon, sulphide-hosted nickel, copper, and cobalt, critical to the electrification movement, as well as key catalytic metals including platinum, palladium and rhodium used in catalytic converters, fuel cells, and the production of green hydrogen. Stillwater West positions SWCM as the second-largest landholder in the Stillwater Complex, with a 100%-owned position adjoining and adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater's PGE mines in south-central Montana, USA 1 . The Stillwater Complex is recognized as one of the top regions in the world for PGE-Ni-Cu-Co mineralization, alongside the Bushveld Complex and Great Dyke in southern Africa, which are similar layered intrusions. The J-M Reef, and other PGE-enriched sulphide horizons in the Stillwater Complex, share many similarities with the highly prolific Merensky and UG2 Reefs in the Bushveld Complex. SWCM's work in the lower Stillwater Complex has demonstrated the presence of large-scale disseminated and high-sulphide battery metals and PGE mineralization, similar to the Platreef in the Bushveld Complex 2 . Drill campaigns by the Company, complemented by a substantial historic drill database, have delineated five deposits of Platreef-style mineralization across a core 12-kilometer span of the project, all of which are open for expansion into adjacent targets. Multiple earlier-stage Platreef-style and reef-type targets are also being advanced across the remainder of the 32-kilometer length of the project based on strong correlations seen in soil and rock geochemistry, geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, and drilling.

About Stillwater Critical Minerals Corp.

Stillwater Critical Minerals (TSX.V: PGE | OTCQB: PGEZF) is a mineral exploration company focused on its flagship Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project in the iconic and famously productive Stillwater mining district in Montana, USA. With the recent addition of two renowned Bushveld and Platreef geologists to the team, the Company is well positioned to advance the next phase of large-scale critical mineral supply from this world-class American district, building on past production of nickel, copper, and chromium, and the on-going production of platinum group and other metals by neighbouring Sibanye-Stillwater. The Platreef-style nickel and copper sulphide deposits at Stillwater West contain a compelling suite of critical minerals and are open for expansion along trend and at depth, with an updated NI 43-101 mineral resource update expected in 2022.

Stillwater Critical Minerals also holds the high-grade Black Lake-Drayton Gold project adjacent to Treasury Metals' development-stage Goliath Gold Complex in northwest Ontario, which is currently under an earn-in agreement with an option to joint venture whereby Heritage Mining may earn up to a 90% interest in the project by completing payments and work on the project. The Company also holds the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu-Co project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinum's Wellgreen deposit in Canada's Yukon Territory.

About the Metallic Group of Companies

The Metallic Group is a collaboration of leading precious and base metals exploration companies, with a portfolio of large, brownfield assets in established mining districts adjacent to some of the industry's highest-grade producers of silver and gold, platinum and palladium, and copper. Member companies include Metallic Minerals in the Yukon's high-grade Keno Hill silver district and La Plata silver-gold-copper district of Colorado, Granite Creek Copper in the Yukon's Minto copper district, and Stillwater Critical Minerals in the Stillwater PGM-nickel-copper district of Montana. The founders and team members of the Metallic Group include highly successful explorationists formerly with some of the industry's leading explorers/developers and major producers. With this expertise, the companies are undertaking a systematic approach to exploration using new models and technologies to facilitate discoveries in these proven, but under-explored, mining districts. The Metallic Group is headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and its member companies are listed on the Toronto Venture, US OTC, and Frankfurt stock exchanges.

Note 1: References to adjoining properties are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily indicative of the exploration potential, extent or nature of mineralization or potential future results of the Company's projects.

Note 2: Magmatic Ore Deposits in Layered Intrusions-Descriptive Model for Reef-Type PGE and Contact-Type Cu-Ni-PGE Deposits, Michael Zientek, USGS Open-File Report 2012-1010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Michael Rowley, President, CEO & Director

Phone: (604) 357 4790

Toll Free: (888) 432 0075

Email: info@criticalminerals.com

Web: http://criticalminerals.com

Quality Control and Quality Assurance

2021 drill core samples were analyzed by ACT Labs in Vancouver, B.C. Sample preparation: crush (< 7 kg) up to 80% passing 2 mm, riffle split (250 g) and pulverize (mild steel) to 95% passing 105 m included cleaner sand. Gold, platinum, and palladium were analyzed by fire assay (1C-OES) with ICP finish. Selected major and trace elements were analyzed by peroxide fusion with 8-Peroxide ICP-OES finish to insure complete dissolution of resistate minerals. Following industry QA/QC standards, blanks, duplicate samples, and certified standards were also assayed.

Mr. Mike Ostenson, P.Geo., is the qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, and he has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, title, and future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Stillwater Critical Minerals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Stillwater Critical Minerals and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com .

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Stillwater Critical Minerals

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/707898/Stillwater-Critical-Minerals-Reports-Wide-and-High-Grade-Intervals-of-Platreef-Style-Mineralization-in-Resource-Expansion-Drilling-in-the-HGR-Deposit-Area-at-Stillwater-West-Project-in-Montana-USA
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In the current CFD market, there are countless brokers, and each of them guarantees their customers above and beyond. Outstanding brokerage service is something that is within reach, though. It demands dedication of a broker both to its goals and its clients. With that in mind, the CFD trading brand Epicinvest24 has announced an update to its infrastructure, bringing a new attitude to this industry.

"Our goal is to carry the beacon of excellence in the CFD and forex world. It's an ever-lasting job. The markets are constantly changing, and so are investors' needs, so we never rest on our laurels," said Dominique Payens, spokesperson for Epicinvest24. "For this reason, we're continuously renovating our tools, adding new assets into our platform, and also providing new educational materials ."

Flexibility is the answer

Nowadays, more than ever before, market trends tend to be extreme and occur fast. Many attribute this shift to the digital revolution, i.e. the fact that information is available without barriers, and gets updated at an unprecedented pace. This leads to many investors acting in the spur of the moment. There's no doubt this is a problematic situation, which requires brokers to adopt a different approach in order to adjust themselves to current events.

"We at Epicinvest24 believe that flexibility and precise knowledge are the answer to the challenges investors and brokers face today. For this reason, we provide our customers with the opportunity to trade on their own terms and enjoy commission-free investing with no hidden fees," Payens added. "Moreover, we open a world of practical and professional knowledge for investors: We deliver platform guides, trading videos, webinars, analyst articles, and much more."

About Epicinvest24
Unique Set of Software Solutions Purpose-Built for Fresh Produce and Perishables

ALPHARETTA, Ga., July 07, 2022, a global provider of mission-critical enterprise software solutions, announced the acquisition of Produce Pro Software, a provider of enterprise technology solutions built to support the specific needs of the fresh produce and perishables industries. Produce Pro's products are designed to serve its customers across the supply chain from production to distribution and are used by hundreds of food distributors, brokers, processors and growers in North America.



With the acquisition of Produce Pro, Aptean builds upon its award-winning Food & Beverage ERP offerings with additional functionality to serve the food distribution segment of the industry. Produce Pro will benefit from Aptean's global scale, resources and technological expertise.

Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Woodridge, Illinois, Produce Pro's enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution is designed to meet the unique, end-to-end, operational challenges of fresh food producers and distributors. Food distribution often involves the receipt and shipment of products with a short shelf life, resulting in a high risk of loss or waste of inventory. Produce Pro's platform helps its customers meet this risk and other complexities, including food quality and safety requirements, pricing fluctuations, dependency on supplier relationships and complex inventory management by supporting traceability, increasing visibility and improving efficiencies across the supply chain.

"Aptean is excited to expand our purpose-built software offerings for the food and beverage industry to support the unique needs of produce and perishables distributors," said Bob Kocis, President, Americas at Aptean. "Distributors play a vital role in the food industry, connecting growers and manufacturers with the food service businesses that will ultimately transact with consumers. The talented team at Produce Pro understands the specific requirements of these companies and is committed to the success of its customers. Like Aptean, Produce Pro's business is focused on delivering value through industry-specific solutions and together we will continue to help our customers operate more efficiently and profitably."

"Produce Pro is pleased to join forces with Aptean," said Dave Donat, President at Produce Pro. "Aptean's established expertise in the food and beverage industry combined with its scale and resources will allow Produce Pro to enhance our ability to serve our customers and innovate for future growth."

Software Equity Group (SEG) served as the exclusive advisor to Produce Pro Software.

About Produce Pro

Produce Pro is an all-in-one ERP software providing innovative business and technology solutions to fresh produce businesses and the perishables industry. Produce Pro supports many of the best run companies providing an end-to-end solution that includes sales order entry, purchasing, manufacturing, inventory management, routing and logistics, accounting, E-commerce, EDI, document imaging, analytics and warehouse management. Proudly on the cutting edge of traceability, they provide their clients with the tools to meet the demands of their customers. For more information about Produce Pro, visit www.producepro.com.

About Aptean

Aptean is one of the world's leading providers of purpose-built, industry-specific software that helps manufacturers and distributors effectively run and grow their businesses. With both cloud and on-premise deployment options, Aptean's products, services and unmatched expertise help businesses of all sizes to be Ready for What's Next, Now. Aptean is headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To learn more about Aptean and the markets we serve, visit www.aptean.com.

Aptean and Ready for What's Next, Now are Registered Trademarks of Aptean, Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

For Media Inquiries Please Contact

Nicole O'Rourke

Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer

Nicole.ORourke@aptean.com

(770) 715-0362
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Virgin Galactic has signed an agreement with Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences to build the company's new twin-fuselage carrier plane, which is expected to ferry its next-generation spaceship toward space, the companies recently announced. Virgin Galactic, the space tourism firm founded by billionaire businessman Richard Branson, has been building a more durable, mass-producable successor to its flagship SpaceShipTwo spaceplane, which drops from the underbelly of a carrier plane before rocketing to the edge of space for a few minutes. Aurora, Boeing's aeronautics and aviation research unit, will build two new carrier planes that will support the SpaceShipTwo craft and its successor, which Virgin Galactic calls Delta-class vehicles. The new carrier planes, called 'motherships,' are designed for faster production rates and to fly some 200 flights per year, the company said. Under the agreement, Aurora will deliver parts of the motherships for assembly in 2025, Virgin Galactic said in a statement. The next-generation motherships will be integral in improving Virgin Galactic's operations, as they are easy to maintain and can fly more missions. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Japan is scheduled to release a batch of data on Friday, highlighting an otherwise light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. On tap are May figures for household spending and current account, plus June numbers for bank lending and the eco watchers survey. Household spending is expected to rise 0.8 percent on month and 2.1 percent on year after rising 1.0 percent on month and falling 1.7 percent on year in April. The current account surplus is pegged at 185.6 billion yen, down from 501.1 billion yen a month earlier. In May, overall bank lending was up 0.7 percent, while the eco watchers survey for current conditions had a score of 54.0 and the outlook was at 52.5. Taiwan will provide June figures for imports, exports and trade balance. Imports are expected to surge 24.0 percent on year, easing from 26.7 percent in May. Exports are called higher by an annual 13.55 percent, up from 12.5 percent in the previous month. The trade surplus is pegged at $3.26 billion, up from $2.41 billion a month prior. 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.
7 Generation Capital (7Gen), a Vancouver, BC, Canada-based electric vehicle (EV) and charging infrastructure leasing company, raised $8M in Series A funding.

The round was led by FTQ and Siemens Financial Services.



The company intends to use the funds to expand their vehicle and charger offerings, improve the financing capabilities, and develop a software platform to facilitate project development and ongoing decision-making with their customer fleets.

Led by CEO Frans Tjallingii, 7Gen helps medium- and heavy-duty fleets deploy electric vehicles (EVs) and chargers. Focused on supporting commercial fleet operators, the companys advisory and leasing service integrates technology selection, planning, financing, software, installation, and maintenance. This allows their client fleets to focus on their core businesses while moving more easily, and profitably towards integrating zero-emission vehicles, from various OEMs, into their fleets.

FinSMEs

07/07/2022
Flexe, a Seattle, WA-based programmatic logistics company, raised $119M in Series D funding.

The round was led by BlackRock with participation from Activate Capital, Madrona Ventures, Prologis Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. and T. Rowe Price Investment Management, and Tiger Global.

The company intends to use the funds to continues to expand adoption for its logistics programs.

Led by CEO Karl Siebrecht, Flexe provides solutions to deliver innovative eCommerce fulfillment, retail distribution, and network capacity programs to the Fortune 500. It solves the omnichannel logistics problems for the retailers and brands, who can integrate technology, open logistics networks, and elastic economic models to move fast, at scale.

Six of the ten largest retailers and four of the five largest consumer packaged goods companies work with Flexe to run programmatic logistics as part of their supply chain strategies.

FinSMEs

07/07/2022
Konvoy, a Denver, CO-based early-stage investment firm that invests at the frontier of gaming, launched a new $150M fund.

Konvoy Fund III will focus on pre-seed, seed, and Series A gaming companies within a number of different gaming verticals  including technology, platforms, Web3 gaming  and gaming companies operating at the intersections with other industries, including education and healthcare.

Geographically, Konvoy, which leads the majority of the investments it makes, will continue to focus on North American, European and African markets, while actively expanding its investments into Latin America, India, South Korea, and South-East Asia.

Konvoys portfolio consists of 33 companies which have collectively raised $450M in follow-on funding. This includes: Axie Infinity (combining the fun of gaming with the financial benefits of Play-to-Earn), Gamefam (a publisher and developer of games on the Roblox platform); Carry1st (Africas leading mobile games publisher with a payments solution); Ready Player Me (a cross-game avatar platform for the metaverse), Legends of Learning (an education-based gaming platform that 5% of kids in America use), and Sanlo (providing gaming and app creators with non-dilutive financing at scale), and Edgegap (reducing lag and improving player experience for gaming studios).

Founded by Managing Partners Josh Chapman, Jason Chapman (brothers) and Jackson Vaughan, Konvoy will now invest larger amounts in around 30 early-stage companies over a period of the next two and a half years.

LPs backing the firms largest fund to-date include family offices, gaming and media corporates, and gaming founders. Currently employing six investment team members, and a Head of Platform, Konvoy will expand its team to 15-20 people by the end of 2023.

In addition to financial investment, Konvoy provides value to its portfolio companies by supporting on recruitment (sourcing, vetting, and strategy), product roadmap and engineering reviews, sharing insights and trends, establishing connections with strategic corporate partners, delivering support and guidance for follow-on funding (including investment decks, financial models, and data rooms), and exiting, as well as media and marketing support.

With the new fund, Konvoy will have $270M under management.

FinSMEs

06/07/2022
Logiwa, a Chicago, IL-based provider of a cloud fulfillment platform, raised $16.4M in Series B funding.

The round was led by NewRoad Capital Partners, with participation from Valor Siren Ventures, Runway Venture Partners, and Spider Capital.

The company intends to use the funds to continue developing new AI-powered automation algorithms and advanced analytics, as well as expanding its many out-of-the-box integrations.

Led by CEO Erhan Musaoglu, Logiwa provides a cloud fulfillment software platform for high-volume direct-to-consumer brands, wholesalers, and 3PLs. The Logiwa Cloud Fulfillment Platform is an integrated WMS and order fulfillment system that makes it easy to run a digital warehouse and scale high-volume DTC fulfillment operations. The solution connects quickly with new online stores and marketplaces, makes it easy to run a digital warehouse, and is easily updated to support dynamic warehouse environments.

FinSMEs

07/07/2022
Lucinity, a Reykjavik, Iceland-based anti-money laundering (AML) software developer, closed a $17m Series B funding round.

The round was led by Keen Venture Partners with participation from Experian and existing investors, Crowberry Capital, Karma Ventures, and byFounders.

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate growth and geographic coverage for its Human AI technology.

Led by Gumundur Kristjansson (GK), founder and CEO, Lucinity provides anti-money laundering (AML) software which leverages a Human AI approach, a toolset that combines next-generation AI with human insights and expertise. By leveraging AI, the AML software learns from every interaction and continues to improve indefinitely, providing fewer false positives and saving time.

The company operates globally, with headquarters in Reykjavik, and serves customers from Tier-1 banks to FinTechs. Lucinity recently announced partnerships with Experian and Seon. With Experian, Lucinity is delivering next-generation ongoing Know Your Business (KYB) and risk assessments, while its collaboration with Seon is centered around a joint anti-money laundering and fraud prevention solution.

FinSMEs

07/07/2022
English French

PRESS RELEASE

June 16th, 2022

Aeroports de Paris SA

May 2022 traffic figures

Groupe ADP1 total traffic is up by +18.0 million passengers in May 2022 compared to May 2021, with 24.3 million passengers welcomed for the entire network of operated airports. It stands at 82.2% of the May 2019 group traffic.

Since the beginning of the year, Groupe ADP total traffic is up by +129.6% compared to 2021, at 91.9 million passengers, standing at 69.4% of the group traffic over the same period in 2019.

The acceleration of the traffic recovery in our airports is expected to continue in the coming weeks. During the summer months, traffic level could be close or occasionally even higher than the 2019 level, confirming the Group's assumption for 2022, with a traffic level between 70% and 80% of 2019 level.

Unless otherwise indicated, the following changes are expressed in comparison with May 2021.

Regarding the Paris Aeroport :

May 2022 traffic is up by +5.9 million passengers compared to May 2021, with 7.8 million passengers welcomed. It stands at 84.7% of the May 2019 Paris Aeroport traffic. In May 2022, Paris-Charles de Gaulle welcomed 5.2 million passengers (+4.1 million passengers), at 80.9% of the May 2019 traffic, and Paris-Orly 2.6 million passengers (+1.8 million passengers), at 93.5% of the May 2019 traffic. Since the beginning of the year, traffic in Paris Aeroport is up by +21.4 million passengers, at 29.3 million passengers, at 69.1% of the traffic over the same period in 2019.

At Paris-Charles de Gaulle, terminals 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F and 2G are currently open and handle the entirety of passenger traffic, as is terminal 3 since May 3, 2022. At Paris-Orly, all sectors are open.

In May 2022:

International traffic (excluding Europe, including French Overseas Territories) was up compared to 2022 +2.3 million passengers, at 83.6% of the May 2019 traffic, due to growth of all the destinations: Africa +696,745 passengers, at 114.9% of the May 2019 traffic, the Middle East +288,587 passengers, at 89.9% of the May 2019 traffic, North America +754,201 passengers, at 82.9% of the May 2019 traffic, Latin America +171,874 passengers, at 78.3% of the May 2019 traffic, Asia-Pacific +131,523 passengers, at 28.6 % of the May 2019 traffic;

European traffic (excluding France) was up +3.0 million passengers, at 86.0% of the May 2019 traffic;

Traffic within mainland France was up +625,005 million passengers, at 83.2% of the May 2019 traffic.

Traffic with the French Overseas Territories (included within the international traffic) was up +250,963 passengers, at 102.8% of the May 2019 traffic.

The number of connecting passengers stood at 729,067, up by +502,246 passengers, at 72.4% of the May 2019 traffic. The connecting rate stood at 19.4% down by -5.0 points.





In the context created by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the international sanctions imposed on Russia, the group is monitoring the situation to assess its short, medium and long-term consequences. In 2019, traffic with Ukraine and Russia amounted to 1.4% of Paris Aeroport's total traffic, as well as to 17.1%2 of TAV Airports' total traffic, at 27.9%2 of TAV Airports' international traffic. At this stage, although air traffic between Russia and Ukraine, and the airports operated by Groupe ADP located within the European Union (to and from) is heavily impacted, the Group does not anticipate, in the absence of any significant change in the situation, that the consequences of the conflict will challenge its financial forecasts and traffic hypotheses for 2022 full year.

Regarding Groupe ADP's international platforms:

Passenger traffic at TAV Airports, 46.4 %-owned by Groupe ADP, is up by +4.3 million passengers in May 2022, at 6.6 million passengers, standing at 76.5% of the May 2019 traffic. It is up by +111.0% since the beginning of the year compared to the same period in 2021, at 70.3% of traffic over the same period in 2019.

Passenger traffic at GMR Airports, 49%-owned by Groupe ADP since July 2020, was up by +6,1 million passengers in May 2022, at 7,5 million passengers, standing at 89,5% of the May 2019 traffic. It is up by +69,8% since the beginning of the year compared to the same period in 2021, at 74.0% of traffic over the same period in 2019.

Passenger traffic at Amman Airport, 51%-owned by Groupe ADP, was up by +0.5 million passengers in May 2022, at 0,7 million passengers, standing at 120.2% of the May 2019 traffic. It is up by +1.7 million passengers since the beginning of the year compared to the same period in 2021, at 76,6% of traffic over the same period in 2019.

Passenger traffic at Santiago de Chile Airport, 45%-owned by Groupe ADP, was up by +1.0 million passengers in May 2022, at 1.4 million passengers, standing at 74.7% of the May 2019 traffic. It is up by +4.5 million passengers since the beginning of the year compared to the same period in 2021, at 68.4% of traffic over the same period in 2019.

All the Group's hubs are open to commercial flights, including the Hajj terminal in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which opened on May 4, 2022, to receive international traffic. However, local restrictions may apply, particularly to international flights at Group airports.

Passengers May 2022 Change 22/21

(in passengers) Jan. - May 2022 % change 2022/2021 Last 12 months % change 2022/2021 Paris-CDG 5,227,412 +4,105,616 19,389,753 +293.2% 40,654,887 +195.4% Paris-Orly 2,588,819 +1,823,990 9,915,429 +238.0% 22,706,294 +181.7% Total Paris Aeroport 7,816,231 +5,929,606 29,305,182 +272.6% 63,361,181 +190.3% Santiago de Chile 1,414,767 +999,024 7,376,367 +160.9% 14,561,639 +187.2% Amman 701,383 +459,249 2,536,484 +200.5% 6,251,657 +360.3% New Delhi 5,238,965 +4,257,605 22,065,422 +,65.7% 45,885,349 +76.6% Hyderabad 1,724,902 +1,421,068 7,101,163 +60.4% 14,662,566 +60.9% Cebu 516,404 +422,251 1,603,620 +327.6% 2,545,547 +277.1% Total GMR Airports 7,480,271 +6,100,924 30,770,205 +69.8% 63,093,462 +76.4% Antalya 2,633,443 +1,914,651 6,308,236 +155.4% 25,845,246 +162.6% Almaty 613,685 +117,553 2,368,492 +9.3% 6,304,450 +42.0% Ankara 712,803 +411,068 3,172,249 +77.5% 8,410,765 +92.2% Izmir 867,473 +557,875 3,235,913 +78.3% 9,090,836 +78.9% Bodrum 361,515 +255,105 744,410 +121.4% 3,343,466 +109.4% Gazipasa Alanya 72,143 +55,199 217,097 +124.7% 740,869 +156.2% Medina 521,227 +411,065 2,260,049 +324.1% 3,485,170 +226.4% Tunisia 106,164 +84,284 285,685 +353.7% 746,996 +181.3% Georgia 285,944 +146,879 1,067,645 +208.7% 2,913,089 +543.6% North Macedonia 190,413 +115,386 712,258 +154.3% 1,823,559 +189.5% Zagreb(3) 265,317 +196,298 1,006,473 +325.7% 2,174,512 +230.5% Total TAV Airports 6,630,127 +4,265,363 21,378,507 +111.0% 64,878,958 +126.1% Other Airports 260,830 +227,773 556,123 +154.2% 1,392,794 +145.5% Total Groupe ADP(4) 24,303,609 +17,978,228 91,922,868 +129,4% 213,539,691 +128,9%





Aircraft Movements May 2022 Change 22/20

(in movements) Jan. - May 2022 % change 2022/2021 Last 12 months % change 2022/2021 Paris-CDG 36,460 +21,605 147,383 +163.0% 329,816 +87.9% Paris-Orly 17,083 +10,255 70,808 +117.8% 162,439 +136.9% Total Paris Aeroport 53,543 +31,860 218,191 +130.6% 492,255 +101.7% Santiago de Chile 9,664 +5,804 51,429 +106.4% 104,274 +125.0% Amman 6,374 +3,482 25,336 +125.0% 60,678 +206.2% New Delhi 34,791 +22,756 151,478 +34.4% 328,001 +46.8% Hyderabad 13,300 +8,879 56,534 +27.8% 122,402 +31.1% Cebu 4,384 +3,284 14,523 +210.2% 24,093 +182.8% Total GMR Airports 52,475 +34,919 222,535 +37.7% 474,496 +45.8% Antalya 16,696 +11,885 42,850 +152.6% 155,971 +146.3% Almaty 5,828 +1,185 22,883 +11.2% 59,190 +27.1% Ankara 5,481 +2,812 23,581 +56.2% 63,898 +73.2% Izmir 5,737 +3,275 21,359 +58.1% 59,645 +52.0% Bodrum 2,629 +1,867 5,394 +102.2% 23,083 +96.1% Gazipasa Alanya 535 +355 1,645 +84.0% 5,535 +117.5% Medina 4,076 +2,415 18,604 +166.7% 31,442 +141.9% Tunisia 796 +492 2,442 +171.3% 6,357 +99.8% Georgia 2,912 +848 11,904 +101.1% 32,804 +196.5% North Macedonia 1,824 +704 6,276 +54.5% 17,202 +91.4% Zagreb(3) 3,722 +1,630 15,823 +92.2% 37,196 +82.6% Total TAV Airports 50,236 +27,468 172,761 +803% 492,323 +91.6% Other Airports 2,203 +1,407 6,920 +43.4% 17,084 +31.4% Total Groupe ADP(4) 174,495 +104,940 697,172 +76.8% 1,641,110 +81.2%





Geographic split

Paris Aeroport (Paris-CDG and Paris-Orly) May 2022

Change 22/21

(in passengers) Share of total traffic Jan. - May 2022 change 22/21

(in passengers) Share of total traffic France +625,005 15.0% +2,635,497 16.0% Europe +3,010,708 48.4% +10,562,636 44.9% Other International

Of which +2,293,893 36.6% +8,241,893 39.1% Africa +696,745 11.6% +2,257,102 11.9% North America +754,201 11.0% +2,527,184 10.1% Latin America +171,874 2.7% +809,064 3.6% Middle-East +288,587 4.9% +1,181,642 5.4% Asia-Pacific +131,523 2.1% +386,056 1.9% French Overseas Territories +250,963 4.3% +1,080,845 6.2% Total Paris Aeroport +5,929,606 100.0% +10,209,503 100.0%





Paris Aeroport (Paris-CDG and Paris-Orly) May 2022 Change

2022/2021 Jan.  May 2022 % change 2022/2021 Connecting Passengers(1) 729,067 +221.4% 3,175,423 +180.1% Connecting rate 19.4% -5.0 pts 21.9% -7.8 pts Seat load factor 83.1% +24.4 pts 76.5% +20.4 pts

(1) Departing passengers

Investor Relations: Cecile Combeau, Eliott Roch - +33 1 74 25 31 33 - invest@adp.fr

Press contact: Lola Bourget, Head of Medias and Reputation Department +33 1 74 25 23 23

Groupe ADP develops and manages airports, including Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly and Paris-Le Bourget. In 2021, the group handled through its brand Paris Aeroport more than 41.9 million passengers and 2.1 million metric tons of freight and mail at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly, and more than 118.1 million passengers in airports abroad. Boasting an exceptional geographic location and a major catchment area, the Group is pursuing its strategy of adapting and modernizing its terminal facilities and upgrading quality of services; the group also intends to develop its retail and real estate businesses. In 2021, group revenue stood at 2,777 million and net income at -248 million

Registered office: 1, rue de France, 93 290 Tremblay-en-France. Aeroports de Paris is a public limited company (Societe Anonyme) with share capital of 296,881,806. Registered in the Bobigny Trade and Company Register under no. 552 016 628. groupe-adp.com

1 Group traffic is accounted for on a like-for-like basis, restated for the following changes: the acquisitions of Delhi, Hyderbad, Mactan Cebu and Almaty airports, and the non-renewal of the technical assistance contract (TSA) for Mauritius airport.

2 Including Almaty and Zagreb airports.

3 Groupe ADP and TAV Airports have, a shareholding of 21% and 15%, respectively, in Zagreb Airport. To be compliant with TAV Airports presentations, Zagreb Airport traffic figures are integrated into the TAV Airports group traffic figure.

4 Group traffic is accounted for on a like-for-like basis, restated for the following changes: the acquisitions of Delhi, Hyderbad, Mactan Cebu and Almaty airports, and the non-renewal of the technical assistance contract (TSA) for Mauritius airport. For the last 12-months traffic, Mauritius traffic is taken into account until December 31, 2021.

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ATLANTA, July 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gray Television, Inc. (NYSE: GTN) today announced that it will release its earnings results for the quarter ending June 30, 2022 on Friday, August 5, 2022.

Earnings Conference Call Information

Gray Television, Inc. will host a conference call to discuss its operating results for the quarter ended, June 30, 2022, on Friday, August 5, 2022. The call will begin at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The live dial-in number is 1-800-289-0720 and the confirmation code is 7144937. The call will be webcast live and available for replay at www.gray.tv . The taped replay of the conference call will be available at 1-888-203-1112 Confirmation Code: 7144937 until September 4, 2022.







About Gray Television

Gray Television, Inc. is a multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. We are the nations largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets in the United States that serve 113 television markets reaching approximately 36 percent of US television households. This portfolio includes 80 markets with the top-rated television station and 100 markets with the first and/or second highest rated television station. We also own video program companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media Group (formerly Tupelo Honey), and PowerNation Studios, as well as studio production facilities Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios.

Gray Contacts:



Website: www.gray.tv

Jim Ryan, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, 404-504-9828

Kevin P. Latek, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Development Officer, 404-266-8333





4370 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30319 | P 404.504.9828 F 404.261.9607 | www.gray.tv
SYDNEY, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recent data revealed that Tik Tok became the first non-Facebook app to hit 3 billion downloads and consumer spending on the platform has surpassed US$2.5 billion globally. According to the leading digital marketing agency Sydney wide, Zib Digital, Tik Tok has become a marketplace where customer relationships can thrive, a brand's personality can be developed and communities can be fostered.

Zib Digital explains that creating a marketing strategy for the platform should be approached in a similar way to other platforms. It's important to consider what sort of content fares well on the specific platform. Tik Tok users are incredibly active and it is seen as a place for personalised content creation.

Authenticity is key on Tik Tok, says Zib Digital. User-driven content resonates with the audience here. People are actively searching for tips about what to buy on the platform and the trick is to ensure ads don't feel like they are designed to sell something. People are more likely to watch content if it doesn't feel forced and therefore, the strategy should be based around pulling people in, not pushing a product on them.

Building a community on Tik Tok is critical as the users on this platform are more engaged and interconnected than other platforms. Zib Digital explains that it's not enough to simply post a video - it's important to engage with relevant influencers by collaborating with them. The algorithm is very effective at driving engagement, with users spending a lot of time in the 'For You' tab. Taking note of trending songs and hashtags and utilising them will help to drive engagement.

The Tik Tok algorithm understands where users are along the purchasing path, so creating content for each stage of the buyer journey will give brands a competitive edge. Zib Digital recommends creating content announcing a product and then following that up with content that offers tips and tricks for using the product. When users create content related to the product, brands should also share that user-generated content.

As the leaders in digital marketing and SEO Sydney wide, Zib Digital can help brands build a strategy for Tik Tok that aligns with their other marketing efforts.

Contact the top digital marketing and SEO agency Sydney wide to find out more.

Melbourne

Suites 1 & 2, Level 2

132 Gwynne Street

Cremorne VIC 3121 - (03) 8685 9290

Related Images











Image 1: Zib Digital









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
NEW YORK, July 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Unity Software, Inc. (Unity or the Company) (NYSE: U) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and docketed under 22-cv-03962, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise acquired Unity securities between March 5, 2021 and May 10, 2022, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials.



If you are a shareholder who purchased or otherwise acquired Unity securities during the Class Period, you have until September 5, 2022 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com . To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

Unity creates and operates an interactive real-time 3D content platform. The Companys platform provides software solutions to create, run, and monetize interactive, real-time 2D and 3D content for mobile phones, tablets, PCs, consoles, and augmented and virtual reality devices. One of the tools on the Companys product platform is the Audience Pinpointer, a user acquisition service which uses real-time user valuation at the time of an ad request.

The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Companys business, operations, and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) deficiencies in Unitys product platform reduced the accuracy of the Companys machine learning technology; (ii) the foregoing was likely to have a material negative impact on the Companys revenues; (iii) accordingly, Unity had overstated the Companys commercial and/or financial prospects for 2022; (iv) as a result, the Company was likely to have to reduce its fiscal 2022 guidance; and (v) as a result, the Companys public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On May 10, 2022, after the market closed, Unity announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2022. The Company also reduced its fiscal 2022 guidance, citing challenges with monetization products. Specifically, Unity stated that a fault in [Unitys] platform . . . resulted in reduced accuracy for [its] Audience Pinpointer tool, a revenue expensive issue given that [the] Pinpointer tool experienced significant growth post the IDFA changes.

On this news, Unitys stock price fell $17.83 per share, or approximately 37%, to close at $30.30 per share on May 11, 2022.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com

CONTACT:
New York City, NY, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A major new investigation by Compassion in World Farming released today (July 7) reveals the immense suffering of sows in cage systems on European farmsincluding those supplying products popular in the U.S. such as "premium" Parma and Bayonne hams.

Around eight million Parma-branded hams are produced in Italy annually36% of these are exported. The U.S. is the world's largest export market for Parma ham, receiving more than 11.6 million pounds of the product in 2021. Around a million Bayonne hams are produced in France every year. Export numbers are unavailable, but Bayonne hams are reported to be exported to countries including the U.S.

Powerful new footage obtained as part of an investigation at 16 farms across Italy, Spain, France and Poland reveals the cruelty, torment and frustration that sows are forced to suffer in sow stalls and farrowing crates.

The investigation reveals that sows:

spend nearly half their adult lives in cages so small they prevent practically all movement apart from standing up or lying down

endure lying in their own excrement and urine, something they would naturally avoid

experience the torment of being unable to properly nurture their young because of the restriction of the cages

resort to abnormal behaviors such as bar biting and sham chewing because they are so frustrated.

Additional research from Compassion shows that, on average, Parma ham products are around 40% more expensive than equivalent U.S. hams. Yet the higher price is no guarantee of higher welfare. The caging practices documented in Compassion's investigation are banned in several U.S. states, such as California and Massachusetts.

Today, in reaction to the findings, the animal welfare and environmental NGO is sending a summary of the investigation findings to agriculture ministers across Europe and is urging supporters to send emails calling on them to press for a promised European Union ban on caged farming without delay.

"Americans who pay a premium for Parma and Bayonne hams are likely to be shocked to discover that these 'high-end' products are from systems that keep animals in such cruel cage conditions that have been banned in some U.S. states," said Ben Williamson, U.S. Executive Director. "Our investigation reveals that these sows are forced to live unimaginably miserable lives. They can't move around and properly nurture their young, and they're so frustrated they resort to abnormal behaviors like bar biting and sham chewing.

"That's why we're urging European agriculture ministers to introduce the ban they promised without delay, and we will continue to campaign until we End the Cage Age. As goes Europe, so often goes the rest of the world.

"Ending this kind of factory farming and shifting towards regenerative farming practices which are nature and welfare positive, are also vital for ensuring long-term sustainability and food security."

Last year, the European Commission publicly committed to introducing legislation to end the caging of European farmed animals. This commitment was made in response to the European Citizens' Initiative "End the Cage Age," led by Compassion, which gathered 1.4 million verified signatures from citizens across Europe and was the first successful initiative for farmed animals.

A report released in March showed that a smooth financial transition could be achieved for farmers when the E.U. introduces a ban on cages. The Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) report, Financing the cage-free farming transition in Europe, shows that both E.U. and national financial mechanisms can be usedsome of which are already available to farmersto support the transition to cage-free animal agriculture across Europe.

For more information about the investigation and how you can support the campaign, visit www.endthecageage.eu

###

For more information or to schedule an interview, please email Ronnika A. McFall Ronnika.McFall@ciwf.org.

Media resources

View a report of the full investigation here

Images of the investigation in all four countries are available here.

View a media reel of footage from all four countries with an accompanying shot list here.

Notes to Editors:

Compassion in World Farming was founded in 1967 by a British dairy farmer who became horrified at the development of intensive factory farming. Today Compassion is a global movement dedicated to ending factory farming and achieving humane and sustainable food. With headquarters in the U.K., we have offices across Europe, in the U.S., China and South Africa. To find out more about Compassion in World Farming, visit www.ciwf.com

Click here to learn more about Compassion in World Farming's sustainable and humane agriculture solutions.
English Icelandic

PLAY reports a 79.2% load factor, carried 88 thousand passengers and target unit cost reached



PLAY carried 87,932 passengers in June, a 55% increase from the previous month when PLAY carried 56,601 passengers.

In June, the load factor was 79.2% compared to a 69.6% load factor in May. The load factor in June was acceptable given that our hub-and-spoke network was still being built out during the month when New York, Palma de Mallorca, Bologna and Madrid were added to the network.

On-time performance (OTP) in June was 79.1%, which, although not up to our usual high standards, is still more than satisfactory given the change to a hub-and-spoke network and the difficult situation at European airports that struggle with staff shortages and subsequent delays.

The fast recovery in worldwide travel and staff shortages after COVID-19 has caused significant difficulties and delays in supply chains as well as at most airports that PLAY operates to. Like most other airlines, PLAY has experienced delays in its schedule and suffered from costs associated with these delays. This cost is already built into the companys business plan and is in line with expectations and the norm in the industry.

Increased Fuel Hedging and PLAYs sixth Aircraft

During this years first quarter, PLAY began implementing the companys fuel hedging policy. PLAYs first step was a cautious one, with the next step now underway as PLAY has decided to further increase its fuel hedging. With this increase, PLAY is hedging 30% of estimated fuel consumption for the next three months, i.e., July to September, and 15% of estimated fuel consumption for the subsequent four to six months, i.e., October to December, over the next four to six months. This is in line with PLAYs fuel hedging policy.

PLAYs sixth aircraft, an Airbus A320neo, arrived in Iceland at the end of June and recently began flying passengers within the network. PLAY is now operating three Airbus A321neo and three Airbus A320neo aircraft. These aircraft are now flying passengers to PLAYs 25 destinations in the U.S. and Europe.

June is another landmark month for us as it is the first month when we operate our full hub-and-spoke network using six aircraft. Its great to see that our unit costs reduce dramatically once we have reached this scale in our operation. As previously communicated in our guidance, we have now reached our initial target of unit cost per available seat kilometer (CASK) excluding fuel and emissions being lower than four U.S. cents. This is very important for us as we aim to offer the lowest fares in our markets, and a low-cost base is critical to achieving that. This also shows the underlying efficiency of our business model and is an encouragement to us as we strive to lower our costs even further as PLAY grows. European aviation is having a hard time ramping up its capacity, and there are delays and complications everywhere. In light of that, I am especially proud of my colleagues in our flight operations, technical teams, crew members and service specialists, as they have done a fantastic job in handling our expansion during this difficult time, achieving very satisfactory punctuality considering the situation at most airports and the fact that we are building a brand-new network. I send my sincere thanks to them and the entire PLAY team for their hard work and dedication, says Birgir Jonsson, PLAYs CEO.



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Dublin, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 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.



Vehicle Analytics Market Trends

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/apgrgp

Attachment
TORONTO, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clear Blue Technologies International Inc. (Clear Blue and the Company) (TSXV: CBLU) (FRA: 0YA) (OTCQB: CBUTF), the Smart Off-Grid Company, announces a new subsidiary and local office in Lagos, Nigeria.



Recognizing the opportunity for powering Nigerian telecom networks with Smart Off-Grid via partnerships, MOUs and large-scale Smart Off-Grid power contracts, Clear Blue sought to expand its global operations to Nigeria to better capitalize on this market and support these growth initiatives locally. This expansion follows the opening of a satellite office in Nairobi, Kenya in 2020. The new Nigeria office will provide sales and business development and customer relationship management. Additionally, it will ensure smoother installations, faster delivery, and lower costs for customers, through local support and warehousing of local supply of power components.

The Company is also pleased to announce the hiring of Mr. Adetunji Taiwo, Clear Blue Nigerias country manager. Mr. Taiwo brings significant experience in the Nigerian market and telecommunications sector and will manage key customer relationships and business development efforts in the region.

The Nigerian telecom market has seen significant growth in recent years and more growth is expected due to the rising population and connectivity adoption. There is also strong growth forecasted due to the rising adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) that connects with wired and wireless broadband ( Global Monitor, 2020 ). Governments in Africa are pushing for greater access to connectivity to support digital services that provide substantial socio-economic benefits. Telecommunications operators are rolling out large-scale infrastructure projects with reliable off-grid power at the center of telecommunications infrastructure.

Clear Blue is a partner to telecommunications operators in the region by providing low-cost, reliable Smart Off-Grid power. On April 22, 2022 , the Company announced that its Nano-Grid and new Pico-Grid power products will provide reliable, low-cost, clean energy solutions and management services at Viasats satellite-based Community Internet locations in Nigeria. On March 3, 2022 , Clear Blue announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Global Communications Extension Services (GCES), a telecom service provider in the business of rural telephony. This MOU was to provide the Companys smart, Solar Off-Grid power systems and service to power 120 telecommunications sights for 9Mobile and other MNOs with a 5-year target of 1,060 sites.



Clear Blue has been providing Smart Off-Grid power products to Nigeria since 2017, from solar streetlights to telecommunications power and now community Wi-Fi. With the growing number of contracts and opportunities in this region and the significant potential for growth in the Nigerian telecom sector, we knew that we must have local support, says Miriam Tuerk, CEO and Co-Founder of Clear Blue. Beyond supporting major customers in their local time zone, we needed to improve supply chain security, costs, and timelines by having a local warehouse for components. With our office in Kenya to the east and now Nigeria to the west, we are committed to the African market, and our growth in the region. We can now better support our growing operations in Africa and are thrilled to have local representation. We are truly the first choice for powering African telecom and we are excited for our future in Nigeria.

About Clear Blue Technologies International

Clear Blue Technologies International, the Smart Off-Grid company, was founded on a vision of delivering clean, managed, wireless power to meet the global need for reliable, low-cost, solar and hybrid power for lighting, telecom, security, Internet of Things devices, and other mission-critical systems. Today, Clear Blue has thousands of systems under management across 37 countries, including the U.S. and Canada. (TSXV: CBLU) (FRA: 0YA) (OTCQB: CBUTF)

For more information, contact:

Miriam Tuerk, Co-Founder and CEO

+1 416 433 3952

investors@clearbluetechnologies.com

www.clearbluetechnologies.com/en/investors

Nikhil Thadani, Sophic Capital

+1 437 836 9669

Nik@SophicCapital.com

Legal Disclaimer

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information Disclaimer

This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Resulting Issuers beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Clear Blue'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 contained herein may include, but is not limited to, information concerning the future phases of contracts or projects, or future value of contracts or project for any mentioned parties.



By identifying such information and statements in this manner, Clear Blue is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Clear Blue to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements.



An investment in securities of Clear Blue is speculative and subject to several risks including, without limitation, the risks discussed under the heading " Risks and Uncertainties" in Clear Blue's MD&A dated May 30, 2022. Although Clear Blue has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.



In connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Clear Blue has made certain assumptions. Although Clear Blue 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. All subsequent written and oral forward- looking information and statements attributable to Clear Blue or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.



This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this news release. Such securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and, accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of persons in the United States or U.S. Persons, as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements.


LOS ANGELES, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mission , a cloud managed services provider and Amazon Web Services (AWS) Premier Tier Services Partner , today announced that Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) has named Mission CEO Simon Anderson an Entrepreneur Of The Year  2022 Greater Los Angeles Award winner . Entrepreneur Of The Year is one of the preeminent competitive business awards for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies who think big to succeed. An independent panel of judges selected Anderson based on his entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact, among other core contributions and attributes.



Under Andersons leadership, Mission has continually accelerated the expansion of both its customer base and the capabilities that the AWS partner provides. Over the past year alone, Mission has bolstered its solutions that deliver on customers cloud transformation goals by launching its Data, Analytics, and Machine Learning (DAML) practice , Mission Cloud DataOps , and Mission Cloud Elevate , among other new services built to meet customers at any stage of their cloud journeys. Mission also recently reinforced its Software Application Development practice which customers leverage to architect and build scalable, modern applications on AWSwith its acquisition of Dozen Software .

Im honored to lead Mission and to be recognized with the Entrepreneur Of The Year Award from EY, said Anderson. Being a successful entrepreneur means surrounding ourselves with talented team members who raise the bar and are more expert in their roles than I would be, and its a big win for all of our Mission team to be recognized for going from startup to the #1 AWS cloud services company in the US in under five years. Our next phase is focused on strengthening all aspects of our business and platform to ensure we can scale from here with high predictabilityand continue to deliver an exceptional customer experience and differentiated value for the startups and enterprises looking to transform their businesses through cloud services. Id like to thank our colleagues at AWS; our close relationship as a Premier Partner has been essential to the rapid pace of growth we have achieved. Thank you, as well, to EY for this honor.

As a Greater Los Angeles award winner, Anderson will now be considered by the National independent panel of judges for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2022 National Awards. National finalists and winners, as well as the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in June 2023.

The Entrepreneur Of The Year program has honored the inspirational leadership of entrepreneurs such as:

Janice Bryant Howroyd of The Act 1 Group, Inc.

Jessica Alba, Christopher Gavigan, Sean Kane and Brian Lee of The Honest Company

Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia

Benjamin Nazarian and Dr. Jason Wersland of Therabody

John V. Shields of Trader Joes Company

Cherie Kloss of SnapNurse

Saeju Jeong of Noom

Joe DeSimone of Carbon, Inc.

Howard Schultz of Starbucks Coffee Company

Jodi Berg of Vitamix

Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn Corporation

Hamdi Ulukaya of Chobani, Inc.

Kendra Scott of Kendra Scott LLC

James Park of Fitbit

Sheila Mikhail of AskBio



Sponsors

Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are presented by PNC Bank. In Greater Los Angeles sponsors also include Marsh USA Inc., New Tangram LLC, CBRE, Inc., Cooley LLP, Cushman & Wakefield and Olmstead Williams Communications.

About Mission Cloud Services

Mission accelerates enterprise cloud transformation by delivering a differentiated suite of agile cloud managed services. As an AWS Premier Tier Services Partner, Missions always-on services enable businesses to scale and outpace competitors by leveraging the most transformative technology platform and enterprise software ecosystem in history.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year

Entrepreneur Of The Year is the worlds most prestigious business awards program for unstoppable entrepreneurs. These visionary leaders deliver innovation, growth and prosperity that transform our world. The program engages entrepreneurs with insights and experiences that foster growth. It connects them with their peers to strengthen entrepreneurship around the world. Entrepreneur Of The Year is the first and only truly global awards program of its kind. It celebrates entrepreneurs through regional and national awards programs in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries. National overall winners go on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year title. ey.com/us/eoy

About EY Private

As Advisors to the ambitious, EY Private professionals possess the experience and passion to support private businesses and their owners in unlocking the full potential of their ambitions. EY Private teams offer distinct insights born from the long EY history of working with business owners and entrepreneurs. These teams support the full spectrum of private enterprises including private capital managers and investors and the portfolio businesses they fund, business owners, family businesses, family offices and entrepreneurs. Visit ey.com/us/private

About EY

EY exists to build a better working world, helping create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets.

Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate.

Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com .

Ernst & Young LLP is a client-serving member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited operating in the US.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bace399e-cdcf-4ff8-adf6-e17fca3b6bf9
Dublin, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Medium Voltage Cable Accessories Market (2022-2027) by Voltage Range, Product Type, Installation Type, Technology, End User, Geography, Competitive Analysis, and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Global Medium Voltage Cable Accessories Market is estimated to be USD 54.61 Bn in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 72.87 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.94%.



Market Dynamics

Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Medium Voltage Cable Accessories 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.



Market Segmentations

The Global Medium Voltage Cable Accessories Market is segmented based on Voltage Range, Product Type, Installation Type, Technology, End User, and Geography.

By Voltage Range, the market is classified into 1-5 Kv, 6-13 Kv, 23 Kv, 34 Kv, 45 Kv, and 69 Kv.

By Product Type, the market is classified into Cable Joints & Splice, Connectors, Separables, Terminations, and Others.

By Installation Type, the market is classified into Underground Cables & Accessories, Overhead Cables & Accessories, and Submarine Cables & Accessories.

By Technology, the market is classified into Heat Shrink, Cold Shrink, and Pre-Molded Terminations.

By End User, the market is classified into Industrial, Renewables, and Infrastructure.

By Geography, the market is classified into Americas, Europe, Middle-East & Africa and Asia-Pacific.

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 3M, ABB, BBC Cellpack, Compaq International, EL Sewedy Electric, General Cable, 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 Medium Voltage Cable Accessories 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 Medium Voltage Cable Accessories 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 Medium Voltage Cable Accessories 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 Renewable Energy Generation

4.1.2 Growing Industrialization & Urbanization

4.2 Restraints

4.2.1 Project Delays due to Complex Planning & Authorization Processes

4.2.2 Funding Constraints for Large Investments

4.3 Opportunities

4.3.1 Favorable Renewable Energy Policies

4.3.2 Growth in Power Demand

4.3.3 Implementation of Smart Grid Technology

4.4 Challenges

4.4.1 High Failure Rate of Medium Voltage Cable Accessories



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 Medium Voltage Cable Accessories Market, By Voltage Range

6.1 Introduction

6.2 1-5 Kv

6.3 6-13 Kv

6.4 23 Kv

6.5 34 Kv

6.6 45 Kv

6.7 69 Kv



7 Global Medium Voltage Cable Accessories Market, By Product Type

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Cable Joints and Splice

7.3 Connectors

7.4 Separables

7.5 Terminations

7.6 Others(XLPE Cables, Mi Cables)



8 Global Medium Voltage Cable Accessories Market, By Installation Type

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Underground Cables & Accessories

8.3 Overhead Cables & Accessories

8.4 Submarine Cables & Accessories



9 Global Medium Voltage Cable Accessories Market, By Technology

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Heat Shrink

9.3 Cold Shrink

9.4 Pre-Molded Terminations



10 Global Medium Voltage Cable Accessories Market, By End User

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Industrial

10.2.1 Utilities

10.2.2 Oil & Gas

10.2.3 Mining & Metals

10.2.4 Chemicals & Petrochemicals

10.2.5 Cement & Manufacturing

10.3 Renewables

10.3.1 Wind

10.3.2 Solar

10.4 Infrastructure

10.4.1 Transportation

10.4.2 Commercial & Residential





11 Americas' Medium Voltage Cable Accessories Market

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Argentina

11.3 Brazil

11.4 Canada

11.5 Chile

11.6 Colombia

11.7 Mexico

11.8 Peru

11.9 United States

11.10 Rest of Americas



12 Europe's Medium Voltage Cable Accessories Market

12.1 Introduction

12.2 Austria

12.3 Belgium

12.4 Denmark

12.5 Finland

12.6 France

12.7 Germany

12.8 Italy

12.9 Netherlands

12.10 Norway

12.11 Poland

12.12 Russia

12.13 Spain

12.14 Sweden

12.15 Switzerland

12.16 United Kingdom

12.17 Rest of Europe



13 Middle East and Africa's Medium Voltage Cable Accessories Market

13.1 Introduction

13.2 Egypt

13.3 Israel

13.4 Qatar

13.5 Saudi Arabia

13.6 South Africa

13.7 United Arab Emirates

13.8 Rest of MEA



14 APAC's Medium Voltage Cable Accessories Market

14.1 Introduction

14.2 Australia

14.3 Bangladesh

14.4 China

14.5 India

14.6 Indonesia

14.7 Japan

14.8 Malaysia

14.9 Philippines

14.10 Singapore

14.11 South Korea

14.12 Sri Lanka

14.13 Thailand

14.14 Taiwan

14.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific



15 Competitive Landscape

15.1 Competitive Quadrant

15.2 Market Share Analysis

15.3 Strategic Initiatives

15.3.1 M&A and Investments

15.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations

15.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements



16 Company Profiles

16.1 3M

16.2 ABB

16.3 BBC Cellpack

16.4 Compaq International

16.5 EL Sewedy Electric

16.6 General Cable

16.7 Kabelwerke Brugg

16.8 Leoni

16.9 LS Cable & System

16.10 Nexans

16.11 NKT

16.12 Phoenix Technology

16.13 Prysmian

16.14 REPL International

16.15 Southwire

16.16 Sumitomo Electric Industries,

16.17 TE Connectivity

16.18 Tele-Fonika Kable

16.19 Tpc Wire & Cable

16.20 Yamuna Infra & Technology



17 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/qq3idv

Attachment
NEW YORK, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Boxed, Inc. (Boxed or the Company), an online platform which sells household consumables in bulk and licenses its e-commerce software to enterprise retailers, and AEON CO LTD (AEON), one of the largest retailers in Asia, today announced a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AEONs affiliate, AEON Vietnam Company Limited, targeting to launch Boxeds end-to-end software and services platform in the Vietnamese market by the end of 2022.



In September of 2021, Boxed and AEON launched a partnership to use Boxeds proprietary e-commerce technology to power AEON e-commerce capabilities in the Malaysian market. Following successful implementation in Malaysia, Boxed and AEON will be officially expanding their partnership into Vietnam and will continue to explore expanding into additional markets. Utilizing Boxeds technology will be critical in supporting AEONs initiatives in developing its e-commerce capabilities throughout Vietnam.

We are excited to build on the execution of our proprietary software & services platform by expanding our partnership with AEON into Vietnam, said Jared Yaman, Co-founder and COO of Boxed. This will be our first implementation not in English, demonstrating our ability to execute in international markets.

In addition to Malaysia, and now Vietnam, Boxed and Aeon are exploring a partnership in other markets as well, including Indonesia.

Aeon has been a great partner for us in Malaysia, and we are really excited to replicate our ecommerce synergy in such a dynamic economy as Vietnam, and potentially other strategic markets in the near future, said Chieh Huang, CEO of Boxed.

About Boxed

Boxed is an e-commerce retailer and an e-commerce enabler. The Company operates an e-commerce retail service that provides bulk pantry consumables to businesses and household customers, without the requirement of a big-box store membership. This service is powered by the Companys own purpose-built storefront, marketplace, analytics, fulfillment, advertising, and robotics technologies. Boxed further enables e-commerce through its Software & Services business, which offers customers in need of an enterprise-level e-commerce platform access to its end-to-end technology. The Company has developed a powerful, unique brand, known for doing right by its customers, employees and society. For more information visit www.boxed.com .

Media Contact
Pune, India, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The US Home Healthcare Services Market size reached USD 88.50 billion in 2021. The market value is anticipated to increase from USD 94.17 billion in 2022 to USD 153.19 billion by 2029 at a CAGR of 7.2% during the forecast duration. Tissue paper is widely used for sanitation and hygiene. People are becoming more aware of the importance of personal hygiene and sanitation, so pulp-based sanitary products are becoming more popular, says Fortune Business InsightsTM in its report titled, US Home Healthcare Services Market, 2022-2029.

Key Industry Development-

December 2021: Aveanna Healthcare, LLC purchased Comfort Care, a leading adult home health and hospice provider, with the intention of expanding its national footprint by adding operations in Tennessee and Alabama.





Request a Sample Copy of the Research Report:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/u-s-home-healthcare-services-market-105568





Report Scope & Segmentation

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2022 to 2029 Forecast Period 2022 to 2029 CAGR 7.2% 2029 Value Projection USD 153.19 Billion Base Year 2021 Market Size in 2021 USD 88.50 Billion Historical Data for 2018 to 2020 No. of Pages 92 Key Players Amedisys, Inc. (U.S.), LHC Group Inc. (U.S.), Encompass Home Health & Hospice (U.S.), Brookdale Senior Living Solutions (U.S.), Trinity Health at Home (U.S.), Kindred Healthcare, LLC (Kindred at Home) (U.S.), AccentCare (U.S.),BAYADA Home Health Care (U.S.) Growth Drivers Growing prevalence of chronic diseases among the elderly drives market growth Market Growth is Dependent on Innovation and Effective Distribution Channels U.S. Elective Surgeries and Patient Discharges have Drastically Decreased





To get to know more about the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market, please visit:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/u-s-home-healthcare-services-market-105568





Drivers & Restraints-

Growing prevalence of chronic diseases among the elderly drives market growth

People over the age of 65 are more susceptible to chronic conditions such as diabetes, dementia, cardiac disorders, and so on. As the geriatric population in the U.S. grows, so does the need for continuous monitoring of health conditions. For example, according to a Reuters article from 2021, the population in the U.S. aged 65 and up accounted for 16.5% of the total, a figure that is expected to rise to 74 million by 2030. The significant rise in chronic disorders in the geriatric population, which increases the need for daily assistance at home and continuous monitoring, is expected to surge the demand for home healthcare services in the country. However, home healthcare fraud takes many forms, but the majority of it involves home health agencies billing for services that are not medically necessary or billing for amenities that are not offered. The risk of fraud in-home health care is extremely high, which may impede the US Home Healthcare Services Market growth.

COVID-19 Impact

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Elective Surgeries and Patient Discharges have Drastically Decreased

The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the growth of the market due to decreased demand for the U.S. home healthcare services among patients with chronic conditions due to the fear of contracting COVID-19 infection. Additionally, decreased professional visit for the U.S. home healthcare services as a result of the prioritization of medical services to COVID-19 patients is a major factor that reduced the revenue of home healthcare agencies.





Quick Buy - US Home Healthcare Services Market

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/105568





US Home Healthcare Services Market Segmentations:

Segmentation By Type Physician Care

Nursing Care

Physical, Occupational & Speech Theraphy

Medical Social Services

Other By Payor sPublic Health Insurance

Private Health Insurance/ Out of Pocket





Report Coverage

The US home healthcare services research report on home healthcare services in the US provides a thorough examination of the market. It focuses on critical aspects such as industry trends, leading companies, market dynamics, service type, and payor groups. It also provides market insights and highlights key industry developments. Aside from the factors mentioned above, the report includes a number of other factors that have contributed to the market's growth in recent years.

Competitive Landscape

Market Growth is Dependent on Innovation and Effective Distribution Channels

The US Home Healthcare Services Market share is highly fragmented, with some players leading the market with a small percentage share. In 2021, Kindred Healthcare, LHC Group, Amedisys Inc., and Encompass Home Health & Hospice held the largest market share. LHC Group Inc. is a market leader due to the company's increasing number of partnerships with the U.S.-based healthcare network for post-acute services.

List of Key Market Players:

Amedisys, Inc. (U.S.)

LHC Group Inc. (U.S.)

Encompass Home Health & Hospice (U.S.)

Brookdale Senior Living Solutions (U.S.)

Trinity Health at Home (U.S.)

Kindred Healthcare, LLC (Kindred at Home) (U.S.)

AccentCare (U.S.)

BAYADA Home Health Care (U.S.)

Table of Content

Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities Market Trends

Key Insights General Reimbursement & Regulatory Overview Recent Industry Developments Mergers, Acquisitions & Partnerships Ageing Population Statistics Prevalence of Chronic Diseases Number of Home Health Agencies Impact of COVID 19 on the Market

US Home Healthcare Services Market (in value) Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2018-2029

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OTTAWA, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, will be available to talk about next weeks Council of the Federation meetings, which will be focused on health care.



Extreme staffing shortages and years of chronic underfunding are placing an unbearable strain on health workers and putting our public health care system at risk, said Bruske. Canadas unions will be in Victoria to bring a clear message to the premiers from workers: we need urgent action to strengthen health delivery, improve access and make sure Canadas public health care system is there to care for Canadians, for generations to come.

Bruske said that repairing the public health care system will take the combined efforts by all levels of government and warned that Canadas unions will strongly oppose any attempts to further privatize Canadian health care.

We agree with the premiers that fixing health care requires substantial additional investments from the federal government. But new funding must include accountability for improving the delivery of health care, continued Bruske. Creeping privatization undermines access to quality care and must be stopped in its tracks.

Bruske added that Canadas unions are looking to the premiers to agree on urgent action to fix health care worker shortages; improve access to care; implement pharmacare; establish a standard of care and get profits out of long-term care; invest in mental health care; and ensure affordable dental care is there for everyone.

What: CLC President available to talk about the Council of the Federation Where: In person or virtual, by arrangement When: In advance of the meetings, July 7-10; or, from Victoria July 11-12. Who: Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress



To arrange an interview, please contact:

CLC Media Relations

media@clcctc.ca

613-355-1962
Dallas, Texas, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alternet Systems, Inc (OTC Pink: ALYI) today announced new developments in the companys electric motorcycle business that could improve ALYIs posture in the previously announced merger discussions and expand ALYIs options separate from the merger discussions.

ALYI is developing plans to adapt the companys strategy to continue on course toward achieving its Electric Vehicle (EV) ecosystem vision within the conditions presented by the prevailing market.

The initiative to adapt the companys strategy was first address in a letter to shareholders from CEO Randell Torno on May 17 th .

The company recently learned its electric motorcycle taxi strategy may be eligible to benefit from a foreign government grant. The grant could make the electric motorcycle business more valuable and open new business development options.

ALYI is in discussions with a third party exploring a merger of ALYIs electric motorcycle assets. An NDA has been executed and due diligence is underway.

The company will continue to provide updates as developments proceed.

To learn more about ALYI, visit www.alternetsystemsinc.com .

Disclaimer/Safe Harbor: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act. The statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Among others, these risks include the expectation that any of the companies mentioned herein will achieve significant sales, the failure to meet schedule or performance requirements of the companies' contracts, the companies' liquidity position, the companies' ability to obtain new contracts, the emergence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive pricing. In the light of these uncertainties, the forward-looking events referred to in this release might not occur.
China ready to usher in new "golden age" with Philippines: Chinese FM

Xinhua) 11:32, July 07, 2022

Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Philippine National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos in Manila, the Philippines, on July 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Kai)

MANILA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Wednesday that China is willing to deepen pragmatic cooperation with the Philippines to usher in a new "golden age" in bilateral ties.

When meeting with Philippine National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos, Wang said that with joint efforts from the two sides, the China-Phillipines relations have witnessed positive turnaround, improvement and upgrading over the past six years.

The election of Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos as the new Philippine president has turned over a new leaf in the China-Philippines ties as the people of the two countries have a high expectation on the future development of bilateral relations, he noted.

Wang said his visit highlighted China's emphasis on relations with the Philippines and support for the new Philippine government, and it also demonstrated the continuity and stability of Beijing's friendly policy toward Manila.

For her part, Carlos said the two countries have shared people-to-people affinity and close cultural links. The Philippines fully agreed with China on its initiative of building and sharing a brighter future of peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Philippine side is ready to expand exchanges and cooperation with China, and properly handle differences so as to boost mutual trust, enhance confidence and strengthen friendship between the two countries.

Wang said China will never follow the footsteps of traditional powers that engaged in colonial plunder. China will adhere to its peaceful development and mutually beneficial cooperation, while sharing development opportunities with its neighboring countries, jointly building a community with a shared future for humanity and taking good care of the global village.

He stressed that China and the Philippines are neighbors that have no other choice than to stay true to their friendship. Sound, sustained and stable China-Philippines relations serve the fundamental and long-term interests of the two countries and their people.

The two sides should carry on their traditional friendship, make the China-Philippines relationship more solid and stronger, and keep its development on the right track, Wang said.

The two sides agreed to strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges to consolidate the public and social foundation for bilateral friendship.

Both sides also agreed to safeguard the overall interests of the China-Philippines friendship, avoid defining bilateral ties by disputes, and not let specific differences hinder bilateral cooperation.

Wang is on an Asia tour, which takes him to Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. He co-chaired the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Monday in Myanmar.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
NEW YORK, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- InsurTech Fund, a venture capital fund associated with InsurTech NY, announced that it will be accepting applications for its first Digital MGA Lab.



Applications will be accepted from July 7th through July 27th. The application is available through the InsurTech Fund website . The program is designed for digital brokers, analytics startups, and European MGAs seeking to become MGAs in North America. Companies will be accepted at any funding stage from Series Seed to Pre-IPO.

Digital MGAs and startup carriers have been the most successful class of InsurTechs in terms of revenue growth and ability to attract funding, said David Gritz, InsurTech NY Managing Director. Some early missteps with loss ratios have placed a long shadow on MGAs; however, we believe that the next generation of digital MGAs will outperform the current crop. We created this program to help digital MGAs get established properly from the beginning.

The MGA Lab is a three-month program focused on the unique needs of MGAs  actuarial modeling, insurance capacity, and retail distribution. Startups in the program will gain access to the most InsurTech active program administrators, fronting carriers, and reinsurers looking to provide insurance capacity across all major lines of property and casualty insurance. Founders will also gain access to world-class mentors who have built or supported the insurance stack for companies like Hippo, Foresight, and Cowbell Cyber.

Everspan is pleased to support the MGA Lab, said Steve Dresner, Chief Underwriting Officer and Chief Reinsurance Officer for participatory fronting carrier Everspan Group. Everspan has capacity available across various property and casualty lines of business and regularly partners with InsurTech MGAs. We view the MGA Lab as an opportunity to educate startups about the fronting market and evaluate prospective program partners.

The program will feature more than 20 capacity providers ranging from startup capacity providers like Accelerant to the largest global reinsurers like Munich Re. The program will feature three intensive days in New York City - Model Day on Sep. 26, Capacity Day on Oct. 13, and Distribution Day on Nov. 14. Startups can apply at Insurtechfund.com/mga-lab .

InsurTech Fund will be supporting the MGA Lab in parallel with the InsurTech NY accelerator and MGA Lab participants will be eligible to present at the InsurTech NY demo day where more than 30 dedicated InsurTech investors attend. Startups are eligible to participate in both programs.

About The InsurTech Fund

The InsurTech Fund is a New York City based venture capital firm run by a team of seasoned entrepreneurs, investors, and industry professionals committed to investing and supporting outstanding innovators in the insurance sector. Being a proactive supporter of diverse and inclusive teams, the fund enables positive change and brings superior returns to its investors. Read more at insurtechfund.com or follow us on Linkedin at linkedin.com/company/insurtechfund .

About InsurTech NY

InsurTech NY is an international gateway to bring together the insurance innovation community. It brings together carriers, brokers, investors, and InsurTech startups via educational and networking events, a competition, and an accelerator. InsurTech NYs mission is to accelerate corporate innovation, drive talent to insurance, make regulation innovation-friendly, and improve access to investment. See more at www.insurtechny.com or follow us on LinkedIn ( linkedin.com/company/insurtechny ).

Contact: David Gritz

press@insurtechny.com

212-634-9516

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/74032c81-831b-4a4c-87b1-435fdbfe3c10
Dallas, TX, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Puration, Inc. (OTC Pink: PURA) today announced entering into an agreement designed to improve the companys resources to sustain through the prevailing market conditions. The agreement is a result of the strategic discussions announced on May 26 th . .

PURA is building its Farmersville Hemp Brand to advance and profit from the potential of industrial hemp. PURA has a multifold strategy that includes generating revenue from consulting on the implementation of hemp strategies into conventional product and service offerings, the sale of hemp products and services under the Farmersville Hemp Co-Op, and through investing in industrial hemp solutions.

PURA has identified its 70-acre property in Texas as a resource that can be leveraged to provide the company with improved potential to sustain itself through the prevailing market conditions. The agreement announced today is anticipated to result in PURA receiving a cash infusion within the next 90 days that will improve the companys posture for sustaining through the current market downturn.

The company intends to provide regular updates as it continues to adapt its strategy to address the current market and economy.

For more information on Puration, visit http://www.purationinc.com

Disclaimer:

This News Release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from any these statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any those forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by the federal securities laws, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date of this news release. None of such forward-looking statements should be regarded as a representation by us or any other person that the objectives and plans set forth in this News Release will be achieved or be executed.

For More Information Contact:
CHANTILLY, Va., July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UltiSat, a global provider of critical communications solutions, announced that it has partnered with UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, to provide satellite communications services in support of the humanitarian relief mission in the Tongogora refugee camp in Zimbabwe.



In March 2019, tropical cyclone Idai hit the southern hemisphere, including Zimbabwe. Heavy rains and strong winds caused flash flooding, and over 6,000 camp occupants were severely impacted, and continued to be impacted today. The Tongogara refugee camp is located in a remote part of Zimbabwe with a very limited communications infrastructure. As a result, the satellite communications system - VSAT - is the only reliable form of communication. As of May 2022, the refugee camp was hosting 15,151 persons of concern, a population displaced in the Great Lakes region of Africa.

To support UNHCR and its partners in the delivery of humanitarian assistance, reliable and scalable communications solutions is needed.

Access to communications is crucial for us to effectively coordinate with partners and deliver for the people we serve, said Amadou Sabi, Head of the UNHCRs Field Office in Tongogara. Partnership with UltiSat gives us access to the adaptable satellite services where they are most needed.

UltiSat has a long history of providing tailored satellite and wireless communications solutions that are critical to the remote operations of humanitarian aid missions. In June 2021, UltiSat announced its partnership with UNHCR in Central Africa. In December of 2021, UltiSat was named the recipient of the Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) seventh annual Better Satellite World Award. The award was bestowed for the companys collaboration with UNHCR to provide satellite communication services in support of emergency humanitarian relief operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The UNHCR and UltiSat teams work in close collaboration, especially during emergencies, said Brum Cerzosimo, Sr. Director of Humanitarian Programs at UltiSat. As the situation evolved in Zimbabwe, we knew it was time to mobilize. Close integration and daily communications between our teams made it easy to deploy the required communications in support of the UNHCRs work in the region. We are proud that our telecommunication services can play an important role in support of the humanitarian relief efforts carried out by UNHCR.

About UltiSat

UltiSat is a global provider of end-to-end communications solutions for managed networks, airborne intelligence and surveillance, specialized global wireless, and advanced engineering and technical services. UltiSat is a wholly owned subsidiary and operating company of Speedcast. For more information visit www.ultisat.com.

About UNHCR

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.

For more information, visit www.unhcr.org.

For more information contact: lori.hawk@ultisat.com
MINNEAPOLIS, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gamer Packaging, Inc. is proud to be named a 2022 Top Workplace in Minnesota by the Star Tribune. Top Workplaces recognizes the most progressive companies in Minnesota based on employee opinions measuring engagement, organizational health and satisfaction. Each year, the Star Tribune engages Minnesota workplaces, including public, private and nonprofit organizations, to evaluate workplaces' cultures and the employee experience.

Results and rankings are based on survey information hosted and collected by Energage, an independent company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into business intelligence. This year, over 4,000 Minnesota organizations' survey results were analyzed and more than 79,000 employees shared their views. To qualify for recognition, companies must meet or exceed set response rates regarding company values, operations, management and performance.

"It is an honor to be identified as a Top Workplace, and we are proud of our employees, whose efforts are the reason we've earned this recognition," said Paula Gamer, President and CEO of Gamer Packaging. "Commitment to our values is an integral part of how we treat our employees and customers, support our communities and continue to grow."

Gamer Packaging prides itself on its employees and strives to foster an encouraging, collaborative environment where everyone feels appreciated and empowered. The company is devoted to building an exceptional culture through integrity, excellence, service, teamwork, leadership and loyalty.

Star Tribune Publisher Michael J. Klingensmith said, "The companies in the Star Tribune Top Workplaces deserve high praise for creating the very best work environments in the state of Minnesota. My congratulations to each of these exceptional companies."

About Gamer Packaging

Gamer Packaging, Inc. is a Minneapolis-based, family-owned and -operated supplier of custom packaging solutions. Founded in 1987, Gamer Packaging is steadfast in its mission to be the best in the packaging industry at exceeding both supplier and customer expectations. Services range from initial packaging design and sourcing to delivery at manufacturing and co-packing facilities. Gamer Packaging is proud to extend its reach with numerous satellite offices across the nation. For more information on Gamer Packaging, visit: https://www.gamerpackaging.com/.

sswansen@gamerpackaging.com | 612.788.4444

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Mississauga,ON., July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Continental is proud to announce its latest partnership with Tree Canada in the united front to advance efforts in a cleaner and more sustainable future. Through Tree Canadas Partners in Planting program, Continental Tire intends to invest in a program with Tree Canada and support the tree planting initiative by hosting a planting event.

Since 1871, Continental has been developing pioneering technologies and proprietary services that facilitate sustainable and connected mobility of people and goods. Thriving to be the most progressive tire company, environmental and social responsibility is at the top of Continental's goals. Tree Canada is the only national non-profit organization dedicated to planting and nurturing trees in rural and urban environments in every province across Canada. They plant the right trees in the right places and provide them with the best opportunity to take root and thrive. With their partners and sponsors, Tree Canada has planted more than 84 million trees.

"It is an honour and privilege to partner with Tree Canada," said Okan Sen, Continental Tire Canada's National Marketing Manager. "Through this initiative, we will be investing with Tree Canada in the future of our green spaces in our communities. Sustainability within the manufacturing plants, R&D studies such as ContiRe.Tex technology using polyester yarn obtained from used PET bottles, logistics, and extending tire life cycles to reduce waste are among our many global initiatives supporting the environment at Continental. Still, this one will be our local contribution to support the fight against climate change and our local way of giving back to nature, wildlife, and our communities". Explained Sen.

Tree Canadas mission is to inspire, educate and enable Canadians to plant and nurture trees to improve lives and address climate change says Nicole Hurtubise, CEO, Tree Canada. We are thrilled that Continental Tire Canada shares the same goals, and we are grateful for their support to help us grow better places to live.

The tree planting event will take place in the Fall of 2022 with the participation of Continental Tire Canada employees.

Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent, and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. In 2021, Continental generated sales of 33.8 billion and currently employs more than 190,000 people in 58 countries and markets. On October 8, 2021, the company celebrated its 150th anniversary.

The Tires group sector has 24 production and development locations worldwide. Continental is one of the leading tire manufacturers with more than 57,000 employees and posted sales of 11.8 billion in 2021 in this group sector. Continental ranks among the technology leaders in tire production and offers a broad product range for passenger cars, commercial and special-purpose vehicles as well as two-wheelers. Through continuous investment in research and development, Continental makes a major contribution to safe, cost effective and ecologically efficient mobility. The portfolio of the tire business includes services for the tire trade and fleet applications, as well as digital management systems for tires.
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla., July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The city of Jacksonville Beach and DeSoto County, located in Florida, are currently offering seven real estate properties for sale on GovDeals. The six properties from Jacksonville Beach are currently at auction until July 25th, and the DeSoto County property will be at auction until July 29th.



The property from DeSoto County, 11386 SE Herbert Ave, is zoned A-5 agricultural and contains 22.5 acres of undeveloped land. This rural land parcel is located in Arcadia, FL and surrounded by vast pastureland on all sides.

The properties from Jacksonville Beach are zoned residential and are located within walking distance of each other within the same residential neighborhood in Jacksonville Beach. Five of the available properties are located on Sunshine Court and make up an entire block in the subdivision. The other lot, located on Horn Court, is less than two blocks away from the other available properties. Specific details on each auction can be found by visiting the auction pages.

After accumulating several successful real estate sales around Florida, these two sellers, like numerous others, are starting to see the true value of selling their surplus real estate properties on the GovDeals platform, says Rose O'Boyle, Florida account manager for GovDeals.

Jacksonville Beach and DeSoto County are both requiring potential buyers to pay a refundable $5,000 bid deposit prior to placing a bid on any of the auctions. The deposit will go towards the final price of the auction for the winning buyer and will be refunded for all others.

By choosing to sell their surplus real estate on GovDeals, the leading online auction platform for government agencies and educational institutions, agencies can offer their real estate and real property to more than 4.7 million qualified buyers worldwide.

Interested parties are encouraged to schedule an appointment to view each of the properties prior to placing a bid. To participate in any of these auctions, potential buyers must first create an account and complete the free registration form. New bidder registration can be completed at GovDeals.com/Register.

About GovDeals

GovDeals is the worlds leading marketplace for surplus government and educational assets, ranging from heavy equipment and transportation assets to industrial machinery and real estate. GovDeals specializes in surplus disposition technology, partnering with government agencies and related entities to sell "as is, where is" surplus equipment and materials in a transparent fashion. Sellers can directly launch and manage their listings in just days with more control and lower fees than traditional auction solutions. GovDeals is powered by one of the most experienced and trusted companies in the surplus industry: Liquidity Services (NASDAQ: LQDT), which has supported millions of customers across the globe. GovDeals buyers have direct access to all the surplus assets across Liquidity Services network of marketplaces in one centralized location.
Cambridge, MA, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Peer To Peer Network aka MobiCard (OTC Pink: PTOP) announces today that it has re-domiciled to Wyoming from Nevada, obtained a certificate of good standing by paying the annual fee for the WY Secretary of State, paid the annual fee for OTC Markets to remain current in financial filing obligations. PTOP also gives a recap on the attendance of the Small Business Expo held in New York city on June 24th.

Because Nevada charges an annual fee based on the number of shares a company has authorized in their treasury, the more shares the company has authorized, the more expensive the annual fee. For PTOP the Nevada fee was to be over $11,000. In an effort to use shareholder funds more efficiently, CEO Joshua Sodaitis devised a plan to re-domicile Peer To Peer Network to Wyoming. Wyoming has a flat fee of $60 per year, plus around a $140 filing fee for the 1st year, and the cost of a registered agent in their state.

Never again will we pay over $11,000 for an annual secretary of state fee. I feel really good about this move. States that encourage business is where we want to be, stated Chairman & CEO Sodaitis.

The new corporate address can be found on our updated profile page on the otcmarkets.com website, under PTOP profile tab.

The OTC Markets charge an annual fee for companies to file their financial disclosure documents. If you do not pay the annual fee the company is delisted. PTOP has paid the annual fee to the OTC Markets and is committed to remaining compliant in our financial filings.

PTOP also is proud to announce that CEO Josh Sodaitis attended the June 24th Small Business Expo in New York City. The opportunity and more about the event can be seen here: Small Business Expo: B2B Trade Shows & Networking Events for Entrepreneurs (thesmallbusinessexpo.com)

Small Business Expo is America's Largest Business to Business Trade Show, Conference, Educational & Networking Event for Small Business Owners, Micro-Cap Companies, Entrepreneurs & Start-Ups.

Hosted in major US cities across the country, passionate business owners attend the Small Business Expo to learn from industry experts, meet with best-in-class vendors and suppliers to help them grow their business and network to build important new business relationships.

The New York small business expo is the most anticipated event of the year to take strategic action to immediately improve and grow your business. PTOP is getting ready to go into an acquisition/growth phase, so the Small Business Expo was a must-attend event.

PTOP believes this means serious ROI based on the cost benefit analysis.

One of the Seminars presented by industry experts was none other than Barbra Corcoran of ABCs Shark Tank. At the seminar she did handout a special phone number for attendees to call that could be of great significance to PTOP once we have the MOBICARD 2.0 apps ready.

Another Seminar was given by Sly Phifer a VP of advertising for Disney and the Hulu Ad Manager. This was of great relevance to PTOP. Getting PTOPs advertising strategy to market MOBICARD 2.0 on as many platforms as possible is going to be crucial during the GROWTH acquisition phase, which PTOP anticipates will begin in the next 60-90 days.

I spoke with Sly for a while when we were waiting in line for the happy hour to open, and it was a great conversation. Not only will I be able to contact him, but he has ad spots that start at as little as $500. I specifically asked whats a dollar amount that will get at least 100,000 views and he said its only a few thousand I am excited to advertise MOBICARD 2.0 on Hulu in the future and I look forward to talking with him again in the future, proclaimed CEO Mr. Sodaitis.

The Expo also held multiple Business-Critical Workshops to drive immediate action & business growth that Mr. Sodaitis attended. The list of workshops PTOPs CEO attended includes How to Create a Years Content Strategy in 1 Day, 5 Steps to Killer Digital Media Campaigns, How to Create a Marketing Campaign Within Any Budget, Goals & Customer Journey, Barbra Corcoran, Hulu Ad Management, SEO Tips, and more

The Expo also had Speed-Networking Sessions that created new opportunities, for PTOP. Meeting influential people, and various financial organizations from New York, which is the financial hub for the world, was a great opportunity. I met multiple private equity firm owners, broker-dealers, venture capital firms, and investment firms at the event. I had the pleasure of meet Richard Provler from RP Financial at the event and we have already begin texting with one another. I will be speaking to him on June 7th about potentially doing a follow-on investment round into PTOP, or becoming a placement agent if we get a Reg A filed for PTOP. I was also contacted by a firm who is undergoing approval from FINRA to do a Follow on Best Efforts Offering for PTOP in the amount of $10 million dollars. I have been provided the due diligence paperwork and plan to turn it in on July 7th as well. I spoke to quite a few firms that were interested in putting capital into PTOP. My plan is to get the stock reflecting a much higher value and then set an offering price on our shares that I think reflects the value we should obtain before the end of the year. A Reg A filing could also be in our near future, announced Chairman & CEO Joshua Sodaitis.

PTOP also connected with Industry-Leading Vendors in the exhibitor hall to get the best deals & discounts for various products & services. One such service is a fairly cheap marketing ploy with a local company with the above pictured backpack.

How many people do you think we could have sign up for MOBICARD 2.0 if for 1 day we had 10 people with a backpack like the one pictured above that says Ask me about the Limited Time Free MOBICARD I can give you 1 TODAY, walking around Time Square, Pen Station and other high traffic areas of New York City? How many people you think we can get to sign up for MOBICARD 2.0 if we had 10 people walking around Time Square, Pen Station for a full week? I met the CEO and I have a call set up with him for 10am on July 7th. I plan to offer him a press announcement that will feature his company in one of our press releases, allowing him to have a half a page with a paragraph about his business with his contact information, an explanation of his territory & capabilities, and a link to his website, if he gives us 1 or 2 day(s) free of this exact type of advertising. So that press might be coming really soon, declared PTOPs CEO.

The Small Business Expo was a fun, high-energy and collaborative environment that will pay off for PTOP shareholders for a long time to come. There are immediate connections, mid-time connections, and long-term outcomes that we believe will come to fruition because PTOPs CEO attended this event. Every small business that attended this event was a potential user of our product. PTOP had a featured add on the official page, and a sponsorship spot advertising our company before and during the event. Thousands of attendees potentially are users-to-be of MOBICARD 2.0. As an elite attendee PTOPs CEO was given the lead scanner app which allowed the CEO to capture the contact details of everyone he spoke to. I just cant wait to contact these same people and say I have a better app than the lead scanner app, and I want to offer it to you and your company, asserted Mr. Sodaitis.

PTOP hopes that everyone had a GREAT July 4th Independence Day. One last announcement: CEO Joshua Sodaitiss wife is pregnant with their first child, lil Jonathan James Sodaitis is expected to be due in the window between July 7th ---through---July 14th. I will be out of the office for the 48-hour window when my wife is giving birth, but I will be right back to work making sure PTOP can capitalize on the traction we are gaining. 2022 will be our best year yet in my opinion. Once I am set lose to market our top of the line MOBICARD 2.0 product, I predict our growth will explode, and so should our stock price, concluded Mr. Sodaitis.

Contact Info:

Joshua Sodaitis, Chairman & CEO MobiCard, Inc.

45 Prospect Street Cambridge, MA 02139

Phone: 1-617-651-2460

Email: info@freemobicard.com

App Website: www.freemobicard.com

Investor website: www.ptopnetwork.com

ABOUT:

Peer to Peer Network aka MobiCard is the first of its kind digital contact/business card. It will greatly facilitate the ability of individuals and businesses to share information and more effectively expand their visibility and brand awareness. MobiCard is a combination of powerful mobile apps and desktop apps with wide-ranging capabilities, including linking videos, user websites, all forms of contact information, and all of each user's social media links into one consolidated source. It is more than just a digital business card; it's a "dynamic digital footprint." A subscriber can custom create their business card to include a company logo, profile photo, contact details, website, audio messaging, social media links, and multi-media content. The platform sharing and alert system enable users to share their card via text/SMS, e-mail, and global social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. The system provides the user with instant text alerts when their card is opened or shared to third-party referrals all while building an invaluable database of contact leads.

Safe Harbor Statement:

This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company invokes the protections of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategies, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, as well as statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include those set forth in our filings at www.sec.gov . The company is no longer a fully reporting SEC filing company. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Attachments
Volta Finance Limited (VTA/VTAS)

Dividend Declaration

NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION,

IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES

Guernsey, 7 July 2022

Volta Finance Limited ("the Company") hereby announces a second interim dividend for the financial year commencing 1 August 2021.

The Company announces that it has declared a quarterly interim dividend of 0.13 per share payable on 28 July 2022 amounting to approximately 4.75 million, equating approximately to an annualised 8% of net asset value. The ex-dividend date is 14 July 2022 with a record date of 15 July 2022.

The Company has arranged for its shareholders to be able to elect to receive their dividends in either Euros or Pounds Sterling. Shareholders will, by default, receive their dividends in Euros, unless they have instructed the Companys Registrar, Computershare Investor Services (Guernsey) Limited (Computershare), to pay dividends in Pounds Sterling. Such instructions may be given to Computershare either electronically via CREST or by using the Currency Election Form which has been posted to shareholders and a copy of which is also available on the website www.voltafinance.com within the Investors  Other Documents section. The deadline for receipt of currency elections is 12:00 (midday) on 18 July 2022.

CONTACTS

For the Investment Manager

AXA Investment Managers Paris

Serge Demay

serge.demay@axa-im.com



+33 (0) 1 44 45 84 47

Company Secretary and Administrator

BNP Paribas Securities Services S.C.A, Guernsey Branch

guernsey.bp2s.volta.cosec@bnpparibas.com

+44 (0) 1481 750 853

Corporate Broker

Cenkos Securities plc

Andrew Worne

Daniel Balabanoff

+44 (0) 20 7397 8900

*****

ABOUT VOLTA FINANCE LIMITED

Volta Finance Limited is incorporated in Guernsey under The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (as amended) and listed on Euronext Amsterdam and the London Stock Exchange's Main Market for listed securities. Voltas home member state for the purposes of the EU Transparency Directive is the Netherlands. As such, Volta is subject to regulation and supervision by the AFM, being the regulator for financial markets in the Netherlands.

Voltas investment objectives are to preserve capital across the credit cycle and to provide a stable stream of income to its shareholders through dividends. Volta seeks to attain its investment objectives predominantly through diversified investments in structured finance assets. The assets that the Company may invest in either directly or indirectly include, but are not limited to: corporate credits; sovereign and quasi-sovereign debt; residential mortgage loans; and, automobile loans. The Companys approach to investment is through vehicles and arrangements that essentially provide leveraged exposure to portfolios of such underlying assets. The Company has appointed AXA Investment Managers Paris an investment management company with a division specialised in structured credit, for the investment management of all its assets.

*****

ABOUT AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS

AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) is a multi-expert asset management company within the AXA Group, a global leader in financial protection and wealth management. AXA IM is one of the largest European-based asset managers with 2,460 professionals and 887 billion in assets under management as of the end of December 2021.

*****

This press release is published by AXA Investment Managers Paris (AXA IM), in its capacity as alternative investment fund manager (within the meaning of Directive 2011/61/EU, the AIFM Directive) of Volta Finance Limited (the "Volta Finance") whose portfolio is managed by AXA IM.

This press release is for information only and does not constitute an invitation or inducement to acquire shares in Volta Finance. Its circulation may be prohibited in certain jurisdictions and no recipient may circulate copies of this document in breach of such limitations or restrictions. This document is not an offer for sale of the securities referred to herein in the United States or to persons who are U.S. persons for purposes of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), or otherwise in circumstances where such offer would be restricted by applicable law. Such securities may not be sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration from the Securities Act. Volta Finance does not intend to register any portion of the offer of such securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of such securities in the United States.

*****

This communication is only being distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the Order) or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as relevant persons). The securities referred to herein are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. Past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance.

*****

This press release contains statements that are, or may deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms "believes", "anticipated", "expects", "intends", "is/are expected", "may", "will" or "should". They include the statements regarding the level of the dividend, the current market context and its impact on the long-term return of Volta Finance's investments. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Volta Finance's actual results, portfolio composition and performance may differ materially from the impression created by the forward-looking statements. AXA IM does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements.

Any target information is based on certain assumptions as to future events which may not prove to be realised. Due to the uncertainty surrounding these future events, the targets are not intended to be and should not be regarded as profits or earnings or any other type of forecasts. There can be no assurance that any of these targets will be achieved. In addition, no assurance can be given that the investment objective will be achieved.

The figures provided that relate to past months or years and past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance or construed as a reliable indicator as to future performance. Throughout this review, the citation of specific trades or strategies is intended to illustrate some of the investment methodologies and philosophies of Volta Finance, as implemented by AXA IM. The historical success or AXA IMs belief in the future success, of any of these trades or strategies is not indicative of, and has no bearing on, future results.

The valuation of financial assets can vary significantly from the prices that the AXA IM could obtain if it sought to liquidate the positions on behalf of the Volta Finance due to market conditions and general economic environment. Such valuations do not constitute a fairness or similar opinion and should not be regarded as such.

Editor: AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS PARIS, a company incorporated under the laws of France, having its registered office located at Tour Majunga, 6, Place de la Pyramide - 92800 Puteaux. AXA IMP is authorized by the Autorite des Marches Financiers under registration number GP92008 as an alternative investment fund manager within the meaning of the AIFM Directive.

*****
SAN DIEGO, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shareholder rights law firm Johnson Fistel, LLP ( www.JohnsonFistel.com ) is investigating whether Toronto-Dominion Bank (Company) (NYSE: TD), any of its executive officers, or others violated securities laws by misrepresenting or failing to timely disclose material, adverse information to investors. The investigation focus on investors losses and whether they may be recovered under the federal securities laws.

What if I purchased Toronto-Dominion Bank common stock? If you purchased Toronto-Dominion Bank common stock and suffered significant losses on your investment, join our investigation now:

Click or paste the following web address into your browser to submit your losses:

https://www.johnsonfistel.com/investigations/toronto-dominion-short-report-class-action

https://www.johnsonfistel.com/investigations/toronto-dominion-short-report-class-action Or for more information, contact Jim Baker at jimb@johnsonfistel.com or (619) 814-4471

There is no cost or obligation to you.

What is Johnson Fistel investigating? On June 15, 2022, CNBC reported that Lawmakers led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren asked a key regulator to block Toronto-Dominion Banks $13.4 billion acquisition of a regional U.S. bank because of allegations of customer abuse. In a letter sent Tuesday to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency obtained exclusively by CNBC, Warren cited a May 4 report by Capitol Forum, a Washington-based investigative news outfit, that alleged that TD used tactics similar to those in the Wells Fargo fake accounts scandal.

TD, a Toronto-based bank with 1,100 branches in the U.S., is seeking regulatory approval for the acquisition of Tennessee-based First Horizon.

What if I have relevant nonpublic information? Individuals with nonpublic information regarding the company should consider whether to assist our investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the SEC program, whistleblowers who provide original information may, under certain circumstances, receive rewards totaling up to thirty percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, contact Jim Baker at (619) 814-4471 or jimb@johnsonfistel.com.

About Johnson Fistel, LLP. Johnson Fistel, LLP is a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm with offices in California, New York and Georgia. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in securities class action and derivative lawsuits. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://www.johnsonfistel.com. Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Contact:

Johnson Fistel, LLP

Jim Baker, Lead Securities Analyst

Telephone: (619) 814-4471

Email: jimb@johnsonfistel.com
Portland, OR, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the Indonesia skin care products market generated$9.10 billion in 2018, and is projected reach $18.82 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 7.8% 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 wavering market trends.

Increase in consciousness about appearance, personal well-being, and grooming among people, rise in the exposure with international skin care brands and cosmetics, and surge in the women population are expected to drive the growth of the global Indonesia skin care products market. On the other hand, irritations and inflammations caused by overuse of cosmetic products are expected to hinder the growth to some extent. However,significant upsurge in the adoption of naturally-derived skin care products is expected to create ample opportunities for the growth of the industry.

Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Indonesia Skin Care Products Market: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/7089?reqfor=covid

COVID-19 Scenario

The outbreak of COVID-19 has had a negative impact on the growth of the Indonesia skin care products market, owing to the occurrence of lockdowns in various countries across the globe.

Lockdowns led to the closure of all sorts of salon and spa services around the world, due to the stringent social distancing restrictions imposed by the government to curb the spread of the virus during the pandemic. Thus, the demand for cosmetic and skin care products declined significantly during the pandemic.

However, the market is expected to recoup soon.

The report offers a detailed segmentation on the Indonesia skin care products market based on type, demographic, age group, sales channel and region.

Based on demographics, the female segment held the largest market share in 2018, garnering aroundthree-fifths of the global market. The male segment, on the other hand, is predicted to cite the fastest CAGR of 8.8% during the forecast period.

Download Sample Copy of Report @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/7089

Based on age group, the generation X segment held the majority market share in 2018, holding more than two-fifths of the global market. The millennial segment, on the other hand, is predicted to cite the fastest CAGR of 8.9% during the forecast period.

Based on sales channel, the supermarket/ hypermarket segment held the lions share in 2018, garnering nearly one-third of the global market. The online sales channel segment, on the other hand, is predicted to exhibit the fastest CAGR of 11.1% during the forecast period.

The key players analyzed in the Indonesia skin care products market report include L'Oreal Group, PT Martina BertoTbk, Mandom Brands, Kino Indonesia, Unilever Indonesia, Wardah, Procter & Gamble Company, MustikaRatu, Beiersdorf AG, and Estee Lauder Companies Inc.

Schedule a FREE Consultation Call with Our Analysts/Industry Experts to Find Solution for Your Business @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/7089

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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.
New York, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Steel Wire Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06290011/?utm_source=GNW

Ltd, Fasten Group, Gustav Wolf GmbH, Bharat Wire Ropes Limited., Certex Svenska AB, DaeChang Steel, Kiswire Inc., Mahadev Industries, Mazzella Companies, Shinko Wire Company Ltd., SWR Ltd., Metallia U.S.A. LLC, Republic Steel, King Steel, Cascade Steel Rolling Mills Inc., North American Stainless, Global Steel Wire, Keystone Consolidated Industries Inc., Greenmount Corporation., BRUGG Lifting AG, Tokyo Rope Mfg. Co, and Cortland Limited.



The global steel wire market is expected to grow from $84.9 billion in 2021 to $88.67 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.4%. The steel wire market is expected to grow to $105.82 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 4.5%.



The steel wires market consists of sales of steel products by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that produce steel products such as tubes and pipes from iron and steel, shapes drawn through rolling or drawing of purchased iron or steel, and draw steel wire. Steel wire manufacturing consists of different sizes, diameters, and strengths that are used for the purpose and survival of several types of equipment.



The main types of steel wires are carbon steel and alloy steel.Carbon steel is a special type of steel that has a higher concentration of carbon than other types of steel.



Alloy steel is alloyed with a variety of elements in total amounts between 1.0% and 50% by weight to improve its mechanical properties. Steel wires come in various form such as none rope and rope. These steel wires come in thicknesses of 0.01 to 0.8 mm, 0.8mm to 1.6 mm, 1.6 mm to 4 mm, 4 mm and above. Steel wires are used by end user such as construction, automotive, energy, agriculture, and industrial.



Asia Pacific was the largest region in the steel wire market in 2021.Europe is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.



The regions covered in the steel wire market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.



The steel wire market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides steel wire market statistics, including steel wire industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a steel wire market share, detailed steel wire market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the steel wire industry. This steel wire 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.



Growing demand for high-rise buildings is expected to drive the growth of the steel wires market.The materials used for the structural system of high-rise buildings are reinforced concrete and steel.



Skyscrapers have a steel frame, while residential blocks are usually constructed of concrete. For instance, in 2021, worlds 7.8 billion population live in cities and urban areas, and 2.5 billion more are expected to join them within the next 20-25 years. High-rise buildings, particularly residential ones, have proved to be beneficial in densely-populated cities where vacant plots in cities with over 3 million people. Therefore, growing demand for high-rise buildings leads to the growth of the market.



Product innovations and new product launch are a key trend gaining popularity in the steel wire market.Companies in the market are focusing on introducing new, advanced and efficient steel wires.



For instance, in 2020, India based steel product company, Steel Authority of Indias Iisco Steel Plant Burnpur (SAIL- ISP) introduced a premium segment of wire rod products, as part of its effort to expand market share across various industries and cater to growing needs of its customers. The company developed Cable Armour Quality Wire Rod which provides mechanical protection, allowing the cable can withstand higher stress.



In January 2022, Nippon Steel Corporation, a steel-producing corporations acquired G Steel and G J Steel company for an undisclosed amount.This acquisition is expected for Nippon steel company to expand its business in locally integrated Thailand and capture demand for hot-rolled steel sheets.



G Steel and GJ Steel is a Thailand based steel manufacturer.



The countries covered in the steel wire market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06290011/?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.



__________________________
KARLSRUHE, Germany, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Chaos releases V-Ray 6 for 3ds Max, a major upgrade to its all-in-one photorealistic rendering software. Artists can now use powerful new world-building and workflow tools to quickly distribute 3D objects, generate detailed 3D surfaces and add procedural clouds to create beautiful custom skies, helping them do more without additional plugins. V-Ray 6 for 3ds Max also introduces a cloud collaboration tool to speed up reviews and approvals.

Chaos Scatter enables artists to easily populate their scenes with millions of 3D objects to produce natural-looking landscapes and environments without adjusting objects by hand. Objects can now be distributed, spaced and randomized with a system that is built to conserve memory, even more so when used with V-Ray Proxy objects that only load at render time. To help users get started with Chaos Scatter, there are free 3D models and scatter presets available in the Chaos Cosmos content library.

New procedural clouds, built on technology from Enscape, have been added to the V-Ray Sun and Sky system, so artists can create custom skies. Artists can now easily simulate a variety of cloud types and weather conditions, from partly cloudy to overcast. When these clouds are ray traced with V-Ray, they respond accurately to lights, shadows and volumetric effects, rendering them as realistic as possible. Procedural clouds can also be animated to create dynamic time-lapse skies and streaming streaks of sunlight.

VRayEnmesh is a powerful new tool that tiles patterns of 3D geometry across objects to create complex surfaces at the highest level of detail. Because the surfaces are created with full 3D geometry, it's ideal for making intricate panels, fences and fabrics that can be viewed at close range. VRayEnmesh efficiently generates huge amounts of geometry at render time, without bogging down scene performance.

V-Ray 6 for 3ds Max also incorporates a free Chaos Cloud Collaboration service that shares images from V-Ray to Chaos Cloud. Clients, team members and other stakeholders can now easily review, markup and comment at any time, streamlining the process for everyone involved in the project.



Other new features include:

Upgraded V-Ray Frame Buffer  An improved V-Ray Frame Buffer includes a 360 panorama viewer, a flip composition button, helpful composition guides and the option to share renders via Chaos Cloud.





 An improved V-Ray Frame Buffer includes a 360 panorama viewer, a flip composition button, helpful composition guides and the option to share renders via Chaos Cloud. Improved dome light  A new Finite mode lets users specify the height and radius of a dome light. Dome light ground projections are also improved with full control over blend settings.





 A new Finite mode lets users specify the height and radius of a dome light. Dome light ground projections are also improved with full control over blend settings. More accurate reflective materials  Metals and rough reflective surfaces are rendered more accurately using a new energy compensation method.





 Metals and rough reflective surfaces are rendered more accurately using a new energy compensation method. Thin-film materials  A new thin-film layer in the V-Ray Material helps users create iridescent materials like soap bubbles and oil spills.





 A new thin-film layer in the V-Ray Material helps users create iridescent materials like soap bubbles and oil spills. Improved subsurface scattering  Subsurface scattering now renders faster, and low-polygon translucent objects render smoother.





 Subsurface scattering now renders faster, and low-polygon translucent objects render smoother. Decal displacements  VRayDecal can now project displacement maps onto any surface to add realism to cracks, rocks, embossed details and more.





 VRayDecal can now project displacement maps onto any surface to add realism to cracks, rocks, embossed details and more. Batch loading of multi-sub textures  Multiple textures can now be added to the VRayMultiSubTex map all at once.





 Multiple textures can now be added to the VRayMultiSubTex map all at once. Improved UI  Material and texture interfaces are now faster for a smoother experience.





 Material and texture interfaces are now faster for a smoother experience. V-Ray Proxy hierarchy  Through a new hierarchy view, users can control object visibility and material overrides within a V-Ray Proxy.





 Through a new hierarchy view, users can control object visibility and material overrides within a V-Ray Proxy. V-Ray GPU Improvements  Supports nearly all new V-Ray 6 features and enables faster Light Cache and a new Device Selector to assign processors to tasks.

To see V-Ray 6 for 3ds Max in action, watch the What's New video or register for the upcoming webinar on July 28, 2022.

Pricing and Availability

V-Ray 6 for 3ds Max is available now. Starting with V-Ray 6, V-Ray subscription licenses work for all supported host applications to include 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, Houdini, Maya, Nuke, Revit, Rhino, SketchUp and Unreal. V-Ray 6 is available in three packages:

V-Ray Solo:

Works with all supported host applications

Fixed license for use on one computer (cannot be shared between users)

Includes access to the Chaos Cosmos content library

$466.80 per year. Also available as a monthly or three-year subscription

V-Ray Premium:

Works with all supported host applications

Floating license for use on any computer (can be shared by multiple users)

Includes additional Chaos applications: Phoenix, Player, Scans and Vantage

Includes access to the Chaos Cosmos content library

20 Chaos Cloud credits per year

$694.80 per year. Also available as a monthly or three-year subscription

V-Ray Enterprise:

Includes everything in V-Ray Premium with a discount for purchasing five or more seats

$598.80 per year. Also available as a three-year subscription for a further discount



Customers with perpetual licenses of V-Ray 3 for 3ds Max, V-Ray Next for 3ds Max or V-Ray 5 for 3ds Max can upgrade their perpetual licenses to V-Ray 6 for 3ds Max, or switch to a new subscription package at a discount.



About Chaos

Chaos develops visualization technologies that empower artists and designers to create photorealistic imagery and animation across all creative industries. The firms physically based renderer, V-Ray, has been honored with both an Academy Award and an Engineering Emmy for its role in the widespread adoption of ray-traced rendering in motion pictures and television.

In 2022, Chaos merged with Enscape, a leading provider of real-time rendering and design workflow technology for the AEC industry. Enscape offers innovative solutions that connect directly into modeling software, integrating design and visualization workflows seamlessly into one. Together, the newly combined company is creating an end-to-end ecosystem of 3D visualization tools accessible to everyone.

For more information, visit chaos.com and enscape3d.com.

Attachment
New York, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Cookers & Ovens Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report By Distribution Channel, By Type, By Regional Outlook and Forecast, 2022  2028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06289223/?utm_source=GNW

Its the most prevalent type of range cooker in the market. This is because it isnt attached to a wall or structure, the consumer can relocate it or reorganize the kitchen. Ovens are commonly utilized for cooking because it can heat food to a specific temperature. Ovens are also utilized to make pottery and ceramics, and the ovens are often called kilns. Metallurgical furnaces are utilized to manufacture metals, while glass furnaces are used to manufacture glass.



Various sorts of ovens generate heat in a variety of ways. Some ovens heat items by burning fuel like coal, wood, or natural gas, while others use electricity. Microwave ovens heat materials by introducing it to microwave radiation, whereas resistive heating is used in electric furnaces and electric ovens. Some ovens employ forced convection, or the movement of gases within the heating chamber, to speed up the heating process or, in some situations, to alter the elements of the material being heated, as in the Bessemer steel-making method.



The cooker and oven market is driven by raising awareness of the benefits of renewable energy, rising non-renewable energy prices as well as multiple aids by government assistance and subsidies for the usage of solar energy. The need for solar cookers is also fueled by the development of new technologies that use solar energy, as well as the introduction of cost-effective solutions when compared to traditional energy sources.



COVID-19 Impact



The coronavirus pandemic has had a negative impact on the global economy. Lockdown orders were issued by governments all around the world to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2. This had a huge impact on trade and development, as well as offline distribution channels and the supply chain for cookers and ovens. Although, the market has since recovered and is on the mend, due to ongoing demand for a variety of kitchen appliances, such as cookers and ovens. As an outcome of the coronavirus pandemic, exporters in both advanced and emerging nations have encountered numerous challenges. The issues experienced by exporters of oven items are predicted to endure in the coming years as numerous states and governments around the world attempt to tackle COVID-19 using various means.



Market Growth Factors



Growing disposable income of the consumers is propelling the market



The surge in disposable income has fueled demand for large cooking appliances across a variety of business sectors, including modular homes. Large kitchen equipment is becoming increasingly popular among customers as peoples lives change with their high disposable income. Due to change in lifestyle of people and increasing inclination of consumers towards cooking, there is a growth in demand for kitchen equipment among household end-users. Consumers with more disposable income are investing in the purchase of better kitchen equipment.



Lower time is taken in the cooking process



In current generation, people cannot afford to spend significant time in preparation and cooking the food. Hence, cookers and ovens make the cooking job easier for people by drastically reducing the time without compromising with quality of cooking. People want to continue with home-cooked food but are unable to do it just because of the stringent life routine, along with that, time spent on cooking is a huge concern for working population. The cookers and ovens combine two or more heat sources, such as infrared, microwave, and high impinged hot air, which can reduce cooking time. This is one of the reasons for adopting this cooking appliance with cutting-edge technologies. Additionally, by minimizing the time spent cooking, cookers and ovens allow restaurants to provide food on time.



Market Restraining Factors



Involvement of Higher cost in purchase and maintenance of ovens



Certain kind of cookers and ovens have more advanced functions, it is more expensive than other cooking appliances. It is because of the availability of different alternatives to ovens and cookers with comparable features and low prices. Moreover, cookers and ovens require regular maintenance, which comes at a cost. It is because not all consumers can buy such expensive items, consumers opt for an alternative with similar qualities. Since cookers and ovens are meant to cook food quickly, it may require more power to run, resulting in a high electricity bill.



Distribution Channel Outlook



Based on Distribution Channel, the market is segmented into Offline and Online. The offline segment witnessed the highest revenue share in the cookers and ovens market in 2021. The increased demand for micro-ovens in developing nations will aid in the expansion of the kitchen appliance distribution and reseller network, and eventually boost the cookers and oven market. Local retailers of household appliances offer a diverse range of portable and non-portable cookers and ovens, as well as long-term customer ties. Product makers supportive actions to ensure an efficient sales margin for offline outlets would fuel the growth of the segment.



Type Outlook



Based on Type, the market is segmented into Cooktops & Cooking Ranges, Ovens, and Cookers. The cookers segment garnered a promising revenue share in the cookers and ovens market in 2021. The increased usage of multi-burner stoves, which make cooking easier, would contribute to the segments growth. Moreover, cookers come in a variety of sizes, based on the intended use, the size of the kitchen, and the needs of the customers. In the market, hot air grilling-based cookers are extremely popular within consumers.



Regional Outlook



Based on Regions, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific emerged as the leading region in the cookers and ovens market with the largest revenue share in 2021. Consumer demand for convection microwave ovens in India and China is expanding, as there is a tendency in Japan to adopt motorized rotisseries with food-locking capability in ovens, the increasing need for enameled cavity-based cookers in China, and the growing preference for 4D hot air-based ovens in India.



The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. (Haier Group Corporation), Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group), LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation), Robert Bosch GmbH, Groupe SEB, Wilh. Werhahn KG (ZWILLING J.A. Henckels AG), Koninklijke Philips N.V., Fissler GmbH, and Electrolux AB.



Strategies Deployed in Cookers & Ovens Market



Mar-2022: Samsung Electronics introduced Samsung NQ7000B and NV7000B Oven series cooking appliances, comprising more than a single oven that comes with different features that promote healthy eating. This product launch aimed to bring unique methods to steam and air fry food to promote healthy eating, comprising: Air Frying Food, Steaming Food, and Air Sous Vide.



Jan-2022: GROUPE formed a joint venture with Preciber, a family company in Morocco, under the name, Groupe SEB Maroc. This joint venture aimed to import and distributes exclusively Groupe SEB products in Morocco, along with providing Express brand pressure cookers in modern distribution.



Dec-2021: LG Electronics introduced the latest cooking appliances at CES 2022, the LG InstaView Double Oven Gas Slide-in Range and Over-the-Range Microwave Oven. This product launch aimed to smooth unification with the LG ThinQ, multifunctional cooking with features like air Fry, ProBake Convection, and Air Sous Vide. Over the Range Microwave oven provides features like LGs ProBake Convection technology, LGs notable InstaView technology, ProBake Convection, etc.



Mar-2021: Samsung Electronics released a new Baker Series microwaves, a kitchen appliance range. This product launch aimed to encourage young millennials who aspire to be home chefs and are incorporating healthy eating habits. Baker Series Microwaves include features like steaming, frying, and grilling with pro-level convection features.



Feb-2020: Samsung Electronics unveiled a new Infinite Cooking range. This product launch aimed to enable users to cherish complete cooking control while also gaining from the numerous benefits of being able to cook many dishes in a single oven. The agility of the Infinite Cooking range proves helpful in a broad range of daily situations. Wi-Fi capabilities and a compatible smartphone app provide even greater ease of use, offering remote oven monitoring and control, unmatchable functionality with high-end design, easy maintenance, and higher convenience heating numerous pans at various temperatures. The Infinite Cooking Range includes an oven, available in two colorways, and a Combi-hob, with new Dual Cook Steam technology.



May-2019: Koninklijke Philips introduced Philips HD6975/00, a new oven toaster griller (OTG) category. This product launch aimed to aid the consumer to make various kinds of recipes in a faster, simple, and healthy manner.



Mar-2019: Electrolux introduced a brand new Electrolux kitchen range, built with a Scandinavian design. The new range includes Electrolux 900 CookView oven, Multi-functional 900 SteamPro oven, Electrolux 700 Hob2Hood hood, Electrolux 900 SensePro hob, Electrolux 800 MultiSpace, and 900 ComfortLift dishwashers. This product launch aimed to provide a smooth aesthetic with a focus on detail and ergonomics, creating the products intuitive to understand and use comprising ovens, hobs, freezers, fridges, dishwashers, and hoods.



Scope of the Study



Market Segments covered in the Report:



The market is segmented based on Distribution Channel, Type, and Geography.



By Distribution Channel



 Offline



 Online



By Type



 Cooktops & Cooking Ranges



 Ovens



 Cookers



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



 Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. (Haier Group Corporation)



 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)



 LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)



 Robert Bosch GmbH



 Groupe SEB



 Wilh. Werhahn KG (ZWILLING J.A. Henckels AG)



 Koninklijke Philips N.V.



 Fissler GmbH



 Electrolux AB



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/p06289223/?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.



__________________________
SAN DIEGO, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers of First High-School Education Group Co., Ltd. (NYSE: FHS) American Depositary Shares (ADSs) in or traceable to First High-School Educations March 2021 initial public offering (IPO) have until this upcoming Monday, July 11, 2021 to seek appointment in Dagan Investments LLC v. First High-School Education Group Co., Ltd., No. 22-cv-03831 (S.D.N.Y.). Filed by Robbins Geller, the First High-School Education class action lawsuit charges First High-School Education, certain of its top executives and directors, the IPOs underwriters, and others with violations of the Securities Act of 1933.

If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff, please provide your information here:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-first-high-school-education-group-co-ltd-class-action-fhs.html

You can also contact attorney J.C. Sanchez of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at jsanchez@rgrdlaw.com.

CASE ALLEGATIONS: First High-School Education provides tutoring services and operates private high schools in Western China. In the week immediately prior to the IPO  from March 4, 2021 through March 11, 2021  China held its annual Two Sessions parliamentary meetings, where the two main political bodies of China meet, discuss, and reveal plans for Chinas policies involving the economy, military, trade, diplomacy, education, the environment, and other issues. Unbeknownst to investors until after the IPO, Chinese government leaders in attendance at the Two Sessions meetings had proposed  and ultimately adopted  stringent regulations governing the educational industry with material adverse repercussions for First High-School Educations business, operations, and financial prospects.

Specifically, the First High-School Education class action lawsuit alleges that the IPOs Registration Statement made inaccurate statements of material fact because defendants failed to disclose the following adverse facts that existed at the time of the IPO: (i) that the new rules, regulations, and policies to be implemented by the Chinese government following the Two Sessions parliamentary meetings were far more severe than represented to investors and posed a material adverse threat to First High-School Education and its business; (ii) that contemplated Chinese regulations and rules regarding private education were leading to a slowdown of government approval to open new educational facilities which would have a negative effect on First High-School Educations enrollment and growth; and (iii) that, as a result, the Registration Statements representations regarding First High-School Educations historical financial and operational metrics and purported market opportunities did not accurately reflect the actual business, operations, and financial results and trajectory of First High-School Education at the time of the IPO, and were materially false and misleading and lacked a factual basis.

By May 10, 2022, First High-School Education ADSs closed below $1 per ADS  more than 90% below the price at which First High-School Education ADSs were sold to the investing public a little more than one year previously.

You can view a copy of the complaint by visiting the following link:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-first-high-school-education-group-co-ltd-class-action-fhs.html

THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased First High-School Education ADSs in or traceable to the IPO to seek appointment as lead plaintiff. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class.



ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller is ranked #1 on the 2021 ISS Securities Class Action Services Top 50 Report for recovering nearly $2 billion for investors last year alone  more than triple the amount recovered by any other plaintiffs firm. With 200 lawyers in 9 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs firms in the world, and the Firms attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest securities class action recovery ever  $7.2 billion  in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. Please visit the following page for more information:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/services-litigation-securities-fraud.html

Attorney advertising.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices.

Contact:

Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP

655 W. Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101

J.C. Sanchez, 800-449-4900

jsanchez@rgrdlaw.com




Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States



TORONTO, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PIMCO Canada Corp. (PIMCO Canada) is pleased to announce today that it has declared monthly distributions on its Class A Units (the Units) of the PIMCO Canada closed end funds (the Funds). The distributions will be paid on August 15, 2022 to the holders of record at the close of business on July 29, 2022.

Details of the distribution amounts are as follow:

Fund Name Ticker Cash Distribution

per Unit Change from

Previous

Month Percentage

Change from

Previous Month PIMCO Global Income Opportunities Fund PGI.UN $0.05688 - - PIMCO Tactical Income Fund PTI.UN $0.05580 $0.00372 7.14% PIMCO Tactical Income Opportunities Fund PTO.UN $0.05709 $0.00709 14.18% PIMCO Multi-Sector Income Fund PIX.UN $0.05208 - -

Unitholders are reminded that each Fund offers a distribution reinvestment plan (DRIP) which will provide unitholders with the ability to automatically reinvest their distributions. Eligible unitholders are encouraged to contact the institution through which they hold their Units to confirm enrollment procedures and timelines. A copy of the DRIP is available at www.pimco.ca.

The Manager, PIMCO Canada, retains Pacific Investment Management Company LLC (PIMCO), to provide investment management services to the Funds.

About PIMCO

PIMCO was founded in 1971 in Newport Beach, California and is one of the worlds premier fixed income investment managers. Today we have offices across the globe and 3,000+ professionals united by a single purpose: creating opportunities for investors in every environment. PIMCO is owned by Allianz S.E., a leading global diversified financial services provider.

This is not an offer to sell Units and not a solicitation of an offer to buy Units in any region where the offer or sale is not permitted. Before you invest, you should carefully read the Funds disclosure documents and consider carefully the risks you assume when you invest in the Units. There can be no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objectives or be able to structure its investment portfolio as anticipated. Copies of the Funds disclosure documents may be obtained from your financial advisor.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, those identified by the expressions expect, intend, will and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Funds. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect each Fund, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCOs current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations, including, but not limited to, market factors. Although the Funds, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCO believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. The Funds, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCO undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement or information whether as a result of new information, future events or other factors which affect this information, except as required by law.

You will usually pay brokerage fees to your dealer if you purchase or sell Units on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the TSX). If the Units are purchased or sold on the TSX, investors may pay more than the current net asset value when buying Units and may receive less than the current net asset value when selling them. There are ongoing fees and expenses associated with owning Units. An investment fund must prepare disclosure documents that contain key information about the fund. You can find more detailed information about the Funds in these documents. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

Each Fund is a closed end exchange traded investment fund. Closed end funds, unlike open end funds, are not continuously offered. After the initial public offering, shares of closed end funds are sold on the open market through a stock exchange. For additional information, contact your financial advisor.

For a summary of the risks of an investment in each Fund, please see the Principal Risks of the Fund section of the prospectus. Units of closed end funds frequently trade at a discount to their net asset value, which may increase risk of loss. Distributions are not guaranteed and are subject to change and/or elimination.

PIMCO as a general matter provides services to qualified institutions, financial intermediaries and institutional investors. Individual investors should contact their own financial professional to determine the most appropriate investment options for their financial situation. This material contains the current opinions of the manager and such opinions are subject to change without notice. This material has been distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission. PIMCO is a trademark of Allianz Asset Management of America L.P. in the United States and throughout the world. 2022, PIMCO

The products and services provided by PIMCO Canada Corp. may only be available in certain provinces or territories of Canada and only through dealers authorized for that purpose.

PIMCO Canada has retained PIMCO as sub-adviser. PIMCO Canada will remain responsible for any loss that arises out of the failure of its sub-adviser.

PIMCO Canada Corp. 199 Bay Street, Suite 2050, Commerce Court Station, P.O. Box 363, Toronto, ON, M5L 1G2, 416-368-3350

Contact:

Agnes Crane

PIMCO  Media Relations

Phone: +212 597.1054
New York, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Antibacterial Soap Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report By Application, By Form, By Distribution Channel, By Regional Outlook and Forecast, 2022  2028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06289209/?utm_source=GNW

The most frequent antibacterial ingredients in soap are triclosan and triclocarban. In addition, benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and chloroxylenol are all typical antibacterial chemicals in soaps.



The demand for antibacterial soap is rising due to a number of factors, including increased awareness of the significance of personal hygiene and the health advantages connected with it. Contaminated hands are to blame for the majority of foodborne illnesses. Germs on hands enter the body through the mouth while eating, producing illnesses such as diarrhoea and lowering the immune systems resistance. Hand washing with soap and water can reduce diarrhoea-related fatalities by half. Furthermore, studies reveal that hand washing can avert one million fatalities per year. Additionally, by destroying germs on the body and hands, antibacterial soap can prevent respiratory disorders such as colds and flu. As per the World Bank, daily hand washing with water and soap can significantly cut healthcare costs. Due to this, the antibacterial soap market is likely to develop throughout the forecast period due to increased awareness about hygiene and cleanliness.



The antibacterial soap market is predicted to develop in the future due to manufacturers increased focus on forming strategic alliances with leading retail chains to expand their reach and offer a wider range of customers. Reckitt-Benckiser, for example, announced a relationship with Jumia, one of Africas major e-commerce platforms, in March 2020. This collaboration aims to provide low-cost hygiene products to Africas people.



Covid-19 Impact Analysis



The COVID-19 outbreak had a beneficial impact on market growth. Antibacterial soap demand is increased as a result of panic buying and stockpiling. The government launched public awareness campaigns encouraging people to wash their hands frequently in order to eliminate the virus and restrict its spread. As the fear of becoming ill motivates homes to utilize cleaning products, Covid-19 has pushed some of the countrys major packaged goods producers to bring out new hygiene and germ-protection soaps in a highly competitive area. After the outbreak of the coronavirus illness pandemic, hand washing with soap and disinfectants is inescapable as the main method of preventing infection transmission in communities & healthcare facilities.



Market Growth Factors



Growing Awareness Of Personal And Household Hygiene



Maintaining cleanliness is critical for reducing the onset and spread of diseases brought on by unsanitary behaviours. People can limit the spread of germs by washing infectious microorganisms off hands, utensils, and clothing. According to the World Health Organizations article "Forgetting to Wash Your Hands Can Cost Lives," published in May 2017, over 400,000 babies and 30,000 moms die each year due to diseases caused by poor sanitation and hand washing practices.



Market Growth Fueled By Product Innovation



To entice customers, key players are working on developing unique solutions like fragrance-free deodorants, and clear soap scrubs. Furthermore, players are making attempts to incorporate organic and vegan components, as well as working on creating eco-friendly packaging solutions, in order to move toward sustainable products. For example, Dove, a Unilever brand, declared in October 2019 that by the end of 2020, all of its beauty bar products will be plastic-free. Moreover, businesses are taking steps to reduce their use of plastic by increasing the usage of recycled plastic and substituting plastic packaging with more environmentally friendly materials like paper and metal.



Market Restraining Factors



Triclosan And Health Issues



Today, triclosan can be found in a variety of places. To avoid bacterial contamination, it has been added to a variety of consumer products, including apparel, kitchenware, furniture, and toys. As a result, peoples long-term exposure to triclosan is more than previously assumed, raising worries about the possible hazards of using this substance for the rest of their lives. Furthermore, laboratory investigations have raised the potential that triclosan contributes to the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Antibiotic resistance may have a major impact on the effectiveness of medical therapies.



Forms Outlook



Based on Forms, the Antibacterial Soap Market is divided into Bar, Powder, and Liquid. The Bar segment garnered a significant revenue share in the antibacterial soap market in 2021. The market is growing as a certain section of consumers still prefer to use the bar form of soap, because of factors like ease to use, more comfort, and easy to carry the bar wherever the consumer want, in case consumer is in travelling mode.



Application Outlook



Based on Application, the Antibacterial Soap Market is bifurcated into Hand Wash and Body Wash. The hand wash segment acquired the highest revenue share in the antibacterial soap market in 2021. The growth of the market is aided by increased knowledge of the health benefits of hand washing as well as antibacterial soap market demand for cleaning hands to avoid infections and ailments caused by contaminated hands.



Distribution Channel Outlook



Based on Distribution Channel, the Antibacterial Soap Market is fragmented into supermarkets and Hypermarkets, Pharmacy stores, Online Sales, and other channels. The supermarkets and hypermarket segment acquired the highest revenue share in the antibacterial soap market in 2021. The growth can be attributed to the increased penetration of independent retail behemoths like Walmart and Costco, which are improving product visibility and drawing a bigger consumer base. Furthermore, consumers like to inspect skincare goods in person before purchasing, which is driving sales via these channels.



Regional Outlook



Based on Region, the Antibacterial Soap Market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. North America emerged as the leading region in the antibacterial soap market with the largest revenue share in 2021, and is expected to continue the trend over the forecast period. It is due to a number of factors, including population growth, increased health awareness, urbanization, and increased penetration of liquid antibacterial soaps, increased disposable income, improved living standards, and an increase in the prevalence of infectious diseases.



The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC, 3M Company, Unilever PLC, Godrej Group (Godrej Consumer Products Limited), Henkel AG & Company, KGaA, Johnson & Johnson (Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc.), The Procter and Gamble Company, Amway Corporation, and Vi-Jon, Inc.



Strategies Deployed in Antibacterial Soap Market



2021-Aug: GOJO Industries-Europe unveils breakthrough innovation in hand wash with its brand-new healthy soap plus revolutionary dispensing system. PURELL HEALTHY SOAP sets a new standard for soap performance, enabling users to achieve their deepest clean ever, thanks to its CLEAN RELEASE Technology (CRT). This breakthrough technology allows the product to reach into areas of the skin which are hard to reach. More than 99% of dirt and germs is removed from hands, and up to 3.4 times fewer germs are left on the skin, compared to standard soaps.



2021-Mar: Dettol partners with CleanedUp to support small businesses in the UK. The new partnership will offer businesses access to hygiene products, free hand sanitiser or wipe dispensers and enhanced cleaning training materials.



2021-Feb: Dial, a brand of Henkel, to introduce the launch of Clean + Gentle, the same clean you can count on, now in gentle, hypoallergenic formulas. The line will include body washes and antibacterial foaming hand washes that are not only hypoallergenic, but also dermatologist-tested and made without dyes, parabens, phthalates, and silicones.



2021-Jan: Unilever and Innova Partnerships, a boutique consultancy that supports the growth and commercial development of health care companies, have launched a joint venture biotechnology company, Penrhos Bio, to commercialise a technology that means self-cleaning surfaces could become a reality. Penhros Bio could help to tackle some of the biggest societal and environmental challenges of the 21st century.



2020-Feb: P&G announced the launch of Microban 24, a new brand of antibacterial home sanitizing products that keeps surfaces protected against bacteria for 24 hours when used as directed. Not only does Microban 24 kill 99.9% of bacteria on contact, but it also keeps working throughout the day. Microban 24 provides a protective shield that keeps killing bacteria for a full 24 hours, even when the surface is touched or contacted multiple times.



2018-Apr: Amway announced a new strategic partnership for research and development with a global leader in microbiome testing, Microbiome Insights, Inc.. For Amway, microbiome research and scientific discovery will aid in the development of future high-performing nutrition, beauty and even home products.



Scope of the Study



Market Segments covered in the Report:



By Application



 Hand wash



 Body wash



By Form



 Liquid



 Powder



 Bar



By Distribution Channel



 Supermarket & Hypermarket



 Pharmacy stores



 Online Sales



 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



 Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC



 3M Company



 Unilever PLC



 Godrej Group (Godrej Consumer Products Limited)



 Henkel AG & Company, KGaA



 Johnson & Johnson (Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc.)



 The Procter and Gamble Company



 Amway Corporation



 Vi-Jon, 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/p06289209/?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 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Textile Chemicals Market Research Report by Fiber, Product Type, Application, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06287087/?utm_source=GNW



The Global Textile Chemicals Market size was estimated at USD 32.88 billion in 2021 and expected to reach USD 34.87 billion in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 6.32% to reach USD 47.50 billion by 2027.



Market Statistics:

The report provides market sizing and forecast across five major currencies - USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, and CHF. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2019 and 2020 are considered historical years, 2021 as the base year, 2022 as the estimated year, and years from 2023 to 2027 are considered the forecast period.



Market Segmentation & Coverage:

This research report categorizes the Textile Chemicals to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets:



Based on Fiber, the market was studied across Natural Fiber and Synthetic Fiber.



Based on Product Type, the market was studied across Coating & Sizing, Colorants & Auxiliaries, Desizing Agents, Finishing Agents, and Surfactants.



Based on Application, the market was studied across Apparel, Home Textile, and Technical Textile.



Based on Region, the market was studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas is further studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The United States is further studied across California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Asia-Pacific is further studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa is further studied across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom.



Cumulative Impact of COVID-19:

COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, and the long-term effects are projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report delivers insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecasts, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market.



Cumulative Impact of 2022 Russia Ukraine Conflict:

We continuously monitor and update reports on political and economic uncertainty due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Negative impacts are significantly foreseen globally, especially across Eastern Europe, European Union, Eastern & Central Asia, and the United States. This contention has severely affected lives and livelihoods and represents far-reaching disruptions in trade dynamics. The potential effects of ongoing war and uncertainty in Eastern Europe are expected to have an adverse impact on the world economy, with especially long-term harsh effects on Russia.This report uncovers the impact of demand & supply, pricing variants, strategic uptake of vendors, and recommendations for Textile Chemicals market considering the current update on the conflict and its global response.



Competitive Strategic Window:

The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period.



FPNV Positioning Matrix:

The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Textile Chemicals Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape.



Market Share Analysis:

The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits.



Competitive Scenario:

The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitors strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service.



Company Usability Profiles:

The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Textile Chemicals Market, including Archroma, BASF SE, CHT Group, Covestro AG, DIC Corporation, Evonik Industries AG, Huntsman International LLC, Kiri Industries Ltd., Lonsen Inc., Lubrizol Corporation, Omnova Solutions Inc., Solvay S.A., Tanatex Chemicals, The Dow Chemical Company, and Wacker Chemie AG.



The report provides insights on the following pointers:

1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players

2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets

3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments

4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players

5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments



The report answers questions such as:

1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Textile Chemicals Market?

2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Textile Chemicals Market during the forecast period?

3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Textile Chemicals Market?

4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Textile Chemicals Market?

5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Textile Chemicals Market?

6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Textile Chemicals Market?

7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Textile Chemicals Market?

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06287087/?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, United States, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The factors accelerating the markets growth are high investments in Research and Development, the quick adoption of the genetically modified crops, the use of transgenic animals in the agricultural sector and the production of vaccines using Recombinant DNA technology.



Critical Insights into the Recombinant DNA Technology Market:

By Product, Genetically Modified Crops held the largest market share.





By Application, Healthcare and Agricultural Segments were at par in the market.





By Region, North America held the highest market share.





By Component, expression systems had a majority of the market share.





Factors driving the growth of the market:

High Investments in Research & Development

There is a tremendous opportunity to make new discoveries in the market for Recombinant DNA. Hence, companies will continue to invest heavily in their R&D departments. GeneXpert is the platform for diagnostics developed by Cepheid that received USD 256 million in funding for its R&D department through multiple institutions such as the National Institute of Health, various government agencies and philanthropists. Therefore, more discoveries would be made with higher investments in the sector, making the market far more worthy and valuable.

Make a Direct Purchase of the latest Recombinant DNA Technology market Report published in the month of January 2022. Click the below link to initiate the purchase:

https://www.strategicmarketresearch.com/buy-now/recombinant-dna-technology-market

An increasing rate of adoption of Genetically Modified Crops

Certain crops have been grown using genetically modified seeds since the early 1990s, with the advantages of higher yield, pest and disease resistance and lower production costs associated in the long run. According to FDA statistics, 94% of the soybean crops,94% of cotton crops, 95% of canola, 92% of corn crops and nearly 100% of sugar beet crops are planted using GMO seeds. Further, 95% of cattle and poultry feed is obtained from GMO crops. Over 90% of the papaya grown in Canada is through GM crops. Therefore, with the increasing adoption of GM crops across more regions worldwide, the market for Recombinant DNA technology would grow at a promising rate.

Producing vaccines using Recombinant DNA technology

Vaccines that have been produced using Recombinant DNA technology have shown positive results on a global scale. The most commonly used Recombinant DNA Technology vaccines are the ones to protect against Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), Hepatitis B, and Japanese Encephalitis(JE). According to a CDC study, the HPV immunization rate for teenagers increased from 71.5% to 75.1% in one year. The vaccine for JE prevented over 300,000 deaths globally over a period of ten years. Hence, with further opportunities available to develop vaccines for critical diseases, the market for Recombinant DNA Technology would further develop.

Use of Transgenic Animals

Transgenic animals are organisms which have genetic material from two animals generally having the same genus and different species to create a resultant hybrid that is superior to the original species. The new species has more desirable characteristics such as higher yield and disease resistance. Laboratories in the UK have consistently produced more than one million transgenic animals since 2008; these animals are primarily produced for scientific research purposes. One of the first commercially used transgenic animals was the AquAdvantage salmon which had higher yields and grew faster than the Atlantic variety of salmon. Thus, with the increased research into genetically engineered (GE) animals, the market for Recombinant DNA Technology would grow further.

To get a first-hand overview of the report, Request a Sample at

https://www.strategicmarketresearch.com/request-sample/recombinant-dna-technology-market

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2020-2030 Forecast Period 2020 to 2030 CAGR 7.7% 2030 Value Projection USD 1378.76 Billion Base Year 2020 Market Size in 2020 USD 656.64 Billion Historical Data for 2015 - 2019 No. of Pages 135 Companies Monsanto, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc, Sanofi, Biogen, Novartis AG, Genscript Leading Segment By Product Therapeutic Agent Leading Region North America Segments covered By Product, By Component, By Application, By Region Growth Drivers



Are high investments in R&D, the quick adoption of genetically modified crops, the use of transgenic animals in the agricultural sector and the production of vaccines using rDNA technology.

Descriptive Analysis of the markets Segmentation

By Product

Therapeutic Agent

Vaccine

Genetically Modified Crops

Speciality Chemicals

By Application

Food and Agriculture

Environment

Health

Disease Fighting

By Component:

Expression System

Cloning Vector

By End-User

Biotechnological and Pharmaceutical Companies

Academic & Government Research Institutes

Others





By Region

North America

USA

Canada

Mexico





Europe

Germany

United Kingdom

France

Italy

Spain

Hungary

Russia

Rest of Europe

Asia-Pacific

Australia

China

Vietnam

India

Japan

South Korea

Rest of APAC





Latin America, Middle East and Africa(LAMEA)

Argentina

Brazil

GCC

South Africa

Rest of the Latin American, Middle Eastern and African countries.





To read the summary of the report, visit the website at

https://www.strategicmarketresearch.com/market-report/recombinant-dna-technology-market

By Product, Genetically Modified Crops held the highest market share of the segment, which stood at 33.4% of the market. The reason for the market dominance are the multiple benefits associated with the usage of GM crops; like they have higher yield and, in general, the same or lower production costs, alongside being resistant to diseases and pests. As implied by International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), over 190 million hectares of crops were grown using GM products in more than 25 countries. The report also states that developing countries (24) outnumbered the developed countries (5) in using these crops. Therefore, with the benefits associated with using GM crops, the market for Recombinant DNA Technology would improve further.

By Application, the agricultural and healthcare sector had nearly equal market shares and dominated the market together at comprehensive rates. The applications in agriculture included high-yield crop seeds, disease and pest-resistant crops, and increasing Nitrogen fixation abilities. One major application in this field is using Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crops that are insect and pest resistant and still safe for human consumption. As per the data from the US Department of Agriculture, Bt cotton is 88% of the acreage of cotton grown in the US. Further, Bt corn is approximately 82% of the corn acreage. Human insulin produced using Recombinant DNA Technology is one of the most commercially used products in the healthcare sector. Multiple vaccines have been created by the use of Recombinant DNA Technology. Thus, with ever-increasing applications being developed, we will see the market significantly grow in the coming years.

By component, the two most prominent ones are the expression system and the cloning vector. Due to ongoing improvements for effective protein expression and for its further development on a wide scale, expression systems accounted for the highest proportion. Mammalian, bacterial, insect, and yeast expression systems are utilized most often.

By Region, with 52.3% of the total market, North America dominate the market single-handedly. The region dominates primarily due to a large number of pharmaceutical & biotechnological companies present and conducting research. According to research, there are over 2,000 companies manufacturing brand-name pharmaceutical drugs in the US. The pharmaceutical industry is the top-ranked industry in Canada with spending on R&D, ahead of the Computer/Software industry and Oil & Gas as well as energy industries. Hence, the region would continue to dominate the market in the short-term and mid-term future.

Before initiating a purchase, make a Pre-order enquiry and get a detailed overview of the content of the report.

https://www.strategicmarketresearch.com/pre-order-enquiry/recombinant-dna-technology-market

Major Companies in the Recombinant DNA Technology Market:

Amgen

BASF

Bayer

Biogen

DuPont Pioneer

GenScript

Monsanto

Novartis AG

Novo Nordisk

Pfizer

Sanofi

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Kindly go through and get access to our comprehensive coverage of myriad number of Healthcare reports published in the last three months:

https://www.strategicmarketresearch.com/reports/healthcare

Recent Developments :

In July 2022, WuXi Biologics began the production of microbial products at their facility. The product line aims to manufacture enzymes, plasmid DNA, recombinant proteins, and virus-like particles due to their increasing global demand.





In June 2022, researchers in China developed a method to detect the recombinant human interferon 2b (rhIFN2b) much faster. They developed a special chromatography-enabled paper using Recombinant DNA Technology to help diagnose diseases such as hepatitis B & C fast, reducing the test time from two days to a few minutes.





In June 2022, NorthX Biologics, a major manufacturer of recombinant DNA proteins on the global market, declared its decision to assign four new members to its Board of Directors. With the appointment of the members, the company aims to further establish itself in untapped markets such as North America and the Asia Pacific.





In October 2021, the Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM) announced that it was licensing its technology, MultiTEP, a platform to develop universal vaccines, to Nuravax. The technology aims to develop a Recombinant DNA Technology vaccine for Alzheimers disease.





In June 2021, the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) approved the use of Dengvaxia in children between 9-16. Dengvaxia is a vaccine used to prevent symptoms of dengue which was developed using Recombinant DNA Technology.





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BALTIMORE, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Residents of the Baltimore area with any doubts about ordering a waste removal bin can now enjoy a uniquely simplified option through Discount Dumpster Rental. The provider's four-step ordering process makes renting a dumpster bin affordable and easy.

As Discount Dumpster's cofounder, Preston Dunn, describes the provider's ethos, "Ordering a dumpster shouldn't have to be complicated or cost you an arm and a leg or cause you stress. That's the whole reason we got started. Renting dumpsters should be an easy experience on all ends, and that's what Discount Dumpster lives to achieve."

The Discount Dumpster bin service offers its customers several key features for a pain-free bin rental experience:

Dumpster availability in several different sizes for multiple needs and budgets.

Rapidly responsive delivery and pickup service throughout the Greater Baltimore area.

Streamlined, experienced service for the entire process of ordering a bin based on a successful formula applied in over 30 states.

Single flat-rate pricing for the entire ordering process, letting customers know all their costs up-front with no hidden fees.

Dumpster-pairing service for clients who aren't sure about which dumpster size is best for their project.

Environmentally conscious, net-zero business model that partners with environmental protection services.

Discount Dumpster strives to remove the hassle from ordering a bin. This includes easy ordering, simple billing and even dumpster pairing for clients who aren't sure about what they might need. As Discount Dumpster's cofounder elaborates, "We also do the shopping for our customers, pairing them with the right size dumpster at the price they need for their budget."

Discount Dumpster's bins come in 10-, 20-, 30- and 40-cubic yard sizes. The company ensures that customer invoices include everything in one flat price, with a guarantee of no hidden surcharges or additional taxes.

Discount Dumpster's commitment to the environment is also important: For every bin a customer orders, Discount Dumpster plants a tree in U.S. National Forests to become carbon neutral.

Press contact: David Baur-Ray, david@discountdumpsterco.com

About Discount Dumpster

Discount Dumpster is a national dumpster rental company that services over 30 states throughout the U.S. and now operates dumpster rental waste management services in the local Baltimore community. To request an instant quote or schedule a dumpster delivery, interested customers can contact Discount Dumpster on their website www.discountdumpsterco.com or by calling (410) 449-5464.

Discount Dumpster has a local office in Baltimore, Maryland, and services the greater Baltimore Metro Area including:

Brooklyn Park, MD, USA

Dundalk, MD, USA

Lochearn, MD, USA

Overlea, MD, USA

Parkville, MD, USA

Pikesville, MD, USA

Rosedale, MD, USA

Towson, MD, USA

Woodlawn, MD, USA

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Image 1: Discount Dumpster Rental logo





Discount Dumpster Rental logo. Discount Dumpster provides affordable and easy dumpster rental services near you. Flat-rate pricing with no surprise fees, Discount Dumpster saves you time and money.









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
MONACO, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scorpio Tankers Inc. (NYSE:STNG) (Scorpio Tankers, or the Company) announced that the Company has repurchased its common shares and convertible notes due 2025, and the Company has given notice to exercise its purchase options on six leased vessels.



Repurchase of Common Shares

Scorpio Tankers has recently repurchased 364,474 of its common shares in the open market at an average price of $29.17 per share.

Repurchase of Convertible Notes Due 2025

The Company has recently repurchased $1.5 million in aggregate principal amount of its Convertible Notes due 2025 in the open market.

Securities Repurchase Program

As of the date of this press release, the Company has $223.4 million available under its Securities Repurchase Program.

The Company's securities include its common shares, Senior Notes due 2025 (NYSE:SBBA), and Convertible Notes due 2025.

Exercise of Purchase Option on Six Leased Vessels

The Company has given notice to exercise its purchase options on six 2014 built MR product tankers (STI Opera, STI Virtus, STI Venere, STI Aqua, STI Dama, and STI Regina). These vessels were sold and leased back by the Company in August 2018. The leases bear interest at LIBOR plus a margin of 3.50% per annum. The purchase, which is expected to occur in August 2022, will result in a debt reduction of $95.0 million for the Company.

About Scorpio Tankers Inc.

Scorpio Tankers Inc. is a provider of marine transportation of petroleum products worldwide. Scorpio Tankers Inc. currently owns, finance leases or bareboat charters-in 115 product tankers (40 LR2 tankers, 61 MR tankers and 14 Handymax tankers) with an average age of 6.5 years. The Company has agreed to sell one LR2 tanker and one MR tanker. Additional information about the Company is available at the Company's website www.scorpiotankers.com, which is not a part of this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forwardlooking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forwardlooking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forwardlooking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words believe, expect, anticipate, estimate, intend, plan, target, project, likely, may, will, would, could and similar expressions identify forwardlooking statements.

The forwardlooking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, managements examination of historical operating trends, data contained in the Companys records and other data available from third parties. Although management believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Companys control, there can be no assurance that the Company will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. The Company undertakes no obligation, and specifically declines any obligation, except as required by law, to publicly update or revise any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in the Companys view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forwardlooking statements include unforeseen liabilities, future capital expenditures, revenues, expenses, earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition, losses, future prospects, business and management strategies for the management, the length and severity of the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, including its effect on demand for petroleum products and the transportation thereof, expansion and growth of the Companys operations, risks relating to the integration of assets or operations of entities that it has or may in the future acquire and the possibility that the anticipated synergies and other benefits of such acquisitions may not be realized within expected timeframes or at all, the failure of counterparties to fully perform their contracts with the Company, the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for tanker vessel capacity, changes in the Companys operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for the Companys vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, charter counterparty performance, ability to obtain financing and comply with covenants in such financing arrangements, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessels breakdowns and instances of offhires, and other factors. Please see the Companys filings with the SEC for a more complete discussion of certain of these and other risks and uncertainties.

Contact Information

Scorpio Tankers Inc.

James Doyle  Head of Corporate Development & Investor Relations

Tel: +1 646-432-1678

Email: investor.relations@scorpiotankers.com




Boca Raton, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Boca Raton, Florida -

Online addiction treatment resource Find Addiction Rehabs is urging readers to check out the brand-new resources that it has launched on its website.

The first new resource from Find Addiction Rehabs raises awareness about the many couples rehab options that are available for married or attached partners who want to go through the transformative process together. Fostering romantic relationships can be a great way to build a happy life. However, when both partners in a relationship are struggling with alcohol or substance abuse, the pairing can often be destructive. Some partners may rely on alcohol and drugs as a crutch to enjoy themselves. The addiction might also make some couples aggressive, making them resort to domestic violence. Moreover, the time wasted chasing addiction can also affect ones duties such as housework, employment, and childcare.

To help couples kick their addictions, treatment centers around the country offer Behavioral Couples Therapy (BCT) services that are beneficial not just for improving a recovering couples relationship, but in supporting each persons individual goal to achieve abstinence as well. Couples can opt for either residential inpatient treatment programs or they can opt for outpatient rehab activities such as sober support groups, relapse-prevention training services, addiction education services, community outreach programs, and individual, group, or family therapy sessions.

Find Addiction Rehabs has also launched another resource that presents an overview of the options for drug and alcohol rehab Connecticut has to offer. Synthetic opioids like Vicodin, oxycodone, and heroin are the most abused opioids in the Constitution State. The Connecticut Department of Public Health found that there were 1,378 opioid overdose deaths in Connecticut in 2020. In 2017, Connecticut's age-adjusted death rate from opioid overdoses was 27.7 deaths per 100,000 people.

Readers looking for help in Connecticut can opt for several levels of care. Medically supervised detox programs help patients manage withdrawal symptoms and provide medical support in case of an emergency. Residential inpatient treatment programs offer a comfortable environment with peers with whom one can form a support group. The activities are also structured to help with stress relief and to fight the root causes of the addiction. Inpatient treatment programs offer services such as therapeutic treatment options, medication-assisted treatment, addiction education services, and vocational, and social skill training programs. Those who dont want to commit to inpatient treatment programs can also opt for intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) or partial hospitalization programs (PHPs).

Finally, Find Addiction Rehabs has also published a resource highlighting a recently added listing for Divine Detox, a treatment center in Los Angeles, California. Divine Detox is a top-rated, luxury detox center that offers customized treatment plans to meet every individual patients mental health and addiction goals. The addiction treatment center says that its goal is to provide a recovery environment that feels warm and welcoming to all of our clients and will make their detox process feel as safe and supported as possible.

The Los Angeles rehab facility also boasts a dedicated staff of medical professionals to safely administer medications to prevent withdrawals. Divine Detox has been built amongst lush, green, and serene landscapes that shelter its patients from the chaos of the outside world. The facility aims to be a place of escape where one can work on self-improvement in peace. The center also offers after-care services to help its clients become more successful with independent sober living and maintaining their abstinence from substance use.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yOEwvtRjXkE

A spokesperson for Find Addiction Rehabs commented on the newly published resources by saying, We are constantly engaging with our readers to understand the kind of information that they want. We want to help everyone caught up in substance abuse see the positive side of life and how great things can be if they fight their affliction. If you or a loved one are suffering from drug or alcohol addiction, give us a call, any time of day or night, for more information about local service providers that can help you out.

###

For more information about Find Addiction Rehabs, contact the company here:



Find Addiction Rehabs

Hotline Representative

877-790-6751

Find Addiction Rehabs

2499 Glades Rd

Suite 311B

Boca Raton, FL 33431
WALNUT CREEK, Calif., July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Traccom Inc. (OTC Pink: TRCC) (Company) is pleased to announce that the Company has signed an agreement with R & R Marketing Services, Inc to market and sell its Traccom Basic Tracker on an exclusive worldwide basis.



R & R Marketing Services, Inc., based in Napa, CA, is the worlds largest seller of VinGardeValise, an upscale luggage line uniquely designed to transport wine and spirits.

Harry Steck, Chief Executive Officer of the Traccom, stated, " This marketing and selling agreement with R & R Marketing Services, Inc. provides our Company with their strengths in social media marketing and significant Amazon presence along with the synergy of cross marketing our Basic Tracker product with their VinGardeValise luggage brand

About Traccom Inc.

The Company operates in the technology sector and has focused over the past two years on developing two break through products.

The first product in the health care field is the Traccom MedicalPro, a Remote Patient Monitoring device that consists of a communications hub and seven ancillary devices that monitor health conditions from the patients home. The monitoring devices include blood pressure, weight, temperature, glucose, oxygen, EKG and a spirometer. Each time the patient uses one or more of the devices, the results are immediately uploaded to the patients portal where the physician / pharmacist has full access to the patients remote readings. All the information tracked by the system is HIPAA compliant.

The second product is a state-of-the-art tracking device. The Traccom Basic Tracker can be used by consumers who fly and check in their luggage with the airline. The Tracker is packed inside their luggage and when the plane lands, the passenger immediately receives a text message and an email providing them the location of their luggage. The Tracker can also be used for general all-purpose tracking.

Both products are now ready for full production.

For additional information www.traccom.com

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release has forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this release that address activities, events, or developments that the Company expects, believes, or anticipates will or may occur are forward-looking statements. Several risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from these statements, including not having enough broker dealers making a market in the Companys stock, limited liquidity in the Companys stock and factors described occasionally in the Company's publicly available SEC reports. The Company assumes no obligation to update publicly such forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Investor Relations

accounting@traccom.com

714-308-3340


ZIMBABWE is now the biggest exporter of blueberries in the SADC region supplying 5 000 tonnes a year, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr John Basera, said yesterday.

Speaking during a tour of the Palmlife Blueberry Project at Ivanhoe Farm in Goromonzi, Dr Basera said there was need to put more hectares under blueberries.

The farm has 45ha under blueberries and produces more than 1 000 tonnes annually. There are other farmers around the countries who produce blueberries.

The blueberry is a small dark blue berry indigenous to North America, but now spread as a cultivated crop around the world. It is a perennial plant related to the cranberry and the huckleberry. World production is over 850 000 tonnes a year.

Dr Basera gave blueberries as an example of the horticultural crop where Zimbabwe needed to expand production being a high value crop that suited the Zimbabwean climate and conditions.

High-quality fresh vegetables and fruit often need to be airlifted to get to markets while still fresh, and so need to be of high-value to justify the costs.

When Zimbabwes horticulture exports were a lot higher and included a lot of products that lose freshness in a few days, there were both special chartered flights plus the use of cargo space on scheduled air services, generally available as larger quantities of other goods were flown into Zimbabwe than flown out.

We are inspecting the horticulture recovery growth in motion and we believe that we are moving in the right direction in terms of getting back to those glory numbers where Zimbabwe used to export US$143 million a year in terms of horticultural exports, said Dr Basera.

Currently we are sitting at around US$60 million to US$70 million a year and we need to double that in the next year. By 2025 we need to approach US$500 million. Blueberry is one of those high value horticultural options which we definitely need to promote.

We have many advantages as Zimbabwe in terms of the geographical and climate advantages. We need to promote more hectarage under blueberries and we believe that horticulture is a low hanger in achieving some of the objectives of Vision 2030.

Dr Basera said there was a need to ramp up and have diversity in exports targeting high value crops like blueberries.

We are also the top producer of high quality blueberries and according to the ZimTrade report, Zimbabwean blueberries sell like hot cakes and are in high demand.

Ivanhoe Farm owner and DripTech managing director Mr Bob Henson said they started the project two-and-a-half years ago.

We have not been able to get foreign currency to run our businesses so we thought we need to get into a net foreign currency earner, he said.

This crop costs about US$100 000 per hectare to plant and it will yield that much foreign currency every year going forward. This year we are expecting to export between 1 000 to 1 200 tonnes of blueberries.

The total Zimbabwean production is 5 000 tonnes and we export to Russia and the Middle East, but most of our exports go to a company in the United Kingdom for distribution across Europe.

On average a kilogramme costs between US$2,50 and US$6 depending on demand. We have created 1 000 jobs and we want to repeat the same model across the country because we want to work with communities.

We are looking at building a school and a clinic as part of upgrading the general lifestyle of people in our communities, said Mr Henson. Herald
The organisation of Spa-Francorchamps states in conversation with DH Net that it believes nothing of the rumours that the Belgian Grand Prix will definitely disappear from the Formula 1 calendar as of 2023. Director Vanessa Maes told the Belgian media.

0

Earlier this week it was revealed that the FIA had a draft calendar for the new racing year. Due to races in Qatar, Las Vegas, South Africa and China, some circuits would have to make room. It is reported that the Belgian and French GPs are the ones to lose out.

Read more France and Belgium GP not to return in 2023, South Africa to remain

Maes reacts on the future of the Belgian GP

According to Maes, this is not the case at the moment. The organisation is said to be in talks with the FIA about the future, which means the Belgian circuit is still in the race to be included in the programme in the new year.

"I would like to know the source," she explicitly let it be known when she heard the news. "I have made enquiries and have been assured by the FIA that there is no draft calendar circulating among the teams at the moment. It is all speculation."

Maes does not deny that the future of the annual Formula One race is under pressure. "There is a lot of discussion, that's for sure. We are at the end of our contract, as are Monaco and Le Castellet and we are still negotiating an extension."

Read more The porpoising directive only benefits Mercedes
For Max Verstappen there are many warm memories when returning to the Red Bull Ring. Last year two races were held at Spielberg and both were won by the Dutchman of Red Bull Racing. This year the Dutchman hopes to make it three in a row after the damage at Silverstone. In the press conference prior to the Austrian GP, broadcast on Sky Sports, Verstappen looked back on the damage.

0

"It was a decent bit at the end. When you have such high speed, you can't see how big the piece is. It was stuck in my floor which is unlucky that it happened. It was Terrible to drive, I lost 2.5 seconds a lap from it. You couldn't see it from the outside because the floor is so big". In the end, he managed to finish seventh, limiting the damage in the standings.

Verstappen looking forward to 'orange' Red Bull Ring

According to Verstappen, the car felt like it had a flat tyre or there was a problem with the suspension. As a result, Red Bull brought the reigning world champion in for new tyres, but that didn't change the status of the car at all.

Verstappen's gaze now turns forward to a Dutch-tinged Austrian Grand Prix. Over 50,000 Dutch fans are expected in Spielberg, which Verstappen is looking forward to immensely. "This race is an enjoyable weekend with some much support coming from Holland. It's a home GP for us and we've had good results in the past. I really enjoy the layout as well. It's an interesting track."
Researchers from the University of Michigan and McGill University in Canada report photochemical syngas synthesis using a core/shell Au@Cr 2 O 3 dual cocatalyst in coordination with multistacked InGaN/GaN nanowires (NWs) with the sole inputs of CO 2 , water, and solar light. Their paper is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

If we can generate syngas from carbon dioxide utilizing only solar energy, we can use this as a precursor for methanol and other chemicals and fuels. This will significantly reduce overall CO 2 emissions. Zetian Mi, professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Michigan, who led the study

To create a process that uses only solar energy, Mis group overcame the difficulty of splitting carbon dioxide molecules, which are among the most stable in the universe. For this, they peppered a forest of semiconductor nanowires with nanoparticles. Those nanoparticles, made of gold coated with chromium oxide, attracted the carbon dioxide molecules and bent them, weakening the bonds between the carbon and oxygen.





A diagram of the semiconductor nanowires made of indium, gallium and nitrogendecorated with gold and chromium oxide nanoparticles. When the light hits the nanowire, it frees up electrons and the positively charged holes that electrons leave behind. On the nanowire itself, the holes oxidize water into protons (hydrogen) and oxygen. Meanwhile, some electrons are drawn into the metal nanoparticles, where they break apart carbon dioxide. The molecules recombine into the carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane molecules that make up syngas. Image credit: Roksana Rashid, McGill University

First-principle density functional theory calculations revealed that Au and Cr 2 O 3 are synergetic in deforming the linear CO 2 molecule to a bent state with an O-C-O angle of 116.5, thus significantly reducing the energy barrier of CO 2 RR compared with that over a single component of Au or Cr 2 O 3 . Hydrogen evolution reaction was promoted by the same cocatalyst simultaneously. By combining the cooperative catalytic properties of Au@Cr 2 O 3 with the distinguished optoelectronic virtues of the multistacked InGaN NW semiconductor, the developed photocatalyst demonstrated high syngas activity of 1.08 mol/g cat /h with widely tunable H 2 /CO ratios between 1.6 and 9.2 under concentrated solar light illumination. Nearly stoichiometric oxygen was evolved from water splitting at a rate of 0.57 mol/g cat /h, and isotopic testing confirmed that syngas originated from CO 2 RR. The solar-to-syngas energy efficiency approached 0.89% during overall CO 2 reduction coupled with water splitting. The work paves a way for carbon-neutral synthesis of syngas with the sole inputs of CO 2 , H 2 O, and solar light. Rashid et al.

The gallium nitride nanowires used the light energy to free electrons and the positively charged spaces they leave behind (holes). The holes split water molecules, separating the protons (hydrogen) from the oxygen. Then, at the metal catalysts, the electrons split the carbon dioxide, producing carbon monoxide and sometimes drawing in the free hydrogen to make methane. Processes are under development to separate the oxygen from the other gases.

By changing the ratio of gold to chromium oxide in the nanoparticles, Mis team was able to control the relative amounts of hydrogen and carbon monoxide produced in the reaction. The ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide affects how easy it is to produce a type of fuel or chemical.

What is surprising is the synergy between gold and chromium oxide to make the CO 2 reduction to syngas efficient and tunable. That was not possible with a single metal catalyst. This opens up many exciting opportunities that were not previously considered. Zetian Mi

Mis tunable syngas setup uses standard industrial manufacturing processes, and is scalable. While Rashid used distilled water in this experiment, seawater and other electrolyte solutions are also expected to work, and Mi has used them in related water-splitting studies.

Mis next goal is to increase the efficiency of the device. When 10% of the light energy is converted to chemical energy, he hopes that the technology could see the technology be adopted for renewable energy, similar to solar cells.

The project was supported through the Emission Reduction Alberta ERA, based at McGill University in Canada, former home of Mi.

A licensing agreement for intellectual property developed in this study is in the process of being negotiated in order to bring the technology to market and make a positive environmental impact. The two companies are NS Nanotech Inc. and NX Fuels Inc, both co-founded by Mi. The University of Michigan and Mi have a financial interest in these companies.

Resources
GE Appliances (GEA), a Haier company, is deploying a fleet of electric freight vehicles on routes between the companys inbound warehouses and its manufacturing facilities in Kentucky, Georgia, and Tennessee. The move will increase efficiency, reliability and lower the cost of moving manufacturing materials and components in a critical segment of the companys supply chain.





It will also provide data for the company to assess the environmental benefits of electric vehicles (EV) to achieving its operations sustainability goals. This is the implementation phase of an agreement between GEA and Einride, a leader in providing electric and autonomous shipping solutions. (Earlier post.)

Weve adopted many environmentally sustainable manufacturing practices to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations. As we invest and expand our US manufacturing to better serve our customers, we will deploy Einrides EV technology on routes we frequently use to move materials. Thats where use of these vehicles can have a big impact on reducing emissions and costs. Harry Chase, senior director for central materials, GE Appliances

The electric trucks are being driven on routes between facilities operated by the Port of Savannah, and GEAs inbound warehousing and logistics centers, manufacturing sites, and finished-goods warehouses. The trucks have a range of 200 miles per charge and will cover an estimated 125,000 miles annually  eliminating 210 tons of CO 2 emissions within the first year.

The EVs are being used in the following priority locations:
Green River Police Department reports for June 23

At 7:37 p.m., officers responded to a report of an individual with an active warrant. Officers made contact with the individual, confirmed the warrant, and placed Michael Anson, of Green River, under arrest per the active warrant. Officers transported Anson to the Sweetwater County Detention Center and completed a report of the incident. The GRPD did not release the address officers responded to.

At 10:40 p.m., officers responded to a report of shots fired at the Embassy Tavern. The GRPD released full press releases regarding the incident.

June 24

At 8:08 a.m., officers responded to a report of threats or harassment. Officers met with individuals involved in a dispute, gathered information, advised, and completed a report of the incident. The GRPD did not release the address officers responded to.

At 9:29 a.m., officers responded to a report of a disturbance on Indian Hills Drive. Officers met with individuals involved in a dispute, gathered information, issued a trespass warning, and completed a report of the incident.

At 8:49 p.m., officers responded to a report of an assault. Officers met with the individuals that had been involved in an altercation, gathered information, and completed a report of the incident. The GRPD did not release the address officers responded to.

June 25

At 9:39 a.m., officers responded to a report of found property on West Flaming Gorge Way and North 2nd West Street. Officers collected a suspected drug pipe that was found on the ground and completed a report of the incident.

At 2:02 p.m., officers responded to a report of a single-vehicle collision at Maverick. It was reported as the vehicle was parking in a dirt lot the vehicle collided with a large rock, causing damage. Officers met with the driver, gathered information, and completed a report of the incident.

At 11:20 p.m., officers responded to a report of domestic violence. Officers met with the individuals involved in a verbal altercation, gathered information, and completed a report of the incident. The GRPD did not release the address officers responded to.

June 26

At 4:56 a.m., officers responded to a report of a citizen assist on West Flaming Gorge Way. Officers met with an individual who reported concerns over feeling they were being stalked. Officers gathered information and completed a report of the incident.

At 10:35 a.m., officers responded to a report of domestic violence. Officers met with the individuals involved in an altercation, gathered information, and subsequently placed Tony Silvers, of Green River, under arrest on charges of alleged domestic battery and strangulation of a household member. Officers transported Silvers to the Sweetwater County Detention Center and completed a report of the incident.

At 5:01 p.m., officers responded to a report of found property on South 2nd East Street. Officers had credit cards turned in during Flaming Gorge Days. Officer attempted to contact an owner, booked in the cards in for safekeeping, and completed a report of the incident.

At 8:19 p.m., officers responded to a report of threats or harassment. Officers met with an individual who reported being harassed over phone calls. Officers gathered information and completed a report of the incident. The GRPD did not release the address officers responded to.

At 11:23 p.m., officers responded to a report of an unresponsive individual. Officers assisted EMS and GRFD personnel. The individual was pronounced deceased and the scene was turned over to GRPD detectives. Officers gathered information and completed a report of the incident. The case is still under investigation. The GRPD did not release the address officers responded to.

June 27

At 12:54 p.m., officers responded to a report of lost property on Powell Street. Officers met with an individual who reported they had left their wallet on top of their car. Officers gathered information and completed a report of the incident.

At 3:10 p.m., officers responded to a report of a two-car collision on East Flaming Gorge Way. It was reported one vehicle hit a second vehicle which was parked and unoccupied. Officers issued the driver, Wesley Nash, of Green River, a citation for alleged inattentive driving and completed a report of the incident.

At 4:30 p.m., officers responded to a report of a disturbance on Greasewood Street. Officers met with individuals who were involved in a verbal dispute, gathered information, and completed a report of the incident.

At 6:45 p.m., officers along with an underage buyer conducted alcohol compliance checks on local establishments that sell alcohol. All businesses checked were found to be in compliance. Officers completed a report of the incident.

At 8:31 p.m., officers responded to the sound of loud booms on Wyoming Drive. Officers met with several individuals and determined the sounds were made by fireworks. Officers made contact with the suspected individual, gathered information, issued a verbal warning, and completed a report of the incident.

June 29

At 12:06 a.m., officers responded to a report of an agency assist with EMS personnel for an individual needing medical assistance at East Flaming Gorge Way and North 4th East Street. The individual was transported by ambulance and officers completed a report of the incident.

At 8:30 a.m., officers responded to a report of a runaway juvenile that was last seen on Friday, June 24. The juvenile was located at a friends residence and was returned to their parents or guardians. Officers gathered information and completed a report of the incident. The GRPD did not release the address officers responded to.

At 10:20 a.m., officers responded to a report of property damage at Waggener Street and Reynolds Street. It was reported a vehicle ran over a rock that caused the rock to be thrown toward another vehicle that was parked in a driveway causing damage. Officers met with the owner of the damaged vehicle and the driver of the the first vehicle, gathered information, and completed a report of the incident.

At 12:57 p.m., officers responded to a report of a scam on West Railroad Avenue. Officers met with an individual who advised they had been contacted by an individual claiming to be from Amazon, stating there had been a large purchase on their account. Then the call was transferred to another individual asking for a gift card to be purchased. Officers gathered information and completed a report of the incident. No monetary losses were reported.

At 3:54 p.m., officers responded to a report of a suspicious person causing a disturbance at the Post Office. Officers made contact with the individual, the individual agreed to leave the area and officers completed a report of the incident.
SHERIDAN  Wyoming is a state blessed with bountiful natural resources ranging from coal to natural gas, Wyoming governor candidate Brent Bien said Tuesday, but our children are our greatest natural resource.

That might be why several of the governor and superintendent of public instruction candidates speaking at the second night of the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerces candidate forum Tuesday emphasized the importance of protecting children from potentially dangerous world views that could invade the public school classroom, from critical race theory to LGBTQ issues.

We need to re-baseline our education and get back to the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic and really make an effort to take this woke-ism out of our school system, Bien said. We need to take a stand and say no.

Governor candidates speaking at the forum were Republican Gov. Mark Gordon of Buffalo and Bien, a Sheridan Republican.

Republican candidates James Quick of Douglas and Rex Rammell of Rock Springs were not in attendance. Neither were Democratic candidates Rex Wilde of Cheyenne or Theresa Livingston of Worland.

Superintendent of public instruction candidates speaking at the forum included current Superintendent Brian Schroeder, a Cheyenne Republican; Republican candidates Megan Degenfelder of Laramie, Jennifer Zerba of Casper and Thomas Kelly of Sheridan; and Democratic candidate Sergio Maldonado of Lander. Republican Robert White of Rock Springs was not in attendance.

Kelly said he was deeply concerned by an education system he described as being addicted to federal dollars to the point that schools were willing to sacrifice traditional Wyoming values in order to receive funding.

Im running to protect our school system so we are not undercut by our own children being raised in neo-Marxist and anti-American ideals, Kelly said. As long as were addicted to federal money, the way of life here is at risk.

Schroeder said schools have become a cultural battleground, and he has done his best to fight back. Schroeder touted his recent decision to withdraw Wyoming from the U.S. Department of Agricultures federally funded school lunch program as a result of a new USDA requirement that all state and local agencies funded through the Food and Nutrition Services program must update their nondiscrimination policies to include prohibitions against discriminations based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

The response I got (from my staff) was I disagree with that and I said, Thats OK, Schroeder said. They said I think youre going to lose the election and I said, So be it. This has to be bigger than us. We have to be willing to make the right decisions whether we get reelected or not. Thats where Im at.

Later in the forums, Martha Wright, a Democratic candidate for House District 29, wondered whether the rejection of more than $40 million in federal dollars was really something for Schroeder to be proud of.

I do not understand why Mr. Schroeder is sayinghe is going to turn down thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars for food that would feed our children, Wright said.

Gordon argued it was time for local communities  not the federal government  to come together and take control of their childrens education.

In education, we have far too much meddling from the federal government, Gordon said. Thats why we started the RIDE (Reimagining and Innovating the Delivery of Education) initiative, which starts with parents and works through communities and industries and really finds out what the people of Wyoming want kids to learn.

Schroeder said it was time to reclaim the purpose of education and get back to basics.

The purpose of education can be summed up in four words: to learn to think, Schroeder said. Thats been the purpose of education for over a thousand years. Its just been in the last hundred years that a progressive mindset has shifted the paradigm to where they are experimenting on our kids. And I want to recover the purpose of education in our state and protect our kids.
Several members of the local American Legion post are stepping up to take on state-wide roles for the first time in the history of Green Rivers involvement with the Wyoming American Legion.

At the end of June, American Legion Tom Whitmore Post 28 in Green River hosted the 103rd American Legion Department of Wyoming State Convention and the 101st American Legion Auxiliary Department of Wyoming Convention.

This is the first time Green River has hosted these events since the forming of the American Legion in 1919 and the Auxiliary.

In another series of firsts for Green River, several post members were elected to state-wide department positions for the American Legion.

These elections include Shane and Tammy Harris, a husband and wife duo who have been actively involved with Post 28 since it opened in its current location about eight years ago.

Tammy was elected Department of Wyoming President of the Department of Wyoming Auxiliary, while Shane, the current Commander of Tom Whitmore Post 28, was elected Director of the Wyoming American Legion Riders of the United States (WALRUS).

Its a little daunting but a lot exciting, Tammy said of her new position.

Tammy is part of the American Legion Auxiliary, which is made up of mothers, daughters, sisters, spouses, and granddaughters of legionnaires. Auxiliary members work with and support the Legion through various programs and activities. Tammy was eligible for membership both through her husband Shane and her grandfather who fought in World War II.

I have served in different roles in different committees at the department level and decided a couple of years ago that I wanted to run for department office, Tammy explained. Two years later, here I am.

Tammy is currently the treasurer of the local unit, and some of the programs she has been involved with include projects providing things like cookies and quilts to the Veterans Administrations (VAs) in Sheridan and Cheyenne, teaching programs on Americanism, and being involved in the legislative process regarding bills that impact veterans and their families.

In her new position as president, Tammy will have a lot of traveling to do. She will be visiting American Legion units around the state, helping with their activities, and offering support and encouragement.

Its really, really cool to go to the different units and see the way they work their programs, the way they support their veterans, the way they support their community, Tammy said. Im really excited to get to go around and meet people to see how theyre doing their programs.

One of her main goals as president is to increase Wyomings membership. The state currently has 2,400 to 2,500 members, according to Tammy, which makes it a relatively small department. She hopes by the end of the year to not only see more members but be able to show the national organization all the great things Wyomings units are doing.

Tammys husband Shane is also looking to bring in more members and participation in his newly elected position as the state-wide WALRUS director.

WALRUS acts as an executive branch connecting Legion riders, Shane explained, adding the riders are not a motorcycle club, but are a riding club directly connected to and supporting the Legion in their programs and activities.

The riders have a huge face in the community, Shane said.

As director, Shane will be in touch with the 14 American Legion posts with rider groups throughout Wyoming, helping with their rides and fundraisers and organizing a state-wide ride for all the units.

Many of the Legions rides are only a few hours, but some can be overnight trips. Shanes goal for the state-wide ride is to organize it so riders dont have to go to every post but instead choose five different posts around the state to visit.

One of Shanes main motivations in running for the position was because hes noticed a decrease in involvement through the state, and he hopes to encourage posts individually and collectively in order to get back to a place where everyone is participating.

Shanes goal, and what hes looking forward to, is getting the involvement back, getting us back to everybody communicating and everybody participating, and making events big again.

In their new positions, both Shane and Tammy hope to continue supporting Tom Whitmore Post 28 and other posts around the state in order to help the American Legion members continue their goal of serving veterans, active duty military, their families, and the community.

Tammy explained the American Legion participates in community events in order to share information about what the Legion has to offer and help point those who need help in the right direction.

Sometimes veterans dont always know whats out there for them, Tammy said. So its nice to be out in the community to give them a little bit of information.

In addition to Shane and Tammy, other Post 28 members who were elected to state-wide positions include Michael Hobbs who was elected as the Department of Wyoming Commander leading the State of Wyoming American Legion, Greg Bushman who was elected Junior Vice of the Sons of American Legion Detachment of Wyoming and Summer Havens who was elected Vice Director of WALRUS.
Sweetwater County Historical Museum Executive Director Dave Mead, at left, and Eric Peterson, whose second great grandfather was Frank Goodman, who signed on with John Wesley Powell's 1869 expedition in Green River.

Two men descended from members of Major John Wesley Powell's epic river expeditions of 1869 and 1871 down the Green and Colorado Rivers and the Grand Canyon recently visited the Sweetwater County Historical Museum in Green River.

Eric Peterson of San Marcos, Texas, is the 2nd great grandson of Frank Goodman, who took part in Powell's first (1869) expedition.

A young Englishman who fought during the Civil War with the New Jersey Volunteers and afterward became a trapper for the Hudson's Bay Company in British Columbia, Goodman actually met Powell for the first time in Green River and was there recruited, the last man to join up for that original trip.

Elijah Manzer, Brookings, South Dakota, is the 3rd great grandson of Stephen Vandiver Jones, an Illinois teacher and school principal, was one of the 1871 expedition's "topographical assistants" to Almon Thompson, a cartographer and entomologist.

Photo courtesy of the Sweetwater County Historical Museum Elijah Manzer points to a photograph of his 3rd great-grandfather, Stephen Vandiver Jones, a member of John Wesley Powell's 1871 expedition, taken on Expedition Island in Green River.

While ten men in four boats left what was then called Green River City on May 24, 1869, only six completed the journey - three months of hardship, treacherous rapids, near-drownings, and loss of boats that covered some 900 miles. On August 28, only two days before the expedition reached its destination, the mouth of the Virgin River, three men, brothers Oramel and Seneca Howland and Bill Dunn, left on foot and were never seen again. There are several theories about their disappearance; many historians believe they were killed by hostile Indians.

The three were not the first to leave. Since the departure from Green River City, Goodman's performance had been less than stellar, and in July he told Powell he wished to leave. The two parted on good terms. Eventually, Goodman made his way to Vernal, Utah, where he settled down and raised a family.

Soldier, scientist, educator, explorer, geologist, ethnologist, and writer, Powell, who lost is right arm fighting for the Union at the Battle of Shiloh in 1862, was appointed the second director of the U.S. Geological Survey in 1881, a post he held for 13 years. He died in 1902.

The museum has an extensive series of exhibits on Powell, his expeditions, and his life and achievements. The museum is located at 3 E. Flaming Gorge Way in Green River. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission is free.
Madhu Anderson, Shane Siler and Steve Blunt hold up signs encouraging people not to attend the Culpepper and Merriweather Circus during a peaceful protest of the circus July 1.

A group of concerned residents from Wyoming Wildlife Protection Group got together to protest the Culpepper and Merriweather Circus when it came to Green River last weekend.

The protest was organized by Shane Siler, who was joined by Madhu Anderson from Rock Springs and Steve Blunt from Green River on the day of the circus. Conducting the peaceful protest was a last-minute decision made after a free tour of the circus facility, according to Anderson. Since the protest hadn't been planned beforehand, most group members weren't able to join on short notice. The small numbers didn't deter the three who were able to attend, however.

"We believe we should always speak up when we see animal cruelty anywhere, even if our voice shakes and we stand alone," Anderson said.

Anderson took the tour of the circus facility the morning of July 1, and said she saw two tigers and one lion in tiny enclosures. The top that was used to cover the enclosure area was thin and the animals were trying to hide in small shaded areas.

"One tiger named Delilah was pacing back and forth in her traveling cage," Anderson reported. "Another tiger named Solomon was in a cage barely bigger than his own body. Windell, the lion, was trying to be in the shade away from the sun as it was so hot."

Anderson previously expressed her opposition to the circus in the newspaper through a letter to the editor, but after the tour of the facilities, Siler decided to arrange the protest.

Photo courtesy of Madhu Anderson During a tour of the Culpepper and Merriweather Circus facility, Madhu Anderson observed animals in cages trying to rest in the shade.

"Traveling circuses like Culpepper and Merriweather force wild animals like lions and tigers to spend most of their lives in tiny cages traveling from town to town for shows," Siler said. "In addition, these animals are trained using physical violence. So we decided to do a peaceful protest to educate the community about this animal cruelty."

During the protest, which was held before both showings of the circus, the protesters held signs asking people not to support the circus because it exploits wild animals.

"We had a lot of positive conversations with people," Blunt said. "A couple of people decided not to attend the circus after talking to us and thanked us for being there. We got many thumbs-ups from people driving by. As a long-time resident of Green River, I know most people care about animals in my community. We need to bring awareness."
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GREENWICH  Expert witnesses from around the country are expected to testify in an upcoming civil trial in a wrongful-death lawsuit involving a 15-year-old Greenwich boy who died by suicide in 2013.

According to court records, both sides in the upcoming trial, which could take place at the end of the year, are bringing in experts to bolster their arguments that Greenwich school authorities were  or were not  negligent in their treatment of Bart Palosz, whose family contends he killed himself after years of bullying in Greenwich public schools.

After years of procedural wrangling, and an order by a state Superior Court judge to speed up the process, a final list of expert witnesses is being scheduled for trial this fall.

Bart died on his first day as a sophomore at Greenwich High School in 2013. A lawsuit filed by his parents in 2015 said the school administration did not investigate incidents or take steps to prevent continued bullying of their son.

The plaintiffs, the Palosz family, are calling Amy Klinger, a professor at Ashland University in Ohio, an expert on school policies, and Dr. Young Shin Kim, a San Francisco professor of psychiatry.

According to a court filing by the Palosz family in late March, Dr. Klinger is expected to testify that while the Greenwich school systems mandatory policies and procedures concerning students who are the victims of school-related bullying were appropriate, these same policies and procedures were not followed by the Western Middle School and Greenwich High School administration and other employees with respect to Bart Palosz.

She is set to buttress the contention by the plaintiffs suing the Board of Education that administrators failed to provide Bart Palosz a safe school environment, the filing stated.

Kim is expected to testify that school personnel were remiss in handling aggressive behavior directed at Bart.

An economist, Gary Crake, of Cheshire, will discuss the economic loss of Bartlomiej Paloszs earning capacity, as a witness for the plaintiffs. The testimony would factor into how much damages, if any, are awarded by a jury based on the possible earnings the young man may have accrued had he lived.

Expert witnesses contracted by the defense team for the Greenwich Board of Education are preparing to refute the contentions that the school district was at fault. The defense is set to call Dr. Morton Silverman, an assistant adjunct professor of psychiatry at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, and Jo Ann Freiberg, an expert on school policy and education based in Glastonbury.

According to a court filing by the towns legal team, Western Middle School and Greenwich High School appropriately responded to any reported incidents of alleged bullying of Bart Palosz.

The defense team continued in its June 24 filing, The Greenwich Board of Education, through Western Middle Schools and Greenwich High Schools administrators, teachers and other employees, reported, investigated and responded to any reports of alleged bullying of Bart Palosz in good faith in the discharge of its and their duties.

The trial is likely to delve into the word bullying  which has a specific legal definition in state law, as opposed to the common understanding of aggressive behavior among young people.

An associate medical examiner who performed the autopsy is also planning to be put on the witness stand in upcoming court proceedings.

Depositions and the discovery phase of the litigation  when documents and witness testimony are collected  have been ongoing. The lawsuit was filed by Anna and Franciszek Palosz, Barts parents. Efforts at an out-of-court settlement were not successful in the early days of the long-running litigation.

The lawsuit contends that other students at Western Middle School, and later at Greenwich High School, struck Bart on repeated occasions, threw objects and insulted him. In ninth grade at GHS, according to the lawsuit, another student smashed his new cellphone in a biology class.

Messages left with the plaintiffs lawyer, David Golub, and the towns lawyer, Martha Gaythwaite, were not returned this week.

The trial date is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 18, according to the judicial calendar. The lawsuit is seeking an unspecified amount of damages
GREENWICH  Officers rushed to the Apple store on lower Greenwich Avenue at about 2:40 a.m. on the night of Aug. 25 on a report of a burglary.

The door had been smashed open, and 13 iPhones, as well as a set of Apple headphones, merchandise totaling around $12,000, had been stolen, according to court filings.

Investigators found a number of clues from the smash-and-grab burglary, and earlier this month, made an arrest in the case, police said.

Jesus Cosmesoto, 22, of Gates Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y., was arrested and charged July 1 with third-degree burglary and second-degree larceny, which are felonies. He was already in police custody in New York on unrelated charges.

Detectives went to the Rikers Island lockup to extradite Cosmesoto to Connecticut to face the criminal charges in the Apple incident, according to his arrest report.

According to the arrest-warrant application, Cosmesoto and another man were seen on video breaking into the store. The two suspected burglars were apparently spooked by the rapid police response, and the iPhones taken from the store were later found in nearby planters, garbage bins and in a small alley, police said.

An officer was sent to the train station, according to the application, and saw two men boarding a train there. Police found a bag filled with personal belongings at the station, including paperwork from the emergency department at Greenwich Hospital and a name that investigators could track, the affidavit stated. The bag also held a pair of Apple headphones, still in their case, unopened, the affidavit said.

Police later found social-media images that matched up with the physical appearance of Cosmesoto captured on the stores security cameras, according to the affidavit.

Cosmesoto has an arrest record in New York City, the court filing stated, including four arrests on burglary charges, as well as other citations on possession of stolen property.

The second suspect has not been apprehended, police said.

Cosmesoto was held in state custody on $150,000 bond.
The Bureau of Indian Standards, otherwise known as BIS, certifies all the smartphones that are going to be offered in the country, and the latest two to appear as officially certified by BIS come from Samsung. However, neither of these has become official anywhere else up until this point.

We're talking about the Galaxy A23 5G and the Galaxy A04s. They are both going to be sold in India once they get unveiled. The Galaxy A23 5G shouldn't be confused with the Galaxy A23, which is 4G-only and already official in some markets.

Samsung Galaxy A04s previously leaked renders

The Galaxy A23 5G, which alongside India is also due to launch in Europe, was recently spotted in a benchmark database with the Snapdragon 695 chipset on board, a slight upgrade from the Snapdragon 680 found in the 4G model. The prototype that underwent testing had 4GB of RAM, but there should be more options upon launch. It boots Android 12, entirely unsurprisingly.

The Galaxy A04s, on the other hand, appeared in the same benchmark database with an Exynos 850 SoC - as seen in the Galaxy A13 and M13. It too runs Android 12, and one version has 3GB of RAM. Past rumors said the Galaxy A04s would have a 6.5" HD+ 60 Hz LCD screen and a 5,000 mAh battery.

Via | Image source
The Xiaomi 12 Lite is coming soon, and we finally saw the company acknowledge the phone's existence. Not only that, but the two vague teasers on Twitter hint that the Lite member of the flagship line will be offered in several cool colors. The 12 Lite will come in at least four vibrant paint jobs - Green, Purple, Pink, and Silver.



Colorful teasers of Xiaomi 12 Lite

In a series of tweets, Xiaomi said the 12 Lite will come in a variety of color options to fit and match your style. It will also be a light device with a featherweight slim design. However, none of these marketing materials tell us anything specific about the actual phone like key specs and software features.

Thankfully, a listing for the phone by Orange Spain filled us in yesterday. We expect a Snapdragon 778G chipset, a 4,500 mAh battery with 67W fast charging and a triple camera with a 108 MP sensor for the main shooter.

Xiaomi is yet to set a launch date but surely it is around the corner since the teasers are already pouring in.

Source
Oh Xiaomi, why do you play with our emotions so? This is the Xiaomi 12S Ultra and it may very well be the best phone in the world right now. But Xiaomi won't sell it to anyone outside of China, which is a shame.

The 12S Ultra is up to Xiaomi's usual retail standard - you get a 67W charger, a USB cable, and a case.

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is a camera-first smartphone. That's immediately apparent after a single glance at it. The front is the usual premium all display affair. The rear, however, is what you get when you mold a phone with a retro camera - a huge glass element atop a raised camera island surrounded by leather. Sort of like a Leica M6.

The eco-leather makes gripping the 12S Ultra much easier than the slippery ceramic of its predecessor. The cameras on the back of the Xiaomi 12S Ultra are all at the pinnacle of smartphone imaging. The main imager is the biggest on a phone at 1-inch. It combines 50.3MP in a 4-to-1 pixel binning to produce 12.5MP images, it has multi-directional phase-detect autofocus, a laser aid to that AF system, optical stabilization, and a wide 23mm lens with an f/1.9 aperture.

Fun fact, the 1-inch sensor isn't the one in the center of the camera module - that's the ultrawide. The main camera is the one on the top of the module (in the image below).

But the Xiaomi 12S Ultra isn't just about the camera hardware. Xiaomi joined forces with imaging giant Leica to tune the cameras on the 12S Ultra. There are many layers to this partnership, of which we'll go into detail in our full review, but upon opening the camera interface you'll need to choose between two camera looks - Leica Vivid or Leica Authentic. The first is more in line with modern smartphone cameras - punchy and contrasty, while the latter brings a more toned-down true-to-life look.

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra shares a lot of DNA with the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra. The front is nearly identical (the selfie camera is now centered), while the back has a different layout, but features mostly the same cameras - wide with humongous sensor, ultrawide with autofocus, and 5x telephoto periscope.

Inside the 12S Ultra is predictably better than its predecessor. The display is a bit smaller but brighter and smarter in its refreshing, the chipset is the latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, and the battery is slightly smaller, but has a dedicated charging chip. There's another smart chip for battery management, which should help the 12S Ultra make better use of its milliamps.



The Xiaomi 12S Ultra next to its predecessor

There's a lot to go over in this review, so we'll take our time to do our due diligence. Be patient and stay tuned!
Three months after his death at the age of 81, artist Adriano Baza Pangelinan and his work will be celebrated at a new exhibit opening July 12 at the University of Guams Isla Center for the Arts.

Coordinated by Benjamin J.F. Cruz, public auditor and retired chief justice, and Monica Guzman of the Galaide Group, Dream in Color will feature pieces from the private collections of Pangelinans family and others in the community.

My dad left probably about 200 paintings at his house, combined with my mothers house, said Pangelinans son, Carlos Pangelinan. We gave half of that to Monica so she can pick and choose what she wants for the show.

The exhibit is being installed this week, and Guzman said she would end up using about 45 to 60 paintings.

Maybe more, if we can fit, she said.

He would have loved (the exhibit), Carlos Pangelinan said. My dad (was) not a talkative person. He (didnt) like to show off but he always appreciated people enjoying his work.

An homage

Considered one of Guams pioneers in contemporary art, Adriano Pangelinan started his prolific career while still in his late teens in the late 1960s.

After earning his masters in fine arts from Southern Illinois University, he returned to Guam and taught at the University of Guam for two decades.

He worked in watercolor and acrylic. His paintings reflected a strong Eastern influence that depicted fond memories of island life on Guam, its people in harmony with the ocean and the land with its endless beauty and bounty, his daughter, Marilyn Pangelinan Schofield, said in an April 22 PDN story.

Although Cruz never met the artist, he has been a longtime admirer of the painters work and acquired some paintings after Carlos Pangelinan came to work for him when Cruz was serving as a senator in the Legislature.

So when Carlos told me that his father wasnt doing well, I thought that it would be appropriate to do a retrospective of his work, Cruz said.

The exhibit is meant to pay homage to Pangelinan, who influenced generations of local creatives during his career as an artist and educator.

Among those were University of Guam art professors Ric Castro and Lewis Rifkowitz, who shared their memories in a 50-minute video about the artist, who was among the first CHamorus to earn a masters degree in fine arts.

In the video, Castro credits Adriano Pangelinan, along with Adriano Pangelinans art critic friend Marvin Montvel-Cohen, for his current career in art.

Following Montvel-Cohens harsh review of his first solo art show in 1987, it really sparked a little fire in me and I always credit (the two)  to change my career to becoming a painter, Castro said.

I knew academia didnt respect me as being a painter, so in my head, I said, man, I would love to do this for a living and be part of that group, these elite painters that are so harsh, he said with a laugh.

He was brave

The video also includes interviews with Cruz and Guam Museum curator Michael Lujan Bevacqua.

Adriano Pangelinan was always on the periphery of discussions because two of my professors were Ric Castro and Joe Babauta  both of whom held Tun Adriano in high regard because, for many years, he was the only CHamoru artist who was out there and whose work was sought after. Because for many people on Guam, art was sort of an off-island thing; like the art faculty at UOG were primarily white people from the U.S., said Bevacqua, who double-majored in art and literature at the University of Guam.

There was a big emphasis for CHamorus after World War II to join the military, go work for the government. If you told your nana, I want to be an artist, your nana, she might sort of say the rosary for you. She might say, No, no, no, dont throw your life away.

In the video, Cruz said he admired Adriano Pangelinan because, truthfully, at one point I wanted to get a degree in dance but that just wasnt something a CHamoru man did, or even art.

As a consequence, a bunch of young men after him realized there is no shame in getting an MFA and  theyd be able to provide for their family, he said. He was brave enough to do it and made a good life of it and mentored and inspired generations after him. That should be the real legacy that should be attributed to him.
The Mayors Council of Guam last fiscal year spent $2.6 million more on salaries and wages for employees funded by the Guam Highway Fund than was authorized, audit findings from the Office of Public Accountability show.

The Mayors Council has been asking for years that money from the Highway Fund, which is meant to pay for road repair, stop being used to pay employee salaries, council President Angel Sablan said Thursday.

Sablan hadnt read the fiscal 2021 audit, released hours before he spoke to the Pacific Daily News. He couldnt comment specifically on the $2.6 million overspend, but said that the issue with drawdowns for salaries going over authorized levels was exactly why the mayors wanted to be taken off the fund. The audit stated mayors went over by $1.6 million in fiscal 2020 as well.

Its not that were overextending. Its that were underfunded, Sablan said.

He said money from the Highway Fund paid for five maintenance employees for every village and the council handled payroll.

Sablan said the Mayors Council plans ahead of every fiscal year for how much it needs to pay for staff.

We look at their salaries, their insurance needs, their retirement contributions, their health, contribution, insurance contributions.  And then thats projected out for the entire year. And thats what we asked for as far as our budget for personnel, but we never get the complete funding that we asked for, he said.

Issues with Highway Fund shortfalls ended up affecting operations for the entire Mayors Council, he added. Money that could be paying for village road repairs for constituents also ended up going to employee salaries.

The fund has been gradually decreasing in revenue through the pandemic, down to about $20 million from the $25 million in 2019.

We always get thrown under the bus because we are, through no fault of our own, paying our employees, because thats how the Legislature funded it, Sablan said.

He said Sen. Joe San Agustin, who chairs the Office of Finance and Budget, had agreed to take the Mayors Council off the Highway Fund next fiscal year and fund them entirely through the General Fund, the main operational account for the government of Guam.

San Agustin couldnt be reached immediately for comment, but the proposed fiscal 2023 budget bill appears to reflect the councils removal.

The audit of the Highway Fund recommends that better controls be put in place to periodically check expenditures against the total appropriations for the fund.

Diverted money

Spending by mayors wasnt the only issue identified by the audit.

Only about $8.3 million out of the $20.5 million Highway Fund actually went to the Department of Public Works last fiscal year.

The audit noted that, similar to prior years, $9.3 million of fiscal 2021 total expenditures were unrelated to highways or transportation plans, programs, and projects. It stated $8.2 million went to the mayors.

About $1 million in unrelated spending went to modernizing the Department of Revenue and Taxations staff training and systems.

In fiscal 2021, $1.2 million went to GPDs highway patrol, while $649,000 went toward Guam Highway streetlights, the audit shows, which does fall under acceptable use.

Another $2.1 million went to the Guam Regional Transit Authority, despite the fact that the law which created the fund states that no part or portion of the monies  from whatever source derived shall be used for the maintenance or operation of a public transit system.

Money from the Highway Fund was later diverted for Regional Transit through several annual budget laws, a conflict which requires addressing by the Guam Legislature, the audit stated.
A boat impounded by the Guam Police Department last month is suspected to have carried individuals seeking asylum.

On June 13, the GPD investigated a boat found on the shore of Tumon Bay before it was impounded for safekeeping. Federal law enforcement agencies were notified, which put further investigation of the boat on hold, GPD spokeswoman Officer Berlyn Savella said at the time.

Assistant Chief for the Special Enforcement Division of Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, Col. Philip Taijeron Jr., said they were one of the agencies contacted but did not get involved because they could not prove the boat came from outside of Guam.

They recently suspected the Chinese nationals who were conditionally paroled in Saipan had arrived in the boat, which Taijeron said has become common since late last year.

Over the last nine months, our first detection had at least Guam Customs being notified back in October of last year; however, weve had nine incursions, arrivals and of the nine, eight of them happened over the last two months, Taijeron said. These people were conditionally paroled into the CNMI and in instances, they asked for asylum into the United States. So thats why they remain in Saipan.

These individuals, Taijeron added, are able to travel freely throughout the U.S., but not by plane. If their arrival in Guam through a port had been cleared, they would not be in violation of customs law.

We have the responsibility to ensure the safety of Guam and make sure that these people, when theyre coming in, we got to check their bags, make sure their public health requirements are met and theyre not carrying any contraband, Taijeron explained.

With the discovery of the red boat last month starting to add to an upward trend of arrivals, Taijeron and customs are asking the public to make a report to customs if they see anything suspicious.

Only one of them took place in October last year and all the rest, like the other eight happened within these last two months. So thats why were kind of raising the alarm and asking for the public if they see suspicious activity to report it to us, Taijeron said.
Guam Fire Department firefighters from four stations, an aircraft crash crew from the Guam Airport Authority and a fire unit from the Navy's emergency services, join forces to battle a blaze that destroyed rows of vehicles stored at a Harmon business on July 6, 2022.
The memorial for the 5th Annual Marine Field Service Depot became a symbol of hope and recovery on Thursday across Cars Plus in Maite.

Unlike other memorials that commemorate the victims and survivors of the internment camps during World War II, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero said this event was the stronghold of hope for the people of Guam.

This site is dedicated to the U.S. Marines and U.S. Naval personnel who not only stormed our shores and recaptured our island but who also stayed after the war and helped younger versions of our manamko rebuild their lives and their families, she said.

Mongmong-Toto-Maite Mayor Rudy Paco supported the governors statements as he addressed the depot becoming a job center for the people of Guam, where it helped bring stability for families and steered meaning into making the village a convenience for their professional and personal lives.

I am thankful to the Marines from so long ago who worked hand-in-hand at this depot with locals to overcome the results of the war. It helped our CHamorus mark a new beginning to move on from the Japanese occupation, Paco said.

As a lifetime resident of MTM, I will always be proud of what this supply depot meant to our people.

Toshiaki

Since his inauguration in 2020, the Consul-General of Japan, Kobayashi Toshiaki has been attending the memorials and masses to pay his respects to those who perished and sacrificed themselves.

It is not easy for me or for us, frankly speaking, to listen to all these stories about the atrocity or tragedies during World War II, Toshiaki said. For the Guamanian people who lost their lives and fought to survive, for them, life was much harder.

Toshiaki believes that its important for him, as a representative of the consulate, to attend these memorials not to maintain a bond with Guam but to recognize the significance of the war.

I myself was born after World War II so I dont have any direct memories about the war, but we cant and should not forget what happened in our history, he said. The true, real bond is to recognize everything including what happened in the tragic period. This is very important to have good relations, especially for the younger generation.

Leon Guerrero ended the event with a powerful message: To overcome the hardships.

Just as this depot signaled a new start at the end of a historic crisis, today we are starting anew on a stronger path forward, she said. I ask all of us to channel the enduring resilience of our war survivors, to take inspiration from the hope weve held onto in good times and bad, and to remember the sacrifices of our manamko and the troops of history who made today possibletogether, we are celebrating the strength to overcome, the faith to persevere.
Airbus eyes local airlines to sell A220 planes

(China Daily) 13:19, July 07, 2022

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus said it has been in close discussions with Chinese airlines, especially small and medium-sized carriers, for possible sales of its 100-to 150-seat, low-emission A220 aircraft, which are not yet in service in China.

The aircraft model is considered by aviation industry experts as suitable for flights in western China and second-tier cities in eastern China.

The single-aisle A220 fills the gap between regional-level aircraft like the domestically developed jetliner ARJ21 and single-aisle aircraft such as the A320 and the Boeing B737 that are used on both short and long-haul routes.

Airbus said among its single-aisle aircraft family, the A320 is equipped with 160 to 240 seats. The A319neo comes with 130 to 150 seats, and is mainly designed for airports in ultra-high plateau regions. The A220 is designed for airports located in regular plateau areas and plains.

"Among all Airbus aircraft models, the A220 boasts the highest number of Chinese elements-15 Chinese suppliers have been contributing to its manufacture, from providing raw materials and components to the assembly of big parts," said Yang Xiaoyu, Airbus' head of flyable procurement in China and East Asia.

"We will continue to localize the supply chain and reduce costs for the A220. This approach can help reduce international transportation logistics and significantly cut down the emission of carbon dioxide."

SAC Commercial Aircraft International Ltd, a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corp of China, which is based in Shenyang, Liaoning province, serves as a major supplier, producing forward fuselages, rear barrel sections, hatch doors, tail cones and mid-fuselage of the A220.

So far, the A220 model has received 741 orders from more than 25 customers globally, including Delta Air Lines, Air Canada, Air France and Korean Air.

Airbus has been working hard to receive the airworthiness certificate for the A220 from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the company said.

Currently, the monthly production rate of the A220 stands at six aircraft. Airbus aims to increase it to 14 by 2025. The company said it has already started preparations to realize its goal through close cooperation with its local suppliers.

In 2019, Airbus' annual spending on the commercial aircraft business in China reached about $1 billion. The company will continue to increase its investments in the country. In the near future, the procurement value related to the A220 is expected to account for about 40 percent of the total procurement value of Airbus in China, when A220 reached its full production rate of 14 aircraft a month.

Between 2015 and 2025, the government plans to build 136 new airports on the Chinese mainland. Nearly half of them will be built in western China, the CAAC said.

"Smaller cities in short-haul domestic markets need more direct flights to connect them, and the A220 is the type of aircraft suitable for such markets," said Xie Li, a professor at the Civil Aviation Management Institute of China.

(Web editor: Liang Jun, Bianji)
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The Republican gubernatorial team of former Gov. Felix Camacho and Sen. Tony Ada outlined their extensive campaign platform in front of media and supporters at the Tumon Sands Plaza on Thursday.

After an opening prayer, Camacho said the location, lined with shuttered business stalls, was an intentional choice.

As you look around in this building, you look behind, you look over there and you can see the tangible examples of the results not only of the pandemic, but a mishandled government and poor policy decisions that were not in the best interest of our island, he said.

Weve heard the cries of our people. And what Tony and I are most concerned about is we need to hear and to help the people that are struggling.

The teams seven priorities or pillars are:

Business

Education

Family

Government

Faith

Justice

Health

Ada said it was not a list of promises but a shared vision for the island.

It is what our people have told us they want for Guam. It embodies their ideas and their ideals, the issues important to them, and the roadmap to move on forward.

In an apparent jab at his two potential Democrat opponents, Camacho said that much of the federal money being used for advertisements would be better spent assisting struggling families.

The destiny of our island is at stake in this election, said Camacho, who stated that the values of America, Democracy, and the Judeo-Christian community had been usurped in the past 60 years.

Affordable housing was needed, and allowing for a more open economy would help unleash the private sector to collaborate with the government on solutions, especially for middle-class families who were often left out. Investing in infrastructure and cutting down on bureaucracy would also aid in cutting down construction costs, he added.

Fear in the community

Issues of crime, especially related to drug abuse, would top the list of priorities in the teams first 100 days, Camacho said.

Theres a blight on our island, and its affected every single family in every walk of life, the former governor said, acknowledging there was no silver bullet. Weve got to strengthen our borders. Weve got to work with our law enforcement, weve got to work with the community, and address the population addicted to drugs and reliant on government services.

The team also plans to return to the policy of assisting federal law enforcement in deporting non-U.S. citizen criminals.

If they violated the laws, and the federal government says you violated this, youre going to go back. Well do that, Camacho said, adding that a holistic approach to assisting the country of origin for deportees was needed.

Economy

Camacho said he plans to do a forensic review to determine the true state of GovGuams finances if elected, and go back to basics by opening up delegations with tourism markets in Japan, Korea and Taiwan to get the islands main industry rolling again.

A long-awaited rollback of Business Privilege Taxes to 4% is also on the teams agenda. Weve got to find ways to bring in new sources of revenue economy, Camacho said, by seeking partnerships in the region and with the federal government.

Health

Camacho granted that a new facility for the Guam Memorial Hospital was needed, but stopped short of endorsing the multi-agency health complex being pushed by the current administration.

Its just wheres the best location? Where do we find the money? And the biggest challenge has always been personnel, he said, adding that public-private partnerships, including with the islands private hospital, should be explored.

More effort needed to be put into retaining health care professionals from Guam now working in the states, he said.

Stand for life

On the question of abortion on Guam following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, Camacho said: The decision remains with the states and territories, remains now with the lawmakers. But should they pass anything that would ban abortion, were there to sign it into law. We will stand for life.

Education

A shift toward more training for skilled and technical jobs was needed in the Department of Education, Camacho said, We feel that most of the curriculum for DOE has been college preparatory.

He added that more work could be done to partner with charter schools and leaders in the industry to identify the needs of the local workforce.

Challengers

The Camacho-Ada campaign is unopposed in the primary. In the General Election, they will face the winner of the Democratic primary race between Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero and Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio, and the team of Del. Michael San Nicolas and former journalist Sabrina Salas Matanane.
Guam Police Department officers and other emergency personnel respond to a call in this Oct. 1, 2019, photo.




Haiti - FLASH : One of the suspects in the assassination of President Moise pleads not guilty before a federal court





On Wednesday, July 7, 2022, one of the suspects in the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, Rodolphe Jaar (49) a Haitian-Chilean, pleaded not guilty to both criminal charges in federal court in Miami : conspiracy charges in sight committing murder or kidnapping outside the United States and providing material support resulting in death. If convicted, Jaar faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.



A year after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, Miami Federal Judge Chris M. McAliley accepted Jaar's plea of innocence and his request for a jury trial, which has a tentative start date of July 18.



During the hearing, which lasted less than 5 minutes, it was his lawyer, Frank Schwartz of the Public Defender's Office, who spoke on his behalf, telling the magistrate that he expected the prosecution to present all the evidence in this case.



Let's recall that Jaar was arrested in the Dominican Republic on January 7, 2022, at the request of the American authorities (FBI) on the basis of statements by Mario Antonio Palacios https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35640-haiti-flash-palacio-extradited-to-the-usa-first-official-indictment-in-the-assassination-of-president-moise.html . According to US authorities, Jaar voluntarily agreed to be transferred to Miami for trial.



Rodophe Jaar is the 2nd suspect to plead not guilty in federal court after former Colombian military Mario Palacios https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36347-haiti-flash-former-colombian-soldier-mario-antonio-palacios-pleads-not-guilty-in-the-usa.html



A 3rd suspect is in the hands of American justice, it is the former Haitian senator John Joel Joseph https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36629-haiti-justice-assassination-president-a-third-suspect-appeared-in-federal-court.html accused of having rented in Haiti four vehicles which were used by the Colombian commandos the night of the attack on President Moise. The former Senator stressed that Jovenel Moise should be captured and not assassinated. Known information, but once again revealed by investigators from the FBI and US Homeland Security. He allegedly confessed to the FBI that his goal was to become Prime Minister of Moise's successor after the latter's dismissal, which is consistent with the investigation in Haiti.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36629-haiti-justice-assassination-president-a-third-suspect-appeared-in-federal-court.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36347-haiti-flash-former-colombian-soldier-mario-antonio-palacios-pleads-not-guilty-in-the-usa.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35822-haiti-assassination-moise-the-hearing-of-rodolphe-jaar-postponed-for-30-days-in-the-usa.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35762-haiti-flash-usa-criminal-charges-brought-against-rodolphe-jaar.html



SL/ HaitiLibre



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





3 EDH employees kidnapped

Three employees of the State Electricity of Haiti (EDH) have been kidnapped in the area from Place Saint-Anne to Rue St-Honore. The victims were leaving their work at the EDH central office at the Bicentenaire.



The PM spoke with Eric William Stromayer

The Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, met with the new Charge d'affaires a.i of the United States in Haiti, Mr. Eric William Stromayer https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37068-haiti-usa-new-american-charge-d-affaires-in-haiti.html . "Today, Acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry and I discussed how to forge a strong consensus on a political path forward in Haiti. We also discussed recent security gains, economic stability and the status of the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH)," said Eric William Stromayer.



Another arms dealer arrested

The National Police of Haiti in the North West arrested Jona Georges for illegal trafficking in arms and ammunition. The accused is the owner of "Miss Lily", a cargo ship of the "Cargo Shipping Lines" providing the Port-de-Paix/Miami route, involved according to the police in the trafficking of arms and ammunition. A large quantity of cartridges was found on July 2 on board the said boat. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37058-haiti-flash-seizure-of-tens-of-thousands-of-ammunition-at-the-wharf-of-port-de-paix-video.html



Caribbean Games 2022 : Haiti 16th in the medal table

On Sunday July 3, the 2022 Caribbean Games ended. In the general table of medal winners, Cuba prances in first position with 37 medals (12 gold, 11 silver and 14 bronze) followed by Puerto Rico 27 medals and Trinidad 16 medals. Haiti takes 17th place with 1 silver medal in Judo . The Dominican Republic is 5th with 10 medals (4 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze).



Assassination of Jovenel Moise

"I do not see this file progressing during the period of political transition. When the people are back in power via a legitimate government that they themselves have put in power, justice will be done to Jovenel Moise and his family," said former Deputy of Delmas Gary Bodeau.



The Consulate of Haiti in Barahona closed

The Consulate of Haiti in Barahona, in the Dominican Republic informs the Haitian community that in reference to the decree published in the Monitor declaring public holiday and unemployed on July 7, 2022 to commemorate the date of the assassination of the late President of the Republic of Haiti Jovenel Moise, its doors will be closed on this date. Services will resume Friday, July 8 at the usual schedule.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















BUSINESSES in Henley were happy to have the normal royal regatta back.

Many reported a boost in trade as a result of the estimated 300,000 people who visited the town over the six days of the event, which ended on Sunday.

But some were unhappy at the dirty condition of the streets caused by night-time revellers.

Police said just 13 arrests were made during the event, which had been extended by a day for the first time and had a record entry.

The regatta was cancelled in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic and last year was held later than usual with a reduced capacity.

Laurence Menswear in Duke Street had its best ever regatta in terms of sales and footfall, according to the owner.

Laurence Morris said: Im absolutely delighted. Its the first major regatta in three years and guys wanted to kit themselves up. He believes his record sales in the 11 years he has had his shop were more to do with the coronavirus restrictions having ended rather than the extra day of the event.

Until next year I wont know but I think its an exceptional year, he said.

Mr Morris said he did have to clean up mess outside his shop but added: Its part of the job. After any event theres going to be a mess and the people who clean our streets do an admirable job.

Helen Barnes, manager of Joules, the womenswear shop in Market Place, said sales were on a par with previous regatta periods.

Staff witnessed the usual emergency purchases by women who had been refused entry to the stewards enclosure at the regatta because their dresses were too short and those who needed socks after getting blisters on their feet.

On Thursday morning last week, she had to clean up vomit outside shop using buckets of water and had to call the district council to remove it completely.

You always get the drunken revellers, said Mrs Barnes. It is what it is.

Nina Hoang, of Henley Nails and Beauty in Duke Street, said: There are definitely more people coming in than last year, which is great, but its just the same as any other regatta.

Its two weeks of regatta and then the festival so we always stay busy in this period.

Lois Donnally, who works at Cancer Research UK, also in Duke Street, said: It was so nice seeing everybody all dressed up and looking beautiful.

We were inundated with donations of clothes and then we had lots of people coming in last minute because they didnt want to spend so much money on a tie or a jacket or dress. It was a good experience

seeing people in Henley all elegant.

The downside was that the streets were disgusting afterwards. There was sick everywhere  people are so gross. Luckily, the street cleaners came because I really didnt want to clean it myself.

Many race spectators and athletes would visit Berries Coffee in Hart Street in the mornings for breakfast.

Manager Laurence Tian said: It was good  very busy in the mornings but then it would calm down while people were watching the races.

On weekends we already get quite a lot of people coming in so I dont think the extra day made too much difference.

The Cote restaurant on the corner of Bell Street and Hart Street opened in January so was experiencing its first regatta.

In preparation for the event, it had a regatta-themed flower display outside with hats and blue feathers to represent water.

Manager David Wilkins said: People would stop to take photos with the display and they looked happy.

We were expecting it to be super, super busy and it was. It was a great experience and people seemed to really enjoy themselves.

Of course there was a little bit of mess left outside but its part of the parcel. It will be the same for anything like this where theres alcohol and people having a good time.

Jason Herrington, manager of Hart Street Tavern, said: It was busier than we thought it would be and it was so nice to welcome back so many friendly faces from outside Henley  it has been too long with covid.

There was such a great atmosphere between the staff and guests.

It was a good idea to have the extra day. In terms of footfall in the town, the longer week definitely made a difference.

Obviously more people make more waste but the council did a fantastic job to make everything stay looking lovely and show the town in the best light.

The Catherine Wheel in Hart Street, broke its records.

Sammy Ashby, manager of the Wetherspoons pub, said: It was great  its always the best time of the year for us.

We had been preparing for this for three or four months but we were caught out on the Tuesday when we were really really busy.

The mess is part and parcel  it cant be managed.

Puma Gurung, supervisor at Cafe Rouge in Hart Street, said: It went well and Im very happy.

People were also better behaved this year. Normally people get violent and maybe throw a table or chair or something but this year security worked well.

The Three Horseshoes pub in Reading Road had a busy two weeks before the regatta with both the qualifiers and the Henley Womens Regatta before that.

Many rowers were staying in houses close to the Brakspear pub which, in response, added rowfasta pasta to the menu  wholemeal pasta with a chicken, tomato and basil sauce.

Landlord Nigel Rainbow said: It was nice to get back to the old with a busy regatta.

It was good on the whole  no trouble and no idiots, which I guess is the beauty of being out of town.

We did have two blackboards stolen on the Thursday night but the culprits must have seen the error in their ways because they were returned at 3am on Friday.

All 43 bedrooms at Hotel Du Vin in New Street were booked but general manager Damien Davenport said this was not unusual.

He said: The regatta doesnt change how busy we get  the only difference is the prices we charge. The restaurant and bar, however, were particularly busy from Tuesday to Saturday.

He said the majority of guests were Americans, adding: The people who came to stay here have money and are very respectable.

Town centre manager Laurie-Jane Cann said: I think the town did very well.

The general feeling was that it was very busy and hospitality did well as a result.

I think overall cleaning was good but there are a few things that can be improved for next year.

For example, the cleaning times need to be altered. Cleaning was finishing at 6pm but I think it should be later. I will be speaking to everybody involved to try to resolve the few issues that I think can make next year even better.

 What do you think? Write to: Letters, Henley Standard, Caxton House, 1 Station Road, Henley or email letters

@henleystandard.co.uk
HENLEY MP John Howell says that Boris Johnson has no option but to resign as Prime Minister.

He said that it has become impossible for Mr Johnson to form a credible government after a record number of ministerial resignations in the last 24 hours.

Mr Johnson is set to resign as Conservative leader today (Thursday) and plans to continue to serve as Prime Minister until the autumn to allow a leadership contest to take place in the summer.

But some Tory MPs are calling for him to stand down immediately after more than 50 government ministers and aides quit.

Nadhim Zahawi told Mr Johnson this morning that he must go now, just two days after being made chancellor.

Mr Howell, who succeed Mr Johnson in 2008 when he went on become Mayor of London, said it was right Mr Johnson resigned.

He said: I think it was impossible for him to form a creditable government. Most of the people he asked to take on a ministerial job had said no. I think with that fate he had no option but to resign.

Mr Howell said the row over the decision to appoint Chris Pincher, the MP for Tamworth, chief whip earlier this was the straw that broke the camels back for the Conservative party.

He said: I had not made a public statement and I dont intend to on that but I had already indicated to the party whips how I felt about Boris.

Boris and I have over the years crossed swords as much as anyone else and I am still not going to comment on the vote of no confidence that took place as I still believe that is a private matter to do with the Conservative Party.

The reason I have not commented is because it is complicated  you must separate the actions one could criticise Boris for against an unparalleled campaign to remove him.

You have got to understand the way a number of groups have acted against him alongside an objective assessment of what he has done, such as the lies that were told of Chris Pincher.

Despite this, Mr Howell said Mr Johnson had some very good achievements as Prime Minister, such as the support for Ukraine following the Russian invasion and the vaccine roll-out during the coronavirus pandemic.

But admitted that Mr Johnson had questionable attitudes towards tax.

Mr Howell said he wouldnt speculate on when the next General Election will be and added: The issue of whether Boris stays on as a caretaker Prime Minister will be something the party will be discussing in the next couple of days.
Born in Nice, France, Gilles was immersed into the hospitality industry from a young age. His grandparents were in the restaurant business, and his parents owned five hotels across Nice, Menton, and Lyon. In addition, his great grandfather's brother was the co-owner of Fouquet's Brasserie in Champs Elysee. After a successful career as a classical ballet dancer, Gilles began his hospitality career in 1993. Through many years of experience in hotels across Europe, Gilles gained a high level of expertise in the luxury hotel industry, most recently working as the Managing Director for the Mercer Hotel in New York.

Gilles will lead the operations at Hotel Barriere Fouquet's New York, bringing three decades of experience to the property's opening team. Before joining Hotel Barriere Fouquet's New York, Gilles helped open luxury hotels in Nice, Cannes, Rome, and New York. Spending time in both New York and France, Gilles brings crucial knowledge to property, as the hotel looks to blend both cultures seamlessly.
A graduate of The University of Toronto's Rotman School of Business, Victoria has over eight years of hospitality experience. In 2017, Victoria was brought on as a Marketing Manager for The Mark Hotel, eventually becoming Director of Marketing in 2019. During her time at The Mark Hotel, the property was awarded the Best Hotel in America and the Best Hotel in New York by Travel + Leisure. Victoria also oversaw the launch of the property's e-gift shop 'Le Shop.' After four years with The Mark Hotel, Victoria joined The Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York as Director of Marketing of the Opening team in 2021, where she was until joining Groupe Barriere. Victoria also received a certificate from Cornell University in Hotel Real Estate Investment and Asset Management in 2022.

Groupe Barriere, Americas

United States Website
Turtle Bay Resort has appointed Lyle Kaku as executive chef overseeing the iconic property's culinary offerings on Oahu's North Shore. Born and raised on the Big Island, Chef Kaku is thrilled to return to his roots and share the true flavors of the islands with guests and locals alike.

With more than 20 years of experience in a number of acclaimed restaurants in Las Vegas, San Francisco and Maui, Chef Kaku describes his cuisine as inspired and simple yet elegant and always with a local flare using the freshest ingredients.

At Turtle Bay, his vision is for guests to leave with memories to bring back home and share with their ohana and friends that started around a table, sharing amazing food and talking storyjust like he remembers from his childhood.
PRAGUE  Mews, the global cloud-based property management system (PMS), has been selected by Criterion Hospitality to power their hospitality operations going forward.

Criterion Hospitality own properties in some of central Londons most iconic locations, with hotels and apartments in Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, and Picadilly Circus. With over a thousand hotel rooms and a further thousand under construction, Criterion Hospitality is a premium brand with a need for excellence.

The group have already gone live with Mews in three hotels, with the first property onboarding in only three weeks. By the end of the year, six properties will be fully migrated to Mews, providing their portfolio with unrivalled connectivity.

Criterion are exactly the kind of forward-thinking group that we love to work with, said Matt Welle, CEO of Mews. Theyve got big plans for growth and innovation that align perfectly with our own vision. More than anything they strive to give their guests unique experiences, and were excited that Mews will help them do that.

Automated payments were key to Criterions decision. The group have chosen to use Mews Terminals to process transactions and embrace a fully integrated payments ecosystem, improving efficiency and minimizing human error.

Other key features included easy and accurate reporting and taking full control of their tech stack via swift and simple integration management. Mews Marketplace hosts over 500 integrations, many of which are plug-and-play. This allows the group to connect to the best hospitality tech without long delays or connection fees, ensuring they can always provide their guests with the best possible stay.

We wanted to choose a hospitality cloud that would support the growth of our varied portfolio, and Mews was the obvious choice, said Marc Sandfort, COO at Criterion Hospitality. Not only in terms of product fit, but a shared mindset of doing the simple things well and putting guests at the heart of hospitality."

About Mews

Founded by ex-hoteliers, Mews is a next-generation hospitality cloud for hotels, hostels, apartments and more. Mews gives hoteliers the power to provide a remarkable guest experience while improving the operations and performance of their property, thanks to smart automation and an innovative, user-friendly set of products and features.

Mews serves over 2,500 properties across more than 70 countries in all five continents and works with a huge number of hospitality tech companies to provide hoteliers with an unbeatable platform  no other PMS offers as many integrations. At the 2020 HotelTechAwards, Mews was voted Best PMS by industry peers, was a Finalist in 2021 and 2022, and won Best Place to Work in Hotel Tech in 2021 and 2022. Customers include Accor Group, Nordic Choice Hotels, The Student Hotel and Generator-Freehand.

For more information, please visit mews.com

George Barker

Director of Communications
Universal Enterprises Sold Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa and W Maldives

The Maldives-based Universal Enterprises (UE) has sold Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa (SMFMRS) and W Maldives (WM) for an undisclosed sum to a global private equity investor. SMFMRS is branded as an upper upscale property with 176 keys situated within 15 minutes speedboat ride from Male International Airport while WM is branded as a luxury property with 70 keys located within 25 minutes away from Male International Airport. Both properties have more than five food and beverage outlets and features a swimming pool, a spa centre and a fitness centre. Both properties are managed by the Marriott International and is the first ever portfolio deal transacted in Maldives. Maldives as a resort-based destination has shown resilience in terms of market demand even during the pandemic period.

Best Western Sanctuary Inn Tamworth was Acquired for more than AUD18 Million

Best Western Sanctuary Inn Tamworth was acquired off-market by Australia-based Elanor Hotel Accommodation Fund (EHAF) for in excess of AUD18 million. Located within the central business district of Tamworth, New South Wales, the 60-key property features one food and beverage outlet, conference and event spaces, a salt water swimming pool and a fitness centre. The property is situated on a 10,000 square metre land parcel with favourite zoning, and is one of the few international brand hotels in Tamworth. The acquisition reflected an initial yield of 8.5%, and this will be the 15th property EHAF holds in Australia. The 109-key Ibis Styles Tamworth which is located near to the Best Western was also transacted in 2021.

Eco Village Mission Beach Sold for almost AUD3 Million to a Southern Investor in Australia

Tropical North Queenslands Eco Village Mission Beach (EVM) was sold to an Australia-based accommodation operators along with two business partners for approximately AUD3 million, which represents a per key rate of AUD150,000 with a yield of 7.0%. The resort offers 17 bungalows, a couples retreat, a resort-style pool, and one food and beverage outlet. The property is situated on a 9,080 square metres site with a unique rainforest feel and only a few steps to the scenic Mission Beach. This is the first time the property has changed hands since it was developed in 1992. The sale process for the Eco Village Mission Beach attracted strong interest from established hotel investors and operators, together with a number of new market entrants.

DoubleDragon Acquires a 9,000 Square Metres of Land in Hokkaido for Hotel Development

Subsidiaries of The Philippines-based DoubleDragon Properties Corp. has acquired a 9,000 square metres of land in Niseko, Hokkaido for their first international Hotel 101 development. The upcoming Hotel 101  Niseko is expected to be patronized by local Japanese domestic travellers as well as international guests, especially the Filipino travellers. Hotel 101 is famous for its typical or similar in size room that caters to the mid-end market, and this will be Hotel 101s first international hotel. The current Hotel 101 is located in Metro Manila, where the 518-key property has achieved an average occupancy rate of 96.03% in 2021.

About HVS

HVS is the world's leading consulting and valuation services organization focused on the hotel, restaurant, shared ownership, gaming, and leisure industries. Established in 1980, the company performs more than 4,500 assignments per year for virtually every major industry participant. HVS principals are regarded as the leading professionals in their respective regions of the globe. Through a worldwide network of over 50 offices staffed by 300 experienced industry professionals, HVS provides an unparalleled range of complementary services for the hospitality industry. For further information regarding our expertise and specifics about our services, please visit www.hvs.com.
Americans consumed more coal for energy last year than in 2020, making it the first annual increase in coal use in nearly a decade, according to federal data.

Last year the U.S. consumed 97 quadrillion British thermal units, often called quads, of energy. Of that, 79 percent came from fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal and natural gas, according to the Energy Information Administration, the statistics and analysis branch of the Department of Energy.

A further breakdown of the data shows Americans use of coal for energy increased to 10.5 quads from 9.2 quads in 2020.

And overall, Americans used a lot more energy last year than during the depths of the pandemic in 2020.

The 4-quad increase in U.S. primary energy consumption last year was the largest annual increase on record and was mostly attributable to a gradual return to pre-pandemic levels of activity, the EIA aid. The increase in 2021 follows a 7-quad decrease in 2020, which was the largest annual decrease on record.

RELATED: U.S. adds 8 billion barrels of recoverable oil as global estimates fall, analysis shows

Coal consumption had fallen by more than half since its 2005 peak, mostly due to shuttering of coal-fired power plants. Meanwhile, petroleum continues its reign as the highest-consumed energy source, a spot it's held since overtaking coal in 1950, notes the administration.

Still, the data shows petroleum consumption at around 35 quads last year, less than its 2005 peak. Natural gas use also ticked down slightly compared to 2020.

The administrations report shows renewable energy use was up 6 percent to a record 12.2 quads in 2021, compared to 11.5 in 2020.

While clean energy is outpacing the oil and gas sector in terms of hiring, experts say production of oil and gas in the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico is set to hit records this year. Global investment in the industry is expected to grow by 20 percent.
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MIDDLETOWN  In an industrial area behind Dollar General on Newfield Street, recognizable police cruisers litter the parking lot of New Englands largest emergency vehicle upfitter.

MHQ, which specializes in emergency vehicle upfitting, is expanding its Connecticut warehouse, with plans to double the companys car output by the end of the year.

Headquartered in Marlborough, Mass., with a second location in Middletown, MHQ takes vehicles purchased by state or municipal entities and equips the cars for emergency purposes.

The company is building an additional 6,300 square feet onto its existing 10,000-square-foot shop, general manager Bryan Gilbert said. The additional space will be constructed on an area of the site already owned by MHQ; it will be repurposed from a parking lot into part of the warehouse.

The Middletown shop houses eight bays, allowing that many vehicles to be worked on at a time, Gilbert said. With the new addition, six more bays will be added.

Once complete, the addition will double the companys output in Connecticut, he said.

Each tech can do two to four cars each week, with five more techs thatll be about 15 more cars in a week, Gilbert said.

The decision to increase the garages capabilities came about as demand began to outsize the garages capabilities, he said.

MHQ currently builds police and emergency vehicles for the Connecticut State Police, state Department of Transportation, state Department of Correction and 90 percent of the municipalities throughout Connecticut, including Middletown police, Gilbert said.

The corporate headquarters in Massachusetts also equips about 150 to 200 vehicles each month, while the Middletown facility does between 20 and 40 a month, he said.

MHQ, similar to other parts of the car industry, suffered when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, causing difficulties in acquiring car parts and increasing their costs, an impact still felt in the state, Gilbert said. However, specializing in emergency vehicles, the company had a steady flow of work, as the state police regularly induct new classes of troopers, requiring more vehicles.

Weve got a pretty good backlog, Gilbert said. About 450 vehicles are waiting to get upfitted. The cost depends on the configuration of the vehicles, an upfitting can go from a couple thousand to $20,000.

The most common vehicle MHQ upfits is the state polices Ford Explorers, but the company also upfits DOT trucks, police motorcycles and even all-terrain vehicles, he said.

The Middletown location currently employs 11 vehicle techs but are looking to hire about five more to work in the new bays when the time comes, Gilbert said.

Construction is expected to be complete in about six months, with plans to be done before Thanksgiving this year. The project is expected to go swiftly as the expansion has been a long time in the works.

There are so many more vehicles and pieces ready, so much more we could build if we had more space, MHQ President and CEO Patty Ribakoff said. This doubles production.

With the increased storage and production brought about by the expansion, the company plans to take on more municipalities along the states borders with New York and Rhode Island, said Ribakoff, who founded MHQ in 1979 with her husband, Charles Ribakoff.

The reason is we are busier than the current building can accommodate, Ribakoff said. We were looking for a great place to move into, but they all needed to be converted.

Ultimately, the company decided against moving elsewhere in the region and instead to improve on its existing garage facilities.

abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com
In the tiny Virginia town of soybean fields and no stoplights where Kimberly Matthews-Williams grew up, her Black church was family, and that felt really good  on Sundays. On her own later, as a student in Washington, D.C., something was missing, and she looked for a spiritual practice that felt to her like a connection to the universe, one she could carry into her every day, and began Buddhist chanting groups. There, shed rarely see faces and bodies that looked like hers.

The past few years, with pandemic-stressed teens in her house and racism constantly reflected back in the national news, Matthews-Williams badly needed a change. In the fall of 2020, sitting in her home in Takoma Park, she Googled meditation for people of color.

She took her first class the next day. Right away, I exhaled. You know the first time youre away from your family home and you come home and go: Home, she said. I literally was like: This feels good.

The boom of mindfulness everywhere from classrooms and gyms to mosques and offices in the past decade or so has slowly pulled in Americans far more diverse than the practitioners who began decades ago adopting practices like yoga, meditation and reiki that originated in Asia. Now Black practitioners are creating their own spaces, centered around their backgrounds and bodies and comfort.

Welcome to the era of African American mindfulness.

That can mean simply classes where teachers and students are mostly Black. It can mean spaces where people can raise issues like the Will Smith/Chris Rock incident or Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jacksons confirmation hearings and everyone understands why those may feel like deep challenges to inner peace. It can mean getting that some of your relatives think mindfulness puts the spiritual above God, or above the Black church. Or being on the mat next to a woman wearing a yoga has curves T-shirt.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions National Center for Health Statistics, 9.3 percent of non-Hispanic Black Americans did yoga in 2017 and 13.5 percent meditated. The overall use of these practices is up sharply since 2012, when the CDC said the percent of Americans who did yoga went from 9.5 percent to 14.3 percent and meditation from 4.1 percent to 14.2 percent.

Rhonda V. Magee, a University of San Francisco law professor who writes, leads workshops and teaches on the intersection of mindfulness and race, said mindfulness has been popularized and shaped for decades through a white lens.

Were opening up options for people and creating the kind of spaces that may not exist to serve us right now. With the rise in white supremacy and hate everywhere, it should surprise no one that many of us might feel comforted by affinity group space, she said, using the term for people who share a common interest.

Its not about just creating re-segregation or re-balkanizing the world with meditators at the lead. Its instead about deepening our capacity to heal the wounds that we carry. So people of color dont need to feel they are the victims of microaggression or worse. If youre leading with the goal of minimizing suffering at the core of mindfulness and Buddhism, you want to create spaces where people can just feel safe.

A focus of Magees has been integrating mindfulness into higher education and the legal field. Among the new mindfulness programs shes seeing are those created for veterans, people with disabilities and the fat rights community.

Black people interviewed for this story came to mindfulness for different reasons. Some heard yoga or meditation could help them with unhealthy stress. Others were drawn by core philosophical ideas including seeing divinity in oneself, and the power of paying intense, quality attention.

In church, I felt really good on Sunday, and my Monday, I was like  and Matthews-Williams trails off into a silent pause. With my mindfulness practice, its not getting to a place, its being where I am, carrying it with me at all times. Matthews-Williams, 55, works in human resources policy for the federal government.

Matthews-Williams is part of Heart Refuge Mindfulness Community, a D.C.-based program founded in 2019. It started with regular in-person classes but went online during the pandemic. Heart Refugee was founded by Ayesha Ali, 68, and Rashid Hughes, 33, who have both been active in other majority white practice groups and retreat centers but decided something else was needed.

This is harmful. Theres just a sense of disconnect; were not watching the same movie the same way, is how Hughes describes it.

Ali grew up in D.C., where her grandfather was a deacon at Third Baptist in Shaw. She explored ideas, including Science of Mind, an early 1990s philosophy, as well as the Nation of Islam, Sufism and Orthodox Islam. She started practicing mainstream Western mindfulness more than 15 years ago but felt alienated by what she saw as an emphasis on quiet  a type attainable through privileged means such as the ability to get to rural centers or studio spaces and time inaccessible to many Americans. She felt the experience of non-white practitioners was not understood or shared.

She joined with Hughes, who grew up playing trumpet and piano in church in Richmond, and came to D.C. to attend Howard University in 2006 where he studied music and went on to the divinity school. He became a Baptist pastor but began feeling separate from the concept of God he understood and began exploring Buddhist mindfulness, including the book Living Buddha, Living Christ, a classic text by the famous late Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh, that emphasizes the shared teachings of compassion and love.

He traveled to the Philippines and Korea and around 2014, he quit the Christian ministry to begin training and tutoring in mindfulness.

What mindfulness gave me was this capacity to get to know myself for myself in a way that was grounded in kindness and a deep acceptance of who I was. I was a minister and a student of theology and I was feeling separate from God. Mindfulness practice was the tool, the means, that helped me to begin to ask myself: Who am I and what does it mean to be human? Before that, my focus was to acquire and reach God outside of me. This practice invited me to look at myself and be considerate of how Im looking.

Juneous A Pettijohns path into mindfulness came through holistic wellness and yoga, in 2008. Raised Baptist, Pettijohn eventually balanced mindfulness work with church, and attends Unity Church, which is a Christian denomination that emphasizes spiritualism and universalism.

He knew Hughes and Ali through mainstream mindfulness classes in D.C. and joined them because they center his experience as a non-white person.

The classes include acknowledgment of ancestors we know and that are unknown, Heart Refuges website says, and our individual and collective lineage of joy and suffering, of power and pain. It says it offers an intergenerational understanding of the importance of embodied mindfulness practices for Black, Indigenous, and people of color.

Another model of mindfulness that aims to be extra sensitive to the needs of non-white people is in Upper Marlboro, where Dana Smith has been teaching yoga and mindfulness and training teachers full-time since 2006 when she ran the operation out of her basement. She has since trained about 500 teachers.

Smiths Spiritual Essence Yoga is an oasis of pastels and high ceilings in a typical brick and concrete suburban strip mall. Sanskrit words are placed over rooms that offer reiki and sound healing, or a place to sit with crystals and tea, or practice yoga. Almost all students are not white, mostly African American.

Smith, a 46-year-old mother of three, sought out yoga online in 2001, when she was grieving a friend lost in the Sept. 11 attacks, facing a pregnancy on her own and rising blood pressure. She began driving an hour each way to classes in Dupont Circle, where she remembers people being kind but emphasized in a way that felt like a petri dish.

She began teaching classes in her basement, but was sensitive to her parents, who are strict Christians, and many of the African Americans she knew who ranged from hostile to those who simply said: I dont see any Black people. I dont feel safe.

Twenty years later, Smiths classes and center are meant to be welcoming to all and completely universal, not focusing on race. Teachers trained there simply talk about the importance of representation, of seeing people of color and of different sizes and shapes.

A recent class of eight students included one white person.

I can see myself on her site, and that is helpful, because our bodies are built differently, said Niki Newman-Brown, 43, an instructional director for Prince Georges County schools. She said there has been a gradual increase of curiosity and trust in yoga from the church set. Mindfulness teachers have also worked to find inviting ways to disarm.

Things Ive said that once offended people of faith, like I need to meditate on that - it used to offend and now it doesnt. Once people get a little more understanding, it starts crossing over.

Newman-Brown said she never felt out of place in majority white classes but have heard other people of color say they felt unwelcome or unseen.

Ali said being with people of different backgrounds remains essential to her, in addition to Heart Refuge, because its what she believes in.

Its the reason Im still in white spaces. If you look at the whole thing from a Buddhist perspective, the delusion of separation - a core Buddhist issue - is the cause of harm, she said of a Buddhist teaching that disconnection from other humans and other life-forms is a kind of poison.

Alexis Braswell, 24, began practicing and studying with Smith a year ago. Her father had recently passed away and she was struggling with trying to figure out how to transform and find herself. While she calls yoga taboo among some in the Black community, particularly those who are older.

After her first few classes, she found herself lying on the floor, crying, with a feeling of deep release.

In addition to working for the FDA and teaching gymnastics to toddlers and parents, she is studying to be a teacher and the value of a majority-Black space is representation.

Being the healer that Dana has been able to be, and to teach and offer community, and seeing someone who looks like me and I can be like them. I want to become a healer, she said.
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From a field of 89 young women, two contestants from League City made the semifinals last Saturday night at the Miss Texas USA pageant in Houston.

I kept thinking, I have to make it. When I was called, I was over the moon, said Destiny Fernandisse, 27, who represented her hometown as Miss League City.

It was the marketing managers second try at the title but her first time to advance to the semifinals.

The other Bay Area semifinalist was Andrea Hightower, 24, a former Miss Teen Mississippi USA, who wore the banner of Galveston County in what was her first Miss state pageant.

For my first year, I feel really, really encouraged, said Hightower.

Already, both women are considering competing again.

The pageants winner was Friendswoods RBonney Gabriel, who made history as the first Filipina-American to win the Miss Texas USA title.

Fernandisse

Fernandisse faced an added challenge in preparing for the competition when she battled COVID last month.

It kicked my butt, she said. I had worked hard to gain 15 pounds for the pageant, then I lost five pounds (with COVID). My swimsuit had to be altered the night before the pageant and my dress had to be taken in.

The 5-foot-3-inch Fernandisse chose black for the swimsuit competition from a choice of white, red or black.

I felt I was too pale for white, even with a spray tan, and we wore red in the opening number, she said.

To design her evening gown, Fernandisse turned to her friend, Houston-based fashion designer IsreL Fonseca, who made her interview outfit in 2021.

I told him, You know my measurements, Fernandisse said, adding that she wanted something elegant. Fonseca produced a sapphire blue gown with side cutouts.

Hightower

A hair-and-makeup artist, Hightower said she collaborated with Gaspar Cruz of Crown Couture in Houston to design her gown.

It was supposed to look like fire and matches my personality, she said.

Her mother, Minnie Cortez of League City, also enjoyed the weekend of pageantry at the Hilton Houston Post Oak.

We had a lot of free time to talk about things that might not come up in dinner conversation but might be asked by the judges, said Hightower. We talked about abortion, gun control and other things.

I would love to compete again but financially it is a large commitment, she said.

Some local pageants are held throughout the state that help their titleholders with sponsorships.

For example, media personality Kelly Williams said she will host the first Miss League City USA pageant March 2-5, with the winner being sponsored at the Miss Texas USA 2023 pageant.

Don Maines is a freelance writer who can be reached at donmaines@att.net
Sue Ogrocki/AP

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt on Thursday called for a special audit of Tulsa Public Schools for what he said was a potential mishandling of public funds.

Stitt said he ordered the audit at the request of Tulsa school board members E'Lena Ashley and Jennettie Marshal, who wrote to Stitt on July 1 to complain that state contract laws may have been violated.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  The Oregon Republican Party has its third new leader in less than 18 months, after the unexpected resignation of its acting chair last week.

Justin Hwang, a Gresham restaurateur and former legislative candidate, has stepped into the role of party chair following his election to vice-chair in late May, the party announced Wednesday. Hwang fills the spot left by outgoing chair Herman Baertschiger Jr., who announced he was resigning effective July 5, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.

Im excited to bring a fresh voice to the Party along with my years of experience as a small business owner, Hwang said in a statement Wednesday.

The owner of a chain of Portland area teriyaki restaurants, Hwang emigrated to the U.S. from South Korea and obtained his citizenship in 2006. He ran for the state House in 2018 and the state Senate in 2020 and lost both times to state Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Troutdale. He is the first Korean American to serve as the chair of the state party.

The party is hoping to dig out of the minority in the state Legislature, claim at least one more of Oregons six congressional seats, and win the governors race for the first time in four decades.

In March 2021, state Republican party officials ousted much of their leadership team, tapping state Sen. Dallas Heard of Myrtle Creek as party chair. In the same election, Baertschiger, a Josephine County commissioner and former state senator, won the role of vice-chair.

However, earlier this year Heard resigned his party position, complaining of endless slander, gossip, conspiracies, sabotage, lies, hatred, pointless criticism, blocking of ideas, and mutiny brought against my administration by other Republicans.

Baertschiger, as vice-chair, moved into the top party role. He quit last week, saying it was time to pass the torch.

In January 2021, not long after the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, a disconnect between state party members and GOP elected officials was displayed when members of the Oregon GOPs 22-person executive committee approved a resolution that suggested that the attack might have been a false flag designed by foes of then-President Donald Trump in order to discredit him.

That prompted Republicans in the state House  led by Christine Drazan, now the GOP nominee for governor  to issue a statement criticizing the state party.

The election is over, the statement said in part.
A man and woman on Tuesday night were found shot to death inside the home they shared in Leauge City, police said.

The League City Police Department described the shooting as a possible murder-suicide.

Kent Hollis James, 64, and Julia Valeriyivna James, 43, were divorced in May, but still sharing the same house on Eagle Cove Lane in League City, department spokesman John Griffith said.

Julia James was found dead on the floor of a bathroom, Griffith said. Kent James was found in a bed with a gun near his body, Griffith said. Police believe that Kent James shot his wife, then himself, Griffith said.

The couple were found by one of their children, who was home at the time, Griffith said. The child alerted neighbors, who called police.

VIOLENT TREND: Texas' domestic violence deaths skyrocketed during COVID

Griffith said there was no history of complaints or police calls to the home.

Julia James was a Ukraian immigrant. In late February, at the start of the war between Ukraine and Russia, she flew to Ukraine to retrieve her children and parents to bring them back to the United States, according to a report from Houston TV stations ABC 13.

She later organized rallies and events in support of Ukraine. In late March, she held a benefit concert that featured a 20-year-old woman who fled Ukraine with James' family.

James' children were being taken care of by family members, Griffith said.

john.ferguson@chron.com
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The Houston Police Department on Wednesday afternoon asked for the public's help in identifying suspects in the fatal of shooting of 5-year-old Khamaya Donelson.

Donelson was shot on Sunday morning when the car she was in was caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting on Northborough Drive in north Houston. Donelson, along with her mother and older brother were in the car and on the way to get ice cream when the shooting occurred, police said.

During a press conference at the Houston Police Department headquarters, Donelsons mother asked for her killers to come forward as department officials announced a cash reward for information and vowed to find to the suspects.

I dont feel theres a dollar amount they should put on a reward for my baby, because theres no dollar amount or reward that can bring my baby back, Kristena Watters said. I dont feel like it should take a reward for bringing information for my baby.

Theres a man at home, watching the news, waiting to see if theyve got any evidence on him. Just sleeping at night. And my baby cant rest peacefully at night

Watters was taking Donelson and her 8-year-old son, Khamani Rice, to get ice-cream after she got of work at a restaurant and had picked her children up from 24-hour daycare.

The car they were in pulled up to the intersection of Northborough Drive and Rushcreek Drive. At the same time, another car pulled up and a person began firing a convenience store near the intersection.

One bullet hit Watters car and struck both her children. Donelson was hit in the face, her mother said. Rice was shot in the arm. He survived the shooting and held his mothers hand during the press conference.

Watters said she raised her children as a single mother. She believed her daughter was trying to protect her son while the shooting was happening, she said.

You should never have to tell your kids to go down because theres random gunshots, Watters said. And for only one to get up is the worst feeling in the world. Mu baby was gone before they event had a chance to save her.

REMEMBERING THE VICTIMS: These 19 Houston children lost their lives to gun violence in 2022

Police on Wednesday said they were looking for four men who were seen in a gray or silver 1999 Honda Accord. Police believe the car is the one from which the shots were fired.

The car was last seen driving north on Ella Boulevard and crossing Rankin Road. Detective Ken Fregia said police believe the car parked in an apartment complex in that area.

Police officials said they believed there are people who know the men in the car were and urged them to come forward to help solve the case.

"I'm calling upon the citizens of Houston," to help find the shooter, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said. "We don't shoot and kill our kids. I expect everybody in our city to stand up and do the right thing."

DEEP DIVE: As Texas reels from Uvalde, these 19 Houston-area kids are a reminder gun violence happens every day

Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest in connection to the shooting, Finner said.

Police urged anyone with information to call the Houston Police Department Homicide Divison at 713-308-3608 or Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
A 22-year-old man who in 2019 was accused of murdering two brothers by ambushing them with a rifle from a perch on a rooftop of a vacant home in northeast Houston this week was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Marlon Brandon Valdez, 22, was found guilty of capital murder and sentenced by a Harris County jury on Tuesday, according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office. Valdez's trial began on June 24, according to court records.

Prosecutors said Valdez planned and executed a revenge killing against two men he knew from high school.

The families of these victims will never see their loved ones again because a teenager with an assault rifle decided to execute two teenagers he got in a fight with, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said. Far too often, young people think they can do whatever they want, and hurt whoever they want, and just escape the consequences. But the consequences are real.

Valdez was arrested in February 2019 and accused of killing brothers Josue Aguilar, 23, and Maximo Aguilar, 20, from a perch on a flooded-out house in cul de sac in the Eastbrook neighborhood. Valdez, who was 18 at the time of the shooting, climbed to the top of a building and shot at the brothers using an AR-15, according to police.

The brothers were shot as they were exiting their vehicles, and investigators recovered dozens of shell casings on the ground after the shooting,

Josue Aguilar died at the scene. Maximo Aguilar died at a local hospital. Two other people - another brother and Josue's girlfriend - were injured in the shooting, according to police.

Valdez and another man, Rene Moreno, were accused of luring the brothers to the street to get back at them for an earlier fight, according to police.

After his arrest, Valdez told police he'd been jumped by the brothers on the same street two days before the shooting and wanted to get revenge on them, according to an arrest report. The street was called "The Settling Spot," and was well-known to young people who used it as a place to settle differences, according to the district attorney's office.

Valdez was also charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon related to the shooting. Those charges were dismissed on Tuesday, according to court records.

Moreno, who was accused of being Valdez's getaway driver on the day of the shooting and who was also charged with captial murder, is scheduled to go on trial in September, according to court records.
Law enforcement officials, alongside prosecutors and the U.S. Marshals Service, announced Wednesday the June arrests of 152 violent fugitives in southeast Texas.

Operation North Star  a 30-day apprehension initiative in 10 cities nationwide  was a collaborative local effort among the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitive Task Force and federal agencies to locate individuals with outstanding violent warrants and arrest them. Out of the 152 arrests, 15 were for homicide, 17 for sexual assault offenses, 61 for assault, 24 for dangerous drugs and 18 for robbery, according to U.S. Department of Justice statistics.

More from Joel Umanzor: Calls continue for justice in Jalen Randle case

The operation also resulted in the seizure of 12 firearms, more than 2 kilograms of narcotics and $17,000, authorities said at news conference at Houston Crime Stoppers headquarters.

The operations collaboration is only the beginning in addressing violent crime concerns in the region, said T. Michael OConnor, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Texas.

We will continue to search and we will bring in more reinforcements as we see fit, OConnor said.

OConner said both he and Houston Police Department Chief Troy Finner met with federal officials earler in 2022 at the U.S. Marshals headquarters in Washington D.C. to seek funding for the operation.

We felt like we needed an enhancement of funding to try to come down and bring reinforcements, he added. They were talking about multiple cities. And I wanted to make sure Houston was included in this due to the nature of what we're continuing here in the Houston Metro fund.

The other cities given funding for the operation included Baltimore, Chicago, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Memphis, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington D.C.

Officials did not have the exact amount of federal money given to the initiative at the news conference.

Attempts to reach Houston police and the U.S. Marshals Service on Wednesday afternoon for the amount were not immediately returned, although OConner said the funds were provided to allow for increased overtime.

There was some equipment that was included but it was all personnel related, he said.

Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg thanked the Biden Administration for the Houston area being one of the 10 cities to receive the grant money and said the teamwork by all agencies was gratifying.

POLL RESULTS: Majority of Texas voters want tighter gun control laws

Once somebody's arrested, we prosecute and it really is a two part system. One part doesn't work without the other and so it's gratifying as a law enforcement leader to have the support and the collaborative work that we're able to do with all of these agencies. It doesn't happen that way all the time or everywhere.

The agencies targeted the most violent offenders, Ogg said, although there are still tens of thousands who remain unaccounted.

When it comes to homicide, there are over 2,000 people currently charged with murder or capital murder in Harris County, Ogg said. Of that 2,000 number, about 650 are in jail ... So we know that we have more than 1,500 or so out among us in our community or somewhere at large.

joel.umanzor@chron.com
Interview: SCCC president calls for strengthening Sino-Swiss trade, cultural ties

13:23, July 07, 2022 By Chen Junxia, Martina Fuchs ( Xinhua

MONTREUX, Switzerland, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Beyond the reestablishment of business ties in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, building cultural bridges between Switzerland and China is as important as ever, according to Felix Sutter, president of the Swiss-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (SCCC).

Sutter has been head of the SCCC since 2015 and a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Switzerland for 19 years. "We have over the last 30, 40 years woven a piece of fabric together. We have interconnections in the business processes, in the manufacturing processes, in logistics, in culture, everywhere. I think the most important thing to do right now is to listen and not to talk first," Sutter told Xinhua in an interview recently.

Asked about his opinion of the Chinese economy, Sutter commented: "COVID, of course, doesn't really help the implementation of China's new five-year plan, but you can see that domestic consumption, the dual circulation strategy is very important."

China has set its economic growth target at around 5.5 percent in 2022 after the country's economy saw a strong rebound with 8.1 percent growth in 2021.

According to its website, the chamber aims at improving Sino-Swiss relations by promoting dialogue between companies, providing opportunities for business cooperation and enhancing cultural understanding.

"But we also need cultural bridge-building. The economy is certainly important to make money. We all want to make money. But the cultural elements are crucial where we align ourselves with similar values," he said.

Bilateral relations between Switzerland and the People's Republic of China date back to 1950 and have since steadily intensified.

Since 2010, China has been Switzerland's most important trading partner in Asia and its third largest globally after the European Union (EU) and the United States. A bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), which Sutter described as an important milestone, was signed in Beijing in 2013 and entered into force on July 1, 2014.

The non-profit chamber was founded in 1980 by Dr. Uli Sigg, former Swiss ambassador to China, and a group of businessmen. Registered in Zurich, Switzerland, it now has more than 700 corporate and individual members, including major banks, trading companies, insurance companies and industrial companies.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
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Aldine residents in April packed into a community room to tell state regulators that they did not want another concrete batch plant in their north Harris County neighborhood. They took turns over several hours pleading with officials to turn the Avant Garde application down.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Houstons dangerous concrete plants are mostly in communities of color.

Numerous residents that night submitted requests for whats known as a contested case hearing  a step that would give them another chance to fight a facility they consider a hazard to their health. Dozens filled out a petition asking for one, state records show. Some asked on their own.

As it happened, the deadline for requesting a contested case hearing had already passed. But none of the people asking for one that night knew. And state environmental agency officials there didnt publicly tell them. Regulators approved the permit for the facility, where the materials for concrete will be poured into trucks.

The ordeal left those involved feeling tricked, becoming an example for critics who say the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality fails to be transparent with the public and take their input into account. (Both issues are now being considered in a legislative agency review in Austin.)

Why even hold the hearing that night? Commissioner Adrian Garcia asked when interviewed by phone. It was just an immense disservice to the citizens of the community.

A TCEQ spokesperson didnt respond directly to the criticism by Garcia and others.The spokesperson did write in an email that a public meeting could be held regardless of whether there was a chance to request a contested case hearing.

On HoustonChronicle.com: A Texas official didnt know what to do about environmental racism. Houstonians had plenty of ideas.

Concrete batch plants are historically controversial. Residents near them have concerns around noise, lights and air pollution, while industry officials say they are perfectly safe. Batch plants in Harris County tend to be in areas that are a majority people of color, such as this neighborhood in Aldine.

Transparency and communication on the Avant Garde proposal have been an issue from the start. The state published its notice of the application online on Jan. 14, 2022, state records show. A sentence warned in bold that a contested case hearing request had to be filed within 30 days.

One theoretically could have watched the state database to see that notice. People can also sign up to get mailed notices on a specific permit or all Harris County permits, an agency spokesperson said. The notice was mailed to required parties and emailed to required legislators.

The 30-day clock for requesting a contested hearing started on Feb. 9, when the notice was published in the newspaper. Houston Chronicle records show it appeared in the community sections for Memorial, Katy, Bellaire, River Oaks, West University and Sugar Land.

State Rep. Armando Walle cant keep up with all the notices he gets from TCEQ, he said. He found out about the issue because he happened to drive by the site and see a small sign about a permit being sought. His chief of staff wrote to the agency to request a community meeting.

Deadlines for who needs to request what when vary depending on the kind of permit being sought. But it never occurred to Walle that asking for a contested case hearing at the public meeting would be too late. He left feeling proud of the community that night in April for passionately making the case to go to the next step in the fight.

When he found out they messed up, Walle felt betrayed. He went door-to-door afterward, he said, to tell people what really happened.

Regulators at the meeting, Walle said, never told us anything, and so we were under the impression that Hey, look, you could still have a contested hearing.

The process isnt totally over: The company lacks the necessary county permits to develop in the flood plain. County inspectors cited them for what they allege was work done without permission. (Photos show the site was graded.)

Owner Meliton Gomez, who has insisted he wants to be a good neighbor, said the company was only storing equipment on the site. We havent done anything wrong, Gomez said by phone.

The issue sits now with the county attorneys office.

Joyce Lee contributed to this report.

emily.foxhall@chron.com | Twitter: @emfoxhall
When Harris County's new elections administrator starts the job next month, he will have less than three months to get ready before polls open on Oct. 24 for early voting in the November election. On top of the tight timeline, he will run his first Harris County election under intense scrutiny from political insiders who will watch to see whether the county repeats its mistakes from the March primary.

There is work to be done to prevent those and other missteps in the upcoming November election, according to a new report commissioned by the county to look for weak spots in the March primary. The findings point to numerous changes Harris County could make, such as improving training and resources for workers and voters, strengthening recruitment of election workers and streamlining operations.

BACKGROUND: Harris County picks new elections administrator, with voting four months away

Clifford Tatum  the county election commission's pick to replace outgoing administrator Isabel Longoria  faces a daunting timeline until the November election, but he will not be starting from scratch; Beth Stevens, chief director of voting for Harris County, is serving as interim administrator and overseeing plans for November until he is in place.

Tatum brings significant elections experience to the table  he served as general counsel for the U.S. Election Assistance Commission from 2015 to 2019. He is the former executive director of the District of Columbia Board of Elections, and served as the interim director for the Georgia State Elections Division.

He succeeds Longoria, who resigned just days after the March primary amid criticism over slow reporting of results and the county elections offices failure to include 10,000 ballots in the initial count on election night.

ELECTION WOES: Harris County's election day fumbles continue, with 10,000 mail ballots overlooked

The draft report from the research firm Fors Marsh Group offers a glimpse behind the scenes of the primary election  and an accounting of the many challenges the county elections office faces as employees adapt to new leadership, new voting machines and new state laws.

Before Commissioners Court created the appointed elections administrator in October 2020, the county clerk and tax assessor-collector managed voter registration and elections in Harris County. Longoria took on the newly-created position just as the county began to roll out its new voting machines in May 2021.

According to the report, executives at Hart InterCivic  the company that makes the countys voting machines  pointed to several reasons behind difficulties in the March primary, such as the transition of electronic to paperbased voting, compounded by the creation of a new Elections Office, the pandemic, and the lack of funding for execution of an effective training and voter education effort.

A survey of Harris County election judges and poll workers included in the report showed 91 percent were satisfied with the instructors who trained them and the answers they received. However, only 66 percent of those who served as election judges in March thought the training was sufficient, while 35 percent of first-time election judges and poll workers said they did not feel adequately prepared to serve in the election.

Voters would benefit from training on the new machines, too. According to the report, however, much of the funding initially planned for education and outreach had to be repurposed as part of the offices internal budgeting process in order to meet other pressing elections needs.

THE NEW NORM? Harris County took more than a day to report its voting results

There also is room to improve how election judges and poll workers are recruited, according to the report. Many election workers were recruited at the last minute for the March primary, the report revealed; 30% were recruited three to four weeks before the election, and 29% recruited one to two weeks before the election.

The report indicates Harris County could streamline its election operations by switching to joint primaries. In Harris County, the Democratic and Republican primaries are operated separately at each voting location, with separate lines and separate machines. In the March primary election, the county had 90 voting locations open during early voting and 375 locations on Election Day, but the report suggested the county really operates double those numbers since each polling place housed two separate primaries: This system effectively meant setting up and managing 750 polling locations on Election Day, each with its own equipment pick-ups and drop-offs.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Harris GOP chair opposes Dem county clerks joint primary idea

Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said his office is working to hire an outside firm for a countywide voter education program that would cover the new voting machines, the voter registration process and changes in state law.

Also, our Precinct One community engagement team is working right now on an election worker recruitment campaign to ensure that our elections have robust and well-trained staff, he said.

Ellis added the elections office could need additional funding to make the recommended changes.

Ultimately, these plans and other changes will require resources, Ellis said. I hope my colleagues and taxpayers understand that elections are difficult and expensive work in this climate. If we care enough about democracy, which we all should, we have to put our money where our mouth is.

Asked what changes the county should make based on the report, both Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey and Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle said the solution is to get rid of the elections administrator position created in 2020.

One actionable measure for Commissioners Court is to return responsibilities back over to the County Clerk and Tax Assessor Collector offices, Ramsey said. The voters should be electing who runs the elections, not the court or the Elections Commission. We are four months away from the next election. I am forecasting disaster.

More from Jen Rice: Harris County looking into GOP-connected group asking residents to confirm voter addresses

The last three county clerks to oversee elections faced criticism of their own. During Stan Stanarts tenure, the county struggled with long lines and limited polling hours. Diane Trautman, who ousted Stanart in 2018, was criticized for slow election results and, like Stanart, received pushback for long lines. Interim County Clerk Chris Hollins contended with multiple lawsuits related to mail ballots and drive-through voting.

Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia attributed the difficulties in the March primary to growing pains.

On the logistical side, utilizing NRG for the drop-off and vote count should be made permanent and expanded. In regards to staffing, we believe the county volunteer program seemed to help, but we look to our new election administrator to tell us what they need to effectively run an election, he said.

jen.rice@chron.com
A pipeline exploded on Thursday morning in a field near Wallis, sending a plume of smoke and fire into the sky, according Fort Bend County officials.

THIS IS FINE: Purple smoke plume in Houston area actually looked worse than it really was

The explosion happened about 11:15 a.m., on the 15400 block of Jo Ann Lane near FM 1952, according to officials with the Fort Bend Precinct 1 Constable's Office and Energy Transfer, which owns the pipeline. A county hazmat team responded to the scene.

No injuries or damaged structures were reported, according to Constable Chad Norvell. The pipe that exploded was a natural gas line.

County Judge KP George said officials evacuated nearby residents out of precaution. The pipeline company was en route to the scene and fire containment is underway, George said, "but will likely take some time."

"The area is isolated in a field and all of the area surrounding is restricted," the county's office of homeland security and emergency management said in a statement.

A spokesperson for Energy Transfer said the incident happened on an Old Ocean pipeline.

"By shutting in the line and isolating the impacted section of the pipeline line, the fire was allowed to safely burn itself out by 12:30 p.m." a statement from Energy Transfer read. "All appropriate regulatory agencies have been notified. We will continue to provide updates as information becomes available. There will be an investigation into the cause of the incident."

NATIONAL RANKING: Why is Fort Bend County so much healthier than the rest of Houston?
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Hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants in Texas suddenly became a priority for arrest after a key Biden administration immigration policy was blocked by a federal judge in Corpus Christi.

The decision leaves undocumented immigrants more vulnerable to deportation, especially those living in cities such as Houston that fully cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to immigration experts.

EXPLAINER: Here's how human smuggling works along the U.S.-Mexico border

The impact on our community is huge, said Zenobia Lai, immigration attorney and director at the Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative. Roughly half a million undocumented immigrants live in the Houston area.

Lai said when immigration officers are operating without a set of priorities, it means if someone ends up in police custody for a minor offense, that person is more likely to end up in immigrant detention and in deportation proceedings.

They (ICE) can just arrest anybody like before, for any reason, Lai said.

Under President Donald Trump, ICE expanded the scope of who was a priority for enforcement, including people with no criminal record. Overall, immigration arrests increased nationally 42 percent during Trumps first year in office, compared to Obamas last year, according to a report by the Migration Policy Institute.

When President Joe Biden took office, he created very specific priorities for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which signaled to undocumented people in the U.S. that if they follow the law and are already established in the country, they are not a priority for deportation.

This is a disappointment for the Biden administration, said Migration Policy Institute expert Muzaffar Chishti, who believes that the creation of priorities for immigration enforcement was the most significant achievement of this administration on immigration so far, because it affected potentially 11 million people all over the country.

TEXAS POLITICS: How Texas Republicans ushered in the new era of immigration policy making

He believes that now the U.S. Supreme Court is even more likely to weigh in on the case. While the Department of Homeland Security is appealing the June 24 5th Circuit decision, a federal judge in the 6th Circuit ruled Tuesday that Biden did have the authority to create enforcement priorities. This has created a split decision among circuit courts, making it more likely that the Supreme Court will be making the final decision on the case.

This particular legal battle is one of many the Biden administration has been facing as Texas and other conservative states have brought lawsuits aimed at blocking Bidens immigration agenda.

While last weeks Supreme Court decision came down on the side of the Biden administration  ruling it had the authority to end the Remain in Mexico policy  other lawsuits are temporarily holding in place Trump-era immigration policies, including Title 42 asylum restrictions.

Chishti said this has been an unprecedented amount of immigration-related legal interference, though he acknowledged that the Democrats also frequently intervened with the Trump administrations immigration policies, though not to the same level of detail.

In practice, Chishti said reversing Bidens enforcement priorities is likely to give more authority to local Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to detain or start deportation proceedings using their own personal discretion, instead of following an overarching guidance. Some officials may continue to prioritize immigrants who pose a security threat, while others may focus on all undocumented immigrants, regardless of their criminal record or time in the country.

DATA DIVE: How Biden limited use of 'Remain in Mexico' border policy before Supreme Court ruling

In Houston, immigrant advocate Cesar Espinosa of FIEL said reverting to immigration enforcement priorities similar to those of the Trump-era may also have a chilling effect here in Houston, increasing anxiety in households that already fear deportation.

We know of couples now that won't go out together with the children out of fear that they're gonna get pulled over, Espinosa said, explaining that parents will sometimes even get jobs on different shifts, so someone is always home in case immigration authorities arrest the parent who is out and about.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not respond to a request for comment.

The Biden administration memo from September 2021 said that ICE would prioritize the detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants who were a threat to national security, public safety and border security, and included a detailed list of factors to consider like the seriousness of a previous crime  such as if a firearm was used or not  and how long theyve been in the country.

In their lawsuit, the states of Texas and Oklahoma argued that those enforcement priorities are leading dangerous criminals to be released into local communities. In the lawsuit they said that that some undocumented immigrants were in Texas Department of Criminal Justice custody for possession of large quantities of illegal drugs and ICE refused to take them into custody under Biden administration priorities.

More from Elizabeth Trovall: After having to 'remain in Mexico,' this father says he was trafficked by cartel members

The back and forth of immigration enforcement policies adds additional difficulty to operations at ICE at a time with historic numbers of arrests at the border.

The agency is in its sixth year without a confirmed director. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez recently withdrew his name from consideration for the role after Biden nominated him 14 months ago.

elizabeth.trovall@chron.com
Karen Warren/Staff photographer

The Proud Boys, a far-right group, are now appropriating Buc-ees brand merchandise at rallies and protests, according to Texas Monthly.



At a recent Pride event in the Dallas suburb of McKinney, members of the Proud Boys showed up in tactical vests, black and yellow Fred Perry polo shirts, and Buc-ees-branded face masks bearing the buck-toothed grin of a cartoon beaver  the mascot of the Texas-based convenience store chain, the magazine reported.



It wasn't the first time the all-male neofacist group has appropriated the Texas chain, according to Texas Monthly. The Proud Boys, a group linked to political violence, including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, which led to seditious conspiracy charges for multiple members, have been spotted in Buc-ees garb multiple times in the Lone Star State.

On ExpressNews.com: Buc-ees stole my money: Iconic Texas chain has amassed nearly 100 complaints from the Better Business Bureau



Members were seen wearing Buc-ees masks in Houston at the NRA convention in May, in Arlington at a drag queen brunch, and at a city council meeting in Frisco last month when elected officials issued a proclamation designating June as Pride Month.
A nationally recognized law enforcement training center at Texas State University released a report Wednesday describing numerous errors in the police response to the May 24 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde that killed 19 children and two teachers.

Among them: A Uvalde police officer saw Salvador Ramos carrying an assault-style rifle outside of the school before the 18-year-old gunman entered, but the officer did not fire at him. Instead, the officer asked a supervisor for permission to shoot, the report said.

The supervisor either did not hear or responded too late, the report by the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center said. The officer turned to get confirmation from his supervisor and when he turned back to address the suspect, he had entered the west hallway unabated.

A reasonable officer, upon hearing gunshots and seeing someone approaching the school with a rifle, would have concluded that the use of deadly force was warranted, the report said.

Shortly after the massacre, the Texas Department of Public Safety asked ALERRT officials to assess the police response. The San Marcos training centers staff was briefed by an investigating officer on June 1, and examined body-camera recordings, security-camera footage from inside the school, radio logs and on-scene officers statements.

Texas Rangers are investigating officers handling of the school shooting.

The resulting document echoed previous reporting by the San Antonio Express-News that a door to classrooms 111 and 112 likely was unlocked when Ramos entered and fired on the children and teachers. The rooms were supposed to have been locked.

After taking fire outside the classrooms, police retreated to opposite ends of a hallway and waited for more than an hour to enter and kill Ramos.

It does not appear that any officer ever tested the doors to see if they were locked, the report said. As we described earlier, we do not believe the door to room 111 was locked.

The wait dragged on despite numerous 9-1-1 calls from a child explaining that there were several children and one of her teachers deceased and another teacher hurt in room 112, the report said. However, it was unclear whether officers outside the classroom were aware of the students pleas for help.

In forceful terms, the report outlined how the response by law enforcement  helmed by Uvalde CISD Police Chief Pedro Pete Arredondo, whom DPS said was the incident commander  often ignored basic training principles designed to save lives during a mass shooting.

Texas Rangers, an arm of DPS, are investigating officers handling of Ramos rampage.

On HoustonChronicle.com: DPS: Police had resources to stop gunman in 3 minutes

Missed opportunities

The report highlighted the excruciating lapse of time  one hour, eleven minutes, and twenty-six seconds  that passed when officers took cover until the moment the suspect was killed. During this time, officers who were equipped with weapons, ballistic shields and armor did not create an immediate action plan.

This plan could have involved shooting at the gunman through windows in the center of the classroom doors or breaking into the classrooms through exterior windows  or both at the same time, the report said.

None of these actions were taken, the report said. While it would have taken a few minutes to coordinate and execute any of these actions once the officers retreated from the rooms, taking two, three, five or even 10 minutes to do so would have been preferable to the more than an hour it took to ultimately assault the room.

The report added, A reasonable officer would have considered this an active situation and devised a plan to address the suspect. Even if the suspect was no longer firing his weapon, his presence and prior actions were preventing officers from accessing victims in the classroom to render medical aid.

Before attacking Robb Elementary, Ramos shot his grandmother in the face and drove her pickup a short distance to the school, crashing into a nearby ditch. He emerged toting his weapon. At about 11:31 a.m., a video captured the gunman crouching between two cars in a parking lot on the west side of the school.

At the same time, a responding Uvalde CISD officer drove through the parking lot at a high rate of speed but did not see Ramos.

If the officer had driven more slowly or had parked his car at the edge of the school property and approached on foot, he might have seen the suspect and been able to engage him before the suspect entered the building, the report said.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Source: Door to classrooms at Robb Elementary likely was not locked

After slipping past the Uvalde officer who failed to shoot, Ramos entered the school at 11:33 a.m. Less than a minute later, he entered the door to the classrooms and began shooting.

Based upon this, we believe that the lock to room 111 was never engaged, the report said. Immediately, childrens screams could be heard along with numerous gunshots in the classrooms. The rate of fire was initially very rapid then slowed, lasting only a few seconds.

About three minutes later, three Uvalde police officers  one with external armor and two with concealable body armor, two rifles, and three pistols  entered the building. They were followed by four more officers, as well as three Uvalde police officers and a Uvalde CISD officer equipped with three external body armor carriers and one with concealable body armor and pistols, the report said.

Ramos fired at the officers as they approached the classrooms, injuring two of them with building material fragments as the shooters bullets tore through walls. The officers fell back to opposite ends of the hallways, where they remained until the final assault, the report said.

The report noted that none of the officers touched the doors.

By splitting up, the officers erred; they could have created a crossfire situation, in which officers from both teams would have opened fire resulting in a high likelihood of officers at either end of the hallway shooting officers at the other end.

Duty to preserve lives

At 11:41 a.m., a Uvalde police officer told a dispatcher he wasnt sure if the door to the classrooms was locked, but we have a hooligan to break it.

The officer was referring to a Halligan  a crowbar-like tool that can be used to force open a locked door. Yet more than 30 minutes would pass before a Border Patrol agent was seen on video bringing a Halligan into the building, the report said.

At 11:44 a.m., Ramos fired another round.

At 11:48 a.m., school police officer Ruben Ruiz entered the building.

She says she is shot, Ruiz said, referring to his wife, fourth-grade teacher Eva Mireles, who had called him from inside a classroom. He was escorted out of the building, the report said. Mireles later died.

For another hour, police from various agencies moved in and out of the hallway, accumulating weapons and ballistic shields yet not entering the classrooms even as Ramos continued to fire rounds, the report said.

At 12:15 p.m., a Border Patrol tactical unit arrived at the school.

It is common for tactical operations to be turned over to tactical operators upon their arrival, the report said. However, it appears that control of tactical operations was not given to the tactical operators on scene.

The report did not address whether the Border Patrol unit should have seized control.

From 12:21 p.m. to 12:34 p.m., Arredondo and a Uvalde officer stood in the hallway discussing how to get into the classrooms, the report said.

They also discussed who has the keys, testing keys, the probability of the door being locked, and if kids and teachers are dying or dead, the report said.

Officers finally entered the classrooms at 12:50 p.m. and killed the gunman.

They took far too long to do so, according to the training center.

ALERRT teaches that first responders main priority in an active shooter situation is to first Stop the Killing and then Stop the Dying, the report said.

For police, the first priority  above the safety of officers  is to preserve the lives of victims.

This ordering means that we expect officers to assume risk to save innocent lives, the report said. Responding to an active shooter is a dangerous task. There is a chance that officers will be shot, injured, or even killed while responding. This is something that every officer should be acutely aware of when they become a law enforcement officer.

bchasnoff@express-news.net
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Uvalde County Sheriff Ruben Nolasco has agreed to testify before a Texas House committee investigating the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School after initially refusing to do so, the panels chairman said Thursday.

In an effort to compel the appearance, the committee had sent Nolasco a notice of deposition for a videoconference hearing on Monday, according to state Rep. Dustin Burrows, the Lubbock Republican who chairs the special House committee. The notice warned that the sheriff could face civil penalties if he declined to appear.

Burrows said Nolasco confirmed he would show for the hearing in a phone call Thursday morning, a day after the notice had been sent.

I appreciate him coming voluntarily, Burrows said.

Nolasco could be issued a subpoena if he fails to show on Monday. If he were to ignore the subpoena, he could face a charge of contempt of Legislature, a misdemeanor punishable by 30 days to a year in prison and a fine of $100 to $1,000.

The committee has so far interviewed 36 people, including 19 law enforcement officials, as part of its charge to conduct an examination into the circumstances surrounding the shooting in Uvalde, where 19 students and two teachers were killed on May 24. The testimony has been held behind closed doors, though the committee plans to issue a report outlining its key findings.

THE LATEST: A Uvalde officer asked permission to shoot gunman outside but got no answer, report finds

In the weeks since the massacre, authorities have revealed a number of details  accompanied by video footage and transcripts  that suggest law enforcement officials committed major errors in their response to the shooting. Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw told lawmakers last month that officers had enough resources to stop the gunman just three minutes after he entered the school, yet waited more than an hour to confront him.

Minutes before the shooting unfolded, a Uvalde police officer saw the gunman, Salvador Ramos, carrying an assault-style rifle outside the school but failed to fire on him, instead asking a supervisor for permission.

The supervisor either did not hear or responded too late, according to the report by the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center, which added that a reasonable officer, upon hearing gunshots and seeing someone approaching the school with a rifle, would have concluded that the use of deadly force was warranted.

Uvalde County sheriffs deputies were among the law enforcement officers to respond to the shooting, including a deputy who joined a team of Border Patrol agents that entered the classroom and fatally shot Ramos. Its unclear what additional role the agency played in the law enforcement response, which officials say was overseen by Uvalde school district police chief Pete Arredondo.

Arredondo is among the 19 law enforcement officials who have testifed before the House committee. The committee, along with a separate panel in the Senate, is one of two special legislative committees created last month to investigate the shooting.

Additionally, the Texas Rangers  a part of the Texas Department of Public Safety  and the FBI are conducting their own investigations into the shooting.

jasper.scherer@chron.com
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They are straight out of nightmares and are ending up on Texas beaches. They are dismembered plastic dolls that nobody knows where they are coming from.

Researchers from the Mission-Aransas Reserve have been finding the dolls for months along the 40-mile stretch of beach that runs from North Padre Island to Matagorda Island.

Now, talk show host John Oliver announced earlier this week on his show "Last Week Tonight" that he is willing to donate $10,000 in order to "destroy them."

"Burn them now," Oliver said on the show. "I hate the dolls so much."

The dolls that get washed ashore come in various shapes and sizes with different barnacles, discolorations, missing limbs and eyes, and other strange sea-based mutations.

Courtesy/Mission-Aransas Reserve

Jace Tunnell, the director of Mission-Aransas National Reserve, said in an email to the Chronicle that the reserve has collected about 30 dolls over the past few years. The popularity of the dolls on the reserve's social media channels has helped raise awareness about what they do.

"I would have never thought that dolls would be the way we would educate folks about ocean currents and marine debris, but it really seems to connect with people, in a creepy way," Tunnel wrote.

The reserve has since sold some of the dolls in their annual auction to raise money for the Amos Rehabilitation Keep that rehabs sea turtles in Port Aransas, but Tunnel is more than happy to accept Oliver's donation for the 12 dolls they have left.

Oliver promised on Last Week Tonight that they will "figure out the best way to destroy every last one of them."

"Apparently experts say it is unknowable (to know where they came from) and that these dolls could actually be coming from anywhere in the world," Oliver said. "Now, I am worried, that each and every one of them is coming from a little girl who is four thousand years old, lives on a floating Victorian house that haunts the Gulf, and holds the devil in her little heart.

"If you saw more of these dolls, you would believe the same," Oliver said.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyns approval ratings have plummeted in the weeks since he helped lead the effort in Congress to pass gun legislation in the wake of the Uvalde school shooting.

In a new poll released this week by the University of Texas/Texas Politics Project, just 24 percent of voters said they approve of the job Cornyn is doing  11 percentage points worse than President Joe Biden. And 50 percent said they disapproved of the job he is doing, the highest among all statewide elected Republicans in Texas, including Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Greg Abbott.

Its all a big turn from just two months ago when 32 percent said they approved of the job he was doing and 39 percent disapproved.

Cornyns job approval numbers cratered, said Jim Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project. I dont ever recall ever seeing a drop as severe in such a short amount of time as we saw Cornyn drop between April and June.

The poll of 1,200 registered voters in Texas was conducted between June 16 and June 24 - the day the U.S. Senate passed the compromise bill.

HISTORIC GUN BILL: Deal shows Sen. John Cornyn in his element  shrewd, steady and jeered as a RINO

Henson said it is hard not to see the poll as a response to Cornyns very public leadership on the gun legislation.

Job approval and disapproval numbers for statewide elected Republicans in Texas Gov. Greg Abbott: 43 percent approve, 46 percent disapprove Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick: 35 percent approve, 40 percent disapprove Attorney General Ken Paxton: 34 percent approve, 39 percent disapprove U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz: 41 percent approve, 45 percent disapprove U.S. Sen. John Cornyn: 24 percent approve, 50 percent disapprove Source: University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll of 1,200 voters See More Collapse

After the school shooting in Uvalde, the 70-year-old Republican became a key negotiator with Democrats on a package of reforms that included allowing a deeper review of gun purchasers who are between 18 and 21. The bill also provided grants to states that already have red flag laws to help them identify gun buyers who might be a threat to themselves or others. It did not create or expand red flag laws in Texas or do anything to prevent legal gun buyers in Texas from getting firearms.

Still, the GOP base in Texas has slammed Cornyn for working on the legislation. At the Texas Republican Convention in Houston last month, delegates booed Cornyn loudly throughout his speech and later approved a resolution to rebuke him for working on the legislation. Even former President Donald Trump got into the act, calling Cornyn a Republican in name only  even though Trump endorsed him for re-election in 2020.

Despite the backlash from some in his own party, Cornyn has stood by his work on the legislation.

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.

Henson said what surprised him was that Cornyns numbers with independents and Democrats also got a little worse, even though more background checks for gun buyers are popular with both groups. He said the findings epitomize why elected officials are so wary to take leadership roles on big legislation or take political risks.
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Orella Robare was driven to City Hall by a police escort on Wednesday. A handful of police officers brought Robare up to Macksey's office. Macksey told Robare that she knew many members of her family. Robare looked out over the downtown and pointed out where formers businesses used to be. Macksey had cake and flowers for Robare. No birthday party is complete without dancing. PreviousNext

North Adams Woman Celebrates 100th Birthday in City Hall

Mayor Macksey read Robare a proclamation.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  After a police escort to City Hall, Orella Loretta Robare celebrated a century in the corner office with a proclamation from Mayor Jennifer Macksey.

"It is incredible," Robare said Wednesday during the small gathering. "I am meeting so many people here today. It is wonderful."

Robare, who was born July 6, 1922, walked through city hall with a handful of police officers. City employees gave their best wishes as she passed by making her way to the elevator.

Macksey first joked and asked if Robare was in trouble, surrounded by so many officers.

"Are you in trouble with the city because there are a lot of officers with you," Macksey asked. "...We are going to invite them all in and have a party."

Macksey gave Robare a tour of her office and recalled when members of her own family crossed paths with Robare.

Robare's parents were Mary and Joseph Tatro. She was married to William Robare in 1945. She has two children Donna and Diane, eight grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

Macksey then offered her some birthday cake and presented Robare with a proclamation marking the occasion.

"We are declaring today your day," Macksey said. "Everyone in the city is celebrating your birthday."

Robare settled for a decaf tea (City Hall does not stock Sanka Instant Decaf Coffee) and went on about her roots in the community. She spent time working at the former Sprague Electric, the old Hub and Capitol restaurants and the Tally House. She also volunteered at the Spitzer Center for years.

Robare, who lived in Stamford, Vt., Clarksburg, and North Adams, recalled a much different North Adams pointing out places that used to exist outside the corner office window. She recalled Newberry's, the Boston Store, Florini's Restaurant, Peggy Parker and Risebergs, where she got her first credit card.

"I remember all of those places," she said.

Macksey said her father used to manage the Richmond Hotel where her mother also worked and asked Robare if she ever attended any of the dances held there.

Robare said she did and also recalled dances at the Elks Lodge, Moose Lodge and the Sons of Italy

"I used to love to dance," she said. "I would dance all over, but I haven't danced lately."

Someone fired up Robare's favorite song "Release Me" by Engelbert Humperdinck and she took turns dancing with the police officers present.

Robare's granddaughter Denise Dubreuil said dancing may be the key to such a long happy life.

"I think her secret may have been dancing," she said. "She never missed a dance. I think there is a lot we can learn from her."

Macksey said she was happy Robare was able to visit City Hall and said there is a lot that can be learned from Robare.

"Quality of life is so important and your roots are so important. Just to live a good life and contribute to your community," Macksey said. "When she talks about the Council on Aging you can see her eyes light up and that shows the engagement we have in our community. She is just remarkable."
Incumbent Thomas Bowler, right, and challenger Alf Barbalunga speak on issues related to the workings of the sheriff's office during a virtual forum hosted by the NAACP and ACLU of Massachusetts.

Sheriff Candidates Answer Community's Questions at Forum

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  The candidates for Berkshire County sheriff answered questions from the community in a forum held by the Berkshire County NAACP, the League of Women Voters, and the ACLU of Massachusetts on Wednesday.

Incumbent Thomas Bowler and his challenger Alf Barbalunga were queried on the interworkings of the office and their stances on national issues related to the position during the Zoom event.



"I always talk about how important elections are, and I always talk about the political scene. We know that there's nothing more important than local politics," Berkshire NAACP President Dennis Powell said.



"So it's really important and we feel it's our responsibility as the NAACP to educate our community at election time on the various candidates running so that you can clearly make the right decision."



The event is a part of the ACLU of Massachusett's "Know Your Sheriff" public education campaign to build voter awareness and educate people on the role of the sheriff.



Bowler began his career in law enforcement in 1985 with the Pittsfield Police Department, was sworn in for his first term as sheriff in 2011, and was re-elected in 2016.



Barbalunga has 28 years of combined corrections, law enforcement, and public safety experience and currently works as the chief probation officer of the Southern Berkshire District.



An ACLUM poll found only 17 percent of voters in the state could name their sheriff in a poll. In Berkshire County, only 10 percent could.



"We firmly believe that educating voters for those voters to be able to go and vote based on their values," said ACLUM's Javier Luengo-Garrido. "And the clarity of information is paramount for us to do that and this campaign reflects that."



A considerable amount of conversation was focused on the incarcerated women of Berkshire County who are sent to the Western Massachusetts Regional Women's Correctional Center in Chicopee.



Meg Bossong, director of sexual assault response and health education at Williams College, said she had heard during a 2019 Commission on the Status of Women hearing that the women and their families faced a great deal of hardship in terms of family separations and people's ability to visit.

"The explanation is that there's a lot more programming and a lot more facilities available in the Western Mass facility but the feedback from the folks we spoke to is that on return to the community, there are very few services available for them," Bossong said. "In the county, they're often still having to travel to Springfield for various kinds of meetings and appointments."

She asked both candidates what their plans are to better serve the county's incarcerated women and if either had plans to return them to the House of Corrections in Pittsfield.



Bowler defended the services offered at the Chicopee facility and said the Second Streets Second Chances initiative will service individuals upon release.



The one-stop facility, which has received more than $240,000 in funding from the Baker-Polito administration, is designed to offer a wide array of post-incarceration services, case management, and workforce training from the former jail on Second Street.



"I still stand by that the services that these individuals are receiving at the Chicopee Center are far greater and far more than we have here," Bowler said.



He said the facility became a national model in January through the American Correctional Association for its role in the services and programs.



Barbalunga advocates for returning incarcerated women from the Chicopee facility.



He said that are $21 million in reasons to support them and that it is difficult for families to visit due to demographics, economic disadvantage, racial disparity, and insufficient public transit.



"I feel more comfortable if I'm watching my kids in my own house than if they're five blocks away and someone else is watching them," he added. "That's just the purity of it."



The candidates were asked if they plan on cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In the ACLU's presentation on the role of the sheriff, it was mentioned that the position can enter into contracts with the federal government, one being with ICE.



Barbalunga responded by saying that while he does not endorse federal inmates or detainees being housed at the jail, he believes in fully utilizing the House of Corrections by bringing female inmates and juveniles back to it.



Bowler said that if an individual is incarcerated and has charges in the county and has an ICE detainer on him, the office will notify ICE that the individual may be released from court.




iciHaiti - Tourism : Insecurity hits hard the tourism sector of Haiti





Wednesday, July 7 Raina Forbin, businesswoman and President of the Tourist Association of Haiti (ATH) deplored on a radio station that the insecurity in Haiti is an unbearable burden for the tourism sector which records the lowest hotel occupancy rate in recent years



Forbin said that the hotels in the emblematic seaside area of Arcadins no longer welcome tourists due to the violence at the northern exit of the capital "The problem was foreseeable. We had already alerted the authorities. But nothing was done. Today, we are paying the price," asking once again the authorities to restore a climate of peace.



She also pointed out that the situation was also alarming for the southern part of the country because of the control exercised by gangs in Martissant over the access to the southern peninsula of Haiti. Under the influence of armed groups, tourism activities in the South no longer exist, and she calls on the private sector and other social groups to agree to get out of the spiral of violence.



S/ iciHaiti


















On 6 July 2022, lawyers acting on behalf of the family of Shireen Abu Akleh, and journalist Ali al-Samoudi, wrote to the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Israeli Army (IA) to request access to the bullet and firearm that is said to have killed Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. The lawyers intend to have the firearm and bullet examined by a senior British forensic ballistics expert instructed on behalf of their clients.

The lawyers from leading London law firm Bindmans LLP and Doughty Street Chambers also requested the PA, IA and US Embassy provide access to their respective investigations, evidence and findings, including a copy of the recent forensic ballistic analysis conducted on the bullet referred to in the US Department of States Press Statement of 4 July 2022. The lawyers have also requested the opportunity to interview the soldiers that it is understood the IA have identified as being present during the shooting on 11 May 2022.

The requests form part of an investigation into the alleged Israeli policy of targeting Palestinian journalists. The legal team is instructed by Shireens family; journalists; the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ); Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) and the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) to submit a new complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC) which asks the ICC prosecutor to launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Shireens death and Alis shooting on 11 May 2022.

A long-time TV correspondent for Al Jazeera Arabic, Shireen was killed while covering Israeli army raids in the city of Jenin. Ali, who was present when Shireen was killed was also shot in the shoulder. There are strong grounds to believe that Shireen was killed, and Ali was shot, by Israeli armed forces. Both join a long list of journalists targeted by the Israeli Occupying Forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

The new complaint follows an April 2022 submission to the Court which requested the ICC Prosecutor launch an investigation into the systematic targeting, maiming and killing of journalists and destruction of media infrastructure in Palestine. Shireen was killed only days after the ICC prosecutor acknowledged receipt of the first complaint.

On 5 February 2021, the ICC ruled that its criminal jurisdiction extended to the Situation in Palestine, and that its territorial scope covered allegations that occurred in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. This presents for the first time, a real opportunity for the accountability of Israels alleged policy of targeting journalists and could lead to a formal investigation by the ICC Prosecutor and potential prosecutions.

Tayab Ali, Partner at Bindmans said:

The forensic analysis of the firearm forms a small but important part of the evidence in this case. It is crucial that we, as the lawyers representing the victims in this case, are able to independently assess the evidence and are not prevented or hampered in our investigations. The evidence that we have seen so far provides a strong case that Israel has a policy of targeting journalists in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Evidence is mounting that the killing of Shireen and shooting of Ali was part of that purposeful policy.

IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said: Truth needs to be established about Shireen Abu Akleh's murder. We support the call for an independent investigation with access to the firearm and bullet that killed Shireen. The IFJ is determined to shed light on the true circumstances of her killing and hold the Israeli accountable for their crimes against Palestinian journalists.
Unidentified assailants assaulted senior Pakistani journalist Ayaz Amir as he left a televised debate program in Lahore on July 1. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Pakistan affiliate, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), condemn the attack on Ayaz Amir and call for swift action to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Pakistani journalist Ayaz Amir sits in his vehicle directly after being attacked in Lahore on July 1. Credit: Twitter

Ayaz Amir was attacked shortly after recording his television show for Dunya News. His car was blocked by another vehicle after he left his office on Abbott Road in the Qila Gujjar Singh police district of Lahore.

Six unidentified assailants stopped Amirs car, attacked him, and tore his clothing off. The attackers forced him out of his vehicle and stole his phone and money, threatening Amir and leaving him with visible bruises on his face.

The incident was reported to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, who requested an investigation from the inspector general of the Punjab police.

The assault occurred a day after Amir criticised Pakistans military establishment at a seminar organised by the Islamabad High Court Bar Association. In his speech, Amir referred to army generals as property dealers.

The journalist addressed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was also in attendance, and said, "you handed over the country to property dealers."

The attack has prompted a wave of indignation among the country's journalists. According to the Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND), assaults and harassment are intended to prohibit journalists from freely expressing their views.

According to the IFJs South Asia Press Freedom Report 2021-2022 , several key safety-related challenges adversely affect journalists and media workers in Pakistan including the continuing spate of physical attacks on journalists due to their work.

PFUJ strongly condemned the inhuman behavior and torture of a journalist. PFUJ President GM Jamali and Secretary General Rana Muhammad Azeem demanded the government arrest the culprits and put them behind bars.

The IFJ said: The Pakistani authorities must act to swiftly to bring those involved in incidents of violence against journalists and media workers to justice. More must be done to safeguard freedom of expression and freedom of press in Pakistan. The IFJ condemns the attack on journalist Ayaz Amir and calls for an immediate investigation.
You can't always prevent tragedy from striking. But you should certainly try--especially if your events business is riding on mass numbers of people being able to convene in one place.

Amid recent acts of gun violence, including the Highland Park, Illinois, Fourth of July parade shooting, which left seven people dead, business leaders planning in-person events must do what they can to safeguard their communities. According to Isaac Monson, senior risk consultant with insurance brokerage HUB International's risk services division, disaster and emergency preparedness of all kinds starts with a good contingency plan. "When people are thinking about the logistics of the events they want to host, they have to fold the emergency preparedness component into that early planning stage," he says. "You should be talking about this as early as your very first planning meeting."

Here are Monson's suggestions for creating a thorough safety contingency plan.

Get educated

If you've never created an emergency plan before, the process can feel intimidating. Luckily, Monson says, there is no shortage of resources that can teach you the ins and outs of emergency preparedness in great detail. He recommends that event-planning professionals familiarize themselves with the Event Safety Alliance (ESA), a nonprofit membership organization founded with the aim of promoting event safety through education, skills training, and advocacy. The organization's free-to-download safety guide is the United States' first published safety guidance directed specifically at the live event industry--and contains a staggering 39 chapters of detailed advice on what safety considerations to take for events, depending on their size and location. "If you're an event planner," Monson says, "you don't have to improvise--you just have to pick the components that are applicable to your event and leverage those tools."

Take an "all-hazards" approach

Monson advocates for an "all-hazards" approach to emergency readiness, which basically means preparing for any kind of emergency that has the potential to occur at a given event: a natural disaster, an act of violence, and so on. "Active shooter readiness is at the top of minds for people, but we've seen instances where, on July 4, there were stampedes at some fireworks events because people thought there was an active shooter," Monson says. Different kinds of emergencies can have domino effects on an event, so by preparing for all potential hazards, leaders can create the most thorough and strategic contingency plan.

There is a wide range of hazards to consider, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Those listed in DHS's guide to creating an emergency response plan include natural hazards like geological hazards (earthquakes, landslides), meteorological hazards (hurricanes, flash floods, wildfires), biological hazards (pandemics, food-borne illness), as well as human caused events, which may be accidental (structural collapse, transportation accidents) or incidental (terrorism, robbery, civil disobedience). Take the time to consider all the possible scenarios that can happen, and include them in your safety plans--even if it seems like you're being overly prepared (because overpreparedness is, in fact, a good thing). "You can't just say, 'Well, hopefully that doesn't happen,'" Monson says.

Communicate with your community

If you're planning an event in your community, you will likely need to get a permit from your local government, which may require you to work with your local police and fire departments to get event safety approval. Monson recommends working closely with these kinds of community partners early in the event planning stage to get a better understanding of potential event risks. At the event itself, you can leverage these partners to make sure attendees are as well-informed about emergency procedures as possible.

It can be easier to communicate safety plans with event attendees at smaller, more contained events. But that's not to say you can't take measures to communicate at larger events. Monson recommends including basic safety, security, and readiness information in whatever communication channel you're already using to share key event info (like signage, flyers, or social media posts that point out ticket booth and restroom locations). "Not everyone will read them, especially if they're in fine print," he says. "But if you have the opportunity to communicate other things about event logistics, leading with safety, security, and evacuation information--or closing with it--can be helpful." Verbally sharing information--like emergency exit locations--is also a good idea.

Assess potential risks early on

The right kind of safety prep involves gathering intelligence for any potential threats, in the aim of preventing the need for an emergency response, Monson says. Business leaders should work closely with local law enforcement to learn of any potential threats to their live event, but they should also consider the different types of workplace violence that have the potential to escalate, as defined by OSHA. These include criminal intent (armed robbery, for example), upset customers or clients, worker-on-worker violence, and personal relationships (domestic violence that has the potential to spill over to the workplace).
The magazine provides a general overview of the options available to foreign firms to sell to the online India...
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OTTAWA, TRADITIONAL ALGONQUIN TERRITORY  On July 4, 2022, Canada, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), and the plaintiffs in the Moushoom and Trout class actions announced that a final settlement agreement has been signed, regarding compensation for First Nations children and families harmed by discriminatory underfunding of the First Nations Child and Family Services program and the federal governments narrow definition of Jordans Principle. Together, the Parties arrived at this historic settlement agreement  the largest in Canadian history  which recognizes harm to First Nations children and their families. The agreement ensures fair compensation for survivors and their families who suffered because of the discriminatory underfunding of services.

To reach this agreement, Canada, the Assembly of First Nations and counsel representing the plaintiffs in the Moushoom and Trout class actions have worked collaboratively and tirelessly over the past six months since announcing Agreements-in-Principle. Plaintiffs and their counsel took the lead on proposing a structure and roll-out of compensation that best meet the needs of the class members.

The next step is to bring the final settlement agreement to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal asking for the Tribunals 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 agreement provides $20 billion and, once approved by the Federal Court and the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, the following groups will be eligible for compensation:

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 governments narrow definition of Jordans Principle between December 12, 2007 and November 2, 2017

children who did not receive or were delayed in receiving an essential public service or product between April 1, 1991 and December 11, 2007

caregiving parents or caregiving grandparents of the children above may also be eligible for compensation

With respect to long-term reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services program, Parties are working hard at reaching a final settlement agreement to ensure a solid, reformed system to end the discrimination found by the Tribunal. On April 1, 2022, Canada implemented immediate measures to help reduce the number of First Nations children in care, and to provide additional supports to First Nations children, youth and families. These investments, amounting to approximately $2.7 billion to date, represent an 80% increase in funding from 2020-21. They include increased funding in all provinces and the Yukon Territory for prevention, for First Nations representative services, and for the expansion of post-majority care services for young adults formerly in care up to their 26th birthday.

In reaching a resolution on compensation and in continuing the work to reform the First Nations Child and Family Services program, the shared goal is to prioritize the well-being of First Nations children and their families. Canada stands with First Nation partners in the commitment to make sure that a better system is in place for current and future generations.

Assembly of First Nations Manitoba Regional Chief Cindy Woodhouse stated, While money can never compensate for the loss of a childhood or the pain of family separation, this settlement will provide meaningful payments to tens of thousands of affected children and their families to help them rebuild their lives. The process of applying for compensation will be addressed by the courts in the coming months if the settlement is approved.

Marc Miller, Minister of CrownIndigenous Relations said, While this is an important and necessary step forward to compensate those hurt by discriminatory funding practices, it has come at the cost of terrible pain and suffering. Nothing we can do will ever erase the harm that has been caused, or give back the years children lost with their families, languages and cultures. I hope that this agreement on compensation will bring us closer to a future where all First Nations children can grow and thrive with their families and communities, as we continue to work with partners to reform child and family services.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced India into lockdown in March 2020. It caused a sudden loss of employment and severely affected the poor across the country. Over 10 million Indians lost their jobs because of the second wave of COVID-19, and around 97 per cent of households incomes declined since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE).

But many emerged as heroes in trying to sustain themselves and their families during that period. Such is the story of Raza Mohammad from Rasulpura village in Ajmer who set an example by taking up the work of cultivation of pearls to sustain his family.

School teacher who became a pearl farmer

Raza Mohammad

Before Covid, 41-year-old Raza Mohammad used to be a school teacher. But the school has been shut down due to the lockdown and he ran out of income during that time. However, in this difficult time, he did not lose hope and started looking for new opportunities. Meanwhile, someone told him about the cultivation of pearls.



After knowing little about pearl farming Mohammad convinced himself that he could do this work easily then he took training and started cultivating pearls at his home. This decision completely changed his life. At present, he is earning up to Rs 2 lakh and has become an inspiration for others.

Started pearl farming with a small investment

Raza Mohammad pearl farmer

Mohammad, a resident of Rasulpura village, spoke to Indiatimes and said that he started the cultivation of pearls only one and a half years ago. Earlier, he was a teacher at a school. After losing his job due to the pandemic, he has now become a farmer. Initially, he did not know how to grow pearls. Then he got to know about Narendra Kumar Garwa who is from Rajasthan and was cultivating pearls for a long time.



He contacted Narendra, took training from him and started his own unit of making pearls from oysters on his own farm with a small investment of Rs 60,000- Rs 70,000. For this, he made a small pond in his field and kept oysters (seeds) that he bought from different parts of the country. For good farming, he keeps about 1,000 oysters together and takes care of them.

Things to keep in mind

Raza Mohammad pearl farmer

Mohammad explains that for best results, they leave the nucleus in each oyster and regularly check the pH and ammonia level of the water. After a few months of hard work, if everything goes well, then at least two good pearls can be found in an oyster. It is not that there is no loss. 20-25 percent of oysters also get spoiled. However, with the help of technology, it is possible to manage the loss by getting good quality pearls.



"The price of pearls in the market ranges from Rs 200 to Rs 1,000 depending on the quality," says Mohammad.

"I am expecting to earn Rs 2-3 lakhs as I am working in a small space. If this is done on a large scale, then the earnings can be increased. I am proud of the decision to take up pearl farming using technology instead of traditional farming. I am happy that today people in the area know me for pearl farming."

Training is necessary for pearl farming

Raza Mohammad

Narendra Kumar Garwa, praising Mohammad, says that he is very hardworking and he is able to earn well only because of it. Anyway, the demand for pearls is high in the domestic and international markets. The good thing is that it can be done in any part of the country. For this, only a small pond and freshwater are required. According to Narendra, pearl farming is a little scientific farming. That's why training is essential before starting it.



Although Garwa trains people for pearl cultivation, the Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA) plays a major role in this. CIFA training centres are running in many states across the country including Gujarat, and Bangalore, where other people like him give training for pearl farming.

Training in pearl farming is being done by CIFA from time to time, which is proving to be helpful for the people. The special thing is that pearl farming training is given for free. One can take 15 days of training from CIFA's headquarters in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha. For more information about pearl farming, please visit the official website of CIFA.

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The hard market for cyber insurance, which is expected to continue for some time, and a lack of capacity has made captive insurers an attractive risk management option for corporations, said AM Best in a recent market report.

As part of its look at the U.S. cyber market, AM Best said captives can customize policies to allow parent organizations to assess damage and react quicker, but sufficient and reliable cyber data for captive insurers does not exist. They do not file with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, with the exception of most risk retention groups (RRGs).

However, many captive domiciles have shown interest in having captives provide this level of detail, which will improve future transparency, AM Best said, adding, Both pure and group captives must understand and appreciate the great complexity that cyber poses and conduct detailed underwriting and risk management on the policies that they would offer. In other words, simply a hard commercial market should not be the main reason to transfer the cyber exposure to the captives.

The rating agency said some pure captives are writing policies with multi-million dollar limits and premiums, using third-party technology and forensic cyber consultants. Based on NAIC data, RRGs wrote about $19 million in cyber premiums in 2021, with limited coverage.

The growth of the cyber market  which overall saw direct premiums written, driven in large part by rate hikes, increase 75% in 2021  includes the creation of captives or specialty insurers by managing general agents or underwriters (MGAs/MGUs).

MGAs and MGUs benefit from working closely with their policyholder and insurance brokers. As a result, they are able to recommend measures for policyholders to improve their cyber profiles and practices, while they work with brokers to create customized coverage. At-Bay, Coalition, Corvus, Cowbell, and Resilience are prominent entities in this area, AM Best noted in the report, U.S. Cyber: The Hardest of the Property/Casualty Markets.

Growth in cyber insurance is far outpacing the rest of the property/casualty industry but claims are also up, AM Best observed. Claims on standalone cyber policies are the majority, as first-party ransomware claims increase. Claims on standalone first-party policies grew an average 38% over the past five years, though the agency said definitions of standalone and packaged policies appear to be open to interpretation.

Despite the ongoing growth in cyber claims in 2021, cyber insurers underwriting performance still improved, as evidenced by an estimated combined ratio of 91.8 in 2021, although the estimated combined ratio on standalone policies was worse at 98.8, according to AM Best. With cyber attacks becoming more complex, AM Best expects the cyber market to remain hard for some time.

AM Best predicted Berkshire Hathaways acquisition of Alleghany will move it into the top 10 cyber underwriters, currently led by Chubb, Fairfax, XL Re, Tokio Marine and AIG. The aggregate combined ratio of the top five insurers is more than 100, led by AIGs combined ratio of 154.2  most among the top 20 cyber insurers. The total combined ratio for the top 20 was 92.6 in 2021.

Even more concerning, actual underwriting expenses may be even higher than the overall line, AM Best said. Services provided during the underwriting process  evaluating cyber defenses in place, assisting in upgrading cyber defenses, and warning clients when threats are detected  all drive up underwriting expenses.

Organized by policies-in-force, Hartford by far writes the most cyber insurance policies, eclipsing the next three insurers on the list combined.

Topics Trends Cyber Insurance Wholesale Market
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The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that attorneys fees from a consumer protection lawsuit are not covered as part of bodily injury damages under a business liability policy, reversing a lower court that had found they were covered.

Attorneys fees are not awarded as damages because of bodily injury' and are not costs taxed against the insured, as required by a Vermont Mutual Insurance Co. businessowners liability policy, Justice Scott L. Kafker stated in the courts July 6 decision in Vermont Mutual Insurance Co. v Paul Poirier.

The Poiriers were sued by another couple, the Mastons, who hired their Servpro firm to clean up their basement following a sewage backup. The Mastons sued the Poiriers for damages after Mrs. Maston suffered respiratory ailments caused by chemicals from a disinfectant Servpro used in its cleaning.

The Mastons originally sued the Poiriers for breach of contract, negligence, and violations of the Massachusetts consumer protection law, Chapter 93A, on breaches of the warranty of merchantability and the warranty of fitness for a particular purpose. Shortly before trial, the Mastons waived their contract and negligence claims and proceeded to a bench trial on the Chapter 93A claims alone.

The Poiriers business insurer, Vermont Mutual Insurance Co., paid the substantive damages on the bodily injury claim  $696,669.48, which represented all of the Poiriers liability to the Mastons except for their attorneys fees and interest. The insurer then asked for a declaratory judgment as to whether it was also responsible for the Mastons attorneys fees. The Poiriers claimed their insurer should cover the attorneys fees in addition to the costs of the bodily injury.

The business policys liability coverage form provided that Vermont Mutual would pay for damages because of bodily injury. It also provided that Vermont Mutual had a duty to defend the insured against any suit seeking those damages. A supplementary payments provision also stated that in addition to the limit of insurance, the insurer would also pay certain expenses related to the claim or suit covered by the policy, including [a]ll costs taxed against the insured in the suit.

A judge of the Superior Court held that the policy did cover the attorneys fees and an appeals judge upheld that. However, the high court has now reversed.

The trial judge found that Servpro had violated Chapter 93A by committing a breach of the implied warranty of merchantability, although he did not find that it had acted knowingly or willfully and therefore did not award multiple damages. Based on Mrs. Mastons injuries, he found damages for $696,669.48. Having established a violation of Chapter 93A, the judge also imposed liability for costs and attorneys fees. The judge found that the Mastons were entitled to $215,328.00 in fees and $15,447.61 in costs.

The trial court judge held that the award of attorneys fees fell into the policys coverage for sums that the insured becomes legally obligated to pay as damages because of bodily injury,' and therefore Vermont Mutual had to cover the them. The judge, however, rejected the alternative argument that attorneys fees were covered by the provision in the policy that authorized the payment of costs.

The appeals court affirmed both the substantive findings and the award of attorneys fees and costs, and imposed further appellate attorneys fees of $21,600 and appellate costs of $1,970,35. Vermont Mutual appealed, and the states high court took on the matter.

The primary issue was the clause providing liability coverage, which states that Vermont Mutual will pay those sums that the insured becomes legally obligated to pay as damages because of bodily injury.

There was no dispute that the attorneys fees themselves were not bodily injury, either under the definition in the policy or according to the plain meaning of the term. The disagreement stemmed from the words connecting the two  whether the insureds were liable for the attorneys fees as damages because of Mrs. Mastons bodily injury.

On its face, Judge Kafker wrote, damages caused by bodily injury refer to the physical injuries and the money damages required to compensate them. But attorneys fees for Chapter 93A claims are different. They reflect the cost of bringing suit to recover the 93A relief and parties are ordinarily responsible for paying their own attorneys fees, even if they succeed.

While there are fee-shifting provisions that allow courts to award both damages and attorneys fees, that does not mean they award attorneys fees as damages, according to the court.

Damages and attorneys fees are conceptually different, and are so recognized under that chapter. The insurance contract here only provides for the recovery of damages. Therefore, attorneys fees awarded pursuant to G. L. c. 93A are not recoverable as damages under the insurance contract, Judge Kafker wrote.

Regarding the provision for the insurer to pay costs taxed against the insured, the court concluded that this provision does not cover statutory awards of attorneys fees. Again, the court distinguished between costs and attorneys fees, ruling that the word costs, as applied to proceedings in court, ordinarily means only legal or taxable costs, and does not include attorneys fees.

The Mastons pointed out that, after the Vermont Mutual policy was issued, the Insurance Services Office amended the supplemental payments provision to expressly provide that the payments for costs do not include attorneys fees or attorneys expenses taxed against the insured. But the Massachusetts high court said that the absence of an express exclusion does not operate to create coverage in the policy in this case, even if other policies contain an express exclusion.

The American Property Casualty Insurance Association and the Complex Insurance Claims Litigation Association submitted amicus briefs in the case.

Topics Legislation Massachusetts
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As New York Gov. Kathy Hochul mulls whether to sign legislation that will expand the types of damages that could be won in wrongful deaths cases, businesses including insurers are warning the change could mean higher liability insurance costs in the state, while advocates for victims are claiming the change would bring the state in line with other states and is long overdue.

The bill, known as the Grieving Families Act, has been passed by both the Assembly and Senate, updating the states 175 year-old wrongful death statute. It would become law immediately if Hochul signs it.

While current New York law basically limits recovery in wrongful death cases to a decedents close family members and for pecuniary or tangible monetary damages only, the pending legislation would mark a substantial departure by allowing recovery for emotional damages including grief or anguish and loss of affection and companionship.

The bill would also expand the family members who could sue to include spouses and domestic partners, as well as children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, parents, grandparents, stepparents and siblings. A jury could define who is a close family member.

The bill would also extend the current two-year statute of limitations to three years and six months.

A leading proponent, the New York Public Interest Research Group, said the new law will bring New York in line with approximately 47 other states that already allow their courts to consider the value of lost relationships and 20 states that already recognize claims for the grief and mental anguish experienced resulting from a wrongful death. Alabama and New York are the only states that allow neither, NYPIRG said.

NYPIRG has represented families who lost loved ones in the recent Bronx fire, the Schoharie limousine crash, and other tragedies. Each year, New Yorkers are killed by drunk drivers, medical negligence, defective products, dangerous roadway conditions, and countless other acts and omissions, the group stated.

No amount of money can replace a father, a daughter, a sibling, a domestic partner, or a spouse  but financial compensation for family members grieving a loved ones wrongful death is a necessary accountability tool, commented Senator Brad Hoylman, who sponsored the legislation (S.74A/A.677) along with Assembly Member Helene Weinstein.

Economic Burden

But those new settlements could translate into a burden on the states economy, according to chambers of commerce and more than 30 industry groups representing insurance, building, manufacturing, health and other sectors that signed a letter to Hochul urging her to veto it. The American Property Casualty Insurance Association and the Big I NY independent insurance agents association were among the signers.

This bill would have a disastrous impact on businesses in the state, endangering our economic recovery in these uncertain times. This bill would radically expand the kinds of damages recoverable in wrongful death actions, driving up liability insurance premiums for public and private entities across the state, the businesses said in their letter.

The letter cites an actuarial analysis by Milliman that says the bill would increase medical professional liability costs by nearly 40%. Automobile liability and general liability insurance would increase by as much as $2.2 billion. The result would be a 12.6% increase in annual premium across the board for residents and businesses, according to the analysis.

Liability insurance premiums are already higher in New York than almost anywhere else in the country. This legislation would make it harder to attract new companies and discourage local entrepreneurs from pursuing their goals and remaining in New York. For businesses already operating in the state, increased liability insurance costs will lead to price increases, pay cuts, and even layoffs  ultimately devastating already-struggling communities, the businesses warned.

For the well-being of the economy and communities across the state, we implore you to veto this bill, too, the letter said in closing.

Hochul has not signaled whether she will sign the measure. Last year, she vetoed a litigation bill citing significant negative impact on hospitals and state government and local governments, which she said were already under great strain due to COVID-19.

Photo: Firefighters work at the scene of a fatal fire at an apartment building in the Bronx on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in New York. The majority of victims were suffering from severe smoke inhalation, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Topics New York
City of London executives have expressed anxiety that the turmoil rocking the UK government may delay or derail post-Brexit reforms aimed at boosting competition and growth.

The resignations of Chancellor Rishi Sunak and John Glen, economic secretary to the Treasury, sent shock-waves across financial firms, while the escalation of ministerial departures on Wednesday triggered questions about how long new appointments including Nadhim Zahawi as chancellor would stay in their posts.

Is Sunaks vision the same as Zahawis for financial services? That remains to be seen, said Miles Celic, chief executive officer of TheCityUK, which represents financial and professional services firms. If the PM goes we will need a government that has a clear economic vision for the UK post-Brexit and post-pandemic, of how you get the finances back in shape and how you address the problematic relationship with our nearest trading partner.

The departures of Sunak and Glen threaten to delay several efforts by the UK to reshape financial regulation now it is outside the European Union. The government has planned reforms of insurance solvency rules and said it would open up small investor access to private equity. Prime Minster Boris Johnson, who has defied his own ministers calls this week to resign, has also recently promised a review of mortgage rules.

(Editors note: Johnson on July 7 announced he is resigning as head of the parliamentary Conservative Party after a succession of scandals led to the mass resignation of members of his government. It was confirmed on July 11 that he will stay in place as prime minister until Sept. 6 after a new leader is elected).

Industry lobbying groups have wasted no time in crafting communications to new cabinet members, including Zahawi, laying out key policies they hope arent lost among the political chaos. Meanwhile, the exodus from government continued on Thursday, with the resignations of Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis and Treasury Minister Helen Whately.

The financial industry has long quietly complained that its voice has been unimportant to Johnson as they grappled with the complexities of Brexit. Johnson has argued the City of London will prosper outside the EU, noting job losses and disruption to capital flows have been lower than feared.

We do need a business friendly government, but havent had one for a long time, said Philip Hampton, former chairman of J Sainsbury Plc, GlaxoSmithKline and Natwest Bank. A new chancellor wont change that starting point. The only solution is for the UK to increase productivity and growth pretty much everywhere.

Some reacted positively to the appointment of Zahawi, who said Wednesday in media interviews there was nothing off the table on the question of potential tax cuts. Barney Reynolds, global head of financial services at law firm Shearman & Sterling and author of a new book on the future of post-Brexit regulation, said: If the rumors are true that Nadhim Zahawi is considering cutting taxes, that would indicate reforming the law and regulations might also be on the agenda. We can grow our way to success.

The departure of Glen stirred concern among financial firms as he has been a key figure in creating new financial services law that is due to be unveiled later this month. Glen was appointed to his role in January 2018 and has been seen by many in the city as a welcome point of continuity amid other changes in government.

John Glen is held in extremely high regard in the industry. Sunak largely left Glen to lead on financial services, he led the reviews and consultations. He was an expert, involved and engaged, said Celic.

Among the industry groups watching closely for how the government upheaval will affect post-Brexit reforms is the Association of British Insurers, whose members are awaiting details of the governments reforms to the Solvency II capital regime.

We will continue to work closely with government on areas of mutual interest, an ABI spokesperson said.

Amid the rapid changes of senior political figures, Alasdair Haynes, chief executive officer and founder of stock platform Acquis Exchange Ltd., questioned whether Zahawi would be in post for long. The key for the City is much more to do with getting the Finance Services and Markets Bill through Parliament, Haynes said. Its John Glen the economic secretary who can do that and everyone will be watching what he does or whether he is reshuffled.

Glen quit his role shortly afterwards.

Photograph: A dragon statue, a symbol of the City of London, in view of skyscrapers in the square mile financial district of the City of London, U.K., on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. The U.K. completed its divorce from the European Union, leaving the blocs single market and customs regime more than four years after the country voted for Brexit. Photo credit: Hollie Adams/Bloomberg.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Europe London
Ryan Specialty announced it has opened an office in Madrid as a next step in the evolution of the firms transactional risk managing general underwriter, Ryan Specialty Transactional Risks International.

Madrid is the firms third European/UK office, the second in Spain, and is led by Marta Batalla, director of the Spanish Branch, Ryan Specialty Transactional Risks International. The office in Madrid focuses on the core transactional risk products of warranty and indemnity insurance and commercial tax liability insurance, servicing brokers across continental Europe.

Ryan Specialty Transactional Risks International also announced the continued expansion of its European team with the hiring of Rafael Gimenez-Reyna in Madrid. Gimenez-Reyna joins the international tax team from private practice in which he has spent over 10 years advising clients on Spanish and international tax matters.

The tax insurance product continues to evolve at a rapid rate, and it is great to be able to add someone of Rafas experience to the team. Rafa will be working on international tax risks, but as Spain is currently a busy jurisdiction for tax insurance, it will be extremely beneficial having someone on the ground in Madrid, commented Kerry Westwell, head of Tax, Ryan Specialty Transactional Risks Europe.

The transactional risk practice has continued to experience significant growth in the last few years. We now have a team of 30 professionals, including 18 lawyers speaking nine languages, all backed by the strength of Ryan Specialty, said Batalla.

For additional information on the Madrid office or tax team expansion, please contact:

Marta Batalla, director of the Spanish Branch: marta.batalla@ryansg.com

Kerry Westwell, head of Tax: kerry.westwell@ryansg.com

Rafael Gimenez, tax underwriter: rafa.gimenezreyna@ryansg.com

Source: Ryan Specialty

Photograph: Aerial view of Gran Via, the main shopping street in Madrid, Spain.

Topics Excess Surplus Europe New Markets
Cybersecurity outfit Group-IB will split its Russian and international business into two separate companies in a bid to maintain a presence in both the Russian and overseas markets, the company said on Wednesday. (Reuters issued a statement with this article: This content was produced in Russia, where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in Ukraine.)

The companys global headquarters in Singapore will handle international clients, while a completely autonomous Russian spin-off will work with businesses in Russia and a handful of other former Soviet states, Group-IB said in a statement.

The move mirrors steps taken by dozens of companies to exit or sell their Russian operations since the West hit Russia with unprecedented economic sanctions in response to Moscow sending tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February in what it calls a special military operation.

The Russia and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) business from now on will evolve independently, Group-IB said in a statement.

The first stage of separation has been completed, and shareholders assets will be divided between the two companies within six months, Group-IB said.

We believe that this step will give us more market freedom and will accelerate business development in all regions of Group-IBs presence, said Group-IB Globals general director Dmitry Volkov.

Group-IB was once a feted symbol of Russias home-grown tech industry, with President Vladimir Putin in 2019 awarding founder Ilya Sachkov a business prize for young entrepreneurs.

Its international expansion and work with foreign law enforcement agencies appeared to concern Russian authorities however and in September 2021 Sachkov was arrested and charged with treason for divulging state secrets to a foreign power.

Sachkov remains in detention in Moscow and has denied the charges.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Frank Jack Daniel)

Topics Cyber Russia
Environmental groups are suing the Dutch subsidiary of Air France-KLM over an advertising campaign they allege breaches European consumer law by misleading the public over how sustainable its flights are.

Dutch campaigners Fossielvrij NL, supported by environmental law charity ClientEarth and Reclame Fossielvrij, on Wednesday filed the first lawsuit alleging greenwashing in the airline industry in the District Court of Amsterdam.

KLM, which says it has invested millions of euros in a more sustainable fleet and is working towards the industry goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, met with the groups before the suit was filed, but failed to find a solution.

It would certainly not be in our interests to misinform our customers. Its our responsibility to make future travel as sustainable as possible, the airline said in a statement sent to Reuters. We believe that our communications comply with the applicable legislation and regulations.

Campaigners have launched hundreds of climate change-related suits against companies, governments and authorities to try to accelerate the worlds shift to a low-carbon economy and fight an escalating climate crisis.

KLM has  stuck by the false message that it is on the path to more sustainable flying, said Hiske Arts, a campaigner at Fossielvrij NL. There is no way it can do this while planning continuous air traffic growth that will fuel the breakdown of our climate.

Campaigners want to stop KLMs Fly Responsibly adverts, alleging they violate the Dutch implementation of the EUs Unfair Consumer Practices Directive by giving the false impression its flights will not exacerbate the climate crisis.

KLM launched the advertising campaign last December, urging customers to help pioneer a sustainable future for aviation by paying towards reforestation projects or by contributing to the cost of greener aviation fuels through its CO2ZERO offers, designed to help tackle flight-related carbon emissions.

Campaign groups allege that aviation cannot be made sustainable quickly enough to meet global climate goals by replacing fossil jet fuel, improved engines, efficiencies or other future technologies and want a reduction in flights  a view echoed by a leading investor group in March.

The Dutch court will decide whether the case can proceed before KLM has to file any defense, ClientEarth said.

(Reporting by Kirstin Ridley, Simon Jessop and Anthony Deutsch; editing by Barbara Lewis)

Topics Lawsuits Aviation Pollution
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Chubb Global Markets and two brokers, Willis Towers Watson (WTW) and BMS.

A summary of the new hires follows here.

Chubb Global Markets Promotes Kirk to Head of Marine

Chubb announced the appointment of David Kirk as head of Marine for Chubb Global Markets (CGM), the companys London Market wholesale and specialty business that includes its Lloyds platform.

Kirk is currently cargo product head and deputy head of Marine CGM. In his new capacity, he will assume responsibility for the oversight and development of CGMs Marine portfolio underwritten in the London wholesale market, including the cargo, fine art & specie, hull, yacht and marine liability classes.

Kirk joined Chubb in 2005 and rose through the ranks to become marine cargo product head for CGM Syndicates 2488 and 1882, before moving into his current role as deputy head of Marine. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Insurance Institute.

He succeeds Mark Edmondson who, after eight years in the role, assumes a new position as consultant marine underwriter for CGM, providing technical underwriting and special project support to Chubbs Marine team. Edmondsons role will include the leadership and continuing development of the hull, yacht and marine liability classes written by CGMs London market platform.

Both are based in London, with Kirk reporting to Robert Wilson, chief underwriting officer for CGM, and Andrew Williamson, executive vice president Marine, Overseas General Insurance. Edmondson will report to Williamson and Kirk. The changes are effective July 11.

I am delighted with Davids promotion to Head of Marine for Chubb Global Markets. It reflects the enormous contribution that he has made to CGM and is the culmination of a long-established succession plan for Mark, commented Wilson said. Having been a valuable member of our Marine team for more than 16 years, David brings to the role a wealth of insight, understanding and experience, which will help us pursue continued growth as we innovate and create new solutions for our clients.

Mark has made a huge contribution to the growth and profitability of our business over the last eight years. CGMs Marine portfolio has thrived under his exceptional leadership, and we will undoubtedly continue to benefit from his wealth of experience in his new capacity as consultant marine underwriter, said Williamson.

***

WTW Names PwCs Tahir Thomson for Risk and Capital Mgmt. Team

Insurance broker WTW announced the appointment of Kartina Tahir Thomson to the companys Insurance Consulting and Technology business. In the new position, Tahir Thomson will play an integral role in helping insurers to enhance the value of their risk and capital management capabilities, as well as providing advice on key strategic governance and regulatory issues. She began the London-based role on July 1, 2022.

A senior industry figure with over 20 years actuarial, risk, governance and regulatory experience, Tahir Thomson joins from her previous post at PwC where she was part of the leadership team in insurance, asset and wealth management regulation. Prior to PwC, she was at the Bank of England, leading the supervision of firms in the London market and general insurance retail and commercial markets, where she was also pivotal in the implementation of Solvency II.

Tahir Thomson continues to hold leadership and senior positions in the actuarial profession, including her role as council member of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) and chair of the IFoA Foundation.

***

BMS Announces 4 Senior Hires for Asia Team

BMS, the independent re/insurance broker, announced its continued Asian expansion with the appointments of Dominic Morrison and Toby Hooker.

Based in Singapore and Hong Kong, respectively, Morrison joins as director and Hooker as a broker, and both will be integral to BMS Asias expansion into the specialty lines sector.

Most recently, Morrison led the fin/pro and specialty lines broking division at Howden Specialty Asia Pacific, with a focus on Southeast Asia and Australian business. Morrison began his career as an underwriter at QBE in London before specializing in Asian affinity business in Singapore. Experienced in offering tailored end-to-end solutions, both on a wholesale and reinsurance basis, he has worked with some of the largest retail banks finance and leasing departments, manufacturers, and financiers across Asia.

Joining BMS Asia from the London insurance market, Hooker has worked in the industry since 2017, predominantly within financial institutions. He began his career at Willis Towers Watson in the major accounts division before specializing in the asset management and hedge fund space with AssuredPartners London.

Additionally, Cathy Lai and Sagar Mehta join BMS as business development lead and associate director, respectively. Lai will be based in Hong Kong, with Mehta in Singapore.

Lai will be responsible for driving BMS business growth in Asia. She has more than 13 years experience in broking and advisory, predominantly in M&A insurance solutions and general insurance. She joins BMS from Aon Hong Kong.

Mehta joins BMSs fast growing and well-established private equity, M&A and tax practice. He has more than 10 years of working experience in broking and advisory, mostly spent on M&A insurance solutions and joins BMS from Willis Towers Watson in Singapore.

Topics Willis Towers Watson Leadership Chubb
Vally Insurance Agency Alliance Adds Berry, Johnson

Valley Insurance Agency Alliance (VIAA), a cohesive family of nearly 150 independent insurance agencies in Missouri and Illinois, recently hired two new team members.

Jessica Berry was hired as a data analyst for VIAA and sister company Powers Insurance & Risk Management. Her responsibilities include providing statistical analysis and financial forecasting for the organization, as well as identifying cost savings and revenue opportunities.

Prior to joining the company, Berry served in numerous analyst capacities in the finance industry.

Jessica Johnson joins VIAA as a foundation specialist. In this position she will ensure that new Alliance members have the proper technology, procedures, and education to establish and grow in the independent agency channel. Johnson will offer solutions and assistance during the new member onboarding and setup. As a former Country Financial agent herself, Johnson will be responsible for helping Country Financial agents transition to the independent side of the industry. She previously served as a financial representative at an Illinois insurance agency.

Founded in 1991, Powers Insurance & Risk Management is one of the largest family owned and operated independent insurance agencies in the bi-state region.

Holmes Murphy Makes Promotions, New Hires in Omaha Market

Holmes Murphy announced a number of promotions and new hires in the Omaha market.

As part of this local expansion, Julie Hughes and Emily Perry have been promoted to senior client consultants, employee benefits. In their new roles, Hughes and Perry will provide thought leadership and mentorship to clients and internal team members alike through a variety of experienced practices.

Additionally, Liz McPeek and Joe Rider have been hired as account managers, employee benefits, and Krysta Maples has been hired as a client service consultant, employee benefits.

Furthermore, Todd Hansen, client executive, will also transition to the Omaha team to support ongoing growth and further develop client relationships in Holmes Murphys Property Casualty space, where he previously served in the Des Moines market.
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GloveBox, which provides independent agencies with a platform for aggregating insurance policy documents, regardless of carrier, in one centralized location, announced it has raised $5.5 million in Series A funding.

The Denver-based insurtech serves as a client experience platform (CXP) to independent agents and carriers with a branded self-service mobile app and web portal. The portal, which integrates with carrier and agency management systems, is where customers can pay bills, start claims, access documents, make policy changes, and handle other tasks. Its agency dashboard enhances coordination among the policyholder, agency and carrier.

The Series A round was led by Panoramic Ventures with follow-on participation from Heffernan Insurance Brokers of California and others.

Co-founders Ryan and Andy Mathisen, Sean Mulhern, and Alex Rolex created GloveBox based on their experiences at Colorado Insurance, an independent agency they grew from $5 million to $100 million in premium from 2011 to 2019 before selling it in 2019.

We began this journey a few years ago with a clear goal of making the customer experience in the independent channel significantly better, said Ryan Mathisen, CEO of GloveBox. As former agency principals, our leadership team has lived firsthand the problems that are being solved by our platform.

In March, 2021, GloveBox announced a $3 million early-stage investment. That round was led by Mercato Partners Prelude Fund, with participation from Heffernan Insurance Brokers, as well as others.

This latest round brings GloveBoxs total funding to more than $10 million. The company said will use the added capital to continue to build out its technology capabilities and integrations which focus on helping the independent insurance industry attract and retain business more effectively and efficiently by focusing on the customer first.

Topics Funding
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AXA XL Reinsurance appoints Peter Kiernan as Head of US Property, Bermuda Reinsurance and Simon Penney, Head of Underwriting Analytics

AXA XL Reinsurance has appointed Peter Kiernan as head of US Property, Bermuda Reinsurance, effective July 1. He will be based in Bermuda. Peter replaces Simon Penney, who is relocating to London to take up a new global role as Head of Underwriting Analytics.

Kiernan will be responsible for the US property strategy and execution of business underwritten through AXA XLs Reinsurance Bermuda operation. He has over 30 years of industry experience with a proven track record of underwriting and business development in the US Property space.

Penney, who started his career at Zurich Financial Services in 2005 before joining XL Catlin as an Actuary in 2007, will be returning to the UK to take up his new role on July 4. As head of underwriting analytics, London, he will be responsible for pricing standards, in-house views of risk, and portfolio management across all areas of the Reinsurance segment. Simon will report to Jonathan Gale, chief underwriting officer, Reinsurance and Acting CEO Bermuda Reinsurance.

Norman Heinrich Appointed CEO of Tokio Marine Highland

P/C insurance underwriting agency Tokio Marine Highland appointed Norman Heinrich chief executive officer. He succeeds Pat Blandford, who stepped down after serving nearly two decades in multiple leadership roles, including CEO since 2018.

Heinrich brings deep expertise and more than 35 years of experience in the P/C industry. He joined Tokio Marine Highland (formerly WNC Insurance Services) in 1995 to build the companys private flood insurance division, growing the product line into a market leader with sustained underwriting profitability.

Most recently, Heinrich served as chief underwriting officer, coordinating the underwriting operations and relationships between Tokio Marine Highland and its parent company Tokio Marine Kiln.

QBE Re North America announces promotions as part of strategic growth ambitions

QBE Re has announced several promotions and appointments for its New York office.

Salvatore Sama has been appointed head of US Financial & Professional lines and Casualty Treaty. He joined QBE Re in April 2021 as senior vice president  head of US Financial and Professional lines from Swiss Re. The Fin Pro and Casualty sub classes have been merged under Sals leadership to further unify the product offering.

Jane Farren was promoted to the role of vice president, US Financial & Professional Lines having previously held the role of lead Financial & Professional lines treaty underwriter.

Tim Barber was named general manager for North America on a permanent basis, having assumed the role on an interim basis in April. Prior to this, he was head of Casualty treaty London since 2011. Tim will also perform the role of global head of Casualty Treaty.

Topics AXA XL
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The U.S. House Oversight Committee has asked the chief executives of three gunmakers to testify on July 20 as part of its investigation into the firearms industry following a wave of high-profile mass shootings, the panel said on Thursday.

The panel called on the CEOs of Smith & Wesson Brands, Sturm, Ruger & Co., as well as privately held Daniel Defense to appear, according to letters sent to the companies released by the panel.

I am deeply troubled that gun manufacturers continue to profit from the sale of weapons of war, including AR-15-style assault rifles, committee chairwoman Representative Carolyn Maloney, a New York Democrat, wrote.

Products sold by your company have been used for decades to carry out homicides and even mass murders, yet your company has continued to market assault weapons to civilians.

Representatives for the gunmakers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lawmakers gave the CEOs until Friday to respond to the committee.

The panel cited Mondays mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, where a gunman allegedly killed at least seven people and wounded dozens of others with a high-powered rifle.

Over 200 Mass Shootings This Year

Last month, the panel heard from victims and relatives of recent mass shootings at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and a grocery store in Buffalo, New York.

Lawmakers are grappling with a recent spate of deadly attacks across the United States, which has seen more than 200 mass shootings just this year.

A modest bipartisan package of gun reforms was signed into law in late June while the U.S. Supreme Court separately expanded gun owners rights. Some U.S. states have separately moved to act on guns following the top courts ruling.

The July 20 hearing will look into gun sales and marketing and the broad civil immunity that has been granted to manufacturers, wrote Maloney.

Your testimony is crucial to understand why your company continues to sell and market these weapons to civilians, what steps your company plans to take to protect the public, and what additional reforms are needed to prevent further deaths from your products, Maloney wrote in the letters to the CEOs of gunmakers.

Topics USA
A federal workplace safety investigation into how an employee suffered serious injuries in January 2022 at a Temple, Texas manufacturing facility operated by Carpenter Co.  one of the nations largest cushion manufacturers  found the company had not installed adequate machine guards or locking devices on a hot laminating machine to protect workers from unsafe contact with the machines operating parts.

The worker was trying to clear debris in a hot laminating machine when their right forearm became caught. The severe nature of the injuries led to a partial amputation of the forearm.

The U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation of the incident at the facility operated by E.R. Carpenter LP, a subsidiary of the Richmond, Virginia-based Carpenter Co., led the agency to issue citations for one willful, one repeat and three serious violations.

The company faces $227,907 in proposed penalties.

OSHA issued Carpenter Co. a citation for similar energy control procedure violations after an inspection at its Verona, Mississippi facility that became a final order on Jan 28, 2020.

This workers life was forever altered because his employer ignored known safety hazards, said OSHA Area Director Casey Perkins in Austin, Texas. Industrial machinery is unforgiving and can cause sudden, severe and disabling injuries or worse when energy control procedures and guards are bypassed or inadequate.

In addition to lacking machine guards and locking devices on the laminating machine, OSHA determined the company did not conduct periodic inspections of their machine safety procedures, apply a personal lock to a group lockout procedure to verify energy sources were isolated, and exposed workers to falls into dangerous equipment.

Every employer is legally obligated to provide their workers with a safe and healthful workplace, Perkins added. The U.S. Department of Labor will hold those who do not accountable as the law permits.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2018, 58 percent of amputations involved some type of machinery. Carpenter Co. manufactures bedding and carpet cushion products in Temple, one of 12 locations in the U.S. and two in Canada. The company also has locations in Houston and Taylor.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHAs area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Topics Texas Manufacturing
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Acrisure Buys Brentwood Claims Firm

Acrisure, a fintech company that runs one of the largest insurance brokerage companies, has acquired a Tennessee-based claims services firm.

Brentwood Services Inc., which said it specializes in alternative market solutions, finalized the deal with Acrisure on July 1. Terms were not disclosed.

Brentwood, based near Nashville, was founded in 1990 by Richard Hammer. Keith Fawcett is CEO. The firm includes Brentwood Services Administrators, which provides claims management and loss control for employers in workers compensation and other casualty lines, along with some underwriting and accounting services for insurance pools and mutual companies, the company said. Brentwood Reinsurance Intermediaries provides insurance and reinsurance brokerage in workers comp, excess liability, accident and health.

Acrisure noted that it has grown be leaps and bounds in the last decade, from $38 million in revenue to more than $3.8 billion. It is a majority employee-owned private company.

Two of Alabamas Oldest Insurance Agencies Have Merged

Byars|Wright Insurance, with six offices around the state, and Pritchett-Moore Insurance, based in Tuscaloosa, have joined forces to create the Where Relationships Matter Group, or WRM Group, the companies said in a news release.

The firms, both more than 75 years old, have no plans to change locations and current employees will remain in their offices. The merged firm will continue to offer commercial insurance, surety/bonding, employee benefits plans, and personal and life insurance.

Haig Wright II, president of Byars|Wright, and Pritchett-Moore President Lin Moore will remain as managing members of the WRM Group. Gabe Clement of Byars|Wright and Andrew Hudson of Pritchett-Moore comprise the merged firms executive committee.

Risk Strategies Expands on Floridas East Coast

Risk Strategies, a national specialty insurance brokerage and risk management firm based in Boston, has acquired Sebastian Insurance Group of Florida.

Sebastian, headquartered in Sebastian, Florida, on the states eastern coast, offers policies for home, auto, marine, commercial, flood and life insurance. The principal is Bill Krenier, who purchased the agency in 2008 with his business partner, Gary Frazier, the company said in a news release.

Risk Strategies continues to expand by acquisition and now has more than 100 offices around the country. In May, the company acquired The Insurance Center of Central Florida, an agency in Melbourne, Florida.

Topics Agencies Alabama
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A Miami-Dade jury has returned one of the largest verdicts ever in an automobile accident case, awarding $95 million in damages plus attorneys fees to a South Florida family whose daughter was killed and whose son was catastrophically injured by a drunken driver in 2015.

The jury found that one of the defendants, Georgetown Partnership, owner of The Corner, a bar in Miami, was negligent in serving alcohol to the inebriated driver. The business was ordered to pay almost $59 million for the medical care of the son and $37 million in damages to the parents, Noel Criales and Elisa Diaz.

Insurers for the bistro were not named in the suit. The driver of the car, 22-year-old Franklin Chavez, in 2017 was sentenced to seven years in prison after he was found guilty of driving under the influence and causing the accident. After hours of partying, Chavez drove more than 70 mph on the wrong side of Interstate 95, with his lights off, before slamming head-on into the Criales vehicle, according to news reports at the time.

The family was taking the daughter to the airport, on her way to medical school.

The civil verdict against the drinking establishment owner ranks third only to the famous, $1 billion Florida verdict against two trucking companies in 2021, and a $120 million verdict in another truck accident case, according to news reports and TopVerdict.com.

The jury in the $1 billion case found that the driver for one company was on his cell phone, was over the allowed number of driving hours, and did not have a commercial license. After the accident caused a pileup, another truck driver failed to slow down and slammed into the cars, killing an 18-year-old. The jury granted $100 million to the parents, along with $900 million in punitive damages.

In the Criales wrongful death and personal injury suit, the jury did not award punitive damages, which could have been capped under Florida law. Even without caps on damages, its unlikely that the family will collect the full $96 million or if the verdict will hold up on appeal. Floridas dram shop statute, often called restrictive for plaintiffs, allows damages, but only when an establishment willfully or unlawfully sells booze to a minor or to someone who is habitually addicted to alcohol.

A Florida appeals court earlier this year reversed a $29 million dram shop verdict against a bar in Tallahassee. And its possible the judge in the Criales suit could reduce the judgment amount, as happened with the $120 million verdict in the truck crash suit.

Its unclear what assets the Miami bars parent corporation, Georgetown Partnership, may hold that could be used to pay the judgment. The firm is listed as a limited liability corporation, meaning its principals cant personally be held liable for most of the damages.

And a nightclub or restaurants liquor liability insurance policy is usually limited to no more than $2 million, attorneys have said. A move by plaintiffs to seek more than what the policy limits provide would depend on many factors, explained Fort Lauderdale attorney David Henry, chair of third-party litigation at the Kelley Kronenberg firm.

Unlike some states, such as Louisiana, a defendants insurance company is not usually part of a direct claim for damages in an auto or negligence case. But insurers in Florida are often involved in the litigation and may have a duty to defend the insured bistro business. One way for the family to seek payment from the insurer in this case would be to pursue a bad-faith claim against the carrier. Bad-faith claims can be justified in some cases if the insurer did not offer to settle when the facts indicated, or did not pay the policy limits if warranted, Henry said.

The principals of Georgetown Partnership could not be reached for comment. The lawyers for the Criales family also could not be reached by the Insurance Journal. But attorney Aaron Davis told Law.com, a legal news website, that putting the father on the witness stand made an impression on jurors.

Davis, in his closing arguments, also noted that the defendant owner of the bar did not bother to show up in court for the trial.

The family reached confidential settlements with other defendants in the case, according to the news site. The plaintiffs had also named Chavez, the driver, and Crossfit Downtown Miami, a gym where Chavez worked, which held the fateful Christmas party in 2015.

Correction: A previous version of this article provided an incorrect name for the lawyer for the bistro.

Topics Personal Auto
A 9-year-old boy who was badly injured in a Northern California commuter train crash that killed three other people has died, according to a GoFundMe page set up for his family.

Julien Nieves of Dixon died this week of injuries suffered when an Amtrak commuter train smashed into a car on June 26 in unincorporated Brentwood, Daisey Morales, who organized the GoFundMe page.

On June 29, Juli became a true Superhero, his organs will be donated to give life to other children in need, Morales wrote. Knowing that hell be living through another precious life brings our family solace while we navigate these difficult times.

The car was headed to a fundraiser at a vineyard for a Brentwood resident who had recently died, authorities said.

The crash southeast of San Francisco killed three women, including the boys mother and grandmother. The victims were identified by the Contra Costa County Coroners Office as Julia Mondragon, 41, of Dixon; Maria Nieves, 72, of Dixon and Mercedes Regalado, 51, of Antioch.

The 85 passengers and crew members on the train werent injured.

The train crossing at a private dirt road had no railroad crossing gates, lights or signals.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics California
A flash flood flowed through the streets of the town of Conconully in Washingtons remote Okanogan County, sending a foot of water and mud into 30 to 40 homes and businesses.

County emergency managers said 1.7 inches of rain fell in the 36 hours before the Monday flood, KING5 reported. Most of the rain fell in just two hours.

The north fork of Salmon Creek spilled over its banks, running down Main Street and into Conconully State Park, which was full of people celebrating the Fourth of July. The park was evacuated without incident. There were no reports of serious injuries in the town of about 210 people.

The creek was coming over the bridge, resident Angie Eberhart said. The whole thing was clogged up with trees and debris and water was just gushing all the way through.

One new home that was about 90% complete was destroyed.

I talked to the owners yesterday, Okanogan County Director of Emergency Management Maurice Goodall said. Their kitchen cabinets were actually sitting out of the box on the floor ready to be installed when the flood came.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Flood Washington
News

Global niobium carbide powder market trend 2024-2028 Is Niobium Carbide NbC Hard? by Newsintegra927

US President recently decided to invoke a Cold War-era defense law to encourage domestic niobium carbide powder.

What is Niobium Carbide NbC?

Niobium carbide is a kind of metal carbide with the chemical formula NbC.

The appearance of niobium carbide is brown-gray metal powder with purple luster. It belongs to sodium chloride type cubic crystal system.



The relative density is 8.47. The lattice constant a=0.447nm. The melting point is 3500 . Microhardness > 23.5Gpa (> 2400 kg/mm2), which is harder than that of corundum. Elastic modulus 338000N/mm2, thermal expansion coefficient 6.6510^(-6)/K, thermal conductivity 14w/(mK), heat of formation-140.7kJ/mol, specific heat capacity 36.8J/(molK), resistivity 35cm.

Insoluble in hot and cold hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, soluble in hot hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid mixed solution. It is stable at 1000 and 1100, and rapidly oxidized to niobium pentoxide above 1100. Niobium carbide is easy to melt in titanium carbide, zirconium carbide, tungsten carbide and other compounds to form isomorphous solid solution mixture.



Niobium carbide is a very hard refractory ceramic material. Therefore, it is very suitable for machining applications and wear protection. It is used commercially for tool heads for cutting tools. It is usually processed by sintering and is a commonly used grain growth inhibitor in cemented carbide. It has high corrosion resistance.



What is Niobium Carbide NbC Used For?

1.With good chemical stability and high-temperature performance, it is a kind of material with high melting point and high hardness, which is widely used in refractory high temperature materials and cemented carbide additives.



2.Niobium carbide is a ternary and quaternary carbide solid solution component, which is used in hot forging die, cutting tool, jet engine turbine blade, valve, tail skirt and rocket nozzle coating with tungsten carbide and molybdenum carbide.



3. As a carbide cemented carbide additive, it is a ternary and quaternary carbide solid solution component, such as WC-NbC-C ternary system. It can also be used as a purple artificial gem.



4. Used in the production of wear-resistant films and semiconductor films. It can also be used as raw material for the production of molybdenum carbide and for the manufacture of chromium-free special alloys and engineering ceramics.



What is Element Nb?

Nb (atomic symbol: Nb, atomic number: 41) is a D block, fifth family, fifth periodic element with an atomic weight of 92.90638. The number of electrons in each shell of Nb's Bohr model Nb is 2, 8, 18 and 12, and its electronic configuration is [Kr] 4d45s1.

In its elemental form, Nb has a gray metallic appearance. Among all the elements, Nb has the largest magnetic penetration depth and is one of the second kind of superconductors (along with vanadium and technetium) of the three elements. Nb exists in pyrochlore, its main commercial sources and uranium deposits.



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With Russia taking the lead on Poland and Bulgaria at the end of last month, there appears to be a growing sense of compromise within the EU over whether to accept Moscow's proposed rouble settlement order.

Italy's prime minister said recently that European companies would be able to buy gas in roubles without violating sanctions. This apparently ignores the guidance of hardliners in the EU to "fight to the end".

For weeks, European companies have been trying to find ways to meet Russia's payment demands for the rouble while maintaining vital gas supplies without violating sanctions against Moscow.

Late last month, European Commission President Von der Leyen said operating under the mechanism would violate sanctions and asked European companies not to bow to Russian demands. However, the EU has yet to issue more rigorous written guidelines on how companies should pay Gazprom.

The Italian prime minister said recently, "There is no official announcement from the European Union about what ruble settlement means for sanctions violations, and no one has said whether ruble payments violate sanctions or not. It's a grey area."

"In fact, most gas importers are already opening rouble accounts for deals with Gazprom,"

He also used German companies as a shield. He said Germany's largest gas importer had already paid in rubles. "In fact, we saw evidence yesterday that the largest gas importer in Germany has already paid in rubles."

Inquery us
Thirty years ago, Irish youth culture took its brains to another dimension. The 1990s was a golden age for clubbing all over the world, as genres such as house music and later jungle and trip-hop briefly dominated the zeitgeist. But in Ireland the shockwaves felt especially profound as a country that had spent the previous decades languishing in poverty, religiosity and grinding hopelessness stepped into the bright lights.

This cultural insurgency was countrywide. But it manifested in different ways in different places. In Cork, Sir Henrys became the lodestar for a clubbing scene that would put the city on the international map. In Waterford, the short-lived South mega-club  previously the Celtworld theme park  became an epicentre (albeit slightly later in 2001) while the Bridge Hotel hosted Underworld during their Born Slippy imperial phase. Galway had the Castle in Salthill, with its regular Sex Kitchen evening.

In Dublin, the sheer size of the city ensured clubbing would become a multi-headed beast. It was simultaneously underground and commercial, niche and mainstream, grass-roots and corporate. And the full scale of that explosion is now explored and celebrated in a new exhibition, to be hosted at the Bernard Shaw pub and venue in Drumcondra July 9-10.

Analog Rhythms  A Celebration of Dublin Club Culture tracks the rise and fall of venues such as Sides DC at Dame Lane, Temple of Sound on Curved Street in Temple Bar, The Ormond Multimedia Centre on Ormond Quay, The Pod on Harcourt Street, Columbia Mills on Sir John Robertsons Quay in the docklands, and The Asylum, a three-storey, pink-exterior building on Sackville Place.

DJ Francois at Columbia Mills in the 1990s.

The 1990s was a time of cultural awakening in Ireland for many reasons. There was a lot of [social] liberalisation. The nightlife industry gained traction over that period, says Stephen Wynne-Jones of club culture website 909 Originals, which has put on the exhibition.

It's important to tell the story of where things came from, says Wynne-Jones who began DJing and documenting the scene in the late 1990s. The nightlife industry is going through a difficult period at present. But it is well established that Dublin and Ireland is a good place to go out in. And that were attractive to foreign visitors in terms of our nightlife.

The crowd at a an event at Columbia Mills with DJ Francois.

The story of clubbing in Ireland is bound up with the wider cultural history. The early 1990s were a period of huge change for the country. The despair of the Eighties had gone but the empty swagger of the Celtic Tiger had yet to come roaring through. And if Ireland was becoming recognised as a cultural hotspot, Dublin had yet to turn into a purgatory of British stag parties and Leprechaun museums. For just a moment, everything seemed possible  and that sense of unfulfilled potential lit a fuse under Irish nightlife.

You can track it from the late 1980s, says Wynne-Jones. There were a few clubs. Established places like Sides and the Olympic Ballroom [on Pleasants Street in Dublin 8] were running dance events by the early 1990s. But there was also a lot of negativity about the industry. There was acid house hysteria [in the press].

This attitude of shunning youth culture had fallen away by the middle of the decade. Clubbing was recognised for its cultural currency.

A flyer for an event at Columbia Mills.

As the 1990s progressed, there's an element of growing sophistication about Dublin nightlife, says Wynne-Jones. You had venues like the Pod opening up, with John Reynolds. And the Kitchen [at Bono and The Edges Clarence Hotel]. You went in terms of media coverage from clubbing being some sort of dirty underground nasty thing. To being something we should be proud of. During the mid-point of the 1990s you had countless magazines coming from overseas saying, Is this the clubbing capital of Europe?

Each clubbing scene in Ireland was unique. What set Dublin apart was the sheer diversity, says Wynne-Jones.

You had different tribes to a certain degree. This was very prevalent back in the 1980s and 1990s. For the real underground clubbers you had venues such as the Asylum. For the more sophisticated you had the Pod and the Kitchen. Even within that, if you were into drum and bass, youd go to the Funnel or Switch.

If you were into hard techno you might go to the Kitchen on a Tuesday. Dublin being the capital city and a bit of a melting pot culturally, though obviously a lot more so now, you had the development of multiple different strands of nightlife all happening at the same time. You had some promoters you took things very seriously. And others who just wanted to have a bit of a laugh, like Martin Thomass Strictly Handbag.

One of the first to recognise something was happening in Dublin was David Bowie who, by 1997 had fallen hard for drum and bass (that year saw the release of his jungle-themed Earthling LP]. He would visit the capital, attending drum and bass nights at venues such as Andrews Lane. He may have been attracted by the grass-roots character of the movement here. He will certainly have noticed the sense of self-belief and optimism in the air.

A flyer for Ri-Ra, and Steve Wynne Jones, exhibition organiser.

Ireland began to feel a little more self-confident about itself, agrees Wynne-Jones. Those who were in college in the 1980s who didnt emigrate, who didnt leave the country were like, why dont we create something? People would go to London and further afield and come back seized by a sense of possibility.

They were seeing what was going on in the UK with the emergence of the acid house scene. And seeing there was nothing happening here. It was really about taking a punt: could we create something in Ireland? A promoter might know a few people who played some records. They might save a few quid and bring down someone from the North to play a night. They might bring bands with them as well.

Initially, this was a DIY movement. It was born really out of the 1980s and the disillusionment and the lack of job options and career prospects, says Wynne-Jones.

From the outside, it looked like an overnight revolution. One minute Dublin was a moribund backwater, the next one of Europes party capitals. In fact, this was a story years in the making.

It depends who you talk to. The likes of Tonie Walsh [founder of Gay Community News] would say it started with Flikkers, a gay disco which opened in the late 1970s [on Fownes Street in Temple Bar]. Others should say Sides which opened in 1986 but which didnt become a house music venue until a few years after that. The UK had its 1988 and all of that [when influential acid house night Shoom began to attract media attention in London].

Dublin was a couple of years behind. You had venues like the Olympic Ballroom opening to dance events. And the Mansion House, which was really well covered in the mainstream media and put things in the spotlight. You had events taking place in The Point. You had clubs like The Asylum. Certainly, by 1993 or 1994 we had a broader outlook catering for different tastes.

There are lessons for today, too. Amid a seemingly unresolvable accommodation crisis, youth culture has to find new ways to express itself. There is evidence, feels Wynne-Jones, that the DIY outlook that informed 1990s clubbing may be about to come roaring through once more.

A lot of people who were clubbing back then are now the bosses, CEOs and international representatives of Ireland. Including plenty of TDs. It cant have harmed our confidence, which was obviously lifted by the Celtic Tiger as well. The problem with clubbing in Ireland and Dublin and a lot of markets is that it is cyclical. There are periods when things shut down and people ask, Is the honeymoon over? Then theres a new generation coming through saying Lets go back to basics and keep the fire burning.

Analog Rhythms - A Celebration of Dublin Club Culture takes place at The Bernard Shaw, Cross Guns Bridge, Drumcondra, Dublin, July 9-10

Irelands Greatest 1990s Club Nights
The Tanaiste has accepted that his leaking of a confidential document to a friend was inappropriate but says that allegations made against him "were false".

Leo Varadkar was informed on Wednesday that the Director of Public Prosecutions would not be pressing charges over the leaking of the pay deal between the Government and the Irish Medical Organisation to a rival union.

The National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP) was at the time headed by Dr Maithiu O Tuathail, someone Mr Varadkar says was a friend, but not a close friend.

The DPP's decision clears the way for Mr Varadkar to become Taoiseach once more in December.

Statement

In a longer statement issued today, the Tanaiste says that the passing of the document was "no more than error" and was not illegal.

He said that the DPP decision followed "a thorough and meticulous investigation carried out by An Garda Siochana involving dozens of interviews and the examination of multiple documents and devices".

"My disclosure of the document to the President of the NAGP was lawful and I did so in the public interest. I was determined to secure that organisations support for the agreement we had reached with another organisation on behalf of General Practitioners.

"I accept that my use of an informal personal channel was inappropriate. It was my error and I bear sole responsibility for it. I have been held to account for those actions in the Dail. I have apologised for it and I want to do so again.

"However, the allegations made against me, that it was anything more than error, were false. They were made by sworn political opponents of me and my party.

I know that I did not break any law, do anything corrupt or even self-interested. That is now clear to any fair-minded person.

The Tanaiste's statement adds that "those who made these allegations went to extraordinary lengths to publicise them".

"Their actions were politically motivated and often highly personalised at times. The tactics and motives of those persons ought to be the subject of some reflection. It is now a matter of public record that at least one of those persons was subject to investigation in respect of their own conduct in this affair."

The statement goes on to "clarify" points, namely:

The document was as it was entitled  An agreement on service delivery and contractual reform. It was not a contract. The use of the term contract was deliberately used to create the impression that I had interfered in some sort of competition or tender process, or conferred an advantage on somebody in doing so. This was emphatically not the case."

The document was not classified and did not go to Cabinet. Therefore, I could not have breached Cabinet confidentiality which some have claimed. While the document was marked confidential on the day it was generated, by the time I disclosed it almost two weeks later, the contents were largely in the public domain.

The document was not a pay deal. The State cannot enter into pay deals with self-employed contractors. There was a revised fee schedule issued by the Minister following consultations. That was released and made public long before I disclosed the document.

It has been suggested that I was investigated for a data protection offence. This was never the case. No personal data was involved.

It was suggested that a complaint was made against me by a health official. This was not the case nor did anyone ever come forward to say they were a victim of a crime."

He reiterates his thanks to the Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, and his party.

Due process

"I am very aware that many people and politicians are not allowed due process, the benefit of the doubt or the presumption of innocence. I am very grateful that  because of them  I was. It is something I will reflect on further.

"I also want to thank my legal advisers. I have a greater understanding now of the importance of legal representation and advice.

"I look forward to continuing my work as Tanaiste, Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, TD for Dublin West and Leader of Fine Gael. These are responsibilities that I relish and there is so much more I want to do."
The Taoiseach said he hoped a new British prime minister would signal a renewal of the relationship for Ireland and Britain.

Micheal Martin said on Thursday that he never said anything negative about outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson but that they did fundamentally disagree on Brexit, adding that he felt Mr Johnson was good company.

British-Irish relationships have been strained in recent months due to the decision of the British government to pass legislation overriding the Northern Ireland protocol.

Important relationship

The Taoiseach said that the relationship was extremely important economically, socially, culturally, and as dual guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement.

Its fair to say that over the last while that relationship has come under strain and there have been significant challenges

I believe opportunities may arise, to reset that relationship, particularly to avoid unilateralism, to pull back from the unilateral moves in evidence in respect of legacy in respect of human rights," Mr Martin said.

We would like to see an opportunity to freshen the relationship but also to reset it on the basis of adhering to established agreements that have been entered into with the British government and the European Union.

Good Friday Agreement

The Taoiseach acknowledged that within the Conservative Party there are certainly those who never had the same commitment to the DNA of the Good Friday Agreement but there are many conservatives on the other hand who really were very dismayed at unilateralism and particularly at the decision to bring in legislation to unilaterally override the agreement.

The Taoiseach said the European Union had been flexible on the protocol issues and he was keen to see them resolved by negotiations.

I always think from a policy perspective [it] is a fundamentally wrong decision for Britain

"I think some of that has manifested itself already," Mr Martin said. "There's very little planning. The outcome of Brexit is not good.

Mr Martin said from a personal perspective he was conscious that Mr Johnson has been through a difficult few weeks and extended his best wishes to him and his family for the future, following Mr Johnson's announcement that he will resign.

Joint responsibilities

Looking ahead, the Taoiseach said: "Our joint responsibilities concerning stewardship of the Good Friday Agreement, as well as nurturing broader bilateral relations between us, require us to work together in a spirit of respect, trust, and partnership".

That is more important than ever today. I would once again urge a pulling back from unilateral action, whether that be on dealing with the legacy of the past, human rights, or the Northern Ireland Protocol," he said.

We have now an opportunity to return to the true spirit of partnership and mutual respect that is needed to underpin the gains of the Good Friday Agreement

Assembly elections

Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald said Mr Johnson's interaction with Ireland had been wholly negative.

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said Boris Johnson's interaction with Ireland had been wholly negative.

"Under his leadership, the British government has consistently undermined the Good Friday Agreement and have threatened to breach international law on multiple occasions, she said.

"They have foisted austerity on people. They brought us the disaster that is Brexit. And Boris Johnson's priority when it comes to the north has been to placate the DUP, she added.

"We are now over two months on from the Assembly elections. Michelle ONeill is the first minister in waiting. The Executive and the Assembly need to be re-established.

Whoever now assumes the position of British prime minister needs to change tack, work to restore the north's political institutions, and they need acknowledge the primacy of international agreements and international law

New Northern Ireland secretary Shailesh Vara has been urged to work constructively and even-handedly to restore power sharing at Stormont.

Shailesh Vara, the new Northern Ireland secretary.

The Assembly has been unable to function for several months after the DUP withdrew from the power-sharing administration.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said his party would not nominate ministers until the UK government took action against the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Mr Vara was appointed to the role following the resignation of Brandon Lewis early on Thursday.

Conservative revolt

Mr Lewis was among a revolt by Conservative ministers against Mr Johnson, who later announced his resignation.

Mr Johnson is set to remain as prime minister until a successor is in place, expected to be by the time of the Conservative Party conference in October.

Mr Vara spoke with the leaders of the Stormont parties by phone on Thursday afternoon.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said Boris Johnson should leave government immediately.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said Boris Johnson should leave his role immediately. Picture: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

The Foyle MP said: "Boris Johnson has debased the office he holds, he has fundamentally and indelibly damaged public confidence in politics and public life.

His death grip on power has prolonged a period of government that will be characterised by law-breaking, scandal, and sleaze

"He should now leave government immediately.

"While the failings of this government have been aggravated by the tone, temperament, and character of Boris Johnson, it runs far deeper.

"Those who have fled the sinking ship are incapable of putting the problems right, not least of all the approach to legacy and the protocol in Northern Ireland," he said.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin has thanked Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy for welcoming him to Kyiv, and has assured him that "Ireland will be with you every step of the way" as the country aims towards achieving European Union candidate status.

Here is his speech, reproduced in full:

"I want to thank you, President Zelenskyy for your very warm welcome to Kyiv and I want to thank you for your remarkable leadership which is greatly admired in Ireland.

"Im here first of all to express Irelands solidarity with the government and people of Ukraine.

"We admire you and we are with you. Russias brutal war against this beautiful, democratic country is a gross violation of international law. It is an affront to everything that Ireland stands for. It cannot and it will not be allowed to stand.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy greets Taoiseach Micheal Martin ahead of a joint press conference at the Ukrainian Government Building in Kyiv, Ukraine.

"This morning I visited the towns of Borodianka, Irpin, Bucha to witness at first hand the horrific reality of war on the people of Ukraine and I met with the local representatives who told me in great detail the atrocities that occurred but also the huge need in terms of reconstruction and particularly in terms of getting schools and kindergarten open this September.

The use of terror against and indeed the deliberate targeting of civilian populations are war crimes.

"Those responsible, those carrying out these actions and those directing them will be held fully accountable and there will be no hiding places and thats why we have provided additional funding to the International Criminal Court to deal with the capacity to follow up on these crimes.

"Im here also to pay tribute to President Zelensky and his government on achieving European Union candidate status.

"Ive always made clear from the outset our strong view that Ukraine belongs to the European Union.

The values that people are fighting and dying for today are European values, our values.

But it was the commitment and the hard work of the government in Kyiv that convinced the European Commission to come forward with positive recommendation so quickly and its a richly deserved outcome.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin places a soft toy at the memorial to children killed during the Russian invasion in Kyiv, as he visits Ukraine to reiterate Irish solidarity with the Ukrainian authorities in the face of the Russian invasion. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

"As you undertake the complex journey through membership, Ireland will be with you every step of the way and well do what we can to help you work with the European institutions and the Commission, because we in Ireland have been transformed by our 50 years membership of the European Union and we want the very same transformation for you also.

"Although were on either side of the continent, Irish people have been enormously moved by the suffering of the people of Ukraine. You are very much in our hearts.

Read More Twelve killed in Ukraine as Russia pounds rebel-claimed province

"Every Irish town and city is a sea of yellow and blue. We have welcomed almost 40,000 Ukrainians feeling the war.

"They are welcome to stay in Ireland as long as they need to. Our home is your home but we do know that they want to come home and we want them back, particularly also.

"And we will work with you in terms of reconstruction and so forth. We also have a connection as people who have known and who have overcome adversity in the past.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin with local officials outside the church of St Andrew the First Called in Bucha, where a mass grave was used by Ukrainians to bury neighbours they claim were killed at the hands of Russian armed forces. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

"I had the honour this morning to lay some flowers at the memorial to the Holodomor, Ukraines catastrophic famine in the 1930s and given our own history of famine, nobody from Ireland could not feel a strong resonance with a man-made famine that saw millions die as food left your country.

"Were equally horrified now at the idea that food could be against used today as an instrument of war.

"We will continue to work with others to make sure that the worlds vulnerable people do not become victims of Russian cynicism and weaponisation of food and its inhumanity. Food must get through to those most in need. The bonds between Ireland and Ukraine are already strong.

"We have warm people to people links, young, creative and vibrant populations. Two of the worlds best known diasporas.

"Ireland has been enriched by a vibrant Ukrainian community that has contributed much to our society.

"These ties have been deepened during this terrible and immoral war and displacement of people. They will, I know, assure a strong and unbreakable bond between us.

"People all over the world have been profoundly impressed by the remarkable resilience and spirit of the Ukrainian people, personified by your leadership, president. And thats irrespective of what youre now currently enduring.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin visits a recreation of a bunker at the Crucified Ukraine Exhibition at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War, in Kyiv. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

"In 2016, Ukraines great writer and thinker, Oksana Zabuzhko observed, and I quote, weve come to learn that for a free nation, strategy of survival is in fact to speak, not to keep silent, that Ukrainians have finally discovered how much they have to tell the world, if only this time the world will listen.

"I am here today to say to you, president, and to the people of Ukraine, that you have spoken and the world is listening; you are being heard.

"A war intended to crush and fragment people has, instead, made you stronger, more united, more convinced of your identity and place in the world, your language, your culture, your European vocation.

"The world has been humbled by the strength and resilience of the people of Ukraine. As your anthem says, The glory and freedom of Ukraine has not perished yet. As far as Im concerned, it never will. Long live Ukraine, Slava Ukraini/ !"
Authorities said conditions at a glacier in the Italian Alps were too unstable for searchers and dogs to work where a chunk of ice broke loose at the weekend, killing several hikers.

But with the aid of drones, two more bodies were spotted at the edge of tons of debris from the avalanche.

The discovery raised to nine the known death toll from Sundays avalanche, Trento Provincial President Maurizio Fugatti told reporters on Wednesday evening in the resort town of Canazei, at the foot of the Marmolada glacier-topped mountain.

Path signs are seen in front of the Punta Rocca glacier near Canazei (Luca Bruno/AP)

Five people who had been hiking have been unaccounted for. But authorities stressed that until identification can be made on the two bodies pinpointed by drones, it will not be clear if they number among those five whose families said they never returned from the mountain.

All of the missing are Italians. So far, four of the nine dead have been identified.

While hikers were enjoying a Sunday outing in warm, sunny weather, an enormous portion of the glacier detached, sending an avalanche of ice and rocks thundering across a main hiking trail.

Rescuers said they hoped the temperature would dip on Thursday, lessening the risk of more avalanches, so searchers could go on the Marmolada slope.

Relatives of the missing Italians pressed for the retrieval of their loved ones bodies, which are believed to be buried under the avalanche.

The size of the glaciers detached pinnacle has been compared to an apartment building.

Trento Prosecutor Sandro Raimondi said in a Wednesday interview on Italian state radio that he opened a formal investigation to determine if any negligence was involved. Prosecutors plan to consult geologists.

But Mr Raimondi said it appeared at this point that the avalanche could not have been anticipated.

The unpredictability in this moment is the chief protagonist, he said.

Forensic police investigators dispatched from the city of Parma took samples from some of the remains recovered to try to determine if they belonged to any of the people missing.

Meanwhile, the mayors of Canazei and smaller towns at the base of mountains in the Dolomite range issued ordinances closing off the Marmolada peak to hikers. Some people ignored the orders and scrambled up the lower slopes.

Authorities have cited a weeks-long heat wave in northern Italy and scant winter snowfall as likely factors in the weekend break-up of the glacier, which has dramatically shrank over decades.

Last weekend, the temperature on Marmolada topped 10C, unusually high for early summer, authorities said.

Polar sciences experts at an Italian government-run research centre estimated that the Marmolada glacier could disappear entirely in the next 25-30 years if current climatic trends continue.

Between 2004 and 2015, the glacier lost 30% of its volume and 22% of its area.
Boris Johnson has confirmed his resignation as British prime minister, stating he is sad to be giving up the job but "them's the breaks".

Staff members assembled in Downing Street during the statement in an effort to show support for Mr Johnson. His wife Carrie Symonds was also present with their nine-month-old, Romy.

Mr Johnson said it is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader.

He said: It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister.

And Ive agreed with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of our backbench MPs, that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now and the timetable will be announced next week.

And Ive today appointed a Cabinet to serve, as I will, until a new leader is in place.

Mr Johnson said he had tried to persuade his Cabinet it would be eccentric to change prime minister now but I regret not to have been successful in those arguments and of course its painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself.

But as weve seen, at Westminster the herd instinct is powerful, when the herd moves, it moves."

He acknowledged that in politics, no one is remotely indispensable.

Mr Johnson said he sought to stay prime minister because he felt it was his obligation to continue to do what the Tories promised in 2019.

I want to say to the millions of people who voted for us in 2019, many of them voting Conservative for the first time, thank you for that incredible mandate, the biggest Conservative majority since 1987, the biggest share of the vote since 1979.

And the reason I have fought so hard in the last few days to continue to deliver that mandate in person was not just because I wanted to do so, but because I felt it was my job, my duty, my obligation to you to continue to do what we promised in 2019.

Mr Johnson said he was immensely proud of the government's achievements.

"From getting Brexit done to settling our relations with the continent for over half a century, reclaiming the power for this country to make its own laws in Parliament, getting us all through the pandemic, delivering the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe, the fastest exit from lockdown, and, in the last few months, leading the West in standing up to Putins aggression in Ukraine.

He pledged to support the next leader as he said some people would be relieved to see him go and expressed his sadness at leaving the best job in the world.

Mr Johnson thanked his wife, family and the civil service in his speech.

Boris Johnson said: I want to thank Carrie and our children, and all the members of our family who have had to put up with so much for so long.

He also thanked the peerless British civil service and the fantastic NHS who helped to extend my own period in office.

During the speech, heckles and booing from the nearby public were heard and at times seemed to fluster Mr Johnson.

It is believed that Mr Johnson will outline is plan which is to remain British prime minister until a successor is in place, expected to be by the time of the Conservative Party conference in October.

Speaking before Mr Johnson's speech, Labour leader Keir Starmer said Mr Johnson must not be allowed to cling on in No 10 once he has resigned as Tory leader and threatened to use a Commons confidence motion to oust him.

Mr Starmer said the resignation should have happened a long time ago.

He was always unfit for office. He has been responsible for lies, scandal and fraud on an industrial scale.

"And all those who have been complicit should be utterly ashamed.

The Tory party have inflicted chaos upon the country during the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades. And they cannot now pretend they are the ones to sort it out.

They have been in power for 12 years. The damage they have done is profound," Mr Starmer said.

Mr Johnson began a reshuffle of his Cabinet shortly before he was set to announce his resignation and as calls grew for him to bow out now rather than remain in a caretaker role.

Shailesh Vara was appointed as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland replacing Brandon Lewis who stepped down on Thursday morning.

Kit Malthouse as Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster, the most senior minister in the Cabinet Office after the prime minister.

Since Tuesday night, more than 50 MPs have resigned from government or party roles when the mass exodus was triggered by the resignations of Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid from the Cabinet.

Mr Johnson had sought to defy his critics and carry on in office, despite warnings from Cabinet colleagues that this was not sustainable.

Mr Johnson had previously rejected suggestions he should seek a more dignified exit and said he would instead fight for his political future.

But Mr Johnsons refusal to accept that he had lost the trust of Conservative MPs triggered another wave of ministerial resignations this morning.

Around a third of all MPs who held non-Cabinet ministerial positions at the start of the week have now resigned.

Nadhim Zahawi, who was appointed Chancellor on Tuesday evening, told Mr Johnson to do the right thing and go now.

In a tweet accompanying a letter, Mr Zahawi said: Prime Minister: this is not sustainable and it will only get worse: for you, for the Conservative Party and most importantly of all the country. You must do the right thing and go now.

A source close to Nadhim Zahawi told the PA news agency: The country needs a Chancellor and he will serve as long as hes asked to do so.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis was among those who resigned from the Cabinet early Thursday morning.

Mr Lewis told Mr Johnson the government requires honesty, integrity and mutual respect and it is now past the point of no return.

Mr Johnson rejected calls to quit on Wednesday and dramatically sacked Cabinet rival Michael Gove.

He met ministers in No 10 on Wednesday, where he was told he has lost the confidence of the Conservative Party and should not continue in office  but refused to listen.

Mr Gove is thought to have told Mr Johnson on Wednesday morning that it is time for him to quit.

That was followed by a delegation of Cabinet ministers going to Downing Street to tell Mr Johnson he should stand down after losing the trust of his MPs.
Burma Bangkok Says Myanmar Junta Has Promised Written Apology for Jet Incursion

Thai Army troops patrol in Tak Province near the border with Myanmar on Tuesday.

Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai told the countrys media that Myanmar had promised to send a written apology to Bangkok for the incursion by a Myanmar Air Force MiG-29 fighter jet into Thai airspace over Tak Provinces Phop Phra district on June 30.

Don met his Myanmar junta counterpart, Wunna Maung Lwin, during the 7th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers Meeting in Bagan, Myanmar on Monday. The duo also discussed a number of issues including the intrusion into Thai airspace by the Myanmar jet, according to the Bangkok Post.

The Thai minister said Wunna Maung Lwin expressed regret over the incident, saying it was unintentional and that his government would send an official letter of apology.

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.

For the past two weeks, Myanmars military regime has conducted massive airstrikes against resistance forces attempting to seize the juntas strategic Ukayit Hta military outpost in Waw Lay in Karen States Myawaddy Township. On Thursday last week, the Myanmar jet fighter intruded into Thai airspace several times as it conducted a mission over Ukayit Hta to assist ground troops.

The heavy air strikes have prevented ethnic Karen and joint resistance forces from capturing the strategic outpost, and according to Karen insurgent leaders, have effectively made it impossible for their forward forces to retreat.

The Thai government has downplayed the incursion.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha said it was not a big deal as the Myanmar jet did not intend to intrude into Thai airspace but was merely trying to make a turn.

Some Thai MPs have asked the government to clarify why the Myanmar jet fighter was allowed to enter Thai airspace while attacking resistance forces and civilians on the border.

Don said his Myanmar counterpart had given him a guarantee that there would be no repeat of the incident. It is unclear how the regime intends to honor the guarantee, however, as its forces are still attacking and bombing ethnic insurgents, resistance forces and villages along the Thai border.

Thai troops are now patrolling the area on the border where the incursion took place last week.

Under an agreement reached by the Thai-Myanmar Township Border Committee, if artillery shells land on the Thai side of the border, Thailand will fire smoke grenades as a warning. If the shelling continues in a way that could endanger Thai people, the Thai side is authorized to return fire with live ammunition, the Bangkok Post quoted Don as quoted saying.

Just a day before the incursion, coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing met with a Royal Thai Army general to discuss stability and anti-terrorism in border areas, among other issues. A Myanmar junta media mouthpiece said the Thai general paid respect to Min Aung Hlaing, who staged a coup last year and continues to face strong resistance to his rule.

Junta-controlled newspapers said Min Aung Hlaing received the Thai military delegation headed by Lieutenant General Apichet Suesat in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw. The delegation was in the country to attend the 34th meeting of the Thailand-Myanmar Regional Border Committee hosted by Myanmar. The meeting was held in the Shan State capital Taunggyi, but the Thai delegation was invited to meet Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw.

Lt-Gen Apichet is the commander of the Third Army Region (TAR), which encompasses border areas in northern Thailand neighboring Myanmar.

The TAR has been one of the most active commands in terms of dealing with the fallout from the conflict in frontier areas inside Myanmar following last years coup, as well as dealing with illegal migrants from Myanmar who slip across the border into Thailand in search of work.

Thailand shares a more than 2,400-km-long frontier with Myanmar.

Since the coup, the Myanmar Air Force has effectively deployed jet fighters and helicopters to continue to bomb and attack civilian populations and resistance fighters.

Over the past two decades it has purchased advanced fighters mainly from Russia and China.

Since 2000, Myanmars military leaders have sought to replace the Air Forces aging jet fighters with modern ones.

Myanmars military acquired 12 Russian MiG-29 jet fighters in 2001, following clashes with Thai forces in northern border regions. The Thais at the time deployed US made F-16s jet fighters and apparently alarmed the Myanmar military leaders with their air defense capabilities.

Last week, this publication also reported that Russia delivered the first two of six new Su-30 jet fighters to Myanmar in March.

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. Russia agreed to sell six Su-30 fighter jets to the Myanmar military in 2018.

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Burma China Cuts Power to Myanmar Village Amid Border Dispute

The Chinese fence inside Myanmars territory in October 2021. / NamKhamnews

China has cut off electricity to a border village in northern Shan State for nearly nine months due to boundary disputes, according to residents.

Nawng Kham village in Namkham Township is to the north of the Shweli River and was supplied by the Chinese border village of Nawng Hsawng. The Shweli 1 hydropower project, a joint venture between Myanmars electricity ministry and Chinas Yunnan United Power Development Co Ltd, is near the village but has never supplied it with power.

The Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF) reported this week that China cut the power in July 2021 over the demarcation dispute.

In October 2020, the Chinese authorities started building a double layer of border fencing, 15 to 20 meters apart, near Nawng Kham, citing the need to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The fence is 7 meters high on the Chinese side and 5 meters on Myanmars side and cuts through fields straddling the border, according to the report.

China attempted twice in July last year to build more fences on Nawng Kham villagers fields and stopped because of protests.

An SHRF spokesman told The Irrawaddy: The Chinese havent encroached since the dispute over the border fence. But they still plan to build a bridge near the fence. Farmers fear they might lose land again because they encroached when they erected the fence in 2021. Because of those disputes, electricity has been cut off to Nawng Kham since October 2021.

Power was cut after July last year and briefly restored in October only to be cut again on October 19 after a house in Nawng Kham caught fire.

Some villagers can afford generators and solar panels. But rising diesel prices mean they cant run generators anymore. They asked Myanmars authorities to supply electricity but they were told to buy power from China, said the spokesman.

Nawng Kham has 161 homes and around 2,000 residents. Villagers have been buying Chinese electricity for 20 years and paid for Chinese meters in 2002. Costs fell by about 40 percent when the Shweli project opened, according to the report.

A villager said: I think they cut off the power because we opposed the land grab. When we filed a complaint they said they were too busy to handle it.

The Shweli project sends Myanmar around 400 to 600 megawatts, although this goes to the China-backed Tagaung Taung nickel-processing plant in Tigyaing Township, Sagaing Region, run by the China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group.

A bilateral protocol was signed in 1961 for the 2,227km border agreeing to conduct joint demarcation inspections every five years, although this only occurred in the 1980s and 1990s. The agreement banned construction near the border.
Burma Myanmar Junta Foreign Minister Barred From Upcoming ASEAN Meeting

Myanmar regime chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing (c) meets Cambodia's Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn (L), the ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar, in Naypyitaw on June 30, 2022. / AFP / Cambodia's Foreign Ministry

Myanmar junta foreign minister U Wunna Maung Lwin will again be barred from attending an upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers Meeting in Cambodia, as the military regime has made little progress on the implementation of the peace plan for Myanmar adopted by the ten-nation bloc.

In a press briefing with foreign diplomats and journalists on Wednesday, Prak Sokhonn, Cambodias foreign minister and ASEANs special envoy on Myanmar, said that Cambodia, the current ASEAN chair, had already sent an invitation letter to Myanmar for the meeting, asking the regime to send a non-political representative instead of U Wunna Maung Lwin, according to the Khmer Times.

U Wunna Maung Lwin was previously barred from attending the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Retreat held in Cambodias Siem Reap Province in February. Then, the junta declined to send a non-political representative.

Prak Sokhonn, who visited Myanmar at the end of June, said: I also told him [U Wunna Maung Lwin] that such an invitation was made out of regret, but that the circumstances did not allow me to invite him personally to attend the meetings.

ASEAN member Myanmar has been in political, social and economic turmoil since last years coup. The regime has killed over 2,000 people for rejecting military rule.

Last year, ASEAN adopted a peace plan known as the Five-Point Consensus, which included a call for an immediate cessation of violence and for inclusive dialogue among all stakeholders in the country. However, the regime has failed to implement most of the peace plan, leading to its ban on attending ASEAN summits since last year.

Despite barring Myanmar from summits, Prak Sokhonn was appointed as ASEANs special envoy on Myanmar in an attempt to coax the junta into following the peace plan.

However his recent trip to Myanmar, his second visit, failed to achieve any major breakthroughs as the regime did not allow him to meet detained State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

On Thursday, Prak Sokhonn claimed that the results of his visit were somewhat positive, saying that he met with stakeholders and raised more topics and opened up a new way for political negotiations.

During his visit, the special envoy also met with representatives of seven political parties in Myanmar and seven ethnic armed organizations (EAO) who had signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement. All were handpicked by the junta to meet with him.

The special envoy noted that he did not get to meet with four political parties, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy, or with three other EAOs.

During his visit, Prak Sokhonn met with coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw. The two sides exchanged views on situational updates, challenges in implementing some key documents and on implementing ASEAN humanitarian assistance to Myanmar.

The ASEAN envoy also requested the regime to return Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from prison to house detention.

One basic principle that all of the stakeholders could agree on was the urgent need for further assistance to Myanmar to find peace, preferably through a process of inclusive dialogue, noted Prak Sokhonn.

He said that he told the EAOs that ASEAN was just a coordinator or facilitator and cannot be a director or further involved as a party to the Myanmar conflict, which can only be solved by Myanmar through Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led strategies.

He added that he didnt have a divine medicine to resolve the Myanmar crisis and that he was not a magician.

To be honest, what ASEAN and myself can accomplish is to facilitate the peace process by promoting inclusive dialogue acceptable by all sides, said Prak Sokhonn.
Burma Myanmar Junta Sends Suu Kyis Staff, Dog and Belongings to Yangon

Then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, left, and then Myanmar opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi walk through the garden at the latters residence at 54 University Avenue in Yangon on December 2, 2011.

Last Saturday night, the heavily-guarded gate of 54 University Avenue, the Yangon residence of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, opened to admit three trucks.

As the news spread overnight among members of Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) party, it emerged that the trucks were transporting the possessions of the detained State Counselor from her residence in Myanmars capital Naypyitaw to her home in Yangons Bahan Township.

Accompanying her belongings were eight individuals who had been under house arrest in Naypyitaw alongside Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as her pet dog, Taichito, gifted to her by her youngest son Kim. The eight people are believed to now be under house arrest at 54 University Avenue.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi remains in solitary confinement in Naypyitaw Prison.

My immediate thought was Mother [Daw Aung San Suu Kyi] was being moved from Naypyitaw to Yangon. I know it is unlikely, but in my mind I hoped that she would be moved to Yangon, said a young NLD member.

When Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was transferred to Naypyitaw Prison on June 19 after her 77th birthday, the eight people and her dog who had been detained with her in Naypyitaw could not accompany her due to correctional rules and regulations.

As the military regime wants to impose a news blackout on the time Suu Kyi spent under house arrest in Naypyitaw, they were sent to closely-guarded 54 University Avenue.

The junta and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi made a detailed list of the possessions she had amassed during her nearly ten-year stay in Naypyitaw, before they were sent to Yangon.

Books make up the majority of her belongings, with the rest mostly being paintings, clothes and other items.

Suu Kyi enjoys art and has a large collection of works by the most renowned artists in Myanmar. She is said to have enough paintings to fill a gallery, and had planned to establish a gallery via her Daw Khin Kyi Foundation to preserve them for the nation, the executive director of the Daw Khin Kyi Foundation, U Moe Zaw Oo, told The Irrawaddy.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi gave specific instructions about which paintings must be hung in which parts of the house, said a source close to her.

On Sunday, a representative of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi went to 54 University Avenue to check the possessions sent from Naypyitaw against the list she drew up with the regime.

54 University Avenue

The residence by Inya Lake is known around the world as the place where Nobel Peace Prize winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was confined for many years by the former junta for her struggle for democracy in Myanmar.

The house came back to life after she was released from house arrest in 2010. She received international leaders, including former United States President Obama and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, at 54 University Avenue.

But since she became an MP in 2012, Suu Kyi has mostly lived in Naypyitaw, only returning to her Yangon residence occasionally.

In Naypyitaw, she lived in Rose residence in Oketarathiri Township while serving as an MP. After the NLD won the 2015 election and she became State Counselor, Suu Kyi moved to ministerial housing and lived at No. 33 Mya Nan Bontha Street, where she was initially held under house arrest following last years coup.

She was subsequently moved to another house in Naypyitaw, its location a closely-guarded secret. Last month, she was transferred to Naypyitaw Prison and placed in solitary confinement.

Among the eight individuals who have been moved back to her Yangon residence are Ma Wai, who cooked and did routine chores for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. It has been months since she was in contact with her boss, as she was separated from Suu Kyi after she testified in her favor during the corruption trial that saw the State Counselor accused of receiving gold and cash from the former Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein.

Another retainer is Ko Shine, who take cares of Suu Kyis pet dog Taichito. Photos of Taichito at 54 University Avenue went viral on social media before being taken down.

As her belongings have arrived along with Taichito, we are now waiting for sister [Daw Aung San Suu Kyi] to come back, said one of her friends.
Burma NLD Lawmaker Found Tortured to Death After Detention by Myanmar Regime Troops

NLD lawmaker U Kyaw Myo Min / Supplied

National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmaker U Kyaw Myo Min, who was detained by a Myanmar military detachment in June along with two other party members, was found dead near a village in Mon States Bilin Township on Wednesday. The two party members were found dead last week.

U Kyaw Myo Min, 55, the NLD chair for Bilin Township, was elected to the Mon State parliament in the 2020 general election.

An official of the Thaton Peoples Defense Force (TPDF), whose members discovered the lawmakers body, told The Irrawaddy on Thursday that U Kyaw Myo Min was tortured to death, as wounds were found on his face and legs.

With a rope around his neck and his hands tied behind his back, U Kyaw Myo Mins body was covered with bushes in a drain near where the bodies of the two slain NLD members with whom the lawmaker was detained were discovered. No gunshot or stab wounds were found on his body, the TPDF official said.

On Saturday, NLD members U Pan Myint, 55, and U Ko Ko Maung, 52, who were detained alongside the party lawmaker on June 22, were found dead in the same area.

They had also been brutally tortured before being executed, according to the spokesperson of the Karen National Liberation Armys Brigade 1 based in Mon States Thaton District.

U Kyaw Myo Min was in charge of the Information Department of the Partnership Oversight Committee of KNU/KNLA Brigade 1, according to the TPDF official.

He [the lawmaker] should have been treated in accordance with the rights of prisoners of war. But he was tortured to death inhumanely. So, we want the international community to know the Myanmar military junta is a terrorist group, the TPDF official said.

The NLD said in May that a total of 917 party members had been arrested since Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing staged a coup on Feb.1 last year and scrapped the result of the 2020 election, in which the NLD won a landslide victory.

Of those detained, 701 NLD members including party leaders and 98 elected lawmakers are still in custody.

So far 18 NLD members including a lawmaker have died in the regimes custody due as a result of torture or being denied sufficient healthcare.

As of Wednesday, 2,068 people had been killed by regime forces while 14,502 people including elected government leaders have been arrested or detained by the junta since the coup, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said.

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Burma Resistance Ambush Reportedly Kills 25 Myanmar Junta Troops in Sagaing

Smoke rises above Myithtar Village in Sagaing Region's Myaung Township after regime forces torched houses on Wednesday. / CDSOM

At least 25 Myanmar military soldiers, including a battalion commander and a captain, were reportedly killed on Wednesday during an intense clash with Peoples Defense Forces (PDF) in Myaung Township, Sagaing Region. Junta troops retaliated by launching airstrikes on a village.

At 8am on Wednesday morning, a combined force of 22 PDFs from Sagaing, Magwe and Mandalay regions ambushed a detachment of 120 regime troops travelling from Magwe Regions Yesagyo Township to Sagaing Regions Myaung Township, according to the resistance groups.

Civilian Defense and Security Organization of Myaung (CDSOM) coordinated the attack and said that the PDFs had to wait for two days to ambush the junta soldiers as they returned to Myaung after raiding villages.

During the firefight, resistance fighters gunned down 15 soldiers who were evacuating wounded troops, while their improvised 40 and 50mm mortar shells targeted other regime troops.

A video filmed from a PDF drone shows soldiers fleeing and searching for cover to escape the ambush.

Ko Nway Oo of CDSOM posted on his Facebook that 21 regime soldiers were killed in the fighting and that four more died on Thursday in hospital, based on information from informants and witnesses. Another 16 soldiers were hospitalized.

However, The Irrawaddy was unable to verify regime casualties independently.

Three resistance fighters suffered minor injuries in the clash, added Ko Nway Oo.

After their defeat, regime forces retaliated by using an MI-35 helicopter gunship to bomb nearby Thahtaygone Village, said PDF groups. Nine houses were destroyed and some livestock were killed.

Junta troops out for revenge also torched an unknown number of houses in adjacent Myithar Village.

CDSOM said the mission cost an estimated 40 million kyats.

On July 4, the same detachment that was ambushed on Wednesday raided Suu Hle Kone Village in Myaung, torching 28 houses and killing two cows.

Military regime forces are facing daily attacks nationwide from PDFs and ethnic armed organizations.
Burma Tensions Rise on India Border After Pro-Myanmar Junta Militia Kills Two Indian Men

Moreh residents demand the return of the bodies of the two Indian men on Wednesday.

Tensions have been reported on the Indian border after Moreh residents tried to bring back the bodies of two Indian men gunned down by a pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militia from Myanmar.

The Indian border authorities prevented Tengnoupal District residents from crossing into Myanmar without permits on Wednesday.

Residents from Moreh, on the Indian side of the border, torched a police border outpost in Tamu Township, Sagaing Region, after their demands were reportedly ignored.

On Thursday the Indian police and military tightened border security and banned gatherings of five or more people and the carrying of sticks, stones and firearms without a license.

A Tamu Peoples Defence Force (PDF) representative said: Border tensions are rising. We heard the military regime will meet Indian government representatives to discuss the case.

The two Indian men from Moreh, aged 28 and 38, were shot dead in Tamu on Tuesday afternoon while traveling to a friends birthday party.

They were purportedly killed in Saw Bwar ward, near Number Four High School, by a militia allied to Myanmars junta.

Junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun claimed on Thursday that they were killed by terrorists.

Two men escaped on a motorcycle after shooting the Indians, Zaw Min Tun told junta-controlled MRTV news.

He said the corpses were sent to Tamu hospital and buried on Wednesday after no one had claimed their bodies.

The Tamu PDF representative said they were killed near a Pyu Saw Htee base.

Moreh in Manipur State is adjacent to Tamu and the border is the main trading point between India and Myanmar.

No one is currently crossing between the two border towns, a Tamu resident told The Irrawaddy. The situation is tense and difficult for us, he said.
RTHK: Boris Johnson agrees to step down: UK media

British media on Thursday said Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed to resign, ending an unprecedented political crisis over his future.

Johnson had rebuffed calls by his Cabinet to step down in the wake of ethics scandals. He gave in after more than 40 ministers quit his government and told him to go.

It was not immediately clear on Thursday whether Johnson would stay in office while the Conservative Party chooses a new leader, who will replace him as prime minister.

Earlier, British treasury chief Nadhim Zahawi called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign, just 36 hours after Johnson put him in the job, while another newly appointed Cabinet minister quit her post.

Zahawi said Johnson knew the right thing to do was to go now. His predecessor, Rishi Sunak, resigned saying he could no longer support Johnson after a series of ethics scandals.

Education Secretary Michelle Donelan, who was appointed on Tuesday following the resignation of her predecessor, announced her resignation on Thursday morning.

Johnson has rejected clamours for his resignation, digging in his heels even as dozens of officials quit and previously loyal allies urged him to go after yet another scandal engulfed his leadership.

A group of Johnsons most trusted Cabinet ministers visited him at his office in Downing Street on Wednesday, telling him to stand down after losing the trust of his party. But Johnson instead opted to fight for his political career and fired one of the Cabinet officials, Michael Gove, British media reported.

As of early Thursday, five Cabinet ministers had quit, including on Thursday Donelan and Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis who told Johnson in his resignation letter that "we are ... past the point of no return. I cannot sacrifice my personal integrity to defend things as they stand now.

Some 40 junior government officials have also left amid a furor over Johnson's handling of sexual misconduct allegations against a senior official that was the latest in a long line of issues that have made Conservative lawmakers uncomfortable. (AP)

This story has been published on: 2022-07-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
This July Fourth witnesses deeply divided America: CNN

Xinhua) 13:25, July 07, 2022

WASHINGTON, July 6 (Xinhua) -- As the United States was celebrating the 246th anniversary of independence, the unity for which U.S. President Joe Biden pleaded in his inaugural address seemed more elusive than ever, CNN has commented.

Given the political discord boiling way beneath the surface of Monday's national celebrations, it is hardly surprising that a staggering 85 percent of U.S. adults in an Associated Press-NORC poll released last week said things in the country are headed in the wrong direction, said the CNN report.

"The survey formalized what is obvious: for all its advantages, abundant resources, comparative prosperity and history of working to perfect its democracy, the United States is not a country at ease with itself right now. The cliche that America's best days are ahead is becoming harder to believe," the report said.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
Accenture in Australia and Australian Red Cross today announce a new partnership to support 200 refugees who have recently arrived in Western Australia with an opportunity to build their skills and confidence to gain meaningful employment pathways.

Western Australian businesses are currently facing an unprecedented labour shortage, exacerbated by extended border restrictions due to the pandemic. Many employers in the hospitality, agriculture, logistics and mining sectors cannot find workers, with Australian Bureau of Statistics data suggesting businesses in Western Australia are trying to fill more than 65,000 positions.

Despite a significant level of job demand, many refugees arriving in Australia struggle to find employment. In fact, only 17% of refugees are in paid work 18 months after arrival, and the median income for refugees after five years of being settled is only $31,000, compared to the national average of $60,000. Some of the barriers to stronger employment prospects include lack of work experience in Australia, industry knowledge and references, and language.

Accenture and Australian Red Cross see a clear opportunity to help refugees build the skills they need to find meaningful employment pathways, while also assisting businesses across critical industries such as agriculture, hospitality, and mining in filling their open roles.

To help accomplish this the Red Cross Connect Match Support Program, supported by Accenture, will leverage Accentures digital tools and resources to help refugees enhance their skills, provide job readiness support so they can develop CVs, increase their English language fluency, and better prepare for interviews. The program will also provide career mentoring to address barriers to employment and enable active participation in the Australian economy and society. Accenture will provide professional mentoring, conduct mock interviews and host online training sessions to enhance the skill sets and confidence of refugees.

Accenture senior managing director and technology lead for Australia Scott Hahn said Accenture is pleased to be able to partner with Australian Red Cross to support refugees starting their new life in Australia. Setting up a new life in a foreign country and finding work can be difficult, especially with barriers like language and a lack of local work experience or references. We hope that this program will empower each person to enter the workforce successfully and make settling into Australian life easier, while also helping to solve the skills shortage crisis that a number of industries currently face.

Red Cross migration support programs economic participation lead Shzan Plandowski said, Meaningful economic participation is one of the most important aspects of a successful settlement journey for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. People with this kind of lived experience have an incredible amount to offer employers. They are resilient, industrious and keen to give back to the communities they now call home. We look forward to working with the Accenture team to assist our clients develop employment skills and to support them in achieving their employment and training goals.

Through the program, which is co-funded through the Federal Department of Home Affairs, refugees will be offered employment pathway opportunities with a broad range of employers suited to their individual needs, potentially including Red Cross corporate sponsors, and Accenture.

About Accenture

Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries, we offer Strategy and Consulting, Technology and Operations services and Accenture Songall powered by the worlds largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. Our 710,000 people deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity every day, serving clients in more than 120 countries. We embrace the power of change to create value and shared success for our clients, people, shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at accenture.com.

About Australian Red Cross

Australian Red Cross is the countrys largest humanitarian organisation and supports and empowers people and communities in times of vulnerability, and reduces suffering through mobilising the power of humanity. For more than a century Red Cross has been delivering humanitarian services to those most in need, both in Australia and abroad, regardless of nationality, race, religious belief, class, or political persuasion. As a volunteer-based organisation, Red Cross has an unparalleled presence in communities throughout Australia. Staff, volunteers and members are guided by the seven Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement: Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity and Universality. Visit redcross.org.au.
AMTA, the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association - and peak national body representing Australias mobile telecommunications industry - says recent media claims from the aviation industry are not based in fact, and that the aviation industry has failed to engage in the ACMA Technical Liaison Group on the matter.

The aviation industry has stated its belief that 5G services may potentially adversely impact radio altimeters used to assist with landing aircraft.

AMTA says it is disappointed the aviation industry has chosen to play out issues regarding altimeters and potential 5G interference in the public domain, despite failing to engage in the ACMA Technical Liaison Group (TLG) on this matter.

AMTA further says the aviation industry has yet to provide sufficient evidence in support of its claims that 5G services will interfere with radio altimeters, and that it has not provided any detail on the technical specifications and performance characteristics of altimeters in service after multiple requests for them to do so.

Despite this, AMTA says the aviation industry continues to use emotive language and to assert without evidence that aircraft safety is at risk from 5G services that may use the 3.4 to 4.0 GHz bands. AMTA says the approach is only stoking public fear about a problem that has not been substantiated and is an unhelpful approach.

The issue was first raised by US aviation industry group RTCA in an October 2020 study. Before, the US FCC had found that the technical rules and the guard band between 5G and radio altimeters were sufficient to protect (aviation) services in the 4.2-4.4GHz band.

The GSMA report says RTCA avoided giving detailed, non-aggregated deployment information on radio altimeter models currently being used and only some anonymised information was provided publicly by RTCAs research partner in late 2021.

AMTA head of spectrum and network infrastructure Chris Coughlan said, The aviation industry in Australia has likewise refused to provide detailed specifications of radio altimeters in service in Australia to the ACMA TLG.

The GSMA report further states key studies used by the aviation industry in support of their demands for interference mitigation measures from the mobile sector are based on highly pessimistic, overprotective and theoretical operational scenarios that together would not occur in live radio network implementations.

The mobile industry stands ready to mitigate any real issues that the aviation industry can factually demonstrate," Coughlan said. "However, at this time the aviation industry is refusing to share any detailed technical information so that a wider audience of radio experts can examine the real data and assess the probability of any potential hazards."

AMTA says it is important to start with the facts and evaluate the evidence scientifically, not speak of worst-case scenarios with hidden assumptions.

AMTA notes Japan has implemented mitigations and only in the 4 - 4.1GHz band, near airports. This band is not intended for 5G use in Australia, and AMTA says this is an additional guard and evidence that Australia has over-achieved on the Japanese levels of mitigation. AMTA says the aviation industry has "conveniently failed" to mention the Japan example.

In fact, AMTA says it's likely to be the case the aviation industry's worst-case scenario applies to old technology that already should have retired years, if not decades, ago. AMTA is aware of updated altimeters with superior filtering capabilities and says the aviation industry would be wiser considering acquiring these if they remain concerned about 5G impacts.

AMTA further states no examples of interference have been shown in any market, with all the examples cited by the aviation industry being equipment failures. The examples actually serve to underpin AMTA's concern that outdated equipment should be replaced by the aviation sector to ensure the ongoing safety of air personnel and passengers, they say.

The Government agencies in Australia such as the ACMA and CASA are fact-based bodies that rely on clear evidence and science in establishing risk. The aviation industry has yet to contribute to this fact-based process, instead resorting to emotive rhetoric which may only serve to deny Australian businesses and consumers of the benefits of 5G services around airports," Coughlan said.
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The presidents of NATO members Poland and Lithuania have voiced confidence that allied troops can fully safeguard a strategically vital corridor that links their countries, Concern over NATOs ability to defend the so called Suwalki Gap, a 70-kilometer (43-mile) wedge joining Poland and Lithuania, has rocketed since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24
The UN Security Council has failed in its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Thursday, describing Moscow's role as "morally bankrupt."

Ardern, who has long argued against the Security Council veto powers held by the five permanent members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, reiterated her call for reform of the body.

The UN's "failure" over Ukraine was caused by Russia's position with a veto in the Security Council, she said in an address to the Sydney-based Lowy Institute think-tank during a trade visit to Australia.

Russia had used its place on the council to take a "morally bankrupt position in the wake of a morally bankrupt and illegal war", Ardern said.

New Zealand would seek reforms to the UN Security Council to ensure that its value and relevance does not diminish, she said.

"We must reform the United Nations so that we don't have to rely on individual countries imposing their own autonomous sanctions," Ardern said.

Russia must be held to account for its invasion, she said.

Ardern called for the International Criminal Court in The Hague to get the resources it needs to probe and prosecute war crimes.

New Zealand would intervene as a third party in Ukraine's case against Russia at the court, she added.

- China's role on Ukraine -

But the prime minister warned against taking a "black and white" view of the world, casting the Ukraine invasion as a war between the West and Russia or democracy against autocracy, and pushing away important players such as China.

"Let's not assume that China as a member of the Security Council does not have a role to play in placing pressure in response to what is the loss of territorial integrity at the hands of Russia," the New Zealand leader said.

"Let's not just isolate and assume that it's only democracies that take this view."

China's growing diplomatic and security sway in the Pacific region -- notably its signature of a secretive security pact with Solomon Islands in April -- has fed concern among some Western nations about its intentions.

But Ardern said China had long been a player in the region and it would be wrong to expect sovereign Pacific island states to "pick sides".

As tensions rise in the Pacific, diplomacy should be the "strongest tool", she said, warning against isolating big players instead of engaging with them.

Even as China becomes "more assertive", there are still areas for cooperation with Beijing such as trade, Ardern said.

New Zealand had nevertheless put on record its concerns about China's actions in the South China Sea, Hong Kong and its treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, including through multilateral institutions, she said.
An Argentine court on Wednesday sentenced 10 former members of the military and police to life in prison for crimes committed during the South American country's military dictatorship.

They were found guilty of homicide, kidnapping, torture and rape, in a trial known as the "Campo de Mayo Mega-case," after the name of the military base where the crimes occurred.

The defendants watched the reading of the unanimous court decision via video conference, while the courtroom was filled with victims' relatives and members of human rights organizations.

Among the 350 victims of the Campo de Mayo military base were 14 pregnant women whose children were stolen after birth.

The organization Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo estimates that during Argentina's dictatorship, about 400 babies were born in captivity and illegally handed over to other people. Only about one-third have discovered the identity of their original family.

The list of victims also included many workers and union delegates from factories located in an industrial zone north of Buenos Aires, including those of German car manufacturer Mercedes Benz and the American Ford Motor Company.

The trial began in 2019 and was mostly held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Initially there were 22 defendants, but two died during the proceedings. Most had already been convicted in other trials for crimes against humanity.

Former general Santiago Riveros, 98, was the most senior officer sentenced Wednesday to life imprisonment, albeit to be served under house arrest.

Riveros was also given a life sentence on Monday, along with three other soldiers, for his role in the so-called "death flights," in which drugged detainees were thrown into the ocean from planes that had taken off from Campo de Mayo.

Since laws granting amnesty for crimes committed under the military dictatorship were annulled in 2006, 278 sentences have been handed down for crimes against humanity across the country, with 1,070 people convicted, many of whom were sentenced to life imprisonment.

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FORD MOTOR
A hideous contradiction is playing out in war-torn Ukraine. Thousands of Ukrainians are starving in cities besieged by Russian forces. Meanwhile, the countrys grain stores are bursting with food, and the government is begging for international assistance to export Ukrainian grain to world markets.

At the end of 2021, almost 200 million people globally were suffering acute food insecurity. The number climbed after Russias invasion and blockade of Ukraine, a key exporter of grains and oil seeds, which disrupted world food markets. This is pushing up food prices and straining aid budgets.

Russia isnt the only belligerent to weaponize hunger. Most people at risk of famine today live in places afflicted by war. Many are being deliberately starved in what amounts to a form of societal torture.

Historically, starvation tactics have been excluded from war crimes prosecutions. As scholars who study international law, humanitarian crises and food security, our view is that it is time to confront the criminality of this practice.

Not just a tactic for dictators

Starvation is one of the oldest weapons of war. Romans used it to defeat and destroy Carthage in 146 B.C. The tactics have changed little over time. They include destroying food, farms and water supplies and cutting off besieged enemy populations.

Its tempting to think that only totalitarians would use food as a weapon. Russias war on Ukraine today echoes the Holodomor, dictator Josef Stalins subjugation of Ukraine by starvation in 1933.

Adolf Hitlers Hungerplan starved 4.2 million Soviet citizens to death in World War II. In 1977, Cambodias Pol Pot used mass starvation as a tool of titanic social reengineering in his Year Zero effort to turn his country into a purely agrarian nation.

But liberal states are not innocent. The Lieber Code of 1863, which President Abraham Lincoln issued to instruct the Union army on the limits of hostilities, provided that it is lawful to starve the hostile belligerent, armed or unarmed, specifying that fleeing civilians could be driven back into a besieged location so as to hasten on the surrender. The U.S. Department of Defense did not formally renounce this legal position until 2015.

This Oct. 7, 1864, sketch by Alfred R. Waud shows Union Army troops burning crops in Virginias Shenandoah Valley. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant ordered the targeting of civilian property as a way of breaking Southerners will to fight. Library of Congress

This was not merely a paper doctrine. The Atlantic powers used mass starvation as a weapon in both world wars, employing comprehensive maritime blockades as a favored tactic.

The U.S. went so far as to call its effort to encircle the Japanese homeland in 1945 Operation Starvation. Britain used the same phrase for its mass civilian relocation program designed to defeat communists in Malaya in the 1950s.

When the Geneva Conventions, key treaties governing warfare, were drafted after World War II, the U.S. and Great Britain successfully resisted efforts to prohibit such methods, ensuring that starvation of civilians would remain permissible in war for several more decades.

In 1977, starvation became a war crime

The first significant steps toward outlawing starvation tactics came after war-driven famines in Nigerias breakaway Biafra region in the late 1960s and Bangladesh in 1972 and 1974. In 1977, nations adopted two additional protocols to the Geneva Conventions, each of which included the prohibition of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare. Those protocols have been ratified by 174 and 169 states, respectively. In 1998 the International Criminal Court Statute codified starvation methods as a war crime in international armed conflicts. A 2019 amendment expanded this doctrine to cover noninternational armed conflicts  conflicts between states and organized armed groups, or between organized armed groups. In addition to food, the legal definition of starvation also includes deprivation of water, shelter and medical care.

Latest data from blockaded Tigray (via Professor Nyssen of Ghent Uni) shows 2021 crop yield was just 25-50% of a regular year. Military targeting of farming has ruined crops and significantly driven up the price of food. Starvation is being used as a weapon and is a war crime. pic.twitter.com/vG9pPD2RPx  Lord (David) Alton (@DavidAltonHL) March 11, 2022

Hunger tactics

Despite these legal advances, starvation crimes have been evident in recent or current conflicts in Ethiopia, Mali, Myanmar, Nigeria, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen and now Ukraine.

Warring parties have attacked humanitarian aid workers and farmers; stolen or slaughtered livestock; and destroyed or rendered unusable crops, farmland and other food sources.

Herders have been blocked from moving freely with their livestock, farmers from working on their land and hungry people from foraging for wild berries and grasses. The effects have been devastating. From 2020 to 2022 the number of people who urgently require food assistance in situations of armed conflict rose from 99 million to 166 million. This includes nearly two-thirds of the population of South Sudan, with almost 1 person in 4 living in a full-blown humanitarian emergency there.

World Food Program workers airdrop food to people displaced by fighting in South Sudan.

World Food Program workers airdrop food to people displaced by fighting in South Sudan.

The people of Yemen, isolated by a Saudi- and Emirati-led blockade on one side and subject to confiscation of food and medicine by the Houthis on the other, have endured years of what remains one of the gravest humanitarian crises in the world.

In a 2021 report, the United Nations-affiliated Independent International Commission on Syria described modern day sieges in which perpetrators deliberately starved the population along medieval scripts. The commission described the Syrian regime imposing indefensible and shameful restrictions on humanitarian aid destined for civilians in cities such as Aleppo, Homs, Daraa and Eastern Ghouta.

Perhaps the most extreme case is Tigray in Ethiopia, where the Ethiopian government has besieged the region for more than a year and a half, closing down banking and trade and restricting humanitarian aid to the tiniest of trickles. This tactic has been used alongside a campaign of destruction, pillage, rape and killing that has wrecked the economy of a region of 7 million people.

Russian forces in Ukraine have engaged in an ever-lengthening list of starvation tactics, besieging entrapped populations, attacking grocery stores and agricultural areas and granaries, deploying land mines on agricultural land, blocking wheat-laden ships from leaving Ukrainian harbors and destroying a critical grain export terminal in Mykolaiv. Moreover, although the U.S. and E.U. exempted fertilizers from sanctions (Russia and Belarus are two of the worlds largest producers), Russia has decided to withhold fertilizers from the market.

Documenting this crime in Ukraine

In line with the International Criminal Court, many countries now prohibit starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in their national war crimes codes. Some of these states have opened investigations into alleged war crimes in Ukraine and Syria. Among others, these countries include France, Germany, Norway and Sweden.

Although Russias and Ukraines criminal codes do not refer explicitly to starvation tactics, they include provisions under which such crimes could be prosecuted. The Ethiopian criminal code also includes the starvation war crime.

Criminal punishment alone will not end starvation in armed conflict. That would require an effort that also includes reconstruction, reparations, support for displaced communities and targeted humanitarian action. However, in our view it is time to make accountability a central component of the response.

To that end, we urge investigators to focus on starvation methods in their extraordinaryefforts to documentwar crimes in Ukraine. At the same time, it is important to recognize that Russias tactics are not anomalous. Those with the relevant jurisdictional authority should devote equivalent attention to the criminal use of starvation tactics elsewhere, such as in South Sudan, Syria, Tigray and Yemen.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.
Host and actress Jeon So Min did this to one of the malicious commenters on her new Instagram post. What do you think it is? Keep on reading the article to know!

Jeon So Min's Instagram Post Receives Mixed Reactions

Jeon So Min shared a behind-the-scenes video of her and co-host HaHa on her SNS account. It was taken from their latest "Running Man" episode.

In the released clip, Jeon So Min and HaHa are enjoying playing in the water. The male host is seen dragging the actress' leg while they are in the pool.

After she uploaded the short video, HaHa showed his close bond with her in the comment section, exhibiting his brother-like relationship with Jeon So Min. However, not all who saw the post were happy about it.

How Jeon So Min Handled Hater on Social Media

An online user commented on the newly uploaded video of the female star. The user said, "Please, get out of Running Man."

This immediately caught the attention of the "Tomorrow Victory" actress and pinned the message on the comment section.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Jeon So Min Wows Many With Daring Transformation in 'Cleaning Up' Teaser

After seeing what the host did to the hater, Jeon So Min's fans and other Instagram followers lauded her for how she handled the basher.

Some expressed their sentiments over the person who commented on the post by writing, "Don't watch it (Running Man) if you don't like it," and, "Jeon So Min became part of the show because she has a good performance in 'Running Man.'"

The "So I Married an Anti-Fan" star joined the "Running Man" team in April 2017 and since then, Jeon So Min became a regular member of the program.

What Keeps Jeon So Min Busy?

Meanwhile, apart from "Running Man," the actress is also busy working on her upcoming projects. After she finished the revenge drama "Show Window: The Queen's House," it was followed by a mystery series "Cleaning Up," which currently airs every Saturday and Sunday on JTBC.

Jeon So Min also made her big screen appearance last June. She starred in the movie "2037." Other stars who joined her in the film were Hong Ye Ji, Kim Ji Young, Kim Mi Hwa, Shin Eun Jung, Yoon Mi Kyung, Hwang Suk Jung, and Jung In Gi.

What are your thoughts about Jeon So Min's latest Instagram post? Tell us in the comments!

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KDramastars owns this article.

Shai Collins wrote this.
The long wait is over for "Crash Landing on You" fans as the musical has announced the cast lineup for the much-awaited show.

After the success and hype of the K-drama, the Son ye Jin and Hyun Bin-led series will be remade into a musical three years after it was released.

With this, official cast members of the "Crash Landing on You" musical was announced. It features three actors and actresses who will be playing Captain Ri Jung Hyuk, initially played by Hyun Bin, and Yoon Seri, portrayed by Son Ye Jin.

Meet the 'Crash Landing on You' Musical Cast

The officials released a teaser introducing the cast to the highly anticipated musical.

According to Xports News, Min Woo Hyeok, Lee Kyu Hyung, and Lee Jang Woo took on the role of North Korean soldier Captain Ri. He is the son of the head of the General Political Bureau of North Korea. Despite his status, he is compassionate towards others, especially his team, and never compromises with injustice.

"Crash Landing on You" also features an unexpected love story of Captain Ri and the South Korean heiress Yoon Seri. It came after she accidentally crash-landed on the border of North and South Korea.

For Son Ye Jin's "Crash Landing on You" character, the musical casts Lim Hye Young, Kim Ryeo Won, and Na Hana. Just like the K-drama, the musical will showcase his journey to return to South Korea, with the help of Captain Ri and his team.

Joining the "Crash Landing on You" musical cast are Tei, Han Seung Yoon, and Lee Yi Kyung, who are set to play the role of Goo Seung Jun, a British businessman who almost married Yoon Seri and was initially played by Kim Jung Hyun.

Meanwhile, North Korean Seo Dan, who was planned to be Captain Ri's wife and was originally portrayed by Seo Ji Hye, will be played by Song Joo Hee, Kim I Hoo, and WJSN's Yeonjung.

In the drama, she is depicted as the only daughter of the president of a top-tier department store in Pyongyang.

'Crash Landing on You' Musical to Premiere Internationally?

Helmed by Park Ji Hye who also directed the musical "Maybe Happy Ending" and "Gentleman's Guide" alongside music director Lee Sang Hoon of Kdramas "Signal" and "Hospital Playlist", "Crash Landing on You" musical will premiere on September 16 until November 13 at the Coex Shinhan Card Artium in Gangnam, Seoul.

In addition, representatives of production companies Pop Music and T2N Media revealed in the same report that the upcoming musical is courted to have overseas tours with proposals flooding from various countries.

"Even before the world premiere, proposals from many countries are flooding, and it is expected to establish a unique position as a representative work of K-Musical," the representative explained.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Son Ye Jin K-dramas and Movies to Binge-Watch on Netflix

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
Han Ji Min recalled her experience filming the 2018 movie "Miss Baek." During her appearance as a guest on tvN's "You Quiz on the Block," the 39-year-old beauty spoke about the changes she did for the film. Keep on reading for all the details.

Han Ji Min's Reveals What She Did to Play her Character in 'Miss Baek'

As obtained by an outlet, Han Ji Min had to learn smoking to portray her role as Baek Sang Ah.

In the thriller movie, her character is an unsociable ex-convict who experiences abuse from her mother and ends up in an orphanage.

To exude the characteristics and qualities of Baek Sang Ah, Han Ji Min had to imagine her unhappy childhood, not to mention learning how to smoke.

During the interview, the actress got candid when host Yoo Jae Seok said that she "tried smoking all kinds of cigarettes and spitting for the role at that time" to portray the image of her character. The top actress recalled her experience filming and preparations for the movie.

Han Ji Min revealed that since there's no time for her to practice, she would observe and ask people who smoke.

"I met people who smoked cigarettes and told them, 'Please show me how. I also went to the corner and said, 'I'll try spitting,'" she shared.

At the time, she had doubts that she wouldn't be able to join "Miss Baek" if she "couldn't show some differences."

Han Ji Min shared that she "kept biting the cigarette" and would have it in her daily activities to prove her versatility and dedication as an actress. "Even when I was washing the dishes," she added.

Years after the film was successfully released, the actress said that people around her were curious if she would quit smoking, to which she replied yes and said that she had "already quit it."

Most Korean celebrities go to extreme lengths to adapt to their roles.

Besides Han Ji Min, several Kdrama actors and actresses are required to learn to smoke for their roles.

For instance, Jun Ji Hyun, in "A Man Who Was Superman," needed to puff a cigarette for a particular scene despite not having experience with smoking. The same goes for Son Ye Jin for the movie "Open City," where she took the role of leader of a Yakuza-backed organization.

Han Ji Min's 'Miss Baek' Had Difficulties Finding Investors

On tvN's "You Quiz on the Block," Han Ji Min shared the struggles before "Miss Baek" was released in theaters.

The actress mentioned that at the time, the officials had "a hard time as they couldn't find an investor or distributor for the movie."

Besides having Han Ji Min as a lead star and being a top actress, the film's plot centers around abuse, which might affect her image.

"As I played that role, many investors were like 'Let's drop out,' and the release schedule was delayed because we couldn't decide on a distributor," she added.

Fortunately, the film got a green light and was released in October 2018.

Interestingly, "Miss Baek" scored various achievements, including Best Actress for Han Ji Min, Best Supporting Actress for Kwon So Hyun, and Best New Director at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Han Ji Min Dubbed As Song Hye Kyo's Younger Version? Here's What She Thinks

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
While Netflix's "Extraordinary Attorney Woo," starring Park Eun Bin, Kang Tae Oh, and Kang Ki Young, continues to receive appreciation, the news of the drama getting adapted into webtoon creates more buzz. Curious about the details? Here's what we know so far!

'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' To Get Webtoon Adaptation This 2022

The newest Netflix court drama "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" is getting a webtoon adaptation this year!

Starring Park Eun Bin as Woo Young Woo, the drama follows the story of a lawyer working at a large law firm blessed with a high IQ. What makes her extraordinary is that she sees the world in a creative light despite having autism.

Earlier in July, production company AStory announced that the on-going drama will be produced into a webtoon this year.

A representative from the company stated, "The production of a webtoon creates a meaningful cultural attempt to satisfy the fans who love to consume short narratives of the drama."

While many webtoons are being adapted into dramas like "A Business Proposal," "Our Beloved Summer" and more, "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" will deliver an interesting take as one of the few dramas to be adapted into a webtoon.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 3 Reasons To Tune In To Park Eun Bin's 'Extraordinary Lawyer Woo'

Because of the love that the series currently receives, the production company will take on the same plot as the drama, and will release the webtoon in four languages including Korean, Japanese, Chinese and English.

The exact release date of the webtoon has not been announced publicly yet. However, AStory promised the fans that the webtoon would be enjoyed simultaneously with the series.

Park Eun Bin, 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' Named Most Buzzworthy Drama and Actor

Netflix's court drama "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" and its lead star Park Eun Bin dominated this week's most buzz-worthy dramas and actors list!

The drama premiered and debuted at No. 1 on Good Data Corporation's list, a company that identifies which dramas created the most buzz.

In the final week of June, "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" topped the list of most buzzworthy dramas. Lead star Park Eun Bin also entered the list of most buzzworthy actors at No. 1, enjoying the hype and acclaim from fans worldwide.

In particular, the latest episode of the drama, which aired on Wednesday, July 7, recorded its new personal best in terms of rating of 4%, a leap from the 0.9% nationwide rating that the drama received during its premiere.

On the other hand, "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" airs every Wednesday and Thursday on Netflix and ENA Channel at 9:00 p.m. KST.

KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
A man arrived at a local hospital with multiple gunshots to his upper body Wednesday night as Kenosha police investigate a shooting in the city for a third consecutive night.

The latest shooting was reported just before 10 p.m. and officers were still on the scene just before midnight canvassing at homes, talking to residents and collecting evidence at 36th Avenue between 48th and 50th Streets. The victim was driven to the hospital, according to Capt. Tim Schaal of the Kenosha Police Department.

What we know is we have one male victim. He is in serious, but stable condition at the hospital, Schaal said. Thats the only victim that we know of as of right now...he was driven by a third party down to the hospital.

According to a social media release Thursday, the victim was a 43-year-old male who has since been released from a local hospital.

Schaal said officers were investigating two separate scenes, however, in the citys Wilson Heights neighborhood. Police radio traffic indicated officers were also checking on the possibility of another victim and were contacting hospitals in nearby communities, including Racine and cities along and near the northern Illinois border.

It sounds like the incident started at one location and then progressed and moved along to the actual shooting location, he said.

Police did not have suspects in the shooting.

Theres a general lack of cooperation from the victim, Schaal said.

Police also continue investigations into two shootings that occurred in Uptown earlier this week including one at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the 6100 block of 24th Avenue. In that incident, a 49-year-old man was taken to the hospital after he suffered multiple wounds as a result of gunfire. The man was reported in stable condition and expected to survive.

At 10:20 p.m. Monday night, five people were victims of a mass shooting including 20-year-old Anderail K. Armstrong of Kenosha who died in the incident that occurred in the 6300 block of 25th Avenue. Of the surviving victims, two had serious, but non-life- threatening injuries. The remaining two victims were in very serious condition, with life threatening injuries, but have since stabilized, police said.

The Thursday release said it was uncertain if this shooting was related to the previous shootings on July 4 and July 5.

No suspects have been arrested in the gun violence that occurred in Uptown. An investigation is open and ongoing.

This year to date, the KPD has seized 142 firearms, all of which have been related to a crime or rom a person that could not legally possess a firearm. 41 people have been arrested for felon in possession of a firearm and 18 people for aggravated assault with a firearm. 53 people have been arrested concealed carrying a weapon.

Investigators are asking anyone with information about the three shootings to contact the detective bureau at 262-605-5203 or Kenosha Area Crime Stoppers at 262-656-7333. People who call Crime Stoppers remain anonymous.
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On June 7th, 2022, the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine was approved for use in adults by the Vaccine Advisory Committee of the United States Food and Drug Administration. The vaccine has already been authorized in many other nations, including Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and more, making the U.S. one of the last major nations to approve the vaccine.

The technology behind Novavax differs from the already prominent Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in that it uses a more traditional and time-intensive approach that involves identifying and manipulating purified proteins to induce an effective immune system response. This process has been used for decades to combat diseases like hepatitis, shingles, and influenza, among others, and this methodology may make Novavax the better vaccine relative to the current mRNA and viral vector-based vaccines on the market for several reasons. Though uncommon, vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna have resulted in dangerous side effects such as heart inflammation and blood clots. Protein-based vaccines like Novavax, on the other hand, are cheaper, have greater efficacy, and are less likely to result in short-term side effects or long-term complications. Current estimates project the vaccine to cost about $16 per injection in comparison to the $23.15 and $25.50 for Pfizer and Moderna, respectively. Novavax presently plans to send a few million doses in their first shipment to the U.S.

Although the FDAs Vaccine Advisory Committee has extended approval, Novavax has not been given full clearance to be distributed in the United States. According to current data from the Phase 3 clinical trial that has been conducted, the vaccine is 90 percent effective against COVID-19 symptomatic infection and 100 percent against moderate and severe disease. Approximately 30,000 participants aged 18 and older were a part of this study as reported in the New England Journal of Medicine in December 2021. However, it is important to keep in mind that this data was gathered prior to the spread of the Omicron variant and may not reflect the vaccines true efficacy against more recent strains. Given its traditional approach to developing vaccines, Novavax hopes to reach citizens who may not have been comfortable with previous mRNA vaccines due to the side effects or vaccine hesitancy. Additionally, it boasts the ability to be stored at refrigerator temperatures for months, allowing for a longer shelf life than mRNA-based vaccines.

But how much of an effect will Novavax really have? 89 percent of American adults have already received at least one dose of a vaccine, leaving possibly little room for Novavax to have a significant impact. However, the global health community remains optimistic about the future to come. Dr. Peter Marks, the Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), has suggested that a protein-based alternative may have a greater reuptake than previous vaccines as individuals might be more comfortable with this type of vaccine. All things considered, Novavax may be able to provide equitable access to another vaccine alternative that could protect our communities and further curb the spread of COVID-19.

Vibhav Prabhakar is a high school student. Tejas Sekhar is a graduate student. Divya Srinivasan is an undergraduate student.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
The Irish Wheelchair Association has launched Think Ahead, Think Housing 2022 its annual campaign for more social housing for people with disabilities in Kilkenny.

Think Ahead, Think Housing is an awareness campaign for disabled people in the county, encouraging them to think about the future and apply to Kilkenny County Council for housing if they will need it in the coming years.

According to Tony Cunningham, national director of housing at Irish Wheelchair Association,

Think Ahead, Think Housing is for anyone with a disability in Kilkenny who wants to move out of home and begin their independent life or anyone who is worried about where they will end up living as they get older. Our campaign is encouraging and supporting people to apply to their local authority for housing sooner rather than later.

Across our membership we see that there is no wheelchair liveable housing available through private rental or local authorities, said Tony.

At Irish Wheelchair Association we are campaigning for change, but it is the responsibility of disabled people to apply to their local authority for social housing in order to be included in local authorities' new housing development plans, which will take a number of years to be completed.

We know that in Kilkenny and across Ireland there isnt just an accessible housing shortage, there is a complete absence of any wheelchair liveable housing options. As a result, across Ireland 1,300 young and middle-aged people with physical disabilities have been forced to live in nursing homes for older people because of the lack of accessible social housing. This cannot be the future and there is a lot of work to do locally and nationally for our housing campaign.

In 2021 Irish Wheelchair Association was part of a successful campaign to have wheelchair liveable accommodation included as an option on social housing application forms.



According to Jean Coleman, Irish Wheelchair Association's national housing programme manager, it's the right time to apply for social housing, "The governments national housing strategy aims to increase the supply of social housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade through 4billion state funding per year. Also, for the first time, applicants can register their need for wheelchair liveable accommodation on their application form. Before 2021, it had not been possible for a disabled person to specifically include their accessibility requirements on their social housing application form. So, we are calling on people with disabilities who want a home of their own to contact their local authority for the new social housing application form," said Jean Coleman.



This was the first step of our housing campaign according to Tony Cunningham. "Now people can register their needs in their housing applications and local authorities and disability organisations can track the specific needs of people on our social housing waiting lists. At Irish Wheelchair Association we have even more ambitious plans to change Irelands outdated inaccessible building regulations. But we need disabled people who want to live independently to contact Kilkenny County Council, get included and be seen. We can only achieve change together," said Tony Cunningham. "People with physical disabilities must be included in Irelands social housing strategy like never before he said.



For more details, visit www.iwa.ie/thinkhousing.ie
U.S. sanctions should be lifted to assure foreign investment in Iran: security official

Xinhua) 13:30, July 07, 2022

TEHRAN, July 6 (Xinhua) -- The "oppressive" U.S. sanctions against Iran should be lifted in such a way that all countries can easily invest in Iran while maintaining their long-term interests, Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), said Wednesday.

Shamkhani made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Iran's Nour News affiliated with SNSC reported.

Iran will be committed to diplomacy until the realization of its legal rights in nuclear talks, he was quoted as saying.

Al Thani's visit to Tehran followed the recent indirect talks between Iran and the United States in Doha over their differences on reviving the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran signed the JCPOA with 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 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.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
JEFFERSON CITY - The Salvation Army Center of Hope in Jefferson City is seeking federal funds to help keep its cooling centers and resident facilities up and running.

The Salvation Army is requesting $3.5 million from both the city and the county, which are each receiving American Rescue Act Plan funds.

Brian Vogeler is the director for the Center of Hope. He explained the building was built in February 1999.

"At that time, it was definitely meeting the needs of the community," Vogeler said. "But unfortunately, now the needs have grown and it's struggling to keep up with the needs of the community and the homeless."

The organization said the building also serves as a cooling center, but it is currently 84 degrees and has one air conditioning unit "doing the job of four."

"We actually only have one unit running for the whole shelter, trying to keep a very large building cooled down, and it just can't keep up," Vogeler said. "We actually have to shut it off and let it unfreeze so we can turn it back on."

The Salvation Army has bought temporary air conditioning units for the floors and windows to help cool off their facility as much as they can.

Alan Mudd is a member of the Salvation Army's advisory board and the chair of its property committee.

"We've got seven air conditioners in the shelter, and we had six of them down and two of them were repaired," Mudd said. "They're all older, so repairing them is a temporary fix."

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Most of the air conditioning units were manufactured in 1998. Mudd said the units need to be replaced.

"The most pressing challenge at the moment," Mudd explained, "is the fact that we're a cooling center and a homeless shelter and our cooling units are quitting almost in sequence."

He said it is a critical time and the hot weather makes it even worse.

Mudd said they estimate the cost of replacing the units could be a couple hundred thousand dollars.

"My conversations with our core officers estimated probably $100,000 for the shelter units," Mudd said. "And it would seem maybe another $100,000 for all the others, so a couple $100,000 to replace everything with the new units."

The Salvation Army said it could also add 25 beds to their shelter. Major Sarah Windell referenced that a newly-signed law prohibits those experiencing homelessness from sleeping on state-owned property and sidewalks.

"We already have more requests to stay at our shelter than we actually have beds for," Windell said. "With the bill, we have homeless people that are on state property or on the streets that aren't going to have a place to go."

Windell said they currently have 31 beds that they are able to provide housing for people and 14 cots for others who just need a safe place to sleep.
Highland Park gunman admitted to firing on parade crowd and contemplated attack in Madison, Wisconsin, officials say
President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee applaud during a dinner with Koreans living in Spain at a hotel in Madrid, June 29. Courtesy of the presidential office



By Nam Hyun-woo



President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee seem to be caught in never-ending controversies over their friends and relatives working at the presidential office, with mounting suspicions that nepotism or cronyism are behind the appointments of some of their aides.



According to the presidential office, Thursday, a senior assistant secretary working at the presidential office is a relative on Yoon's mother's side, but his employment is completely lawful and there are no shortcomings in his qualifications.



"He has been working for Yoon since the presidential transition committee, assisting the president very closely," its official said. "If he had been working at the office without proper qualifications, it would have already been a problem. Also, his employment does not violate any law."



The law the official was referring to was the Act on the Prevention of Conflict of Interest Related to Duties of Public Servants, in which a public institution bans the employment of spouses, lineal ascendants and descendants of its high-ranking officials.



The explanation came after local broadcaster KBS reported Wednesday that the senior assistant secretary, surnamed Choi, is now working at the presidential office and taking care of matters related to Yoon's wife, Kim, comparing the case with the scandal of former President Park Geun-hye, who was impeached and imprisoned after allowing her confidante, Choi Soon-sil, to intervene in state affairs.



"Calling a person working at an official organization 'unofficial' is blatant framing," the official said.





President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee walk at El Retiro Park in Madrid, Spain, on June 28, a day before the 2022 NATO Summit. Courtesy of the presidential office
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, center, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Chey Tae-won, right, and Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon raise their thumbs at InterContinental Paris, June 20, before attending the general assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). Courtesy of the prime minister's office



Busan faces uphill battle against Riyadh



By Park Jae-hyuk



The ongoing efforts by Korea's top business groups to help Busan win the bid to host the World Expo 2030 are raising questions, particularly as to whether such moves will change the outcome of the competition, as the oil-rich Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh appears to have already won the backing of dozens of countries, according to local and overseas experts, Thursday.



Some have raised doubts as to whether it is really worthwhile for Korean conglomerates to spend their time and money at this moment for Busan's bid, considering the dominance of Saudi Arabia over Korea's second-largest city and the global fair's uncertain economic value. Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor, LG, Lotte and several other large conglomerates have vowed to join the government campaign aiming to host the World Expo.



"I acknowledge the importance of the private sector's role in hosting global events like the World Expo, but the international community is already inclined to supporting Saudi Arabia," the chief executive of a Korean organizer for international events said on condition of anonymity. "I do not understand why President Yoon Suk-yeol decided to put the World Expo on the national agenda."



Just a few weeks after he was elected president in March, Yoon asked the business community to play an active role in helping Busan win the race against Riyadh, as well as Italy's Rome and Ukraine's Odesa to be selected as the venue for the World Expo 2030.



Since then, major conglomerates have organized in-house taskforces, ordering their top executives to utilize their global networks to draw support from other countries for Busan's bid. Including SK Group and Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Chey Tae-won, who was appointed to lead the public committee to support Busan's bid, even the owners of chaebol groups have been working to draw attention from their overseas partners to the Korean port city.



Riyadh, however, has already won the official support of more than 70 countries among the 170 Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) members that will select the venue for the World Expo 2030 through a vote in November 2023.



The countries supporting the Saudi capital include the largest ASEAN economy, Indonesia, as well as members of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), despite Busan's attempts to win the hearts of African and Latin American countries.



Saudi Arabia is considered to have garnered their support via "oil money," common religious beliefs and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visits.



African countries are said to be disappointed at the Korean government's reluctance to increase imports from Africa. Timothy Dickens, chairman of the South African Chamber of Commerce in Korea, pointed out the fact that no African country comes even close to being in Korea's top 25 list of trading partners.



"Actions prove louder than mere words," he said in a previous interview with The Korea Times.



Although Busan claimed that it won the support of Honduras and Costa Rica during a forum with Latin American countries on Tuesday, it is still unclear whether those countries made official declarations. The Bid Committee for World Expo 2030 Busan refused to disclose how many countries have officially declared their support for the Korean city.



"We do not have such data, and even if we have it, it is confidential," a bid committee official said.



The Korean government also admitted that Riyadh has been ahead of Busan.



"At this moment, Saudi Arabia seems ahead of us. We should catch up with the country as a second-mover," Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun told reporters last month, briefing them on the results of the BIE general assembly. "Saudi Arabia appears to have preemptively started promoting itself, gathering together with Muslim-majority countries."



The fact that the World Expo 2025 will be held in Osaka, Japan, is also regarded as an obstacle to Busan's bid, given that the BIE members have tended to prevent the international event from being held consecutively in neighboring countries.





Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, left, poses with REWE CEO Lionel Souque, asking the German retailer to support Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030, during the Consumer Goods Forum's Global Summit in Dublin, June 21. Courtesy of Lotte Group
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable.
Are you looking for the best platform to download or watch amazing movies from marvel online? Well, don't worry at all, as here is the best option for watching Thor: Love and Thunder Full Movie Online and downloading the movies in HD on 123 Movies. Wondering if it is possible to watch this movie on OTT platforms like Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney Plus, or HBO? Keep reading to explore all the answers, and get ready to enjoy the movie as it is going to hit the screen very soon.

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Can you watch Thor: Love and Thunder Online Free? Let's find the answer here. However, the most important thing is that the long wait has come to an end, and Marvel Studio has recently released the latest trailer of Thor: Love and Thunder that has impressed its fans across the world.

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It is finally time to witness what is next for God of Thunder, Thor, after the Avengers Endgame. Well, for now, it is sure that Thor has gone through some major changes for some good reasons. He is now off doing something extraordinary; he has made Valkyrie the new ruler of Asgard.

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Speaking more about Thor: Love and Thunder, this is a popular superhero movie that is based on Thor, a Marvel Comics character. The producer of this movie is Marvel Studios, and the distribution task of this movie will be handled by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the most awaited sequel of Thor: Ragnarok, which was released in the year 2017. In this movie, The God of Thunder tries to find his inner peace, but the situation makes him return to action and create a team by partnering with Korg, Jane Foster, and Valkyrie to stop the God Buther, Gorr, from killing all gods.

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It may be noted that, currently, Thor: Love and Thunder is only a theatrical exclusive. That means, if you want to watch this action-packed movie on 7th July 2022, then you will have to visit your local cineplex and book a ticket now. The movie is all set to hit the big screen across the world on 7th July. Yes, you heard it right, MCU fans! It's time to gear up for your most awaited movie, as there are only two days left.

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The answer is no. It may be noted that Thor: Love and Thunder is a movie by Marvel Studios, not a Warner Bros production. On the other hand, HBO Max has recently announced that the platform will not stream any theatrical films. The previous year, the Warner Bros team decided to release its movies on HBO Max, which means the subscribers can watch the latest movies like Matrix Resurrections and more at their homes. However, all things have changed.

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For now, the answer will be now. But maybe in the coming days, you may be able to watch Thor: Love and Thunder Online Free on Netflix. While, for now, you won't be able to watch this movie on Netflix, there are some other popular Marvel movies that you can stream on Netflix, such as The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man Far from Home, Venom, and more. In the year 2021, Sony signed a deal with Netflix to stream the studio's 2022 films on this platform after around 18 months of the theatrical release. But that timeline has now been reduced to 45 days. But it is still not sure when Netflix will stream Thor: Love and Thunder.

For now, you can only watch this movie in theaters. After all, watching such movies in theaters offer an amazing experience.
Several boat owners who rent a boat slip in Lake Genevas city lagoon have been asked to remove their watercraft from the water for cleaning.

Harbormaster Steve Russell said he has asked people who rent space in boat slips one through eight in the citys boat pier lagoon, located near the 100 block of Wrigley Drive, to either remove their watercraft or to not put it in the water, so seaweed, branches, leaves and other materials can be removed.

What Ive told them right now is if they dont have to, dont put their boats in, especially in slips one through four, because theyre not really usable, he said.

Russell said, during the city councils piers, harbors and lakefront committee meeting June 14, that a large amount of debris has built up in the lagoon this summer, and it has to be removed.

The lagoon is clogged. Slips one through eight are clogged. Theyre not usable, Russell said. People have boats in there. I told them to get them out.

Russell said, since the piers meeting, he has not received a full commitment from a company to come and clean the lagoon.

Im hoping with the company that came back with the lowest bid that they can do it no later than mid-July, Russell said. But I dont have confirmation yet.

He said he is considering proposing that the people who have been unable to use their slips to receive some type of reimbursement.

My intent is if we dont get this cleaned until say July 15, I will go back to piers and harbor and ask the people be reimbursed at least 50%, Russell said. If it goes beyond that, it could turn into that these slips arent available all year. I would ask piers and harbors for approval of a full-year credit.

Russell said once a company is officially hired, then people would definitely have to remove their boats from the lagoon.

I think slips six and seven may have a boat in them right now, Russell said. As soon as I have confirmed dates for cleaning, they will need to pull their boats out. So thats the way Im handling it right now.

Removing debris from the lagoon is a short-term solution.

Russell said, in the future, the city will have to determine whether to hire a company to clean the lagoon on a regular basis or to purchase equipment to maintain the lagoon. He said the city also should adopt a 10-year dredging program for the lagoon.

This is just going to be an ongoing problem every year, Russell said. Its all kinds of weeds. Anything that is in the lake is drifting in there.
Wisconsins state Supreme Court says a former utility regulator who exchanged messages with company executives and later sought a job with one of the companies he was tasked with regulating did not violate due process protections.

In a 4-3 ruling released Thursday, the courts conservative majority sided with former Public Service Commission member Mike Huebsch in a case that stemmed from a disputed power line through southwestern Wisconsin.

The court did not address approval of the power line itself, but said a lower court was wrong in ordering the former Republican Assembly speaker and member of Gov. Scott Walkers cabinet to testify and turn over his personal cellphone for inspection.

Reversing a decision by Dane County Circuit Judge Jacob Frost, the court found that a mere appearance of bias does not amount to a violation of due process.

The court said there was no evidence Huebschs private communications with utility executives tainted his vote in favor of the roughly $500 million project, nor did his subsequent application to lead one of those utilities.

Instead the court said regulators, judges and other officials should enjoy a presumption of impartiality and that its possible to set aside personal relationships when deciding cases before them.

Opponents of the line had sought to question Huebsch about communications  including some using an encrypted messaging app  with utility executives and his eventual attempt to land a job with one of the utilities.

The high court agreed to hear the case after Huebsch challenged the groups subpoenas.

Writing for the majority, Justice Patience Roggensack said power line opponents failed to show that Huebsch presented a serious risk of actual bias in favor of approval of Cardinal-Hickory.

There is no factual evidence of any wrongdoing, she wrote.

Justice Brian Hagedorn went further, calling the allegations against Huebsch meritless and borderline frivolous.

The three liberal justices filed a dissenting opinion accusing the majority of judicial overreach in a case they argued against hearing.

Four members of this court transform a procedural anomaly into a procedural tragedy, wrote Justice Jill Karofsky. Strikingly, this unbounded exercise of judicial power comes with no explanation, leaving all to speculate as to why this case and this subpoena recipient receive such special treatment.

A big win

Huebsch called the ruling a big win for himself and for regulators across the country who had been watching the case.

They said if you lose this, were out, Huebsch said. If that assumption of impartiality is gone, then theres really no way to do this job.

An attorney for the power line opponents said the ruling creates incentives for public officials to hide communications and undermine public trust in the regulatory process.

Theyre providing protection to commissioner Huebsch that arent afforded to regular citizens, said Brad Klein, senior attorney with the Environmental Law and Policy Center.

The PSC issued a statement saying integrity is core to its mission of ensuring safe, reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible utility service.

Todays decision reaffirms that integrity remains strongly in place and helps protect public servants against frivolous, unfair, and unfounded claims of bias, agency spokesperson Matthew Sweeney said.

Project challenged

After the PSC voted unanimously in 2019 to approve construction of the 102-mile line between Dubuque, Iowa, and Middleton, conservation groups, along with Dane County and other local governments, claimed the commissions vote was tainted by the appearance of bias.

They cited Huebschs service on an advisory board for the regional grid operator, MISO, which supported construction of the line, but later discovered that Huebsch traded dozens of messages with utility executives while the case was in front of the PSC and later applied to be CEO of Dairyland Power, a job he didnt get.

Huebsch said the messages were purely personal exchanges with old friends.

Agreeing that the evidence created an appearance of bias, Frost ordered Huebsch to submit to questioning and turn over his personal cellphone and passwords.

Opponents gave up on the phone records after Huebsch appealed, but they later issued a second subpoena demanding Huebsch testify in court.

Huebsch then asked the Supreme Court to block the subpoena and overturn Frosts appearance of bias standard.

More to come

While it was a setback for opponents, Thursdays ruling clears a path for a federal judge to consider the same due process claims and for Frost to rule on the merits of the PSCs construction permit itself.

A fair review of the evidence will show that there are better, more cost-effective, more environmentally sound, and more flexible alternatives for reliable clean energy in the Wisconsin Driftless Area, attorney Howard Learner said.

A federal judge previously ruled the line cannot cross the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, which stretches some 261 miles from Wabasha, Minnesota, to the Quad Cities.

Utilities have continued building on either side of the river  spending more than $277 million so far  while a federal appeals court considers the case, despite the judges admonition against creating an orchestrated train wreck.

In May, the utilities notified regulators that the project would exceed the approved $492 million price tag by more than 10% because of rising material prices and the ongoing legal battle.

Consumer advocates have called on regulators to halt construction until the court case is settled, arguing the project is operating without a route, expected benefits, or a cost cap, but the PSC has so far ignored such requests.

Utility spokesperson Alissa Braatz said they look forward to successfully concluding the litigation for the project, which they say is needed to support dozens of clean energy resources across the Midwest

Utilities across our region are depending on the Cardinal-Hickory Creek project to facilitate the regions transition away from fossil fuels and support decarbonization goals, Braatz said.

Gas plant

Thursdays high court ruling also undercuts efforts to block construction of a $700 million gas-fired power plant in Superior.

Environmental groups challenged the PSCs approval for the Nemadji Trail Energy Center, a 625-megawatt generator to be jointly owned by Dairyland and two Minnesota utilities.

Frost ruled in May that the PSCs environmental review of the plant was sufficient under state law. But he delayed ruling on whether Huebschs application to lead Dairyland created an appearance of bias until the high court issued a decision in the Cardinal-Hickory Creek case.

Opponents last week appealed his May decision.
Lake County authorities revealed Wednesday morning that the man accused of opening fire at a Highland Park, Illinois celebration July 4 had "seriously contemplated" a second attack in Madison.

Here is what we know so far about Robert Crimo III and his connection to Madison.

When was the suspect in Madison?

Crimo drove to Madison after the shooting, authorities said, and dropped his phone in the 6500 block of University Avenue in Middleton. Officials said Crimo became aware of a celebration in Madison and contemplated an attack, but decided against it because he "didn't put enough thought and research into it," Lake County Sheriff's spokesman Christopher Covelli said.

What celebration was Crimo talking about?

Authorities said they would not divulge which celebration Crimo was contemplating for a possible attack. There were several events in the Madison area Monday to celebrate the Fourth of July.

When did local authorities become aware of this development?

Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said Wednesday that the FBI contact his department Monday at 5 p.m. requesting a SWAT team, because they believed Crimo was in Madison. A short time later, Barnes said his department was told that Crimo was in custody in Illinois.

Barnes said he became aware Wednesday morning that Crimo had contemplated a Madison attack.

Was the suspect armed when he came to Madison?

When the suspected shooter was arrested  after he drove to Madison and back  he had a .40-caliber folding rifle and 60 rounds of ammunition in his car.

Does Crimo have a connection to Madison?

It is unclear at this point why Crimo decided to drive to Madison, where he left his phone before returning to Illinois.

Will there be more security at Art Fair on the Square this weekend and other summer events?

Dane County and Madison law enforcement said Wednesday that they are  and will continue to be  vigilant to protect participants at public events. While they could not discuss details, they said they will take necessary measures to ensure public safety.

Authorities also called on the public  including children who see threats on social media  to report any suspicious activity.

"People should be free to partake in regular, everyday community events like July 4th activities without the threat of someone killing them with an assault weapon," said David Benforado, president of the Village of Shorewood Hills, who helped organize the village's celebrations that took place Monday.
New York, US (PANA) - Democratic and responsible governance is needed to counter ongoing insecurity in West Africa and the Sahel, the UN Special Representative for the subregion told the Security Council on Thursday
New Delhi [India], July 7 (ANI): State-owned engineering and manufacturing Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) has commissioned India's largest floating solar plant with a capacity of 100 mega watt at NTPC Ramagundam in Telangana, it said in a regulatory filing to the stock exchanges on Thursday.

The plant is installed across the natural raw water reservoir, saving valuable land resources, and also conserving water by reducing evaporation.

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With innovatively engineered layouts and arrangements for the solar modules, electricals and floaters, the plant is expected to ensure that the aquatic ecosystem is maintained while producing clean power, the filing said.

"All major components of the solar plant - viz. solar PV modules, floaters, bio-degradable natural ester oil filled inverter-duty transformers, switchgear, SCADA and cables are indigenous, contributing to the Government of India's 'Make in India' mission," BHEL said.

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With the commission of the latest plant, BHEL has achieved the unique distinction of commissioning 3 floating solar projects -- 25 mega watt at NTPC Simhadri, 22 mega watt at NTPC Kayamkulam and 100 mega watt at NTPC Ramagundam -- in the last 10 months.

BHEL is among the leading engineering, procurement, and construction players in the floating solar segment in India. (ANI)

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New Delhi [India], July 7 (ANI): Prime Minister GatiShakti National Master Plan is expected to bring about greater coherence in all investments in infrastructure projects in the country, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday.

Chairing the 1st meeting of apex monitoring authority of the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme, Sitharaman asked the NITI Aayog to map all the different projects such as Industrial Corridors, Freight Corridors, Defence Corridors, NIMZ (National Industrial Manufacturing Zones) PLI-based industry parks, PM-Mitra parks, Medical & Pharma Parks and Logistic Parks to understand the need for bringing them under PM GatiShakti.

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The finance minister also asked the shipping ministry to map out all the sea ports connected to various industrial corridors to see whether there are meaningful linkages.

The Apex Monitoring Authority comprises of Finance Minister as Chairperson, Minister-in-charge, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Minister of Railways, Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Minister of Shipping, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, and Chief Minister(s) of States concerned.

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Chief Ministers from six states, viz. Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, M.P. Maharashtra and Uttarkhand; ministers from seven states viz. Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Rajasthan besides senior officials from all the states attended the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, Sitharaman thanked the State Chief Ministers and Ministers for keeping the work going all these years.

"What started with about 3-4 states with few nodes today has gone to cover 18 States and the ecosystem for industrial development has taken a different colour and speed as we are seeing a far more liberalized environment. This is a rapid scaling up and as a result there should be a greater cumulative benefit, we should be able to derive," she said while urging the States to expedite the acquisition of land.

Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Textiles said that there is a need to focus on attracting investors quickly in these Industrial Corridors and asked NICDIT as well as States to have Road Shows to attract businesses.

The minister said that the Industrial parks will be regarded as successful only if investment flows in. "We must allot the land fast. The land should be reasonably priced for the industry and we should allow innovative ways such as different lease period, lease premium payment flexibility, rental model, lease cum rent option. Electricity rate is another thing investors look at closely. We need to have affordable and consistent rates. High rates of electricity are a deterrent to the industry," Goyal said.

Goyal warned that if the existing parks are not put to good use, then the Centre would not support any new park. The minister also urged the States to ensure affordable accommodation, canteens for workers so that slums don't come up in industrial parks. (ANI)

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New Delhi [India], July 7 (ANI): Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will brief a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Defence that is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on July 11 (Monday), 2022.

Singh will brief the Committee members about various aspects of the recently-launched Agnipath scheme, through which recruitment of soldiers in all the three Services will henceforth take place.

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Defence Secretary, three Service Chiefs and other senior officials of Ministry of Defence are likely to be present, Ministry of Defence informed today.

On July 2, Defence Ministry announced that the Indian Army and Navy have started registration for recruitment of Agniveers under the Agnipath scheme. Under the scheme, Agniveers will be recruited in the Army, Navy and Air Force for 4 years.

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After four years, up to 25 per cent of them could be retained or re-enlisted in the regular cadre based on merit, willingness, and medical fitness.

The remaining 75 per cent will be eligible for 'Seva Nidhi' packages of 11-12 lakh rupees. They will also be provided with skill certificates and bank loans for their second career. (ANI)

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New Delhi, July 7: The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear the petition filed by fact-checking website Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair seeking protection from arrest and challenging the Allahabad High Court order refusing to quash FIR registered for a tweet in which he allegedly called three Hindu seers- as 'hate mongers'.

A vacation bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and JK Maheshwari agreed to list the matter for hearing on Friday subject to assignment by the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana. Mohammed Zubair Arrested: Rahul Gandhi Comes Out in Support of Alt News Co-Founder, Attacks BJP.

Mentioning the matter for urgent hearing, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for Zubair, told the bench that there is a serious threat to his life.

Gonsalves said, "This relates to Mohammed Zubair, the co-founder of Alt News. His job is to fact-check news, and he was doing the role of identifying hate speeches. A look at the FIR shows that there is no crime. We went to Allahabad High Court but no relief was granted. We seek bail in an emergency. There are death threats on the internet to him. If possible list today at 2 pm."

The bench, however, said that only the Chief Justice of India can list matters. "List the matter tomorrow subject to clearance by the Chief Justice of India," said the bench.

Zubair has approached the top court challenging the Allahabad High Court's June 10 order where it had refused to quash an FIR registered against him in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh saying that it was premature to interfere when the investigation was at a preliminary stage.

Filing the appeal against the High Court order, Zubair also sought direction to stay the investigation in the case and direction for UP police not to "proceed, prosecute or arrest" him on the basis of the FIR.

The FIR was registered for a tweet in which he allegedly called Hindu seers Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, Bajrang Muni and Anand Swaroop "hate mongers" on Twitter.

The FIR was lodged against Zubai on June 1 under Section 295 (A) of the IPC and Section 67 of the IT Act at the Khairabad police station in Sitapur district for deliberately "outraging religious feelings" of the seers. His appeal in the apex court has said that the allegations of the FIR against him are "absolutely false and baseless".

He claimed to be innocent and said he said that he has not committed any offence. "The police are threatening to arrest the petitioner (Zubair) and the life and liberty of the petitioner is in danger. The inclusion of this criminal offence in the FIR portrays the cavalier, malicious and arbitrary manner in which the Respondents (UP police) have acted against the Petitioner," the appeal stated.

It further stated, "There is a new strategy afoot of the police in communal crime cases. That is to register FIRs against those engaging in hate speech and communal crimes, as well as to rope in all secular elements monitoring such crimes and protesting police inaction against the wrongdoers. This is done with the intention of stifling the freedom of speech of secular persons in society who stand up against communal elements and putting fear into them so that they no longer protest. It is therefore imperative that this Court understand this new strategy and nip it in the bud so that secular social activism continues on its path and plays the most necessary role in society to stand up to communalism."

Zubair is already in judicial custody in a case registered by the Delhi police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments over a tweet posted by him in 2018.

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New Delhi, Jul 7 (PTI) India has been elected to the Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO's 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) for the 2022-2026 cycle, the government said on Thursday.

India has served as a member of the ICH Committee twice -- from 2006 to 2010 and from 2014 to 2018.

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Union Culture and Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy, in a tweet, said, "As the nation celebrates Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, India will be a part of two prominent Committees of UNESCO -- Intangible Cultural Heritage (2022-2026) and World Heritage (2021-2025). This is yet another opportunity for India to reinstate the values of 'Vasudeva Kutumbakam'."

According to UNESCO, the core functions of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage are to promote the objectives of the convention, provide guidance on best practices and make recommendations on measures for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage.

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It also examines requests submitted by States Parties for the inscription of intangible heritage on the Lists as well as proposals for programmes and projects.

The committee is also in charge of granting international assistance.

In a statement, the Union Culture Ministry said against the four seats falling vacant within the Asia-Pacific group, six countries -- India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand -- had presented their candidature.

India received 110 votes from the 155 State Parties that were present and voting.

The Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention comprises 24 members and is elected in the General Assembly of the Convention according to the principles of equitable geographical representation and rotation. States Members to the Committee are elected for a term of four years.

For its 2022-2026 term, India has formulated a clear vision for the protection and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, the statement said.

Some of the priority areas that India will focus upon include fostering community participation, strengthening international cooperation through intangible heritage, promoting academic research on intangible cultural heritage and aligning the work of the Convention with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, it said.

As a member of the intergovernmental committee, India will have the opportunity to closely monitor the implementation of the 2003 Convention.

"To strengthen the scope and impact of the Convention, India seeks to mobilize the capacity of different actors worldwide to effectively safeguard intangible heritage.

"Also noting the imbalance in the inscriptions on the three lists of the Convention, i.e. Urgent Safeguarding List, Representative List and Register of Good Safeguarding Practices, India shall endeavour to encourage international dialogue within the State Parties to the Convention to better showcase the diversity and importance of living heritage," the statement added.

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Mumbai, Jul 7 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Thursday denied bail to Shree Jogdhankar, an accused in the murder of Jhanvi Kukreja, who was found dead in a building in Khar on New Year's Eve last year.

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A single bench presided over by Justice Bharati Dangre rejected Jogdhankar's bail plea.

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Kukreja (19) was found dead in a residential building in the western suburb of Khar, where she had attended a New Year's Eve party on January 1, 2021.

According to the police, Kukreja had attended the party with Jogdhankar (23) and Diya Padalkar (19), who was her childhood friend and a co-accused in the case.

The police have claimed that an argument broke out between Kukreja and the two accused, which led to a violent scuffle on the staircase, where she was killed by the duo.

The police have claimed that forensic evidence showed blood stains belonging to Kukreja were found on Jogdhankar's shirt.

In June 2021, a sessions court in the city had granted bail to Padalkar citing that there was no direct evidence against her, and the same court had denied bail to Jogdhankar after the prosecution claimed that it had adequate forensic evidence against him.

Jogdhankar had then approached the high court.

Special public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat, who appeared for the state, had argued that there was enough forensic and circumstantial evidence against Jogdhankar.

He also said that the chargesheet filed by the police supported the prosecution's case.

A detailed order of the high court is awaited.

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New Delhi, Jul 7 (PTI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will brief the members of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Defence, comprising MPs from ruling as well as opposition parties, on Monday, on various aspects of the recently-launched Agnipath recruitment, the ministry said on Thursday.

The three service chiefs and defence secretary are also likely to be present in the meeting, the defence ministry said.

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The committee on Defence chaired by Singh has 20 members, including 13 from Lok Sabha and around 7 from Rajya Sabha, according to the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry website.

It includes members from almost all parties. Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, National Conference supremo Farooq Abdullah and TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay are among its members.

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"Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh is scheduled to brief the Committee members about various aspects of the recently-launched AGNIPATH scheme, through which recruitment of soldiers in all the three Services will henceforth take place," the ministry said in a statement.

Defence Secretary, three Service Chiefs and other senior officials of the ministry are likely to be present, it added.

After the scheme was unveiled on June 14, violent protests took place in several states for nearly a week and various opposition parties demanded its rollback.

Earlier this week, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said it has received 7.5 lakh applications under the "Agnipath" recruitment scheme. The registration process under the scheme began on June 24.

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Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - Three influential members of the National Front for the Defense of the Constitution (FNDC) in Guinea have been charged with "serious offenses" against public peace and disturbing public order, the public prosecutor's office said here Wednesday
Bengaluru, Jul 7 (PTI) Not only big companies such as Samsung, LG and Kia, but some newly-born South Korean start-ups like PUBG maker 'Krafton' will be eager to invest in India and cooperate with Indian companies, Ambassador of South Korea to India Chang Jae-bok said on Thursday.

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The Ambassador, who is in the city, today led a high-level delegation to meet Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in the presence of Industries Minister Murugesh R Nirani, and also addressed the "Korea-Karnataka Economic Cooperation Forum" summit here.

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Karnataka already has 40 Korean companies operating here, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea said in a release.

Jae-bok indicated expansion of the investment plans by the already India-based Korean companies as well as many start-ups looking forward to entering India.

"In this process of bilateral economic cooperation, it is reasonable for Korean companies to continue and increase their investments in India. I believe that not only big companies such as Samsung, LG, Kia but also some newly-born Korean start-ups, like Krafton, will be eager to invest in India and cooperate with Indian companies," he said.

South Korea looked at the huge potential to expand their cooperation in the future, especially in terms of implementing the 'Make in India' policy.

He further said, "Korea can be the best partner in diverse areas such as automobile, steel, chemicals, IT, startup, aviation and defence industry.

Bilateral economic exchanges are only set to grow further with the conclusion of new negotiations on CEPA."

Chief Minister Bommai opined that the strengthening of ties between the Republic of Korea, which is a leader in the electronics and automobile sector, and the state of Karnataka, which is a leader in technology, will give impetus to economic development on both sides.

"It is a matter of pride that Karnataka has had close ties with Korea for many decades. It is commendable that Korea is manufacturing excellent products with state of the art technology. India and Karnataka state are emerging as major economies with skilled human resources. India is a hot favourite as an investment destination. Karnataka is in the forefront among the states attracting about 38 per cent of the total FDI flowing into the country," Bommai was quoted as saying by his office.

According to the Embassy, the summit was part of its Korea on the Move initiative launched in Bengaluru on July 4-8. It is also organising Korea Fair in Bengaluru from July 6-10.

According to data from Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE), bilateral trade between the two countries reached USD 23.7 billion in 2021, surpassing USD 21.5 billion in 2018. This was the highest-ever trade volume between the two countries, representing a 40 per cent increase over the previous year's total of USD16.9 billion.

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Mumbai, Jul 7 (PTI) A 32-year-old woman was found dead at the site of an under construction building in the western suburb of Andheri here, police said on Thursday.

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The Mumbai police have apprehended two labourers, both natives of West Bengal, who were living with the woman in a room at the construction site, an official from MIDC police station said.

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The woman's body was discovered by a supervisor at the construction site on Wednesday afternoon and both her colleagues were missing, the official said.

The police were immediately alerted and a case of murder was registered, he said.

The two suspects, who were fleeing to their native place Murshidabad in West Bengal, were caught at Wardha railway station, the official said.

The woman had been dead for two days and the death came to light when the supervisor found that the victim and the two suspects had been missing from work, senior inspector Satish Gaikwad said.

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New Delhi, Jul 7 (PTI) Alkem Laboratories Ltd on Thursday said the US health regulator has issued Form 483 with one observation after inspecting its facility at Indore in Madhya Pradesh.

As per USFDA, Form 483 is issued to a firm's management after the conclusion of an inspection when the investigator has observed any conditions that in its judgment may constitute violations of the Food Drug and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act and related Acts.

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The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) had conducted a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and pre-approval inspection at the company's Indore manufacturing facility from July, 1 2022 to July 7, 2022, Alkem Laboratories said in a regulatory filing.

"At the end of the inspection, the company has received Form 483 with one observation with respect to ANDA (Abbreviated New Drug Application) filed for the products to be manufactured at the said plant. There is no data integrity observation," it added.

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"This GMP and pre-approval inspection is part of the routine business operations and the company shall submit to USFDA within the stipulated timeline, a detailed response to close out the said observation," the company said.

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New Delhi, Jul 7 (PTI) Private sector lender Axis Bank has signed an MoU with the Indian Air Force (IAF) to manage salary accounts of the defense personnel.

Offering benefits and features to Air Force personnel under its 'Power Salute' initiative, Axis Bank on Thursday said it will offer numerous benefits to all ranks of the defence staff, including veterans, cadets/recruits.

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The salary account offered by Axis Bank will have benefits such as personal accidental cover of up to Rs 56 lakh, total permanent disability cover benefit of Rs 46 lakh, air accident cover of Rs 1 crore among others.

There will be no processing fee to open the account, while as many as 12 EMI waivers will be given on home loans.

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It will also offer additional zero balance accounts for 3 family members with no charges.

Axis Bank said that it is bank's constant endeavour to serve the defence forces of India, and help them meet their financial requirements, aspirations and milestones.

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New Delhi, Jul 7 (PTI) Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd on Thursday said the US health regulator has issued Form 483 with two observations after inspecting its manufacturing facility located at Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh.

As per USFDA, Form 483 is issued to a firm's management at the conclusion of an inspection when the investigator has observed any conditions that in its judgment may constitute violations of the Food Drug and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act and related Acts.

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The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) completed a pre-approval inspection at the company's formulations manufacturing facility FTO 11 in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, Dr Reddy's said in a regulatory filing.

The inspection was conducted from June 30, 2022 to July 7, 2022.

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"We have been issued a Form 483 with two observations, which we will address within the stipulated timeline," the company added.

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New Delhi, Jul 7 (PTI) Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover on Thursday reported a 37 per cent decline in retail sales at 78,825 units in the quarter ended June, impacted by semiconductor shortage, COVID-19 lockdowns in China and new model transition of Range Rover Sport.

Sales of Jaguar brand were down 48 per cent at 15,207 units in the April-June period of 2022, while that of Land Rover were also lower by 33 per cent at 63,618 units.

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"Despite a record order book, sales continue to be constrained by the global chip shortage, compounded by the run out of the prior model Range Rover Sport, with deliveries just starting, and the impact of Covid lockdowns in China," JLR said in a statement shared on bourses by Tata Motors.

JLR, however, said it continues to see strong demand for its products, with global retail orders again setting new records in the quarter.

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As of June 2022, the total order book has grown to almost 2 lakh units, up around 32,000 orders from March 2022, it added.

Demand for the new Range Rover was particularly stronger with over 62,000 orders, the company said. A similar trend is seen for the new Range Rover Sport and Defender with 20,000 and 46,000 orders respectively.

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New Delhi, Jul 7 (PTI) Automotive technology firm Pricol Ltd on Thursday said it has entered into an exclusive partnership with France's BMS PowerSafe to manufacture Battery Management System (BMS) for electric vehicles across all segments in the Indian market.

As part of the international licensing agreement with BMS PowerSafe, an arm of the Startec Energy Group, the French firm will develop software and provide its BMS platform as an end-to-end solution in consultation with Pricol, the company said in a statement.

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"As part of our EV specific growth strategy, we constantly evaluate business opportunities in the market to provide the best solution to OEMs. One of the areas we zoned in was the BMS as it plays a vital role in any EV vehicle and complements well with our Driver Information System class of products in terms of integrations," Pricol Ltd Managing Director Vikram Mohan said.

He further said, "In BMS PowerSafe, we have found an ideal partner who brings best-in-class solutions for battery management system with proven technology that can be customised suitably as per OEM requirements."

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According to BMS PowerSafe CEO Thomas Debuisser, the Indian automotive industry is poised for exponential growth in electrification in the years to come.

Through the partnership with Pricol, the company would bring its over 20 years of experience as a pure player in BMS and offer an end-to-end solution with the highest level of safety features, Debuisser added.

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Beijing, Jul 7 (PTI) The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), in which India is the second-largest shareholder after China, has approved the establishment of an Interim Operational Hub, its first overseas office in Abu Dhabi.

The preferred location for the hub will be Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), pending formal agreement to be finalised during the coming weeks, the bank's press release said on Thursday.

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The UAE has been designated as the preferred location for the hub because it best fits the bank's selection criteria, in particular superb connectivity to the lender's global membership, the Beijing-headquartered bank said.

The hub will provide AIIB with a robust platform to enable effective supervision of its growing investment portfolio, strengthen its project monitoring and implementation services across the globe, it said.

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As one of AIIB's founding members, the UAE is one of the region's fastest-growing economies and has been actively promoting green transition, said the statement issued by the AIIB.

Starting with 57 founding members in 2016, AIIB now has a total of 105 members. It has developed a portfolio of 181 projects in 33 member countries with a total amount of USD 35.7 billion to date.

The bank is headed by former Chinese Vice Minister for Finance, Jin Liqun.

Former Reserve Bank Governor Urjit Patel is one its five Vice Presidents.

Besides being the second largest shareholder after China, India has also secured USD 6.7 billion funding for 28 projects in recent years.

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New York, Jul 7 (AP) A four-day workweek sounds appealing to workers. Possibly alarming to employers.

A bill introduced in the California legislature earlier this year proposed a regular pay rate for 32 hours of work per week, with overtime kicking in after that. The measure stalled in committee for a lack of broad support but could resurface in 2023.

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Meanwhile, 4-Day Week Global, a nonprofit foundation associated with Oxford University, is piloting a six-month trial of a four-day workweek with no loss of pay for employees. More than three dozen companies in the US and Canada are participating in the experiment, with a total of 150 organisations and 7,000 employees involved worldwide.

Of more than 1,000 US adult employees surveyed by research firm Qualtrics in January, 92% said they would support their employer going to a four-day workweek; 79% of them said it would help mental health, and 82% said it would make them more productive .

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Will more employers embrace the change?

THE CHANGE CAN BE CHALLENGING

I've always been curious about burnout. It truly affects those that should be thriving, says Lisa Belanger, CEO of ConsciousWorks in Canmore, Alberta. She consults with businesses on workplace well-being. In her quest to find how work is meant to be, she decided to explore a four-day workweek herself.

Results have been mixed, at best, she says.

I think I've failed so far in my own personal experiment, Belanger says. Business travel plans or other work-related responsibilities often interrupted her Day Five off.

One of the reasons it's so challenging for me, and most people, to do a four-day workweek is other people are working on that fifth day, so you're getting email and you're getting pulled in, Belanger says.

ALTERING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AND EXPECTATIONS

People are realizing that while this might be an intriguing or interesting idea, there's probably some trade-offs, says Benjamin Granger, head of employee experience advisory services at Qualtrics. He says the company's research indicates concerns regarding customer frustration if staffing changes have an impact on response time.

Widespread adoption would have to reach critical mass, where companies believe they have to adopt a shorter workweek to compete in the workforce, he adds. And consumer behavior and customer expectations and services would need to be reshaped.

We're not even close to that yet, he says.

If it's not a four-day workweek, there are other levers to pull when it comes to workplace flexibility, Granger says.

Those could include perks that make a job more attractive, like choosing the hours you want to work rather than the usual 9-to-5, or the ability to run errands during the workday.

FEW EMPLOYEES WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE A PAY CUT

Less than 4 in 10 (37%) of the employees surveyed by Qualtrics would be willing to take a 5% or more pay cut for a four-day workweek . But nearly three-quarters (72%) of those surveyed said a four-day workweek would mean they would have to work longer days.

However, 10-hour days often aren't child care friendly. And if a company offers to pay for only four days of eight hours each, it could indicate a shorter workweek might be the result of a company trying to reduce expenses.

CONSIDERING THE TRADE-OFFS

I think there is a lot of work and research that an organization has to do before it pulls the trigger on this, Granger says.

A four-day workweek - or other workplace flexibility - might begin with a series of discussions. If there is interest on both sides of the payroll, Granger suggests a trade-off analysis: Look statistically at the factors that people would be willing to trade off, and would it be worth it to them? If interest remains strong, the organization could run a pilot program with a small group of employees before a wider rollout.

If a four-day workweek isn't in your near future, Belanger offers these ideas for employees to possibly seek - and employers to consider:

- Occasional extended weekends off. Belanger says this allows time away without the stressful work is piling up while I'm away feeling during longer vacations.

- A meeting-free Friday or a reduction in the number of meetings overall.

- Email, instant messaging or texting hiatuses. Telepressure - the compulsion to quickly respond to work-related messages of any kind - is a real thing, Belanger says.

You need a couple of hours every single day where you're wholly not working - 100% not working, for mental health, she adds. (AP)

(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 7 (PTI) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday announced his decision to step down as the Conservative Party leader, saying he was sad to give up the best job in the world.

"I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world," Johnson said in an address to the nation outside 10 Downing Street - the official residence of the British Prime Minister.

Also Read | Unprecedented: Docuseries on Donald Trump and His Family To Release on July 10 on Discovery+ (Watch Video).

Johnson, 58, will remain in charge at 10 Downing Street until the process of electing a new leader is completed by the time of the Conservative Party conference, scheduled for October.

In his address, Johnson said that in politics, no one is "remotely indispensable".

Also Read | Boris Johnson Agrees To Resign As Conservative Party Leader, Will Stay UK PM Until New Leader Elected.

He also promised to give the new leader as much support as he can.

Johnson thanked the British public "for the immense privilege you have given me".

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.
By Saurabh Trivedi

Kutch (Gujarat) [India], July 7 (ANI): The Border Security Force (BSF) apprehended four Pakistan fishermen and seized 10 Pakistan boats along the India-Pakistan maritime border near Kutch on early Thursday morning.

Also Read | New COVID-19 Omicron Sub-Variant BA.2.75 Found in India, Says WHO.

In a statement, BSF informed that a special ambush party of BSF Bhuj apprehended four Pakistan fishermen and seized 10 Pakistan fishing boats while they were sneaking into Indian territory through one of the water channels of Harami Nalla near the border in Kutch District of Gujarat.

Special Ambush party of BSF Bhuj observed movement between Border Post No. 1165 and 1166 and has cordoned the area. The search of the area is in progress, the statement read.

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After the seizure, BSF patrolling teams launched a massive search operation to find out if any more such boats from the neighboring country had entered Indian waters.

"Nothing suspicious recovered from the fishing boats," it read.

Meanwhile, recently, a three-year-old Pakistani child who inadvertently crossed the International Border (IB) was handed over to security personnel of the neighboring country by the Border Security Force (BSF), officials said.

BSF informed that on Friday at about 7:15 pm, troops of 182 Bn BSF, Ferozepur Sector apprehended one Pakistani child aged approximately 3 years while he crossed the border and entered Indian territory.

They said the child was unable to reveal anything and was kept under safe custody of BSF, the statement read.

As it was a case of inadvertent crossing, BSF further approached Pak Rangers and at about 9:45 pm, said Pakistani child was handed over to Pak Rangers as a goodwill gesture and on humanitarian ground.

"BSF always takes a humane approach while dealing with inadvertent border crossers," it read. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
London, July 7: As Boris Johnson on Thursday announced that his innings at 10 Downing Street will soon end, his term as British Prime Minister will be remembered for setting the India-UK relations on the course of a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership".

Widely seen as an enthusiastic cheerleader for closer ties with India, Johnson had a palpably close bond with Prime Minister Narendra Modi  someone he would often refer to as his special friend or "khaas dost".

The two Prime Ministers famously pledged to achieve a quantum leap in the bilateral relationship as they clinched an Enhanced Trade Partnership as part of the 2030 UK-India Roadmap in May last year, with the aim of at least doubling bilateral trade by 2030 from around GBP 24 billion.

This marked the starting gun for the ongoing free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations, with a deadline for a draft agreement by Diwali this year agreed during Johnson's visit to India in April. Boris Johnson Agrees To Resign As Conservative Party Leader, Will Stay UK PM Until New Leader Elected.

This could double our trade and investment by the end of the decade, driving down prices for consumers, and increasing wages across the UK by as much as GBP 3 billion, said Johnson, with reference to the FTA.

India is an incredible rising power in Asia, with one of the fastest growing economies in the world  already worth GBP 2.25 trillion  and set to be the world's third largest economy by 2050. India is also our biggest partner in the Indo-Pacific, which is increasingly the geopolitical centre of the world, with two-thirds of humanity, and a third of the global economy  and that share is rising every year, Johnson said, during his India visit.

But domestic pressures of the partygate scandal of COVID law-breaking parties within UK government offices followed Johnson to India, even as he tried to enjoy a grand welcome in Gujarat before his meeting with Modi in Delhi.

Our new and expanded Defence and Security Partnership will enable India to strengthen its own domestic defence industry as well as protecting vital shared interests in the Indo-Pacific, said Johnson after that meeting. His visit to India followed a few cancelled plans since he took office in July 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic crisis, with the two leaders holding several virtual talks and eventually meeting in person on the sidelines of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow last November.

Given that Johnson came to power as the pro-Brexit Prime Minister who formally oversaw Britain's exit from the European Union (EU), his lasting legacy will be the UK's so-called Indo-Pacific tilt with an Integrated Review launched in Parliament last year.

The post-Brexit review formally set out the UK's Global Britain foreign policy agenda, with countries such as India, Japan and Australia at the heart of this vision. Its physical manifestation was the UK's Carrier Strike Group (CSG), led by aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, sailing to India for joint exercises with Indian military forces in the Indian Ocean in October last year. Boris Johnson Resigns: Opposition Parties Welcome British PMs Resignation As Conservative Party Leader.

The world is tilting on its economic axis and our trade and relations with the Indo-Pacific region are becoming ever more vital than ever before, declared Johnson. Among some of Boris Johnson's recent highlights of the India-UK partnership is the successful vaccine partnership struck between Oxford University and AstraZeneca and the Serum Institute of India (SII) for the manufacture of COVID vaccines as Covishield.

The Oxford vaccine has been distributed at cost around the world; more than a billion low-cost vaccines have been invented in Britain, saving millions of lives, he said. Many of these highlights will leave a lasting stamp on India-UK relations and, as ministers have often said, the bilateral partnership is now believed to be strong enough to cut across government-specific ties.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Detroit, Jul 7 (AP) A Detroit police officer and a man wielding an assault-style weapon were fatally shot on the city's west side Wednesday night, Detroit police Chief James White said.

White said the officer and his partner responded about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to a call of a man firing a weapon. He said when the officers arrived, they were met by the suspect who was armed with an assault-style weapon and firing in their direction.

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White said one officer was struck and his partner returned fire, fatally striking the suspect. The struck officer was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

With a heavy heart... I have to inform our department and our community that we lost one of our heroes today, White told reporters outside the hospital. A very sad and tragic event...

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The officer killed was not immediately identified but White said he was a five-year veteran with the department and "comes from a long history of law enforcement officers. White said the officer's father recently retired from the department.

The officers are heartbroken, White said.

No further details were immediately available. An investigation is ongoing. (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bali [Indonesia], July 7 (ANI): Ahead of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meet, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday (local time) met with the European foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in Bali, Indonesia where they discussed the fallouts of the Ukraine conflict along with acknowledging progress in other bilateral engagements including Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.

Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, "Good meeting with EU Vice-President Joseph Borrell. Discussed the Ukraine conflict and its impact on the global situation. Recognized the progress in our bilateral engagement, including FTA negotiations. Agreed to remain in touch."

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The first round of negotiations for India-EU Trade and Investment Agreements has concluded and the second round of talks is scheduled to take place in Brussels in September this year, a statement issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry read.

India's FTA negotiations were led by Chief Negotiator Nidhi Mani Tripathi, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce and EU was represented by its Chief Negotiator, Christophe Kiener.

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"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 statement read further.

The second round of negotiations is scheduled to take place in September 2022 at Brussels.

According to the ministry, the negotiations were launched by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and the European Commission Executive Vice-president and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis at Brussels last month.

India's bilateral trade with the EU amounted to USD 116.36 billion in 2021-22. Despite the global disruptions, bilateral trade achieved impressive annual growth of 43.5 per cent in 2021-22.

Ar present, the EU is India's second-largest trading partner after the US and the second-largest destination for Indian exports. The trade agreement with the 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, it added. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington, Jul 7 (AP) The Food and Drug Administration and Juul agreed Wednesday to put their court fight on hold while the government reopens its review of the company's electronic cigarettes.

The agreement comes one day after the FDA placed a hold on its initial order banning Juul's products from the market, saying that Juul's application warranted additional review.

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Juul can continue selling its e-cigarettes in the meantime, according to the federal court filing.

With this administrative stay from the FDA now in place, we continue to offer our products to adult smokers while we pursue the agency's internal review process, Juul executive Joe Murillo said in a statement.

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The FDA ordered Juul to pull its products from the market on June 23. A day later, a federal appeals court temporarily blocked the government ban at Juul's request.

If the FDA eventually decides to reimpose its ban, Juul will have 30 days to seek another stay, according to the filing.

To remain on the market, companies must show that their e-cigarettes benefit public health. In practice, that means proving that adult smokers who use them are likely to quit or reduce their smoking, while teens are unlikely to get hooked on them.

FDA regulators have recently authorized a handful of e-cigarettes from some of Juul's chief rivals, including R.J. Reynolds and NJOY. But industry players and anti-vaping advocates had been eagerly awaiting an FDA decision on Juul's products, which are the best-selling e-cigarettes in the U.S.

The FDA originally said Juul's application left regulators with significant questions, including about the chemical makeup of its vaping formulations. Juul said it submitted enough information and data to address all issues raised. (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
London [UK], July 7 (ANI): UK Home Secretary Priti Patel and several Conservative Party lawmakers have asked British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to tender his resignation after dozens of ministers abandoned his government.

"Home Secretary Priti Patel, told Johnson that the general view of the Conservative party was that he had to go," CNN reported citing a source.

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Almost 30 UK government officials, including key figures like UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, have already submitted their resignations over the recent scandal involving former deputy chief whip Christopher Pincher.

Johnson on Wednesday said that his government would not fold after two of his senior Ministers and a string of junior officials submitted their resignation in protest of his leadership, New York Post reported.

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"The job of a prime minister in difficult circumstances when you've been handed a colossal mandate is to keep going. And that's what I'm going to do," Johnson told lawmakers. "We are going to get on and deliver our mandate and win another general election," he added.

"One of his key allies, Michael Gove, told the prime minister in a private meeting that the time had come for Mr. Johnson to go," The New York Times reported.

Britain's attorney general, Suella Braverman HAS called for Johnson to step down and said she would stand for election to replace him if he did.

"If there is a leadership contest, I will put my name into the ring," she said, New York Times.

Many Tory lawmakers believe that Boris Johnson needs to be replaced quickly to mitigate the electoral damage to the party.

The exit of the top minister comes amid the row involving the former Conservative party whip Chris Pincher, who was accused of sexual misconduct.

Last week, Pincher quit as deputy chief whip after claims that he groped two men but Johnson knew about allegations against him as far back as 2019. The British PM said he regrets giving Pincher a government role as Deputy Chief Whip following the revelation of a misconduct complaint against him.

The British PM has said he regrets giving Pincher a government role as Deputy Chief Whip following the revelation of a misconduct complaint against him.

"In hindsight it was the wrong thing to do and I apologise to everyone who has been badly affected by it. I just want to make absolutely clear that there's no place in this government for anybody who is predatory or abuses their position of power," he said. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Ankara [Turkey], July 7 (ANI/Xinhua): Turkey on Wednesday renewed its extradition requests for "terror suspects" with Finland and Sweden, following a deal it made with the Nordic countries for their NATO bid.

"Today we have renewed some requests that were rejected before and reminded them of some requests that were not responded to," Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said in a televised interview on Haber Global broadcaster.

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Bozdag said the two countries previously did not respond to any of Turkey's extradition requests for "terror suspects" although they were in line with both the international and bilateral agreements.

"Within the framework of the agreement signed between Turkey, Sweden, and Finland at the latest NATO summit, a monitoring committee was established," he said.

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Their accession process to NATO was initially blocked by Turkey, which accused the Nordic countries of "supporting" anti-Turkey terrorist groups as they rejected Turkey's extradition requests for suspects affiliated with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Gulen movement.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the EU, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades.

The Gulen movement is led by and named after the U.S.-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, who is regarded by his followers as a spiritual leader. The Turkish government accused the movement of masterminding the 2016 failed coup in which at least 250 people were killed.

On June 28, Turkey, Sweden and Finland agreed on a memorandum of understanding before Ankara lifted its veto ahead of the NATO Madrid summit.

In the memorandum, Finland and Sweden pledged to support Turkey's fight against terrorism, and agreed to address Turkey's "pending deportation or extradition requests of terror suspects expeditiously and thoroughly." (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)
New Delhi [India], July 7 (ANI): A day after Germany said it is monitoring the case of the alleged objectionable tweet by Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair, the Ministry of External Affairs said it is a domestic issue on which a judicial process is underway and it would not be appropriate to comment on a subjudice matter.

"It is a domestic issue, there is a judicial process underway in this case. It would not be appropriate to comment on a case that is subjudice," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said responding to media queries.

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"Independence of the judiciary is well recognized. Uninformed comments on judiciary are unhelpful and should be avoided," he added.

German Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday that they are closely monitoring the case of Mohammed Zubair.

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"Free reporting is beneficial to any society and restrictions are a cause for concern. Journalists should not be persecuted and imprisoned for what they say and write. We are indeed aware of this specific case and our embassy in New Delhi is monitoring it very closely," the spokesperson had said.

Alt News Co-founder Mohammed Zubair was arrested on June 27 and sent to one day of police custody after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against him based on a Twitter posting, which another Twitter handle alleged "hurt Hindu sentiments."

The contentious tweet by Zubair was posted in March 2018.

After a Delhi court on July 4 dismissed the bail application of Zubair, he was taken to Sitapur in connection with a case registered against him.

The court on Saturday sent Zubair to 14-day judicial custody.

Answering another query, Bagchi said the government has taken prompt and clear action against the inappropriate depiction of Hindu Gods showcased as part of the 'Under the Tent' project at the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto.

"The content was removed after the Indian High Commission urged the Canadian authorities to withdraw it. Filing an FIR in the case is a domestic matter. MEA's action on the issue was very clear and prompt," he said.

"We asked the Canadian authorities to take action against such provocative material, and as per our action, the content has been removed. It is not being telecast there now. The two organisers of the event have also issued an apology statement," Bagchi added.

Indian High Commission had on Monday urged Canadian authorities to withdraw the disrespectful depiction of Hindu Gods showcased in one of the videos from the project 'Under the Tent' at the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto.

The Toronto-based Aga Khan Museum had expressed deep regret for "inadvertently causing offence" to members of the Hindu and other faiths.

In a statement, the museum said Toronto Metropolitan University brought together works from students of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, as part of Canadian multiculturalism for the project 'Under the Tent.'

The museum said one of 18 short videos from 'Under the Tent' and its accompanying social media post inadvertently caused offence to members of the Hindu community.

"Toronto Metropolitan University's project presentation was hosted at the Aga Khan Museum in the context of the Museum's mission to foster intercultural understanding and dialogue through the arts. Respect for diverse religious expressions and faith communities forms an integral part of that mission," the statement.

"The Museum deeply regrets that one of the 18 short videos from 'Under the Tent' and its accompanying social media post have inadvertently caused offence to members of the Hindu and other faith communities," it added.

A poster for a documentary directed by filmmaker Leena Manimekalai has drawn flak for hurting religious sentiments with its depiction of Goddess Kaali. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Charlie Cox and Vincent DOnofrio are all set to return as Daredevil and The Kingpin for Marvel Studios series. They both will be seen appearing on Disney+s upcoming web show Echo. The synopsis of Echo reads, "Following the events of Hawkeye (2021) in New York City, Maya Lopez returns to her hometown, where she must come to terms with her past, reconnect with her Native American roots, and embrace her family and community." Echo: First-Look of Alaqua Cox From Disney+ Marvel Show Unveiled as Production Begins.

Check Out The Tweet Below:

Charlie Cox and Vincent DOnofrio set to return as Daredevil and The Kingpin for Marvel Studios and Disney+s upcoming series, Echo. pic.twitter.com/Ta0oxnVnaX  Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 7, 2022

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
New Delhi: Apple on Wednesday announced that its all-new MacBook Air with M2 will be available for pre-order from July 8 and will reach the customers worldwide on July 15. MacBook Air with M2, available in midnight, starlight, silver, and space grey finishes, starts at Rs 119,900 for general consumers and Rs 109,900 for students. Apple MacBook Air & MacBook Pro With M2 SoC Launched at WWDC 2022.

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The MacBook Air features a larger 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, a four-speaker sound system, up to 18 hours of battery life,1 and MagSafe charging.

With a durable, all-aluminum unibody enclosure, it measures just 11.3 millimeters thin, is only 2.7 pounds, and delivers 20 per cent reduction in volume from the previous generation. MagSafe gives users a dedicated charging port that is easy to connect to while protecting MacBook Air when it is plugged in.

MacBook Air also features two Thunderbolt ports for connecting a variety of accessories, and a 3.5 mm audio jack with support for high-impedance headphones, said the company. Additionally, the Magic Keyboard features a full-height function row with Touch ID, and a spacious, industry-leading Force Touch trackpad. The new MacBook Air features a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, which has been expanded closer to the sides and up around the camera to make room for the menu bar.

At 500 nits of brightness, it is also 25 per cent brighter than before. MacBook Air now supports 1 billion colours, so photos and movies look incredibly vibrant.

MacBook Air includes a new 1080p FaceTime HD camera with twice the resolution and low-light performance of the previous generation. MacBook Air also features a four-speaker sound system. MacBook Air with M2 features a more powerful 8-core CPU and up to 10-core GPU, so users can get more done faster.

With 100GB/s of unified memory bandwidth and support for up to 24GB of fast unified memory, it can handle even larger and more complex workloads. MacBook Air supports fast charging for up to 50 per cent in just 30 minutes with an optional 67W USB-C power adapter, according to company.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 07, 2022 08:47 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo dies

Xinhua) 13:34, July 07, 2022

VIENNA/ABUJA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo died in Nigeria on Tuesday at the age of 63, the Vienna-based oil organization said Wednesday.

Barkindo was visiting his home country Nigeria to attend an energy conference in the capital city of Abuja, according to an OPEC press release.

Mele Kyari, head of Nigeria's National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), tweeted on Wednesday morning that Barkindo died at about 11 p.m. (2200 GMT) on Tuesday.

Barkindo's death is "certainly a great loss to his immediate family, the NNPC, our country Nigeria, the OPEC and the global energy community. Burial arrangements will be announced shortly," Kyari added.

OPEC said on Twitter on Wednesday that Barkindo's death is "a shock to the OPEC family."

"He was the much-loved leader of the OPEC Secretariat and his passing is a profound loss to the entire OPEC family, the oil industry and the international community," said OPEC.

Born in April 1959 in northeast Nigeria's Adamawa state, Barkindo assumed the office of the OPEC secretary general in 2016. His tenure was scheduled to expire in July.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
Braingate? Yeah, that's what they're calling it.

By Massachusetts General Hospital News and Brown University



Why do people sleep? Scientists have debated this question for millennia, but a new study adds fresh clues for solving this mystery.

The findings, published in the Journal of Neuroscience on Wednesday, June 22, may help explain how humans form memories and learn, and could eventually aid the development of assistive tools for people affected by neurologic disease or injury. The study was conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital in collaboration with colleagues at Brown University, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and several other institutions. Scientists studying laboratory animals long ago discovered a phenomenon known as replay that occurs during sleep, explained Dr. Daniel Rubin, lead author and a neurologist at the MGH Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery. Replay is theorized to be a strategy the brain uses to remember new information. If a mouse is trained to find its way through a maze, monitoring devices can show that a specific pattern of brain cells, or neurons, will light up as it traverses the correct route. Then, later on while the animal is sleeping, you can see that those neurons will fire again in that same order, Rubin said. Scientists believe that this replay of neuronal firing during sleep is how the brain practices newly learned information, which allows a memory to be consolidated  that is, converted from a short-term memory to a long-term one. However, replay has only been convincingly shown in lab animals. Theres been an open question in the neuroscience community: To what extent is this model for how we learn things true in humans? And is it true for different kinds of learning? asked neurologist Dr. Sydney S. Cash, co-director of the Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery at MGH and co-senior author of the study. Importantly, Cash said, understanding whether replay occurs with the learning of motor skills could help guide the development of new therapies and tools for people with neurologic diseases and injuries.

"Our incredible BrainGate participants provide not only helpful feedback toward the creation of a system to restore communication and mobility, but they also give us the rare opportunity to advance fundamental human neuroscience  to understand how the human brain works at the level of circuits of individual neurons and to use that information to build next-generation restorative neurotechnologies."

To study whether replay occurs in the human motor cortex  the brain region that governs movement  the research team enlisted a 36-year-old man with tetraplegia (also called quadriplegia), meaning he is unable to move his upper and lower limbs, in his case due to a spinal cord injury. The man, identified in the study as T11, is a participant in a clinical trial of a brain-computer interface device that allows him to use a computer cursor and keyboard on a screen.

The investigational device is being developed by the BrainGate consortium, a collaborative effort involving clinicians, neuroscientists and engineers at several institutions with the goal of creating technologies to restore communication, mobility, and independence for people with neurologic disease, injury, or limb loss. The consortium is directed by Dr. Leigh R. Hochberg, a critical care neurologist at MGH and Veterans Affairs and a professor at Brown Universitys School of Engineering affiliated with the Universitys Carney Institute for Brain Science.

In the study, T11 was asked to perform a memory task similar to the electronic game Simon, in which a player observes a pattern of flashing colored lights, then has to recall and reproduce that sequence. He controlled the cursor on the computer screen simply by thinking about the movement of his own hand. Sensors implanted in T11s motor cortex measured patterns of neuronal firing, which reflected his intended hand movement, allowing him to move the cursor around on the screen and click it at his desired locations. These brain signals were recorded and wirelessly transmitted to a computer.

That night, while T11 slept at home, activity in his motor cortex was recorded and wirelessly transmitted to a computer. What we found was pretty incredible, Rubin said. He was basically playing the game overnight in his sleep. On several occasions, Rubin noted, T11s patterns of neuronal firing during sleep exactly matched patterns that occurred while he performed the memory-matching game earlier that day.

This is the most direct evidence of replay from motor cortex thats ever been seen during sleep in humans, Rubin said. Most of the replay detected in the study occurred during slow-wave sleep, a phase of deep slumber. Interestingly, replay was much less likely to be detected while T11 was in REM sleep, the phase most commonly associated with dreaming. The researchers see this work as a foundation for learning more about replay and its role in learning and memory in humans.

Our hope is that we can leverage this information to help build better brain-computer interfaces and come up with paradigms that help people learn more quickly and efficiently in order to regain control after an injury, said Cash, noting the significance of moving this line of inquiry from animals to human subjects. This kind of research benefits enormously from the close interaction we have with our participants, he added, with gratitude to T11 and other participants in the BrainGate clinical trial.

Hochberg concurred: Our incredible BrainGate participants provide not only helpful feedback toward the creation of a system to restore communication and mobility, but they also give us the rare opportunity to advance fundamental human neuroscience  to understand how the human brain works at the level of circuits of individual neurons and to use that information to build next-generation restorative neurotechnologies.

Rubin is also an instructor in neurology at Harvard Medical School. Cash is an associate professor of neurology at HMS. Hochberg is a senior lecturer on neurology at HMS. The work was supported by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Institute of Neurologic Disease and Stroke, the National Institute of Mental Health, Conquer Paralysis Now, the MGH-Deane Institute, the American Academy of Neurology, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Stanford University.

This is a lightly adapted version of a news release authored about published by Massachusetts General Hospital News and Public Affairs.
New Delhi, July 7: A day after it was reported that two top executives of its associated company likely fled India, following raids, the ED on Thursday said that Chinese smartphone company Vivo was involved in huge 'hawala' transctions. It said that out of the total sale proceeds of Rs 1,25,185 crore, Vivo India remitted Rs 62,476 crore, i.e, almost 50 per cent of the turnover out of India, mainly to China.

A senior ED official said that they carried out searches at 48 locations across the country belonging to Vivo Mobiles India Private Ltd and its 23 associated companies such as Grand Prospect International Communication Pvt Ltd (GPICPL), and so far, 119 bank accounts of various entities with gross balance to the tune of Rs 465 crore, including FDs to the tune of 66 crore, of Vivo India, 2 kg gold bars, and cash amounting to approximately Rs 73 lakh has been seized under the provisions of the PMLA.

According to the ED, all due procedures as per law were followed during the said operations at each premises but employees of Vivo India, including some Chinese nationals did not cooperate with the search proceedings and had tried to abscond, remove and hide digital devices which were retrieved by the search teams. Vivo Remitted Almost 50 Pc of Turnover to China to Avoid Getting Taxed in India.

Vivo Mobiles India Pvt Ltd was incorporated on August 1, 2014 as a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Multi Accord Ltd, and was registered at ROC Delhi. The GPICPL was registered on December 3, 2014 at ROC Shimla, with registered addresses of Solan, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu.

The said company was incorporated by Zhengshen Ou, Bin Lou and Zhang Jie with the help of chartered accountant Nitin Garg. Lou left India on April 26, 2018 whereas Ou and Jie left India in 2021.

In February this year, the ED initiated a Prevention of Money Laundering case against them on the basis of an FIR lodged at Delhi's Kalkaji police station under sections 417, 120B and 420 of IPC against GPICPL and its Director, shareholders and certifying professionals etc on the basis of complaint filed by Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

As per the FIR, GPICPL and its shareholders had used forged identification documents and falsified addresses at the time of incorporation. The allegations were found to be true as the investigation revealed that the addresses mentioned by the directors of GPICPL did not belong to them, but in fact it was a government building and house of a senior bureaucrat.

The ED's investigation revealed that the same director of GPICPL, Lou, was also an ex-director of Vivo. He had incorporated multiple companies across the country spread across various states. A total of 18 companies were set up around the same time, just after the incorporation of Vivo in 2014-15, while another Chinese national Zhixin Wei had incorporated further 4 companies. Vivo Y30 5G Reportedly Spotted on NBTC Website, Launch Expected Soon.

These entities include Rui Chuang Technologies Private Ltd (Ahmedabad), V Dream Technology & Communication Private Ltd (Hyderabad), Regenvo Mobile Private Ltd (Lucknow), Fangs Technology Private Ltd (Chennai), Weiwo Communication Private Ltd (Bengaluru), Bubugao Communication Private Ltd (Jaipur), Haicheng Mobile (India) Private Ltd (New Delhi), Joinmay Mumbai Electronics Private Ltd (Mumbai), Yingjia Communication Private Ltd (Kolkata), Jie Lian Mobile India Private Ltd (Indore), Vigour Mobile India Private Ltd (Gurugram), Hisoa Electronic Private Ltd (Pune), Haijin Trade India Private Ltd (Kochi), Rongsheng Mobile India Private Ltd (Guwahati), Morefun Communication Private Ltd (Patna), and several others, the ED said.

These companies were found to have transferred huge amounts of funds to Vivo India, which remitted them out of India, mainly to China. These remittances were made in order to disclose huge losses in Indian incorporated companies to avoid payment of taxes in India, the ED said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 07, 2022 06:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Another development on the Texas shooting in Uvalde was publicized on Wednesday, claiming that the gunman could have been stopped if a Uvalde officer and a supervisor had better communication.

According to The Texas Tribune, the report from Advanced Law Enforcement and Rapid Response Training Center at Texas State University in San Marcos revealed that a Uvalde police officer asked for a supervisor's permission to shoot the Texas gunman.

However, the supervisor did not hear the request or responded too late. ABC News noted that the said officer spotted the Texas gunman before he entered the school, but the shooter had the chance to enter Robb Elementary in Uvalde while waiting for the supervisor's response.

"[The] officer did not hear a response [on his radio] and turned to get confirmation from his supervisor. When he turned back to address the suspect, the suspect had already entered the west hall exterior door at 11:33:00," The assessment from the Texas State University said.

The assessment from the Texas State University also emphasized that a "reasonable officer" would conclude the use of deadly force is warranted based on the circumstances in the Texas shooting sites.

The report then referred to the Texas Penal Code which justifies an individual to use deadly force if necessary to prevent the commission of murder.

READ NEXT: Uvalde Teacher Says Texas Shooting Gunman Salvador Ramos Was a 'Student Who Scared Her Most'

Texas Shooting Gunman Should Have Been Spotted at The Parking Lot - Report

The report from Texas State University also revealed that the first Uvalde officer who responded at the Texas school shooting site should have been able to see the suspect in the parking lot of Robb Elementary school if he has "driven more slowly."

The report noted that the police officer who first responded to the scene was driving at a "high rate of speed."

The report added that the officer approached by foot, then the Texas shooting gunman might have been spotted before entering the premises of the school.

The report also found flaws in how Robb Elementary School maintains the security of its building. The report underscored that propping the door open is a common practice in the school, but it can "create a situation that results in danger to students."

In addition, the report publicized on Wednesday emphasized that the teacher in the classroom did not check if the door was locked and does not have the appropriate equipment to lock the door even if it was checked.

Uvalde Police Under Fire After Death of Texas Shooting Victims

The report from Texas State University was publicized amid the scrutiny faced by the Uvalde police over their response to the Texas school shooting that killed several children and teachers.

Last month, a surveillance video showed that the police officers were already at the school, but they waited for at least 58 minutes before they entered the classroom where the gunman is located.

The Texas school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde occurred when the gunman, Salvador Ramos, entered the site carrying an AR-15 rifle. Tactical officers killed Ramos during a shootout in the classroom after he went on a rampage in the school.

At least 19 children and two teachers were killed in the Texas school shooting tragedy in Uvalde.

READ NEXT: Highland Park Shooting: Kamala Harris Calls on Congress to Push Renewal of Assault Weapons Ban After 4th of July Violence in Illinois

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Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Timeline of the Texas School Shooting - From CBS News
Mexican police have raided an animal rescue center in the mountains south of Mexico City. Authorities hauled away 177 lions, tigers, jaguars, and other exotic big cats, as well as other animals from the animal sanctuary that was supposed to rescue, help, and take care of these creatures.

The Federal Attorney General's Office for Environmental Protection spoke to the media on Wednesday and said that they rescued a total of 202 animals from the supposed animal rescue center called the Black Jaguar-White Tiger Foundation. These include monkeys, dogs, donkeys, coyotes, and big cats. Authorities are now taking the animals to other locations.

Black Jaguar White Tiger Animal Sanctuary Raided After Photos of Mistreated Animals Surfaced on Social Media

The Black Jaguar-White Tiger animal sanctuary was raided by Mexico City police last Tuesday, following images that showed rail-thin, distressed and injured lions, surfaced on social media. However, the sanctuary's founder argued against these images and said that they are an animal rescue and that some of the animals have arrived there already in bad shape.

Mexico City police chief Omar Garcia Harfuch said that they have seized the property for the improper use of the property and the mistreatment of animals.

The Associated Press reported that Mexico City police found that the property where the animals are kept was zoned for agricultural or grazing purposes, and not for keeping particular species of animals there. However, they also reported that the facility has filed the paperwork needed to keep big cats and other exotic animals under Mexican law.

The Association of Zoos, Breeders and Aquariums of Mexico said that its members are willing to volunteer in taking care of the animals. It also said that the 2015 ban on circus animals and Mexican drug cartel members keeping big cats as pets has saturated many facilities and animal sanctuaries in Mexico, However, they are still willing to take in these animals because they were kept in such deplorable conditions.

READ NEXT: Mexico Is Ending Daylight Saving Time

Black Jaguar-White Tiger Animal Sanctuary Had Celebrity Donors With a Controversial Tiger King-like Founder

The sanctuary is run by the controversial Eduardo Serio, whom the Mexican police are now looking for. They are currently investigating him for his sanctuary's mistreatment of animals. He is now wanted for his crimes against animals and is on the run.

PETA calls Serio one of the most notorious animal abusers that were not exposed by Netflix's Tiger King documentary. Much like Joe Exotic himself, Serio also profited by exploiting animals and people who wanted to help them.

According to Border Report, several celebrities, including the Kardashians, Paris Hilton, and others, have donated large amounts of money to the Mexico City-based animal sanctuary. This is similar to the practice made by Joe Exotic and the other big cat sanctuary owners featured in Tiger King, who have had celebrity donors but still mistreated or neglected their animals.

Much like Joe Exotic in Tiger King, a documentary about Serio is also being made. Independent Film Producer Arturo Allende has been working on a documentary about the sanctuary for two years. He describes it as "hell on earth for the animals."

READ NEXT: Inside Terrifying Mexico's 'Cannibal Serial Killer' Murder Spree: 'El Chino' Butchered Victims to Sell Their Meat, Give Them Away

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: AZCARM denuncio a Eduardo Serio por maltrato animal y trafico de especies - Grupo Formula
Carlos Santana's wife, Cindy Blackman, shared a health update about her husband, who collapsed on stage on Tuesday night during a concert in Michigan.

Santana's wife took to Instagram on Wednesday to update the guitarist's fans about his health. In an Instagram post that was also shared on Santana's social media, Blackman said her husband is doing better, Fox News reported.

"Hi Everyone! Carlos & I thank you so much for your prayers, love, care & concern for him! Please know that he's resting and doing very well," Blackman wrote.

Santana's wife also explained that the Mexican-American guitarist was diagnosed with heat exhaustion and dehydration, adding that the temperature on the stage where Carlos performed was 100 degrees, and it was 114 degrees under the stage lights.

"That coupled with not enough water is what caused the issue. He'll be as good as new soon! Thank you again and we love you," Blackman ended her post with seven purple emoji hearts.

READ NEXT: Travis Barker Out of Hospital After Pancreatitis Battle, Enjoys a 'Joyride' With Kourtney Kardashian and Kids on 4th of July

Carlos Santana Faints on Stage in Michigan Concert

A day before Cindy Blackman posted a message to her Instagram account, Carlos Santana also took to Facebook to update his fans about his condition.

The iconic rocker noted that he and his wife "are good" and "taking it easy" after his recent health scare. Santana reportedly collapsed on stage while performing his hit song "Joy," on Tuesday night.

A fan managed to record a video showing Santana's staff swarming around the legendary guitarist, with one rushing to his side to give him water.

Santana regained consciousness after a couple of minutes, and another video showed the musician waving his hands while he was escorted off stage.

Billboard reporter Garry Graff tweeted that Carlos Santana was taken to a hospital after medical personnel carried him off the stage 20 minutes after he fainted.

Update; @SantanaCarlos taken to hospital after collapsing at @PineKnobMusic Waiting for more word on condition @313Presents @rockhall  Gary Graff (@GraffonMusic) July 6, 2022

Carlos Santana's Other Health Issue

The incident caused a postponement of Carlos Santana's current North American tour. His next stop was supposed to be at The Pavilion at Star Lake in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania on July 6. A new date for the said show is yet to be confirmed.

In December last year, Santana also canceled several Las Vegas shows following his successful heart procedure. Santana earlier posted a video where he revealed that he told his wife to take him to the hospital due to an issue with his chest.

"When we went there [hospital], you know, we found out that I need to take care of it... I'm going to be taking time off for a little bit to make sure that I replenish and rest," the 74-year-old guitarist noted.

Santana has canceled all December 2021 at the House of Blues Las Vegas as he recovers from an unscheduled heart procedure. We look forward to returning to perform at the House Of Blues in January 2022. pic.twitter.com/8cHcVDjFhv  Carlos Santana (@SantanaCarlos) December 2, 2021

READ MORE: Texas Semi-Truck Driver No Show in Detention Hearing After Death of 53 Migrants

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Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Carlos Santana's Wife Says Las Vegas Entertainer Doing Well After Collapsing on Stage - From 8 News NOW Las Vegas
UN experts have called for urgent reforms in Brazil against "racialized" police brutality following the killings of at least 23 Brazilians during police raids and checks.

In a statement, three UN-appointed independent human rights experts said they have repeatedly raised their concerns about the excessive and lethal use of force by law enforcement officials in Brazil and "the disproportionate impact on Brazilians of African descent."

The experts noted that the latest reports of police brutality appear to show that human rights violations continue with impunity, according to a United Nations report.

Experts repeated calls to follow international standards when it comes to the use of force. They said using potentially lethal force "is an extreme measure," which may be resorted to only when necessary to protect life or prevent serious injury from an imminent threat.

The UN experts have been in communication with the Brazilian government to address the allegation and clarify its obligations under international law.

READ NEXT: Brazil's 'Pablo Escobar' Sergio Roberto De Carvalho Arrested in Europe; Fights Extradition to His Home Country

Police Brutality During Favela Cruzeiro Raid in Brazil

The Guardian reported that at least 21 people had been shot dead, and seven others were wounded during a police raid on Favela Cruzeiro in Rio de Janeiro in late May to capture the leaders of a drug trafficking organization.

The deaths included a woman who was hit by a stray bullet during the exchange of gunfire between gang members and police. Seven wounded people, including a policeman, were taken to a hospital.

Residents said on social media that heavy shooting started in darkness in a wooded area next to Vila Cruzeiro, which had sparked fear and panic in the slum.

A Reuters photographer near the scene said the gunfire started again in the afternoon. Colonel Ivan Blaz, the spokesman for the militarized police force that led the operation, said it was a "very intense confrontation."

The police operation was backed by a helicopter. It targeted leaders of Rio's largest organized crime gang, the Comando Vermelho, believed to be hiding in Vila Cruzeiro.

Military police and federal highway police conducted the operation jointly, wherein police seized 16 vehicles, 13 automatic rifles, pistols, and grenades.

Earlier this year, Brazil's Supreme Court established a series of conditions for police to conduct raids in Rio's favelas to decrease police killings and violations of human rights.

Police Brutality in Brazil

Reuters reported that both murders and killings by police increased in Brazil in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Homicides in Brazil rose by 4% in 2020, with 50,033 people killed, according to the Brazilian Yearbook of Public Security. The country's police killed 6,416 people, an increase of 0.3% compared to the previous year.

Nearly 200,000 new guns were registered in Brazil in 2020 after the loosening of restrictions. It was almost double the number in the previous year.

At the time of the reporting, around 1.3 million guns were registered with Brazil's federal police.

READ MORE: Brazil: Human Remains Found in Area Where British Journalist and Brazilian Indigenous Expert Were Last Seen

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Police Brutality Kills One in Brazil, Eyewitnesses Capture Brutality on Camera - From WION
Colombia may be the second-largest Spanish-speaking country in the world, but it's also a melting pot of Ethnic, Latin American, European, and African cultures.

Its diversity adds to its uniqueness in Latin America, with a rich tradition that stems from the varied backgrounds of the people living there.

The country welcomes the new yet also still embraces old traditions. According to Don Quijote, like most of South America, it's largely Catholic, with 90% of the population identifying themselves as such.

This also plays a huge role in its culture, as many customs are built around Catholic traditions. Many of its holidays are also religious, and of course, Colombia has its unique Christmas tradition like many Latin countries.

Colombia: 5 Colombian Cultural Aspects That We Love

Let's take a look at five of Colombia's many cultural aspects that have made itself known to the world.

Cultural Diversity

Colombia is a melting pot. All the diverse cultures and people that make up the country have learned to co-exist and cross-pollinated with one another. According to Every Culture, when Spain colonized the country, like most South American nations, Colombians embraced Spanish culture and made it their own.

But rather than having one common culture, the country's different regions have developed their own distinct regional cultures. With the slave trade and the arrival of foreigners such as Europeans, Indians, and people from the Caribbean, more and more influences intermingle with an already unique culture.

READ NEXT: Colombia Elections: Ex-Rebel Is Now Colombia's First Leftist President

Colombian Coffee

Saying Colombian coffee is legendary would be an understatement. The country is one of the biggest coffee producers on Earth, and Colombian coffee is known as one of the best.

In fact, UNESCO describes that coffee has affected the country's cultural landscape. It says Colombia is an "exceptional example of a sustainable and productive cultural landscape that is unique and representative of a tradition that is a strong symbol for coffee growing areas worldwide."

Colombian Food

Of course, there is also Colombian food. Because the country is a melting pot of diverse cultures, it has made Colombian food unique in Latin America.

From their world-famous empanadas and arepas to beloved desserts like chocolate santafereno and natilla, Colombian cuisine is a great way to enjoy the country's culture.

El Paseo de Olla

El Paseo de Olla, or pot gathering, is an important custom or tradition in Colombian culture, according to Colombia.co. It is a social affair, as families gather beside a local river to cook and eat the traditional Colombian dish: sancocho.

Sancocho is a stew with a variety of meat like pork, chicken, and beef, as well as vegetables, potatoes, and spices. It is usually served with rice and avocado.

Colombians usually do this as part of celebrations, special occasions, or any excuse to gather and eat a warm, delicious stew on top of the fire.

Colombian Music

Like its culture, Colombian music takes influences from Africa, Spain, and other parts of Latin America. The country itself is a musical powerhouse and has produced some of the most unique music on Earth.

Cumbia has gained worldwide popularity as a music style, and it originated in Colombia. Its musical culture has even gained acclaimed overseas, with the Latin Grammy Award that Cumbia, along with fellow-Colombian music genre Vallenato, have their own categories.

READ MORE: Colombia Elections: Colombians Elect First Black Vice President After Voting For First Leftist President

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: A Short History of Colombia's Famous Coffee Region - From Artisan Tropic
Rocco Morabito, the boss of the powerful 'Ndrangheta mafia in Italy, arrived in Rome on Wednesday after being extradited from Brazil.

Morabito, the second most wanted fugitive in Italy, is known as the "king of cocaine." According to a Daily Mail report, Morabito was arrested in Brazil in May 2021 and will now serve a 30-year prison sentence for various drug charges.

Nicola Morra, head of parliament's anti-mafia commission, wrote in a Facebook post that Morabito was a major architect in the internationalization of the crime gangs and became the "king of cocaine brokers."

The interior ministry noted that the 56-year-old 'Ndrangheta mafia boss had been included in its "special search programme" for escaped criminals. Investigators said Rocco Morabito was the point person for the 'Ndrangheta in South America.

READ NEXT: Italian Drug Lord Rocco Morabito Arrested in Brazil Years After Escaping Jail

Rocco Morabito: The Arrest of Italy's 'Ndrangheta Mafia Boss in Brazil

In May 2021, Brazil's federal police arrested Rocco Morabito in a hotel room in the northeastern coastal city of Joao Pessoa with two other foreigners, according to Brazil's Justice Ministry statement.

Toronto Sun reported that one of the foreigners was another Italian fugitive but did not provide additional information. Morabito's arrest came four years after he had managed to escape from jail in Uruguay.

He was one of Italy's most wanted when he was arrested in Uruguay in 2017. Morabito had lived 23 years under a fake identity in the Uruguayan resort town of Punta del Este.

In 2019, Uruguay's interior ministry announced that the Italian drug lord and three other inmates had escaped through a hole in the roof of their prison in Montevideo. It prompted a widespread manhunt and caused the resignation of Uruguay's prison chief.

Since 1994, Rocco Morabito had been wanted by Italy. He was caught paying $8 million to import nearly a ton of cocaine. An international arrest warrant was issued in 1995 with hopes of pinning down the Italian drug lord and bringing him back to Italy to serve his sentence.

The 'Ndrangheta Mafia in Italy

The Justice Ministry of Brazil said the 'Ndrangheta was considered one of the largest and most powerful criminal organizations globally.

'Ndrangheta has shadowed the Sicilian mafia in power and scope, extending its operations throughout much of Europe as it launders cocaine by infiltrating or buying up legitimate businesses such as restaurants and hotels, according to an investigation.

According to The Guardian, the mafia was built around strong family tries and has been less hurt by devastating betrayals of crime clan loyalties.

'Ndrangheta was found to have had strong ties with Colombia's Urabenos dating back to the 1990s when the group's future leaders were still part of Colombia's paramilitary United Self-Defense Forces.

According to InsightCrime, it was an alliance that would help both organized crime groups to dominate the trans-Atlantic cocaine trade.

Dairo Antonio Usuga, alias "Otoniel," was the known leader of Urabenos. He was also captured and extradited to the United States on May 5. He is being held in a New York City prison.

READ MORE: Jalisco Cartel Boss El Mencho's Daughter, La Negra, Freed After More Than 2 Years in U.S. Prison

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Mafia Boss Rocco Morabito Extradited From Brazil - From INTERPOL
The Central American region is home to numerous places that are worth visiting, such as Belize, which has many breathtaking tourist spots.

Lying between Mexico and Guatemala, Belize is known to be a top destination for travelers who love eco-tourism, as the country offers much biodiversity.

Belize also showcases picturesque beaches that will surely make you experience a glimpse of paradise in Central America.

READ NEXT: 5 Famous Guatemala Tourist Spots to Visit When in the Central American Country

5 Famous Belize Tourist Spots

Although Belize is small compared to its neighbors, such as Mexico, Belize Hub said the country still benefits from the Caribbean temperatures, making it a must-checked travel destination.

To help you decide which tourist post you should visit in Belize, here is a list of some famous attractions in the Central American country.

Caracol

Getting in touch with Belize's roots and history should be a must for every traveler to make the most of the visit.

Caracol, the largest Maya site in the country, offers this.

The said ancient city, which sits on Vaca Plateau, covers 168 square kilometers. This city had an estimated population of about 150,000 during its peak in 650 AD. The said number is now twice the number of people who live there in today's time.

Hol Chan Marine Reserve

Hol Chan Marine Reserve is waiting for you if you love to dive in the waters. This reserve is home to Ambergis Caye, which is a hot spot for tourists.

Aside from Ambergis Caye, the reserve is also located in the Belize Barrier Reef System, which is the second-largest in the world, following Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Several activities, like a close encounter with the shark, can be enjoyed in the Shark Ray Alley and in the famous sinkhole called Cat's Eye.

Great Blue Hole

If you can't get enough of diving, the Great Blue Hole near the Lighthouse Reef offers another view for adventurous divers. This sinkhole creates a perfect circle of deep water.

The water is clearer when you dive deeper and stalactites and limestone formations become more breathtaking, making it an incredible experience.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Belize is also home to the famous Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, which is one of the country's largest protected areas. The said sanctuary has existed since the 1990s and is dedicated to protecting jaguars in the country.

There are a large number of jaguars in the sanctuary, but they are rarely seen. However, you can still enjoy the exotic birds and plants in the area.

Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve

Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve offers a high elevation that keeps the temperature cool even in the daytime, which is perfect for relaxation.

One of the main attractions in the said reserve is the Rio Frio Cave & Nature Trail, which the Mayans once used as burial grounds. A river runs through the cave's center, making it more mesmerizing.

READ MORE: Jamaica: 5 Famous Tourist Attractions You Absolutely Must Visit

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Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Things To Do in BELIZE - From UNILAD Adventure
The U.S. Coast Guard offloaded 551 pounds or 250 kilos of cocaine in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Tuesday.

According to Sea Power Magazine, the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos offloaded the seized cocaine at Coast Guard Base San Juan.

The contraband was seized following the interdiction of a drug smuggling vessel south of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico by the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Doyle on June 30. Authorities also managed to apprehend three individuals who tried to smuggle the illegal drugs.

Among the arrested smugglers was a Venezuelan, and two were Dominican Republic nationals. The three men are facing federal prosecution in Puerto Rico.

U.S. Coast Guard Seized Cocaine Worth Millions in Puerto Rico

The smugglers were caught in a joint effort between the U.S. Coast Guard and federal law enforcement agencies. MENAFN reported that it is part of multi-agency efforts to support the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force.

The smugglers were captured in the morning of June 30, when the crew of a Customs and Border Protection Caribbean Air and Marine Multi-Role Enforcement Aircraft (MEA) detected a "yola" type vessel heading towards Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.

The Coast Guard forces then diverted the cutter Joseph Doyle to intercept and capture the vessel. Upon inspection, the Coast Guard found cocaine inside the vessel, seized it, and arrested the three men on board. They then transferred the seized contraband to the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos for delivery to San Juan.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander Captain Jose E. Diaz praised the strong collaboration and efforts of the Coast Guard and their law enforcement partners and vowed to continue their vigilance in stopping drug smuggling to the U.S. territory.

The seized cocaine has an estimated value of approximately $5.2 million. The apprehended smugglers will face criminal charges that include conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S.

The charges carry a minimum 10-year imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

READ NEXT: Puerto Rico Independence or Statehood? Major Party to Soon Reconsider or Reaffirm Stance

Another Cocaine Shipment Intercepted by U.S. Coast Guard in Puerto Rico

The interception of the illegal drugs last June 30 is just the latest in a series of drug interceptions done by the U.S. Coast Guard off Puerto Rico. Last April, they had an even bigger catch, as they hauled in 1,289 pounds of cocaine and captured six smugglers.

The Coast Guard's official publication, Sea Power Magazine, reported that the April interdiction seized cocaine with an estimated wholesale value of approximately $11.7 million.

Like this most recent one, the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos was also at the scene. The smugglers were intercepted during a routine patrol last April 11.

Coast Guard elements were alerted after a Customs and Border Protection multi-role enforcement aircraft sighted the vessel in waters northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.

Coast Guard Cutter Heriberto Hernandez managed to capture the 25-foot go-fast vessel. In this operation, four of the six captured men were from the Dominican Republic.

After inspecting the vessel, authorities found six bales of cocaine that were also later offloaded in San Juan.

READ MORE: Cuba: Latin Grammy Winner and Dissident Artist Sentenced to Prison

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Cocaine Cowboys: Inside the US Coast Guard's War on Drugs - From ABC News
Brazilian model Thalita do Valle, who volunteered to fight with Ukraine, was killed in a missile strike carried out by Russia.

According to Newsweek, the 39-year-old Brazilian model, who had been in Ukraine for only three weeks, was killed in a missile strike in Kharkiv on June 30.

Do Valle became a sniper in Ukraine. The attack also killed former Brazilian soldier Douglas Burigo who reportedly returned to the bunker to find her.

In an interview with Brazilian news outlet UOL, the lieutenant responsible for commanding their platoon said their deaths happened while they were targeted during a mission to rescue people from a Ukrainian village that Russian troops had vacated.

Thalita do Valle's brother, Theo Rodrigo Viera, also told UOL that his sister was a hero who dedicated her life to saving people.

READ NEXT: U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Meet With Ukraine Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv

Brazilian Model Thalita do Valle Killed in Ukraine Due to Russia's Missile Strike

Thalita do Valle's brother noted that his sister's role was as a rescuer and provided cover for advancing troops in Ukraine. Viera said his sister became trapped in a bunker in Kharkiv amid heavy Russian bombing and died of asphyxiation, New York Post reported.

Viera noted that his sister had survived an earlier bombing in Kyiv, where she told relatives she could not say much more as Russian drones were monitoring cellphones.

The Brazilian model's brother said her friend Burigo had returned to save his sister in between the bombing but ended up dead.

Viera noted that Do Valle had always been involved in humanitarian missions with the "foreign legion of some country" or in Brazil. He said that his sister never encouraged young people to take up arms, adding that she was "a peaceful person."

Thalita do Valle, from Sao Paulo, was a former child actress, and she became a model after turning 18. According to her family, she studied law and was passionate about animal activism.

She has also worked with non-government organizations (NGOs) to defend animal rights. Three years ago, the former Brazilian model joined the Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Iraq, where she trained as a sniper.

Ukraine-Russia Conflict

Russia has recently ramped up its naval presence in the Black Sea by adding five missile carriers, two submarines, and one amphibious assault ship, according to officials in Ukraine.

This comes almost a week after Russia said it is withdrawing from a strategic outpost on Black Sea's Snake Island as a "gesture of goodwill."

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the arsenal sent by Ukraine's allies and western nations has "started working powerfully" against Russian forces, according to an Independent report.

At least 71 million more people across the globe have been pushed into poverty due to the rising food and energy prices triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The United Nations Development Program said in its report that its estimates show 51.6 million more people slipped into extreme poverty in the first three months after the war.

Top UNDP official Achim Steiner said the "cost of living impact is almost without precedent in a generation." Steiner noted that this is the reason why it is so serious.

Russia will participate in the two-day G20 meeting with ministers in Indonesia as the war continues in Europe. Moscow will send foreign minister Sergei Lavrov to the G20 meeting starting Thursday in Indonesia despite opposition from other nations within the group. Lavrov will be participating with other G20 ministers.

German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock opposed the presence of Russia at the summit. Baerbock said Russia "must not be allowed to use the G20 meeting as a platform" with its war in Ukraine.

READ MORE: Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelensky Says if Pres. Joe Biden Acted Sooner 'There Would Be No War'

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Brazilian Model Who Joined the Ukrainian Army Was Eliminated by a Russian Missile - From Infinity
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





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A Colorado funeral home owner has admitted to selling human body parts without consent from mourning relatives.

According to Crime Online, Megan Hess, 45, pleaded guilty to mail fraud for illegally selling body parts and giving clients fake ashes. The Daily Sentinel reported that Hess pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud Tuesday in a Grand Junction court.

As a result of the plea, all other charges against her, which include five more counts of mail fraud and three counts of transporting hazardous material, will be dismissed.

Hess on Tuesday admitted in federal court to defrauding at least 12 families who had paid to have their deceased loved ones cremated. But instead of cremating the corpses, court records said she removed the heads, arms, spines, and legs and sold them.

When asked to describe how exactly she committed the crime to which she pleaded guilty, Hess noted that she "exceeded the scope of the consent." The Colorado funeral home owner added that her plea was an effort "to make it right."

"I'm taking responsibility. I'm here to accept the plea. The families believe I went beyond the scope of the consent forms," Hess noted.

During the hearing, some family members said Hess was "hedging" on her admission of her guilt. However, they urged the court to accept it so everyone could move on from what happened.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Chaffin said Hess' statements and the remorse she showed would be taken into consideration during sentencing, which is tentatively scheduled in January.

A pre-sentencing investigation will recommend how much time the Colorado funeral home owner will spend inside the prison. Estimations from the prosecution revealed that Hess should serve between 151 months to 188 months in prison.

On the other hand, the defense's calculation showed that Hess should serve between 21 and 27 months. Judge Gordon Gallagher then said at least one of these sentencing calculations will "inherently" going to be incorrect. Mail fraud reportedly carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment.

READ NEXT: Texas Shooting: Why a Uvalde Police Office Missed Chance to Shoot Gunman Before Entering School

Another Charged in Colorado Funeral Home Selling Body Parts Scheme

Megan Hess' mom, Shirley Koch, was also accused of illegally shipping body parts around the world. The Denver Post reported that Koch had already reached a plea agreement with federal authorities last month to avoid trial. She also pleaded to one count of mail fraud.

Prosecutors previously said in a letter that Koch would not request a prison sentence lower than five years, and the government will not seek a stint longer than 6 1/2 years. However, a judge still has the final say.

Hess and Koch were indicted in March 2020 on six counts of mail fraud and three counts of transporting hazardous material. Federal authorities agreed to drop the remaining charges for the pair in exchange for the plea agreement.

Colorado Funeral Home Owners Secretly Dissecting Corpses and Selling Body Parts

According to court documents, Hess and Koch ran the Sunset Mesa funeral home in Montrose as a nonprofit and sold hundreds of bodies between 2010 and 2018, even when a family wanted cremation.

They reportedly sell the entire body or body parts to companies around the globe for a significant profit. Some buyers allegedly used the bodies for surgical training and other educational purposes.

Hess and Koch charged their customers $1,000 or more for cremations that never occurred. To maximize profits, court documents noted that Hess targeted poor families struggling to make arrangements in their loved one's final days.

The Colorado funeral home owner also offered free cremations in exchange for a body donation. However, prosecutors noted that many families received ashes that belonged to someone else or mixed with the remains of different cadavers.

Authorities said some of these corpses or body parts belonged to individuals who had died from infectious diseases, including HIV.

Authorities raided the Colorado funeral home in 2018. At the time, Koch claimed that Hess was the "brains" behind the operation.

A former Sunset Mesa funeral home employee has earlier told Reuters that she saw Koch collect gold teeth from corpses and later used that money for a family vacation to Disneyland.

READ MORE: Texas Semi-Truck Driver No Show in Detention Hearing After Death of 53 Migrants

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Colorado Funeral Home Operators Indicted in Alleged Body-Part Selling Scheme - From Denver 7 - The Denver Channel


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Two Laois groups have benefited from grants to invest in new instruments.

Music Network has announced the results of the current round of the Music Capital Scheme. A total of 306,096 in funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has been awarded to 28 performing groups, 18 established musicians and nine emerging musicians from across Ireland.

Laois School of Music is getting 12,060 while Portlaoise Men's Shed 1,215

Established in 2008, the Music Capital Scheme is managed by Music Network, and provides funding for the purchase of musical instruments. The Scheme has enabled many thousands of musicians across Ireland to develop their musical potential and participate in the performance of live music.

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin TD welcomed the funding.

"As a former music teacher, I know how important good quality musical instruments are to numerous bands and groups that engage with their local communities nationwide, she said.

Music Networks CEO Sharon Rollston said: "Our mission is to make high quality live music accessible to communities throughout Ireland, as well as to support musicians to excel in the performance and creation of music. The range of instruments provided through the Music Capital Scheme continues to make a significant impact on access to, and the quality of, music making and live music performance across Ireland.

The Music Capital Scheme was established in 2008 and 468 awards have been made to date.
Durrow recently celebrated the 100th birthday of John Moylan who was born on the 24th June, 1922.

John has lived all his life in Durrow. He was always blessed with an incredible memory, and when asked about some of the changes that have occurred during his lifetime, he said, Well, first and foremost, there was no electricity in Durrow when I was a young lad.

"My mother, Ellen, was a Whelan, and every one of them believed in ghosts inside out and upside down. She would be terrified at night coming back from picking up a few messages in Walls of Ballacondra in the horse and cart, and shed have rosary beads around her neck, praying to God to get home safely.

Within his lifetime, there have been the greatest changes than in any other century and he has always moved with the times!

He was born in the same year as formation of the Irish State, saw World War II come and go, has witnessed seismic changes in this country throughout his lifetime, and recently, has even managed to survive the recent threat of a world pandemic!

John has always been a very popular resident of Durrow and on his special day, he did a lap of honour around the village starting with a visit to Lawlors shop where he had bought his daily newspapers for many years.

He was surprised to see the shop had been festooned with bunting, where Sue Lawlor, her staff and a throng of well-wishers presented him with gifts and a beautiful cake. He received the same joyous response at local Post Office before his celebration party got underway with his immediate family and friends in the home where he was born 100 years ago.

John had a 36-year career as an AA Patrol (Automobile Association), and they were very excited to learn that he was now a centenarian. So, a special presentation was made to him by Ken Deegan on behalf of the AA.

Their representatives arrived in his yard in a modern AA van with the words Happy 100th Birthday John Moylan emblazoned on the side of the van. They then had the honour of reading out the letter from President Michael D. Higgins and presenting The Cheque which came from Aras an Uachtarain.

It took several days to go through all the cards, gifts, money, dining vouchers, scratch cards and Mass bouquets given by his many friends and colleagues. John was truly overwhelmed with everyones kindness and thoughtfulness and would like to convey his most sincere gratitude to all.

John summed up the day by saying that it was the best day of my whole life.
The battle against chewing gum waste is being won in Laois and Ireland, latest statistics have confirmed.

The latest Gum Litter Taskforce Campaign has been launched officially in Laois this week, and it comes with the surprising good news.

The percentage of gum as a proportion of litter has dropped by 64% since the campaign began 15 years ago.

The Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT) is an awareness campaign to reduce gum litter in the most sustainable way, funded by the chewing gum industry.

The 2019 campaign maintained an all-time high of 93% of people stating that they regard chewing gum as litter, up from 74% when the campaign first began in 2007.

Cllr Thomasina Connell, Cathoirleach of County Council officially launched the Gum Litter Taskforce's gum litter education campaign in Pairc an Phobail, Portlaoise. Also attending was Gerry Browne, Chairperson of Portlaoise Tidy Towns.

Pictured at the launch of the Gum Litter Taskforce Campaign at Pairc an Phobail, Portlaoise, were: kneeling - Dom Reddin Environmental Section, Laois Co Council and Gerry Browne Portlaoise Tidy Towns. Standing: Suzanne Dempsey Environmental Officer and Cllr Thomasina Connell Cathaoirleach, Laois Co Council. Photo: Michael Scully

Speaking at the launch was Suzanne Dempsey from Laois County Council's Environment section.

"We can never underestimate the pride that people have in their local towns and villages. As ever, I am confident that the people throughout Laois will do their town and local community proud by getting behind the Gum Litter Taskforce campaign in an effort to invoke positive change within their local communities.

The GLT campaign aims to build on previous years successes and is making a strong return after being postponed last year due to COVID-19. It will have a stronger social media presence to reach a wider and younger audience.

Research commissioned by the Gum Litter Taskforce and conducted by Kantar Millward Brown during the 2019 campaign showed that 88% of people said that they always dispose of their gum correctly, which was up from 54% when the campaign first began. This shift in public behaviour has been evident throughout the 15 years that the campaign has been running, as the proportion of gum as a percentage of litter has decreased by 64%.

Mars Wrigley has funded the campaign to help local authorities, community groups and schools to spread awareness of the importance of correct litter disposal.
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Four Kildare people received Gaisce awards from President Michael D Higgins this week.

were among 79 young people from across Ireland who have been commended for their outstanding commitment to personal development and contribution to society at the Gaisce Gold Award ceremony.

President Michael D Higgins delivered the Gaisce Gold Award to each recipient at a ceremony which took place at Aras an Uachtarain  the first Gaisce Gold Award Ceremony to take place in three years.

Combined, recipients invested more than 25,000 hours in personal development and voluntary activities to achieve these awards.

At the height of Covid in 2020-2021, over 40,000 young people aged 14-25 answered the Presidents call to pursue a Gaisce Award, supported by over 1,200 Presidents Award Leaders in 750 organisations Nationwide.

The Gaisce Gold Award is the nations highest recognition of a young persons initiative, achievement, and voluntary contribution to society.

In order to complete a Gold Gaisce Award, each of todays recipients set and achieved their own goals across challenge areas that include personal skill, physical activity, community involvement, team adventure journey and a residential project.

The Kildare winners were:

Ashling Nesbitt, originally from Celbridge, now lives in Kilcock



Conor Butler from Naas



Jen Gillen from Monasterevin



Ruth Fenton from Newbridge
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With barbeque season well and truly here, safefood is encouraging home cooks to trust the meat thermometer this summer and make sure they cook their BBQ meats like burgers, chicken and sausages to 75 degrees Celsius and enjoy the safest and tastiest food.

New research from safefood has found that more than four in ten home cooks (43%) have burned BBQ meats on the outside but which was still raw in the centre, while a further 39% undercooked their food. Half of respondents (50%) said the hardest part of cooking on a barbeque was not burning the food, while more than four in ten (45%) said knowing when the meat was thoroughly cooked was the hardest part. The most popular foods for cooking on a barbeque were burgers (66%), chicken (55%) and sausages (55%). These foods need to be cooked until piping hot, with no pink meat and the juices running clear to be safely cooked. Placing a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat adds that extra layer of safety and confidence to help home cooks get it right every time.

Dr Gary Kearney, Interim Chief Executive, safefood said: Cooking on a barbeque is one of those occasions we all look forward to  of those who cook on a barbeque, almost two in three (65%) do so during the summer or whenever the weather is good enough. Whether youre an expert or novice BBQ cook, the one essential for your barbeque is a trusty meat thermometer.

Take your food off the heat, pop the thermometer in the thickest part of the meat and when it reaches 75 degrees Celsius, then its cooked and ready to eat. For meats like burgers, sausages, chicken, and kebabs, it is important that they are cooked until piping hot, with no pink meat and the juices running clear. Using a meat thermometer adds that extra layer of reassurance. If youre cooking steaks, these can be cooked to preference.

Previous research we carried out revealed that fewer than one in five people own a meat thermometer while only one in six actually used it, continued Dr Linda Gordon from safefood. We also know that people perceive meat thermometers as being expensive or only used by expert cooks. However, you can purchase one for as little as 8-10 in home-retail and hardware stores and they are so easy to use and the most accurate way of checking for doneness. If you dont have one, just follow the three checks of piping hot, no pink meat and the juices running clear.

Supporting the campaign, Guy Sinnott, home cook and creator of the Quarantine Cook-A-Long said I am delighted to be part of safefood's Trust the Meat Thermometer campaign. I think my love for barbequing is pretty clear but, having said that, I still am super cautious when it comes to safely preparing my meat-based meals  serving up food that isnt cooked properly is every home cooks worst nightmare!

There are a few basic indicators to ensure that meat is cooked through; cut into it with a clean knife, check that it is piping hot all the way through, avoid pink meat and ensure juices run clear. My main piece of advice is to take the guesswork out of it and use a meat thermometer as it really does add that extra layer of reassurance.

It couldnt be any easier, just pop the meat with the thermometer at the thickest part and when it reaches 75 degrees C you know youre good to go!

For more information visit www.safefood.net/news or follow safefood on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

 Online survey of 1,000 adults aged 18+ on the island of Ireland. (Empathy Research; June 2022)

Assessment of the use of meat thermometers by consumers on the island of Ireland; (safefood; Ulster University; & St. Angelas College; 2021). The study comprised a literature review of meat thermometer ownership and usage; a survey of 1,052 adults on the island of Ireland; and six focus groups with 65 participants.
A GROUP of kind-hearted Limerick students are donating 1,000 to local Ukrainian refugees through a small bracelet making business in their community.

The city-based schoolchildren forged the idea as they noticed more and more young Ukrainians enrolling in their class.

We couldnt even imagine what they were going through. We wanted to help all of them that we possibly could, even if it's only a few, the group of eight told Limerick Live.

The venture originally began when Kate Cronin, brother and sister pairs Rachel and James Maher, as well as Louise and Harry OSullivan set their sights on selling Ukrainian-themed bracelets locally.

After putting each piece together meticulously through string and beads, the group set out across the Ennis Road area, selling them at 4 a pop.

After a while, they settled on allowing their customers to choose their own price, conscious of the strain on people in the current cost-of-living crisis.

To their surprise, many of their buyers chose to donate more to the cause than the original asking price of 4.

Three more friends tagged along, as bracelets began to sell at lightning speed. These were Caoimhe Hartney, Maddison Rountree and Caoimhe OFarrell. All three were eager to help their friends.

After tallying up the 1,000 total, the group decided to donate 500 to the Irish Red Cross based on Henry Street in Limerick, who have been instrumental in assisting Ukrainian refugees find a home.

The second 500 is due to go to another local charity helping Ukrainians in Limerick.

We hope that the war will end soon, and people will get reunited with their family. We hope that our money will make a difference.

Sending hope and love to Ukraine, the group of eight concluded.
ABBEYFEALE man Francis Foley is expected to be elected the new mayor of Limerick when councillors meet for their annual general meeting.

The Fianna Fail member is his partys nominee for the chain of office, as part of a power-sharing pact they have agreed with Fine Gael.

However, his likely elevation to Limericks top political office comes amid huge emotion.

The election was initially to take place on Thursday last, but was postponed following the tragic death of City East councillor Jerry ODea.

It was Mr ODea, a publican by trade, who was in line to take the chain of office, with Cllr Foley his deputy.

As part of the grand coalition deal, the Soldiers of Destiny will also elect a deputy mayor of Limerick City and County.

While councillor Foleys position as Fianna Fails mayoral candidate is all-but certain, party sources have indicated that a number of other members have expressed an interest in taking on the role of deputy mayor, with a final decision to be made at a party meeting this week.

First elected in 2004 to the old Limerick County Council, councillor Foley was returned five years later despite a poor overall showing for his party, with an increased share of the vote. He was re-elected twice to the merged Limerick City and County Council, in 2014 and 2019.

He will be the second Abbeyfeale man to become the Mayor of Limerick City and County, with Fine Gaels Liam Galvin taking the chain in 2015.

Meanwhile, there will be a new member on the local authority, with Fianna Fail to co-opt somebody to replace Mr ODea on the council.

It is likely this process will not take place until after the summer recess however.
FOURTEEN consultants at University Hospital Limerick have written to the CEO UL Hospitals to voice their 'deep concern' about patient safety for patients attending the emergency department.

The letter, which has been seen by Limerick Live, was sent to Colette Cowan in mid-June and a copy has since been forwarded to the Health Minister, Stephen Donnelly, by Clare TD Michael McNamara.

He has called on the Taoiseach and Minister Donnelly to ensure that immediate measures are taken to address the capacity issues at University Hospital Limerick - particular before the upcoming winter season.

In their letter, the fourteen consultants say urgent action is needed to ease the inordinate pressure being put on junior doctors at UHL to maintain acceptable clinical standards.

"We would ask that you address as a matter of urgency emergency access to the hospital by way of revamped referral processes and a public campaign directed to both patients and general practitioners as to how to access emergency services and when it is appropriate to do so," states the letter.

The letter adds that confidence in management structures at University Hospital Limerick "has been severely eroded over the past six to eight months" and that strenuous efforts are needed to restore it.

The consultants also raise concerns about the impact that recent developments have had on the reputation of University Hospital Limerick.

Deputy McNamara says the contents of the consultant's letter shows the need for immediate action at the highest levels of government.

"I'm not asking him (the Taoiseach) to run the hospital but I am asking him to ensure that a management system is in place that is capable of delivering a safe healthcare system and that there is sufficient capacity to deliver that - that is what goivernment's do around healthcare," he told Limerick Live.
TEACHERS and principals in schools across Limerick are being invited to sign up for a free place on the popular litter-picking programme for the 2022/2023 school year.

Launched in 2019, the Picker Pals programme is now in 33% of the schools in Ireland - that's 30,000 children making the world a better place and having fun doing it.

Applications are now being accepted for Picker Pals 2022-23 school year - click here for details.

Over 1,400 children from 60 different schools in Limerick are already playing their part as Picker Pals.

Picker Pals is run by Environmental NGO VOICE (Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment) and the programme was created by children's author Patrick Jackson, who saw the need to teach the next generation about litter prevention at an early age.

"Children are the best ambassadors for environmental issues; they understand the connection between preventing litter and the benefits to people and animals. They naturally sense the right thing to do and bring this message home to their families. Their enthusiasm is fantastic," he said.

The scheme is funded by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications and Limerick City and County Council.
FORMER Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Tony Holohan has announced that he will be joining a Dublin college as Adjunct Full Professor of Public Health.

Dr Holohan, who grew up in Limerick and who served as CMO from 2008 to July 2022, most notably throughout the Covid pandemic, has confirmed he will take up a new role with University College Dublin.

He took to Twitter to express his delight at the appointment, which will be on a pro bono basis. I have great plans to bring value to the role and to find other interesting things to do, he said.

The CBS Sexton Street, Limerick city graduate sparked a great deal of controversy following his resignation as CMO, when it was announced that he would be taking up a role at Trinity College.

Controversy developed when it emerged that the open-ended secondment to Trinity College, would be fully funded by the Department of Health and not the university.

Following a subsequent decision not to take up the role at Trinity, which would have meant that his CMO salary of 187,000 continue to be paid as a civil servant, he said at the time:

My strong belief is that this was a significant opportunity to work with the university sector to develop much-needed public health capacity and leadership for the future.

Following my departure (as CMO), I look forward to sharing my knowledge and expertise outside of the public service."

Dr Holohan, who graduated from UCD after completing his leaving certificate in Limerick, will move into their College of Health and Agricultural Sciences for the upcoming academic year.

Professor Cecily Kelleher, head of the UCD college of health and agricultural sciences, said:

The appointment of someone of such high calibre and experience in guiding national policy and response to the Covid-19 pandemic will contribute enormously to our future research, education and planning. And I greatly look forward to working with him.
Irish deputy leader Leo Varadkar has said that he is pleased he will not face prosecution over the leaking of a GP contract in 2019.

In a statement released this evening, the Tanaiste said: I was informed this evening by my solicitor that the DPP has determined that I have no case to answer in relation to my disclosure of a document to the president of the NAGP in 2019.

I have always maintained that the allegations made against me were false. I am pleased at the outcome of what was a very thorough investigation.

He thanked the Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan, his Fine Gael party colleagues, his staff, his partner and his family for their faith, trust and confidence in me during what was a difficult period for us all.

In a statement to the PA news agency, Gardai said: Following a Garda investigation, a comprehensive investigation file was submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has directed no prosecution against any individual in this investigation.

The Tanaiste had been under investigation for passing a copy of the official document to a friend of his while he was taoiseach.

Mr Varadkar has admitted that in April 2019 he sent a copy of a doctors pay deal between the State and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) to Dr Maitiu O Tuathail.

Dr O Tuathail was head of the rival organisation, the National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP), at the time.

Mr Varadkar has apologised for disclosing the document.

Mr Varadkar is due to become taoiseach again in December, replacing Micheal Martin, as part of the coalition deal that saw Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Green Party form a government in 2020.
The United States is "the biggest threat to world peace, stability and development," China has claimed after being accused of posing a long-term threat to US and UK interests.

In first joint appearance of MI5 and FBI, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum said the service has already more than doubled its previously-constrained effort against Chinese activity of concern, adding that it was running seven times as many investigations as in 2018.

The head of the FBI and the leader of Britain's domestic intelligence agency have raised fresh alarms about the Chinese government and warned business leaders that Beijing is determined to steal their technology for competitive gain.

The heightened tone comes ahead of a meeting Saturday between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Group of 20 leading rich and developing nations' ministers summit in Bali, Indonesia.

"The relevant US politician has been playing up the so-called China threat to smear and attack China," Zhao told reporters at a daily briefing when asked about FBI Director Christopher Wray's comments reaffirming longstanding concerns in denouncing economic espionage and hacking operations by China as well as the Chinese government's efforts to stifle dissent abroad.

"Facts have fully proven that the US is the biggest threat to world peace, stability and development," China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian's said. "We urge this US official to have the right perspective, see China's developments in an objective and reasonable manner and stop spreading lies and stop making irresponsible remarks."

Wray's speech was particularly notable because it took place at MI5's London headquarters and alongside the agency's director general, Ken McCallum, in an intended show of Western solidarity.

"We consistently see that it's the Chinese government that poses the biggest long-term threat to our economic and national security, and by our,' I mean both of our nations, along with our allies in Europe and elsewhere," Wray told attendees.

McCallum said the Chinese government and its "covert pressure across the globe" amounts to the most game-changing challenge we face."

Under Xi Jinping, president and head of the ruling Communist Party, China has assumed an increasingly aggressive foreign policy, joining with Russia in seeking to undermine the influence of the U.S. and its allies.

Beijing has refused to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine  which is expected to dominate the G-20 foreign ministers meeting  while condemning Western sanctions against Moscow and accusing Washington and NATO of provoking the conflict.

At the same time, the party exercises sweeping powers over all Chinese companies and institutions, both public and private, as it seeks to dominate global markets and emerging technologies.

The Chinese government and its covert pressure across the globe" amounts to the most game-changing challenge we face," McCallum said in his Wednesday remarks.

In his response, Zhao said British intelligence was simply projecting their own dishonourable behaviour onto China."

Over the past year, the UK has shared intelligence with 37 countries to help them defend against cyber espionage, McCallum said, adding that in May they had disrupted a sophisticated threat targeting critical aerospace companies.

Speaking about Taiwan, which China regards as a province, Wray said that China may try to forcibly take it over and if that were to happen, "it would represent one of the most horrific business disruptions the world has ever seen."

"The head of the British intelligence service should cast away (his) evil in mind, come out of the dark room and see the sunshine, and not always hold on to the zero-sum thinking or set up so-called imaginary enemies," he said.

Zhao on Wednesday slammed Blinken's comments at last week's NATO summit in Spain, in which the Secretary of State accused China of seeking to undermine the rules-based international order."
Luxury British jeweler Graff Diamonds Corp. paid $7.5 million ransom in Bitcoin to a Russian hacking gang after it leaked data on the jewelers high-profile clients, according to a London lawsuit.

Graff, that counts Middle East royalty among its client base, sued its insurer for losses over the extortion saying that the payment should be covered under their policy. The Travelers Companies Inc. is refusing to pay the jeweller caused by the Bitcoin ransom, Graff alleges.

Ransomware group Conti attacked the high-society jeweller in September 2021, leaking data about the Saudi, UAE and Qatar royal families. Conti apologized to the families in an unusual move for a hacking group, but threatened to leak more of Graffs data.

Our goal is to publish as much of Graffs information as possible regarding the financial declarations made by the US-UK-EU neo-liberal plutocracy, which engages in obnoxiously expensive purchases when their nations are crumbling under economic duress," the group said according to reports at the time.

Conti accepted Graffs offer of half their initial demand of $15 million to a Bitcoin wallet on Nov. 3, 2021 to stop more of its data being published. Since then, the price of Bitcoin has plummeted, meaning Graff paid the ransom at one of Bitcoins highest-ever prices.

It is not clear if Conti cashed out the Bitcoin payment at that time. Graffs payment would have been worth 118 Bitcoin on Nov. 4 -- but in London on Tuesday, 118 Bitcoin was worth a much-lower $2.3 million.

The criminals threatened targeted publication of our customers private purchases," a Graff spokesperson said. We were determined to take all possible steps to protect their interests and so negotiated a payment which successfully neutralized that threat."

We are extremely frustrated and disappointed by Travelers attempt to avoid settlement of this insured risk. They have left us with no option but to bring these recovery proceedings at the High Court," they said.

Laurence Graff controls the closely held jeweler and is worth $5.9 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index.

Representatives at Travelers and lawyers acting for the insurer did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
(Bloomberg) -- Billionaire Elon Musk is the father of eight-month-old twins born to a senior executive at his artificial intelligence startup Neuralink, Insider reported, citing a court document.

Musk and the executive asked a Texas judge in April to change the childrens names to reflect both their surnames, Insider said. The request was granted, according to the report.
Click here to read the full article.

The Bridgerton literary universe is expanding. Original series writer Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes, the executive producer of the romance series Netflix adaptation, are set to cowrite a new prequel novel set in the world of Bridgerton.

Currently untitled, the new book series is based on the universe of the TV series, and is an adaptation of the upcoming Netflix Bridgerton spinoff about a young Queen Charlotte. The book will tell the story of how Charlotte met and married King George, with a focus on how their love lead to a social shift that created the racially inclusive world seen in the television series.

Queen Charlotte has been such a moving character to write and now having the opportunity to work with Julia to adapt this story into a book is such an exciting opportunity, Rhimes said in a statement. I cant wait for fans of this universe to read the story of a character that has resonated so deeply with our audience.

The novel will be published by Avon Books, an imprint of the William Morrow Group at HarperCollins and the longtime publisher of Quinns Bridgerton novels. Publication will be timed to the release of the spinoff series on Netflix, which currently does not have a premiere date.

Also in todays TV news:

DATES

Hamster & Gretel, a new animated superhero comedy, will premiere on Disney Channel Aug. 12. The series focuses on sibling Kevin (Michael Cimino) and Gretel (Meli Povenmire), who are given the chance to gain superpowers by aliens. But an accident causes Gretels hamster Hamster (Beck Bennett) to receive powers instead of Kevin, whos now forced to work with both to keep their city from danger. Additional cast members include Joey King, Matt Jones and Carolina Ravassa. The series comes from Phineas and Ferb co-creator Dan Povenmire, and is produced by Disney Television Animation, with Brandi Young serving as lead producer. The first episode will premiere immediately following Disney Channel original film Zombies 3. Disney also shared a first trailer for the series. Watch below.

TRAILERS

The official trailer for Victorias Secret: Angels and Demons, an upcoming Hulu docuseries about the famous underwear brand, has been released. Directed by Matt Tyrnauer, the series is an expose into the brand and its longtime CEO Les Wexner, examining the controversy surrounding the company that caused it to fall from grace. Tyrnauer executive produces with Cory Reeser for Altimeter Films, along with Elizabeth Rogers, Jenny Ewig and Peter Berg, Matt Goldberg and Brandon Carroll for Film45. All episodes of the series stream on Hulu July 14. Watch the full trailer below.

The official trailer for The Anarchists, a six-part HBO documentary series about Jeff Berwicks Anarchapulco event, has been released. Directed by Todd Schramke, the documentary features interviews with Berwick and other main players in the Anarchapulco movement  an annual conference in Acapulco, Mexico attended by libertarians, cryptocurrency figures and others attracted to the philosophy of anarchy. The series is produced by Blumhouse Television, with Jason Blum, Jeremiah Crowell Chris McCumber, Jeremy Gold, Mary Lisio, James Buddy Day, Andre Gaines, Allen Bain, Kim Kylland and Todd Schramke for Bird Murmur and Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller for HBO executive producing. The series premieres July 10. Watch the full trailer below.

The official trailer for The Bond, a four-part docuseries from Discovery+, has been released. The series focuses on stories of wild animals who have forged deep, lasting bonds with human beings. Don Argott and Sheena Joyce direct the series, which is produced by Team Downey. Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey and Emily Barclay Ford executive produce for Team Downey alongside Glen Zipper and Sean Stuart. The series premieres on Discovery+ July 14. Watch the full trailer below.

A bond between humans and animals captured like youve never seen before From executive producers @RobertDowneyJr and Susan Downey, #TheBond is streaming on @discoveryplus starting Thursday, July 14. pic.twitter.com/sbhEXI90jv  Discovery (@Discovery) July 7, 2022

CANCELLATIONS

Joe Pera Talks With You, the Adult Swim comedy series created by and starring Pera, has been canceled. Pera made the announcement on Thursday via his twitter account and an email from his newsletter. The show, which first premiered in 2018, starred Pera as a fictional version of himself living in Michigan as a middle school choir teacher. In addition to Pera, the cast included Conner OMalley, Jo Scott, Gene Kelly and Jo Firestone. The series ran for three seasons, with Marty Schousboe directing every episode, most of which were 11-minutes long. The Warner Bros. Television series first premiered in 2018, with the third season premiering last November.

CASTING

Scott Schofield has been cast in a recurring role in Hulus new series Up Here. Schofield will appear as Phil, a surly, transgender manager of the NY bookstore where the main character works who is trying to become a novelist. Schofield is the first transgender man to be be nominated for an acting Emmy, for the daytime series Studio City in 2020. Other notable roles include The Conductor, The Blacklist, Equal and the upcoming film Off Ramp. He also appeared as himself in documentaries Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen and No Ordinary Man. He is the executive producer of the upcoming Blumhouse slasher film They/Them, and worked as a consultant and producer on Zombies 3 and Anythings Possible. Schofield is repped by Artists & Representatives and Lisa Evan Blumenthal of Momentum Talent Management.

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Production companies ConradFilm and Bavaria Fiction are following their German ratings and international sales hit Dark Woods with new high-octane police drama franchise Sonderlage, which has been ordered by German broadcaster RTL.

Crime drama Dark Woods was the most-watched program on German broadcaster ARDs streaming service in 2020, and was sold last year to numerous territories, including North America, the U.K., France, Spain, the Nordic region, Japan and India.

Filming of the first two 90-minute Sonderlage films has just begun in Hamburg and Berlin. Inspired by true events, Sonderlage (a working title whose literal translation is special situation) focuses on police work in exceptional situations such as terrorist attacks, hostage taking and high-scale extortion.

The film is directed by Andreas Senn (Unbroken) and written by Norbert Eberlein (Beat). Micha Grabowski (LOMO: The Language of Many Others) is the director of photography.

Executive producers are Marc Conrad (Dark Woods) from ConradFilm, and Lucia Staubach (Tatort: Dortmund) and Maren Knieling (Dark Woods) for Bavaria Fiction. The RTL editorial team is headed by Solveig Willkommen and executive producer Nico Grein, under the direction of Hauke Bartel, head of fiction at RTL Germany.

The production team is being advised by leading members of the Hamburg LKA  the State Office for Criminal Investigation.

The show stars Henny Reents (Nord bei Nordwest) alongside Annette Paulmann (Brief an mein Leben), Lasse Myhr (Blood Red Sky), Georg Butow (Der Feind meines Feindes), Banafshe Hourmazdi (Futur Drei), Zoe Valks (Dear Thomas), Frederik Schmid (The Queens Gambit) and Sven Gerhardt (Der Amsterdam-Krimi).

Broadcast is planned for next year.

Bartel said: We are bringing new crime thriller colors to RTL and are pleased to have such experienced and strong partners in ConradFilm and Bavaria Fiction, with whom we are venturing into very unusual and exciting special situations.

Screenwriter Nobert Eberlein shows us crime fiction from a perspective that has not yet been told. Thanks to the supporting expertise of leading members of the Hamburg LKA, the material has a gripping authenticity. This unique combination convinced us immediately.

Conrad, managing director at ConradFilm, said: Hostage-taking, terrifying rampages, kidnappings, escaped prisoners, high-caliber extortions, theft at financial institutions and sensitive national establishments cannot be handled within the confines of routine police work. These special situations require intensive cooperation between protective and criminal police, psychologists, topic-specific experts, special task forces, etc. This results in a high demand on forces, long deployment times, and a dramatic density of decisions in an avalanche of information. We will tell the story of this master plan with the mission to save lives for the first time on German television at RTL.

Bavaria Fictions managing director content, Marcus Ammon, and Staubach said: Inspired by true events, Sonderlage shows police work under extreme conditions. Under immense time pressure and under the observation of the public, decisions have to be made that determine life and death.

We are very pleased that together with our partners RTL and ConradFilm and with a strong team in front of and behind the camera  first and foremost Henny Reents, director Andreas Senn and writer Norbert Eberlein  we are now filming and viewers will soon be able to gain an insight into unusual cases and internal police power structures.

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Elon Musk is just doing his part to help populate Earth, according to his tweet following news that he secretly had twins with one of his companys executives last year. Doing my best to help the underpopulation crisis, he tweeted on Thursday, July 7. A collapsing birth rate is the biggest danger civilization faces by far. He added: Mark my words, they are sadly true.

Musk welcomed twins with Neuralinks Shivon Zilis in 2021, bringing his child tally up to nine known children, according to court documents obtained by Insider.

In April, the Tesla CEO and Zilis filed a petition to change the two childrens names to have their fathers last name and contain their mothers last name as part of their middle name, according to the outlet.

The two babies arrived just before he and Grimes had a child via surrogate in December. The mother of the twins currently works as director of operations and special projects for Neuralink, where Musk is co-CEO.

The news about the richest man alives two children comes days after his 18-year-old child Vivian Jenna Wilson was granted a name and gender change in California, removing Musk from her legal name and selecting a first name reflective of her gender identity.

Wilson told the court she wanted the name change due to the fact that I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father [Musk] in any way, shape or form, NBC reports.

Last month, the Tesla CEO was accused of exposing his penis to a flight attendant for SpaceX, his aerospace company, during a flight. The attendant was paid $250,000 to settle the case in 2018.

In March, Grimes revealed she had welcomed a second baby with Musk, named Exa Dark Siderl. They call her Y, following her older brother nicknamed X.

Asked by Vanity Fair whether the two were still together, Grimes said at the time, Theres no real word for it  I would probably refer to him as my boyfriend, but were very fluid. We live in separate houses. Were best friends. We see each other all the time  We just have our own thing going on, and I dont expect other people to understand it.

Grimes added that they planned on having more kids as well. Weve always wanted at least three or four, she said.

She later sent out a series of tweets stating that the two had broken up, but that Musk was still the love of my life.

According to Insider, Musk and Amber Heard, who briefly dated in 2016, may also have frozen embryos together. During the Depp-Heard trial, the boss of Heards sister testified that she heard from Heards mother that the actress was in a legal battle with him over the rights to embryos they had created together. She added: He wanted to destroy them, and Amber tried to keep them to have a baby.

Perhaps Musks next mission isnt heading to space, but shooting babies out to singlehandedly change the United States fertility rate: After all, he has a chart of the countrys falling birth rate pinned to his Twitter profile. USA birth rate has been below min sustainable levels for ~50 years, reads the tweet.

This story was updated to include Elon Musks July 7 tweets about underpopulation.
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Blondie have excavated a work-in-progress demo of the song that became Autoamericans Go Through It for their upcoming Against the Odds box set. The track, whose scratch title was I Love You Honey, Give Me a Beer, features Debbie Harry singing different lyrics and lacks the mariachi horns the band later added  but otherwise, it sounds as polished as the studio version. The group possibly wrote I Love You Honey to be included on the soundtrack for the 1980 movie Roadie.

Against the Odds: 1974  1982 will contain 124 tracks, including Blondies six studio albums the group released during that time period and 36 previously unreleased recordings. The rarities include the bands inaugural recordings, outtakes, and demos, like I Love You Honey. Also included are in-depth liner notes, which feature commentary from all seven original band members.

It really is a treat to see how far we have come when I listen to these early attempts to capture our ideas on relatively primitive equipment, Harry previously said in a statement. When I listen to these old tracks, it puts me there like I am a time traveler. As bad as it was sometimes, it was also equally as good. No regrets. More music.

I am hopeful that this project will provide a glimpse into the process and some of the journey that the songs took from idea to final form, guitarist Chris Stein said. Some of this stuff is like early sketches; the old tape machines are like primitive notebooks. The trickiest thing for me was always about getting the melodies out of my head into reality and the changes that would happen along the way.

In other Blondie news, Stein will release a book this fall, Species  Creating the Visual Concept for KooKoo, which contains photos he took of Harrys collaboration with Swiss surrealist artist H.R. Giger. The artist, who designed the xenomorph in the movie Alien, helped give Harry an extraterrestrial look for the cover of her debut solo album KooKoo, released a year after Autoamerican.
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If you thought Kenneth Branagh was heading back to make-up to shoot scenes as a belligerent Boris Johnson fighting for his premiership against a government uprising, think again.

Sources tell Variety that the highly anticipated Sky drama series This England wont be filming any more scenes despite the last chaotic 48 hours for U.K. government, which have culminated in Johnsons resignation. Thats because the show, perhaps wisely, only covers the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when Johnson  not even eight months into his leadership  struggled to get a grip on the health crisis and was even hospitalized with COVID-19 himself.

The drama  which is helmed by The Trip creator Michael Winterbottom  is currently in post-production. While an air date hasnt yet been set, its still on track to premiere in the autumn, as was the original plan when Branagh was first cast as Johnson in January 2021. This means its likely a new prime minister will be in place by the time the show actually comes to air.

The limited drama was originally called This Sceptred Isle but was renamed as This England earlier this year.

Sky Atlantic released a first clip from the show back in May. The teaser shows a remarkably convincing Branagh spitting out Johnson-esque lines such as This Covid virus we need to keep an eye on. From the trailer, its clear that the drama captures a very specific time period for Johnson as PM.

The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic will be remembered forever, said Winterbottom of the show in January 2021. A time when the country came together to battle an invisible enemy. A time when people were more aware than ever of the importance of community. Our series weaves together countless true stories  from Boris Johnson in Number 10 to front line workers around the country  chronicling the efforts of scientists, doctors, care home workers and policy makers to protect us from the virus.

Winterbottom was forced to leave the production due to illness for a number of months in 2021, but later returned. This England is produced by Fremantle, Richard Browns Passenger and Revolution Films.

Johnson on Thursday afternoon resigned as PM following a revolt among his Conservative government and more than 50 resignations in less than two days.

In a speech at 10 Downing Street addressing the nation, Johnson said the reason he fought so hard to remain as PM was because I felt it was my job, my duty, my obligation to you to continue what we promised in 2019. He listed among his accomplishments getting Brexit done, getting us all through the pandemic, delivering the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe and leading the West in standing up to Putins aggression in Ukraine.

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A Laredo ISD assistant principal has been placed on administrative leave following his recent arrest on human smuggling allegations.

But charges for Guadalupe Cortinas Jr. of transport, attempt to transport and conspire to transport migrants were dropped, according to an order of dismissal filed June 30.

The U.S. Attorneys Office requested the court to dismiss the criminal complaint filed against Cortinas without prejudice and in the interest of justice, according to court documents.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office said she "cannot elaborate as to our prosecutorial discretion unless otherwise part of the public record."

Attorney Guillermo del Barrio represented Cortinas. He released a statement regarding the dismissal of charges.

"At this time, we just want to reiterate that the Federal Government made the decision to dismiss the case. We obviously were not going to object to it. Mr. Cortinas is ready to move forward," Del Barrio stated.

With the charges dropped, its unclear if Cortinas will remain as an employee of Laredo ISD. He is listed as an assistant principal at Farias Elementary School.

The health, safety and security of our students remains the highest priority to which Laredo ISD ascribes, the district said in a statement. With this being said, the District responds to all issues according to all state and federal statutes in a timely manner. The matter is still under investigation and therefore it would not be appropriate for the District to comment any further.

A GoFundMe account was previously set up for Cortinas legal fees. The account had a goal of $10,000 but has been disabled. It had received 11 donations totaling $570 before it was deactivated.

"If you have ever crossed paths with Guadalupe "Lupe" Cortinas, then you know the kind of charismatic, FUNNY, generous, LOVING person and father that he is," the GoFundMe post read. "Lupe is always willing to help everyone and anyone he can. Throughout his career, he showed his support to every co-worker who he was able to work alongside with by simply being himself. He had a way of lighting up any room he walked into with his humorous presence. Whether he told (a) joke or made an honest remark, his comedic timing was always impeccable.

"At this time, we are asking anyone who would like to contribute to his legal fees due to a temporary lapse in judgment which should NOT define his beaming and decent character. Thank you in advance for ANY help you can provide. GOD bless you tenfold."

The allegations date back to June 6. At about 2:35 a.m., a gray Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Cortinas arrived at the Interstate 35 checkpoint. An agent asked Cortinas if he could lower the rear drivers side window. Cortinas complied. The agent observed a great deal of what appeared to be camping gear piled inside the rear of the vehicle, according to the arrest affidavit.

Asked if he was going camping, Cortinas allegedly stated No and added he was going to pick up his sister. An agent then noticed the shape of a human head underneath a sheet. When the agent touched the object, he felt someones facial features and an ear under the sheet, according to court documents.

Cortinas was instructed to exit the vehicle. Further inspection of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of eight people, who were later determined to be migrants who had crossed the border illegally.

Cortinas Jr. stated he was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine; therefore, a statement was not obtained, states the affidavit.

Two migrants from Mexico held as witnesses stated they made arrangements to be taken to Colorado. They stated they were taken to multiple stash houses after crossing the border illegally. They added they were picked up by a vehicle. The driver instructed them to be quiet as they approached the checkpoint, according to court documents.
Two people are facing charges in relation to a north Laredo shooting and a third male is wanted, according to Laredo police.

Anthony del Bosque, 20, was served with an arrest warrant on June 29 while the juvenile was detained on June 30. Both were charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Anthony del Bosque was released on bond the following day, according to Webb County Jail records. Meanwhile, the juvenile had his first detention hearing on Tuesday. He'll remain detained until his next hearing set for July 18, according to the Webb County Attorney's Office.

A third man identified as Albert del Bosque remains at large. To report his whereabouts, call Laredo Crime Stoppers at 727-TIPS (8477). Information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a cash reward.

The case unfolded at about 4:38 a.m. June 2, when police officers responded to multiple reports of shots fired in the 8500 block of Ontario Loop. First officers on the scene encountered a male lying on the street with blood on his face and a gunshot wound to his lower right leg. Officers also located several spent casings and live rounds near the injured male.

Laredo Fire Department crews took the injured male to Doctors Hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries. The male was identified as a 28-year-old man. An investigation revealed that multiple people had assaulted him. He stated that the incident was the result of a deal gone bad, and that he would take care of the situation at a later time. He further stated that he did not see who shot him or assaulted him. The man was later airlifted to University Hospital in San Antonio for further treatment.

During the investigation, authorities learned that three people were involved in the shooting. Investigators asked to speak to the mother of the trio. She agreed to speak to authorities and exited a residence in the 8500 block of Ontario. She added she did not know the details of the shooting because she had arrived home when the incident had already occurred. Her sons told her that her younger son had shot someone, according to court documents.

Authorities then noticed a red Chevy Silverado in the middle of the street with a bullet hole on the center of the hood with the exit on the left front quarter panel. Officers said they located a firearm in plain view inside the vehicle. The Silverado was registered to Anthony del Bosque. In total, two firearms were recovered from the vehicle: A 9mm Glock 10 Gen5 and a Glock 21 Gen4 45 Auto.

Authorities then observed a gold Chevy Malibu close to the area where the shooting had occurred. The Malibu was blocking the driveway on Ontario. A woman stated that the vehicle belonged to her but that it was registered to her mother. Investigators told her the vehicle was part of the investigation, but she initially denied consent for the vehicle to be searched. When an investigator told her he would apply for a search warrant, she approached police shortly after and stated that the juvenile had placed two guns inside the vehicle, states the arrest affidavit.

The Malibu was towed to the LPD headquarters. A search warrant executed on the vehicle yielded a Taurus G2C with one magazine containing 11 9mm live rounds, a Sig Sauer with one magazine containing eight 9mm live rounds and a white iPhone. Authorities then reached out to Albert del Bosque to check on him since there were reports of him being kidnapped, the affidavit states.

But Albert del Bosque stated he was fine and did not want to speak to police. However, Albert del Bosque briefly stated he was leaving his residence on Ontario in his Buick Lacrosse accompanied by his cousin. Albert del Bosque then saw two males walking and recognized one of them from when he was at the Webb County Jail.

He turned around to talk to them. The males asked him for a ride to the Whataburger on San Bernardo Avenue and Calton Road. The males asked him to park in a secluded area near the Whataburger. Albert del Bosque stated that the males took him to a room at the Red Roof Inn while his cousin stayed inside the vehicle. At the room, the males assaulted Alberto del Bosque and demanded money from him, according to court documents.

One male put a knife to Alberto del Bosques throat, court documents state. Alberto del Bosque then walked back to the vehicles with the males. The males told the cousin to get off the vehicle. The cousin then called Albert del Bosques brother, who was identified as Anthony del Bosque, to tell him about the incident. Albert del Bosques brothers went looking for him and the vehicle.

Meanwhile, the two males and Albert del Bosque drove to his residence on Ontario. One male stayed in the vehicle while the other walked with Albert del Bosque inside the residence. The male ransacked the home but found nothing of value for him. When they were exciting the home, Albert del Bosques relatives arrived. Albert del Bosques little brother took the gun from Anthony del Bosque and shot the male.

Meanwhile, the other male left in Albert del Bosques Buick. Albert del Bosque then stated he had nothing else to say. When police asked the mother to speak to her son about the shooting, she declined consent and requested an attorney. A gunshot residue kit was administered on the son and was released to his mother.

On June 6, police contacted Anthony del Bosque to tell him that his red Silverado was ready to be picked up. He arrived at LPD headquarters and allegedly agreed to talk to authorities about the shooting. Anthony del Bosque stated he was asleep when he got a call from his cousin saying that someone had stolen Albert del Bosques vehicle. He along with his little brother left in his Silverado. Anthony del Bosque then received a call from his mother saying that there was a male inside their residence on Ontario.

Anthony del Bosque returned to the residence and called his girlfriend saying to use his shotgun if she needed to. Anthony del Bosque arrived home and let his dog loose. He then heard shots fired. He added he called 911 saying that his little brother shot a male. Anthony del Bosque stated he took the gun away from his brother and placed it inside his red Silverado. Anthony del Bosque further stated that the Glock used in the shooting was inside his Silverado, according to police.

Asked how his brother got ahold of the gun, Anthony del Bosque stated that he probably took it from the glove compartment. Anthony del Bosque stated that the gun belonged to his girlfriend. He then asked why police had recovered the second gun. He was told it was part of the investigation.

Authorities then spoke to the male who was locked up in jail with Albert del Bosque. He stated he and the other male wanted to buy THC cartridges He then called a guy he knew from jail by the name of Del Bosque. Albert del Bosque gave him his address. The males walked to the location on Ontario. Once they arrived, del Bosque asked the male to go with him to distribute some narcotics by the Calton road area. While driving around, Albert del Bosque accused him of stealing packages from him. An altercation ensued, according to police.

Albert del Bosque drove back to Ontario, where the male stole Albert del Bosques THC cartridges out of anger. He stated that some people inside the residence saw him. The people got the male out of the residence. He then saw a red truck approach the residence. The male took off running. About three houses down, he heard shots fired and felt his knee give up, causing him to fall to the floor. Several men then approached him and started beating him up. He sustained three gunshot wounds on his ankle, buttocks and shin. The male identified Albert del Bosque and Anthony del Bosque as the men who assaulted him, according to police.
PHOENIX (AP)  Republican Gov. Doug Ducey on Thursday signed a massive expansion of the states private school voucher system, even as he faced a promised effort by public school advocates to block the bill and ask voters to erase it during Novembers election.

The expansion Ducey signed will let every parent in Arizona take public money now sent to the K-12 public school system and use it to pay for their childrens private school tuition or other education costs.

Arizona already has the most expansive education options in the nation and will have the most comprehensive voucher system if the bill takes effect.

An estimated 60,000 private students and about 38,000 being homeschooled would immediately be eligible to take up to $7,000 per year, although a small number currently get vouchers. All 1.1 million students who attend traditional district and charter schools would also qualify to leave their public schools and get money to go to private schools. About a third already qualify, but only about 12,000 students statewide now use the system.

Ducey has championed school choice during his eight years in office. He signed a universal voucher expansion in 2017 with enrollment caps that was referred to the ballot by a grassroots group called Save Our Schools Arizona.

Voters soundly rejected the expansion by a 2-to-1 vote in the 2018 election, but advocates of what are formally called Empowerment Scholarship Accounts pushed ahead with new expansions anyway. The universal voucher bill passed with only support from majority Republican lawmakers in the legislative session that ended early on June 25.

Save Our Schools Arizona Executive Director Beth Lewis said her group will immediately file to refer the law to the ballot under a provision of the Arizona Constitution that allows opponents of new laws to collect signatures of 5% of eligible voters and block it until the next general election.

In this case, they will need to collect nearly 119,000 valid signatures, and proponents usually add a 25% cushion. They need to have those collected and turned in to the Secretary of State by late September to prevent the law from taking effect and put it on the November ballot.

I have every confidence that were going to be able to refer HB2853, Lewis said in an interview. Our network of volunteers across the state are pumped and ready.

Lewis and other public school advocates say vouchers take money from an already underfunded public school system, while proponents herald the program as letting parents choose the best education for their children.

Lewis said the price tag of the new voucher law could take away more than the new school funding lawmakers added this year, which neared $1 billion in ongoing and one-time cash.

In a nutshell, this bill will siphon upwards of $1 billion from public schools every single year to unaccountable private academies, micro schools and homeschools, Lewis said. And we simply cant let that happen.

Many of the students in the voucher program are disabled. By adding current private and home-schooled students, she said anywhere from $400 million to $600 million would be going out the window like overnight, with automatic eligibility on September 26.

The Legislatures budget analysts put the expansion costs much lower, at $125 million in two years, but acknowledge the figures are highly speculative and based on new costs, not the losses from public schools. Many private school students get money from a tax credit program, but those payments average much less than vouchers, so many are likely to switch.

Ducey has been touting the expansion on social media in the past two weeks, and touted mentions in conservative news outlets in a news release announcing the bill signing.

Ducey in a statement called the signing a monumental moment for all of Arizonas students. Our kids will no longer be locked in under-performing schools.

Most of those underperforming schools, however, are in low-income areas with little access to private schools and whose parents rely on the local public schools, which have been underfunded for years.

He made no mention of the overwhelming rejection of the 2017 expansion or of the expected new challenge. Instead, he touted Arizona's lead in private school options.

With this legislation, Arizona cements itself as the top state for school choice and as the first state in the nation to offer all families the option to choose the school setting that works best for them, he said.

The voucher law contains no accountability provisions like testing that a few Republicans had sought. Theres also limited oversight of the funds distributed.

The program only applied to students with disabilities when it began in 2011 but has been greatly expanded over the years to cover many others, including students living on American Indian reservations, attending low-performing public schools and other groups.

The nearly 12,000 current students were awarded $196 million in the just-ended school year, according to data from the Arizona Department of Education. About $20 million of that has not yet been disbursed.

Parents get 90% of the state funds that normally go to their local public school to use for private school tuition and other education costs. Disabled students can receive up to $40,000 for specialized therapy.
As Dr. Minita Ramirezs first week as president of Laredo College arrives, she shared the direction she wants her administration to follow as well as the leadership plans she will be implementing.

Ramirez is a daughter of a teacher and principal, so education has always been in her pathway. She said there are some goals she inherited and others that will develop over time time.

After a short time of actively being an administrator at the institution  officially starting Friday  she is starting to see what those needs are.

Initially, the first goal is to increase full-time enrollment. There is a division among students she considers  one is the freshmen or academic vocational workforce students that are just out of high school, while the other includes dual-credit students.

The dual-credit category seems to be growing much faster than regular education programs. Her first objectives are to stabilize the growth on both so each program is flourishing together.

The second is to try to stabilize LCs budget.

I think that the moment we start to expand our student enrollment, we are going to be able to see our budget stabilize a little bit better so we can expand our programs she said. Ive received so many calls from the community saying, We need more mechanics, I cant find plumbers, we need more electricians, etc. What we need to do is to expand those programs, but we need to hire more faculty and expand our facilities.

She said it is a difficult dilemma due to fact they need more capacity for incoming students, so more funding needs to be available for the budget. However, they will be managed in a way in which these two things simultaneously feed of each other.

Another of Ramirezs goals is to create a vibrant, exciting on-campus community. She said the space she wants to create will not only benefit students academic skills but will encourage social interaction and create job opportunities for individuals to consider their campus as their home.

They are going to come here and they are not only going to learn here but make friends, enjoy friends, reconnect with old friends and create a life where they work on campus (and) come to school, she said. They can eat here, they can study here and not waste gas coming and going, and having that opportunity to create those relationships, that will last forever.

We also want to create a culture among all of our staff and faculty of collaboration, communication and real openness, so people share ideas. That they support each other, they help each other grow and develop, and really create that culture of sustainability long term.

Those are the imminent short-term goals for Laredo College, but more will come too as time passes.

Having been a part of different educational institutions, Ramirez said the experiences obtained are a great tool for her to succeed and the key to accomplish goals are to work collaboratively.

I have quite (a lot of) experience working on public education and higher education and in the private sector too, she said. All those experiences have taught me the importance of collaboration, communication, mutual respect and understanding.

She said she will also support the faculty, since theyre a fundamental part of the college. And for them to perform well, she will provide all that is necessary to expect great results from them.

They are going to be as committed to the institution, to students and to the community as we are to them, Ramirez said. Success is going to be dependent on the leadership by providing all of its employees with the appropriate tools, support and training to succeed. I cant expect something if I dont provide the tools that you need and the training that it requires. It is imperative, so we are going to provide faculty our support, but we are going to expect a lot of great things from them too.

Affordable education, one of the core values of Laredo College, is continued by Ramirez, since shes a true believer that education can be a huge opportunity for some to have a greater life.

You need to be empathetic to peoples needs, she said. Not sympathetic, empathetic. Having that empathy and understanding that people are coming with all different kinds of situations and needs from home, and that our students are looking for college to be the answer for all their needs.

The value in an affordable education is the difference between prosperity and a life of difficulty. If you dont have the proper training or skill, then how are you going to take care of yourself and family?

We have to be somehow all things to all people. Not only the learning place for our students, but a transitional place from students to go from here to the workforce, to another institution or to life  a life of success and prosperity.
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SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  A South Korea activist said Thursday he launched more huge balloons carrying COVID-19 relief items toward North Korea, days after the North vowed to sternly deal with such activities and made a highly questionable claim they were a source of the virus.

South Korean experts doubt North Koreas moves to blame South Korean balloons and say the intent might be to incite anti-South Korea sentiments and ease public complaints over its handling of the outbreak. The coronavirus is spread by people in close contact who inhale airborne droplets, and the expert consensus is that the spread of the virus from surfaces is virtually impossible.

Park Sang-hak, a North Korean defector-turned-activist, said his group floated 20 balloons carrying 20,000 masks and tens of thousands of vitamin C and fever-reducing tablets from a South Korean border town on Wednesday. He said he sent similar aid items by balloon across the inter-Korean border twice last month.

One of the balloons carried a large placard calling North Korea leader Kim Jong Un a hypocrite and condemning him for holding South Korean activists responsible for the virus outbreak. But Park said the balloons didnt carry what he had previously sent for years  small but numerous anti-North Korea propaganda leaflets, U.S. one-dollar bills and USB sticks containing information about the outside world. He said hell now focus on sending medical relief items because North Koreans urgently need them.

Since North Korea in May admitted to an omicron outbreak of the virus, its state media said about 4.8 million North Koreans have developed fevers but only 74 have died. Experts doubt the figures are accurate and speculate its disclosure of an extremely low death count is tooled to prevent political damage to Kim.

Last week, state media said the outbreak had been traced to residents who had contact with alien things in a town near the border and that authorities have been ordered to vigilantly deal with alien things coming by wind and other climate phenomena and balloons.

Some outside experts, however, believe the omicron variant entered North Korea when it briefly reopened its northern border with China for freight traffic in January. Observers say the virus spread further when many North Koreans travelled to Pyongyang for massive public events marking state anniversaries in April and returned home.

The one who spread COVID-19 is Kim Jong Un. But since public sentiments are really bad, hes trying to put all the blame on us, Park said. How can materials spread COVID-19?

Park is standing trial for a past leafleting campaign under a contentious South Korean law criminalizing such activities that took effect last year.

Park said he hasnt been contacted by authorities about his recent ballooning activities. Police said Thursday they are investigating Parks recent balloon launches but refused to provide further details.

North Korea is extremely sensitive to outside attempts to criticize Kims rule to people who has little access to information from foreign sources. In 2014, North Korea fired at balloons flying toward its territory, and in 2020 it destroyed an empty South Korean-built liaison office in the North to express its anger over leafleting.
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LONDON (AP)  Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation Thursday after droves of top government officials quit over the latest scandal to engulf him, marking an end to three tumultuous years in which he tried to bluster his way through one ethical lapse after another.

Months of defiance ended almost with a shrug as Johnson stood outside No. 10 Downing St. and conceded that his party wanted him gone.

Thems the breaks, he said.

The brash, 58-year-old politician who took Britain out of the European Union and steered it through COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine was brought down by one scandal too many  this one involving his appointment of a politician who had been accused of sexual misconduct.

The messiest of prime ministers did not leave cleanly. Johnson stepped down immediately as Conservative Party leader but said he would remain as prime minister until the party chooses his successor. The timetable for that process will be announced next week. The last leadership contest took six weeks.

But many want him to go now, with some Conservative politicians expressing fear he could do mischief even as a caretaker prime minister.

Its very difficult to see how Boris Johnson, given the character that he is, is going to be able to govern for three months in quiet humility and contrition," said George Freeman, who resigned as science minister on Thursday.

Among the possible candidates to succeed Johnson: former Health Secretary Sajid Javid, former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.

About 50 Cabinet secretaries, ministers and lower-level officials quit the government over the past few days because of the latest scandal, often castigating the prime minister as lacking integrity.

The mass resignations stalled the business of some parliamentary committees because there were no ministers available to speak on the governments behalf.

Johnson clung to power for days, defiantly telling lawmakers on Wednesday that he had a colossal mandate from the voters and intended to get on with the business of governing.

But he was forced to concede defeat Thursday morning after one of his closest allies, newly appointed Treasury chief Nadhim Zahawi, publicly told him to resign for the good of the country.

In the last few days, I tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments when were delivering so much and when we have such a vast mandate," Johnson said. I regret not to have been successful in those arguments, and of course its painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself.

He said it is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister.

Critics said the speech showed Johnson, to the end, refusing to take responsibility for or admit his mistakes.

Many Britons reacted to news of his resignation with relief and surprise, given his habit of digging in.

It felt like he can just keep on going and keep on ignoring it, so I was bit surprised this morning when saw it on my phone," Himmat Dalyway, an investment trader in his 20s, said outside an Underground station in London. Are you still 100% sure that he is going?

As Johnson gathered his cobbled-together Cabinet for a meeting after his resignation announcement, he promised not to rock the boat in his remaining weeks. He told members the government would not seek to implement new policies or make major changes of direction.

It was a humiliating defeat for Johnson, who not only pulled off Brexit but was also credited with rolling out one of the worlds most successful mass vaccination campaigns to combat COVID-19.

But the perpetually rumpled, shaggy-haired leader known for answering his critics with bombast and bluster was also dogged by allegations he behaved as if the rules did not apply to him.

He managed to remain in power despite accusations that he was too close to party donors, that he protected supporters from bullying and corruption allegations, and that he misled Parliament about government office parties that broke COVID-19 lockdown rules.

When allegations of Downing Street parties emerged, Johnson told lawmakers there was no party and no rules were broken. But when photos of the prime minister raising a glass in front of a group of people surfaced, critics, some of them inside the Conservative Party, said Johnson had lied to Parliament  traditionally a resigning matter.

The prime minister was fined by police over the parties and survived a no-confidence vote last month in Parliament in which 41% of Conservative lawmakers tried to oust him.

Johnson became prime minister in July 2019, succeeding Theresa May, who resigned after Parliament rejected the Brexit agreement she negotiated with the EU. Johnson pushed his own Brexit deal through in an often messy and turbulent debate.

With his mop of unruly blond hair, he often looked like a schoolboy who had just rolled out of bed and run to class with his pajamas under his clothes.

In his rise to power he showed many of the same habits and abilities that would carry him far but also spell his downfall: He was an ebullient, attention-loving mayor of London; a journalist who was fired for making up a quote and filed exaggerated stories about EU excesses; and a politician with an Eton- and Oxford-honed talent for colorful oratory and the thrust and parry of debate.

He became known for his light regard for the truth and his glib and offensive remarks. He called Papua New Guineans cannibals and likened Muslim women who wear face-covering veils to letter boxes.

Recent disclosures that Johnson knew about sexual misconduct allegations against a Conservative lawmaker before he promoted him to a senior position in government proved to be one scandal too many.

The crisis began when Chris Pincher resigned as deputy chief whip amid accusations that he had groped two men at a private club. That triggered a series of reports about past allegations against Pincher.

Johnson offered shifting explanations about what he knew and when he knew it. That just heightened the sense that the prime minister couldnt be trusted.

Key Cabinet members Javid and Sunak, who were responsible, respectively, for fighting COVID-19 and inflation, resigned within minutes of each other Tuesday. That set off the wave of departures by their colleagues.

Now with a leadership election upon them, the Conservatives will have to decide whether they can stomach Johnson as a caretaker leader, a job that normally entails saying little and doing nothing.

To be honest, I think a lot of the public will want to see him gone straightaway," said Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London. You know, they dont want to see him hanging around like a bad smell in Downing Street.

___

Follow all of APs coverage of Prime Minister Boris Johnson at https://apnews.com/hub/boris-johnson
In corporate deals we actually care about, Amazon struck a deal with GrubHub this week that includes a year-long GrubHub+ trial for Amazon Prime members in the U.S. starting July 6  just in time for Prime Day.

If you have an Amazon Prime membership, you can head to the Prime Grubhub page and from there, activate your free GrubHub+ membership. Youll get free delivery on eligible orders and receive alerts when theres extra savings going on.

The new perk comes from a deal made by Amazon and GrubHub Wednesday: Amazon has the option to take a 2% stake in Grubhub, according to CNBC, and part of the bargain is that Amazon Prime members get a free year-long subscription to Grubhub+. The move makes sense for both parties: Amazon Prime members like things fast, and GrubHub just got handed a bigger customer base. Amazon made a similar deal with Deliveroo and U.K. and Irish Prime members last September after taking a stake in Deliveroo, per CNBC.

The agreement comes at a challenging time in the food delivery business. GrubHub's owner, Just Eat (Europes largest food-delivery platform), is looking to partially sell off or fully sell GrubHub. According to Bloomberg, GrubHub is struggling among its peers: It has just 13 percent of the U.S. meal delivery market, versus 60 percent for DoorDash and 24% for Uber Eats, plus the lowest per-customer quarterly spend. A host of new customers from Prime could come at a critical time for the company.

On this news, the stock of other food delivery businesses, including Uber and DoorDash, fell a respective 3% and as much as 9%, according to CNBC. Looking at the bigger picture, the stocks of Uber and Deliveroo  the latter of which Amazon has that stake in  are both down nearly 50% this year.

While no one knows how this will all play out yet for GrubHub, the easy thing to say is to get your free GrubHub+ while you can.
Hixson resident, Julie Amos contacted Local 3 for help, saying she spent $1,500 to have her AC unit repaired, but says the contractor dropped her as a client and she was never reimbursed.
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A young man who pleaded guilty to drug driving and driving without documentation received a nine month custodial sentence at Longford District Court.

Elvina Svenciunas (21) of 51 Bracklin Park, Edgeworthstown was before the court on three motoring charges.

The defendant was charged with driving without insurance, drug driving and driving without a driver's licence at Tinnynare, Edgeworthstown. Solicitor for the defendant, Fiona Baxter, told the court her client was entering a guilty plea to all matters.

Sg Mark Mahon outlined to Judge Bernadette Owens the details of the incident that brought the defendant before the court. Sg Mahon said on January 28, 2022 at 12:20 pm Garda Charman stopped a Ford SMAX driven by Mr Svenciunas because it had no break light.

An examination of the car found it to have a bald tyre. The insurance and tax disks were not up to date and as the officer spoke to Mr Svenciunas he suspected him of drugs driving.

The defendant was brought to Longford Garda station and a subsequent blood test showed that there was a concentration of drugs in Mr Svenciunas' system above the permissible level. Sgt Mahon said the defendant also failed to produce insurance.

The court was told Mr Svenciunas had 14 previous convictions including those for no insurance and no driver licence. He previously received two five-month prison term for motoring offences in 2018 and is currently serving a sentence, due for release in October 2023.

Ms Baxter said her client is a Lithuanian national who has lived in Ireland for the last five years and has worked full time in a factory. Ms Baxter said Mr Svenciunas has never been a burden to the State. Judge Ownes interjected: He has, he's been in prison.

Ms Baxter said Mr Svenciunas has only come to Garda attention for road traffic matters. She described how the defendant finds custody particularly difficult because of the language barrier.

The solicitor pointed out that her client pleaded at the first available opportunity and ask the judge to consider a suspended sentence to act as a deterrent.

Noting the facts and the mitigation Judge Owens described the level of previous convictions as as bad as I can recall adding that the recent convictions were very serious.

With regard to the Section 56 (no insurance), I don't think a suspended sentence is an option. I will impose a five month prison term, the judge said, but backdated to June 21, 2022 when the defendant first went into custody on the matter.

A further prison term of four months for the drug driving charge was imposed, which will run consecutive to the no insurance penalty. The section 38 (no drivers licence) was taken into consideration. The defendant's driving ban was extended to 12 years.

Recognisance was set in the event of an appeal on the defendant own bond of 250 and an independent surety of 1,000, 500 of which is in cash and the rest to be approved by the District Court.
Sinn Fein is considering tabling a motion of no confidence in the government next week, after the three-party coalition lost its majority following a vote on legislation on Wednesday evening.

Former education minister Joe McHugh voted against the Governments mica redress scheme bill, which aims to compensate homeowners in four counties affected by defective building blocks.

Donegal TD Mr McHugh told the Dail: My gut is telling me that this scheme is falling short for too many people, and particularly for constituents in my own county.

Mr McHugh, who formerly served as a chief whip, subsequently resigned the whip in the wake of his dissenting vote  reducing the governments support to one short of a majority of 80.

On Thursday, Taoiseach Micheal Martin welcomed the prospect of a no-confidence vote, saying that it gives a chance to show that this has been a competent, good government.

Sinn Fein is due to meet on Friday morning to decide if it will table the motion.

Mary Lou McDonald told reporters in Dublin: We will meet tomorrow morning and we will take a decision on a confidence motion but as we speak, yes it is under action consideration and we know each of us in our individual experiences that two things  first the appetite for change that was so evidence in the last general election has not gone away.

It has grown.

Secondly, people have now run out patience, if they had any to begin with, with this government.

They no longer have a majority. I have no doubt that they believe they could limp on.

The sooner we have a change, the better, but on the issue of the confidence motion, we are considering that matter and will make a final call on it.

Asked if she believes she will win, given some independent TDs vote with the Government, Ms McDonald said the party will weigh that up.

What we know without fear of contradiction is that in the area of housing, for example, things have gone from bad worse.

Not alone has this Government improved matters, as a matter things are considerably worse now than they were two years ago for lots and lots of people, for renters, for people who may wish to buy their own home and certainly we now have record levels of homelessness.

We go into the Dail week in and week out and we listen to the same mantra, and the same delusion on behalf of the government. That cannot continue because people suffer in very real and measurable ways.

Speaking to reporters from Government Buildings in Dublin, Mr Martin said that he welcomed the prospect of a no-confidence motion.

Its not unexpected that towards the end of the last week of this parliamentary session that they would put down a motion  opposition parties tend to do that from time to time, he said.

We have a good working majority, we welcome the opportunity that they present to us, to outline the fact that this has been a competent, good government.

Look at how weve come through Covid-19, not just in terms of having one of the better performances globally in respect of mortality, in respect of our resilience, the way we underpinned the economy throughout Covid, such that it bounced back to an unprecedented level.

The Taoiseach also referenced the governments clear response to the war in Ukraine and climate change policy as evidence of his governments effectiveness.

We have a lot to say in terms of policy: education, health and of course housing, where the Housing for All represents the most comprehensive suite of policies that have been advanced by any political party.

When asked whether hed be worried about facing into an election given recent polling numbers, Mr Martin said no, not at all.

Sinn Fein tabled a motion of no confidence in Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney in September 2021 over the appointment of former minister Katherine Zappone as a UN special envoy.

Some 92 TDs voted in favour of Mr Coveney, including 12 independents, while 59 voted against him.
Local News

By Long Island Published: July 07 2022

After OAG Sent Warning Letter, Clear 19 Rapid Testing Refunded Hundreds of New Yorkers Who Received Late COVID-19 Results

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that her office recovered more than $122,000 for more than 690 consumers in New York City who paid for expedited COVID-19 tests but received their results later than the promised 24-hour timeframe. After the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) issued a warning letter to Clear 19 Rapid Testing LLC (Clear 19) to stop misrepresenting turnaround times for COVID-19 results, Clear 19 refunded hundreds of consumers who received their results more than two hours after the promised time. The company also amended their advertising to accurately describe turnaround times.

New Yorkers paid Clear 19 for expedited COVID-19 tests so they could get fast results to travel safely during the holidays, instead they received their results days or weeks later, said Attorney General James. Clear 19 misled New Yorkers, but we held them accountable and got their money back. We are still in the midst of this pandemic, and testing sites that advertise fast results are still required to deliver on those promises. New Yorkers depend on accurate and timely results to stay safe, and my office will continue to ensure that testing sites meet those standards and no one is cheated.

Clear 19 refunded $122,014 in fees to 692 consumers who had received late test results during the holiday season. Two other COVID-19 testing sites, ClearMD Health and SameDay Health, previously refunded thousands of consumers more than $182,000 and more than $230,000 respectively for failing to provide expedited test results that consumers paid extra charges for.

The OAG first launched investigations into COVID-19 testing sites in December 2021, following numerous reports from New Yorkers who were not receiving COVID-19 test results as promised during the busy holiday season.

Attorney General James asks any consumer who believes a lab or other testing facility is making misleading statements about its turnaround time for COVID-19 test results to file a complaint online with OAG's Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau or call the office at 1-800-771-7755.

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Franklin Romeo and Deputy Bureau Chief of the Consumer Frauds & Protection Bureau Laura J. Levine, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Jane M. Azia. Assistance was provided from Data Analyst Anushua Choudhury under the supervision of Research and Analytics Department Deputy Director Megan Thorsfeldt. The Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau is a part of the Division of Economic Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Chris DAngelo and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
GreenX Metals Ltd - Developing Arctic Rift copper project in Greenland - Files GBP737 million statement of reply for a revised compensation claim against Poland.

Claim against Poland continues to allege that Poland breached its obligations under the ECT and BIT treaties in order to block the development of the company's Jan Karski and Debiensko mines in Poland.

Next step is for Poland itself to lodge its final submission to the Tribunal, followed by a hearing to be conducted.

"The claim is proceeding at pace, following the company's submission of its Statement of Reply in the BIT arbitration, which included a revised valuation of damages. The compensation being claimed by the company is GBP737 million following an update prepared by external quantum experts. The GreenX management team continues to work with its legal counsel and a range of external experts in prosecuting the claim," said Chief Executive Officer Ben Stoikovich.

Current stock price: 10.71 pence

12-month change: down 19%

By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Shareholders in J Sainsbury PLC have rejected a call for the business to become an accredited living wage employer after the supermarket chain's chair told them it would reduce the company's flexibility.

At its annual general meeting, 83% of shareholders voted against the resolution, while 17% voted in favour of it.

Chair Martin Scicluna warned that becoming an accredited living wage employer would reduce the company's flexibility even as the cost of living for its staff soars.

Scicluna said that he believes the company pays well, but rejected the call from non-profit group ShareAction.

Simon Rawson, director of corporate engagement at ShareAction, attended the AGM in person and asked: "So can the board tell us what discussions it's had about balancing the interests of different stakeholder groups and how it reached a judgment not to pay a wage that covers the cost of living?"

"We are the leader in the supermarket world in paying the living wage right now. We've got an amazing track record of being a responsible business. And there are other retailers who frankly have not demonstrated that they're responsible," Scicluna said, pointing to the return of business rates relief to the government, among other things.

"We believe we have behaved very, very responsibly, the only difference between your co-filers and us is that we don't want to go the full length of being accredited," he told ShareAction.

"We feel that does not give us the flexibility when we're trying to balance the needs of all the stakeholders."

ShareAction and others  including Legal & General PLC, HSBC and Nest  had asked Sainsbury's to ensure that it paid all of its 189,000 colleagues a living wage amid the cost-of-living crisis.

The company already pays its in-house staff the living wage.

But the accreditation would force J Sainsbury to commit to keeping up with the living wage in coming years, and also to ensure contractors were paid a living wage.

ShareAction said that supermarket staff had been recognised as key workers during the pandemic, keeping food on the table of households.

The public therefore expects them to be appropriately rewarded, it said, yet they are one of the largest groups of low-paid workers in the country.

It said that around half of companies in the FTSE 100  of which J Sainsbury is a member  are accredited.

Scicluna also defended the pay for the company's top bosses, including the chief executive who made GBP3.8 million last year.

"We have got to ensure that we reward and we incentivise our management," he said.

"You can't buck the market. We could go with your argument and reduce very significantly at the top, but I tell you our competitors would leap over the fences to take away our really good and able people.

"There's a market out there and you can't ignore a market when you're selling carrots, and you can't ignore a market when you're setting salaries."

Shares in J Sainsbury were down 0.1% at 214.40 pence on Thursday in London.

By August Graham and Danielle Desouza, PA

source: PA

Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Kromek Group PLC on Thursday said it has entered into an agreement with Smiths Detection Inc to distribute its radiation detection equipment to North and South American markets.

Smiths Detection, a part of the Smiths Group PLC, specialises in threat detection and screening technologies for aviation, ports and borders, defence and urban security markets.

Shares in the Sedgefield, England-based detection technology supplier were up 9.7% to 10.15 pence each in London on Thursday around midday. Meanwhile, shares in Smiths Group were up 2.5% to 1,418.50p each.

Under the terms of the contract, Smiths will market and distribute Kromek's D3 and D5 series of wearable radiation detectors. The detection and identification solutions are designed to enable first responders, armed forces, border security and other CBRN experts to detect radiological threats such as dirty bombs, radioactive contamination and smuggling of radioactive substances, Kromek said.

Chief Executive Arnab Basu said: "We are delighted to partner with Smiths Detection, which has been at the forefront of providing solutions needed to protect society for over four decades.

"Our wearable D3 and D5 family of products are closely aligned to the needs of Smiths Detection's customer base and complement their existing product offering," Basu added.

By Sophie Rose; sophierose@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - The Conservative Party leadership contest is now unofficially under way, with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's resignation setting the wheels in motion for a new Prime Minister to take the reins.

The beleaguered PM finally made the decision to bow out as support for his premiership collapsed around him, with upwards of 50 MPs quitting government and party posts since Tuesday evening.

He will remain as prime minister until a successor is in place, expected to be by the time of the Conservative Party conference in October.

Johnson's departure fires the starting gun for a contest to replace him.

The exact timetable for this is agreed by the 1922 Committee and Tory Party HQ, with Conservative MPs and party members playing a decisive role in electing the next leader.

Tory MPs will whittle down the candidates to a final two through a balloting process, with party members then voting on who they would prefer.

In the meantime, Johnson will remain as a caretaker prime minister.

But critics of the outgoing PM have suggested he should not be allowed to stay in office until the autumn.

Former prime minister Theresa May was asked if she would be prepared to act as a caretaker, but said: "I don't think there's going to be a caretaker prime minister in the sense of somebody else coming into that role."

Possible contenders who have not yet announced their candidacy include Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid, whose resignations from Cabinet on Tuesday triggered the mass exodus that ultimately crippled Johnson's leadership.

The PA news agency understands that Javid, the former health secretary, is seriously considering running, as is Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.

Shapps, who was key to the prime minister's fight for survival during partygate, was among the Cabinet ministers telling Johnson to stand down on Wednesday.

Some Tories have already made their ambitions clear. Attorney General Suella Braverman launched an unlikely leadership bid as support for Johnson crumbled around him on Wednesday night.

Previously a loyalist to the departing PM, she told Peston on ITV that he had handled matters "appallingly" in recent days and that "the balance has tipped now in favour of saying that the prime minister  it pains me to say it  but it's time to go".

Braverman, who was first elected as an MP in 2015, will be regarded as something of an outsider for the leadership given the party grandees already tipped to be running.

Prominent Brexiteer and former minister Steve Baker, a senior Tory backbencher, also confirmed on Thursday he is seriously considering putting himself forward for the top job.

He told Times Radio people are asking him to do it, and it would be "dismissive and disrespectful" if he did not heed expressions of support, though he said he regards the prospect with "something akin to dread".

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has made little secret of her leadership ambitions, with a series of high-profile interventions and photo opportunities in which she appeared to be channelling late PM Margaret Thatcher.

Despite being a fervent Johnson loyalist, she was nowhere to be seen as the government crumbled around him.

She is now cutting short an official trip to Indonesia and will issue a statement shortly, sources close to her said.

Despite not routinely featuring among those tipped to take the PM's place, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng may have raised eyebrows with an intervention on Thursday morning, saying the country needs a leader who can "rebuild trust", and that person should take charge "as soon as practicable".

In a tweet, he made reference to his own trip to Teesside on Thursday, where he said he will be launching a "GBP400 million investment  a new offshore wind factory".

"Westminster is a mess, but this investment  and those jobs  will outlast any PM. The wheels of Government must continue in the meantime," he said.

Robert Buckland, who has just been appointed the new Secretary of State for Wales, has declined to rule out running as Tory leader.

Asked on BBC Radio 4's World at One programme whether he was considering throwing his hat in the ring, the former Justice Secretary said: "Who knows."

However, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab is not planning to stand to become the next Conservative Party leader, PA understands.

By Amy Gibbons and Sophie Wingate, PA Political Correspondents

source: PA

Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson dramatically sacked Cabinet rival Michael Gove and rejected calls to quit as support for his leadership collapsed at Westminster.

The prime minister met ministers in No 10 on Thursday, where he was told he had lost the confidence of the Tory party and could not continue in office.

Gove was thought to have told the prime minister on Wednesday morning that it was time for him to quit.

That was followed by a delegation of Cabinet ministers going to No 10 to tell Johnson he should stand down after losing the trust of his MPs.

The BBC reported that Communities Secretary Gove had been sacked, with a No 10 source telling the broadcaster: "You cannot have a snake who is not with you on any of the big arguments who then gleefully briefs the press that he has called for the leader to go.

"You cannot operate like that."

Johnson's relationship with Gove has long been troubled, with the prime minister's leadership campaign in 2016 derailed when his rival withdrew support and decided to run himself.

But it was not only Gove who sought to persuade Johnson that his time in No 10 should end.

Home Secretary Priti Patel, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis and Welsh Secretary Simon Hart were among the Cabinet ministers telling Johnson to stand down.

The PA news agency understands that Patel spoke to the prime minister to convey the "overwhelming view" of the parliamentary party.

Shapps is thought to have told Johnson that he stood little chance of winning another confidence vote and should instead set out a timetable for a departure on his own terms.

Nadhim Zahawi, who was only appointed Chancellor on Tuesday, was also thought to be among those taking part in the showdown with Johnson.

But Johnson rejected suggestions he should seek a "more dignified exit" and will instead fight for his political future  something which could trigger further Cabinet resignations.

A source close to the prime minister said he told his colleagues there would be "chaos" if he quit and the party would almost certainly lose the next election.

The source said Johnson was "continuing to focus on delivering for the public" and addressing the "hugely important issues facing the country".

Neither Shapps nor Zahawi are expected to resign, despite the prime minister's refusal to go.

Allies including Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries and Brexit Opportunities Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg all remained supportive of Johnson.

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab also remained loyal to Johnson and defended him at a session of the backbench 1922 Committee.

By David Hughes, PA Political Editor

source: PA

Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson should "leave with dignity" and "go now", Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi said as the prime minister's refusal to quit triggered another wave of ministerial resignations.

Zahawi, who was only appointed on Tuesday, said he had made clear privately to Johnson that he should go but "I am heartbroken that he hasn't listened and that he is now undermining the incredible achievements of this government at this late hour".

The Chancellor's extraordinary statement said the country "deserves a government that is not only stable, but which acts with integrity".

Zahawi has not resigned but Michelle Donelan, who was also only appointed on Tuesday night, quit as Education Secretary.

She told Johnson "I can see no way that you can continue in post" but without a formal mechanism to remove him the Cabinet must "force your hand".

Brandon Lewis quit his Cabinet post as Northern Ireland Secretary, telling the prime minister the government requires "honesty, integrity and mutual respect" and it is "now past the point of no return".

His departure was soon followed by a string of other ministers as the number of MPs quitting government and party posts since Tuesday evening topped 50.

Helen Whately quit as a Treasury minister, telling Johnson: "I have argued that you should continue as Prime Minister many times in recent months, but there are only so many times you can apologise and move on. That point has been reached."

Damian Hinds resigned as security minister, telling Johnson there has been a "serious erosion" in standards in public life and "faith in our democracy and public administration".

He said on Twitter: "It shouldn't take the resignation of dozens of colleagues, but for our country, and trust in our democracy, we must have a change of leadership."

Science minister George Freeman wrote to the prime minister to say he no longer has confidence in his leadership.

In his resignation letter, he told Johnson "the chaos in your Cabinet and No 10 this month is destroying our credibility" and "it can't go on".

Guy Opperman left his role as pensions minister, telling Johnson that "recent events have shown clearly that the government simply cannot function with you in charge".

Courts minister James Cartlidge quit, saying "the position is clearly untenable".

Wales Office minister David Davies said he would not take a Cabinet role in place of his departed boss Simon Hart.

"We should not be in the position of losing decent and hard working ministers," he said. "I made clear last night that I will not take the role."

Despite the exodus from his government and a delegation of Cabinet ministers telling him he should go on Wednesday, Johnson remains in office.

Because of his refusal to resign, the prime minister faces the prospect of another confidence vote, orchestrated by the Tory 1922 Committee of backbench MPs.

A new executive for the committee will be elected next Monday and could change the leadership rules, allowing for another confidence vote just a month after the last one  which the prime minister is expected to lose given the way MPs have deserted him since Tuesday.

While Johnson remains in post, jostling for the leadership has already begun.

Attorney General Suella Braverman is still in the role despite calling for the prime minister to quit and saying she will stand in the contest to replace him.

Braverman said the government was "technically" still functioning but told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The facts are undeniable, he can't command the confidence of sufficient numbers of people to serve in his government, he can't engender the support of the parliamentary party."

The departure of Lewis and Donelan means five Cabinet ministers have quit  Hart resigned as Welsh secretary on Wednesday night, while chancellor Rishi Sunak and health secretary Sajid Javid stepped down on Tuesday, triggering the leadership crisis.

Michael Gove was fired as communities secretary, with No 10 sources describing him as a "snake" who had briefed against Johnson.

By David Hughes and Dominic McGrath, PA

source: PA

Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Amber Heard is facing even more legal trouble with word the FBI is assisting the Australian government as it continues its investigation of perjury allegations.

The 36-year-old is being investigated by Australia's Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment (DAWE) over whether she lied under oath after bringing her pet dogs into the country in May 2015.

Heard and ex-husband Johnny Depp travelled to Australia in March 2015, with the actress bringing their two Yorkshire terriers, Pistol and Boo, along for the trip.

The then couple got into an argument, which resulted in Depp's finger being severed, however Heard's issues stem from the fact she checked "no" on her immigration card about importing anything into the country that had to be declared.

Due to Australia's strict quarantine laws, foreign dogs must be quarantined for 10 days when first brought to the country.

As a result, officials asked Heard to have the dogs sent away or be euthanized. Depp ultimately flew back to the United States with them, while Heard was charged with illegally importing them to Australia in July 2015.

While Heard pleased guilty to a lesser charge of falsifying documents in 2016, a DAWE representative told Newsweek during the couple's recent defamation lawsuit that the department was still looking perjury allegations against the actress.

While the FBI haven't confirmed whether they are helping Australian authorities, a retired agent told the Law & Crime website their involvement wouldn't be unusual.

"The FBI maintains an office in Canberra, and there are FBI agents permanently assigned to Australia [on a rotating basis]," Bobby Chacon told Law & Crime.

"Part of their mission is liaison and assistance, so if the Australians needed something from here in the U.S. they would certainly contact the FBI's Australia office and the FBI would likely assist."
Brazilian sniper Thalita do Valle, 39, was killed in combat during a bombing in the war in Ukraine, where she was a volunteer in the ranks of the International Legion, her relatives have confirmed.

Do Valle died along with fellow Brazilian Douglas Burigo in the Ukrainian city of Kharkov on June 30 after the bunker she was in caught fire after being shelled, her brother, Theo Rodrigo Vieira, explained to local media.

"She was a heroine and her calling was to save lives, participating in humanitarian missions," Viera told the UOL news portal.

Thalita do Valle: A specialist in precision shooting

A model and actress in her youth, Do Valle was a first responder and had participated in a mission against the Islamic State in the Iraqi Kurdistan region, which she chronicled on her social media channels and YouTube channel.

There she received training to become an elite sniper and join the 'peshmerga', as the Kurdish armed forces that fought against the Islamic State are known.

"She received training and did the necessary courses to go to the front line." Viera added.

"However, when she joined the Kurdish army, she specialised in precision shooting, with long range weapons.

"Thalita was from the women's army and was part of a front line with elite snipers."

The Brazilian also participated in several rescue operations in Brazil, such as the Mariana tragedy, which left some 20 people dead after a dam burst in Minas Gerais in 2015, and in Petropolis, a city hit by heavy rains that left more than 200 dead.

An animal lover, he rescued dozens of animals during the Brumadinho mining tragedy, which happened in 2019, also in Minas Gerais.

Arrived in Ukraine three weeks ago

Do Valle had only been in Ukraine for three weeks and last spoke to her family on June 27, according to her brother.

"When we talked on the phone," Viera said, "I wanted to know everything, but she said she couldn't talk much because her phone conversations were being monitored by Russian drones. She would call just to let me know she was OK."
The venue of the last Super Bowl, home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, the SoFi Stadium, experienced a very different day than usual, as the body of a person appeared in the artificial lake that is inside the facilities of the building. The first investigations showed that the man jumped into the water, although the authorities in charge of the mysterious case have not yet confirmed it.

Tragedy near SoFi Stadium

Firefighters were dispatched to the stadium shortly after 6:00 a.m., the Los Angeles County Department of Fire and Rescue reported. Security camera video showed someone jumping into the lake, without then surfacing, authorities said, though they did not immediately find him.

Fire personnel and a dive team, belonging to the same organization, gathered on one side of the lake in front of the stadium. Sonar, a technique that uses sound propagation underwater, was used to find the body, but the results were already fatal.

The mixed-use development on the site of the former Hollywood Park racetrack has more than 20 acres of public parks and open space. The lake is part of the SoFi Stadium recycled water project. There are 27 recycled water connections on the stadium site, including the two decorative lakes that serve as irrigation reservoirs for the surrounding park.

The depth of both lakes is 15 feet.

The body has not been identified

All that is known at this time is that the body belongs to a man approximately 45 years old, but the body has not been identified.

James T Butts Jr., mayor of Inglewood, said that most likely, the man had jumped over several fences to reach the artificial lake where he was found lifeless, but he also said that the SoFi Stadium staff could do nothing to prevent the tragedy.
Across China: Power firm protects birds from dangers of transmission lines

Xinhua) 13:35, July 07, 2022

HARBIN, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Fastening his safety harness anchored to a pylon, Na Changchun lifted materials and equipment about 30 meters above the ground and started to install a square protection board meticulously.

Two meters above Na's head was a nest for a family of oriental white storks, and three birdlings were resting quietly inside.

As an electrician of the State Grid Qiqihar Electric Power Company in Qiqihar City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, this is the sixth time Na has installed the protection board on a pylon this year.

However, the board is not only to ensure a stable power supply but to protect the birds from the dangers of transmission lines.

Living a happy life on the power towers, the oriental white storks sometimes turn out to be a headache for the electric power department, as their acid droppings increase the possibility of power supply tripping and may cause pollution flashover, which poses a risk to the birds' safety.

Qiqihar is believed to be a paradise for migratory birds thanks to its vast wetland area and its Zhalong nature reserve serves as the habitat of over 190 types of rare birds including red-crowned cranes.

Every year from mid-March, a large number of migratory birds fly in to "start a family and raise their children."

The endangered oriental white stork, a migratory bird species under first-class national protection, is mainly found in Russia's Far East and northeast China.

As solitary birds, oriental white storks like to build nests on isolated trees. Although the wetlands in Qiqihar are rich in water and grass, tall trees are rare, so the power transmission towers in wetlands have become the first choice for oriental white storks to settle down.

"The returning oriental white storks were spotted near transmission lines for the first time on March 12 this year, and on March 20 some of them chose the power towers as home," said Wang Zhimin, an electrician from the company.

This year, power towers in Qiqihar have attracted over 50 pairs of the birds to build nests, bringing the total number of such nests to more than 110, with each bird nest registered with a serial number by staff from the company.

Moreover, the State Grid Heilongjiang Electric Power Company has launched a campaign in the province to offer better protection for the birds.

In addition to installing protection boards, the company also takes measures such as setting up artificial nesting sites and increasing patrol frequency along the transmission lines.

Some 100 km north of Zhalong nature reserve in the Wuyuer River nature reserve, a couple of white poles standing along a row of power towers are conspicuous in the wetlands.

"Last winter, the State Grid Qiqihar Electric Power Company, in cooperation with our reserve, built 16 artificial nesting sites in the wetlands. This year, six pairs of oriental white storks have settled down in them," said Zhang Mingyi, an official with the Wuyuer River nature reserve, pointing at the poles.

The bowl-shaped nesting sites, which are 15 meters above the ground on top of the poles, two meters in diameter and 0.6 meters deep, have stronger wind resistance, making it easier for oriental white storks to build their nests, said Zhang.

The sites are safer and more comfortable, unlike power towers which may present a danger of electric shock to the birds, Zhang added.

"This winter, the reserve will continue to work with the power department to build new nesting sites for more oriental storks to improve their living conditions," said Zhang with a smile.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
Whats the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name, Ranveer Singh? Wild, unpredictable, genius? Well, the actor has established himself as all this and more, especially since he never shies away from a challenge.

And this time around, the challenge is not about getting into the skin of a particular character but instead, surviving under gruelling circumstances in the wild.

Ranveer Singh will soon be seen engaging in a Serbian adventure as Netflix gets ready to release Ranveer Vs Wild with Bear Grylls this weekend. While his pure adrenaline and courage were enough to guide him through the daring exploits through the jungle, a survival kit sure comes in handy.

And in case you ever feel inspired to go on your own adventure for love after Ranveer just raised the relationship bar, here is the Bear Grylls-approved survival gear that made the cut, and a few surprising ones that didnt!

1. Vanity Mirror

When you look as good as Ranveer - you have to have a mirror with you at all times, and Ranveer got lucky because a vanity mirror also doubles up as a great survival tool - whether its to start a fire or keep a check on your surroundings while wading through the depths of the jungle.

 Natural Studios

2. Banana Chips

Finding someone who says no to banana chips is just as rare as the Serbian flower that Ranveer went on an adventure for, but Bear Grylls is one of them.

This staple that has helped us survive many wild parties is unfortunately not suitable for the actual wilderness. Ranveer had to let go of his stash, but if youre watching the show at home, you certainly dont!

3. Water

Hydration is key, and Bear Grylls agrees too. Clean drinking water is hard to find in the dense, insect-infested jungle, and diving into the nearest water body is not an option when its filled with predators.

If the special has inspired you to be daring like Ranveer, make sure youre carrying enough water.

 Natural Studios

4. An Apple and Sindhi Koki

Choices, choices. What makes Ranveer Vs Wild so engaging is the option for audiences to choose.

While Ranveer left his adventure in our hands, he thankfully left survival in Bear Grylls hands. Which meant that yummy food - like Sindhi Koki - got the thumbs down in favour of a boring (but nutritious) apple, leaving Ranveer (and his mother) very sad.

5. Flare and A Grappling Hook

Ranveers bag is now full and there are 2 items yet to be packed - a flare and a grappling hook, both important to survive in the jungle.

Pretty sure we are bound for more surprises, but well have to wait to find them out after Ranveer embarks on the wild journey with Bear Grylls. The show will be released on Netflix on July 8.
An MP/MLA court in Lucknow has awarded a two-year jail sentence to former MP Raj Babbar in a case related to 1996.

The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 8,500 on the actor turned politician.

The former MP was present in court when the sentence was announced.

The Congress leader has been found guilty of interfering in government duties and physical assault.

Babbar was found guilty of roughing up a government officer during the 1996 Lok Sabha elections.

Babbar was then in the Samajwadi Party and was contesting the elections from Lucknow.

The incident had taken place on May 2, 1996.
Delhi Police has arrested a man who sexually harassed a woman at the Jorbagh station of the Delhi Metro in the first week of June, an official said on Wednesday.

The incident took place on June 2 at around 1.50 p.m. and came to light after the victim woman shared her ordeal on social media, prompting the Delhi Police to take action.

The victim woman, in a 8-post long thread on Twitter, narrated the entire incident as to how she was sexually harrased at the Jor Bagh metro station. She said that she was approached by a man who asked her for help with an address during the metro ride.

"I helped him, then got off at my station and sat on the platform to book a cab. The man approached me again at the station under the garb of confirming the address. Believing that he needed help, I peered into his file that he was trying to show me. At this point I noticed that he was trying to thrust his uncovered penis in my face. He attempted to do this thrice. As soon as I noticed, I got up and ran back, I was scared & couldn't think straight," she wrote on Twitter.

She further alleged that soon after the incident she approached a policeman standing on the platform, but he flatly refused to help her and asked her to go upstairs to talk about it.

Later she went to the CCTV room and checked the footage where she recognised the sexual offender, however, despite raising the complaint the personnel there took no action.

"Ultimately, I got no help from the @OfficialDMRC police. I am now extremely paranoid and scared to step out of my house," the woman stated.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Metro) Harendra Kumar Singh said they took cognizance of the social media post and approached the victim woman who is a resident of Gurugram. "We got her statement. We have registered the case. We are examining the CCTV footage. Different teams have been assigned different tasks," the DCP had said a day after the woman was molested.

DCP Harendra also mentioned about the victim woman's allegation in which she had stated that she approached a policeman but the cop didn't help her. "Those are the security personnel of CISF and we are taking this matter with their higher-ups to find out under what circumstance the incident was not brought to our notice," he said.

Delhi Police Spokesperson Suman Nalwa assured all the women in the national capital that the police take such complaints very seriously and they should not hesitate to approach police in such matters.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation had also issued a statement stating that their organisation has zero-tolerance for any act amounting to indecent behaviour and sexual harassment.

"We are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for traveling at all times. In the context of the recent incident reported at Jorbagh, we have already taken up the issue with the concerned security agencies. Delhi Police has already taken cognizance of the complaint and are investigating into the matter," the DMRC said.

It further said that the Delhi Metro premises and trains are covered by CCTV cameras at multiple locations and the footage of this incident has already been shared with the police authorities, who are actively pursuing the case further.

"Apart from CCTV cameras, the Delhi Metro trains are equipped with Passenger Emergency Alarms (PEA) through which the passengers can communicate with the train operator. The stations are well lit at all locations to avert any mishap and the Delhi Metro helpline number 155370 is also operational round the clock," it said.

Delhi Commission for Women Chairperson Swati Maliwal had also taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and issued a notice to Delhi Police. "Strongest action must be taken against the man and he needs to be urgently arrested!," Maliwal had said.

The details of the arrest of the accused are yet to be shared by the Delhi Police.
The relationship between humans and their pets has changed over time. ManyPets has outlined historical findings on how pets were treated in different regions.
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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP)  Alaska wildlife officials have killed four black bears in a campground recently reserved for people in Anchorage who are homeless after the city's largest shelter was closed.

Employees from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on Tuesday killed a sow and her two cubs and another adult bear that was acting separately, stealing food from tents inside Centennial Park, which is managed by the city, officials said.

Anchorage is Alaskas biggest city, with nearly 300,000 residents, but it is also bear country.

The park is located in east Anchorage, nestled between Chugach State Park and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, which state wildlife officials describe as a vast bear habitat.

The Department of Fish and Game said Anchorage residents share the municipality with up to 350 American black bears and up to 65 brown bears.

Certainly its a busy bear time for us all across Anchorage, said department spokesperson Cynthia Wardlow.

This part of Anchorage does tend to be a pretty active bear area because of the high- density housing, she said.

The city closed its pandemic mass shelter at Sullivan Arena on June 30. The arena had housed hundreds of homeless people throughout the last two years, Alaska Public Media reported.

When the shelter closed, some people who are homeless moved to Centennial Park, grabbing the 84 available spots after the campground stopped taking reservations from the public.

Corey Allen Young, a spokesperson for Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, said there are 210 people living at Centennial Park, and the city has provided enhanced security for camp users.

The city has also brought in 60 bear proof food storage containers, 20 bear proof 32 gallon containers and is doing hourly clean up efforts to mitigate the trash and food. We also continue to inspect camps and educate campers about bear safe practices," Young said in an email.

The campground, just off the Glenn Highway, is an ideal jumping-off point for Alaska travelers, the citys website says. But it also warns campers not to store food inside tents or outside in coolers so bears are not attracted to campsites.

Wildlife officials said before the bears were killed, they were entering tents to get food, personal hygiene items and trash.

When bears go inside tents or structures, they pose a risk to human life and are considered a public safety threat, and they may be killed.

Centennial Campground staff are doing the best they can to manage the campground and minimize attractants, but there are still a lot of tents with food in them, Dave Battle, the Fish and Game department area biologist in Anchorage, said in a statement. Until that changes, more bears are going to come into the campground and get into tents.

He said this is a safety issue for campers.

Killing any particular bear is a very temporary solution, Battle said. There are always going to be more bears in that vicinity because of its location, and we cant teach bears not to eat what they can find.
BIG RAPIDS  Raging bulls and barrel racing will be the main course for Thursday evening at the Mecosta County Free Fair, as the Super Kicker Rodeo will give fans a chance to watch some of the best bull riders and barrel racers in action.

The Mecosta County Free Fair will welcome the Super Kicker Rodeo at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 14, where three main events will take place: the bull riding competition, the novice bull riding competition, and the barrel racing competition. Twenty-four bull riders are currently entered, with more expected. There are also 20 barrel racers scheduled to compete.

Outside of the main competitions, there will be events for kids to enjoy. This includes mutton busting, where eight kids who weigh under 50 pounds will be able to see who can hold on the longest. There will also be a shoe scramble for kids ages 7-11, where kids will race to see who can get their shoes first. The winner will receive a prize.

The organizer for the rodeo has been producing this show for Mecosta County for the last four years. Owner Joe Johnston explained what he hopes the crowd will see from watching the rodeo.

We hope that they will be entertained for two hours, where they can enjoy the rodeo and not what's going on in the rest of their life. Johnston said. We want to take their mind away and just been entertained.

It will be a bit of a home event for the Super Kicker Rodeo, whose operations are based out of Paris. While they will be returning from a show in Detroit on Wednesday, according to Johnston, it is great to show the home crowd what their bulls can do.

It's a neat deal. Johnston said. People drive by and see the bulls all the time, where they know we're in business, but they don't get a chance to watch us. They can go there and check us out, and they can't believe that's what we actually do.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS MONDAY, JULY 11 9 a.m. Rabbit Show

1 p.m. Goat Show

3 p.m. Roping and Obstacle Course

5-11 p.m. Midway Opens

6 p.m. Sheep Show

7 p.m. Horse Demonstrations TUESDAY, JULY 12 9 a.m. Swine Show

1-11 p.m. Midway Opens

2 p.m. Horse and Pony Show (Versatility and Team Competition)

6:30 p.m. Horse Racing WEDNESDAY, JULY 13 9 a.m. Market Beef, Market Dairy and Baby Calf Show

Noon-11 p.m. Kids Day

1 p.m. Horse and Pony Show (Jumping, Huntseat, Saddleseat, English, and Gymkhana)

5 p.m. Ag Olympics

6:30 p.m. Horse Racing THURSDAY, JULY 14 9 a.m. Dairy Breedstock Show

9 a.m. Horse and Pony Show (Trail and Reining)

1-11 p.m. Midway Opens

5 p.m. Mecosta County Livestock Auction Sale

7 p.m. Rodeo FRIDAY, JULY 15 9 a.m. Horse and Pony Show (Fitting & Showmanship, Western, and Gymkhana)

1-11 p.m. Midway Opens

2 p.m. Youth Scavenger Hunt

7 p.m. MTTP Michigan Truck and Tractor Pullers SATURDAY, JULY 16 10 a.m. Horse andPony Show (Cloverbud and PeeWee classes including Cloverbud Costume Class)

1-11 p.m. Midway Opens

1 p.m. Horse and Pony Show (Costume Class ages 8-19)

7 p.m. Demolition Derby See More Collapse

This is just one stop on a 24-event schedule that will run into September, taking them across the state to various fairs in Bad Axe, Cassopolis and Oakland County, among other places.

With such a busy schedule, Johnston explained how the rodeo switches out bulls depending on energy level and other aspects between different shows.

They are also athletes, just like people they have good days and bad days. Johnston said. Youve got to pay attention to how they're feeling. You dont want one to be on the truck all the time because that tires them out. So, we have to rotate them.

Johnston explained some bulls perform better on different surfaces than others.

Some buck better in deeper ground while some buck better on harder ground. So, we go to have to go to see what the ground is going to be like there.

For more information on the event schedule for the Mecosta County Free Fair, visit www.mecostafreefair.com. For more information on Super Kicker Rodeo, visit www.superkickerrodeo.com.
Two families are suing a southern Indiana funeral home where police found more than 30 bodies, including some that were badly decomposed.

In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Clark Superior Court No. 6, Cynthia Faye Cook and Jeffrey Lorey allege that Lankford Funeral Home in Jeffersonville gave misleading information about the cremated remains of their daughter, Nicole Dallas Lorey. They say the funeral home's director, Randy Lankford, told them the company didn't have a container in which to send her remains.

The family of James Mike Settle alleges Lankford gave them similar reasons for not sending them his remains.

I have heard, you know, over and over and time again from these families, the expression of the feeling that they failed, you know, to fulfil their last obligation, the families' lawyer, Larry Wilder of Jeffersonville, told The Associated Press by phone Thursday.

Wilder said the Clark County coroner's office told Settle's family that his body was among those found decomposing in the funeral home. He said Cook and Lorey haven't been told if her body was among them.

Lankford didnt immediately reply to an email and voicemail left Thursday seeking comment, and the coroner didn't respond to requests for further information about the case.

Police began investigating the funeral home last Friday and found 31 bodies, including some that were badly decomposed, and 16 sets of cremated remains. Some of the bodies had been there since March.

Jeffersonville police Maj. Isaac Parker said Tuesday that further information would be released after investigators identified the bodies and notified the families of the dead. He also said criminal charges haven't been ruled out.

Parker didn't immediately reply to a message left Thursday seeking an update.

County prosecutor Jeremy Mull said via email that he was waiting for the police report to determine whether charges are warranted.

The plaintiffs are seeking financial compensation and a jury trial. Wilder said other families of the dead are expected to join the lawsuit.

___

Arleigh Rodgers is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Arleigh Rodgers on Twitter.
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ATHENS, Ala. (AP)  Amid the stream of mass shootings that have become chillingly commonplace in America, the reality of the nation's staggering murder rate can often be seen more clearly in the deaths that never make national news.

Take this weekend in Chicago. On Monday, a rooftop shooter opened fire into crowds gathered for an Independence Day parade in a Chicago suburb, killing at least seven people and wounding some 30.

Less talked about, Chicago Police say 68 people were shot in the city between Friday at 6 p.m. and just before midnight on Monday. Eight of them died.

Most gun violence in America is related to seemingly ordinary disputes that spin out of control and someone goes for a gun. Black people are disproportionately impacted by gun violenc e in America and are much more likely to be the victims of gun crimes or homicides.

Often, the victim and the shooter know one another. They are co-workers and acquaintances, siblings and neighbors. They are killed in farming villages, small towns and crowded cities.

They are people like David Guess, a 51-year-old small-town father of four who had struggled with addiction and who police say was shot by an acquaintance and dumped in an Alabama forest near a place called Chicken Foot Mountain.

His killing drew little attention outside the rural stretch of northern Alabama where Guess grew up and later worked as a mechanic and truck driver. But his death shattered many lives.

Its been absolutely devastating to the Guess family, said his brother, Daniel Guess. Their 72-year-old father, Larry, now rarely leaves his home and often doesnt get out of bed.

Daniel didnt just lose his brother in the shooting.

Ive lost my dad. too, he said. It is killing my dad.

___

Compared to much of the developed world, America is a murderous country. The United Nations estimates the U.S. homicide rate is three times that of Canada, five of France, 26 of Japan. According to some studies, there are more guns in America today than there are people.

But if Americans often see the countrys streets as ever more dangerous scenes of public mass killings, the reality is more complicated.

While mass murders soak up the vast majority of the attention, more than half of Americas roughly 45,000 annual firearm deaths are from suicide. Mass shootings  defined as the deaths of four or more people, not including the shooter  have killed from 85 to 175 people each year over the past decade.

Plus, while Americas gun killings spiked wildly in 2020, recent statistics indicate they are coming down this year in many cities.

Further complicating things: The data on firearm killings is woefully incomplete, with just over 60% of the countrys law enforcement agencies reporting crime statistics to the FBIs national database.

Our lack of shooting data is devastating for understanding gun violence trends, said Jeff Asher, a data analyst and co-founder of the firm AH Datalytics, which creates its own crime database to try to get around some of those shortcomings. This is a government issue, but citizens are forced to develop workarounds to create a clearer picture of what is happening.

While the FBI collects nationwide crime data, participation is voluntary on the federal level and thousands of law enforcement agencies send nothing or partial information. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does a careful count of homicides, but its data on each death is limited.

So when politicians debate whether AR-15-style rifles lead to more killings, or if extended magazines that carry more bullets lead to more deaths, no one is really sure. CDC statistics for 2020, for example, show that authorities know what kind of weapon was used in just 24% of firearm deaths. Both sides on the gun control debate, meanwhile, can frame what facts there are to suit their purposes.

___

Across America, people are afraid.

Nearly a third said they cant go anywhere without worrying about being the victim of a mass shooting, according to a 2019 survey by the American Psychological Association. Nearly a quarter said they have changed how they live to avoid mass shootings, sometimes avoiding public events, malls and movie theaters.

But are they afraid of the wrong things?

The coverage has given people the impression that things are different today, that weve never really experienced these (mass killings) before. But we have. Its more common now, but its still extremely, extremely rare, given the size of the U.S. population, said James Alan Fox, a criminologist at Northeastern University who has been tracking mass killings since 2006 along with The Associated Press and USA Today.

Hyperventilating news coverage has contributed to the fear, he believes, with overwhelming, live coverage of mass shootings and reports that conflate mass shootings  where multiple people are injured  with mass killings. Just 5% of mass shootings end with four or more people dead, he said, and only a quarter of those are in schools, churches and public places like that.

Fox doesnt downplay the horror of mass killings or the pain they inflict on victims, families and communities. But he worries that Americas reactions  active shooter drills, for instance, and bunker-like schools  produce outsized fears and misspent resources.

They also give people the wrong impression of how Americans are dying. Most homicides, he says, are one person killing another.

And one sure thing: Youve never heard of most of those shooting victims.

They are people like Oneil Anderson, owner of the Love Cuts barbershop in Miami Gardens, Florida, who police say was killed in front of his shop in March, reportedly by a former customer. Theres Leslie Bailor, whose husband allegedly shot her repeatedly inside their central Pennsylvania home in April and then called police. She was dead when they arrived. Theres 18-year-old Jailyn Logan-Bledso, who was shot and killed two weeks ago at a gas station just outside Chicago by two men who stole her car and disappeared.

On June 26, Atlanta police say Brittany Macon, a 26-year-old employee at a Subway sandwich shop was shot and killed when a customer grew irate and opened fire. He also injured another employee. The customer, police said, was angry about having too much mayonnaise on his sandwich.

Homicides are often associated with big cities like Chicago, where police say the majority of killings have some tie to gang rivalries, which in recent years often fester on social media before spilling into the streets. But while Chicago's homicide rate is high, with nearly 800 killings in the city of 2.7 million last year, its rate per capita is lower than many smaller cities.

Gun deaths are far from just a big city phenomenon. Nearly 30% of all gun deaths in 2020 were in smaller cities and rural parts of the country, according to the CDC. Half were in large cities and their suburbs, with around 20 percent in medium-sized cities and counties.

Lawrence County, Alabama, where Guess was killed, had two other killings that same week in March. Thats more than are killed in an average year in the county of 33,000, Sheriff Max Sanders told reporters in March.

Sanders couldnt explain the surge in homicides. In one, a husband allegedly shot his wife during an argument and then took his own life. In the other, a son is accused of beating his mother to death with an ashtray and other objects from around the house because she got rid of his dog and refused to take him to see his girlfriend.

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David Guess death began with an argument over a car part.

Guess had struggled with addiction but had been clean for more than a month before his death, his brother Daniel said. He had adopted three of his four children and once contemplated becoming a preacher. In recent weeks, he lived in a camper parked next to his fathers trailer home.

He would, his brother said, give you the shirt off his back.

On March 5, court documents say David Guess drove down a dusty county road near the town of Hillsboro to the home of a man he knew. Late that night, another man, Charles Allan Keel, arrived. He insisted Guess owed him $1,500 for a catalytic converter, which have become valuable as scrap metal because of pricey metals inside them.

Keel, 43, along with his 17-year-old son and other men beat Guess, and someone hit him in the head with a pipe, police say. As Guess tried to escape, police say Keel shot him with a handgun. Five people were charged, but only Keel faces a murder charge.

Two days later, a delivery truck driver found David Guess' remains near the forest road, two miles from where hed been killed. Rings of charred black rubber marked where police say Keel and several accomplices had piled tires on top of the body and set it on fire.

Tears well in Larry Guess eyes as he sits at his battered wooden dining table and recalls the phone call David made to him around midnight on March 5. David implored his father to bring him $1,500 right away.

If you dont, hes going to kill me, David said. Larry responded that he couldnt get that much money that quickly.

The last words he ever heard from his son before the line went dead were of David Guess imploring someone nearby: Dont hit me with that pipe again.
Computer Bytes

By Harv Oliver

Columnist

While we are IT professionals here at HANDS-ON Consultations, and most of our work encompasses addressing of personal computer hardware and/or software issues, many of our tasks also include assistance with software applications, at many levels. Relative to that, I wanted to provide some information this time around that is something I believe business or home users can use.

I realize many of you, particularly businesses, may have some form of labeling process already in place. This is for those of you who dont, or are looking for a simpler solution. As you may be aware, Microsoft Office provides mail merge features that allow you to create labels from documents created in Microsoft applications. This is a usable feature, however, many may find the procedures a bit cumbersome and extensive as I personally do. Im sharing today about another tool, Avery Design & Print. Many of you are probably familiar with Avery as they have been leaders in the label world for years. I came across the Avery Design & Print and found after minimal use, I could much more easily generate labels. I also introduced the program/procedure to one of my office assistants, who having never seen, within 15 minutes was creating usable labels.

Firstly, the application is FREE (the price is right!). You can download from the Avery website for PC or Apple systems. Be sure to choose the free option. In starting your labels you can of course simply type in each recipients information on the label template of your choice in the Avery program and save, building upon the file for all your contacts and future mailings. The really neat part is you can also import from Microsoft Excel. This is particularly helpful to those who already have a contact list in Excel or if you want to start one. The key is to build your Excel file properly. You would want to make row one your headers and align as a mailing label would. For example: Column 1 is First Name, Column 2 is Last Name, Column3 is Address, etc. You then of course enter your contact information accordingly in the rows under the correct header column. Then, when you import to Avery it aligns properly. The other advantage is whenever you want to update, you update your Excel contacts master file, then just merge again to Avery. Another thing to be aware of is when you save, choose the option to save to your computer. The first save option is to save online. No need for that. The Avery tool lets you pick the label type/number so you can buy the size you want and the program adjusts accordingly. This is of course why they provide the tool FREE  so you buy their labels.

As always, we are here to assist. We can give you an intro to this process or guide you with any of your computer operations.
Michigan officials are extending their condolences to the loved ones of a Detroit police officer who died Wednesday after a shooting on the city's west side.

The officer has been identified as Loren Courts, 40, authorities confirmed Thursday, as many people, including police in other cities, sent messages of condolence to the officer's family and colleagues.

"I extend my heartfelt condolences to the loved ones of Officer Loren Courts and the entire Detroit Police Department in the wake of this tragedy, especially his wife and two children," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement Thursday. "May we honor and remember him as a hero and recognize the sacrifice those in law enforcement make on a daily basis."

Courts was a five-year veteran of the department and "comes from a long history of law enforcement officers." Detroit police Chief James White said Courts' father recently retired from the department.

He is survived by his wife, Kristine Courts, and his 15-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter who called him their Batman.

Kristine shared a tribute to her late husband on Facebook Thursday. "Me and my babies will never be the same," she wrote. "I already miss his hugs, his voice, his jokes, and his smile with those eyes. Rest in peace daddy, we will never stop loving you."

White said Courts and his partner responded about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to a call of a man firing a weapon in the area of Joy Road and Marlowe Street on Detroits west side. He said when the officers arrived, they were met by the suspect who was armed with an assault-style weapon and firing in their direction, according to reporting by The Associated Press.

White said Courts was struck and his partner returned fire, fatally striking the suspect. Courts was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

"With a heavy heart... I have to inform our department and our community that we lost one of our heroes today," White told reporters outside the hospital. "A very sad and tragic event..."

Governor Whitmer plans to lower U.S. and Michigan flags throughout the state of Michigan on the date of interment or another date chosen by the family.

"Michigan is heartbroken by the loss of Officer Loren Courts," Whitmer said in a statement Thursday. "Officer Courts was a dedicated public servant and proud Detroiter. He loved his job and put on his uniform every day to keep his community safe. Yesterday, he made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Officer Courts was a second-generation Detroit police officer. He followed in his fathers footsteps and was a hero to all those who knew him, especially his wife and kids."

Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield called Courts' "untimely death" tragic and an "unimaginable loss," noting that he "set out to protect and serve" and "we are humbled by his bravery and heroism."

The investigation is ongoing.

A GoFundMe was created Thursday. The funds will go toward raising the Courts' children, according to the page.
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MARIPOSA, Calif. (AP)  A tourist from Michigan who tried to retrace the steps of a family who died during a grueling summer hike in Northern California had to be rescued last week after getting lost, a frustrated sheriff said.

The man, who has not been identified, was reported missing near the trail in Mariposa County where officials last year found the bodies of Jonathan Gerrish, his wife, Ellen Chung, their 1-year-old daughter Aurelia Miju Chung-Gerrish and their dog Oski, Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese said in a statement posted on social media.

The mysterious deaths grabbed international headlines. More than 30 law enforcement agencies painstakingly reviewed  and ruled out  causes of deaths such as murder, lightning strikes, poisoning, illegal drugs and suicide.

After a two-month investigation, authorities determined the family and their dog died of extreme heat exhaustion after running out of water while hiking last year on a sunny August afternoon when temperatures reached 109 degrees Fahrenheit (43 Celsius) in the steep mountain terrain.

On June 29, a hiker called authorities after noticing the man's car was still parked at the trailhead. The caller had met the tourist from Michigan a day earlier when he told him he was investigating the family's deaths because he found the cause of death odd," Briese said.

A search and rescue crew with the help of a helicopter from the Fresno County Sheriffs Office found the man later that day.

The tourist was described as being in his mid-60s, approximately 56 (1.68 meters) and 200 pounds (90 kilograms), and wearing sweatpants on some of the hottest days we have seen this year, Briese said.

The man began his hike in an area with a closed gate and marked with a CLOSED sign. He had finished the water from the two one-gallon water containers he was carrying and had to drink water from the nearby river, he said.

After rescuers found him, the man wanted to know if there had been updated algae testing on the water, Briese said.

He was treated for dehydration and badly blistered feet before he left the area in his rental car against medical advice, Briese said.

It is hard not to be angry about this particular rescue mission, I want people to come here and enjoy all the amazing nature Mariposa County has to offer," Briese said.

To have someone purposely put themselves in danger, using vital resources and potentially putting the safety of our staff in danger all to try and prove us wrong is maddening and quite frankly sickening, he added.
Photo provided/Michigan State Police Photo provided/Michigan State Police Photo provided/Michigan State Police Photo provided/Michigan State Police Two women were caught on video walking off with a recruiting tent used by the Michigan State Police at the Traverse City Cherry Festival.

The Michigan State Police released new evidence in the stolen recruiting tent after reviewing and collecting more surveillance footage from downtown businesses to identify the women.

Around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday the MSP released better images of the suspects believed to be behind the theft of a recruitment tent.
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Michigan Sugar Company has announced its CEO and President Mark Flegenheimer is retiring after a 40-year career in the sugar industry.

It has been an honor and privilege to work in this industry and for Michigan Sugar Company, said Flegenheimer. I was fortunate to grow up in this business and to follow in the footsteps of two industry giants  my grandfather and my father. I also have been fortunate to have worked alongside so many world-class grower-owners and employees whose dedication and passion for the sugar beet industry is second to none.

Mark Flegenheimer's father Earnest served as president and CEO from 1963 to 1993, and his grandfather Albert Flegenheimer served as chairman of the board from 1963 to 1970.

Flegenheimer first joined Michigan Sugar in 1994 as vice president of administration before becoming president and CEO in 1998. Prior to joining Michigan Sugar Company, he worked for 11 years in New York as a sugar commodities trader after graduating with a bachelors degree in psychology from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana.

During his time as CEO and president, Mark Flegenheimer has doubled the annual sugar production from 630 million pounds to 1.2 billion pounds while reducing the amount of fuel used in the company's factories by more than 40%.

"As Michigan Sugar Company enters a new chapter in its history, I am proud of the company that we have built together and wish great success for all those involved in its future," said Flegenheimer.

During this transition, Jim Ruhlman has been named chief operating officer and is handling daily operations as they work on securing a new person to fill the role of CEO and president. The board of directors is using the national search firm Kincannon & Reed to fill the position. This search is expected to take six to nine months.

During this time, Mark Flegenheimer will remain on the board until a replacement is found and will move his focus toward national trade and marketing issues. Jim Ruhlman has been named chief operating officer and is focusing on daily operations and reporting to the board of directors.

Michigan Sugar Company was founded in 1906. Its current headquarters is located in Bay City with sugarbeet processing facilities in Bay City, Caro, Croswell and Sebewaing. It's the third largest of nine sugarbeet processing companies in the United States.
CAIRO (AP)  Two leading human rights groups on Thursday accused Egyptian authorities of failing to conduct an impartial and transparent investigation into the suspicious death of an economic researcher in custody.

In a joint statement, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International accused Egyptian prosecutors of having turned a blind eye to mounting evidence that 48-year-old Ayman Hadhoud disappeared, was tortured, and was denied access to timely healthcare.

Hadhoud's whereabouts were unknown for two months before he was pronounced dead in April. The Interior Ministry said then that he had died in the government-run Abbasiya Mental Health Hospital in Cairo where he was brought for allegedly attempting to break into an apartment in the upscale Zamalek district of Cairo and exhibited irresponsible behavior.

His suspicious death had raised alarm among local and international rights groups, especially after his family alleged that his body had facial bruises and a cracked skull.

The severely flawed investigation into the causes and circumstances of Ayman Hadhouds death in custody is another stark reminder of the impunity crisis in Egypt, said Philip Luther, Middle East and North Africa Research and Advocacy Director at Amnesty International. Failure to adequately investigate and ensure accountability for his suspicious death only emboldens security forces to continue violating detainees right to life with no fear of consequences.

Last month, an Egyptian court rejected an appeal filed by Hadhoud's family to reinvestigate the evidence and the circumstances of his death. The court upheld the prosecutors' decision to close the case and to rule out any criminal suspicion.

Earlier, prosecutors had refused demands to allow independent observers to attend the autopsy of Hadhoud's body, and ultimately concluded that had died of chronic heart disease that led to a cardiac and respiratory arrest.

Prosecutors have systematically neglected to investigate allegations of enforced disappearance and torture, and have admitted confessions extracted under torture as evidence in trials, read the statement.

Both advocacy groups claimed that they had obtained leaked documents from the hospital showing that Hadhoud's health was deteriorating while in custody. However, authorities failed to transfer him promptly to a better-equipped medical facility where his life could have been saved, the groups said.

Torture and abuse by police are not unusual in Egypt. In 2016, Giulio Regeni, an Italian doctoral student, was found dead on the side of a Cairo road. His body had been brutalized, raising suspicions of police involvement. Italy accused police officers of killing him, a charge that Egypt denied.

On Wednesday, Human Rights Watch issued another joint statement with the U.K.-based FairSquare group urging Egyptian authorities to lift all arbitrary travel bans that have been put in place in recent years to punish civil society activists and human rights advocates.

The bans, which authorities usually do not formally announce and provide no clear way to challenge them in court, have separated families, damaged careers, and harmed the mental health of those subjected to them, said the statement.

The statement came a day after the kick-off of political talks dubbed The National Dialogue, where the government has invited for the first time in years political opponents to share their views on key issues. The talks, sponsored by President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, came on the heels of the release of dozens of political activists in recent months.

Since coming to power in 2013, el-Sissi has rolled back many of the freedoms that were gained following the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that toppled the countrys longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak. The country is ranked among the worlds worst jailers of journalists, along with Turkey and China, according to the nonprofit Committee to Protect Journalists.

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This story has been corrected to show that FairSquare is U.K.-based, not Canada-based.
MECOSTA COUNTY  Deputies with the Mecosta County Sheriffs Office responded to the following calls. All calls may not be reported. All suspects are assumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

 Deputies responded to one car-deer crash.

 An assault was reported in the 200 block of South Webber Street in Morton Township. A male allegedly assaulted another male. The victim was transported by EMS for possible broken right hand. Suspect left the scene prior to arrival. Case is still under investigation.

 An attempted traffic stop led to a flee and elude pursuit on 3 Mile Road from 130th to 145th. A 16-year-old male driver allegedly attempted to flee from a traffic stop. Once he finally was stopped, he allegedly fled into the woods. K9 unit was able to track and locate him. He was turned over to a parental guardian. Charges are pending.

 Deputies responded to the 10000 block of Belle Isle Drive in Morton Township where a female has personal protective order on her next door neighbor. Police said she was upset and wanted him arrested for being in her sight while he was cutting his grass on his own property. Advised her he was not in violation.

 Deputies responded to a civil custody dispute in the 17000 block of Arthur Road in Colfax Township. Caller said her grandmother allegedly is refusing to turn over her 9-year-old son. Grandma reportedly doesnt like callers boyfriends criminal history and current behavior, police said. Child was returned to mom, and grandma was given information about how to file with Child Protective Services.

 Deputies executed a warrant arrest on a male in the 100 block of West Main Street in Morton Township. Male has two misdemeanor warrants and was lodged in the Mecosta County Sheriff's Jail.

 A civil dispute was reported in the 14000 block of Percy Drive in Martiny Township. A female wanted to report that her and her husband, who was in Kentwood, we're not getting along over text messages.

 A civil dispute was reported in the 600 block of Heron Drive in Aetna Township. Caller reported that a female who moved out months ago allegedly showed up that day and was trying to move back in.

 Domestic violence incidence was reported in the 17000 block of Point Drive in Martiny Township. A male allegedly was assaulted by his brother. Male was transport to the hospital for his injuries. Brother alleged he was feloniously assaulted first.

 A case of harassment was reported in the 1000 block of Gunn Avenue in Aetna Township. Caller said he had sold a lot to a male in Newaygo County. Caller alleged that he is getting nonstop calls and texts from the male and wants them to stop.

 Deputies responded to a domestic incidence in the 23000 block of 21 Mile Road in Green Township. A male allegedly assaulted his sister while at a party. The male is on probation and fled the scene prior to deputies arrival. Charges are being sought.

Tuesday, July 5

 Deputies responded to two car-deer crashes and four car crashes without injury.

 A traffic stop on South Front Street in Mecosta Township led to the passenger being arrested and lodged at the Mecosta County Sheriff's Jail on a warrant.

 A female walked into the Mecosta County Sheriff's Office to report a fraud complaint. Female reported receiving scam mail from someone claiming she won a prize from Publishers Clearing House.

 A larceny was reported in the 7000 block of 230th in Mecosta Township. Sometime over the last month, the caller's gravel pit allegedly had wiring and a battery charger stolen.

 A case of fraud was reported in the 2000 block of 19 Mile Road in Fork Township. Complainant reported receiving an overdue bill from Progressive for a car she doesn't own.

 Deputies responded to the 6000 block of Second Street in Martiny Township for a check wellbeing request and fraud complaint. An elderly couple was trying to buy a dog for $200. They reportedly have now sent the seller over $5,700. Investigation is ongoing.

 Deputies executed a warrant arrest in the 10000 block of Sunset Drive in Morton Township. Male had multiple warrants for his arrest out of Big Rapids Police Department. He was lodged without incident.

 A runaway was reported in the 21000 block of 1 Mile Road in Aetna Township. Dad called and reported that his son had run away from home. Upon arrival, deputies found the son down the road in the bushes. Son alleged they would not let him eat, as well as several other concerns. He was turned over to parents and a DHS referral was called in.

 Deputies responded to the 15000 block of McKinley Road for a property check request. The caller reported hearing that people were squatting on her grandfather's property, which had not been lived in for more than 40 years. Neighbors confirmed that someone was staying there, police said, and claimed they were fixing the property up for the owner, however they couldn't provide the owner's information.

Later that night, a caller reported that the suspects were at the property. Upon arrival, deputies found two people sleeping. Both were removed. The male had five failure to appear warrants, one contempt of court warrant, one conditional release violation warrant and one warrant that was advised and release from Allegan County. He was lodged without incident.
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MIDDLETOWN  Lifelong resident and 25-year district educator Jennifer Cannata  one who is unafraid to do difficult work in the trenches  was promoted to assistant superintendent of schools at this weeks Board of Education meeting.

Prior to her selection, Cannata was head of Performance Management and Strategic Processes for Middletown Public Schools.

Cannata said being selected is enormously honoring and humbling.

Above all else, its our communitys remarkable generosity that renews my commitment to the district time and time again, she said Wednesday.

Newly named Superintendent of Schools Alberto Vazquez Matos touted Cannatas capabilities at the board meeting earlier this week.

Anyone who has worked with Ms. Cannata knows well that she has an exceptional ability to navigate challenging situations with remarkable grace, humor and humility, all the while holding firm to what is right and what needs to be done, he said.

We, as a district, have accomplished a lot in the past year, and we have much to still do, Cannata said, echoing sentiments expressed by Vazquez Matos. To accomplish that, she added, we must begin to build trust, which requires us all to be reflective in our practices and be accountable for our actions.

Cannata is the districts first assistant superintendent, according to public schools Communications Director Jessie Lavorgna. Enza Macri, now superintendent in Cromwell, was the last administrator to serve as associate schools chief, she added.

Cannatas former district-level position was eliminated as Vazquez Matos reorganizes his superintendents cabinet, which, he said, is intended to realign the work with people.

He said the public schools are extraordinarily lucky to have Cannata.

She will oversee the human resources and technology departments; and, in the temporary absence of Chief of Operations Marco Gaylord, who has been out on administrative leave since January, will supervise those responsibilities.

What a great woman  not just in the community. Theres just something about Mrs. Cannata, BOE member Anita Dempsey-White said, commending Cannata for her ability to build strong relationships.

Shes not afraid to go into the trenches, and thats what I love about her, Dempsey-White added. She gets down and dirty; she communicates very well with all folks. She will do wonderful, and I know the best is yet to come.

Cannata told the board she has a great passion for the district and community. She pledged to work tirelessly to uplift the districts progress.

Shes also passionate about education. An assistant superintendent should be just as teachers, staff, students and families are  team players, said Cannata, who added that cooperation is essential to student success.

We are here for the primary purpose of educating our young people. That is work that is done in collaboration with others. No one person has the ability to do it all on their own, explained Cannata, who considers herself a servant leader.

My philosophy and daily objective centers upon being involved in doing whatever it takes to help staff, students and families, she said. I know that we have an incredible network of stakeholders across this district and community, all who are willing to work together and do what it takes to guarantee the success of our district.

Cannata has spent all but one year of her career with Middletown Public Schools. Starting as a teacher at Farm Hill Elementary, Cannata has held numerous positions in the citys elementary schools, as a reading recovery teacher at Spencer, elementary technology specialist at Moody, elementary instructional support teacher at both Moody and Macdonough, as well as principal at Snow and Moody.

Cannata has a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology, a Master of Science degree in elementary education, Master of Arts in learning and thinking, and two administrative endorsements from the Connecticut State Department of Education.

Ms. Cannata is a well-respected person in the community, and certainly someone who teachers and administrators hold in high regard, said board Chairwoman Deborah Cain, who first met Cannata when she was principal at Snow Elementary School.

Cannata is someone whom other teachers and principals can look up to for movement in the district, Cain added.

Im looking forward to working collaboratively with others to ensure that were utilizing best practices for supervision, staff development, and performance management, with the overarching goal of positively influencing the climate and culture of our school district, Cannata said.
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JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Attorneys for Mississippi's only abortion clinic filed papers Thursday asking the state Supreme Court to block a new law that bans most abortions and to let the clinic reopen next week.

The clinic, Jackson Womens Health Organization, is at the center of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade and took away women's constitutional protection for abortion nationwide.

A Mississippi law that took effect Thursday bans most abortions, and the clinic performed its last procedures Wednesday. Clinic attorneys are making the same arguments that a trial court judge rejected Tuesday as the clinic tried to block the law from taking effect. They said that in 1998, the Mississippi Supreme Court ruled that the state constitution has a right to privacy that includes abortion.

Absent relief, Mississippians will continue to be denied their rights under the Mississippi Constitution to privacy and bodily autonomy, as they are compelled by the State to endure the risks of pregnancy and bear children against their will," clinic attorney Rob McDuff wrote.

It was not immediately clear when the conservative state Supreme Court would consider the appeal.

Diane Derzis, owner of the Mississippi clinic, told The Associated Press that she will have staff available to reopen the facility if the state Supreme Court allows.

Im not hopeful, but theres always a possibility," Derzis said Thursday.

As for the legal filing and the effort to stay open, she said: "All of us needed to know we exhausted all possibilities.

The Mississippi clinic is best known as the Pink House because of its bright paint job. Some staff members were inside Thursday to do paperwork and follow-up appointments for a few patients. About 30 abortion opponents held a Christian worship service on a street next to the clinic.

No more murdering innocent children here, said Dr. Coleman Boyd, a physician who has frequently protested outside the clinic. Christ is exalted. Innocent bloodshed in this building is done.

Several of the abortion opponents yelled at Dr. Cheryl Hamlin as she arrived. Hamlin is an OB-GYN who has traveled from Boston the past five years to do abortions in Mississippi. She strode across the clinic parking lot and jabbed her finger at abortion protester John Busby, who called on her to repent.

Youre idiots, Hamlin said. You dont care. Youre going to hell. You. You are going to burn in hell. Im so sick of you.

As Hamlin walked away, Busby called after her: Youre going to die in your sin, Cheryl, unless you repent for Jesus Christ.

Also Thursday, North Dakota's sole abortion clinic filed a state lawsuit seeking to block a trigger law banning abortion following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling.

The Red River Women's Clinic argues the ban violates the rights to life, safety and happiness guaranteed by the state constitution that protect the right to abortion. It said the ban also infringes on the right to liberty because it deprives patients of the ability to control decisions about their families and their health.

The North Dakota lawsuit is just the latest litigation to take aim at restrictions on abortions after the Supreme Court said the procedure was no longer protected by the U.S. Constitution.

The suit also questions Attorney General Drew Wrigley's statement that the ban would take effect July 28. The clinic argued that the Supreme Court released its opinion June 24 but has not yet issued its judgment, which it said is a necessary step to trigger the state ban. The clinic said the high court typically takes that step at least 25 days after the opinion.

In certifying the closure date, Wrigley said theres not any ambiguity in the Supreme Court decision. He said Thursday that his office is carefully reviewing and evaluating the complaint, but that he would not comment further until his response is filed.

Tammi Kromenaker, owner and operator of the Red River Womens Clinic in Fargo, has said the facility would move across the river to Moorhead, Minnesota, if necessary but she would explore every legal option to remain open in North Dakota.

We have faced relentless attacks from North Dakota lawmakers who have long wanted us gone," Kromenaker said in announcing the lawsuit. But we will fight this draconian ban like the other outrageous bans and restrictions that came before it.

In the meantime, we will keep our doors open to provide abortion care to patients who need us," she said.

Also Thursday, national leaders advocating for abortion access were in South Carolina Thursday, when a committee considering a bill to prohibit abortions met for the first time to hear public testimony.

While a South Carolina law banning abortion around six weeks of pregnancy took effect on June 27, lawmakers are expected to return for a special session to further restrict the procedure.

Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Alexis McGill Johnson came to the statehouse one day after an appearance in North Carolina, where Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper signed an executive order protecting out-of-state abortion patients from extradition. She praised North Carolina as an abortion refuge and condemned South Carolina lawmakers efforts.

All of these laws are designed to create chaos and confusion for people seeking access to care, Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Alexis McGill Johnson told The Associated Press.

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Dave Kolpack reported from Fargo, North Dakota, and James Pollard reported from Columbia, South Carolina.

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For APs full coverage of the Supreme Court ruling on abortion, go to https://apnews.com/hub/abortion
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WASHINGTON (AP)  Nearly 300,000 children under 5 have received COVID-19 shots in the two weeks since they became available, a slower pace than for older groups. But the White House says that was expected for the eligible U.S. population of about 18 million kids.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was to publish initial data on shots for the age group later Thursday, reflecting doses administered since regulators authorized them on June 18. The first vaccinations didn't begin until several days later because the doses had to be shipped to doctors' offices and pharmacies.

U.S. officials had long predicted that the pace of vaccinating the youngest kids would be slower than for older groups. They expect most shots to take place at pediatricians offices.

Many parents may be more comfortable getting the vaccine for their kids at their regular doctors, White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha told The Associated Press last month. He predicted the pace of vaccination would be far slower than it was for older populations.

Were going see vaccinations ramp up over weeks and even potentially over a couple of months, Jha said.

Officials also note there is some hesitance about the need for shots for kids who are far less likely than older age groups to develop serious illness or die from the coronavirus. Parents are being encouraged to talk to the child's doctor for trusted information about the benefits of the vaccines.

A Kaiser Family Foundation survey conducted in April found that 1 in 5 parents of children under age 5 said they would get their child vaccinated right away once it was authorized, 38% said they would wait and see, and nearly 4 in 10 said they wouldn't get their children vaccinated at all or only if required.

More than 5 million pediatric doses have been shipped to more than 15,000 locations, the White House said, ready for parents and kids to come in.

Still, the roll-out hasn't been without hiccups for some parents of babies and toddlers, because of state restrictions on pharmacies and because some doctors are not offering the shots.

Many states bar pharmacies from vaccinating children under 3 years old or require prescriptions for them to do so. In other cases, pharmacies have inadequate staff, space or training to give the shots correctly to the youngest, said Allie Jo Shipman, director of state policy for the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations.

Its just a more complex situation than it is with your older children and adults, Shipman said.

Some doctors opted not to offer the shots because of cold storage requirements or concern about wasting doses. The vaccine comes in multi-dose vials that must be used within 12 hours after opening.

They dont want to see vaccine go unused, said West Virginia pediatrician Dr. Lisa Costello, who is working with her states COVID-19 response task force. You either need to find the number of people to vaccinate for that vial or discard the doses that are left over.

Organizing vaccine times after hours or clustering vaccine appointments are possible solutions doctors are trying, Costello said. And West Virginia has encouraged doctors to go ahead and open the vials even if they have only one patient to vaccinate, she said.

For older children, those 5 to 11 years old, vaccine coverage has varied widely from state to state, from a low of 11% of that age group fully vaccinated in Alabama to 63% in Vermont, according to an analysis of vaccination data through June 29 by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Of the top 10 states for vaccination coverage in the 5 to 11 age group, five are in New England. Of the bottom 10 states, nine are in the South.

The Biden administration said that while the slow pace of vaccination in the youngest group was expected, officials wont be satisfied until as many people as possible receive the protection of vaccines. Parents can use vaccines.gov to search for vaccine providers by location, vaccine brand and age groups vaccinated.

___

Johnson reported from Washington state.
Someday, dozens of tiny swimming robots could whisk through the water beneath the icy shell of Jupiters moon Europa or Saturns moon Enceladus, looking for signs of alien life. Thats the vision of Dr. Ethan Schaler of NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, whose Sensing With Independent Micro-Swimmers (SWIM) concept was recently awarded $600,000 in Phase II funding from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program.

My idea is, where can we take miniaturized robotics and apply them in interesting new ways for exploring our Solar System? Dr. Schaler said.

With a swarm of small swimming robots, we are able to explore a much larger volume of ocean water and improve our measurements by having multiple robots collecting data in the same area.

Not yet part of any NASA mission, the SWIM concept envisions wedge-shaped robots, each about 12 cm (5 inches) long.

About four dozen of them could fit in a 10-cm- (4-inch) long section of a cryobot 25 cm (10 inches) in diameter, taking up just about 15% of the science payload volume.

That would leave plenty of room for more powerful but less mobile science instruments that could gather data during the long journey through the ice and provide stationary measurements in the ocean.

As ambitious as the SWIM concept is, its intent would be to reduce risk while enhancing science.

The cryobot would be connected via a communications tether to the surface-based lander, which would in turn be the point of contact with mission controllers on Earth.

That tethered approach, along with limited space to include large propulsion system, means the cryobot would likely be unable to venture much beyond the point where ice meets ocean.

What if, after all those years it took to get into an ocean, you come through the ice shell in the wrong place? said SWIM team scientist Dr. Samuel Howell, also of NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

What if theres signs of life over there but not where you entered the ocean?

By bringing these swarms of robots with us, wed be able to look over there to explore much more of our environment than a single cryobot would allow.

SWIM would also allow data to be gathered away from the cryobots blazing-hot nuclear battery, which the probe would rely on to melt a downward path through the ice.

Once in the ocean, that heat from the battery would create a thermal bubble, slowly melting the ice above and potentially causing reactions that could change the waters chemistry.

Additionally, the SWIM robots could flock together in a behavior inspired by fish or birds, thereby reducing errors in data through their overlapping measurements.

That group data could also show gradients: temperature or salinity, for example, increasing across the swarms collective sensors and pointing toward the source of the signal theyre detecting.

If there are energy gradients or chemical gradients, thats how life can start to arise. We would need to get upstream from the cryobot to sense those, Dr. Schaler said.

_____

This article is based on text provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
The late Sen. John McCain and retired Brig. Gen. Wilma Vaught were among the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, at the White House on Thursday.

The two veterans -- McCain for his storied political career after being a prisoner of war and Vaught for accomplishments that blazed a trail for women in the military -- received the award from President Joe Biden -- along with 15 other Americans, including a Gold Star father who had a recent turn in the political spotlight.

Biden awarded the medals during a ceremony in the East Room, reminiscing about the accomplishments of and his relationships with recipients such as McCain. The medal was also awarded to Simone Biles, the most decorated American gymnast; Fred Gray, a Black attorney and Alabama legislator who represented Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks; Steve Jobs, the co-founder and tech visionary at Apple; and actor Denzel Washington.

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"I never stopped admiring John [McCain], never said a negative thing about him in my life, because I knew his honor, his courage and his commitment," said Biden, who first met McCain, the son and grandson of admirals, as Navy liaison to Congress in the 1970s. "That was John McCain, and the code he inherited from his family that served before him was passed on to his brothers, sisters, children and grandchildren today."

McCain, who died in 2018 after a battle with brain cancer, was a Navy fighter pilot in Vietnam when he was shot down; he endured torture and solitary confinement for more than five years as a prisoner of war. At the time, his father became the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific and the North Vietnamese dangled an early release, but McCain refused.

During the height of his political career, McCain clinched the Republican nomination to run for president against Barack Obama and Biden, the Democratic vice presidential pick, in 2008. "We ran against each other, which I didn't like, on tickets for the highest office in the land," Biden said.

The Republican senator from Arizona was a towering figure on Capitol Hill who sat on and once helmed the Armed Services Committee, where he was known for grilling Pentagon brass and top officials over what he perceived as waste and abuse.

Toward the end of his life, he became a foil to President Donald Trump, a member of his own political party who once questioned whether McCain was a hero for being a prisoner of war during Vietnam. Even as Trump won widespread party loyalty, McCain never seemed to fully bend to the president's will and, in the end, Trump wasn't invited to his funeral.

Even as glioblastoma wore him down, McCain continued work as a senator, famously returning to Washington with an incision scar over his eye to vote on health care legislation in the summer of 2017. He continued to attend Armed Services hearings but in a wheelchair.

After his death, McCain laid in state in the Senate rotunda at the Capitol -- a rare honor decided by both Republicans and Democrats -- before being buried at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Another veteran medal recipient on Thursday never had McCain's notoriety, but did have an outsized impact on the role of women in the armed services, with many gender barriers falling in recent decades.

Vaught, an Air Force veteran who enlisted in 1957 and retired in 1985, is one of the most decorated women in military history, mirroring that arc toward greater inclusion, and her nearly three-decade career was a series of firsts for female service members.

During her service, President Lyndon Johnson signed a law in 1967 allowing women to move into the upper ranks of the military, saying the "bill does not create any female generals or female admirals -- but it does make that possible." Johnson also acknowledged that "our gentlemen officers may not be too enthusiastic" about women in those roles.

When Vaught retired years later, she was one of only seven female generals in the military, and among only three in the Air Force, according to the National Women's Hall of Fame, a nonprofit organization that has honored Vaught.

But Vaught also broke the glass ceiling multiple times along the way: the first woman on an operational deployment with a Strategic Air Command bombardment wing in 1966; the first female Air Force officer to attend the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1972; and the first woman promoted to brigadier general in the Air Force in the comptroller field in 1980, according to the museum.

"She enlisted in the 1950s because she wanted to be a leader," Biden said. "She did that and more, becoming the first woman in almost every leadership role she held in nearly 30 years in uniform, shattering conventions, shaping a new tradition of our military, and she couldn't stop after retirement."

After retirement, she headed the effort to create the Military Women's Memorial, the first national memorial to women in military service, which stands at the gateway to Arlington National Cemetery.

Vaught attended the White House ceremony and saluted as Biden attached the medal around her neck.

Presidents have been awarding the Medal of Freedom since the 1960s and often dole out dozens of the awards to Americans from all backgrounds, some famous and some not so much. Choices can often be political in nature.

Trump gave the medal to Elvis Presley and Babe Ruth, but also conservative radio host and firebrand Rush Limbaugh and also Rep. Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican who had loyally defended Trump.

On Thursday, Biden awarded Khizr Khan, a Muslim-American Gold Star father from Virginia, who became famous in 2016 when he was invited to speak at the Democratic National Convention backing Hillary Clinton's run for president.

His son, Humayun Khan, was an Army captain who was killed in Iraq in 2004 while protecting his unit from a suicide bomber. The elder Khan spoke out at the DNC against Trump -- holding aloft a pocket Constitution, asking rhetorically whether Trump had ever read it -- and got into a public dispute with the then-candidate for president over his positions on Muslims and military service.

"Have you ever been to Arlington cemetery? Go look at the graves of brave patriots who died defending the United States of America, you will see all faiths, genders and ethnicities," Khan said at the convention. "You have sacrificed nothing and no one."

Khan was the founder of the Constitution Literacy and National Unity Center, and served on Biden's Commission on International Religious Freedom, according to the White House.

Biden said he was linked to Khan through the pain of losing a child. The president said he hadn't asked Khan about the pocket Constitution Khan said he always carried in 2016, but "I imagine that is still in your pocket as a reminder of the charge that has to be kept."

-- Travis Tritten can be reached at travis.tritten@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @Travis_Tritten.

Related: 50 Years Later, Four Vietnam Vets Awarded Medals of Honor in White House Ceremony
The Blue Angels' new Super Hornets are set to make their Seattle debut in this year's Seafair air show over Lake Washington. The jets are 25% larger than the legacy Hornets they replaced, and festival promoters are touting them as "Bigger. Louder. Faster."

The Blue Angels' stunts and formation flying  with as few as 18 inches between wingtips  have long been a highlight of the festival, which is scheduled for Aug. 5-7 after being canceled the past two years due to COVID-19.

The aerial acrobatics draw enthusiastic crowds, along with criticism from those who object to their noise, promotion of the military, or both.

This year, as in some years past, the Blue Angels have received initial approval to perform the "sneak pass," a popular maneuver that involves one of the six Super Hornets breaking out of formation and flying as low as 50 feet off the water at close to the speed of sound.

The F/A 18 E/F Super Hornet aircraft can unleash a more powerful sonic air  or pressure  wave compared with its predecessor. This was inadvertently demonstrated during a Jan. 21, 2021, practice run of the maneuver at the Naval Air Facility El Centro in California when a Blue Angel pilot veered slightly off course. The aircraft, which passed within 100 feet of buildings, caused more than $180,000 in damage.

The destructive impact, detailed in witness statements, included knocked-down ceiling tiles, cracked windows, fallen shelves, nails pulled out of plywood and dislodged sheathing in two shear walls designed to help a base fire department building withstand earthquakes, according to a Navy investigative report.

The close flyby of base buildings also injured a dozen personnel, who initially suffered ringing in the ears and headaches that then abated, according to the report.

The Super Hornets, in terms of engine and structure, are roughly the same aircraft as the Navy Boeing EA-18G Growlers, which are based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and provide tactical jamming and electronic protection for U.S. military forces.

Navy investigators said the jets create a "noticeably larger localized sonic airflow signature" than the predecessor Hornets, which increases the "probability and severity of future occurrences" such as the damage sustained at El Centro.

To prevent another such incident, Rear Adm. Robert Westendorff, Chief of Naval Air Training, accepted four safety measures, including a slight reduction in the maximum speed for the low-flying sneak pass and banning the maneuver within 200 feet of any structure, vehicle or personnel.

The incident investigation and recommendations were released in response to a federal Freedom of Information Act request from Glen Milner, a Washington peace activist and researcher with the Poulsbo-based Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action.

Milner has protested for years what he calls the militarization of Seafair, and sought to find out more about the Super Hornet aircraft.

"Seafair was saying they would be coming, and would be louder, so I was wondering  how much louder?" Milner said.

Navy officials said in a written statement the sneak pass maneuver has been safely performed for decades at air shows around the country, and the El Centro incident is the only known incident of damage.

Navy officials said that the new safety measures will prevent a reoccurrence of the incident.

A final decision on whether to perform the maneuver in Seattle will be made by a commanding officer who will assess the conditions during Seafair before proceeding, officials said.

A close pass

The Blue Angels were formed in 1946 to showcase the aircraft and skills of elite Navy flight crews, then evolved into demonstrations of aerobatic maneuvers. The precision flying requires extensive training by Blue Angel crews that rotate through the squadron. It also carries risks. More than two dozen aircrew have died in accidents over the course of the Blue Angels' 76 years of flying.

The sneak pass is a high-speed, low-altitude maneuver.

At the Naval Air Facility El Centro, which a Navy official says is the site of crucial training, the maneuver brings the aircraft close by buildings and vehicles near an airstrip.

During the 2021 incident, the report detailed two deviations from the flight path that were considered to be minor "and within the bounds of the normal ... training cycle."

The pilot was supposed to keep the aircraft 500 feet from a crowd line. The investigation showed that on this practice run the aircraft was 82 feet inside the line. That course put the plane within 73 feet of one building and within 20 feet of another used by the fire department.

The report found the plane was supposed to be flying at a speed of 620 knots (nearly 725 mph), but instead flew 15 knots faster. That was still below Mach 1, which is equal to the speed of sound. But the extra speed increased the travel of the jet's sonic wave.

"The sudden passing of the jet scared and startled me, as there was some sort of feeling of air pressure, and as I looked up at the ceiling tiles, I noticed they were sucked up from their usual position ... and the windows just shook as well as the walls," said one witness.

"On Jan. 21, my co-workers and myself working like any other normal day when suddenly a very strong noise from an airplane struck the building and our bodies feeling like an airplane just had crashed into the building," said another witness whose name was redacted in the disclosure document.

"The vibration shook all of the walls, picture frames and ceiling tiles, leaving the air, our bodies, the furniture and floors covered with heavy debris," that witness said. "After the strong noise, my hearing and breathing were affected for a few minutes..."

The pilot, in his statement, said the pass was "unremarkable from inside the cockpit." He did not learn of the damage until after he landed.

Super Hornet shockwaves

In the aftermath of the incident, the Navy commissioned an analysis by an aerodynamics branch of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division to examine the differences between the Super Hornet and the legacy Hornet at various speeds.

Both the Super Hornet and the Hornet can create sonic waves as the speed of some air flows near their frames reaches the speed of sound.

The analysis found that the Super Hornet creates a "noticeably larger" sonic airflow, creating a shock wave that can reach the ground  and damage buildings  at lower speeds than the older Hornet.

The Navy Growlers on Whidbey Island also fly at low elevations as aircrews practice touch-and-go landings to simulate the difficult task of landing and taking off from aircraft carriers.

But the Growlers during these practice landings are flying at much lower speeds than a Blue Angel during a sneak pass, and thus would not be expected to generate any sonic shockwaves. And Michael Welding, a spokesman for Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, said there are no reports of damage to any Navy buildings from these practice flights.

Still, the Growler training has generated years of complaints, as well as lawsuits about noise and vibrations experienced by some residents on Whidbey Island. Some northwest Washington residents also have alleged health impacts that include elevated blood pressure and hearing loss.
The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.

What future does the Russian Navy have? While Russias naval forces have played an important role in the war their performance has been, at best, mixed. The Russian Navy has successfully blockaded ports and launched missiles against targets across Ukraine, but along the way it lost its Black Sea flagship, lost one of its most important amphibious warfare vessels, failed to ensure control of Snake Island, and failed to prosecute decisive amphibious operations in the Ukrainian littoral.

The Russian military will in the future face substantial budgetary constraints. While it is true that Russias economy has withstood sanctions better than expected thus far, this situation is unlikely to hold in the long term, especially if the United States can maintain the coalition. It is not obvious at this point that the Navy will be able to command sufficient resources to maintain itself, much less rebuild.

Russian Navy: The Strategic Outlook

Strategically, Russias naval situation has changed considerably over the past several months. The Baltic is for all intents and purposes closed to Russia upon the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO. In no conceivable conflict could Russian warships (even submarines) use the Baltic without running the risk of imminent destruction. The accession of Finland complicates Russian access in the north, giving NATO better eyes on the major Russian naval bases in the Arctic, including the ballistic missile fleet. Russia has the most flexibility in the Pacific, but Japanese re-armament and the increasingly fraught relationship between Tokyo and Moscow make significant action difficult to contemplate.

Indeed, even the Black Sea is now perilous for Russia. If Ukraine survives this war as a political entity it will undoubtedly possess anti-ship weapons that will make operations dangerous. Turkey, notwithstanding its often difficult relationship with the rest of NATO, now holds the key to naval power in the Black Sea.

Russian Navy: What About the Surface Fleet?

The Russian surface fleet is in trouble, starting with the industrial base. Russia has reportedly canceled procurement of additional Project 22610 patrol vessels over concerns about performance. The average construction period of the Admiral Gorshkov frigates is currently running at more than a decade, with only three of the ships having been delivered since the first was laid down in 2006. Theoretically Russia could purchase warships from abroad (China is the most likely and, really, the only prospective exporter), but this would require currency and also an admission of domestic industrial shortcomings.

The existing fleet has big problems. One looming question involves Russias aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov. The Kuznetsov has served as the object of fun over the past fifteen years as much or more than serving as an active combat vessel, having suffered multiple mechanical mishaps including several fires and the collapse of a crain. She has not left port since 2017, meaning that Russias cadre of naval aviators has almost certainly ceased to exist as an effective force. At 32 years she is hardly the oldest carrier in the world, but its hard to envision a long post-refit lifespan.

The two other large surface units in the fleet are the two surviving battlecruisers of the Kirov class, Pyotr Velikiy and Admiral Nakhimov. The latter has been in refit for the last two decades, while the former has as of yet played no significant role in the war. The two ships have considerable show the flag value and Pyotr Velikiy has often been used in such a role. However, much like the late, unlamented Moskva and her sisters, they have minimal ground attack capability and would both make excellent targets. Both the Kirovs and the Slavas are exceedingly old in any case and cannot be regarded as plausible foundations for the future of Russian naval power.

Russias amphibious flotilla has proven singularly useless during the war, except to the degree that it temporarily pinned Ukrainian forces in Odessa. The inability of the flotilla to conduct an assault on Odessa or to keep Snake Island supplied has demonstrated a significant shortfall in Russian capabilities. The presence of the large, flat decked amphibious warship such as the French Mistral might have had an impact in the early days of the conflict, although Ukraines acquisition of substantial numbers of anti-ship missiles would put such a vessel in considerable danger now. Russia has laid down two amphibious assault ships of similar size to the Mistrals, but it is not obvious that the government will be able to pay for the vessels or that Russian industry can actual construct them.

Those Submarines

On the upside, the submarine fleet remains the core of Russian naval power. Russias military shipbuilding industry withered after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but submarine construction recovered rapidly. Russian conventional and nuclear submarines remain competitive with foreign boats. In the war against Ukraine, submarines have helped enforce the blockade while also launching strategic missile attacks on targets around the country. But while submarines can offer a lot in terms of capability, they cannot replace all of the functions of an operational surface fleet.

Parting Thoughts

The history of Russian naval power is sketchy at best, and theres a strong argument that Russia should, for the near and medium-term, simply abandon any pretensions to naval power beyond patrol craft and its submarine fleet. On the one hand, Russia enjoys the happy coincidence that its surface fleet cannot survive in nearly any conceivable conflict against a major power and that it likely can no longer afford to build or maintain a surface fleet.

On the other hand, President Putin clearly values the prestige and intimidation factor that large, powerful surface ships can offer. It remains to be seen whether Russia will make the investments necessary to preserve the power projection capabilities offered by its surface fleet.

A 1945 Contributing Editor, Dr. Robert Farley has taught security and diplomacy courses at the Patterson School since 2005. He received his BS from the University of Oregon in 1997, and his Ph. D. from the University of Washington in 2004. He has contributed extensively to a number of journals and magazines, including the National Interest, the Diplomat: APAC, World Politics Review, and the American Prospect. Dr. Farley is also a founder and senior editor of Lawyers, Guns and Money.

This article originally appeared on 19fortyfive.com.
Chorus will release its financial results for the year ended 30 June 2022 on Monday 22 August 2022. A briefing will be held at 10am (NZ time) and webcast live via www.chorus.co.nz/webcast.

To join the teleconference, please use one of the following numbers and the pin code: 14542144#

 New Zealand: 0800 452 257

 Australia: 1800 093 431

 Hong Kong: +852 3005 2399

 Singapore: 800 120 6856

 UK: 0800 026 1552

 USA: 1877 788 9032

 Other international: +612 8047 9393

Chorus Annual Shareholders Meeting is currently scheduled to be held on Wednesday 26 October 2022.

Authorised by:

David Collins

Chief Financial Officer

ENDS

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Outspoken Ghanaian actress and social critic, Lydia Forson, has slammed the opposition NDC fanatics jubilating in her comments section on social media after she criticized the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah for defending corrupt officials in his government.

The actress, in a tweet in the early hours of Thursday, July 7, 2022, yelled at the Information Minister for defending corrupt deeds even when he used to be praised for grilling corrupt governments as a journalist.

Her tweet at the Information Minister reads: But I still stand by my belief that Kojo Oppong went from grilling corrupt politicians, to now leading politicians to defend the indefensible! Hes the best thing for NPP and the worst for us.

The jubilant NDC supporters on social media herald her for throwing jabs at the Information Minister.

However, in her response after a few moments, she wrote in a tweet seen by this portal," Dear some NDC people,

Im not your voice and Ive never been; I also remember the verbal attacks from 2015. Dont come and fool in my comments this morning. Youre only on my side for now; well see about that when the tables turn.

"Signed,

"Miss Forson never forgets."

Check the tweet below:
Iran and its influence in the Middle East were high on the agenda of Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid in Tuesday talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Lapid took over the premiership last Friday following the collapse of Israel's coalition government. The Jewish state will return to the polls in November for its fifth election in less than four years.

The new leader was confronted with his first test a day later, when Lebanon's Hezbollah movement launched three drones towards an offshore gas field in the eastern Mediterranean.

"Israel will not sit back given these repeated attacks," Lapid told reporters in the courtyard of the Elysee Palace.

"Hezbollah is a terrorist organisation threatening Israel," he said, adding that Hezbollah was "trying to attack us with Iranian rockets".

Lebanon rejects Israel's claim that the Karish gas field lies within its territorial waters.

Israel and Lebanon resumed negotiations on their maritime border in 2020, though the Karish site sits outside the disputed area and is marked as Israeli on existing United Nations maps.

The US-backed talks have been stalled by Beirut's demand that the UN maps must be modified.

Make Iran 'see reason'

"We will ask France to intervene to secure the negotiations that we want to lead until the end of the gas issues," an Israeli official told journalists travelling with the premier before his arrival in Paris.

Macron, at the news briefing, said both sides should "avoid any action" that could worsen relations between Israel and Lebanon.

But an Elysee press release added that the Jewish state can "count on France's unwavering attachment to Israel's security and on our determination to remain committed to guaranteeing the stability and security of the entire region."

Lapid reiterated Israel's firm stance against international efforts to revive a nuclear accord with Tehran.

Acknowledging that France disagrees with that view, he said what was beyond dispute was that "Iran is violating the agreement and continues to develop its nuclear programme."

Israeli officials fear that easing sanctions in exchange for curbs on Iran's nuclear programme could allow Tehran to boost funding to Hezbollah, as well as the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Macron, meanwhile, deplored the fact that Iran "refuses to seize the opportunity offered to conclude a good agreement," adding that he would make every effort to persuade Tehran.

Lapid's Paris trip comes days ahead of US President Joe Biden visits to Israel and the Palestinian territories. The US leader will then fly to Saudi Arabia for energy talks.

Washington is seeking to stabilise the global energy market following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which led Moscow to cut its gas supplies to some European countries.

Israel and Egypt signed a deal last month to boost gas exports to the European Union, as the bloc attempts to end its dependency on Russian energy.

"The Lebanon issue is essential and Lapid will come back to the Israeli position, according to which Hezbollah is first and foremost a threat to the future of Lebanon," said an Israeli official, who requested anonymity.

Israel and Lebanon remain technically at war but agreed to talks aimed at delineating their maritime border to allow both countries to boost gas exploration.

(With AFP)
AFT Pharmaceuticals (NZX: AFT , ASX: AFP) and RooLife Group (ASX: RLG) today announce they have launched a range of AFTs over the counter (OTC) pharmaceuticals through their store on the China Cross Border E-Commerce (CBEC) online platform Tmall Global. Further launches are to follow over the next few months.

The store, known as the Kiwi Health Global Flagship Store was launched in 2020 initially with a trial range of AFTs health supplements and has since achieved strong support.

Now, following its registration under Chinas CBEC OTC pilot scheme, which allows AFT and RooLife to sell New Zealand registered medicines to Chinese consumers, the store has become the first New Zealand direct-to-consumer OTC online medicine marketplace on Tmall Global.

The store is now carrying AFTs trusted portfolio of health and wellbeing products. These include: Vitamin C Lipo Sachet, Vitamin D Lipo Sachet, Ferro Sachet, Kiwisoothe, Crystawash Extend, Loraclear hay fever relief, and Histaclear non drowsy allergy relief.

As part of this two-phase launch, AFT will extend its OTC medical product portfolio, which will include its patented Maxigesic pain relief medication and five additional OTC medicine products.

The store is at the following link: https://kiwihealthbjp.tmall.hk

AFT Pharmaceuticals Founder and Managing Director Dr Hartley Atkinson said: The Kiwi Health Global Flagship Store offers a significant growth opportunity for AFT. We are excited to be the first New Zealand company to be approved for the CBEC OTC pilot scheme that launched in 2019.

The Chinese market for OTC medicines is the worlds second largest behind the US and is growing rapidly. In 2020 it was worth US$16.3 billion and it is now expected to reach US$22.7 billion by 2023, as the Chinese population ages and becomes more focussed on healthcare. Additionally, well over 58% of those sales occur online .

The Kiwi Health Global Flagship Store aims to leverage the strong brand awareness of AFTs product range, the high regard and demand for New Zealand products in China and the low numbers of OTC products approved on Tmall Global. 

Our initial health supplements trial has already secured a strong following since its launch, and we are delighted to reach more consumers in China with the launch of our OTC range which will be rolled out in stages over the next few months. We also believe the store will further assist us in amplifying our online presence in the worlds largest e-commerce market.

As Chinas largest cross-border marketplace, Tmall Global is the premier channel through which overseas brands and retailers can reach Chinese consumers, build brand awareness, and gain valuable consumer insights in forming their overall China strategy, without the need for physical operations in that country.

Pier Smulders, New Zealand Country Manager of Tmall Globals owner Alibaba Group, said: We are delighted to see the Kiwi Health Tmall Global flagship store expand its offering to now include OTC pharmaceutical products. This is an innovative step, and we congratulate everyone involved and look forward to supporting their growth in China.

New Zealand products have a strong reputation and remain a popular choice with Chinese consumers, who care more about their health and wellness than ever before. The time is right for New Zealand brands to think about expanding their reach in China.

RooLife Managing Director, Bryan Carr added, "This partnership with AFT Pharmaceuticals places us at the forefront of the market, directly servicing the strong demand for international OTC pharmaceuticals from Chinese consumers.

RooLife provides the digital marketing, store operation and product distribution that drives sales of AFT Pharmaceuticals products on the Tmall Global platform.

The partnership leverages our China market and e-commerce expertise with AFTs extensive pharmaceutical experience and highly regarded product range, presenting a fantastic opportunity for both our companies, Mr Carr said.

Released for and on behalf of AFT Pharmaceuticals limited by Malcolm Tubby, Chief Financial Officer.

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The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have agreed to a "de-escalation process" following weeks of rising tensions over rebel fighting in eastern DRC, the Congolese presidency said Wednesday after mediated talks.

But the talks mediator, Angolan President Joao Lourenco, went further announcing a "ceasefire" -- although giving no details.

Violence has flared between is the Congolese army and the M23 rebels and is ongoing.

The DRC has repeatedly accused Rwanda of backing the M23, a charge the small central African country always denied.

"I am pleased to announce that we have had positive results, in our view, in that we have agreed on a ceasefire, among other measures," Lourenco said in remarks at the end of the mini-summit attended by Rwanda's Paul Kagame and Congo's Felix Tshisekedi in the Angolan capital Luanda.

Tshisekedi's office said a "roadmap" had been established towards normalising diplomatic ties, including through ending hostilities involving the M23 militia in eastern DRC.

The announcements came after day-long talks which the Rwandan state broadcaster reported had "concluded with an agreed upon roadmap to deescalate hostilities".

But the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency stressed that it was agreed that the issue of M23 "be dealt with domestically within the framework of the Nairobi process."

A mostly Congolese Tutsi rebel group, the M23 -- or "March 23 Movement" -- first leapt to prominence when it briefly captured the eastern Congolese city of Goma in 2012 before it was driven out in a joint UN-Congolese offensive.

A Congolese army pick up carrying troops heads towards the front line near Kibumba in the area surrounding the North Kivu city of Goma on May 25, 2022, during clashes between the Congolese army and M23 rebels. By Arlette Bashizi (AFP/File)

After lying mostly dormant for years, the M23 resumed fighting last November after accusing the Congolese government of failing to honour an agreement to incorporate its fighters into the army.

Fierce fighting has seen the rebels make significant advances in eastern Congo. Last month, M23 fighters captured the strategic town of Bunagana on the Congolese-Ugandan border, for example.

At the end Wednesday's talks, the Congolese presidency said the three presidents had decided upon a "de-escalation process between the DRC and Rwanda".

This involves setting up a joint DRC-Rwanda committee, which is due to hold its first meeting in Luanda on July 12, as well as a roadmap for normalising relations.

The M23 must cease hostilities under the roadmap, according to the Congolese presidency, and the "exploitation of natural resources in the region must be done in strict respect of the sovereignty of states".

Lourenco, who is also the chairman of the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), mediated the talks at the request of the Africa Union after the violence grew into a diplomatic faceoff between the two neighbours.
One of the greatest challenges facing many Commonwealth countries is the global food crisis and soaring prices. Yesterday, the Commonwealth Secretariat and Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation on key agricultural and fisheries challenges confronting the Commonwealth Caribbean and to deepen ongoing cooperation on digitalisation in agriculture.

The memorandum was signed by the Commonwealth Secretary-General Rt Hon Patricia Scotland, QC and IICA Director General, Manuel Otero.

Through this collaboration, both organisations aim to support Commonwealth Caribbean countries to better leverage digitalisation for increased food production, to achieve agricultural and fisheries development, including trade and investment, and rural well-being across the region.

At the virtual signing ceremony, Secretary-General Scotland said: In uncertain times, strengthening regional and global cooperation is key. If we are to build the resilience of the most vulnerable members in our Commonwealth family, then we must work together to fight what can seem to be the overwhelming challenges of climate change and threats to food security. I am delighted that IICA and the Commonwealth Secretariat are joining forces to tackle these challenges.

Director General of the IICA, Manuel Otero said: Caribbean countries are key to ensuring food security at the global level. At IICA we are committed to supporting the development of resilient, innovative, inclusive and profitable agriculture where new generations have opportunities to feed their families with dignity and generate well-being in their communities.

Specific areas of cooperation include:

Climate-Resilient Agriculture & Fisheries Increasing Productivity and Competitiveness Trade and Investment Opportunities Access to Climate Finance User Empowerment and experience sharing for farmers and fisherfolk Capacity Building for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Digital Agriculture and Digital Fisheries (Enabling the transformation of smallholder agriculture and artisanal fisheries)

At present, there are 13 IICA members among the 56 members of the Commonwealth and all Commonwealth countries in the Americas belong to the IICA. Facilitated by the Commonwealth Secretariats Connectivity Agenda (CCA) and IICA, this partnership will help build upon the work of both organisations ambition of a more inclusive and sustainable future.
The Global Monitoring for Environment and Security and Africa (GMES & Africa) has concluded its first continental Coastal and Marine Service workshop in Ghana today, Wednesday, July 6, 2022, as part of phase II of the initiative.

The maiden Continental Service Workshop on Coastal and Marine Services officially kicked off at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, on Monday, July 4, 2022, and lasted three days.

The workshop was convened by the African Union Commission and attended by leading implementers; the University of Ghana (UoG) and CSIR, as well as other partners including Regional Economic Communities and European Technical Institutions, among others.

The GMES & Africa phase II is a continuity of phase I of the programme that is looking at building on the achievements of the first phase.

The service workshop was put together to provide the ideal platform for the consortia to identify collaborative mechanisms because the ultimate objective of GMES & Africa is to end up with services that are issued on a continental scale.

The Consortia involved are therefore requested to improve the existing services in their regions by investigating mechanisms to ensure that the services become user-driven and sustainable at the technical and financial levels.

Throughout the three days of the workshop, attendees focused on the six axes of GMES & Africa phase II including policy and institutional framework, infrastructure and data, information services, training, and capacity development, knowledge management, outreach, awareness, and engagement.

Particular attention was given to the new axes, which are Policy and Institutional Framework and Knowledge Management, with the intention of clarifying them in terms of activities that need to be undertaken by the Consortia.

Speaking to journalists on day one of the workshop, Dr. Tidiane Ouattara who is Coordinator, Global Monitoring for Environment and Security for Africa shared that it is important to integrate to create a prosperous and peaceful Africa.

He explained that the workshop is about sharing best practices in relation to not only data acquisition, and data processing, but mainly service development to enable scientists to be able to provide the citizens with data and information that will address their daily needs.

Africa Union is creating the platform like today you have seen all countries interested in the marine waters, all of them have been directly and indirectly funded by the AU Commission.

We have to talk together to share best practices and to look at how to complement each other. Together we are stronger and Africa should speak one language, Dr. Tidiane Ouattara shared.

According to him, it is important for countries on the continent to take a cue from how Africa is suffering from the impact of Covid and the Russia-Ukraine conflict to embark on ventures that will be beneficial for the continent.

The Ukraine crisis showed Africa that food security is an issue because we depend on Ukraine for several things and on Europe also for several things. It means that Africa now has to rethink its agriculture and food security strategy.

And with this, the acquisition is of data, processing of data becomes more than critical because it is a pillar to allow decision-makers to develop good policies, but also those who are on the grounds to intervene at the appropriate place at the appropriate moments, and with the appropriate means. All is about data and Space science and technology are providing.

It is also important to look at capacity building in two ways. Capacity yes In terms of infrastructure and in terms of training the critical masses of Africa in all the domains, Dr. Tidiane Ouattara added.

Also, engaging journalists, the Coordinator, Global Monitoring for Environment and Security for Africa, UG, Dr. Kwame Agyekum underscored the importance of the workshop, insisting that it will go a long way to help countries on the continent to make the most of the many resources available.

You realize that Africa is endowed with a lot of resources. We have vast oceans and very fertile lands. The AU through partnerships with the European Union is making available to African countries a lot of data that allows us to look at our resources.

We have realised that we need to manage these resources but we need to collect information about these resources. So thats what we are here talking about, Dr. Kwame Agyekum explained to journalists.

He continued, How do we use satellites to look at our ocean, our land, vegetation, and so forth. So in this meeting, we are strategizing on how we can take advantage of data to make use of our resources. At the end of the day, we want to have a good plan for the management of our resources.

In all, over 75 participants attended the workshop including representatives of the 2 Consortia in charge of the implementation of the Coastal and Marine Services, representatives of the 5 RECs, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, UNECA, GMES & Africa Project Management Unit, and AUC Departments, European Partners DG-GROW, ESA, EUMETSAT, JRC, plus a delegation from EU.
07.07.2022 LISTEN

Sam Nartey George, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo Prampram has prayed to God for strength and wisdom to boldly criticize the wrongs that may occur in a future NDC government as he does today under the NPP government.

This prayer comes after a 2013 post by a leading member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gabby Otchere-Darko, in which he criticized the arrogant chattering of jets by some African leaders resurfaced online.

The post has attracted a lot of jabs from Ghanaians for not being able to criticize his own Akufo-Addo for doing same.

In the post, Gabby compared the humility of the European leaders to the arrogance of the African leaders.

On BA flight today from London to DC, UK's finance minister George Osborne sat in business class and carried his own bags at Dulles Airport. Another finance minister from Africa was in First Class and had two people to carry his bags. They are both attending IMF autumn meeting and you can bet which of them will be begging IMF for money, Gabbys post in October 2013 reads.

In response, the Sam George, in two separate Twitter posts on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, sighted by Modernghana News, expressed his amazement at Gabby's silence when Akufo-Addo is chartering expensive luxurious private jets for his trips.

He prayed not to be like Gabby when NDC return to power.

I don't believe Gabby Otchere-Darko made this post 9 years ago. This is a deep fake. I mean he doesn't have a problem with his Cousin Nana Akufo-Addo renting the whole plane so he can have a shower and look fresh. Those putting this on him are Jeremiahs and Naysayers. Cheers.

Dear GOD,

"The way I have seen the NPP pipos do yawa nu after all d things they tweeted in opposition, please give me d grace & strength to stand up to anybody in the next NDC govt who tries to do yawa. Make me d conscience of d Party even in power. For our people's sake. Amen, his tweets read.
The Ministry of Roads and Highways is set to begin the rehabilitation of the 23km Dome-Kitaase road in August 2022.

The rehabilitation of the 23-km Dome-Kitase Road is due to start in August 2022, the Ministry has announced.

The Ministry on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, officially awarded the contract to a local construction company known as First Sky Limited with the sum of GHC 195 million, funded by the government of Ghana and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED).

This was contained in a notice by the Ministry on its official Facebook page in the late hours of Wednesday, July 6, 2022, sighted by Modernghana News.

The notice further emphasized that the project, which will commence from the Some Roundabout and ends at Kitaase in the Eastern region, has been estimated to end after 24 months of its inception.

It adds, The Road will serve as an alternative route to Peduase and Akuapem enclave and one of the prestigious Universities in the country, the Ashesi University.

At a brief signing ceremony in Accra, the Minister said he was confident that First Sky Limited would deliver the project on time and with all competence and efficiency.

"We are hoping this announcement will finally see the work commence and be completed within the estimated time," it emphasized after the road had been abandoned for years.

Read the full notice below:

The rehabilitation of the 23-km Dome-Kitase Road is due to start in August 2022.

This was announced earlier today, Wednesday, July 6, 2022, when the Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon. Amoako-Attah signed a contract with First Sky Limited, a local construction company in Accra.

The Project starts from the Dome Roundabout in the Greater Accra Region and ends at Kitase in the Eastern Region.

The project, estimated to cost GHC 195million is being funded by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) and the Government of Ghana.

It would be completed in 24 months upon commencement of work.

The Road will serve as an alternative route to Peduase and Akuapem enclave and one of the prestigious Universities in the country, the Ashesi University.

At a brief signing ceremony in Accra, the Minister said he was confident that First Sky Limited would deliver the project on time and with all competence and efficiency.
President Akufo-Addo has not shown seriousness with the move by Ghana to have a programme with the International Monetary Fund because he is still keeping Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta in the mix of things, Mr Isaac Adongo, the Deputy Ranking member of the Finance Committee of parliament, has said.

In his view, until the President sacks Mr Ofori-Atta as well as the Minister of State at the Finance Ministery, Mr Charles Adu Boahen, then the IMF is all a charade.

Speaking to the parliamentary press corps on the matter, the Bolgatanga Central MP said going to the IMF was a sensible decision to have been taken a year ago but the ego of these people made it almost impossible to take the right decision.

Its still a very long process to arrive at a programme, unfortunately they are beginning to engage at a time that they are not even prepared to have anything on the table for the IMF to consider  no blueprint, so, chances are that we are going to have a lot of the programme being designed from the perspective of the IMF, Mr Adongo observed.

To him, having Mr Ofori-Atta leading Ghanas negotiating team is a bad start.

They have already started on a faulty leg: asking Ken Ofori-Atta to engage the IMF is equivalent to telling the IMF we dont want the programme. Ken Ofori-Atta lacks the capacity and is not fit for this type of purpose. Ken Ofori-Atta should be fired immediately  in order to give assurance and comfort to the negotiating partners that Ghana is serious at having a programme. Charles Adu Boahen should follow in toe, he demanded.

The ministry of finance, at this point in time, needs a complete upgrade from the people who are currently sitting there in order that we have credible leadership to engage the IMF and come up with a workable programme, the opposition MP added.

Unfortunately, he [Ken Ofori-Atta] is the same man who the president has directed to engage the IMF to go and say what? That we are no more a sovereign country? That we are no more a proud nation? That the people who said they should go to IMF are now not the naysayers but he is now the naysayer because he has come? he wondered.

So, the president is playing games. He seems not to understand the doldrums into which theyve brought the economy, noted Mr Adongo.

I would wish that the government show clear commitment that it is ready to have an IMF programme that will be to the benefit of the people of Ghana and that we are putting out best foot forward.

The man they have asked to go and negotiate with the IMF should not be near any process of negotiation. He and Charles Adu Boahen are the reasons why we are where we are and the president will give himself a chance at having a programme that is acceptable to all stakeholders if Ken Ofori-Atta and Charles Adu Boahen are announced as not being ministers by midday today.

In the absence of that, they are still playing gimmicks and still playing games with the emotions of Ghanaians.

Source: Classfmonline.com
The Convention Peoples Partys Nana Frimpomaa has asked Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to resign for taking Ghana to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout contrary to his words that the country would not resort to such a measure to fix the economy.

Early this year, Mr Ofori-Atta said Ghana is a proud nation of strong people with the capability to find her own solutions to problems and, thus, will not run to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for help.

Speaking at the third in a series of town hall meetings in the Northern regional capital of Tamale in February, Mr Ofori-Atta said:  I can tell you, as my colleague Deputy Minister said, we are not going to the IMF; whatever we do, we are not; the consequences are dire, we are a proud nation, we have the resources, we have the capacity.

Dont let anybody tell you  like when Joshua, Caleb and the 10 others went to spy on the Promised Land and only two of them came to say that, We can do it, and the 10 went around the community murmuring, You cant; da da da da da da; we are not people of short-sight and we had to move on, so, lets think of us as who we are: a proud, strong people, the shining star of Africa and we have the capacity to do what we want to do if only we can speak by one language and ensure that we burden-share in the issues ahead.

However, upon the orders of President Akufo-Addo, Mr Ofori-Atta recently opened discussions with the IMF for a bailout.

In the view of Nana Frimpomaa, however, Mr Ofori-Atta, who is a cousin of Nana Akufo-Addo, must save himself and the President the shame.

Im finding it difficult to say it but honourable minister, do the honourable thing; save your brother the embarrassment  just resign, she said in a video.

We all know you are good but this area of what we are going through now, for the things you said, its just proper that you resign so that the next generation and the next people that we are going to leave this country for, will realize that they would say things they mean and they would mean the things they say. That is a very important lesson as we move on, she noted.

Source: Classfmonline.com
Dome Kwabenya MP Sarah Adwoa Safo did not join Wednesdays scheduled Zoom meeting with the Privileges Committee of parliament which summoned her and some two other MPs of the majority caucus to answer questions about why she has been absent from the house for months without the permission of the Speaker of the house.

It is not clear why she did not show up.

In the middle of June this year, The Privileges Committee of Parliament summoned the absentee MP to appear before it on July 6, 2022.

A statement from the parliamentary service said: The Chairman of the Privileges Committee has directed that summons to the Hon. Member for Dome Kwabenya to appear before the Privileges Committee of Parliament on 6th July 2022 at 12:00 noon at Parliament House, New Administration Block, Committee Room 1, 2 & 3 pursuant to Article 103 (6) of the Constitution and Order 205 of the Standing Orders of Parliament be published in all relevant media. This comes after all attempts to reach the Honourable Member by the Committee failed.

The Committee said at the time that it has employed all available means, both official and unofficial, to serve the Member with an invitation letter, including sending the invitation letter to her office and pigeonhole in Parliament, but it is yet to get any response from her.

The Committee is probing the protracted absenteeism of Ms Safo as well as two other MPs of the majority caucus, Mr Kennedy Agyapong and Henry Quartey.

In a recent interview, Adwoa Safo said she is not aware she has been invited or served a notice of appearance by parliament in connection with her previously scheduled appearance before the Privileges Committee on Friday, 27 May 2022.

I am not aware such a thing has been given to me, she told Accra-based Joy News on Thursday, adding: I am just hearing it from you.

As we speak, I dont know that I have been invited, she stressed.

I have to be served, she added.

The Minister of Gender, Child and Social Protection said she will only return home from the United States when he sick son is declared fit and healthy.

The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, had earlier explained to the house that: I have accordingly come to the irresistible conclusion that a member who absents himself or herself from 16 sitting days of Parliament in a particular meeting, without the permission in writing of the Speaker, falls squarely within the ambit of Article 97, clause 1(c) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 16(1) of the Standing Orders of Parliament.

A former Member of Parliament for Kumbumgu Constituency, Mr Ras Mubarak, petitioned the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, to enforce Article 97(1)c of the 1992 Constitution by referring some four MPs to the Privileges Committee for absenting themselves for more than 15 days without permission.

According to the ex-lawmaker, the Standing Orders of Parliament are not clear as to who can or should raise the matter of absenteeism on the floor of the House for a debate and, or referral by Mr Speaker to the Committee on Privileges but it is incidences like this, if unattended to, that threatens Ghanas democracy.

Quoting an Afrobarometer data, Mr Mubarak said trust in Parliament has fallen by 12 per cent between 2002 and 2019.

The report, he said, ranked Parliament as the third corrupt institution in the country  just behind the police and judges.

I humbly submit that democracy can only work if Parliament puts the common good ahead of party and personal interest. At a time of seeming collapse of trust in politics and Parliament as an institution, it is my fervent prayer that the House would rise to the occasion and be united on this matter, so as to uphold our constitution and also win back waned public confidence, the petition stated.

The Speaker of Parliament referred the matter to the Committee, following the absence of the MPs for more than fifteen days without permission.

Source: Classfmonline.com
Hon. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, the Energy Minister, met representatives of the Neneme of the two Krobo traditional areas at the Ministry of Energy on Wednesday.

Together, with colleague Members of Parliament for the areas, Hon. Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi and Hon. Bismark Tetteh Nyarko, they discussed ways by which they can collectively resove the impasse.

The minister is assured they can find a lasting resolution to the impasse between the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Krobo people.

Whilst expressing his disappointment in impasse, the minister made it clear that the ECG is for all Ghanaians and thus, exists to provide efficient and reliable service delivery to all Ghanaians including the people of Krobo.

Hon. Opoku Prempeh stated that violence must never be the way to solving differences in a country like Ghana where respect for the rule of law and democratic accountability is very much upheld.

He assured Neneme that, after hearing their concerns," I will in the next few days engage them, Management of the ECG and all stakeholders around a table for a lasting solution to the disagreements."

The minister, thus urged Neneme to be circumspect in their public pronouncements, as inflammatory languages have the potential of affecting the peace building process.

"I have no doubt that the peace process we have started will end this unfortunate friction that has proven to be counter-productive to both sides," he stated.
The Minority in Parliament is demanding that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government accepts responsibility and admit its incompetence led to the mismanaging of the Ghanaian economy.

Speaking to the media in Parliament, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu stressed that the country has been forced to run to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for support because of how President Akufo-Addo and his Vice, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia poorly managed the economy.

We want to state unequivocally that President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia should take full responsibility for incompetently managing the economy. Suffocating debt levels which has necessitated the retreat for us to request an agreement with the International Monetary Fund for the restructuring of our debt, Haruna Iddrisu told journalists on Wednesday.

The Minority Leader who is also Tamale Central MP added, As they take full responsibility as they should, they should also take responsibility for their reckless irresponsible borrowing and unjustified recruitment expenditure.

They should stop any attempt to shift blame. E-levy remains unpopular tax instrument and therefore the fact that it is passed does not mean it has the support of us the Minority.

This week, the government has commenced in-person talks with a team from the International Monetary Fund in a quest to receive support to tackle the crimpling state of the Ghanaian economy.
Pushpay Holdings Limited (NZSX:PPH, ASX:PPH, Pushpay or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has welcomed the Archdiocese of Seattle, Washington, US as a Catholic Customer. The Archdiocese of Seattle will be leveraging ParishStaq, the Companys integrated technology platform to help parishes and dioceses increase engagement and grow their communities.

The addition of the Archdiocese of Seattle as a Customer represents an opportunity to reach 174 parishes and a Catholic population of over 600,000 people. Pushpay continues to make progress on executing against its Catholic product development plans and attracting new Catholic parishes. The planned addition of this Customer is an example of the growth opportunity as the Company continues to execute on its longer-term expansion strategy.

Molly Matthews, Pushpay CEO said, We are delighted to welcome the Archdiocese of Seattle to Pushpay. Bringing this wide-reaching community onboard represents a significant early milestone for Pushpay as we continue to execute towards our Catholic growth strategy. We are excited to be a part of their growth into the future as we continue to innovate and deliver technology that enables an integrated way for parishes and dioceses to engage with their community.

Contact

Annabel Black | Investor Relations | Pushpay Holdings Limited

P: +64 27 6622 660 | E: investors@pushpay.com

www.pushpay.com

This announcement is authorised by Graham Shaw (Chairman) and Molly Matthews (Chief Executive Officer) of Pushpay Holdings Limited.

About Pushpay

Pushpay provides a donor management system, including donor tools, finance tools and a custom community app, a church management system (ChMS), and video streaming solutions to the faith sector, non-profit organisations and education providers located predominantly in the United States (US) and other jurisdictions. Our leading solutions simplify engagement, payments and administration, enabling our Customers to increase participation and build stronger relationships with their communities.

Church Community Builder and Resi Media LLC (Resi) are subsidiaries of Pushpay Holdings Limited. Church Community Builder provides a Software as a Service (SaaS) church management system that churches use to connect and communicate with their community members, record member service history, track online giving and perform a range of administrative functions. Resi is a high growth SaaS company that provides end-to-end live video streaming solutions enabled by hardware products predominantly to the faith sector, whilst also servicing commercial, nonprofit organisations and education providers in the US.

Pushpay is an award-winning company. For more information visit www.pushpay.com/investors/awards.

ENDS

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The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations is pleading with striking teachers to reconsider their demand for a 20% Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) and return to the classrooms whiles the government works to meet to their needs.

Teaching and learning has come to a standstill in pre-tertiary public schools in the country following the declaration of nationwide strike action by four teacher unions.

The unions 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).

On Wednesday, the Ministry in charge of Employment and Labour Relations hosted a meeting with the four unions with representatives from the Ministry of Education.

Engaging the media after a meeting that ended inconclusively, Deputy Employment and Labour Relations Minister Bright Wireko-Brobbey made a passionate appeal to the teachers.

Citing the current hard times the country finds itself, he pleaded with the teachers to return to the classrooms whiles the government works to attend to their demands when things normalise.

What we mean is that times are hard because of these global effects on everything and Im a citizen of Ghana, I bear the brunt, I go to the same market as you, I buy fuel. So times are hard. Thats what we call their demand legitimate. Except that because of the hard times we are pleading with them to understand that when things normalise some of these things will be taken care of like we have done in the past, Bright Wireko-Brobbey told journalists.

Unfortunately, the plea has not been accepted by the teacher unions. They say teachers are unable to survive and will only return to the classrooms if the government provides something to cushion them.
The MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said there is just no end in sight to the extremely putrefying and ungodly National Cathedral scandal.

The opposition lawmaker wrote on Facebook: On the 4th of July, 2022, I decided to make a formal RTI request under Section 18 of Act 989 to the Public Procurement Authority to establish the procurement status regarding the construction of the National Cathedral by RIBADE Company Limited.

To my utter shock, the PPAs Chief Executive, Mr Frank Mante, responded in a 5th July 2022 letter that it holds no information relating to the construction of the National Cathedral by Ribade Company Ltd, he revealed.

In his view, It is absolutely despicable to discover the sinful levels of recklessness and lawlessness which the Akufo-Addo government is exhibiting in the construction of a massive US$400million cathedral which has already siphoned a colossal GHS200million of public funds, albeit unconstitutionally, without any regard, whatsoever, for Ghanas procurement laws.

The former deputy minister of education noted: Section 14(2)(e) of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) is unambiguous that state-owned enterprises to the extent that they utilise public funds are subject to Act 663.

Mr Ablakwa, who has made several allegations against the government concerning the project, observed: It is also instructive to note that Section 14(1)(a) of Act 663 makes clear that Ghanas procurement laws apply once the project is financed in whole or in part from public funds, but noted: There is also no evidence that Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta followed due process to make an exception as provided for under the law after my painstaking checks of all gazetted publications as demanded by Section 14(3) of Act 663.

Additionally, he said, it is obvious from the PPA response to my RTI request that their board have granted no waiver or ratification as they may consider under exceptional circumstances.

Mr Ablakwa believes when procurement laws are not respected and cronies are handpicked in sweetheart deals as in this instant case, there is no value for money, Ghana is shortchanged financially and technically; this, therefore, explains why the National Cathedral project cost has become a corrupt moving target from the initial US$100million, to US$200miilion, then US$250million, rising to US$350million and now US$400million.

This is yet another significant addition to the already countless cases of flagrant violation of the 1992 Constitution and other laws of Ghana, ironically in a temple project which should have edified God. Even people who build for Satan do not engage in such a lawless orgy.

It must not be lost on us that this Akufo-Addo government has prosecuted political opponents and succeeded in jailing some, and then serving as an elated conveyor belt in a conspiracy that removed an Electoral Commissioner from office, all for alleged procurement breaches  none of those procurement infractions measures up to this egregious transgression. On judgement day, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth, he noted.

Source: Classfmonline.com
The use digital technology has become an integral part of the global economy in the past few decades. New technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing and others have become the key drivers in business transformation process. Digital technology is affecting all aspects of life. It has affected the way value is even created and exchanged. Our way of interacting, learning, working, trading and receiving services across the globe has been significantly affected by digital technology.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left institutions and businesses no other means of building resilience and optimizing value than by the use of digital technologies in delivering competitive business models. The result of this is the explosive demand for online products which has in turn opened a plethora of new opportunities for digital entrepreneurs.

Who are digital entrepreneurs?

Digital entrepreneurs are those entrepreneurs who rely more on digital technology in generating, and delivering their products. They either create digital businesses or adopt digital technologies to: improve business operations; invent new business models; sharpen business intelligence; and engage with stakeholders. Every sector of the Ghanaian economy, be it agriculture and extractive, manufacturing, or services could be transformed through the use digital technology. Therefore, the business opportunities within the digital space for entrepreneurs to explore are almost limitless. Digital entrepreneurship if properly harnessed, could be a vital ingredient to economic growth and development because of its ability to create net employment growth and enhance the competitiveness and productivity of an economy.

What are the recent interventions in the digital space?

Ghana has in the past years chalked some successes within the digital space. Some of these feats include, but are not limited to; the introduction of GPS address system, the enactment of laws to protect the digital space and the launching of digital platforms to improve service delivery in some public institutions. These interventions have been very helpful and timely. However, a fragmented implementation of digital projects which does not feed into an integrated national digital strategy will risk us failing to capture real value that may accrue from the use of digital technologies. A comprehensive digital strategy, which reflects the multiple and interlinked dimensions of the countrys relevant economic areas, must be developed and implemented. This will make it easier for entrepreneurs and institutions align their strategies accordingly.

Ghana has also in recent years used the print and electronic media to raise some level of awareness about the use of digital technology. Digitalization has now become more of a national slogan. Making digitalization, a national slogan may create some level of awareness and raise some level of consciousness. However, it may not produce much result if it is not properly aligned with the broader national agenda of economic freedom and prosperity. To improve and adequately embrace the use of digital technology for economic prosperity, Ghana is required to appropriately consider developing a more holistic approach to its digital economy development by adopting a coordinated, transformative, homegrown and inclusive digital strategy to create real value whilst mitigating issues related to its associated risks.

How do we achieve a desirable digital entrepreneurship potential?

Ghanas ability to achieve a desirable digital entrepreneurship potential will depend to a large extent on its ability to invest in the foundational elements of its digital economy while mitigating exclusion, fraud and cyber risk. Ghana is required to invest strategically in the basic elements of its digital economy in order to build the requisite capacity and leverage on the global digital intelligence to create business opportunities its citizens

Digital infrastructure is a key component of these foundational elements. If the digital infrastructure is weak then entrepreneurs would have limited opportunities in accessing digital technology to develop competitive business models. Investment in digital infrastructure is likely to create many new economic opportunities which can help improve economic and social outcomes and be a force for innovation, productivity and growth. Ghana can employ the use of digital technology to address many of its legacy challenges including leakages, corruption and unemployment.

We must consolidate initiatives and targeted outcomes to build a more robust digital infrastructure to enable digital entrepreneurship thrive. A robust digital infrastructure including good connectivity provides the avenue for individuals, businesses, and institutions to get online, and connect with local and global digital services with minimum interruption. Access to digital connectivity should be very inclusive, safe and affordable.

Again, digital entrepreneurship is likely to thrive when there are adequate funds to support and help entrepreneurs scale up at different stages of their growth. In Ghana, access to capital by start-ups remains a key challenge. Commercial banks in Ghana are still glued to the traditional way of lending (i.e. requesting for assets collateral and past business performance). This makes it very difficult for start-ups to access debt instruments to maximizing their growth potential. The government must execute policies that aim at making funds available for digital entrepreneurs to access whilst reducing the cost of doing business when using digital means.

Ghana should ensure that national policies, especially fiscal policies are very flexible and progressive enough to support entrepreneurial activities within the digital space. The cost of transacting business on digital platforms should not be higher than transacting the same business using physical means. Individuals and businesses should not spend more than what is required just by choosing to transact businesses on digital platforms. Such a practice is likely to erode the gains already made within the digital space. It may also discourage entrepreneurial activities within the digital space.

Lastly, the human capital of our nation must be fed with the requisite knowledge and apply must themselves accordingly within the global digital space. Our educational system should be properly structured to inspire creativity and innovation to solve real societal problems. Students should not only be assessed based on their ability to memorize lecture notes and manuals but also how they are able to apply such knowledge in solving societal problems and creating value especially within the digital space. Students should be trained to question assumptions and have a discovery mindset - being flexible and resilient in the midst of change.

Ghana needs to be very deliberate about inculcating practical knowledge in digital technologies within our education system at all levels, especially at the tertiary and professional levels. Professional examining bodies must be encouraged and equipped to include practical applications of digital skills within their space as part of the mandatory requirements for assessing their students and members. The digital skills may include the use of technological skills and business skill in solving real problems within the individuals line of profession. Should Ghana achieve a greater digital literacy, there would be wide use of digital products and services among the larger population.

Conclusion

We are in a world that will continue to evolve. Those who are able to adapt and subsequently excel, are those who know themselves, in terms of their skills, interests and strengths and are able to use such to create value.

Frank Nana Benyah is a Chartered Accountant. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (Ghana), Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK), Chartered Global Investment Analysts Institute (USA), Chartered Institute of Taxation (Ghana) and the Institute of Internal Auditors (Ghana and Global). He holds an MBA (Finance) and B.Com degrees from the University of Cape Coast.

Email:[email protected]
When Somalia was on the verge of collapse in 2011, Turkey's collaborative actions with the Mogadishu government helped the nation recover.

In order to send a message to the world that we are standing with our Somali brothers and sisters, we paid an official visit to Somalia in 2011 with a sizable delegation, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a press conference with his Somali counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Erdogan said the bilateral trade volume reached $363M last year, which was only $2M in 2003. He noted that the cooperative actions conducted in 20102017 with Somalia had helped the country to reinvigorate and develop even more.

In the Somali capital of Mogadishu, Turkey has the largest embassy building, covering an area of 80,000 square meters (more than 861,000 square feet), Erdogan remarked, adding that his nation is proud of it.

Erdogan also said that since Turkish Airlines began operating direct charter flights, Somalia has no longer been isolated.

After a protracted civil war broke out in the nation of Somalia in 1990, Turkish Airlines was the first foreign airline to start flying there.

He said that Turkey has increased its assistance to Somalia in every area, from health care to education to infrastructure building.

Erdogan underlined that more than $1 billion in humanitarian help had been sent to Somalia in the previous ten years and said that Turkey would continue to strengthen its ties with the continent of Africa.

Erdogan continued, "As the Republic of Turkey, we are resolved to lend our help in its fight against terrorism. To date, we have finished training 1,000 special police personnel in Somalia.

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud commended Turkiye and its people for their efforts in addressing the humanitarian crisis his country has been through. He also complimented the Turkish government for its investments in Somalia.

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said his nation views Turkey "as an important ally" and a "crucial ally for the development" of Somalia, noting that Turkish and Somali authorities have discussed the significance of collaboration in the areas of business, defense, industry, and education.

Following the Turkish president's 2011 visit, the first non-African president to do so in more than 20 years, Somalia and Turkey forged a close connection.

By Mr. Mohamed Abdullahi Hersi, 2022

Mohamed is political and foreign policy analyst and economic development specialist. He is climate and environmental activist. Founder and Executive Director of Save the Environment.
07.07.2022 LISTEN

Former central regional chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and social commentator, Benard Allottey Jacobs is asking the Akufo-Addo government to assign the Finance Ministry to the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

Speaking on the Accra-based Peace FMs discussion segment on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, monitored by this portal, he emphasized that government should sacrifice his "lovely" Ofori-Atta for the good of the ministry in the face of the ongoing discussions between the government and the officials from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

According to Allotey Jacobs, the Vice President will be a better person to lead the discussion on behalf of the Ghanaian officials since he is the head of the country's economic management team.

I suggest to the President to place the Finance Ministry under Dr. Bawumia. It's a fact... sometimes you need to sacrifice people, it is important in politics, you will have to sacrifice your own, so he should put that ministry under Bawumia, he suggests.

The former NDC stalwart, however, asserted that his claim does not suggest the Finance Minister is incapable but that he believes the current economic crisis is his doing and for that reason, he should not be allowed to head the finance ministry again.

So, that Ministry should come under Dr. Bawumia, that is the best thing because he has led the team (Economic Management Team) and the Finance Minister can't eat his cake and have it if he is going to lead the people to IMF. How?" he quizzes.
Franklin Cudjoe, the Executive Director of IMANI Ghana, says Ghana's economy would have performed better and would not have gone to the IMF if it had practised a parliamentary system of government.

Mr. Cudjoe is of the view that practicing a system of government in which a political party that gains more seats in Parliament is made to form a government led by a Prime Minister is what will make Parliamentarians from both sides criticise the wrongs of the government.

His suggestion was contained in his July 7 Twitter post, sighted by Modernghana News.

Sometimes I wish we practised the Parliamentary system of governance. Just name one Cabinet Minister in Nana's govt., who could stand up to him. If we did, we could have avoided going to IMF in an ambulance, his tweet suggests.

In a similar tweet on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, he suggested government put in place pragmatic, measurable, open, cost-effective, impactful programs, policies and projects as well as checking government effectively.

These efforts, he intimated will help prevent further deterioration of the countrys economy, thereby preventing Ghana from going back to the IMF cup in hand.

Preventing the next journey to the IMF in an ambulance as we always do begins now! Pragmatic, measurable, open, cost-effective and impactful programs, policies and projects. Above all, let us all police them! he suggested.

A parliamentary system is referred to as a democratic form of government in which the party with the most representation in parliament (legislature) forms the government, with its leader becoming the prime minister or chancellor.

Members of parliament appointed by the prime minister to the cabinet perform executive functions, such a system of government is being practised in the United Kingdom with pressured Boris John as their Prime minister and head of the executive.
A leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Richard Amoako Baah, has revealed that the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has refused to talk to him because he (Amoako Baah) criticized his administration.

The president who is my brother has distanced himself from me because I criticized his government, he said.

This, Dr Amoako Baah noted has led to many stalwarts in the party shying away from talking truth to power.

I played a lot of role in ensuring the party led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo comes to power thinking that if the late J.B Danquah could not do it, his grandson who is Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will do it.

The former political science lecturer at Kwame Nkrumah University (KNUST) speaking on the Citizens Show hosted by Nana Bobie Ansah on Accra 100.5 FM on Wednesday, July 7, 2022 expressed shock at how, in his view, the Presidents character had changed.

This is not the Nana Addo I know and diligently worked for with my own money, he said.

He was quick to add that the president has been dishonest in his dealings with Ghanaians.

He added that the government for that matter the president has not been forthright in the decision to go to the IMF.

We are in the ditch by going to the IMF the Covid-19 pandemic and Russian-Ukraine war as the reason for going to the IMF beats logic, he added.

Source: Classfmonline.com
Dakar, July 6, 2022  Senegalese authorities should investigate a call by Talla Sylla, a member of the ruling Alliance for the Republic (APR) partys youth branch, to burn down the privately owned Walfadjri media company and attack its journalists, ensure the safety of the journalists and the outlet, and allow the press to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.

Sylla, a member of Cojer (Convergence of Young Republicans), called for the arson and attacks on the Walfadjri journalists during a June 21 Facebook Live interview posted by privately owned news website Xibar24, according to CPJs review of the video. Walfadjri shares offices and journalists with Walf TV, one of its subsidiaries, and its radio, daily newspaper, and website branches.

In the video, Sylla expressed displeasure over Walf TVs critical reporting on Senegalese President Macky Sall, although he did not cite a specific report, and added, In other countries, they would have burned Walfadjri. Walfadjri must be burned. We need an attack on the journalists of Walfadjri to end this television, according to CPJs review.

Senegalese authorities should investigate ruling APR party member Talla Sylla over his public call to attack and burn down the Walfadjri media company, and ensure the safety of Walfadjris staff and journalists, said Angela Quintal, CPJs Africa program coordinator, in Durban, South Africa. When a member of Senegals ruling party advocates for violence against journalists, it sends a chilling message that such violence is acceptable in the eyes of the government.

On July 1, Sylla called Walf TV director Moustapha Diop and apologized for the remarks in the video, emphasizing that the animosity was directed toward the management of the broader Walfadjri company and not Walf TV staff in particular, Diop told CPJ by phone. CPJ called Sylla and Seydou Gueye, a spokesperson for Cojer and the ruling APR party, but Syllas line did not connect, and Gueye did not answer.

Diop and Bamba Kasse, the secretary-general of the Senegalese journalists union (SYNPICS), is working on filing a joint complaint against Sylla, they told CPJ by phone. On July 4, a bailiff was ordered to serve Sylla with a direct summons, as is necessary before the complaint could be filed to a prosecutor, but the bailiff has not been able to reach Sylla, Diop told CPJ.

In a statement posted on their Facebook page, SYNPICS called Syllas comments a threat to the entire Senegalese press.
A concern resident of Tamale, Chief Agba Fuseini has slammed the Minority Leader in Parliament, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu and other NDC parliamentarians in the Northern Region for being selective in their call for government to investigate the sales of some State lands to private individuals.

Addressing Journalists, Chief Agba who admitted to being a beneficiary of a State land in the Business Centre in the Metropolis said, it's wrong to buy a State, which can equally be used for a development project.

According to him, the Minority Leader and his cohorts should have demanded investigations into the sales of all State lands in the Northern Region starting from 1992, and not those who bought theirs recently.

He revealed that both the leadership of the NDC and NPP in the region have acquired some of the State lands.

This according to him, needs serious investigations into the State lands irrespective of who bought them or when it was sold.

Cheif Agba noted that any investigation relating to the sales of the State lands is warmly welcome, except selective probe.

The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu last month at a press conference called on President Akufo-Addo to instruct the Lands Minister to freeze the further sale of state lands in the Tamale Metropolis until an investigation is done to justify it.

He claimed that lands belonging to institutions such as health, prisons and education services were auctioned to party activists, who then demanded that the lands be returned to the appropriate institutions.

The sale of state lands in the region, especially within the business centre of Tamale recently sparked public outrage, with the Tamale West Hospitals lands being the most recent case.
The Atebubu-Amantin Municipal Chief Executive Hon. Edward Owusu has described the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) initiative of government as a potential source of wealth for the people.

He made the assertion at the start of the distribution of about 22,500 cashew seedlings to beneficiaries at Jato Zongo, a predominantly farming community in the Atebubu-Amantin municipality.

Our parents engaged in mainly yam farming just as we do now which hasnt impacted our fortunes that much but a diversification into cash crop like cashew farming can prove beneficial to us in at most six years and could also serve as a legacy which we could bequeath to our dependents even after we are gone, he said.

Hon. Edward Owusu urged the beneficiaries to take good care of the seedlings to make the investments made by the municipal assembly in the project over the years worthwhile.

The Municipal Director of the Department of Agriculture Mr. Stephen Aidoo expressed his gratitude to government and the municipal assembly for their support which has ensured the sustenance of the project since its inception in 2019.

He said 89,000 seedlings were raised in the first year whiles 100,000 were distributed in 2020 and 45,050 seedlings last year.

Some beneficiaries complained about the adverse effects of bushfires on their activities whiles others were concerned about the Fulani herdsmen menace.

A few suggested the inclusion of mangoes in subsequent years since the crop also thrives in the municipality.
Sri Lanka is a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Corruption. By end of 2021, the number of countries in the UN signed this convention was 140.

by Raja Wickramasinghe

The GotaGoGama and protesters around the country claim, the past and the present corrupt politicians and Bureaucrats are responsible for the countrys present chaotic situation and drying countrys Foreign Exchange reserves. They call for action against corrupt politicians and Bureaucrats, punishing them and bringing back the money belong to the people. The slogan is frequently heard at GotaGoGama and around the country. Yet, I am puzzled  is it because its true they are using corruption claim, or is it to attract public attention?

To refresh my memory, I read the Forward in the UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION AGAINST CORRUPTION written by former Secretary-General of the UN, Kofi Annan. The first two paragraphs states; (quote) paragraphs (1) Corruption is an insidious plague that has a wide range of corrosive effects on societies. It undermines democracy and the rule of law, leads to violations of human rights, distorts markets, erodes the quality of life and allows organized crime, terrorism and other threats to human security to flourish.

Paragraph (2)This evil phenomenon is found in all countriesbig and small, rich and poorbut it is in the developing world that its effects are most destructive. Corruption hurts the poor disproportionately by diverting funds intended for development, undermining a Governments ability to provide basic services, feeding inequality and injustice and discouraging foreign aid and investment. Corruption is a key element in economic under performance and a major obstacle to poverty alleviation and development. (End of quote)

This well-thought-of description fits to this situation; aptly and precisely explains the current chaotic situation of Sri Lanka. It has cleared all my doubts. There is no doubt Sri Lanka is experiencing the harmful corrosive effects of corrupt deals of the past and the present politicians and the Bureaucrats.. It has contributed to long internal unrest and instability in the country and halting the countrys development projects.

The Prime Minister; also the Finance Minister announced in Parliament the countrys economy has collapsed and there was no foreign exchange to purchase Fuel and other essential commodities. We witness people are suffering around the country in Petrol, Diesel, kerosene and cooking Gas queues. Generation of Power is disrupted cutting off power for long hours daily. Essential drugs, food and other essentials are hard to find; shelves in shops are mostly empty. Prices have skyrocketed beyond reach of the people. Poor and the vulnerable are the most suffering; unable to feed their families. Government is unable to provide services to the people; schools are closed. Government offices are providing limited services for few days a week.

Sri Lanka is a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Corruption. By end of 2021, the number of countries in the UN signed this convention was 140. Sri Lanka must explore all possible ways to seek assistance and corporation of all countries to investigate and bring these corrupt swindler of public money before the law and bring back the loot; money belong to the people of this country. Billion of U.S. dollars, in bribes and corrupt deals from dubious sources they would launder through web of easily set up companies in tax havens and funnel into properties in other countries. They are stored in most expensive real estates in the world.

Its well known these corrupt politicians, their sons, daughters and their other family members purchase properties in other countries in the name of companies linked to them. This enabled a glamorous, jet-setting lifestyle for them while people in the country are suffering without food and medicine, without education to their children and employment to earn a living due to their rampant corruption and corrupt deals.

Only by re-establishing stability we can move forward as a nation. Equal and fair justice for all, rule of law and freedom are crucial for country's stability; the cornerstone of democracy. By creating such an environment only can we attract foreign investment to the country. Until that environment is created all discussions and negotiations with World Bank, IMF, lenders, donors and any other organizations is likely end in stalemate. No country is willing to help and invest in a country when they see that funds are being siphoned off into the pockets of corrupt politicians and officials. This is a major obstacle currently discussed in all meetings and forums.

Fighting corruption has to be governments priority. Legislating strong anti corruption laws, strict enforcement, expeditious conclusion of investigations into cases of bribery, embezzlement and other mega corruption and bringing culprits before the law should be an urgent task of the government.

It is justified to set up special Anti-Corruption Tribunals in the country, to exclusively deal with cases of grand corruption involving politicians and public officials. To try and punish politicians and officials, thrive on bribes, kickbacks, embezzlement and other forms of grand corruption and those who feed off corrupt practices. Tribunals would be concerned to prosecute those preside over rampant corrupt practices and would focus its energies and time on grand corruption; the large scale theft or conversion of public money to private riches.

Nothing seems to have been able to stop movement of such wealth. Investigation and Prosecution in multiple countries is not easy. The most high-profile cases escape justice. It was often found difficult forensically to pursue the tortuous and hard trails of corrupt politicians, especially those with high-placed friends, and corruption committed with overseas connections. Where executives are corrupt and when they issue directives to law enforcement officials, public and law officials, anti-corruption initiatives are often stymied.

To overcome such situations, a highly trained, specialized corruption investigative and prosecuting staff is needed. They could expedite investigations, having provided all the resources, expertise and assistance of other government agencies to facilitate investigations within the country and also beyond its borders.

A successful anti-corruption drive with the aim of achieving more forceful enforcement, speedier prosecution and stringent punishment for grand corruption would pave the way forward and give the people an opportunity to breathe in a country free of corruption.
Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader in Parliament, has urged the Akufo-Addo and his Vice Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to accept responsibility for the mess they have created and find ways to cut opulence expenditure in order to free the economy from the crisis.

According to the lawmaker, government should prioritize social interventions to shore up the sinking economy.

They must take full responsibility and focus on expenditure reduction particularly focusing on social intervention whiles they reduce their opulence expenditure.

They should stop any attempt to shift blame. E-Levy remains an unpopular tax instrument and therefore the fact that it passed does not mean it had the support of the Minority, he noted.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, the Tamale South legislator emphasized that Akufo-Addo and his government's borrowing attitude, which increased the country's debt rate triggered the IMF move.

President Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia should take full responsibility for incompetently managing the economy to a suffocating debt level which has necessitated the retreat for us to request an agreement with the International Monetary Fund for the restructuring of our debts, he said.

He added, In any civilised democracy where people take responsibility and have a premium and value on credibility, Dr Bawumia, I do not know whether he has any respect for the word credibility and its value and what to do with it, including the Minister for Finance, they would have done what is needful.
A leading member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Richard Amoako Baah has blamed President Akufo-Addo for his overly ambitious Ghana Beyond Aid programme for the countrys economic woes.

How can you berate the one who feeds you? whereas your development partners are giving you grants and aids for your economy to survive, you turn around to tell them that you are seeking a Ghana Beyond Aid, he said.

He noted that the Ghana Beyond Aid slogan was part of the reason many of the donor partners refused to assist the country after the government had borrowed to the high heavens.

Speaking on the Citizens Show hosted by Nana Bobie Ansah on Accra 100.5 FM on Wednesday, July 7, 2022, Dr Amoako Baah recalled he once told the president that his quest to achieve Ghana Beyond Aid was a laudable idea but has some repercussions for the current economy.

If we had been measured in pushing the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda we will not get to the stage we are at today. I can assure you that if it had not been the Ghana Beyond Aid, the government of the Netherlands could have come to the aid of the failing Ghana National School Feeding programme, he stated.

They would have supported it because they started it, he argued adding that They left us because we were pushing Ghana Beyond Aid agenda. Countries like the Netherlands were on the fringes looking at us to achieve the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda.

He bemoaned that as late as last month the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori0-Atta was on air saying Ghana was a proud nation that will not go to the IMF for a bailout.

How can you talk this way as a Minister? How can you be proud when you have to fall on others to survive? he asked

Source: Classfmonline.com
Pressure group, Arise Ghana has described a statement from the Ghana Police Service aimed at educating the general public on events including demonstrations in the country, premised on the recent Krom Ay3 Hye protest, as a deliberate attempt to smear its image.

A statement issued by the group on Wednesday, 6 July 2022 noted: For the records, Arise Ghana as a law abiding pressure group strictly adhered to all the relevant provisions of the Public Order Act in the organisation of our historic two-day demonstration held on 28th and 29th June, 2022.

It maintained that the sad and barbaric events of Tuesday 28th June, 2022 were instigated by the Ghana Police Service after failed attempts to scuttle and stop the Krom Aye Shi' Demonstration. Neither the demonstrators nor the leadership of Arise Ghana are culpable of any breach of the Public Order Act.

It indicated that it is appalled by persistent threats of the Police administration to arrest the leaders of the group when it is the Dampare-led Ghana Police Service that should face the law for abandoning their professional ethics in favour of their masked paymasters.

It added: We remain unfazed and unshakable in our resolve to fearlessly and relentlessly champion the interest of the Ghanaian people through advocacy and constant nationalistic manifestations, despite attempts by government and the Police administration to court public disaffection for the group.

Source: classfmonline.com
07.07.2022 LISTEN

Some 55 youth mostly women have received business start-up kits after successfully undergoing apprenticeship training in Obuasi under the Young Africa Works Programme.

The initiative, which was designed by the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) and Mastercard Foundation in 2019 is targeted at creating employment and income generating opportunities for the youth to simulate the economic activities in Ghana.

The beneficiaries went through successful training and mastered skills in cosmetology, dressmaking, welding, metal fabrication and auto mechanic.

The Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive, Honorable Elijah Adansi-Bonah who delivered the items to the trainees recounted the Assembly's support to the apprentice during the National Vocational Technical Institute (NVTI) examination.

He said as a way of empowering the Youth to learn trade and be economically independent, the Assembly has been sponsoring apprentices to register and write the NVTI exams.

He lauded the initiative and added that the NPP Government remains committed to creating employment opportunities for the youth in Ghana. He urged the youth to take advantage of such programmes.

Initiatives like this from GEA and Mastercard with the support of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly is an indication that the Government is leaving no stone unturned in its quest to create jobs for the teaming unemployed youth in the country. Lets continue to support the Government to deliver on its promise to create more jobs," he stated.

Hon Adansi-Bonah further urged the beneficiaries to add value to what they have learnt. He noted, " before you can make great impact and be successful as a business owner you should add value to what you have acquired through training. I also appeal to you to treat your customers well".

The Head of Business Advisory Center (BAC), Obuasi, Kelvin Ofori Atta extolled the Municipal Chief Executive for his immense support towards the activities of the BAC and youth empowerment.

He explained that so far, a total of 771 people in Obuasi have benefited from the three components of the Young Africa Works Programme namely; Innovation Creativity and Entrepreneurship (ICE), Apprenticeship to Entrepreneurship ( A2E) and MSME Business Acceleration ( MBA).

On Jobs created and businesses established since 2021, Mr. Ofori Atta said so far, a total of 295 jobs have been created with 79 new businesses established as a result of the plethora of programmes rolled up by the Ghana Enterprises Agency in Obuasi.

The Chairman of the Association of Small Scale Industries in Obuasi, Gabriel Dwomfour advised the beneficiaries to take what they have learnt seriously, improve upon it and also adopt the best practices to market their products or businesses.

The beneficiaries who spoke with the media thanked the government and the sponsoring agencies for the training and the start-up kits.
On Sunday, July 3, 2022, the Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA) in collaboration with the Liberian National Police CID, retrieved and returned to its legitimate owner, M/V Hammonia Palatium, a Rescuer Boat Motor that went missing in December 2021. M/V Hammonia Palatium is a Liberian flagged container ship with IMO Registered Identification Number: 9336165.

Two burglars were arrested and the machine was recovered by the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) of the Liberia National Police, following an investigation into claims that robbers entered the vessel, while it was berthed, and made away with a rescuer boat machine, along with seven cans of 18.5 liters of Final Coat X (FCX) Exterior Paint.

While handing over the rescued machine during the weekend of July 3, 2022, to the Captain of the M/V Hammonia Palatium, Captain Azamat Ayhan, the Director of Maritime Security, Mr. Simeon T. Cheah said the Liberia Maritime Authority was alerted to the incident in an email sent by the vessel agent on December 25, 2021.

He disclosed further that the police used details found on a phone that the thieves had left on the vessel. The Director stressed that the recovery operation was successful largely due to the effectiveness of the Police and the fine working relationship among the Port Security, LiMA Security, and the National Police.

Mr. Cheah praised and thank the three security teams  and emphasized the seriousness that Commissioner Lenn Eugene Nagbe attaches to the fight against thievery and other criminal activities within the maritime sector.

He pointed out that the Liberia Maritime Authority will not hesitate to go to any length to stamp out vices that would impugn the sacredness of the countrys uncompromising stance on safety security and thievery  positions that have won the Liberia Shipping Registry admiration globally.

While expressing thanks and appreciation to all concerned Maritime stakeholders for a job well done, the Maritime Security boss disclosed that the Investigation continues and that those found guilty will face the full weight of the Law.

Filching of all types MUST STOP  and stopped now! Director Cheah said.

Receiving the retrieved motor, Captain Ayhan said he was not the Captain on board the vessel at the time the incident occurred but was glad to receive the motor (a Tohatsu) from the Liberian authorities represented by the Liberia Maritime Authority Director of Security, ISPS Officer, and the boarding agent. He wondered how the Liberian Authorities succeeded in rescuing the motor.

Further investigation into circumstances that led to the missing motor is continuing to bring to book the alleged perpetrators and their potential accomplices to send out a clear message to others who would dare to tread a similar path.

Amongst others who attended the turnover ceremony were Mr. Gola Traub, Director of Corporate Relations, LiMA; Michael Roberts, Digital and Social Media Officer, LiMA; Mr. Isaac Dayan, Vessel Movement Officer; Mr. Frederick W. Dagbe, Vessel Agent; Fatu M. Shaw, Associate Director for Intelligence and Investigation, LiMA; and Agent Morris P. Smith, Investigator, LiMA.
Bernard Allotey Jacobs, a former member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and now a social commentator, has asked the Akufo-Addo government to explain his IMF move to Ghanaians.

He commends the President, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo and his government for putting aside their ego to seek IMF support.

For President Akufo-Addo to say that let us go and negotiate with IMF in spite of all that he has said, let's give him respect for it.

"I am pleading to the President that he should come out and speak to the nation reasons why he went to the IMF. It is very, very important," he stressed.

He said this during a panel discussion on the Accra-based Peace FMs Kookrokoo morning show on Wednesday, July 6, 2022 monitored by Modernghana News.

Officials from the International Monetary Fund arrived in the country on Tuesday, July 5, 2022, and are currently in talks with Ghanaian officials about the country's bailout request.
07.07.2022 LISTEN

The Populist approach to our politics in this Country is getting Worrying and we must put a stop to it especially when these Populist decisions go a long way to hurt the us citizens and not these politicians who make such decisions.

I've decided not to waste my energy on writing plenty since it's becoming a waste of time to folks who don't give a damn or deliberately see no evil and hear no evil.

I'll give a few examples and I'm done since I'm not the one to advice fully grown men.

During the Covid period the President closed all the land and sea borders except the Airports.

Now, when the Covid cases started going down tremendously there were agitations from the border towns for it to be reopened so they could undertake their business activities to and fro the neighbouring countries.

The President in a haste came to announce that all borders are now open.

The following day Ghanaians as usual trooped to cross the border only to be told at the neighbouring border that they're NOT aware of such a decision.

Fact is the proper thing that should have been done was for our authorities to discuss the reopening with their authorities before breaking the news to us the citizens but I believe that didn't happen so we opened ours but theirs remained closed and what is the use of opening a border that cannot be crossed.

Since 28th March 2022 since the President opened our borders to for example Abidjan, no passenger have been able to cross that border due to the closure at the Noe side and if you have any doubts you can simply call STC to book a ticket to Abidjan and listen to the response. The only form of transport that moves through the borders are Cargo trucks and even with that it sometimes takes 2weeks for Stc to provide that service.

4 clear months after the premature ejaculation celebrations by our Elubo traders the President is yet to tell us what plans is in place to fully and properly open the borders but it's as if it's not an issue that bothers them and strangely those there have also stopped complaining.

I guess they're probably tired of complaining and are possibly finding their own ways and means to survive.

Today we're at IMF and it will take a lot to convince some of us that it's not because of bad management of the economy.

Fact is anything FREE is not Sustainable so why did we sing along the FREE Shs, FREE Feeding, FREE Uniform Chorus when we knew it was just a Populist stunt to win an election. Even the rich countries do not offer such FREE FREE policies I mean what were we all thinking?

Now that they won the first and second elections with it we've now found ourselves with the IMF and incase policy is cancelled these politicians will tell us that they wanted to do it but these new restrictions made it impossible to continue and so I guess we can't blame them directly  its quite laughable but that's how dumb we all are as I'm sure we've even spent our unborn children funds ie the Heritage fund to service such an unsustainable policy in the name of Populist politics. For now the Ministry have come to assure us that the Free Shs policy will continue but hey! Time will tell

My question is how on earth were they spending state funds on the building of a Cathedral in a country where factories are needed for so many unemployed graduates at a time that we're BROKE.

I mean how do you go and borrow money to buy a cow to celebrate your son"s birthday and when school reopens you don't even have that borrowed money to pay his school fees eih.

On Tuesday whiles watching the News I saw a headline that read "300 houses built in waterways at Ledzokuku krowor to be demolished" and this was after just 2hours of rains that got the whole place flooded.

The question is who allowed them to build there in the first place I mean 300 houses are NOT 300 kiosks.

Well they say they'll start the demolishing on Wednesday 6th July 2022 so we're all waiting to see what happens since this is not the first time they're issuing such a statement during the floods and like Vultures forgetting after the rains.

We're all witnesses of the Kpeshi Lagoon being filled with sand for building purposes in fact I drive by the sakumono lagoon that's also being filled with sand for building construction and we have authorities in this country driving along and witnessing it.

Now when you foolishly send your buildings into the lagoons and it rains the water only finds its way into innocent peoples houses in the environs who have legitimately put up their buildings in authorised places and that's the country we're living in.

Lastly I watched policemen clearing debris left at the Nkrumah Circle after the Arise Ghana Demonstration and I couldn't believe my eyes.

How can this happen anywhere on earth where they have laws governing Demonstrations I mean what happened to us holding Organisers of Demonstration responsible for any excesses?

We all watched how the military disciplined those idiots who went to demonstrate and break billboards on the electoral commission road so how on earth are we seeing the police rather picking borla that was caused by human beings who wrote them letters to undertake this Demonstration?

In fact we were waiting for the invitation of these organisers after they accused the Police of planting one of their personnel among the demonstrators to deliberately throw stones at the police in order to instigate an attack from them.

Till date we haven't heard any denial or acceptance from the police only to rather find them picking the mess that these demonstrators caused.

Whatever that's happening in this country cannot be described with any words especially knowing that NDC had 19years to rule and NPP had 8years then NDC came back 8years and now NPP is here with another 8years and still Ghana is if not worse off then it's obviously nothing to write home about in terms of development in fact we're even a poorer country with huge debts and you wonder what the future holds for this country especially as we the citizens keep losing TRUST in these Politicians.

God Help Ghana Our Motherland
A female Police officer has sustained deep cutlass wounds by an unidentified person at a checkpoint behind Zebilla Senior High Technical School in Zebilla in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region.

Her AK47 rifle has been stolen.

According to the Zebilla Police Command, the female officer was on duty with a colleague around Zebilla SHTS when the incident happened.

The Command told this reporter that the female officer left to buy something at a nearby shop about 20 metres away from the checkpoint at about 8:30pm to 9:00 pm.

It added that an unidentified man was also walking behind her as if he was also going her way but before she could realise the man inflicted cutlass wounds on her and stabbed her in the ribs, hand and head multiple times.

According to the Command, she fell unconscious and the criminal took away the rifle and started firing sporadically.

The Zebilla Police Commander, ASP Jackson Kporte indicated that residents rushed out in their numbers but the culprit was able to escape with the rifle.

He added that they rushed to the crime scene and retrieved a cutlass.

ASP Jackson Kporte noted that the female officer was first rushed to the Zebilla government hospital where she was later transferred to Tamale Teaching hospital responding to treatment.

The Zebilla Police Command has since commenced an investigation into the matter.

Read police statement below:
Many legal scholars followed the exchanges between Atty. Jackson and Cllr. Michael Diggs with keen interest. Diggs relied on Article 17 of the 1986 Constitution to justify the decision of the Unity Party (UP) to withdraw from the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) on grounds that said provision protects the right to associate fully with others or refuse to associate in political parties, trade unions and other organizations. Atty. Jackson, on the other hand, argued that the UP cannot leave the collaboration because obligations of contracts are guaranteed by the Republic under Article 25 of the Constitution.

Both men advanced cogent legal arguments on theories of constitutional law and convinced their readers that they do spend hours in libraries equipped with law books and treatises. However tempting, most of us could not participate because some paragraphs employed by our colleagues attacked individuals instead of the legal issues.

Our training would not permit us participate in exchanges that could be easily construed as violating the Code of Moral and Professional Ethics. For example, Jackson attacked Diggs family life and Diggs, in return, accused Jackson of incessantly hustling Finance Minister Samuel Tweah for money. These political attacks were especially unnecessary because Cllr. Diggs has a wonderful family and Atty. Jackson is financially comfortable in America.

The fact that the two lawyers were left in a brawl over the interpretations of Articles 17 and 25 of the Constitution without our scholarly intrusion does not mean that they were gifted the latitude to wander the information highway unchecked. It is in this vein that I am taking the task to engage Atty. Jackson on his recent article, in which, he questions the legal philosophy and scholarship of the Supreme Court of Liberia.

In his recent article entitled, Supreme Courts Opinions Risk being Pilloried and Overturned, Atty. Jackson argues that most cases decided by the Supreme Court under the guidance of Chief Justice Francis Saye Korkpor, Sr. risk being overturned eventually because they are tainted by judicial willfulness as opposed to the philosophical perspectives of the Law of the land He goes further, our Judiciary naturally invites legal scholarship, because what we are sadly witnessing is the ruin or demise of brilliant legal scholarship!

One would think that such statements would be followed by an unambiguous definition of what constitutes judicial willfulness and what should be considered as the philosophical perspectives of the law of the land. This is important because were Atty. Jackson to substantiate his claims by providing incontrovertible evidence, the need for impeachment in keeping with Article 71 of the Constitution would become imperative.

Rather than planting his latest article on these grievous claims, Atty. Jackson transforms into what could best be described as a legal sorcerer foretelling that most opinions of the current bench shall be overturned by its successor. Jackson infers that the process of judicial review is designed to show the scholarly limitation of Judges whose decisions are overturned. I disagree. The Constitution is a living document that is mostly interpreted in light of current realities. To reflect this, constitutional interpretations by the Supreme Court can be undone through subsequent Supreme Court decisions or by constitutional amendments. Riddance of a precedent does not necessarily suggest lack of scholarship by previous courts as Mr. Jackson would want us to believe.

In a desperate attempt to push the Korkpor Bench down the cliff, Jackson grabs the overturning of the decision of the US Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade (1973) and prays that similar fate befalls most of the current legal opinions. This sweeping condemnation of the scholarship of the court is unfounded because this bench has some of the best opinions on procedural and substantive due process of law.

Let us take an incisive glimpse at the case that overturned Roe v Wade since the carcass of Roe powered Jacksons argument  Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization (2022). While the majority decision written by Justice Samuel Alito putting an end to abortion is the new law in America, legal scholarship requires that we read dissenting opinions in order to fully appreciate the law. Sometimes the real legal philosophy is in the dissent. That is why our common law is replete with instances wherein dissenting opinions later became the law. See the dissenting opinions in the following cases: Dred Scott v Stanford (1857); Plessy v Ferguson (1896); Olmstead v United States (1928). Also see the legal philosophy in the blistering dissents of Justice Antonin Scalia.

Why would Jackson even consider digging out the carcass of Roe considering the patent danger that lies therein? Here is the problem in overturning Roe that liberal Justices Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan put in their dissent: Some States have passed laws without any exceptions for when the woman is the victim of rape or incest. Under those laws, a woman will have to bear her rapists child or a young girl her fathersno matter if doing so will destroy her life. So too, after todays ruling, some States may compel women to carry to term a fetus with severe physical anomaliesfor example, one afflicted with Tay-Sachs disease, sure to die within a few years of birth. By not taking into consideration these concerns, the very exercise of the power of judicial review further complicates the abortion debate in the United States. This is why overruling Roe does not bring the scholarship of the previous court into question. Or, perhaps, the word egregious as used by Justice Samuel Alito in the majority opinion was Jacksons impression.

But let us assume, without admitting, that the Korkpor Bench decided some cases against what we believe is the right law. All lawyers should know that opinions of the Supreme Court are not verses from the Holy Bible or ayahs from the Holy Quran. Former United States Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson put it this way, We are not final because we are infallible, but we are infallible only because we are final. I need not define infallibility here.

Judicial opinions are also not scientific equations. This is why judges vote but mathematicians do not. Justices are lawyers and lawyers are humans. They can slip, sometimes in matters of great importance. However, when legal slippages derive from honest efforts to interpret the law, they do not put the Justices in the basket of incompetence or lack of scholarship. In fact, precedents that appear ugly in the eyes of conservative justices may seem very beautiful to liberal justices.

Still determined to show lack of scholarship by the Korkpor Bench, Atty. Jackson went on a fishing expedition to bring out decisions of the Court that he believes will be overturned by a bench of judicial advocates and scholars more committed to the sanctity of the law as opposed to the fleeting convenience of politics. The most recent case is UP v CPP. Here, Jackson relies on the US Supreme Court case Shelley v. Kraemer (1948) to propel his position that the Supreme Court deviated from the law by directing its energy to a private agreement between parties. Again, I disagree. How would the two cases even fit under the same umbrella when the facts can be easily distinguished? In the Shelley case, an African American family, the Shelleys, purchased a property without knowledge of a restrictive covenant that prevented black people from owning properties in the area. The Kraemers, along with other white neighbors, sought to enforce the restrictive covenant and enjoin the Shelleys from taking possession of the property. The Unity Party case deals with the right of a political institution to participate in a process that determines the very foundation of the republic. How could you analogize the two cases? Is it not clear that the former has to do with rights over private property while the latter deals with issues concerning the State? The Wilmot Paye case can also be distinguished from UP v CPP. Paye was claiming his individual right to the Chairmanship of the Unity Party. It is not the same as the right of political parties to participate in elections. Private right is a personal right, as opposed to a right of the public or the state. Blacks Law Dictionary 11th Edition.

While many pundits hold the view that a political collaboration may clinch victory in the 2023 elections, it is no obligation of the Supreme Court to facilitate or enable such quest. The court may dance around the procedural requirements for leaving a political collaboration but it cannot rule to keep political marriages against the wishes of constituent member(s). Political collaborations can ONLY be maintained by the willingness of political leaders.

It is therefore my honest view that Atty. Jackson unjustifiably attacked the credibility and scholarship of the Honorable Supreme Court of Liberia.

Amb. Rufus Neufville is the Executive Director of the People Action Network and a former Member of the House of Representatives, Republic of Liberia.
Ongoing deliberations between the Ghana's team and the Zambia delegation

07.07.2022 LISTEN

The Zambian Minister for Mines and Minerals Development, Hon. Paul C. Kabuswe on Wednesday, 6th July, 2022 led a 6-member delegation to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to familiarise himself with operations at the Ministry, particularly on issues relating to the mining sector in Ghana.

Speaking at a brief meeting Chaired by the Hon. Deputy Minister for Mines, Hon. George Mireku Duker on behalf of the sector Minister, the Zambian Minister said his visit to Ghana was to basically study Ghana's Small Scale Mining sector, exchange ideas and learn best practices in the Ghanaian mining space.

He noted that for Africa to thrive and prosper in its own efforts and resources, there must be strong and closer collaborations among African countries.

"We need to collaborate and share ideas to help harness our resources as Africans and liberate ourselves economically because we are not yet economically powerful as a continent and as such, I believe it is time to it together and exchange views and not to stay aloof," he stated.

He disclosed that Zambia has recently discovered gold and wants to embark on a very robust minerals exploration to ensure the mineral does not end up in the wrong hands, adding that the country is mapping up the entire Zambia to among others help understand the extent of mineralisation within the country.

He also noted that they have taken the decision to clean up their license system because they believe that "mining starts at licensing stage and if you don't get it right from the beginning you miss the point and therefore you must get it right from the beginning."

He said to ensure an all-inclusive system, they have set themselves on the path to reorganise the mining sector of Zambia with a new mining policy framework to ensure it stands the test of time.

Hon. Kabuswe strongly touted that they believe Africa has the human resources to achieve whatever goal it set to achieve.

Hon. George Mireku Duker on his part updated the delegation on Ghana's efforts to improve the mining sector through its regulatory framework and decentralisation.

According to him, he is happy that Zambia has shown interest in Ghana's mining sector, disclosing that up to 500 companies have also shown their interest in the exploration of same and also harness opportunities in the country.

On value addition, Hon. Duker said the government through the Ministry has set up agencies like GISDEC and GIADEC to promote and develop an integrated bauxite, aluminium, iron and steel industry in Ghana.

He added that as part of Ghana's contribution to the Minamata Convention, government has procured mercury-free mining equipment which efficiently recovers more gold for artisanal and small scale miners and also encourages responsible mining in the country.

The delegation also paid a similar visit to the mining regulator in Ghana, Minerals Commission and to Precious Minerals and Marketing Company (PMMC) which among others promotes the development of precious minerals and jewelry in Ghana.
The temptation to be resisted here is to continue to rely on our basic notion of nature and, consequently, proclaim chaos as somehow unnatural.

by Slavoj Zizek

We have entered a period of history when our growing ability to transform nature has begun limiting our freedom, rather than expanding it. Global warming is a point in case. But even more dangerous for our freedom are the developments in biogenetics and the dawn of a post-human era. The promise of these advances is freedom from our nature: limited intelligence, vulnerable to disease, and death. But the more we learn how to alter our own nature, the less free we will become. We will be transformed into just another object that can be manipulated and reconstructed, argues Slavoj Zizek, following on from his debate with Yuval Noah Hararri at HowTheLightGetsIn. Watch the original debate here.

Todays ecology tends to perceive Nature as the limit to our expansion, and instructs us, humans, to renounce our hubris, our ruthless exploitation of nature. Now that God or Tradition can no longer play the role of the highest Limit, Nature takes over this role. But what kind of nature will this be? Even when we imagine global warming, we still picture it as a new stability, with regular and repeatable weather patterns: once humanity reaches the limit of carbon output, Earth's climate stabilizes at a new, higher average temperature. This higher temperature is overall bad for humans, because it still leads to higher sea levels and more extreme weather events. But at least it's stable: The Anthropocene looks like previous climate ages, only warmer. [1]

However, recent research finds it more probable that Earth's climate leads to chaos. True, mathematical chaos. In a chaotic system, there is no equilibrium and no repeatable patterns. A chaotic climate would have seasons that change wildly from decade to decade (or even year to year). Some years would experience sudden flashes of extreme weather, while others would be completely quiet. Even the average Earth temperature may fluctuate wildly, swinging from cooler to hotter periods in relatively short periods of time. It would become utterly impossible to determine in what direction Earth's climate is headed.

Such an outcome is not only catastrophic for our survival, it also runs against our (human) most basic notion of nature, that of repeatable pattern of seasons. As such, it reminds us of what Georg Lukacs pointed out in his History and Class Consciousness: nature is a social category, i.e., what we perceive as nature is always overdetermined by a social context. So while everything that there is is nature (we are part of nature), the obverse also holds at the level of our understanding: nature is a cultural category, what strikes us as unnatural is always socially determined.

The temptation to be resisted here is to continue to rely on our basic notion of nature and, consequently, proclaim chaos as somehow unnatural. It is as if our Earth is gradually turning into Trisolaris, a strange planet from The Three-Body Problem, Liu Cixins sci-fi masterpiece. Trisolaris has three suns which rise and set at strange and unpredictable intervals: sometimes far too far away and horribly cold, sometimes far too close and destructively hot, and sometimes not seen for long periods of time. Devastating hurricanes, droughts and floods, not to mention global warming  do they all not indicate that we are witnessing something for which the only appropriate term is the end of nature? This proclamation only makes sense if Nature is to be understood here in the traditional sense of a regular rhythm of seasons, the reliable background of human history, something on which we can count always to be there.

___ The limitation of our freedom that becomes palpable with global warming is the paradoxical outcome of the very exponential growth of our freedom and power. ___

Our survival depends on certain natural parameters which we automatically take for granted. The lesson of the global warming is that the freedom of the humankind was possible only against the background of the stable natural parameters of the life on earth (temperature, the composition of the air, sufficient water and energy supply, etc.): humans can do what they want only insofar as they remain marginal enough, so that they dont seriously perturb the parameters of the life on earth. The limitation of our freedom that becomes palpable with global warming is the paradoxical outcome of the very exponential growth of our freedom and power, i.e., of our growing ability to transform nature around us up to destabilizing the very basic geological parameters of the life on earth. We are thus entering a new phase in which it is simply nature itself which melts into air: the main consequence of the scientific breakthroughs in biogenetics is the end of nature. Once we know the rules of its construction, natural organisms are transformed into objects amenable to manipulation. Nature, human and inhuman, is desubstantialized, deprived of its impenetrable density, of what Heidegger called earth.

___ It is crucial to bear in mind that the rise of the post-human era and the end of nature are the two sides of the same process. ___

Let me confess one of my guilty pleasures for which contempt of almost all of my friends befell me: I quite like Roland Emmerichs Moonfall whose premise is that our Moon is an artificial megastructure constructed by the ancestors of humanity (who were more technologically advanced than their present-day descendants) as an ark to repopulate humanity; these ancestors were hunted by a rogue artificial intelligence that grew too strong Two features I find interesting in the film are: (1) the conflict that structures the entire human history is the one between two strands of Artificial Intelligence, not between humanity and AI; (2) the denaturalization of what we spontaneously perceive as a gigantic natural object  the Moons ragged surface is just a mask aimed at deceiving humans and concealing a complex machine inside. So what if we universalize this premise and conceive nature itself, what we perceive as its most natural features (spontaneity, chaos), as a deceiving appearance concealing a machinic inside? It is crucial to bear in mind that the rise of the post-human era and the end of nature are the two sides of the same process. So, if development will render homo sapiens obsolete, what will follow it? A post-human homo deus (with abilities that are traditionally identified as divine) or a quasi-omnipotent digital machine?

___ This ultimate freedom of genetic self-reconstruction coincides with the ultimate non-freedom: I am myself reduced to an object which can be endlessly refashioned. ___

With regard to the possibility of new forms of awareness emerging, one should bear in mind Metzingers warning. While he considers artificial subjectivity possible, especially in the direction of hybrid bio-robotics, and, consequently, an empirical, not philosophical issue, he emphasizes its ethically problematic character: it is not at all clear if the biological form of consciousness, as so far brought about by evolution on our planet, is a desirable form of experience, an actual good in itself [2]. This problematic feature concerns conscious pain and suffering: evolution has created an expanding ocean of suffering and confusion where there previously was none. As not only the simple number of individual conscious subjects but also the dimensionality of their phenomenal state spaces is continuously increasing, this ocean is also deepening. And it is reasonable to expect that new artificially generated forms of awareness will create new deeper forms of suffering.

As Harari points out, the most realist option of the biotechnology and computer algorithms joining their powers in producing bodies, brains and minds will be a radical division, much stronger than the class division, within human society itself. With the gap exploding between those who know how to engineer bodies and brains and those who do not: those who ride the train of progress will acquire divine abilities of creation and destruction, while those left behind will face extinction. The main threat is therefore that of the rise of a

small and privileged elite of upgraded humans. These superhumans will enjoy unheard-of abilities and unprecedented creativity, which will allow them to go on making many of the most important decisions in the world.... However, most humans will not be upgraded, and they will consequently become an inferior caste, dominated by both computer algorithms and the new superhumansSplitting humankind into biological castes will destroy the foundations of liberal ideology. [3]

Crucial here is the interdependence of man and nature: by reducing man to just another object whose properties can be manipulated, what we lose is not (only) humanity but nature itself. In this sense, Francis Fukuyama is right: humanity itself relies on some notion of human nature as what we inherited as simply given to us, the impenetrable dimension in/of ourselves into which we are born/thrown. The paradox is thus that that there is man only insofar as there is impenetrable inhuman nature (Heideggers earth): with the prospect of biogenetic interventions opened up by the access to the genome, the species freely changes/redefines itself, its own coordinates; this prospect effectively emancipates humankind from the constraints of a finite species, from its enslavement to the "selfish genes." However, this ultimate freedom of genetic self-reconstruction coincides with the ultimate non-freedom: I am myself reduced to an object which can be endlessly refashioned.

The ultimate lesson is here that we should accept the meaningless stupidity of nature. Humanity owes its existence to the immense destruction and suffering that befell life on Earth. Without the extinction of dinosaurs, there would not be human life on earth. Our main sources of energy (coal, oil) are the leftovers of unimaginable destructions that occurred in the past. Our daily habits rely on global suffering  just think about what happens in industrial farms with chicken and pigs. We are not only a catastrophe for our environment, we emerged out of this catastrophe and even today live off it. And all these sacrifices will never be redeemed in some kind of new Nuremberg court condemning us for our crimes against natural life. The most difficult thing is not to find some deeper meaning of suffering but to really accept its meaninglessness.

References

[1] Physicists predict Earth will become a chaotic world, with dire consequences (msn.com).

[2] Thomas Metzinger, Being No One, Cambridge: MIT Press 2004.

[3] Yuval Noah Harari, Homo Deus. A Brief History of Tomorrow, London: Harvill Secker 2016.

Slavoj Zizek is a globally renowned philosopher and cultural critic. He is international director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities at the University of London, visiting professor at New York University and a senior researcher at the University of Ljubljana.

Source: IAI News
French authorities performing an autopsy on an orca who died in the Seine River, near the northern city of Rouen, have found a bullet lodged at the base of the animal's skull. The NGO Sea Shepherd France said it would file a legal complaint to clarify what happened.

In a statement, the Seine-Maritime prefecture said it was impossible to make any link between the bullet and the orca's death.

The animal died at the end of May after spending several weeks swimming up river.

A team of veterinarians carried out the autopsy a day after the orca died. They learned it was an "immature" female, 4.26 metres long and weighing 1,100 kilogrammes when it died.

Analyses of the killer whale's organs and skin did not find evidence of any bacterial infection or a fungal infection, which had initially been suspected as a possible cause of its distress.

Starved to death

The prefecture said the likely immediate cause of death was weakness from starvation, as the animal had stopped eating after having been separated from its pod.

Authorities tried unsuccessfully to guide it back to the English Channel using sound and other methods.

The bullet was found in the tissue at the base of the skull, with no sign of trauma found on its skin.

It is not possible to date the moment the bullet penetrated the animal's body the prefecture said in a statement.

The Rouen prosecutor was informed of the discovery of the bullet, and will determine the next steps.

The ocean campaign group Sea Shepherd France said on Tiwtter it intended to file a lawsuit for attempted destruction of an endangered species.

Other more general analyses of the orca's teeth as well as the presence of polluting chemicals are expected within a few months.

The carcass is now with the National Natural History museum, which will prepare the skeleton to be included in its collection of mammals.

Another whale in the Seine

Meanwhile, what appears to be a 10-metre-long minke whale was spotted in the Seine, close to the English Channel, at the end of June.

The Seine-Maritime prefect said an emergency meeting with researchers and state officials had been held after sailors first spotted the animal on 30 June.

The GECC mammal research institute, which was involved in tracking the orca, is now monitoring the minke whale, which appears to be in good condition.

Sea Shepherd France on Monday said it had spent 10 hours searching for the whale without success, concluding it may have gone back out to see.

The presence of the whale in the Seine is unusual, but not as unprecedented as the orca.

The prefecture has put out a warning for boats in the area, prohibiting anyone from coming within 100 metres of the whale.
Striking teacher unions have expressed their disappointment with the outcome of the stakeholder meeting they had with the Ministries of Employment and Education, the Ghana Education Service, Fair Wages and Salaries Commission .

Communication Director for Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-Gh) Adokwei Ayikwi-Awulley told Alfred Ocansey on 3FM Sunrise, Thursday 7 June 2022 that all that the government's team told the striking teacher unions during their engagement last Wednesday was that the demand by the teachers was legitimate and requested for time but couldn't specify when.

We were thinking the minister of employment was coming from the side of the government so he would say he has been mandated to tell us what the government wants to offer but he came with nothing saying he has no mandate to come to the table with something, he mentioned.

Mr. Adokwei went on to say He came without a mandate; that is how we term it. That they are now going to discuss it and that whatever comes out of it he will call us and put it before us. He came with no solution. They came with two main issues. Thus; we have heard it and we are now going to think about it to make a final decision, and secondly, we are pleading with you to go back to the classroom. That is all he told 3FM

In attendance at the meeting was a representative from the Finance Ministry, Minister of Education, C.E.O of Fair Wages and Salaries Commission , and the Director General of Ghana Education Service.

In reaction to the suggestions by some people that if the government had the money, it would have met their demands but the government doesn't have the money that is why they have gone to the IMF. The leader of the teachers union said the government should just be straight forward to tell them there is no money.

They said yes, what we are demanding for is legitimate and they can't contest it. They are going to discuss it and get back to us. They should have said that they don't have the means.

He further admonished the government to take the demand for 20% COLA very seriously else it could become a national security issue because other unions are also lacing their boots but they don't want it to be a generalized strike. Government should try to nib the problem in the bud as early as possible.

The President of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers cautioned that if action is not taken expeditiously, there will be a situation whereby about six hundred thousand employers would pour onto the streets and it will be difficult to stop them.

We will give them time, but we will not go back to the classroom, he concluded.

Four pre-tertiary unions; Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) , the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) and Teachers and Educational Workers' Union (TEWU) embarked on an indefinite strike from Monday July 4.

---3news.com
A high-powered delegation of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) led by its General Secretary, Mr Johnson Aseidu Nketiah, left Accra last night, Wednesday, 6 July for Geneva, Switzerland, to attend the Council Meeting of The Socialist International.

The meeting, which comes off from the 7th to the 8th of July 2022, will discuss, among other subjects, working for peace and international security based on shared principles and rules and strengthening democracy and ensuring fundamental human rights.

Other members of the delegation are Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba, the NDC Member of Parliament for Timpane; Dr Karl Mark Arhin, the Deputy Director of International Relations of the NDC; and Ms Millicent Y. Amankwaa, the parliamentary candidate of the NDC for Sunyani West in the 2020 elections.

In the absence of the General Secretary, the Deputy General Secretary in charge of Operations, Dr Peter Boamah Otokunor, will act, a statement from the party said.

Source: Classfmonline.com
07.07.2022 LISTEN

There have been many scholarly speculations about how destructive if not apocalyptic, the "Vasco da gama era" of Western supremacy and paramountcy of world leadership would end. Political hypothesis.

Dr. Carol Bell, a renowned Australian international politics and relations scholar in 2007 spelt out how the unipolar power concentration would be snatched away from the United States of America of the West and shared among China, Japan, India, Russia, and the European Union. And the best the USA could do is to at least still maintain itself as a superpower with these five Blocs.

Historically, Vasco da gama was a Portuguese international who was claimed to have linked the Orient (the East) and the West in the 15th century (1498) when he discovered India through a voyage by sea. This discovery by da Gama Vasco, had laid the foundation of European Imperialism in Africa and Asia (1498-1945). Hence, the Western dominance of the world has been dubbed with his name: "the Vasco da Gama Era".

It was that era Ali Mazrui refers to as the "rape of Africa era by Europe in his book, The African Condition.

However, with recent happenings in the world and in the West in particular, Russia invasion of Ukraine, predatory capitalism etc., political doomsday prophets have been predicting what to become of the West post its lost of global supremacy and leadership.

Perhaps, this upcoming collapse of the West was what Joseph Stalin saw when he said that "Capitalism as an ideology or civilization is invented by the West for its own destruction".

Fellow Ghanaians, President Akufo Addo's ideology of "Food is ready for political vultures of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)" he has borrowed godforsaken amount of money to achieve, is a lazy mans approach to leadership he has ever invented for not only his own political infamy, but the catastrophic collapse of the NPP as a political party.

With both the kitchen cabinet and even "bedroom cabinet" of the Akufo Addo government now engage in a dogfight over their leadership surrender to the IMF due to six years of humongous economic mess, it is obvious Ghana will either collapse with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as a political party, or at least, the party alone is doomed to destruction and disintegration.

That is, the NPP as a party has come to the end of its "Vasco da Gama Era" of state property thefts, "create-loot-and-share, thievery, gangsterism, tyranny, and unbridled monopoly of corruption and gaping incompetence!

Unbeknownst to many Ghanaians, the ongoing economic epilepsy and fermentation in conjunction with the supersonic speed of declining political IQ in the circles of the top level managers of the country, have presented a deeper meaning than what can be envisaged at a first glance. As security analysts have been foretelling what awaits our dear nation, there's a cloud of doom and gloom of an apocalyptic and cataclysmic political collapse that is promising to be more violent than Krakatoa volcanic eruption of 1883, hovering over us.

What I find as an attack on commonsense and good governance is the response to this policy regurgitation by the Akufo Addo government to go to the IMF by some intellectual charlatans who are attempting to twist the arm of the resounding judgement delivered by posterity which has come to judge the government. For them, the Akufo Addo government has done what Napoleon Bonaparte couldnt do when it initially decided not to go to the IMF. Therefore, the government deserves some praise. Yes.

What impudence?

Despite the fact that no government ever in the history of Ghana has at its disposal the physical cash under the current administration which has been wasted and embezzled by the NPP goons, these useful idiots aver that the government has done well.

Nevertheless, it is important Ghanaians appreciate, in the first place, that the NPP adopted the so-called Ghana Beyond Aid policy to escape the eagle eyes of the IMF. It was for reckless management of the economy why the NPP wont think of IMF initially. This is because, IMF only tells member countries what ought to be done in their economies. They do not pander to the nonsense member countries who seek their advice and assistance want to do.

If the government had gone to IMF earlier the Organization would have asked them to do the right thing by not recklessly spending meagre resources of the state on luxury jets and pursuing of fattened behind of exotic prostitutes. In order to avoid the correct directives from the IMF, the NPP first found it convenient to embark upon fraudulent so-called homegrown policies which they used as vehicle to embezzling every pesewa we ever have in our coffers as a country. Having milked the economy dry, the NPP now turns to the IMF for more cash to cart away.

May God forbidden.

I trust the IMF is a responsible financial institution. I predict the Institution would turn Ghana away like it did to the Sri Lanka whose economy finally came to its knees.

The truth is that, the one factor which has brought us to this brink still stance. Corruption. And if a crocodile can eat its own eggs, what cant do to the flesh of a frog? If our economic managers could loot all that we ever have in our national kitty as a country, what change can International handover bring? Hence, the hovering political disaster and doom of either a coup detat (may God forbid), a failed economy (state), but the NPP as a party would never survive this embarrassment of leadership conundrum. The party has begun collapsing in stages.

From hindsight, our dear nation may appear on the edge of a cliff of doom ready to somersault alone, but a closer look suggests, that the NPP government which has engineered the current mess, is collapsing, dying, and dismantling more, slowly but certainly and painfully.

And the Conventional People's Party, CPP which later became a shadow of itself after being the first political party to have ever won elections in Ghana, has a brighter and better future than Elephant Party in the unfolding decades.

What the NPP intended to do to their opponent NDC in order to keep the NDC in opposition forever for which reason they adopted economic painkiller policy (expansionary fiscal policy) to run a two term government of eight years, has backfired them big time.

This shall create a De facto One Party State in Ghana with the National Democratic Congress, NDC the cheerleader. And as some of the minority political parties begin to join the NDC, perhaps, Ghana shall transition from De facto One Party State to De jury One Party State.

It does not take rocket science to arrive at this new political arrangements of the country. The empty stomachs as well as honest, transparent, and accountable leadership post His Excellency, former president Mahama next term as President, shall achieve this change.

When this time comes Ghana shall be the winner. Because, the country shall get the opportunity to have only one developmental agenda and plan to charter as a One Party State.

The demand for having one developmental blueprint as a country to be led by successive leaders and presidents has been over due. It is high time Ghanaians seize the opportunity. That is, the seemingly Two Party State Ghana has been running in this Fourth Republic would further shift to One Party State post Mahama's next tenure as president come 2024. In Sha Allah.

Haters can burn the sea, Mahama berba.

This is the end of NPPs Vasco da Gama Era.

While I can't predict what shall become of the West after the shifting of world's superpowership from unipolarity to multi-polarity of world dominance and leadership, Ghana shall be free from its chains NPPs Vasco da Gama era.

Authors Contacts: 0261669954 (Whats App)
07.07.2022 LISTEN

Terrorists are at the verge of overrunning Nigeria. That is the unfortunate sad truth nakedly before all of us. Evidence suggests that they are in strategic offices and everywhere in the country  no bush in any part of Nigeria is save for farming anymore. We must acknowledge these facts without bringing in any sentiments of politics, religion or tribe so that we could in unison genuinely try to redeem the already hopeless situation. Above all, President Buhari must fairly and justly act now and decisively too, because it does appear that the security of this country has been compromised.

The manner terrorists successfully attacked the Kuje prison in Abuja and released their captured members is an international embarrassment and a disgrace that has exposed Nigeria to global ridicule as unserious country. The situation is inexplicable and unacceptable. When the implication will begin to manifest, it will be extremely devastating and too costly to this nation, economically and security wise.

How can a sane mind explain that a sovereign country with army, air force, police, DSS etc. and many secret security agencies at its arsenal did not get any tip when this evil of attack was even at its elementary stage of hatching, to talk of it being successfully executed? Where is the intelligence-gathering unit of this country? Reports have it that this bunch of terrorists operated for more than 2 hours 45 minutes trying to release their captured members. This is intolerable and despicable, and it is a heavy indictment of accomplice on the part of perhaps some security agents/chiefs and some leaders of this country. Is this not terrible?

The tragic irony of it all that made the embarrassment and the disgrace so scary is that the ugly incident happened in no other place than the Federal Capital Territory Abuja  not far away from Aso Rock, the place President Buhari and his kitchen cabinets reside. If these terrorists could have a successful operation in Abuja, the message simply means that nobody is safe anywhere in Nigeria. Just a few days ago the convoy of President Buhari was attacked. Thank God that he was not in the convoy and that no life was lost. If the convoy of a president with all the military forces attached to him can be attacked: who is safe?

According to reports, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaibu Belgore said that the attack did not come to him as a surprise because the security architecture in the entire country is very weak, especially in the North West, many amongst the security personnel operating on Abuja  Katsina/Zamfara routes are informants to terrorists. Is this country not a joke?

It was reported that when President Buhari visited the attacked Kuje prison he was shocked and asked many questions. How many inmates were in the facility? How many of them can you account for? How many personnel did you have on duty? How many of them were armed? Were there guards on the watchtower? What did they do? Does the CCTV work? How can terrorists organize, have weapons, attack a security installation and get away with it? President Buhari was reported to have queried. The questions he asked are the right questions, however they are the same questions Nigerians and the entire world are expecting to get the answers from him and his security chiefs.

I also have many questions in my mind. Who where those on duty at the time of the attack? The attack was reported to have lasted nearly three hours; were the security forces like army and air force etc. informed? If they were informed, who informed them? If they were not informed; why? If they did respond; were they on time and also with enough military and right weapons? Are the Nigerian air force and military war jets not functioning? If they are not functioning; why? And if yes, why have they not been used to aerially attack and follow the terrorists until they have no place to hide? And why is the Nigerian government not finding it necessary to make it as a routine policy to use the Nigerian air force to aerially comb all the bushes that are hiding kidnappers, bandits and terrorists etc.  and also as a policy of response to any distress call of bandits, heavy armed robbers and terrorists attack? If this approach can be adopted, around 80 % of this nonsense would have been taken care of. But this is not possible in a place like Nigeria, and not because that the money is not there but because events have made it evidently clear that some highly privileged animals are secretly behind this pain of Nigerians. Meanwhile billions are mapped out monthly by both the state and the federal government in the name of security votes, which they actually use to secure only themselves and their immediate families.

A country where terrorists and kidnappers use mobile phones to negotiate how much should be paid to them for the release of their victims without being traced is a country where the security system is compromised or has collapsed.

President Buhari must do the needful now by first sacking the Minister, Federal Ministry of Interior, Ogbeni Adesoji Aregbesola and Controller General for Nigeria Correctional Service Haliru Nababa. Equally, he must fairly and justly investigate the security agents on duty on this day of the attack to ascertain the role they played and take the right action.

If terrorists could attack a presidential convoy, and also a place like Kuje prison for nearly three hours and successfully free their members without suffering many casualties, it tells it all that Nigeria is indeed a joke.

Uzoma Ahamefule, a concerned patriotic citizen and a refined African traditionalist, writes from Vienna, Austria.

[email protected]

+436607369050 (Please WhatsApp messages only)
Ghanaian actress and ferocious social critic, Lydia Forson, has expressed disappointment in the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah for defending acts of corruption in his government.

The actress believes the former journalist who used to grill politicians engaging in corrupt acts on radio has now become more corrupt than the term corruption itself for frequently defending the nefarious activities of the NPP government.

She expressed her disdain towards the Information Minister in a Twitter post on Thursday, July 7, 2022, spotted by Modernghana News.

But I still stand by my belief that Kojo Oppong went from grilling corrupt politicians, to now leading politicians to defend the indefensible!

"Hes the best thing for NPP and the worst for us, her tweet reads.

Meanwhile, one netizen who seems unhappy with her tweet has dared her to do the same when the NDC finally wins power if she has the nerves to do so freely.

In response, Miss Forson stated that she does not owe anyone an explanation for her criticism, nor is she doing so in order to be recognized.

Read the clash below;

3mooNeNam @3moNeNam

(Replying to @lydiaforson)

You're right girl..the way u dey bash blockheaded wicked NPP fanatics, when JM comes to office in 2024 and he messes things up and you don't bash him or his people, I swear me and you, it won't be well for us in this country... Trust me.

miss Forson @lydiaforson

I don't owe you or anyone to be honest. I don't do this for validation from anyone, neither do I take threats lightly. Bless.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC has been acquitted of all charges of publication of false news against former President John Dramani Mahama.

The controversial communications team member of the ruling New Patriotic Party was arrested earlier this year and charged with the publication of false news.

This was after he had alleged that Former President John Dramani Mahama has connived with a terrorist group to stage a coup.

He was invited by the Police to assist with investigations where he was detained and charged with two counts of publication of false news and offensive conduct conducive to breaches of the peace.

He was arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court 8 today, Thursday, July 7, 2022 where Abronye DC was freed.

In court, the Counsel for the accused prayed the court to discharge his client since the prosecution had demonstrated that they had lost appetite in the case against his client.

This was based on the fact that the Prosecution had earlier requested additional time to allow them file their disclosures and replace the lead prosecutor who had enrolled in the Police Training School and hence was unavailable.

Presiding Judge Adeliade Abui Keddy in her ruling noted that the prosecution had failed to comply with all court proceedings and therefore heard the prayer of the counsel of Abronye to discharge his client.
07.07.2022 LISTEN

Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery says government is working to provide the needed logistics to police officers providing security to Members of Parliament.

After the gruesome killing of the then MP for Mfantseman, MPs were provided with police protection, but now some lack the logistics to work.

Responding to questions in Parliament on the matter, the sector Minister, Ambrose Dery said police records indicate that 62 police guards assigned to the MPs are yet to be issued with pistols. This is attributed to the fact that there has been exponential demand for the supply of arms to the police personnel to the Supreme Court, Ministers of State, and senior police officers.

Efforts are however underway to procure additional arms and ammunition for the Ghana Police Service to enable them to cater to the remaining 62 bodyguards and others assigned to the Judges, Ministers of State, and Senior Police Service.

Attacks on Members of Parliament

The then Member of Parliament-elect for the Keta constituency , Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey, was on Friday, December 11, 2020, attacked and assaulted by some gun-wielding men at his residence at Afiadenyigba in the Volta Region.

Similarly, the Member of Parliament-elect for the Jomoro constituency in the Western Region, Dorcas Toffey was reportedly assaulted in her residence, resulting in her hospitalisation and injuries to members of her household. The Member of Parliament for Mfantseman, Mr. Ekow Hayford were also killed by unknown assailants believed to be armed robbers in 2020 when he was returning from community engagement.

By Citi Newsroom
Ghanaian highlife musician, Rex Omar has said the Ghana Police Service was wrong in citing only the Arise Ghana Demonstration as the reason for its public education on demonstrations.

The Ghana Police Service yesterday, released a statement detailing the process involved in organising demonstrations, special events and processions.

The nations premier security service cited the violence at the Arise Ghana Demonstration as the push factor that necessitated the public education.

Speaking on Joy News The Pulse today, Rex Omar stated that the violence that occurred during the Arise Ghana Demo was not the fault of the organizers but the police.

He said the police could have done their education without citing Arise Ghana.

He indicated that the citing of only Arise Ghana demo makes the organizers appear as violent people.

They seem to paint us in a very undesirable picture as if we are some unlawful people or violent people. This is not the first time a demonstration has been met with police brutality. We all remember Ayawaso West-Wuogon and all the others.

"Whatever happen on day one of our demonstrations, the fault is not ours and for you to know the fault is not ours; when the police decided to stop listening to political fingers and they started to act as professional as we know them to be, the second day came out nicely. So I dont understand, if you want to do your education why do you cite Arise Ghana as the reason, he asserted.

He continued, day one did not go well and the fault was not ours, it was the police. So if they want to educate they should educate themselves as to why and how they should listen to the political fingers to do their job. They shouldnt have cited only our demonstration. They should have cited other demonstrations that didnt go well. They shouldnt cite Arise Ghana and make it look as if we are some unlawful, violent people.
The Mental Health Authority in Ghana has disclosed that divorce, relationship breakups, graduate unemployment and financial distress are the leading causes of suicide in Ghana.

According to the Authority, people between the ages of 16 and 35 years have been the most affected in recent times.

The number of people attempting suicide in Ghana increased from 777 cases recorded in 2020 to 902 cases in 2021.

Likewise, the actual suicide incidences recorded for the same period jumped from 69 cases in 2020 to 86 cases in 2021.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority, Prof. Akwasi Osei, stated that this worrying situation requires immediate attention to help stop the surge.

We need to get a policy that will determine a systematic approach of handling issues, he said.

As a step forward, the authority is developing helplines for people in need of mental health support.

But Prof. Osei noted that one of the challenges is that the line is not toll-free.

So we need a policy that will ensure that we have the health line and the toll-free line is paid for and everybody can call in freely and people have a basic understanding, Prof Osei said.

He was speaking at the launch of the WHO Director Generals Special Initiative for Mental Health in Accra on Wednesday.

---By Citi Newsroom
China-Caribbean development center inaugurated in Jinan

Xinhua) 13:39, July 07, 2022

JINAN, July 6 (Xinhua) -- The China-Caribbean Development Center was inaugurated in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, on Wednesday, which is expected to strengthen China's cooperation with the Caribbean countries.

Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Shandong provincial government, ambassadors from Guyana, Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the Surinamese Charge d'Affaires attended the inauguration ceremony and the Conference on China-Caribbean Development both online and offline.

Three cooperation projects between China and Caribbean nations were also announced, which include the donation of anti-pandemic materials to the relevant countries, collaboration with Guyana on marine fisheries training, and the launch of an international information exchange platform to share successful cases of common development with people in the Caribbean region.

Anyin Choo, Guyana's ambassador to China, said China is a partner of the Caribbean countries, and that as an important platform, the center should continue to promote the development of relations between China and the Caribbean countries and bring the people of the two sides closer.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
IARU Administrative Council meets

The 54th meeting of the IARU Administrative Council (AC) was held in person at the Seehotel, Friedrichshafen, Germany, on Monday June, 20th, 2022 and Tuesday, June 21st, 2022



Much of the meeting was spent reviewing the work from the strategic planning working groups. After discussion it was agreed that in order to improve the efficiency and timeliness of IARU decisions and actions, the goal of the planning sessions is to structure IARU as one single, global organization. It was further agreed the working groups must complete their work in time for presentation of the design for change to 2023 IARU R1 Conference.



A draft letter to member-societies offering guidance on amateur satellites was approved. The AC added the importance of member societies contacting satellite builders as early as possible to ensure a smooth IARU frequency coordination. The importance of updated pre-launch data as well as public available operational information after launch was stressed. All contact with the IARU frequency coordination team should go to satcoord@iaru.org );



A proposed letter requesting support from the European Space agency was approved. The IARU Satellite Coordinator, Hans Blondeel-Timmerman, PB2T, was thanks for leading this initiative.



The AC agreed on advice and guidance to member-societies on footnotes to the International Radio Regulations as covered by WRC-23 agenda item 8. There was emphasis not to seek changes to any footnotes relating to 50MHz since these are from the recent WRC-19.



The AC similarly agreed on supporting Conference Preparatory Meeting text for WRC-23 Agenda Item 9.1 (b). In consultation with the AI 9.1 (b) leads, a news release and preliminary presentation on this agenda item was approved and released.



A review of the preliminary agenda items for WRC-27 was started and will be followed up by the officers.



The status of the grant requests to ARDC was reviewed and approved.



After a presentation, the AC authorized support for UN Human Security for All project.



A study of the issues relating to the international forwarding of QSLs between bureaus is ongong.



Succession planning was discussed with reference that the consultation process for the next round of elections for IARU president and vice president should start in the fall of this year.



Members attending the meeting were IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA; Vice President Ole Garpestad, LA2RR; Secretary Joel Harrison, W5ZN; Sylvain Azarian, F4GKR, President, and Mats Espling, SM6EAN, Secretary, IARU Region 1; Ramon Santoyo, XE1KK, President IARU Region 2,; and IARU Region 3 Chairman Ken Yamamoto, JA1CJP, and Director Yudi Hasbi, YD1PRY. Also participating was Assistant Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ
The Court of Appeal has overturned the Bank of Ghana's revocation of the license of UniCredit Ghana Limited.

The appellate Court describes the Central Bank's decision as an unlawful exercise of its powers.

The three-member Court, with Justice Gbiel Suurbaare as President, was unanimous in its decision on Thursday to quash the BoG's revocation of UniCredit's license.

The other members of the Panel are Justices Merley Afua Wood and Janapare Bartel.

The Central Bank, on Friday, August 16, 2019, revoked the licences of 23 insolvent savings and loans companies and finance houses including uniCredit, pursuant to Section 123 (1) of the Banks and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institutions Act, 2016 (Act 930). This provision requires the Bank of Ghana to revoke the licence of a Bank or Specialised Deposit-Taking Institution (SDI) where the Bank of Ghana determines that the institution is insolvent.

However, Hoda Holdings Limited, mother company of UniCredit, in a writ filed on Monday, August 19, 2019, sought an interlocutory injunction against the BoG from interfering with its operations pending arbitration.

Subsequently, in 2020, the High Court (Human Rights Division) presided over by Her Ladyship Gifty Adjei Addo, dismissed a Judicial Review application filed by HODA Holding against BoG following the revocation of the operating license.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, HODA Holdings proceeded to the Court of Appeal to challenge the High Court Judgment.

---citinewsroom
The Chief Justice, Justice Anin Yeboah, has established a High Court at Sowutuom in the Ga Central Municipality of the Greater Accra Region as part of efforts to make justice delivery accessible to Ghanaians.

The Court located within the premises of the already commissioned District Court commenced operations on Monday, July 4, 2022.

The siting of the Court in that jurisdiction also forms part of measures to ease the burden on court users who travel to the Central Business District to access justice.

A statement signed by the Judicial Secretary, Justice Cynthia Pamela Addo encouraged the general public, especially those within the environs of the Ga Central Municipality and adjoining areas to make use of the facility.

The Sowutuom District Court which now houses the High Court is adjacent the Sowutuom Police Station and was inaugurated by the late Justice Samuel Marful-Sau in February 2020, on behalf of the Chief Justice.

The Court serves communities such as Sowutuom, Ablekuma, Kwashiebu, Awoshie, Santa Maria, Nii Okaiman West, Nii Okaiman East, Lomnava and Anyaa.The Chief Justice in a speech read on his behalf during the inauguration said the significance of today's inauguration lies in the fact that it is a step further to ensuring that justice can and will be accessed at the doorstep of citizens in and around Sowutuom. This building symbolizes the rule of law, and as such, the sitting Magistrate is expected to dispense justice without fear or favour, affection or ill will.

He encouraged the public to report any staff of the Service who makes any unlawful demand in the discharge of his or her duties to the Complaints Unit of the Service. Let me stress the following matters of public interest which border on the integrity of the judicial system.

No accused person or persons are required to pay money before they are granted bail. Court users must always insist on taking receipts for any money paid for any transactions and when money is paid into court for a beneficiary, court officials have no right to keep the money for any purpose. If anybody feels that he has a grievance against any of our staff, he is at liberty to report to our Complaints Unit and the matter will be taken up, he said.

---DGN online
Dr. Hassan Ayariga

07.07.2022 LISTEN

The founder of All People Peoples Congress (APC), Dr. Hassan Ayariga has opined that the decision by the government to take Ghana back to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an indication that both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have nothing to offer Ghanaians.

Despite continuous pronouncement that the NPP government will not seek help from the IMF, President Akufo-Addo last Friday directed Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to start engagements with the fund for a bailout in the midst of the economic challenges.

Addressing a press conference today, Thursday, July 7, 2022, Dr. Hassan Ayariga has hit out at the ruling government, insisting that it has failed the citizenry.

According to him, the move to the IMF is proof that the two largest political parties in the country cannot help the country.

Ghana's Economic downturn started even before the arrival of Covid-19 and both the IMF and the World Bank have echoed it in their reports. Ghana's swift journey to the IMF collaborates the fact that both the NPP and NDC have nothing to offer our beloved Country Ghana, the APC leader told journalists at his press conference.

He further shared that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has failed in delivering what he promised the Ghanaian people because of his government's excessive borrowing which has left the country with unprecedented high debts.

President Nana Addo has failed to transform his sloganeering campaign promises into reality because of excessive borrowing to service debt dovetailed with the fact that, the current administration has failed to concentrate on price control systems which the All People's Congress (APC) championed in the run-up to 2020 elections and captured same in its Manifesto, Dr. Ayariga added.

He proposes that government opens up on the economic challenges confronting the country and occasionally continues to engage with the populace.

He is of the view that it would make every Ghanaian appreciate the difficulties and also buy into government programs or changes in policy directions.
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has issued a press release confirming that two cases of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) have been recorded in the Ashanti Region.

The Ghana Health Service announces the preliminary finding of two cases of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) in the Ashanti Region, an official press release issued and signed by GHS Director-General Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye has said.

The release explains that the disease was suspected following the identification of two persons who met the case definition for an Acute Haemorrhagic Fever in two different locations in the Ashanti Region.

As a result, blood samples were sent to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.

Preliminary results suggest the infection is due to the Marburg virus.

Through its press release, the Ghana Health Service has cautioned the general public to be on the lookout for symptoms of Marburg Virus Disease which includes Fever, Bloody diarrhoea, bleeding from gums, bleeding into the skin, bleeding into the eyes, and bloody urine.

Meanwhile, samples of the two cases from the Ashanti Region have subsequently been sent for confirmation at the Institute Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Besides the two cases, the Ghana Health Service notes that no more suspected cases have been recorded.

Below is a copy of the Ghana Health Service press release:
Aussie hydrogen stock Pure Hydrogen [ASX:PH2] exited a trading halt on Thursday following ASX queries about its June investor presentation.

Trading in PH2 shares was suspended on 27 June, following inquiries made by the ASX regarding a PH2 presentation released on 23 June.

On Thursday, trading in Pure Hydrogen stock resumed  and an updated presentation released.

In late afternoon trade, PH2 shares were up 11%.

While PH2 is up 25% over the past 12 months, the hydrogen stock is down 55% year to date.

Source: Tradingview.com

Pure Hydrogen resumes trading after H2X queries

This morning Pure Hydrogen presented its business and strategies update to investors with a specific focus on its Emerald and Turquoise hydrogen, fuel cell vehicles and Eastern Hydrogen Superhighway.

PH2 outlined its existing 22% stake in H2X, 19.9% interest in Botala Energy and 30% in the Serowe projects in Botswana.

Its stake in H2X was a big point of discussion between it and the ASX in a lengthy correspondence released to the market on Thursday.

The ASX noted that it would not reinstate PH2s securities until the hydrogen stock confirmed it had unfettered access to H2Xs information on a timely basis.

PH2 must have access to this information to be compliant with ASXs listing rules.

The ASX also wanted Pure Hydrogen to use the equity method when accounting for H2X, including PH2s share of H2Xs profit or loss.

The ASX argued Pure Hydrogen exerts significant influence over H2X by owning more than 20% and by having representation on the board of directors.

In response, Pure Hydrogen noted:

Pure Hydrogen now receives regular information from H2X and has access to information including financial and operational reports following recent requested changes. Pure Hydrogen has requested greater accountability and reporting, which was agreed to by H2Xs Management. Accordingly Pure Hydrogen can confirm that it has access to all relevant information from H2X as and when required.

Regarding the financial accounting of H2X, PH2 replied:

The Company has started preparation of its financial statements for the financial year ended 30 June 2022 and, as is the Companys usual practice, it is reviewing all accounting policies and treatments. As part of this process, it will engage the Companys auditor about its accounting treatment of its investments. This would include the accounting treatment of Pure Hydrogens Investments in Associates and Joint Ventures including its investment in H2X. At this stage the Company is likely to adopt the equity method for its H2X investment for the 30 June 2022 financials and this will be reviewed by its directors when they consider the 30 June 2022 financials.

Pure Hydrogen investor presentation

In a re-release of its investor presentation, Pure Hydrogen said two new HFCV manufacturing sites have been set up in Sale Victoria and Sweden through its H2X division.

H2X now holds a Swedish subsidiary with signed MOUs for Gothenburg and Trelleborg, with vehicles expected to be delivered in 2023.

In aid of the fast-approaching benchmark, H2X has been working closely with the Malaysian Government based in Sarawak, for delivery of vehicles and H2 generators.

$3 million has been raised for H2X in a second funding round, with a 60% premium on the initial round.

Pure Hyrogen was sure to put in a third of the funds raised, a total of $1.05 million, so that it was able to keep hold of its 21% stake.

The company stated that by 2023, H2X should be due for its IPO.

The hydrogen energy company said its JJ Waste demonstration trucks have upcoming trials due to be carried out in Queensland by the end of the year.

Pure Hydrogen says JJ Waste has a huge nationwide fleet awaiting a H2 fuel transition.

In terms of Caboolture Waste being transformed into hydrogen under FEED and approvals, these have been progressing to such an extent that the companys Emerald Hydrogen project is now looking at a target of around 2.5 tonnes of hydrogen to be produced a day.

The company is exploring ways to develop four large scale compressed hydrogen export projects, with 453 PJ in 100% owned Queensland gas projects.

Pure Hydrogen has now also secured the Geelong site via its CACH2 partnership.

Hydrogen, renewables, and Europes energy crisis

Rising energy prices have been one of the biggest issues facing businesses and households.

Especially in Europe.

As Europe shuns Russian energy, it must service its energy needs by other means.

But how?

Our resident small-cap expert Ryan Clarkson-Ledward, who is also the editor of Exponential Stock Investor, has found one Aussie small-cap that could help with Europes energy transition.

If youd like to find out more, you can read about it here.

Regards,

Kiryll Prakapenka

For Money Morning
Proposed new ham radio regulations in Slovakia Eight years after it was requested by Slovakia's national society SZR, the communications regulator is proposing increasing the Novice power limit to 100 watts with access to all HF bands



A translation of the post on the SZR site reads:



After the approval of the amendment to the Act on Electronic Communications in the Parliament, the Regulatory Office returned to our permission conditions (PP), which had been postponed for more than eight years. The SZR submitted its proposal already in 2014, and despite many meetings and our comments, progress was minimal.



The ice did not move until this spring, when the office began to work intensively on the permit conditions. During this period, the SZR was in intensive working contact with the office and participated in the preparation of the wording of many parts, while we started from our proposal eight years ago.



The new licensing conditions mainly reflect changes in the field of digital communication technologies, define them and determine the conditions of their use. From a practical point of view, however, the biggest change concerns holders of class N, who according to the current PP can only broadcast in limited sections of some KV bands. The new PPs will allow them to operate fully on all KV and VHF bands with a maximum power of 100 watts.



The new frequency table will also include the 470 kHz, 5 MHz and 70 MHz bands, so it will no longer be necessary to apply for them separately. Part of the PP will also be a regulation for issuing amateur radio tags, according to which tags issued with suffixes starting not only with the letter A but also with other letters will be able to hold class N.



The new permit conditions are in the final stage of preparation and are going through the legislative process and interdepartmental comments. You can download the draft text of the new PP at

https://www.slov-lex.sk/legislativne-procesy/-/SK/dokumenty/LP-2022-310



Please note that this is currently a PROPOSAL , which has yet to be approved. Although the proposal states an effective date of July 1, 2022, this date is definitely not the day when the new permit conditions should come into effect. Some date had to be stated in the proposal, and the Regulatory Office stated this, since it was not possible to predict how long the legislative process would take. The actual effective date will only be indicated in the final version of the PP, which will be issued by the Regulatory Office in the form of a Measure.



Therefore, we especially ask all holders of class N permits to really wait until the time when the change in the permit conditions will be implemented. We will of course inform you about it.



At present, however, it is impossible to say when exactly it will be. On June 20, 2022, the interdepartmental comment procedure on the draft of this measure ended, where several comments from the institutions concerned were raised (fortunately, these are only "ordinary", not "fundamental" comments). The RU must now comment on them. Subsequently, the measure must go through the Legislative Council of the Government, where the RU must defend it, and only when a favorable opinion comes from there, the measure can be officially issued and effective on the day specified in it.



All these processes take some time, but we believe it is only weeks, months at most. This will complete the long-term efforts of the SZR to create modern permit conditions that reflect current trends and enable the further development of our hobby.



Source SZR https://tinyurl.com/IARU-Slovakia
Raising awareness of ham radio The Hans India report on an amateur radio awareness program at the Adikavi Nannaya University College of Engineering organised by the Academy of Ham Radio



The newspaper says:



A. Ramesh Babu VU2RDM, chief program coordinator, Academy of Ham radio, briefed the students of Adikavi Nannaya University College of Engineering on Ham Radio. Ramesh Babu was the speaker at Ham Radio awareness programme organised at the University Seminar Hall on Friday.



He spoke about the emergence and historical background of Home Amateur Mechanic radio. The Ham radio has a special place in today's world of cutting-edge technology and cell phones. This Ham radio is said to be very useful in transmitting information during natural disasters. He said the government maintains an information system during disasters.



Read the full story at

https://www.thehansindia.com/andhra-pradesh/rajamahendravaram-awareness-programme-on-ham-radio-organised-750436



Academy of Ham Radio

http://vu2rdm.blogspot.com/
Home decorating has become a favorite pastime if the number of furniture and craft stores, and social media networks like Pinterest are any indication.

For the past 49 years, Midland newcomer Patricia Hart McMillan was at the forefront of several interior design trends through various positions, many in New York City. She has written two dozen books on different aspects of the industry with her daughter Katharine Kaye McMillan as frequent co-author.

Pat has compiled a mixture of books of high-end (think penthouses and Hollywood Hills) styles, landmark homes like Midlands George W. Bush Childhood Home and three editions of Home Decorating for Dummies! The latter evolved when they lived in Florida and she saw a Dummies book at Delray Beach. She contacted the publisher, pitched a proposal, and developed text combining theory (Design 101 covering unbreakable rules) and practice. The first two editions have been translated into Russian and Chinese languages, she says.

Over the years, shes worked with Schiffer and other publishers and top residential photographers, including Natalia King-Sun, who shot many of her featured homes in San Antonio.

One of her favorite themes is Christmas, and she has published eight coffee table books showing holiday decor in historic homes, including the governors mansion in Arkansas, and designers own Christmas decorations. Her subjects have ranged from the high rise to the high desert, and a ranch complex designed by Midlands Rhotenberry Wellen Architects is featured in one book, Contemporary Villas, which was co-written by her son-in-law.

Pats arrival in the New York interior design arena occurred after the mother of four went back to school and obtained a B.S. degree in English (SUNY) and a certificate in interior decorating from New York School of Interior Design in 1973. She combined those talents as interior decorating editor of 1,001 Decorating Ideas, Christian Woman Magazine, and Home Mechanix, among others.

Shes also worked in advertising and public relations, but her first love was publishing hardcover books on a wide range of subjects including residential architecture, design elements like glass blocks, and even a book on dogs, At Home with Dogs, which was a fundraiser for a San Antonio rescue organization. Most recently, she donated seven of her Christmas-themed coffee table books to an auction which supported youth groups at Christ Church Anglican.

Pretty good for someone who grew up on a farm in Missouri and rose from the cotton patch to the corner office. Along the way, Pat developed some Texas roots when she attended Abilene Christian University for a year. Also, her husband is originally from Denison but worked in Tower II of the World Trade Center before retirement. After years in Florida, she, her husband, and daughter Leigh wound up across the street from each other in San Antonio. A new romance for Leigh with a Midland native brought the four to his hometown last September.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  The wife of Nicaraguan political activist Felix Maradiaga told journalists her husband had lost more than 65 pounds during his year in prison and she feared for his health.

A day later, the government of President Daniel Ortega hauled the former potential presidential challenger before cameras for a previously unscheduled and unusual hearing to ratify the 13-year prison sentence he had already received earlier this year.

The fact that a pro-government news outlet was invited, but not Maradiagas family  or attorneys  showed the Sandista-led government is intent on challenging international condemnation of its sweeping crackdown on dissidents. Images from the weekend appearance showed that Maradiaga was thin, but appeared to walk and speak without difficulty.

Maradiaga had not been seen publicly since his arrest in June 2021  one of the nearly 190 people who are considered political prisoners by human rights groups and the U.S. State Department, including six others who could have challenged Ortega for the presidency in the election last November. None of them had been seen in images or video since their arrests until Maradiagas brief court appearance Saturday.

The government put on a show, a scene of public torture transmitted live to the people with the goal of instilling more fear, said Vilma Nunez, president of the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights. She herself is a former political prisoner under the dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza, who Ortega helped drive from office in 1979.

The United States and European Union have called for the release of the prisoners and denounced Ortegas November election victory as a farce. They have imposed sanctions on members of his family and inner circle, but his government has continued making arrests while driving independent press and nongovernmental groups from the country, most recently last week the nuns of the charity established by Mother Teresa.

Jared Genser, a U.S.-based law professor and prominent human rights attorney who represents Maradiaga and Juan Sebastian Chamorro, said in an online news conference Thursday with Maradiaga's wife and relatives of other prisoners that the situation of political prisoners in Nicaragua is among the worst he has seen during his career.

Maradiagas wife, Berta Valle, said at the conference that her husband and others are kept in unhealthy cells, given bad food and deprived of medical attention for chronic illnesses. They are not given reading material or allowed visits with their children, she said.

Our relatives feel that they are doing damage to his health that could be irreversible, Valle said. She herself fled to the United States and has been told of his condition by two siblings who have sometimes been able to visit him.

Nunez said that among the most troubling aspects for the family is the lack of communication. She said the information limbo creates desperation and anguish.

Valle said she hadn't known about Saturday's hearing for her husband before seeing a video of it. And she said last week that she had not even known her husband had started a hunger strike a week earlier to protest the conditions of his imprisonment.

Maradiaga was convicted of harm to the national integrity, a charge applied to many other dissidents as well. He denies the allegation.

Following Saturday's court appearance, a reporter from a government-allied news outlet put a microphone to Maradiaga and asked why he was lying about his health. Maradiaga appeared confused by the question and unaware that outside the prison there was a public debate about his well-being.

He responded that he was being held in total isolation and had been subjected to a political trial.

Renata Holmann, daughter of Juan Lorenzo Holmann, the jailed manager of the newspaper La Prensa, said Thursday that he suffered from chronic illnesses and additional health problems acquired in prison since his arrest last August.

The are killing them little by little, day by day, she said of the imprisoned dissidents.

In May 2019, opposition member Eddy Montes was shot dead by a prison guard during what the government said was a riot. In February, Hugo Torres, a former Sandinista guerrilla leader who turned Ortega critic, died in a Managua hospital while imprisoned.
Shannon Waltchack

Commercial Real Estate firm Shannon Waltchack acquired a 46,619-square-foot shopping center Borgata Neighborhood Center in Midland  the seventh acquisition in SWs latest fund, SW Neighborhood Centers II, which is focused on acquiring neighborhood centers in target markets throughout the country, according to a press release.

This is Shannon Waltchacks first deal in the Lone Star State.
PRS IN VIVO Names Patrick Young VP of Client Development

In the UK, shopper and product experience consultancy PRS IN VIVO has appointed Patrick Young as Vice President of Client Development, based in its London office.



Owned by BVA Group, Paris-based PRS IN VIVO applies behavioral science to understand shopping behaviour and influence consumer choices. The company, which also has offices in New York, Geneva, Milan, Hamburg, Shanghai and Singapore, specializes in packaging design research, new product development and shopper experience, helping companies understand, predict and 'positively influence' consumer choice and drive brand growth.



Young (pictured) joins with more than fifteen years' international client experience, delivering qual and quant projects and insight workshops across Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia. Most recently he was Group Research Director at consumer and B2B agency 2CV, before which he spent more than five years at Kadence International, latterly as Deputy MD in Singapore. Earlier, he was an Account Director at Kantar Millward Brown in Sydney, an AD at Kadence, and Project Manager at DVL Smith.



In addition, Young has authored a range of papers, and he lectures on the importance of creativity, psychology and storytelling in business. He was visiting lecturer at the University of Kent, as well as a regular speaker at Hertfordshire University, University of New South Wales, and Macquarie University, and wrote 'Nobody Wants a Hammer', a book on how to make the most of insight-led workshops.



Commenting on the appointment, Nicole Duckworth, Head of Europe & Global Head of Commercial Excellence, said: 'I am delighted to welcome Patrick to the PRS IN VIVO team in the UK. His international experience and strong relationships with global clients make him an exceptional new team member, and I look forward to seeing him flourish'.



Web site: www.prs-invivo-group.com .




An empty freeway intersection is seen two days before Earth Day, after Los Angeles stay-at-home order caused a drop in pollution, as the global outbreak of the coronavirus disease continues, in Pasadena, near Los Angeles, California, April 20, 2020.
Marshall Islands Director of Public Health Dr. Frank Underwood, right, leads an exercise with health staff preparing for their response to community spread of Covid in the future.
Myra Lacuata from Sinajana and Riley Purcell from Santa Rita joined dozens of people who came out for the Rally for Roe on July 6 at the ITC intersection in Tamuning.
OPINION | New small business survey designed to gain insight into how to better support business owners
Editor

Zaldy Dandan is the recipient of the Best Editorial Writer Award of the Society of Professional Journalists, and the CNMI Humanities Award for Outstanding Contributions to Journalism. His four books are available on amazon.com
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LONDON (AP)  Boris Johnson has resigned as Conservative Party leader after months of ethics scandals and a party revolt. But he remains Britains prime minister  for now  while a successor is chosen.

With British politics in turmoil, heres a look at what will happen next:

WHY IS BORIS JOHNSON RESIGNING?

Johnsons resignation on Thursday comes after he weathered numerous scandals during a tumultuous three years in power in which he brazenly bent and sometimes broke the rules of British politics.

He survived a no-confidence vote last month. But recent revelations that Johnson knew about sexual misconduct allegations against a lawmaker before he promoted the man to a senior position in his government led to Johnsons resignation.

SO IS JOHNSON STILL PRIME MINISTER?

Yes, for now.

His resignation, which came after dozens of ministers quit his government in protest, sparks a party contest to replace him as leader. All Conservative lawmakers are eligible to run, and party officials could open the nominations within hours.

After candidates have come forward, Conservative lawmakers vote in a series of elimination rounds. The candidate with the lowest number of votes drops out, and voting continues until there are two contenders left. Depending on the number of candidates, the process could be completed within days.

The final two candidates will be put to a vote of the full party membership across the country  about 180,000 people  by postal ballot. That process is expected to take several weeks, with the exact timetable up to the 1922 Committee that runs party elections.

The winner of the vote will become both Conservative leader and prime minister, without the need for a national election.

WHO COULD BECOME THE NEXT PRIME MINISTER?

Already the list of likely contenders is long and growing, from recently resigned Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, his successor in that job Nadhim Zahawi, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Attorney General Suella Braverman and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.

WHILE A NEW LEADER IS BEING CHOSEN, WILL BORIS JOHNSON REMAIN PRIME MINISTER?

Johnson has resigned as party leader, but he is still prime minister until his successor is elected.

His predecessor, Theresa May, remained in office for more than a month between announcing her resignation and the selection of Johnson as the new Tory leader.

But many Conservatives say Johnson cant stay in office  he has simply lost too many ministers through resignations to be able to govern. They are demanding he step down as prime minister and let an interim leader take the reins. If he does that, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab is a likely caretaker candidate.

WHATS THE LIKELIHOOD OF JOHNSON LEAVING BEFORE A NEW PARTY LEADER IS PICKED?

Johnson shows no signs of going early.

He appointed several new Cabinet ministers on Thursday to replace those he has lost, and said they would serve as I will until a new leader is in place.

If party officials press Johnson to quit sooner and he refuses, the chaos engulfing the government could worsen in the short term. Already the government has had to cancel business in Parliament because it has no ministers available to attend.

Gavin Barwell, who served as chief of staff to Prime Minister Theresa May, said there was a question whether the PM will be able to lead a caretaker government in the meantime -- will enough ministers agree to serve?

Former Conservative Prime Minister John Major said letting Johnson stay in office for up to three months is unwise, and may be unsustainable.

WHEN IS BRITAIN'S NEXT NATIONAL ELECTION?

Under Britains political rules, the next election must be called by December 2024, with election day five weeks later.

But it could come sooner. Prime ministers with a majority in parliament can call snap elections at will, and Johnsons successor may want to seek a personal mandate by going to voters not long after being selected.

However, with the backdrop of war in Ukraine and a worsening cost-of-living crisis, they may choose to wait.

Whoever takes over from Johnson will try to rebuild the Conservative Partys popularity. Johnson led the party to a big parliamentary majority in December 2019, but months of scandal have tarnished both him and the party. Polls suggest that if an election were held now the Conservatives would lose and the opposition Labour Party would form the new government.
Spain examines claims former African leader was targeted View Photo

BARCELONA, Spain (AP)  Spanish prosecutors said Thursday they have decided to look into allegations by a daughter of a former president of Angola that a conspiracy has caused Jose Eduardo dos Santos to be in a coma in a Barcelona clinic.

Catalan police have also confirmed they are examining the accusations by the daughter, Tchize dos Santos. She has also requested police protection at the clinic for the former head of state, according to police.

Dos Santos voluntarily stepped down as head of state of the southern African country in 2017, when his health began failing after almost 40 years in power.

Under his rule, oil- and diamond-rich Angola gained a reputation as one of the worlds poorest and most corrupt countries. He skillfully played off competing Angolan political and military factions to stay in power, ensuring they also benefited financially from Angolas wealth.

Dos Santoss successor, President Joao Lourenco, launched a drive to root out corruption among Angolas elite and immediately targeted some of dos Santoss children. Tchize has said she left Angola because of death threats.

Lourenco recently described dos Santos as a friend. Earlier this month he sent Angolas foreign minister to Barcelona to check on dos Santoss health. The Angolan government says it is paying dos Santoss medical bill.

The allegations come amid a tense political time in Angola, as it prepares for elections on Aug. 24.

Questioned by The Associated Press, Spanish prosecutors refused to say whether they are merely considering the merits of the accusations as part of a preliminary probe or whether it is a full-blown investigation.

Neither the prosecutors nor the police who commented can be identified by name, in accordance with departmental rules.

Tchize dos Santos alleges that people close to the ex-president have tried to kill him, failed to care for him properly and acted negligently.

Specifically, she accuses his Angolan doctor Joao Afonso and Dos Santoss second wife Ana Paula, from whom he separated in 2017, for the rapid decline of his health, according to her Spanish legal team.

Dos Santos has visited Barcelona, where he owns a house, for many years for medical treatment. Angolan authorities have never said what ailed him.

___

Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal contributed.

By JOSEPH WILSON

Associated Press
California man dies after being struck by jet ski in Arizona

A California man has died in a Nevada hospital after he was injured in a jet ski accident on the Arizona side of the Colorado River, authorities said Thursday.

Bullhead City police said 43-year-old Ricardo Aponte Almanza of Corona died Wednesday afternoon at University Medical Center in Las Vegas.

They said Almanza was one of four people injured Monday after getting struck by a rented jet ski that a 26-year-old Las Vegas woman was operating.

Police said the woman reportedly lost control of the jet ski and it entered a designated area at Community Park where the four victims were swimming.

All four were rushed to a Bullhead City hospital and Almanza was later flown to a Nevada trauma center.

A 21-year-old Las Vegas man remains hospitalized in Nevada while two other victims were treated and released, according to authorities.

Prior to the accident, police said the woman watched a safety video for jet ski renters as required by city law and wore a signed wristband to signify that she understood how to operate the watercraft.

Police said the results of their investigation of the accident will be forwarded to the Mohave County Attorneys Office, who will decide on possible charges.

BULLHEAD CITY
VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP)  A Minotaur II+ rocket exploded moments after takeoff from Californias Vandenberg Space Force Base , officials said Thursday.

Base officials said there were no injuries after the rocket exploded at 11:01 p.m. Wednesday, raining debris down onto the launch pad, according to a base statement.

We always have emergency response teams on standby prior to every launch, said Col. Kris Barcomb, Space Launch Delta 30 vice commander.

The scheduled test launch was a first supporting the development of the Air Forces new Mk21A re-entry vehicle that will be used on the future LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile, according to officials.

An investigative review board is being put together to determine the cause of the explosion, KEYT-TV reported.
RIO VISTA, Calif. (AP)  Authorities recovered the bodies of three men who went missing after being swept away by a river current in Northern California shortly after helping to rescue a child over the holiday weekend, officials said Wednesday.

The 8-year-old boy was able to make it to shore Sunday in Three Mile Slough, a popular boating and swimming destination south of Sacramento, but the three men who jumped in the water to help him were pulled under, the Rio Vista Fire Department said in a statement.
LONDON (AP)  A Conservative leadership contest will take place in coming weeks after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Thursday he is resigning as the party's leader  though he will continue to serve as prime minister until a successor is elected by party members.

The attorney general of England, Suella Braverman, and lawmaker Tom Tugendhat have publicly announced they would seek the position. A look at the candidates who could succeed Johnson as party leader and prime minister:

___

TOM TUGENDHAT, COMMONS FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CHAIR

In announcing he would seek the Conservative party leadership, Tugendhat, a 48-year-old lawmaker and former soldier, wrote in the Daily Telegraph he is consulting a broad coalition of colleagues to bridge the divides in government.

I have served before  in the military, and now in Parliament. Now I hope to answer the call once again as prime minister. Its time for a clean start, he wrote.

Tugendhat has no ministerial experience, and is reportedly is favored by some in the party as a good choice for a new start.

An opponent of the 2016 Brexit referendum, Tugendhat has been a trenchant Johnson critic. He is also among a group of key Conservatives urging the U.K. to take a tougher stand on China.

___

SUELLA BRAVERMAN, ATTORNEY GENERAL

Braverman, a lawmaker and barrister who became Englands attorney general in 2020, was the first to publicly announce she would seek to become the leader of Britain's Conservatives.

The 42-year-old told a television interviewer Wednesday she wanted to run for prime minister because she and her family, who arrived in Britain as immigrants, owe a debt of gratitude to this country.

Braverman is not well known among the public. Her announcement, made while she still served in Johnson's government, surprised many.

Braverman was a supporter of Johnson for years but said it was time for him to go.

A euroskeptic and Brexiteer, Braverman was elected to Parliament in 2015. Johnson appointed her as attorney general in February 2020.

___

RISHI SUNAK, FORMER TREASURY CHIEF

Sunak, the best-known of the Conservatives' potential leadership contenders, quit the government Tuesday. In a damning resignation letter, he wrote, The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously."

"I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning, he said.

Sunak was, for a time, widely regarded as the partys brightest rising star and the bookmakers favorite to succeed Johnson.

Sunak, 42, became Treasury chief in 2020, given the unenviable job of steering the slumping economy through the coronavirus pandemic. His policies, including dishing out billions of pounds to help businesses and workers, were generally well-received.

But partygate changed those fortunes. Like Johnson, Sunak was fined by police for attending a lockdown-flouting birthday party at Downing Street in June 2020. He has also come under heavy criticism for being slow to respond to Britains severe cost-of-living crisis.

Sunak also faced pressure following revelations that his wife, Akshata Murthy, avoided paying taxes on her overseas income, and that the former investment banker held on to his U.S. green card while serving in government.

Born to Indian parents who moved to Britain from East Africa, Sunak attended the exclusive Winchester College private school and studied at Oxford. Some see his elite education and work for the investment bank Goldman Sachs and a hedge fund as a liability because it makes him seem out of touch with ordinary voters.

___

NADHIM ZAHAWI, TREASURY CHIEF

Johnson appointed Zahawi, 55, to head the Treasury after Sunaks resignation Tuesday. Barely two days later, Zahawi joined the public calls for Johnson to quit.

Zahawi came to prominence as vaccine minister during the pandemic. A co-founder of the market research firm YouGov, Zahawi was elected to Parliament in 2010. He was born in Iraq to a Kurdish family and came to the U.K. as a child when his parents fled Iraq under Saddam Hussein.

The Times newspaper reported that Zahawi has secretly worked with close allies of Australian election strategist Lynton Crosby on a Conservative leadership campaign.

He is seen by some as a safe choice if other candidates prove divisive.

___

SAJID JAVID, FORMER HEALTH SECRETARY

Javid, 52, also resigned Tuesday, declaring enough is enough and that the problem starts at the top.

Javid had been health secretary since June 2021, leading the COVID-19 response. He earlier served as Treasury chief, but resigned in early 2020 after clashing with Johnson over his order to fire his advisers. That Johnson brought him back to handle the coronavirus response reflects Javid's reputation for competence.

A father of four, Javid was first elected in 2010 and has held various posts, including home secretary and leading departments for business, culture and housing.

He ran in the 2019 Conservative leadership election, but was eliminated in the fourth round and lost to Johnson.

The son of Pakistani immigrants, Javid has billed himself as a common-man alternative to his private school-educated rivals  although he had a lucrative career in investment banking before politics.

___

LIZ TRUSS, FOREIGN SECRETARY

Truss, 46, took on the high-profile Cabinet post in September after serving as trade minister. She has gained momentum within the party since then and made no secret of her ambitions.

As Britains chief diplomat, Truss got a frosty reception from her Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, prior to Moscows Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.

She is also the U.K.s lead negotiator with the European Union on issues following Britains exit from the bloc. Once a campaigner for remaining in the EU, Truss has become a Brexit champion. Her former role as international trade secretary saw her signing post-Brexit deals and channeling Johnsons ambitions for Global Britain.

Truss is popular with many Conservatives, who see echoes of the partys first female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, in the free-market-loving politician. Supporters have coined the slogan, In Liz We Truss.

___

BEN WALLACE, DEFENSE SECRETARY

Wallace has won admirers for his straight talk, particularly among Conservative lawmakers who pressed for the U.K. to increase its defense spending.

A 52-year-old army veteran, Wallace has raised his profile as a key government voice in Britains response to Russias war in Ukraine.

___

PENNY MORDAUNT, TRADE MINISTER

Mordaunt, 49, has emerged as a surprise potential contender, with supporters saying she could help heal party divisions.

Mordaunt played a prominent role in the pro-Brexit campaign and had backed Hunt in the 2019 leadership contest. She was removed as defense secretary when Johnson became prime minister.

She has since returned to government as international trade minister and is popular among Conservative lawmakers.

___

JEREMY HUNT, FORMER CABINET MINISTER

Hunt, a former health secretary and foreign secretary, ran against Johnson in the 2019 leadership race, billing himself as the more serious candidate. He lost heavily, and was dumped from the Cabinet.

He is widely expected to make a new bid for the party leadership. In January, the 55-year-old was quoted as saying his ambition to lead the country hasnt completely vanished.

Hunt has remained a lawmaker, and kept himself in the public eye by grilling ministers and experts as head of Parliaments Health and Social Care Select Committee.

As a critic of the governments pandemic response, he may appeal to those seeking a change from Johnson, although some look on him unfavorably for implementing unpopular health care policies.

___

Follow APs coverage of British politics at https://apnews.com/hub/boris-johnson
A man whose older brother asked him to kill his pregnant wife was sentenced to life in prison for the murder.

Rodney Reister, 26, was found guilty Saturday in the slaying of his sister-in-law, Fort Bliss Army Capt. Lynn Reister. He escaped the death penalty when a jury convicted him of murder instead of murder for hire, a capital offense.

In an unusual move Monday morning, the defense asked the judge to choose the sentence rather than the jury, saying they wanted to spare the families of the victim and Reister the anguish of testifying, the El Paso Times reported in Tuesday editions.

The prosecution agreed to the request, and Judge Robert Dinsmoor handed down the maximum sentence for murder_ life in prison.

Reister's parents came from North Carolina and Florida to testify, with his father scheduled as a witness for the state and his mother for the defense. Both declined to comment Monday.

Former Fort Bliss Sgt. Roger Reister, 28, was sentenced last year to life in prison for criminal solicitation after asking his younger brother Rodney and two Army soldiers to kill 30-year-old Lynn Reister. The pregnant woman was found in her home with her throat slashed in May 2001.
Since we last checked on the new apartment and hotel projects in San Antonio in April, we've already had quite a few new developments pop up, if not already open, in the Alamo City. One of the projects has been on the radar since 2019, but plans and the look of the entire development have recently changed.

Join MySA once again as we look at all the new multifamily developments and hotels in the Alamo City.

Courtesy of HKS

La Villita boutique hotel

Again, this project has been in the works since it was first proposed by hotel developer White Lodging to the Historic and Design Review Commission in December 2019.

HDRC approved new designs last week, where it went from a nine-story hotel to a 10-story hotel with a rooftop bar near historic La Villita at 431 Alamo Street. A spokesperson with White Lodging says more details about the hotel will come out soon, but a state construction filing said construction is expected to start in September.

Courtesy, Rhode Partners

The Floodgate

This 17-story mixed-use octagonal tower on the River Walk opened up its 60 units with ground floor retail in May. There is also 15,000-square-feet of restaurant space. The project was first introduced by local developer Keller Henderson in 2016.

The Residences at Grayson Heights

A local development group led by JJ Feik are planning this 281-unit multifamily development in Government Hill near the Pearl.

The city council recently approved $2.1 million from the Inner City Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone on June 28 fund to help kick start the $78 million project.

Steven Santana | MySA

Potranco Commons

Santikos is getting into the multifamily market with local developer Lynd Co. on a 360-unit development on the Far Westside. The project will be built on property that was once the future site of a Santikos theater.

Steven Santana | MySA

Elevate at Kitty Hawk

NRP Group, known for its affordable apartment developments around San Antonio, opened a $41 million, 212-unit development on the Northeast Side on June 9.

Elevate at Kitty Hawk gives residents access to a resort style pool, 24-hour fitness center, and an access-controlled playground.

Courtesy of Orion Real Estate Partners

Remington Ranch

Los Angeles-based Orion Real Estate Partners purchased these 180-unit apartments in June on the Northside called Remington Ranch.

The real estate group plans on doing renovations to the complex worth over $2.6 million.
(Bloomberg) -- Technology giants including Apple Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Google, facing questions about whether theyd hand over users personal data to authorities pursuing evidence on abortion seekers, are bracing for the multi-state legal quagmire that will govern privacy in a post-Roe world.

From map searches to private messages, a trove of information stored in the companies data centers could be used as a digital trail of breadcrumbs linking a patient to the termination of a pregnancy, a procedure being restricted in multiple US states, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The largest tech companies, which have in the past mounted high-profile legal opposition to law enforcement data requests, have been largely silent about what theyll do in these cases. Consider a hypothetical online search for abortion pills: A woman in Texas searches for "mifepristone" and buys it from a New York pharmacy. Google may have a record of the web search, and the receipt may land in a Microsoft Outlook inbox. Google is based in California and Microsoft in Washington, but digital records of her queries and her inbox may be stored at Googles data center in New Albany, Ohio, or Microsofts in Des Moines, Iowa. If law enforcement officials in Texas seek evidence from Google or Microsoft, a clash of four different sets of state laws and two companies may ensue. Its a question that could be replicated across a host of different online services and data sourcesand involve information that in many states could incriminate not just patients, but their confidants and health-care providers.

The world has changed in many fundamental ways since 1972since the pre-Roe worldbut one of the most important ways its changed thats relevant here is we have a digital surveillance apparatus that didnt exist before, said Corynne McSherry, legal director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital-rights advocacy group based in San Francisco. Its going to be very, very messy, and a lot will depend on what companies decide to do in terms of pushback.

The situation may put technology companies under the most acute pressure over data-sharing practices since the backlash following Edward Snowdens revelations of big corporations cooperation with U.S. government surveillance in 2013. Those disclosures caused some companies, like Microsoft, to issue specific public guarantees to customers about how they would handle government data requests and fight them in certain instances. Read more: Deadly Abortion Misinformation Rings Alarm Bells for Doctors, TikTokTech companies are already coming under pressure to similarly oppose abortion-related data requests. Still, because abortion views in the US are so polarized, the companies are almost certain to encounter pushback no matter what they decide to do, which may be why theyre staying mostly quiet for now, waiting for specific requests to publicly communicate a broad policy.

Some are taking early steps to reassure customers. Google on July 1 said it will automatically delete location-tracking records of user visits to sensitive places, including abortion clinics, and will make it easier to delete period logs from its Fitbit app. The Alphabet Inc.-owned search giant also underscored its track record of fighting government requests for information that the company deems inappropriate.We remain committed to protecting our users against improper government demands for data, and we will continue to oppose demands that are overly broad or otherwise legally objectionable, the company said in a blog post. Google declined to specify if it would fight abortion-related data requests, and didnt mention the changing legal landscape at all.

Apple said it builds privacy protections into it products and is particularly careful with software and devices that relate to health care. For example, if a users iPhone is locked with a passcode, fingerprint or Face ID, the health and fitness data is encrypted. On the latest version of the operating systems for the companys watches and phones, if users opt for two-factor authentication, health and activity data cant be viewed by Apple, including information in the period-tracking features of the health app. Apple also places privacy requirements on developers who sell through its App Store. The company didnt comment on how it might respond to an abortion-related warrant or subpoena for user data.

Microsoft, which runs large email and chat apps, also declined to say what it will do. So did Meta Platforms Inc., owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Amazon.com Inc., the largest cloud-infrastructure company and owner of health-care services like Amazon Care and Amazon Pharmacy, also declined to comment.

Microsoft and Apple just a few years ago fiercely fought against US government or law enforcement demands that they turn over user data or unlock phones, gaining support from many other tech firms and privacy advocates for their stances. Apple in 2016 refused to unlock the phone of one of the gunmen in a mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, even after it was sued by the FBI. Microsoft took the US Justice Department all the way to the Supreme Court with the companys refusal to turn over the emails of a suspected drug trafficker that were stored in Ireland.Its unclear whether the companies will go to battle to protect women and health-care providers facing possible prosecution over abortions. The situation is complicated by the patchwork of state laws on reproductive choice, and an industry in which data isnt always stored in the state where a patient resides or where a company is based. Patients may have to travel to seek care, or seek pills from elsewhere, and its not known which jurisdiction would prevail in a tussle over data. Companies will be facing warrants and subpoenas in both civil and criminal cases. Read more: Anti-Abortion Firms Lure Pregnant Teens Online, Save Their Data

There are also varying state laws protecting the privacy of health-care data specifically, as well as the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA. The rules are different based on how a company is classified and what kind of personal information it holds, said Iliana Peters, shareholder at Washington DC law firm Polsinelli. Because health plans and care providers that take insurance from those insurers are covered by HIPAA, its probable that the cloud-computing providers that store data for them could be covered, too.

At the same time, a court order thats signed by a judge or court-ordered warrant could permit a HIPAA entity to provide the data, Peters said, but the entity could challenge the order if they felt strongly about not disclosing that information.

Some companies have referred to past statements and policies when asked about how theyd handle personal data requests related to abortion. We always scrutinize every government request we receive to make sure it is legally valid, no matter which government makes the request, Meta said in May. We comply with government requests for user information only where we have a good-faith belief that the law requires us to do so. In addition, we assess whether a request is consistent with internationally recognized standards on human rights.

Most large technology companies publish regular updates on how many requests they get from courts, governments and law enforcement in the US and other countries. Still, those reports indicate that the companies comply with the vast majority of requests. In its most recent summary, Meta reported it got about 215,000 requests globally for the final six months of 2021, and handed over at least some data in almost 73% of cases. In 70% of cases, the company wasnt allowed to notify the impacted users. For that same period, Microsoft received 25,182 requests and rejected a quarter of them. Googles most recent data, for the first half of last year, showed the search company got just over 50,000 requests and gave up some data in 82% of cases.

Tech workers are also pressuring employers to take a stand against sharing data. After Google released its updates on consumer privacy, the labor group Alphabet Workers Union called on the company to take decisive action in the face of legal challenges.

States where abortion remains legal have also been taking steps to bolster support for women living in areas with harsher restrictions. Washington Governor Jay Inslee pledged to block hardline anti-abortion jurisdictions from accessing information on who travels to his state for the procedure, and Californias Gavin Newsom signed an order preventing medical records and patient data from being shared by state agencies or departments as part of investigations by states that limit abortion access.

Meanwhile, some cases are testing law enforcement agencies right to access users search history as a dragnet to find evidence. A 17-year-old charged with setting a deadly fire filed suit in a Denver court challenging police use of something called reverse-keyword searching. A judges order had compelled Google to scan its records of all queries for anyone searching for the address of the home set on fire in 2020, NBC News reported.

Its going to be years of litigation before we really have clarity around the question of the data, EFFs McSherry said. And also of course, around whether you can prosecutewhether legitimate prosecution or notif its across state lines.

2022 Bloomberg L.P.
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E. Gunnar Mortensen, a camera assistant on Transparent and the Apple TV+ series The Morning Show, died on Monday from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. He was 39.

Mortensen was a member of Local 600 for 13 years. In that capacity, he served on the National Executive Board of the International Cinematographers Guild since 2013 and as a co-chair of the Active Engagement Committee since 2017. His most recent work was on the upcoming feature Your Place or Mine, a romantic comedy with Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher.

Our local is reeling from the loss of our friend and colleague Gunnar Mortensen who was a dedicated elected leader, a skilled craftsperson and a loving husband and father, said Rebecca Rhine, national executive director of the ICG. Our sadness pales in comparison to the loss suffered by his beloved wife and adored son. Gunnar was happiest when sharing stories and pictures of his family. He found the joy and humor in everything and showed us how to follow the guiding light of kindness and laughter. He left us way too soon. We will carry his spirit forward in his name.

Mortensen worked on the camera crews of such films and shows as All The Money in the World, I Am the Night, Chasing Mavericks and Sons of Anarchy. Mortensen also taught workshops for focus pullers.

Mortensen started his career in Denver, but moved to Los Angeles in 2006 to pursue better job opportunities. In a Zoom workshop in 2020, he talked about starting out working $100-a-day jobs until he eventually got enough experience to get into the union. He emphasized the importance of building relationships along the way as he developed his craft.

Transparent was a smaller show, but it was a beautiful show, and that helped me build the foundation from that, he said in the workshop. Every job that you do that you think, Oh I dont know how I can do this shot, and then you do it, and then you just get stronger and better and faster and more efficient. And then it just prepares you for the next job All that goes into making you a better person and a better focus puller.

Mortensens fatal crash occurred on Highway 74 between Hemet and Mountain Center, according to news reports.

A GoFundMe page has been launched to help support Mortensens family and has already raised more than $75,000. Mortensen is survived by his wife, Keely, and their 2-year-old son, Lars.

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Courtesy Cinnaholic Pearland

Another Cinnaholic location is rolling into San Antonio. Alamo Ranch is set to get an outpost of the create-your-own cinnamon roll brand soon.

The 100% vegan sweets shop is opening a location at 5519 West Loop 1604 North "soon." The franchisee was not immediately available to comment on the plans, but a dedicated Facebook page is active and telling fans that an opening date will be revealed when it is confirmed.
An Austin-based burger chain is pushing down the I-35 corridor as it continues building on its current expansion plans. P. Terry's Burger Stand has begun construction on two new locations in Kyle and Dripping Springs respectively.

"Our expansion plans are currently focused on Austin, San Antonio, and the I-35 corridor in between the two," said P. Terry's Burger Stand CEO Todd Coerver.

Coerver said the first P. Terry's Burger Stand in Kyle is under construction and on track to open this October. A definitive date will be set as the company inches closer to October. The Kyle location will feature a dining room, patio, and double drive-thru. The restaurant will be located at 18940 I-35 and has a $1.2 million construction cost for the 2,785 square-foot building, according to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing.

The Dripping Springs P. Terry's will be a new drive-thru only location that is set to open later this fall, with an official opening date still to be announced, according to Coerver. The new restaurant will be located at 12680 W US 290, Suite 200, with a $990,000 construction cost for the 1,080 square-foot building, according to a TDLR filing. Construction is expected to be completed by September 30.

According to Coerver, P. Terry's has 27 locations and the two new locations in the Hill Country will bring the company up to 29 burger stands by the end of the year.

Another P. Terry's Burger Stand is planned for 3304 Broadway near downtown San Antonio. It will take the place of King's Palace after it is demolished, according to a MySA report. The first P. Terry's location in San Antonio opened at 8443 Wurzbach Road in July 2021. There is a drive-thru location already in New Braunfels and another location in San Marcos.
Everything is bigger in Texas, but the Hill Country always has something special for travelers to discover. On a recent venture, I encountered the biggest sandwich I've ever conquered.

When reporting about a new restaurant coming to the Hill Country, I always wonder if the food is good, just like any reader. Roost New Braunfels had some delays in opening this year, but finally opened up last month. Lately I've been more focused on hitting burrito joints for my San Antonio Burrito Bites column that I write every week. So, heading to Roost was a great change of pace.

Photo by Gabriel Romero

I was getting ready to head to San Marcos to cover a protest at city hall on June 28, but first I needed some eats that could hold me over until I got back home. So, I made my way to Roost.

Roost is known for its chicken salads  of which there are 14 different kinds  like the Honey walnut chicken salad and the buffalo chicken salad. They have salads that we are all used to eating like the Cobb or Chef salads, along with omelets, French toast, pancakes, and sandwiches.

Roost is located at 2124 Gabriel's Place, Suite 106 and is open everyday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. It's away from the traffic you find near Buc-ee's, even though it's just a mile east of I-35. The New Braunfels restaurant is Roost's third location after stops in Houston and Tyler.

As you enter the restaurant, you actually go through the patio area first. There is plenty of seating for big groups of friends trying to catch brunch. The interior is modern with wooden tables and steel chairs to sit on. Massive Roost logos and wording cover the grey walls around the occupants.

The workers welcomed me in and helped me figure out what I should try first. The Rooster caught my eye when looking at the menu, even though workers tempted me with French toast. I figured I had to try the signature sandwich.

The Rooster is filled with brisket, ham, bacon, cheddar, jalapeno, fried egg, avocado, and barbecue sauce on a grilled jalapeno cheddar roll. It is pricey for a sandwich and will set you back at $14.50, but the cashier said it was a big sandwich. They have a $10 half sandwich option. It comes with a side and a pickle. Sides include broccoli salad, fruit, pasta salad, strawberry and grape salad, chips, and steamed vegetables. I love potato salad, so there was no debate at all for me.

Photo by Gabriel Romero

It came to my table 10 minutes after ordering.

I noticed the height of this sandwich when it got to my table and it sure was piled high. I remember the owner telling me how big the sandwiches were when I interviewed him months ago. The Rooster was all but spilling off the bun. I could barely unlock my jaw to bite this bad boy. The brisket was juicy yet lean. The ham was the main star to me, great flavor, and it was a nice spiral cut of meat.

The bacon was crispy. I was so locked on to the meat, that I forgot that there was an egg and jalapeno in the sandwich. The cheddar cheese was great, but would have been better if it was a larger slice since it had to compete with three different meats and barbecue sauce.

Photo by Gabriel Romero

The bread got soggy quick and my pickle was too warm and had no crunch. My bread could have been toasted longer and it probably wouldn't have turned to mush halfway through my meal. Overall, the Rooster was a great sandwich, but I should have gotten the half because the portions were fantastic.

The one thing that hurt my trip was that my potato salad side order was disappointing. It was saltier than me hearing someone say "New Bransfels." I should have asked the workers if they could have switched my potato salad, but I just toughed it out thinking it would get better. It didn't.

Photo by Gabriel Romero

I had to take my sandwich to San Marcos with me, thank goodness I had a insulated lunch bag with me, because I got to eat it later at home. Yes, it is better fresh. Overall, I think if Roost served fries it would have completed my meal.

The staff was helpful and the restaurant was far enough from the main hustle and bustle of Creekside Crossing that it made me feel like I wasn't being crowed with people. But I don't know how long that will last with all the growth coming to New Braunfels.
Victoria Elizondo, owner of Cochinita in Houston, had planned to feed 450 people at the Texas Restaurant Association's (TRA) Lone Star Bash in Dallas on July 10. But when she learned that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was the keynote speaker of the TRA's Restaurant Show this weekend, she canceled her participation in the event.

Her Mexican restaurant, which is inside Kickin' Kombucha in the East End, and her product line keep her very busy, she says, so she wasn't aware how much the TRA donates to Republicans in Texas until now. According to Transparency USA, TRA's Political Action Committee has donated $52,500 to Gov. Abbott, $25,000 to Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick, $10,000 to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and $17,500 to Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan over the course of the 2018, 2020 and 2022 election cycles.

"The Texas Restaurant Association is a non-partisan organization that works with elected officials of all political parties to strengthen the food and beverage industry in Texas," said TRA CEO and President Emily Williams Knight, Ed. D. in a statement. "As in past years, we invited a diverse group of these elected officialsRepublican and Democratto the Texas Restaurant Show to discuss the initiatives we championed together to help save restaurants over the past two-and-a-half years of the COVID-19 pandemic and what may lie ahead for our economy."

It would have been the first TRA event Elizondo cooked for, but she says that as a woman, an immigrant, a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient, and someone who supports abortion rights, she decided she could not participate.

"Republicans just don't support immigrants and Dreamers," she said, upset that the TRA is aligning itself with Abbott. "It's a huge slap in the face for us because the restaurant industry is run by us," she said.

Andrea Arana, the owner of soon-to-open Las Perras Cafe, was not surprised to learn that the governor is a keynote speaker at the TRA's Restaurant Show this weekend. "I've lived in Texas and worked in hospitality for the last 10 years and I've never really seen them do anything that's actually helped the average employee," Arana said, adding that the group instead helps restaurant owners continue to exploit and profit from their employees.

As a manager in Texas restaurants, Arana has seen owners discriminate against undocumented, Black and LGBTQ employees. "[The TRA is] actively giving money to politicians who would vote to see these groups obliterated from the face of the earth," she said.

Both Elizondo and Arana learned about the Restaurant Show line-up, and the TRA's political donations, from the social media posts of Alex Negranza, a veteran restaurant and bar professional who's now the president of new nonprofit Gay & Lesbian Alliance for Spirited Sipping (GLASS). He had been following the TRA since the beginning of the pandemic, when it was one of the main groups helping the Texas restaurant industry survive through relief funds and other initiatives. This week, he was surprised to see an announcement on TRA's Instagram about Gov. Abbott being the Restaurant Show's keynote speaker.

Negranza commented on the post, but he says it was deleted by the TRA's account, and all comments were later disabled on Instagram. The Twitter announcement is set to only allow accounts that the TRA mentions reply. Minutes after his first comment, Negranza says the TRA Instagram account blocked him. He thought it was strange and dove deeper into the association's political donations, posting screenshots of them on his Instagram stories.

"I called Greg Abbott an ahole and a bigot," Negranza recalled about the now-deleted Instagram comment. "And I said that their keynote speaker did not represent the values of restaurants, that he was anti-immigration, anti-reproductive rights, his platform is anti-LGBT. Everything that Abbott represents is so against the beauty and culture that is restaurants."

Negranza also notes the significant number of people in Houston's restaurant community that are hosting fundraisers and leading other initiatives after the repeal of Roe v. Wade, which the governor celebrated. While he thinks some the TRA's legislative accomplishments have been positive in terms of economic impact to restaurants, he's upset that they are "turning a blind eye" to other issues that he and his peers are affected by.

"Our speakers, including Governor Abbott, were critical to the passage of TRA priority bills that allowed restaurants to sell alcohol to-go, save millions of dollars in franchise and unemployment insurance taxes, and gain groundbreaking transparency protections in the third-party delivery market," said TRA CEO Williams Knight.

Elizondo says she was raised never to mix business with politics, but the current political climate has spurred her to use her business as a platform to make a difference. The TRA was going to give Elizondo a $400 stipend after the event, but that wouldn't have covered everything. "I was still taking money and time out of my pocket," she said. She had already bought all of the ingredients for crab salad tostadasthey will now be a special on Cochinita's menu this weekend.
Two weeks ago, Austin Animal Center announced it was waiving adoption fees amid overcrowding at its East Austin facility. On Wednesday, July 6, it made a plea to Austinites asking for immediate foster homes as it reaches 115% of its capacity, particularly for its medium- and large-sized dogs.

"We should be operating at 80% capacity to save space for cruelty cases," says Kelsey Cler, marketing and communication manager at AAC. "We're doing a plea for fosters and adopters, to at least get us some breathing room, especially if something happens next week."

Cler is referring broadly to what KVUE mentioned in their Wednesday story as "a possible large influx of animals due early next week due to evictions." Evictions have been on the rise in Austin since the moratorium expired on March 1 after an earlier extension. Earlier on Thursday, July 7, a call from the constable's office informed AAC that a man with 20 dogs was being evicted. But Cler is vague in describing what might be coming after the weekend.

"There's just a large community of people that may be relocated, and we're concerned that their pets will not be able to go with them," Cler says.

Evictions, alongside the city's population boom and the city's increasingly expensive housing costs and pet deposits, fees, and rents, are main contributors to the overcrowding at AAC. Seventy percent of households in the United States own at least one pet, and Cler points out that if 100 people move to Austin every day  it was 116 in 2021  that's 70 new pets entering the city every day, and some of them will need re-homing.

When Austin Animal Center learns of a pet owner surrendering their animal, they try to set up a consult to see if there's anything that can be done, either medically or behaviorally, to help. Often in these consults, they learn the reason a person has to give up their dog or cat, which can be because of Austin's housing issues.

"We have quite a few people that are facing housing insecurity and financial insecurity  they're moving in with family, or they have to find a different apartment," Cler says. "And it's hard to find an apartment these days that doesn't have a really high pet deposit and pet rent and breed restrictions and weight restrictions."

Some landlords charge pet deposits, fees, and even extra rent per pet, which makes owning multiple animals prohibitive for many people. Add in the breed and weight restrictions that landlords can impose  including at government housing, which has a 30-pound weight limit for dogs  and it creates, Cler says, a "perfect storm" that leads to more surrenders.

While immediate fostering and adoption is needed, Cler says these are short-term fixes to a long-term issue.

"Ultimately, at this point, there's going to need to be a City Council policy change regarding housing," she says, "because it's just crazy out there."

Adoptable pets can be found here, and more information about fostering is available at Austin Animal Center's website.
Update: Thursday, July 7, 9:30 a.m.: The Storm Ranch wildfire has officially burned 325 acres, but the fire has stopped "forward motion" according to Hays County public information officer Kim Hilsenbeck. Fire crews are still on the scene after fighting the blaze throughout the night. The evacuation order has been lifted as of 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 6.

The fire is now 70% contained, there are no threats to homes, and the fire activity is minimal, according to Texas A&M Forest Service Wildland Urban Interface Coordinator Walter Flocke.

The Dripping Springs Ranch Park and Event Center housed evacuees on Wednesday night until they were allowed to go back to their homes. The event center also welcomed about 10 animals, including sheep and goats. Ranch hand Andrew Thompson said that the community stepped up to help those in need.

"We ended up delegating to local people," Thompson said. "The community stepped up and said, 'You know, I have pasture with fences, so we only ended up taking and housing like two family for animals.'"

Thompson added how important it is to have not only a place for people to evacuate, but animals as well.

"If you're an animal person, it's everything to have a place where you can store your animals and not worry about it," Thompson said. "I have a dogs and if they were horses, I'd be doing everything I could to find a place for them to go."

Original Story below:

Courtesy, Hays County Office of Emergency Management

Firefighters are battling a blaze just outside Dripping Spring. People near Storm Ranch are being evacuated. Residents that live near Storm Ranch that have been evacuated can stay at the Dripping Springs Ranch Park at 1042 Event Center Drive in Dripping Springs, according to a Hays County news release.

Texas A&M Forest Service was requested to help fight the flames on Wednesday, July 6, around 4:24 p.m. They currently have three bulldozers at the scene with local fire departments trying to prevent the fire from spreading to 10 structures. That's according to Walter Flocke, Texas A&M Forest Service Wildland Urban Interface Coordinator. He added that 100-acres have burned already.

Multiple fire agencies are in the area trying to contain the fire. The ground teams have air support from Star Flight and several other planes, according to a Hays County social media post.

MySA reached out to Hays County for comment.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said that he had a "productive" conversation with members of the Biden administration on Wednesday morning, July 6.

Salazar met with White House officials and two high-level representatives from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to discuss a series of letters he has sent to President Joe Biden regarding immigration concerns. Those letters, Salazar said, expressed his frustration over what he called "inaction" out of Washington D.C.

Salazar said met with those officials for over 30 minutes. Here are some of the key takeaways from his meeting.

'It's not working'

Salazar said that no administration has done enough to aid in immigration issues that led to one of the deadliest smuggling incidents in San Antonio to date. He says he invited the Biden administration down to Texas to have a discussion with other area sheriffs.

"I just don't think that the approach that we're currently taking is working," Salazar said.

It's not an invasion

Salazar believes that the group of sheriffs from Goliad and Kinney counties wanting to call immigrants crossing the border an invasion is merely political rhetoric and "fear mongering." He believes that a majority of immigrants want to come here to make a living.

"I think it's really really easy, unfortunately, when people from another country look different  it's easy to paint them with that brush of a scary enemy invasion," Salazar said.

Create a 'front door'

Salazar said that the 53 immigrants that died on June 27 was "heartbreaking" and "frustrating." He presented that Washington D.C. needs to establish a legal way  "a front door"  for immigrants to come to the U.S. to work.

"Let's get them in a situation where employers aren't going to take advantage of them and pay them well below minimum wage," Salazar said. "Let them create a process where they can get a legal work permit and then let them pay their taxes based upon that livable income.
UPDATE: Thursday, July 7, 4:30 p.m.: San Antonio police are now investigating a fire at an apartment on the Westside from Thursday morning, July 7, as a homicide after the medical examiner found gunshot wounds on the man and woman found dead inside.

Sgt. Washington Moscoso with the San Antonio Police Department said at a press conference Thursday afternoon that homicide investigators will take the lead on the case, but arson is still investigating the cause of the fire. Moscoso said the medical examiner is still trying to determine what killed the man and woman found inside the apartment at the 900 block of Waverly just after midnight.

He confirmed that homicide investigators were at the scene this morning and did find bullet casings at the apartment. Police are not currently looking for any persons of interest but have been talking to people living near the apartment. Moscoso said police received no calls for shots fired.

Earlier it was believed that the man and woman died in the fire, adding to this years total fatal fires. Now the cause of death is still unknown, bringing this year's total number of fatal fire deaths to 12.

Original story follows below.

San Antonio firefighters were able to knock out a blaze at a multiplex home on the Westside Thursday morning, July 7, but still found two people dead inside the home.

The firefighters arrived at 916 Waverly Avenue after midnight to find the rear apartment of the multiplex completely engulfed in flames, said San Antonio Fire Department spokesperson Joe Arrington at the scene. Despite firefighters putting out the fire quickly, a man and a woman were found dead inside the apartment.

Arrington said that SAFD investigators and the arson unit are looking into the cause of the fire. He said there was no evident clutter inside the home, so the cause of the fire isn't clear.

Both deaths mean 14 people have now died this year as a result of a fatal fire, three more than 2021. It puts San Antonio on track to double the amount of fatal fires from last year if they continue at this rate.

The last fatal fire was at a home on the Northside where an elderly woman was found dead after firefighters put out the flames. She left behind two dogs that received treatment at the scene before being picked up by family.

"It's important to remind everyone that obviously now is the time to check if you have working smoke detectors," Arrington said.

Arrington said earlier this year, as fatal fires were on the rise, that most were preventable. He directed people to the FireSafe SA website to learn how to spot trouble spots a home and to find working smoke detectors.

Arrington says people can also call 211 to request a free smoke detector that will be installed by SAFD.
The US is continuing to escalate with China, and as with Russia, both the logic and the pretexts are close to unhinged.

Before we proceed to discussing speeches given in London yesterday at MI5 headquarters to London business leaders by FBI director Christopher Wray and MI5 chief Ken McCallum, let us point out what ought to be obvious but for some bizarre reason isnt. The US and its Western allies cannot hope to come out well in a conflict with China on top of its proxy war with Russia. The fact that the US and its allies are losing the conflict in Ukraine against Russia, where Russia has sent in a peacetime army which it is able to regularly rotate out for R&R, is deploying massive artillery barrages, day after day, with no apparent concern about supplies, has used long-range missiles to great effect, while the West is scraping the NATO supply cupboards dry and Ukraine is suffering massive troop losses in Donbass, ought to be focusing a few minds. But no! Because we are so convinced of our superiority, despite massive evidence otherwise (starting with not having won a war in decades), were now gonna go show China whos boss too!

So what was the excuse for this first ever joint FBI-MI5 briefing? That China plays dirty and steals Western intellectual property! And we are supposed to believe this is news? Back when US businesses eagerly started setting up shop in China in the early 2000s after China entered the WTO, your humble blogger could not make sense of it. This was a Communist country, meaning there was no reason to thing theyd respect property rights. The Chinese have not done anything as gauche as expropriate factories. But its been known from the get-go that Chinese partners have insisted on technology transfer, which often means the foreign entrant soon finds its co-venturer setting up a directly competing operation.

And why is this a surprise? If youre going to deindustrialize, um, offshore, the knowledge goes with the operations.

As for China purloining intellectual property, thats hardly news either. Intellectual property theft was one of reasons Trump gave for imposing tariffs against China. From CNBC in 2018:

The new measures are designed to penalize China for trade practices that the Trump administration says involve stealing American companies intellectual property. They will primarily target certain products in the technology sector where China holds an advantage over the U.S.

Needless to say, its bizarre to see these agencies try to whip up a lot of upset about a long standing issue and then try to work in Taiwan. The BBC got the memo. From its story:

FBI director Christopher Wray said China was the biggest long-term threat to our economic and national security and had interfered in politics, including recent elections MI5 is now running seven times as many investigations related to activities of the Chinese Communist Party compared to 2018, he added. The FBIs Wray warned that if China was to forcibly take Taiwan it would represent one of the most horrific business disruptions the world has ever seen. McCallum also said the challenge posed by the Chinese Communist Party was game-changing, while Wray called it immense and breath-taking. Wray warned the audience  which included chief executives of businesses and senior figures from universities  that the Chinese government was set on stealing your technology using a range of tools.

Weve embedded the prepared version of Wrays speech at the end of this post. It is anything is even more disturbing than the BBC summary suggests.

The first it the heavy handed regime change signaling, that the US has no beef with the Chinese people, only their evil scheming Commie government. And following that logic, only the government and various government agents are depicted as stealing. If you read sites like China Law Blog that advise foreign entrants how to navigate in China, it quickly becomes clear that private companies are out to get Western companies know-how too. As one of my colleagues back at Sumitomo Bank said, Why should you build a business? Its so much easier to steal it. A typical section:

Weve seen the regional bureaus of Chinas MSS  their Ministry of State Security  key in specifically on the innovation of certain Western companies it wants to ransack. And Im talking about companies everywhere from big cities to small towns  from Fortune 100s to start-ups, folks that focus on everything from aviation, to AI, to pharma. Weve even caught people affiliated with Chinese companies out in the U.S. heartland, sneaking into fields to dig up proprietary, genetically modified seeds, which would have cost them nearly a decade and billions in research to develop themselves. And those efforts pale in comparison to their lavishly resourced hacking program thats bigger than that of every other major country combined. The Chinese Government sees cyber as the pathway to cheat and steal on a massive scale.

Lambert and I found the seed story to be overwrought. Surely the Chinese could buy them via cutouts.

Wray argues that all Chinese companies are China Inc:

To start with, a whole lot of Chinese companies are owned by the Chinese government  effectively the Chinese Communist Party. And often that ownership is indirect and not advertised. And those that arent owned outright are effectively beholden to the government all the same, as Chinese companies of any size are required to host a Communist Party cell to keep them in line. So, when you deal with a Chinese company, know youre also dealing with the Chinese government  that is, the MSS and the PLA [Peoples Liberation Army]  too, almost like silent partners.

But the position that the Chinese government is in charge of everything is inconsistent with this statement just a few paragraphs later:

The Chinese government has also shut off much of the data that used to enable effective due diligence, making it much harder for a non-Chinese company to discern if the company its dealing with is, say, a subsidiary of a Chinese state-owned enterprise.

Similarly:

Since 2015, they have passed a series of laws that eat away at the rights and security of companies operating in China. For example, a 2017 law requires that if the Chinese government designates a company as critical infrastructure, that company must store its data in China  where, of course, their government has easier access to it.

Perhaps I am missing something, but it would be awfully hard for a foreign company operating in the US not to store its data here, as well as sending important higher level information back to the mother ship, at a minimum for tax, financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and practical reasons (sales people need access to customer lists). And we have the NSA bulk collecting everything that happens over the Web.and if you use encryption, you are putting up your hand to have the security state take special interest in you.

Wray also cites, as proof of Chinas anti-democracy bona fides, that they interfered in a Congressional election to undermine the campaign of former Tiananmen Square protestor. That is nasty business, but after the Mossadeq, Allende, and Maidan coups, plus a slough of other regime chagne operations, its not as if we have the moral high ground.

I do suggest you read the article in full. Its striking how Wray manages to keep the dial turned to 11. He gets to the Taiwan part:

Thats in part because, as you all know, theres been a lot of discussion about the potential that China may try to forcibly takeover Taiwan. Were that to happen, it would represent one of the most horrific business disruptions the world has ever seen.

Mind you, China is giving reassurances about chip supplies if things get ugly:

Translation: "Don't worry when we take over Taiwan" https://t.co/B9IZ0LyRB3  Occupy The Fed Movement (@OccupytheFeds) July 7, 2022

Weirdly all Wray warns of is the loss of business equity, a larger-scale version of Western companies saying they took a total of $59 billion in hits for leaving Russia. Mind you, this was the result mainly of self-sanctions and certain US/EU sanctions, not Russian action. Nevertheless access to critical chips might be interrupted and that manufacturers would then suffer supply chain hiccups and production shortfalls similar to what the auto industry has experienced. And he does not contemplate China bringing the West to its knees, say by halting sales of pharmaceutical or more specific but still critical items like ascorbic acid to unfriendly countries.

Wray urges businessmen to work with the FBI and MI5 against Chinese threats. Frankly, Id never let a law enforcement agency into my business. But maybe the big boys can compartmentalize what they get at.

But I want to get back to the opening question: why the escalation on yet another front? US allies have been buzzing parts of the Taiwan Straits that China insists are national waters. Im not able to judge the merits of this claim but pushing China hard on this position is a recent development.

The US continues to send officials to Taiwan, even after Biden effectively promised to cut that out in a call to Xi early this year:

Welcome to #Taiwan, @SenRickScott. I look forward to meeting with you & working together to deepen Taiwan-US economic & security cooperation. pic.twitter.com/4HelgLgf0X   Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) July 7, 2022

China is also upset about yet more arms sales to Taiwan, to the degree that General Wei Fenghe had a public spat with his counterpart, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, at a defense summit in Singapore last month.

Im not able to vet this theory, but one view is that the US feels pressured to pry Taiwan away from China by 2024, since public opinion is allegedly back towards alignment with the mainland:

The West did all it could to undermine Hong Kong's "one country two systems" to scare off Taiwan on its path to reunification with the Mainland pic.twitter.com/ILpOn0Khvs  Angelo Giuliano  / living in  (@Angelo4justice3) July 6, 2022

And make no mistake that the US is provoking China:

China has said that if you seek to improve the military of Taiwan so they are emboldened into believing they can withstand a Chinese counterstrike then we have no choice but to pursue non-peaceful means of unifying Taiwan  a conflict we cant win.  Scott Ritter pic.twitter.com/oJoum5agm6  pocalypsis pocalypseos    (@apocalypseos) July 5, 2022

Both Ritter and Larry Johnson believe if the US were to try to stop a Chinese intervention in China (which IMHO could take the form of a blockade rather than an invasion), China could easily and probably would sink one of the US aircraft carriers set to defend Taiwan. Sadly, I suspect the US would welcome such a counterattack. Most Americans dont care enough about Taiwan, let alone US intellectual property, to go to war. But the loss of 6,000 American lives?

The wee problem is that Ritter thinks the US response would be a tactical nuclear strike on a secondary Chinese city, which would lead China to light up the US. Bye bye world.

But maybe the Chinese will think twice:
SAFARI USERS: It has come to our attention that some Safari users are having trouble with the Links page: It will not scroll, or react to clicks. We think its a rogue Tweet, so turn off JavaScript. (MacOS: Preferences -> Security -> uncheck Enable JavaScript. iOS: Settings -> Safari -> Advanced -> Javascript -> disable (slide button so its not green). When I do that, Links behaved as expected. It also helps to clear your browser cache. Opera (a Chrome clone), Firefox, and Brave work as normal. lambert

* * *

Lambert and I, and many readers, agree that Ukraine has prompted the worst informational environment ever. We hope readers will collaborate in mitigating the fog of war  both real fog and stage fog  in comments. None of us need more cheerleading and link-free repetition of memes; there are platforms for that. Low-value, link-free pom pom-wavers will be summarily whacked.

And for those who are new here, this is not a mere polite request. We have written site Policies and those who comment have accepted those terms. To prevent having to resort to the nuclear option of shutting comments down entirely until more sanity prevails, as we did during the 2015 Greek bailout negotiations and shortly after the 2020 election, we are going to be ruthless about moderating and blacklisting offenders.

Yves

P.S. Also, before further stressing our already stressed moderators, read our site policies:

Please do not write us to ask why a comment has not appeared. We do not have the bandwidth to investigate and reply. Using the comments section to complain about moderation decisions/tripwires earns that commenter troll points. Please dont do it. Those comments will also be removed if we encounter them.

* * *

Physicists see electron whirlpools for the first time MIT News. Here they are:

How Antarctic Krill Coordinate the Biggest Swarms in the World Scientific American

Data Doesnt Support US Recession (video) Barry Ritholtz, The Big Picture. About that tight labor market:

You know who had (has?) the highest covid rates? Not nurses or other healthcare workers (as one might assume), but *restaurant kitchen staff*. https://t.co/cj1dovHtpS  Audley 'my brother in crepes' Darke (@AudleyZDarke) July 6, 2022

Were Not Already In a Recession Real Clear Markets

The Worst 6 Months Ever For Financial Markets A Weath of Common Sense

Copper Crash Deepens as Recession Fears Loom Over Metals Trading Bloomberg

Climate

#COVID19

Monkeypox

China?

Taiwan and the Making of an Asian NATO Black Agenda Report

Syraqistan

Parsi: New Iran sanctions may spell death of the JCPOA Responsible Statecraft

UK/EU

New Not-So-Cold War

Biden Administration

Abortion

The Republican Moms Apologizing to Their Liberal Kids Slate

The Supremes

Police State Watch

The Bezzle

Shortages

Class Warfare

The Happiness Data That Wrecks a Freudian Theory WSJ

These Photographs Capture the Indescribable Glory of Trains Smithsonian

Walking Venice Craig Mod

Antidote du jour (via):

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Yves here. This failure to protect medical workers, via allowing the use of flimsy gowns in Covid settings, falls at the CDCs feet, natch, although you have to read the underlying study from the American Journal of Infection Control to work that out.

The short version is that most hospitals use disposable gowns even though reusable gowns are cheaper over their life and more environment friendly. The reusable gowns do become less protective after a lot of washings, and there are reservations as to whether washing removes some contagions (it does not with Covid; if you think your clothes got Covid cooties, toss them in a hamper for >2 days. The Covid will weaken enough by then to not pose a hazard. Needless to say, hospitals arent set up to age used gowns).

One wonders how hospital industry execs got to the classification bodies to allow these chintzy gowns to be used at all. Since Ive had the misfortune to be in medically intrusive situations a few times since Covid, every time the members of the team used proper surgical gowns, which were way sturdier than these isolation gowns. Im astonished that nurses unions didnt make a stink about them.

By Brett Kelman, Kaiser Health News Correspondent, previously worked for three newspapers in the USA Today Network, as well as contributing to The Wall, a Pulitzer Prize-winning examination of the border wall proposed by former president Donald Trump. Originally published at Kaiser Health News

Disposable gowns designed to deflect the splatter of bodily fluids, used in thousands of U.S. hospitals, have underperformed in recent and ongoing laboratory tests and may fall short of safety standards, leaving health care workers with a greater risk of infection than advertised.

A peer-reviewed academic study, published to little notice amid the coronavirus pandemic, found that isolation gowns commonly worn in medical units or intensive care units ripped too easily and allowed about four to 14 times the expected amount of liquid to seep through when sprayed or splashed.

Im amazed that facilities are using them, said study co-author Elizabeth Easter, a textile expert at the University of Kentucky, of the thinnest disposable gowns. Because, technically, you can see through the fabric.

Now a similar study is underway at ECRI, a nonprofit focused on health care safety, which began testing disposable isolation gowns after receiving anecdotal reports of blood or other body fluids leaking through, said ECRI Engineering Director Chris Lavanchy. He told KHN that preliminary test results raised concerns that disposable gowns may not meet safety standards.

Isolation gowns are worn by hospital workers to cover their torso and arms before entering rooms of contagious patients, blocking the spray of fluids that could otherwise cling to workers clothing and end up in their eyes or mouth. Germs are thought to rarely seep through gowns and sicken the wearer, but with gowns used constantly in hospitals every day, even a small gap in protection could be magnified millions of times over.

Its an expected principle of infection control that you dont want that body fluid getting through, Lavanchy said. A very reasonable expectation is that if you do get liquids through, there is a risk.

Lavanchy declined to provide more details about ECRIs findings, stressing that testing is ongoing. The organization is in discussions with gown companies that will get a chance to question or dispute the findings in advance of a full reports release, planned for later this year. Neither ECRI nor the academic study identified the specific gowns or brands that were tested, but officials involved with both studies said the gowns were purchased from some of the primary suppliers of U.S. hospitals.

KHN reached out to three of the largest suppliers of hospital gowns for comment. None responded.

The testing of isolation gowns comes as the coronavirus pandemic has dramatically heightened concerns about infection control in hospitals and the limitations of supply chains for personal protective equipment, including gowns. Disposable gowns were a scarce resource in the first year of the pandemic, forcing some nurses to resort to wearing trash bags and some hospitals to hurriedly buy from manufacturers with no gown experience or foreign suppliers that did not meet U.S. standards. ECRI testing showed that many of these gowns offered lackluster protection, which drew attention to the lack of quality control in the gown industry, ultimately motivating the organizations current testing of gowns from more traditional suppliers.

Supply shortages and questions about the quality of disposable gowns may persuade some hospitals to reconsider reusable isolation gowns, which can be laundered about 75 times. A handful of studies and pilot programs suggest reusable gowns offer at least as much protection and lower costs and are far better for the environment. Additionally, reusable gowns have been readily available throughout the pandemic, allowing hospitals to avoid supply shortages and surging prices.

Inova Health System, near Washington, D.C., transitioned two of its hospitals to reusable gowns in 2021 to insulate itself from supply chain woes and hopes to introduce the gowns at its remaining three facilities by the end of this year. Before the change, Inova used about 3 million disposable gowns in a year, creating 213 tons of waste, company officials said.

There was a lot of trial and error going through this process, said Michelle Peninger, Inovas assistant vice president of infection prevention and control. But it will all pay off in the end.

Chana Luria, who has worked as a nurse in California for about 30 years, said she has long preferred the washable gowns that were common in the first decade of her career. They felt thicker, safer, and far less wasteful, she said. Fluid that splashed onto those gowns would slide to the floor  sometimes creating a slipping hazard  but never seeped through to her clothes or skin, she said.

Many nurses favor disposable gowns because they have a reputation for being cooler and more breathable, Luria said, but infection control should be prioritized over comfort. I would rather be sweating in a Hefty bag and have some sort of actual protection, Luria said. Its called personal protective equipment. If it doesnt protect you, its a waste of time.

We Were Spending Millions of Dollars on Gowns

Regardless of whether they are washed or trashed, isolation gowns are often worn for mere minutes.

And all those minutes add up. At UCLA Health, a four-hospital chain in the Los Angeles area that transitioned to reusable gowns over the past decade, a single liver transplant unit once used as many as 1,000 disposable gowns a day, said Norm Lantz, senior director of general services. We were spending millions of dollars on gowns, Lantz said. And then we realized, of all that money, what we were buying was filling landfills.

Most isolation gowns are classified as either level one gowns, designed to be worn in standard medical units and during basic care, or slightly thicker level two gowns, which are worn in ICUs and during blood draws and suturing, according to the FDA. The agency recognizes standards for isolation gowns created by three organizations  the American National Standards Institute, the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, and ASTM International  but there is no independent check to ensure gowns adhere to these standards.

Unlike surgical gowns, which are subjected to more scrutiny, isolation gowns are classified by the FDA as low-risk medical devices that are exempt from government review before sale. Gown companies are largely responsible for their own quality control.

But disposable isolation gowns fell far short of industry standards in the recent academic study, conducted by Easter and a textile-testing expert at Florida State University and published in the American Journal of Infection Control in 2021. The tests were performed in 2018, before pandemic shortages eroded the quality of available gowns.

To test the gowns ability to repel bodily fluids, the researchers sprayed them with water using something akin to a showerhead and determined whether the weight of the blotter paper on the other side of the protective material increased.

Level one disposable gowns were found to let through an average of 16.2 grams of liquid, much more than the 4.5-gram standard, according to the study. Level two disposable gowns averaged 13.5 grams but were supposed to let through no more than 1 gram.

Both levels of disposable gowns also failed to meet a standard for tensile strength, which was not recognized by the FDA at the time of testing but has been since. The gowns were expected to withstand at least 7 pounds of force. But when pressure was applied widthwise, the level one gowns broke with less than 1 pound of force, and the level two gowns broke with less than 5, according to the study.

Several brands of reusable gowns passed both tests by comfortable margins, even after being laundered 75 times.

Meredith McQuerry, supervisor of Florida States Textile Testing Lab, who co-authored the study, said the failures of disposable gowns demonstrate the effect of standards not being fully enforced.

One hundred percent this should not only constitute further study, she said. It most definitely should cause some alarm in the medical profession in terms of PPE concerns.

Now, ECRI is undertaking a separate study in its Philadelphia laboratory that will repeat the tests of the academic one. In addition, ECRI said it will launch a survey through which health care workers can report gown failures. The organization also named insufficient disposable gowns one of its top 10 health technology hazards for 2022.

Tim Browne, ECRIs vice president of supply chain solutions, said alarms began to sound amid the supply shortages at the start of the pandemic as desperate hospitals turned to gowns of questionable quality, often imported from Chinese companies.

In 2020, ECRI tested 34 gown models from foreign and non-traditional suppliers and found that about half the gowns did not meet their claimed protection level and half failed to meet even the lowest standard, according to documents provided by the organization.

There was more fraudulent product in the marketplace than ever, Browne said, and thats what really raised the level of concern from a quality standpoint.

We Werent Wearing Trash Bags

Although the supply chain issues of 2020 triggered doubts about disposable gowns, they were reaffirming for hospitals that years ago transitioned to reusable alternatives.

Officials at UCLA Health and Carilion Clinic, a seven-hospital chain based in Virginia, both of which are outspoken proponents of reusable gowns, said they had no shortages and simply laundered faster to keep up with pandemic demand.

The hospital groups also said they were insulated from surge pricing, which at times drove the cost of a single disposable gown from about 80 cents to nearly $3.

Lantz said UCLA Health had prevented approximately 1,200 tons of waste and now saves $450,000 a year after transitioning its inpatient units and emergency rooms to reusable gowns.

At Carilion Clinic, reusable gowns were saving the hospitals about 40 cents per use even before the pandemic, said Jim Buchbinder, the companys director of laundry services.

Forty cents a gown when were using 120,000 gowns a week during the pandemic  thats substantial, Buchbinder said. Plus, we had them to wear. We werent wearing trash bags at Carilion.
My Nashville Post role has evolved since 2000 when I joined the now-defunct The City Paper. TCP became a Post sister publication in 2008 (when I began doing some Post work) and folded in 2013. I have been managing editor of the Post since late 2011.

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Feature: 2nd edition of Montreux Jazz Festival China ready with aim to connect through music

14:08, July 07, 2022 By Martina Fuchs, Chen Junxia ( Xinhua

MONTREUX, Switzerland, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Despite the impact of COVID-19 on live music and cultural events, Montreux Jazz Festival China said it's determined more than ever to continue building musical and artistic bridges between China and the rest of the world.

"I want to bring the most beautiful music festival in the world to China, my beloved home country," Joyce Peng Peng, the CEO of Montreux Jazz Festival China, told Xinhua.

"And I want to connect between Switzerland and China for culture, people, art, and music," she said during the iconic Montreux Jazz Festival currently in full swing in its 56th edition on the shores of Lake Geneva, featuring more than 500 concerts and activities on 13 stages.

She said combining Chinese and global musical genres to forge links between different cultures was her lifelong dream.

Last year, the Montreux Jazz Festival traveled to China for the very first time and took place in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, on Oct. 5-8 under the theme "Where East Meets West."

It featured live performances by nine bands and a total of 46 musicians from six countries. Amid COVID-19 restrictions, 1,000 people were able to attend in person each day while 2,240,000 viewers participated in the online streaming.

"SWISS TOUR" IN CHINA

The organizers are now getting ready to stage a second edition, with the main festival to be kicked off in Hangzhou on Oct. 15-16 followed by a "Grand Swiss Roadshow 2022" across several major Chinese cities under the auspices of the Embassy of Switzerland as well as other Swiss institutions in China.

The roadshow is accompanied and promoted by music, arts, culture and educational events throughout the year, including a poster competition and exhibition, which were held earlier this year, Peng Peng said.

She also expressed optimism that she could book and welcome international artists again in 2023.

"This year we still focus on Chinese and international musicians who live in China, there are many award-winning musicians from the younger and older generations and their styles are very diverse, ranging from jazz, blues, to rock."

"Next year we want to bring international musicians from overseas and also find more talented young musicians and try to provide them with a platform, with a stage."

Ernst-Jan Tolen, president of the Montreux Jazz Festival China, said: "We are positive that we will have a very good festival with an excellent line-up, exciting artists, and hopefully a big audience participating. Last but not least, there is also a live-streaming audience, which we are very keen for."

The Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland was founded in 1967 by Claude Nobs and has been held every summer. This year's events are taking place on the shore of Lake of Geneva on July 1-16.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
(Natural News) Canada may be withholding a gas turbine Germany sent for repairs until the energy-strapped European nation signs a contract for liquefied natural gas (LNG), says an analyst.

Steve Quayle of Strange Sounds elaborated on this claim in a July 5 post. According to him, Siemens Energy is servicing a gas turbine for a compressor at its facility in Montreal, located in the eastern province of Quebec. The turbine is part of the Nord Stream pipeline that supplies a huge portion of Europe  including Germany  with natural gas.

However, the turbine cannot be returned to Germany as of writing because of Canadas sanctions on Russia. This has prompted Gazprom, Russias state-owned gas company, to reduce natural gas flows to the Nord Stream pipeline. According to the LNG firm, the punishment on Moscow is also a major factor in the supply cut alongside the withheld gas turbine.

Germany is now facing serious repercussions come winter as a result of Gazproms supply cut. The country has been unable to fill storage tanks per its original plan and is now facing the possibility of rationing.

German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, who concurrently serves as the minister of economic affairs and climate action, warned that Berlin could face a gas shortage if LNG supply remains low. He also warned that certain industries would be forced to close down if gas supplies remain low when winter arrives.

Companies would have to stop production [and] lay off their workers. Supply chains would collapse. People would go into debt to pay their heating bills, (and) those people would become poorer, said Habeck. (Related: Americans face brutally cold, bitterly expensive winter as natural gas prices continue to rise.)

Ukrainian Canadians calling on Ottawa to continue blocking the turbine also contributed to the crunch. Alexandra Chyczij, president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), wrote to Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly urging Canada to stand firm with its sanctions against Russia. Chyczij stated that Moscow has earned roughly $100 billion from energy exports since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February, with Europe paying for much of it.

Should the government of Canada agree to waive the sanctions that are preventing delivery of this turbine, the German state will be in a position to provide even more funds to Russia to continue financing Russias genocide against Ukraine, the UCC president wrote to Joly, adding that the UCC called upon Ottawa to abide by the sanctions which have been imposed.

Ottawa, Berlin in talks to resolve gas turbine turmoil

Meanwhile, the Canadian government reiterated that it is in talks with its German counterpart to resolve the conundrum surrounding the gas turbine.

The government of Canada is in active discussions with Germany about the turbines in question, and we are working to reach a resolution, said Keean Nembhard, a spokesman for Canadian Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson.

We will not stop imposing severe costs on the Putin regime while their unjustifiable invasion is ongoing, and we will continue to support our European friends and allies by working to help stabilize energy markets and to develop long-term and sustainable solutions on energy supplies.

Quayle brought up the possibility of Canada dangling a contract for its domestic LNG as a condition for the turbines return. He cited a report by Chatham-Kent This Week, which involved side talks between Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during the recent G7 summit.

According to the piece, the two leaders brought up the possibility of facilities being set up that will allow Canada to directly pipe LNG to Europe. These included a new LNG terminal on the eastern coast of Canada and liquefaction facilities in the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

I am sure Ukraines suffering would end much faster around a table with poutine, remarked Quayle, using a wordplay involving the Russian leader and the Canadian dish. But no, Zelensky and his friends play all-in with the U.S. and Canada to destroy Europe.

Watch this Russia Today report about Canada funding the training of Ukrainian soldiers.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

European gas importers quietly surrender to Russia and begin buying gas in RUBLES while the Wests economic warfare scheme disastrously BACKFIRES.

Russias Gazprom has cut natural gas flows to Germany by 60%  Western Europe is about to get the green energy nightmare it always wanted.

Russias Gazprom HALTS gas flows to Poland and Germany; Europe in PANIC as rolling blackouts are inevitable unless Europe finds RUBLES.

Natural gas prices expected to TRIPLE in Germany as Western Europe cuts off its own energy supply from Russia.

Sources include:

StrangeSounds.org

NationalPost.com

ChathamThisWeek.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Cryptocurrency lender Vauld announced on Monday, July 4, that it is pausing withdrawals, trading and deposits on its platform as it explores potential restructuring options following the massive collapse in the value of cryptocurrency assets.

Vauld CEO Darshan Bathija said in a blog post on Monday, July 5, that the Singapore-based company is facing financial challenges due to the volatile market conditions, the financial difficulties of our key business partners inevitably affecting us and the current market climate. All these factors led to Vaulds clients withdrawing nearly $200 million worth of cryptocurrency assets from the platform from June 12 to the time of Bathijas announcement. (Related: Cryptoqueen becomes first crypto criminal on FBIs top 10 most wanted.)

Bathija added that it is currently working with its legal and financial advisors to explore what the company can do moving forward to steady its finances and protect the interests of its stakeholders, including potential restructuring options.

Vaulds suspension of all withdrawals, trading and deposits comes less than three weeks after Bathija said that the company continues to operate as usual despite volatile market conditions. He even said in a blog post that withdrawals were being processed as usual and this will continue to be the case in the future.

Vauld could be bought by rival cryptocurrency lending company

Nexo, another cryptocurrency lending company and one of Vaulds main rivals, is currently in discussions with the failing company and may be interested in buying out the competition. Nexo co-founder Antoni Trenchev announced that the company has signed a term sheet with Vauld, giving it 60 days of exclusive talks to explore an all-equity acquisition of the company.

The completion of this transaction is pending due diligence  which both teams are working on as we speak, wrote Bathija on his Twitter account. Vauld has strived to deliver long-term value to all customers, and we believe coming under the Nexo umbrella will significantly help achieve this.

When Trenchev was asked how much Nexo would be willing to pay to acquire Vauld, he deflected the question by saying it was premature to speculate on potential valuation at this point in the negotiations.

We have a 60-day window of exclusivity where they will open up the books. You will see everything. Is there a hole? How big is the hole? Where are the assets? Who are the counterparties? said Trenchev.

If Nexo successfully acquires Vauld and its assets, the company said it plans to restructure Vauld and make it focus on expanding in India and Southeast Asia.

Vauld is just the latest company to fall victim to the global crash in cryptocurrency asset prices, which has exposed critical flaws in many cryptocurrency projects and business models.

Other cryptocurrency lending companies like Vauld are also facing liquidity issues. Vauld isnt the first company to pause withdrawals, transactions, or deposits due to market conditions and will likely not be the last.

Nexo in early June said it was preparing an offer to acquire the assets of Celsius Network, another cryptocurrency lending and borrowing company, shortly after Celsius announced a similar freeze on withdrawals. Nexo retracted its offer after Celsius didnt want to make a deal, saying it was exploring other options such as strategic transactions as well as a restructuring of its debts.

Trenchev said Nexo is also in discussions with other companies about purchasing their assets. In March, the company announced a fund called Nexo Ventures, and earmarked an initial $150 million of funding for investing in a wide range of early-stage retail and institutional projects.

Any investment we make needs to make financial sense, said Trenchev. We are not the Federal Reserve where we can print money at will and spend as we see fit.

Learn more about the collapse in value of crypto assets at BitcoinCollapse.news.

Watch this Brighteon Conversations episode of the Health Ranger Report as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks to John Perez, the Crypto Nostradamus, about the coming wipeout in the cryptocurrency industry.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related articles:

Major crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital files for bankruptcy and fires 25% of workforce as crypto implosion spreads.

Cryptocurrency collapse continues: Prominent crypto hedge fund defaults on $670 million loan.

Crypto Nostradamus John Perez: $2 trillion loss in value just the start, larger crypto crash coming.

Hackers steal over $104 million worth of crypto assets from blockchain bridge.

Coinbase lays off 18% of workers as cryptocurrencies plummet in value.

Sources include:

CNBC.com 1



Bloomberg.com

CNBC.com 2

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Pennsylvania drag queen Brice Patric Ryschon Williams, a genderqueer social worker and well-known LGBT activist, has been charged with 25 counts of child pornography.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent a tip to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney Generals (AG) Child Predator Section in May about files with child pornography being put in a Dropbox account under the name Anastasia Diamond, which is Williams drag queen name.

This led to a home raid on June 23, with the search confirming at least 25 child pornography files in his bedroom. Williams was then charged with 25 counts of child pornography, 18 counts of criminal use of a communications facility and a $100,000 bail that he could not pay.

This comes amid a heated debate regarding the sexualization of children and people defending explicit drag shows for kids where performers expose children to various levels of adult nudity in what are supposed to be family-friendly shows.

Williams involvement in child pornography only makes the drag community look worse, especially considering that his multiple counts of felony came from a two-year investigation by the AGs office. (Related: Childrens court judge and organizer of Drag Queen Story Hour charged with seven counts of child pornography possession.)

A subpoena was issued to confiscate the Comcast ISP address associated with the Dropbox account beginning July 2020.

The sexually explicit content found in the Dropbox account included photos that showed genitalia and young boys performing sexual acts with one another NS sometimes with the participation of an adult man. While the authorities said the boys were under 18, they did not specify their ages.

Following the arrest, authorities found 25 videos of child pornography on the drag queens phone. An agent involved in the case said the data on his phone is only a small sample of the total number of sexually explicit files that they found on his other devices.

When investigators arrived at Williams home on June 23, he admitted to owning the email addresses associated with the pornographic files. He also admitted the phone number listed as the recovery number for one of the addresses was his. (Related: Whole Foods now sponsoring perverted, pedo-linked Drag Queen Story Hour to indoctrinate children into the transgender pedo culture.)

The pornographic content found on Williams device was connected to his Comcast subscription, which was registered under his home address. He initially denied downloading the videos and media files, but later admitted to consuming such content, including searching, possessing and sharing child pornographic materials since 2014.

Williams describes self as community educator and masters level social worker

On his now-deactivated Instagram account, Williams said he is an HIV Community Educator and a Licensed Masters Level Social Worker. His profile also indicated that he uses both he/him and she/her pronouns.

Williams is an HIV medical case worker for Keystone Health in Chambersburg. He was the recipient of the 2020 Rising Star Award by the LGBT Center of Central Pennsylvania.

Williams sat down for an interview with PennLive in July 2021, just before he was expected to work with the safe space center GLO Harrisburg, a collaborative program of the UPMC Central PA, Hamilton Health Center and LGBT Center of Central Pennsylvania. GLO Harrisburg focuses on helping LGBTQ+ youth of color and talking to them about HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness.

Speaking with PennLive, Williams said: I feel as though this is so important because I know there are little kids like me who are queer, who are Black, who are still not able to look up to anyone. So thats the reason why I got into this line of work. I wanted to make a big impact for folks in my community.

Williams was taken to the Franklin County Prison with a preliminary hearing set for July 5 in front of Magisterial District Judge Kristin Nicklas.

Visit Gender.news for more news about the LGBTQ+ community.

Watch the video below and listen to a drag queen speak up against drag kids.

This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Another Drag Queen Story Hour pervert exposed as a sex offender why are public schools subjecting our children to these deviants?

Grooming at summer camp: Seattles MoPOP to host Drag Camp for youth of all gender expressions and identities.

Creepy creator of Drag Queen Story Hour admits to grooming children to become transgender queers and drag queens.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

ThePostMillennial.com

PennLive.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) For some reason, consumer demand for electricity is expected to skyrocket this summer. And this, we are told, will lead to blackouts all across the country.

Utility companies are already bracing for impact as they all seem to just know that energy usage will reach an all-time high in the coming months, leaving millions without power in the dead of the summer heat.

The powers that be say that it is warmer than usual in some parts of the country, which they are already blaming for future blackouts. (Related: Rolling blackouts are expected to sweep the entire country this year.)

Federal agencies responsible for power reliability, like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), have warned that grids in the western half of the country could face reliability issues this summer as consumers crank up air conditioners to escape the heat, claims a report from Refinitiv data.

As energy equipment breaks down over the summer, power companies say they probably will not have the spare parts or other resources necessary to fix it fast enough to keep the power on  supposedly because of the heat.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which mismanaged the infamous Texas blackouts of early 2021, says it is already asking customers to cut back on their energy use and turn up their air conditioning units after six power plants shut down back in May during an alleged heatwave.

How do they know for sure that nationwide blackouts are coming?

Another event in Ohio that was blamed on a storm left some 200,000 homes and businesses without power. The grid operator there said it had to intentionally shut down power in some areas to prevent remaining lines from becoming overloaded.

There sure are a lot of this mysterious incidents happening at once, almost as if someone is testing the grid to see how easy it is to knock out at a later date, which they already appear to be planning for in advance.

They already introduced us to the Great Reset followed by Reset the Table. Is this the part where they reset the energy supply and force everyone into darkness as part of some bizarre initiation into the New World Order?

Or, it could just be that Americas energy system is now so overloaded and mismanaged, coupled with a forced transition into green energy, that the systems currently in existence are simply unable to handle the load whenever it gets a little bit hot or rains.

According to Ralph Izzo, head of the New Jersey-based Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), energy utilities are having to be frugal with their replacement parts inventories in order to avoid running out in the event of a weather emergency  or even just a few consecutive days of heavy heat.

You dont want to deplete your inventory because you dont know when that storm is coming, but you know its coming  If we have successive days of 100-degree-heat, those pole top transformers, they start popping like Rice Krispies, and we would not have the supply stack to replace them, he is quoted as saying.

Nick Akins, head of the Ohio-based grid operator AEP, added that many utility operators are changing their maintenance habits as well.

Were doing a lot more splicing, putting cables together, instead of laying new cable because were trying to maintain our new cable for inventory when we need it, Akins says.

In the comment section at RT, one person was quick to point out that perhaps the United States should stop sending billions of dollars to Ukraine and instead fix the country.

But no profit is as good as war, this person added.

The latest news about the energy situation in America can be found at PowerGrid.news.

Sources for this article include:

RT.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Russia has taken control of the Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project in the countrys far east. Moscows decision to do so could drive out the projects three investors and raise the stakes in its economic war against the West.

A five-page decree signed June 30 by Russian President Vladimir Putin establishes a new company to gain 100 percent control of all rights and obligations of Sakhalin Energy Investment Company, reported the Epoch Times. State-run Gazprom owns 50 percent plus one shares in Sakhalin-2. Royal Dutch Shell, meanwhile, holds 27.5 percent minus one shares in the project. Mitsui and Mitsubishi are also minority shareholders.

Hailed as one of the worlds biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, Sakhalin-2 accounts for about four percent of the worlds production. It is expected to churn out 12 million tons of LNG, which will mostly head to Japan, South Korea, China, India and other Asian countries.

The decree signed by Putin, which followed sanctions the West slapped on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, suggested that Russia will now determine whether the foreign parties can stay. Many Western countries have already pulled out, while others have announced they would quit. (Related: Gazprom cuts off gas supply to several EU members in response to sanction threats.)

However, Shell remarked on July 1 that it was evaluating the order. The Anglo-Dutch petroleum giant had already canceled the value of its Russian assets. It also clarified that it planned to drop its stake in Sakhalin, and that it had been in talks with possible buyers.

Shell CEO Ben van Beurden later said that the company was making good progress in its plan to exit from the Sakhalin joint venture, but did not give details.

I cannot tell you exactly where we are because its a commercial process so I have to respect confidentiality, but I can tell you when I got an update last week, I was really pleased with where we are, he elaborated.

Lucy Cullen, principal analyst at consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie, stated that Russias order effectively expropriates foreign stakes in the Sakhalin Energy Investment Company and marks a further escalation in ongoing tensions. True enough, the Kremlin had been developing a law that allows the Russian state to take assets of Western companies that decide to leave.

Dwindling LNG supply about to hit the Land of the Rising Sun

Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Kremlin, said Russia saw no grounds for stopping LNG deliveries from Sakhalin-2. He added that the future of other investments or projects would be decided case by case, remarking that there can be no general rule here.

Japan, meanwhile, said it would not give up its interests in Sakhalin-2, as it imports 10 percent of its LNG annually from Russia under a long-term contract from the facility. Mitsui holds a 12.5 percent stake in the Sakhalin-2 plant, while Mitsubishi holds 10 percent.

A Mitsubishi spokesperson said the company was discussing with its partners in Sakhalin and Tokyo about how to react to the order. Mitsui did not give a reply right away.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Russias decision would not instantly stop LNG imports coming from Sakhalin. Meanwhile, Japanese Industry Minister Koichi Haguda said Tokyo did not consider the order a demand.

The decree does not mean that Japans LNG imports will become immediately impossible, but it is necessary to take all possible measures in preparation for unforeseen circumstances, Haguida told members of the media. He added that Japan has two to three weeks of LNG stocks kept by utilities and city gas suppliers, and that he has requested officials from the U.S. and Australia for alternative energy supplies.

Credit Suisse Integrated Energy and Resources Research Director Saul Kavonic said that as foreign expertise and parts become unavailable, Russian LNG projects such as Sakhalin-2 were expected to suffer. He added that Moscows increased involvement will only make it more difficult for potential investors to fund these projects.

This will tighten the LNG market materially this decade, warned Kavonic.

Follow FuelSupply.news for more news about Russias LNG projects.

Watch the video below to know more about Putins new decree permitting Russia to take over the Sakhalin-2 LNG project.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Another lie debunked: Russia set for record earnings in oil, gas in 2022, despite Western sanctions.

Russias Gazprom has cut natural gas flows to Germany by 60%  Western Europe is about to get the green energy nightmare it always wanted.

European gas prices shoot up as Russia reduces supply to top buyers across the EU.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

BBC.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) The Three Arrows Capital saga is far from over after it was revealed that the now-defunct crypto hedge fund is part of an international criminal conspiracy involving massive financial fraud.

An obscure legal entity, reports indicate, continues to aggressively trade digital assets and is possibly shielding some of them from recovery.

While Three Arrows Capital used its tens of billions of dollars of assets under management to invest in new projects and take large market positions, it also operated an over-the-counter trading desk called Tai Ping Shan (TPS) Capital, Coindesks Sam Reynolds explains.

The entity was once described on LinkedIn as the official OTC desk of Three Arrows Capital, according to a scraped version of the site by Google, but the language has since been changed, distancing the two firms.

Even as its parent company faces liquidation in the British Virgin Islands along with an investigation in Singapore, TPS Capital is trading as though nothing has changed.

Those suing and seeking restitution from Three Arrows Capital face serious barriers to recovery because of this legal separation. TPS Capital, named after Tai Ping Shan Mountain in Hong Kong, is registered in Singapore but domiciled in the British Virgin Islands.

The parent company is now facing a lawsuit but, according to corporate filings, TPS Capital has a different ownership structure and hidden directors, Reynolds adds. (Related: Check out our earlier coverage on Three Arrows Capital.)

So much of the crypto world is a massive scam (just like Wall Street)

The Singapore filings of Three Arrows Capital convey a much different financial situation than the one the company claimed publicly. The alleged billions of dollars that were supposedly being managed by the fund do not match its reported income in Singapore  so where is the money?

A 2020 fiscal year end filing shows that Three Arrows Singapore reported S$3.3 million (U.S.$2.36 million) in total assets, along with S$1.15 million (U.S.$823,015) in profit for that year. Two of the companys directors also received S$6.33 million in dividends.

A Singapore-based person involved in the institutional digital assets industry, who spoke to CoinDesk on the condition of anonymity, said TPS held and traded most of Three Arrows treasury, reports explain.

Another person, in a similar position at an Asia-based institutional crypto firm, also speaking with CoinDesk on a condition of anonymity, said that TPS is where the action was for Three Arrows.

The government of Singapore is not at all happy with Three Arrows, which misreported the size of its holdings. The Monetary Authority of Singapore also called into question the solvency of the fund, revealing that an investigation is underway to determine if there were further breaches.

But while Three Arrows has filed for bankruptcy in New York (it has yet to declare bankruptcy in Singapore as of July 2), TPS continues to use capital to trade, the people with information said, reports further explain.

The question is, can regulators or plaintiffs in the suit pierce the corporate veil between the two firms?

The LinkedIn page for TPS Capital, meanwhile, no longer shows any connection to Three Arrows Capital. Someone went in there and sanitized the page to make it seem as though there was never any connection between the two firms.

The world is run by criminals, wrote someone who reads Natural News. Be careful trusting them with your money.

And over 90 percent of all crime is committed in the U.S. dollar, noted another about how fiat currency is arguably the biggest scam of all.

If you enjoyed reading this story, you will find more like it at Corruption.news.

Sources for this article include:

Coindesk.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) In the latest blow to the US faltering hypersonic weapons program, a June 29 flight test failed due to issues in the glide bodys ignition system, according to news reports.

(Article by Gabriel Honrada republished from AsiaTimes.com)

The Defense Post reports that the Common Hypersonic Glide Body test was conducted at the Pacific Missile Range in Hawaii, in which the weapon was supposed to launch with a large rocket booster.

The US government describes the Common Hypersonic Glide Body as using a rocket booster to accelerate beyond Mach 5 speed before jettisoning the spent booster.

The weapon is highly maneuverable, making it difficult to intercept, and destroys targets by the impact force of its sheer velocity. Reports indicate the US intends to deploy the weapon on its Zumwalt-class destroyers and Virginia-class submarines.

However, in an email quoted in Bloomberg, US Department of Defense (DoD) spokesperson Tim Gorman stated that an anomaly occurred following ignition of the test asset.

He also mentioned that DoD program officials had initiated a review of the failures causes to inform future hypersonic weapons tests.

Gorman stressed that the department remains confident that it is on track to field offensive and defensive hypersonic capabilities on target dates beginning in the early 2020s.

The failure marks the second reported unsuccessful test flight of the Conventional Prompt Strike prototype hypersonic weapon. The previous booster failure last October prevented the missile from leaving the launch pad.

The highly complex design of US-made hypersonics may be the cause of the test failures, some analysts suggest.

Russian defense analyst Alexey Ramm stated in Izvestia that the two-stage design of the US Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic weapon suggests an unnecessarily complicated design requiring proper integration of multiple subsystems and thus numerous tests.

In contrast, the Russian Zircon hypersonic missile does not require a second stage to function successfully.

Other potential causes of design failure include rushed testing, poor project management and trivializing costly failures. Defense One quoted the first report of the Welch Panel, which was established to look into the test failures of US ballistic missile defense systems:

These programs are pursuing very aggressive schedules, but these schedules are not supported by the state of planning and testingthe perceived urgency of the need for these systems has led to high levels of risk that have resulted in delayed deployments.

Failures were caused by poor design, test planning, and preflight testing deficiencies; poor fabrication; poor management; and lack of rigorous government oversightThe tendency of the government and program managers to trivialize the causes of these costly failures, combined with the aggressive schedule has led to a rush to failure.

The successive test failures have led to concerns that the US is failing to keep up with China and Russias hypersonic weapons programs, prompting a top-level push from the US leadership.

This March, Arms Control Association reported that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with more than a dozen hypersonics executives from defense companies such as Raytheon Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, L3Harris and BAE Systems in February to hasten and improve the development of hypersonic weapons.

The Arms Control Association, a US nonpartisan membership organization, states that the meeting was convened due to Secretary Austins belief that 2023 budget proposals were insufficient for the US to keep pace with China and Russia.

The urgency to accelerate the development of hypersonic weapons comes despite unanswered questions about the overall cost, mission and required quantity of US hypersonics, leading to a test often, fail fast, and learn approach, the Arms Control Association stated.

In contrast to successive US failures, China and Russia have steadily advanced their respective hypersonic weapons programs.

In October, Reuters reported that China tested a hypersonic weapon that appeared to be an Earth-orbiting system designed specifically to evade US missile defenses. The orbital bombardment weapon is like a space shuttle carrying a nuclear weapon in its cargo bay, defense analyst Jeffrey Lewis said in the Reuters report.

Russia, meanwhile, may have become the first country to use hypersonic weapons during military action.

The Drive reported in March that Russia had used its Kinzhal air-launched hypersonic weapon in Ukraine, showing a video by the Russian Ministry of Defense that shows the missile hitting a Ukrainian missile warehouse.

The Kinzhal, however, may not be in the same category as US and Chinese hypersonic weapons, as it is a variant of the Iskander-M tactical ballistic missile modified for air launch.

Read more at: AsiaTimes.com
(Natural News) American media outlets have walked back on their optimistic coverage of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war following Moscows declaration that the Luhansk Peoples Republic (LPR) has been liberated.

According to Russia Today (RT), Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on July 3 that the last remnants of Ukrainian forces have been driven out of the LPR. Russian troops aided by Donbas forces seized the major city of Lisichansk, which had been under the control of Kyiv since 2014, he added. Shoigu also relayed the news of the LPRs liberation to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

RT added that Russian and Ukrainian forces had engaged in heavy fighting, with Lisichansks oil refinery serving as a mute witness to the fierce battle. News of the citys capture followed Kyivs retreat from the nearby city of Severodonetsk. (Related: Beginning of the end Defeated Ukrainian forces retreat from Severodonetsk.)

A day before Shoigus announcement, the Washington Post (WaPo) ran an article critical of how the Russia-Ukraine war was shown in an optimistic light. It pointed out that analysts and U.S. lawmakers  [have been] 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. That includes capturing the strategically important city of Severodonetsk in June and pressing to do the same in its nearby sister city of Lisichansk, stated the WaPo piece.

Chris Menahan of Information Liberation commented on this development. Remember how the media refused to acknowledge [how the Azov Battalion] surrendered in [the] Azovstal [steel plant] back in May? Were seeing similar now with their refusal to acknowledge Russias victory over the Donbas, he wrote.

Menahan added that taking control of the Donbas has been Putins stated goal for months after it became clear Kyiv wasnt going to fall in a week.

State Department triggered by Syria acknowledging the LPRs independence

Back in February, Putin declared the independence of the LPR and the Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR). He also signed decrees affirming their sovereignty.

I consider it necessary to take a long-overdue decision: to immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of [the] DPR and LPR, he said in a Feb. 21 speech. Otherwise, all responsibility for the possible continuation of the bloodshed will be entirely on the conscience of the regime ruling on the territory of Ukraine. The Russian leader later mobilized ground troops to the newly declared republics for peacekeeping purposes.

Several Russian allies, including Syria, recognized the independence and sovereignty of the two peoples republics.

Upon the common will and desire to establish relations in all fields, the Syrian Arab Republic decided to recognize the independence and sovereignty of both the LPR and the DPR, the Syria Times quoted an official source at the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates on June 29.

The ministry added that there will be communications among the three countries to agree on the frameworks for strengthening relations, including establishing diplomatic relations in accordance with the established rules.

However, Syrias acknowledgment of the LPR and DPR did not sit well with the U.S. Department of State, which took to Twitter to denounce the move.

The Assad regimes recognition of the so-called peoples republics reveals the regimes isolation. It also shows the regimes disdain for international norms of behavior and hypocrisy regarding claims of sovereignty, wrote the departments Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs in a tweet.

Head over to WWIII.news for more stories about the Russia-Ukraine war.

Watch this RT report below about the Ukrainian media pushing false stories of heroism as myths.

This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Scott Kesterson: War in Ukraine framed by media, emotions around it generated by deep programming  Brighteon.TV.

Was bombing of Mariupol theater staged by Ukrainian Azov extremists to trigger NATO intervention?

Dutch journalist in Ukraine says Western media regularly lie about what is happening on the ground.

Putin declares two Ukraine regions independent republics, sends in peacekeeping troops.

DEBUNKED: Corporate medias top trending Ukraine stories turn out to be complete fakes.

Sources include:

BlacklistedNews.com

InformationLiberation.com

DailyMail.co.uk

SyriaTimes.sy

Twitter.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Authorities arrested a woman in connection with the deaths of thousands of pigs in rural Iowa. The arrest served as a respite from news of mysterious livestock deaths, whose culprits remain unidentified.

Authorities in Sac County, Iowa were alerted to an unusual number of dead hogs. A physical inspection by officers of the Sac County Sheriffs Office on June 30 found more than 1,000 hogs dead in two confinement sites. The dead hogs were owned by Corey AGR Inc., which is based in Lytton.

Farm caretaker Elana Laber, 33, initially insisted that someone had turned off the electricity to the pens on June 29, a day before law enforcement visited the farm. However, investigators discovered that the animals were in different states of decomposition  with some already dead for more than two weeks. They also found that the pigs had no access to food and water in their enclosures.

Laber, who was hired to maintain the two confinement sites, subsequently confessed that the hogs had been dying for weeks and she did not know what to do. As a result, she was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal mischief and two counts of livestock neglect. Laber is being held in Sac County Jail on a $22,000 cash bond, reported KCCI 8.

According to the Sac County Sheriffs Office, the cost of the dead hogs amounted to more than $150,000.

Writing for the Western Journal, commentator Warner Todd Huston mentioned that after a long string of unusual fires, explosions and disasters at food production plants, ranches and farms across the U.S., it is good to see someone arrested and charged in one case of mayhem involving our food chain.

The world is reeling from all the disruptions in the food chain, whether from nefarious acts, natural elements or war. All this disruption could not be coming at a worse time for America or the world. (Related: Merritt Medical Hour: Lack of fertilizer, food manufacturing plant fires will cause food shortages in the US  Brighteon.TV.)

Hog deaths followed cattle die-off in Kansas

Huston also mentioned the deaths of tens of thousands of cattle in Kansas, which authorities attributed to a massive heat wave. News of the dead cattle, numbering more than 10,000 heads, became viral in mid-June.

Footage of the dead cattle in Kansas, taken at the Cattle Empire feedlot located in the states southwest, made the rounds on social media. Lot owner Trista Brown Priest said two days of rain they had in Haskell County caused humidity that, coupled with scorching heat and a lack of wind, caused the cattle under her care to perish.

We were so excited to have the moisture, [but] little did we know, it was going to backfire majorly on us, she told KAKE 10. As soon as the sun came up, we saw that we had dead cattle in the pens.

Veterinarian Tera Barnhardt told the news outlet that the state has an emergency burial protocol in situations similar to that of Priests. She explained: It is what it sounds like. We have to dig a large hole and then bury these animals.

Barnhard elaborated that when cattle die, their carcasses are usually rendered for other things such as glue and tires. But with the sheer number of carcasses, there are just too many to process before they spoil.

Just to be helpless and not know what to do to help them, or are helping them, is frustrating. Its heartbreaking, Priest lamented.

But the rancher said the deaths of her cattle were also a blessing in disguise.

Theres been a lot of talk in the last decades about how people are disconnected from farms and where their food comes from. And then, at the very least, this situation can help bridge that gap and open some conversations.

FoodCollapse.com has more stories about the deaths of livestock amid the ongoing food crisis.

Watch this video below that talks about the cattle die-offs in Kansas.

This video is from the Mitchell Reads The News channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Mass CATTLE deaths send shockwaves through food supply as speculation rises: Are they being poisoned on purpose?

Iowa factory culls over 5 million chickens after ONE bird flu case, lays off 250 workers after burying dead birds.

Meat prices rise as food inflation worsens, pushing many Americans to a tipping point of food shortages.

And so it begins  Thousands of cattle are literally dropping dead from starvation in Northern Mexico.

Thousands of cattle die in Kansas as attack on Americas food supply continues.

Sources include:

WesternJournal.com

KCCI.com

TheCOVIDBlog.com

KAKE.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) WARNING: The main source link to this article contains graphic and gruesome imagery of babies that were murdered through infanticide. Do not click the link unless you are prepared to witness the horrors of todays abortion industry.

Live Action activists have uncovered more disturbing proof of illegal activity occurring in the abortion industry.

The remains of five aborted children were recovered from the Washington Surgi-Clinic in Washington, D.C., where baby butcher Dr. Cesare Santangelo appears to be murdering children after they leave the womb following failed abortion attempts.

Dr. Robin Pierucci, a neonatal specialist, told Live Action News that after inspecting the remains, he is confident that at least four of the babies died at an age when they were viable, premature people.

Dr. Pieruccis work, in fact, involves caring for babies of this size and age at neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), which is how she was able to make that determination upon investigation.

Santangelo, just as a little background, is a late-term abortionist who runs a baby murdering mill in the heart of Americas capital. He has admitted in the past that he does not, under any circumstances, provide lifesaving care to the babies of women who enter his clinic.

Upon discovery of the babies, a pro-life activist immediately informed the D.C. homicide unit and surrendered the remains.

Baby boy #1 should have been in a nursery

The Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU) group, to which this activist belongs, issued a statement explaining that late gestational ages as well as their apparent sustained injuries, potentially show violations of the Partial Birth Abortion Act as well as the Born Alive Infants Protection Act.

The discovery was so horrific that the group felt compelled to arrange a funeral mass for the children, as well as hold a naming ceremony for them to honor their lives, which were cut short through murder.

The discovery of these bodies is horrific and disturbing evidence of the infanticide that may be occurring in this clinic within our nations capital, and indicative of the violence happening in abortion facilities nationwide, said Live Action president and founder Lila Rosa in a statement.

One of the largest and most developed babies discovered was a little boy whose gestational age is estimated to be around 28-32 weeks, which is well within the third trimester.

This stage of development is well past the point at which an unborn baby can feel pain, just to be clear.

Photos of the boy, which we will not share here, reveal that his little body remained largely intact. It is unclear how his life actually ended, in fact, as he has a fully formed face, fingers, and toes.

Dr. Kathi Aultman, a former abortionist who is now pro-life, told Live Action that this child was clearly near term and looks like he should have been in the nursery.

Dr. Patti Giebink, another pro-life physician, added in an email that the boy looks close to term gestation and is pretty much intact. She expressed horror that anyone would abort a nearly full-term baby unless there was something terminally wrong with the baby, but it doesnt appear so.

He is totally intact, but his skin is somewhat macerated, she added.

He appears to be completely normal and was probably aborted using the induction method, which uses medication to induce labor. He looks about the same size as my granddaughter when she was born.

In case you missed this other story we recently published, such horrific treatment of unborn life is considered by both Jewish groups and the Satanic Temple to be a form of religious freedom.

The latest news about abortion can be found at Abortions.news.

Sources include:

LiveAction.org

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) There will be no more new oil drilling operations allowed in either the Pacific or Atlantic Oceans thanks to new efforts by the Biden regime to shut down pretty much all fossil fuel production in the United States.

Even as energy shortages loom and prices skyrocket, fake president Joe Biden unveiled a plan that proposes no more than 10 potential lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico, and only one potential option for a lease sale in the northern portion of the Cook Inlet of Alaska. No new lease sales were outlined for the Atlantic or Pacific planning areas during the 2023-2028 period covered in the proposal.

While the plan itself is not a final determination of which sales will ultimately be approved  there is a chance that no more lease sales will be allowed anywhere  it does automatically prohibit them in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans at least until 2028.

Even this is not enough for fossil fuel-hating Democrats, though, who urged Biden during a legislative session earlier this year to stop all offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. If Biden complies, the United States will just become that much more dependent on other countries for oil-based fuel.

The plea followed his administration breaking his campaign promise to ban new oil and natural gas leases on public lands and waters in November by approving new oil drilling leases on 1.7 million acres of federal land in the Gulf of Mexico, reported Breitbart News.

The Biden administration is also under pressure from Republican-leaning states, including 14 states that sued his administration for suspending the leasing of new oil and gas drilling on federal lands, arguing it drove up energy costs.

Biden and his cronies are trying to destroy the country

Back in February, the Biden regime hit the pause button on all oil and gas leases amid a fight with Republican states over the forced use of a carbon cost metric that puts a high cost on emissions damage.

Several months later, the regime caved to Republican pressure and resumed the leases, which to a very small degree has helped to lower energy costs, at least somewhat.

Anything to hurt, and collapse, our nation, wrote a commenter at Breitbart about the Biden regimes plans for the country.

Thats the WEF plan, responded another, WEF referring to the World Economic Forum and its Great Reset agenda.

Their goal is to tear down the U.S. to make it more equal to third-world countries.

Many others responded in agreement that yes, Biden and really the entire political establishment is working together to destroy the middle class and white people in general in order to usher in their new world order.

What an evil, worthless man, said someone else about Biden, the White House sock puppet who is doing the bidding of his masters.

It is important to clarify once again that Russias invasion of Ukraine is more of a distraction than a factor driving energy and other economic turmoil.

During the presidential debates, Biden promised to attack U.S. fossil fuel, one person explained about this. The Marxists who control Biden fully understand that this also involves attacking the well-being of American families. They do not care. To them, your families are collateral damage.

Another quoted Thomas Jeffersons 1787 letter to John Adams son-in-law William Stephens Smith:

What country before ever existed a century and half without a rebellion? And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.

The latest news about Bidens Build Back Better (6uild 6ack 6etter) plan for America can be found at Collapse.news.

Sources for this article include:

Breitbart.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Evidence has emerged which proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the pharmaceutical giant Moderna, the company that has made billions through the sale of an experimental Covid-19 injection, actually created the Covid-19 virus.

(Article republished from Expose-News.com)

On February 23 the Daily Mail ran an article showing that Moderna has patented the 19 base letter (nucleotide) sequence which codes for the Furin Cleavage site in Covid-19.

By a concerned reader

They cited a Paper by Scientists in India, Switzerland, Italy and the US (cautiously entitled: MSH3 Homology and Potential Recombination Link to SARS-CoV-2 Furin Cleavage Site) in which they calculated that the chances of a 19 nucleotide sequence patented by Moderna randomly appearing in Covid-19 in circumstances where it does not appear anywhere else in nature are 1 in 3 trillion.

But they failed to make the obvious deduction there from. Had they made said obvious deduction I fear that might have been the last scientific deduction they ever got published!

They decided to investigate the RNA sequence for the Furin cleavage site in the Covid-19 Spike Protein to see if it occurred anywhere else in nature. .

Fortunately the NCBI/NIH have produced the wonderful BLAST database which catalogues every gene sequence in nature known to man and every synthetic patented gene sequence known to the patent office.

The researchers chose the Furin Cleavage sequence because it is the only continuous gene letter sequence (nucleotide sequence) in Covid-19 with more than 3 nucleotides, that differs from the respective letters in its closest natural relative the Bat Coronavirus RaTG13 (all other differences are 3 letters or less long). So it was by far the best candidate for determining whether or not Covid-19 was man made.

The reader might consider it more likely that a Furin Cleavage Site would appear in the Sun than in the Daily Mail. But this cleavage refers to the separation of spike from virus rather than pillow from pillow.

Furthermore the Furin Cleavage Site is key to the pathogenicity of Covid-19. So if there was to be some man made gain of function included in the virus, this is where one might expect to find it.

The Amino Acid sequence of the Furin Cleavage Site is PRRA (Proline Argenine Argenine Alanine). Each Amino Acid is coded for by a Codon, consisting of 3 nucleotides (genetic sequence letters). So all the differences in the genetic code between Covid-19 and RaTG13 are at most one Codon long, one amino acid long, other than the Furin Cleavage Sequence, which is

CCT CGG CGG GCA

The complimentary sequence (the opposing DNA strand of the double helix is (GGAGCCGCCCGT) because C binds with G and A binds with T

The reverse compliment (the same thing written backwards) is therefore TGCCCGCCGAGG

The researchers did a BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) alignment search (which means they search for the gene sequence, the reverse gene sequence, the complimentary gene sequence and the reverse complimentary gene sequence) through every gene sequence in nature known to man for CTCCTCGGCGGGCACGTAG which is the 19 nucleotide sequence containing the Furin Cleavage Sequence, which also appears in Covid-19, and which is found actually in the reverse compliment form CTACGTGCCCGCCGAGGAG patented by Moderna.

Their search results can be found here.

Table 1 shows that it does exist in the 5 US patents cited below

US9149506B2: Modified polynucleotides encoding septin-4  https://patents.google.com/patent/US9149506B2/en

Inventor: Tirtha Chakraborty, Antonin de Fougerolles

Current Assignee: ModernaTx Inc

2012-04-02 Priority to US201261618953P

2013-12-16 Application filed by Moderna Therapeutics Inc

2014-05-22 Publication of US20140141067A1

2015-10-06 Publication of US9149506B2

2015-10-06 Application granted

2020-01-10 First worldwide family litigation filed

US9216205B2: Modified polynucleotides encoding granulysin  https://patents.google.com/patent/US9216205B2/en

Inventor: Tirtha Chakraborty, Antonin de Fougerolles

Current Assignee: ModernaTx Inc

2012-04-02 Priority to US201261618873P

2013-12-16 Application filed by Moderna Therapeutics Inc

2014-04-24 Publication of US20140113960A1

2015-12-22 Publication of US9216205B2

2015-12-22 Application granted

US9255129B2: Modified polynucleotides encoding SIAH E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1  https://patents.google.com/patent/US9255129B2/en

Inventor: Tirtha Chakraborty, Antonin de Fougerolles

Current Assignee: ModernaTx Inc

2012-04-02 Priority to US201261618868P

2013-12-16 Application filed by Moderna Therapeutics Inc

2014-05-22 Publication of US20140141068A1

2016-02-09 Application granted

2016-02-09 Publication of US9255129B2

US9301993B2: Modified polynucleotides encoding apoptosis inducing factor 1  https://patents.google.com/patent/US9301993B2/en

Inventor: Tirtha Chakraborty, Antonin de Fougerolles

Current Assignee: ModernaTx Inc

2012-04-02 Priority to US201261618957P

2013-12-16 Application filed by Moderna Therapeutics Inc

2014-04-17 Publication of US20140107189A1

2016-04-05 Application granted

2016-04-05 Publication of US9301993B2

2020-01-10 First worldwide family litigation filed

US9587003B2: Modified polynucleotides for the production of oncology-related proteins and peptides  https://patents.google.com/patent/US9587003B2/en

Inventor: Stephane Bancel, Tirtha Chakraborty, Antonin de Fougerolles, Sayda M. Elbashir, Matthias John, Atanu Roy, Susan Whoriskey, Kristy M. Wood, Paul Hatala, Jason P. Schrum, Kenechi Ejebe, Jeff Lynn Ellsworth, Justin Guild

Current Assignee: ModernaTx Inc

2012-04-02 Priority to US201261618868P

2016-02-04 Application filed by ModernaTx Inc

2016-06-02 Publication of US20160152678A1

2017-03-07 Publication of US9587003B2

2017-03-07 Application granted

So Moderna first applied for a patent for the 19 nucleotide sequence in 2013 on December 16. Perhaps December25 would have been more appropriate since it was destined to become the Crown of Thorns of Mathew27, Mark15 and John19

Table2: Shows that the sequence occurs in Covid-19 from nucleotide 23601 to 23619.

Table3: Shows that this gene sequence does not exist in nature (but 14 nucleotide parts of it do).

I decided to check their work. Yes. I fact checked them (I will send an invoice to the globalists). This turned out to be a bit of an epic journey. The Google patent page for US9587003B2 does not contain the gene sequence. The pdf of the patent does not contain the gene sequence and is not searchable from pages 101-304. But it does have a link to a lengthy Sequence Listing section which link one cannot copy. So I manually transcribed it in my fair hand  http://seqdata.uspto.gov/?pageRequest=docDetail&DocID=US09587003B2

From that page you can enter the Sequence ID quoted in the paper as 11652 and get to https://seqdata.uspto.gov/?pageRequest=viewSequence&DocID=US09587003B2&seqID=11652 which has the following at Nucleotides 2751-2733 reading backwards

gccctgatca ccatcatggc ccagatcggc agctacgtgc ccgccgagga ggccaccatc

2760

CTACGTGCCCGCCGAGGAG patented by Moderna is the reverse compliment of CTCCTCGGCGGGCACGTAG, the 19 nucleotide sequence which appears in Covid-19 DNA from nucleotide 23601-23619 (which would therefore be covered by their patent).

Likewise you can search for the sequence in US9149506B2 by going to https://seqdata.uspto.gov/?pageRequest=viewSequence&DocID=US09149506B2&seqID=11652, whereupon you will find the same thing again.

gccctgatca ccatcatggc ccagatcggc agctacgtgc ccgccgagga ggccaccatc

2760

I then searched the gene sequence of Wuhan Hu1 (alpha) at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/NC_045512 and found

23581 ttatcagact cagactaatt ctcctcggcg ggcacgtagt gtagctagtc aatccatcat from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/NC_045512

Which has the 19 nucleotide sequence CTCCTCGGCGGGCACGTAG from 23601-23619 as described in table 3.

I then ran my own non aligned blast search of all patented gene sequences for the reverse compliment directly (or perhaps for a back handed compliment) and got the same results as the researchers

And the same for the other 3 US patents.

So I can confirm, and the reader can confirm using the links above, that Moderna did apply for a Patent not only on the reverse compliment of the 12 nucleotide Furin Cleavage Site in Covid-19 but actually on the 19 nucleotide sequence containing it as described above.

Furthermore they did not merely apply for a patent on 2016 February 4 with US9587003B2: as reported in the Daily Mail. They actually applied on 2013 December 16 for 4 patents with US9149506B2, US9216205B2, US9255129B2, US9301993B2:as well.

So Moderna had developed the 19 nucleotide gene sequence containing the Furin Cleavage Site which gives Covid19 its infectivity to humans by patented gain of function research as early as 2013, 6 years before the Wuhan outbreak took place. Not 3 as reported in the Mail and virally elsewhere..

So now we look at the chances of this occurring naturally. The paper calculates the probability of this particular 19 nucleotide sequence occurring randomly in a 30,000 nucleotide virus as

(30,000-18) x (1/4)19 = 1.09 x 10-7

Which is correct because there are 30,000-18 places to start the sequence given that it needs a further 18 more letters to complete it. But there are actually 29,904 nucleotides in Wuhan HU1 (alpha). So a more accurate calculation would be

(29,904-18) x (1/4)19 = 1.087 x 10-7

Then they calculate the chances that the 19 nucleotide sequence occurs in the patented library of 24,712 sequences with a mean length of 3300 nucleotides. But that calculation is irrelevant because the sequence did not randomly appear in 5 Moderna Patent applications. The sequence was known to code for a Furin Cleavage Site, which is known to provide gain of function to Coronaviruses.

It was put there deliberately and patented due to its infecting power in humans, which we shall see, later in the article, results from the normal viral Arginine (R) codon AGA (used in 45% of viral Arginine codons) being replaced by the human Arginine codon CGG (used in 0% of viral Arginine codons) in the furin cleavage site.

All we are tying to work out here is what the chances are of a 19 nucleotide sequence patented by Moderna turning up in Covid-19 through natural causes, the natural mutations of Bat Coronavirus RaTG13 or some other virus.

The nucleotides form Codons which are triplets. So there are 64 possible triplets of the 4 DNA nucleotides ACGT (4x4x4 = 64). But all triplets do occur. 61 code for 20 amino acids redundantly and 3 are stop codons which tell the ribosome to stop making the protein.

But things are not this simple because the Furin cleavage site appears in the spike protein where it needs to be and the spike protein only has 12733 = 3819 nucleotides. The chances of the 19 nucleotide Furin Cleavage sequence appearing in the spike protein are

(3,819-18) x (1/4)19 = 1.389 x 10-8

Or 1 in 72 million. So those would be the chances that one particular variant, say the first Covid-19 variant, had the 19 nucleotide sequence in the right place (the spike). And it did. So certainly by the balance of probabilities, and certainly beyond a reasonable doubt (1 in 72 million being an unreasonable doubt) Moderna made Covid-19.

100% Biochemic Proof that Covid19 was Man Made

The Double CGG Codon used in the Moderna Specific Furin Cleavage site does not occur in any other Furin cleavage site in any other virus in nature. Furin cleavage sites do occur in other viruses but NOT at all in other betacoronaviruses like Covid-19 and NOT at all with the double CGG codon.

Arginine ( R), can be encoded by any of the 6 triplets: AGG, AGA, CGA, CGC, CGG, CGT. In Covid-19, the furin site (PRRA), has 12 nucleotides (3 x 4). In Covid-19, the RR doublet of the furin site is encoded by CGG-CGG.

Two Biochemists Prof Antonio R. Romeu and Assistant Prof Enric Olle analysed the RR doublet from a large sample of furin cleavage sites of several kinds of viruses. They found that there were no RR doublets encoded by the CGG-CGG codons in any virus in nature. They observed that the AGA triplet was the majority codon involved in these viral RR doublets.

In all genetic recombination (where a part of one genome merges with another genome), the donor code is passed to the acceptor. But there is simply NO KNOWN VIRUS with a Moderna Specific Furin Cleavage Site (having the CGG-CGG codon pair) that exists to donate a Moderna Specific furin cleavage site to Covid19. So the only way that sequence could get into Covid-19 is from Moderna. Moderna was the donor. Nature was not. QED. Case Closed..

But it gets worse.

The Spanish Profs decided to analyse the arginine codon usage in every single protein in Covid-19. The found the following

AGG (13%)

AGA (45%)

CGA (5%)

CGC (10%)

CGG (3%)

CGT (24%).

So the AGA codon triplet was the majority, and interestingly, CGG was the minority codon for Arginine in the virus.

But it gets worse still.

In the specific case of S protein, of the 42 Arginines (R) it has, 20 are encoded by AGA, and only 2 by CGG. These 2 of course, are the two in the Moderna Specific Furin Cleavage Site.

So the only Arginine in the spike protein that is encoded a la Moderna are in the Furin Cleavage site. The other 40 instances do not use CGG at all.

They then go on to comment that each individual species in nature has its own codon preferences. Obviously viruses like AGA, and do not like CGG at all, in nature.

But guess which species does use CGG for Arginine more than the other 5 competing codons  yes its jolly old homo sapiens. Our coding preferences for Arginine are

AGG (20%)

AGA (20%)

CGA (11%)

CGC (19%)

CGG (21%)

CGT (9%).

So the CGG codon in the furin cleavage site WILL have come about through Chimeric (human animal combination) gain of function research.

Could Somebody other than Moderna have made Covid-19 using the Moderna Specific Furin Cleavage Site?

New documents show that just 18 months before the first Covid-19 cases appeared, researchers had submitted plans to release skin-penetrating nanoparticles and aerosols containing novel chimeric spike proteins of bat coronaviruses into cave bats in Yunnan, China. They also planned to create chimeric viruses, genetically enhanced to infect humans more easily, and requested $14million from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) to fund the work.

Papers, confirmed as genuine by a former member of the Trump administration, show they were hoping to introduce human-specific cleavage sites to bat coronaviruses which would make it easier for the virus to enter human cells.

When Covid-19 was first genetically sequenced, scientists were puzzled about how the virus had evolved such a human-specific adaptation at the cleavage site on the spike protein, which is the reason it is so infectious.  the Telegraph

I can see all of the great journalists at the Daily Mail and the Telegraph (not to mention scientists around the world) doing all of this research into Covid19 and reaching the inevitable logical conclusion that there was either an accidental or a deliberate lab leak and then having to word their conclusions in such a way as to label that strong probablity as a weak possibility.

But here above we have proved it as a fact (since the Moderna Specific Furin Cleavage Sequence CGG codon does not occur in any furin cleavage site in any natural virus and therefore it cannot have been the result of natural genetic recombination. So it has to be the result of man made genetic insertion.

In theory a further party involved with the NAIAD or the NIH could have used the furin cleavage site patented by Moderna and made Covid19 themselves. This would not have broken any patent of Moderna. The Furin cleavage site itself is not patentable having been known since at least 2004

US7223390B2: Insertion of furin protease cleavage sites in membrane proteins and uses thereof

2004-05-07 Application filed by Research Development Foundation

2004-11-11 Publication of US20040224391A1

2007-05-29 Application granted

Although Moderna could actually have patented the Moderna Specific (CGG for AGA) encoding of the furin cleavage site which was is not known in nature even today (if we accept that Covid-19 is man made).

But given that the lab leak (deliberate or accidental) came from Wuhan, and given the Chinese cover up and given the Fauci denials exposed by Senator Rand Paul, and given the NIH, NIAID cover ups and the US Intelligence services cover up, when their 3 month long report into the origin of Covid-19 ordered by presidential impersonator Biden yielded nothing, and given the relationships between the NIAID, the NIH, the WIV, the EcoHealth Alliance, the University of North Carolina and Moderna, I cannot see any room for anyone else.

Furthermore the entire unholy cabal of bad actors started developing the Moderna Vaccine before the pandemic struck  https://www.infowars.com/posts/must-watch-nih-claimed-joint-ownership-of-moderna-mrna-vaccine-began-development-weeks-ahead-of-pandemic/

But things are not as simple as that because nature has had certainly 100,000 years to make human viruses and it never once put a Moderna specific (CGG for AGA) furin cleavage site into anything, nor did it put the 19 nucleotide sequence in anything before.

Yet within 6 years of Moderna patenting it, we find it in Covid-19 in circumstances where Moderna is working with that virus. So just there the probability is not 100,000 to 6 or 16,666 to 1 that Moderna is responsible rather than nature. No it is 100% because nature has not done it. It never has and there is no evidence that it ever will.

It is man the mixes up human and viral Arginine codons not nature.

Pro Luc Montagnier spent the last years of his life proving that COVID-19 was man made and containing much of the HIV1 genetic code

Prof Luc Montagnier, before he died on 2022February8, did a total assassination of the concept that Covid-19 evolved naturally by showing that it had massive equivalence to HIV. The diagram below shows a 275 nucleotide region of Covid-19 which has 200 nucleotides from HIV/SIV (Simian ImmunoVirus) in it. And remember there are 61 codons specifying 20 amino acids. So one can say the same thing in on average 3 different ways with codons.

You can download a pdf of his study here and the supplementary materials here. It is very technical. But he did win the Nobel prize for discovering the HIV virus. So if anyone would know if Covid had been boosted with HIV, it would be him. He pointed out that Covid-19 was man made early in the pandemic and was himself assassinated by the press and the fact checkers as a result. Every single fact checker who attacked him was wrong.

There was no scientific basis to any of their fact checking. These outfits are not fact checkers at all of course. They are globalist disinformation agencies, sons of Goebbels, fact chuckers and science deniers. They are about as trustworthy as an American election. I can check a fact for myself thank you very much. I dont need a brainwashed woke madrassa student telling me their opinion about a subject that they never studied at University.

Since we have proven beyond a reasonable doubt (beyond a 1 in 72 million doubt statically and with 100% certainly biochemically from the Moderna Specific Furin Cleavage Site) that Moderna made Covid-19. And since Moderna and Fauci have not admitted to having made it and have in fact covered up evidence to that effect, it may be the case that they are hiding something else as well.

Because the only two theories now left are the accidental lab leak theory and the deliberate lab leak theory. I mean the vast majority of political leaks are not accidents. They are deliberate strategies to provide advantage to the leaker or his paymaster. It is well known in the IT industry that viruses appear when antivirus sales are needed. Why would things be any different with human viruses, now that they can be man made too? Especially when you consider the massive role of Bill Gates and his foundation and GAVI and GVAP in he global vaccination business.

The only reason that Moderna would make Covid-19 is to release it. Otherwise the entire exercise would be financially futile, commercially pointless

The reason adduced by Fauci for doing gain of function research is that man needs to be ahead of nature or bad actors in order to have a vaccine in good time if a disease mutates or is genetically modified by the Chinese or the Russians to be lethal.

But in order to believe that one has to believe that Moderna are interested in the saving peoples lives. I am sorry. All their actions show to me that they are interested in vaccinating people knowing how likely that is to cost them their lives.

They are interested in profit, the profit that comes from a pandemic. They are not saviours of mankind as they represent. They are our exploiters and our abusers.

They produced the virus in order to leak it, in order to pose as our saviours from their own leak. These are not the activities of a saviour figure. Luc Montagnier was trying to be our saviour from them and he was assassinated (professionally) by their groupies. Moderna were doing gain of function research in order to release the virus and force a vaccine for it in a manner which would maximise their profits. That is not a conspiracy theory. It is what happened precisely. Their share price went up by 20x.

They released it in order to sell their vaccines and to destroy the immune systems of their customers because our immune systems reduce their profits. That is Big Pharma business.

The reason that the writer is so confident that Moderna or their agents made and leaked Covid-19 and the reason I called it as such at the start of the pandemic to almost as much ridicule as Prof Montagnier received (God bless him) is that the scriptures say in Matthew27, Mark15 and John19 that.

29 And they (the soldiers of the governor of verse 27) platted a crown of thorns and put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

30 And they spat upon him, and took the reed and smote him on the head. (Matthew 27 ASV)

May I therefore beg your indulgence whilst I interpret these words:

The US department of defence funded the gene splicing of the Coronavirus of Spike Proteins (Covid-19) through NIH and NIAID and DARPA which first infected Jesus, through his fiance, the New Covenant Saints, just after he became the secular King, Caesar to those saints, the antitypical Jews, those covenanted to be angelic sons of Jacob, the born agains angelically.

We calculated that the malediction which prevented Jesus becoming Caesar to the saints ended in 2019Tishri15 (October17/18). Glenn Beck did a documentary showing that 10 hospitals in Wuhan took cases with Covid19 symptoms in October 2019. Yes Folks. Covid-19 is a proof that Jesus is now secular King over the saints, the antitypical Jews, the Jews by angelic salvation covenant, at the least.

But then the soldiers spat upon him. For that is how Covid19 is transferred, through small aerosol droplets exhaled out of the mouth. The soldiers deliberately spat upon him. It was not a SALIVA LEAK! They smote Jesus on the head because the saints are the head of the church and they caught Covid19 not by random chance infection but by a deliberate smiting with a read, a biological weapon, a deliberate weaponised attack. For more on this see here.

So what Prof Montagnier saw with his virology expertise, I saw with my theological expertise. Showing that whilst fact checkers and science are mutually exclusive, science and theology actually agree, when properly understood (and that is one big caveat). Prof M taught us that the vaccines cause the variants. Indeed basic virology forbids mass vaccination during a pandemic for that very reason. He said the the curve of deaths follows the curve of vaccinations. Mind you, paradoxically, if the vaccines caused Omicron, then they saved us from themselves!

The Time has Come to hold People and Organisations to Account

The Covid19 makers, the genetic vaccine makers. their funders and their promoters, which include almost every government and public sector and health service in the world, are therefore guilty of Genocide and crimes against humanity. They have pushed genetic rape and sickness and death onto half of the population of the world in order to enrich the pockets of Pharmaceutical Companies. Governments and Public sectors around the world have abandoned their health service regulation to billionaires and heartless corporations

In the UK, all of the income tax we pay goes to the health service and all of its protocols are determined by its regulators and all of its regulators are controlled and funded by Big Pharma who seek to damage then manage our health for their profit.

So every penny we spend in income tax brings us one step closer to sickness, to death and to drug dependency.

So why did Prof Montagnier choose to spend the last years of his life proving that Covid-19 was man made and that the spike proteins, and therefore the vaccines, were an existential threat to the species? What did he have left to prove to himself or to anybody else at 87-89? He certainly did not do it to increase his reputation in the profession.

No, he was driven by the same passion that drove him to discover HIV. A passion to SAVE mankind from viruses and those who would engineer them to damage us. And why did he give up the ghost in February 2022? Because he knew that Omicron had the vaccines beat. His job was done by a greater virologist even than him. He could therefore rest in peace and go see some people who understood the magnitude of his contribution.

Covid-19 was not made in 2019. It was made from the 19 nucleotide Moderna specific chimeric (CGG for AGA) furin cleavage site which does not occur anywhere in nature. And every Covid death and every Covid vaccine death is parked squarely on the doorstep of ModeRNA waiting for justice.

But we shall not execute that justice fast enough. And therefore the final plague upon mankind of Revelation 6:8, delivered by the 4th horseman of the apocalypse, which plague Bill Gates himself has prophesied, will arrive later this year (after War and after Famine, the 2nd and 3rd horsemen).

Read more at: Expose-News.com
(Natural News) Del Bigtree and Jefferey Jaxen touched on how the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdowns in the U.S. and the U.K. triggered a pandemic of mental illness, most especially in the youth.

Jaxen, an independent journalist, cited an article by the Guardian discussing how children born during the COVID-19 pandemic had lower IQs. It quoted a paper by American researchers, who found that children born during the pandemic have significantly reduced verbal, motor and overall cognitive performance compared with children born before.

In the decade preceding the pandemic, the mean IQ score on standardized tests for children aged between three months and three years of age hovered around 100. But for children born during the pandemic, that number tumbled to 78, the paper stated. The authors also found that children coming from lower socioeconomic backgrounds fared worse in the tests.

Brown University associate professor Sean Deoni, the studys lead author, attributed the failing test scores to lack of stimulation and interaction at home. Parents are stressed and frazzled, [so] that interaction the child would normally get has decreased substantially, he told the Guardian.

Aside from lower IQs, Jaxen also pointed out that COVID-19 lockdowns also caused developmental and speech delays in toddlers.

One in three language therapists said referrals for speech therapy have doubled since the pandemic, according to the U.K.s Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. It warned that more and more children could have a hard time in school as basic skills were never learned. Other experts agreed with the college, reiterating that repeated lockdowns had left young children without the chance to play and learn how to communicate.

British Association for Community Child Health Director Dr. Doug Simkiss emphasized the important role of early exposure to other children.

The pandemic reduced the opportunities for children to play with other children and highlights the importance of nurseries and early years settings for language development, he said.

CDC warns of uptick in pandemic-related mental health issues

Jaxen also mentioned a warning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about a potential spike in mental illness among teenagers.

According to a survey published in March 2022 by the public health agency, more than four in 10 teens said they feel persistently sad or hopeless and that one in five have contemplated suicide.

But even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more teenagers were reporting poor mental health. The percentage of teens reporting persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness between 2009 and 2019 rose from 26 percent to 37 percent. This figure rose to as much as 44 percent in 2021. (Related: MENTAL TORTURE: Nearly half of high school students in America felt persistently sad or hopeless during COVID-19 pandemic.)

CDC Acting Principal Deputy Director Dr. Debra Houry said the surveys findings echo a cry for help, adding that the COVID-19 has created traumatic stressors that have the potential to further erode students mental well-being.

The survey came months after Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory on protecting the mental health of the youth back in December 2021.

The pandemic eras unfathomable number of deaths, pervasive sense of fear, economic instability and forced physical distancing from loved ones, friends, and communities have exacerbated the unprecedented stresses young people already faced, he wrote at the time. It would be a tragedy if we beat back one public health crisis only to allow another to grow in its place.

Bigtree described the surge in mental illness among youths an unbelievable phenomenon.

Its like the Titanic scene where [the adults] kicked the kids out of the lifeboats [and] threw themselves in. We literally saw something we never expected, where we used the children to try and protect the elderly, instead of vice versa. Its just [a] really horrific, sad [and] embarrassing display of humanity.

Pandemic.news has more stories about how COVID-19 lockdowns affected mental health.

Watch the full segment of The HighWire with Del Bigtree and Jefferey Jaxen below.

This video is from The HighWire with Del Bigtree channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Experts warn impact of coronavirus pandemic on childrens mental health is increasingly alarming.

An invisible danger: Coronavirus pandemic a threat to the mental health of Americans.

Coronavirus pandemic creating perfect storm for huge global mental health crisis.

UK doctors warn of new MENTAL HEALTH pandemic following Covid lockdowns.

Mental health crisis, tyrannical mandates characterize pandemic  Brighteon.TV.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

TheGuardian.com

FreeTheWords.com

TorontoSun.com
(Natural News) As soon as 20-year decorated New York Police Department (NYPD) veteran Thomas J. Gambardella retired, he did so in fashion  by flipping the bird at a memorial to fallen officers.

Gambardella, a resident of Staten Island, posted a picture of himself wearing a Lets Go Brandon t-shirt inside 1 Police Plaza in Manhattan, giving the statue the finger following his retirement from the department.

Im officially retired today! From this sorry excuse of a s*** job. Thank God. Im free at last! wrote Gambardella on his Facebook account. I loved everyone I worked with and some of the people Ive worked for. But this job is no ones friend. Time to live free. Ill see you all out there! (Related: Union sues NYC to block termination of UNVAXXED detectives, citing rising crime rates.)

Gambardella, who ended his career as a detective sergeant with the 70th Precinct in Brooklyn, said he really enjoyed his job when he first started out as a beat cop in 2002. In 2006, while working in the 68th Precinct in Brooklyn, he was even named Officer of the Year.

I was a true believer, said Gambardella in an interview with the New York Post. He explained that, as a person coming from a police family, he really enjoyed his early years in the NYPD. I wasnt a bag of s***. I worked on some intricate details. I gave a lot of my blood, sweat and tears. But no more.

But things took a turn for the worse when, as Gambardella explained, the city increasingly embraced liberal soft-on-crime policies and the NYPD started interfering with every aspect of his life.

Its the worst f****** job in the world, said Gambardella. They own you. Theyre not your friends. All that talk about the big blue family. They dont care. If I die tomorrow, they wouldnt give a s***. If I needed something, it aint gonna happen. Im better off just saying a prayer.

Gambardella added that he was disgusted by the increased hostility toward police, calls to defund the NYPD and crackdowns on what cops are and are not allowed to do.

Crime is soaring and cops are leaving in droves, said Gambardella. Anybody can see that. All this liberalism is obviously a failure. But this is what they wanted. Its a stupid experiment and its the people who will pay in the end.

Gambardellas actions polarized New York Post readers

In its Letters to the Editor for July 6, the New York Post received letters from several people responding to Gambardellas actions. Many were supportive of Gambardella and thanked him for his service in the NYPD, but felt that disrespecting a statue dedicated to fallen officers was a bit too much.

The photo of Det. Sgt. Gambardella flipping the bird at 1 Police Plaza, at the statue of a police officer standing in front of a wall honoring the memory of members killed in the line of duty, was the height of disrespect and dishonor, wrote Lawrence Natale from Howell, New Jersey. This retired malcontent should offer an apology to the families of those officers who made the supreme sacrifice.

Wow, Gambardella: With such classy behavior, its hard to imagine how our citizens are not best served seeing this arrogant, crude person off the job, wrote A.J. Via from Patchogue, New York.

Other readers of the New York Post were a lot more sympathetic, pointing out the many problems facing the NYPD today.

The NYPD is hemorrhaging officers at an alarming rate, and the reasons for this stampede out the door have all been stated, wrote Thomas Urban of Wantagh, New York. New York City needs the NYPD, and the NYPD needs the commitment of this city to restore its morale and to attract and retain the talent its losing in unprecedented numbers.

When you demoralize the police department, you demoralize the city. The only people who care about the city are the same ones the city hangs out to dry, wrote Storm Destro of Bayonne, New Jersey. Gambardella did the right thing. He did his 20. Now, he should live a pleasant retirement away from the criminals and politicians.

Learn more about anti-police sentiment all over America at AntiPolice.news.

Watch this clip from Fox News as a former top police official from Boston pleads with New York City to stop letting politics interfere with policing and focus on public safety.

This video is from the News Clips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

NYPD cops say far-left politics absolutely destroying New York City.

NYPDs use of robot dog during operation draws public outrage.

Former NYPD commissioner: Democrats gave their cities to domestic terrorists.

New York City is turning into a shooting gallery  11 shooting incidents in one night, 12 injured, 3 dead.

Crime spike in NYC spreads to ultra-wealthy Upper East Side after NYPD disbands anti-crime unit.

Sources include:

NYPost.com 1

SiLive.com

NYPost.com 2

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) The European Union (EU) has voted to dub gas and nuclear power plant investments as green and eco-friendly, delivering a death blow to the anti-fossil fuel agenda that has long sought to decimate the West.

On Wednesday, the EU threw out attempts to block a law that will address gas and nuclear power to the EUs taxonomy rulebook from 2023. That law, which is almost certain to pass, will allow investors to label and market investments in these sectors as green. (Related: The war in Ukraine is shaking up Europe and causing its leaders to realize that going green means the economy goes kaput.)

The vote paves the way for the European Union proposal to pass into law, unless 20 of the blocs 27 member states decide to oppose the move, which is seen as very unlikely, reported Reuters about the EU vote.

Out of 639 lawmakers present, 328 opposed a motion that sought to block the EU gas and nuclear proposals.

The European Commission reportedly welcomed the result, having proposed these rules back in February after more than a year of delay and intense lobbying from governments and industries, reports explain.

The Complementary Delegated Act is a pragmatic proposal to ensure that private investments in gas and nuclear, needed for our energy transition, meet strict criteria, announced EU financial services chief Mairead McGuinness.

Its either fossil fuels or lights out followed by death: Which do you want, Europe?

Since gas produces far fewer emissions than coal, which Reuters describes as planet-warming, some EU states are willing to concede that it is better to produce and use it than to simply go dark this winter once Russian imports run dry.

Not every EU state is in agreement, of course, and climate fanatics are freaking out because they see all fossil fuels as the worst thing ever for the planet, and would prefer only loud, unsightly windmills everywhere and giant solar panel farms destroying the natural landscape.

Nuclear energy, meanwhile, produces no emissions but the flip side is that it outputs lots of radioactive waste, which is about as bad as it gets for the environment once it breaches containment.

It is mostly the Western European members of the EU that are still stuck in delusional wind and solar thinking, while Slovakia, for instance, is excited about fossil fuels going back into the green category where they belong.

Well remain on the way to climate neutrality by 2050, said Slovakian prime minister Eduard Heger in support of the move.

On the flip side, Luxembourg and Austria are fuming about the decision, promising to challenge it in court.

It is neither credible, ambitious nor knowledge-based, endangers our future and is more than irresponsible, whined Austrian climate minister Leonore Gewessler.

Greenpeace, an environmentalist extremist group, is also critical of the inclusion of oil and gas into the green category and has promised to mount a legal challenge against it.

This is a poor signal to the rest of the world that may undermine the EUs leadership position on climate action, further complained Anders Schelde, chief investment officer at Danish pension fund AkademikerPension.

Industry leaders such as Ingbert Liebing, managing director at Germanys local utility association VKU, praised the EU vote, calling it an important sign of the role of natural gas as a bridge to achieving climate goals.

There are still standards attached to the oil and gas industry, just to be clear. Gas plants, for instance, must switch to low-carbon gases by 2035 as well as meet certain emissions limits. But no longer, assuming the law gets passed, will gas and oil be considered dirty and completely off-limits in Europe.

The latest news about the green energy scam can be found at ClimateAlarmism.news.

Sources for this article include:

Reuters.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Anatomic clinical pathologist Dr. Ryan Cole has warned the public that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines dramatically accelerate the disease process.

Doctors have reported that cancer patients who had been stable and those who had been in remission for years have suddenly rapidly developed to the fourth stage of their various diseases.

Cole has studied both SARS-CoV-1 and MERS. This is why when the program to develop the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine was announced, he immediately became suspicious. (Related: Dr. Jane Ruby: COVID-19 vaccine boosters can cause cancer.)

I thought, wait a minute, you cant vaccinate against coronaviruses. This family of viruses is not amenable to vaccination based on mutation rates. So, my concern was very high early on, he said.

His laboratory ramped up its PCR testing using a cycle threshold (CT) of 35, rather than the recommended 40 to 45 as it would result in 98 percent false positives. Being a pathologist, Cole is in charge of testing and quality control, and his work allows him to constantly look at patterns  whether it be under the microscope or data from the lab.

Were looking at blood reports. Were looking at whats out of range on blood reports. Were looking at microbiology. Were looking at molecular biology. Were looking at cultures. Were looking at pap smears. Were looking across the board at those clinical parameters in addition to tissue biopsies, Cole explained.

I have 70 employees, and if theres a blood smear that looks unusual, they bring it to me. If there are parameters on a test that looks widely out of range, they bring it to me. And I call and talk to the clinician. [Im the] doctor to the doctor. We have a consultation practice with the clinicians so I can help them understand whats happening with their patients, and then they can make clinical decisions going forward.

Cancers developing post-vaccination

One of the most apparent side effects that Cole noticed about the COVID-19 vaccines is cancer.

There was also a concern about elevated clotting factors. Cole said it was a shame because if people were prescribed anti-inflammatories, steroids and anti-clotting agents, more people would have lived.

He explained that one of his colleagues, Dr. Shankara Chetty in South Africa, had success with antihistamine steroids and anti-clotting agents. In the first year of the pandemic, he said they saw drops in white blood cell counts and decreases in certain subsets of T-cells, which keep viruses  but more importantly  cancers in check. (Related: Children in China develop LEUKEMIA after getting injected with COVID shots.)

However, after the shots rolled out, many of the cell subsets started decreasing in number and there came an uptick of cancers, beginning with cancers of the uterus and endometrial cancers.

A military whistleblower has also moved forward with data from the Defense Medical Epidemiology Database (DMED), showing dramatic increases in medical visits for cancers and other conditions after their vaccinations.

Unfortunately, after the DMED data was presented, the Department of Defense (DOD) froze access to the website. The DOD claimed bug in the system was responsible for the bloated numbers.

Cole under attack due to his stance against COVID-19 vaccines

Cole, a certified member of the American Board of Pathology as a clinical and anatomic pathologist, is now under attack because of his stance against COVID-19 vaccines.

Idaho physicians are now claiming that that patients came into their hospitals sick with COVID-19 after taking advice or treatment from Cole.

The American Board of Pathology also urged the Washington Medical Commission to consider Coles actions. The Idaho Medical Association, on the other hand, filed its own complaint to the Idaho Board of Medicine, asking for disciplinary action on the basis that a pathologists scope of practice does not include direct patient care of COVID-19 treatment.

Patients must be able to trust physicians with their lives and health, the board wrote.

Visit Vaccines.news for more news related to COVID-19 vaccines.

Watch the video below to know more about how COVID-19 vaccination promotes cancer, as per Dr. Cole.

This video is from the Slawomir Slowianin channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

SCIENCE HORROR: Vaccine spike protein enters cell nuclei, suppresses DNA repair engine of the human body, will unleash explosion of cancer, immunodeficiency, autoimmune disorders and accelerated aging.

Dr. Steven Hatfill tells Ann Vandersteel: Theres no valid medical reason for mass vaccination of kids and young adults  Brighteon.TV.

Top doctor: mass vaccination program for COVID will be one of the most deadly in history.

Sources include:

GlobalResearch.ca

IdahoCapitalSun.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) In approving Pfizers Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine for children, the government of Israel hid data, we now know, showing that the shots are much deadlier for kids than they are for adults.

Raw data compiled by Prof. Matti Berkowitz, director of the Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit at Assaf Harofeh Hospital (Shamir) reveals that children aged 5-11 experience twice as many adverse events, on average, compared to children in the 12-17 age group.

The injury rate for young children is even higher when compared to teenagers, says Dr. Yaffa Shir-Raz, a health and risk communication researcher at the University of Haifa and at Reichman University (IDC Herzliya). Based on the data, children 5-11 are up to six times more likely than teens to suffer jab injuries.

 the 2-dose immunization rate for 5-11 year olds is less than 18%, while older children have rates of 55-72% (3-4 times higher), explains Eliyahu Tulshinski, writing for Americas Frontline News. (Related: Israels booster shot program is now endless.)

All things being equal, the young children would thus be expected to have 1/3-1/4 of the number of adverse events experienced by the older children, not twice as many. This means that the adverse event rate for young children is actually 6-8 times that of the older children, i.e., at 600-800% of the baseline injury rate!

While there are slightly more children in the 5-11 year old group than in the 12-17 age group, it does not come close to accounting for the mind blowing rate increase in the younger group.

Pfizer lied in corporate pamphlets about jab dangers

In early June, Berkowitz presented the findings to the Israeli Ministry of Healths Department of Epidemiology, along with graphs depicting the data. Each injury was broken down by type, revealing several alarming truths that Pfizer conveniently left out of its leaflet on the injections.

Berkowitz and her team identified and characterized a slew of neurological symptoms that were not previously known, including hypoesthesia (partial or complete decrease in skin sensitivity); paraesthesia (abnormal skin sensation such as numbness, tingling, stinging or burning), tinnitus, dizziness and more.

Also observed but not mentioned in the Pfizer materials were menstrual changes lasting a long time. Pfizer representatives claim that they have no knowledge of long-term adverse events, but Dr. Shir-Raz and colleagues found many of them.

In fact, 90 percent of jabbed women who developed such symptoms reported that they lasted in perpetuity  meaning they were not just a temporary reaction to the shots.

The data and graphs showing all this were eventually leaked, making their way into the hands of the Professional Ethics Front (PEF), an independent Israeli group of physicians, lawyers, scientists and researchers who aim to address the ethical issues related to the COVID-19 crisis in Israeli society.

This group penned a letter to the nations government explaining the findings and how children are being placed at needless risk of serious injury because of the shots.

The public should know about the data, the group further wrote in the letter, because to not release it represents a blatant violation of parents right to informed consent, and because it constitutes gross negligence, and puts children and infants at risk.

Israels State Comptroller is obligated under the law to respond to correspondences such as this, but that never happened. This prompted PEF to file a Freedom of Information Act request (FOIA) to get the data into the hands of the public another way: through citizen force.

More on all this and its implications is available at Americas Frontline News.

You will also find more of the latest news about Fauci Flu shots and their deadly side effects at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

AmericasFrontlineNews.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Democrats have no respect for the Constitution, only their far-left agenda and they dont care what they have to do to impose it.

The Democrat-run New York Assembly and its far-left governor, Kathy Hochul, responded to the U.S. Supreme Courts decision last month striking down the states law severely restricting concealed carry permits as injurious to the Second Amendment by passing a new law that attacks the First Amendment as well as the Fourth Amendment right to privacy.

According to reports, legislators on Friday approved an overhaul of New Yorks gun licensing regulations that added this requirement: All applicants must turn over their social media accounts so regulators can examine three years worth of posts to determine if their character and conduct is good enough for a license.

New Yorkers constitutional freedoms were just trampled on, state Republican Chair Nick Langworthy said after both Democrat-majority chambers sent the measure to Hochul, who immediately signed it into law.

New York State New Gun Laws Include, People applying for a gun license will have to turn over a list of their social media accounts for officials to verify their character & conducthttps://t.co/saFvPvnNQk  TheLastRefuge (@TheLastRefuge2) July 2, 2022

Per The Daily Wire:

Critics say the new requirements run afoul not only of the Second Amendment but also the First Amendments right to freedom of speech. The law is certain to draw legal challenges that could put New Yorks gun restrictions right back in front of the Supreme Court.

In June, a 6-3 SCOTUS majority ruled that New Yorks law violated both the Second and Fourteenth Amendments.

The decision, in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen was widely viewed as the widest expansion of gun rights in more than a decade, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The Daily Wire added: The case revolved around a 1911 New York state law that made the right to a concealed carry permit contingent on demonstrating good moral character and proper cause. In the majority opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that New Yorkers could not be required to show why they must demonstrate a need to exercise a Constitutional right.

We know of no other constitutional right that an individual may exercise only after demonstrating to government officers some special need, Thomas wrote.

The new gun law in New York is scheduled to take effect on Sept. 1. Democrats who voted for the bill said they believe three years worth of social media posts will allow regulators to determine whether applicants are considered dangerous  and of course, any venting or angry posts will no doubt be considered disqualifying, meaning New York will effectively be limiting who can get a concealed carry license in just about the same way that led to the Bruen decision.

And then New Yorkers will be right back on the federal court merry-go-round awaiting another high court ruling, which could take years. And so on  though the new law is not likely to generate a federal court challenge until provisions of it (like the unconstitutional searching of social media posts) takes place.

Applicants seeking concealed-carry permits will also have to provide four character references, take 16 hours of firearms safety training plus two hours of practice at a range, undergo periodic background checks, and turn over contact information for their spouse, domestic partner or any other adults living in their household, The Daily Wire reported, citing The Associated Press.

When Democrats accuse Republicans and MAGA-supporting conservatives of being anti-democratic and authoritarian, in reality, they are merely projecting. They are the party of authoritarianism and unconstitutional actions, not the GOP, which only recommended solid constitutionalists for President Donald Trump to nominate to the federal bench.

Thats why the New York concealed carry law got struck down in the first place.

Sources include:

AmericanThinker.com

WSJ.com

DailyWire.com
(Natural News) Dr. Mike Spaulding argued that President Joe Bidens decision to pull out U.S. ground troops stationed in Afghanistan in 2021 had a negative impact on Christians in the country.

We are talking about Afghanistan and the debacle that our faux president created, or was advised to create. And so, we witnessed the decimation of the underground church in Afghanistan, the pastor of Calvary Church in Lima, Ohio said on the July 3 episode of Transforming Word Bible Hour on Brighteon.TV.

According to Spaulding, U.S. presidents rarely make a decision in isolation  most especially on matters such as ending Americas military ground presence in Kabul. Such decisions are traditionally made after conferring with a huge group of people, he added.

Normally, the ones who pull the strings are the ones who control things in the background, and they dont hold elective office. You know all this, he remarked. (Related: Biden knew all along the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan was imminent.)

Reports from two ministries active in Afghanistan attested to Spauldings remarks.

A report by Frontier Alliance International, which partnered with one underground Christian church in Afghanistan, outlined the repercussions of the sudden retreat of U.S. troops. It pointed out that with the extremist Taliban taking over the country once more, decades of work resulted in nothing.

What we are witnessing right now is the decimation of the country and people of Afghanistan. We are watching twenty years of work and the strengthening of a nation being destroyed in a single day, said the report.

It mentioned that the Taliban has a hit list of known Christians they are targeting to pursue and kill. Members of the extremist Islamic group had also been going door to door taking women and children. The situation had reached the point where husbands and fathers have given their wives and daughters guns and told them that when the Taliban comes, they can choose to kill them or kill themselves, the report added.

Another report from Open Doors International, a ministry supported by Spaulding, remarked that it is impossible to live openly as a Christian in Afghanistan.

Leaving Islam is considered shameful, and Christian converts face dire consequences if their new faith is discovered. They either have to flee the country or they will be killed. Since leaving Islam is considered a sign of insanity, a Christian who has converted from Islam may be forcibly sectioned in a psychiatric hospital, the report stated.

Report reveals 9,000 Americans  not 150  left behind in Kabul

With these two attestations, Spaulding commented that the landlocked country is next to North Korea when it comes to systematically persecuting, torturing and murdering Christians.

Those atrocities committed by Islamist jihadists caused Afghanistan to rise all the way up the list to be number two, as the worst nation for Christian persecution, he said. But the buck still stops with Biden.

True enough, a report released by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee found that as many as 9,000 Americans were left behind in Afghanistan. It contradicted the claim of Secretary of State Antony Blinken that only between 100 and 150 Americans are still in the Islamic emirate.

The report signed by committee ranking member Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID) revealed that officials from the Department of State were of the belief that between 10,000 and 15,000 Americans were in Afghanistan as late as Aug. 17. Only 6,000 Americans were able to escape the country in the next two weeks, ahead of the Taliban takeover.

Aside from this, the report stated that the Biden administration did not hold a senior-level interagency meeting to discuss an evacuation, or formally task the State Department to contact at-risk populations, including Americans until August 14  just hours before the fall of Kabul.

Risch shared the report on social media, commenting that while theres disagreement over the policy to leave Afghanistan, Americans share outrage over how the administration withdrew, and what that failure has done to Americas reputation.

Visit JoeBiden.news for more stories about the Biden administrations lies and blunders in Afghanistan.

Watch the full July 3 episode of The Transforming Word Bible Hour with Dr. Mike Spaulding below. Catch new episodes of The Transforming Word Bible Hour every Sunday at 3-4 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

Nolte: Bidens presidency collapsed with Afghanistan.

While Afghanistan fell, military and CIA focused on diversity.

Students among 1,500 Americans still trapped in Afghanistan.

Countries in Central Asia and Europe are worried Afghanistan chaos will spread.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

FAIMission.org

OpenDoors.org

Hannity.com
The town of Paradise, California, was devastated by the most devastating wildfire in history about four years ago. Residents may rebuild "better, safer, and more resilient than before" thanks to a new project.

If anybody understands the expression "paradise gone," it's the people of one California hamlet who have watched the devastation caused by wildfires.

The Disaster

Nearly four years ago, the deadliest and most devastating wildfire in California history stormed into town and almost wiped it out. The Camp Fire destroyed Paradise, located 170 miles northeast of San Francisco and 90 miles north of Sacramento, in November 2018, burning 18,000 homes, businesses, and other structures and displacing many of the town's 26,500 people. As a result of the fire's 153,336-acre route of destruction, at least 85 people were killed, and more than a dozen were injured.

In the years following the disaster, Paradise was gradually rebuilt with the assistance of a new program to prevent future fire disasters. Paradise residents are participating in the Wildfire Prepared Home program, which is run in collaboration with the non-profit Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, to ensure that their new homes are built with fire-resistant materials and meet higher building standards established for wildfire-prone areas of the country.

Also Read: Alaskan Village At Risk Due to a Particularly Large Tundra Wildfire

Recent Update

At a recent news conference, Paradise Mayor Steve Crowder stated, "We heal as a community." "It is critical that we rebuild better, safer, and more resilient than before."

New homes built in Paradise will be required to obtain the IBHS's Wildfire Prepared Home designation as of July 14. Builders must meet many new guidelines, such as installing fire-resistant vents, gutters, roofs, and siding materials.

"We have established stricter municipal rules requiring all new houses to meet the wildfire designated housing standard," Crowder explained.

The IBHS wildfire-proofing housing system targets risky parts of new dwellings, such as roofs, where fires might begin.

"It's really essential for homeowners to maintain their roof, to clean the debris and pine needles and everything off the roof," Faraz Hedayati, an IBHS research engineer, told AccuWeather's Bill Waddell.

Another critical step in the wildfire-proof building process is clearing the area around the house of any combustible materials. This keeps flying embers from starting fires in dwellings.

"They bounce back when they contact the wall," Hedayati explained. "And by clearing that area of debris or vegetation, we ensure that those embers have nothing to ignite."

IBHS is collaborating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on a hazard mitigation grant program that will assist homeowners in modifying their homes to attain the wildfire-ready classification for the 1,400 homes that have already been rebuilt in Paradise.

Improved Structures

The Wildlife Prepared Home standards were recently put into code by Paradise's town council, offering a consistent strategy to decreasing wildfire danger for residents who have returned to town. In June, approximately 8,000 people had returned, and 350 companies had opened. By 2035, the population is expected to be 75% of what it was before the fire.

According to IBHS President and CEO Roy Wright, who lost family members in the Camp Fire, the town's repopulated population may set the pattern for the rest of California.

"Wildfire Prepared Home gives a clear method to lessen the chance of having to rebuild from ashes for other communities in California," Wright added.

Return to Paradise

The return to Paradise will not be without risk, as wildfires in California are predicted to increase in quantity during July. According to the US Drought Monitor, the whole state suffers drought conditions. Drought Watch. Approximately 60% of California is experiencing severe or exceptional drought. According to officials, the continuous threat emphasizes the necessity for wildfire-resistant housing.

"We will witness more severe flames... we believe these efforts will significantly lower the risk," said Hedayati.

Related Article: Dry Thunderstorms in California may Spark More Wildfires

For more environmental news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
The analysis of water samples collected in nine different US locales reveals that the testing agency is most likely missing substantial amounts of PFAS contaminants.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire's new $17 million water treatment plant will be celebrated in May 2021, with local and national officials declaring the city's water free of hazardous "forever chemicals."

Water Contamination

Firefighting foam from the adjacent Pease air force base had contaminated the water for decades with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The US military sponsored the city's new filtration system in awareness of the public health concern.

According to officials, after applying the enhanced filtration, tests revealed no measurable amounts of PFAS chemicals in the water. They referred to the Portsmouth operation as a "national model" for combating PFAS water pollution.

Senator Maggie Hassan stated, "We are here to celebrate clean water."

However, the water may not be completely pure.

Analyzing the Water

A Guardian analysis of water samples taken in Portsmouth and eight other locations across the United States reveals that the type of water testing relied on by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - and officials in towns like Portsmouth - is so limited in scope that significant levels of PFAS pollutants are likely to be missed.

The undercount gives authorities a skewed view of the degree of PFAS pollution and illustrates how millions of people may be exposed to an unknown health danger in their drinking water.

Examining Water Samples

The study examined water samples from PFAS hotspots around the country using two tests: one produced by the EPA that detects 30 types of the approximately 9,000 PFAS compounds and another that looks for a marker of all PFAS.

The Guardian discovered that seven of the nine samples taken revealed higher levels of PFAS in water using the test that recognizes PFAS indicators than levels detected using the EPA approach - and at concentrations up to 24 times higher.

"The EPA is doing the bare minimum, which is endangering people's health," said Kyla Bennett, policy director at the environmental advocacy organization Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.

Also Read: At Least 12 Military Bases Contaminating Waters With Dangerously High Levels of PFAS

Major Health Concern

Since the 1950s, PFAS has produced thousands of items that repel water, stains, and heat. They are commonly referred to as "forever chemicals" since they do not completely degrade, accumulating in the environment, humans, and animals. Some are harmful even at low concentrations and have been associated with cancer, birth abnormalities, renal illness, liver difficulties, lowered immunity, and other major health concerns.

Government Action

In June, the Biden administration proposed additional efforts to safeguard drinking water from PFAS pollution, claiming that the chemicals "represent a substantial hazard throughout rural, suburban, and urban regions." The government has set aside $10 billion to address PFAS and other toxins in drinking water.

However, critics argue that when it comes to identifying PFAS-contaminated water, the limitations of the test used by state and federal regulators, known as the EPA 537 method, virtually ensure regulators will never have a complete picture of contamination levels because the industry produces new compounds much faster than researchers can develop the science to measure them.

This adds to the motivation for business to transition away from earlier compounds: if chemical firms generate newer PFAS, authorities will be unable to detect contamination.

"Industry has got a 70-year head start, and we'll never catch up," said Graham Peaslee, a University of Notre Dame researcher.

Many experts believe that a "total organic fluorine" (TOF) test is the most accurate technique to analyze water samples, which detects a PFAS signature called organic fluorine.

The European Union is proposing a TOF test. States like Maine, which want to regulate PFAS as a class rather than individual chemicals, will require more sophisticated testing to enforce their rules.

"The TOF isn't the be-all and end-all, but it tells us there's more fluorine out there, and we need to hunt for it," Peaslee explained.

Last year, clean water advocacy organizations encouraged the EPA to utilize more extensive testing to "give us a greater picture of the entirety of PFAS pollution." Still, the agency informed the Guardian that no such plans are presented in the works.

Continued Investigation

According to the EPA, it "continues to undertake research and monitor developments in analytical procedures... that may increase our capacity to quantify additional PFAS" in a statement to the Guardian.

That is insufficient for researchers concerned about PFAS exposure.

"We're looking for and investigating less than 1% of PFAS, so what the hell is the other 99 percent?"

Peaslee inquired. "I've never seen a good PFAS; therefore, they're all going to be harmful somehow."

Related Article: Contaminated Pearl Harbor Waters Makes Military Families Sick

For similar news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
Images posted online depicted how the sky in South Dakota turned a particular shade of green as violent storms moved toward Sioux Falls.

High water content in the clouds, according to experts, is to blame for the incident.

Locals saw thunderstorms that brought strong winds and more than three inches of rain to the Sioux Falls region on Tuesday in a rarely seen shade of green.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said that severe weather was a part of a derecho, which is a prolonged chain of linked storms with winds greater than 58 mph.

In some parts of South Dakota, the storm's winds gusted as high as 99 miles per hour.

In numerous social media posts, dramatic pictures of the eerie green sky and threatening storm clouds moving toward Sioux City in the late afternoon and early evening were shared.

Certain Shade of Green

Heather Brinkmann tweeted the words, "GOODNESS GREEN." Her tweet continued on to say that as powerful storms move through Sioux Falls, the sky is turning green.

Some Twitter users expressed their astonishment as they have not seen such a sky, while some expressed much bewilderment, saying that the color of the sky is "unreal."

Reed Timmer, a meteorologist featured in Storm Chasers also took to Twitter to give an update saying that The wind bag derecho that passed through Sioux Falls earlier has caused a "crazy" greenage.

Read also: Strange Cloud Patterns Above Alaska Have Sparked a Flurry of Conspiracies

High Water Content

NWS meteorologist Cory Martin posted a tweet with an infographic explaining how the blue water droplets in the storm clouds interacted with the sun's reddish light to produce the striking visual in response to the "incredible" and unusual color of the sky.

Martin's shared infographic explained that Most thunderstorms occured later in the day when the sky turns a subdued shade of red as the sun slowly descends toward the horizon.

The blue light will be primarily scattered by storm cloud particles with significant depth and water content.

The blue water or ice droplets within the cloud will appear to glow green when the reddish light that the atmosphere scatters reflects upon them.

It takes a significant amount of water content within the cloud to produce this color, which typically denotes the presence of significant amounts of ice or large hail.

This phenomenon frequently serves as a visual indicator of a thunderstorm's potential to produce very large hail, Newsweek reported.

While distributing the infographic, Martin noted that there were not many reports of significant hail in the Sioux Falls storm.

Later, the NWS Sioux Falls Twitter account reposted Martin's tweet and added a comment saying that the majority of hail reports in the area were ice that was less than an inch thick.

According to PowerOutage.US, more than 28,000 South Dakota residents lost power as a result of the storms, but about 20,000 had their power restored by later on Tuesday night.

The storms came from the west and moved into Sioux Falls before leaving South Dakota and moving into southwestern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa.

Related article: Forest Areas Does Not Always Cause Cloud Formation, Reveals New Study
A record-breaking new low was recorded on Sunday at the southern end of Utah's Great Salt Lake, where the average daily surface water elevation was 4,190.1 feet, according to authorities.

The Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) announced the news in a joint press statement on Tuesday.

This is the second time in a year that the lake has experienced a record-low elevation.

Historic low level of the Great Salt Lake in Utah

The elevation measured on Sunday was lower than the previous historic low level, which was 4,190.2 feet in October, according to the Utah DNR and USGS.

The previous record-breaking low elevation was 4,191.35 feet in October 1963.

According to Joel Ferry, executive director of the Utah DNR, this is not the kind of record people would like to break.

To help safeguard and maintain this important resource, immediate action is required as the lake is obviously having problems.

According to officials, the Great Salt Lake will continue to experience decreased elevation before the autumn or winter "until the volume of incoming water to the lake equals or surpasses evaporative losses," based on historical statistics.

According to The Salt Lake Tribune, the announcement comes amid a persistent drought in the state and the effects of climate change.

However, the Great Salt Lake is not the only significant body of water experiencing a sharp decline in elevation.

According to The Associated Press, Lake Mead, the largest artificial reservoir in the nation, was completely filled around two decades ago.

Nevertheless, Lake Mead is currently experiencing low levels after officials found human remains and a previously sunk boat from World War II there.

Also Read: Utah Faces an Environmental Catastrophe as the Great Salt Lake Continues to Dry Up

Lake poses numerous potential impacts

Water officials reported that water evaporation and depletion have surpassed the volume of water entering the lake.

The Utah Department of Natural Resources' Great Salt Lake coordinator, Laura Vernon, said that in order to make up for the water that the lake regularly loses, they would want to see it grow by at least 2.5 feet a year.

But this year, Vernon told CNN, "the water literally swelled over one foot this past year."

According to Vernon, there are "many possible repercussions" from the shrinking Great Salt Lake, especially on the economy.

According to a governmental study, the Great Salt Lake generates $1.3 billion in the annual economy from the mining, harvesting, and leisure industries.

The annual economic cost if the lake keeps drying up would be between $1.7 billion and $2.2 billion.

Vernon also pointed out that if the lake dried away, at least 6,500 people in Utah may lose their employment because the lake supports about 7,7000 jobs in the region.

According to Vernon, the effects might be rather significant from an economic standpoint.

O'Leary stated that they anticipate lake levels "will continue to plummet" until the water entering the lake equals, if not exceeds, the water leaving it, which typically happens in the late summer or early autumn.

Water may flow into terminal lakes like the Great Salt Lake but not out of the basin.

Additionally, as a lake bed is drying out, strong winds can throw up small particles that can be inhaled and harm the lungs or aggravate other respiratory conditions.

Asthma, heart disease, and chronic bronchitis are just a few of the health issues that these pollutants have been connected to.

Despite not being a water reservoir like the rapidly depleting Lake Mead and Lake Powell, Vernon said the Great Salt Lake is still an important natural resource and a solid cause for people to save more water, especially considering how much Utah's population has increased over the past ten years.

Related article: Ecosystem at Great Salt Lake on the Brink of Collapse Due to Dangerously Low Water Levels
A derecho or line of storms on Tuesday, July 6, plowed through the northern tier of the United States, including the northern Plains and the Midwest.

It injured four people, left thousands of people without power, and caused extensive damage to property and infrastructure.

US weather authorities reportedly received hundreds of cases related to destructive winds and hail, which mainly affected South Dakota and Iowa.

The storm complex was part of a severe weather moving across the eastern half of the country, as previously forecasted by meteorologists.

Sky Turns Green

The New York Times reported that the severe storm turned the Sioux Falls sky green before the derecho struck the South Dakota city on Tuesday.

The US media outlet also mentioned that a number of people took to social media to share the images of the green skies, which were also recorded by traffic cameras of the South Dakota Department of Transportation.

While the climatic event has been considered spectacular and unusual, previous studies have already explained that skies sometimes turn green or bluish green before an approaching thunderstorm.

The prevailing research suggested that the atmosphere's absorption of sunlight, especially during sunset or sunrise, is the key into the color transformation.

Also Read: Deadly Derecho Possible in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic Regions: Damaging Winds Expected

What is a Derecho?

The National Weather Service (NWS) defines a derecho as a rare type of thunderstorm, describing it as a "widespread, long-lived wind storm" that is connected to a line of moving thunderstorms with strong winds.

The weather phenomenon can cause destruction similar to the intensity of tornadoes.

The wind strength of derechos is also often compared to hurricanes, with the former being only relatively weaker but is still destructive.

The NWS emphasized that the damage of the weather event is normally geared toward a straight directional line, wherein the term "straight-line wind damage" was derived from.

The US weather agency said that the qualifications for a weather disturbance to become a derecho is when wind damage swath extends over 240 miles (approximately 400 kilometers).

It should also have wind gusts of at least 58 miles per hours (93 kilometers per hour).

Thunderstorm Complex

The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) reportedly considers the ongoing thunderstorm complex as a derecho following a discussion, according to a Twitter post by the NWS Sioux Falls on Wednesday, July 6.

After discussing with SPC, today's still ongoing thunderstorm complex will be considered a derecho.



The peak winds so far have been 96 mph in Huron, SD and 99 mph near Howard, SD but there have been many high wind reports.



Interactive Reports: https://t.co/kQnFnpR1w2 pic.twitter.com/4m7ZTOIGQQ  NWS Sioux Falls (@NWSSiouxFalls) July 6, 2022

Based on the tweet, the peaks winds of the rare phenomenon have reached 96 miles per hour in Huron, South Dakota and 99 miles per hour in Howard, South Dakota.

According to the "day 1 convective outlook" of SPC for Thursday, July 1, some of the following areas with a relatively large population are at risk from the severe weather:

Charlotte, North Carolina

Raleigh, North Carolina

Greensboro, North Carolina

Norfolk, Virginia

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Denver, Colorado

Kansas City, Missouri

Atlanta, Georgia

Omaha, Nebraska

St. Louis, Missouri

The US storm agency also issued a summary forecast that scattered severe thunderstorms are still possible across parts of the upper High Plains and Rockies, central High Plains, and areas from Virginia to the Carolinas.

Related Article: Canada Storm Update: Deadly Derecho Kills At Least 10 People, Leaves Half a Million Without Electricity
An international team of researchers has demonstrated that solar-powered synthesis gas might convert carbon dioxide into fuels and valuable compounds.

Syngas can be used as a precursor for methanol and other chemicals and fuels if it can be produced from carbon dioxide using just solar energy.

Zetian Mi, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Michigan, conducted the study that was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

He predicted that this would dramatically lower global CO2 emissions.

Syngas is often produced with the use of power from fossil fuels and consists primarily of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, with a little amount of methane.

To make the procedure more effective, harmful chemicals are frequently used.

Carbon dioxide converting to fuels using solar-powered chemistry

According to Roksana Rashid, the study's first author, who conducted the experiments while a doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering at McGill University in Canada, "our new process is actually quite simple, but it's exciting because it's not toxic, it's sustainable, and it's very cost-effective," as cited by ScienceDaily.

Mi's team conquered the challenge of splitting carbon dioxide molecules, which are among the most stable in the universe, to develop a procedure that requires solely solar energy.

For this, they have strewn nanoparticles among a forest of semiconductor nanowires.

The carbon dioxide molecules were drawn to, and twisted by, those gold-coated chromium oxide nanoparticles, weakening the bonds between the carbon and oxygen.

The light energy was utilized by the gallium nitride nanowires to liberate electrons and the holes positively charged spaces they leave behind.

The protons (hydrogen) and oxygen were broken apart in the water molecules by the holes.

At the metal catalysts, the electrons divide the carbon dioxide to create carbon monoxide and, occasionally, methane by attracting free hydrogen.

The development of procedures to isolate oxygen from other gases.

Mi's team was able to regulate the proportions of hydrogen and carbon monoxide generated in the process by varying the gold to chromium oxide ratio in the nanoparticles.

This is significant because a fuel's or chemical's ease of manufacture depends on the hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio.

Also Read: Largest Solar Farm in the World Planned to be Built in the Philippines

Solar-powered synthesis

Artificial photosynthesis, which uses solar energy to manufacture chemicals and fuels, has progressively gained popularity as awareness of climate change and the need for more sustainable chemical production has grown, as per Nature.

Even when sacrificial reagents are not necessary, the poor economic value of products like O2 has thus far prevented artificial photosynthesis from being scaled up.

As a result, there is increased interest in developing more sophisticated solar chemicals rather than sticking with straightforward processes like water splitting.

To combine light-harvesting and enzymatic catalysis with the added benefit of enantioselectively oxyfunctionalizing aliphatic hydrocarbons, semi-artificial photosynthetic systems have been created.

Complex natural products and active medicinal components have been synthesized asymmetrically using the combination of light and enzymatic catalysis.

These groundbreaking studies, however, called for excessive amounts of sacrificial redox agents, such as alcohols, or pricey platinum group photocatalysts, which will prevent their widespread use for synthetic photosynthesis.

The simultaneous oxidation of non-food biomass lignin by a photoelectrochemical platform in conjunction with the enzymatic reduction of CO2 or a-ketoglutarate has previously been demonstrated, though the substrate range was severely constrained, and toxic lead-containing perovskites were required for light harvesting.

The use of lignin as a photocatalyst to generate hydrogen peroxide from air and water without the need for sacrificial chemicals is now reported by Park, Hollmann, and colleagues in a paper published in Nature Synthesis.

This process can oxyfunctionalize aliphatic hydrocarbons with quantitative enantioselectivity when combined with unspecific peroxygenases (UPOs).

Related article: Solar Power at Night is Already Possible After Scientists Develop This New Device
In Alaska, a dedicated and fortunate birdwatcher might spot an elusive bluethroat north of the Brooks Range, catch a glimpse of a harlequin duck zipping along an interior river, come across all four species of eider in Utqiavik, or listen to the sounds of tens of thousands of feeding shorebirds in the Copper River Delta.

Birdwatching in Alaska as a tourist spot

Each year, thousands of birdwatchers go to Alaska in search of uncommon and difficult-to-find species to cross off their Big Year lists, as per ScienceDaily.

By doing this, they give the economy a much-needed boost and encourage ecosystem preservation.

According to a recent study from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Audubon Alaska, in 2016 the state welcomed approximately 300,000 bird enthusiasts who spent $378 million there.

Around 4,300 people were employed in birdwatching in Alaska in that year, which is comparable to the numbers in the mining and telecommunications sectors, but not necessarily in terms of total earnings for employees.

Birders in Alaska spent more money, stayed longer, and visited more off-the-beaten-path areas of the state than other visitors did.

Birdwatchers frequently traveled in smaller groups and took part in more activities than other nonbirders, such as guided tours, as a result of their need for discretion and insider knowledge of the best birding locations.

Tobias Schwoerer, the study's principal investigator and an economist at the UAF International Arctic Research Center, said that when tourists to Alaska spend money to see endangered species for which their environment is a crucial habitat on a global scale, there is an incentive to maintain high habitat standards for birds.

The study found that the portion of the Alaskan tourist sector unrelated to huge ships, rail systems, or bus cruise lines is frequently disregarded and understudied.

According to Schwoerer, there is also untapped potential for creating small specialty ecotourism firms, particularly in rural areas that are home to highly sought-after bird species.

Furthermore, independent travelers are more likely to fly to the Pribilof Islands, visit the Aleutian Islands to view a rare species they can't locate anywhere else, or arrange a tour with a tiny operator who runs Sprinter vans from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay.

Visitors who went off the beaten tourist trail and showed up with binoculars in hand at the Haines Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, where Natalie Dawson led birding treks, served as the study's inspiration.

Also Read: Rare Sighting of Elusive Sea Eagle in North America Amazes Birdwatchers

Bird watching spots in Alaska

Thanks to its variety of habitats, placement along migratory routes, and limitless vast regions, Alaska is a birder's heaven, as per the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

In search of breeding, overwintering, resting, and refueling habitats, almost 500 bird species inhabit or transit through the Great Land, from the Arctic pack ice to the Southeast Asian jungles to the windswept Aleutian Islands.

Alaska's extensive wetlands, lakes, and rivers, as well as its more than 40,000 kilometers of coastline, are essential to wading birds, shorebirds, and waterfowl.

Its extensive woodlands provide a haven for songbirds, both migratory and local, as well as woodpeckers and raptors.

Exotic Asian "stray" birds that deviate from their intended path frequently end up in Alaska and on the life lists of ecstatic bird watchers.

About 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Unalaska is the storied seal islands of the Bering Sea.

In acknowledgment of the significance of its seabird breeding places on a worldwide scale, they were included in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge in 1984.

Three million or more large seabird colonies, including thick-billed murres, common murres, least auklets, parrot auklets, horned puffins, tufted puffins, black-legged kittiwakes, and the majority of red-legged kittiwake populations worldwide, breed on the islands.

Birds from as far away as Siberia and Argentina have been observed on the islands, representing over 220 different species.

One of the biggest seabird colonies in the northern hemisphere is found on the St. George cliffs. There are airports, tourist attractions, and some roads in St. Paul and St. George.

Both migratory birds from all over the world and hardy local species may be found at Denali National Park and Preserve.

As migrating birds return to Denali in the spring, there is a marked increase in quantity.

Visitors who enjoy birdwatching in the summer may see these migrating species in a breathtakingly beautiful northern setting.

While birding in the winter is less abundant than in the summer, it may still be rewarding because of pine grosbeaks, mixed ptarmigan flocks, and possibly even a gyrfalcon or northern goshawk.

Of the 167 bird species found in Denali, 149 are usually seen there, and 119 are thought to nest there.

Related article: Conservation Group Decries Birdwatchers Using Smartphone App to Lure Birds
The installation of a fiber optic cable atop the ice cap of an Icelandic subglacial volcano by researchers to identify low-frequency volcanic tremor raises the possibility that additional ice-covered volcano systems may benefit from the use of similar technology.

Their study, which was published in The Seismic Record, showed that the Vatnajokull glacier's floating ice crown, one of Iceland's most dangerous volcanoes, served as a natural amplifier of the seismic signals.

According to Andreas Fichtner, a professor of seismology and wave physics at ETH Zurich, this looks to be the first observation of a floating ice sheet serving as an amplifier of tremor.

He noted that although ice shelf oscillations in Antarctica and Greenland have long been recognized, they are often triggered by ocean waves.

Using fiber optics to detect a tremor in an Icelandic subglacial volcano

Although the exact mechanisms behind volcanic tremors can differ, they can be an indicator of deep volcanic or geothermal activity, Fichter said.

"In addition to providing information about the underlying processes, tremor may also serve as a precursor of volcanic eruptions that should be monitored closely," the scientist further noted via ScienceDaily.

Grimsvotn is one of Iceland's largest and most active volcanoes, with major eruptions take place on average every ten years.

Geothermal heating melts the ice cap, creating a subglacial lake on the volcano that occasionally bursts forth and floods the coastal plains.

Its explosive eruptions create towering ash plumes that affect agriculture, human health, and aviation.

Ash from the last major eruption in May 2011 closed Iceland's main airport and led to the cancellation of 900 flights.

Researchers are interested in learning more about the seismic environment of Grimsvotn, but setting up a conventional seismic network is expensive and challenging due to the subglacial volcano's distant location and harsh climate.

Fichtner and associates chose Distributed Acoustic Sensing as an alternative.

The minuscule internal imperfections in a lengthy optical fiber are used as many seismic sensors in a technique called distributed acoustic sensing, or DAS.

At one end of the fiber, a device known as an interrogator, fires laser pulses down the cable, which are reflected off the faults in the fiber and returned to the interrogator.

Researchers can investigate modifications in the timing of the reflected pulses when the fiber is shaken by seismic activity to discover more about the ensuing seismic waves.

After carefully examining the data, the scientists can clearly say that using traditional stations would not have allowed them to make the findings that they did.

This covers both the almost 3000 local earthquakes that they have recorded throughout the experiment's three weeks, as well as the tremor-related oscillations of the ice sheets.

The researchers discovered after studying the highly sampled DAS data that the floating ice sheet was functioning as a natural resonator of seismic signals, enabling them to identify the volcanic tremor that could have otherwise been masked by other ambient or instrument "noise" in a traditional seismic network.

Also Read: Scientists find Volcano Simmering beneath Western Antarctica

Fiber optic sensing

Extrinsic sensing is the process of communicating with an external sensor via a test station over a fiber-optic connection.

Intrinsic fiber sensing, on the other hand, occurs when the fiber itself serves as the fiber optic sensing system.

This form of fiber sensing technology has the advantage of simplifying and being less expensive since distinct connections between the fiber and external sensors are not necessary.

In order to make this conceivable, observable external stimulus, like temperature and strain variations, must affect the light source within the wire.

Raleigh scattering occurs when light photons randomly disperse after interacting with fiber-bound particles.

Since the volume, wavelength, and location of light backscattered to the detector may be used to identify the magnitude and location of attenuation events inside an optical fiber, this approach has proven effective with a variety of fiber testing procedures, including OTDR fiber testing.

Similar variations in photons scattered back to the source in the Stokes band are brought on by temperature in Raman scattering.

The temperature may be precisely measured at any point along the fiber by comparing the intensity of backscattered light in the Stokes and anti-Stokes bands.

Related article: Volcanic Eruption Risk in Iceland Heats Up
Scientists stumbled upon the possibility that great white sharks can alter their skin tone to blend in, similar to the camouflage abilities of other animals.

Ryan Johnson, a shark biologist, and Gibbs Kuguru, a shark geneticist, collaborate on the new National Geographic Sharkfest film Camo Sharks to explore whether great white sharks can alter their color for camouflage and to blend into the environment, similar to other marine animals like squids or octopuses.

After years of working with white sharks, Johnson claims that he began to notice individuals who had slightly different skin tones from the norm. This led him to conclude that white sharks may be a species that can alter the color of their skin.

Shark Behavior

There needed to be a control to compare with to demonstrate that the sharks were indeed changing color. To photograph a grayscale color board alongside the sharks they were studying, Johnson and Kuguru devised a plan. They could then standardize the lighting using Photoshop. Sharks aren't the most cooperative models, so this proved to be difficult.

When the sharks breached, which is a hunting maneuver, as well as when they were swimming at the top and scavenging at the bottom of the water column, the researchers wanted to measure the color of the animals. They traveled to Seal Island, a shark hotspot off Cape Town, South Africa, and used a decoy seal as bait to entice the sharks to breach. The Sharkfest hosts used a drone and a remote-controlled boat with a color board attached to capture casual swimming behavior, and Johnson used a dive cage to capture footage of the sharks in deeper waters.

All in the Lighting?

The results of the color board tests appeared to show that, despite the color board's control for lighting conditions, individual sharks, distinguishable by scars and other distinctive characteristics, did indeed appear in different colors in various scenarios.

The scientists also needed to provide evidence that sharks can camouflage, so they looked for molecular evidence in the skin cells. Melanocytes, which produce melanin as the cell contracts, are found in the skin cells of species that have been observed to change color quickly.

Read also: Great White Sharks With No Organs Found in South Africa, Two Orcas Possible Culprit

The researchers intended to subject shark skin cells to a variety of hormones, including adrenaline, melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), and melanin itself, to determine whether the sharks could physically change color. Using a dart gun, they collected the sharks' skin cells and transported them back to the lab.

To the researchers' surprise, the melanocytes in the shark cells dispersed when they were exposed to MSH, darkening the tissue. The tissue's color lightened when it was exposed to adrenaline. The tissue turned into a mixture of light and dark when melatonin was present.

These outcomes came from a remarkably small sample size of just three sharks, though. For the results to be statistically valid, more data must be gathered, Newsweek reports.

Even though the documentary's findings aren't yet ready for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, the researchers are thrilled to have the chance to make a movie that focuses on the research process rather than just the findings.

Related article: Massive 13-Feet-Long Great White Shark Detected Just 20 Miles Off North Carolina Coast
According to information published by the U.S. DoD on July 7, 2022, the Sentinel-class fast response cutters USCGC Clarence Sutphin Jr. (WPC 1147) and USCGC John Scheuerman (WPC 1146) arrived in Algiers, Algeria for a scheduled port visit.

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Sentinel-class cutters Clarence Sutphin and John Scheuerman (Picture source: U.S. DoD)

During the visit, Rear Adm. Chase Patrick, director of maritime engagement, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF), will meet with Algerian government and military leaders to discuss shared goals of maritime security and regional stability in the Mediterranean Sea region.

Last month, Algeria participated in the NAVAF-led North African exercise Phoenix Express 2022. Participating nations exchanged information-sharing practices, enhancing efforts to promote safety and security in the Mediterranean Sea and territorial waters of participating North African nations.

This port visit also marks the first stop in Africa for Clarence Sutphin Jr. and John Scheuerman since their commissioning earlier this year. The two cutters are forward-deployed to the U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa area of operations and assigned to U.S. Coast Guard Patrol Forces Southwest Asia, while employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet.

About Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters

The Sentinel-class cutter, also known as Fast Response Cutter due to its program name, is part of the United States Coast Guard's Deepwater program.

She is equipped with a stern launching ramp, that allows her to launch or retrieve a water-jet propelled high-speed auxiliary boat, without first coming to a stop.

Her high-speed boat has over-the-horizon capability and is useful for inspecting other vessels and deploying boarding parties. She is designed to support her crew of 24 for missions of up to five days, over distances of almost 3,000 nautical miles (5,556 km; 3,452 mi).

The vessels are armed with a remote-control 25 mm Bushmaster autocannon and four crew-served .50-caliber (12.7 mm) M2HB heavy machine guns. They have a bow thruster for maneuvering in crowded anchorages and channels. They also have small underwater fins, for coping with the rolling and pitching caused by large waves. The vessels are manned by a crew of 22.
SITEKI  A man suspected to be a poacher was shot dead by rangers at the Hlane Royal National Park (RNP) on Sunday night.

Big Game Parks Head of Conservation Jubela Reilly, confirmed that a suspected poacher was fatally wounded at Hlane RNP. Reilly said rangers were on night patrol on Sunday and they became aware of the presence of poachers inside the Hlane RNP when they heard dogs barking. He said the rangers proceeded to the area to investigate. At approximately 2am, two suspects and several dogs bumped into the rangers at close range, who immediately shone on the suspects with their torches and identified themselves and further shouted at them to drop their weapons and submit themselves to arrest, he said.

Firearm

Reilly said one of the suspects was carrying a firearm. The suspect with the firearm immediately swung towards the rangers instead of dropping it and this caused the rangers to fire at the suspect who was fatally wounded on the scene. The second suspect escaped into the darkness, added Reilly. He further mentioned that in addition to the firearm and 13 rounds of ammunitions and other night hunting equipment were found on the scene. He stated that a dog was also shot dead on the scene.

Investigation

Reilly said police officers from the Simunye Police Station were immediately informed and they promptly attended to the scene of crime. The police are investigation the circumstances of the incident, he said. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed the mater. Vilakati said the police had a report of a man who was suspected to be a poacher and was shot by rangers.
EZULWINI  In a mind boggling case, a high school teacher in one of the schools around the Hhohho Region has been accused of abducting minor girls from a primary school for five days.

The children, aged 14 and 15, are said to have disappeared last Friday, having been taken away by a teenager who was driving the teachers car. They were only located yesterday morning along one of the busy intersections in Ezulwini. One of the children is said to be in Grade VI, while the other is in Grade VII. They are enrolled in one of the primary schools close to the high school where the teacher is employed. The polices special investigations unit was spotted at the school yesterday, around 1pm, where they dropped off a person believed to be the suspect.

Downcast

He looked downcast, as he walked straight to the head teachers office for a meeting that lasted for close to an hour. Reports from sources within the school were to the effect that he was picked-up in the early hours yesterday, after a mob went to the school to demand justice. A father to one of the minors, whose identity cannot be revealed to protect the child, said the children confessed at the Lobamba Police Station that they spent the five days with the teacher and other unknown people in four different locations in the area. Wherever they went, they met different men, some of whom were unknown to them. What annoys me is that one of the people who was part of this has been calling me all week to give me clues on the childrens whereabouts. The children have now confessed that he was part of the people who spent time with them, he said.

The father also pointed out that there were allegations of abuse levelled against the teacher and his friends, but he would not know what sort of abuse the minors suffered until after they have been examined by a doctor. These are young children. I do not understand why someone as senior as the teacher would choose to go to a primary school to do such a thing, he said.

On a closer look, the teacher appeared to be in his late 30s. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said the law precluded her office from speaking on issues touching on minors.

However, a source within the police service stated that the focus at present was on rehabilitation of the children. He said from the hospital, they would be taken to the Social Welfare offices and offered services aimed at relieving the strain that came with experiencing such trauma. We are talking to the children to try and establish exactly what happened. Any person linked to the incident can be considered a person of interest, nothing more, he said. The head teacher, whose identity could not be immediately ascertained, was sought for comment, but she left through the back door and was never seen again. In her absence, a staffer said it was the schools policy not to comment on issues affecting the school to the press. Some angry residents of the area are said to have protested in front of the school over the incident.

Angry

Chairman of the schools committee, when addressing the angry mob said he would instruct the head teacher to take the matter to the regional education office (REO) right away. He even accompanied the father and the two minors to the police station, where they confessed in the presence of the suspect. There have been many cases of child-teacher relationships in schools around the country in the past, but most of these relationships took place in the same environment. It is a rare case to have a high school teacher engaging in relationships with minors from a primary school. The Teaching Service Commission (TSC) has toughened up its stance on teacher-pupil relationships by expelling and blacklisting teachers found guilty of such offences. The Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act, meanwhile, provides a variety of grounds for the prosecution of any person found to have been in a relationship with a child under the age of 18.
Chinese networking equipment vendor H3C has released what it says is the first Wi-Fi 7 router on the market, well in advance of the standard becoming final, which isn't expected to happen before 2024.

The H3C Magic BE18000, announced in June, uses the same 802.11be wireless protocols that are being designed for use as Wi-Fi 7. H3C said that the BE18000 can operate in the 6GHz band and offers a peak throughput of 18,443Mbps, using the newly widened 320MHz channels designed for use with Wi-Fi 7. The router is designed around the latest chipset from Qualcomm, the first designed for Wi-Fi 7, which was released in May.

Prestandard wireless equipment is far from a new phenomenonaccess points using not-yet-released wireless standards have predated each of the official releases for several refresh cycles now. While endpoint manufacturers tend to be a bit more conservative, AP and router manufacturers are less circumspect.

The release of H3C's router represents an indication that that company, at least, feels the major technical features of Wi-Fi 7 are sufficiently settled to release a product, despite the fact that no major endpoint vendor includes Wi-Fi 7 capability in its smartphones or laptops as of yet.

The BE18000 release tallies closely with predictions made by Qualcomm senior director of engineering Andy Davidson, who told Network World in March that prestandard gear could begin to appear this year, driven by an increased willingness by end-users to adopt new Wi-Fi technology as soon as it becomes available for sale.

Multilink operation is key Wi-Fi 7 feature

The headlining technical feature in Wi-Fi 7 is multilink operation, which is, in essence, the ability for an access point to listen and talk at the same time. There are two variants of multilink: alternating, in which devices use one channel to receive data and another to send it; and simultaneous, in which both devices are sending and receiving on multiple channels at the same time.

The idea is to provide options for greater throughput and to address potential latency issues. Simultaneous multilink, in particular, holds great potential for avoiding the types of interference that can cause noticeable latency issues, allowing connections to change frequencies on the fly in order to cope with a loss of signal in a particular band.
New Wi-Fi standards appear in such rapid succession that its often difficult to evaluate the differences between Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 6, and Wi-Fi 6Eall of which are standards adopted in commercial products. And now theres Wi-Fi 7.

Chinese networking-equipment vendor H3C has released what it says is a Wi-Fi 7 router even though the Wi-Fi 7 standard isnt expected to be finalized until 2024.

What is Wi-Fi 7?

Wi-Fi 7 or 802.11be is the next Wi-Fi standard being worked on by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers that promises speeds of a whopping 46Gbps, nearly five times faster than Wi-Fi 6, as well as reduced latency. Wi-Fi 7 (also known as Extremely High Throughput) is expected to deliver higher spectrum efficiency, higher power efficiency, better interference mitigation, higher capacity density, and higher cost efficiency.

How does Wi-Fi 7 work?

Just when you thought IEEE engineers were running out of ways to improve Wi-Fi, they came up with several new enhancements and combinations of techniques to deliver not just an incremental boost, but a significant jump in performance and a reduction in latency

Heres how.

Double the channel size

Wi-Fi 7 doubles the maximum channel size from 160MHz to 320Mhz, which doubles throughput right off the bat. Wi-Fi 7 also provides flexibility so that a network can run either at two 160MHz sets of channels or one channel at 320Mhz, depending on application requirements.

Double the number of MU-MIMO spatial streams

Wi-Fi 7 increases the number of spatial streams from eight to 16, which also doubles throughput. Multiple-user, multiple-input, multiple-output (MU-MIMO) technology breaks the available bandwidth into separate streams that share the connection equally. MU-MIMO reduces congestion associated with multiple endpoints trying to access the wireless network at the same time. In addition, MU-MIMO supports bi-directional functionality, so the router can accept and send data at the same time. (In Wi-Fi 5, MU-MIMO was limited to downlink transmissions.)

Quadruple the QAM

Increasing quadratic amplitude modulation (QAM) from 1024-QAM to 4096-QAM is expected to deliver an additional 20% boost in throughput. Thats how we get from 9.6Mbps in Wi-Fi 6 to 46Mbps in Wi-Fi 7.

Multi-link operation (MLO)

With MLO, devices can simultaneously transmit and receive across all of the available bands (2.4Ghz, 5Ghz and 6Ghz) and channels. This improves performance, reduces latency and boosts reliability. Data flows can be pre-assigned to specific channels based on application or device requirements, particularly in IoT or IIoT environments. Or the network can be configured to dynamically select the frequency band that has the lowest congestion in real time and send data over that channel.

Multi-AP operation

In prior Wi-Fi standards, each access point acted independently in terms of accepting connection requests from endpoints and moving traffic back and forth to that endpoint. Multi-AP operation creates a mesh-type configuration in which neighboring APs can work in coordination to improve spectrum and resource utilization. Multi-AP operation can be programmed so that a set of APs form a subsystem in which channel access and transmission schedules can be tightly coordinated.

Time-sensitive networking (TSN)

Wi-Fi 7 supports TSN, an IEEE standard which helps provide low latency and increased reliability. TSN technology, originally designed to reduce buffering, latency and jitter in Ethernet networks, uses time scheduling to ensure reliable packet delivery for real-time applications, such as IoT or IIOT.

Multi-RU

OFDMA (orthogonal frequency division multiple access) enables access points to communicate simultaneously with multiple clients by assigning Resource Units to individual clients. Multi-RU increases spectrum efficiency by making sure that traffic avoids interference on congested channels.

Deterministic low latency

The combination of the technologies cited above will decrease latency so that Wi-Fi 7 can support real-time applications like AR/VR and IoT. Latency will also be more deterministic, meaning it will not spike beyond a certain limit, which is important in certain industrial automation applications that cannot tolerate wide variances in latency.

Benefits of Wi-Fi 7

While Wi-Fi 5 might be sufficient today for all but the most bandwidth-intensive applications, the assumption is that wireless traffic loads will continue to increase over time, particularly as organizations embrace digital transformation.

Business processes that were once performed manually are moving into the digital world, particularly the cloud. And the amount of data that needs to be moved on the wireless network is increasing exponentially.

Digital transformation doesnt simply mean that end users who performed a specific function with a paper document are now performing that function with a digital replica. Business processes are becoming more complex and interconnected. Data is moving across hybrid-cloud environments. A specific business function might span multiple applications. Data-intensive analytics are becoming more pervasive across the enterprise. Video collaboration platforms have become the norm.

Wi-Fi 7 is designed to accommodate increased traffic due to digital transformation, as well as to support specific applications that require deterministic latency, high levels of reliability, and quality of service. These might include industrial automation, surveillance, remote control, augmented and virtual reality, and video applications. In addition, Wi-Fi 7 and 5G will work together in edge computing scenarios, cloud architectures, and private wireless networks.

Will Wi-Fi 7 replace Ethernet?

In certain specific situations, Wi-Fi 7 could replace wired Ethernet, which would be truly game changing. For example: an all-wireless, completely unplugged office, particularly in greenfield environments where IT staff wouldnt have to string wires in the ceiling or run cabling to each cubicle or office space.

While Wi-Fi 7s maximum theoretical speed is 46Gbps, other estimates put real-world speeds much loweraround 6Gbpswhich is still significantly faster than Gigabit Ethernet.

Of course, in wireless networks the bandwidth is shared among endpoints, while Gigabit Ethernet can deliver dedicated gigabit circuits to each endpoint, so thats another variable to consider. Then again, wireless networks can use multiple antennas and multiple streams, and Wi-Fi 7 is designed to enable the meshing of multiple access points, so at the very least, analysis of its real-world performance in your environment is both necessary and extremely complex.

According to Alan Hsu, corporate vice president and general manager at Taiwanese chip maker MediaTek, "The rollout of Wi-Fi 7 will mark the first time that Wi-Fi can be a true wireline/Ethernet replacement for super-high-bandwidth applications."

MediaTek conducted a demo of Wi-Fi 7 technology in January 2022, and the company predicted that it will have Wi-Fi 7 chips shipping by next year, even before the standard is expected to be ratified. Other major chipmakers, like Qualcomm, are also leading the Wi-Fi 7 charge, with Qualcomm supplying the chips for the claimed Wi-Fi 7 router from H3C.

Mario Morales, group vice president for semiconductors at IDC, says, Wi-Fi 7s advances in channel width, QAM, and new features such as multi-link operation (MLO) will make Wi-Fi 7 very attractive for devices including flagship smartphones, PCs, consumer devices and vertical industries like retail and industrial.

But its too early to make any kind of prediction on whether Wi-Fi 7 will actually replace Ethernet as the standard for enterprise LAN connectivity. On paper, it does seem that Wi-Fi 7 checks all the boxes when it comes to bandwidth, reliability, and security (WPA3). But inertia is a powerful force and IT teams may have more pressing priorities than switching out predictable, low-maintenance Ethernet for Wi-Fi.

However, there are specific use cases, such as IoT, industrial automation, greenfield branch-office/large-office or retail/industrial scenarios, where Wi-Fi 7 could provide quicker and easier deployment than Ethernet.

Since many IT departments have already added a wireless network on top of the pre-existing Ethernet LAN in order to provide mobility to employees, Wi-Fi and Ethernet could co-exist in a scenario in which Wi-Fi is the primary network and Ethernet sticks around as a backup.

As fast as Wi-Fi 7 may be at 46Gbps, shipments of 400 Gigabit Ethernet gear (cables, switches) doubled in 2021, according to the DellOro group. And the Ethernet roadmap calls for speeds of 800G or even 1 Terabyte by 2030. So, Wi-Fi may be competing with Ethernet at the access layer, but Ethernet remains firmly ensconced in both enterprise and hyperscale data centers.

With standards-compliant Wi-Fi 7 expected to arrive just three years after Wi-Fi 6E, organizations need to take a close look at their refresh cycles in order to determine their upgrade path: If were on Wi-Fi 5, should we jump to Wi-Fi 6, jump to Wi-Fi 6E, or wait for Wi-Fi 7? If weve already committed to Wi-Fi 6, should we stick with it and only upgrade to Wi-Fi 7 if and when there is a critical business need?

According to IDCs analysis of the enterprise WLAN market for 2021, Wi-Fi 6 accounted for 60% of total units shipped, while Wi-Fi 5 sales accounted for most of the rest, which implies that many companies have committed to Wi-Fi 6, and many others are still building out their Wi-Fi 5 networks.

The road to Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi 7 is just the latest in a long line of Wi-Fi standards that have progressively enabled faster, safer, and more reliable wireless networking. Here is a brief description of the latest few.

Wi-Fi 5

Wi-Fi 5, which came out in 2014, tops out at 3.5Gbps and is certainly sufficient for home networks, branch offices and many enterprise scenarios.

Wi-Fi 6

Certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance in 2019, Wi-Fi 6 offers a maximum theoretical throughput speed of 9.6Gbps and is designed for dense environments like stadiums, malls, and large offices. It can also be deployed effectively in IoT environments.

Wi-Fi 6E

A 2021 extension to Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E delivers the same speed, but takes advantage of previously unavailable wireless spectrum in the 6Ghz band to provide better performance because theres no interference from pre-existing applications competing for the same bandwidth. 6E is intended for emerging applications like virtual or augmented reality and 4G/8G video.
MBABANE  About 12 employees from well-known businessman Lucky Ngubs Ngubanes companies yesterday went to his residence at Makholokholo demanding payment of their two months salaries.

The employee also demanded the payment of their terminal benefits. They arrived at the businessmans residence at around 7am, claiming that they were tired of the empty promises they were allegedly getting from Ngubane. The employees comprised security guards and cleaners. They work under 4Him Security Services and Luckys Ark Expert Cleaners. They alleged that Ngubane had failed to fulfill his promises regarding the payment of their salaries and terminal benefits as they were long overdue. They said it was for that reason that they had to come to his house to get their money.

When this reporter visited the businessmans residence, the employees were found within the premises and no one was attending to them. They were allowed into the premises by a young man. They said they tried to communicate with Ngubanes domestic helper, whom they found busy with her chores, to call Ngubane or his wife to deliver their verbal petition. However, they said they were told that neither the businessman nor his wife were around. At around 10am, the employees were heard shouting, saying they wanted to leave Ngubanes residence since no one gave them the attention they were expecting.

Longer

They had to stay longer than they expected as no one opened the electric gate for them. They eventually left the residence about 30 minutes later and remained outside. 4Him Security Services guards lost their jobs at the end of May 31, 2022 after the University of Eswatini terminated the companys contract. Their boss promised to pay their May and June salaries but to date they have not been paid. Soon after the termination the companys contract, the employees were promised the payment of their terminal benefits which they are yet to received.

One of the 4Him Security Services guards said they tried on several occasions to engage Ngubane regarding the payment of their salaries but he allegedly gave them excuses such as that the university had not paid him. The man who looked frustrated said Ngubane was no longer taking their calls when contacted which, they said, annoyed them.

We have been calling his number now and again but he is not willing to respond. We are tired. We want our money. We are sleeping on the streets as we were evicted by our landlords for non-payment of rent, said a former security guard. Employees of Luckys Ark Expert Cleaners, who worked at UNESWA, said they had also come to the businessmans residence to demand the payment of their salaries for the past two months. They stated that he told them that he had not received any money from the university. One of the cleaners said she would not go home unless they received their money.

It has been over two months since we received our money. We are always doing our work but it seems Ngubane is taking us for granted. We have tried to make contact with him but he is not picking our calls. Where are we going to get money from to pay our rent? What about our children who are now at home as we cannot afford their transport fees? she queried. Some of the cleaners alleged that the university had given Ngubane an ultimatum to pay all the employees, especially the cleaners tomorrow. They further stated that Ngubanes failure to pay his employees would result in the termination of Luckys Ark Expert Cleaners contract.

Monitor

Four police officers came to Ngubanes homestead to monitor the situation outside the gate. After introducing themselves, they said they had been sent by their commander to ask what they wanted from Ngubanes homestead. One police officer said they had been sent to enquire about their issues. We have been sent by the commander to ask what is going on.

He (commander) promised to deliver your issues to him. We dont want to see you outside his premises because he has a family. Our duty is to offer protection to all, said the officer. The employees all responded in one voice that they needed their money from Ngubane ,which he owed them for months. The officer then called Ngubane, who was put on loudspeaker, to address his employees concerning their money.

Through the conversation conducted on the phone, he promised to pay his employees this coming Friday. When they asked him where they would meet him, he said they should go to Lenhle building at Sidwashini. The employees shouted out in one voice and said he had no offices in the building he mentioned. He then asked them to go to Matsapha of which they complained about not having money for transport. Let me start by apologising for the inconvenience. I promise that you will get your money on Friday this week, said Ngubane. When the police officer asked him whether his employees would receive their outstanding money as well as terminal benefits for all those security guards who lost their jobs, he did not clearly state what would happen.

The police officers then requested the employees to go back home as the commander who sent them would take over the issue. The employees left Ngubanes homestead but promised to return in case they did not receive their money as per Ngubanes promise. Efforts to get comment from Ngubane were unsuccessful as his phone rang unanswered during the time of compiling this report.
Reporter

Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
MANZINI  Cutting taxes will create a bigger challenge for the country, says the Minister of Finance.

Neal Rijkenberg was sought to establish if the options that were being brought forward by some of the economists engaged by this publication would yield the desired outcomes and what impact they would have on government. He was informed that pursuant to the increment of fuel by E2.30 per litre and the proposed hike of bread by E2.88, economists supposed that government should offer relief to consumers through subsidising bread, fuel and or cutting tax. Given these options that were shared by the economists, Rijkenberg was asked if it would be possible for the Ministry of Finance to cut taxes following that it had already set a budget for the year and was expecting taxes to also fund it. He was also asked if taxes were to be cut, how the deficit would be covered and lastly, if government were to subsidise either fuel or bread prices, where would the money come from.

The minister responded by saying that the administration fully understood and appreciated the additional pressures that the population was under, due to these price escalations. He said: The poor are normally earning salaries below the PAYE (pay-as-you-earn) threshold. They normally do not pay VAT as the goods they buy are VAT exempt. They also do not own companies that pay corporate tax.

Challenges

Rijkenberg said cutting taxes had two challenges, which included that it would not assist the underprivileged as much as intended and that civil servants and other services rendered by government would not be funded, which would then create a bigger challenge. The minister said government was still cushioning the fuel price and that some of the measures that were put in place when the COVID-19 crisis hit the country were still in place, such as the reduced repo-rate. He said the main staple food in Eswatini was maize, secondly rice and thirdly bread. The minister also said they were working on a strategy with the Ministry of Agriculture to subsidise the maize price by increasing the input subsidy. He said this would be announced in due course.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government that is distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
AP

Foreign analysts say Russia may be temporarily easing its offensive in Ukraine as it attempts to reconstitute its forces for a renewed assault
Reporter

Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey).
Introduction

Evolutionary Roots of the Problem of Sustainability

How does Antibiotic Resistance Develop and Spread?

The Invention of Antibiotics

Classifications of Antibiotics

Response from the World Health Organisation

References

Further Reading

Antibiotic resistance is a pressing issue that has been brought to the attention of the scientific community in recent times by the discoverer of the structure of DNA, James Watson.

Antibiotic resistance. Image Credit: Fahroni/Shutterstock.com

In 2011, he and 30 other biological scientists from Canada, France, Finland, Belgium, Germany, the UK, and the US gathered in New York for a conference on antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

Following its results, the participants published a joint statement, which said with undisguised alarm: The development and spread of antibiotic resistance in bacteria is a global threat to humans and animals that is generally difficult to prevent but manageable and must be addressed most effectively.

Furthermore, the facts about the essential role of bacteria in human life and well-being, the nature of antibiotics and the importance of their prudent use must be brought to the attention of the general public.

Evolutionary roots of the problem of sustainability

The hypothesis that antibiotic-producing actinomycetes living in soils become a source of antibiotic resistance genes was formulated as early as 1973 by American scientists Benveniste and Davies.

However, later it turned out that the genes of AB producers have very low similarity with the genes of pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, it was suggested that any natural bacteria, and not just the producers themselves, are the source of AB resistance genes.

The first evidence in favor of this assumption was obtained by French scientists when studying the origin of beta-lactamase genes and quinolone resistance genes. In both cases, it was possible to find natural bacteria carrying genes that are almost identical to clinical ones. However, these were only isolated examples.

To convincingly confirm this hypothesis, it was necessary to isolate genes that are identical or almost identical to clinical ones from natural ecosystems that were not subjected to anthropogenic impact.

For the first time, such AB resistance genes from untouched ecosystems were discovered in 2008 by Russian geneticists from the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

For these studies, samples of "permafrost" aged from 20 thousand to 3 million years were used. In 2011, Canadian researchers also found resistance genes in DNA isolated from a 30,000-year-old permafrost sample from the Klondike. At present, genomic research in this direction is being actively conducted in the laboratories of several countries.

How does antibiotic resistance develop and spread?

Why did such a situation arise that the once omnipotent ABs suddenly ceased to act effectively on bacteria? To answer this question, it is necessary to understand the main ways in which resistance arises and how it spreads.

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics can be congenital or acquired. Congenital resistance is due to structural features of the cell structures, which are targeted by the action of the antibiotic. Such resistance may be associated, for example, with the absence of an AB action target in microorganisms or the inaccessibility of the target due to the low permeability of the cell membrane.

Acquired resistance occurs because of contact of a microorganism with an antimicrobial agent due to the occurrence of mutations or due to horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of resistance. Currently, it is the horizontal transfer of various resistance genes that is the main reason for the rapid emergence of multidrug resistance in bacteria.

HGT is the process by which an organism passes on genetic material to another organism that is not its descendant. This transferred DNA is integrated into the genome and then stably inherited. In recent years, a clear understanding has been formed that HGT is one of the leading mechanisms of bacterial evolution.

The invention of antibiotics

Scientists call the invention of antibiotics the greatest discovery of the 20th Century. Penicillin has put an end to countless infectious diseases that caused high global morality historically.

Today, antibiotics are widely used in the fight against various types of bacteria. However, the vast availability of such drugs eventually turned into a disadvantage that provoked antibiotic resistance.

Antibiotic resistance. Image Credit: Jarun Ontakrai/Shutterstock.com

Classifications of antibiotics

There are several categories into which antibiotics can be classified, primarily natural and synthetic. The main criterion is the chemical structure of antibiotics based on their mechanism of action against bacteria.

The following categories exist:

Beta-lactam antibiotics

Peptide antibiotics

Aminoglycosides

Tetracycline

Macrolides

Macrolides, tetracyclines, carbapenems, 3rd, 4th, and 5th generation cephalosporins and some penicillin have a very broad spectrum of activity. They fight so-called gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as atypical microorganisms



Response from the World Health Organisation



Finding a solution to antibiotic resistance is of high priority for the World Health Organisation (WHO). In May 2015, the WHO approved the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance, which includes antibiotic resistance. The Global Plan of Action aims to ensure the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases through safe and effective medicines.

The global action plan on antimicrobial resistance has 5 strategic objectives:

Increase awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance

Strengthen surveillance and research

Reduce the number of infections

Optimize the use of antimicrobials

Ensure sustainable investment in countering antimicrobial resistance

During a meeting at the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2016, heads of state committed to launching broad and coordinated actions to tackle the root causes of antibiotic resistance in several sectors, especially in human and animal health and agriculture.

The member states reaffirmed their commitment to developing national action plans to combat this phenomenon, building on the global action plan.



References



Laxminarayan R, Duse A, Wattal C, Zaidi AK, Wertheim HF, Sumpradit N, et al. (December 2013). "Antibiotic resistance-the need for global solutions". The Lancet. Infectious Diseases.

Gualerzi CO, Brandi L, Fabbretti A, Pon CL (4 December 2013). Antibiotics: Targets, Mechanisms and Resistance. John Wiley & Sons.

Murray, Christopher JL; Ikuta, Kevin Shunji; Sharara, Fablina; Swetschinski, Lucien; Aguilar, Gisela Robles; Gray, Authia; Han, Chieh; Bisignano, Catherine; Rao, Puja; Wool, Eve; Johnson, Sarah C. (12 February 2022). "Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a systematic analysis". The Lancet.

"WHO's first global report on antibiotic resistance reveals serious, worldwide threat to public health". WHO.

Davies J, Davies D (September 2010). "Origins and evolution of antibiotic resistance". Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews.

Miller AA (2011). Miller PF (ed.). Emerging trends in antibacterial discovery: answering the call to arms. Caister Academic Press.

Further Reading
Introduction

Classification

Pathophysiology

References

Further reading

Histiocytic disorders are a group of disorders arising from an over-production of histiocytic white blood cells called histiocytes. Histiocytosis, meaning tissue cell, is a general concept for diseases exemplified by myeloid cells, namely mononuclear phagocytes, that share histological features with macrophages or dendritic cells.

Image Credit: Babul Hosen/Shutterstock

Classification

Histiocytic disorders were originally classified by histological features of pathological cells compared with presumed physiological counterparts. There are competing systems for classifying histiocytoses. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), they can be divided into three categories as proposed in the 1999 classification:

Class I (Histiocytosis-X/Eosinophilic granuloma/ Hand-Schuller-Christian syndrome/ Letterer-Siwe disease) Langerhans cell histiocytosis: can be local and asymptomatic, as in isolated bone lesions, or it can involve multiple organs and systems. LCH primarily affects children <10 years of age, Adults are also affected (usually in the third to fifth decades of life). Clinical manifestations and extent of disease established, therefore, depend on the site(s) of the lesions, the organs and systems involved, and their function(s) Restrictive LCH: Restricted LCH involves skin lesions without any other site of involvement. Among these, patients may present with solitary lesion (monostotic) lesions with or without diabetes insipidus, adjacent lymph node involvement, or rash. Extensive LCH: In polyostotic lesions, patients may present with multiple sites of involvement i.e., several bones are involved or more than two lesions are observed in one bone, with or without diabetes insipidus, adjacent lymph node involvement, or rash. Extensive LHC involves visceral organ involvement with or without bone lesions, diabetes insipidus, adjacent lymph node involvement, and/or rash. In addition, patients may or may not show signs of dysfunction in the liver, hematopoietic system, or lungs. Lesions in the liver spleen and bone marrow are regarded as high risk due to their increased potential for death vs. other low-risk sites.



LCH-associated neurodegeneration (LCH-ND) is a severe complication that can arise with systemic symptoms or several years following an initial LCH diagnosis. LCH-NF shows clinical signs of cerebella dysfunction and abnormal MRI findings in the cerebellum, pons, and brain stem. Positive clinical responses have been demonstrated with chemotherapy and MAPK inhibitors.

Class II Non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH): this is a syndrome of extreme immune activation. HLH has been divided into primary and secondary forms. The primary form is genetic. Primary HLH is caused by predisposing inherited defects that result from pathogenic variants in genes that form part of inflammasome function, cellular cytotoxicity, and other cellular functions. Secondary HLH arises in the absence of an underlying defect in cytotoxicity. The secondary form of HLH often occurs in association with a strong immunological stimulus  typically infection, malignancy, autoimmune or autoinflammatory conditions. in the absence of prompt immune suppression, young children, as well as adults, are at high risk of death in cases where they present with clinical and laboratory findings that reflect pathological information. For long-term survival in patients with fixed immune defects associated with HLH, allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is necessary.

Class III Malignant Histiocytic Disorder



Classification of histiocytic disorders is necessary to ensure optimal treatment. While there are dozens of types of histiocytosis, the most common include Class I LCH, and the Class II ErdheimChester disease (ECD), juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG), RosaiDorfman disease (RDD; sometimes known as RosaiDorfmanDestombes disease) and HLH. The first four diseases demonstrate characteristics of malignant cells, although the implications of oncogenic drivers on classification as cancer is a contentious topic.

Related: Haemophilia Causes

Pathophysiology

LCH, ECD, JXG, RDD, and HLH are characterized by the accumulation of cells in various tissues. All of these histiocytic disorders co-present with intense inflammatory infiltrate that has a fundamental role in producing organ specific lesions on clinical symptoms. However, the pathological cell may have a different origin and or phenotype in each condition. Although there is overlapping physiology between LCH, JXG, RDD, and ECD, associated with the accumulation of mononuclear phagocytes, the origin of HLH differs significantly, primarily involving activated CD8+ T cells that subsequent drive macrophage activation and extreme systemic inflammation.

Numerous types of histiocytosis have been reviewed in the literature. Overarchingly, they represent a collection of disorders that share a terminal phenotype with features that are congruent with mononuclear phagocytotic cells. LCH, ECD, JXG, and some cases of RDD represent clonal disorders associated with oncogene drivers, which cause aberrant differentiation of myeloid precursors.

Treatment strategies for the variety of these disorders depend on the type of disease and elucidation of optimal therapeutic strategies are often uncertain for most patients. Cytotoxic therapies are often used to cure patients with systemic LCH, ECD, JXG, and RDD - the goal of this is to clear the pathogenic clone.

More recently, MAPK pathway inhibitors are being evaluated for the treatment of subtypes that are driven by MAPK pathways. While many trials have shown high response rates, it has been shown that cessation of MAPK inhibition may result in recurrence. In addition to these two treatment modalities, modulation of the immune system may be used to control inflammation and manage symptoms. Prompt initiation of immune suppression is essential in HLH and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is necessary when patients present with intractable immune dysfunction.

Histiocytic disorders Play

References

McClain KL, Bigenwald C, Collin M. et al. (2021) Histiocytic disorders. Nat Rev Dis Primers. doi: 10.1038/s41572-021-00307-9.

Emile JF, Abla O, Fraitag S, et al. (2016) Histiocyte Society. Revised classification of histiocytoses and neoplasms of the macrophage-dendritic cell lineages. Blood. doi: 10.1182/blood-2016-01-690636.

Weiss LM& Facchetti F. in WHO Classification of Tumours of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues (eds Swerdlow, S. H. et al.) 470472 (IARC, 2017).

Vaiselbuh SR, Bryceson YT, Allen CE, et al. (2014) Updates on histiocytic disorders. Pediatr Blood Cancer. doi: 10.1002/pbc.25017. Epub 2014 Mar 9. PMID: 24610771.

Further Reading
The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) has signed a five-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Colombia at an event held at the DoEs headquarters in the UAE capital.

The agreement aims to explore opportunities for collaboration on capability development and sharing of knowledge and information, supporting joint projects and initiatives, and promoting the development of bilateral scientific, technical, technological, administrative, and commercial cooperation in the field of energy.

It is in line with the two entities commitment to collaborating in various fields of interest in order to achieve their common goals, diversify energy sources, enhance energy efficiency, and ensure access to reliable, sustainable, and affordable energy.

The MoU was signed in the presence of DoE Undersecretary Eng Ahmed Mohammed Al Rumaithi, and Jaime Amin Hernandez, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Colombia in the UAE, who signed on behalf of the Colombian Minister of Energy and Mines, Diego Mesa, along with officials from both entities.

Enhancing cooperation

DoE is committed to enhancing cooperation and building partnerships with relevant authorities in countries around the world, Al Rumaithi said. We believe partnership is a powerful approach to achieving our objectives, developing the energy sector, enhancing energy efficiency, and meeting the needs and requirements of the local market for reliable and sustainable energy and water supplies now and in the future. This, in turn, supports Abu Dhabis plans for sustainable economic development.

We are delighted to cooperate with the Colombian Ministry of Mines and Energy and to start a new chapter in our partnership, added. The energy sector is in constant need of more expertise in order to embrace advanced energy technologies, upgrade the sectors infrastructure, and provide it with trained professionals, capable of achieving all of our strategic goals. We look forward to cooperating with the Ministry for the benefit of both parties, and to build on our combined experiences to create a model for cooperation in the energy sector.

Energy transition

Mesa said: Colombia currently bets on energy transition as the mean to achieve and guarantee a reliable, self-sufficient and resilient energy matrix. We recognized it as a shared goal with the United Arab Emirates and therefore, decided to establish a strategic alliance between the Ministry and the DoE that will allow us to complement and promote the efforts of both nations to rapidly deploy non-conventional renewable energies, develop low-carbon technologies, and tackle and reverse the effects of climate change.

Under the terms of the five-year agreement, the two entities commit to exchanging studies, knowledge, and expertise, in addition to exploring opportunities for financing projects in energy areas including production, use, and storage of hydrogen; large-scale non-conventional renewable energy; project development in the areas of hydrogen, geothermal, onshore and offshore wind energy, solar, biomass, and other clean energy technologies.

Sustainable transport

Also on the list is the promotion of sustainable transport from clean energy sources; technology development related to advanced energy measurement and monitoring systems; energy service access including renewable energy solutions; promotion of foreign investment in the energy sector; energy efficiency and demand response; technology development related to carbon capture and storage, and finally, promotion of energy storage technologies.

Furthermore, the two parties agreed to facilitate mutual visits by experts from both entities to follow up on joint activities. They will also explore opportunities to undertake joint projects and research assignments, facilitating their design, financing, and execution, and engaging the private sector of both countries in energy infrastructure projects with clean energy sources, as well as pilot projects related to hydrogen, geothermal, onshore and offshore wind energy, solar, biomass, and other clean energy sources.-- TradeArabia News Service
In a recent study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, researchers described the clinical and demographical characteristics of monkeypox virus infections among individuals attending sexual health centers in the United Kingdom (UK).

Monkeypox infections reported in UK residents were initially limited to infections imported from West Africa; however, the infection spread into America, Western Pacific, Eastern Mediterranean regions, and several countries across Europe and continues to rise by the day across the globe. In the current situation, monkeypox has to be included in the differential diagnosis of viral infections in order to improve public health globally and to diagnose viral infections early.

Study: Demographic and clinical characteristics of confirmed human monkeypox virus cases in individuals attending a sexual health centre in London, UK: an observational analysis. Image Credit: NIAID

About the study

In this retrospective observational study, researchers described the clinical and demographical characteristics of monkeypox infections among individuals attending sexual health clinics in the UK.

The review comprised polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed monkeypox infection patients (n=54) visiting sexual health centers in London between 14 May and 25 May 2022. Suspected cases were subjected to in-house pan-orthopoxviral RT (reverse transcription)-PCR assays. The team reported monkeypox-associated hospitalizations and the presence of concomitant sexually transmitted infections (STI). They also described the local response elicited within 14 days of the monkeypox outbreak.

Data were obtained on the clinical manifestations and history pertaining to travel and the presence of STIs and comorbid conditions from electronic patient records (EPR) of the individuals. Furthermore, data on demographic parameters and monkeypox infection clinical presentation when the patients attended sexual clinics were obtained from the GUMBase sexual health dashboard. In addition, data on sexual practices, sexual partners, and the use of condoms were obtained. In addition, data was also obtained from the PubMed database without any language limitations and bulletins published by the UK Health Security Agency, the European Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and World Health Organization (WHO) till 10 June 2022.

The study included comprehensive sexual health screening, including enzyme immunoassays for detecting HIV AIDS, immunoglobulin G (IgG) or IgM enzyme immunoassays, and rapid plasma reagin tests for detecting syphilis. In addition, tests for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, herpes virus, and Treponema pallidum were also offered to the participants. For the serological tests, pharyngeal swabs, rectal swabs, or first urine samples were obtained and nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) were performed.

Results

All patients were men who had sex with men (MSM), their median age was 41 years, 70% (n=38) individuals were Whites, 48% (n=26) had UK births, and 24% (n=13) suffered from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). History of travel in the previous two months was reported by 46% (n=25) individuals, and 88% (n=21) traveled to European countries such as the Netherlands, Spain, and France. However, none of the individuals reported travel to sub-Saharan Africa.

The median duration between the onset of symptoms and the patients most recent sexual intercourse was two days, with 56% (n=29) individuals and 35% (n=18) reporting >5 and >10 sexual partners, respectively, 12 weeks prior to monkeypox infection diagnosis. In addition, 90% of patients reported >1 new sexual partner in three weeks prior to symptom onset, and 94% of patients mentioned inconsistent use of condoms in the same time period.

Cutaneous lesions were reported among all patients, of which 94% (n=51) were anogenital. Among 89% (n=37) of individuals, the cutaneous lesions affected >1 anatomical region (such as the perianal region and the skin of the penis), and 7.0% (n=4) patients developed oropharyngeal lesions. The cutaneous lesions included solitary circumscribed lesions similar to pustules, papules, eschars, and fluid-filled vesicles.

Classical monkeypox infection lesions were reported by 28% (n=15) of patients on 3 anatomical sites, including the perianal and genital areas, face, and limbs, among which seven patients and nine patients were HIV-positive and HIV-negative, respectively. Over 66% (n=36) of patients experienced lethargy or fatigue, 57% (n=31) developed fever, and 18% (n=10) patients did not experience any prodromal symptoms.

Further, 81% (n=44) of patients experienced 1 symptom of the invasive stage of monkeypox infections, such as fatigue, fever, myalgia, or lethargy when examined or within two weeks prior to the onset of cutaneous lesions. However, in the majority of cases, the symptoms were short-term and mild, lasting <3 days. The majority (55%) of the patients (n=30) presented with lymphadenopathy, and 25% of patients had concomitant STIs. Over 8% (n=5) of patients needed to be hospitalized due to localized bacterial cellulitis or pain needing analgesia or antibiotic interventions; however, no deaths were reported.

Conclusions

Overall, the study findings highlighted indigenous monkeypox spread in MSM individuals residing in UK communities and attending sexual health clinics. Monkeypox infections were most commonly observed among individuals with concurrent STIs and most frequently presented with anogenital symptoms, indicating monkeypox virus transmission via local viral inoculation at times of direct skin or close mucosal contact while engaging in sexual activities.

Therefore, additional resources and specialists are needed for supporting sexual wellbeing and managing monkeypox virus infections. Furthermore, reviewing case definitions and further understanding of routes of monkeypox virus transmission are required for contact tracing and the formulation of policies for infection prevention and control.
An article under review in the Scientific Reports journal and currently available on the Research Square* preprint server reports on chicoric acid (CA) as a potential inhibitor of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Study: Discovery and structural characterization of chicoric acid as a SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein ligand and RNA binding disruptor. Image Credit: NIAID

Background

There is still a critical medical need for novel, targeted medications that can combat SARS-CoV-2 infections. Establishing such antiviral agents, in most instances, demands the knowledge of the function and structure of possible viral targets and the identification and profiling of small-molecule modulatory attachment sites in these proteins that allow structure-based drug design (SBDD) techniques.

The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein is an important target for developing new antivirals since it is essential for the CoV genome transcription and packaging. The N protein is expressed most frequently in infected cells. Yet, it has not been utilized widely as a target for anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug development, in contrast to the envelope (E) and spike (S) structural proteins. Indeed, the structural data on the N protein's ligand-binding is limited.

About the study

In the present study, the researchers from the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials and the State University of Campinas utilized a new fluorescence polarization-based high-throughput screening (HTS) assay to uncover small compounds that interfere with the N protein's ability to bind to a specific RNA, i.e., RNA1, obtained from the SARS-CoV-2 genome packing signal (PS).

To develop an assay for recognizing the possible inhibitors of the N protein RNA-binding capability, the team searched for an N protein target RNA employing the SARS-CoV-2 PS sequence as the candidate. A fluorescence polarization (FP) test using different 5'-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled RNAs as targets tracked the N protein's RNA-binding activities.

The scientists used an FP assay to run an HTS experiment examining a library of about 3200 authorized medicines and bioactive compounds. Concentration-response studies were conducted using the shortlisted molecules to verify the hit candidates' efficacy as inhibitors of the N protein-RNA1 contact.

1H-saturation transfer difference nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-STD NMR) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) were used to further examine the characteristics of CA as a ligand for the N protein. The authors established the crystal structure of the N protein's C-terminal domain (CTD) coupled with CA to shed light on how CA binds to the N protein. They sought to see if CA may prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro after validating CA as an N protein-ligand with probable consequences on its RNA attachment activity.

Results

In the assessment of bioactive small molecules immensely polar compounds stood out, particularly polyphenols like chebulinic acid (CI), ellagitannins, punicalin (PL), and punicalagin (PG), as well as tartaric acid diesters, such as CA, and polysulphonated naphthylureas like suramin (SUR). The latter substances interfered with the contact of an RNA probe generated from the SARS-CoV-2 PS sequence, RNA1, and the full-length SARS-CoV-2 N protein at the submicromolar level.

The crystal structure of SARS-CoV-2 N protein CTD binding chicoric acid (CA) reveals a network of polar contacts and structural readjustments to accommodate the symmetric ligand in the CA-N protein binding site. A) Cartoon representation of the N protein CTD dimer crystal structure depicting its secondary structure elements (in blue), including two 310 () helices, five -helices and two antiparallel -strands and the CA binding site (inset highlighted by the blue dashed square). B) Detailed CA-binding site from the inset of panel A. The CA molecule is represented as sticks (orange) with its electron-density map in blue. CA binds to a shallow pocket formed between -helices 1-2 and -helix 2, close to the C-terminus (C-Ter). C) CA atomic interactions with the N protein residues. The CA carboxyl groups are at ideal distances to engage electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds with Arg276 side chain (NH1 atom), Arg277 main chain amine and a structural water molecule (W288) stabilized by Arg276 NH2. Thr271 and Gln289 can further position hydrogen bond donors (Thr271O and a structural water molecule, W478, stabilized by the Gln289 carbonyl) to engage a symmetric interaction with the carbonyl groups from both caffeoyl units of CA. One of the catechol motifs of CA is well accommodated near the C-terminal Pro364, showing a well-defined electron density (vide panel B). D, E) Superposition of the CA-binding site in the native N protein CTD (blue sticks, PDB ID 7UXX) and CA-N protein CTD complex (grey sticks (PDB ID 7UXZ)) highlighting structural readjustments induced by CA binding (highlighted by red arrows). Figures were generated with Pymol (Schroedinger Inc.). Polar contacts are indicated by dashed lines with the measured distances in Angstroms. Oxygen atoms are shown in red, nitrogen atoms in blue. Water molecules are represented as red spheres.

CI, PL, PG, and SUR were described priorly to display different biological characteristics, including antiviral action. However, CA was highlighted as a novel class of N protein modulators and one of the most effective hit compounds discovered in the present HTS trials.

The findings demonstrated that CA was an affinity ligand for the N protein that attaches to the CTD and expels the RNA from the N protein at micromolar levels. The team found that CA suppresses SARS-CoV-2 multiplication in cell culture at micromolar concentrations, which was compatible with the dissociation constant (KD) values for the dissociation of the N protein and RNA1 complex.

Conclusions

According to the study's authors, the present research was the first characterization of a non-endogenous ligand for the SARS-CoV-2 N protein and the initial account of this modulatory ligand binding location on the CoV N protein.

In the current study, the scientists described a novel fluorescence-based HTS test that enables the discovery of small compounds that obstruct the SARS-CoV-2 N protein's ability to bind RNA. They used a series of biophysical studies to characterize the top hits. The researchers solved the crystal structure of the non-endogenous ligand binding the N protein CTD for the first time, illuminating a novel modulatory region in the SARS-CoV-2 N protein. Notably, the CA-binding region was conserved in SARS-CoV and partly conserved in the N proteins of the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

The current data provide the structural foundation for the rational design and establishment of new antiviral medicines addressing the SARS-CoV-2 N protein, a relevant and still unstudied target of CoVs, despite the necessity for further refinement of CA as an antiviral agent.

*Important notice

Preprints with Research Square publish preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the rapid outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has significantly affected the global healthcare system and economy. Several studies have reported that individuals of older age, as well as those with certain comorbidities like obesity and diabetes, are at a higher risk of contracting severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Study: SARS-CoV-2 infection impairs the insulin/IGF signaling pathway in the lung, liver, adipose tissue, and pancreatic cells via IRF1. Image Credit: Eterysun / Shutterstock.com

Background

Although most COVID-19 patients suffer mild to moderate symptoms, 10-15% develop severe pneumonia-like symptoms. In some individuals, COVID-19 causes tissue damage and triggers metabolic abnormalities, which can include the abnormal synthesis of lipids, insulin, and amino acids. The underlying molecular mechanism associated with these metabolic anomalies has yet to be determined.

Previous studies have revealed that the insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF) signaling pathway has an important role in energy metabolism. Other molecular pathways associated with energy uptake and utilization are the downstream AKT/mTOR/MAPK pathway and ligand/receptor interactions that initiate cellular signaling through IRS/PI3K.

Insulin resistance or abnormal insulin/IGF responses occurs due to impairment in the insulin/IGF signaling pathway in organs and tissues. In addition to insulin resistance, an impaired insulin/IGF signaling pathway also leads to hyperglycemia, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and obesity.

One previous study showed that the systemic knockout of the insulin receptor in mice initiated an early onset of diabetes. Additionally, some mice died due to ketoacidosis.

Inhibition of the insulin/IGF signaling pathway in adipose tissue results in the loss of adipose tissue. This condition also causes severe metabolic syndrome, thus demonstrating that insulin/IGF signaling is vital for the functioning of pancreatic beta cells.

Previous studies have also demonstrated that knockout of the insulin receptor in beta cells caused a reduction in insulin production, a condition otherwise known as diabetes mellitus. The association between insulin resistance and lung dysfunction in humans has also been documented in the literature. To date, very few studies have determined the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the insulin/IGF signaling pathway.

About the study

In a recent Metabolism study, scientists evaluate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the insulin/IGF signaling pathway. Herein, the researchers obtained high-throughput transcriptome data related to SARS-CoV-2 infected cells and tissues from public databases.

The researchers also obtained autopsy data on the lungs of both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 control patients. They further assessed the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived liver organoids.

The current study evaluated the impact of IRF1 on insulin signaling using HEK293T and Calu3 cells. To evaluate the role of COVID-19 risk factors such as sex, age, obesity, and diabetes on mechanistic regulation, the scientists analyzed several transcriptomes of human metabolic, respiratory, and endocrine cells and tissues.

Study findings

A strong association between an impaired insulin/IGF signaling pathway and severe COVID-19 was observed. Moreover, the researchers found that SARS-CoV-2 infection affects a wide range of insulin/IGF signaling pathways in the lungs, liver, pancreatic cells, and adipose tissue.

IRF1 was also found to be associated with the impairment of the insulin/IGF signaling pathway. Previous studies have linked the expression of IRF1 with male sex, older age, diabetes, and COVID-19. In fact, a higher expression of IRF1 has been associated with obesity, older age, diabetes, and/or genetic variant, which might be intensified due to the upregulation of IRF1 in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Previous studies have shown that IRF1 intron variant rs17622656-A is abundantly present in European and American populations. The current study reports that COVID-19 pathology is governed by the higher expression of IRF1 and lower expression of insulin/IGF signaling pathway molecules.

Hormonal treatment in the form of dihydrotestosterone and dexamethasone has effectively reduced the gene expression of IRF1. These findings led the researchers to hypothesize that this treatment could increase the insulin/IGF signaling pathway in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells and tissues and, as a result, improve cellular signaling.

This finding strongly indicates that SARS-CoV-2 infection not only affects respiratory tracts but also impairs endocrine and metabolic cells and tissues. Identifying the molecular basis of these pathological observations could therefore aid in the development of future COVID-19 therapeutics.

Impairment of the insulin/IGF signaling pathway in cells and tissues of the liver, lungs, and pancreas leads to the development of multiorgan dysfunction. Since COVID-19 causes impairment of the insulin/IGF signaling pathway, it is also associated with the downregulation of various metabolic pathways including the citrate cycle, lipid metabolism, beta-oxidation, amino acid metabolism, and carbohydrate metabolism, and respiratory electron transport.

The researchers also emphasized the potential for COVID-19-mediated inflammation to induce insulin resistance in various cells and tissues.

Conclusions

The current study showed that dihydrotestosterone and dexamethasone treatments could ameliorate insulin resistance and metabolic abnormalities in COVID-19 patients. In the future, more physiological, pathological, and pharmacological experiments must be conducted to estimate the clinical efficacy of this treatment in COVID-19 patients.
A discovery about how algorithms can learn and retain information more efficiently offers potential insight into the brain's ability to absorb new knowledge. The findings by researchers at the University of California, Irvine School of Biological Sciences could aid in combatting cognitive impairments and improving technology. Their study appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The scientists focused on artificial neural networks, known as ANNs, which are algorithms designed to emulate the behavior of brain neurons. Like human minds, ANNs can absorb and classify vast quantities of information. Unlike our brains, however, ANNs tend to forget what they already know when fresh knowledge is introduced too fast, a phenomenon known as catastrophic forgetting.

Researchers have long theorized that our ability to learn new concepts stems from the interplay between the brain's hippocampus and the neocortex. The hippocampus captures fresh information and replays it during rest and sleep. The neocortex grabs the new material and reviews its existing knowledge so it can interleave, or layer, the fresh material into similar categories developed from the past.

However, there has been some question about this process, given the excessive amount of time it would take the brain to sort through the whole trove of information it has gathered during a lifetime. This pitfall could explain why ANNs lose long-term knowledge when absorbing new data too quickly.

Traditionally, the solution used in deep machine learning has been to retrain the network on the entire set of past data, whether or not it was closely related to the new information, a very time-consuming process. The UCI scientists decided to examine the issue in greater depth and made a notable discovery.

We found that when ANNs interleaved a much smaller subset of old information, including mainly items that were similar to the new knowledge they were acquiring, they learned it without forgetting what they already knew." Rajat Saxena, paper's first author, graduate student

Saxena spearheaded the project with assistance from Justin Shobe, an assistant project scientist. Both members of the laboratory of Bruce McNaughton, Distinguished Professor of neurobiology & behavior.

"It allowed ANNs to take in fresh information very efficiently, without having to review everything they had previously acquired," Saxena said. "These findings suggest a brain mechanism for why experts at something can learn new things in that area much faster than non-experts. If the brain already has a cognitive framework related to the new information, the new material can be absorbed more quickly because changes are only needed in the part of brain's network that encodes the expert knowledge."

The discovery holds potential for tackling cognitive issues, according to McNaughton. "Understanding the mechanisms behind learning is essential for making progress," he said. "It gives us insights into what's going on when brains don't work the way they are supposed to. We could develop training strategies for people with memory problems from aging or those with brain damage. It could also lead to the ability to manipulate brain circuits so people can overcome these deficits."

The findings offer possibilities as well for making algorithms in machines such as medical diagnostic equipment, autonomous cars and many others more precise and efficient.

Funding for the research was provided by a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Grant in support of basic research of potential benefit to humankind and by the National Institutes of Health.
Monkeypox is a viral illness that is endemic in several parts of Africa, but has recently caused an outbreak in many countries around the world.

Until now, it was thought to be transmitted by close contact with symptomatic cases, and infection was assumed to be symptomatic in all patients. More recently, however, specific antibodies were found in asymptomatic but exposed individuals, indicating that they had a subclinical infection at some point.

A new preprint posted to the medRxiv* preprint server reports on the incidence of subclinical infection among individuals attending a sexual health clinic in Belgium. The findings may indicate the need for wider testing and isolation policies among people exposed to symptomatic monkeypox cases.

Background

Earlier outbreaks of monkeypox have been treated on the premise that all infections are symptomatic, so that isolation of symptomatic cases brings transmission to an end.

An outbreak in the general population tends towards extinction with relatively minor hygienic measures.

The current clusters of infections in countries outside Africa, where the virus was not endemic in previous years, show some significant differences. As of now, over 25,000 cases have been documented, far exceeding any previous outbreak.

Most cases have been among men who have sex with men (MSM). Many symptoms related to the anus or external reproductive organs, and in some patients, symptoms are very mild.

Some researchers have reported high viral loads in samples from the anal and genital regions, saliva, and semen. These facts seem to point to the possibility of sexual transmission, but also raise the question of asymptomatic transmission.

Earlier literature showed evidence of asymptomatic monkeypox infection, in the form of seropositivity among people exposed to the virus but without signs of infection. The current study deals with an attempt to provide direct evidence of the presence of the virus in asymptomatic individuals with a history of contact with known cases.

The scientists used a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay specific for monkeypox to test samples collected during sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening at a sexual health clinic, in May 2022. These samples were screened retrospectively, as none of the donors had presented with monkeypox diagnoses.

Findings

The researchers detected monkeypox viral genetic material in three patients out of ~225 men who were routinely tested for gonorrhea or chlamydia infection. They used anorectal and/or oropharyngeal samples, sometimes combined with first-void urine samples, at the HIV/STI clinic of the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp.

Four patients were positive for monkeypox DNA, in four anorectal swabs. This was confirmed by repeat PCR and gel electrophoresis. Of the four, one had a perianal rash that was thought to be due to herpes simplex, but the other three were asymptomatic at the time of sampling. Due to the lack of symptoms, no physical examination was carried out and the anorectal swabs were collected by the men themselves.

Of the three asymptomatic positive cases, none had been vaccinated against smallpox, all were 30-50 years of age, had human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) under good control and had multiple STIs in their past history.

The results led to the men being recalled, within 37 days of the first sample. Repeat swabs were negative for the disease.

None had developed any monkeypox symptoms from 2 months before to 3 weeks after the first sampling. All had a history of unprotected sex with one man, at least, during the month prior to initial sampling, and three had sex during trips abroad within the 2 weeks before samples were given.

None of the partners had symptomatic monkeypox, as far as could be ascertained.

Implications

The findings of the study indicate that asymptomatic monkeypox is a reality, with three of four positive tests coming from asymptomatic men, corroborating earlier indirect proof of this phenomenon. One of these men had a positive sample before the first symptomatic Belgian case, but had no history of foreign travel or exposure to a known case, indicating that the earliest documented symptomatic case in Belgium may have occurred against a background of community transmission.

Further study will be required to understand if the virus is present in other body sites in asymptomatic individuals. However, it seems plain that with high viral loads in anorectal swabs, irrespective of the presence of skin lesions, anal sexual contact could be just as infectious as contact with skin lesions in symptomatic patients.

This would support the hypothesis that MPXV can be transmitted via anal sex, even in the absence of symptoms.

If so, asymptomatic transmission is probably more important than symptomatic, in the current outbreak. This could explain why self-isolation proved inefficient at halting the spread of the virus.

Earlier outbreaks saw viral spread from patients with extensive rashes to household or healthcare contacts, via direct contact with the virus in skin lesions or droplets. However, the present outbreak is marked by localized skin rashes, at the inoculation site, through sexual contact via the anal mucosa.

Future studies must include physical, serological, PCR-based and epidemiological assessments of both cases and contacts, to answer questions like: What percentage of infections are asymptomatic; what body sites are infectious; and can infection be prevented by condoms or vaccines.

At present, however, MSM and the general population must be made aware of the potential for asymptomatic transmission, including sexual transmission from asymptomatic carriers. A re-evaluation of the high-risk behavior underlying such spread should be encouraged so that public health is not taxed unnecessarily by easily preventable illnesses.

Contact tracing and screening of high-risk populations are other useful measures. Vaccines will also probably be required for this group.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
The acute shortage of medical workers in oncology in Sub-Saharan Africa contributes to high rates of deaths in the region.

Sub-Saharan Africa has an acute shortage of workers for cancer treatment and care. It means that, by 2030, there could be 1 million deaths annually in the region without intervention.

In this second episode of our three-part mini-series, Africa Science Focus reporter Michael Kaloki follows up with Beatrice Wiafe, a breast health expert and one of the lead researchers of a cancer report by health journal The Lancet, on why there is a deficit of medical workers in cancer and what it will take for Sub-Saharan Africa to build and retain the expertise needed to manage the disease.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is responding to the chaos of the covid-19 pandemic by proposing to hide from the public a rating that lets consumers compare hospitals' safety records and to waive approximately $350 million in financial penalties for roughly 750 hospitals with the worst patient-safety track records.

CMS' chief medical officer, Dr. Lee Fleisher, said those safety metrics were not designed to properly account for how a pandemic, with its patient surges and workforce shortages, might affect hospital systems.

"Safety, transparency, and quality of care of patients is not enhanced by the use of skewed or inaccurate data, and, in fact, could result in negative consequences for patients," he said. "CMS wants the public to have complete trust in the data and will make data on quality available when we have a high confidence in its credibility and accuracy."

But patient safety advocates argue CMS is letting hospitals off the hook for their pandemic performances, and many decried the loss of transparency that suppression of such data would cause.

CMS wants to keep "patients, payers, and insurers in the dark on what happened during the pandemic," said Patricia Kelmar, director of health care campaigns for the nonprofit U.S. Public Interest Research Group. She added that without penalties, hospitals won't be forced to change ahead of the next crisis that strains health systems.

"There was no comma in the law that says, 'Unless there's a pandemic, you don't have to pay these penalties,'" Kelmar said.

The proposed rule comes after CMS officials publicly acknowledged in the New England Journal of Medicine that progress on lowering hospital-acquired infections  such as urinary tract and staph infections, as well as bloodstream infections associated with central lines  has faltered significantly during the pandemic. Also, a May federal report that used data from 2018 found that even before the pandemic, 1 in 4 Medicare patients were harmed in the hospital, with nearly half of such events being preventable.

The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit patient advocacy group, estimates that more than 24,000 people a year die because of the patient safety issues measured by CMS' ratings.

The metrics that CMS wants to suppress appear on Medicare's Care Compare website, formerly known as Hospital Compare. The site allows consumers to view a broad range of quality metrics for hospitals, including mortality and readmission rates. Those scores would continue to appear under the CMS proposal, but the site would not report data from what's known as the PSI 90, or "Patient Safety and Adverse Events Composite," including how often patients had serious complications from potentially preventable medical harm, such as falls and sepsis. CMS will publicly release other safety data, although the pandemic has complicated that, too.

The penalties CMS wants to waive are issued annually through the Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program, which was created by the Affordable Care Act. But because the PSI 90 won't be available and CMS officials are wary of counting some other metrics skewed by the pandemic, they said penalizing hospitals, as they have done in the past, would not be reasonable.

The poorest-performing hospitals would be spared the 1% Medicare payment reductions that CMS would otherwise have applied throughout the upcoming federal fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. CMS plans to resume the penalties in the following fiscal year, which begins in October 2023.

CMS' proposal to pause such penalties is reasonable, said Andrew Ryan, a professor of health care management at the University of Michigan's School of Public Health, who has written extensively on the hospital quality program. He pointed out that the metrics that underlie these financial penalties are easily skewed by variations in patient mix  such as those triggered by covid surges or lockdowns.

But Lisa McGiffert, co-founder of and board president for the Patient Safety Action Network, said she's tired of hearing hospitals talk about the administrative strain that reporting the data would create and of CMS saying that adjusting how it compares hospitals would be difficult.

"It's a real burden if you die or lose your mom," McGiffert said.

A 2021 KHN investigative series detailed the gaps in CMS' oversight in tracking and holding hospitals accountable for patients who were diagnosed with covid after entering the hospital.

As the pandemic continues, the agency has not added hospital-acquired covid infections to its patient safety quality metrics, Fleisher said. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokesperson Martha Sharan said a joint effort of the CDC, CMS, and the National Quality Forum, a nonprofit that aims to improve patient care value, that would establish such metrics "could be a consideration after the emergency phase of the pandemic."

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services currently maintains public, aggregated state-by-state reporting of covid-19 hospital-onset data, but, as KHN previously reported, such data does not hold individual hospitals accountable. Patient safety experts say the HHS report is likely an undercount because it tracks only hospital-onset covid cases that appeared after 14 days.

Separately, CMS has yet to further regulate the private accrediting agencies that oversee the majority of U.S. hospitals, following an HHS inspector general report from June 2021 that found "CMS could not ensure that accredited hospitals would continue to provide quality care and operate safely during the COVID-19 emergency" and could not guarantee safety going forward. The report cited holes in CMS' authority to make accrediting agencies execute a special, covid-spurred infection control survey for hospitals to ensure patient safety.

Seema Verma, who served as CMS administrator under President Donald Trump, said hospital-acquired infections are a long-standing issue that covid exacerbated  and one that most Americans are unaware of when they choose where to receive care.

She called for more transparency so patients can decide which hospitals are safe for them. She also called for changes in the accreditation system, which she said is fundamentally flawed because of conflicts of interests between the accrediting organizations' consulting arms and the hospitals they inspect.

"The American public should have faith that the people that are doing the surveys don't have a financial interest with the institution they are surveying," Verma said.

Accrediting agencies have defended their practices during the pandemic, saying they worked with CMS as they could during the emergency.

In the U.S., about 90% of hospitals elect to pay private accrediting agencies, instead of government inspectors, to certify they are safe. But academics have shown that such agencies have not been associated with lower patient mortality, and CMS even has data showing how accrediting agencies fall short compared with government inspectors. A potential CMS rule dealing with conflict-of-interest concerns was slated to be posted in April but has yet to be made public.

Fleisher declined to say when to expect any such rule proposal but did say CMS agreed with last summer's inspector general report on the failings in CMS authority. Fleisher said his agency would like to require accrediting organizations to perform special surveys of hospitals at CMS' discretion.

"There will be an opportunity to comment on this issue," he said. He added that the agency's top priority is to ensure "patients have access to safe, equitable, quality health care."

Patient advocates said the agency needs to do better  and the public needs to push it to do so.

"The people who were harmed during the pandemic deserve to be accounted for," said McGiffert. "Frankly, I've been a little shocked at how accepting the American public is that hospitals cannot manage to do the things they must do to keep patients safe during a pandemic."
A decision by the World Trade Organization (WTO) to waive certain intellectual property (IP) rules in order to widen access to COVID-19 vaccines has been met with disappointment by global health campaigners.

The much-debated Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) waiver was first proposed by India and South Africa in October 2020 to allow COVID-19 vaccines to be manufactured in developing countries without infringing patents held by big pharmaceutical companies, mostly in the global North.

The deal allows governments and vaccine producers to forego the procedural requirement of issuing a compulsory license for the production and exportation of COVID-19 vaccines for a five-year period, but it does not waive any IP rights.

Only 16 per cent of people in low-income countries have received a single vaccine dose, compared to 80 per cent in high-income countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

However, health equity advocates say the so-called compromise deal reached at the WTOs 12th Ministerial Conference in Geneva on 17 June is insufficient to secure production of vaccines and other medicines in developing countries.

We are disappointed with the limited and inadequate outcome after nearly two years of negotiations at WTO, said Yuan Qiong Hu, senior legal and policy advisor at Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).

There are a number of shortfallsmost notably that it does not waive any IP rights to enable rapid global production scale-up and more independent supply of COVID-19 medical tools.

Compulsory licensing is used by governments to allow another party to produce a patented product or process without the consent of the patent owner, or to use the patent-protected technology itself. Patents give pharmaceutical companies exclusive rights to manufacture and market their drugs and prevent others from doing so for a period of 20 years.

Even the process to arrive at this outcome has been flawed, discriminatory, lacking in transparency and inclusivity. Yuan Qiong Hu, senior legal and policy advisor, Medecins Sans Frontieres

WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the declaration would make access to medical supplies more predictable in this pandemic  and in the next one.

The TRIPS waiver compromise will contribute to ongoing efforts to deconcentrate and diversify vaccine manufacturing capacity, so that a crisis in one region does not leave others cut off, she told ministers at the close of round-the-clock negotiations in Switzerland.

But around 300 civil society and public health organizations put their names to a statement condemning the decision and calling on governments to circumvent or outright defy the WTO rules.

According to Yuan, the ruling limits the number and scope of flexibilities within the TRIPS agreement to certain countries and within a limited timeframe.

The adopted text also excludes essential medical technologies, such as ventilators and testing kits, limits the range of countries that can make use of the mechanism, and does not cover the full range of IP necessary to enable production and supply, MSF argues. The deal currently only applies to vaccine production and requires WTO members to decide on an extension covering treatments and therapeutics after six months.

As a result, MSF believes these limitations set a negative precedent for addressing future global health challenges, said Yuan.

Even the process to arrive at this outcome has been flawed, discriminatory, lacking in transparency and inclusivity. [Civil society organizations] have been criticized for raising legitimate concerns, she added.

Stand up to bullying

Fatima Hassan, founder of the South Africa-based Health Justice Initiative, said it was hard to say whether the outcome was a waiver or just a deal.

It will now depend on each country to use what it can in this tiny deal, she said.

Countries in the global South still lack access to COVID-19 diagnostic tests and treatments, said Hassan, adding: The best way forward is for every southern government to admit they got bullied, stand up to the big pharma and issue compulsory license now to address testing and treating gaps.

According to a senior WTO official, who asked not to be identified for bureaucratic reasons, there has been some confusion over what is meant by an IP waiver.

This is not to get too technical, but the COVID-19 debate has seen multiple versions of this concept, and the real-world differences are incredibly important, he told SciDev.Net.

He said neither the WTO nor any other international organisation could waive IP rights.

Depending on what is meant by waiving, this is something that can only be done by national governments, and most likely national parliaments, he said.

What was proposed in the WTO was a waiver of international treaty obligations that would open up a wider range of choices for national governments to waive, suspend or curb IP rights  a very different thing.

Any government wanting to suspend the effect of IP rights would have to take action domestically, either by executive action or through the legislature.
The gun safety law forged through tense bipartisan talks in the Senate last month has been heralded as the first federal legislation in 30 years to combat rising gun violence. But what often falls below the radar is the new law's focus on improving mental health services.

News coverage has largely centered on the law's provisions to enhance background checks for younger buyers, encourage states to implement their own "red flag laws," and close the "boyfriend loophole." Less attention has been paid to the mental health programs that most of the estimated $13 billion is earmarked for.

"It is kind of a gun safety bill wrapped in a mental health bill," said Jeffrey Swanson, a psychiatry professor at the Duke University School of Medicine who studies the intersection of gun violence and mental illness.

The pairing of these initiatives in the legislation spearheaded by a small group of senators after the May 24 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, was a result of Republicans' insistence that any gun reform effort must also address mental health, even as Democrats disavowed a connection between the two concerns.

"We dont think you can solve Americas gun violence epidemic through the prism of mental health. But if we have agreement between Democrats and Republicans to spend billions of additional dollars on mental health treatment, especially for vulnerable communities, lets take that opportunity," said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a key negotiator, while laying out the bill's framework at a June 13 press conference.

While mental health advocates are happy Congress is authorizing new funds for their cause, they also expressed concern it would continue to perpetuate the idea that people with mental health disorders are largely responsible for gun violence, although research shows that's not the case. Only 3% to 5% of violent acts are committed by individuals with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. People living with mental illness are more likely to be victims of violence than are members of the general population.

"It is with very mixed emotions when we think about lumping these together," said Hannah Wesolowski, chief advocacy officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness. "We need mental health investments, yet we know that mental health is not the direct cause of a person being violent."

A central question about this heightened level of investment is whether it can make a difference in the nation's struggle to combat gun violence. Here's a look at key mental health aspects in the new law.

What's in the legislation

The Congressional Budget Office estimated the new law's total cost at $13 billion, a large chunk of which will be used to increase funding to expand existing mental health and school safety services programs, including $1 billion over five years for two programs to boost the number of mental health counselors in schools.

Other allocations include:

$80 million over four years for a pediatric mental health care access program, which allows pediatricians to provide mental health services via telehealth. An additional $60 million over four years is directed toward training primary care clinicians to provide mental health services to young people.

$250 million over four years to increase the Community Mental Health Services block grants to states to help fill in blanks in a state's mental health system, such as creating care programs for adults and children with serious mental illnesses or emotional disturbances.

$240 million over four years would be added to Project AWARE, which provides grants to mental and behavioral health organizations, community groups, and schools to raise students' awareness of and connect them to mental health services in schools.

$150 million this year for the new 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which launches in mid-July.

The new law also provides up to $8.6 billion in funding over 10 years to support the build-out of certified community behavioral health clinics in every state in the U.S. These types of clinics, which already exist in 10 states as part of a pilot Medicaid program, are required to see people regardless of their insurance coverage and treat them for mental health or substance use issues. States would need to apply to participate in the program, which would begin in 2024.

While annual reports submitted to Congress about the pilot program show behavioral health outcomes varied by state, other data shows the clinics have saved money and scored well on such measures as getting patients to adhere to antidepressant medication or engage in alcohol-dependence treatment. However, a 2021 Government Accountability Office report found that the data on these clinics was incomplete, leading to difficulty in evaluating their effectiveness in improving behavioral health.

How useful are these mental health programs and when will they start?

It's hard to know how effective the new spending will be at improving mental health, said Marisa Domino, an economist and the director of the Center for Health Information and Research at Arizona State University, because not all the programs getting additional funding have been evaluated for effectiveness or are able to be evaluated.

"There are lots of little opportunities in this bill, but it's hard to tell as a whole" if it will be useful at improving mental health, said Domino.

Some of the funding will begin this year and continue for four or five years. Other spending streams may not start until 2024. That's typical since government funding must be planned years in advance. But it raises questions about how quickly mental health programs can be beefed up.

Still, advocates and researchers emphasized that more money going toward mental health will likely be beneficial since programs are severely underfunded across the U.S.

Will it stem gun violence?

It depends on how you define gun violence, said Swanson.

Over half of gun deaths in the U.S. are suicides, and it's possible this legislation will help to reduce those deaths.

The new law also provides funding for states, which can be used to implement red flag laws, which have been shown to reduce suicide rates. These types of laws, now on the books in 19 states and the District of Columbia, allow for family members, police, or doctors to petition a court to ask to temporarily remove guns for up to a year from people who they fear may be at risk of harming themselves or others.

For example, Swanson led a research project analyzing how a red-flag policy worked in Connecticut, where his team estimated that for every 10 to 20 guns removed, one suicide was prevented.

But experts acknowledge that the mental health spending may not do as much to stop the gun violence that's manifested through mass shootings, such as in Uvalde, at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, in May, and during a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois.

"The vast majority of people with mental illness are not violent," said Swanson.
The four states bordering Montana have "trigger laws" in effect or pending now that the U.S. Supreme Court has ended federal protections for abortion, making conservative Big Sky Country an unlikely haven for women seeking to end their pregnancies.

But Montana's potential to become an abortion refuge has been diminished  not by the lawmakers and governor whose attempts to restrict abortions have been stymied by the state constitution's right to privacy, but by the operators of at least four of the state's five clinics, which are preemptively limiting who can receive abortion pills.

Officials from Planned Parenthood of Montana, which operates three of the four clinics, said the intent is to ensure that they and their patients from states with trigger bans  laws to ban or restrict abortion that were designed to go into effect if Roe v. Wade was struck down  are protected from criminal charges and lawsuits. But the policy change is yet another complication for women in neighboring states such as South Dakota who want to end a pregnancy and face a rapidly narrowing field of options.

"That was a state that we were hoping was going to be available," said Kim Floren, director of the Justice Through Empowerment Network, a South Dakota abortion fund, which provides people who need an abortion with financial aid. "At this point, it's just more bad news on top of more bad news."

Patients often prefer medication abortions over abortion procedures because they are cheaper, require less time at a clinic, and offer them greater privacy and more control. The most common type of medication abortion is a two-part pill regimen: The first dosages are taken in the clinic if an in-person visit is required; the second, typically at home. In many states, the medications can be shipped to the patient after a telemedicine appointment.

In 2020, medication abortions made up more than half of abortions in the U.S. for the first time, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights. Advocates expect medication abortions to become a target of new state laws. In South Dakota, a law that bans abortions by telemedicine took effect July 1.

The Planned Parenthood policy change in Montana is a response to the shifting legal landscape, said Jennifer Sandman, senior director of public policy litigation and law for Planned Parenthood's national organization. "People are acting under conditions of extraordinary chaos and fear that has been instilled by where the Supreme Court has left us and by threats by anti-abortion politicians in some states," Sandman said.

Planned Parenthood of Montana decided June 30 not to provide abortion pills at their clinics in Billings, Great Falls, and Helena to patients from states where trigger laws have gone into effect. At the time, bans were in place in South Dakota, Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, but Planned Parenthood officials said they see a significant number of patients from South Dakota. The officials did not respond when asked how many South Dakota patients would likely be affected.

Montana's other neighbors  Idaho, Wyoming, and North Dakota  also have trigger laws, but they have not yet gone into effect.

The president of Planned Parenthood of Montana, Martha Fuller, wrote in an internal memo that the risks of cross-state provision of services were unclear, citing concerns about the potential for civil and criminal action against those providing medicine that would end a pregnancy to people from states with bans in effect. The memo was posted on Twitter by a freelance journalist and later deleted. Planned Parenthood officials confirmed the policy change.

The three Planned Parenthood clinics in Montana will continue to provide abortion procedures to out-of-state residents. "Right now, we believe that that is the best way of ensuring that out-of-state patients are not afraid to access the essential follow-up care they may need because of the intimidation and fear-mongering of extreme anti-abortion politicians," said Laura Terrill, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood of Montana.

The Planned Parenthood decision came days after the Missoulian reported that Blue Mountain Clinic in Missoula would offer medication abortions only to people with a Montana address. Officials with the clinic did not respond to queries by phone and email.

The fifth clinic that provides abortions in Montana, All Families Healthcare in Whitefish, declined to answer questions about its policies for out-of-state patients.

Fuller said in her memo that the Planned Parenthood policy could change as the legal risks become clearer. Not mentioned in the memo is that Montana's status as a state with legal access to abortion could soon change, as well.

Montana's Republican-majority legislature and Republican governor passed four state laws in 2021 meant to restrict abortions, but three were blocked by a judge, who cited a 1999 state Supreme Court ruling that said abortion is a right under the Montana Constitution. The state's attorney general is asking the Montana Supreme Court to reverse that precedent and let the laws go into effect. A decision is pending.

The Montana chapter is not the only Planned Parenthood network that is temporarily changing its policies around abortion pills because of the chaotic aftermath of the Supreme Court's actions. Planned Parenthood North Central States, which provides medication abortions in Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska, said its patients must take the pills in states where abortion is legal.

South Dakota's trigger law makes prescribing or administering a substance that causes an abortion a felony, but it does not target people who have abortions. Floren, of the Justice Through Empowerment Network, said there's still fear that South Dakotans might be investigated or charged if they're caught with pills within the state or if they need to go to a medical provider for assistance because of a complication. "A lot of people really prefer that method and now this is just once again taking people's choice," she said.

Providers in other states that have become islands for legal abortion disagree with the policies restricting access for out-of-state patients. In Colorado, Dr. Nancy Fang, an OB-GYN with the Comprehensive Women's Health Center in Denver, said she understands caution in the face of the uncertainty that surrounds state abortion bans. But, she said, limiting access will harm patients and add stress on other clinics that continue to provide medication abortions.

"I think it is really impactful on the patient because it further restricts their autonomy for access to health care, not being able to access a safe option just based off of where they're coming from," Fang said.

Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, which serves Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, and parts of Nevada, does not plan to change its policies, though spokesperson Neta Meltzer said her organization supports other affiliates like the one in Montana "making heartbreaking decisions."

"We serve all patients equally, those living in our own communities and those fleeing hateful bans in their home states," Meltzer said.

Abortion procedures are considered more effective than abortion pills, although they are, by their nature, more invasive. The procedure requires a patient's cervix to be dilated using surgical tools, and patients often take anti-anxiety medication or intravenous sedatives. With pills, people who have been abused by their partners can say they had a miscarriage, since the amount of bleeding and other symptoms are similar.

As Planned Parenthood restricts the distribution of abortion pills in Montana, an organization called Just the Pill plans to expand. Patients can make telehealth appointments with medical providers from Just the Pill and then pick up the pills in Montana, Minnesota, Wyoming, or Colorado.

After the Supreme Court's decision, the company said it would send a fleet of mobile clinics to state lines to provide services for women from states with abortion restrictions. "By operating on state borders, we will reduce travel burdens for patients in states with bans or severe limits," the company said in a statement.

Floren said she hopes Just the Pill continues to provide services for South Dakotans. Justice Through Empowerment Network has seen an influx of donations and volunteers, and Floren said the abortion fund is preparing to organize people to attend an upcoming special legislative session in which she expects lawmakers to target those who donate or distribute abortion aid.

KHN correspondent Rae Ellen Bichell and reporter Erica Zurek contributed to this report.
Zain Bahrain, a leading telecom services provider in the kingdom, has registered a net profit of BD2.852 million for the six-month period ended June 30, 2022, over the last year's figure of BD2.773 million.

Announcing the H1 results, Zain Bahrain said its earnings per share remained at 8fils for the six months compared to the same period recorded in 2021. Zain Bahrain generated revenues of BD33.586 million during the first six months of 2022, an increase of 3% Y-o-Y as compared to BD32.728 million for the same period in 2021.

Operating profit for the six-month period in 2022 stood at BD3.219 million compared to BD3.221 million for the same period recorded in 2021, it added.

earnings per share for the quarter remained at 3 fils. Revenues for Q2 2022 amounted to BD16.386 million, up by 1% from BD16.220 million in Q2 2021. Operating profit for Q2 2022 amounted to BD1.469 million, a slight decrease by 1% from BD1.490 million in Q2 2021.

For the Q2 period, Zain Bahrain had reported net profit of BD2.852 million, representing a 3% increase Y-o-Y from BD2.773 million for the same period in 2021.

At the balance sheet level, Zain Bahrain's total equity as of 30 June 2022 amounted to BD80.313 million, up by 2% from BD78.872 for the year ending 31 December 2021.

According to Zain Bahrain, the value of the company's assets at the end of Q2 2022 stood at BD129.399 million, down by 1% from BD131.076 million as of 31 December 2021.

The company's strong performance during the first half and second quarter of 2022 is driven by Zain Bahrain's value-oriented business strategy.

Zain Bahrain continues to expand its network footprint and upgrade its network to better serve its customers with resilient and future-proof technology. This has also been recognized by TRA Quality of Mobile Services Report 2021 where Zain achieved the best results nationwide for mobile network speeds for social media.

On the group's resilient performance, Chairman Shaikh Ahmed bin Ali Al Khalifa said: "This quarter, we have strengthened Zain Bahrains leading position in the kingdom's telecom market through our data growth, investments in 5G network infrastructure and our superior customer experience."

"Zain Bahrain is focused on the needs of its customers and is maintaining its digital leadership in the market. Our technology leadership is built on the ongoing investment in network infrastructure, and through the development and roll out of innovative solutions," he added.

According to him, Zain Bahrain had also recently completed an innovative streetlight solution in Bahrain Bay to boost 5G, making it the first telco in the kingdom to achieve this milestone.

"The new solution blends seamlessly with the city infrastructure, complementing our commitment to implementing sustainability along our entire value chain," he explained.

"We have also strengthened our presence in Esports by collaborating with Bahrain Esports Federation and Playthera to develop the online gaming ecosystem in the Kingdom and accelerating Esports across the region," he noted.

Shaikh Ahmed said: "We are in a strong position to continue successfully implementing our cutting-edge digitization strategy and progress in key growth areas including 5G broadband services, innovative solutions, and initiatives to exceed the expectations of our customers."

"Zain Bahrain also continues to explore new opportunities to further contribute to the success of the telecom industry in the kingdom," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) funded program, a novel COVID-19 antibody delivery approach has advanced to clinical trials. The collaborative team was led by David Weiner, Ph.D., The Wistar Institute executive vice president, director of the Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center, and W.W. Smith Charitable Trust Professor in Cancer Research, and included colleagues at The University of Pennsylvania, AstraZeneca, INOVIO Pharmaceuticals, and Indiana University.

This team was awarded $37.6 million to fund the rapid pre-clinical development of DNA-encoded SARs-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies (DMAbs) to prevent COVID-19. DMAbs use a person's own cells as a factory for making the protective antibodies, simplifying the development and the production process for biologics-;which could broaden the use of such novel medicines to the global community.

The first dosing with this new investigational agent occurred in a first-in-human clinical trial being led by Pablo Tebas, M.D., professor of Infectious Diseases at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and his team. The clinical trial will assess the overall safety and tolerability of this novel approach to enable the body to produce multiple full-length monoclonal antibodies through advanced DNA technology in people.

"This development is the culmination of the many steps taken working together with our DARPA/JPEO leadership team and members of the consortium advancing this product at this important time. We look forward to seeing the initial outcome from this first-in-human clinical trial studying this novel concept," Weiner shares. He elaborates on the goals of the trials, explaining "In addition to assessing safety and tolerability, we will also look for important insights into biological expression and activity in our trial subjects and if these can be shown to impact viral infection."

Despite all of the progress made on COVID-19 treatments and management, this disease continues to kill three times more Americans than the flu. We need better methods to prevent complications of this disease particularly in immunocompromised patients. Our study will test a new way to deliver antibodies against COVID-19 that have been proven to decrease hospitalizations and deaths from this terrible disease." Pablo Tebas, M.D., Professor of Infectious Diseases, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

This work is enabled through a unique public-private collaboration. The team brings together important and diverse scientific and technical strengths to create this new tool to address vulnerable patient needs. Over the past several years, Weiner and collaborators' advances in the nucleic acid delivery space led to the developments that underpin this program. The study takes advantage of pioneering nucleic acid approaches advanced by longtime collaborator Tebas, important new tools for nucleic acid delivery developed in concert with INOVIO and is built on the collaboration with AstraZeneca to recreate protein biologics into this innovative DNA medicine approach.

Mark Esser, vice president, Early Vaccines and Immune Therapies, AstraZeneca, said, "Dosing the first patient with a COVID-19 DMAb candidate is the culmination of hard work from a collaborative public-private partnership. This trial provides an important opportunity to evaluate an innovative technology that could potentially transform how we deliver antibodies and protect against severe infections."

The novel approach utilizes the genetic blueprints for antibodies encoded into DNA plasmids. After delivery into the arm, DMAbs instruct the body to assemble functional antibodies and secrete these into the blood as fully formed specific monoclonal antibodies against pathogens such as the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This approach bypasses the need for immunization to generate protective immunity.

Weiner says, "This project is an important example of team science and the value of working together to tackle difficult problems. The team's mission was to advance and study a new way to deliver lifesaving therapies in a short time frame. We are hopeful that this clinical study will likely offer insight into the development of new therapeutic approaches for vulnerable patients."

Together, the research collaboration has successfully shown evidence of SARS-CoV-2 protection in both laboratory and animal model studies with the DMAbs exhibiting the potential for both prevention and treatment of infection. In theory, this nucleic acid medicine approach has potential advantages when compared to traditional methods of monoclonal antibody treatment in aspects of cost, specificity, production, storage, and delivery, thus boosting its availability to patients more globally.

INOVIO Pharmaceuticals Chief scientific officer Laurent Humeau, Ph.D., says, "Advancing this human clinical study was made possible through the dedication of all parties involved in this consortium. We look forward to continuing to develop this promising monoclonal antibody delivery platform with our collaborators."

This work is supported by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs with funding from the Defense Health Agency.

This research was developed with funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
Sickle cell disease is an extremely debilitating condition that affects up to 40% of the population in African countries, with patients suffering episodes of excruciating pain, organ damage and reduced life-expectancy.

This disease is caused by a mutation in a gene that makes hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen in red blood cells, with the damaged hemoglobin distorting the shape of red blood cells, causing painful and potentially life-threatening blockages in blood vessels.

However, scientists have realized that increasing the production of a healthy form of this protein (fetal hemoglobin, which is usually only produced when we are in the womb), could provide a revolutionary treatment for these patients.

In their current Disease Models & Mechanisms article, Mitchell Weiss and colleagues from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, USA, investigated a promising new treatment that is being developed in Weiss' lab and works by editing genes to switch on the production of this healthy, foetal hemoglobin in adult red blood cells.

When testing the treatment in mice, the researchers found that even though the lab mice had the symptoms of sickle cell disease, the fetal hemoglobin gene and surrounding DNA were not properly configured, making the revolutionary stem-cell treatment ineffective or even harmful in the animals and raising concerns for future research testing new gene-based therapies in these laboratory mice.

Before a new treatment can be tested on people, scientists test them on laboratory animals, so Weiss and colleagues tried their new gene therapy in two types of mice that carry the symptoms of sickle cell disease: so-called 'Berkeley' and 'Townes' mice.

First, they removed stem cells  cells in the bone marrow programmed to become red blood cells  from the mice and used gene editing to modify part of the stem cells' DNA to switch on the healthy fetal hemoglobin gene. The scientists then put these reprogrammed stem cells back into the mice and monitored the animals for 18 weeks to find out how the treatment affected them.

Surprisingly, 70% of the Berkeley mice died from the therapy and it only activated production of the healing fetal hemoglobin gene in 3.1% of mouse's stem cells. In contrast, the experimental treatment activated the fetal hemoglobin gene in 57% of red blood cells in the Townes mice and did not affect the animals' survival. However, the levels of fetal hemoglobin produced in the red blood cells of Townes mice were 7- to 10-times lower than seen when this approach is used in human cells grown in the laboratory and not high enough to reduce clinical signs of sickle cell disease.

Weiss and colleagues then wanted to find out why this new treatment was not successful in the Berkeley mice, which have been used for decades to test treatments for sickle cell disease. Dr Weiss says, "We realized that we did not know enough about the genetic configurations of these mice".

Therefore, the team sequenced the hemoglobin genes and surrounding DNA of the Berkeley mice and discovered that instead of having a single copy of the mutated human gene, the mice had 22 randomly arranged, broken-up copies of the mutated human sickle cell disease gene and 27 copies of the human foetal hemoglobin that the team had hoped to activate to cure the mice of the disease.

This complex genetic make-up caused the fatal effects when the scientists tested the gene therapy in the Berkeley mice, as editing multiple copies of a gene can damage the DNA. This means that researchers cannot use these mice to test and optimize this gene-editing treatment.

In contrast, the Townes mice only had single copies of the mutated human hemoglobin gene and the gene that makes human fetal hemoglobin. However, these mice likely lacked crucial pieces of DNA that normally regulate the production of the fetal hemoglobin gene in humans.

Therefore, they couldn't produce enough of this healthy protein to alleviate the mouse symptoms

Our findings will help scientists using the Berkeley and Townes mice decide which to use to address their specific research question relating to sickle cell disease or hemoglobin. Additionally, this work provides a reminder for scientists to carefully consider the genetics of the mice that they are using to study human diseases and find the right mouse for the job." Mitchell Weiss, St Jude Children's Research Hospital
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that emerged in China in 2019 was declared by the World Health Organization as a global pandemic in early 2020. On the other hand, climate change is a shift in weather and temperature patterns mainly caused by human activities. Climate change can lead to major health issues and socio-economic inequities worldwide. These two crises together can adversely impact both the environment and society.

Background

Since COVID-19 and climate change are not specific geographically, they require sustainable and practical strategies to prepare the societies globally as well as adapt to the current crisis. Effective strategies need to be developed to reduce the consequences of both climate change and COVID-19 on a global scale.

Many recent studies focus on the association of the COVID-19 pandemic with climate change. However, most of these studies involved only the localized effects of COVID-19 and climate change. Previous studies have focused on the impact of climate change and COVID-19 on energy, economy, environment, and agriculture, as well as on particular geographic regions. An overview of these studies is required to get a broader picture of the impact of climate change and COVID-19 on specific sectors and geographic regions.

A new review published in Science of the Total Environment aimed to highlight the opportunities as well as challenges of the interaction of COVID-19 and climate change.

Interactions of climate change and COVID-19

The association between COVID-19 and climate change is complex and hard to predict. Previous studies involved only local issues or focused on a specific factor. The current review includes over 110 recent studies to determine the interactions between COVID-19 and climate change in several sectors as well as regions.

Eight different themes on the joint COVID-19 and climate change interactions have been reported, including food systems, policy, environment, society, economy, global cooperation, energy, technology, and health systems.

Impact on the economy

Climate change and COVID-19 have led to an economic crisis worldwide. Economic recovery plans associated with global decarbonization targets for the pandemic must be designed by governments globally. Carbon pricing, if implemented as carbon trading schemes or carbon tax, can be useful for integrating climate change alleviation schemes into COVID-19 recovery plans. COVID-19 recovery plans also need investments in education, infrastructure, or research and development.

Another important focus is the tourism sector which impacts the global economy. The impact of COVID-19 and climate on tourism highlights the need for shifting the tourism industry from high-resource consumption to an environmentally friendly model. Also, local communities that depend on rural tourism must be prepared for the challenges due to climate change. This would, in turn, help develop risk management plans to enhance tourism industry resilience against emerging threats.

Impact on energy and technology

Climate change and COVID-19 have highlighted the requirement for efficient and reliable power access by individuals and organizations. The pressure of the pandemic on the distribution systems has also impacted conventional energy sources. This led to the shifting focus toward green energy and renewable energy sources. Governments should develop long-term policies and short-term plans to improve the price competitiveness of renewable energy sources against traditional sources. Moreover, using renewable energy and technological advancements can improve the bio-economy, lower carbon emissions, transform waste into usable energy, and ensure a sustainable future.

Impact on the environment

The work and travel restrictions due to the pandemic led to many environmental improvements such as a decrease in emission of greenhouse gases, an increase in visibility, and a decrease in particulate matter as well as air pollution. However, lockdowns during the early phase of the pandemic led to increased ozone (O3) concentrations in many places. Huge O3 concentrations can lead to increased cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Moreover, several studies reported that weather conditions impacted the spread of COVID-19. They also reported that COVID-19-related anthropogenic emissions could affect vegetation communities. Therefore, sustainable environmental strategies must be implemented to reduce global emissions during the post-pandemic era.

Impact on food system

COVID-19 and climate change have impacted food security and agriculture globally. Extreme weather conditions due to climate change and disruption of the supply chain due to the pandemic had adversely impacted farmers. The establishment of local food systems, prioritization of climate-smart agriculture, and innovative solutions are recommended by governments to address the situation.

Impact on health system

COVID-19 and climate change can adversely affect people's mental and physical health. It can also lead to depression, anxiety, obesity, stress, and skin disease in the elderly, children, women, and people with existing conditions. Green medical approaches must be implemented to address these concerns. Furthermore, improvement of green infrastructure, facilitation of different working modes, promotion of active transport models, and the development of policies for conserving biodiversity and ecosystems are recommended.

Impact on policy and management

Policies that are easy to adjust, durable, based on evidence, contain various global efforts, and expert advice must be adopted to develop sustainable environmental strategies. They should also include communication strategies that influence behavioral changes, overcome inequalities, address physiological bias, and avoid delays. Land-use planning and control should also be considered to improve resilience and reduce risks.

Impact on community and society

Community leadership is important in combating the COVID-19 and climate change crises. However, a difference in the level of community support has been observed for them, with COVID-19 being considered the more direct threat. Climate change has also been reported to increase COVID-19 concerns among several communities. Community-based strategies can therefore help address important issues if they are integrated into national as well as international policy decisions. Also, since COVID-19 and climate change are overlapping crises, preventive measures for COVID-19 must help mitigate climate change.

Global action

Actions against COVID-19 and climate change crises at national or local government levels might not be adequate to control and overcome them globally. In this regard, knowledge regarding the geographic distribution of COVID-19-related deaths and climate change might be important. The difference in the distribution of deaths geographically indicates that climate change ad COVID-19 impact different parts of the world. Enforcement of international multidisciplinary collaborations, improvement of public awareness, effective health plan promotion, and effective management strategies are important steps to control these two crises.

Conclusion

The co-occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change adversely impacted the economy, health, food system, energy, environment, and communities globally. Global decision-making and collective action are required through breakthroughs in leadership in science. However, these two crises are not similar in all aspects. Further studies are required to develop long-term management strategies against climate change and COVID-19.
insights from industry Gerrit Gutzke

Michael Bussmann Azenta Life Sciences

As part of our SLAS Europe 2022 coverage, we spoke to Gerrit Gutzke and Michael Bussmann from Azenta Life Sciences about the products they offer for life sciences research and what the future looks like for the sector.

Please can you introduce yourself and tell us about your role at Azenta Life Sciences?

My name is Gerrit Gutzke. I am a senior director at Azenta Life Sciences and the general manager of our consumables and instrument business. I came to Azenta via the acquisition of 4titude back in 2017.

I am Michael Bussmann, director of product management for consumables and instruments at Azenta Life Sciences.

In 2021, you relaunched your brand as Azenta Life Sciences. With over ten years working on the cutting edge of life sciences, why did you choose to rebrand your company? What does Azenta represent, and how does this rebranding help put your customers and their research at the forefront of your business?

Last year, we officially joined multiple best-in-class life science organizations under one new identity  Azenta Life Sciences. In bringing together our former brands including Brooks Life Sciences and GENEWIZ, Azentas expertise spans across the sample lifecycle, offering unrivalled sample management solutions that empower our customers to accelerate the pace of their research.

As Azenta, we are a pure-play life sciences company, so by reintroducing ourselves as Azenta Life Sciences, we demonstrate that we are 100% dedicated to helping life sciences companies with all our energy and passion. We aim to gain a rich understanding of client needs to guide them to the best possible solutions and help them bring breakthroughs and therapies to market faster.

Azenta Life Sciences Brand Launch Video Play

Over the last decade, we've seen huge breakthroughs within the life sciences sector. What do you personally believe to be some of the most incredible achievements in recent years, and what role do you believe new technology has played in these advancements?

Typically, breakthroughs are always connected to new technologies. Some of the biggest technologies that have transformed the life sciences sector of course include NGS and gene editing.



Connected to gene editing, there are a lot of exciting developments happening in Cell and Gene Therapies, particularly the work around AAV and CAR-T. A nice example where life sciences and Biopharma success is connected, together perhaps under personalized medicine through advancements in genomics.

Other breakthroughs have occurred regarding microbiome therapies, RNA mRNA therapies, or antibody therapies. For any of these exciting advancing areas, we enable the path forward with automation and connectivity of instruments and digitization in general, which is why we came together in Dublin at SLAS EU.

At Azenta Life Sciences, you offer a broad range of products and services across a variety of sectors within the life sciences, including agriculture, biobanking, and pharma. Please tell us more about some of the products/services you offer and the importance of being able to help multiple sectors within life sciences research to 'accelerate discovery, development, and delivery'?

Given that the typical workflow starts with sample collection and then on to sample identification, storage, processing, and analysis, most would agree that accelerating these workflows often requires automation.

From the simplest to the most complex products in our portfolio, we partner with our customers to find solutions that accelerate workflows and drive automation wherever possible. A great example of this is our sample collection tubes. Prior to COVID, many people were still using very simple, non-coded tubes with a sticky label on the side, but when COVID hit, and the demand went up significantly, those tubes were creating lots of issues in automation because these sticky labels occasionally came off the tubes, which was not only a problem for sample identification but also caused automated lines to come to a full stop.

Our tubes however are tri-coded with a laser-etched, permanent 2D code on the base, and a linear and human-readable code on the side, which means the codes never come off the tube - the perfect automation solution. Secondly, it is important not to forget that the sample, which actually holds the highest value, is in contact with these tubes at all times, and that sample integrity is the most important thing in every workflow. Our tubes are made from virgin medical-grade polymer, ensuring that no leachables or extractables are coming off the tube. Preserving the sample is of the utmost importance, regardless of the sample type or industry.

Image Credit: Sergey Nivens/Shutterstock.com

Many of the products on your site, including your sample store, not only offer maximum productivity but are also designed to fit in today's standard lab. With laboratory space becoming increasingly challenging, how important was it to you that your products will easily integrate into the lab? What benefits does this have for both user experience and research?

These days, laboratory and bench space is at a premium. That said, our customers naturally need to bring in new equipment and technologies to meet their ever-changing needs. The benefit of our equipment having a smaller footprint means that it can fit within limited space, leading to increased throughput and efficiency. Of course, the total benefit, in the end, is increased productivity and profitability for the customer.

You exhibited at SLAS EU 2022. Can you tell us more about what you exhibited here and what was displayed at your booth?

SLAS and SLAS EU, of course, are two of the most important shows for Azenta Life Sciences. We prominently displayed our consumables and instruments, including multiple automation friendly sample tubes of various working volumes. We also highlighted connected instruments, such as semi-automated/ automated cappers, decappers, and readers. Additionally, our newly launched product, a semi-automated handheld decapper was one of the ten finalists of the New Product Award at SLAS EU.

We presented PCR plates and microplate consumables, as well as automated sealers and de-sealers. In general, these automated instruments can be used as standalone benchtop devices or fully integrated into an automation workflow.

Finally, we have a broad range of services available including sample sourcing, genomics and analytical services, sample storage, as well as data and informatics that we discussed at both shows that enable our customers to streamline their research needs.

One notable area of focus for you is surrounding genomics, with GENEWIZ offering genomic services to your customers. Why was genomics a particular choice for Azenta, and how do your product offerings and the genomic services fit together from a strategic perspective?

With the acquisition of GENEWIZ in 2018, we gained over 20 years of experience in genomics, sequencing technologies, and gene synthesis, particularly. With that acquisition, we could support a sample's entire life cycle, from sample collection to sample storage. Finally, sample analysis allowed us to add way more value to the samples under our care.

Genomics Solutions by Azenta Life Sciences Play

As well as your vast portfolio of products and services, you also offer a great amount of support on your site, ranging from product updates and technical support to webinars and videos. How important is having a wide variety of resources available to your customer, and how does this help build better relationships?

I would say that COVID-19 has indeed changed commercial models within the life sciences industry. Many companies, us included, naturally preferred face-to-face meetings but with the appearance of COVID, this was suddenly no longer possible. This meant that we were forced to build a better digital experience for our customers, and now, we are luckily able to meet in person again.

However, we have learned that strong digital experiences can complement our overall strategy, and at Azenta, we are just getting started. We look forward to sharing these expanded digital experiences with our customers and online communities in the months to come.

Collaboration is an integral aspect of scientific research, increasingly highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a company focused on 'bringing impactful breakthroughs and therapies to market faster', how important do you believe collaboration is in achieving this mission? How does Azenta Life Sciences help to foster innovation and collaboration within the life sciences?

It is our customers who are dealing with the complex challenges, so it is of the utmost importance that we have a strong collaboration with our customers, as well as with other companies, to help them find the best possible solutions and overcome these issues.

If you visited our booth at SLAS EU, you would have seen that lots of our standard products started life as custom projects to help an individual customer overcome a particular issue, but they have also proven to be of importance to the broader scientific community.

Our customers are also helping us fine-tune products during beta test phases before the official product launch. Last, but not least, we also rely on interacting with other industrial partners whenever we need additional skill sets to help develop products faster and bring solutions to the market quicker.

With continued innovation within the life sciences, what do you believe the future to look like? Are there any particular sectors you are excited to watch evolve?

Predicting the next breakthrough or trend is crucial. I think we will continue to see major leaps in the cell and gene therapy field, and in personalized medicine with the advancements through genetics.

Many clinical trials are already ongoing in the cell and gene therapy field, so we will see a lot of movement here. Beyond this, we will see the general continuous trend towards automation. Throughout COVID, we have seen the advantages of automation and the connectivity of instruments. This is a developing field where products from Azenta will play an important role.

Image Credit: Visual Generation/Shutterstock.com

What's next for Azenta Life Sciences? Have you got any exciting projects in the pipeline?

We have got some exciting new products coming soon. As I mentioned already, we are bringing out a handheld device, but we also have projects regarding automated devices. Those will be a new automated capper/decapper for septum tubes, and a new automated sealing device with the capability to seal individual PCR tubes in a PCR plate.

A lot of innovations are coming - stay tuned for more.

Where can readers find more information?

About Gerrit Gutzke

Senior Director and General Manager Consumables & Instruments

General management and P&L responsibility for the global C&I business

Joined Azenta Life Science further to the acquisition of 4titude Ltd. in 2017

PhD in Molecular Biology from the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany

About Michael Bussmann
The new compound contains a cyclobutyl methyl group as a side chain and has not been described in any patent to our knowledge.

ImageCredit:Shutterstock/H_Ko

Illicit drug-makers are constantly looking to tweak the chemical structures of known psychoactive substances to avoid laws prohibiting their use. They are increasingly turning to one group of psychoactive substances called cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs). These complex molecular structures can be modified in multiple ways and SCRAs are a source of many new illicit drugs. Originally developed for clinical research, they are now monitored by the European Monitoring Centre for Drug and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).

German government legislation includes a law (called the NpSG) that restricts the use of novel psychoactive substances by defining certain chemical structures. The government amends the law when necessary to include new structural modifications designed to bypass restrictions.

Germanys Adebar Plus project (co-funded with the EU) conducts a detailed structural analysis of any unidentifiable drugs for police and customs forensic laboratories, and international organizations. So when a novel SCRA was discovered in Germany in 2019, researchers at Adebar investigated samples of the herbal blend with a range of analytical chemistry techniques.

In particular, they used Liquid Chromatography quadrupole Time-of-Flight mass spectrometry (LC-qToF-MS) to confirm the proposed molecular formulas of the unknown substance and its most relevant fragments, as suggested by initial gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This was undertaken on a Bruker impact II qToF instrument combined with a Bruker Elute HPLC system. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Bruker Intensity solo 1.8 C18-2 2.1 x 100 mm and a VanGuard BEH C18 1.7 m guard-column.

Other techniques employed in the investigation were attenuated total reflection-infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR), gas chromatography solid-state infrared spectroscopy (GC-sIR), Raman spectroscopy at 785 nm and 1064 nm, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (NMR).

The team found that the substance closely resembles a known SCRA called Cumyl-PICA, apart from one feature: a cyclobutyl methyl side chain. It appears that this time the drug-makers have modified the sidechain rather than the core structure of SCRA to make a new drug. The researchers called the new substance Cumyl-CBMICA (Cumyl-CycloButylMethyl-IndoleCarboxAmide), and predict it will have similar effects to cannabis, although there is no pharmacological data at present.

Many other cumyl derivatives have been reported in the scientific literature, but the researchers note that, to their knowledge, there are no compounds with the particular side chain found in Cumyl-CBMICA. This novelty meant the compound originally was not covered by German regulations, although this has since been rectified.

The team reported their findings to the Early Warning System of the EMCDDA. They warn that illicit drug-makers and retailers of SCRA products will continue to adapt known drugs as they attempt to produce novel substances that are not covered by legal restrictions. The scientists stress how important it is for forensic laboratories to monitor and analyze novel products as they appear on the market and for governments to amend legislation to include new substances as they are reported.

Comprehensive solution portfolio for forensics

Bruker offers the most comprehensive solution portfolio for forensic analysis. This includes identification and quantification of narcotics and doping agents, chemical warfare agents, characterization of explosives, detection of food fraud, art and document forgery, environmental forensics including waste analysis and crime scene investigations like glass, fiber and gunshot residue analysis. Brukers technologies are applied in day-to-day routine analysis as well as to develop and enhance new methods like in the present study. Our mission of enabling law enforcement to generate coherent and robust data for legal proceedings will make societies safer.

References

About Bruker BioSpin - NMR, EPR and Imaging - Forensics

Welcome to Bruker BioSpin and the world's most comprehensive range of NMR and EPR spectroscopy and preclinical imaging research tools. The Bruker BioSpin Group of companies develop, manufacture and supply technology to research establishments, commercial enterprises and multi-national corporations across countless industries and fields of expertise.

Bruker BioSpin is continuing to revolutionize the design, manufacture and distribution of life science, preclinical, process control and analytical research tools based on magnetic resonance and multimodal imaging technologies. Bruker BioSpin is the worldwide technology and market leader in magnetic resonance technologies (NMR, EPR) and offers the largest portfolio of imaging modalities for preclinical and industrial research under a single brand.

Sponsored Content Policy: News-Medical.net publishes articles and related content that may be derived from sources where we have existing commercial relationships, provided such content adds value to the core editorial ethos of News-Medical.Net which is to educate and inform site visitors interested in medical research, science, medical devices and treatments.
Interview: BRICS commitment to multilateralism important for holding world together -- South African scholar

16:13, July 07, 2022 By Ndumiso Mlilo ( Xinhua

JOHANNESBURG, July 7 (Xinhua) -- The BRICS commitment to reinforcing multilateralism during its recent summit is important as the group has a capacity to exert influence in the world, Philani Mthembu, executive director at the Institute for Global Dialogue, a South African foreign policy think tank, has said.

Multilateralism "is what holds the world together and could help build a better world for all." But over the last few years, the role played by multilateral institutions, such as the World Health Organization, World Trade Organization and the United Nations, has taken a hit, and multilateralism has been confronted with challenges, Mthembu told Xinhua in a recent interview.

BRICS countries play an important role in various areas in their respective regions, not least in upholding multilateralism, he said.

BRICS leaders agreed during the summit to facilitate greater and more meaningful participation by developing and least developed countries, especially in Africa, in global decision-making processes, Mthembu noted, adding it's a welcome move to the African continent to allow regional countries to have a voice in global affairs.

According to the scholar, it is a "logical step" taken by China to support the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by allocating resources to the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund.

China's assistance would contribute to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, he added.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
Oman Air, the national airline of the Sultanate of Oman, is enabling more opportunities for Omanis from varied academic backgrounds, providing them with access to more leadership and specialized positions.



Hilal bin Ali Al Siyabi, Senior Vice President - People, stated: Oman Air is proud to have achieved an Omanization rate of 94 percent (excluding female cabin crew) at June 2022, which represents a high percentage considering our extensive international business footprint. The airline also employs bilingual employees from many nationalities to provide many of the specialised services that travellers expect from a global airline. Presently, we employ 2,811 Omanis alongside highly skilled and experienced colleagues from 64 nations.



Al Siyabi added that the airline is committed to expanding horizons for young Omanis and boosting Oman Air's contribution to the Sultanate's GDP during the country's five-year plan (2021-2025) in line with Oman Vision 2040.



This is owing to the success of many Omanization strategies achieving the intended results. Our Flight Operations Department's strategy is the perfect example, as 415 of the 398 pilots are Omani, with the remaining 17 pilots having extensive cumulative experience and work as instructors empowering future generations of pilots, he said.



Ongoing efforts to train and qualify the next generation of pilots have been intensifying at Oman Air. Approximately 93 Omani cadets are currently enrolled in the Air Transport Pilot License Program, with 81 receiving theoretical and practical training at Europe's leading international flight training college in 6 different batches, with one batch of 12 trainees receiving initial foundation and skills training at Sultan Qaboos University.



"We recognise that Omani youth play an important leadership role in implementing important policies, initiatives, and commercial programmes at the airline, all of which have been praised by our esteemed customers, in addition to major international assessment companies. This clearly demonstrates the importance Oman Air places on developing and empowering Omani skills and contributing to an environment of success," Al Siyabi stated.



Oman Air will soon launch its Future Leaders Commercial Graduate Programme exclusively for Omani graduates. The intensive 2-year programme will offer up to 12 selected candidates the opportunity to gain internationally recognised qualifications while being exposed to all commercial functions at Oman Air. The programme is designed for the most talented Omani graduates, and expands on Oman Air's excellence-focused culture.



With job rotations that will expose students to six core commercial departmentsStrategy & Planning, Revenue Management, Sales, Marketing, Product Development, and Service Deliverygraduates will receive practical experience from inside the airline's commercial department. The programme will help students reach their potential as commercial managers and provide them with the skill sets needed to enter the airline sector.  TradeArabia News Service
(Newser)  Update: It's a guilty plea for Tony Cushingberry, accused of fatally gunning down an Indianapolis mail carrier in 2020. NBC News reports the 23-year-old pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Tuesday, per the US Attorney's Office for Southern Indiana. Court documents note that mail wasn't being delivered to Cushingberry's home due to an aggressive dog on his property, and so he confronted 45-year-old Angela Summers on April 27, 2020, after she walked by his home without dropping off the mail, per the Indianapolis Star. After Summers sprayed Cushingberry with mace, he's said to have pulled out a gun and shot her in the chest. Summers died at an area hospital. Cushingberry will be sentenced by a federal district court judge at a yet-to-be-determined date. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Our original story from April 2020 follows:

A 45-year-old mail carrier and mom of a 14-year-old is dead in Indianapolis after being gunned down on the job. The New York Times reports Angela Summers was killed Monday afternoon while delivering mail, and a 21-year-old man has been arrested. One man in the neighborhood where Summers was shot tells the Indianapolis Star that he was in his yard Monday and heard profanity, "angry words," and then "the pop of gunfire." Another local resident, 19-year-old Alondra Salazar, says she was inside her home when she also heard a loud noise, then knocking. When she opened her door, she says she saw a bloodied, "hyperventilating" Summers on her porch, with mail, a small container of hand sanitizer, and a can of pepper spray scattered around her.

Salazar called 911 and tried to keep Summers calm, though she said she lost it when the wounded woman "said something about her kid." The Marion County Coroner says she died of a gunshot wound to the chest, per FOX59. The cops are so far mum on a motive, but a Facebook post by the National Association of Letter Carriers says Summers "was shot by a customer who was upset over his mail being held at the post office for a dog issue." A local NALC rep tells the Star that mail is usually suspended if a residence receives three dog complaints. "There had been a long-standing issue with dogs" at a local residence, he notes.

Tony Cushingberry was arrested Tuesday for "alleged involvement" in Summers' death; charges are pending. The Star reports that in Facebook posts made on Saturday Summers wrote about having to spray a "nasty" dog twice, and said she felt "seriously unsafe" after the family that owned the dog threatened her over their halted mail service; the posts do not identify which residence she was referring to. (Read more shooting stories.)
(Newser)  Nyekuoth Manyuan dreamed of becoming a doctor. Instead, at 14, she was taken from her village of Kueryiek in South Sudan and wed to a 25-year-old man in exchange for 60 cattle. "I know I'm young," Nyekuoth told CBS News foreign correspondent Debora Patta. "But the food's been taken away, and I want my family to survive on the dowry." Two months ago, Nyekuoth was receiving education and a meal each day thanks to the United Nations' World Food Program. But with rising costs and a drop in donations, triggered in part by Russia's war in Ukraine, the program had to suspend aid to nearly 2 million people, CBS reports.

"It's because there are so many catastrophes blowing up across the world," says Marwa Awad, head of communications for the WFP in South Sudan, referring to humanitarian crises in Afghanistan, Yemen, and Ukraine. There's "less money to feed more and more people." Indeed, El Pais tells of 8-year-old Afasana from Afghanistan, who will soon wed a 25-year-old man in exchange for about $2,300. "At least I will be able to eat twice a day," she tells the outlet. "Of course I didn't want to do this," adds her father. "But after the Taliban arrived I lost my job as a sweeper" and "without money, we had no other option." Even infants are promised away, sometimes before leaving the womb.

UNICEF has also warned about "alarming rates" of child marriage in the Horn of Africa, "as the most severe drought in forty years" and skyrocketing food and fuel prices leave families desperate. "Some destitute families [are] arranging to marry off girls as young as twelve to men more than five times their age," says Andy Brooks, UNICEF's Regional Child Protection Advisor for Eastern and Southern Africa. Awad says "the solution is that people do not forget ... because there are still many lives that can thrive if help is given." It costs just $15 to feed a school child in South Sudan for a month, CBS reports. (Read more child marriage stories.)
(Newser)  A rural Georgia monument that some conservative Christians have criticized as satanic was bombed before dawn on Wednesday, damaging one of four granite panels that some people dubbed "America's Stonehenge." The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said the Georgia Guidestones monument near Elberton was damaged by an explosive device. Elberton Granite Association Executive Vice President Chris Kubas told local news outlets that the monument was significantly damaged. Pictures and drone footage show one of the four stone panels in rubble on the ground, the AP reports.

The enigmatic roadside attraction was built in 1980 from local granite, commissioned by an unknown person or group under the name RC Christian. The 19-foot-high panels bear a 10-part message in 12 different languages with guidance for living in an "age of reason." One part calls for keeping world population at 500 million or below, while another calls to "guide reproduction wiselyimproving fitness and diversity." It also serves as a sundial and astronomical calendar. The site is about 7 miles north of Elberton, near the South Carolina state line.

The roadside attraction received renewed attention during Georgia's May 24 gubernatorial primary when third-place Republican candidate Kandiss Taylor claimed the guidestones are satanic and made demolishing them part of her platform. The GBI says the bomb appears to have gone off around 4am, with sheriff's deputies responding to discover the damage. Some residents told local news outlets they heard an explosion at that time. Elbert County sheriff's deputies, Elberton police, and the GBI are among the agencies trying to figure out what happened.

(Read more Georgia stories.)
(Newser)  A defendant will be allowed to argue in her trial defense that she killed a man because he sexually abused her for years, the Wisconsin Supreme Court decided Wednesday. The state's affirmative defense law was designed to safeguard sex trafficking victims from facing prosecution for "any offense committed as a direct result" of being trafficked, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Chrystul Kizer was 17 when she was charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the death of Randall P. Volar III, 34, who was shot in the head in 2018. The Supreme Court upheld a lower court's ruling after the trial judge disallowed the defense.

The court considered the "direct result" wording in the law but decided the statute doesn't define the phrase, per NBC News. "Human trafficking can trap victims in a cycle of seemingly inescapable abuse that can continue for months or even years," the decision says. Because of that, a crime that doesn't occur immediately after trafficking could still be a result of it, the court wrote, "so long as there is still the necessary logical connection between the offense and the trafficking."

Kizer, now 22, is awaiting trial. The court did not rule on whether the jury will be given instructions on considering this defense at trial. She can't just make the argument, the court said. To present the defense, Kizer will have to provide the court with "some evidence" to support it. The law does not require that the person accused of abuse be prosecuted on trafficking charges, per the Journal Sentinel. (Read more homicide stories.)
New Delhi, July 6 (UNI) Two Union Ministers - Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and RCP Singh resigned from the Union Cabinet on Wednesday, ahead of their Rajya Sabha terms coming to end.

Naqvi resigned as the Minority Affairs Minister, while Singh resigned as the Steel Minister.

The Rajya Sabha terms of both leaders will come to an end on Thursday. President Ram Nath Kovind accepted the resignation of both Ministers.

The additional charge of Minority Affairs Ministry was given to Union Minister Smriti Irani, while the additional charge of Steel Ministry was given to Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Sources said the Prime Minister, at a meeting of the Union Cabinet on Wednesday, lauded both the Ministers for their contribution to the country.

The resignations came shortly after the Cabinet meeting.

Speculations have meanwhile been rife that Naqvi may be nominated for the post of the Vice-President, though there has been no official word on it.

Naqvi, a senior BJP leader, was also the deputy leader of the Rajya Sabha. Singh was a minister in the Modi Cabinet from JD (U) quota.

Singh, once considered close to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, was not nominated to the Upper House from the state, as his term came to an end. Speculations were rife that he may join BJP.

The reports came after Singh arrived at Hyderabad ahead of BJP's National Executive meet, and was also welcomed at the airport by state BJP leaders.

He was in Hyderabad to attend the parliamentary committee meeting of his ministry.

UNI AO RJ
(Newser)  Monday would have marked the 100th anniversary of a tradition at the New York Timesbut the facsimile of the Declaration of the Independence normally printed on the back page of the A section was nowhere to be found. Readers thought the tradition established in 1922 might have been unceremoniously ditched, but the Declaration appeared in its usual spot the next day. "We have a longstanding tradition of printing the Declaration of Independence in the July 4th print edition," Times spokesperson Danielle Rhoades Ha tells Politico. "Due to a human error, it wasn't printed this July 4th so was included in the July 5th edition. We have no plans to change the tradition going forward."

After Adolph Ochs bought the then-struggling newspaper in 1896, he began publishing the full text of the Declaration every July 4, starting in 1897. The Times switching to printing a facsimile of the original document 25 years later. Readers including Anthony Scaramucci noticed the omission Monday and wondered what was going on, Fox reports. Politico notes that it would not have been "far-fetched" for people to suspect the Declaration was left out for ideological reasons. NPR said Monday that it was "updating" its 33-year-old tradition of reading the document to feature a discussion of the history of the document and how the meaning of "equality" changed over the years. (Read more New York Times stories.)
(Newser)  All 30 NATO members have formally signed off on Sweden and Finland's historic bid to join the alliance, and the next step is expected to be a time-consuming onebut not in Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the country has become the first to ratify accession protocols for the two Nordic countries, a step that will also have to be taken by legislatures in the other 29 member states, Politico reports. "Canada took steps to be able to ratify the Protocols as quickly as possible," Trudeau said in a statement. "In addition, the House of Commons voted unanimously in favor of Finland and Sweden joining the Alliance."

As a founding NATO member, Canada supports the open-door policy "for any European country in a position to advance the commitments and obligations of membership, such as protecting democracy," Trudeau said. When representatives of the 30 allies approved the protocols Tuesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg described it as "truly a historic moment for Finland, for Sweden and for NATO."

Denmark says it has also handed over ratification documents. Germany's legislature is expected to approve the accession of Finland and Sweden on Tuesday, but even though Russia's war on Ukraine has added urgency to the process, parliaments in other countries are unlikely to grant approval until after their summer breaks, the AP reports. Accession became possible after Turkey dropped its objection, though Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the country could still block the process if Finland and Sweden decline to extradite people it considers terrorists. (Read more NATO stories.)
(Newser)  Seeking maximum impact, the heads of the FBI and Britain's MI5 stood together Wednesday to warn of the danger of Chinese espionage. Western technology companies are especially at risk of losing intellectual property, the two told chief executives at Thames House, headquarters of the British domestic security agency, in London, the BBC reports. "The Chinese government is set on stealing your technologywhatever it is that makes your industry tickand using it to undercut your business and dominate your market," said FBI Director Christopher Wray in the rare joint appearance. "They're set on using every tool at their disposal to do it."

For context, Wray told the group of business and education leaders that the FBI is launching a new counterintelligence investigation into Chinese activities roughly every 12 hours. Ken McCallum, MI5 director-general, said his agency has seven times as many investigations into Chinese activity now as it did in 2018, per the Wall Street Journal. Wray said countermeasures are needed "if we are to protect our economies, our institutions and our democratic values." China's hacking is "a coordinated campaign on a grand scale," McCallum said, adding, "We need to act."

A spokesman for China's embassy in Washington issued a statement Wednesday criticizing US politicians who have been tarnishing Chinas image and painting China as a threat with false accusations." The Chinese government never condones cyberattacks, Liu Pengyu said, accusing the US of large-scale online surveillance. Also Wednesday, the US National Counterintelligence and Security Center separately warned business executives and state and local government officials that they see increasing attempts by China to affect policy-making in the US. The notice said overt and covert means are being used, such as lobbying through front groups and threatening to stifle trade and investment opportunities. (Read more espionage stories.)
(Newser)  Elon Musk's child count is up to nine, that the world knows of at least. The tech CEO secretly fathered twins born in November to a top executive at Neuralink, one of the four companies that have Musk at their head, according to court documents obtained by Business Insider. (Weeks after the twins were born, Musk and Grimes' second child was born via surrogate in Decemberand also kept secret for a few months.) Shivon Zilis, 36, and Musk, 51, this April filed a petition to change the secret newborn twins' names (which Insider is not revealing for privacy reasons) so that they would "have their father's last name and contain their mother's last name as part of their middle name," per the documents, which listed the same Texas address for both Musk and Zilis.

Zilis, born in Ontario, started her career at IBM after graduating from Yale in 2008; she'd made it onto Forbes' 30 Under 30 list by 2015, while working for venture-capital fund Bloomberg Beta. She has, per Insider, "emerged as a thought leader in the field of machine learning," and met Musk via her work with OpenAI, which he cofounded in 2015. She's now on OpenAI's board of directors. After starting to work for Tesla in 2017 as a project director working in the CEO's office, she's currently an exec at Neuralink, the neurotechnology company at which Musk is co-CEO. Some have speculated Musk could have her run Twitter post-acquisition. TechCrunch deems the news of Musk's twins with Zilis even messier than the incident involving the alleged sexual harassment of a SpaceX flight attendant, and says Zilis appears to be partially scrubbing her online presence in the wake of news breaking.

Musk, who has been vocal about declining population rates and his view that population collapse is coming quickly, had a set of twins and a set of triplets with his first wife, Justine Musk, after they lost their first child to sudden infant death syndrome at 10 weeks old. (One of those children has since broken with Musk in a big way.) He then had two children with Grimes (who has said their romantic relationship is "very fluid") and two with Zilis. "Despite Musks insistence that we all make like him and start breeding ..., this is a man who allegedly fired Tesla employees for getting pregnant and taking child care leave," writes Kylie Cheung at Jezebel. "Musk also railed against President Bidens Build Back Better plan, which established universal paid leave for families and offered the most funding for child care and early education in modern history" and has been conspicuously silent about the overturning of Roe v. Wade. (Read more Elon Musk stories.)
(Newser)  A federal judge Wednesday sentenced Jerry Harris, a former star of the Netflix documentary series Cheer, to 12 years in prison for coercing teenage boys to send him obscene photos and videos of themselves and soliciting sex from minors at cheerleading competitions. US District Judge Manish Shah also ordered that the sentence be followed by eight years of court-supervised release, the AP reports. Shah told Harris to consider the sentence an expression of the seriousness of your crimes, tempered with some hope that all is not lost for you or for your victims, and that in the future some healing can occur. Harris, 22, of suburban Naperville, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count each of receiving child pornography and traveling with the intention to engage in illegal sexual conduct.

A prosecutor had asked for a sentence of 15 years followed by 10 years of supervised release while attorneys for Harris sought a sentence of six years and eight years of supervised release. Before learning his sentence, Harris apologized to his victims, saying, I am deeply sorry for all the trauma my abuse has caused you. I pray deep down that your suffering comes to an end. Im not an evil person, Harris said. Im still learning who I am and what my purpose is. Harris has been in custody at a federal detention facility. Cheer was a huge success when it was released in January 2020 and Harris became wildly popular for his upbeat attitude and his encouraging mat talk. Harris even interviewed celebrities on the red carpet at the Academy Awards for The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

(Read more Jerry Harris stories.)
(Newser)  Scott Adams has had controversial takes on gun violence before, but his latest one, on the Highland Park mass shooting, is spurring backlash from those speaking on mental health illness and addiction. The 65-year-old creator of the Dilbert cartoon strip posted an eyebrow-raising series of tweets on Wednesday that discussed the "dangerous young man problem," comparing the Illinois shooting to fatal fentanyl overdoses, the latter of which took the life of his own 18-year-old stepson in 2018. In Adams' view, "tough love" and "government services" will do no good in either case, and society only offers two solutions for these issues: "You have to either murder your own son or watch him die and maybe kill others."

He added: "There are no other options," noting that anyone who thinks there are is "living in a delusion." Adams, who delved further into the topic on his podcast, also offered up his own possible remedy: "I think it would involve putting them all in one place so they could only hurt each other, not necessarily in jail, just away from society." Some commiserated with Adams, relaying their own painful experiences, per the Los Angeles Times. "I faced this situation with a foster son. Nothing we tried helped him," one commenter wrote in reply, noting his foster son eventually died by suicide.

Many others, however, slammed Adams for his fatalistic take that some compared to Lord of the Flies or eugenics, per Newsweek. "Surely you aren't actually advocating for the execution of troubled young men," one appalled critic posted. "The entire field of psychiatric professionals would like to have a word with you," another wrote. "I really hope nobody reads this, trusting you as a source and kills their child believing there is no hope." One name in particular stood out from the crowd in his pushback on Adams. "These are not the only two options," filmmaker James Gunn tweeted, adding that he himself had been "a violent teenager addicted to drugs" who, with the help and support of family, was able to recover. (Read more Scott Adams stories.)
(Newser)  Update: This file has been updated throughout with new information.

Despite calling it "ludicrous and untrue to suggest" that two top officials then-President Trump clashed with were chosen any way but randomly for intensive tax audits, the agency announced Thursday there will be an investigation. The IRS said in a statement that Commissioner Chuck Rettig had personally contacted the Treasury Department's inspector general for tax administration with the investigation request, Politico reports. Former FBI director James Comey and his deputy Andrew McCabe were both selected to undergo the rare audits, which take months to complete and cost thousands of dollars in accountant fees, by the IRS under the leadership of Trump appointee Rettig, which "presents extraordinary questions," per the New York Times.

Basically, the "chances of the two highest-ranking FBI officialswho made some of the most politically consequential law enforcement decisions in a generationbeing randomly subjected to a detailed scrub of their tax returns a few years after leaving their posts" are "miniscule." In 2017, the chance of being selected for the audit was one in 30,600. Comey was informed in 2019 that his 2017 return was selected. Trump had fired Comey in 2017 and afterward raged about his lack of loyalty and pursuit of the Russia investigation, calling for his prosecution. Unbeknownst to Comey, McCabe was informed in 2021 that his 2019 return would undergo the same audit, though the chance of being selected in that filing year was about one in 19,250, per the Times.

McCabe, who became acting FBI director after Comey's exit and launched an investigation of Trump, was similarly assailed by the former president, who "accused him of treason and raised questions about his finances long after pushing for his dismissal and prosecution," the Times reports. "You don't need to be an anti-Trumper to look at this and think it's suspicious," says John Koskinen, IRS commissioner from 2013 to 2017. In the end, Comey and his wife, forced to pay $5,000 in accountant fees, were found to have overpaid by $347. "Maybe it's a coincidence or maybe somebody misused the IRS to get at a political enemy," Comey says, adding the question needs to be answered given "how badly Trump wanted to hurt me" and "the role Trump wants to continue to play in our country." McCabe and his wife were found to owe a small amount of money.

"It just defies logic to think that there wasn't some other factor involved," McCabe tells CNN. He said asking the inspector general to investigate is the right move but added, "let's see if the IG moves on it and then makes their findings public." The IRS says returns are "selected at random" for the National Research Program audits, which are meant to help the IRS determine where it should focus resources to reduce noncompliance. It adds that Rettig, set to leave his post in November, "is not involved in individual audits" and "has never been in contact with the White House ... on IRS enforcement or individual taxpayer matters." Plus, there are "strong safeguards in place to protect ... against politically motivated audits," it says, per the Washington Post. A rep for Trump claimed no knowledge of the audits. An agency spokesperson said it's "ludicrous and untrue to suggest that senior IRS officials somehow targeted specific individuals" for audits. (Read more IRS stories.)
(Newser)  After her husband committed suicide, a Minnesota mother decided her only path was a triple murder-suicide that left herself and her three children dead along with him, according to police. Molly Cheng, 23, called 911 around 10:30am Friday to report the death of husband Yee Lee, 27, who was found to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, per NBC News. About five hours later, a relative called 911 "stating that Molly was going to kill her children and herself," police say, per People. As she drove from her Maplewood home, Cheng reportedly made concerning comments in a phone call with a friend, who alerted family, reports the Sahan Journal.

Cheng's vehicle was soon found near Lake Vadnais, not far from the family's home, amid signs that the mother, her two sons, and daughter had entered the water. The first body was retrieved from the lake by 7:30pm. By the next morning, all four bodies had been recovered. On Tuesday, the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office announced Cheng and the childrenQuadrillion T. Lee, 4; Phoenix Lee, 5; and Estella Zoo Siab Lee, 3had drowned. The youngest two children had also been smothered, according to a medical examiner, who ruled Cheng's death to be a suicide, per NBC. The sheriff's office says it's continuing to investigate "to provide clarity and closure to the surviving family members."

Among them is Chong Lue Lee, 60. "I wish this never happened to them," he told the Journal of his paternal grandchildren on Tuesday. He said extended family members had agreed for Cheng's father to take the children on Friday night, but Cheng was adamant that the children stay with her. Lee added he was unaware of any mental health issues with either his son and his wifewho were born in Thailand and grew up in an unofficial refugee camp for displaced Hmong before leaving in the early 2000s and eventually meeting in the Twin Citiesthough "there were things happening" in their relationship. He didn't elaborate and urged onlookers not to rush to judgment. (If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.)
(Newser)  Boris Johnson has been beset by one scandal after another over the years, so why did the latest one bring his resignation? At the New York Times, Martha Gill writes that Johnson made a big political error this week: He apologized. "It was a mistake, and I apologize for it," he said of his decision to appoint a lawmaker to a party post even though the man had been accused of sexual misconduct. Once Johnson said that, ministerial resignations began pouring in. "Offered in the hope of mitigating damage, apologies often instead open the floodgates," writes Gill. "That's not to say politicians are wrong to apologize when they have made a mistake, of course. It's just that, in politics, it tends not to go well." More:

Cringe factor: At the Washington Post, Adam Taylor observes that "for years, Boris Johnson's superpower was his lack of shame." He was the butt of endless jokes and the center of countless scandals, and yet he shrugged off the embarrassments and endured. However, fellow Conservatives who once "delighted" in his ability to do that are now being affected themselves, and they've had it. With Thursday's resignation, "Johnson ended up the first British prime minister brought down not by personal shame, but by a collective cringe."

At the Washington Post, Adam Taylor observes that "for years, Boris Johnson's superpower was his lack of shame." He was the butt of endless jokes and the center of countless scandals, and yet he shrugged off the embarrassments and endured. However, fellow Conservatives who once "delighted" in his ability to do that are now being affected themselves, and they've had it. With Thursday's resignation, "Johnson ended up the first British prime minister brought down not by personal shame, but by a collective cringe." Until autumn? Johnson says he intends to remain in his post as Conservative Party leaderand thus as a "caretaker" prime ministeruntil a new leader is chosen. It's possible that won't happen until autumn. "One does have to wonder how easily Johnson would be dislodged after a couple of months of relative normality at 10 Downing Street," writes Ed Morrissey at Hot Air. Instead, there's a decent chance the party will speed things up and appoint a different caretaker quickly, he adds. One possibility is former PM Theresa May. (The next British general election isn't scheduled until 2025, though it's possible an early one could be called, as the BBC explains in a what-happens-next primer.)

Spell broken: " None of this was a surprise, because dishonesty has been the one constant through Johnsons career," writes Jonathan Freedland at the Guardian. Freedland digs into the particular forces at play that allowed Johnson to thrive in spite of that. "In the age of Trump and Brexit, to be a congenital bull---- artistas Johnson always had beenwas to define yourself as a man of 'the people' and their 'instincts,' unrestrained by pettifogging niceties, heedless of the boring naysayers and their tedious facts, ready instead to take a stand against the know-all elites, establishment, and experts," he writes. Freedland is just happy that Johnson's "brief but toxic spell" has been broken.

None of this was a surprise, because dishonesty has been the one constant through Johnsons career," writes Jonathan Freedland at the Guardian. Freedland digs into the particular forces at play that allowed Johnson to thrive in spite of that. "In the age of Trump and Brexit, to be a congenital bull---- artistas Johnson always had beenwas to define yourself as a man of 'the people' and their 'instincts,' unrestrained by pettifogging niceties, heedless of the boring naysayers and their tedious facts, ready instead to take a stand against the know-all elites, establishment, and experts," he writes. Freedland is just happy that Johnson's "brief but toxic spell" has been broken. Don't delay: One prominent figure warning against allowing Johnson to remain as prime minister for months is former PM John Major. "For the overall wellbeing of the country, Johnson should not remain in Downing Street ... for any longer than necessary to effect the smooth transition of government," Major writes, per the BBC.

(Read more Boris Johnson stories.)
(Newser)  Early Wednesday, a bomb destroyed part of the mysterious Georgia Guidestones monument in a rural area in the state's northeast. Later in the day, authorities finished the job. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation tweeted a photo of the destroyed granite monument, saying that "for safety reasons, the structure has been completely demolished." The agency also shared videos of the explosion and a car leaving the scene. The 19-foot-tall monument, nicknamed "America's Stonehenge," consisted of four granite slabs around a central pillar, topped by a capstone, the New York Times reports. The blast around 4am Wednesday destroyed one slab and damaged the capstone.

The monument, which was commissioned by an unknown person or group and erected in 1980, was inscribed in 12 languages with a set of ten principles for an "age of reason"including limiting the world's population to below 500 million "in perpetual balance with nature" and guiding "reproduction wiselyimproving fitness and diversity." Critics, particularly conservative Christians and conspiracy theorists, had long denounced the monument, and former Republican gubernatorial candidate Kandiss Taylor made removing it part of her platform, reports Reuters.

Taylor, who finished in third place in the May primary, said Wednesday that she doesn't support vandalism. However, "God is God all by Himself. He can do ANYTHING He wants to do," she tweeted. "That includes striking down Satanic Guidestones." Local businessman Mart Clamp, who helped his father engrave the monument when it was commissioned, tells the Times that he's "heartbroken" by the destruction. He says his engraving business is among local businesses that have offered time and resources to restore the monument. (Read more Georgia stories.)
New Delhi, July 7 (UNI) India, Maldives, Mauritius and Sri Lanka concluded a joint meeting to discuss the matters of national security in a conclave held on Thursday.

The meeting was organised by the Colombo Security Conclave of which India and other three South Asian countries are members.

The multi-nation meet took place in Kochi where the delegations from Bangladesh and Seychelles participated as observers, according to a statement issued from Colombo Security Conclave.

"The Member States of the Colombo Security Conclave comprising India, Maldives, Mauritius and Sri Lanka, successfully concluded the 6th Deputy National Security Adviser level meeting held on 7 July 2022 hosted by the National Security Council Secretariat of India in Kochi. Delegations from Bangladesh and Seychelles participated as Observers," the statement read.

The conclave said that participants' countries deliberated upon the implementation of the roadmap for Cooperation for 2022-23 and reviewed the decisions taken at the 5th NSA level meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave in March 2022 held in the Maldives.

"The discussions happened on the five pillars of Maritime Safety and Security; countering terrorism and radicalisation; combating trafficking and transnational organised crime; cyber security; protection of critical infrastructure and technology; and humanitarian assistance & disaster relief," the statement by the conclave read.

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(Newser)  French photojournalist Michael Bunel says that when the Doctors Without Borders ship he was on arrived at the scene of a "catastrophic" shipwreck in the Mediterranean, he put down his camera to start saving peoplebut he took a few moments to capture the dramatic rescue of a 4-month-old baby boy. A teenager who had been clinging to a piece of wood for hours handed the infant to rescuers, Brunel tells Brut. The baby was no longer breathing but rescuers were able to revive him with cardiac message, Brunel says. He says that when the ship arrived at the site, the teen could be heard shouting, "There's a baby."

The teenager, a 17-year-old from Togo, is being hailed as a hero, the Guardian reports. "I am a good swimmer and I went to help people," the teen said, per Doctors Without BordersMedecins Sans Frontiereswhich has been operating its Geo Barents ship in the Mediterranean for a year. Bunel says the baby and his mother were airlifted to a hospital in Italy, though other survivors had to remain on the ship for days before they were allowed to disembark in Italy.

Bunel says his stomach was "twisting in two" during the tense rescue of the infant. "As a journalist it was necessary that I ... make images," he says. "But very quickly, we are faced with a case that is so critical, with a lot of children, pregnant women, that in fact, you put the box down and you simply start saving people." The charity says it was able to rescue 71 people from the scene, though an estimated 30 people did not survive the hours in the water after the shipwreck, and a pregnant woman who could not be resuscitated died on the rescue ship. The charity says the tragedy, like many others in the Mediterranean, is the result of "inaction and disengagement" from European Union countries. (Read more rescue stories.)
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Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Cloudy with occasional showers this afternoon. High 62F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

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Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 48F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

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Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low around 50F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

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Washington, July 7 (UNI) In a letter to the Congress, US President Joe Biden has said that he will officially rescind Afghanistan's designation as a major non-NATO ally.

In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday, he said, "In accordance with section 517 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (22 U.S.C. 2321k), I am providing notice of my intent to rescind the designation of Afghanistan as a Major NonNATO Ally."

In 2012, then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had termed Afghanistan as a major non-NATO ally, clearing path for the two countries to maintain a defense and economic relationship.

According to CNN, unlike NATO allies of the United States, who are bound together by a joint defense pact, there is no mutual defense guarantee as a non-NATO ally though they are eligible to receive material and supply loans, as well as serve as a location for US-owned war reserve stockpiles.

With the latest decision on Afghanistan, the US will now have 18 major non-NATO allies -- Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, South Korea, Thailand and Tunisia.

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TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Illegal employment of expatriates, who arrive in Bahrain on visit visas, is posing a serious threat to the Kingdoms labour sector, it emerged. A number of illegal expatriate workers were arrested for violating the Bahrains labour rules amidst the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) along with Nationality, Passport and Residence Affairs (NPRA) intensifying its campaign against undocumented workers.

Many illegal workers arrested as part of the crackdown, now face deportation proceedings. These arrested individuals were found to have committed many violations related to the provisions of the LMRA and Residency laws in Bahrain. According to NPRA official Talal Taqi, the crackdown will be intensified in the coming days as part of efforts to keep the labour and immigration sector safe from the violators.

Speaking to The Daily Tribune, a source closely associated with the tours and travels sector said a large number of violators of labour rules in the Kingdom are those who have arrived under one-year multiple entry visa. The one-year multiple entry visa can be obtained by an applicant staying outside Bahrain.

The visa costs BD16 for one month and its validity is 90 days, which could be extended up to one year by exiting the country once in three months. Many violators would arrive in Bahrain under this visa and approach potential employers, mainly small-scale business owners, who employ them after considering it to be a less expensive option compared to the legal LMRA channel.

He said these small-scale business owners are now paying high prices for committing this illegal act after their workers were detained for taking up illegal employment. Under the rules mentioned for this specific type of visa applicants, taking up paid or unpaid employment is absolutely illegal.

The applicants should also have BD300 with them upon entry in Bahrain to meet their expenses. The source said that there are many agents in South Asian countries including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, who trick on innocent, uneducated clients into believing that they are buying a job visa having legal authenticity to work under any employer in Bahrain. Many vulnerable youngsters from South Asian countries, who are potential jobseekers in Bahrain, are increasingly falling victim to visa fraudsters.

The Daily Tribune has learnt that under the pretext of handing over employment visas visit visas are sold to many youngsters taking amounts ranging between BD700 and BD1,200 from them. Social workers say that the majority of victims only realise the fraudulent act after reaching Bahrain on a visit visa.

However, after falling victim to the scammers they have no other option other than returning home or continuing their stay in Bahrain as an illegal resident. Majority of the victims are unskilled workers from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Almost all South Asian cities are flooded with fake recruitment agents, who offer visit visas in the name of employment visas to innocent unskilled workers, who pay them huge amounts in their currencies. This is operated by a big racket across South Asian cities. Speaking to The Daily Tribune, social worker Gangan Trikaripur said majority of the victims are unskilled workers belonging to the hospitality and construction sector.

Owing to poor financial situations mainly caused by the pandemic, many expatriates are trying to obtain jobs in Gulf countries including Bahrain. They get in touch with many fake recruitment agents through social media platforms and are conned out of money. Among the victims there are a large number of women expatriates as well.

They are lured into the trap by offering jobs in the hospitality industry. I know an expat woman, who was offered a weeks visit visa in the name of employment visa. She was later rescued and sent home.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The High Criminal Court sentenced a 28-year-old Asian man to five years in prison, a fine of BD3,000, and deportation following an attempt to smuggle drugs by hiding them between his legs. When the accused arrived in Bahrain from his home country, he showed worried behaviour that prompted him to be flagged as soon as he stepped off the plane.

He was directed to the red lane for inspection as soon as he reached the customs officer. The accused was taken to the inspection room after nothing was found in his bag. A substance was concealed in a black cloth skillfully tied with rubber around his legs. The accused said he was forced to carry the substance by a countryman to whom he owed money. According to the investigation, the confiscated material weighed 3,500 grams and the accused planned to deliver it to another contact in a hotel.

Investigations further revealed that the accused was aware of the seized substance, which was brought with the intent of distributing and marketing it in Bahrain for lucrative gain, given his involvement in a narcotics smuggling network. Public Prosecution attributed to the accused that on April 20, 2022 he brought a psychotropic drug with the intent of unauthorised dealing, as well as possessing and obtaining a psychotropic substance with intent to use in conditions other than those authorised by law.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

In the presence of Professor Sameer Otoom, President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland  Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain), the University hosted an alumni reunion event to celebrate and honour the achievements of classes of 2020 and 2021 Medicine, BSc in Nursing and MSc in Nursing graduates.

The ceremony witnessed the attendance of more than 200 RCSI Bahrain alumni, of which more than 80% are Bahraini nationals. During the ceremony, Professor Laura Viani, President of RCSI and Professor Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor and CEO/Registrar congratulated and commended the graduates for their success, perseverance and contribution to Bahrains healthcare system.

Former RCSI Bahrain Associate Professor in Family Medicine and Chair of the Research Ethics Committee, Professor David Misselbrook, was also invited to address the graduates and celebrate their success. Professor Alfred Nicholson, RCSI Bahrain Vice President for Academic Affairs and Head of School of Medicine, said in his address to the alumni, Todays reunion event is an opportunity to connect with our graduates and to celebrate your success, as well as recognise the great strength of character and resilience you all have shown before and since graduation.

While the past three years have posed unique challenges, we are proud of our response as a university and your individual responses as students. I will never forget the classes of 2020 and 2021 for their courage in the face of adversity and challenge.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Labour Fund Tamkeen continues its support for the expansion plans of United Paper Industries Bahrain Pack, which specializes in the production and manufacturing of packaging supplies of various shapes and sizes. United Paper Industries Bahrain Pack was established in 1993 to meet the rising packaging demands in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the GCC. Tamkeens support for this enterprise comes through the Business Growth Program.

United Paper Industries aims to expand its activities to Mondelez and Arla Foods with packaging products. This support will also contribute to a 7,000-ton increase in the company's production capacity, a 70% increase in revenue over the next three years, and a 30% increase in export production within 3 years.

Tamkeens Acting Chief Executive, Maha Mofeez emphasized the importance of the manufacturing sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

She said: With support from Tamkeen, we will enable them to grow their operations even further, offering greater job and training opportunities for Bahrainis. Ebrahim Mohamed Ali Zainal, Vice Chairman to the Board of Directors of United Paper Industries (Bahrain Pack), said, In the coming years, we aim to increase our production capacity even further, which requires additional employment, as a result, we will increase the number of Bahraini employees from 76 to about 90.

In addition, we will empower Bahraini talent by appointing them in leadership roles in the company whilst providing the necessary training through utilizing Tamkeens Human Capital Development Programmes.
marketscreener.com - Jul 14

Four out of five large Japanese firms are passing on higher commodity costs to customers or intend to do so, a Reuters poll found, a sharp rise from the previous survey six months ago as surging input prices and a weak yen drive up import costs.
Washington, July 7 (UNI) Ahead of President Joe Biden's visit to Israel, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reaffirmed US' support to bilateral partnership and in countering threats, including those from Iran.

Spokesperson Ned Price said, "Blinken on Wednesday (local time) spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid to congratulate him on assuming his new role.

"The Secretary reaffirmed to the Prime Minister the unwavering commitment of the United States to the US-Israel partnership, Israels security, and to countering shared threats, including those from Iran.

"He also emphasised US support for a negotiated two-state solution. Secretary Blinken noted President Biden looks forward to celebrating our partnership with Israel during his upcoming visit."

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When I told people I had plans that night, the question, Where are you going this time? left me genuinely stumped. I had taken the assignment to explore the new Albanian restaurant in Stamford, yes, but pronouncing its name, I realized, cut the throttle on my usual happily motoring mouth. Faced with silence and a blank stare in response, friends may have thought I was dodging them, or possibly having a stroke.

Albania: on the Mediterranean, above Greece, Western Civ class notes clicked in my head, Skanderbeg and the Ottomans, Hoxha and his pillboxes, Alps and beaches, the ugly 90s. I knew nothing of the food. My ignorance was pristine. I had to find out.

This desire to bring his countrys food to a region where even the knowledge of its existence hadnt taken root was the guiding principle which had led owner Ramiz Kukaj to open his first location, on Hughes Avenue in the Bronx, five years earlier. One more in Manhattan preceded his newest, in the former location of Bar BQ on Clark Street in Stamford, the current home of Cka ka Qellu, pronounced SHKA-ka kwill-OO.

Everything started when my son, 13 years ago, was dating a girl and asked if there were any Albanian places he could take her, and I realized I didnt have one to suggest, Kukaj tells me. I thought I had to change that, to make something like that happen. Lots of Albanian Kosovars came here in the 90s and 2000s after the war, and I wanted to share our experience and our culture with Americans.

Kukaj envisioned a space where cultural artifacts were presented in the space alongside the food, so when other peoples children asked them the same question, they had an answer.

I left my country when it was burning, left behind dreams, being a photographer. I wanted to bring back objects which survived, bring back my memories.

Cka ka Qellu, then, isnt just a restaurant, its a repository  an outward expression of Kukajs inner self. We were always a poor country, and our dishes were never fancy. If you wanted flour, you needed to raise crops; if you wanted milk or meat, you had to raise animals. I put together recipes of the way we used to eat before.

Kukaj, with no formal culinary training, continues to work in real estate, and tells us it took him 11 years of fine-tuning to develop his menu.

He was inspired to place his first out-of-state restaurant in Stamford because it was the final home of photographer Gjon Mili, the photographer for Life who produced iconic images of Pablo Picasso, among others. Kukaj wanted to be in the culture where one of his idols had lived. He says the low buildings in Stamford felt like home, a mini Europe, more than New York. He fell in love.

My mind can still see the bartenders on trapeze and surf boards bolted to the wall at the old Hula Hanks, or the raw wood of Bar BQ when I walk into the space at Cka ka Qellu, but you likely wont, because its been completely transformed. Artifacts found by Kukaj at antiquities markets in Albania rest in glass display cases, museum-like. A mannequin in traditional dress stands guard inside the door, keeping plaster eyes on a carved pipe, a chillum, and several flint-lock pistols.

The pipes are very important because theyre status symbols, Kukaj explains. Every village had a wise old man people would visit for advice, and tobacco was a part of the tradition of respect. The 19th-century pistols and folk-law books youll see have the same symbolic and practical meaning.

While the words on the menu can be difficult to pronounce, the simplicity of the dishes lends familiarity. Many are various combinations of meat, dairy, rice and peppers. The berxolle Dukagjini (say braciole Dooka-genie, and youll be close) is pounded, seasoned and aged filet mignon, folded over four different cheeses which are melted together in the grilling process. Dukagjini is a town famous for producing Albanian Kosovar warriors throughout history, and the dish is a local preparation.

I order a Peroni, my dining companion a lemon drop martini, and we begin with ajvar (aye-var), the only dish immediately familiar to me. This ajvar, made in Kosovo according to Kukajs recipe, slowww-ly roasted over low temperatures for more than 10 hours, is almost exclusively red peppers and olive oil, slightly sweet, with hints of onion. It is served with two soft and crusty rounds of samuna bread. With fluffy white centers puffing steam, these yeasty loaves are made in house whenever an order of ajvar is fired. A little butter or oil softens the crust as you tear off hunks and pinch up the spread. Savory and addicting, the dish would make a tremendous tapas-style bar snack to have with drinks. My companion loved the bread and, remembering out loud it was her first course, eventually pushed it away with a rueful look.

Dips, soup and small plates of savory crepes and dumplings can be ordered a la carte for individuals or the table, but my eye lands squarely on the dishes cooked in tava, clay plates and bowls like topless tagine. I order stuffed peppers from the section, and she gets sarma: a stuffed cabbage leaf filled with a blend of rice, ground veal, herbs and tomato, baked in a bed of the same.

My stuffed peppers are a variation of the same ingredients, in refilled peppers Kukaj says are reminiscent of Italian long hots, the tava filled with a buttery paprika soup. Digging in, I notice the greenish peppers have had most of the heat baked out of them, but plenty of spice and herb remain to take its place. I alternate sipping the soup and taking bites of the pepper/rice/meat mixture, which is rounded out by a dollop of yogurt sauce and shredded parsley.

Simultaneously unusual in preparation yet having familiar flavors, the dishes are accessible to anyone trying them for the first time, and must feel a bit like home to the Albanian speakers I notice at surrounding tables. Not having her fill of ajvar just yet, my companion uses a bit left over to further dress up her sarma.

Sausage, white bean soup and a selection of grilled items expands the menu. Veal is almost omnipresent, a way, Kukaj says, for rural villagers to have both milk and meat.

Desserts are made in house, and include baklava, an Albanian take on tres leches recommended by our server, and sheqerpare. Albanian for sugar coin, this cornmeal-batter cookie resembles a solid tart. Spiced with secret ingredients imported from Kosovo, the sheqerpare is doused with simple syrup and scattered walnuts. Its intensely sweet, but the spices and nuts keep the cookie interesting.

The paces of dinner and staff alike are relaxed throughout the evening. This is by design, Kukaj says. My restaurants look like inside castles  doors and antiques  but they are living rooms. You can stay here and be comfortable, no one will ever give you a check unless you ask for it.

He says this comes from a tradition of poverty in the region. People may not have much, but there is a culture of morals and hospitality. You can still have heart. To me, its a temple to who we are. In the Balkans, we welcome people.

Cka ka Qellus English translation, according to Kukaj: Come in for what we have.

Cka ka Qellu

15 Clark St., Stamford

203-354-0735, ckakaqelluct.com, @ckakaqellu on Instagram

Open daily for lunch and dinner

Wheelchair accessible
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TOKYO (AP)  Ahead of Sunday's parliamentary elections, nearly a dozen opposition parties are trying to topple the Liberal Democratic Party, which has ruled, almost without interruption, since the end of World War II.

These include a party whose sole platform is a call to boycott public broadcaster NHK, and a party whose trademark is burdock roots and says the vegetable can beat bad guys.

Oh, yeah: Theres also the fractured, bickering main opposition party, which has failed for years to put up a viable candidate for prime minister.

These parties, though wildly different in their policies, share a common trait: They have little chance of upsetting the behemoth LDP, especially as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida maintains stable support ratings and carefully avoids divisive issues ahead of the vote.

The dominance of the LDP is taken for granted here, and Japanese opposition parties, experts say, are more concerned about survival than finding a mutual platform that could viably challenge the LDP. Voters, meanwhile, seem to prefer the stability of the LDP.

Opposition parties are hopeless now, says Masato Kamikubo, a policy science professor at Ritsumeikan University.

A big LDP victory on Sunday, when 545 candidates from 15 parties compete for 124 seats, or half of the 248-seat upper house, means Kishida could rule without interruption until a scheduled election in 2025. Sundays votes will not affect the seats for party leaders who mostly belong to the more powerful lower house of Japans two-chamber parliament.

Kishida has said winning a combined 70 seats between his LDP and its Buddhist-backed junior coalition partner would be a victory. Recent media polls predict an even stronger result.

That would allow him to work on long-term policy goals, such as national security, his signature but still vague new capitalism economic policy, and his partys long-cherished goal to amend the U.S.-drafted postwar pacifist Constitution. The LDP sees the war in Ukraine and people's worry about regional security as rare incentives to push for the charter change.

The current main opposition party  the Constitutional Democrats  rose from the remnants of one that broke up after its 2009-2012 rule ended in disappointment; its former members are still struggling to regain voter support.

The situation surrounding the opposition parties is extremely severe, said Ryosuke Nishida, a Tokyo Institute of Technology professor of sociology and public policy. We can easily assume that many voters, especially the younger generations, have trouble imagining anyone else but the LDP leading a functional administration.

Since its 1955 launch, the LDP has fallen from power only twice  in 1993 and 2009, for three years each time. The last time was when the now-defunct opposition Democratic Party of Japan's rule ended in disappointment largely because of its handling of the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster. Business, bureaucracy and society are still deeply connected to the LDP.

The LDP quickly bounced back after the 2012 return of former leader Shinzo Abe; the DPJ splintered and then regrouped into two parties: the Constitutional Democrats and the fourth-ranked Democratic Party for the People.

The current opposition has struggled to gain traction as the Kishida's administration's response to the Ukrainian crisis and the pandemic has been generally accepted by the public.

Much of the public also has indicated approval for Kishidas plan to drastically reinforce Japans military capability and budget to the NATO standard of 2% of GDP over the next five years to address rising tensions with China, North Korea and Russia. There is still some divide, however, as defense and security issues here are sensitive because of Japan's wartime aggression in Asia.

Voters who don't like the LDP have a few choices.

The emerging Reiwa Shinsengumi is led by actor-turned-lawmaker Taro Yamamoto, who is known as Japans Bernie Sanders and whose populist and socialist platform has gained support from young liberals. His party and the communists criticize Japans defense expansion and call for free education and the elimination of the sales tax.

The Democratic Party for the People calls for salary increases, reactivating nuclear reactors to stabilize energy supply and support a stronger military.

There's also the hawkish Japan Innovation Party, which supports nuclear-weapons sharing with the United States. When party leader Ichiro Matsui showed up to speak recently, however, the crowd was sparse.

The LDP will stay in power for the time being, but we will spice up the policies," he said. "Japanese politics need an opposition like us.

The LDP has been somewhat checked on hawkish issues by its junior coalition partner, Komeito, which is reluctant to support an amendment to the war-renouncing Constitution and the possession of enemy-strike capabilities that critics say could breach the country's pacifist charter.

Most opposition parties are unified in pushing for a cut to or elimination of the 10% consumption tax as a temporary measure to relieve rising prices, though none mentions how to make up for the shortfall.

Recent media surveys show Kishidas popularity is around 50%, still above the 40% when he took office in October. Support for the LDP was 35.6%, compared to just 6% for the Constitutional Democrats, 4.8% for the Innovation Party and 4.6% for the Komeito.

When the prospects for a leadership change are low, opposition parties are less likely to unite and instead try to achieve their policies by cooperating with the rulers, said Yu Uchiyama, a University of Tokyo politics professor.

During the five-month parliamentary session that ended in June, for instance, all of the 61 LDP-proposed legislation actions were endorsed.

The LDP is a catch-all party that tackles everything, Kamikubo said. The main problem is what they do is too little, too late and too old.

As long as LDP rule continues, experts say that gender equality and diversity issues, such as legalizing same sex marriage and allowing married couples to keep two surnames, will continue to stall because of the partys small but vocal ultra-rightwing members.

While many voters take LDP leadership for granted, some younger people say they feel their interests are underrepresented because of government policies largely designed for conservative senior citizens, known as silver democracy.

Seiji Kuribayashi, a freelance photographer, said that he was still comparing policies about prices, taxes and other issues related to his everyday life among candidates from the LDP, Innovation and Reiwa.

I think the opposition should build up its strength and be more competitive so the LDP wont be too complacent about their rule, he said.
TORONTO, July 7, 2022 /CNW/ - Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) today announced that it has invested US$334 million, for a 19.3% stake, in D1, the market leader in Latin America's expanding "hard discount" food retail space, which focuses on offering selections of private-label products at affordable prices.

"Hard discounters" differ from traditional supermarkets by prioritizing convenience and low prices over size and assortment. This business model has proven highly successful in Colombia, where D1 has opened over 2,000 stores since its founding in 2009.

The transaction marks CPP Investments first direct private equity investment in Colombia, a market that is predicted by the OECD to grow by 6.1% in 2022  more than double the global growth forecast.

"D1 provides an excellent opportunity to capitalize on the behavioral shift occurring in Latin America's food retail space, where consumers are adopting new ways of shopping that prioritize convenience and price," said Tania Chocolat, Head of Active Equities Latin America and Sao Paulo Office Head at CPP Investments.

D1 disrupted the food retail industry in Colombia, where it is leading a boom in the hard discount model. It is steadily opening more stores and introducing new products, which are known throughout Colombia for their high quality and low prices.

"Latin America is a region where several industries are undergoing rapid transformation and Colombia is among the markets we've identified as particularly fertile for growth," added Chocolat. "Our investment in D1 supports our goal of identifying standout companies in the region that are well-positioned to deliver strong long-term, risk-adjusted returns for the CPP Fund."

About CPP Investments

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) is a professional investment management organization that manages the Fund in the best interest of the 21 million contributors and beneficiaries of the Canada Pension Plan. In order to build diversified portfolios of assets, investments are made around the world in public equities, private equities, real estate, infrastructure and fixed income. Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, New York City, San Francisco, Sao Paulo and Sydney, CPP Investments is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm's length from governments. At March 31 2022, the Fund totalled C$539 billion. For more information, please visit www.cppinvestments.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.

SOURCE Canada Pension Plan Investment Board

For further information: Asher Levine, Managing Director, Corporate Communications, T: +1 929 208 7939 [email protected]
OTTAWA, ON, July 7, 2022 /CNW/ - With health workers across Canada burned out and exhausted, surgical backlogs rampant, primary care access limited and emergency departments facing closures, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU), Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) and HealthCareCAN are calling on Canada's premiers to make health care their top priority at the Council of the Federation's 2022 Summer Meeting of Canada's Premiers in Victoria, B.C. Our health care crisis must be the priority, and an action plan is urgently required.

CMA President Dr. Katharine Smart and CFNU President Linda Silas will be in Victoria to deliver this message to Canada's premiers at their annual summer meeting, July 11-12.

Quotes:

"We know that fixing the health care system will take time but deferring any tangible action will only deepen the cracks. When a universal health system is not able to provide basic health care needs to Canadians, we must accept that it has failed and work together to fix it. This will take more than simply investing more money. It will require new solutions to old problems such enabling the mobility of health workers between jurisdictions to alleviate pressure points."

- Dr. Katharine Smart, President, CMA

"Canada's health care system is in crisis. While the pandemic certainly struck a severe blow, our health care system has been reeling from a decades-long health care worker shortage that continues to grow unabated thanks to untenable working conditions. The pandemic only added fuel to an already raging fire. The tired, ineffective, and makeshift solutions of the past no longer cut it; we need a bold and concerted effort to tackle the shortage, starting with evidence-based health human resources planning and stable funding."

- Linda Silas, President, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions

"Canada needs to ramp up its health care system to deliver better outcomes for patients and ensure they can receive the care they need when they need it. However, that cannot be achieved if we don't strengthen and invest in our health workforce first. Retaining nurses and other health care workers is at the heart of fixing many challenges of our system. If no effective strategies are put in place to retain nurses that we have now and implement better working conditions, no other strategy will make the difference."

- Sylvain Brousseau, President, CNA

"Canada healthcare system is confronted with a difficult test, we will not be able to tackle the multi-faceted challenges faced by Canada's health system without all levels of government coming together with health leaders to define and build an inclusive, equitable and safe health system that works for all in the 21st century. Most urgent of all these challenges is the health workforce shortage, which is placing unrelenting pressure on the system and healthcare workers, and negatively impacting access to services, quality of care and health outcomes. We support the premiers' and territory leaders' calls for more funding through health transfers, however we must ensure that whatever approach is taken leads to improved health outcomes."

- Paul-Emile Cloutier, President and CEO, HealthCareCAN

About the CMA

The Canadian Medical Association is the national voice of the medical profession. Our focus is on creating strong and accessible health systems, fostering well-being and diversity in medical culture, and ensuring every person in Canada has equal opportunity to be healthy. In partnership with physicians, medical learners, patients and others, we advance these goals through advocacy, knowledge sharing and granting.

About the CFNU

The CFNU is Canada's largest nurses' organization, representing Canada's frontline nurses in every sector of health care  from home care, LTC, community and acute care, including nursing students  and advocating on key health priorities and federal engagement in the future of public health care.

About the CNA

CNA is the national and global professional voice of Canadian nursing. We represent registered nurses, nurse practitioners, licensed and registered practical nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, retired nurses, and nursing students across all 13 provinces and territories.

About HealthCareCAN

HealthCareCAN is the national voice of healthcare organizations and hospitals across Canada. We foster informed and continuous, results-oriented discovery and innovation across the continuum of healthcare. Learn more at healthcarecan.ca

SOURCE Canadian Medical Association

For further information: To schedule an interview or for further information, please contact: CMA Media Relations: [email protected], Eric Lewis, 506-566-1671; CFNU Media Relations: [email protected], Ben Rene, 613-406-5962; CNA Media Relations: Lucas Veiga, 613-697-7497, [email protected]; HealthCareCan Media Relations: Alexandria Rowe, 613-220-1023, [email protected]
NIA searched 13 locations in Maharashtra on Wednesday and seized several documents, including pamphlets for promoting hatred

In connection with the murder of Amravati-based pharmacist Umesh Kolhe on June 21 after he posted on Facebook in support of ousted BJP leader Nupur Sharma, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) searched 13 locations in Maharashtra on Wednesday and seized several documents, including pamphlets for promoting hatred.

NIA said that in addition to digital gadgets (mobile phones, SIM cards, memory cards, and DVRs), knives, and other potentially incriminating papers and materials were found during the searches conducted at the accuseds and suspects residences.

Kolhe, who was reportedly murdered on the evening of June 21 in Amaravati because of certain social media remarks, is the subject of this investigation.

Earlier on June 22, the matter was originally reported to the City Kotvali police station in Amaravati. In response to a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the NIA re-registered the case on July 2 and took over the investigation.

Later, Union Home Minister Amit Shah gave NIA the go-ahead to lead the investigation into Kolhes gruesome murder on July 1.

The alleged murder occurred precisely one week before tailor Kanhaiyalal Teli was fatally slashed to death in Udaipur, Rajasthan, an incident that rocked the whole nation.

Kolhe, a 54-year-old scientist, is thought to have been assassinated as punishment for a social media post endorsing BJP candidate Nupur Sharma, who had made derogatory remarks about the Prophet during a televised discussion, according to investigators.

Sanket Kolhe, the son of Umesh Kolhe, filed a complaint with the City Kotwali Police Station in Amravati, and after conducting an initial inquiry, the police detained Muddsir Ahemad (22), and Shahrukh Pathan (25), on June 23. Four further people were involved, according to their interrogation, three of whom were detained on June 25: Abdul Thoufik (24), Shoaib Khan (22), and Atib Rashid (22).
A home was destroyed in a landslide occurrence reported on Tuesday in Mumbai's Panchsheel Nagar neighborhood of Ghatkopar

In parts of Maharashtra where there have been reports of severe to extremely heavy rains, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has sent 17 teams.

NDRF DG stated Recently, Maharashtra has seen extremely severe rains. 17 teams were sought by the Maharashtra government, and all 17 teams have been made available and deployed across Mumbai, Thane, etc.

Following nighttime flooding in the state of Maharashtra, a landslide was recorded close to Pratapgarh Fort in the Satara district. Sion and Dadar observed waterlogging, and Powai Lake began to flood as a result of the rain.

A home was destroyed in a landslide occurrence reported on Tuesday in Mumbais Panchsheel Nagar neighborhood of Ghatkopar.

However, Central Railway said that trains are running on all corridors, however some main and harbour line trains are running behind schedule.

The alert level has been achieved in a number of rivers in the state. The water level of the Amba, Savitri, Patalganga, Ulhas, and Garhi rivers is just below the warning level, but the Kundalika River has surpassed it.

For the following five days, the IMD has also issued an orange alert for a number of other locations in Maharashtra, including Thane, Palghar, Pune, Beed, Latur, Jalna, and Parbhani. Raigad and Ratnagiri are on high alert.

Meanwhile, all of the districts have been placed on high alert, and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is keeping an eye on the situation. He gave the officials the go-ahead to undertake all necessary preparations, including moving the residents to susceptible locations.

NDRF DG stated that Assams condition is getting better as the floodwaters are now starting to recede.

He further stated that teams have been despatched from Manali for help in reference to the cloudburst that occurred in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, earlier in the morning.
Jindal to provide 3,500 MT steel for the USBRL railway tunnel project in J&K 18 Jul 2022 | 10:32 PM Jammu, July 18 (UNI) Bolstering the Indian governments vision for a modern infrastructure, Jindal Stainless will provide 3,500 MT stainless steel, for the construction of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Tunnel Project. see more..

Wiggles launches Kids and Pets Safe Floor Cleaner 18 Jul 2022 | 10:30 PM New Delhi, July 18 (UNI) Pet care brand Wiggles has launched its vet-approved, plant based Wiggles Kids and Pets Safe Floor Cleaner, marking the brands foray into the home care product category. see more..

Rupee falls 9 paise against USD 18 Jul 2022 | 9:24 PM Mumbai, July 18 (UNI) The Rupee on Monday dropped nine paise to close at 79.97 against the USD on brisk demand for US Dollar from bankers and importers, dealers at the Foreign Exchange said. see more..

6 Vastu tips to welcome positivity at home 18 Jul 2022 | 9:24 PM New Delhi, July 18 (UNI) Everyone wants their house to be relaxing, peaceful, and refreshing. And due to this reason, Vastu Shastra comes into play. see more..
Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Banaras Hindu University, will host the three-day Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam

Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Banaras Hindu University, will host the three-day Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam, which will be officially opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today.

The three-day seminars, according to the Ministry of Education, will bring together more than 300 Vice-Chancellors and Directors from public and private universities, educators, policymakers, as well as industry representatives to discuss how National Education Policy 2020 can be implemented more broadly across the nation following the successful implementation of several initiatives over the previous two years. Yogi Adityanath, the chief executive of Uttar Pradesh, Anandiben Patel, the governor of that state, and Dharmendra Pradhan, the minister of education for the federal government, will all be in attendance.

According to a release from the Education Ministry, The Summit will give prominent Indian higher education institutions (HEIs) a forum to discuss, deliberate, and exchange ideas on approaches, success stories, and best practices in executing the National Education Policy, 2020.

Ministry, in collaboration with UGC and AICTE, has introduced a number of policy initiatives, including Academic Bank of Credit, Multiple Entry-Exit, Multidisciplinary, and Flexibility in Higher Education, as well as regulations aimed at promoting online and open distance learning. The National Curriculum Framework has also been revised to be more in line with international standards.

Further ministry added that while many colleges have jumped on the reform bandwagon, many more still need to embrace and adapt to the changes. In-depth conversations are needed to move the policy implementation forward because the higher education ecosystem in the country covers the federal government, the states, and private organizations.

Summit is anticipated to serve as a forum for stimulating debates that will outline the roadmap and implementation strategies, promote knowledge sharing and the development of networks through interdisciplinary discussions, and address problems that educational institutions are currently facing and propose solutions.

The approval of the Varanasi Declaration on Higher Education, which will demonstrate Indias expanded vision and a renewed commitment to assist in achieving the goals of the higher education system, would be the main event of the Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam, it was noted.
Kamal Nath used to threaten the police and the administration while he was the chief minister says Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Madhya Pradeshs former CM Kamal Nath used to threaten the police and the administration while he was the chief minister, and he still does so, according to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, speaking amid the Madhya Pradesh local body elections.

Chouhan stated at a speech at a public gathering in Raisen, Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath has been threatening the police and the government since he first became chief minister. They are aware that Congress has suffered a significant loss and that someone must be held accountable for the failure. Kamal Nath stated earlier in the day that the Saffron party is exploiting the police, money, and administration in the local body elections while addressing the media in Bhopal.

I frequently receive calls stating that the government, police, and finances are under strain. Would they require these things if they had popular support? The people are tired of Shivrajs bogus statements. The price of household gas has now increased by 50 rupees. Recently, the GST on paneer and wheat was raised by 5%. I believe in the states citizens  he added.

There are 101 candidates running for mayor in 11 municipal corporations in the first round of local body elections. In 133 entities, there are 2,850 applicants for councilor positions. 42 of them have been chosen without any opposition.

The remaining 2,808 positions are up for election. 3,296 voting locations are sensitive, and 11,250 candidates ran for office.
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EAST HAVEN  Mayor Joe Carfora and the towns two state legislators are asking officials of Tweed New Haven Regional Airport, Avelo Airlines and Avports, which operates the airport, to minimize the effects of noise and fumes from increasing activity at Tweed.

In recent weeks, East Haven neighbors living in the vicinity of Tweed New Haven Airport have been voicing their justifiable concerns about the negative impacts the increase in flights in and out of the airport are having, Carfora, state Rep. Joseph Zullo, R-East Haven, and state Sen. Paul Cicarella, R-Wallingford, wrote.

We hear them loud and clear, they wrote to Tweed New Haven Airport Authority Executive Director Sean Scanlon, Avelo Chairman & CEO Andrew Levy and Avports spokesman Andrew King. As Avelo has announced more flights to new destinations, the volume of flights has directly impacted the quality of life for those residing near the airport.

Now, warmer weather is upon us and residents are opening their windows and spending more time outdoors, the letter says. While we recognize that we have no control over the increase in flights, we want to make sure that every attempt possible to mitigate their impact is being made.

As you are aware, and as you have already heard from each of us, we too are receiving more complaints about increased noise throughout the day, and now unsettling plane noise into the night, they wrote. We are also receiving complaints about the strong smell of jet fuel.

Scanlon said Tweed is listening to the complaints and aims to address them.

We continue to engage in meaningful dialogue with East Haven elected officials and residents about their concerns and just last week we announced a major agreement with Avelo to address noise and air quality, Scanlon said in a written statement.

The airport already has a widely-used Community Concern online tool on our website and, as the letter notes, we are currently conducting a comprehensive Environmental Assessment to ensure that any changes at the airport fully comport with all environment rules and regulations, Scanlon said.

Avports CEO Jorge Roberts said the company has listened to East Haven leaders since the start.

Weve had many conversations with East Haven leaders, going back well before the initial announcement of this project. Theyve brought ideas to the table and weve been glad to continue a dialogue with them focused on the health and well-being of our neighbors, Roberts said.

To that end, noise and air quality have been our number one priority as airlines will continue to grow their destination offerings in Southern Connecticut, he said. Our aim is to improve the air quality of the region by reducing car traffic, and were working on specific projects to protect the quality of life of our very close neighbors.

The Environmental Assessment is just one step, and we look forward to taking additional steps with partners from there, Roberts said. Avports is dedicated to Southern Connecticut and to our neighbors in East Haven, he said.

We are committed to being good neighbors and partners with Tweed, said Avelo spokesman Jim Olson.

The three East Haven officials said that in the longer term, we eagerly await the completion of the FAA mandated Environmental Assessment which will provide significant data, and ultimately guidance as to where federal aid is directed.

Nevertheless, in the immediate short term we have serious concerns, and thus we are urging swift action, they wrote. Together, we are requesting that the Tweed New Haven Airport Authority implement an electronic early intervention/good neighbor reporting system. Such a system will allow neighbors to voice concerns directly to the authority and aid the authority in expeditiously responding to and addressing such concerns.

... In addition, we urge the authority to immediately implement the most stringent and comprehensive air quality monitoring program possible, Carfora, Zullo and Cicarella wrote.

At a June 28 community meeting at Nathan Hale School in New Haven, New Haven and Tweed officials announced a number of steps Tweed, Avelo and New Haven were taking to address concerns.

Scanlon announced that Tweed has entered into an agreement with Park New Haven to offer off-site parking at Union Station, beginning Wednesday. Parking at Union Station will be $10 per day, compared to $15, $20 and $25 a day at the three lots at Tweed. Details and reservations both for parking and the shuttle are available at https://parkhvn.com.

Scanlon also announced that Tweed and New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker were addressing complaints about noise, fumes and flight hours by reaching a voluntary flight agreement with Avelo to change some of their flight hours and change the way they start their engines and taxi to the runway to reduce both noise and fumes.

Effective immediately, there will be no scheduled departures after 10 p.m. and no scheduled arrivals after 11 p.m., Scanlon said.

Tweed also is asking Avelo not to have flights take off earlier than 6 a.m. even if boarded and cleared for takeoff and said that will move to 6:30 a.m. as of Sept. 1, and to not have them idle on the tarmac until they are ready to take off, Scanlon said.

The airport has been working with Avelo since April and has gone from eight of 59 flights landing after midnight in April to 2 of 85 flights landing after midnight in May, and five of 97 flights landing after midnight in June, he said.
HAMDEN  The Hamden Police Department will have two deputy chiefs next year after all.

After opting to cut funding for the unionized deputy police chief position during budget season, the Legislative Council this week reversed that decision at the request of Mayor Lauren Garrett.

The move comes after the police union filed a municipal prohibited practice charge alleging that the elimination of the position was the direct result of anti-union animus, said Chip Walsh, the unions attorney.

It therefore violated the Municipal Employees Relation Act, he alleged. The act prohibits employers from interfering with employees right to organize for the purposes of collective bargaining.

Council members have given other reasons for wanting to make the cut, pointing to Hamdens financial challenges and questioning the need to have two deputy police chiefs.

Currently, Kevin Samperi serves as Hamdens unionized deputy police chief. He also is president of the union.

When the cut occurred, Samperi was expected to be bumped down to the position of captain. A message for Samperi was left Thursday, but Walsh provided comment instead.

The union was very strong in its belief that the position was eliminated only because it was a union position held by the union president, said Walsh, pointing to comments council member Cory OBrien made during budget deliberations.

OBrien has worried having a top manager belong to the union presents a potential conflict of interest.

(That position) I feel should not be a union position  a conflict of interest and whatnot. You shouldnt be a part of the union running the actual department as well, OBrien said during May 17 budget deliberations, according to a recording of the meeting available online.

There was an allegation that Legislative Council member OBrien felt it was a conflict of interest to be both union president and deputy chief of the Police Department, but he did not provide any examples of when such a conflict had arisen, said Walsh.

I would need to talk to our labor counsel on any direct allegations, OBrien said when asked for comment. We were just attempting to restructure the town.

OBrien emphasized he could not directly address any pending complaint, but said he was in favor four years ago of eliminating all but one deputy chief position.

At that time, there were three budgeted deputy chief positions, one of which was vacant. The others were filled by John Cappiello and Bo Kicak. The council eliminated the vacant position but not the other.

He said the change had nothing to do with who was in the position or any union activity.

OBrien also said he is pro-union and hails from a union family.

Garrett confirmed the union filed a complaint in connection with the cut. After consulting with Hamdens labor attorney, Nicholas Grello, the town decided it was best to restore the position, Garrett said, noting she had not recommended the cut in the first place.

But Garrett does not think the cut pertained to anti-union animus, she said. Attempts to eliminate the position go back four or five years, she said, predating Samperis tenure as deputy chief.

Though the council approved an order to restore the position, not everyone was on board. Those who spoke to the New Haven Register about their desire to cut the position did not mention the union.

Councilman Justin Farmer, D-5, said he simply did not believe it was necessary for Hamden to have two deputy chiefs. He also does not believe the town can afford both positions, he said.

I dont understand why we need two, he said. And we dont have the money.

Council member Abdul Osmanu, D-3, offered a similar explanation.

He would rather see the money go toward other initiatives, such as social and community services, he said. He feels such investments would better promote public safety.

Osmanu has seen more community good come out of the Keefe Community Center than the police department, he said.

Building care into our communities is what ... keeps us safe, he said.

The restoration of the deputy chief position came in the form of an order to amend the budget for the coming fiscal year. In a letter to the council, Garrett asked its members to transfer roughly $127,000 into the Police Department budget for a bargaining unit deputy police chief position.

That motion passed Tuesday, according to a recording of the meeting, which shows three council members opposed the change: Farmer, Osmanu and at-large Council member Laurie Sweet, a Democrat.

Editors note: This story has been updated to reflect that the town had three budgeted deputy police chief positions in 2018.

meghan.friedmann@

hearstmediact.com
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HAMDEN  Town officials soon may consider a set of reforms designed to enhance oversight of the Police Department.

Legislative Countil member Justin Farmer, D-5, proposed the policy changes during a recent community forum held at the Keefe Community Center.

He has not yet ironed out how the reforms would be enacted. But if any were to take the form of resolutions or ordinances, Council President Dominique Baez said, she would be happy to bring them to a vote.

Four of the proposals entail increasing public participation in the police hiring process; requiring the Police Department to inform the community and elected officials when major crimes occur; making contract negotiations public to the extent allowed by law; and requiring that a monthly report on overtime be presented to the council.

The two remaining proposed changes relate to a recent controversy over the destruction of police records.

In March, the Police Department sought and obtained permission from the state to destroy internals affairs records. The files reportedly contained documents that were responsive to records requests made by Daniel Dunn, a member of the Police Commission.

Much of the material appears to have been backed up electronically, but the stir caused Garrett to place a moratorium on record destruction townwide. (Garrett, who signed the request to destroy records, said she was unaware of Dunns pending requests at the time.)

She also announced the town would enlist an outside attorney to investigate the destruction, a story the New Haven Independent first reported last month.

But the nature of the outside investigation sparked criticism from transparency advocates when the public learned the same firm hired to conduct the probe was tasked with defending the town in a related Freedom of Information Commission complaint filed by Dunn.

In February, Dunn requested years worth of civilian complaints against the Police Department. Some of responsive records later were destroyed in the shredding, according to Garrett.

Dunns FOI complaint primarily concerned the delay in obtaining the records. Though he has received some civilian complaints, he said Wednesday, many remain outstanding.

The Milford-based law firm Berchem Moses is representing Hamden in the FOI case and also investigating the destruction of records, a fact both Dunn and Farmer have criticized.

At the very least, Farmer said during last weeks forum, it looks like a conflict.

He called for an independent investigation into the records shredding.

I trust the process that Berchem & Moses is doing because I know that weve been working to make sure ... the (Freedom of Information) request is fulfilled, Garrett said when asked about the concerns. Im curious as to how this request (to destroy records) was initiated.

If I receive information that requires further action, I wont hesitate, she said.

Bryan LeClerc, an attorney for Berchem Moses, declined comment.

It would be inappropriate for us to comment on this matter which is pending before the Freedom of Information Commission, he said.

But another investigation may be in the works. The Legislative Council is looking into launching its own probe, according to Baez, its president.

The council will be voting on the additional investigation regarding the root of the shredding incident, she said.

To prevent such a scenario from happening again, Farmer also wants to require that the Police Department obtain approval from the Police Commission when seeking to destroy records.

I think that could be a good policy to put in place, Garrett said of the idea.

Dunn does not oppose the policy but thinks its too dependent on the quality of the police commission.

Instead, he feels records should be retained for longer periods of time.

Ultimately these are public records and they should be held sacred and preserved as long as there is a public interest in keeping them, Dunn said.

Generally speaking, Dunn is supportive of the reforms Farmer presented.

While Baez sees her role as that of a facilitator who brings policies to a vote, she said, the reforms seem very agreeable.

Policy reform that creates a more transparent government and better quality of life is good policy reform, she said, adding that Farmers proposals appear to do just that.

Some of the policies already are in practice. For example, Chief of Police Tim Wydra does a good job informing council members about crimes, according to Baez.

Garrett shared the same opinion but said she would not oppose putting a policy in writing.

Some of the other policies might be more difficult to enact, she said, particularly regarding contract negotiations.

Once youve entered into negotiations everything is sealed and you cannot discuss anything thats going on in negotiations, Garrett said.

As for changes to the police hiring process, those are up to the Police Commission, according to Garrett.

Farmer wants the public to have a chance to interact with candidates and get more information about them before they join the police force, he said, suggesting making public some of their answers to interview questions.

Garrett said such a change poses a challenge.

All of the questions have to be the same in hiring for  a cohort of, lets say, entry-level police positions, Garrett said. You want to be able to judge the different candidates by them answering the same questions, and if youre making the questions public then you would have some candidates with access to the questions (in advance) and some candidates without that same access.

The identities of police candidates are public, Garrett said, and police commission meetings are open to the community.

meghan.friedmann@hearstmediact.com
ATLANTA (AP)  Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Wednesday that his main campaign committee raised $3.8 million in the two months ended June 30, but heavy spending leading up to the Republican's blowout primary win meant that Kemp's total amount of cash on hand continued to decline.

Kemp spokesman Cody Hall said the incumbent's main campaign committee had $6.4 million on hand. That reflects spending of more than $8 million before and just after the May 24 primary when Kemp thrashed former U.S. Sen. David Perdue and others. Kemp had $10.7 million in cash on April 30 and $12.7 million on Jan. 31.

Kemp also raised $3 million for his Georgians First Leadership Committee, Hall said, giving him a total of $6.8 million raised during the period. That special state fundraising vehicle allows the governor to collect unlimited contributions and coordinate spending with his campaign. The committee also spent about $3 million, leaving it with $650,000 on hand.

Democrat Stacey Abrams has yet to report numbers. Other candidates in November are Libertarian Shane Hazel and independent Al Bartell.

Georgia candidates have a grace period to file after the June 30 deadline, and Kemp had not filed his actual report with state ethics officials as of Wednesday evening.

Abrams has raised more than $20 million for her main campaign committee since announcing her campaign in December.

Kemp has raised more than $23 million over a longer period, topping the $22.4 million he raised in his win over Abrams in 2018.

The campaign in closely divided Georgia is likely to blow past old spending records, with a torrent of political spending expected from candidates, political parties and outside groups, especially when combined with the U.S. Senate race between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker.

Both Perdue and Abrams sued over the leadership committee, saying it was unfair that Kemp could take in large amounts while Perdue and Abrams were barred until they won their party primaries.

After an earlier ruling that Kemp could not spend money from the committee for his campaign against Perdue, U.S. District Judge Mark Cohen ruled that Georgians First Leadership Committee could not solicit or receive contributions until after the primary election made Kemp the Republican nominee for governor. So the $3 million raised for Georgians First would have all come since May 24.

___

Follow Jeff Amy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jeffamy.
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LOS ANGELES (AP)  Los Angeles Countys progressive prosecutor could be tossed from office like his counterpart in San Francisco after opponents on Wednesday said they submitted more than enough petition signatures to qualify for an election to recall District Attorney George Gascon, who they say is soft on crime.

The campaign spent about $8 million to gather 717,000 signatures they delivered by truck to the Los Angeles Registrar for verification. Even if 20% of signatures are invalidated, which has been typical in California recall efforts, the number would still exceed the required 567,000. That figure reflects 10% of registered voters in the nations most populous county.

Tim Lineberger, a spokesman for the recall campaign, said they'll succeed if they can get the measure before voters.

I wouldnt say its in the bag or well be complacent, but as far as public opinion is concerned, George Gascon is toast, he said.

If certified, the election would be the latest in a string of recalls in California that have mostly targeted progressives in a state known for its liberal streak. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom was one of the few survivors, winning by a large margin in September.

Last month, San Francisco voters frustrated with a rash of property crimes, including brazen shoplifting caught on video and attacks against Asian American people, drove District Attorney Chesa Boudin, a former public defender, from office. The vote came after a special election that ousted three San Francisco school board members in February.

Gascon, a former San Francisco police chief who then became DA in that city, won office in Los Angeles in November 2020 as part of a wave of progressive prosecutors elected nationwide.

He ran on a criminal justice reform platform after a summer of unrest following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Gascon vowed not to seek the death penalty, not to prosecute juveniles as adults or seek cash bail. He said he'd be tougher than his predecessor, Jackie Lacey, the first woman and Black person to run the office, when it came to prosecuting police who killed someone in the line of duty.

But Gascon immediately ran into problems running the nation's largest local prosecutor's office when he told deputies they shouldn't seek longer prison sentences for repeat felons and those carrying guns, among many other changes that were seen as soft on crime. They sued and won a court order to reverse some of his policies.

An initial effort to recall him began almost immediately but quickly sputtered when supporters didn't gather enough signatures.

The most recent effort, however, has been far more successful and received overwhelming support from the union representing 800 of his offices roughly 1,000 prosecutors. It may have earned additional support after two El Monte police officers were slain by a felon free on probation last month.

Gascon defended the plea deal that sent the convicted burglar and car thief to jail for 20 days and then placed him on probation. While the man could have been sent to prison for three years, he had no history of violence and the nature of the offense didn't warrant prison time, the DA said.

Gascon has said the effort to bounce him has been fueled by right wing donors, though it also includes people who have lost family members to violence who are upset with or fear the outcome of their court cases.

On Wednesday, some of those victims were among a couple dozen recall supporters who gathered outside the registrar's office in Norwalk office as the petitions were dropped off. One man propped up a sign saying Victims Before Killers. Another held a sign saying, Bye Bye George.

Aurora Carlos, whose son, Benjamin Salvidres, was killed last year, doesn't think her family will receive justice under Gascon.

Gascon needs to go," she said. "If not for my sons case, for everyone elses case.

Historically, about 20% of signatures for recall campaigns are thrown out because someone who signed the petition wasnt registered to vote or provided an incorrect address, said Joshua Spivak, a Senior Research Fellow at Berkeley Laws California Constitution Center and author of a book on recall elections. That means they would need about 680,000 signatures to have the cushion needed.

If it does qualify for the ballot, history is on the side of the recall supporters, Spivak said. About 60% of recalls that made the ballot nationwide have succeeded.

Gascon criticized the signature-gathering process, in which people are paid as much as $15 for each signature they collect. He said some of those people use sleazy tactics to get voters to sign the petition even when they know little about the people they're trying to push out of office.

Gascon said he was approached by a person at Costco collecting signatures for his ouster who asked if he wanted to get the rapists out of his neighborhood. The man, who said he was from Florida, didn't realize who Gascon was.

It's a very mercenary approach, Gascon said. Most people think that they're all volunteers who care about their community and there's a number of those, don't get me wrong. But the bulk of signatures are being collected by ways that are extremely misleading.

If the recall is approved, voters could decide Gascon's fate during the general election in November or mid-December or mid-January, said Mike Sanchez, a spokesman for the registrar. Voters would choose whether to recall Gascon and would then pick from a slate of candidates hoping to replace him. If more than 50% vote to oust him, the replacement candidate with the most votes would be the next DA.

Gascon said he was confident he would survive any recall attempt.

Much like we saw what happened with the governors race," he said. They got the signatures to put him on the ballot and then they lost miserably and I fully suspect that that will be the same thing here.

___

Associated Press journalist Eugene Garcia contributed to this report from Norwalk.
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Editors note: This is a first-person story from a New Haven Register reporter with a close connection to Highland Park, Ill., the scene of a recent mass shooting.

I spent the 4th of July at the beach in West Haven, soaking up the sun and listening to the waves  but mostly talking on my phone, texting frantically with family and some of my oldest friends and reading relentlessly about the mayhem at the scene of the nations latest mass shooting.

In Highland Park, Illinois.

The texts started dinging into my phone as I drove to Sandy Point after we were turned away from over-capacity Lighthouse Point in New Haven. My girlfriend got mad at me for reading the first ones and made me wait until we got there before I read the rest of them.

First I called my parents, both in their 80s, to make sure they were alive.

I found them alive  and safe, thank God.

They were glued to the TV in the apartment building they live in in Highland Park  the leafy, insulated, nothing-ever-happens-here Chicago suburb where I did much of my growing up, from sixth grade through high school. They live about three blocks up Central Avenue from the eastern edge of the crime scene, which saw at least seven people killed and 26 wounded.

I later saw that my 88-year-old mother had marked herself safe on Facebook.

Then, in both group and individual texts, I bounced around what it all means with friends and relatives  mainly the kids I used to play with decades ago in Highland Park  who now live in California, Colorado, Minnesota, Vermont, New Jersey, Chicago and several Chicago suburbs.

We talked about going to the July 4th parade as teens  and one friend reminded me that for years they also held Highland Parks Soapbox Derby races the same day down a stretch of Central Avenue west of where the shooting took place.

As I remember it now, nearly 50 years later, it was a slice of middle America  or at least as close to middle America as you could get in Highland Park, a town full of Frank Lloyd Wright houses, company executives and Chicago Board of Trade traders, where Michael Jordan once lived for a few years on his way to a bigger, fancier place just up the road in Lake Forest.

I also have long since moved on. I consider myself a Chicagoan even after decades away. I root for Chicago teams, play Chicago blues and when I go home to visit, its usually to Chicago, the city, not to Highland Park, 27 miles north of the city, except to visit my parents.

But its still part of who I am.

The conversation continued later on Facebook with other friends living in many places, including Highland Park.

In case anyone in or of Highland Park reads this, I would like to convey my love and condolences to all the folks I grew up with there, whether they still live there or are longtime expatriates like me. I would like to tell all the Highland Parkers I never met that Im thinking about you.

Were all grieving  even if its just the fact that the place we knew will never quite be the same.

In a Chicago Sun-Times photo taken by Lynn Sweet, the Sun-Times Washington, D.C., bureau chief, who just happened to be at the parade, I saw blood puddled on the fancy, brick pavement of Port Clinton Square  in the heart of what we used to call uptown Highland Park, just steps from one of my favorite breakfast restaurants, Walker Brothers Original Pancake House.

Through a high school friends Facebook post, I learned that one of the two victims identified as of early Tuesday, Jacki Lovi Sundheim, graduated from Highland Park High School a year ahead of me, although I did not know her. She was a longtime teacher at a synagogue just over the town line in Glencoe, Ill.

I have not yet seen a full list of the injured people, but to the best of my knowledge Sundheim was the only one of the people who died that I have any connection at all to.

But I learned Wednesday that the family of alleged shooter, Robert Bobby Crimo III, is represented by a noted Chicago defense attorney, Steve Greenberg, a Facebook friend of mine who as a child lived two doors away from me in Niles, Ill., from the time I was three years old (and he was about one) until both families moved to Highland Park when we were in junior high.

Over the 40 or so years since I left Highland Park for college first on the East Coast, then the West Coast and then a career as a journalist in Connecticut, Highland Park has been in the news just a few times. A couple of homicides spaced many years apart, as I recall.

The last time it hit national news was in 2000 when the city signed a historic consent decree settlement after the ACLU sued the Highland Park Police Department over racial profiling. I remember being just as embarrassed and incensed then as I am heartsick now.

This time, Im reading about it in foreign publications as well as every newspaper and news site in America. Its world news. Its strange.

I suppose everyone is dumbfounded when they hear of  or worse yet, experience  a mass shooting in their hometown.

You will be, too, someday if as a society we dont do something about it.

What should we do? I dont know the answer.

Even though Highland Park isnt one of those places where you might expect a troubled 21-year-old on a rooftop  also a third-generation product of Highland Park who lived in neighboring Highwood, with a father who owns a deli in town  to start unloading more than 70 rounds from a high-powered AR-15-style rifle with a high-capacity magazine into an Independence Day parade, I cant say I was surprised.

Revolted, yes. Sickened, absolutely. But Im beyond surprise at this point.

Thats because I covered Sandy Hook  not just on Dec. 14, 2012, the day it happened, but for six months afterward. Newtown, as you may recall, also was one of those places where nothing like that could ever happen.

Until it did  and a troubled 20-year-old shot and killed 20 six- and seven-year-olds and six adults as they sat in school.

If it could happen in Newtown, it could happen anywhere.

If that didnt prompt us to do something to fix what clearly is a huge problem in this country, nothing will. Not Parkland. Not Buffalo. Not Uvalde. And now, not Highland Park.

Maybe Im wrong.

Each time this happens  and I heard on TV Tuesday morning that there had been 315 mass shootings in the United States so far this year  people yell and scream. They offer prayers and call for action.

How free are we if we cant go to a 4th of July parade  or the New Haven St. Patricks Day Parade, Branford Memorial Day Parade, New Haven Freddy Fixer Day Parade, Norwalk Oyster Festival or Greater Hartford Puerto Rican Day Parade  without worrying about being sprayed by bullets?

Maybe its time to declare our own independence and actually take action. How? I dont know exactly what we need to do.

But we sure need to do something.

mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Food and Drug Administration and Juul agreed Wednesday to put their court fight on hold while the government reopens its review of the companys electronic cigarettes.

The agreement comes one day after the FDA placed a hold on its initial order banning Juul's products from the market, saying that Juul's application warranted additional review.

Juul can continue selling its e-cigarettes in the meantime, according to the federal court filing.

With this administrative stay from the FDA now in place, we continue to offer our products to adult smokers while we pursue the agencys internal review process, Juul executive Joe Murillo said in a statement.

The FDA ordered Juul to pull its products from the market on June 23. A day later, a federal appeals court temporarily blocked the government ban at Juul's request.

If the FDA eventually decides to reimpose its ban, Juul will have 30 days to seek another stay, according to the filing.

To remain on the market, companies must show that their e-cigarettes benefit public health. In practice, that means proving that adult smokers who use them are likely to quit or reduce their smoking, while teens are unlikely to get hooked on them.

FDA regulators have recently authorized a handful of e-cigarettes from some of Juul's chief rivals, including R.J. Reynolds and NJOY. But industry players and anti-vaping advocates had been eagerly awaiting an FDA decision on Juuls products, which are the best-selling e-cigarettes in the U.S.

The FDA originally said Juuls application left regulators with significant questions, including about the chemical makeup of its vaping formulations. Juul said it submitted enough information and data to address all issues raised.

___

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.
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  A Connecticut man was arrested Wednesday, charged with mailing more than 100 threatening letters to journalists, judges, public officials and other individuals in Connecticut and elsewhere.

Federal authorities said the 43-year-old from Hamden has been previously prosecuted, convicted and sentenced for mailing similar threatening letters three prior times. He completed his most recent term of federal supervision in August 2021.
UWs Koprowski to Receive Aldo Leopold Memorial Award

John Koprowski, dean of UWs Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources and an internationally renowned wildlife expert, interacts with a squirrel at the Mount Kinka Squirrel Village in Gifu, Japan. Koprowski is the 2022 recipient of The Wildlife Societys Aldo Leopold Memorial Award. (John Koprowski Photo)

The dean of the University of Wyomings Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, John Koprowski, has been named the 2022 recipient of The Wildlife Societys Aldo Leopold Memorial Award, the highest award given by the 11,000-member organization of professional wildlife scientists.

Koprowski, a mammalogist, conservation biologist and leading expert on the ecology and conservation of wildlife, receives the award for distinguished service to wildlife conservation. The first UW faculty member to receive the honor, he joins luminaries in the field including Olaus Murie (1952) and John Craighead (1998), whose names are familiar in Wyoming for their conservation efforts in the greater Yellowstone area.

Im incredibly humbled to receive this honor for lifetime achievement associated with wildlife conservation, Koprowski says. In many ways, I believe this highlights the great work we do here at UW in the Haub School, the Department of Zoology and Physiology and other academic units. Theres a long history of amazing work on wildlife here, and Im proud to contribute to that tradition.

This is an incredible, well-deserved honor for an amazing member and leader of the UW family, UW President Ed Seidel says. Dr. Koprowski had an international reputation for excellence in wildlife science before he came to Wyoming, and this award is another illustration of the world-class faculty we have in fields of great importance to the state we serve.

Koprowski has been dean of the Haub School since September 2020, coming to UW from the University of Arizona, where he was director of the School of Natural Resources and the Environment since 2018 and a professor of wildlife conservation and management since 2000.

The Aldo Leopold Memorial Award medal

His research has focused on the ecology, conservation and management of biodiversity through community-based approaches in the United States, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Nepal, China, Mongolia, South Africa and numerous other international locations. With more than 200 peer-reviewed articles and books, Koprowski and his over 50 graduate students have worked to provide data-informed solutions to conservation challenges. His efforts in wildlife conservation previously led to his election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, The Wildlife Society and the Linnean Society of London.

For receiving the award named in memory of Leopold, considered by many to be the father of wildlife ecology and the U.S. wilderness system, Koprowski will receive a medal and plaque at The Wildlife Societys 2022 annual conference in Spokane, Wash., in November. Hell present an honorary plenary lecture at the 2023 conference in Louisville, Ky.

Koprowski earned a B.S. in zoology at Ohio State University in 1983 and then attended Southern Illinois University to earn his M.A. in zoology in 1985. His Ph.D. was completed in 1991 at the University of Kansas, where he graduated with honors in biology.

While a doctoral and postdoctoral student at the University of Kansas, he began teaching night courses in introductory biology at Kansas City Community College and also advanced courses in vertebrate biology and evolution at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. This teaching experience and his research on behavior and ecology of tree squirrels helped him win a spot on the faculty of the Department of Biology at Willamette University in Salem, Ore., in 1992.

John Koprowski

In 2000, Koprowski joined the faculty of the wildlife program at the University of Arizona, where he was a professor of wildlife science and director (2018-2020) in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment. He directed the Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit and the Mount Graham Biology Programs, and held affiliations with the Institute of the Environment and the Genetics Interdisciplinary Degree Program.

At UW, in addition to serving as dean of the Haub School, Koprowski holds a Wyoming Excellence Chair. Hes working to expand the reach of the Haub School to advance the understanding and resolution of complex environmental and natural resource challenges in the West and around the world through its educational, research, outreach and collaborative problem-solving programs.

Founded in 1937, The Wildlife Societys mission is to inspire, empower and enable wildlife professionals to sustain wildlife populations and habitats through science-based management and conservation.
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NEW HAVEN  The Police Department Thursday announced a series of policy changes in response to the injuries sustained by Richard Randy Cox, a city man facing paralysis after his treatment while in police custody last month.

Mayor Justin Elicker and Police Chief Karl Jacobson said the measures underscore the departments intent to change in the wake of the incident.

What happened to Mr. Cox was unacceptable, Elicker said Thursday at the Union Avenue police headquarters. Were deeply committed to making these necessary changes  for the city of New Haven, for the family, and for the integrity of the Police Department.

Jacobson, sworn in as the citys new chief on Wednesday, said the department is committed to making sure this never happens again.

Were committed and were passionate about it, said Jacobson. As the Chief, I want my officers to know, yes, you can make mistakes, but you cant treat people inhumanely.

Among other changes instituted in Special Order 22-03, the departments primary means of transporting prisoners now will be a marked cruiser equipped with a screened prisoner compartment.

A prisoner conveyance van can be used with the permission of a commanding officer holding the rank of lieutenant or higher, and under two circumstances, according to police:  if an arrested persons size or other physical conditions preclude the use of a cruiser; or for a special event or an incident that may result in multiple arrests.

Prisoners also will be brought to court in the conveyance vans, Jacobson said.

The new policy also requires officers to ask a newly-arrested individual whether they need medical attention, and inquire again after arriving at the detention facility. Those interactions must be recorded on the officers body camera.

If an arrested person complains of injury  or has been injured, appears to be in need of medical attention, or appears to be in an unstable medical or mental health status  an officer is required to contact a supervisor immediately and request an ambulance be dispatched.

During the ride to the detention facility, officers are required to keep track of the physical well-being of the person under arrest; if an individual appears to be injured, the officer is required to pull over, request an ambulance and render aid.

Jacobson said the new standard clarifies the responsibilities of officers in such situations. The existing general order covering prisoner transport, numbered 5.02, left some interpretation to officers, he said.

The department is assessing its ability to permanently change its method of bringing arrested individuals to the detention center, Jacobson said.

Originally, it began using the vans to free up officers, he said, allowing them more time for paperwork and patrol. The departments number of arrests has since lessened, he said, making it potentially possible to use cruisers for arrestee transport.

Its safer to do it this way, said Jacobson. And if thats what turns out, (that) we can do it, were going to do it that way.

If the department does not have the manpower to sustain such as change, Jacobson said, it would only use vans equipped with seat belts.

Cox, 36, was injured and possibly paralyzed on June 19 when he was being brought to the police lockup in a van that had straps for him to hold on to while handcuffed, but no seat belt.

According to videos released by police, Cox had lied on the floor and repeatedly kicked the rear door of the van, then sat back on a bench along the interior side of the van.

When Officer Oscar Diaz hit the brakes hard to avoid a collision, Cox fell and hit his head on the front of the van. Cox cried out for help; police continued driving to the detention facility, where Cox was removed him from the van, placed in a wheelchair and brought to a cell.

Diaz, along with Officers Ronald Pressley, Jocelyn Lavandier and Luis Rivera and Sgt. Betsy Segui, have been placed on administrative leave for their role in the matter. State police are investigating the incident.

On Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery said in a statement that her office would coordinate with the state police investigation and (i)f federal action is warranted, the Justice Department will pursue every available avenue to the full extent of the law.

The shift in policy regarding prisoner transport went into effect July 3, but officers will only be held to it once theyve completed a training course on the change, Elicker said.

That process began Thursday, Elicker said; all departmental officers are expected to receive that training within a month.

Elicker and Jacobson also announced that the department would review policies in place at the citys detention center, including conducting random checks of body camera footage, and mandate that all officers take de-escalation and inter-department intervention courses in the coming days.

The city also will hold three town hall meetings on public safety in the coming days, officials announced. The first will be held July 14 at Regional Career High School; the second on July 26 at the Family Academy of Multilingual Exploration; and the third at James Hillhouse High School Aug. 3. All three gatherings will run between 6 and 8 p.m.

During a press conference on the policy changes Thursday, Elicker and Jacobson said they had met with Cox on Wednesday, after setting up the opportunity with his family. Cox struggled to speak and move, they said.

It was a very tough thing to see, but I think its important for us to see it, because its our job to fix it and make sure it never happens again, said Jacobson. Im never going to forget meeting him and him attempting to talk  it was a very emotional thing.

Seeing Mr. Cox in his condition really brings home why its so important for us to take action to correct what happened. Im a dad  I cant imagine my children one day being able to walk, and the next day, potentially never being able to walk again, said Elicker. Its just awful what happened to him. Its just awful.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
WFO PENDLETON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, July 7, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in Pendleton Oregon has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

West central Benton County in south central Washington...

Southeastern Yakima County in south central Washington...

* Until 1230 AM PDT.

* At 1143 PM PDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 7 miles northeast

of Sunnyside, moving northeast at 50 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...

Sunnyside, Grandview, Toppenish, Granger, Zillah, Mabton, Satus and

Buena.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
Olisa Metuh, a former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says David Ukpo, the Nigerian at the centre of the alleged organ ha...

Olisa Metuh, a former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says David Ukpo, the Nigerian at the centre of the alleged organ harvesting case involving Ike Ekweremadu, has recanted.

Ekweremadu, a former deputy president of the senate, and Beatrice, his wife, are facing charges bordering on conspiracy to arrange/facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.

Last month, the couple was arrested by the London Metropolitan Police for bringing a child to the UK for alleged organ harvesting.

However, according to the Ekweremadus, Ukpo was in the UK as a kidney donor for Sonia, the lawmakers daughter.

The alleged kidney donor had also claimed to be a minor.

The UK authorities had, thereafter, charged the senator and his wife to court.

In a ruling on Thursday, a Westminster magistrates court in the UK held that Ukpo is not a minor, after which the judge adjourned the case till August 4.

Speaking on the case in an interview with ARISE TV, Metuh said Ukpo recanted, and told the police that he was not under 21.

The most important thing that we witnessed today is that the so-called minor recanted, and of his own free will, went to the police again and confessed that hes not under 21; that means hes not a minor, Metuh said.

And because of that, the judge struck out section 45, so everything about the case can be open, since a minor is no more involved.

Section 45 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 in the UK makes provisions for restrictions when reporting about victims, witnesses and defendants under the age of 18 who appear in magistrates courts and the Crown Court.

Meanwhile, Metuh also expressed excitement over the judgment, adding that the defence counsel informed the court that there was no exploitation that was involved in the case.

We knew that the guy is more than 21 years and hes going to be 22. Weve always known that, but for him to have said that, its a good thing. So, we are happy about it, the former PDP spokesman said.

More importantly is the fact that the defence counsel had gotten up and said there was no exploitation that was involved. There was nothing at all. It is important that he stated that in court and Ike and his wife pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says it will close domestic runways 18L and 36R at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) in ...

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says it will close domestic runways 18L and 36R at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) in Lagos to install an airfield ground lighting system.

FAAN disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

The agency said the installations would commence July 8 and are expected to be completed in 90 days.

It assured that normal flight operations would not be affected by the installations.

As part of efforts aimed at improving the safety and efficiency of flight operations at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), it said.

FAAN has concluded arrangements to complete the installation of CAT III Airfield Ground Lighting system on Runway 18L/36R.

The project, which will commence effectively on Friday, July 8, 2022, is expected to last for 90 days. Consequently, Runway 18L/36R will be closed to flight operations during this time.

However, stakeholders are to note that there will be no disruption. All normal flight operations will be conducted through runway 18R/36L.

A NOTAM to this effect has already been published and disseminated accordingly.

Last month, the agency also closed the runways 18L/36R of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).
The Kuje correctional facility was attacked reportedly because the federal government refused to swap imprisoned insurgents with kidnapped...

The Kuje correctional facility was attacked reportedly because the federal government refused to swap imprisoned insurgents with kidnapped Kaduna-train passengers.

Gunmen had attacked the Kuje prison facility in the federal capital territory (FCT) with explosives on Tuesday night, with over 500 inmates said to be at large.

The Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The insurgents had reportedly said they were behind the attack on a Kaduna-bound train in March which resulted in the abduction of several passengers.

According to Daily Trust , sources said the insurgents attacked the facility to free their members who were held in prison because the government was not responsive to their demand.

They discovered that their demands would not be met and therefore, they set out for full scale war, Daily Trust quoted a source as saying.

The newspaper quoted another source as saying intelligence reports were provided to the police days before the attack, but the warning was ignored.

Sadly, there are moles everywhere and therefore, even though the security operatives were alerted, the terrorists had their way, the source was quoted as saying.

And that is why they perpetrated the nefarious act with precision. Some of them distracted attention of the security operatives by detonating many explosives outside the facility after destroying the main entrance, which gave a different group task with the responsibility of bringing out their members unfettered access.

Those that gained access went straight to the cells where the Boko Haram members were incarcerated and set them free. There was no serious resistance.

Those freed would definitely unsettle Nigerias security architecture; they would disrupt peace unless something is done. And as you can see, the VIP section was not compromised because those incarcerated there were not their targets.

The newspaper added that two police officers have been arrested for allegedly compromising security.

Two of the terrorists that escaped called a police investigation officer (IPO) in one of our stations and spoke to him in a compromising manner. They are now being investigated to know their level of complicity, a source reportedly said.
Goods worth millions of naira were destroyed in a fire disaster triggered by a gas explosion on Tuesday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. ...





Goods worth millions of naira were destroyed in a fire disaster triggered by a gas explosion on Tuesday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.





According to the spokesman of the state fire service, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, in Ilorin on Wednesday, the fire disaster was caused by an accidental discharge from a damaged hose which suddenly burst during the gas delivery process at a gas retail shop.





The incident occurred at about 16.38hours at Mayegun Junction, Alagbado Specialist Hospital area of Ilorin metropolis.





Firefighters were, however, able to bring the fire under control within record time.





At least seven container shops were affected in the fire incident, while one person was injured.





The injured person, said to be the wife of the owner of the gas retail shop, reportedly lost N2m cash kept in the shop to the fire incident.





She was said to have been rushed to a nearby Fatimah Hospital for medical attention but later moved to another medical facility in Ilorin for comprehensive treatment.





Another victim of the fire incident, Mrs Bashirat Bashir, lamented that she lost goods worth N2m to the inferno as she had just stocked her shop with goods for Sallah sales.





Director of the state fire service, Prince Falade John Olumuyiwa, while reacting to the incident, advised both fuel stations and gas plants to procure all necessary safety equipment at their various stations.





He equally urged the public to be safety conscious in handling such delicate items.
Suspected bandits have abducted a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Peter Amodu in Benue South Senatorial District. It was learnt that the incident ...





Suspected bandits have abducted a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Peter Amodu in Benue South Senatorial District.





It was learnt that the incident occurred on Wednesday night along Otukpo  Ugbokolo Road, when the armed men ambushed and whisked the priest to an unknown destination.





The Chancellor Diocesan of Otukpo, Rev. Fr.Joseph Itodo who confirmed the development in a statement, said the victim was on his way to Okwungagga -Ugbokolo to celebrate Holy Mass when the incident occurred.





The statement solicited prayers from all Christian faithful to facilitate the release of the victim, stressing that efforts are being intensified to ensure that the priest is rescued unhurt.





The statement reads partly, The Local Ordinary, Most Rev. Michael Ekwoyi Apochi, has called on all Christs Faithful in the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo and beyond to earnestly pray for his quick and safe release as we intensify efforts to ensure his release,





We commend our brother and all those in the kidnappers den to the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for their speedy and safe release from the hands of their abductors.





It was reported that several Catholic priests have been kidnapped across the country in the past two months. Some were murdered by their abductors while others have regained freedom.
Kuje Correctional facility came under heavy attack Tuesday night, leading to the escape of several inmates. The facility has replaced Kiriki...





Kuje Correctional facility came under heavy attack Tuesday night, leading to the escape of several inmates.





The facility has replaced Kirikiri Maximum Security correctional facility as the VIP prison for prominent Nigerians. Some of the current occupants include ex-lawmakers, former governors and terrorists.





Some prominent Nigerians like the Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, Olisa Metuh, Femi Fani-Kayode recently had brief stinks at the prison.





It would be recalled that the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, who is in the custody of the DSS, had requested to be transferred to Kuje Prison, but the court rejected the request.





Despite the status of the correctional centre, questions have been raised against the backdrop of the ease at which terrorists successfully attacked the prison and freed inmates, including several terrorists.





While terrorists operated at the facility for hours, a major military formation is in Gwagwalada, and there are several military checkpoints, just 15 minutes from the prison. In addition, major cantonments like Mogadishu, Niger, and Lungi are less than 45 minutes from the prison.





Following the attack, Nigerians on social media had speculated that disgraced supercop Abba Kyari and other convicted politicians could have used the opportunity to escape imprisonment.





Here is a list of prominent Nigerians at the Kuje Correctional facility:





Abba Kyari





The disgraced ex-head of the Intelligence Response Team is currently languishing at the Kuje correctional facility over his ongoing narcotics and evidence tampering charges.





The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency had filled eight-count charges against Kyari and he has been reprimanded at Kuje, alongside some other police officers.





Justice Emeka Nwike had ordered Kyari, ACP Sunday Ubia, Inspector Simon Agirgba, Inspector John Nuhu and Bawa James to be sent to Kuje.





Joshua Dariye





Former Governor of Plateau State would not have risked running out of prison considering that he recently got a state pardon. The National Council of States Dariye granted Dariye and 158 others pardon, although, the ex-governor is yet to be released.





The former governor was convicted of embezzling N2 billion belonging to Plateau State, while he was governor from 1999 to 2007. He was handed a 14years imprisonment by High Court of the Federal Capital Territory. However, the sentence was commuted by the Supreme Court to 10 years.





Rev Jolly Nyame





Like Dariye, Mr Nyame is a beneficiary of the controversial presidential pardon of President Buhari. The former Governor of Taraba State from 1999 to 2007, was convicted in 2018 by Justice Bukola Banjoko, and the sentence was affirmed by the Supreme Court in 2020.





Abdulrasheed Maina





Once upon a time, Mr Maina was the Chairman of the powerful Pension Reform Task Force under President Goodluck Jonathan. He was appointed in 2010 to cleanse the system.





In 2012, a Senate committee accused him of embezzling N100 billion. He was dismissed from service after going into hiding.





Justice Okon Abang had handed Mr Maina 8 years imprisonment for stealing billions from pensioners.





Mr Maina gained celebrity status after his cat and mouse episode with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission until he was arrested alongside his 20 years old son, Faisal.





He resurfaced after the emergence of Buhari. It would be recalled that he was clandestinely reinstated into civil service and promoted, but following the outrage, the government fired him.





Farouq Lawan





Lawan is a clear case of grace to grass. The former Kano lawmaker was charged with investigating petroleum subsidy during the Jonathans administration. He fell after a sting operation by DSS exposed him of using the committee to milk oil marketers.





Femi Otedolas $600,000 exposed Lawan, who was one of the leaders of the caucus that removed Patricia Etteh as the Speaker of the House.





Lawan is currently in Kuje after a court sentenced him to 7 years imprisonment.





Peter Nwachukwu





The husband of popular gospel artist, Osinachi is also at the Kuje Correctional Centre on the ongoing case of homicide.





Last month, the Federal Capital Territory High Court remanded Mr Nwachukwu in prison while the case is ongoing.
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, on Thursday, said Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, must be sacked with immediate effect o...





Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, on Thursday, said Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, must be sacked with immediate effect over his consistent failure to stop attacks on prisons in the country.





HURIWAs National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, said it is distasteful and condemnable that over 15 jailbreaks have occurred under Aregbesola in the last five years while over 3,000 inmates have escaped.





The group also urged the President, Muhammadu Buhari, to stop asking rhetorical questions on social media on how the intelligence system of the country failed to detect Tuesday attack at Kuje prison in Abuja.





HURIWA said the President should immediately set up judicial panel of inquiry on prison breaks in Nigeria and ensure that such assaults on the entire security apparatus of Nigeria do not recur.





Recall that terrorists attack the Kuje Correctional Centre on Tuesday evening, bombed the prison, killed some security agents and inmates while they set over 600 prisoners free including 64 Boko Haram suspects.





According to media reports, soldiers deployed to Kuje vicinity and the Correctional Centers environment, who had mastered the terrain, were redeployed 24 hours before the dastard attack.





In fact, Tukur Mamu, a media aide to controversial Islamic cleric and bandit-sympathiser and negotiator, Ahmad Gumi, said the Kuje prison attackers were members of the Ansaru terrorist group who launched attack and kidnapped scores of passengers in Abuja-Kaduna bound train on March 28.





Reacting, HURIWAs Onwubiko said, The spate of jailbreaks under President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, is alarming and condemnable. Even under then President Goodluck Jonathan who had no military experience or background, jailbreaks werent as rampant as what Nigerians see these days.





The frequent and recurring jailbreaks show the inefficiency of all those President Buhari appointed into office and his unwillingness to sack them show also that the President tacitly wants the situation to continue to fester.





HURIWA demands the arrest of the persons who gave the order purportedly for the withdrawal of soldiers before the attack.





The group also demands the sacking of the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; and his Defence counterpart, Bashir Magashi; for perpetual incompetence. We also call for a broad-based judicial panel of inquiry on prison breaks in Nigeria to be constituted.
The Peoples Democratic Party has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of complicity in the Tuesday night terrorist attack on Kuje ...

The Peoples Democratic Party has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of complicity in the Tuesday night terrorist attack on Kuje Correctional Facility in Abuja.

In a statement released late Wednesday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP queried the alleged redeployment of soldiers who had become familiar with the terrain from the facility 24 hours before the attack.

The statement titled, Terrorism: APC Complicit in Kuje Prison Attack  PDP AssertsQueries Redeployment of Soldiers 24hrs Before Incidence, partly read, The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemns in the strongest possible term, the spate of insecurity and the audacity with which terrorists ravage our country unchallenged under the rudderless All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

The simultaneous terrorist attacks on the advance convoy of President Muhammadu Buhari in Katsina State as well as the Correctional Facility in Abuja, the nations capital, underscore the collapse of our security command and control structure under the failed, ineffective and uncoordinated Buhari-led APC administration. The terrorist attack on President Buharis convoy in his home State of Katsina as well as the ferocious invasion and the freeing of hundreds of terrorists and criminals from the Kuje Correctional Facility further confirm that Mr. President has lost control of the security of the nation and that Nigerians are no longer safe under the APC.

The escalated spate of terrorism across the country has heightened apprehensions of complicity by the APC to open up our nation to more terrorist attacks with the view to stall the 2023 general election. The failure of the APC administration to act on the intelligence provided by the Directorate of State Services (DSS) which on Tuesday July 5, 2022 reportedly warned of an impending attack on the Kuje Correctional Facility gives credence to fears by Nigerians of complicity at very high level of the APC administration.





This is in addition to further reports that soldiers deployed to the precinct of the Kuje Correctional Facility and who had become familiar with the terrain were redeployed 24 hours before the terrorists attacked.





The PDP called on the APC to explain to Nigerians who ordered the reported redeployment of soldiers 24 hours before the attack. The opposition party also demanded to know who failed to act on the intelligence reportedly shared by the DSS on the attack.





The PDP demands that the APC government should come clean on who ordered the reported redeployment of soldiers and who failed to act on the intelligence provided by the DSS.





Nigerians can recall the public confession by the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai at the wake of the bloody Abuja-Kaduna terrorist attack that the APC-led administration knows the whereabouts and the plans of the terrorists ravaging our nation but deliberately refused to act. Nigerians will also recall how APC leaders publicly romanced and paid money to terrorists, the statement added.





The statement further condemned the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)s disposition to the attacks across the country, while questioning the presidents retention of the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, as head of a very critical sector in the fight against terrorism in our country in spite of his confession of affiliation to terrorists.





It is rather distressing that President Buhari appears helpless without any decisive and concrete steps taken to stem the tide of terrorist attacks in our country.





Even more curious is that President Buhari continues to retain Mr. Isa Pantami as Minister of Communication and Digital Economy to head and coordinate this very critical sector in the fight against terrorism in our country in spite of Isa Pantamis confession of affiliation to terrorists.





With the sequence of events in the last 48 hours, it is clear to Nigerians that the APC government headed by President Buhari has failed in the basic purpose of government which is to secure life and properties of the citizens, the statement added.





The PDP, while asking Buhari to convene an emergency Council of State meeting for a review of the countrys security situation, called on the National Assembly to pass a vote of no-confidence in Pantami and insist on his immediate removal a minister.





Given the urgency of the security situation in the country, it has become imperative that President Buhari convenes an emergency Council of State meeting for a review of the prevailing dangerous security atmosphere in our country. The PDP also calls on the National Assembly to pass a vote of no confidence in Isa Pantami and insist on his immediate removal as a minister.





The National Assembly should also immediately summon the Security Chiefs for a thorough investigation on the circumstances resulting in the failure of our security system.





The PDP urges Nigerians to remain at alert and keep hope alive as the nightmare of the APC administration will be over by May 2023, the statement concluded.
The Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, has urged all electorate not to sell their votes. He described it as an act of sabotaging ...

The Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, has urged all electorate not to sell their votes.

He described it as an act of sabotaging their future and that of the unborn generation.

This is as the governor said his victory in the July 16 governorship election would be a landslide one, that the opposition will have no choice than to congratulate him.

Oyetola said this during an engagement programme with United Nigeria Panel beater Association, Osun chapter on Tuesday at Akoda, Ede East LCDA of the state.

In his words, Please dont sell your votes, it will amount to sabotaging the future of the unborn generation. 

Represented by his Special Adviser on Civic Engagement, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, the governor said with the available meager resources he had put smiles on the faces of the people in the state.

Oyetola said his achievements in various sectors in the state in more than three years in office will speak for him, and ensure his reelection.

With the massive support from the electorate, my victory on July 16 will be so clear that the opposition will be left with no option than to congratulate me.

The overwhelming support from the electorate for me and APC is enough testimony that the opposition parties have lost before the election, he said.

Oyetola, however, urged those who are yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards to do so and support APC during the election.
An Air Force fighter jet targeting terrorists in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State has accidentally bombed villagers. Accordin...





An Air Force fighter jet targeting terrorists in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State has accidentally bombed villagers.





According to reports, the incident happened where the Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, Aminu Umar, was murdered by bandits, on Tuesday.





Details of the incident are still sketchy as of press time as the Police Public Relations Officer in the State, DSP Isah Gambo could not be reached.





Daily Trust, however, reported that the jet hit the wrong targets in the operation launched against camps of bandits in the area, leading to the death of unspecified number of villagers.





Kastina has been one of the States in the North battling with terrorists attacks. There have been series of killings and kidnappings in the State recently.





Recall that a presidential convoy was attacked in the State on Tuesday.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms this evening followed by a few showers overnight. Low 66F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms this evening followed by a few showers overnight. Low 66F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
The Customs administrations of Zimbabwe and Zambia met in Harare, Zimbabwe from June 28 to July 1 to work towards advancing the bilateral exchange of Customs data and interconnectivity between Zimbabwe and Zambia. The bilateral joint workshop was supported with WCO technical assistance under the Sida-WCO Trade Facilitation and Customs Modernisation (Sida-WCO TFCM Programme) with funding from the government of Sweden.

At the opening, Mr. Batsirai Chadzingwa, Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, recounted the past joint efforts made by both Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) to pursue the mutual objective of interconnecting their Customs systems for effective data exchange in accordance with WCO standards. He welcomed the support being delivered by the Sida-WCO TFCM Programme to enable Customs interconnectivity and data exchange between the two countries as very important for cross-border trade and the growth of economies in both countries, and reaffirmed the commitment of both ZIMRA and ZRA management.

The highly interactive workshop, facilitated by a WCO accredited expert from Nigeria Customs Service, was successful to initiate a bilateral Utility Block for Customs connectivity and data exchange. Among other important outcomes, both Zambia and Zimbabwe reaffirmed their datasets including the WCO compliant UCR, and mapped the datasets to the WCO Data Model (DM) using the WCO DM App, aiming at establishing a My Information Package as the basis of the data exchange. The two administrations further developed a data exchange agreement that would enable legal interoperability in line with the Globally Networked Customs legal toolbox. A Change Management Framework was also developed to guide the engagement and sensitization of internal and external stakeholders.

For further enquiries, please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org.
The New Orleans City Council on Thursday unanimously approved a measure formally asking the city government not to use city funds to investigate or prosecute abortion.

The measure, co-authored by all council members, is largely symbolic. It asks city law enforcement entities  such as the New Orleans Police Department, the Orleans Parish Sheriffs Office and the Orleans Parish District Attorneys Office  not to use city money to enforce the states trigger laws banning abortion.

But some of those agencies receive state funds and, while they do have some discretion over how they spend those funds, those agencies do have to follow state law.

The resolution also requests law enforcement agencies not store reports of abortions and miscarriages or provide any related information to other governmental agencies unless the information is used to defend abortion rights.

However, the state requires doctors to report this type of information, which is how it collects data on maternal health outcomes. Its unclear if health care providers currently even use city funds to report this information.

City Council President Helena Moreno said that the resolution wont keep the New Orleans abortion clinic open when Louisianas abortion bans are in effect.

The resolution before us today, unfortunately, will not be the long-term solution to keep the New Orleans clinic open because it is a clinic regulated by the state, she said.

Moreno called on the federal government to give funds to health departments and health care providers in Louisiana to provide free access to emergency contraceptives and ensure that FDA approved medications can be mailed to Louisiana and utilized by patients in our state.

Moreno echoed comments made by District Attorney Jason Williams following the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade about the need for city law enforcement agencies to prioritize its time and resources on prosecuting and solving violent crime rather than abortion providers.

At a time when violent crime is on the rise, our law enforcement officers should not be wasting time on doctors and nurses who are just trying to do their jobs, Moreno said. We need the entire focus of the NOPD and the district attorney to be on solving and preventing violent crime, not criminalizing doctors for providing care. We are moving backward and its scary, but we have to fight back.

Though only a few members of the public testified in person against or for the resolution on Thursday, Moreno said there were more than 900 public comments submitted online  which she said set a record for total online public comments.

Vice President JP Morrell said that following the Supreme Court decision, he got the most calls from OB-GYNs worried about how Louisianas abortion laws would affect them caring for their patients.

We created these draconian laws that were written very, very poorly, where you have doctors who are going to have to make the conscious decision to break the law to save the life of a woman on the table, he said.

Michelle Erenberg, executive director of Lift Louisiana, said that many of the states anti-abortion laws on the books were theoretical up until the point Roe was overturned and that now doctors, patients and the legal system are left trying to interpret vague and conflicting laws.

It was all well and good for the anti-abortion legislators to spend years and years and years voting on abortion bans when they had no idea that they would ever take effect. But this is real. This is happening, she said. These laws are probably going to take effect at some point. And people's lives are on the line, and doctors' medical licenses and their freedom from incarceration are on the line.

New Orleans City Council members ask city government not to use funds to prosecute abortion New Orleans City Council members on Tuesday filed legislation asking the city government not to use any funds to investigate or prosecute abor
" " Lindt opened their chocolate-themed attraction in Zurich in September 2020. Lindt

There's a reason that chocolate was a prized part of Mesoamerican culture dating back thousands of years. It was referred to as the "food of the gods," according to "The True History of Chocolate," because of its use in sacred ceremonies and even as medicine. Battles were fought for control of the places that grew cocoa pods, extending to this day.

Chocolate is one of the most popular desserts in the world, served in countless forms, including drinks, sauces and candy bars. Serious chocolate-lovers can't get enough of their favorite treat and love to know more about it, as well as to sample any goodies that they can. These six destinations around the world allow chocoholics to indulge their sweet teeth.

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Chocolate Museums and Attractions

1. Lindt Home of Chocolate, Zurich

Swiss chocolate has a reputation all its own, and the newly opened Lindt Home of Chocolate made an immediate splash with its nearly 30-foot (9-meter) chocolate fountain and over 5,000-square-foot (465-square-meter) chocolate shop, their largest in the world. The museum has exhibits on how chocolate arrived in Europe and the process that the chocolatiers use to create their product. Videos feature the company's farm in Ghana, while the guided tour goes through a pilot plant that shows how Lindt chocolate is made and how new products are created. Of course, the tour ends with a tasting of their acclaimed chocolate. If that's not enough, Lindt offers chocolate-making classes. Admission starts at 15 Swiss francs (about $16.50) for adults, with an additional fee for tours and courses.

2. Cadbury World, Birmingham, England

In the United Kingdom, chocolate means one thing: Cadbury. The candy giant is known for its creme eggs among other treats. Cadbury World opened in 1990 in the Bournville village, which was the home of Cadbury factory employees starting in 1893. It was considered a model village for workers at the time. One of the exhibits on this self-guided tour focuses on this area and how it impacted the company. There's also a 4-D theater, a "Cadabra" ride in a "Beanmobile" and a recreated version of Cadbury's original shop. While visitors don't get to tour the factory, they can still test out their own chocolatier skills, piping the desserts into their chosen shapes. Admission is 18 ($23) for adults.

" " Visitors to Cadbury World enjoy the Cadabra ride through a chocolate wonderland. Cadbury World

3. Chocoversum, Hamburg, Germany

The Hachez company, which was founded in 1890, created the Chocoversum as a way to showcase their production without bringing guests into the actual factories. Here, the guides, called "ChoColleagues," bring visitors on a 90-minute exploration of all things chocolate, from a real cocoa pod to the liquid chocolate used in bars. Sampling is encouraged along the way, and you can even create your own chocolate bar with desired toppings. Stop by the gift shop for their unique bars, including those infused with mango and chili peppers. Admission is 19 euros ($22) for adults.

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4. MUCHO Museo del Chocolate, Mexico City

The MUCHO Museo del Chocolate opened in 2012 in a renovated 1909 house in the Colonia Juarez neighborhood of Mexico City. The museum collection has fascinating chocolate-related artifacts dating back to the 17th century and exhibits created by chocolate experts. During the tour, visitors learn how chocolate gained popularity, and its industrial production, as well as explore the advertisements that make consumers crave it. The museum offers workshops and has a store and cafe serving chocolate treats. Admission is 75 pesos ($3.50).

Chocolate Factories

While chocolate museums and themed attractions are entertaining, there's nothing quite like seeing the process from the beginning, especially for die-hard chocolate-lovers. Just ask Willy Wonka!

"There are a lot of craft makers that give tours," says Simran Sethi, host and creator of the world's first comprehensive chocolate podcast, The Slow Melt and the author of "Bread, Wine, Chocolate: The Slow Loss of Foods We Love." "I highly recommend them over the industrial places."

5. Haigh's Chocolate Factory, Adelaide, Australia

Visitors to Adelaide, Australia make a beeline for Haigh's Chocolate Factory, a company known for its Easter treats. The "Easter bilby" is their take on the bunny, substituting the invasive rabbit for a native marsupial. Open since 1915, Haigh's was also known in the 1950s and '60s for the "tray boys and girls" who sold their chocolates at the front of the movie screen during intermission. Until the start of the pandemic, the company offered free tours of its factory, bringing guests past the production line and allowing them to fill their pockets with free samples. It ended, as all good tours did, in the gift shop, where the dark, milk and white chocolate varieties were available for purchase. Until these tours resume you can buy their chocolates online.

6. TCHO, San Francisco

TCHO was opened in 2005 in San Francisco by a former NASA scientist and a German chocolate maker, created with its signature colorful packaging. In 2014, the company moved to a larger building across the bay in Berkeley and later opened the space up to tours. Here chocolate fans can see the flavor wheel the company uses to craft each bar, ranging from nutty to fruity. After visiting the production line, the tasting occurs. Just like a wine tasting, guides show you how to smell the aroma before sampling. Admission for these 90-minute tours was previously $10, but they are on hiatus during the pandemic. However, the chocolate can still be purchased at stores in San Francisco and throughout the country.

Note: Because of the constantly changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, be sure to check the websites of these businesses before going to confirm hours. Masks are required at most, if not all, of these venues.
College students, civil servants assist anti-epidemic fight

Xinhua) 16:16, July 07, 2022

HEFEI, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Shortly after returning home for summer vacation, Xu Xiaoxuan, a college student from Sixian County, east China's Anhui Province, registered to volunteer at a COVID-19 nucleic acid testing station.

Struck by a resurgence of COVID-19, from June 26 to July 5, a total of 267 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,002 asymptomatic carriers had been logged in Anhui, of which 259 confirmed cases were in Sixian, Suzhou City.

Three days after the outbreak hit this small county, the sophomore signed up as a volunteer, performing her duties in a protective suit under the scorching sun.

"I want to do my part in epidemic prevention and control," said Xu. "Braving the summer heat with temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius, the sweat drips from the sleeves of my protective suit. I have realized the hardship of the job," said Xu.

She said her 18th birthday is several days away, and the experience that she has had is an unforgettable memory coinciding with her coming-of-age ceremony.

In addition to the grassroots anti-epidemic forces consisting of college students on summer vacation and local residents, the county has required all local government officials to take part in volunteering in communities to provide services including keeping the order of queuing for nucleic acid testing, ensuring daily supplies and offering psychological counseling amid the epidemic fight.

Xu Ke, 27, a rural revitalization official in the county, has become the head of the Taoliwenyuan community and coordinates with 82 community workers to ensure the needs of daily supplies to households.

"Many community workers themselves are grassroots officials. In this special time, we need to unite against the epidemic and do anything we can do," Xu said.

Not far from Sixian County, more than 10,000 volunteers are playing a key role in containing the spread of COVID in Lingbi County, another virus-hit area in Anhui.

Su Can, a 21-year-old student majoring in preventive medicine at Peking University, joined the local volunteer team after she returned home from Beijing.

"I have had an internship at a hospital in Beijing, and I am sharing my experience in how to protect people and conduct nucleic acid tests properly," said Su, who is responsible for providing door-to-door COVID-19 tests for local residents with other medical staff.

Su also shares what she has learned in school, such as basic epidemic prevention and control measures, with her fellow villagers in their WeChat group to improve people's public health awareness.

"I have to do something for my hometown, even if they are trivial things," said Su.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun)
WekiHome has shared a teardown video of the ROG Phone 6, one of two gaming smartphones that ASUS has announced this week. Unsurprisingly, ASUS has worked hard at optimising cooling, with a large vapour cooling system and a lot of thermal paste.

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WekiHome has published another teardown video, having recently disassembled the Xiaomi 12S Ultra. As we discussed yesterday, WekiHome revealed the scale of the Ultra's cooling solution, along with its huge Sony IMX989 camera sensor. Billed as the first full-frame 1-inch camera, the Sony IMX989 is over 11 mm thick itself, explaining the Xiaomi 12 Ultra's substantial camera housing.

This time, WekiHome has got stuck into the ASUS ROG Phone 6, one of two members in the ROG Phone 6 series. For reference, the ROG Phone 6 and ROG Phone 6 Pro are separated by memory configurations and a rear-facing 2-inch OLED display, which the ROG Phone 6 lacks. Unsurprisingly, ASUS connects the series' rear-facing RGB lights or display via a ribbon cable, with another connecting the NFC module to the motherboard.

Meanwhile, WekiHome has highlighted the ROG Phone 6's dual-battery system, which combines to provide a 6,000 mAh capacity. Additionally, these batteries sandwich the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, above which the AeroActive Cooler 6 sits when connected. Moreover, the ROG Phone 6 relies on a stacked motherboard, maximising space and allowing ASUS to include high-capacity batteries.
Japan Meteorological Agencys expert panel for the prediction of volcanic eruptions says that caution is needed for Shinmoedake volcano in southwestern Japan, and the Yakedake volcano group in central Japan.
A doctor, nurse practitioner and two physician assistants have joined Franciscan Health, the Mishawaka-based health care system with hospitals across Northwest Indiana.

An interventional cardiologist and a nurse practitioner joined Franciscan Physician Network Munster Cardiology at 701 Superior Ave., where they are welcoming new patients.

Board-certified interventional cardiologist Jagdeep Sabharwal received training at the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago, did a fellowship in interventional cardiology at Michigan State University in East Lansing, and completed a fellowship in cardiovascular disease at Henry Ford Medical Center in Royal Oak, Michigan.

Sabharwals clinical interests include coronary interventions, cardiac imaging, peripheral arterial disease and structural heart disease.

Board-certified nurse practitioner Mohammad El-Ahmad trained at Chamberlain University in Chicago. His interests include heart failure, arrhythmias, valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndrome.

For more information or to make an appointment, call 219-934-4080.

Two board-certified physician assistants joined the cancer care team at Franciscan Physician Network Munster Cancer Center at 701 Superior Avenue, where they are welcoming new patients.

Hilary Benway trained at the Marquette University Physician Assistant Program in Milwaukee. Her clinical interests include breast malignancy, chronic leukemia, lymphomas, healthy lifestyle promotion and patient education and advocacy.

Victoria Pryzdia trained at the University of Dayton Physician Assistant Program in Dayton, Ohio. Her clinical interests include breast malignancy, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, leukemia and uterine and ovarian cancer.

For more information or to make an appointment with either, call 219-922-4081.
GARY  A free gas giveaway will be hosted Saturday in Gary by Gary Mayor Jerome Prince and Dr. Willie Wilson, a Chicago-based businessman.

On Wednesday Prince and Wilson announced they will be hosting free gas giveaways in Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland.

The free gas giveaway for Gary will be at the Citgo gas station, at 5390 W. 15th St.

"Between 40-year highs in gas prices and skyrocketing ination, working class and lower income families need some relief at the pump," Prince said.

Two years ago, Prince and Wilson collaborated to host a face mask giveaway.

Were all feeling the pinch at the pump, but its especially dicult for people who already are stretched too thin nancially, Prince said. Im excited to work with Dr. Wilson again. We worked together in 2020, in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, to give away thousands of face masks. Thats the kind of work that makes a dierence in our communities.

Wilson, who is running to be mayor of Chicago, has called for a temporary suspension of gas taxes.

Our residents need and deserve a break from high gas prices, and Im pleased to oer them a free tank of gas, Wilson said. Also, I call on governments to temporarily suspend their gas taxes to help all citizens who are struggling with high fuel and food prices. Im proud to have partnered with 13 gas stations to provide free gas.

There will also be a second gas giveaway Saturday at the Amoco gas station at 7201 N. Clark St. in Chicago.

Wilson said he will hold free gas giveaways at 11 other stations throughout Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, listed on his Facebook page.
GARY  A cousin of Gary Mayor Jerome Prince was among three people gunned down early Tuesday during what appears to have been an Independence Day block party in the city.

"Our family is heartbroken and outraged at this loss," Prince said of the death of cousin Marquise Hall, 26, of Lafayette. "Obviously, this hits close to home."

"However, we're also angry and frustrated at the fact we continue to lose Gary residents to needless violence, including young people gunned down before they even reach adulthood," the mayor said. "I never stop thinking about the victims and their families and the incredible losses these senseless deaths leave."

Hall, as well as Laurence Mangum, 25, of Merrillville, and Ashanti Brown, 20, of Olympia Fields, Illinois, were killed, and seven others were sent to the hospital following a shooting reported shortly before 1 a.m. Tuesday in the 1900 block of Missouri Street.

Merrillville resident Andre P. Cobb said that when he got word his "baby cousin," Mangum, was among those killed, he raced to the site.

"When I got to the scene, I was hoping it was false," Cobb said.

Unfortunately for him, the reports were true and Cobb said late Wednesday morning he was still struggling to accept that fact.

"I just want to know why," he said.

The Lake County/Gary Metro Homicide Unit, which is investigating the shooting, had no updates as of early Wednesday afternoon, according to a spokesperson.

"Public safety remains my top priority," Prince said. "We are committed to doing everything in our power to prevent and reduce gun violence, including investing in anti-violence initiatives that focus on violence intervention and violence prevention for our younger residents."

"These types of investments are critical," he said. "We must continue to act with urgency to find solutions to prevent violence before it happens and to support victims and their families when it does happen. We will continue to do whatever is necessary to reduce violence in our City."

It was Cobb's understanding that his cousin was hanging out that night with childhood friends and that he had not been involved in any gang activity.

Mangum's passion was drumming, and he played regularly at several area churches, including Fresh Oil Ministries in East Chicago, according to Pastor Staci Bennett.

"He was very well known in the church community," she said.

Bennett said she had just seen Mangum at church a couple days before the shooting and was devastated upon hearing he had been killed.

"He was very loyal," she said.

Bennett said Mangum had been part of the church's music ministry for the past three to four years and was an extremely talented drummer.

The death is the first of its type for the church, and Bennett said she faces the challenge of helping shepherd members through their shared grief.

Cobb said his cousin's death is sadly part of a growing dysfunction in this country that transcends demographics such as race, as seen in Monday's mass shooting that left at least seven dead and dozens more injured during an Independence Day celebration in the affluent community of Highland Park, Illinois.

"I think psychologically we are messed up as a nation," he said.

Cobb said the violent death of his cousin has had a tremendous impact on his family.

"You never expect for this to happen in your circle," Cobb said.

Anyone with information about the Gary shooting is urged to contact the Lake County/Gary Metro Homicide Unit at 219-755-3855 or the Crime Tip Line at 866-CRIME-GP.
CROWN POINT  The Lake County Sheriff's Department will be meeting with FBI experts in domestic terrorism in the wake of the shooting at the Highland Park parade in Illinois.

"In light of current events in our region and across the country, and with so many upcoming events like parades, festivals and concerts, I feel its important that I share the following information from the Lake County Sheriffs Department as we continue to take a proactive approach to public safety," Martinez said.

Local authorities will be collaborating on the Special Events Emergency Action Plan, which includes tactical elements used to neutralize an active shooter and minimize danger to the public.

In addition to FBI experts, the Lake County Sheriff's Department will be working with agencies across the county to create and build a critical incident response plan. Martinez said the plan will be routinely activated during special events in which authorities have determined there is a potential threat, based on a threat assessment.

Martinez said an upcoming meeting will finalize the emergency plan, which involves additional security and surveillance for large-scale events like concerts and festivals.

Individuals who see unusual items, situations or suspicious activity should immediately report it to police, he said. The Department of Homeland Security has a list of how to recognize signs of terrorism-related activity in their "See Something, Say Something" campaign, including: implied threats, surveillance, entering a restricted area, cyberattacks, probing security and more.

"We have seen the aftermath of unspeakable tragedy in communities close to home," Martinez said. "Nevertheless, we should not allow these acts of violence to adversely affect our quality of life. As we attend public events like parades and festivals, lets be observant of our surroundings and take precautions when necessary."
MUNSTER  Residents can meet Munster's police dog Vader in the upcoming "Coffee with a Cop" event.

Coffee with a Cop will be held from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday at the Munster Donut, at 8314 Calumet Ave.

The Munster Police Department invited all residents to participate in the monthly meeting. Participants can meet Vader, an officer and check out a police car. There will also be a chance to enter to win gift baskets.

For more information, residents can call 219-836-6639.
CROWN POINT  Prosecutors filed a motion Wednesday seeking to dismiss charges against a man accused of shooting three people to death four years ago in Gary because more time is needed for forensic testing of evidence.

Erik P. Long, 43, and Huston J. Bond, 32, of Gary, each were charged in January in connection with the July 2018 shooting deaths of Darius Ross, 28, of Gary; his fiancee, Heather Talley, 27, of Hammond; and the couple's friend Nicholas Edwards, 28, of Gary.

Talley was shot seven times and found dead July 16, 2018, on a roadside in the 2500 block of Central Avenue.

Later that day, Ross' and Edwards' bodies were found in the trunk of Ross' car, which was parked near West Ninth Avenue and Harrison Street. Ross had been shot 12 times, and Edwards suffered eight gunshot wounds.

The state's case against Long was complicated by the death of Bond, who was described by a defense attorney as a heart transplant patient "in rejection mode."

Bond's death March 20 in the Lake County Jail was ruled natural, according to the Lake County coroner's office.

Prosecutors' theory of the case was based, in part, on a statement given by a man who alleged he learned details of the triple homicide second-hand from Bond during a phone conversation.

The witness told police Bond and Long shot the three people inside a home on Martin Luther King Drive because Bond suspected Edwards robbed him in 2016.

The witness wasn't present at the crime scene, and police did not immediately obtain a search warrant for the home on Martin Luther King Drive because they didn't receive information about that location until they spoke with the witness in May 2021, court records show.

In April 2022, prosecutors charged Bond's cousin, John Michael Turner, 24, of Gary, with one felony count of assisting a criminal. Turner, who pleaded not guilty, is accused of joining Long and Bond after the homicides and helping dispose of the bodies.

Lake County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Barbara McConnell asked Lake Criminal Court Judge Natalie Bokota to dismiss Long's charges without prejudice, which means the case could be refiled at a later date.

"The state of Indiana needs additional time to conduct forensic testing on evidence from this cause," McConnell wrote.

Court records show Bokota is still considering the state's motion for a buccal swab from Turner for DNA analysis. The judge granted the state's motions in March for buccal swabs from Long and Bond.

Police obtained cellphone call and location data, which showed Ross and Talley were communicating with Long and Bond the night they were killed and were in the area of Longs residence in Gary, according to court documents.
CROWN POINT  The Lake County Council plans to keep close tabs on the sheriff's jail spending after a judge last week authorized the sheriff to bypass the Lake County Commissioners and sign jail-related purchasing contracts on his own.

Lake Superior Judge Stephen Scheele said his reading of a state law directing the sheriff to "take care" of jail inmates in his custody gives Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. the authority to ink jail-related contracts without needing the consent of the county's three-member executive.

"The Lake County sheriff, and not the Lake County Board of Commissioners, has the authority to enter into contracts to take care of the Lake County Jail and the prisoners there," Scheele said in his June 30 ruling.

The commissioners immediately filed notice of their intent to appeal the decision based on a different state law giving county government contracting authority exclusively to the commissioners.

They've also asked Scheele to postpone the effective date of his ruling until the Indiana Court of Appeals considers the case.

Scheele has scheduled a Monday hearing to evaluate the commissioners' request for a stay, according to court records.

Should the ruling take effect, however, Lake County Councilman Dan Dernulc, R-Highland, said the council will keep a watchful eye on the sheriff's spending through careful control of its annual appropriations for the county jail.

"We still have the purse strings. So he has to come in front of us," said Dernulc, who leads the council's jail spending subcommittee.

Councilman David Hamm, D-Hammond, agreed: "He can only sign a contract for the amount of dollars that we appropriate."

Both councilmen also observed the council already has in place strict spending categories for the jail, ranging from salaries and overtime to clothing and furniture, and any transfer of funds from one category to another also requires council approval.

Nevertheless, Councilman Al Menchaca, D-Gary, said the council probably should request copies of every contract signed solely by the sheriff to make sure taxpayer dollars are spent appropriately.

The legal clash between the sheriff and the commissioners stems, in part, from Martinez inking an agreement for Correctional Health Indiana Inc. (CHI) to continue providing medical care to inmates at the Lake County Jail, notwithstanding the commissioners' call for a top-to-bottom review of jail medical spending and a rebidding of the contract.

Records show the commissioners in December declined to approve the sheriff's proposed contract with CHI for 2022 inmate medical services at a cost of $6.1 million, a 5% increase compared to 2021, and 20% more than 2020.

According to court records, Martinez signed the 2022 contract with CHI anyway. But Lake County Auditor John Petalas declined to pay CHI under the sheriffs contract because it wasnt approved by the commissioners  prompting Martinez to file suit.

Dernulc said he recognizes there's friction between the sheriff and the commissioners. But he believes the commissioners have an appropriate role in contracting as the county executive, and he was surprised by the court's decision.

"The sheriff needed to find a remedy and he got his remedy," Dernulc said.
SCHERERVILLE  Early Tuesday morning, Schererville Fire Chief Robert Patterson got the alert.

The alarm had been triggered before, by wind or the odd power outage, but this time was different.

When the two firefighters on duty went to check the electronic contraption built into the wall of Fire Station No. 2, to their "amazement," they found a baby girl, Patterson said.

Schererville installed the contraption, called a Safe Haven Baby Box, a little over a year ago "knowing it would be used, ... and it was," Safe Haven Baby Box CEO Monica Kelsey told the small crowd that stood outside the station Wednesday morning.

After an initial medical evaluation determined the child was healthy, she was taken to a local hospital for further care. A letter listing the exact date and time the infant was born was also left in the box.

"The thoughtfulness and care in which the important details were supplied will further aid in providing a safe and caring environment for the infant," Patterson said. "The Schererville Fire Department would like to applaud the mother's tremendous act of courage and strength in entrusting our department with the health and well-being of her child."

When Colleen DeVries got a call from Patterson saying "we have a beautiful baby girl," she cried.

"We all felt like grandmothers," DeVries said gesturing to her fellow Tri Kappa Associate Chapter members.

After having a heart attack, DeVries experienced a moment of "divine intervention"  Schererville needed a Baby Box.

Actually DeVries, who is from St. John, would have been happy with a Baby Box anywhere in the Schererville, St. John, Dyer area. However, Schererville's Fire Station No. 2, located at 280 Plum Creek Drive, is the only nearby station that has someone on-called 24/7.

"After calling friends and enemies" and talking to just about every business in town, Tri Kappa was able to raise about $26,000, member Joanne Freeland said. After a few local businesses donated their labor, the total installation cost only ended up being about $10,000.

Safe Haven

In May 2021, Schererville welcomed the 66th Baby Box in the U.S.  on Thursday, the 112th box was completed.

"So you can see how much we've grown in just 426 days," Kelsey said.

The Safe Haven Baby Box organization was inspired by a Baby Box-like device Kelsey saw at a church in Cape Town, South Africa, and her own experience of being adopted after her mother left her at an Ohio hospital just two hours after giving birth.

Indiana's safe haven law allows for the anonymous surrender of an infant 30 days old or younger at fire departments, hospitals and emergency medical services stations. While different states handle infant surrendering differently, in Indiana, Baby Boxes are an acceptable use of the Safe Haven law. In some other states, parents must make direct contact with the emergency personnel before surrendering the baby.

"If you're in the hospital you're not going to say, 'I don't want this baby,' because they have your name, they have your record and you're no longer anonymous," Freeland said. "If the parent is embarrassed, ashamed, whatever, ... they do not want to have face-to-face contact."

In 2016 Kelsey opened the first U.S. Baby Box in her home city of Woodburn. The next one was installed at a fire station near Michigan City; now there are over 80 Baby Boxes all across Indiana including one in Hammond, Merrillville, Lowell, Crown Point, Gary, Valparaiso, Lake Station, Hobart, Chesterton and Portage.

The boxes can also be found in Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, Arkansas, Kentucky and Ohio, though Indiana has the most locations by far.

The boxes are built into the walls of hospitals and fire stations.

On Tuesday morning, when the metal door on the outside of Fire Station No. 2 was opened a strobe went off in the station and an alarm company was notified. The alarm company called the local dispatch and the fire chief and deputy chief each received a notification.

Inside each climate-controlled box is a padded plastic container with a blanket and cap for the child as well as an orange bag filled with resources for the parent.

The box's outside door automatically locks once it is closed.

After the child is taken to a local hospital, they are turned over to the Department of Child Services and placed in their Foster-to-Adopt program. Kelsey said the infants are placed with permanent families within 30 to 45 days.

'She's already thought this through'

"1-800-99BABY1" is printed in big white letters across the Baby Box door  the Safe Haven crisis line.

Parents can contact the line at any time to discuss their options and learn what resources are available. Safe Haven employs a psychologist to help council parents, Kelsey said.

While the Baby Boxes are a vital "last resort," Kelsey said Safe Haven still encourages parents to surrender children directly to emergency personnel. Over the last five years, 21 babies have been surrendered in the Baby Boxes and Safe Haven has assisted with another 121 face-to-face surrenders.

Safe Haven offers free trainings to all fire stations and hospitals that details both the technical aspect of the Baby Box and how to handle a face-to-face surrender.

"One thing that we always train on is, don't try to talk her out of it. She has gained every bit of confidence to walk in here and hand you a child, and the last thing you should do is shame her," Kelsey said, explaining that whether intentional or not, urging a parent to reconsider their decision will likely cause them to feel shame. "She's already thought this through."

Every time a child is found in a Baby Box, Kelsey holds a news conference. She said she has heard critiques from people who say the news conferences take away some anonymity.

"It is anonymous. No one knows who she is," Kelsey said. "One of the good things about coming and doing a press conference after a baby is surrendered in one of our boxes is I get to speak directly to her, if she's listening, ... and I do hope that she is listening."

Kelsey said parents often contact the hotline to check on their child after the surrender. She said the mother of the infant surrendered in Schererville is likely "scouring" the internet for information on her baby right now.

"These women want to know their baby is safe, their baby is healthy," Kelsey said. "Women want to utilize a safe place, they do not want to throw their babies in the dumpster."
A judge in Chicago sentenced Jerry Harris, the Navarro College cheerleader who became a breakout star of the Netflix documentary series Cheer, to 12 years in prison on Wednesday on guilty pleas to two of seven federal charges related to sex crimes involving minors in February.

Mr. Harris, 22, had reached a plea deal in February in which prosecutors agreed that after sentencing on the two counts  the charges that he persuaded a 17-year-old to send him sexually explicit photos for money and traveled to Florida for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a 15-year-old  they would ask that the remaining charges be dropped. He had initially pleaded not guilty to all seven charges in December 2020.

Mr. Harriss plea agreement noted that sentencing guidelines may recommend 50 years in prison for the offenses, though Judge Manish S. Shah had noted that he might decide differently. Judge Shah also ordered Mr. Harris to serve eight years of court-supervised release following his prison term.
The subvariants of summer

The troublesome hits just keep coming from the Omicron strains  and each sequel is more contagious than the last.

Just weeks after the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron became dominant in much of the United States and in many other countries, BA.4 and BA.5 took over across the U.S., showing up in more than 70 percent of samples.

The two strains are often lumped together because they have similar mutations in their spike proteins, which attach to human cells. BA.5 is pulling ahead of its sibling, according to C.D.C. data.
War has displaced a third of Ukrainians

An estimated third of Ukraines population has been forced from home since Russia invaded in February, including an often unseen group of more than six million people who have been displaced within the country.

The internally displaced people  a larger population than the nearly five million who have fled into Europe  are mostly women and children, many of whom face shortages of food, water and basic necessities. They also are, in large part, from the countrys east, which has become the focus of Russias attacks.

Across the Donbas region, many Ukrainians first fled with only a few documents and underwear, thinking they would be back soon. Now, five months into the war, many have started to fear they will never go back. The few who remain are typically caring for ailing family members, are too poor to move or have stayed to protect property. Some support Russias advance toward their towns  a group known as the zhduny, or the waiting ones.
Under earnings pressure after a big loss last year, the food distribution company Grubhub struck a deal with Amazon on Wednesday, offering restaurant delivery services without a fee for Amazon Prime members.

As of Wednesday, the premium service, called Grubhub+, is now a free perk for Amazon Prime customers. Here is what we know.

What is Grubhub+?

Grubhub+ is a membership service, introduced in 2020, that costs $9.99 a month. It cancels delivery fees on orders that total $12 or more before taxes, tips and other fees. Amazon Prime members (including those who are already Grubhub+ members) will get a free year of Grubhub+.
We believe that relevant data was misrepresented, key facts were misconstrued, or N.Y.C.E.D.C.s contractual agreement with the operator of the N.Y.C. Ferry was misunderstood, Mr. DAscoli wrote.

Asked to comment, Mr. de Blasio said he had not reviewed the full report and its 11 recommendations. The development corporation agreed to follow some of the suggestions, including to solicit bids for a new system operator to possibly replace Hornblower when its contract ends next year. But it has denied overpaying Hornblower by $12 million, which the comptroller had calculated based on its audit.

If there are issues with underreporting at E.D.C., or by the ferry operators, that should be remedied and whatever accountability or reforms that are needed should be adopted, Mr. de Blasio said in a prepared statement. The ferry systems continuation and growth is vital for New York City. We need more affordable, accessible transit options connecting the five boroughs now more than ever. 

Mayor Eric Adams, meanwhile, said through a spokesman that his administration was keenly aware there is room for improvement, adding that his staff was working on a plan to ensure that the ferry system was financially sustainable, and more accessible to those who needed it.
Interestingly, there seems to be no clear industry standard. News organizations seem to be acting as a council of elders, erring on the side of restraint, which is understandable in my view.

But the time for that restraint should end. I now believe that the publics need to know has overtaken its need to be shielded from horror. In fact, on some level, not allowing the public access to some version of the gore is extending a form of disinformation, permitting a warped, naive or incorrect impression to persist when it could be corrected.

On Wednesday, I spoke with the Rev. Kenny Irby, a photographer who started the Poynter Institutes photojournalism program. He agreed that the time had come for these images to be shown because of the fierce urgency of the moment.

Of course, Irby warned that the images would need to be contextualized in the proper way, but he insisted that the media has to be part of the delivery mechanism that shows people what the true impact of gun violence is.

The question of context is one that must be considered. Should the images be shown during regular newscasts or on front pages of newspapers, or should they be sequestered to news organizations websites, behind warning labels?

For some, we are now in a post-label era.

Im so done with warning labels, Sue Morrow, editor of the National Press Photographers Associations News Photographer magazine, told me on Wednesday.
NATIONAL

An article on Wednesday about the Justice Departments lawsuit against Arizona because of a new state voting law misstated the number of times the department, under Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, has challenged a states voting law. It is four times, not three.

An article on Tuesday about the Nathans Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest incorrectly described Joey Chestnuts victory in the contest on Monday. While it was his 15th victory, it was not his 15th win in a row.

OPINION

An article on Sunday about wealthy nations broken promises to asylum seekers worldwide referred imprecisely to an arrangement European Union nations made with Turkey to reduce the flow of migrants from the Middle East. Those nations agreed to allow visa-free travel of Turkish nationals to E.U. countries if Turkey met certain criteria. They did not unconditionally allow visa-free travel.
Willie Lee Morrow, a son of Alabama sharecroppers who built a business empire around hair care products aimed at African American consumers, among them a comb designed to work with the natural styles that exploded in popularity in the 1960s  a tool he called the Afro Tease, but which came to be known as the Afro pick  died on June 22 at his home in San Diego. He was 82.

His daughter Cheryl Morrow said the cause was pneumonia.

Mr. Morrow was already a successful barber on the east side of San Diego when a family friend, Robert Bell, walked into his shop in 1962. Mr. Bell had just returned from studying in Nigeria, and he brought Mr. Morrow a gift: a traditional wooden comb, with long, stiff tines spaced well apart, meant to tease out curly hair.

Mr. Morrow had never seen anything like it, but it could not have landed in his hands at a better time. For generations, many Black people had viewed their naturally kinky hair as a liability, and either trimmed it close to the scalp or straightened it, often using painfully caustic chemicals to do so.
Bradford Freeman, the last survivor of the World War II paratroop company whose combat exploits were described in the best-selling book and subsequent mini-series Band of Brothers, died on Sunday in Columbus, Miss. He was 97.

His death, in a hospital, was announced by his family through the Lowndes Funeral Home in Columbus.

Mr. Freeman was a private first class assigned to a mortar squad in Easy Company, Second Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. He took part in the units jump behind Utah Beach in the D-Day invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, carrying an 18-pound mortar plate strapped to his chest. Landing in a pasture filled with cows, he helped a fellow soldier with a broken leg hide before Mr. Freeman joined the rest of his squad.

He fought with Easy Company in its battles with the Germans in France, in its parachute drops into the German-occupied Netherlands and the Battle of the Bulge, and in bitter cold and snow.
An explosive device that unknown individuals detonated early Wednesday destroyed a granite monument in Georgia that was built under mysterious circumstances more than four decades ago and promoted by state officials as Americas Stonehenge, the authorities said.

The monument, known as the Georgia Guidestones, which was built about nine miles north of Elberton, Ga., had four granite slabs connected to a center pillar, with a capstone on top.

But at around 4 a.m. on Wednesday, an explosive device was set off, destroying a large portion of the structure, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. It is investigating the explosion together with the Elbert County Sheriffs Office.
Was it sheer coincidence that two close associates would randomly come under the scrutiny of the same audit program within two years of each other? Did something in their returns increase the chances of their being selected? Could the audits have been connected to criminal investigations pursued by the Trump Justice Department against both men, neither of whom was ever charged?

Or did someone in the federal government or at the I.R.S.  an agency that at times, like under the Nixon administration, was used for political purposes but says it has imposed a range of internal controls intended to thwart anyone from improperly using its powers  corrupt the process?

Lightning strikes, and thats unusual, and thats what its like being picked for one of these audits, said John A. Koskinen, the I.R.S. commissioner from 2013 to 2017. The question is: Does lightning then strike again in the same area? Does it happen? Some people may see that in their lives, but most will not  so you dont need to be an anti-Trumper to look at this and think its suspicious.

How taxpayers get selected for the program of intensive audits  known as the National Research Program  is closely held. The I.R.S. is prohibited by law from discussing specific cases, further walling off from scrutiny the type of audit Mr. Comey and Mr. McCabe faced.

The I.R.S. commissioner, Charles P. Rettig, who was appointed to the post by Mr. Trump in 2018, declined to be interviewed about the audits, discussions he may have had with Mr. Trump or his political appointees, or how compliance research examinations work. But in a written statement, the agency said he had no role in selecting candidates for audit.
ATLANTA  Citing numerous threats to kill or harm witnesses, prosecutors in the case against the rapper Young Thug and a group of his associates who are accused of being part of a violent street gang have secured an order that forces defense lawyers to withhold witnesses contact information from their clients, court documents show.

Prosecutors said they have learned of numerous threats against witnesses, who have said that they fear not only for their own lives, but for their families lives should they testify, according to a motion filed this week.

Defense lawyers denied any attempt to intimidate witnesses.

The order, issued on Wednesday by Judge Ural Glanville of Fulton County Superior Court, highlights the tense nature of a case that has targeted one of the most celebrated artists in the rap world. And it has shaken the creative community he emerged from in Atlanta, a city known internationally as an important incubator of hip-hop talent.
On Thursday, the flurry of resignations continued, with Brandon Lewis, the secretary of state for Northern Ireland; Helen Whately, the Exchequer secretary to the treasury; Damian Hinds, the security minister; and George Freeman, the science minister, among those announcing on Twitter that they were quitting and sharing their letters to the prime minister.

Given the speed with which Mr. Johnsons government was unraveling, many Tory lawmakers believe that Mr. Johnson needs to be replaced quickly to mitigate the electoral damage to the party. Even before the latest scandal broke, opinion polls showed the Conservatives trailing well behind Labour.

The dilemma for the partys senior figures was whether to permit a swift no confidence vote against Mr. Johnson. Under existing party rules, there cannot be another such vote until a year after the last one  next June.

But the leaders of the 1922 Committee, which represents backbench Conservative lawmakers, have been willing to rip up their rule book before: When Mr. Johnsons predecessor, Theresa May, won a confidence vote in 2018 but then failed to push her Brexit plan through a log-jammed Parliament.

According to Graham Brady, who chairs the committee, the proposed rule change was in his pocket when he went to meet the prime minister, but he never showed it to Mrs. May, who agreed to step aside.

Under a fast-track scenario this time, lawmakers would hold the confidence vote before the summer recess. If Mr. Johnson lost, they would move fast to select two leading candidates to replace him as party leader and prime minister. The two contenders would then run in a final contest where the selection is by the partys members.
President Vladimir V. Putins military campaign to capture Ukraines mineral-rich Donbas region was justified as a quest to protect the areas Russian-speaking people. But only a fraction of them have stuck around as the Russian Army sweeps in.

The old industrial heartland in eastern Ukraine has become a hollow prize as the two armies fight over largely abandoned fields and streets. Many of the areas towns are ruined, its factories destroyed, its population depleted.

At least half of the pre-invasion population of 6.1 million people in the two provinces of the Donbas, Luhansk and Donetsk, have fled over the past months of fighting, Ukrainian officials and international aid groups say.
sabrina tavernise

From The New York Times, Im Sabrina Tavernise. This is The Daily. Over the past several weeks, calls for the release of Brittney Griner, the American basketball star who was arrested in Russia, have grown louder, coming from her family and her fans and even from the U.S. Congress. Today, my colleague Michael Crowley on the risks that mounting pressure brings, both for Brittney Griner and for U.S. foreign policy. Its Wednesday, July 6. So, Michael, youve been covering the case of Brittney Griner, the American athlete who was arrested in Russia in February. Lets start with the basics. Who is Brittney Griner? And how did she get detained?

michael crowley

Brittney Griner is 

archived recording Griner puts it up and in! Brittney Griner!

michael crowley

 one of the stars of the WNBA, which, of course, is the womens professional basketball league in the United States.

archived recording Brittney Griner is so big, so long, so athletic. And thats what she does better than anyone else.

michael crowley

Also a two-time Olympic gold medal winner 

archived recording What has it really taken to get to this point? archived recording (brittney griner) Just every day, just coming, not looking at the records and just playing, trying to get better every game, and 

michael crowley

 and a name instantly recognizable to any WNBA fan and to many sports fans.

archived recording Brittney Griner spinning in the lane, put it up and in! Capped that one in the foul, the deuce and the damage.

michael crowley

But despite her prominence and success in the WNBA, Griner does not make as much money as her male counterparts, so in the off-season, plays overseas in a Russian professional basketball league. And in mid-February, at a time when tensions between the United States and Russia were skyrocketing over what turned out to be Russias imminent invasion of Ukraine, Brittney Griner traveled to Russia to play basketball there. And according to Russian authorities, a drug sniffing dog reacted to her luggage at a Moscow area airport. Griner was pulled aside. Her bags were searched. And the Russians say that officials at the airport discovered hashish oil inside of vape cartridges in her luggage. And they arrested her.

sabrina tavernise

So what else do we know about her arrest? I mean, were these drugs actually hers? I mean, did she kind of mess up by having them in her suitcase? Or was something else going on?

michael crowley

Well, we dont know. She has not entered a plea. And there has not been a denial from her or her representatives in the U.S. that she did have these materials. Having said that, Russia is very well known for ginning up cases against people for the purpose of harassment in illegitimate ways. So I think its dangerous to make assumptions here. But the reality is, the Russians control the situation. They say that she had these drugs. They are charging her with this criminal offense. And it is a charge that can carry up to 10 years in prison.

sabrina tavernise

OK, so what happens next?

michael crowley

Well, its a little strange. Griner is arrested at this Moscow airport on February 17. But word of arrest does not emerge until nearly three weeks later, when the Russian government announces on March 5 that this has happened. Now, in the meantime, something massive has happened on the world stage. And that is the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But initially, her family, her wife and her supporters had not said anything about her detention until media representatives contacted them following the Russian government statement. When they are contacted, they say little. They clearly are not, at that point, looking to fan the publicity around the situation.

sabrina tavernise

So, Michael, how would you explain that? I mean, she seems like a big enough star that we would have heard about her detention before three weeks had gone by.

michael crowley

Thats right. And that goes to a core theme that has run through this entire case, which is, what is the wisest approach for the family, relatives and supporters of a person who has been detained, arrested or kidnapped overseas? What is the smart way for them to respond? Is it to speak up, make noise and raise the profile of the situation? Or is it to work quietly with the United States government, keep the profile of the case low, prevent the stakes from rising in a way that could potentially benefit the captors  in this case, the Russian government  and essentially try to avoid publicity? And in the early going, what we saw was that Griners family and supporters chose that latter course of trying to keep the profile low and initially leave it to the United States government to try to deal with the Russians.

sabrina tavernise

So what does the U.S. government do?

michael crowley

Well, its a terrible time for the U.S. government to be trying to resolve a situation like this. We cant be sure about behind the scenes contacts, but essentially, the U.S. government and the Russian government are not talking as a result of the invasion of Ukraine. Not only that, but the Russian government clearly has been obstructing the access that U.S. officials in Moscow, of whom there are very few left at this point, have to Griner. It is customary for an American who is arrested overseas to have what is known as consular access. So that means if you are arrested in a foreign country where the United States has any sort of diplomatic relations or presence, you are to be granted access to someone from the embassy who can come and talk to you, get more information about your situation, make sure you have a lawyer, make sure youre being treated well, convey messages back to the U.S. government and to your family. In this case, Griner was denied consular access until March 23rd, over a month after her arrest.

sabrina tavernise

So this is the worst part possible time for the U.S. to be trying to negotiate with Russia. What did they decide to do?

michael crowley

Well, not much happens for several weeks. The Russians are quiet. Griner is in detention, awaiting the start of her trial. And then something really dramatic happens. The United States and Russia agree to a prisoner exchange. And an American named Trevor Reed, who is a former U.S. Marine, who had been detained in Russia for a few years on charges of assaulting police officers, is returned home in a dramatic and unusual deal, in which President Biden himself personally approves the release of a convicted Russian pilot who flew a plane that was filled with drugs. Brittney Griner is not part of this deal. And Im sure to her family and friends, she was, in a way, left behind. What the Biden administration says, by way of explanation, is that this was a very unusual circumstance, that Trevor Reeds health was failing and that he was in, essentially, an emergency situation. And to leave him in Russia any longer would jeopardize his health. In addition, U.S. officials suggest that this Russian drug smuggler is not that big a deal to them. He served most of his sentence. Theyre not giving that much up. So its a trade worth making, given that Reeds health is in danger.

sabrina tavernise

So thats their explanation for why they focused on Trevor Reed, that other prisoner, and not on Brittney Griner.

michael crowley

Yes, and however hard that might have been for Griners family, they still remain basically quiet. But then, on May 3, the U.S. government says that Griner was wrongfully detained.

sabrina tavernise

What does that mean?

michael crowley

Well, that is very significant diplomatic language. It essentially means that she is now seen as a hostage. And her case, indeed, is referred to an Office of Hostage Affairs that the U.S. government maintains.

sabrina tavernise

OK, so what effect does that have on her case?

michael crowley

Well, people start speaking out much more vocally and from all quarters.

archived recording The WNBA season tipped off last night without seven-time all-star Brittney Griner, who is still detained in Russia.

michael crowley

For one thing, the WNBA season begins without her, but she is a presence in every game.

archived recording Floor decals of her initials, BG, and the number 42 in all of its arenas.

michael crowley

There are references to her case. Players are wearing We are BG shirts during warm-ups. It even extends into the NBA, where the Boston Celtics also wear We are BG shirts.

archived recording When she was detained, even though we all knew what was going on, we were told by the U.S. government to keep it a little bit more as a low profile issue.

michael crowley

Her case is mentioned during the NBA Finals.

archived recording So I first heard the news through Brittney, actually. She started texting me around 2:00 AM that morning. Babe, babe, babe, wake up. They have me in this room.

michael crowley

On May 25, Griners wife goes on Good Morning America and, in an emotional interview, says that she is a hostage and urges President Biden to do whatever he can.

archived recording Shes a political pawn. So if theyre holding her because they want you to do something, then I want you to do it.

michael crowley

And a lot of the people speaking out arent just talking about her profile as a star athlete 

archived recording Shes a Black woman, and shes a gay Black woman. All of these things exacerbate her situation.

michael crowley

 but also about her identity 

archived recording 8 Russia has some of the most cruel anti-LGBTQ laws in the world.

michael crowley

 and how that puts her at particular risk in a place like Russia.

archived recording Its time for the House to speak with one unified voice.

michael crowley

And even the United States Congress 

archived recording Calls on the government of Russia to immediately release Brittney Griner.

michael crowley

 overwhelmingly passes a resolution saying that Brittney must be freed.

sabrina tavernise

But why this change in strategy? I mean, why would her friends and her family, and even Congress for that matter, be going out of their way to suddenly amplify her situation? I mean, as you said, Griner and her family chose to remain silent at first. And thats, oftentimes, how hostage situations unfold, right? Usually, the families try to stay quiet and just dont say very much publicly, because they want the government to have maximum maneuverability in negotiating the release.

michael crowley

Thats right. And typically, the government urges families to maintain a low profile and says that that is in their best interest. I think that what happened in this case was the change in designation, coupled with the rapidly escalating tensions between the U.S. and Russia, made it very clear, number one, that Griner was in grave danger, that this was not a part of Russias legal system in any legitimate way. Russias legal system itself is very problematic. But any hope that this may have been handled in a straightforward way had evaporated. At the same time, the State Department is making clear that she is tangled up in all these politics. And I think her supporters felt like they werent seeing any action. It was very difficult to get information about her case. And I think that there was a feeling that it was time to change the strategy.

sabrina tavernise

And what did that mean for the Biden administration?

michael crowley

Well, it complicates things for the Biden administration. And the risk and, I think, the concern is that as pressure increases on President Biden, people speak out. There are heartfelt pleas for her release. Congress is demanding action that to the extent that her case may be being manipulated by senior Russian officials potentially in the Kremlin who have political motives, those officials are not going to be moved to sympathy by these pleas that are coming from the United States. In fact, they are going to see an opportunity. They are going to see that President Biden is under pressure. He is in a difficult position. And they may very well raise their asking price. In other words, the risk and concern is that when you elevate a case like this and you put more pressure on the president, you raise the cost of getting an American like this home.

[music]

sabrina tavernise

Well be right back. So Michael, you said that the asking price for Russia is going up. Do we have any sense of what that asking price is?

michael crowley

Well, a lot of this process has been very opaque. We dont the full details of what the two sides might be offering or demanding. But we got a very interesting hint a few weeks ago in Russian media, which quoted sources saying that the Russian government was interested in the possibility of, in effect, trading Griner for a man named Viktor Bout.

sabrina tavernise

Viktor Bout, like the famous Russian arms dealer?

michael crowley

Exactly.

archived recording Rarely does the U.S. government want anyone more than it wanted this man.

michael crowley

He is one of the most infamous arms dealers of all time.

archived recording U.S. government officials say Bout became the worlds most notorious arms dealer by fueling civil wars around the world.

michael crowley

He may not be familiar to younger listeners, but about 15, 20 years ago, he was virtually a household name. He, in fact, had a nickname, the merchant of death, and was the basis for a Nicolas Cage character in a Hollywood movie about a global arms dealer.

archived recording I was an equal opportunity merchant of death. I supplied every army, but the Salvation Army.

michael crowley

And Bout, for better or worse, really warranted the attention. He was a man who very skillfully, if cynically, exploited the collapse of the Soviet Union 

archived recording According to the U.S. indictment, Bout had a unique selling point when it came to weapons trafficking  a fleet of cargo airplanes capable of transporting weapons and military equipment any time, anywhere.

michael crowley

 and made countless millions of dollars peddling his weapons to conflict zones around the world, fueling terrible civil wars and arming dictators and war criminals, particularly in Africa.

^archived recording 13

Afghanistan, Colombia, Rwanda, Congo. So, really, Viktor Bout is sort of the quintessential arms entrepreneur.

michael crowley

Ultimately, he was ensnared in a United States federal sting operation and arrested for offering to sell weapons to what turned out to be undercover U.S. federal agents. They said that they were members of a Colombian rebel group, and that they wanted weapons partly for the purpose of killing Americans. That, of course, is an extremely grave offense. And in 2011, Bout was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, where he is now.

sabrina tavernise

Would the U.S. government ever go for this? I mean, its not like its a soldier being exchanged for a soldier, right? This is a famous basketball player and an arms smuggler.

michael crowley

Thats right, and even if the charges against Griner are what the Russians say they are, this is a minor offense. She allegedly had small amounts of hashish oil for what I think was clearly personal use, if the charges are true. Bout was a notorious international arms dealer who consorted with terrible actors around the world and was willing to sell weapons to people who were considered terrorists by the U.S. government at the time. So, in my reporting, people said that this is not a deal that they thought the U.S. would or should consider, unless, potentially, the Russians were willing to give up more.

sabrina tavernise

And what do you mean by that?

michael crowley

Well, there is another American who is considered by the State Department to be wrongfully detained in Russia right now. His name is Paul Whelan. And he has been detained by the Russians since 2019. Whelan was in Moscow when he was arrested on charges of espionage. He, too, like Trevor Reed, who, as we mentioned earlier, was released in a prisoner exchange in April, is a former U.S. Marine. And the Russians say hes a spy. The U.S. says that he is not. There may be some possibility that if the Russians were willing to trade two people for Viktor Bout, that might be something that the U.S. could swallow. Having said that, when asked about scenarios like this, the State Department and the White House wont entertain them, wont say that theyre considering a deal for Bout. And they repeat this line like a mantra, that they do not think that wrongfully detained prisoners should be used as political pawns and that they dont want to incentivize further bad behavior. So although the Russians seem to be signaling that they want Bout back and that this could be a way out of this problem, its still not at all clear whether this is a trade the Biden administration is willing to make.

sabrina tavernise

So, Michael, where is Brittney Griner now? I mean, where does her case stand?

michael crowley

Well, physically, she is in a jail outside of Moscow. And it looks like a pretty grim place, based on photographs. And legally, Griners trial began on Friday officially, but it wasnt much of a beginning. Two witnesses for the prosecution who were supposed to appear in court just didnt show up. Its unclear why. And the whole thing was kind of a false start. Griner never even entered a plea. Basically, were just waiting for the trial to resume at this point. This is a trial that could take months to resolve. But given what we know about the Russian legal system, a case like this is virtually certain to result in a conviction.

sabrina tavernise

So, Michael, what are the options for the Biden administration at this point?

michael crowley

Well, its obviously a very difficult situation, as is everything to do with our relationship with Russia right now. One option, of course, is for the Biden administration to stand its ground and continue to tell the Russians that they cannot use prisoners as pawns for which they can win concessions from the United States, let her trial play out, see what happens and take it from there. Another is to take a little bit of risk here and initiate some new diplomacy. Theres actually one potential interesting opportunity for doing that this week. Ill be traveling this week with Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Indonesia, where hell be attending a meeting of the G20 foreign ministers, the group of 20 major nations that meet annually. And the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will also be attending this meeting in Bali. And Blinken and Lavrov are likely to be in the same room. Now the State Department says that Blinken has no plans to speak to Lavrov, with whom he has not spoken since before the Russian invasion. And I think its unlikely that they will speak. But Blinken could approach Lavrov at this gathering or potentially communicate with him through an intermediary. Or the U.S. government could try to reach out to the Russian government through another government in some way that has nothing to do with this meeting and keep that quiet, keep that out of the public eye.

sabrina tavernise

So it sounds like all of this leaves Biden in a pretty tricky position, which is presumably what the Russians want. I mean, if Biden seems like hes not doing anything to help Brittney Griner, he looks terrible, right? At the same time, Biden doesnt want to be openly giving Russia something that theyre asking for, especially now, given that theyve tried to be so careful about isolating Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.

michael crowley

Thats exactly right. In the big picture, the Biden administration doesnt want to make concessions to Russia of any kind right now. We are applying close to maximum pressure on Russia in every way, arming Ukraine, pounding Russia with new economic sanctions at every opportunity, trying to essentially derail the Russian economy. But from Russias perspective, this is probably working out fairly well. Vladimir Putin has to be aware that this is an escalating political problem for President Biden. And in addition to the generalized pressure that President Biden is facing, I think that theres some special circumstances here that make it particularly difficult for the White House and potentially particularly satisfying for Vladimir Putin, who, as we know, has sought to stoke social divisions inside of the United States before, including when Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election. And what I mean by that are issues to do with Griners identity and frustrations among her supporters that more is not being done to help her, potentially, they say, because of who she is and what she looks like and what the nature of her sexuality is. And Im thinking specifically of an interview that the coach of the Phoenix Mercury, which is the WNBA team that Griner plays for, she gave an interview over the weekend in which she said that if it had been LeBron James who was arrested in Russia, he would be home by now. And she said the fact that Griner is not back is a statement about the value of women. Its a statement about the value of a Black person. Its a statement about the value of a gay person. All of those things, we know it. And so thats what hurts a little more. Thats a quote from the coach. And thats the kind of thing that Vladimir Putin, Im sure, is happy to see President Biden having to contend with.

sabrina tavernise

Right, the Russians have proven themselves quite skilled in exploiting American political divisions in the past.

michael crowley

Absolutely.

sabrina tavernise

And where does all of this leave Brittney Griner?

michael crowley

Well, terrified, in her own words. And we know this because of the disclosure of a handwritten letter that Griner wrote that was delivered to the White House. She addressed it to President Biden. And I can read you what it said.

[music]

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. 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.

sabrina tavernise

Michael, thank you.

michael crowley

Thank you.

archived recording (karine jean-pierre) So I can say that the president did read the letter. I was there when he read the letter. This is something, Brittney Griner being held in Moscow, we believe the Federation is wrongfully  shes being wrongfully detained in Moscow at this time. This is an issue that is a priority for this president.

sabrina tavernise

On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre acknowledged that President Biden had received Brittney Griners letter and said the administration will use, quote, every tool they can to bring Griner and other U.S. citizens whove been wrongfully detained back.

archived recording (karine jean-pierre) And you saw the work that his administration did to bring home Trevor Reed. That is the same work, the same focus that we did and put behind bringing Trevor Reed home. Were going to do the same with Brittney Griner and others.

sabrina tavernise

Well be right back. Heres what else you need to know today. On Tuesday, new details emerged about a gunman who killed at least seven people at a July 4th parade in Highland Park, Illinois. Police said the shooter had planned the massacre for weeks, used a high powered rifle that he had legally purchased, fired more than 70 bullets into the crowd and disguised himself in womens clothing so that he would blend in as he escaped the scene. Police also said they had seized weapons from the shooter in 2019, confiscating 16 knives, a dagger and a sword, after family members had reported to officers that the man had planned to, quote, kill everyone. The man was not charged in that incident, but it raised questions about why he was able to purchase several guns in the years since, including the one used on July 4. Authorities charged the man with seven counts of first degree murder, which would carry a mandatory sentence of life without parole if hes convicted. And British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is fighting for his political survival after two of his senior ministers resigned in what appeared to be a coordinated move against him. The resignations came after it was revealed that Johnson had given a powerful government job to a member of parliament, Chris Pincher, whom Johnson knew had been accused of groping men. Since taking the job, Pincher has allegedly groped more men.

archived recording So do you accept it was a grave error to appoint Chris Pincher to your government? archived recording (boris johnson) Yes, I think it was a mistake. And I apologize for it. I think in hindsight, it was the wrong thing to do.

sabrina tavernise

Johnson has since apologized for the appointment and Pincher himself has resigned.

archived recording (boris johnson) I just want to make absolutely clear that theres no place in this government for anybody who is predatory or who abuses their position of power.

sabrina tavernise

Todays episode was produced by Clare Toeniskoetter, Eric Krupke, Carlos Prieto and Will Reid. It was edited by John Ketchum and Michael Benoist, contains original music by Marion Lozano, Dan Powell and Rowan Niemisto, and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

[music]
According to figures from the ministry, 19,503 people in the republic tested positive between June 25 and July 5, with a positive rate of 13 percent. The average number of new cases reported daily has more than tripled in the last two weeks, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

The epidemiological development over the last few days raises the need to review the protective measures, as part of efforts to stop the spread of the virus and safeguard public health, the ministry said in a statement.

The authorities said the mask mandate would be enforced with spot inspections and fines of up to 300 euros ($305) for violators. The mandate will not apply in private homes, nor in private vehicles when traveling only with family members, nor during the consumption of food or beverages. People exercising in gyms or dance schools will be exempt; so will cooks when they are grilling, and people with illnesses that make it difficult for them to wear face masks.

Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela said the situation at Cypriot hospitals was under control now, and that there were no plans for additional measures beyond the mask mandate, though that may change if the situation worsens.
On a humid weekday evening last month, as shade began to slant across Central Park, a small crowd made a dance floor out of the Bethesda Fountains brick terrace. Disco rhythms pulsed from a DJ booth on one side of the plaza, crowned by a pink-tinted mirrorball. There were moments of voguing and house dancing, and a few children wiggling joyfully. But most in the group paired off, in every combination of genders, to do the hustle.

At the center of the action was Abdiel Jacobsen, known professionally as Abdiel, festive in gold heels and rhinestone-studded shorts. An organizer of the party  part of a series known as Dance Is Life  Abdiel danced hustle with everybody: a stylish character in a straw fedora, an older dancer in a bright-red polo, a small child in pigtails. Passers-by began sitting on the lip of the fountain to watch.

How happy is this? an onlooker said.

If you know hustle only from Saturday Night Fever, you dont know hustle. The finger-pointing line dance made famous by that movie has little to do with the partnered style that first emerged in the early 1970s in the streets and the underground clubs of New York City. Hustle is fluid, fleet, as elegant as it is funky. A dance in 3/4 time, it moves elliptically through discos 4/4 beat.
Watch out. A raucous, enthralling exhibition of the great American painter Robert Colescott (1925-2009) has arrived at the New Museum, to revel in and dissect. Art and Race Matters: The Career of Robert Colescott is the first museum exhibition of this artists relentlessly provocative work to be seen in Manhattan since a 1989 show (also at the New Museum) and the most complete yet. It reveals a man who was eventually able to meld his own private demons about race with his countrys public ones, creating one of the most compelling, simultaneously personal and socially relevant bodies of work in 20th century American painting.

Taut and carefully shaped, the show traces Colescotts heroic trajectory from start to finish, a nervy mixture of abstraction and trompe loeil during his undergraduate years to a sardonic humanism that is both indicting and optimistic.

As a light-skinned Black American who was raised to pass for white  wanting, he would later say, to belong to the wrong club  Colescott did not embrace his Blackness artistically until the mid-1960s, at age 40.
One of cabarets most famous champions is about to forge a new collaboration with one of its most storied venues, and end his association with another.

On Oct. 11-22, Michael Feinstein will perform a series of shows marking a new relationship with Cafe Carlyle, the Upper East Side room renowned for its association with Bobby Short. Since opening in 1955, the Carlyle has hosted generations of cabaret fixtures and aspirants, from Eartha Kitt and Elaine Stritch to the American Idol hopeful Katharine McPhee and the designer Isaac Mizrahi.

The new arrangement will mark the end of Feinsteins creative partnership with 54 Below, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in June. Feinstein, a historian and archivist as well as a performer and entrepreneur, had joined forces with the younger venue, which bills itself as Broadways living room, in 2015; Feinsteins/54 Below was the recipient of an honor as part of the Tony Awards last month. Before that, he was affiliated with another hotel not far from the Carlyle; Feinsteins at the Regency closed in 2013.
O SAY CAN YOU HEAR? A Cultural Biography of The Star-Spangled Banner, by Mark Clague. (Norton, $28.95.) Clague, an associate professor of musicology and American culture at the University of Michigan, traces the complicated history of the national anthem in this immensely interesting and readable work. Dispelling myths, wrestling with thorny truths and making a case for its musical quality, Clague presents us with a song for a country that is still in the fight, for its existence and its ideals, Peter Sagal writes in his review, and that offers an invitation to any and all  the you of the first line  to join that fight.

TANKED, by Mia Hopkins. (Little Stone, ebook, $4.99.) In this romance novel, set at a faltering family-run brewery, real-world problems  Covid, unemployment  intrude. Escapism is marvelous, but it is also a relief to see fearful realities acknowledged. Our romance novel columnist, Olivia Waite, writes: Hopkins gives us family feasts and new babies, good marriages and shared triumphs  and sex scenes of such poetic, luxurious filth that you wish there were something like a Pulitzer for orgasms.

UNCERTAIN GROUND: Citizenship in an Age of Endless, Invisible War, by Phil Klay. (Penguin Press, $27.) This collection of engrossing essays by a prizewinning novelist has at its core two provocative questions: What does it mean that our country is always at war, and why is it that so few of its people do the fighting? The rule of most writing  the shorter, the better  appears not to apply to Klays nonfiction, James Fallows writes in his review. The half-dozen longest, meatiest and most probing essays and articles presented here share the lasting power of Klays acclaimed fiction.

THE ADVENTURES OF MISS BARBARA PYM, by Paula Byrne. (William Collins, $34.99.) Byrnes engaging portrait of the British novelist Barbara Pym recounts more personal  and political  misadventures than previous biographies have, broadening the picture of a writer whose life can seem to have been measured out in Anglican masses and jumble sales. Pym infused herself  as Byrne ably shows  into her own canon, Matthew Schneier writes in his review, which remains the best way to meet her.
Pressure mounts on Boris Johnson to resign

Boris Johnson, the British prime minister, has resisted calls to resign, even as a delegation of cabinet members yesterday went to Downing Street to plead with him to step down. More than 30 government ministers and aides have so far quit  yet Johnson has vowed to fight on, insisting he has a mandate from voters to steer Britain into its post-Brexit future.

British lawmakers yesterday considered  and then postponed, for a few days at least  a change in party rules that would allow another confidence vote, possibly next week, against the prime minister, who survived such a vote just a month ago. But consensus is growing that Johnsons time in power is most likely drawing to a close.

Given the speed with which Johnsons government is unraveling, many Tory lawmakers believe that he should be replaced quickly to mitigate the electoral damage to the party. Johnson has not ruled out calling a snap election to throw his fate to British voters. Such a move would need the assent of Queen Elizabeth II and could precipitate a political crisis.
Ben & Jerrys is suing its owner, the consumer products giant Unilever, in an unusual case that seeks to stop Unilever from selling the distribution rights of the ice cream brand in Israel to a local licensee.

Last year, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the founders of the company famous for its stances on hot-button issues, said they would end sales in Israeli-occupied territories. The licensee is expected to continue selling Ben & Jerrys in those areas.

The rift between Ben & Jerrys and Unilever dates to Unilevers acquisition of the ice cream brand in 2000, the DealBook newsletter reports. As part of that deal, Unilever agreed to let Ben & Jerrys independent board, of which Unilever appoints only two of the 11 seats, continue to oversee the brand and its image.
A Shanghai police database with a vast trove of personal data that was seized by a hacker or group had been left online, unsecured, for months, security researchers said, in what is probably the largest known breach of Chinese government computer systems.

The leak, which came to light after an anonymous user posted in an online forum offering to sell the personal information of as many as one billion Chinese citizens, exposes the privacy risks of the Chinese governments vast surveillance and security apparatus.

The authorities in China collect vast amounts of data on citizens by tracking their movements, scouring their social media posts and recording their DNA and other biological markers. Yet even as the state amasses ever greater amounts of personal data, it has sometimes been lax in erecting safeguards, such as by parking it on unprotected servers. Shortly after the Shanghai database was advertised, another anonymous user posted in an online forum offering to sell a separate police database from the central Chinese province of Henan, claiming to have information on 90 million citizens.
German lawmakers approved a measure on Thursday that will allow the government to throw a lifeline to companies struggling with the record-high price of gas and with cuts in supplies from Russia.

The law, passed in the lower house of Parliament, is part of a wider package that aims to help Germany maintain the security of its natural gas supply as it faces shortages connected to Russias invasion of Ukraine. Last month, Russia cut the amount of gas delivered to Germany via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, a major conduit, by 60 percent.

The pipeline, which runs along the floor of the Baltic Sea and links Russian gas fields to the northern German coast, is scheduled to go offline for 10 days of routine maintenance starting Monday. Energy experts and politicians fear that Gazprom, the Russian energy giant, may keep it offline at the end of that maintenance period to retaliate against the economic sanctions that Europe has enacted to punish Moscow for invading Ukraine.
Facing scrutiny for donations to the Republican Attorneys General Association, whose members supported the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Match Group says it will suspend further contributions to the association as well as the Democratic Attorneys General Association.

Match Group, a Texas-based company that operates dating sites like Tinder and Hinge, has been among the most vocal companies in responding to the Supreme Courts ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson, which ended nearly 50 years of federal abortion rights. The company said it would cover abortion-related travel for its employees, and its former chief executive Shar Dubey announced a fund in September supporting abortion access in partnership with Planned Parenthood Los Angeles.

But Match Group was also among the companies that recently came under fire for previous support of the Republican Attorneys General Association. Match Group donated more than $100,000 to the association last year, along with more than $100,000 to the Democratic Attorneys General Association. Companies often give equally to both the Republican and Democratic groups.
A draft decision by Irish regulators on Thursday threatened to block Facebook and Instagram from moving data about European Union users to the United States, the latest round in a yearslong dispute about protecting the data of European citizens from American spying.

The order from Irelands Data Protection Commission stems from a court decision that said data from Facebook and Instagram users in Europe could not be moved to the United States because the services were subject to American laws that give surveillance agencies access to certain information about international users.

The decision, first reported by Politico, increases pressure on American and European negotiators to complete a deal, announced in March, to allow businesses to keep moving digital information across the Atlantic. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has said it may have to shut down the services in Europe if it is unable to transport data easily.
The Securities and Exchange Commission is reportedly conducting a broad review of conflicts of interest involving the variety of services that the Big 4 provide to clients. Senior officials at EY are now discussing plans to split their auditing and consulting arms into separate companies. And this year, lawmakers asked the Treasury Departments inspector general to investigate the revolving door between the Big 4 firms and the government.

Nowhere is the tension over accounting firms multifaceted roles more pronounced than in the lucrative business of advising companies on how to slice their tax bills.

The Big 4 accounting firms  EY, KPMG, PwC and Deloitte  have emerged as perhaps the most powerful private-sector force in U.S. tax policy. They lobby federal officials to tweak tax rules to help their clients. A steady stream of lawyers from the firms rotate in and out of senior tax positions in the Treasury Department, where they write rules favorable to their former clients.

At the same time, the Big 4 firms help companies move profits out of the reach of the U.S. government. Then the companies auditors  often a different group of employees from the same firm that created the structures in the first place  have to sign off on the setups. In assessing their legitimacy and the effect on the clients financial results, the auditors frequently consult with the colleagues who devised the tax strategies.

The I.R.S. is taking a dim view of these transactions.

The agency is challenging offshore tax arrangements at Coca-Cola, Facebook and Western Digital, alleging the companies owe the U.S. government billions of dollars as a result of moving too much of their profits abroad.

In all of those cases, the accounting firm that constructed the elaborate tax plan later signed off on the companys books in its capacity as its independent auditor.
Jean-Bernard Levy, the chairman and chief executive of Electricite de France, the French state-backed electricity giant, plans to step down before his term is up next year, the company said on Thursday.

The French government said the previous day that it would renationalize EDF, as the company is known, to give it more control to fix problems plaguing its nuclear power program and shield consumers from soaring energy prices. The French finance ministry also confirmed Mr. Levys departure, which will take place as soon as a successor is appointed.

The state currently owns 84 percent of EDFs capital. Elisabeth Borne, the French prime minister, told lawmakers in Parliament on Wednesday that acquiring 100 percent of the company was needed to ensure Frances energy independence.
From a distance, it looked like thick fog across the horizon. But as the ship drew closer, the ocean bubbled as 150 fin whales, the planets second-largest creatures, dived and lunged against the waters surface.

Six weeks into a nine-week expedition, near the coast of Elephant Island, northeast of the Antarctic Peninsula, researchers had stumbled upon the largest gathering of fin whales ever documented.

It was one of the most spectacular observations Ive had, said Helena Herr, a marine mammal ecologist at the University of Hamburg. The fin whales seemed to go crazy because of the food load they were confronted with. It was absolutely thrilling.
The dissonance between the films structure and its tone is potentially interesting, and the off-balance intensity of the performances means that Both Sides of the Blade is never dull. As they did in Let the Sunshine In, Binoche and Denis trace the disruptive effects of desire on a woman who is neither heroine nor victim. The impulses that lead Sara to destabilize her own domestic life are mysterious even to her, and the audience may wonder why she appears to prefer Francois, who is pouty and petulant (even in bed), to the stoical, sad-eyed Jean.

Bad choices often make good stories, but there is something thin and tentative about this one, which Denis wrote with Christine Angot. Sara is the host of a public-affairs radio broadcast, a job that allows the film to glance occasionally at the wider world. Guests talk about the crisis in Lebanon and the pervasiveness of racism in Western society, and their presence in the movie is a puzzle. Maybe we are supposed to see that Sara cares about such matters, or that Denis does, or to be reminded that we should. Or maybe Denis is pointing out the gulf between public concerns and private experience.

The larger problem is that the main characters and their situation seem weightless, their nonromantic lives sketched in hastily and without much conviction. Jean sometimes travels to the suburbs to visit his mother, Nelly (Bulle Ogier), who is caring for his teenage son, Marcus (Issa Perica). The young man, whose mother is out of the picture, is biracial, and becomes a too-convenient symbol for social problems the film otherwise ignores. He steals Nellys credit card and does badly in school, and because we know almost nothing else about him as a character, he seems like a stereotype.
Lentzou, with her first feature no less, gets at something much knottier about what it feels like to get older and perceive your parents as full people, in all their flaws and vulnerabilities; the pains and pleasures of adulthood, contrary to expectation, yield just as much, if not more, unpredictability than in youth.

Thats why Lentzous use of astrology works so beautifully. The films moody textures and atmospheric unease go hand in hand with the pseudoscience, emblematic as it is of a yearning for certainty in a dark and infinitely mutable world.

Moon, 66 Questions

Not rated. In Greek, with subtitles. Running time: 1 hour 48 minutes. In virtual cinemas and available to rent or buy on Apple TV, Vudu and other streaming platforms and pay TV operators.
We think thats going to catch the attention of the rogue developers and contractors that put their workers lives at risk in the pursuit of profit, said Mike Hellstrom, business manager for the mason tenders.

In a joint statement after the bills passage, Mr. Hellstrom and James Whelan, the president of the Real Estate Board, said they had every intention of building on the partnership between our organizations that contributed to this legislative achievement.

Ms. Hochul is up for election in November and enjoys strong support from organized labor, leading supporters of Carloss Law to believe that she will sign it into law soon. The deadline to act on any of the more than 1,000 bills that passed both chambers during the last session is the end of the year.

But the Building Trades Employers Association, which represents union contractors, is urging the governor to demand changes to the bill before she does so.

In a letter to Ms. Hochul last week, Louis J. Coletti, its president, raised concerns about the bills potential impact on minority and women-owned contractors, which tend to be smaller and could be put out of business by large fines.

Mr. Coletti said judges should be allowed to determine fines, that the law should apply to serious physical injury rather than any injury, and that the standard of culpability should be defined as criminal recklessness.
So Gateway is obviously great for commuters from New Jersey. Whats in it for us New Yorkers?

Expanding Penn Station adds more options for transit in and around New York City. Metro North trains, which run up the Hudson and along Long Island Sound through Westchester to Connecticut, could connect to Penn. Some trains could some even run all the way through, from Long Island to New Jersey and back.

You could make all the trains go to all the places people want to go, is another way to put it. Instead of the fragmented system we have now, where Metro North, New Jersey Transit and the Long Island Rail Road dont connect or even converge on a single hub.

Does it help people who never take trains?

More people will be able to get into New York to work, shop, go to the theater and spend money. That contributes to the city economy, even if many riders live outside.

And they wont be driving their cars in  thats key for improving our air and unclogging our streets and responding to the climate crisis, right?

Yes. The trains we have even now are considerably greener than the alternatives. But given how many snags there could still be, buses may be electrified before Gateway gets built!

Cant we have both?

Maybe someday!

So why do people think this time Gateway could really happen?

The key difference right now is the Biden administration loves infrastructure and Biden likes trains  Amtrak Joe  so the audience in Washington is more receptive than any time in the last 20 years. Its all aligned right now for getting the federal funding they need  many billions. (The total estimated cost is $30 billion.)
To the Editor:

Angry would be a gross understatement, and scared does not even begin to explain the feelings of betrayal that I, and millions of others, are experiencing after the Supreme Court ruling reversing Roe. The top judges and elected officials of our nation have determined that women no longer deserve the right to bodily autonomy.

In kindergarten I recited the Pledge of Allegiance every morning, proudly declaring my country as one of liberty and justice for all. In third grade I performed patriotic songs in the school concert. In seventh grade I learned about the Civil War and that being American means standing up for what is right. But this all feels so false to me now.

The United States is no longer the land of the free, at least not for me, not for people with a uterus. Medical decisions should remain between an individual and their doctor, and abortion is no exception. But now, the government has intervened, and the right of pregnant women to get necessary medical care is gone in many states. This is going to cost the lives of so many innocent people.
In the actual dystopian future we now inhabit, the oligarchs have realized they can work everyone harder, pay them less, eliminate benefits, turn every human institution from medicine to corrections into a racket, charge far more for basic rights and services than people in any other nation would stand for without revolting, and get rich beyond the penny ante dreams of a Carnegie or Astor.

In the past few decades, capitalism has exponentially increased the creation of wealth for the already incredibly wealthy at the negligible expense of the well-being, dignity and happiness of most of humanity, plus the nominal cost of a mass extinction and the destruction of the biosphere  like cutting out the inefficient business of digestion and metabolism by pouring a fine bottle of wine directly into the toilet, thereby eliminating the middleman of you.

Everyone knows how productive you can be when youre avoiding something. We are currently experiencing the civilizational equivalent of that anxiety you feel when you have something due the next day that you havent even started thinking about and yet still you sit there, helplessly watching whole seasons of mediocre TV or compulsively clicking through quintillions of memes even as your brain screams at you  the same way we scream at our politicians about guns and abortion and climate change  to do something.

I once watched in awe as my girlfriend, whod been lying inert on the couch, hypnotized with dread of whatever she had to do next, roused herself by intoning, One, two, three  and on three, immediately got up and swung into action.

I have a shameful confession to make: Secretly, I am not lazy. Ive learned that if I do literally nothing for more than a year, two at most, I start to get depressed. Im not recanting my old manifesto. I still hope to make it to my grave without ever getting a job job  showing up for eight or more hours a day to a place with fluorescent lighting where Im expected to feign bushido devotion to a company that could fire me tomorrow and someones allowed to yell at you but youre not allowed to yell back.

But once I become genuinely engaged in a project, I can become fanatically absorbed, spending hundreds of hours on it, no matter how useless and unremunerative. As a teacher, I edit my students writing with a nit-picking precision and big-picture ambition they may likely never experience again. And I dont believe most people are lazy. They would love to be fully, deeply engaged in something worthwhile, something that actually mattered, instead of forfeiting their limited hours on Earth to make a little more money for men theyd rather throw fruit at as they pass by in tumbrels.
While the sea dragons were missing these growth genes, their genomes were packed with repetitive sections of code called transposons. This sort of repetitive code throughout the genome was once called junk DNA, as scientists were not sure what it did. But transposons, or jumping genes, are actually capable of cutting and pasting themselves from one spot within the genetic code to another, preventing other genes from shaping an organisms traits.

The researchers cannot say for sure if the jumping genes are responsible for the absence of the growth factor genes. There is evidence of repeating genetic code near the spots where genes are missing, which might point to transposon activity, Dr. Small said. But scientists will need more genomes from across the fish family tree to confirm a cause-and-effect relationship.

In addition to studying sea dragon DNA, the team also CT-scanned a weedy sea dragon in the highest resolution they knew of to ever be captured. The X-ray images gave them insights into the fishs paddle-like appendages, which the researchers now suspect are modified spiny growths.

Axel Meyer, a sea dragon researcher at the University of Konstanz in Germany, says the study furthers understanding of extreme body plans. This is a poster child of the exuberance of evolution. Its sort of like evolution gone crazy, said Dr. Meyer, who was not involved with the study. The fun of being an evolutionary biologist is, you get to study these crazy animals and try to make sense of them genetically.

Sea dragon DNA could give insights into how to conserve them, Dr. Cresko says, which is critical because they are rare in the wild and hard to keep in captivity. A single fish can cost upward of $10,000, and they have proven almost impossible to breed.
LONDON  The influence of Africa and its fashion scene has redefined the geography of the fashion industry in recent years, breaking barriers with its vitality and its reimagining of what creativity can be.

A continent whose fashion has often been imitated, yet gone largely underrecognized by the West, is having a long overdue moment in the spotlight. Magazine editors and stylists like Edward Enninful and Ibrahim Kamara, have helped spur its celebration, along with critically acclaimed explorations of the African diaspora by designers like Grace Wales Bonner and the late Virgil Abloh. The emergence of a new generation of homegrown designers like Thebe Magugu, Mowalola Ogunlesi and Kenneth Ize has also been key.

Last week, at a time when many museums with colonial legacies are re-evaluating representation in their Eurocentric collections, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London opened a vibrant exhibition showcasing African fashion and textiles, the first in its 170 year history.
LONDON  Families are having a hard time on the London stage of late, and in one instance, at least, balloons are partly to blame. Thats the unusual starting point of The Southbury Child, a lively if uneven new play from Stephen Beresford that has arrived at the Bridge Theater (through Aug. 27) after its premiere south of London last month at the Chichester Festival Theater.

A young girl, Taylor Southbury, has died of a fast-spreading illness, and the local vicar, David Highland (Alex Jennings, in a galvanic star turn), is preparing for her funeral. The girls bereft mother, Tina (Sarah Twomey), has requested that her daughters memory be honored with helium balloons affixed throughout the church, bearing images of the Disney princesses the child so loved.

David, though, rebuffs this idea. This is not just a question of taste  of mere aesthetics, he tells his wife, Mary (Phoebe Nicholls), as the townspeople in his Dartmouth constituency gather in support of Tinas wishes. What matters most when it comes to grieving Taylor, the vicar says around the capacious kitchen table that dominates Mark Thompsons set, is an experience worthy of God that looks at death head-on. That means rejecting embellishments like balloons  branded by Disney no less  that arent focused on spiritual priorities like salvation.
Four black bears that had repeatedly entered a campground for homeless people in Anchorage, Alaska, and rummaged through tents in search of leftover food and trash were killed on Tuesday because the authorities said they posed a risk to human safety.

A city spokesman said Wednesday that no one had been injured by the bears, which were killed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

The bears  a sow with two cubs and another adult  had been eating food from tents at Centennial Campground, which is near a state park in southern Alaska and is managed by city officials, according to a statement from the Department of Fish and Game. The area is also home to vast areas of bear habitat, the department said.
Do you know someone with Covid right now? Youre not alone.

California is in the midst of its third-largest Covid surge of the pandemic, with roughly 19,000 new cases being reported here each day, according to The New York Timess tracker. The true number of people falling sick is undoubtedly even higher, since most at-home tests arent included in official case counts.

The good news: Most people testing positive arent becoming severely ill. In fact, the number of people dying from Covid in California is currently lower than at almost any point in the pandemic. (This trend holds across much of the country, as my colleague Benjamin Mueller recently explained.)

We can thank vaccines and boosters, immunity from prior Covid infections and therapeutics such as Paxlovid  all of which seem to reduce the risk of severe disease.
I really dont know why you did what you did, but to put your knee on another persons neck until they expired is simply wrong, and for that conduct you must be substantially punished, Judge Paul Magnuson of U.S. District Court in St. Paul said in imposing the sentence. You absolutely destroyed the lives of three other young officers who were also involved, the judge added.

Mr. Chauvins encounter with Mr. Floyd in May 2020 became a stark example of police brutality and stirred up demands for racial equity in hundreds of cities. During an attempt to arrest Mr. Floyd for passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a convenience store, Mr. Chauvin pinned Mr. Floyd to the street for more than nine minutes, using a knee to press down his neck while Mr. Floyd protested, I cant breathe. The Minneapolis Police Department initially claimed that he had died in a medical incident.

In the federal plea agreement, Mr. Chauvin acknowledged using excessive force against Mr. Floyd and, in a similar incident in 2017, a teenager named John Pope, whose mother reported that he had assaulted her. Although Mr. Pope made no aggressive moves toward the officers who responded, according to the agreement, Mr. Chauvin hit him repeatedly with a flashlight and pinned him down with a knee for more than 15 minutes.

I was treated like I was not a human being at the hands of Derek Chauvin, Mr. Pope said at the sentencing hearing in a St. Paul courtroom on Thursday. He made a choice and didnt care about the outcome. By the grace of God I lived to see another day.
Subodh Chandra, a lawyer for Tamir Rices family, said that he planned to request further information about how Mr. Loehmann had nearly managed to gain employment in Tioga.

While its good that Loehmann will not be inflicting himself with a badge and a gun upon the citizens of Tioga, officials of that town need to be held accountable for their demonstrably, atrociously poor judgment, Mr. Chandra said. This game of Whac-a-Mole with Loehmann resurfacing as a cop elsewhere needs to end.

In November 2014, Mr. Loehmann, who is white, fatally shot Tamir Rice, a Black 12-year-old who was holding a pellet gun outside a recreation center in Cleveland. Video of the incident shows Mr. Loehmann firing within two seconds of when his patrol car pulled up next to the child. Mr. Loehmann later said that he had seen Tamir reach for an object resembling a gun in his waistband.

In 2015, a grand jury declined to bring criminal charges against Mr. Loehmann, further fueling national outrage about Mr. Rices death and other killings of Black people by police officers.

A year later, the City of Cleveland settled with Tamirs family for $6 million, extinguishing the possibility of a civil rights trial. Officials said that the settlement amount was the citys largest in a police-related lawsuit.

The Cleveland Police Department fired Mr. Loehmann in 2017 for having lied on his job application for the police force, a discovery the department said it made after officials began investigating Mr. Loehmanns conduct in the shooting. He had failed to disclose why he resigned from a previous role at a police department in Independence, Ohio. Supervisors there had recommended his termination, specifying an inability to emotionally function, in addition to citing examples of lying and insubordination.
DHAKA, Bangladesh  Rebeka Beshra should be on a packed bus for the 150-mile journey to her parents home to celebrate Eid al-Adha, one of the biggest Muslim holidays.

Instead, she is debating whether the trip home is worth it given the surge in coronavirus cases in Bangladesh.

It would be better not to go home this time as the virus is spreading again, said Ms. Beshra, 25. Even though she and her husband are fully vaccinated, her biggest worry, she said, is taking the virus home to her parents, who are 55 and 65 years old.
Beijing is introducing vaccine requirements to enter libraries, museums and other public gathering places on Monday, the city government said, as it encouraged older people to get vaccinated.

The city government announced the change on Wednesday, months after many other countries had introduced so-called vaccine passports, possibly signaling a pivot to a more forceful approach to inoculation. Chinese public health experts have said that the country, which remains almost entirely sealed off from the rest of the world, could reopen when vaccination rates increase. Top officials have worried publicly about a slowing economy.

But the Chinese government has not introduced any nationwide mandates and has sent mixed messages to the local officials it has charged with increasing uptake. When some local governments blocked the unvaccinated from entering supermarkets and other public spaces last year, an official with the National Health Commission criticized them.
Russia has previously rejected evidence of atrocities committed by its troops in Ukraine, notably in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha. President Vladimir V. Putin, to whom Mr. Medvedev is closely allied, has blamed Russias invasion on provocations by the United States, NATO and Nazis in Ukraine.

Mr. Medvedev did not refer to any specific recent event as prompting his message. The prospect of trying Russian officials as war criminals has been raised by a number of countries and international organizations.

In March, President Biden and his secretary of state, Antony J. Blinken, both accused Mr. Putin of committing war crimes. Last month, during a visit to Ukraine, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the formation of a war crimes accountability team focused on Ukraine.

There is no hiding place for war criminals, Mr. Garland said.

In May, the prosector of the International Criminal Court, Karim A.A. Khan, deployed what he described as the largest team of investigators and forensic experts in the history of his office. The European Union pledged millions of dollars to support the effort last month, but Russia, like the United States, is not a member of the court.
Jeff Bezos will not be able to sail a new, more than 400-foot-long superyacht through the waters of the Dutch city of Rotterdam anytime soon.

The port city faced an uproar months ago as it considered dismantling a section of a 95-year-old bridge to allow the Amazon founders yacht to pass. But now the boats builder, the Dutch company Oceanco, has decided to refrain from applying for a permit, according to a Rotterdam City Council member.

It was unclear how Mr. Bezos yacht would leave the area or whether Oceanco would finish the boat. The company did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday and Thursday. An Amazon spokeswoman did not immediately return a request for comment.
The resignation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson as leader of Britains Conservative Party does not prompt a general election. Instead, it kicks off a process to select a new party leader, who will then move into 10 Downing Street.

Under the British parliamentary system, the political party with the most lawmakers gets the chance to form a government. So if that party changes its leader, the country changes its prime minister without the voters having a say.

That is how Mr. Johnson initially came to power in 2019, when he replaced Theresa May as prime minister, though he then led the Conservatives to a landslide victory in the general election that December. Mrs. May also took over without a general election, when David Cameron resigned in 2016 after losing the Brexit referendum.
For years, Britains Conservative Party was seen mainly as the realm of white men from elite backgrounds. But the contenders to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister reflect the growing diversity at the top of the partys ranks.

Among those expected to vie for the leadership position are a son of Indian immigrants, an Iraqi refugee, a number of women and a son of a Pakistani bus driver.

This is not an accident. It is largely a result of efforts by the party in recent years to put forward more diverse candidates for Parliament, helping build a broader bench of leaders. Mr. Johnsons government was already indicative of the shift; Mr. Johnson, himself a white man from an elite background, appointed a cabinet that has included a number of women and has been Britains most ethnically diverse,
BERLIN  Leaders in Europe, facing their worst energy crisis in decades, are taking extraordinary steps to secure supplies for winter amid fears of fuel shortages and near-record electricity and natural gas prices.

In Berlin, lawmakers prepared to approve legislation that would pave the way for Germany to bail out the countrys largest importer of Russian gas. In Paris, the prime minister announced her governments intention to take full control of Frances state-backed electric utility provider.

There are mounting fears that skyrocketing energy costs, driven by steadily diminishing Russian gas shipments, will force energy companies into collapse  a spiral that Germanys energy minister has likened to the way the fall of Lehman Brothers triggered the global financial crisis in 2008.
Some would-be fighters are still wandering the country  their goals vary and include building an online following, getting a first taste of battle or, in some cases, finding others who espouse far-right beliefs, according to fellow fighters. But the most professional foreign soldiers have increasingly earned respect from their Ukrainian comrades, as well as the countrys leaders.

Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, especially applauded those who fought recently in one of the wars most grueling battles, in Sievierodonetsk, saying that their motivation, professionalism, their preparedness for urban warfare played an important role in holding off the Russian troops for so long.

They are just what we needed, he said.

Still, even with the help of the volunteers, in the end Ukrainian officials decided they had no choice but to retreat from that city, setting the stage for the fighting that took place on Thursday, when Russian forces pounded neighboring Donetsk, the last remaining province in eastern Ukraine not under Moscows control.
LONDON  As the news of Boris Johnsons intention to resign as Conservative Party leader started to spread in central London on Thursday, many residents expressed a sense of relief.

The sooner he resigns, the better, said Francis Jackson, 63, a retired police officer from Manchester, England. He is bringing the government and the United Kingdom into disrepute.

Christopher Meade, 71, agreed. About time! he said. He is a very bad prime minister and a very bad man. Its been a disaster for this country.
Sajid Javid

Sajid Javid, 52, the former health secretary whose departure on Tuesday alongside Mr. Sunak helped set off an avalanche of government resignations, has held a number of cabinet positions under both Mr. Johnson and his predecessors Theresa May and David Cameron.

Mr. Javid is a son of Pakistani immigrants who arrived in Britain in the 1960s. He became the first ethnic minority to hold the post of home secretary when he was appointed to that role in 2018, and unlike many of his fellow Conservative lawmakers, he comes from a modest background: His father was a bus driver.

Other potential contenders

A survey of Conservative Party members by the polling company YouGov on Thursday suggested that their favored candidates would be Ben Wallace, Britains current defense secretary, and Penny Mordaunt, a former defense secretary and prominent supporter of Brexit who is now the minister for trade policy.
The fallout from Boris Johnsons appointment of Chris Pincher to a government post, and Downing Streets shifting account of the circumstances around the decision, dominated the recent political conversation in Britain.

But the drama around Mr. Pincher  who resigned as the Conservative Partys deputy chief whip this month after admitting to having been drunk at a private members club in London where, it was alleged, he groped two men  was only the latest in a series of scandals surrounding Mr. Johnson in recent months.

Last year, criticism of potentially illegal gatherings at government offices during coronavirus lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, soon nicknamed partygate, grabbed headlines and led to speculation that Mr. Johnson and others in his inner circle might face punishment.
Ukraine has raised its blue and yellow national flag over Snake Island, the authorities said on Thursday, signaling the reconquest of a scrap of land in the Black Sea that has become a symbol of the countrys resistance to Russias invasion.

Even so, it is not clear whether Kyiv can station troops on the island, given its vulnerability to missile strikes. Russia launched two airstrikes at the island overnight and significantly damaged a pier, according to a post from Ukraines southern command on the Telegram messaging platform.

Snake Island, which is 20 miles off the coast of Odesa, became famous in February when, at the start of the war, a broadcast of radio traffic showed lightly armed Ukrainian troops on the island defying an order by a Russian warship to surrender.
Mr. Johnsons role in campaigning to leave the European Union, then carrying out Brexit and then seeing Britain through the pandemic, will guarantee him a place in the ranks of significant British prime ministers. Beyond that, he leaves behind a checkered policy legacy, and he never escaped suspicions that his agenda was driven not by ideological conviction but by the cynical calculation of what political advantages he could extract from it.

In the end he may be most remembered for his confounding mix of strengths and weaknesses.

From the start, Mr. Johnson represented something new in British politics. A journalist-turned-politician, he was able to fuse the forces of celebrity culture with an opportunistic, ideologically flexible approach to the issues. To most Britons, he was simply Boris, a first-name familiarity enjoyed by no other British politician.

With his rumpled suits and untucked shirts, Mr. Johnson affected a louche, upper-class insouciance that somehow also connected with working-class voters. His antics as the mayor of London  he once famously dangled from a zip line above photographers, waving a pair of Union Jacks  turned him into a clown prince.

But all the tomfoolery  aside from drawing attention to himself  also helped make him a serious electoral contender. With Britain caught up in an anguished debate over its future in the European Union, Mr. Johnson latched on to an issue that would propel him to the top of the Conservative Party. First, of course, he famously dithered about which side of the Brexit debate to embrace  leave or remain  drafting newspaper columns that made the case for both.
TURNER signs on as agency of record for Visit Indiana. The agency will work with Visit Indiana's branding agency of record, WeCreate, to support the organization's new tourism campaign in all facets of public relations, both for consumer and for parts of economic development (specifically encouraging new graduates to consider moving or staying in Indiana post-graduation). The "IN Indiana" effort includes an extensive customizable toolkit of resources available free of charge to every business, small town, big City and destination in the state. TURNER is also named agency of record for Martinique New York, a 531-room property in Manhattan's Midtown South, handling full-service public relations and social media, including influencer programming.

Press Record Communications is selected to build the brand of The City of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and help expand the City's reputation as a destination to visit, grow a business and raise a family. The agency will elevate Scranton's visibility through strategic earned media relations and social media tactics, while monitoring and providing counsel on engagement across the City's owned media channels. "Communications will play a vital role in Scranton's ability to reach and attract new families, businesses and entrepreneurs," said Scranton mayor Paige Cognetti. "Press Record Communications has already generated smart public relations and marketing strategies and tactics to reach our key audiences."

Allen & Gerritsen is named agency of record by The Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau. A&G will lead an organizational rebrand and a comprehensive marketing campaign to transform and enhance global visitation to the region. The partnership will include brand and creative strategy, brand identity, design, creative concept development and production, data, analytics and more to be deployed across paid digital, social, TV, radio, print, out-of-home and trade show activations. "A&G's vast range of knowledge, cultural competency and undeniable love for Boston will help us reveal the breadth of our modern identity through a comprehensive platform," said GBCVB president and CEO Martha J. Sheridan.
Sixian County in east China's Anhui Province is under closed-off management to combat the latest COVID-19 resurgence. Food delivery riders are helping ensure the supply of daily necessities for local residents.

From June 26 to July 5, 6 p.m., a total of 218 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 847 asymptomatic carriers had been logged in the latest epidemic resurgence in Sixian.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Roman Abramovich

Kobre & Kim has agreed to advise Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich on judicial and administrative proceedings.

Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK and European Union for his cozy ties with Russia's strongman Vladimir Putin.

At the request of Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky, the US did not sanction the billionaire.

American officials did issue a warrant in June to seize Abramovich's Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Gulfstream jet because they flew to Russia.

In its federal filing, K&K notes that Abramovich is acting as a mediator in the peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Both countries approved of his role as mediator.

Abramovich "has been heavily involved in advocating for, and coordinating the establishment of humanitarian corridors and other humanitarian rescue missions," the filing notes.

K+K's registration statement says Abramovich is a citizen of Russia, Israel and Portugal.

He chairs the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia and serves as a trustee of the Moscow Jewish Museum.

During the past 15 years, Abramovich has donated more than $500M to Jewish causes throughout the world.


Ireland's Housing Commission Needs PR Help Wed., Jul. 13, 2022 Irelands Housing Commission is looking to hire a PR firm as it works to identify and report on ways to create a long-term sustainable and affordable housing system on the island.
Boris Johnson

More than 50 ministers and officials in British prime minister Boris Johnsons administration quit their jobs because they finally became fed up with BoJos antics, buffoonery and scandals that rocked the UK during his nearly three-year reign.



Thems the breaks, said the delusional Johnson, in announcing that he will step down once his successor has been chosen, a process that could take months.

John Major, former PM and elder statesman of the Conservative Party, went a step further than members of Johnsons team. He said BoJo should quit now for the good of the country and the Tories.

The political upheaval in the UK sets the stage for Republicans in the US.

It offers a roadmap to redemption for Republicans who served in the Trump administration.

After enabling Donald Trumps deceit, lies, disinformation, political attacks and treachery, they should have resigned.

They now have an opportunity to warn the nation of the dangers posed by a Trump II White House.

Your country needs you: Mike Pompeo (Trumps Secretary of State), Steve Mnuchin (Treasury), Wilbur Ross (Commerce), Alex Azar (Health & Human Services), Betsy DeVos (Education), Elaine Chao (Transportation) and Ben Carson (Housing & Urban Development).

Speak now or forever remain in shame. Time is running out.

Wake up, America. Republican Senator Mitt Romney wrote an eloquent essay for the July 4 Atlantic blog in which he criticized the nation for its blithe dismissal of cataclysmic threats.

He cited the prepared statement of renowned conservative judge Micheal Luttig who called the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol a stake driven through the heart of American democracy.

Luttig told the Jan. 6 committee:

January 6 was but the next, foreseeable battle in a war that had been raging in America for years, though that day was the most consequential battle of that war even to date. In fact, January 6 was a separate war unto itself, a war for Americas democracy, a war irresponsibly instigated and prosecuted by the former president, his political party allies, and his supporters. Both wars are raging to this day.

Romney wrote that MAGA loyalists snickered that Luttig speaks slowly and celebrated the fact that most people didnt watch or read about his testimony.

The Utah Senator called president Biden a genuinely good man though unable to break through our national malady of denial, deceit and distrust.

The return of Trump would feed the sickness, probably rendering it incurable.

Romney prays for a leader to emerge with the stature of Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, Lech Walesa, Martin Luther King, Jr. or Volodymyr Zelensky to rise above the din to unite us behind the truth.

There are plenty of Americans praying with Mitt.

One might as well use a dartboard or ouija board. Wall Streets economic forecasters are either bullish or bearish on the prospects of an recession.

Goldman Sachs says there is a 50 percent chance of a recession over the next year, which means there is a 50 chance that there wont be one.

Wells Fargo believes a recession in 2023 seems more likely than not. Duh.

Citibank expects the economy will slow but not shrink, although it sees recession probabilities as appreciable and rising.

Morgan Stanley puts the odds of a recession happening over the next year at around 30 percent.

Deutsche Bank says head for the hills as a somewhat more severe recession is on the way sometime soon. Stay tuned.

These advisers get paid big bucks for their savvy.

Prop up propaganda. The Atlantic Councils Irina Plaks chides the US for neglecting its propaganda efforts, while Russia has built a formidable operation.

She believes Team Biden needs a propaganda strategy focused on Russias people, military and contested publics throughout the world.

The US needs outreach to expose Russians to the endemic corruption in their country, its cratering economy and the horrors in Ukraine.

Soldiers should be made aware of their rights to reject orders and the lies behind Putins de-Nazification narrative, according to Plaks.

US messaging should be aimed at Central Asian nations to warn them that they may be the next targets of Putins aggressions, while those in Hungary or France who mouth Kremlin talking points must be called to task.

Plaks wrote that Americas propaganda must advance democratic values and prioritize transparency and truth to ensure that the world understands what Putin is doing in Ukraine.

PR firms can play a leading role in that effort.

Nyet to Russias propaganda. Canada on July 8 imposed sanctions against 45 Russian propaganda agents and disinformation outlets for enabling and supporting Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The roster of sanctioned media outlets includes RT, TASS, Sputnik, Gazprom Media, All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Co., NTV Broadcasting and Rossiya-24 TV channel.

Melanie Joly, Canadas Minister of Foreign Affairs, said Russias propaganda machine must answer for its lies. Canada is committed to fighting disinformation wherever and whenever it is found, said Joly. The sanctions make it clear to those who peddle deception: you will be held accountable.

Can American Democracy Survive the 2024 Elections is a great question and the theme of a public symposium planned early next year by the Safeguarding Democracy Project, which was launched July 7 by UCLAs School of Law.

The Projects goal is to promote research, collaboration and advocacy aimed at ensuring continued free and fair elections in the US.

UCLA professor Richard Hasen, a top election law scholar, heads the Project.

He called Donald Trumps stolen election lies and the Capitol Hill riot as the opening salvo of a concerted effort to subvert our election system.

He said the Project will use an all-hands-on-deck approach to address and challenge threats to our democracy, working to ensure that all eligible voters can freely cast their vote, that those votes will be fairly and accurately counted and that the election winners will undergo a peaceful transfer of power.

Among the Projects first events is a Sept. 20 discussion by Supreme Court journalist Adam Liptak (New York Times), Dahlia Lithwick (Slate) and Joan Biskupic (CNN) about the High Courts role in persevering Americas democracy.




One hundred years ago in 1918 a paper stated, as if by magic immunity from the artificiality of modern times, the Kilbeggan meeting has preserved to this day, all the tenures of the old-fashioned Irish race meeting with its picturesqueness, its light heartedness, its sociability amongst the people mingling on the course.

These words still echo what Kilbeggan races means to people of all ages, even more so in the modern world of the social media. The races are on Friday evening, July 8 with the first race at 5.20pm and it will be different in that the AXA Farm Insurance Midlands National of 100,000 is the Highlight of Kilbeggans Racing Year and the race has been upgraded to a Grade B race, with the prize fund increasing from 75,000 to 100,000.

It will be the first time for Kilbeggan to stage a Graded race, which together with the 25% increase in prize money, will help to further attract better quality horses and create more competitive and exciting racing.

Kilbeggan Races dates back to 1840 and since then many great horses have raced on the track from Gold Cup winner Koko to dual Aintree Grand National winner Tiger Roll. Perhaps this might be the year of another future champion in the Midlands National.

Paddy Dunican, Managing Director of Kilbeggan Races, said: We are delighted that the AXA Farm Insurance Midlands National race has been upgraded to a Grade B race. With the support of our sponsor AXA Farm Insurance and Horse Racing Ireland, the prize money has increased from 75,000 to 100,000. We are excited to see some top-quality runners due to the improved status and increased prize money on offer. The aim has always been to have a graded race at Kilbeggan, so its great to see our vision come to fruition on Friday July 8.

Christy Doherty, AXA Head of Agriculture, commented: AXA Farm Insurance are delighted to continue our sponsorship of the Midlands National for the fourth year. The Midlands National is a very important event for our business as it provides us with the opportunity to engage with our customers at our local racecourse on their biggest race meeting of their season.

Jason Morris, Horse Racing Irelands Director of Racing and Strategic Projects, said: The AXA Farm Insurance Midlands National race has become a real feature of the summer National Hunt programme and Horse Racing Ireland is delighted that the quality of runners in recent years has justified the races promotion to a Grade B race, giving Kilbeggan a well-deserved first Black Type race.

In addition, Writech Group of Mullingar are sponsoring a new feature handicap hurdle of 25,000 to further support the meeting and attract better quality horses. Writech based in Mullingar is leading the industry worldwide in developing cutting edge technology to design and manufacture fire protection systems for many of the biggest global technology companies in the world. Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey are sponsoring a hurdle race and there is a strong historic association of the Locke family being involved locally in Kilbeggan Races back to 1840. The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase at the meeting often produces useful chaser for the future.

Alan Wright said: The Writech Group are delighted to support Kilbeggan Race Course on Midlands National Day. We are also looking forward in welcoming some of our esteemed clients to the event which shall be a very enjoyable occasion not to mention demonstrating the uniqueness of the Midlands Region. We would like to thank Paddy Dunican & his Team for the professionalism they have shown in assisting us on our Corporate Day in 2022.

The Midlands National race meeting is the highlight of the Kilbeggan racing year and the event has been described in many quarters as the social event of the year in the Midlands. Kilbeggan is all about the joy of the moment, whether it is a horse winning, a crowd cheering, friends laughing, families meeting, fashion dazzling, glasses clinking, music pleasing, or bookies paying. Willie Mullins has raced some very useful horses at Kilbeggan over the years and as his father the great Paddy Mullins stated in 1993 There is a great buzz to it, unlike some of the deadly meetings we have to attend during the year. There are seven races on the card and it all kicks off at 5.20pm on Friday 8th July.

The Bellamianta Sustainable Style Ladies Competition with a prize worth 5,000 including 1,000 cash sponsored by Bellamianta Luxury Tanning and AXA at Kilbeggan Races. We are encouraging all of the wonderful ladies to show us their upcycled outfits, favourite ethical brands, whether it be thrifted, borrowed or handmade, with headwear an optional extra. Celebrity Judge: Mark Rogers.

Our normal admission ticket to our race meetings is 15. We are offering special discounts for staff, customers and friends on admission tickets at 12 each for groups of 10 or more. We have our Special Discounted Summer Party Pack for 23 per person which includes admission ticket + 2 X 5 food/ drink vouchers and free race card for groups of 10 or more. Book Tickets online to avail of our discounts on www.kilbegganraces.com
VISITORS to Lough Boora Discovery Park are in for a treat at the moment with a sea of bog cotton in bloom and numerous orchids such as the Bee Orchid coming into flower over the next month. The park is a wonderful place to see biodiversity and nature at its finest and Julie McLoughlin, Lough Booras new Visitor Experience Lead, has been busy over the past few months developing new experiences for visitors to enjoy at the Park.

A native of Clonaderig, Co. Offaly, Julie has over 15 years experience in tourism and hospitality, including at the famous Cliffs of Moher in Co. Clare, one of Ireland's favourite visitor experiences.

Im delighted to return home to Offaly and to have the opportunity to work at Lough Boora Discovery Park. I think it's Ireland's best kept secret and I am looking forward to sharing this magical place with more people. I believe we can make Lough Boora Discovery Park one of the top tourism destinations in Ireland and this will benefit the wider midlands region.

As people become more aware of the importance of our peatlands and the role they play as a solution to the climate crisis, Lough Boora can help people to learn about the biodiversity of peatlands and the unique role they play. I look forward to bringing my experience to Lough Boora Discovery Park.

Speaking about the Summer season now underway in the Park, Julie McLoughlin said, I am very excited to be leading the preparations for the summer season at Lough Boora. Over the winter weve spent a lot of time improving and upgrading our cycle paths and walking trails and its great to see so many families and groups visiting and enjoying the many activities available. Bike hire is as popular as ever with a full range of bikes suitable for adults and children available for hire, including electric bikes. Were also seeing lots of interest in our fishing and bird watching, while the fairy trail, sculpture trail and our many picnic and play areas are seeing plenty of activity.

Visitors can also enjoy a great outdoor food experience at The Organic Kitchen at Lough Boora. Food products are predominantly sourced from the family farm and other local organic farms in Co. Offaly, including Mossfield Farm, Feighery's Farm and the Red Shed Farm. Fairtrade organic coffees and teas, along with a variety of other refreshments are available from the cafe.

New to Lough Boora Discovery Park, every Tuesday evening and Saturday morning, Edel Johnson, a local yoga practitioner, provides Embodied Hatha Yoga classes at the cafe in the parklands. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the parklands, a class of yoga and meditation allows time and space to relax and focus on you.

Booking information for bike hire, yoga, and other activities is available on the Lough Boora website.

Lough Boora can be explored for its outdoor activities, nature and biodiversity, sculptures and historical Mesolithic Site. The Park has several walking routes, a fairy trail, sculpture park and activities such as angling and bird watching. Lough Boora also provides access to visitor information, public toilets, a cafe, picnic area and car park.
Jeremiah Harris is an American former cheerleader who received national recognition after appearing in the 2020 Netflix docuseries Cheer. In September and December 2020, he was charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with production of child pornography and other child-related sex crimes: "sexual exploitation of children, receiving child pornography, traveling with the attempt to engage in sexual conduct with a minor, enticement and other charges. On February 10, 2022, Harris pled guilty as charged to two of the seven indictments against him. On July 6, 2022, Harris was sentenced to 12 years in prison, and 8 years of court supervised probation to commence after his release from prison.
ODN 08 Jul 2022

Boris Johnson is clinging on as caretaker prime minister until his replacement is found - and theres a lot of speculation why...
Jordan McLean was overcome with emotion when talking about the injury that robbed him of his State of Origin debut

Brisbane Times 07 Jul 2022
The NZ prime minister warned against isolating China unnecessarily, and argued against viewing the war in Ukraine as a contest between democracy and autocracy.
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Jason Roberts fate now rests with a Supreme Court jury, which has begun deliberations over the man accused of murdering two police officers in Melbournes south-east in 1998.
Brittney Griner has just pled guilty to drug possession and smuggling charges in a Russian court. She told the judge, "I'd like to plead guilty, your honor, but there was no intent. I didn't want to break the law." Griner spoke in English and it
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wants to "turbo charge" renewable power and limit Russia's influence on energy policy. Meanwhile, Kyiv denied Russia's claims that it destroyed US-supplied rocket systems.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has praised the accuracy of artillery sent by Western allies. He added that a Russian strike had destroyed a university in Kharkiv. Follow DW for the latest.
The drone was originally crowdfunded, but the manufacturer decided to donate it without cost.
Lithuanians raised 5.9 million over three days to buy the drone for Ukraine, but the manufacturer later donated it.
A Thursday statement from Russia's defence ministry said Russian military units involved in combat in Ukraine were given time to rest.
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced that the government seeks to fully nationalize power utility Electricite de France (EDF) in an attempt to combat the energy crisis in the region. The situation comes as the comany is facing a plethora of challenges, including massive debt.
A US judge has sentenced Derek Chauvin to 21 years in prison for violating George Floyd's civil rights, telling the former Minneapolis police officer that what he did was "simply wrong" and "offensive."US District Judge Paul Magnuson...
Oneindia 16 Jul 2022

Rishi Sunak was roasted on Twitter for a wrong spelling in his campaign banner showing up in his background during his first..
Polling in Central Province of Papua New Guinea did not start on a good note because some eligible voters in the Rigo District Ward 16 were turned away today by polling officers.

Article and photo by Linda Noga NBC News

This is because their names were not on the updated electoral roll.

People at Saroakeina village in the Ward 16 area of the Rigo Central LLG including Saroakeina, Poligolo and Porigere and other wards in parts of the province were turned away, Sabuia.

Polling Officer for Rigo Central at Saroakeina referred NBC News to the Elections Manager Peter Malaifeope for comments.

Mr. Malaifeope told NBC News at the weekend that issues with the electoral roll update was the responsibility of individuals.

The ward councillor has called on the Electoral Commission to look into this matter, as eligible voters including voters who voted in past elections are being turned away.

Meanwhile, polling for Kwikila will be this Thursday, while Keapara will be on Friday.





Source: NBC News/One PNG News





Next: Marape denies son's alleged involvement in smuggling monies amounting K1.56 million
For those organizations that do not require 24/7 human security guard presence, nevertheless need around the clock situational awareness, Cozaint has teamed up with SecureX (https://www.securexinc.com) to deliver an integrated physical security solution for the best market value. Cozaints BOBBY platform (https://cozaint.com/product/bobby-w/) of physical security kiosks provides 24/7 situational awareness for businesses of all sizes with touchless access control, various IoT security sensors, constant video surveillance, and optional human temperature 
The Midland County Educational Service Agency is placing a $17M bond proposal on the Aug. 2, 2022 primary ballot to fund facility and information technology improvements at two of the districts facilities.

Funds will be used to expand capacity, improve functionality, mitigate structural issues, and enhance the overall learning environment for the children with special needs that are enrolled there. Sugnet school campus, which is located at 3917 Jefferson Avenue, and the Longview Early Childhood and Family Center, at 337 Lemke Street.

This will be the first bond election for the ESA and funding will primarily support a comprehensive reconstruction plan for the Sugnet school  a building that is more than 70 years old.

The Midland County Educational Service Agency provided the following Question and Answer fact sheet to the Midland Daily News for voters in the upcoming election.

Who is the Midland County Educational Service Agency?

The Midland County Educational Service Agency (ESA) is one of 56 Michigan intermediate school districts that serve the educational needs of students, parents, and staff in local schools.

The Midland County ESA is governed by a seven-member Board of Education, comprised of generally elected volunteer community members, each serving six-year terms.

The ESA provides instructional support services, administrative services, special education services, early childhood services, career and technical education services, and technology services to the following districts in Midland County:

 Bullock Creek School District

 Coleman Community Schools

 Meridian Public Schools

 Midland Public Schools

 Windover High School

 The Academic and Career Education Academy

 Private and Parochial schools in Midland County

What kind of services does the Midland County Educational Service Agency provide?

The Midland County Educational Service Agency provides a variety of educational services to connect children, parents, and educators of Midland County with the resources they need to meet their educational goals.

 Career and Technical Education (CTE): CTE programs connect academic learning with hands-on career development, technical skills, and work behavior knowledge. Programs are designed to prepare youth for a broad range of employment, training services and post-secondary options.

 Early Childhood Services: Midland County's service agency offers an array of services for families of young children. Longview Early Childhood Center houses multiple agencies and programs to help serve the families of Midland County.

 Special Education Services: It provides numerous special needs programs and resources for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and children from kindergarten through postsecondary up to age 26.

 Technology Services: Technology Services is responsible for maintenance of the Midland County ESA Local Area Network (LAN) and for providing support and training opportunities to Midland County ESA staff. This department also works with the local school districts in providing leadership and coordination for collaborative technology projects and is responsible for maintaining the Midland County Distance Learning Network.

What are the terms of the Midland County ESA bond proposal?

A total of $17,070,000 issued through a series of general obligation unlimited tax bonds. The estimated average annual millage to retire this bond debt is .47 mill, which is $0.47 on each $1,000 taxable valuation. The maximum number of years the bonds of any series may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is 12 years.

How much would this bond request cost the taxpayer?

A homeowner with a home with a taxable value of $100,000 (approximate market value of $200,000) pays $50.00/year.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP)  Iranian state TV said Wednesday that the countrys paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has accused the deputy ambassador of the United Kingdom and other foreigners in the country of espionage and taking soil samples from prohibited military zones.

The country's state-run IRNA news agency reported that the foreigners had been arrested, but did not elaborate on when. The U.K. Foreign Office swiftly denied that its diplomat was arrested, calling the report completely false.

Iran's state TV ran footage purporting to show the foreigners collecting samples from the ground while under drone surveillance.

The storm of accusations follow escalating tensions over a pickup in Tehran's arrests of foreigners and a rapid advancement of its nuclear work, while talks to revive the landmark 2015 atomic accord remain at a standstill. Iran has detained a number of Europeans in recent months, including two French citizens and a Swedish tourist, as it seeks to gain leverage in negotiations.

The report also comes after Iran, in a rare move, replaced the Revolutionary Guard's longstanding intelligence chief.

News outlets reported the deputy head of mission at the British Embassy, Giles Whitaker, and other foreigners faced spying charges after visiting various forbidden zones in the country while the Guard was carrying out missile tests.

The semiofficial Fars news agency, believed to be close to the Guard, claimed Whitaker was expelled from the area after offering authorities an apology.

The accusations splashed across Iranian media as the British public was transfixed by the political fortunes of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who faces growing pressure to step down after defections from his Cabinet.

State TV broadcast a photo montage apparently showing Whitaker tour the southwestern desert collecting soil samples against the backdrop of eerie music.

Even though there were signs in that area saying this was a forbidden area, he went further and took a sample and took a picture," the narrator said. Intelligence agencies say that these people often pose as tourists, but are looking for military and missile sites to identify equipment and ammunition.

Iranian media also identified Maciej Walczak, a Polish scientist at Copernicus University in Poland, as among the accused foreigners. It similarly said he took samples of soil, water and salt from a forbidden area during a missile test in the country's south.

The report added that the Guards intelligence wing detained the husband of Austrias cultural attache in Iran after he took soil samples in the country's northeast.

Iran has in the past arrested dual nationals and those with Western ties, often on widely criticized espionage charges, and used them as bargaining chips in talks over other issues, such as nuclear negotiations. Tehran denies using detainees to further its political aims.

Talks to revive Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers have stalled for months. A recent effort to break the deadlock between U.S. and Iranian negotiators ended without making progress in Doha last week.

The U.S. special envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, described the latest talks in Qatar as more than a little bit of a wasted occasion."

They have and, including in Doha, added demands that I think anyone looking at this would be viewed as having nothing to do with the nuclear deal, things that theyve wanted in the past, Malley said in an interview with National Public Radio on Tuesday, undercutting Tehrans more upbeat assessments.

He added that the U.S. is working simultaneously to secure the release of four Americans detained in Iran, saying: Theyve been used as pawns. But we are looking at steps that we could take that would facilitate their return in the shortest time possible.

Meanwhile, as a shadow war between Israel and Iran has escalated in Tehran and across the Middle East, Iran announced last month that the head of the Guard's intelligence arm, Hossein Taeb, had been replaced by Gen. Mohammad Kazemi, the former head of the Guards security department.

The surprise move followed the deaths of several Guard officers in recent weeks.

___

Associated Press writers Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Danica Kirka in London contributed to this report.
BEAR LAKE  The public is invited to learn about habitat management during a tree farm field day.

Presented by Manistee and Mason-Lake conservation districts, Forestry Assistance Program, American Tree Farm System and Alpha Nurseries, Inc., the field day will teach attendees the different factors to consider when making management decisions on their forested or non-forested property.

The event will be held at an 80-acre parcel owned by Jeff Busscher, president of Alpha Nurseries, located at 8933 Glovers Lake Road in Bear Lake and is scheduled to run from 9:30 a.m. to noon on July 21. Participants are asked to meet at 9:15 a.m. Following the tour, a lunch and question-and-answer session will take place from noon to 1 p.m.

The event has been approved for 2.5 Category 1 Society of American Foresters continuing education credits.

There is no cost to attend the field day and lunch will be provided. Space is limited, so interested parties should register before July 15 by contacting the Manistee Conservation District at 231-889-9666 or by emailing Josh Shields, forester and wildlife biologist of the Manistee and Mason-Lake conservation districts, at joshua.shields@macd.org.

During the field day Shields and Busscher will discuss the following aspects of habitat management:

 The history of the approximately 80-acre parcel;

 The benefits of habitat management, management plans and working with private sector and public sector professionals;

 Programs such as the Qualified Forest Program, American Tree Farm System and Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program;

 Commercial forest management practices implemented on the parcel;

 Management of non-native invasive species on the parcel, including beech scale, emerald ash borer, Scots pine, invasive shrubs and garlic mustard; and

 Non-forested habitat management and restoration, including the planting of trees and shrubs, native wildflowers and grasses, and wildlife food plots.
The Midland Christian Women's Connection will host a luncheon, 12-2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13 at the Double Tree Hotel in Bay City.

Cathy Harvey of Lindenhurst, Illinois will present a riveting story of how she and her family forgave and became friends with the driver who hit and killed her daughter. She will share the positive results God demonstrates in lives around the world. Her presentation will include music and a video.
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MIDLAND  Northwood University has announced the lineup of its inaugural Freedom Fest Concert Series, which kicks off July 19 with a performance by the Coleman Road Band.

The Northwoods Freedom Fest Concert Series will continue throughout the summer, featuring Billy Gunther and the Midwest Riders and Stone Street Revival.

All of us here at Midlands University invite the community to our beautiful campus to experience enjoyment for all ages, said Northwood University President Kent MacDonald. Were looking forward to a series of great concerts, starting with the July performance by the Coleman Road Band.

Each concert will feature games for the whole family, food trucks, cake and non-alcoholic beverages. Attendees will have the option to purchase adult beverages from Tavern 59 for the July 19 concert series kick-off event.

Those who plan to come out should bring their own lawn chairs. Everyone is allowed to bring snacks and non-alcoholic beverages on July 19. That concert will feature the Coleman Road Band, a five-piece band playing classic rock, blues, soul and R&B.

Photo Provided Northwood University Photo Provided Northwood University Upcoming performances at Northwood University in Midland

Billy Gunther and the Midwest Riders will perform on Aug. 23. This is a country and classic rock band from Flint.

Stone Street Revival is a premier musical group from Michigan that focuses on great songs you don't often hear and 70s hits. Attendees will hear powerful vocals and instrumentation from this seasoned and professional band during its performance at Northwood on Sept. 20.

All the Freedom Fest "Music in the Woods" concerts will be held at 6 p.m. at the John and Marjorie Hohman Amphitheater in Midland. In the event of inclement weather, festivities will be moved to the Griswold Communications Center.

Northwood University is located at 4000 Whiting Dr. For more information, visit www.northwood.edu.
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MANISTEE  Demolition of the former American Cleaners on River Street as begun to make way for a new reimagining of downtown Manistee Wednesday.

The former laundromat, located at 285 River St., is the latest in a series of downtown Manistee businesses to be razed since late June, as part of the Spirit of the Woods Gateway Project.

The Gateway project will be completed in phases with a 100-room hotel planned for phase 1. The second phase could include housing and some office space, but details were not available as of April.

The main developer for the project is Little River Holdings  the economic development arm of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians.

The area of the project includes the north side of River Street, encompassing the Edward Jones Building and House of Flavors. On the south side of River Street, the project spans from U.S. 31 to Division Street and includes the elements of 289 River St., the Cadillac Plumbing Building and the Memory Lane gas station location, according to a Little River Holdings press release.

Plans on improving the corridor of Manistees downtown area have been in the works for many years, which lead the Manistee Downtown Development Authority to purchase the property in March 2018 for $70,000, according to Manistee County property search. Little River Holdings acquired the property in March 2020 for a sale amount of $1, according to previous reporting.

The project contains parcels at 283, 284, 285, 289, 294, 295 and 305 River St.  these buildings housed the former House of Flavors, Cadillac Heating and Plumbing, Memory Lane Detailing and Edward Jones, which are all scheduled for demolition.

Late last year, the project received about $1.5 million in grants and loans from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy for demolition and remediation of the site.

The former American Cleaners property is a Brownfield site, which means there are certain restrictions on how the property can be used, as there is often a history of contamination or other hazards at the site.

It was previously reported in 2020 that a transfer agreement between Little River Holdings and the DDA put some stipulations on development of 285 River St.

According to a DDA resolution, the development would need to be "in accord with the recommendations in the documented Michigan State University study such as mixed-use building, signage improvements, gateway improvements, traffic study etc."

The MSU study includes recommendations such as beautifying, placemaking, increasing connections such as streets, sidewalks and benches and trash cans, as well as being a functional space.

The resolution also stipulates that involved parties would need to negotiate a lease for the DDA office within a future building, and that Little River Holdings had to demonstrate that it could invest at least $86,641.09 for the development.

The American Cleaners building finished construction by February 1950. American Cleaners of Manistee was dissolved in July 2016, according to Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs documents.
A 2024 ticket of former Vice President Mike Pence and Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney might just be the thing that saves the Republican Party and our republic.

Since Donald Trumps descent on the golden escalator in 2015, there have been far too many missed offramps for Republican officials who did not want Trump to be the GOP presidential candidate in 2016. Next year might just be the last one of those offramps. A Pence-Cheney ticket would restore trust in Americas democratic institutions and begin the strengthening of the political party structure within the GOP.

Debating whether Trumps popularity is waning within the partys voter base is futile. Trumps approval is not decreasing in any meaningful way and, for the purposes of this argument, it doesnt really matter. This is about party elites finally taking back control of their party from their radical constituents. Will they do it? Probably not because theyre too afraid, but heres an assertion for how and why they should.

The Republican Party elites and party bosses missed their window to take Trump out in 2016. Its not that they didnt know what would happen. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina tweeted on May 3, 2016: If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed  and we will deserve it. Graham had the foresight to know what would happen if the Republican base voter took control of the party.

Republicans deserve to be taught a lesson and be punished electorally for putting party over country, but that doesnt seem likely. Many key statewide elections will undoubtedly go the GOPs way in key gubernatorial and secretary of state races. And many of those Republican winners may be untrustworthy with the keys to our democracy.

Republicans state that while they may not have liked Trumps tweets, they liked his policies. A Pence-Cheney ticket would provide stable leadership along with traditional Republican values and policies.

On June 16, conservative Judge J. Michael Luttig testified before the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection, saying, Donald Trump and his allies are a clear and present danger to American democracy. To this very day, the former president, his allies and supporters, pledge that in the presidential election of 2024, if the former president or his anointed successor  were to lose that election, that they would attempt to overturn that 2024 election in the same way that they attempted to overturn the 2020 election.

While a clear and present danger to American democracy was the takeaway headline, what Luttig wrote in his written testimony was even more powerful for my argument. Luttig emphasized the Republican Party leaderships need to go first in prioritizing the conservation of Americas democracy. In order to end these wars that are draining the lifeblood from our country, a critical mass of our two parties political leaders is needed. This number needs to include a critical mass of leaders from the former presidents political party.

Many state parties have been infiltrated by Trumpian officials. But certainly there are plenty of silent, establishment Republicans in each state as well. These elites need to be honest about Trumps ongoing threat and act responsibly. This is the critical mass that Luttig references. If the Republican Party is going to save itself, it must act ahead of 2024. If not, I believe, its RIP GOP.

Pence and Cheney are not particularly popular with the Trumpian base of Republican voters. Some, as we are learning, even wanted Pence to die by hanging from a gallows for not having overturned a free and fair election. That said, the Commonwealth of Virginia showed the rest of the Republican establishment the way to win with sane candidates. Virginia bypassed the traditional state-run Republican primary in 2021 and opted for an unassembled convention. Approximately 30,000 pre-registered Republicans voted at approximately 40 sites across the commonwealth. By bypassing the primary, traditionalist conservative Glenn Youngkin won the Republican nomination for governor in Virginia. He then went on to beat Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe.

All Americans, no matter their party affiliation, should demand that candidates seeking the highest office in the land put the Constitution and the rule of law above all.

Given the alternative of either Trump or Ron DeSantis versus Pence, theres no contest in my view.

Pence might not be a first choice, but he is a safe choice for our democracy.

Lynn Schmidt is a columnist and Editorial Board member of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Interpol issues red alert notices against five Libyan officials at the request of the Libyan Prosecutor General's Office for alleged embezzlement of hundreds of millions of dollars of public money, linked to one of the companies affiliated to the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA), the Al-Wasat newspaper has revealed, quoting a judicial source
Photo: (Photo : JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images)

Boston native MJ Kievman suffered from chronic hiccups when she was 13 years old, and in trying to find a cure, the teenager came up with her own invention called Hiccupops, the lollipop to stop hiccups.

With the help of her father, Adam Kievman, MJ pursued more research and development to bring Hiccupops to the market while she completed school. It might have taken a decade, but MJ, now 23 years old, has become the co-founder and CEO of a new biotech firm that will launch and expand Hiccupops nationwide. It will initially be sold at 864 CVS locations; it was previously trialed at 11 locations.

With its home base in Connecticut, Meter Health will also begin its research on a potential drug that will cure "clinically significant" hiccup cases. According to Hartford Courant, MJ is working with Dr. Bartholomew Bacak, an ear, nose, and throat expert with the University of Rochester Medical Center.

MJ and the doctor met in 2017 when she was completing her college degree. Bacak has been researching hiccups as neurological rather than respiratory or gastrointestinal issues. This hypothesis will anchor the development of a pill that will be more targeted and long-lasting than the current effects of the lollipop to stop hiccups.

Read Also: Snake Experts Explain What Parents Need to Do for Rattlesnake Bites After California Toddler Gets Bitten at Home

Hiccupops changed MJ Kievman's life

MJ was prompted to find a cure for hiccups after she had a serious bout with the uncontrollable condition. For three months, MJ dealt with her hiccups that affected her sleep quality and debilitated her ability to enjoy the usual things teenagers love to do.

The inventor was interested in science but did not know what she was doing. Yet she made the first batches of Hiccupops in the family's kitchen with ingredients like saltwater, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and pickle juice.

Her father, who has a background in business, was her sole employee. She presented Hiccupops at a startup convention in Connecticut, which paved the way for her to enter the market.

Speaking with the New York Times in 2012, MJ said that her concoction impacts the nerves in the throat and mouth, triggering the hiccup reflex arc.

"It basically over-stimulates those nerves and cancels out the message to hiccup," MJ said.

With the establishment of Hiccupops in a small market in the U.S., MJ then went on to be invited to young entrepreneurs and innovation events, including the White House Science Fair. She had also fine-tuned the recipe for her invention.

One cool invention from the #WHScienceFair are hiccupops - lollipops that stop hiccups http://t.co/o8gpNhE27x pic.twitter.com/6TOyGdQPnt  Madeline Marshall (@Maddie_Marshall) March 24, 2015

Focus on the Hiccup Drug

However, when MJ met Bacak, she decided to focus on drug development and discontinued selling Hiccupops for some time. The consumers noticed and were reaching out to her to bring the product back, per Biz Journals.

So, MJ set out to find another manufacturer and then worked out a deal with the retail giant, CVS. At the same time, MJ continued her work with Bacak. The duo is planning to apply for the Food and Drug Administration approval to start the clinical trials of their hiccup drug by 2023, hoping to release a cure by 2025.

The young inventor said that her life's work would be for people who have suffered from a condition that has been "under-research and under-treated" for a very long time.

Related Article: 12-Year-Old With Juvenile Arthritis Opens Up About the Loneliness of Living With Chronic Pain
Photo: (Photo : Getty images )

Two teenage girls, Aysha Cross and Emilee Solomon, both 14, were reunited with their families after human trafficking cops found them in Georgetown, Texas, an hour away from their home in MacGregor, Texas. Police arrested James Robert Vanhouten, 30, for harboring a minor, but more arrests will be made.

Authorities found them after an Amber Alert was launched for them. According to MEAWW, the police initially said that the situation did not meet the Texas Department of Public Safety criteria for Amber Alerts. However, on Monday, authorities received a screenshot from Cross's Snapchat story with the message "Help."

Cross' family said that she just vanished into thin air after finding Solomon.

Emiliee Solomon and Aysha Cross

According to Sara Dunn, Solomon's stepmother, the girls became best friends after a get-together before school ended for the summer. The two girls were having a sleepover at Aysha's house on June 29, but Emilee said her uncle was picking her up that evening. Unknown to the family, Emilee was picked up by a male friend and was dropped off at a local park.

Per The Sun, the last time the family saw Aysha was on June 30, 2 a.m. When Aysha's mother got up around 7 a.m. on June 30, she found a note from Aysha saying that she needed to find Emiliee and "fix everything." She also wrote that she loved her so much and she was sorry.

At 4:35 a.m., Aysha sent a text on Snapchat to a friend, saying she needed help with an emergency, urging the friend to wake up. After the message, the friend was blocked, and they could not contact Aysha.

On June 4, around 2 a.m., Aysha put a blank screen on her Snapchat with a message, "HELP." A screenshot of the message was sent to the police, prompting them to issue an Amber Alert.

Aysha's family said that she is a great student and a cheerleader at the time of COVID.

Read Also: 13-Year-Old Sex-trafficking Victim Reunites with Parents After Police Finds Her in Traffic Stop

Good police work

Deputies with the McLennan County Sheriff's Office's Criminal Investigations Division and Human Trafficking Unit tracked Solomon and Cross in Georgetown, where they arrested James Robert Van Houten, 30, the man allegedly harboring them. According to KWTX, investigators pursued several leads that finally led them to a home in McGregor.

Sheriff Parnell McNamara said the two girls ran away from home and fell in with some bad people. They were kept in pretty bad places. He added that the girls were mistreated, and their office is investigating other people involved in harboring the two teenagers. He added that there would be more arrests and charges against Van Houten soon.

Meanwhile, the two girls were happy that they were rescued and were reunited with their family members early Tuesday morning.

Related Article: Four-year-old Drives Mom's Car for a Joy Ride in Pajamas and Bare Feet
Photo: (Photo : CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

The parents of Kaylee Jones, the Georgia teen missing since June 14, are upset at the police for treating her case as a runaway. Daniel and Brenda Jones believed that the authorities were not doing enough to locate their daughter, who has special needs and can be very trusting towards strangers.

Speaking with Daily Mail, Brenda said Kaylee is on the autism spectrum and needs her medication daily. The mom fears that Kayle does not realize she is in danger because her mental state is that of a young kid who could be easily lured away.

Brenda also decried that the Carroll County police department has yet to issue a Mattie's Alert, which the Georgie government established to alert agencies of a missing disabled or elderly person and conduct a search using dog detectors. The Jones family was told that Kayle's case doesn't qualify because she is a high-functioning teenager with special needs.

Read Also: Highland Park Parade Shooting: Dad Hid With Son and Dog Inside Dumpster; Mom Rescues Blood-Smeared Toddler

Where is Kaylee Jones?

Kaylee was last seen in her home in rural Georgia. Her parents even said good night to her at 11 p.m. on June 14. The next morning, she was no longer in her room. Daniel told CBS 46 that he got a call at work from his wife that their daughter had been missing.

Investigations showed that Kaylee was talking to a few guys on Snapchat. Two days before her disappearance, her parents took her phone precisely because of this; thus, it has been harder for the authorities to track her down.

However, she was still able to access the internet through her laptop, which had traces of her communications with strangers on the community site, Omegle. Dan and Brenda said that Kaylee had given out their personal information and their home address to strangers in the past.

Kaylee, who is 5ft and 8 inches tall with brown eyes and hair, might have climbed out of her bedroom to leave their house. She carried a dark blue backpack with a horse design and was likely wearing black sneakers.

#KayleeJones possibly using her birth name Jillian Paige Temple She could be trying to make her way to Illinois or Florida. Also possible she is traveling with someone she met online and could be in extreme danger. pic.twitter.com/zj7tH2PmQW  Vern Gilbert (@vern_gilbert) July 5, 2022

The police believed Kaylee met up with someone she had met online. They have gotten in touch with some of the contacts found on her laptop but did not say if there were some progress in the investigations.

Her parents fear, however, that Kaylee was being groomed by her friends on Snapchat and may have become a victim of sex trafficking. The police continue to receive tips and other information that may help with their investigations via 770-830-5916 or kbiggs@carrollsheriff.com.

Allegations against the parents

Meanwhile, internet sleuths on Reddit have alleged that Kaylee, whose real name is Lillian Paige Temple, didn't want to live with her adoptive parents anymore. In another interview, Brenda admitted that Kaylee also left home in February but was found four hours later, thanks to a stranger's help.

According to HibaChai on YouTube, the parents have made statements that suggested their regret for adopting a child with special needs and a hereditary mental health condition. HibaChai also alleged, based on tips she received, they were not showing genuine concern and urgency for Kaylee's disappearance.

HibaChai said she did not want to disrespect the Jones by raising her doubts against them. However, she could not ignore the same observations made by other people who watched the parents in media interviews and discussed the issue on Reddit.

The YouTuber also received tips from people who have personal knowledge of Kaylee's alleged physical abuse from her adoptive parents. She reiterated that she is not making accusations but is interested in learning the truth about Kaylee's disappearance.

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In 2021 news began to break that high profile politicians and journalists using iPhones were being spied on with software from the Israeli firm NSO. In July 2021 ZDNet posted a report titled NSO Group's Pegasus spyware used against journalists, political activists worldwide. In April 2022 The New Yorker posted an article titled How Democracies Spy on their Citizens detailing how an iPhone 8 Plus phone owned by Jordi Sole, a pro-independence member of the European Parliament, was hacked by an attacker using NSOs Pegasus spyware. Also in April, The Guardian reported that The UKs Prime Minister Boris Johnson was told that his Downing Street office has been targeted with multiple suspected infections using Pegasus, the sophisticated hacking software that can turn a phone into a remote listening device.

To counter this new dimension of security threat, Apple announced today that it is previewing a groundbreaking security capability that offers specialized additional protection to users who may be at risk of highly targeted cyberattacks from private companies developing state-sponsored mercenary spyware. Apple is also providing details of its $10 million grant to bolster research exposing such threats.

Apple detailed two initiatives to help protect users who may be personally targeted by some of the most sophisticated digital threats, such as those from private companies developing state-sponsored mercenary spyware.

Lockdown Mode  the first major capability of its kind, coming this fall with iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura  is an extreme, optional protection for the very small number of users who face grave, targeted threats to their digital security.

Apple also shared details about the $10 million cybersecurity grant it announced last November to support civil society organizations that conduct mercenary spyware threat research and advocacy.

Ivan Krstic, Apples head of Security Engineering and Architecture: Apple makes the most secure mobile devices on the market. Lockdown Mode is a groundbreaking capability that reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting users from even the rarest, most sophisticated attacks. While the vast majority of users will never be the victims of highly targeted cyberattacks, we will work tirelessly to protect the small number of users who are. That includes continuing to design defenses specifically for these users, as well as supporting researchers and organizations around the world doing critically important work in exposing mercenary companies that create these digital attacks.

Lockdown Mode offers an extreme, optional level of security for the very few users who, because of who they are or what they do, may be personally targeted by some of the most sophisticated digital threats, such as those from NSO Group and other private companies developing state-sponsored mercenary spyware.

Turning on Lockdown Mode in iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura further hardens device defenses and strictly limits certain functionalities, sharply reducing the attack surface that potentially could be exploited by highly targeted mercenary spyware.

At launch, Lockdown Mode includes the following protections:

Messages: Most message attachment types other than images are blocked. Some features, like link previews, are disabled.

Web browsing: Certain complex web technologies, like just-in-time (JIT) JavaScript compilation, are disabled unless the user excludes a trusted site from Lockdown Mode.

Apple services: Incoming invitations and service requests, including FaceTime calls, are blocked if the user has not previously sent the initiator a call or request.

Wired connections with a computer or accessory are blocked when iPhone is locked.

Configuration profiles cannot be installed, and the device cannot enroll into mobile device management (MDM), while Lockdown Mode is turned on.

Apple will continue to strengthen Lockdown Mode and add new protections to it over time. To invite feedback and collaboration from the security research community, Apple has also established a new category within the Apple Security Bounty program to reward researchers who find Lockdown Mode bypasses and help improve its protections. Bounties are doubled for qualifying findings in Lockdown Mode, up to a maximum of $2,000,000  the highest maximum bounty payout in the industry.

Lori McGlinchey, the Ford Foundations director of its Technology and Society program: The global spyware trade targets human rights defenders, journalists, and dissidents; it facilitates violence, reinforces authoritarianism, and supports political repression. The Ford Foundation is proud to support this extraordinary initiative to bolster civil society research and advocacy to resist mercenary spyware. We must build on Apples commitment, and we invite companies and donors to join the Dignity and Justice Fund and bring additional resources to this collective fight.

The Dignity and Justice Fund expects to make its first grants in late 2022 or early 2023, initially funding approaches to help expose mercenary spyware and protect potential targets that include:

Building organizational capacity and increasing field coordination of new and existing civil society cybersecurity research and advocacy groups.

Supporting the development of standardized forensic methods to detect and confirm spyware infiltration that meet evidentiary standards.

Enabling civil society to more effectively partner with device manufacturers, software developers, commercial security firms, and other relevant companies to identify and address vulnerabilities.

Increasing awareness among investors, journalists, and policymakers about the global mercenary spyware industry.

Building the capacity of human rights defenders to identify and respond to spyware attacks, including security audits for organizations that face heightened threats to their networks.

The Dignity and Justice Funds grant-making strategy to research, track, and hold the enhanced cyber weapons trade accountable will be advised by an independent, global Technical Advisory Committee. Initial members include:

Daniel Bedoya Arroyo, digital security service platform analyst at Access Now

Ron Deibert, professor of political science, and director of the Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto

Rasha Abdul Rahim, director of Amnesty Tech at Amnesty International

Ivan Krstic, head of Apple Security Engineering and Architecture

Ron Deibert, director of the Citizen Lab, a research group at the University of Toronto: There is now undeniable evidence from the research of the Citizen Lab and other organizations that the mercenary surveillance industry is facilitating the spread of authoritarian practices and massive human rights abuses worldwide. I applaud Apple for establishing this important grant, which will send a strong message and help nurture independent researchers and advocacy organizations holding mercenary spyware vendors accountable for the harms they are inflicting on innocent people.
The year is 2022. Tech is all the rave. Businesses are on the lookout for the new, the shiny, and the impactful. Its all about THE BIG NOW. From innovations in data processing to automation, everyone is on the lookout for whats next.



Consider Robotic Process Automation (RPA): the name itself is a little scary, but it is as ordinary as it gets. When people hear RPA, the first thing that comes to mind is, the robots are taking over, like the Terminator, or Matrix. In this case, though, we are talking about software running on a physical or virtual machine. While that may lack the excitement of a Hollywood sci-fi, consider copy-paste processes or transferring files from one location to another in a matter of minutes and you realize it is not as boring as it sounds.



RPA is essentially about using software to automate high-volume, repetitive processes that previously required only human intervention. It is a type of business process automation that allows anyone to define a set of instructions to be performed by software. This form of programming can simulate most human-computer interactions to complete many error-free tasks at a high volume and speed. For instance, consider tasks such as capturing the contents of scanned documents into an application, customer onboarding or salary processing. It is ultimately about automating some of the workplace's most tedious and repetitive and time-consuming computer-based tasks and processes.



For ECL, solving the problem of manual and monotonous business processes with their automation solutions promises to boost organizational efficiency in many ways. The approach is simple: building a strategic framework  one that enables and encourages steady and progressive automation while also ensuring the team or workforce is spending its time and resources in areas that align with broader goals.



In other words, organizations must begin to ask the question, where can we free up employees to focus on strategic priorities? As businesses embrace the process of digital transformation to improve their processes, we must begin to build a thriving ecosystem around intelligent automation: It will fill in gaps in manual and time-consuming business processes to then improve and drive more value for the organization.



Too much of the focus on transformation has been directed towards technology as the answer without considering the people and process dimensions. Automation now reminds us of a more balanced people-process-technology approach which will considerably improve transformation success rates. Think of improving your business with THE BIG NOW. Work Smarter, not Harder. Automate with ECL.









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The Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has heaped loads of praise on Ghanaian printing company, Appointed Time Printing (ATP) Limited, a subsidiary of the Jopsong Group of Companies (JGC), following its production of first batch of science textbooks for basic schools across the country.



He said the government awarded ATP a contract to print science textbooks for basic schools under the new curriculum while other local printers were also contracted to print other subjects.



I am very happy and satisfied with the printing jo done by Appointed Time Printing. And I am even more impressed with the state-of-the-art printing machines imported by the company to use in its printing operations, he gladly expressed.



Dr. Osei Adutwum made the commendation while paying a working visit at ATPs head office in Accra on Wednesday, July 6, 2022.



He said ATP has amply showed that the printing of government textbooks can be done in the country and by local printers.



The Akufo-Addo administration made it a policy that all government textbooks should be printed in the country, and ATP has indeed demonstrated printing made-in-Ghana, he said.



He reiterated President Akufo-Addos policy to ensure improvement in education, and therefore, the urgent need for textbooks to be made readily available for all basic schools throughout the country.



Dr. Osei Adutwum also used the space to commend ATP for employing Ghanaians in its operations.



The Head of Marketing of Appointed Time Printing Ltd., Mr. Charles Aidoo, expressed appreciation to the Education Minister for his visit.



He disclosed that his company was expected to print over 600,000 science textbooks, but was quick to reveal that as we speak now, we are about 50% through.



He was confident that by the end of August this year, his outfit would finish the production of the textbooks.



This, he assured, was against the backdrop of the huge investment made into equipment by his company.



It has been our plan to complete production ahead of the timelines set for us. That will ensure that the textbooks get to the schools early enough to enable our school children get the textbooks and study, he indicated.



According to him, this first batch of textbooks will be distributed to Greater Accra, Volta and Central Regions, adding that each of these regions has a specific quantity that will be supplied.



Yes, we are 50% through with the job, but we are still printing, folding and distributing. So as and when the drivers come the ones which are ready will be delivered to them for distribution, Mr. Aidoo noted.



In late May this year, the government through the Ministry of Education contracted 5 local printers including ATP to print government textbooks for basic schools across the country.



Under the contract, both the publishers and the printers were given 120 days to deliver. ATP was selected to print about 750,000 science basic school textbooks, which production commenced in June 2022.



The company aims to finish production by end of August 2022.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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A Student of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has been elected the new President of the University Students Association of Ghana (USAG).



Christian Anderson Ntiful, a student Doctor of Optometry of the KNUST, was declared the winner after beating four other contestants during the 21st Annual Delegates Congress of the Association at the North Campus of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW).



He polled 426 votes out of the 710 total valid votes cast to win the position.



Richard Opoku obtained 179 votes; Mr. Edmund Brefo polled 100 while Joseph Appiah Dankwah had five votes with one rejected ballot.



Anderson Ntsiful is also the 12th speaker of the KNUST Students Representative Council (SRC), Parliamentary Council, former General Secretary of Unity Hall, and NUGS Public Relations Officer of KNUST.



The election conducted by the Associations Electoral Commission was part of the activities of the Congress, held on the theme: Eradicating Corruption: The University Students Role.



The delegates were drawn from 36 Universities (public and private) with some 59 aspirants vying for various positions to steer the association for the 2022/2023 academic year.



Other executives elected include Ofori Yaw Bismark from the University of Cape Coast, General Secretary, Dayan Akpene Ama Green, (UG), Coordinating Secretary, Angela Aku-Sika (UG), Press and Information Secretary.



The rest are Angela Asantewaa Amoako (UG), International and Diaspora Relation Secretary, Ellen Tarchie Bonsuo (UEW), Womans Commission Secretary, Osei Fosu Solomon (KNUST), Financial Secretary and Desmond Adu, who went unopposed as the Treasurer.



Christian Phillips Amarh, the outgoing President of the Association, had earlier urged the delegates and supporters of the various aspirants to comport themselves and to contribute their quota to prosperous and peaceful elections.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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The United Nations (UN) Eminent Peace Ambassador to Ghana, Dr Samuel Ben Owusu is calling on the government to introduce a system that will pay workers per hour and not per day or monthly.



According to him, when the payment system is shifted from Monthly to per hour, considering the minimum wage, everyone in Ghana will get a job to do and the issue of unemployment will be settled.



In an interview with the media, Dr Samuel Ben Owusu observed that most workers are marked per day and paid at the end of the month.



The situation he was of the belief has contributed to the unemployment of most youths in the country.



He said because there has not been strong advocacy and implementation of the above suggestion, nobody wants to do that, saying that if the Government starts, the private sector will follow suit.



"Where things have reached right now, it will only take the government to institute a by-law or a system of operation that from today, we are going to pay people per hour, not per day or monthly. As it is now, most people in Ghana are marked daily, let us shift it into per hour, if the Government changes it to per hour, everyone will find a job," he said.



He continued," Just as it is done in the USA and the UK. So if someone likes, he or she can work two hours and close, and get 8 or 16 dollars per hour and they will calculate how much they want to make in a day. If the Government comes up with that concept and makes some institutions run that way, other private sectors will pick it up and there will be jobs for many people.'



Amb. Samuel Ben Owusu also observed that in most of the institutions, the workers go to work in the morning and close around 5 p.m., putting the work on hold till the next morning.



This, he said, was a waste of productive time, suggesting that the Government can also bring in a shift system such that while people are asleep after work, others will also go to work, explaining that it will also help employ more people while institutions make more profit.



"I think in the health sector, there are nurses who do shifts, so why can't we implement that system everywhere?" he questioned.



He then called on the Government to engage persons who have knowledge about critical issues including employment and peace moving forward.



"You see why Africa is not progressing, we are always way back. While the Europeans, the people around the world are working, we are sleeping and we say we want to have peace. Peace is development, peace is a system, peace is a foundation, if we want peace, we should sit down, some of these political leaders need to meet with some of us who have the understanding and knowledge of other things," he added.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo has warned that his country could be on the brink of a war with Rwanda amid worsening relations between the two neighbours.



This possibility cannot be ruled out. If Rwandas provocation continues, we will not sit and do nothing about it. We are not weak, Felix Tshisekedi told UK newspaper Financial Times in an interview.



He accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebel group and also of having "illicit vested economic interests in the DRC."



Mr Tshisekedi is set to meet his Rwanda counterpart Paul Kagame on Wednesday in Angola.



The Congolese leader told FT ahead of the meeting that Mr Kagame should show "sincerity" in discussions and admit that his government was backing M23 rebels whose activities, among other groups, have destabilized mineral-rich eastern DR Congo.



Rwanda's President Paul Kagame has repeatedly rejected the accusations.



He said on Monday that the ongoing crisis was an internal DR Congo matter and his country was not involved.

Source: BBC









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The Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) has warned some members of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) to desist from intimidating its members to work despite the strike.



"Information reaching us is that some members of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) are intimidating our non-teaching staff, especially the kitchen staff and forcing them to remain at work," the Union said.



A statement signed by Mr Mark Dankyira Korankye, the General Secretary of the Union to the Ghana News Agency described the actions of CHASS members as very unfortunate



"We are by this medium also telling all the non-Teaching staff to withdraw from all services and stay at home until they hear from us," it said.



The Union requested the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service to call CHASS to order and asked them to refrain from the threats and intimidations "as we all seek the appropriate response from Government on our request.".



"We, in the leadership of the Union, do not want to have any confrontations with anybody as far as this Industrial Action is concerned.



"No teacher is being forced and threatened to remain in the classroom, so we do not see why the non-teaching staff are being treated this way, he said.



Four Unions in education on Monday, July 4, 2022, embarked on an Industrial action to cover their Cost- of -Living Allowance.



The Unions are Ghana National Association of Teachers, National Association of Graduate Teachers, TEWU and Coalition of Concerned Teachers.

Source: GNA









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The British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, says the potential of the country's textile industry is absolutely enormous."



She said through jobs and transformation programmes, the British Government was supporting the Government of Ghana to transform sectors of the economy with high potential including garments and textiles.



The Commissioner said this when she toured the Volta Star Textile Limited at Juapong in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region as part of her working visit to the Region.



She said the British Government was providing support to create the right policy environment and to drive the investment that would really see those sectors perform to their full potential.



This, she said, was essential to create jobs, generate wealth for the country and curtail unemployment situations to enhance the standard of living.



She noted that her team was helping to lead the discussion that would identify the right investors for the factory, help structure the financing in the right way to enable the factory to return to its past glory.



I'm a big fan of African fabric, she said, and described the tour of the factory as fascinating, stressing that her outfit would do what it could to help revamp the factory to operate at its full capacity.



Madam Thompson noted that the relations between the United Kingdom and Ghana was deep and historic and that the British Government was investing money and expertise in the health sector of the country.



Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for the area, commended Madam Thompson for choosing the constituency for the visit and her interest in helping to revamp the factory.



He said the factory was a pale shadow of itself as it was currently employing over 700 compared to over 2000 when it was at its peak and that this was a significant reduction.



The MP disclosed that not even 50 percent of the 65 acres of land donated by the chiefs for the factory was used, hence there was more room for expansion.



He said with the talk of the African Continental Free Trade, where Africa wanted to industrialize, empower young people, and create jobs for them, it was important to pay attention to existing factories, revamp and expand them.



Mr Ablakwa was optimistic that the partnership with the Commissioner would go a long way to realize the full potential of the factory to create job avenues for the people within and outside the district.



He extolled the Commissioner for her love and support for the vulnerable, saying I have observed keenly as a Ranking Member on Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, that the High Commissioner has a heart and really cares for the vulnerable.





Source: GNA









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There have been numerous calls for President Akufo-Addo to sack Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta.



These calls heightened when government announced its decision to seek IMF support.



Dead wood Finance Minister



Former President John Dramani Mahama wading in asked President Akufo-Addo to remove the "many dead woods" in his administration, including Ken Ofori-Atta.



Meanwhile it will serve the President well to use some instruments from the Presidential tool kit in times of crisis such as this. Fire your Finance Minister, conduct a major shake-up of Government to remove the many dead woods that have turned ministries into their fiefdoms and finally huddle with the best brains this country must formulate a comprehensive recovery plan for our economy, the former President said.



Kwesi Pratt's View



However, the Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has disagreed.



"What we need is a fundamental restructuring of the economy . . . the fact that he's removed doesn't mean the problem will go away. It is an issue of policy, because if another person comes and uses the same framework we will still be where we are, but if there's a new policy, a new framework for national development that'll be better than just asking a person to go. Of course, there are advantages of cabinet reshuffle . . . it is a certain caution . . . it doesn't change policy orientation. We can reshuffle; it serves some purpose but what are we doing about the policies? he queried.



According to him a reshufle may serve some purpose but it is not a final solution to the problem.



Listen to his submission on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', Tuesday





Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com









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Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the military leader of neighbouring Sudan said on Tuesday they had reached an agreement to peacefully settle all issues, following the most recent flare-up connected to a border dispute late last month.



However, the long-running dispute over a contested fertile border region, al-Fashqa, was not mentioned, nor were any other specific issues cited.



Abiy met Sudan's military leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, on the sidelines of a meeting of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an eight-member regional bloc for the horn of Africa and neighbouring states.



"We both made a commitment for dialogue (and) peaceful resolution to outstanding issues," Abiy tweeted on Tuesday.



Sudan's ruling council later issued a similar statement, adding that the meeting had been "fruitful and extremely successful".



The long-running dispute over al-Fashqa has fuelled a surge in tensions between the two countries in recent years.



In the latest accusations between the nations, last month Sudan accused Ethiopia's army of executing seven Sudanese soldiers and a civilian who had been taken captive. The men had been seized on Sudanese territory on June 22 and taken into Ethiopia where they were killed, according to the Sudanese foreign ministry.



Ethiopia denied responsibility and blamed the killings on a local militia.



A day after the countries traded accusations over the killings, an Ethiopian official said Sudan's armed forces had fired heavy artillery during clashes in the disputed area.

Source: reuters









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Former NDC Central Regional Chairman, Bernard Allotey Jacobs has appealed to President Nana Addo to place the Finance Ministry headed by Ken Ofori-Atta under his Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.



According to him, the Finance Minister shouldn't be allowed to lead negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as the President has directed him to engage the Fund to "support an economic program put together by the Government of Ghana".



"The engagement with the IMF will seek to provide 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", a statement issued by the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, read.



Contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme, Allotey Jacobs advised the President saying "sometimes you need to sacrifice people. It's important in politics. You will have to sacrifice your own" and insisted he "should place the Finance Ministry under Dr. Bawumia...That's the best thing because he has led the team and the Finance Minister can't eat his cake and have it if he should go and lead the people to IMF".



"If President wants his legacy to be protected, then he should place the Finance Ministry under Dr. Bawumia", he added.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has revealed some members of the Ghanas delegation meeting officials from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and their roles following the support the country is seeking from the Fund.



According to him, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is chairing the Ghana team for the engagement with the IMF.



He further stated that the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta is also leading a team on the data-sharing exercise during the engagements.



The data-sharing, the information Minister indicated will determine the fate of Ghana as what the country is qualified for and what it is not qualified for under the programme.



The Information Minister who made these revelations while speaking during the 3businesscolloquium organized by Media General on Wednesday July 6 mentioned that The President is chairing the task force, the Finance Minister and his team are from today, leading the data-sharing exercise. When they are done the Mission Chief and the President will have a number of conversations. The President has already spoken to the Managing Director of the Fund herself.



The first part of the conversation is sharing of data. The data has its interpretation and the data will tell us what we qualify for and what we dont qualify for.



The IMF staff team, led by Carlo Sdralevich, mission chief for Ghana, is in the country to begin initial discussions with the Ghanaian authorities about a possible IMF-supported programme.



Prior to the arrival, Mr. Sdralevich in a statement said On the basis of a request from the Ghanaian authorities, an IMF staff team will in the coming days kick-start discussions on a possible program to support Ghanas homegrown economic policies. We are at an early stage in the process, given that detailed discussions are yet to take place.



The IMF stands ready to assist Ghana to restore macroeconomic stability, safeguard debt sustainability, and promote inclusive and sustainable growth, and address the impact of the war in Ukraine and the lingering pandemic.



We are looking forward to our engagement with the authorities in Accra, the Fund said.



The Government of Ghana on Friday July 1 announced that it was seeking support from the IMF.



The Information Minister announced this in a statement following a telephone conversation between the President and the IMF Managing Director, Ms Kristalina Georgieva, conveying Ghanas decision to engage with the Fund.

Source: Daily Guide









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Former Communications Director for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Adomako Baafi, has admitted that his party was wrong to criticize the Mahama-led administration for seeking financial assistance from the International Monetary fund (IMF).



That was our (NPP) mistake, we goofed, he said.



According to him, any governments decision to seek assistance from the fund is justifiable and must not be slammed for political reasons.



Other well-developing countries are running to the IMF, so its not wrong for Ghana to do the same in these hard times and economic crisis, he told NEAT FMs morning show, 'Ghana Montie'.



However, the government of Ghana's negotiators and officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have commenced negotiations on how to rescue the economy immediately as debt sustainability has become difficult.





Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana









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Governance Lecturer at the Central University, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah, has expressed disappointment in government for her treatment of teachers in the country.



Four teacher unions have declared a nationwide strike over governments inability to meet the deadline for their demands for the payment of Cost of Living Allowance (COLA).



The unions include the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT).



The strike action follows the expiration of a June 30 deadline the unions gave government.



Speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme Thursday morning, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah called on the government to address the concerns of the teachers with regard to a better remuneration for them.



He couldn't fathom why teachers are always sidelined despite their instrumental role in shaping the society.



"I am a proud teacher. I will always associate with teachers. Teacher's salaries are not good," he stated and asked "have you seen teachers residing at Trassaco, Villagio and other posh residences?"



Dr. Otchere-Ankrah exclaimed; "Is it a crime to be a teacher?"





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Judge Otis Wright of a United States Central District Court in California has postponed the sentencing of Nigerian fraudster Ramon Abass known as Hushpuppi to September 21.



At the request of counsel, the Sentencing is CONTINUED to 9/21/2022 at 1:30 PM before Judge Otis D. Wright II, as to Defendant Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, the court said



According to court documents by the United States Department of Justice (DoJ), Hushpuppi in April 2021, pleaded guilty to the multi-million-dollar fraud charges filed against him by the United States government.



A version of Hushpuppis plea agreement filed in June outlined his role in a school finance scheme, as well as several other cyber and business email compromise schemes that cumulatively caused more than $24 million in losses. He pleaded guilty to Count Two which is Conspiracy to Engage in Money Laundering, an offence that attracts a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment among other punishments including full restitution, his plea agreement with the U.S. government states in part.



Acting United States Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison said Hushpuppi allegedly faked the financing of a Qatari school by playing the roles of bank officials and creating a bogus website in a scheme that also bribed a foreign official to keep the elaborate pretense going after the victim was tipped off.



Wilkison stated that Hushpuppi played a significant role in the scheme, funded his luxurious lifestyle by laundering illicit proceeds generated by con artists who use increasingly sophisticated means.



Hushpuppi was arrested in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE) in June 2020, and subsequently flown to the U.S.. He pleaded guilty to the charges in July 2021 and was ordered to remain in custody pending sentencing.



The sentencing hearing was initially moved by Judge Wright from February 14 to July 11 and has now been moved to September 21 at the counsels request.



He has been in custody since his arrest in Dubai and rendition to the U. S. in June 2020.



Hushpuppi entered into a plea bargain agreement with the U.S. government in July 2021, in the hope of getting a lighter punishment. Despite pleading guilty, Hushpuppi will not be exempted from paying restitution.



The prosecutor said the maximum penalty for the offence that Hushpuppi hopes will be reduced at his sentencing include 20 years imprisonment; a 3-year period of supervised release; a fine of $500,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greatest; and a mandatory special assessment of $100.









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The Shoreland Transport logo is seen in this undated handout photo. Shoreland Transport Inc. says it has acquired Connors Transfer Ltd. of Stellarton in a move that will strengthen Cooke's vertical integration.THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO *MANDATORY CREDIT*
Ambulances are parked outside the Emergency Department at the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus in Ottawa on Monday, May 16, 2022. Some Ontario hospitals, particularly those in smaller communities, are warning that recent emergency department closures may recur throughout the summer. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
2022 WSOP Day 37: Vaughn Kicks Off Huge Main Event Flight

July 07, 2022 Matthew Pitt Editor

Bally's and Paris Las Vegas were packed to the rafters on Day 37 of the 2022 World Series of Poker thanks to Day 1d of the $10,000 buy-in Main Event taking place. The WSOP management warned players to expect a ridiculously busy day and those warnings ran true with more than 4,000 players choosing the fourth and final flight to start their quest for 2022 WSOP Main Event glory.

Hollywood actor Vince Vaughn was the master of ceremonies who uttered the immortal words, "Shuffle up and deal!" while sporting a rather fantastic armored Caesar costume that Phil Hellmuth would have been proud to wear.

Johnny Chan

Five Main Event champions bought in on Day 1d and all five navigated their way through five long levels of action. Johnny Chan (218,800) bagged up the most chips of the Main Event winning quintet. Chris Moneymaker (108,000), Greg Merson (103,700), reigning champion Koray Aldemir (71,800), and Joe Hachem (21,600) were all in the mix when the curtain came down on Day 1d.

Chan, the Main Event champion in 1987 and 1988 (and the runner-up in 1989), thoroughly enjoyed himself at the tables. Chan has skipped all other 2022 WSOP events but the lure of the Main Event proved too strong for him to resist.

"It was a wonderful day. That's the best first day and the main event for the last least. 15 years, I have more chips than I ever have in the main event. This the first year, I got over 200,000, I'm very happy. The table was very nice. I got to play with nine different players that I never played poker with before."

Chris Moneymaker

Moneymaker, champion in 2003 after famously winning an online satellite for his $10,000 Main Event seat, was pleased to make it through to Day 2, especially when he had players in his corner throughout proceedings.

"I'm happy, you know, just getting through Day 1 with a decent stack is what you want. It's kind of crazy that I still get those reactions. It's always nice to have fans and have people rooting for you."

Past champions aside, such luminaries as Alexandros Kolonias (278,000), Robert Mizrachi (176,600), Mikita Badziakouski (159,900), Eli Elezra (127,500), Damian Salas (125,000), Davidi Kitai (111,700), David Peters (102,800), Max Pescatori (100,200), Ole Schemion (95,300), and Jeremy Ausmus (94,300) all bagged big stacks on Day 1d.

Event #70: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event Day 1d Top 10 Chip Counts

Place Player Country Chips Big Blinds 1 Hao Chen China 580,100 725 2 Randal Heeb United States 339,000 424 3 Mathieu His France 316,000 395 4 Joseph Bold United Kingdom 299,400 374 5 Bjorn Stoweno Germany 289,000 361 6 Jared Hyman United States 285,000 356 7 Daniel Hachem Australia 283,700 355 8 Matthew Wiegman United States 283,300 354 9 Sergio Coutinho Portugal 277,000 346 10 David Finkel United States 273,500 342

*Chen's stack will be verified once he opens his chip bag on Day 2

Hao Chen earned himself the honor of the Day 1d chip leader title after turning his 60,000 starting stack into a colossal 580,100. That stack not only secured the Day 1d chip lead but sees Chen lead the Main Event by a considerable distance. Chen's stack is so large that WSOP will verify it once he opens his chip bag on Day 2d on July 8

Other players bagging up enough chips to place them in the upper echelons of the Day 1d chip counts include Randal Heeb (339,000), Mathieu His (316,000), and Joseph Bold (299,400).

Day 2abc of the 2022 WSOP Main Event shuffles up and deals at 11:00 a.m. on July 7 with Day 2d starting at the same time a day later on July 8. Those players who want to turn up fashionably late have two levels on Day 2 in which to make an entrance. As always, PokerNews will be on the ground from the first pitched cards to the bagging-up process.

Don't miss any of the 2022 WSOP Main Event action

Quincy Borland Takes Down the Million Dollar Bounty Event

Quincy Borland

It proved third time's a charm for Quincy Borland who took down Event #68: $1,000 Million Dollar Bounty for $750,120. Borland had two previous WSOP results to his name, one in the 2019 edition of the $600 Deepstack and another in the 2021 edition of the $888 Crazy Eights. Borland now gets to call himself a WSOP champion.

Borland went into heads-up against Kevin Hong with a two-to-one deficit, but fought back draw level then edge in front. The final hand saw Hong all-in and at risk with ace-jack against Borland's dominating ace-queen. The ace-queen held, busting Hong in second place for $463,610 and crowning Borland as the event's champion, a result worth $750,120 and a coveted gold WSOP bracelet.

Event #68: $1,000 Million Dollar Bounty Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize 1 Quincy Borland United States $750,120 2 Kevin Hong United States $463,610 3 David Timmons United States $351,800 4 Wokciech Barzantny Austria $268,550 5 Michael Smith Canada $206,250 6 Nellie Park United States $159,380 7 Arash Asadbadi United States $123,910 8 Daniel De Almeida Brazil $96,940 9 Roman Kropmanns Brazil $76,316

Relive all the action from this amazing tournament
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms in the morning. Partly cloudy skies late. High near 90F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 76F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
For the second consecutive month, an equal record number of South Carolina workers left their jobs in April, with some of the 86,000 quitters encouraged by the strong labor market to take positions better suited to their needs or lifestyles.

The so-called "great resignation" is happening all over the country. Nationwide, the rate of workers who left jobs was at 2.9 percent in April, with 4.4 million giving notice, the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey showed. That was slightly below the 3 percent peak set in November and December.

"Much conversation has focused on the rate of people quitting their jobs," Bryan Grady, director of the S.C. Workforce Labor Market Information Division, said in a statement this week.

But in the same month, preliminary seasonally adjusted data show South Carolina employers brought on 113,000 new hires. It was the 11th consecutive month that more than 100,000 jobs were added.

And there are more openings across the state that companies are waiting on workers to fill.

An online job-hunting portal that the state operates shows about 107,000 vacancies based on submittals from employers and information gathered from hiring websites such as Monster.com. Federal figures that the BLS released June 29 showed the figure to be about 175,000.

The openings are "surely incentivizing workers to see if there are other job options that are better for them and their families," Grady said.

While the strained global economic environment is challenging, the job market in South Carolina is "incredibly robust" with an unemployment rate of 3.3 percent, said Dan Ellzey, executive director of the state Department of Employment and Workforce.

But the labor force participation rate, defined as the number of residents who are working or actively looking for jobs, remains stubbornly low, though it edged up slightly to 2.4 million in May from April. The closely followed figure is hovering around 57 percent, the fifth lowest in the country. The national average is about 63 percent.

Earlier this year, Ellzey's agency formed a task force to look into the causes and effects of the labor gap and develop potential ways to lose it. The findings will be released later this year.

"We are working hard to make sure South Carolina businesses are able to hire the workers they need to compete," he said.

The task force has estimated the Palmetto State could increase the size of its available workforce by about 41,400 if its participation rate rose by 1 percentage point. Wages would increase by around $1.4 billion annually, adding tens of millions of dollars to the tax base.

South Carolina's labor shortfall is at its widest mostly in rural areas of the state. Some of the biggest challenges include education levels, health ailments and a lack of work experience, according to experts.
COLUMBIA  A North Carolina-based general store owner has decided that Columbia is the right market for its growth. opening a location July 7.

Lyons General Store offers a selection of apparel and gifts, featuring popular brands such as Old Row T-shirts and Hey Dude shoes, owner Eli Brightbill said.

The store is at the intersection of Rosewood Drive and Assembly Street, in a former car dealership location near the S.C. State Fairgrounds.

Brightbill looked around the Southeast at possible markets within a few hours' drive of Raleigh, the first location of Lyons.

Columbia did not immediately spring to mind as a possibility when he began the search, Brightbill said, but the more he looked, he saw an opportunity.

"There's not really a store in Columbia that's selling our product mix," Brightbill said.

Lyons carries on-trend brands of clothing and gifts, with Brightbill citing Simply Southern and Southern Marsh and as examples.

The retailer also has connected with Columbia brands to feature, such as Local Boy Outfitters, a retailer of polo shirts and khakis.

Despite the name similarity with another North Carolina brand, there's not much in common between Mast General Store, Brightbill said.

Mast has more of an all-time classic orientation, he said. "We are a little bit more of a younger audience," Brightbill said.

While college students will definitely be part of the customer base, Brightbill said the audience for Lyons is broader than that group alone.

The location, formerly University Auto Sales, appealed to Brightbill because it is on a prominent intersection and has substantial free parking.

Other downtown Columbia sites he considered would have required customers to use metered on-street parking, he said.

The store, named after a business Brightbill's great-grandfather operated in West Virginia, is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Ecological and environmental protection efforts rewarded After living aboard and fishing from sampans for most of her life, Chen Lanxiang never imagined a life away from the Yangtze River. Her family's floating home near Ma'anshan, Anhui province, which lacked running water and electricity, had witnessed the depletion of stocks in China's longest river as a result of overfishing and deteriorating ecological conditions. "In the 1990s, we harvested dozens of kilograms of fish from the Yangtze every day. Then, the number of fish we caught started to drop. Eventually it became so difficult, that catching just a few dozen kilos of fish a day was a big event for us," she said. Chen is among some 231,000 people who used to fish the river before deciding to move ashore as China enforced a ban to protect aquatic life as stocks in the Yangtze dwindled and biodiversity declined. Protecting the river and providing those who used to fish it with new livelihoods were emphasized by President Xi Jinping when he visited Ma'anshan in August 2020. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, inspected the Yangtze and the progress made in ecological restoration work as he took a walk along one of its banks. He said that enforcing the fishing ban must be coupled with aid packages to enable those willing to quit fishing to prosper from new jobs. Xi reiterated the importance of promoting well-coordinated environmental conservation and avoiding excessive expansion in developing the Yangtze River Economic Belt, calling for stronger awareness of the need to love and protect the waterway. For many observers, the 10-year Yangtze fishing ban is just one example of the efforts made over the past decade that epitomize the nation's unprecedented commitment to environmental and ecological protection. "We must protect ecology and the environment the same way we protect our eyes and treat life," Xi told legislators from Jiangxi province during the annual parliamentary session in 2015. Dimitri De Boer, chief representative of the environmental law organization ClientEarth in China and also team leader of the EU-China Environment Project, said, "It has been a really amazing decade." He said Xi has overseen a 10-year drive to tackle some of the worst threats to China's environment and public health, including pollution in the air, soil and water. "There has really been a big shift in the level of attention paid to the environment and in public awareness about the environment over the past decade," De Boer said, adding that unwavering efforts from the government and the public have resulted in a rapid improvement in the quality of air and water. Xi has made ecology and the environment a centerpiece of his fact-finding trips to the nation's 31 provincial areas, highlighting the importance of this issue to China's long-term development. During an inspection trip of Beijing in February 2014, when air pollution was the top public concern, he made a strong appeal for treatment of pollutants, especially PM2.5 particulate matter. Xi told city officials during the trip that the primary task of improving air quality was to curb PM2.5. He also laid out measures to reduce the use of coal, cap the use of vehicles, and to adjust the industrial structure. In September 2013, the State Council, China's Cabinet, introduced an action plan to prevent and control air pollution, including a series of steps to cut emissions of major pollutants, renovate power plants, and encourage the use of non-fossil fuels. Preventing and controlling pollution was listed as one of the three critical battles for the nation in Xi's report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC in 2017. Invaluable assets The philosophy that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets", first put forward by Xi when he was the top official in Zhejiang province in 2005, is also a key factor underpinning China's environmental efforts, according to analysts. In April 2020, Xi visited a national nature reserve in the Qinling Mountains, a natural boundary between the north and south of China and home to a wide variety of plants and protected animals. The president highlighted the importance of parallel efforts in ecological protection and restoration of the mountains. From 2014 to 2018, Xi issued six instructions on the illegal construction of luxury villas at the northern foot of the mountains in Shaanxi province, calling for local authorities to demolish the buildings, restore the environment and root out corruption. "Illegal construction in the Qinling Mountains is a big lesson," he said during his tour in 2020. "From now on, any official working in Shaanxi should above all learn this lesson, avoid repeating the same mistake, and work as a guardian of the ecological environment of the mountains." Xi has also visited the Qilian Mountains on the border of Qinghai and Gansu provinces, the Wuyi Mountains on the border of Fujian and Jiangxi provinces, and the Wuzhi Mountains in Hainan province. He told local officials to phase out work harmful to the environment and bolster ecological protection and restoration efforts. The protection of rivers and lakes was also placed high on Xi's agenda during his inspection trips. During a visit to Erhai Lake, Yunnan province, in 2015, he inspected wetlands and listened to reports of efforts to protect the lake, whose water quality has been affected by tourism industry development, especially guesthouses and restaurants. Xi told officials that developing the economy must not come at the cost of ecology and the environment, adding that protection work requires long-term and persistent efforts. This visit marked the start of a far-reaching cleanup drive to improve the water quality of the wetlands at this scenic spot, with local authorities allocating at least 4.5 billion yuan ($671.4 million) to treat sewage and tackle other pollutants. The pollution and deteriorating ecological conditions on the Yangtze River were also among Xi's major concerns. In April 2018, he made a two-day fact-finding trip to Hubei and Hunan provinces, during which he visited a chemical plant and the Three Gorges Dam, before taking a boat trip downstream on the river and visiting a national nature reserve beside the waterway. Xi told officials on the trip, "We can never allow the ecology and environment of the Yangtze River to continue worsening in our generation, and we must leave behind a clean and beautiful Yangtze for future generations." Chen, the former fisherwoman from Ma'anshan, said it felt as if the sky was falling down when the fishing community was told that the ban had been put in place. "Most of us were illiterate and knew nothing apart from fishing," she said. However, with the support of government subsidies, those fishing in the Yangtze hung up their nets, before being relocated to new homes. Chen started a labor service company with eight other former fishing families. She also took on work that included sanitizing the Yangtze and greening its banks. Her husband, after initially struggling to land a new job, now protects species from illegal fishing. "It is easier for the fishermen to work near the river, as they have developed emotional attachments to the Yangtze," Chen said. Wan Jun, chief engineer at the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, said Xi has always kept in mind the big picture for China's environmental and ecological protection efforts during his inspection trips. He said the president has placed equal emphasis on the protection of mountains, water bodies, forests, farmland, lakes, grasslands and beaches. "Ecology and the environment have been an important part of all his trips, and he has given instructions based on the nation's overall perspective," Wan said. He added that the strong emphasis placed by Xi on such work has been central to the nation's remarkable achievements in environmental and ecological protection, which could be on par with the phenomenal economic growth it has witnessed over the past decade. "The most important factor for this success is a philosophy that Xi advocates wherever he goesXi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization," Wan said. He added that central to this Thought, a set of effective systems for ecological and environmental protection work has underpinned the nation's success in this regard, including the Party's leadership, central-level supervision of such protection, and ecological subsidies. In a remarkable sign of improving air quality, Beijing, which used to be plagued by smog, saw its average concentration of hazardous airborne PM2.5 particles fall last year to 33 micrograms per cubic meter, down from 89.5 in 2013. Wang Ruchun, who lives in Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei province, has photographed the sky outside his apartment for the past eight years. He said the number of clear-sky days has risen over the years as the provincial authorities enforced heightened environmental protection measures. Last year, Shijiazhuang saw 197 more days with good air quality compared with 2013. "The environment is part of public wellbeing, and blue sky means happiness for me," Wang added.

Zhu Lixinin Hefei contributed to this story.
COLUMBIA  The S.C. Air National Guard's F-16 fighter jets will remain stationed at Columbia Metropolitan Airport through November before returning to their home at McEntire Joint National Guard Base once renovations are completed.

The guard relocated 25 F-16 fighter jets and the services that support them in March about 20 miles from the McEntire base in rural Richland County east of Columbia to the region's main commercial airport in West Columbia.

The F-16s needed a temporary base while McEntire's 10,000-foot runway is being rebuilt, Guard spokesman Lt. Col Jim St. Clair said. The $20 million project includes replacing and repaving the runway, and improve lighting.

The Guard has had to fit into a smaller work space while sharing runways with commercial and delivery flights and tweaking flight schedules to reduce disturbing nearby neighborhoods with the loud noise from the fighter jets.

The Guard arrived at a time when the Columbia airport has seen sharp increases in passenger and package traffic this year amid the end of the COVID pandemic.

The S.C. Guard's 169th Fighter Wing has been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years and was sent on a three-month deployment to Saudi Arabia that ended in August in the unit's largest deployment since 2018.

The fighter wing's biggest challenge at CAE is working in a much smaller space compared with McEntire, said Col. Michael Ferrario, commander of the 169th operations group.

The jets and their 200 support personnel share an area around the Columbia airport's West Hangar with FedEx. To coordinate with FedEx and other flights, the squadron sends the FAA personnel at the airport their flight schedule. The FAA then resolves any conflicts and sends the schedules back.

There is not room for all the maintenance equipment and staff, some of which must be transported 30 minutes away from McEntire to the Columbia airport when needed.

There's just extra challenges with that from an operational side, Ferrario said.

Still, the Guard is able to conduct the same amount of training flights out of the Columbia airport as it would at McEntire, Ferrario said.

However, since the training is now closer to more neighborhoods, Ferrario said theyve had to use fewer afterburner takeoffs, which allow for heavier payloads of weapons and fuel tanks but produce more noise. This results in shorter, air-to-air focused missions.

Ferrario also said they have adjusted scheduled to fly less at night to keep noise to a minimum for neighborhoods.

We have to stay trained and that's what it requires, Ferrario said.

A chief benefit to working out of the Columbia airport is its proximity to some of the airspaces commonly used for training, Ferrario said. The jets spend less gas flying to the training areas, which gives them additional practice time.

When we do a training mission, we are not time limited. We are fuel limited, Ferrario said.

The Columbia airport and the National Guard have worked well in sharing the two runways among the F-16s, commercial flights and delivery jets, airport Executive Director Mike Gula said.

Airport officials along with FedEx representatives met with the squadron leaders prior to the fighter jets arriving to set expectations, and the groups meet weekly to resolve any scheduling conflicts, St. Clair said.

Ferrario said he could see short-term Guard operations continuing at the Columbia airport even after the wing returns to McEntire. That would allow the unit to train for moving quickly between different locations, which Ferrario said "is a hot topic right now in the Air Force."

Editor's note: St. Clair's military rank has been added.
Georgetown, SC (29440)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms early, then becoming mostly clear after midnight. Low 73F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then becoming mostly clear after midnight. Low 73F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
GEORGETOWN  The Georgetown Board of Zoning Appeals voted July 6 to finalize adoption of Liberty Steel's appeal of a February determination by a former city zoning administrator that could have shut down the company's Georgetown mill.

That vote leaves the city of Georgetown 30 days from the mailing of the July 6 order to appeal the board's June decision allowing the mill to stay open. Board chairwoman Ede Graves told Georgetown Times that the order will be mailed July 7, which would leave the city until Aug. 6 to file an appeal to circuit court.

The fight between Georgetown and the mill centered around whether Libertys prolonged closing during the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a zoning change that would shut down the plant for good. If the plant was closed for a year, that would trigger a zoning change from industrial to commercial that would stop the plant from producing steel wire used in tires and bridge cables as it has for decades.

Liberty, once one of the citys largest employers, reopened in mid-January with 65 workers just before what the companys owners believed was the end of the one-year deadline.

Georgetown interim Zoning Administrator Chris Inglese ruled soon after the plant reopened that the clock started months sooner, triggering the zoning change, and that decision led to Liberty asking for a hearing before the citys seven-member Zoning Board of Appeals.

Georgetown City Attorney Elise Crosby previously told Georgetown Times that whether the decision is appealed will be a policy determination by the Georgetown City Council. A vote on whether to file such an appeal did not take place at the council's June 16 meeting, and the agenda for its July 21 meeting is not available as of July 6.

The zoning appeals board further voted on July 6 to release the outside counsel it had retained in the Liberty Steel matter and not retain further counsel unless the city council files its appeal.

Brief debate over language in the order that will go to the city of Georgetown resulted from a portion that stated the "Liberty Steel plant in downtown Georgetown has been present and in operation for more than 20 years."

Though the mill has been in existence for over half a century, Liberty did not acquire it from ArcelorMittal until 2017. The board decided to ultimately strike the portion mentioning the plant's time period in Georgetown.

"I just think that in this type of order, in case there is an appeal, that we should be careful with language," board member Donald Gilliard said.
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH  A fire attributed to lightning, followed by a capsized boat and a smoldering plant, kept North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue crews busy on July 4.

Public Safety crews from the North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue responded to a structure fire around 11:50 a.m. Monday morning on Tortuga Lane.

Firefighters believe the fire was the result of a lightning strike, Donald Graham, public information officer for the city of North Myrtle Beach, stated in a July 5 email.

There was fire damage to the roof and attic, along with smoke and water damage in other parts of the home. Horry County Fire Rescue assisted with the call, and there were no injuries reported.

That evening, the North Myrtle Beach Fire Marshals Office, along with Reserve Engine 7, Beach 1 and Beach 3 provided standby at the Cherry Grove Pier for the Independence Day fireworks show.

Less than 15 minutes following the completion of the show, crews were alerted to a capsized vessel just off the shore near 50th Avenue North in Cherry Grove, according to a Facebook post on the North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue page.

Two occupants had made it to shore after their disabled boat drifted into the surf before capsizing around 20 or 30 feet from shore. They were evaluated at the scene but declined further medical treatment.

While personnel were handling this incident on the beach, dispatch informed first responders of a fire alarm that was upgraded to a structure fire report due to smell of smoke in several units in the 4000 block of North Ocean Boulevard.

Initially, firefighters found a light haze of smoke in one unit and moderate smoke in another unit. The source of smoke was found to be from smoldering peat moss in a potted plant located inside one of the units, which was located by firefighters using a thermal imaging camera.

No other hazards were present on scene, so the firefighters removed the plant and ventilated the units.

Overall, A-Battalion crews ran 40 calls for service throughout their Independence Day shift, Graham stated.
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH  Businesses in North Myrtle Beach will have more time to switch over from single-use plastic shopping bags to account for current supply chain issues local and national retailers are facing.

Last year, North Myrtle Beach City Council approved the ban of single-use plastic bags to begin July 1. But after two recent special-called meetings, an amendment was passed on July 6 that allows for reusable plastic bags with a thickness of 2.25 mm or greater after area businesses said they having trouble obtaining paper or other reusable forms.

The amendment allows retailers to continue using single-use plastic bags until Oct. 1 to get rid of their current stock of thin plastic bags and then transition over to alternative products.

City Council said it will revisit the issue again in January 2024.

There are exceptions for bags used for medications, meat, produce, newspapers, garbage and dry cleaning.

I know there is a shortage because Ive talked to a lot of businesses, Councilman Jay Baldwin said. Some people havent been able to get paper bags. By far the vast majority has them, they just cant get commitments for them to keep coming.

Cherry Grove resident Luke Sharp said wants the council to ban all plastic bags completely, but agreed they are moving in the right direction.

I just want you to protect our beaches because thats what brings people here, Sharp said at the July 6 meeting where the amendment passed 6-0. Councilman Bubba Collins was absent.

Some council members were still not sold on the use of the 2.25 mm plastic bags due to their effect on the environment and questions of whether they are really reusable.

The 2.25 mm plastic bags are not going to help the landfill whatsoever, Baldwin said. There were several surveys done where very few people, and I mean very few, like 0.4 percent, actually use the thicker bags more than once. So it doesnt work out to be a multi-use bag.

Councilman Trey Skidmore said his main concern is for local businesses that dont have the access to different forms of shopping bags that national chains like Walmart can get. He said area suppliers assured him they would do their best to keep up with the demand.

Despite his concerns, Baldwin agreed the thicker bags are a better solution and said he would be open to bringing the measure back up sooner if supply chain issues are alleviated.

In 2018, Surfside Beach became the first along the Grand Strand to ban single-use plastic bags. Other local municipalities have discussed a similar ban but none have gone up for a vote.

Bills to undercut local bans on plastic bags and other containers by the General Assembly have failed in the past.

The original ordinance passed by City Council in 2019 would have started the single-use plastic bag ban on Jan. 1, 2021, but in 2020 that date was postponed a year with council members citing the pandemic. Council members last year voted for the July 1 date after hearing from concerned citizens, environmentalists and business leaders.

Businesses that violate the ordinance when it goes into effect will be charged with a misdemeanor that carries a 30-day jail sentence and/or an up to a $500 fine.

Other places in South Carolina that have passed similar bans include Arcadia Lakes, Beaufort County, Bluffton, Camden, Charleston, Edisto Beach, Folly Beach, Isle of Palms, James Island, Kiawah Island, Mount Pleasant, Seabrook Island and the unincorporated areas of Charleston County.
COLUMBIA  The first of several legislative hearings on the future of abortion in South Carolina drew hours of testimony from doctors, pastors and average citizens who hit on morality, health care and privacy rights tied to the continued availability of the procedure.

While no specific text is attached to the Statehouse's current placeholder bill controlling the future of abortion in the state, the July 7 hearing was considered by some Republicans and pro-abortion activists a first step toward a total elimination.

"No more of this cowardly middle ground," one man said in addressing the panel of eight House Republicans and four Democrats. "There is no middle ground between good and evil."

A counter view came from Jenny Black, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic.

"To make this basic life-saving health care illegal is morally reprehensible," she told reporters prior to the hearing.

South Carolina already boasts one of the strictest abortion bans in the nation, outlawing it once an ultrasound detects sounds of a heartbeat, which can occur as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. But the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning landmark protection for abortion established under the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision has fast-tracked the debate here.

Conservative state lawmakers and Gov. Henry McMaster have both announced a desire to pursue a ban on all abortions with no exceptions, including in cases of rape or incest.

It is unclear when the committee will meet again or when full text of a proposal could be anticipated. The committee's chairman, Rep. John McCravy, R-Greenwood, told The Post and Courier a follow-up meeting to discuss the legislation could be scheduled as soon as this month.

Despite temperatures hovering around 95 degrees, more than 200 people, including a number of sign-waving protesters, were lined up outside of the Solomon Blatt Building nearly two hours before the meeting's noon start time. Several dozen abortion opponents stared on solemnly while holding signs with Bible verses.

A man dressed in fake blood-splashed scrubs carrying a bucket of doll parts admonished protesters; he was quickly surrounded by a group of protesters chanting "my body, my choice."

At least one individual fainted from the heat.

Those who testified at the hearing shared personal stories ranging from the lives they'd led after being born with significant birth defects to employees of Christian pregnancy centers who had helped parents who could not afford an unexpected pregnancy with free diapers or formula, even adoption services.

"We want them to know that there are people that care about them," Alexia Newman, executive director of the Carolina Pregnancy Center, told lawmakers. "So I want you to know that we're ready to help. We're ready to love."

Others quoted Bible verses from the podium and called for abortion providers to be charged with murder. One described abortion as a "self-serving act of homicide."

"An ultrasound, a diagnosis, a disability or a physician's expert opinion does not determine the value of a human life," said Savannah Duke, a 21-year-old college student from Spartanburg. "No one has the right to determine the value of anyone's life, especially the lives of those who can't speak up for themselves."

But several others shared stories about their miscarriages and concerns they could be investigated for murder while grieving the loss of their child. Others expressed fears that forced pregnancies could drive young mothers and their children into poverty or leave them in abusive relationships.

One individual who described herself as a caseworker shared a story of a young child she represented who was raped. She walked lawmakers through the process of helping secure an abortion for that child.

While representatives listened to public testimony, around 100 people watched a live broadcast in an adjacent conference room. No protest signs were allowed inside, but some showed their support for abortion rights speakers with claps and snaps.

Some responded to anti-abortion statements, particularly with references to the start of life under the Christian views, by shaking their heads and commenting in disagreement under their breath. Others sat quietly. Some brought Bibles.

One of those waiting was 27-year-old Sadie Wojtowicz of Summerville, who wore a shirt that said Mama of an angel and held a stuffed elephant under her arm with a sound box inside, containing a recording of her deceased daughters heartbeat.

Wojtowicz said she was in the third trimester of pregnancy when she discovered the child had developed brain cancer. After rushing to a Charleston hospital she was told she would be denied an early delivery because the process of removing the fetus, which still had a heartbeat, would still be determined a late-term abortion under state law.

The brain cancer, she would later tell lawmakers, caused the fetus' head to become so large in a short period of time that Wojtowiczs organs started to fail.

Wojtowicz said she had to start dying before her vertical C-section was considered medically necessary  a process that took a full week. The child, Anya Rose Wojtowicz, lived for two days.

"These laws will kill women like me," she told lawmakers.

Other testimony warned of the detrimental impacts an abortion ban could have on the state.

Nationally, nearly half of all abortion patients live below the federal poverty line, with recipients comprised primarily of women of color, according to statistics by the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, South Carolina currently ranks 10th in the number of births to unwed mothers, 11th in teen pregnancies and 12th in infant mortality rates.

Impacts of the state's so-called "fetal heartbeat" law, which took effect June 28, are already being felt, said Black of the Planned Parenthood group.

Last year, more than half of all abortions performed in South Carolina occurred between seven and 13 weeks post-fertilization, according to data from the Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic says the organization has referred more than a dozen South Carolina residents every day since the Supreme Court decision to clinics in North Carolina.

Some Republicans in the Statehouse have contemplated legislation prosecuting individuals who aid or abet women seeking to obtain an abortion across state lines. Sen. Richard Cash, R-Powdersville, has proposed legislation seeking to criminalize the transport of underage girls who become pregnant over state lines to receive abortions, among other provisions to outlaw anyone from connecting people with resources to receive an abortion.

Courtney Turner Milbank  an attorney with the Indiana-based activist law firm, the Bopp Law Firm, that unsuccessfully sought to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Michigan  recommended lawmakers pursue enforcement mechanisms similar to that outlined in the federal RICO Act, a wide-ranging legislative framework designed to combat organized crime in the United States.

Opponents say such restrictions are likely to be relitigated at the state level, citing the state constitution's own provisions outlining a right to privacy.
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
Governments of the United States and the United Kingdom on Wednesday issued separate security advisories to their citizens in Nigeria following the Kuje prison attack.

The U.S. government told its citizens to expect an increase in crime in and around Abuja.

It is recommended that U.S. citizens should maintain a high state of personal security awareness for the next two weeks and avoid unnecessary travel on the airport road, the advisory on its website said.

It added that crime is endemic throughout Nigeria and tends to spike after dark.

The U.S. advised Americans to avoid locations and situations that increase the likelihood of being victimised.

Avoid displays of valuables and limit nighttime activity.

Similarly, the UK government asked its citizens to be extra vigilant if in the area.

Kuje Prison attack

The Kuje Custodial Centre located in Nigerias Federal Capital Territory came under attack late Tuesday night apparently to free jailed criminals. The attack occurred despite an earlier warning by the countrys intelligence service.

A prison source told PREMIUM TIMES that the State Security Service had earlier today (Tuesday) warned of an impending attack on Kuje prison.

The source, however, could not describe the level of measures put in place to forestall the attack.

Although there are speculations on who the possible attackers could be, Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP) on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a video shared by the terrorist group on Wednesday, many of the inmates were seen fleeing the prison while the terrorists chanted Allahu Akbar.

ISWAP is a breakaway faction of the Boko Haram sect that has terrorised the North-east region of Nigeria for over a decade.

The Boko Haram insurgency has caused the death of over 100,000 people in Northern Nigeria while millions of others have been displaced.

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.
A Kenyan High Court has frozen the account of Flutterwave accusing Africas biggest fintech firm of money laundering.

The Nigerian firm is one of seven entities suspected to have been used as conduits for money laundering in the guise of providing merchant services, according to authorities in Kenya.

According to Kenya Star, the court on Wednesday froze 56 bank accounts holding 7 billion Kenyan Shillings (about $59 million).

Other affected companies are Boxtrip Travel and Tours Limited, Bagtrip Travel Limited, Elivalat Fintech Limited, Adguru Technology Limited, Hupesi Solutions, and Cruz Ride Auto Limited. The newspaper reported that one Simon Ngige was also on the list of those accused.

Flutterwavess 29 bank accounts with Guaranty Trust Bank, 17 with Equity Bank and six with Ecobank were all frozen.

According to the report, Flutterwaves account received billions of shillings and the same was deposited in different bank accounts in an attempt to conceal the nature, source or movement of the funds.

Investigations established that the bank accounts operations had suspicious activities where funds could be received from specific foreign entities which raised suspicion. The funds were then transferred to related accounts as opposed to settlement to merchants, It said.

Kenyas Asset Recovery Agency received orders to search and inspect the accounts on April 4, an investigator with the Agency, Isaac Nakitare, said in an affidavit.

According to him, as at the time of the order, Flutterwaves accounts at Guaranty Trust bank had a balance of Sh5.3 billion, Sh1.4 billion at Equity bank and other millions at Ecobank.

Some of the funds he said were transferred into fixed deposit accounts. The agency accused Flutterwave of concealing the nature of its business by allegedly providing a payment service platform without authorisation from the Central Bank of Kenya as required by law.

If indeed the Flutterwave was providing merchant services, there was no evidence of retail transactions from customers paying for goods and services. Further, there is no evidence of settlements to the alleged merchants, he said.

Two other Nigerian companies (Boxtrip Travel & Tours Limited and Bagtrip Travel Limited) that were on the list were said to have received their money from Flutterwave in a manner that raised suspicion.

No explanation nor supporting documents were provided to justify the transactions, therefore reasonable grounds to believe that the accounts were used as conduits for money laundering, said ARA.

Flutterwave dismissed the claim of financial impropriety against it as entirely false, saying it has records to verify this.

We are a financial technology company that maintains the highest regulatory standards in our operations. Our Anti-money laundering (AML) practices and operations are regularly audited by one of the Big four firms. We remain proactive in our engagements with regulatory bodies to continue to stay compliant, the company said in a statement.

Through our financial institution partners, we collect and pay on behalf of merchants and corporate entities. In the process, we earn our fees through a transaction charge, records of which are available and can be verified. As a business, we hold corporate funds to support our operations and provide services to all our customers.

By facilitating payments for the biggest organizations in the world and everyday businesses, we process significantly large volumes of money and contribute to growing the economy in Kenya, and the rest of Africa.

Flutterwave has a responsibility to ensure the integrity of the ecosystem, and we pledge our commitment to continue working with all stakeholders to uphold this. We are working to ascertain the motive behind the false claims, and have the records straightened.

The allegations of money laundering add to growing problems confronting Flutterwave, which at $3 billion is currently the highest valued startup in Africa. In April, the company and its CEO/co-founder, Olugbenga Agboola, were at the centre of multiple news reports that raised allegations of impropriety, suspicious dealings and staff harassment.
The embattled British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has resigned as the leader of the Conservative Party and effectively as prime minister.

Mr Johnson announced his resignation Thursday afternoon at 10, Downing Street, London.

He said he will, however, remain in office until the Conservative Party elects a new leader who will also assume office as prime minister. That is expected to happen before October.

In his speech on Thursday, Mr Johnson thanked the Conservative Party and the British voters for trusting the party and helping it to victory in the 2019 elections.

PREMIUM TIMES reported calls for Mr Johnsons resignation from his party members with about 50 leaders of the party resigning their government positions.

I want you to know how sad I am giving up the best job in the world, Mr Johnson said Thursday.

He added that in politics, no one is indispensable. From now on until the new prime minister is in place, the interest of the British people will continue to be served, he said.

Mr Johnson pledged to support the new leader who emerges. The timetable for choosing a new leader will be released next week.

READ ALSO: Pressure mounts on Boris Johnson as 32 officials resign

Mr Johnson came under severe public scrutiny over the party gates scandal and recently over Christopher Pincher who he appointed as Chief Whip despite being aware of his misconduct.

Other issues that sparked Mr Johnsons woes include the current economic hardship faced by Britons.

A lot of the ministers who resigned cited a loss of confidence in the prime minister as a reason for their resignation.

Details later
The Westminster Magistrate Court in the United Kingdom ruled Thursday that David Nwamini (Ukpo), the alleged organ harvesting victim in the case involving former Nigerian Senate President Ike Ekweremadus case, is not a minor.

The Westminster magistrate issued the order during the appearance of Mr Ekweremadu and his wife in court for the third time on Thursday.

The Ekweremadus, who first appeared in a U.K. court on June 23, were arraigned after they were arrested by Met Police on June 21.

Mr Nwamini , allegedly trafficked by the couple to harvest his kidney for their ailing daughter, told doctors he was 15.

Prosecutors, too, had in the previous court hearings, maintained that Mr Nwamini was 15 and was coerced into donating his kidney to the Ekweremadus.

The Westminster magistrate, according to BBC, while confirming that Mr Nwamini was not a minor on Thursday, also ordered that the Ekweremadus remain in the custody of the Met Police till August 4. Their bail application is to be heard at the next hearing.

BBC reports that the Nigerian senator, 60, and his wife, 55, face charges of conspiring to traffick a person for organ harvesting in violation of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

The platform also reports that the U.K. Attorney General, Suella Braverman, had given approval to the Westminster magistrate to hear the couples case.

Ms Braverman also approved the transfer of the case to the Central Criminal Court in London.

The Cable reports that Adamu Bulkachuwa, chairman of the Senate committee on foreign affairs, led a Senate delegation to the court.

David Mark, a former president of the senate; Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, former minister of state for education, and a delegation from the Nigeria high commission, were also reported to be present in court.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the senate had sent a delegation to London to meet with the couple.

The couple had insisted that Mr Nwamini was 21, and they had filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the Nigerian capital city, to obtain an order to compel relevant authorities to release relevant records of the purported organ donor to back their claim about his age.

PREMIUM TIMES reported on Wednesday that the Nigerian court amended its earlier order ordering the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to release Mr Nwaminis biodata information to Mr Ekweremadu.

Following an application by the NIMC, the judge, Inyang Ekwo, ruled on Wednesday that instead of releasing Mr Nwaminis biodata information directly to the Ekweremadus as earlier ordered, it should be released to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) for onward transmission to the United Kingdom.

But it could not be ascertained by this newspaper if the information ordered by the court to be released and transmitted to the U.K. formed the basis for the Westminster magistrates decision declaring Mr Nwamini not to be a minor.

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 terrorist attack on the Kuje prison in Abua occurred despite the fortification of the prison and other prisons nationwide, interior minister Rauf Argegbesola said on Thursday.

Mr Aregbesola, in a statement by his spokesperson, Sola Fasure, said the fortification of the prisons was put in place after an attack on a prison in Abolongo, Oyo State last October.

After the Abolongo, Oyo State, attack on a correctional facility, in October last year, it became apparent that a new form of attack for which our system was not prepared for had emerged, the minister said.

He said Nigerian prisons were primed to prevent and foil internal disturbance and riots, not external attacks/invasion, since the facilities were usually built around police and military formations.

However, after the Oyo prison attack during which hundreds of prisoners were freed, the minister directed that the NCoS urgently work with other security agencies to fortify all correctional centres in the country and insulate them against future attacks, among other measures introduced.

This was carried out, as well-armed soldiers, police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officers were drafted to our facilities nationwide, to secure them against further attacks.

Mr Aregbesola said that the fortification of the prisons helped to repel several attacks on them.

Several but unsuccessful attempts were made to attack our facilities since then, as the armed guards repelled them on each occasion.

The Kuje Attack

In the statement, Mr Aregbesola also claimed that security forces guarding the Kuje custodial centre inflicted a heavy casualty on the terrorists that attacked the prison on Tuesday.

Regrettably, given their unprecedented number, they overpowered the officers on duty, he said.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the attack which residents of the area said was executed by about a hundred gunmen.

Over 800 prisoners were freed by the gunmen including 64 members of the terror group Boko Haram.

While about 400 of the escapees have been rearrested, over 400 others are still at large, officials said on Wednesday.

More details later

Read the full statement by the ministers spokesperson below.

ARMED INVASION OF KUJE CORRECTIONAL CENTRE

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has been briefed on the full scale armed invasion of the medium security correctional facility in Kuje, Abuja, by gunmen late Tuesday, in which some of the inmates escaped.

The security officers on duty fiercely engaged them and inflicted a heavy casualty on them. Regrettably, given their unprecedented number, they overpowered the officers on duty. One of the security personnel that engaged the attackers was unfortunately killed. May his soul rest in peace. Calm and normalcy have since been returned to the Centre.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the Boko Haram sect may have been responsible for the attack. The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), in conjunction with other security agencies, are working to bring back in the escaped inmates.

After the Abolongo, Oyo State, attack on a correctional facility, in October last year, it became apparent that a new form of attack for which our system was not prepared for had emerged. Our system was primed to prevent and foil internal disturbance and riots, not external attacks/invasion, since the facilities were usually built around police and military formations.

The minister then directed that the NCoS urgently work with other security agencies to fortify all correctional centres in the country and insulate them against future attacks, among other measures introduced.

This was carried out, as well-armed soldiers, police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officers were drafted to our facilities nationwide, to secure them against further attacks. Several but unsuccessful attempts were made to attack our facilities since then, as the armed guards repelled them on each occasion.

We are working with the Ministry of Defence and the Office of the National Security Adviser as well as other intelligence and security agencies to ensure that the attackers and the escaped inmates are captured and returned to custody. As we speak, security personnel are combing the whole area, up to a distance of 100 kilometres radius, looking for them. All checkpoints nationwide have been put on alert. More than 400 of them have been brought in and more are still coming.

We appeal to all residents to be calm but vigilant. Security is a collective work between government and the citizens. Kindly therefore report all suspicious individuals and activities to the nearest security agency around you. We appeal also to doctors and medical workers to treat and then immediately report anyone with gunshot wounds to the law enforcement agency.

The Minister has directed that all correctional facilities in the country be fortified; that all personnel be vigilant and alert, to avoid recurrence.

The Minister has directed that full investigation into the incident be carried out and he should be briefed as soon as possible. If any complicity is established, the Minister has promised that appropriate actions would be taken.

The Minister has pledged to continue to strengthen all correctional facilities and keep our people safe at all times.

Signed

Sola Fasure

Media Adviser to

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola

Minister of Interior
Former presidential aide, Doyin Okupe, has withdrawn from his position as running mate to the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.

Mr Okupe, in a Twitter post on Thursday, said he had tendered his withdrawal letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and told Nigerians to await his partys decision on replacement.

This afternoon I submitted my withdrawal letter from the position of the Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour Party to INEC. A replacement will be announced by the national chairman of the party shortly. I feel greatly blessed to have been part of the foundation of success for the Labour Party, he announced.

The name of the former media aide to President Olusegun Obasanjo was submitted by the LP to meet up with the June 17 deadline fixed by the INEC.

This afternoon I submitted my withdrawal letter from the position of the Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour Party to INEC.A replacement will be announced by d national chairman of d party shortly.I feel greatly blessed to hv been part of the foundation of success 4 the LP  Doyin (@doyinokupe) July 7, 2022

His withdrawal came two days after the alliance talks with Rabiu Kwankwaso-led NNPP collapsed.

Those discussions about merger, alliance and all thatwas led by me from our side, and it is dead, Mr Okupe announced on Tuesday.

READ ALSO:

With his withdrawal finally announced, the LP is expected to announce Mr Obis substantive vice-presidential candidate between Thursday and Friday.

Yusuf Baba-Ahmed, from the Northern part of Nigeria, has been named among the possible persons considered for the position.

He is an economist and the founder of Baze University Abuja.
Tuesdays attack on the Kuje prison is an indication that Nigerias security architecture has failed, Senate President Ahmad Lawan has said.

Mr Lawan stated this on Thursday when he led a delegation of the leadership of the Senate to the damaged prison.

Mr Lawans remarks came about the same time that interior minister Rauf Aregebesola said the attack occured despite the fortification of defences of the prison and other prisons across Nigeria.

President Muhammadu Buhari had also lamented the security situation at the prison during his visit to the facility a day after the incident.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the attack on the Kuje custodial centre by terrorists who used explosives and guns.

Over 800 inmates escaped from the prison with about half of them still at large and others recaptured, according to officials.

Those still at large include about 64 members of the terror group Boko Haram who were held at the facility.

A breakaway faction of Boko Haram, ISWAP, has claimed responsibility for the attack which it said was to free its members held in the facility.

During his visit on Thursday, Mr Lawan said the attack could only have been possible with the collaboration of insiders within the nations correctional system.

He faulted the Nigerian Correctional Service for not providing Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) at the Kuje correctional facility and others across the country.

Details of Mr Lawans visit is contained in a statement by his spokesperson, Ezrel Tabiowo.

Read the full statement below.

Kuje terrorists attack symptomatic of security failure, insider conspiracy  Senate President

says relevant authorities must be sanctioned

faults lack of CCTV at correctional centre

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said that Tuesdays attack on the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre by terrorists speaks volumes about the failure of the countrys security architecture.

Lawan stated this on Thursday when he led a delegation of the leadership of the Senate to assess the level of attack on the correctional facility by insurgents.

Lawmakers on the Senate delegation, which also had some members of the Committee on National Security and Intelligence, were conducted around the facility by the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa.

READ ALSO:

According to the Senate President, an attack on the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, could only have been possible with the collaboration of insiders within the nations correctional system.

He faulted the Nigerian Correctional Service for not providing Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) at the Kuje correctional facility and others across the country.

The Senate President asked the Comptroller General of the NCS to include a request for the provision of CCTV across maximum and medium correctional centers across the country in its 2023 budget proposal to the National Assembly for approval.

Speaking after an assessment of the correctional facility, Mr Lawan said, the attack on this correctional facility is symptomatic of the failure of security failure. The attack is only a culmination of the failure.

We were told that an estimated 300 terrorists attacked this facility. They came on foot, and I believe they should have been detected.

In the first place, three hundred people will not come for an operation like this without planning. Planning must have taken a week, a month or a bit more.

I believe that our security agencies should have picked this from their tracking systems in the FCT.

Secondly, having gone round the facility itself, we are disappointed that this facility does not have Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, something that would record and give you details of what is happening and sometimes record the events.

This is a medium security custodial center, how on earth in the FCT facility of this magnitude we dont have CCTV? It means we can say that all other medium security centers across the country do not have CCTV.

We have asked the Comptroller General of Correctional Centre to ensure that the request for CCTV at the maximum and medium custodial centres of the country are included in their 2023 budget because this is essential and indispensable.

Now, as this facility lacks a functional CCTV, theres no record of what happened, except narration. But if we had CCTV, at least the records would have been there and analysis made, and arrest will be based on the information from the CCTV.

Thirdly, going from one cell to another to release people, specifically, those that are known to be insurgents, tells a lot of story.

It may not be far away from an insider job, someone who is either working in this place or must have worked here.

I think we have to look deeper into what happened, so that we find the culprits, because when things like this happens, then there should be sanctions.

Where people fail to do their job properly, and they have been given that responsibility, they should be asked to take responsibility.

If people dont take responsibility for their failure, then it means nobody would bother to do what is expected of their office or the job that the person has been given.

Having this kind of situation today in the FCT, that we have criminals who are free now all over the city is very dangerous and you can never have peace of mind.

The FCT has the seat of government, and today that seat is not safe. So, we have to do whatever it takes to get everybody back.

Mr Lawan, therefore, tasked the security agencies to ensure that the insurgents who escaped from the Kuje medium security custodial center are found and brought back.

Briefing the lawmakers earlier, the Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Army Battalion in Gwagwalada, Lieutenant Colonel Adisa, told the Senate Leadership that over three hundred insurgents were behind Tuesdays attack on the Kuje medium security custodial facility.

According to him, only a total of fifty security personnel were on ground when the terrorists armed with IEDs stormed the facility to release the insurgents.

Signed:

Ezrel Tabiowo

Special Assistant (Press)

To President of the Senate

Thursday, July 7, 2022.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N22 billion for the construction of a conference hostel facility for the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board.

The facility is to be located opposite the National Content building in Yenegoa, capital of Bayelsa.

The Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, made this known when he briefed State House correspondents at the end of Wednesdays meeting of the council presided by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said: The Federal Executive Council today approved the award of contract procurement for the provision of a conference hostel facility in Yenegoa, adjacent the Nigerian Content Towers for the sum of N22 billion and it is to be constructed in 24 months.

The Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, who also addressed the correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, disclosed that the council approved N449 million as consultancy and design fee for a centre of excellence for environmental restoration for Ogoni people of Rivers.

He said: The Ministry of Environment, based on clear instructions of the President, in fulfilling his promise to the Ogoni people towards the remediation objectives, and the livelihood programme, took a very major step today by approving the award of contract for consultancy services, and the design of Centre of Excellence for environmental restoration with an integrated contaminated soil management Centre.

The contract was given at the sum of N449,250,040.50, of course inclusive of 7.5% VAT, and it is unexpected that this project completed within three months.

The minister said the construction of the centre would help address the problem of unemployment in the affected area.

This centre is very epochal, because it is meant to impact in terms of employment generation in terms of laboratory tests for land remediation efforts on the site that contaminated.

So, that it can be made easily cultivatable by the people for their fisheries activities, for their farming activities and access to water, he added.

While giving further details on what will be the benefits of the project when completed, Mr Abdullahi said: The design is supposed to incorporate an oil spill emergency response department, self-assessment department, soil and groundwater cleanup and remediation technologies, waste management, health, safety and laboratory department, entrepreneurship development, library, student hostels for male and female, staff quarters, sport complex and a demonstration arena for integrated contaminated management centre.

(NAN)
Residents of Akwa Ibom State, on Wednesday, celebrated the appointment of Umana Umana as the minister of Niger Delta Affairs by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Umana and six other new ministers were sworn-in by the president on Wednesday.

The others are Ikechukwu Ikoh, Minister of State, Science and Technology; Udi Odum, Minister of State, Environment; Ademola Adegoroye, Minister of State, Transport; Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub, Minister of State, Works and Housing; Goodluck Opiah, Minister of State, Education and Nkama Ekumankama, Minister of State, Health.

In Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom, a giant-size congratulatory card for Mr Umana was erected at a recreational park in the city, with passers-by walking in to append their signatures on it.

As of 3p.m on Wednesday, residents, in their numbers, were still walking into the park to append their signatures on the card, while some youths were playing music and dancing nearby.

This (giant-size card) is a novelty in Akwa Ibom, I think it speaks volumes about how much Mr Umana Okon Umana is loved by the people, said Jessica Charles, a healthcare professional in Uyo, who said she was attracted to card, while driving past the park.

Signing my signature on it is one of the least things I can do for him. The other thing, is to pray for God to guide him in his new office and to also thank President Muhammadu Buhari for this appointment, she said.

Another resident who appended his signature on the card, Nkereuwem Usoro, said Mr Umanas appointment has renewed our hope for better days in the Niger Delta.

Hell perform well  Akpabio

Godswill Akpabio, the man whom Mr Umana has replaced as a minister in Mr Buharis cabinet, said in a congratulatory message that he believes Mr Umanas track record of performance in his previous offices will come handy in the discharge of the new responsibility bestowed on him.

Mr Akpabio resigned from office to contest the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress for the 2023 election, but later stepped down for Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos, who won the primaries.

The House of Representatives member, Onofiok Luke, in his congratulatory message, Mr Umanas track record of stewardship and dedication to public service are phenomenal.

We have no doubt that you will bring your experience to bear in charting a new course for the Niger Delta region, he said.

A political group affiliated to the Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom, the Maintain Peace Movement, said Mr Umanas appointment is a recognition of the eternal truth that there is always a reward for diligent service.

We are hopeful that your entry into the Federal Executive Council will be the turning point that will, indeed, birth the change we all have been yearning for in the past years, the group said.

Before his latest appointment, Mr Umana was the managing director of the Oil & Gas Free Zones Authority.

He has served previously as the Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, and the commissioner for finance in the state.
The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Muhammad Bello, has explained why his administration is enforcing the policy on operation of parks in the nations capital.

He said his administration decided to revert to the policy in order to ensure the attainment of 40 per cent threshold of green areas in the city.

Mr Bello gave the insight when the management of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) led by its Managing Director, Buki Ponle, paid a courtesy call on him on Thursday in Abuja.

The whole concept of the park policy is to make sure that these green areas within Abuja as a city and to some extent parts of the territory are left green to be able to meet the 40 per cent threshold of green areas.

Abuja was way ahead of many cities in terms of climate consideration and the whole idea was that you develop these green areas to make them truly green with vegetation, with green land, flowers and trees.

That was achieved to a large extent some years back but with population growth of the city and demand for housing and land, if we are not conscious about it then we may derail ourselves and just make it a concrete city, he said.

Mr Bello said the abuse on green areas had affected the ecosystem, adding that government realised sometime in the mid 2000 that it was simply impossible to maintain all the green areas.

This, he said, informed the concessioning of green areas to private operators to develop as parks

A park in the real sense of a park like we see in other countries is neat, clean with sidewalks, with areas for playground for children, playground for family members and areas of relaxation.

And everywhere in the world, these parks have opening time and closing time and normally they are done in the day time may be from 8 a.m. or in some cases 7 a.m. and then by night they close, he said.

The minister stated that almost 95 per cent of those who took parks under concession converted them into structures thereby abusing them and the environment.

Instead of temporary structures using environmental friendly materials they started constructing solid concrete structures.

READ ALSO:

And instead of making green areas they started creating concrete basement and that totally jettisoned the idea and as time went by, these concrete and permanent structures started to be converted into areas where a lot of things were done wrongly

Parks that were meant to be areas where there will be aesthetics like you see in New York, London and so many other cities in the world gradually were converted into places where criminals stayed there.

Because it is an open public space they will stay there in the night until midnight and after midnight you know what they do in the city.

They create havoc in many of the parks and because the parks owners have not been able over time to invest to maintain it green it became easier for them to stay, the minister said.

According to Mr Bello, Abuja is a city where most people are workers and creating parks in neighbourhoods is to enable families within each neighbourhood have a place to relax.

But because it became something else, you go there and your handbag is snatched if you are a lady and your phone is not protected because people are under the influence of drugs.

Families cannot even venture into parks even in the afternoon because many people have made it their own abode. Some of them will go under valleys and erect shanties.

All the laws were there when the whole idea of park policy was initiated in the mid 2000 but as time went by institutions saddled with the responsibility of enforcement and monitoring didnt do their work and that is the crisis we are now facing in the city

Unfortunately as you can see the social media is awash with all kinds negative narrations but I thought I should clarify to NAN as manager of public thought.

You can really understand what the issues are and provide information to our people to understand the message, he said.

The minister revealed that the administration was getting positive feedback from residents, adding that they were appreciative for the enforcement of the policy.

Earlier, Mr Ponle had expressed the readiness of the agency to partner with the FCT administration on advocacy to educate residents to be conscious about their surroundings.

He said it was the responsibility of every citizen to protect what the government had put in place.

Abuja is beautiful and people make it beautiful. The hands construct and can destroy. You use your hands here to construct and reconstruct.

And it is in our own little way to protect what you have built and even without telling us we have been doing that and we will continue to do that, he said.

Mr Ponle also commended the minister for his achievements in the area of infrastructure development and provision of other basic social amenities.

Abuja has changed tremendously to my pleasant surprise and I salute your efforts in that regards. You have done so well that even the blind can see

We think about you every day in a positive manner because of what we see, what we witness and what we enjoy in the capital city through you, he said.

(NAN)
At least six people were reportedly killed in error by an Air Force jet in Kunkunna community of Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State Tuesday afternoon.

The victims, sources said, were hit by a bomb released by a fighter jet which was involved in the fight against bandits.

The lawmaker representing Safana constituency at the Katsina State House of Assembly, AbdulJalal Runka, confirmed the accident to reporters in Katsina.

But he said only one woman was killed by the bomb. He said 14 other people injured in the attack were being treated at a hospital.

What actually happened is that it was that jet (Air force fighter jet) that released the bomb there and there were casualties. 14 people were affected and they were quickly taken to the hospital, he said.

Mr Runka said eight persons were admitted at the Umaru Musa Yaradua University Teaching Hospital (formerly Federal Medical Centre Katsina).

The woman who died was one of those admitted at the FMC. Six people are in Dutsin Ma General Hospital. The eight persons were also taken to Dutsin Ma but because of the critical situation of their wounds, they were referred to the FMC here in Katsina, he said

However, a source at the Yariman Katsina (District Head of Safana) office who asked not to be named said six other victims of the bomb blast who were being treated at the General Hospital Dutsin Ma have all died.

I can confirm that the six people who were receiving medical attention in Dutsin Ma have all died. One of them died before reaching the hospital. But there are also eight more people in Federal Medical Centre Katsina receiving medical treatment, he said.

The source said the fighter jet was responding to a distress call for help in flushing out bandits operating in the western part of the local government.

Its a usual thing to most of the people in the area seeing fighter jets going into the Rugu forest side but yesterday, it was different because the fighter jet dropped the bomb before reaching the forest side, the source said.

Tension

Meanwhile, Mr Runka said there is palpable tension in the area due to a recent spike in attacks by the gunmen

He said the fighter jet was trying to locate bandits who were grouping in Kwanar Dutse from where they intended to launch an attack.

Mr Runka said they were yet to receive an official briefing on the accident from the Nigeria Air Force Base in Katsina.

The spokesperson for the Nigerian Air Force, Edward Gabkwet, did not respond to calls and a text message seeking his comment.

Bandits have been attacking communities in North-west and some parts of North-central Nigeria killing and displacing hundreds of residents.

Both local and federal roads have become traps due to the activities of these bandits.
Veteran Nollywood actress, Kate Henshaw, has described the inability of Africas most populous country, Nigeria, to refine its crude oil as a shame on the part of the government.

The actress spoke at the weekly episode of PREMIUM TIMES TwitterSpaces titled Unending fuel crisis, attendant consequences and way forward.

PT TwitterSpaces is an innovation of PREMIUM TIMES put together to advance conversations around issues of national concern. The Wednesday edition of the programme had Ms Henshaw and other stakeholders in the oil industry feature as guest speakers.

The actress said fuel subsidy is originally meant to help alleviate and cushion the effect of hardship on people but the subsidy regime in Nigeria doesnt address the problems.

To me, its a complete shame. Its evil on the part of the government (both past and current) that we cannot boast of refining our product, Ms Henshaw said.

She added that it is worrisome that in 2022, when other countries are progressing, Nigeria is still buying refined petroleum products for domestic use.

It does not make sense that we do not have a functioning refinery in Nigeria. This is a huge indictment on the president who also doubles as the Minister of petroleum, she lamented.

Scarcity

In recent months, fuel scarcity has worsened in Abuja and several other cities across the country.

Although the crisis in Abuja began in 2021 after the government announced plans to remove fuel subsidy, a major shortage hit major cities including Lagos in February, causing queues at filling stations and leaving millions unable to fuel their cars and generators.

The government said the discovery of high amounts of methanol in imported fuel caused the shortage as authorities tried to replace the off-spec product across the country. The crisis lingered for months despite the federal government saying it had sufficient stock of petroleum products for distribution.

Although normalcy returned for some months in parts of the country, the scarcity persisted in Abuja and black-market sales have thrived with hawkers lining busy roads with jerry cans filled with petrol. But in recent weeks, Nigerians across the country have yet again been thrown into chaos as scarcity returned in filling stations nationwide.

Marketers had listed the high cost of buying petrol at the depots and the high cost of diesel to truck them as the major factors responsible for the recent queue.

The federal government recently announced it had approved the upward review in freight rates for transporters to help alleviate the challenges associated with the distribution of petroleum products nationwide.

Last month, the government said that the nations capital petroleum deliveries were up nearly 100 per cent after the government offered additional N10 freight reimbursements to marketers.

Global Crisis

In his remarks Wednesday, Chinedu Okoronkwo, President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), blamed the fuel scarcity in the country on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis.

He said it is a global issue being experienced all over the world, even in places like America and the UK.

The war between Ukraine and Russia is the real issue, Mr Okoronkwo said, noting that if not for the non-functionality of Nigerias refineries, the issue would have been the best time for Nigeria to generate revenue.

The IPMAN President said it is not a time to play the blame game because he is very sure that the nations refineries will begin to work pretty soon.

The Port Harcourt refinery will work before the end of this year, he added.

Mr Okoronkwo said the government is trying its best and that if subsidy had been removed, things would have been better.

Immediately this war started, the price of diesel jumped. The cost of hiring a vessel has also changed. This money is gotten from the parallel market and not from the government, he said.

In a swift reaction, Ms Henshaw argued that the fuel scarcity situation should not be linked to the Ukraine crisis because the war began not long ago.

Queues have always been in Nigeria for a very long time, she added, adding that Nigeria does not learn and that its leaders are far removed from the realities on the ground.

All the money that has been stolen could have been put to good use in making our refineries work, she said.

She wondered why the nation does not have a functioning refinery despite its petroleum resources.

It is evil, it is uncontrollable for not having any refinery functioning and you say we should hold on to it, she added.

Way Forward

In his remarks, the IPMAN president said the union will look into operational issues like arbitrary charges by NUPENG to ease their operations.

Ms Henshaw on her part said Nigerians had no business having generators in their homes, urging the government to fix Nigerias moribund refineries so that the nation could refine its oil resource.

President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba said the concern is not to just make petroleum products available but also affordable because once the price is increased, it will no longer be affordable for ordinary Nigerians.

Other participants called on the government and other stakeholders to fix the lingering issues in the nations oil sector to make life easier for Nigerians.
The Government of Anambra State has demolished a church building of a popular prophet in the state, Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, otherwise known as Odumeje.

The church, Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention and Deliverance Ministry, is along the Nwangene stream in Onitsha, Onitsha North Local Government Area of the state.

The church building, said to have been erected on a drainage system, was one of the numerous illegal structures marked by the state government for demolition.

The demolition was carried out on Thursday.

The decision was said to be in line with the Onitsha Urban Renewal Plan spearheaded by the current administration of Governor Charles Soludo.

Manhandling

The cleric, Mr Ohanaemere, was seen being manhandled by some security operatives in a video clip, which has gone viral on social media.

An excavator was seen in the clip pulling down the church building.

Sources said the cleric resisted the demolishing exercise, which prompted the security agencies to manhandle him.

In the clip, seen by PREMIUM TIMES, a combined team of tax force members supervising the demolition and some armed vigilante operatives were seen hitting and violently pushing the cleric on the church premises.

One-armed police officer was seen standing in the area. He did not stop the attack on the cleric.

READ ALSO: Soludo dismisses budget padding allegation

Put him in the vehicle, a voice in the background said in the clip.

A white SUV vehicle was parked in the area, but it was unclear if the vehicle belonged to the security operatives or was used to convey the cleric out of the premises.

Take him away, another voice ordered.

The cleric was seen staggering while trying to resist the operatives. He did not hit back at any of the operatives.

It is Okay, Oga. Calm down now, a voice appealed to the cleric.
The Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, convicted and sentenced a fake Army General, Bolarinwa Abiodun, to seven years imprisonment for fraud.

Mr Abiodun perpetrated a N266.5 million fraud in 2020 claiming to be former President Olusegun Obasanjos son and pitching for appointment as the Chief of Army Staff.

The trial judge, Oluwatoyin Taiwo, jailed him after he changed his plea from not guilty to guilty on all 13 charges on Thursday, according to a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mr Abiodun was arrested by EFCC operatives at his house in the Alagbado area of Lagos State on January 12, 2022, for defrauding the complainant, Bamidele Safiriyu, of over N266.5 million.

The commission later filed 13 charges of fraud, forgery and others against him.

He pleaded not guilty to all the 13 charges when the anti-graft agency arraigned him on April 12, this year.

The court rejected his bail application and ordered him to be remanded in prison throughout his trial.

The prosecution subsequently opened its case on April 25 and subsequently closed on June 20 after calling six witnesses.

Testifying as the first prosecution witness, Mr Safiriyu told the court how Mr Abiodun allegedly defrauded him of about N266.5 million by posing as a son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

From not guilty to guilty

Mr Abiodun was to open his defence on Thursday.

But at Thursdays proceedings, the defence counsel, Otunba Ogunleye, informed the court that his client had decided to change his plea, rather than going through the rigours of defence.

The prosecution did not object to the application, but noted that the defendant has the constitutional right to do so, and we are still standing on the same charges.

Thereafter, the 13 counts were read to him afresh.

Im guilty, he said to all the counts, EFCCs statement signed by the commissions spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, stated on Thursday.

Following his guilty plea, the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, gave a review of the facts, urging the court to rely on the evidence of the six witnesses presented by the prosecution and the various documents tendered through them as Exhibit A to W.

We seek to rely on the unequivocal admission of the defendant by way of his plea admitting the essential ingredients of the offence against him.

The law is trite, when the defendant pleads guilty to an offence the burden on the prosecution is as light as a feather.

Even on the strength of his extra-judicial statement, its clear as crystal that the defendant admitted to the essential ingredients of the offences alleged against him.

We seek your lordships order to convict the defendant as charged, he said.

Plea for mercy

After the prosecutions presentation, the defence lawyer, Mr Ogunleye, made a plea for mercy on behalf of the defendant.

In his allocutus, Mr Ogunleye urged the court to temper justice with mercy and to give a very minimal sentence, noting that the defendant was remorseful as demonstrated by his willingness to change his plea and not to further waste the judicial time in this case.

He has a wife and several children as well as numerous extended family members under his care to whom he is the breadwinner, he added.

Responding, the prosecuting lawyer, Mr Oyedepo, noted that the prosecution had no record of his previous conviction, but urged the court to impose a sentence to serve as deterrence to others who might want to engage in a similar crime.

He further urged the court to order the forfeiture of four vehicles recovered from him, a black Range Rover Sport, a black BMW, a black Toyota Landcruiser, and a white Toyota Hilux, and a property located at No 1A Joke Ayo Street, Riverside Estate, Alagbado, Lagos as part of restitution to the victim.

He also urged the court to order the closure of the First Bank account used to perpetrate the fraud. The convict was said to have changed the name of the account from Hassan Karim Ayinde to Bolarinwa Oluwasegun Abiodun to perpetuate the fraud.

He further urged the court to consider the fact that the document used for the fraud was purportedly signed by the Commander-in-Chief, our current and sitting President of the country, the most revered office in the land.

He prayed the court to impose a sentence that will deter anybody from joking with that office.

Verdict

The judge, after convicting the defendant, said: The defendant went to the lengths of involving a former president of this country, General Obasanjo and forged documents allegedly signed by the current president of this country, President Muhammadu Buhari.

She noted that it was so sad that people like the defendant have given our beloved country a bad image.

It is obvious that the defendant appears to be a very intelligent man, more is the pity that he could not put his ingenuity to better use.

In the light of the seriousness of this scam, and in order to send a clear message to all scammers, fraudsters and criminals, this court is prepared to protect the interest of Nigerians and the society at large, the judge added.

Sentencing the convict, the judge said: I, therefore, sentence the defendant to seven years imprisonment without an option of fine.

The court also granted the prayers of the prosecution for the forfeiture of the four vehicles and the property to help the victim recover his money. He was also ordered to pay N20 million as restitution to the victim. His First Bank account was also ordered: closed forthwith.

Background

EFCC had charged Mr Abiodun with 13 charges, including obtaining money by false pretence, forgery of documents and possession of documents containing false pretence.

The commission said the alleged fraud, involving N266,500,000, was reported by Mr Sarifiyu and his firm, Kodef Clearing Resources.

EFCC said Mr Bolarinwa perpetrated the alleged fraud by posing as a General in the Nigerian Army.

It said the defendant made false representations to the complainant that President Muhammadu Buhari had short-listed him and one other to be appointed as the Chief of Army Staff, COAS.

He had allegedly told the complainant that he needed a short grant to press and process the appointment.

Mr Abiodun, who was arrested at his house in the Alagbado area of Lagos State on January 12, 2022, also allegedly forged a letter of appointment as COAS purportedly signed by the president and showed the same to the victim to further prove his claim.

In the said letter, he claimed that he needed to pay a certain amount of money into the coffers of the Federal Government of Nigeria, as part of the requirements for the appointment as COAS.

Mr Abiodun is also alleged to have, in May 2020, forged a Nigeria Army Identity Card with serial number 387140, claiming the same to have been issued to him from the Nigerian Army.

He also allegedly forged a Letter of Recommendation purportedly signed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo recommending one Adebayo Rasaq Adebola, with recruitment No 77RRI/OG/556/0032555 and Adeogun Emmanuel Adesola with recruitment No 77RRI/OG/352/0123751 for employment into the Nigeria Army.

He is also accused of being in possession of a forged certificate of confirmation dated November 7, 2018, purporting the same to have emanated from the Nigerian Army Headquarters.

EFCC also accused him of being in possession of a forged document titled, Letter of Authorisation, purportedly signed by Mr Obasanjo permitting one Bamidele Olusegun Safiriyu of De-Rock Maritime Resource L.T.D. to enter Apapa Port freely and load their truck.

The alleged offences are said to be contrary to section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act 2006; section 363 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 and Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act No 14 of 2006.

The commission also said six pump action guns, three cartridge bullets, a swagger stick, and several forged documents were recovered from him when he was arrested.
Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has explained why the state government demolished the church building of a popular prophet, Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, otherwise known as Odumeje.

The church, Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention and Deliverance Ministry, was demolished on Thursday by members of the state task force.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Christian Aburime, Mr Soludo said the prophet and owners of other buildings marked for demolition failed to comply with the governments directive to remove the structures.

The governor said the church building and other structures marked for demolition were illegal structures built along the waterway.

Following the expiration of the more than two months notice, beginning from April 2022, served on developers and building owners who built several illegal structures along the waterway in Fegge and environs within Onitsha, Anambra State Government has begun the demolition of such structures, he said.

The governors reaction came shortly after information about the demolition of the church building and the manhandling of the cleric became public.

READ ALSO:

The structures were marked since April 2022 and all developers and building owners were served notice to remove such illegal structures, Mr Soludo added.

He said apart from the clerics church building, some shops and perimeter fences were also demolished.

Manhandling

During the demolition exercise, some security operatives were captured in a video clip manhandling the cleric.

In the clip, which has now gone viral, a combined team of the task force members and some vigilante operatives were seen hitting and violently pushing the cleric.

Mr Soludos statement was, however, silent on the manhandling of the cleric.

It is not clear, for now, if the cleric and others, whose structures were demolished, will be compensated by the state government.
A coalition of Civil Society Organisations has called on the Supreme Court to be more accountable in the handling of its funds and budgets to achieve judicial independence.

The coalition made the call in a statement on Thursday citing issues of mismanagement and financial impropriety raised in a petition by 14 Justices of the Supreme Court in the lead-up to the resignation of the immediate-past Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Mohammad.

Mr Muhammad resigned from his role as CJN on June 27, citing ill-health.

His 14 colleagues on the Supreme Court bench had in the preceding week to his resignation accused him of running the apex court aground.

The jurists said the ex-CJN deprived them of their legitimate entitlements while funding personal foreign trips of his family members amid operational difficulties that threatened efficient justice dispensation.

Mr Muhammads abrupt departure paved the way for Olukayode Ariwoola, the next most senior justice, to be appointed as the acting CJN.

In a statement jointly issued by 45 CSOs on Thursday, the coalition commended the 14 Justices of the Supreme Court for their courage in raising the alarm over the crisis at the court.

We must not lose sight of the critical issues of mismanagement and financial impropriety raised in the petition by the Supreme Court Justices, the CSOs said.

The coalition urged the Supreme Court to professionalise the financial management of the court to ensure the independence of the judiciary.

The apex court must as a necessity explore professionalising of the administration of the courts in such a manner that it addresses the legitimate concerns in relation to the accountability of the Judiciary for funds allocated to it, with adequate budgeting and discipline that prioritises needs; against the need to ensure that the independence of the Judiciary is not undermined or eroded.

We, therefore, urge the court to competent professionals with the capacity for the management and administration of complex business organisations, while allowing judicial officers to focus on their primary responsibility of dispensing justice, the statement said.

Some of the CSOs include  Accountability Lab, Nigeria, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Almajiri Child Right Initiative (ACRI), Associated for Democratic Citizens (ADC), and Borno Coalition for Democracy and Progress (BOCODEP)

Others include  BudgIT Foundation, Centre for Accountability and Inclusive Development (CAAID), Centre for Community Excellence (CENCEX), Centre for Impact Advocacy (CiA), Centre for Social Justice,Change Managers International Network, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and CLEEN Foundation.

The group noted that a lack of transparency and accountability in the judiciary has shown its processes are vulnerable to manipulation.

Emphasising the need for transparency, the CSOs said the forthcoming electioneering would require the judiciary to uphold citizens will as failure to do so amount to a loss of confidence in election petition outcomes.

Judiciary must be independent

Calling for a more transparent process of recruiting judges, the CSOs said the 10 years post-call criterion is no longer enough, adding, There is  a need for pre-set and publicly advertised processes which will ensure that the best candidates are sourced in accordance with a consistent and transparent process.

They recommended the Kenyan judiciary template which emphasises a vetting process for judges, in which an independent board of Kenyan lawyers, civil society leaders, and foreign judges review the records of each serving judicial officer to determine whether he or she is suitable to remain on the bench.

They also called for the independence of the judiciary, asking the National Assembly to take necessary legislative actions to bring about needed legislative reforms to guarantee the true independence of the judiciary.

The statement urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to engage with the judiciarys leadership to rid it of corruption.
The police in Edo State on Thursday said it arrested 30 suspected cultists for alleged involvement in cult-related clashes and activities in Benin City.

Chidi Nwabuzor, the police spokesperson in the state, disclosed this while addressing reporters on the commands achievements in its fight against cultism in the state.

Mr Nwabuzor, a superintendent of police, said the suspects included seven females and 23 males.

They were arrested in different locations within Benin, he said.

He said the anti-cultism unit of the police raided criminal hideouts and black spots as a clampdown on criminals in the state, following recent cult related clashes in the state.

READ ALSO:

During the raid, 30 suspects, comprising 23 males and seven females, were arrested. The suspects confessed to being members of various cult groups in the state.

The police spokesperson said some of the suspects were members of Eiye, Buccaneers and Maphite confraternity.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the suspects denied being members of cult groups.

They said they only got to know why they were arrested during their parade at the police headquarters.

One suspect, Rose Okafor, 40, said the police arrested her while she was selling drinks at a hotel.

I was arrested by the police at about 9 p.m. They arrested five of us at the same place and they didnt tell us why we were arrested.

We are only hearing it now that we are cultists. I am not a cultist, she said.

(NAN)
Its interesting that Matawalle would not press for a state police, preferring instead to share arms to citizens. His suggestion is a short-cut that would only create more problems. It is the usual short circuit of our public officials  taking a plunge at every quick fix without well thought out plans for the aftermath and domino effects.

Nigeria is awash with arms  guns, bullets, charms, drugs and local stuff. Not just Nigeria. The entire Sahelian and sub-Saharan African region is drowning in deadly small arms and light weapons  so-called because of their portability and ease of use and adaptation.

The firearms may be out of the line of sight, but they are making the rounds in cars and motorcycles or as headloads and hand luggage, concealed in unimaginable places. Many are also believed to be siphoned from the armouries of security agencies, and are making their way into the hands of unknown gunmen with destructive motives and in ever increasing numbers.

According to the 2019 SAS and African Union study, Weapons Compass: Mapping Illicit Small Arms Flows in Africa, Civilians including rebel groups and militias hold more than 40 million small arms and light weapons, while government-related entities hold fewer than 11 million.

The 2020 SBM Intelligence Report on Nigeria said there were about six million illicit small arms in circulation in the country, up three-fold from the two million reported by Oxfam in 2016. The SBM report indicates that about 10 million small arms were on the loose in West Africa. Nigeria accounts for six out of every 10 illicit weapons in the region.

Given that many such weapons are military grade, their description as small arms is grossly misleading considering the amount of violence and destruction they can be used to unleash. These weapons have liberalised and democratised conflicts. With them, every coward in the neighbourhood feels emboldened, invincible and hungry for a fight.

The ISWAP and Boko Haram conflicts in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso; the ethnic wars of South Sudan, and the unravelling of Libya; the banditry in North and Central Nigeria, and indeed all conflicts in diverse places, are the direct manifestations of the ease of access to weapons by unauthorised persons.

Unfortunately, the region is also awash with weak state actors. Military and civilian leaders in Nigeria, the regions powerhouse that should lead the charge against the insurgency, are confused, exhausted and afraid for their own lives. Nothing illustrates this dire situation more than the Wednesday night attack on President Muhammadu Buharis advance party to Katsina and the jailbreak in the Kuje Prisons, less than 44 kilometres from the Central Business Disrtict, Abuja.

The jailbreak, claimed by ISWAP, was the ninth successful one in two years. The Katsina attack came on the heels of the several deadly attacks on communities in Kaduna and what appears to be the coordinated kidnapping of Catholic priests.

The affected states and Buharis government have tried everything from cutting deals with bandits in negotiations spearheaded by the Muslim clergy, to regional joint task forces, and from local vigilantes to calls for divine intervention. So far, nothing seems to have worked. Modest gains are too often undermined by corruption in the top military hierarchy, poor intelligence and demoralised soldiers.

Small groups, communities and individuals who formerly relied on traditional weapons for self-defence and survival have found force multipliers in firearms and taken to crime and violence. The weapons are cheap and have become an economic tool with guaranteed access to war booty with minimum effort.

Why Matawalle doesnt seem to see his call for citizens to take up arms as an abdication of responsibility, is baffling. Quite credulously, he sounded as though he would order a shipload of Kalashnikovs and distribute them to all Zamfara citizens  who, instead of the police and the army, should now stand guard, fight and perhaps overcome the bandits.

This desperate situation partly explains why Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State called for citizens to arm and defend themselves, a call that has sparked significant resistance from the military top brass.

Matawalle is not the first governor or prominent citizen to make a rallying cry for ordinary Nigerians to take up arms in self-defence. Former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, made a similar call in November 2014 at the height of Boko Harams callous and brutal reign of terror.

Sanusi said he had to make the call because the state had become significantly weak  so weak that it lacked the initiative and appropriate response mechanisms to armed groups holding citizens and government to ransom.

Cultists, bandits, terror groups and all manner of militias acquired the brazenness to take on the police and military forces in frontal attacks or ambushes and inflict serious casualties on them. Then they raid their armouries to harvest more weapons  adding legitimate stock to illegitimate ones.

Governments of South-West Nigeria have set up a regional militia, Amotekun, after the Federal Government refused support to the call for state police.

Why Matawalle doesnt seem to see his call for citizens to take up arms as an abdication of responsibility, is baffling. Quite credulously, he sounded as though he would order a shipload of Kalashnikovs and distribute them to all Zamfara citizens  who, instead of the police and the army, should now stand guard, fight and perhaps overcome the bandits.

This is the same governor, who only in April, used state funds to buy 260 assorted Cadillac limousines, each valued at about N50 million, for district heads and traditional rulers in Zamfara. Its a telling indictment on the governor that he would indulge the exotic tastes and comfort of a few at the expense of the safety and security of the majority.

Insecurity is not limited to Zamfara alone. In the last 23 years, however, that State has had more than its fair share of irresponsible governors, from the one who gave them political sharia instead of food to the one who told scores of citizens dying from meningitis that the disease was punishment for their sins.

Matawalles bizarre call to arms should be seen for what it is: Another public acknowledgement from a ranking Nigerian politician in the ruling party that the current federally controlled, unitary command system of policing is not working.

How long would it take for the National Assembly and Buharis executive branch to set up state police, which even a committee set up by the ruling party (with a parliamentary majority) has recommended?

Ensconced in the bubble of government houses and watched over by different retinues of security aides, our public officials think security means guns and bullets. They have a blinkered vision of the Nigerian reality and cannot do better than prescribe poisonous pills with debilitating side effects to ailments for which there are herbal remedies.

The army is overwhelmed dealing with both internal law and order issues, which it has no business meddling in, and fighting insurgency at the same time.

The improvised, backdoor security outfits that many states, especially those in the South-West have created, lack the legitimacy, authority and structure which state police could provide. These ad hoc arrangements should never be confused with a properly constituted state police force. They are desperate straws that states are grasping at for survival.

Its interesting that Matawalle would not press for a state police, preferring instead to share arms to citizens. His suggestion is a short-cut that would only create more problems. It is the usual short circuit of our public officials  taking a plunge at every quick fix without well thought out plans for the aftermath and domino effects.

The most prevalent argument against state police by the political class is that politicians  especially those in power  will use them to settle personal scores against their rivals, especially during elections. They find nothing wrong with the present broken system under which only the Federal Government can use the police for its own fancies, including carrying handbags for wives of government officials.

Yet, if fear of abuse  an irrational fear as jurisdictions with state police systems also have inbuilt checks and balances  is the problem, consider the abuse that would ensue from Matawalles suggestion where everyone could have a gun!

The call is not only a self-indictment, its also an indictment of the Federal Government that has substituted responsibility for meaningless statement after public statement of sympathy.

Not only has Buharis government failed to secure the country as he promised, it has also failed spectacularly to provide jobs to keep idle minds out of deadly mischief.

Ensconced in the bubble of government houses and watched over by different retinues of security aides, our public officials think security means guns and bullets. They have a blinkered vision of the Nigerian reality and cannot do better than prescribe poisonous pills with debilitating side effects to ailments for which there are herbal remedies.

The state has left many with Hobsons choice: a gun or your life.

Azu Ishiekwene is Editor-in-Chief of LEADERSHIP.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has dismissed allegations of budget padding for some projects by margins as wide as 300 per cent in some ministries in the state.

This is contained in a statement from the governors spokesperson, Christian Aburime, on Thursday.

Reacting to an article titled, Budget padding scandal hits Anambra State Government, Mr Soludo said criminals of different types displaced by his government were fighting back with propaganda.

For clarity, it is important we state that we are not oblivious of the diversionary antics of those whose lucrative criminal enterprise is being smoked out by the renewed fight against all forms criminality in the state, housed in various camps and bushes perpetrating heinous crimes.

Anambra no longer has free money to feed the greed of those whose source of livelihood is government money and patronage as a result of free oil money which sadly stopped.

The claims that the commissioner for Works refused to appear before the House of Assembly to defend his ministrys budget on June 29 is false.

We owe it as a duty to Anambra to ensure that every penny of our borrowed funds is accounted for, and deployed to building quality infrastructure, and not for consumption.

On the cost of the road per kilometer, it is funny that the unknown writer is using propaganda and deceit to hoodwink the unsuspecting public.

How do you start talking about the cost of contracts for roads currently being designed and contracts not awarded, of course people always judge others by their own standards, he stated.

Mr Soludo went further to provide cost trend of road projects executed in the state which he said ranged from above N200 million to as much as N1 billion per kilometer in 2018 when diesel was N120 per litre and a tonne of asphalt, N18,000

He said though the cost of diesel and asphalt had risen to N850 per litre and N65,000 per tonne in 2022, his administration would deliver quality and durable roads at the cheapest possible price.

The governor said the roads under design were planned to last for at least 15 years under heavy axial loads.

It is important that we place it on record for the purposes of our employers and to whom we are accountable, that the previous administrations awarded roads with the cost per kilometer varying from above N1 billion to a little over N200 million.

It is also on record that none of our predecessors awarded any road for less than N200 million per km.

Of course, one can even get a road for less than N1 million by spreading sand and lean asphalt on it to be washed away within one rainy season.

The losers of the new order will continue to try desperate acts to fight back but we remain focused, during the dry season, Anambra will see the mass action on their roads and Anambra will continue to win, he said.

(NAN)
The absence of the defence lawyer Thursday stalled the trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, the alleged killer of Super TV boss, Usifo Ataga, at the High Court of Lagos State.

Ms Ojukwu is standing trial for the alleged murder, stealing, and forgery alongside her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, and one Adedapo Quadri.

Onwuka Egwu, Ms Ojukwus lawyer, notified the court of his absence and applied for vacation on July 7 because he is stuck in Anambra due to a flight delay.

But lawyers for the first and second defendants said they were not aware of their colleagues absence.

The state lawyer, Adenike Oluwafemi, told the court that they were disappointed that Mr Egwu could not call them.

She added that their witness was in court.

However, a new lawyer, C.J Jiakeponna, announced appearance for the third defendant, Ms Egbuchu.

Babatunde Busari, lawyer to the second defendant, noted that the previous lawyer to Ms Egbuchu had requested an adjournment during the last sitting, saying he needed time to get necessary documents to follow his defence thereby delaying the process.

He added that, now, there is a new lawyer for the third defendant, and a possible delay again.

The judge, Yetunde Adesanya, warned that going forward, such scenarios will not play out again, as lawyers will not be allowed to use excuses to delay the process.

She adjourned the case to October 4 and 6.
Sherifat Sonaike, a judge at the Lagos High Court in TBS, on Thursday condemned the continuous absence of the defendants lawyer in the trial of Andrew Ominikoron.

Mr Ominikoro is accused of raping and murdering a 22-year-old fashion designer, Bamise Ayanwola, in February inside a BRT bus.

He is also accused of raping another passenger, Maryjane Odezelu, on November 25, last year.

Continuous Absence

Abayomi Omotubora has been absent from court for the fourth time since the start of the trial.

The court adjourned the trial till June 30 because he was absent on June 7 and 9.

Again, on June 30, he was absent but sent a representative.

The judge asked the defendant, Mr Ominikoron, if he was aware his lawyer would not be present in court to defend him.

Im not aware, he responded.

Moyosore Onigbajo, the states attorney, pleaded with the judge to inform the state to appoint a representative from the Office of the Public Defender or Legal Aid Counsel to take over the legal representation of the defendant in court.

He also complained about the absence of the defence lawyer without notice to the court.

I urged the court to also take cognizance of how the defendant counsel frustrates the court proceedings, Mr Onigbanjo said.

Judge condemns defence lawyer

The judge described Mr Omotuboras continuous absence as appalling and unbecoming of the noble profession.

She, however, ordered the defendant to take a new lawyer.

That the defendant should avail himself of new counsel to continue the conduct of his trial on the next date, she said.

If he fails to get a counsel, the office of the Legal Aid counsel should take over by the next date.

It is unbecoming of the noble member of this profession to fail to attend..and fail to write to this court as a matter of courtesy. This particular counsel is of the attitude of failing to appear before the court.

She added that it is unfortunate that the hearing will be fixed for another date.

She fixed September 28 and 29 for further hearing of the matter.
The Lagos chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has refuted claims that the former governor of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode, has joined the party.

The party chairman, Ifagbemi Awamaridi, told PREMIUM TIMES via the telephone on Thursday that Mr Ambode is still with the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

There were claims that Mr Ambode, an APC one-term governor, had defected to Labour and would contest the 2023 governorship election on the platform.

On Thursday, Mr Ambode began trending on Twitter after several social media users claimed he had obtained the LPs guber ticket.

BREAKING: Former Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode Picks Labour Party Gubernatorial Ticket.  Nigeria Citizens (@FRNCitizens) July 7, 2022

But Mr Awamaridi maintained he is his partys flag bearer in the states governorship race next year.

READ ALSO: APC appoints Ambode deputy chairman of strategy committee

A source close to the former governor also confirmed that the rumours about his defection are untrue.

Hes a bona fide and committed APC member who will work for the success of the partys candidate at the state and federal levels, said the source who preferred not to be named because Mr Ambode did not authorise him to speak on the matter.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Lagos State, has beefed up security to prevent any ugly development in its facilities.

The spokesperson of the Lagos NCoS, Rotimi Oladokun, confirmed the reinforcement of security in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

Mr Oladokun was reacting to the recent jailbreak at Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, Abuja, on Tuesday night.

He said the security at all the custodial centres in the state had been tightened against possible attacks.

Mr Oladokun said the personnel of the NCoS in collaboration with other security agencies had been on relentless intensive watch since the incident.

He disclosed that the NCoS had requested more hands from the security agencies to ensure that no loophole was left for the penetration of the aliens.

He warned criminal elements with tendencies to carry out jailbreaks to have a rethink, saying they would not be spared.

READ ALSO:

Nigerians would remember vividly how men of the Lagos NCoS, and other security agencies foiled an attempted jailbreak by some inmates of Ikoyi Custodial Centre in October 2020.

The inmates wanted to take advantage of the #EndSARS protest and enforced a curfew in the state to stage a jailbreak; however they met stiff resistance by the personnel at the centre, he recalled.

Mr Oladokun urged residents of the state to go about their normal routines without any fear.

(NAN)
The sheer volume of data traveling over the IT network leaves service providers no other choice but to adjust to the new reality. One of the ways to solve the problem is to increase the number of servers and another is to migrate to more compact solutions based on the latest technologies. The first method will require purchasing additional servers, leading to maintenance personnel expansion and energy consumption growth, whereas the second method is simply to increase the bandwidth of existing network nodes. This latter option provides a greener solution and should be preferable for all CSPs whether or not they have environmental concerns in reducing their carbon footprint.

NEXCOM's 200GbE NIC card increases the overall speed of a node on the network. NL 110FM-OS features one QSFP56 port to enable double-bit data transmission via a new signal modulation format called PAM4. This allows 200 gigabits per second of data traffic in each direction using a single 4-lane copper or fiber cable. The NVIDIA ConnectX-6 Dx SmartNIC provides more value-added features, including advanced networking and security to accelerate mission-critical applications. Thus, NL 110FM-OS is perfectly fit for security, virtualization, SDN, NFV, big data, machine learning, storage, and network performance testing and emulation.

"By adopting the latest 200GbE NIC card powered by ConnectX-6, our customers can significantly increase the throughput of their servers and pivot to massive data processing without much effort," said Matthew Liu, CTO of Network & Communication Solutions at NEXCOM. "We have a long history of working with NVIDIA on the adaptation of previous generation LAN controllers and are looking forward to our next successful joint projects."

"Data centers are being transformed by the growing demands of next-generation architectures required for massive hyperscale clouds and AI workloads," said Eunice Chiu, VP, Sales and GM Taiwan at NVIDIA. "NVIDIA's networking platform equips innovators such as NEXCOM to supercharge networking performance for the next wave of breakthrough data center applications."

About NEXCOM

Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, NEXCOM integrates its diverse capabilities and operates six global businesses, including the Network and Communication Solutions (NCS) unit. NCS focuses on the latest network technology and helps to build reliable network infrastructure, by delivering professional design and manufacturing services for customers all over the world. NCS's network application platform is widely adopted in Cyber Security Appliance, Load Balancer, uCPE, SD-WAN, Edge Computing, Storage, NVR, and other network applications for businesses of all sizes.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1852042/Cyber_Security_Solutions_LAN_Module_NL_110FM_OS_PR.jpg

SOURCE NEXCOM
BARCELONA, Spain, July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In the recently held 2022 NGON WDM forum, WOM, a carrier from Chile, shared its strategic plan and vision for optical network construction with industry partners and the media. WOM also provided testimonials about Huawei's all-optical autonomous driving network (ADN) solution.

At the forum, Edison Alfaro Leon, director of the Network Planning Department of WOM, Chile, delivered a keynote speech entitled "WOM' s Next Generation Optical Autonomous Network". Edison stated that WOM would work with Huawei to build an intelligent and automated optical network across Chile, leading various industries in Chile into the new optical network era.

WOM boasts of more than 80 customer service centers and 7 million subscribers in Chile after just a few years of development. According to Edison, although WOM has the fastest-growing network infrastructure in Chile, it is not easy to deploy an optical network from the north to the south due to Chile's complex geographical environment.

Chile has a territory spanning 38 latitudes with multiple climates and complex terrain from the north to the south. Therefore, to make the best use of optical fiber resources, WOM will introduce Huawei's optical cross-connect (OXC) and 400G solutions to deploy optical transport networks (OTNs) on the metropolitan area networks (MANs).

Edison also pointed out two strategic directions of WOM for collaborating with Huawei, focusing on optical network O&M efficiency. By introducing Huawei's all-optical ADN solution, the core component Huawei iMaster Network Cloud Engine (NCE) will enable brand-new optical network O&M experience.

For the strategy of improving optical network O&M efficiency, Huawei iMaster NCE will help in certain aspects. First, the optical network sub-health prediction identifies fiber performance deterioration with an accuracy of 95%. Second, the combination of EOTDR and GIS maps shortens the locating duration from hours to minutes. The optical network resource assurance shortens the service TTM from weeks to one day. The optical network health assurance feature transforms the manual monitoring to visualized real-time monitoring. In addition, the accuracy of shared risk link group (SRLG) risk detection exceeds 90%, which will reduce the risks of co-cable faults.

For the optical network quality monetization strategy, Huawei iMaster NCE will help to improve optical network quality and increase revenue. First, the service provisioning duration will be shortened from weeks to minutes. Second, the bandwidth on demand (BoD) capability provides the optimal solution with high bandwidth and low costs for various industries in Chile. Third, the latency map will provide visualized and marketable latency. Fourth, SLA analysis will help WOM provide deterministic SLA assurance for customers. Fifth, the availability assurance identifies and visualizes service risks, ensuring service stability.

With the rapid development of Latin America, a new digital center will certainly be established in South America. According to Edison, WOM will deepen cooperation with Huawei to develop optical networks towards intelligence and automation, and make the next-generation ADN the foundation for the digital transformation of various industries in Chile.

SOURCE Huawei
Using the Web of Science to Identify and Promote Research Excellence

LONDON, July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Clarivate Plc (NYSE: CLVT), a global leader in providing trusted information and insights to accelerate the pace of innovation, has been selected to provide citation data for the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) 2023, the country's national university research evaluation framework. In doing so, Clarivate will help the Australian Research Council to identify research excellence by discipline, across the entire Australian university research sector.

The 2023 round of ERA is the second consecutive time Clarivate has been selected as the exclusive provider. The Web of Science will be the exclusive source of the highest quality citation data from its coverage of relevant journals for the Australian Research Council (ARC) to use when assessing research quality from higher education institutions participating in ERA. The 2023 evaluation will be informed by using either peer review or a range of citation indicators, depending on the discipline.

ERA identifies and promotes excellence across the full spectrum of research activity in Australia's higher education institutions. ERA helps inform decision making across universities, industry, government and community stakeholder groups by providing a rich and robust source of information on university research excellence and comparative quality of research produced by Australia's universities.

Clarivate has supported ERA from inception in 2010, including being part of the 2008 working group that developed indicators for the first time a nationwide stocktake of discipline strengths and areas for development had ever been conducted in Australia. Since then, ERA has continued to evolve each round, including proposed improvements recommended by an expert panel during the ERA and EI review. Clarivate is committed to working with the ARC to implement improvements from previous years and ensure efficient and robust assessments of the quality and impact of Australian research are achieved in 2023.

Jonathan Adams, Chief Scientist, Institute for Scientific Information, Clarivate said: "We are extremely proud to continue to work with the Australian Research Council and to be chosen as the exclusive citation data provider for ERA 2023. Clarivate has a long history of supporting customers all over the world when they evaluate their research programs, identify excellence and set standards. Clarivate's services help funders evaluate investment, and research institutions to expand the capability of their research and innovation efforts, delivering on even better returns. We will continue to work with the Australian Government to maximize the impact of Australian research, from inception to advancing innovation."

About Clarivate

Clarivate is a global leader in providing solutions to accelerate the pace of innovation. Our bold mission is to help customers solve some of the world's most complex problems by providing actionable information and insights that reduce the time from new ideas to life-changing inventions in the areas of Academia & Government, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Professional Services and Consumer Goods, Manufacturing & Technology. We help customers discover, protect and commercialize their inventions using our trusted subscription and technology-based solutions coupled with deep domain expertise. For more information, please visit clarivate.com.

About the ARC

The Australian Research Council (ARC) is a Commonwealth entity within the Australian Government. The ARC's purpose is to grow knowledge and innovation for the benefit of the Australian community through funding the highest quality research, assessing the quality, engagement and impact of research and providing advice on research matters. Through Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) the ARC is tasked with identifying excellence in research, by comparing Australia's university research effort against international benchmarks. ERA aims to promote the pursuit of excellence across all fields and all types of research and provide a rich and robust source of information on university research excellence to inform and support the needs of universities, industry, government and community stakeholders. Visit: http://www.arc.gov.au

Media contact:

Lisa Hulme, Global Head of External Communications

[email protected]

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1159266/Clarivate_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Clarivate Plc
Bergin began his financial services career in 1985. He has successfully developed and operated multiple branch offices and multi-office regions for several national brokerage firms before transitioning to an independent broker dealer model. A hands-on branch owner, his practice empowers financial professionals to serve their clients and run their businesses more efficiently and effectively. His team of seasoned industry veterans serves thousands of clients, providing a full spectrum of investment solutions and portfolio strategies.

"We are extremely excited to affiliate with the Cetera Advisors community and look forward to a prosperous and collaborative future together," Bergin said. "Cetera's reputation as a leading independent broker dealer was a significant draw, and the platform will empower us to elevate our practice to the next level through state-of-the art tools, resources and technology. I am proud to call Cetera Advisors home for our clients and our financial professionals."

"Mike and his team share our client-first values and mindset, and we appreciate the opportunity to serve clients together," said Brett Harrison, CEO of Cetera Advisors. "Our resources and support will empower sustainable and meaningful growth for Mike and his team as they help more clients pursue their version of financial wellbeing. We welcome Mike to the Cetera Advisors community and anticipate many shared successes to come."

"Mike's team is a great fit for the Cetera Advisors community, and we are confident that the practice will thrive for many years," said John Pierce, head of business development at Cetera. "Our onboarding and integration team was nimble in the process and executed a smooth and swift affiliation. Transitions are never frictionless and the investments we have made in our onboarding and integration team underscore our commitment to financial professionals joining a Cetera community."

For more information about Cetera Advisors, visit https://www.cetera.com/cetera_at_a_glance/cetera-advisors.

About Cetera Financial Group

Cetera Financial Group (Cetera) is a leading financial services firm whose purpose is to enable the delivery of best-in-class financial advice to as many Americans as possible. Cetera empowers its financial professional communities to help clients achieve their version of financial wellbeing through the Advice-Centric Experience. Cetera proudly serves independent financial professionals, tax professionals, banks and credit unions in providing wide-ranging financial planning and wealth management services.

Cetera oversees approximately $353 billion in assets under administration and $122 billion in assets under management, as of December 31, 2021.

Visit www.cetera.com, and follow Cetera on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

"Cetera Financial Group" refers to the network of independent retail firms encompassing, among others, Cetera Advisors LLC, Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, Cetera Investment Services LLC (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions or Cetera Investors), Cetera Financial Specialists LLC, and First Allied Securities, Inc. All firms are members FINRA/SIPC. Located at: 655 W. Broadway, 11th Floor, San Diego, CA 92101.

Individuals affiliated with Cetera firms are either Registered Representatives who offer only brokerage services and receive transaction-based compensation (commissions), Investment Adviser Representatives who offer only investment advisory services and receive fees based on assets, or both Registered Representatives and Investment Adviser Representatives, who can offer both types of services.

SOURCE Cetera Financial Group
The company doubles down on product innovation with a new Machine Learning Center and expansion of the C-Suite team

TORONTO, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ada, on a mission to help the world's most innovative brands automate more valuable interactions, announced the opening of a new Machine Learning Center in Israel and the appointment of Mike Gozzo as Chief Product Officer.

Israel's AI market has seen explosive growth over the last decade, now a host to over 1,100 startups and several acquisitions. This includes Apple's acquisition of Primesense for $345 million in 2011, Waze by Google for $1 billion in 2013, Mobileye by Intel in 2017 for $15.3 billion, and Moovit's 2020 acquisition by Intel at approximately $1 billion  asserting Israel as one of the world's most innovative tech hubs.

Similarly, Ada's home of Toronto has received recent recognition of becoming the third-largest tech hub in North America, with tech firms such as Apple, Klarna, and Google setting up shop in the city. As a result of this office expansion, Ada will now be based in two of the strongest AI ecosystems in the world. The company's Israel office will be hiring machine learning, engineering, and product teams to expedite the company's objective to continue delivering world-class conversational AI and machine learning innovation to underpin its automated brand interaction platform.

"The motivation to open the Machine Learning Center in Israel stems from the pool of talent there in conversational AI and in machine learning in general, along with companies like Gong, LivePerson, Nice, Verint, Amdocs in addition to Google and Meta that have their R&D there as well," says Yochai Konig, Ada's VP of Machine Learning, who has personal experience building R&D centers in Israel in the past.

Accompanying this global expansion is the appointment of Mike Gozzo to a new C-Suite role, CPO. Mike joins Ada following the successful co-founding of Smooch.io in 2014, a platform built to transform the way businesses and consumers communicate over messaging applications. While there, he led the product team as the CTO and Head of Product. The messaging platform was acquired by Zendesk in May 2019, where he then served as SVP of Product. Mike has an extensive history in Canadian startups dating back to his first venture, Appifier, in 2011. The platform was acquired in late 2013, and in 2012, Gozzo was named one of Quebec's top 25 emerging entrepreneurs by the Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Foundation. He's an expert in the conversational AI and customer experience industries  including two original patents  with a long career in product management.

"Ada's technology, culture and team represent a unique blend of empathy and technical know-how. Working with Ada since its inception as a partner has provided me with a unique perspective into the transformative force it offers up to customers," Gozzo said. "I'm excited to help the team turbocharge its efforts and mature its offering."

Mike joins Ada to drive its mission to create VIP experiences for every customer and employee, repairing broken interactions and restoring the customer experience. Reporting to CEO and co-founder Mike Murchison, Gozzo will oversee all product and design efforts and be responsible for maximizing customer impact as Ada's product evolves.

"Mike's product and technology domain expertise is the perfect complement to our executive team today," says Mike Murchison. "He has long shared the goal of building a generational Canadian company, and we are thrilled about what we will accomplish with him on board."

To learn more about Ada, visit www.ada.cx .

About Ada

Ada is an Automated Brand Interaction company that bridges the gap between brands and the people they care about. The world's most innovative brands, like Zoom, Facebook, and Square, use Ada's award-winning platform to automate their most valuable interactions, bringing a true VIP experience to every customer and employee. The digital-first company was born in Canada and now serves brands and people worldwide. For more information, visit www.ada.cx .

SOURCE Ada Support
RENO, Nev., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- aha!, powered by veteran ExpressJet Airlines, announced today that it will increase flying between Southern California's Ontario International Airport (ONT) and Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) on Saturday, August 27, in anticipation of an influx of customers traveling to Burning Man 2022. The additional flight gives "burners" across Los Angeles convenient access to Black Rock City, the temporary metropolis located in Nevada's Black Rock Desert and just a short drive from the Reno Tahoe International Airport, the nearest commercial airport and gateway to Burning Man.

"aha! is one of the fastest growing regional airlines in the Western US, as demonstrated by our recently announced service to Santa Rosa, Boise, and Idaho Falls, and the additional Ontario flight is perfectly timed for our customers in the LA basin who are seeking easy access to Burning Man 2022," said Tim Sieber, head of ExpressJet's aha! business unit. "Our network is focused on bringing people to and from the Reno-Lake Tahoe region, and Burning Man provides us with an excellent opportunity to add an extra frequency so more people can experience aha! flying as they journey to Black Rock Desert to experience this world-renowned event."

aha! operates the roundtrip Ontario-Reno route with 50-seat Embraer ERJ145 regional jets and is regularly flown on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

The Burning Man festival runs from August 28 through September 5, 2022. The additional nonstop Ontario-Reno flight is conveniently timed for "burners" and will depart Saturday, August 27, at 3:00 p.m. PT. The return Reno-Ontario flight will depart Tuesday, September 6, at 12:50 p.m. PT. Fares are available on the flights for as low as $55* each way.

Tickets are on sale now. To learn more about where we fly and to see our full schedule between Ontario and Reno-Lake Tahoe, visit our website at www.flyaha.com

Book at www.flyaha.com or through the aha! contact center at 775-439-0888.

About aha!

aha! is a leisure brand of ExpressJet Airlines. aha! seeks to provide travelers in smaller communities, many who have seen air service reduced over the past decade through airline mergers, with convenient, short, nonstop flights to high-quality destinations like the Reno-Lake Tahoe region. In addition to offering value-priced, nonstop flights, aha! will soon partner with resorts, casinos and attractions to "bundle" value-priced vacation packages. www.flyaha.com

About ExpressJet Airlines

ExpressJet Airlines operates Embraer ERJ145 regional jet aircraft and has more than 40 years of regional airline experience. ExpressJet, including its leisure brand aha!, is focused on providing travelers in smaller communities with convenient, short, nonstop flights to high-quality destinations. The company's services also include specialty charter flights and additional future routes. ExpressJet is owned by KAir Enterprises and its affiliates. www.expressjet.com

Fare Information

$55* airfare price is each way between Ontario, CA and Reno, NV. Airfare price includes all taxes and airport fees. Fares are based on availability and 45-day advance purchase, and subject to change without notice. No promo code required to book. Normal charges apply for options such as checked bags, pre-boarding or seat assignments. Management reserves all rights including cancellation or modification of this promotion without prior notice.

SOURCE aha!
This event marks Arcadia's second groundbreaking of their national cold storage platform to be developed in strategic markets across the United States. Atlanta's location provides nearby access to US Interstates 85, 285 and 20 in the heart of the Southeast distribution market. When complete, this facility will play an important role in allowing Arcadia to serve food manufacturing and end user demand more quickly and efficiently.

"The Arcadia Team is very excited to announce this new project in Union City." said Arcadia Cold CEO Chris Hughes. "We continue to view the greater Atlanta market as a strategically important logistical hub for food manufacturers, traders, grocery retailers and foodservice distributors and an integral part of our national distribution network vision. We've thoughtfully designed this facility to support a range of storage and distribution needs for our customers, including unique deep-freeze capabilities for ice cream and other related products."

The Atlanta Cold Storage location will be a frozen and refrigerated distribution center facility with more than 44,000 pallet positions designed to support high-volume throughput handling services, including full pallet management and case picking. The facility will service the Southeastern states and provide direct access to the ports of Savannah, Charleston, Jacksonville and Mobile.

Speakers at this event included Chris Hughes, CEO & President of Arcadia Cold, Sean Gilbert, Principal of Saxum Real Estate, Scott Griffin, CEO of Griffco Design/Build, Fulton County Commissioner Khadijah Abdur-Rahman, and Mayor Vince Williams of Union City.

"It's an outstanding day for Union City, Fulton County, Metro Atlanta and Arcadia," said Mayor Vince Williams of Union City. "We are thankful to Arcadia for their commitment to invest and grow quality jobs in our city that will serve this region while serving over 22% of the Nation with quality frozen food products. The innovative facility will be a game changer in the cold food storage industry. Amid supply chain challenges, food insecurities, and needed employment opportunities this announcement, reflects the healthy business climate we have worked hard to build here in Union City as we continue to seek our piece of the promise for all!"

"These shovels in the ground today ultimately mean that Individuals who live in this community will have an opportunity to have a good-paying job in this community," said Fulton County Commissioner Khadijah Abdur-Rahman. "These are jobs that are needed, and the people won't have to travel or go to another county for work; their tax dollars will stay where they live, work and play."

About Arcadia Cold: Established in 2021, Arcadia specializes in providing third-party handling, storage, distribution, and value-added services to the food industry. Arcadia Cold bridges the innovation and supply gaps within the cold industrial industry in the United States through modern cold storage warehouse development expertise and proven operational "know-how". Its strategic development partnership with Saxum Real Estate offers a collaborative approach to the design-build and operation model that provides for efficient construction of fully temperature convertible buildings, coupled with modern supply chain technology innovations for its valued customers in the "New Age of Cold Chain". www.arcadiacold.com

SOURCE Arcadia Cold
The automotive eCall market is fragmented and the vendors are deploying growth strategies such as organic and inorganic growth strategies to compete in the market. The automotive eCall market report offers information on several market vendors, including Aptiv Plc, Continental AG, DENSO Corp., Quectel Wireless Solutions Co. Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH, STMicroelectronics NV, Telit Communications Plc, Texas Instruments Inc., Thales Group, and u-Blox Holding AG among others.

For Instance, Aptiv Plc, the company provides automotive eCall services under this brand name

the company provides automotive eCall services under this brand name To gain access to more vendor profiles with their key offerings available with Technavio, Click Here

Automotive ECall Market - Key Market Dynamics:

Market Driver - The OEM's push to capitalize on unexplored markets of developing countries is a major factor driving the global automotive eCall market share growth. Developing economies, such as China and India , have been posting healthy growth rates in the automotive sector despite the sluggish growth in this sector worldwide. This is due to the rising disposable income and rapid urbanization in these nations. Recently, these countries have demonstrated an increase in the ownership of passenger cars that have in-built telematics systems owing to an increase in the importance of safety features and changing customer preferences.

Developing economies, such as and , have been posting healthy growth rates in the automotive sector despite the sluggish growth in this sector worldwide. This is due to the rising disposable income and rapid urbanization in these nations. Recently, these countries have demonstrated an increase in the ownership of passenger cars that have in-built telematics systems owing to an increase in the importance of safety features and changing customer preferences. Market Challenges - The low return on investment for OEMs while establishing standalone eCall system infrastructure will be a major challenge for the global automotive eCall market share growth during the forecast period. The European member states have undertaken many initiatives to lay the foundation for the installation of eCall systems. One such initiative is the ban on telephone roaming charges across member states across Europe . Despite these initiatives, OEMs are still skeptical about the installation of eCall systems as the returns for such systems are low. The revenues generated from eCall systems depend on rare events like accidents.

To learn about additional key drivers, trends, and challenges- Request a Sample Report right now!

Automotive ECall Market - Segmentation Analysis:

The automotive eCall market report is segmented by Technology (standard installation and TPS installation) and Geography (Europe, North America, APAC, South America, and MEA).

Regional Analysis : 67% of the market's growth will originate from Europe during the forecast period. Germany , France , Russian Federation , and the UK are the key markets for the automotive eCall market in Europe . Market growth in this region will be faster than the growth of the market in all other regions.

: 67% of the market's growth will originate from during the forecast period. , , , and the UK are the key markets for the automotive eCall market in . Market growth in this region will be faster than the growth of the market in all other regions. Revenue Generating Segment: The automotive eCall market share growth by the standard installation segment will be significant for revenue generation. Standard eCall systems are based on the emergency calling service provided by a country.

For additional insights into the contribution of all the segments - Grab a sample now!

Get ready to achieve excellent business outcomes from this exclusive Automotive ECall 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 Automotive ECall 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 Automotive ECall Market Forecast Report - Buy Now!

Related Reports:

The automotive dampers market share is expected to increase to USD 6.83 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 3.13%.

share is expected to increase to USD 6.83 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 3.13%. The automotive projector headlamps market share is expected to increase to USD 4.37 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 5.18%.

Automotive ECall Market Scope



Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of almost 2.86% Market growth 2021-2025 5.22 million units Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 2.21 Performing market contribution Europe at 67% Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Aptiv Plc, Continental AG, DENSO Corp., Quectel Wireless Solutions Co. Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH, STMicroelectronics NV, Telit Communications Plc, Texas Instruments Inc., Thales Group, and u-blox Holding AG. 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

2.2 Value chain analysis

Exhibit 03: Value chain analysis: Automotive components and accessories 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 units)



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 Technology

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 15: Technology - Market share 2020-2025 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Technology

Exhibit 16: Comparison by Technology

5.3 Standard installation - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 17: Standard installation - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 (million units)



Exhibit 18: Standard installation - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.4 TPS installation - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 19: TPS installation - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 (million units)



Exhibit 20: TPS installation - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.5 Market opportunity by Technology

Exhibit 21: Market opportunity by Technology

6 Customer Landscape

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 23: Market share by geography 2020-2025 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 24: Geographic comparison

7.3 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 25: Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 (million units)

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 (million units)

Exhibit 26: Europe - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.4 North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 27: North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 (million units)

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 (million units)

Exhibit 28: North America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 29: APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 (million units)



Exhibit 30: APAC - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 31: South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 (million units)

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 (million units)

Exhibit 32: South America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.7 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 33: MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 (million units)



Exhibit 34: MEA - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.8 Key leading countries

Exhibit 35: Key leading countries

7.9 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by geography (million units)

8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.2 Market challenges

Exhibit 37: Impact of drivers and challenges

8.3 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

9.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 38: Vendor landscape

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 39: Landscape disruption



Exhibit 40: Industry risks

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 41: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 42: Market positioning of vendors

10.3 Aptiv Plc

10.4 Continental AG

Exhibit 48: Continental AG - Overview



Exhibit 49: Continental AG - Business segments



Exhibit 50:Continental AG - Key news



Exhibit 51: Continental AG - Key offerings



Exhibit 52: Continental AG - Segment focus

10.5 DENSO Corp.

Exhibit 53: DENSO Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 54: DENSO Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 55: DENSO Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 56: DENSO Corp. - Segment focus

10.6 Quectel Wireless Solutions Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 57: Quectel Wireless Solutions Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 58: Quectel Wireless Solutions Co. Ltd. - Product and service



Exhibit 59: Quectel Wireless Solutions Co. Ltd. - Key news



Exhibit 60: Quectel Wireless Solutions Co. Ltd. - Key offerings

10.7 Robert Bosch GmbH

Exhibit 61: Robert Bosch GmbH - Overview



Exhibit 62: Robert Bosch GmbH - Business segments



Exhibit 63:Robert Bosch GmbH - Key news



Exhibit 64: Robert Bosch GmbH - Key offerings



Exhibit 65: Robert Bosch GmbH - Segment focus

10.8 STMicroelectronics NV

Exhibit 66: STMicroelectronics NV - Overview



Exhibit 67: STMicroelectronics NV - Business segments



Exhibit 68: STMicroelectronics NV - Key offerings



Exhibit 69: STMicroelectronics NV - Segment focus

10.9 Telit Communications Plc

Exhibit 70: Telit Communications Plc - Overview



Exhibit 71: Telit Communications Plc - Business segments



Exhibit 72:Telit Communications Plc - Key news



Exhibit 73: Telit Communications Plc - Key offerings



Exhibit 74: Telit Communications Plc - Segment focus

10.10 Texas Instruments Inc.

Exhibit 75: Texas Instruments Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 76: Texas Instruments Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 77: Texas Instruments Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 78: Texas Instruments Inc. - Segment focus

10.11 Thales Group

Exhibit 79: Thales Group - Overview



Exhibit 80: Thales Group - Business segments



Exhibit 81: Thales Group - Key offerings



Exhibit 82: Thales Group - Segment focus

10.12 u-blox Holding AG

Exhibit 83: u-blox Holding AG - Overview



Exhibit 84: u-blox Holding AG - Business segments



Exhibit 85:u-blox Holding AG - Key news



Exhibit 86: u-blox Holding AG - Key offerings



Exhibit 87: u-blox Holding AG - Segment focus

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 88: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.3 Research methodology

Exhibit 89: Research Methodology



Exhibit 90: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 91: Information sources

11.4 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 92: 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
NEW YORK and SYDNEY, July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Boral Finance Pty Ltd (the "Company"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Boral Limited (ASX: BLD) ("Boral"), announced today the early tender results for its previously announced tender offer (the "Tender Offer") to purchase for cash up to US$300,000,000 aggregate principal amount (the "Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount") of its outstanding 3.750% Guaranteed Senior Notes due 2028 (the "Notes"). The terms and conditions of the Tender Offer are set forth in the Offer to Purchase dated June 22, 2022 (the "Offer to Purchase"). The Tender Offer will expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on July 20, 2022, or any other date and time to which the Company extends the Tender Offer (the "Expiration Time"), unless earlier terminated.

Early tender results and proration

As of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on July 6, 2022 (such time and date, the "Early Tender Time"), according to information provided by Global Bondholder Services Corporation, the depository and information agent for the Tender Offer, the aggregate principal amount of the Notes set forth in the table below under "Principal Amount Tendered at Early Tender Time" had been validly tendered in the Tender Offer. Withdrawal rights for the Notes expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City Time, on July 6, 2022.

Title of

Security CUSIP Nos. ISINs Principal

Amount

Outstanding Maximum

Tender Amount Principal Amount

Tendered as of

Early Tender

Time Early Tender

Consideration(1) Early Tender

Premium(1) 3.750%

Guaranteed

Senior Notes

due 2028 144A:

09952AAC0

Reg S:

Q1700EAB8 144A:

US09952AAC09

Reg S:

USQ1700EAB85 US$500,000,000 US$300,000,000 US$405,098,000 To be

determined at

the Price

Determination

Time US$30 (1) Per US$1,000 principal amount.











Since the principal amount of Notes tendered as of the Early Tender Time exceeded the Maximum Tender Amount, the Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Time will be subject to proration as described in the section "The Terms of the Tender OfferMaximum Tender Amount; Priority of Acceptance; Proration" of the Offer to Purchase. The Company has accepted for purchase an aggregate principal amount of US$300,000,000 of Notes in the Tender Offer using a proration rate of approximately 74.07%. The Company does not anticipate accepting for purchase any Notes validly tendered after the Early Tender Time.

Consideration and accrued interest

The consideration (the "Early Tender Consideration") offered per US$1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Time, and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Tender Offer, will be determined in the manner described in the Offer to Purchase by reference to the fixed spread for the Notes, plus the yield to maturity based on the bid-side price of the U.S. Treasury Reference Security specified therein, calculated as of 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on July 7, 2022 (the "Price Determination Time"), unless extended or the Tender Offer is earlier terminated by the Company.

Holders should take note that, if the Early Tender Consideration determined as described in the Offer to Purchase is greater than US$1,000 per US$1,000 principal amount of Notes, then the Early Tender Consideration will be calculated based on an assumed maturity date of February 1, 2028, the par call date for the Notes, and not May 1, 2028, the stated maturity date for the Notes.

Only holders of Notes who validly tendered their Notes at or prior to the Early Tender Time, and whose Notes have been accepted for purchase, will receive the Early Tender Consideration.

In addition to the Early Tender Consideration, holders whose Notes are purchased in the Tender Offer will receive accrued and unpaid interest from the last interest payment date to, but not including, the applicable settlement date.

Settlement

The Company will pay for Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Time and accepted for purchase on July 11, 2022.

Dealer Manager and Depositary and Information Agent

The Company has appointed Citigroup Global Markets Inc. as dealer manager for the Tender Offer. The Company has retained Global Bondholder Services Corporation as the depositary and information agent for the Tender Offer. For additional information regarding the terms of the Tender Offer, please contact: Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at (800) 558-3745 (toll-free) or 001-212-723-6106 (international). Requests for documents and questions regarding the tendering of securities may be directed to Global Bondholder Services Corporation by telephone at (212) 430-3774 (for banks and brokers only), (855) 6542015 (toll-free) or 001212430-3774 (international), by email at [email protected] or at www.gbsc-usa.com/boral/ or to the dealer manager at its telephone numbers.

This press release shall not constitute, or form part of, an offer to sell, a solicitation to buy or an offer to purchase or sell any securities. The Tender Offer is being made only pursuant to the Offer to Purchase and only in such jurisdictions as is permitted under applicable law.

Neither the Offer to Purchase nor any disclosure document (as defined in the Australian Corporations Act 2001) in relation to the Notes has been lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, and in Australia, the Tender Offer is only available to persons to whom an offer or invitation can be made without disclosure under Parts 6D.2 or 7.9 of the Australian Corporations Act.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are information of a nonhistorical nature or which relate to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. No assurance can be given that the transactions described herein will be consummated or as to the ultimate terms of any such transactions. The Company and Boral undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events or for any other reason, except as required by applicable law.

About Boral

Founded in 1946, Boral is the largest integrated construction materials business in Australia with operations in all states and territories. It produces and supplies concrete, quarry products, asphalt and cement, to build infrastructure, residential and commercial buildings. As at June 30, 2021, Boral's continuing operations spanned 367 operating sites in Australia and employed approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent employees and contractors.

Boral Limited ABN 13 008 421 761 - PO Box 6041, North Ryde NSW 2113 - www.boral.com

SOURCE Boral Finance Pty Ltd
Syngenta wants to shine a spotlight on these impactful people through the #RootedinAg contest. Entries are now open for contest participants to share the story of who inspired them to be #RootedinAg.

Three selected finalists will receive a mini touch-screen tablet with a case and wireless earphones. The grand prizewinner also receives a $500 gift card check and a professional photo session with their mentor. In addition, the winner can choose a local civic or charity organization to receive a $1,000 donation.

"Community is at the core of who we are in  and out  of the ag industry," says Pam Caraway, communications lead at Syngenta. "Our communities and mentors shape us and pave the way for our future. They raise the next generation with the wisdom, grit and lessons learned over a lifetime. The #RootedinAg Contest gives us the chance to celebrate our rural heritage  to sing the songs of our heroes  in a way that resonates in our communities and offers insight to those outside of agriculture."

Here is how to enter:

Go to syngentathrive.com/contest to review eligibility and fill out the #RootedinAg entry form.

to review eligibility and fill out the #RootedinAg entry form. Write a paragraph or two (about 200 words) that tells the story of how your mentor inspired your passion in agriculture. Please submit a photograph that supports the written entry.

The deadline for entering is August 15. A panel of judges selects the finalists and those entries are then posted on the Thrive website where visitors can vote for their favorite. These votes, along with the judges' scores, determine the grand prizewinner. Online voting ends October 14. The grand prizewinner will be announced later this year.

For more information about the 2022 #RootedinAg Contest, visit www.syngentathrive.com/contest. Join the conversation online  connect with Syngenta at Syngenta-us.com/social.

No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Must be 18 years of age (or the age of majority in their state of residence) or older and resident of the continental United States to be eligible. Employees of Syngenta, its affiliates and agents are not eligible to win. Only one entry per person.

About Syngenta

Syngenta Crop Protection and Syngenta Seeds are part of Syngenta Group, one of the world's leading agriculture companies. Our ambition is to help safely feed the world while taking care of the planet. We aim to improve the sustainability, quality and safety of agriculture with world class science and innovative crop solutions. Our technologies enable millions of farmers around the world to make better use of limited agricultural resources.

The content of this release is for information purposes only. This release is not, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell or issue or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or other property interests.

To learn more visit www.syngenta.com and www.goodgrowthplan.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Syngenta, www.twitter.com/SyngentaUS and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/syngenta.

Web Resources:

#RootedinAg Contest

Know More, Grow More

Syngenta Newsroom

Syngenta U.S.

Thrive

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This document may contain forward-looking statements, which can be identified by terminology such as 'expect', 'would', 'will', 'potential', 'plans', 'prospects', 'estimated', 'aiming', 'on track' and similar expressions. Such statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from these statements. For Syngenta, such risks and uncertainties include risks relating to legal proceedings, regulatory approvals, new product development, increasing competition, customer credit risk, general economic and market conditions, compliance and remediation, intellectual property rights, implementation of organizational changes, impairment of intangible assets, consumer perceptions of genetically modified crops and organisms or crop protection chemicals, climatic variations, fluctuations in exchange rates and/or commodity prices, single source supply arrangements, political uncertainty, natural disasters, and breaches of data security or other disruptions of information technology. Syngenta assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changed assumptions or other factors.

2022 Syngenta. 410 S Swing Rd, Greensboro, NC 27409. Thrive and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of the Syngenta Group Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective third-party owners.

SOURCE Syngenta
Choubao takes its corporate social responsibility seriously and is committed to making the world a better place through practical actions. Previously, the brand had partnered with the same foundation to donate specially-made school uniforms to students throughout Yushan County, Jiangxi Province. Every school uniform donated by Choubao included labels with important information such as the student's emergency contact and blood type. In case of an accident, anyone could quickly contact their parents or guardians so that the corresponding blood type could be readied in the event a transfusion was needed. The uniforms also included reflective materials on the front and back so that the student could be easily spotted by drivers and bicyclists in the dark. The school uniforms not only help keep the students warm during the cold winters of the mountainous areas, but also offered safety and protection.
"I'm thrilled to join Broadstreet, one of the fastest growing private equity firms in the Southeast," said Berger. "I look forward to participating in the dynamic growth of a multi-billion dollar business and taking my years of real estate, hospitality and business operational experience and plugging it into their many projects."

With almost seven years in operational history, Broadstreet has grown to overseeing more than 600 people employed in its various business lines. Broadstreet has become a dominant player in the private equity industry in the Carolinas with more than $3 billion in transactions. The company is a leading equity provider in infrastructure development and partners with nationally known homebuilder brands like D.R. Horton, Lennar, Pulte, Meritage and Ryan Homes, as well as Marriott and Hilton Hotels in the hotel development side. Broadstreet has other subsidiaries related to specialty finance, home development, restaurants and land banking.

Mr. Berger is a veteran of the hospitality and economic development industry. Prior to Broadstreet, he served as Chief Operating Officer for Hospitality America, which operates more than 20 hotels around the United States. He has served as General Manager for many respected hotel brands, including Starwood Hotel & Resorts, Marriott and others. Since arriving in Greenville in 2013, Mr. Berger has been an active member of the community, serving on the Executive Board of Directors for Visit Greenville SC and Artisphere. Mr. Berger has also served for six consecutive years on the Accommodations Tax Advisory committee (ATAX) for the City of Greenville, SC.

"We're confident David will add tremendous value to our brand and our subsidiary businesses as we continue to expand. David has a great understanding of how our close-knit team values strong relationships with our investors and commitment to performance. He will be an excellent addition to our leadership team as we take Broadstreet to the next level," commented David Feingold, CEO of Broadstreet.

"We have known David Berger professionally for multiple decades and his acumen, experience and high profile standing in the Carolinas will allow us to continue our march towards continuing our growth in both North and South Carolina," stated Joseph Baldassarra, President of Broadstreet.

ABOUT BROADSTREET

Broadstreet is a private equity firm based in Greenville, S.C. with an impressive track record of identifying promising growth sectors for capital investments. The company has achieved approximately $3 billion in transactions and more than 600 people employed in the businesses it controls. Broadstreet is also the largest land infrastructure developer in the Carolinas with more than 40 projects that cover approximately 30,000 home sites. The firm's significant development business has allowed expansion to ancillary real-estate based opportunities that include home development, land banking, and hotel lodging. For more information, visit broadstreetprivateequity.com.

SOURCE Broadstreet, Inc.
New York, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- National law firm DTO Law is proud to announce the opening of its New York office and the addition of renowned trial attorney, Alison Kehner, formerly of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Philadelphia.

Joining DTO as a partner, Ms. Kehner represents clients in a broad range of practice areas, with a focus on complex civil litigation and white-collar investigations and defense. Before joining DTO, Ms. Kehner worked as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, one of the largest districts in the country, was a Senior Lecturer and member of the full-time faculty at University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, and practiced at international law firm Dechert LLP. Her impressive background includes acting as lead trial and appellate counsel on behalf of the United States in complex fraud and cybercrime cases. Ms. Kehner also led investigations involving multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, IRS, SEC, Department of Labor, Department of Defense, and Secret Service. In her years in private practice, Ms. Kehner represented Fortune 500 companies in employment disputes and internal investigations relating to potential employee misconduct and compliance violations.

Additionally, DTO has hired Sudip Kundu, an experienced first-chair litigator with a focus on patent and trademark disputes, formerly of Weil Gotshal's New York office. Mr. Kundu has successfully tried a dozen intellectual property cases before federal district courts, the International Trade Commission, the U.S. Patent Office, and the International Chamber of Commerce. In total, Sudip has handled 16 ITC investigations, 23 IPR proceedings, and dozens of district court cases.

"Having boots on the ground in New York makes sense," noted Will Delgado, Managing Partner of DTO Law. "We were already litigating extensively in New York federal courts. Simultaneously expanding our IP practice by hiring someone like Sudip, who has both trial court and Federal Circuit experience, made the decision even easier."

"We are incredibly excited to expand DTO's geographic reach to the East Coast by bringing on Alison," added Megan O'Neill, Chair of DTO's Litigation Practice. "Her ties to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York will make us an immediate player in those markets. In addition, she will help us expand our practice area offerings by allowing us to represent clients in white collar matters and internal investigations."

DTO, a "Recommended Firm" by prestigious ranking guide Benchmark Litigation, was recently named Chambers and Partners' "Outstanding Firm for Diversity and Inclusion (USA)," and Founding Partners Megan O'Neill and William Delgado were named to the Silicon Valley Business Journal's 2022 "Women of Influence" List and the Los Angeles Business Journal's "Top 100 Lawyers" List, respectively. DTO clients include American Honda, Unilever, Costco, Microsoft, Penske Business Media, Nature's Bounty, PayPal, Target, Walgreens, and Toyota Financial, among others.

SOURCE DTO Law
The result is transformational. Representing the wall cladding known as EIFS (exterior insulation and finish systems) since it was introduced in the U.S., EIMA spent its first 40 years largely as a technical trade association and developed technical, training, installation and design standards for use by architects, designers, and code bodies.

Now that EIFS is an established, codified, tested and proven cladding system, the association will maintain its technical emphasis and broaden its scope to include all aspects of the industry's value chain.

The new plan includes a foundational industry objective and three interrelated strategic initiatives. The Board also approved a new governance structure.

Board members unanimously support this new EIMA 2.0. Steve Smithwick of Master Wall, Inc., EIMA's President, exclaims, "The timing is just right. With architects and designers seeking energy-efficient, architecturally-flexible products, there are great possibilities for our industry."

Sereen Massoud, member of the Board from Dow says, "EIMA's new plan is right in sync with what we do. Construction materials need durability, water repellency and protection in large volume to face the forces of nature, and our products serve as crucial inputs to this industry."

Darryl Little, Board Member from Gypsum Management & Supply, Inc. says, "This plan offers great possibilities for EIFS and EIMA, and I urge everyone involved in the industry to participate."

Stephen Sears, EIMA CEO, said, "I'd like to thank the aforementioned members as well as board representatives from Sika, Master Builders Solutions, Dryvit, Sto Corp, Saint-Gobain-Adfors and L&W Supply. EIMA's new vision is due to the members' work and commitment. Our future is indeed bright."

Founded in 1981, EIMA is a 501(c)(6) trade association comprised of leading manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, applicators, and architects involved in the North American exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS) industry.

SOURCE EIFS Industry Members Association
Industry innovators join forces to deliver unparalleled comprehensive cyber protection

OTTAWA, ON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Field Effect, a global cyber security company specializing in intelligence-grade protection for small and medium organizations, today announced a strategic partnership with RosettiStarr, an international intelligence, investigations, and security services company. This partnership delivers best-in-class cyber security services, providing RosettiStarr customers with advanced protection against cyber threats across the globe.

"Cyber security risks are embedded in everything we do online, and it is imperative that businesses enhance their security postures to meet the dynamic threat cyber criminals pose to critical systems and sensitive data," said Kip Edwards, Managing Director and General Counsel of RosettiStarr. "By combining Field Effect's deep technical proficiency with RosettiStarr's expertise in investigations, intelligence, and security, we can now deliver full-spectrum incident response services to businesses and law firms managing breaches along with a best-in-class security solution enabling our clients to monitor their threat surface and prevent attacks in the first place."

RosettiStarr will leverage a security solution called Covalence, Field Effect's managed detection and response solution (MDR). Covalence is the only such tool built and designed from the ground up that makes it easy for small and medium businesses to get comprehensive, sophisticated protection from a single platform. Its unique strength is that it sees into every aspect of a business' threat surface and aggregates the data from multiple security events into simple, actionable steps, making it fast and easy to prevent and resolve threats. RosettiStarr has worked with Field Effect to develop a first of its kind instance of this powerful application designed to help institutional investors implement a cyber security standard across their portfolio investments while also giving them real-time situational awareness into their holdings' threat surfaces.

"We built Covalence to ensure organizations of all sizes have access to powerful cyber security protection," said Shri Kalyanasundaram, Chief Growth Officer at Field Effect. "By joining forces with RosettiStarr, which is known for its world-class intelligence and security solutions, we've created a comprehensive suite of security services that will help protect their customers at the time they need it most."

RosettiStarr will also work with Field Effect to help clients respond to cyber incidents worldwide and is now offering a comprehensive pre-transactional cyber maturity assessment for clients' prospective investments. The partnership between Field Effect and RosettiStarr reflects their ongoing commitment to strengthening the cyber resilience of people and organizations around the world.

To learn more about RosettiStarr and Field Effect offerings, visit: rosettistarr.com/practices.

About Field Effect Software, Inc.

Field Effect believes organizations of all sizes deserve powerful cyber security solutions to protect them. The company's threat detection, monitoring, training and compliance products and services are the results of years of research and development by the brightest talents in the cyber security industry. For more information, visit fieldeffect.com.

About RosettiStarr

RosettiStarr provides cutting-edge intelligence, investigations, corporate risk and cyber security services to management teams, attorneys, and investors worldwide. RosettiStarr services institutional investors with over $550 billion under management and corporate enterprises with operations around the world. RosettiStarr has worked with over 60 of the AmLaw Top 100 Law Firms and has had successful engagements in 46 countries. The company provides strategic intelligence, due diligence, and risk management support which gives portfolio managers, attorneys, and corporate executive teams confidence to make more informed decisions and take bold actions.

SOURCE Field Effect
DUBLIN, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Air Quality Monitoring Equipment Market (2022-2027) by Sampling Method Type, Pollutant, Product, End-User, Geography, Competitive Analysis, and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Air Quality Monitoring Equipment Market is estimated to be USD 4.65 Bn in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 6.46 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 6.78%.



Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Air Quality Monitoring Equipment Market stakeholders. These forces create pricing signals which result from the changes in the supply and demand curves for a given product or service. Forces of Market Dynamics may be related to macro-economic and micro-economic factors. There are dynamic market forces other than price, demand, and supply. Human emotions can also drive decisions, influence the market, and create price signals.



As the market dynamics impact the supply and demand curves, decision-makers aim to determine the best way to use various financial tools to stem various strategies for speeding the growth and reducing the risks.

Company Profiles

The report provides a detailed analysis of the competitors in the market. It covers the financial performance analysis for the publicly listed companies in the market. The report also offers detailed information on the companies' recent development and competitive scenario. Some of the companies covered in this report are 3M Company, Agilent Technologies, Andritz, Campbell Associates, Cerex Monitoring Solutions, Chemtrols Industries, Emerson Electric, GE Power, Hawa Dawa, Honeywell International, Horiba, Merck, OIZOM Instruments, PerkinElmer, Siemens, Spectris, Teledyne Technologies, Testo, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Tisch Environmental, TSI, Zetian Group, 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 Air Quality Monitoring Equipment Market. Ansoff Matrix, also known as Product/Market Expansion Grid, is a strategic tool used to design strategies for the growth of the company. The matrix can be used to evaluate approaches in four strategies viz. Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development and Diversification. The matrix is also used for risk analysis to understand the risk involved with each approach.

The report analyses the Global Air Quality Monitoring Equipment Market using the Ansoff Matrix to provide the best approaches a company can take to improve its market position.

Based on the SWOT analysis conducted on the industry and industry players, the analyst has devised suitable strategies for market growth.

Why buy this report?

The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Air Quality Monitoring Equipment Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies.

The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry.

The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report.

The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies.

The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's Proprietary competitive positioning tool.

Key Topics Covered:



1 Report Description



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary

4 Market Dynamics

4.1 Drivers

4.1.1 Rising Air Pollution Level Across the World

4.1.2 Stringent Government Regulations Regarding Industrial Emissions

4.1.3 Increasing Public-Private Partnership for Air Pollution Monitoring

4.2 Restraints

4.2.1 High Cost of Products

4.2.2 Technical Limitations

4.3 Opportunities

4.3.1 Growing industrialization in emerging countries

4.3.2 Technological Advancements

4.4 Challenges

4.4.1 Availability of Alternate Monitoring Solutions

4.4.2 Slow Implementation of Air Pollution Control Reforms



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 Air Quality Monitoring Equipment Market, By Sampling Method Type

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Active/Continuous Monitoring

6.3 Manual Monitoring

6.4 Passive Monitoring

6.5 Intermittent monitoring

6.6 Stack Monitoring



7 Global Air Quality Monitoring Equipment Market, By Pollutant

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Chemical Pollutant

7.2.1 Nitrogen Oxides

7.2.2 Sulfur Oxides

7.2.3 Carbon Oxides

7.2.4 Volatile Organic Compounds

7.2.5 Other Chemical Pollutants

7.3 Physical Pollutant

7.4 Biological Pollutant



8 Global Air Quality Monitoring Equipment Market, By Product

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Indoor Monitors

8.2.1 Fixed Indoor Monitors

8.2.2 Portable Indoor Monitors

8.3 Outdoor Monitors

8.3.1 Portable Outdoor Monitors

8.3.2 Fixed Outdoor Monitors

8.3.3 Dust & Particulate Matter Monitors

8.3.4 AQM Stations

8.4 Wearable Monitors



9 Global Air Quality Monitoring Equipment Market, By End-User

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Government and Residential Users

9.3 Petrochemical Industry

9.4 Power Generation Plants

9.5 Pharmaceutical Industry

9.6 Smart City Authorities

9.7 Other



10 Americas' Air Quality Monitoring Equipment 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 Air Quality Monitoring Equipment 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 Air Quality Monitoring Equipment 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 Air Quality Monitoring Equipment 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 3M Company

15.2 Agilent Technologies

15.3 Andritz

15.4 Campbell Associates

15.5 Cerex Monitoring Solutions

15.6 Chemtrols Industries

15.7 Emerson Electric

15.8 GE Power

15.9 Hawa Dawa

15.10 Honeywell International

15.11 Horiba

15.12 Merck

15.13 OIZOM Instruments

15.14 PerkinElmer

15.15 Siemens

15.16 Spectris

15.17 Teledyne Technologies

15.18 Testo

15.19 Thermo Fisher Scientific

15.20 Tisch Environmental

15.21 TSI

15.22 Zetian Group



16 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5edvml

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Research and Markets
DUBLIN, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Disposable Syringes Market (2022-2027) by Usability, Material, Type, Geography, Competitive Analysis, and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Disposable Syringes Market is estimated to be USD 6.52 Bn in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 8.35 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.08%.

Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Disposable Syringes 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 Becton Dickinson and Company, B Braun Melsungen, Baxter International, Cardinal Health, Codan Medizinische Gerate, Gerresheimer, Henke-Sass Wolf, Hindustan Syringes & Medical Devices, Medtronic, Nipro, Novo Nordisk, Retractable Technologies, Schott, Smiths Medical, Terumo, Vita Needle Company, Ultimed, 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 Disposable Syringes 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 Disposable Syringes 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 Disposable Syringes 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 Rise in Prevalence of Needlestick Injuries

4.1.2 Surge in Healthcare Expenditure Worldwide and Favourable Government Initiatives

4.1.3 Increase in Prevalence of Chronic Conditions and Infectious Diseases

4.2 Restraints

4.2.1 High Cost of Safety Disposable Syringes

4.2.2 Availability Of Alternative

4.3 Opportunities

4.3.1 Potential in Developing Economies

4.4 Challenges

4.4.1 Sterility of Injections



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 Disposable Syringes Market, By Usability

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Sterilizable/Reusable Syringes

6.2.1 Hypodermic Syringes

6.2.2 Oral Syringes

6.3 Disposable Syringes

6.3.1 Conventional Syringes

6.3.2 Safety Syringes

6.3.2.1 Retractable Safety Syringes

6.3.2.2 Non-Retractable Safety Syringe

6.3.2.3 Prefilled Syringes



7 Global Disposable Syringes Market, By Material

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Glass Syringes

7.3 Plastic Syringes



8 Global Disposable Syringes Market, By Type

8.1 Introduction

8.2 General Syringes

8.3 Specialized Syringes

8.3.1 Insulin Syringes

8.3.2 Tuberculin (TB) Syringes

8.3.3 Allergy Syringes

8.3.4 Other Syringes

8.4 Energy & Power

8.5 Others



9 Americas' Disposable Syringes 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 Disposable Syringes 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 Disposable Syringes 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 Disposable Syringes 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 Becton Dickinson and Company

14.2 B Braun Melsungen

14.3 Baxter International

14.4 Cardinal Health

14.5 Codan Medizinische Gerate

14.6 Gerresheimer

14.7 Henke-Sass Wolf

14.8 Hindustan Syringes & Medical Devices

14.9 Medtronic

14.10 Nipro

14.11 Novo Nordisk

14.12 Retractable Technologies

14.13 Schott

14.14 Smiths Medical

14.15 Terumo

14.16 Vita Needle Company

14.17 Ultimed



15 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/dxa8e1

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
WASHINGTON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Vita Inclinata (Vita), developer and producer of precision aerospace and industrial stabilization devices, today announced the completion of its Vita Rescue System (VRS) demonstration to Squadron 751 at Air Base #6 in Portugal. The VRS litter attachment demonstration in Portugal underscores the global interestand needto improve the safety and efficiency of helicopter hoist rescues.

Portuguese Air Force Squadron 751 "Pumas" with a Vita Rescue System on an Agusta Westland AW101 (Merlin)

As lawsuits mount and injuries continue to increase due to out-of-control basket spins during rescues, more organizations are expressing interest in Vita's VRS that prevents spins from occurring. All U.S. military branches, domestic search and rescue (SAR) responders, and organizations in Chile and Japan have requested demonstrations. Most notably, Caleb Carr, CEO of Vita, personally traveled to the Ukrainian war zone to train the country's MEDEVAC crews in the Lviv and Kyiv region; the State Emergency Service of Ukraine has formally requested 30 VRS systems.

Most recently, Vita teams completed several sorties in different conditions, litter-basket configurations, and hoisting scenarios in Portugal, with Squadron 751 participants, a.k.a. Pumas. Prior to the in-air demonstration, the Pumas were shown a series of VRS capabilities and were physically swung and spun in the rescue basket to experience its responsiveness. Upon completion of the ground demonstration, members boarded an AgustaWestland AW101 (Merlin) helicopter to conduct four rescue missions along the cliffs in southern Lisbon and in the Atlantic Ocean.

"All sorties were successful with the system operating exceptionally well. The system was amazing in the face of the thunderous Merlin rotor wash coming off the cliffs," said the crews of Squadron 751.

The high point of the mission was the comfort and skill that the members of Squadron 751 displayed while using the system. "Every time Vita completes one of these missions, we are one step closer to ensuring that someone in need of rescuing experiences a safer and more efficient helicopter rescue," said Carr. "The search and rescue knowledge the Pumas presented was impressive; we are proud to conduct these missions and eager to see the first VRS deployment in Portugal."

About Vita Inclinata

A friend's death during a rescue operationwith a helicopter close but unable to stabilize due to weather and terrainwas the genesis of Vita Inclinata. Founded in 2015 as a way to solve a real problem, Vita today controls chaotic swinging and spin and adds safety and precision for rotor-wing and fixed-wing aircraft and cranes. With the mission of "Bring them home, every time," Vita's technology changes the narrative while saving lives, time, and money across industries, including search and rescue, military, firefighting, public safety, construction, wind energy, and oil and gas. The company is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, with offices in Washington, DC, and Huntsville, Alabama. For more information, please visit www.vitatech.co .

For more information, contact:

Betsey Rogers

BridgeView Marketing

603-821-0809

[email protected]

SOURCE Vita Inclinata
Dr. Caffarra, a leading European expert in antitrust and competition economics, who headed the competition practice of Charles River Associates in Europe for over 10 years, will become a managing partner at Keystone and will lead the firm's European operations, with a team of competition economists working out of offices in London, Brussels, and Rome.

Keystone was founded by Greg Richards and Professor Marco Iansiti in 2003 and is one of the world's most prominent advisors to the technology sector, building deep expertise by handling high-profile cases with specific focus on the digital economy. Keystone's affiliates are all top academic experts on digital transformation, innovation, platform economics, computer science, strategic management, and ecosystems, supported by 150 professionals across its US offices.

The partnership with Dr. Caffarra has antitrust as the core offering in Europe, supported by Keystone's existing capabilities and experience of technology platforms and the digital economy.

Greg Richards, CEO and Co-Founder of Keystone, said of the new partnership: "For two decades Keystone has served global clients including the largest technology companies with counsel on matters involving litigation, regulation, and public policy. Now, with Europe and the UK becoming a leading force in antitrust and regulation of the digital sector, it is time to expand and bring the expertise we've built over the years to this important region. Cristina's exceptional performance and track record as an institution builder, straight-talking advisor and policy commentator are key to this."

Marco Iansiti, Keystone's Chairman of the Board and the David Sarnoff Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, added: "Cristina is an outstanding individual and one of the leading minds in the competition space in Europe. She is a distinctive voice in enforcement and policy, with progressive views and an active participant in the global antitrust and regulatory discourse. The combination of her antitrust focus and Keystone's global economic, strategy and technology expertise, are going to be a powerful proposition and we are incredibly excited at what we can achieve together at such an interesting time for digital transformation and regulation in Europe."

Dr. Caffarra brings over two decades of competition economics experience. As top advisor and expert before the European Commission, the courts and competition agencies across Europe and beyond, she has provided guidance to multiple companies and agencies on mergers, conduct cases and regulatory controversies. Her experience includes landmark cases on the economics of platforms and the digital economy, for and adverse to companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Newscorp, Uber, as well as extensive experience in telecoms, television, and media.

Cristina Caffarra said: "The reality of enforcement and regulation in digital markets means it is no longer possible to be active in this space with traditional antitrust skills alone. Agencies themselves (like the CMA in the UK) are combining legal and economic expertise with technology, data, computer science, and strategy capabilities. It is increasingly essential to combine deep antitrust economics expertise, theory, and empirics, with insights into computer and data science, and an understanding of how firms' strategies are evolving. Business schools and computer scientists are working extensively on digital ecosystems in ways that dovetail with antitrust economics. Keystone provides the key capabilities to deepen and extend my core antitrust expertise, and I very much like the idea of a true partnership with like-minded, dynamic, and collaborative colleagues in a broader tent, to build something more curated, new, and unique in Europe."

The new Keystone office in London will serve as the European headquarters for the firm. Although Keystone has served major technology clients in the European region for the last decade, establishing a physical presence in the market will help the firm play a key role in future competition legislative, regulatory, and litigation matters while also attracting more talent to the business.

About Keystone

Keystone Strategy, LLC ("Keystone") is a leading innovative strategy, economic, and technology consulting firm dedicated to delivering transformative ideas and cutting-edge solutions to Fortune Global 500 companies, top law firms, and government agencies. It possesses unique expertise in competition, IP, litigation, and tax and transfer pricing matters, as well as technology-driven strategy and product development, across all sectors. This allows the firm to create bold strategies with far-reaching implications for business, consumers, and public policy. Keystone was founded by Mr. Richards and Professor Marco Iansiti, Keystone's Chairman of the Board and the David Sarnoff Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. Keystone now boasts a roster of hundreds of top academic experts on the digital economy and innovation sectors, supported by over 150 professionals. In addition to London, the firm has offices in New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Seattle. Learn more about Keystone at www.keystone.ai.

Media Contact

Emily Leinbach

Director of Marketing

[email protected]

(857) 293-0670

SOURCE Keystone Strategy
Global Travel Leader Invites Working Professionals to Turn on Their Out-of-Office Notifications and Enjoy a Summer of Renewed Travel

BETHESDA, Md., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of summer, Marriott Bonvoy  Marriott International's extraordinary portfolio of 30 hotel brands, award-winning loyalty program, and endless experiences  inspires all to swap their desks for daiquiris and take some well-deserved time off to enjoy the sunshine. From sophisticated stays in exotic locales to romantic beachside getaways, Marriott Bonvoy encourages all types of travelers to switch into vacation mode at these exciting new openings around the world.

Pool at AC Hotel Melbourne Southbank

For The Elevated Vacationer

With a healthy dose of vitamin D and vitamin Sea on the horizon, travelers are ready for reinvigoration and time off to enjoy an upscale summer vacation. A recent social listening research conducted on behalf of Marriott International saw a significant year-over-year uptick in searches for "go big" + travel: +64% (59  97), elaborate + vacation: +285% (450  1734), "opt out" + work + explore: +0% (19  19), "grown up" + travel: +8% (12  13.) It's safe to say that this new class of "Elevated Vacationers" will be on the move all summer long and take advantage of new openings across the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio.

Located in the southwest of Tokyo and set to be the city's haven of well-being, The Westin Yokohama delivers the brand's industry-leading wellness experiences  designed to empower summer revellers to relax and rejuvenate in a tranquil urban oasis. Making a grand entrance into seasonally inspired itineraries is the sophisticated JW Marriott Hotel Guadalajara, a hotel beaming with luxury in one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in the city. Adventure seeking escapers eager to get far away from their desks can experience once-in-a-lifetime trekking experiences can enjoy a stop-over stay at Four Points by Sheraton Kigali in Rwanda's capital before exploring the country's incredible landscape.

For The Memory Makers

As schools let out for summer, hard-working parents are ready to make new family memories and reintroduce the power of travel to the next generation. This year, parents will want to make family summer vacations extra special with opportunities for more meaningful connections sparked by stepping out and exploring the world.

The low-country shorelines of South Carolina's beaches are a perfect playground for the whole family at the all-new SpringHill Suites by Marriott Myrtle Beach Oceanfront. Families can jumpstart their day with complimentary, fresh, hot breakfast and coffee before enjoying resort-style amenities, including an outdoor pool with sun deck, and an indoor/outdoor lazy river  for splashy memories to last a lifetime. For an expedition down under, the new AC Hotel by Marriott Melbourne Southbank is equipped with the brand's signature modern and purposeful design, along with an infinity pool with sweeping city views to unwind after a long trip. As the perfect stop on a family road trip, The National, Autograph Collection breathes new life into the historic 32-story First National Bank Building  one of the biggest renovations in the state's history  with opulent design details reflecting Oklahoma's rich history.

For The Honeymoon Takers

They survived an abundance of quarantine time and decided to tie the knot  the next big decision is where to take a deep dive into newlywed bliss.

Fusing the charm of both city and sea, Split, Croatia's quaint metropolis along the Dalmatian coast boasts beauty and culture at the recently renovated Le Meridien Lav, Split. Featuring the brand's celebrated, mid-century modern design, the guest rooms and suites also open to large balconies with romantic views across the city and surrounding islands. Also expected to make an elegant market entrance into Croatia this fall, AC Hotel by Marriott Split  located in the tallest building in the country  is bisected by an exposed Roman aqueduct dating back 17 centuries. For a passionate getaway with a high-energy twist, W Dubai - Mina Seyahi's Extreme WOW Suite is perfect for a fun-loving pair, featuring two bedrooms, lounge, a dining area, and a sweeping balcony.

For The Solo Escapers

Whether working remotely as a digital nomad or tacking days onto a business trip, solo travelers are trading their blue light glasses for sunny polarized shades. Recent social listening research conducted on behalf of Marriott International saw a significant year-over-year uptick in searches for "Work schedule" + flexibility: +10% (41  45), Work + resign + traveling: +18% (17  20.) As a result, opportunities for a nomadic lifestyle have become more sustainable for a globetrotting solo escaper.

At the foothills of the beautiful Rocky Mountains, Calgary is Alberta's gateway to the great outdoors, Courtyard Calgary Downtown's modern, state-of-the-art lobby is perfect for the remote worker looking for a flexible space to be productive. A trip to the city famed for world fashion, art, and diamonds leads to the newly opened Sapphire House Antwerp, Autograph Collection, representing a contemporary lifestyle that reflects Antwerp's glamorous way of living. On the shores of San Juan, Residence Inn by Marriott San Juan Isla Verde offers a longer stay option in Puerto Rico for beach lovers with well-designed rooms and sprawling spaces to relax.

Marriott Bonvoy members can earn points for stays at hotels and resorts across Marriott Bonvoy's portfolio of 30 extraordinary brands, including all-inclusive resorts and premium home rentals, as well as through everyday purchases with co-branded credit cards. Members can redeem their points for experiences including future stays, Marriott Bonvoy Moments, or through partners for luxurious products from Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques.

For more information on these new openings and Marriott Bonvoy, enroll in the program for free, or to book directly, visit marriottbonvoy.com.

Note on Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of United States federal securities laws, including statements related to unit and rooms growth; our growth pipeline; expected hotel and other project openings and brand debuts in certain markets; growth and demand trends and expectations for certain product types and in certain markets; and similar statements concerning anticipated future events and expectations that are not historical facts. We caution you that these statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous evolving risks and uncertainties that we may not be able to accurately predict or assess, including the risk factors that we identify in our U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Any of these factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations we express or imply in this press release. We make these forward-looking statements as of the date of this press release and undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy's extraordinary portfolio offers renowned hospitality in the most memorable destinations in the world, with 30 brands that are tailored to every type of journey. Members can earn points for stays at hotels and resorts, including all-inclusive resorts and premium home rentals, and through everyday purchases with co-branded credit cards. Members can redeem their points for experiences including future stays, Marriott Bonvoy Moments, or through partners for luxurious products from Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques. To enroll for free or for more information about Marriott Bonvoy, visit marriottbonvoy.com .

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.
Iconic wildlife, scenic drives and trails don't stop at Yellowstone National Park's border

HELENA, Mont., July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Visitors planning a trip to Yellowstone National Park this summer are encouraged to keep their travel plans. The North and South Loop have reopened, and access is available through the West Entrance, South Entrance and East Entrance. As of July 2, 93% of roadways in the park are open.

"Our businesses and attractions are excited to continue to welcome visitors to Montana this summer," said Scott Osterman, Director for the Montana Department of Commerce. "With over 147,000 miles of terrain, we urge travelers to consider exploring beyond Yellowstone."

Although Yellowstone National Park is a destination known for its natural wonders, there's so much more to experience outside of its borders. Discover ghost towns off the beaten path, drive through scenic landscapes, appease your appetite for outdoor adventures and experience the state's signature small-town charm.

Just a little over an hour away from West Yellowstone is Ennis. Most famous as one of Montana's best fly-fishing destinations, it's often referred to as the trout capital of the world. Trout love the "Fifty Mile Riffle" of the Madison River that stretches from Quake Lake to Bear Trap Canyon, and as a result, so do fly-fishermen.

There's no better way to breathe in fresh Montana air than biking your way through beautiful scenery and towns. From road biking routes to mountain biking trails, there are endless places to ride. Nestled in the Rocky Mountains, between Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, is the town of Butte. Whether you are a casual biker or an avid cyclist, there's a reason mountain bike enthusiasts travel to Butte from all across the state. Plus, Butte itself is steeped in history. Called the "Richest Hill on Earth," Butte was once a hotbed of culture and today has a beautiful, immersive and diverse history that's easy to explore.

For those who prefer scenic rides in a vehicle rather than on singletrack, less than 40 minutes away from Butte is Wise River. Travel the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest for scenic vistas, mountain meadows and lodgepole pine forests. Or try your luck on one of the state's blue-ribbon trout streams, the Big Hole River.

For a deeper dive into Montana history, visit Virginia City and Nevada City. A taste of the original Old West, these cities mark the site of the richest placer gold strike in the Rocky Mountains. Great for those who are young and young-at-heart, visitors can pan for gold, ride the rails and more.

Trip inspiration, things to do and itineraries can be found at VISITMT.COM . The Visit Montana call center also has staff on hand to help with trip planning and can be reached at 800-847-4868. The latest information from Yellowstone National Park is available here .

Travelers are encouraged to visit the following sites for up-to-date information:

Road conditions: www.511mt.net

Yellowstone National Park : https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/

To sign up for text alerts for Yellowstone National Park: Text "82190" to 888-7777 (an automatic text reply will confirm receipt and provide instructions).

ABOUT VISIT MONTANA

Visit Montana markets Montana's spectacular unspoiled nature, vibrant and charming small towns, breathtaking experiences, relaxing hospitality and competitive business climate to promote the state as a place to visit and do business. For more information, please visit VISITMT.COM .

SOURCE Visit Montana
WASHINGTON , July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland will unveil its new Research Support Building (RSB) on Tuesday, July 11. Media are invited to attend.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 10 a.m., and interviews and a media tour will follow. An open house for Glenn employees will begin at 10:30 a.m.

Exterior view of Glenns new Research Support Building.

Media interested in attending the event should contact Jan Wittry at [email protected] by noon Friday, July 8.

The contemporary new building will serve as a campus center and provide a flexible, inclusive, and collaborative workplace for employees to meet NASA's future mission needs. The RSB will house 164 employees and include open office areas, private offices, conference rooms, collaborative engineering rooms, a gift shop, credit union, and cafeteria.

NASA was awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for the building's environmental features.

The RSB is part of the center's Facility Master Plan, a multiyear effort to revitalize the central campus and renovate or replace WWII-era buildings.

For more information on Glenn, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/glenn

SOURCE NASA
The expansion supports increasing demand for OBX's product development and manufacturing services

ROXBORO, N.C., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Open Book Extracts (OBX), an NSF, cGMP-certified manufacturer and distributor of the industry's most innovative and highest quality cannabinoid ingredients and finished products, today announced expanded operations and service capabilities for finished goods manufacturing to serve their global customer base more effectively. The new capabilities accelerate the pace of product innovation while significantly increasing the company's manufacturing capacity and operational excellence.

Highlights of the expansion at the company's headquarters in North Carolina include the addition of commercial equipment for high output production of tinctures, gummies, and softgels as well as packaging automation. These expansions significantly enhance OBX's ability to deliver its clients the highest-quality finished products with reduced lead times, and most importantly, within specification. Commercial production utilizing the expanded capabilities began in April 2022 with select clients and is now being widely offered.

The new capabilities support and enhance OBX's existing concept-to-market formulation and manufacturing services, leveraging a broad portfolio of cannabinoid ingredients, including CBD, CBG, CBN, CBC, THCV, and CBDV, alongside leading water soluble technology and unique delivery mechanisms to help clients commercialize a wide range of finished goods, from core gummies, tinctures, softgels, and capsules, to beverages, tablets, and aerosol sprays.

In support of the expansion, OBX has added over 30 new team members, including the following key hires:

Gabrielle Krupp : Krupp joins OBX as Director of Sales Operations. She previously served as Director of Insider Sales and Key Account Management at Folium Biosciences, and in sales management at E. & J. Gallo Winery. She brings critical expertise in strategic sales operations and product commercialization.

Krupp joins OBX as Director of Sales Operations. She previously served as Director of Insider Sales and Key Account Management at Folium Biosciences, and in sales management at E. & J. Gallo Winery. She brings critical expertise in strategic sales operations and product commercialization. Walter Rogowski : Rogowski joins OBX as Finished Goods Production Manager. He brings over 20 years of progressive operational and manufacturing experience in Plastic Processing, Medical Device and Tobacco Processing, and was most recently with Santa Fe Natural Tobacco, manufacturer of the American Spirit brand.

Additional key hires include Lakey Walker as Master Scheduler, Sara O'Neal as Quality Control Scientist, Lee Puryear as Finished Goods Quality Assurance Specialist, and Jonathan Wetzel as Sales and Customer Service Associate.

"The expansion of our team and finished goods capabilities is our solution to rising supply chain delays and inconsistency," said Dave Neundorfer, OBX CEO. "This investment not only expands our customer-centric offerings to support future growth, but also builds upon our history of quality, customer service, and the realization of our corporate mission  to make products that work for the brands that care."

For more information, visit https://openbookextracts.com .

About Open Book Extracts

Headquartered in Roxboro, N.C., Open Book Extracts is an NSF cGMP-certified manufacturer of premium cannabinoid products, aiming to be the industry's true north by delivering premium products, exceptional service, and industry-leading transparency. With control of the entire supply chain, a state-of-the-art extraction and manufacturing campus near North Carolina's Research Triangle, proprietary refinement and conversion methods backed by a growing IP portfolio, and a team of PhD chemists and seasoned business leaders, OBX is the trusted partner for global brands seeking to enter the marketplace. OBX offers concept-to-market formulation and manufacturing services, leveraging a broad portfolio of cannabinoid ingredients, leading water soluble technology and unique delivery mechanisms to help its clients bring to market a wide range of finished goods, from core softgels, capsules, and gummies, to orally dissolving tablets, tongue strips, and aerosol sprays.

Media Contacts:

Media relations - Sheldon Baker, [email protected] and Nicole Brown, [email protected], 914.645.0898

SOURCE Open Book Extracts
TAMPA, Fla., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Quote.com, a portfolio company of Osceola Capital, announced the acquisition of Ring2Media, a leading direct response marketing agency specializing in Medicare enrollment.

The acquisition will be consolidated under the Quote.com brand and accelerate the company's penetration of the highly strategic Medicare segment. The Ring2Media acquisition further diversifies Quote.com's core digital product offering by adding expertise in TV/OTT marketing, expanding the company's reach and addressable audience.

Joel Ohman, CEO of Quote.com noted, "The addition of Ring2Media's full-service linear advertising platform will instantly diversify our client portfolio and enable Quote.com to continue to scale across multiple end markets. We look forward to working with Mark and his team on capitalizing on the many strategic opportunities that this acquisition presents."

Mark Fidel, CEO of Ring2Media added, "We are very excited to be joining forces with Joel and the Quote.com team. Quote.com's high intent traffic platform combined with Osceola's deep M&A and operational expertise will accelerate our growth and unlock unique value for all customers and stakeholders."

Osceola Capital Managing Partner Ben Moe commented, "We are excited to continue to grow the Quote.com platform and expand our market reach into adjacent advertising channels and categories. The addition of Ring2Media brings significant and complementary scale to the Quote.com platform, and we are actively targeting additional acquisitions that will continue to strengthen our product offering."

McDermott Will & Emery served as legal advisor to Quote.com. MTS Health Partners and Bass Berry & Sims served as financial advisor and legal advisor to Ring2Media, respectively. Capital Southwest Corporation and Plexus Capital provided financing for the acquisition.

About Quote.com

Quote.com (formerly 360 Quote) connects high-intent insurance shoppers to the world's best and most trusted brands. It is a diversified tech-enabled digital media and performance marketing platform, with the Quote.com proprietary technology platform powering dozens of owned and operated high-performing consumer-centric brands, and hundreds more via partnerships and integrations. They work with insurance carriers, agencies, agents, and their intermediaries to power customer acquisition at scale for Medicare, auto, home, and life insurance across organic search, paid search, social, television, and more.

About Osceola Capital

Headquartered in Tampa, FL, Osceola Capital is a lower-middle market private equity fund. Osceola partners with growing high-quality companies in the business services, healthcare services, tech-enable services, and industrial services space. Osceola seeks to bring value-added expertise in M&A, operations, strategy, and finance to small companies and together help the company achieve their full potential. Target investments include control positions in entrepreneur and family-owned businesses with revenue between $5 million and $75 million or EBITDA between $2 million and $10 million. For more information, please visit www.osceola.com.

Contact: Chris Tofalli

Chris Tofalli Public Relations, LLC

914-834-4334

SOURCE Osceola Capital Management, LLC
The initiative funds 17 BIPOC arts organizations across the Southeastern region with $6 million.

MACON, Ga., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Otis Redding Foundation is proud to be a recipient and member of South Arts' inaugural cohort of Southern Cultural Treasures: a $6,000,000, four-year initiative supporting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) -led and -serving arts and cultural organizations throughout the Southeast.

"We're very excited to be a part of the Southern Cultural Treasures initiative," said Karla Redding-Andrews, VP and Executive Director of the Otis Redding Foundation. "This opportunity provides a high level of support as we move to expand our scope of operations and continue to accomplish our mission to empower, enrich, and motivate all young people through programs involving music, writing and instrumentation.

This initial cohort is made up of 17 organizations that represent decades of BIPOC arts and community-driven stewardship throughout the nine-state region that includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

"South Arts is honored to recognize and support these 17 organizations as Southern Cultural Treasures," said Susie Surkamer, South Arts' President and CEO. "These groups push the boundaries of creative expression, anchor their local communities, and advance the arts in our nine state region. Our hope is that this initiative, with the help of these organizations, will foster a more equitable art community throughout the Southeastern region."

South Arts first announced the Southern Cultural Treasures program in the fall of 2021. It complements the Ford Foundation's America's Cultural Treasures initiative, which aims to acknowledge and honor the diversity of artistic expression and excellence in America and provide critical funding to organizations that have made a significant impact on America's cultural landscape.

"We are thrilled to partner with South Arts and honor these seventeen cultural institutions and their contributions to the regional landscape," said Lane Harwell, program officer for creativity and free expression at the Ford Foundation. "We hope this investment will inspire more funders and patrons to support the diversity of arts organizations and expressions in the American South."

Organizations throughout the nine-state region were given the opportunity to submit a letter of intent. After review, those most closely aligned with the program goals were invited to complete a full application that went through a pair of national reviews before undergoing an interview process with South Arts' leadership. These 17 exceptional nonprofits were chosen for their vital impact on their communities and helping to both define and preserve the uniqueness of the arts ecosystem in the region.

The 17 Southern Cultural Treasures are:

Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, Inc. Birmingham, AL





Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator Miami, FL





Teatro Avante Miami, FL





Art2Action Inc . Tampa, FL





. Deep Center, Inc. Savannah, GA





Otis Redding Foundation Macon, GA





True Colors Theatre Company Atlanta, GA





Ballethnic Dance Company Inc. East Point, GA





Asia Institute, Inc. Louisville, KY





Junebug Productions, Inc . New Orleans, LA





. Efforts of Grace, Inc. New Orleans, LA





Mississippi Center for Cultural Production Utica, MS





BB King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center Indianola, MS





JazzArts Charlotte Charlotte, NC





Colour of Music, Inc. Mount Pleasant, SC





Catawba Indian Nation Rock Hill, SC





Collage Dance Collective Memphis, TN

"These organizations make up a dynamic representation not only of their region and their communities, but also the burgeoning desire to grow and serve the cultural landscape of the South," said Joy Young, PhD South Arts' Vice President of Programs. "Our duty at South Arts is to continue advocating for this kind of instrumental support, and we are confident that this cohort of Southern Cultural Treasures will help inspire these pursuits on a national scale."

The 17 Southern Cultural Treasures were chosen after completing a vigorous application and interview process. Other finalists include: Alabama Blues Project, Huntsville Community Drumline, Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, Inc., Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe of Florida, Inc., New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Inc., Walltown Children's Theatre, Blues City Cultural Center, and Hattiloo Theatre.

The program is expected to run through March 2025 and provide each organization with up to $300,000 of general operating grants distributed over three years, an additional project grant of up to $7,500, customized consultant services, networking, cohort building, and knowledge sharing.

Southern Cultural Treasures is designed to be a measure of sustainable support. By providing BIPOC-led and -serving organizations with tools and framework to establish their own agency and institutional narratives, the initiative encourages growth throughout the Southnot only in the context of the arts, but also in the impact of surrounding communities as well.

South Arts' Southern Cultural Treasures is supported by the Ford Foundation, with additional support from the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, the Infusion Fund, a partnership between the City of Charlotte, Foundation For The Carolinas and generous donors to support the arts and cultural sector, and the Zeist Foundation.

Please contact South Arts if you would like more information about opportunities to match this investment in select communities.

About South Arts

South Arts advances Southern vitality through the arts. The nonprofit regional arts organization was founded in 1975 to build on the South's unique heritage and enhance the public value of the arts. South Arts' work responds to the arts environment and cultural trends with a regional perspective. South Arts offers an annual portfolio of activities designed to support the success of artists and arts providers in the South, address the needs of Southern communities through impactful arts-based programs, and celebrate the excellence, innovation, value and power of the arts of the South. For more information, visit www.southarts.org.

PRESS INQUIRIES

Karla Redding-Andrews

VP and Executive Director, Otis Redding Foundation

[email protected]

478-742-5737

Hunter Braithwaite

Director, Cultural Counsel

[email protected]



Abby Ronner

Account Executive, Cultural Counsel [email protected]

Ivan Schustak

Director, Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE Otis Redding Foundation
PARC Rebrands to Parc Center for Disabilities, to treasure the past, embrace the future and shine light on individuals with disabilities.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PARC, a nonprofit that serves children and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, announced Friday, June 24 on social media that it has completed a major rebranding. The rebrand to Parc Center for Disabilities reflects the way the organization has grown and changed over the last 70 years.

PARC

The organization opened in 1953 as the Pinellas Association for Retarded Children and only served children with developmental disabilities. Today, it has grown to serve over 615 children and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities with programs and services, including Residential Housing, Early Child Intervention Services, Art and Music Therapies, Adult Life Enrichment, Supported Employment and more.

The company will do business as Parc Center for Disabilities with a new logo, tagline and website redesign that complements its optimistic and progressive mindset.

"What PARC stood for in 1953 is no longer acceptable," said President and CEO Michelle Detweiler. "It's time to preserve the legacy of the past and reinvent our name and look to appropriately represent the children and adults we serve, as well as the vital programs and services we provide to our community."

She noted that keeping Parc in the name shows their dedication to the rich history the organization has in the community.

"Parc Center for Disabilities is where capabilities shine, and our true identity is found in the shining individuals we serve every day."

Visit www.parc-fl.org to explore the new website and brand.

Parc Center for Disabilities is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide opportunities for children & adults with developmental disabilities to exercise their independence and experience life to the fullest. 3190 Tyrone Boulevard North, St. Petersburg, FL 33710 | (727) 345-9111 | www.parc-fl.org

MEDIA CONTACT:

Selena Huertas | Communications and Social Media Coordinator

(O): 727-341-6930

[email protected]

SOURCE PARC
"The PenFed Foundation is proud to partner with Vets4Warriors to support their critical mission of running a 24/7 confidential peer support network for struggling veterans, active-duty service members, National Guard, reservists, their families and caregivers as they navigate the challenges of daily life," said PenFed Credit Union EVP and President of PenFed Foundation Shashi Vohra. "We stand by service members and their families and encourage those who need help to seek it."

Vets4Warriors hires veterans and trains them to help guide members of the military community who are struggling in the right direction by connecting them with resources or just being a place to lend an open ear. Vets4Warriors' goal is to help veterans in crisis before they become suicidal, and to intervene before challenges become crises. To date, Vets4Warriors has made more than 650,000 connections with individuals via phone, chat, and email to provide support.

"It is a true honor to partner with the PenFed Foundation to support our nation's military, veterans, family members and caregivers together," said retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Mark Graham and Executive Director of Vets4Warriors. "We are extremely excited about this relationship and the impact this grant will have as we operate 24/7 to ensure no one is ever alone and that a trained veteran is ready to answer their call whenever they need support. Thank you, PenFed, for your trust and confidence in the work our team does around-the-clock. This is only the beginning, as together we will work hard to reach more of our nation's finest in their time of need."

Members of the military community who are interested in peer support are encouraged to visit Vets4Warriors' contact page here.

About PenFed Foundation

Founded in 2001, the PenFed Foundation is a national nonprofit organization committed to empowering military service members, veterans and their communities with the skills and resources to realize financial stability and opportunity. It provides service members, veterans, their families and support networks with the skills and resources they need to improve their lives through programs on financial education, homeownership, veteran entrepreneurship and short-term assistance. Affiliated with PenFed Credit Union, the Foundation has the resources to effectively reach military communities across the nation, build strong partnerships, and engage a dedicated corps of volunteers in its mission. The credit union funds the Foundation's personnel and most operational costs, demonstrating its strong commitment to the programs the Foundation provides. Equal Housing Opportunity. To learn more, visit www.penfedfoundation.org .

About Vets4Warriors

Vets4Warriors launched in December 2011. For 10 years Vets4Warriors is growing, expanding, and doing all that they can to ensure that every member of the military community knows that they are never alone. So far, they have made more than 650,000 connections with individuals via phone, chat, and email to provide support before challenges turn into crises. They have earned recognition as the nation's leading 24/7 military peer support program staffed by veterans. Vets4Warriors'peer-to-peer support network has been connecting people, information, ideas and resources to generate powerful solutions for members of the military and veteran communities for more than five years. Vets4Warriors, housed at the Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care National Call Center, is a one-of-a-kind, 24/7 peer support network. They operate completely independent of the VA and the U.S. military; this independence allows callers to feel confident that everything they share with them will always remain 100% confidential.

SOURCE PenFed Foundation
Contract Includes Massive Wage and Benefit Increases

DETROIT, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Workers at Prairie Farms in Oak Park, Mich. And Romulus, Mich. have voted overwhelmingly to ratify their first five-year contract with Teamsters Local 337.

"Congratulations to all of these workers who stood strong and demanded that this company pay them what they deserve," said Todd Lince, Local 337 President. "This is a perfect example of what people in the dairy industry can get by standing in solidarity to fight for their fair share."

The workers first voted to organize with the Teamsters in July of last year. The inaugural collective bargaining agreement includes a number of substantial improvements. These include a minimum wage of $28.50 per hour and a maximum wage of $31.70 per hour in the final year of the contract. The workers also kept their company-funded retirement benefits.

Ryan Gannon has worked at Prairie Farms for 14 years and he served on the negotiating committee.

"We lost nothing and gained everything," said Gannon. "To all of the other workers out there, when all else fails, call the Teamsters. You can only talk so much before you need some of that support, you have to have some muscle behind what you're saying and what you're doing. Otherwise, your employer won't take you seriously."

Teamsters Local 337 represents workers in a wide variety of industries throughout Metro Detroit. For more information, go to https://teamsterslocal337.com/.

Contact:

Matt McQuaid, (202) 624-6877

[email protected]

SOURCE Teamsters Local Union 337
WASHINGTON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kelley Drye & Warren LLP today announced that Senior Government Relations Counsel Laurie Rubiner has joined the firm. Drawing from her extensive experience in the U.S. Senate and the national public policy arena, Laurie will provide Kelley Drye clients with strategic guidance and counseling, devise and implement comprehensive advocacy campaigns, and help build coalitions with allied stakeholders.

"As politics grows increasingly partisan, it's more important than ever for our clients to have strategic partners that can advocate for them on both sides of the aisle," said Paul Rosenthal, co-chair of the Government Relations and Public Policy practice group. "Laurie's strong bi-partisan background, political acumen, and understanding of the inner workings of Congress will benefit our clients across a range of industries."

In the U.S. Senate, Laurie served as Chief of Staff to Senator Richard Blumenthal (D); Legislative Director to Senator Hillary Clinton (D); and Legislative Assistant to the late Senator John Chafee (R). Recently, Laurie served as Special Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee for the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

Prior to joining Kelley Drye, she was Executive Vice President for Domestic Programs at the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids  where she formulated, supervised, and managed the Campaign's U.S. programs. She has held senior positions with several national policy organizations, including as vice president for Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), where she led the organization's implementation of national and state strategies for improved public policies through government relations, grassroots organizing, litigation, and political affairs. She also served as a director at the New America Foundation, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, D.C., and as vice president for public policy at the National Partnership for Women & Families.

"During my career, I have been able to work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle on key legislative and policy issues, and I'm eager to translate my experience into solving real world business problems for our clients," said Laurie. "It's also great to be able to reconnect with the people that I started my career in Washington with, as I worked in the government relations group at Collier Shannon prior to their merger with Kelley Drye."

Laurie received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, and is admitted to practice in the state of New York.

About Kelley Drye & Warren LLP

Founded in 1836, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP is home to skilled practitioners in the areas of litigation, regulatory, real estate, corporate and bankruptcy. The firm's Washington office is home to team of over 30 bipartisan advocates that work in partnership with companies and organizations to develop and implement strategies to change government policy. Kelley Drye's Government Relations and Public Policy group is a balanced bipartisan team of former congressional, administration, and federal agency staff and includes lawyers and non-lawyer lobbyists  many of whom have been recognized as preeminent practitioners of their respective fields of practice. Working as an integrated team allows them to leverage their substantive knowledge of the issues and political acumen across the political spectrum to obtain successful outcomes for the firm's clients. The group's efforts range from day-to-day issue monitoring and outreach to the development and implementation of major strategic campaigns. To learn more, visit www.kelleydrye.com.

SOURCE Kelley Drye & Warren LLP
The new collaboration platform offers professionals an unconventional approach to finding meaningful work  while providing partner companies with potentially unlimited access to top-tier talent

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Way Beyond Work (WBW) today announced the go-live of its pre-launch site. In the wake of tens of millions of worker resignations in 2021 and 2022, the startup aims to provide access to an abundance of short-term, meaningful collaboration and work opportunities. Its aim: connecting passionate yet often burned-out professionals with ambitious, mission-driven startups.

Way Beyond Work's mission is connecting passionate professionals with mission-driven startups.

"Way Beyond Work's mission is meaningful work," explains WBW founder, Eve Strauss. "On one hand, we want to help professionals reignite their passion for what they do, or pivot their careers into something that feels more purposeful. On the other, we want to support startups doing work that truly matters. At a time when so many companies seem focused on delivering non-specific 'efficiencies' or promoting the sale of yet more consumer goods, we want to support the few companies brave enough to strive for what's really important. Equally, we want to stand behind professionals ambitious enough to aspire to a greater sense of working purpose."

The startup's founding is timely. According to a recent Gallup poll, only 21% of global employees say they're engaged at work. Just a third say they are personally thriving. "It's a situation that has to change," says Strauss. "Work is a profound source of worth for every human being. If you feel a lack, it can affect almost every aspect of your life."

For access to the service, WBW will charge qualifying startups one low flat annual fee. That access will grant the company unlimited "hires", as all the short-term collaborations it brokers are unpaid.

Yet long-term working partnerships are one of WBW's chief aims, notes Strauss. "If both parties feel there's a match, we can help turn a short-term engagement into permanent, paid work."

Way Beyond Work (www.waybeyondwork.com) is now accepting applications from both professionals and startups. The first five qualifying companies to work with WBW will get free lifetime access to the service  meaning potentially limitless access to the skills of top-tier professionals, for free, for good.

"It's about doing real, purposeful work," Strauss concludes. "So much of what's come before doesn't serve us. Let's move towards what does."

Contact:

Eve Strauss

27664106344

[email protected]

SOURCE Way Beyond Work
CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. , July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Quaker Houghton (NYSE: KWR) today announced that Melissa Leneis has joined the Company as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer effective July 5, 2022. Ms. Leneis will oversee the Company's global Human Resources organization including total rewards, talent management, culture and engagement, talent attraction, workforce enablement, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Andy Tometich, Chief Executive Officer and President stated: "At the core of Quaker Houghton and our customer intimate strategy is our people. Melissa has extensive experience building and leading global Human Resources organizations and will play a pivotable role in attracting, developing, and retaining the necessary talent to enable the Company to achieve its strategic objectives. I am delighted to have Melissa join the leadership team at Quaker Houghton."

Prior to joining Quaker Houghton, Ms. Leneis served in various Human Resources leadership roles at InterDigital, including most recently serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer from October 2019 through June 2022. Prior to joining InterDigital in 2018, Ms. Leneis was responsible for leading global teams of Human Resources business partners at Johnson Controls and formerly with Tyco International. Her previous experience also includes Human Resources leadership positions with MEI, Inc. (formerly Mars) and Lockheed Martin Corporation.

About Quaker Houghton:

Quaker Houghton is the global leader in industrial process fluids. With a presence around the world, including operations in over 25 countries, our customers include thousands of the world's most advanced and specialized steel, aluminum, automotive, aerospace, offshore, can, mining, and metalworking companies. Our high-performing, innovative and sustainable solutions are backed by best-in-class technology, deep process knowledge and customized services. With approximately 4,700 employees, including chemists, engineers and industry experts, we partner with our customers to improve their operations so they can run even more efficiently, even more effectively, whatever comes next. Quaker Houghton is headquartered in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, located near Philadelphia in the United States. Visit quakerhoughton.com to learn more.

SOURCE Quaker Houghton
Deanna Peters, Realtor, Places the Famous Home on the Market

PHOENIX, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Norman Lykes Circular Sun House in Phoenix, Arizona, was Master Architect Frank Lloyd Wright's final design. Enthusiasts and owners of the artist's beautifully crafted, one-of-a-kind homes all agree; they are like works of art to be lived in and appreciated. When it comes time to renovate one of these historic structures, the choices regarding how far to take the modifications often become quite complex.

read more: https://franklloydwright.org

Norman Lykes Circular Sun House Front. Norman Lykes Circular Sun House View.

Architect Erik Peterson, with PHX Architecture , was a Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice at the time of the first Circular Sun House remodel in 1995. He's also a well-known and highly respected architect in the Phoenix metropolitan area today.

"Frank Lloyd Wright would want his homes to evolve," said Peterson during a recent local interview on FOX 10 News. "He didn't want them to become museums. So taking this house to the next level  Wright gave us his permission to do that."

read more: https://phxarch.com

"We know Frank Lloyd Wright was not a fan of garages," said Peterson, "but seriously, we need a garage," Peterson suggested hiding the garage behind the carport and leaving the existing carport structure for guest parking. About adding additional square footage, he said, "A guest house could also be added to the north of the property to give it more square footage. In addition, we could expand the primary bathroom and dressing area to push out at the back of the house without interrupting the architectural design."

Elizabeth Rosensteel , the interior designer for the renovation completed in 1995, spoke about what's next for this great piece of architecture. She said, "The biggest change is the technology available and how we can light a space, LED lighting, the kinds of products available make it easier to retrofit an existing structure, and light it in a way that does not cause construction woes."

read more: http://rosensteeldesign.com

She also spoke about updating the natural slate flooring. "With porcelain tiles, we can get the best of both worlds: the look of stone but manageability and maintenance of tile which just needs water and vinegar to clean it. We can get large-form tiles. There is very little grout, and it is a nice look. That makes it easy to maintain, especially if the new owner has pets."

Rosensteel continued, "I've visited many Frank Lloyd Wright homes, and they are pretty particular with staying with some historic colors: the oranges, greens, reds, etc. If you do it judiciously, it is beautiful, especially in the desert. We have a neutral backdrop, but our flowers are bright yellow, fuchsia, orange, all of that."

The Norman Lykes Circular Sun House is quite a unique opportunity right now. The historic home is currently on the market. Deanna Peters , the owner's REALTOR, said, "There is a high level of interest from both the press and the public. Frank Lloyd Wright enthusiasts and historians want to know what is next for this famous home. It is one of the greatest unions of architecture and art in all of Phoenix."

read more: https://deannapeters.com/frank-lloyd-wright-sun-circular-house

Visit Peters' website for more information and to download a full-color brochure about what's inside of this incredible place.

Though Wright passed away in 1959, the Circular Sun Home was constructed in 1967 by his apprentice John Rattenbury. Wright's legacy is still quite strong, especially in Arizona. His home and studio in the desert, Taliesin West, still stands today. It was recently deemed a World History Site by UNESCO , The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

read more: https://www.unesco.org

"It is an immense honor to have Frank Lloyd Wright's work recognized on the world stage. It's now among the most vital and important cultural sites on Earth, like the Taj Mahal in India, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, and the Statue of Liberty in New York," said Stuart Graff, president, and CEO of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation .

As Wright once said, "A great piece of architecture makes the hill upon which it resides more beautiful." The Norman Lykes Circular Sun House is an exceptional example of this.

Media Contact:

Deanna Peters

480.250.5675

[email protected]

SOURCE Deanna Peters
WASHINGTON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SCORE, mentors to America's small businesses and a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration has launched SCORE for Rural Entrepreneurs . This centralized hub provides rural small business owners with information, tools and personalized support to start and grow their business.

SCORE, mentors to Americas small businesses and a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration has launched SCORE for Rural Entrepreneurs. This centralized hub provides rural small business owners with information, tools and personalized support to start and grow their business.

Small businesses in rural areas have declined by 33% over the past 10 years, and still face struggles including declining populations, funding challenges and limited broadband access, according to a recent meta-analysis from SCORE . In fact, 39% of the U.S. rural population, or 23 million people, lack access to "fast" broadband internet service compared to 4% of urban residents.

SCORE for Rural Entrepreneurs will connect with these small business owners where they are to support them in overcoming obstacles, while still celebrating their successes and contributions to the U.S. economy. The hub includes:

Free, remote, expert business mentoring focused on rural entrepreneur needs

Webinars and original online educational content specific to the rural community

Inspiring stories of rural entrepreneurs who have achieved their business goals

"We developed this resource because rural small business owners, like other underserved communities, deserve a seat at the table," said SCORE Vice President of Marketing Candice Stennett. "This hub provides specialized resources to help rural entrepreneurs thrive. In particular, the remote mentoring program will include mentors with a strong understanding of the needs of rural business owners in order to provide the best support possible. Reaching rural entrepreneurs where these resources are not readily available is essential to their success, and we're committed to bridging that gap."

SCORE supports rural entrepreneurship

SCORE Lexington client Tara Ritchie, owner of Waggin Tails Pet Resort LLC in Whitesburg, Ky., says: "SCORE has been a game changer for my business, providing many tools that supported me in becoming a business owner. The digital library is my most frequent stop on SCORE's website and the recorded webinars are easy to listen to, even if I am driving. Without these free services, I would not have gained the insight and guidance needed to be successful."

Pete Bednarek, owner of Wolf Hollow Brewing Company in Schenectady, N.Y says he's been working with SCORE on a monthly basis for nearly a decade: "[SCORE's] advice and counsel has been critical to many of the challenges and decisions we faced in growing our microbrewery in a rural area. My business partner and I started as two friends brewing 200 barrels of beer per year as a hobby-business. Now, we have 13 employees producing more than 1,200 barrels per year on a 17-acre property, and our product is distributed across an 11-county region. SCORE's new hub will support many other rural businesses that face similar challenges."

Click here to access SCORE for Rural Entrepreneurs .

About SCORE:

Since 1964, SCORE has helped 11 million entrepreneurs start or grow a business. SCORE's 10,000 volunteers provide free mentoring, workshops and educational services to 1,500+ communities nationwide, creating 25,084 new businesses and 71,475 non-owner jobs in 2021 alone. Visit SCORE at www.score.org. Follow @SCOREMentors on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Funded [in part] through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Contact:

Meghan Dooley

SCORE

202-968-6428

[email protected]

Sources:

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2020/08/11/two-local-leaders-discuss-how-smarter-

federal-policy-can-save-rural-america-during-covid-19/

https://www.thirdway.org/report/promoting-rural-entrepreneurship-and-rural-economic-

development

SOURCE SCORE
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WHAT: Zion Elementary School District 6 Superintendent Dr. Keely Roberts and her eight-year-old twin sons, Cooper and Luke, were among the victims who were shot during the tragic Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois on Monday. Cooper is currently in critical condition. Dr. Roberts was seriously injured but will recover. Luke has been treated, released from the hospital and is recuperating at home.
TGH at Home is a program that enables Tampa General to treat lower-acuity patients in the comfort of their own home versus an inpatient setting.

TAMPA, Fla., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital patients now have a new option for care that combines the expertise of a world-class facility with the comfort of their own home. Tampa General Hospital (TGH)'s Hospital at Home program combines expert care and innovative technology with a focus on the needs of the patient. TGH at Home gives eligible patients an opportunity to stay home, while receiving best-in-class clinical hospital care from health care providers including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and certified nurse assistants. Based on the same standards used inside the hospital, patients receive daily in-home visits from health care providers, virtual visits and around-the-clock remote patient monitoring.

"TGH at Home is a true model of innovation  integrating high-tech applications such as remote patient monitoring and telehealth visits with in-person care by trained health care providers," said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General. "We can give patients what they really want  world-class care in their own environment. In addition to enhancing the patient experience, Hospital at Home care has been shown to improve quality and service."

To be enrolled in TGH at Home, patients must be seen in the Emergency Department or admitted to the hospital so they can be evaluated and transferred to the TGH at Home program (pending patient consent). Patients must meet certain criteria to be safely cared for at home.

During their in-home care treatment, patients receive at least two in-person visits per day by a dedicated member of the TGH at Home clinical team.

In addition to in-person care, TGH is leveraging innovative technology to provide optimal care outside of the hospital. TGH is excited to partner with the Israel-based Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) platform Biobeat to provide each patient with a wireless device that continuously transmits vital signs. The device serves as a blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter and thermometer, all in one. In addition to continuous patient monitoring, TGH is proud to work with U.S.-based telehealth provider TytoCare to offer TGH Virtual Health Kit powered by TytoCare. This virtual health platform provides patients with a cellular-enabled tablet to transfer information on a patient's vital signs and can also be used to conduct telehealth visits with providers. The equipment is provided at no additional cost and is continually monitored by the care team.

Using this technology, the TGH at Home care team of doctors and nurses stay in close contact with each patient to monitor their condition and make any treatment changes needed for an optimum recovery. Patients have around-the-clock access to health care professionals, should they have a question or concern. So that the care team can respond in a timely manner, patients must live within a 30-minute drive from Tampa General. In the unlikely event of an emergency, the care team will facilitate transport to the hospital or other emergency care as needed.

Initially, TGH at Home will be limited to patients with certain conditions that include:

Congestive heart failure (CHF)

Urinary tract infection (UTI)

Cellulitis

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Diabetes

Advantages for patients include:

Patient-centric care

Privacy of being at home

Comfort of family, friends and pets

Reduced risk of hospital-acquired infections

Equivalent or better outcomes when compared with traditional hospital care

"TGH at Home is all about improving access to care and the patient experience,'' said Dr. Peggy Duggan, executive vice president and chief medical officer at Tampa General. "Patients are thoroughly evaluated to determine if their medical condition makes them a candidate for TGH at Home. They receive elements of world-class hospital care in their home with supportive nursing care and, most importantly, their family. We know that patients have a better recovery when surrounded by what is familiar to them."

According to The Journal of the American Medical Association, a systematic review of nine studies found that individuals receiving Hospital at Home care had a 26% lower risk of readmission to the hospital and a lower risk for long-term care admission than traditionally hospitalized patients. Patients who received Hospital at Home care also had lower depression and anxiety scores than patients receiving in-hospital care.

"TGH at Home is the future of medicine happening now, thanks to innovations in technology and advancing care models," said Dr. Peter Chang, vice president of Healthcare Design, Tampa General. "These programs are gaining traction around the country and the benefits are tangible: An improved patient experience, shorter hospital stay, reduced risk of hospital readmission and more cost-efficient care." For more information on TGH at Home, call 813-844-8705 or visit TGH at Home.

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL

Tampa General Hospital, a 1,041-bed, not-for-profit, academic medical center, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report's 2021-22 Best Hospitals, and one of the top four hospitals in Florida, with five specialties ranking among the best programs in the United States. Tampa General Hospital has been designated as a model of excellence by the 2022 Fortune/Merative 100 Top Hospitals list. The academic medical center's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by two prestigious 2021 Forbes magazine rankings  America's Best Employers by State, third out of 100 Florida companies and first among health care and social organizations, and 13th nationally in America's Best Employers for Women. Tampa General is the safety net hospital for the region, caring for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and in fiscal year 2020, provided a net community benefit worth more than $182.5 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education, and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is one of the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With six medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center, and its 32-bed Neuroscience, Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed Level IV neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Brandon Healthplex, TGH Virtual Health, and 19 outpatient Radiology Centers. Tampa Bay area residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics, and they can even receive home visits in select areas through TGH Urgent Care at Home, powered by Fast Track. As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is the first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that uses artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost. For more information, go to www.tgh.org .

Media Contact: Karen Barrera

Assistant Director of Communications & Partnerships

(813) 928-1603 (cell) | [email protected]

SOURCE Tampa General Hospital
Globally-Inspired Children's Clothing Brand Tea Collection Debuts New Capsule Collection Featuring Sanrio's Beloved Characters

SAN FRANCISCO, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Children's clothing company Tea Collection, known for its globally-inspired designs, announced today the launch of a new capsule collection in partnership with global lifestyle brand Sanrio. The collaboration features some of Sanrio's most beloved icons, including Hello Kitty, Badtz-maru, Keroppi, My Melody, and Pompompurin, all in one-of-a-kind Tea designs!

Hello Kitty Wrap Neck Dress (Available in Sizes 2 - 16)

The collection for kids sized 0 - 16 has all new kawaii graphics and prints showcasing Hello Kitty and Friends on tees, dresses, rompers, and more. This launch is part of Tea Collection's new Fall 2022 line, which coincides with Tea's 20th anniversary and is fittingly inspired by Sanrio's Japanese heritage.

"We wanted to honor Tea's 20th anniversary in a special way this year. We're thrilled to be celebrating this milestone and the launch of our new Japan collection with such a universally-beloved brand," says Leigh Rawdon, Founder and CEO of Tea Collection.

"We're so excited to partner with Tea Collection for this one-of-a-kind line that features practical luxury and inspired design from their dedicated team of artists," says Jill Koch, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Business Development at Sanrio, Inc. "Going beyond the product offerings, Tea joins Sanrio with the same value of encouraging worldwide kindness by giving back 10% of profits for projects and organizations aimed at creating a better future for everyone, everywhere."

Tea Collection blends the beauty of different cultures from around the world with ethical sourcing practices to bring modern design to children's clothing. With Sanrio emphasizing the importance of friendship and togetherness for over 60 years, the collaboration between the like-minded brands aims to be a meaningful one.

The super cute Tea Collection X Hello Kitty and Friends collection will be available on July 21, 2022. Sign up to be notified when the collection drops at teacollection.com/hellokittyandfriends.

About Tea Collection

Tea Collection is a line of globally-inspired, sustainably-sourced clothing for kids, sizes 0-16. Twice a year, CEO Leigh Rawdon and her team explore a new region of the world and transform their discoveries into a collection of high-quality, modern clothing for children designed to spark curiosity and connection. The brand also commits to giving back to these inspiring communities, donating 10% of Tea's profits to ensure a better world for kids everywhere. The company has donated over $1.5M to local grassroots organizations via its ongoing partnership with The Global Fund for Children and other partnering charities. www.teacollection.com

About Sanrio

Sanrio is the global lifestyle brand best known for pop icon Hello Kitty, and home to many other beloved character brands, including Chococat, My Melody, Badtz-Maru, Keroppi, Gudetama, and Aggretsuko. Sanrio was founded on the "Small Gift, Big Smile" philosophy  that a small gift can bring happiness and friendship to people of all ages. Since 1960, this philosophy has served as the inspiration to offer quality products, services, and activities that inspire unique consumer experiences worldwide. Today, Sanrio's legendary breadth of products is available in over 130 countries and in retail locations, including department, specialty, national chain retailers, and Sanrio boutique stores. To learn more about Sanrio, please visit www.sanrio.com.

HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGES LINKED HERE

Press Contact: Monique Jones

[email protected]

310.780.3484

SOURCE Tea Collection
Three elite communicators in the U.S. and U.K. extend the firm's global presence

WASHINGTON and LONDON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Levinson Group ("TLG"), a strategic communications and issues management firm, announced today that Michael Crittenden, Matt McKenna, and Saira Zaki have joined the firm. The new hires bring extensive experience leading complex communications campaigns advising the public sector, private businesses, public figures, and influential leaders. Zaki joins TLG's newest office in London.

"We are delighted to welcome Mike, Matt and Saira to our growing global team. They expand our ability to provide superior advice and exceptional support to our clients," said Molly Levinson, CEO of TLG. "Each one of these communications leaders brings with them significant expertise honed from years of experience at the highest levels of government, politics, journalism, and in the private sector."

Crittenden brings deep experience advising leading companies and organizations, specializing in issues at the intersection of financial markets and public policy. He most recently served as a Managing Director at Mercury Public Affairs. He is a seasoned and award-winning journalist, having previously covered global financial markets, international economics, banking, and financial services at The Wall Street Journal and CQ for years prior to his work as a communications expert. As a journalist, he covered multiple federal and state government agencies, including the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Federal Reserve, U.S. Treasury Department, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the U.S. Department of State.

McKenna joins TLG with significant public affairs and public relations experience, leveraging a 16-year career in political campaigns and public relations, with demonstrated success operating at the highest levels of politics, government, and the private sector. After serving for years as communications advisor and spokesperson for President William J. Clinton, McKenna co-founded Greenbrier, a division of the Messina Group and a boutique public relations firm. McKenna began his communications career leading public relations and communications efforts for multiple state and national political campaigns. He has advised hundreds of global leaders and organizations, successfully leading teams in multi-dimensional and dynamic communications efforts.

Zaki joins TLG with more than 20 years of experience advising on strategic communications issues at a senior board level, navigating internal and external brand opportunities and challenges. Prior to joining TLG, Zaki, a former legal business journalist, served as the Global Director of Communications at Dechert LLP, where she sat on the marketing executive committee and oversaw global communications strategy for the entire firm. Prior to that, she successfully built and led the European communications function at Skadden LLP throughout a period of complex growth and change in the legal industry.

Crittenden, McKenna, and Zaki join a team of expert communicators at TLG with extensive experience advising public and private businesses, global law firms, professional services organizations, non-profit organizations, influential leaders, and public figures at pivotal inflection points.

About TLG

Founded in 2013, TLG serves as a strategic communications partner and advisor to leading public and private businesses and influential leaders. Chambers & Partners and National Law Journal ranked TLG among the top public relations and communications firms in the U.S. TLG has also been recognized for its commitment to leading social impact programs and for its robust pro bono practice.

Contact:

[email protected]

SOURCE The Levinson Group
The series of activities of this year's "Summer of Hunhe River" and Mozi Mountain Outdoor Culture and Art Season will take "Let's live in an interesting era" as the theme to hold "Weekend Folk Song Party", "Art Film Week", "Series of Reading Clubs", "Environmental Art Practice", "Day Camping Festival", "Art Forum" and many other theme activities for the public participation.

During this year's event, Hunnan District will create a warm cultural and artistic scene for people in Shenyang with diverse, rich and interesting art forms to fully demonstrate the profound connotation and new vitality of the popular cultural activities in Hunnan District. The Art Season relies on various activities to build a brand of high-end culture and art in Hunnan District, making contemporary art become the new label of Mozi Mountain, let people feel -- "Come to Hunnan, especially different".

The art season will last until the end of September, and aims to become a link between people's feelings, a source of nourishing people's culture, and a highland to cultivate the spirit of the city. The citizens can share the beauty of culture, art and civilization in the harmonious coexistence between human and nature.

This event is organized by the Information Office of Shenyang Municipality and hosted by the the Information Office of Hunnan District.

Image Attachments Links:

Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=424956

Caption: The "Summer of Hunhe River" and Mozi Mountain Outdoor Culture and Art Season kicks off in NE China's Shenyang.

SOURCE Information Office of Hunnan District of Shenyang City
Grants Build on Company's Commitment to the Health and Well-Being of Local Communities and Supports Innovative Work at Schools and Nonprofit Organizations

LOS ANGELES, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wonderful Company is pleased to announce that its $1 million Wonderful Community Grants application process is now live, building on a long-standing commitment to help local organizations and schools in the Central Valley further their missions and programs. Over the last seven years, The Wonderful Company and its co-owners, Lynda and Stewart Resnick, have awarded over $5 million in Wonderful Community Grants to more than 71 area nonprofits and 165 schools in California's San Joaquin Valley.

Designed to help spark increased engagement with local and regional organizations, the Wonderful Community Grants program encourages initiatives that support health and wellness, recreation, art, social services, and community beautification. The funds will directly support game-changing programs that demonstrate community need and yield tangible and visible results. Every year, The Wonderful Company and its co-owners invest more than $30 million in community development, education, and health and wellness initiatives across the Central Valley and beyond. This program is at the center of the company's ongoing Wonderful Neighbor commitment to support the communities its employees call home.

"Giving back is an essential part of the way we operate every day," said Andy Anzaldo, chief operating officer, corporate social responsibility at The Wonderful Company. "The Central Valley is the heart of our business, and we have always been a company focused on making the communities we serve more equitable places to live, work, and play. Whether it's through the grants we provide or inspiring volunteer efforts of Wonderful employees, we believe in leading through action and we're passionate about helping our neighbors make a profound difference."

Organizations are encouraged to apply. To learn more about the application process and eligibility requirements, join the Wonderful Philanthropy team at one of the following upcoming virtual information sessions:

Thursday, July 7 : 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. PDT (RSVP here)

(RSVP here) Thursday, July 21 : 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. PDT (RSVP here)

(RSVP here) Wednesday, August 10 : 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. PDT (RSVP here)

All applications must be received by Wednesday, August 31, at midnight PDT for priority consideration and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis past the August deadline. The 20222023 class of Wonderful Community Grants recipients will be announced in October 2022.

For additional information and to submit an application, please visit www.wonderfulcommunitygrants.com or email [email protected].

About Wonderful Community Grants

The Wonderful Company and its co-owners, Lynda and Stewart Resnick, have a long-standing commitment to invest in the communities their employees call home, especially in California's Central Valley. In addition to the millions of dollars the Resnicks and The Wonderful Company invest in the Central Valley every year, the Wonderful Community Grants program provides critical funding to organizations impacting change throughout the area. Local governments, area nonprofits, schools, and faith-based organizations can apply for grants in the categories of health and wellness, recreation, art, social services, community beautification, and COVID-19 recovery efforts for amounts between $1,000 and $100,000. Funds are available for program development/expansion, innovation, small scale capital improvements, technology, and equipment. More information about Wonderful Community Grants can be found at www.wonderfulcommunitygrants.com.

About The Wonderful Company

The Wonderful Company is a privately held $5 billion global company dedicated to harvesting health and happiness around the world. Its iconic brands include FIJI Water, POM Wonderful, Wonderful Pistachios, Wonderful Halos, Wonderful Seedless Lemons, Teleflora, JUSTIN, JNSQ, and Landmark wines.

The Wonderful Company's connection to consumers has health at its heart and giving back in its DNA. To learn more about The Wonderful Company, its products, and its core values, visit www.wonderful.com, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. To view the current Corporate Social Responsibility report, visit www.wonderful.com/csr.

SOURCE The Wonderful Company
OAK BROOK, Ill., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TreeHouse Foods, Inc. (NYSE: THS) will host an audio webcast of its second quarter earnings results conference call on Monday, August 8, 2022 at 8:30 a.m. ET. Steve Oakland, Chief Executive Officer and President, and Patrick O'Donnell, Interim Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer, will discuss the results for the second quarter and the outlook for the balance of the year. An earnings release will be issued before the market opens on the same date, and the accompanying slides will be posted to the "Investors" section of the website at approximately 8:15 a.m. ET. The webcast will be accessible by visiting http://www.treehousefoods.com under "Investors", "Events & Presentations".

In order to listen to the webcast, users will need to have installed either Real Player or Windows Media Player software, which can be detected and downloaded by visiting the site. A webcast replay will be available under the "Investors", "Events & Presentations", "Archived Events & Presentations" section of the Company's website.

ABOUT TREEHOUSE FOODS

TreeHouse Foods, Inc. is a leading manufacturer and distributor of private label foods and beverages in North America. We operate in 29 product categories across two divisions and have approximately 40 production facilities across North America and Italy. Across our diverse portfolio, we offer better-for-you, natural and organic products and hold a private label leadership position across many of our categories. Our purpose is to make high quality food and beverages affordable to all. Our vision is to be the undisputed solutions leader for our custom brands. Our mission is to create value as our customers' preferred manufacturing and distribution partner, providing thought leadership, superior innovation, and a relentless focus on execution. Our long-term strategic objective is to build a company that is well positioned to deliver long-term sustainable growth and create value for our shareholders, as enabled by our two-segment structure.

Additional information, including TreeHouse's most recent statements on Forms 10-Q and 10-K, may be found at TreeHouse's website, http://www.treehousefoods.com.

SOURCE TreeHouse Foods, Inc.
Leaders of Choice is the educational program United Imaging and AHRA Announced Jointly in May.

HOUSTON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- United Imaging confirmed that its Houston-based U.S. leadership team will be on hand in Phoenix for the AHRA (Association for Medical Imaging Management) Annual Meeting starting this weekend.

The two organizations announced the Leaders of Choice program in the spring; the three year program will run for a full year, starting with a half day workshop at AHRA's 2022 Annual Meeting in Phoenix followed by 9 webinars, and culminating at AHRA 2023. Leaders of Choice will prepare senior imaging professionals to be the confident, next-level leaders needed to manage the increasingly complex healthcare environment. In addition to growing overall business skills, presentation skills, and financial acumen, participants will be challenged to be bold thinkers, capable of changing the status quo and choosing the path forward for their organizations. The program is facilitated by AHRA's long-time partner Traction Business Development.

United Imaging, which has historically broken from industry norms to take a case-by-case approach on whether to have a traditional booth at each industry meeting in which it participates, will have a large booth at AHRA with two pieces of equipment this year. The company, which manufactures equipment for the U.S. market in four different modalities, will show two of its pioneering systems. The uMR OMEGA is the world's first 75 cm, ultra-wide-bore MRI with a 60 cm field of view and high homogeneity. The uCT ATLAS is a 640-slice system with an 82 cm bore featuring uAIAI-IR, the world's first combination of deep learning and iterative reconstruction.

Beyond the leading technical specs, United Imaging is well known for pioneering disruptive approaches for purchasing and maintaining medical imaging equipment. That's something the company says it is uniquely positioned to do because it exerts higher-than-normal supply chain control in its manufacturing, which in turn has a positive impact on quality, speed, and costs that United Imaging redirects into helping customers get more from their equipment. A marquis example is Software Upgrades for Life where the company provides the latest software upgrades, including new features and packages, at no charge to its installed base, so their machines stay modern and continue to perform at the highest possible level over time. This breaks the traditional model where the industry typically charges heavy fees for the delivery of new functionality.

"I would simply ask customers in this market whether they have ever seen this offered," suggested Jeffrey M. Bundy, Ph.D., CEO of United Imaging Healthcare Solutions. "Ask anyone else in the market to explain how they provide a commitment for such value-filled continuing improvement and new capabilities over time. We should all be challenged to show how we offer ongoing improvements to imaging providers, because that's what patients ultimately deserve."

ABOUT UNITED IMAGING

At United Imaging, we develop and produce advanced medical products, digital healthcare solutions, and intelligent solutions that cover the entire process of imaging diagnosis and treatment. Founded in 2011, our company has subsidiaries and R&D centers across the world. Our North American headquarters in Houston includes our corporate offices, factory, product showroom, service training center, and service parts distribution center. With a cutting-edge digital portfolio and a mission of Equal Healthcare for All, we help drive industry progress and bold change.

To learn more, visit united-imaging.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @UnitedImagingHC.

SOURCE United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd.
B Corp Recertification, Advocating for Universal Childcare and Dairy Diversification Are Highlighted as Key Priorities

WEBSTERVILLE, Vt., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Vermont Creamery , B Corp Certified makers of consciously crafted artisanal cheese and butter, announced the release of its 2021 Mission Report featuring a comprehensive look at the year by the numbers, the work accomplished and the headway achieved towards the goals set the prior year. The report details Vermont Creamery's B Corp recertification, its commitment to being an inclusive employer of choice, ongoing advocacy towards systemic change with universal childcare, as well as its local partnerships that support dairy diversification in New England.

"This year our business, like many others, has been riding the continued waves of disruption and uncertainty as an essential food producer," said Adeline Druart, president of Vermont Creamery. "Through it all, we remained true to our roots as a mission-led company, placing our people first and focusing on depth of impact. I am grateful for all of those in our community who contributed to the substance of this report, and whose partnership and collaboration toward a greater good for all has made this work possible."

Vermont Creamery was recertified as a B Corp for the 4th time in 2021, meeting the increasingly rigorous standards of the certification once again, and confirming its commitment to business as a force for good. B Corp Certified since 2014, the B Impact Assessment audits and scores companies in governance, workers, community, environment, and customers. Vermont Creamery's overall B Impact Score this year is 83.3.

In support of its goal for affordable, high-quality childcare for all, Vermont Creamery expanded its efforts with Let's Grow Kids , which, in part, led to the passage of groundbreaking legislation for universal childcare. As accessible and affordable care is essential for parents, especially women, to remain in the workforce, the work done in Vermont is intended to serve as a national blueprint to implement this critical service nationwide. As for its part, Vermont Creamery enables their employees to care for their families by paying a competitive wage, offering premium benefits, and access to a Mamava pod which offers nursing mothers a safe, private space in its production facilities.

Vermont Creamery's supplier-farmers are the anchor of Vermont's working landscape and the cornerstone of a healthy food system. Goat farming brings further diversification to the Vermont agricultural system and offers an alternative choice for cow dairy farmers, and Vermont Creamery is positioned to be an important partner in the process of growing the goat farming practice in Vermont. In 2021, the company received its first shipment of goats' milk from Joneslan Farm, a fifth-generation cow dairy farm in Vermont that transitioned to goat farming. The brand continues to work with the local community to build a sustainable future for Vermont dairy farmers.

Standing on the belief that better business makes the world a better place, Vermont Creamery's team of 125 employees, also known as "Bettermakers," work toward meaningful impact across four pillars of the brand's Sustainable Business Strategy, all while pursuing responsible growth. In 2021, the company achieved 11.8% growth year over year, successfully launching new innovation, expanding distribution, and maintaining position as the #1 brand of goat cheese in the country.

To read the full report, please visit www.vermontcreamery.com.

About Vermont Creamery

Founded in 1984 and B Corp certified since 2014, Vermont Creamery is a pioneer of artisan cheese, winning countless national and international awards for their suite of cheeses and cultured dairy products, while supporting a network of family farms and promoting sustainable agriculture in the region. Ranked in June 2021 in the top 10% of most purposeful brands, according to the 2021 Purpose Power Index , Vermont Creamery is an independently operated subsidiary of Minnesota-based Dairy Cooperative Land 'O Lakes, Inc. For more information, visit https://www.vermontcreamery.com .

SOURCE Vermont Creamery
NOIDA, India, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new report published by UnivDatos Markets Insights the Waste to Energy Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 6% from 2021-2027. The analysis has been segmented into Technology (Biological Technology (Biogas Plants, Landfills Gas, and Fermentation), Thermal Technology (Pyrolysis, Incineration, Gasification), and Physical Technology); Region/Country.

Click here to view the Report Description & TOC

The Waste to Energy report has been aggregated by collecting informative data from various dynamics such as market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. This innovative report makes use of several analyses to get a closer outlook on the waste-to-energy market globally. This report offers a detailed analysis of the latest industry developments and trending factors that are influencing the market growth. Furthermore, this statistical market research repository examines and estimates the global waste to energy market at regional and country levels.

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Market Overview

Waste to energy refers to a family of technologies that treat waste to recover energy in the form of heat, electricity, or alternative fuels such as biogas. The scope of the term 'Waste-to-Energy' is very wide, encompassing a range of technologies of different scales and complexity. These can include the production of cooking gas in household digesters from organic waste, collection of methane gas from landfills, thermal treatment of waste in utility-size incineration plants, co-processing of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) in cement plants, or gasification. Factors such as increased consumption of goods in growing urban populations, changes in lifestyle, and increasing wealth of the rising middle class are soaring the amount of municipal solid waste globally is driving the market size of waste to energy. Moreover, growing concerns regarding shrinking natural resources, the contribution of improper waste management to global warming, and shortage of power generation have triggered discussions regarding waste as a resource in general and the Waste to Energy industry outlook.

COVID-19 Impact

The coronavirus pandemic was declared a public health emergency worldwide by World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020. Governments across nations implemented lockdown and ban on traveling, the shutdown of manufacturing industries, and commercial activities this had severely disrupted the supply chain has just not impacted the global industry. However, However, the market is expected to recover by 2021, owing to the increasing efforts to promote waste-to-energy plants by various countries across the world.

The global Waste to Energy market report is studied thoroughly with several aspects that would help stakeholders in making their decisions more curated.

Based on technology, the waste-to-energy market is segmented into biological technology (biogas plants, landfills gas, and fermentation), thermal technology (pyrolysis, incineration, gasification), and physical technology. The thermal technology caters to extensive market share in the waste to the energy market. It is mainly owing to the increasing development of waste incineration facilities across the world. In addition, other factors, such as industrialization and economic development, would also contribute toward MSW generation, which is further expected to influence the growth of the thermal-based waste-to-energy market.

Have a Look at the Chapters

Waste to Energy 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, The Asia Pacific caters a substantial share in the waste to energy market over the past few years and is expected to have an influential growth rate in the forecasted period as well. It is mainly owing to the increasing efforts taken by the government in adopting better MSW management practices, providing incentives for waste-to-energy projects in the form of capital subsidies and feed-in tariffs, and providing financial support for R&D projects on a cost-sharing basis.

The major players targeting the market include

Abu Dhabi National Energy Company Pjsc (Taqa)

John Wood Group Plc

Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc.

C&G Ltd.

China Everbright International Limited

Covanta Holding Corporation

Suez

Veolia

Waste Management, Inc.

CNIM

Competitive Landscape

The degree of competition among prominent companies has been elaborated by analyzing several leading key players operating globally. The specialist team of research analysts sheds light on various traits such as global market competition, market share, most recent industry advancements, innovative product launches, partnerships, mergers, or acquisitions by leading companies in the global carbon-neutral data center market. The major players have been analyzed by using research methodologies for getting insight views on market competition.

Key questions resolved through this analytical market research report include:

What are the latest trends, new patterns, and technological advancements in the global waste-to-energy market?

Which factors are influencing the global waste to energy market over the forecast period?

What are the global challenges, threats, and risks in the global waste-to-energy market?

Which factors are propelling and restraining the global waste-to-energy market?

What are the demanding global regions of the global waste-to-energy market?

What will be the market size in the upcoming years?

What are the crucial market acquisition strategies and policies applied by the companies? We understand the requirement of different businesses, regions, and countries, we offer customized reports as per your requirements of business nature and geography. Please let us know If you have any custom needs.

About UnivDatos Market Insights (UMI)

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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.

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SOURCE UnivDatos Market Insights Pvt. Ltd.
Rise in investments in water treatment plants and surge in environmental concerns among consumers along with increase in water treatment rules and regulation have boosted the growth of global water softening systems market.

PORTLAND, Ore., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, titled, "Water Softening Systems Market by Softener Type (Salt-based ion exchanged softeners, Salt-free water softener), by Type (Twin cylinder, Mono cylinder), by End Use (Residential, Non-residential): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2031". As per the report, the global water softening systems industry was pegged at $2.6 billion in 2021, and is expected to reach $4.6 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2022 to 2031.

Major determinants of the market growth

Rise in investments in water treatment plants and surge in environmental concerns among consumers along with increase in water treatment rules and regulation have boosted the growth of global water softening systems market. In addition, developments in water treatment technology and awareness regarding sustainability are expected to open new opportunities.

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Covid-19 scenario:

The Covid-19 pandemic drastically affected the market due to disruptions in the supply chain and value chain. Moreover, the pandemic restricted the supply of raw materials, which negatively impacted the development of end-use markets.

During the pandemic, many companies stopped manufacturing water softeners and water filtration system due to lack of workers and prolonged lockdown.

The salt-based ion exchanged softeners segment to manifest the highest CAGR through 2031

By softener type, the salt-based ion exchanged softeners segment is estimated to portray the highest CAGR of 5.9% during the forecast period. Moreover, the segment held the largest share in 2021, accounting for more than two-thirds of the global water softening systems market, owing to salt-based water softeners surpass salt-free systems in terms of removing hardness-causing minerals from water. The report includes analysis of the salt-free water softener segment as well.

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The twin cylinder segment dominated the market

By type, the twin cylinder segment held the largest share in 2021, contributing to more than three-fifths of the global water softening systems market. In addition, the segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 5.9% during the forecast period, owing to twin tank water softeners offer two cylinders that soften water independently. The report includes an analysis of the mono cylinder segment.

Europe held the lion's share

By region, the market Europe held the largest share in 2021, accounting for around one-third of the market. This is due to rise in population, increase in demand for water softeners in municipalities and industries. However, the global water softening systems market across Asia-Pacific is expected to register the highest CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period, owing to potential in the developing countries such as India and Japan to expand their water softener operations in residential and non-residential sectors.

Major market players

BWT AG

Culligan International Company

Dwater Limited.

EcoWater Systems LLC

Harvey Water Softeners Ltd.

Atlas Filtri

Envicare Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

Kinetico Incorporated

Marlo Incorporated

Monarch Water Ltd.

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As part of the agreement, Wingsure will use its advanced technology capabilities to significantly strengthen the accessibility of insurance products and services to farmers in India; curate and promote AICIL's comprehensive portfolio of agriculture insurance products and enable its channels, including groups and partner brokers, to distribute on its mobile app.

Agriculture and the allied sectors are the largest sources of livelihood in India, with most rural households dependent primarily on agriculture and 86% percent of holdings being small and marginal. However, farmers are vulnerable to the impact of climate change and other livelihood risks and have sub-optimal access to risk awareness programs and modern resources. Launched to support economic empowerment with transparency and promote sustainability through modern agricultural practices, Wingsure's application leverages advanced computer vision, augmented reality, and voice capabilities to provide intelligence and facilitate the underwriting and insurance claims processes for small holder farmers. The partnership will have access to more than 40 million farmers in India and focus on transforming how farmers mitigate and adapt to climate change and other livelihood related risks.

Malay Poddar, Chairman and Managing Director, AICIL, said, "We firmly believe that technology implementation is key to providing insurance and thereby protecting the underserved. Through our association, we will utilise the Wingsure technology platform to support our vision of how farmers can leverage insurance to mitigate risk."

Avi Basu, Founder, and CEO of Wingsure, said, "Wingsure's deep-tech platform revolutionizes how small holder farmers leverage insurance and financial products to protect their livelihood. It is designed to provide optimal access to risk awareness programs, climate smart practices & other modern resources as well as government backed schemes. The application uses AI and machine learning (ML) to rapidly process insurance underwriting and claims. We are excited to partner with AICIL in their vision to use technology for strengthening farmers' resilience in India."

About Agriculture Insurance Company of India Limited

AICIL, controlled by the Government of India, has been implementing the crop insurance schemes of the Government of India since 2003-04. Currently, AICIL is implementing, inter alia, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Bangla Shasya Bima Scheme (BSBS), and Restructured Weather-based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) and many of it proprietary agriculture insurance products.

About Wingsure

Wingsure leverages artificial intelligence and deep technology to protect farmers worldwide. The company operates in developing nations, as well as advanced countries, focusing on growers who are locked out of traditional financial services. Wingsure is dedicated to providing farmers with competitive levels of technology and security to maintain the dignity and sustainability of individuals worldwide.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1584371/Wingsure_Logo.jpg

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1855028/Wingsure_AIC.jpg

SOURCE Wingsure
This year's finalists and honorable mention recipients feature outstanding innovations from young scientists  fourteen students ages 12 to 14  who submitted a one-to two-minute video communicating a solution to an everyday problem in their community or the world and the science behind their solution. A diverse group of judges, including 3M scientists and leaders in education from across the country, evaluated entries based on creativity, scientific knowledge, and communication effectiveness. The final event will take place on October 17-18, 2022, at the 3M Innovation Center in Minneapolis.

"We are thrilled to welcome the latest finalists, and we are energized by a future that embraces STEM-for-all."

"At 3M, we are committed to unlocking the power of our people, science, and ideas to reimagine what comes next. The '3M Young Scientist Challenge' supports young innovators who have demonstrated that same passion through creative discovery and the desire to improve the world around us," said Karina Chavez, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at 3M. "We are thrilled to welcome the latest generation of finalists and honorable mention recipients, and we are energized by a future that embraces STEM-for-all to build a better tomorrow."

The top 10 2022 3M Young Scientist Challenge finalists and the four honorable mention recipients include students from public and private schools across the U.S. Each finalist will be evaluated on a series of challenges, including a presentation of their completed innovation. Each challenge will be scored independently by a panel of judges. The grand prize winner will receive $25,000, a unique destination trip, and the title of America's Top Young Scientist.

The top 10 2022 3M Young Scientist Challenge finalists are as follows in alphabetical order by last name:

Leanne Fan , San Diego, Calif. , Mesa Verde Middle School, Poway Unified School District

, , Mesa Verde Middle School, Poway Unified School District John Lee , Oviedo, Fla. , Jackson Heights Middle School, Seminole County Public School District

, , Jackson Heights Middle School, Seminole County Public School District Samaira Mehta , Santa Clara, Calif. , Sunnyvale Raynor Middle School, Stratford School

, , Sunnyvale Raynor Middle School, Sritej Padmanabhan, Sewickley, Pa. , Marshall Middle School , North Allegheny School District

, , School District Amritha Praveen , Buffalo Grove, Ill. , Aptakisic Junior High School, Aptakisic  Tripp School District 102

, , Aptakisic Junior High School, Aptakisic  Tripp School District 102 Shanza Sami , Iowa City, Iowa , Northwest Junior High School, Iowa City Community School District

, , Northwest Junior High School, School District Sahasra Swargam , Portland, Ore. , Stoller Middle School , Beaverton School District

, , , School District Asvini Thivakaran , Round Rock, Texas , Cedar Valley Middle School, Round Rock Independent School District

, , Cedar Valley Middle School, Round Rock Independent School District Daniel Thomas , Colleyville, Texas , Colleyville Middle School, Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District

, , Colleyville Middle School, Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District Harini Venkatesh , Plano, Texas , C M Rice Middle School, Plano Independent School District

The 3M Young Scientist Challenge also recognizes four entrants with an Honorable Mention Award. These projects were selected due to their unique and innovative concepts and effective communication by the recipient. The four 2022 3M Young Scientist Challenge honorable mention recipients are as follows in alphabetical order by last name:

Austin Ewing , Chicago, Ill. , Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy, Chicago Public Schools

, , Gwendolyn Preparatory Academy, Public Schools Isha Joshi , Vienna, Va. , Kilmer Middle School , Fairfax County Public Schools

, , , Public Schools Pratyush Sathish Kumar , Avon, Ind. , Avon Intermediate School East, Avon Community School Corporation

, , Avon Intermediate School East, Avon Community School Corporation Delisha Manuel , Milpitas, Calif. , Stratford School

To learn more about the 3M Young Scientist Challenge and meet this year's finalists and honorable mentions, visit YoungScientistLab.com.

"Congratulations to each of the finalists and honorable mentions in the 2022 3M Young Scientist Challenge! Your leadership and STEM ingenuity are what the 3M Young Scientist Challenge is all about," said Amy Nakamoto, general manager of social impact at Discovery Education. "For 15 years, Discovery Education and 3M have been working together to support and amplify young scientists to help change the world through innovation and creativity. With 3M's continued and thoughtful leadership in STEM, together we are helping to inspire and empower the students of today to become the STEM leaders of tomorrow."

In its fifteenth year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge continues to inspire and challenge middle school students to think creatively and apply the power of STEM to discovering real-world solutions. America's Top Young Scientists have gone on to give TED Talks, file patents, found nonprofits, make the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange, and exhibit at the White House Science Fair. These young innovators have also been named Time Magazine's first Kid of the Year, featured in The New York Times Magazine, Forbes, and Business Insider, and have appeared on national television programs such as Good Morning America, CNN's Cuomo Prime Time, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and more.

The award-winning 3M Young Scientist Challenge supplements the 3M and Discovery Education program  Young Scientist Lab  which provides no-cost dynamic digital resources for students, teachers, and families to explore, transform, and innovate the world around them. Additional digital resources, content, and professional resources are available through 3M's Science at Home series, an array of videos showcasing 3M scientists and guests performing simple, at home experiments for kids aged 6-12. All the resources are available within Discovery Education's K-12 learning platform and at YoungScientistLab.com.

About 3M

3M (NYSE: MMM) believes science helps create a brighter world for everyone. By unlocking the power of people, ideas and science to reimagine what's possible, our global team uniquely addresses the opportunities and challenges of our customers, communities, and planet. Learn how we're working to improve lives and make what's next at 3M.com/news or on Twitter at @3M or @3MNews.

About Discovery Education

Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

SOURCE 3M
AIQ recognized in Best First-Party Data Strategy category

NEW YORK, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ActionIQ, the leader in customer experience (CX) solutions, today announced that it won the 2022 Digiday Media Award in the Best First-Party Data Strategy category. AIQ was selected for its work helping a global media company deliver personalized customer experiences across all its brands as it shifted from advertising to subscription business model. The Digiday Media Awards recognize companies working to modernize digital media.

"We're very excited to win the Digiday Media Award in the Best First-Party Data Strategy category," said Tasso Argyros, Co-Founder and CEO at ActionIQ. "With the death of the third-party cookies, first-party data has become the most essential brand asset. It's critical for brands across every industry to develop solid first-party data strategies and transform their business models to adapt to the future of CX."

Improving its first-party data strategy with ActionIQ enabled this company to successfully shift to a subscription revenue model while unlocking new revenue pockets. The data unification and capabilities of the platform resulted in improved operational efficiency and lower costs. The platform has allowed the company to create over 5,000 customer audiences to enable personalization at scale and over 100 customer journeys that connect points across brands to identify opportunities across business units.

The complete 2022 Digiday Media Awards Winners Guide, featuring a rundown of the campaigns and insights into why they won and what marketing teams can learn from them can be downloaded here .

The ActionIQ CX Hub, powered by a customer data platform, empowers organizations to flexibly and securely leverage their first-party data to power personalized experiences at scale. With the AIQ CX Hub, technology teams maintain complete control of their data governance while giving business users direct access to explore the customer data they need to orchestrate both real-time experiences and omnichannel customer journeys.

Details about the 2022 Digiday Media Award winners can also be found here .

About ActionIQ

AIQ brings order to CX chaos. Our Customer Experience Hub empowers everyone to be a CX champion by giving business teams the freedom to explore and action on customer data while helping technical teams extend and enhance existing technology investments to manage data governance, costs and performance. Enterprise brands such as Autodesk, M&T Bank, The New York Times, Neiman Marcus, Hertz and many more use our CX Hub to drive growth through extraordinary customer experiences. Learn more at actioniq.com .

Media Contact

Dusya Broytman

[email protected]

+1-201-707-2334

SOURCE ActionIQ
CHICAGO, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Van Lines, one of the largest moving companies in the world, has named the top five cities where Illinois residents are moving recently. Every year, Allied Van Lines produces a Migration Map report based on their data to show relocation rates across the United States. According to this data and 2020 estimates, the population of Illinois has decreased by 141,000 (1.1%) between April 2020 and July 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Illinois was one of the hardest-hit states during these troubling times. As an expert in relocation, Allied Van Lines has used their data and research to compile a list of the top 5 cities that Illinois residents are moving to. The data was also used to analyze the reasoning behind the mass relocation.

The top five relocation cities for Illinois residents that were named by Allied Van Lines are as follows:

Phoenix, Arizona Dallas, Texas Los Angeles, California Denver, Colorado Atlanta, Georgia

In addition to naming the top five cities that Illinois residents are relocating to, the article released by Allied Van Lines breaks down the potential reasons behind why these residents are relocating in such high numbers. The article also discusses what each destination city has to offer, along with reasons that Illinois residents may be choosing these cities as a new place to call home. According to the data, many Illinois residents relocated to states with similar characteristics. However, most of the people who relocated away from Illinois chose to move to states with warmer weather patterns. The Allied Van Lines article provides statistics, facts, and figures behind why Illinois residents are choosing to relocate to different states.

"Similar to many other states within the United States, Illinois has seen a population decline after facing business shutdowns and supply shortages due to the COVID-19 pandemic," stated Steve McKenna, Vice President and General Manager, Allied Van Lines. "However, unlike patterns seen with other states, many people leaving Illinois appear to be migrating to states with a similar quality of life. The main difference between the new destinations and Illinois appears to be weatherit seems that many Illinois residents have moved in search of a home in a warmer location."

Allied Van Lines has been named a leader in providing relocation services to corporations, consumers, government agencies, and non-profit organizations worldwide, with over 400 agent locations in North America. The moving company has been voted as America's Most Recommended Moving Company by Women's Choice Awards for five consecutive years and is an established global brand of SIRVA, Inc. As one of the leaders in the moving van industry, Allied Van Lines has the data and research tools required to analyze relocation patterns in the United States. The company's recently released article, "Where are Illinois Residents Moving?" can be viewed by visiting https://www.allied.com/migration-map/2021/illinois .

For more information about Allied Van Lines, go to www.allied.com .

SOURCE Allied Van Lines
FDA indicates the Company may proceed with the Phase 3 clinical study of buntanetap for the treatment of Parkinson's disease

BERWYN, Pa., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Annovis Bio, Inc. (NYSE: ANVS) ("Annovis" or the "Company"), a late-stage clinical drug platform company addressing neurodegenerative diseases, announced today that the Company received notice from the FDA that the Phase 3 clinical study in early Parkinson's patients may proceed. The FDA accepted the final protocol and the clinical development plan, approved the use of the Company's new large-scale batch of good manufacturing practice material, and found the chronic toxicology in rats and dogs safe and adequate to support long-term human studies lasting decades compared to the previous restriction of one month.

Following a successful Type B meeting for the continued development of buntanetap in Parkinson's disease with the FDA earlier this year, the Company requested consideration from the FDA on amending the accepted development plan, finalizing the protocol for the Phase 3 study, and proceeding with longer duration clinical trials. The Company submitted all the safety data in mice, rats, dogs and over 200 humans, the chemistry, manufacturing, and controls package for the new large-scale batch, and all the data accumulated over the years for the Company's Alzheimer's disease program that also pertained to Parkinson's disease program.

PROTOCOL TITLE A 6-month prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled

clinical trial investigating the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of two

different doses of buntanetap or placebo in patients with early Parkinson's disease STUDY DESIGN Placebo-controlled and double-blind in 100 sites in the US and EU INVESTIGATIONAL PRODUCT Buntanetap 10 mg, 20 mg, or placebo capsules, taken orally once a day for 6 months SUMMARY OF KEY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Diagnosis of idiopathic PD, Age 40 to 85, MMSE 22-30,

Hoehn & Yahr = 1,2,3 and OFF-state < 2hrs per day PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES MDS-UPDRS Part II+III SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES  Total MDS-UPDRS score  Participant Global Impression of Change (PGIC)  Clinical Global Impression of Severity of illness (CGIS)

"We are pleased that the FDA has approved our clinical trial design in early PD patients and called it a well-designed study. The positive FDA review affirms the Company's path to securing approval for buntanetap to treat neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, with longer treatment regimens," said Maria L. Maccecchini, Ph.D., Founder, President, and CEO of Annovis Bio. "With this FDA notice in hand, we are thrilled to start recruiting for the US clinical trial soon, expected later this summer."

About Buntanetap

Buntanetap (previously known as ANVS401 or Posiphen) is an oral translational inhibitor of neurotoxic aggregating proteins (TINAPs), which mode of action leads to lower levels of neurotoxic proteins and consequently less toxicity in the brain. In a Phase 2a clinical trial in AD and PD patients, treatment with buntanetap resulted in statistically significant improvement in motor function in PD patients and cognition in AD patients. Additionally, the drug was well-tolerated and safe, and its pharmacokinetics were found to be in line with levels measured earlier in humans, meeting both the primary and secondary endpoints.

About Annovis Bio, Inc.

Headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, Annovis Bio, Inc. is a late-stage clinical drug platform company developing transformative therapies that treat neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and other chronic and acute neurodegenerative diseases. The Company believes that it is the only company developing a drug that inhibits more than one neurotoxic protein, improves the information highway of the nerve cell, known as axonal transport, reduces inflammation and protects nerve cells from dying in chronic and acute neurodegeneration. Annovis conducted two Phase 2 studies: one in AD patients and one in both AD and PD patients. In the AD/PD study, buntanetap showed improvements in cognition and memory in AD as well as body and brain function in PD patients.

For more information on Annovis Bio, please visit the Company's website www.annovisbio.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release contain "forward-looking statements" that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "expect," "believe," "will," "may," "should," "estimate," "project," "outlook," "forecast" or other similar words, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the timing, effectiveness, and anticipated results of buntanetap clinical trials. Forward-looking statements are based on Annovis Bio, Inc.'s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section titled "Risk Factors" in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Annovis Bio, Inc. undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

Media and Investor Contact:

Nic Johnson

Russo Partners, LLC

(303) 482-6405

[email protected]

SOURCE Annovis Bio
Partnership supports common commitment to creating inclusive, respectful and just communities

HANOVER, Md., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aston Carter, a leading staffing and consulting firm with a focus on financial and professional services, announced today that it will continue to deepen its commitment to diversity and inclusion practices through an enhanced partnership with the National Federation for Just Communities (NFJC). Aston Carter and NFJC began working together in 2021. NFJC's mission is to support member organizations that work to build community by advancing inclusion and justice throughout the United States. This partnership has allowed thousands of Aston Carter employees from around the U.S. to become active partners in addressing these pressing issues facing our society.

"At Aston Carter, we believe that DE&I is essential to building an effective, high-performing organization that propels lives and communities forward," said Donnell Campbell, Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Aston Carter. "This partnership with the NFJC will help us continue to evolve and strengthen our commitment to diversity and inclusion."

Aston Carter's partnership with NFJC includes sponsorship of the keynote speaker at a conference, expansion and support of "We Don't Want Them," a traveling exhibit on housing segregation and the creation of new professional development programs.

"We are excited to partner with Aston Carter in advancing meaningful work that transforms lives," said Moises Echeverria, Chair of the Board of Directors, NFJC. "In our work we strive to inspire and equip individuals to be positive change agents our country needs."

Over the next several months, NFJC will more deeply explore a myriad of social justice issues and how systemic racism can impact the workplace. Aston Carter's DE&I team will partner with NFJC to help develop new customized professional training programs around these findings. These training programs will be utilized by Aston Carter's organization as well as additional affiliates of the NFJC.

In total, there are 16 member affiliates within the NFJC  from Southern California to Florida, Nebraska, Arkansas, Western New York and many more regions. These affiliates are located in the various regions Aston Carter employees and customers are located.

To learn more about NFJC and the work that they do, please visit Federationforjustcommunities.org. For more information about Aston Carter's talent solutions and services, please visit AstonCarter.com.

About Aston Carter

Established in 1997, Aston Carter is a leading staffing and consulting firm, providing high-caliber talent and premium services to more than 7,000 companies across North America. Spanning four continents and more than 200 offices, Aston Carter extends its clients' capabilities by seeking solvers and delivering solutions to address today's workforce challenges. For organizations looking for innovative solutions shaped by critical-thinking professionals, visit AstonCarter.com.

Aston Carter is a company within Allegis Group, a global leader in talent solutions.

About The National Federation for Just Communities (NFJC)

The National Federation for Just Communities (NFJC) is a network of organizations from across the country with multiple years of experience, extensive knowledge, skills, and expertise in the areas of human relations, social justice, community-building, and inter-group understanding. Our members share a professional commitment to growth and mutual support in advancing social justice work and their individual organization's missions. NFJC's strength and uniqueness is bound together and driven by the collective commitment to a shared vision that the reality of inclusion and justice for all is the practice of every community.

Contact:

Lisa Martin

Brand & Public Relations Manager

410-579-6307

[email protected]

SOURCE Aston Carter
Latest update gives dealers a new opportunity to communicate with customers and build relationships

NEW YORK, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- automotiveMastermind (aM), part of S&P Global Mobility and a provider of predictive analytics and marketing automation solutions for dealerships, has launched a product update that enables dealers to view open recall data, empowering them to reach out to high-value customers in their portfolios with open recalls to schedule repair appointments.

The recall information will be displayed in Mastermind, aM's flagship automated sales and marketing platform, continuing to offer a centralized location for all the data aM offers. A customer who is part of a dealer's portfolio and has an open recall will be marked with an "R" in their profile line.

"This update further enables dealers to provide value to their customers, becoming trusted vehicle advisors and showing customers their safety and vehicle's value is top of mind," said automotiveMastermind Vice President of Product, Aaron Baldwin. "Vehicle inventories remain low, so helping dealers enhance opportunities to communicate properly to their customers remains our top priority. Adding recall data to Mastermind creates an additional opportunity for dealers to drive customer loyalty, vehicle acquisition and sales opportunities."

Through the recall data update, Mastermind users can view the recall title, description and remedy within the platform, as well as talking points for salespeople highlighting safety risks, enabling dealers to maintain an honest dialogue regarding recalls.

Generic dealer messaging often gets lost in the noise. aM's recall data offers dealers another opportunity to further differentiate themselves and create personalized messaging to their customers in today's hypercompetitive market. The data also opens the door to discussions with individual customers and gives them more compelling reasons to engage with their dealer, increasing retention.

aM's latest update builds on its recent service-to-sales initiatives, which work to bring customers to dealerships through the service drive, activate service-to-sales opportunities and maintain customer loyalty. The recall data will offer another opportunity to message customers and bring them into the dealership to remedy important safety recalls. Along with Mastermind's ever expanding real-time service arrival notifications, dealers can ensure a salesperson meets customers when they arrive in the service drive to strengthen relationships and discuss purchasing options.

About automotiveMastermind

Founded in 2012, automotiveMastermind, part of S&P Global Mobility, empowers dealers to close more deals by predicting future buyers and consistently marketing to them. Its proprietary automated sales and marketing platform, Mastermind, helps dealerships generate success in loyalty, service and conquest portfolios through a combination of turnkey predictive analytics, proactive marketing and dedicated consultative services.

automotiveMastermind is headquartered in New York City. For more information, visit automotiveMastermind.com .

S&P Global Mobility is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI). S&P Global is the world's foremost provider of credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity and automotive markets.

SOURCE automotiveMastermind
BEIJING, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bairong Inc. ("Bairong" or "the Company", 6608.HK), a leading independent AI-powered technology platform in China, has been added to the MSCI China All Shares Small Cap Index, which has been implemented as of the close of May 31, 2022.

MSCI is a leading provider of critical decision support tools and services for the global investment community. It announced the results of the May 2022 Semi-Annual Index Review for the MSCI Equity Indexes, including the MSCI China All Shares Indexes, last month.

Aiming to empower financial services providers in China, Bairong is committed to supporting the digital transformation of China's financial industry. With smart analytics services and solutions covering the whole business process, Bairong's client base includes the majority of state-owned banks, regional banks, consumer finance companies and main insurance companies. By the end of the first quarter of 2022, the Company provided services to 5,900 FSP clients in China, including 3,501 paying FSP clients.

To help the financial industry better understand the trend of future financial services in the next decade and the urgency and imperative for digital transformation, Bairong, together with the Outlook Think Tank, recently released "The Second Half of Digitalization: White Paper on Digital Transformation for Banks".

Opening and converging are becoming the foremost trends for the financial industry in China over the next decade, according to the white paper. After digitalization of services and operations, banks need to further digitalize customers' demands and provide differentiated services based on accurate understanding of their needs.

As a result, the digital transformation for banks is entering the "opening" stage, which will enable diversified and superior services for customers. For example, banks are opening to offer consumers with daily life services, such as ordering food deliveries, buying movie tickets, and booking travels. For institutions, banks can provide new value-added services, including smart salary calculation, smart office, and smart accounting.

Opening is leading to converging as banks need to deepen the cooperation with partners for opening more services, based on privacy computing to ensure data security. Meanwhile, it is also imperative for banks to converge financial services with more scenarios to cover consumers' daily lives.

Different types of banks can take different approaches for digital transformation, said the white paper. Large state-owned banks can upgrade their entire ecosystems based on cloud, AI and blockchain technologies. Small and medium-sized banks should focus on regional ecosystem to better serve regional customers. Internet banks can continue to deepen digitalization of services with digital modules.

Targeting key pain points in banks' digital transformation drive, the white paper also provided suggestions for banks. First, banks should set up clear direction, path and rhythm for digital transformation based on their mission and overall strategy. Secondly, banks should focus on key business areas for digital transformation, including industrial finance, inclusive finance, consumer finance and wealth management. Thirdly, banks should strengthen digital risk management, deepen digital customer relationship and improve digital customer experience.

About Bairong Inc.

Founded in March 2014, Bairong is a leading independent AI-powered technology platform in China serving more than 5,900 financial services provider clients. Bairong was the largest independent financial big data analytics solutions provider in China. Adhering to the mission of empowering every financial services provider in China with smart and comprehensive data analytics, Bairong has built a cloud-native technology platform that supports the full business cycle of FSP clients, including data analytics, decision-making support and smart consumer operation solutions, enabling them to improve risk management ability, promote user activity and operational efficiency. Bairong also provides big data marketing and distribution services that enable FSP clients to reach and serve their target customers more effectively.

For more information, please visit Bairong.

SOURCE Bairong Inc.
VAUGHAN, ON and HEIDELBERG, Germany, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bausch + Lomb Corporation (NYSE/TSX: BLCO) ("Bausch + Lomb"), a leading global eye health company dedicated to helping people see better to live better, and Novaliq GmbH, a biopharmaceutical company focusing on first- and best-in-class ocular therapeutics, today announced the submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) at the end of June to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking approval for NOV03 (perfluorohexyloctane), an investigational treatment with a proposed indication of treating the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease (DED) associated with Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).

"We are thrilled to have the potential to advance the care of people suffering from dry eye disease associated with Meibomian gland dysfunction. If approved by the FDA, NOV03 will be the first available therapy indicated to address the signs and symptoms for this patient population," said Joseph C. Papa, chairman and CEO, Bausch + Lomb. "The NOV03 filing is an example of the commitment of Bausch + Lomb toward bringing novel treatment options to the industry so that we can better serve patients."

DED is one of the most common ocular surface disorders, with approximately 18 million Americans diagnosed with DED.1,2 MGD is a major cause of the development and progression of evaporative DED, which is caused by a deficient tear film lipid layer that leads to increased tear evaporation.3 In one study, it was found that approximately 86% of patients with DED had MGD involvement.4



"We are working hand-in-hand with Bausch + Lomb to bring this novel treatment option, if approved, to the optometric and ophthalmic community so they can help address the needs of patients with dry eye disease associated with Meibomian gland dysfunction," said Christian Roesky, Ph.D., CEO, Novaliq. "This New Drug Application submission is a critical milestone and the first drug submission of a water-free therapy. We are excited to unfold the full potential of NOV03 by bringing this novel drug option for this condition to the United States."

About NOV03 (perfluorohexyloctane) Ophthalmic Solution

NOV03 is an investigational, proprietary, water-free, single-component preservative-free eye drop.5 In 2019, Bausch + Lomb acquired an exclusive license for the commercialization and development of NOV03 in the United States and Canada. Data from the first pivotal Phase 3 trial (GOBI) evaluating NOV03 (perfluorohexyloctane) were presented at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) annual meeting in Washington, D.C. on April 24, 2022. Data from the second pivotal Phase 3 trial (MOJAVE) were presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) annual meeting in Denver on May 2, 2022. Results from the pivotal Phase 2 trial (SEECASE) were published in Cornea in September 2021.6 The clinical program for NOV03 concluded with the completion of a multi-center, open-label, single-arm, 12-month safety extension trial (KALAHARI).

About Novaliq

Novaliq is a biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development and commercialization of first- and best-in-class ocular therapeutics based on EyeSol, the worldwide first water-free technology. Novaliq offers an industry-leading portfolio addressing today's unmet medical needs of millions of patients with eye diseases. Novaliq GmbH is headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany and Novaliq Inc. has an office in Cambridge, MA, USA. The long-term shareholder is dievini Hopp BioTech holding GmbH & Co. KG, an active investor in Life and Health Sciences companies. More on www.novaliq.com.

About Bausch + Lomb

Bausch + Lomb is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the gift of sight for millions of people around the world  from the moment of birth through every phase of life. Its comprehensive portfolio of more than 400 products includes contact lenses, lens care products, eye care products, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter products and ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments. Founded in 1853, Bausch + Lomb has a significant global research and development, manufacturing and commercial footprint with more than 12,000 employees and a presence in nearly 100 countries. Bausch + Lomb is headquartered in Vaughan, Ontario with corporate offices in Bridgewater, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.bausch.com and connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.



Forward-looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements, which may generally be identified by the use of the words "anticipates," "hopes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "should," "could," "would," "may," "believes," "estimates," "potential," "target," or "continue" and variations or similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of management and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties discussed in Bausch + Lomb's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian Securities Administrators, which factors are incorporated herein by reference. They also include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties caused by or relating to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, and the fear of that pandemic and its potential effects, the severity, duration and future impact of which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, and which may have a material adverse impact on Bausch + Lomb, including but not limited to its project development timelines, launches and costs (which may increase). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Bausch + Lomb undertakes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect actual outcomes, unless required by law.

References

Leonardi, A., Modugno, R. L., & Salami, E. (2021). Allergy and Dry Eye Disease. Ocular immunology and inflammation, 29(6), 11681176. https://doi.org/10.1080/09273948.2020.1841804. 2020 Dry Eye Products Market Report: A global Analysis for 2019 to 2025. Market Scope. Retrieved from https://www.market-scope.com/pages/reports/250/2020-ophthalmic-landscape-report-global-analysis-for-2019-to-2025-april-2021#reports. Geerling, Gerd et al. "Emerging strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction: Proceedings of the OCEAN group meeting." The ocular surface vol. 15,2 (2017): 179-192. doi:10.1016/j.jtos.2017.01.006. Lemp, M. A., Crews, L. A., Bron, A. J., Foulks, G. N., & Sullivan, B. D. (2012). Distribution of aqueous-deficient and evaporative dry eye in a clinic-based patient cohort: a retrospective study. Cornea, 31(5), 472478. doi: 10.1097/ICO.0b013e318225415a. In December 2019 , Bausch Health acquired the rights from Novaliq GmbH to pursue development and commercialization of NOV03 for DED and combination products based on NOV03 in additional ophthalmic indications in the United States and Canada . Tauber J, Wirta DL, Sall K, Majmudar PA, Willen D, Krosser S; SEECASE study group. A Randomized Clinical Study (SEECASE) to Assess Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of NOV03 for Treatment of Dry Eye Disease. Cornea. 2021; 40(9):1132-1140.

All product/brand names and/or logos are trademarks of the respective owners.

 2022 Bausch & Lomb Incorporated or its affiliates.

SOURCE Bausch + Lomb Corporation
South Africa: WHO calls emergency meeting as monkeypox cases rise

The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced its plan to reconvene the Emergency Committee on monkeypox under the International Health Regulations as infections continue to soar globally.

In June, the WHOs Emergency Committee resolved by consensus the outbreak does not constitute a global public health emergency at this stage.

However, addressing the media on Wednesday, WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said he remains concerned by the scale and spread of the virus.

Speaking to the media, Ghebreyesus said there are now more than 6 000 cases recorded in 58 countries.

In addition, Ghebreyesus said testing remains a challenge and suspects some infections are not being picked up.

"Europe is the current epicentre of the outbreak, recording more than 80% of monkeypox cases globally," Ghebreyesus revealed.

My teams are following the data. I plan to reconvene the Emergency Committee so they're updated on the current epidemiology and evolution of the monkeypox outbreak and the implementation of countermeasures. I'll bring them together in the week of 18 July or sooner if needed."

Meanwhile, he told the media that the agency is working with countries and vaccine manufacturers to coordinate vaccine sharing, which is currently scarce and desperately needed for people at higher risk of contracting the viral disease.

"WHO is also working closely with civil society and the LGBTQI+ community, especially to break the stigma around the virus and spread information so people can protect themselves."

He commended those posting videos on social media talking about their symptoms and experiences.

This is a positive way to break down the stigma about a virus that can affect anyone.

According to the latest epidemiological update, from 1 January to 4 July 2022, 6 027 laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox and three deaths have been reported to WHO from 59 countries in five WHO regions.

Since 27 June 2022, 2 614 new cases (77% increase) and two new deaths have been reported, while nine new areas have reported infections.

The clinical presentation of monkeypox cases associated with this outbreak has been atypical, as many cases in newly-affected areas are not presenting with the classically described clinical picture for monkeypox, that is, fever, swollen lymph nodes, followed by a centrifugal rash.

Data shows that among the cases who reported at least one symptom, 81% presented with systemic rash (widespread rash on the body), 50% presented with fever and 41% presented with genital rash.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-07-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
The guided-missile destroyer Hohhot (Hull 161) of the 40th Chinese naval escort taskforce returns to a military port in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, on July 5, 2022.

ZHANJIANG, July 6 -- The 40th Chinese naval escort taskforce has wrapped up the escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somali, and returned to a military port in Zhanjiang, China's Guangdong Province, on the morning of July 5. The Navy of the PLA Southern Theater Command held a welcoming ceremony for its return at the pier.

The escort taskforce, composed of the guided-missile destroyer Hohhot (Hull 161), guided-missile frigate Yueyang (Hull 575) and comprehensive supply ship Luomahu (Hull 907), has left for the escort mission on January 15, which lasted 172 days, with a cumulative voyage of nearly 90,000 nautical miles. During the mission period, the taskforce has completed escort tasks for 30 batches of both Chinese and foreign ships and provided medical assistance to one ship, having effectively safeguarded the security of international maritime trade lanes and regional peace and stability.

The guided-missile frigate Yueyang (Hull 575) of the 40th Chinese naval escort taskforce returns to a military port in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, on July 5, 2022.
Under the program, Peking University First Hospital in Beijing sent cancer experts to help the county establish its own oncology department at Linquan People's Hospital. Today the hospital in the county has mastered multiple cancer treatment technologies and is able to carry out the treatments independently.

Paired assistance is one of the measures China has taken to improve medical care in rural areas. The National Health Commission (NHC) has helped 1,172 hospitals in underdeveloped counties establish partnerships with urban public hospitals.

Health is the foundation of poverty alleviation and common prosperity, He Jinguo, Director of the NHC's Department of Finance and head of the commission's Rural Revitalization Office, said at a press conference on the improvement of healthcare in rural areas in the past decade on May 24. China accomplished its goal of eradicating absolute poverty as scheduled by the end of 2020.

From 2015 to 2020, the Central Government spent 1.4 trillion yuan ($209.7 billion) to support the development of medical care in 25 provincial-level regions with relatively large poor populations, with expenditure growing 11.6 percent on average each year.

The medical service network in rural areas has been improved, making it more convenient for residents to receive medical treatment near their homes, Chu Hongming, another NHC official, said. A 15-minute medical service circle whereby patients can arrive at a medical institution within 15 minutes of walking has been formed. As of late last year, there were 23,000 county-level medical institutions, 35,000 township hospitals and 599,000 village clinics nationwide.

Township and village medical institutions have been guided to improve their service abilities, with over 90 percent of patients now receiving treatment in their own counties.

Family doctor programs, a new model in which qualified medical workers offer customized services such as health consultation and evaluation to the families registered with them, have been available since 2016. As of late 2021, there were 1.435 million family doctors in China, providing residents with basic medical care and health management services.

Although they have shed poverty, a number of counties remain economically weak, He Jinguo said. Last year, the Central Government identified 160 counties in west China as key targets for assistance. The policies, funds and programs for supporting the development of healthcare in these areas will remain stable.

Comments to [email protected]

SOURCE Beijing Review
CAMBRIDGE, England, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthera, Cambridge-based health-tech platform, announces today that it has received investment from Serafund, a VC fund backed by entrepreneur and investor Bob Xiaoping Xu. This venture round was structured under a convertible loan note and oversubscribed with participation from several existing investors.

Bob Xiaoping Xu is an entrepreneur who co-founded New Oriental Education & Technology (NYSE: EDU) and later became a leading VC and angel investor. He was a founding Managing Partner for ZhenFund, an early stage-focused fund with over 700 companies in its portfolio, of which 26 have either gone public or reached valuations above $1 billion.

This investment follows Healthera's Series A led by Accelerated Digital Ventures and Cambridge Enterprise. Since then, Healthera has quickly scaled into the leading digital health platform that provides millions of patients with access to medicines, healthcare products, and private treatments locally delivered from 1500 local pharmacies in the UK. Not only is Healthera the trusted partner of over 800 independent pharmacies, it partners with market leaders like Superdrug, Alliance Healthcare, and Peak Pharmacy Group to deliver best-in-class patient services.

Healthera intends to use the new investment to expand its tele-pharmacy platform's capabilities, develop new partnerships, and accelerate strategic initiatives. Specifically, Healthera plans to enhance pharmacy workflow and operations with its platform, build additional patient engagement capabilities around managing long-term conditions, and prove on a large scale its lasting impact on patient outcomes.

Quintus Liu, CEO of Healthera, commented, "we're pleased to welcome onboard our new partners at Serafund, who bring unique insights from building and backing world-class technology businesses. We're also grateful for the support from our existing investors, who remain as convicted as ever to the vision of transforming the patient experience and pharmaceutical value chain through digitally enabling thousands of high street pharmacies."

Anthony Wang, Founding Partner from Serafund, commented, "we're impressed to see how far the Healthera team has come and the scale it has achieved. We are looking forward to seeing Healthera continue building onto its success and further develop as a market leader in digital healthcare."

About Serafund

Founded in 2021, Serafund is a venture capital firm that invests across multiple stages. The firm is backed by Bob Xiaoping Xu, China's top angel investor and 3-time member of Forbes Midas 100 list. Serafund actively partners with outstanding entrepreneurs to build disruptive, innovative companies that aim to deliver strong financial returns and lasting impact.

About Healthera

Founded out of Cambridge University in 2015, Healthera operates a leading healthcare marketplace that provides patients with medicines, healthcare services and products through the largest digital platform of pharmacies in the UK, including over 1500 pharmacies from large national chains and independent providers.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1854570/Healthera_and_Serafund_logo.jpg

SOURCE Healthera; Serafund
Expands Brooklyn Bedding and Helix Sleep's Leading Direct-To-Consumer Mattress Platform with Active Lifestyle Segment

PHOENIX, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Brooklyn Bedding, manufacturer, retailer, and pioneer of the bed-in-a-box mattress, and Helix Sleep, the leading direct-to-consumer custom sleep brand in the country, (collectively, "Brooklyn-Helix") today announced the acquisition of Bear Mattress.

Founded in 2015, Bear Mattress has become the premier sleep company for active lifestyles. The brand's mattresses are engineered with advanced foams and Sleep Recovery Technology powered by Celliant. Bear Mattress is trusted by world-class athletes, fitness enthusiasts, as well as people of all ages and lifestyles looking to recover from their daily lives faster. Beyond bed-in-a-box mattresses, Bear Mattress offers accessories including bed bases, pillows, weighted blankets, sheets, protectors, and toppers.

The acquisition of Bear Mattress follows Brooklyn Bedding and Helix Sleep's combination last year in partnership with Cerberus Capital Management. The addition expands Brooklyn-Helix's leading direct-to-consumer mattress platform with the highest quality of active lifestyle sleep offerings. Bear Mattress will continue to operate under its brand name and be led by its Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Scott Paladini.

"We are thrilled to welcome Scott and the Bear Mattress team to our growing Brooklyn-Helix platform," said John Merwin, Chief Executive Officer of Brooklyn Bedding. "This acquisition solidifies our goal of building a house of exceptional brands backed by our world-class, vertically integrated manufacturing facility. Bear Mattress's expertise in the sleep-wellness mattress segment, along with our cutting-edge manufacturing, technology, and digital capabilities, will allow us to scale further as one of the industry's leading DTC platforms."

Mr. Paladini commented: "We couldn't be more excited to join forces with Brooklyn Bedding and Helix Sleep  two brands we have long admired. Similar to us, Brooklyn-Helix is centered around first-class customer experiences, high-quality products, and superior value, and these pillars will continue to define Bear Mattress in our next chapter. With the backing of the Brooklyn-Helix platform, we will be able to further drive Bear Mattress's mission to improve the health, wellness, and overall quality of life for customers."

Michael Buchbinder, Managing Director at Cerberus, said: "The addition of Bear Mattress expands Brooklyn-Helix with another iconic brand. Together, these premier brands can leverage their respective strengths as well as the broader platform's best-in-class capabilities. We are excited for the continued growth of Brooklyn Bedding, Helix Sleep, and Bear Mattress as part of this market-leading DTC platform."

For more information on Bear Mattress, please visit www.bearmattress.com .

ABOUT BROOKLYN BEDDING

Brooklyn Bedding is an American made manufacturer of mattresses, differentiated by master craftsmanship, a wholly owned state-of-the art manufacturing facility and exceptional customer service. Family owned since 1995, the company originated with two brothers delivering mattress products direct to customers' homes. Known as the "mobile mattress guys," John and Rob Merwin evolved their business by learning every aspect of the mattress making process. They tenaciously used every material in their inventory to pass savings on to customers, purchasing high grade manufacturing equipment and pioneering bed-in-a-box online delivery in 2008.

Today, the company boasts world class expertise in mattress engineering, achieved through meticulous attention to detail, cutting edge equipment, and patented materials created with advanced technology. Brooklyn Bedding designs and creates its entire line of high-quality bedding, on demand, in its manufacturing facility in Arizona. Remaining true to its roots, the company still goes the extra mile to ensure customer satisfaction, offering its expertly crafted mattresses, sheets, and pillows at an affordable price with free online shipping, a generous 120-day trial period, and a 10-year hassle free warranty period on mattresses.

ABOUT HELIX SLEEP

Helix is an innovative direct-to-consumer brand platform, operating a portfolio of sleep and home goods brands. The company's flagship brand, Helix Sleep, launched in 2015 with the goal of bringing customization to the category through individually personalized mattresses for you, based on how you sleep. Each mattress is designed to your body type, sleeping position, and feel preference using our proprietary sleep technology. Birch by Helix launched in 2019 as the company's all-natural and sustainable sleep brand, with 100% organic certified products. The company launched Allform by Helix in 2020, representing the first step outside of the bedroom into the living room. Allform brings customization and modularity to the sofa category.

All of Helix's brands celebrate the power of personal preferences and individuality while focusing on outstanding product quality, having won countless independently reviewed awards. Headquartered in New York City, Helix offers free shipping directly to your doorstep, 100-night trial, and value-based pricing on all its products. Additional information on Helix and the company's products can be found by visiting us at www.helixsleep.com .

SOURCE Brooklyn Bedding
MONTREAL, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - (NYSE: CAE) (TSX: CAE)  CAE today issued its Annual Activity and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report, articulating the Company's achievements across a range of environmental, social and governance (ESG) topics. This report is a single source of information in key areas signalling that CSR is inseparable from our core business strategy and activities.

"At CAE, our success is measured by actions and outcomes. This means contributing to a safer, more peaceful, and more sustainable world, now and for the generations to come," said Marc Parent, CAE's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our 13,000-plus employees worldwide rally around this noble mission with an innovative mindset by building the next generation of digitally immersive and critical operations solutions, offering unparalleled customer experience and heeding the call for community action and support."

In this year's report, we continue to provide clear and transparent reporting on the achievements and issues that matter the most:

Environmental

Achieved carbon neutrality for the second consecutive year

All CAE buildings for which we have operational control use renewable energy or are covered by the purchase of renewable energy certificates

Completed our comprehensive climate-related risk assessment

Social

Provided support and relief efforts for the humanitarian crises in Ukraine and flooding in Germany

and flooding in Took leadership and initiative to accelerate COVID-19 immunization via the Industry for Vaccination (IFV) coalition

Strengthened our commitment and practices to respect Human Rights by making significant updates to our corporate policy

Governance

Concluded the 2018-2023 CSR roadmap; introduced new governance, revised materiality matrix and newly created ESG Strategy team

Reinforced the connection between our core business and our sustainability agenda by demonstrating the ESG impact of each business line

Bolstered our approach to responsible supply chain management with our new CAE Supplier Code of Conduct

We continue to report to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and the Task-Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

As a leading high-technology solutions provider, and a partner in academic and industry initiatives, CAE continues to advance on fully integrating sustainability practices in connection with business activities, build on our diversity, equity and inclusion culture and continue to promote a high-level of transparency, public engagement and accountability.

View a short video overview of the report here.

The full report can be downloaded at www.cae.com/investors/financial-reports.

A bout CAE

At CAE, we equip people in critical roles with the expertise and solutions to create a safer world. As a high-technology company, we digitalize the physical world, deploying simulation training and critical operations support solutions. Above all else, we empower pilots, airlines, defence and security forces, and healthcare practitioners to perform at their best every day and when the stakes are the highest. Around the globe, we're everywhere customers need us to be with more than 13,000 employees in more than 200 sites and training locations in over 35 countries. CAE represents 75 years of industry firststhe highest-fidelity flight and mission simulators, surgical manikins, and personalized training programs powered by artificial intelligence. We're investing our time and resources into building the next generation of cutting-edge, digitally immersive training and critical operations solutions. Today and tomorrow, we'll make sure our customers are ready for the moments that matter. www.cae.com

Follow us on Twitter: CAE_Inc

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cae.inc

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/cae

Hashtags: #CAE; #CAEpilot

SOURCE CAE INC.
Rise in the prevalence of COPD disease is necessitating more COPD care, which is expected to drive the global market during the forecast period

Regulatory approvals and an increase in combination therapy's positive outcome in treating COPD have accelerated its uptake, which is likely to drive the market in the forthcoming years

WILMINGTON, Del., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The value of the global chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment market was clocked at US$ 19.8 Bn in 2021. The global market is anticipated to rise at a CAGR of 4.4% during the forecast period, from 2022 to 2031. The global market is likely to attain value of more than US$ 30.4 Bn by 2031. The global chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treatment market is being driven by risk factors such as exposure to environmental and direct tobacco smoke, allergens (such as animal dander, dust mites, ragweed, or pollen), toxic substances in the air (such as smoke, chemical fumes, or strong odors), and extreme weather conditions. There has been an increasing awareness about COPD prevention as well.

Risk factors like occupational dusts and chemicals (caused by irritants, vapors, and fumes), outdoor air pollution, indoor air pollution, and recurring lower respiratory infections in children are likely to drive demand COPD treatment. In order to generate profitable revenue streams, market players are concentrating on developing high-end products, which are expected to work for all COPD types. Companies in the global chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment market is likely to observe an increase in opportunity due to the rising usage of triple therapy treatment and digital inhalers options.

Globally high COPD incidence and a strong pipeline of COPD therapy medications are expected to drive demand for COPD treatment throughout the projection period. The global market is expected to grow quickly due to the rising elderly populace, early COPD diagnosis due to growing awareness, and unhealthy lifestyle trends across all age groups.

Request Brochure of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Treatment Market Research Report  https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=73763

Key Findings of Market Report

The burden and occurrence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are anticipated to rise in the near future as a result of continuous exposure to COPD risk factors and rapid aging of global population, as per a study by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) in 2022. As such, the market for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treatment is expected to increase in the near future.

Depending on distribution channel, the category of retail pharmacies is predicted to have a significant proportion of the global market. Due to the rise in retail pharmacies in developing countries and the number of COPD treatments being prescribed through them, the category is anticipated to expand quickly throughout the projection period.

Market participants are expected to witness high growth prospects in the Asia Pacific . The regional market is being driven by a high incidence of the condition, an aging population, a spike in the patient populace, and expansion of the healthcare industry.

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Global Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Treatment Market: Growth Drivers

The global chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treatment market is anticipated to grow due to an increase in the number of patients who are effectively treated with combination therapy but did not improve with corticosteroid or bronchodilators therapies. For treating the symptoms as well as improving the quality of life of such patients, combination treatment is superior than monotherapy.

In 2021, the market for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was dominated by North America , which held a share of almost 40%. From 2022 to 2031, the regional market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 4.3%. This can be attributed to the highly structured and technologically advanced regional healthcare sector and the presence of both commercial and state health insurance companies with clearly defined reimbursement procedures.

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Global Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Treatment Market: Key Players

Some of the key market players are

Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH

F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

Kyowa Hakko Kirin

CHIESI Farmaceutici S.p.A.

Make an Enquiry Before Buying  https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=EB&rep_id=73763

Global Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Treatment Market: Segmentation

Drug Class

Combination Therapy

Bronchodilators

Corticosteroids

Phosphodiesterase Type 4 Inhibitor

Mucokinetics

Others

Type

Chronic Bronchitis

Emphysema

Drug Class

Hospital Pharmacies

Retail Pharmacies

Online Pharmacies

Modernization of healthcare in terms of both infrastructure and services have pushed the healthcare industry to new heights, Stay Updated with Latest Healthcare Research Reports by Transparency Market Research:

Brachytherapy Devices Market: The brachytherapy applicators segment is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 8.4% and account for the dominant share of the brachytherapy devices market during the forecast period.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Devices Market: The global hyperbaric oxygen therapy devices market is expected to reach the value of US$ 7.3 Bn by the end of 2028.

IBD (Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease) Treatment Market: The global IBD (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease) treatment market was valued at ~US$ 15.5 Bn in 2018 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of ~6% from 2019 to 2027.

Hemophilia Treatment Drugs Market: The global hemophilia treatment drugs market was valued at US$ 9,500 Mn in 2017 and is anticipated to reach US$ 15,000 Mn by 2026, expanding at a CAGR of 5% from 2018 to 2026.

Critical Limb Ischemia Treatment Market: The global critical limb ischemia treatment market is driven by rise in prevalence of critical limb ischemia. Growth of the market is also attributed to increase in awareness about critical limb ischemia and rich product pipeline.

Menopausal Hot Flashes Treatment Market: Growing population of elderly women worldwide coupled with rise in menopausal hot flashes symptoms is a major factor responsible for the growth of global menopausal hot flashes treatment market.

Substance Abuse Treatment Market: The global substance abuse treatment market is anticipated to cross US$ 23.1 Bn by 2031. The global market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.5% from 2022 to 2031.

Glioblastoma Multiforme Treatment (GBM) Market: The global glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) treatment market is expected to reach the value of US$ 3.72 Bn by the end of 2028.

About Transparency Market Research

Transparency Market Research, a global market research company registered at Wilmington, Delaware, United States, provides custom research and business consulting services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insights for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools & techniques to gather and analyze information.

Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

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Contact

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Transparency Market Research Inc.

CORPORATE HEADQUARTER DOWNTOWN,

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SOURCE Transparency Market Research
While most cultivations are cutting costs and quality, Coastal Cultivars makes no compromises to deliver the best cannabis in Massachusetts

BOSTON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Coastal Cultivars (www.number9collection.com), an all-natural, sustainable, sun-grown cannabis farm in Massachusetts, announced it will be using a new, all-natural, ultra-premium soil developed by Coast of Maine. The soil will be used as the primary growth medium for Coastal Cultivars' No.9 Sunflower Collection brand of cannabis products.

In an increasingly competitive cannabis market, most cultivations look to cut costs and sacrifice quality by relying solely on artificial growing mediums, synthetic nutrient inputs, and power-consuming grow lights.

In contrast to industry trends, Coastal Cultivars has partnered with Coast of Maine and will begin utilizing its all-natural, nutrient-rich soils to grow craft-quality cannabis with extremely rich terpenes and robust flowers.

Specifically, Coastal Cultivars will use Coast of Maine's "Stonington Blend Organic & Natural Grower's Mix" for the cultivation of its No.9 Sunflower Collection of finished cannabis products.

This ultra-premium soil contains mycorrhizal fungi, kelp, and alfalfa meal, as well as peat, coconut fiber and compost.

"I wanted to bring my father's experience as a tenth-generation banana farmer in Gujarat, India, to our cultivation here on Buzzards Bay," said Krishna Gandhi, Owner of Coastal Cultivars. "Like bananas, cannabis is a heavy feeder, and investing in healthy soil is the best way to produce an exceptional craft crop."

Coastal Cultivars is based in the agriculture-rich community of Wareham, MA, along Buzzards Bay. The bay's unique microclimate provides a longer growing season and the perfect setting for the cultivation of high-quality, sun-grown crops. The company is committed to environmentally-friendly farming methods including the use of on-site artesian well water, custom blended amendments, and traditional farming practices. This results in ultra-clean plants with unique characteristics.

For more information on Coastal Cultivars, visit: www.coastalcultivars.com

For more information on the No.9 Collection, visit: www.number9collection.com

For more information on Coast of Maine, visit: www.coastofmaine.com

Cannabis may only be purchased legally through a licensed dispensary by adults at least 21 years of age.

About Coastal Cultivars

The Coastal Cultivars portfolio of businesses includes local cultivation, craft cannabis products, and retail store operations. With decades of experience in the licensed cannabis industry and both local and national expertise, the Coastal Cultivars team strives to give its customers best-in-class products and a superb retail experience. The team is proud to be part of a progressive movement working to ensure safe cannabis access for consumers, and supports sustainable cannabis cultivation through the Sun and Soil initiative.

MEDIA ONLY:

Contact:

The Innovation Agency

310-571-5592

[email protected]

SOURCE No9 Collection
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. , July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Comedy stars and legends are saluting Laugh Factory Owner Jamie Masada, who was honored with the Bill Rosendahl Award for Public Service for his humanitarian efforts at the Los Angeles Press Club's 64th Annual Southern California Journalism Awards.

Los Angeles Press Club Honorees Bill Whitaker (Lifetime Achievement) and Jamie Masada (Public Service) celebrate their awards. Photo by Diane Waskul.

Kevin Hart, Tim Allen, Tiffany Haddish, Paul Rodriguez and Sherri Shepherd provided tributes for Masada. Video links for the tributes are below.

Kevin Hart:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uonhj8ge6kgri6d/Kevin%20Hart%20Tribute%20for%20Jamie%206-29-22.mov?dl=0

Tim Allen:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zzosr9zgbigitkz/Tim%20Allen%20Tribute%20for%20Jamie%206-29-22.mov?dl=0

Tiffany Haddish:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/eb5mpktv1taewwb/Tiffany%20Haddish%20Video%20for%20Jamie%206-29-22.mov?dl=0

Paul Rodriguez:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0bmdgyhj9cg1rxy/Paul%20Rodriguez%20Jamie%20Tribute%206-29-22.mov?dl=0

Sherri Shepherd:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5hjskkstli8gwri/Sherri%20Shepherd%20Tribute%20for%20Jamie%206-29-22.mov?dl=0

Masada said he accepted the award on behalf of all comedians. "Comedians are not just people who make you laugh, they are really 'doctors of the soul.

The Laugh Factory has been a pillar of humanitarian endeavors in the community since it was founded by Masada in 1979. Signature programs include Comedy Camp for underprivileged kids and group home youth, providing toys for families that can't afford them, free Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and shows for people who have nowhere to go for a holiday meal, hosting dozens of community forums, supporting the First Amendment and recently launching its "Stand Up to Violence" initiative.

Original Laugh Factory, 8001 Sunset Blvd.in Hollywood, and other locations  www.laughfactory.com

Contact: Greg Waskul (818) 926-0079 or [email protected]

SOURCE Laugh Factory
Agreement expands Cowbell's reinsurance panel to 9 prominent, global reinsurers

PLEASANTON, Calif., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cowbell Cyber , the leading provider of cyber insurance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), today announced an agreement with Palomar Excess & Surplus Insurance Company . The expansion of Cowbell's relationship with Palomar doubles the available reinsurance capacity for Cowbell Prime 250 , Cowbell's cyber coverage for businesses with up to $250 million in revenue. The agreement brings Cowbell's total global reinsurance panel to 9 providers  including Cowbell Re .

Cowbell is rapidly renewing and expanding its insurance capacity partnerships to address the exploding market demand for cyber insurance while aggressively deploying innovative services to control losses. The company accomplishes this with its robust network of 17,000 brokers across 3,000 agencies and monitored risk pool of 25 million U.S. businesses (78% of U.S. SMEs). Paired with its risk engineering services, Cowbell proactively engages with its policyholders to implement better cybersecurity practices.

"This new multi-year contract with Palomar is an exciting next step as we continue to expand our innovative underwriting strategy while partnering in building a profitable insurance portfolio," said Trent Cooksley, co-founder and COO at Cowbell Cyber. "We've made it our duty to help organizations become more secure by bundling, with our policies, resources that policyholders need to improve their cybersecurity standing and proactively remediate cyber exposures."

Cowbell's in-house team of cyber claims experts contribute directly in minimizing claim severity by intervening immediately when cyber incidents get reported. This, along with Cowbell's innovative services to control losses, allows the company to keep reported claims under 2% across all programs since inception.

"This expansion of the Program is significant in two ways- the increase in capacity from existing markets and the new markets that have joined in this very challenging environment," said Jason Sears, EVP at Palomar. "It is a testament that this was achievable through our combined efforts and the support of Gallagher Re on the placement."

"Cowbell is a centerpiece of our PLMR-FRONT initiative," said Mac Armstrong, Chairman of the Board at Palomar Holdings, Inc. We are thrilled to partner with the Cowbell team and a best in class panel of reinsurers to attack the dynamic and growing cyber market."

To learn more about all that Cowbell offers visit https://cowbell.insure/

About Cowbell Cyber

Cowbell is signaling a new era in cyber insurance by harnessing technology and data to provide small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with advanced warning of cyber risk exposures bundled with cyber insurance coverage adaptable to today and tomorrow's threats. In its unique AI-based approach to risk selection and pricing, Cowbell's continuous underwriting platform, powered by Cowbell Factors, compresses the insurance process from submission to issue to less than 5 minutes. Cowbell Insurance Agency is currently licensed in 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Cowbell Reinsurance Company is a licensed insurance captive in the State of Vermont. For more information, please visit www.cowbell.insure .

Media Contact

John Kreuzer

Lumina Communications for Cowbell Cyber

[email protected]

408-963-6418

SOURCE Cowbell Cyber
NEW YORK , July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 1, 2022, Credit Suisse declared a Coupon Amount for the Credit Suisse S&P MLP Index ETN (the "ETN").

ETN

Ticker ETN Name Ex-Date Record Date Coupon Payment Date Coupon Amount

per ETN Coupon

Frequency Current Yield* MLPO Credit Suisse S&P

MLP Index ETN 7/13/22 7/14/22 7/22/22 $0.2083 Quarterly 7.51 %





* The "Current Yield" equals the current quarterly Coupon Amount, annualized and divided by the Closing Indicative Value of the ETN on June 30, 2022.  The Current Yield, which is based on the ETN's Coupon Amount, is not indicative of future quarterly Coupon Amounts, if any, on the ETNs. The quarterly Coupon Amount (if any) is variable and dependent on the most recent distributions of the MLPs included in the index, and such amount does not represent a fixed periodic interest payment. There can be no assurance that the MLPs included in the index will make any distributions in any future period. Any payment on the ETN is subject to Credit Suisse's ability to pay its obligations as they become due. For more information regarding the ETN's coupon payments, please refer to the ETN's pricing supplement.

Press Contact

Andre Rosenblatt, Credit Suisse, [email protected]

Credit Suisse ETNs

Telephone +1 800 320 1225, [email protected]suisse.com

The ETNs may not be suitable for all investors and should be purchased only by knowledgeable investors who understand the potential consequences of investing in the ETNs. The ETNs are subject to the credit risk of Credit Suisse. You may receive less, and possibly significantly less, than the principal amount of your investment at maturity or upon repurchase or sale. Investors will not have any partnership interests or other rights in the MLPs included in the index. Coupon Amounts on the ETNs will vary and could be zero. An investment in the ETNs involves significant risks. For further information regarding risks, please see the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the applicable pricing supplement.

Credit Suisse

Credit Suisse is one of the world's leading financial services providers. Our strategy builds on Credit Suisse's core strengths: its position as a leading wealth manager, its specialist investment banking capabilities and its strong presence in our home market of Switzerland. We seek to follow a balanced approach to wealth management, aiming to capitalize on both the large pool of wealth within mature markets as well as the significant growth in wealth in Asia Pacific and other emerging markets, while also serving key developed markets with an emphasis on Switzerland. Credit Suisse employs approximately 51,030 people. The registered shares (CSGN) of Credit Suisse Group AG, are listed in Switzerland and, in the form of American Depositary Shares (CS), in New York. Further information about Credit Suisse can be found at www.credit-suisse.com.

Disclaimer

This document was produced by and the opinions expressed are those of Credit Suisse as of the date of writing and are subject to change. It has been prepared solely for information purposes and for the use of the recipient. It does not constitute an offer or an invitation by or on behalf of Credit Suisse to any person to buy or sell any security. Any reference to past performance is not necessarily a guide to the future. The information and analysis contained in this publication have been compiled or arrived at from sources believed to be reliable but Credit Suisse does not make any representation as to their accuracy or completeness and does not accept liability for any loss arising from the use hereof.

Credit Suisse has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, for the offering to which this press release relates. Before you invest, you should read the applicable Pricing Supplement, the Prospectus Supplement dated June 18, 2020, and the Prospectus dated June 18, 2020 that Credit Suisse has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Credit Suisse and this offering. You may obtain these documents without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov or clicking the hyperlink below:

Pricing Supplement dated November 9, 2020:

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1053092/000089109220012081/e11689-424b2.htm

Alternatively, Credit Suisse, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC or any agent or any dealer participating in this offering will arrange to send you the applicable pricing supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus if you so request by calling 1-800-320-1225.

This document was produced by and the opinions expressed are those of Credit Suisse as of the date of writing and are subject to change.

Copyright  2022, CREDIT SUISSE GROUP AG and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

SOURCE Credit Suisse AG
D-Patrick Is now offering customers an opportunity to buy a vehicle completely online from a locally owned, fourth-generation family dealership.

D-Patrick offers a dedicated staff for online deliveries as soon as the next day to ensure buyers are properly acquainted with their vehicle purchase.

Advanced finance automation enables customers to see personalized payments on every used vehicle.

EVANSVILLE, Ind., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- D-Patrick announced today the launch of online car buying, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and D-Patrick exemplary customer service. D-Patrick brings a new level of service to online buying. D-Patrick is proud to be the first dealership in this region to offer this type of shopping experience.

"Our customers throughout the United States can now purchase premium, pre-owned vehicles entirely online and have them delivered to their doorstep by qualified D-Patrick personnel," stated Mike O'Daniel, dealer principal and co-president at D-Patrick. "Regardless of our customers purchase path, all of our customers will enjoy our 'love it or return it' exchange policy which backs their purchase for 5 days or 300 miles."

D-Patrick uses Cox Automotive's state-of-the-art Esntial Commerce technology, which features a patent-pending finance automation that enables customers to see personalized payments on every vehicle in inventory and shop by make, model, price, and monthly budget.

Key benefits for consumers purchasing vehicles online include:

Automated financing (with automated approvals)

One price shopping

Online trade appraisals

Secure eSigning on most purchase paperwork

Automated fraud detection and prevention

As soon as next day delivery

"D-Patrick has been dedicated to providing an easy and fun vehicle purchase experience since 1934 and with this new launch, we can proudly offer our customers the option to buy a car 100 percent online," said Ray Farabaugh, dealer principal and co-president at D-Patrick. "Loyal customers who have been buying their cars from D-Patrick for generations as well as new buyers who may live anywhere in the continental United States, can expect excellent customer service and support whether they do business with us online or onsite at our dealership."

About D-Patrick

D-Patrick, Inc. currently employs approximately 380 local people in a variety of positions and now carries nine vehicle lines (Audi, BMW, Ford, Honda, Lincoln, Mercedes Benz, Nissan, Porsche, and Volkswagen) with 9 showrooms, 6 service departments, 6 parts departments, 4 body shops, and a corporate office. D-Patrick, Inc. employs the finest dealership staff, offers a superior service and sales experience, maintains a tremendous selection of new and used vehicles, and strives to offer the best deals in the tri-state area.

About Esntial Commerce

Esntial Commerce is the industry's first white-label ecommerce solution that provides a fully automated and online ecommerce consumer car buying experience while transforming the traditional retailer deal process. Only Cox Automotive, with Esntial Commerce and its full suite of digital retailing, inventory, and merchandising tools, can help deliver on the promise of auto retail success with any consumer, on any deal, from anywhere.

SOURCE D-Patrick
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dover (NYSE: DOV) announced today that it will release second quarter 2022 earnings at approximately 6:00 a.m. Central time (7:00 a.m. Eastern time) on Thursday, July 21, 2022. Later that morning, Dover will host a conference call at 8:00 a.m. Central time (9:00 a.m. Eastern time) to discuss these results.

To participate on the conference call, please dial 1 (888) 632-3384 (domestic) or 1 (785) 424-1250 (international), conference ID DOVQ222. Due to the expected number of callers, please dial in at least 15 minutes before the conference is to begin and ask to be connected to the Dover teleconference.

A link to the live audio webcast will also be available on the company website at dovercorporation.com. An audio replay of the conference call will be available from 12:00 p.m. Central time, July 21, until 10:59 p.m. Central time, August 11, by dialing 1 (800) 839-8389 (domestic) or 1 (402) 271-9156 (international). Additionally, a replay link of the webcast will be archived on Dover's website for 90 days.

About Dover:

Dover is a diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider with annual revenue of approximately $8 billion. We deliver innovative equipment and components, consumable supplies, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions, and support services through five operating segments: Engineered Products, Clean Energy & Fueling, Imaging & Identification, Pumps & Process Solutions and Climate & Sustainability Technologies. Dover combines global scale with operational agility to lead the markets we serve. Recognized for our entrepreneurial approach for over 65 years, our team of over 25,000 employees takes an ownership mindset, collaborating with customers to redefine what's possible. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, Dover trades on the New York Stock Exchange under "DOV." Additional information is available at dovercorporation.com.

Investor Contact: Media Contact: Jack Dickens Adrian Sakowicz Senior Director  Investor Relations Vice President  Communications (630) 743-2566 (630) 743-5039 [email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE Dover
MIAMI, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Interim Dean and Professor of Surgery Dr. Juan C. Cendan has been appointed senior vice-president for health affairs and dean of the Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM).

Cendan, 56, joined FIU last summer as vice-dean and executive associate dean for student affairs. He is a board-certified surgeon with a clinical focus on minimally invasive surgery and surgical disorders of the breast. He also has a lengthy career in academic medicine.

"Dr. Cendan is the right leader for this moment in the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine's history," said FIU Interim President Kenneth A. Jessell. "He has a unique combination of practice and academic leadership experience coupled with a clear and ambitious vision for our College of Medicine."

Following his medical training at the University of Florida, Cendan practiced as a general surgeon in Gainesville, Florida. He then returned to UF as faculty, where he developed an academic focus on simulation-based medical education.

Cendan joined the University of Central Florida College of Medicine as founding faculty in 2010, where he served several institutional roles, including assistant dean for simulation, medical director of the simulation laboratory, and chairman of the department of medical education. As provost chair and associate dean in residence alongside UCF's provost, he developed the framework for founding the UCF Academic Health Center.

"This is an exciting time for the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, and I am honored and eager to collaborate with our FIU family and our community partners to improve the health care ecosystem in South Florida," said Cendan.

A native of Cuba who spent his early years in Spain, Cendan said he is looking forward to helping build on HWCOM's impact and to serve Miami, the city that welcomed him.

"Since he was appointed interim dean of the College of Medicine, Dr. Cendan has built on the solid foundational work of his predecessors," said Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Elizabeth M. Bejar. "He has worked with the faculty to revise the HWCOM strategic plan and redouble efforts to increase the impact of FIU's clinical capabilities as well as develop clarity in the vision for our collective work across our academic health center programs."

Cendan and his wife Dr. Judith Seline Simms-Cendan, a professor of pediatric and adolescent gynecology at the University of Miami, live in Coral Gables. The couple has two adult sons.

Media Contact:

Ileana Varela

305-348-4926

[email protected]

SOURCE Florida International University
NEW YORK, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2021, the value of the worldwide electronic signature market was $1,527.7 million, and it will reach $12,721.5 million by 2030, experiencing mammoth growth of around 27%. This will be because of the rising security concerns across companies, increasing support from governments for digitization, and surging acceptance of advanced technologies in emerging economies, including China, India, and Brazil.

In 2021, software sales generate in excess of 40% e-signature market revenue. The trend will remain unchanged in the near future owing to the snowballing use of cloud-based e-signature solutions with innovative encryption features for ensuring secure communication and sharing digital documents. The acceptance of cloud-based e-signatures in companies for the management and protection of important data is essentially pushing the market on the path to prosperity.

Get the sample copy of this report at: https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/e-signature-market/report-sample

Government agencies make use of e-signatures for decreasing the risk of forgeries and increasing the trust of the general public in private documentation. Governments around the world, particularly in Europe and North America, have been inspiring administrations for the acceptance of these solutions, to drive security and efficiency in their processes. At present, there are more than 75 countries that recognize the legality of e-signatures.

The European e-signature market is quickly growing because of the promising government regulations and laws, increase in the volume of online documentation processes, and cost-effectiveness of these signatures. Additionally, corporations in Europe are adopting hybrid and remote working models, which are correspondingly increasing the demand for e-signatures. As per statistics, more than 80% of the European business stalwarts are of the opinion that hybrid work models are more profitable.

The BFSI sector's revenue contribution to the e-signature market stands at over 30% of the worldwide total. The acceptance of internet banking, mobile banking, and stock marketing has dramatically increased. Through business applications that are customer-centric, BFSI companies focus on understanding the behavior, choices, and preferences of consumers. These solutions give strong security, manage regulatory compliances, and protect identities. They also help BFSI firms in the simplification of business procedures, by providing improved security and quicker onboarding of consumers.

Browse detailed report on E-Signature Market Analysis, Size, New Trends, Emerging Opportunities, And Top Key Players By 2030

The utilization of e-signatures in the IT departments of public and private companies betters the security of all IT-related errands. These solutions improve the efficiency of an organization, chiefly in its contractual procedures. For telecom corporations operating multiple branches and those that need to retain contracts for future use, a lot of savings can be made by the adoption of e-signatures, as they can help in reducing the use of paper and printing inks and decreasing storage expenses.

E-Signature Market Detailed Segmentation Analysis

By Component

Software

Hardware

Service

Managed



Professional

By Deployment Type

Cloud

On-Premises

By Type

Username and Personal Identification Number (PIN)

Signature Pad at Point of Sale (POS)

Clickwrap

Voice Signature

By Use Case

Unmediated

Mediated

Third Party

Internal

By Vertical

Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI)

Government

Information Technology (IT) & Telecom

Healthcare

Legal

By Region

North America

U.S.



Canada

Europe

Germany



France



U.K.



Italy

Asia-Pacific

Japan



China



India



Australia

Latin America

Brazil



Mexico

Middle East and Africa

and U.A.E.



Saudi Arabia

Browse More Latest Published Reports by P&S

Europe E-Signature Market Opportunities COVID-19 Impacts and Growth Forecast Report, 2030

Digital Signature Market Opportunities COVID-19 Impacts and Growth Forecast Report, 2030

U.S. Digital Signature Market Analysis, Emerging Trends, Key Players and Future Scope

About P&S Intelligence

P&S Intelligence provides market research and consulting services to a vast array of industries across the world. As an enterprising research and consulting company, P&S believes in providing thorough insights on the ever-changing market scenario, to empower companies to make informed decisions and base their business strategies with astuteness. P&S keeps the interest of its clients at heart, which is why the insights we provide are both honest and accurate. Our long list of satisfied clients includes entry-level firms as well as multi-million-dollar businesses and government agencies.

Contact:

Prajneesh Kumar

P&S Intelligence

Phone: +1-347-960-6455

Email: [email protected]

Web: https://www.psmarketresearch.com

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SOURCE P&S Intelligence
NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Embold Health, an industry leader in objective doctor quality analytics, has partnered with The Leapfrog Group, the nonprofit organization behind the Leapfrog Hospital Survey and Hospital Safety Grades, to educate members about the quality and safety of hospitals in their community, empowering members to make informed decisions about where they receive care.

Embold Health

According to The New England Journal of Medicine, the pandemic has had a negative effect on healthcare quality and delivery, reversing years of patient safety progress, most notably in healthcare-acquired infections, patient experience, and experienced staffing.

Upwards of 200,000 people die each year from preventable hospital errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. In addition, an estimated 12 million outpatient and 250,000 inpatient Americans will be harmed by diagnostic errors at hospitals.

Through this partnership, Embold Health adds hospital safety to its provider quality search platform, creating an even more comprehensive solution that helps members find doctors and hospitals proven to reliably deliver high-quality care. Embold's online provider directory, DocLogic, now integrates Leapfrog's data to designate A, B, C, D, and F grades to 3,000 U.S. hospitals based on thirty national performance measures.

"Leapfrog's Hospital Grades reveal how hospitals are (or are not) safeguarding their patients. This gives patients and doctors another crucial data point to make smart healthcare decisions," said Dr. Daniel Stein, Embold Health founder and CEO. "We believe that everyone deserves to know they are receiving the highest-quality healthcare available for their needs, and the Leapfrog Group has done outstanding work assessing hospital safety and creating ratings that educate and inform. We are proud to incorporate hospital grades into our platform to provide this critical information to our clients and their employees."

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harm to patients. This grading system is a leader in evaluating patient safety and is the only peer-reviewed hospital safety assessment published in the Journal of Patient Safety. Pairing Leapfrog's Hospital Safety Grades with Embold's doctor quality analytics, ensures that Embold's users have the resources necessary to choose the best provider, hospital, or surgery center for their specific healthcare needs.

"Leapfrog is very excited to partner with Embold Health to make the Hospital Safety Grade available on the Embold platform," said Leah Binder, President & CEO, The Leapfrog Group. "The Leapfrog Group was founded by employers and together with Embold Health, we can help further empower Embold's customers and their employees and families with vitally important information to help choose higher quality and safe health care."

About Embold Health

Embold Health is a doctor-led healthcare analytics company that helps employers identify and guide their members to high-performing doctors which improves patient outcomes and lowers costs. Ratings are based on objective clinical performance data of the individual physician against regional peers and latest medical care standards. Embold's vision is to raise the quality of healthcare by equipping every healthcare consumer and provider in America with actionable, objective doctor quality metrics to empower them to make smarter healthcare decisions. Visit emboldhealth.com to learn more.

About The Leapfrog Group

The Leapfrog Group is a nonprofit watchdog organization that serves as a voice for health care consumers and purchasers, using their collective influence to foster positive change in U.S. health care. Leapfrog is the nation's premier advocate of transparency in health carecollecting, analyzing and disseminating data to inform value-based purchasing and improved decision-making.

Media Contact

Mike Riding

Vice President, Marketing

[email protected]

801-921-0676

SOURCE Embold Health
ATLANTA , July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- EZ Blockchain brought online its 2nd project to transform underutilized energy into crypto mining in West Point, GA. The full-service green crypto mining company is expanding its data center operations in West Point, by doubling its capacity from 8MWs to 16 MWs.

EZ Blockchain is using the underutilized energy capability allotted to the town that would otherwise be sitting idle. The company invested in total over $1 million into the area to tap into this energy, hiring only local contractors. Additionally, EZ Blockchain created 8 full-time and well-paying tech jobs,

The company partnered with the city of West Point for the 8 MW expansion project in December 2021, a project that includes an additional four EZ Blockchain mobile data centers expected to be operational in mid-spring. By May 2022 the company finished deployment by bringing online suggested capacity.

Speaking about the project's success, EZ Blockchain CEO and Co-founder Sergii Gerasymovych expressed his excitement with the support and collaboration of the city officials, the economic development department, and the utility department.

"We are happy to work with the local community, economic development authority, and city of West Point to increase our presence in Georgia. Capturing underutilized emmission free power capacity in the grid has been a long time a part of our mission. We are happy to bring a consistent load to this part of this country," Gerasymovych said.

The project has been a win-win for all parties. EZ Blockchain invested an additional $0.5 million in the local economy's goods and services, which further helped the local community generate extra revenue and jobs.

"The City of West Point is pleased to have EZ Blockchain located in our community. Sergii and his team have become the largest electric utility customer on the city electric system. The company has two locations in the city and hired local staff right away as the project started up several months ago. EZ Blockchain is a good addition to our community and our electric utility" Ed Moon, the City manager told.

Over 60% of electricity powering the EZ Blockchain data center campus in West Point, Georgia are from emmision free resources primarily from nuclear power. The company is focused to increase its growth in the West Point, GA to 24 MW total by adding another 8 MW of capacity till the end of the year. This project is EZ Blockchain's first site open to other clients, where the company leases the space in its mobile container like data centers.

About EZ Blockchain

EZ Blockchain is a technology company that is on a mission to solve the global waste energy problem with the help of crypto mining. The company focus on taping into underutilized energy sources, such as stranded gas, underutilized power on the grid, base load for power plants.

https://ezblockchain.net

Media Contact:

Sergii Gerasymovych

[email protected]

SOURCE EZ Blockchain
WASHINGTON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering many bans on tobacco and vape products, but the only one that targets people of color is the proposed ban on menthol cigarettes, flavored cigars and vapes, of which menthol cigarettes are the preferred choice of 85% Black people, and Menthol Is Not A Crime is shedding light on the hypocrisy of the ban, the outrage of everyday people.

The ironic part of the FDA's proposed ban on menthol cigarettes is that it is the only one of their currently proposed tobacco restrictions that disproportionately affects the Black, Latino, Asian American and the LGBTQ+ communities. The FDA's plan to limit nicotine levels will be applicable to all cigarettes. The Juul ban, which is currently under court injunction, is only for all Juul e-cigarette products.

Akelei Davis of North Carolina also questioned why Black people are being penalized, "If the FDA really wanted to help the Black community, then they would ban all cigarettes to help all communities. Banning only menthols and flavored cigars means that people of color communities will once again be targeted by the government."

The proposed ban will wreak havoc in the Black community due to increased police interactions and unintended consequences that will bring.

Attorney Ben Crump who represented George Floyd's family said, "... think about the unexpected consequences since most Black people smoke menthol cigarettes, how it's going to be a pretextual reason. Like, the police can tell if the cigarette you're smoking is menthol or not While we have been told that Black smokers will not be criminalized for possessing menthol cigarettes, that does not match our experience with other cigarette policies."

Former Police Chief John I. Dixon III and former President of National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) stated, "During the 'War on Drugs' more Black and Brown people went to jail" and "About 90% of people targeted by stop and frisk were Black and Brown people."

Instead of criminalizing and imprisoning historically discriminated against and marginalized communities, the U.S. should help create more equity in society. Unfortunately, that will not happen unless we act.

We need the Biden Administration to rescind the menthol cigarette ban to protect both women and Black people.

The public has until August 2 to submit a written comment via the FDA website at https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/FDA-2021-N-1349-0001 .

SOURCE Menthol Is Not A Crime
Authentic Filipino Flavors for All, Fila Manila Introduces All-Natural Coconut Spreads

PHILADELPHIA, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kumain ka na (let's eat)! Fila Manila, a Filipino-American-owned brand creating a modern twist on iconic Filipino sauces, condiments, and spreads, launches two new all-natural jams: Ube Purple Yam Jam and Coconut Jam. These are the first all-natural Ube and Coconut spreads on the market and continue Fila Manila's celebration of Filipino culture and cuisine.

Fila Manila

Fila Manila's new line of Coconut Spreads is the company's next iteration of modernizing traditional Filipino flavors. Ube Purple Yam Jam, a NEXTY award winner at this year's Natural Products Expo West, is made with real Philippine Ube, an indigenous Yam known for its vibrant purple hue, which is known as the country's most beloved, symbolic, and beautiful foods. Fila Manila fans got a sneak peek of the Ube Purple Yam Jam in a secret launch in March, and it sold out in just 30 minutes! The Coconut Jam is a smooth and creamy, spread typically used on bread or in desserts. It can also be used as a delicious and unique alternative to peanut butter  spread it, dip it, mix it, or spoon it. Both spreads contain no artificial colors or flavors and are gluten-free, dairy-free, peanut-free, and vegan.

"We've made it our mission at Fila Manila to ignite Filipino cuisine and our community and make these delicious flavors accessible to all," said Jake Deleon, Founder and CEO of Fila Manila. "These jams are inspired by some of my family's favorite staples growing up as a 1st generation Filipino American immigrant. I'm excited for consumers to experience even more of the beautiful Filipino culture."

Filipino Americans are the second largest Asian American community, yet there is nearly zero representation in mainstream grocery. Founder and CEO of Fila Manila Jake Deleon is helping to finally bring Filipino food, flavor, and communities to the forefront. Less than a year after its launch, Fila Manila products have taken off and the savory sauces are distributed in nearly 500 stores nationwide and are available online through the Fila Manila website and Amazon. Deleon is a first-generation Filipino American immigrant and was inspired to create products using his own family recipes. Upon learning that Filipinos and Filipino Americans make up a large percentage of frontline workers in the U.S., Deleon spent his $1,200 stimulus check to create sauce prototypes and hasn't slowed down since. According to SPINS Data in the Enhanced Natural Channel, Fila Manila is already the #1 brand in the US within the Filipino sub category of condiments & sauces. Fila Manila is representing the next generation of Filipino flavors by bringing delicious and easy offerings to everyone.

Fila Manila Coconut Spreads retail for $11.99 a jar and are available now on the Fila Manila website and are coming to select retailers this summer. For more information, visit filamanila.com and follow along on Instagram @eatfilamanila.

About Fila Manila

Founded by Jake Deleon in 2021, Fila Manila is on a mission to ignite Filipino cuisine and community by making authentic flavors accessible to all. Fila Manila is a modern twist on the iconic Filipino recipes Deleon grew up with. The brand is helping to bring Filipino food and representation to the forefront with simmer sauces, condiments, and spreads. For more information on Fila Manila visit filamanila.com and follow along on Instagram @eatfilamanila.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Olivia Flores / Carissa Izquierdo

213-600-0665

[email protected]

www.startrco.com

SOURCE Fila Manila
PALM COAST, Fla., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ASCs Inc. is pleased to announce that Florida Urology Center and Physicians Ambulatory Surgery Center has entered into a partnership with U.S. Urology Partners.

"Florida Urology Center's mission of providing quality, affordable and compassionate care to its patients was the basis on which we founded our practice and our surgery center," states Dr. Greg Parr, a founding partner. "As an organization, we felt that we would best be able to realize our goals by partnering with a group that would enable us to focus on patient care and they would support our growth initiatives and provide us with the clinical, operational, and business support that we feel is imperative as we move forward. After a thorough evaluation of alternative strategic partners, we selected U.S. Urology Partners."

Corina Tracy, Chief Executive Officer of U.S. Urology Partners, stated, "We are honored to welcome Florida Urology Center, which is well-known for its quality care and advanced technology, including a state-of-the-art surgery center. The addition of Florida Urology Center expands our multi-regional clinical network, which now spans the East Coast and the Midwest. Through collaboration among our partner practices, we are able to make an even greater impact on delivering the highest level of urological care in the communities we serve."

ASCs Inc.'s Managing Partner Jim Freund added, "Our process involved engaging more than a dozen of the most qualified and likely prospective buyers. The physicians and executive team were involved throughout and able to focus on finding the right partner while concurrently we negotiated the financial and non-financial terms with each party, ultimately providing the physician-owners with all the information that they needed to make an informed decision. As a result, they moved forward with the best possible partner for their organization."

"We selected ASCs Inc. because they had extensive experience in similar transactions, they have an excellent reputation and there was no obligation on our part to complete a transaction unless we found the right partner at the right price," added Dr. Parr. "We were beyond pleased with the end result."

About Florida Urology Center and Physicians Ambulatory Surgery Center

Florida Urology Center has five convenient locations throughout Florida, including Ormond Beach, Port Orange, Orange City, New Smyrna Beach, and Palm Coast. The Florida Urology group is committed to providing quality healthcare to its patients through education, training, clinical research, and support. The practice is dedicated to improving the lives of its patients by offering the most current diagnostic and therapeutic alternatives available. Most of the surgeries are performed in their state-of-the-art ambulatory surgery center, which is licensed by the state of Florida and certified by Medicare.

About U.S. Urology Partners

U.S. Urology Partners is one of the nation's largest independent providers of urology and related specialty services, including general urology, surgical procedures, advanced cancer treatment, and other ancillary services. The U.S. Urology Partners clinical network consists of more than 40 locations throughout the East Coast and Midwest. U.S. Urology Partners was formed to support urology practices with an experienced team of healthcare executives and resources and is backed by NMS Capital. The U.S. Urology Partners corporate office is in Nolensville, Tennessee, just outside of Nashville.

About ASCs Inc.

For over 20 years the industry-leading team at ASCs Inc. has focused exclusively on representing the best interests of physician-owners who are considering selling an interest in their practice, surgical center, or their real estate. By leveraging the knowledge, experience, and expertise that comes from successfully managing over 300 complex and time-consuming transactions our clients realize the best possible results using our risk-free process.

Contact:

Jim Freund, ASCs Inc. Managing Partner

WEB: ASCs-Inc.com / E-Mail: [email protected] / Phone: 203-733-8818

SOURCE ASCs Inc.
LOS ANGELES, July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Musick, Peeler & Garett LLP announced that Partners Jane Usher, Kristine Kwong, Lisa Hsiao, and Citadelle Piragula have been selected as nominees for the Los Angeles Business Journal's "Women's Leadership Awards," honoring the accomplishments and impact of women business leaders in the Los Angeles community.

"We have a great team of lawyers and Jane, Kristine, Lisa and Citadelle are among some of our finest examples of women leaders," said the firm's Managing Partner R. Joseph De Briyn. "This recognition speaks to their commitment to the firm, our clients and the greater business and legal community."

Usher, a Partner in the firm's Environmental and Public Law, Real Estate and Litigation practices, has been selected as a nominee in the "Community Impact Advocate" category. This award recognizes women who, outside of their day jobs, have made significant contributions to the communities in which they serve. In her 30+ year law practice, Usher represents private, public and nonprofit entities in the resolution of their government and regulatory affairs. She handles matters involving land use, planning, zoning, environmental, real estate development, CEQA, Brown Act, Public Records Act, ethics, ordinances, legislation, municipal and administrative law.

Kwong, a Partner in the firm's Labor and Employment practice, has been selected as a nominee in the "Champion of Women" category, which recognizes her day-to-day efforts to empower women. As an employment attorney, she represents employers on current employment law issues, particularly in the area of government-mandated programs such as the FMLA, FEHA, CFRA, PDL, and ADA. Her training programs also include business and operational compliance matters. Kwong was recently elected to Pasadena City College's Board of Trustees.

Priagula, also a Partner in the firm's Labor and Employment practice, was selected as a nominee for the "Women to Watch" category. Her law practice focuses on representing employers in a broad range of employment matters, including claims for wrongful termination, employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, failure to accommodate claims, breach of contract claims, and wage and hour claims, including the defense of class actions and PAGA actions. She has conducted pre-litigation investigations, developed case strategy, argued motions, taken and defended depositions, propounded and responded to written discovery, interviewed witnesses, and successfully negotiated the resolution of these matters in mediation and informally.

Hsiao, a Partner in the firm's Litiation practice, has been selected as a nominee in the "Women to Watch" category, recognizing emerging leaders who early in their careers have made noteworthy contributions in the business community. She is an experienced trial attorney and focuses her practice on transportation, product liability, premises liability, real estate, and employment. She represents Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and individuals in tort-based litigation with an emphasis on products liability, business litigation and transportation law.

Founded in 1954, Musick Peeler has offices in five major commercial centers across California, with over 100 attorneys practicing in 16 disciplines. For more information, visit MusickPeeler.com.

SOURCE Musick Peeler
As one of the nation's leading employment lawyers, Davis counsels companies and their leaders, as they face the ordinary and extraordinary day-to-day challenges of workforce management and development; he also acts as lead counsel in litigation matters on their behalf. Davis has three decades of experience handling complicated employment matters, including deep expertise in sexual harassment and discrimination investigations, cultural assessments, and workforce training.

He is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, a Board Member of the American Employment Law Council, and serves on the Strafford Employment Law Advisory Board. Davis is ranked by Chambers Global as one of the leading Labor & Employment lawyers in the country, and is similarly ranked by Chambers USA in Massachusetts. He has been named to Best Lawyers in America for Employment Law and Labor Law for the past 15 consecutive years.

Davis received his B.A., with high honors, from Swarthmore College and his J.D., with honors, from the University of Chicago Law School, where he was admitted to the Order of the Coif.

About Goulston & Storrs

Collaboration is not just a pillar of our strategy; it is the key to our competitive advantage and approach to clients, community, and each other. At Goulston & Storrs, we practice law with excellence and integrity. We are a place where mutual respect and collaboration drive open discussion, transparency, creativity and optimal results for our clients. We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace where sophisticated business is conducted with genuine camaraderie. To learn more about us, visit www.goulstonstorrs.com.

Contact:

Leigh Herzog Amy Blumenthal Goulston & Storrs PC Blumenthal & Associates PR (617) 574-2259 (617) 879-1511 [email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE Goulston & Storrs PC
ATLANTA, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Heritage Distribution Holdings ("Heritage" or the "Company"), an Atlanta-based market-leading wholesale distributor of HVAC/R equipment, parts, supplies, and customer service backed by leading middle-market private equity firm Gryphon Investors ("Gryphon"), today announced that Brian J. Sasadu has joined the Company as Chief Human Resources Officer, reporting to Chief Executive Officer Alex Averitt.

Mr. Sasadu has over 20 years of human capital and legal experience in distribution, manufacturing, and service organizations, with a track record of building best-in-class HR techniques, processes, and programs. In his role, he will have responsibility for developing and executing high-impact human capital strategies, programs, and services that engage employees, drive business results, and support the strategic growth of the Company.

Craig Nikrant, Operating Partner at Gryphon, said, "We are excited to welcome Brian to Heritage as we put together a best-in-the-industry management team with the background and expertise to profitably scale the business."

Mr. Sasadu was most recently the Chief Human Resources Officer at BlueLinx Holdings, Inc., a wholesale distributor of building materials and industrial products. Prior to that, he held a variety of leadership roles at Coca-Cola Refreshments (formerly Coca-Cola Enterprises), ultimately serving as the Senior Vice President of Human Resources responsible for human resources for the manufacturing and distribution assets of The Coca-Cola Company in the United States and Canada. Mr. Sasadu started his professional career at King & Spalding LLP, an international law firm, where he focused on representation and counsel to management on a wide range of labor and employment compliance and litigation matters. He holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Juris Doctor from the University of Florida.

"Brian's strong business acumen, diverse manufacturing and distribution background, and expertise in guiding people strategy in organizations makes him extremely well qualified to lead our human capital efforts in our next phase of growth," said Mr. Averitt. "I am very excited to have Brian join our leadership team. I know he will help design and foster an environment for all employees that will allow them to maximize their potential and help us realize our strategic goals, all while maintaining the Company's distinctive culture."

About Heritage Distribution Holdings

Heritage Distribution Holdings platform is an umbrella company that encompasses several brands of leading HVAC/R distributors across eight states. The platform currently includes three long-standing brands: Wittichen Supply Company, a wholesale distributor of HVAC/R equipment, parts, supplies, and customer service to residential and commercial customers based in the Southeastern United States; Benoist Brothers Supply Company, a Midwest-based regional distributor of HVAC/R equipment, parts, and supplies; and Ed's Supply Company, a wholesale distributor of HVAC/R equipment, parts, and supplies across Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

About Gryphon Investors

Based in San Francisco, Gryphon Investors (www.gryphoninvestors.com) is a leading private equity firm focused on profitably growing and competitively enhancing middle-market companies in partnership with experienced management. As of December 31, 2021, the firm has had over $9 billion of assets under management. Gryphon prioritizes investment opportunities where it can form strong partnerships with owners and executives to build leading companies, utilizing Gryphon's capital, specialized professional resources, and operational expertise.

Contact:

Lambert

Jennifer Hurson

(845) 507-0571

[email protected]

SOURCE Heritage Distribution Holdings and Gryphon Investors
HONG KONG, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HGC Global Communications Limited (HGC), a fully-fledged ICT service provider and network operator with extensive global coverage, is announcing the launch of EdgeX by HGC, a first-of-its-kind edge digital infrastructure platform ecosystem built to support OTTs' global expansion of the metaverse and the next generation internet.

With the metaverse expected to generate US$1.54 trillion in revenues by the end of the decade, from today's US$206.5 billion, according to PwC's Seeing is Believing report, companies across the globe are moving fast into this new segment.

However, many lack the knowledge, experience, or scale to build and manage the needed digital backbones to succeed, which require high levels of performance, redundant systems, and seamless integration across the different segments of digital infrastructure.

This is where the newly introduced EdgeX by HGC set of services solves the problem by bringing together five fields of digital infrastructure and solutions under one umbrella for easy deployment, management, and scale. These include:

Connectivity: EdgeX by HGC allows users to drastically reduce latency times, speed up market entry, and enjoy faster connectivity speeds by gaining access to HGC's ready-to-go platform Eyeball-as-a-Service (EaaS), benefit from HGC's and the AMS-IX (Amsterdam Internet Exchange) long standing partnership, and also grants acees to the HGC's IP Transit (IPTx) family which delivers direct Internet connectivity via HGC's own international IP backbone network.

Cybersecurity: As a comprehensive cybersecurity solution provider, HGC ensures connections and assets are protected through a diversified 360-degree cybersecurity portfolio which is included in EdgeX by HGC. The suite contains flagship solutions like Anti-DDoS, data security design, phishing assment, bot detection, penetration testing, and more.

Direct Cloud Connect: Building on strong foundations deployed with the world's leading cloud providers, subscribers of EdgeX by HGC automatically gain access to enterprise-grade private network connectivity with dominated public cloud providers' direct connect services and applications which ease deployment, expansion and bypass public Internet congestion delivering on high uptime SLAs.

Data Center & Managed Services: For data center operators in particular, EdgeX by HGC offers an expressway that enhances the connectivity ecosystem and greatly reduces latency times with essential interconnections easily deployed to HGC's global and regional hubs which include several points-of-presence (PoP) for OTTs. It also provides robust and easy manageable edge hosting computing capabilities including Public Cloud Direct Connections, and various Edge Compute Resources.

System Integration: With a lot of the world's data being created at the edge, EdgeX by HGC also combines HGC's edge resources which enable rapid and widespread deployments through planning, design and integration.

EdgeX by HGC is scalable, bespokable and can be used by companies of any size in any vertical from gaming to telecoms, OTTs, and any other enterprise that wishes to win in the digital space through a one-stop-shop solution that combines the horsepower of digital infrastructure into one solution platform designed to address the booming data demand sparked by the metaverse.

Commenting on the launch, Cliff Tam, HGC's International Business Senior Vice President for Global Data Strategy & Operations, said: "EdgeX by HGC not only offers faster and smoother service delivery, but it also expands OTT services with increased edge agility to capitalize on the enormous growth potential around this sector. By allowing OTTs to offload their cloud infrastructure and colocation services while increasing the network speeds, we are enabling users to focus on pushing the boundaries of innovation which is so crutial as the metaverse begins to take shape."

About HGC Global Communications Limited

HGC Global Communications Limited (HGC) is a leading Hong Kong and international telecom operator and ICT solution provider. The company owns an extensive network and infrastructure in Hong Kong and overseas and provides various kinds of services. HGC has 23 overseas offices, with business over 5 continents. It provides telecom infrastructure service to other operators and serves as a service provider to corporate and households. The company provides full-fledged telecom, data centre services, ICT solutions and broadband services for local, overseas, corporate, SME and mass markets. HGC owns and operates an extensive fibre-optic network, five cross-border telecom routes integrated into tier-one telecom operators in mainland China and connects with hundreds of world-class international telecom operators. HGC is one of Hong Kong's largest Wi-Fi service providers, running over 29,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in Hong Kong. The company is committed to further investing and enriching its current infrastructure and, in parallel, adding on top the latest technologies and developing its infrastructure services and solutions. In 2019, HGC Group completed the acquisition of Macroview Telecom Limited (Macroview), a leading digital technology solution and managed services provider. The addition of Macroview further accelerates HGC Group's digital transformation path and positioning as a pioneering ICT and digital services leader. HGC is a portfolio company of I Squared Capital, an independent global infrastructure investment manager focusing on energy, utilities and transport in North America, Europe and selected fast-growing economies.

To learn more, please visit HGC's website at: www.hgc.com.hk

SOURCE HGC Global Communications Limited (HGC)
She joins Texas-based Co-Chair Rob Kaplan to drive investments in early-stage, high impact organizations tackling some of the state's biggest challenges

MENLO PARK, Calif., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (DRK), one of the largest global venture philanthropy firms, announced that Holly Kuzmich will join the organization's leadership team as a Dallas-based Managing Director. Kuzmich, who joins DRK from the George W. Bush Institute, where she has served as Executive Director since 2013, has 25 years of public policy and leadership experience, serving in senior positions in the government, non-profit, and private sectors. She will expand DRK's presence in Texas and the Southwest by finding, funding, and supporting early-stage, high-impact social enterprises that are tackling some of society's biggest problems with innovative approaches. She will assume her duties on December 1.

Since 2002, Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation has supported more than 200 organizations, collectively impacting more than 220 million lives through a novel funding and support strategy. The Foundation supports early stage, high impact social enterprises solving the world's biggest and most pressing social and environmental problems. To date, DRK has raised over $200M of capital and deployed more than $110M to fund and support these 200 social enterprises around the globe.

"We are so excited to have Holly join our team and to help us drive our efforts in Texas and the greater Southwest region. With a population of close to 30 million people and as home to a robust community of innovators and social impact entrepreneurs, we see a real opportunity to build on our existing work in the region and accelerate our work finding, funding, and supporting exceptional social enterprises that can drive long term impact that improve the lives of tens of thousands of Texans," said Jim Bildner, DRK's Chief Executive Officer. "Holly's experience and broad networks will enable us to significantly expand this impact and help drive scalable solutions to the social, economic and environmental challenges confronting vulnerable Texas communities including food insecurity, employment opportunities, K-12 education and access to healthcare and other basics of life."

Holly's appointment will strengthen DRK's already strong ties to Texas. She will work closely with DRK's Co-chair Robert Steven Kaplan who served as the President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas from 2015 until 2021. "We are extremely excited about Holly joining DRK. Her tremendous leadership skills will help us bolster and expand our impact in Texas and globally," said Kaplan.

Kuzmich has 25 years of public policy and leadership experience, serving in senior positions in the government, non-profit, and private sectors. At the Bush Institute, a solution-oriented nonpartisan policy organization focused on ensuring opportunity for all, strengthening democracy, and advancing free societies, Kuzmich has led the team in developing and implementing major policy and programmatic initiatives on key issues of national and global importance. She oversaw the organization's strategy on leadership development, with four leadership programs graduating nearly 1,000 alumni to date from around the world. Domestically, she led the Bush Institute's efforts to push for comprehensive immigration reform and developed key alliances and partnerships in support of that effort. Globally, she shepherded the Bush Institute's global health initiative over the past six years to a public-private partnership that has led to nearly four million women screened for cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa.

She is a veteran of the White House, U.S. Department of Education, and Capitol Hill, where she developed her expertise in education policy. She served on the staff of the White House Domestic Policy Council and then as Deputy Chief of Staff and Assistant Secretary for Legislation and Congressional Affairs at the U.S. Department of Education. Prior to that, she worked for two United States Senators on domestic policy issues. She has also consulted on education and workforce issues with major foundations, companies, non-profits, and policymakers.

Kuzmich has been involved in a variety of leadership positions and in developing leadership programs. At the Bush Institute, she has overseen the design and implementation of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, a first-of-its-kind leadership development program in collaboration with the Clinton Foundation, George H.W. Bush Foundation, and Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation. She served as a Resident Fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School in the fall of 2021, is a Pahara-Aspen Institute Fellow, and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. She serves on the boards of the Gates Policy Initiative, the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, and the Dallas Assembly. She is also active in the community as an alumnus of the Texas Lyceum and a member of the Dallas Citizens Council.

"I have dedicated my career to solving challenges and advancing solutions through the public sector," said Kuzmich. "I'm thrilled to leverage that experience to work with social entrepreneurs who are solving some of the toughest problems we face around the world today. The work that the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation does to find, fund, and support these organizations and accelerate their ability to scale is unique and innovative, and I'm excited to contribute to their mission and expand their presence, particularly in Texas."

DRK's commitment to Texas is not new. In 2020, DRK partnered with Lyda Hill Philanthropies, a DRK donor partner, to co-sponsor the Lone Star Prize, a Texas-based competition for a $10 million grant to improve the lives of Texans, focused on three significant challenges confronting the state: improving health outcomes, workforce development and protecting the environment. In 2021, DRK created the Lone Star Fund in partnership with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, the Lyda Hill Foundation and other funders, to specifically target funding 5-7 new organizations from the Texas region into the DRK portfolio. The Lone Star Fund is part of DRK's overall fourth fund which will make $90 million available to support at least 100 new social impact enterprises around the globe.

Bringing Kuzmich as a Dallas-based Managing Director to the team reflects DRK's desire to deepen relationships in focused regions building partnerships and sourcing new investments to impact lives in that region. DRK has offices and teams in Menlo Park, CA; Boston, MA; The Hague, Netherlands; and Nairobi, Kenya.

About DRK: The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (DRK) is a global venture philanthropy firm that funds early-stage, social impact organizations solving the world's biggest and most pressing social and environmental problems with bold, scalable approaches. Since 2002, DRK has funded 200+ high impact organizations tackling some of the world's biggest challenges and who, in the aggregate are impacting more than 220 million lives. DRK's portfolio includes organizations working both in the US and internationally, helping to provide critical access to healthcare, education, food security, social justice, water and sanitation, transparency and accountability, and shelter. Learn more about DRK's portfolio organizations here.

About The George W. Bush Institute: The Bush Institute is an action-oriented, nonpartisan policy organization that develops leaders, advances policy, and takes action to solve today's most pressing challenges. Their work is inspired by the principles that guide President and Mrs. Bush in public life. Developing and supporting effective leaders is central to the work of the Bush Institute; since its founding in 2009, they have helped develop leaders around the world.

SOURCE Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
LOS ANGELES, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Employer defense law firm Hudock Employment Law Group announced today that litigator Eliza Langdon Oliver has been selected as a nominee for the "Women to Watch" award for Los Angeles Business Journal's "Women's Leadership Symposium and Awards" and recognized in a special supplement. The 2022 Women's Leadership Awards honors the accomplished and impactful women business leaders in the Los Angeles community.

The" Women to Watch" award recognizes emerging leaders who "made noteworthy contributions in the past year and are well on their way to making a meaningful imprint on the future of their organization and the local business community," says the feature.

"This recognition is a testament to Eliza's work ethic, as she has consistently proven her ability to provide the firm's clients with the highest degree of strategy and service," said Founding Attorney Robert Hudock.

Oliver is a litigator with over 10 years of experience. Her practice is focused on employment law and her experience includes wage and hour cases; FEHA discrimination, harassment and retaliation cases; and class actions. Oliver's clients are often companies looking at new markets and competitive opportunities, that want to recruit the best talent available, while avoiding distracting workplace issues or lawsuits.

Oliver says she enjoys the close contact she has with clients, and the opportunity to brainstorm strategy. "We don't take a cookie-cutter approach, we really think things through and try to develop the best strategies for our clients."

Earlier this year, Oliver was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as a "Woman of Influence" and last year she was honored by the Los Angeles Times as an "Inspirational Women Award" nominee.

Before joining Hudock Employment Law Group, Oliver practiced in several large international firms. She graduated from Loyola Law School at Loyola Marymount University magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, and served as production editor for the Loyola Los Angeles Law Review. She earned her bachelor's degree from Michigan State University, also magna cum laude, with a double major in Economics and Social Policy/Relations.

Hudock Employment Law Group provides employment litigation and counseling services to growth-minded companies in California, helping them protect their reputations and attract top talent. The firm has achieved successful results for clients in the areas of Wage & Hour, Discrimination, Harassment & Retaliation, Wrongful Termination, Employee Leave, Workplace Management, Employment Agreements. For more information, please visit https://hudockemploymentlaw.com/

SOURCE Hudock Employment Law Group
DUBLIN, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Human Gene Sequencing Markets, Strategies & Trends - Forecasts by Application, by Technology, by Workflow, by Product, and by Country, with Executive and Consultant Guides" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The plummeting costs for Genome Sequencing is creating a gold rush. New consumers, new technologies, new market niches. It is reminiscent of the birth of the internet industry; a wide range of well funded players are racing for market share on a global stage. This report forecasts the market size out to 2026. The report includes detailed breakouts for 14 countries and 5 regions.



Key Topics Covered:

1 Market Guides

2 Introduction and Market Definition

3 Global Listing of Sequencer Installed Base - Location & Contacts

4 Market Overview

4.1 Market Participants Play Different Roles

4.2 Human Gene Sequencing -Markets, Examples and Discussion

4.2.1 Inherited Disease - Not what it used to be

4.2.2 Newborn Screening - The Standard of Care

4.2.3 NIPT - We've Only Just Begun

4.2.4 Oncology - Understanding Two Worlds

4.2.5 Pharmacogenomics

4.2.6 Direct To Consumer - More Than Meets the Eye

4.2.6.1 DTC - How Many Segments?

4.3 Industry Structure

4.3.1 Hospital's Testing Share

4.3.2 The Rise of the Sequencing Lab

4.3.3 Sequencing as a Commodity

4.3.4 Informatics

4.3.5 Instrument Manufacturer Role

4.3.6 Healthcare Industry Impacts - Still Struggling

4.3.7 Can the Healthcare Industry Adapt?

4.3.8 Genetic Counselling as an Industry

4.3.9 Sequencing Adoption and Cannibalization

5 Market Trends

5.1 Factors Driving Growth

5.1.1 New Diagnoses

5.1.2 Wellness and Prevention

5.1.3 Fertility Technology

5.1.4 Cancer - Screening, Management and Monitoring

5.2 Factors Limiting Growth

5.2.1 Increased Competition Lowers Price

5.2.2 Lower Costs

5.2.3 Healthcare Cost Concerns Curtail Growth

5.2.4 Wellness has a downside

5.3 Sequencing Instrumentation

3.3.1 Instrumentation Tenacity

3.3.2 Declining Cost of Instruments Changes Industry Structure

3.3.3 Listing of Current Instrument Specifications

5.3.1 Long Reads - Further Segmentation

5.3.2 Linked Reads

5.3.3 New Sequencing Technologies

6 Human Gene Sequencing Recent Developments

7 Profiles of Key Companies

8 The Global Market for Human Genome Sequencing

8.1 Global Market Overview by Country

8.2 Global Market by Application - Overview

8.3 Global Market by Technology - Overview

8.4 Global Market by Workflow - Overview

8.5 Global Market by Product - Overview

9 Market Sizes by Application

9.1 Hereditary Gene Sequencing Market

9.2 NIPT Gene Sequencing Market

9.3 Oncology Market

9.4 Psychology Market

9.5 WGES Gene Sequencing Market

9.6 Pharmacogenomics Market

9.7 DTC Gene Sequencing Market

9.8 Research Gene Sequencing Market

9.9 Other Application Market

10 Market Sizes by Technology

10.1 Sanger Sequencing Market

10.2 NGS/2G Market

10.3 3G/Long Market

10.4 Other Technology Market

11 Market Sizes by Workflow

11.1 Sequencing Market

11.2 Sample Prep Market

11.3 Analysis Market

12 Market Sizes by Product

12.1 Instruments Market

12.2 Consumables Market

12.3 Software & Services Market

13 Vision of the Future of Human Gene Sequencing

Companies Mentioned

10x Genomics, Inc

23andME Inc

Abbott Diagnostics

AccuraGen Inc

Adaptive Biotechnologies

Admera Health, LLC

Agena Bioscience, Inc

Agilent

Akonni Biosystems

Ancestry.com LLC

Anchor Dx

Aperiomics

Arc Bio

ArcherDx, Inc

ARUP Laboratories

Asuragen

Baylor Miraca Genetics Laboratories

Beckman Coulter Diagnostics

Becton, Dickinson and Company

BGI Genomics Co. Ltd

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc

Bio-Techne

Bioarray Genetics

Biocept, Inc

Biodesix Inc

BioFluidica

BioGenex

Biolidics Ltd

bioMerieux Diagnostics

Bioneer Corporation

C2i Genomics

Cancer Genetics

Caris Molecular Diagnostics

CellMax Life

Centogene

Cepheid (now Danaher)

Chronix Biomedical

Circulogene

Clinical Genomics

Color Genomics

Complete Genomics, Inc. - A BGI Company

Cynvenio

Dante Labs

Datar Cancer Genetics Limited

Diasorin S.p.A

Epic Sciences

Epigenomics AG

Eurofins Scientific

Excellerate Bioscience

Exosome Diagnostics

Fabric Genomics

Fluidigm Corp

Foundation Medicine

Freenome

FUJIFILM Wako Diagnostics

Fujirebio

Fulgent Genetics

MDx Health

Medgenome

Meridian Bioscience

Mesa Biotech

MIODx

miR Scientific

MNG Labs

Molecular MD

NantHealth, Inc

Natera

Nebula Genomics

NeoGenomics

Novogene Bioinformatics Technology Co., Ltd

Omega Bioservices

OncoDNA

OpGen

ORIG3N, Inc

Origene Technologies

Oxford Nanopore Technologies

Panagene

Sure Genomics, Inc

Sysmex Inostics

Sysmex

Tempus Labs, Inc.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc

Veritas Genetics

Volition

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/yg9vcb

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Research and Markets
Segmentation Highlights

The land mobile radio market report is segmented by Technology (DMR, project 25, tetra, and others) and Geography (North America, Europe, APAC, MEA, and South America).

Regional Analysis: North America will be the leading region with 36% of the market's growth during the forecast period. The US is the key market for land mobile radio market in North America. Market growth in this region will be faster than the growth of the European markets. The increasing adoption of LMR technologies for public safety applications, such as firefighting, law enforcement, and military will facilitate the land mobile radio market growth in North America over the forecast period.

Revenue-generating Segment Insights: The DMR technology segment held the largest land mobile radio market share growth during the forecast period. The main aim of DMR is to provide an affordable, low-complexity digital standard to replace analog radio. Improved voice quality, functionality, channel efficiency, and security are some of the features of DMR devices that will drive the segment growth at a considerable rate during the forecast period.

Request for Sample for segment-based market growth opportunities and regional market

share

Key Market Dynamics:

Market Driver: The growing significance of efficient critical communication operations is notably driving the land mobile radio market growth. The growth of effective public safety communication networks has become the highest priority for organizations due to growing security threats and the demand for better efficiency and better information sharing. In addition, Effective communication is crucial for public safety responders who are required to stay connected with each other at the control center and obtain situational awareness in real-time when they are responding to emergencies.

is notably driving the land mobile radio market growth. The growth of effective public safety communication networks has become the highest priority for organizations due to growing security threats and the demand for better efficiency and better information sharing. In addition, Effective communication is crucial for public safety responders who are required to stay connected with each other at the control center and obtain situational awareness in real-time when they are responding to emergencies. Market Challenge: The major challenge impeding the land mobile radio market growth is the limitations of LMR technology. Owing to these drawbacks, the price of LMR technology is going down significantly. As analog radios are still dependent on LMR technology, these disadvantages are expected to hinder the growth of the market and result in reduced shipments and sales, particularly for analog radios.

Want to Know more about the other Key Market Dynamics influencing the market?

Download Sample Report!

Vendor Landscape

The land mobile radio market is concentrated and the vendors are deploying organic and inorganic growth strategies to compete in the market. The competitive scenario provided in the land mobile radio 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.

Some Companies Mentioned with their Offerings

BK Technologies



Codan Communications



Hytera Mobilfunk GmbH



JVCKENWOOD Corp.



L3Harris Technologies Inc.



Motorola Solutions Inc.



Scottish Communications Group



Sepura Ltd.



Thales Group



TTG Global Ltd.

To gain access to more vendor profiles with their key offerings available with Technavio, Click Here

Get ready to achieve excellent business outcomes from this exclusive land mobile radio market report by Technavio. The report offers comprehensive solutions to some of the most commonly asked questions including -

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 opportunities impacting demand & growth of the market?

Which regions & segments will garner massive revenue and emerge as market leaders in upcoming years?

Got more Questions?? Have all your Queries Pertaining to the Report Answered

by Retrieving the Sample Report Copy!

Related Reports:

Digital Broadcast and Cinematography Cameras Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Radio Market by Platform and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Land Mobile Radio Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 9.39% Market growth 2021-2025 $ 7.38 billion Market structure Concentrated YoY growth (%) 3.55 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, MEA, and South America Performing market contribution North America at 36% Key consumer countries US, China, Germany, UK, and Japan Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled BK Technologies, Codan Communications, Hytera Mobilfunk GmbH, JVCKENWOOD Corp., L3Harris Technologies Inc., Motorola Solutions Inc., Scottish Communications Group, Sepura Ltd., Thales Group, and TTG Global Ltd. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for forecast period. Customization 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

2.2 Value chain analysis

Exhibit 03: Value Chain Analysis: Broadcasting 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 Technology

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 15: Technology - Market share 2020-2025 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Technology

Exhibit 16: Comparison by Technology

5.3 DMR - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 17: DMR - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)



Exhibit 18: DMR - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.4 Project 25 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 19: Project 25 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)



Exhibit 20: Project 25 - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.5 TETRA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 21: TETRA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)



Exhibit 22: TETRA - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.6 Others - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 23: Others - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)



Exhibit 24: Others - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.7 Market opportunity by Technology

Exhibit 25: Market opportunity by Technology

6 Customer landscape

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 27: Market share by geography 2020-2025 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 28: Geographic comparison

7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 29: North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

Exhibit 30: North America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 31: Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

Exhibit 32: Europe - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 33: APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)



Exhibit 34: APAC - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.6 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 35: MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)



Exhibit 36: MEA - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.7 South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 37: South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

Exhibit 38: South America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.8 Key leading countries

Exhibit 39: Key leading countries

7.9 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 40: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.2 Market challenges

Exhibit 41: Impact of drivers and challenges

8.3 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Competitive scenario

9.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 42: Vendor landscape

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 43: Landscape disruption



Exhibit 44: Industry risks

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 45: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

10.3 BK Technologies

Exhibit 47: BK Technologies - Overview



Exhibit 48: BK Technologies - Product and service



Exhibit 49: BK Technologies  Key news



Exhibit 50: BK Technologies - Key offerings

10.4 Codan Communications

Exhibit 51: Codan Communications - Overview



Exhibit 52: Codan Communications - Business segments



Exhibit 53: Codan Communications  Key news



Exhibit 54: Codan Communications - Key offerings



Exhibit 55: Codan Communications - Segment focus

10.5 Hytera Mobilfunk GmbH

Exhibit 56: Hytera Mobilfunk GmbH - Overview



Exhibit 57: Hytera Mobilfunk GmbH - Product and service



Exhibit 58: Hytera Mobilfunk GmbH - Key offerings

10.6 JVCKENWOOD Corp.

Exhibit 59: JVCKENWOOD Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 60: JVCKENWOOD Corp. - Product and service



Exhibit 61: JVCKENWOOD Corp.  Key news



Exhibit 62: JVCKENWOOD Corp. - Key offerings

10.7 L3Harris Technologies Inc.

Exhibit 63: L3Harris Technologies Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 64: L3Harris Technologies Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 65: L3Harris Technologies Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 66: L3Harris Technologies Inc.  Key news



Exhibit 67: L3Harris Technologies Inc. - Segment focus

10.8 Motorola Solutions Inc.

Exhibit 68: Motorola Solutions Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 69: Motorola Solutions Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 70: Motorola Solutions Inc.  Key news



Exhibit 71: Motorola Solutions Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 72: Motorola Solutions Inc. - Segment focus

10.9 Scottish Communications Group

Exhibit 73: Scottish Communications Group - Overview



Exhibit 74: Scottish Communications Group - Product and service



Exhibit 75: Scottish Communications Group - Key offerings

10.10 Sepura Ltd.

Exhibit 76: Sepura Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 77: Sepura Ltd. - Product and service



Exhibit 78: Sepura Ltd.  Key news



Exhibit 79: Sepura Ltd. - Key offerings

10.11 Thales Group

Exhibit 80: Thales Group - Overview



Exhibit 81: Thales Group - Business segments



Exhibit 82: Thales Group  Key news



Exhibit 83: Thales Group - Key offerings



Exhibit 84: Thales Group - Segment focus

10.12 TTG Global Ltd.

Exhibit 85: TTG Global Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 86: TTG Global Ltd. - Product and service



Exhibit 87: TTG Global Ltd. - Key offerings

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 88: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.3 Research methodology

Exhibit 89: Research Methodology



Exhibit 90: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 91: Information sources

11.4 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 92: 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
RESTON, Va., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), a FORTUNE 500 science and technology leader, has scheduled a conference call for Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, at 8 a.m. (ET) to announce its second quarter 2022 financial results for the period ending July 1, 2022. The company plans to issue its quarterly earnings press release before the conference call on Aug 2, 2022.

The details for the earnings conference call follow:

Date: Aug. 2, 2022

Time: 8 a.m. (ET)

To Listen via the Internet:

The company offers a live and replay audio broadcast of the conference call with corresponding supplemental information at http://ir.leidos.com.

To Listen via Telephone:

877-869-3847 (toll-free U.S.)

+1-201-689-8261 (for International Callers)

Replay:

A telephone playback of the first quarter 2022 earnings conference call is scheduled to be available beginning at 11:30 a.m. (ET) on Aug. 2, 2022, through 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Aug. 9, 2022. The replay will be accessible by calling 877-660-6853 (International callers: +1-201-612-7415) and entering conference ID 13731269.

An archived version of the webcast will be available on the Leidos Investor Relations website at http://ir.leidos.com.

About Leidos:

Leidos is a Fortune 500 technology, engineering, and science solutions and services leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets. The company's 43,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $13.7 billion for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Media contact:

Melissa Lee Duenas

571.526.6850

[email protected]

Investor Relations:

Stuart Davis

571.526.6124

[email protected]

SOURCE Leidos
JERSEY CITY, N.J., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InsightAce Analytic Pvt. Ltd. has announced the publication of a market research report titled "Global Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market (By Type of Product(Probiotic drugs, Other drugs), By Type of Molecule(Small molecules, Biologics), By Target disease indication(Graft Versus Host Disease, Necrotizing Enterocolitis, Primary Hyperoxaluria, Recurrent C. difficile Infection, Others), By Therapeutic area (Digestive and Gastrointestinal Disorders, Infectious Diseases, Rare Disorders, Others), By route of administration(Oral therapeutics, Rectal therapeutics))- Market Outlook and Industry Analysis 2030."

According to company's newest research, the Global Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market is worth US$ 355.9 Million in 2021 and is predicted to reach US$ 2608.0 Million in 2030, with a promising CAGR of 25.2% between 2022 and 2030.

Get a Demo Sample copy of Report @ https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/request-sample/1300

Live Biotherapeutics are a recognized new class of medicines which contains live organisms, such as bacteria. These live microbiome drugs can prevent, treat and cure the disease conditions of humans and potentially transform how we treat many diseases. These therapeutics do not contain any vaccine category. These microbes produce and consume numerous compounds that considerably impact our health and well-being. The reintroduction of beneficial microorganisms has the potential to act as clinically relevant therapies to re-establish and maintain a healthy microbiome. Importantly, LBPs will also have a biological impact by affecting the local ecosystem, other microbes, and their interactions with the host.

Over the forecast period, market growth is anticipated to be driven by expanding research and development efforts as well as a growing pipeline of microbiome-targeting therapies that are anticipated to treat a wide range of serious diseases. The market is developing due to increasing innovation and technological developments in developing new pharmaceuticals and clinical trial activities for illness treatment. During the forecast period, significant growth opportunities are anticipated due to rising government funding and an increased R&D budget for drug development. Over 640 patents focused on microbiome therapeutics were approved in during last 2 years.

Challenges related to ensuring compliance with good manufacturing practices (GMP), Associated Safety Issues with LBPs and capacity include limited availability of expertise, a lack of specialized infrastructure which need for excessive capital investment, and the requirement for high capital expenditure. These factors are expected to restrain the growth of the market. However, due to rising demand for new novel drugs and the significant burden of bacterial infection disease, North America is expected to experience rapid growth during the forecast period (2022-2030). Companies receive enormous funding for product development and research on Live Biotherapeutic ingredients.

The key players involved in live biotherapeutic products industry are Seres Therapeutics, Inc., Microbiotica, Enterome, Destiny Pharma plc, Taisho Pharmaceutical Holdings, AOBiome Therapeutics, Inc., Finch Therapeutics Group, Inc, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Rebiotix Inc. (A Subsidiary of Ferring Pharmaceuticals), MaaT Pharma, Vedanta Biosciences Inc., OxThera AB, Pendulum Therapeutics, Caelus Health, Quorum Innovations, Sanofi S.A, DermBiont, Inc., EnteroBiotix Ltd, YSOPIA Bioscience, Winclove Probiotics, TargEDys, Evelo Biosciences, Inc., BiomX, Biomica Ltd., Scioto Biosciences, Inc., Lactobio A/S, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Second Genome Therapeutics, Johnson and Johnson Inc., Kaleido Biosciences Inc., OptiBiotix Health Plc, PureTech Health Plc, Immuron Limited, Naked Biome, Synthetic Biologics, ExeGi Pharma, Nexbiome, Mybiotics Pharma LTD, 4D pharma plc, Axial Therapeutics, Inc., BrickBuilt Therapeutics, Siolta Therapeutics, Stellate Therapeutics, Sciotio Biosciences Inc, Rise Therapeutics, EverImmune S.A. and others.

Enquiry Before Buying: https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/enquiry-before-buying/1300

Key developments in the market:

In Mar 2022 , Microbiotica has accomplished a 50 million ( $67 million ) Series B financing round, the largest microbiome-related financing round in Europe to date. The assets will also be used to advance Microbiotica's two lead oral Live Bacterial Therapeutics (LBTs), MB097 and MB310, to Phase 1b clinical trials, as well as LBTs in new disease areas.

Microbiotica has accomplished a 50 million ( ) Series B financing round, the largest microbiome-related financing round in to date. The assets will also be used to advance Microbiotica's two lead oral Live Bacterial Therapeutics (LBTs), MB097 and MB310, to Phase clinical trials, as well as LBTs in new disease areas. In Nov 2021 , Together by collaboration, Bacthera and Seres Therapeutics will commercially manufacture SER-109, a possible cure for recurrent C. difficile infection. According to the terms of the contract, Bacthera will build a special facility for commercial production in its new facility Microbiome Center of Excellence on Lonza's Ibex campus in Visp, Switzerland that is devoted to the production of LBPs.

, Together by collaboration, Bacthera and Seres Therapeutics will commercially manufacture SER-109, a possible cure for recurrent C. difficile infection. According to the terms of the contract, Bacthera will build a special facility for commercial production in its new facility Microbiome Center of Excellence on Lonza's Ibex campus in Visp, that is devoted to the production of LBPs. In Aug 2021 , Finch Therapeutics announced that the development of the FIN-524 Ulcerative Colitis Program will be accelerated its strategic partner Takeda. Prior to the anticipated start of clinical-stage development, Takeda will take over primary development responsibility for the programme, which is now known as TAK-524. With the change, Takeda will be able to use its knowledge of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) for the duration of the clinical development of FIN-524/TAK-524.

, Finch Therapeutics announced that the development of the FIN-524 Ulcerative Colitis Program will be accelerated its strategic partner Takeda. Prior to the anticipated start of clinical-stage development, Takeda will take over primary development responsibility for the programme, which is now known as TAK-524. With the change, Takeda will be able to use its knowledge of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) for the duration of the clinical development of FIN-524/TAK-524. In Nov 2020 , ExeGi Pharma declares EXE-346 Live Biotherapeutic an FDA orphan drug. Drugs and biological products designed to treat diseases that affect fewer than 200,000 patients in the US are given some advantages thanks to this designation. An LBP called EXE-346 has a fixed-proportion of 8 live probiotic bacterial strains that are meant to be taken orally.

Market Segmentation

Global Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market, by Type Of Product, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Probiotic Drugs

Other Drugs

Global Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market, by Type of Molecule, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Small Molecules

Biologics

Global Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market, by Target disease indication, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Graft Versus Host Disease

Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Primary Hyperoxaluria,

Recurrent C. difficile Infection

Others

Global Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market, by Therapeutic area, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Digestive and Gastrointestinal Disorders

Infectious Diseases

Rare Disorders

Others

Global Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market, by Route of administration, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Oral Therapeutics

Rectal Therapeutics

Global Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market, by Region, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa

North America Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market, by Country, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

U.S.

Canada

Europe Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market, by Country, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Germany

France

Italy

Spain

Russia

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market, by Country, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

India

China

Japan

South Korea

Australia & New Zealand

Latin America Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market, by Country, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Brazil

Mexico

Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market, by Country, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

GCC Countries

South Africa

Rest of Middle East & Africa

Why should buy this report:

To receive a comprehensive analysis of the pipeline products prospects for the Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market

To receive an industry overview and future trends of the Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market

To analyze the Global Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market drivers and challenges

To get information on the Global Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market size (Value US$ Mn) forecast to 2030

To get information on investments, mergers & acquisitions in the Global Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) Market industry

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Other Related Reports Published by InsightAce Analytic:

Global Live Biotherapeutic Products And Microbiome Contract Manufacturing Market

Global Human Microbiome-based Gut Health Test and Nutrition Market

Global Animal Microbiome Market

Global Microbiome in Skincare Market

About Us:

InsightAce Analytic is a market research and consulting firm that enables clients to make strategic decisions. Our qualitative and quantitative market intelligence solutions inform the need for market and competitive intelligence to expand businesses. We help clients gain a competitive advantage by identifying untapped markets, exploring new and competing technologies, segmenting potential markets, and repositioning products. Our expertise is in providing syndicated and custom market intelligence reports with an in-depth analysis with key market insights in a timely and cost-effective manner.

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SOURCE InsightAce Analytic Pvt. Ltd.
Key Market Dynamics:

Market Driver

Market Challenges

The low cost and low power consumption of LPWAN technology are one of the main drivers fueling the growth of the market for low-power wide-area networks. Many M2M and IoT applications, which have limited funding and power sources, are made possible by LPWAN. A major driver propelling the market for low-power wide-area networks is the expanding demand for safe and legal cloud solutions.

However, one of the major obstacles impeding the growth of the low-power wide-area networks industry is privacy and security concerns.

To learn about additional key drivers, trends, and challenges available with Technavio. Read Sample Report Right Now!

Key Segment Analysis

Agriculture and the environment will significantly increase their market share of low-power wide-area networks during the anticipated period. Fishing, land monitoring, and animal tracking are some common activities in the agricultural sector. Monitoring of the environment includes keeping an eye on things like boreholes, pollution, noise, rain, wind, and other environmental hazards. During the projection period, the agricultural and environment category is anticipated to increase significantly. This is due to the use of LPWAN, which is practical and cost-effective in the industry.

View the sample report for additional insights into the contribution of all the segments, and regional opportunities in the report.

Vendor Insights

The Low-Power Wide Area Networks Market is fragmented and the vendors are deploying various organic and inorganic growth strategies to compete in the market.

The growing competition in the market is compelling vendors to adopt various growth strategies such as promotional activities and spending on advertisements to improve the visibility of their services. Some vendors are also adopting inorganic growth strategies such as M&As to remain competitive in the market.

The report analyzes the market's competitive landscape and offers information on several market vendors, including:

Actility SA

AT&T Inc.

Bouygues Telecom

Huawei Investment & Holding Co. Ltd.

Ingenu Inc.

Link Labs Inc.

Semtech Corp.

Telefonica SA

Thales Group

Vodafone Group Plc

Find additional highlights on the growth strategies adopted by vendors and their product offerings, Read Sample Report .

Customize Your Report

Don't miss out on the opportunity to speak to our analyst and know more insights about this market report. Our analysts can also help you customize this report according to your needs. Our analysts and industry experts will work directly with you to understand your requirements and provide you with customized data in a short amount of time.

Do reach out to our analysts for more customized reports as per your requirements. Speak to an Analyst Now!

Related Reports:

Industrial IoT Gateway Market by End-user and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

eSIM Market by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

Low-Power Wide Area Networks Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 58% Market growth 2021-2025 $ 109.76 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 36.34 Regional analysis Europe, North America, APAC, South America, and MEA Performing market contribution Europe at 33% Key consumer countries US, Germany, China, UK, and India Competitive landscape Leading companies, Competitive strategies, Consumer engagement scope Key companies profiled Actility SA, AT&T Inc., Bouygues Telecom, Huawei Investment & Holding Co. Ltd., Ingenu Inc., Link Labs Inc., Semtech Corp., Telefonica SA, Thales Group, and Vodafone Group Plc 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: Communications equipment 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 End-user

5.1 Market segments

5.2 Comparison by End-user

5.3 Agriculture and environment - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 17: Agriculture and environment - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)



Exhibit 18: Agriculture and environment - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.4 Smart buildings - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 19: Smart buildings - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)



Exhibit 20: Smart buildings - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.5 Consumer - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 21: Consumer - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)



Exhibit 22: Consumer - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.6 Utilities - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 23: Utilities - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)



Exhibit 24: Utilities - 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 End-user

Exhibit 27: Market opportunity by End-user

6 Customer landscape

6.1 Customer landscape

Exhibit 28: Customer landscape

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 29: Market share by geography 2020-2025 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 30: Geographic comparison

7.3 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 31: Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

Exhibit 32: Europe - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.4 North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 33: North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

Exhibit 34: North America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 35: APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)



Exhibit 36: APAC - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 37: South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

Exhibit 38: South America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.7 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 39: MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)



Exhibit 40: MEA - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.8 Key leading countries

Exhibit 41: Key leading countries

7.9 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 42: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.2 Market challenges

Exhibit 43: Impact of drivers and challenges

8.3 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 44: Vendor landscape

9.2 Competitive Scenario

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 45: Landscape disruption



Exhibit 46: Industry risks

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 48: Market positioning of vendors

10.3 Actility SA

Exhibit 49: Actility SA - Overview



Exhibit 50: Actility SA - Product and service



Exhibit 51: Actility SA  Key news



Exhibit 52: Actility SA - Key offerings

10.4 AT&T Inc.

Exhibit 53: AT&T Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 54: AT&T Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 55: AT&T Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 56: AT&T Inc. - Segment focus

10.5 Bouygues Telecom

Exhibit 57: Bouygues Telecom - Overview



Exhibit 58: Bouygues Telecom - Product and service



Exhibit 59: Bouygues Telecom  Key news



Exhibit 60: Bouygues Telecom - Key offerings

10.6 Huawei Investment & Holding Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 61: Huawei Investment & Holding Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 62: Huawei Investment & Holding Co. Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 63: Huawei Investment & Holding Co. Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 64: Huawei Investment & Holding Co. Ltd. - Segment focus

10.7 Ingenu Inc.

Exhibit 65: Ingenu Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 66: Ingenu Inc. - Product and service



Exhibit 67: Ingenu Inc. - Key offerings

10.8 Link Labs Inc.

Exhibit 68: Link Labs Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 69: Link Labs Inc. - Product and service



Exhibit 70: Link Labs Inc. - Key offerings

10.9 Semtech Corp.

Exhibit 71: Semtech Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 72: Semtech Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 73: Semtech Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 74: Semtech Corp. - Segment focus

10.10 Telefonica SA

Exhibit 75: Telefonica SA - Overview



Exhibit 76: Telefonica SA - Business segments



Exhibit 77: Telefonica SA  Key news



Exhibit 78: Telefonica SA - Key offerings



Exhibit 79: Telefonica SA - Segment focus

10.11 Thales Group

Exhibit 80: Thales Group - Overview



Exhibit 81: Thales Group - Business segments



Exhibit 82: Thales Group - Key offerings



Exhibit 83: Thales Group - Segment focus

10.12 Vodafone Group Plc

Exhibit 84: Vodafone Group Plc - Overview



Exhibit 85: Vodafone Group Plc - Product and service



Exhibit 86: Vodafone Group Plc - Key offerings

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 87: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.3 Research methodology

Exhibit 88: Research Methodology



Exhibit 89: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 90: Information sources

11.4 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 91: List of abbreviations

About Us:

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
"HPRA is honored to celebrate these distinguished professionals for their unrivaled leadership in advancing the multicultural communications industry while enabling the diversification of our national economy," said Sonia V. Diaz, national HPRA president . "Maria Elena, Trisch, Marisol and Pat have truly paved the way for media, brands, and marketers to pay attention to these vital segments, and most importantly, they have helped to enrich the representation and experience of multicultural communities through the work we all do."

Now in its eighth year, the 2022 HPRA BRAVO! Awards celebrate the best corporate, agency, non-profit PR and marketing teams, and the breakthrough work they produced. Honorees for the 2022 National BRAVO! Awards were nominated and chosen collectively by HPRA executive leadership and its board of directors. The honorees were selected for their pivotal work in shaping the industry and establishing progress for Hispanic and multicultural consumer segments in public relations and communications.

Peabody award-winning anchor, Maria Elena Salinas, is described as the "Voice of Hispanic America" by the New York Times and is one of the most recognized and influential journalists in the United States. After more than three decades as network anchor at Univision, she continued as an independent journalist and producer as well as a contributor for CBS News, and now ABC News. Maria Elena is the first Latina to receive a lifetime achievement Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Her career began in 1981, where she served as a reporter, anchor and public affairs host for KMEX-TV, Univision's affiliate in Los Angeles. Maria Elena's philanthropic work includes providing scholarships for Latino journalism students, serving on the board of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and collaborating with several Latino civic engagement organizations. She continues her mission to inform, inspire, educate, and empower the Latino community and recently formed part of the advisory board for the newly established Latino Media Network.

Pioneer of the Year: Marisol Martinez , VP Multicultural Marketing, Charter Communications

An award-winning executive, Marisol develops strategies to reach multicultural audiences across all marketing platforms for Charter and directs the company's multicultural acquisition and customer relationship management for Spectrum products. She joined Time Warner Cable in 2008 as Director of Marketing and remained with Charter when its transactions with Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks closed in 2016. Marisol joined Time Warner Cable from Unilever where she was Multicultural Brand Manager. Before Unilever, she served as Senior Marketing Manager at Verizon Communications. Earlier in her career, she held several positions at multicultural advertising agencies where she managed campaigns for several brands, including Procter & Gamble's Downy, Pantene and Head & Shoulders, MetroPlus Health Plans and Scholastic. She is a member of Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) and the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity In Communications (NAMIC).

Diversity & Inclusion Professional of the Year: Trisch Smith , Chief Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Edelman

Diversity and inclusion champion, communications expert, and public relations agency veteran are just a few words used to describe Trisch L. Smith. During her tenure with Edelman, the world's leading global communications marketing agency, Smith has managed stakeholder outreach, strategic positioning, crisis and reputation management campaigns for a host of Fortune 500 corporations and non-profits seeking to engage a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including Walmart, Starbucks, Unilever, HP, United Way of America, 4-H Council, Toyota, and Prudential, among several others.

For a decade, Smith led the firm's award-winning Multicultural practice providing senior counsel to a wide range of clients to protect, promote and evolve their brands and effectively engage diverse thought leaders, consumers and other stakeholders. In 2015, Smith was appointed to serve as the U.S. Managing Director of Diversity and Inclusion, and in fall 2018 she was named Edelman's first Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. In this role, Smith actively works to create an Edelman workforce that represents the increasingly diverse marketplace and offers an equitable and inclusive workplace.

President's Award: Patrick Ford , Full-time Lecturer, University of Florida's College of Journalism and Communications & Former Burson-Marsteller Global Vice Chair

With more than 38 years of PR experience, Pat teaches corporate reputation, crisis management and corporate communications essentials at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. He previously spent 28 years at Burson-Marsteller, most recently as worldwide vice chair for client service and chief client officer. His background in corporate reputation and issues management has helped companies in a wide range of industries build and protect the reputations of their corporate and product brands. He started his career as a local reporter in New Jersey and currently serves on several boards and advisory councils, including the Diversity Action Alliance, an organization dedicated to improving diversity, equity and inclusion in the public relations industry; the Institute for Public Relations, which focuses on "the science beneath the art of public relations"; the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations, which promotes mentorship; and the Museum of Public Relations.

For more information about the awards program, visit: https://hprausa.org/bravo/ .

For information about HPRA National BRAVO! Awards sponsorship opportunities , please contact the HPRA National Office at [email protected].

SOURCE Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA)
Dallas trial boutique stands out for successes in medical device defect litigation

DALLAS, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A $2.549 million jury verdict over a defective medical device secured by Martin Baughman trial lawyers has been recognized as one of the state's top 100 verdicts for 2021, according to an analysis by Texas Lawyer magazine and VerdictSearch.

The May 2021 verdict in Dallas federal court was the fourth-largest product defect verdict and the 51st largest overall in Texas. It was one of four similar trial victories by Dallas-based Martin Baughman law firm during a nine-week period between May and June 2021 during the height of COVID-19 restrictions.

Firm co-founders Ben Martin and Laura Baughman were lead counsel in the litigation, which focused on claims that defective IVC filters caused medical complications and injuries after they were implanted. The filters are inserted into a major vein, the inferior vena cava (IVC), to prevent blood clots from moving to the heart and lungs.

The firm's performance in 2021 solidified its national reputation for prevailing in complicated litigation involving dangerous products, mass torts and catastrophic personal injury claims.

"These cases require real expertise and legal skill but also a passion for justice," said Ms. Baughman. "Our lawyers develop a mastery of the facts, but it's their advocacy that really stands out, enabling them to communicate to juries in a way that really resonates."

In 2019, Mr. Martin and Ms. Baughman were co-counsel in bellwether multidistrict litigation over Cook Medical's IVC filter. The $3 million verdict in that case marked the first-ever design defect finding by a jury in an IVC filter case.

"The pace of our trial work in 2021 is something few law firms of any size can match," said Mr. Martin. "It was truly remarkable to be part of this team and see everyone rise to the occasion to achieve justice for our clients."

In addition to the IVC filter litigation, Martin Baughman secured significant confidential settlements in 2021 in other medical device and medical malpractice cases. The firm is among the finalists for National Law Journal's 2022 Elite Trial Lawyers honors.

Martin Baughman attorneys have helped thousands of victims of accidents and injuries caused by catastrophic vehicular and trucking accidents, oil field explosions, medical and hospital negligence, medical device and pharmaceutical design defects, and personal injuries caused by negligence and gross negligence.

Media Contact:

Robert Tharp

214-420-6011

[email protected]

SOURCE Martin Baughman
ORLANDO, Fla., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MCAP Inc. (OTC: MCAP), a financial technology company and electronic securities market maker, today announced a senior hire in its Equities division. The company's broker dealer subsidiary, MCAP LLC, hired Jonpaul ("JP") Mondazzi as Managing Director  Institutional Equity Trading. He will play a key role in the expansion and growth of the company's institutional equity market making, relationship management and liquidity services provided to MCAP LLC's institutional customer base. MCAP LLC continues to position itself as a leading technology, execution and customer service driven market maker.

Mr. Mondazzi joins MCAP from Citigroup where he served as Director  International Equity Trading and prior to that at JP Morgan Securities in the same capacity. At MCAP, he will focus on expansion of MCAP's institutional customer facing ADR and ETF markets, supporting customers' execution and liquidity needs.

Will Dennis, President at MCAP, stated, "JP is one the most experienced traders in the ADR and Foreign Ordinary market. His years of experience coupled with his strong customer relationships make him the complete package. We are excited to have JP join our team and look forward to expanding our product offering and client base."

David Menn, CEO at MCAP, commented, "We are excited to have JP join MCAP. His expertise in international equities fits very well for us and we look forward to providing liquidity as a service to an institutional customer base, in addition to providing them access to our trading technologies and platforms."

MCAP Inc. operates as a financial technology company. The company has three subsidiaries: MCAP Technologies LLC, MBIT LLC, and MCAP LLC. MCAP Technologies LLC develops financial technology software utilized in various global financial markets. MBIT LLC is a digital asset company focused on cryptocurrency, DeFi protocols and blockchain integration in the global financial markets. MCAP LLC is a U.S. based broker-dealer focused on electronic securities market making. MCAP LLC connects institutional investors, broker-dealers and companies to the global equity and fixed income markets on a 24/7 basis. MCAP focuses on developing technologies to provide customers with customized trading solutions and unique market access.

Please visit our website: www.mcaptech.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. The matters discussed in this news release involve goals, forecasts, assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

SOURCE MCAP Inc.
MEDFORD, Wis., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Medford Cooperative announced today the purchase of the Clark C-Store located in Stetsonville and the Stetsonville Oil Bulk Fuel Operations located in Medford. The tire and auto business is not a part of the sale and will continue operations at a new location within Stetsonville. The transition of ownership is expected to take place in July.

Medford Cooperative Welcomes Stetsonville Oil to the Family

Medford Cooperative is one of the fastest growing cooperatives in the state of Wisconsin and currently operates three business divisions that includes retail, energy, and agriculture services. The acquisition of Stetsonville Oil will enable Medford Cooperative to gain better buying power with suppliers while providing increased service to our customers.

Chris Piotrowski, Medford Cooperative CEO & General Manager, stated "We would like to welcome the employees and customers of Stetsonville Oil to the Medford Cooperative family. We are excited to join the Stetsonville community in the coming weeks. We want to invite community members to join the Medford Cooperative so that they can begin enjoying the benefits of being a member."

Medford Cooperative members receive benefits which include receiving cash back, donations to local non-profit organizations, and exclusive member discounts and deals. Medford Cooperative membership is completely free. Ask the customer service team for details once the transition takes place.

The team at Medford Cooperative is working closely with the Stetsonville Oil team to ensure a smooth transition over the next several weeks. The convenience store will continue to operate under the Clark brand.

About Medford Cooperative

Medford Cooperative is a member-owned, producer cooperative that was founded in 1911, making it one of the oldest cooperatives in the state of Wisconsin. The cooperative is diversified with departments in agriculture (feed/grain and agronomy), energy (refined fuels and propane), and retail (grocery, hardware and convenience stores). For more information, go to www.medfordcoop.com .

SOURCE Medford Cooperative
WASHINGTON , July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA, in partnership with ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency), will release the James Webb Space Telescope's first full-color images and spectroscopic data during a live broadcast beginning at 10:30 a.m. EDT Tuesday, July 12, from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Released one by one, these first images from the world's largest and most powerful space telescope will demonstrate Webb at its full power as it begins its mission to unfold the infrared universe.

Each image will simultaneously be made available on social media, as well as on the agency's website at:

http://www.nasa.gov/webbfirstimages

Embargoed access to Webb's first images will not be available prior to their public release.

The following is a list of activities for the release (all times Eastern):

Friday, July 8

NASA will share the list of cosmic targets for Webb's first images and spectra on the agency's website.

Tuesday, July 12 (Image Release Day)

9:45 a.m.  Live, opening remarks by agency and Webb leadership will air on NASA TV, the NASA app, and the agency's website ahead of the first images release.

10:30 a.m.  Live coverage of the image release broadcast will air on NASA TV, the NASA app, and the agency's website . The public also can watch live on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Twitch, and Daily Motion.

12 p.m.  Following the live broadcast, NASA and its partners will hold a joint media briefing at NASA Goddard. The briefing will livestream on NASA TV, the NASA app, and the agency's website . Participants include:

Eric Smith , Webb program scientist and Astrophysics Division chief scientist, NASA Headquarters

, program scientist and Astrophysics Division chief scientist, NASA Headquarters Knicole Colon, Webb deputy project scientist for exoplanet science, NASA Goddard

deputy project scientist for exoplanet science, NASA Goddard Rene Doyon, principal investigator for the Canadian Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph, University of Montreal

Christopher Evans , Webb project scientist, ESA

, project scientist, ESA Klaus Pontoppidan , Webb project scientist, STScI

, project scientist, STScI Jane Rigby , Webb operations project scientist, NASA Goddard

, operations project scientist, NASA Goddard Amber Straughn , Webb deputy project scientist for communications, NASA Goddard

In-person registration is closed; media may register to participate virtually by completing this form by 3 p.m. Monday, July 11.

3 p.m.  Live Interview Opportunities: From 3 to 7 p.m., Webb mission experts will be available to conduct live, remote interviews with broadcast media, in both English and Spanish. Details about scheduling these interviews are available online. Members of the media seeking interviews outside of the windows mentioned in this advisory should complete this media interview request form.

NASA's media accreditation policy for on-site and virtual activities is available online. The agency will soon provide further details to those who register their interest, including COVID-19 safety protocols. Due to space limitations, NASA may be unable to accommodate all requests for on-site attendance. Media and members of the public may ask questions on social media using #UnfoldtheUniverse.

Wednesday, July 13

6 a.m.  Live Interview Opportunities: From 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., Webb mission experts will be available to conduct live, remote interviews with broadcast media, in both English and Spanish. Details about scheduling these interviews are available online. Members of the media seeking interviews outside of the windows mentioned in this advisory should complete this media interview request form.

1 p.m.: NASA en espanol social media event

NASA will broadcast a live social media event in Spanish on its NASA en espanol YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter accounts. Webb experts Begona Vila and Nestor Espinoza will discuss the release of the first images and take questions from followers.

3 p.m.: NASA Science Live

Webb experts will answer questions about the first images and data in a NASA Science Live show. The broadcast, Webb's First Full-Color Images Explained, will air live on the NASA Science Live website, as well as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Viewers of this episode can submit questions on social media using the hashtag #UnfoldtheUniverse or by leaving a comment in the chat section of the Facebook or YouTube stream.

NASA Social

The agency will host an in-person NASA Social Tuesday, July 12, and Wednesday, July 13. Participants will join as guests for the in-studio filming of the televised broadcast at NASA Goddard, tour NASA Goddard and STScI facilities, and interact with experts from the Webb mission.

Social media users can also join a virtual global social event on Facebook to get a behind-the-scenes look at the mission and celebrate Webb's first images.

Webb Community Events

The public can also join in the release of the first full-color images by attending one of the official Webb Space Telescope Community Events taking place across the country this summer. The list of events celebrating Webb's first images is available online and updated frequently.

Webb, an international partnership with ESA and CSA, launched Dec. 25 from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. After unfolding into its final form in space and successfully reaching its destination 1 million miles from Earth, the observatory now is completing the months-long process of preparing for science operations. Webb will explore every phase of cosmic history  from within the solar system to the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe, and everything in between.

Stay connected with the mission and share your experience with Webb's first images on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram with #UnfoldTheUniverse. Follow and tag these accounts:

SOURCE NASA
LARGO, Md. and WASHINGTON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB), in partnership with the Prince George's County Workforce Development Board and Employ Prince George's (EPG), is proud to unveil a Workforce Development Program Training guide outlining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) policies, definitions, and procedures for the state of Maryland.

The ARPA authorized the creation of a new $350 billion Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) program, which in turn reserved significant budgetary and regulatory authority with states. Though contracted specifically to provide guidance to eleven local workforce boards in the state of Maryland, this guide is an adaptable framework for every state's workforce development context.

"This product demonstrates the depth of the work happening at NAWB, and the value of that work to the local workforce development boards which make up the public workforce system," said NAWB President and CEO Ronald Painter. "This guide will allow local boards across the country to confidently deploy ARPA funds badly needed for workforce development programs in their regions. I'm thrilled that NAWB was able to step in and enhance the existing frameworks around the SLFRF dollars, and I thank Prince George's County, the Maryland Workforce Association, EPG, and Walter Simmons for undertaking this project."

"Covid-19 is a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic with devastating economic impacts. Prince George's County's leadership and the Maryland General Assembly acted fast, invested, and trusted Maryland's local workforce development boards to put our residents back to. We couldn't risk anything and procured the best in the business to guide us with these funds, the National Association of Workforce Boards. Prince George's County has already utilized these funds to place 1,000 job seekers back to work, we are looking forward to putting thousands more back to work, and hopefully, states across the United States will invest in their local workforce development boards.", said Waler Simmons.

Along with an overview of important SLFRF dates and obligations, the training guide reviews, interprets, and expands guidance on the use and purpose of funds; eligible beneficiaries; use limitations; and reporting requirements. It provides concrete examples for the demonstration of these programmatic and regulatory concepts. Finally, the guide includes novel tools developed by NAWB to aid LWDBs in determining permissible uses and recipients for SLFRF funds, including a first-of-its-kind interactive mapping of Qualified Census Tracks in the state of Maryland.

For more information on the ARPA Guide, contact Kyle Marinelli at [email protected]

Employ Prince George's (EPG) provides workforce intelligence and solutions for the job seeker and business. EPG's mission is to contribute to the economic vitality of Prince George's County by providing a demand driven system that delivers qualified workers to business and provides job seekers with opportunities for careers in high demand/high growth industries.

For more information, please visit www.Employpg.org.

The National Association of Workforce Boards represents over 500 Workforce Development Boards that collaborate with education and economic development stakeholders within their local communities, to administer workforce development and job training programs which meet the needs of workers, industry, and local regions. For more information on NAWB's latest work and new initiatives, please visit www.nawb.org.

SOURCE Employ Prince George's
Club Fruition Facilitates Education, Networking, and Collaboration

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Club Fruition is a new online membership group for feminist leaders recently launched by The Fruition Coalition. Club Fruition educates, connects, and mobilizes feminist leaders through resources, networking, discussion, strategy development, collaborative problem solving and projects, activities, and events. Club Fruition is a gender-inclusive space that welcomes feminist leaders with diverse identities, experiences, and perspectives. To learn more and join, go to clubfruition.com.

Club Fruition Logo

Club Fruition is organized by Jessica R. Dreistadt, PhD through her small business, The Fruition Coalition. "Feminist leadership is even more relevant and needed now than ever before," Dreistadt said. "Practices like inclusion, authenticity, flourishing, creativity, optimism, and collaboration are all consistent with feminist leadership. Club Fruition helps members add depth to their knowledge and strengthen the application of feminist concepts into their work as leaders to create more welcoming spaces, equitable opportunities, and wellbeing for all people."

Members learn how to develop their professional relationships, policies, decision making, and culture through a feminist lens. Club Fruition is open to feminist leaders in all sectors.

Dreistadt is a native of the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. She has more than 20 years of leadership experience in the nonprofit sector and more than 10 years of university teaching experience. She earned master's degrees in sociology from Lehigh University and nonprofit management from Eastern University. She recently completed a doctorate in organizational leadership at Eastern University.

Club Fruition is a project of the Women's Creative Leadership Network, an initiative of The Fruition Coalition. The Women's Creative Leadership Network has more than 7,000 members from over 100 countries.

The Fruition Coalition was started by Dreistadt in 2001 to build the capacity of grassroots nonprofit organizations in Philadelphia. Today, the company creates flourishing organizations and communities around the world through education, consulting services, publications, and networking opportunities. You can learn more about The Fruition Coalition at FruitionCoalition.com.

Media Contact:

Jessica R. Dreistadt

(484) 225-4929

[email protected]

SOURCE The Fruition Coalition
"As a happiness researcher, I am pleased to share the findings of one of the largest and most diverse studies on this topic," said Dr. Dunn. "One of the novel contributions of the study is that we can estimate the relationship between these spending choices and happiness because of the sample's substantial size and diversity. Our results show across all of the demographic groups, spending money on others is robustly related to happiness."

Prosocial Spending

The over 60 percent of participants who reported donating to charity in the past month appear, on average, to have higher levels of Subjective Well-Being, a measure of happiness, compared to those who did not donate to charity. In fact, the relationship between individuals donating to charity and higher levels of happiness was equivalent to earning $36,000 more income, or a near 6 percent increase in happiness.

The link between donating to charity and happiness varied across age groups with older participants reporting the strongest connection to happiness. Yet even for young adults, the association between donating to charity and happiness was equivalent to earning $25,000 more income, or a 4.25 percent increase in happiness.

The study also shows that personal income does not impact the relationship between donating to charity and happiness. For participants living below the poverty line, donating to charity was linked to increased happiness equivalent to $22,000 more in income, or a 3.73 percent increase in happiness. Moreover, people living from paycheck to paycheck reported feeling happier, equivalent to earning $30,000 more income, or about a 5 percent increase in happiness.

Remarkably, even participants who thought spending money on themselves would lead to greater happiness reported higher levels of happiness if they donated to charity.

Time-Saving Purchases

Slightly less than half (47 percent) of participants reported making time-saving purchases, such as hiring house cleaners or ordering food delivery, in a typical month. Individuals who spent money on time-saving purchases reported higher levels of happiness  equivalent to earning $14,000 more income  compared to those who did not.

Time-saving purchases appear beneficial even for individuals who struggle to make ends meet. Participants living paycheck to paycheck reported higher levels of happiness when they made time-saving purchases, equivalent to earning $12,000 more in income, or a nearly 2 percent increase in happiness.

Even for people who prioritize money over time there is a link between greater happiness when using money to buy time, equivalent to earning $20,000 more income. This somewhat unintuitive finding suggests that people who chronically value money over time might benefit from the recommendation to use some of their money in order to have more time.

"The purpose of the new research was to determine if the links between happiness, prosocial spending, and buying time varies depending on individual characteristics, such as age, gender and income," said Dr. Dunn. "Those interested in this study and its findings can be more confident knowing that people engaging in prosocial spending and time-saving purchases report being happier, as this the largest study ever conducted examining the links between these spending choices and happiness among Americans."

**The study, co-authored by Dr. Elizabeth Dunn and PhD student Iris Lok, surveyed an economically diverse sample of 15,545 American adults who had previously applied for a loan with Happy Money. Participation was voluntary. To differentiate the study from others, participants were asked about their subjective well-being, spending behavior, personal values and beliefs, and demographics, including age, gender and income. The mean age of the sample was 37.40 years old with 79.25% identifying as female, 20.28% identifying as male and 0.46% identifying as neither female nor male. The median income was $46,117, and 88.64% of the sample reported living from paycheck to paycheck. Prosocial spending was measured by assessing whether people spent money on others by asking if they have donated to charity in the past month. To assess whether people spent money on time-saving purchases, participants were asked, "In a typical month, do you spend any money on time-saving purchases?" The income level equivalents were derived from the correlation of happiness and income based on the dataset of the 15,545 respondents.

About Happy Money

Happy Money is a financial technology company valued at over $1.1B that offers a people-first lending experience in partnership with credit unions and other community-focused financial institutions. Building on the success of our credit card debt reduction product, The Payoff Loan, Happy Money also offers personal loans to help people fund their dreams and goals  from important bills to home improvement projects. We believe money can be a tool for happiness; it's all in how you use it. Through automation and proprietary underwriting models, we personalize the lending process, taking a more holistic view of an individual's creditworthiness to offer flexible rates and payment plans that work best for their unique financial situation.

Through our proprietary distribution channels and platforms, we aim to connect our financial partners to be stronger together, help them thrive in an increasingly digital world, and enable them to provide the happier lending experience that their customers want. Backed by leading investors, Happy Money has helped nearly 250,000 members since inception  working with lending partners to fund $4.5 billion in loans*. As a fully distributed company, Happy Money has a passionate and purpose-driven employee base of over 400 people across the United States. For more information, please visit happymoney.com .

*As of 7/1/22

SOURCE Happy Money
DALLAS, July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NexPoint Diversified Real Estate Trust (NYSE: NXDT) ("NXDT" or the "Company") today announced its regular monthly distribution on its common stock of $0.05 per share. The distribution will be payable on August 1, 2022 to shareholders of record at the close of business July 22, 2022.

About NexPoint Diversified Real Estate Trust (NYSE:NXDT)

NexPoint Diversified Real Estate Trust (NYSE: NXDT) is a publicly traded diversified real estate investment trust ("REIT") that trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol NXDT. The Company previously operated as a registered closed-end investment company. On August 28, 2020, shareholders approved a proposal to transition the Company from an investment company to a diversified REIT. As part of this transition, the Company changed its name from NexPoint Strategic Opportunities Fund to NexPoint Diversified Real Estate Trust, effective November 8, 2021. The Company also changed its ticker symbol from "NHF" to "NXDT." On July 1, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") issued a deregistration order declaring that the Company has ceased to be an investment company and that the Company's registration as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 shall immediately cease to be in effect. The order, effective July 1, 2022, allowed the Company to finalize its transition to a diversified REIT and begin trading as a REIT. For more information visit nxdt.nexpoint.com.

About NexPoint Advisors, L.P.

NexPoint Advisors, L.P. is an SEC-registered adviser on the NexPoint alternative investment platform. With its affiliates, it serves as the adviser to a suite of funds and investment vehicles that primarily focus on real estate investments. For more information visit nexpoint.com.

Contacts

Jackie Graham

Director, Investor Relations

[email protected]

Lucy Bannon

Chief Communications Officer

[email protected]

SOURCE NexPoint Diversified Real Estate Trust
Wisconsin Mac & Cheese is the most ordered dish of Noodles fans, making Noodles & Company the number one place to celebrate National Mac & Cheese Day. Setting the standard with high-quality ingredients, Noodles' famous Mac & Cheese dishes are made with a gluten-free and rBST-free creamy cheese sauce; premium aged cheddars; and decadent elbow macaroni noodles.

"We serve nearly 13 million bowls of Wisconsin Mac & Cheese across our 450+ restaurants each year. In fact, Wisconsin Mac & Cheese has been our best-selling menu item since we first opened our doors 27 years ago, and while we've innovated our menu over the decades, this uncommonly good mainstay is a guest favorite," said Stacey Pool, chief marketing officer at Noodles & Company. "We're celebrating this National Mac & Cheese Day with a free small bowl of Wisconsin Mac & Cheese for all Noodles Rewards members, and because we're dedicated to Uncommon Goodness, we're giving away an extra helping of our famous cheese sauce with every Mac & Cheese order because we believe in always doing something extra for our guests."

Noodles Rewards

Becoming a Noodles Rewards member is simple. Guests can sign up for free via the Noodles mobile app or the Noodles website. Guests can conveniently get their Mac & Cheese fix via quick-pickup, curbside pick-up, or delivery by placing an order online at noodles.com, via the Noodles mobile app, or by visiting their nearby Noodles location. Noodles' National Mac & Cheese & Cheese Day offer will be available on July 14 only at all Noodles restaurants nationwide.

For more details, visit https://www.noodles.com/rewards/.

About Noodles & Company

Since 1995, Noodles & Company has been serving guests Uncommon Goodness and noodles your way, with noodles and flavors that you know and love as well as new ones you're about to discover. From indulgent Wisconsin Mac & Cheese to better-for-you Zoodles and Other Noodles, the company serves a world of flavor in every bowl. Made up of more than 450 restaurants and thousands of passionate team members and named one of America's Favorite Restaurants by Newsweek, Noodles is well-known for its delicious noodles and industry-leading team member benefits. Noodles has been recognized by Forbes as one of America's Best Employers for Diversity in 2021 and 2022 and one of America's Best Employers for Women in 2021. Additionally, Denver Business Journal has called Noodles one of the Best Places to Work for its unique culture focused on Uncommon Goodness and built on the value of "Loving Life" which begins by nourishing and inspiring its communities and every team member and guest who walks through the door. The company has also earned the Women in the Lead Certification for its investment in women-empowering initiatives for its female team members and has proudly partnered with the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance to build cultural intelligence within its teams. To learn more and to find the location nearest you, visit www.noodles.com

Contact: Danielle Moore, [email protected]

SOURCE Noodles & Company
"I remember that day and that fire vividly," Louisville Fire Chief Greg Frederick said. "We are extremely proud of our brave firefighters who risked their lives and saved the block."

On July 7, 2015, a four-alarm fire ravaged the buildings on historic Whiskey Row in downtown Louisville. Teams of brave Louisville first responders were able to contain and extinguish the catastrophe, preserving the site for the Old Forester Distillery at 117/119 West Main. The block is now home to restaurants, bars, a hotel and other businesses  and has become a tourist destination.

In 2020, men and women of Louisville Fire, many of whom fought the blaze, selected eight single barrels from a lot filled the same day they extinguished the fire. All 8 barrels sold out in two days and proceeds were donated to the Louisville Firefighter Disaster Fund.

The remainder of the barrels filled that day slumbered an additional two years in the warehouse and are now batched together to create the 117 Series - Fireman Barrels.

At nearly 7 years old - these barrels are fully mature and wise in character.

Today, Frederick and Louisville Fire Department members were special guests of Old Forester and toured the distillery. In addition, Old Forester is making a charity donation to the Louisville Fire Department to help firefighters who are in distress.

The 117 Series is a limited-expression lineup that debuted in Spring 2021.

Old Forester Whiskey Row Fire is bottled at 100 proof and will be available starting July 7th at the retail shop at Old Forester Distilling Co. for $59.99 in limited quantities. Visit OldForester.com for more information.

Tasting notes:

Color: Dark orange brown

Dark orange brown Aroma: Sweet notes of honey comb, malt and marzipan mingle with delicate cedar and fresh oak notes atop cherries laced with vanilla cream.

Sweet notes of honey comb, malt and marzipan mingle with delicate cedar and fresh oak notes atop cherries laced with vanilla cream. Flavor: Brown sugar, marzipan, vanilla and honey sweeten a mix of berry fruit.

Brown sugar, marzipan, vanilla and honey sweeten a mix of berry fruit. Finish: Long notes of honey and vanilla linger with a touch of fruit.

About the 117 Series:

The 117 Series offers a deep dive, or deconstruction, on how either the individual Old Forester Whiskey Row Series expressions are crafted or highlights other historical moments of Old Forester's history on W. Main Street.

About Brown-Forman:

For 152 years, Brown-Forman Corporation has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel's & Cola, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire, Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel's Single Barrel, Finlandia, Korbel, el Jimador, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Herradura, New Mix, Sonoma-Cutrer, Chambord, BenRiach, GlenDronach, Slane, and Fords Gin. Brown-Forman's brands are supported by over 4,800 employees and sold in more than 170 countries worldwide. For more information about the company, please visit https://www.brown-forman.com/.

About Old Forester Bourbon:

Old Forester is Brown-Forman's founding brand, founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown. Brown believed Old Forester was so pure and consistent that he sealed it, signed it, and pledged, "There is nothing better in the market."

Please sip responsibly.

Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky, 50% Alc. by Vol., Old Forester Distilling Company at Louisville in Kentucky. OLD FORESTER is a registered trademark. 2022 Brown-Forman. All rights reserved. Please do not share or forward this content with anyone under the legal drinking age.

SOURCE Old Forester Distilling Co.
Positive Agriculture



Helped to spread the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices across more than 345,000 acres  progress toward its goal of seven million acres, the approximate equivalent of PepsiCo's agricultural footprint, by 2030.

 progress toward its goal of seven million acres, the approximate equivalent of PepsiCo's agricultural footprint, by 2030.

Supported the livelihoods of female farmers and rural communities via initiatives such as the $20 million USAID partnership to develop women-led enterprises and the $2 million Next Generation Agriculture Fund with the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), to demonstrate the impact of gender-smart solutions along our agricultural supply chains in Dominican Republic , Ecuador and Guatemala. These programs mark initial action towards a new pep+ goal to improve the livelihoods of more than 250,000 people in PepsiCo's agricultural supply chain and communities, including by economically empowering women.

Positive Value Chain



Reduced Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 25 percent from a 2015 baseline, with more than 70 percent of global electricity needs in direct operations now met by renewable sources . In 2021, Scope 3 emissions  which account for 93 percent of the company's emissions  increased by 5 percent 1 from a 2015 baseline, due largely to unprecedented business growth.

from a 2015 baseline, with more than . In 2021, Scope 3 emissions  which account for 93 percent of the company's emissions  increased by 5 percent from a 2015 baseline, due largely to unprecedented business growth.

Improved operational water-use efficiency by 18 percent in high water-risk areas from a 2015 baseline, against a target of 25 percent by 2025 2 and replenished 34 percent of water used in operations to local watersheds 3 in 2021 more than 6.1 billion liters of water. In addition, PepsiCo continued to advance safe water access globally to more than 68 million people since 2006, putting the company more than halfway to its 2030 goal of 100 million people.

in high water-risk areas from a 2015 baseline, against a target of 25 percent by 2025 and in 2021 more than 6.1 billion liters of water. In addition, PepsiCo continued to since 2006, putting the company more than halfway to its 2030 goal of 100 million people.

In the U.S., increased Black managerial representation to 8.3 percent and Hispanic managerial representation to 9.5 percent of our 10 percent by 2025 goals for each and achieved 43 percent of women in managerial roles against our goal of 50 percent by 2025 globally.

Positive Choices



Four years ahead of schedule in 2021, PepsiCo attained its saturated fat reduction goal of 75%2 of its convenient foods portfolio4 not exceeding 1.1 grams of saturated fat per 100 Calories. In addition, 53% of PepsiCo's beverage portfolio volume now has less than 100 Calories from added sugars per 12oz. serving5 and 66% of its convenient foods portfolio volume does not exceed 1.3 milligrams of sodium per Calorie6.

"PepsiCo's commitment and action to create a more sustainable and resilient food system is unwavering and we are proud of the progress that we have made in 2021 toward our new and updated pep+ goals," said Jim Andrew, Chief Sustainability Officer, PepsiCo. "Our aim is to decouple so our business can grow sustainably, while decreasing environmental impacts. There is still much more work to be done and we cannot do it alone, so we  in partnership with our value chain partners, communities, NGOs and government leaders  will continue investing in action, innovation and partnerships that enable us all to realize a more sustainable future."

The digital 2021 ESG Summary was designed to link seamlessly with PepsiCo's ESG Topics A-Z, an evergreen deep-dive on PepsiCo's approach and progress for roughly 50 sustainability-related topics. In addition to ongoing transparency in reporting, PepsiCo will continue to publish its ESG Summary annually.

This year's Summary and all associated downloadable assets are available here.

For more information, please contact [email protected]

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $79 billion in net revenue in 2021, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive (pep+). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

Cautionary Statement

This release contains statements reflecting our views about our future performance that constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are identified through the inclusion of words such as "aim," "anticipate," "believe," "drive," "estimate," "expect," "goal," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "strategy," "target" and "will" or similar statements or variations of such terms and other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted in such statements, including the risks associated with the deadly conflict in Ukraine; the impact of COVID-19; future demand for PepsiCo's products; damage to PepsiCo's reputation or brand image; issues or concerns with respect to product quality and safety; PepsiCo's ability to compete effectively; water scarcity; changes in the retail landscape or in sales to any key customer; disruption of PepsiCo's manufacturing operations or supply chain, including increased commodity, packaging, transportation, labor and other input costs; political or social conditions in the markets where PepsiCo's products are made, manufactured, distributed or sold; future cyber incidents and other disruptions of our information systems; failure to successfully complete or manage strategic transactions; climate change or measures to address climate change; imposition or proposed imposition of new or increased taxes aimed at PepsiCo's products; imposition of limitations on the marketing or sale of PepsiCo's products; changes in laws and regulations related to the use or disposal of plastics or other packaging materials; failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations; and potential liabilities and costs from litigation, claims, legal or regulatory proceedings, inquiries or investigations.. For additional information on these and other factors that could cause PepsiCo's actual results to materially differ from those set forth herein, please see PepsiCo's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. PepsiCo undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

1 Where 2021 actual data was not available, estimated 2021 data was used. Results reflect the exclusion of Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co., Ltd. (Be & Cheery) and certain Scope 3 emissions for other acquisitions where data is not available

2 Results reflect the exclusion of Be & Cheery

3 Results reflect the exclusion of SodaStream and Be & Cheery

4 Based on our Top 23 convenient foods markets, which represent 86% of our global convenient foods volume as of 2021

5 Our global progress is based on our Top 26 beverage markets, which represent 79% of our global beverages volume as of 2021

6 Our global progress is based on our Top 23 convenient foods markets, which represent 86% of our global convenient foods volume as of 2021. Results reflect the exclusion of Be & Cheery

SOURCE PepsiCo, Inc.
On July 20, hot dog fans will have the chance to win one of 10 custom designed cornhole prize packages including cornhole boards that feature the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile at Pilot Flying J, HEINZ ketchup and mustard themed bean bags, and carrying cases. For a chance to be one of the lucky "wieners", visit Pilot Flying J's Facebook page on July 20 and comment on the contest post to share which hot dog toppings you relish most.*

"There's no better way to celebrate National Hot Dog Day than Oscar Mayer hot dogs, a giant Wienermobile, and some friendly cornhole competition," says Jonathan Braatvedt, VP of Food and Beverage for Pilot Flying J. "Visit one of our stores for BOGO hot dogs that you can top to your liking, and you may even see the Wienermobile!"

Those looking to fill their hot dog "meat-er" on National Hot Dog Day can get a buy one get one free deal at any participating Pilot and Flying J travel center. Save the offer in the myRewardsTM Plus app and redeem it in-store on July 20 for any hot dog or grill items.**

Be on the lookout for the well-known Oscar Mayer Wienermobile as it travels to four Pilot and Flying J travel centers in honor of National Hot Dog Day. From its first run in 1936 to present day, the Wienermobile has been spreading miles of smiles across America with their enthusiastic team of Hotdoggers for many years. The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile and Hotdoggers will be taking photos and saying hello at the following locations:

Pilot Travel Center at 4154 West US Hwy 24 in Remington, Indiana on July 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. CT

on from Pilot Travel Center at 9587 Charleston Hwy in St. George, South Carolina on July 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. EST

on from Flying J Travel Center at 799 Jedburg Road in Summerville, South Carolina on July 20 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. EST

on from Pilot Travel Center at 1050 Busse Road in Bensenville, Illinois on July 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. CT

For more information or to enter the National Hot Dog Day cornhole board giveaway, visit our Facebook page. To find a nearby Pilot or Flying J location, download the myRewards Plus app or visit locations.pilotflyingj.com.

The OSCAR MAYER and WEINERMOBILE trademarks are owned by Kraft Foods; the HEINZ trademarks are owned by Heinz Brands; and all are used with permission.

*Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. No purchase necessary. View the official contest rules for details.

**Data rates may apply. Participating locations only. Other terms and conditions may apply.

About Pilot Flying J

Pilot Travel Centers LLC ("Pilot Flying J"), the largest network of travel centers in North America, is committed to connecting people and places with comfort, care and a smile at every stop. The Pilot Flying J travel center network includes over 750 locations in 44 states and six Canadian provinces with more than 680 restaurants, 75,000 truck parking spaces, 5,300 deluxe showers, 6,200 diesel lanes and offers truck maintenance and tire service through Southern Tire Mart at Pilot Flying J. Details on locations, amenities and rewards are available in the myRewards PlusTM app. More information on Pilot Flying J is available at www.pilotflyingj.com.

Pilot Flying J is part of the Pilot Company family of brands. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pilot Company is currently ranked No. 7 on Forbes' list of America's Largest Private Companies. For additional information about Pilot Company, its 28,000 team members and commitment to giving back, visit www.pilotcompany.com.

About The Kraft Heinz Company

We are driving transformation at The Kraft Heinz Company (Nasdaq: KHC), inspired by our Purpose, Let's Make Life Delicious. Consumers are at the center of everything we do. With 2020 net sales of approximately $26 billion, we are committed to growing our iconic and emerging food and beverage brands on a global scale. We leverage our scale and agility to unleash the full power of Kraft Heinz across a portfolio of six consumer-driven product platforms. As global citizens, we're dedicated to making a sustainable, ethical impact while helping feed the world in healthy, responsible ways. Learn more about our journey by visiting www.kraftheinzcompany.com or following us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

SOURCE Pilot Flying J
VANCOUVER, BC, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - TMRW Foods, the Canadian plant-based food innovation company, announced today the closing of another round of financing resulting in $2M in capital raised to support the company's rapid growth across North America.

Investors for this fundraising round include the TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good, Philip Donne (former CEO of Kellogg's Canada) and further investment from existing stakeholders.

"We feel tremendously fortunate to be able to surround ourselves with values aligned, impact driven investors that fuel our ability to execute on our mission," said Dean Blignaut, Co-Founder and CEO of TMRW. "TMRW believes the key to plant-based success is to relentlessly pursue the creation of plant-proteins that are more flavorful, more nutritious and more accessible than those in existence today. Everything we do is with that goal in mind. It's only through meeting the fundamental needs and expectations of the masses that we will create a solution that leads to a more sustainable food system."

TMRW will launch eight products across the United States with Sprouts Farmers Market in August this year. This will increase distribution in North America to more than 1,500 retail locations and 6,000 distribution points.

"It's surreal. Since the end of last year, we have vertically integrated our protein production, doubled the size of our facility and quadrupled our distribution. To launch with Sprouts is indescribably gratifying. It's an electric feeling," added Blignaut.

About TMRW Foods

TMRW Foods is a Canadian producer of plant-based proteins, reimagining the endless ways in which plant-protein can feed the planet  today and tomorrow. They produce out of their SQF certified facility in British Columbia, Canada. TMRW products can be found in retailers across Canada, and the USA.

For more information, visit tmrwfoods.com

SOURCE TMRW Foods Inc.
Need to Streamline Administrative Tasks to Push Lab Workflow Solutions Market by 14.8% CAGR by 2032

Fact.MR's latest report uncovers details on concealed opportunities in the lab workflow solutions market. It delivers insights into vital aspects favoring demand across various segments in terms of end use, type, and region. Besides, the report predicts growth prospects of the lab workflow solutions market for the forecast period (2022-2032).

NEW YORK, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global lab workflow solutions market stood at US$ 9.12 Bn in 2022 and is projected to be valued at US$ 36.27 Bn by the end of 2032. As per the report, the lab workflow solutions market is anticipated to exhibit considerable growth at a CAGR of 14.8% in the forecast period from 2022 to 2032.

Increasing demand for lab sample management systems, nurse call systems, and similar other workflow solutions in the healthcare sector is anticipated to drive growth. Government initiatives to support the adoption of healthcare information technology solutions is also expected to boost the market worldwide.

Increasing prevalence of chronic diseases is expected to raise the burden on medical infrastructure across the globe. To ease the burden, several institutions are moving towards digitization and are adopting novel technologies, including lab workflow solutions.

Besides, growing need for standardization in clinical laboratories and rapid adoption of cloud and IoT technologies in the healthcare sector are set to augur well for the global market. High popularity of automation in healthcare facilities with rising investments by government bodies is another crucial factor that is expected to create new growth opportunities in the lab workflow solutions market.

For Critical Insights on this Market, Get A Sample Report!

https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=436

Further, ongoing development of connected hospitals with the urgent need for impactful and seamless ways to enhance patient safety and outcomes is likely to boost growth. Ability of lab workflow solutions to accelerate the flow of real-time health information for consistent patient monitoring is also anticipated to enhance outcomes.

In addition, research and pathology labs are rapidly adopting lab workflow management software solutions in the healthcare sector. It is further anticipated to foster the demand for state-of-the-art medical device integration platforms, physical access control systems, and remote patient monitoring systems, thereby augmenting growth.

Based on end use, the ambulatory care centers segment is expected to remain at the forefront on the back of rising need to reduce treatment costs. Also, integration of lab workflow solutions into ambulatory care centers is set to help in lowering risks of acute complications, streamline administrative tasks, and enhance access to vital information.

Key Takeaways:

North America lab workflow solutions market currently holds a share of nearly 32.4% and is likely to reach a valuation of US$ 2.95 Bn in 2022.

lab workflow solutions market currently holds a share of nearly 32.4% and is likely to reach a valuation of in 2022. The top 3 countries contribute approximately 39.8% of the lab workflow solutions market share.

By end use, the hospitals category is projected to dominate the lab workflow solutions market with rising investments to improve healthcare infrastructure.

New entrants in the lab workflow solutions market are set to introduce cutting-edge solutions and services equipped with machine learning, IoT, and AI.

The lab workflow solutions market is expected to be valued at US$ 36.27 Bn in 2032, as compared to US$ 9.12 Bn in 2022.

Growth Drivers:

Increasing adoption of interoperable quality solutions in multi-modal hospitals to share crucial data with their branch offices is expected to aid growth.

High demand for improved patient-centered care delivery and clinician productivity is likely to bolster growth.

Restraints:

Requirement of high initial investments owing to the implementation of innovative hardware may hamper growth.

Highly complex lab workflow solutions can lead to a greater risk of system failure, which can create serious consequences on the functioning of laboratories.

Get Customization on this Report for Specific Research Solutions

https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RC&rep_id=436

Competitive Landscape:

Leading lab workflow solution providers are focusing on acquisitions, mergers, and collaborations to expand their reach of services and solutions. Some of the other key players are investing huge sums in research and development activities to come up with cutting-edge products to increase their revenues.

For instance,

In May 2020 , Stanley Healthcare partnered with CISCO. As part of this collaboration, the AeroScout real-time location system (RTLS) platform will be fully integrated with Cisco DNA Spaces. The collaboration would enable Stanley Healthcare to provide a more seamless and cost-effective solution to healthcare providers who rely on RTLS as their core business.

Stanley Healthcare partnered with CISCO. As part of this collaboration, the AeroScout real-time location system (RTLS) platform will be fully integrated with Cisco DNA Spaces. The collaboration would enable Stanley Healthcare to provide a more seamless and cost-effective solution to healthcare providers who rely on RTLS as their core business. In January 2020 , Infor signed an agreement to acquire Intelligent InSites Inc. With this acquisition, Infor will now be able to offer an expanded set of technologies for healthcare organizations.

Key Companies Profiled by Fact.MR

Perkin Elmer Inc.

Quorum Technologies Inc.

Koninklijke Philips N.V.

Sectra ABss

Digipath Co.

Ventana Medical Systems Inc.

3D-Histech Ltd.

GE Healthcare

Definiens AG

Inspirata Co.

ZEISS

Leica Biosystems

Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.

Yokogawa Electronics Corporation

Olympus Corporation

More Valuable Insights on Lab Workflow Solutions Market

In the latest study, Fact.MR offers a detailed study of global lab workflow solutions market for the forecast period of 2022 to 2032. This study also highlights key drivers promoting the sales of lab workflow solutions through detailed segmentation as follows:

By Type:

Data Integration Solutions

Care Collaboration Solutions

Real-time Communication Solutions

Lab Workflow Automation Solutions

Enterprise Reporting & Analytics Solutions

By End Use:

Hospitals

Long-term Care Facilities

Ambulatory Care Centers

By Region:

North America

Latin America

Europe

APAC

MEA

Key Questions Covered in the Lab Workflow Solutions Market Report

What is the valuation of the lab workflow solutions market in 2022?

What is the projected valuation of the lab workflow solutions market in 2032?

What is the valuation of Europe lab workflow solutions market?

lab workflow solutions market? How will the lab workflow solutions market develop by 2032?

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About Fact.MR

Fact.MR is a market research and consulting agency with deep expertise in emerging market intelligence. Spanning a wide range  from automotive & industry 4.0 to healthcare, technology, chemical and materials, to even the most niche categories. 80% of Fortune 1000's trusts us in critical decision making. We provide both qualitative and quantitative research, spanning market forecast, market segmentation, competitor analysis, and consumer sentiment analysis.

Contact:

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US Sales Office

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Rockville, MD 20852

United States

Tel: +1 (628) 251-1583

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SOURCE Fact.MR
Not Indie, it's SKINdie: The first TRUE nudist comedy movie ever made!

LAS VEGAS, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In a truly original story that is naked and not afraid, Meet TIM CHIZMAR, he's loud and naked, in America that's how you know he's Tim Chizmar. Meet LUCZ PADILLA, she's quieter, religious, and nude, she works at a designer fashion label company in Mexico. Their lives are turned upside-down when these two young nudists are deported to the country of NUDELAND where they can finally live with others that are not Clothes-minded. But even amongst the unique personalities and over-the-top characters (like a reverse Flasher running around) can our heroes ever truly get rid of the shame and anxiety inside and allow themselves to be free? Sure, nude isn't lewd, but it can come with mental baggage. This movie has heart, humor, love, and the best fans in the world as was proved at the sold-out premiere in Pasadena, CA.

The Nudels of Nudeland The movie

Just who is "America's number one naked man" as GET THAT MOVIE has called him.

The naked man behind this naturist comedy gem is TIM CHIZMAR, not only is he a lifetime member of the American Association for Nude Recreation, The Naturist Society, and Clothesfree as a legit lifelong nudist advocate but he is a Bestselling Writer & Award-winning Humorist to boot.

"By gawd that's a million-dollar idea!"  proclaimed a reporter from The L.A. Times about Tim Chizmar's body-positive fully nude standup comedy tour which began in Long Beach, CA at the Berubian's Theatre in 2007. The nudity is almost never optional it is mandatory upon entrance for the comfort of all parties. Nude Comedy shows are not a spectator event it's an immersive experience of social nudity breaking down walls of shame to learn to 'Love Every Body!" You never know what'll happen next!! Don't forget to bring a towel to sit on! Tim Chizmar's credits to date include Comedy Central, ABC, FOX, Showtime, NBC, CMT, The Hallmark Channel, and many more. As a headlining comedian he has worked with Jeff Foxworthy, Jon Lovitz, Daniel Tosh, Dana Carvey, Kevin Smith, etc. He has written, directed, and produced television and feature films starring the likes of Eric Roberts, Rob Van Dam, Patrick Kilpatrick, and many others. When he's not inspiring fellow creatives by being on various Comic-Con panels or speaking at Inspirational Success events, he's constantly working on his next project. Because. There's always a next project. On the scarier side of things, his books include Soul Traitor, and Modern Madness. His work can be read in the Bram Stoker winning It's Alive: bringing your nightmares to life from Crystal Lake Press, in which he collaborated with dark fantasy icon Clive Barker. Tim has written for magazines such as The Jewish Journal, Fangoria, First Comics News, and sold many short stories and screenplays in Hollywood. He ran the Horror Writers Association's Las Vegas chapter for two years and was one of the 2019 National Literature Award recipients from Latin America. Clive Barker has said of Tim's writing, "Tim Chizmar reaches past the conventions of the commonplace and holds nothing back."

The movie is currently available at TheNudels.com. Own it forever, and you can watch it on Vimeo, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast and more now! Includes over 70 minutes of bonus footage, featuring deleted scenes, interviews with cast, extended scenes, and commentary from the Naked Director himself.

SCREENER LINKS CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR MEDIA.

Tim Chizmar

Writer / Director / Producer

The Nudels of Nudeland

323-313-3741

[email protected]

NudistHumorist.com

SOURCE Tim Chizmar
RE/MAX, LLC Launches Teams Initiative, Formally Introduces Brokerage Mergers-and-Conversions Program and Announces Next Steps in Its Technology Evolution

RE/MAX Holdings Increases Sales and Marketing Investment in Mortgage Segment to Accelerate Progress Toward $100 Million Annual Revenue Goal

Company Initiatives to be Funded Through the Reallocation of Existing Resources

DENVER, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") (NYSE: RMAX), parent company of RE/MAX, one of the world's leading franchisors of real estate brokerage services, and of Motto Mortgage, the first and only national mortgage brokerage franchise brand in the U.S., today provided an update on its strategic initiatives  centered on reinvigorating its U.S. RE/MAX agent count growth and accelerating the expansion of its growing mortgage business. The Company also announced the next steps in the technological evolution of RE/MAX and reported key operating metrics as of June 30, 2022.

"RE/MAX Holdings continues to focus on increasing our near- and long-term profitable growth," said Steve Joyce, RE/MAX Holdings Chief Executive Officer. "After a thoughtful and thorough review, we are moving forward with these strategic endeavors, each of which is expected to contribute to our growth objectives.

"As part of our efforts to increase our U.S. agent count, RE/MAX is launching a tailored program designed to attract, retain and grow medium and large teams. This will supplement our previously announced effort to convert independent and other real estate brokerages to RE/MAX or help them merge with an existing RE/MAX franchise."

Continued Joyce: "Within our mortgage segment, we are investing in sales and marketing resources for both our Motto Mortgage and wemlo brands, with a plan to double our related personnel over time. We believe this investment can measurably accelerate our ability to achieve our goal of $100 million in annual mortgage-related revenue, perhaps achieving this milestone as early as 2028.

"We have two fantastic franchise brands, and we believe we can make a difference in driving their growth through smart, strategic moves. All of our planned initiatives are closely aligned with our current strategy and we plan to fund them through the reallocation of existing resources."

RE/MAX Introduces Unique Pilot Program Designed to Attract and Grow Teams

This pilot program for eligible teams features expanded education, improved technology and enhanced economics that further support the growth and profitability of teams and RE/MAX offices.

"For years, RE/MAX has been an industry leader and the preferred destination for many of the most productive teams in real estate," said Nick Bailey, President and CEO, RE/MAX, LLC. "Today I am proud to announce we are taking our best-in-class value proposition to the next level with the introduction of this carefully curated teams-focused initiative. We have upped our game through this compelling offering of education, technology and attractive economics which can help mid-to-large-sized teams optimize their productivity and maximize their earnings."

RE/MAX Announces Brokerage Mergers-and-Conversions Initiative

The Company formally launched this initiative to help interested brokerages convert to the RE/MAX network or combine forces with an existing RE/MAX franchise.

"Many independent brokerages and other offices want to join RE/MAX, given our leading agent productivity, unsurpassed brand name awareness, global scale, marketing power and a host of other business-building elements that most local or regional operations simply can't match," said Bailey.

"Our data shows that U.S. and Canadian agents who join RE/MAX and stick with the brand typically increase their sales over time. These statistics address a chief concern about agent productivity that tends to hold many of these potential mergers or conversions back. And that's an important message for us to continue to reiterate across the industry, especially now as the market is fluctuating and we see many experienced, successful brokers looking to transition their businesses."

Continued Bailey: "We've empowered and equipped our franchise sales team to generate more activity on this front after having recently completed a successful targeted effort that proved out the concept. Consequently, we are expanding the effort and plan to share more successes in the future."

RE/MAX Holdings Increases Sales and Marketing Investment in Mortgage Segment

Aiming to accelerate revenue growth in its mortgage segment, RE/MAX Holdings has committed to investments in additional sales and marketing resources and is now requiring, in most instances, the use of wemlo's processing services for future Motto Mortgage franchises. Given Motto Mortgage's increased presence, RE/MAX Holdings leadership believes that these initiatives will position the Company to best capitalize on the rising number of incoming inquiries Motto Mortgage is receiving.

"Motto has sold over 300 franchises to date and we have 200 open offices," said Motto Franchising, LLC and wemlo President and CEO Ward Morrison. "We believe we can eventually grow that number to more than 1,000 open franchises. Motto has a unique and attractive value proposition, and we would like to get to 1,000 open offices much sooner than our current growth trajectory suggests."

Morrison continued: "We have been evaluating how we can accelerate Motto franchise sales growth for a while now. Given our current momentum, we believe this is the right time to invest in additional sales and marketing resources. Each sales professional on our team currently covers a large territory, and we think more personnel will increase our ability to capitalize on incremental opportunities.

"A big part of Motto's appeal is that many of its franchisees and loan originators work closely with productive real estate agents who have an ongoing purchase transaction pipeline. As a result, Motto has a higher percentage of purchase volume than the industry average, which is increasingly important in a rising interest-rate environment."

Next Step in the RE/MAX Technological Evolution: kvCORE to Provide Enhanced Technology Suite to Agents in the U.S. and Canada

RE/MAX is entering into an enterprise-wide relationship with Inside Real Estate, the developers of kvCORE, an industry-leading cloud-based, all-in-one real estate platform designed to provide agents with the technology tools they need to optimize their businesses. Through a phased rollout beginning later in 2022 and continuing into next year, RE/MAX affiliates in company-owned regions across the U.S. and Canada will get access to the state-of-the-art kvCORE platform at no additional cost along with several add-ons  including a module specifically for teams  and, eventually, proprietary RE/MAX technology integrations.

This evolutionary step will advance the best elements of RE/MAX technology  including many developed via acquisitions in the past several years. Current offerings such as the First app and others will continue in their current form and eventually be integrated into or aligned with the kvCORE platform. Because the kvCORE platform includes an AI-powered smart CRM and customizable agent/team/office IDX websites, the booj products developed in-house the past few years are expected to sunset in mid-2023. As a result of this shift in strategy, the Company expects to reduce the size of its workforce by approximately 17% by the end of the year, with impacted positions primarily in technology. The majority of the expected savings from the reduction in workforce is anticipated to be reinvested back in the business.

"Agents remain at the center of the real estate transaction and the best agents are enabled by powerful technology," said Bailey. "RE/MAX is known as being the home of top producers. Technology has been and will continue to be foundational to our one-of-a-kind value proposition, which helps drive our industry-leading productivity. But technology is not a destination; it's a journey. We are always striving to bolster our offerings and help our brokers, agents and teams reach their full potential.

"In today's highly competitive market, much of the agent-facing technology  CRM, websites, etc.  has become table stakes. That's why I am thrilled to announce the next step in the RE/MAX technological evolution. Partnering with a leading real estate software firm like Inside Real Estate  which has the size, scale and expertise to develop world-class agent tech tools  gives us a lot more firepower to deliver to affiliates. Providing our network with RE/MAX technology powered by kvCORE, including our proprietary tech and branding integrations, alongside an ongoing commitment to invest in and enhance the www.remax.com website with internal resources will enable us to focus on what we do best: help small business owners build their businesses."

Operating Metrics and Financial Guidance

Operating Statistics as of June 30, 2022

(Compared to June 30, 2021)

Total agent count increased 2.7% to 143,939 agents

U.S. and Canada combined agent count increased 185 agents to 85,679 agents

combined agent count increased 185 agents to 85,679 agents Total open Motto Mortgage franchises increased 22.0% to 200 offices

RE/MAX Holdings will provide further details on these initiatives, including updated financial guidance, during the Company's second quarter earnings conference call to be held on Friday, August 5, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Interested parties can register for the conference call in advance using this link:

https://conferencingportals.com/event/tTSuEepd

Interested parties will also be able to access a live webcast through the Company's investor Relations website at https://investors.remaxholdings.com.

About RE/MAX Holdings, Inc.

RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: RMAX) is one of the world's leading franchisors in the real estate industry, franchising real estate brokerages globally under the RE/MAX brand, and mortgage brokerages within the U.S. under the Motto Mortgage brand. RE/MAX was founded in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger, with an innovative, entrepreneurial culture affording its agents and franchisees the flexibility to operate their businesses with great independence. Now with more than 140,000 agents in almost 9,000 offices and a presence in more than 110 countries and territories, nobody in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX, as measured by total residential transaction sides. Dedicated to innovation and change in the real estate industry, RE/MAX launched Motto Franchising, LLC, a ground-breaking mortgage brokerage franchisor, in 2016. Motto Mortgage has grown to over 175 offices across almost 40 states.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Press Release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of words such as "believe," "intend," "expect," "estimate," "plan," "outlook," "project," "anticipate," "may," "will," "would" and other similar words and expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends that are not statements of historical matters. Forward-looking statements include statements related to: the Company's strategic endeavors, the Company's short- and long-term growth, RE/MAX agent count, revenue, the RE/MAX program aimed at recruiting and growing teams, the RE/MAX brokerage conversion and mergers program, its investment in its mortgage segment, including statements about personnel and number of Motto offices, the Company's expectations related to its technology initiatives, including the kvCORE platform, and the anticipated reduction in force. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily accurately indicate the times at which such performance or results may be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, (1) the global COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to pose significant and widespread risks to the Company's business, including the Company's agents, loan originators, franchisees and employees, as well as home buyers and sellers, (2) changes in the real estate market or interest rates and availability of financing, (3) changes in business and economic activity in general, (4) the Company's ability to attract and retain quality franchisees and the Company's franchisees' ability to recruit and retain real estate agents and mortgage loan originators, (5) changes in laws and regulations, (6) the Company's ability to enhance, market, and protect its brands, including the RE/MAX and Motto Mortgage brands, (7) the Company's ability to implement its strategic initiatives, including technology initiatives, (8) fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, and (9) those risks and uncertainties described in the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and similar disclosures in subsequent periodic and current reports filed with the SEC, which are available on the investor relations page of the Company's website at www.remaxholdings.com and on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend, and undertakes no obligation, to update this information to reflect future events or circumstances.

SOURCE RE/MAX Holdings, Inc.
PHOENIX, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE: RSG) today announced that it will release its second quarter 2022 financial results on Thursday, August 4, 2022, after the market closes, and will host an investor conference call at 5 p.m. ET. A live audio webcast of the conference call can be accessed by logging onto the Company's Investor Relations page on republicservices.com, or listeners may access the call by dialing 1-844-890-1789 or 412-717-9598 (International), passcode "Republic Services."

The Company encourages participants who will be dialing in to pre-register for the conference call using the following link:

https://dpregister.com/sreg/10167817/f320a37c83

Callers who pre-register will be given a conference passcode and PIN to gain immediate access to the call and bypass the live operator on the day of the call. Participants may pre-register at any time, including up to and after the call start time.

A replay of the call will be available one hour after the end of the conference through August 11, 2022, by calling 877-344-7529 or 412-317-0088 (International), passcode 2122929. The conference call will also be archived on the Company's website at republicservices.com.

About Republic Services

Republic Services, Inc. is a leader in the U.S. environmental services industry. Through its subsidiaries, the Company provides superior service offerings while partnering with customers to create a more sustainable world. For more information, visit RepublicServices.com, or follow us at Facebook.com/RepublicServices, @RepublicService on Twitter or Republic Services on LinkedIn.

The Company participates in investor presentations and conferences throughout the year. Interested parties can find a schedule of these conferences at republicservices.com.

SOURCE Republic Services, Inc.
GrowPath has signed a new Mississippi personal injury law firm with 4 locations.

DURHAM, N.C., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GrowPath has signed a new personal injury law firm client, Richard Schwartz & Associates Injury Lawyers, P.A. The firm has four locations in Mississippi and represents victims in many practices of law, including personal injury, wrongful death, car accidents, and medical malpractice.

Founder Richard Schwartz said, "We were impressed with GrowPath's case management features and we are excited to use their advanced platform to improve productivity with their functionality compared to what we had previously. We have enjoyed working with the GrowPath team and look forward to better managing our caseload with their assistance."

GrowPath CEO Neal Goffman said, "GrowPath is the perfect platform for firms like Richard Schwartz & Associates. As the leading Mississippi personal injury law firm, they handle a lot of cases, and that requires exceptional case management. That's where GrowPath can help: it was built by a law firm, for law firms. We're the case management experts and we look forward to putting our platform to work for them."

With GrowPath's patented tools and features, Schwartz's firm will be able to better manage their existing caseload while finding more cases suited for their firm, allowing them to focus on continued growth and expansion.

About Richard Schwartz and Associates

Richard Schwartz & Associates Injury Lawyers, P.A., is a team dedicated to one goal: helping you recover as quickly and seamlessly as possible following an accident or injury. If you or a loved one are facing injuries due to the negligence of another, we want to help. Call Richard Schwartz & Associates, P.A. anytime at (601) 988-8888 or visit us online at www.1call.ms

About GrowPath

GrowPath is a cutting-edge legal case management software delivering industry-leading solutions for personal injury law firms. By partnering with GrowPath, in addition to the benefits of using a market-leading platform, firms get access to some of the best and most creative minds in the industry. From the individuals leading our company to those working closely every day with our clients, we have years of real-world expertise building successful plaintiffs' firms. GrowPath is empowering firms to boost revenue by improving the efficiency of the services they deliver. To learn more, visit: https://growpath.com/demo.

Media Contact:

Connie Wong

(919) 286-5759

[email protected]

Related links: https://growpath.com

SOURCE GrowPath

SOURCE GrowPath
DUBLIN, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Saudi Arabia Mobile Network ICT infrastructure Services Market, By Service Type, By Deployment Mode, By End User, By Region, Competition, Forecast and Opportunities, 2017-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market was valued at USD274.67 million in 2021 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.71% during the forecast period, 2023-2027, to achieve the market value of USD504.64 million by 2027F.

Rising adaptation of Internet of Things services and other IT services in various industries is actively driving the growth of the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market in the upcoming five years. Growing use of technologically advanced internet-based services, artificial intelligence, and expansion of the smart cities in the country also plays a vital role in the growth of the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market in the upcoming five years.

Increasing threat toward data sharing and increasing attacks on data security further ensures advanced technology usage and substantially supports the growth of the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market in the future five years. Rising number of market players and rapid penetration of the global giants in the country to expand their multinational businesses also play a vital role in the growth of the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market in the forecast years through 2027. The growing globalization of the telecom industry worldwide also impacts the industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This expansion of the telecom industry also aids the growth of the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market in the forecast period.

Implementation of "Vision 2030", along with the National Transformation Program 2020, supports the digital transition in Saudi Arabia, thus substantiating the growth of the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market in the upcoming five years.

The Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market is segmented on the basis of service type, deployment mode, end-user, regional distribution, and competitive landscape. Based on service type, the market is further segmented into deployment service, professional service, managed service, maintenance service, and neutral hosting service. By deployment mode, the market is fragmented into on-premises and cloud. Based on end-user, the market is bifurcated into mobile network service vendor, government, enterprise, and others. The market is also analyzed on the basis of regions of the country and is differentiated among the Central region, Western region, Eastern region, and the Rest of Saudi Arabia.

The service type segment of the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market is expected to be led by deployment services in the upcoming five years. Deployment services may hold the largest revenue shares of the market in the future years on the grounds of expansion of the cloud computing industry in the country. Growing demand for on-premises deployment services also supports the growth of the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market in the next five years.

Advanced Communications and Electronic Systems Co., Shabakkat KSA, Tawal, Mobiserve, CommScope Saudi Arabia LLC, Modern Technology Company, Ltd (MOTECO), Arabian Development & Marketing Co., Ltd., WiConnect, Iman Group, Virgin Mobile Saudi Consortium LLC, Saudi Telecom Company, Zain Saudi Arabia, Alia ICT, Seder Group, Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily), NourNet, Salam, MDS Arabia, Bazy Trading & Contracting Co. Ltd are among the major market players in the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market.

Years considered for this report:

Historical Years: 2017-2020

Base Year: 2021

Estimated Year: 2022

Forecast Period: 2023-2027

Objective of the Study:

To analyze the market size of the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market from 2017 to 2021.

To estimate and forecast the market size of the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market from 2021 to 2027 and growth rate until 2027.

To classify and forecast the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market based on service type, deployment mode, end-user, regional distribution, and competitive landscape.

To identify dominant region or segment in the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market.

To identify drivers and challenges for the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market.

To examine competitive developments such as expansions, new software launches, mergers & acquisitions, etc., in the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market.

To identify and analyze the profile of leading players operating in the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market.

To identify key sustainable strategies adopted by the market players in the Saudi Arabian Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market.

Key Topics Covered:



1. Service Overview



2. Research Methodology



3. Executive Summary



4. Voice of Customer

4.1. Brand Awareness

4.2. Preferred Mode of Deployment

4.3. Satisfaction Based on Various Parameters

4.4. Major Challenges with Mobile Network ICT Services



5. Saudi Arabia Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market Outlook

5.1. Market Size & Forecast

5.1.1. By Value

5.2. Market Share & Forecast

5.2.1. By Service Type (Deployment Services, Maintenance Services, Managed Services, Professional Services, Neutral Hosting Services)

5.2.2. By Deployment Mode (On-Premises v/s Cloud)

5.2.3. By End User (Mobile Network Service Vendor, Government, Enterprise, Others)

5.2.4. By Region

5.2.5. By Company (2021)

5.3. Market Map (Service Type, Deployment Mode, End User, Region)



6. Saudi Arabia Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Deployment Services Market Outlook

6.1. Market Size & Forecast

6.1.1. By Value

6.2. Market Share & Forecast

6.2.1. By Component (Outdoor and Indoor)

6.2.2. By Deployment Mode

6.2.3. By End User

6.2.4. By Region



7. Saudi Arabia Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Maintenance Services Market Outlook

7.1. Market Size & Forecast

7.1.1. By Value

7.2. Market Share & Forecast

7.2.1. By Deployment Mode

7.2.2. By End User

7.2.3. By Region



8. Saudi Arabia Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Managed Services Market Outlook

8.1. Market Size & Forecast

8.1.1. By Value

8.2. Market Share & Forecast

8.2.1. By Component (Optimization, OSS Integration)

8.2.2. By Deployment Mode

8.2.3. By End User

8.2.4. By Region



9. Saudi Arabia Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Professional Services Market Outlook

9.1. Market Size & Forecast

9.1.1. By Value

9.2. Market Share & Forecast

9.2.1. By Component (Consulting, Planning, Design & Optimization)

9.2.2. By Deployment Mode

9.2.3. By End User

9.2.4. By Region



10. Saudi Arabia Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Neutral Hosting Services Market Outlook

10.1. Market Size & Forecast

10.1.1. By Value

10.2. Market Share & Forecast

10.2.1. By Deployment Mode

10.2.2. By End User

10.2.3. By Region



11. Saudi Arabia Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Hardware Market Outlook

11.1. Market Size & Forecast

11.1.1. By Value

11.2. Market Share & Forecast

11.2.1. By Component

11.2.1.1. Networking Equipment (Transmission Lines, Multiplexers, Base Transceiver Station, Antennas, Others)

11.2.1.2. End point Device (Laptops, Desktops, Mobile Phones, Tablets)

11.2.1.3. Transmitting Device (Automatic, Manual)



12. Market Dynamics

12.1. Drivers

12.2. Challenges



13. Market Trends and Developments



14. Policy and Regulatory Landscape



15. Saudi Arabia Economic Profile



16. Impact of COVID-19 on Saudi Arabia Mobile Network ICT Infrastructure Services Market



17. Competitive Landscape

17.1. Company Profiles

17.1.1. Advanced Communications and Electronic Systems Co.

17.1.2. Modern Technology Company, Ltd (MOTECO)

17.1.3. Arabian Development & Marketing Co., Ltd.

17.1.4. WiConnect

17.1.5. Shabakkat KSA

17.1.6. Iman Group

17.1.7. Mobiserve

17.1.8. CommScope Saudi Arabia LLC

17.1.9. Virgin Mobile Saudi Consortium LLC

17.1.10. Saudi Telecom Company

17.1.11. Tawal

17.1.12. Zain Saudi Arabia

17.1.13. Alia ICT

17.1.14. Seder Group

17.1.15. Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily)

17.1.16. NourNet

17.1.17. Salam

17.1.18. MDS Arabia

17.1.19. Bazy Trading & Contracting Co. Ltd



18. Strategic Recommendations

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/flti9g

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

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SOURCE Research and Markets
LONDON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Security and Vulnerability Management Market are valued at USD 11.26 Billion in 2021 and expected to reach USD 21.38 Billion by 2028 with a CAGR of 9.6% over the forecast period. Security And Vulnerability Management Market Size, Share, Companies & Trends Analysis Report By Component (Services, Software) By Deployment Mode (On-Premises, Cloud) By Organization Size (SMEs, Large Enterprises) By Vertical (IT &Telecom, Energy & Utility, BFSI, Retail, Healthcare, Manufacturing) Based On Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2028.

The global security and vulnerability management market is expected to show a decent amount of growth in the coming years. The biggest force which is leading to this kind of growth is the increase in the vulnerabilities all over the world. This leads to an increasing vulnerability all over the world and the higher number of monetary losses because of the absence of the solutions with regard to the security and vulnerability management, stringent standards of regulations and data privacy compliances. The surging adoption of cloud and internet of things trends and integrating the advanced technologies like the ML and AI with the security solutions.

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Security and Vulnerability Management: Competitive Analysis

The global security and vulnerability management market companies 2021 are IBM, AT&T, Qualys, Rapid7, Tenable, RSA Security, McAfee, Foreseeti, F-Secure, Acunetix, Skybox Security, SecPod, Tripwire, Kenna Security, Check Point, Expanse, Digital Defense, Positive Technologies, Outpost24, Brinqa, NopSec, RiskIQ, RiskSense, Claroty, Holm Security, Balbix, Intruder, BreachLock, and Nucleus Security. The global security and vulnerability management market players have invested heavily in technology in order to make their products more friendly for the users which can be managed by the lesser skilled people.

F-Secure Corporation

IBM Corporation

Qualys, Inc.

Check Point Software Technologies

Tripwire Inc. (Belden, Inc.)

AT&T Cybersecurity (AT&T, Inc.)

Digital Defense

Tenable

Skybox Security

Rapid7, Inc.

others

Security and Vulnerability Management: Key Drivers

The global security and vulnerability management market growth is driven by multiple factors. Among the most important factors here is that the organizations are increasingly adopting various technological developments like the enterprise mobility, cloud storage and virtualization for boosting the productivity of their business. These are progressions which have helped the organizations function efficiently and in real time as the business data can be accessed easily on the mobile devices from visual and cloud storages.

Though, this access does allow the loss of data and puts data at the risk of theft. The vulnerability management solutions help these organizations in detecting the misconfigurations when it comes to a strong password policy, web server hardening, firewall port access, and other several anti-detection solutions along with the privileges of administrative authorization. The global security and vulnerability management market size is going to grow with these growth drivers.

Security and Vulnerability Management: Key Trends

Because of an increase in the COVID 19 cases, the businesses had sent the employees home for working remotely and the students too are now moving to the online classes. The organizations have been rushing to shift their classes and businesses online. This is also giving impetus to the cybercriminals to ramp their tactics up for taking an advantage of those who might have naive or inadequate security postures as the result. The pandemic has been used by scammers into opening malicious emails. Therefore, in order to avoid the confidential information loss communicated, vulnerability and security management is a safer choice for the industries to choose.

Phishing is a modern-day issue which is forcing companies to ramp their security up. The financial loss is causing the organizations to deploy the security and vulnerability management solutions to protect the secure environments. The internal vulnerabilities include the insider threats, incapable workers, employees which are recruited by competitors to corrupt data of companies, disgruntled employees as well as employees who use this data for their personal gains. The SQL injection, email phishing and MITM are some of the major attacks with which the cybercriminals accomplish goals which are financially motivated. More often, the internal vulnerabilities as well as the breaches go on to be undetected and companies don't report the losses because of their reputation in the ecosystem as they perceive these cases as an incident which could be embarrassing. The global security and vulnerability management market trends are based on the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on the market. The pandemic has affected all segments of the society which includes businesses and individuals.

The internet ecosystem has played a role importantly in the world. Because of the pandemic, there is a dependency on the online businesses which has significantly increased. Healthcare and life sciences, retail, transport and logistics, manufacturing and others have been leveraging internet for providing the necessary services to all consumers. The vendors are experiencing an increase in demand for the security and management systems. In the pandemic crisis, many governments and regulatory authorities have mandated both the private and public enterprises to embrace the new teleworking practicing and maintaining social distances. Ever since, the digital ways of doing the businesses and use of emails with the home servers are becoming the new BCP for many organizations.

As the widespread use of mobile devices and internet penetration happens across the globe, individuals which are progressively inclined towards usage of the security and vulnerability management 2022.These trends are changing and distributed IT environments are making organizations susceptible to data breaches and cyber-attacks as it further fuels the demand for solutions related security and vulnerability management.

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Recent Developments

News- Tenable Acquired Cloud Security Startup Accurics for $160 Million.

On September 13th, 2021; Tenable Inc. agreed to acquire cloud-native security startup Accurics inc. for $160 million in cash. The agreement announced, has expanded the vulnerability management platform to secure the cloud with infrastructure as a code (IaC) offering. Founded in 2019, Accuracy aims to help enterprises and security teams codify security in the entire development lifecycle.

Digital Defense Expanded Reach into the SA, the UK with Private Protocol Partnership

On July 20th, 2021; Digital Defense, by HelpSystems announced it has gone into a managed service provider (MSP) agreement with data security expert Private Protocol. With workplaces in South Africa, Mauritius, and the United Kingdom, Private Protocol provides data protection and IT security solutions that avoid information leakage and further develop by and large information security. The partnership will permit Private Protocol to grow its cyber protection portfolio by offering and executing Digital Defense's Frontline vulnerability management and threat assessment solutions, taking the organization from an information and access security solutions supplier to a total IT security company with an extended security product offering.

AT&T Cybersecurity Launched Managed SASE Solution

On March 9th, 2021; AT&T extended its portfolio of managed security services by collaborating with Fortinet to make Safe Access Services Edge (SASE) a reality for endeavors. AT&T SASE with Fortinet is the first, world-managed SASE arrangement on a scale that incorporated software-defined wide-area networks with the fundamental network security elements of the SASE structure & 24x7 the management. This strong blend of individuals, cycles, and innovation helps the enterprise with expanding security, increment network performance, and diminish complexity and cost.

Security and Vulnerability Management: Segmentation Analysis

The segmentation of global security and vulnerability management market has been expected to grow in the coming years with the healthcare segment growing at the highest. The healthcare segment is going to see the highest amount of growth in the coming years as the healthcare and identity breaches are increasing and they are key information, so they need a robust system to detect the risks, maintenance of logs and users are used for accessing the confidential data and access control for the cyber threat investigation has also been required. This is a requirement which has been fulfilled with the management solutions.

Security and Vulnerability Management: Regional Analysis

In terms of region, the global security and vulnerability management market has been expected to do best in the North American region and the reasons for that is the early adoption of the Security and Vulnerability Management and presence of many vendors which provide the Security and Vulnerability Management solutions will be expected to drive the market growth in North America. The high risk of commercial espionage is creating a favorable market situation in this region.

On Special Requirement Security and Vulnerability Management Market Report is also available for below region:

North America

U.S, Canada

Europe

Germany , France , U.K., Italy , Spain , Sweden , Netherland, Turkey , Switzerland , Belgium , Rest of Europe

Asia-Pacific

South Korea , Japan , China , India , Australia , Philippines , Singapore , Malaysia , Thailand , Indonesia , Rest Of APAC

Latin America

Mexico , Colombia , Brazil , Argentina , Peru , Rest of Latin America

Middle East and Africa

Saudi Arabia , UAE, Egypt , South Africa , Rest Of MEA

Get Full Access of all Report: https://brandessenceresearch.com/security/security-and-vulnerability-management-market-size

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WESTMINSTER, Calif., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Shopoff Realty Investments ("Shopoff"), announced today the acquisition of a 14.1-acre parcel of Westminster Mall, in Westminster, California, which includes a now-vacant former Sears store. The property was purchased for $46.3 million from Seritage Growth Properties.

Mavik Capital Management, an opportunistic investment firm, provided $20 million in strategic financing in connection with the acquisition. Hankey Capital, a bridge lender based in Los Angeles, provided senior financing for the initial acquisition for the planned redevelopment of this portion of the Westminster Mall. Mark Strauss and Rob Quarton with Walker & Dunlop's Irvine office procured the senior debt on behalf of the sponsorship.

"As the owners of various retail and commercial properties across the country, being able to purchase a portion of the iconic Westminster Mall is an exciting opportunity for our firm," explained Shopoff President and CEO William Shopoff. "We look forward to working with the City of Westminster to determine the future of this fantastic property, and ultimately breathing new life into the property for the City and its residents."

The Westminster Mall houses approximately 1.3 million square feet of retail on approximately 90 acres, anchored by Target, JCPenny and Macy's. The acquisition of the former Sears portion of the property, represents a unique opportunity to acquire a significant site in a high-barrier-to-entry market in coastal Orange County, California.

The site features direct freeway access to I-405 and is located in a central area of the county, surrounded by various residential development that provides a steady customer base for the property. It is also only a 15-minute drive from Huntington State Beach, 7.5 miles from Knotts Berry Farm, 12 miles from the Irvine Business Complex and less than 13 miles from the Port of Long Beach.

About Shopoff Realty Investments

Shopoff Realty Investments is an Irvine, California-based real estate firm with a 30-year history of value-add and opportunistic investing across the United States. The company primarily focuses on proactively generating appreciation through the repositioning of commercial income-producing properties and the entitlement of land assets. The 30-year history includes operating as Asset Recovery Fund, Eastbridge Partners and Shopoff Realty Investments (formerly known as The Shopoff Group). Performance has varied in this time frame, with certain offerings generating losses. For additional information, please visit www.shopoff.com or call (844) 4-SHOPOFF.

Disclosures

This is not an offering to buy or sell any securities. Such offer may only be made through the offerings memorandum to qualified purchasers. Any investment in Shopoff Realty Investments programs involves substantial risks and is suitable only for investors who have no need for liquidity and who can bear the loss of their entire investment. There is no assurance that any strategy will succeed to meet its investment objectives. The performance of this asset is not indicative of future results of other assets. Securities offered through Shopoff Securities, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC, 18565 Jamboree Road, Suite 200, Irvine, CA 92612, (844) 4-SHOPOFF.

Contact:

Jill Swartz

Spotlight Marketing Communications

949.427.1389

[email protected]

SOURCE Shopoff Realty Investments
ST. LOUIS, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Spire Inc. (NYSE: SR) will host a conference call and webcast on Thursday, August 4 to discuss our fiscal 2022 third quarter results. We will issue our earnings news release before the market opens that day, and it will be available on our website at Investors.SpireEnergy.com under the News tab.

To access the call, please dial the applicable phone number 5-10 minutes prior to the start time.

Date and Time: Thursday, August 4

12:00 p.m. CT (1:00 p.m. ET)

Phone Numbers: U.S. and Canada: 844-824-3832

International: 412-317-5142

The call will be webcast in a listen-only format for the media and public. The webcast can be accessed at Investors.SpireEnergy.com under the Events & presentations tab.

A replay of the call will be available from 2 p.m. CT (3 p.m. ET) on August 4 until September 6, 2022, by dialing 877-344-7529 (U.S.), 855-669-9658 (Canada) or 412-317-0088 (international). The replay access code is 1991035. A replay of the webcast will be available on our website at Investors.SpireEnergy.com under the Events & presentations tab.

About Spire

At Spire Inc. (NYSE: SR) we believe energy exists to help make people's lives better. It's a simple idea, but one that's at the heart of our company. Every day we serve 1.7 million homes and businesses making us the fifth largest publicly traded natural gas company in the country. We help families and business owners fuel their daily lives through our gas utilities serving Alabama, Mississippi and Missouri. Our natural gas-related businesses include Spire Marketing, Spire STL Pipeline and Spire Storage. We are committed to transforming our business through growing organically, investing in infrastructure, and advancing through innovation. Learn more at SpireEnergy.com.

Investor Contact:

Scott W. Dudley Jr.

[email protected]

314-342-0878

Media Contact:

Jessica B. Willingham

[email protected]

314-342-3300

SOURCE Spire Inc.
Organization Dedicated to Honoring Victims and Supporting Families Affected by Violent Crimes Through Education, Training and Financial Support

AUSTIN, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Founder of MrBallen Productions and top true crime podcast host, John Allen, today announced a nonprofit to honor victims and support families affected by violent crimes: The MrBallen Foundation. The organization received its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status earlier this year and is dedicated to honoring victims and supporting families affected by heinous crimes through education, training and financial support.

Allen, one of YouTube's biggest creators and better known to his millions of followers as MrBallen, crossed over into audio when he premiered MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark and Mysterious Stories in February 2022 to number one on Spotify's global podcast charts. The show maintains its position in the top charts each week, and Allen's growing platform and origins propel his passion for giving back today. As a former Navy SEAL who was medically retired in 2017 after being injured in Afghanistan, Allen knows that it is a lifelong process healing from trauma and violence.

Storyteller and True Crime Podcast Host John Allen Launches Nonprofit  The MrBallen Foundation Tweet this

"I've had the honor of speaking with both victims and their loved ones, spending countless hours hearing their stories, learning, and researching how these criminal cases have dramatically impacted their lives," said Allen. "It is my hope that the MrBallen Foundation can be a valuable resource to aiding both victims and their families through financial support, as well as providing training, educational resources, and a pathway to give back. I encourage anyone interested in learning more about our mission to visit https://mrballen.foundation/."

Victims of heinous crime are faced with residual effects far beyond the physical impact of the crime. There are psychological, financial, and emotional traumas that need addressing for proper, holistic healing to begin. The MrBallen Foundation provides dynamic solutions for victims of violent crime and organizations already doing needle-moving work for victims and their families through financial support and resources. Over the last 60 days, Allen and the MrBallen Foundation have already donated over $150,000 to various organizations like the LOVE>hate Project, an organization founded by the family of a victim of violent crime and dedicated to ending violence against women; OneStar and Children's Bereavement Center of South Texas, two Texas-based organizations working to provide direct relief for the victims of the recent tragedy in Uvalde and their families, and more to support critical needs and immediately make an impact. "We were just setting up our foundation when the news broke on May 24th that 19 children and 2 teachers had been killed in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas," said Allen. "As parents of three young kids, my wife and I cannot even imagine the pain the families of these victims are facing. It made sense that our first grant from the MrBallen Foundation would go to the Uvalde familiesalong with our prayers for strength and healing."

Quarterly the MrBallen Foundation Honor Grant Program will be awarding a financial grant up to $25,000 to a 501(c)(3) organization that supports victims or their families who have been affected by a heinous crime, the inaugural recipient being the LOVE>hate Project. "The MrBallen Foundation infused a lightning bolt of energy and exposure into our cause and our work, dropping $25,000 into our project account and pledging to do it every year," said Dr. Buck Blodgett, Founder and Executive Director of the LOVE>hate Project. "There's an old saying: actions speak louder than words. MrBallen can wordsmith with the best of them, but his actions outshine even his words." In addition, the MrBallen Foundation will also be providing expedited financial assistance to victims and their families directly through their Hope Grant. Knowing that time is of the essence for so many victims and their families, this grant program is meant to be responsive to the immediate needs of those impacted by a heinous crime.

One violent act has a ripple effect from the victims to their loved ones and entire communities. In MrBallen's upcoming YouTube video set to be released on Sunday, July 10, he tells the story of one such victim, Tristan Beaudette, a father and an experienced outdoorsman who packed his two young children up for a fun-filled, summer weekend of camping and adventure in the woodlands of Southern California. To honor Tristan and his family, the MrBallen Foundation has made a $25,000 donation to Experience Camps, a program for grieving children who've experienced the death of a parent, sibling or primary caregiver. The camp is a no-cost program filled with compassion, connection and play that empowers grieving children to embody a life full of hope and possibility.

The MrBallen Foundation Board includes members with combined backgrounds in law, philanthropy and crime victim advocacy, including the Foundation's Executive Director, Laurie Gift. Gift got her start in the nonprofit industry more than 40 years ago, setting down a career path that has taken her everywhere from helping to distribute medical disaster relief to countries all over the world, providing assistance for pregnant teen moms, teaching job skills to victims of human trafficking, and more. Gift has served in various executive roles for organizations across the nonprofit sector and brings a wealth of knowledge, wisdom and hands-on experience. As a victim of crime herself, Gift has made it her life's work to serve as a champion for those most vulnerable in today's society. "I know that John and the MrBallen team feel the same way as I do about serving victims of heinous crimes and their families," said Gift. "I believe strongly that anything is possible through authenticity, transparency, and collaboration, and I'm so proud to be a part of an organization like the MrBallen Foundation that aligns with these values."

For more information, visit https://mrballen.foundation/ and follow the MrBallen Foundation on Instagram @MrBallenFoundation, Facebook @MrBallenFoundation, LinkedIn @MrBallenFoundation, and Twitter @MrBallenFnd.

About the MrBallen Foundation

The MrBallen Foundation (MBF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to honoring victims and supporting families affected by violent crimes through education, training and financial support. Victims of heinous crime are faced with psychological, financial, and emotional traumas and residual effects far beyond the physical impact of the crime that need addressing for proper, holistic healing to begin. The MrBallen Foundation was founded by John Allen to provide dynamic solutions for victims and organizations that provide support to them through financial support.

About John Allen aka MrBallen

Host of the popular true crime podcast, John Allen burst on the map in 2020, first on TikTok and then on YouTube where he quickly scaled his audience to become one of YouTube's biggest storytellers. Better known as "MrBallen," Allen is a former US Navy SEAL turned YouTube sensation who most recently launched his hit podcast, MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories. The podcast is true crime-focused while also exploring strange and mysterious occurrences, and routinely ranks in the top five on the overall Spotify Podcast charts each week, with staggering audience growth between 17%-20% month over month since the show's inception in February 2022. In June 2022 alone the show delivered seven million impressions and is showing no signs of slowing down, as Allen continues to fascinate new and established audiences with unparalleled storytelling each week. For more information subscribe to MrBallen on YouTube or follow @MrBallen on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Press Inquiries

For the MrBallen Foundation:

Laurie Gift: [email protected]

For John Allen aka MrBallen

Ethos Group: [email protected]

SOURCE MrBallen Foundation
The expanded capabilities of the combined company make it easier for businesses to achieve their best outcomes

KANSAS CITY, Mo., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SupplyLogic and WebbMason Marketing announced today that they have reached an agreement to merge the two entities. Combining the brands provides an unmatched portfolio of tech-enabled marketing services and solutions for print, digital, point of sale and branded merchandise program execution. WebbMason's creative and omni-channel solutions combined with SupplyLogic's technology, supply chain and execution capabilities offer businesses end-to-end national and local marketing execution that produces greater reach and revenue. Effective immediately, Phil Schoonmaker, CEO, will lead the combined entity, which will be named SupplyLogic WebbMason.

"I am excited to lead the company through this next step in our journey. This merger with WebbMason Marketing creates greater opportunities for our people, clients, and partners. By combining our solutions, we can solve the entire spectrum of marketing challenges from creative strategy through distribution. My top priorities are to provide a culture of inclusion and growth for our people and to be an innovative partner for our clients. I am looking forward to leading the company through this transformation and know that together, we will achieve great things."

- Phil Schoonmaker | CEO, SupplyLogic WebbMason

"The opportunity to combine two organizations with complimentary expertise is very exciting. SupplyLogic has proven they are the premier managed services provider in the US. WebbMason Marketing has been helping marketers succeed using technology and creative solutions for over 30 years. Together we cover the spectrum of what today's marketers are looking for. And we both have a client first culture."

- Doug Traxler | Former CEO, WebbMason Marketing and active Advisory Board Member, SupplyLogic WebbMason

About SupplyLogic

Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, SupplyLogic is a leader in technology-enabled managed services for complex brands, optimizing marketing effectiveness and procurement of the print, point of sale and branded merchandise categories. SupplyLogic is dedicated to helping organizations find more time and resources to strengthen their business.

For more information, please visit SupplyLogic's website at www.supplylogic.com and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/supplylogic/

About WebbMason Marketing

Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, WebbMason Marketing is a leading full-service marketing firm focused on helping activate brands at the local level through engaging content, material and merchandise  providing upstream strategy, creative services and technology, connected to downstream production and distribution, both physical and digital.

For more information, please visit WebbMason's website at www.webbmason.com and on LinkedIn at (99+) WebbMason Marketing: Overview | LinkedIn

Contact

SupplyLogic

Phil Schoonmaker

CEO

[email protected]

SOURCE SupplyLogic, Inc.
Hole SB-2022-016 and SB-2022-012 are located within the Bralorne East Block and focuses on a historic ownership gap between the Bralorne and Pioneer Mines.

SB-2022-016 intersected a total of six veins highlighted by:

41.93 g/t Au over 1.25 metres within a broader zone of 9.68 g/t Au over 5.60 metres (202 Vein)



12.91 g/t Au over 1.50 metres (77 Vein)



11.93 g/t Au over 1.50 metres (New Vein)



7.31 g/t Au over 1.75 metres (New Vein)

Hole SB-2022-012 intersected two veins highlighted by:

22.92 g/t Au over 1.15 metres (New Vein)



16.04g/t Au over 1.05 metres (New Vein)

True widths are estimated at 70 - 90% of intercept lengths and are based on oriented core measurements where available.

Talisker drilling to date at the Bralorne Gold Project has produced 397 vein intersections with a combined weighted average diluted grade of 9.50 g/t over an average intersection length of 1.73 metres.

Terry Harbort, President and CEO of Talisker, commented, "We are greatly encouraged by the development of new resource targets in the historic ownership gaps that exist between the old King, Bralorne and Pioneer mines. Delivering consistent high-grade and intercept thickness, these holes will add nicely to our upcoming resource estimate in this new, previously unexplored, and historically unmined area. We are waiting for our final 620 drill hole assay results from the laboratory so we can complete and release our eagerly awaited resource at Bralorne."

A total of 140,671 metres (290 holes) has been drilled since Talisker initiated drilling at the Project in February 2020. Currently, there are 620 samples at the assay laboratory, which are expected to be received by the Company shortly.

SB-2022-012 Hole Description:

Complete assay results received

Located in the Bralorne East block and hosted in granite and diorite

Taylor Vein intersected from 224.30 to 224.80 metres

intersected from 224.30 to 224.80 metres New vein intersected from 451.95 to 452.45 metres with visible gold

New vein intersected from 455.10 to 455.65 metres

New vein intersected from 461.60 to 462.75 metres with visible gold

SB-2022-016 Hole Description:

Complete assay results received

Located in the Bralorne East block and hosted in granite and diorite

New vein intersected from 135.10 to 135.60 metres with visible gold

51B FW intersected from 204.30 to 204.80 metres with visible gold

FW intersected from 204.30 to 204.80 metres with visible gold New vein intersected from 294.55 to 295.05 metres

77 Vein intersected from 317.85 to 319.05 metres with visible gold

New Vein intersected from 417.30 to 418.30 metres with visible gold

202 Vein intersected from 591.20 to 591.95 metres with visible gold

Major vein structures intersected are considered classic Bralorne crack-seal quartz-carbonate veins with densely banded sulphide septae. Crack-seal septae host fine-grained arsenopyrite and pyrite mineralization. Alteration halos consist of strong silica-sericitemariposite alteration halos.

All reported drill assay results are available on the Company's website at the following link: https://taliskerresources.com/bralorne-gold-project-released-drill-results/.

Table 1: Bralorne Gold Project - Drill Holes SB-2022-012 and SB-2022-016 Diamond Drill Hole Name From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) Interpreted Structure Method Reported SB-2022-012 219.9 221.3 1.4 0.30 Vein Halo Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 221.3 222.7 1.4 0.35 Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 222.7 223.6 0.9 0.86 Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 223.6 224.3 0.7 0.11 Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 224.3 224.8 0.5 6.87 Taylor Vein Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 224.8 225.5 0.7 0.51 Vein Halo Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 451.45 451.95 0.5 0.51 Vein Halo Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 451.95 452.45 0.5 33.00 New Vein Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 452.45 453 0.55 0.62 Vein Halo Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 453 453.5 0.5 0.38 Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 453.5 454.6 1.1 0.01 Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 454.6 455.1 0.5 0.33 Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 455.1 455.65 0.55 2.14 New Vein Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 455.65 456.15 0.5 0.16 Vein Halo Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 456.15 456.65 0.5 0.05 Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 456.65 458 1.35 0.03 Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 458 458.8 0.8 0.01 Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 458.8 459.5 0.7 0.10 Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 459.5 460.5 1 0.19 Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 460.5 461.1 0.6 0.37 Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 461.1 461.6 0.5 0.36 Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 461.6 462.25 0.65 40.00 New Vein Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 462.25 462.75 0.5 0.72 Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 462.75 463.3 0.55 0.01 Vein Halo Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 463.3 464 0.7 0.28 Au-AA26 SB-2022-012 464 464.75 0.75 0.23 Vein Halo Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 133.85 134.6 0.75 0.91 Vein Halo Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 134.6 135.1 0.5 0.01 Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 135.1 135.6 0.5 24.20 New Vein Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 203.8 204.3 0.5 0.20 Vein Halo Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 204.3 204.8 0.5 7.52 51BFW Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 294.05 294.55 0.5 1.85 Vein Halo Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 294.55 295.05 0.5 5.97 New Vein Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 315.5 317 1.5 0.22 Vein Halo Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 317 317.85 0.85 0.90 Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 317.85 318.55 0.7 0.54 77 Vein Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 318.55 319.05 0.5 34.90 Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 319.05 319.55 0.5 2.85 Vein Halo Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 319.55 320.05 0.5 0.99 Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 416.25 416.8 0.55 0.33 Vein Halo Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 416.8 417.3 0.5 1.64 Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 417.3 417.8 0.5 15.75 New Vein Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 417.8 418.3 0.5 18.40 Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 586.35 586.85 0.5 1.05 Vein Halo Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 586.85 587.85 1 0.36 Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 587.85 588.35 0.5 0.94 Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 588.35 589.55 1.2 0.01 Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 589.55 590.05 0.5 0.60 Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 590.05 590.7 0.65 0.20 Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 590.7 591.2 0.5 0.42 Au-AA26 SB-2022-016 591.2 591.95 0.75 69.60 202 Vein Au-AA26

Notes: Diamond drill hole SB-2022-012 has a collar orientation of Azimuth 179; Dip -57.5. Diamond drill hole

SB-2022-016 has a collar orientation of Azimuth 177; Dip -55. True widths are estimated at 70 - 90% of intercept

lengths and are based on oriented core measurements where available. Method Reported includes the most up-to-date

information as of the date of this press release.

Terry Harbort, President and CEO, and Matt Filgate, VP Corporate Development of Talisker will provide an update on the ongoing drill program and upcoming resource update during a webinar hosted by Adelaide Capital on Monday, July 11th at 12 pm ET. If you would like to participate you can register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6_BvI1MCTUypvvEYTPXy7Q.

The webinar will also be live streamed on the Adelaide Capital YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Jpt_DWjF1qSCzfKlpLMWw. A replay will be made available on that channel after the event.

Qualified Person

The technical information contained in this news release relating to the drill results at the Bralorne Gold Project has been approved by Leonardo de Souza (BSc, AusIMM (CP) Membership 224827), Talisker's Vice President, Exploration and Resource Development, who is a "qualified person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About Talisker Resources Ltd.

Talisker (taliskerresources.com) is a junior resource company involved in the exploration of gold projects in British Columbia, Canada. Talisker's projects include two advanced stage projects, the Bralorne Gold Complex and the Ladner Gold Project, both advanced stage projects with significant exploration potential from historical high-grade producing gold mines, as well as its Spences Bridge Project where the Company holds ~85% of the emerging Spences Bridge Gold Belt and several other early-stage Greenfields projects. With its properties comprising 304,931 hectares over 500 claims, three leases and 197 crown grant claims, Talisker is a dominant exploration player in south-central British Columbia.

Sample Preparation and QAQC

Drill core at the Bralorne Gold Project is drilled in HQ to NQ size ranges (63.5mm and 47.6mm, respectively). Drill core samples are a minimum of 50 cm and a maximum of 160 cm long along the core axis. Samples are focused on an interval of interest, such as a vein or zone of mineralization. Shoulder samples bracket the interval of interest such that a total sampled core length of not less than 3m both above and below the interval of interest must be assigned. Sample QAQC measures of unmarked certified reference materials (CRMs), blanks, and duplicates are inserted into the sample sequence and makeup 9% of the samples submitted to the lab for holes reported in this release. ALS Global performs sample preparation and analyses in North Vancouver, British Columbia. Drill core sample preparation includes drying in an oven at a maximum temperature of 60C, fine crushing of the sample to at least 70% passing less than 2 mm, sample splitting using a riffle splitter, and pulverizing a 250 g split to at least 85% passing 75 microns (ALS code PREP-31). Gold in diamond drill core is analyzed by fire assay and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) of a 50g sample (ALS code Au-AA26), while multi-element chemistry is analyzed by 4- Acid digestion of a 0.25 g sample split with detection by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) for 48 elements (Ag, Al, As, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, Ge, Hf, In, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Re, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Sn, Sr, Ta, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, U, V, W, Y, Zn, Zr). Gold assay technique (ALS code Au-AA26) has an upper detection limit of 100 ppm. Any sample that produces an over-limit gold value via the gold assay technique is sent for gravimetric finish (ALS method Au-GRA22) which has an upper detection limit of 10,000 ppm Au.

Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Talisker's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Various assumptions or factors are typically applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking information. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to Talisker. Although such statements are based on reasonable assumptions of Talisker's management, there can be no assurance that any conclusions or forecasts will prove to be accurate.

Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined, risks relating to variations in grade or recovery rates, risks relating to changes in mineral prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of minerals, risks related to increased competition and current global financial conditions, access and supply risks, reliance on key personnel, operational risks regulatory risks, including risks relating to the acquisition of the necessary licenses and permits, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks, title and environmental risks and risks relating to the failure to receive all requisite shareholder and regulatory approvals.

The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and Talisker is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

SOURCE Talisker Resources Ltd
HOUSTON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Communication and social skills are some of the biggest issues among youth in the United States and all over the world. The non-profit organization, Target Evolution has been helping youth of today become professionals in various fields. The organization proudly presents its newest Trail Blaze Shop at First Colony Mall in Sugar Land, Texas. The retail store is established with the sole purpose of selling products created by young entrepreneurs from the age of 12 to 19. This shop gives 90% of the profit of sales to the youth creators.

Teen Entrepreneur & Author April Pelton next to her products at Trail Blaze Shop at Stonebriar Mall in Frisco. Serving youth in the DFW Metroplex ages 12-19. It's located on the 1st floor of Stonebriar Mall between Forever 21 and Vera Bradley.

Keeping the current scenario of youth disengagement and disconnection nationally in mind, people are looking for ways to engage youth and help them make a living from their teen years. That is where Target Evolution comes in with effective and tried-and-tested solutions, helping youth foster communication and social skills gaps through entrepreneurship. The organization has done tremendous research on this predicament to understand that the traditional education system is not enough for youth to secure employment in the current competitive job market. That is why they have built programs that teach various soft skills to the young kids by helping them become entrepreneurs and make money.

One of their programs is the Trail Blaze Shops, which educates young entrepreneurs about how a business is run in a real-world environment. This program gives them practical experience in becoming independent and self-sufficient young adults, by providing a space for them to earn money and grow. They now have two Trail Blaze Shops in two shopping malls in Texas. Both the shops sell various types of products created by youth within the 12 to 19 age group. With the Trail Blaze shops, the youth can learn about entrepreneurship first-hand and the various financial aspects that they must know to become successful in the future. They are building a generation of successful and experienced young professionals and entrepreneurs from scratch. Currently, the organization has stores in Stonebriar Mall in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex in Frisco, and in First Colony Mall in the Houston area in Sugar Land. The organization is working with a national mall owner and national department stores to expand to several more cities.

The young children and teens can earn a handsome amount of money from not only selling their products, but from working in the Trail Blaze stores as well. One youth who participated in the program, teen author and entrepreneur April Pelton, earned more than $1000 in just two hours during her first book signing at the shop. Sharing her experience she said, 'Target Evolution has given me several business and marketing opportunities. I got to have my products in Galleria Dallas and now I'm in Stonebriar Frisco. They help children like me every day, and I'm proud to be a part of the Target Evolution family.'

Recently, Target Evolution secured a partnership with Market by Macy's to host a monthly 2-day 'Trail Blaze Youth Pop-Up' for young entrepreneurs between the age of 12 and 19 in their smaller concept stores, Market by Macy's in Flower Mound, in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

Target Evolution is a non-profit organization that aims to build a generation of entrepreneurs and skillful professionals who can secure their dream job without any trouble. Its mission is to offer a solution to the nationwide employment issues and help youth develop communication and social skills, which make a long-lasting difference in their personal lives and society. They currently have had more than 700 teens in Dallas and Houston enrolled in their various programs over the past several years. Find out more at www.targetevolution.org.

Media Contact:

Crystal Victoria

866-922-6686

[email protected]

SOURCE Target Evolution, Inc
Maple Kush Organic Pre-Rolls by TGOD

Amsterdam n' Rosin Organic Vape by Highly Dutch

Rosin Charged Hash by Cruuzy

Puffing Season 3.5g sativa by Cruuzy

Ube Coconut Vape by Cruuzy

Real Fruit Peach Gummies 5:1 CBD:THC by Wyld

TORONTO, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (the "Company" or "TGOD") (CSE: TGOD) (OTC-US: TGODF), a sustainable cannabis company announces new summer SKU launches at OCS.

2022 has seen the introduction of successful dried flower SKUs, like TGOD's Organic Maple Kush and Organic Cherry Mints, plus innovative, popular SKUs, like Highly Dutch Organic's 6-Month Oak Barrel Hash and Cruuzy's SprChrgd Duubyz pre-rolls. To build on that success, five new SKUs will be released in Ontario, Canada's largest recreational cannabis market, this Summer. The new products, outlined below, will also roll out to other provinces in the months ahead.

TGOD Premium

Organic Maple Kush (3.5g) has had notable sales success in the dried flower category and will now be available in Pre-roll format. Organic Maple Kush 3 X.5g Pre-Roll is a high-THC, high-terpene indica in organic hemp paper and a compostable container. Certified organically grown in living soil, this trichome-covered high-THC indica is a TGOD original cross between Koloa Sunrise and GG4. Organic Maple Kush gets its name from the Canadian organic maple syrup used to feed the soil it grows in, giving it a natural source of carbohydrates. This beautiful bud brings with it a tropical, fruity, kush-like finish, a result of Myrcene and Farnescene terpenes that dominate this strain's aroma and flavour. Available August 2nd.

Highly Dutch Organic

Building on the strong performance of Rotterdam Indica and Amsterdam Sativa in the flower category, this will be the first vape SKU under the Highly Dutch Organic brand. Amsterdam n' Rosin is a 20:80 organic rosin-infused distillate sativa vape, made from cannabis flower and native cannabis terpenes. This vape is designed to bring an enriched full flavoured sativa experience at an affordable price. Each pull delivers thick, terpy, full flower rosin flavour in a convenient affordable 0.5g cartridge. The perfect vape for everyday use. Available August 2nd.

Cruuzy

Rosin Charged Hash is a fusion of high quality trichomes and solventless rosin, delivering a striking blend of full-flower flavour and powerful potency in every experience. It starts by carefully pressing high-quality flower into a sticky golden rosin. The rosin is then blended with the finest quality kief, creating a unique, 100% solventless, truly flavourful rosin charged hash experience. Available in 2g format August 2nd.

Puffing Season is another offering in the successful Cruuzy portfolio of bringing unique dried flower genetics to market. This sativa-dominant hybrid has scents of musk, gas, and lemons. The deep hue buds of this sativa are coated with frosty hairs. Available for a limited time in 3.5g August 2nd.

Ube Coconut Vape is a very uniquely flavoured vape using the top food trend of 2022, Ube. Each vape features a nutty vanilla flavour, complemented with the subtle taste of coconut. This unique taste experience combines natural, botanical terpenes, made with high-quality distillate, Available in 1g carts August 2nd.

Wyld

In addition to the TGOD core brands, the Wyld Team has grown on its popular portfolio, by adding Real Fruit Peach Gummies 5:1 CBD:THC. Each Wyld Peach gummy contains 5mg of THC and 25mg of CBD combined with the terpenes Limonene, Linalool, Alpha-Pinene, and Beta-Pinene and they're packaged in compostable packaging.

"Our strategic focus is to operate in select product categories where we have a notable competitive differentiation. Providing high quality, high THC flower and differentiated products has been a key driver of our overall growth and is enabling us to meet major financial milestones in Q2 2022, and beyond. Moving through Summer 2022, we are happy to expand our product offering to the growing community of retail customers and provincial Boards." commented Sean Bovingdon, CEO of TGOD.

About The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd.

The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (CSE: TGOD) (USOTC: TGODF) is a sustainable, global cannabis company with a focus on innovation, quality, consistency, integrity and transparency. By leveraging science and technology, TGOD harnesses the power of nature from seed to sale. The Company is committed to cultivating a better tomorrow by producing its products responsibly, with less waste and impact on the environment. In Canada, TGOD serves the recreational market with a brand portfolio including The Green Organic Dutchman, Highly Dutch Organics, Ripple by TGOD and Cruuzy brands, and the medical markets in Canada, South Africa, Australia, and Germany. All cannabis utilized in products for The Green Organic Dutchman and Highly Dutch Organics brands is grown through a certified organic process, which includes living soil, filtered rainwater, sunlight, and natural inputs.

TGOD's Common Shares and certain warrants issued under the indentures dated December 19, 2019, June 12, 2020, October 23, 2020 and December 10, 2020 trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") under the symbol "TGOD", "TGOD.WS", "TGOD.WR", "TGOD.WA", and "TGOD.WB" respectively. TGOD's Common Shares trade in the U.S. on the OTCQX under the symbol "TGODF". For more information on The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd., please visit www.tgod.ca.

Cautionary Statements

This news release includes statements containing certain "forwardlooking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law ("forwardlooking statements"). Forward looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements about future net revenue and gross margin, statements about future Adjusted EBITDA, statements about future production quantity and timing, statements about the offering of any particular products by the Company and statements regarding the future performance of the Company, statements about future development, growth and delivery of products, and statements about the level of demand for TGOD's products. Forwardlooking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "should", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forwardlooking statements throughout this news release. Forwardlooking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties (including market conditions) and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forwardlooking statements, including those risk factors described in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form filed with Canadian securities regulators and available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information or forward-looking statements in this news release 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 time frames or at all. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

Neither the CSE nor the CSE's Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of CSE) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd.
"The St Jude's organization helps children and their affected families deal with tragic illness everyday and it is such a worthy charity," said Mark Laderman, Co-founder of The Grind Mac and Cheese Burger Bar. "We are proud to have the opportunity to contribute, if only in a small way, to the St Jude's foundation," said Alan Laderman, the other Co-founder of The Grind Mac and Cheese Burger Bar.

The Grind will be showcasing the delicious Mountain Dew infused milkshake all July long with a portion of the proceeds of the shake and of all Pepsi product sales being donated to help St Jude's. "We cannot think of a better charity than St Jude's, a better partner than Pepsi Mid America or better milkshake theme than the iconic Tennessee original, Mountain Dew. Not only is it our favorite soft drink but it was created right here in Tennessee," says Mark Laderman.

In addition Pepsi Mid America will be releasing millions of limited edition Mountain Dew/Grind cans over Southern Illinois, Western Kentucky, Southeast Missouri, Arkansas and West Tennessee which can be redeemed at the Grind for a free Mt Dew Milkshake! Fans of The Grind and Mountain Dew are encouraged to stop by to check out The Grind's latest offerings, drink a massive and tasty milkshake and help the Grind in Martin, Tennessee and Pepsi Mid America help Children through St. Jude's.

About The Grind Mac and Cheese Burger Bar, Llc.

The Grind Mac and Cheese Burger Bar opened in Martin TN in 2017. Located at 112 Lovelace street Martin, Tennessee. It has served tens of thousands of huge, awe-inspiring milkshakes, and innovative burger creations to hundreds of thousands of people. It was also named as one of the top destinations for Mac and Cheese in the state of Tennessee.

Recent over the top milkshakes by The Grind include The Strawberry Short Shake, the Chocolate Freak and the Peanut Butter and Marshmallow-inspired Fluffernutter Milkshake. To learn more please visit them on social media at https://www.facebook.com/eatthegrind

SOURCE The Grind mac and cheese burger bar llc
HOUSTON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sterling Group ("Sterling"), an operationally-focused middle market private equity firm, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Ergotron, Inc. ("Ergotron") from Melrose Industries PLC. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, Ergotron is a leading designer, manufacturer, and distributor of ergonomic products for use across healthcare, workspace, industrial, and education settings.

"Ergotron is a pioneer in ergonomic solutions, and its strong market position and commitment to its customers and employees seamlessly align with Sterling's employee-focused approach to partnerships," said Brad Staller, Partner at The Sterling Group. "We look forward to supporting the management team as they look to accelerate growth."

"Our partnership with Sterling Group will enable Ergotron to continue building on its 40-year legacy of designing solutions that support the wellness of caregivers and workers and how they interact with technology," said Chad Severson, CEO of Ergotron. "We look forward to collaborating with the Sterling team to continue empowering people across the globe to improve how they work, learn, play and care for others."

Sterling has deep experience with corporate carve-outs, having previously partnered with management teams to transition over 20 companies to standalone businesses. 75% of Sterling's historical platform investments have either been corporate carve-outs or entrepreneur / family-owned businesses.

About Ergotron, Inc.

Ergotron, Inc. is a global leader in designing ergonomic solutions that connect people and technology to enhance human performance, health and happiness. Using the Technology of Movement, Ergotron builds products and custom solutions that help people feel a new sense of energy in healthcare, industrial and office settings, both at home and on-site.

Through its 40-year history, Ergotron has led the industry with innovative, professional-grade products and customer-focused service. The company has earned more than 200 patents and established a growing portfolio of award-winning brands including WorkFit and CareFit, and patented Constant Force and LiFeKinnex technologies. Ergotron is headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, with a presence in North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific.

About The Sterling Group

Founded in 1982, The Sterling Group is a private equity investment firm that targets controlling interests in basic manufacturing, distribution, and industrial services companies. Typical enterprise values of these companies at initial formation range from $100 million to $750 million. Sterling has sponsored the buyout of 63 platform companies and numerous add-on acquisitions for a total transaction value of over $14.0 billion. Sterling recently closed its fifth investment fund with $2.0 billion in commitments and currently has over $5.7 billion of assets under management. For further information, please visit sterling-group.com.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results and all investments are subject to loss.

SOURCE The Sterling Group, L.P.
DUBLIN, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Electronic Access Control Systems Market (2022-2027) by Process Type, End-User, Geography, Competitive Analysis, and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Electronic Access Control Systems Market is estimated to be USD 4.85 Mn in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 6.77 Mn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 6.9%.



Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Electronic Access Control 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 Aiphone, AlarmCom, ASSA Abloy , Bio-Key International, Bosch Security Systems, Cisco Systems, etc.



Countries Studied

America ( Argentina , Brazil , Canada , Chile , Colombia , Mexico , Peru , United States , Rest of Americas)

, , , , , , , , Rest of Americas) Europe ( Austria , Belgium , Denmark , Finland , France , Germany , Italy , Netherlands , Norway , Poland , Russia , Spain , Sweden , Switzerland , United Kingdom , Rest of Europe )

( , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Rest of ) Middle-East and Africa ( Egypt , Israel , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , South Africa , United Arab Emirates , Rest of MEA)

and ( , , , , , , Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific ( Australia , Bangladesh , China , India , Indonesia , Japan , Malaysia , Philippines , Singapore , South Korea , Sri Lanka , Thailand , Taiwan , Rest of Asia-Pacific )

Competitive Quadrant

The report includes Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.



Ansoff Analysis

The report presents a detailed Ansoff matrix analysis for the Global Electronic Access Control 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 Electronic Access Control 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 Electronic Access Control 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 Increasing Threat of Terrorism, Criminal Activities, Illegal Immation, and Demand for an Enhanced Security System

4.1.2 Rising Demand from Educational Institutes, Healthcare Centers, and Residential Buildings

4.1.3 Rising Popularity of Electromagnetic Locks and Electric Strikes

4.2 Restraints

4.2.1 Lack of Security and Rising Number of Hackers

4.2.2 High Cost and Lack of Awareness

4.2.3 Lack of Interoperability with the Existing Systems

4.3 Opportunities

4.3.1 Integration with Building Automation and Time Management Systems

4.3.2 Technological Advancements in Control Systems

4.4 Challenges

4.4.1 Lack of Proper Infrastructure and Issue of False Alarm



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 Electronic Access Control Systems Market, By Process Type

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Authentication Systems

6.2.1 Biometrics

6.2.1.1 Face Recognition

6.2.1.2 Fingerprint Recognition

6.2.1.3 Iris Recognition

6.2.1.4 Palm Print Recognition

6.2.1.5 Voice Recognition

6.2.1.6 Signature Recognition

6.2.1.7 Vein Recognition

6.2.1.8 Other Biometric Technologies

6.2.2 Card Based

6.2.3 Touch Screens And Keypads

6.2.4 Door Contacts

6.3 Intruder Alarm Systems

6.3.1 Detection Systems

6.3.1.1 Motion Detector

6.3.1.2 Glass Break Detector

6.3.1.3 Door/Window Sensor

6.3.2 Alarm Panels

6.3.3 Communication Devices

6.4 Perimeter Security Systems

6.4.1 Free Standing Perimeter Security

6.4.2 Fence Mounted Perimeter Security

6.4.3 Buried Perimeter Security



7 Global Electronic Access Control Systems Market, By End-User

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Homeland Security

7.2.1 Defense

7.2.2 Government Buildings

7.3 Commercial

7.3.1 Airports

7.3.2 Financial Institutions

7.3.3 Healthcare

7.3.4 Telecommunication

7.3.5 Stadiums

7.4 Industrial

7.5 Residential

7.6 Other



8 Americas' Electronic Access Control 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 Electronic Access Control 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 Electronic Access Control 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 Electronic Access Control 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 Aiphone

13.2 AlarmCom

13.3 ASSA Abloy

13.4 Bio-Key International

13.5 Bosch Security Systems

13.6 Cisco Systems

13.7 Cognitec Systems

13.8 Control4

13.9 Digitalpersona

13.10 Everspring Industry

13.11 Fujitsu

13.12 Future Fibre Technology

13.13 Godrej And Boyce Manufacturing

13.14 Hitachi

13.15 Honeywell International

13.16 Ingersoll-Rand

13.17 Johnson Controls

13.18 Linear

13.19 Magal Security Systems

13.20 NEC

13.21 Panasonic

13.22 Schneider Electric

13.23 Siemens Building Technologies

13.24 Touchless Biometrics Systems

13.25 Tyco International

13.26 United Technologies



14 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/brrf7d

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SOURCE Research and Markets
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the course of 15 years, GK Hair has paved its way to the top of the list of the popular hair care brands. However, the company works a little differently than most of its competitors. Back in 2007, GK Hair was founded on a singular ideology: to fulfill your hair care needs and to help the hair industry grow. Since then, the company has ensured to maintain the dignity of the ideology and to preserve, as well as, fulfill it. Many professional artists and salon owners stand by the fact that GK Hair has assisted them outdo themselves in terms of their career and individual progress.

These Salon Artists Have Outdone Themselves After Working With GK Hair

Among such talented artists is Heidi Hoover, one of the brand ambassadors of GK Hair and the owner of The Hair Studio, a popular hair salon in the U.S. Being associated with GK Hair for almost 15 years, Heidi talks about her endeavors in the pursuit of success and achievement and discusses the role of GK Hair:

"It was around 2007 when I attended a hair show in Massachusetts and saw a GK Hair booth set up. I used to love experimenting on my hair, but I was skeptical about keratin treatments , until I talked to GK Hair sales reps there and they explained the benefits of keratin. So, I ended up buying a package deal. And as I said, I never dabbled in keratin before. So, when I introduced it into my salon, the clients wanted to try it. The more they tried it, the more they loved it, and the small package that I bought from the booth turned into bulk orders."

Lianne Hanaford is yet another hair artist who has been working with GK Hair for more than 8 years. One-of-a-kind in her skills and expertise, Lianne explains how GK Hair has helped her retain more clients and grow eventually:

"One of the things that helped me the most was the opportunity to demonstrate to my clients that GK hair was real; because it could heal the hair, it could repair the hair. And from that, my reputation, my clients, and I grew. If you have a chance to brand-stand with everything you know, do it. I simply started spreading the truth. I've had people who came to me saying that they've heard about the brand , and what it can do, and they decided to do it. And people stay. That's what GK hair has done for me by giving me the platform, the opportunity, and support."

For more information, visit GK Hair website on:

Website: https://www.gkhair.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gkhair

Instagram: https://instagram.com/GKhair

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GKhair

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/gkhair

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/GKhair/

Media Contact

Company Name: GK Hair

Contact Person: Meghan McHugh

Phone: +13053900044

Email: [email protected]

Country: United States

Website: https://www.gkhair.com/

SOURCE GK Hair
Motel 6 explores reunions of people and places this summer in a new creative campaign

DALLAS, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Family and friend reunions bring the most joyful vacations during the summer months (65%), new data from Motel 6 reveals. The leader in economy lodging releases a study and new creative campaign celebrating reunions with the people and places travelers love.

Motel 6 Family Reunions Infographic The Payne family reunites at a Motel 6 in Fort Lauderdale

The poll of 2,000 adults traveling this summer revealed a majority (57%) plan to attend a family or friend reunion this summer. The average respondent has not gathered with extended family in four years, so it's no surprise that on average, American travelers will journey nearly 80 miles to reunite with their favorite people and places, while about one-third (32%) will venture more than 100 miles.

"There's nothing quite like a big family or friend gathering and the opportunity to connect with the people and places you love," said Rob Palleschi, CEO of Motel 6. "Whether Motel 6 is part of your journey or the destination, you can count on us to provide a clean, comfortable and affordable place to rest your head at night."

A New Look for Reunions

Now more than ever, reunions will look and feel different than in previous years, respondents (51%) say. Americans' reunion invite lists include friends (42%), significant others (39%), neighbors (34%) and pets (36%).

A Time for Traditions

Reunions allow friends and family to re-establish and refresh traditions. The majority (55%) of those attending a family reunion this year look forward to celebrating both old traditions while creating new ones. Almost two-thirds of respondents (64%) are interested in becoming more connected to their family traditions.

The new Motel 6 advertising campaign captures what it means to reunite this summer by featuring a real-life family's reunion story. Their reunion in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. will be showcased via a longform video and advertisements this summer, which can be viewed here. Within the story, the Payne family honors their traditions while preparing family meal favorites ahead of a beach picnic that reconnected 15 family members across three generations.

"Cooking together is our family's way to embody the traditional culture of our roots. We celebrate these roots running deep for generations to come, together," said Stephanie Payne, a participant of the family reunion.

For those hitting the road this summer, check out travel tips and a curated playlist to inspire your upcoming trip on the Open Road blog. Guests can also join the My6 member program which includes exclusive access to the best available rates and expedited booking processes online.

About Motel 6

Motel 6 is an economy lodging brand with company-owned and franchised locations throughout the United States and Canada. Motel 6 has used the tagline, "We'll leave the light on for you" for more than 30 years, earning the chain the highest brand recognition in the economy lodging segment. Motel 6 offers standard amenities including free Wi-Fi Internet access, free local calls, no long-distance access charges and expanded cable channel line-up. Most locations offer guest laundry facilities. For more information, visit www.motel6.com.

About Studio 6

Studio 6 helps travelers save more for what they travel for at its more than 125 locations in key extended stay markets in the U.S. such as Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Seattle. The first Studio 6 location opened in El Paso, TX, in 1998 with the transformation of an existing Motel 6, allowing guests to "Extend your stay, not your budget" as the brand's tagline suggests. The brand was recently named "Home Away From Home" by the Franchise Times' Zor Awards. The studios feature living areas and fully furnished kitchens along with linens and cookware and free Wi-Fi at an inclusive, transparent rate, competitive to the economy extended stay tier. Studio 6 is managed and operated by G6 Hospitality LLC. For more information, visit staystudio6.com.

About the Survey

The survey was commissioned by Motel 6 through SWNS Media Group, who conducted an online survey among n = 2,000 U.S. adults aged 18+ who plan on traveling this summer (with quotas for ethnicity). The survey was conducted on May 2026 and has a margin of error of +/- 2.2 percentage at a 95% confidence level.

Media Contact:

Elise Rose

(312) 918-4223

[email protected]

SOURCE Motel 6
Strong leaning of aerospace engineers to use carbon fiber composites to design dream planes opens lucrative opportunities

Advantage of low weight of carbon fiber enables longer blades and increased energy capture at low wind locations to witness immense demand for wind energy generation

WILMINGTON, Del., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Analysts at TMR estimate the carbon fiber market to expand at a CAGR of 6.8% for the forecast period from 2022 to 2031. Demand for carbon fiber from engineers and designers for the manufacture of specialized high-performance products such as racecars, aircraft, and sporting equipment fuels the growth of carbon fiber market.

Carbon fiber features excellent strength and stiffness to find use in diverse high-performance applications across several end-use industries. Prospects of rising demand for carbon fiber in building & construction for products for maintenance and repair work is anticipated to shape carbon fiber market trends in the upcoming years. Furthermore, investments in R&D to develop carbon fiber material for applications in various fields such as water treatment and electrochemistry are emerging trends in the carbon fiber market.

Asia Pacific held 33.1% share of carbon fiber market in 2021. The carbon fiber market of the region is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 7.5% during the forecast period on the back of high demand for carbon fiber composites from wind energy and automotive industries in the region.

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Carbon Fiber Market  Key Findings of the Report

Demand analysis of carbon fiber market reveals polyacrylonitrile is used for nearly 90% of carbon fiber produced with the remaining 10% composed of rayon or petroleum pitch

Carbon fiber market outlook is promising with critical advantages of carbon fiber to boost fuel efficiency of vehicles while maintaining safety and performance. Carbon fiber features highest strength and stiffness per density to make it ideal for high-performance, track-focused vehicles wherein each pound shed can translate to increase acceleration and top speed.

Potential of carbon fiber to overtake metal as the preferred structural material for aircraft to serve superior aerodynamics, fewer component requirement, and lower fuel cost requirements to create ample opportunities in carbon fiber market. So much so, aerospace engineers use carbon fiber composite materials to design their dream planes for its desired versatility.

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Increasing demand for carbon fiber composites from commercial airlines to build aircraft bodies to create new growth frontiers in the carbon fiber market. Airbus A350 XWB and Boeing 787 Dreamliner are two commercially flying aircraft that use carbon fiber composites.

Superior characteristics of high strength, stiffness, and low density make carbon fiber-based composites sought-after for wind turbines. Significant difference in weight of wind blades composed of carbon fiber than the ones composed of traditional fiberglass enables carbon fiber blades to be longer than fiberglass ones and serve to be suitable for locations with low wind. Extended lifetime due to high fatigue resistance for wind generation to open largest opportunity for carbon fiber market in the years ahead.

North America carbon fiber market is anticipated to display marginal increase in share from 32.04% in 2021 to 33.03% in 2031. Demand for carbon fiber from the aerospace industry contributes substantially to the growth of carbon fiber market of the region.

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Carbon Fiber Market  Growth Drivers

Demand for carbon fiber for diverse high-performance applications owing to an array of unique properties such as high stiffness, lightweight, high chemical resistance, and high temperature tolerance fuels the growth of carbon fiber market

Critical role of carbon fiber to boost the fuel economy of modern automobiles to reduce carbon footprint creates ample opportunities in carbon fiber market

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Carbon Fiber Market  Key Players

Some of the prominent players operating in the carbon fiber market are;

Formosa Plastics Corp.

Toray Industries Inc.

Mitsubishi

Hexcel Corporation

Teijin Carbon

SGL Carbon

The carbon fiber market is segmented as follows;

Carbon Fiber Market, by Product

PAN-based

Pitch-based

Others

Carbon Fiber Market, by Technology

Prepreg Layup

Pultrusion

Winding

Press & Injection Molding

Others

Carbon Fiber Market, by Application

Residential Construction

Non-residential Construction

Automotive & Transportation



Interior





Exterior





Others



Construction

Aerospace & Defense

Sports & Leisure

Marine and Oil & Gas

Wind Energy

Others

Carbon Fiber Market, by Region

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa

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About Transparency Market Research

Transparency Market Research, a global market research company registered at Wilmington, Delaware, United States, provides custom research and consulting services. The firm scrutinizes factors shaping the dynamics of demand in various markets. The insights and perspectives on the markets evaluate opportunities in various segments. The opportunities in the segments based on source, application, demographics, sales channel, and end-use are analysed, which will determine growth in the markets over the next decade.

Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insights for thousands of decision-makers, made possible by experienced teams of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants. The proprietary data sources and various tools & techniques we use always reflect the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in all of its business reports.

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New Nonprofit Sector Profile integrates industry-specific analytics from Candid, the authoritative source for nonprofit financial information.

RALEIGH, N.C., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Industry Intelligence leader Vertical IQ has released another Sector Profile , Nonprofits, which incorporates in-depth, nonprofit-specific financial data provided by Candid , the trusted source for unbiased nonprofit financial data. Non-profit financial data is unique in terms of its reporting structure due to its use of fund accounting principles to capture grants, donations, and other accounts used exclusively by non-profit entities. With this new data, Vertical IQ users can now compare their non-profit customers with similar entities.

The Nonprofits Sector Profile joins Vertical IQ's growing list of macro-level analyses of the major segments of the economy including Agriculture, Construction, Energy, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Retail, Transportation, Wholesale, and others. All Sector Profiles incorporate sector-specific chapters such as Geographic Breakdown, Technology Investment, Sector Indicators & Drivers, and Executive Talking Points.

A valuable partnership for nonprofit financial data

Candid is itself a 501(c)3 nonprofit formed in 2019. The organization provides the most comprehensive data and insights about the social sector to explain where their money comes from and where it goes.

"Integrating Candid's financial data on nonprofit financials into the Nonprofits Sector Profile creates a single location for research and analysis on this important vertical," explains Bobby Martin, co-founder and CEO of Vertical IQ. "Adding this new Nonprofit Sector Profile, with its deep analysis of the nonprofit world, will be a win for our users, but the insight from Candid truly allows us to up the ante by providing financial data specific to 10 segments within the nonprofit vertical."

Martin goes on to explain that nonprofits utilize fund accounting, which uses different terminology and methods than are used in for-profit accounting. "Nonprofits must keep track of specific items such as government agency funding, private donations, grant authorities and much more. Thanks to the data from Candid that is now integrated into Vertical IQ, our users will be able to compare their nonprofit customers to others, utilizing many different categories," says Martin.

To learn more about Vertical IQ or to request a demo, visit www.verticaliq.com .

ABOUT VERTICAL IQ

Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., Vertical IQ is a nationally recognized leader in Industry Intelligence. Whether they're pitching a local brewery or a national biotech company, successful sales, marketing, and customer success teams use Vertical IQ to better understand a prospect's or client's business challenges before, during, and after meetings. Covering more than 540 distinct industries, 3,400 local economies, and more than 94 percent of the U.S. economy and Canada, Vertical IQ equips users with the confidence and credibility to make memorable first impressions and sustain enduring relationships.

ABOUT CANDID

Every year, millions of nonprofits spend trillions of dollars around the world. Candid finds out where that money comes from, where it goes, and why it matters. Through research, collaboration, and training, Candid connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to do it. Candid's data tools on nonprofits, foundations, and grants are the most comprehensive in the world. In 2019, Foundation Center and GuideStar joined forces to become Candid, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

SOURCE Vertical IQ
WASHINGTON , July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that Vornado Air LLC, of Andover, Kansas, has agreed to pay a $7.5 million civil penalty. The settlement resolves CPSC's charges that Vornado failed to immediately report to CPSC, as required by law, that its VH101 Personal Vortex electric space heater contained a defect or created an unreasonable risk of serious injury.

CPSC charged that Vornado had information that the heater could overheat and catch fire, posing a risk of burn injury or death. Vornado investigated multiple consumer reports of fire, but the firm did not immediately notify CPSC of the defect or risk as required by law. In January 2018, Vornado reported to CPSC that a 90-year-old Minnesota man had died in a fire involving a Vornado space heater that was suspected to be a VH101 heater.

Vornado recalled the VH101 Personal Vortex heater on April 4, 2018. The recall was re-announced on August 22, 2018, after Vornado confirmed that the heater involved in the fatal incident was a VH101.

In 2008, the Vornado Trust paid a $500,000 civil penalty to CPSC on behalf of Vornado's predecessor, Vornado Air Circulation Systems Inc., after it failed to immediately report overheating and fire incidents involving space heaters between 1993 and 2004.

The settlement agreement requires Vornado to maintain a compliance program to ensure that the company complies with the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) and to maintain internal controls designed to ensure timely, complete, and accurate reporting to CPSC. Vornado has also agreed to file annual reports regarding the compliance program and system of internal controls for a period of three years.

The settlement agreement has been accepted provisionally by the Commission by a 4-0-1 vote.

CPSC Chair & Commissioner Statements:

Chair Alex D. Hoehn-Saric statement

Commissioner Richard Trumka statement

Commissioner Peter Feldman statement

About the U.S. CPSC

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of injuries associated with consumer products over the past 50 years.

Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.

For lifesaving information:

- Visit CPSC.gov.

- Sign up to receive our e-mail alerts.

- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram @USCPSC and Twitter @USCPSC.

- Report a dangerous product or a product-related injury on www.SaferProducts.gov.

- Call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054).

- Contact a media specialist.

Release Number: 22-182

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
DUBLIN, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Water Blocking Tapes Market by Conductive Type (Conductive, Semi-conductive, Non-conductive), Application (Optical Fiber cable, Submarine cable, Power cable Communication cable) and Region (North America, Europe, APAC, RoW) - Global Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The water-blocking tapes market is estimated to be USD 378 million in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 495 million by 2027, at a CAGR of 5.5% between 2022 and 2027. The increasing demand for water blocking tapes in power and telecommunication projects is one of the most significant factors projected to drive the growth of the water blocking tapes market.



Non-conductive water-blocking tapes lead the market

The water-blocking tapes market is segmented into three different types, namely, conductive, semi-conductive, and non-conductive tapes. The market is led by the non-conductive water-blocking tapes. These tapes are made of a super-swelling polyester non-woven fabric.

They can effectively block water and mist to protect the cable through its outstanding swelling speed and swelling height. The non-conductive water-blocking tapes absorb liquid quickly at the point of insulation failure and swell swiftly to prevent further penetration. This minimizes cable damage, keeps it fully encased, and makes it easy to detect and repair.



Increasing investments in the energy sector drive the water blocking tapes market

Various countries across the globe are focusing on improving their energy self-sufficiency and improving their energy infrastructure. Various developing countries such as India, Indonesia, Brazil, and South Africa are investing in developing a country-wide grid to meet the energy demands, improving the standards of power delivery with better technology, and reduced costs of operations.



Regulatory policies increasingly become stringent challenges the growth of water blocking tapes

The chemical industry in Europe and North America is facing challenges from regulatory authorities, such as the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), the European Union (EU), the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).



North America is the second-fastest-growing region in water-blocking tapes market in terms of both value and volume

North America is one of the major markets for water-blocking tapes and has been dominating in terms of demand as well as product innovation. The US accounted for the largest share in terms of value and volume, of the water blocking tapes market in 2021. Canada and Mexico also contributed significantly to the market. Technological advancements in the manufacturing sector have driven the market in this region.



Key Topics Covered:



1 Introduction



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Premium Insights

4.1 Significant Growth Expected in Water Blocking Tapes Market Between 2022 and 2027

4.2 Non-Conductive Type Led Water Blocking Tapes Market

4.3 Submarine Cable Application Led Water Blocking Tapes Market

4.4 UK to be Fastest-Growing Water Blocking Tapes Market



5 Market Overview

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Market Dynamics

5.2.1 Drivers

5.2.1.1 Growth in Cross-Continental Power and Data Cables

5.2.1.2 Growth in Energy Infrastructure Investments

5.2.2 Restraints

5.2.2.1 Impact of COVID-19 on Power Cable Industry

5.2.2.2 Decline in Water Blocking Tapes Market Growth due to COVID-19

5.2.2.3 Volatility in Price of Raw Materials

5.2.3 Opportunities

5.2.3.1 Increasing Demand for Latency-Free Telecommunication Devices

5.2.3.2 Replacement of Older Telecommunication Cables with Newer Technologies 45

5.2.3.3 Increasing Demand for Safe Power Transmission Cables

5.2.4 Challenges

5.2.4.1 Maintaining Uninterrupted Supply Chain and Operating at Full Capacity

5.2.4.2 Implementation of Stringent Regulatory Policies

5.3 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.4 Impact of COVID-19 on Water Blocking Tapes Market

5.5 Supply Chain Analysis

5.6 Pricing Analysis

5.7 Average Selling Price

5.8 Technology Analysis

5.9 Value Chain Analysis of Water Blocking Tapes Market

5.10 Water Blocking Tapes Market: Optimistic, Pessimistic, and Realistic Scenarios



6 Water Blocking Tapes Market, by Conductive Type

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Conductive Water Blocking Tapes

6.3 Semi-Conductive Water Blocking Tapes

6.4 Non-Conductive Water Blocking Tapes



7 Water Blocking Tapes Market, by Application

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Optical Fiber Cable

7.3 Submarine Cable

7.4 Communication Cable

7.5 Power Cable

7.6 Others



8 Regional Analysis



9 Competitive Landscape



Companies Mentioned

Cable Tapes UK

Chase Corporation

Chengdu Centran Industrial

Chhaperia International Company

Ekstel

Fori Group

Geca Tapes

Gurfil

Hanyu Cable Materials

Hongzhou Photoelectric Material Technology Ltd

Indore Composite

International Materials Group

Lifeline Technologies

Nantong Siber Communication

Navank Consultants

Scapa Group plc

Shenyang Tianrong Cable Materials Co Ltd

Shinyuan Technologies

Sneham International

Star Materials

Suzhou Kaying Industrial Materials Co Ltd

Swabs Tapes India Private Limited

Unitape UK Ltd

Vitahco

Weihai Hongda Cable Material

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/1k86up

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets
WellNow Urgent Care today announced that it has completed the strategic acquisition of Physicians Immediate Care. Tweet this

"As we strive to bring quality, accessible healthcare to more communities, we're incredibly pleased to welcome Physicians Immediate Care to WellNow," said John Radford, M.D., president at WellNow Urgent Care. "Our organizations share many similar values, with a particular focus on putting our patients and our people first. I'm excited to see what we'll accomplish together."

Physicians Immediate Care's senior leadership team, including chairman and CEO, Stan Blaylock, will join WellNow's senior leadership team, where they will continue to focus on the strategic growth and development of the business.

"WellNow Urgent Care and Physicians Immediate Care are both committed to building healthy communities through compassion and the highest quality of care," said Mr. Blaylock. "The complementary nature of our organizations will ultimately benefit our patients, employees and the communities we serve, and I look forward to realizing that vision with Dr. Radford."

WellNow Urgent Care is part of TAG The Aspen Group, one of the nation's largest consumer healthcare support organizations. TAG is built on the mission of bringing better healthcare to more people. TAG supports more than 1,200 independently owned practice locations in 45 states through its four healthcare brands: Aspen Dental, ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers, WellNow Urgent Care and Chapter Aesthetic StudioSM. Combined, the brands serve more than 35,000 patients a day and more than 8 million patients each year.

More information about WellNow Urgent Care, including services, locations and hours is available at WellNow.com.

About WellNow Urgent Care

WellNow Urgent Care is one of the fastest-growing providers of urgent medical care, virtual care, occupational health services and clinical research in the United States. Opened in 2012, the company now operates more than 180 centers across Illinois, Indiana, New York, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin. More information about WellNow Urgent Care's services, hours and locations can be found at WellNow.com.

About TAG The Aspen Group

TAG was built on the simple idea of bringing better health care to more people. TAG supports more than 1,200 independently owned practice locations in 45 states through its four healthcare brands: Aspen Dental, ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers, WellNow Urgent Care and Chapter Aesthetic StudioSM. Combined, the brands serve more than 35,000 patients a day and more than 8 million patients each year.TAG is headquartered at 800 W. Fulton Market in Chicago. For more information, visit teamtag.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

SOURCE WellNow Urgent Care
New agreement creates pathway for Pacific jurisdictions to join western Regional Arts Organization

DENVER, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- To demonstrate its continued focus on equitable grantmaking and diverse arts ecosystems throughout the western region, the Western States Arts Federation ( WESTAF ) has partnered with the Pacific jurisdiction (PJ) region through an unprecedented agreement. Historically, American Samoa, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and Guam (collectively, Pacific Jurisdictions/PJs) have been underrepresented as a region within the U.S. arts sector and in conversations surrounding arts advocacy. Like many states in the West, the PJs have been devastated by the pandemic, with arts agencies facing unique and challenging circumstances. With this new partnership, WESTAF seeks to expand networks to the artists and arts organizations of these territories and offer resources to some of the most remote communities in the United States.

WESTAF will serve as the official intermediary between the PJs and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), which has invested in these relationships for technical assistance and program support. "I'm thrilled that Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are being welcomed into the network of Regional Arts Organizations by WESTAF," said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson. "The rich cultures that exist in all of the outer jurisdictions deserve to be fully appreciated as part of our American tapestry. This partnership is a step in the right direction."

"It's refreshing to work with an organization that recognizes the unique financial and logistical challenges our communities face, especially in light of the diverse indigenous arts and cultures of the islands that deserve attention and support," said Sandra Flores, Executive Director of the Guam Council on the Arts and Humanities Agency (CAHA).

National Assembly of State Art Agencies (NASAA) President and CEO Pam Breaux, who inspired the genesis of this partnership, remarked: "The Pacific jurisdictional arts agencies provide significant arts and cultural experiences for the communities they serve. I have seen first-hand their commitment to supporting contemporary and traditional artists, connecting them to community, marketplaces, and educational opportunities for young people. This new partnership is exciting and incredibly important because it provides a mechanism to strengthen and amplify the work of these agencies; it will connect them to important networks, resources, and national opportunities. I applaud WESTAF's leadership in this endeavor and look forward to a fruitful partnership that provides greater access to the arts of the Pacific jurisdictions."

WESTAF is proud to lead the nation in these unprecedented efforts to address inequity among rural communities with a $225,000 investment over the next three years and is excited to welcome the PJs into the western region community.

About WESTAF

WESTAF is a regional nonprofit arts service organization dedicated to strengthening the financial, organizational, and policy infrastructure of the arts in the West. WESTAF assists state arts agencies, arts organizations, and artists in their quest to serve diverse audiences, enrich the lives of local communities, and provide access to the arts and arts education for all. Through innovative programming, advocacy, research, technology, and grantmaking, WESTAF encourages the creative advancement and preservation of the arts regionally and through a national network of customers and alliances. Founded in 1974, WESTAF is governed by a 22-member board of trustees and serves the largest constituent territory of the six U.S. regional arts organizations and includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai'i, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyomingwith plans now in place to include American Samoa, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and Guam.

Contact:

Leah Horn

720.664.2239

[email protected]

SOURCE WESTAF (Western States Arts Federation)
The Women's Power Gap Campaign began tracking top leadership in higher education institutions throughout the Commonwealth in 2018. This report, The Massachusetts College and University Presidents & Board Chairs 2022 Diversity Progress Snapshot , shows we have made some significant progress but still have far to go. Of note:

In 2019, community colleges reached gender parity with 53% having women presidents but now just 36% have women leaders. Women comprise 47% of board chairs at these same institutions.

at these same institutions. At the state's most elite research universities (R1 classification), there are zero women presidents. Women chair three of eight boards at R1s , an increase from zero in 2018.

, an increase from zero in 2018. Across all institutions, women board chairs increased from 27% to 37%.

"After four years, we expected to see more progress overall for women. Women make up 57% of higher education students in Massachusetts and have been getting the majority of PhDs for nearly two decades. We should already have achieved gender parity among presidents, but instead we have hit a ceiling. The news is especially troubling among the most elite and powerful research universities, where none of the eight schools has a woman at the helm," said Andrea Silbert, President of the Eos Foundation. "While the state has made significant progress among board chairs, the keys to the corner office are still elusive for women, especially women of color. One of the most concerning things we witness is what we call the "one and done" phenomenon, where institutions have one woman president and then go back to business as usual. They need to keep their foot on the pedal! It's critical that the ever-increasing diversity of student populations at our colleges and universities is reflected in leadership. And we must work with deep intention to elevate Latinx or Indigenous women."

There are 11 opportunities on the horizon to advance women higher education leaders in the Commonwealth, including four recent presidential resignations at R1* institutions.

Massachusetts institutions conducting presidential searches include Assumption College, Bay State College, Emerson College, Harvard University*, Massachusetts Institute of Technology*, Mount Holyoke College, Roxbury Community College, Smith College, Tufts University*, University of Massachusetts Amherst* and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Tufts and the University of Massachusetts Amherst have never had a permanent woman president.

About the Women's Power Gap Campaign at the Eos Foundation: The Women's Power Gap Campaign aims to radically increase the number of women from diverse backgrounds among CEO and C-suite leaders nationally. We conduct and commission actionable research on prominent sectors of the economy and measure the extent of the power and pay gaps at the company or institutional level to highlight those making fast progress, and those falling behind.

Media Contact:

Alex Forero

[email protected]

562.552.7726

SOURCE Eos Foundation
DUBLIN, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Armored Vehicles MRO Market - Forecasts from 2022 to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Armored vehicles are high-security vehicles with uranium and stainless steel for better protection against external threats. Furthermore, these vehicles are equipped with weapons for fighting back. They are used for security industries to protect the user and in the military for a better combat opponent.

Owing to their importance, armored vehicles have high maintenance, repair, and operational cost. the prime factor driving the market demand is the rising adoption of armored vehicles across security and military industries, which has created notable demand for armored vehicles MRO.

Furthermore, cost-cutting measures involve overhauling of existing APC, which further supports the market growth. Moreover, a surge in investment in research and development coupled with innovation of better MRO technology is expected to provide a remarkable opportunity for the market. The armored vehicle MRO market is segmented based on vehicle type and geography.



The North American armored vehicle market is expected to hold a large share of the market owing to high military investment and wider adoption.

Based on geography, the armored vehicles MRO market is segmented into North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The North American armored vehicle MRO market is expected to dominate the global market owing to the surge in investment in the military and defense industry coupled with the early adoption of advanced technology.

The US is one of the largest military and defense industries globally. Data from the World Bank shows that the country's military expenditure has been surging at a notable rate. In 2015, the US expanded 3.478% of its GDP on the military. By 2020, the country spend 3.741% of its GDP in the sector. The surge in military and defense expenditure is expected to create noticeable demand for the armed vehicle MRO market.



Armed Personal Carrier is expected to hold a notable share of the market during the forecasted period.

By vehicle type, the Armored vehicles MRO market can be segmented into Infantry Fighting vehicles, main battle tanks, armed personal carriers, multi-role armed carriers, and others. The armed personal carrier is anticipated to hold a substantial share of the market owing to a surge in demand by the government sector for better protection of VIPs. Furthermore, the leap in the standard of living and the increasing number of millionaires and billionaires is also forecasted to escalate the sector demand owing to the generation of necessity for personal security equipment.



Growth Factors

Rising global military expenditure

One of the prime reasons supporting the growth in the armored vehicles MRO market is the rising global military expenditure with economic development and notable GDP growth. Data from the World Bank organization shows that global military expenditure, as a percentage of GDP, has surged from 2.254% in 2015 to 2.361% in 2020. Growing complexities and competition to emerge as a superpower coupled with a rise in threat and security concerns have resulted in robust expenditure in the military industry, which is expected to create significant demand for armored vehicles and MRO.



The surge in innovation and product launch will open new opportunities for the market

Another key factor that supports the market for armored vehicles MRO is a surge in investment and innovation, which has resulted in product launches and expansion of market dynamics. With an increase in demand and notable growth in the military and defense industry, market leaders have invested in armored vehicles to come up with innovative and more secure solutions. Numerous product launches are expected to provide new growth opportunities for the market for armored vehicle MRO.



COVID Insights

The coronavirus pandemic hampered the growth of armored vehicle MRO globally. A halt in the production sector owing to the nationwide lockdown implemented to contain the spread of the virus led to lower production of armored vehicles and hence the demand for armored vehicles MRO. Furthermore, a shift of all economic operations on virtual channels reduced official meetings offline and further reduced the demand for armored vehicles, especially personal armed carriers, impacting the demand for armored MRO.



Key Development

March 2021 , Investment. Mahindra Defence announced that it has contracted with the Indian Army to develop armored vehicles for strengthening the country's military and defense sector. The company's Light Strike Vehicle - LSV, successfully passed all the trails and is now inculcated in the country's army. A contract of Rs. 1,056 crores have been drawn to supply the vehicle to the army by 2025.

, Investment. Mahindra Defence announced that it has contracted with the Indian Army to develop armored vehicles for strengthening the country's military and defense sector. The company's Light Strike Vehicle - LSV, successfully passed all the trails and is now inculcated in the country's army. A contract of Rs. have been drawn to supply the vehicle to the army by 2025. October 2021 , Innovation. Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) has developed and introduced Chui, an infantry fighting vehicle, to be introduced in the country's military strength.

Key Topics Covered:



1. INTRODUCTION



2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY



3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY



4. MARKET DYNAMICS

4.1. Market Drivers

4.2. Market Restraints

4.3. Porter's Five Force Analysis

4.3.1. Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.3.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers

4.3.3. Threat of New Entrants

4.3.4. Threat of Substitutes

4.3.5. Competitive Rivalry in the Industry

4.4. Industry Value Chain Analysis



5. ARMORED VEHICLES MRO MARKET, BY VEHICLE TYPE

5.1. Introduction

5.2. Infantry Fighting Vehicle

5.3. Main Battle Tank

5.4. Armored Personnel Carrier

5.5. Multirole Armored carrier

5.6. Others



6. ARMORED VEHICLES MRO MARKET, BY GEOGRAPHY

6.1. Introduction

6.2. North America

6.2.1. USA

6.2.2. Canada

6.2.3. Mexico

6.3. South America

6.3.1. Brazil

6.3.2. Argentina

6.3.3. Others

6.4. Europe

6.4.1. Germany

6.4.2. France

6.4.3. United Kingdom

6.4.4. Italy

6.4.5. Others

6.5. Middle East and Africa

6.5.1. Saudi Arabia

6.5.2. Israel

6.5.3. Others

6.6. Asia Pacific

6.6.1. China

6.6.2. India

6.6.3. Japan

6.6.4. South Korea

6.6.5. Others



7. COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT AND ANALYSIS

7.1. Major Players and Strategy Analysis

7.2. Emerging Players and Market Lucrativeness

7.3. Mergers, Acquisitions, Agreements, and Collaborations

7.4. Vendor Competitiveness Matrix



8. COMPANY PROFILES

8.1. Ruag Group

8.2. General Dynamic European Land Systems

8.3. INKAS Armored Vehicle Manufacturing

8.4. Stark Motors

8.5. International Armored Group

8.6. WELP Holding GmbH



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kuu79a

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

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Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Research and Markets
With the opening of the new 30,570 sq.ft. oligonucleotide plant, WuXi STA extends its leadership in oligonucleotide development and manufacturing worldwide, with four large-scale oligonucleotide production lines and more than 20 small- to mid-scale production lines that increase the overall manufacturing capacity of a single synthesis run from 1.9 mol to 6.0 mol.

The new 22,260 sq.ft. peptide plant features three new production lines with reactors that can accommodate up to 1,000 L, increasing WuXi STA's overall Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis (SPPS) total reactor volume to 6,490 L.

The new facility is an essential part of WuXi STA's comprehensive end-to-end Contract Research, Development, and Manufacturing Organization (CRDMO) platform for new modalities. The platform supports oligonucleotides and peptides, including novel monomers and linkers, and complex conjugates, from early discovery to development and commercial production at any scale. With this enhanced manufacturing capacity and over 850 dedicated scientists, WuXi STA's new modality CRDMO platform can better enable global partners as their projects progress to late and commercial stages.

In addition, WuXi STA offers injectable formulation development and manufacturing services, including Lipid NanoParticle technology (LNP), as well as comprehensive analytical and Chemical, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) dossier preparation services, which further accelerate the development of new oligonucleotide and peptide therapeutics for the market.

"We are pleased to support our global partners in their efforts to develop new modality therapies for patients in need," said Dr. Minzhang Chen, Co-CEO of WuXi AppTec and CEO of WuXi STA. "WuXi STA is committed to enabling partners by enhancing our new modality CRDMO platform's capacity and capability to expedite the development and commercialization of more innovative therapies to benefit patients worldwide."

WuXi STA has a global network of multiple R&D and manufacturing sites across Asia, North America and Europe, including a new pharmaceutical manufacturing campus in Middletown, Delaware that is scheduled to open in 2024.

About WuXi STA

WuXi STA, a subsidiary of WuXi AppTec, is a leading pharmaceutical development and manufacturing capability and technology platform company serving the life sciences industry with operations across Asia, North America and Europe. As a premier Contract Research, Development, and Manufacturing Organization (CRDMO), WuXi STA offers our worldwide partners efficient, flexible, and high-quality solutions for integrated CMC (Chemical, Manufacturing, and Controls) solutions from preclinical to commercial uses. For more information, please visit http://www.STApharma.com .

SOURCE WuXi AppTec
DURHAM, N.C, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- You and Five-O, LLC (YFO) presenters implemented a new law enforcement training program for 46 officers sworn to duty at the Kinston Police Department in Kinston, North Carolina. The community policing curriculum was created by YFO founder and trainer Beverly "BJ" Council, a retired police officer and the first African-American female to achieve the rank of Deputy Chief within the Durham City Police Department in Durham, North Carolina.

The pilot program is designed to facilitate mutual trust and communication between police officers and the communities they protect and serve. The purpose of the training is to reinforce life-saving interactions for law enforcement and to underscore its role in protecting residents. YFO is part of the North Carolina Governor's Crime Commission Grant for Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC), awarded to the City of Kinston.

Council said: "According to data from The Bureau of Justice Statistics' (BJS) Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies, 2008, there were 17,985 state and local law enforcement agencies across this country. Eighty-six percent (15,500) of these state and local agencies have fewer than 50 personnel. If we are going to transform the lens through which we view interactions between law enforcement and communities  Black and Brown communities in particular  it will begin at small and rural police departments across the country, and it will require all of us to reform our thinking in how we collectively approach and solve the current breakdown in these interactions."

Kinston Police Department Interim Chief of Police Jenee Spencer said: "YFO has been working with the Kinston Police Department and its community members for three years. Of my 75 sworn personnel, 50 sworn persons attended training over the course of five days in June. We offered a survey to the participants and the results are 90% approval of the impact and delivery of the information."

Leaders at non-profits, colleges, school systems, and local police departments interested in learning more about how to incorporate the signature You and Five-O Community Policing training model can visit www.YouAndFive-O.com or email: [email protected] for more information.

SOURCE You and Five-O, LLC (YFO)
VANCOUVER, BC, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Zoomd Technologies Ltd. (TSXV: ZOMD) (OTC: ZMDTF) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Zoomd Ltd. (collectively, "Zoomd" or the "Company"), the marketing technology (MarTech) user-acquisition and engagement platform, today announced that its current Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Ofer Eitan, will be stepping down from his role and the Company will commence a search for a new CEO. Mr. Eitan will continue to serve as the Company's CEO until the earlier of (1) a suitable replacement CEO being found; and (2) December 31, 2022. Mr. Eitan will remain on the Company's Board of Directors until further notice following his resignation and assist in a smooth leadership transition.

Ofer Eitan has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Company for the past 5 years, since the merger in 2017 between the Company and Moblin (the company that he founded and managed). Under Mr. Eitan's leadership, the Company has built a strong management team and drove outstanding results  the 2021 audited annual financial statements reflected annual revenues of above $50M, representing a YoY growth of more than 100%, a solid and profitable operation, with tier 1 international companies, and a strong path for the development of the Company's business.

"It has been a pleasure to serve as the CEO of Zoomd during the past years and I want to thank all of our employees and partners along the way - innovation and dedication allowed us to achieve so much. I feel that time is ripe for entrusting the Company to a new CEO, who will ensure further growth and additional creation of value for the Company and its shareholders" said Ofer Eitan.

"I want to thank Ofer for his distinguished leadership at Zoomd. With him at the helm during the last 5 years, Zoomd has increased its revenue, profit and customer base, the activity is stable and on an excellent track for continued healthy development of the Company. " Said Amit Bohensky, Chairman of Zoomd's Board of Directors.

To ensure a seamless transition, the Company's Board of Directors has appointed a committee including Mr Eitan to conduct a search for the new CEO and make recommendations to the full Board of Directors. The committee will be hiring a leading executive search firm to conduct a global search for Mr. Eitan's successor.

ABOUT ZOOMD:

Zoomd (TSXV: ZOMD, OTC: ZMDTF), founded in 2012 and began trading on the TSX Venture Exchange in September 2019, offers a site search engine to publishers, and a mobile app user-acquisition platform, integrated with a majority of global digital media, to advertisers. The platform unifies more than 600 media sources into one unified dashboard. Offering advertisers, a user acquisition control center for managing all new customer acquisition campaigns using a single platform. By unifying all these media sources onto a single platform, Zoomd saves advertisers significant resources that would otherwise be spent consolidating data sources, thereby maximizing data collection and data insights while minimizing the resources spent on the exercise. Further, Zoomd is a performance-based platform that allows advertisers to advertise to the relevant target audiences using a key performance indicator-algorithm that is focused on achieving the advertisers' goals and targets.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

DISCLAIMER IN REGARD TO FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to Zoomd's ability to recruit a suitable replacement CEO, its ability to have a smooth transition period and its future ability to successfully continue its growth. Forward-looking statements are based on our current assumptions, estimates, expectations and projections that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, technological, legal, privacy matters, political and social uncertainties (including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current war in Ukraine), the extent and duration of which are uncertain at this time on Zoomd's business and general economic and business conditions and markets. There can be no assurance that any of the forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

The reader should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1039696/Zoomd_Logo.jpg

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Company media contacts:

Amit Bohensky

Chairman

Zoomd

[email protected]

www.zoomd.com

Investor relations:

Lytham Partners, LLC

Ben Shamsian

New York | Phoenix

[email protected]

SOURCE Zoomd Technologies Ltd.
Companies have worked together since 2017

Symphony Environmental Technologies PLC (AIM:SYM) has reported a sizeable step up in demand for its d2p anti-insect technology (d2p AI) from partner Rivulis Irrigation.

Rivulis has placed orders for d2p AI exceeding US$340,000 this month, said Symphony, up from sales in 2021 of US$65,000 and US$130,000 during the first half of 2022.

Symphony said it had been working with Rivulis since 2017 to develop a range of irrigation pipes for farmers and growers.

Insects were puncturing the existing plastic irrigation pipes and drip tapes, meaning water was being lost.

By incorporating d2p AI into its products, Rivulis has significantly reduced the damage caused by insects, Symphony said.

Rivulis has used d2p AI in irrigation systems in France, Turkey, Australia and Mexico and Symphony expects its partner, which sells the product under the Rivulis Defend brand, will place more orders order before the end of this year.

Michael Laurier, Symphonys CEO, said: "We are excited by this commercial progress, following an extensive development period.

Our technical teams have worked together to bring this unique and valuable product to the market.

The preservation and good management of water is essential.

Eran Ossmy, drip products head at Rivulis, added: "With Rivulis Defend, we not only help growers address the challenge of insect damage but also realise labour, water and fertiliser savings."
EasyJet PLC (LSE:EZJ) has been reported to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for cancelling flights at late notice and not giving customers enough help to be rerouted or compensated.

The budget airline has been reported to the CAA by consumer rights group Which?, which said it had requested an investigation.

It said British Airways, owned by International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (LSE:IAG), was also potentially breaking the law, by cancelling flights at the last minute, failing to reroute passengers [and] trying to dodge paying compensation.

Which? said many easyJet cancellations have taken place with passengers having already checked in, waiting in the departure lounge or even on the plane and waiting to take off.

Some passengers the organisation spoke to were not being rerouted at the earliest opportunity or told about their rights to compensation.

Passengers have been abandoned and left to arrange alternative flights home or hotels to stay in, leaving them significantly out of pocket.

It said it was told by many easyJet passengers that they had not been advised of their right to compensation for cancelled or disrupted flights, which goes against the companys legal requirements.

After Which? reported easyJet to the CAA, the regulator said: We will review its latest evidence thoroughly and will respond accordingly.

We have regularly called for stronger consumer powers, including the ability to impose fines on airlines. This would allow us to take faster action when appropriate and bring our powers in line with other sectoral regulators.

Ryanair is the only airline to have received an enforcement order from the CAA in the past two decades, with the Irish carrier still appealing against the 2018 ruling, despite losing in the High Court last year and at the Court of Appeal this year.
7 July 2022

*A corporate client of Hybridan LLP

Dish of the day

Joiners:

LXI REIT (LXI.L) has rejoined the Main Market following a merger with Secure Income REIT (SIR.L)

Leavers:

No leavers today.

Whats cooking in the IPO kitchen?

Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Limited, a leading wind turbine manufacturer in China, intends to admit global depositary receipts to and trade on the Shanghai-London Stock Connect segment of the Main Market of the LSE. Each GDR represents 5 A shares of the Company, each with a fully paid nominal value of RMB1.00 each. The Group's mission is to provide accessible green and smart energy, and it aims to become a full lifecycle renewable solutions provider. Through technological and business innovations, the Group has developed into a leading smart energy enterprise in China with global influence, gradually becoming an industry leader in providing integrated wind power, photovoltaics, power storage and hydrogen power solutions. The Offering is expected to raise approximately USD550m. Due 13 July.

Immediate acquisitions (IME.L) is to re-join AIM via a Reverse Takeover of Fiinu Holdings Limited. Once complete the Company is proposing to change its name to Fiinu Group plc. Fiinu intends to be a provider of a consumer banking product, the Plugin Overdraft , which is designed to provide customers with an overdraft facility without having to change their current account or request an overdraft from their existing bank. Fiinu's technology arm manages and develops the platform, using open banking, and once the platform is fully operational will also look to develop secondary revenue streams by licensing Fiinu's intellectual property rights. Capital to be raised 8.01m. Target Mkt Cap c.53m. Due 8 July.

MicrosSalt, a portfolio company of Tekcapital PLC (LSE:TEK) (AIM: TEK), is eyeing a listing on the London market in 2023. MicroSalt is the U.S. operating subsidiary of Salarius, Ltd. With MicroSalt, companies can make full flavour snacks with the same saltiness as traditional snacks yet with half of the sodium. MicroSalt has recently executed its first bulk B2B MicroSalt order in the US. This progress follows on the heels of the expansion of MicroSalt's SaltMe brand of low-sodium potato chips into over 3,000 retail stores nationwide in the U.S., up from 2,400 stores last quarter.

Banquet Buffet

Artemis Resources Ltd (ASX:ARV, OTCQB:ARTTF, AIM:ARV) 1.63p 20.0m

Update on its 100%-owned Paterson Central Gold and Copper Project in the Paterson Province in the West Pilbara regions of Western Australia. Artemis Resources begins 7,500m to 10,000m drill programme across the Apollo and Atlas targets and then moves to the completely untested targets at Juno, Voyager, Enterprise East, Enterprise West and Vidiian. This 2022 programme is expected to continue through the remainder of the year with regular updates on progress, assays and key findings. The Paterson Central 2022 programme is budgeted to cost ~A$2.5m to A$3.0m depending on the final metres drilled. The Company currently has ~A$12m in cash and listed investments. Artemis retains 100% ownership of the Paterson Central Project which is proximal to, and surrounds on three sides, the outstanding Havieron gold-copper discovery and mine development in Western Australia.

Avingtrans PLC (AIM:AVG) 445p 143.0m

Avingtrans which designs, manufactures and supplies critical components, modules, systems and associated services to the energy, medical and industrial sectors, announces a trading update in respect of the financial year ended 31 May 2022. The Board reported that the results for the year ended 31 May 2022 are expected to be in line with market expectations. The Group's year end net cash position was strong, standing at in excess of 16m (excluding IFRS 16), following investments in the period in Magnetica, Adaptix and Transkem, compared to 23m as at 31 May 2021. The Group's order and prospect pipeline also remains strong. Avingtrans also received an award for 'Transaction of the Year', in relation to the disposal of Peter Brotherhood in 2021, at the annual Small Cap Awards ceremony 2022.

Crossword Cybersecurity PLC (AIM:CCS)* 28p 21.1m

The cybersecurity solutions company focused on cyber strategy and risk, announced that its Identiproof verifiable credentials product has successfully achieved its first milestone at the recently held Jobs for the Future Plugfest. The plugfest focused on making verified digital Learning and Employment Records more widely and safely accessible to a larger number of employers via digital wallets. 20 companies from the USA, Europe and Australasia participated in the first JFF Plugfest. Crossword is participating in the project through its involvement with the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Verifiable Credentials for Education Task Force initiative. Crossword participated in the technical discussions, and created a demo, using Identiproof's iPhone wallet connected to its Issuer. As a result, Identiproof has successfully passed the first milestone requirement of displaying certificates in a user-friendly format as a verifiable credential as defined by the Open Badges V3 standard.

Destiny Pharma PLC (AIM:DEST) 38.5p 28.2m

The clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development of novel products to prevent life-threatening infections, today announces the publication of new data on XF-73 with Cardiff University in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, a peer-reviewed publication. The new findings were: Synergistic effect when XF-73 was combined with polymyxin B, a last resort antibacterial drug used to treat life-threatening lung bacterial infections. The addition of XF-73 was found to enhance polymyxin B potency against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a top priority WHO bacterial pathogen, by 4-fold. Synergistic effect when XF-73 was combined with ertapenem, used to treat infected diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). The addition of XF-73 was found to enhance ertapenem potency against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), another top priority WHO bacterial pathogen, by 8-fold.

ImmuPharma PLC (AIM:IMM, OTC:IMMPF) 5.6p 16.0m

The specialist drug discovery and development company announced that its US partner for Lupuzor (P140), Avion Pharmaceuticals, has advised that it has now received Type C Meeting confirmation from the Food and Drug Administration. Commenting on the announcement, Tim McCarthy, Chief Executive Officer, said: "We applaud the quick turnaround from the FDA in respect to Avion's request for this Type C Meeting and pleased to note the FDA's confirmation that only a written response is required and no face to face meeting is needed."

Kibo Energy PLC (LSE:KIBO, JSE:KBO)* 0.09p 2.7m

The renewable energy focused development company, has successfully achieved its first major Framework Agreement (FA) target, by placing the first commitment, to purchase the first two proof of concept projects, as announced in the Company's RNS dated 17 May 2022. These projects relate to its signed strategic five-year FA with CellCube to deploy long-duration energy storage in Southern Africa. The FA envisages the deployment of c.1 Gigawatt of Long Duration Energy Storage in Southern Africa over the next five years. Kibo placed the commitment to purchase via its 51%-owned subsidiary National Broadband Solutions, for two CellCube FB 250 - 1000 Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries as part of its initial stage of the FA.

Michelmersh Brick Holdings Plc (AIM:MBH) 91.5p 87.7m

The specialist brick manufacturer, today announced a trading update ahead of its half-year results for the six-month period ended 30 June 2022. The trading performance of the Group has continued to be positive in the second quarter of the year and the Group is pleased to report revenue for the first six months to 30 June 2022 of at least 33m, representing an increase of over 10% compared to our 2021 interim results, and combined with our well-balanced forward order book, we remain on track to meet full year expectations.

Physiomics PLC (AIM:PYC)* 2.9p 2.8m

The provider of technology-based solutions to predict the effects of cancer treatment regimens for the biopharma industry, today announces that its total income and profit after tax for the financial year ended 30 June 2022 is likely to be in-line with market expectations. During the year the Company made planned investments in the hiring of three new staff members (two technical and the new Head of Business Development) which contributed to net cash outflows of 356k. Despite this, the Company's cash position remains strong, with 687k at the bank as at 30 June 2022, representing almost two years of cash runway. The Directors expect that the hiring of these key staff will translate to increased revenues during the financial year ending 30 June 2023.

Sirius Real Estate Limited (LSE:SRE, JSE:SRE, OTC:SRRLF) 90.2p 1,051.9m

The owner and operator of branded business and industrial parks providing conventional space and flexible workspace in Germany and the UK, advises that, further to the announcement published on RNS and SENS on 16 May 2022, it has completed the disposal of BizSpace Camberwell in London for 16m. The sale price represents a net initial yield of approximately 2.0% and a 94% premium to the value at the time of the Company's acquisition of BizSpace in November 2021. The purchase of BizSpace enabled Sirius to enter the UK market for the first time through the platform acquisition of this leading provider of regional light industrial, workshop, studio and out-of-town office units. The multi-tenanted Camberwell business park comprised 34,700 sq. ft. of industrial and office space and was 91% occupied following a series of asset management measures delivered through the BizSpace platform.

Symphony Environmental Technologies PLC (AIM:SYM)* 19p 33.6m

The global specialists in technologies that make plastic and rubber products smarter, safer and more sustainable, announced new orders and a global expansion of their d2p "AI" anti-insect technology sales to Rivulis Irrigation Ltd. Rivulis has placed orders for d2p AI exceeding $340K this month which follows sales in 2021 of $65K which doubled to $130K during H1 2022. Symphony expect Rivulis will place further orders for d2p AI before the end of this year.

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Shares in SIMEC Atlantis Energy Ltd (AIM:SAE, OTC:SMAYF) have risen 81% today after it won a contract to deliver tidal power at what it expects will be the largest site of its kind in the world.

The UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy announced winners from the fourth contracts-for-difference' auction today.

Four tidal power projects were awarded contracts that guarantee producers a price floor and provides them with a stable price for their output for over a decade.

Chief executive Graham Reid said the contract for Simec's MeyGen tidal project gives the company a pathway to develop the full tidal stream array, which has been in planning for more than a decade.

"The significance of today's announcement cannot be downplayed, he said.

We are going to be delivering the world's first commercial-scale tidal array and we now have a clear runaway, with future CfD rounds, to deliver the full c400MW of tidal power generation at MeyGen.

Simec has secured a floor price, known as a strike price, for part of the output of the MeyGen tidal energy project off the coast of Scotland priced at 178.54 per megawatt-hour.

This price is guaranteed for a period of 15 years from 2027, meaning if the wholesale cost of power falls below this price in that time then the government will pay the producer an amount to top up its earnings to that amount.

On the flipside, MeyGen will be liable to pay back money if wholesale prices rise.

The company said it will now work "to achieve financial close for this next phase of the project by 2024 with the operation starting in 2027".

Tidal power is one of the most stable forms of renewable power as it is generated by predictable changes in the tide, but the technology is still very nascent.

At full capacity, the MeyGen project would have 398 MW of installed capacity, making it the largest commercial power station of its kind.

Simec has secured enough grid capacity to service nearly a third of that potential, installing a subsea hub that will transmit power through a single export cable.

According to its website, the company has leased enough land between the northernmost coast of Scotland and Stroma island to install a tidal stream project of that size, which will be delivered in three phases.

The first phase of the project is already operational and the second phase is expected to reach 80 MW, according to its website.
Brian McMaster, executive chairman of Harvest Minerals Limited (Harvest Minerals Ltd (AIM:HMI, OTC:HMIFF)) talks to Proactive's Katie about its final results for the year ended 31 December 2021.

As McMaster explains, these results represent a 'cleaning of the slate', with the decision to write off the value of some non-core assets and impair the recoverability of the Agrocerrado debt.

In the current year, sales are ramping up, costs are stable and things are looking good, he says.
Recent opinions regarding the dispute between the Securities Exchange Commision (SEC) and Ripple Labs, whose US$15bln XRP token ranks as the 7th largest by market capitalisation, suggests that the digital payment network is edging closer to outright victory in the long-running saga.

Ripple had already won big in the months prior, when Judge Sarah Netburn of the United States District Court ordered SEC as the plaintiff to release email documents to Ripple which the SEC had attempted to cloak under attorney-client privilege.

Judge Netburn also expressed frustration at the SECs inconsistent statements and is now poised to rule for or against the SECs latest appeal to the forced disclosure of the so-called Hinman Emails.

Jeremy Hogan, managing partner of Hogan & Hogan, who has been closely following the case, Tweeted that he expects a ruling by week ending July 10.

Hogan has consistently maintained that XRP cannot be labelled as a security, while Ripples multitude of wins before the court bodes well for the company.

The dispute goes back to December 2020, when the SEC accused Ripple of raising over $1.3 billion through an unregistered, ongoing digital asset securities offering.

Key to Ripples defence are statements made by former Director of the SEC's Division of Corporation Finance William Hinman, who expressed his opinion that Ethereum is in fact not a security at the 2018 Yahoo! All Markets Summit.

Gary Gensler, current SEC chairman, recently refuted this on CNBC, stating that only Bitcoin can be considered a commodity and reiterating his point that all other altcoins fall under the purview of the SEC.

Regardless of the ruling on the SECs latest appeal, the case is expected to continue for a while yet, although Ripple Labs.

An eventual ruling in favour of the SEC could have drastic consequences not just for Ripple Labs, but for the cryptocurrency market as a whole, not to mention a likely bull run on the value of XRP.

Should it be determined that XRP is in fact a security, as the SEC contends, investment contracts would need to be provided for each and every purchase of the token, a compliance burden great enough to suffocate the company.
Xantippe Resources Ltd (ASX:XTC, OTC:XTCPF)s Richard Henning speaks with Proactives Elisha Newell about the companys history, including its transition from graphite in South Korea to gold explorer in the Southern Cross region in Western Australia where it holds approximately 190 km2 of tenements and its flagship position in the famed Lithium Triangle, where it aspires to supply sustainable, high purity lithium from its Carachi Project in Argentina. Henning discusses the current status of its Southern Cross assets and outlines its focus in Argentina, where it has acquired over four tenements and has exclusive options over a further land totalling 21,000 hectares. XTC is located close to the $2 billion capped lithium brine explorer and developer, Lake Resources, which has a resource of 4.4 million tonnes of lithium carbonate. Henning explains that while XTC is still early in its development, it is looking to start geophysical work in the next few months, with drilling to start after that. The company hopes it can develop a similar resource to Lake as it drills into the same reservoir as Lake, with plenty of newsflow to come.
Gascoyne Resources Ltd (ASX:GCY) has met guidance, delivering gold production of 71,153 ounces for the 2022 financial year from the Dalgaranga Gold Mine in Western Australia.

This is within the companys full-year production guidance range of 70-75,000 ounces.

Gold production for the June quarter, at 16,298 ounces, was down on the record of 21,669 ounces achieved in the March quarter, reflecting the impacts of inclement weather and significantly increased COVID-19 cases in Western Australia over the past few months.

Considerable near-mine exploration success

Despite this, the company posted a solid quarter at Dalgaranga and achieved full-year guidance, while at the same time enjoying considerable near-mine exploration success as reported during the quarter.

The company poured 16,597 ounces of gold and sold 16,882 ounces at an average realised price of $2,620 per ounce, all unhedged, generating more than A$44 million in revenue in the June quarter.

Following the repayment of the remaining $10 million of convertible note debt on March 31, 2022, Gascoyne remains free of corporate debt and also remains gold-hedge free.

Solid cash position and debt-free

Gascoynes net cash position at the end of the June quarter was $30.8 million, just a slight reduction on the net cash position of $31.2 million at the end of the March quarter.

This is notwithstanding that the company invested $3 million in delineating future sources of production through highly successful exploration and resource definition drilling at Gilbeys North, Gilbeys Eastern Footwall and Plymouth.

Managing director Simon Lawson said: We were challenged by a range of factors during the June quarter, but we have been able to meet these challenges head-on and deliver a full-year production outcome in line with our guidance numbers.

A combination of rain events and increased absenteeism caused by COVID-19 impacted our mining activities during the quarter, but the team has worked extremely hard to ensure that we could deliver on our undertakings to the market in a safe and environmentally responsible manner."

A future that looks increasingly bright

Our balance sheet remains very healthy with a net cash balance in excess of A$30 million, no corporate debt and no gold hedges in place. This enables us to continue to invest in our future  a future that looks increasingly bright as new zones of mineralisation continue to be delineated at Gilbeys North and Gilbeys Eastern Footwall," he said.

"Like all mining companies in Western Australia, we are faced with the challenge of increased input costs and increased competition for personnel. We continue to do all we can to proactively manage our cost base and we have had good success in retaining our employees.

Where we have had to replace an employee, our value proposition as an employer has proven successful in attracting new employees.
Chalice Mining Ltd (ASX:CHN, OTCQB:CGMLF) has unearthed a new nickel-copper-platinum group element (PGE) sulphide zone in maiden drilling at Dampier target, 10 kilometres north of the Gonneville deposit within the Julimar Nickel-Copper-PGE Project in Western Australia.

The new zone of mineralisation revealed in drill hole HD013 is between 15 and 80 metres wide, averaging 1-3% sulphides from the base of oxidation (67.6 metres deep) to 212.4 metres of depth, extensively crosscut by narrow dolerite dykes.

These dolerite dykes host intervals of disseminated to heavily disseminated sulphides, in sections of 4.2 metres, 5.8 metres and 6.4 metres at varying depths from 191.4 metres to 208.6 metres.

A portable x-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spot measurement confirmed the presence of nickel and copper mineralisation within the sulphide intervals, although laboratory assays will be needed for final confirmation of grades.

CHN shares were as much as 16% higher to A$4.35 while the company's market cap is approximately A$1.49 billion.

Dampier target details

Two other drill holes intersected sulphides within the Dampier target.

HD010 hit a zone of 50 metres in width, host to weakly disseminated sulphides from 456 metres depth which contained minor zones of matrix sulphides, including an assay of:

3.2 metres at 0.71 g/t palladium + platinum + gold (3E), 0.10% nickel, 0.06% copper and 0.01% cobalt from 454.8 metres.

HD009 also intersected anomalous nickel-copper-PGE mineralisation from 306 metres depth within a 15-metre interval of weakly disseminated sulphides (1-2%) which Chalice has interpreted to be the outer north-eastern limit of the target zone.

Down-hole electromagnetic (DHEM) surveying in HD009 and HD010 has also revealed the presence of off-hole conductors that correlate with the heavily disseminated/matrix zone in HD013.

Chalice has so far defined the Dampier target over a strike of 350 metres, with a down-dip extent of 250 metres, remaining open in all directions.

It correlates with a 1,000-metre-long magnetic high and nickel-chromium soil anomaly with a very subtle electromagnetic (EM) response, offering an opportunity for further discoveries.

The company will continue to drill test for strike and dip extensions under existing approvals and permits.

Further drilling work

Chalice says the combination of sulphide zones and EM conductors highlight the prospectivity of this area, an untested 30-kilometre-long section of the Julimar Intrusive Complex, and has identified several targets along strike for immediate drilling.

Of 70 planned sites, 13 have now been drill tested at the Hartog-Dampier targets to date with four diamond drill rigs in operation on-site.

Chalice's low-impact exploration program is using small footprint diamond drill rigs that dont involve mechanised clearing of vegetation or excavation.

The company emphasises that comprehensive flora, fauna and culture heritage surveys and monitoring are being used according to industry best practice and the project works are strictly governed by a Conservation Management Plan approved by the WA Government in late 2021.
Strickland Metals Ltd (ASX:STK) is trading higher after delivering encouraging drilling results from Millrose Gold Project on the northeast flank of the Yandal Belt in Western Australia.

The drilling at the 100%-owned project has returned broad high-grade oxide gold results and a number of new high-grade zones.

Assays from 22 reverse circulation (RC) and 13 diamond drill holes produced strong results including:

5 metres at 11.5 g/t gold from 68 metres and 65 metres at 4.4 g/t from 95 metres including 3 metres at 20.2 g/t and 3 metres at 33.5 g/t;

10 metres at 13 g/t from 66 metres;

4 metres at 9.8 g/t from 8 metres; and

7 metres at 2.4 g/t from 68 metres

Three new zones of high-grade mineralisation were also uncovered in the initial RC and diamond drilling targeting fresh rock intersections along strike from the existing Millrose resource. These require further drilling to delineate the size and scale of the higher-grade units.

Highlights from the initial drilling include:

Millrose Central  25 metres at 1.0 g/t gold from 61 metres and 46 metres at 1.0 g/t from 104 metres;

Millrose North  8 metres at 4.0 g/t from 104 metres; and

Millrose South  21 metres at 1.0 g/t from 86 metres.

Long section of the Millrose gold project, highlighting the +20 gram x metre (GM), (red) north plunging higher grade lodes.

Large potential scale

Were extremely pleased to provide further excellent results from our flagship Millrose gold project, said CEO Andrew Bray.

The oxide results continue to surprise to the upside both in terms of width and grade, while also contributing to a strong economic case around the development of Millrose.

"RC hole MRRC140 (65 metres at 4.4 g/t gold from 95 metres) was drilled directly up dip from the previously reported MRDD008 (95 metres at 2.0 g/t gold from 176.5 metres, including 8 metres at 14.6 g/t gold from 215 metres), which extended mineralisation beneath the current mineral resource.

Wide spaced (120 metres) diamond and RC drilling has also delineated three new high-grade zones of mineralisation along strike.

"The Millrose Central zone appears to be about 350 metres in strike with the contact zone extending to roughly 30 metres true width.

"Drill rigs will return in due course with a view to locating higher grade lodes and subsequently completing a mineral resource drill out.

Equally exciting is that mineralisation is just beginning to open up in the north, with drilling intersecting the start of another potential dilation zone (MRRC130: 8 metres at 4.0 g/t gold from 104 metres).

"Gold mineralisation is also open to the south, with the southernmost hole (drilled to date), returning 21 metres at 1.0 g/t gold from 86 metres (MRRC128).

These sets of results demonstrate the large potential scale of the Millrose system, particularly in light of the fact we have only drilled approximately one-quarter of the mineralised shear structure to date.

"The drill rigs will continue systematically testing the shear structure to the north and south to fully delineate the size and scale of the Millrose gold system, before returning to undertake closer spaced infill drilling.

New zones identified

Micro-XRF elemental imagery showing free gold.

Two sets of shear structures are understood to control the mineralisation at Millrose.

To understand the main controls on gold mineralisation, Strickland undertook micro-XRF scanning of core samples across Millrose to map the relationship between gold, alteration, structure and geochemistry.

This technique scanned a 4 by 2 centimetres wide piece of core to map the various elements present. Several samples from diamond holes in Millrose North and several samples from Millrose Central were analysed as part of this process.

Preliminary results show that gold is present in multiple styles, spanning both shear structures.

Investors have welcomed the results, sending shares as much as 14.82% higher this morning to $0.062.
Riversgold Ltd (ASX:RGL) has resumed fieldwork targeting a spodumene-rich LCT (lithium-caesium-tantalum) system at its highly prospective Tambourah Lithium Project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The new fieldwork program is expected to take six to 12 weeks to complete and will consist of:

Geochemical sampling programs at the Lion and Bengal prospects.

A lithium and gold soils sampling program through the central section of the main Tambourah tenement.

Stream sediment sampling to build on historical anomalies identified on the western contact between the Shaw granite dome and the overlying greenstones.

Samples will be dispatched for analysis in batches throughout the program and results will be released as they become available.

Scale and prospectivity

Riversgold CEO Julian Ford said: The 2022 field season at Tambourah has the potential to considerably and quickly upgrade the project in terms of scale and prospectivity.

Our first aim is to better characterise the mineralised system at Tambourah. Secondly, we will test geochemical and geophysical targeting techniques.

If we are effective in these endeavours, we will be a long way towards delineating drill-ready targets at Tambourah.

Following our recent, very successful financing, we are fully funded to undertake the current round of additional work.

Fieldwork program

RGLs recent fieldwork and elemental analysis of recent and historical data indicate that the Tambourah northwest zone potentially hosts a spodumene lithium system

The new program of fieldwork is underway to better define Lion and Bengal prospects in the northwest zone and test the prospectivity of other zones at Tambourah

Notably, the Lion Prospect was upgraded to an estimated 20-30 metres wide pegmatite following the June site visit and technical analysis.

Forward plan

The confirmation of a spodumene-rich system as potentially indicated by the rubidium/lithium ratio at Tambourah and the identification of drill hole targets for the companys maiden drill program are key outcomes of the 2022 field season.

Results of the current field program are expected towards the end of the September quarter and will be released to the market as they become available.
Kingston Resources Ltd (ASX:KSN) has set its development and expansion strategy for the Mineral Hill Gold and Copper Mine in New South Wales in motion, funded by a recent $10 million debt facility extended to the company by PURE Asset Managements Resources Fund.

The Mineral Hill strategy is based primarily on expanding the resource base to fill an initial five-year mine plan to deliver gold and copper production consistently over that period.

The company expects to provide resource updates for the Pearse North, Pearse South and Southern Ore Zone (SOZ) deposits throughout the third quarter of this year, with mine planning already underway at the Pearse open pits and SOZ underground.

Turning towards future production growth

With the conclusion of our highly successful initial drilling program at Mineral Hill, the team is now very excited to be turning towards future production growth with work now underway on resource and reserve updates, mine design and plant refurbishment, Kingston Resources managing director Andrew Corbett said.

We are fortunate to be able to leverage the brownfield nature of our operations at Mineral Hill. The partially mined open pit at Pearse South, a developed underground at SOZ, an existing plant and current approvals all contribute to what we anticipate will be a relatively low-cost, high return, re-start of hard rock mining at Mineral Hill.

We are delighted to be working with PURE Asset Management (Resources Fund), who has recognised the opportunity at Mineral Hill.

Through enabling the acceleration of the work programs required to restart mining, this funding package is set to deliver benefits to all shareholders.

We look forward to working closely with the PURE team over the coming months and years.

All approvals are in place for mining to begin, supported by the $10 million in funding secured from PURE Asset Management.

The extra funding will go towards plant refurbishment and mining restart, with $5 million available now and a further $5 million available upon achieving progress milestones.
Australian Gold and Copper Ltd (ASX:AGC)s Glen Diemer speaks with Proactives Elisha Newell about the latest gold hits from the Boxdale trend. This was the third drilling campaign at Boxdale since December, with the program fielding strong near-surface gold results from a 23-hole reverse circulation (RC) program across 2,370 metres at the Boxdale-Carlisle Reefs gold-arsenic-sulphide trend, recording up to 8.9 g/t gold. This 15-kilometre trend is part of the Moorefield Project in central New South Wales, which Diemer says the company wanted to explore laterally. The AGC managing director says the results continue to deliver consistent near-surface gold for the company in a time where such deposits are becoming increasingly rare and harder to find. Dimer also highlights the strong financial position the company is in, with about $4 million in the bank to do some pointed, high value exploration. There is plenty of newsflow to come, with AGCs Gundagai Project also firing up. The drill rig will be turning up in two weeks at Gundagai, which the company says could be a lookalike to the 2.2 million ounce has a rich gold history, McPhillamys Gold Project owned by Regis Resources.
Aben Resources (TSX-V:ABN, OTCQB:ABNAF) Ltd. said it has increased the unit portion of its non-brokered private placement to up to 7 million units of the company at a price of C$0.035 each.

The adjustment comes after the company said on July 11 that it had arranged a non-brokered private placement of up to 4 million units and 4 million flow-through units for combined total gross proceeds of up to C$340,000.

The company said it will not be proceeding on the flow-through portion of the private placement.

The company said each unit will comprise one common share and one transferable warrant, entitling the holder to purchase one additional common share for a period of two years at C$0.05 each.
FTSE 100 moved higher as Boris Johnson finally agreed to step down as PM. But even here there is a twist, with his staying on until the Autumn when a replacement takes over. Londons blue-chip index was up 47 points at 7,155, suggesting it was expected.

Which? has reported easyJet to the Civil Aviation Authority. Allegedly, passengers were not told about their legal right to compensation and the chance to be re-routed.

Shell is to reverse up to US$4.5bn in write downs on oil and gas assets after it raised its energy prices outlook following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Its refining margins almost tripled over the period.

Entain lowered its online growth guidance as the cost-of-living crisis affects the amount customers want to bet. It reported that a weaker macro macro-economic environment is reducing customers' rate of spend.

SSE has been successful in the UK's fourth Contract for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round and is set to be awarded a low-carbon power contract for 220MW. The contract follows a competitive auction process in Allocation Round 4 (AR4) for 'less established' technologies including Remote Island Wind.

Argo Blockchain increased the amount of bitcoin or equivalents mined in June as its new Texas facility continued to gear up. 179 bitcoin or equivalents were mined, up from 124 in May.

Bidstack told investors first-half revenue was up 160% at 2.1mln meanwhile margins are also up and it ended the half with 3.6mln of cash. A key business highlight was the start of the Azerion Group media sales partnership, said the in-game ad specialist.
Clean Seed also said it will be showcasing the SMART Seeder MAX at this years' Ag in Motion on July 19 to 21, 2022, which is the largest outdoor live demo tradeshow of its kind in Canada

Clean Seed Capital Group (TSX-V:CSX) Ltd, the ag-tech firm, has updated investors on recent activity, notably its introduction of the Mini-MAX, a scaled-down model of its North American SMART Seeder MAX, in India.

There, the firm's president Colin Rush and vice-president (VP) of operations and product development Jeet Jheetey recently met Dr JP Dalal, the minister of agriculture for the government of Haryana - a key agriculture producing region.

The company said its SMART Seeder technology could "fundamentally shift crop production to a more sustainable manner" in India.

"Our team then met with a large farmer cooperative representing over 12,000 farmers. They spent a few days educating the group on the advantages of adopting the SMART Seeder technology regionally and the meaningful advancements that follow which created interest with progressive influencers looking to scale profitable farming operations on large acres of agricultural land," the company added in its update.

Clean Seed noted it was also introduced to Sarvjit Singh, ACS Ministry of Agricultural, Government of Punjab.

Chandigarh University has also officially partnered with Clean Seed as the company's SMART Seeder MINI-MAX testing and demonstration partner in India, it added.

Away from India, Clean Seed also said it will be showcasing the SMART Seeder MAX at this years' Ag in Motion on July 19 to 21, 2022, which is the largest outdoor live demo tradeshow of its kind in Canada.

"Clean Seed will update our shareholders as we progress with our objectives in India and look to expand our international demonstration efforts to USA and Australia in the coming months," the company added.

Clean Seeds SMART Seeder technologies are revolutionary seeding tools that utilize the unique synergy of sophisticated electronic metering and intuitive software control, putting row-by-row variable rate technology at the forefront of agricultural innovation.

Contact the writer at giles@proactiveinvestors.com
Lobe Sciences Ltd (CSE:LOBE, OTCQB:LOBED) has announced the development of its initial Phase 1 study plan to demonstrate the safety and appropriate dosing range for its proprietary new chemical entity L-130, a unique synthetic analogue of the psychedelic psilocin, to treat neurologic disorders.

The company also announced that it has acquired a second new chemical entity L-131 which is expected to enter preclinical toxicity trials later this year or early next year to enable Phase 1 trials planned for later in 2023.

Lobe CEO Philip Young said both chemical entities were unique synthetic analogues of psilocin, the active metabolite of natural psilocybin which is a substance extracted from a species of psychedelic mushroom.

We have designed a regulatory development strategy to support the registration of these new chemical entities with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), he said.

Our initial focus for our clinical program is to treat neurologic disorders, such as severe anxiety, and we are in the final stages of selecting a contract research organization to support these studies.

Lobe said it expects to submit a Pre-Investigational New Drug (IND) meeting request with the FDA in the third quarter. After receiving the FDAs response to its Pre-IND questions, the company said it would file its IND application with plans to move forward with its initial clinical study later this year or early in 2023.

The company said its initial Phase 1 study would evaluate the safety of L-130 in healthy volunteers in a single ascending dose. This will be followed by a second Phase 1 trial to evaluate the longer-term use of the drug candidate in a multiple ascending dose study.

Once an appropriate dosing level is determined to have no hallucinatory effect, the company said it would conduct a third and final safety study in patients evaluating both the pharmacokinetics and preliminary efficacy at the selected dose.

The trial will also seek to confirm the synergistic effects seen in preclinical studies when combinations of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) were administered with a similar psychedelic compound.

Lobe said its focus was to provide a therapeutic at sub-psychedelic dose levels for patients to be treated at home or in their physicians office, avoiding long stays associated with other treatment modalities.

The company said delivering a non-hallucinatory dose of L-130 over several days would enable patients and their doctors the opportunity to maintain their normal routine during the treatment.

Lobe Sciences is a Vancouver-based life sciences company engaged in drug research and development using psychedelic compounds and the development of innovative devices and delivery mechanisms to improve mental health and wellness.

Contact the author Emily Jarvie at emily.jarvie@proactiveinvestors.com

Follow her on Twitter @emilyjjarvie
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Chicago, July 7 : Bail was denied for the suspect of the mass shooting during an Independence Day parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, as he appeared in a court for bond hearing.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Ben Dillon told a judge during the hearing on Wednesday that the suspect, 22-year-old Robert Crimo III, has made "a voluntary statement confessing to his actions", Xinhua news agency reported.

Crimo admitted that he climbed to the roof of a building overlooking the parade route in Highland Park on Monday, "looked down his sights and opened fire." Highland Park is an affluent neighborhood some 40 km north of Chicago, the third largest city in the United States.

Crimo has confessed to firing more than 80 shots, and police found 83 shell casings on the rooftop, local media reported. Police confirmed that seven people were killed, and 46 others were injured.

Crimo has been charged with seven counts of first-degree murder by prosecutors Tuesday. If convicted, he will face a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said at a news conference on Tuesday that the investigation remained active, and more charges against Crimo would be issued.

At a press conference Wednesday morning, Lake County Major Crimes Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli disclosed that after the shooting, Crimo, dressed in women's clothes and wearing makeup to disguise himself, went to Madison, Wisconsin, intending to commit another mass shooting before turning back and being arrested Monday evening.

Police have recovered five weapons in all from Crimo, including the rifle recovered at the scene and a second one found in his car at the time of his arrest. Several handguns were found in his home, all purchased legally.

Crimo had no prior criminal record in Cook or Lake counties, police said. But officers twice visited his home in 2019 to announce calls from his family members.

The first visit was in April 2019, in response to a report of a suicide attempt by Crimo. In September of the same year, a family member called to report Crimo had threatened to "kill everybody," and police took 16 knives, a dagger and a sword from the home on the visit.
Ottawa, July 7 : Half of the Canadian population, or more than 17 million people, were infected with Omicron in only five months starting December 2021, local media has reported.

The media outlet quoted a report by the Covid-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) showing that prior to Omicron, just 7 per cent of Canadians had antibodies from being infected by the virus. The proportion rose by 45 per cent from December 2021 to May 2022, Xinhua news agency reported, reffering to National Post.

According to the report, this increase is equivalent to more than 100,000 infections per day, which is more than 10 times the number of daily cases seen during previous peaks of SARS-CoV-2 waves over the last two years.

The highest level of infection was found in young adults aged 17 to 24, based off of donations made to Canadian Blood Services. A total of 65 per cent of them had antibodies at the end of May, the report revealed.

The results are based on population seropositivity, or "the proportion of people with antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in their blood", the report explained, adding that the research differentiated between antibodies that occurred naturally as a reaction to being infected by the virus and antibodies created by the vaccine. They were thus able to determine which antibodies were a sign of past infection "to track the magnitude of the Omicron wave".

"Omicron has been a tsunami," CITF Executive Director Tim Evans was quoted as saying. He said that new sublineages of the virus have been spreading since then, pushing the percentage of Canadians who have been infected "well above" 50 percent.

"Millions of Canadians now have hybrid immunity from a combination of Covid-19 vaccines and an infection," said CITF Co-Chair David Naylor.

"Unfortunately, emerging evidence suggests that most of these individuals remain at risk of re-infection with viruses in the Omicron lineage," Naylor was quoted by the National Post.

On April 23, 2020, the Canadian government launched CITF with a mandate to catalyse, support, fund and harmonise knowledge on SARS-CoV-2 immunity for federal, provincial, and territorial decision-makers in their efforts to protect Canadians and minimise the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rome, July 7 : Rocco Morabito, one of Italy's most wanted fugitives and a drug kingpin, has been handed over to the country's authorities, extradited by Brazil after a long manhunt.

Morabito, 55, would now serve a 30-year jail sentence he received after being declared guilty in absentia in Milan in the 1990s for international drug trafficking and mafia association, Italy's military Carabinieri police was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

Morabito is also known in Italy as "Milan's cocaine king" as he was a key figure in the 'Ndrangheta organized crime syndicate based in the country's Calabria region.

"The person concerned, considered one of the top international drug traffickers, was in the list of most dangerous fugitives and was included in the Interior Ministry's Special Research Program," the Carabinieri said.

Morabito was arrested in northeast Brazil in May 2021 as a result of a joint operation of Italian and Brazilian police forces assisted by the Interpol Cooperation Against 'Ndrangheta (I-CAN) project, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Last week, Brazil's Supreme Court definitively authorized his extradition to Italy.

The man had been on the run since 1994. He spent over two decades in South America under a fake identity. He was first arrested in Uruguay in 2017, yet less than two years later he escaped with three fellow inmates.

The international police operation tracked him down last year in the Brazilian city of Joao Pessoa. He was arrested along with another key 'Ndrangheta mobster, Vincenzo Pasquino, who is serving a 17-year jail sentence for drug trafficking and mafia association.

For the Italian authorities, the extradition of Morabito marks an important success in the fight against the country's three main mafia groups -- Sicilia's Cosa Nostra, Naples' Camorra and Calabria's 'Ndrangheta.
Tehran, July 7 : Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) arrested the British deputy ambassador and other foreigners for "spying" activities such as collecting soil samples in prohibited areas, the country's official news agency has reported.

According to a video released by the IRGC Intelligence Organization, the IRGC has identified some diplomats of foreign embassies, including the British deputy ambassador, who were "spying" instead of carrying out their diplomatic missions, IRNA news agency's report was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

"The British deputy ambassador had gone to Shahdad desert (in central Iran) with his family as a tourist, but as the recorded images show, this person was collecting soil samples in this area," the report said.

Western news outlets have identified the arrested British diplomat as Giles Whitaker, the deputy head of mission at the British embassy in Iran.

However, a spokesperson for UK's Foreign Office said "reports of the arrest of a British diplomat in Iran are completely false." Iran also identified, Maciej Walczak, a Polish scientist who visited Iran "under the guise of scientific exchanges", as another arrestee, saying he, as a tourist, went to the Shahdad region in Kerman Province, where IRGC was holding a missile test.

He and his companions collected samples of soil, water, rock, salt, and mud from the region near the testing area, the report said.

Another arrestee is the spouse of a cultural advisor of the Austrian embassy, who visited the villages of Damghan city in Semnan Province, and collected samples of the soil of the area, it added.
Washington, July 7 : White House communications director Kate Bedingfield will leave her role this summer, the White House has said in a statement.

Bedingfield, 40, is a longtime aide to US President Joe Biden, as well as a senior strategist both in the administration and on his 2020 campaign, Xinhua news agency reported.

The White House said Bedingfield will step down "in late July to spend more time with her husband and young children." Bedingfield first worked for Biden as his communications director during his time as US vice president.

Jen Psaki left her role as White House press secretary in May, and several assistants and deputy press secretaries left as well in the following weeks.
Agra, July 7 : An alleged 'rape victim' and three lawyers have been arrested for lodging a false complaint against a youth here.

The accused also attempted to blackmail the youth into paying them Rs 5 lakhs to settle the matter.

Station house officer of Hari Parvat police station, Arvind Kumar, said on Thursday that the woman and three lawyers have been booked under IPC Sections 195 (Giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of offence punishable with imprisonment for life or imprisonment), 384 (extortion), 385 (Putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion) and 420 (cheating).

All of them have been sent to judicial custody after they were arrested on Wednesday.

According to the police official, the woman, 28, had filed a police complaint on June 24 claiming that her acquaintance, Rahul Sikarvar, 20, had invited her for celebrating his birthday at a hotel, where he mixed some intoxicant in her cold drink and then allegedly raped her. She also claimed that Rahul had recorded a video and had threatened to make it public in case she told anyone about the incident.

Police had registered an FIR under various IPC sections including 376 (Rape) at Hari Parvat police station against the youth.

During investigation, the complaint was found to be fake and it turned out that the woman and her three lawyers - Jitendra Rajput, Nishant Kumar and Shekhar Pratap Singh - had conspired against Rahul to extort Rs 5 lakhs from him.

Two other lawyers including Rahul's lawyer Avinash Vaishya, who helped the victim's lawyer in the case, are still at large, said police.

The amount of Rs 3.75 lakh was recovered from their possession.
Kiev, July 7 : Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said that over 21,000 war crimes and crimes of aggression allegedly committed by Russia since it began its invasion of Kiev on February 24 is being investigated.

Speaking to the BBC on Wednesday, Venediktova claimed that she was receiving reports of between 200 to 300 war crimes on a daily basis.

She admitted that many trials would be held in absentia, but stressed that it was "a question of justice" to continue with the prosecutions.

Venediktova told the BBC that Russian soldiers who killed, tortured or raped civilians "should understand that it's only a question of time when they all will be in court".

She said that although her team was working in regions across Ukraine, it was unable to investigate all cases "properly and effectively" because of a lack of access to some people and areas.

In May, Venediktova had said that about 600 suspects had already been identified and 80 prosecutions had begun.

The first Russian soldier to be put on trial in Ukraine, Sgt Vadim Shishimarin, was sentenced to life in prison for killing a civilian.

The International Criminal Court has described Ukraine as a "crime scene", dispatching its largest team of detectives ever to the country to assist in multiple investigations.

Russia has however, repeatedly denied all war crimes allegations and claims of targeting civilians.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Lucknow, July 7 : More than 90 persons have fallen ill due to a diarrhoea outbreak because of contaminated water supply in Fatehpur area of Aliganj in Lucknow.

The number of hospitalised people have increased to eight after two more were admitted due to nausea and loose motions,.

The outbreak had already claimed the life of a year-old child on Monday while another death, suspected to be due to diarrhoea, was reported on Wednesday.

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO), however, denied that the deaths were caused due to diarrhoea and said that a probe was underway to determine the exact cause.

The residents of the area claimed that the contaminated water was being supplied in the area for more than a week Sangeeta Lodhi (24), who lost her baby, said that the infant was suffering from diarrhoea for the last five to six days.

"On Sunday, my daughter's condition deteriorated. She was rushed to the hospital but died on the way," she said.

Dr Milind Vardhan, Additional Chief Medical Officer, said: "The symptoms of the infant who died were of diarrhoea, but as far as the other person is concerned , he died due to several comorbid conditions including respiratory problem. His condition was critical for the past 15 days and he died at home. Hence, it cannot be said that he also died from diarrhoea." Assistant Chief Medical Officer Dr Sandeep Singh said: "We took samples of stored water and prima facie it appears to be contaminated." Shivangi Srivastava, Junior Engineer of Jal Kal Department said: "We are still looking for the cause of contamination of water."
New Delhi, July 7 : A 62-year-old priest was beaten to death by a mentally unstable man in East Delhi, a police official said on Thursday The official said that the police received a PCR call of the incident at around 5.40 a.m. on Wednesday. The caller said that a priest was brutally assaulted by a man in Sonia Vihar area.

A police tea. which was immediately dispatched to the spot found the injured priest identified as Soni Ram, after which he was shifted to a hospital.

"During enquiry it was revealed that one Sonu Bhatt had beaten the priest. Consequent to that Sonu Bhatt was beaten by the public and he was admitted in Trauma Centre Civil Lines Delhi. Soni Ram was later shifted to GTB Hospital. He was unfit for statement. Later in the evening, information was received from the hospital that Ram succumbed to his injuries," the police official said.

The police then lodged an FIR of murder under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code with the local police station.

The official said that the accused was still admitted in the Trauma Centre.

"It surfaced during primary enquiry that Bhatt was not in healthy state of mind and was known to the deceased," the police said.
Kiev, July 7 : Since Russia began its ongoing invasion of Kiev on February 24, at least 346 children have been killed in Ukraine.

In its latest update on Thursday, the Office of the Prosecutor General said 645 children have also been injured, reports Ukrayinska Pravda.

The Office however, said that the figures were "not final, as work continues to establish the data in places of active hostilities and in the temporarily occupied and liberated territories".

Due to the relentless bombing and shelling by the Russian forces, 2,108 educational institutions in Ukraine have been damaged, of which 215 are completely destroyed.

In a report last month, the Unicef had said 3 million children inside Ukraine and over 2.2 million children in refugee-hosting countries are now in need of humanitarian assistance.

Almost two out of every three children have been displaced by fighting, according to the UN agency.

The Unicef further warned that the war has caused an acute child protection crisis.

Children fleeing violence are at significant risk of family separation, violence, abuse, sexual exploitation, and trafficking.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Juba, July 7 : The World Food Program (WFP) said it has received $1.29 million to support humanitarian assistance in South Sudan.

Adeyinka Badejo, the acting country director of WFP in South Sudan, said the funding comes at a critical time when the North African nation is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and has seen a sharp rise in the number of malnourished children, reports Xinhua news agency.

Badejo said the timing of this contribution from France is critical as the look of despair in the faces of the children impacted is unsettling.

"This remains a key priority for WFP in South Sudan and France's contribution will play a crucial role in the treatment and prevention of malnutrition for some of the most vulnerable women and children." The WFP said it will use the contribution to provide specialized nutrition assistance for the treatment and prevention of malnutrition in 24,222 children between the age of 6-23 months, as well as pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.

An additional 25,000 people, mainly women, will receive training and awareness-raising sessions on best practices for nutrition.

According to the UN, more than 7.74 million people are increasingly malnourished after years of conflict in the country, the impact of climate shocks such as flooding and economic crisis.

The UN has appealed for $400 million to provide minimum humanitarian services to ease South Sudanese immediate needs amid multiple interconnected shocks.

The latest UN report shows that around 1.34 million children under five years of age will suffer from acute malnutrition, with the most affected states being Jonglei, Upper Nile, Unity and Western Bahr el Ghazal.
Hyderabad, July 7 : A former MLA of Andhra Pradesh escaped when the Telangana Police raided a place in Patancheru near here where he had organised a cockfight.

Chintamaneni Prabhakar, a former MLA of Telugu Desam Party (TDP), had allegedly organised the cockfight at a mango grove. On a tip-off, police raided the place on Wednesday night and arrested 21 people. However, 50 others, including Prabhakar managed to escape.

A police team raided the mango grove in the Pedda Kanjarla village where a large group of men was engaged in betting on cockfights under the lights.

Patancheru Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhim Reddy said they conducted the raid after receiving information that Prabhakar was organising cockfights. The police team found about 70 people there but most of them, including Prabhakar managed to escape taking advantage of the darkness.

The police seized 31 roosters, Rs 13.12 lakh cash, 26 vehicles and 27 mobile phones.

The police said that Prabhakar, a former MLA Denduluru in Eluru district of Andhra Pradesh, was conducting the cockfights. The other main organisers were identified as Akkineni Satish, Krishnam Raju, Barla Raju.

Despite the ban, cockfights are common in many parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh during Sankranti celebrations. Crores of rupees change hands as cockfights are organised in towns and villages across several districts in the neighbouring state.

The organisers made specially-bred roosters fight with small knives or blades tied to their legs. The fight often ends with the death of one of the two birds.

Backed by powerful politicians and businessmen, the organisers make special seating arrangements for those participating in betting and for spectators.

Punters from not just neighbouring villages and districts but even Telangana and other states participate in the betting.

Some of the organisers also conduct the cockfights on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The latest incident shows that cockfights are not just confined to Sankranti celebrations.

It was in 2016 that the High Court had banned cockfights. The Supreme Court had upheld the ban.

Animal rights activists point out that as per the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and the Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act, 1974, cockfights are illegal.

They say despite court orders, the cockfights continue unabated, reportedly under the patronage of elected public representatives while law enforcement agencies turn blind eye to this lawlessness.
Washington/Islamabad, July 7 : US Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the 75th anniversary of ties between Washington and Islamabad during a phone call with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

The State Department said during the call on Wednesday, the two sides "reaffirmed our joint goals for enhancing US-Pakistan bilateral partnerships on economic stability, climate, and health".

"The Secretary and the Foreign Minister also discussed coordination to mitigate the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, regional stability, commercial and people-to-people ties, and the devastating effects of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's unprovoked war on Ukraine on food security in Pakistan and worldwide," the Department added.

According to the Foreign Office in Islamabad, Bilawal told Blinken that he looked forward to "frequent exchange of high-level visits" to realise the full potential of bilateral cooperation across a vast range of areas, Xinhua news agency reported.

Given the demographic and economic potential of Pakistan, the Foreign Minister said that the US may invest in the South Asian nation's growing market, adding that future engagement and meetings between the two countries would give further impetus to trade and commercial ties.

Bilawal also tweeted about his conversation with Blinken.

"We agreed to expand our engagement in trade, energy, health & security marking 75 years of our relationship. We must increase people-to-people & business-to-business contacts," the Foreign Minister added.

Bilawal and Blinken had their first face-to-face meeting in New York on May 18 where the two had affirmed their shared desire for a strong and prosperous bilateral relationship.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
New Delhi, July 7 : As the Enforcement Directorate (ED) continued searches at the premises of Chinese companies in a money laundering case, Wang Xiaojian, counsellor and spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in India, said the frequent investigations by Indian authorities into Chinese enterprises "chill the confidence and willingness of market entities from other countries, including those from China to invest in India".

Xiaojian said that the essence of China-India economic and trade cooperation is based on mutual benefit and win-win results.

"The Chinese government has always asked Chinese companies to comply with local laws and regulations in their overseas operations and will firmly support Chinese companies to maintain their legitimate rights and interests," Zhao said in a statement late on Wednesday.

"The Indian side should act in line with laws and regulations, and provide a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese firms," he added.

As the ED raided 44 locations in 22 states on Tuesday and Wednesday, the directors of some of the companies associated with Vivo fled India.

According to sources, two of the Chinese directors of Solan, a Himachal Pradesh-based company, that was associated with Vivo, have likely fled India, as ED registered a prevention of money laundering case.

The Chinese nationals were made directors in the Indian entities with fake documents.

The enforcement agency has so far received information about money laundering worth Rs 10,000 crore during the raids, according to ED sources.

The Chinese embassy spokesperson said that the "frequent investigations by Indian authorities into Chinese enterprises not only disrupt normal business activities and damage the goodwill, but also impede the improvement of business environment in India".

The CBI has also been probing the case and lodged a separate FIR.

Vivo earlier said that it is cooperating with the authorities to provide them with all required information.

"As a responsible corporate, we are committed to be fully compliant with laws," a company spokesperson said.

In April, the ED seized Rs 5,551.27 crore of Xiaomi Technology India Private Ltd lying in the bank accounts under the provisions of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) connection with the illegal outward remittances made by the company.
Chandigarh, July 7 : Just hours before tying the knot, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's would-be bride on Thursday said the auspicious day has come.

"Din Shagna Da Chadyaa (the auspicious day has come (for her wedding)," would-be bride Gurpreet Kaur tweeted, by posting her photo.

In her Twitter account, she posted a picture of Jangir Kaur, 80, from Barnala, who turned into poster women of the farmers' agitation against three Central farm laws and had received lots of praise on the social media.

In her profile on Twitter, Gurpreet Kaur, who is a doctor by profession, wrote, "Daughter of Soil".

Mann will get married a second time.

Only close family members, including Mann's mother, sister and a few relatives, will attend the wedding. Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal is also attending the ceremony along with his family members.

Mann divorced his first wife Inderpreet Kaur in 2015. He has two children from that marriage -- daughter Seerat Kaur Mann (21) and son Dilshan Singh Mann (17). Both children attended Mann's swearing-in ceremony in March.

Gurpreet Kaur did her MBBS from Maharishi Markandeshwar University in Mullana in Haryana in 2018.
San Francisco, July 7 : In an unfortunate security incident, hotel giant Marriott International has confirmed that it has been hit by yet another data breach that exposed staff and customer information.

Hackers are reported to have stolen around 20GB of data, including confidential business documents and customer payment information, from the BWI Airport Marriott in Baltimore, Maryland, citing DataBreaches.net, The Verge reported.

Redacted sample documents published by DataBreaches appear to show credit card authorisation forms, which would give an attacker all of the details needed to make fraudulent purchases with a victim's card.

Melissa Froehlich Flood, a spokesperson for Marriott, said that the company was "aware of a threat actor who used social engineering to trick one associate at a single Marriott hotel into providing access to the associate's computer".

Before going public with the hack, the threat actor had tried to extort the hotel chain but no money was paid, Froehlich Flood said.

Based on current reports, the latest incident is far less severe than previous hacks that have targeted the hotel chain.

In 2018, Marriott revealed that it had been hit by an enormous database breach that affected up to 500 million guests of the Starwood hotel network, which was acquired by Marriott in 2016.

Two years later, another data breach in 2020 exposed the personal information of 5.2 million guests.
Thiruvananthapuram, July 7 : Malayalam actor Sreejith Ravi was arrested in Thrissur on Thursday under the POCSO Act on charge of indecent exposure.

Sreejith, son of popular actor T.G.Ravi was arrested for a similar offence in 2016, but he managed to wriggle out after the police allegedly registered the case under flimsy grounds.

On July 4, two children aged 14 and 9 complained to police about a man who came in a black car behaved indecently at a park in Thrissur - the cultural capital of the state.

Soon the Thrissur West police got into the act and screened the CCTV visuals and managed to zero-in on the car. After reaching the accused's house they realised that it belonged actor Sreejith.

He was taken into custody and a detailed probe into the case has been launched.

Forty-six-year-old Sreejith is a mechanical engineer by profession and also holds a degree in management. He entered the Malayalam film industry in 2005 and has acted in over 70 films.
Nicosia, July 7 : The government of Cyprus has reintroduced the indoor mask mandate, just over a month after scrapping the measure, following a Covid-19 resurgence.

The move was announced by Minister of Health Michalis Hadjipantela on Wednesday, reports Xinhua news agency.

The new rules will come into force on Friday, making masks mandatory in all closed spaces for people over the age of 12 years.

Those who do not comply can be fined 300 euros.

"If we wish to protect ourselves and our loved ones, we have no choice but to wear our masks," Hadjipantela said.

Between June 25 and July 5, a total of 19,503 Covid-19 cases were recorded, with the positivity rate climbing 13 per cent, the Ministry said.

The rise in cases is due to the Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5.

Cyprus, which has a population of less than one million, scrapped all coronavirus restrictions on June 1 after daily infections fell to below 250.

However, infections began to increase two weeks ago.

Scientists said this was due to large gatherings, such as wedding receptions, concerts and other social events.

Health authorities have said that the situation is under control, although the number of people requiring hospitalization has almost tripled to around 100 in the last two weeks.

Further measures will be taken if necessary.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic in early 2020, Cyprus has reported 504,717 Covid-19 cases and 1,072 deaths.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Bengaluru, July 7 : The two men, accused of killing Sarala Vaastu fame Chandrashekar Guruji in Karnataka, have revealed during the investigation that they committed the crime because they were 'tortured' by him and his supporters.

Mahantesh Shiraoora and Manjunath Marewad, who stabbed Guruji to death at a private hotel lobby, claimed that he did not let them lead their life peacefully.

Chandrashekar Guruji, the popular Vaastu expert in Karnataka was brutally killed by two former employees in Hubballi on Tuesday. The accused were nabbed by the police within four hours after the incident.

The accused told police that after quitting their jobs, they were self- employed and also carried out real estate business. However, Guruji and his associates tortured them on every day basis. Not being able to bear the torture, they took the drastic step, police sources said.

The police have been grilling the accused persons at an unknown location to find out the exact cause and conspiracy behind the murder.

The accused maintained that Guruji troubled them at every step and did not let them live peacefully. The police have taken them into their custody for six days.

The post-mortem report has suggested that the accused stabbed Guruji 42 times. The accused also slit his throat.

Guruji regularly featured on television and was one of the known faces in the state.

Police sources said that Guruji had bought properties in the name of former employee Vanajakshi, who is Mahantesh Shiraoora's wife. Guruji's firm suffered losses during the Covid-19 pandemic, and asked Vanajakshi to return the property to him.

However, Shiraoora did not want to return the property. Guruji had been pressurising them to return the property and had threatened to kill them, police sources said.
Hyderabad, July 7 : As part of the advertising campaign for his next film 'Thank You,' Naga Chaitanya utilised his social media handle to thank some of the most important people in his life.

The message, in which Naga Chaitanya honoured the three most significant persons in his life, moved his admirers to tears. Naga Chaitanya's post reads, "Thank you - A word I use often but not often enough where it matters the most. My next release #thankyouthemovie reflects this thought .. something that has moved me through the journey of the film." "I'm dedicating this post to some of the people who matter the most to me .. saying thank you to them is never enough .. would also love for you all to share pictures of people who mean the same to you .. tag #themagicwordisthankyou let's come together on this one!", Naga Chaitanya went on.

He shared a photo with his mother, Lakshmi Daggubati, and thanked her for her support. "Amma - for being my core, rooting me from time to time and being unconditional in every way possible", Naga Chaitanya's message to his mom reads. "Nana - for showing me a direction and being my friend that no other friend can be", Naga Chaitanya wrote, as shared a photo of himself with his father, Nagarjuna, and thanked him for being his best friend.

Finally, he thanked Hash (pet dog) for making him feel, showing him how to love, and simply keeping him human. Hash is a pet dog that he adopted with his ex-wife Samantha when they were still together. Hash has moved in with Samantha, post their divorce.
United Nations, July 7 : With more than 200,000 people already in catastrophic food insecurity, famine is feared by September in Somalia, a UN spokesman said.

Due to the Horn of Africa drought, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) believes that there will be famine in eight areas of the country within two months, Xinhua news agency quoted Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as saying to reporters.

The level of food insecurity has been the worst since 2017 and is not expected to improve for a year.

"Our humanitarian colleagues warn that more than 7 million people are already impacted by the severe drought, up from nearly 6 million in May," Dujarric said.

"More than 800,000 have left their homes in search of food, water and pasture." He said that at least 200 children have died of malnutrition and disease since January and an estimated 1.5 million children under the age of 5 face acute malnutrition.

"Late last month, our partners launched the Drought Response and Famine Prevention Plan to provide life-saving assistance and prevent famine in Somalia," the spokesman said.

"The plan calls for nearly $1 billion to reach 6.4 million people through the end of the year." Separately, the Humanitarian Response Plan for Somalia, which calls for $1.46 billion to help 5.5 million people, is only 30 per cent funded, he said.

Almost 4 million people have received assistance since January.

"We need greater resources to meet growing needs and avert famine," Dujarric said.
Chandigarh, July 7 : Consul General of Canada in Chandigarh, Patrick Hebert, greeted Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who is set to tie the knot with Gurpreet Kaur, a doctor, at his residence in Chandigarh on Thursday.

"Beautiful day for a wedding in #Chandigarh. Congratulations to Chief Minister @BhagwantMann and @DrGurpreetKaur_and best wishes for a happy life!" Hebert tweeted.

In a low-key arranged marriage ceremony with select invitees, comprising Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Mann, 48, will marry Gurpreet Kaur, who belongs to Pehowa in Haryana.

Mann has cancelled many official meetings planned earlier for the day.

Rajya Sabha member and AAP leader Raghav Chadha, who was among the first ones to arrive for the wedding, told the media, "I have come here with my mother...I wholeheartedly congratulate Mann Sahab and his family on this special occasion." Kaur, an MBBS degree holder from Maharishi Markandeshwar University in Mullana in Ambala district, is the youngest of three sisters. The elder ones are settled in the US and Australia.

Just hours before tying the knot, Mann's would-be bride said the auspicious day has come.

"Din Shagna Da Chadyaa (the auspicious day has come (for her wedding)," would-be bride Gurpreet Kaur tweeted and also posted her photo.

Mann will get married a second time.

Only close family members, including Mann's mother, sister and a few relatives and friends, will attend the wedding.

Mann divorced his first wife Inderpreet Kaur in 2015. He has two children from that marriage -- daughter Seerat Kaur Mann (21) and son Dilshan Singh Mann (17). Both children attended Mann's swearing-in ceremony in March.
Bali, July 7 : On the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting here, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during which they discussed "specific outstanding issues in our bilateral relationship pertaining to the border situation".

Taking to Twitter following the meeting, Jaishankar said: "Began my day in Bali by meeting FM Wang Yi of China. Discussion lasted one hour.

"Focused on specific outstanding issues in our bilateral relationship pertaining to the border situation. Also spoke about other matters including students and flights.

"Shared perspectives on the international situation and its impact on the G20 deliberations." At the two-day FMM on Thursday and Friday, the participants will deliberate on issues of contemporary relevance, such as strengthening multilateralism and current global challenges including food and energy security.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Jaishakar is expected to hold several bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other G20 member states and invited nations.

The Ministry had said that his participation in FMM "will strengthen India's engagement with G20 member states".

As a G20 troika member and as the incoming G20 President, India's role in the upcoming FMM discussions assumes even greater importance, it added.

The Ministry said India is currently extending steadfast support to the Indonesian Presidency, and will be taking forward discussions on contemporary global challenges, with a view to achieving meaningful outcomes, during its own Presidency.
New Delhi, July 7 : Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair on Thursday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Allahabad High Court's refusal to quash FIR registered against him for allegedly calling Hindu seers "hatemongers". The bench agreed to list the matter on Friday.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing Zubair, mentioned the matter before a vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and J.K. Maheshwari and sought urgent hearing on the plea.

Gonsalves said that a look at the FIR shows that there is no crime and there are death threats against his client. He added that they went to the Allahabad High Court, but no relief was granted and the court said it was premature. "Bail is sought on emergency. There are death threats on the Internet. If possible, list today at 2 pm...," said Gonsalves. The bench agreed to list the matter and posted it for Friday.

On Monday, Zubair was produced in a court at Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh in a case registered over a tweet that allegedly referred to Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati and two other religious leaders as "hate mongers".

On June 3, a case was registered against him at the Khairabad police station on a complaint lodged by Hindu Lion Army district president Bhagwan Sharan.

On July 2, a Delhi court rejected the bail plea of Zubair in connection with an 'objectionable tweet' allegedly posted against a Hindu deity, and granted his 14-day custody as sought by the Delhi Police. He will be next produced before the court on July 16.

The Delhi High Court had earlier issued a notice to the Delhi Police on a plea moved by Zubair challenging the Patiala House Courts order allowing his police custody and seizure of his laptop in connection with the alleged objectionable tweet.
Chennai, July 7 : In a crackdown on fortune tellers, the Chengalpattu Forest Department officials has seized seven parakeets in the Thiruporur forest range in a special raid this week.

The forest department was acting on a complaint by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India.

The seven fortune-tellers were illegally keeping the birds in tiny cages. The officials registered a preliminary offence report under Sections 9, 39, and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972, and apprehended the fortune-tellers. Parakeets are protected under the WPA, and capturing and keeping them is a punishable offence.

Comedian Sunil Grover had posted a reel (https://www.instagram.com/p/CfOqvTEg4yD/) of a fortune-teller and parakeet on Instagram, and PETA India swung into action, working alongside the forest department to rescue the birds and apprehend the fortune-tellers.

PETA India awarded the department with a Hero to Animals Award in April to thank it for rescuing four parrots that were being illegally sold online for astrology scams - and for aiding in the arrest of two men who were allegedly involved.

"PETA India commends the Chengalpattu Forest Department for saving these beautiful parakeets, who should never have been caught and who deserve to fly free again. Buying, selling, or caging parakeets is illegal and can result in a jail term of up to three years or a fine of up to Rs 25,000 or both," said Meet Ashar, PETA India's manager of cruelty response projects.

"Caged birds have nothing to sing about. Birds belong in the sky, never in cages, and we urge anyone who is keeping a bird in this way to turn them into a local forest department or an animal protection group for rehabilitation and to be reunited with a flock." In the illegal bird trade, countless birds are torn away from their families and denied everything that is natural and important to them so that they can be sold as "petsa or bogus "fortune-tellers".

Fledglings are often snatched from their nests, while other birds panic as they're caught in traps or nets that can seriously injure or kill them as they struggle to break free.

Captured birds are packed into small boxes, and an estimated 60 per cent of them die in transit from broken wings and legs, thirst, or sheer panic. Those who survive face a bleak, lonely life in captivity, suffering from malnutrition, loneliness, depression, and stress, PETA India noted.
Kolkata, July 7 : Within a week of the security breach at the residence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, state police's director (security) Vivek Sahay has been removed from the post and shunted to a comparatively insignificant post.

The chief minister's security will now be under the overall supervision of two senior IPS officers, who were earlier under the supervision of one officer, Sahay.

Under the new arrangement, Additional Director General of Police Peeyush Pandey becomes the new director (security) and he will be seconded as additional director (security) by Manoj Verma, who is currently the commissioner of Barrackpore City Police. Verma had been given the additional charge of inspector general (law & order).

The choice of Pandey for the post of director (security) was overwhelmingly accepted at all the political and administration levels, considering his long stint as an officer of Special Protection Group (SPG), which provides security to the Prime Minister of the country.

"Under Pandey's supervision the chief minister's security will surely be fruitful since he will use his experience with SPG and set up a security cordon in similar lines around the chief minister," said a senior officer of the state police, who did not wish to be named.

Meanwhile, Sahay has been made director general (provisioning). To recall this is the second time that Sahay has lost his chair as the director (security).

He was suspended by the Election Commission of India last year after the chief minister met with an accident during her campaign at East Midnapore's Nandigram before the state Assembly elections last year. However, Sahay was reinstated soon after Mamata Banerjee became the chief minister for the third consecutive term.

After the recent security breach at the chief minister's residence, the state chief secretary, H.K. Dwivedi convened an emergency meeting. In that meeting Sahay also faced the ire of the chief secretary for security and since then it was also clear that his days as the director (security) are numbered.

The chief secretary's meeting was followed by a meeting of the state cabinet, where a majority of the ministers voiced concern and sought Sahay's replacement. Finally, the state government officially implemented the change by issuing the circular.
New Delhi, July 7 : A class 12 student was stabbed by her friend after an argument in West Delhi's Tilak Vihar area on Thursday.

The victim suffered deep stab wounds on her stomach and chest and was taken to a nearby government hospital where she is undergoing treatment.

A police official said that the male accused is the 17-year-old girl's neighbour.

"This morning they met and were talking when the boy fished out a knife and before she could react, he stabbed her. The girl suffered stab wound and collapsed on the ground writhing in pain. The accused fled from the crime scene," the official added.

The police said that they have identified the attakcer and a manhunt was launched to nab the accused.
Hyderabad, July 7 : Police in Telangana's Nizamabad town have arrested three alleged members of Popular Front of India (PFI) for allegedly training youth to create religious animosity.

Police booked Shaik Sadullah, 40, Mohammed Imran, 22, and Mohammed Abdul Mobin, 27, for allegedly training gullible youth in use of lethal weapons to target people from other communities.

The accused have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention Act (UAPA).

Nizamabad police commissioner K.R. Nagaraju said so far four persons have been arrested in the case. About 30 people were identified and the efforts were on to arrest the remaining.

Abdul Khader, 52, was earlier arrested by the police for allegedly imparting training in martial arts. According to police PFI members had hired Khader to impart the training. Sadullah allegedly offered Rs 6 lakh to him for the purpose.

Police registered a case under IPC sections 120 b (conspiracy), 153 a (promoting enmity between groups) and also under section 13 (1) (b) of UAPA.

Police also claimed to have seized 'nunchuks' (karate sticks), knives and literature with content to instigate religious animosity was seized from the PFI members, who are all residents of the town.

The commissioner said that though PFI is not a banned organisation, the activities of its members attracted penal action. The organisation reportedly spread its network to other districts like Jagtiyal and Warangal in Telangana and to Kadapa and Kurnool district in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

Meanwhile, Nizamabad MP D. Arvind alleged that certain police officials were behind the training to youths. He said despite knowledge of the training being imparted to youths, the police did not take action.

The BJP MP demanded that the Nizamabad police commissioner be immediately removed from the post. He claimed that following the pressure from the Central intelligence agencies, the police took action against PFI activists.
Bareilly : , July 7 (IANS) The Dargah Ala Hazrat in Bareilly has issued a fatwa against Ghaus Mohammad and Riyaz Attari, the two accused in the murder of a tailor in Udaipur.

The fatwa cited the teachings of 19th-century Islamic scholar Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi, commonly known as Ala Hazrat.

Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi, the national secretary-general of Barelvi Ulema, said Aala Hazrat has ruled that if a person kills someone under an Islamic regime "without the permission of the emperor, then such a person would be a criminal in the eyes of the Sharia" and would be punished severely.

He further stated that under non-Islamic governments, such killings would be anyway deemed illegitimate according to the law of the land and the person would put his life in danger by committing such crime.

Razvi underlined that the slogans calling for beheading of those who insult the Prophet were first given by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, a far-right Islalmic extremist political party in the neighbouring country, to fulfill their political ambition.

The killers of Kanhaiya Lal were heard raising the slogan "Gustakhi e Nabi ki Ek Hi Saza, Sar Tan se Juda Sar Tan se Juda," (there is only punishment for insult to the Prophet, beheading) in a video in which the duo were boasting about the murder.

The Rajasthan Police also arrested three people, including a cleric, in Ajmer for delivering a hate speech in which they allegedly called for beheading to avenge the insult to the Prophet.

"Muslims should not take the law in their own hands, complain to the government, it is the government's job to punish," Razvi added.

The Ala Hazrat Dargah in Bareilly had joined other Muslim organisations in condemning the violent incident in Udaipur where a tailor was slain for supporting BJP leader Nupur Sharma's statement on the Prophet.

In a statement issued last week, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi said that the incident had made the entire community bow its head with shame and remorse.
Geneva, July 7 : Testing continues to be a challenge for the monkeypox virus that has infected more than 6,000 people in 58 countries, both endemic and non-endemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

Low testing means that cases go undetected, further increasing the risk of community spread, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a press briefing on Wednesday.

He said the WHO is closely following the cases and "the scale and spread of the virus" is concerning.

"Across the world, there have now been more than 6,000 cases recorded in 58 countries. Testing remains a challenge and it's highly probable that there are a significant number of cases not being picked up," Ghebreyesus said.

Medical experts in the US and UK had earlier voiced concerns against slow testing.

American actor Matt Ford who became the first person ever with monkeypox infection to go public, also blasted the US government for the slow "pace of vaccines and testing".

"The slow response is pretty unacceptable," Ford said.

Monkeypox occurs mostly in central and western Africa, where the virus is endemic. But as part of the latest outbreak, the virus has spread to many regions of the world where it is not typically seen.

Europe has been the current epicentre of the outbreak, recording more than 80 per cent of the cases globally.

In Africa, "cases are appearing in countries not previously affected and record numbers are being recorded in places which have previous experience with monkeypox", Ghebreyesus said.

Meanwhile, the WHO chief said he plans to "reconvene the Emergency Committee" later this month that can deliberate on declaring the virus a global health emergency.

In the last meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee, held on June 23, it resolved by consensus that at this stage the outbreak should be determined to not constitute a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).

The highest level of warning by the UN health agency currently applies only to the Covid-19 pandemic and polio.It has said the virus is "unusual and concerning" and an "evolving threat" but does not currently present a global health emergency.

"My teams are following the data closely, I plan to reconvene the Emergency Committee so they are updated on the current epidemiology and evolution of the outbreak, and implementation of counter measures," the WHO chief said.

"I will bring them together during the week of 18 July or sooner if needed," he added.

The global health agency is also working with countries and vaccine manufacturers to coordinate the sharing of vaccines, which are currently scarce and need to be accessible to the most at-risk people.

Ghebreyesus applauded people who are going public with the disease, and said that the WHO is working "closely with civil society and LGBTIQ+ community" to break stigmas around the virus and spread information so people can protect themselves.

Latest updates on Monkeypox Virus Outbreak
New Delhi, July 7 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday embarked on a trip to Varanasi to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several development projects worth Rs 1,800 crore aimed at boosting 'Ease of Living'.

Detailing the agenda of his trip, the Prime Minister said in a series of tweets: "Leaving for Varanasi to attend various programmes. Always a delight to be among the people of Kashi. At around 2 p.m., will inaugurate the Akshaya Patra Mid Day Meal Kitchen which will have a cooking capacity of 1 lakh. Many students will benefit from this.

"At 4 p.m., I will attend a programme in which development works worth Rs 1,800 crore will either be inaugurated or their foundation stones would be laid. These projects include those relating to urban development, re-development of Namo Ghat, heritage of Kashi and more.

"The projects whose foundation stone would be laid include road infra works to ease traffic congestion, development work under the Sarnath Buddhist Circuit, tourism development works in old Kashi and other such projects aimed at boosting 'Ease of Living'."
Ahmedabad, July 7 : During the ongoing membership drive in Gujarat, the BJP workers and leaders, who are directly interacting with the people, have received positive response and very less complaints against the state government or party.

"Party's lakhs of workers are visiting citizens door to door requesting them to become members of the BJP, during which we are receiving warm responses. If there are any complaints, it is segregated at the local level. If the issues are related to local panchayat, municipality or municipal corporation level, a local representative is assigned to address the issue and solve it. If it is at the state government level, then the local MLA is assigned to look into it," Said Gordhan Zadafia, Vice President of State BJP.

"People are satisfied with the state and central rule, when it comes to security. It does not mean that they don't have complaints, but these are like how to get 'Ma' cards converted, ration cards are not issued, such problems are taken care of by the local workers. For the first time in the rural areas, I have not heard farmers complaining about crops prices, because they have got good prices for their crop. In summer, there were complaints about irrigation water, but as the monsoon has set, now farmers are not demanding that too," is the first hand experience of Mahesh Kaswala, BJP's senior leader.

Every three years the party adds 20 per cent primary members in the party fold, and also renews members of old primary members. The party converts primary members to active members every decade, said Zadafia. This time the party has started digital registration, so members get OTP for registration and the moment he or she becomes a member, they receive a call from the state unit president that encourages them.

State party president C.R. Patil has set a target for the party workers to reach out to 50 lakh households, this will be covering almost 1.50 crore voters before the elections.

"I am not surprised if the party is not receiving complaints during membership drive, because those joining the BJP are hardcore and dedicated voters of the BJP, so it is but natural that they will never complain against the party they love," analyzed Janak Purohit, a senior journalist.
New Delhi, July 7 : A single bench of the Delhi High Court on Thursday transferred the Delhi Police's appeal against bail granted to former Congress councilor Ishrat Jahan, in the alleged larger conspiracy case behind the 2020 Delhi riots, to a division bench.

Justice Anu Malhotra was hearing the appeal by the police challenging the order granted bail to Jahan. Further, the matter will be heard on July 11 before the bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar, which currently deals with the bail appeals of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.

On March 14, a lower court granted bail to Jahan in a case related to the alleged larger conspiracy in the 2020 Delhi riots.

Granting bail to the accused, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat noted that "she was neither physically present in Northeast Delhi for riots nor was she part of any group." Ishrat Jahan was arrested by Delhi Police Special Cell on February 26, 2020, and was charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Indian Penal Code, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and the Arms Act.

As per the prosecution, Ishrat Jahan was in touch with other accused with whom she had no connection and the same was only to further the object of conspiracy to commit riots.

Police had stated that Ishrat Jahan was protesting against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act in the Khureji Khas area on February 26, and "instigated" the large crowd to stay put after the police asked them to vacate the road. The police claimed that due to her instigation, the crowd pelted stones on security personnel.
Srinagar, July 7 : It is no secret that the youngest mountains in the world, the Himalayas, are home to some of the world's unique flora and fauna. God had bestowed the Kashmir Valley in particular with a favourable agro-climate that delivers the precise conditions for the growth of medicinal plants. Recently mushroom cultivation in Jammu and Kashmir has taken the center stage for its high commercial value and therapeutic benefits.

Mushrooms are an excellent source of nutraceuticals, antioxidants, anticancer prebiotic, immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular, antimicrobial, antiviral, antiparasitic, antifungal, and antidiabetic elements; they also guard against tumor development. Rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidant agents (selenium, vitamin C, and choline), folic acid, and iron, mushrooms are the new superfoods.

Under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (National Agriculture Development Programme) mushroom cultivation is a focus area. Mushroom growers are equipped with quality seeds and trained in scientific cultivation techniques. Mushroom production is at its all-time high in the Union Territory thanks to the J&K Agriculture Department's efforts in bringing the best methods and technical know-how to people genuinely interested in farming.

The Valley boasts of many success stories in the mushroom cultivation business. 27-year-old Nisar Ahmad from the Bramri area of Kupwara quit his job two years back to be a full-time mushroom farmer. He participated in a mushroom farming awareness session organised by the agriculture department and took a leap of faith in himself to start this venture. Now he encourages people to pursue farming because it's more satisfying than slogging in salaried jobs, it pays well, and the government schemes, subsidies, and interest-free loans help in easy business set-up.

In the fairytale Nadigam hamlet (off the Shopian-Kadir road) Jahangir Ahmad Malik and his friend Umar Yaseen set up a button mushroom unit last year seeing the popularity of this fungus. With the help of the Department of Agriculture and administration's 50 per cent subsidy and technical knowledge, they were able to grow 110 kg of mushrooms in six months earning a profit of Rs 2 lakh.

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) like mushrooms are a source of livelihood for people living in the forest area. J&K has 20,230 sq km covered in forests, which is about 20 per cent of its total geographical area.

In the Shivalik range of the Jammu region mushrooms (especially gucchi or Morchella esculenta L.) provide income security to peasants. Gucchi mushrooms fetch a great commercial value so it's often a competition for forest dwellers to find a huge bunch of them. On a good day, a person can collect up to 10 kg of fresh mushrooms.

People with experience in collecting mushrooms can tell them apart by their colour - yellow, white, half-white, brown, black, and dark brown, and various shapes. They can also be identified by the tree species they grow under like apples, pears, Taxus wallichiana (Himalayan Yew), Abies pindrow (West Himalayan Fir), Juglans regia (Old World walnut tree species), Pinus wallichiana (Himalayan coniferous evergreen tree), etc.

It's a race against time when the clouds turn gray and signal thunder, lightning, or snowfall. Adults and children alike leave their homes on mushroom expeditions, like a treasure hunt in the forests. On average a gucchi collector walks 15 km daily for the mushroom search. For many people, it is an add-on to their regular day jobs.

Traditionally gucchi mushrooms are dried in the open air by putting a thread through them in a garland-like fashion. It loses much weight after drying but then has a shelf-life of two to three years. These mushrooms are sold to local traders (middle-men) who visit these villages and towns and further supply them to cities. Dried Morchella esculenta L. fetches a price anywhere between Rs 3,000 to 17,000 per kg. It's an excellent antidote to stomach ailments. It's also a popular home remedy for children prone to nose and ear bleeding.

With the recent government interventions, forest-dwellers in Jammu Shivaliks are being given formal training and instruction about the mushroom collection and processing techniques, market knowledge, and market access, so that their efforts in this employment pay them their rightly earned share.

Women-led Self-Help Groups are being encouraged under HAUSLA and TEJASWINI entrepreneurship schemes introduced by the Centre in J&K. Two young Kashmiri girls from Tral village of South Kashmir started a mushroom cultivation unit last year under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) scheme.

While discussing what to pursue after their higher education, they learned about the Department of Agriculture providing financial and technical assistance to those interested in mushroom farming. As luck would have it, today Raukaya Jan and Sobiya are running many successful mushroom cultivation units in less than a year.

Women empowerment is at the forefront of all the economic development plans of the J&K administration. Their role in the socio-economic upliftment of the UT is recognised and appreciated. On August 15, 75 progressive women entrepreneurs from the NRLM Self-Help Groups will be honoured by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for their contributions to society.
New Delhi, July 7 : With an aim to cater to audiophiles, German audio brand Sennheiser on Thursday launched its flagship wired earphones, IE 600, in the Indian market that is said to be crafted for an exquisitely natural sound.

Priced at Rs 59,990, the Sennheiser IE 600, designed to keep delivering flawless acoustic, is available across online and leading retail outlets in India.

"At the audiophile development team, we intently listen to the feedback of our incredibly passionate customers. The IE 600 delivers a neutral reference tuning in combination with our industry-leading miniature transducer technology," Kapil Gulati, Director, Consumer Segment, Sennheiser, said in a statement.

"The paradigm-shifting acoustic performance is appropriately clad in highest-performance amorphous zirconium. The IE 600 will be a reference for the most demanding mobile audio enthusiasts," Gulati added.

The company said that IE 600 achieves distortion-free reproduction of music, a single 7 mm driver responsible for the extra-wide frequency range and ultra-low distortion of these earphones.

Within the IE 600, this system and the acoustic back volume has been tuned for a tonally neutral, intimate and emotional sound. This ensures a true-to-life voicing that is especially expressive for vocal performances.

The acoustic system has also been optimised to produce a steep bass slope resulting in a powerful yet fast and accurate low-end response.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Jaipur, July 7 : Rajasthan Police on Thursday removed DSP Sandeep Saraswat from his position after a purported video of him suggesting history-sheeter Syed Salman Chishti an escape route after his arrest surfaced.

In the video doing rounds, the DSP can be seen suggesting Chisti to say that he announced his house and property as a reward for decapitation of Nupur Sharma under the influence of alcohol.

Acting Director General of Police Umesh Mishra said that Saraswat has been announced APO (Awaited posting order) by the Police Headquarters and the investigation has been handed over to the Vigilance Branch.

Since Wednesday night, a video has been going viral in which Salman Chishti, arrested on Tuesday night for announcing house/property for decapitation of Nupur Sharma, was being suggested to say that he made the controversial statement in an inebriated state.

As the video went viral, netizens were seen questioning the alleged appeasement policy of Rajasthan government.

Police then took an action in the matter.

Mishra informed that an action is being taken against the criminals as per rules. Strong prosecution action will be taken against the accused in the case by collecting strong evidence.

Meanwhile, Additional Superintendent of Police, City Vikas Sangwan said that the accused is a druggie. He had tried to harm himself while being arrested. Keeping this in mind, he was deliberately being lured and taken into custody to prevent the situation from deteriorating. The accused was produced in the court and taken on remand and interrogation is on, he added.

Salman Chishti was arrested on late Tuesday night by Dargah police and this video surfaced on Wednesday.

In the video, Chishti had announced to give away his house and property as reward to anyone who decapitates suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for her controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad.

Police officials confirmed that Salman is not a religious leader, but a history-sheeter of the Dargah police station and has been a criminal. There are over a dozen cases registered against him for murder, firing, assault and intimidation.

Police said that Salman Chishti is a drug addict and made an objectionable post viral in a state of intoxication. "We are investigating if there is someone behind this," they added.
Chennai, July 7 : The Selvapuram police in Coimbatore arrested a Woman Hindu activist 'Athiradhia' Saraswati for issuing a threat to Leena Manimekalai, director of documentary film, 'Kaali' against which Hindu organisations are up in arms for portraying Goddess Kaali in a bad light.

The documentary filmmaker portrayed Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette and holding the Rainbow flag associated with LGBTQI community.

The Indian high commission in Canada had taken up the issue with the Aga Khan hall where the documentary was to be screened. Police in UP and Haryana have already registered criminal cases against the documentary filmmaker.

The arrested woman 'Athiradhi' Saraswathi is a member of Sashti Sena Hindu Makkal Iyyakam and was charged under Sections 294 B(obscene acts and songs) and 506(1) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

Police said that the Selvapuram Sub Inspector Selvakumar received a video in which Saraswati was seen issuing threats to Leena Manimekalai.

The video, according to the police, was widely circulated on all social media platforms since Tuesday. The police traced the woman from a location in Tiruppur district and recorded her arrest on Wednesday late night.
Chennai, July 7 : Tamil Nadu Police will be honoured with the prestigious President's colour, which is the highest honour that is bestowed upon the military, paramilitary and police forces of the State/Union Territory.

This is for honouring the forces that have done exceptional service to the nation.

Vice-President M. Venkiah Naidu will bestow the honour on Tamil Nadu police.

The state police will thus be the first police force in South India to be bestowed with the prestigious honour and the tenth in the country. The Tamil Nadu police was conferred with the President's Colour in 2009 when the force celebrated its 150th year of existence but was not ceremonially accorded.

Tamil Nadu DGP C. Sylendra Babu told media persons that a replica of the special flag would be worn by all members of the force as a special honour. He said that the state would design the flag and take approval from the central government.

Notably, the Indian Navy was the first Indian armed force to be honoured with the President's Colour. President Rajendra Prasad awarded the honour to the Indian Navy in 1951.
Nagesh Kukunoor was confident about me in this role: Suhasini Maniratnam on her character in 'Modern Love Hyderabad' Image Source: IANS News

Nagesh Kukunoor was confident about me in this role: Suhasini Maniratnam on her character in 'Modern Love Hyderabad' Image Source: IANS News

Hyderabad, July 7 : With a formidable line of accomplished actors in its star cast, upcoming web series 'Modern Love Hyderabad' is raising anticipation levels ahead of its release on Amazon Prime Video.

In the six-episode series, Suhasini Maniratnam will be seen essaying the lead in the episode named 'Why did she leave me there...?' Suhasini, who will be seen playing the character of a grandmother, shared about her role in the story, saying, "Nagesh Kukunoor insisted on me and was very confident about me playing this grandmother role. And I am old enough to play such a character." She further elaborated, "I need to talk about Nagesh's courage. It requires a lot of courage and strength to pick up such a story - love and affection between grandmother and her grandson. We generally tend to think of Romeo and Juliet. I didn't have enough guts to play this role, but my friend Revathy convinced me to play this role. I couldn't convince myself as a grandmother." The episodes feature Suhasini Maniratnam and Naresh Agastya in pivotal roles.

After the successful run of 'Modern Love Mumbai', Amazon Prime Video brings the second local edition of the audience's favourite international Amazon Original series Modern Love.

With 'Modern Love Hyderabad', the anthology brings a star-studded cast playing interesting characters in unique stories of love.

'Modern Love Hyderabad' is produced by Elahe Hiptoola with Nagesh Kukunoor and directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, Venkatesh Maha, Uday Gurrala and Devika Bahudhanam.

'Modern Love Hyderabad' is all set to release on Amazon Prime Video on July 8.
Mumbai, July 7 : Actress Shriya Pilgaonkar has wrapped up shoot for the comedy-drama 'Taaza Khabar', which also stars Bhuvan Bam, J D Chakravarthy, Deven Bhojani, Prathmesh Parab, Nitya Mathur and Shilpa Shukla.

Shriya will be seen in the role of a sex worker in the upcoming comedy-drama series.

On wrapping up the show, Shriya says, "Shooting for 'Taaza Khabar' has been a super fun experience. I love comedy - dramas and it's a genre I haven't really done. I play a sex worker." "My character and look are completely different from what I've done which made this process even more fulfilling. I've loved working with Bhuvan and this entire cast and crew who are so talented and hardworking. We've had a blast shooting for this and I can't wait for the audience to watch it." On the work front, Shriya is on a roll with exciting projects. She will be seen in 'Crackdown' Season 2, 'The Gone Game Season 2', film 'Ishq-E-Nadaan' to name a few.
New Delhi, July 7 : The Delhi High Court on Thursday turned down a plea seeking suspension of Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, who is under the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) since May 31, in an alleged money laundering case.

A division bench presided over by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad dismissed the petition moved by a veteran Delhi BJP leader Dr Nand Kishore Garg after orally remarking that the court cannot travel beyond the statutes, rules, and notifications.

The petitioner was seeking issuance of guidelines for resignation or suspension of the ministers who are arrested beyond the stipulated time period of 48 hours as per the practice being followed relating to the public servants in terms of Rule 10 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules, 1965." "The preferential treatment for minister under custody strikes to Article 14 of the Constitution of India and several judicial pronouncements including the constitutional bench judgement where Supreme Court had clearly held emphasizing that the Prime Minister or Chief Minister have immense discretionary power to uphold the rule of law and the individual having a criminal record should be made minister under in the interest of public at large," the plea read.

On June 27, a special CBI court extended the judicial custody of Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain -- arrested in connection with an alleged money laundering case, by 14 days.

The CBI has accused Jain, his wife and others of commission of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. On March 31, the ED provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs 4.81 crore belonging to companies beneficially owned and controlled by the minister.

On June 6, the ED conducted raids at multiple locations belonging to Jain, his wife and his accomplices, who had either directly or indirectly assisted him or participated in the processes of money laundering. The recovery of cash worth Rs 2.85 crore and 133 gold coins weighing 1.80 kg was made during the raid.
Kolkata, July 7 : Distancing itself further from the party Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra over her recent comments on Goddess Kali that has sparked huge controversy, the Trinamool Congress leadership on Thursday made it clear that it will take no responsibility on the FIRs against her in different parts of the country on this count.

On behalf of the party, veteran Trinamool Congress leader and three-time party Lok Sabha member, Saugata Roy issued a statement saying that the onus is on Moitra and not on the party to take care of the FIRs.

"As far as TMC is concerned, the party doesn't approve the poster for the film 'Kaali', it's unacceptable to us. We also don't approve of Mahua Moitra's statements on the matter. It's our party's official position. Our party is secular, it respects all religions. As far as the FIRs are concerned, it's on Mahua Moitra to take care of that. Until BJP takes action on Nupur Sharma for her comments against the Prophet, they have no right to speak about anything else," the statement read.

At the same time, Trinamool Congress' secretary general and West Bengal Commerce & Industries Minister, Partha Chatterjee has told media persons that since the opinions expressed by Moitra are her personal views, the party will not take any responsibility in the matter.

The development is naturally provoking the question whether it is the beginning of the end of Moitra's association with the Trinamool Congress, as the maverick party MP, who had taken stand against the party leadership on many issues in the past, has unfollowed Trinamool Congress' official Twitter handle soon after she was censured by the party leadership over her comments about Goddess Kali.

Moitra though is tight-lipped on this question, political analysts feel that her unfollowing of the party's official Twitter handle is a sort of her clandestine protest against her own party on this issue.

The BJP had already made a big issue over Moitra's comments. Besides filing FIRs in different parts of the country including West Bengal, BJP activists arranged protest demonstrations in different parts of the state. The leader of the opposition in West Bengal has even threatened to approach the Calcutta High Court demanding Moitra's arrest.

However, Moitra has refused to shift from her stand and instead challenged BJP to prove her wrong. "I do not want to live in an India where BJP's monolithic patriarchal Brahmanical view of Hinduism & rest of us will tiptoe around religion. I will defend this till I die. File your FIRs, will see you in every court in the land," she had said in her latest Twitter message.
Mumbai, July 7 : The trailer of season 3 of the stand-up comedy competition series 'Comicstaan' was released on Thursday. This time, the series will feature eight episodes, in the run-up to hunt for India's next best stand-up comedian.

Digital creator and social media influencer Kusha Kapila will join comedian Abish Mathew as the show host for the third season.

Joining the judge's panel will be ace comedians Zakir Khan, Sumukhi Suresh, Neeti Palta and Kenny Sebastian while Rahul Subramanian, Sapam Verma, Rohan Joshi, Prashasti Singh, Kannan Gill, Aadar Malik and Anu Menon will become the new mentors.

Commenting on the trailer launch, Zakir Khan said: "I'm absolutely thrilled about the new season of Comicstaan and it feels great to get back on the judge's seat. There is a certain rawness in each of the eight contestants we have this time." "I must say that I'm really impressed with their growth during the course of this season, as they tested themselves on various genres of comedy," he added.

The show has been created by Only Much Louder (OML), and will premiere on OTT platform Amazon Prime Video on July 15. During the show, the contestants will deliver their funniest punchlines as they tackle various formats including anecdotal comedy, topical comedy, improv and an all new roast comedy.

Sumukhi Suresh, who graduated to a show judge from show host, shared, "I've gone from being a host to judge across all three seasons and I am massively excited about the 3rd season. Even though I am a judge, I learn so much from the contesting comedians. They remind you of the hustle of writing every day or the openness of learning a new skill (improv and sketch). I wish Comicstaan was around when I started." She further mentioned that the show will serve as a course material for the budding comedians, "It's a crash course of all the skills that help you become a better comic and writer. OML has truly shown they are the best in the business of comedy by creating this concept.."
New Delhi, July 7 : The poster of the movie 'Kaali' shared by Madurai-born and Toronto-based filmmaker, Leena Manimekalai stirred a major controversy. The offensive poster that depicted a woman dressed as goddess Kaali and smoking a cigarette invited outrage from social media users and protests from believers of the Hindu faith.

The poster also showed goddess 'Kaali' holding an LGBTQ community flag. Leena Manimekalai has been accused of deliberately hurting the sentiments of the community.

The Toronto-based Aga Khan Museum expressed deep regret for "inadvertently causing offence" to members of the Hindu community. The Indian High Commission had asked the organisers of the event, which is supposed to screen the movie, to withdraw the provocative poster. FIRs have been lodged against the filmmaker by the Delhi Police's Intelligence Fusion & Strategic Operations (IFSO) wing and the Uttar Pradesh Police.

CVoter-IndiaTracker conducted a nationwide survey on behalf of IANS to know people's views about the complaint and action against the filmmaker. According to the survey data, the majority of Indians believe that the filmmaker should be arrested for releasing an offensive poster of goddess Kaali. During the survey, almost 65 per cent of the respondents demanded the arrest of Leena Manimekalai, however, 35 per cent disagreed with the sentiment.

Interestingly, the survey revealed unanimity in the opinions of both the NDA and opposition voters on the issue. During the survey, 66 per cent of NDA voters and 66 per cent of opposition supporters said that the filmmaker should be put behind the bars for hurting the sentiments of the Hindu community.

During the survey, while the majority of most of the social groups, including Muslims demanded the arrest of the filmmaker, views of Scheduled Tribes (ST) were divided on the issue.

According to the survey data, 64 per cent Upper Caste Hindus (UCH), 64 per cent Other Backward Classes (OBC), 60 per cent Scheduled Castes and a whopping 83 per cent Muslims opined that the director of the movie Kaali should be put in jail for offending the religious sentiments. As for the views of ST respondents, while 51 per cent of them wanted to see the arrest of the filmmaker, 49 per cent did not agree with the sentiment.

The survey further revealed that the majority of Indians want the movie Kaali to be banned from screening. During the survey, almost 64 per cent of the respondents demanded a ban on the Kaali, however, 35 per cent of the respondents did not share the sentiment.

Notably, during the survey, the majority of both the NDA voters and opposition supporters expressed their opinion in favour of banning the movie. According to the survey data, 70 per cent of NDA voters and 60 per cent of opposition supporters said that the movie should not be allowed to be released.

Similarly, the majority of both the urban and rural voters demanded a ban on the movie Kaali. During the survey, 68 per cent urban and 62 per cent rural voters said that the government should impose a ban on the movie to stop it from being screened in theatres across the country.
New Delhi, July 7 : Two women were rescued from a blaze that broke out in an office in Delhi's Janakpuri on Thursday, said officials.

A firefighter was also injured during the rescue operation.

The incident was reported from West Delhi's Janakpuri around 11.13 a.m.

"The fire brigade department said that they received a call about the fire in an office and some persons were trapped at B-1 Market East Janakpuri. After receiving the call, we sent five fire tenders to the spot," said the official.

The official said that the fire was quickly brought under control. He said during the firefighting operation two women were found unconscious in a room. They were immediately rescued and rushed to a nearby hospital.

"During the fire-fighting job one DFS personnel Raj Singh got injuries in his hand. He was rushed to the Chanan Devi hospital and after medical aid was discharged," the official said.

The cause of the fire was not yet known.
New Delhi, July 7: Nepal's Election Commission (EC) wants the government to hold the federal and provincial elections in one phase on November 18 this year, the commission authorities said.

During a meeting with Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba at Baluwatar, the official residence of the prime minister, Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Chandra Thapaliya and election commissioners recommended the date, a spokesperson for the commission Shaligram Sharma Poudel said.

Even as Nepal conducted federal and provincial elections on two different dates - November 26 and December 7 back in 2017, this time the Election Commission has expressed its intention to hold these elections in a single day for two reasons.

"We have suggested the government to hold federal and provincial elections in a single day across the country. The first is it would be cost-effective and the second is it would be comfortable for the commission for logistic arrangements," Poudel told Indian Narrative on Wednesday evening.

According to the commission spokesperson, Prime Minister Deuba told the election commissioners that the cabinet would take appropriate decisions regarding the holding of elections in the coming weeks.

"The Prime Minister said that these two crucial elections would take place on around the same date as proposed by the commission," he said, adding that the election body is ready to hold elections on the date to be decided by the government.

Earlier on May 13 this year, the country's election body held elections to pick a fresh set of people's representatives for 753 local levels in a single phase. "Recent local level elections also inspired us to hold federal and provincial elections in a single day," he added.

From the upcoming federal elections, 165 members will be elected to the House of Representatives, the lower house of federal parliament, under the First Past the Post electoral system and 110 will be elected under the proportional representation system.

Likewise, for seven provincial assemblies, 330 members will be elected under the direct system and 220 will be elected under the proportional system.

With just a few months left for holding of the provincial and federal elections, political parties have started their election campaigns across the country.

As per the constitution, Nepal holds local, provincial and federal elections every five years. This will be the second time the Himalayan nation holds federal and provincial elections after it adopted its first democratic republic constitution back in September 2015. The country's national charter, also the first post-war full-fledged constitution, had federated the country into seven provinces and 753 local units.

Although Nepal is a Hindu majority nation, the constitution had declared it as a secular and democratic republic following years of political instability. Before entering into a republican system in 2007, Nepal witnessed the overthrow of 240-year Shah Monarchy and 10-year armed conflict that began in 1996.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
Canberra, July 7 : The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ATAGI) on Thursday announced it has recommended a fourth Covid-19 vaccine dose for people aged 50 and above, while those aged 30-49 can also choose to have it.

Previously only the over-65s, those with a disability, aged care residents and immunocompromised people were eligible for a second booster shot, reports Xinhua news agency.

Health Minister Mark Butler said 7.4 million more Australians would now be able to receive the fourth dose, offering extra protection ahead of a projected winter surge in the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants.

"This will help provide additional protection from severe disease against the emerging surge of Omicron sub-variant infections and reduce the burden on Australian hospitals and the health care system in coming months," he said in a statement.

"ATAGI did not support making the fourth dose available to healthy adults under the age of 30 years as it was not clear whether the benefits outweighed the risks in this population group." ATAGI noted that the number of people ill with Covid-19 has increased in recent months.

It said a fourth dose alone would not be enough to prevent the spread of the virus, recommending measures such as mask-wearing.

"ATAGI advises that other public health and social measures, in addition to vaccination, will have the greatest impact against the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 surge in infections," it said.

"This includes increased use of masks and increasing the use of antiviral treatment in people diagnosed with Covid-19, including in people aged 50 years and above." Australia on Thursday reported more than 40,000 new Covid-19 cases and 60 deaths.

The nationwide caseload currently stands at 8,327,916, with 10,131 deaths, and approximately 282,003 active cases.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Santiago, July 7 : The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned of a "dire" spike in hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean, after the number of affected people in the region grew by 4 million between 2020 and 2021 amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

From its regional office for Latin America and the Caribbean in Santiago, Chile, the agency presented "The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022", which shows that in 2021 as many as 56.5 million people in the region suffered hunger and 268 million people faced food insecurity, reports Xinhua news agency.

The situation worsened notably after the number of people suffering hunger rose by 9 million between 2019 and 2020, according to the report, with the undernourished currently accounting for 8.6 percent of the regional population.

"The situation is extremely dire. In just two years, 13 million people have fallen into hunger. And four out of 10 people live with food insecurity, while we have yet to brace for the impacts of the current food crisis," FAO regional representative Julio Berdegue said in a statement.

"We are facing a complex crisis of proportions that require unprecedented action, not only from governments but from all the players in the regional agri-food system," said Berdegue.

The report pointed out that of the 823 million people who suffered from hunger worldwide in 2021, more than half live in Asia and more than a third in Africa, while Latin America and the Caribbean account for 7.4 per cent of the total.

The report was jointly published by the FAO, International Fund for Agricultural Development, Unicef, World Food Program and the World Health Organization.
Bengaluru, July 7 : Three labourers from Kerala were killed in a landslip in Dakshina Kannada as heavy rain pummeled most parts of Karnataka leaving behind a trail of destruction.

Meanwhile, the search is on for the first standard schoolgirl, who was washed away in the floods while returning from school in Thogarihankal Gram Panchayat limits in Chikkamagalur district last week.

She was accompanied by her elder brother and friends.

Meanwhile, the major rivers in the state have reached dangerous levels. Heavy downpour in the Cauvery Catchment area have sent the authorities of Kodagu district in a tizzy. As the Cauvery river is in full spate, cities and towns around it are fearing floods.

Kodagu district has experienced repeated mild earth tremors in the recent past and people are also fearing major landslides.

In north Karnataka region, Veda Ganga, Doodh Ganga, Krishna, Malaprabha rivers in Belagavi and surrounding region have seen rise in the water levels.

Heavy rains and roaring water have brought the waterfalls in Jog, Maragodu, Satoddi, Unchalli, Shivaganaga, Nagaramudi and Vibhooti to life.

Due to the landslide in Mukkuda near Panjikallu village in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada district three laborers from Kerala lost their lives. The deceased are identified as Biju (45) from Palakkad, Santhosh (46) from Alappuzha, Babu (46) from Kottayam. Jhonny (44) from Kannur has been rescued.

The laborers who worked in rubber plantations, got buried under a pile of mud as a hill collapsed on their shed where they resided.

The rains continued to batter Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Belagavi, Hubballi, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru and other districts of the state.
Bengaluru, July 7 : Rajya Sabha nominee from Karnataka Veerendra Heggade on Thursday said that his nomination to the Upper House came as a pleasant suprise.

"I did not imagine being nominated to the Rajya Sabha as I did not demand it. But am honoured as this would help me expand the service base from the state to the country," he said.

"I was unaware of the development till last night. Since then, congratulatory messages have been pouring in from all sections. Our people are happy," he stated.

He further stated that, "Politics does not interest me. There can be no bigger platform than serving "Manjunatha Swamy" (Hindu God)." "I feel honoured to be called a parliamentarian rather than a politician as politics is not my forte. I will strive to expand our work. It is happy to see that people showering their love on me." Reacting to the development, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai termed Veerendra Heggade's nomination a matter of "honour and happiness" for the people of the state. "He is not only the Dharmadhikari (administrator) of Dharmasthala (Hindu pilgrimage center in state), his services are known throughout the state," he said.

Veerendra Heggade is an Indian philanthropist and hereditary administrator of Dharmasthala Sri Manjunatha temple, which is revered by the people of Karnataka and across south India.

He administers the temple and its properties, which are held for the benefit of devotees. He has been awarded the highest civilian award Karnataka Ratna award in 2009.

The Indian government conferred Padma Bhushan award on him in 2000 for social work and communal harmony. He received the Rajarshi title from the former President of India, Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma in 1993.

He was awarded Padma Vibhushan by the government of India in 2015 for social work.

Veerendra Heggade is a car collector and has passion for photography as well. He has been conducting free mass marriages every year in Dharmasthala since 1972. He has constructed marriage halls across the state to the benefit of middle and low income groups.

He has successfully introduced a rural development project in the coastal Karnataka region in 600 villages and 6 towns. He established the Rural Development and Self- Employment Training Institute (RUDSETI) to train rural youth for self-employment in 1982. Since then 20 branches of RUDSETI have come up across India. More than 1.5 million youth have been trained under the project.

He runs one of the largest kitchens in the country called Annapoorna kitchen on the premises of Dharmasthala Sri Manjunatha temple. It feeds more than 50,000 persons every day.
Sydney, July 7 : New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Thursday attended the Australia-New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF) in Sydney to boost trade ties between the two countries.

"Building on our trans-Tasman trade and economic links is fundamental to ensuring New Zealanders' economic security both now, and into the future," Xinhua news agency quoted Ardern as saying in a statement.

Topics discussed on the form include reconnecting through travel and tourism; trans-Tasman innovation opportunities; labour shortages and the future of work, economic growth challenges post-Covid-19; and climate change collaboration.

Australia is New Zealand's second-largest trading partner after China, with two-way trade accounting for over $13.6 billion in the year to December 2021, statistics show.

Usually held around every 18 months, the forum last took place in 2019 in Auckland before Covid-19.

Separate to the ANZLF, Ardern and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will hold their first formal Australia New Zealand Leaders Meeting on Friday in Sydney.
Bengaluru, July 7 : Strengthening of relations between Republic of Korea, which is a global powerhouse in electronics and automobiles sector, and Karnataka, a frontline state in technology, would give a boost to bilateral economy, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Thursday.

The Chief Minister held a bilateral discussion with a delegation of the Republic of Korea, led by its Ambassador to India Chang Jae-bok.

Noting that Karnataka has had close ties with Korea for many decades, Bommai commended Korea for manufacturing excellent products with state of the art technology. "India and Karnataka state are emerging as major economies with skilled human resources. India is a hot favourite as an investment destination. Karnataka is in the forefront among the states attracting about 38 per cent of the total FDI flowing into the country," Bommai said.

Karnataka is home to highest number of international R & D centres in the world, it is the global hub of technology based industries. Against this backdrop, it would be of great mutual advantage economically if Korea and Karnataka joined hands, Bommai pitched to the South Korean delegation.

The Chief Minister invited the Korean delegation to participate in a big way in the Bengaluru Tech Summit and Karnataka Global Investors Meet to be held in November.

Speaking earlier the South Korean Ambassador Chang Jae-bok said, Korea is keen to further strengthen its economic relations with Karnataka. "Many startups are eager to invest in Karnataka. Already over 40 Korean companies have a presence here. The Korean Consular office has organised a programme 'Korea on the move' in Bengaluru which is drawing huge response from the people. A programme organised on economic cooperation too has been a big success." he stated.

Karnataka's Large and Medium Industries minister Murugesh Nirani, Additional Chief Secretary in the department of Industries E.V. Ramana Reddy and other senior officials were also present.
Chandigarh: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and party MP Raghav Chadha during a wedding ceremony of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann with Dr. Gurpreet Kaur in a close private ceremony at latter's house in Chandigarh on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo: Twitter) Image Source: IANS News

Chandigarh, July 7 : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday tied the knot with Gurpreet Kaur, a doctor from Haryana, in a low-key small private ceremony as per Sikh rituals at his official residence here amidst the presence of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

It is for the first time that a marriage ceremony was solemnised in the Chief Minister's residence.

Mann, 48, divorced his first wife Inderpreet Kaur in 2015. He has two children from that marriage -- daughter Seerat Kaur Mann (21) and son Dilshan Singh Mann (17), who attended Mann's swearing-in ceremony on March 16.

The Chief Minister made a surprise wedding announcement a day earlier. It is believed to be an arranged marriage.

Donning golden attire and a yellow turban with traditional studded 'kalgi' atop, groom Mann arrived for the wedding under a Phulkari 'dupatta' with AAP Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha, Kejriwal and a select few AAP senior leaders walking beside him.

Kejriwal performed the wedding rituals as Mann's elder brother.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was also performed with the bride's women friends blocking the entrance of the marriage venue.

After the conclusion of Anand Karaj ceremony, the couple took blessings of those present at the wedding.

Bride Kaur, 32, an MBBS degree holder from Maharishi Markandeshwar University in Mullana in Ambala district, is the youngest of three sisters. The elder ones are settled in the US and Australia.

Just hours before tying the knot, Mann's would-be bride said the auspicious day has come.

"Din Shagna Da Chadyaa (the auspicious day has come (for her wedding)," Kaur tweeted and also posted her photo.

Only close family members, including Mann's mother, sister and a few relatives and friends attended the wedding.

Speaking to the media before attending the wedding, Kejriwal said his younger brother Bhagwant Mann is getting married and embarking on a new journey.

"My younger brother is getting married and embarking on a new journey. My best wishes to him," Kejriwal told the media at the Chandigarh airport.

Responding to Mann's wedding, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Chadha told the media here, "Happiness is back in Bhagwant Mann's house after a long time." An elated Chadha added, "Saade veer da vyah, sanu gode gode chah (My brother is getting married, I am extremely happy)." He shared a picture on Twitter with Mann, who was seen in wedding golden attire donning a yellow turban.

Consul General of Canada in Chandigarh, Patrick Hebert, greeted the Chief Minister by tweeting, "Beautiful day for a wedding in #Chandigarh. Congratulations to Chief Minister @BhagwantMann and @DrGurpreetKaur_and best wishes for a happy life!" The food menu for the wedding includes karahi paneer, lasagna Siciliano, tandoori kulche, dal makhani, navratan biryani, apricot stuffed kofta and Burrani Raita.

A variety of lip-smacking sweets include fresh fruit trifle, moong dal halwa, angoori rasmalai and rabari.
Mumbai, July 7 : The 'leaks' in the Shiv Sena continued unabated as ex-Thane Mayor Naresh Muske along with 67 former municipal corporators joined Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's group, here on Thursday.

The move has come as a jolt to the former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, ahead of the upcoming civic elections in Thane where the party has ruled for many years.

Muske and others met Shinde -- who was also the Guardian Minister of Thane in the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi regime -- at his residence and pledged to work together under his leadership for the progress of the city adjoining Mumbai.

Earlier, several leaders from Thane had issued veiled threats that if they are denied tickets for civic polls they would "follow Eknath Shinde's path".

The latest development came a week after Shinde was sworn-in as the Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party's Devendra Fadnavis took oath as Deputy CM after the MVA government collapsed on June 29.

Besides, there are indications that many Sena elected law-makers, party leaders and office-bearers at various levels are likely to shift allegiance to the Shinde Group in the coming weeks.

The Shinde camp has claimed that several Sena MPs are also in touch with them and may join them soon even as the Shiv Sena Chief Whip in Lok Sabha Bhavana Gawali -- MP from Yavatmal-Washim constituency was removed on Wednesday and replaced by Thane MP Rajan Vichare.

The Sena is keeping hopes pinned on the Supreme Court verdict of July 11, after which the party would chart its future course of action even as Thackeray has launched interaction and communication with the grassroots workers.
Bengaluru, July 7 : Cyber-security researchers on Thursday said they have discovered an "unprecedented, sophisticated" phishing technique that has been targeting government websites across the world, including Indian government's portal https://india.gov.in, extorting the affected users.

The threat actors have been targeting the Indian government's portal by utilising a bogus URL to trick users into submitting sensitive information such as credit card numbers, expiration months and CVV codes, according to AI-driven cyber-security firm CloudSEK.

Hackers are imitating the browser window of the Indian government website, most often SSO (single sign-on) pages, with a unique login, in a most-advanced phishing technique commonly known as Browser-in-the-Browser (BitB) attack.

Image Source: IANS News

BitB attacks imitate legitimate sites in order to steal user credentials as well as other sensitive data, such as personally identifiable information (PII).

The new URL that pops-up as a result of the BitB attack appears legitimate.

"The bad actors have also replicated the original page's user interface. Once their victims click into the phishing page, a pop-up appears on the phoney window claiming that their systems have been blocked, posing as a notification from the Home Affairs Enforcement and Police," the researchers claimed.

The users are then notified of their excessive use of pornographic websites, which is illegal under the Indian law, and are requested to pay a fine of Rs 30,000 to unlock their systems.

"They are given a form to fill out in order to pay the fine, which asks them to divulge personal information, including their credit card information. The victims become panicked because the warning has a sense of urgency and appears to be time-bound," the researchers said.

The information that the victims enter into the form is transferred to the attacker's server.

Once the attackers get the card information, it might be sold to other buyers in a larger network of cyber criminals, or the victim could be extorted for extra money.

The BitB attack begins when users attempt to connect to a website and click on a malicious link that looks to them as an SSO login pop-up window.

When users visit the supplied link, they are prompted to log in to the website using their SSO credentials. After there, the victims are sent to a bogus website that looks exactly like the SSO page.

The attack usually stimulates single sign-on windows and displays fake websites that cannot be distinguished from the original page.

"Combine SSO with MFA (multi-factor authentication) for secure login across accounts, check for suspicious logins and account takeovers and avoid clicking on email links from unknown sources," the researchers suggested.

-- Syndicated from IANS
New Delhi, July 7 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday carried out raids at elevan locations across India including Gurugram and arrested six persons including officials of Tata Projects Limited and Power Grid Corporations in connection with a corruption case.

"B.S. Jha, the executive director of Power Grid has been arrested by us along with five others. Rs 93 lakh cash was also recovered from his house in Gurugram," said the source.

The source said that Desh Raj and R.N. singh working with Tata Projects Limited were also arrested in this connection.

An FIR was lodged in this respect in February.

There was an scheme for North East Region, North System Improvements scheme, which was for Arunanchal Pradesh and Sikkim.

The accused persons had got the tenders of the said project. As per allegations huge money was paid as bribe to get the project.
Ahmedabad, July 7 : Ahmedabad city police have dispatched a team to Kutch to arrest a person who has threatened an advocate for supporting BJP's suspended former spokesperson Nupur Sharma whose comments on Prophet Muhammad set off a huge controversy in India and abroad.

Sabarmati Police Sub Inspector U.K. Pandya is investigating into the complaint lodged by advocate Krupal Raval. Based on technical input, police were able to track down Bhuj based Shah Nawaz, who had threatened the advocate. Police Station Officer told IANS that on Wednesday itself a police team was dispatched to Bhuj to pick up the accused.

Advocate Raval practises law in the High Court and in his complaint with the Sabarmati Police Station, he stated, "On June 13, I had uploaded BJP's suspended leader Nupur Sharma's photo as my WhatsApp status around 12.13 p.m. Few minutes later, I realized that this can hurt sentiments of some people and so I removed it at 12.16 p.m." He further said that two hours after he removed the photo, he first received a WhatsAapp message, "On what basis are you supporting Nupur Sharma, answer?" Raval blocked the number and on the same day he received a call threatening to kill him.

Soon after he left the city and so it took longer to file a complaint.

Meanwhile, he spoke to his Muslim friends, from whom he gathered information that a person named Safin living in London had taken his phone's screen shot and circulated it on social media. His well wisher Muslim friends had advised him not to lodge any complaint, but concerned about his life after the Udaipur and Amravati incidents, he decided to lodge a complaint on the night of July 6.
New Delhi, July 7 : Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) captured nearly 70 per cent share of global smartphone chipset market in Q1, followed by Samsung Foundry at 30 per cent market share, a new report has said.

TSMC captured the market from the complete System-on-Chip (SoC) to discrete Application Processors (AP) and cellular modems, reports Counterpoint Research.

Global smartphone chipset shipment declined 5 per cent (on-year) in Q1 due to seasonality, weaker demand in China amid lockdowns and over shipping from some chipset vendors in Q4 2021.

However, this decline was offset by strong growth in the chipset revenues which grew a healthy 23 per cent YoY in Q1 2022, as the chipset mix shifted towards costlier 5G smartphones.

"TSMC and Samsung Foundry together control the entire smartphone chipset market and TSMC is more than double Samsung in terms of manufacturing scale and market share," said senior research analyst Parv Sharma.

Of the total smartphone chipsets on advanced nodes (4nm, 5nm, 6nm and 7nm), TSMC captured 65 per cent market share.

"Samsung Foundry captured around 30 per cent share of the global smartphone chipset shipments thanks to Qualcomm and Samsung Semiconductor's internal Exynos chipset division," said senior analyst Jene Park.

Samsung has now begun mass production of 3-nanometer semiconductors, stepping up its game in the most advanced chipmaking process node, beating its rival TSMC.

The next-generation 3nm chips are built on Gate-All-Around (GAA) technology, which Samsung said will eventually allow area reduction of up to 35 per cent while providing 30 per cent higher performance and 50 per cent lower power consumption, compared with the existing FinFET process.

Samsung said its first-generation of the 3nm process node achieves a 16 percent area reduction, 23 percent higher performance and a 45 percent lower power consumption.
Chennai, July 7 : Kanniyakumari Congress MP Vijay Vasanth is still waiting to get back his "priceless" pen, which he lost during a programme of Opposition's presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha in Chennai.

He calls Rs 1.5 lakh Montblanc pen "priceless" it has been inherited from his late father and former Kanniyakumari MP, H. Vasanthakumar.

Vasanth told mediapersons here that he had lodged a police complaint at the Guindy police station on Tuesday , July 5 after the pen was missing during the programme of Opposition President candidate, Yashwanth Sinha when he had reached Chennai to canvass votes.

Vijay said that there was a heavy rush at the hotel in Guindy and remember having the pen in his pocket while he entered the hotel but on coming out he found it missing . The Kanniyakumari MP immediately lodged a complaint with the hotel authorities.

The Congress MP while speaking to IANS said ," The pen was special to me as I had inherited it from my late father. The pen , I'm sure was lost in the heavy rush at the Guindy hotel but when I lodged a complaint with the hotel they informed me that they can check the CCTV footage only after a formal police complaint is lodged." Vijay said that he had raised only a pen missing complaint and has never in the complaint said that the pen was stolen as made out by certain sections.

The Kanniyakumari MP said that during the programme only party leaders and workers as well as the leaders of allied parties and workers were only present at the hotel when his pen was missing. He said that this makes it doubly sure that the pen was not stolen but missing and added that he expected it be retrieved soon and brought back to his pocket.

It may be noted that Vijay Vasanth won as an MP after his father H. Vasanthakumar passed away during the pandemic.
Chandigarh, July 7 : Daughters can attain any heights and can be a force multiplier, not just for the country, but for the entire world.

These were the words of Padma Shri Ajeet Bajaj while addressing as the chief guest at the 59th foundation day of PGIMER here on Thursday.

"So love your daughters, help them dream big and work with them to face challenges to realise their dreams," added Bajaj.

A proud father of two daughters and brand ambassador of the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Campaign', Bajaj along with his daughter Deeya Bajaj was the first Indian father-daughter duo to climb Mount Everest.

He completed the Explorer's Grand Slam on June 5, while completing the Seven Summits with his daughter Deeya.

Motivating the audience in an extremely impassioned tone while speaking on "Summiting Mount Everest", Bajaj delved deep into the essential qualities of being a successful organization by surmounting the challenges as he said: "The secret of getting to the top is the acronym TOP, T is for teamwork; always putting your team before yourself; O is for Outlook, always looking at a glass half full and P is for previous preparation." While the audience listened to him in rapt attention, Bajaj continued to share the highs and lows of his extreme expeditions while drawing an analogy with life as he said, "At an individual level, we also all of us have to find our own Mount Everest. So dream big, and face those challenges with a smile and have never give-in attitude and unfurl the tricolour on the summit of your dreams." Quoting Charles Darwin from his book 'The Origin of Species', Bajaj emphasized on adapting to change to be triumphant in life: "It is not the most intellectual of species that survive, not the strongest, but the one that are able to adapt, to adjust to face the changing environment." Bajaj gave a life lesson to the audience as he aptly shared, "Receiving recognition is not why we follow our passion. There is a feeling of inner joy and happiness when you make your dreams come true by overcoming boundaries you set for yourself." Lauding the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) as one of the best in the country, he urged the fraternity to make this institute as "the best on the planet. This has to be our collective dream".

Deeya, the daughter of Bajaj and the guest of honour on the occasion, held the attention of one and all in the audience as she spoke virtually about her own connotation of summitting Mount Everest.

"If we support our girls if we nourish them, and if we show them that there's absolutely nothing that they can't achieve, and we keep telling them that and supporting them and encouraging them, I think we're headed for an absolutely amazing and fantastic future." Earlier at the outset, PGIMER Director Prof Vivek Lal appreciated the hospital team as he stated: "The PGIMER team works hard pushing the limits of their endurance and physical capacity for the service of patients. Taking care of an exponentially increasing burden of patients is an extremely difficult task, which they perform diligently." At total of 26 PGIMER employees were honoured by Bajaj along with Vivek Lal, R.K. Sharma, Dean (Academics), K. Gauba, Dean (Research), and Rakesh Sehgal for their outstanding service and were presented appreciation certificates along with mementoes.
Chennai, July 7 : Breaking her silence nearly 21 years after Harshad Mehta died in prison, Jyothi Mehta, the wife of the late scam-accused stock broker, charged the Thane jail authorities with gross negligence in providing timely medical help to her husband.

Mehta's family members recently launched a website in his name -- https://www.harshadmehta.in -- wherein his wife wrote that the issue is being highlighted now as "the wounds are still fresh and they refuse to heal themselves despite the passage of 20 years, and our entire family sorely misses him".

"We do not wish such punishment and the tragic death like this even for our enemies," she said.

"It was almost past 11 p.m. on 30th December 2001 that lightning struck me when I was informed of the sudden and tragic death of my husband in Thane jail after 54 days of custody, even though he was absolutely hale and hearty and was just 47 years of age with no prior medical history of any heart ailment," she said.

Jyoti alleged that on that fateful day, the jail authorities neglected his genuine complaint for four precious hours after he suffered the first heart attack at around 7 p.m.

"He immediately reported the unusual pain to his younger brother Sudhir who was in the next cell from where he could hear Harshad but could not see him," she said.

While the jail doctors examined Mehta, they did not have any medicine for heart attack, she said.

"Harshad, therefore, requested them to give him Sorbitrate (medicine) which I had given at the time of his arrest 54 days ago in an emergency kit which was kept in jail custody. Due to his presence of mind, Harshad requested them to give him that Sorbitrate which kept him alive for about 4 hours," Jyoti wrote.

"Unfortunately, the jail authorities did not use that golden time of four hours to shift him to a hospital which could have saved his life. Alas, none of us were by his side in his last moments," she said.

According to Jyoti, at 11 p.m., Harshad was made to walk for a long distance to the Thane hospital where he immediately succumbed in a wheelchair after his cardiogram confirmed a massive second attack.

Jyoti said neither the inquiry report nor the post-mortem report was provided to the family despite repeated requests.

While Sudhir was not informed about shifting Harshad to the hospital, he was told about his brother's death the next morning.

"Before the cremation of Harshad, which was carried out the next day, our family under the spiritual advice of our Pujya Gurudev took a decision not to complain and rake up the issue about the neglect of the jail authorities since it would not bring him back, but the wounds are yet fresh and they refuse to heal themselves despite the passage of 20 years since then. Our entire family sorely misses him," she wrote.
New Delhi: Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia offers prayers as he takes additional charge of the Ministry of Steel, in New Delhi on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo: Qamar Sibtain/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi: Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia takes additional charge of the Ministry of Steel, in New Delhi on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo: Qamar Sibtain/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi: Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia takes additional charge of the Ministry of Steel, in New Delhi on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo: Qamar Sibtain/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi: Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia takes additional charge of the Ministry of Steel, in New Delhi on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo: PIB/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi: Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia takes additional charge of the Ministry of Steel, in New Delhi on Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Photo: PIB/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, July 7 : Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday assumed the additional charge of steel ministry.

Scindia was given additional charge of steel ministry after R.C.P Singh resigned on Wednesday, a day before his Rajya Sabha term was to end.

After assuming the charge of steel ministry, Scindia tweeted: "As per the direction of Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), I assumed the charge as minister of steel. I will try my best to discharge this new responsibility with the blessings of all the well wishers." In another tweet, Scindia said: "Today, took the additional charge of steel ministry from RCP Singh. I will do my best to fulfill the aspirations of the country by discharging this responsibility given by the top leadership to full potential." It was learnt that Scindia also held back to back meeting with ministry officials.
Chandigarh, July 7 : Stressing that connect with the media would be strengthened, Punjab minister Aman Arora on Thursday assumed charge of the Information and Public Relations, New and Renewable Energy and Housing and Urban Development departments here in the presence of his Cabinet colleagues.

Arora, who has been elected for the second consecutive time as the MLA from Sunam, expressed gratitude towards the party national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and assured that he would discharge the responsibility assigned to him with honesty and dedication.

Later interacting with the media, he said the welfare centric and pro-people schemes and projects of the state government would be taken to the common masses with the aid of modern techniques so as to ensure that the benefit accrues to the actual beneficiaries.

"The connect with the media would be strengthened and emphasis would be on providing a transparent, clean, accountable and a responsive administration," he added.
New Delhi, July 7 : The Ministry of Defence on Thursday said that it has assigned three private sector banks - HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank - to provide letters of credit and direct bank transfer business for its overseas procurements.

The Ministry said that MoUs in this connection have been signed with each of these three banks recently by the PCDA, on behalf of MoD, a statement said.

Till now, only authorised public sector banks were utilised to provide these services to the MoD, and now for the first time, these private banks will be allowed to provide financial services for overseas procurement.

The selected banks may be allocated with LC business of Rs 2,000 crore, each on the capital and revenue side, for a period of one year on concurrent basis of Rs 666 crore for each bank, under both capital as well as revenue. The performance of these banks will be monitored regularly so as to take necessary further action as required, the statement said.
Lucknow, July 7 : An MP/MLA court in Lucknow has awarded a two-year jail sentence to former MP Raj Babbar in a case related to 1996.

The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 8,500 on the actor turned politician.

The former MP was present in court when the sentence was announced.

The Congress leader has been found guilty of interfering in government duties and physical assault.

Babbar was found guilty of roughing up a government officer during the 1996 Lok Sabha elections.

Babbar was then in the Samajwadi Party and was contesting the elections from Lucknow.

The incident had taken place on May 2, 1996.
Kolkata, July 7 : Tension is brewing in Canning, a part of the coastal belt in South 24 Parganas district in West Bengal following the murder of three influential local Trinamool Congress workers in broad daylight on Thursday morning.

While local Trinamool Congress leaders have blamed BJP for the murder, circumstantial evidence behind the murder is pointing towards infighting within the ruling party.

The three killed, namely a local panchayat member, Swapan Majhi (38) and local Trinamool Congress booth presidents, Bhutnath Pramanik (33) and Jhantu Halder (33) on Thursday morning while they were going to attend a preparatory meeting on the forthcoming Trinamool Congress's annual Martyr's Day programme on July 21. While they were going to the meeting venue riding on two motorcycles, they were stopped by the assassins who first hacked the three and then fired multiple bullets.

Superintendent of Baruipur District Police, Pushpa Rani told media persons that investigations are on to ascertain the reasons behind the murder as well as to nab the assassins.

However, local police source said that it is evident that the killers had definite information about the time when the three victims will pass through the place of crime and hence, they were waiting right there for them. From this point the infighting motive becomes stronger.

At the same time, the statements given by a local Trinamool Congress MLA from Canning (West) assembly constituency, Paresh Ram Das to the police as well as to the media have picked holes on the infighting theory. "The three victims had the fear of being killed for quite some time. They came to meet me at my party office on Tuesday evening and expressed this apprehension. I assured them of making arrangements for their security. However, I could never imagine that their apprehensions would come true so early," he said.

Now, questions are being raised on why security arrangements were not made for them despite the fact that the local MLA was aware of life threats.

Trinamool Congress MLA from adjacent Canning (East) assembly constituency, Saokat Molla said that in all probability this murder was a handiwork of the BJP. "They do not have any organization base in the area and hence they are trying to unite some local anti-social elements to have control over the area," he said.

The BJP leadership have, however, rubbished the allegations and said that this murder was the result of tensions between two groups, one having affiliation to Molla and the other to Das.
New Delhi, July 7 : A day after it was reported that two top executives of its associated company likely fled India, following raids, the ED on Thursday said that Chinese smartphone company Vivo was involved in huge 'hawala' transctions.

It said that out of the total sale proceeds of Rs 1,25,185 crore, Vivo India remitted Rs 62,476 crore, i.e, almost 50 per cent of the turnover out of India, mainly to China.

A senior ED official said that they carried out searches at 48 locations across the country belonging to Vivo Mobiles India Private Ltd and its 23 associated companies such as Grand Prospect International Communication Pvt Ltd (GPICPL), and so far, 119 bank accounts of various entities with gross balance to the tune of Rs 465 crore, including FDs to the tune of 66 crore, of Vivo India, 2 kg gold bars, and cash amounting to approximately Rs 73 lakh has been seized under the provisions of the PMLA.

According to the ED, all due procedures as per law were followed during the said operations at each premises but employees of Vivo India, including some Chinese nationals did not cooperate with the search proceedings and had tried to abscond, remove and hide digital devices which were retrieved by the search teams.

Vivo Mobiles India Pvt Ltd was incorporated on August 1, 2014 as a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Multi Accord Ltd, and was registered at ROC Delhi. The GPICPL was registered on December 3, 2014 at ROC Shimla, with registered addresses of Solan, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu.

The said company was incorporated by Zhengshen Ou, Bin Lou and Zhang Jie with the help of chartered accountant Nitin Garg.

Lou left India on April 26, 2018 whereas Ou and Jie left India in 2021.

In February this year, the ED initiated a Prevention of Money Laundering case against them on the basis of an FIR lodged at Delhi's Kalkaji police station under sections 417, 120B and 420 of IPC against GPICPL and its Director, shareholders and certifying professionals etc on the basis of complaint filed by Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

As per the FIR, GPICPL and its shareholders had used forged identification documents and falsified addresses at the time of incorporation. The allegations were found to be true as the investigation revealed that the addresses mentioned by the directors of GPICPL did not belong to them, but in fact it was a government building and house of a senior bureaucrat.

The ED's investigation revealed that the same director of GPICPL, Lou, was also an ex-director of Vivo. He had incorporated multiple companies across the country spread across various states. A total of 18 companies were set up around the same time, just after the incorporation of Vivo in 2014-15, while another Chinese national Zhixin Wei had incorporated further 4 companies.

These entities include Rui Chuang Technologies Private Ltd (Ahmedabad), V Dream Technology & Communication Private Ltd (Hyderabad), Regenvo Mobile Private Ltd (Lucknow), Fangs Technology Private Ltd (Chennai), Weiwo Communication Private Ltd (Bengaluru), Bubugao Communication Private Ltd (Jaipur), Haicheng Mobile (India) Private Ltd (New Delhi), Joinmay Mumbai Electronics Private Ltd (Mumbai), Yingjia Communication Private Ltd (Kolkata), Jie Lian Mobile India Private Ltd (Indore), Vigour Mobile India Private Ltd (Gurugram), Hisoa Electronic Private Ltd (Pune), Haijin Trade India Private Ltd (Kochi), Rongsheng Mobile India Private Ltd (Guwahati), Morefun Communication Private Ltd (Patna), and several others, the ED said.

These companies were found to have transferred huge amounts of funds to Vivo India, which remitted them out of India, mainly to China.

These remittances were made in order to disclose huge losses in Indian incorporated companies to avoid payment of taxes in India, the ED said.
Chennai, July 7 : Actress Meenakshi Chaudhary plays the central character Leila in director Balaji K. Kumar's upcoming investigative thriller, 'Kolai', its makers disclosed on Thursday.

The gripping investigative thriller, which has actor Vijay Antony playing the lead, also features actors Ritika Singh, Murali Sharma and Radhika among others.

Tweeting a poster of Meenakshi Chaudhary from the film which had her character name on it, director Balaji Kumar said, "No one lives forever, but one can live a life that's worth dying for." The tweet also had the hashtag, 'Who killed Leila', making it evident that the story of 'Kolai' (which means 'Murder' in English) revolves around Leila's death. Rumours doing the rounds in the industry suggest that Vijay Antony plays a detective in the murder mystery.

Sources say that the story of the film, which has triggered huge expectations, was finalised after the director wrote over 40 drafts of it in five years! Cinematography for the film is by Sivakumar Vijayan and music is by Girish Gopalakrishnan.
Agartala, July 7 : With the worshiping of 14 deities simultaneously, the centuries-old seven-day long colourful 'Kharchi Puja' began in Tripura on Thursday with traditional fervor and rituals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has greeted everyone, especially the people of Tripura on the occasion of the auspicious Puja.

"Greetings on the start of Kharchi Puja. May the blessings of Chaturdash Devata always remain upon us. May everyone be blessed with wonderful health, success and prosperity," Modi tweeted.

Tripura's Tribal Welfare Minister Rampada Jamatia in the presence of a host of dignitaries and people from different parts of the country on Thursday inaugurated the seven-day long famous "Kharchi Puja" in the state's erstwhile capital Puran Habeli, seven km north of state capital Agartala.

The annual "Kharchi Puja" and festival is meant to cleanse the sins of mortal souls. Originally a Hindu tribals' festivity, it is now observed by all communities and religions.

With colourful marquees, illuminations, religious rites and chanting of "mantras" amid drum beats, the festival features 14 deities -- Shiva, Durga, Vishnu, Laxmi, Saraswati, Kartik, Ganesha, Brahma, Abadhi (God of water), Chandra, Ganga, Agni, Kamdev and Himadri (Himalaya).

As per the tradition, the week-long festival began with a colourful procession accompanied by the Tripura police music band. All deities and priests were escorted by Tripura Police personnel, who also presented a guard of honour to the chief royal priest known as "Raj Chantaia".

Thousands of devotees joined them en route to Howrah river for the customary bath.

"The worship starts with the dipping of 14 deities in the Howrah river, followed by the sacrifice of 108 animals in the presence of hundreds of thousands of devotees, all at government expense," writer and historian Salil Debbarma told IANS.

For the past several decades, the Tripura government has been bearing the festival's expenses, living up to the agreement with the erstwhile royal family of Tripura.

"The state government is abiding by the 1949 merger agreement with the royal family to uphold the faith of the tribals year after year," Debbarma said, adding that "Kharchi Puja" is the biggest festival for the Hindu tribals in the northeastern region.

Thousands of people gather from all over the country and neighbouring Bangladesh to join "Kharchi Puja".

At the end of the 517-year rule by 184 kings, on October 15, 1949, the erstwhile princely state of Tripura came under the control of the Indian government after a merger agreement was signed between Kanchan Prabha Devi, then regent maharani, and the Indian Governor General.

The merger agreement made it mandatory for the Tripura government to continue the sponsorship of 14 temples including the Mata Tripura Sundari Temple (one of the 51 Shakti Peethas in the country) run by the Hindu princely rulers.

Debbarma said: "For over 78 years and until 1838, Puran Habeli was the capital of then undivided Tripura, which included large parts of Sylhet, Brahmanbaria and Comilla districts of then East Pakistan and now Bangladesh." It was king Krishna Manikya Bahadur (1760-1761) who shifted the capital from southern Tripura's Udaipur to Puran Habeli in 1760. The temple of 14 Gods constructed at that time still stands. In 1838, the capital was shifted to Agartala from Puran Habeli by king Krishna Kishore Manikya Bahadur (1830-1849).
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during the programme of distribution of students credit cards at Netaji Indoor stadium in Kolkata on Thursday, July 07, 2022. (Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Kolkata, July 7 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday snubbed the banks for insisting on submission of income certificates of the parents of the students applying for loans under the West Bengal Student Credit Card scheme.

"Some banks had been insisting on submission of income certificates of the parents. So, a feeling was being developed that submission of income certificates is mandatory for getting loans under the student credit card scheme. But we have reviewed the situation and said very clearly that submission of parents' income certificates is not mandatory," the Chief Minister said at a programme for distribution of students' credit cards at Netaji Indoor Stadium in central Kolkata on Thursday.

A banking representative in the State Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC), West Bengal, told IANS on condition of anonymity that whatever the Chief Minister might say, the loan applicant will have to submit some proof to justify the future loan-repayment probabilities.

"It might be income tax returns, certificates of the parents or details of the property held by the parents or any other proof of income source of the parents. The Reserve Bank of India's guidelines are clear on this matter. On loan matters, individual banks too have some freedom of setting their own guidelines within the prescribed banking format in entertaining loan applications," he said.

The Chief Minister's contention is that when the state government is acting as the guarantor for such loans, the banks should not unnecessarily force other supporting documents like parents' income certificates.

However, this logic has already been nullified by a number of bankers on two grounds. The first logic is that just a state government guarantee cannot be a 100 per cent assurance for sanction of bank loans, since a number of banks earlier have had bitter experiences where loan accounts with state government guarantees have turned into bad loans or non-performing assets.

The second logic is that if the loan amount is beyond a particular amount, then it needs a collateral security besides a guarantee.

As per records, since its launch soon after the state assembly elections last year, there had been around 1.25 lakh loan applications under the West Bengal Students Credit Card scheme. However, till date only around 18,000 such loan applications, which is just 14 per cent of the total, have been sanctioned.
Mumbai, July 7 : National award-winning filmmaker Subhash Ghai recalls the contribution of late Bollywood legend Dilip Kumar on his first death anniversary on Thursday.

Ghai has worked with Kumar in three successful films - 'Vidhaata', 'Karma' and 'Saudagar' between 1982 and 1991. In fact, Ghai also bagged an award as director for 'Saudagar'.

Remembering the veteran actor, Ghai said, "My words fail me to pay my tribute to the greatest legend of Indian cinema Dilip Kumar on his death anniversary today. He listened to his director in every scene as a student and performed like a master on the screen. He is my most beloved actor and person both. You are with us Saab forever." Dilip Kumar was one of the legendary actors of Indian cinema with a career span between 1944 to 1999 with multiple award-winning performances. He is known for some of the iconic films of Indian cinema naming 'Naya Daur', 'Mughal-e-Azam', 'Jugnu', 'Ram Aur Shyam' among many others.

Dilip Kumar passed away at the age of 98 in Mumbai last year.
Mumbai, July 7 : Actress Ayushi Sharma, who is playing the female protagonist in the upcoming web movie 'Jaadugar', said since she is an accidental actress and does not have formal training, being observant helped her to learn on the job.

Coming from a highly-educated family where both her parents are lawyers, Ayushi shares how not being formally trained was an initial struggle for her.

Ayushi, who entered the film industry by chance through an audition during her engineering college days, told IANS: "I have always valued the power of formal education. I have that mindset. But I never planned to become an actor.

"I was an engineering student, studying Information Technology. So yes, initially the process of filming, acting in front of the camera and how after editing the whole character comes to life was a fascinating experience. My film set became my film school." "But I also believe that if not formally trained, one has to be a very observant individual to learn any skill. If we have natural talent, we can pick up quickly. Having said that, if a youngster has a plan to become an actor from the beginning, going to prestigious institutes like the NSD and the FTII surely opens the door for learning," she added.

Ayushi made her debut in the Imtiaz Ali directorial 'Tamaasha' and shared screen space with Ranbir Kapoor. She also appeared in 'Love Aaj Kal 2'.

In 'Jaadugar', she would be seen opposite Jitendra Kumar. Directed by Sameer Saxena, 'Jaadugar' airs on Netflix on July 15.
Amaravati, July 7 : With the two-day plenary session of the YSRCP set to begin on Friday near Guntur, the party is going all out to make it a grand affair.

YSRCP General Secretary and Rajya Sabha Member Vijayasai Reddy said, "about 1.5 lakh people are expected to attend the Plenary session on the first day and the number would swell to over 4 lakh on the second day which will reflect the merits of the three years of good governance of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy." This is the first plenary to be held after the party established by chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, came to power in Andhra Pradesh in 2019. The previous party plenary was held in 2017 when Jagan Mohan Reddy was in the opposition. The party went on to script a massive victory in 2019. However, the party could not hold its plenary ever since, due to the Covid pandemic.

"On the first day the resolution for election of Party President will be adopted and the election will take place on the same day, he said. All public representatives will be in full attendance on the first day and the Party President will give directions to strengthen the Party committees. Party Honorary President Y.S. Vijayamma will grace the occasion," he said.

The plenary acquires significance as Assembly elections are due in 2024 and the YSRCP government has completed a little more than half of its tenure. The state government is coming under increasing attacks from the opposition, especially the TDP. The plenary is expected to deliberate on poll strategies for the YSRCP to retain power in Andhra Pradesh.

"Andhra Pradesh is the only state where financial benefits are being provided to all eligible irrespective of caste, religion, and political affiliations in a most transparent manner, adding that almost Rs 1.6 lakh crore was credited through DBT in the past three years. All the initiatives taken by the government will be discussed in the two-day plenary meet," Vijaysai Reddy said.

Stating that there is a good response from all sections of the society for the plenary, Vijaysai Reddy clarified that there are no special invitees, except Honorary President and Party President. He said that the party president will announce a new policy regarding committees to strengthen the Party and preparation for the upcoming elections.

The MP said that opposition leader Chandrababu Naidu will burst into tears after seeing the Plenary success.
New Delhi, July 7 : The Delhi High Court on Thursday junked a plea seeking "relief" over the lack of stock of popular liquor brands such as "Royal Stag" in the national capital.

Refusing to entertain the plea, a bench of Justice Yashwant Varma warned of imposing a cost to the petitioner who is a habitual litigant approaching the court for petty issues.

Accordingly, counsel withdrew the plea.

The court said it has nothing to do with the plea as the popularity of a brand is a "subjective" concept and not something for the courts to adjudicate.

On Monday, the high court dismissed another plea seeking directions to prohibit or control intoxicating drinks and drugs in the national capital and also to publish health warnings on liquor bottles similar to cigarette packets.

In the plea, BJP leader and advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay contended that the Delhi government has been granting licenses to open liquor shops not only in residential areas and main markets but also near hospitals, schools, and temples under the garb of providing easy access to liquor shops.

According to that plea, Delhi has a total of 280 municipal wards and until 2015, there were only 250 liquor shops, that is, on an average, one liquor shop in every ward and 30 wards without liquor shops.
New Delhi, July 7 : India has an opportunity to establish itself as a climate leader by excluding gas and nuclear as part of its green taxonomy on the lines of the Europe, experts said on Thursday.

Their reaction came a day later after the European Parliament after months of intense debate came out in favour of labelling investments in gas and nuclear power plants as climate-friendly.

Out of 639 lawmakers, 328 opposed a motion that sought to block the EU gas and nuclear proposals.

The European Commission's proposal to include gas in what was to be the "gold standard" of sustainable finance has been widely criticised by scientists, experts and academia, civil society and EU policy-makers, as well as voices from Ukraine.

Strong opposition to the proposal came from members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from almost all political groups, who came together to vote to veto the European Commission's proposal.

Lawmakers and member states are already preparing to continue their opposition. A group of MEPs is readying to continue the fight against the inclusion of gas in the EU taxonomy in court, on the grounds that the decision "is against primary legislation".

Austria and Luxembourg have also previously announced their intention to take the decision to court. Civil society is also moving in this direction, with Greenpeace announcing a legal challenge, Client Earth exploring legal pathways and WWF looking into different types of action.

Responding to the EU lawmakers backing gas and nuclear energy as sustainable, Vibhuti Garg, Energy Economist and India Lead, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), told IANS: "India has an opportunity to establish itself as a climate leader by excluding gas and nuclear as part of its green taxonomy.

"The green taxonomy won't prevent investment in gas if the projects themselves can establish their commercial viability but classifying them as green is not the right approach. Taxonomy should be robust and promote cleaner technologies.

"There should be clarity to investors and developers what would be classified as green and there shouldn't be any dilution. India should be on the right side of climate change and lead other countries to invest in the right direction." Dhruba Purkayastha, Director, Climate Policy Initiative, said: "Getting gas included in sustainable finance with the caveat of shifting away from gas in the long term is in alignment with meeting the UN's 'sustainability' definition.

"However, gas cannot be justified for climate finance as it isn't climate-friendly or green and may not help the EU in attaining its legal obligations to reduce GHG emission by 55 per cent by 2030, compared with 1990 levels." Critics are calling the EU decision "greenwashing" and say it could threaten the bloc's bid to become climate-neutral by 2050.
Patna, July 7 : A senior travelling ticket examiner (TTE) was brutally thrashed by a Government Railway Police (GRP) ASI after the former asked him to vacate the seat booked by a passenger on a Bhagalpur-bound train.

ASI Sunil Kumar Singh, who is posted at the Bakhtiyarpur railway station, boarded an AC chair car compartment of Danapur-Bhagalpur Intercity Express from Patna Junction railway station without any ticket.

When the passenger with the valid ticket boarded the train and asked him to vacate the seat, Singh refused. When the passenger asked TTE Dinesh Kumar Singh to arrange a seat for him, the latter asked Singh to sit somewhere else, leading to a verbal duel between them.

Singh then called his fellow GRP personnel at the Bakhtiyarpur railway station. When the train reached there, Singh thrashed the TTE in the presence of his colleagues.

Even as Kumar kept pleading with folded hands, Singh kept on beating him mercilessly. The entire incident happend in full public view. The passengers made video clips of the incident which have gone viral on social media.

"I was pleading him but he continued to thrash me. The ASI did not have ticket and had occupied the seat illegally. I also said that I have some disease, but he did not listen to me. I had also submitted a written complaint against the ASI with the GRP police station in Bakhtiyarpur, but they refused to accept my application," Kumar said.

"When the train reached Mokama railway station, I submitted a complaint against him there as well, but the GRP did not accept my application. I am appealing to senior police and railway officials to take cognisance of the matter and arrest the ASI," Singh said.

When contacted, the GRP officers at Bakhtiyarpur and Mokama refused to comment on the matter.
Chennai, July 7 : The Public Distribution Shops (PDS) in Tamil Nadu are set to be modernised with the theme 'Food security and nutrition security'. The state has around 35,000 fair-price shops with most of them run by cooperative societies and some of them by women self-help groups.

The state food and consumer protection department is planning to sell all branded groceries at a reasonable price through PDS shops. This is to attract more consumers and to sell the product in competition with private sellers.

The food department has already presented a detailed project to the state government and if approval is obtained then 10 to 15 shops in each district will be modernised every two months.

While speaking to IANS, J. Radhakrishnan, Principal Secretary, Food and Consumer protection, said, "We are to change the perception that the fair price shops are a place to get free and low-cost food products. If the look and structure of the shops are changed, then this in itself will give a new outlook for the consumers on these shops." The new-look will include messages and paintings related to food and nutrient security on the shop premises. It is to be noted that the total number of beneficiaries now stands at 6.9 crore in the state and about 2.2 crore smart family cards were distributed through these fair-price shops.

The department will also conduct training for the staff in better maintenance of stores and customer service to attract new customers to the shop.

The food and consumer protection department will stop the distribution of loose Toor dal and will henceforth be supplied in packets according to food and safety department specifications.

The department is planning to raise funds for the modernisation of the PDS shops through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme as also through the support from MPs and MLAs.
New Delhi, July 7 : Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair on Thursday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Allahabad High Court's refusal to quash FIR registered against him for allegedly calling Hindu seers "hatemongers" and the top court agreed to list the matter on Friday.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing Zubair, mentioned the matter before a vacation bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and J.K. Maheshwari and sought urgent hearing on the plea.

Gonsalves said that a look at the FIR shows that there is no crime and there are death threats against his client. He added that they went to the Allahabad High Court, but no relief was granted and the court said it was premature.

"Bail is sought on emergency. There are death threats on the Internet. If possible, list today at 2 pm...," said Gonsalves.

The bench agreed to list the matter and posted it for Friday.

The top court, in its order, said: "It is mentioned that there is urgency in the matter. Let the matter be listed on 08.07.2022 before the appropriate Bench subject to assignment." In June, a case was registered against Zubair at the Khairabad police station on a complaint lodged by Hindu Lion Army district president Bhagwan Sharan. The case was registered under IPC section 295A (deliberate and malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings) and section 67 of the IT Act. On June 27, Zubair was arrested by the Delhi Police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through one of his tweets. Zubair moved the top court against the Allahabad High Court order.

The plea contended that there is a new strategy afoot of the police in communal crime cases, which is to register FIRs against those engaging in hate speech and communal crimes, and also rope in all secular elements monitoring such crimes and protesting police inaction against the wrongdoers. The plea sought a stay of the investigation on the Sitapur FIR and also a direction to the UP government not to proceed, prosecute or arrest him.

On July 2, a Delhi court rejected the bail plea of Zubair in connection with an 'objectionable tweet' allegedly posted against a Hindu deity, and granted his 14-day custody as sought by the Delhi Police. He will be next produced before the court on July 16.

The Delhi High Court had earlier issued a notice to the Delhi Police on a plea moved by Zubair challenging the Patiala House Courts order allowing his police custody and seizure of his laptop in connection with the alleged objectionable tweet.
Lucknow :Opposition's Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha with Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav with and RLD President Jayant Chaudhary at SP headquarters in Lucknow on Thursday July 07,2022.(PHOTO:Phool Chandra/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Lucknow, July 7 : The Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), an ally of the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh, stayed away from a meeting addressed by joint opposition Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha, here on Thursday.

Sinha, who is on a campaign trail, arrived in Lucknow on Thursday evening.

An spokesman of the SBSP, which has six MLAs, said that the party had no information about any meeting. However, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) President Jayant Chaudhary was present in the meeting.

Earlier, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav welcomed Yashwant Sinha and assured him of his party's support.

While addressing the opposition MLAs, Sinha explained the circumstances prevailing in the country, and said that if elected, his allegiance would be to the Constitution alone.

Sinha said that though Presidential poll has been held several times, the situation is different this time because a sharp demarcation has taken place.
Guwahati/Aizawl, July 7 : On the last leg of her three-day tour to seven of the eight northeastern states, NDA Presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu on Thursday campaigned in Assam and Mizoram for the July 18 Presidential poll.

Murmu -- the first woman tribal leader to contest for the country's highest constitutional post, has received a rousing welcome in both Assam and Mizoram.

The 64-year-old leader has held a series of meetings with the Chief Ministers, ministers, MLAs and MPs of BJP and its allies in the northeastern states and sought support for her candidature.

In Guwahati, the NDA presidential candidate met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, his cabinet colleagues and MLAs and MPs of BJP and its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL).

In Aizawl, Murmu after meeting Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga, his cabinet colleagues, MLAs and MPs also met Mizoram Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati at Raj Bhawan where they had a brief interaction.

She enquired about various facets of Mizoram and said that she was very much impressed with the natural beauty and the climate of Mizoram.

Murmu accompanied by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister Pratima Bhowmik and senior BJP leaders visited Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland on Wednesday after visiting Tripura and Manipur on Tuesday.

"Murmu after visiting West Bengal in the weekend would go to another northeastern state Sikkim on Saturday to campaign for her candidature," Bhowmik told IANS.

In the northeastern states, Chief Ministers and other senior ministers along with leaders received her at the airports while artistes from different communities welcomed her with colourful traditional performances.

According to the political analysts, Murmu, who was also the minister in Odisha, and governor of Jharkhand, would get maximum votes in the eight northeastern states against her rival and opposition parties' sponsored candidate Yashwant Sinha as four of the eight northeastern states -- Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh are governed by the BJP while the remaining four states are ruled by the NDA allies.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh also sounded optimistic about Murmu's victory.

"Held a meeting with all the MLAs of BJP-led Govt and Hon'ble MPs of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha today and deliberated on the preparation for the upcoming Presidential election. We are confident that Smt Draupadi Murmu Ji will become the next President of India," Singh tweeted.
Kolkata, July 7 : Is the health department in West Bengal heading for a central agency probe into the alleged recruitment irregularities in the department, in line with the recruitment scams in the education department? That is the question doing the rounds in the legal and power corridors of the state following an order by a division bench of the Calcutta High Court directing a judicial probe into the alleged irregularities in the recruitment of medical technologists in the state health department.

While ordering a judicial probe into the matter, the high court bench of Justices Harish Tandon and Shampa Dutta observed that the process of recruitment was a glaring example of nepotism, favouritism and misuse of power, where persons were selectively chosen.

Since partiality is not desirable in any constitutional body, there is a need to unearth the truth, the bench noted.

The judicial probe committee will be headed by Justice (Retd) Jayanta Kumar Biswas. The other two members of the said committee are senior counsel Ayan Bandopadhyay and Narendranath Dutta, Secretary, West Bengal Health Recruitment Board.

To recall, the high court had ordered a judicial probe into the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) recruitment scam last year. The report of the judicial committee was the main trigger point for a single-judge bench of the high court to order a CBI inquiry into the matter.

It has been learnt that in 2018, the West Bengal Health Recruitment Board issued an advertisement for recruiting 725 medical technologists. The interviews were conducted in 2019. However, one applicant challenged the grading system where selective graduates in science were granted higher marks than post-graduates in science.

The applicant first approached the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT), which rejected the application, following which he approached the Calcutta High Court.
Chennai, July 7 : Controversial Tamil documentary film maker Leena Manimekalai, who is in the eye of storm for showing Goddess Kali smoking a cigarette, has now put out on her Twitter handle an image of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati smoking, hours after her documentary was pulled down from the site.

The documentary film director shared a photo of two individuals dressed as Hindu God Shiva and Goddess Parvati walking on the streets smoking cigarettes.

She has, however, clarified that this was not from her movie but from everyday rural India as to how folk artists chill out after a show.

Leena Manimekalai is in Canada and was to screen her documentary "Kaali" at the Aga Khan Museum as part of the "Rhythms of Canada" programme of the museum. However, after the Indian embassy took up the issue that the director hurt the religious sentiments of Hindu community by portraying Goddess Kaali in bad light, the film was not allowed to be screened at the museum.

Microblogging platform Twitter also pulled down the documentary from its site after outrage from all corners against her depicting Goddess Kaali in poor light.

The director has however clarified that her Kaali is an epitome of love and sharing and that the Goddess had accepted a cigarette from a black street dweller at a park around Kensington market in Toronto.

Uttar Pradesh and Haryana police have already registered criminal cases against Leena Manimekalai for hurting sentiments of millions of Hindus across the globe who believe in Goddess Kaali.
Washington, July 7 : Ro Khanna, one of four Indian Americans in the US Congress, has moved a legislation to amend a law in order to exempt India from sanctions for purchasing high-value Russian military hardware, arguing that New Delhi needs them for the time being to defend the country against continued Chinese aggression.

The Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions (CAATSA) Act seeks to punish Russia for interfering in the 2016 presidential election, among other things, by imposing stiff US sanctions on countries that buy Russian weapons.

China and Turkey, a NATO member, have been sanctioned under this law since it was passed in 2017. India has been in the crosshairs for its purchase of S-400s, the Russian surface-to-air missile systems that have begun arriving in India, which would have technically triggered the sanction process, but hasn't yet.

"While India faces immediate needs to maintain its heavily Russian-built weapons systems, a waiver to sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act during this transition period is in the best interests of the United States and the United States-India defence partnership to deter aggressors in light of Russia and China's close partnership.," said Khanna's proposed amendment.

The Congressman, who represents Silicon Valley in the US House of Representatives, argued that "India faces immediate and serious regional border threats from China, with continued military aggression by the Government of China along the India-China border" and India needs Russian weapons for its own defence.

Khanna's legislation calls upon the US to "take additional steps to encourage India to accelerate India's transition off Russian-built weapons and defense systems while strongly supporting India's immediate defence needs".

There was no immediate word on the chances of the passage of the amendment, or the support of other members. A response is awaited from Congressman Khanna's office.

Talk of impending CAATSA sanctions has stalked India-US engagements from the time the law was enacted in 2017, under the Trump administration; it was a bipartisan congressional initiative and then President Donald Trump had no option but to sign it. Then Defense Secretary James Mattis and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had publicly pressed lawmakers to exempt India and other countries that used be to heavily reliant on Russian military hardware.

Speculation about sanctions picked up in recent months as India began receiving the missiles. But there has been no public indication that the administration is considering them.

President Joe Biden has moved US-India ties to the top of his foreign policy agenda. He called for and hosted the first summit of the Quad group that India and the US form with Japan and Australia - first virtual and then in-person - and has held several bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Observers have been sceptical if the US will indeed sanction India, jeopardising a growing relationship, joined, among other things, by shared concerns about an aggressive China. Additionally, India has been cutting its military reliance on Russia and buying more from the west.

Khanna's resolution will earn him the much-needed warmth quotient from India, which has been irritated by his very public criticism of New Delhi's refusal to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He had also joined the Pakistan caucus of the US House of Representatives.

The other three Indian Americans in US congress are House of Representatives members Raja Krishnamoorthi, Pramila Jayapal, and Ami Bera. The fifth, former Senator Kamala Harris left the Congress in 2021 before being sworn-in as President Biden's Vice President.
Hyderabad, July 7 : Doctors at KIMS Hospital in Secunderabad here performed successful rare surgeries on two Iraqi girls with Scoliosis problem.

The problem for the two sisters aged 14 and 17 was very serious. There was rapidly growing spine deformity with upper body swinging away from the trunk, walking difficulty, difficulty in breathing, back pain and distorted physical appearance with significant hunch back deformity.

The parents noticed this problem shortly after the birth of the children. By then it was very small. They took the children to doctors in Baghdad for treatment. They have been evaluated with spine X-rays.

They came to know that both of them have a complex type of congenital Spinal deformity with multiple fused vertebral bones and ribs which cause pressure on the lungs and heart, which characteristically progress rapidly with the age.

The parents met several doctors and surgeons. However, surgery is associated with a higher risk of injury to the spinal cord. As a result, both the legs could be paralysed and there might be a loss of sensation in the bowel and bladder.

This panicked the parents. It is also difficult to install metal screws from the pedicles of the spine as they are very small. Therefore, the doctors there said that the surgical outcome may be very poor.

Finally, the parents brought their two daughters to KIMS Hospital, Hyderabad after they came to know about Dr Suresh Cheekatla, who has vast experience and expertise in correcting spinal deformities and the state-of-the-art medical facilities like O-arm, neuro monitoring, spinal navigation, etc.

Doctors said they presented at a stage where one of the shoulders is near hip level, big hunch at the back, and the abdomen is retracted in, with the chest pushed forward and the upper part of the body swinging to one side as they walk.

Their fused ribs and spinal bones in the back region are reducing the space available for lungs causing breathing difficulty and can shorten the life span if not treated.

Both the children underwent x-rays, whole-spine CT scans and MRI tests, and it was found that both of them had congenital dorsal kyphoscoliosis and one of them had spinal cord malformation.

Dr Suresh Cheekatla, the consultant spine surgeon at KIMS Hospital, explained that reating such a complex case of scoliosis became a big challenge for them.

"It usually takes more than 6 to 8 hours. So, we strictly followed Covid norms in all phases first. Before the surgery, we took the views of cardiologists, pulmonologists, neurophysiologists, nutritionists and physiotherapy experts. After considering the age of the children which is nearing the skeletal maturity age and also considering the poor socio-economic status of the parents, we wanted to cut down the cost of surgery. So, we have planned meticulously and decided to perform the surgery in a single phase," he said.

"First, we passed the screws into the deformed spinal bones. We have installed a supporting rod on one side through screws. Later, we performed an osteotomy (removal of part of the bone, a method to correct the deformed bone) at the curvature (apex) where the spine is more inclined and deformed. Since the ribs also penetrated widely and are connected and fixed with the spinal column, we have also separated some of the higher ribs from the area attached to the spine by the Thoracoplasty method to facilitate the spinal correction and decrease the spinal hump. Due to the high spinal curvature and also the associated problem of the spinal cord anomaly - Syrinx in the spinal cord, it has become problematic to correct scoliosis," he explained.

With the help of intra-operative neuro monitoring, we were able to correct the spine curvature as much as possible without putting pressure on the spinal cord and without causing any problems. After correcting the deformity we have checked for signals from the spinal cord with the help of intra-operative neuro monitoring and they are normal. The surgery was performed with the support of a team led by anaesthesiologist Dr. Naresh Kumar, the doctor said.

On the very first day of the surgery, we made both the children walk. A special spinal rehabilitation team at KIMS Hospital worked in this regard. On the fifth day of the operation, both the children were discharged in good health, explained Dr. Suresh Cheekatla.

The government of Iraq sponsored the surgery charges to these two girls.
Bhopal, July 7 : The ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh has blamed the State Election Commission (SEC) for low turnout of voters especially in Bhopal in the first phase of municipal election held on Wednesday. BJP leaders on Thursday said that due to slackness in distribution of voter slips by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), many people could not exercise their franchise.

A delegation of BJP's office bearers on Thursday met SEC Commissioner Basant Pratap Singh to express resentment against the poll body over low voting percentage in Bhopal. The delegation handed over a memorandum complaining about lack of awareness drive from the commission which according to them led to voters facing problems in polling.

The BJP office bearers alleged that large number of voters were deprived of voting as they did not receive voter slips. This happened despite these locals having their names enrolled in the electoral rolls.

Meanwhile, the delegation also urged SEC to ensure distribution of voter slips on war footing in the areas where polls are yet to be held.

In the first phase of municipal election held on Wednesday, overall 61 per cent voting was recorded, of which, Ratlam, Devas and Agar Malwa recorded over 80 per cent voting, while Bhopal recorded only 51 per cent, and Indore registered 76 per cent and Ujjain 76.60 per cent voting.

Referring to the Election Commission of India's guidelines of making BLOs responsible for handing voter slips at public's doorsteps, BJP leaders urged the commission to identify and punish BLOs for dereliction of duty through collectors.

"Several voters were deprived of their right to vote just because of division of wards and slackness in distribution of voter slips by Booth Level Officers (BLOs). We have urged SEC Commissioner to identify responsible officers and punish them," said Lokendra Parashar, media in-charge MP BJP.
Mumbai, July 7 : The Rana couple - Independent MP Navneet Kaur-Rana and her husband and Independent MLA Ravi Rana - on Thursday rubbished charges that the alleged mastermind of the June 21 murder of Amravati pharmacist was linked to their party.

"The allegations are absolutely baseless. We have never met him or even know him, he was never our worker. Whichever party they may belong to, strict action should be taken against them," said Ravi Rana, who is a 3-time MLA from Badnera. His wife is a first-time MP.

His dismissal came after some TV channels aired news alleging one of their party workers was the mastermind behind the murder of veterinary pharmacist Umesh Kolhe.

The Ranas have a political outfit called Yuva Swabhiman Party (YSP).

The Ranas sought to counter the insinuations by pointing fingers at the former Congress Minister Yashomati Thakur tried to suppress the case when the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi government was in power.

The City Kotwali Police Station, Amravati has arrested 7 accused including the mastermind Shaikh Irfan and the case was later taken over by National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Meanwhile, a Special NIA Court in Mumbai sent all the accused to the NIA's custody till July 15, as the central agency intensified its probe.

The NIA raided at least a dozen locations in the state and recovered hate pamphlets, mobile phones, memory and SIM cards, knives, from the homes of the accused.

The agency is also attempting to unravel if they have any links with global terror groups.

Late on the night of June 21 - when Maharashtra was in the throes of a major political crisis - two motorcycle-borne assailants stabbed Kolhe repeatedly in the neck when he was going home on his scooter.

The trigger for the killing was Kolhe reportedly forwarding some social media posts supporting ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma's denigrating posts on Prophet Mohammed last month.
New Delhi, July 7 : NITI Aayog's former CEO Amitabh Kant is tipped to take charge as the new Sherpa of G20.

He will replace Union Minister Piyush Goyal as the full-time Sherpa as India will hold the G-20 Presidency from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023.

A Sherpa will have to devote a lot of time for meetings to be held in different parts of the country.

On the other hand, Goyal has other important tasks on hand like serving as the Leader of the Rajya Sabha and also handling the work in his important Ministries like Commerce and Industry, Textiles, and Consumer Affairs, Food and Civil Supplies.

Being a Sherpa, Goyal's foreign travel will be affected during Parliament sessions and he would want to focus attention on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks with the UK and the European Union (EU).

The UK and the EU are large markets and FTA would result in a boost to industries resulting in large number of jobs in sectors like textiles, leather, gems and others. The UK FTA is in advanced stages.

Goyal led the FTA negotiations with Unite Arab Emirates (UAE) and Australia regardless of the odd time zones.

A qualified chartered accountant, Goyal's guidance is also required at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as some countries may try to push India towards a compromise on important areas.
Kolkata, July 7 : The Baruipur district police probing the murder of three local-level Trinamool Congress leaders at Canning in South 24 Parganas district on Thursday morning are looking into the possibility of the involvement of the local drugs racket in the crime.

The trigger point of this suspicion involving the local drugs trade is an incident that took place in the same area around 18 months back, when a local drug peddler, Rafiqul Alam, tried to kill a Trinamool activist named Badal.

Police sources said that Badal was the right-hand man of local Trinamool panchayat member Swapan Majhi, who was murdered on Thursday morning.

"Rafiqul was in jail before on charges of drug peddling. He thought Badal was the mastermind behind sending him to jail, and hence after his release he tried to kill Badal. But Rafiqul failed in his attempt because of the timely intervention of Swapan Majhi and his associates.

"According to eyewitnesses, Rafiqul even threatened Majhi of dire consequences. So naturally we are probing this old rivalry angle also," said a district police official who did not wish to be named.

However, the possibilities of infighting in Trinamool Congress sneaks into even in this angle. Some local people have informed the police that before being expelled from the party because of his drug links, Rafiqul was a close associate of Canning (East) MLA Saokat Molla, who is under CBI lens for his alleged role in the coal smuggling case.

On the contrary, the three killed on Thursday -- Majhi, Bhutnath Pramanik and Jhantu Halder -- were known to be close to Paresh Ram Das, the Trinamool MLA from Canning (West).

Meanwhile, a political spur has started in Bengal over these killings with the opposition parties saying that even the lives of the ruling party members and leaders are not safe any more.
London, July 7 : Ben Wallace, who was the Secretary of State for Defence in underfire British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government and is still holding the portfolio as a caretaker, has emerged as a possible favourite in an opinion poll to succeed Johnson.

Bowing to the inevitable after mass resignations across his government, including that of top Cabinet ministers, Johnson on Thursday announced he is stepping down as leader of the Conservative Party, but will remain the UK Prime Minister till his replacement is chosen.

The BBC reported: "A YouGov poll of 716 Conservative party members placed Ben Wallace just ahead of Penny Mordaunt, who was followed by Rishi Sunak." The sample was small and therefore the response is not entirely reliable. At the same time, the findings are not unexpected.

Wallace did his prospects no harm in handling the situation arising out of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Mordaunt is Minister of State for International Trade in the outgoing government. Her name has, though, been doing the rounds for some time. She is said to have support among a section of the rank and file as well as Members of Parliament.

Sunak, who is of Indian origin, was in surveys earlier in the year being touted as a front-runner for the PM's post.

But after he introduced taxes to reduce the borrowings caused by bailing out lives and livelihoods during the Covid-19 pandemic, his popularity was dented. A controversy over his Indian wife's tax affairs further damaged his reputation. There is no certainty that he will put himself up for the test.

The YouGov poll put Wallace's support at 13 per cent, Mordaunt's at 12 per cent and Sunak's at 10 per cent. They are followed by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss at 8 per cent; Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove and Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab at 7 per cent; Tom Tugendhat, Chair of the House of Commons' Foreign Affairs Committee, at 6 per cent; Jeremy Hunt, former Foreign and Health Secretary who lost the leadership contest to Johnson three years ago, at 6 per cent; Nadhim Zahawi, who took over as Chancellor of Exchequer after Sunak's resignation and is of Kurdish background, at 5 per cent; former Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who is of Pakistani descent, at 4 per cent; Priti Patel, who is of East African Indian extraction, at 3 per cent; and Steve Barclay, who was Johnson's Chief of Staff, at 1 per cent.

Twelve per cent of the respondents said 'None of the above', while 9 per cent reacted by saying 'Don't know'.

Interestingly, Suella Fernandes Braverman, who is also of Indian heritage and had announced she would throw her hat into the ring on BBC Radio, did not elicit any support.

The intentions of others were until Thursday afternoon not officially known. However, Truss, who was in Indonesia attending the G20 foreign ministers' conference, decided to cut short her participation and rush back to, reportedly, organise her campaign.

Under Conservative Party rules, a candidate needs the support of at least eight fellow MPs to contest. If there are more than two candidates, the Conservative parliamentary party holds elimination votes until just two runners remains. At that point, a ballot among the entire Conservative Party membership decides the winner.
Hyderabad, July 7 : The Telangana government is in discussion to set up an aerospace university in Hyderabad in partnership with the industry, and also taking steps to set up more aerospace and defence parks to further strengthen its presence in the sector.

This was revealed by state Industry Minister K.T. Rama Rao while inaugurating two new plants of French aerospace major Safran in Hyderabad.

He welcomed the announcement by Safran's to set up a mega aero engine MRO (maintenance, research and overhaul) facility in Hyderabad. The MRO and test cell will come up with an initial investment of $150 million. When completed in 2025, it would be Safran's largest MRO anywhere in the world.

Rama Rao noted that this project holds national importance as the first engine MRO in the country by a global EOM (original equipment manufacturer) in India. He said the state government was in discussion with Safran for the project since 2020 and he was told that Hyderabad competed with Bengaluru and Chennai.

KTR, as the minister is popularly known, said this MRO will not only cater to airlines in India but exuded confidence that many airlines in the Middle East will send planes here and a lot of airlines in South East Asia will also use this facility.

"This new investment is a huge endorsement of the robustness of the aerospace ecosystem in Hyderabad. This will encourage other aerospace and defence investors to choose Telangana for their Indian foray," he said.

KTR also welcomed Safran's announcement to set up a digital transformation centre in Hyderabad. He noted that this would be the fourth investment of the company in Hyderabad in six years He claimed that Telangana is the most vibrant and happening aerospace valley in India. The state has the best industrial policy in the form of TSiPASS with tailor made incentives for mega projects.

"We have multiple world-class aerospace parks and SEZs adjacent to the outer ring road and airport. We also have large number of existing global aerospace OEMS into manufacturing and exports," he said He noted that there are 1,000 MSMEs integrated into the aerospace and defence supply chain in Hyderabad.

Safran Aircraft Engines and Safran Electrical & Power were inaugurated by KTR in the presence of Safran CEO Olivier Andries, Safran Aircraft Engines CEO Jean-Paul Alary, and other officials.

The Safran Aircraft Engines plant, spanning 162,000 sq ft, will make rotating parts for the LEAP engine from CFM International. It will provide the additional capacity needed to meet the requirements of a production ramp-up for the best-selling commercial airplane engine of its generation.

Safran Electrical & Power's plant, located in the same airport zone as the Safran Aircraft Engines plant and sharing all support functions, makes wiring for LEAP engines and the Rafale fighter. Opened in November 2018, the plant currently has 150 employees.

Operating in India for the last 65 years, Safran has 10 facilities and 750 employees in the country. The Safran CEO said they look to triple the workforce in India by 2026 with an investment of more than $200 million.

"With these new sites, we're opening a new chapter in Safran's long history with the Indian aerospace and defense industries, and we are reaffirming our commitment to the government's 'Make in India' policy and sovereignty strategy," Andries said.

"To support the country's dynamic aviation market, with passenger traffic set to more than double in the next twenty years, we are accelerating our investments and industrial development in India. Through the creation of our largest maintenance and repair centre for commercial engines we are also paving the way to expand our MRO activities in India to military engines," he added.
Dhanbad, July 7 : Around 50 criminals attacked the Borragarh colliery of Dhanbad-based Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) and looted cables, iron, copper-brass and other valuables worth lakhs of rupees. They also assaulted more than a dozen employees of BCCL.

The condition of five of the employees, who have been admitted to the Central Hospital of BCCL, is said to be critical. The incident occurred between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. in the intervening night of Wednesday-Thursday.

The criminals fired at least half-a-dozen rounds and also detonated bombs to spread panic. All the 16 staff in night shift were taken hostage.

When they resisited, they were attacked with the weapons. Yadu Mahto, Baleshwar Mahto, Kauleshwar Bhuyan, Pradeep Choubey and two others who were injured are being treated at Central Hospital in Dhanbad.

The criminals also demolished the boundary wall of the colliery. Sources said the carnage continued for almost two hours. The looted materials were loaded on a goods vehicle and carried away.

Expressing anger over the incident, one of the employees said, "The management puts us on duty without any security. The police and CISF personnel only pretend to work in the name of patrolling." A police team reached the spot after they were informed by the BCCL employees about the incident. Bullet shells were recovered from the spot.

The colliery employees have announced that they will not do night duty unless they are provided adequate security. They also expressed anger in front of the BCCL officials.

Earlier, on the night of June 16, criminals had looted cables worth around Rs 2 lakh deom the Anna colliery in Dhanbad. On the night of June 7, a similar incident was reported from the South Balihari colliery in the PB area.
Guwahati, July 7 : All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief and Lok Sabha MP from Assam's Dhubri constituency Badruddin Ajmal on Thursday claimed that his forefathers were Hindu.

"My forefathers were Hindu. Due to the atrocities by a small group of Hindus, many Muslims like my forefathers had to convert themselves into Islam," he said, adding they were, however, not forced to convert.

Taking a dig at the Sangh and the BJP, Ajmal said: "The agenda of Hindu Rashtra is a political gimmick that these 5 per cent Hindus use as a political tool to gain votes. It will forever remain a dream." A few days ago, Ajmal appealed to Muslims in Assam not to sacrifice cows during the upcoming Eid celebration and requested them to offer the 'Qurbani' (sacrifice) using other animals to fulfil the religious obligation.

The appeal, however, created an uproar in Assam which even irked many Muslim leaders in the state who have opposed him.

On this, Ajmal on Thursday told mediapersons: "I have made an appeal to respect our Hindu brothers' sentiments. Even many Muslim religious institutes do not support cow sacrifice." According to him, Darul Uloom Deoband, the country's largest Islamic academic institute also issued a similar appeal a few years ago.
Islamabad, July 7 : Amid power shortage in Pakistan, the 969-megawatt (MW) Neelum-Jhelum hydro power project, shut down in the country due to leakage in the tunnel, reports said.

The project was completed at the cost of Rs 508 billion. The reason for the closure of the power project is due to major cracks in its tailrace tunnel, the Dawn reported.

Power Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan said during an interaction with the media that "Neelum-Jhelum is unfortunately offline. Details of its suspension or fault have not been concluded yet and full investigations are under way of all its channels, which are deep and long, some of them under huge mountains." The project was completed in 2002 after 21 years of delay and was completed in 2018 -- with escalating cost and missed deadlines. In the project, the construction of about 58 km of tunnels was executed by Chinese company CGGC-CMEC (Gezhouba Group) which commissioned the work in December 2007.

The project was producing 1,069 MW against its installed capacity of 969 MW and was generating more than five billion units of electricity to the national grid at an average rate of about Rs 9 per unit.

According to Dawn, the WAPDA -- Water and Power Development Authority, which handles operation of the hydropower stations, has confirmed that the "tailrace tunnel has been blocked and as a result the power station has been closed for safety reasons".

WAPDA said in a statement: "The reasons for the closure of the tailrace tunnel are currently being investigated. Steps would be taken to remove the blockade of the tailrace once the reasons are known." It said that all power companies had been informed of the closure of one of the country's top hydropower plants and the Water Resources Ministry has issued a circular on it

However, the Minister claimed that the power supply situation had improved in the country as the Tarbela power project had increased its generation by 2,500 MW.

He said the Tarbela power station had attained a power generation level of 3,684 MW from just 1,125 MW due to better river inflows and coal imports from Afghanistan.

As a result, there was about a 50 per cent drop in power shortfall of 4,000-5,000MW.

The power Minister said that the peak demand has come down because of improved weather conditions. He said that power cuts will drop during Eid days as the 1,100MW unit 2 of Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (K-2) will begin operation.
Panaji, July 7 : The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Goa has come down heavily on the BJP government for curtailing the assembly session for two weeks and has said that it has failed in all aspects, and hence afraid to face opposition and getting exposed.

AAP's Benaulim MLA Capt. Venzy Viegas asserted that the BJP government in Goa has failed miserably in all spheres, which is why "the frightened BJP government has cited 'Panchayat elections' as a reason to curtail assembly sessions to avoid getting exposed to its failures".

"The government's decision to curtail assembly sessions was both in contravention of procedural norms as well as 'inadequate' to discuss issues of public interest," Viegas said.

AAP's Velim MLA Cruz Silva said that the BJP government has been running away from discussing the problems of the people.

"BJP's last term set a record of having the least number of sittings in the 5 years, by controlling the opposition and by purchasing their MLAs. However, this time, the AAP will force the government to answer questions of the common people. In spite of the curtailed assembly session, we will keep being the voice of the Goans and raise the issues that concern them," Silva said.

AAP has two MLAs in forty members of Goa legislative assembly.

AAP Goa president Adv Amit Palekar said that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is trying to whitewash the government's failures with media propaganda, while the common man continues to suffer.

"The BJP government has failed to improve law and order conditions in the state, control price rise, build infrastructure to hold national games, resolve waterlogging and potholes issues, or appoint a Women Commissioner or a Central Library Curator. In addition, the state government has failed to protect OBC reservation rights in panchayat elections, or properly conduct the monsoon assembly session which is supposed to be the most important session of the year," Palekar said.
Bhopal, July 7 : The Madhya Pradesh Police on Thursday issued a lookout circular against filmmaker Leena Manimekalai following outrage over the poster of film 'Kaali' showing the Hindu goddess smoking and holding LGBT flag.

The development came hours after Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra said he would urge the Centre to issue a lookout circular against Canada-based film director Manimekalai for hurting religious sentiments of Hindus.

Earlier on Thursday, Mishra said that Manimekalai's 'Kaali' poster is a deliberate attempt to tarnish image of goddess Kali.

Mishra, who is also the spokesperson of the government, said that he was writing to Twitter to check alleged derogatory remarks made by some people, which have hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.

"I am going to write a letter to Twitter on the issue. Twitter should check tweets posted by people having perverted mentality, like the Kaali film director Leena Manimekalai, who posts a photo of goddess Kaali smoking... these people use Twitter as tool to hurt sentiments of Hindus," Mishra said.

He further said the Madhya Pradesh government will also write to the Centre to issue a lookout circular against Canada-based film maker and the director of 'Kaali'.

The controversy escalated further after Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra said she has every right as an individual to imagine Goddess Kaali as a meat-eating and alcohol-accepting deity, as each person has his or her unique way of offering prayers.

An FIR was already registered against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra at a police station in Bhopal on Wednesday.
Bengaluru, July 7 : Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries, Murugesh R. Nirani, said on Thursday that the state government would not forcibly acquire farmers' land for industrial purposes.

Interacting with the farmers who had come in large numbers from Devanahalli to the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) here, Nirani said the Basavaraj Bommai-led government is pro-farmer and will never acquire land from farmers forcibly.

The farmers had come to impress upon the minister not to acquire their land in 13 villages of Channarayapatna Hobli in Devenahalli taluk. The minister said the KIADB would go for only consent acquisition, and not indulge in any forceful method.

Commenting on the hundreds of farmers who met him last week urging the government to acquire land and give suitable compensation, Nirani said the land acquired will be suitably compensated within 90 days of acquisition.

Even as KIADB has planned to acquire 1,777 acres of land in Channarayapatna near Devanahalli, one section of farmers are urging KIADB to acquire land and provide suitable compensation, while another section is opposing the move.
New Delhi, July 8 : The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said the companies that operate in India need to follow the law of the land.

The remark was made by an MEA spokesperson in connection with the ongoing investigation related to Vivo and other Chinese firms.

"Companies that operate here need to follow the law of the land. Our legal authorities are taking steps as per law of the land. I don't see the case to make comments as such on it," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a media briefing.

Meanwhile, a day after it was reported that two top executives of its associated company likely fled India, following raids, the ED on Thursday said that Chinese smartphone company Vivo was involved in huge 'hawala' transactions.

It said that out of the total sale proceeds of Rs 1,25,185 crore, Vivo India remitted Rs 62,476 crore -- almost 50 per cent of the turnover out of India, mainly to China.

According to the ED, all due procedures as per law were followed during the said operations at each premises but employees of Vivo India, including some Chinese nationals did not cooperate with the search proceedings and had tried to abscond, remove and hide digital devices which were retrieved by the search teams.
Patna, July 8 : Following a clash between two communities in Bihar's Arrah, the district administration has registered two FIRs against 11 persons on Wednesday evening and arrested one person so far, police said.

ADGP, Law and Order, and chief police spokesperson Jitendra Singh Gangwar said: "District Magistrate Raj Kumar and SP Sanjay Singh are investigating the incidents. Two cross FIRs have been registered against 11 persons. In the first FIR, 3 persons have been booked while in another FIR, 8 persons are facing charges of rioting and hurting religious sentiments." The incident of Arrah occurred on Tuesday evening when Dipak Kumar and Rais Khan, who are friends, got into a verbal duel over a post of BJP's sacked spokesperson Nupur Sharma on the Prophet.

Dipak Kumar had supported Sharma's post. As the two met at a tea stall at Ramgarhia locality under Town police station on Tuesday, Rais asked Dipak Kumar to not to justify her statement. He also asked him to delete the post which Dipak Kumar refused, leading to a spat. Rais then called his friends from the community, who came and assaulted Dipak Kumar.
Bengaluru, July 8 : Kolkata police along with South East Division of Bengaluru police and their counterpart from Bangladesh in a joint operation have arrested a Bangladeshi national here who was on the run after being awarded the death penalty in connection with a murder case, officials said on Thursday.

The accused has been identified as Faisal Ahmed. The police said that the accused allegedly has links with terror outfit Al-Qaeda and was on the run after murdering a writer and a blogger Ananth Vijaya Das in Sylhet city in Bangladesh in May 12, 2015.

After illegally crossing over into India, the accused Faisal worked as a cab driver in Bengaluru and led a normal life. He was nabbed on July 1 and the incident had come to light lately.

Faisal was awarded the death sentence by a Bangladesh court along with three others. He had managed to escape from Bangladesh and settled in Bengaluru.

Bangladesh police had collected information on Faisal hiding in India in June and gave the inputs to Kolkata police. In turn Kolkata police had confirmed the accused's presence in Bengaluru.

Faisal had created fake documents to claim that he is an Indian. He had got a passport on Mizoram address. He had used Assam address for voter's identity card.

He had a driving license with Bengaluru address on it and was working as a cab driver here, police said.

The investigations have revealed that the accused went to madrassas and gave provocative speeches and also gave lectures on jihad.

Further investigation is taken up by the local police and central intelligence agencies to find out his nexus with local people.
Jaipur, July 8 : Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia has urged Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to ensure that the schools being converted into Mahatma Gandhi English Medium Schools should also run classes in Hindi medium.

Many schools situated in villages are being converted into English medium schools in Rajasthan and thus the families who want their children to pursue education in Hindi medium are forced to shift their children to distant schools. Many girls are being dropped out as they can't go to distant schools, Poonia said in a letter to the Chief Minister.

Ensure that the schools being converted into English Medium should also run classes in Hindi medium too, the state BJP president urged the Chief Minister.

Poonia wrote that he wants to draw the Chief Minister's attention towards the "crisis which has emerged in Rajasthan schools after their conversion into Mahatma Gandhi English medium schools".

He said many parents are "planning to shift their kids into Hindi medium schools, however it is difficult for them to admit their wards in Hindi medium schools as student registration is limited to 255 for classes 1 to 8 in these schools".
"Today's announcement is another reminder of our continued promise to support and invest in the communities we serve," said Creig Northrop, founder and CEO of Northrop Realty.

Media Contact:

Ray Bularz

443-539-6924

raybularz@northropreatly.com

Northrop Realty, a real estate industry leader, celebrates the opening of its 5th coastal office in Lewes-Rehoboth at 18467 Coastal Highway, Delaware. This new location will serve the northern coastal towns and provide an education training center for sales agents as the brokerage expands its Delaware footprint.

"The Northrop Realty name is synonymous with business excellence and success, and I'm so excited to be a part of our state-of-the-art education training center," said Juli Giles, Director of Education and Career Development with Northrop Realty. "Our 60-person education training center will teach everything from pre-licensing and continuing education to deep dives into forms and contracts, specialized sessions, and so much more. In addition, it will help professionally developed agents grow and enhance their client service through NorthropU."

Led by CEOs Creig and Carla Northrop, Northrop Realty is a custom brokerage specializing in the marketing and sale of residential homes and new construction communities. It provides comprehensive residential real estate services to buyers and sellers at no extra cost. Northrop's hyper-local approach gives its knowledgeable agents the edge in this competitive market.

"Today's announcement is another reminder of our continued promise to support and invest in the communities we serve," said Creig Northrop, founder and CEO of Northrop Realty. "We look forward to providing top-notch service and to being a part of the positive economic impact in the Lewes and Rehoboth area, meeting community members and business owners that make the area a great place to live and work."

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the office Grand Opening will be held on July 14, 2022, from 4 pm  6 pm, with a celebration party open to the public.

"I joined this brokerage because the business model is one of ultimate client service," said Chrissy Steele, Coastal Regional Manager at Northrop Realty. "Once I got a peek of the Northrop Difference, I was ALL IN. It's the best I've ever seen regarding professionalism and focusing on a positive client experience. So many real estate agents in the Lewes-Rehoboth area feel the same way about professionalism and client service, and I'm looking forward to bringing this business model to them!"

Northrop Realty's continued growth in Delaware includes opening its 16th office in Newark, DE this summer. The brokerage continues to attract top leadership and top real estate professionals to its custom brokerage. It is a testament to its top-notch service, iconic brand, home marketing consultants, client care coordinators, in-house marketing agency, Studio7, and technology designed to fuel its growth throughout the Mid-Atlantic.

"We look forward to serving the Lewes-Rehoboth area and meeting community members and business owners that make the area a great place to live and work. If you are a full-time agent looking to grow your real estate business, don't hesitate to contact Northrop Realty at 302-539-2900 or visit our career page," said Melissa Volkmann, Director of Talent Acquisition.

About Northrop Realty

Northrop Realty, A Long & Foster Company, is a full-service brokerage representing buyers and sellers of residential real estate in Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Pennsylvania. As one of the region's premier brokerages, Northrop Realty is comprised of more than 325+ licensed real estate professionals and over 75 employees, operating 15 brick-and-mortar office locations in Annapolis, Baltimore, Clarksville, Columbia, Ellicott City, Fallston, Frederick, Lutherville-Timonium, Phoenix, Sykesville, and West Ocean City, Maryland, and Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island, Millsboro, Lewes-Rehoboth Delaware. Since 2000, Northrop Realty's iconic brand and continued success is a result of its best-in-class technology, training, leadership, marketing, and robust network. As A Long & Foster Company, a subsidiary of Home Services of America, and Forbes Global Properties, Northrop Realty is proud to rank as the No. 1 specialty brokerage in the nation by RealTrends for 2019 based on closed sales volume. (http://www.northroprealty.com)
Cover for MikMak Closing the Gap on Consumer Relevance "MikMaks Shopper Intelligence data shows that Gen Z shoppers are currently one of the most valuable audiences for brands online, with female and diverse audiences showing a higher purchase intent rate across all media types.

MikMak, a leading eCommerce acceleration platform, today announced the release of the Closing the Gap on Consumer Relevance Guide. Designed to provide brands with critical insights into the current purchasing preferences of consumers in 2022, the guide shows that across all media types, the future of eCommerce is increasingly diverse and female.

Available starting today, the Closing the Gap on Consumer Relevance Guide uses purchase intent rate data gathered from the MikMak Platform to identify current online shopping behaviors and trends based on demographics, generational and life-stage data.

"MikMaks Shopper Intelligence data shows that Gen Z shoppers are currently one of the most valuable audiences for brands online, with female and diverse audiences showing a higher purchase intent rate across all media types, said Rachel Tipograph, founder and CEO of MikMak. Understanding the shopping preferences, interests and behaviors of this new generation of shoppers is critical for brands looking to succeed in 2022.

Key findings from the report:

Gen Z female shoppers and diverse audiences show high eCommerce purchase intent



Data from MikMak shows the purchase intent rate in Q1 2022 across categories and generations was 5.4%

Gen Z shoppers, with a purchase intent rate of 7.0%, are 1.3 times higher than all other age groups. This trend is expected to continue as more younger consumers gain higher levels of discretionary income

TikTok eCommerce is predominantly driven by female shoppers, at 3.4 times more page views, five times more purchase intent clicks and a 1.5 times higher purchase intent rate than male shoppers

Hispanic-identifying Gen Z shoppers have a purchase intent rate of 7.3%, 1.35 times the current average; and African American-identifying Gen Z shoppers have a purchase intent rate of 7.6%, 1.4 times the current average

Female shoppers show a higher purchase intent in alcohol and personal care

In Q1 2022, the purchase intent rate of female alcohol shoppers overtook male shoppers reaching 1.3 times the category average

Female shoppers have a higher purchase intent rate for beauty and are equally likely to shop online when it comes to personal care and grocery

Childless households are more likely to shop online

Households without children have the highest likelihood of doing their shopping online across all categories

As the number of children in the household increases, online purchase intent rates decrease

Methodologies:

Findings are based on data gathered from Q1 2021 to Q1 2022 on The MikMak Shopping Index, a collection of key eCommerce KPIs collected across hundreds of brands and over 250 channels and over 2000 retailer integrations on the MikMak Platform to understand consumer online shopping behavior. The Index also includes data from MikMak Shopper Intelligence, which ties first-party eCommerce data to 1,000+ demographic and psychographic data points, and can be segmented by product, retailer and more. Shopper Intelligence is available through an industry-exclusive partnership with LiveRamp.

To learn more about the MikMak Shopping Index, please visit http://www.mikmak.com.

About MikMak:

MikMak is the leading global platform for eCommerce acceleration for multichannel brands and provides analytics and eCommerce enablement software to help product manufacturers and CPG companies understand their consumers' online behavior, determine the best use of marketing dollars, and drive online sales.

The flagship product, MikMak Insights improves marketing effectiveness, drives market share over competitors, and strengthens a brand's positioning with retailers. The MikMak Commerce product enables brands to create shopping experiences connected to 1500+ online retailers and streamline the path-to-purchase from any media, ad, or website.

MikMak's investors include Wavecrest Growth Partners, VaynerMedia, Luminari Capital, SLOW Ventures, UTA Ventures, Brave Ventures, Lunch Partners, Madrona Pioneer Fund, Bazaarvoice founder Brett Hurt, Hooklogic founder/CEO Jonathan Opdyke and founding CRO John Roswech, Foursquare CEO David Shim, and Kargo CEO Harry Kargman.
Joseph R. Hardiman, James R. Garrett, Jim Smith, Brett Rogers, Ginger Mihalik, Richard Frisch at Cornerstone (Photo: Brian O'Doherty) Creating impact  real impact  for the communities in which we live and work has been an essential part of Brown Advisorys DNA since our beginnings, said Mike Hankin, President and CEO, Brown Advisory.

Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound Schools (CBOBS) annual event, The Cornerstone Celebration, returned in-person this May for the first time since 2019. Since then, and throughout the pandemic, an urgent need emerged for todays youth in Baltimore and Washington, DC, two regions served by CBOBS. After two years of isolation, students have struggled to return to normal. Educators not only need to teach reading, writing and arithmetic; they need to support the students sense of belonging within a community, reconnect them with school and peers, help them reflect and process, and develop courage to tackle their futures. Schools are looking to Outward Bound to help, but without scholarship funds to support the schools that need us, it seemed impossible.

In stepped four of the schools founding members, each of whom still sits on the Board of TrusteesRichard Frisch, James R. Garrett, Joseph R. Hardiman, and Jim Smith. Together, the four founding board members have dedicated more than 40 years of serving youth in high need communities. To date, nearly 100,000 students have participated in an Outward Bound program because of their commitment and vision.

With personal commitments, the four founding members established The Cornerstone Fund with an initial investment of $225,000. They then challenged the philanthropic and corporate communities in Baltimore and Washington, DC, to support the Fund.

Whenever Im here and able to see the mix of kids going through our programs, I know we're doing good, but this was a way to commit my life to trying to do even a little better, shared Richard Frisch.

In response to their initial gift, the philanthropic community stepped up. Brown Advisory, which holds a long-term relationship with Outward Bound, answered the call with a $250,000 donation.

Creating impact  real impact  for the communities in which we live and work has been an essential part of Brown Advisorys DNA since our beginnings, said Mike Hankin, President and CEO, Brown Advisory. In giving more students the transformative opportunity to participate in an Outward Bound program, we believe that The Cornerstone Fund will be a difference-maker for our region, said Hankin.

The Cornerstone Fund will provide valuable resources to support students from the greater Baltimore and Washington DC regions. Almost 40 years ago, the four founding board members saw first-hand the positive impact an Outward Bound program had on young people and dedicated their time and resources to building a strong foundation in which to grow and serve as many kids in our community as possible. Currently, the Fund reached a total of $1,219,864.

We have lofty goals. We are determined to ensure all children in Baltimore and Washington, DC, have access to a high-quality character-building education. The plan is to double the number of students we serve over the next five years  that's 12,000 students by 2027and expand access of our Character Curriculum to every teacher in the regions we serve, said Ginger Mihalik, Executive Director, Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School. Brown Advisory is making that possible with their contribution to The Cornerstone Fund, said Mihalik.

Bobbie, an alumna of CBOBS who spoke at the Cornerstone Celebration said, I would like to thank our four Founders for creating this wonderful program Outward Bound is a life-changing experience for teenagers like myself.

When I think about what these programs provide for kids of Baltimore City and beyondI believe it's quite a legacy and will continue for many years to come. I'm excited about the future of Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School, reflects founding Board member Joseph R. Hardiman.

Donors to The Cornerstone Fund include (alphabetical): John Avirett, Richard Berndt, Andy & Sana Brooks, Eddie & Sylvia Brown, Brown Advisory, Bunting Family Foundation, George Bunting, Alfred and Muriel Berkely, Clinton & Diana Daly, Feather Foundation at the request of James R. & Edith H. Garrett, Richard W. Frisch, A.C. & Kathryn George, Joe & Kathy Hardiman, Henry Hopkins, A.C. & Penney Hubbard Foundation, Peter R. & Cynthia A. Kellogg, Andrea Laporte, Earl & Darielle Linehan, Mary & Jim Miller, Tom O'Neil, Katrina Peters, Jim Riepe, Brett & Vicky Rogers, Mary & Frederick Savage, Truman Semans, Jim & Rosie Smith, M. David & Adena Testa, William L. and Victorine Q. Adams Foundation.

About The Cornerstone Fund

Seeded by four founding board members -- Richard Frisch, James R. Garrett, Joseph R. Hardiman, and Jim Smith  the Fund is a catalyst to secure scholarship support for students from Washington, DC and Baltimore to participate in Outward Bound programs. If you are interested to learn more about the Cornerstone Fund or wish to make a contribution, please email cornerstone@outwardboundchesapeake.org

About Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School

Outward Bound, founded in 1941 by educator Kurt Hahn, is a non-profit educational organization that serves people of all ages and backgrounds through challenging learning expeditions that focus on character development, leadership and service. Outward Bound helps individuals and teams discover strength of character and an aptitude for leadership needed to serve others in their community and care for the world around them. Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School, established in 1986, delivers programs for students and educators throughout the Baltimore and Washington DC areas. For more information, go to https://www.outwardboundchesapeake.org/.
It is an honor to be included among so many other accomplished businesses, Ontiveros said of Group O being named to the list. As a business process outsourcer, Group O is an extension of our clients brands, and this recognition further strengthens our ongoing commitment to their success.

Negocios Now, a national award-winning publication focused on Hispanic business, has included Group O in its annual list of 50 Most Powerful Hispanic Businesses in its recent edition of Whos Who in Hispanic Business. The list consists of top Hispanic-owned businesses making a clear difference in this country.

Ontiveros was recognized for turning Group O from a $50M business in 1999 into the $900+M diversified services firm it is today thanks to his entrepreneurial spirit and can-do philosophy. Ontiveros leads with a hands-on approach, remaining very involved in all facets of Group O's daily operations.

As the principal owner, Mr. Ontiveros has provided the vision necessary to attract marquee clients that represent a veritable whos who of Americas most respected brands including AT&T, Michelin, PepsiCo, Caterpillar, and Samsung.

Throughout his career, Ontiveros has mentored Hispanic and other minority and non-minority business owners and entrepreneurs. He has been candid about his lessons learned and is supportive in offering advice, referring individuals to other key contacts, collaborating to determine business opportunities with Group O, or matchmaking them with other businesses.

It is an honor to be included among so many other accomplished businesses, Ontiveros said of Group O being named to the list. As a business process outsourcer, Group O is an extension of our clients brands, and this recognition further strengthens our ongoing commitment to their success.

In addition to inclusion on the Negocios list, Ontiveros has previously been recognized by the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as an HBE Hispanic Businessman of the Year, and earned a place on HispanicBusiness Inc.s 50 Influentials.

About Group O: Group O is an end-to-end business process outsourcing provider specializing in supply chain, packaging, and incentive marketing solutions. Headquartered in Milan, Illinois, and major operations in Minnesota and Texas. Group O employs more than 1,200 professionals with diverse industry experience in optimizing inventory, materials, logistics, fulfillment, and customer engagement.

Founded in 1974 as a small, family-run packaging company, Group O has grown into a thriving $900 million enterprise with world-class industry experience under the leadership of the Ontiveros family. For more information on visit Group O.
Celebrating Abyssrium 6th Anniversary Together with global fans for the past 6 years, Abyssrium has been making a name for itself in the history of mobile healing and emotion games. This event is a celebration incorporating the world-renowned Bubble Bobble IP to express gratitude and a sense of healing towards our long-standing users."

The mobile game Abyssrium, developed by Wemade If (CEO Kim Young-Sun) and distributed by Wemade Connect (CEO Lee Ho-Dae), announced on the 5th that it will be running a huge IP collaboration and celebrative events marking its 6th anniversary.

Abyssrium, popularly known as the frontrunner of healing mobile games, will be hosting anniversary events and theme updates to mark 6 years after its release. Under the name Abyss Park, this theme update set in the era of dinosaurs will feature 36 types of original aquarium creatures and backgrounds teeming with Jurassic dinosaurs ranging from land dinosaurs to ichthyosaurs and pterosaurs.

A collaboration is also underway. The partner that Abyssrium is collaborating with is Japanese Taito Companys Bubble Bobble, which has been widely adored in Korea for more than 30 years. Publisher Wemade Connect, now gearing up to unveil this collaboration at global scale, plans to release 4 popular Bubble Bobble characters in a row all throughout July. In this collaboration, two protagonist Bub and Bob that have become dragons under a magic spell are making their appearances alongside Jen-Zhan and Drunk. The story goes that Bub and Bob came to visit Abyss Park in order to greet their look-alike dinosaurs. During this event, users can also meet characters trapped in a bubble that reanimates the original. The company stated that these exclusive characters during the event period will be bringing additional element of excitement and appeal for the users beautifying aquarium to their taste.

Wemade Connect CEO Ho-Dae Lee commented that Together with global fans for the past 6 years, Abyssrium has been making a name for itself in the history of mobile healing and emotion games. This event is a celebration incorporating the world-renowned Bubble Bobble IP to express gratitude and a sense of healing towards our long-standing users.

Meanwhile, Wemade Connect welcomes news users by showcasing various events and contents to celebrate the 6th anniversary of Abyssrium. From July 5th to August 2nd, there will be a special 'Birthday Cake' event for collecting hot air balloons and growing special ornaments, and another bingo event is to be held for clearing missions and obtaining various rewards. As an add-on, the Birthday party aquarium contents will be available until September 2nd so that users can enjoy diverse content by clearing through newly launched missions.

Announcing its official 6th anniversary event to a global audience, Abyssrium stands as one of Wemade Connects masterpieces released in 2016 and recording 60 million downloads hits to date. This game, which has long been globally received as healing, SNG, and clicker, is a chill immersive game set against the backdrop of a deep sea and populated by various animals and plants that users can collect, nurture, and beautify for themselves.

Abyssrium is downloadable on both App Store and Google Play Store.

App store: https://apps.apple.com/app/id1068366937

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.idleif.abyssrium

What is Bubble Bobble?

Bubble Bobble is a platform arcade game designed, developed, and distributed by Taito in 1986. Two brothers Bubby and Bobby, who have turned into bubble-shooting dragons Bub and Bob under a wizard's spell, descend all the way down to the 100th basement floor to save the kidnapped girlfriend while defeating enemies with bubbles. This piece gained global popularity through cute character designs of Bub and Bob, and a line of sequels have also been released accordingly. The puzzle game Puzzle Bobble featuring the same characters also became a massive hit representing the franchise. Taito, the exclusive holder of property rights for Bubble Bobble in Korea and around the world, is expecting to promote Bubble Bobble in the time to come.
Mainstream Technologies is pleased to announce the hiring of Steven James as Software Developer. His responsibilities will include designing, developing, and deploying full-stack software solutions.

Steven has over 20 years of software development experience. Most recently, he was a Senior Programmer with Infocision of Akron, OH for four years. In his earlier career, Steven alternated positions within consulting firms and corporate entities as a software developer.

He was in college for seven years where he began with pre-med and then switched to Computer Science. He eventually left college altogether for the opportunity to start his own computer company. A native of Cleveland, OH, Steven and his wife just moved to Ft. Worth, TX. They have three grown children living in Ohio. Steven is a history buff and is especially fond of the space program, World War II, and the evolution of the computer industry.

Steve Althoff, Director of Software Development said: It is great to have Steven on our development team. His years of experience in corporate and consulting environments will allow him to bring a well-rounded perspective to our customers software solutions.

ABOUT MAINSTREAM

Since 1996, Mainstream (http://www.mainstream-tech.com) has evolved into one of the most established technology services companies in the Mid-South, serving clients from its Arkansas locations including headquarters in Little Rock, a second operations facility in Conway, as well as a sales office in Bentonville. Their staff of information technology professionals serves business and government customers across the nation with Managed Technology Services, Custom Software Development Services, Cyber Security Services, and Hosting.
Softlanding is proud to announce it has won the 2022 Microsoft Canada Inclusion Changemaker Impact Award. These annual Canadian awards recognize the Microsoft partners that have focused on bettering the lives of Canadians through skilling initiatives, delivering excellent customer service, and embracing digital transformation leveraging Microsoft technology.

Being recognized as Microsofts Inclusion Changemaker Impact Award winner for the second year in a row is a tremendous honour. Leveraging technology to create an inclusive environment is core to our values as an organization, said Shaun Roberts, President of Softlanding. Im incredibly proud of our team, demonstrating once again that technology can play a key role in supporting communities across Canada.

Microsoft Canada presented these awards in 32 categories on July 5, 2022, as part of a lead-up to Microsofts Inspire conference. Winners were selected based on the outstanding work the companies provided to their customers and community.

We are pleased to recognize Softlanding as this years recipient of the Inclusion Changemaker Impact Award, said Suzanne Gagliese, Vice President, Global Partner Solutions, Microsoft Canada. Our partners have demonstrated excellence in innovation and harnessed Microsofts solutions to enable customers to achieve more. We take great pride in the diversity of our ecosystem and look forward to celebrating their outstanding achievements."

About Softlanding

Established in 2000, Softlanding is a leading provider of transformation, professional and managed IT services that helps organizations boost innovation and drive business value.

We are a multi-award-winning Microsoft Gold Partner with 14 Microsoft Gold Competencies. We use our experience and expertise to ensure our clients have the best technology solutions to solve their business challenges and thrive in an ever-changing world. We optimize the return on investment of their technology while creating a solid foundation for growth strategies, flexibility, and scalability.

Connect with Softlanding at http://www.softlanding.ca or on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
"Im thankful that Artia is blessed with two outstanding leaders: Matt and Greg," said George Kitchens, RPh, co-CEO and Senior Partner. "Im excited and humbled to work alongside them as we commit to serving our clients."

Artia Solutions is proud to announce the promotion of Greg Kitchens and Matt Dull to the role of co-CEO, alongside George Kitchens, who founded the company in 2005.

"Business complexities in our current environment demand companies to continually review the talents their leaders are blessed with and how best to use those talents to serve their clients. Consequently, I believe there is strength and wisdom in a shared leadership structure," said George Kitchens, RPh, co-CEO and Senior Partner. "Im thankful that Artia is blessed with two outstanding leaders: Matt and Greg. Im excited and humbled to work alongside them as we commit to serving our clients."

Greg Kitchens, PharmD, joined Artia in 2007, and he provides critical clinical resources and account management for our clients. Resources managed by Greg include the ARTIA app, which is a custom P&T/DUR calendar mobile app, Artia Alerts emails, and the Artia Atlas client dashboard. Other expertise includes P&T and DUR requirements and policies and the state PDL coverage process. Additionally, Greg provides clinical insight and research for product launches, state prior authorization issues, and he makes clinical presentations to P&T committees and key Medicaid decision-makers. Other responsibilities include business and technology development.

Greg interned for Dr. Tim Covington in the Managed Care Institute at Samford University and Provider Synergies. During both internships, he developed clinical and pharmacoeconomic data in order to make informed PDL decisions. He also worked for CVS/Caremark for several years after graduating pharmacy school. He is a member of AMCP, a State Advocacy Coordinator and an AMCP diplomat to Auburn. He is a graduate of Samford University, earning a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2007.

Matt Dull joined Artia in 2009, and he has over 22 years of Medicaid experience. He specializes in assisting clients with supplemental rebate negotiations and product positions, as well as Medicaid policy, fiscal, utilization, reimbursement, and program strategies. Prior to Artia Solutions, Matt served four years as a Senior Legislative Analyst for the Florida Senate, where he was responsible for developing the budget for the Florida Medicaid program and analyzing the fiscal impacts of policy proposals. In addition to his fiscal responsibilities, Matt served as a staff member of the Florida Senate Select Committee on Florida Medicaid Reform, where he was instrumental in the development of the legislation for Florida's Medicaid Reform effort. Previously, Matt served in the Office of Policy and Budget under Florida Governor Jeb Bush, where he was responsible for the development of the governor's proposed Medicaid budget.

Before joining the executive office of the governor, Matt held several positions in Florida's Medicaid administrative agency, where he most notably was responsible for launching and administering the Silver Saver Prescription Drug Discount Program, Florida's State Prescription Assistance Program (SPAP). During his tenure at the agency, he also specialized in developing reimbursement rates and providing fiscal impact analysis for prescribed drugs, hospitals, nursing homes, physicians, and other programs. Matt holds a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the College of Business at Florida State University.
Their [Kno2's] reputation of making connectivity easy for anyone in healthcare is unmatched, and we look forward to the insights and services they can bring to the network of Civitas members.

Kno2 today announced it has joined Civitas Networks for Health, the largest national network of its kind. Civitas is comprised of member organizations working to use health information exchange, health data, and multi-stakeholder, cross-sector approaches to improve health.

In our experience, communication in healthcare has been overcomplicated for way too long  requiring organizations to connect to multiple disparate systems  each requiring its own IT project to begin submitting or sharing health data. Health Information Exchanges (HIEs), providers and technology vendors struggle to get data flowing. There is simply no other industry where communication is so critically important. An error may impact the quality of life or even mortality. The interdependencies in healthcare are so great, that Kno2s sole purpose is to democratize healthcare communication for all.

Serving as healthcares largest network aggregator, Kno2s patented Communication API provides connectivity and exchange across a powerful network of connected networks, organizations, technologies, EHRs, HIEs, interoperability frameworks, and proprietary platforms that drive critical workflows all through a single integration. Technology vendors no longer have to be concerned with the heavy lift of connecting to each network or system and can stay focused on their core business and application. Kno2 handles this connectivity so that patient information can easily flow across the health care ecosystem for all purposes of use, Treatment, Payment, Operations, and Individual Access.

To affect change, one must be leading change, said Therasa Bell, Kno2s co-founder, President, and Chief Technology Officer. This is why Kno2 dedicates tremendous time and resource to participation and leadership for national and regional industry initiatives that are defining the path forward for interoperability. We are excited to join Civitas Networks for Health because our goals are closely aligned, and we believe we can bring value to Civitas members working to improve health by maximizing the way patient information is communicated and shared.

Civitas Networks for Health is excited to have Kno2 join our national network, said Civitas CEO Lisa Bari. We are raising the voices of local health collaboratives and those providing critical services to support health transformation. From the secure exchange of life-saving data to the accountability of multi-stakeholder initiatives, our member organizations have built the most trusted, connected, and inventive programs to serve their communities. Bari continued, Kno2 brings a deep understanding of various healthcare standards, interoperability frameworks, and healthcare legislation, including TEFCA. Their reputation of making connectivity easy for anyone in healthcare is unmatched, and we look forward to the insights and services they can bring to the network of Civitas members.

Kno2 is a proud sponsor of The Civitas Networks for Health 2022 Annual Conference, a Collaboration with the DirectTrust Summit in San Antonio, Texas, from August 21-24, 2022. Register to attend here and visit us at the Kno2 booth.

About Civitas Networks for Health

Civitas Networks for Health is a mission- and member-driven organization dedicated to using health information exchange, health data, and multi-stakeholder, cross-sector approaches to improve health. It was formed in October 2021 with the affiliation of the Strategic Health Information Exchange Collaborative (SHIEC) and the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement (NRHI). Civitas Networks for Health counts more than one hundred regional and statewide health information exchanges (HIEs), regional health improvement collaboratives (RHICs), quality improvement organizations (QIOs), and all-payer claims databases (APCDs) as well as more than 50 affiliated organizations as members and reaches approximately 95 percent of the United States population. To learn more, please visit http://www.civitasforhealth.org.

About Kno2

The Kno2 network enables the secure, effortless, and maximized exchange of patient information across patients, providers, payers, and IT vendors. We are empowering healthcare to finally realize the true potential of interoperability by unleashing connectivity everywhere through a simple to use Communication API and robust tools for any business. With industry disrupting economics and our passion to include the underserved, Kno2 is democratizing healthcare communications and defining the new connected future of healthcare. With a single connection to Kno2, anyone can quickly gain access to a powerful network of connected networks, EHRs, HIEs, organizations, technologies, and interoperability frameworks that gives them freedom to easily communicate with all. To learn more, visit http://www.kno2.com.
Consulting Solutions, a portfolio company of White Wolf Capital (White Wolf), today announced the acquisition of iBridge Solutions, LLC (iBridge), an information technology consulting firm with over 20 years of experience supporting some of the nations largest companies, including a loyal base of blue-chip customers. iBridge is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

The addition of iBridges clientele and consulting talent will continue to strengthen Consulting Solutions market position as one of the fastest-growing providers of workforce solutions and consulting services in North America. iBridge will become a standalone division of Consulting Solutions and will continue to focus on providing value-added services in the St. Louis area in contract, contract to hire, direct-hire placement, and Statement of Work across a range of technologies.

We are pleased to welcome the iBridge team into the Consulting Solutions family of companies, said Corry Doyle, Managing Director of White Wolf Capital. Like our other organizations, iBridges business model is customer-centric and based on providing exemplary IT consulting services and workforce solutions that enable digital transformation initiatives. Were excited about this expansion to our team as well as the cultural synergies shared with iBridge.

iBridges superior services and commitment to its clients, consultants, and employees align closely with our own values, said Michael Werblun, CEO of Consulting Solutions. We look forward to the path ahead as we continue to grow our organization through strategic acquisitions of IT service organizations that share our principles and devotion to technology innovation and expertise. In turn, iBridge customers will have access to an even broader range of consultant talent and service offerings through our lineup of companies.

iBridge is proud to become part of the Consulting Solutions team and family of brands, which offer the same integrity and focus on customer satisfaction as our own organization, said Craig Boren, Cofounder of iBridge. Were excited to better serve our long-time customers by providing broader services in partnership with the rest of the Consulting Solutions portfolio. We view this acquisition as a continuation of the iBridge story and the next chapter in our continual mission to raise the bar in terms of our consulting and service offerings dedicated to client success.

About iBridge

iBridge was founded in 2000 to provide information technology staffing services to Fortune 1000 clients, rapidly developing a reputation as a well-established and respected IT staffing firm headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that can provide quality candidates who deliver hard-to-find skillsets and drive successful client outcomes. iBridges clients span numerous industries, including Consumer Products, Healthcare, Financial Services, Retail, and Government.

About Consulting Solutions

Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, Consulting Solutions (http://www.consultingsolutions.com) is a nationally recognized leader in technology solutions and services. Consulting Solutions key practice areas include Agile Development, Application Development, Advanced Analytics, Cloud & Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Delivery Leadership, and ERP. Our scalable engagement modelsfrom individual technology consultants to strategic enterprise programsenable clients to tap into world-class talent, expertise, and services to drive technology and enterprise transformation initiatives. Consulting Solutions was recently named to the Inc. 5000 list of Americas fastest-growing private companies, the SIA Fastest-Growing Staffing Firms in the U.S. and SIA Largest Staffing Firms in the U.S., and was recognized as ClearlyRateds Best of Staffing for both Client and Talent Satisfaction.

About White Wolf

White Wolf is a private investment firm that began operations in late 2011 and is focused on making both direct and indirect investments in leading middle market companies located in North America. On the direct side, White Wolf seeks both private equity as well as private credit investment opportunities in companies with $20 million to $200 million in revenues and up to $20 million in EBITDA. Typical situations include management buyouts, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, and investments for growth. Preferred industries include Manufacturing, Business Services, Government Services, Staffing, Security, Aerospace, and Defense. In addition to making direct investments in operating companies, White Wolf also looks to invest with other private fund managers as a limited partner. Targeted investment candidates are North American-focused private credit funds looking to raise $50 million to $500 million in assets under management, with a focus on the lower-middle and middle-market. For further information, please visit: http://www.whitewolfcapital.com.
Rowdy Mermaid today celebrates the expansion of its team with Dan Olson as VP of Sales; Robyn Kinstle as Director of Sales, West; and Matt Opperman, COO/CFO (pictured left to right) We expand our team the same way we create new functional wellness beverages - by carefully exploring how theyll combine for optimal function and flare. We're thrilled to celebrate new operations, finance and sales team hires as Rowdy Mermaid continues to grow," shared Jamba Dunn, founder and CEO.

Rowdy Mermaid, a leading functional wellness beverage brand, today celebrates the expansion of its operations and finance team, as well as an expanded sales team and new broker relationship. The additions include Matt Opperman as the companys Chief Operations Officer and Chief Financial Officer (COO/CFO); Dan Olson as VP of Sales; and Robyn Kinstle as Director of Sales, West. To drive accelerated growth in both the natural and conventional channels, Rowdy has also forged an exciting new partnership with Impact Group, the Natural Specialty Sales business within Acosta known for elevating remarkable brands. The expansion of this veteran and ambitious team comes as the company experiences exciting distribution gains across the U.S. with its innovative portfolio of two distinct beverage lines: 1) Kombucha and 2) Adaptonic sparkling tonics crafted with functional mushrooms to address consumer health needs.

We expand our team the same way we create new functional wellness beverages by carefully exploring how theyll combine for optimal function and flare, said Jamba Dunn, CEO and founder of Rowdy Mermaid. The common thread among these new hires is their shared passion, intelligence, and proven track record for building successful better-for-you and wellness brands.

A passionate and eclectic team of doers and believers

Rowdy Mermaids expanded crew shares the teams belief in the power of functional beverages to do good, taste good and help people feel good. The additions include:



Matt Opperman, COO/CFO. Opperman joins Rowdy Mermaid with more than 20 years of experience directing finance and operations in organizations including international health & wellness brands, food and beverage start-ups, ecommerce and pet care leaders, and national pharmaceutical retail companies. Specifically, Opperman was the VP of Finance & Strategy for Jamba Juice and ran Finance and Accounting for Hint Water, Caveman Foods and most recently held the role of CFO/COO for I and Love and You and SkinTe where he drove improved profitability during growth. A dynamic decision-maker grounded in analytics and data, as COO/CFO of Rowdy Mermaid, Opperman will be responsible for ensuring financial stability and operational excellence. Opperman resides in Colorado and joins the Rowdy Mermaid team in its Boulder home office. The addition of Opperman to the team will allow Dunn to focus on what he loves most, discovering the power and flavor of functional botanicals, herbs and mushrooms to create combinations that leave todays wellness seeker feeling delighted and nourished.

Dan Olson, VP of Sales. Olson officially joined the Rowdy Mermaid team in April 2022, and has quickly helped the company expand its retail footprint. Olson brings vast sales leadership to the Rowdy Mermaid team with nearly 20 years of past experience in both CPG and apparel, including holding the VP of Sales position for organizations like sovos brands (Natural & Specialty Division), Enjoy Life Foods, noosa yoghurt, Chobani, as well as director of sales at PACT Apparel. As VP of Sales, Olson is excited to drive sales for the brand across multiple channels, launch unique innovative beverages into the category and to lead a high-performing sales team.

Robyn Kinstle, Director of Sales, West. Kinstle joins the Rowdy Mermaid team with 27 years of experience in CPG including brand and brokerage experience. Specifically, Kinstle held the roles of Natural Accounts Manager for Imagine Foods, and was an Account Executive at Presence, one of the worlds largest natural foods brokers. She most recently was the Senior Customer Business Sales Manager for sovos brands, where she first partnered with Olson. Kinstle is based in San Francisco and will be responsible for all West coast business across both grocery and natural channels.

Rowdy Mermaid is on a mission to bring delicious, sustainably-sourced functional plant medicine to the world, and I couldnt be more honored to help the company reach its full potential, shared Opperman. This role provides an enticing opportunity to combine my past experiences for a bigger mission - to help consumers, including me, fulfill their quest for overall well-being.

Finding Rowdy Mermaid is Easier than Ever

Earlier this year, Rowdy Mermaid announced an expanded footprint including a larger Kombucha set at Natural Grocers and key Whole Foods Market regions. Additionally, nearly 200 HEB stores began to carry Rowdy Mermaids Adaptonic Immunity beverages this spring. Gains heading into the second part of the year continue to impress and demonstrate consumer interest in enjoying Rowdy Mermaid. Specifically, several new Kroger divisions will soon carry Rowdy Mermaid functional wellness beverages, including Fred Meyer, QFC, Ralphs and Kroger Atlanta. Additionally, Sprouts now carries Rowdy Mermaid Grapefruit Rise Kombucha nationally and Wakefern will soon offer Rowdy Mermaid Kombucha to its wellness-minded shoppers.

To help further accelerate growth, Rowdy Mermaid has secured a partnership with Impact Group, a national sales and marketing agency with decades of combined experience in the retail broker and CPG industry, enabling clients like Rowdy Mermaid to more effectively connect with retailers and drive aggressive growth and sales.

Consumers can also find Rowdy Mermaid where they live, work and play at corporate campuses, colleges, restaurants and coffee/juice shops with growth in this channel up 61% in 2022.

Consumers today are seeking more than just great-tasting beverages. They want beverages that can support their health and wellness goals, shared Olson. By reinvigorating our sales team with experts known for creating meaningful retail partnerships that result in brand growth, we feel bullish about the opportunity to contribute to the expansion of the functional beverage category in boundless ways.

About Rowdy Mermaid

Rowdy Mermaids story began in 2012 when Jamba Dunn, the companys founder, began brewing homemade beer in his garage. Encouraged by his young daughter to create something she could enjoy, he was inspired to create a kombucha that wasnt so kombucha-y, meaning less sugary, less vinegary, less acidic and verifiably non-alcoholic. The result was Rowdy Mermaid kombucha, a scientifically controlled, function-forward kombucha done differently, brewed by doing the right thing across all things. Today, Rowdy Mermaid is a leading beverage brand with an expanding portfolio of functional wellness beverages. The brand continues to be committed to delivering sustainably sourced deliciousness thats also infused with functional plant medicine. Get rowdy with us at rowdymermaid.com and @rowdymermaid on Instagram and at @rowdymermaid on LinkedIn.

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Guidant Logo Small business owners often pay for enterprise systems with features that are impractical for single operator-owners, or even businesses with, say, 50 employees. With Guidant Payroll and Accounting & Tax, owners pay for the services theyre actually going to use day-to-day.

For nearly 20 years, Guidant has supplied aspiring small business owners with innovative and customized small business financing solutions, specializing in Rollovers as Business Startups, also known as 401(k) Business Financing.

Guidant has helped launch over 30,000 new businesses since 2003. Using insight and feedback from the small business owners they serve; Guidant has quietly refined their product offering. Working with hundreds of payroll and accounting & tax clients, Guidant is ready to introduce these new business service products to the public with the success of the American small business owner at the center of their strategy.

Guidants Specialty Business Services are Designed to simplify the lives of Americas Small Business Owners

Guidant Payroll is a Payroll and HR platform that fully integrates with Guidants 401(k) Administrative Services. With an emphasis on simplifying the payroll process and making annual compliance reviews easier, Guidant Payroll gives small business owners a straightforward platform to manage employee payroll and important HR documents.

I cant begin to tell you how easy it is for me to deal with my payroll now, says first-time business owner and Guidant Payroll client Terri Candelaria. I couldnt have managed all of the things I had to learn without Guidant holding my hand.

Integration with workmans compensation processes and the simplicity of uploading employee contributions are the features clients are most enthusiastic about, shows internal data.

Guidant Accounting & Tax takes the same customized, attentive service given to enterprise companies, and brings it to the small-business level.

Small business owners often pay for enterprise-level systems with features that are impractical for single operator-owners, or even businesses with, say, 50 employees states Jeremy Ames, Co-Founder and President of Guidant Financial. With Guidant Payroll and Accounting & Tax, small business owners pay for the services theyre actually going to use day-to-day.

Karl Campbell, owner of Trestle Properties, agrees with the sentiment. I like that Guidant doesnt put me off just because Im a little guy with 2.5 employees. Having Guidant help me with my books gives me the freedom to run my business and not worry about the back office

Guidants Payroll and Accounting & Tax launches are the first of many new initiatives to create a singular, one-stop-shop small business owner experience. From financing to payroll to accounting and even business valuation, Guidant is here to increase the number of successful small business owners. If you would like to try one of Guidants new business services products, get in touch by visiting https://guidantfinancial.com/business-services/ or calling 888-472-4455.

About Guidant

Guidant Financial helps business owners secure financing to start, buy, or grow a business or franchise through industry-leading financing. Visit Guidant at guidantfinancial.com.
Armed Forces Bank's Militarily Speaking podcast series is dedicated to helping the military community navigate finances, as well as military life overall. The podcast features inspiring leaders who offer solutions that give our military men and women financial and personal advantages for lifelong success.

Armed Forces Bank (AFB), a full-service military bank committed to serving those who serve since 1907, today announced the launch of its biweekly Militarily Speaking podcast series, which is dedicated to helping the military community navigate finances, as well as military life overall.

Militarily Speaking shares stories and offers insights about both good and bad financial practices, as well as strategies to help service members get ahead. The podcast discusses military benefits members should take advantage of to become more financially independent. Topics highlight resources that help service members prepare for important milestones, such as Permanent Changes of Station (PCS) moves and the eventual transition to civilian life.

At the end of each episode, the podcast concludes with its Military Minute, a guessing-game segment featuring military history, military facts and pop culture. Correct answers by listeners result in cash prizes, as well as a donation to a charity of the winners choice.

"We're excited to share amazing stories and provide a force for opportunity, security and success for our military community, said Paul Holewinski, CEO of Armed Forces Bank. The podcast features inspiring leaders who offer solutions that give our military men and women financial and personal advantages for lifelong success."

Militarily Speaking is hosted by Tom McLean and Jodi Vickery, two AFB executives with deep experience supporting military banking locations and their service members around the country (click here for bios). Tom and Jodi provide wisdom and wit as they conduct in-depth conversations with thought-leaders on key issues affecting the military community. Guests include:



Dan Bozung, author of This Civilian S**t is Hard, a book offering helpful advice on making the transition from a military career to civilian life. Bozung enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 17, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1997, and then became a naval pilot. He left active duty in 2005 and eventually graduated from Harvard Business School, only to find his transition to civilian life challenging. Bozung persevered and has words of wisdom to impart.

Danielle Adams, is a real estate agent for the MilHousing Network, which understands the journey, joys and challenges of moving as a military family. Adams is a military spouse and went through a PCS move during the pandemic.

Melanie Aguto, VA loan specialist. VA Loans are a $0-down mortgage option issued by private lenders and partially backed, or guaranteed, by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Eligible borrowers can use a VA loan to purchase a property as their primary residence or refinance an existing mortgage. Aguto is a VA loans specialist with over 27 years of experience.

Shauna Fleming is founder of A Million Thanks, a national nonprofit organization that collects and distributes letters of support and thanks directly to active duty, reserve and veteran military men and women. The organization also provides higher education scholarships to their children. Fleming founded A Million Thanks in 2004 when she was 15 years old.

Tim Ney is executive director of the Armed Services YMCA, which provides innovative, interactive programs and services designed especially for junior-enlisted service members, their spouses and their childrenall who sacrifice so much for us and our country. Ney is a retired, decorated Marine who has dedicated his life to serving others.

Kim McCallister-Young is co-director of Military Saves, which seeks to motivate, support, and encourage the entire military community to save money, reduce debt, and build wealth. McCallister-Young is a proud Air Force veteran and active-duty Army wife.

Our podcast guests offer insights and ingenuity to service members providing them with resources to adapt to life changing situations and emerge even stronger than before, said Tom McLean, SVP and Regional Military Executive for Armed Forces Bank.

Militarily Speaking is available on popular podcast platforms, including Audible, Spotify, Amazon Music and Blubrry, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. The podcast lasts 25 to 30 minutes and airs live every other week on Wednesday evenings, with the first podcast having aired on April 6. Recordings of the podcast are posted and may be listened to at no cost. Episodes are also available on Armed Forces Banks website (http://www.afbank.com/media/category/podcast), which includes a summary of each episode.

Armed Forces Banks Long-Standing Military Commitment

With its headquarters in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, AFB has been dedicated to serving military service members and their families for more than 110 years. Approximately 75% of AFB Associates have some type of military affiliation either by spouse, retired themselves or their children.

At Armed Forces Bank, we celebrate the contributions and sacrifices made by military families. As the spouse of a 20-year Army veteran, that hits home, said Jodi Vickery, EVP and Director of Military Consumer Lending for Armed Forces Bank. Our podcast gives us another important way to actively express our support and gratitude for the many sacrifices military men and women endure.

About Armed Forces Bank

Armed Forces Bank (AFB), founded and headquartered in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a full-service military bank committed to serving those who serve since 1907. With 23 locations, Armed Forces Bank has more on-installation locations than any military bank in the country. Armed Forces Bank provides affordable, personal and convenient banking and financial services to both active and retired military, as well as civilian clients in all 50 states and around the world. AFB has $1.2 billion in assets and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dickinson Financial Corporation, a $3.5 billion bank holding company headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. AFBs sister bank, Academy Bank, is a full-service community bank with over 70 branch locations in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas and Missouri. For more, visit http://www.afbank.com. Member FDIC.

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BlueConduit is a water analytics company that has developed cutting-edge, predictive machine learning software to locate lead service lines. We are thrilled to leverage this new funding to put those who are most vulnerable to lead exposure through tainted pipes, which they rely on for their drinking water, at the front of the line as we continue to scale up lead pipe removal nationwide.

The Rockefeller Foundation announced $1 million to scale BlueConduits artificial intelligence-centered approach to identifying and removing lead pipes affecting 10 million homes across the United States. Alongside its machine learning analysis, BlueConduit will provide free data analytics tools and outreach through education programs in under-resourced communities, with an interactive map of where lead in water infrastructure is concentrated. BlueConduits approach has helped cut costs by up to 70% when compared to the traditional approach of removing lead pipes in U.S. cities, stretching each city and water systems budget farther to reduce total lead exposure.

This new effort builds upon the impact and lessons learned from The Rockefeller Foundations initial funding of $200,000 in 2020 to BlueConduit, along with additional philanthropic capital from Google.org and the Kresge Foundation. In the two years since the initial funding, BlueConduit successfully inventoried half a million water service pipes in target cities Detroit and Benton Harbor, Mich.; Toledo, Ohio; and Trenton, N.J., where more than a total of one million people are impacted. In Detroit alone, city officials project BlueConduits proprietary machine learning analysis will save the city and taxpayers millions by avoiding digging in the wrong place. BlueConduits analysis has already led to the successful removal of around 20,000 lead pipes throughout the United States to date.

BlueConduit has used machine learning to remove lead service lines with big gains in efficiency and cost-effectiveness, giving communities cleaner water and overcoming long-standing public health inequities, said Zia Khan, Senior Vice President of Innovation at The Rockefeller Foundation. Were proud to have supported this solutions development. Were now excited to help scale it beyond Michigan, New Jersey, and Ohio and improve the lives of millions of additional Americans

According to the White House, there are currently an estimated 10 million homes in the United States that connect to led pipes and service lines, which makes them vulnerable to the health risks associated with lead exposure. Exposure to lead causes approximately 400,000 deaths per year, of which 20 percent of lead exposure may be attributed to lead in drinking water, potentially resulting in 80,000 deaths per year. Additionally, an analysis of the costs of lead exposure calculates the economic loss from lead is approximately $84 billion per year in medical and welfare costs, lower worker productivity, and premature deaths linked to lead exposure. BlueConduit aims to identify and replace 5 million pipes around the country.

"This funding from The Rockefeller Foundation comes at a pivotal time in our nation's progress toward a lead-free future and the growth of BlueConduit. We now have the opportunity to both efficiently and equitably remove lead pipes from the drinking water system at a national scale, said Eric Schwartz, BlueConduit co-Founder and associate professor of marketing at Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. We are thrilled to leverage this new funding to put those who are most vulnerable to lead exposure through tainted pipes, which they rely on for their drinking water, at the front of the line as we continue to scale up lead pipe removal nationwide.

Over the course of five years, BlueConduit will:



Provide free access to BlueConduit free tier, an open source lead-service inventory tool.

With this tool, anyone can access BlueConduits cutting-edge analytics and predictions for free, ensuring that disadvantaged communities are able to identify led pipes as efficiently and affordably as possible.



Launch a nationwide public-facing interactive map of lead service line inventories and state responses to water contamination.

This map will operate as a transparent scorecard for tracking the status of individual state/municipal lead eradication programs. This new map will democratize data, build public support, maintain government accountability, and work as an accessible, key resource for policymakers and others to track progress.



Increase outreach and educational programming to expand awareness and understanding of BlueConduits tools.

In addition to educating residents, media, and community organizations on the lead pipe crisis in their communities, BlueConduit will ensure its tools are effectively incorporated. By the end of 2022, BlueConduit will conduct outreach to at least 15 under-resourced communities.

About BlueConduit

BlueConduit is a water analytics company that has developed cutting-edge, predictive machine learning software to locate lead service lines. The companys solutions enable utilities to focus their resources on digging where the lead is and accelerating the removal of this significant health concern, saving millions of dollars in avoided digs. Since 2016, BlueConduit has worked with more than 50 municipalities and inventoried nearly 1 million service lines, which serve more than 2 million people. For more information, follow us on Twitter @blueconduitai or on LinkedIn.

About The Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation working to enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We work to promote the well-being of humanity and make opportunity universal. Our focus is on scaling renewable energy for all, stimulating economic mobility, and ensuring equitable access to healthy and nutritious food. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at rockefellerfoundation.org and follow us on Twitter @RockefellerFdn.
Politicians can't stop climate change, says Friends of Science Society. City of Calgary council adopted an $87 Billion climate plan, allegedly a pathway to meet Net Zero 2050 targets. Friends of Science Society issued a scathing rebuke called Pathways to Poverty.

As reported by CTV Calgary, on July 5, 2022, City of Calgary council adopted an $87 Billion climate plan, allegedly a pathway to meet Net Zero 2050 targets. Friends of Science Society issued a scathing rebuke called Pathways to Poverty. Friends of Science Societys prior rebuttal to Calgarys original emergency declaration, deemed it to be empty virtue signaling.

From the Friends of Science Societys Pathways to Poverty rebuke: Among the reasons given for the Declaration is a statement that Calgary and Alberta suffered six out the ten costliest Canadian natural disasters on record, with no details provided. If this refers to wildfire damages (e.g., Slave Lake in 2011 [arson ] and Fort McMurray in 2016) the reasons for the massive damage were poor forest management and insufficient setback between buildings and the edges of the forests. The Calgary flood of 2013 was a weather eventCalgarys downtown is built on a floodplain, so floods are a constant hazard.

The province of Alberta and numerous cities consulted with Dr. Katharine Hayhoe to forecast Albertas Climate Future using Hayhoes discredited method of downscaling Global Circulation Models to a region. Friends of Science Societys evidence-based rebuttal Facts vs. Fortune Telling shows that eight of the worst floods in Calgarys history were before 1933, two of them with higher flows than that of the 2013 flood.

Climate emergency stems from the misuse of a catastrophic but implausible scenario known as RCP 8.5. A peer-reviewed paper by Roger Pielke, Jr. and Justin Ritchie published in Elseviers Energy Research and Social Sciences explains the damage done by this misuse.

A Friends of Science Society video captures Dr. Hayhoe referencing the implausible RCP 8.5 scenario as if business-as-usual.

As shown by long-time climate policy analyst Roger Pielke, Jr., in the IPCC UN climate panels Physical Sciences report, the frequently cited extreme RCP 8.5 climate scenario is no longer seen as our likely future. Thus, the perceived climate emergency is over. We do have time, says Friends of Science.

Mayor Gondek and council claim the city program will align with the Canadian Clean Electricity Standard. Friends of Science Society has issued a report entitled Clean Electricity Standard Net Zero 2030: Reality vs Delusion. Dr. Madhav Khandekar, a 40-year veteran of Environment Canada, explains that extreme weather is integral to climate. No climate plan will stop climate change.

The Calgary Climate Hub, a project of Al Gores Climate Reality, was influential on councils decision-making. Gore has been a vocal cheerleader of the Tar Sands Campaign to block Canadian pipeline and energy projects, which has gutted the energy city of Calgary. The Vipond family, associated with the Calgary Climate Hub, is sometimes referred to by Twitterati as the Thunbergs of Canada. Dr. Vipond and his young daughter Sadie attended COP26 as reported by CBC Oct. 30, 2021. Sadie Vipond is suing the government of Canada over climate change policy, as reported by CBC on Sept. 29, 2020. Dr. Vipond was influential in the Alberta NDP-New Democratic Party's early coal phase-out campaign of 2015 which cost the province over $22 billion in compensation to coal companies. This is largely responsible for the tripling of the Alberta electricity pool power prices today.

A 2018 Friends of Science Society report entitled In the Dark on Renewables, critiqued the inept power generation claims of Climate Reality and Deloitte Insights about renewables. The True Cost of Wind and Solar for Alberta and What You Really Need to Know about Renewables (That the Pembina Institute Wont Tell You) paint a broader picture of the colossal error of Calgary City Council in approving the Pathways to Poverty says Friends of Science.

Friends of Science points out that on top of the cost of Calgarys $87 billion climate plan, taxpayers will also be underwriting the costs of Ottawas $60 billion climate plan through federal taxes. As Peter Drucker foretold in Unseen Revolution, pension fund socialism has taken over  under the guise of saving the planet.

About

Friends of Science Society is an independent group of earth, atmospheric and solar scientists, engineers, and citizens that is celebrating its 20th year of offering climate science insights. After a thorough review of a broad spectrum of literature on climate change, Friends of Science Society has concluded that the sun is the main driver of climate change, not carbon dioxide (CO2).

Friends of Science Society

P.O. Box 23167, Mission P.O.

Calgary, Alberta

Canada T2S 3B1

Toll-free Telephone: 1-888-789-9597

Web: friendsofscience.org

E-mail: contact(at)friendsofscience(dot)org

Web: climatechange101.ca
CDR Fundraising Group, a Moore company, announces a new branding approach and will now be called CDR. For forty years, CDR has been a leader in direct response fundraising with nonprofit clients in numerous sectors, including health, human services, international relief, veteran services and conservation.

We are excited to introduce CDRs new brand because it illustrates our commitment to being active participants in transforming our world for good, said Steve Harrison, president of CDR. CDR is made up of data, marketing, fundraising, analytic and creative strategists who excel at building omnichannel solutions that create transformational results for our clients and their important missions.

CDRs successful programs are defined by its ability to stay one step ahead of the ever-changing fundraising and supply-chain landscape. Having access to cutting edge data solutions and emerging channels is critical for nonprofits who want to optimize their programs. CDR helps organizations harness the power of those tools in adaptable, flexible and strategic ways to create donor-centric solutions that deliver the best experience and drive ROI.

CDR is an award-winning, full-service direct response fundraising agency that serves some of the most well-known nonprofit organizations in the world, including Wounded Warrior Project, Marine Toys for Tots Foundation and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. CDR uses the power of integration to bolster all marketing channels through consistent creative branding and messaging that ensures client success. CDR is adept at building truly effective omnichannel strategies that best serve their clients missions, using data to align their customers with their constituents.

An agency where their clients mission is their purpose and passion, CDRs best-in-class analytics drives transformational growth, said Gretchen Littlefield, chief executive officer of Moore. This cutting-edge, data-driven organization uses Moores industry-leading data tools to build omnichannel solutions for clients that raise money and build closer relationships to their supporters regardless of channel or platform.

CDRs new branding approach is effective immediately and will be implemented across company offices, digital presences, products and services. Among the changes are a new company logo, new brand colors, new website URL and new email addresses. To learn more about the services offered by CDR, visit cdrfundraising.com.

About CDR

CDR, a Moore company, is an award-winning direct response fundraising agency that has created exponential revenue growth for nonprofit organizations for nearly 40 years. CDR provides a full suite of fundraising services uniquely tailored to each of its nonprofit clients. The agencys areas of expertise include multichannel marketing, data-driven audience targeting and media planning, creative strategy and execution, brand strategy, research and analytics, and specialization in mid-level, sustainer, and catalog programs.

About Moore

Moore is a leading constituent experience management (CXM) company focused on the integration of the donor experience across all platforms, channels, and devices. With over 3,700 employees in 40 locations across the country, the company provides strategy, creative, production, media, data and analytic services powered by an ongoing investment in next-generation artificial intelligence and machine learning to nonprofit, political and association clients. Moore is a recognized key contributor in strengthening these sectors.
The Don Cheto Al Aire show is one of the most successful national morning radio shows, centered on the culture, music, and passion of Latinos and Regional Mexican Music.

Estrella Media, the transformative Spanish language media company serving a diverse multiplatform Latino audience in the U.S., launched its #1 syndicated morning radio show Don Cheto Al Aire on La Indiscreta 106.7 in Phoenix, AZ on Monday, July 4. The Don Cheto Al Aire show is one of the most successful national morning radio shows, centered on the culture, music, and passion of Latinos and Regional Mexican Music. The show is hosted by renowned Estrella radio and television personality Don Cheto, along with Giselle Bravo, Chino, and Said Garcia.

I am very honored and excited to be a part of the Hispanic community in Phoenix and to join them live every morning, said Don Cheto. We are going to continue to inform, empower, and entertain our fans in Phoenix, as well as across the U.S. and Mexico.

Estrella Medias Don Cheto Radio Network, home to Don Cheto Al Aire, is one of the most successful independent radio networks in Spanish language radio. La Indiscreta 106.7 is an important new affiliate partner. The station is the leading Regional Mexican music genre station and the youngest station of its kind in Phoenix.

As one of the most recognized personalities in Spanish language radio, Don Cheto and his team bring humor, music, and Mexican culture to their daily morning talk show. Featuring regional Mexican music and in-studio guests, the Don Cheto Al Aire show is the most important and culturally relevant Spanish language radio shows, syndicated in 34 markets in the U.S. and Mexico. The long-running show is a vibrant cultural touchstone connecting millions of households across North America. Don Chetos free-flowing opinions touch on everything from sports, politics, and music to advice for call-in listeners on subjects as diverse as nutrition, home remedies, child-rearing, and romance. The show is host to a weekly list of award-winning recording artists, actors, athletes, and comedians who join Don Cheto to share and promote their music, movies, tours, and sporting events.

"We knew that Don Chetos show was a must for our morning drive audience. So, when the opportunity opened, we said yes, said Ricardo Castro, CEO, La Indiscreta. Im very excited for the future of our station and our morning show. Don Cheto and his sidekicks Giselle, Chino, and Said are a fantastic addition to our lineup. This show will reach out to our multi-generational audiences in the Phoenix Metro."

About Estrella Media, Inc.

Estrella Media is a leading Spanish-language media company and one of the largest U.S. producers of Spanish-language video and audio content for multiplatform distribution worldwide, with a library of over 20,000 hours of original video content.

Estrella Media's content studio feeds all its digital and linear media platforms, including EstrellaTV, its national broadcast television network that is seen on 16 owned or operated stations and 33 affiliated stations, as well as through cable and satellite providers and digital streaming platforms; Estrella News, the first 24/7 Spanish-language multiplatform digital news network in the U.S.; and Estrella Games, the first 24/7 curated Spanish-language game show channel in the U.S. In 2021, Estrella Media's digital content surpassed one billion viewership minutes.

Estrella Media also owns and operates 14 radio stations and the Don Cheto Radio Network, airing on 33 affiliated stations throughout the U.S., featuring one of the nation's most popular radio talents, Don Cheto. Estrella Media also produces large-scale music festivals, concerts, and special events throughout the U.S.

To learn more about Estrella Media and see company updates, please visit Estrella Media at estrellamedia.com, and follow us on Twitter @Estrellamedia_, Facebook @Estrellamediainc, and LinkedIn @Estrella Media, Inc.

Contacts for Estrella Media:

Hanna Bolte, HBolte@EstrellaMedia.com, 310-497-5586

Dina White, DWhite@EstrellaMedia.com, 917-226-8366
Clovity & EUCAST partner to create "IoT network in a Box" that will revolutionize the industry! This new strategic partnership will re-shape how we go to market with many of our industrial and smart city clients as a start.

San Francisco Bay Area based Clovity has partnered with Colorado based company EUCAST Global in a strategic move that will align the private network capabilities of EUCAST and their steadfast, reliable and low latency 5G/CBRS radio base stations with Clovity's highly capable IoT software platform. The end result is an 'IoT network in a box'. A fully deployable private network capability coupled with the software that can bring forward smart devices and aggregated data that is truly at the edge of a network.

Chief Strategy Officer, Chris Medina says, "This new strategic partnership will re-shape how we go to market with many of our industrial and smart city clients as a start. We are already seeing the synergies in providing a turn-key solution that meets the needs of clients wanting to manage their smart devices remotely by placing them onto a network that is both secure and highly scalable. Our IoT software, called CSensorNet, reads data from these devices and can display analytics right from the network using our artificial intelligence and edge component of our IoT application."

Medina further commented that, "Clients are focused on security of their network and the devices that provide critical information. This is not just on the infrastructure but also data that can be used to make real time decisions and even facilitate machine learning. More and more companies are moving to Private Networks and deploying them to capture the CBRS spectrum as a cost savings compared to big telco infrastructure and costly cellular usage fees."

The global private 5G network market size was valued at USD 1.38 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 47.5% from 2022 to 2030 and the IoT market is expected to grow by USD 421.28 billion at a CAGR of 32.95% as per the latest market report by Technavio and Grandview researchers. The EUCAST and Clovity partnership seeks to capitalize on this and begin to revolutionize an already disruptive industry.

More About Clovity

Clovity is a San Francisco based IoT-as-a-Service platform provider powered by CSensorNet and Digital Transformation professional and managed services provider in IoT Digital, Cloud and Data who has earned the trust of top Fortune 500 Companies.

Our proprietary platform CSensorNet connects companies to their assets and the world of things around them. We have engineered our solution to provide edge computing, artificial intelligence, cloud agnostic and network, coupled with powerful data analytics and data visualization. Our deployments provide IoT capabilities in days, not months, Clovity simplifies the deployment, management & operations of IoT solutions. We operate in several models of IoT deployment, most relevant is IoT-as-a-Service. By providing all hardware, software, and professional support all for a single monthly price. Our service includes data analytics, 24x7 tech support, hardware replenishment or replacement, on-line customer portal and a team of engineers to ensure the solutions are future proof.

Whether on the forefront of working with our clients on 5G products for the next generation of Smart Cities or Smart Infrastructure, Smart Sustainable Buildings, Connected Healthcare, and Connected Spaces or developing new solutions for global Asset Tracking and Asset Management, our services can scale to meet any demand and in any vertical.

We are a supplier to the Federal Government, numerous Public sector organizations and Fortune to high growth technology companies. We are minority owned business enterprise and Diversified & Inclusive certified. Clovity was selected in the top quarter of all companies award on the 2021 Inc. 5000 list, 2020 Emerging Company of the Year for the Enterprise Market and again in 2021 as "Global IoT Innovation Vendor of the Year by IoT Vendor Breakthrough Awards and in the Top 50 IoT Enterprise growth companies for 2018 & 2019 by CIO Review Magazine.

Follow us at:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clovity/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClovityInc

About EUCAST Global

EUCAST provides end-to-end advanced wireless access solutions, comprised of base stations, control servers and gateway, core network, network management systems, and user devices. EUCAST has been a leading force in the advanced wireless access technology marketplace for more than a decade.

Please visit http://www.eu-cast.com/

For more information or to schedule an interview with a EUCAST spokesperson, contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357 or daniel.rene@kglobal.com.
Whether it's copyright compliance or ensuring you have a work-for-hire clause in your contracts, developers are able to learn from the mistakes of others to make sure they will thrive from day one long into the future.

On July 7th 2022, The European Commission in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is hosting a discussion regarding intellectual property in the digital age to address topics concerning trade agreements, small business interests, and how intellectual property influences nearly every aspect of modern life. Decisions made by lawmakers will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on how organizations of every size keep their digital intellectual property protected.

Marc Fischer, CEO and Cofounder of Dogtown Media, will be speaking directly to government officials, legal professionals, and small and medium businesses that are operating in the high technology space. According to Marc Fischer, a smart IP strategy helps a tech company thrive and grow long into the future, whereas a lack-luster strategy can cost an organization time, resources and money. It's important for app developers to be thinking about intellectual property before any pixels are designed or software code is written.

Whether its copyright compliance or ensuring you have a work for hire clause in your contracts, developers are able to learn best practices to ensure they will thrive from day one long into the future, said Marc Fischer Co-Founder and CEO of Dogtown Media.

To further this discussion regarding intellectual property for technology creators in the US and the European Union, The European Commission (EC) and United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) are set to host this digital roundtable where government officials, policymakers, small business leaders, and tech entrepreneurs meet to educate, drive change and inspire tomorrows business and government leaders to foster impactful change. Its anticipated that upwards of 700 tech leaders and IP stakeholders will be in attendance for this upcoming event.

As a global government agency, the USPTO advises the president of the United States, the secretary of commerce, and U.S. government agencies on intellectual property (IP) policy, protection, and enforcement. Further, the USPTO furthers effective IP protection for U.S. innovators and entrepreneurs worldwide by working with other agencies to secure strong IP provisions in free trade and other international agreements.

Dogtown Medias Marc Fischer, an American-based mobile app development company, is among the invited speakers to discuss the importance of intellectual property regarding the development of new technology. As an advocate for fighting for policy change, Marc Fischer has spoken at other forums such as AppCon, organized by ACT | The App Association, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), A United Nations Agency, on important topics that influence the trajectory of how technology is used in todays digital world.

Based in The United States, Dogtown Media is a mobile technology studio that leverages disruptive design strategies and dynamic development to deliver industry-leading apps. To date, Dogtown Media has created over 250 mobile apps in industries including Healthcare app development, IoT and Artificial Intelligence.


"Well have a wide variety of products in-stock to support the unique needs of Port Huron manufacturing." Bill Falardeau, Sales Manager said.

Exotic Automation & Supply, a premier Parker Hannifin distributor, announced today the opening of their newest retail store location in Marysville, MI. The location will support greater Port Hurons industrial and manufacturing base with hose, fitting, hydraulic, pneumatic & filtration products from a variety of manufacturers including Parker Hannifin, SKF, Enerpac, Destaco, ACE Controls & more. The store is located at 1182 Gratiot Blvd. Marysville, MI 48040.

The location marks Exotics 13th retail store location throughout Michigan and Indiana. Exotic has grown rapidly over the past few years, opening several new locations to support needs from their customer base.

We are so happy to finally be in Port Huron and better support our customers in the area. Bill Falardeau, Sales Manager said. Well have a wide variety of products in-stock to support the unique needs of Port Huron manufacturing.

The store will have several dedicated demo stations aimed to help customers find solutions to their applications. The demos range from Aluminum Air Pipe to Engineered Power Unit Solutions.

We hope the new Port Huron store becomes a hub customers can go to for in-depth information and training on all things fluid power. Steve Orlando, Vice President of Sales and Marketing said. Beginning this fall, we will offer complementary training and development classes monthly at this branch which will cover an extensive range of topics.

To celebrate the new store opening, the company will host a Grand Opening celebration on Thursday, July 28th, 2022 from 11:00am to 2:00pm. The event will feature catered food from Alexanders, product demonstrations, giveaways and free training classes, including Industrial Lubrication Practices at 11:00am and Introduction to Electromechanical Control at 1:00pm. Customers are encouraged to RSVP on the companys website at: https://www.exoticautomation.com/event/marysville-grand-opening/.

For more information, please visit: http://www.exoticautomation.com.

About Exotic Automation & Supply: Exotic Automation & Supply was founded in 1963 and has grown to become one of Parker Hannifins largest distributors in the United States. Exotics headquarters is located in New Hudson, Michigan. The company maintains full-service centers throughout Michigan & Indiana with locations in Ann Arbor, Freeland (Saginaw), Lansing, Taylor, Flint, Indianapolis, Jackson, Livonia, Noblesville, Port Huron, Rochester Hills, Shelby Township as well as at the main New Hudson complex.


This purchase will allow us to have a greater manufacturing capacity,

Highland Holdings II LLC, announced today that it has signed a purchase agreement to acquire Precision Manufacturing Company Inc. in Dayton, Ohio. This agreement will become official with an anticipated closing in the third quarter of 2022. The acquisition will further strengthen Highland Holdings LLC as a leader in the wire harness industry.

In the nearly two years since Highland Holdings took over the day-to-day operations of Minnesota-based MNSTAR, sales have increased by 100 percent. Adding a second Wire Harness manufacturing company will allow Highland Holdings to immediately expand capacity to help the company keep pace with increasing marketplace demand.

This purchase will allow us to have a greater manufacturing capacity, said George Klus, CEO and President of Highland Holdings LLC. When a company like ours has more resources and facilities we are able to better meet the needs of customers, putting us in the next level of growth.

Precision Manufacturing Company Inc is a Dayton, Ohio Family owned business since 1967 which employs more than 100 employees. Highland Holdings is intending to keep the Ohio factory open and keeping the Precision name, strengthening the Highland Holdings footprint further into the geographical market.

Adding Precision Manufacturing to the Highland Holdings LLC family will help Highland expand their customer base.

Both companies are strong players and highly respected in the wire harness industry, said Tammy Wersal, Chief Operations Officer of Highland Holdings LLC. We are excited to continue our robust performance in the marketplace and adding this family business puts us in a great position to continue that trend.

Klus said that the wire harness industry is currently strong and growing, and it is important to keep up with demand. This acquisition helps meet those needs.

Our customers are seeing a greater demand in the products we are making, said Klus. As our customers grow, because of increased demand, so does their need for the high quality, custom products that we provide for them.

Attention reporters and editors:

All the newsmakers in this release are available for interviews  to make scheduling easy and hassle free contact Robb Leer, publicist 612.701.0608 robbl@leercommunication.com

About Highland Holdings, LLC d.b.a. MNSTAR Group: Highland Holdings, LLC d.b.a. MNSTAR Group is a leader in providing electrical system solutions and high-quality manufactured wire harnesses. Founded 30 years ago in a Grand Rapids basement and garage, MNSTAR has grown to be a leader in the wire harness industry which serves manufacturers of cars, emergency vehicles, boats, agricultural equipment, and heavy industry construction vehicles. For more information on MNSTAR Group please visit https://mnstar.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/MNSTAR.Group.1
Amidst the fight for election integrity and transparency, the Biden administration launched a government-funded, campaign-style get-out-the-vote effort while keeping the American people in the dark, said Tarren Bragdon, FGA President and CEO.

Today the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) joined the Center for Renewing America (CRA) in calling for state action against the Biden administrations drive to register and mobilize voters through Executive Order 14019.

After the release of President Bidens executive order, the U.S. Department of Labor boasted of a first-of-its-kind action to issue guidance to states to designate the 2,300 American Job Centers as voter registration agencies under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and to invite non-partisan organizations from a list approved by the White House to conduct voter outreach activities.

In the joint letter sent to state attorneys general and secretaries of state, FGA and CRA urge states to disregard the Biden administrations guidance and keep job centers politics-free.

Amidst the fight for election integrity and transparency, the Biden administration launched a government-funded, campaign-style get-out-the-vote effort while keeping the American people in the dark, said Tarren Bragdon, FGA President and CEO. Today, politicized agencies staffed with President Bidens appointees have issued new election guidance dressed up to look like binding law. States should seek to challenge inaccurate or unlawful guidance to protect local officials and preserve the integrity of state elections.

Those of us who value election integrity and a separation of government and political activity do not have to be mere spectators," said Russ Vought, CRA President. We strongly urge those in positions of power to stop President Bidens power grab and act soon."

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The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) is a non-profit, multi-state think tank that promotes public policy solutions to create opportunities for every American to experience the American Dream. To learn more, visit TheFGA.org.
Stop Living for the Lord: and let the Lord live through you: a helpful resource for those who seek a deeper understanding of Gods word. Stop Living for the Lord: and let the Lord live through you is the creation of published author G. Duane Lawrence, a Christian teacher, and counselor. He has been married for over thirty years, has four children, several grandchildren, and resides in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona.

Lawrence shares, This book is a far cry from the traditional Christian teaching. If you have been born again it is important to know that with your new birth came a new life, in other words a new identity. As a result, it is critically important to understand your new identity, a perfect child of the living God.

Unfortunately, too many Christians are not clear about what happens to them at the point of salvation. Going to heaven and living a life that is pleasing to God is all they are typically taught. This teaching motivates Christians to perform to gain Gods acceptance through the observance of Christian traditions such as church attendance, tithing, bible reading and clean living that often results in disappointment, frustration, and burn out.

In these pages you will discover two powerful facts revealed in the Bible:

First, if you are a child of God you are no longer a sinner. You do not sin and in fact you cannot sin.

Next, since you are not a sinner you are perfect and he is already pleased with you.

The truth of God will be clarified concerning your freedom from sin, your perfect identity in Christ, resting in him and no longer performing to gain Gods acceptance. Learn to put to rest any concern about whether or not you are right enough with God, close enough to God and what to expect on the day you stand before him. You will finally be able to stop living for the Lord and let the Lord live through you.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, G. Duane Lawrences new book will encourage and motivate readers as they consider the important message held within.

Lawrence shares in hopes of empowering others on their path to living a life of dedicated faith.

Consumers can purchase Stop Living for the Lord: and let the Lord live through you at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Stop Living for the Lord: and let the Lord live through you, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Carissa Maxwell, Founder of Glow Real Estate Collection We are so excited and honored to shine light on what we know people want when they call a real estate agent for help

Glow Real Estate Collection today announced its partnership with Side, the only real estate technology company that exclusively partners with high-performing agents, teams, and independent brokerages to transform them into market-leading boutique brands and businesses. The alliance will ensure that Glow Real Estate Collection, a company that shines bright in the communities it serves, is powered by the industrys most advanced platform.

Glow Real Estate Collection was founded by Carissa Maxwell, who began her real estate career in two markets  the Sedona Verde Valley and the Prescott Quad Cities  and created a very distinct, successful niche. That prompted her previous brokerage to open offices in her target areas. She and her team, The Maxwell Group, have closed between 120 and 150 transactions annually for the past nine years, and they generated more than $32 million in sales in 2021. Glow Real Estate Collection serves buyers and sellers of residential, commercial, and land transactions throughout the Sedona Verde Valley and the Prescott Quad Cities. It is also the new home of The Maxwell Group.

At Glow, we are so excited and honored to shine light on what we know people want when they call a real estate agent for help, Maxwell said. We also love sharing our knowledge of the neighborhoods, culture, and lifestyle that make the Sedona Verde Valley and Prescott Quad Cities the unique and beautiful places that they are.

Partnering with Side will ensure Glow Real Estate Collection remains on the cutting edge of the evolving real estate market while continuing to deliver premium services to its clients. Side works behind the scenes, supporting Glow Real Estate Collection with a one-of-a-kind brokerage platform that includes proprietary technology, transaction management, branding and marketing services, public relations, legal support, lead generation, vendor management, infrastructure solutions, and more. Additionally, Glow Real Estate Collection will join an exclusive group of Side partners, tapping into an expansive network from coast to coast.

Side provides the tech, marketing, and behind-the-scenes support that allow our agents and me to remain front and center and focus on our relationships and exponential growth, Maxwell said.

About Glow Real Estate Collection

Glow Real Estate Collections motto is Advise and shine. High-touch, authentic, and down-to-earth, these agents elevate and value communication at every turn and focus on whats important to clients. With their bold, tech-fresh approach to real estate, Glow agents do everything they can to deliver everything their clients want in a home, while also helping them achieve a lifestyle around the outdoors in the Sedona Verde Valley and Prescott Quad Cities. Glow Real Estate Collection has offices in both Prescott, Arizona, and the Sedona Verde Valley. For more information, visit http://www.glowreaz.com.

About Side

Side is a behind-the-scenes brokerage platform that exclusively partners with top-performing agents, teams, and independent brokerages to create and grow their own boutique brands without the cost, time, or risk of operating a brokerage. Sides proprietary technology platform and premier support solutions empower its agent partners to be more productive, grow their business, and focus on serving their clients. Side is headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, visit http://www.sideinc.com.
International Association of Registered Financial Consultants Be sure to ask me about our elite, accredited Master Registered Financial Consultant (MRFC) credential and what that means to your clients and prospects... IARFC COO Charlotte Isbell to Money Concept advisors who are attending the 2022 Financial Planning Congress.

On hand to discuss the various designations and credential will be the Managing Regional Director, Dr. Constance Craig-Mason, MRFC and the IARFC COO, Charlotte Isbell. They have plenty of information for those interested and will be located at Booth 20.

We are excited to be post-pandemic and amongst our friends at Money Concepts here in Vermont, remarked Isbell. I look forward to sharing the benefits that come with IARFC membership and how we serve the professionals in the financial services industry. Be sure to ask me about our elite, accredited Master Registered Financial Consultant (MRFC) credential and what that means to your clients and prospects.

Money Concepts has been a long-time supporter of the IARFC, particularly in the area of corporate sponsorship of the Associations National Financial Plan Competition. Barry Dayley, MRFC, CFP and Money Concepts Executive Vice President has been an ardent supporter of this event and has counseled many of the young people who have come through the program. In addition, he has lent his guidance during the accreditation process of the Master Registered Financial Consultant credential through the National Commission of Certifying Agencies.

We welcome the IARFC to our 2022 Money Concepts Financial Planning Congress here in Stowe, Vermont, comments Dayley. Many of our Money Concepts advisors are also members of the Association and hold their RFC designation or MRFC credential. I encourage our advisors to connect with their representatives and explore what the IARFC has to offer.

Those interested should stop by Booth 20 and find out more about becoming part of an Association whose mission is to serve the public by backing consultants that adhere to high ethical standards and are life-long learners of their chosen vocation in financial services. Visit the IARFC website for complete information and a check out the special offer - good only during the event.


ICW Group celebrates 50 Years as a top-tier, multi-line property & casualty insurance carrier. To see how far weve come in a relatively short time fills me with tremendous pride, said Kevin Prior, president and CEO of ICW Group. The pride I have for this milestone is exceeded only by my excitement for the future."

ICW Group Insurance Companies, a leading group of property and casualty carriers, celebrates 50 years of financial strength, stability, and consistent growth within the P&C insurance industry.

Founded by businessman and philanthropist Ernest Rady, ICW Group opened its doors in San Diego, Calif., with just a few employees and a vision to become a top-tier, multi-line insurance carrier. Today, the company, still based in San Diego, has more than 1,000 employees at offices nationwide serving, policyholders across hundreds of industries.

To see how far weve come in a relatively short time fills me with tremendous pride, said Kevin Prior, president and CEO of ICW Group, who has been with the company for more than 30 years. The pride I have for this milestone is exceeded only by my excitement for the future. Weve got aggressive expansion plans in the works and a team of highly skilled employees focused on fulfilling our mission to create the best insurance experience possible for our policyholders and agent partners.

Prior adds, the success experienced over the years, coupled with a deep-rooted commitment to philanthropy established by founder and Board Chair Rady, has afforded ICW Group the opportunity to make significant impacts in the communities where they operate.

Together, through numerous annual giving campaigns, ICW Group and our Team Members have donated over $2 million to San Diego-based non-profit Promises2Kids and other regional charities, said Prior. Through our Team Member matching donation program, ICW Group continues to help these wonderful organizations support our at-risk youth and give children a brighter future.

This is on top of ICW Groups familys charitable commitments, which exceed $600 million through Evelyn and Ernest Radys generous contributions over the years and the 46,000 job-related volunteer hours logged by Team Members across the country since 2017. The company also has the unique distinction of having 98.5 percent of its shares earmarked to go into a charitable trust for the benefit of charitable causes.

ICW Groups future growth plans include expanding its lines of business, providing more unique value-added service offerings, and investing in new innovative technologies. The company is preparing to launch its commercial package business later this year, adding to its already strong workers compensation, commercial earthquake, and assumed reassurance businesses.

We couldnt be more excited about the next 50 years at ICW Group and all of the opportunities they will bring for our business, our team members, and our communities, adds Prior.

To view ICW Groups history, see its 50th Anniversary timeline.

About ICW Group

Based in San Diego, ICW Group Insurance Companies is the largest privately-held insurance company domiciled in California. Quoting more than $3.5 billion annually, ICW Group represents a group of Workers Compensation, Assumed Reinsurance and Catastrophe insurance carriers, including Insurance Company of the West and Explorer Insurance Company. ICW Group is recognized nationally as an industry leader in helping policyholders achieve fewer and less costly claims while elevating the trusted agents who advise them. More information is available at http://www.icwgroup.com, http://www.twitter.com/ICWGroup, http://www.linkedin.com/companies/icw-group and http://www.facebook.com/ICWGroup.


Chris Clemens and Sarah Bilyeu have joined KCD PR, bringing with them a wealth of public relations expertise in the financial services, fintech and tech industries.

KCD PR, an award-winning integrated communications agency for the financial services, fintech and technology industries, today announced the addition of two new established communicators to its leadership team. Chris Clemens and Sarah Bilyeu have joined KCD PR, bringing with them a wealth of public relations expertise in the financial services, fintech and tech industries. In the vice president roles, Mr. Clemens and Ms. Bilyeu are an integral part of the leadership team and responsible for creating and implementing communications campaigns to cultivate and enhance meaningful relationships with key audiences to advance brand identity and drive consumer adoption of client products and services.

I am incredibly excited to work with Chris and Sarah, both proven leaders in elevating brands through effective public and media relations, communications and marketing strategies, said Kevin Dinino, President of KCD PR. Our firm has served the financial services and fintech space for over 10 years and continues to see strong growth across the industry. The addition of these two exceptional leaders will not only expand the firms depth of knowledge and relationships but also enhance our reach while better serving new and existing clients.

Mr. Clemens joins KCD PR with over 20 years of experience in the financial services and technology industries. He came to KCD PR after more than a decade at a financial services-focused strategic communications and public relations agency that he helped build from a two-person startup to an established national firm. Prior to that, Mr. Clemens spent nine years in the investment banking and mergers and acquisitions space, with a primary focus on executing strategic transactions for technology and telecom companies. During the span of his PR career, hes represented leading firms such as Oppenheimer & Co., Advisor Group, Cetera Financial Group and the Financial Services Institute, among many others, with a focus on creating value for clients through high-impact messaging and media strategies that tell their stories to key audiences. Mr. Clemens holds a bachelors degree in History from Yale University.

I am tremendously excited to be part of the KCD PR team, said Mr. Clemens. Kevin has created a powerful firm with exceptional capabilities across the fintech, financial services and technology sectors, with a strong client roster of both established firms and fast-growing startups. I look forward to telling our clients stories to help them achieve the visibility they richly deserve, and to working alongside Sarah and the other members of our team to drive further strategic growth for KCD PR.

Ms. Bilyeu joins the agency with nearly 20 years of experience in developing effective communications campaigns to raise brand awareness, drive sales and garner positive engagement among key audiences. Most recently, Ms. Bilyeu served nearly nine years as Senior Vice President of Business Development and Community Relations at San Diego County Credit Union, one of the nations top credit unions, where she elevated awareness and engagement in many PR, marketing and community initiatives to help grow the credit union to more than $10 billion in assets. Ms. Bilyeu was named IABC-San Diegos 2021 Communicator of the Year and recognized by San Diego Metro Magazine with a 40 Under 40 award in 2017, among many accolades for her work. Ms. Bilyeu holds a bachelors degree in Journalism and Political Science from San Diego State University and a master's degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing from Ashford University.

I am thrilled to join the talented team of communications professionals at KCD PR. I have known Kevin for many years as a professional colleague and leader in the fintech communications space and look forward to working alongside a leader of his caliber to help grow the agency and serve our diverse portfolio of clients, said Ms. Bilyeu. I am most excited to influence positive brand recognition and elevate the voice of clients through my expertise as well as an innate passion for storytelling and cultivating interest in stakeholders, employees, the community and media.

About KCD PR

The KCD PR team leverages its deep financial and technology industry knowledge to develop and implement integrated communications campaigns that drive bottom-line results. Since 2009, KCD PR has cultivated a diverse client list from fast-moving technology startups to well established Fortune 500 brands. The agency offers a full-service suite of communications services such as media relations, executive visibility and thought leadership, content marketing and digital campaign management. Details on KCD PRs services are available at http://www.kcdpr.com/capabilities/kcd-pr-agency-services/.
Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP For more information about the class action lawsuit against Alta California Regional Center, Inc., call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

The San Francisco employment law attorneys at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a class action complaint alleging that Alta California Regional Center, Inc. violated the California Labor Code. The Alta California Regional Center, Inc., class action lawsuit, Case No. 34-2022-00320843, is currently pending in the Sacramento County Superior Court of the State of California. A copy of the Complaint can be read here.

The complaint alleges Alta California Regional Center, Inc. failed to reimburse employees for required business expenses. California Labor Code  2802 expressly states that "an employer shall indemnify his or her employee for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties..." During employment, Plaintiff and other California Class Members were allegedly required to use their personal cellular phones and incurred business expenses as a result.

Additionally, Alta California Regional Center, Inc. allegedly failed to fully relieve employees for their legally required thirty (30) minute meal breaks. Employees were also allegedly required, from time to time, to work in excess of four (4) hours without being provided the legally required ten (10) minute rest periods. The California Supreme Court defines off-duty rest periods as time during which an employee is relieved from all work related duties and free from employer control.

For more information about the class action lawsuit against Alta California Regional Center, Inc., call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is an employment law firm with offices located in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside and Chicago that dedicates its practice to helping employees, investors and consumers fight back against unfair business practices, including violations of the California Labor Code and Fair Labor Standards Act. If you need help in collecting unpaid overtime wages, unpaid commissions, being wrongfully terminated from work, and other employment law claims, contact one of their attorneys today.

***THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT***
Lerner & Rowe Injury Attorneys - 2022 Las Vegas Backpack Giveaways Child should have the tools they need to get the education that they deserve.

Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys is supporting vulnerable and underserved youth across Clark County by participating in four FREE southern Nevada back to school events scheduled to take place every Saturday from July 15, 2022 through August 6, 2021. At each event the law firm will give away 250 backpacks stuffed with school supplies in partnership with Cox Communications and the Clark County School District Police Department (CCSD PD). Other community services providers and businesses will also be in attendance offering a variety of items and services to help families offset financial expenses associated with preparing for the 2022-2023 school year.

Its an unfortunate truth that some students may not get the education they deserve because of financial obstacles. We believe that every child should have the tools they need to get the education that they deserve. That is why we are thrilled to join forces and partner with COX Communications and the Clark County School District Police Department at four back to school events directly benefiting at-risk youth across the Las Vegas Valley and in Henderson, shared attorney Glen Lerner.

Lerner and Rowes supportive activities for Las Vegas and Henderson area K-12 students include:

Date: Saturday, July 16, 2022

Location: Downtown Summerlin (1980 Festival Plaza Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89135)

Time: 10:00 a.m.  2:00 p.m.

In partnership with COX Communications and the CCSD PD, Lerner and Rowe is participating in an indoor back to school event at the Downtown Summerlin shopping center. During the event our team will be giving away FREE backpacks stuffed with school supplies! Backpacks and school supplies are limited and will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last.

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Date: Saturday, July 23, 2022

Location: Boulevard Mall (3528 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89169)

Time: 11:00 a.m.  3:00 p.m.

In partnership with COX Communications and the CCSD PD, Lerner and Rowe is participating in an indoor back to school event at the Boulevard Mall. During the event our team will be giving away FREE backpacks stuffed with school supplies! Backpacks and school supplies are limited and will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last.

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Date: Saturday, July 30, 2022

Location: Meadows Mall (4300 Meadows Ln, Las Vegas, NV 89107)

Time: 11:00 a.m.  3:00 p.m.

In partnership with COX Communications and the CCSD PD, Lerner and Rowe is participating in an indoor back to school event at the Meadows Mall. During the event our team will be giving away FREE backpacks stuffed with school supplies! Backpacks and school supplies are limited and will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last.

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Date: Saturday, August 6, 2022

Location: Galleria Mall (1300 W Sunset Rd, Henderson, NV 89014)

Time: 10:00 a.m.  2:00 p.m.

In partnership with COX Communications and the CCSD PD, Lerner and Rowe is participating in an indoor back to school event at the Galleria Mall. During the event our team will be giving away FREE backpacks stuffed with school supplies! Backpacks and school supplies are limited and will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last.

Anyone interested in learning more about Lerner and Rowes involvement at these FREE back to school events in Las Vegas and Henderson should contact Guy Williams by email at gwilliams@lernerandrowe.com, by phone at (702) 858-9941, or by visiting LernerAndRowe.com/Free-Backpacks/.

More About Lerner and Rowe

Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys is a powerhouse law firm in representing personal injury clients. Attorneys Glen Lerner and Kevin Rowe have grown their law firm into one of the largest personal injury firms in the country, with over 50 attorneys and nearly 400 support employees located in Nevada, Indiana, Illinois, Arizona, California, Washington, Oregon, New Mexico, and Tennessee. The law firms continuous exalted levels of success can be attributed to the high levels of respect and dignity shown to victims and family members hurt in an accident.

For those injured outside one of the previously listed states, Lerner and Rowe has an established network of attorneys across the country, ready to help. The firm takes pride in nourishing these relationships as they know a personal injury attorney can make all the difference in obtaining fair compensation for the pain and suffering inflicted upon the victims of tortious conduct.

For more information about Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys in Southern Nevada, please call 702-877-1500. To connect with the law firm socially, follow Lerner and Rowe on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, or become a fan of its Facebook page. Also, visit lernerandrowegivesback.com to learn more about the many other community services that the lawyers and legal support team of Lerner and Rowe actively support.

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MCIs expertise and commitment to the industry will allow NYWICI to move further faster, so we couldnt be happier to begin this journey together.

MCI USAs Association Solutions division is pleased to welcome New York Women in Communications (NYWICI) as a new full-service association management client. With over 2,500 members representing a broad range of communications disciplines, NYWICIs mission is to empower women in the communications field at every career stage to reach their full potential and navigate the ever-changing landscape of communications. Donna-Jean Plante, CAE, will serve as Executive Director and provide strategic and operational oversight for NYWICIs programs and services.

MCI USA is proud to welcome the New York Women in Communications as a full-service management partner. We look forward to collaborating with the Board, volunteer leaders, and staff to enhance NYWICIs long-term value to members and stakeholders, said Erin M. Fuller, FASAE, CAE, President, Association Solutions, MCI USA. Donna-Jean is a strong addition to NYWICI, and her skill and leadership will help advance the great work of this association.

Donna-Jean Plante, CAE, previously served as the Executive Director of the Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York (SAAGNY)  the largest regional trade association in the promotional products industry. Her emphasis on educational programming, trade shows, and networking events increased engagement and participation throughout the association as well as providing increased value and retention to membership. Prior to SAAGNY, she served as the Manager of Events and Continuing Legal Education Programs, for the Federal Bar Council.

New York Women in Communications (NYWICI) is the premier organization for female communications professionals. The 90-year-old not-for -profit association has more than 2,500 members  from senior executives to students and entrepreneurs to young professionals  in a variety of communications disciplines, including journalism, broadcasting, corporate communications, digital, publishing, advertising, integrated marketing, photography, public relations, graphic design and more. The Matrix Awards, NYWICIs signature awards program, honors the industrys most outstanding leaders. NYWICI has awarded more than $1.9 million in scholarship support to women beginning their careers or embarking on career transitions in the communications field.

New York Women in Communications is proud to partner with MCI USA to grow our organization, enhance the value to our members, and increase our impact on the communications industry, said Dustee Jenkins, Board President, NYWICI, and Global Head of Public Affairs, Spotify. MCIs expertise and commitment to the industry will allow NYWICI to move further faster, so we couldnt be happier to begin this journey together.

For nearly 30 years, MCI USAs Association Solutions division has helped advance the goals of its mission-driven nonprofit clients. With more than 150 Association Solutions employees in its Chicago and Washington, DC, offices, MCI USA provides results-oriented experience and expertise in full-service nonprofit management, strategic planning, community building, creative services, accounting practices, technology solutions, event conceptualization, and more.

ABOUT MCI

MCI is a global engagement and marketing agency. We design human-centric solutions that unleash the power of people to deliver innovation and growth for our clients. Our offering includes live & virtual events, strategic & digital communications, consulting & community solutions. We help brands, companies, associations and not-for-profits solve their challenges, bringing their people together to shape their tomorrow. MCI is an independently owned company headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with a global presence in 60 offices across 31 countries. http://www.wearemci.com

MCIs US headquarters is in the Washington, DC area with offices in New York, Baltimore, Dallas, and Chicago. http://www.wearemci.com/en-us
Meomind is an especially powerful tool for employers, who now can take a more proactive approach to reduce burnout and lower healthcare spending by offering Meomind to their teams, said Meomind Co-Founder and CEO Sushant Gupta.

Meomind, a mental health app for employees, emerged from stealth today, launching its unique product and services to businesses. The company is led by former Optum executive Sushant Gupta, cognitive behavioral therapist Anni Kelley-Day and former Homebase product leader Makan Amini. Meomind is set to transform the way employers offer mental health benefits, at a time when the mental health crisis is at an all-time high and inadequate access to quality therapy is a pressing issue for employees.

Meomind is an especially powerful tool for employers, who now can take a more proactive approach to reduce burnout and lower healthcare spending by offering Meomind to their teams, said Meomind Co-Founder and CEO Sushant Gupta. Meomind addresses a huge range of mental health issues that arent covered by meditation and self-help apps and are not severe enough for expensive one-on-one therapy.

Meomind helps businesses assist employees with their mental health through a new type of employer benefit program. Employers have realized the importance of providing wellness benefits in recent years. However, most current programs fall short when it comes to addressing mental health. In fact, 55% of people with mental illness go untreated*. Meominds scalable program supplements existing mental health benefits to give employees immediate access to clinical expertise and evidence-based practices.

Meominds innovative app removes barriers to seeking therapy. Its easy to use and leverages machine learning to help employees access an extensive library of recorded therapy sessions conducted by licensed, handpicked therapists. Since all the sessions are recorded, employees can anonymously access the sessions and associated exercises anytime, anyplace, and get the help they need when they need it the most - free of all barriers encountered with traditional in-person treatment. Over 85% of users report feeling better after listening to a Meomind session. It is also rated among the top 10 therapy apps on the App Store.

The startup has attracted an impressive slate of clinical advisors, including Dr. Bruce E. Wampold, a renowned psychotherapy researcher with over 50,000 citations, and Dr. John C. Norcross, former president of the Psychotherapy Division at American Psychological Association.

Meomind has raised seed capital from Fusion Fund, Artis Ventures, and several marquee angel investors, including former executives from KKR, Blackstone, Sequoia Capital, Headspace, McKinsey & Company and Abbott Laboratories. Thus far, the app features over 200 recorded sessions and has been downloaded over 10,000 times pre-launch.

Meomind is a radically different mental health solution for providing evidence-based, recorded therapy sessions to deal with wide-ranging mental health issues and prevent them from becoming worse, said Lu Zhang, Founder and Managing Partner of Fusion Fund. Meomind is an excellent partner for companies who see value in promoting better mental health in and out of the office.

The app is available for download on iOS and Android devices. To learn more, visit https://meomind.com/. For inquiries from employers, health insurers, or providers, contact partnerships@meomind.com.

About Meomind

Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, Meomind is a venture-backed mental health app that seeks to bring quality mental health care through an employer benefits platform. It is led by former Optum executive Sushant Gupta, cognitive behavioral therapist Anni Kelley-Day and former Homebase product leader, Makan Amini. The founding team realized that employees need better tools to address the growing mental health crisis in the U.S. The Meomind app makes immediate impact on employees lives by increasing mental wellness through a program that is easy to deploy and has a low cost of ownership for the employer.

To learn more about the company, visit meomind.com.

** https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
Moodys Analytics is committed to leveraging our best-in-class technology and risk insights to deliver tools that empower our customers to make better, faster decisions - Keith Berry, General Manager of Moodys KYC business.

AI Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global Artificial Intelligence (AI) market, today announced that Moodys Analytics has been selected as the winner of the  Best AI-based Solution for Fraud Prevention award in the fifth annual AI Breakthrough Awards program.

The 2022 AI Breakthrough Award recognizes Moodys Analytics AI Review, an intelligent screening and customer onboarding solution. AI Review uses machine learning (ML) to automatically screen portfolios and generate a decision score that identifies and prioritizes entities for review.

AI Review leverages the Moodys Analytics MLFabric platform, a modular, cloud-based engine that operationalizes deep learning and ML models, allowing customers to deploy and reuse AI workflows at scale. MLFabrics AI-as-a-service framework enables custom AI models (trained on Moodys data) to be deployed as microservices, and integrated into new and existing solutions seamlessly.

AI Reviews ML model is trained by proprietary screening data comprised of twenty years of alert decisions by Moodys Know Your Customer (KYC) in-house risk analysts. AI Review is configured to reflect each customers unique risk tolerance threshold, enabling intelligent, bespoke screening workflows. The solution improves speeds time to decisioning by identifying risks and reducing false positives.

Moodys Analytics is committed to leveraging our best-in-class technology and risk insights to deliver tools that empower our customers to make better, faster decisions, said Keith Berry, General Manager of Moodys KYC business. AI Review and its machine learning capabilities are the perfect example of how we relentlessly innovate to help our customers respond to an evolving marketplace with confidence.

As part of their regulatory compliance obligations, banks and other financial institutions must implement Know Your Customer and anti-money laundering (AML) controls  and with this KYC and AML teams receive a high number of alerts, all of which need to be manually reviewed by analysts before an action is taken, said James Johnson, Managing Director, AI Breakthrough. One of many issues with this complex task is that a problem can become amplified when banks face high levels of false positives. AI Review is a breakthrough solution that can reduce the volume of screening alerts that need to be manually reviewed by up to 80%, saving an inordinate amount valued time and money for clients. Congratulations to Moodys Analytics for winning a well-deserved AI Breakthrough Award.

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About AI Breakthrough

Part of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the AI Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in Artificial Intelligence technologies, services, companies and products. The AI Breakthrough Awards provide public recognition for the achievements of AI companies and products in categories including AI Platforms, Robotics, Business Intelligence, AI Hardware, NLP, Vision, Biometrics and more. For more information visit AIBreakthroughAwards.com.

About Moodys Analytics

Moodys Analytics provides financial intelligence and analytical tools to help business leaders make better, faster decisions. Our deep risk expertise, expansive information resources, and innovative application of technology help our clients confidently navigate an evolving marketplace. We are known for our industry-leading and award-winning solutions, made up of research, data, software, and professional services, assembled to deliver a seamless customer experience. We create confidence in thousands of organizations worldwide, with our commitment to excellence, open mindset approach, and focus on meeting customer needs. For more information about Moodys Analytics, visit our website or connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Moody's Analytics, Inc. is a subsidiary of Moody's Corporation (NYSE: MCO). Moody's Corporation reported revenue of $6.2 billion in 2021, employs over 14,000 people worldwide and maintains a presence in more than 40 countries.
Outrider, the pioneer in autonomous yard operations for logistics hubs, today announced the release of its next-generation autonomy kit for yard automation. Supporting over-the-air software updates and field-swappable units, the latest autonomy kit is designed to deliver enterprise-class reliability, enable remote technical support, and efficiently service the system in the field  all at scale.

Distribution yards are harsh industrial environments with around-the-clock operations, which means our autonomous system must be rugged, easy to service, and remotely supportable, said Andrew Smith, Founder and CEO of Outrider. This robust autonomy kit is the next critical step in Outriders efforts to make yard operations more efficient, safer, and more sustainable for our Fortune 500, logistics-dependent customers.

Outriders next-generation autonomy kit includes the NVIDIA DRIVE autonomous vehicle platform for perception system processing; Ousters (NYSE:OUST) high-resolution lidar sensors for perception; and Yaskawas industrial robotic arm for connecting and disconnecting trailer lines. The autonomy kit is installed and integrated on autonomy-ready Class 8 battery-electric yard trucks. Outrider uses the autonomy kit along with proprietary software to transform these yard trucks into fully autonomous vehicles.

Outrider has specced an autonomy-ready electric yard truck with Orange EV. Outrider and its customers have purchased 24 of these vehicles for expanded customer pilot programs and test operations with the latest autonomy kit. In addition, customers planning future vehicle purchases may now order yard trucks with the Autonomous Outrider Specification.

According to Tom Baroch, Head of Global Supply Management at Outrider, This is the single largest purchase of Class 8 electric vehicles specifically designed for autonomous yard operations in the industry and demonstrates how Outrider will be a catalyst for bringing thousands of zero-emission vehicles into the marketplace.

The latest autonomy kit and drive-by-wire yard truck incorporates operational, design, and technical experience gleaned from over 12,000 autonomous trailer moves conducted at customer sites and Outrider's Advanced Testing Facility in Brighton, Colorado. Using data collected from these moves, Outrider's latest autonomy kit is designed to address scenarios encountered by yard trucks in real distribution yards, from the common to the obscure.

Smith added, This next-generation autonomy kit further highlights Outriders commitment to our customers for a more sustainable, resilient supply chain. Our team of over 100 talented engineers is laser-focused on the features and safety-critical capabilities that will propel innovations for yard automation and the logistics and transportation sector at large.

In addition to automating the yard truck, Outrider automates other manual tasks traditionally performed in the yard, such as hitching and unhitching trailers; connecting and disconnecting trailer lines; interacting safely with loading docks; tracking trailer locations; integrating with supply chain management systems; and centrally managing and monitoring system functions.

Outrider continues to be the only automation company solely focused on distribution yards. The company partners with many large, logistics-dependent enterprises that represent over 20 percent of all yard trucks operating in North America. The company has raised $118 million in funding to date and developed extensive intellectual property. Outrider operates the first-in-industry Advanced Testing Facility for autonomous yard operations and maintains a broad ecosystem of technology vendors and infrastructure partners. Outrider was recently recognized in Fast Companys prestigious 2022 Worlds Most Innovative Companies list, placing in the top 10 within the Logistics category.

About Outrider

Outrider, the pioneer in autonomous yard operations for logistics hubs, helps large enterprises improve safety and increase efficiency. The only company exclusively focused on automating all aspects of yard operations, Outrider eliminates manual tasks that are hazardous and repetitive. Outriders mission is to drive the rapid adoption of sustainable freight transportation by deploying zero-emission systems. Outrider is a private company backed by NEA, 8VC, Koch Disruptive Technologies, and other top-tier investors. For more information, visit http://www.outrider.ai


RBmedia has established itself in the English, Spanish and German language audiobook marketsEditions Theleme is the next step in our expansion into additional languages.

RBmedia, the largest audiobook publisher in the world, today announced its entry into the French-language audio market through its acquisition of French audiobook publisher Editions Theleme. That brand will be home to the existing Editions Theleme audiobooks catalog and all new French-language titles published by RBmedia in the future. Founded in 1990, Editions Theleme has specialized in publishing French-language audiobooks in the areas of classic and contemporary literature from past and present authors such as Marcel Proust, Victor Hugo, Plato, Jane Austen, and Emily Bronte.

Notable Editions Theleme audiobook titles include:



In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

Le Loup des steppes by Hermann Hesse

Sentimental Education by Gustave Flaubert

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

Adeline Defay, Editions Theleme founder and managing director said, I founded Editions Theleme when I noticed a hole in the French publishing marketthere was no audiobook offering for classic literature. Since its creation more than 30 years ago, our motto has always been great authors read by great actors. It's rewarding to see RBmedia further our goal of making these essential texts accessible to everyone, everywhere.

Audiobook usage and awareness as a format is on the rise globally. The market size has been growing significantly over the last few years and is projected to reach USD 15 billion globally by 2027, according to a report by Grand View Research.

Miles Stevens-Hoare, Managing Director of RBmedia international said, RBmedia has established itself in the English, Spanish and German language audiobook marketsEditions Theleme is the next step in our expansion into additional languages. With the increasing global demand for audiobooks, which we have seen mirrored in France, Editions Theleme gives us the perfect platform to develop our French language business.

Editions Theleme will join W. F. Howes, Wavesound, BookaVivo, and RBmedia Verlag as RBmedias international audiobook publishing businesses.

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About RBmedia

RBmedia is the largest audiobook publisher in the world. With nearly 60,000 exclusive titles, our audiobooks continually dominate key literary awards and bestseller lists. The companys powerful digital retail and library distribution network reaches millions of listeners around the globeat home, in the car, and everywhere their mobile devices go. Our titles are available on leading audio platforms, including Audible, iTunes, Google Play, Audiobooks.com, OverDrive, Hoopla, and many more. RBmedia is owned by KKR, a leading global investment firm. Find out more at rbmediaglobal.com.

About Editions Theleme

Founded in 1990 by Adeline Defay, Editions Theleme is a French independent audiobook publisher of classic and contemporary audiobooks by great authors, read by great actors. The Editions Theleme catalog includes works from some of historys most famous authors like Marcel Proust, Victor Hugo, Plato, and Jane Austen.
We look forward to joining forces to provide current and future customers across our footprint with top-in-class managed IT services.

RJ Young, an industry-leading business technology solutions provider, announces today its acquisition of Syndesi Solutions, an Alabama-based full-service IT group specializing in network security, cloud services, and IT infrastructure. Syndesi Solutions employees will join the 650 plus RJ Young team members. All operations, area offices, and team members will remain local.

The acquisition marks RJ Youngs third transaction in 2022 and eleventh in the past five years. The latter is part of the companys aim to strengthen its managed IT services throughout the Southeast.

For the past 14 years, Syndesi Solutions has strived to provide a high level of service to our customers, said Syndesi Solutions vice president Paul Gibbs. We are excited about teaming with RJ Young to continue providing exceptional service and technology solutions that power businesses in Alabama and the Southeast.

Syndesi Solutions bridges the gap between business needs and the technology of today. Their technology expertise helped many clients plan, implement, maintain, upgrade, and protect their network systems. By offloading all IT tasks to Syndesi Solutions, clients stay productive and focused on making their core businesses thrive.

Syndesi has built a reputation with their customers and vendors of delivering a customer experience and service excellence that is setting an industry-standard in the Alabama market, said RJ Youngs president and CEO Chip Crunk. We look forward to joining forces to provide current and future customers across our footprint with top-in-class managed IT services.

Since the launch of RJ Youngs technology vertical in 2019, the company has grown that side of the business by 360%. Last year, RJ Young introduced the Modern Office  the companys concept of being a one-stop for technology solutions  in response to the markets evolving needs amid workplace shifts initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, RJ Young has gone through a rebrand that speaks to the Modern Office, complete with a new website and logo.

If you would like to learn more about the partnership and how it can benefit your organization, reach out to info@rjyoung.com today.

ABOUT RJ YOUNG

RJ Young is an industry leader that provides technology solutions that power businesses. RJ Young helps small to enterprise-level organizations transition into modern workplaces and increase productivity with comprehensive managed IT solutions, office equipment and technology, business process outsourcing and digital communications. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, RJ Young has been partnering with businesses since 1955 and has more than 650 team members in more than 30 sales and service locations across nine states. To learn more about how RJ Young can help power your organization with technology solutions, visit RJYoung.com or reach out to info@rjyoung.com.
Jans extensive background in Title and Escrow, Operations Management, and Corporate Compliance roles prove that she was the right fit for this essential role in the rapidly growing West Coast companies we operate."

Title Alliance, a family of full-service title insurance and escrow agencies, is excited to announce Jan Kailey-Boyle as General Manager of Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada. As General Manager, Jan will oversee all joint ventures in the states and ensure consistency of the TA Way Processes and Procedures and have ultimate accountability for profit and loss within the states.

We are thrilled to have Jan step into this new position and play a vital role on our leadership team. Said Lindsay Smith, Chief Strategy Officer of Title Alliance. Jans extensive background in Title and Escrow, Operations Management, and Corporate Compliance roles prove that she was the right fit for this essential role in the rapidly growing West Coast companies we operate. I am excited to watch someone as knowledgeable as Jan ensure we are providing operational excellence, reinforce our TA Way culture, and provide our team members with the tools to continue to find success.

Kailey-Boyle joined the Title Alliance team in late February 2022 with a background in title industry expertise positions in Escrow, Operation Management, and Technical Support extending over the past 30+ years. Beginning her career in the industry, Jan managed a Regional Closing Branch where her Corporate Closing Support Department team provided technical and operational support to the escrow operations of a 52- branch title and escrow company. Foreshadowing her future leadership roles, Jan went on to hold multiple Vice President and Management positions for various title and escrow companies. Prior to joining the team at Title Alliance, Jan served as Training Manager and Escrow Officer where she would identify training and development needs and drive suitable training initiatives that helped build loyalty to the team. Additionally, she facilitated a positive customer service experience for 100+ residential real estate transactions. Jan is excited for this new opportunity at Title Alliance where she can facilitate and execute processes and procedures in the established states of New Mexico and Arizona and expand Title Alliances footprint in the state of Nevada.

Im thrilled to take on this new role with Title Alliance and have the opportunity to bring my experience and expertise to our West Coast teams. Said Kailey-Boyle. I want to help the Arizona and New Mexico offices continue their success and make a name for Title Alliance in Nevada.

About Title Alliance:

Title Alliance, Ltd., has been forming successful single and multi-state joint ventures with lenders, Realtors, and builders since 1983, providing competitive advantages to help professionals grow their business. Title Alliance has established itself time and time again as the strategic alliance leader in the Title Insurance Industry by executing in-house title and settlement operations, dramatically enhancing their customer service, and increasing their profit. Started and headquartered in Media, Pa., Title Alliances family of companies are currently in 11 states and across 60 offices. Find out more information at http://www.titlealliance.com.
Virtual Vocations newest report names 50 remote enabled employers known for their strong company culture and values. "At Virtual Vocations, we encourage value-based remote job searches." Laura Spawn, CEO and co-founder of Virtual Vocations

A new report from one of the web's leading all-remote job boards highlights 50 remote enabled employers known for their dedication to fostering positive company cultures.

Founded in 2007, Virtual Vocations is a family-owned, 100% virtual company that has worked to connect jobseekers with legitimate remote job openings from expert-vetted employers for the last 15 years.

For its latest report, Virtual Vocations took a deep dive into Comparablys Best Company Culture 2021 list to identify the top firms for jobseekers who not only value flexibility, but also want to work for an employer whose values align with their own.

"Comparablys Best Company Culture 2021 report is an important resource for any jobseeker who wants to feel confident and experience their values reflected at work, so we were curious about which of these best-of company culture employers are also remote enabled, said Virtual Vocations CEO and co-founder Laura Spawn.

Across large and small/midsize companies, 50 businesses stood out as remote enabled companies known for hiring telecommuters. Our 50 Remote Enabled Company Culture Leaders report outlines these companies and connects jobseekers to any available fully remote openings with those businesses," Spawn added.

Published Tuesday, Virtual Vocations report on 50 Remote Enabled Company Culture Leaders puts the spotlight on companies large and small that ranked among the best for company culture in Comparablys 2021 analysis, which examined sentiment ratings from current employees who offered their opinions anonymously.

The top 50 remote enabled employers from Comparably's list span more than a dozen industries, including healthcare, education, human resources, marketing, and information technology (IT), Virtual Vocations report reveals.

Virtual Vocations report also serves as a resource for jobseekers interested in learning more about current openings with top remote enabled company culture leaders.

At Virtual Vocations, we encourage value-based remote job searches, Spawn said. In fact, jobseekers have reported to us that poor company culture is one of the top workplace confidence killerssuggesting strong values play a pivotal role in ensuring employees are satisfied in their roles and performing at their best.

To view Virtual Vocations full list of 50 Remote Enabled Company Culture Leaders and learn more about their current fully remote job openings, visit: https://www.virtualvocations.com/blog/annual-statistical-remote-work-reports/50-remote-enabled-company-culture-leaders/

ABOUT VIRTUAL VOCATIONS

Founded in 2007 by CEO Laura Spawn and her brother, CTO Adam Stevenson, Virtual Vocations is a small company with a big mission: to connect jobseekers with legitimate remote job openings. To date, Virtual Vocations has helped more than four million jobseekers in their quests for flexible, remote work.

In addition to providing a database of current, hand-screened, and 100% remote job openings, Virtual Vocations offers jobseekers a number of tools to aid in their job searches, including exclusive e-courses and downloadable content, and resume writing services. Virtual Vocations also releases several data-driven reports each year on current trends in remote work.

Virtual Vocations, Inc. is a private, family-owned, and 100% virtual company incorporated in Tucson, Arizona.

PRESS INQUIRIES

Kimberly Back

kim(at)virtualvocations(dot)com

Ashley Skerritt

ashley(at)virtualvocations(dot)com
In shining a new light on established and taken-for-granted histories, communities and individuals can reveal a greater depth of nuance and even rewrite or correct the past, leading to a fuller future.

Diaspora communities leverage Instagram for information activism

In an effort to build community and shape historical memory, dozens of Instagram accounts have risen to prominence by focusing explicitly on the histories of non-Western countries and marginalized communities within them. The accounts, which draw from crowdsourced materials and historical first-person and familial perspectives, represent a shift in democratizing who writes and records history outside of the standard national archives. Rest of World

Navajo school trip spurs retelling of wild west history

Three decades ago, a group of Navajo teens wrote a damning letter to the Fort Sumner Historical Site calling out its focus on Western heroes and papering over the subjugation of indigenous peoples through the Long Walk forced march. Now, their handwritten letter is preserved under glass in the new Bosque Redondo: A Place of Suffering  A Place of Survival permanent exhibition that reframes the site's history around the indigenous experience. Hyper Allergic

Gen Z cringe as they review their former online selves

Wired covers how Gen Z, as the first generation to grow up using social media religiously since a young age, is now reviewing and retelling their old online personas  all as a part of the latest TikTok trend, of course. Users are posting old snapchats and videos from years past; unpacking, as well as laughing at, the social pressures they felt to create a structured narrative around their experiences, when in the end it was all cringe. Wired
Fiction writer Mary Gaitskill is one of the latest big-name authors to take to Substack to launch an email newsletter. Speaking with PW, Gaitskill discussed the merits of the platform, the drawbacks of the internet, and more.

To begin, what drew you to Substack as a platform?

I had for some time been wondering if there was a way for me to participate in online communication; as I said in my initial post, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram don't suit me for various reasons. It's not like I was aching to be on social media, but it is something that almost literally everyone does now, and it was hard not to wonder how it might work for me, or to want to be part of the conversation in some way. Also I was drawn to what looked like (and is!) quite a lot of freedom. It looked like a real opportunity to experiment and play.

What are the notable differences in your experience writing for Substack versus elsewhere? How do you find yourself engaging with your readers and audience differently?

There is a lot more freedom and flexibility with Substack. I can get an idea on Monday and post it on Wednesday if I can find the right picture to go with it. That's another difference: I get to choose the art and the headline, which can really amplify what you want to express, or amplify certain juicy aspects of it. I've had some dismal experiences in that regard with more traditional publications, to the point that I felt my meaning was distorted by a grotesque headline. I haven't engaged with my readers as much as I would like. I didn't open up comments right away because I felt shy about it. But when I did, I found people were mostly polite and when I've tried to engage them in conversation, they usually back off, probably because it would be a pretty involved conversation if we really went for it.

In "Two Minutes of Hate," you spoke about the Depp-Heard trial and wrote, "hate has a palatial estate with a lot of out buildings here," a memorable and apt phrase. You touch on this again in recent posts, including "The Internet is Beating the Crap Out of Us." I would venture to guess that most individuals consuming any degree of social media these days feel the truth of this, and the trial served as a striking showcase of the hatred of strangers. What do you see as the benefits and dangers of the ease people have engaging with the wider world through the seemingly endless channels and platforms available?

I'm not sure what I have to say is at all new. It's easy to feel anger at people you don't actually have to look at or hear; social media notoriously stokes anger for clicks and then media of all kinds tends to (sometimes inadvertently) stoke it by presenting the most general and alarming version of whatever group or situation is at hand. I was at a party recently and the hostess was talking about some group of crazed men who are "killing women." I asked, "How many women have they killed?" and she said, "I don't know, maybe none. But they're planning on it." She referred me finally to some documentary, which sounded questionable, but there she was announcing that "they are killing women," when no women have been killed by this bunch of sad sacks who I'd never heard of and have already forgotten. It's the general ethos now.

Even more than that though, I feel it stimulates people's nervous systems in ways that can't be discharged physically (or are not) and that therefore create anxiety and a feeling of alarm plus a craving for more stimulation. It's a feedback loop that I think is harmful for our bodies and takes us out of the immediate environment that can be understood with our senses. It de-physicalizes us, removes us from our bodies. That alone lessens empathy. Empathy comes from knowing we are all creatures with bodies that can be hurt.

But yes, there are benefits. I know there are people living in isolated places with no one around them with whom they can identify, say, queer kids in rural Utah. If you're in that situation, online would be a lifeline and a resource. Also, it's just great to be able to find out stuff quickly and to have access to news. I'm much better informed now than I was when I relied on TV or the radio for news. Plus there are animal videos and people dancing on TikTok!

What has most surprised you about starting your own Substack?

How involving it is.

Who else do you read on the platform?

I don't regularly read anyone yet but I've read George Saunders, David Yaffe, Chuck Palahniuk, and Jeanette Winterson. I especially like Joyce Carol Oates's posts on Gregory Crewdson and Mike Tyson. I love the way she understands fighters. There's so much high quality writing to look at, it's kind of mind-blowing.
For childrens and YA titles, sales through May 2022 were up 17% over 2019s pre-pandemic benchmark, according to Brenna Connor, industry insights manager at the NPD Group. For a talk during the recent Childrens Institute called Understanding Trends in the Kids Book Market, Connor reviewed BookScan analytics and put data points in perspective. Rebuilding the kids frontlist market poses a challenge, Connor said (since 2020, there are young children who have not even been in a physical bookstore), yet the outlook for this area remains positive because many parents continue to worry that their children fell behind in the classroom. She projects a strong need well into 2023 for childrens and YA fare.

Across the industry, comics and graphic novels are leading the gains, with manga and childrens comics charting on overall bestseller lists. Year-to-date through May 28, Dav Pilkeys Cat Kid Comic Club: On Purpose was the #10 overall bestselling title on BookScan, Connor said, following on the heels of Pilkeys Dog Man: Mothering Heights, 2021s #1 overall title across the entire book market. Its not all Pilkey and Jeff Kinneys Wimpy Kid, though. Connor confirmed that Adam Wallace and Andy Elkertons How to Catch picture book series is in high demand, as are graphic novel editions of Baby-Sitters Club titles, with their TV tie-in. Connor made note of Tui T. Sutherlands Wings of Fire series, eliciting a collective bemused groan from an audience all too familiar with the dragon series. The Official Wings of Fire Coloring Book, published in April, is getting lots of love from Sutherland fans.

Connor led her presentation with a discussion of general trends across the entire book market, explaining that year-to-date in 2022, adult fiction is the only supercategory that has posted year-over-year gains. Adult nonfiction, which Connor called the largest and most valuable supercategory, is down 13%. Interestingly, travel is the only category [within adult nonfiction] posting year-over-year gains, said Connor, who added that people are buying books on European destinations, likely due to a correlation between Covid vaccination rates in particular countries along with a lessening of pandemic restrictions.

Even if the top-line market is down by about 7% in 2022, thats in comparison to the startling peaks of 2020 and 2021, a plus year on top of a plus year, Connor said. As of May 2022, unit sales are up 15% past the 2019 benchmark. A usual good year is up 3%, and a stellar year is up 5%. Over 8% is historic.

In 2021, the industry passed the threshold of 800 million print book sales for the first time in BookScan history. (Connors data showed print book sales at 687 million in 2017, 703 million in 2018, and 701 million in 2019. They shot to 757 million in 2020 and 827 million in 2021.)

Connor looked at BookScan numbers by age range, demonstrating that sales ticked down in 2022 but are robust nevertheless. As of May 2022, Young Readers (ages 48) account for 43% of sales this year, down 6%. Middle Readers (ages 912) account for 30% of sales, down 11%, and relying on series like Baby-Sitters Club and Aaron Blabeys Bad Guys books. Teens (ages 1322) make up 14% of sales so far this year, down 8%. Connor spotlighted Leigh Bardugos Shadow and Bone books (boosted by Netflixs release of Shadow and Bone), Alice Osemans Heartstopper books (which were also adapted for Netflix), and Jennifer Lynn Barness The Inheritance Games trilogy. Infant books for ages up to 3, like Youre My Little Cuddlebug and I Love You Like No Otter, are 9% of the sales market, down 5% YTD. (According to Connor, Kids digital audio sales declined 15% over 2020, but are up 12% over 2019s pre-pandemic benchmark.)

Series account for two out of every three kids books sold, Connor said, even though series as a whole are down 6%. She flagged the My Little Golden Book About series, which features biographies of icons Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Betty White, and Dolly Parton. More than 4,000 kids series in BookScans data are posting year-over-year gains, and Connor sees more opportunity for selling kids series in the months ahead. Further, licensed books account for one in every four kids books sold in the U.S.; Connor listed Bluey, Spider-Man, Little Blue Truck, Encanto, CoComelon, and Harry Potter as top examples. Its no longer about major movie events driving licensed sales in the kids book market, Connor said. Now its released streaming licenses that are competing head-to-head with major players like Disney.

BookScan also tracks sales by season, and Connor underscored evidence of early holiday shopping in both 2020 and 2021. This is a trend we are watching across industries other than kids books, Connor said, urging the audience to think well ahead of Valentines Day, Easter, Halloween, and Hanukkah/Christmas (or whatever a regional audience celebrates). Between 2019 and 2021, year-over-year sales in the month of October doubled, indicating that even the procrastinators among us are buying presents ahead of time.

The BookTok Bump and Other Trends

Word of mouth is boosting YA sales in particular. From 8 million unit sales in 2018, 7 million in 2019, and 7 million in 2020, YA sales leaped to 12 million unit sales in 2021 and 11 million already in 2022. Connor credits peer-to-peer discovery: YA fiction made up 40% of BookTok sales in 2021, she told the audience. BookTok author sales reached 20 million units in 2021, and grew six times faster than what we saw in the rest of the adult fiction market. BookTok authors saw their sales climb more than 50% over the same time last year, which shows how this social media format is resonating with younger readers.

In YA, growth topics all land in the fiction category, dominated by Oseman, Holly Jacksons A Good Girls Guide to Murder trilogy, and Scott Cawthons Five Nights at Freddys video-game tie-ins. Science fiction and fantasy accounts for 20% of YA sales, LGBTQ+ titles are all up, and trauma-informed YA titles like Kathleen Glasgows 2016 novel Girl in Pieces are benefiting from BookTok attention, Connor said. (BookTok drives backlist, as a Ci10 panel also acknowledged.)

Among childrens books generally, people are buying fiction titles about emotions and prejudice, and nonfiction in the categories of biography and diversity. In Connors data, the kids nonfiction category diversity and multicultural was up 993% from 2020 to 2021, and up 861% from 2021 to 2022. Those areas are smaller in terms of volume, which is why we have that triple-digit figure posted there, Connor said. The numbers suggest that available titles are receiving significant notice.

Even if 2022 sales likely will not match 2021s, Connor said, We are bullish on stores in 2022, with customers returning to browse and with retailers having learned to serve clients in bricks-and-mortar and online communities. If the biggest marketsNew York, L.A., Chicagoare underperforming 2019 and subject to the so-called Great Migration to more affordable places, NPD sees potential for booksellers in mid-size markets like Phoenix, Fresno-Visalia, Calif., Tampa-St. Petersburg, and Portland, Maine. As the book ecosystem re-balances, Connor said, bookstores have potential to be a place of discovery for new childrens authors.
In her influential 2018 article Vocational Awe and Librarianship Fobazi Ettargh explored how the veneration of libraries as institutions has led to many librarians and library workers enduring decidedly unhealthy working conditions. Now, a new study released during the 2022 American Library Association Annual Conference is shedding more light on the extent to which many urban librarians and library workers are experiencing trauma, stress, and burnout in the workplace.

The 2022 Urban Libraries Unite Trauma Study draws upon a wide-ranging literature review, survey responses from more than 435 urban library workers (conducted between August and September 2021), focus groups, and a two-day forum. The final report paints a vivid picture of the difficult working conditions facing many urban librarians and library workers, as well as a promising framework through which the library community can begin to address its needs.

It is clear that there is a crisis of trauma in urban public libraries and the evidence for this is so overwhelmingly compelling that it seems likely that trauma impacts work in libraries of all types across the profession, reads the reports conclusion. It is also clear from the literature search and the conversations that created this reports conclusions that the library profession is starting to wake up to this deeply corrosive crisis.

The report describes a range of violent or aggressive patron behavior toward library workers, including racist and sexist verbal abuse, harassment, physical assault including having guns and other weapons brandished, and drug and alcohol issues including overdoses. In addition, library workers reported significant instances of secondary trauma from constant interactions with community members (including children) struggling with poverty, homelessness, mental illness, or drug abuse.

Overall, some 68.5% of survey respondents said they have experienced violent or aggressive behavior from patrons at their libraries. Furthermore, a significant number of respondents (22%) said they have experienced violent or aggressive behavior from their co-workers.

The study also reveals the tacit professional acceptance of trauma as part of library work, and the outright failure of many library administrators to properly address incidents of workplace trauma. For example, the majority of respondents (64%) said their library does offer some sort of workplace mental health resources, yet only 20 of 435 respondents say they have actually utilized these services. And in many cases, the study found that the administrations response (or lack thereof) to specific incidents actually made the situations worse.

What was surprising about the survey responses was that although many of the incidents of trauma in the library were directly related to larger cultural issues that stem from outside of the library (e.g., racism, sexism, substance abuse, etc.), the trauma that was incurred by many respondents was often a result of how the situation was handled inside of the library, the report states. Respondents frequently described situations where staff were not supported during or after an incident, where they were made to feel forgotten, neglected, were not believed by managers or administrators, where they were frustrated by the lack of communication and understanding, or the inconsistent or unequal application of policies and procedures.

In the studys focus groups, respondents called out the societal failures encroaching on public libraries for creating a new level of stress, including fiscal austerity, the shredding of the social safety net, and a rise in what one participant called endemic incivility and another called a culture of casual cruelty. Furthermore, the rise of the customer is always right service models in libraries, has contributed to an inability to set consistent boundaries in library work, leaving frontline library workers vulnerable to abuse.

 In the studys focus groups, respondents called out the societal failures encroaching on public libraries for creating a new level of stress... 

While the existence of libraries and the dedication of librarians alone will not be able to stop endemic cultural problems such as racism, sexism, and homelessness, it is clear from the survey responses that there is plenty that can be done internally within libraries to reduce the traumatic impact that library work has on library workers, the report states. If libraries were to choose to tackle any one of these predominant themes, it is very likely that the trauma experienced by public library workers would be greatly diminished, even if the root causes of the traumatic events themselves may be uncontrollable.

Co-founded more than a decade ago, Urban Libraries Unite is a grassroots organization of library professionals and advocates working to support libraries and librarians in urban environments. The study and report were done in partnership with the New York Library Association and St Johns University, with support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services via a grant from the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program.

In brief remarks at a release event at the 2022 ALA Annual Conference, the studys organizers, Lauren Comito and Christian Zabriskie, (co-founders of Urban Libraries Unite) spoke about the importance of the studyand its potential to spark meaningful change.

We really wanted to hear the voices of the people who are experiencing these things, Comito, a Neighborhood Library Supervisor for the Brooklyn Public Library, said. We wanted to do a research report that was done by working public library workers for us instead of about us. It was important to us that people be represented from all levels of frontline staff doing public facing workthat we had security officers and support staff and librarians all together at the forum and in the survey, to bring these issues to the forefront so we can start solving them. Because if youre going to point out a problem you may as well be part of the solution. Pointing out a problem is easy. The hard part comes next. The hard part is how we create a culture of community care in libraries when we dont have a culture of community care in our country. I think we have some really good solutions and good ideas for ways to do that.

Zabriskie, Executive Director of the Onondaga County Public Libraries, also highlighted the reports focus on solutions.

Theres a lot thats hard to read in the first half of the report, but get to the last half, Zabriskie told attendees at the ALA event. One of the things we heard people say is that trauma happens after. And we see throughout the survey that people can have really horrific experiences but if they have support and are shown kindness and are treated with civility and seriousness, those experiences do not become traumatic. They are just bad experiences."

Indeed, the second half of the report contains a number of ideas to confront the cycle of trauma that has become so pervasive in urban libraries. Ideas include the creation of trauma-informed strategic plans, an online database of community services and a library trauma strategic network.

It will be important to have engagement with LIS education, professional organizations, and libraries of all types and sizes as we move forward towards healthier library work, the report states, adding that openly addressing this problem is new in library work and any efforts to move the needle on this will take time, effort, resources, and engagement beyond the working group of this study.

As a starting point, the report recommends moving forward with four ideas: A National Library Worker Help Line where library workers can call for immediate support; A set of standards for healthy library work environments built by a coalition of worker-led library organizations; A collection of policies & procedures written from the perspective of trauma-informed leadership; And, a series of peer-led support groups. But whether these ideas or others, the report urges action.

We welcome you to try our ideas. We welcome you to use our research to try ideas of your own. We ask that you just please try something, the report's conclusion reads. "There are a lot of conversations about whats next and returning to normal. We dont know whats next and that is normal now. COVID-19 disrupted everything. As we rebuild and recreate our profession there are things that shouldnt come back or ever be normal. Trauma, safety, trust, these are things we need to build new structures for everyone working in libraries.
Dead & Company canceled a show Wednesday after guitarist and vocalist John Mayer's father had a "medical emergency."

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The band said on Instagram that it would not longer perform at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., due to "unforeseen circumstances."

"Tickets will be refunded automatically at the original point of purchase. The remaining Dead & Company tour dates are unaffected," the group wrote.

Mayer later said on Instagram Stories that his dad was hospitalized but doing better.

"This morning my father suffered a medical emergency and was transported to the ER where he received much-needed and great care. He is now fairly stable and will continue to undergo some procedures, but as you can understand, I have to stay in NYC and can't play tonight's show in Saratoga Springs," he said.

Dead & Company will next perform Friday in Bristow, Va. The band kicked off its summer tour June 11 in Los Angeles and will bring the venture to a close July 16 in New York City.

Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti founded Dead & Company with Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann in 2015.

As a solo artist, Mayer last released the album Sob Rock in July 2021.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 07/06/2022



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

alum Mark Maher has admitted the show totally changed him and he's a completely different person now, with no desire to date anybody.Mark and his ex-wife Lindsey Georgoulis appeared on the : Kickoff Special for Season 15 last week, and Mark told host Kevin Frazier that he's been "chatting with someone.""But just coming from the marriage, breathable is good, nothing too serious," Mark said of his current fling, adding how it just "wasn't in the cards" with Crystal.Crystal is 14 star Steve Moy's friend whom Mark was shown going on a date with on the : Where are They Now? special for Season 14 that aired on June 1.Mark confirmed, now that he's divorced from Lindsey, he's happy and "doesn't need" a woman in his life."Prior to getting married, I longed and I longed and I wanted this, and then going through it, it definitely changed me. I changed where I don't really need it," Mark explained."If it comes, cool, but if it doesn't, I'm good. I'm so much different now than I was prior to the wedding."Not only did Mark lose a lot of weight after the show from a physical perspective, but he's changed his mindset on dating."changed me [to the point] where I don't know how long it's going to be until I want to date again," he said."I'm pretty content with my peace now, I'm like a totally different person compared to who I was prior to getting married. I mean, would I like to find love again? Sure. But it was just a lot."Even though the experiment was overwhelming for Mark, he said he'd "do it again.""As much as it was a roller coaster that we had and it was difficult in many ways, like I told Lindsey, the things I got from it were so much more than what everybody expected," Mark shared."I would go through tough times [again] to get the things I got."However, if Mark ever stars on again, Lindsey better not come down the aisle.Mark insisted he and Lindsey will never get back together and, if anything, they'll just become friends down the road. He noted how they either got along great or were brutally fighting and there was nothing "in between."Meanwhile, Lindsey said on the special a "long-lost love" has returned to her life and they're now dating with the intention of getting married and having children one day."Someone will accept the good and the bad things [about Lindsey], and that's how it should be," Mark noted.Lindsey and Mark's 's season aired in Spring 2022.Lindsey and Mark's marriage got off to a good start, as they both found each other attractive and could immediately decipher commonalities and why the experts had probably matched them.Lindsey gushed about how her husband was amazing during their honeymoon in Puerto Rico, and Mark could tell that Lindsey is a nurturing woman who would care for him a lot.However, as time progressed, Mark found Lindsey to be "a lot" and "too much" with her boisterous and outspoken personality. He also complained how she would get very mean and confrontational with their fellow cast members, especially when drinking alcohol was involved."I wish Lindsey was more empathetic towards me. Sometimes I feel like a punching bag in this marriage," Mark explained. "I'd rather be alone than fight with someone every single day."On Lindsey's side of things, she noticed that Mark had withdrawn himself from her. She could feel him putting walls up, and she accused him of not putting enough effort into their marriage.Lindsey said she wanted a man who would challenge her and dote on her, and she claimed Mark was failing as a husband.Lindsey sometimes lashed out and insulted Mark and his income. They would get into brutal fights, and she once called him "white bread" and said he wasn't giving her "sparks and butterflies." She also hated how much he used social media.Trying to focus on the fun times they shared instead of the lows in their relationship, the pair agreed to stay married on Decision Day.Lindsey explained how Mark was not the husband she had envisioned or everything she had asked the experts for but he's "everything" she needs.During the reunion special that aired in May, Lindsey revealed she and Mark had broken up about a month after Decision Day after they worked on renovating a house together to live in. Lindsey called Mark "heartless" and said he bailed on her right when they were about to finish unpacking their last box.But Mark claimed Lindsey had bullied him and that their relationship was completely toxic. He said Lindsey made "crazy threats," but Lindsey argued Mark had forgotten her birthday and she only made his life better."It was way out of control, some of the worst arguments I've ever had in my life," Mark alleged.Lindsey proceeded to move to California, where she hoped to meet a man with more intellect.The : Where Are They Now? special showed Mark and Lindsey signing their divorce papers. Lindsey also apologized for terrible things she had said about Mark during filming.Interested in more news? Join our Married at First Sight Facebook Group or click here to view our newspage!And click here for more updates on former cast members and info on where they are now!
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 07/06/2022



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

alum Michelle Young has revealed that she never saw her breakup with Nayte Olukoya coming.Nayte proposed marriage to Michelle on 's Season 18 finale, which aired in December 2021, and the couple appeared blissfully happy.But Michelle, who resides in Minnesota, and Nayte, who lives in Houston, TX, never fully joined their lives together, and so the long-distance couple announced their split on June 17 in different Instagram postings.Less than one month after calling off their engagement, Michelle opened up to Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti about how she's coping during the July 5 episode of their "The Ben & Ashley I: Almost Famous Podcast.""I will say this is not something that I foresaw and I'll leave it there," Michelle said of her split from Nayte.Michelle spoke with a soft and shaky voice, recalling how she's had "good days" and "bad days" since announcing the breakup, with emotional highs and lows coming "in waves.""It's been quite a transition, I would say, just because this year, I decided to step away from the classroom this following school year just because I've been so burned out and just really wanting to, you know, get out of that survival mode," Michelle explained."I kind of feel like life has taken this thing as like, 'Okay, challenge accepted. Now, here, deal with a breakup.' It's definitely not something that I planned to have to work through this summer, but I definitely have the understanding that, like, sometimes we have to work through things that we did not plan for or that were not in our life plans."Michelle noted how "breakups suck" and "breakups are awful.""They hurt, right? And I think what's so difficult is that it sometimes feels like it's not in your control," Michelle shared."You wake up and sometimes there are days when you just feel like, 'Okay, I just have to have time pass... Give it time,' but like, you can't always speed up that time. You can't always speed up healing. You can put in the work, but you can't always speed it up."But Michelle insisted this is not the way her story is going to end."Where I'm at right now emotionally, mentally, like, how my heart feels -- this is not how the story ends," Michelle confirmed. "And I deserve [more]."The former elementary school teacher added how she's been "leaning on my friends [and] family for support," which has been "helpful.""[ Becca Kufrin ] and other Bachelorettes [are] reaching out that kind of have been through situations like this. And I feel like I've been able to reach out to different people depending on what I needed," Michelle said."For example, Becca has been through a public relationship ending, you know, Rachel Lindsay , and [ Tayshia Adams ] and [ Kaitlyn Bristowe ], have all been through this, and they're able to offer certain advice."Michelle also noted how her nearest and dearest friends really know who she is and are able to give great words of wisdom."They just get me. They get what hurts, they get my responses to certain things, and they're able to sit there and kind of help me sort through things," Michelle told Ben and Ashley."And so it's been hard. It's been very emotional, and there's been a lot of waves of things, but to have family and friends who go on those waves with you and are willing to take in those waves with you has been just incredible."In late June, Nayte denied ever cheating on Michelle as fans continue to speculate what went wrong in their relationship and led to their split."No, I didn't cheat," Nayte wrote via Instagram Stories on June 25, according to Us Weekly."Not every breakup needs to have someone to blame. Yes, many of you seem to paint me as a red flag/ f-ck boy... But I'm actually a decent guy, and I only want to continue getting better. As we should all want for ourselves."When Nayte first announced his split from Michelle, he wrote on Instagram Stories, "When we both started this journey, we were looking for our Soulmates. Our forever. Our best friends. However, as we grow and learn, we also realize that sometimes somebody that you hold dear to your heart isn't somebody that you're meant to spend the rest of your life with.""Michelle and I are going to move forward separately. Hearts are heavy, emotions are high, and we are dealing with this the best way we can," he continued.Nayte then said his "heartbreak is real" and the couple would be keeping the details of their split private. He also defended the genuineness of their relationship, which ended only six months after the finale of their season aired last year.In Michelle's statement, she thanked Bachelor Nation for their support and noted how having a relationship in the public eye was not easy."I'm struggling to say that Nayte and I will be going our separate ways but I stand with him in knowing the heaviness that is present in both our hearts as this relationship has been very real for us," she wrote last month."To you, Nayte," she added, "you quickly became my best friend and the love I have for you is incredibly strong. I will never stop wanting to see you succeed.""I will always acknowledge and appreciate the adventures, support, and growth both Nayte and this experience have brought me. At the same time, I'm deeply hurting and will need time and space to work through this heartbreak."Nayte explained last month via social media how he and Michelle had decided not to move to the same city in order not to rush anything, according to Us."Plans changed as we decided there was no need to rush anything and get to know each other on a deeper level before taking the leap of living together," Nayte wrote."There's no rush in life. There's no rule book or timeline on how to go about your relationship. We believed that since the love was there, everything would fall into place naturally and in its own time.""We tried," he added. "It didn't work. We're sad about it. We all grieve different."Michelle and Nayte's split announcement came only a few weeks after Michelle took to Instagram on May 30 to deny rumors that couple had split up and ended their engagement.Michelle was spotted without her engagement ring on, but Michelle said her friend had tried on her ring momentarily and she's not a "zoo exhibit" for people to watch and record.In April, Michelle had said she and Nayte were in the beginning stages of wedding planning."Nayte and I, we know so many different people and we have such big families and that's a huge part of [our planning process]," Michelle told the magazine at the time."And so coming out of a pandemic... one thing that we both can't imagine is having a small wedding," the Minnesota native added, "and so we want to make sure that we're completely clear of that so that's not even a stressor for us, and then, [we want to have] warm weather [on our big day]."Prior to her stint, Michelle competed on Matt James ' season of The Bachelor and finished as his runner-up.Interested in more The Bachelor news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Thunderstorms this evening with a few showers possible overnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 69F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms this evening with a few showers possible overnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 69F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
BRATTLEBORO  So far, so good sums up the report for the first few days of the fire departments new partnership with Golden Cross Ambulance.

Its going very well, Fire Chief Len Howard said at the Select Board meeting Tuesday. Staff, as always, have stepped up their game and have done phenomenal with this process. Golden Cross has come in and things have meshed really quickly.

Howard acknowledged bumps in the road are ahead.

We know that, he said. Were evaluating everything every day, and Im very happy with how weve started out and look forward to moving forward.

Interim Town Manager Patrick Moreland said the fire department began taking a greater responsibility for EMS service in Brattleboro on Friday. The start of the new fiscal year marked the end of the towns contracting with Rescue Inc., although the two are discussing the potential for mutual aid.

Brattleboro Fire Department, Golden Cross Ambulance officially begin partnership BRATTLEBORO  Golden Cross Ambulance and the Brattleboro Fire Department are now responding 

As of noon Tuesday, the fire department and Golden Cross handled 31 EMS calls with an average response time of three minutes and 15 seconds and a maximum response time of 10 minutes. As many as nine calls were responded to in one day but the average is about seven. Twenty-one of the calls required transport to the hospital.

Eight of these emergencies occurred within 45 minutes of each other, Howard said, meaning two to three calls occurred in that 45 minute time period. Seven were within 30 minutes. We have not had to use the third ambulance yet and we have not had to call for mutual aid.

At its previous meeting, the board approved an addendum to the one-year $75,000 contract with Golden Cross to have three ambulances stationed in town rather than two and a second advanced emergency medical technician on staff for 24 hours a day instead of 12 hours. The move was deemed a way to be extra cautious with the rollout.

Golden Cross of Claremont, N.H., offered the additional resources at no extra cost for 90 days. After that, the town can choose to go with the original level of service initially agreed to or increase it with the additional resources for an extra $50,000 for the remainder of the year.

License to transport patients in Brattleboro, extra ambulance secured BRATTLEBORO  The last big hurdle for Golden Cross Ambulance Service starting in Brattleboro

Although, the new partnership officially started Friday. Firefighters were becoming acquainted with the ambulances and changes in an approximately two-month transition process.

Were all very proud of the Brattleboro Fire Department for the work theyre doing and also very grateful to the leadership for coming to us and giving us a report even though its been such a brief amount of time, Select Board Chairman Ian Goodnow said. I think it helps us and it helps the public hear how its going, and I look forward to hearing from you again soon.

On Tuesday, the board approved a collective bargaining agreement with firefighters that will bring an estimated $52,000 in EMS staff raises this fiscal year. The agreement includes wage increases of 3 percent for EMTs, 6 percent for AEMTs and 10 percent for paramedics.

Board member Jessica Gelter said she hopes the changes will help retain great staff and bring in new folks as needed.

Postponed were several agenda items, including a statement in support of abortion access, in order to conclude the meeting by 11 p.m. out of consideration for the American Sign Language interpreters. One item is an agreement for the fire department to have additional oversight by a medical doctor as it works in its first year with Golden Cross to provide a paramedic-level of care.

The service is not new for the department.

As a first response Advanced EMT service, Howard wrote in a memo, we have been receiving two hours a month at no charge for this service.

For its first year as a paramedic-level service, the department needs to increase the oversight to eight hours a month. Howard said the requirement comes from Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Vermont EMS District 13s medical director.

Two hours will still come at no charge but the additional six will need to be compensated, according to the memo. The monthly fee of $1,415 from Dartmouth Hitchcock will total about $16,980 for the year. The groups doctors work in the emergency department at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital.

After one year of oversight operating at this paramedic level, the districts medical director feels this oversight can be reduced to four hours a month, Howard wrote. This is a vital role to have the Brattleboro Fire Department performing at the highest level of care.

The hope is to eventually have the fire department cover EMS calls without Golden Cross. A feasibility study is underway to explore options.
Ride share drivers rarely cross paths. A typical workday is never the same. They dont have a route or even a set range. The app tells them where to go, and they follow.

However, at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, drivers from all over the state find themselves in the same queue. Frustrations and complaints among drivers who met in the cellphone lot at BDL came to a head Wednesday when about 25 rallied in East Hartford and drove a caravan to the State Capitol in hopes that lawmakers and the ride share companies would hear their plight.

Lawmakers have to put more pressure on the companies, said Sohail Rana, senior organizer with Independent Drivers Guild. We are trying to put through ride to bargain legislation so drivers can sit across from these companies and bargain for their own rights. We need a seat at the table.

Drivers gathered behind The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Lodge in East Hartford to prepare signs and change into their Independent Drivers Guild T-shirts. Since ride share drivers are not employees, but independent contractors, they cannot form their own union, but exist as a sub-chapter of IAM.

The drivers chatted amiably before the caravan departed, most saying they had met the other drivers at BDL.

I found out they were forming a party that was going to fight for rights for us to get better benefits, pay and to speak on whats going on out here, said Gordan Doran, an Uber driver from Hartford.

Customers need rides from the airport frequently, so Uber and Lyft set up a virtual line in the cellphone lot at BDL. Drivers wait so they can be immediately ready for passengers who get off the plane.

Uber and Lyft want a single-minute response from drivers in major metropolitan areas and at airports, but they arent compensating drivers for this, said Bill Hearn, an Uber driver in the Hartford area.

There, as many as 30 ride share cars will wait. The cars are numbered on the virtual queue. While demand is high for Ubers and Lyfts at the airport, sometimes drivers will wait up to three hours to get a passenger and leave the queue.

Drivers are not paid until they match with a passenger, so the waiting time is in the hope it will pay off with a lengthy ride, but not too long. They do not find out the destination of the passenger until they enter the car  the app wont let them see.

Sometimes you wait two hours in the queue and they give you a 16-minute ride, said Wahid Ganga, an Uber driver from Waterbury. You cannot decline because if you decline more than two times you lose your spot, even if you have been waiting for three hours. And that is going to affect your rating.

If the passenger needs to go somewhere out of state like LaGuardia Airport, the driver will not be allowed to pick up any other passengers in New York. Connecticut ride share drivers cannot pick up out-of-state passengers so the drive back from LaGuardia is unpaid.

Drivers of course are paying for all of their gas, Hearn said. They arent getting paid for tolls on the way there, and they certainly arent getting paid for return tolls.

If a driver needs to leave the queue to use the bathroom, they will be sent to the back of the queue, forced to wait behind the sometimes 30 other cars that are ahead.

This is not a demand, Rana said. Its a basic human need.

Ryan Tenny, a spokesperson for the Connecticut Airport Authority, said that the authority is looking into the possibility of a toilet in the future. He said that drivers could come in the airport to use the bathroom like members of the public, but if drivers leave the lot, they lose their spot.

The cellphone waiting lot is a public lot intended for short-term waiting; however, given unfortunate sanitary circumstances that have surfaced and the resulting maintenance burden that has fallen on CAA staff members, the CAA was already evaluating portable toilets to improve the overall cleanliness of the area and improve the facilities to all users of the cellphone waiting lot, Tenny said.

Rana said a portable toilet is the bare minimum.

It should be a trailer where you can wash your hands and have a proper toilet, Rana said. If you are a woman driver, you cannot hold pee for four hours.

For each time an Uber or Lyft picks someone up at BDL, there is a $2.25 fee added to the passengers total that goes to the airport. Rana said that since the airport is making money off of the service, the airport should give back to the drivers that make that service possible.

The complaints the drivers shared about working as a ride share driver were numerous and drivers. Most highlighted the crushing toll that gas prices were taking on the amount of money they took home at the end of the day. Others said that Uber was seizing their tips.

Some complained about the control the app has over their lives and workday. Ganga said he thinks the app and the company knew about the rally because drivers headed to the event set the IAM Lodge as their destination before going offline.

You set a destination, I want to be in this place at this time, Ganga said. They should give you all the rides going in that direction. Today they dropped my destination off the app three times. I put the destination as here and they took it down three times. I am pretty sure they know we are going to protest here.

The Independent Drivers Guild formed in 2016 in the New York City area as an agreement between Uber and the IAM in New York City. Rana said that the Independent Drivers Guild in Connecticut has nothing to do with Uber, but another local group, Connecticut Drivers United, is skeptical.

IDG is trying to create groups paid by IDG to destroy the real benefits of workers, said Carlos Gomez, founder and senior organizer at Connecticut Drivers United. CDU says IDG is not welcome in CT. Return to New York.

Rana said that ultimately, organizations aside, the event is about the drivers and the demands they have.

Uber and Lyft drivers are being exploited by these companies, Rana said.

emily.disalvo@hearstmediact.com
BRIDGEPORT  The city has agreed to pay a settlement to a police officer who claimed in a lawsuit that he was removed from his position as an instructor at the police academy because he is white.

The city council voted Tuesday to authorize a settlement of $22,500 to Lt. John Gale to settle his federal discrimination lawsuit against the city.

Gales lawyer, Thomas Bucci, acknowledged the settlement but declined comment on it.

City officials did not comment on the lawsuit.

In April 2019, Gale filed a lawsuit against the city in U.S. District Court claiming he was relieved of his teaching assignments at the citys police academy on account of his race and color in violation of the U.S. Civil Rights Act and the provisions of the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act.

According to the lawsuit, at the time Gale was authorized by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council to instruct in 17 areas of law and police procedure and for more than eight years had taught, for extra compensation, in-service and basic training courses to police officers including driving under the influence law and accident investigation.

But the suit states that in December 2016, Gale was informed by the then-commander of the academy, who is African American, that his instructional duties at the academy were being terminated.

Gale subsequently filed a race discrimination complaint against the city with the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities stating, on information and belief, defendant will not allow me to teach at the academy because of my race and color.

The suit states that then-Capt. Rebeca Garcia, currently the acting police chief, retaliated against Gale for filing the discrimination complaint.

As a result of the alleged retaliatory acts of Garcia and others in the department, the suit states that Gale has suffered a substantial loss of income.

Throughout his employment with the defendant, the plaintiff has had a capable and successful work record and, as an instructor, he has performed in an exemplary manner, the suit states. The defendant discriminated against the plaintiff because of the plaintiffs opposition to the defendants unlawful race and color discrimination when it refused to employ the services of the plaintiff as an instructor for members of the Bridgeport Police Department without a legitimate reason.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP)  Attorneys for a white man charged with killing 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket were unable during a court proceeding Thursday to secure a year's delay in state prosecution.

Payton Gendron's attorneys asked a judge for the delay while a federal case against him proceeds. The federal hate crime charges could potentially carry a death penalty, and Gendron's attorneys said their work in the state case could negatively effect efforts by Gendrons federal defense attorneys, The Buffalo News reported.

At the end of the day, we don't want our client killed, attorney Robert Cutting told the judge.

While rejecting the one-year stay, Erie County Judge Susan Eagan granted the defense team until Oct. 6 to go through the voluminous evidence and to indicate whether it will pursue a psychiatric defense, according to the newspaper.

Gendron, 19, has been held without bail since his arrest shortly after the May 14 attack at a Tops Friendly Supermarket, which also left three people wounded.

He was charged in a 25-count indictment in a state court with hate-motivated domestic terrorism, first-degree murder, attempted murder and murder as a hate crime. He has pleaded not guilty.

Gendron's attorneys said in court they were told it would take a year before federal prosecutors decide whether to seek the death penalty.

Gendron, wearing an orange jumpsuit, was handcuffed and shackled in court.

Because of a gag order, attorneys are not allowed to comment on the case.
SHREVEPORT, La. (AP)  Fielding a call from a woman seeking an abortion, the director of Hope Medical Group for Women tried to answer as best she could.

Yes, federal protections for abortion had been overturned, she said. The clinic was still open  but there's a waiting list and a court hearing on Friday that could change everything, she added.

We are still fighting, clinic administrator Kathaleen Pittman told the woman before hanging up Wednesday.

By Pittman's own description, you have to be an optimist to work in abortion services. Now, with confused patients calling for help and a looming court date threatening to put an end to almost all abortions in the state, that optimism is being tested like never before.

For years, Louisiana's abortion clinics have operated under increasing layers of restrictions designed to limit who can get an abortion and when. Then the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that provided federal protection for abortions, leaving the decision up to individual states.

Like many states Louisiana has a trigger law designed to immediately halt abortions if Roe is overturned. But nearly two weeks after the June 24 ruling, the Shreveport clinic was still open and providing abortions to patients from all over Louisiana, as well as states like neighboring Texas and Mississippi.

The clinic filed for a temporary restraining order to allow the states three clinics to remain open, arguing that multiple trigger provisions in the law make it unclear exactly when the ban takes effect, and that the laws medical exceptions are unclear.

A judge in New Orleans granted the temporary measure pending a Friday court hearing. The states attorney general appealed directly to the Louisiana Supreme Court but on Wednesday the court declined to immediately intervene, leaving the abortion ban on hold.

At Hope, which is open Monday through Saturday, doctors perform abortions three days a week. The other days, doctors hold consultations with patients, who are also given an ultrasound. There is a state-mandated 72-hour waiting period between the consultation and an abortion.

There were about 20 consultations Wednesday  a relatively light load, Pittman said. She attributed that to the confusion surrounding future abortion access in the state, and patients worried they would come for a consultation but not be able to get an abortion.

Outside, volunteers escorted clients into the clinic  giving them tips like backing into parking spots so protesters have a harder time getting their license plate numbers. On the sidewalk, two anti-abortion protesters handed out plastic bags containing a paper rose, a scrunchy and flyers encouraging women not to have abortions.

The ticking clock of the legal battle is not lost on the staff.

Nurse Charla Roshto has worked at the clinic for over a dozen years. Despite the leak of a draft opinion weeks earlier, she didnt expect justices would go so far as to overturn Roe. She said she had to look at the news on a colleagues phone to believe it.

Now it's hard to figure out what to tell patients, she said. She used to be able to advise them clearly on when they'd be able to schedule their abortion and now she can't promise anything. She can direct them to websites and hopefully funds that can help them pay for travel to get an out-of-state abortion.

But, she said, even that can be hard because funders are concerned about the legal ramifications of helping patients cross state lines. She tells them to stay positive and keep their spirits up and, pointing to the calendar hanging on the wall, says that hopefully come Saturday the clinic will still be providing abortions.

After Roe was overturned Roshto had to call patients and tell them that their abortion was canceled. Then when the temporary restraining order was put in place, Roshto called them back to reschedule. She was relieved when she saw many were able to come back.

But even with all this uncertainty, Roshto says that each day the clinic is open and providing abortions is another person they can help.

If were fighting for one day, then were fighting for one day," she said. Some of these people really need that one day.

Caught up in the legal back-and-forth was a patient from Texas who drove nearly two hours for her consultation Wednesday. She didn't want to be identified due to the stigma still surrounding abortion.

She said she'd been in New Orleans for a family reunion when the news came down that Roe was overturned. She and her partner watched for over an hour, grappling with what it meant for them and others in a similar position. She already has two children  ages 9 and 13  and said she and her partner weighed whether to keep this pregnancy, but finally decided it wasn't the right time for another child. Child care is so expensive, she said, and even baby formula is scarce.

Eight years ago, she'd gotten pregnant and at that time there was no way she felt able to have a baby so she'd come to Hope for an abortion. This time, she's prepared to keep the pregnancy if it turns out she can't get one.

She explored going to Kansas or California but the cost and the hassle were too much. But she's worried about other women possibly in much more desperate situations than she is.

I feel like women should have rights, you know, my body, my choice. ... I stand by that 100%, she said.

In a small room, technician Nikki Jordan was giving patients ultrasounds. She has worked at the clinic since 1999; one of her daughters also works here. She empathizes with those coming in.

Jordan had her first child when she was 16. She had strong support from her mother but says not everyone has that. If women are no longer able to get legal abortions Jordan worries about what theyll do to themselves, things they'll find on the internet to terminate a pregnancy.

Working at the clinic, Jordan says she's found her purpose doing her "part in the world, as she puts it. She tells patients her story, listens to theirs, and lets them know they're not going to hell for their choice.

I just believe in a higher purpose. And I believe in whats right, she said.

When the Supreme Court decision came down, Haley Brand, Hope's director of patient advocacy, said her hand was shaking so much she spilled her coffee. But like everyone in the clinic, she's not ready to throw in the towel.

She said everyone at Hope, whether they work full-time or part-time or volunteer believes in reproductive justice and the power to decide one's own life course. She has been fielding phone calls from patients who are panicked or angry or just glad someone is answering the phone at the clinic.

Its been a rollercoaster of events. Its been a rollercoaster of emotions," she said.

"But in 10 years, when I look back on everything thats happened over the last two weeks ... I will know that we did the best that we can for the people that were trying to help. And I have no regrets over that.

__

Follow Santana on Twitter @ruskygal.
BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP)  The man charged with killing his mother at sea in a plot to inherit millions of dollars has asked a federal court Wednesday to authorize his release from custody pending trial.

The attorneys for Nathan Carman filed a motion in U.S. District Court in Burlington saying the evidence against him is tenuous at best" and he is not a flight risk or a danger to the community.

As conditions of release, Carman is willing to surrender his passport, submit to electronic monitoring and turn over all the money he has, $10,000, to a third party or post some of that money as bail, the filing says.

He has also been under criminal investigation for almost a decade and he has been facing civil litigation, but he has always shown up in court.

At no time during that lengthy period has Mr. Carman ever attempted to threaten a witness, contact a witness inappropriately or sought to influence a witness in any way," the filing says. There is no evidence to support such a claim now.

After Carman's arrest, prosecutors argued he should be held because he poses a flight risk and is a danger to the community.

Carman has been held since his arrest in May when he was indicted on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of his mother, Linda Carman of Middletown, Connecticut, during a fishing trip off the Rhode Island coast. Her body has never been found.

He was also charged with multiple counts of fraud.

Authorities also alleged Carman killed his grandfather, John Chakalos, at his home in Windsor, Connecticut, in 2013 as part of a scheme to obtain money and property from his grandfathers estate, but he was not charged with that killing.

The Wednesday motion says that during his eight years living in Vernon, Vermont, Carman led a quiet life with solid ties to the community, participating in town forums, attending a local church and had many local friends.
Google Street View /Contributed

NEW LONDON  A local man has died after a shooting Tuesday evening that New London police said did not appear to be a random act.

Police identified the man as Abdiel Rodriguez, 25, of New London.
The joint press conference was aimed at showing Western solidarity in the face of the "China threat."

FBI Director Christopher Wray (right) and MI5 Director General Ken McCallum at the joint event in London, July 6, 2022

In an unprecedented joint appearance Wednesday, the heads of U.S. and U.K. security agencies warned about Chinas hacking and economic espionage, which they called the most game-changing challenge we face.

FBI director Christopher Wray in a speech delivered at the London headquarters of MI5, the British domestic intelligence service, said its the Chinese government that poses the biggest long-term threat to our economic and national security.

He added that Beijing was set on stealing your technology, whatever it is that makes your industry tick, and using it to undercut your business and dominate your market.

MI5 Director General Ken McCallum said that his agency has already more than doubled the effort against Chinese activity of concern in the last three years.

Today were running seven times as many investigations as we were in 2018, he said, adding that MI5 plans to grow as much again to counter threats by China.

The Chinese Communist Party is interested in our democratic, media and legal systems. Not to emulate them, sadly, but to use them for its gain, said the MI5 head.

This joint appearance by the two agencies' heads is seen as a show of Western solidarity and, as Wray put it, FBI and MI5 are united in this fight.

McCallum meanwhile said: Today is the first time the heads of the FBI and MI5 have shared a public platform. Were doing so to send the clearest signal we can on a massive shared challenge: China.

Immense threat

Such a joint appearance, focused on the activities of one country, is highly unusual, said Matthew Brazil, Fellow at the Jamestown Foundation and co-author of the book Chinese Communist Espionage.

It indicates that London and Washington think their business communities are insufficiently aware, or even negligent, of technology theft by Beijing's security services, said Brazil, who also serves as China analyst for Washington D.C.-based firm BluePath Lab.

This is not hyperbole. The 2021 annual survey of members by the U.S.-China Business Council indicate that American firms may be worried about the bilateral relationship, but they are still making money in China, he said.

The China analyst warned there is a systemic problem with corporations seeking short-term returns and some high-tech businesses being more focused on being a generation ahead of competitors than losing last year's technology to a foreign government.

In his remarks to business leaders in Thames House, London, Christopher Wray, who spent 12 years in the private sector, called the threat by China immense and a far more complex and pervasive threat to businesses than even most sophisticated company leaders realize.

Where we see some companies stumble is in thinking that by attending to one, or a couple, of these dangers, theyve got the whole Chinese government danger coveredwhen really, China just pivots to the remaining door left unattended, the FBI boss said.

The FBI and MI5 leaders gave a number of examples of Chinese economic espionage, with Ken McCallum warning that privileged information is gathered on multiple channels, in what is sometimes referred to as the thousand grains of sand strategy.

Chinas ambition

The aim here is not to cut off from China  one fifth of humanity, with immense talent, the MI5 head said.

Were not talking about Chinese people, he said, adding that his agency is focused on the Chinese Communist Party and certain parts of the Chinese State, whose scale of ambition is huge.

The FBIs Wray was more direct when he said that the Chinese government is using intimidation and repression to shape the world to be more accommodating to Chinas campaign of theft.

The Chinese Government sees cyber as the pathway to cheat and steal on a massive scale, he said, adding that Chinas lavishly resourced hacking program is bigger than that of every other major country combined.

The Chinese government has yet to respond but a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington rejected the allegations given in the joint address.

Liu Pengyu said in an emailed statement to the Associated Press that China firmly opposes and combats all forms of cyber-attacks and called the accusations groundless.

Christopher Wray warned about the possibility that China may try to forcibly take over Taiwan, saying it would represent one of the most horrific business disruptions the world has ever seen.

The intelligence chiefs called for more cooperation to counter imminent threats.

The U.K. has shared intelligence about cyber threats with 37 countries, according to MI5s McCallum who said that security alliances such as the Five Eyes comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States remain at the heart of our response.
Authorities in Hong Kong Thursday suspended flight bans on specific routes and boosted COVID-19 testing requirements for newly arrived passengers, in an apparent bid to send a message that it remains an international city despite U.S. sanctions on its leader John Lee.



Since being sworn in by ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping on July 1, Lee has called on people to tell the rest of the world about Hong Kong's "stories and achievements," echoing Xi's call for state media to "tell good stories about China."



But critics pointed to a lack of space in mandatory government quarantine facilities and a plummeting international reputation on human rights and freedoms, both of which will likely hamper Lee's efforts to rebrand Hong Kong.



"Further enhanced and more frequent [PCR] testing for inbound persons is more effective in halting the importation of cases," the government said in a statement. "[We have] has therefore decided to suspend ... the route-specific flight suspension mechanism until further notice."



Earlier, Lee had urged members of the city's Legislative Council (LegCo) and media to "tell others about Hong Kong's stories and achievements."



"This will create a sense of identity, including an international identity, and everyone will feel proud to be from Hong Kong," Lee said, adding: "We have to work together to build this awareness."



A EuroCham survey found in March 2022 that 25 percent of companies that responded to its poll had said they will "fully relocate" out of the city during the next 12 months, citing highly restrictive COVID-19 measures.



More than 50 percent said they were having trouble attracting talent from overseas, the survey said.



Police gather in the Wanchai district of Hong Kong on June 29, 2022, close to where celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China took place on July 1. Credit: AFP Sanctions for crackdown

But Hong Kong's international image is also being marred by the fact that Lee and many of his senior officials are subject to U.S. sanctions as individuals deemed responsible by Washington for implementing a draconian national security law, that ushered in a citywide crackdown on political opposition and peaceful dissent in the wake of the 2019 protest movement.



Hong Kong current affairs commentator Chung Kim-wah said Lee will find it hard to leave Hong Kong, as any company -- including banks and credit card companies -- with a presence in the U.S. is now proscribed from doing business with him.



"He has been sanctioned, so it's hard for him to leave Hong Kong," Chung told RFA. "He can only use cash, so how can he tell a good story about Hong Kong?"



"It doesn't matter how well he tells it; there are so many places he can't actually get to ... [including] important trading partners of Hong Kong, places where he might go to attract investors," he said.



Nearly all of Lee's predecessors since the job was created with the 1997 handover, including shipping magnate Tung Chee-hwa, former financial chief Donald Tsang and pro-Beijing stalwart Leung Chun-ying, made sure that their first overseas trip after taking office was to Washington, where they tried to boost trade and economic ties with the U.S.



But key members of Lee's cabinet, including second-in-command Paul Chan and security chief Chris Tang, are themselves the targets of U.S. sanctions for their part in the suppression of Hong Kong's promised rights and freedoms.



The city's human rights record will also be up for review at the United Nations from July 7-12, inviting further public scrutiny of the impact of the national security crackdown on the city's seven million people.



The bid to "talk about stories and achievements" is also part of an ongoing attempt by the authorities to erase collective memory of the city's former freedoms and once vibrant political life, which once included one of the freest media sectors in the world.



"[The handover anniversary on] July 1 always used to mean a demonstration, because there was nothing to celebrate about the return of Hong Kong [to Chinese rule]," former Polytechnic University social science assistant professor Lake Lui, now based on the democratic island of Taiwan, told RFA.



People waving goodbye as a family makes their way through the departure gates of Hong Kong's International Airport, July 22, 2021. Credit: AFP Net outflow of emigrants

The people of Hong Kong may still be marching, but this time away from their beloved city.



Immigration statistics for the first three months of 2022 showed a net outflow of more than 140,000 people from Hong Kong, far exceeding the number of arrivals.



A Chinese University of Hong Kong poll last year found that nearly 60 percent of 800 respondents aged 15 to 30 wanted to leave the city.



Wang Ssi-yue chose to study in Hong Kong after graduating from high school in 2011.



"I probably wouldn't choose to study or work in Hong Kong if [I were graduating] now," she said. "There's too much that's unstable about living there, and a sense that it could be risky."



She remembers the city as being far freer than it is now.



"There was no sense of self-censorship, even on sensitive topics. People would just joke about it," Wang said. "[We felt] nothing would happen to us because it was Hong Kong."



"I didn't expect that to end so abruptly," she said. "It's really scary; it's like watching a city die."



Waning confidence

Former Hong Kong Baptist University sociology professor Yao-Tai Li agreed.



"Since the national security law was implemented, people have less and less confidence in Hong Kong as an international city," Li said. "Many of my former colleagues in academic and financial circles have now left."



"Hong Kong is slowing losing what once made it unique, which was the intersection of Chinese cultural traditions and Western values of democracy, freedom and human rights," Li said.



"I think Hong Kong will become more and more like a so-called first-tier city in mainland China, like Shanghai or Beijing," Li said.



Wang said many of her friends in Hong Kong have now deleted their social media accounts, and no longer openly discuss politics or current affairs.



"I think we may see a war on memory over the next 25 years, and the official narrative becoming stronger and more complete," she said. "They will implant this in the minds of people of all ages via the education system."



There are signs that this is already happening. On July 1, the 25th anniversary of the handover, just three years after some of the most promising students had formed human chains in support of the 2019 protest movement, the city's education bureau got high-school students to turn up and sing patriotic Chinese songs in Mandarin, as opposed to Cantonese, the current lingua franca of Hong Kong.



As the pro-democracy families leave to seek a liberal education for their children overseas, their school places are being taken up by pro-government families, turning the city's once-prestigious schools into bastions of Chinese patriotism.



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
The waste treatment facility attached to the mine overflows when it rains, contaminating the rivers.

The Xe Noi River in Vilabouly district, Savannakhet province, Laos runs red due to pollution from an iron mine on June 21, 2022.

Authorities in Laos have ordered a Vietnamese mining company to suspend its operations after it polluted local waterways, causing two rivers to run red, local media reported.

The Company of Economic Cooperation in Vietnam (Coecco) runs a mining operation in the Boualapha district of Laos southern Khammouane province.

When red water began flowing down the Sa-A and Xe Noi Rivers starting on June 21, the governors of Khamouane and the downstream Savannakhet provinces, along with the minister of Natural Resources and Environment, inspected three Boualapha district mining operations, local outlet Next Media reported.

Investigators discovered that Coeccos mine was to blame and also discovered the company had been conducting illegal mining activities. On June 27, the Ministry of Energy and Mines issued a notice that ordered Coecco to stop all operations until the company completes construction of a larger waste treatment facility.

Pollution has been affecting many villages along the Sa-A and Xe Noi Rivers, an official of Savannakhets Vilabouly district told RFAs Lao Service on condition of anonymity to speak freely.

The most affected are four villages  Nateu, Katae, Na Yom and Hoei Phai  here in Vilabouly district, the official said.

The water turns red when the mines wash iron and release waste into the river, a resident of Nateu, who like the rest of the sources in this story, declined to be named for safety reasons, told RFA.

The river water becomes red, undrinkable and unusable. Some villagers here who are rich can dig wells and get [uncontaminated] groundwater, but the poorer folks have no choice but to use the red water, the Nateu resident said.

The red water in the facility overflows when it rains, the villager said.

Prior to the ministerial order to halt operations, authorities and villagers in Vilabouly district wrote a letter demanding Coecco stop polluting, but the company did nothing.

Bathing in the red water leaves residue on villagers bodies, a resident of Hoei Phai told RFA.

I took a bath in the Sa-A River on the other day. The red water stuck to my body, my arms and my legs, the Hoei Phai resident said.

The governors of Khammouane and Savannakhet provinces and the minister came down here, so this week the company agreed to stop operations. The company previously ignored the demand of the district authorities, the Hoei Phai resident said

A resident of Nong Kapad village in te Boulapha district told RFA that residents there have been less affected by pollution even though the mine is located in the district.

We live far away from the rivers, but a lot of villages in the south, especially those four in Vilabouly district in Savannakhet, have been badly affected. They cant drink the water or take baths in the rivers, the Nong Kapad villager said.

The residents are unhappy about the red water, a Khammouane province Natural Resources and Environment Department official, who was part of the inspection team, told RFA.

The company must improve the [waste] treatment system as required by the governors and the minister. The waste reservoir is too small and substandard, so that is why the waste is flowing down into the rivers, the official said.

The official said that the inspection team did not discuss the issue of building wells for the residents when they met with Coecco.

When asked if the red water was toxic, the official responded, All the information regarding this matter is kept by the inspecting committee.

The Lao government gave the concession to Coecco for rights to extract iron ore in a five-hectare (12.3-acre) plot in Boualapha district in July 2021. So far, the company has produced 36,000 tons of ore.

Foreign-invested farming, mining and development projects in Laos have been touted as a boon for development and employment in the impoverished nation. But the projects have sparked friction over land taken without proper compensation, harsh labor conditions and environmental pollution.

Translated by Max Avary. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
The massacre marked the first of several student protests against military rule in Myanmar.

Activists in Myanmar marked the 60th anniversary of a military crackdown that killed at least 100 students in the commercial capital Yangon with protests in more than a dozen townships on Thursday, despite increased security measures by junta authorities.

The protests commemorating the July 7, 1962, crackdown were held in the Sagaing region townships of Salingyi, Yinmarbin, Tamu, Kani, Kale and Ayadaw; Tanintharyi region townships of Dawei and Launglon; Bago regions Taungoo township; Kachin states Hpakant township; Mon states Thanbyuzayat township; as well as the cities of Yangon and Mandalay.

Speaking from Yangon, where more than 30 students joined protests at around 11 a.m., a member of the Botataung Strike Group named Jewel told RFA Burmese that anniversary activities took place unhindered by authorities.

The July 7 protest is very important for every student movement and we observe it as a reminder to others so that people will never forget, she said.

There were surprise checks in earlier days but fortunately there were none today. [The soldiers] came to the spot where we held the protest only after we left. There were no arrests today.

Thet Oo, a protester in Yinmarbin township, said people observing the anniversary event had to disperse after only 15 minutes of shouting slogans due to tight security.

The slogan Do not forget 7.7.62 refers to the many students and youths who bravely gave their lives in the fight for the truth, he said.

In memory of that day, and to instill courage in peoples minds to fight like the fallen heroes for the freedom of the country, we members of the All Villages of the North Western Plains Strike Committee held this protest on the streets [despite the risk of arrest].

On March 2, 1962, Gen. Ne Win led the military in a coup to control Myanmar, appointing himself prime minister and dissolving the countrys legislature. On July 7 of that year, troops were sent to restore order as students protested tuition increases at Yangon University. The troops fired on the protesters, killing at least 100 people, and arrested thousands of students, according to local media reports. The following day, the military blew up the Yangon University Students Union building, which had stood as a monument to the anti-colonialism movement in Myanmar since the 1920s.

In a statement issued Thursday in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the crackdown, the All-Burma Federation of Students' Unions called on people of Myanmar to take action in whatever way possible to overthrow the current military regime, which seized power in a Feb. 1, 2021, coup.

Myat Min Khant, chairman of the Yangon District Students' Union, called the announcement a signal to end military rule.

"There are two reasons that the All-Burma Students Union issued the statement. The first is to remind people that it isnt just now that the fascist military is killing people in cities and towns without hesitation. They have done so in the past, he told RFA.

The second reason is to remind people we are still in the middle of the Spring Revolution, fighting against the fascist military. We want to remind them that the fascist military and the 2008 constitution, which is the backbone of the fascist army, must be removed if they want real freedom.

A spokesman for the Yangon University Students' Union, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said students have always been at the forefront of the opposition to military rule in Myanmar.

The July 7 protests we are commemorating now were also a fight against the Ne Win regime, which also seized state power, he said.

And then there were student protests in 74, 75 and 76. Students also joined hands with the people in the 1988 pro-democracy uprising. And now, in the 2021 anti-coup protests, students have actively participated in the Spring Revolution against the military along with the people, he added.

Myanmars students are still fighting the military dictatorship in various ways.

Junta authorities have killed at least 2,069 civilians since seizing power and arrested more than 14,500 others  mostly during peaceful anti-coup protests, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a Thailand-based NGO. At least 11,443 people remain in detention, the group says.

Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama (C) is assisted as he arrives for the inauguration of a museum on his 87th birthday, in Dharamsala, India, July 6, 2022.

Tibetans bucked tight Chinese security and online surveillance to honor the 87th birthday Wednesday of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama with incense and picnics, sources in the region said.

Previous years have seen arrests in the weeks around the July 6 birthday and Lhasa and other population centers across Tibet and Tibetan regions of Chinese provinces faced beefed up security this year.

Despite Chinese authorities clampdown on celebrations of His Holiness the Dalai Lamas 87th birthday, Tibetans inside Tibet are finding ways to observe the anniversary, either covertly or openly said a Tibetan in the region who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

On July 6th Many Tibetans are making Sangso incense smoke offerings on the top of hills in their respective areas, and Tibetans are also commemorating the day by holding picnics at other places, said the source.

Despite the intensifying security this year, there are Tibetans inside Tibet, who write essays and articles in praise of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the occasion, the source said. The articles are widely read and shared on social media, he added.

Chinese authorities in the Himalayan region made everyone attend meetings to warn Tibetans not to share any kinds of photos and telling them that their cellphones will be checked for banned content, another source said.

In many places, new checkpoints are erected that check all travelers and police units are established to spy on the activities of the family, the second source said.

This year around in recent days, the visitors and pilgrimage to Potala Palace and Tsulangkhang Temple in Lhasa are heavily restricted and limited. Only a certain number of visitors are allowed each day to avoid large public gatherings, said a source in Lhas, the regional capital.

Last year RFA reported the arrests of 20-30 Tibetans around the time of the Dalai Lamas 86th birthday. But there has been no word of detentions or arrests this year.

Exiled Tibetans participate in a procession to mark the 87th birthday of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, at Jawalakhel Tibetan refugee camp on the outskirts of Kathmandu, July 6, 2022. Credit: AFP In Nepal, which borders Tibet, the government permitted a two-hour celebration of the Dalai Lamas 87th birthday at the Jawalakhel Tibetan Settlement, a 60-year-old facility near the capital Kathmandu that is home to more than 1,000 Tibetans.

It took more than two hours to complete the celebrations with the presence of many Western embassy dignitaries, said a local Tibetan who attended the celebration.

Local media reported that diplomats from the embassies of France, the EU, Japan, and the United States were among the foreign guests at the settlement center.

"This year the Nepali government granted permission and a large number of Tibetans showed up to celebrate the occasion, the local source said.

Nepali police were deployed at the venues, but they are just keeping watch and does not interrupt the celebrations, which included processions of carrying the Dalai Lamas portrait, official speeches of the Central Tibetan Administration, cultural performances and so on, added the Nepal source.

Nepal had in previous years banned any such open display of devotion to the Dalai Lama, a stance seen as deferring to its powerful neighbor China, which reviles the popular leader as a separatist.

The Dalai Lama fled Tibet into exile in India in the midst of a failed 1959 Tibetan national uprising against rule by China, which marched into the formerly independent Himalayan country in 1950.

Displays by Tibetans of the Dalai Lamas photo, public celebrations of his birthday, and the sharing of his teachings on mobile phones or other social media are often harshly punished.

Chinese authorities maintain a tight grip on Tibet and on Tibetan-populated regions of western China, restricting Tibetans political activities and peaceful expression of cultural and religious identity, and subjecting Tibetans to imprisonment, torture, and extrajudicial killings.

In a statement honoring the Dalai Lamas birthday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised his ongoing commitment to non-violence to resolve the grievances of the Tibetan community and his dedication and service to humanity.

Blinken said the United States will continue to support His Holinesss and the Tibetan communitys efforts to preserve Tibets distinct linguistic, religious, and cultural traditions, including the ability to freely choose their religious leaders.

Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Paul Eckert.
The CCP uses community organizations as fronts to challenge the global narrative that it is repressing Uyghurs.

Activists, including members of the local uyghur, Tibetan, and Hong Kong communities hold up banners and placards calling on the Australian government to boycott the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics over China's human rights record, in Melbourne< Australia, June 23, 2021.

On a sunny summer day in the South Australia city of Adelaide in late January 2018, scores of community groups marched through the streets in a parade to celebrate Australia Day.

Among them was the South Australia Xinjiang Association, a nonprofit organization set up in 2009 that provides a platform for Chinese migrants from the region in northwestern China to meet one another and network.

The group also has a more nefarious purpose, two researchers say in a new report on Chinas efforts to tamp down global criticism of its policies in Xinjiang, where well-documented reports have uncovered widespread abuses toward Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups.

The Han Chinese-dominated South Australia Xinjiang Association, which has the backing of Chinas diplomatic mission to Australia, claims the right to speak on behalf of the Xinjiang diaspora while neutralizing the legitimate concerns of the Uyghur community about Beijings human rights abuses in the Uyghur homeland, write Lin Li, and independent researcher, and James Leibold, a senior fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institutes International Cyber Policy Centre,

Dozens of SA Xinjiang Association members displayed a huge banner bearing the groups name as they marched wearing the traditional attire of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities, despite objections from some of the citys 1,500 Uyghur residents that the Han Chinese were appropriating their culture, which Chinese authorities back home were working to extinguish through a harsh campaign of forced assimilation.

Adding insult to injury, the association won the best costume award, its members triumphantly posing for photos with Jay Weatherill, who was then the premier of South Australia, boosting the groups public profile.

Some Uyghurs later complained to the Adelaide City Council that the parade march by the Han Chinese was an intentional by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) effort at a soft propaganda publicity act to distract from the communist Chinese governments persecution of Uyghurs, including members of their own families.

The CCP uses deceptive and coercive influence operations around the globe to undermine Uyghurs living outside China, often through the United Front Work Department (UFWD), say Li and Leibold in their 65-page policy paper, titled Cultivating Friendly Forces: The Chinese Communist Partys Influence Operations in the Xinjiang Diaspora.

The UFWD gathers information about and attempts to influence individuals and organizations inside and outside China to ensure they are supportive of or useful to the partys interests.

The information collected is also used to harass Uyghurs and other minorities living overseas, the report says. Community organizations with innocuous-sounding names serve as conduits for propaganda about Xinjiang in an effort to dispute the well-documented human rights abuses in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), the researchers say.

What we were trying to do in this report is to open up another window onto the strategy of the Chinese Communist Party in its very complex and decentralized united front system, Leibold told RFA in an interview. And that is the efforts to co-opt Chinese overseas community organizations who would have members which had some links to Xinjiang.

Since 2017, Chinese authorities have ramped up a clampdown on Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in the XUAR through arbitrary arrests and lengthy detentions. An estimated 1.8 million members of these groups have been held in internment camps, where some experienced severe human rights abuses, torture, rape and forced labor.

The SA Xinjiang Association, which is part of a large network of Xinjiang-linked overseas groups, might not be immediately recognizable as closely aligned with the CCP and its united front system, but our research demonstrates how the CCP actively cultivates community organizations, such as the SA Xinjiang Association, as conduits for advancing the partys agenda abroad and obscuring  or even silencing  the voices of Uyghurs and other critics of its policies in Xinjiang, the report says.

Tool to exert influence

The report cites three other case studies of organizations like the SA Xinjiang Association that work to neutralize or silence criticism of CCP policies in Xinjiang.

Its a tool of the Chinese Communist Party to exert its influence amongst the entire diasporic community and really undermine democratic values and institutions in places like the United States, Canada and Australia, said Leibold, who has been blacklisted by the CCP. The starting point really is to expose the way the system operates, its aims, its ambitions and its strategies.

By offering up four case studies, we tried to expose the kind of inner workings of these community organizations and their direct links back to the united front system and the Chinese Communist Party, he said.

The CCP gathers intelligence on its critics, maintains databases of former and current Xinjiang residents with overseas connections, and establishes research institutes that suggest policies to lawmakers in their respective countries, the report states.

The tactics also include cultivating overseas community leaders and sending officials tasked with qiaowu  overseas Chinese affairs to conduct united front work, while inviting targets residing abroad to China.

The CCP taps into business networks, offers political honors for its backers, and stages cultural performances to nurture friendly forces for China through language schools and summer camps in a widespread public relations campaign.

Its easy to get duped into thinking these are just normal cultural activities, Leibold said.

The researchers used Chinese-language media reports, government documents and social media posts to track groups and individuals promoting the CCPs Xinjiang narrative and policies overseas.

They urge other researchers to document human rights abuses in the XUAR and call on governments to hold China accountable for its repressive policies there.

They also recommend that media, NGOs and research institutes increase public awareness of the links between community organizations in the Xinjiang diaspora and the CCP and ask on law enforcement and civil society groups to disrupt the CCPs ability to interfere.

Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
The social media platform has also drawn criticism from users who say it is too heavy-handed in censoring posts.

Vietnams government has hit out at Facebook, accusing owners Meta Platforms of ignoring calls for it to block posts containing content considered malicious in the country.

The government considers any comments that criticize the ruling communist party or the government as malicious along with content that incites violence.

There are around 70 million Facebook users in Vietnam. The platform was singled out by Luu Dinh Phuc, Director of the Department of Radio, Television and Electronic Information at the Ministry of Information and Communications.

Speaking at a workshop last week on activities in the field of electronic information in the first six months of the year Phuc said "Some foreign enterprises providing cross-border services to Vietnam still find ways to avoid preventing malicious information in Vietnam, typically its Facebook.

Social media companies bow to government calls to remove posts

VietNamNet's ictnews website said on March 29 that foreign social networking platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok removed thousands of posts with allegedly malicious content that slandered the Vietnamese Party and State in the first three months of this year. The figures, supplied by Vietnamese authorities, showed that the social media companies took down all but 10% of the posts objected to by the government.

The figures also showed that Alphabets Google removed 2,679 videos identified as breaking the law on its YouTube platform with a removal/blocking rate of 93%. ByteDances short form video site TikTok removed or blocked 71 videos, or 87% of the total. Facebook removed 5% fewer posts than in the same period last year and Googles removal rate dropped by 3%.

Nguyen Ngoc Truong, the former president of the Center for Strategic Studies and International Relations Development (CSSD), told RFA he didnt believe government censors were being too heavy handed.

I find social media in Vietnam very good, compared with China and Russia. Here there is freedom and comfortable access. There are no restrictions with the exception of a few sensitive areas," he said.

When RFA asked Nguyen for his views on the blocking of some foreign news sites in Vietnam he said it made sense to censor sensitive material but in general there are things that are not worth interfering with, adding that sometimes authorities can be too sensitive when dealing with foreign news sources.

Hanoi-based teacher Tran Thi Thao, who often criticizes the regime and government officials on Facebook, told RFA that in May one of her articles was restricted by the platform due to what it called a legal requirement. She said on another occasion her post was moved to a lower position on the news feed for nearly a month. Thao said she believed that Facebook was still complying with requests to block news considered critical of the communist party and the government.

The seventh largest Facebook user base in the world

Figures from the World Population Review website show that Vietnam had the seventh highest number of Facebook users in the world in 2020 and 2021, which may explain why Facebook responds favorably to government censorship requests.

Last October the Washington Post reported that Facebook co-founder and Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg personally signed a commitment with the Vietnamese Government to limit posts on the social network that are considered "anti-state, because he didnt want to be shut out of one of the most important social media markets in Asia.

Not all Vietnamese Facebook users are critical of the sites policies. Hanoi-based civil activist Do The Dang, who writes and share articles related to many issues in Vietnam, said he had been using Facebook for more than 10 years and had never been suspended.

RFA emailed Metas California headquarters to ask for its response to the Vietnamese governments criticism but did not receive a reply.

The companys Transparency Center page says Meta responds to government requests for data in accordance with applicable law and our terms of service. Each and every request we receive is carefully reviewed for legal sufficiency and we may reject or require greater specificity on requests that appear overly broad or vague.

In its section on Vietnam the Transparency Center said it had received six requests from the Vietnamese government to delete Facebook posts in the second half of last year and removed two of them. In the first half of the year it received three requests and removed one post.
EU foreign ministers have pledged another 500 million euros ($504 million) in military aid to Ukraine as the bloc's foreign policy chief called on member states not to waver in their commitment to sanctions against Russia.

The European Union has now pledged a total of 2.5 billion euros to Ukraine since Russia invaded on February 24.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter he was grateful for the new funds but still urged the EU's 27 members to provide more.

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.

He said his key message in an address to the foreign ministers on July 18 was "weapons to Ukraine, sanctions on Russia, and accountability for Russia are the three ways to restore peace, enhance security, and protect stability in Europe."

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis agreed that weapons deliveries must continue, saying it was also essential to secure the port of Odesa to ensure grain shipments can resume.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell agreed that Ukraine needs more arms as he sought to show that the EU was not giving up and would remain united.

Speaking at a news conference, Borrell also lashed out at critics claiming that sanctions were counterproductive and hurt the EU more than Russia.

"Some European leaders have been saying that the sanctions were an error, were a mistake," Borrell said in an apparent reference to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who last week claimed the EU had not only shot itself in the foot but also in the lungs by implementing six packages of sanctions.

"There is a big debate about 'are the sanctions effective? Are the sanctions affecting us more than Russia.'" Pointing to economic figures showing that the impact on Russia was bigger than on the EU, Borrell asked rhetorically: "They don't have eyes? They dont look to the graphs? They don't consider figures?"

The unprecedented sanctions include a partial ban on imports of Russian oil, a ban on transactions with Russia's central bank, and a halt to new investments in Russia.

The sanctions, which are meant to cripple Russia's ability to fund the war, come at a time of surging inflation and the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, presenting a challenge to the bloc's ability to hold firm.

But Borrell said European countries cannot afford fatigue.

"They took the decisions on restrictive measures on the Russian economy, and they have to stick to it," he said.

Borrell added that he expected EU ambassadors to approve a new EU import ban on Russian gold later this week in a seventh sanctions package.

Gold is Moscow's second-largest export industry after energy. The Group of Seven (G7) leading industrial economies last month committed to a gold ban, arguing that Russia has used its gold to back up its currency to circumvent the impact of sanctions.

With reporting by AP and Reuters
A Polish professor has been detained by Iran since September, a spokesman with the university confirmed to RFE/RL on July 7 after Iran claimed that it had arrested a group of foreigners on spying charges.

Maciej Walczak, a professor at Copernicus University in Poland, was detained along with two colleagues, who were later released, university spokesman Marcin Czyzniewski told RFE/RLs Radio Farda.

The confirmation came after Britain's ambassador to Iran said a British diplomat whom Tehran claimed was among the foreigners it had detained on spying charges had in fact left the country late last year.

The ambassadors comments followed contradictory reports about the status and whereabouts of Giles Whitaker, Britain's deputy chief of mission in Tehran, and several other foreigners.

Czyniewski said Walczak was put on trial and sentenced to three years in prison on unknown charges. The spokesman added that Polish diplomats managed to visit him twice in prison and the university has been in contact with the Polish Foreign Ministry to push for his release.

Earlier, a statement from the Polish Foreign Ministry confirmed the arrest of a Polish "recognized scientist" without giving details about his identity.

The statement said Polish diplomats had been contact "with our citizen and his family," adding that "the detainee" had also received legal aid.

The statement was issued a day after Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) accused the British diplomat and other foreigners of espionage and taking soil samples from prohibited military zones.

The state-controlled television aired footage purportedly showing Walczak and three others collecting earth samples from a restricted area in the central desert of Iran. It said their sample collection coincided with a missile test in Iran's southern Kerman Province.

The IRGC said the group was arrested but did not say when or whether they were currently in custody.

The semiofficial Fars news agency also published a photo showing four people in a desert setting, identifying them as the group that had been detained. Fars also said Whitaker had been expelled from Iran after apologizing.

Britain's Foreign Office on July 6 rejected the report that a diplomat had been arrested, calling it "completely false."

"These reports that our Deputy Ambassador is currently detained are very interesting," Ambassador Simon Shercliff wrote on Twitter on July 7. "He actually left Iran last December, at the end of his posting."

Neither Shercliff nor the Foreign Office indicated whether Whitaker had been detained prior to his departure.

Iran has in the past arrested dual nationals and those with Western ties, often on espionage charges, and leveraged them as bargaining chips in talks over other issues such as nuclear negotiations.

Talks to revive the nuclear deal between Iran and several world powers have been stalled for months.

A recent effort to break the deadlock between U.S. and Iranian negotiators ended last week without a breakthrough.

Also on July 7, the British Defense Ministry announced that British naval ships had raided Iranian vessels earlier this year and seized weapons in waters south of Iran.

The seizures occurred on two separate occasions -- January 28 and February 25 -- and involved Royal Marines who "approached the vessels on two Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats before securing and searching the vessels." On one occasion, a U.S. naval helicopter was indirectly involved as well.

Weapons seized included multiple rocket engines for an Iranian cruise missile and 358 surface-to-air missiles, the ministry said.

No further details were given, and it was unclear why the ministry made the announcement on July 7, months after the two incidents, though the timing suggested a coordinated effort by London to send a warning to Tehran.

With reporting by Fars and Reuters
Karakalpakstan remains in an "information vacuum," residents say, as the situation has begun to stabilize following deadly protests last week over the Uzbek governments plan to hold a vote on the region's autonomous status.

"We are left with no access to information," a 33-year-old man told RFE/RL, speaking by phone from the remote regions capital, Nukus.

"People are afraid -- neighborhood committee heads are going to door to door and warning people: 'Don't take to take to the streets or we wont be responsible if you're detained,'" the man said on condition of anonymity.

Authorities said on July 6 that the Internet had been "temporarily" restricted in Karakalpakstan to prevent the spread of fake news "aimed at inciting separatism" and "destabilizing" the country.

The government says 18 people were killed and more than 200 were wounded in clashes between protesters and security forces on July 1-2. But a local health official and several residents told RFE/RL they believe the death toll is much higher.

The protests mark the worst violence in the authoritarian Central Asian country since anti-government protests in the eastern city of Andijon in 2005, when hundreds of people were killed.

The government said normalcy has returned to Karakalpakstan, where "grocery stores, bazaars, bakeries, banks, hospitals, and other social facilities" have reopened.

The Interior Ministry said mobile-phone connections "are fully operational," but it didnt say when Internet access will be restored.

Uzbek media reported earlier in the week that ATMs didn't work, and many government services were also unavailable in Karakalpakstan, a massive region that makes up western Uzbekistan.

A senior official at Karakalpakstan's Interior Ministry said it's possible that a month-long state of emergency imposed on July 2 could be lifted earlier than planned.

"Now the situation in Nukus is calm. It's been said in a [government] meeting that if the situation stays this way, authorities will end the curfew ahead of schedule," the official told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity.

WATCH: Calls For International Inquiry After Deadly Crackdown In Uzbekistan

Several residents who spoke to RFE/RL confirmed that the situation has calmed down in the region. But they said there are still numerous security checkpoints in Nukus and other cities, including the town of Shymbai, where the protests began.

Soldiers and police still patrol the streets, while armored personnel carriers can be seen in cities, they said.

One Nukus resident said there were "checkpoints installed everywhere on the border" between Karakalpakstan and neighboring provinces.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said trade has been suspended between Karakalpakstan and neighboring Khorezm Province, cutting many people off from a key supply route.

"People in the remote districts of Amudarya and Ellikqala depend on the products and goods delivered from Khorezm Province, but its been shut down," he said.

'Many Women Among Wounded'

Unrest in Karakalpakstan broke out after Tashkent unveiled a package of constitutional amendments that included a proposal to effectively scrap the region's right to seek independence should citizens choose to do so in a referendum.

But the government later scrapped the plan in an attempt to appease demonstrators in Karakalpakstan, a mainly desert region of nearly 2 million people.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev blamed unspecified foreign forces of instigating the violence to stir interethnic conflict in the country.

Authorities said on July 4 that 516 people were detained following the protests but many had been released, while others were sentenced to 15 days in detention.

But there have been alarming claims that some of the detainees -- alleged organizers of the protests -- were taken to detention centers in the Khorezm and Bukhara provinces.

Prosecutors said they were launching criminal probes on several charges, including attempts to seize power.

Some activists also said members of the Karakalpak diaspora in neighboring Kazakhstan have been interrogated by representatives of the Uzbek police.

Hamidjon Dadabaev, deputy commander of the National Guard, told reporters on July 6 that there were foreign citizens among those arrested. But he didnt provide further details, saying "it will be revealed later."

The families of the victims have been burying their dead while dozens of the wounded remain in hospitals, some in serious condition.

A health official in Nukus told RFE/RL that "there were many women" among the wounded. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the exact number of dead has yet to be determined. "But it's definitely more than 18," he said.

The United Nations and the United States have called for a transparent and independent investigation into the violence.

RFE/RLs Kazakh Service and Current Time contributed to this report.
Kazakhstans president called for diversifying the countrys oil supply routes, a day after a Russian court suspended operations on a major export pipeline.

The comments by Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev on July 7 highlighted Kazakh worries about getting its oil--which is a major source of government revenue--out to world markets. It also underscored potential tensions between Kazakhstan and Russia, whose relationship has turned prickly amid the Russian war against Ukraine.

Around 80 percent of Kazakhstan's oil exports flow via the Caspian Pipeline to the terminal in the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiisk.

On July 6, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, whose members include U.S. oil giants Chevron and ExxonMobil, and other international companies, said Russian regulators had been ordered to inspect the facilities of the Russian part of the consortium.

Authorities originally gave the consortium until November 30 to correct the violations in how it deals with oil spillage. But regional regulators unexpectedly demanded the closure of a Russian terminal on July 6, which a local court then approved, Russian news agencies reported.

In his comments to Kazakh officials on July 7, Toqaev ordered a study on the possibility of building a pipeline under the Caspian Sea, a previously proposed project that would allow Kazakh oil to be exported to Western markets while bypassing Russia.

The pipeline disruption comes with global energy prices soaring, due in large part to Russias war on Ukraine and the Western sanctions that were imposed in punishment.

The United States has imposed sanctions on Russian oil but has said flows from Kazakhstan through Russia should run uninterrupted.

Any lengthy suspension to the Caspian pipeline, which carries around 1 percent of all global oil supplies, would further strain the global oil market.

Kazakhstan and Russia are major trading partners and share a lengthy border. Longtime leader Nursultan Nazarbaev cultivated close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but Toqaev, who succeeded Nazarbaev in 2019, has shown signs of cooler ties, particularly since the Ukraine invasion.

The most recent sign of tensions came last month at an economic forum in St. Petersburg when Toqaev reiterated Kazakhstans refusal to recognize what he called "quasi-state" entities in eastern Ukraine -- comments he made while seated alongside Putin.

At the forum, Toqaev also criticized Russian politicians and commentators, whom he accused of sowing "discord" between the two countries by launching public attacks on Kazakhstan.

With reporting by Reuters
A court in Turkey has handed a life sentence to a man accused in the killing of a former Iranian intelligence operative who exposed alleged corruption in Iran's judiciary and security forces.

Turkish media reported on July 7 that Abdul Wahab Kocak was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Masoud Molavi Vardanjani, who was shot dead in November 2019 in Istanbul.

Vardanjani had repeatedly accused Iran's judiciary and security forces of financial corruption and assassination of opposition figures by publishing documents on his Telegram channel.

Kocak was among 14 defendants who were sentenced in the case on July 6. Three others were sentenced to 15 years, 12 years, and six months, respectively.

A Turkish police report published in March 2020 said Vardanjani had an unusual profile and had worked in cybersecurity at Irans Defense Ministry before becoming a vocal critic of the Iranian regime.

A senior U.S. administration official said in April 2020 that Washington had grounds to believe that Iran's Intelligence and Security Ministry was directly involved in Vardanjanis killing.

Iran has denied that any consulate staff had been involved in Vardanjani's shooting death.

Sabah newspaper of Turkey earlier reported that Mohammadreza Naserzadeh, an Iranian diplomat, is accused of handing over fake identification documents to Ali Esfanjani, who is accused of being the mastermind behind the plot to kill Vardanjani.

According to the decision of the Istanbul Court of First Instance, the criminal case of Naserzadeh, an employee of the Iranian consulate in Turkey, along with Ali Esfanjani and Naji Sharifi Zindashti, among the other defendants in this case, will be heard separately.

With writing and reporting by Ardeshir Tayebi
SKOPJE -- Parliamentary talks in North Macedonia over a French proposal to unstick Skopje's EU negotiations have been delayed amid finger-pointing and calls for calm after a fifth straight night of clashes over possible concessions on sensitive cultural and historical issues.

Bulgaria, which has previously blocked North Macedonia's EU bid, has endorsed the French proposal, which could lead to mentioning the Bulgarian minority in the preamble to the Macedonian Constitution, among other things.

Macedonian critics, including the leading opposition party, have attacked the proposal as a national betrayal that threatens to "Bulgarianize" their country, which declared its independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991 and has been an EU candidate for 16 years.

Dozens of police have been reported injured, including two seriously, since thousands of critics of the initiative launched nightly rallies in the streets of Skopje on July 2, with some hurling stones and bottles and at least one report of gunfire.

President Stevo Pendarovski on July 7 condemned the use of "violence and inciting violence for political purposes" as "unacceptable" as his Balkan nation confronts another perceived challenge to its national identity following a name change to mollify Greece that was aimed at reopening a path to EU membership three years ago.

"I appeal to all the organizers of the protests that are taking place in North Macedonia these days to take responsibility and continue to exercise their democratic right to protest with dignity and without violence," Pendarovski said in a statement.

Pendarovski praised the police for "timely action that prevented major clashes" on July 6 and called for those responsible to be detained and punished.

He said the events of the previous evening "must not be repeated" and discouraged the carrying of firearms except by security authorities.

Opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski -- whose Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian Unity (VMRO-DPMNE) organized the first street protest on July 2 -- shared a photo overnight on July 6-7 of a protester brandishing a gun, alleging that "this is the man who was going to kill me tonight" and demanding his arrest.

Some of the comments underneath Mickoski's post made references to staged provocations or threatened to "take justice into our own hands."

Bulgaria has used its veto power on new EU members to raise decades-old grievances over Macedonians' national and linguistic roots, but parliamentarians in Sofia last month endorsed the initiative from France.

The proposal would reportedly require a Macedonian commitment to some of the half-dozen or so demands that Sofia has been pushing, including better implementation of a 2017 Friendship Treaty.

Bulgarian officials, including President Rumen Radev, have reportedly narrowed Sofia's demands to a mention of the Bulgarian minority in the preamble to the Macedonian Constitution, a vague concession on language, and a commitment to fighting hate speech.

Critics say incorporating Bulgarian demands in North Macedonia's framework for negotiations with the European Union is a huge risk that hands Sofia perpetual veto power over accession.

But Pendarovski has publicly expressed his support, and Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski called the French document a "solid base for building a responsible and statesmanlike stance on the possibility that opens up to our country."

Visiting European Council President Charles Michel said on July 5 that "together we are on the verge of a possible breakthrough in your country's EU accession process" and urged Kovachevski to seize on a "historic opportunity."

Analysts have warned of the risk the Bulgarian-Macedonian impasse poses to the European aspirations of Macedonians and to the much-needed reforms in the country but also the risks for Serbians, Montenegrins, and others who have campaigned for decades to join the bloc.

The European Union is ideally intended to help put aside such historical disputes, according to Oxford School of Global and Area Studies lecturer Dimitar Bechev. He tweeted on July 7 that at least Bulgarian and Macedonian leaders "should agree to disagree on the past and focus on what really matters to citizens on both sides of the border."

Lawmakers and other Macedonians appeared bitterly divided along partisan lines.

The ruling Social Democratic Party (SDSM) and the opposition have traded accusations of responsibility for the violence, including a suggestion by a VMRO-DPMNE lawmaker and protest organizer that "police provocateurs" were to blame.

The VMRO-DPMNE legislator, Dragan Kovacki, alluded to backing for the French compromise as a "betrayal."

A stumbling block emerged quickly after Macedonian lawmakers convened in parliamentary groups on July 6 over whether parliament's stance would only apply to the framework for EU negotiations or also to other documents, including a proposed bilateral protocol with Sofia.

Warnings by Kovachevski and Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski of alleged plots of violence and a repeat of protesters' clashes with police then put those parliamentary proceedings on hold.

More street protests were planned for late on July 7.

Deputy Prime Minister Artan Grubi suggested a compromise in which the government would forward the French proposal to parliament alongside the proposed bilateral protocol with Bulgaria and other documents.

Grubi, a member of the ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Integration party, the country's third-largest, also likened the current unrest in Skopje to the roiling in Montenegro ahead of its accession to NATO.

He suggested, without providing evidence, that foreign elements like Russia might be behind the political violence of the past week in North Macedonia.

Grubi said the majority of Macedonians are protesting legitimately and are merely concerned about the future of the common state and don't oppose EU-integration efforts.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia has barely started its military action in Ukraine and challenged Western countries supporting Kyiv to try to defeat Russia on the battlefield.

Speaking on July 7 at a meeting with leaders of the parliament, Putin accused Western allies of fueling the hostilities, charging that "the West wants to fight us until the last Ukrainian.

He called it a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, but added, It looks like it's heading in that direction, and warned that everyone should understand that Russia "by and large hasn't started anything seriously yet."

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.

In one of his strongest speeches since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Putin also directly challenged the Western allies backing Ukraine.

"Today we hear that they want to defeat us on the battlefield. Well, what can you say here? Let them try," Putin said.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak responded to Putin's comments by saying there is no plan by the "collective West."



The only plan is that of the Russian Army, "which entered sovereign Ukraine, shelling cities, and killing civilians. Everything else is primitive propaganda," he said on Twitter. "That's why Mr. Putin's mantra about 'war to the last Ukrainian' is another proof of a well-thought-out Russian genocide."

Western countries have described the Russian invasion of Ukraine as unprovoked, and the Group of Seven (G7) at its recent summit emphasized that the war in Ukraine is "illegal and unjustified."

Moscow says what it calls its "special military operation" is the result of unsuccessful attempts to agree on security guarantees and on the expansion of NATO.

It accuses the West of waging a proxy war against it by imposing economic sanctions and stepping up the supply of advanced weapons to Ukraine.

The sanctions have steadily expanded, affecting Russia's leading banks, defense-industry enterprises, large companies, and individuals, including Putin. Many multinational corporations have withdrawn from the Russian market, laying off thousands of Russian workers as they departed.

In his defiance July 7 speech, Putin charged that Western sanctions against Russia have failed to achieve their goal of sowing division and strife in our society and demoralizing our people.

He added that "attempts by the collective West to enforce its version of the global order are doomed to fail."

But Putin also referred to the possibility of negotiations, saying, We don't reject peace talks. But those who reject them should know that the further it goes, the harder it will be for them to negotiate with us."

It was the first reference to diplomacy in many weeks after repeated statements from Moscow that negotiations with Kyiv had totally broken down.

Russian forces recently captured the eastern region of Luhansk and on July 7 continued to try to push deeper into the eastern Donbas region.

Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters
I was depressed, and I couldnt sleep, said Galina, a violinist from the central Russian city of Samara, about her reaction to Russias war against neighboring Ukraine -- a nightmare that she fears is only accelerating.

I got into arguments, which was unusual for me, she said. Finally, I decided Im not going to speak to people who support all of this.

One of those people is Galinas husband, Vladimir, a former criminal investigator who supports the war. Since Russias large-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, they have been speaking less and less.

I spoke with each person separately because getting them to speak together didnt work.

When people fight in silence -- if you can describe it that way -- nothing good comes of it, Vladimir said of the sometimes icy, sometimes fiery, atmosphere that has come to dominate the couples apartment. She doesnt see me as a like-minded person, and thats all there is to it. And I also dont see her as like-minded. But on the other hand, it would be stupid to renounce my point of view just to agree. So I prefer just keeping silent and avoiding arguments.

Although the couple was still living together, their marriage was clearly on the verge of collapse. Galina and Vladimir are among the Russian families featured in Broken Ties, the latest documentary by journalist and filmmaker Andrei Loshak.

The film explores the devastating impact the war has had on many Russians, creating or exposing seemingly unbridgeable rifts between sisters and brothers, parents and children, husbands and wives.

The film premiered in Russian on Current Time, the Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA, on June 19. A version with English subtitles has also been released.

WATCH: Broken Ties by director Andrei Loshak on YouTube:

Loshak, who left Russia for Georgia shortly after the invasion and lives in Tbilisi, said the idea of making a film about how the tensions with Ukraine were being felt in ordinary Russian families first struck him in 2014, when Moscow seized control of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula and fomented a separatist war in the eastern Ukrainian region known as the Donbas.

He said his own cousin, a coeval with whom he grew up and has always been close, began using offensive slurs and violent imagery in reference to Ukrainians -- showing a side that Loshak had not seen in the past.

I thought about this and even tried to collect some material, but back then it wasnt such a widespread phenomenon, Loshak told Current Time. But now, when so much more has happened, such stories are popping up everywhere. Among my close friends, among people I know on social media, and so on.

Many of the familial disputes are marked by deep acrimony over the invasion, with some opponents accusing supporters of complicity in war crimes and some supporters branding opponents traitors or worse. Some relatives have stopped speaking to one another; some are angrily at odds whenever they do.

The film is structured in a binary way, Loshak said. I spoke with each person separately because getting them to speak together didnt work.

With more than 1.3 million views online, the documentary has struck a powerful chord.

It is a shocking film. Terrifying, wrote journalist Ksenia Larina on Facebook. Hopeless. There are no illusions in this tunnel of gloom. There is no hope.

One woman featured in the documentary, Larina noted, says that she cannot just give up and come to terms with her mothers militarism for the sake of family and love. She cant because it is unacceptable, unbearable for her to live in lies and hypocrisy.

Larina concluded that the film was about the mental genocide of a nation.

WATCH: An edited excerpt from Broken Ties:

Loshak directed the film and conducted the main interviews remotely. Some of the most powerful sequences come as one family member listens while the other expresses their positions and feelings. Often the pathos is underscored by montages of photographs showing the families together in happier, prewar times.

Id like to hear from my mother something like, There is some crazy stuff going on in the world, please be careful, says one young man in the film. Instead of, Hello, fascist.

Loshak, who does not hide his anti-war feelings, said that he respects those who support the war and agreed to participate in the film despite his liberal reputation.

For them, what is happening in Ukraine is logical and understandable, he said. They dont suffer over this like those who oppose the war do. But they are really suffering because the people closest to them no longer understand them.

Maybe they thought that by expressing themselves in this film, their loved ones would hear them, he concluded. I just dont know.

One pro-war mother in the Kaliningrad region city of Baltiisk, the home of Russias Baltic Sea Fleet, said she agreed to participate in the film because her daughter, an anti-war pediatrician in St. Petersburg, feels as if she has no outlet to express her distress over the war.

She is a good person if you dont talk to her about [the war], Loshak said. A really beautiful person. She agreed to participatesimply in order to give her daughter a chance to be heard. She understood that our film was set up in such a way that her daughter could speak if she gave the other side. It was the gesture of a loving and suffering maternal heart.

The government itself -- by forbidding all dissent -- is splitting society and eliminating all space for dialogue.

The Russian government and its massive propaganda machine are constant background features of the film, with President Vladimir Putins voice often intoning quietly in the background while Loshaks pro-war interlocutors speak.

People have been put in this position by the government, Loshak said. Either you are with us or you are against us. And that is how the government is acting -- if you dont accept the war, you are a criminal. The government itself -- by forbidding all dissent -- is splitting society and eliminating all space for dialogue.

The film features Natalya, a psychologist and counselor who lives in London and opposes the war. Her retired mother lives in a small town in the Perm region, near the Urals, and supports the war, despite having critical opinions about Putin. Using her professional background, Natalya tries to build bridges with her mother.

Carefully, not every day, bit by bit, Natalya says in the film. And, you know, after every conversation, she has moved a little bit. She starts to have doubts. Then, after a few days, I call her and shes right back where she started.

Her mother, Lyudmila, tells Loshak that Natalya is just trying to hypnotize her. When Loshak asks if Natalya has had any impact on her thinking, Lyudmila answers: No, of course not.

I never had the illusion the film would become a platform for dialogue, Loshak said. It is just a record of the fact that no dialogue is possible now or in the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, we are talking about two mutually exclusive worlds.

Robert Coalson, Current Time, and RFE/RLs Russian Service contributed to this report.
The news of the resignation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was met "with sadness" in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office said in a statement that also said Kyiv expects the support Johnson showed for Ukraine to continue.

"We have no doubt that Great Britain's support will be preserved, but your personal leadership and charisma made it special," said the statement issued on July 7 after the two leaders spoke by phone.

The statement thanked Johnson for defending Ukraine's interests after Russia's invasion and said the news of his resignation had been sad not only for Zelenskiy "but also the entire Ukrainian society, which is very sympathetic to you."

Johnson described Zelenskiy as a "hero" and said there is unwavering cross-party support in Britain for Ukraine, a Downing Street spokeswoman said, adding that he also pledged that defensive aid would continue for as long as needed.

He thanked President Zelenskiy for everything hes doing to stick up for freedom, for his friendship, and for the kindness of the Ukrainian people," the spokeswoman said.

The prime minister finished the call by praising President Zelenskiy, saying, Youre a hero, everybody loves you.'

U.S. President Joe Biden said the United States will continue its "close cooperation" with Britain, including their joint support for Ukraine against Russian aggression.

"The United Kingdom and the United States are the closest of friends and allies, and the special relationship between our people remains strong and enduring," Biden said in a statement.

Russia's ambassador to Britain said that Johnson's fall was a consequence of a "belligerent" anti-Russian policy of support for Ukraine while ignoring the economic needs of the British people and the economy.

"He concentrated too much on the geopolitical situation, on Ukraine," Ambassador Andrei Kelin told Reuters in an interview in London.

Johnson said earlier he was resigning as British prime minister amid a wave of scandals and defections by his Cabinet ministers.

Johnson appeared outside Downing Street, saying he had appointed a new Cabinet and would remain in his post until a new leader of his Conservative Party is chosen.

"It is clearly the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister," he said.

According to the BBC, an election for the Conservative Party leadership will take place over the summer, with a formal announcement of a new prime minister by early October.

The 58-year-old Johnson swept to power in December 2019 on a promise to sort out Britain's exit from the European Union after years of wrangling.

His resignation followed a flood of departures by Cabinet officials, many who have excoriated Johnson for a series of scandals including one involving a Conservative Party lawmaker who quit his post over accusations that he groped men in a private member's club.

Johnson was forced to apologize after it emerged that he was aware that the lawmaker had been the subject of previous sexual misconduct complaints before Johnson appointed him.

He earlier survived a no-confidence vote over a damning report into parties that were held at his official government residence and office that broke strict COVID-19 lockdown rules. He was fined by police.

With reporting by BBC, Reuters
Russian forces used more air strikes to push ahead with their effort to take control of the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine amid a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia has not yet started its campaign in earnest.

Three people were killed and five wounded in the Kharkiv region in one of the air strikes, authorities in the region said on July 7.

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.

"We ask the residents of Kharkiv to be as careful as possible. Do not stay on the streets of the city without an urgent need. After all, the enemy is insidiously striking residential areas and civilian infrastructure," regional commander Oleh Synyehubov said on Telegram.

Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of the Donetsk military administration, said Russian attacks hit civilian targets in the industrial city of Kramatorsk and in Avdyivka, killing two people and injuring eight.

Kyrylenko announced before the strike on Kramatorsk that Russian bombardments had killed at least seven people over the past 24 hours.

Russia-backed separatists in Donetsk said one person had died and 11 were injured by Ukrainian shelling. It was not possible to independently verify the claims.

Moscow has shifted its attacks to Donetsk, having largely seized control of the Luhansk region, and is focusing on Kramatorsk and Slovyansk.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy noted the attacks on Kharkiv, Kramatorsk, and other cities of the Donbas in his nightly video address on July 7 and said Ukraines partners have accurate information about its defense needs.

The greater the defense aid to Ukraine now, the sooner the war will end with our victory and the less the losses of all countries of the world, the losses of the United States from Russian pressure on democratic societies," Zelenskiy said.

Earlier on July 7 Putin told lawmakers that Moscow had not yet begun anything serious in Ukraine and dared the alliance of countries that have coalesced around Ukraine to try to defeat Russia on the battlefield.

He accused "the collective West" of unleashing a war in Ukraine and said Russia's intervention marked the beginning of a shift to a "multipolar world."

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak responded by saying there is no plan by the "collective West."

The only plan is that of the Russian Army, "which entered sovereign Ukraine, shelling cities, and killing civilians. Everything else is primitive propaganda," he said on Twitter.

The fatalities in the Donetsk region came after Ukrainian officials reissued urgent pleas for civilians in to flee.

Slovyansk Mayor Vadym Lyakh said around 23,000 people remained from a prewar population of 110,000.

"Evacuation is ongoing. We take people out every day," he said.

"The city is well fortified," he added, claiming Russian forces had been unable to surround the city.

Slovyansk became Russia's target after they captured the nearby sister cities of Syevyerodonetsk and Lysychansk.

Ukraine said earlier it had regained control of Snake Island in the Black Sea. Senior military official Oleksiy Gromov said Ukrainian forces had "effectively reestablished control over the island but did not specify whether there was a lasting military presence there.

A video of three soldiers raising a large Ukrainian flag on the island was posted on July 7 to several official Telegram channels. It was unclear when the video was filmed.

Russia said it pulled back from the symbolic island last week in a gesture of "good will," but has since continued targeting positions on the island.

The Russian Defense Ministry said early on July 7 that Russia attacked Snake Island after Ukrainian troops claimed to have raised their flag on the strategic Black Sea outpost.

he attack destroyed part of the Ukrainian detachment on the island, said Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov, a Defense Ministry spokesman.

Serhiy Bratchuk, head of the Odesa regional administration, confirmed that the island had been attacked but did not provide details of damage or casualties.

The tiny island has strategic importance because of its proximity to the sea lanes to Ukraine's port of Odesa.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and dpa
The United States and UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet have called for an independent investigation into a deadly crackdown on protesters in Uzbekistan's autonomous Karakalpakstan region. At least 18 people were killed after protests erupted on July 1 over a proposal to abolish the territory's constitutional right to secede. (WARNING: Viewers may find the content of this video disturbing.)
(miningmx.com) - Transnet, South Africas government-owned freight and logistics utility, unveiled a major unlock of rail capacity that will enable the countrys chrome industry to export an additional 800,000 tons in metal a year. This will be achieved following an agreement with Mozambiques rail authority CFM enabling trains to run uninterrupted from Belfast in South Africas Mpumalanga province to Maputo port. The new model will see consignments of 50 chrome and ferrochrome wagon loads hauled by two diesel locomotives from Belfast to Maputo using a single crew. This compares to the current model in which five crews are employed to account for multiple locomotive changes.
Pakistan welcomed a social media star last month in the form of a baby goat. The kid was named Simba and could be awarded a world record as he was born with unusually long ears measuring 19 inches (54 centimeters), ABC News reported.

Born in Karachi, Pakistan, Simba has somewhat become a local celebrity with his ears that he drags on the floor as he walks. His owner, Muhammad Hassan Narejo, said that they are hoping that Simba will become a title holder in the Guinness Book of World Records to see if his goat can become the Greatest of All Time (GOAT).

Long-Eared Goat Has Become An Instant Celebrity

"Within 10 to 12 days of his birth he was already appearing in all the national and international media - and won a beauty contest," the news outlet quoted a proud Mr. Narejo. He added that in just a month, Simba had become so famous in their country that a celebrity could take 25 to 30 years to achieve his goat's level of fame.

There is currently no goat holding a Guinness World Record for the longest ears, although there is a dog with the same honor. Her name is Lou, a black and tan coonhound from the United States. She has "extravagantly long ears" measuring 13.38 inches (34 centimeters).

Simba's ears are longer by nearly 6 inches. According to Phys.org, his ears are so long that Narejo has to fold them over the goat's back to avoid Simba from standing on them. His owner also designed a harness so Simba could carry his long ears around his neck.

Given his goat's fame, Narejo has become anxious about the attention of everyone, including rival breeders, and decided to resort to prayer and tradition to fend off any ill will. He said they had recited Koranic verses and blown on Simba to cast away the evil eye.

Also, they have fastened a black thread around the goat fortified with Koranic verses, following the long tradition they inherited from their ancestors. Narejo promised to raise Simba as a stud to promote goat breathing in Pakistan.

ALSO READ: Bird With Poison Under Its Wings, Deadly Frog: What's Their Secret to Avoid Death By Own Toxins



Why Does Simba Has Long Ears?

Goat farming is a common practice in Pakistan partly because of the country's terrain that is suitable for these animals. Simba was born at Nagra Farm located in the largest city of Pakistan. His extraordinary long ears could earn him a place in the Guinness World Record, but what could have caused his ears to grow that long?

According to MailOnline, Simba's long ears probably result from a gene mutation or a genetic disorder. Fortunately, the goat seems to be getting along just fine, thanks to his owners, who are attentive to his needs to avoid stepping on his long ears.

Goats generally have long ears, but Simba's breed, called Nubian goats, is known to have the longest ears of all goat species. They are commonly found in Africa, India, and the Middle East. Nubian goats have different pendulous ears and a Roman nose that earned them the description of an aristocratic animal.

Their long ears serve a very important purpose - to keep them cool in hot temperatures. With the varying terrain in Pakistan, temperatures could rise to 47 degrees Celsius. But luckily for Simba, temperatures could be lower than that. Watch this video below as Narejo shows the media the long ears of Simba.

RELATED ARTICLE: Bizarre Animals That Defied the Laws of Nature Baffling Scientists: Three-Eyed Cows, Claw Footed Snake, and More

Check out more news and information on Animals in Science Times.
Microsoft announced a bunch of new features and other news for the Microsoft Advertising platform. These include automatic updates for Shopping Campaigns, auto-generated Remarketing Lists, more eligible UET tags migrating to the Microsoft Clarity insights experience, Customer match expanded to new markets and more.

The big news is the new automatic updates for Shopping Campaigns where you will have these two new features automatically enabled by July 10th.

(1) Automatic item update enables crawling of your website to gather price and availability data (in stock, out of stock) for the product offers you upload through the Merchant Center. If Microsoft detects a price mismatch or availability problem (out-of-stock item) between what you have provided in the product feed and what you have on your website, Microsoft will automatically update your product information to provide the best experience to your customers.

If you decide not to use the automatic item update service, you can opt-out via the Merchant Center UI, by navigating to the Automatic updates tab under Settings.

(2) Automated coupons through Merchant Promotions where you can promote products directly from your Microsoft Shopping Campaigns inventory with special offer tags. These tags appear at the bottom of your product ad as special offer links, helping to increase customer engagement. To make your latest coupon offers more visible to your customers, Microsoft will be automatically creating Merchant Promotions for your Microsoft Shopping Campaigns by using crawled data directly from your website. This data is being ingested every 12 hours to make sure that we only showcase your latest promotions. The automated coupons will only apply to store-wide promotions and not to individual products.

You can opt out of automated Merchant Promotions via the Merchant Center UI, by navigating to the Automatic updates tab under Settings and selecting Block crawled data.

Also Auto-generated Remarketing Lists are now available in all Microsoft Advertising markets. If youre looking for a fast and easy way to get started with remarketing, or if youre already using remarketing and want to optimize performance, this is the perfect feature for you. These lists are remarketing lists that are automatically created for you, designed to help you re-engage with users in an even faster, easier wayand boost performance, Microsoft said.

There are three types of auto-generated Remarketing Lists. You can use one, two, or all three lists together along with existing remarketing and audience targeting lists.

All Visitors List. A list of users who visited your site in the past 30 days (UET required).

All Converters List. A list of users who converted within the past 180 days (UET and active conversion goals required).

Smart Remarketing List. A list of users likely to convert, powered by our audience intelligence, and designed to deliver a higher conversion rate (UET and active conversion goals required).

To access these new Remarketing Lists, navigate to Tools > Shared Library > Audiences. You will also see a pop up to let you know you have new Remarketing Lists to use.

More eligible UET tags migrating to the Microsoft Clarity insights experience. Microsoft is going to be enabling more eligible UET tags to the experience soon. Microsoft said that the second phase of the Clarity migration will start the week of July 11th. If youve been selected for this migration, you have received an email from Microsoft Advertising informing you of the change and an option to opt out ahead of time.

Customer match expanded to new markets including Monaco, Andorra, Holy See (the Vatican), San Marino, South Africa, Turkey, Serbia, Iceland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of North Macedonia, and Montenegro.

And there is more news over here.

Forum discussion at Twitter.
Its summer in California  which means hazy, smoky days are on the horizon as wildfires scorch the drought-parched land.

When the smoke descends, public health officials issue now-familiar warnings: Close windows and outer doors, and run air purifiers to avoid breathing in fine particles that can embed in your lungs and cause long-term damage.

But this advice may not be widely followed, according to a new study that Stanford University researchers published in Nature Human Behavior on Thursday. And the disparity between wealthy and low-income neighborhoods is significant.

Using data from private pollution sensors, cell phones, social media posts and internet search activity across the country during wildfire events, researchers found that during large wildfires, residents from wealthier neighborhoods increasingly scour the internet for information about air quality and health protection. Many also choose to stay home, according to available mobility data collected by monitoring smartphone activity.

Data from Google Trends, which reveals information about specific search queries across various regions, showed that people living in lower-income neighborhoods similarly search for information about air quality. But they tend to forgo information on health protection and often cannot spend as much time at home.

Additionally, researchers found that across all income levels, indoor pollution is at unhealthy levels during wildfire events. Researchers analyzed hourly data from around 1,500 indoor PurpleAir air pollution monitors across the country and compared it to nearby outdoor PurpleAir monitors to estimate the concentration of smoke in each home. Study co-author Sam Heft-Neal said that even when residents are informed, they do a very poor job of protecting their indoor environment.

As pollution from wildfires has increased, Heft-Neal noted that the primary response from public health officials has been to tell communities to stay home and protect themselves  stay inside, wear masks, he said. (High-quality masks like N95s can screen out most particulate matter.)

But these policies have unequal effects across income levels. The study suggests that wealthier households can more easily stay home during smoky days, and theyre more likely to seek information about or already own expensive protective technology, such as indoor pollution monitors or air purifiers. Its unclear why lower-income households are more likely to skip information on health protection, but the study proposes many people have less flexibility in working from home and fewer resources with which to purchase protective technology.

Lower-income communities and people of color in the Bay Area are already disproportionately impacted by pollution. A study released in May found that communities of color are exposed to 55% more nitrogen dioxide  a key component of smog  than mostly white communities.

Hannah Estrada, an organizer with Youth vs. Apocalypse, a group of young climate justice advocates based in Oakland, noted that many low-income communities already deal with chronic health issues such as asthma at a much higher rate than wealthier communities. A lot of our communities are already polluted, she said. When we have smoke days, all of these things become 10 times worse.

Dangerous smoky days are also complicated by a lack of air conditioning in many Bay Area households. Historically, air conditioning hasnt been a necessity, but temperatures are rising and large blazes often break out on the warmest days of the month. Heft-Neal noted that many residents may be forced to choose between opening windows and doors to keep the house cool or keeping them closed to keep the smoke out.

Its just kind of a lose-lose situation that we dont get with other types of pollution as often, he said.

Information and awareness are not enough to limit dangerous exposure to pollutants from wildfire smoke, Heft-Neal said. In the short term, government responses need to help people cope. Potential policies could include implementing regulations designed to prevent people from working outside when air quality is hazardous. Providing air purifiers to residents would also have an immediate impact on their indoor air quality, although this would be expensive.

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.

Estrada said that most public health guidance during smoky days doesnt necessarily make sense for lower-income communities or communities of color. Were constantly making those decisions of health or income, she said, noting it is unrealistic to expect lower-income people to stay home from work on smoky days. Additionally, many families wont shell out for an expensive air purifier when they know that at some point, the smoke will lift.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has been working in past years to expand its program providing portable air filtration units to low-income residents diagnosed with poorly controlled asthma across several Bay Area counties. Some experts recommend a DYI version if a traditional purifier is unaffordable.

Since the program launched last year, the district has distributed around 1,200 units that cost $90 to $150 each, said Veronica Eady, senior deputy executive officer of policy and equity. She added that the response to the program has been strong and allowed it to expand quickly.

We definitely want to ramp it up, she said.

Estrada also urged consideration of policies allowing workers to stay indoors or go home on smoky days. The wildfires keep coming, and theyre not stopping, she said. Allow us to keep our bodies safe, and show us that our labor and our bodies are valued.

Emma Talley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: emma.talley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EmmaT332
UPDATE: Here are the latest updates on COVID in the Bay Area and California.

The COVID-19 news isnt great, as new subvariants called BA.4 and BA.5 show signs of increased infectiousness and resistance to immunity, and as case numbers and hospitalizations climb. A surprising question now is whether even outdoor activities carry a risk of infection. The verdict is that it depends: A brisk walk by the beach is as safe as can be, but you might want to wear a mask in a tightly-packed crowd of singing and dancing concertgoers.

Latest updates:

CDC study confirms severe COVID risk for immunocompromised

Immunocompromised persons are at increased risk for severe COVID-19-related outcomes, including intensive care unit admission and death, according to new research by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In a study published Thursday, researchers looked at data on adults hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from 10 U.S. states between March 2020 and February 2022. They found that immunocompromised patients accounted for 12.2% of all adult COVID-19 hospitalizations and had substantially higher odds of ICU admission and in-hospital death compared with non-immunocompromised patients, irrespective of vaccination status. Given the increased odds of severe COVID-19 outcomes among immunocompromised hospitalized patients, multilayered prevention strategies for immunocompromised persons are critical to preventing hospitalization for COVID-19 and subsequent severe outcomes, especially when community levels indicate increased transmission and disease severity, the researchers wrote.

Slow pace nationally for youngest kids getting COVID vaccines

Nearly 300,000 children under 5 in the U.S. have received COVID-19 shots in the two weeks since they became available, a slower pace than for older groups, the Associated Press reports. But the White House says that was expected for the eligible population of about 18 million kids. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was expected to publish initial data on shots for the age group later Thursday, reflecting doses administered since regulators authorized them on June 18. The first vaccinations didnt begin until several days later because the doses had to be shipped to doctors offices and pharmacies. Preliminary figures show much higher uptake rates, in the range of 10%, among infants and toddlers in the Bay Area counties that have reported results so far.

People with HIV more susceptible to breakthrough infections, study finds

Fully vaccinated people with HIV have a higher risk of COVID-19 breakthrough infections than people without HIV, according to a study by researchers at Johns Hopkins. In a cohort of 113,994 patients observed from June through December 2021, when the delta variant was prevalent, researchers found that while the risk of breakthrough infection was about 3.8% overall, it was 28% higher in those with HIV. The higher rate and risk of infection in people with HIV observed in this study suggests comprehensive inclusion of this population in recommendations for additional primary doses in immunocompromised groups, said Dr. Sally B. Coburn, lead author of the study and member of the department of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Scientists say the odds of breakthrough infections are higher with newer subvariants of omicron.

Denzel Washington misses White House ceremony due to positive COVID test

The actor Denzel Washington had to sit out the Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony at the White House on Thursday after testing positive for COVID-19. President Biden said that Washington couldnt be here but wanted to be, adding he would present him with the award at a later date. The nations highest civilian honor was awarded to 17 people this year, including gymnast Simone Biles, the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, and gun-control advocate Gabby Giffords. Biden also honored Sandra Lindsay, the Queens, New York, nurse who was the first person to be vaccinated against COVID-19 outside of clinical trials during a live television appearance in December 2020.

California farm owners failed to keep workers safe from COVID, report says

California agricultural employers had four times more citations for violating COVID-19 guidelines than employers in all other California industries combined, according to a new report based on Cal/OSHA data from the first year of the pandemic. Even though they were considered frontline workers, farm workers were not provided with adequate face masks, allowed to physically distance, nor notified about outbreaks, according to the California Institute for Rural Studies report published Wednesday. Decades-long systemic failures, entrenched food production cultures that sacrifice worker health and safety for profits, and industrystate compromises are all implicated in the disproportionate burdens of harm documented in this report, according to Dr. Dvera I. Saxton, a researcher with the organization who authored the report.

Life expectancy of Californians decreased during pandemic, says JAMA study

Life expectancy in California fell from 81.4 years in 2019 to 79.2 in 2020 and 78.4 in 2021, according to a study published Thursday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study, led by researchers at Northwestern University, also found that the gap in life expectancy between the highest-income residents and lowest-income residents widened by four years  from 11.5 in 2019 to 15.5 in 2021. Hispanic residents experienced the largest drop in life expectancy from 2019 to 2021 (5.7 years), followed by Black (3.8 years), Asian (3 years) and white residents (1.9 years), the study found.

Failure of social science led to ongoing pandemic, says White House COVID advisor

The science community took extraordinary steps to stem the COVID-19 pandemic but individual behavior failed to squash it, according to Dr. Ashish Jha, the White Houses COVID response coordinator. We got the biological science right, but we didnt get the social science right, he said, speaking last week at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, Colorado, CNBC reports. Jha praised scientists for developing vaccines and treatments at unprecedented speed to prevent the most severe outcomes, but inconsistent messaging eroded public trust and elicited pushback. Youre not going to get it right on the first draft, he said. I think thats OK. But you need to explain to people why you changed your mind and why you were so sure initially ... Explaining your level of confidence and then explaining how youre going to go verify are important parts of the message.

Who was most likely to leave San Francisco in the pandemic?

The coronavirus pandemic stripped San Francisco of a decades worth of population gain in a single year  mostly by hollowing out its population-rich downtown and neighborhoods close by. Now, thanks to detailed data from the U.S. Census Bureau, its possible to identify San Francisco's greatest losses by demographics, too.

BA.4, BA.5 are four times more resistant to three vaccine doses than BA.2

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.

Newer omicron variants are more capable of eluding vaccines and existing COVID-19 therapies than their predecessors, according to research by Columbia University published Wednesday in Nature. In a laboratory study, the scientists found that the highly transmissible BA.4 and BA.5 sublineages of the virus, which are now dominant in the U.S., were at least four times more resistant to three doses of vaccine  the original shots plus one booster  than was the earlier BA.2. (The study group didnt include people with two booster shots.) Our study suggests that as these highly transmissible subvariants continue to expand around the globe, they will lead to more breakthrough infections in people who are vaccinated and boosted with currently available mRNA vaccines, said David D. Ho, who led the study, in a statement. The researchers also tested the ability of 19 monoclonal antibody treatments to neutralize the variants and found that only one of the available treatments remained highly effective against both BA.2.12.1 and BA.4 and BA.5.

Whats the risk of getting COVID outside?

Summer in the Bay Area means outdoor parties, weddings and music festivals, where people can worry a little bit less about catching COVID-19. But will fast-spreading offshoots of the omicron coronavirus variant change the equation this year? Health experts agree that outdoor activities are still much safer than indoors, since viral aerosols dont have a chance to accumulate in the air. But with the most transmissible variants yet, chances are you have less protection in certain situations. Read more about how to protect yourself even when youre not indoors.

Judge rules against vaccine mandate for Los Angeles schools

A judge ruled that the Los Angeles County Unified School District does not have the authority to require students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend school, siding with the father of a 12-year-old who challenged the mandate. After three months of arguments, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff on Tuesday decided that the local rule contradicts state law, the Los Angeles Times reports. While LAUSD argues the courts ruling should apply to (the plaintiff) only, the court finds no justification for such a limitation given the boards lack of authority to adopt the resolution, Beckloff wrote in his decision. The district had already pushed back the requirement to July 2023, in alignment with the state guidance. The ruling does not affect the vaccine requirement for teachers and staff, which has been in place since August, 2021.

Pharmacists can now prescribe Paxlovid

Pharmacists can prescribe the leading COVID-19 pill directly to patients under a new U.S. policy announced Wednesday thats intended to expand use of Pfizers drug Paxlovid, the Associated Press reports. The Food and Drug Administration said pharmacists can begin screening patients to see if they are eligible for Paxlovid and then prescribe the medication, which has been shown to curb the worst effects of COVID-19. Previously only physicians could prescribe the antiviral drug.

New BE.1 and BF.1 omicron subvariants detected in Louisiana

Scientists say they have identified two new sublineages of the omicron variant in Louisiana that has driven the states recent COVID-19 surge. The new subvariants were designated BE.1 and BF.1. by researchers at LSU Health New Orleans Precision Medicine Lab, which works in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Health, Ochsner Health and the Louisiana infectious disease bioinformatics company BIE to collect samples from COVID-19 tests and examine their genetic sequencing to determine what versions of the disease are circulating in the state. To our knowledge, these omicron subvariants have not been reported in the United States until now, said Dr. Lucio Miele, the labs co-director and Head of Genetics at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine. Their possible clinical and public health significance is still unknown.

Europe at the center of another global COVID surge, WHO says

COVID-19 infections are up 30% globally in the past two weeks with Europe at the epicenter of another surge in cases, according to the World Health Organization. The new wave is being driven by the highly-transmissible and immune evasive omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, which this week became dominant in the U.S., the agency said. Officials also expressed concern over the BA2.75 sublineage of the omicron variant, which was recently detected in India. We are seeing a much more intense wave of the disease passing through Europe again, Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHOs Health Emergencies Programme, said at a media briefing Wednesday. And we will see it happen elsewhere  we are already seeing it in South East Asia and the eastern Mediterranean region as well.
While San Franciscos $700 million homelessness agency is responsible for the citys most urgent and persistent crisis, it has for years operated without formal oversight.

Now  following a Chronicle investigation into the squalid and chaotic conditions inside much of San Franciscos housing stock for the homeless  the Board of Supervisors is poised to approve a ballot measure that would create an oversight commission for the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, or HSH.

The proposed measure, sponsored by Supervisor Ahsha Safai, passed the boards Rules Committee with a 2-1 vote on Wednesday. Later this month, it will head to the full board, where The Chronicle confirmed it has enough votes to qualify for the November ballot.

Having a department of this size without the appropriate oversight is just not acceptable, Safai said at Wednesdays committee meeting.

If voters approve the measure, the commission would have the authority to approve or reject most homelessness and supportive housing contracts before sending them to the Board of Supervisors for a final vote. The commission would also hold authority over HSHs budget, have the power to investigate the departments activities, and serve as a central forum for the public to raise issues and advocate for policies.

Safai was one of seven board members to effectively kill a similar measure in 2019, amid staunch opposition from Mayor London Breed. At the time, the mayor said the proposal would add more bureaucracy as she tries to address homelessness.

In April, she told The Chronicle that an oversight commission would make it difficult for us to ... do the work that were here to do.

But in a notable reversal a week after the Chronicle investigation was published, Breeds office said she would be open to supporting the measure. Jeff Cretan, a spokesperson for the mayor, reiterated that sentiment after the committee vote on Wednesday.

The Mayor believes in oversight and transparency, Cretan said in a statement. We are still monitoring the measure as it moves through the Board to see how it will interact with the existing oversight for the department, which includes three committees and the Board of Supervisors.

Currently, HSH has several advisory committees, but they are limited to policy suggestions and cannot govern the agency. Some of the committees would be streamlined under the proposed commission.

Emily Cohen, an HSH spokesperson, said the agency does not take official positions on proposed ballot measures. But she signaled some concerns that the commission could slow HSH down.

It is another approval step before things can be implemented, she said in an interview. That is a trade-off that the public will have to weigh.

The yearlong Chronicle investigation published in April exposed squalid conditions and crime within the citys single-room-occupancy hotels, or SROs, which are the cornerstone of San Franciscos $160 million permanent supportive housing program. Reporters found that HSH has failed to meaningfully provide oversight of the nonprofit providers that run the hotels.

Notably, Breed allowed HSH to twice delay the creation of a metrics-driven system for holding these nonprofits accountable.

Reporters reviewed tens of thousands of pages of incident reports, inspection records and public data, revealing that police sometimes respond to calls at SROs multiple times each day, while broken elevators confine elderly and disabled people to their rooms, and vermin infestations overwhelm the buildings.

The Chronicle also found that 14% of all confirmed overdose deaths in San Francisco occurred in city-funded SROs  even though the buildings house less than 1% of the citys population.

Despite these widespread problems, reporters discovered that HSH had gone years without issuing a single plan of correction to housing providers, even as some programs fell egregiously short.

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.

HSH was created in 2016 by then-Mayor Ed Lee, and today is the largest city department without an oversight board.

As of Wednesday, The Chronicle confirmed seven total votes for the measure, including Safai. Supervisors Aaron Peskin and Rafael Mandelman approved the measure at the committee hearing, while Supervisors Catherine Stefani, Myrna Melgar, Hillary Ronen and Shamann Walton told a reporter they plan to vote for it.

Unlike the 2019 proposal, the mayor would get to appoint four people to the seven-member commission, while the board would have control over three. As with other mayoral appointments to city commissions, the board will have the ability to approve or deny her nominees.

While there is widespread agreement among policymakers and housing advocates that the agency should have more accountability, some worry that giving the mayor the lions share of appointments will compromise the neutrality of the oversight body.

I appreciate the concept of this ballot measure, said Supervisor Connie Chan, the lone dissenter at Wednesdays committee vote. But if we are really about oversight, then lets make sure that its not the same structure where the mayor has the majority of the appointments.

Jordan Davis, a resident in a city-funded SRO who has long advocated for better living conditions, expressed her frustration with the makeup of the commission at the committee hearing Wednesday. Davis said she was disappointed that no seats are specifically reserved for supportive housing tenants.

This is basically exploiting our pain to create a very flawed paper-tiger commission, she said.

Trisha Thadani and Joaquin Palomino are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers: Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com, jpalomino@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani, @JoaquinPalomino
The three people who went missing during a water rescue in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta near Rio Vista over the weekend were found dead upon recovery Tuesday, fire officials said.

The Rio Vista Fire Department had originally responded to a report Sunday of four individuals requiring rescue in the water near the Three Mile Slough Bridge and Highway 160 by the Brannan Island State Recreation Area.

Three adults had reportedly entered the water to rescue a child, fire officials said Wednesday on Facebook.

A Sacramento County sheriffs spokesman told The Chronicle that upon arriving at the scene, deputies were told the child had made it out of the water but three adults were unaccounted for.

The three remained missing after hours of searching on Sunday, the Rio Vista Fire Department said. All were from Oakland, according to Sacramento news station KTXL Fox40, which quoted a longtime friend of the men.

Fire Department officials and law enforcement, including the Coast Guard, worked in tandem over Monday and Tuesday to continue the search using a unique watercraft that was able to assist in the search effort.

The three individuals, whom officials did not name, were recovered by Tuesday evening.

While we wish the outcome of this incident was very different, we continue to hope for healing and closure for the family and friends of those lost, the department wrote. Far too many lives have been lost in our waterways and in the lakes and rivers of Northern California over the past few weeks.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The department urged residents and visitors to wear proper life vests while in the water and to consider wearing life vests even while on the shore.

The currents of the Sacramento River and its tributaries are strong and unpredictable, said the post.

Annie Vainshtein (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avainshtein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @annievain
After the holiday weekend, Greg Lutes, owner of 3rd Cousin in Bernal Heights, got an email from Google that his fine dining restaurant had some new reviews. He clicked the link and saw a flood of uniformly bad one-star ratings left with no further comments.

Knowing this is the kind of thing that can sink a place over time, Lutes fired up an app to try to dispute the reviews, only to have his input denied. He was just starting to get suspicious that he was being targeted when an email arrived to his business account.

Unfortunately, negative feedback about your establishment has been left by us, read a message from a person identified as Manas Agarwal. More will appear in the future, one review a day, the email threatened, unless Lutes paid $75 in the form of a Google Play gift card, to be deposited in a PayPal account. We sincerely apologize for our actions, and would not want to harm your business, but we have no other choice, the message concluded. The fact is that we live in India and see no other way to survive.

Lutes, who has been in business for seven years, knew that scammers had found him. Then he recalled receiving earlier emails from mysterious companies offering to review negative ratings, for a fee. It all added up.

It is basically extortion, he said. They wanted me to pay them to make it stop.

Lutes checked his Instagram feed and saw that Kim Alter, owner of Nightbird on Gough Street, had posted a screenshot of the same email he had received. The message has been received by at least dozen restaurants in the city, mostly high-end Michelin Guide places. And it hasnt stopped there. The same scam appears to have hit restaurants in Chicago and other major dining cities this week. All have received a string of single-star ratings, the lowest possible on a scale of five stars, but no additional comments. It is basically the same scheme that hit high-end restaurants in 2018.

Unfortunately, attempted scams are nothing new for San Francisco restaurants, said Mat Schuster, board president of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association. This current attempt, which involves leaving negative Google reviews, is highly stressful, particularly as tourism has started to return.

It is doubly stressful for small mom-and-pop restaurants like Nightbird, which has 20 seats and needs to keep them filled.

Bad online reviews can close restaurants, said Alter. If you look online and see a restaurant with one star you are not going to give them a chance.

By the time Alter had checked her Google page, she saw 10 one-star reviews for Nightbird, a seasonal California-style place with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 on Google, and similarly high marks on OpenTable and Yelp. Alter started searching around and found that the low-rating scheme was only on Google. She also searched similar restaurants to hers in the city and found at least a dozen.

I realized this is obviously a big scam, said Alter, who has dealt with false reviews in the past. In her experience, the only way to combat them is to take the offensive, because the sites themselves will always side with the reviewer, she said. So Alter took to Twitter and linked to other restaurants that had been scammed, Acquerello, 3rd Cousin, Sons & Daughters, Marlena, Nari, Birdsong. It took off from there with retweets and more restaurants added to the thread. She started hearing from restaurants in Chicago and Houston. Not just restaurants. It has also hit bar owners and car dealers.

Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle

Alter has heard from seemingly everyone in the business, including people she didnt know from restaurants where she has never been, about the downpour of reviews. Strangely, she never heard from Google, which had been tagged in her tweets and Instagram posts. Google did not respond to requests for comment from The Chronicle.

Twelve hours after Alters partner, Ron Boyd, emailed Google, he got a form letter saying the incident was being investigated. That was the last he heard from the company. Just before midnight Tuesday, the bad reviews had been taken down. When Nightbird reopened on Wednesday, business was about average.

On Thursday morning, Alter warily checked the review sites to see if the scammers had followed through on the threat to do it daily. There was nothing.

What is scary about this is that July is a slow month for restaurants in the city, she said. Im hoping they just leave us alone.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

So does Melissa Perello, owner of Octavia in Pacific Heights, who was hit with half-a-dozen one-star reviews on Wednesday.

Weve issued complaints on Google, but as a restaurant owner, we get the short end of the stick, Perello said. There is not much we can do besides issue a complaint, which does not merit a response.

She said business had not suffered at her 54-seat restaurant yet, but give it time.

Negative reviews will knock down our overall rating, she said. It affects peoples perception of the restaurant.

Lutes also issued a complaint with Google through the business page support listing program. Within two days, he heard back from a human, which he took as a victory. He was asked to take screenshots of the negative reviews and email them to the representative. By Wednesday all of the negative reviews were gone, without comment or explanation. Over the four days that the bad reviews were active, his cumulative score dropped slightly but went back up to normal. It all happened too fast to discern whether the reviews caused his business to drop off, but he noted that this has been a slow week.

Im just waiting to see if they continue to try to target us, he said on Thursday. Will these negative reviews stop, or will this be something that I have to continue to try to fight?

Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com
At Ilcha, a new Korean restaurant in the Marina neighborhood, I found myself thinking about growth as I got knuckle-deep in a soy sauce-cured shrimp, digging the jelly-like flesh from its chitinous shell before dragging it through a raw egg yolk. As an adult, Ive grown to love raw shrimp in all of its guises, sure, but I was also cheesing out over the fact that Ilcha is just one of several local spots where deep-cut specialties like this could be found.

The Bay Area has seen a new spate of Korean restaurants recently, with some hoping to introduce a modern touch to the scene and others leaning hard into hyper-specific niches. After an early pandemic chill on restaurant openings in general, the newest roster of Korean restaurants has already made an unforgettable impact on the scene.

Standing on the shoulders of classic restaurants that have laid a baseline of Korean cuisine in the Bay Area, these newcomers have launched with more ambitious menus, with the hope that Korean and non-Korean diners alike are ready for something new. There are the hotteok served at brewery pop-up Sammys, where proprietor Sammy Pak seals corn and cheese in dough with a shallow fry on a flattop grill, and the delightfully unbuttoned kimchi pozole served at San Franciscos San Ho Won. The road to Korean food paradise is paved with good eats like these.

The most exciting moves have been in San Francisco and Oakland, fueled in part by established restaurateurs opening their second or third acts. That includes San Ho Won, a sister restaurant to the Michelin-starred Benu; Bansang, an upscale answer to galbi king Daeho; and Hotline, an offshoot from boutique grocery store Queens.

Ive tried them all in the past few months to see if I could get a coherent sense of things  was this a movement? But I came away with nothing. Thats because each of them is so different from the others. And in a way, thats telling, too: that we have enough space in the food scene here now to welcome a diversity of approaches to Korean food. What follows is a log of those visits, centered on the dishes that really stood out.

Soleil Ho / The Chronicle

Acorn noodles | 

Joodooboo opened in January with an endearing concept: Its a deli focused on making fresh tofu and seasonal banchan, complete with banchan subscriptions for those who cant live without something fermented in the fridge. It recently introduced dine-in service with a succinct menu of dishes  so succinct, there are usually just two.

If youre lucky and get there before sell-out, one of those options will be a bowl of slippery acorn flour noodles ($14.50) mixed with julienned raw vegetables and a peppery sauce, with dates sweetening the whole deal. Seasonal greens might include young lettuces, foraged Claytonia perfoliata leaves the shape of satellite dishes, or angular onion flowers. If you time it right, youll be able to bulk up the bowl with add-ons like Monterey Bay squid jeot ($3) turned wispy, like youre eating the ghost of a squid, after a long salt brine.

Joodooboo. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Takeout, and indoor and outdoor seating. Street parking. Wheelchair accessible. 4201 Market St., Oakland. 501-500-1001 or www.joodooboo.co

Courtesy Eric Wolfinger

Double-cut galbi |  

OK, galbi isnt a deep cut, but the ones at San Ho Won are really special. Already feeling like a titan of Bay Area Korean food, San Ho Won is wholly invested in making the best possible iterations of Korean barbecue classics. Everything, from the napa cabbage kimchi to the intense and wobbly steamed egg, feels perfectly dialed-in: the picture of finesse.

Barbecue dishes are prepared in the kitchen, cooked over the restaurants proprietary solid lychee wood charcoal, which imparts very little odor onto the finished product. The house double-cut galbi ($46 for 8 ounces), glistening with rendered beef fat and cut into thick squares, has the shine of polished stone. The exterior is charred with a deliriously pleasing layer of caramelized sugar; the interior has a dreamy tenderness. Grab it with the add-ons of fresh greens ($8) for wrapping and scallion salad ($4) to soften the meats richness.

San Ho Won. 5-9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; 5-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Indoor seating. Street parking and bicycle racks. Wheelchair accessible. 2170 Bryant St., San Francisco. 415-868-4479 or https://sanhowon.com

Soleil Ho/The Chronicle

Soy sauce-cured shrimp | 

On this particular stretch of Lombard Street, on the southern edge of the Marina district, theres not much to eat. But a new Korean gastropub, opened in April, feels like a good fit for the clubby neighborhood. Opened by two friends, with one from the family that owns the Lucky Pig in the Tenderloin, Ilcha features a full menu of fried chicken, loaded tater tots and stews to go with a serious menu of premium soju bottles and other fermented rice liquors.

The shrimp at Ilcha channels the same blissful feeling as sucking down aguachile in a Mexican beachside restaurant, though with deeper flavor notes that call for harder libations than Corona. Seasoned with soy sauce and plenty of garlic, the shrimp are creamy and slimy in the best way, and an accompaniment of seaweed-seasoned rice, topped with a raw egg yolk, is a complementary partner to that texture. Youll get gloves to handle the peeling so dont worry about the manicure. In the United States, its rare to find a casual, non-sushi restaurant brave enough to serve semi-raw shrimp. Ilcha really is something special.

Ilcha. 5:30-10 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Indoor seating. Nearby parking garage. Wheelchair accessible. 2151 Lombard St., San Francisco. 415-613-9288 or www.ilchasf.com

Soleil Ho / The Chronicle

Steamed egg | 

Like at San Ho Won, Bansang serves Korean food cooked by fine-dining veterans. Opened in April in the former Izakaya Kou, this partnership between the Daeho restaurant group and chefs Ethan Min and Jin Lim maintains a high level of thoughtfulness but keeps the pricing relatively accessible. Entrees range from $16-$32, for instance. Min and Lim get funky with their menu, refreshing the Korean canon with culinary shout-outs that can seem irreverent at times.

A steamed egg dish ($19) is more custard-like than fluffy, served in a small ceramic bowl. A jalapeno sauce the color of peat moss, along with a crunchy crown of fried potato starch, is slightly confounding, like the prelude to a riddle. Is it chips? Is it dip? Taken with the saline slick of caviar, of which there is a generous and sculptural dollop, the parts coalesce into a whole that, somehow, makes sense. Min and Lim take a classic Korean comfort food, mash it up with another comfort food (chips!), and actually use caviar in a way that makes great use of its salty, umami-enhancing properties.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Bansang. 5-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Indoor seating. Street parking. Wheelchair accessible. 1560 Fillmore St., San Francisco. 415-697-5879 or www.bansangsf.com

Ethan Swope/The Chronicle

Hotteok | 

A pop-up that appears at breweries around Oakland, Sammys purports to be the Bay Areas first pop-up shop to specialize in this popular Korean Chinese street food. Founder Sammy Pak plops balls of fresh dough onto a flat-top grill, pressing them into golden-crisp discs with a special metal weight. Like any good bao, the sweet rice flour dough is chewy, tender and satisfying to rip with your teeth. Its the ideal form of the frozen variety you might get at the grocery store: a La Taqueria burrito in a world of microwaveable Amys Kitchen wraps.

Each comes with one of three fillings, with one sweet and two savory. The classic ($4.95) is vegan, made with a mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon and sunflower seeds that melt into a sweet and earthy syrup on the grill. I also loved the Yee Katsu ($6.95), a gooey chicken and cheese version that gets a tangy snap from generous amounts of Japanese Worcestershire sauce in the mix.

Sammys. Follow www.instagram.com/sammysf00d/ for pop-up locations and times.

Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle

Yang Jang Pi | 

Developed by Northern Chinese immigrants to Korea in the 19th century, Korean Chinese, or junghwa, cuisine is responsible for breakout hits like jajangmyeon, black bean sauce noodles, and tang soo yook, a fried meat dish coated in sweet and sour sauce. (Real heads know to order it with sauce on the side for dipping.) Its also a favorite of Queens grocery owners Clara Lee and Eddo Kim, who opened Hotline in February as a love letter to the cuisine.

The yang jang pi ($20) is an explosion of a dish thatll be familiar to fans of Great Chinas double skin salad. A confetti pile of lightly cooked bell pepper, carrots, cucumber, pork and shrimp is tossed with a refreshing and nose-clearing dose of Chinese hot mustard vinaigrette. What really clinches the deal are the mung bean jelly noodles, cut to the size of postcards. Each is comically huge, like a mustardy bandana that flew into your mouth. The dish, really a salad in disguise, is a must for cleansing the palate between bites of even stronger stuff on the menu.

Hotline. Noon-3 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. Thursday-Monday. Takeout, delivery and indoor seating. Street parking. Wheelchair accessible. 3560 Taraval St., San Francisco. www.hotlineasap.com

Soleil Ho is The San Francisco Chronicles restaurant critic. Email: soleil@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hooleil
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BEIJING (AP)  China launched a scathing attack on the U.S. and NATO on Wednesday, days before a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijians comments underscore the increasingly fractious relationship, along with Chinas increasingly confrontational approach to foreign relations that heatedly rejects criticism.

At last weeks NATO summit in Spain, Blinken accused China of seeking to undermine the rules-based international order.

In his comments Wednesday, Zhao said the so-called rules-based international order is actually a family rule made by a handful of countries to serve the U.S. self-interest.

Washington observes international rules only as it sees fit, he said, adding that NATO must renounce its blind faith in military might.

U.S.-China relations are dominated by disputes over issues from trade and human rights to Taiwan and Beijing's territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Meanwhile, China has refused to condemn Russias four-month-long war against Ukraine, criticized sanctions brought against Moscow by NATO members and accused Washington and its allies of provoking the conflict.

Russia and China have strengthened political, economic and military ties, while aligning their foreign policies to oppose the influence of liberal democracies. Weeks before Russias February invasion, Chinese leader Xi Jinping hosted his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for a meeting at which they pledged a partnership that had no limits.

At its summit, NATO for the first time singled out China as one of its strategic priorities for the next decade.

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.

China is substantially building up its military forces, including nuclear weapons, bullying its neighbors, threatening Taiwan  monitoring and controlling its own citizens through advanced technology, and spreading Russian lies and disinformation, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said after presenting NATOs 10-year Strategic Concept.

In his comments at Wednesday's daily briefing, Zhao said the U.S. has been working closely with NATO to hype up competition with China and stoke group confrontation."

The history of NATO is the one about creating conflicts and waging wars  arbitrarily launching wars and killing innocent civilians, even to this day," Zhao said. Facts have proven that it is not China that poses a systemic challenge to NATO, and instead it is NATO that brings a looming systemic challenge to world peace and security."

Blinken is expected to meet with Wang on Saturday at a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of 20 leading rich and developing nations on the Indonesian island of Bali.
Regarding Lowell excludes only low academic achievers (Letters to the Editor, July 5): Where I went to high school, we were assigned based on geography and all high schools offered essentially the same range of curricula. Among other things, this allowed students whose intellectual motivation and ability developed more slowly, for whatever reasons, a chance to catch up and excel.

As far as I know, this is the model used in almost all school districts outside of San Francisco. I would be grateful if someone would explain why San Francisco finds the need to distinguish a separate school for the high-brow students with all the attendant angst about getting accepted, as if teenagers need yet another reason to feel anxious.

David Posner, Napa

Kids make a difference

Regarding These are San Franciscos best parks according to Google Maps ratings. Golden Gate Park isnt No. 1 (SFChronicle.com, June 23): Reading that Kidpower Park was rated No. 1 was so exciting.

The youth who were students of St. Johns Educational Threshold Center, now Mission Graduates, were all from the north Mission and recognized the lack of safe, open spaces. They wanted to ensure that there was a beautiful playground for the kids in the Mission for generations to come  and they succeeded! In their first three years of organizing, they won $500,000 from the Recreation and Park Department in grants.

These young people had to compete with dot-com boom real estate developers for limited open space and were beat out multiple times. I hope these students, now adults in their 30s, recognize how meaningful their work was, because they created what is now the No. 1 park!

This is an important reminder to listen to the youth of San Francisco, to include them in the process, and to meet their needs. This is an incredible example of historically marginalized communities organizing, advocating and creating safe spaces in the wake of gentrification, which hasnt ended for the kids of the Mission. We need to encourage youth to advocate and continue to create change in San Francisco.

Eddie Kaufman, CEO, Mission Graduates,

San Francisco

Newsom cant win it all

Regarding Newsom is playing long game nationally (Front Page, July 3): Gavin Newsom running for president? Seriously? While the governor would easily win California and other deep blue states, he wouldnt have a snowballs chance in the critical rust belt swing states that are essential to win. Why?

First, because of his affair with a staffer  maybe California doesnt care about this but those Midwest states certainly would. Second, because of the Employment Development Department meltdown that cost taxpayers perhaps $20 billion under his watch. Third, because Californias crime and homelessness problems are perceived in other states as the worst in the country.

If the Democrats are smart in 2024, instead of Newsom, Joe Biden or Kamala Harris, they should choose someone from a swing state  such as Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer or Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar  who can really empathize with the voters there and win those states.

Mark Perkins, Castro Valley

Cartoon is Islamophobic

I was very disappointed by The Chronicles publication of Jack Ohmans July 4 political cartoon showing far-right Supreme Court justices wearing Islamic-inspired attire holding signs meant to evoke our enmity of the Taliban welcoming new Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

There is no need to depict Islamophobic framing when pointing out our very own home grown extremist ideological movement would do just as well. Please, lets call it what it is: Christofascism.
In the shock and outrage of response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a lot of outdated, incomplete and false ideas about abortion have come to dominate public discourse. Some are afraid that the end of Roe means a return to the days of the coat hanger. Some are stocking up on the abortion pill, which, while far from ideal, is at least not lethal.

While it is true that the end of Roe will cause needless suffering and grave complications for people with wanted and unwanted pregnancies, its also true that we now have more options than we think. The rallying feminist slogan Knowledge is Power has never felt more urgent.

When New York first became a beacon for legal abortion in 1970, first-trimester abortions were still being performed with sharp metal instruments in operating rooms, with patients under general anesthesia. Thats why New Yorks law, and the subsequent Roe decision, named physicians as exclusive providers. During these same years, however, new technology wholly transformed first-trimester abortion into something much lower-tech and much lower-risk. In a word: plastics.

It was an underground provider named Harvey Karman, in pre-Roe Los Angeles, who first fashioned a rounded plastic straw called a cannula and attached it to a plastic drugstore syringe. The cannula allowed for a much safer, less-traumatic entrance to the womb, sans surgical instruments or anesthesia. Karman teamed up with Berkeley physician and director of the International Planned Parenthood Federation Malcolm Potts to further refine the device, which they described in a 1972 article in the Lancet journal. Meanwhile, feminist health activists rendered a version of their own, using mason jars, known as a Del-Em. Karmans and Potts device drew the attention of the U.S. Agency for International Development, which contracted for thousands of kits to be manufactured and sent around the world, to places without running water or electricity, for menstrual regulation. The concept has been used safely and effectively ever since, for managing early miscarriages, for care after incomplete abortions and for inducing terminations.

The procedure is called manual vacuum aspiration, or MVA, and decades later we have extensive research showing that it is safe and effective in the hands of trained nurses, midwives and other service providers who are not physicians. In other words, we exported the simpler, kinder, gentler (and quieter) abortion, while in the United States, electric suction and twilight sedation became the standard surgical abortion, as well as the more invasive dilation and curettage (with instruments) still used in emergency rooms, for the appalling reason that simply not enough physicians are trained in MVA. The few providers who have already embraced MVA can offer it in the privacy (and dignity) of their offices or in homes, without sedation.

Today, the wide availability of misoprostol (half of the abortion pill regimen that is highly effective on its own) is an obvious advantage in the fight for body sovereignty, but we must understand that it is not our only tool. Miso takes hours, rather than minutes, and can involve intense discomfort.

Networks of community workers  doulas, midwives and others  have been organizing and training in MVA in pragmatic anticipation of Roe being overturned. They are our best hope for a post-Roe future that bears zero resemblance to our coat-hanger past. Some have revived the practice of menstrual extraction with the Del-Em, but MVA is much more efficient and scalable, and it has been well-studied. A Del-Em takes more time and can be used very only early in the first trimester, before many women know theyre pregnant, whereas MVA (also known as an Ipas, after the organization that still makes it) is effective up to 14 weeks.

Doctors had been trained to think that abortion was difficult and dangerous, Potts told interviewers in the late 1990s, when in actuality it is a simple, straightforward procedure, often completed in four or five minutes. Roe codified abortion as a matter of privacy, yet the vast majority of private practice obstetrician-gynecologists and primary care physicians resisted offering it. According to the Guttmacher Institute, just 1% of abortions happen in private physicians offices. Doctors of conscience in states where abortion remains legal can change that today. And states with archaic statutes limiting abortion to physicians must modernize, with robust support from the medical community.

Roe was wrong in not centering on the human beings whose liberty depends on bodily autonomy.

Roe wasnt really written to support a womans right to have an abortion, says Molly Dutton-Kenny, an American midwife, abortion provider and activist based in Canada. It was written to protect a doctors right to perform one.

While we mourn the overturning of Roe, we must also accept that a major flaw of Roe (and the ensuing 50 years of mainstream messaging) was the notion that this procedure belonged between a woman and her doctor.

Where abortion actually belongs, and where it will have to be carried on with all the bravery and fortitude and cooperation we can muster, is on the community level, with trained practitioners of every stripe ensuring that information, support and appropriate, low-cost care is available and accessible to all. Not everyone can or should wield a speculum, but those of us who are most shaken by this ruling, and who feel most passionately that forced pregnancy is an abomination, will need to reclaim power in ways that will not fit neatly into the similarly fallible and now painfully quaint rubric of safe, legal and rare. Reproductive justice has never been a passive proposition.

Jennifer Block is a journalist and author of Everything Below the Waist: Why Health Care Needs a Feminist Revolution. Elisa Albert is a full-spectrum doula and the author of the new novel Human Blues.
President Biden conceded Wednesday that Democrats dont have the votes to change the filibuster to codify abortion rights into law in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

The list of Senate Democrats who dont support lifting the rule that allows a minority of members to block legislation not only includes perennial opponents Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. It appears to include California Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Feinstein, through a spokesperson, would not explicitly say that she opposes overturning the filibuster rule, which allows a minority of 40 senators in the 100-member chamber to block a vote on many bills, despite being pressed multiple times for a clear answer.

Hours after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Feinstein said the only option to ensure reproductive care access was for Congress to pass a law to restore womens reproduction rights and ensure control over their own health care.

But that doesnt mean that Feinstein  unlike Biden and most Senate Democrats  supports lifting the filibuster to pass such a law.

Senator Feinstein voted for the Womens Health Protection Act in May that would have codified Roe and she voted to exempt voting rights from the Senate filibuster rules in January, Feinstein spokesperson Adam Russell said in a statement emailed to The Chronicle. Its unclear whether the Senate will take up filibuster reform in response to the courts decision but she will continue to work with her colleagues to pass legislation that protects abortion rights.

When asked, Does she support lifting the filibuster for abortion rights? Your answer below sounds like a no. Russell responded: Thats not what the statement says. I would refer you back to the statement.

Pressed with, Does Sen. Feinstein support lifting the filibuster for abortion rights? Simple question, Russell responded: Can only point you to the same statement.

Feinstein, who was first elected to the Senate in 1992, is an institutionalist who has long been one of the staunchest supporters of the filibuster rule that allows a minority of members to block legislation. That happens a lot in the Senate, which is currently evenly split between parties, 50-50. Vice President Kamala Harris casts the decisive vote when there are ties, tipping the advantage to Democrats.

The senators response isnt good enough for Rachel OLeary Carmona, executive director of the Womens March, the organization that drew hundreds of thousands of demonstrators to Washington the day after Donald Trump was inaugurated in 2019.

On Saturday, the organization is holding a march in Washington near the White House. Part of whats been dubbed the Summer of Rage, organizers are hoping to pressure Biden and other Democrats to take bolder action in the wake of the Supreme Courts decision. Abortion rights supporters expect 26 states to ultimately ban the procedure now that Roe is gone.

I call on Senator Feinstein, and all our allies that dont yet support abolishing the filibuster, to get on board now. If you dont support abolishing the filibuster, you do not support abortion rights. Period, Carmona said Wednesday in an email to The Chronicle.

You cannot say youre committed to protecting a womans right to choose if you are not willing to use every tool at your disposal. Youre protecting outdated and unjust institutions over peoples lives, Carmona said. We cannot trade our democracy for decorum.

Carmonas reaction is illustrative of the frustration many on the left feel. They dont think some Democrats feel the urgency of the loss of abortion access to millions of people  including across virtually the entire southeastern swath of the country.

A growing number of progressive legislators are urging their fellow Democrats to do more than say they support abortion rights and other protections recently curtailed by the Supreme Court. They need to take stronger action. If a majority of California voters simply said they supported Feinstein but werent willing to actually cast a vote for her, shed be out of a job.

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, right now, we just need a fight.

We need to show and demonstrate to the American people that when they vote to give Democrats power, we will use it to the fullest extent possible to defend everybodys civil, economic and human rights, Ocasio-Cortez, one of the nations leading progressives, said last week on CBS The Late Night With Stephen Colbert.

A text blast from the Womens March organizers to supporters last week said, Kill the racist, archaic filibuster and pass legislation to protect our fundamental rights.

Biden responded last week by saying he would support lifting the filibuster for abortion rights.

We have to codify Roe v. Wade into law, Biden tweeted last week. If the filibuster gets in the way, then we need to make an exception to get it done.

A post on Bidens Instagram feed Wednesday repeated that Congress must act to codify Roe and the filibuster should not stand in the way.

Then Biden admitted it isnt happening anytime soon.

But right now, we dont have the votes to change the filibuster. That means we need to elect more Democratic senators and reelect our House majority in November to get this bill to my desk, Biden wrote in the post.

Feinstein, who is revered by many Democrats for her role as a pioneering women in political office, isnt ready to go that far on the filibuster. She, like Biden, her longtime friend and former Senate colleague, respects the Senates institutions and a bygone era of bipartisanship.

Activists point out, however, that ship sailed decades ago.

Theres no hope of creating an exception for abortion without Feinsteins vote, said Molly E. Reynolds, a senior fellow of governance studies at the Brookings Institution and author of the book Exceptions to the Rule: The Politics of Filibuster Limitations in the U.S. Senate.

Reynolds said that some Democrats fear that if they lift the filibuster rules for abortion or voting rights or gun safety legislation, Republicans may do the same should they take back Congress, the Senate and the White House in 2024.

Without the backstop of Roe, Reynolds said, there will be more pressure on a future Republican Senate to eliminate the filibuster to pass a nationwide abortion ban.

California abortion rights activists are confident that residents  and visitors coming to the state for reproductive services  will be protected by a proposed constitutional amendment that will come before voters in November. But a federal ban would supersede that law.

Last year, a group of progressive activists  led by Indivisible chapters in California and the 1.4 million-member Courage California  urged Feinstein to drop her support for the filibuster. The procedure isnt a hallowed Senate tradition, activists said. The filibuster was most famously used by Southern racists for years to block civil rights legislation.

Activists pointed out that Feinstein has little to lose politically by opposing the filibuster. She has not said publicly whether she intends to run for re-election when her term ends in 2024.

Unlike Manchin  who represents a red, Trump-loving state, or Sinema, who is from a swing state, Feinstein has little to fear in deep-blue California. Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Democrat-controlled Legislature are passing laws designed to make the state a national haven for the procedure. The nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found that 76% of likely California voters  including 54% of Republicans  dont want to overturn Roe.

There is no doubting Feinsteins support for reproductive rights. Feinstein, who turned 89 last month, knows what the pre-Roe world was like better than most elected officeholders.

Make no mistake, some women will die because of this decision - whether through unsafe and unregulated abortions, a lack of access to medically necessary lifesaving abortions, or suicide, Feinstein said in a statement after the Supreme Court announced its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization. I remember those dark days, passing a plate in college to collect money for a classmate to go to Mexico for an abortion. This court has returned us to that shameful past.

Feinstein wrote that the only option is for Congress to pass a law to restore womens reproduction rights and ensure control over their own health care. Anything short of that devalues the lives of women and signals they cant be trusted to make decisions about their own bodies.

For now, though, Feinstein is unwilling to definitively say that she will put aside the filibuster to make that happen.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
Mayor London Breed picked former prosecutor Brooke Jenkins to be San Franciscos next district attorney after a historic recall that ousted Chesa Boudin from office two years into his term.

Jenkins quit her job in the District Attorneys Office to campaign against her former boss, becoming one of the most prominent faces of the recall campaign.

By picking Jenkins, Breed tapped into an appointee with the most recent experience in the office and a powerful campaign network that could provide a groundswell of support when Jenkins runs in the November election, although she was the only one of the top three finalists for the role who hasnt previously run for office.

Jenkins, who is Black and Latina, worked in the District Attorneys Office for more than seven years, prosecuting misdemeanors, domestic violence, homicides and as the former lead hate crimes prosecutor. Before that, she worked in corporate law. She grew up in Union City and graduated from the University of Chicago Law School.

During a news conference at City Hall Thursday, Jenkins pledged to hold criminals accountable. She said her top priorities would include ending open-air drug markets in the city, addressing hate crimes and no longer being indifferent to property crimes.

As your next district attorney, I will restore accountability and consequences to our criminal justice system here in San Francisco. Violence and repeat offenders will no longer be allowed to victimize our city without consequences. Hate crimes will no longer be tolerated, Jenkins said. We are a city of second chances, but the truth is we have to draw a line with people who choose hate, violence and a life of crime.

Jenkins said that as a woman of color whose family members have been victims of crime and police violence, she also understood the need for reform and said she would expand and start new alternatives to incarceration.

Holding offenders accountable does not preclude us from moving forward with vital and important reforms to our criminal justice system, she said. I vow to balance both in the pursuit of justice and safety for all.

The prosecutor, a polarizing pick, was cheered Thursday by recall supporters who praised her personal background and professional experience, and want to see more accountability for people who commit crimes. She was criticized by opponents who questioned her ethical track record as a prosecutor and said her proposals represented a return to a tough-on-crime approach to prosecution that seeks to reduce crime by enforcing tougher penalties.

Jenkins previously said she would like to see San Francisco prosecutors regain the power to ask for cash bail, gang enhancements, strikes from previous convictions and to charge juveniles as adults. Boudin eliminated or all but did away with these policies just after taking office, arguing that they disproportionately penalized the poor and people of color. Jenkins said she agrees with the spirit of these bans, but believes the tools should be used in certain circumstances.

Jenkins initially praised Boudins creation of a post-conviction unit, which helps to free people from lengthy sentences and wrongful convictions. She said she still supports the unit but lost faith in Boudins mandates that stripped prosecutors from important discretionary decisions.

Jenkins said Thursday she would review those policies upon entering office but did not commit to immediately changing any. In her new role, she will face pressure to deal with police shootings, such as a pair criticized by experts a month ago in Mission Bay, and drug policies in the Tenderloin, which is a key focus of the mayor.

Breed said she chose Jenkins after speaking with many people who both opposed and supported the recall who said they wanted a district attorney who would make sure that reforms are not forgotten, but that accountability had to be an important part of the equation.

We can and should have both in a city like San Francisco, Breed said. This is not just about locking people up and throwing away the key. Thats not what were about.

In picking Jenkins, Breed gains a prosecutorial ally in her tough-on-crime turn. In the wake of her decision, the mayor becomes increasingly responsible for public safety and criminal justice as the leader whos now appointed both the district attorney, police chief and a former police spokesperson as a supervisor. Crime has become one of the citys top issues as residents worry about high-profile smash-and-grabs, rampant car break-ins, and brazen home burglaries while the city struggles to recover from the pandemic.

While Breed did not take a public stance on Boudins recall, she made clear her displeasure with the outgoing district attorney, saying that she wanted to see him more aggressively prosecute repeat offenders of drug dealing and violent crime.

Breed said after Boudins recall that his ouster doesnt signal an end to progressive approaches to law enforcement and said it was a false choice to pit those efforts against accountability for public safety.

Others who threw their hats in the ring for the appointment  and could still run either in November or 2023  are District Two Supervisor Catherine Stefani; Superior Court Judge Eric Fleming; former district attorney candidate Nancy Tung; and former police officer, commissioner and civil rights attorney Joe Alioto Veronese.

Mary Jung, recall campaign chair, said in a statement that she applauds the choice.

As a longtime progressive prosecutor, Brooke has the conviction, heart, tenacity and widespread support to lead the District Attorneys office and win this November, Jung said. Brooke is eminently qualified and has a demonstrated track record as a prosecutor. I know she will be committed to keeping public safety as her number one priority while holding serious offenders accountable and implementing progressive criminal justice reforms responsibly.

The San Francisco Police Officers Association, the union representing the citys police force and one of Boudins most reliable detractors, called Jenkins a qualified, competent and compassionate prosecutor who will allow San Francisco to turn the page from the previous criminal defense attorney masquerading as the DA, referring to Boudin.

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Other recall supporters and leaders in the Asian American community met with the mayor two weeks ago and lobbied Breed to instead pick Tung, saying they wanted a more experienced prosecutor who understands their community. Dennis Wu, founder of the San Francisco Community Alliance for Unity, Safety, and Education, a nonprofit advocacy organization, said that although the mayors pick didnt go his way, he cant disagree with her reasonings.

She was very thoughtful, and I know it was a difficult decision for her, but she made the decision that she believed is the right decision for the city, he said. I think for her, it was down to who is more electable.

Wu said the mayor no doubt wanted to avoid a repeat of 2019, when she appointed interim District Attorney Suzy Loftus a month before the election  which Boudin then won.

Others were wary of some of Jenkins policies. Geoffrea Morris, a Black community leader who runs a domestic violence organization and whose brother was killed by San Pablo police, agreed that cash bail and charging juveniles as adults should be determined on a case-by-case basis. But she didnt support reintroducing gang enhancements and strikes, which in the past have disproportionately affected people of color.

San Franciscos Black community will not be silent nor endorse any Black candidate that is seeking to go back to the 80s and 90s policies of locking everyone up and throwing away the key, she said in a statement. The next DA will need to continue to hold police accountable as much as voters want criminals to be held accountable.

John Hamasaki, a criminal defense attorney, former police commissioner and Boudin supporter, slammed the mayors pick as a return to tough-on-crime policies that weve come to recognize ... is not the solution to all of societies ills.

He said Jenkins as a prosecutor has shown a complete lack of ethics. As evidence he pointed to a couple of controversial cases, reported by other media outlets, including where a public defender investigator alleged Jenkins coached a young girl scheduled to testify in a child molestation case.

Jenkins responded to criticism Thursday by saying that from the day I first set foot in the D.A.s office, I have served as an ethical and fair prosecutor, every step of the way, and Ive never been found to do otherwise.

Hamasaki and others said Jenkins new role not only matters for her political future, but also for the mayor.

Breed has positioned herself as a leader on public safety, declaring a crackdown on crime in the city in December and successfully pushing to get more police budget to hire officers. But until the district attorneys recall, she didnt assume responsibility over that key part of the criminal justice system. How her appointee performs and whether crime drops could be tied to her political fate, since the two could be on the same ballot in 2023.

If the mayors appointee does not win the election, thats not a good thing for the mayor, said Jason McDaniel, an associate professor of political science at San Francisco State University. Theres no doubt that people will be looking to the mayor and holding her accountable for changes in policies and perceptions of crime and lawlessness in the coming election, he said.

Mallory Moench and Megan Cassidy are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com mcassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mallorymoench, @megancassidy
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San Francisco school officials used money voters approved for classroom and other facilities improvements to pay $525,000 in attorney fees to fight a lawsuit over the fate of a controversial Depression-era mural. The spending is now under review by an official oversight committee.

The districts Citizens Bond Oversight Committee, a statutorily mandated watchdog group, is currently looking at whether the district properly spent Proposition A funds, which were authorized by voters in 2016 to upgrade, modernize or build school facilities.

The committees interim chairman, Rex Ridgeway, said he doesnt believe bond money meant to ensure safe and modern schools should have covered the cost of a lawsuit over the mural.

I want them to put the money back, Ridgeway said. Theyve been using this as a slush fund as far as Im concerned.

District officials pulled the money from the bond program rather than using the General Fund, which covers salaries, classroom costs and other operating expenses at school and district offices. Yet, the school board was forced to make significant cuts in that fund to cover a $125 million deficit this upcoming school year.

The oversight committees concerns are the latest in a three-year saga related to the Washington High School mural, which features the life of the countrys first president, including images of slaves working in fields and white settlers stepping over a dead American Indian.

The controversial issue was among several facing the board in recent years, resulting in parents, community members and elected officials supporting a recall and deriding the lack of public trust in the district.

The school board, with three new members appointed by Mayor London Breed, has vowed to work on restoring that trust, putting the academic and emotional well-being of students at the top of the priority list, rather than the previous boards focus on covering murals, renaming schools and changing Lowell High Schools enrollment process.

Yet the repercussions of those previous decisions remain.

The oversight committee was expected to vote Wednesday on whether to accept the findings of a Prop. A bond audit, which would certify the proper use of bond expenditures, including the legal costs associated with the mural. That vote was postponed until the groups next meeting on Aug. 3.

A vote denying approval of the audit would be largely symbolic. The oversight committee, while mandated by state law, doesnt have the authority to address misuse of bond funds, but it could seek outside legal guidance or refer the issue to city or state officials, Ridgeway said.

District officials argue the use of bond money for the legal costs was appropriate because the mural is a part of a school building and caused psychological harm to students, and therefore presents a health and safety risk, said the districts general counsel Danielle Houck, in a March letter to the oversight committee and school board. The bond program allows for remediation of health and safety risks as well as interior modifications, she said.

Yet its unclear whether current school board members will resurrect an effort to cover up the mural despite their legal counsels assertion that it is a health and safety risk.

Board President Jenny Lam did not respond to requests for comment.

The mural controversy dates back to 2019, when the school board, which then included three members recalled earlier this year, voted to paint over the Depression-era mural, before changing course and deciding to cover it with panels or curtains instead of destroying it.

The schools alumni association sued, claiming the district failed to follow state environmental impact laws, and a judge agreed.

The district launched an appeal, but decided earlier this year to settle the suit, which included rescinding all votes on the mural and paying the $345,000 of the alumni groups legal costs.

In addition to covering plaintiff costs, the district also used bond money to pay the $180,000 it spent on a legal firm to represent it in the lawsuit.

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While the money spent on attorneys is a small part of the $744 million Prop. A bond program, a pimple on an elephants back, its the principle of it, Ridgeway said.

Ridgeway said he has not seen empirical evidence of psychological harm and that the district is relying on public comment during school board meetings from parents or students, who said the images caused trauma.

Im not saying Im not for correcting wrongs; Im a Black man, he said. But is it a proper use or improper use of bond funds for the construction rehabilitation of these school buildings? My position is no.

District officials have acknowledged the school facility needs across the city are vast, with parents complaining of falling ceiling tiles, uneven pavement on playgrounds, unreliable heating and other issues.

The board is expected to consider putting a $1 billion facilities bond on the ballot in 2023, requiring the support of 55% of voters.

Currently, property owners pay about $25 per $100,000 in assessed value to repay the Prop. A bond, in addition to costs related to previous school bonds approved by voters in 2006 and 2011.

Mission District resident and attorney Greg Chopskie said the school district has lost the publics trust and he would like to see the bond oversight committee hire independent counsel to provide guidance on the legal costs related to the mural.

In the last few weeks, weve discovered that hundreds of thousands of dollars of Prop. A money has been used to cover SFUSD legal bills on pet projects of former commissioners and the former superintendent, he said. That money was supposed to be used to fix schools, not pay lawyers.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker
San Francisco supervisors are poised to decide this month whether to put an affordable housing measure on the November ballot that would compete with a different measure backed by Mayor London Breed.

A Board of Supervisors committee on Wednesday voted 2-1 to send the proposed Affordable Housing Production Act to the rest of their colleagues for consideration. If six supervisors agree July 19 to put the measure on the Nov. 8 ballot, it would be expected to appear there alongside the Affordable Homes Now measure supported by Breed and her allies.

The stated goal of both measures is to accelerate the timeline for getting affordable housing, including mixed-income projects with more affordable units, approved and built, hoping to cut red tape that slows new development and compounds the citys notoriously sky-high living costs. But the two proposals have different visions for how affordable a project would need to be to qualify for the loosened rules, with the measure being considered by supervisors proposing higher affordability requirements than the measure backed by Breed.

San Francisco is also facing a huge construction slowdown at the same time that state mandates require the city to plan for 82,000 new homes by 2031. Under the most recent planning mandates, the city built 151% of its goal for market-rate housing but only 48% of its affordable goal.

Supporters of the moderate mayors ballot measure have slammed the rival proposal introduced by progressive Supervisor Connie Chan, saying the latter one raises the bar so high that building mixed-income projects under her requirements will be financially infeasible. Chans supporters pushed back that the goal should be maximizing affordable housing, and future financing and land-use changes could help create conditions to build it. They have criticized the mayors ballot measure, arguing that it would not help the San Franciscans most in need because it would raise the income levels allowed to qualify for some affordable units.

For me, the key point of this ballot measure is the conversation around affordability and what is truly affordable by definition for working families in San Francisco, Chan said. She and Supervisor Aaron Peskin voted to move the measure forward on Wednesday. Supervisor Rafael Mandelman voted no.

Its not yet clear if Chans measure has the six votes it will need to be placed on the ballot. Four are definitely in support: Chan and Peskin, along with Supervisors Shamann Walton and Dean Preston, all sponsors of the measure. Supervisor Hillary Ronen told The Chronicle she would likely vote yes but needed to analyze both of the competing measures more fully before making a final decision. Some other supervisors said they were undecided or planned to vote no.

Mandelman said Wednesday that he had concerns about both measures. The Breed-supported Affordable Homes Now has some trades in there that I would not make, he said, including a proposal to fast-track projects that benefit from city density bonuses. But he said he wasnt ready to get behind Chans idea, either.

There is that fundamental notion in the mayors measure that we do actually need to see some streamlining of some types of market-rate housing, Mandelman said. That is a view that I share.

Both measures would waive discretionary reviews, a city process that can slow down or kill projects, for three kinds of qualifying projects  100% affordable, teacher housing, and multifamily developments with some level of extra affordable housing units.

The key differences are the amount of affordable units that would be required and the level of affordability for individual units. The mayor-backed measure requires a mixed-income project, in order to qualify for streamlining, to meet the citys 21.5% affordable unit requirement plus another 15% more affordable units. For instance, if a project is required to have 20 affordable units, it would have to add three more to qualify.

Chans measure requires a total of 36.5% affordable units and that additional on-site units include at least 30% two-bedroom units and 20% three-bedrooms. It also mandates the mayors office to release an annual affordable housing report.

Chans proposal sets the cap for affordable units at 120% of the area median income, or AMI. The Breed-supported measure would allow individual units to go up to 140% AMI, although the total project average for 100% affordable housing projects must remain at 120%. AMI in multifamily projects differs depending on size and whether the unit is rented or owned, in line with existing city code.

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The mayors measure requires employers to pay prevailing wages and health care coverage for workers, while Chans proposal would go one step further by mandating projects with 25 units or more employ a skilled and trained workforce  more highly specialized union laborers.

Chan also added a provision that if both measures made it to the ballot, only the one with the most affirmative votes would go into effect.

The two measures have divided labor unions, all scrambling for work after a pandemic downturn. The Nor Cal Carpenters Union is backing the mayors measure, while the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council is supporting Chans.

Breed previously made multiple attempts to get supervisors to advance a ballot measure that would speed up the citys housing approval process. After her latest proposal was shot down by the rules committee in January  with Chan and Peskin in the majority  supporters began gathering signatures to place it on the ballot instead. The Affordable Homes Now campaign said last week that it had submitted enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.
News

CLIMATE CHANGE

Forget earthquakes. San Francisco is slowly sinking

Kevin N. Hume/The Examiner A large crack winds its way up a sidewalk along China Basin Street in Mission Bay in September 2021. Kevin N. Hume/The Examiner A pedestrian walks over raised sidewalk tiles outside of a residential building along Mission Bay Boulevard North in Mission Bay. Mark Schwettmann/Shutterstock Large swaths of land along the Embarcadero and down the eastern coastline of The City are at risk for sea-level rise. San Francisco Planning Department A map shows sea-level rise vulnerability zones around San Francisco.

San Franciscans have always occupied shaky ground. But now, parts of our quake-prone city are literally sinking under our feet.

Areas like San Francisco International Airport, Treasure Island and Mission Bay are falling prey to subsidence  the term used to describe the downward settling of ground  at a moment when climate change is causing sea levels to rise.

Now, new studies show rates of subsidence in coastal areas are happening at a faster clip, meaning coastal areas will be challenged by flooding much sooner than projected by sea-level rise models. While the most rapid subsidence is happening in parts of Asia, researchers have observed such sinking across the globe  including in the Bay Area.

Here, subsidence is caused by several factors, said Roland Burgmann, professor of Earth and Planetary Science at UC Berkeley. Areas built on old landfills or young sediments, like bay mud, experience compaction over time, but groundwater extraction also exacerbates sinking.

Wherever you have development of landfill  so SFO, Mission Bay, Treasure Island, the Marina and much of the area South of Market  thats still compacting, said Burgmann. It is very young, loose stuff  So if you build on that, you have to either take certain procedures or steps to mitigate that.

Sinking sidewalks

Recently, Mission Bays sinking sidewalks have come to exemplify the perils of developing on these young soils. Though the neighborhoods new buildings balance sturdily atop concrete pilings anchored into the bedrock, its streets and sidewalks float on top of the surface. As the ground beneath the pavement settled, the sidewalks have buckled, cracked and even pulled away from buildings, causing tripping hazards and headaches for residents and businesses.

It's the equivalent of having the elevator stop about 12 inches above the lobby floor, said Dan Rottinghaus, a principal at the Bay Area law firm Berding and Weil. Its just become a big problem.

But its not just the sidewalks that are moving downward. Pipes and infrastructure underground are vulnerable to being crushed under shifting soils, said Rottinghaus, who recently filed a complaint against The City and its redevelopment agency, asking it to take on the repair costs and maintenance of damaged infrastructure. The City has previously asserted homeowners are responsible for any sidewalk repairs.

The manifestation of the problem is in the sidewalk, but the problem is beneath, said Rottinghaus. It goes through more than just the sidewalks  its in the parks, its in the roadways and it's ultimately going to affect (presumably) the sewer, the gas lines, the light poles, the fire hydrants, these ramps for the disabled  and all of those things that are community and nature and not related just to any one particular property.

Rising sea level, drought

This is all happening at a moment when climate change is causing sea levels to rise, posing a threat to low-lying areas near the shoreline. The City estimates global heating will cause sea levels around San Francisco Bay to rise three to six feet by the end of the century. This means about four square miles of The Citys waterfront could end up underwater, by either temporary or permanent flooding.

But Burgmanns research shows that inundation maps solely based on sea-level rise rates have underestimated the flood-prone areas by as much as 90%.

We're only talking about average sea level, he said. But what matters much more is peak sea level  the King Tides. That makes everything so much worse. Those areas we estimate as being inundated, meaning on average under water, are much smaller than the areas that will be affected by these peak days of sea-level rise.

Increased flooding paired with subsidence can result in saltwater contamination of surface and underground water, accelerated coastal erosion and wetland and ecosystem losses, Burgmanns research found.

Complicating matters, a record drought continues to dry out the West, which can further accelerate soil compaction, noted Lawrence Karp, a Bay Area geotechnical engineer.

Heatwaves and drought certainly make everything harder, said Burgmann. As we all know, water is the issue No. 1 in the long term, especially in the West.

Tapping, managing groundwater

The protracted dry spell has also prompted water managers such as San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to seek alternative supplies  including tapping San Franciscos groundwater.

Lurking hundreds of feet below the Sunset District lies a cavernous coastal aquifer system called the Westside Basin. This underground water bank stretches from San Francisco to Burlingame and has been tapped for drinking water and irrigation across the region since the early 20th century.

Unlike surface water supply, groundwater wont evaporate on hot days, and is slowly filtered through layers of dense rock, which means theres a beneficial lag time in terms of its total supply, which can help bolster against drought, said Obiajulu Nzewi, a regulatory specialist at the SFPUC.

Over the next few years, The City is looking to gradually ramp up its groundwater program, with a long-term goal to draw as much as 4 million gallons of water per day or about 20% of the citys water supply.

That's a really good way of doing this because it gives us a chance to continue to monitor the reaction from the basin. It gives us a chance to also adjust things if we need to, and catch any problems before they become too serious, said Nzewi.

This drought-proof water is not without risks, however. Places like San Jose and the Central Valley show us what can go wrong when a community is over reliant on groundwater: both areas have sunk substantially from over drafting supplies. San Jose is estimated to have descended more than 12 feet, while areas of the Central Valley have cratered nearly 30 feet.

Once you subside, you don't get that back, said Burgmann. That's irreversible.

There is some hope, though. In San Jose, subsidence was curtailed through changes in groundwater management and has remained stable through subsequent drought periods. And the SFPUC is well aware of the lessons of mismanaging resources and said it closely monitors the basin, taking regular readings of underground water levels and quality.

Luckily for us in the North Westside Basin we don't have similar geology, said Nzewi of the subsidence in the Central Valley. We dont have that issue.

But even so, he said, its something the SFPUC is actively monitoring. We want to make sure that we continue to operate the basin sustainably. That means that we don't overdraw or draw down the water levels in the basin past a point where you begin to have adverse impacts.

And though rising tides combined with sinking land continues to concern Burgmann, he isn't too worried about San Francisco sinking into itself from drawing upon groundwater alone. Its really doable, he said. It's all about living within your means."
California Gov. Gavin Newsom delivers his annual State of the State address in Sacramento, Calif., March 8, 2022. Newsom is running for reelection in California, but his latest television ad is airing in Florida. The 30-second spot aired on Fox News starting Monday, July 4, takes shots at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his policies, while drawing a contrast with California.
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office

Authorities are calling on the public to help find a 15-year-old Arizona girl who went missing on California's Central Coast while visiting family for the summer.

Alilianna Trujillo was last seen leaving a relative's home in Nipomo on July 1, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office said in a news release on July 5. Trujillo is Hispanic, stands 5-foot 4-inches tall and weighs 105 pounds. She has red hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a tie-dyed shirt and black leggings.
Clouds resembling breaking waves in the ocean are unusual and beautiful, and they've occurred on at least two occasions in recent months in Pacifica, less than 10 miles south of San Francisco, catching the eyes of hobbyist photographers.

SF resident Tara Cronin captured an image of a cresting wave cloud rising above the mountains in the coastal town on May 27 at 3:40 p.m. and posted it on Instagram. Cronin said the American Meteorological Society shared her photo and it went viral with more than 1 million impressions.

Photo courtesy of Tara Cronin

More recently, Pacifica resident Peter Harrison snapped a photo from his home of this billowing cloud pattern over Montara Mountain on July 3 at about 8:30 p.m. just before sunset.

"After I took that photo, within 5 minutes it was gone," Harrison told SFGATE. ""I think I might have seen similar clouds once before, 15 or 20 years ago. It seems quite rare."

Local meteorologist Jan Null called the clouds captured in Harrison's image "a spectacular example of Kelvin-Helmholtz wave clouds."

Indeed, these types of clouds get their name from two 19th century physicists, Lord Kelvin of Britain and Hermann von Helmholtz of Germany, who studied the physics of "instability of a shear layer in a fluid, which is the mechanism of many phenomena observed

in the atmosphere and oceans," the Encyclopedia of Atmospheric Sciences said.

Images via Getty

The clouds form when there are different wind speeds at different altitudes, and this often happens when air blows up and over a mountain or hill, Null told SFGATE. The upper layer of air moves at a higher speed than the lower level and pulls the top of the clouds into the wave shapes. This phenomenon doesn't only occur with clouds and can happen anytime there is a difference in speeds between two fluids.

"It's like putting a dye tracer in a fluid and watching how it moves," explained Brian Garcia, a forecaster for the National Weather Service's Monterey office. "In this case the fluid is the atmosphere and the tracer is the clouds. It shows us the differing wind speeds at different levels and the vertical turbulence that exists in that area."

The internet is loaded with advice on how to see these types of clouds, and one of the most common tips is to pick a windy day.

"You definitely need wind, but it doesn't have to be really windy," Null said. "Just the winds we see all summer long can do it. It's really pretty random when you see these clouds. This area where the wind comes over Montara Mountain in Pacifica seems to be a favorable pattern for the flow of the stratus to see some wave activity. You can see them over the ocean, but then you usually only get one or two waves and then the others are decaying."

Cronin told SFGATE that she has seen Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds in Pacifica on several occasions.

"There are often very bizarre cloud formations here based on the mountain and the proximity to the ocean, about 3/4 of a mile in from Linda Mar Beach," she wrote in an email. "We are definitely always looking to the sky to see what will happen next."

She said the one she saw in May was the biggest one she has seen. "My dad, Peter Cronin, originally spotted the cloud, so he deserves some credit (he resides in Pacifica)," Cronin wrote. He said, 'Hey, what a weird cloud!' I walked over to where he was standing in the backyard and saw this wave cloud. Snapped 2 pics with my iPhone and then it pretty quickly began changing and disappeared."
Twitter said it removes 1 million spam accounts each day in a call with executives Thursday during a briefing that aimed to shed more light on the company's fake and bot accounts as it tussles with Elon Musk over spam bots.

The Tesla CEO, who has offered to buy Twitter for $44 billion, has threatened to walk away from the deal if the company can't show that less than 5% of its daily active users are automated spam accounts.

Musk has argued, without presenting evidence, that Twitter has significantly underestimated the number of these spam bots -- automated accounts that typically promote scams and misinformation  on its service.

Twitter said on the call that the spam accounts represent well below 5% of its active user base each quarter. To calculate how many accounts are malicious spam, Twitter said it reviews thousands of accounts sampled at random, using both public and private data such as IP addresses, phone numbers, geolocation and how the account behaves when it is active, to determine whether an account is real.

Private data, which isn't available publicly and thus not in the data firehose that was given to Musk, includes IP addresses, phone numbers and location. Twitter said such private data helps avoid misidentifying real accounts as spam.

Fake social media accounts have been problematic for years. Advertisers rely on the number of users provided by social media platforms to determine where they will spend money. Spam bots are also used to amplify messages and spread disinformation. But Twitter noted in the call that not all automated accounts are malicious bots. Last year, it came out with a label for automated accounts to identify what the company calls good bots  such as accounts that send news, health or weather updates, for instance.

The problem of fake accounts is well-known to Twitter and its investors. The company has disclosed its bot estimates to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for years, while also cautioning that its estimate might be too low.

Last month, Twitter offered Musk access to its firehose of raw data on hundreds of millions of daily tweets, according to multiple reports at the time, though neither the company nor Musk confirmed this.
LATEST July 7, 4:48 p.m. Police said they determined the cause of the wildfire that broke out near Truckee on Thursday afternoon, triggering evacuations and charring 12 acres.

After conducting a joint investigation with Cal Fire personnel, the Truckee Police Department said that a woman was taken into custody once they discovered evidence that showed she was responsible for lighting several spot fires that ignited the 12-acre blaze. The suspect admitted to setting the fires intentionally, police said.

"She is currently in custody with numerous arson charges pending," the department said in an Instagram post Thursday. "Her name is not being released at this time due to the on-going investigation."

July 7, 2:43 p.m. The Truckee Fire Protection District said at 2:13 p.m. that Butterfield Fire was holding at 12 acres and forward progress was stopped. The are northeast of Truckee Airport, TRK-E112, remains under evacuation order.

July 7, 12:58 p.m. A wildfire burning in the dry brush near Truckee, a Sierra-Nevada mountain town 180 miles northeast of San Francisco, triggered evacuations on Thursday afternoon.

The Butterfield Fire started in the Truckee Area near Butterfield Drive and was 5 to 10 acres, the Truckee Fire Protection District said just after noon. The fire is near the border of Placer and Nevada counties and threatening homes and businesses.

The Truckee Police Department issued an evacuation order for residents of the TRK-E112. "Evacuate immediately," the department said.

You can find a map with zone and evacuation information at Zone Haven. The police department is also posting updated evacuation information on Facebook. The evacuation order is for zone TRK-E112, which lies just northeast of the Truckee Airport. The evacuation zone includes the Truckee Bike Park, the eastern portion of the Truckee River Legacy Trail and a handful of office buildings including the Tahoe-Truckee Sanitary Agency and the Tahoe Truckee Unified School Districts transportation services.

Truckee Police

Alert Wildfire.org

The evacuation zone is immediately adjacent to several highly populated neighborhoods and business districts, which are not currently under an immediate evacuation order. The Truckee Airport edges the evacuation zone, just to the south. The airport is also a business district, home to Raleys, Truckee-Tahoe Lumber Company and many more locally owned businesses.

Photos posted on social media showed that smoke from the fire was visible from downtown Truckee.

Truckee Donner Public Utility District said at 1:10 p.m. that the Truckee Fire Protection District asked it to shut off power to all Glenshire customers.

This is a developing story and information will be added as it becomes available.
The jury in the Kristin Smart murder trial can hear a taped phone conversation between Paul Flores and his mother about a true crime podcast on the case, a judge ruled Wednesday.

The conversation, recorded in January 2020, includes Susan Flores telling her son to listen to the podcast to find places where we can poke holes in it, the prosecution says. The podcast in question is likely Your Own Backyard, created by Chris Lambert; the popularity of the podcast catapulted the case back into the national spotlight.

Around 2 a.m. on Memorial Day weekend 1996, Kristin Smart, a 19-year-old Cal Poly freshman, headed back to her residence hall after attending a frat party. Smart was accompanied by three fellow students. Two peeled off before reaching her dorm, walking back to their own residences. The third, Paul Flores, later told police he dropped her off on campus at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Perimeter Road in San Luis Obispo. Smart was never seen again.

Prosecutors say Paul Flores, 45, killed her. His father Ruben Flores, 80, is accused of helping him cover up the crime and bury Smart's body under the family's Arroyo Grande home. Paul and Ruben Flores have pleaded not guilty to murder and accessory to murder, respectively. They are being tried simultaneously with separate juries.

Nic Coury/AP

The long-awaited trial for one of San Luis Obispo Countys most infamous crimes had multiple pretrial motion rulings this week. Due to the defenses argument that a fair trial wasnt possible in San Luis Obispo County, proceedings are in Salinas. Monterey County Superior Court Judge Jennifer O'Keefe ruled Wednesday that prosecutors are allowed to submit Paul and Susan Flores conversation into evidence; the prosecution says when Susan Flores said, Only you know that in reference to holes in the podcast, Paul was silent. The judge ruled that Paul Flores lack of a reply is as evidentiary as a spoken response.

The defense also filed a motion to dismiss evidence obtained with a February 2020 search warrant, arguing the warrant was illegally obtained due to public pressure to solve the case. OKeefe ruled the warrant was legal and the electronics owned by Paul Flores seized with it are admissible. In addition, interviews conducted by a detective with Paul Flores in 1996 can be heard by only Pauls jury.

A motion regarding the admissibility of soil and cadaver dog evidence will be weighed by OKeefe today. A preliminary hearing last year focused largely on the testimony of experts who took part in the excavation of the Arroyo Grande home. An area underneath the home's back deck was dug up, and a number of experts testified lab results showed traces of human blood in the dirt. Because of the degraded status of the sample, no DNA was able to be extracted.

Although Smart's body was never found, she was legally declared dead in 2002.

Opening statements are expected to start on July 18. Paul Flores' trial is anticipated to stretch into October.
Its a tale as old as time: $5,000 cocktails, A5 Japanese Wagyu, and Captain Minnie at the helm. Ive been on a dozen cruises in my lifetime, with my most recent being this past spring, but admittedly, Ive never been wowed. The quantity was there  hello, midnight buffet!  but the quality wasnt. By the end of these previous voyages, I couldnt wait to get off.



As an avid Disney theme parks fan with more than 500 visits to the domestic parks, Ive always enjoyed keeping my fandom firmly planted on solid ground. Last week, it all changed. The company launched the Disney Wish, the newest ship from Disney Cruise Line.



The fifth in Disneys line, the 4,000-passenger capacity Wish was built in Germany and marks a new trajectory for the cruise line, as they move from a family-friendly feel to a more upscale one. Its a welcome change for this Disney adult who rarely travels with children. The change does come with a hefty price tag  four-night voyages start at $2,251 for two guests in an inside cabin, and go up for ocean views and balconies.



I was invited to the christening sailing from Port Canaveral, Florida, to Disneys private Castaway Cay island. It was an opportunity to rub elbows on a three-night cruise with other travel journalists and a few familiar Disney faces, like chairman of Disney Parks Josh DAmaro and Disney superfan John Stamos. Much to my surprise, I ended the trip yearning for more. I left utterly transformed (and not just because I got to talk to Uncle Jesse). Am I now a cruise person?

Stepping inside, I was immediately struck by the luxurious feel of the ship, which was downright elegant while also clean and modern. This wasnt just nice for a cruise  this was 4-star resort level, and a far cry from the drab wooden design elements Ive seen on other ships. Much of the time, I forgot I was on a cruise. The overall vibe gives Disneys higher-end hotel properties, like Disney Worlds Grand Floridian or Disneylands Grand Californian, a run for their money.

Disney Wish mixes a lot of different intellectual properties: Areas are themed to everything from Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast to a Star Wars bar, Marvel dinner theater and Frozen dining. While the whole thing felt very Disney, it never once felt in my face. The Disney was in the details, with beloved elements from films tastefully woven into the thematic design of the ship. This new design philosophy was most vividly on display in the Grand Hall, the elegant centerpiece of the ship, with its atrium inspired by fairytale castles and Gothic architecture.

Carly Caramanna

The best food on the Disney Wish was ice cold  kind of

From quick service dining poolside and in the Marceline Market, to an adults-only restaurant from a Michelin-starred chef, the Disney Wish has stepped up the culinary game for the 26-year-old cruise line. Everything from a Donald Duck cantina with more than 20 homemade salsas to a perfectly executed rack of lamb from the Walt Disney Animation Studios-inspired 1923, every bite on board left me impressed.



There are seven sit-down restaurants aboard, plus snack bars. One of the most hyped dining experiences onboard, Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure, turned out to be my favorite of the two dinner shows. The two-hour Frozen experience encapsulated the Disney magic I crave from start to finish, seamlessly combining gourmet Nordic-inspired dining with immersive storytelling and interactive designs. My entree of Chilean sea bass will forever rank as one of my favorite Disney meals of all time.

Carly Caramanna

Simply put, for this lover of live music and fine food, it was the dinner theater of my dreams. I found myself still singing Let It Go the following evening at the other dinner show, Worlds of Marvel. Its a more understated approach to dinner theater, but nevertheless provided globally inspired decadent eats in a transportive setting. (There are even food options from the Marvel-invented lands of Wakanda and Sokovia.)

Carly Caramanna

Cocktails fit for a princess, a pirate or a rebel spy

Carly Caramanna

The onboard cocktail lounges were the most surprising element of the Wish. Each had a carefully curated cocktail program that reflected the theming of the space, and by and large, the cocktails never exceeded $15. (There is currently no drink package offered on the Wish.) The Bayou was an enchanting upscale interpretation of The Princess and the Frog with New Orleans-inspired cocktails like a Sazerac and a legit hurricane.



One of the most impressive displays of mixology perfection was at Hooks Barbery, which is part salon and part speakeasy. Created around the feared character from Peter Pan, the bar serves a vast whiskey collection and only one cocktail, a smoked old-fashioned, fully customizable with their selection of syrups and bitters. They even carry an uber rare, 100-year Mount Vernon Pure Rye Whiskey that DAmaro sipped on while aboard.

Carly Caramanna

The biggest surprise, though, was the Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge, which I liked infinitely better than Ogas Cantina in Disneyland. The drinks at Ogas are pre-batched sugar bombs  that is, if you can even get inside to sip them. On the Disney Wish, Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge holds all the whimsy and excitement of a visit to an outer-rim cantina with an added level of detail and, more importantly: darn good cocktails. Theres been much chatter around the $5,000 cocktail  its made with Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year bourbon and comes with a separate trip to George Lucas Skywalker Ranch in Marin  but I opted for their Freetown Reserve made with Woodford Reserve Double Oaked bourbon.

Carly Caramanna

This ship was designed for the Disney adult with an affinity for luxury

Disney always includes Easter eggs in its projects, and the Wish was no different. My favorites were nods to the sorely missed Epcot attraction Maelstrom, found at the rustic 1800s-style pub Keg & Compass, including a stout named after the defunct ride.



Beyond that, I felt entirely comfortable traveling on the Wish without kids, since much of the ship was designed for adults. From upscale spas and an infinity pool to plenty of adults-only spaces, I felt like a kid in a candy store moving from one experience to the next. Beauty & The Beast themes ran amongst the trio of connecting adults-only spaces: the Rose Lounge, Palo Steakhouse and Enchante, a French restaurant helmed by three-Michelin-star chef Arnaud Lallement.



Upscale piano bar Nightingales, inspired by Cinderella, offered intimate views of the nightly piano act and some of the more interesting cocktails  like one with liquid trapped within an ice ball prepared before your eyes, before youre tasked with splitting said ball open with a tiny hammer. Now that is Disney magic.
The three days of art demonstrations and artist panel discussions, along with other festivities, will be free to the public at 720 Franklin St.

Art Studio founder Greg Busceme said the event a great opportunity for residents to learn about ceramics from some of the top artists in the United States, featuring Patsy Cox, Steven Erickson, Gary Greeny Greenberg, Chris Leonard, Danielle Weigandt and Stephen Wolochowicz.

This is an excellent chance for people to come out and see what we do, Busceme said. These artists are friends that I have gotten to know over the years from conferences and workshops and they are among the top professionals in their craft  they are an amazing and fun group.

Busceme said specific schedules of events will be posted to The Art Studios Facebook page and website. Demonstrations will begin around 10 a.m. on July 7 and 8 and will continue into the evening as long as people are there.

The Studio had a series of back-to-back Gumbo Clayfests starting in 1998, Busceme said. The last one was in 2004, but we were hit pretty hard by Hurricane Rita in 2005 and Ike in 2008, and it was just not financially possible for us to host the event.

The Gumbo Clayfest artists are affiliated with the National Council on Education for the Clay Arts organization and the group has served as a forum to build working relationships over the years, Busceme said.

The first TASI Gumbo Clayfest began March 1998 and one of the original guest artists, Gary Greenberg, will be returning for the 2022 event.

The NCECA conferences have served as a way for Art Studio artists to be exposed to the wider world of the ceramic arts, Busceme said. The events serve to elevate TASI to national exposure. Because of what we do here, people and artists want to come here. We are a unique place, and we hear so often that there arent many places like the Studio in existence. Its a special place.

COVID canceled the 2020 conference, and the 2021 the conference was virtual. So, TASI artists are eager for in-person at events again, and that led to Busceme inviting this years artists to Southeast Texas.

Greenberg visited Beaumont in 2021 to assist TASI in building a new salt-kiln with a host of community volunteers, including students from Lamar University as part of their Big Event Day annual service day.

It has always been a place reflecting the vision of its founder and patrons that allows art and all the associated good things with it, he said.

This year, Greenberg is building another kiln and hosting a glaze workshop. All the incoming artists are going to present demonstrations of their techniques and participants can join in on making art that will become part of TASIs art collection.

Greenberg has been involved with ceramics for more than 50 years. For the past three decades, he has been an assistant professor of art and ceramics at Clarion University of Pennsylvania working on foil-fired, low-fired and wood-fired art objects and vessels. His work has been featured in several publications and exhibits throughout the United States.

Greenberg is known for his offbeat humor and his sense of irony in all things. He and Busceme met at an NCECA convention through a mutual friend who had attended graduate school with Busceme  and as they say, the rest is history in the life-long collaborative friendship. Greenberg says TASI is a one-of-a-kind institution.

Although I am very serious about producing work, I feel strongly that it should contain an element of humor, reflecting the absurdities of life in general and of art in particular, he said.

Like Greenberg, artist Patsy Cox has a long history with Busceme. They met 20 years ago when Coxs graduate professor, Victor Spinski, invited Busceme to visit. Spinski has served as professor, mentor and friend to Busceme and to Greenberg, too.

Cox is professor of visual art and head of ceramics at California State University, Northridge and boasts an international and national exhibition and teaching resume that includes China and Taiwan. Her works and lectures have been recognized from coast-to-coast in the United States, and she will be teaching participants how to create plaster molds using alginate  an algae-based material  and using stamps to make colored clay bodies.

This will be Coxs first Clayfest, and she said that art is a tool that connects with the human senses to reveal deeper meanings of existence and that it is a visual language in which people can communicate and interact with the world around them. She hopes visitors participate in the experience.

Institutions that offer exposure to experiences, such as Clayfest, open dialogue to reveal opportunities for everyone involved to become better citizens of the world through education and awareness of a variety of perspectives, Cox said. When artists come together to create, there is a palpable energy through the shared activity contingent on an exchange with the local community.

Other first timers include Erickson, Leonard, Weigandt and Wolochowicz.

Wolochowicz is an associate professor of art in ceramics at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, whose current work utilizes abstract industrial shapes that have organic features. At the workshop, he will discuss and demonstrate techniques for coil construction and how to accurately build to scale from drawings.

Many of the artists share learning experiences from some of the same professors and mentors. Like Cox, Erickson also studied with Spinski. Retired from teaching at the City University of New York, he now works as a full-time studio artist at his home in upstate New York.

At the National Conference for the Education of Ceramic Artists I immediately clicked with Greg, his energy and enthusiasm were contagious, Erickson said. He told me all about TASI and what was going on in Beaumont. Places like TASI present the opportunity for anyone to come and exercise their imagination.

Erickson said in the age of YouTube videos where anyone can find out about everything, in-person workshops give real-time feedback.

I hope people who attend the Gumbo Clay Fest come away with a few things, he said. Number one, I hope they meet a bunch of crazy people who love to make things. Two, I hope they find something that helps them to keep going forward on whatever journey they are on. Three, I hope if they have never been to TASI before that they understand it is an all-inclusive environment where they can just be themselves no matter who they are. Or if they have been a part of TASI for any length of time they see that Greg is completely committed to providing a great learning experience.

Weigandt is artist in residence at the University of North Dakota and for the workshop will discuss and demonstrate the ins and outs of using paper clay techniques to create her work. Just as every artist coming to Clay Fest, she was inspired to create art by her teachers and mentors, and a drive to use her creativity from a very young age.

She met Busceme at a conference through Wolochowicz and loved the idea of coming to Beaumont to share her inspiration for art.

I want them to find that spark of excitement that ceramics can give you, she said of Clayfest attendees. Learn all the things from all the wonderful artists that are going to be

there.

Beaumont will not be the only Texas community represented at the event. Chris Leonard is ceramics instructor at South Texas College in McAllen and coordinates the South Texas Ceramic Showdown.

This is a showcase for everyone to see what the studio has been all about for 39 years, Busceme said. We want everyone one to come out  no ceramics background is necessary  this is an event for everyone interested in art.

There will be something for everyone of all ages and all backgrounds. We just want people to come and enjoy and see the studio.

An open house to meet the artists will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Demonstrations will be from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday
Ed U./Yelp

Cesar, a Spanish tapas restaurant at 1515 Shattuck Ave. in Berkeley, announced its official closing date. Its last day in business will be July 23, according to the San Francisco Chronicle (SFGATE and the San Francisco Chronicle are both owned by Hearst but operate independently of one another).

Perhaps best known as the restaurant next door to Chez Panisse, a vaunted restaurant noted across the globe, Cesar was a locals favorite for the last 24 years.
Courtesy of Proper Food

San Francisco travelers braving the hellscape that is air travel this summer are getting a new food option at the SFO airport.

Proper Food, a grab-and-go-chain with nine locations in San Francisco's Financial District, is opening a new outpost in SFO's Terminal 1 on Monday, July 11, according to a press release.
A four-day workweek sounds appealing to workers. Possibly alarming to employers.

A bill introduced in the California legislature earlier this year proposed a regular pay rate for 32 hours of work per week, with overtime kicking in after that. The measure stalled in committee for a lack of broad support but could resurface in 2023.

Meanwhile, 4 Day Week Global, a nonprofit foundation associated with Oxford University, is piloting a six-month trial of a four-day workweek with no loss of pay for employees. More than three dozen companies in the U.S. and Canada are participating in the experiment, with a total of 150 organizations and 7,000 employees involved worldwide.

Of more than 1,000 U.S. adult employees surveyed by research firm Qualtrics in January, 92% said they would support their employer going to a four-day workweek; 79% of them said it would help mental health, and 82% said it would make them more productive .

Will more employers embrace the change?

THE CHANGE CAN BE CHALLENGING

Ive always been curious about burnout. It truly affects those that should be thriving, says Lisa Belanger, CEO of ConsciousWorks in Canmore, Alberta. She consults with businesses on workplace well-being. In her quest to find how work is meant to be, she decided to explore a four-day workweek herself.

Results have been mixed, at best, she says.

I think Ive failed so far in my own personal experiment, Belanger says. Business travel plans or other work-related responsibilities often interrupted her Day Five off.

One of the reasons its so challenging for me, and most people, to do a four-day workweek is other people are working on that fifth day, so youre getting email and youre getting pulled in, Belanger says.

ALTERING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AND EXPECTATIONS

People are realizing that while this might be an intriguing or interesting idea, theres probably some trade-offs, says Benjamin Granger, head of employee experience advisory services at Qualtrics. He says the companys research indicates concerns regarding customer frustration if staffing changes have an impact on response time.

Widespread adoption would have to reach critical mass, where companies believe they have to adopt a shorter workweek to compete in the workforce, he adds. And consumer behavior and customer expectations and services would need to be reshaped.

Were not even close to that yet, he says.

If its not a four-day workweek, there are other levers to pull when it comes to workplace flexibility, Granger says.

Those could include perks that make a job more attractive, like choosing the hours you want to work rather than the usual 9-to-5, or the ability to run errands during the workday.

FEW EMPLOYEES WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE A PAY CUT

Less than 4 in 10 (37%) of the employees surveyed by Qualtrics would be willing to take a 5% or more pay cut for a four-day workweek . But nearly three-quarters (72%) of those surveyed said a four-day workweek would mean they would have to work longer days.

However, 10-hour days often arent child care friendly. And if a company offers to pay for only four days of eight hours each, it could indicate a shorter workweek might be the result of a company trying to reduce expenses.

CONSIDERING THE TRADE-OFFS

I think there is a lot of work and research that an organization has to do before it pulls the trigger on this, Granger says.

A four-day workweek  or other workplace flexibility  might begin with a series of discussions. If there is interest on both sides of the payroll, Granger suggests a trade-off analysis: Look statistically at the factors that people would be willing to trade off, and would it be worth it to them? If interest remains strong, the organization could run a pilot program with a small group of employees before a wider rollout.

If a four-day workweek isnt in your near future, Belanger offers these ideas for employees to possibly seek  and employers to consider:

 Occasional extended weekends off. Belanger says this allows time away without the stressful work is piling up while Im away feeling during longer vacations.

 A meeting-free Friday or a reduction in the number of meetings overall.

 Email, instant messaging or texting hiatuses. Telepressure  the compulsion to quickly respond to work-related messages of any kind  is a real thing, Belanger says.

You need a couple of hours every single day where youre wholly not working  100% not working, for mental health, she adds.

_________________________________

This article was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Hal M. Bundrick is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: hal@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @halmbundrick.

RELATED LINKS:

Psychology Today: Are you suffering from telepressure? Time for the cure

NerdWallet: How to Get What You Want at Your Next Job
Chris Rock is one of the most influential and well-known comics of the past few decades, but on March 27, 2022, the slap heard 'round the world threatened to overshadow that 30-year career.

In San Francisco on Wednesday night at the Masonic, Rock performed new stand-up material on what hes dubbed the Ego Death World Tour, his first live stand-up tour in five years, which started in April and includes 38 performances. On entrance, attendees were forced to lock their phones in pouches to keep the show from being recorded.

Rock walked on stage wearing all white, breaking into a not-fully-baked take on San Franciscos homelessness problem. High-ass rent and homeless people everywhere, he said. Then he stated that he usually associates homeless people with lower rent areas, an awkward observation that fell flat.

Then Rock addressed the elephant in the room, the moment Will Smith slapped him in the face at the Oscars following a joke comparing Jada Pinkett Smith to Demi Moores character in G.I. Jane.

Let me start by just saying, Im OK. I got my hearing back. My fillings are coming in, he said. He briefly returned to the topic later as he commented on our countrys addiction to attention, which is achieved through infamy, excellence or victimhood  in his case, at the hand of Suge Smith, comparing Will Smith to notoriously aggressive former Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight.

Im not a victim, youre not going to see me on Gayle crying, Rock said, presumably referring to CBS morning news host Gayle King.

Although Rock has been touring this show since April, the set seemed to evolve with current events. He made it clear he was unapologetically pro-choice, partially based on his own experiences.

Ive paid for more abortions than anyone in this room. ... They named the recovery room after me, Rock joked.

From there he transitioned to talking about fatherhood and the complications of raising rich kids. He revealed how his daughter was kicked out of private school (at his secret request) for drinking on a class trip to Portugal. Then, he contrasted a frugal bus trip he took from Brooklyn to Disney World as a child with a more recent Disney visit, where the VIP illuminati package included real perks like line-skipping, and a punch line about a lap dance from Minnie.

Elon Musk was also a target. Although Rock seemed unaware of breaking news regarding Musk fathering twins with a Neuralink executive, the comic associated Musks promiscuity with his wealth in terms too crude to be repeated here, saying hes the most sexually active man in the world partially thanks to his ability to fly bitches to the moon.

Contrasted with his riffs on Musk and reproductive rights, some of the other material felt dated. He blamed Hillary Clintons two failed presidential runs on how she didnt campaign in all 50 states. Meghan Markle was also in his crosshairs, with Rock saying she shouldve expected to experience racism and wasnt a victim, which drew repeated protests from one audience member. He also dropped another local reference here, talking about how Black families also wonder about a babys skin tone and whether the child will look more like Steph Curry or Draymond Green.

Then in closing, Rock transitioned to talking about the pitfalls of his new dating life. Pulling out his glasses, he read real text messages from his phone, which were also projected onscreen behind him. The messages came from a woman Rock didnt remember named Candace. Rock told her he was in a new relationship (hes now reportedly dating Lake Bell), to which she railed at him about how he cheated on his previous wife.

Although at first it sounded like a setup to complain about cancel culture, in the end, the text messages felt more like penance for past transgressions. There were other similar moments where Rock gleefully inched close to dropping offensive bombshells, most noticeably in an extended bit about the complications of equal pay for women. The tension in the room was palpable, but his ability to flirt with such charged material showed why hes one of the most lauded comics in history  even if a few people in the crowd likely thought he deserved a slap.
When we pulled up to the gate of a wide-open, grassy field tucked away at the dead end of a dirt road, I tried to check my phone to make sure we were in the right spot. But, as Id been told would happen by the spaces owner, I had no service. Luckily I had saved a few screenshots of the listing and quickly identified a lone tree stump and some dog balls scattered around. I knew I was in the right place.

That place was a gated field in Montara I booked on Sniffspot, the Airbnb for finding your dog a private space to play. I had spent $20 to let my mini schnauzer be the king of this field near the coast of San Mateo County for an hour, sniffing and fetching to his hearts content, undistracted by random dogs coming up to sniff his butt. Though Archer, a 22-pound frequent SFGATE contributor, plopped down under a tree after just 20 minutes, he said his overall experience was positive.

San Francisco is one of the most dog-friendly cities in the country, with plenty of off-leash areas and parks for dogs to explore, but for dogs that are shy or reactive  or for people who dont want to deal with dog park banter  having a private space to enjoy can feel like salvation.

Courtney Beck, a Sniffspot host in Oakland, has two dogs of her own that she said love going to the dog park. But, she said she knows plenty of dogs that arent able to enjoy those spaces and they still deserve to be off-leash to exercise. Her brother told her about Sniffspot about a year and a half ago, and she thought her yard in West Oakland would be perfect for hosting. She put her space on the platform and almost immediately started getting bookings.

We don't use our yard very often, Beck said. I thought, what a great way to help people who can't take their dog to a dog park or they just don't want to go to a dog park. People are just really appreciative that they can take their dog somewhere where they feel safe.

Her yard is fully fenced in and she put a keypad lock on the side gate for guests to use. After hosting for more than a year, she has many people who use the space regularly, including one woman who comes weekly with her three dogs. She said she typically gets two to three bookings per week and makes about $100 a month. While its not a lot of extra money, she said, it helps with upkeep of the yard, and shes just glad to give dog owners another place to go.

Shes never had a negative experience with a visitor or their dog, and she said shes surprised more homes in the area arent listing their space. The Bay Area is pretty sparse on listings  as of publishing, there was only one in San Francisco and just four in Oakland.

Tessa McLean

Sniffspot founder David Adams said that the Bay Area has been slow to grow, but thats not uncommon for dense cities where not everyone owns a car. When Adams first started the service in 2018 in Seattle, he thought most of his customers would be people like him  people that live in high-rise apartments looking for a place for their dog to play. What he quickly found was that 70% of their users have yards of their own. Its not a yard replacement, its a walk replacement, Adams explained, noting that taking your dog to a new environment allows them to act more as they used to before they were largely domesticated and living in cities.

The company now has more than 2,000 Sniffspots listed worldwide, and Adams said theyre growing steadily every year. He said ideally hed love for everyone to be within walking distance of a Sniffspot, and he thinks its just a matter of time before the Bay Area has many more hosts, especially since theyre so familiar with platforms like Airbnb.

Just like Airbnb, or Swimply, which allows users to rent peoples private pools, hosts set their rates, and Sniffspot takes 22% of the sale. Sniffspot takes care of customer service and provides liability insurance for hosts.

Robyn Heller had a friend visiting her Oakland home with her dog a few years ago and the friend asked her if she had heard of Sniffspot. She hadnt, so her friend encouraged her to try it since she had an ideal space. Heller said she figured why not? and almost three years later shes consistently renting out her backyard to furry guests on average 10 times each week.

Companies like Sniffspot arent anomalies anymore, Heller said, and people are becoming more and more comfortable with experiences like this. She has 178 reviews and a 5-star average for her fully fenced-in backyard in the Glenview neighborhood.

I'm not doing this to make a ton of money. I want it to be accessible for people, Heller said. I have a good job, this is really just to provide the service. Heller charges $10 per dog per hour and said she averages about $200 to $300 a month.

Her backyard also has a table and chairs that guests can use while their dogs run around. Some people have even booked the space for a few hours and had a picnic while the dogs played. She also once hosted a dog birthday party. While Heller doesnt have a dog herself  she has two cats  she said after hosting so many dogs over the years, she thinks shell get one soon.

After our time was up, I closed the iron gate to the field in Montara and headed back to the city, Archer panting happily in the back seat, hanging his tiny head out of the window. Were fortunate to live in such a dog-loving city with plenty of off-leash space, but for a shy guy like mine, an hour without someone trying to sniff your butt is heaven.
When bandits cleaned out the bank at Grapeland, Texas on July 11, 1932, shaken employees identified the machine-gun toting leader of the gang as none other than Pretty Boy Floyd.

In their excitement the eyewitnesses may have mistaken a handsome look-alike for the popular public enemy. Pretty Boy was probably too busy that summer knocking over banks in the Sooner State to venture south of the Red River.

Born in Georgia, Charles Arthur Floyd was brought up in the Cookson Hills of far eastern Oklahoma. When the strapping six-footer was not working from dawn to dusk on the family farm, he was guzzling a local concoction called Choctaw Beer. His fondness for the brew earned him the only nickname he ever liked - Chock.

Twenty year old Floyd married his teenaged sweetheart in 1921 and spent the next four years trying to scratch a living out of an uncooperative piece of land. Deciding survival should not be so hard, he swapped several jugs of moonshine for a pearl-handled revolver and lit out for St. Louis with a pair of like-minded pals.

The amateur crooks relieved a courier of an $11,000 payroll on Sept. 11, 1925 and hurried home to celebrate. The good times rolled until the law dug up the balance of the stolen money on Floyds farm and returned him in chains to the scene of the crime. The out-of-state offender was sentenced to five years in the Missouri penitentiary.

Bad news was waiting for Floyd, when he made parole in March 1929. His father was murdered in cold blood while he was locked up, and a jury acquitted the killer. In accordance with the time-honored custom of the hills, the son took his revenge and his first life.

Floyd fled to Kansas City, the midwestern mecca of organized crime where fugitives were always welcome. He got a crash course in armed robbery from stick-up specialists as well as a new nickname from a wisecracking madam, who greeted the good-looking stranger with, I want you for myself, pretty boy.

Barely a year after Missouri turned him loose, an Ohio judge gave Floyd 15 years for a bank job that ended in the death of a pursuing policeman. But a funny thing happened on the way to prison. Floyds traveling companions nodded off, and he jumped from the speeding train.

Aided by Bill The Killer Miller, whose claim to fame was the murder of his own brother, Floyd rattled tellers cages across Michigan. Stopping in Kansas City just long enough to pick up two women and permanently silence their protesting boyfriends, the deadly duo turned their attention to Kentucky.

A main-street shootout with Bowling Green police in June 1931 cost Floyd his partner-in-crime and, more importantly, his anonymity. The bereaved mother of a Kansas City victim asked if Pretty Boy made it out of Kentucky alive, and the press transformed the obscure outlaw into a national celebrity.

Once again, Floyd found sanctuary in Kansas City. Prohibition agents stormed his hiding place in July, but the two-gun tough guy shot his way out leaving a mortally wounded liquor lawman in his wake.

The federal casualty elevated the bandit to the top of the most-wanted list. Fearing the price on his head would prove too tempting for underworld cronies, Floyd took refuge among the only mortals on earth he trusted.

The hill people rolled out the red carpet for their Robin Hood, the fellow Okie who had turned the tables on the heartless bankers so fond of foreclosures. Food, shelter and the shirts off their aching backs were his for the asking.

But the posses that combed the Cooksons could not pry the time of day out of his protectors. To quote a character from the dust-bowl novel The Grapes of Wrath , When Floyd was loose and goin wild, law said we got to give him up an nobody give him up.

Pretty Boy and his new sidekick, an ornery ex-preacher, emptied so many vaults over the next 18 months that insurance companies doubled the rates for Oklahoma banks. Floyd heard the governor on statewide radio offer $6,000 for his apprehension and replied in writing, I have robbed no one but moneyed men.

The machine-gun massacre of four law enforcement officers and their handcuffed prisoner at the Kansas City train station in June 1933 appalled the country. Despite an absolute lack of evidence, the feds blamed Floyd for the bloodbath causing his popularity to plummet.

The four and a half year chase ended in an Ohio cornfield in October 1934. Pretty Boy died like Jesse James, his boyhood idol, with a bullet in the back.

Twenty thousand attended the funeral for Charles Arthur Floyd. Morbid curiosity accounted for the presence of many, but most were the rural poor hardest hit by the Great Depression. They came to pay defiant tribute to their fallen hero and to collectively thumb their noses at the rich and powerful they blamed for hard times.
ROME (AP)  Rescue crews in northern Italy recovered a tenth body Thursday and said they were looking for just one more hiker following a deadly avalanche sparked by the collapse of a chunk of melting glacier.

Alpine rescue crews using dogs and drones were able to recover the remains in the debris of Sunday's avalanche on the Marmolada glacier, east of Bolzano, said the head of the Trento province, Maurizio Fugatti.
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MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AP)  It is a scene that stirs hope  and relief  for Muslims around the world.

A million pilgrims from across the globe gathered on Thursday in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia to perform the initial rites of the hajj, marking the largest Islamic pilgrimage since the coronavirus pandemic upended the annual event  a key pillar of Islam.

The hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime duty for all Muslims physically and financially able to make the journey, which takes the faithful along a path traversed by the Prophet Muhammad some 1,400 years ago. Pilgrims spend five days carrying out a set of rituals intended to bring them closer to God.

That includes praying around the cube-shaped Kaaba, the holiest shrine in Islam. At the center of the Grand Mosque's courtyard on Thursday, thousands of unmasked pilgrims circled the Kaaba.

The crowds, visibly thinner than usual, moved counter-clockwise around the granite building in a blur, their hearts tilting toward the structure meant to symbolize the oneness of God in Islam. Wherever they are in the world, observant Muslims face the Kaaba to pray daily.

Pilgrims appeared to throw COVID-19 caution to the wind this year as they thronged the Grand Mosque  in sharp contrast to the social distancing and mask requirements of the past two years.

This year the number of pilgrims is huge, thank God, said Mohammad Qabbani, a pilgrim from Sudan. There are no high numbers of COVID-19 cases. The situation is good.

But there were still signs of vigilance. Typically, worshippers would fight the crowds for a chance to touch and kiss the black stone on the Kaaba's eastern corner, but the government has again banned this practice, for the third year. Saudi authorities also distributed bottles of water from the holy Zamzam well instead of allowing pilgrims to drink from cups at the mosque. Thousands of medical workers were on hand to assist those in need.

This year, the hajj is open to just 1 million foreign and domestic pilgrims who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, tested negative for COVID-19 and are between 18 and 65 years old. Authorities estimate 85% have arrived from abroad.

While this years attendance is far below the pre-pandemic influx of 2.5 million pilgrims, it represents a significant step closer to normal after the kingdom restricted the event to a small number of Muslim residents for the past two years.

The ritual was almost scrapped in its entirety in 2020, when as few as 1,000 residents of Saudi Arabia were permitted to take part. Some 60,000 residents attended last year. The unprecedented restrictions sent shockwaves through the Muslim world and devastated many believers, who often save up and wait for years to make the pilgrimage.

Although no longer in the shadow of the pandemic, this hajj is taking place amid Russia's war on Ukraine  a conflict that may be thousands of miles from the homes of many Muslims but that has sent the prices of staple foods soaring and spread misery across the world.

This year's hajj also showcases de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's latest efforts to loosen social restrictions and transform the kingdom. Saudi Arabia officially began allowing women to perform the hajj without a male guardian, or mahram," last year.

The hajj in Islam is meant to be a great equalizer and unifier among Muslims. Pilgrims wear simple clothing: For men, its typical to wear a white draping garment, while women wear conservative dress and headscarves, forgoing makeup, nail polish and perfume to draw closer to God.

But even Mecca cannot escape the worlds wealth gaps: The well-heeled may pay some $3,000 a night for five-star hotels overlooking the Kaaba. For most people, however, the pilgrimage means sleeping in simple accommodations or on the ground around the mosque to perform daily prayers ahead of the hajj.

With many more people applying to perform the hajj each year than the kingdom can accommodate, the Saudi government controls the flow of visitors through annual quotas based on each nation's Muslim population.

The visa regulations have grown stricter after deadly incidents in recent years. In 2015, several thousand pilgrims were crushed to death in a stampede. This year, those quotas were sharply reduced. Indonesia sent just over 100,000 people, the worlds largest contingent. The United States sent over 9,500.

Shiite powerhouse Iran, Saudi Arabias regional foe that in 2016 barred its citizens from making the pilgrimage amid an escalating sectarian rivalry, sent 39,000 worshippers  less than half of its attendance in 2019. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneis special envoy for the hajj did not receive a visa because he is over 65, Iranian media reported.

As tensions eased between the rivals amid regional negotiations and a cease-fire in Yemen, hajj officials from the countries met last month for the first time in years.

Although the pandemic is far from over, with hundreds new infections a day in the kingdom, the government is glad of the influx. The event is a critical source of prestige and tourism for Saudi Arabia.

By Thursday evening, most pilgrims were arriving in Mina, a small village east of Mecca, where they will spend the night in a sprawling tent city grouped according to the part of the world they come from. On Friday, they rise at dawn to march to the sacred hill of Mount Arafat, where they ask for forgiveness for their sins.

__

DeBre reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
TIRANA, Albania (AP)  Thousands of Albanian opposition supporters held a peaceful protest in the capital Tirana Thursday, urging the center-left government to resign because of the cost-of-living crisis and alleged corruption.

Albania has seen a hike in the prices of basic food products and fuel linked to the war in Ukraine and the lasting impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
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CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Australias new government on Thursday dropped the 4-year-old prosecution of a lawyer over his alleged attempt to help East Timor prove that Australia had spied on the then-fledgling nations government during multibillion-dollar oil and gas negotiations in 2004.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus maintained the government's longstanding stance of refusing to confirm or deny whether the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, a spy agency that operates out of Australian embassies, bugged government offices in the East Timorese capital Dili.

Having had regard to our national security, our national interest and the administration of justice, today I have determined that this prosecution should end, Dreyfus said.

My decision was informed by our governments commitment to Australias national security and our commitment to our relations with our neighbors. This is an exceptional case, Dreyfus added.

East Timor had lobbied for the charge to be dropped.

East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta said on Friday that by dropping the charge, Australia had ended a bitter rift between the countries.

What happened in the past on the part of Australia, with the bugging of our offices, the spy (sic) on our government, during negotiations on ... oil revenues, maritime boundary, the talks, all of that, we leave behind, Ramos-Horta told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

There was now a far better atmosphere of mutual trust between the countries, Ramos-Horta said.

We are determined to move forward, to expand our relationship with Australia, a very important neighbor and friend of Timor-Leste, Ramos-Horta said, using the Portuguese name for East Timor.

Geoffrey Watson, a lawyer and director of the Sydney-based Center for Public Integrity, an anti-corruption think tank, described the bugging allegation as one of the most disgraceful moments in Australian international affairs since World War II.

Australia's center-left Labor Party government had been reviewing Bernard Collaerys case since it came to power for the first time in nine years in May elections.

The previous conservative government approved in 2018 the prosecution of Collaery and his client, a former spy publicly known as Witness K, on charges that they had conspired to reveal secret information to East Timor.

A conservative coalition was in power in 2004 when the bugging is said to have occurred to give Australia an advantage in negotiations over a treaty to divide revenue from energy resources in the Timor Sea between the two nations.

East Timor, an impoverished nation of 1.5 million people on half of Timor Island north of Australia, became independent of Indonesia in 2002.

Witness K, the former spy, pleaded guilty and was released from court in 2021 with a three-month suspended sentence.

Collaery pleaded not guilty and was scheduled to go on trial in October.

Both Collaery and K faced possible penalties of up to two years in prison. The penalty for the same offense has since been increased to 10 years.

The government canceled Ks passport before he was to testify at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2014 in support of East Timors challenge of the validity of the 2006 energy treaty.

East Timor argued the treaty was invalid because Australia failed to negotiate in good faith by engaging in espionage.

K and Collaery had prepared two affidavits for the East Timorese government that identified K as a former ASIS member and details of ASIS functions, a court heard.

Australia and East Timor agreed on a new maritime border treaty in 2018.

Collaery, 77, thanked his lawyers, who represented him for free, and the Australian public who had expressed their support for him.

I am very pleased that the new attorney-general has looked at this prosecution and all it has involved and taken steps to bring the case to an end. This is a good decision for the administration of justice in Australia, he said in a statement.

"This decision will allow me to move forward with my life and legal practice, he said.
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WASHINGTON (AP)  Once-unthinkable coordination between Israeli and Arab militaries is in the spotlight as Joe Biden makes his first Middle East trip as president, heightening debates over whether the U.S.-backed initiative between former enemies strengthens defenses against Iran or makes a regional war more likely.

Israeli-Arab security overtures have multiplied since the 2020 Abraham Accords negotiated under the Trump administration normalized relations between Israel and four Arab League nations. They have have grown further since the Pentagon switched coordination with Israel from U.S. European Command to Central Command, or CENTCOM, last year. The move grouped Israels military with former Arab opponents, including Saudi Arabia and other nations that have yet to recognize Israel.

Encouraging Arab nations to strengthen security ties and overall relations with Israel is one of the aims of Biden's travels to Israel and Saudi Arabia next week, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Thursday.

Already this year, robed Gulf Arab princes and other dignitaries watched from the deck of a warship as the U.S. launched training that had Israeli frogmen, sailors and defense technology splashing through the Red Sea in one of the increasing Israeli exercises alongside U.S. and Arab militaries.

An Israeli liaison officer is set to be assigned to U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, a Gulf nation that recognized Israel only in 2020. Arab and Israeli defense officials increasingly consult around the region, exploring areas for security coordination and how to align the expertise, intelligence and weapons to implement it.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation last month that would direct the Pentagon to shape a joint air defense system for Israel and Arab nations against Iranian ballistic missiles and drones.

Kirby said Thursday the U.S. is stressing coordination of regional air defense systems as an early step in the alliance so there really is effective coverage to deal with Iran, Kirby said.

CENTCOM members also are working together on maritime security, an Israeli official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the still largely behind-the-scenes Arab and Israeli security consultations. The idea is that CENTCOM can coordinate among these nations and realize that vision of having regional defense," the Israeli official said.

Biden has defended his upcoming meeting with Saudi rulers he had once shunned because of human rights abuses by saying he is acting partly at Israels request.

The Arab-Israeli security coordination is deepening frustrations of Palestinians, who already feel they were sold out by the Abraham Accords, which did nothing to end Israeli occupation.

American officials until now have given few details of the the budding Israeli-Arab cooperation, mindful that Arab publics may oppose embracing a longtime enemy. The Pentagon declined a request for comment on this story. The Saudi embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

For Arab and Israeli leaders, the No. 1 motivator is the common threat they both perceive from Iran and Iranian proxies, said Daniel Shapiro, a former ambassador to Israel and a prominent advocate of the emerging coalition between Israel and individual Arab nations.

Especially to the extent Saudi Arabia comes on board, the security ties under CENTCOM raise prospects of a truly unified Sunni Arab coalition to stand with Israel against Shiite-led Iran, Shapiro said.

Israel considers Iran its greatest enemy, citing its nuclear program, military activities and support for hostile militant groups.

Gulf Arab states allied to the U.S. long have been wary of Iran's support of militias and proxies. While lacking American-made sophisticated weaponry, Iran has an unmatched arsenal of ballistic missiles, drones and other arms.

Promoting greater regional integration with Israels modern military could soothe Saudi and Emirati complaints the U.S. is not doing enough to protect them from Iran. It potentially accustoms Arab nations to working with Israel, despite Israel's failure to reach the kind of political resolution with the Palestinians that Arab nations long demanded as a condition for recognizing Israel.

The U.S. also hopes the coordination will mean that regional actors will take more responsibility for their own security, allowing the U.S. to ease its decades-long safeguarding of Arab oilfields and turn more attention to Russia and China.

And in the short term of U.S. elections, the effort helps the White House emphasize the security aspect of a potentially humbling presidential trip that's intended partly to appeal to Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries for more oil, with no guarantee of success.

Opponents accuse Israel of exaggerating the Iranian threat.

They want to get recognition from Arab states, said Vali Nasr, an Iran and Middle East expert at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and a former adviser to the Obama administration. And Iran is their ticket to that.

Nasr said the risks include igniting Middle East hostility by uniting and enabling the most hawkish enemies of Iran, including Israel and the United Arab Emirates, and by allowing the deep grievances underlying Israeli-Palestinian hostility to fester.

The coordination looks like the U.S. is handing off security to Israel in order to focus on Ukraine and China," Nasr said. He said this could backfire by inflaming regional tensions that draw the United States back in.

Even stronger warnings came from now-Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a 2017 article against President Donald Trump's promotion of an Arab NATO." A Sunni Arab security alliance could potentially pull the United States into the sectarian struggle between Sunni and Shia, Blinken wrote then.

The current initiative under CENTCOM is no Arab NATO, and instead promotes coordination among Israel and Arab partners to counteract threats from Iran, a U.S. official said, speaking under condition of anonymity to discuss the security alliance.

An open working relationship with Saudi Arabia would be a big prize for Israel in its increasing regional integration. Saudi Arabia has been most reticent publicly about any cooperation with Israel. Observers and advocates on all sides of the security partnerships said they expect no big breakthroughs during Biden's trip, although it is unclear whether the parties were trying to play down expectations.

Top Saudi officials have signaled their support for CENTCOM drawing Israeli's powerful modern military into the fold with Arab nations. Visiting the United States this spring, Deputy Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman made a point of visiting CENTCOM headquarters in Florida, inquiring about coordinating regional air defense capabilities and other steps.

-

Federman contributed from Jerusalem. Lolita C. Baldor contributed from Washington.
KENOSHA, Wis. (AP)  Kenosha County supervisors have voted to oppose new gun restrictions and lift a ban on firearms in county buildings.

The vote comes a day after the Highland Park parade shooting that left seven dead and dozens injured in neighboring Illinois and a July Fourth shooting in Kenosha that killed one person and injured four others.
LONDON - Boris Johnson stepped down as leader of the Conservative Party on Thursday, making way for a new prime minister, following an avalanche of resignations by members of his party that eroded his authority and paralyzed the British government.

Speaking to a crowd of supporters and onlookers at the lectern outside 10 Downing Street, Johnson said, "It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister."

Johnson did not become emotional, nor did he apologize for the behavior that brought the 58-year-old politician to this low point.

Instead, he blamed his party for his downfall, comparing his fellow lawmakers to stampeding animals. "As we have seen at Westminster  when the herd moves, it moves. And my friends, in politics, no one is remotely indispensable," Johnson said.

There will be no general election. Instead, the next leader of Britain will be chosen in a vote by dues paying members of the Conservative Party, which will remain in power. Johnson said he would serve until a new leader is in place, which could take six weeks or longer. He appointed a new Cabinet of officials to replace all the ministers who had abandoned him.

Johnson paid tribute to his wife, Carrie, who was watching his speech with their young daughter in her arms. Johnson said they had been through "so much," but he did not signal any of it was his fault.

"I know there are many people who are relieved, and perhaps quite a few who will also be disappointed. I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world. But them's the breaks," Johnson said.

In the end, it wasn't a policy failure that ended his premiership. It wasn't a money scandal involving dodgy deals or crony contracts. It wasn't really a lack of vision. What did in Johnson was his constant bobbing, weaving and ducking. His dissembling. His prevarications over several scandals - coronavirus lockdown parties, the refurbishment of his official apartment and the appointment of an ally accused of sexual misconduct.

His fellow Tories expressed not disappointment in Johnson, but disgust.

"Enough is enough," said outgoing health minister and leadership contender Sajid Javid. "I have concluded that the problem starts at the top and I believe that it is not going to change."

Johnson's Cabinet ministers were sick of being shoved in front of the cameras to tell fibs on morning TV news shows - only to find out hours or days later that Johnson and his aides hadn't told them the full truth.

With Johnson there was always another shoe to drop.

Although it is not uncommon in British politics for a prime minister to stay on until the selection of their successor - Theresa May remained in place for about two months in 2019 - some lawmakers and party grandees warned that Johnson was soiling the party brand and that he was too damaged to stay in office through the summer.

"The proposal for the prime minister to remain in office - for up to three months - having lost the support of his cabinet, his government and his parliamentary party is unwise, and may be unsustainable," wrote former prime minister John Major.

Dominic Cummings - Johnson's former top aide and now chief critic, who helped his boss win the Brexit referendum and get elected - warned that the prime minister needed to go now. In a tweet, he urged the Conservative Party to "Evict TODAY or he'll cause CARNAGE."

Cummings said Johnson even now is "playing for time" and will try to stay on if he's allowed to remain in office until the fall. "He doesn't think it's over," he said, speculating that Johnson is plotting and thinking, " 'I can still get out of this, I got a mandate, members love me, get to September.' "

In his downfall, some might forget that just a few years ago, Johnson was flying high. A former mayor of London and newspaper columnist, he was the rock star of his party. His speeches at the annual Conservative Party convention were standing room only. People lined up hours beforehand to get in.

Johnson was known to have a loose relationship with the truth. He was sacked from the Times of London for making up a quote in 1988 - before making a name for himself as a Brussels correspondent for the Telegraph with exaggerated and inaccurate dispatches. In 2004, he was fired from a leadership post in the Conservative Party after he lied about having an affair. Using typical Johnsonian language, he initially dismissed the claims as "inverted pyramid of piffle" before other evidence emerged.

And yet even if they didn't completely trust him, his fellow Tories loved him. Yes, he was thrice married, with six or so children - he regularly dodged the question. But he wasn't a scold, he was a libertarian. He could drink a pint, eat a sausage, tell a joke. He played to nationalist sentiments as he bashed the European Union and promised to "unshackle" Britain.

And most importantly, he was election gold, winning the party a record-breaking 80-seat majority in 2019, with talk of a coming "Tory Era," with the party - and Johnson - in power for a decade or more.

"It makes me laugh when those who resigned say Boris Johnson has lost his reputation for integrity and competence," said Jonathan Tonge, a professor of politics at the University of Liverpool. "He never had a reputation in either of those two fields to lose. Boris Johnson became a leader because he was a vote winner. Once the election winning ended, there wasn't much left."

While Johnson's unraveling seemed to happen at a dizzying pace, analysts said it had been underway for some time. The Conservative Party fared poorly in local elections in May, and polls suggested the party would lose a majority in the next general election. Last month, Johnson only narrowly won a vote of confidence in his leadership, with 41% of his party's lawmakers saying he was unfit to govern. Remarkably, he was even booed at an event for the queen's jubilee, by the kind of pro-royal crowd that would typically be supportive of a Conservative leader.

"I nearly fell off my chair," Tonge said. "When the crowd booed, that to me was jaw-dropping, the public had really turned."

And now? Neither the Conservative Party nor the British people know who they will get.

A poll by YouGov on Thursday found that Defense Secretary Ben Wallace was leading the pack. As the world watched the Johnson fold and the British government unravel on Thursday, Wallace felt it necessary to assure Britons that they were being protected. He tweeted: "a number of us have an obligation to keep this country safe, no matter who is PM."

Also among the top contenders: Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt, former finance minister and chancellor Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

Many of the names are untested on a big stage. They might have baggage. Sunak was hailed as a likely successor a few months ago. Then it was revealed that his billionaire wife didn't pay full taxes in Britain. When former foreign minister Jeremy Hunt ran against Johnson for party leadership in 2019, his fellow Conservatives liked him, thought him competent. They clapped politely. But for Johnson they roared.

Johnson is hardly the first Conservative leader to have been shoved aside by his party, which is famous for ditching its leaders quickly when they are no longer assets. Even Winston Churchill resigned - after being given a gentle push - as his health declined in his later years.

Among recent Conservative prime ministers, Johnson is a rarity in that he wasn't felled over the question of Britain's relationship with Europe. May, David Cameron, Major and Margaret Thatcher were all ousted in part because they could not get their party, let alone the country, to agree on how closely tied Britain and the continent should be.

Brexit was Johnson's signal achievement, for better or worse, still to be determined. He convinced the British people to leave the European Union and its regulatory alignment, customs union and single market and as prime minister he delivered on his promise to "get Brexit done." The public may be tired of the endless debate on the topic, but Johnson's vision of a swashbuckling, free-trading nation with a global booming economy - welcoming to the "best and brightest" immigrants - has not yet been realized. Nor has Brexit been that bad.

Johnson apparently won't be missed by his European neighbors.

Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin told reporters the relationship between Britain and his country "has come under strain" during Johnson's tenure and that the prime minister's resignation is "an opportunity to return to the true spirit of partnership and mutual respect."

First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, who wants her nation to seek independence outside of the United Kingdom, tweeted that "people across the UK need and deserve better - especially now - than a badly written soap opera."

Johnson has been cheered in Ukraine even while becoming increasingly unpopular in Britain, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky telephoned on Thursday to express his "sadness" over the British leader's resignation, according to a government readout.

Meanwhile, Moscow's ambassador to Britain, Andrei Kelin, told Reuters that Johnson "concentrated too much on the geopolitical situation, on Ukraine," while ignoring his country's economic problems. Russia "would prefer someone who is not so antagonistic or belligerent," he added.

Like May before him, Johnson is being pushed out after just about three years in office.

He initially resisted pressure to resign, saying that he had a 14-million-vote mandate from the British people who cast their ballots for him and his party in the last general election, in 2019.

But he woke up Thursday morning in Downing Street, his office and residence, to another wave of resignations by government officials and party members declaring that he must step down immediately - for the sake of the party and the country.

Nadhim Zahawi, who on Tuesday was appointed chancellor, the second-most important job in government, turned on Johnson on Thursday, tweeting: "Prime Minister: this is not sustainable and it will only get worse: for you, for the Conservative Party and most importantly of all the country. You must do the right thing and go now."

Before the breakfast shows on television were over, there were 53 resignations, including four cabinet ministers, since late Tuesday. Many of the letters included brutal assessments of Johnson's tenure and critiques of his honesty.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said the British government requires "honesty, integrity and mutual respect" and that it is "now past the point of no return."

Damian Hinds, the departing security minister, told Johnson that "it shouldn't take the resignation of dozens of colleagues, but for our country, and trust in our democracy, we must have a change of leadership."

Any member of Parliament for the Conservative party can put themselves forward for the role - provided they receive nominations from at least two colleagues. The party holds several rounds of secret-ballot votes to whittle down the field, eliminating the person with the fewest votes each time. The final two candidates are then put before the grass-roots members of the party, a group of about 200,000. They then select the winner.
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LONDON (AP)  Boris Johnson wanted to be like his hero Winston Churchill: a larger-than-life character who led Britain through a time of crisis. He was felled by crises of his own making, as a trickle of ethics allegations became a flood that engulfed his government and turned his own party against him.

Johnson resigned Thursday after the chorus of disapproval from within his own party became too much for him to withstand.

The move came after months of scandal that saw Johnson fined by police and criticized by an investigators report for allowing rule-breaking parties in his office while Britain was in lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic.

Johnson urged his party and country to move on and focus on the U.K.s struggling economy and Russia's war in Ukraine. But two thumping special election defeats for Johnson's Conservative Party and allegations of sexual misconduct against a senior party official sealed the fate of a politician whose ability to survive scandals was legendary.

Johnsons career was always one of extremes. He took Britain out of the European Union and led the nation during a global health crisis that endangered his own life, but was toppled after flouting restrictions he imposed in response to COVID-19. Revelations of parties in Johnsons Downing Street office while the country was in lockdown in 2020 and 2021 caused outrage and tested the patience of the Conservative Party for its election-winning but erratic leader.

An investigation by senior civil servant Sue Gray criticized failures of leadership and judgment in Johnsons government for allowing multiple rule-breaking gatherings in 2020 and 2021. Dozens of people were issued police fines, including the prime minister, his wife Carrie Johnson and Treasury chief Rishi Sunak.

It was, seemingly, the final blow to the career of one of the most divisive politicians Britain has ever known. A sympathetic biographer, Andrew Gimson, called Johnson the man who takes on the Establishment and wins. But for former member of Parliament Rory Stewart, who ran unsuccessfully against Johnson for the Conservative leadership in 2019, he was probably the best liar weve ever had as prime minister.

Johnsons selection as Conservative leader and prime minister in July 2019 capped a rollercoaster journey to the top. He had held major offices, including London mayor and U.K. foreign secretary, but also spent periods on the political sidelines after self-inflicted gaffes.

Many times, Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson was written off as a lightweight who lacked the seriousness needed in a leader. He sometimes colluded in that impression, fostering the image of a rumpled, Latin-spouting populist with a mop of blond hair who didnt take himself too seriously. He once said he had as much chance of becoming prime minister as of finding Elvis on Mars.

First elected to Parliament in 2001, he moved for years between journalism and politics, becoming well known as a newspaper columnist and guest on TV comedy quiz shows.

He sometimes made offensive remarks  calling Papua New Guineans cannibals and comparing Muslim women who wear face-covering veils to letter boxes  that caused furor and that he shrugged off as jokes.

His first big political post, as mayor of London between 2008 and 2016, suited his talents. He built a high global profile as cheerful ambassador for the city  an image exemplified when he got stuck on a zip line during the 2012 London Olympics, waving Union Jacks as he dangled in the air.

Critics blasted his backing for vanity projects including a little-used cable car and a never-built garden bridge over the River Thames, and warned he could not be trusted. As a young journalist, Johnson had been fired by The Times of London for making up a quote. He was once recorded promising to give a friend the address of a journalist that the friend wanted beaten up. He was sacked from a senior Conservative post for lying about an extramarital affair.

As Brussels correspondent for the Daily Telegraph, he specialized in exaggerated stories of EU waste and ridiculous red tape  tales that helped turn British opinion against the bloc, with far-reaching consequences.

Historian Max Hastings, Johnsons former boss at the Telegraph, later called him a man of remarkable gifts, flawed by an absence of conscience, principle or scruple.

It was Brexit that gave Johnson his big chance. Johnsons co-leadership of the campaign to take Britain out of the European Union helped the leave side secure a narrow victory in a 2016 referendum.

His bullish energy was essential to the victory. So, critics said, were the campaigns lies  such as the false claim that Britain sent 350 million pounds a week to the EU, money that could instead be spent on the U.K.s national health service.

The Brexit vote was a triumph for Johnson, but it did not immediately make him prime minister. Theresa May won a Conservative Party leadership contest and took the top job.

Johnson had to watch and wait for three years as May struggled to secure a divorce deal acceptable to both the bloc and Britains Parliament. When she failed, Johnsons promise to Get Brexit done won him the prime ministers job. In December 2019 he secured the Conservative Party its biggest parliamentary majority since Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s.

His first months in office were fraught. Lawmakers resisted his Brexit plans and he suspended Parliament  until the U.K. Supreme Court ruled the move illegal. Opponents said it was another example of Johnsons rule-breaking and disregard for the law.

After several delays to the departure date, Johnson achieved his goal of leading Britain out of the EU on Jan. 31, 2020. Yet despite Johnsons slogan, Brexit was far from done, with many issues still to be resolved, including the delicate status of Northern Ireland, an ongoing source of friction between Britain and the bloc.

And then the pandemic struck. Johnson initially appeared relaxed about the threat the new coronavirus posed to the U.K., and hesitated to impose restrictions on movement and business activity.

He changed course and imposed a lockdown in late March 2020, and days later came down with COVID-19 himself, spending several nights in intensive care in a London hospital. He later said it had been touch and go whether he would be put on a ventilator.

Johnsons handling of the pandemic drew decidedly mixed reviews. By nature a laissez-faire politician, he bristled at having to impose restrictions, and early on spoke rashly of the pandemic being over within weeks.

The U.K. went on to have one of the highest coronavirus death tolls in Europe, and some of the longest lockdowns. But the government got one big thing right, investing early in vaccine development and purchases and delivering doses to the bulk of the population.

The vaccination success brought Johnson a poll boost, but his troubles were growing. He faced allegations over money from a Conservative donor that hed used to refurbish his official apartment. And he suffered a huge backlash when the government tried to change parliamentary standards rules after a lawmaker was found guilty of illicit lobbying.

The final straw came when details emerged of parties held in Johnsons Downing Street office and home while the country was in lockdown.

The details were sometimes comic  staff smuggling booze into Downing Street in a suitcase, a supporters claim that Johnson had been ambushed with a cake at a surprise birthday party. But the anger they sparked was real. Millions of Britons had followed the rules, unable to visit friends and family or even say goodbye to dying relatives in hospitals.

Hannah Bunting, a University of Exeter lecturer who has studied public trust in politicians, said that in the past, voters were well aware of Johnsons flaws and this didnt dim his electoral popularity.

The party claims changed that, because people could compare their actions to his," she said. "Most of us complied with government restrictions because we thought it was in everyones interests. We made sacrifices to ensure people were safe.

Russias invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 gave Britains politicians and media more urgent things to focus on. It brought a reprieve from domestic woes for Johnson, who won international praise for his military, financial and moral support for Ukraine. He traveled to Kyiv twice to meet President Voldymyr Zelenskyy, a reliable and welcome ally.

But the special election defeats of June 2022  one in a district that had voted Conservative for a century  drove home to Conservatives that anger at partygate had not gone away.

Soon after, Johnson was caught changing his story on the way he handled allegations of sexual misconduct by a senior member of his government. Ministers who had defended Johnson through thick and thin had finally had enough. They quit the government in droves, leaving Johnson no choice but to resign.

Johnson's run of miraculous escapes had finally come to an end.
NEW YORK (AP)  The boyfriend of an upstate New York woman who was last seen alive in November 2020 has been charged with her murder more than a year after the woman's body was found in the trunk of an abandoned car in Queens, authorities said.

Kareem Flake, 30, was arraigned Wednesday on charges including murder and kidnapping in the death of 26-year-old Destini Smothers, a mother of two from Troy whose body was found March 10, 2021, Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz said.
BRIDGEPORT  Bridgeport Board of Education Chair John Weldon has removed board member Joseph Sokolovic from his committee assignments over comments the chairperson called very unprofessional, setting off a dramatic confrontation between the longstanding foes.

The rebuke, announced last month, came after Sokolovic sent a series of emails to the board accusing Weldon of failing to uphold his responsibilities as chair and follow state open records laws.

This is not an easy decision for me to make and its not easy for me to say this in public, but we all need to be mindful of the way we treat each other, whether its in this room or through the email system, Weldon said at a subsequent special meeting June 14.

This week, Sokolovic, who for years has clashed with Weldon over a wide range of political disagreements, defended his comments and called the punishment disproportionate. He said that he believes the chairs decision was made without any legal basis  a claim Weldon has refuted.

He has never removed anybody from committees for bad behavior, whether its yelling or shouting in a meeting, Sokolovic said.

In an email, Weldon said he made the change because he came to question the appropriateness of Mr. Sokolovics assignments for various reasons.

He added that he was also responding to residents who called for more committee leadership positions to be held by women.

This is something I have the discretion to do as Chairman, and something I have done in the past with prior Board Members when I felt circumstances warranted it. he wrote.

The confrontation began on June 10 when Sokolovic wrote to his fellow board members to inform them that the school system failed to properly notify the public about an upcoming meeting of the boards facilities committee, which Weldon chairs.

Once again we did not yet have a posting for a scheduled meeting thereby requiring another cancellation, Sokolovic wrote in the first in a series of emails that he shared with Hearst Connecticut Media and on social media.

He called the lapse embarrassing and urged his fellow members to make sure they adhere to the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act, a state law that requires local governments to tell the public when and where meetings will be held.

In a response sent the next day, Weldon accused Sokolovic of disingenuously chastising board members by notifying them of the oversight after the notification deadline had passed  and not before.

If you want to appoint yourself FOI police, it would be more helpful for you to alert us to a potential violation in enough time to correct the situation, instead of waiting and watching for the issue to be problematic before opening your mouth, Weldon replied.

Sokolovic then sent another email instructing Weldon to pay attention to his responsibilities as board chairperson, writing in part IT IS NOT MY JOB! ITS YOUR COMMITTEE!

DO YOUR JOB. CALL YOUR MEETINGS! CHECK THAT THEY ARE POSTED!!!!!!! Sokolovic added.

Weldon responded in part: It is unfortunate that you choose to conduct yourself in this fashion. So much more could be achieved if you werent so combative.

In a board meeting held a few days after the exchange, Weldon called Sokolovics emails aggressive and offensive, according to a recording of the meeting posted online.

I have to say that in other places, if this happened in private industry or nonprofit sector, there would be consequences. If you were an employee you might be suspended, you might be terminated, Weldon said. Youre an elected official, though. None of those things are options.

Invoking the chairpersons power to unilaterally make committee assignments, Weldon then stripped Sokolovic of his seat on three committees.

Sokolovic was removed from the finance committee as well as the educational diversity, equity and inclusion committee, both of which he previously chaired. He was also relieved from his seat on the teaching and learning committee.

In a meeting held last week at Sokolovics request, he challenged Weldons decision, claiming the bylaws only give the chairperson the power to appoint members to a committee and not the explicit authority to remove them from all of their seats. He called for a vote to reverse the decision, which Christine Baptiste-Perez seconded in support.

Weldon, however, said the motion was improper and did not allow a vote to move forward. He said he was well within his rights to remove members from committee assignments under the existing board rules and said the boards attorney would confirm his authority.

According to a document detailing committee assignments on the school systems website, Baptiste-Perez was chosen to chair the finance committee and Erika Castillo was selected to lead the educational diversity, equity and inclusion committee. The document, dated June 16, does not include Sokolovics name.

Weldon said in an email that he made the appointments in an effort to respond to calls from the Greater Bridgeport NAACP to increase the number of women with leadership roles on the board. Prior to the change, women chaired only two of the boards 10 committees.

Sokolovic, a Republican who won re-election to a second term last year with the support of the progressive Working Families Party, has described himself as a fiscal conservative passionate about tackling social issues.

He said that his recent clash with Weldon, who is also a Republican, could be traced back to 2020 when he successfully urged the board to establish the educational diversity, equity and inclusion committee.

He claimed that Weldon has worked to impede the committees progress and called the punishment revenge for spearheading new initiatives as its chairperson. He noted that Weldon was the only board member to abstain from a recent 8-0 vote to add the Islamic holiday Eid al-Fitr to the school calendar.

In the past, Sokolovic has also accused Weldon of making inappropriate and offensive remarks on social media. He revived those charges in last weeks meeting and shared screenshots of the years-old posts with the board.

Weldon disputed that characterization and accused Sokolovic of taking his comments out of context.

None of this has anything to do with my performance as the chairman of the Board of Education, Weldon said at the meeting. You can like what I post or dont post.

Board member Erika Castillo expressed frustration with the dispute and said the argument over social media posts was not relevant to the discussion about Sokolovics emails.

I am not interested in sitting here speculating about years and years of things that happened before I was on the board, she said, before asking for a vote to adjourn the meeting.

The meeting then concluded after Weldon, Castillo, Joseph Lombard and Michael Maccarone voted in favor of the motion. Sokolovic, Baptiste-Perez and Albert Benejan voted in opposition.

Sokolovic later conceded that barring a change of heart from Weldon, he has little chance of regaining his committee assignments in the near future. Still, he said he plans to continue to push for transparency as long as he is a board member.

Im still going to say what Im going to say and Im still going to do what Im going to do to move things forward, he said. If anything, its going to make my voice a little louder.

richard.chumney@hearstmediact.com
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP)  Burkina Faso's former President Blaise Compaore returned to the West African country Thursday, the first time since being ousted in a popular uprising eight years ago.

The former leader arrived at the Ouagadougou airport, according to Western diplomats and the Emir of Lipatko, a traditional leader.

Compaore, who's been in exile in neighboring Ivory Coast since 2014, came back to be part of an unprecedented meeting on Friday between the head of the junta that seized power in January and former heads of state to discuss Burkina Faso's future, said a statement by the government.

Compaore is to join past presidents Michel Kafando, Yacouba Isaac Zida, Jean-Baptiste Ouedraogo and Roch Marc Christian Kabore, according to the statement.

Its unclear how long Compaore will stay in the country.

Fridays meeting has been called by the ruling junta led by Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba who seized power in a coup in January and has had himself appointed interim president.

The summit meeting of former leaders comes as Burkina Faso grapples with soaring jihadi violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group thats killed thousands and displaced nearly 2 million people.

Compaore, who seized power from his long-time friend and revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara in a 1987 coup, ruled Burkina Faso with an iron fist for nearly 30 years. He was known for both fuelling regional conflicts in West Africa and playing peacemaker, supporting warlords like Liberias Charles Taylor. However, Compaore was praised by the U.N. for contributing to peace and stability in Mali when the neighboring country was nearly overrun by jihadis a decade ago.

Compaore was ousted in 2014 after weeks of protests sparked by legislative proposals to remove term limits, which would have allowed him to extend his rule.

Compaores return has sparked mixed reactions.

He was recently tried in absentia and sentenced to life in prison after being found complicit in Sankaras murder in 1987 and for undermining state security. Lawyers for the Sankara family have called for his arrest upon arrival, said a statement issued earlier this week seen by The Associated Press.

The military junta said Fridays meeting doesnt hinder legal proceedings against some of those attending, but didnt elaborate on what that meant.

Compaores return is controversial and a step backward for the conflict-riddled nation, say conflict analysts.

As much as current authorities are trying to make this look like part of reconciliation efforts, it also sends the wrong message, said Rida Lyammouri, senior fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, a Moroccan-based organization.

Removing Blaise from power in 2014 was celebrated as a victory against an authoritarian regime, but his return is yet another step back in Burkina Faso and its fight for a better democracy, said Lyammouri.

Compaores return and the unusual gathering of former leaders is a move by the ruling junta to increase its legitimacy and to get the influential former leaders to endorse its agenda, said a European diplomat in Burkina Faso who insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Junta leader Damiba came to power promising to secure Burkina Faso from jihadi violence but is struggling to stem the increasing insurgency. Fridays meeting is the latest of a series of initiatives to strengthen military operations and improve relations with neighboring countries and the international community.

Last week the junta agreed to a 24-month transition period to elections starting from July, reducing its original timeline of three years, which prompted the 15-nation West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, to drop its threat of sanctions.

Some residents tired of the current violence, see Compaores return as a chance to move the nation forward.

We, the traditional and customary leaders, seek national reconciliation, social cohesion and peace. This is the best security for all, Ousmane Amirou Dicko, the Emir of Liptako, told AP. We are not for the spirit of revenge.
A California man has died in a Nevada hospital after he was injured in a jet ski accident on the Arizona side of the Colorado River, authorities said Thursday.

Bullhead City police said 43-year-old Ricardo Aponte Almanza of Corona died Wednesday afternoon at University Medical Center in Las Vegas.

They said Almanza was one of four people injured Monday after getting struck by a rented jet ski that a 26-year-old Las Vegas woman was operating.

Police said the woman reportedly lost control of the jet ski and it entered a designated area at Community Park where the four victims were swimming.

All four were rushed to a Bullhead City hospital and Almanza was later flown to a Nevada trauma center.

A 21-year-old Las Vegas man remains hospitalized in Nevada while two other victims were treated and released, according to authorities.

Prior to the accident, police said the woman watched a safety video for jet ski renters as required by city law and wore a signed wristband to signify that she understood how to operate the watercraft.

Police said the results of their investigation of the accident will be forwarded to the Mohave County Attorneys Office, who will decide on possible charges.
PHOENIX (AP)  The Arizona Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to fast-track an appeal from Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich after a judge sided with Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs over election rules.

The decision means there is unlikely to be time before the general election for court battles to play out on Brnovich's appeal and updated 2019 election rules will remain in place for the general election.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP)  A man who escaped from a minimum-security lockup in Bismarck has been arrested in South Dakota.

David Corn, 35, was arrested by the Aberdeen Police Department on Wednesday night, the Bismarck Tribune reported.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  A federal judge on Thursday sentenced Derek Chauvin to 21 years in prison for violating George Floyds civil rights, telling the former Minneapolis police officer that what he did was simply wrong and offensive.

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson sharply criticized Chauvin for his actions on May 25, 2020, even as he opted for the low end of a sentencing range called for in a plea agreement. Chauvin, who is white, pinned Floyd to the pavement outside a Minneapolis corner store for more than nine minutes as the Black man pleaded, I can't breathe, and became unresponsive.

Floyds killing sparked protests worldwide in a reckoning over police brutality and racism.

I really dont know why you did what you did, Magnuson said. To put your knee on a persons neck until they expired is simply wrong.  Your conduct is wrong and it is offensive.

Magnuson, who earlier this year presided over the federal trial and convictions of three other officers at the scene, blamed Chauvin alone for what happened. Chauvin was by far the senior officer present as police tried to arrest Floyd while responding to a 911 call accusing him of using a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes. And Chauvin rebuffed questions from one of the other officers about whether Floyd should be turned on his side.

You absolutely destroyed the lives of three young officers by taking command of the scene, Magnuson said.

Chauvin's plea agreement called for a sentence of 20 to 25 years to be served concurrent with a 22 1/2-year sentence for his state conviction of murder and manslaughter charges.

Because of differences in parole eligibility in the state and federal systems, it means that Chauvin will serve slightly more time behind bars than he would have on the state sentence alone. He would be eligible for parole after 15 years on the state sentence, but must serve almost 18 years of his federal time before he could be released.

He will also do his time in the federal system, where he may be safer and may be held under fewer restrictions than in the state system.

Chauvin attorney Eric Nelson had asked for 20 years, arguing that Chauvin was remorseful and would make that clear to the court. But Chauvin, in brief remarks, made no direct apology or expression of remorse to Floyds family.

Instead, he told the family that he wishes Floyds children all the best in their life."

Chauvin wore an orange prison uniform and a protective mask, according to pool media reports from the courtroom. He waved at family and friends in the gallery as he entered. The media reports made no mention of visible reaction by Chauvin to any part of the hearing.

Prosecutor LeeAnn Bell asked Magnuson to give Chauvin the full 25 years possible in the plea deal, highlighting the special responsibility that he had as a police officer to care for the people in his custody.

He wasn't a rookie, Bell said. "He knew what his training was. ... He admitted before this court that his conduct was wrong and he did it anyway.

Floyd's brother Philonise also asked for the maximum possible sentence, telling Magnuson the Floyd family had been given a life sentence. He said afterward that he was upset that Chauvin didn't get more time behind bars.

Chauvin's mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, told Magnuson that her son didn't go to work intending to kill someone.

Many things have been written about him that are totally wrong such as hes a racist, which he isnt, that he has no heart," she said. I believe it is Gods will for all of us to forgive.

Chauvin's guilty plea included an admission that he willfully deprived Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure, including unreasonable force by a police officer.

It also included a count for violating the rights of a Black 14-year-old whom he restrained in an unrelated case in 2017. John Pope, now 18, told Magnuson that Chauvin didnt care about the outcome of that restraint.

By the grace of God I lived to see another day, Pope said. It will continue to be a part of me for the rest of my life.

Magnuson has not set sentencing dates for the three other officers who were on the scene  Tou Thao, J. Alexander Keung and Thomas Lane  who were convicted in February of federal civil rights charges.

Lane is also due to be sentenced Sept. 21 after pleading guilty in state court to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Thao and Kueng turned down plea deals and are due to be tried on aiding and abetting charges on Oct. 24.

___

Find APs full coverage of the killing of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
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SALEM, Mass. (AP)  A retired corrections officer charged in the decades-old killing of a New Hampshire girl in Massachusetts pleaded not guilty Thursday.

Marvin C. McClendon Jr. was also ordered to remain in custody. Hes due back in Essex County Superior Court in Salem, Massachusetts, late next month.

The 75-year-old Alabama resident has been charged with fatally stabbing Melissa Ann Tremblay on Sept. 12, 1988.

The 11-year-old from Salem, New Hampshire, had been playing outside in Lawrence, Massachusetts, while her mother was inside a local social club. Tremblay's body was found in a nearby railway yard the following day.

McClendon's lawyer, C. Henry Fasoldt, said after Thursday's arraignment that his client looks forward to holding the government to its very high burden of proof.

Tremblay's cousin, Daneille Root, said the family never gave up hope the young child's killer would eventually be found and face judgment.

Over the years, some people have said that we didnt care about her, but that is not true, she said in a statement provided by the Essex District Attorneys Office. "She has always been in our thoughts."

Many people have blamed my aunt for Missys death, Root added. While I dont believe she made the right decision that night, that is between her and God. Ultimately the only person responsible for Missys death is the man we saw in court today.

McClendon has been held without bail since May, when he was extradited from Alabama, where he lives.

Prosecutors have said the state crime lab generated a DNA profile from Tremblays body, leading them to McClendon. They also said the former corrections officer, who retired in 2002, had worked and attended church in Lawrence at the time of the killing.
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Granite monoliths inscribed with cryptic messages were blown up in rural Georgia early Wednesday, leaving behind a legacy of mystery that stretches from their origin to their destruction.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said "unknown individuals" detonated an explosive device around 4 a.m., destroying a large portion of the Georgia Guidestones. The structure, which has been dubbed "America's Stonehenge," originally consisted of four 19-foot granite slabs, a center stone and a smaller block capping the top. Video footage released by law enforcement shows a car leaving the scene shortly after the blast, although the GBI did not specify whether the driver was connected to the incident. Later in the day, authorities demolished the whole monument, citing safety reasons.

The enigma of the Guidestones, located in Elberton, a city roughly 110 miles east of Atlanta that calls itself "the Granite Capital of the World," can be traced to the late 1970s. Around that time, a man identified as R.C. Christian commissioned the project on behalf of a group of out-of-state Americans who wanted to remain anonymous, according to the Elberton Granite Association, a trade group. People who knew Christian's real identity took an oath of secrecy that has not been broken.

The Guidestones' funders wanted to make "a moralistic appeal" to humanity, according to the trade group, and etched 10 guiding principles onto the stones. The multilingual manual for humanity has been a popular spot for visitors over the past four decades.

The instructions, repeated in eight languages on the four upright slabs, are largely uncontroversial. They urge humanity to protect nature and care for fellow citizens. But two entries raised eyebrows: They called for the world's population to be capped at 500 million and encouraged reproduction to improve "fitness and diversity." (There were some 4 billion humans alive in the late 1970s.)

Right-wing conspiracy theorists such as Infowars founder Alex Jones have seized on the edicts as proof of a nefarious globalist scheme. In a 2008 documentary, he pointed to the granite slabs as evidence that global elites were plotting to enslave most of the world. During the coronavirus pandemic, misinformation circulated that linked the emergence of the virus to the Guidestones.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who has spread and supported unfounded conspiracy theories, told Jones in an interview Wednesday that the monument represented a future of "population control" as envisioned by the "hard left."

"There is a war of good and evil going on, and people are done with globalism," she said, adding that she would wait for the results of the investigation.

The Guidestones also got a mention in the state's GOP gubernatorial primary this year. Educator Kandiss Taylor, who finished a distant third to the victorious incumbent, Brian Kemp, pledged to dismantle the monument and fight the "Luciferian Cabal" that she suggested was behind it. On Wednesday, she called the Guidestones "satanic," applauded the destruction and alluded that the incident might be an act of God.

Despite the controversy, many Elberton residents are proud of the Guidestones. The city's mayor, Daniel Graves, said the monument attested to the exemplary craftsmanship of local masons, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

"There is only one community in the world that could build such a monument," he added.
SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP)  Federal prosecutors have recommended an eight-month prison sentence for a Maryland man who pleaded guilty to shoving a police officer with a lacrosse stick attached to a Confederate battle flag during last year's riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Prosecutors also on Wednesday recommended sentencing David Alan Blair, 27, to three years of supervised release after any prison term and ordering him to pay $2,000 in restitution.

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper is scheduled to sentence Blair next Wednesday.

Blair left his home in Clarksburg, Maryland, and started driving to Washington, D.C., after the riot erupted at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Shortly before 6 p.m., Blair encountered a line of Metropolitan Police Department officers on the Capitols West Lawn and refused to heed their commands to leave the area, prosecutors said.

A police officer's body camera captured Blair walking in front of the police line and yelling, Hell naw. Quit backing up. Dont be scared. Were Americans.

Blair was arrested after he pushed his lacrosse stick against an officers chest.

The officer responded to the push by striking Blair three times in the head with a baton, drawing blood and giving him a concussion, according to Blair's attorney.

Blair pleaded guilty in March to a felony charge of interfering with law enforcement during a civil disorder, which carries a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment.

Blairs attorney, Terrell Roberts III, asked the judge to impose a sentence of probation. Roberts said Blair thought he had the right to be where he was and to exercise his First Amendment right of free assembly before one of the advancing officers shoved him.

The brute force which led to provoking the defendant was not called for, Roberts wrote.

Blair didn't enter the Capitol on Jan. 6. He told investigators that he went to the Capitol to fight Antifa, not to disrupt Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's 2020 electoral victory, according to prosecutors.

Blair also said he had been trading social media messages with somebody who often made anti-Semitic remarks and blamed Israel for the worlds problems, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Liebman wrote in a court filing.

Blair further explained that as a result of these discussions he came to believe the United States was falling apart and that he had to stand up to communism, Liebman added.

On Jan. 6, Blair was wearing a skull-themed neck gaiter and a backpack containing a knife with a serrated blade and a roll of duct tape. He told police that he used the duct tape to attach the Confederate battle flag to his lacrosse stick.

Liebman said Blair likely knew that displaying the flag, widely viewed as a symbol of racist hate, would "antagonize any ideological opponent he might encounter."

Blair is one of several Capitol riot defendants who carried a Confederate battle flag that day. The others include Kevin Seefried, a Delaware man who was convicted in June of storming the Capitol with his adult son. Another flag-toting rioter, Matthew Ryan Miller, was sentenced in May to 33 months in prison for assaulting police officers and obstructing an official proceeding.

More than 830 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot. Over 300 of them have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanor charges, and over 200 have been sentenced.
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HELSINKI (AP)  Finlands Parliament on Thursday passed amended legislation on border security that allows for the closure of crossing points with Russia amid fears that Moscow could choose to send large numbers of migrants to the frontier.

The move by lawmakers came just two days after NATO's 30 members signed formal accession protocols for Finland and Sweden to join the alliance  an outcome that has angered Russia. The two Nordic nations' membership bids were approved at a NATO summit at the end of June in Madrid and several alliance members have already moved to ratify their accession.

The amendments approved by Finnish lawmakers will give the center-left government led by Prime Minister Sanna Marin wider powers to restrict border traffic in exceptional situations, particularly on the 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia, the longest of any European Union member.

The changes would also allow Finland, a nation of 5.5 million, to build barriers and fences along the border with Russia if needed. Finnish President Sauli Niinisto is due to sign the amendments into law on Friday.

The legislative reform was prompted by the governments concern that Russia would try to influence Finland by organizing large numbers of asylum-seekers to the border  something that happened at northern Finnish crossing points in 2015 and 2016 as Russian authorities reportedly ushered thousands of asylum-seekers there.

The risk of such hybrid threats from Moscow is seen as being particularly high now that Finland has become an observer member of NATO, but not yet a full member enjoying the alliances security guarantees, pending legislative approvals in all 30 member states.

Russia has repeatedly said over the past few years that it is against Helsinki and Stockholm joining NATO. But both Finland and Sweden decided to seek membership in the alliance after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

The security situation in Finland and Europe has changed fundamentally in recent months, and especially the risk of a different kind of hybrid influence has increased, Finnish Justice Minister Anna-Maja Henriksson said in a statement.

Im glad that a new exception which covers hybrid threats, in particular, was added to the preparedness act so quickly with the broad support of the Parliament, she said.

Following the ratification of Sweden and Finlands NATO membership by Canada, Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Estonia, the Albanian Parliament on Thursday voted overwhelmingly in favor of welcoming the Nordic countries as new members of the alliance.

Sweden and Finland are an added value to the alliance for their strategic and military values, Albanias foreign minister, Olta Xhacka, said in a speech to lawmakers. Their membership is a historic development that should be supported without any hesitation.

___

AP reporter Llazar Semini in Tirana, Albania, contributed to this report.

___

Follow APs coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Former officials in Poland have been identified among the victims of attempted phone hacking with the use of the powerful Pegasus spyware developed by Israels NSO Group, a rights watchdog said Thursday.

Amnesty International said it confirmed the new victims of spying in collaboration with Poland's Gazeta Wyborcza daily.

The daily identified the alleged victims Thursday as former deputy treasury ministers Pawel Tamborski and Rafal Baniak, as well as some advisers in the previous liberal government. They were linked to the 2014 sale of state chemical giant CIECH to a private investor.

The current conservative government, which won power in 2015, says the company was sold at a loss and blames members of the previous administration.

In late December, University of Toronto-affiliated security researchers determined that a Polish senator, a lawyer and a prosecutor  all critics of the governing Law and Justice party  were hacked with Pegasus spyware. These were the first signs that a tool widely abused globally by repressive governments had been used in the European Union country.

Since then, more names have been added to the list. A Senate panel has opened an investigation, but has no punitive measures at its disposal.

Pegasus spyware is marketed for use exclusively against criminals and terrorists. It gives access to a victims smartphone data and can monitor them in real time using the phone's microphone and camera.

Poland's security services insist that any surveillance is only carried out in justified cases and in accordance with the law.

However, the revelations in Poland led ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski to acknowledge publicly for the first time in January that Pegasus was bought by the Polish state. Kaczynski described it as a tool to fight crime and denied that political opponents were targeted.
GARY, Ind. (AP)  Gary's mayor said his family is heartbroken" by the news that a relative was among three people fatally shot during a July Fourth block party in the northwestern Indiana city.

Mayor Jerome Prince said Wednesday that his cousin, Marquise Hall, 26, of Lafayette, was fatally wounded in Tuesday's shooting, along with Laurence Mangum, 25, of Merrillville, and Ashanti Brown, 20, of Olympia Fields, Illinois.
VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP)  Lithuania will present a combat drone to Ukraine that was donated by the Turkish manufacturer after a private crowdfunding campaign among ordinary Lithuanians, who raised nearly 6 million euros ($6.1 million) for the purpose within days.

The campaign's success inspired Turkey's Baykar defense company, which makes the Bayraktar TB2 drone, to provide it free of cost. Some of the money raised in Lithuania was used to arm the drone, and the rest will be funneled to Ukraine to address critical needs, the Lithuanian government said.
AP

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)  The man accused of using a flamethrower to set fire to a Pan-African flag flying on a pole outside the headquarters of the Uhuru Movement, a Black international socialist group based in Florida, was arrested Thursday, police said.

The 19-year-old Tampa man, who is Black, was booked into the Pinellas County jail on a misdemeanor criminal mischief charge, according to jail records. Officials have also initiated the process for a risk protection order on the man.
LAWRENCEVILLE  On Sept. 2, 2005, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, had no water or electricity. Tired and dirty evacuees headed to the parish to try to escape the ravages of Hurricane Katrina.

In anticipation of the historic Category 5 hurricane's landfall, an inmate, known then as Gary Moudy, was evacuated five hours north to Caldwell Correctional Center in Caldwell Parish. For weeks after Hurricane Katrina made landfall, there was chaos. Records were scattered. Documents lost. A prison official said the system didnt know who it was holding or why.

That may be why that inmate was known as Gary Moudy until March 11, 2006, when he and four others tried to escape from Caldwell Correctional Center by overpowering guards and holding them hostage at knifepoint before fleeing the prison in a stolen truck.

The 24-year-old was captured quickly, according to news accounts. He hadnt even made it out of town. Authorities unraveled the truth and discovered his real identity  Ray E. Tate, of Lawrenceville, Illinois.

More than 16 years after that dangerous escape and 600 miles north, Tate pleaded guilty in March to murder charges in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Deputy Sean Riley. In May, however, he asked to withdraw that plea and face a jury.

Tate, now 41, wants a chance at life outside of prison after spending much of his adult life behind bars. Hes set for a hearing in Wayne County in August, and if the court allows him to withdraw the plea, prosecutors can reinstate the other 37 counts of murder, all pertaining to Rileys death, that were dismissed as part of his plea deal.

Tate is also facing charges in Clinton County in connection with a multistate crime spree that included stolen cars, shootings, robberies, assaults and carjackings. It ended after an Illinois State Police SWAT team extracted him from a Clinton County home where he held two men hostage at gunpoint. He faces 30 counts, including home invasion and aggravated assault, all of which are pending.

Tates attempt to withdraw the plea is an effort to avoid dying in prison, where he has spent most of his adult life.

At 17, Tate was sentenced to four years in prison on residential burglary and theft charges, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections. Soon after his release, he was charged with burglary in his home county of Lawrence in 2000. He was 19.

Tate would return to jail on new charges soon after he was released. In 2002, he racked up his first weapons charge  unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In 2003, Tates crimes turned violent, with an aggravated battery with great bodily harm. He received a sentence of one year of probation.

But Tate never completed his probation, instead he skipped town. He still owes Lawrence County $449 in probation fees.

In 2004 he was charged with fleeing and evading and wanton endangerment in Kentucky. He pleaded guilty with the promise of a three-year prison sentence, but while still free on bond he went on the run again.

Then, Tate was arrested in 2005 in Jefferson Parish in southern Louisiana.

He gave officers the name Gary Moudy, a classmate from Lawrenceville High School. He remained under that alias while he was awaiting trial and during his evacuation from Hurricane Katrina.

After the failed escape attempt, his cover was blown.

Tate was charged with aggravated assault and false imprisonment for his role in the jailbreak. He received a 15-year prison sentence, according to Louisiana prison officials. There was no record available to determine the Jefferson Parish charges that sent him there in the first place. It was likely lost in the wake of the damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina, one parish official said.

On March 15, 2013, Tate was set for release in Louisiana, but Kentucky wasnt done with him. A Kentucky judge, angered by Tates absconding, sentenced him to 10 years in prison. Tate was released in 2021.

For a time, Tate, then 40, was free, unencumbered from warrants and detainers. He returned to Lawrenceville. He launched a tattoo business called Forbidden Ink. He reconnected with his family and met a girl.

Police next ran across Tate next in Vincennes, Indiana, on Dec. 16, 2021. They were investigating a suspicious person call. In the parking lot of a Red Roof Inn, they found Tate and a woman. Tate ran away. Later, they heard gunfire, and police said Tate fired a round into a mans car in an attempt to steal it. The bullet missed the man.

Tate was again on the run.

For two weeks, Tate evaded police. On Dec. 29, 2021, a call came into Wayne County 911 about 5 a.m. reporting a broken down car on Interstate 64 near Mill Shoals close to the Illinois-Indiana border. Wayne County Deputy Sean Riley took the call. A second officer later arrived at the scene and found Riley dead. His abandoned squad car was found later.

A truck driver reported that Tate ordered him at gunpoint to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Robberies, carjackings and shootings followed. Tate is accused of kidnapping a driver and forcing them to drive back to Illinois. News bulletins went out, asking people to be on the lookout and to stay home.

Eventually, Tate was surrounded at a Clinton County home. An Illinois State Police SWAT team took him into custody.

Tate was back in county jail. He was moved to Jefferson County to await the charges for Rileys murder in Wayne County.

On April 10, Tate tried to unsuccessfully to escape. Two weeks later, he pleaded guilty to one of 38 counts of murder. He was sentenced to life in prison and sent to Menard Correctional Center near Chester.

He withdrew his guilty plea on May 19.

Hes scheduled to be back in court in Wayne County on Aug. 9.
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP)  A Michigan regulatory panel said Thursday that it needs more information about safety risks before it can rule on Enbridge Energy's plan to extend an oil pipeline through a tunnel beneath a waterway linking two of the Great Lakes.

The state Public Service Commission voted 3-0 to seek further details about the potential for explosions and fires involving electrical equipment during construction of the tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac.

The commission's approval would be required for Enbridge to replace two existing Line 5 pipes in the straits, which connect Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, with a new segment that would run through the proposed underground tunnel.

This has been an extensive process, Chairman Dan Scripps said. We want to make sure that we get it right.

Enbridge and the state of Michigan are mired in legal battles over Line 5. The 69-year-old underground pipeline carries Canadian oil and natural gas liquids used for propane through northern Michigan and Wisconsin to refineries in Sarnia, Ontario.

A 4-mile-long (6.4-kilometer-long) section divides into dual pipes that cross the bottom of the straits.

Enbridge is defying Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's 2020 order to shut down the line, a move long sought by environmental groups and Native American tribes who fear a rupture would devastate the lakes. The company says the line is in good condition and contends in a federal lawsuit that the Democratic governor doesn't have the jurisdiction to shut it down.

Enbridge, based in Calgary, Alberta, reached a deal with former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder in 2018 to build the $500 million tunnel. Enbridge has obtained permits from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy and awaits word from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as well as Michigan Public Service Commission.

The commission said last year it would not pass judgment on whether the entire 645-mile (1,038-kilometer) line should continue operating, focusing instead on the underwater section.

Its three members are Whitmer appointees. Scripps and Tremaine Phillips are Democrats, while Katherine Peretick is an independent.

In its order Thursday, the commission said testimony, exhibits and briefings included too little about tunnel engineering and hazards.

Also lacking is information about safety and maintenance of the dual pipelines, including leak detection systems and shutdown procedures, the order said.

Interviewed by telephone after the meeting in Lansing, Scripps said Enbridge had pegged the likelihood of an oil release from the tunnel pipe as one in a million." The commission wants to know how the figure was calculated, he said, as well as steps to eliminate even that possibility.

In a statement, Enbridge said it already had provided extensive" material on those matters but would answer further questions.

The engineering and design of the tunnel has been developed in accordance with the tunnel agreement entered with the state, and in close coordination with the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority to ensure its safety and design life," the company said.

The corridor authority was created under Snyder to oversee building and operation of the tunnel.

Pipeline critics praised the commission's push to learn more.

Enbridge has not proven feasibility or safety for this project," said Beth Wallace of the National Wildlife Federation. Enbridge has proven time and again that they cannot be trusted to operate Line 5 and they should not be trusted to blast a tunnel through the Great Lakes."

The commission's decision was the latest of many delays for the tunnel, which the company originally pledged to complete by 2024. The Army Corps is conducting a lengthy environmental impact study.

Enbridge said it remains committed to the project.

The Great Lakes Michigan Jobs Coalition, which represents industry and labor groups, urged the commission to get back to work, move the tunnel project forward and protect tens of thousands of Michigan jobs."
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)  A campaign to raise Nebraska's minimum wage to $15 an hour from the current $9 said Thursday that it has collected more than enough signatures to place the issue before voters in November.

Raise the Wage Nebraska said it gathered 160,000 raw signatures from all 93 Nebraska counties.
GENEVA (AP)  The World Health Organization on Thursday reported a 77% weekly increase in the number of lab-confirmed monkeypox cases, to more than 6,000 worldwide, and two more deaths in parts of Africa where the virus has circulated for years.

Most of the cases were reported in Europe and Africa. The U.N. health agency said the mysterious outbreak continues to mainly affect men who have had sex with men, and that other population groups showed no signs of sustained transmission.

WHO said it counted 6,027 laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox from 59 countries as of Monday, an increase of 2,614 cases since its last count for the week that ended June 27. It said three people have now died in connection with the outbreak, all of them in Africa.

The agency said nine additional countries had reported cases, while 10 countries had not reported any new cases for more than three weeks, which is the maximum incubation period.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday he remained concerned by the scale and spread of the virus, noting that over 80% of the cases turned up in Europe. He said he would convene the next meeting of a WHO expert panel that is monitoring the outbreak for no later than the week of July 18.

Most monkeypox patients experience fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. People with more serious illness may develop a rash and lesions on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body.

The disease is endemic in parts of Africa, where people have become infected through bites from rodents or small animals. The monkeypox virus does not usually spread easily among people.

Cases began emerging in Europe and the United States in May. Many of the individuals who contracted the virus had traveled internationally.
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PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP)  A NATO senior official on Thursday said Western Balkan countries don't face an imminent threat from the war in Ukraine, and are of strategic interest to the Western alliance.

NATOs Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana was in Kosovo's capital, Pristina, to meet with local officials and visit the NATO-led KFOR mission.

Geoana denounced Russias illogical and brutal war in Ukraine and its aggressive and malign influence over the Western Balkans.

We have a strategic interest ... in the Western Balkans. I want to send a message of hope for all the people to the Western Balkans that ultimately all of us will find ourselves in the European and Euro-Atlantic family, he told The Associated Press.

Some Western Balkan countries are NATO members  Albania, Croatia, Montenegro and North Macedonia  while Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina are partners.

Kosovo has said it will apply for the Partnership for Peace membership, considered a first step in the NATO membership process.

NATO troops have been present in Kosovo since 1999 after a war between Serbia and its former province which ended with a 78-day NATO air campaign.

Geoana hailed NATO members in the region that have increased defense spending as a natural reaction when you see aggressive Russia, adding that NATO would defend all allies and every square inch of territory.

Geoana reconfirmed the alliances pledge to stand by Ukraine for the long haul.

They deserve our help. And that great nation deserves to be a free, independent, sovereign nation in Europe, he said.

___

Semini reported from Tirana, Albania
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)  Nebraska Republican state Sen. Mike Flood will officially join the U.S. House on Tuesday when he's sworn in to fill the seat of disgraced former U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry.

Flood will take his oath of office at the U.S. Capitol.
DNA technology brings new hope to families seeking justice for their loved ones, in this episode of "Hometown Tragedy." Explore three brutal cold cases with Kristen and David Mittelman of Othram as they go into detail about the difficulties of following leads on older cold cases and how developments in forensic technology lead investigators to evidence  and, ultimately, answers for grieving families.

The first case explores the mystery of the Woodlawn Jane Doe whose lifeless body is found outside of a cemetery in Baltimore. Her killer is on the run and police have very little to work off of early in their investigation. Years later, they team up with Othram in hopes of finally identifying the Woodlawn Jane Doe.
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NEW HAVEN  Politicians, officials and medical professionals gathered at the Fair Haven Community Health Center on Grand Avenue to promote the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine for children under five years old.

But the real star of the event, as U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra put it, was Dalia Weinreb, fresh off her first dose of the vaccine, cooing and burbling in her mothers arms.

What she is saying is: I got vaccinated. I got vaccinated right after I turned six months, Becerra said, reacting to an exclamation from Dalia. And guess what? Im feeling good.

In June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that children between six months and five years old receive COVID-19 vaccination, prompting the We Can Do This public education campaign, an ongoing effort by the federal government and partners around the country to spread awareness and reinforce trust in the nascent medication.

Becerra, joined by former House colleague U.S. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-3, Fair Haven Community Health Care CEO Suzanne Lagarde, National Diaper Bank Network CEO Joanne Goldblum and Jody Terranova, vice president and president-elect of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, spoke to the importance of the vaccine Wednesday, urging parents to consider vaccinating their children.

The federal government has delivered more than 5 million doses for children under five so far, Becerra said, including about 55,000 for Connecticut. He suggested parents discuss the idea with someone they trust, such as a pediatrician.

Its a very simple statement  yes we can. Yes we can be safe; yes we can now vaccinate our children, our youngest children; yes, we can preserve life, said Becerra. Please, each and every one of you  listen to that trusted voice.

Lagarde noted the health centers roots in the community  founded by the Alliance for Latin American Progress in 1971, it strives to deliver health care in a culturally-sensitive manner, treating more than 32,000 people, largely immigrants and people of color.

During the pandemic, it has distributed more than 30,000 vaccine doses and performed nearly 100,000 tests, she noted.

Trust is not easily, nor rapidly, acquired, said Lagarde. Its taken literally those decades, but one of the most important resources we have gained is the trust and belief patients place in us. Now it is our job ... to parlay that trust into effective public health measures, such as the vaccination of the youngest among us.

Lagarde urged Becerra to a little of the the soul of the community back to Washington, and fight for access to the very basics for all Americans, including food, health care and safe housing.

Terranova, also an assistant professor for pediatrics with the UConn School of Medicine, noted the commonality and efficacy of vaccination.

As your childs pediatrician, were there from the day they were born to help raise them to be healthy and safe. Vaccines, for decades, have been a tool to allow us to help you as parents, do that, said Terranova. We have in our office now, the tools to keep our children healthy and safe  and we must use it.

David Weinreb and Marlene Edelstein, city residents and Dalias parents, said the decision was straightforward. They researched the matter, including speaking with their pediatrician; they were both vaccinated; the process was simple.

Edelstein said they received an appointment within two days and said Dalia experienced no side effects.

Now we know that being in day care, gathering with our immunocompromised cousins, gathering in community, even grocery shopping, is safer for our child and everyone around her. We chose to vaccinate Dalia because we know this is a safe and highly effective mRNA vaccine. We know its endured rigorous scientific review by the FDA and CDC. We trust our pediatricians recommendation. Were gaining peace of mind, and are grateful that our baby will emerge from this pandemic safeguarded from severe illness, said Edelstein.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
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BAGHDAD (AP)  Iraqs oil minister said on Thursday the government will take steps to enforce a recent court decision to annul oil contracts the semiautonomous northern Iraqi Kurdish region made with international companies.

The minister, Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar Ismail, told The Associated Press the deals, which circumvent the government in Baghdad, are illegal and amount to oil smuggling.

His remarks were the strongest yet by a senior government official since Iraqs Supreme Federal Court issued a landmark ruling in February against the northern regions independent oil sector. Ismail said in total 17 oil companies will be targeted for their dealings with the Iraqi Kurdish region.

Ismail said the international companies that have signed these deals would first receive a cautionary note.

We will give them a soft message: You are working in the smuggling of oil.' If they are a respectful company they will listen to us," Ismail told the AP in the exclusive interview.

Kurdish officials, including the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party in Irbil, have dismissed the court ruling as politicized and claim the supreme court itself is unconstitutional.

The ruling came against the backdrop of political upheaval in Baghdad, where Iran-backed groups are pressuring Kurdish parties to join their efforts and proceed with the forming of a government after influential Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, the winner of the parliamentary elections last year, stepped down from the political process because he could not corral enough lawmakers in the 329-seat house. The Kurdistan Democratic Party was allied with al-Sadr.

The Iraqi Kurdish region has also faced a rising number of attacks targeting its energy infrastructure. Rocket and mortar fire repeatedly struck a gas field while others targeted a pumping station and refineries last month.

For years, Iraqi Kurdish authorities exploited a constitutional loophole, and managed to exports crude and maintain a modicum of financial independence from the federal government in Baghdad. They have kept details of their operations secret, including their production rates. Iraq Oil Report, an oil industry publication, estimates this to be 440,000 barrels per day.

Now, Baghdad officials are looking to close that door, Ismail said.

The February court ruling effectively rejected the Iraqi Kurdish oil law as a legal basis that the region had used to carry on with independent exports and contracts. Many questioned the timing of that ruling, given that it had been delayed for years. At the time, the Kurdistan Democratic Party and al-Sadr had tried to form a government without Iran-backed parties.

Ismail agreed the ruling came during a politically sensitive time but denied that it was a politicized decision. After the ruling, the Oil Ministry launched lawsuits against seven international companies, including Norway's DNO, Canada's Western Zagros and the U.K.-listed Gulf Keystone.

This week, Baghdads Commercial Court issued rulings invalidating four of the seven contracts, the oil minister said, with the other three to be decided on by the court at a July 17 session.

Ismail said the overall goal is to invalidate a total of 17 contracts. Some of the contracts are with companies from the United Arab Emirates, others are with Chinese and some with Russian companies, he said.

Caretaker Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has so far maintained distance from the recent developments, issuing conciliatory statements over the fraught relations between Baghdad and the Kurdish authorities.

But Ismail said the ministry has a plan to also act on the commercial court ruling and would give foreign companies the option to cancel their contracts, request that Iraq's federal government grant them a waiver  or transfer them from Kurdistans Ministry of Natural Resources to the federal government's Oil Ministry in Baghdad, he said.

He dismissed claims that it would be technically impossible to transfer contracts from one authority to another, saying it's a matter of just paperwork. The Kurdish region uses a production sharing contract model that is incompatible with the federal government's preference for technical service contracts.

If the companies do not comply, Ismail said the government would resort to the law and banks to enforce decisions.

We also have the Oil Police, but we havent asked to use them, he said.

Key oil service companies, including Baker Hughes, Haliburton and Schlumberger pledged to obey the ministry's blacklist policy and have said they will not seek new tenders with the Iraqi Kurdish authorities. For years, international companies have been operating in the Kurdish region with assurances from Kurdish officials that they would not face legal risks.

Oil companies contracted with the Kurdish region operate in territory de facto outside the federal governments control. Sending federal police to physically shut down the operations in the Iraqi Kurdish region would amount to an unprecedented escalation.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  A citizen of Poland is being held in Tehran, the Polish government said Thursday, confirming the detention after Iran's Revolutionary Guard accused several Europeans of spying on military sites as tensions remain high between Tehran and the West.

Polands Foreign Ministry said that Iran had arrested a highly reputed scientist last September, adding that the government was providing consular assistance to the detainee and working to secure his release. The government provided no other details, citing privacy requirements.

Iran on Wednesday named a Polish scientist as being among of a group of diplomats and foreigners accused of spying and taking soil samples from prohibited military zones in Iran's desert while the Guard was carrying out missile tests.

Iranian media identified the detainee as Maciej Walczak, a scientist at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland.

The Revolutionary Guard also alleged that it had detained the deputy ambassador of the United Kingdom, Giles Whitaker, on the same espionage charges  a claim dismissed out of hand by the U.K. Foreign Office.

British Ambassador to Iran Simon Shercliff described the Iranian media reports about Whitaker's detention as very interesting," noting on Twitter Thursday that Whitaker actually left Iran last December, at the end of his posting.

The semiofficial Fars news agency, believed to be close to the Guard, claimed Whitaker had visited the prohibited military zone while traveling in the country as a tourist with his family. State TV broadcast footage that it said showed Whitaker taking photos and ground samples in the area of missile exercises.

Iran also claimed the Guard had arrested the husband of Austrias cultural attache  an allegation denied by Austria on Thursday. The Austrian government said that none of its staff or their family members had been detained.

Tensions have spiked between Iran and the West after former President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 nuclear deal and re-imposed punishing sanctions four years ago. Iran has responded by massively expanding its nuclear work under diminishing international oversight.

Iran has in the past arrested dual nationals and those with Western ties, often on widely criticized espionage charges, and used them as bargaining chips in talks over other issues, such as nuclear negotiations.

Efforts to revive Tehrans tattered nuclear accord have been deadlocked for months.
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MOSCOW (AP)  With Russia's military action in Ukraine in its fifth month, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday warned Kyiv that it should quickly accept Moscow's terms or brace for the worst, adding ominously that Russia has barely started its action.

Speaking at a meeting with leaders of the Kremlin-controlled parliament, Putin accused Western allies of fueling the hostilities, charging that "the West wants to fight us until the last Ukrainian.

It's a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, but it looks like it's heading in that direction, he added.

Everybody should know that largely speaking, we havent even yet started anything in earnest, Putin said in a menacing note.

He declared that Russia remains ready to sit down for talks to end the fighting, adding that those who refuse to do so should know that the longer it lasts the more difficult it will be for them to make a deal with us.

We are hearing that they want to defeat us on the battlefield, Putin said. Let them try.

Earlier in the conflict, the Kremlin demanded that Kyiv acknowledge Russian sovereignty over the Crimean Peninsula, which it annexed in 2014, and recognize the independence of Moscow-backed separatist regions in eastern Ukraine. Moscow also said it expected Ukraine to bow to the existing situation on the ground, a reference to other land gains it has made since Russian troops rolled into Ukraine on Feb. 24.

After failing to capture Kyiv and other big cities in Ukraine's northeast early in the campaign, the Russian military shifted its focus to the eastern industrial heartland of Donbas, where Moscow-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian troops since 2014.

Earlier this week, the Russian military claimed control of the Luhansk province, one of the two that make up Donbas, and is preparing to press its offensive into the second one, Donetsk.

In the early stages of the conflict, Russia won control of the southern Kherson region and part of neighboring Zaporizhzhia. Moscow is expected eventually to try to cut Ukraine off from its Black Sea coast all the way to the Romanian border. If successful, it would deal a crushing blow to the Ukrainian economy and also create a corridor to Moldovas separatist region of Transnistria, where Russia maintains a military base.

Putin reaffirmed his long-held claim that the West is using the conflict in Ukraine to try to isolate and weaken Russia.

They simply don't need such a country as Russia, Putin said. This is why they have used terrorism, separatism and internal destructive forces in our country.

He charged that Western sanctions against Russia have failed to achieve their goal of sowing division and strife in our society and demoralizing our people.

The course of history is unstoppable, and attempts by the collective West to enforce its version of the global order are doomed to fail, Putin said.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, responded on Twitter: "There is no plan by the collective West and only a Russian army entered Ukraine.
DETROIT (AP)  A Detroit police officer and a man wielding an assault-style weapon were fatally shot on the citys west side Wednesday night, Detroit police Chief James White said.

White said the officer and his partner responded about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to a call of a man firing a weapon. He said when the officers arrived, they were met by the suspect who was armed with an assault-style weapon and firing in their direction.
Russian prosecutors on Thursday called for prison sentences for a prominent opposition activist and for a Moscow city council member who opposes the invasion of Ukraine, in a sign the Kremlin's crackdown on dissent continues to gather pace.

Prosecutors asked that Andrei Pivovarov, former head of the Open Russia organization, be given a five-year sentence for directing an undesirable organization, a criminal offense under a 2015 law, according to his lawyer, Sergei Badamshin.

Pivovarov rejected the charges and pointed out during the court hearing that the criminal case was opened two days after Open Russia shut down. The group disbanded in an attempt to shield members from prosecution after it was designated an undesirable organization.

Pivovarov was pulled off a Warsaw-bound plane at St. Petersburgs airport just before takeoff in May 2021. He was taken to the southern city of Krasnodar, where he was accused of supporting a local candidate on behalf of an undesirable organization. The criminal charge is based on a his social media posts supporting independent candidates in Krasnodar's municipal elections.

Badamshin, the lawyer, said prosecutors also requested that his client be barred from holding office for eight years.

Also on Thursday, a Russian prosecutor asked for a seven-year sentence for a Moscow city council member who spoke up against Russias actions in Ukraine.

Alexei Gorinov, who was detained in April, is the first Russian elected representative to face prison for spreading knowingly false information about the Russian army, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

Gorinov criticized Moscows military actions in Ukraine at a city council meeting in March, a recording of which is now available on YouTube. The video shows him voicing skepticism over a planned childrens art competition in his constituency while every day children are dying in Ukraine.

At a court hearing last month, Gorinov was photographed holding up a sign saying I am against the war as he sat in the defendants cage.

Moscow effectively outlawed independent discussion of its Ukraine operation, including all references to it as a war or invasion," weeks after its troops rolled into Ukraine.

In another development Thursday, Russia issued an arrest warrant for Ilya Krasilshchik, an outspoken tech executive and former publisher of a leading independent Russian news site, Meduza.

Russian media have linked the charges against Krasilshchik, who left Russia in early March, to an Instagram post in which he voiced shock and outrage over the mass executions of civilians in Kyiv suburbs that were occupied by Russian troops in early spring.
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP)  A sorority accused of charging University of Washington students for housing they couldnt stay in during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic will pay more than $250,000 in refunds.

The Washington state Attorney Generals Office announced the consent decree Wednesday, The Seattle Times reported.

Early last year, Attorney General Bob Fergusons office sued Tennessee-based Alpha Omicron Pi, or AOII, accusing the sorority of violating emergency regulations by charging University of Washington members housing fees even as students couldnt stay in the sororitys Greek Row house.

This sorority took advantage of students, charging them thousands of dollars for housing they could not access or use, Ferguson said in a statement.

AOII continues to deny wrongdoing in the consent decree. A lawyer for the organization didnt provide comment Wednesday.

Sorority members agreed to pay for housing and meals in early 2020, according to the states lawsuit. When the pandemic hit, the sorority drastically reduced the number of students who could live in the house. The sorority later gave members the option of closing the house entirely, which they voted to do, but still charged them fees, the state said.

After warnings that their unpaid fees could end up in collections, sorority members said they felt intense pressure to pay.

Washingtons coronavirus regulations barred rent charges when tenants couldnt access their housing. Ferguson also accused the sorority of violating the state Consumer Protection Act.

In court filings, the sorority disputed the states description of events and said students made false and misleading statements. The sorority claimed it had every right to charge the fees  on account of validly entered contracts.

The state accused the sorority of trying to remake this case into an eviction action or contract dispute, when it was in fact a straightforward case to enforce the Governors emergency COVID orders.

Under the consent decree, AOII will waive or reimburse most fees charged to each member.

AOII will pay a total of $253,600 to the attorney generals office, which will pay back the students. When including both AOIIs payment and waived fees, the agreement amounts to about $500,000, according to the attorney generals office.

The Attorney Generals Office will contact students about reimbursements.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Officials are cleaning up a massive oil spill from a multistate pipeline that ruptured in rural Tennessee.

According to the state Department of Environment and Conservation, approximately 201,600 gallons of crude oil spilled from the pipeline on June 29 and entered Horse Creek in Henderson, some 88 miles northeast of Memphis.

The department says the spill was "secured" on June 30. There are no surface drinking water intakes in the community, there were no impacts to nearby drinking water wells reported; no water contact advisories issued so far; and no fish kills observed to date, officials said.

It was the second-largest recorded crude oil spill in the state, advocacy group Pipeline Safety Trust said in a statement.

The spill occurred when a mowing contractor struck the Mid-Valley Pipeline Company's pipeline, officials said. The cleanup response is being led by the pipeline's parent company, Energy Transfer, with help from the Environmental Protection Agency and state agencies.

The line was repaired and safely returned to service, Energy Transfer said in a statement. Specialized crews remained at the scene Wednesday as the company concludes the recovery process, the statement said.

State officials said they have asked for weekly monitoring of water quality near the spill.
JERUSALEM (AP)  The United Arab Emirates has sentenced an Israeli woman convicted on drug charges to life in prison, her lawyer said Thursday.

The court had initially sentenced her to death but cancelled it last week. Israel says it has closely followed the case in the UAE, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020 in the first of the so-called Abraham Accords brokered by the Trump administration.

Fida Kiwan, a 43-year-old resident of the Israeli city of Haifa, was arrested in March 2021. Authorities say they found marijuana, cocaine and MDMA pills in the apartment where she was staying, and she was convicted on charges of intending to sell drugs. She denied the allegations.

Mordechai Tzivin, an Israeli lawyer representing her, said she was sentenced to life in prison. He said the law enforcement system in the UAE is very accurate and that there is a precedent for amnesty in cases in which heavy sentences are issued.

There was no immediate comment from Israel or the UAE.

Israels Foreign Ministry had welcomed the decision to cancel the death penalty last week, saying it was pleased that the efforts on the legal channels as well as other channels led to the cancellation of the death sentence.

Israeli tourists have flocked to Dubai since normalization, eager to see its futuristic skyscrapers, world-famous malls and other attractions. Israels top leaders have met with their counterparts in the Gulf state, and business people have struck major deals, even before the recent signing of a free trade agreement, Israel's first with an Arab country.

The UAE has some of the world's most restrictive drug laws. Trafficking typically carries a life sentence and possession a shorter jail sentence.

While UAE law allows for the death penalty in certain cases, capital punishment is rarely carried out. The last known executions were in 2011 and 2014, against two men convicted of murder.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  A British Royal Navy vessel seized a sophisticated shipment of Iranian missiles in the Gulf of Oman earlier this year, officials said Thursday, pointing to the interdiction as proof of Tehrans support for Yemens Houthi rebels in the embattled country.

The British government statement was striking in that it provided some of the strongest findings to date that Tehran is arming the Houthis against the Saudi-led military coalition with advanced weapons smuggled through the Persian Gulf.

The U.K. Embassy in the United Arab Emirates described the seizure of surface-to-air-missiles and engines for land attack cruise missiles as the first time a British naval warship has interdicted a vessel carrying such sophisticated weapons from Iran.

The U.K. will continue to work in support of an enduring peace in Yemen and is committed to international maritime security so that commercial shipping can transit safely without threat of disruption, said James Heappey, Minister for the Armed Forces.

Irans mission to the United Nations rejected the U.K.'s findings as groundless, saying that Iran has never transported weapons or military equipment to Yemen in violation of the U.N. arms embargo and always upheld its international obligations.

The British government's announcement signals an escalation as Western officials have in the past shied away from public statements that definitively blame Iran for arming Yemens Houthis with military contraband. The route of the smuggled shipments through the Arabian Sea or Gulf of Aden, however, has strongly suggested their destination.

Despite a United Nations Security Council arms embargo on Yemen, Iran has long been suspected of transferring rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, missiles and other weaponry to the Houthis since the disastrous war began in 2015. Iran denies arming the Houthis, independent experts, Western nations and U.N. experts have traced components back to Iran.

Citing a forensic analysis last month, the British navy linked the batch of rocket engines seized earlier this year to an Iranian-made cruise missile with a 1,000-kilometer range that it said the rebels have used against Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis also used the cruise missile to attack an oil facility in Abu Dhabi in January of this year, the British navy said, an assault that killed three people and threatened the key U.S. allys reputation as a haven of stability. The U.S. military launched interceptor missiles during the attack, signaling a widening of Yemen's war.

The HMS Montroses helicopter had been scanning for illicit goods in the Gulf of Oman on January 28 and February 25 when it spotted small vessels speeding away from the Iranian coast with suspicious cargo on deck. A team of Royal Marines then halted and searched the boats, confiscating the weapons in international waters south of Iran.

A U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer supported the British warship's February operation. Fifth Fleet Vice Adm. Brad Cooper said the seizure reflected the Navys strong commitment to regional security and stability.

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 joined the war on the side of Yemens exiled government in March 2015.

Years of fighting have ground into a bloody stalemate and pushed the Arab worlds poorest nation to the brink of famine. A tenuous truce that began around the holy Muslim month of Ramadan appears to be holding, although both sides have accused each other of violations.
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KHARKIV, Ukraine (AP)  Viktor Lazar shares his war-side balcony with a pair of opera glasses and a tiny orange snake, his only companion in an apartment that seems to sit at the edge of the world.

The opera glasses, more of a joke, are hardly needed  the front line is visible without them. The rumbling of Russian and Ukrainian shelling is audible even now, although Lazar claims not to notice. Below his balcony is a crater, one of many. On the nearby street, a Grad rocket launcher rolls by.

Lazar estimates the Russians are just 10 kilometers (6 miles) away.

As the war grinds into its fifth month along deadly fault lines in Ukraines east and south, Lazar and his few neighbors in Kharkiv's vast and shattered neighborhood of Saltivka represent a life without resolution in which many are trapped. New communities are being told to flee. Not all do.

While towns and villages around the capital of Kyiv have begun to rebuild after the Russians withdrew months ago and world powers discuss long-term recovery, others in eastern Ukraine still cannot sleep soundly.

The Soviet-era apartment blocks in Saltivka once housed a half-million people, one of the largest neighborhoods in Europe. Now perhaps only dozens remain. Some of the buildings are blackened, while others are crumbling slab by slab.

This is my home, says the 37-year-old Lazar, who is shirtless in the soaring summer heat, revealing a machine gun tattoo on his right arm. He proclaims he's ready to fight the Russians, but his only weapons are kitchen knives.

A broken guitar hangs on the wall of his apartment. Lazar, a musician, dreams of holding a defiant concert in Saltivkas echoing, cat-roamed streets. In better days, he played for crowds in the plazas of Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city, which is showing signs of rebounding from the war  even though it's only a short distance from the border with Russia.

Saltivka, by comparison, is almost dead. Past a final subway station dedicated to heroes, all activity sputters out. Shops are closed and apartment blocks gape with broken windows. In one, a table-sized chunk of concrete twists slowly on a shred of rebar, waiting to fall.

Tall grass overtakes abandoned playgrounds scattered with fallen and ripened cherries. Soldiers trenches are bare. In a few apartments now ripped open, laundry still hangs on the line.

From time to time, a car crunches along the debris. It might bring movers trying to salvage some furniture or volunteers bringing assistance.

Outside Lazars building, people have assembled a modest kitchen with a mounted bell to ring when the days food arrives. Near the teapot on a wood stove, ammunition boxes now hold bread slowly going stale.

Some electricity has returned but running water has not. Lazar ducks into a basement where water still gurgles for bathing. Two middle-aged women emerge from the darkness, looking fresh, and walk away.

But life is less an adventure for those with no options. Pavel Govoryhov, 84, sits in the entrance of a building now as fragile as himself. He has two canes at hand. For four months, he lived in the basement before moving back into his apartment. He tenses at sudden noises. Just speaking about his struggles brings him to tears.

My children dont help me, he says. Why do I need such a life?

In time, he knows, winter will return to the unheated apartment blocks without mercy.

The Russians could do the same. More than 600 civilians have been killed in the Kharkiv region north of Donetsk since the invasion, some in Saltiva. Ukrainian authorities have alleged that the Russians used banned cluster bombs.

Communities around the edges of Kharkiv are still in uncertain hands, reportedly part of Moscows strategy to keep Ukrainian troops so distracted that they cannot be sent to places like Donetsk where the Russians are chewing away at entire cities.

You dont wish this on anyone, says Bogdan Netsov, 14, who lives with his family in an apartment with curtains drawn.

In another Saltivka building, a scrawled sign in the stairway warns potential occupiers that if you come in, youll get killed.

This is where Viktor Shevchenko still calls home, even as he needs the light of his cellphone to see through its gloom in the daylight hours.

This is me speaking for the whole world, he says, unshaven and fortified by tea. We will push Russia away. Because we are patriots, and we live on our land.

Dishes lie smashed in his destroyed kitchen. A religious symbol from his Orthodox faith is scorched. A clock on the wall, like the neighborhood around him, has stopped working.

Shevchenko reaches for the clock and winds it.

It runs, he says, with a touch of pride. It runs.

On unsteady legs, he returns to the silence of Saltivka, the ticking clock in his hands.

___

Mstyslav Chernov in Kharkiv, Ukraine, contributed.

___

Follow APs coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  Record-high gas prices have stoked interest in electric vehicles. But Black Hills power providers say improvements are need in the electric grid to keep pace with anticipated sales.

The Biden administration has set an ambitious target to make half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 zero-emissions electric vehicles.

While thats the goal, electric utility providers say the state is not ready for that.

West River Electric Co-op spokesman Robert Raker says utilities are not producing enough electricity to meet the Biden administration's goal.

We cant stop it. Thats what people are wanting. So, we need to make sure that when these EVs come in, they start charging at night. So, what West River Electric has done is developed a rate that incentivizes charging at night, Raker said.

Raker said West River Electric charges a flat fee of $30 a month to charge an electric vehicle at night when the demand for electricity is minimal, South Dakota Public Broadcasting reported.

The federal Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act has funding to build a national network of electric vehicle fast-charging stations.

The South Dakota Department of Transportation is looking for feedback on how and where to build a charging network in the state.

So what were trying to get our arms wrapped around is how could this look in South Dakota? I think were seeing maybe a little bit of a shift in the consumer market, said Mike Behm, DOT's director of planning and engineering.

The department also wants input on how to fund the states roads in an increasingly electric future since most of the current funding comes from gas and diesel taxes.
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP)  Venezuelan authorities say they are investigating the killing of an Indigenous leader who denounced illegal mining in a remote part of the country close to the Amazon rainforest.

Virgilio Trujillo was shot to death June 30 in broad daylight in Puerto Ayacucho, a small border town that is the capital of the Venezuelan state of Amazonas.

Douglas Rico, head of the nations investigative police, said this week that a group of detectives was sent to the area to collect clues and conduct interrogations.

Rico wrote on Twitter that the Indigenous leader was possibly killed by one of the ilegal armed groups in the area that smuggle gold, drugs and other contraband along the porous border with Colombia.

Trujillo was a member of the Uwotujja ethnic group and founded an organization of unarmed environmental guards that monitored the activities of illegal miners on Indigenous territory.

The indigenous rights group Kape Kape said on its website that Trujillo had accompanied the Venezuelan military on patrols during which soldiers seized equipment from illegal miners and also destroyed landing strips used by drug traffickers.

Indigenous territories in Venezuela are under increasing pressure from illegal gold mining in Amazonas and also in a swath of territory along the Orinoco River that was designated by the Venezuelan government as a special development zone in 2016.

Miners who work in tandem with rebel groups have also moved into the Canaima National Park, which is covered by rainforest and is home to the worlds tallest waterfall.

According to the Observatory for the Defense of Life, a regional human rights group, 32 environmental leaders and Indigenous leaders have been slain in Venezuela since 2013.
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SMITHSBURG, Md. (AP)  A grand jury has indicted the West Virginia man accused of shooting and killing three coworkers at a Maryland machine shop and then shooting and wounding a state trooper who was responding to the incident.

Joe Louis Esquivel, 23, of Hedgesville, West Virginia, was indicted June 29 in two separate criminal cases, including charges of murder, attempted murder, assault and use of a firearm in a crime of violence, said Christine Remsburg, Assistant State's Attorney for Washington County, Maryland.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  The Wisconsin Supreme Court's conservative majority ruled Thursday that a transgender woman cannot change her name because she is on the state's sex offender registry and the law does not allow people on the registry to change their names.

The courts 4-3 decision upholds the rulings of two lower courts, which rejected the woman's requests to change her name and avoid registering as a sex offender.

The woman, identified in court documents only as Ella, was required to register as a sex offender after being convicted of sexually assaulting a disabled 14-year-old boy when she was 15. She is now 22.

According to court records, Ella was about 6-foot, 5-inches and more than 300 pounds (135 kilograms) at the time of the assault. The victim was 110 pounds, blind in one eye and autistic. After the assault, Ella taunted the victim on Facebook and told other students what happened, perpetuating his victimization and trauma, the court said.

The majority said those details were relevant to understanding the severity of the crime and why it was necessary to require Ella to register as a sex offender.

Ella entered the criminal justice system identifying as male and was ordered to register as a sex offender for 15 years. State law prohibits registered sex offenders from changing their names or using aliases not listed in the sex offender registry.

Ella's attorneys argued that not allowing her to change her name or avoid registering as a sex offender violated the First and Eighth Amendments as both a violation of her free speech and cruel and unusual punishment.

The Supreme Court rejected both of those arguments.

Consistent with well established precedent, we hold Ellas placement on the sex offender registry is not a punishment under the Eighth Amendment, Justice Rebecca Bradley wrote for the majority. Even if it were, sex offender registration is neither cruel nor unusual. We further hold Ellas right to free speech does not encompass the power to compel the State to facilitate a change of her legal name. 

Ella can take other steps to express her gender identity, the majority said, she just cant legally change her name.

For example, nothing prohibits her from dressing in womens clothing, wearing make-up, growing out her hair, or using a feminine alias, Rebecca Bradley wrote. The State has not branded Ella with her legal name, and when Ella presents a government-issued identification card, she is free to say nothing at all or to say, I go by Ella.

Rebecca Bradley was joined in the majority by Chief Justice Annette Ziegler and Justices Patience Roggensack and Brian Hagedorn. Justice Ann Walsh Bradley wrote the dissenting opinion and was joined by Justices Rebecca Dallet and Jill Karofsky.

The dissenting justices agreed that Ella's arguments alleging an Eighth Amendment violation of cruel and unusual punishment fail. But they said she should be allowed to petition a court to legally change her name based on First Amendment rights.

The majority discounts the burdens Ella faces as a result of the restriction, Ann Walsh Bradley wrote. A persons name is an essential part of their identity, she wrote, citing Muhammad Ali and Caitlyn Jenner as high profile examples.

Requiring Ella to maintain a name that is inconsistent with her gender identity and forcing her to out herself every time she presents official documents exposes her to discrimination and abuse, she wrote for the minority.

Cary Bloodworth, the public defender who represented Ella, has not returned a message seeking comment.

___

Associated Press writer Harm Venhuizen contributed to this report. He is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/HarmVenhuizen.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  The Wisconsin Supreme Court's conservative majority on Thursday sided with a former member of the state Public Service Commission who did not want to turn over his cellphone in a fight over the approval of a new power line.

The court said there was no evidence that Mike Huebschs private communications with utility executives influenced his vote to approve the nearly $500 million project in 2019. Huebsch is a former Republican speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly and was a member of former Gov. Scott Walker's Cabinet.

The Supreme Court ruled that an appearance of bias does not amount to a violation of due process, as opponents had argued.

The Supreme Court, in its 4-3 ruling, did not address the approval of the power line. Instead, the court said the lower courts were wrong to rule that Huebsch should have to turn over his cellphone to be searched for messages he may have sent or received with those connected to the power line project.

It also rejected arguments that Huebsch's attempts to land a job with one of the utility's building the line was improper, saying there were no facts to back up the claims.

Justice Brian Hagedorn called the allegations against Huebsch meritless and borderline frivolous.

Huebschs attorney, Ryan Walsh, called the ruling a resounding victory.

His years-long nightmare is finally over, Walsh said in an email. He said the ruling sends an unmistakable message that campaigns of slander and innuendo against adjudicators and judges by unhappy litigants will not be tolerated.

The court overreached in its ruling, said Howard Learner, who represented Driftless Area Land Conservancy and Wisconsin Wildlife Federation in the case. But Learner, the executive director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center, said the ruling clears the way for the circuit court to rule on the merits of the PSC granting the permit for the power line.

PSC spokesman Matt Sweeney praised the ruling, saying it reaffirms the integrity of the commission's process and helps protect public servants against frivolous, unfair, and unfounded claims of bias.

Construction of the power line has continued even though a federal judge ruled in a different lawsuit that it cant cross the Mississippi River as planned.

In addition to Dairyland Power, others building the line are American Transmission Company and ITC Midwest. They argued that the power line is necessary to relieve congestion and improve reliability on the power grid while also facilitating a transition to clean energy.

Huebsch served on the PSC from 2015 to 2020. The line was unanimously approved by the commission in 2019. Opponents of the project, including the Driftless Area Land Conservancy, the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, Dane County and other local governments, sued in an attempt to block its construction.

Attorneys for the PSC had argued that if the ruling was allowed to stand, future rulings of the commission could be questioned under the same reasoning.

The court agreed with Huebsch's argument that commission members enjoy a presumption of impartiality and that it is possible to set aside personal relationships when deciding cases. Huebsch also argued that the communications were purely personal ones between friends.

Those communications, some of which were done using an encrypted messaging app, included Huebschs attempts to land a job with Dairyland Power Cooperative. Is is one of the utilities behind the 102-mile Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line that is being built from Middleton, Wisconsin, to Dubuque, Iowa. Huebsch, who started a private consulting company, did not get the job.

Dane County Circuit Judge Jacob Frost ruled in 2021 that the evidence created an appearance of bias and ordered Huebsch to submit to questioning. The Supreme Court reversed that ruling.

The circuit court was wrong to deny Huebschs motion to quash discovery and seize his phone, the Supreme Court said.

There is no factual evidence of any wrongdoing, Justice Patience Roggensack wrote for the majority. Justices Rebecca Bradley, Hagedorn and Chief Justice Annette Ziegler joined Roggensack in the majority.

Justice Jill Karofsky, writing for the dissenting justices, said the majority overreached with its ruling since the subpoena seeking Huebsch's phone had been withdrawn.

Inconvenience and the discomfort that comes with having private relationships exposed to public view simply are not enough to excuse a subpoenaed witness from his duty to testify, Karofsky wrote. She was joined by fellow liberal Justices Rebecca Dallet and Ann Walsh Bradley.
AP

RICHMOND, Ky. (AP)  Work has begun on eliminating the last chemical weapons stockpile stored at an Army depot in Kentucky.

The Blue Grass Army Depot's stockpile of decades-old M55 rockets containing GB nerve agent makes up about half of the 523 tons of weapons that were originally stored there. The nerve agent, also known as sarin, is colorless, odorless and highly toxic.
John Fedele/Getty Images/Tetra images RF

Dog, man's best friend. But the wallet's? Not so much.

Depending on where you live in the United States could very much determine how expensive it is to have a K-9 companion. Some places are reasonable, some places are understandable and others are just plain outrageous.
Federal regulators authorized state-licensed pharmacists Wednesday to prescribe the COVID-19 medication Paxlovid, enabling eligible patients to receive the medication over the counter.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration revised its Emergency Use Authorization for the medication, allowing licensed pharmacists to prescribe it to COVID-positive patients who present recent health records and a list of medications they take regularly.

Those who test positive for COVID are advised to primarily seek care from their normal health care provider or a "test to treat" site, which offer consultations with a physician who, if they determine it is medically necessary, can prescribe antiviral medication that can reduce the chance of serious illness.

However, Wednesday's action will also allow state-licensed pharmacists at retail pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens to provide the medication.

The bodies of three adults who entered the water near Three Mile Slough Bridge in Rio Vista on Sunday to attempt to rescue a child were recovered on Tuesday, according to a California State Parks spokesperson.

Park rangers were originally notified of a possible triple fatal drowning at about 1:25 p.m. Sunday at the Brannan Island State Recreation Area.

It appears that a child was in distress and three people went to attempt to rescue the juvenile. The child was able to make it shore, according to the Rio Vista Fire Department, but three adults who went into the water were unaccounted for, authorities said.

The family and friends of the three men who perished, who hailed from Guatemala but lived in Oakland, have identified them as Edwin Rivas, Edwin Perez and Danilo Gutierrez, according to a GoFundMe campaign set up to help pay for funeral expenses and to repatriate them to their home country for burial.

A 9-year-old boy died Wednesday afternoon after he was found unresponsive in a Mountain View apartment complex pool, police said.

The apparent drowning was reported by a caller about 4 p.m. in the 1800 block of Ednamary Way.

While emergency crews were en route, dispatchers provided CPR instructions to the caller. Life-saving efforts were continued when crews arrived and the boy was taken to a hospital where he died, police said.

Detectives responded to the scene to investigate what led to the boy's death.

A San Francisco Zoo penguin named Captain EO, admired for having the personality of a sophisticated older gentleman, died Wednesday, zoo officials said.

He was an estimated 40 years old. The cause of death was not given.

Captain EO was the last of the founding members of the zoo's Magellanic colony and was one of the oldest penguins under human care. He lived an estimated 10 to 20 years past his normal life expectancy.

Captain EO arrived at penguin island at the San Francisco Zoo that year, along with 51 other wild Magellanic penguins. The zoo had just created a habitat for the penguins through the conversion of a 200-foot-long outdoor pool, replicating the coastal shores of their native Chile and Argentina.

Captain EO's name came from a character in a Michael Jackson-themed Disneyland attraction.

Before his death, the captain had 26 offspring. He has 31 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Many are in zoos and aquariums across the United States.

As he got older, he required specialized care because he lost most of his eyesight and hearing. The required care included making him feel comfortable as he ate among his peers.

A 9-year-old boy injured in a train collision last month in unincorporated Contra Costa County has died, authorities said Wednesday.

Julien Nieves, of Dixon, died June 29 at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, according to the Alameda County Coroner's Office.

Julien was one of five people in a car that was hit by an Amtrak train about 1 p.m. June 26 on train tracks in the 3000 block of Orwood Road, near Brentwood.

Three others in the car died after the crash: Dixon residents Julia Mondragon, 41, and Maria Nieves, 72, and Brentwood resident Mercedes Regalado, 51.

Julien and one other person in the car were hospitalized with major injuries.

Contra Costa Deputy District Attorney Aron DeFerrari is the California's 2021 Outstanding Prosecutor of the Year.

County district attorney Diana Becton nominated DeFerrari in March 2022 in a letter sent to the California District Attorneys Association, who bestows the honor on attorneys who achieve excellence on complex and challenging cases throughout their careers.

"In the pandemic year, Aron DeFerrari faced challenges in and out of the courtroom," Becton said, in a statement. "Despite COVID restrictions, Aron spent 103 days prosecuting three separate homicide trials against a total of five defendants. Most impressively, he convicted all five men of murder."

Two people were displaced Wednesday evening by a fire at a Petaluma apartment where smoke detectors had been removed, fire officials said.

The blaze was reported about 6:30 p.m. in the 600 block of Galland Street, where firefighters saw smoke coming from a small apartment behind a home and found fire in an outside wall.

No injuries were reported, fire officials said. The blaze was quickly extinguished, and the Red Cross was assisting the two residents and their pets with finding shelter.

Estimated damages were $25,000, according to Assistant Fire Chief Chad Costa.

The main house on the property was not damaged by the blaze.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but fire officials noted that the apartment's smoke detectors had been removed.

A 73-year-old man reported missing on Wednesday afternoon has been located, Oakland police said.

Leonard Hunt, who was considered at-risk due to dementia, has been located, police said in a news release about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Authorities have located a teen who was reported missing on Monday and was thought to have gone to San Francisco, the San Mateo County Sheriff said Wednesday.

Sabrina Klinke, 14, has been found and is in good health, the sheriff said.

Copyright  2022 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

Copyright  2022 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
Santa Clara vector control crews are planning to spray insecticide next week in some Sunnyvale and Santa Clara neighborhoods, following the recent discovery of West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes.

Using truck-mounted foggers, the Santa Clara Vector Control District is set to treat the targeted areas on Monday, July 11. The treatment will begin about 10 p.m. and last for about three hours.

The areas will be in ZIP codes 94085, 94086, 94087 and 95051.

The county will spray Merus 3.0, an undiluted botanical insecticide derived from chrysanthemum flowers. The insecticide is sprayed using a very small amount of pesticide in a process known as ultra low volume treatment, county officials said.

Federal regulators authorized state-licensed pharmacists Wednesday to prescribe the COVID-19 medication Paxlovid, enabling eligible patients to receive the medication over the counter.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration revised its Emergency Use Authorization for the medication, allowing licensed pharmacists to prescribe it to COVID-positive patients who present recent health records and a list of medications they take regularly.

Those who test positive for COVID are advised to primarily seek care from their normal health care provider or a "test to treat" site, which offer consultations with a physician who, if they determine it is medically necessary, can prescribe antiviral medication that can reduce the chance of serious illness.

However, Wednesday's action will also allow state-licensed pharmacists at retail pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens to provide the medication.

The bodies of three adults who entered the water near Three Mile Slough Bridge in Rio Vista on Sunday to attempt to rescue a child were recovered on Tuesday, according to a California State Parks spokesperson.

Park rangers were originally notified of a possible triple fatal drowning at about 1:25 p.m. Sunday at the Brannan Island State Recreation Area.

It appears that a child was in distress and three people went to attempt to rescue the juvenile. The child was able to make it shore, according to the Rio Vista Fire Department, but three adults who went into the water were unaccounted for, authorities said.

The family and friends of the three men who perished, who hailed from Guatemala but lived in Oakland, have identified them as Edwin Rivas, Edwin Perez and Danilo Gutierrez, according to a GoFundMe campaign set up to help pay for funeral expenses and to repatriate them to their home country for burial.

A 9-year-old boy died Wednesday afternoon after he was found unresponsive in a Mountain View apartment complex pool, police said.

The apparent drowning was reported by a caller about 4 p.m. in the 1800 block of Ednamary Way.

While emergency crews were en route, dispatchers provided CPR instructions to the caller. Life-saving efforts were continued when crews arrived and the boy was taken to a hospital where he died, police said.

Detectives responded to the scene to investigate what led to the boy's death.

A San Francisco Zoo penguin named Captain EO, admired for having the personality of a sophisticated older gentleman, died Wednesday, zoo officials said.

He was an estimated 40 years old. The cause of death was not given.

Captain EO was the last of the founding members of the zoo's Magellanic colony and was one of the oldest penguins under human care. He lived an estimated 10 to 20 years past his normal life expectancy.

Captain EO's name came from a character in a Michael Jackson-themed Disneyland attraction.

Before his death, the captain had 26 offspring. He has 31 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Many are in zoos and aquariums across the United States.

A 9-year-old boy injured in a train collision last month in unincorporated Contra Costa County has died, authorities said Wednesday.

Julien Nieves, of Dixon, died June 29 at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, according to the Alameda County Coroner's Office.

Julien was one of five people in a car that was hit by an Amtrak train about 1 p.m. June 26 on train tracks in the 3000 block of Orwood Road, near Brentwood.

Three others in the car died after the crash: Dixon residents Julia Mondragon, 41, and Maria Nieves, 72, and Brentwood resident Mercedes Regalado, 51.

Julien and one other person in the car were hospitalized with major injuries.

Contra Costa Deputy District Attorney Aron DeFerrari is the California's 2021 Outstanding Prosecutor of the Year.

County district attorney Diana Becton nominated DeFerrari in March 2022 in a letter sent to the California District Attorneys Association, who bestows the honor on attorneys who achieve excellence on complex and challenging cases throughout their careers.

"In the pandemic year, Aron DeFerrari faced challenges in and out of the courtroom," Becton said, in a statement. "Despite COVID restrictions, Aron spent 103 days prosecuting three separate homicide trials against a total of five defendants. Most impressively, he convicted all five men of murder."

Two people were displaced Wednesday evening by a fire at a Petaluma apartment where smoke detectors had been removed, fire officials said.

The blaze was reported about 6:30 p.m. in the 600 block of Galland Street, where firefighters saw smoke coming from a small apartment behind a home and found fire in an outside wall.

No injuries were reported, fire officials said. The blaze was quickly extinguished, and the Red Cross was assisting the two residents and their pets with finding shelter.

Estimated damages were $25,000, according to Assistant Fire Chief Chad Costa.

The main house on the property was not damaged by the blaze. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but fire officials noted that the apartment's smoke detectors had been removed.

A 73-year-old man reported missing on Wednesday afternoon has been located, Oakland police said.

Leonard Hunt, who was considered at-risk due to dementia, has been located, police said in a news release about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Authorities have located a teen who was reported missing on Monday and was thought to have gone to San Francisco, the San Mateo County Sheriff said Wednesday.

Sabrina Klinke, 14, has been found and is in good health, the sheriff said.

Police arrested four people suspected in a strong-armed robbery at a grocery story Saturday night in Palo Alto.

Police found the suspects -- two adults and two juveniles, all males -- in a stolen car not far from the store and within minutes of the crime, police said in a statement issued Wednesday by Palo Alto Police Department.

Officers responded to a 9:28 p.m. report of the crime at a Safeway market at 2811 Middlefield Road. While enroute to the store, officers found a vehicle -- which matched the description provided by store employees -- driving northbound in the 2400 block of Middlefield Road.

Officers determined the stolen car had been carjacked in Concord earlier Saturday. Concord police took custody of the two adult suspects and arrested them on suspicion of carjacking and conspiracy.

Palo Alto police arrested the two juveniles -- ages 15 and 17, both of Pittsburg -- on suspicion of robbery and conspiracy.

The National Weather Service forecast for the greater San Francisco Bay Area calls for morning clouds but mostly sunny skies by the afternoon Thursday, with daytime highs near 60 on the coast, in the upper 60s to mid 70s around the bay, and reaching 80 in the interior areas of the East Bay. Overnight lows are expected in the 50s.

A gradual warming and drying trend begins by midweek, with below normal temperatures persisting through Friday. By Saturday, the region warms back to near to slightly above normal conditions through Monday.

Copyright  2022 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

Copyright  2022 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  Organizers of an education funding initiative turned in more than 100,000 petition signatures to the Idaho Secretary of State's office on Wednesday in hopes of getting the Quality Education Act on the November ballot.

Most of the signatures gathered by Reclaim Idaho have already been verified by local county clerks, but the secretary of state's office must conduct a final review before the measure officially qualifies for the ballot. The Quality Education Act would generate an estimated $323 million each year for K-12 education by increasing income taxes for corporations and the state's highest-earning residents. That's about a 14% increase over the current state funding.

Under the plan, the corporate income tax rate would increase from 6% to 8%, and individuals earning more than $250,000 in taxable income  or $500,000 for joint filers  would be placed in a new 10.925% income tax bracket. The revenue would be used for things like teacher and support staff salaries, reducing class sizes, hiring school counselors and psychologists, providing classroom supplies and materials and for special education services and programs like art, music, career-technical education and full-day kindergarten.

The crowd of cheering volunteers, in bright-green T-shirts, gathered on the Capitol steps for a rally before delivering the petitions, at which Luke Mayville, Reclaim Idaho co-founder, brandished a copy of the Idaho Constitution.

When the founders of our state drafted this document 132 years ago, they stated clearly that it is the obligation of our Legislature to provide a quality education to every Idaho child, he told the crowd. But in recent decades, especially in the last 20 years, the majority of our legislators failed to fulfill their obligation to Idahos children. They let Idaho sink to 50th out of 50 states in funding for education.

Idaho is dead last in the country for per-student spending, according to a 2021-22 ranking report from the National Education Association. The Gem State spends $8,662 annually per student. Utah is the only other state spending less than $10,000.

An initiative needs 65,000 valid signatures from registered Idaho voters to get on a ballot. Those signatures also must represent at least 6% of 18 different legislative districts across the state.

To become state law, a ballot initiative needs 50% plus one vote in November. Leah Jones, a second grade teacher in Twin Falls, is among those who signed the petition. She said she loves her job but staffing shortages, low wages and stress have overshadowed the classroom moments she loves the most.

The outcome of the initiative could be a deciding factor for whether she stays in her job, Jones said.

I might be one of those teachers that Ive watched leave, that went to college to be a teacher, that loves teaching and working with kids. And I just cant anymore, Jones said. There will be more like me leaving if nothing changes. And theyll be shorter on teachers. Theyre already short. Its just not, its not fair to our students. They deserve quality educators.
Recent headlines, from the January 6th Select Committees hearings to the Supreme Court rolling back the right to reproductive healthcare, 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 last week 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 semiautomatic 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 super-majority 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 past 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. We are at a critical juncture, but these attacks are galvanizing Americans who still believe in freedom and democracy.

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 January 6th 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 justice department 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.

While there is much cause for concern, there are solutions. Our first recourse is the ballot box, and we must hold our elected officials accountable. We need accountability for the Supreme Court, including new laws to strengthen ethics and recusal standards.

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.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed has chosen Brooke Jenkins  a former prosecutor and outspoken Chesa Boudin critic  to replace Boudin as district attorney, according to an official familiar with the mayor's choice but not authorized to speak publicly.

Boudin was recalled by San Francisco voters 55% to 45% on June 7, and must leave office by the end of this week. The mayor's office will hold a press conference at 5 p.m. Thursday announcing the selection, and Jenkins will be sworn in Friday at noon at City Hall, the official said.

Jenkins left Boudin's office in October 2021, alleging mismanagement and prioritization of ideology over day-to-day operations. In a San Francisco Chronicle article titled, "Why a progressive prosecutor just left D.A. Chesa Boudins office and joined the recall effort," Jenkins said while she objects to the way Boudin ran the office, she believes the criminal justice system needs reform and that alternatives to incarceration such as diversion programs can be valuable (SFGATE and the San Francisco Chronicle are both owned by Hearst but operate independently of one another).

Jenkins went on to volunteer for the recall campaign, and drew scrutiny from progressives. In a rebuttal to the Chronicle article, the left-leaning Davis Vanguard accused Jenkins of prosecutorial misconduct in a 2019 molestation case.

While campaigning for the recall, Jenkins sharply criticized her former boss. Among other attacks, she said Boudin has shown a "refusal to take crimes against Asians seriously," has "made it clear that ... lives lost to gun violence dont matter to him" and uses "empty rhetoric" to "con the public and victims families before he refuses to charge murderers and gives cheap plea deals to killers and shooters."

When Boudin accused Jenkins of supporting the recall in attempt to further her own ambitions, she tweeted, "This isnt about my ambition whatsoever. This is about his incompetence, his disregard for the terrible impacts of his policies and his refusal to do his job. I know that we can reform this system and keep people safe at the same time. Period."

She is, apparently, sensitive to being labeled as "tough on crime" in a heavily Democratic city. In a May Twitter thread, Jenkins pushed back on how media outlets had characterized the Boudin recall.

"The headlines for DA recall stories tend to characterize this battle as 'tough on crime' vs. 'soft on crime,'" she wrote. "I challenge journalists covering the SFDA recall to [be] more sophisticated and educated in their characterization of those that support the recall, particularly prosecutors.

"You are misrepresenting us and the fact that criminal justice is NOT a binary choice between soft and hard. This false dichotomy misleads readers and voters. You dont have to be 'tough on crime' to believe in accountability. You can want/have reform and accountability.

"Accountability does not simply mean or equate to prison," she continued. "Accountability includes opportunities for rehabilitation. You dont have to want the return of the War on Drugs to have consequences for drug dealing. This simplistic argument is why there is chaos in our communities."

Jenkins will face re-election in November of this year, and then if she wins must face the voters again in the next regularly scheduled municipal election in November 2023. Boudin has recently told media outlets he's not ruling out running for the district attorney's office again either this year or next year.
State Rep. Jared Patterson (R-Frisco) tweeted Tuesday that he plans to file a bill during the next legislative session that would aim to ban minors from using social media, raising the minimum age for using the platforms from 13 to 18. "It's long past time to recognize the incredible harm social media is doing to the mental health of young Texans," Patterson tweeted. "Next session, we put an end to it."

Patterson's tweet was in response to a piece posted by the Cannon Online, which similarly called for limiting minor's access to social media. The Cannon offers commentary from the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF), a conservative think tank based in Austin.

"Texas should be the national leader on the issue of child online safety by taking the bold step of banning social media use by minors," wrote Zach Whiting, senior fellow at TPPF. "States place age-restrictions on numerous behaviors, such as driving, voting, smoking, drinking, and entering into a valid contract, among other things. This proposal would recognize social media as a prohibited harm to minors."

Most social media platforms only allow users age 13-and-older under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. However, Patterson called for further restrictions. He recently retweeted articles about how social media may have played a role in recent mass shootings, including this week's tragedy during a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, IL., that left at least seven dead.

In an emailed statement, Patterson said that over the years, Texas has taken steps to improve the physical health and safety of young people, and pointed to the state passing laws to prevent minors from purchasing firearms, alcohol and tobacco, as well as requiring car seats, booster seats and seat belts.

"Its past time we treat mental health as seriously as physical health," Patterson said in an emailed statement Thursday. "From the conversations Ive had with school officials in recent weeks, Ive come to better understand the mental health threat social media imposes on our youth. I look forward to having the open conversation with my constituents and my colleagues next session about raising the minimum age for social media from 13 years old to 18 years old."

Last year, the state legislature passed a law that aimed to stop social media platforms from censoring users based on their viewpoints. The law was heralded by conservatives, but the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the Texas law in May.

It's not the first time Patterson has amplified similar proposals designed to protect youth. Earlier this year, as part of state Republicans efforts to ban certain books from schools, Patterson and 26 other Texas House GOP legislators signed a letter sent to Texas superintendents that asked school leaders to pledge they won't partner with book vendors that supply "pornographic materials" to campuses.
Its not everyday that an independent artist sees Beyonce wearing their original creation in British Vogue. But for Victoria Shen, a small experimental musician based in San Francisco, thats exactly what happened earlier this month.

In a July 1 video released by the fashion behemoth, Beyonce introduces her latest single, Break My Soul, by gently dragging long, chrome acrylic nails with needles on them across a spinning record. However, these unique needle nails were originally made by Shen, who performs under the name Evicshen and had no idea that Vogue lifted her idea without proper attribution or compensation (and who posted photos of her sonic creation in 2021, long before the video came out).

The artist, who used to be a nail technician and cleverly incorporates them in her rowdy, kinetic live sets, says she was totally gagged when she saw them on Queen B herself. It really came as a shock, she said over the phone.

Cat Beckstrand

After Shens followers ignited a firestorm on social media  and after the Beyhive came after her, which she refers to as more of a wasps nest  Shen reached out to Andrew Makadsi, the creative brain behind Beyonces Homecoming and her 2022 Oscars performance, and asked for credit. (Shen shared screenshots of their private conversation on Instagram with SFGATE).

Sorry for this incident, the idea came from our director and we didn't do well on our end to check the background, Makadsi replied. We will update the British Vogue credits, I would love to figure out a collaboration together in the future.

Shortly after, Beyonces publicist quietly came forward to apologize to Shen and let her know that credits have been updated to include her name, according to screenshots of the conversation shared with SFGATE. In the exchange, she asks Shen to take down her original Instagram post calling out British Vogue, and after Shen replies that shed consider it if they made proper amends, Shen says she was ghosted.

Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag

British Vogues communications team did not respond to SFGATEs request for comment, nor did they outline steps for how theyd prevent similar situations from happening again.

So it's like, I feel like half good, half bad because it also still feels like I was ripped off, you know, in an uncredited way, Shen says. But you know, I'm also kind of happy that the idea is out there. It's reaching a much wider audience than I ever could.

And the way Beyonces team could truly make amends? The total dream is if Beyonce let me rip the noise set in her mansion, she laughs. I would be so like, This is it. Ive made it, I can retire happy.
Sioux Falls and San Francisco have formed a colorful bond.

The most populous city in South Dakota experienced its own version of an Orange Sky Day this week after South Dakotans rose on the morning of July 5 to find their sky green.

The weather phenomenon is attributed to a powerful storm event called a derecho. According to the National Weather Service, a derecho is a widespread (extending more than 240 miles) and long-lived wind storm with rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms.

The wind storm moved through South Dakota and the surrounding Great Plains on Tuesday, where gusts reportedly reached up to 99 mph in some regions.

Courtesy of Jaden (@jkarmill)

Although the derecho appears to have been the cause of the green skies, the science explaining the unique coloring is debated among meteorologists.

In 1993, a study from Penn State University explored whether hail was the cause of the green color but concluded that its impact was low. Instead, the studys co-authors proposed two plausible theories, and they differ on the position of the sun. Craig Bohren theorized that the green is caused by a setting or rising sun (providing the yellowish color) shining behind a thunderstorm with a rain or hail shaft that has a bluish hue. Alistair Fraser contends that its due to the sunlight ahead of the thunderstorm. Both researchers agree that for a green sky to appear, there needs to be a powerful thunderstorm carrying a large volume of precipitation aligning just right with the sun.

During the storm this week, South Dakotans shared their reactions to the green sky across social media:

For local weather news, visit SFGATE's weather page.
WFO DALLAS / FT. WORTH Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, July 7, 2022

_____

HEAT ADVISORY

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service Fort Worth TX

125 PM CDT Thu Jul 7 2022

...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT SUNDAY...

* WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 106

degrees and heat index values up to 112.

* WHERE...Portions of north central, northeast and south central

Texas.

* WHEN...Until 9 PM CDT Sunday.

* IMPACTS...Extreme heat and humidity will significantly

increase the potential for heat related illnesses,

particularly for those working or participating in outdoor

activities.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out

of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young

children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles

under any circumstances.

Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When

possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or

evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat

stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when

possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational

Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent

rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone

overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.

Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.

...HEAT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT SUNDAY...

* WHAT...Temperatures up to 105 degrees and heat index values up

to 110 degrees expected.

* WHERE...Along and west of a line from Graham to Stephenville to

Gatesville.

* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity will increase the

risk for heat-related illnesses to occur, particularly for

those working or participating in outdoor activities.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, July 7, 2022

_____

FLASH FLOOD WARNING

The National Weather Service in Midland/Odessa has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...

East Central Culberson County in southwestern Texas...

North Central Jeff Davis County in southwestern Texas...

Southwestern Reeves County in southwestern Texas...

* Until 700 PM CDT /600 PM MDT/.

* At 358 PM CDT /258 PM MDT/, 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...

Kent and Buffalo Trail Scout Camp.

This includes the following streams and drainages...

Ninemile Draw, Canyon Creek, Cherry Creek, Toyah Creek and Madera

Canyon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood

deaths occur in vehicles.

Please report observed flooding to local emergency services or law

enforcement and request they pass this information to the National

Weather Service when you can do so safely.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO NORMAN Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, July 6, 2022

_____

HEAT ADVISORY

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE...UPDATED

National Weather Service Norman OK

816 PM CDT Wed Jul 6 2022

...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM TO 8 PM CDT

THURSDAY...

...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM TO 8 PM CDT FRIDAY...

* WHAT...Heat indices 105 to 110.

* WHERE...Portions of central, northern, and southern Oklahoma

and northern Texas.

* WHEN...1 PM to 8 PM Thursday and Friday.

* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat

illnesses to occur.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out

of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young

children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles

under any circumstances.

Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When

possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or

evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat

stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when

possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational

Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent

rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone

overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.

Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.

* WHAT...Heat index values 105 to 110.

* WHERE...In Oklahoma, Tillman County. In Texas, Wilbarger and

Baylor Counties.

* WHEN...1 PM to 8 PM Friday.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO SHREVEPORT Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, July 7, 2022

_____

HEAT ADVISORY

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service Shreveport LA

923 PM CDT Wed Jul 6 2022

...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THURSDAY...

* WHAT...Heat index values up to 108.

* WHERE...Portions of north central and northwest Louisiana,

southeast Oklahoma, south central and southwest Arkansas and

east and northeast Texas.

* WHEN...Until 7 PM CDT Thursday.

* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat

illnesses to occur.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out

of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young

children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles

under any circumstances.

Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When

possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or

evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat

stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when

possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational

Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent

rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone

overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.

Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO SPOKANE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, July 6, 2022

_____

FLASH FLOOD WARNING

The National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...

The burn scar in...

Southwestern Lewis County in north central Idaho...

South Central Nez Perce County in north central Idaho...

Southeastern Asotin County in southeastern Washington...

* Until 930 PM PDT.

* At 620 PM PDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing

heavy rain over the Snake River complex burn scar of 2021. Flash

flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

Excessive rainfall over the burn scar will result in debris flow

moving through the Snake River Complex burn scar. The debris flow

can consist of rock, mud, vegetation and other loose materials.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms in and around

the burn scar.

SOURCE...Radar.

IMPACT...Flooding of areas in and around the burn scar.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...

mainly rural areas of Southwestern Lewis, South Central Nez Perce

and Southeastern Asotin Counties

Southwest of Winchester to Snake River. Roads including Eagle Creek

Road, Zaza Road, Corral Creek Road, Madden Creek Road.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

This is a life threatening situation. Heavy rainfall will cause

extensive and severe flash flooding of creeks...streams...and

ditches in the Snake River Complex burn scar of 2021. Severe debris

flows can also be anticipated across roads. Roads and driveways may

be washed away in places. If you encounter flood waters...climb to

safety.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
Westporters are lucky. We have so many amenities: beaches. Longshore. Great schools, vibrant shopping, wonderful restaurants the Levitt Pavilion and Remarkable Theater  what more could we want?

A hotel.

For a town that people love to visit, we sure dont do much to keep visitors here at night. I am often asked, Where can I stay for my upcoming Staples reunion/nephews bar mitzvah/visit to the town I grew up in?

My answer is Not here.

Theres the Delamar in Southport - a superb boutique hotel, with a fabulous view of, um, I-95. Norwalk has several hotels, at various price points

But spending the night in Westport? Not unless you know someone.

It was not always this way.

Back when people had to be friendly to travelers, because traveling was so arduous, George Washington slept here.

Twice, actually. His first visit was in 1780. Details are fuzzy - there was very little social media - but the general met Marquis de Lafayette and Count de Rochambeau at the Disbrow Inn. It was located approximately where Christ & Holy Trinity Church is now, near downtown. Supposedly they talked strategy. It must have worked; we won the war.

Nine years later, Washington returned. This time he was president. He came to a different inn/tavern: on the Post Road, near the current site of Kings Highway South and Birchwood Country Club. It was owned by Captain Ozias Marvin, who fought in the Revolutionary War.

He, his wife Sarah and their daughters cooked up a mammoth meal for their august guest: loaves of brown bread and pies, the finest vegetables from their farm, huge roasts hanging from an open fire.

Alas, all the president wanted was a bowl of bread and milk. Then he wrote in his diary: (It) is not a good house, though the people of it were disposed to do all they could to accommodate me.

As the town grew, the Westport Hotel opened. A handsome wooden structure on the Post Road/Main Street corner, it was an important place to lodge, socialize and eat. But its importance in Westport history was solidified when E.T. Bedford - the wealthy director of Standard Oil - bought it, tore it down, and replaced it with a Tudor building to house the YMCA.

There are two stories why. One is that as a boy, Bedford was not allowed into the hotel to play pool. Another is that as an adult, he disliked seeing boys inside playing pool. Whatever the reason, he donated the Y to Westport. (A century later the structure still stands. Its Anthropologie.)

The decades after Bedford built the Y saw an increase in automobile traffic. To serve travelers, a couple of motor courts - the forerunners of motels - sprang up on the Post Road.

They were functional, and served travelers who needed just a stop for the night. More in keeping with Westports inn tradition were lodgings at the private Longshore Club, and the Compo Inn (actually on the Post Road). The latter was better known as a watering hole for locals, while the former lost its luster after the town bought the club in 1960.

Thats around the time the New Englander Motel opened. Perfect for its time, with more than 100 rooms and a large pool, it was exactly what all those reunion and bar mitzvah-goers needed, through the second half of the 20th century.

Eventually, motels lost their adventurous, go-go spirit. Decades went by without change at the Westport Inn (though seemingly every year, a new restaurant opened on the premises, then closed). Finally, a renovation and name change (to of all things, The Westport Inn) breathed a bit of life back into the old space.

Its easy to forget, but Westport once boasted one of the most heralded boutique hotels in the world. In 1987 Arthur Tauck - owner of Tauck Tours, the legendary upscale travel company - bought National Hall. Already 150 years old, it had served Westport as a bank, newspaper office, meeting place and, for decades, a furniture store.

The building was near collapse. But after painstaking renovations, Tauck turned it into the Inn at National Hall (with a ground-floor restaurant). It was soon added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The Inn at National Hall is now gone, unfortunately. So is every other Westport hotel.

But times change. The Inn at Longshore is undergoing a major makeover. Plans are underway to build a hotel in Saugatuck, and another to replace the Westport Inn. That one will be run by the company that owns the Southport and Greenwich Delamars.

In time, visitors to Westport will no longer have to leave by sundown. Like George Washington, they can sleep here.

Dan Woog is a Westport writer, and his Woog's World appears each Friday. He can be reached at dwoog@optonline.net. His personal blog is danwoog06880.com.
Korean experts are working with domestic investors to study stock market fluctuations (Photo: SGGP)

On June 9, 2022, Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) announced the results of the 2022 Global Market Accessibility Review, including a detailed report covering market accessibility assessments for 84 markets. Vietnam is not included in the consideration list to be upgraded from frontier to emerging status.

Notably, in its June 2022 report, out of 9 criteria that Vietnam's stock market did not meet, MSCI emphasized the criteria on foreign ownership limitation (foreign room) and said that this bottleneck is affecting about 15 percent of stocks on the Vietnamese stock market.

In fact, in 2021, foreign investors net sold more than VND62,300 billion on Vietnam's stock market. According to experts explanation, due to the fear of the epidemic, investors want to collect their money back but they face the fact that many groups of industries that they are interested in are limited in terms of foreign ownership.

A representative of Dragon Capital Fund analyzed the net selling of foreign investors because the Vietnamese stock market has not been included in the list of emerging markets in 2021, so it has not been able to attract capital from foreign investors.

Around the world, the tendency of foreign capital to invest in frontier markets is decreasing.

At the Vietnam Economic Forum held in Ho Chi Minh City in June 2022, Mr. Don Lam, General Director of VinaCapital Group, shared that foreign investors such as the US, Europe, and South Korea are very interested in Vietnams stock market because it is estimated to be more attractive than other markets in Southeast Asia.

The regulation on foreign ownership limitations is hindering the development of the Vietnamese stock market, limiting the number of bonds that foreigners can invest in; therefore, foreign investors will pay expensive fees if they want to invest more. For example, the banking sector which is the largest and most liquid industry group in the market is always an area of interest to investors but is limited to 30 percent of foreign ownership.

Stock market experts also said that the problem of limiting the rate of foreign ownership in many other key industries such as logistics, and seaports are also a bottleneck. If Vietnam does not create more favorable conditions for foreigners to buy shares, they will shift their investment to other markets.

Regarding the upgrade of Vietnam's stock market , the Ministry of Finance affirmed that this is one of the goals that Vietnam's stock market is aiming for. The Ministry of Finance has also included this goal in the project Restructuring the stock market and insurance market to 2020 and orientation to 2025 and the draft strategy to develop the stock market to 2030.

Accordingly, Vietnam aims to upgrade the stock market from a frontier market to an emerging market before 2025.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the market upgrade does not depend on the management agencys will because the assessment, classification, and ranking must follow the principles and criteria of organizations such as MSCI or the Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE).

Currently, based on the criteria required by the rating agencies, Vietnam has achieved many important criteria, but it needs close coordination amongst relevant ministries and sectors to remove difficulties to help the market be upgraded soon.

The Ministry of Finance also aims to focus on completing and operating a new information technology system (KRX system) for the stock market. From the infrastructure foundation, it will develop, diversify, increase the quality of products in the market, and attract foreign investors and related infrastructure.

State management agencies recent moves have shown their great determination to upgrade Vietnam's stock market. The State Securities Commission of Vietnam recently worked with the World Bank and the FTSE to remove obstacles to the upgrade of Vietnam's stock market. The commission will discuss with ministries, associations, market members, and investors to remove problems such as foreign ownership rate and amend some regulations on the foreign exchange market.

Next, the Vietnam Securities Depository Center also took opinions on the draft regulation to replace the Regulation on clearing and settlement of securities transactions and the regulation on depository members.

It is expected that in August 2022, the time for settlement and clearing of securities will be shortened, investors can do T+2 transactions one day shorter than currently, liquidity is hence hoped to improve.

This regulation is also in line with international practices, so it will attract investors to participate, including foreign investors, and will also have an important impact on the upgrade of Vietnam's stock market in the near future.

Currently, the capital size of funds that can be allocated to frontier markets is about US$95 billion. To emerging markets, it is about $ 6.8 trillion. If Vietnam is upgraded to an emerging market, the Southeast Asian can receive inflows of hundred of billions of dollars.

By Hanh Nhung  Translated by Anh Quan
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang

On the afternoon of July 7, at a regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in response to a reporter's question about two Vietnamese citizens being held by police in Spain, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said, the Vietnamese Embassy in Spain has received a notice from the Spanish police and urgently implemented initial measures to protect the two citizens.

Currently, the Vietnamese Embassy in Spain is also continuing to monitor the case.

According to the Embassy, Spanish authorities are still collecting information and evidence for the investigation of the case.

Ms. Le Thi Thu Hang added that the two artists in the case are in normal health conditions and receive legal support in accordance with regulations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will provide information on the case related to citizen protection in accordance with its functions, and duties under Vietnamese law.

Previously, on July 1, information from the Vietnamese Embassy in Spain said that on June 25, police officers in Mallorca (Spain) announced that they had arrested two Vietnamese citizens on charges of sexual abuse of a 17-year-old minor and invasion of privacy.

Immediately after receiving the information, the Embassy took initial measures to protect citizens by working with local authorities to verify the information.

At the same time, the Embassy asked the Spanish authorities to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese citizens as well as promptly provide information about the case to the Embassy.

By Tran Binh  Translated by Anh Quan
Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen (R) receives Ambassador of India to Vietnam Pranay Verma.



The citys Party Chief expressed his sincere thanks for the warm and respectful welcome by Indian leaders and people to the delegation of HCMC high-ranking officials during a five-day official visit to India from June 19-23, presenting a vivid demonstration of the friendship and special solidarity between the two countries.

During the visit, the citys delegation attended an inauguration ceremony of the statue of President Ho Chi Minh in New Delhi. HCMC will inaugurate a statue of Indian national hero Mahatma Gandhi in the center of the southern metropolis in the coming time.

Mr. Nen emphasized that the high-level mutual visits, political and cultural events have contributed to deepening and tightening bilateral relations in various fields.

He hoped Ambassador of India to Vietnam Pranay Verma will continue to foster Vietnam-India relations in general, and HCMC-India particularly during his term.

Ambassador of India to Vietnam Pranay Verma highly appreciated the official visit to India led by Secretary of HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen. Vietnam is one of the important partners of India. Two-way trade between Vietnam and India in 2021 reached nearly US$14 billion and is expected to achieve US$15 billion this year.

He also expressed respect for placing a statue of Indian national hero Mahatma Gandhi in District 1s Tao Dan Park in HCMC and the support of leaders and people of HCMC in organizing the 8th International Day of Yoga that took place at Nguyen Hue Walking Street on June 21 with the participation of 1,000 people.

By Van Do  Translated by Kim Khanh
New Zealand Consul General Joe Nelson presents fruits to disadvantaged people in Maison Chance (Photo: VNA)

Consul General Joe Nelson, who is also Trade Commissioner at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, said that chronic malnutrition remains a major concern for disadvantaged children and adults.

The donation of fresh fruit this time aims to contribute to improving nutrition for children and women who are living and working at many charities in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, including Operation Smile, Support Centre for Inclusive Education Development, Blue Dragon Children's Foundation, and Maison Chance.

According to the diplomat, New Zealand enterprises want to not only sell their products but also show their social responsibility in Vietnam, and hope that the fresh fruits will bring about joy for unlucky children and women.

Earlier, the countrys fruit exporters also presented apples and kiwis to medical staffs and patients in many hospitals during the Covid-19 peak.

VNA
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Many companies introduce their employees by name on the company website. When a German employer fails to delete such information promptly after an employee leaves the company, it can be expensive for the former employer, as a judgment of the Labor Court (Arbeitsgericht, ArbG) of Neuruppin shows in an opinion from December 2021.

Facts of the Case

A biologist, who worked as an office manager, was named on her employer's public website and introduced as the company's in-house biologist, although this was not her position. When she left the company, the employee requested that the company delete the information from its website.

When her name and incorrect position still appeared online one year later, she sent her former employer a reminder and demanded that the company issue a cease-and-desist declaration to confirm that it had removed the information and claimed 8,000 euros (approximately $8,453) in damages. The employer deleted the information and provided the requested cease-and-desist declaration but paid only 150 euros (approximately $159) in damages. The employee then brought a claim before the Labor Court in Neuruppin, demanding payment of only 5,000 euros (approximately $5,284) in damages, minus the 150 euros that had already been paid.

The Judgment

The ArbG Neuruppin ordered the former employer to pay 1,000 euros (approximately $1,056) in damages, minus the 150 euros already paid. The court based its decision on data protection law, as the name of the employee is personal data within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Under Article 82 of the Regulation, when a person suffers damage as a result of a data processing infringement, the person shall have the right to receive damages from the data controller. In this case, it is the former employer that processed the employee's data without justification after the employee left the company. Due to the accompanying invasion of privacy, even nonmaterial damage will be considered when calculating the amount of compensation to be awarded, which shall expressly serve as a warning and deterrent. In addition, the employer had a duty to delete the data promptly after the employee left the company not just under data protection law, but as a general ancillary obligation of the terminated employment relationship. The court therefore held that compensation amounting to 1,000 euros was appropriate.

Consequences

The judgment of the ArbG Neuruppin highlights the risk of liability under data protection law, which is particularly virulent when an employee leaves the company. Employers are well advised to update the company website quickly in such cases and delete all information about the former employee. This is especially true when the employment relationship does not end amicably, and additional areas of conflict are best avoided.

Practical Tip

The judgment concerns the legal use of employee information on the Internet, whether it is on the company website or social media. Such information can include names, photos and videos of the employee. Considering the not insignificant risk of liability and an increasingly consolidated case law, employers should thoroughly assess their use of employee data in advance. In particular, the employer must ensure that the employee has given their legally effective consent, which covers all purposes, before using any data. When there is subsequently no justification for the use of the employee's data, such as because the employee did not give their consent, the infringing data must by deleted without delay.

Maximilian Quader is an attorney with Advant Beiten in Munich.  2022 Advant Beiten. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission of Lexology.
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On May 12, Hong Kong's Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) released the findings of the first-ever "Territorywide Representative Survey on Sexual Harassment in Hong Kong 2021." In its report, the EOC set out and discussed the survey result, and made recommendations on redressing sexual harassment, including workplace sexual harassment.

Workplace Sexual Harassment

The survey shows that sexual harassment is prevalent, regardless of sex and age. It confirms the traditional belief that more women than men are victims of workplace sexual harassment and that the harassers are often men. The survey findings further illustrate that those with less powerthat is, younger adults, in particular younger womenand those who took up temporary positions are more likely to face sexual harassment at work. The study also demonstrates that working in a company with no anti-sexual harassment policy significantly increases one's likelihood of being sexually harassed.

EOC's Recommendations

In the report, the EOC made various recommendations to the employers, the government and the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) on redressing sexual harassment. The recommendations are summarized below.

Employer. Employers are encouraged to develop a clear corporate anti-sexual harassment policy that handles complaints, takes disciplinary actions, provides awareness training to staff and communicates the redress channels. Employers should also encourage potential victims to be assertive and adopt a bystander intervention approach.

Employers should explicitly show its commitment to countering sexual harassment by, for instance, appointing a top-level manager to oversee anti-sexual harassment matters. Companies are also advised to inform their staff about the recent legal changes in anti-sexual harassment provisions under the Sex Discrimination Ordinance (Cap. 480) (SDO).

Government. The government may explore the feasibility of introducing a positive duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent and respond to workplace sexual harassment. For example, the SDO may be amended to make employers legally liable for third-party harassment, when participants in common workplaces, customers, or clients are found to have sexually harassed their employees, unless employers have taken reasonably practicable steps to prevent the sexual harassment, and they have no knowledge of the sexual harassment in issue.

The Education Bureau should consider thoroughly reforming the sexuality education in primary and secondary schools to give more emphasis on gender equality and relationship education, including sexual harassment in digital contexts and image-based sexual violence. Secondary and tertiary schools should provide training to students on awareness of sexual harassment and equip them with skills and knowledge to respond to sexual harassment.

HKEX. HKEX should consider reviewing the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Reporting Guide of the Listing Rules to include the adoption of an anti-sexual harassment policy as one of the key gender equality strategies that listed companies should disclose in their ESG reports.

Takeaway

In its report, the EOC made recommendations, in particular, the proposed amendment to the SDO to make employers legally liable for third-party harassment. The proposed amendment suggested that EOC wants to promote accountability as well as a broader systemic and cultural change. The proposed amendment, if implemented, will shift the burden from individuals making complaints to employers taking proactive and preventative action.

The government has yet to introduce a bill to put into effect the EOC's recommendations. That said, employers should establish and review from time to time their anti-sexual harassment policy, if they do not already have one, to create a safe working environment for their employees. Employers are advised to seek proper legal advice and assistance when doing so.

Michael Szeto is an attorney with ONC Lawyers in Hong Kong.  2022 ONC Lawyers. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission of Lexology.
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Many California employers were hopeful there was an end in sight for COVID-19 requirements, but recent activity from state workplace safety officials means that you will most likely need to comply with pandemic rules for at least the next two years.

While Cal/OSHA's Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) is scheduled to expire in December 2022, the agency released a proposed permanent rule on June 18 that proposes to impose COVID-19 requirements on workplaces through 2024.

While most of the proposed new rules align with the existing requirements of the current ETS, there are some key changes employers need to know about, including the possible elimination of the controversial and costly exclusion pay requirement.

What do employers need to know about this new permanent COVID-19 worker safety rule?

5 Changes We'll See

Again, life will mostly look the same for employers if the proposed rule takes effect, but here are the five most significant changes you should prepare for if and when the permanent standard is adopted.

Close Contacts

Under the proposed permanent rule, close contacts are defined as employees sharing the same indoor space as a COVID-19 case for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour time period. This reflects the most recent order from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), which incorporated this definition earlier this month.

This definition provides less specificity than the previous definition of "within six feet." It could require additional employees to be labeled as close contacts if they sit around the same table or are in the same room, regardless of the distance between them and the COVID-19 case. Notice Requirements

The proposed permanent rule gives employers a little more time to notify employees of a potential close contact. Employers will now be required to provide notice to an employee or independent contractor as soon as possible, rather than within one business day, as the ETS requires.

Employers should note, however, that Labor Code Section 6409.6 contains a statutory requirement to provide such notice within one business day. While that requirement is currently set to expire at the end of the year, pending legislation would extend that requirement until Jan. 1, 2025. While the proposed rule may provide more flexibility, the statute will likely continue to require notice to be provided within one business day. Aerosolizing Procedures

For employees in work settings that are exempt from the Aerosol Transmissible Disease Standard, employers shall evaluate the need for respiratory protection to prevent COVID-19 transmission for those who are exposed to procedures that may aerosolize potentially infectious material, such as saliva or respiratory tract fluids, in accordance with the respiratory protection standards. Examples of workplaces covered by this section include, but are not limited to, certain dental practices and outpatient medical practices. Reporting and Recordkeeping

In addition to the requirement to report outbreaks to the local health department, the proposed permanent rule requires that employers keep confidential records of all COVID-19 cases, as well as all close contacts. The records must be retained for two years and must be provided to the local health department, CDPH, Cal/OSHA or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health immediately upon request. Elimination of Exclusion Pay

In a significant departure from the ETS, the current proposed permanent rule does not require employers to provide exclusion pay to employees who are excluded from the workplace due to COVID-19. This was one of the most controversial and costly provisions of the ETS.

Employers should keep a close eye on this, however, as labor stakeholders are likely to push for the permanent rule to include exclusion pay. You should also keep in mind any applicable state and local obligations to provide COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave in such situations.

Cal/OSHA has not announced a hearing date for the proposed rule. For now, employers should continue to comply with the current ETS until we hear further word about the permanent rule.

While many of the proposed requirements of the new rule are the same, you should review your injury and illness prevention program or COVID-19 prevention program to ensure it can be readily updated. Additionally, you should review your record-keeping practices to be able to implement the record requirements under the new rule.



Benjamin M. Ebbink, Abby Harrington, and Hannah Sweiss are attorneys with Fisher Phillips in California.  2022 All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.
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On June 27, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida denied a request to enjoin the provisions of Florida HB 7, named the Individual Freedom Act, or the so-called "Stop WOKE" law (the state's acronym for "Stop Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees"), which dramatically limits what and how employers can communicate to employees in workplace training relating to diversity, non-discrimination, and non-harassment.

The law went into effect on July 1. At least for now, the court's decision means that an employer's diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training materials must refrain from sending any messaging to employees that could be construed as requiring employees to believe in concepts like privilege, oppression, and inherent biases that are based on race, color, national origin or sex.

Almost immediately after the law was signed, five individuals, including three teachers, a student, and a consultant who provides DEI training to employers, filed a lawsuit in the Northern District of Florida seeking a preliminary injunction against it.

The plaintiffs claim that the law violates free speech rights of Florida employers and educators, and that key provisions of the new law are unconstitutionally vague and overbroad when they impose sweeping general principles with which Florida employers are required to conform or with which they are prohibited to disagree.

The law makes it illegal for any covered employer to subject any individual working in Florida, as a condition of employment, to training or instruction that espouses or promotes such individual to believe that certain concepts constitute discrimination based on race, color, sex, or national origin.

Judge Walker's Decision

The court's decision tabled plaintiffs' substantive arguments. Judge Mark Walker avoided ruling on the constitutional questions raised as to whether law's provisions were unconstitutionally vague or violated free speech protections.

Instead, Judge Walker found that the plaintiff challenging the employment provisions of the law, a consultant who provides workplace training on diversity and inclusion, did not present evidence of standing. The court found that her relationship as a consultant to employers does not give her standing to complain of their potential injury from the law.

The plaintiff also argued injury because her business opportunities will diminish if employers cannot provide such training. Judge Walker determined that she did not present evidence that she actually lost any clients, that any clients told her that they would no longer hire her, or that any client has expressed trepidation about hiring her.

Without standing to challenge the law, Judge Walker concluded that he was unable go any further in his analysis of the constitutional arguments presented.

He commented that "this court is not determining whether the challenged regulations are constitutional, morally correct, or good policy. And this order should not be interpreted as endorsing the law or the related Board of Education regulation."

He remarked that nothing prevents employers from raising the arguments raised by the plaintiff on their own behalf, specifically referring to another lawsuit that was filed recently.

Second Lawsuit

On June 22, a second lawsuit to block the "Stop WOKE" Act was filed in district court by Honeyfund.com, a Clearwater-based honeymoon registry company, which alleged its plan to provide certain DEI training to its employees in Florida appears to violate the law. This lawsuit is joined by another DEI consultant and a corporation that works with other companies to provide DEI trainings.

Immediately after filing their lawsuit, the plaintiffs in this case filed a notice of related matters, reflecting that their arguments largely mirror those raised by the plaintiff in the first challenge to the law.

Perhaps anticipating Judge Walker's ruling, the Honeyfund.com lawsuit is poised to fix the standing issue identified by Judge Walker and perhaps return the issue to his court to await a substantive decision on the constitutional challenges that he skirted in his opinion.

Going Forward

It is likely that the court's decision will be appealed to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, which may uphold, reverse, or modify the lower court's decision.

Given the uncertainty as to the ultimate fate of the law, Florida employers with operations and/or employees in Florida should consider placing a strategic pause on mandatory training while they coordinate plans to take preparatory action to comply with the Act.

Florida employers that conduct DEI, unconscious bias, or respect at work trainings should consult with counsel as to the content, scope, and facilitation practices of such trainings and any related workplace DEI policies to ensure that they are compliant with the law.

Multistate employers with Florida operations should be mindful that a broad, companywide approach to trainings on these topics could inadvertently result in legal violations and damages.

By Jim Paretti is an attorney for Littler in Washington, D.C. Nancy A. Johnson is an attorney for Littler in Orlando, Florida. Cindy-Ann L. Thomas is an attorney for Littler in Charlotte, N.C. 2022. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.
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On June 21, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards signed legislation prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of hairstyles or textures historically associated with race.

The CROWN Act, which stands for "Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair," amends the definition of intentional discrimination in employment under Louisiana law to include any discriminatory practices with respect to any individual's compensation or terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of "natural, protective, or cultural hairstyle."

The law adds these characteristics as a subset of discrimination based on race or national origin.

Natural, protective, or cultural hairstyle is defined to include "afros, dreadlocks, twists, locs, braids, cornrow braids, Bantu knots, curls, and hair styled to protect hair texture or for cultural significance." The law will take effect Aug. 1.

The CROWN Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against individuals on the basis of ethnic traits, such as protective hairstyles (i.e., hairstyle, color, or manner of wearing hair that minimizes manipulation and/or damage of natural hair) in employment, public schools, public accommodations, and housing opportunities.

For private employers, the CROWN Act amends the Louisiana Employment Discrimination Law and defines the terms "natural, protective, or cultural hairstyle" to include "afros, dreadlocks, twists, locs, braids, cornrow braids, Bantu knots, curls, and hair styled to protect hair texture or for cultural significance."

The law is intended to prohibit discrimination against individuals with hairstyles historically associated with race. However, the law includes any "cultural hairstyle," which could include hairstyles that are not necessarily associated with a specific race.

The new state law does not address potential conflicts between an applicant's or employee's protected hairstyle and an employer's bona fide safety rules or measures. For example, an employee required to wear safety headgear might be precluded from safely doing so by the employee's hairstyle, if the hairstyle prevents the headgear from fitting properly.

In the last several years, similar legislation has been enacted in various states and cities, gaining national attention. California first passed its CROWN Act in 2019, which was followed by New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Colorado, Washington, Maryland, Connecticut, Oregon, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and more than a dozen cities.

This year, Louisiana joins Tennessee and Maine in adding hairstyles and hair textures to the roster of characteristics protected under antidiscrimination laws.

Previously, on Dec. 22, 2020, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell signed into law the CROWN Act, which prohibits employment discrimination based on hairstyles in New Orleans.

Notably, on March 18, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill (H.R. 2116) that would make hairstyle discrimination a violation of federal law. A companion bill (S. 888) has been introduced in the U.S. Senate, but has not passed to date.

Next Steps for Louisiana Employers

Louisiana employers may want to consider taking proactive steps to manage the requirements of this new law in their workplaces. Some of those steps might include:



reviewing employee handbooks, antidiscrimination policies, dress codes or grooming policies for compliance with the CROWN Act;

reviewing onboarding and interview documents to comply with the new law;

amending job descriptions or applications to minimize any potential claims of discrimination based on an individual's hairstyle; and

providing education and training on the new law for recruiters, managers, and supervisors.

The new state law does not take effect until Aug. 1, so there is ample time for Louisiana employers to prepare for compliance with the CROWN Act.

Andrew P. Burnside, Ellen C. Rains and Sara Grace Sirera are attorneys with Ogletree Deakins in New Orleans. 2022. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.
Reliance Retail, Indias largest retailer, has entered a longterm partnership with Gap Inc. to bring iconic American fashion brand Gap to India. Through the long-term franchise agreement, Reliance Retail has become the official retailer for Gap across all channels in India. Reliance Retail will introduce Gaps latest fashion offerings toIndian consumers through a mix of exclusive brand stores, multi-brand store expressions and digital commerce platforms.

The partnership is aimed at leveraging Gaps position as a leading casual lifestyle brand, and Reliance Retails established competencies in operating robust omni-channel retail networks and scaling local manufacturing and driving sourcing efficiencies. Founded in San Francisco in 1969, Gap continues to build on its heritage grounded in denim and connect with customers online and in company-operated and franchise retail locations globally. With a strong vision of doing more than selling clothes, Gap shapes culture, championing a uniquely radical and optimistic sense of American style by bridging the gap between individuals, generations, and cultures. Reliance Retail brings Gaps shopping experience to customers in India, offering the brands youthful, optimistic fashion for men, women, and kids.

At Reliance Retail, we pride ourselves in bringing the latest and best to our customers and we are happy to announce the addition of iconic American brand, Gap to our fashion and lifestyle portfolio. We believe that Reliance and Gap complement each other in their vision to bring industry leading fashion products and retail experiences to their consumers, said Akhilesh Prasad, CEO, Fashion & Lifestyle, Reliance Retail.

We look forward to growing the Gap business across key international markets, said Adrienne Gernand, Managing Director of International, Global Licensing and Wholesale at Gap Inc. Partnering with regional experts, like Reliance Retail in India, allows us to deliver our relevant, purpose-driven brand to customers around the globe, while continuing to diversify our business portfolio through our partner-based model.
Safran Engineering, whose engines will power the largest number of Indian airliners in the next few years, is setting up its biggest maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Hyderabad, its CEO said Thursday.

The facility, which will be able to handle up to 300 engine shop visits annually, will also be the biggest in India to be set up by a major global engine manufacturer.

The French engine-maker will invest up to $200 million in the MRO facility, Olivier Andries told reporters on the sidelines of an event.

Construction will start in 2023 and the company hopes to receive its first customer in 2025. Currently, Safrans largest MRO facilities are in its headquarters in France and in Mexico.

CFM Engineering, a joint venture between Safran and Americian engineering giant GE, makes the CFM56, Leap-1A and Leap-1B that power most of the Airbus A320s and the Boeing 737s in India.

There are currently 600 CFM engines powering 330 passenger aircraft flown by six airlines in India, said Jean-Paul Alary, chief of Safran aircraft engines. That number will go up to 1,500 in the next few decades, making it the biggest engine orderbook from Indian carriers, including the soon-to-fly Akasa.

The MRO facility will service the Leap-1A and Leap-1B engines, that comprise the largest chunk of Indian airlines orderbook.

Global aircraft and engine makers have been reluctant to set up repair shops in India because of high taxes which would make the services unattractive for customers. Indias airlines have typically had aircraft and engines serviced in markets such as Singapore, Hong Kong and even Colombo.

We have clearly explained to the central government in New Delhi that the tax regime was a problem. We couldnt establish any MRO activity in India because in the previous tax regime, we were taxed twice. We told the government if you change this tax regime, then we will come. And thats what happened, said Andries.

In March, the government reduced GST on domestic MRO services to 5% from 18%.

Also on Thursday, Safran inaugurated two subsidiaries  Safran Aircraft Engines and Safran Electrical & Power India Pvt.

Safran Aircraft Engines will produce components and parts such as rotating seals for aircraft engines. Safran Electrical & Power India will make harnesses for civil and fighter jets.

It also plans to form a joint venture with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in Bengaluru which will make rigid piping for aircraft engines including helicopter engines.

Overall, the engine maker aims to invest $350 million in India, said Andries.
Its quite a rare scenario when a tech-giant goes toe-to-toe with the ruling government. On Tuesday, Twitter, a US-based social media platform dragged Indian government to Karnataka High Court over its demand to take down content under IT Rules, 2021.

Here is all you need to know about the current tussle:

On February 2021, Government of India notified new Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, in the exercise of powers under section 87 (2) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Under the new ruling, it mandates a grievance redressal system for over the top (OTT) and digital portals in the country. This was necessary for the users of social media to raise their grievance against the misuse of social media.

The social media firms have to appoint a chief compliance officer and have a nodal contact person who can be in touch with law enforcement agencies 24/7.Social media platforms will have to assign a grievance officer who shall register the grievance within 24 hours and dispose of it in 15 days.

Further, the emphasis is given on removal of content that is explicit in nature related to women and children. And, government can ask the social media platform to remove any content which is seen as threat to national security, national integrity, sovereignty, and friendly relation with foreign countries, etc,.

They also will have to publish a monthly report about the number of complaints received and the status of redressal.

There will be three levels of regulation for news publishers 

Level 1 - Self-regulation by the publisher,

Level 2 - Self-regulatory by the self regulatory body of the publisher, headed by a retired judge or an eminent person, and

Level 3- Oversight mechanism framed by Information and Broadcasting Ministry, including codes of practices and a grievance committee.

Many social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp have raised concern over the unavailability of safe harbour protection given to intermediaries under Section 79 of the IT Act, under the new rules, which will lead to criminal liability upon the employees for non-compliance by intermediaries.

The mandate to help authorities to trace originality of continuous message by breaking end-to-end encryption protocol is deemed problematic by the intermediaries, which violates right to privacy of the user.

Another concern was that the government can use this rule to suppress the voice of journalists, politicians, and academician who oppose the government decisions in the name of national security.

The Current Development

The Indian Government over the years asked Twitter to take down several accounts and tweets. In one instance, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) warned the platform to remove accounts and content that supported independent state of Sikh or Khalistan. Post that spread misinformation about protest by farmers and COVID-19 handling by the Indian government were also to be removed.

The Indian government said the social media firm has failed to comply over removal request, despite their legal standing.

Despite several warnings over months, Twitter has failed to accept the request by the government and is liable to criminal proceedings. Consequently, has resulted in violation of Indias Rule of Law.

According to Twitter, the Indian government has ordered to remove content without giving notice to the author, and some political content which were anti-government posted by political parties and critics that accounts to violation of freedom of speech. Thus, requested for a judicial review of the procedural requirements of Indias IT Act. The government officials are misusing their power to curb down any kind of disagreement that come up against the government, added.

Conclusion

Earlier WhatsApp sued Indian government over new IT Rules and now its Twitter. It is interesting to note that the resilience from the foreign social media company gave platform to Indian Social Media platform like Koo to grow up. The companys attitude towards the law of the land shows its arrogant nature. It becomes duty of the foreign companies to comply with rule of the land they are monetizing from here. These social media firms have complied with IT rules of European Union to function, but it becomes problematic for them to follow Indian Laws.

It is also noticed that platform like Twitter has tried over hand on governments of various countries. They have taken down the account of then-serving US President Donald Trump, removing verified mark from Indian Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu , and temporarily blocking account of Indian Home Minister Amit Shah and Indian Ex- IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

The ex-CEO of Twitter Jack Dosery in 2018 admitted Twitter to be left-leaning and its algorithm suppress right wing content and spread information of certain political ideologies. Thus, in turn, their argument of freedom of speech becomes shady.

With the diversity in India, there are a lot of unsocial elements working towards disturbing the peace and harmony of the country. It has been found out that a lot of misinformation is circulated on such platforms by cross-border users, and it becomes important for the government to track down the origin of such information. And the new IT Rules gives that provision to the government.

But at the same time, the Indian government has misused its power to curb voice against their functioning which is danger for the democratic country. The accounts of influential personalities, political leaders, and journalists are taken down by the government those shown disconsent with government policy in the name of national security.

It is important for both the parties to follow the law in righteous manner; the freedom of speech should not be compromised by any means, and it becomes duty of the platform users and the company to restrain themselves from spreading any anti-social content.
Bank of Baroda, one of India's leading public sector banks, has partnered with Women's World Banking (WWB), a global non-profit committed to giving low-income women access to financial tools for long-term financial security and prosperity, to roll out the third and broader phase of the 'Baroda Jan Dhan Plus' programme across 25 districts of Uttar Pradesh and all 13 districts of Uttarakhand. The third and largest phase of 'Baroda Jan Dhan Plus' will reach out to a wide base of existing Jan Dhan customers of Bank of Baroda through financial literacy camps and business correspondents, to disseminate the benefit of savings and provide access to formal credit by way of PMJDY Overdraft facility and other social security schemes. The programme will also train and work with over 2000 business correspondents (BC) and 1000 BC Sakhis (women business correspondents) to empower them to help women customers in their regions.

500 monthly for five months, building a relationship that can lead to a PMJDY overdraft loan facility of up to 10,000. 'Baroda Jan Dhan Plus' builds on the robust infrastructure of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), which has brought around 25.11 crore or 251.1 million women into the banking ecosystem with Jan Dhan bank accounts. These women account holders need a strong reason to engage meaningfully with banks to reap the benefits of full financial inclusion. 'Baroda Jan Dhan Plus' brings a compelling proposition to encourage women account holders to save money in a systematic manner by motivating them to deposit500 monthly for five months, building a relationship that can lead to a PMJDY overdraft loan facility of up to10,000.

The 'Baroda Jan Dhan Plus' model rests on 3 core pillars: making the bank ecosystem a welcoming one for low-income women, making savings relatable and rewarding for women, and training and capacity building of business correspondent (BC) agents on soft skills with a gender focus to make them better understand and fulfil the needs of women customers. Banks, in turn, learn more about an important customer base and how to address this segment effectively with customised products and services.

Shri Vikramaditya Singh Khichi, Executive Director, Bank of Baroda said, "Financial inclusion of women, especially women with low income, requires a more nuanced approach. A long-term approach that involves ongoing engagement and creating a supportive environment is key. 'Baroda Jan Dhan Plus', created in collaboration with Women's World Banking, is a tested approach to go beyond financial inclusion to help women attain financial empowerment by opening access to a wider bouquet of PMJDY benefits and not just a bank account."

The initial two pilot projects of 'Baroda Jan Dhan Plus' were conducted with 170 Bank of Baroda branches (with over 650 BCs and over 100 BC Sakhis) across Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh between Jan 2020 to Jan 2022. The pilot projects underscored that when financial products and services are designed to overcome women-centric barriers, they successfully engage women as well as the entire customer base.

Speaking about the programme, Ms. Kalpana Ajayan, Regional Head, South Asia, Women's World Banking said, "Women are some of society's most active and committed savers and, in many cases, hold the key to their household's savings and financial resilience. Right from the start we have recognised that women account holders are an extremely important customer base for the financial sector and if we can nurture them to become confident participants in the banking sector, we can create significant opportunities for the women as well as the financial service providers and the economy as a whole. We are heartened to see a leading institution like Bank of Baroda taking this forward. We would also like to thank The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Visa Foundation, The Walmart Foundation, and The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, who have helped incubate the project and are also supporting us in scaling it further."
Navy is in the process of expediting a trial report into an operational demonstration by Rafale M of French firm Dassault Aviation and F/A 18 Super Hornet of

According to senior naval personnel, the Indian Navy would engage in a government-to-government agreement with either the US or French government to purchase over twenty fighter aircraft. The Navy was expediting a trial report into the operational demonstration by the French business Dassault Aviation's Rafale M and American company Boeing's F/A 18 Super Hornet, sources in the defense and security establishment. The sources added that the report should be finished in two months and that additional clarifications could be requested from the two disputing corporations. By the end of 2022, the Navy intends to submit the acquisition proposal to the ministry of defense. The U.S. and India's strategic alliance may be young, but given the importance of India and the quickly evolving security environment in the Indo-Pacific, there needs to be a turning point in the bilateral relationship that involves a significant U.S. technology transfer project. Aircraft engines and nuclear and conventional naval propulsion systems are examples of potential technology transfer areas.

It was originally planned that the Navy would purchase 57 aircraft, but now only plans to acquire 26. The Chief Admiral, however, responded that a final number would be decided in due course when asked how many aircraft the Navy was considering purchasing. The Navy is interested in the twin-engine deck-based fighter (TEDBF), the Vice Chief added, which is being developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). The Russian MiG 29K aircraft are now flown by the Navy out of INS Vikramaditya. By August 15 of this year, a second aircraft carrier will be put into service. As per the sources, the Navy was only considering a minimal number of foreign aircraft to keep it operationally active as it waited for TEDBF deliveries. They added that the MiG 29K has numerous operational problems and that new fighters are required because some of them will be decommissioned over the next ten years.

India and the U.S. could investigate powerful directed energy weapons in the future to combat airborne threats like fighter jets and drones. Other potential technologies they may work together on including hypersonic missiles and effective and affordable countermeasures against tiny and swarm drones. There may be opportunities in the cyber and space sectors as well, but they will be less apparent.
The Pennsylvania State Police are investigating a reported assault at a skate park in Coaldale.

According to the State Police from the Frackville barracks, the assault occurred on Friday, June 24th, 2022 around 11:45pm at the Ashton Hill Skate Park.

Four teens, 2 males and 2 females, told police that they were assaulted by an unknown group of juveniles.

Anyone with any information or surveillance video from this date should contact the Frackville Barracks at (570) 874-5300.
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A large private developer has blamed government rent relief measures and the COVID-19 pandemic for the collapse of six of his companies that rely on rental income from commercial and residential tenants.

CBD Development director Guo Jing Chen, who is behind an almost complete $400 million tower complex in Box Hill that will be unaffected by the administration, said that during Melbournes lockdowns tenants vacated his properties and agents were unable to re-let them.

An artists impression of CBD Groups planned mixed-use project in Box Hill. Credit:

These companies were heavily impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic and [by] government policy, including rent relief measures for tenants, Chen said.

In a bid to limit the economic fallout from COVID-19, governments across the country banned landlords from evicting tenants suffering financial stress, instead requiring them to give rent relief and defer lease payments.
During the 1920s, C J DeGaris name was a byword both for disreputable absconders and can-do entrepreneurs. A charismatic developer who wooed investors from Victoria to Western Australia and as far afield as the United States, DeGaris faked his drowning at Port Phillip Bay to escape financial problems. On the lam for two weeks, he was spotted wearing several disguises, including that of a woman and a portly American businessman.

Public fascination in his eventual arrest in New Zealand was such that a special run of The Sun News Pictorial sold out. His renowned chutzpah as a salesman sparked rumours that during the police escort back to Victoria, he had sold the arresting officer two blocks of land. It was more punchline than fact, but there was truth in his skills. Less than a month after his return in custody, Victorias Premier John Allan lamented what is needed is a little more of the DeGaris spirit, so that we could get things done. However, his fake suicide also inspired a wave of copycats eager for a fresh start from bad business deals or love gone wrong.

C J DeGaris, known for his persuasive ways, faked his death before eventual arrest in New Zealand. Credit:

While not the first developer to have deals go awry and finance dry up, DeGaris is, in David Nichols absorbing tale, a trailblazer. DeGaris embodies modernity. He embraces new technology  from aircraft to fast cars and dehydrators (for sending dried fruit around the world)  and new media  cinema, radio and advertising  to promote his ventures. The magic wand of publicity, he called it.

American-style competitions were his promotional tool of choice. Explaining his love of them, DeGaris told a journalist in 1919: Get the public curious and you have created the demand. An early success was a contest to rename a product in Milduras dried-fruit industry. The winning entry, Sun-Raysed, led to the region also being known as Sunraysia. Indeed, growing up in Mildura and witnessing irrigation technology transform the districts riches reinforced his belief in technological solutions.
The United Kingdom is waking up to a new wave of MP resignations and news that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to resign.

While Australians have become accustomed to leadership spills and parliamentary chaos, its a slightly less common affair in the UK. But, thankfully, the British media has demonstrated its up the task of covering the drama moment by moment.

From rolling lists of resignations to interviewing cats and holding live pigs on TV, British news outlets are going all out to cover the final days of the Johnson prime ministership.

The resignation tracker

Amid the non-stop coverage, TV news producers quickly stumbled upon a problem: with so many of Johnsons ministers resigning in a single day, how were they to report on all of them? Enter the resignation tracker.
A group of six police officers used a winch to rescue a woman trapped in her car that was surrounded by fast-moving, chest-high floodwater on NSWs Mid North Coast amid the states latest flood disaster that has left more than 60,000 people under evacuation orders and warnings on Thursday evening.

Hundreds of Australian Defence Force personnel have been deployed to flood-hit regions of NSW as communities begin the mammoth clean-up and recovery effort following days of heavy rain and flash flooding.

At 3am on Friday, there were 76 evacuation orders in place across the state and 39 warnings, affecting more than 60,000 people across NSW.

While many locations have exceeded their monthly average rainfall in the past few days, Taree has registered its heaviest daily rainfall on record, clocking 305mm between 9am on Wednesday and 9am on Thursday, almost six times its monthly average. Kempsey recorded 133mm in the same time period, almost three times its monthly average.
Foreign Minister puts pressure on China over its links to Russia

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First published in The Sydney Morning Herald on July 9, 1997

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains images of and references to deceased persons.

The battle over the Aboriginal Day of Mourning site in Elizabeth Street, Sydney, reaches a crisis tomorrow when the NSW Heritage Council considers an application for development which would bring the destruction of the single most significant Aboriginal site in urban NSW.

The National Aboriginal History and Heritage Council focused public attention on the fate of the Day of Mourning site during Heritage Week 1997. An open day was held at the old Australian Hall [the former Mandolin Cinema] the venue of the first national Aboriginal civil rights protest on 26th January 1938. Exterior of the hall. Credit:Robert Pearce

The site, at 150-152 Elizabeth Street, housed the old Mandolin cinema and is owned by the Cyprus Hellene Club, which has a development application before Sydney City Council to demolish the historic interior and build a new high-rise development behind the old facade.
New judge seeks justice for women in law

Justice Jane Hamilton Mathews is gratified to be the first female to be appointed to the NSW Supreme Court bench, and only the second in Australia. At her swearing-in yesterday, Justice Mathews, 46, told her new fellow judges, barristers, lawyers, friends and relatives that it was the most significant day in her career. I would like to think that significance goes to some extent beyond me, personally, and attaches to women practitioners generally, she said.

Mens briefs drop while womens knickers go up

Trousers, pantyhose and womens knickers were up this year while blouses, socks and mens briefs were down. This is not a reference to fashion but to prices. The figures come in a new Prices Surveillance Authority (PSA) publication on clothing and footwear. While consumers pay up, the PSA offers an economic analysis of why these prices have risen  but what it all means in terms we understand is simple: everything just keeps on going up.

Want an umbrella or six?

Sydneys commuters are good at forgetting. They can forget wallets, bags, clothes, watches, tennis racquets, guitars, cameras, false teeth and even motorbikes. But what they are best at forgetting is umbrellas  Today, the latest objects forgotten on public transport, including about 100 umbrellas, will go under the hammer at the Railway Institute  The SRA collects enough lost or disowned goods to earn between $1800 and $2500 from each auction. 
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has pushed back on a central pillar of US President Joe Bidens foreign policy, arguing it is overly simplistic to see modern geopolitics as a contest between democracies and authoritarian regimes such as China, given the world is bloody messy.

In a major foreign policy speech in Sydney, Ardern also appeared to take a softer line on Chinas growing presence in the Pacific after attracting furious criticism from China during a recent visit to the US.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told the Lowy Institute the Pacific region needed to be free from coercion and that the investment in the region should be of high quality. Credit:AAP

During her appearance at the Lowy Institute, Ardern said the war in Ukraine was morally bankrupt and illegal but it is wrong to characterise it as the West versus Russia or democracy versus autocracy.

Were a liberal democracy and we seek to promote, of course, the values that are important to us, Ardern said. But what we also seek is to ensure that we base our foreign policy responses on facts, not assertion and assumption.
The spokesman said: She loved it and chose to paint over doing other activities. Apart from being good for Tricia mentally and physically, it is yet another example of how she helps elephants in the wild. Proceeds from the paintings sold go towards safeguarding one of the last remaining herds of Sumatran elephants in the Bukit Tigapuluh ecosystem, Sumatra, which is threatened by poaching and illegal activity. Do you know what it is yet? Artwork by Tricia, who has died aged 65. Credit:Perth Zoo Steve Edmunds, senior elephant keeper said he wanted to say it had been an honour and a privilege to have known Tricia, but that seemed inadequate. You often hear actors and the like say that line talking about a movie or a director that they have worked with. Tricia was a truly incredible elephant and deserves much more.

I think that most people would agree that elephants are an amazing animal. Well, Tricia was a very special individual even among her species. Not only those who knew her believed this, elephant carers that had known many elephants also confirmed how special an elephant Tricia was. I have seen many people, over the years, break down in tears during behind-the-scenes experiences, absolutely overwhelmed by her presence. Loading Tricia arrived at the zoo in January 1963 and spent her first 23 years at the zoo in a small concrete enclosure  basically a display animal. Although now it is easy to wish we could go back in time and change the way Tricia was housed back then, for a lot of people in Western Australia Tricia was the first elephant, and for many the only elephant, that they ever saw in real life. Indeed, seeing Tricia was one of the highlights of coming to the zoo. Just as the attitude towards housing and caring has evolved over the years with animals, so too have the methods of handling. There was a period of time in Tricias life at the zoo, where she did lash out and injure the odd person  out of understandable frustration, and had a bit of a reputation as an aggressive elephant.

Edmunds said he considered himself very fortunate to get a job caring for Tricia in 2001when she was still suspicious of new people and quite intimidating. He said it took 12 months before she accepted and trusted him. In later years she was the most gentle and trustworthy elephant, not only to her keepers, but to every person she met, he said. Tricia the elephant is washed and cleaned ready for her duties at the Perth Zoo, 1997. Credit:Fairfax Tricia was a very playful and vocal elephant to her keepers. She pretty much had us all wrapped around her little trunk. If she considered that we were taking too long with an activity that she was not particularly fond of, such as a bath or footwork, she would let us know with a whinge. If we did not heed her whinge, she was not above throwing sand, water or even sticks in our direction to remind us that she was talking to us. Tricia never had a chance to have her own offspring but was a foster mum to the three young elephants. One of the young ones (Teduh) had health issues and at 17 years old her condition deteriorated to the point she had to be euthanised. The zoo said it was doing everything to support their two other elephants, Permai and Putra Mas. It said, like humans, elephants have a grieving process. When elephants grieve it can involve touching, smelling, loud vocalisations and even weeping.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will continue Malcolm Turnbulls bonk ban for his ministers and bar them from using blind trusts to avoid a repeat of the turmoil the Morrison government faced.

Albanese will on Friday release his ministerial code of conduct, maintaining much of what was used when Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd held office between 2007 and 2013.

Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses new ministerial code of conduct maintains a ban on relationships between ministers and their staff. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

But he will keep the ban put in place by Turnbull on ministers having relationships with their staff.

Turnbull put the so-called bonk ban in place following revelations of an affair between then-Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce and staffer Vikki Campion in 2018. Joyce is now in a long-term relationship with Campion and the couple have two children.
Collaerys trial had been due to start in the ACT Supreme Court on October 24 after years of delays.

Having regard to our national security, our national interest and the proper administration of justice, today I have determined that this prosecution should end, he said.

Dreyfus announced at a press conference in Sydney on Thursday the Commonwealth would discontinue its case against Collaery, a former ACT attorney-general, who was facing the prospect of jail.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has ordered the Commonwealth to drop the prosecution of lawyer Bernard Collaery, four years after he was charged with leaking classified information about Australias alleged spying operation in East Timor.

In a statement released through his lawyers, Collaery said the decision would allow him to move on with his life, as he praised the depth of community support he had received from across the country and the close friends who gave me inner strength.

I am very pleased that the new attorney-general has looked at this prosecution and all it has involved and taken steps to bring the case to an end. This is a good decision for the administration of justice in Australia, he said.

This decision will allow me to move forward with my life and legal practice.

Collaery was facing five charges under the Intelligence Services Act related to leaking classified information and conspiring with his client, an ex-spy known only as Witness K, to reveal information about Australias bugging operation of East Timors government during commercial negotiations in 2004 to carve up the oil and gas resources in the Timor Sea. Their actions helped the East Timor government build a case against Australia at The Hague, which led to Canberra re-negotiating the deal.

Describing the Collaery case as exceptional, Dreyfus said his decision was informed by the governments commitment to its relationship with our neighbours.
All travellers returning from Bali must be subject to special biosecurity screenings for the highly contagious foot and mouth disease, farmers warn, as fears mount that just one case of the disease would wreak economic devastation across Australia.

While Australian customs staff have been instructed to warn people on arrival to declare any contact with farm animals in Bali, National Farmers Federation president Fiona Simson said this measure did not go far enough. She warned that an outbreak would wreak disaster for everyone by wiping out up to $80 billion from the economy.

Travellers returning from Bali are being asked to declare any contact with farm animals after an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, which people can carry on their shoes or clothes. Credit:Bloomberg

Every person should be at least questioned by a biosecurity officer, if not subject to an inspection, Simson told The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

Australians have been flocking to Bali in the months since pandemic-era travel bans were lifted in March this year but an outbreak of foot and mouth, confirmed on Tuesday, threatens to disrupt tourism on the holiday island. It has spread across the Indonesian archipelago from the island of Java, where it was detected in May.
An award-winning female global executive was shortlisted for the role of US trade commissioner in March, before former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro was controversially appointed to the position.

Internal government documents have revealed former Telstra Business Woman Award finalist Kimberley Cole was one of three candidates shortlisted for the New York role, ahead of a planned meeting with Trade Minister Stuart Ayres as part of the recruitment process.

Barilaro ultimately claimed the $500,000-a-year job but withdrew last week after intense scrutiny over his appointment, which triggered two separate inquiries and backlash from his former colleagues.

Former deputy premier John Barilaro and Kimberley Cole, who were both shortlisted candidates.

Documents produced under parliamentary order this week include an email sent on March 16 by an executive assistant in Ayres office, with the subject title: Minister phone call meet and greet with preferred [state trade and investment commissioner] US candidate Kimberley Cole.
Donors to the Labor party were having their applications to enter Western Australia fast-tracked in the early days of the pandemic ahead of the rest of the public, according to a sacked staffer of Deputy Premier and former health minister Roger Cook.

On day three of her unfair dismissal hearing, Sanja Spasojevic claimed Cook tasked her from April to June, 2020, to fast-track applications for members of Labors cash-for-access business roundtable and their families through the G2G pass system.

Health Minister Roger Cook with former staffer Sanja Spasojevic who is challenging her sacking from his office. Credit:Nine News

The G2G pass was set up early in the pandemic by the government to allow West Australians to apply for travel exemptions when transiting across intrastate, interstate and international borders, which had varying levels of restrictions.

Spasojevic told the Public Service Appeal Board she worked with a contact in former Police Minister Michelle Roberts office to help process the G2G applications.
Chinese law requires a pregnant woman and her husband to register their marriage to get prenatal care at a public hospital. When Gao found out that she was pregnant, she had to tell doctors at one hospital that her husband was overseas so she could be admitted. Her daughter was born in November 2016. Eight months later, Gao was fired from her job, prompting her to file a lawsuit accusing the company of workplace discrimination. The company won because Gao does not qualify for legal benefits and protections as an unmarried mother. The court said her unmarried birth did not conform to Chinas national policy. She is appealing for a third time. National family planning policy does not explicitly state that an unmarried woman cannot have children, but it defines a mother as a married woman and favours married mothers. Villages offer cash bonuses to families with new babies. Dozens of cities have expanded maternity leave and added an extra month for second and third-time married mothers. One province in north-western China is even considering a full year of leave. Some have created parenting breaks for married couples with young children. But the sweeteners are not doing much to reverse the demographic crisis, especially in the face of a steadily declining marriage rate, which reached a 36-year low last year. Women who came of age during the greatest period of economic growth in Chinas modern history increasingly worry that their hard-earned independence will be taken away if they settle down.

A politician at the most recent annual meeting of the countrys rubber-stamp legislature suggested that the party be more tolerant towards single women who wanted children, giving them the same rights as married couples. Yet even as a shrinking population threatens Beijings long-term economic ambitions, Chinese authorities have often failed to introduce lasting policy changes. Authorities moved last year to scrap the use of social support fees  a sort of penalty  that single mothers pay to get benefits for their children. But some areas have been slow to adopt the new rules, and the regulations can vary because enforcement is left to the discretion of local governments. Recent changes to Chinese law make it illegal to discriminate against the children of single parents, but some women still have to navigate an unsympathetic bureaucracy. Last year, landlocked Hunan province said it would consider providing fertility services for single women, but it has not made much progress. When Shanghai decided to drop its policy of giving maternity benefits only to married women, it reversed the decision just a few weeks later, underlining just how hard it is for authorities to loosen their grip on family planning. At the societal level, it is a threat to the legally recognised marriage institution and social stability, said Zheng Mu, an assistant professor of sociology at the National University of Singapore who studies fertility in China. Ten years ago, Kelly Xie, 36, got married because she wanted to have a child. I had got to that age at the time, then I was picking and choosing and it seemed that he was the most suitable one, she said. Four years later, she gave birth to a daughter, but she was unhappy in her marriage.

Her mother-in-law doted on her husband and was quick to criticise Xie if anything was out of order at home, sometimes even calling her at work to complain about dust in the corner or an unwashed plate in the sink. Now divorced, Xie said she would like to have a second child on her own, but her options are limited. One possibility is travelling overseas for in vitro fertilisation, or IVF, which can be prohibitively expensive for some women. For now, Xie searches the internet, hoping to find someone willing to help her to get pregnant the old-fashioned way. Providing single mums with maternity insurance to cover the costs of fertility services like IVF would be a great source of support for unmarried women, Xie said. In Beijing, for example, married women can now freeze their eggs and get other subsidized IVF services under the citys medical insurance benefits, part of a new policy to support fertility. Li Xueke her with her children. She traveled to Thailand for IVF treatment because of Chinas restrictions. Credit:Li Xueke via The New York Times IVF is illegal for unmarried women almost everywhere in the country, so Li Xueke travelled to Thailand when she was 29 to have the procedure performed there. An entrepreneur who made her wealth running modelling schools, Li told herself that if she had not found a man she wanted to marry by 30, she would have a baby on her own.

She ended up with triplets, and nearly three years on, she does not regret her decision. I think Id rather live a high-quality life as a single mother than get married and settle for less, said Li, who does not need any financial assistance from the government and can hire nannies to help take care of her children. Loading But even among the most educated and accomplished women in China, Li is an outlier. Many successful women who want to have a child but are put off by the countrys policies toward single mothers have decided not to get pregnant. If you really want to have a baby without a man, said Zhang, the faculty member, you have to fight for it.
Kuala Lumpur: Two drug traffickers have been hanged in Singapore, bringing the number of executions this year in the city-state to four despite growing calls to abolish its death penalty.

Activists said the prison department handed the belongings and death certificates for Malaysian national Kalwant Singh and Singaporean Norasharee Gous to their families after the executions on Thursday morning.

Amnesty International said Singapore was one of just four countries known to have executed people for drug-related offences in recent years, going against a global trend towards abolishing the death penalty.

Anti-death penalty activists hand in a memorandum protesting the then upcoming execution of a Malaysian convicted for drug trafficking to the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, on Monday. Credit:AP

Singapore has once again executed people convicted of drug-related offences in violation of international law, callously disregarding public outcry, said Emerlynne Gill, Amnesty Internationals deputy regional director for research.
Dutch police shoot at tractor in protest

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London: Britains beleaguered Prime Minister Boris Johnson is determined to cling to power despite an open revolt within his Conservative Party.

More than 30 government ministers quit in a mass walkout on Wednesday, following in the footsteps of two of Johnsons top Cabinet ministers who said Johnsons government is no longer competent or trustworthy. Numerous Conservatives, including previously loyal allies, openly urged him to go.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson outside Downing Street. Credit:Bloomberg

If Johnson refuses to resign, the spotlight will turn to a small but influential Conservative group known as the 1922 Committee that has the power to rewrite party rules on leadership challenges and oust him before the next general election.

The committee could decide as early as Monday whether to change the rules.
The interests of the country must be given priority, Major said. With so many long-term and critical issues before us, an imaginative response  even at the risk of some bruised feelings within the party  is most definitely in the national interest. Former science minister George Freeman, who resigned from the government on Thursday morning, also called for a caretaker PM to be installed. Boris Johnson announces his resignation as prime minister outside Number 10. Credit:AP He said it was difficult to see how Johnson would be able to put together a government that next week will escape from the insecurity and chaos weve seen this week. I just worry that he isnt going to be able to bring the stability that we need. Hes got a chancellor whos already said he doesnt have any confidence in him and two or three other members of the cabinet, he told Sky News. The attorney-general is outwardly campaigning for his job. Its just not a credible way to form a government.

Sir Bob Neill, the chairman of the Justice Select Committee, said Johnson must leave Downing Street sooner rather than later. I, personally, think that he should go sooner than waiting until October precisely because if this is about integrity and trust, then that is not going to change between now and October and the damage is done there, he told Sky News. Johnson tried to allay fears that he would be an interventionist interim leader during a cabinet meeting on Thursday afternoon. A Downing Street statement said Johnson made clear the government would not seek to implement new policies or make major changes of direction, rather it would focus on delivering the agenda on which the government was elected.

He said major fiscal decisions should be left for the next prime minister, the statement said. The BBC reported that Johnson had told cabinet colleagues: I dont expect you will be browbeaten by No.10 to do radical or strange new policies, but warned them there was no excuse to take your foot off the pedal. Loading Former prime minister Theresa May, a fierce Johnson critic, told the Institute for Government that there was a precedent. When I stepped down there was a process. The new leader of the party was determined and during that period of time I was still there as prime minister, able to do some things, she said.

But, crucially, you have to restrict yourself in what you do during that period of time for several reasons. The Mirror reported on Friday that Johnson and his wife Carrie would make the most of the remainder of his time in office to throw a lavish wedding party at Chequers, the prime ministerial 16th-century Buckinghamshire retreat, in just three weeks time. The paper reported that sources claimed the long-awaited bash was one of the reasons Johnson was determined to cling on as caretaker Tory leader, backed wholeheartedly by his wife. One Conservative source told the Mirror: Its a national asset, not his personal home. The Johnsons should do the decent thing and find a different venue. And Boris should do the decent thing and leave No.10 immediately. A second source added: Its crass if it goes ahead.

The London Telegraph, quoted sources saying the couple had insisted they would cover the costs of the event. In a statement on Friday morning (AEST), US President Joe Biden said the special relationship between the two nations would remain strong and enduring. I look forward to continuing our close co-operation with the government of the United Kingdom, as well as our allies and partners around the world, on a range of important priorities, he said, not mentioning Johnson by name. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Johnson for his swift action in sending weaponry to Kyiv to help the fight against Russias invasion. The pair have become close since the conflict began in late February, and Johnson has visited Kyiv twice. However, he has earned ridicule for pivoting towards the war, releasing press releases of conversations between the pair every time he was embroiled in a domestic scandal.
Canada is to throw out almost 14 million doses of AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine after it struggled to find a country that would accept them.

Canada last year unveiled plans to donate about 17.7 million doses of the AstraZeneca jab to other countries, after concerns over the safety of the vaccine prompted it to prioritise those made by BioNTech and Moderna. It had initially ordered 20 million AstraZeneca doses, although largely stopped using them amid questions over its potential link to rare blood clots.

The destruction of millions of AstraZeneca anti-COVID vaccines follows Nigerias destruction of more than 1 million expired doses of the same vaccine in December. Credit:AP

However, Canadian health officials have now said that 13.6 million of the doses it was planning to donate  or 77 per cent  had now expired and would need to be thrown away.

A spokesman for Health Canada said: Due to limited demand for the vaccine and recipient country challenges with distribution and absorption, they were not accepted. Canada sent about 4.8 million AstraZeneca doses to other countries, including islands in the Caribbean and countries in South America.
Dear Editor,

The political climate in St. Maarten seems to have woken up / been shaken up. With the recent departure of Member of Parliament Ludmila Duncan from the National Alliance, the party seems to be scrambling for a more secure majority in the coalition. We should all commend MP Duncan for taking the step to distance herself from the party that no longer aligns with her morals, values, and vision for the island. Some may say that this action shouldve come sooner, however, the expression better late than never comes to mind. Structural change is not an easy feat to achieve, especially when it comes to changing the morals and values of those at the top of our political system. A system plagued with favoritism, nepotism, and those individuals that would put personal gain above the greater good.

This is exactly what this piece aims to highlight. Delving into a few examples of Leadership that is centered on Us as in leadership that is in the trenches with the populous, vs leadership centered on you, as in leadership that is sitting on its high horse and dictating from on high, with no real intention of self-sacrifice and plan to alleviate the burden for its people.

The first message I would like to bring to your attention was the Corona pandemic speech in which Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs addressed the nation. This speech went viral as it was seen as a stern message of sacrifice that would be required to get us through the hard times:

If you do not have the type of bread you like in your house, eat crackers. . .

If you do not have bread, eat cereal, eat oats, sardines. . .

Then I would like to bring your attention to a press conference speech the Prime Minister of Barbados, the renowned and often cited (in our very own Parliament) Mia Mottley gave regarding the price gouging of hotel rooms in California, and her response to that:

Barbados did not stay in a hotel. We went and rent some apartments. I stayed in an apartment with my officers. . .

If you can cook inside, which we did. . . I did breakfast with most of them. . .

Can you notice the difference? Its subtle, but its there. YOU vs WE. You have to sacrifice, while I will strive to give up as little as possible. More recent examples of this are the multitude of trips (snoepreisjes) that our MPs seemingly cannot get enough of. To add insult to injury, the justification for the latest Parlatino clip by MP. Brison was and I paraphrase Previous governments were broke, didnt propose to change anything to the travel budget, and still got to go, so why shouldnt we? [Py21-22 Central Committee meeting #36 minute 9:15] Truly unbelievable and unacceptable! No mention of an added benefit for the nation through a clear and practical plan for implementation. No agricultural experts have taken along to bring theory into practice. Simply a pleasure trip because they (previous Governments) got to go, and so should we. The nation is struggling! Yet Parlatino visits and celebrating Curacaos flag day seem to be more important than saving money on our financial budget to ensure we can comply with removing the 12,5% cuts. One such condition is: Furthermore, the countries may not have a budget deficit once the labor benefits cut measures are eliminated.  Source: The Daily Herald

Our government doesnt seem to grasp the situation, either willfully so or through sheer ignorance. Both the local as well as global markets are facing unprecedented challenges. It is no longer time for status

quo Mp Brison. It is time for a change, self-sacrifice, and actual long-term planning and vision for the island and its future. If we do not prepare and truly build in the systems of good corporate governance allowing sustainable investments, a better wealth distribution, access to clean renewable energy, and less dependence on the ever-increasing cost of fossil fuels; steps to truly bolster the islands resilience, the good times, or even some semblance of normalcy, may be further away, then we all hope. And so, I would like to conclude this article with some recommendations for this current Government:

- Distance yourself from poor corporate governance practices, favoritism, and a disregard for the laws of the land as demonstrated by the Minister of Vromi time and time again. The pattern has emerged and is clear.

- Delve into and scrutinize any and all Government expenditures. Ensure proper financial reporting and adherence to the laws or policies that are in place to guarantee that the money is spent for its intended purposes.

- Cut back on travel expenses that are not strictly and directly benefit the people of St. Maarten.

- As is now the case with the Casinos, go after the money that is owed to the government. That this wasnt a departure point when the island was in serious financial constraints is beyond me.

- Overall, devise a plan in which we take charge of our own future, wherein we can, if necessary, ask Holland for assistance, formed the way WE see fit, not dictated by a CFT or a COHO or any other entity.

To the people of St Maarten, I say this, what we should want is clear and truly shouldnt be that difficult. A government that has the best interest of the people of St Maarten at heart. One that is willing to do what it takes to ensure good corporate governance practices become the norm. Both within and outside the public sector.



- David Salomon
PARAMARIBO SURINAME:--- James Fines, president of Nos Ke Boneiru Bek, and Davika Bissessar, president of Bonaire Human Rights Organization, were in Paramaribo in connection with the 43rd CARICOM Head of States Meetings held July 3  5 to seek solidarity and support for the UN re-listing trajectory and to raise awareness on the apartheid situation that Bonaire is experiencing after the illegal annexation of Bonaire by Holland on October 10, 2010, with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.

We can look back on a very successful awareness mission as we had very important meetings, conversations, and discussions with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Secretary-General of the CARICOM, and with presidents, prime ministers, and leaders of the Caribbean Community with their vision of Caribbean integration and reparations. We had the opportunity to hand over our international United Nations recognized report financed by the people of Bonaire; "Assessment of self-governance sufficiency in conformity with internationally recognized standards: Country Bonaire" that concluded that our situation is deficient by all measures of democratic governance. We furthermore shared our sister islands of Aruba, Curacao, St Maarten, Saba, and St Eustatius's colonial repressive situation to this international platform.

We met and spoke with the President of Suriname and Chairman of CARICOM Chan Santokhi and the outgoing Chairman of CARICOM the Prime Minister of Belize Johnny Briceno, President of Guyana Irfaan Ali, Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, Prime Minister Ralph Concalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines and the newly elected Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell and many other leaders, all of them vowed solidarity and support to us. A historical and proud moment for us and the people of Bonaire was when we had the opportunity to meet and hand over the Bonaire Self-Governance Assessment to Antonio Gutteres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

We congratulate the people of Bonaire that believed in us and continue supporting us with another huge step forward towards our trajectory to have Bonaire put back on the list of Non-Self-Governing- Territories of the United Nations.
This colorful view of Mercury was produced by using images from the color base map imaging campaign during the primary mission of NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft.

Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, is only slightly larger than Earth's moon and is pockmarked with craters.

The planet is visible to the unaided eye and as such as has long been known to humans. According to Universe Today (opens in new tab), the Sumerians mentioned the planet as early as the 2nd millennium BC (a period spanning 2000 BC to 1001 BC), and the Babylonians called it the planet Nabu. We know it by the name given by the Romans, after their swift-footed messenger god Mercury. The planet was first observed through the newly invented telescope in 1631 by astronomers Galileo Galilei and Thomas Harriot, according to NASA Science (opens in new tab).

Since its first visit from NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft in 1974, the little planet has intrigued scientists. It will no doubt continue to surprise us, especially after the joint European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) mission BepiColombo arrives at the small planet in late 2025.

Here we explore 10 strange facts about the planet Mercury.

Related: Sounds in space: What noises do planets make?

Largest temperature fluctuations in the solar system

Image of Mercury captured by NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft, the first probe to visit Mercury. (Image credit: NASA/JPL/USGS)

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Even though Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, its surface can still be extremely cold, thanks to its lack of a heat-trapping atmosphere. The temperature during the day can reach a scorching 800 degrees Fahrenheit (430 degrees Celsius), but at night, temperatures can plummet as low as minus 290 F (minus 180 C), according to NASA (opens in new tab). That fluctuation equals a temperature swing of about 1,100 F (600 C), the largest of any planet in the solar system.

The smallest planet in the solar system

Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system and might still be contracting even today. (Image credit: NASA/JHUAPL/Carnegie Institution of Washington/USGS/Arizona State University)

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Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system. The dinky planet is approximately 3,030 miles (4,876 kilometers) in diameter, making it about as wide as the continental United States and only slightly bigger than Earth's moon.

Saturn's moon Titan and Jupiter's moon Ganymede are both larger than Mercury. Pluto was long considered to be the smallest planet in the solar system, but after it was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006, the award of the smallest planet has been bestowed upon Mercury.

Giant asteroid impact survivor

This mosaic image of the Caloris Basin is an enhanced-color composite overlain on a monochrome mosaic. (Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington)

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A bizarre orbit

Mercury is photographed passing across the sun in the lower third of the image. (Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)

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Mercury speeds around the sun every 88 Earth days, hurtling along at nearly 29 miles (47 kilometers) per second  faster than any other planet in the solar system, according to NASA. Mercury's orbit is not only very fast but also highly elliptical. The planet gets as close as 29 million miles (47 million km) to the sun and as far as 42 million miles (70 million km) from the sun.

Surface ice located near poles

Despite Mercury's extreme heat, there is permanent ice at the planet's poles, according to data and images from NASA's MESSENGER probe, which orbited Mercury from 2011 to 2015. (Image credit: NASA/MESSENGER)

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In 2012, NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft discovered water ice inside some of Mercury's craters. In 2017, it was confirmed that Mercury has much more ice strewn across its north polar region than previously thought. The existence of ice had first been suggested in the 1990s when Earth-based telescopes detected highly reflective spots in the polar regions.

Being so close to the sun, you might find it strange that Mercury could harbor any surface ice at all. But the planet has very little axial tilt, meaning that the polar regions receive very little direct sunlight, and some craters remain constantly in the dark. And Mercury has no atmosphere to speak of, so its temperatures rise and fall dramatically during the day and night, respectively.

Enormous iron core

Mercury's core has long been a mystery to scientists. (Image credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center)

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Mercury has a huge metallic core approximately 2,200 miles to 2,400 miles (3,600 to 3,800 km) wide  about 75% of the planet's diameter! To put things into perspective, Mercury's outer shell is only 300 miles to 400 miles (500 to 600 km) thick.

The huge core has more iron in it than any other planet in the solar system. Scientists aren't exactly sure how it formed, or why it's so outlandishly large.

Its entire surface has been mapped

NASA's MESSENGER probe (short for Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry, and Ranging mission), orbited Mercury for more than four years and beamed back some amazing images of the closest planet to the sun. Scientists used those images to create the first-ever complete map of Mercury's surface.

The thinnest atmosphere in the solar system

Mercury's exosphere is incredibly thin. (Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington)

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Mercury has the thinnest atmosphere of any planet in the solar system. The atmosphere is so thin that scientists have another name for it  an exosphere. Mercury's exosphere is composed mostly of oxygen, sodium, hydrogen, helium and potassium, according to NASA.

Weird 'tails'

A photomosaic of Mercury's southern hemisphere, made from images captured by NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft. (Image credit: NASA/JLP)

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Scientists have discovered that Mercury has streams of particles sloughing off its surface, much like a comet. Long-exposure photographs taken by astrophotographers on Earth can capture these curious tails, as detailed in an article from EarthSky (opens in new tab).

Scientists believe that the tails are produced when the sodium in Mercury's exosphere glows as a result of being excited by light from the sun. Sunlight can also free these molecules from Mercury's surface and push them away into space, according to an article from NASA Science (opens in new tab).

Magnetic tornadoes

Mercury's surface is covered in craters.

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Scientists are puzzled by Mercury's magnetic field; the planet appears to be too small to host a global magnetic field, yet it does. Though the magnetic field has only 1% the strength of Earth's, it can cause quite the commotion on the surface of Mercury in the form of magnetic tornadoes.

According to NASA, when Mercury's magnetic field interacts with the solar wind, it sometimes generates magnetic tornadoes (opens in new tab) that channel fast, hot, solar wind plasma to the surface of the little planet. When the solar wind plasma hits the surface, it displaces neutrally charged atoms on the surface, sending the loops high into Mercury's atmosphere.
Colonel Tom Parker is dying. Hes lost his prize asset, Elvis Presley  and is scrambling alone through casino bars in Los Angeles. We see Hanks Parker act as the audience insight into the movie through a twisted, warped perspective of American capitalism  here, Parker is the phony, the conman, selling dreams that cant be bought to Elvis, at the price of his freedom  manipulating the legendary performers status to his own will. This is the gauntlet through which we see Elvis life, and the tragedy that follows  brought to life by Baz Luhrmann, a man with a history of holding nothing back in terms of delivering spectacle on a grand stage, be itorThe film introduces us to Elvis Presley as we learn the origins of where he learnt his music, his influences and his aspirations. Comic books capture his favourite character: Captain Marvel Jr. He comes from a loving family, and all of this comes in the first thirty minutes or so as we see a myriad of collective montages, building up to when  a young Elvis sets foot on stage for the first time, with dyed black hair and a pink jumper. Hes jeered at by the crowd  but the audience is quickly won over. And in that moment; a star is born  not just Elvis, but also Austin Butler himself, who delivers a captivating performance that is sure to catapult him to stardom  having only played a bit-part role as a Manson family member inand featuring in MTV's short-lived Terry Brooks series,previously, this feels like him reaching out to become leading man material and grabbing it with earnest, we all talk about Oscar movies and Oscar-winning performances too early in the race, butis simply that  there are no other words for it: an Oscar nominated performance, at the very least  in complete contrast to Hanks  who feels clumsy, stilted and awkward  you could argue that he is in complete control as the Colonel, but it comes across a bit too cartoonish, a bit too exaggerated  Butler is almost subdued in comparison. Yet if Hanks performance is not, his words are as convincing as they come - , the Colonel tells Elvis  and we buy it.The visuals are a treat  a real feast for the eyes  cinematographer Mandy Walker makes you watch Elvis Presley transcend before our eyes as the film recreates key scenes  available on YouTube for a direct comparison, such as his comeback tour, perfectly  even interactions with the crowd are replicated. The magnetic stage presence that Elvis had is instantly captured, his mannerisms, his looks, his charm  but the film also goes deeper than that, exploring his personality and what his reactions were to the state of the nation as it progresses  we see Elvis, in-style, react to the times that are a changing around him: Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy, Sharon Tate, all tragic murders that shaped America. Hollywood has always been a part of his life: the film spends a significant amount of time with his movies, which got progressively worse as they developed  and the film uses that to feed the Colonels status as the ultimate capitalist ego  once they take Hollywood for everything that they have, he moves onto the next source of income  not wanting to take Elvis out overseas, he instead turns to the International Hotel  and locks him into a contract designed to keep him there.is repeated multiple times throughout the movie - and the song's meaning feels like a key explanation of the film's underlying message. When things are too dangerous to say, sing - Elvis is told, and he does just that.feels like it pushes the boundaries of a montage to its limit  flashing lights are everywhere and its a dizzying rollercoaster ride that feels like a fairground exhibit, appropriately, the film early on features a key scene in a Hall of Mirrors, and in a way, feels oddly reminiscent of Guillermo Del Toros, which it would make an inspired double feature with for a long weekend  both movies explore the ugly side of unfiltered American ego, the men are the monsters  and' novel choice to keep the movie from the Colonels perspective provides a fascinating twist on the Elvis tale  but youre never left believing anything different, and youll come out a hell of a lot more sympathetic to EP  as hes referred to by those closest to him, after, as the film acknowledges his flaws as a human.The script is the most traditional point of the film which almost makes it feel at odds with Luhrmanns lavish, go-for-broke direction and proves that film is very much a visual medium. Whilst the script uses the blueprint of the parodyfor an instruction manual rather than an example of what to avoid, Luhrmanns direction takes plenty of creative swings. It captures Elvis personality at different stages of his career, and even has time for the sheer unconventional inclusion of a Doja Cat song in an Elvis Presley movie  only someone as fearless as Luhrmann could have pulled it off and he does so admirably, the needle drops work, every second of them  opposite the greatest hits of Elvis career, and it feels like a match made in heaven.No actor to portray Elvis has quite come close to capturing why so many adored him in the first place: one of the most recent examples of that performance comes from Michael Shannon playing an older version of him in, where he met with the then-President of the United States  but Austin Butler has the spark, his rebellious capturing of the youth movement in America is frequently tempered by Colonel Tom Parkers need to make him feel as accessible to a wider audience as possible; were seeing constant back and forth between the two  the more Parker reigns in, the more Elvis lashes out  and what unfolds, is history. Parker is stuck in the past  he cannot see that the times are changing around him  despite claiming that its not his fault history changed with the advent of The Beatles, and the character study between the two becomes the driving force of this movie that gives it much of its momentum.Rare has a music biopic been this assuredly confident with its understanding of its subject presented in a pop ballad for the ages - unafraid to change history where needed to suit the narrative  its a film that Im already thinking about rewatching and is decidedly morethan, which is only a good thing. More musical biopics like this, please and thank you.
Madrid (Spain), 2 July 2022 (SPS) - Spanish Congress of Deputies (lower house of the legislative body) adopted Thursday a non-binding proposed motion requesting Spain's return to its neutral position over Western Sahara and the re-establishment of a friendly relationship with Algeria, local media reported.



The draft motion was voted in a plenary session by 193 votes in favour, 110 against and four abstentions.



"A draft motion on Spain's foreign policy with 15 points has been presented by the parliamentary group of the People's Party (PP)," the representative of the Polisario Front in Spain, Abdellah El-Arabi, told APS.



"The 13th point is about the re-establishment of relations between Spain and Algeria and the need to abide by Spain's historical position over Western Sahara, in line with international law and UN resolutions."



On April 7th, Spanish Parliament voted a proposal reiterating Western Sahara people's inalienable right to self-determination in accordance with the resolution of the United Nations.



Spanish MPs had then approved a non-legislative proposal submitted by three parliamentary groups, denouncing the "illegal" change of position by Madrid over Western Sahara conflict.



062/SPS/APS
Connecticut has been the backdrop of many Christmas movies and Netflix films, so a film about a psychological analysis of an isolated war veteran in the middle of the pandemic may not be the first idea to come to mind when thinking on movies filmed in the state. However, that premise is sweeping film festivals across the country and earning accolades along the way.

Directed by Branford native Christopher Rucinski, Northern Shade is a high-intensity thriller that follows U.S. army vet Justin McLaughlin as he attempts to solve the mystery behind the disappearance of his brother and his recruitment into an extreme militia group. Meanwhile, Justin faces his own demons during the pandemic as he struggles to re-enter civilian life.

Rucinskis first feature film, Northern Shade, was shot primarily in Branford with iconic local landmarks like the Stony Creek Quarry, ZuWalick Sawmill and Quinnipiac River appearing throughout the film.

The movie has since won Best Screenplay at the Phoenix Film Festival and Best Feature at the Poppy Jasper Film Festival. It is currently slated to have its Massachusetts premiere next month at the Woods Hole Film Festival, and is currently waiting for selection from other film festivals, according to Rucinski. It will have its local premiere at New Havens Bow Tie Criterion Cinemas on July 7, 14 and 21, with each showing featuring a post-film Q&A with Rucinski.

Rucinski is a 2004 Branford High School graduate along with Greg Gill, the movies cinematographer. Rucinski said he was inspired to pursue filmmaking after taking a class with Roger Reale, a local music and art legend.

Since their modest beginnings in Branford, the two have solidified themselves within the world of film. Gill has traveled the world documenting everything from ISIS prisoners in Iraq to searching for snow leopards deep in the Himalayas. Meanwhile, Rucinski has become a notable post-production filmmaker with work in War for the Planet of the Apes, Ford v Ferrari and The Adam Project.

It was kind of easy taking all of the lessons that weve learned from bigger projects, and applying them to our movie, which had a much smaller scale, Rucinski said. It was a micro-budget film but we were definitely asking a lot of the cast and crew just in terms of the plot and the scope of the story.

Rucinski said he finished the script at the end of 2019 but revisited it once the pandemic hit and "rewrote the script to take place during COVID to kind of make it even possible to film." His reworked COVID compliant script had to cut out scenes that featured people unnecessarily congregating. In total, more than 75 individuals were employed on the movie between shoots in California and Connecticut.

We made it clear to the cast and crew that if anyone got COVID, wed just shut down, Rucinski added. If one person got COVID, the movie probably wouldnt have succeeded.

After collaborating with local officials, Northern Shade was successfully able to operate within the pandemic starting in November 2020. Rucinski said he believes that the setting of the pandemic adds a backdrop of anxiety and alienation to the already emotionally-complicated story.

It made the isolation of the characters feel more realistic because everyone was feeling that, Rucinski said.

In the hope of telling a more grounded story, Rucinski partly based some of the plot on the life of Kyle Berg, who served as the movie's co-producer and military tech advisor. Berg grew up with Rucinski and Gill, and served in the Army as a combat engineer during Operation Enduring Freedom. Rucinski said he workshopped the script with him, and Berg also helped train the actors during scenes involving gun and tactical movements.

Rucinski credits the work of Mark Dixon from the Connecticut Office of Film, TV & Digital Media, and Perry Maresca, Branfords Economic and Business Development Manager, for steering the team in the right direction in terms of filming locations and contacts in the area. Because of them, Rucinski said that he was able to shoot at very unique locations that I wanted to film at since I was a kid.

Also credited is a Kickstarter campaign, which raised over $21,000 for the project last year. That $21,000, according to the Kickstarter page, went toward post-production work including VFX, sound editing and music licensing.

Contributed by Chris Rucinski

For the distribution of "Northern Shade," Rucinski said that he has partnered with California-based Blood Sweat Honey, which is responsible for indie hits such as The Big Lebowski and "The Blair Witch Project." He hopes that down the line, he will be able to get the film on streaming platforms and on Redbox.

The film is slated to have at a limited theatrical release in major markets, but Rucinski felt it was important for the movie to have a Connecticut premiere this summer.

I just really want to make sure that all of Connecticut will also have the chance to see it on the big screen, Rucinski said.

"Northern Shade" will have its Connecticut debut at the Bow Tie Criterion Cinema at 86 Temple St. in New Haven. Screenings will take place July 7, 14 and 21 at 8 p.m.. Each screening fill feature a Q&A with Rucinsky and other members of the creative team following the movie. The following individuals will moderate the Q&A's: Perry Maresca on July 7, Gorman Bechard on July 14 and Roger Reale on July 21.
BEIJING (AP)  The United States is the biggest threat to world peace, stability and development," China said Thursday, continuing its sharp rhetoric in response to U.S. accusations of Chinese spying and threats to the international order.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijians comments came a day after the head of the FBI and the leader of Britains domestic intelligence agency raised fresh alarms about the Chinese government, warning business leaders that Beijing is determined to steal their technology for competitive gain.

The heightened tone comes ahead of a meeting Saturday between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Group of 20 leading rich and developing nations ministers summit in Bali, Indonesia.

The relevant U.S. politician has been playing up the so-called China threat to smear and attack China," Zhao told reporters at a daily briefing when asked about FBI Director Christopher Wray's comments reaffirming longstanding concerns in denouncing economic espionage and hacking operations by China as well as the Chinese governments efforts to stifle dissent abroad.

Facts have fully proven that the U.S. is the biggest threat to world peace, stability and development," Zhao said. We urge this U.S. official to have the right perspective, see Chinas developments in an objective and reasonable manner and stop spreading lies and stop making irresponsible remarks."

Wray's speech was particularly notable because it took place at MI5s London headquarters and alongside the agencys director general, Ken McCallum, in an intended show of Western solidarity.

We consistently see that its the Chinese government that poses the biggest long-term threat to our economic and national security, and by our, I mean both of our nations, along with our allies in Europe and elsewhere, Wray told attendees.

McCallum said the Chinese government and its covert pressure across the globe amounts to the most game-changing challenge we face.

Under Xi Jinping, president and head of the ruling Communist Party, China has assumed an increasingly aggressive foreign policy, joining with Russia in seeking to undermine the influence of the U.S. and its allies.

Beijing has refused to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine  which is expected to dominate the G-20 foreign ministers meeting  while condemning Western sanctions against Moscow and accusing Washington and NATO of provoking the conflict.

At the same time, the party exercises sweeping powers over all Chinese companies and institutions, both public and private, as it seeks to dominate global markets and emerging technologies.

The Chinese government and its covert pressure across the globe amounts to the most game-changing challenge we face, McCallum said in his Wednesday remarks.

In his response, Zhao said British intelligence was simply projecting their own dishonorable behavior onto China."

The head of the British intelligence service should cast away (his) evil in mind, come out of the dark room and see the sunshine, and not always hold on to the zero-sum thinking or set up so-called imaginary enemies," he said.

Zhao on Wednesday slammed Blinken's comments at last weeks NATO summit in Spain, in which the Secretary of State accused China of seeking to undermine the rules-based international order.
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STAMFORD  For Stamford firefighters, Tuesday was an uncommon day.

Thats because in the span of five hours, Fire Department personnel responded to two different situations of a person being stuck under a massive vehicle.

First, a 28-year-old woman was pinned under a city bus in the heart of Stamfords downtown in the afternoon. Later, a woman in her 60s was trapped under a train platform at Springdale Train Station after falling while getting off a train.

People getting stuck under vehicles doesnt happen every day, said Deputy Fire Chief Tom Gloersen.

In both cases, neither woman suffered serious injuries, according to authorities.

Nicholas DeAngelo, an acting lieutenant for the Stamford Fire Department, was one of multiple Stamford firefighters who responded to both incidents.

While he said he wasnt too involved in the train rescue, which firefighters had under control very quickly, DeAngelo was one of a crew of firefighters who helped physically free a woman who was trapped under a Connecticut Transit bus.

Multiple people called 911 to report the incident around 3:10 p.m. According to Stamford Police Sgt. Jeffrey Booth of the departments Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Squad, the driver of the bus was making a left turn onto Atlantic Street from Broad Street when the bus collided with the woman.

Booth said the woman had the right of way and was in the crosswalk when she was struck. The bus driver claimed he did not see the woman, according to Booth, but he was issued an infraction for failure to grant the right of way to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

He should have seen her, Booth said.

Josh Rickman, interim deputy general manager for Connecticut Transit, declined to comment on the incident, saying there is an active investigation ongoing.

After the collision, the woman was trapped under the front axle of the bus, directly below the part of the bus where passengers enter and exit.

Stamford firefighters responded within two minutes and found the woman conscious and able to speak. However, she was in visible pain, said Deputy Fire Chief Matthew Palmer; her waist was compressed between the asphalt and the weight of the bus.

Palmer was able to communicate with her the entire time, he said. The first question she asked, he said, was how long it would take to get her out.

Palmer said he told her she had the finest firefighters working to help her.

The first priority, Palmer said, was stabilizing the vehicle, which was a tandem bus or accordion bus, essentially two buses joined in the middle by a section that resembles an accordion.

In order to stabilize the bus, firefighters began using four-by-four pieces of wood to hold up the vehicle, a common firefighter technique known as cribbing. Once the pieces were placed in strategic places around the woman and the vehicle was secure from creating even more pressure on her, the next step was lifting it.

Thats where DeAngelo came in, as he was put in charge of raising the 27,000 pound vehicle, which was done by inflating air bags underneath the body of the bus.

As the air bags filled, the bus was slowly lifted, and firefighters added extra cribbing to further support it and prevent it from dropping if the air bags failed, he said.

Eventually, the bus was lifted a few inches, allowing firefighters to slide underneath and help the woman escape. In the end, they were able to save her in under 10 minutes, according to a press release put out by the department.

The best thing we can do for people is get them out fast, said DeAngelo, a member of the departments specialized Rescue 5 station.

He said members of the rescue unit are well trained on lifting heavy objects such as vehicles and they do drills almost every week simulating real-life scenarios. That training was put to good use on Tuesday, he said, as all the firefighters essentially followed the steps they have practiced over and over.

Still, the experience was a first for DeAngelo.

Ive never lifted a bus before, he said.

At the train station later in the day, many of the same firefighters who were at the bus scene were also present.

Deputy Fire Chief Tom Gloersen said a woman fell in the gap between the platform and the train about 8:10 p.m. when getting off.

The space between the platform and the train was certainly big enough for someone who miss-stepped to get through, Gloersen said.

Aaron Donovan, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said Metro-North personnel regularly review the size of the gaps at all stations.

When necessary, crews take steps to reduce the gap by making adjustments to the platform or the track alignment, he wrote in an emailed message. The MTAs investigation into this incident is in its early stages.

After the woman fell, the train conductor seemingly realized there was an issue and shut down the train, Gloersen said.

I didnt get into why he stopped, I was just happy that he stopped, Gloersen said.

Firefighters made their way to the woman by going under the train. They then placed her in a Stokes basket, which is a type of stretcher, and brought her to the other side of the train.

The woman was then lifted and carried through the open train and onto the platform level.

Usually when we get people under trains, it ends up in a totally different way, Gloersen said.

ignacio.laguarda@stamfordadvocate.com
The American Hospital Association announced that it has honored Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton in appreciation for the hospitals 75 years of participation and leadership in the AHA.

The AHA presented the award to Terrence Purcell, president, LVH-Hazleton, on June 23.

Over the past 75 years, LVH-Hazleton (formerly Greater Hazleton Health Alliance and Hazleton General Hospital) has been a leader in advancing health for the patients and communities that it serves. This includes the opening of Health & Wellness Center at Hazleton in 2005 and the merger with Lehigh Valley Health Network in 2013, which continues to add health resources to the community. The hospital has 150 beds and provides inpatient acute care, rehab care, emergency care, maternity and home care. It is an accredited Primary Stroke Center and Level IV Trauma Center.

We thank Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton for its valuable contributions to our field, including increasing access to quality health care, conducting lifesaving research and serving as a model for building effective partnerships that expand health care beyond hospital beds and into communities, AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack said.

Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton is proud of its partnership with the American Hospital Association. Seventy-five years is a testament to how much we value AHAs contributions to improve health care throughout the years, Purcell said. We look forward to continuing to advance the health of individuals and communities we serve.
Romania remains one of the "most active" supporters of Ukraine's European journey, Romania's Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said in a video message to the 22nd edition of the Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum taking place at the Romanian Parliament House in Bucharest.

"Romania remains one of the most active supporters of Ukraine's European journey. The recent recognition of Ukraine's status of a candidate for EU membership, together with Moldova, is a concrete sign of hope for those who have taken up the option for freedom and democratic values," the prime minister said in his message.He also said that Romania has intensified its efforts to help Ukraine export its grains."We have stepped up our efforts to help Ukraine export its grains, successfully doubling the quantities. And we continue to mobilise on our roads, railways and ports on the Danube and the Black Sea, giving priority to flows from Ukraine or Moldova," said the prime minister.Ciuca added that since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, on February 24, over 1,400,000 Ukrainians have entered Romania, and over 100,000 decided to stay."The Ukraine war has turned into a long war of attrition and destruction. It is far from a war of the 21st century, as it uses unguided bombs that destroy buildings, shops, malls, hospitals and kindergartens. More importantly, Putin's war in Ukraine has directly challenged the rules-based order," said Ciuca.He added that appropriate commitments were made at the recent NATO summit in Madrid to go further and ensure the defence and security of all member states - "continued support for Ukraine as needed, but also support for the countries exposed in area - Moldova, Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.""The new strategic concept underlined Russia's real status. (...) The document strengthened support for Ukraine and invited Sweden and Finland to become full members of the alliance. Equally important to Romania is calling the Black Sea and the Western Balkans regions of strategic interest for the alliance," added Ciuca.According to him, everyone is concerned about the prospect of change in the Ukraine war."The challenges are already present as interdependent and overlapping crises we have to face: the COVID-19 pandemic, energy prices and shortages, the large-scale war in Ukraine, food security and economic crises. No government is spared the impact of these crises on the citizens. But we have proved to be more resilient and united than some autocratic countries thought we would be, and we have managed to overcome the difficulties of war through the cohesion of democratic countries, and that is the most important and best news we can convey to our citizens," said Ciuca.
The number of companies stricken off in Romania nationwide increased by 9.25% in the first five months of 2022, as against the same period in 2021, to 29,634 strike-offs, according to statistics with the National Companies Registry Office (ONRC).

Most strike-offs were recorded in Bucharest - 4,576 (up 8.36% against January-May 2021) and in the counties of Timis - 1,344 (up 5.58%), Cluj - 1,322 (up 13.67%) and Constanta - 1,312 (up 12.23%).On the other hand, the fewest strike-offs were recorded in the counties of Ialomita - 247 counties (up 17.62% over the first five months of 2021), Calarasi - 258 (up 11.21%) and Covasna - 266 (down 0.37%).The most significant increases in the number of strike-offs were reported in the counties of Teleorman (plus 33.96%), Vrancea (plus 22.62%) and Salaj (plus 20.3%). During the same period, the largest decreases in strike-offs were reported in the counties of Dambovita (minus 13.41%), Braila (minus 12.82%) and Olt (9.60%).By business area, the highest number of strike-offs was reported in wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles - 7,935 (plus 6.54% over January-May 2021), construction - 2,724 (plus 10.60 %), professional, scientific and technical activities - 2,448 (plus 8.46%) and the manufacturing industry 2,411 (plus 10.75%).In May 2022, 3,017 company strike-offs were reported, most of them in Bucharest (522) and in the counties of Olt (182), Cluj (165) and Constanta (138).
Minister of National Defense Vasile Dincu, and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Daniel Petrescu, will participate on Friday from 10:00 in the fourth Atlantic - Black Sea Security Forum, focusing on "What New European Security Architecture after Russia's War on Ukraine?", which will take place at the Diplomatic Club in Bucharest, informs a press release sent to AGERPRES on Thursday.

According to the cited source, the event is organized by the Aspen Romania Institute together with the German Marshall Fund of the US in Bucharest and in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense and the French Embassy in Romania.

The Atlantic - Black Sea Security Forum is an international event that addresses the latest topics on the international security agenda. Given the current geopolitical context, this year's edition will also include a session dedicated to energy security, the cited source said.

"The event will address the implications of NATO's new Strategic Concept and the deterrence and defense posture on the eastern flank recently agreed upon by Alliance leaders at the Madrid Summit, as well as the future of the NATO-EU Strategic Partnership," the release said.

The Ministry of National Defense also mentions that the agenda of the debates also includes topics related to the reconstruction of Ukraine, the European perspectives of Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova, food security, freedom of navigation, new technologies, as well as cyber security and the fight against misinformation. AGERPRES
Interior Minister Lucian Bode announced on Thursday that Mohammad Munaf, Omar Hayssam's accomplice in the case of the Romanian journalists' kidnapping in Iraq, recently released from prison, has 15 days to leave Romania's territory.

"He was released, to say it clearly, based on the decisions of some specialist committees, he wasn't released on a whim. He, as he is a foreign citizen, was taken over by the General Inspectorate for Immigrations, where all the legal formalities were done, then he went to his residence. He was informed that in 15 days he must leave Romania, and, according to the Romanian state decisions, for 15 years he is banned from entering Romania's territory," Bode said, when asked about journalists about Munaf's situation.The Ilfov Tribunal on Wednesday upheld the appeal of Mohammad Munaf, who is serving a 10-year sentence for terrorism in the case of the 2005 abduction of three Romanian journalists in Iraq, and ordered his conditional release.In 2008, the Bucharest Court of Appeal sentenced Munaf to 10 years in prison for participating in the kidnapping of journalists Ovidiu Ohanesian, Sorin Miscoci and Marie-Jeanne Ion, the payment of two million euros each in moral damages to the journalists and 100,000 RON in court fees.His full-time sentence would have ended in 2025, as he began serving it in 2015, when he was brought to Romania.Mohammad Munaf, an Iraqi and US citizen settled in Romania, served as a guide to the three Romanian journalists abducted in Iraq at the end of March 2005, and was held hostage, just like them, for 55 days.After the release of the journalists, Munaf was placed in detention by the US army in Iraq for being an accomplice to the mastermind of the kidnapping, Syrian Omar Hayssam.In October 2006, Munaf was sentenced to death by hanging by the Baghdad Central Criminal Court, but the sentence was overturned by the Iraqi Court of Cassation, on grounds that the role of Munaf and of the other defendants in the abduction of the three journalists cannot be precisely determined.Munaf was brought to Romania in August 2015 and placed in detention.
Romania's Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said on Thursday that the Greece-Bulgaria natural gas interconnector is extremely important to the transmission network to Europe.

He was on a working visit to Greece to attend the commissioning of the Greece-Bulgaria natural gas interconnector."It is a very important interconnector to everything that means natural gas transmission network to Europe. Basically, this interconnector will ensure the connection between the network that passes through Anatolia and the Adriatic and also connects through the BRUA pipeline, thus giving consistency to the vertical corridor and securing the supply of gas to both Bulgaria and Romania. And, of course, we can secure the gas supply to our eastern partners, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, and of course of other countries that are on the distribution diagram of this gas network," Ciuca said at a joint news conference with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis.He added that the energy ministers of Romania and Greece were to sign a memorandum on joint medium and long-term projects."This is the second meeting we have in a short period of time. The day before the invasion of Ukraine began I had an official visit to Bucharest, where together we signed a joint statement to strengthen political, economic and sectoral co-operation. Today, we were able to have a coherent continuation of the decisions we took together in Bucharest. In today's delegation we had representatives from the ministries of energy of Greece and Romania, we had representatives of companies that are the ones who put into practice the political decisions we make and I can say that it was a very dynamic and practical meeting that has short-term objectives and medium- and long-term objectives. The signing of a memorandum at the level of the ministers of energy will follow, to secure our joint projects in the medium and long term," added Ciuca.
Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said that up-and-coming nuclear and natural gas projects capitalize on Romania's potential to become a regional energy hub. The statement comes as the Premier met on Thursday with John Hopkins, president and CEO of US company NuScale, which will develop in Romania the small modular reactors (SMR) technology for the production of nuclear energy.

"The inclusion of nuclear energy in the European Union's taxonomy on sustainable financing is a viable solution for achieving Romania's energy independence and decarbonization goals. By further developing nuclear and natural gas projects we will capitalize on our country's potential to become an energy hub in the region, we will develop the industry and create new jobs," the Prime Minister said in a statement issued by the government's Press Office.

The talks highlighted the importance of the Global Infrastructure Partnership initiative launched at the G7 Summit, and the allocation by NuScale of a $14 million grant for a new phase of the SMR development program in Romania.

"The Prime Minister mentioned that, through the Nuclearelectrica National Corporation, Romania will contribute 9 million dollars to the co-financing of this new stage of the program, considering Romania's target of reinforcing its energy profile, in accordance with the European environmental protection vision and the pledged decarbonisation targets. The Prime Minister also welcomed the opening of a facility in Doicesti, Dambovita County, to support the SMR and the partnership with the Polytechnic University of Bucharest, for the development of a NuScale Energy Exploration Center supporting workforce capacity building, that should provide nuclear experts, technicians and operators in Romania," the cited source mentions.

Nicolae Ciuca specified that the government will continue to support the projects for the construction of Cernavoda Reactors 3 and 4, as well as investments in renewable energy, stressing that the diversification of energy resources and routes is "paramount for ensuring Romania's energy stability and independence".

"The fact that the SMR technology developed by the American company NuScale complies with the highest nuclear safety standards is extremely important in the context where nuclear energy is a fundamental pillar through which we can obtain clean energy at affordable costs for the Romanian citizens and the national economy," Nicolae Ciuca states.

AGERPRES
Romania's Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca will pay a working visit to Greece today to attend the commissioning of the Greece-Bulgaria natural gas interconnector, according to the Government Press Office.

Part of his visit, Ciuca will have a face-to-face meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The visit schedule also includes is a meeting of official delegations and press statements by the two prime ministers.In the afternoon, Ciuca will welcome John Hopkins, President and CEO of NuScale, at the Government House in Bucharest.The White House announced on June 26 that the US government with US firm NuScale Power LLC (Tigard, OR) will provide 14 million US dollars in support for the Front-End Engineering and Design study for Romania's deployment of a first-of-its-kind small modular reactor (SMR) plant.
The Romanian and Greek Energy Ministers will sign a memorandum for the continuation of joint energy projects in the medium and long term, Romanian Minister Virgil Popescu wrote on Thursday on Facebook.

"Today I participated alongside Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca in the working meeting with the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Energy Minister Kostas Skrekas. I welcome the announcement of the Greek Prime Minister about updating our cooperation in the energy field, given that Greece will become a natural gas transmission hub, which will also cover Romania's needs," Popescu specified, noting also that the Greece-Bulgaria gas interconnector will be inaugurated on Friday.

"This is very good news for our country, from the perspective of diversifying routes and supply sources. Following today's talks, I and my counterpart Kostas Skrekas will sign a memorandum to ensure the continuation of our joint energy projects in the medium and long term. The Romania - Greece energy cooperation is strong," the government official added.

AGERPRES.
A controversial oil project that would connect oilfields in a Ugandan National Park to a port in Tanzania breaches global environmental guidelines for banks, according to a new nonprofit report Tuesday.

The 897-mile (1443-kilometer) East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), planned by French oil giant TotalEnergies and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation has been mired in allegations of human rights abuses and environmental hazard. The 230,000 barrels of oil produced daily will emit 34 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, according to Ugandan nonprofit the Africa Institute for Energy Governance. Construction will take three years, once a final decision has been taken.

At least 20 banks and eight insurers have ruled themselves out of the project, many coming under pressure from environmental groups. South Africas Standard Bank and the Japanese Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) are financial advisers and lead debt arrangers. The UKs Standard Chartered bank is also considering financing it.

All three signed up to the benchmark Equator Principles, voluntary environmental and human rights guidelines for financing infrastructure projects. A report by the non-governmental organization Inclusive Development International, shared exclusively with The Associated Press, says the project repeatedly breaches these principles and banks would violate them too if they go ahead. Banks are forbidden from financing non-compliant projects. But the scheme is powerless to eject members that do.

Oil wells will be drilled within Murchison Falls National Park, western Uganda. Here the Nile plummets some 130 feet (40 meters) through a gap just 20 feet (6 meters) wide, the surrounding wilderness home to hippos, egrets, giraffes and antelope. The pipeline would then pass through seven forest reserves and two game parks, running alongside Lake Victoria, a source of fresh water for 40 million people.

An oil spill could prove disastrous for the millions that rely on the lakes watershed for drinking water and food production, the environmental campaign group 350.org has warned.

The report says the risk of oil spills breaches an Equator Principle requiring minimal environmental impact. A review of the plans by the nonprofit E-Tech International, which advises communities affected by infrastructure projects, found best practice was not followed.

EACOP oil spills will occur over the lifetime of the project, the review concluded.

The pipelines environmental assessment doesnt contain a robust oil spill plan, the reports authors contend, a further breach of the Principles. The pipeline will also traverse an earthquake zone  the Great Rift Valley  the Inclusive Development International report warns.

TotalEnergies said the pipeline's state of the art design will ensure safety for decades.

The oil has a high wax content, solidifying at temperatures below 91.4 degrees Fahrenheit (33 degrees Celsius) which would stop oil from spreading as liquid, the company said. Emergency plans are being prepared, the company insisted. Summer temperatures can hit 104 Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) in Uganda.

Human rights standards have also allegedly been broken, according to the report. At least four letters from UN Special Rapporteurs on Human Rights, sent to the Ugandan president and TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne over two years, detail various acts of harassment and intimidation against protesting Ugandans. Numerous activists and a journalist have allegedly been intimidated, forced into hiding, arrested and interrogated.

The Equator Principles are not being met with regard to the risks facing community members that express criticism, the report finds.

TotalEnergies said it was unaware of threats emanating from its own staff. The company said it is vocal about the need" for Ugandan security forces to respect human rights, and had written to the Ugandan president to share its concerns.

TotalEnergies does not tolerate any threats or attacks against those who peacefully defend and promote human rights, the statement read.

The Principles have also been violated by a lack of community engagement free of manipulation, interference, or coercion, or intimidation, according to the analysis.

More than 120,000 people will lose land to make way for the project, an evaluation by environmental campaign group Friends of the Earth found. There must be free, prior and informed consultation with people whose lives may be changed, according to the Principles.

But the report found these requirements were not "sufficiently met.

The project has systematically failed to consult and disclose accessible information, it said.

TotalEnergies said only 13,300 people would be economically impacted across Uganda and Tanzania. Since 2017, meetings have reached over 200,000 affected individuals along the route, the oil major said.

Finally, the project violates standards on land acquisition and resettlement, the report finds. Compensation processes exacerbated, rather than mitigated negative impacts, impoverishing villagers who lost access to farmland and faced long delays awaiting compensation.

TotalEnergies said it had already begun paying compensation. The process abides by local laws and is in compliance with the Principles, the company insisted.

Equator Principles rules state each member is individually responsible for its own internal procedures to comply with them. The Equator Principles Association does not have the authority to respond to concerns about breaching them.

Its current chair is Amit Puri, global head of environmental risk at Standard Chartered, one of the banks that the report says would allegedly be breaching the guidelines by financing the pipeline.

Standard Chartered itself and SMBC declined to comment. The China National Offshore Oil Corporation did not respond to numerous requests for a statement.

Standard Bank said its due diligence on funding the project was being assessed, but no final decision has been made. The decision's subject to a full assessment of climate change strategies, the bank said, while full compliance with the Equator Principles was needed to fund the project.

Despite environmental and human rights concerns, the campaign to stop the pipeline is unrealistic, said Angelo Izama, of Ugandan think tank Fanaka Kwa Wote.

Uganda is being thrust into this role as a poster child for climate damage, and its really unfair, he said.

It amounted to a "dismissal of the national interests of Uganda".

Ugandan oil officials declined to comment.

But President Yoweri Museveni has said oil wealth can lift millions out of poverty, while other government officials hope Uganda can become a middle-income country.

Efforts to stop the pipeline have left some dismayed at what they see as concerted efforts to sabotage the project.

TotalEnergies and CNOOC ... have the financial muscle and technical know-how to deliver a world-class project" wrote Elison Karuhanga, a prominent oil attorney, in Ugandas Daily Monitor newspaper.

This story was first published on July 5, 2022. It was updated on July 7, 2022 to make clear that a statement provided by the Equator Principles Association was later attributed to the organization, not to the chair personally.

Additional reporting by Rodney Muhumuza in Kampala, Uganda.

Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about APs climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
A federal judge in Lynchburg, Virginia, has signed off on a plan for the Humane Society to transfer about 4,000 beagles from the Envigo breeder mill in Cumberland County, Virginia, to shelters so they can be placed for adoption.

Envigo raised the dogs for medical research and came under fire from animal rights advocates for the company's treatment of the beagles.

Envigo, the Humane Society and the U.S. government presented the joint plan after U.S. District Judge Norman Moon refused Envigos bids for permission to sell more than 2,000 beagles to fulfill a sister companys research contracts.

Envigo will pay the Humane Society a $100 fee per beagle and $150 per nursing mother and litter under 8 weeks. The Humane Society will transmit the fees to shelters in order to defray the costs of preparing the beagles for adoption.

"Virginia is for dog lovers today," said Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, who sponsored legislation to protect dogs and cats at research facilities, along with Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax and Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle.

Stanley said "it's a victory for the dogs and a victory for stopping needless experiments" on the animals.

Inotiv, Envigos Indiana-based parent company, recently announced its plans to close Envigos beagle mill, which Moon has castigated for its torturous abuse of dogs and puppies in repeated violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

Under the agreement, the Humane Society will be solely responsible for coordinating transfer of the beagles from the Cumberland site and for the beagles placement with animal shelters and rescue organizations for adoption. The Humane Society agreed that it will place as many beagles as possible with shelters on the East Coast and in the Midwest and that beagles under 8 weeks will be transported with their mothers.

Stanley said the goal now is "finding good, permanent, loving homes for all of these dogs."

He encouraged anyone who wants to get on a list to adopt a beagle from Envigo to call his office at (540) 721-6028.

Stanley previously played a key role in helping hundreds of beagles rescued from Envigo find homes. His family adopted two of those beagles and he says anyone who adopts a dog or puppy saved from Envigo will find it was "the best decision they ever made."

The senator said he is concerned that many shelters already are overburdened and added that advocates seeking to help the beagles will "have to be very creative here."

Last year, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals conducted an undercover investigation at the Envigo's Cumberland County facility. PETA posted disturbing video of beagles housed in what it called a prison like factory.

Daphna Nachminovitch, PETAs senior vice president of cruelty investigations, said in a statement: PETAs groundbreaking undercover investigation helped spark a historic domino effect of state and federal legislative and law-enforcement action that paved the way for these dogs independence and this dog prisons closure.

Envigos surviving victims will soon be given the opportunity to have what every dog deserves  the freedom to enjoy life, love, and respect for their individuality as members of a family home.

Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, Virginia Democrats, said in a joint statement: After months of advocacy, were heartened to know that nearly 4,000 Envigo dogs will be spared a lifetime of suffering and will instead head to loving homes.

Were also pleased to know that Inotiv  Envigos parent company  will shutter its Cumberland facility and that no more dogs will be subject to the appalling conditions and inexcusable distress endured by so many dogs and puppies at the facility.

***
NEW YORK  A judge ordered a new trial to determine how much in punitive damages Bayer AG and BASF must each pay to a Missouri peach farmer who said dicamba, a herbicide the two companies produced, drifted onto his orchard and harmed his crops.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that a federal jury was wrongly told to assess punitive damages for Bayer and BASF together, rather than separately. It said a new trial was needed to determine punitive damages for each company.

But the order does not affect the jurys verdict that the companies are responsible, and leaves in place its award of $15 million in actual, non-punitive damages.

A lawyer for the farmer, Bill Bader, said the ruling was good news for her client by upholding key findings and affirming that punitive damages are appropriate. And she expressed hope that Baders payout would ultimately increase after being revised separately for each company.

Its not a victory for the defendants in any respect, said Bev Randles, an attorney for Bader Farms. Were confident that the next punitive damages award will be even larger, because now both defendants will be assessed.

BASF, which had argued on appeal that the joint award was unfair because the case focused on the conduct of Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, said in a statement that it was pleased with the ruling.

Bayer, meanwhile, was critical of the decision.

We respectfully disagree with the Eighth Circuits refusal to set aside the jurys liability verdict, and believe that the company acted responsibly and punitive damages should not have been submitted for consideration by the jury, the company said in a statement. Bayer will review its legal options.

The jury had originally awarded $250 million in punitive damages, for a total verdict of $265 million, but a federal judge later slashed the punitive portion to $60 million, bringing the total down to $75 million.

Baders lawsuit, one of more than 100 similar lawsuits over dicamba, went to trial in early 2020. Bayer in June 2020 announced that it would pay up to $400 million to settle the remaining dicamba lawsuits.

Bader, who operates Missouris largest peach orchard near the Arkansas border, said many trees were killed when dicamba drifted onto his property from nearby soybean and cotton farms.

Monsanto began selling dicamba-tolerant soybean and cotton seeds it developed in 2015 and 2016, respectively, leading to an explosion of dicamba use, Bader and other farmers have said.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency imposed restrictions on the use of dicamba in November 2018 over concerns about potential damage to nearby crops.

Baders lawyers expect the next round of court proceedings to begin relatively soon, to examine the punitive damages for each company in the case. Randles said its unclear if that upcoming chapter  which she said would be much shorter than other phases of the case  will finally mark the end of the multiyear legal fight.

You have to ask Monsanto or BASF, she said. I thought it shouldve been the end of the road long ago.

Reuters and Bryce Gray of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

Updated at 5:45 p.m. Thursday, July 7.(tncms-asset)a10fe7c0-c58f-11eb-a708-00163ec2aa77[0](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)1fdd5872-a6b4-11ea-a87c-00163ec2aa77[1](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)1b15b8b0-54cb-11ea-84ef-00163ec2aa77[2](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)0113d638-5019-11ea-969e-00163ec2aa77[3](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)a21a45b4-4900-11ea-86d6-00163ec2aa77[4](/tncms-asset)
LOUISIANA, Mo.  Late afternoon on July 12, 1972, at the foot of Star Hill in the Mississippi River town of Louisiana, childrens screams pierced the hot summer air.

Terry Harrison, 8, his brother Wally Harrison, 5, and their dog, Chubby, were outside playing when Terry spotted a hairy creature standing at the edge of the woods.

Their sister Doris, 15, who stood cleaning a bathroom sink, looked outside.

It was right by the tree, 6 or 7 feet tall, black and hairy, Doris told the Post-Dispatch at the time. It stood like a man, but it didnt look like one to me.

Redheaded Terry went so pale that his freckles disappeared by the time he ran to the house. A crying Doris ran to the phone to call her mother, and both parents rushed home.

Mo Mo, short for the Missouri Monster, had arrived.

And 50 years later, he hasnt quite left.

The sighting sparked a frenzy that brought search parties and investigators to Star Hill. Next were documentaries, blog posts, a Mo Mo ride at Six Flags St. Louis that looked more like a black octopus, and, most recently, a July 1 concert in Louisiana by country musician and former Pike County resident Bill Whyte. He composed a sleeper hit back then, Mo Mo the Missouri Monster, that still gets airplay on local radio.

Some said it was a monster; some said it was a bear, he sang to a cheering crowd at the Louisiana Elks Lodge, but most of us could tell by the horrible smell that Mo Mo had just been there. About 3,300 people live in Louisiana, founded in 1816. Its about 90 miles north of St. Louis along Highway 79, also known as the Little Dixie Highway of the Great River Road. It boasts the most intact Victorian streetscape in Missouri, evoking its heyday as a river shipping point for lumber and tobacco. Tourists gather here every winter to spot eagles. There are empty storefronts and run-down frame homes and trailers, but there are also grandiose homes and buildings, some with QR codes on placards that lead to more historical information.

The phrase once a Piker, always a Piker refers to the adventurous spirit of someone who once set foot in Pike County and then went west, looking for adventure. The area was a stepping-off point for the unknown.

I guess it just showcases how extensive our history is, said Brent Engel, 59, a local author and co-president of the Louisiana Area Historical Museum. Its not just Mo Mo.

Searching for Mo Mo

The Harrison children werent the first to spot something mysterious. The year before, two women stopped for a picnic off Highway 79 north of Louisiana, where they said they saw and smelled a half-ape, half-man emerging from the weeds. It gurgled and disappeared into the woods, but not before grabbing and wolfing down a peanut butter sandwich.

After the Harrisons reported the monster sighting, search parties scoured the thickly wooded Star Hill.

Tom Ward, now 69, was among them. Hes the new superintendent of the Louisiana RII School District (home of the Bulldogs, not the Mo Mos), and his father, Shelby Ward, was the Louisiana city marshal at the time.

Ward was a college student, and the family had a direct line from the police station to their house. For days, the younger Ward took calls from all across the country and around the world.

He was also among a group who made a concentrated sweep of Star Hill.

They found nothing.

The biggest thing is when I walked up over a pond bank, and there was a big, black angus cow looking at me, Ward said. It kind of startled me.

Rumors swirled of other sightings. The monster supposedly left behind three-toed footprints and tufts of hair on tree bark. Some said it had red eyes. Some said it had green eyes. Some swore it was a teenage prank. One man said the monster left paw prints on the hood of his station wagon, and he painted around the prints, showing them off to a Post-Dispatch reporter.

It kind of got out of hand at times, Ward said.

The searches went on for about 12 days, and it was nerve-wracking, especially for Marshal Ward. He didnt want anyone to get hurt or shot.

He was no-nonsense, Ward said of his father. He didnt make jokes about it. He was a public servant; he cared. But it was more the caring of the safety and security of individuals.

His dad believed the sighting was a prank. I dont think it was anything, Tom Ward said. I always believe that theres something out there. Your mind kind of plays tricks on you, if you believe something.

The study of Mo Mo

Loren Coleman is the founder and director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine. The museum, which explores hidden or unknown animals, has its own exhibit on Mo Mo, complete with statues and casts of three-toed footprints. Coleman, who studied zoology at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, has written several articles about Mo Mo and mentions the monster in some of his more than 40 books. I think Im the only one who writes down cryptozoology for the IRS, he quipped.

A similar creature was reported in Michigan about a decade before Mo Mo, he pointed out. Other reports came from Illinois and Michigan. In 1972, he investigated the Mo Mo case and interviewed witnesses on the phone; he traveled there in later years to reinvestigate.

The story was credible, he said. It had a core of children who were the first eyewitnesses. Children tend to be the best witnesses in terms of credibility. They had nothing to gain from it. If you think of it on the surface, it was a very scary incident.

People wouldnt have learned of other reports from local newspapers, because news didnt travel as fast back then, he pointed out. People had no real incentive to copycat or seek fame.

These people were just trying to figure out what the heck was going on, Coleman said. That was the common thread.

The Harrisons, who still live in the area, declined to comment for this story. Doris Harrison, now known as Doris Bliss, spoke to the Quincy Herald-Whig in 2012.

I used to hate talking about it, because people made fun of me and stuff, but now, and you can pardon my French, they can kiss my ass. I saw what I saw, and I heard what I heard.

Embracing Mo Mo

Fifty years later, Judy Schmidt sits on a folding chair inside the Louisiana Area Historical Museum, folding commemorative Mo Mo T-shirts.

Among the displays are ads from Stark Bros Nursery, which developed red and golden delicious apples; a model of the Hercules Chemical Plant, which produced fuel and ammonia for the World War II effort; and a portrait of Louisiana native and U.S. Sen. John Brooks Henderson, a co-author of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery.

Theres one informational placard about Mo Mo.

Occasionally, Judys husband, Carl, dresses up as Mo Mo  in a shaggy ghillie suit usually used for hunting, which he got as a retirement gift from the women at the community bank  and appears at childrens programs and community events. For a while, the suit stood in the front window of the museum, its eyes wired with red lights.

Our impression is Mo Mo has gotten a little bit of gray hair, and this is close, said Judy Schmidt, laughing.

The couple, now in their 70s, lived in Quincy at the time of the sightings. But everybody knew about it. Judy Schmidt worried about the Boy Scouts searching the hill and thought shed never send her own children up there.

The idea that everybody was interested worldwide in what was going on right here in Louisiana, Missouri, was pretty exciting, she said. There was skepticism, but there just might be something.

The museum sold $5 tickets (1972 pricing!) for the Bill Whyte concert, and fans stood in line at the museum door the first day of sales. The town embraces Mo Mo with good humor  you can occasionally see a plywood or metal Mo Mo silhouette gracing a front yard or field  but some dont want to talk about it, for fear others will talk about them.

Engel, the historical society co-president, was 9 years old in July 1972 and lived just across the river in Augusta, Illinois. He and his younger brother Bruce begged their parents to let them hunt for Mo Mo. They said no.

We did come back a few years later on a vacation trip back from the Ozarks, Engel said. I remember very vividly my father saying, Lets look out for Mo Mo!

It was the perfect incident to capture the imaginations of preteen boys, Engel said. Its like cowboy movies. Every young man wants to be a cowboy. Well, every young man wants to hunt for Mo Mo. We would have been scared out of our wits had we seen anything, but we would have at least had the bragging rights to say, look, we were there.

Museum treasurer Linda Beer, 74, grew up on Star Hill. She had moved to Quincy by the time of the sightings but remembers the frenzy and news reports.

More so, she remembers roaming Star Hill as a kid, making mud pies and gathering sticks to build little villages. There was a big rock up there, and Im sure its still there. And that was always the goal  to walk up there and sit on that rock and look over Louisiana. It was a good way to grow up.

The wooded hill, formally called Marzolf Hill, is partially owned by the city. The eastern section shows up on maps as a park, but its more or less abandoned, the home to a city brush pile.

Not far from where the Harrisons house once stood, a gravel path littered with trash leads up and into the woods.

People call it Star Hill for the 40-foot star the town installs there during the holidays. The star is a favorite tradition, going back at least 90 years.

On a dark night, people from miles around can see the star at the summit. They gaze up and beyond Louisiana, and wonder.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY  Nova Hart and his father-in-law, J.H. Jackson, saw the mysterious thing soaring noiselessly over their July 4th picnic near Creve Coeur Lake, in what is now Maryland Heights. Hart said it was silver-gray and round.

"Our wives saw it too, and so did some people in an automobile who stopped when they saw us looking up," said Hart, then of 3969A St. Ferdinand Avenue in St. Louis. "I can say it certainly was strange, and none of us drinks a drop."

Hart and Jackson were the first St. Louisans to report one of the flying saucers that suddenly were all over the American sky in the summer of 1947. Some newspapers called them "flying discs." Eventually, the accepted term became unidentified flying object, or UFOs.

The first sighting was made June 25, 1947, by a private pilot, Kenneth Arnold, who said he saw nine saucers zipping at 1,200 mph east of Seattle. Another aviator spotted them over Bakersfield, Calif. Sightings poured in from Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Idaho and Kentucky. Among the witnesses were the Idaho lieutenant governor and a Weather Bureau meteorologist. Thus began an enduring national craze.

Military brass scoffed, then dispatched fighter planes to search for saucers. "If some foreign power is sending flying discs over the United States, it is our responsibility to know about it," an Army Air Forces spokesman said.

The wave hit St. Louis on July 5, when Hart told his story. One evening later, Dr. Walter Hoefer, 23 Black Creek Lane in Ladue, saw six saucers flying southeast in formation. People in Shrewsbury, Webster Groves and south St. Louis also saw them. George Malcolm of 5632 Tholozan Avenue described the six as 'silver streaks floating in the air. ... They were round and made no noise."

Reports came from 38 states and Canada. Newspapers dutifully contacted scientists, who suggested weather balloons, reflections from searchlights, vivid imaginations and generalized fear of a world in peril. One California physicist cited the "transmutation of atomic energy."

There already was enough serious news in 1947 to keep Americans on edge. The Iron Curtain ran across eastern Europe. The Soviets coveted the atomic bomb. Communists were gaining in China. Could a visit from outer space be so unlikely, or unwelcome?

Many people got their notions of space travel from "Flash Gordon" movies and radio shows. American rocketry, still barely off the ground, practiced with surplus German V-2s.

Inevitably, reports trailed off, undone by mockery and pranksters. On July 9, nearly 100 people called the Post-Dispatch to report discs plunging from the sky. It turned out that three pilots had dropped them in a publicity stunt for their flying school near Fenton.

But UFOs, or at least sightings, never went away.
SZYPLISZKI, Poland (AP)  The presidents of NATO members Poland and Lithuania voiced confidence Thursday that allied troops can fully safeguard a strategically vital corridor, which links their countries, between Russian ally Belarus and a Russian Baltic Sea exclave.

Concern over NATO's ability to defend the Suwalki Gap, a 70-kilometer (43-mile) corridor between Poland and Lithuania, has rocketed since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. The bottleneck separates Belarus from the Kaliningrad exclave, where Russia's Baltic Fleet  and nuclear-capable missiles  are based.

Presidents Andrzej Duda of Poland and Gitanas Nauseda of Lithuania visited the sparsely populated area Thursday and met with NATO troops on the Polish and the Lithuanian side.

This is a very sensitive area and the eyes of an aggressor could potentially be directed here, Nauseda said in Szypliszki, on the Polish side.

The corridor links Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia  all former Soviet republics bordering Russia  to Poland and other NATO members.

We have decided to come to this place ... to show that it is safe ... just because of what you can see here today: the daily, calm but full of vigilance service of the Polish, Lithuanian and other NATO troops, Poland's Duda said.

At the urging of Poland and the Baltic states, NATO leaders decided at a summit last week in Madrid that the number of allied troops in Eastern Europe will be significantly increased.

At the Suwalki Gap, battalions numbering hundreds of troops will be boosted to brigades with thousands of troops.

Nauseda said the two countries are increasing their spending on defense to about 2.5% of their gross domestic product.

The presidents were accompanied on their visit by their defense ministers. The mobile command unit of the U.S.-led Multinational Division North East is currently going through field exercises in the Szypliszki area.

From there, the two presidents traveled to Mariampoli, Lithuania, to meet a German-led logistical battalion and took a close look at the weapons and vehicles there.

This land is protected by the most powerful defense alliance in the world and  what we both want to stress  this land is safe, Duda said in Mariampoli.

___

Follow AP's coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine



Monika Scislowska reported from Warsaw.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  North Korea on Sunday slammed the United States, South Korea and Japan for pushing to boost their trilateral military cooperation targeting the North, warning that the move is prompting urgent calls for the country to reinforce its military capability.

North Korea has long cited what it calls hostility by the United States and its allies as a reason to pursue a nuclear program. Sunday's statement comes as North Koreas neighbors say the country is ready for its first nuclear test in five years as part of its provocative run of weapons tests this year.

The prevailing situation more urgently calls for building up the countrys defense to actively cope with the rapid aggravation of the security environment of the Korean Peninsula and the rest of the world, the North Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement, without elaborating how it would boost its military capacity.

The statement took issue with a trilateral meeting among the U.S., South Korean and Japanese leaders on the sidelines of a NATO summit last week, during which they underscored the need to strengthen their cooperation to deal with North Korean nuclear threats.

The chief executives of the U.S., Japan and South Korea put their heads together for confrontation with (North Korea) and discussed the dangerous joint military countermeasures against it including the launch of tripartite joint military exercises, the statement said.

North Korea views U.S.-led military exercises in the region, particularly ones with rival South Korea, as an invasion rehearsal, though Washington and Seoul have repeatedly said they have no intentions of attacking the North.

During the recent trilateral meeting, U.S. President Joe Biden said he was deeply concerned about North Koreas continued ballistic missile tests and apparent plans to conduct a nuclear test. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said the importance of trilateral cooperation has grown in the face of North Koreas advanced nuclear program, while Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said joint anti-missile drills would be important to deter North Korean threats.

Earlier in June, the defense chiefs of the U.S., South Korea and Japan agreed to resume their combined missile warning and tracking exercises as part of their efforts to deal with North Koreas escalating weapons tests.

The North Korean statement accused the United States of exaggerating rumors about North Korean threats to provide an excuse for attaining military supremacy over the Asia-Pacific region including the Korean Peninsula.

U.S. officials have said Washington has no hostile intent toward Pyongyang and urged it to return to disarmament talks without any preconditions. North Korea has rejected the U.S. overture, saying it would focus on buttressing its nuclear deterrent unless the United States drops its hostile policies toward the North, an apparent reference to U.S.-led economic sanctions and its regular military training with South Korea.

North Korea claimed the recent NATO summit proves an alleged U.S. plan to contain Russia and China by achieving the militarization of Europe and forming a NATO-like alliance in Asia. It said the reckless military moves of the U.S. and its vassal forces could lead to dangerous consequences like a nuclear war simultaneously taking place in both Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Pyongyang has often released similar warlike rhetoric and warned of the danger of nuclear war in times of heightened animosities with Washington and Seoul.
Tony Messenger Tony Messenger is the metro columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Tony Messenger Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

WELDON SPRING  Tony West and the Rev. Gerry Kleba meandered the Weldon Spring Interpretive Center with a sense of emptiness.

It was Wednesday, and they were wandering around the modern steel-and-glass museum that stands as a tribute to Americas nuclear age. It explains the unique place in history St. Louis holds as a key processer and refiner of the uranium that was developed during the Manhattan Project.

The museum sits adjacent to the highest point in St. Charles County, a massive gray pile of rock and rubble that contains some of the byproducts of uranium, buried by the federal government as part of its solution to the waste that had poisoned so much of what it touched: air, water, dirt, the workers who were near it.

Its those workers that concerned West  who made a documentary about the citys history with uranium  and Kleba, a Catholic priest who officiated too many of the funerals of men who died of cancer before they could see their grandchildren grow up.

Whats missing in the fancy new interpretive center in Weldon Spring is the tribute to those workers. It existed in the first such museum that opened in 2002. That tribute featured a 10-by-10-foot replica of the St. Louis Arch made by local iron workers and a wall that explained the workers important journey, including a book of names of those lost too early to diseases. The tribute was put in the old interpretive center thanks to the work of Denise Brock.

Brock is the tireless advocate who lobbied Congress for the legislation that created the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation program, which has paid out billions of dollars to the workers or their families, who all gave so much to Americas nuclear age. They include those who worked at the various Mallinckrodt Chemical Co. plants in St. Louis, or at Los Alamos in New Mexico, or Rocky Flats in Colorado, or Hanford in Washington state. For years, Brock raised alarms that those workers were dying and their families werent being compensated. Congress eventually passed the legislation to rectify that. To date, nearly $22 billion has been paid out to the families whose loved ones died.

Brocks father, Christopher Davis, was one of the workers who died too young. She fought for years to make sure that the interpretive center had a tribute to those workers.

Now, in the new center, its not there, at least not yet.

This is an important part of St. Louis history, Kleba said. And it shouldnt be overlooked.

For months, the small band of advocates has tried to make sure the workers and their stories arent hidden in a storage room.

An advocates journey

Brock knew last fall that the Department of Energys Office of Legacy Management, which runs the interpretive center, had no plans to include the workers tribute in the new museum, which opened in April. They called her then and asked if she wanted it. They had no room in the center, they told her. The display didnt fit with the museums new themes and design.

Nevermind that when the tribute was unveiled in the old center, two decades ago, there was much fanfare, with former Missouri Sens. Christopher Kit Bond and Jim Talent in attendance.

I felt like somebody ripped my heart out of my chest and kicked me in the stomach at the same time. I was very hurt, Brock told me.

She called from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where shes being treated for her own health issues. I was crushed for the workers and for my parents. I felt dismissed. The workers did so much for this country and I just wanted a tribute to them.

Brock, knowing she didnt have the strength to stage a battle on her own, got the old band back together. She called West, Kleba and others who had worked with her long ago to advocate for the workers. Longtime St. Louis journalist Jeannette Cooperman wrote a piece in June about the missing tribute in the Washington University journal The Common Reader. A mutual friend of mine and Brocks who is a retired journalist in Washington, D.C., called me and asked me to look into it.

I visited the Weldon Spring Interpretive Center on Wednesday, about an hour before West and Kleba. The history there  at least as it relates to the workers who died for their sacrifice to Americas nuclear age  seems whitewashed. There is no mention of the cancers; no mention of Brocks long fight with Congress to make sure the workers get compensated; no mention of the ongoing uranium legacy in St. Louis, such as in and around Coldwater Creek, or at the West Lake Landfill, where another generation of activists is pushing the federal government for more cleanup efforts.

There are display cases with the safety equipment workers wore. Safety first, says one sign. Help us make this a banner year for no accidents.

There is no mention of the thousands of St. Louisans who qualified for health care aid and compensation because those safety efforts were woefully inadequate.

Its a travesty, Kleba says.

The Department of Energy has delivered a tragic slap to the face to all the nuclear workers who have suffered and died there in the service of our country, he wrote me. Brock argued and won before Congress, met with thousands of workers and their families and filed a mountain of government forms so that these valiant workers can live with some dignity and their heirs have a modicum of comfort.

A federal flip-flop

On the day I visited the center, I asked to see the worker tribute that wasnt transferred from the old museum. Employees there declined. They told me a public relations person would be in touch. Later that afternoon, I heard from the Department of Energy.

Officials in the nations capital had changed their mind. Because of pressure from Brocks army of advocates, the memorial to workers would be installed in the new museum.

In response to feedback DOE received from stakeholders and the community, we are proud to announce we will be installing the memorial to Mallinckrodt uranium workers at the new Weldon Spring Site Interpretive Center, said an emailed statement from a spokesperson. DOE remains committed to honoring former workers, their important contributions, and their sacrifices. We are currently exploring options on where to position the arch at the new center and will have a decision soon.

Brock was ecstatic when she heard the news. She couldnt care less whether her name is anywhere in the museum  the Department of Energy promised her a plaque on a bench outside when they told her the workers memorial wouldnt be part of the new center.

The workers, and their deaths, are not just part of the historic story of uranium processing in St. Louis. They are part of an ongoing story, with the next generation of those who lost parents still paying the price, still wondering what happened.

Thats why Kleba and West hope this snafu by the Department of Energy, and the resulting flip-flop, spurs more interest in the history of uranium enrichment in St. Louis and the waste that was left behind. They had been to the old center when the workers memorial was there, and watched as tours were conducted for schoolchildren. The tours didnt make note of the memorial. It wasnt part of the story the Department of Energy was highlighting about Weldon Spring.

The story they want to tell, West says, is that workers were doing some work out here, and it got a little messy, and then we came and cleaned it up, and thats the story.

The real history is more complicated. Perhaps, Kleba says, by dismissing that part of the story, theyll actually give it new life and teach a new generation about the perils of the nuclear age.

Maybe its a blessing, Kleba says, hoping the press coverage can reach folks who didnt otherwise know this part of St. Louis history.

That history, Brock says, has affected thousands of families. It is woven into the fabric of the region, for better or worse.

Its something to be very proud of, she says. These workers gave their all to this country.
ST. LOUIS  A Kentucky woman who was the victim of a child pornography scheme involving a sham marriage is now suing the former St. Louis County doctor convicted of distributing pornographic images of her when she was 16.

Attorneys for the woman say Ashu Joshi, 50, should pay the woman $10 million for causing her trauma, distress, humiliation and fear. It also accuses him of transferring virtually all of his money to his family in an effort to avoid paying the victim.

We look forward to pursuing justice for our client, said the womans attorney, Grant Boyd.

Prosecutors first charged Joshi in 2018 after police received a tip from Facebook about photos that were being exchanged.

Joshi was working at St. Louis University Hospital at the time but had previously worked in Kentucky, where he met the teen.

Joshi claimed the charges were a violation of privacy because the images had been exchanged between a man and his wife. Joshi claimed hed married the 16-year-old in a private religious ceremony and even had a Kentucky judge formalize the arrangement.

But the victims lawyer said her client had been manipulated into going along with Joshis scheme. The victims name, Madison Dole, is not included in court documents, but she and her attorney agreed to the use of her name in a December 2019 interview with the Post-Dispatch. She and Joshi had a son who was born in April 2019.

Joshi pleaded guilty in 2020 to a single count of distribution of child pornography and was sentenced to eight years in prison. He was also ordered to pay $800,000 in restitution to Dole.

Joshi is currently in prison in Arkansas. An attorney was not listed in court documents.
JEFFERSON CITY  The National Press Club has awarded St. Louis Post-Dispatch data journalist Josh Renaud a press freedom award after his discovery that teachers Social Security numbers could be exposed to the public due to flaws on a state website.

After Renaud alerted the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education about the problem, Gov. Mike Parson directed the Missouri State Highway Patrol to investigate Renaud and described the incident as a hack.

The National Press Club announced Thursday that Renaud had won the 2022 Domestic John Aubuchon Award. Aubuchon was a former press club president who had a keen interest in issues of press freedom, the Press Club said.

The club chooses one domestic and one international honoree every year.

In a joint statement, Jen Judson, president of the National Press Club, and Gil Klein of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, said Renaud had produced a strong body of journalistic work over his career but that the Press Club was particularly impressed with Joshs recent journalism involving a vulnerability he uncovered on a website belonging to the State of Missouris Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

That vulnerability had left the Social Security numbers of public educators exposed and Joshs diligence led to the security flaw being corrected, the Press Club said. For this work Josh received the Horace Mann Friend of Education Award from the Missouri National Education Association. But his watchdog reporting also elicited scorn and threats from Missouri Governor Mike Parson.

Parson announced a criminal investigation into Renauds work and called his public service reporting a hack and accused the Post-Dispatch of having a vendetta against him, the statement continued.

Parson had pledged at a news conference that he would not let this crime against Missouri teachers go unpunished and vowed not to be a pawn in the news outlets political vendetta.

The Press Club said, While it has become a deeply regrettable national trend for some public officials to attack the press, this seemed to us a particularly egregious example as the Missouri governor was calling for Renaud to be punished before an official investigation had even taken place.

It pointed out that Renaud alerted Missouri public education officials to the security flaw in advance of story publication and agreed to hold the story until officials had time to fix it.

Indeed, Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven planned to thank Renaud before Parson threatened him, the Post-Dispatch reported, citing records obtained from the governors office through a Sunshine Law request.

After the Highway Patrol finished its investigation, the agency forwarded its report to the Cole County prosecutor, who declined to press charges in the case.

Were honored that the National Press Club has chosen to recognize Josh for his work, and for his courage and grace in enduring a difficult situation, said Post-Dispatch Executive Editor Alan Achkar. We have an obligation to serve the public and hold government bodies accountable. Public officials can try to bully us, but we wont waver from our mission. Josh is a first-rate journalist, and he proves on a regular basis why public service journalism remains critical to our society.

In a statement, Renaud said, I feel privileged to work as a journalist in a country where freedom of the press is enshrined in law. But my ordeal shows that we cant take that freedom for granted. We must hold accountable public officials who use their power to intimidate journalists.

A spokeswoman for Parson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Foreign analysts say Russia may be temporarily easing its offensive in eastern Ukraine as the Russian military attempts to reassemble its forces for what it hopes could prove decisive new assault on its neighbor. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned menacingly on Thursday that his forces haven't even started to fight.

Russian forces made no claimed or assessed territorial gains in Ukraine on Wednesday for the first time in 133 days of war, according to the Institute for the Study of War. The Washington-based think tank suggested Moscow may be taking an operational pause, but said that does not entail "the complete cessation of active hostilities."

Russian forces will likely confine themselves to relatively small-scale offensive actions as they attempt to set conditions for more significant offensive operations" and rebuild the necessary combat power, the institute said.

Russias Defense Ministry seemed to confirm that assessment, saying in a statement Thursday that Russian soldiers had been given time to rest.

The units that performed combat missions ... are taking measures to recover their combat capabilities. The servicemen are given the opportunity to rest, receive letters and parcels from home, read the statement, quoted by Russian state news agency Tass.

Putin warned Kyiv it should quickly accept Moscows terms to end the fighting or brace for the worst.

Everybody should know that largely speaking, we havent even yet started anything in earnest, he said in a menacing note.

Shelling continued in Ukraine's east, with the mayor of one Donetsk region city saying it was hit by the most powerful strike since the war began.

Kramatorsk Mayor Oleksandr Gorchenko said a Russian missile hit in the vicinity of the local government buildings shortly after noon. The city has been the center of the Donetsk regional government since 2014, when the city of Donetsk was taken over by Kremlin-backed separatists.

Earlier on Thursday, regional officials said at least one person was killed and six more were injured in the strike.

Volodymyr, 66, a resident who declined to provide his full name, sat in his overturned apartment, covered in blood.

I was just sitting and drinking tea, and then there was an explosion," he told the Associated Press. "You can see the result of it.

Asked if he felt safe staying in his apartment building block, he responded: Is it safe right now anywhere in Ukraine? It all just happened in one moment, and that was it.

In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, police said three people died and five were injured after the Nemyshlyanskii neighborhood was blasted from multiple-launch rocket systems.

People suffered, for what? local resident Sergey Pershin said as he watched medics tend to the wounded and put the dead in body bags.

It's horrible. I'm so sick of it. Every night you wake up 10 times, you wait for it to end, wait until they start shooting. What are the bastards doing? There are residential buildings here.

The Kharkiv region, which lies along the border with Russia, comes under daily shelling.

In Donetsk, 10 cities and villages came under shelling, and 35 buildings were destroyed, including a school, a vocational college and a hospital, officials said.

Donetsk is part of the Donbas, a mostly Russian-speaking industrial area where Ukraines most experienced soldiers are concentrated. Pro-Russian separatists have fought Ukrainian forces and controlled much of the Donbas for eight years. Putin recognized the independence of two self-proclaimed republics there just before Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Putin on Monday claimed victory in Luhansk, the other Donbas province, after Ukrainian forces withdrew from the last city they controlled there. The governor of Luhansk, Serhiy Haidai, denied Wednesday that the Russians had completely captured the province.

The Ukrainian military said Thursday that Russian forces also carried out shelling and helicopter strikes in the Sumy region in the northeast.

Even as the fighting continued, the British Defense Ministry said it thinks Russia's military is reconstituting its forces. A ministry intelligence assessment issued Thursday said the heavy shelling along the front line in Donetsk is likely intended to secure previous Russian gains.

Further hostilities were reported in the Black Sea. The Ukrainian military said Thursday a national flag again stood on a strategic island that Russian troops withdrew from last month.

Ukraines southern military command said Ukrainian military units had cleared Snake Island, an outpost off Ukraines southwestern coast vital for guaranteeing sea lanes out of Odesa, Ukraine's biggest port.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the operation to take back the island took two months and was carried out by an array of military and intelligence forces.

And now let every Russian captain, whether of a ship or a plane, see the Ukrainian flag on Snake Island and know that our state cannot be broken," he said in his nightly video address.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday that a Russian military aircraft launched a missile strike on the island as Ukrainian forces attempted to plant the flag. "As a result, some of the Ukrainian military personnel were destroyed, the rest fled, the ministry said. The claim could not be immediately verified.

When Russian troops withdrew from Snake Island on June 30, the Defense Ministry described it as a a goodwill gesture to ensure Ukrainian grain and other exports could resume.

Ukraine said Russia also fired two missiles at a Moldovan-flagged oil tanker in the Black Sea, setting it ablaze. Ukrainian officials said one hit the Millennial Spirit, which carried over 500 tons of diesel fuel, while the other went wide.

The ship has been without a crew, drifting at sea since the start of the war in February. Russia did not immediately acknowledge the strike on the vessel.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said it summoned the Turkish ambassador in Kyiv on Thursday over what it described as the theft of Ukrainian grain by a Russian ship.

The Zhibek Zholy was allowed to leave Turkey's Black Sea coast after Turkish authorities briefly detained it at Ukraine's request. Ukraine summoned the ambassador to complain.

Turkey, with its Bosporus Strait, is the key transit route for shipping out of the Black Sea. Ukraine has sought to pressure Ankara to stop Russian shipments of its grain, a vital source of revenue.

Also Thursday:

Zelenskyy said he spoke with Boris Johnson just hours after the British prime minister announced he would step down. Zelenskyy said he thanked Johnson, who visited Kyiv twice after the war began, for his support and especially for the weapons and money Britain has sent to Ukraine.

And although this reflects the position of British society, the leadership and charisma of the countrys leader always have special meaning. ... Its not surprising that Ukrainians feel a personal gratitude to Boris, Zelenskyy said in his nightly address. He said Johnson and other British officials reassured him this strong support would continue.

Associated Press journalists Francesca Ebel in Kramatorsk, Ukraine; Jon Gambrell in Lviv, Ukraine; and Cara Anna in Kharkiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP)  Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz met Thursday in the occupied West Bank to discuss security coordination ahead of U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to the region next week.

The peace process collapsed more than a decade ago. High-level meetings between Israeli and Palestinian leaders are rare and tend to focus on day-to-day economic and security coordination.

An Israeli statement said the meeting in Ramallah, where the Palestinian Authority is headquartered, was conducted in positive terms. It said the two sides agreed to continue security coordination and to avoid activities that may cause instability.

Gantz wished Abbas and the Palestinian people a happy Eid al-Adha, a Muslim holiday beginning this weekend, the statement said.

Abbas stressed the importance of creating a political horizon, respecting the signed agreements and stopping the actions and measures that lead to the deterioration of the situation, Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior aide, tweeted.

Abbas also stressed the importance of having a "calm atmosphere before President Bidens visit, which we welcome, the tweet said.

Gantz met with Abbas a couple of times last year and announced measures to improve economic conditions in the occupied West Bank. He remains defense minister in a caretaker government ahead of elections planned for Nov. 1.

Abbas leads the Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the occupied West Bank. Polls say nearly 80% of Palestinians want him to resign, in part because of his close cooperation with Israel. Last year he called off the first Palestinian elections in 15 years.

Biden is expected to meet with top Israeli and Palestinian leaders next week.

The Palestinians seek a state in the occupied West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, territories Israel captured in the 1967 war.

Israel annexed east Jerusalem in a move not recognized internationally and views the entire city as its capital. It withdrew soldiers and settlers from Gaza in 2005 but imposed a crippling blockade when the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power from Abbas' forces two years later, limiting his authority to parts of the West Bank,
James Comey and Andrew McCabe, who both headed the FBI and both clashed with then-President Donald Trump, found themselves miraculously selected for random deep-dive audits by the Internal Revenue Service in 2019 and 2021. The chance of both Comey and McCabe being randomly selected out of more than 150 million annual tax returns is astronomical. The chance is far greater that they were targeted specifically by someone willing to do Trumps corrupt bidding.

It is illegal for the IRS to selectively target audits for political purposes. Neither Comey nor McCabe knew the other was also being audited until informed by The New York Times. Letters informing both of their audits contain identical introductory wording attesting to the audits being random. The IRS is headed by Charles P. Rettig, appointed by Trump in 2018. Upon arrival at the IRS, he pledged to slash staffing by more than 2,000 positions, fulfilling a Trump goal. Under Rettigs watch, someone at the IRS leaked the tax returns of two of Trumps billionaire enemies: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, owner of The Washington Post, and investor Warren Buffett. Rettig also came under criticism during his confirmation hearings for failing to disclose more than $1 million in income from Trump-branded hotel rental units.

So its not as if Rettig is an innocent bystander, which is why the apparently targeted audits of Comey and McCabe merit the investigation that the IRS ordered Thursday. Former IRS Commissioner John A. Koskinen told the Times that you dont need to be an anti-Trumper to look at this and think its suspicious.

Trump took aim at both Comey and McCabe for different reasons. Comey, a Republican, had refused to pledge loyalty to Trump early in his presidency and criticized Trump once he left the job in 2017, drawing a series of harsh attacks from Trump on Twitter. McCabe took over as acting director, also rejecting loyalty demands by Trump. He was fired in 2018 amid an investigation into a news media leak damaging to Trump. McCabes dismissal was timed to occur hours before he qualified for his pension, leaving him nothing. Trump applauded it.

So its hardly unthinkable that Trump could have instigated the audits, even if McCabes came months after Trump had left office. President Joe Biden has retained Rettig as IRS commissioner. Both Trumps and Rettigs offices disavowed knowledge of the audits.

Trumps penchant for retaliation against his critics is legendary and is a focus of the ongoing House select committee hearings into the Capitol insurrection.

During the Obama administration, the IRS came under fire for audits of tea party organizations suspected of abusing their tax-exempt status to engage in political advocacy. Those audits, for which the agency apologized, were at least defensible on legal grounds. But those against Comey and McCabe can hardly be explained any other way than pure harassment by someone fulfilling the wishes of a vindictive president.
The submarine component of the Russian Black Sea Fleet has turned out to be less effective than expected, except for the elderly Alrosa. This was one of the original Kilos, entering service in late 1990 and part of the Black Sea Fleet since 2005. As the new 636.3 Kilos arrived in the Black Sea, Alrosa was supposed to return to the Baltic Sea Fleet in 2020 to serve as a training boat for new submarine sailors. That never happened because Russia decided to use Alrosa as a test bed for using pump-jet propulsion in a diesel-electric sub. Work on installing this new tech in Alrosa had been underway, slowly, since 2014. This tech is considered too heavy for use on diesel-electric subs and is a feature of many new nuclear subs. Alrosa has spent several years being modified to carry an advanced pump-jet design. This is not intended as a Kilo upgrade, but to see how well the tech does in a non-nuclear sub. If the tests are successful, the Alrosa pump jet might be installed in the Kilo successor, the long-delayed Lada.

Pump jet propulsion provides several advantages. These include allowing quieter higher speeds. Pump jets have many other advantages, including better handling in shallow water, which the Black Sea has a lot of. Russia revealed that Alroas and its new pump jet began sea trials in mid-June and these would continue for as long as required. That means one of the two or three seaworthy Black Sea Fleet Kilos is using an experimental (for non-nuclear subs) propulsion system that makes Alrosa more difficult to detect when submerged. With Ukraine winning its battle for control of its coastline, the Alrosa may prove to be a major obstacle.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, only five of the seven of the Kilo-class subs assigned to the Black Sea Fleet submarine squadron were in actually in the Black Sea. The other two were on patrol in the eastern Mediterranean, a common task for Black Sea Fleet in peacetime. In wartime Turkey, which controls the only deep-water access to the Black Sea, is obliged by international treaty to block warships of nations at war from entering the Black Sea. Russia is trying to get around that for its two Kilos but so far, these Kilos are stuck in the Mediterranean, where Russia has a naval base on the Syrian coast to temporarily host the Kilos.

The five Kilos still in the Black Sea are based at Sevastopol, but at least two of them have been out of action because of required maintenance or, in the case of Alrosa, sea trials for its major experimental upgrade. Ukraine has assistance from NATO to track Russian naval activity, especially west of Sevastopol where Ukraine plans to take control of coastal waters from Russia. This is complicated by the appearance of Alrosa, which has a unique (for Kilo-class boats) acoustic (sound) signature that Western anti-submarines forces have never encountered before and currently have difficulty detecting and tracking. This wont halt Ukrainian efforts to reclaim control of coastal waters so they can resume shipping wheat by sea. Alrosa will slow down efforts to keep Russian warships out of this area. That also slows down Ukrainian plans for recapturing Sevastopol and Crimea. The Kilos still in the Black Sea are believed responsible for recent cruise missile attacks in which missiles launched from submarines were among some of those employed.

Sevastopol was the original (1783) main base of the Black Sea Fleet and that continued until 1991, when newly independent Ukraine inherited the Sevastopol base and much of the Russian Black Sea fleet. This was the deal made by the collapsing Soviet Union in 1991 to avoid chaos and a ruinous civil war with several factions, including Ukraine, having nuclear weapons. After 1991 Russia had half the population it controlled as the Soviet Union. Ukraine still had those nukes and Russia agreed to another deal to have Ukraine surrender the nukes for decommissioning and turning into metal as well as fuel for nuclear power plants. The U.S. and Russia had a similar agreement which greatly reduced the number of nuclear weapons the two superpowers had and provided a large supply of nuclear power plant fuel. A 1997 treaty also gave Russia a long-term lease on part of Sevastopol so it could continue as the main base for the Russian Black Sea fleet. Russia also got to keep most of the Soviet-era Black Sea Fleet warships. An earlier 1993 treaty with Ukraine included a Russian pledge to never attack Ukraine or its territory if Ukraine surrendered its nuclear weapons.

Russia unilaterally violated that treaty in 2014 when they sized Crimea. That involved capturing or sinking most of the larger warships in the Ukraine fleet and rebuilding the Black Sea Fleet submarine squadron. In 2022 Russia invaded in an effort to control all of Ukraine. Their Black Sea Fleet was still in the midst of rebuilding by replacing Cold-War (pre-1991) era ships with more modern vessels. This included the latest version of the Kilo, the Type 636.3, which entered service in late 2014 with the first ones stationed in Crimea. The 636.3 boats are basically a much-upgraded Kilo. The 636.3 has stealthy features and a top underwater speed of 36 kilometers an hour. The crew of 52 can stay at sea for up to 45 days at a time. Armament consists of 18 torpedoes or missiles plus eight surface-to-air missiles.

The six new 636.3 boats gave Russia 25 Kilos with another seven retired but in reserve (can be restored to active duty). In addition, nearly 40 Kilos have been exported (delivered or under construction) All are the same displacement (about 2,300 tons) and size (70-74 meters/227-240 feet) and all have six 533mm torpedo tubes. All Kilos are very similar to the world-standard diesel submarine, the 1,800-ton German Type 209. The Kilo is a formidable attack submarine and has been continually upgraded with better mechanical and electronic systems since the first one entered service during the Cold War. Of the 73 Kilos built, just over half entered service after 1991. The first one entered service at the end of 1980 and production was intense until 1991, when it slowed down but never stopped. Four are currently under construction. Efforts to create a replacement (the Lada class) have been underway since 1997 and failure to surpass the capabilities of Kilo class improvements has stalled introduction of the Lada. The Kilo Type 636 appeared in 1997 followed by the 636.3 in 2014. If the pump jet performs well in Alrosa, the Lada may finally begin replacing Kilo by the end of the decade.
Cloud vs. On-Prem: Choosing the Right Tool for the Job

Learn more about cloud migration at Streaming Media West 2022.

Watch full-session videos from Streaming Media East 2022.

Robert Reinhardt: The infrastructure that a lot of on-prem that was put into place a decade ago is still in place. And it's just a matter of a point of failure, right? And how many times do you come across institutions that are in that decision point of, "Hey, we have to re-up the capital investment in what we've been doing." Are you involved in those kind of conversations when you come with your offerings with them?

Rich Mavrogeanes: Usually not. The truth is I've been doing this for like 40 years. I founded a company called VBrick in 1997 and built my career and built that company on the basis of doing IP multicast Because we had shared media, 10 Megabit ethernet hubs is what we were fighting against. And Cabletron wiring systems. And if you wanted postage stamp-sized video from RealNetworks, you could kind of get it on a dialup. If you're gonna do anything other than that, you needed like five megabits, right? That was MPEG-2, MPEG-1 streaming. You needed big stuff. If you look at it today, everybody has at least a 100 megabits; almost everybody has gig in the backbone. And the need for that multicast scale is no longer there. You can do the same things with unicast that used to require multicast. So the level of complexity is much lower. And what we see is the infrastructure to do these sort of things. As long as it's not exotic, it's there. And we support ABR and all of the bandwidth mitigation things.

But when I say "the right tool for the job," let me give you just two very quick examples. If you look at the entire state of Rhode Island, our neighbor here (I'm from Connecticut). We do all of the live video and video on-demand distribution for the entire state legislature. They do hundreds of meetings--the house of representatives and the Senate and the committee meetings--and they're all streamed live and all recorded, and that's all done on the cloud. And it's on the cloud because, depending upon how many viewers there are, it needs to be scalable. So it's not a server in the sky. It's truly a scalable infrastructure, which is what I would say "cloud." Compare that to district, a school district in Texas. Texas is really big, if you haven't heard. And one of the school districts in Texas is as big as Rhode Island, the entire state. It's just a huge place. And that district has about 92, 93 schools in it. And they put in a premise-based system, and they do the same kind of thing that we do in the cloud, but they do it privately. And they do it for security, for privacy. And because there's momentum in a lot of the culture to do premise-based things, because they're either afraid of the cloud, or it's just momentum. "Hey, I got this iron here. Why don't we just reuse it?" And they can stick it on their premise. So it's not always a practical reason. Sometimes there are cultural reasons, the way it's always been.

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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / July 7, 2022 / AI/ML Innovations Inc. (CSE:AIML)(OTCQB: AIMLF)(FWB:42FB), a company committed to acquiring and advancing Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning technologies that address urgent societal needs, is pleased to announce that its minority-owned subsidiary, Tech2Heal SAS, reports that it is launching an independent clinical study to evaluate the effectiveness of its depression and anxiety therapy platform, Qookka. The study is being conducted in partnership with a public hospital and research laboratory located in Paris, France. Tech2Heal is committed to showing its ability to operate within highly regulated healthcare systems.

The purpose of the study is to assess the acceptability of Tech2Heal's mental health digital therapy by both health care providers and patients, as well as to evaluate the evolution of the severity of the patients' depressive or anxiety disorders at the completion of the program. The ultimate goal of this, and follow-on studies, is to gain approvals and certification of Qookka as a "Class IIa" medical device from European health authorities.

"Our objective is to be a universally reimbursed prescription digital therapeutics in mental health within the next two years" said Fabrice Pakin, CEO of Tech2Heal. "Our ambition is to be at the forefront of making evidence-based mental health care universally accessible. Although the public coverage of prescription digital therapeutics in Europe is still new, prescription numbers are increasing. But in order to allow for the mass prescription of digital therapeutics, prescribers and patients will need to become aware of its existence, and believe in its value. Germany's DiGA model drew considerable attention to universally reimbursed prescription digital therapeutics, and countries such as France and the US are building similar frameworks".

"We at AI/ML are very excited by the advancement of Qookka to clinical studies" said Tim Daniels, Chairman of AI/ML Innovations Inc. "In addition to Tech2Heal's plans for Qookka to be recognized as a medical device in Europe, we are also looking forward to the possibility of deploying the technology in the North American marketplace through AI/ML's majority owned subsidiary, AI Rx Inc., which owns the distribution rights to this exciting technology in the US and Canada. Importantly, the introduction of bipartisan legislation to enable public coverage of prescription digital therapeutics in the US was recently announced. The bill will establish benefit categories for digital therapeutics, and create a coverage and reimbursement framework that will provide access to millions of beneficiaries of Medicare and Medicaid".

Fabrice Pakin continued:

"Our migration away from a business model that was focused on digital wellness, to a full emphasis on digital mental therapeutics is now complete. When we analyzed the market, it became evident that mental health wellness is an overcrowded, highly competitive space, that provides little compelling evidence of sustained positive impact on employees. Given this, we do not believe that the "wellness" trend is durable. Additionally, we chose to wind down our physical wellness center located in the south of France, as a large number of companies globally have chosen to continue to allow employees to work remotely as a permanent solution, in spite the pandemic concerns abating. It is imperative that we devote our precious resources towards a business model that affords us the best opportunity for long term success. For Qookka, that is digital mental health therapeutics".

Qookka is an award winning, proprietary digital therapy for anxious and depressed patients. The rapid increase in mental health disorders globally, combined with a shortage of professionals and resources in the mental health field, have led to a health crisis. Qookka's clinically supported approach is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) belonging to the 3rd wave of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), combined with personalized therapy modules for patients and their families, and a multidisciplinary medical dashboard for remote monitoring of patient progress.

About Tech2Heal

Tech2Heal is a Paris, France based healthcare innovator specializing in digital health technologies with the objective of creating a compassionate, collaborative and patient-centered healthcare ecosystem. T2H has developed a portfolio of health-tech products and services designed to improve an individual's mental and physical well-being by utilizing a unique blend of proprietary digital assets and remote live counselling.

Tech2Heal's premier products include:

Qookka - clinically supported and evidence-based digital therapy for anxious and depressed patients delivered via a secure digital platform

Alakin - a bespoke, digital HEALTHcare MAnagement Platform ("health.map") designed for healthcare providers and pharma. Assisted self-care become reality for patients and care team members alike.

For more information: https://www.tech2heal.com/

About AI/ML Innovations Inc.

AI/ML Innovations Inc. has realigned its business operations to capitalize on the burgeoning fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), with an initial investment focus on emerging digital health and wellbeing companies that leverage AI, ML, cloud computing and digital platforms to drive transformative healthcare management solutions and precision support delivery across the health continuum. Through strategic partnerships with Health Gauge (70% owned by AIML), Tech2Heal (up to 22% ownership rights, with 9.44% currently owned), AI Rx Inc. (70% owned by AIML) and other planned accretive investments, the Company continues to capitalize on expanding growth areas, to the benefit of all the Company's stakeholders. AI/ML's shares are traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol "AIML", the OTCQB Venture Market under "AIMLF", and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under "42FB".

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Tim Daniels, Executive Chairman

For more information about AI/ML Innovations :

For detailed information please see AI/ML's website at https://aiml-innovations.com/ or the Company's filed documents at www.sedar.com.

For further information: Blake Fallis at (778) 405-0882 or [email protected].

Corporate video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2QSjo7clXc&feature=youtu.be

Official YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCfOj2P_Fu3TOK6Jl1G9vEQ

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.

Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to, the uncertainty of competition by other industry players, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, dependence upon regulatory approvals and the ability to raise additional capital as may be needed in the future. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in preparing such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove imprecise and undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligations to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law.

SOURCE: AI/ML Innovations Inc.

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 7, 2022 / Stillwater Critical Minerals (formerly Group Ten Metals) (TSXV:PGE)(OTCQB: PGEZF)(FSE:5D32) (the "Company" or "SWCM") today reports wide, high-grade intervals of nickel sulphide mineralization with palladium, platinum, rhodium, cobalt, copper and gold in a final tranche of first-pass drill results from the 14-hole resource expansion campaign completed at the Company's flagship Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project in Montana, USA. Additional rhodium results are pending.

Results continue to support the Company's priority objective of expanding the October 2021 inaugural mineral resource estimates with multiple wide and highly mineralized intervals returned in step-out drilling in six holes at the HGR deposit area at Iron Mountain (see Table 1 and Figure 1). Drilling in 2021 focused on resource expansion in three of the five deposit areas delineated by the 2021 estimates. Similar wide and well-mineralized intervals have now been reported from all three deposit areas as announced December 20, 2021, March 7, 2022, and May 3, 2022. Mineralization remains open to expansion along trend and at depth in all five deposit areas, which are set within 12 kilometers of the broader 32-kilometer-long land package in the lower Stillwater Igneous Complex (see Figure 2).

Highlights from six holes drilled in the HGR deposit area in 2021 include:

IM2021-05 returned 379.2 meters of continuous battery and precious metal mineralization starting at surface and grading 0.33% Nickel Equivalent ("NiEq"), equal to 0.88 g/t Palladium Equivalent ("PdEq"), with successive contained higher-grade intervals including: 133.2 meters of 0.38% NiEq (1.01 g/t PdEq); 21.5 meters of 0.66% NiEq (1.75 g/t PdEq); and 7.3 meters of 0.79% NiEq (2.11 g/t PdEq) as 0.45% Ni, 0.51 g/t Pd+Pt+Au+Rh ("4E"), 0.17% Cu and 0.026% Co .

with successive contained higher-grade intervals including:

IM2021-05 is the second most highly mineralized drill hole ever recorded in the Stillwater district with a grade-thickness value of 334 gram-meter PdEq, after CM2021-01 which returned 530 gram-meter PdEq.

IM2021-06 returned 94.0 meters of 0.48% NiEq (1.28 g/t PdEq) within 333.0 meters of continuous mineralization grading 0.28% NiEq (0.73 g/t PdEq). Additional contained intervals at higher grades include 26.4 meters of 0.63% NiEq (1.69 g/t PdEq) and 4.8 meters of 1.38 g/t 4E which includes 0.077 g/t Rh .

Additional contained intervals at higher grades include and . IM2021-04 , partially reported on March 7, 2022, returned 115.0 meters of 0.38% NiEq (1.02 g/t PdEq) within 306.5 meters of continuous mineralization grading 0.26% NiEq (0.68g/t PdEq). Additional contained intervals at higher grades include: 9.8 meters of high-grade PGE mineralization with 0.89% NiEq (2.38 g/t PdEq) as 1.54 g/t 4E including 1.02 g/t Pd, 0.39 g/t Pt, and 0.064 g/t Rh, along with base metal mineralization; and 4.8 meters of high-grade battery metal mineralization with 1.47% NiEq (3.91 g/t PdEq) as 0.74% Ni, 0.65% Cu, 0.070% Co, plus 0.30 g/t 4E including 0.055 g/t Rh (see photo below).

, partially reported on March 7, 2022, returned within Additional contained intervals at higher grades include: Drilling in the HGR deposit area in 2021 focused on step-out holes in the area of IM-2019-03 which returned 272.5 meters of 0.42% NiEq (1.11 g/t PdEq) including 26.8 meters of 0.96% NiEq (2.55 g/t PdEq) as 0.34% Ni, 0.15% Cu, 0.019% Co, 0.33 g/t Pt, 0.77 g/t Pd, 0.08 g/t Au, and 0.049 g/t Rh (see Figures 1 to 4).

which returned (see Figures 1 to 4). These results, alongside results released May 3 and March 7, 2022, and December 20, 2021, demonstrate significant potential to expand the October 2021 mineral resource estimates with multiple long intervals at grades well above the 0.20% NiEq cut-off grade used in that study (see bolded assay values on Table 1). Potential is also shown to expand existing resources at higher cut-off grades, such as 0.35% and 0.50% NiEq (red values and shaded rows, respectively, on Table 1). Moreover, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, these results provide important intercepts in step-out drill holes located up to several hundred meters from the resource estimate block models.

Results also continue to highlight the potential for significant co-product rhodium values at Stillwater West, with drill samples in Iron Mountain holes IM2021-04, -05, and -06 returning up to 0.365 g/t Rh within the mineralized horizons. At recent values, rhodium trades at more than 16 times the value of platinum and seven times the value of palladium on a spot price basis at over US$14,000 per ounce. Sibanye-Stillwater, adjacent to Stillwater Critical Minerals' Stillwater West project, is the primary US producer. Supply constraints for rhodium have supported rising prices since 2017.

Complete first-pass assay results have now been reported from all 14 holes drilled in 2021. Additional rhodium assays are pending on mineralized intervals.

Figure 5 - Drill core from 248.1 to 261.8 meters in hole IM2021-04 showing an example of very strong sulphide mineralization starting at 256.0 meters and containing 0.74% Ni, 0.65% Cu, 0.070% Co, and 0.30 g/t 4E for 1.47% NiEq, or 3.91 g/t PdEq.

Dr. Danie Grobler, Stillwater Critical Minerals' Vice-President of Exploration, commented "Stillwater West continues to demonstrate significant equivalence with the Platreef deposits of the northern Bushveld Complex. Albie Brits and I are actively applying our combined four decades of Platreef experience in our new roles at Stillwater Critical Minerals with a priority on updating the geologic model to support planning and refining of drill targets for the next phase of follow-on work. Our current focus is to define detailed stratigraphic and structural controls within the 2021 Inferred Resource areas. We are also in the process of reviewing and prioritizing higher-grade pegmatoidal pyroxenite targets within the Stillwater stratigraphy that have not been fully tested."

Michael Rowley, President and CEO, commented, "Results from the Iron Mountain drill campaign continue to demonstrate the remarkable potential for expansion of our inaugural mineral resource with multiple wide intercepts of battery and precious metals and contained intervals at successive higher grades. In particular our success in targeting Platreef-style nickel sulphide mineralization in step-out holes in the area of IM2019-03 shows excellent potential for resource growth, similar to our success in the DR and Hybrid deposit areas over seven kilometers to the west. We continue to see confirmation of a large mineralized system with an impressive endowment of eight of the commodities listed as critical by the US government. We look forward to further updates on our planned resource expansion, exploration priorities for 2022, and other news in the near term."

Table 1 - Highlight Results from the 2021 Expansion Drill Campaign at the HGR Deposit Area

Highlighted significant mineralized intercepts are presented above. Grade-thickness values cover significant mineralized intervals with total palladium and nickel equivalent grade-thickness determined by multiplying the thickness of continuous mineralization (in meters) by the palladium equivalent grade (in grams/tonne) to provide gram-meter values (g-m) or by multiplying the nickel equivalent grade (in percent) to provide percent-meter values as shown. Total nickel and palladium equivalent calculations reflect total gross metal content using long term metal prices (all USD): $7.00/lb nickel (Ni), $3.50/lb copper (Cu), $20.00/lb cobalt (Co), $1,000/oz platinum (Pt), $1,800/oz palladium (Pd), and $1,600/oz gold (Au). Equivalent values have not been adjusted to reflect metallurgical recoveries. Total metal equivalent values include both base and precious metals. Intervals are reported as drilled widths and are believed to be representative of the actual width of mineralization.

About Stillwater West

Stillwater Critical Minerals is rapidly advancing the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project towards becoming a world-class source of low-carbon, sulphide-hosted nickel, copper, and cobalt, critical to the electrification movement, as well as key catalytic metals including platinum, palladium and rhodium used in catalytic converters, fuel cells, and the production of green hydrogen. Stillwater West positions SWCM as the second-largest landholder in the Stillwater Complex, with a 100%-owned position adjoining and adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater's PGE mines in south-central Montana, USA 1 . The Stillwater Complex is recognized as one of the top regions in the world for PGE-Ni-Cu-Co mineralization, alongside the Bushveld Complex and Great Dyke in southern Africa, which are similar layered intrusions. The J-M Reef, and other PGE-enriched sulphide horizons in the Stillwater Complex, share many similarities with the highly prolific Merensky and UG2 Reefs in the Bushveld Complex. SWCM's work in the lower Stillwater Complex has demonstrated the presence of large-scale disseminated and high-sulphide battery metals and PGE mineralization, similar to the Platreef in the Bushveld Complex 2 . Drill campaigns by the Company, complemented by a substantial historic drill database, have delineated five deposits of Platreef-style mineralization across a core 12-kilometer span of the project, all of which are open for expansion into adjacent targets. Multiple earlier-stage Platreef-style and reef-type targets are also being advanced across the remainder of the 32-kilometer length of the project based on strong correlations seen in soil and rock geochemistry, geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, and drilling.

About Stillwater Critical Minerals Corp.

Stillwater Critical Minerals (TSX.V: PGE | OTCQB: PGEZF) is a mineral exploration company focused on its flagship Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project in the iconic and famously productive Stillwater mining district in Montana, USA. With the recent addition of two renowned Bushveld and Platreef geologists to the team, the Company is well positioned to advance the next phase of large-scale critical mineral supply from this world-class American district, building on past production of nickel, copper, and chromium, and the on-going production of platinum group and other metals by neighbouring Sibanye-Stillwater. The Platreef-style nickel and copper sulphide deposits at Stillwater West contain a compelling suite of critical minerals and are open for expansion along trend and at depth, with an updated NI 43-101 mineral resource update expected in 2022.

Stillwater Critical Minerals also holds the high-grade Black Lake-Drayton Gold project adjacent to Treasury Metals' development-stage Goliath Gold Complex in northwest Ontario, which is currently under an earn-in agreement with an option to joint venture whereby Heritage Mining may earn up to a 90% interest in the project by completing payments and work on the project. The Company also holds the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu-Co project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinums Wellgreen deposit in Canadas Yukon Territory.

About the Metallic Group of Companies

The Metallic Group is a collaboration of leading precious and base metals exploration companies, with a portfolio of large, brownfield assets in established mining districts adjacent to some of the industry's highest-grade producers of silver and gold, platinum and palladium, and copper. Member companies include Metallic Minerals in the Yukon's high-grade Keno Hill silver district and La Plata silver-gold-copper district of Colorado, Granite Creek Copper in the Yukon's Minto copper district, and Stillwater Critical Minerals in the Stillwater PGM-nickel-copper district of Montana. The founders and team members of the Metallic Group include highly successful explorationists formerly with some of the industry's leading explorers/developers and major producers. With this expertise, the companies are undertaking a systematic approach to exploration using new models and technologies to facilitate discoveries in these proven, but under-explored, mining districts. The Metallic Group is headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and its member companies are listed on the Toronto Venture, US OTC, and Frankfurt stock exchanges.

Note 1: References to adjoining properties are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily indicative of the exploration potential, extent or nature of mineralization or potential future results of the Company's projects.

Note 2: Magmatic Ore Deposits in Layered Intrusions-Descriptive Model for Reef-Type PGE and Contact-Type Cu-Ni-PGE Deposits, Michael Zientek, USGS Open-File Report 2012-1010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Michael Rowley, President, CEO & Director

Phone: (604) 357 4790

Toll Free: (888) 432 0075

Email: [email protected]

Web: http://criticalminerals.com

Quality Control and Quality Assurance

2021 drill core samples were analyzed by ACT Labs in Vancouver, B.C. Sample preparation: crush (
SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 7, 2022 / TPT Global Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: TPTW)("TPT Global Tech") announces today that its subsidiary TPT Strategic Inc. (OTC PINK:INOQ)("TPT Strategic") has entered into a definitive agreement for the acquisition of the assets and Information Security and Training LLC ("IST LLC" or "IST") (www.istincs.com) a General Construction and Information Technology Services company with approximately $9.5M backlog in executed Government contracts as of April 30, 2022 based in Huntsville Alabama with branch offices in Nashville TN, Birmingham Al, Jackson MS, Fort Campbell KY, New Orleans LA, and Joint Base Lewis-McChord. IST with two divisions Construction and IT Technology is a general contractor with over 15 years of experience that has completed many projects in the Federal marketplace for over 15 different federal agencies since its inception in 2008 as a contractor. IST has been successfully providing design-build construction, demolition, abatement, earthwork, concrete, steel and metal work, masonry, underground utilities, environmental protection, and site restoration services since 2008. IST differentiates itself by offering superior quality results at a competitive price. IST safely delivers projects on time and within budget. IST has a bonding capacity of $10M per single project and $20M aggregate. IST Information Technology Services Division provides program management, System Engineering, Software Development, Network Engineering, Records Management and Controls, Physical Security and Information Assurance, Video Teleconferencing and AV systems, Help Desk Services and Information Technology Statements of Qualification. IST is committed to maintaining customer satisfaction, trust and Integrity by delivering quality products and services conforming to industry best practices and continuous process improvement.

The TPT Strategic and ITS LLC agreement for the acquisition was a TPT Strategic stock transaction, except for the assumption of assets and liabilities, where the founder and sole interest holder Everett Lanier is to receive 2,000,000 common shares of TPT Strategic, after capital restructuring, and the assumption of all assets and liabilities which approximate $1.6M and $1.2M, respectively, as of December 31, 2021. Unaudited revenues and net income for ITS the year ended December 31, 2021 were approximately $2.8M and $167,000 respectively.

Everett Lanier, after closing and finalizing an agreed upon employment agreement, will become the President and a board member of TPT Strategic. The issuance of the acquisition shares is estimated to be approximately 10% of the proposed outstanding common shares for TPT Strategic with TPT Global Tech controlling over 50% of TPT Strategic through the Series A Preferred Super Majority Voting Stock. Closing is to occur upon customary conditions being met which in large part relates to the completion of audits necessary under requirements of the Securities and Exchange for inclusion into TPT Strategic and TPT Global Tech consolidated financial statements.

TPT Global Tech intends to set aside TPT Strategic shares for the distribution to existing TPT Global Tech shareholders as a dividend. TPT Strategic previously entered into a merger agreement with Education System Management, Inc. ("EDSM") which was contingent on EDSM completing an audit in six months, which EDSM did not complete. TPT Global Tech remains committed to assisting EDSM achieve pubic company trading status in another public vehicle once the company completes its audit.

Mr. Everett Lanier is the Founder, President and CEO of IST, LLC and has over 22 years of IT experience and 30 years in construction and engineering starting in his family's business. Everett earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from Alabama A&M University. Everett's experience includes program management, business development, capture management and project engineering. Everett possess a broad knowledge of business operations and program matrix management experience and is an accomplished negotiator and innovative leader who have demonstrated the ability to manage relationships and complex programs to achieve financial success, on time deliveries and customer trust and satisfaction.

IST LLC Customers

U.S. Air Force Department of Defense U.S. Army Corps of Engineers U.S. Department of Interior Missile Defense Agency USDA Johnson Controls U.S. Department of Transportation Trane U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service FEMA U.S. Forest Service U.S. Army Naval Air Station Meridian U.S. Navy Naval Air Station Millington Alabama A&M University National Park Service JE Dunn Navy Operational Support Center Bessemer Hensel Phelps

With the acquisition of IST and its seasoned professional team of construction engineers and design teams, we believe TPT Global Tech will be in position to start its Tuskegee Smart City project. IST is being acquired by TPT Strategic which is currently a majority owned subsidiary of TPT Global Tech. TPT Strategic is intended to become the Real Estate construction technology and Smart City Development division of TPT Global Tech. The company also believes there are many cross pollination business opportunities that will help TPT Global Tech with its long term corporate objectives. IST has a full time government procurement team that will dedicate resources to source State and Federal contracts for TPTW's other divisions or capabilities such as 5G Telecommunication, IT, Data, Satellite Technology, Medical Technology, Media, Defense Systems, Cyber Security and infrastructure building, utilizing Ultra Performance Concrete technology.

"We as a company are very pleased to have a Construction and IT industry veteran such as Everett Lanier join TPT Global Tech's team through TPT Strategic. Executive team. Everett will become the new President of TPT Strategic and bring with him a core group of individuals and seasoned professionals in the building industry. We believe this acquisition will be a great asset for TPT Global Tech and our shareholders" said Stephen Thomas of CEO TPT Global Tech.

About TPT Global Tech

TPT Global Tech Inc. (TPTW) based in San Diego, California, is a technology-based company with divisions providing telecommunications, medical technology and product distribution, media content for domestic and international syndication as well as technology solutions. TPT Global Tech offers Software as a Service (SaaS), Technology Platform as a Service (PAAS), Cloud-based Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS). It offers carrier-grade performance and support for businesses over its private IP MPLS fiber and wireless network in the United States. TPT's cloud-based UCaaS services allow businesses of any size to enjoy all the latest voice, data, media and collaboration features in today's global technology markets. TPT Global Tech also operates as a Master Distributor for Nationwide Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) and Independent Sales Organization (ISO) as a Master Distributor for Pre-Paid Cell phone services, Mobile phones Cell phone Accessories, and Global Roaming Cell phones.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of various provisions of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, commonly identified by such terms as "believes," "looking ahead," "anticipates," "estimates" and other terms with similar meaning. Specifically, statements about the Company's plans for accelerated growth, improved profitability, future business partners, M&A activity, new service offerings, and pursuit of new markets are forward-looking statements. Although the company believes that the assumptions upon which its forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these assumptions will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements should not be construed as fact. The information contained in such statements is beyond the ability of the Company to control, and in many cases, the Company cannot predict what factors would cause results to differ materially from those indicated in such statements. All forward-looking statements in the press release are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements and by reference to the underlying assumptions.

PR-Shep Doniger

[email protected]

561-637-5750

IR-Frank Benedetto

619-915-9422

SOURCE: TPT Global Tech, Inc.

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CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ADM (NYSE: ADM) will release financial results for the second quarter of 2022 before the market opens on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. A slide presentation will also be available for download at this time. The company will host a webcast at 8 a.m. Central Time to discuss the results and provide a company update.

To listen to the webcast or to download the slide presentation, go to www.adm.com/webcast. A replay of the webcast will also be available for an extended period of time at www.adm.com/webcast.

About ADM

ADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. Were a premier global human and animal nutrition company, delivering solutions today with an eye to the future. Were blazing new trails in health and well-being as our scientists develop groundbreaking products to support healthier living. Were a cutting-edge innovator leading the way to a new future of plant-based consumer and industrial solutions to replace petroleum-based products. Were an unmatched agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. And were a leader in sustainability, scaling across entire value chains to help decarbonize our industry and safeguard our planet. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional and sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow. Learn more at www.adm.com.

Source: Corporate Release

Source: ADM

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005160/en/

ADM Media Relations

Jackie Anderson

[email protected]

312-634-8484

Source: ADM
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL) will host a conference call on August 4, 2022 at 4:30 PM Eastern Time to discuss the Company's financial results for the second quarter of 2022.

Investors can participate in the conference call by dialing 1 (833) 634-2156 domestic or 1 (412) 902-4142 international. Please request to be joined into the Air Lease Corporation call.

The conference call will also be broadcast live through a link on the Investors page of the Air Lease Corporation website at www.airleasecorp.com. Please visit the website at least 15 minutes prior to the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software. A replay of the broadcast will be available on the Investors page of the Air Lease Corporation website.

For your convenience, the conference call can be replayed in its entirety beginning at 7:30 PM ET on August 4, 2022 until 7:30 PM ET on August 11, 2022. If you wish to listen to the replay of this conference call, please dial 1 (877) 344-7529 domestic or 1 (412) 317-0088 international and enter passcode 3322431.

About Air Lease Corporation

ALC is a leading aircraft leasing company based in Los Angeles, California that has airline customers throughout the world. ALC and its team of dedicated and experienced professionals are principally engaged in purchasing commercial aircraft and leasing them to its airline customers worldwide through customized aircraft leasing and financing solutions. ALC routinely posts information that may be important to investors in the Investors section of ALCs website at www.airleasecorp.com. Investors and potential investors are encouraged to consult the ALC website regularly for important information about ALC. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, ALCs website is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this press release.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005841/en/

Investors:

Jason Arnold

Vice President, Investor Relations

Email: [email protected]

Media:

Laura Woeste

Senior Manager, Media and Investor Relations

Email: [email protected]

Ashley Arnold

Manager, Media and Investor Relations

Email: [email protected]

Source: Air Lease Corporation
25 historic independent U.S. restaurants will each receive $40,000 grants to put towards physical improvements and operating expenses

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- American Express (NYSE: AXP) and the National Trust for Historic Preservation today announced the 25 U.S. historic independent restaurants that will collectively receive $1 million in grant funding through the Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant program.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005188/en/

Backing Historic Small Restaurants - program collage (Photo: Business Wire)

Now in its second year, the program will award each establishment $40,000 in funding to help improve the restaurants physical space and offer the grantees critical operating costs to help them better serve their customers and grow their businesses.

Backing Historic Small Restaurants and Backing International Small Restaurants are part of American Express wider Backing Small initiative aimed to provide small businesses with financial support and other resources to address critical needs. Backing Small builds on American Express legacy for supporting small businesses, which includes initiatives such as Shop Small, the Coalition to Back Black Businesses, and the Inclusive Backing grant program.

These establishments have served their communities for decades, and they represent a diverse collection of cuisines and cultures that are integral to the fabric of their neighborhoods, said Madge Thomas, President of the American Express Foundation & Head of Corporate Sustainability. Backing small businesses is central to who we are, and we are proud to support these historically significant restaurants in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

These grants will help historic restaurants make much-needed updates such as creating outdoor seating, address deferred maintenance of their historic spaces to help serve their communities for years to come, and fund other general operating and marketing costs.

The National Trust is pleased to partner with American Express in recognizing the irreplaceable value of these multi-generational small businesses which often sit at the center of their communities. These small restaurants reflect not just the histories of their neighborhoods but also their futures. They represent the dynamic and vibrant nature of preservation today, relevant to customers while deeply rooted in legacies of gathering around good food, said Katherine Malone-France, Chief Preservation Officer, National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant program is funded by American Express and administered by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The 25 grantees were selected by the National Trust for Historic Preservation from a diverse group of historic and culturally significant restaurants that have been in business for at least 25 years and operate in historic buildings or neighborhoods. They include restaurants like Penn Brewery, which is majority women-owned and operates out of a facility that dates back to the 1800s.

Community is very important to Penn Brewery, especially supporting local non-profit groups who help new artists and musicians, as well as, bringing awareness to the history of the neighborhood. We're very excited for our customers to see what the space will look like now that we have an option for covered outdoor seating, thanks to American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  Penn Brewery and Restaurant

Backing Historic Small Restaurants Grantees

To learn more about the 25 historic establishments receiving this years grants please visit savingplaces.org/historicrestaurants.

ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS

American Express is a globally integrated payments company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, instagram.com/americanexpress, linkedin.com/company/american-express, twitter.com/americanexpress, and youtube.com/americanexpress.

Key links to products, services and corporate responsibility information: charge and credit cards, business credit cards, travel services, gift cards, prepaid cards, merchant services, Accertify, InAuth, corporate card, business travel, and corporate sustainability.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded nonprofit organization, works to save Americas historic places. SavingPlaces.org | @savingplaces

American Express has invested more than $30M to preserve historic places in the U.S. through its close partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation since 1992.

Source: American Express Company

Location: U.S.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005188/en/

Jessica Defilippo

[email protected]

Source: American Express Company
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE: ATO) will host a conference call on Thursday, August 4, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern to review the companys Fiscal 2022 third quarter financial results. Atmos Energy will release these results on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, following the market close.

To listen to the conference call, please dial either the toll-free or international number provided below. You may also listen to the call on the Atmos Energy website at www.atmosenergy.com. The Internet broadcast will be archived for thirty days.

Conference Call Details

August 4, 2022

10:00 a.m. Eastern / 9:00 a.m. Central

Toll-free: 877-407-3088

International: 201-389-0927

(No pass code)

Internet webcast: www.atmosenergy.com

Atmos Energy Corporation, an S&P 500 company headquartered in Dallas, is the countrys largest natural gas-only distributor. We safely deliver reliable, affordable, efficient and abundant natural gas to more than 3 million distribution customers in over 1,400 communities across eight states located primarily in the South. As part of our vision to be the safest provider of natural gas services, we are modernizing our business and infrastructure while continuing to invest in safety, innovation, environmental sustainability and our communities. Atmos Energy manages proprietary pipeline and storage assets, including one of the largest intrastate natural gas pipeline systems in Texas. Find us online at http://www.atmosenergy.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005544/en/

Analyst and Media Contact:

Dan Meziere

(972) 855-3729

Source: Atmos Energy Corporation
Loan to EYP Repaid in Full, Including $2.9 Million Break-up Fee and Partial Expense Reimbursement

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BitNile Holdings, Inc. (NYSE American: NILE), a diversified holding company (BitNile or the Company) announced today that its subsidiary, Ault Alliance, Inc. (Ault Alliance), did not acquire the assets of EYP, Inc. and its affiliates (EYP). The previously announced asset purchase agreement constituted a stalking horse bid in a sale process being conducted under Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The prevailing bidder under the sale process was Page Southerland Page, Inc.

Ault Alliance lent $8.0 million to EYP and earned $4.7 million in interest, penalties and break-up fees from October 2021 through June 2022. The principal amount of the loans, interest, penalties and break-up fees, were fully repaid on June 30, 2022, though the Company did incur certain expenses that it will be responsible for that will not be covered by any of the foregoing payments to the Company.

Milton Todd Ault, III, the Companys Executive Chairman, stated, We congratulate Page Southerland Page on its successful bid to acquire EYP. While Ault Alliance did not end up with the winning bid, we did realize a favorable return on capital deployed for less than nine months, which is generally consistent with our goal of maximizing returns in pursuit of investments in undervalued companies or companies with deeply depressed prices.

For more information on BitNile and its subsidiaries, BitNile recommends that stockholders, investors, and any other interested parties read BitNiles public filings and press releases available under the Investor Relations section at www.BitNile.com or available at www.sec.gov.

About BitNile Holdings, Inc.

BitNile Holdings, Inc. is a diversified holding company pursuing growth by acquiring undervalued businesses and disruptive technologies with a global impact. Through its wholly and majority-owned subsidiaries and strategic investments, BitNile owns and operates a data center at which it mines Bitcoin and provides mission-critical products that support a diverse range of industries, including defense/aerospace, industrial, automotive, telecommunications, medical/biopharma and textiles. In addition, BitNile extends credit to select entrepreneurial businesses through a licensed lending subsidiary. BitNiles headquarters are located at 11411 Southern Highlands Parkway, Suite 240, Las Vegas, NV 89141; www.BitNile.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as believes, plans, anticipates, projects, estimates, expects, intends, strategy, future, opportunity, may, will, should, could, potential, or similar expressions. Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any of them publicly in light of new information or future events. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors. More information, including potential risk factors, that could affect the Companys business and financial results are included in the Companys filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the Companys Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. All filings are available at www.sec.gov and on the Companys website at www.BitNile.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005305/en/

BitNile Holdings Investor Contact:

[email protected] or 1-888-753-2235

Source: BitNile Holdings, Inc.
Earnings release dates for remainder of 2022

SANTA ANA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF), a premier provider of title, settlement and risk solutions for real estate transactions and the leader in the digital transformation of its industry, today announced that it will host a conference call on Thursday, July 28, 2022, at 11 a.m. EDT.

The call will follow the release of the companys earnings results for the second quarter of 2022, which is scheduled earlier that day at 6:45 a.m. EDT.

The conference call, which will also be broadcast over the internet and is open to investors, members of the financial community, the media and other members of the public, can be accessed online at http://www.firstam.com/investor or by dialing toll free 877-407-8293. Callers from outside the United States may dial 201-689-8349.

An audio replay of the conference call will be available through August 11, 2022 by dialing 201-612-7415 and using the conference ID 13731471. An audio archive of the call and a copy of the second-quarter 2022 earnings release, including the financial information contained therein, will also be available on First Americans investor website.

At the present time, the company expects to release its third-quarter earnings on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022 at 6:45 a.m. EDT and host a conference call at 11 a.m. EDT on the same day.

About First American

First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF) is a premier provider of title, settlement and risk solutions for real estate transactions. With its combination of financial strength and stability built over more than 130 years, innovative proprietary technologies, and unmatched data assets, the company is leading the digital transformation of its industry. First American also provides data products to the title industry and other third parties; valuation products and services; mortgage subservicing; home warranty products; banking, trust and wealth management services; and other related products and services. With total revenue of $9.2 billion in 2021, the company offers its products and services directly and through its agents throughout the United States and abroad. In 2022, First American was named one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For by Great Place to Work and Fortune Magazine for the seventh consecutive year. More information about the company can be found at www.firstam.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005787/en/

Media Contact:

Marcus Ginnaty

Corporate Communications

First American Financial Corporation

(714) 250-3298

Investor Contact:

Craig Barberio

Investor Relations

First American Financial Corporation

(714) 250-5214

Source: First American Financial Corporation
PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

Forsee Power (Paris: FORSE) (FR0014005SB3  FORSE), an expert in smart battery systems for sustainable electromobility, announces that it has started to deliver Indian vehicle manufacturer Omega Seiki Mobility (OSM) its GO 10 battery systems  as part of the MOU signed a year ago  to equip 5,000 electric RAGE+ 3-wheelers.

Advancing light electric vehicles with GO 10 battery system

Forsee Power is a key European player on the Asian light mobility market. The Group has already equipped more than 100,000 vehicles, offering a wide range of portable and on-board battery systems.

Forsee Powers GO 10 is a robust lithium-ion 48V battery system embedding 10 kWh energy and delivering a very high autonomy of 110km to Omega Seiki Mobilitys vehicles.

This battery system is particularly adapted to fleet sharing with intensive use. Its best-in-class battery cells and proprietary Battery Management System (BMS) enable an excellent lifetime of 3,000 cycles.

Decarbonating Indias transport with made-in-India solutions

The Indian government has set an ambitious plan to decarbonate the country and the FAME 2 program aims at supporting the purchase of electric vehicles including three, four wheelers and buses. Only advanced batteries and vehicles can be incentivized under the scheme.

When the program was announced, Forsee Power made plan to establish in Pune and the production in series of batteries started in May 2021. The Group is first addressing the light electric vehicle local market  two, three, four wheelers and will address the heavy vehicle market in a second phase.

Omega Seiki Mobility has been growing its product line up and manufacturing footprint rapidly in India. The company is the first OEM to have two, three and four-wheelers in its product portfolio. OSM has set up large scale manufacturing facilities in Delhi NCR and Pune now looking to expand in Chennai. The company is a leading last mile service provider with under its brand UNOXpress. Omega Seiki Mobility is currently running its fleet in 20 cities, doing more than 1 million kilometers (10 lac km) per month.

Omega Seiki Mobility believes in creating sustainable mobility solutions with an integrated approach of connecting Automobiles and the Society. The brands focus is to eventually create a clean ecosystem with eco-friendly, safe and congestion free mobility. OSM is one of Indias leading clean energy incubators and has become synonymous with Indias sustainability success. The electric vehicle manufacturing company aims to fast-track future mobility, with green energy at its core, by implementing data-driven, smart engineering.

We are proud to partner with Omega Seiki to contribute to the decarbonation of Indias light mobility with our innovative and zero-emission solutions. Indias market is extremely dynamic. While we are ramping up our local production in Pune, we are endeavoring to developing local skills and producing with the lowest environmental impact possible to ensure a sustainable battery industry in India, explains Durga Akhnoor, CEO of Forsee Power India.

Dr. Deb Mukherji, Managing Director, Omega Seiki Mobility said, We are pleased to partner with Forsee Power, the partnership will help us in strengthening our growth and enable us to scale globally.

Forsee Power is a leading battery manufacturer providing smart battery system which will support us in enhancing the range of Omega Seiki Mobility (OSM) electric three Wheeler RAGE+. Omega Seiki Mobility and Forsee Power have done multiple test runs to ensure adequate Power and Performance to OSM customers and drivers. With Sustainability and Technology at heart, sharing the same philosophy and ideologies, Omega Seiki Mobility will be associating with Forsee Power for our entire range of electric vehicles in Two, Three and Four-Wheeler category, added Dr. Mukherji.

About Forsee Power

Forsee Power is a French industrial group specializing in smart battery systems for sustainable electric transport (light vehicles, off-highway vehicles, buses, trains, and ships). A major player in Europe, Asia and North America, the Group designs, assembles, and supplies energy management systems based on cells that are among the most robust in the market and provides installation, commissioning, and maintenance on site and remotely. More than 1,200 buses and 100,000 LEV have been equipped with Forsee Powers batteries. The Group also offers financing solutions (battery leasing) and second-life solutions for transport batteries. Forsee Power recorded revenue from sales of EUR 72.4 million in 2021 and has more than 600 employees. For more information: www.forseepower.com | @ForseePower

About Omega Seiki Private Limited

Omega Seiki Private Limited is a member of the Anglian Omega group of businesses, focusing on manufacturing steel parts for automotive & engineering industries in India & abroad. The group has expanded rapidly in the last 5 years with several projects in automotive, infrastructure and high technology design & development with heavy investment in these areas. The electric vehicles business is under group company-Omega Seiki Pvt. Ltd. The company has designed and developed its three-wheelers indigenously at its in-house R&D facility. The vehicles under RAGE+ brand are deployed by several major ecommerce and logistics companies in India.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005610/en/

Forsee Power

Sophie Tricaud

Director of Communication, Sustainability & Public Affairs

[email protected]

NewCap

Thomas Grojean

Quentin Masse

Investor Relations

[email protected]

+33 (0)1 44 71 94 94

NewCap

Nicolas Merigeau

Media Relations

[email protected]

+33 (0)1 44 71 94 98

Source: Forsee Power
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GrafTech International Ltd. (NYSE: EAF) (the Company) will hold its Second Quarter 2022 Earnings Conference Call and Webcast on Friday, August 5, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The call will be hosted by senior management to discuss financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022 and current business initiatives. These financial results will be released on Friday, August 5, 2022 before market open and will be available on our investor relations website at: http://ir.graftech.com.

The conference call dial-in number is +1 (888) 886-7786 toll-free in North America or +1 (416) 764-8658 for overseas calls, conference ID: 91252740. Live audio of the conference call will be available via webcast on our website or can be accessed at: https://app.webinar.net/L7Mv3K7352k. Archived replays of the conference call and webcast will be made available on our investor relations website at: http://ir.graftech.com.

About GrafTech

GrafTech International Ltd. is a leading manufacturer of high-quality graphite electrode products essential to the production of electric arc furnace steel and other ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The Company has a competitive portfolio of low-cost, ultra-high power graphite electrode manufacturing facilities, including three of the highest capacity facilities in the world. We are the only large-scale graphite electrode producer that is substantially vertically integrated into petroleum needle coke, a key raw material for graphite electrode manufacturing. This unique position provides us with competitive advantages in product quality and cost.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005522/en/

Michael Dillon

216-676-2000

Source: GrafTech International Ltd.
One of only 12 Nashville providers to receive award

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- LBMC Employment Partners, a leading Professional Employer Organization (PEO), HR outsourcing, payroll service bureau and benefits broker based in Nashville, TN, is pleased to announce it was named a Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville Top Employee Benefits Consultant for 2022 by Mployer Advisor for the second year in a row. The announcement follows two other key strategic initiatives for the rapidly growing company  its expansion into the Charlotte market and the addition of Anna Maddox as Chief Human Resources Officer. As benefit brokers, LBMC Employment Partners represents all major U.S. carriers, including Aetna, Humana, and United Healthcare.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005720/en/

LBMC Employment Partners, a leading Professional Employer Organization (PEO), HR outsourcing, payroll service bureau and benefits broker based in Nashville, TN, is pleased to announce it was named a Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville Top Employee Benefits Consultant for 2022 by Mployer Advisor for the second year in a row. (Graphic: Business Wire)

We are honored to be named to this prestigious list for the second year in a row by Mployer Advisor, a leading independent platform for employers to research, review, and evaluate insurance advisors, said Sharon Powlus, President/CEO, LBMC Employment Partners. The 2022 winners account for less than 5% of all brokerages nationwide. To be recognized in this group and as one of only 12 brokers in the Nashville area is such a distinction. This award is a testament to the hard work and outstanding client service of our team members.

Mployer Advisor is a leader in connecting employers and employees to great benefits. The firm created its inaugural Top Employee Benefits Consultant Award Program last year, which evaluates brokers based on industry experience, company size, online ratings and reviews and recognizes those with a track record of success among employers, insurance providers and peers.

About LBMC Employment Partners

LBMC Employment Partners, LLC, a member of the LBMC Family of Companies, is a world-class professional services firm. LBMC Employment Partners provides a comprehensive suite of human resource-related services to businesses, including Professional Employer Organization (PEO) services, HR Outsourcing (HRO), Payroll, Payroll Tax Outsourcing, Human Resource Consulting, Employee Benefits, and ACA Compliance Consulting. As a proud partner and authorized reseller of UKG Ready, LBMC Employment Partners helps clients be successful by offering a full suite of automated, scalable tools through this unified Human Capital Management system. LBMC Employment Partners is also the only Tennessee-based PEO to receive the Certified Professional Employment Organization (CPEO) designation in the first round of IRS certifications. For more information visit www.lbmcep.com.

About LBMC

LBMC is a top 40 accounting and business consulting firm that provides complex, unique advisory and compliance solutions to over 10,000 clients across the nation. The firms broad range of services includes tax, audit & assurance, transaction advisory, cyber risk services, litigation & valuation, healthcare consulting, data insights, growth and innovation, staffing and HR outsourcing, technology solutions, financial outsourcing and procurement, and high net wealth planning and management for family offices and individuals. Primary industries include healthcare, technology, manufacturing, private equity, real estate and construction, professional services, and not-for-profit. LBMC is a top 3 firm in Nashville and a Pacesetter for Growth as well as a Top 5 Regional Accounting firm on Accounting Todays 2022 Top 100 Firms list, and a 2022 Forbes Top Tax and Accounting Firm. Proud to be a national Certified Great Place to Work for two years in a row, LBMC has more than 750 team members with offices in Chattanooga, Nashville (Brentwood), and Knoxville, TN and Charlotte, NC.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005720/en/

Lisa Namm, [email protected], 615-309-2356

Source: LBMC
FRISCO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Magellan Health, Inc. today announced that Derrick Duke has been appointed chief executive officer, succeeding former CEO Ken Fasola. Fasola has been named the executive vice president, Health Care Enterprises (HCE) at Centene.

Derrick is a tremendous executive who will provide exemplary leadership to Magellan as it continues on its growth journey, said Fasola. It has been a great honor to serve Magellan as CEO, and I look forward to working with Derrick as he embarks on his new role.

Duke joined Magellan Health in 2020 as chief risk officer, a role he held until January of 2022 when he took on the role of chief operating officer and chief financial officer, responsible for the finance organization, business transformation office, information technology, and behavioral health network and clinical operations. As CEO, Duke will be responsible for Magellans strategic direction and overall growth, as well as the development and operational execution of the Companys business strategy.

I am deeply honored to be named CEO of Magellan and am immensely proud to have been chosen to serve in this role, said Duke. Im proud to be leading a company that is devoted to its mission and making an impact to the health and wellbeing of the communities we serve.

Prior to joining Magellan, Duke held multiple leadership roles at HealthMarkets, one of the largest health insurance agencies and ancillary insurance product underwriters in the U.S. He served as chief financial officer and chief operating officer from 2015 until the sale of the company to UnitedHealth Group in 2019. In previous HealthMarkets leadership roles, Duke had oversight of finance, actuarial, customer service, information technology, and underwriting. He also held the role of chief investment officer for more than 15 years.

Before joining HealthMarkets, Duke served as executive vice president and chief investment officer of National Health Insurance, now a subsidiary of Allstate Insurance. He has a bachelors degree in finance from Hardin Simmons University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington.

About Magellan Health: Magellan Health, Inc. is a leader in managing the fastest growing, most complex areas of health, including special populations, complete pharmacy benefits and other specialty areas of healthcare. Magellan supports innovative ways of accessing better health through technology, while remaining focused on the critical personal relationships that are necessary to achieve a healthy, vibrant life. Magellan's customers include health plans and other managed care organizations, employers, labor unions, various military and governmental agencies and third-party administrators. For more information, visit MagellanHealth.com.

(MGLN-GEN)

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005147/en/

Media: Lilly Ackley, [email protected], (860) 507-1923

Source: Magellan Health, Inc.
IRVING, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc. ("MATHESON"), the USA affiliate of Nippon Sanso Holding Corporation, Tokyo, has signed a long-term Supply Agreement to meet hydrogen requirements for a 75,000 bpd refinery in Mobile, Alabama owned by Vertex Energy (Vertex). The MATHESON Facility will have a nameplate capacity exceeding 30 mmscfd hydrogen production and the capability to process a range of feedstocks, including renewable naphtha and other co-products from Vertexs Renewable Diesel production, as well as natural gas, as necessary. The Facility is designed in accordance with MATHESON HYCOs global standards with respect to safety, ultra-high supply reliability, and with the flexibility required to best integrate these specifications with Vertexs operations and supply considerations. Conceptual Design of the HYCO Facility has been completed and engineering has been progressed. Procurement of critical path equipment by MATHESON has also commenced.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005516/en/

Vertex looks forward to partnering with MATHESON in support of our renewable diesel initiative at the Mobile refinery, stated James Rhame, COO of Vertex. MATHESON brings proven technical expertise to the project, positioning us to accelerate our energy transition strategy. We look forward to continued collaboration as we move toward project commissioning and operations.

This initiative demonstrates MATHESON/NSHDs commitment to gases supply for commercially sound Renewable Energy projects and represents a significant additional dimension for our Global HYCO footprint. It also enhances MATHESON HYCOs presence in the region, which includes existing facilities at McIntosh and Saraland in Alabama, and Pensacola in western Florida.

NSHD, in its effort to foster a carbon neutral society, is currently pursuing multiple business and program initiatives under the Global HYCO effort that supplies hydrogen, syngas and carbon monoxide products to select customers for carefully selected projects and is committed to continue to explore opportunities to realize growth and a carbon-neutral society by expanding this business on a global scale.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005516/en/

Raghu Menon

President HyCO Operation, MATHESON

908-720-7194

Source: MATHESON and NSHD
New Statewide Public-School Program Will Set Students on Path to Education  and Career  Success

CREVE COEUR, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- With demand for online school options at an all-time high, enrollment is now open for the 2022-2023 school year at Missouri Digital Academy (MODA), a new full-time, public-school program for Missouri students in grades K-9.

Sponsored by the Laquey R-V School District, MODA will provide students with a standards-aligned curriculum facilitated by highly qualified Missouri-certified teachers, from the safety of their homes or anywhere with an internet connection. And with the schools unique career-focused approach, students can pair a solid academic foundation with hands-on learning experiences in career exploration.

In addition to core classes, students at MODA can take career-focused electives to explore their options in high-demand fields such as Business and Marketing, IT and Cybersecurity, Interior Design, and Restaurant and Food Services.

According to labor market data from Indeed.com, more than 7,000 job openings posted in Missouri in the last year require an education level less than a bachelors degree. And with 800K Missouri residents carrying nearly $29 billion in student loan debt, MODA is opening at a time when families need learning options that will strengthen students future educational prospects.

Now that its easier for Missouri families to choose virtual schooling, students will need options that prepare them for personal and professional success, said Executive Director Steve Richards. As an online school with a proven track record of success as part of its curriculum, MODA is proud to introduce families to a learning environment that meets their needs today and sets them on a path for a bright future.

MODAs curriculum is provided by Stride, Inc., an education leader with more than 20 years of experience delivering online education to students across the country. Stride has worked with schools and districts across all 50 states to help develop local solutions to meet personalized online and blended learning goals.

Enrollment at Missouri Digital Academy is now open for the 2022-2023 school year. For more information, visit MODA today.

About Missouri Digital Academy

Missouri Digital Academy (MODA) is a full-time online learning program for students statewide in grades K-9 and will serve students starting in the fall of this year. MODA is tuition-free to Missouri students and gives families the choice to access the curriculum provided by Stride Career Prep, a Stride, Inc. company (NYSE: LRN). Stride Career Prep offers learners of all ages an effective way to learn and build their skills for the future. For more information, please visit MODA today.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005095/en/

Media:

Ken Schwartz

[email protected]

Source: Stride, Inc.
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (NYSE: PLYM) announced its leasing and acquisition activity for the second quarter of 2022. The Company also announced details of its second quarter earnings conference call and webcast to be held on August 3, 2022.

Jeff Witherell, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Plymouth, noted, The second quarter has closed out as one of the most active leasing periods we have ever had. Our vertically integrated operating platform has allowed us to assemble a sizeable footprint within our targeted markets and to efficiently manage and lease our properties. Throughout our markets, our strategy has been to acquire assets that are well below replacement cost and have significant embedded rent growth. The strong demand we are experiencing for our industrial space, the rent spreads we are achieving, and the record levels of space we are leasing speak to how successful our strategy has been to date.

Leasing Activity

Leases that commenced during the second quarter ended June 30, 2022 totaled an aggregate of 1,483,651 square feet, all of which are associated with leases with terms of at least six months. These leases included 463,630 square feet of renewal leases and 1,020,021 square feet of new leases. The Company will experience a 22.1% increase in rental rates on a cash basis from these leases. As of June 30, 2022, the Companys total portfolio was 97.3% occupied.

Plymouth has also signed an additional 3,352,443 square feet of leases that will commence during the balance of 2022 with an expected 15.3% increase in rental rates on a cash basis from these leases. Including all first half 2022 leasing activity, the Company has signed a total of 6,123,393 square feet in leases commencing in 2022 and will experience a 17.4% increase in rental rates on a cash basis from these leases.

Acquisition Activity

As previously announced, Plymouth closed on the acquisition of 5 industrial buildings in Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and St. Louis in the second quarter totaling 464,449 square feet for a total of $48.9 million, a weighted average price of $105 per square foot, and a weighted average initial yield of 5.7%. The Company closed an additional acquisition this month, a 197,518-square-foot industrial building in Cleveland, for a total of $16.5 million, a weighted average price of $84 per square foot, and a weighted average initial yield of 6.25%.

Second Quarter 2022 Earnings Call

The Company plans to issue its earnings release before the market opens on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, and will host a conference call and live audio webcast, both open for the general public to hear, later that day at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The number to call for this interactive teleconference is (844) 784-1727 (international callers: (412) 717-9587). A replay of the call will be available through August 10, 2022, by dialing (877) 344-7529 and entering the replay access code, 5685094.

The live audio webcast of the Companys quarterly conference call will be available online in the Investor Relations section of the Companys website at ir.plymouthreit.com. The online replay will be available approximately one hour after the end of the call and archived for approximately 90 days.

About Plymouth

Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (NYSE: PLYM) is a real estate investment trust focused on the acquisition, ownership and management of single and multi-tenant industrial properties, including distribution centers, warehouses, light industrial and small bay industrial properties, located in primary and secondary markets within the main industrial, distribution and logistics corridors of the United States.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-looking statements in this release do not constitute guarantees of future performance. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release, which are not strictly historical statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding management's plans, objectives and strategies, constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements, many of which may be beyond our control. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as may, plan, seek, will, expect, intend, estimate, anticipate, believe or continue or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. Any forward-looking information presented herein is made only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005674/en/

Tripp Sullivan

SCR Partners

(615) 942-7077

[email protected]

Source: Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc.
News summary:

Leading service provider needed highly efficient way to achieve ultra-stable and resilient synchronization

ADVAs OSA 3350 ePRC+ solution delivers assured PNT GNSS backup with new levels of accuracy and availability

Industry-first high-precision optical cesium device offers unrivaled holdover and double the lifetime of legacy magnetic cesium clocks

LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ADVA (FSE: ADV) today announced that POST Luxembourg has deployed ADVAs Oscilloquartz optical cesium atomic clock to protect its GNSS-based timing network from jamming and spoofing cyberattacks. The countrys leading provider of ICT and telecom services is utilizing the aPNT+ technology to meet the synchronization requirements of 5G mobile connectivity and next-generation enterprise cloud applications. With its high availability and unrivaled holdover, the optical cesium atomic clock solution ensures the accuracy and stability needed for the most stringent telecom applications. The solution integrated easily into POST Luxembourgs existing network management system and is remotely controlled and assured by the ADVA Ensemble Controller with Sync Director.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220704005303/en/

POST Luxembourg is using ADVAs optical cesium technology to meet strict network synchronization demands. (Photo: Business Wire)

With this deployment, were injecting new levels of precision, stability, resiliency and holdover into our synchronization network. Its an important step as we look to meet stricter timing requirements driven by emerging applications. ADVAs Oscilloquartz optical cesium atomic clock empowers us to support our enterprise customers as they harness new industry digitalization opportunities. Its also a key tool as we move into the next phase of 5G mobile provision, said Pierre Scholtes, head of telecom networks, POST Luxembourg. In recent years, weve developed a very strong relationship with ADVAs team. When it came to enhancing and protecting our timing infrastructure for the future, that mutual trust and close support was just as important as the capabilities and performance of ADVAs technology.

ADVAs coreSync OSA 3350 ePRC+ is now enabling POST Luxembourg to outperform even the most stringent recommendations for the precision and stability of frequency, phase and time. Deployed in the core of the service providers timing network, its the ideal backup for satellite-based synchronization and the best defense against GNSS jamming and spoofing attacks. The coreSync OSA 3350 ePRC+ is the first commercial optical cesium atomic clock specifically designed for ePRC applications that require outstanding stability and resiliency. It offers enhanced holdover compared with standard magnetic cesium clocks. When combined with an OSA grandmaster clock combiner solution to create an enhanced primary reference time clock (ePRTC) system, it provides holdover stability under 35ns for more than 14 days. This is significantly better than the ITU ePRTC specification, which requires no more than 70ns from UTC after a 14-day period.

Our market-first optical cesium atomic clock is now delivering phenomenal holdover and protecting timing integrity throughout POST Luxembourgs network. For customers across the Benelux region, it opens the door to a world of new applications that require extremely high reliability as well as very low latency, commented Hartmut Muller-Leitloff, SVP of sales, EMEA at ADVA. Complementing satellite-based synchronization solutions with ultra-stable atomic clocks is the best available way to safeguard against GNSS vulnerabilities and meet new requirements for precision and availability. POST Luxembourg is once again leading the way in Europe by adopting the most advanced innovation so it can continue to outperform customer expectations.

About ADVA

ADVA is a company founded on innovation and focused on helping our customers succeed. Our technology forms the building blocks of a shared digital future and empowers networks across the globe. Were continually developing breakthrough hardware and software that leads the networking industry and creates new business opportunities. Its these open connectivity solutions that enable our customers to deliver the cloud and mobile services that are vital to todays society and for imagining new tomorrows. Together, were building a truly connected and sustainable future. For more information on how we can help you, please visit us at www.adva.com.

About Oscilloquartz

Oscilloquartz is a pioneer in time and frequency synchronization. We design, manufacture and deploy end-to-end synchronization systems that ensure the delivery and assurance of highly precise timing information over next-generation packet and legacy networks. As an ADVA company, were creating new opportunities for tomorrows networks. For more information, please visit us at www.oscilloquartz.com.

Published by:

ADVA Optical Networking SE, Munich, Germany

www.adva.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220704005303/en/

For press:

Gareth Spence

t +44 1904 699 358

[email protected]

For investors:

Stephan Rettenberger

t +49 89 890 665 854

[email protected]

Source: ADVA Optical Networking SE
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Postmedia Network Canada Corp. (Postmedia or the Company) today released financial information for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2022 which include the results of the daily and weekly newspapers, digital properties and parcel delivery business acquired from J. D. Irving, Limited on March 25, 2022 (the BNI Acquisition).

This quarter we welcomed the Brunswick News teams and brands to Postmedia and extended our reach across Canada. Looking ahead, management continues to plan for an uncertain future economic environment while our teams remain focused on delivering value to our audiences, advertisers and partners. said Andrew MacLeod, President and Chief Executive Officer, Postmedia.

Third Quarter Operating Results

Revenue for the quarter was $120.6 million as compared to $111.7 million in the same period in the prior year, representing an increase of $8.9 million or 7.9%. Excluding the impact of the BNI Acquisition, revenue for the three months ended May 31, 2022 was $109.2 million, a decrease of $2.5 million (2.3%) relative to the prior year. The revenue decline excluding the impact of the BNI Acquisition was primarily due to decreases in print circulation revenue of $4.5 million (10.4%) and print advertising revenue of $1.6 million (4.3%). Partially offsetting these decreases was an increase in digital revenue of $2.4 million or 8.9% and an increase in other revenue of $1.2 million or 29.9%.

Total operating expenses excluding depreciation, amortization, impairment and restructuring increased $17.4 million or 17.3% for the quarter ended May 31, 2022, relative to the same period in the prior year. Excluding the impact of the BNI Acquisition, total operating expenses excluding depreciation, amortization, impairment and restructuring increased $5.3 million or 5.2%. The increase primarily relates to compensation expense as a result of a reduction in government assistance as well as production costs related to the increase in digital revenue. The compensation expense increase includes a reduction in the compensation expense recovery related to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) of $5.7 million and journalism tax credits of $0.2 million.

Operating income before depreciation, amortization, impairment and restructuring in the quarter was $2.6 million, a decrease of $8.5 million relative to the prior year. Excluding the impact of the BNI Acquisition, operating income before depreciation, amortization, impairment and restructuring in the quarter was $3.3 million, a decrease of $7.8 million relative to the prior year. The decrease is due to the decline in total revenue and the increase in operating expenses excluding depreciation, amortization, impairment and restructuring.

Net loss in the quarter ended May 31, 2022 was $16.8 million, as compared to net earnings of $8.7 million in the same period in the prior year. The change was primarily the result of the decrease in operating income before depreciation, amortization, impairment and restructuring, increases in impairment and restructuring expenses, losses on derivative financial instruments and debt refinancing in the three months ended May 31, 2022 and a decrease in foreign currency exchange gains.

Year-to-Date Operating Results

Revenue for the nine months ended May 31, 2022 was $341.2 million as compared to $334.7 million in the same period in the prior year, an increase of $6.5 million or 1.9%. Excluding the impact of the BNI Acquisition, revenue for the nine months ended May 31, 2022 was $329.8 million, a decrease of $4.9 million (1.5%) relative to the prior year. The revenue decline excluding the impact of the BNI Acquisition was primarily due to decreases in print circulation revenue of $14.1 million (10.8%) and print advertising revenue of $7.1 million (6.1%). Partially offsetting these decreases was an increase in digital revenue of $14.8 million or 19.7%.

Total operating expenses excluding depreciation, amortization, impairment, settlement gain and restructuring increased $31.3 million or 10.5% for the nine months ended May 31, 2022, relative to the same period in the prior year. Excluding the impact of the BNI Acquisition, total operating expenses excluding depreciation, amortization, impairment, settlement gain and restructuring increased $19.1 million or 6.4% for the nine months ended May 31, 2022, relative to the same period in the prior year. The increase primarily relates to compensation expense as a result of a reduction in government assistance as well as production costs related to the increase in digital revenue. The compensation expense increase includes a reduction in the compensation expense recovery related to CEWS of $16.4 million, partially offset by an increase in compensation recovery related to journalism tax credits of $1.3 million.

Operating income before depreciation, amortization, impairment, settlement gain and restructuring of $11.8 million for the nine months ended May 31, 2022 represents a decrease of $24.8 million relative to the same period in the prior year. Excluding the impact of the BNI Acquisition, operating income before depreciation, amortization, impairment, settlement gain and restructuring of $12.5 million for the nine months ended May 31, 2022 represents a decrease of $24.1 million relative to the same period in the prior year. The decrease is due to the decline in total revenue and the increase in operating expenses excluding depreciation, amortization, impairment, settlement gain and restructuring.

Net loss in the nine months ended May 31, 2022 was $43.3 million, as compared to net earnings of $62.3 million in the same period in the prior year. The change was primarily the result of the decrease in operating income before depreciation, amortization, impairment, settlement gain and restructuring, losses on derivative financial instruments, foreign currency exchange and debt refinancing in the nine months ended May 31, 2022, the settlement gain of $63.1 million in the nine months ended May 31, 2021, partially offset by decreases in impairment and restructuring expenses.

COVID-19 Update

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in governments worldwide enacting emergency measures to combat the spread of the virus which included travel bans, self-imposed quarantine periods and social distancing that caused disruption to businesses resulting in an economic slowdown. The Company has been generally exempt from mandates requiring closures of non-essential businesses and therefore has been able to continue operations, however, advertising revenue declines accelerated during the first twelve months of the COVID-19 pandemic with a gradual return to previous trends in recent quarters. Recently, government measures have been significantly reduced, however the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on the Companys revenue continues to be uncertain as a result of the unknown duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated effect on the labour market and supply chains. On April 11, 2020, the Government of Canada passed CEWS to support employers facing financial hardship as measured by certain revenue declines as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. CEWS provided a reimbursement of compensation expense to October 23, 2021, provided the applicant has met the applicable criteria. During the nine months ended May 31, 2022, the Company filed and received all the remaining claims available under the program and during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2022, recognized a recovery of compensation expense of nil and $1.6 million, respectively, related to CEWS (2021 - $5.7 million and $18.0 million, respectively) and in total recognized $64.9 million related to CEWS since the program was announced.

Acquisition of Brunswick News Inc.

On February 17, 2022 the Company entered into a purchase agreement with J. D. Irving, Limited (JDI) to purchase all of the issued and outstanding shares of Brunswick News Inc. (BNI). The acquisition closed on March 25, 2022 and included BNIs daily and weekly newspapers, digital properties and parcel delivery business. The purchase price consisted of cash consideration of $7.5M and share consideration of 4,092,857 Class NC variable voting shares (Variable Voting Shares) of the Company at an implied price of $2.10 per Variable Voting Share, or $8.6 million. The share consideration was adjusted for a preliminary working capital adjustment of a nominal amount. Subject to acceptance from JDI, the final working capital adjustment will result in additional share consideration of 190,063 Variable Voting shares, or $0.4 million.

Debt Repayment and Refinancing

On April 7, 2022, the Company completed a refinancing transaction (Refinancing Transaction) that included a voluntary redemption of $15.0 million of 8.25% Senior Secured Notes due 2023 (First-Lien Notes) and accrued interest of $0.5 million and extended the maturity of its First-Lien Notes and 10.25% Senior Secured Notes due 2024 (Second-Lien Notes) by approximately three and a half years to February 17, 2027 and August 17, 2027, respectively, on substantially similar terms to the existing terms of the original First-Lien Notes and Second-Lien Notes. In connection with the extension of the maturity of the First Lien Notes, the Company issued 794,630 Variable Voting Shares to the holders of the First Lien Notes at an implied price of $2.10 per share as a fee for the extension. The Company also extended the maturity of the senior secured asset-based revolving credit facility (ABL Facility) by three years to October 1, 2025.

During the three and nine months ended May 31, 2022, the Company redeemed $16.0 million and $18.4 million, aggregate principal amount of First-Lien Notes, respectively, which includes a voluntary redemption of $15.0 million related to the Refinancing Transaction and a redemption of $1.0 million related to the sale of assets, both in the three months ended May 31, 2022. Subsequent to May 31, 2022, the Company redeemed $1.4 million of First-Lien Notes on June 23, 2022 with the proceeds of asset sales. After this redemption, the Company has $47.1 million of First-Lien Notes outstanding of the original $225.0 million that was issued in October 2016.

Business Transformation Initiatives

During the three and nine months ended May 31 2022, the Company implemented initiatives related to compensation expense reductions, real estate rationalization, production efficiencies and other transformation programs, which are expected to result in approximately $11 million and $26 million of net annualized cost savings, respectively.

The Company intends to continue to identify and undertake ongoing cost reduction initiatives in an effort to address revenue declination in the legacy print business.

Additional Information

Additional information, including financial statements and managements discussion and analysis can be found on the Companys website at www.postmedia.com or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Note: All dollar amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars unless otherwise specified.

About Postmedia Network Canada Corp.

Postmedia Network Canada Corp. (TSX:PNC.A, PNC.B) is the holding company that owns Postmedia Network Inc., a Canadian newsmedia company representing more than 130 brands across multiple print, online, and mobile platforms. Award-winning journalists and innovative product development teams bring engaging content to millions of people every week whenever and wherever they want it. This exceptional content, reach and scope offers advertisers and marketers compelling solutions to effectively reach target audiences. For more information, visit www.postmedia.com.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release may include information that is forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities laws. The Company has tried, where possible, to identify such information and statements by using words such as believe, expect, intend, estimate, anticipate, may, will, could, would, should and similar expressions and derivations thereof in connection with any discussion of future events, trends or prospects or future operating or financial performance. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements with respect to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Companys business, the implementation and results of the Companys transformation initiatives, continued benefits of historical results into future periods, the realization of anticipated cost savings and the identification and undertaking of ongoing cost savings initiatives. By their nature, forward-looking information and statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: competition from digital and other forms of media; the effect of economic conditions on advertising revenue; the ability of the Company to build out its digital media and online businesses; the failure to maintain current print and online newspaper readership and circulation levels; the realization of anticipated cost savings; possible damage to the reputation of the Companys brands or trademarks; possible labour disruptions; possible environmental liabilities, litigation and pension plan obligations; fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and the prices of newsprint and other commodities.

In addition, we are subject to the risk and uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic resulted in governments worldwide enacting emergency measures to combat the spread of the virus including travel bans, self-imposed quarantine periods and social distancing that caused disruption to businesses resulting in an economic slowdown. We have been generally exempted from mandates requiring closures of non-essential businesses and therefore have been able to continue operations however, advertising revenues declined as a result of COVID-19 pandemic and related government measures. The outbreak of contagious illness such as this can impact our operations in a number of ways including quarantined employees, travel restrictions, temporary closure of our facilities, a decrease in demand for advertising, as well as interruptions to our supply chain, including temporary closure of supplier facilities. Given the high level of uncertainty surrounding the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic it is difficult to reliably estimate its potential impact on the financial condition and results of our business. We are continuing to address the current challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and monitoring these challenges as they evolve so as to minimize this risk however it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and cash flow. For a complete list of our risk factors please refer to the section entitled Risk Factors contained in our annual managements discussion and analysis for the years ended August 31, 2021 and 2020. Although the Company bases such information and statements on assumptions believed to be reasonable when made, they are not guarantees of future performance and actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and developments in the industry in which the Company operates, may differ materially from any such information and statements in this press release. Given these risks and uncertainties, undue reliance should not be placed on any forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of such information or statements. Other than as required by law, the Company does not undertake, and specifically declines, any obligation to update such information or statements or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any such information or statements.

Postmedia Network Canada Corp. Consolidated Statements of Operations (UNAUDITED) (In thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts) For the three months

ended May 31, For the nine months

ended May 31, 2022 2021 2022 2021 Revenues Print advertising 38,976 37,822 112,472 116,829 Print circulation 40,480 43,022 117,998 130,150 Digital 30,338 27,015 91,129 75,364 Other 10,829 3,889 19,577 12,349 Total revenues 120,623 111,748 341,176 334,692 Expenses Compensation 44,844 38,538 128,282 113,953 Newsprint 4,409 4,132 12,866 13,249 Distribution 31,140 23,684 77,541 71,221 Production 18,150 15,247 53,404 44,720 Other operating 19,482 19,008 57,278 54,933 Operating income before depreciation, amortization, impairment, settlement gain and restructuring 2,598 11,139 11,805 36,616 Depreciation 2,619 2,808 8,298 8,402 Amortization 2,252 2,382 6,779 7,414 Impairment 4,300 700 7,900 21,164 Settlement gain - - - (63,079) Restructuring 1,200 100 2,200 4,896 Operating income (loss) (7,773) 5,149 (13,372) 57,819 Interest expense 7,774 7,756 23,302 23,127 Net financing expense related to employee benefit plans 235 229 704 1,095 (Gain) loss on disposal of property and equipment, assets held-for-sale, right of use assets and other assets (540) (240) 223 (516) Loss (gain) on derivative financial instruments 813 (2,467) 3,700 (14,181) Loss on debt refinancing 1,477 - 1,477 - Foreign currency exchange (gains) losses (766) (8,871) 520 (13,990) Earnings (loss) before income taxes (16,766) 8,742 (43,298) 62,284 Provision for income taxes - - - - Net earnings (loss) attributable to equity holders of the Company (16,766) 8,742 (43,298) 62,284 Earnings (loss) per share attributable to equity holders of the Company Basic $(0.17) $0.09 $(0.46) $0.66 Diluted $(0.17) $0.09 $(0.46) $0.63

Postmedia Network Canada Corp. Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (UNAUDITED) (In thousands of Canadian dollars) As at

May 31,

2022 As at

August 31,

2021 Assets Current Assets Cash 12,058 61,996 Restricted cash 1,385 437 Trade and other receivables 50,703 41,255 Assets held-for-sale 17,727 17,727 Inventory 4,199 3,348 Prepaid expenses and other assets 8,960 8,697 Total current assets 95,032 133,460 Non-Current Assets Property and equipment 70,032 76,390 Right of use assets 31,529 35,646 Derivative financial instruments and other assets 3,665 6,914 Intangible assets and goodwill 27,568 23,791 Total assets 227,826 276,201 Liabilities and Deficiency Current Liabilities Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 50,657 49,599 Provisions 1,356 2,257 Deferred revenue 21,519 22,351 Current portion of lease obligations 8,096 8,120 Current portion of long-term debt 6,368 7,409 Total current liabilities 87,996 89,736 Non-Current Liabilities Long-term debt 241,810 248,262 Employee benefit obligations and other liabilities 36,668 44,753 Lease obligations 29,205 33,161 Total liabilities 395,679 415,912 Deficiency Capital stock 821,124 810,861 Contributed surplus 16,620 16,570 Deficit (1,005,597) (967,142) Total deficiency (168,595) (139,711) Total liabilities and deficiency 227,084 276,201

Postmedia Network Canada Corp. Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (UNAUDITED) (In thousands of Canadian dollars) For the three months

ended May 31, For the nine months

ended May 31, 2022 2021 2022 2021 Cash Generated (Utilized) by: Operating Activities Net earnings (loss) attributable to equity holders of the Company (16,766) 8,742 (43,298) 62,284 Items not affecting cash: Depreciation 2,619 2,808 8,298 8,402 Amortization 2,252 2,382 6,779 7,414 Impairment 4,300 700 7,900 21,164 Loss on debt refinancing 1,477 - 1,477 - Loss (gain) on derivative financial instruments 813 (2,467) 3,700 (14,181) Non-cash interest 6,418 5,929 18,610 17,483 (Gain) loss on disposal of property and equipment, assets held-for-sale, right of use assets and other assets (540) (240) 223 (516) Non-cash foreign currency exchange (gains) losses (828) (8,930) 453 (13,988) Share-based compensation plans 44 142 50 524 Net financing expense relating to employee benefit plans 235 229 704 1,095 Non-cash settlement gain relating to employee benefit plans - - - (63,079) Employee benefit plan funding in excess of compensation expense (909) (1,399) (3,314) (2,717) Net change in non-cash operating accounts (1,977) 2,848 (17,289) 3,226 Cash flows from (used in) operating activities (2,862) 10,744 (15,707) 27,111 Investing Activities Net proceeds from the sale of property and equipment, assets held-for-sale and other assets 1,404 564 1,974 5,889 Purchases of property and equipment (1,025) (469) (1,794) (1,438) Purchases of intangible assets (543) (139) (816) (177) Net proceeds from the sale of shares - 10,675 - 10,675 Purchases of shares - (1,696) - (1,696) Acquisition, net of cash acquired (6,636) - (6,636) - Cash flows from (used in) investing activities (6,800) 8,935 (7,272) 13,253 Financing activities Repayment of long-term debt (15,990) (16,933) (18,386) (32,305) Restricted cash (365) 101 (948) 2,965 Debt issuance costs (418) - (418) - Lease payments (2,087) (2,322) (7,207) (7,457) Cash flow used in financing activities (18,860) (19,154) (26,959) (36,797) Net change in cash for the period (28,522) 525 (49,938) 3,567 Cash at beginning of period 40,580 52,837 61,996 49,795 Cash at end of period 12,058 53,362 12,058 53,362 Supplemental disclosure of operating cash flows Interest paid 2,735 3,629 6,182 7,932 Income taxes paid - - - -

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Media Contact

Phyllise Gelfand

Vice President, Communications

(647) 273-9287

[email protected]

Investor Contact

Mary Anne Lavallee

Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Interim Chief Financial Officer

(416) 442-3448

[email protected]

Source: Postmedia Network Canada Corp.
ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE: RGA) plans to release second quarter earnings on Thursday, August 4, at approximately 4:15 p.m. Eastern Time. The release will be issued via newswire and will also be available through RGAs website, www.rgare.com.

RGA will host a conference call to discuss the second quarter results beginning at 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, August 5. Interested parties may access the call by dialing 1-888-204-4368 (323-994-2093 international). The access code is 9502707. Participants are asked to call the assigned number approximately 10 minutes before the conference call begins. A live audio webcast of that conference call will be available on the Investors page of RGAs website, www.rgare.com. A replay of the conference call will be available at the same address for 90 days following the conference call.

Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (RGA), a Fortune 500 company, is among the leading global providers of life reinsurance and financial solutions, with approximately $3.5 trillion of life reinsurance in force and assets of $89.8 billion as of March 31, 2022. Founded in 1973, RGA today is recognized for its deep technical expertise in risk and capital management, innovative solutions, and commitment to serving its clients. With headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, and operations around the world, RGA delivers expert solutions in individual life reinsurance, individual living benefits reinsurance, group reinsurance, health reinsurance, facultative underwriting, product development, and financial solutions. To learn more about RGA and its businesses, visit the companys website at www.rgare.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220705005741/en/

Jeff Hopson

Senior Vice President, Investor Relations

(636) 736-2068

Source: Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Segal Advisors, Inc. d/b/a Segal Marco Advisors, one of the largest U.S.-based investment consultancies, has acquired Milliman Inc.s San Francisco Investment Consulting Practice. This is Segal Marcos third acquisition and enables the firm to continue to enhance client services.

In acquiring the Milliman San Francisco investing consulting team we have expanded Segal Marco Advisors research and consulting capabilities, said John DeMairo, President and CEO of Segal Marco Advisors. We are excited to strengthen our commitment to delivering trusted advice to help clients achieve their investment objectives.

The purchase builds on the more than $600 billion assets under advisement, increases Segal Marcos footprint in the public sector and adds additional endowments and foundations to its client roster as the firm continues to grow across various lines of business.

Following the divestiture, Milliman will continue to provide investment consulting services out of its Dallas and Albany offices, with a continued emphasis on corporate retirement plans.

About Segal Marco Advisors

Segal Marco Advisors, a member of the Segal family of companies, delivers trusted advice that improves lives. Segal Marco delivers innovative, client-driven investment consulting advice, outsourcing solutions, proxy voting and corporate governance services. Clients include joint boards of trustees administering benefit plans under the Taft-Hartley Act, state and local governments, corporations, non-profit organizations, endowments and foundations. The firm works with Canadian clients through Segal Marco Advisors Canada.

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For media interviews about this news, contact: Amira Rubin at 212.251.5322.

Source: Segal Marco Advisors
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT) today announced changes to the timing of the previously announced release of its second-quarter 2022 financial results and the associated webcast and teleconference, in order to minimize conflicts with other industry earnings announcements.

Financial results will now be announced on Friday, July 15, 2022 at approximately 7:30 a.m. ET, and reviewed via webcast and teleconference at 12:00 p.m. ET. There is no change to the dial-in or webcasting information.

The webcast will be accessible on State Streets Investor Relations website at http://investors.statestreet.com, and by telephone conference call at +1 (888) 396-8049 (Conference ID# 30142444). Materials will be available on State Streets Investor Relations website prior to the call.

Following the conference call, a replay will be available on State Streets Investor Relations website http://investors.statestreet.com, or by telephone, which will be available for approximately one month, at +1 (877) 674-7070 (Conference ID: 30142444, Playback Passcode: 142444 #).

About State Street Corporation

State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT) is one of the world's leading providers of financial services to institutional investors including investment servicing, investment management and investment research and trading. With $41.7 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration and $4.0 trillion* in assets under management as of March 31, 2022, State Street operates globally in more than 100 geographic markets and employs approximately 39,000 worldwide. For more information, visit State Street's website at www.statestreet.com.

* Assets under management as of March 31, 2022 includes approximately $73 billion of assets with respect to SPDR products for which State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC (SSGA FD) acts solely as the marketing agent. SSGA FD and State Street Global Advisors are affiliated.

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Ilene Fiszel Bieler

+1 617-664-8672



Carolyn Cichon

+1 617-664-3477

Source: State Street Corporation
New Amsterdam hub enhances Techarys service offering across Europe

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Techary, a leading provider of global technology solutions, today announces the launch of a new European hub in Amsterdam, Netherlands to expand its European operations. Currently headquartered in London, the geographic expansion will complement Techarys existing locations in New York, London, and Singapore.

Driven by demand from existing global customers, the development will enhance Techarys service offering within European regions, enabling them to provide a more localised service for global customers.

We are delighted to continue our geographic expansion with the addition of our new Amsterdam hub. Since the UK left the European Union, weve witnessed first-hand the logistical challenges imposed on our customers. Businesses are now looking to their technology partners to help them streamline their operations and help solve challenges across multiple regions. As such, we have decided to invest in a dedicated hub to serve customers in-region, said Tom Stephens, Chief Executive Officer at Techary. Our global enterprise customers will continue to benefit from Techarys ability to self-deliver services across the entire EU region with this additional capability, he added.

Responding to the needs of our customers, who operate and continue to expand in Europe, increasing our ability to offer in-region services will help customer technology teams to fulfil operational requirements. Taking the time to listen to our customers, where their challenges are and then building our business to help improve this is an essential part of our approach and embraces our value to design solutions that put our customers needs first. As such, we will continue to add geographic regions to our roadmap for expansion, driven by the same goal  to help global customers streamline their operations, said Christian Howell, Vice President of Projects at Techary.

The new Netherlands-based location will allow Techary to deliver its entire service portfolio, with the primary focus of the European hub being to facilitate procurement and logistics requirements for global clients with presence and staff in Europe. The company also plans to launch its Matter service as part of the expansion, an advanced technology procurement solution which offers an additional global storage & logistics function as part of one service.

Further information on Matter can be found on Techarys website Matter  Techary and techary.com.

About Techary

Techary Inc is a global MSP that helps transform businesses through technology. We provide end-to-end solutions via a wide range of services, working with clients to streamline processes and scale through their technology. Our extensive service offering ranges from procurement through to managed services and IT moves & changes projects.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005564/en/

Lauren Stevens, Marketing Lead

Company: Techary

E-mail: [email protected]

Tel: +44344 357 0900

Source: Techary
The Verite40 index comprises the largest French companies listed on the Paris Stock Exchange committed to reducing carbon emissions, including those able to afford the cost of their carbon footprint

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Teleperformance (Paris: TEP), the global leader in outsourced customer and citizen experience management and related digital services, announces that it was added to the Verite40 index on June 16, 2022. Launched in 2021 by Axylia, a consulting firm specialized in responsible finance, the index comprises the largest French companies listed on the Paris Stock Exchange committed to reducing carbon emissions, including those able to afford the cost of their carbon footprint.

The Axylia Carbon Score rates a companys ability to cover its carbon footprint cost on a scale from A to F. The cost includes all of the companys CO2 emissions (Scopes 1, 2 and 3), which are converted into euros thanks to IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) CO2 cost estimates. Teleperformance has obtained a Carbon Score of A, the best possible rating.

French companies able to pay the cost of their carbon footprint are ranked from highest to lowest by market capitalization adjusted for their carbon valuation. The top 35 companies are then included in the Verite40 index, and the five remaining companies in the index are selected on the basis of their commitments to reducing carbon emissions.

This distinction reflects Teleperformances strong commitment to fighting climate change, already recognized in 2021 by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which approved the Groups new targets to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. These targets align with Teleperformances ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, ten years ahead of the Paris Agreement.

About Teleperformance Group

Teleperformance (TEP  ISIN: FR0000051807  Reuters: TEPRF.PA - Bloomberg: TEP FP), the global leader in outsourced customer and citizen experience management and related digital services, serves as a strategic partner to the worlds largest companies in many industries. It offers a One Office support services model including end-to-end digital solutions, which guarantee successful customer interaction and optimized business processes, anchored in a unique, comprehensive high touch, high tech approach. Nearly 420,000 employees, based in 88 countries, support billions of connections every year in over 265 languages and around 170 markets, in a shared commitment to excellence as part of the Simpler, Faster, Safer process. This mission is supported by the use of reliable, flexible, intelligent technological solutions and compliance with the industrys highest security and quality standards, based on Corporate Social Responsibility excellence. In 2021, Teleperformance reported consolidated revenue of 7,115 million (US$8.4 billion, based on 1 = $1.18) and net profit of 557 million.

Teleperformance shares are traded on the Euronext Paris market, Compartment A, and are eligible for the deferred settlement service. They are included in the following indices: CAC 40, STOXX 600, S&P Europe 350 and MSCI Global Standard. In the area of corporate social responsibility, Teleperformance shares are included in the Euronext Vigeo Euro 120 index since 2015, the EURO STOXX 50 ESG index since 2020, the MSCI Europe ESG Leaders index since 2019 and the FTSE4Good index since 2018.

For more information: www.teleperformance.com Follow us on Twitter: @teleperformance

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FINANCIAL ANALYSTS AND INVESTORS

Investor relations and financial

communication department

TELEPERFORMANCE

Tel: +33 1 53 83 59 15

[email protected]

PRESS RELATIONS

Europe

Karine Allouis  Leslie Jung-Isenwater  Laurent Poinsot

IMAGE7

Tel: +33 1 53 70 74 70

[email protected]

PRESS RELATIONS

Americas and Asia-Pacific

Mark Pfeiffer

TELEPERFORMANCE

Tel: + 1 801-257-5811

[email protected]

Source: Teleperformance
VALLEY FORGE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- UGI Corporation (NYSE:UGI) will announce the results of its third fiscal quarter earnings after the market closes on August 3. The company will hold a live internet audio webcast of its conference call to discuss results and other current activities at 9:00 AM ET on Thursday, August 4.

Interested parties may listen to the audio webcast both live and in replay on the Internet at https://www.ugicorp.com/investors/financial-reports/events-and-presentations or by visiting the company website https://www.ugicorp.com and clicking on Investors and then Events and Presentations.

About UGI

UGI Corporation is a distributor and marketer of energy products and services. Through subsidiaries, UGI operates natural gas and electric utilities in Pennsylvania, natural gas utilities in West Virginia, distributes LPG both domestically (through AmeriGas) and internationally (through UGI International), manages midstream energy assets in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia and electric generation assets in Pennsylvania, and engages in energy marketing, including renewable natural gas, in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and California, and internationally in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK.

Comprehensive information about UGI Corporation is available on the Internet at https://www.ugicorp.com.

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INVESTOR RELATIONS

610-337-1000

Tameka Morris, ext. 6297

Arnab Mukherjee, ext. 7498

Shelly Oates, ext. 3202

Source: UGI Corporation
This is Urovants second year in a row to earn this recognition by Orange County Business Journal

Urovant has also received a 2022 global Great Place to Work certification.

The culmination of these two awards reflects the companys people focused culture and underscores the opinion of employees, dedicated to improving urologic care for patients in the United States and beyond.

IRVINE, Calif. & BASEL, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Urovant Sciences, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitovant Biopharma Ltd., has been named for the 2nd year in a row as one of the Best Places to Work by the Orange County Business Journal.

Its an honor to be recognized as a Best Place to Work not once, but twice by the Business Journal, said James Robinson, CEO of Urovant Sciences. Because the list is largely based on responses from our colleagues, we feel this honor celebrates our deeply-rooted culture, steeped in values of integrity and compassion. Our inclusive and collaborative mindset fuels achievements and bold innovation for all.

The awards program was created in 2009 and is a project of the Orange County Business Journal and Workforce Research Group. This county-wide survey and awards program work to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Orange County, California, benefiting the county's economy, its workforce and businesses.

The recognition by the OCBJ follows on a separate recognition Urovant Sciences received in 2022, the Great Place to Work Certification. Great Place to Work certification is the most definitive employer-of-choice recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience  specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place to Work-Certified.

About Urovant Sciences

Urovant Sciences is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapies for areas of unmet need, with a dedicated focus in Urology. The Companys lead product, GEMTESA (vibegron), is an oral, once-daily (75 mg) small molecule beta-3 agonist for the treatment of adult patients with overactive bladder (OAB) with symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency, and urinary frequency. GEMTESA was approved by the U.S. FDA in December 2020 and launched in the U.S. in April 2021. GEMTESA is also being evaluated for the treatment of OAB in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia. The Companys second product candidate, URO-902, is a novel gene therapy being developed for patients with OAB who have failed oral pharmacologic therapy. Urovant Sciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitovant Biopharma Ltd., intends to bring innovation to patients in need in urology and other areas of unmet need. To learn more, visit http://www.urovant.com or follow us on Linked In, Twitter or Instagram.

About Sumitovant Biopharma

Sumitovant is a technology-driven biopharmaceutical company accelerating development of new potential therapies for patients with high unmet medical need. Through our subsidiary portfolio and use of embedded computational technology platforms to generate business and scientific insights, Sumitovant has supported development of FDA-approved products and advanced a promising pipeline of early-through late-stage investigational assets for other serious conditions. Sumitovants subsidiary portfolio includes wholly-owned Enzyvant, Urovant, Spirovant and Altavant, and majority-owned Myovant (NYSE: MYOV). Sumitomo Pharma is Sumitovants parent company. For more information, please visit www.sumitovant.com.

About the 2022 Best Places to Work in Orange County

Organizations from across the county entered the two-part process to determine the Best Places to Work in Orange County. The first part consisted of evaluating each employer's workplace policies, practices, and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 20% of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. This part of the process was worth approximately 80% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top organizations and the final ranking. Workforce Research Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Orange County and analyzed the data and used their expertise to determine the final ranking. The Best Places to Work in Orange County list was published in the July 4 edition of the Orange County Business Journal.

About Great Place to Work

Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting, and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a great place to work For All.

About GEMTESA

GEMTESA is a prescription medicine for adults used to treat the following symptoms due to a condition called overactive bladder:

urge urinary incontinence: a strong need to urinate with leaking or wetting accidents

urgency: the need to urinate right away

frequency: urinating often

It is not known if GEMTESA is safe and effective in children.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Do not take GEMTESA if you are allergic to vibegron or any of the ingredients in GEMTESA.

Before you take GEMTESA, tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including if you have liver problems; have kidney problems; have trouble emptying your bladder or you have a weak urine stream; take medicines that contain digoxin; are pregnant or plan to become pregnant (it is not known if GEMTESA will harm your unborn baby; talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant); are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed (it is not known if GEMTESA passes into your breast milk; talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you take GEMTESA).

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show your doctor and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

What are the possible side effects of GEMTESA?

GEMTESA may cause serious side effects including the inability to empty your bladder (urinary retention). GEMTESA may increase your chances of not being able to empty your bladder, especially if you have bladder outlet obstruction or take other medicines for treatment of overactive bladder. Tell your doctor right away if you are unable to empty your bladder. The most common side effects of GEMTESA include headache, urinary tract infection, nasal congestion, sore throat or runny nose, diarrhea, nausea, and upper respiratory tract infection. These are not all the possible side effects of GEMTESA. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please click here for full Product Information for GEMTESA.

UROVANT, UROVANT SCIENCES, GEMTESA and the UROVANT SCIENCES logo are trademarks of Urovant Sciences GmbH, registered in the U.S. and in other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.  2022 Urovant Sciences. All rights reserved.

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Urovant Sciences

Alana Darden Powell

Vice President, Corporate Communications

949-436-3116

[email protected]

[email protected]

Sumitovant Biopharma

Maya Frutiger

VP, Head of Corporate Communications

[email protected]

Source: Urovant Sciences, Inc.
FILE PHOTO: Oil pump jacks are seen at the Vaca Muerta shale oil and gas deposit in the Patagonian province of Neuquen, Argentina, January 21, 2019. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian

By Laura Sanicola

(Reuters) - Oil prices settled sharply higher on Thursday, rebounding from steep losses the previous two sessions, as investors returned their focus to tight supply despite nagging fears of a potential global recession.

Brent crude futures were up $3.96, or 3.9%, at $104.65 a barrel. U.S. WTI crude futures climbed $4.20, or 4.3%, to $102.73 a barrel.

Trade was volatile. At session lows, prices were down about $2.

Wall Street's main indexes opened higher, making up for some losses last week tied to recession fears as central banks aggressively hike interest rates to fight inflation.

"With Russian oil supplies set to drop as the year progresses and it runs out of Western parts to maintain fields, and with the rest of OPEC hopelessly uninvested in maintaining production capacity, I fear the days of $100 oil will be with us for some time yet," said Jeffrey Halley, a senior market analyst at OANDA.

On the supply side, traders are bracing for oil supply disruptions at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which has been told by a Russian court to suspend activity for 30 days.

Exports via the CPC, which handles about 1% of global oil supplies, were still flowing as of Wednesday morning.

Further squeezing global supplies, Washington tightened sanctions on OPEC member Iran on Wednesday, pressuring Tehran as it seeks to revive a 2015 Iran nuclear deal and unleash its exports.

Oil prices have dropped in the past few weeks as investors worried that a sharp economic slowdown could slam demand for commodities.

"Margin call selling that appeared to spur much of this weeks price plunge has likely been completed," said Jim Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch and Associates LLC in Galena, Illinois.

U.S. crude oil stockpiles rose by 8.2 million barrels last week, driven by an increase in inventories and as refiners cut output, the Energy Information Administration said.

However, product supplied, the best proxy for U.S. consumer demand, was up in the latest week to 20.5 million bpd.

"Almost every indicator in that report seems to suggest that just demand is gaining momentum," said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures group.

On Wednesday, Brent and WTI settled at their lowest since April 11. On Tuesday, WTI slid 8% while Brent tumbled 9% - a $10.73 drop that was the third biggest for the contract since it started trading in 1988.

"Recession fears continue to grow and that obviously does raise some concerns for the demand outlook," said Warren Patterson, ING's head of commodity research.

"However, supportive fundamentals should mean that further downside is relatively limited."

(Additional reporting by Arathy Somasekhar in Houston, Noah Browning in London, Florence Tan in Singapore and Stephanie Kelly in New York; Editing by David Gregorio, Kim Coghill, Jason Neely, Jane Merriman, Jan Harvey and Deepa Babington)
Invesco Real Estate Income Trust Inc. ("INREIT"), an institutionally managed, public non-listed REIT, announced today two self-storage portfolio acquisitions consisting of five properties located in Bend, Oregon and Clarksville, Tennessee. The combined purchase price was $42 million, bringing INREIT's self-storage portfolio to over $128 million.

"Self-storage continues to be a strategic sector for INREIT given the ability to increase cash flow relatively quickly," said R. Scott Dennis, President and Chief Executive Officer for INREIT. "These properties exhibit strong demand and are well-located in their respective markets. We look forward to providing quality self-storage solutions for the growing populations in Bend and Clarksville."

Bend Self-Storage Portfolio

INREIT acquired two single-story, drive-up self-storage properties located within a mile of each other in Bend, Oregon, totaling 62,805 square feet across 674 units. Both properties benefit from the greater Bend's strong population and income demographics.

20230 Powers Road is a 49,523 square foot, 550-unit property located in a commercial district. The facility is 98.7% occupied.

345 Cleveland Avenue is a 13,282 square foot, 124-unit facility located in the commercial district and in close proximity to a multifamily complex. The facility is 100% occupied.

Clarksville Self-Storage Portfolio

INREIT acquired three single-story, drive-up self-storage properties totaling 204,425 square feet across 1,347 units, which should benefit from strong population growth over the next five years.

1280 Parkway Place is a 67,350 square foot, 505-unit facility located in a residential area with a strong military presence. The facility is 95.6% occupied.

4351 Guthrie Highway is an 80,275 square foot, 471-unit facility located close to the Kentucky border, benefitting from close proximity to recently built Google and LG facilities. The facility is 96.6% occupied.

117 Old Excell Road is a 56,800 square foot, 371-unit facility located near new residential developments with strong military presence. The facility is 97.8% occupied.

These investments mark the fourth and fifth self-storage transactions for INREIT, which continues to scale in the sector across growth markets nationally.

For more information about this investment and other INREIT properties, please visit https://www.invesco.com/inreit/investments.
Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE: TDY), announced that it has received new orders worth $62.1 million from the U.S. Armed Services for its advanced, multi-mission robots. The U.S. Army, Navy, and other command centers placed orders for nearly 500 more Centaur unmanned ground systems, including additional spares, antennas, and payload mounting kits.

This latest award raises the value of the original Man Transportable Robot System Increment II (MTRS Inc. II) contract from roughly $190 million to more than $250 million.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams use the Teledyne FLIR Centaur ground robot to disable unexploded ordnance (UXO), improvised explosive devices, landmines, and to perform similar dangerous tasks. Operators can quickly attach different sensors and payloads to the robot to address other missions, including chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats.

In 2017, the Army chose Centaur as its MTRS Inc. II solution for a multi-year program of record. Since then, other U.S. military branches have opted to deploy Centaur to their EOD units as a new or replacement ground robot system. Since 2020, Teledyne FLIR has announced orders totaling more than 1,800 Centaurs from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.

Our Centaur platform continues to prove itself as one of the most versatile and sought after tactical Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) to support Americas military, said Tom Frost, general manager of Unmanned Ground Systems at Teledyne FLIR Defense. Our team is honored to play a role in providing technology U.S. warfighters depend on for risky and sometimes deadly missions.

Centaur also can be used effectively for UXO clearance in hotspots such as Ukraine, and with global security threats on the rise, allied nations can leverage this multi-purpose robot to support a wide array of manned/unmanned operations, Frost added.

The Teledyne FLIR Centaur is a medium-sized UGV that provides a standoff capability to detect, confirm, identify, and dispose of hazards. Weighing roughly 160 pounds, the Interoperability Protocol (IOP)-compliant robot features an advanced EO/IR camera suite, a manipulator arm that reaches over six feet, and the ability to climb stairs. Modular payloads can be used for CBRN detection and other missions.

Teledyne FLIR Defense also recently launched two newly upgraded ground robot systems  the PackBot 525 man-transportable UGV and the Kobra 725 heavy payload UGV.

Deliveries are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2023. Visit us at www.flir.com/uis/ugs/government-defense to learn more about Teledyne FLIRs Unmanned Ground System platforms.
Toast (NYSE: TOST), the all-in-one digital technology platform built for restaurants, today announced that it has acquired Sling, a leading employee scheduling, communication and management solution. Through features including scheduling templates, in-app messaging and multi-location team management, Sling helps restaurants staff more efficiently and better manage labor costs, and helps increase employee job satisfaction.

The addition of Sling adds to Toasts growing suite of Toast Payroll & Team Management products, including Toast Payroll, Toast Tips Manager and Toast Pay Card & PayOut. Through its Team Management Suite, Toast can empower restaurants to simplify scheduling and communication across their team, control their labor costs, and pay employees faster through one integrated platform.

Sling and Toast originally established a partnership in April 2021. Customers have responded positively with strong adoption of Sling as part of Toasts integrated digital platform.

Great employees are what make restaurants run, said Aman Narang, COO and Co-Founder of Toast. By adding Sling to the Toast platform, we can provide a more comprehensive suite of team management products purpose-built for restaurants, from new hire onboarding to payroll processing, and now the ability to schedule shifts across the team. Our customers will benefit from the ability to simplify communication across their team, control their labor costs and efficiently manage their teams through one integrated platform. We're delighted to welcome the Sling team to the Toast family.

A strong relationship between restaurants and their employees is crucial. Roughly half of restaurant operators expect recruiting and retaining employees to be their top challenge in 20221, making it critical for every restaurant to efficiently manage their limited staffing and deepen the connection to employees. With workers across the nation increasingly expecting more from their employers, restaurants who offer Sling as part of the Toast Team Management Suite can stand out in the crowded hiring market with a differentiated employee experience.

The addition of Sling will extend the depth and breadth of Toasts effort to serve the approximately 11 million restaurant employees2 in the United States with the Sling mobile app3, allowing employees to easily view and swap shifts, manage their availability remotely and receive real-time communication. Restaurant employees using the existing Toast Team Management Suite have greater visibility into their pay and benefits along with opportunities for increased financial stability; the addition of Sling will provide employees more control of their schedule and opportunity to establish themselves as a valued contributor to their restaurant team.

Empowering restaurant employees was central to our founding vision. We are thrilled to join Toast and more deeply leverage our employee scheduling, communication and management capabilities to help restaurants increase team efficiency and lower labor costs. This is a great milestone for all the Sling employees who have helped us grow into a robust solution over the past seven years. We're excited to continue innovating on restaurant employee experience as part of Toast, said Helgi Hermannsson, Sling CEO and founder.

To learn more about Toast and/or schedule a personalized customer demo visit https://pos.toasttab.com/products/restaurant-employee-scheduling-software, and to learn more about Sling, visit Sling by Toast.
YAMANA GOLD INC. (TSX:YRI; NYSE:AUY; LSE: AUY) (Yamana or the Company) today announces strong preliminary second quarter operating results, with total gold equivalent ounce (GEO)(1) production of 260,960 GEO(1). Gold production during the quarter was 232,542 ounces with silver production of 2.36 million ounces. Canadian Malartic, Jacobina, El Penon and Cerro Moro all delivered standout quarters. All-in sustaining costs ("AISC")(2) for the quarter are expected to be less than US$1,090/oz.

The Company generated strong cash flows during the quarter, which strengthened its cash balance and financial flexibility. Cash and cash equivalents increased by more than $30 million to a total quarter-end cash balance of over $328 million from $298 million at the end of the first quarter, exclusive of approximately $215 million in cash available in MARA for utilization by the project. This represents an improvement in cash flow generation of nearly $40 million compared to the first quarter of 2022.

SECOND QUARTER 2022 PRODUCTION RESULTS

Second Quarter 2022 Preliminary Production GEO(1) Production 260,960 Gold Production (oz.) 232,542 Silver Production (oz.) 2,356,853

Operational Update

Year to date operating results comfortably position the Company to achieve both its annual production and cost guidance. The strong year to date gold equivalent production has exceeded budget despite the gold to silver ratio being near an all-time high and significantly above the Companys budget assumption for that ratio.

Canadian Malartic produced 87,186 ounces of gold (50% basis) during the second quarter, ahead of plan. Permitting at the Odyssey project remains on schedule while construction is on track and on budget with first production from Odyssey South expected in the first quarter of 2023.

Jacobina had an exceptional second quarter and delivered record quarterly production of 49,662 ounces of gold. Underground mine development work is in line with the mine plan at 1,500 metres per month to gain access to new mining panels. Together with the higher ore tonnes mined, the mine development provides additional flexibility through the build-up of ore stockpiles supporting the higher throughput of the Phase 2 expansion. Production for 2022 is expected to increase for the ninth consecutive year, a trend that is expected to continue in the coming years, as a result of the phased expansion strategy and the exploration programs aimed at generating significant value from the remarkable geological upside of the property.

El Penon produced 54,068 GEO(1), comprised of 46,627 ounces of gold and 619,981 ounces of silver during the quarter, with June production of 19,077 GEO(1) benefitting from access to the Chiquilla Chica zone which entered into production at the beginning of the month. Optimized mining sequencing, bringing forward zones with a higher gold to silver ratio in the first half of the year, has put El Penon in an excellent position to achieve full year GEO(1) production guidance.

Minera Florida produced 18,138 ounces of gold during the quarter and remains on track to meet annual production guidance.

Cerro Moro delivered exceptional results, producing 51,906 GEO(1) comprised of 30,929 ounces of gold and 1,736,872 ounces of silver. Production at the mine continues to benefit from the opening of more mining faces and the resultant increase in mill feed coming from higher-grade underground ore, as well as improved recoveries. Production for the first half of 2022 marks the highest half-yearly production since 2019.

Mine-by-Mine Second Quarter 2022 Preliminary Production Gold (oz.) El Penon 46,627 Canadian Malartic (50%) 87,186 Jacobina 49,662 Cerro Moro 30,929 Minera Florida 18,138 Total Yamana 232,542 Silver (oz.) El Penon 619,981 Cerro Moro 1,736,872 Total Yamana 2,356,853 GEO(1) Production 260,960

Jacobina Phase 2 Commissioning and Phased Expansion Update

The Phase 2 expansion at Jacobina continued to successfully ramp-up during the quarter, with the mine achieving a sustained throughput rate of over 8,400 tpd in June. Yamana expects the throughput objective of 8,500 tpd to be achieved in July, establishing Jacobinas sustainable production profile at 230,000 ounces of gold per year.

The Companys phased expansion strategy at Jacobina is well advanced and the Company anticipates that the low-cost operation will have a strategic mine life exceeding at least two decades, taking mineral reserves and high-conviction mineral resources into consideration. With the Phase 2 expansion delivered ahead of schedule, the Company is now pursuing the Phase 3 expansion to 10,000 tpd through continued incremental debottlenecking. With the permit to expand to 10,000 tpd already in hand, Phase 3 is expected to increase gold production to approximately 270,000 ounces per year by 2025 with a modest incremental capital expenditure of $20 million to $30 million.

A comprehensive plan for the Phase 4 expansion, which envisages throughput of up to 15,000 tpd and gold production in excess of 350,000 ounces per year, is also well underway as is the evaluation of further strategic options related to Jacobina and the significant exploration potential that is present along the prolific Jacobina Greenstone Belt, which hosts the mine. Jacobina is a complex of underground mines with a common plant and now, in addition to local exploration, from which the Company has been successful at new discoveries and developing newer mines in the complex, the Company is advancing a broader regional exploration effort initially north of the current mine complex although more broadly across a more than 110 kilometre greenstone belt north of Jacobina with comparable geology.

Board Approved Wasamac Bulk Sample Program

The Company continues to advance preparations for its board-approved bulk sample program at its wholly-owned Wasamac project in the Abitibi-Temiscamingue Region of Quebec, Canada. The initiative would allow construction to commence on the ramp, enabling earlier access to the deposit to increase the level of confidence in metallurgical and geotechnical variables and optimize the processing flow sheet and mining sequence. Construction of surface facilities to support the ramp development activity and associated environmental requirements would also be advanced.

With a high level of continuity and regular geometry, combined with a relatively simple structural setting and average mineralized widths of 13 metres, Wasamac is well positioned for high-production and low-cost underground mining methods given the projects low level of geological risk and favourable geological environment. Infill drilling results since mid-2021 confirm or exceed expected grades and widths. Similarly, the metallurgical and geomechanical assumptions used in the feasibility study are based on rigorous lab testing from drill hole samples. Bulk sampling and industrial-scale tests will build on these results, enabling development of production-ready models for the grade, recovery, and geotechnical aspects of the project, to support the first three years of production.

Additionally, the bulk sample program will allow the Company to capture opportunities to optimize the processing performance by testing multiple flowsheet options and confirm stope stability parameters to optimize stope dimensions, backfilling strategy and mining sequence while contributing to ensuring a safe working environment. The accelerated development of the ramp will also establish drilling platforms to perform both delineation and exploration drilling at Wasamac main zones, Wildcat and potential new zones from underground.

Preparation of the documentation for the bulk sample permits is underway and scheduled for submission in the third quarter of 2022, with the approval process expected to take less than 6 months. Permit approvals are expected in early 2023 and ramp development could begin in spring 2023. While the permit application is in progress, select site works, including construction of an access road, a temporary 25 kV power line and temporary buildings is scheduled to commence in the second half of 2022.

The bulk sample will not require additional costs above what was included in the feasibility study, rather a fraction of the costs will be brought forward in time slightly. A modest capital expenditure of approximately $7 million is planned for the second half of 2022, in preparation for development to commence in the first half of 2023.

Wasamac Strategic Life-of-Mine (LOM) Plan Highlighting Potential Upside Optionality

During the second quarter, the Company completed an update of the Wasamac strategic LOM plan, building on the 2021 feasibility study and incorporating the results of several value-adding studies that were advanced throughout the first half of 2022. The strategic plan demonstrates an improved gold production profile compared to the feasibility study, while continuing to establish Wasamac as a modern, low-cost, responsible underground mine.

Extension of the processing plant site through land acquisition and additional geotechnical drilling have allowed optimization of the underground mine design and processing plant layout. The revised layout avoids environmentally sensitive areas, improves the plant configuration, and provides additional space for ore stockpiling, while continuing to minimize impacts to the surrounding property holders. Using the revised mine designs, the mining sequence has been optimized to increase feed grades in the first two years, resulting in a faster production ramp-up to 200,000 ounces in 2027 and up to 250,000 ounces in 2028.

Furthermore, the ongoing mine design and sequence optimizations could position the Wasamac mine with the option for a future incremental expansion from 7,000 tpd to 9,000 tpd in year 3 of operations, to extend the gold production profile of 250,000 ounces per year until at least 2030. The results of a comminution trade-off study indicate that the higher throughput of 9,000 tpd could be achieved with limited additional mechanical equipment at modest capital expenditures and without increasing the area of the plant layout.

The strategy to start production at 7,000 tpd, with a later incremental expansion to 9,000 tpd, balances the mining equipment fleet and workforce requirements while minimizing any impact to the ongoing permitting process. As a result, the Company continues to expect to receive the required permits to commence project construction in mid-2024 and the initial capital cost estimate from the feasibility study of $416 million also remains unchanged.

Positive infill and exploration drilling results to date indicate the potential for a strategic mine life of 10 to 15 years at 200,000 to 250,000 ounces of gold per year, compared to the LOM average of 169,000 ounces in the feasibility study. The Wasamac deposit is not only open at depth and along strike but the underexplored secondary zones such as Wildcat are showing promising drilling results. Additional exploration targets on the property, including the adjacent Francoeur, Arntfield, and Lac Fortune properties, provide further upside.

Figure 1: Optimized Strategic Production Profilehttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f55a81fa-92dc-4171-9927-7a7a749198af

As a result of the improved production profile in the updated strategic LOM plan, unit costs are expected to be lower than the feasibility study LOM average of $828 per ounce and, at the feasibility study gold price of US$1,550, the net present value would approximately double assuming the strategic mine life is extended through 2036 at 9,000 tpd.

Other opportunities that continue to be evaluated but are not yet included in the strategic plan include the processing flow sheet optimization to increase metallurgical recoveries by approximately 3% (for which metallurgical testing is ongoing), optimized configuration of the tailings filter plant and paste backfill plant, and increased levels of electrification, automation and renewable energy usage in the project.

Wasamac further increases the Companys footprint within the prolific Abitibi-Temiscamingue region. Together with the Odyssey project at Canadian Malartic, the optimized strategic plan increases the attributable sustainable strategic gold production platform to 500,000  550,000 ounces, with considerable upside. Assuming a gold price of US$1,550 per ounce, both the Wasamac and Odyssey projects are fully funded with no external capital required and put the Company on a path towards being a regionally dominant producer with two generational, cornerstone mines within the Abitibi-Temiscamingue region.

The Company intends to provide an exploration update alongside its full Q2 2022 operational and financial results on Thursday, July 28, 2022 to highlight the ongoing positive exploration results of its assets in Quebec that underpin the strategic outlook and support meaningfully extending the sustainable production platform.

Qualified Persons

Scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Sebastien Bernier (P. Geo and Senior Director, Reserves and Resources). Sebastien Bernier is an employee of Yamana Gold Inc. and a "Qualified Person" as defined by Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About Yamana

Yamana Gold Inc. is a Canadian-based precious metals producer with significant gold and silver production, development stage properties, exploration properties, and land positions throughout the Americas, including Canada, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. Yamana plans to continue to build on this base through expansion and optimization initiatives at existing operating mines, development of new mines, the advancement of its exploration properties and, at times, by targeting other consolidation opportunities with a primary focus in the Americas.
FILE PHOTO: The Cruise Origin autonomous vehicle, a Honda and General Motors self-driving car partnership, is seen during its unveiling in San Francisco, California, U.S. January 21, 2020. REUTERS/Stephen Lam/File Photo

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a special investigation into a recent crash of a Cruise self-driving vehicle in California that resulted in minor injuries, the agency said on Thursday.

The auto safety agency did not identify the specific crash, but a Cruise vehicle operating in driverless autonomous mode was involved in a crash involving minor injuries on June 3 in San Francisco, according to a report filed https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/file/cruise_060322-pdf with the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

The state agency told Reuters it "has had conversions with Cruise officials regarding the incident."

Self-driving car maker Cruise, which is majority-owned by General Motors, said it was not issued a citation by police in the incident. Cruise said it had provided NHTSA with "routine information" the agency had sought in its special crash investigation.

NHTSA's special crash investigations are separate from defect investigations used to determine if vehicles should be recalled. The agency has not opened a defect probe into Cruise.

NHTSA has opened 45 special crash investigations into crashes since 2016 involving suspected automated and advanced driver systems; this is the first involving a Cruise vehicle.

In the report filed on the June 3 crash, Cruise said its vehicle entered a left-hand-turn lane and signaled for a turn, and then initiated a left turn on the green light.

At the same time, a 2016 Toyota Prius approached the intersection in the right-turn lane from the opposite direction traveling about 40 miles per hour in a 25 mph speed zone.

The Cruise autonomous vehicle stopped before completing the turn due to the oncoming Prius, which entered the intersection and made contact with the rear passenger side of the Cruise, which was later towed from the scene, the report said. Occupants of both vehicles received medical treatment for allegedly minor injuries, Cruise said.

On June 23, Cruise said it had started charging fares for driverless rides in San Francisco. Cruise earlier in June became the first company to secure a permit to charge for self-driving rides there, after it overcame objections by local officials.

Self-driving test cars with human safety drivers have become a constant sight in San Francisco, and completely driverless ones are increasingly common, too. Turning them into a fledgling business in a major U.S. city marks a milestone in the long- delayed journey toward driverless taxi service.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Franklin Paul and Leslie Adler)
ZURICH, Switzerland, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Achiko AG (OTCQB: ACHKF, SIX: ACHI, ISIN CH0522213468) (Achiko, the Company), would like to invite investors and shareholders to a moderated investor call.

A PowerPoint presentation will be available prior to the call and published on the Achiko AG website.

Details are as follows:

Date: July 8, 2022 Time: 8:30 am EDT / 2:30 pm CEST Format: Zoom Call Presenter: Mr. Steven Goh, CEO of Achiko AG Meeting link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6191486127?pwd=VWJYa0VmWFV3OTBiL1RDd0o5NjR2dz09 Meeting ID: 619 148 6127 Passcode: 888 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/knHHcenwR

ABOUT ACHIKO AG Achiko AG (SIX: ACHI.SW; OTCQB: ACHKF; www.achiko.com) is developing disruptive diagnostic solutions that puts people first. The companys lead product is a rapid, reliable Covid-19 test with a companion app offering a user-friendly digital health passport. The test and companion app were launched in Indonesia in mid-2021 and an application for CE Mark approval in Europe will be submitted in 2022.

Achiko creates and develops aptamer-based diagnostics through its biotechnology division, AptameXTM and companion health apps via its digital mobile health technology division, Teman SehatTM. The AptameX DNA aptamer tests can be rapidly chemically synthesized, are cost-effective and have wide potential across multiple disease diagnostics. Leveraging AptameX and Teman Sehat, Achiko aims to deliver fast, accurate and affordable diagnostic testing for a range of pathogenic diseases and therapeutic indications in the rapidly evolving healthcare diagnostics field.

Headquartered in Zurich, Achiko has offices in Jakarta, and staff around the world.

Media contacts:

ACHIKO AGInvestor Relations E: [email protected]

Switzerland & GlobalMarcus Balogh Farner Consulting Ltd.E: [email protected] T: +41 44 266 67 67

DisclaimerThis communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Achiko AG and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance, or achievements of Achiko AG to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Achiko AG is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Source: Achiko AG
SAN JOSE, Calif., July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading semiconductor test equipment supplier Advantest Corporations (TSE: 6857) VOICE 2022 Developer Conference reached maximum attendance and sponsorship capacity at the OMNI Montelucia Hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona on May 17-18. Over 300 people attended the event, the majority of whom were Advantest customers and partners. In total, more than 60 companies were represented at VOICE 2022. This years event included more than 65 technical papers presented across eight breakout session over the course of the two days.

The 2022 conference received 119 abstract submissions from 31 companies across 13 countries. The papers were reviewed by a technical committee that included 20 Advantest customers representing 12 companies. A total of 66 papers were accepted for presentation during the technical breakout sessions, of which fifty percent were written or co-authored by customers.

In addition to the technical sessions, VOICE featured a Partners Expo, three highly rated keynote speakers and a first-time fireside chat conducted between G. Dan Hutcheson, vice chair of TechInsights and Manish Bhatia, executive vice president of Global Operations at Micron. In addition to the paper presentations, attendees had the opportunity to hear from Advantest R&D engineers and technology experts during the Technology Kiosk Showcase. A workshop day followed VOICE, which offered a hands-on learning experience for attendees. Evening events and scheduled breaks provided attendees valuable time to network.

This years program focused on crucial topics in the automatic test equipment (ATE) industry, adding technical tracks on topics of High Performance Digital and Emerging New Market Drivers and Trends, including smart data innovation and big data analytics, cyber security, and secure edge and cloud solutions.

VOICE is made possible by the organizational work of a Steering Committee, made up of volunteer representatives from Advantest and its customers, and the support of event sponsors, which featured 22 companies including two new participants this year.

Best Paper and Best Kiosk AwardsThrough the VOICE mobile app, attendees voted to select the best technical presentations and the best technology kiosk. Brendan Tully of Amazon and Mike Kozma of Advantest won best paper for their presentation titled New ATE Testing Techniques Using PCI-Express with Link Scale-PCIe to Solve Scan, Structural, Protocol and Third-Party Integration Challenges, as did Stefan Walther and Linda Hanel of Advantest for their paper, Migrating the Test of Medium Power Mainstream SOC Devices Using UHC4T/DPS128 to a Single XPS256 DPS Solution. Honorable mention awards were given to Ram Mowdhgalya Mani and Gabriel Tellechea of AMD for their paper titled Screen Outliers with Adaptive Test Points to Improve Quality and Reliability, and to Oscar Solano Jimenez and Satoshi Tatematsu of Advantest for their paper, S-Parameter Capability on the V93000 for Millimeter Wave Devices. Sonny Banwari and his team from Advantest won the best kiosk award. This years kiosk was titled ACS Edge 2.0.

Visionary AwardAt the closing awards ceremony the VOICE Steering Committee presented its Visionary Award to Gabriel Tellechea of AMD, a pivotal Advantest customer who has provided ongoing, sustained support to the conference since he first attended and presented in 2011.

In presenting the Visionary Award to Tellechea, Ronald Goerke, VOICE General Chair said, From the outset, this annual international event has been organized by and for members of the semiconductor test ecosystem. The programs success is directly linked to the dedicated test professionals who have shared their valuable time, knowledge and foresight into industry trends. We want to publicly recognize a person who has truly brought vision to the VOICE Developer Conference year after year.

To see all of this years conference highlights, visit the VOICE 2022 infographic.

VOICE 2023VOICE 2023 will return to the popular host city of Santa Clara, CA. For more information, visit https://voice.advantest.com.

About VOICE Developer ConferenceManaged by a steering committee of volunteer representatives from Advantest and its customers, VOICE is the leading developer conference for the growing international community of users and strategic partners involved with Advantests V93000 and T2000 SoC test platforms as well as Advantest memory testers, handlers and test cell solutions. The conference offers a unique opportunity to take part in making semiconductor testing operations as efficient and cost effective as possible. Attendees gain and share valuable insights, build long-lasting relationships and learn whats new about Advantest test equipment, handlers and applications.

About Advantest CorporationAdvantest (TSE: 6857) is the leading manufacturer of automatic test and measurement equipment used in the design and production of semiconductors for applications including 5G communications, the Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous vehicles, high performance computing (HPC) including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, and more. Its leading-edge systems and products are integrated into the most advanced semiconductor production lines in the world. The company also conducts R&D to address emerging testing challenges and applications; develops advanced test-interface solutions for wafer sort and final test; produces scanning electron microscopes essential to photomask manufacturing; and offers system-level test solutions and other test-related accessories. Founded in Tokyo in 1954, Advantest is a global company with facilities around the world and an international commitment to sustainable practices and social responsibility. More information is available at www.advantest.com.

ADVANTEST CORPORATION3061 Zanker RoadSan Jose, CA 95134, USACassandra Koenig[email protected]

Source: Advantest America, Inc.
Properly installed continuous insulation plays an important role in increasing the efficiency of the building envelope, which impacts HERS Index and ERI scores.

Richmond, Virginia, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Barricade Building Products will showcase Thermo-Brace SIB 4-in-1 Reversible Structural Insulated Sheathing next week in Booth #1517 at the Sunbelt Builders Show from July 13-14, 2022 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas. Visitors can also learn about other products to meet building codes in the South-Central states, including Barricade Plus House Wrap, with custom digital print available, and Thermo-Brace Structural Sheathing.

Texas builders now have two compliance pathways for energy ratings. In September 2021, Texas House Bill 3215, codified in Chapter 388 of Texas Building Energy Performance Standards, was implemented into law.

Under the ANSI/RESNET 301-2019 Standard, this law sets the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index as a standalone compliance pathway separate from the current ICC/IRC versions of the Energy Rating Index (ERI) pathway. Homes using this pathway must also meet the 2018 IECC building envelope provisions.

According to the Dallas Builders Association, Flexibility offered by that approach allows for more innovation and better empowers builders to cope with supply chain challenges.

What this means for builders in Climate Zones 2, 3, and 4, says Darcy Overby, Barricade National Sales Manager, is that they can offer buyers a more efficient home with a higher R-value, which reduces energy bills, cuts maintenance costs, lowers emissions, and creates a really comfortable home.

Overby continues, The key is proper installation, so we advise on how to ensure the ultimate performance from Thermo-Brace SIB.

Texas has reeled in recent years from hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, winter storms, and the like. With increased destruction from extreme weather events in the forecast, contractors can now choose sustainable structural sheathing products, compared to OSB, to rebuild or construct the envelopes of durable energy-efficient dwellings.

The HERS Index compliance pathway will remain in effect for 10 years before it is required to be reviewed again by the state. Mike Fields, Barricade VP of Sales, explains: This pathway is like ENERGY STAR. Builders, especially in Climate Zone 3, will find the HERS Index pathway a viable state-wide compliance option moving forward.

For more information about Barricade Building Envelope System, visit www.BarricadeBP.com.

About Barricade Building Products

Since 1986, Barricade Building Products has manufactured Made in the USA building envelope system products. Located in Doswell, Virginia outside Richmond, the company produces a complete system covered by a 10-year warranty. It includes one of the widest portfolios available in the North American market: Barricade brand House Wrap, including Digitally Printed House Wrap and Drainage Wrap, Structural Sheathing, Structural Insulated Board, Window & Door Flashing, Construction Tapes, Roof Underlayment, Floor Underlayment, and Interior Board.

Barricade Building Products is a member of INDEVCO North America, Inc. Building Products Division. Barricade is an INDEVCO North America brand.

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LOS ANGELES, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following the success of the 2021 Global Supporters Program, COSRX has finally announced the start of its second season. The last year saw thousands of applicants lining up to take part in a series of classes aimed at educating individuals on skincare, ingredients, and ways of use. The popularity of the program coupled with continuous requests prompted COSRX to return with a second season. But the company has taken it a step further, ramping up the classes with more skincare information, missions, and experts. This year, participants will be looking to take part in bigger, grander events peppered with a bucket load of gifts that include a chance to visit the COSRX HQ in Seoul, South Korea. More excitingly, they are promised "a mentorship which money can't buy."

COSRX is a brand focused on providing skincare solutions based on research and consumer feedback. It views its consumers as honorary R&Ds, listening to their wants and needs to create products that fulfill these requests. It's this approach that has helped solidify COSRX's status as a global skincare brand and one of the main reasons behind the 2022 Global Supporters Program. One thing the brand takes great pride in is its role as the undisputed leader in knowing and listening to its customer base. Since the brand launched, customers have been asking for ways that they could get more involved and share their love for COSRX with their friends and networks. That's why COSRX is thrilled to launch the second season of the Global Supporters program. The program will allow committed fans to make the brand their own.

The 2022 Global Supporters program kicks off on Friday, July 8, ending on Friday, July 15. More information, including the application form, can be found on the official Instagram platform @cosrx or the official website. The program is open to all skincare lovers.

About COSRX

With its powerful yet affordable skincare solutions, COSRX has quickly become one of America's favorite skincare brands. Using a minimal number of highly effective natural extracts in concentrated doses, COSRX products deliver visible results by treating skin with only the essentials it needs and nothing it doesn't. Find its best-selling skincare solutions at retailers nationwide, including Ulta, Revolve, Dermstore, and Amazon.

COSRX Official Accounts

 COSRX Official Website: https://www.cosrx.com/

 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cosrx/

 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cosrx_official

Best Sellers and Novelty Products

Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence Product Info. https://www.cosrx.com/collections/best/products/advanced-snail-96-mucin-power-essence SNS contents https://www.tiktok.com/@dermdoctor/video/7063507973917887790?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7018381732756768257 Acne Pimple Master Patch Product Info. https://www.cosrx.com/collections/spot-patch/products/acne-pimple-master-patch SNS contents https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=cosrx%20patch&t=1656903462183 The RX (The Vitamin C 23, The Niacinamide 15, The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum) Product Info. https://www.cosrx.com/collections/the-rx SNS contents https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=cosrx%20derm%20serum&t=1656903296720 Vitamin E Vitalizing Sunscreen SPF 50+ Product Info. https://www.cosrx.com/collections/sun-care/products/vitamin-e-vitalizing-sunscreen-spf-50 SNS contents https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce5aR6mPYyj/

Contact Points for MKT/PR Communication

 Hyein Lee, [email protected], +82-2-6357-9606

 Stella Cho, [email protected], +82-2-6357-9613

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DALLAS, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, geniant unveiled their new experience consulting company, focusing on creating exceptional experiences for customers and employees.

"Experiences shape the world; they happen in physical spaces, between people, and through technology," says David Lancashire, Chairman & Co-CEO. "We've brought together world-class craftspeople with the skills to help businesses optimize their entire brand experience."

There are many critical challenges facing businesses today. In this age of hybrid and distributed workforces, organizations are trying to deliver a next-generation employee experience for their teams and looking to ensure omnichannel brand consistency for their customers. geniant believes this begins with gaining a deeper understanding of the 'real' people involved and that experience research coupled with data analytics can provide the insights needed to correctly frame what needs to be designed for an optimal experience.

"This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine where and how we work; there will be winners and losers in employee experiences and retention," says David Dewane, geniant's Chief Experience Officer. "geniant is a company that exists at the junction of architecture and technology, built to handle complex, 21st-century business challenges that these disciplines cannot fully address individually."

geniant works with clients, taking a persona-level view of their employee experiences as they aim to configure the right solutions for hybrid work. This is beyond the essential roles and responsibilities, but gaining a deeper understanding of how people actually work, collaborate, socialize, and develop into teams while absorbing the company culture.

"The most successful solutions always come from contextual, experience research, matched with data analytics to frame the design and development of any employee or consumer experience," says Keith Jacobs, Co-CEO of geniant. "From architecture to technology, solutions succeed or fail based on the experience."

geniant works with clients to focus on the experience of their employees and customers; learn more at www.geniant.com

About geniant:

geniant is the leader in designing and delivering holistic experiences across physical space, interactions with people, and technology. Working with a wide range of organizations - from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies - geniant excels at delivering exceptional experiences for your employees and customers. The geniant management team is comprised of seasoned professional services entrepreneurs who have built, scaled, and sold businesses to Dell EMC (DELL) and Amdocs (DOX).

Today, the company is leading a movement to evolve the experience design profession, integrating expertise from architecture, interior design, user experience, service design, team and change management, and software development. geniant helps innovative leaders shape the future of their customer and employee experiences. For more information, visit geniant.com and watch our video on transforming your workplace into a "Performative Office" at www.geniant.com/flow.

geniant is not associated with Dell Technologies, EMC Corporation, or any parent or subsidiary of either.

For additional information: Jeremy Johnson, geniant, +1 214-228-2894, [email protected]

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Highlights:

100% of the drill holes completed to date on the Surebet discovery have intersected broad zones of significant sulphide mineralization up to 135 meters* wide. The drilling and data continue to demonstrate the presence of an extensive mineralizing system underlying the property now confirmed by drilling over an area of 5.25 square km, the mineralization remains open in all directions.

The presence of multiple broad intercepts of sulphides in the stratigraphically lower Hazelton volcanic rocks confirms a robust mineralizing system beneath the Surebet shear zone cutting the overlying sediments. Assays are pending on all holes drilled to date and will be released once received, compiled, and interpreted.

Drill hole GD-22-28* on Pad 15 intersected a broad 15.89 meter interval of sulphide mineralization from 17.46 meters to 33.35 meters with a 57.83 meter envelope of veining and chlorite-epidote alteration with trace sulphides from bedrock to 62.50 meters. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2a13c83b-69c9-4974-a3c9-346555376a91

Drill hole GD-22-29* on Pad 15 intersected 3 broad intervals of alternating sulphide mineralization and quartz-epidote-chlorite veining, stockwork and breccia from 4.46 meters (start of bedrock) to 53.89 meters (49.43 m interval), from 64.27 meters to 86.20 meters (21.93 meters interval) and from 106.15 meters to 175.46 meters (69.31 meter interval). A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/72a47f17-a710-4d77-b321-dc18c77e3d27



Drill hole GD-22-31* on Pad 15 intersected a 98.99 meter broad interval of mainly disseminated sulphide mineralization associated with quartz-chlorite-epidote veining from 3.17 meters to 102.16 meters (98.99 meter interval) A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c68275a3-4f3d-48a7-9512-fe4d019abb4c

The extensive mineralized system has been confirmed over 1 km North-South along the Surebet Zone and 1.5 km East-West from the newly drilled Pad 15 to Pad J located in the new Extension Target (see map below); it remains open in all directions.

The Surebet Zone has been traced on surface along the North Slope for 1.1 km to the North end of the Real Deal structure with an average width of 5 meters. The mineralized shear zone contains massive galena, pyrrhotite and sphalerite and has an alteration envelope up to 30 meters wide characterized by sulphides and veining/stockwork. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/65ad5b36-5a0d-494a-a936-9ac8d103d720



The drill rig from Pad 15 has been moved to Pad 9 (see map below) located 200 meters to the west of Pad 15 to target the Surebet system at depth while a second drill is currently testing the extension of the system in the Hazelton volcanic rocks to the North at New Gold (see map below), 2.5 km to the North of Pad J (1 km north of North Rubble).

The 2022 drill program will focus on expanding the known parameters of the Surebet high-grade gold-silver discovery with 24,000 m of drilling planned in 84 holes from 24 pad locations using 4 drill rigs. Its designed for resource level infill drilling and outline the large mineralized system over an area of 2.1 km East-West by 2.5 km North-South encompassing an area of 5.25 square kilometers (see map below). A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d4f89dd2-e09a-43fa-8f9e-015a788ca74d



100% of all 24 holes drilled during the 2021 maiden campaign totalling 5,332 meters intersected significant high-grade gold-silver mineralization over 1 km of strike and 1.1 km of down dip extent. GD-21-03 intersected 6.37 gpt AuEq (4.46 gpt Au and 122.13 gpt Ag) over 35.72 meters*. The average grade and width from all 24 holes assayed 6.29 gpt AuEq (4.35 gpt Au and 104.94 gpt Ag) over 5.87 meters* respectively.

TORONTO, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Goliath Resources Limited (TSX-V: GOT) (OTCQB: GOTRF) (FSE: B4IF) (the Company or Goliath) is pleased to report continued successful drilling at the Surebet discovery at its 100% controlled Golddigger Property (the Property), Golden Triangle, B.C. as all holes have intersected broad intervals of sulphide mineralization up to 135 meters*. Observations from drilling 3 holes (583 meters total) on Pad 15 all intersected significant intervals of sulphide mineralization up to 98.99 meters*. It consists of stringers and aggregations of semi-massive to massive pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and pyrite within veins, stockwork and breccia. Sulphide mineralization has been observed throughout the drill holes and remains open. This is a 1.5 km step out to the west at Pad 15 from Pad J located on the New Extension Target.

In addition, the Surebet Zone was confirmed in outcrop along the North Slope where it is continuously mineralized with an average width of 5 m from North Rubble to the Real Deal structure located 1 km to the west, where it disappears under the ice of a melting glacier. New outcrops discovered along the shear zone on the North Slope consist of several blow out zones of up to 4.5 meters of semi-massive to massive galena-pyrrhotite-sphalerite and a section of 1.5 meters wide massive sulphide (mainly galena, minor pyrrhotite) extending for several tens of meters (see image above). Mapping of the contact between the Hazelton Group sediments and volcanics suggests that the Surebet Zone follows this contact in the most western part of the shear zone before the inclination of the mineralized shear zone steepens to ~70 degree dip and becomes broader nearer the contact with the intrusive of the Coast Plutonic Complex. These targets remain to be drill tested.

Roger Rosmus, Founder and CEO of Goliath Resources, states: We continue to be extremely encouraged that 100% of all drill holes completed to date on the Surebet discovery have intersected broad zones of significant sulphide mineralization up to 135 meters* wide. The drilling and data continue to demonstrate the presence of an extensive mineralizing system underlying the property confirmed over an area of 5.25 square km, the mineralization remains open in all directions. Seeing these broad intercepts of mineralization in the Hazleton volcanics is a welcomed surprise that could potentially add exponential size to the project. In addition, the Surebet Zone has been traced at surface along the North Slope for 1.1 km to the north end of the Real Deal structure with an average width of 5 meters. This mineralized shear zone contains massive galena, pyrrhotite and sphalerite and has an alteration envelope up to 30 meters wide characterized by sulphides and veining/stockwork that remains open. We look forward to receiving the assays from drilling with great anticipation

Drill hole GD-22-28

Drill hole GD-22-28 (azimuth 020; dip -70, EOH 112 m) intercepted a broad 15.89 meters interval of sulphide mineralization from 17.46 meters to 33.35 meters with a 57.83 meters envelope of veining and chlorite-epidote alteration with trace sulphides from bedrock to 62.50 meters. Mineralization mainly consists of stringers and aggregations of pyrrhotite up to 2 centimeters wide within quartz-chlorite-epidote veins and breccia and disseminated and fracture-hosted pyrite.

Drill Hole GD-22-28 targeted the projected plane of the Surebet Zone modelled with the intercepts and orientations from 2020 channel cuts and 2021 drill hole data. Drill data and new field observations indicate that the orientation of the Surebet Zone in the area of Pad 15 is shallower and therefore occurs at a higher stratigraphic level above Pad 15.

Drill hole GD-22-29

Drill hole GD-22-29 (azimuth 134; dip -70, EOH 270 m) intercepted 3 broad intervals of alternating sulphide mineralization and quartz-epidote-chlorite veining, stockwork and breccia from 4.46 meters (start of bedrock) to 53.89 meters (49.43 m interval), from 64.27 meters to 86.20 meters (21.93 meters interval) and from 106.15 meters to 175.46 meters (69.31 meters interval). Mineralization for the majority consists of millimeter- to centimeter-size aggregations and stringers of pyrrhotite/pyrite, disseminated sulphides and trace sphalerite.

Drill Hole GD-22-28 targeted the projected plane of the Surebet Zone modelled with the intercepts and orientations from 2020 channel cuts and 2021 drill hole data. Drill data and new field observations indicate that the orientation of the Surebet Zone in the area of Pad 15 is shallower and therefore occurs at a higher stratigraphic level above Pad 15.

Drill hole GD-22-31

Drill hole GD-22-29 (azimuth 235; dip -65, EOH 199 m) intercepted a broad interval of mainly disseminated sulphide mineralization associated with quartz-chlorite-epidote veining from 3.17 meters to 102.16 m meters (interval 98.99 meters). Stringers and centimeter-size domains of semi-massive pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite occur in the top part of the hole (to 18.38 m), where the drill hole intersected the Cloud 9 fault.

Drill Hole GD-22-31 targeted the projected plane of the Cloud 9 fault modelled based on surface measurements obtained from mapping and surface sampling.

Observed Mineralization

The rock observed in the core of all three holes completed on Pad 15 consists of a sulphide-rich plagioclase-phyric to porphyritic andesite with strong biotite, chlorite, sericite and epidote surrounding veins, brecciated domains and fractures. Mineralization primarily occurs as mm to cm stringers and aggregations of sulphides within quartz-biotite-chlorite-sericite filled fractures and veins throughout a strongly biotitized-chloritized and/or epidotized andesitic host rock and as disseminated grains throughout the altered andesite. The majority of the mineralization consists of pyrrhotite (locally up to 5%), pyrite (locally up to 2%) and minor chalcopyrite. Pyrrhotite is generally found throughout the core as millimeter- to centimeter-size stringers and aggregations within the strongly altered domains and disseminated within the host rock. Pyrite occurs throughout the andesitic rocks as millimeter-size disseminated crystals and in stringers and aggregations up to a few millimeters wide. The mineralized andesitic rocks show patchy biotite-chlorite and/or epidote alteration generally associated with veining, breccia and fractures containing sulphide mineralization. The biotite alteration and textures in combination with the chloritization, silica alteration/quartz veining, epidotization and sulphide precipitation all indicate fluid movement through the rock from a nearby intrusive source.

Surebet Zone Continuation Along North Slope

The Surebet Zone was confirmed in outcrop along the North Slope where it is continuously mineralized with an average width of 5 meters from North Rubble to Real deal structure located 1 km to the west, where it disappears under the ice of a melting glacier. New outcrops discovered along the shear zone on the North Slope consist of several blow out zones of up to 4.5 meters of semi-massive to massive galena-pyrrhotite-sphalerite and a section of 1.5 meter wide massive sulphide (mainly galena, minor pyrrhotite) extending for several tens of meters (see image above). Mapping of the contact between the Hazelton Group sediments and volcanics suggests that the Surebet Zone follows this contact in the most western part of the shear zone before the inclination of the mineralized shear zone steepens to a ~70 degree dip and becomes broader nearer the contact with the intrusive of the Coast Plutonic Complex. These targets remain to be drill tested.

2022 drill campaign

The drill rig from Pad 15 has moved to Pad 9 (see map above) located 200 meters west of Pad 15 to target the Surebet system at depth while a second drill is currently testing the extension of the system in the Hazelton volcanic rocks to the North at New Gold (see map above), 2.5 km to the North of Pad J (1 km north of North Rubble).

A series of drill holes are currently underway at the New Gold Zone located 1 km North of Surebet. This zone contains surface gold mineralization over 400 meters that remains open with ~ 30 meters of gold bearing breccia observed in outcrop. The New Gold Zone is hosted in Hazelton volcanics in close proximity to the Red Line. The majority of the world class mineral deposits discovered within the Golden Triangle are hosted in the Hazelton volcanics and occur within a few kilometers of the unconformity between Lower Hazelton and Stuhini rocks (also known as the Red Line).

During the 2022 drill campaign, Goliath also plans to test the Surebet mineralized system at depth over an extensive area reaching as far as Lake Pad to the West (940 m SW of Real Deal) and New Gold to the North (1 km north of North Rubble) focused on delineating a mineralized area of 2.1 km East-West by 2.5 km North-South (see map above). Several drill locations are planned up to 600 meters West of Real Deal to target the Surebet mineralized system at depth based on the projected model generated from the 2021 drill results and 2020 channel sample results. Multiple surface channel, chip and grab samples collected from Real Deal and Cloud 9 secondary structures believed to be associated with the Surebet Zone returned significant gold and silver values, further confirming the presence of a large gold-silver rich mineralizing system at depth. These secondary structures are interpreted to be acting as conduits for fluids to the surface.

Golddigger Property

The Golddigger Property is 100 % controlled covering an area of 23,859 hectares (59,646 acres or 239 square-kilometers) and is in the world class geological setting of the Eskay Rift within the Golden Triangle of British Columbia and within 2 km of the Red Line that is host to multiple world class deposits. The property is on tide water 30 kilometers southeast of Stewart, British Columbia.

Surebet is characterized by a series of NW-SE trending structures that occur within a package of Hazelton Group sediments underlain by Hazelton volcanics and are within a few kilometers of the Red Line. All 24 diamond drill holes completed during the 2021 maiden drill campaign intersected significant intervals of Au-Ag polymetallic mineralization over 1 km of strike, 1.1 km down-dip and 600 meters of vertical relief. Drill hole GD-21-03* intersected 6.37 gpt AuEq (4.46 gpt Au and 122.13 gpt Ag) over 35.72 meters and drill hole GD-21-05* intersected 12.6 gpt AuEq (8.06 gpt Au and 313.66 gpt Ag) over 6.38 meters. The average grade and width from all 24 holes* assayed 6.29 gpt AuEq (4.35 gpt Au and 104.94 gpt Ag) over 5.87 meters, respectively.

LiDAR imagery, drone imagery, and field observations have identified several additional paralleling structures within a 4 square-kilometers area. Geochemical analyses have confirmed high-grade gold-silver polymetallic mineralization within these structures. The steeply dipping Real Deal and Cloud 9 structures, as well as the off-shoot structures from the Extension Zone, display similar mineralization, geochemistry and textures to the Surebet Zone. Geologic observations at surface and within drill core show structural strain concentrating in the Surebet Zone along its shallower-dipping geometry. Real Deal and Cloud 9 are believed to be en-echelon structures that connect with Surebet at depth. The mineralized Surebet Zone remains open in all directions.

Qualified Person

Rein Turna P. Geo is the qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, for Goliath Resource Limited projects, and supervised the preparation of, and has reviewed and approved, the technical information in this release.

Other

All rock, channel and talus fine samples were crushed and pulverized at MSALABS's laboratory in Terrace, BC. MSALABS is either Certified to ISO 9001:2008 or Accredited to ISO 17025:2005 in all of its locations. The resulting sample pulps were analyzed for gold by fire assay and metallic screen fire assay in Langley, BC. The pulps were also assayed using multi-element aqua regia digestion at MSALABS's laboratory in Langley, BC. The coarse reject portions of the rock samples, as well as the pulps, were shipped to Goliath Resources Ltd.s storage facility in Terrace, BC. All samples were analyzed using MSALABS's assay procedure ICP-130, a 1:1:1 aqua regia digestion with inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) or inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) finish for 35 elements as well as the FAS-121 lead collection fire assay fusion procedure with atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish. Any results greater than 100 ppm for silver or 10,000 ppm copper, lead and zinc were additionally assayed using MSALABS's ICA-6xx method particular to each element. This method used an HNO3-HCl digestion followed by ICP-AES (or titrimetric and gravimetric analysis). Gold values of greater than 10 ppm Au were assayed by the FAS-425 method which includes a fire-assay fusion procedure with a gravimetric finish. Samples with Au greater than 5 ppm were additionally analyzed using metallic screen fire assay with MSALABSs MSC-150 or MSC-350 method. QA/QC samples including blanks, standards, and duplicate samples were inserted regularly into the sample sequence.

The reader is cautioned that grab samples are spot samples which are typically, but not exclusively, constrained to mineralization. Grab samples are selective in nature and collected to determine the presence or absence of mineralization and are not intended to be representative of the material sampled.

About Goliath Resources Limited

Goliath Resources Limited is an explorer of precious metals projects in the prolific Golden Triangle of northwestern British Columbia and Abitibi Greenstone Belt of Quebec. All of its projects are in world class geological settings and geopolitical safe jurisdictions amenable to mining in Canada.

For more information please contact: Goliath Resources Limited Mr. Roger Rosmus Founder and CEO Tel: +1-416-488-2887 x222 [email protected] www.goliathresourcesltd.com

* Widths are reported in drill core lengths and the true widths are not known as well AuEq metal values are calculated using: Au 1792.60 USD/oz, Ag 23.13 USD/oz, Cu 4.37 USD/lbs, Pb 1.05 USD/lbs and Zn 1.52 USD/lbs on November 28, 2021. There is potential for economic recovery of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc from these occurrences based on other mining and exploration projects in the same Golden Triangle Mining Camp where Goliaths project is located such as the Homestake Ridge Gold Project (Auryn Resources Technical Report, Updated Mineral Resource Estimate and Preliminary Economic Assessment on the Homestake Ridge Gold Project, prepared by Minefill Services Inc. (Bothell, Washington), dated May 29, 2020. Here, AuEq values were calculated using 3-year running averages for metal price, and included provisions for metallurgical recoveries, treatment charges, refining costs, and transportation. Recoveries for Gold were 85.5%, Silver at 74.6%, Copper at 74.6% and Lead at 45.3%. It will be assumed that Zinc can be recovered with the Copper at the same recovery rate of 74.6%. The quoted reference of metallurgical recoveries is not from Goliaths Golddigger Project, Surebet Zone mineralization, and there is no guarantee that such recoveries will ever be achieved, unless detailed metallurgical work such as in a Feasibility Study can be eventually completed on the Golddigger Project.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange), nor the OTCQB Venture Market accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Goliaths current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to, among other things, the ability of Company to complete the financings and its ability to build value for its shareholders as it develops its mining properties. Various assumptions or factors are typically applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking information. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to Goliath. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that the proposed transactions will occur, or that if the proposed transactions do occur, will be completed on the terms described above.

The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and Goliath is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

This announcement does not constitute an offer, invitation, or recommendation to subscribe for or purchase any securities and neither this announcement nor anything contained in it shall form the basis of any contract or commitment. In particular, this announcement does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, securities in the United States, or in any other jurisdiction in which such an offer would be illegal.

The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to or for the account or benefit of a U.S. person (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

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.

Infographic 1 Infographic 1 Infographic 2 Infographic 2 Infographic 3 Infographic 3 Infographic 4 Infographic 4 Infographic 5 Infographic 5

Source: Goliath Resources Limited
Press Release

Outside trading hours  Regulated information*

Brussels, Sofia, 7 July 2022 (5.45 p.m. CEST)

KBC completes acquisition of Raiffeisen Bank International's Bulgarian operations

Today, KBC Bank and Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) completed the deal announced on 15 November 2021 concerning the acquisition of 100% of the shares of Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria) EAD, which is responsible for the banking operations of RBI in Bulgaria.

The transaction also includes Raiffeisenbank Bulgarias fully owned subsidiaries Raiffeisen Leasing Bulgaria, Raiffeisen Asset Management (Bulgaria), Raiffeisen Insurance Broker and Raiffeisen Service.

The acquisition, worth a total of 1 009 million euros paid in cash, reflects the quality of the Raiffeisen franchise in Bulgaria and the potential for synergy. The transaction will have a capital impact of around -1 pp on KBC Groups CET1 in 3Q2022.

Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria) has systematically developed its banking activities since entering the market in 1994. It is one of Bulgarias leading universal banks, offering a full range of banking, asset management, leasing and insurance services to individuals, SMEs and business customers.

The bank ranks sixth with a local market share of 7.9% in assets and 8.4% in loans. Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria) has a network of 122 bank branches across the country which are complemented by a network of mobile banking advisors, external partners and credit intermediaries. Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria) has 2 500 employees and serves 635 000 customers.

The transaction* also includes:

Raiffeisen Leasing Bulgaria, the fourth largest leasing company in Bulgaria (10.5% market share)

Raiffeisen Asset Management (Bulgaria), the third largest asset management company in Bulgaria (9.7% market share and 106 million euros of assets under management)

Raiffeisen Insurance Broker, which serves the leasing and business customers of Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria) and distributes products from 12 insurance companies (1% market share)

Raiffeisen Service

Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria)'s risk appetite/risk profile and compliance governance are similar to those of KBC Group.

The strong credit rating of UBB, which is the highest credit rating among banks in Bulgaria and 2 notches higher than that of Bulgaria as a country, indicated by Fitch rating agency, confirms that UBB is consistently a reference on the Bulgarian market in terms of financial strength and stability. Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria) and UBB will merge their operations, allowing KBC to further strengthen its position in the Bulgarian banking market. The pro forma combined entity (UBB and Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria)) would achieve a 19.3% market share in terms of assets (compared to 11.4% for UBB today), making it the biggest bank in Bulgaria.

Johan Thijs, CEO of KBC Group, is pleased with the completion of this acquisition: Over the past 15 years, KBC Group has established itself as the biggest investor in Bulgaria, taking the leading position as part of the consolidation of Bulgarias financial sector. The Belgian KBC Groups Bulgarian business is a successful example of building a sustainable bank-insurance model in accordance with KBCs strategy for its core markets. By acquiring Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria) and its subsidiaries, we will now ensure high-quality financial intermediation for over 2.5 million Bulgarian customers. We would like to offer a warm welcome to our new customers and colleagues joining our big family!

Peter Andronov, CEO International Markets of KBC Group, added: This acquisition once again serves to underline our commitment to the Bulgarian market and our support for the Bulgarian economy. The clear focus on innovation and digitalisation combined with high customer satisfaction will allow us to further expand our Bulgarian operations and consolidate our leadership position on the Bulgarian financial market together with the staff and management team.

Peter Roebben, Country CEO for KBC Group in Bulgaria, concluded: The acquisition of Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria) further strengthens KBC Groups leading position as the top integrated financial group in the country. We are fully prepared to quickly and decisively proceed with the merger of Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria) and UBB. In particular, we will ensure that we pay proper attention to the needs of our customers and staff throughout this process. This is an exciting moment: a new banking leader is emerging in Bulgaria, and we are committed to making a positive impact for all stakeholders.

For more information, please contact:

Viviane Huybrecht, General Manager, Corporate Communication/Spokesperson, KBC Group

Tel + 32 2 429 85 45 - [email protected]

Investor Relations, KBC Group

[email protected]

* This news item contains information that is subject to transparency regulations for listed companies.



KBC Group NV



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Corporate Communication /Spokesperson



Tel. + 32 2 429 85 45







Press Office



Tel. + 32 2 429 65 01 Stef Leunens



Tel. + 32 2 429 29 15 Ilse De Muyer



Tel. + 32 2 429 32 88 Pieter Kusse



Tel. + 32 2 429 85 44 Sofie Spiessens



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* Market data upon announcement on 15 November 2021



Attachment
COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mettler-Toledo International Inc. (NYSE: MTD) today announced it will host a conference call to discuss the Company's quarterly results on Friday, July 29, 2022 at 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time. To hear a live webcast of the call, visit www.mt.com/investors on the Company's website. A replay of the webcast will be available until August 5, 2022.

METTLER TOLEDO (NYSE: MTD) is a leading global supplier of precision instruments and services. We have strong leadership positions in all of our businesses and believe we hold global number-one market positions in most of them. We are recognized as an innovation leader and our solutions are critical in key R&D, quality control, and manufacturing processes for customers in a wide range of industries including life sciences, food, and chemicals. Our sales and service network is one of the most extensive in the industry. Our products are sold in more than 140 countries and we have a direct presence in approximately 40 countries. With proven growth strategies and a focus on execution, we have achieved a long-term track record of strong financial performance. For more information, please visit www.mt.com.
ATLANTA, GA, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI), an online child care training provider dedicated exclusively to the early care and education workforce, is proud to introduce HLTH112: Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse to the online child care training course catalog.

Child care professionals often find themselves on the front lines in the fight against child abuse and neglect. That is because, aside from family members, child care professionals are likely to spend more time with children than anyone else. As a result, they are often in a position to identify possible signs of abuse and neglect. Moreover, aside from moral obligations, child care professionals are legally required to report suspected signs of maltreatment to the proper authorities.

It is also important for child care professionals to know what constitutes child maltreatment and preventative strategies because, unfortunately, they are sometimes reported as perpetrators. This is why ongoing training on this topic is essential for keeping children safe. A caregiver might be the one that helps a child out of an abusive situation. Their actions will serve the childs best interests and may save a life. ECE professionals have the power to change all childrens lives, especially a neglected child who has experienced maltreatment.

This course covers important information about child maltreatment, including abuse and neglect. Throughout the course, students will learn about different types of child maltreatment, signs of abuse and neglect, and the behavioral, social, and emotional impact of maltreatment on children at different ages. Participants will also gain an understanding of their responsibilities as a mandated reporter of child abuse and neglect.

"Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions, and at all levels of education," says Maria C. Taylor, President and CEO of CCEI. Therefore, all teachers and caregivers need to be aware of the signs and reporting procedures, no matter where they live or work.

HLTH112: Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse is a two-hour, beginner-level course and grants 0.2 IACET CEU upon successful completion. Current CCEI users with active, unlimited annual subscriptions can register for professional development courses at no additional cost when logged in to their CCEI account. Users without subscriptions can purchase child care training courses as block hours through CCEI online enrollment.

For more information, visit www.cceionline.edu or call 1.800.499.9907, prompt 3, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. EDT

ChildCare Education Institute, LLC

ChildCare Education Institute, a division of Excelligence Learning Corporation, provides high-quality, distance education certificates and child care training programs in an array of child care settings, including preschool centers, family child care, prekindergarten classrooms, nanny care, online daycare training and more. Over 150 English and Spanish child care training courses are available online to meet licensing, recognition program, and Head Start Requirements. CCEI also has online certification programs that provide the coursework requirement for national credentials including the CDA, Director and Early Childhood Credentials. CCEI, a Council for Professional Recognition CDA Gold Standard training provider, is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and is accredited as an Authorized Provider by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).

Attachments

Ashley Sasher ChildCare Education Institute 678-942-1531 [email protected]

Source: ChildCare Education Institute
Mountlake Terrace, Wash., July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Premera today announced Amy Humphreys has been named chair of the Board of Directors. Humphreys replaces Jack Heath, President and Chief Operating Officer of Washington Trust Bank, whose term as the chair expired. Heath remains on the board.

Amy is a tremendous leader who has brought significant value to Premera since joining the board in 2017, said Jeffrey Roe, President and CEO of Premera. Though new to healthcare, she quickly grasped the keys to our business and has thoughtfully engaged both Premeras board and management in pursuing our purpose of improving customers lives by making healthcare work better.

Humphreys has 25 years of experience in manufacturing, commodities, global marketing, and distribution, including holding executive leadership positions with large privately held companies across several industries, such as seafood, dairy, and petroleum.

Navigating the healthcare system can be a daunting challenge, even more so when youre experiencing an unexpected health issue. Having an advocate at your side is crucial in moments like this, Humphreys said. What drew me to Premera is how the company embraces its role as an advocate for its members. Im honored to serve on a board, and now as the chair, which is truly working to make a difference in healthcare.

Humphreys also has strong roots in the Alaska business community through her past leadership roles with American Seafoods, one of Alaska's largest whitefish suppliers, Alaska seafood processor Icicle Seafoods, Bristol Bay Seafood Investments and Delta Western Inc., a leading petroleum distribution company operating throughout Alaska.

Humphreys earned an MBA from the University of Washington, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting and finance from the University of Puget Sound.

We are also very grateful for Jacks impact on and dedication to Premera during his time as board chair, Roe said. His leadership as chair was instrumental in the continued growth of our business and evolution of our company.

Heath, who joined the Premera board in 2011, began his tenure as the chair in 2018. While chair, Premeras membership grew to more than 2.75 million members while the company also worked to address the primary care crisis and made significant investments in the community through the Premera Social Impact program.

Thanks to Heaths guidance, Premera has implemented short and long-term strategies to improve primary care for its members. This includes collaborating with Kinwell Medical Group to open primary care clinics across Washington, which exclusively serve people who have Premera Blue Cross, Premera Blue Cross Medicare plans or LifeWise Health Plan of Washington as their primary insurance. Premera is also working to increase the availability of primary care and behavioral health services in rural and remote communities across both Washington and Alaska. Since 2017, Premera has committed more than $100 million in the communities it serves to help improve health outcomes and access to care.

Im proud of the profoundly impactful work Premera has achieved over the last several years, and it has been an honor to serve as the board chair, Heath said. What inspires me about the Premera board, and the company is that leadership doesnt wait on the sidelines. We proactively tackle complex issues and work to make long-lasting changes for Premeras customers.

Heath has held his position at Washington Trust Bank since March 2000. Prior to this, he held numerous positions in commercial banking, marketing, investment services, and branch banking. Heath received a Bachelor of Arts degree in finance from the University of Idaho and an MBA in finance from Gonzaga University.

To learn more about Premeras leadership, visit https://www.premera.com/visitor/executives.

About Premera Blue CrossPremera Blue Cross, a not-for-profit, independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association based in Mountlake Terrace, Wash., is a leading health plan in the Pacific Northwest, providing comprehensive health benefits and tailored services to more than 2.75 million people, from individuals to Fortune 100 companies. For more information, visit www.premera.com.

Courtney Wallace Premera Blue Cross 425-381-8470 [email protected]

Source: Premera Blue Cross
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pure Extracts Technologies Corp. (CSE: PULL) (OTC: PRXTF) (XFRA: A2QJAJ) (Pure Extracts or the Company), a plant-based extraction company focused on cannabis, hemp and the rapidly emerging psychedelic sector, is pleased to provide a brief summary of recent activities.

The Summer season has arrived, and with it a pickup in cannabis sales activity across Canada. Fortunately, despite the continuing oversupply of dry flower in the marketplace, the extraction sector is now experiencing increasing demand and continues to present new and innovative products to consumers as they expand their appetites beyond dry flower.

In fact, we have received purchase orders (POs) from 6 provinces within the last 2 months, including our largest PO received to-date for a mid-six figure amount. Since our last update, our continued expansion across Canada positions the Company to report on several positive activities we can offer our growing base of partners, stakeholders and shareholders alike.

Ontario Market PenetrationIn Ontario, Canadas most populous province, we have expanded our SKU count to 8 products encompassing both THC and CBD vapes as well as THC edibles and ultra-high potency CBD edibles.

Medical Cannabis by Shoppers Drug MartWe recently signed a listing agreement with Shoppers Drug Mart for medical cannabis products and received our first PO. Largest provider of medical cannabis in Canada covering all provinces and two territories, Shoppers Drug Mart represents an opportunity for Pure Extracts to increase its brand awareness nationwide and to expand its product offerings a with a leading health and wellness provider in the country.

Pivot Financial Credit FacilityWe recently entered into a one year credit agreement with Pivot Financial I Limited Partnership for a non-revolving term loan in the aggregate amount of $1,225,000 (the Credit Facility). In connection with the Credit Facility, Pure Extracts has entered into a general security agreement in favour of Pivot on terms and conditions customary in such transactions. The Credit Facility shall be used by Pure Extracts for: (i) re-financing 2 equipment leases, (ii) the purchase of biomass for extraction, (iii) building finished product inventory, and (iv) general working capital purposes.

Market Awareness and Product DistributionPure Extracts products are now listed for sale at licensed outlets throughout British Columbia (BC), Alberta (AB), Saskatchewan (SK), Ontario (ON), New Brunswick (NB) and Nova Scotia.

The product mix encompasses 38 SKUs currently available in respective provincial recreational cannabis market, and further offers 16 SKUs specifically targeting the medical cannabis supply chain, representing over 54 listings nation-wide.

The product lineup has been increased to include 2 important additions: a Pure Pulls branded one-gram, high-potency (90%), botanical terpene infused, THC distillate vape cart called 9 lb Hammer and a Pure Pulls branded one-gram cured resin called Durga Mata. Demand for our 9 lb Hammer is strong and will be our first SKU that is listed in all 6 provinces that our products are sold in. Cured resin has long been popular in the United States and we expect that it will be met with positive consumer uptake here in Canada.

Pure Extracts CBD gummies, offered in their unique blister packaging, continue to report growing market share across the country. Our new large pack format of ultra-high potency CBD gummies offers both 600 mg and 1,000 mg quantities. Medical sales continue to expand through the Abba Medix sales platform, notably in the THC vape and CBD gummie product lineup.

Our in-house services continue to see demand from other licensed producers. The two most active services include our white label and tolling business development for industrial-scale customers. We are pleased to have signed one new white label program for the production of vape cartridges with an initial PO for 10,000 units.

New Product DevelopmentPure Extracts development team sourced a new vape cart manufacturer that provides both cost effective pricing and higher quality than our previous supplier and we are in the midst of switching over to the new carts. The manufacturer has a robust supply chain, meets the highest global manufacturing standards and carries inventory in Canada, thus providing reliable and timely shipping to our Pemberton facility. They also offer bespoke testing at their Canadian lab for new product development and optimization of vape cart configuration.

Our development team is working on a new infused-product and is expected to be executing an unveiling and product launch aimed at new product SKUs targeting the Canadian marketplace within the next quarter. Until then, we are keeping details to a minimum as we hope to earn marketing leverage of a very underserved product mix that we believe will position well with our brand identity and distribution ability.

We also have 2 new SKUs in development to compliment our recently launched high potency vape carts and cured resin products. This will provide additional flavour profiles for consumers to choose from.

Sales & MarketingEnhanced social media & sales support strategy:

Our dedicated Pure Extracts social strategy (Pure Pulls and Pure Chews) now includes daily posting of a curated feed promoting organic engagement across Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

A full complement of sales material has been developed to support sales activities in the field.

Product knowledge training is actively underway for field sales reps and budtenders (both on-site and virtually).

Acquiring timely data directly from dispensaries in order to strengthen our direct dialogue and manage production in-line with demand.

Near Term SummaryWe completed our first product delivery to Nova Scotia at the end of June and we will make our first product delivery to Medical Cannabis by Shoppers Drug Mart this month. Our popular new, high potency distillate vape product, 9 Pound Hammer, also launches across select markets / provinces this month. Next month we will commence deliveries for our expanded listings in Ontario with 6 SKUs currently available throughout the province plus 2 more SKUs coming in October. We continue to develop additional medical SKUs for our two medical cannabis channel partners, Medical Cannabis by Shoppers Drug Mart and Abba Medix, with product availability planned for later this year.

In ConclusionWith the closing of our financing with Pivot Financial, the signing of the listing agreement with Medical Cannabis by Shoppers Drug Mart and the expansion of our product line in Ontario, we have generated positive momentum for the key summer months. We remain focused on growth, innovation, and value generation.

With regards to expansion, we have decided not to proceed with Michigan as a result of declining extract prices in the state and a significant rise in estimated build-out costs and now it appears that other states offer more compelling opportunities which we are continuing to evaluate.

We invite everyone to stay engaged with us, either through social media or by signing up on our website for regular news alerts, because we will have much more to talk about in the months ahead.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARDBen NikolaevskyBen NikolaevskyCEO and Director

About Pure Extracts (CSE: PULL) (OTC: PRXTF) (XFRA: A2QJAJ)

Pure Extracts Technology Corp. features an all-new, state-of-the-art processing facility located just 20 minutes north of world-famous Whistler, British Columbia. The bespoke facility has been constructed to European Union GMP standards aiming towards export sales of products and formulations, including those currently restricted in Canada, into European jurisdictions where they are legally available. Pure Extracts was granted its Standard Processing License by Health Canada under the Cannabis Act on September 25, 2020, and its Sales Amendment on July 19, 2021. The Companys stock began trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) on November 5, 2020.

Find out more at https://pureextractscorp.com/

Or contact:Pure Extracts Investor RelationsTel: +1 604 493 2052[email protected]

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the future operations of Pure Extracts, and the other statements are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the future plans and objectives of Pure Extracts, are forward-looking statements and involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual events, performance or results to differ materially from what is projected in forward looking statements. Although we believe that the assumptions underlying these statements are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect, and we cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Whether actual results, performance or achievements will conform to the Companys expectations and predictions is subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, including those listed under Risk Factors in the Companys Annual Information Form. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except as, and to the extent required by, applicable securities laws.

This news release contains information about potential sales revenue from supply agreements, which may be considered as disclosure of financial outlook under applicable securities laws. Such information is subject to the same assumptions, risk factors, limitations, and qualifications as set forth in the above paragraph. Specifically, estimated sales revenue which may be derived from supply contracts has been calculated based on current wholesale prices and assume, among other things, that the Company will be able to find buyers for its products. The financial outlook contained in this news release was made by management as of the date of this news release and was provided for the purpose of providing readers with an understanding of the potential revenue which may be derived from any agreements recently entered into by the Company, and are not an estimate of profitability or any other measure of financial performance. Readers are cautioned that the financial outlook contained in this document should not be used for purposes other than for which it is disclosed herein.

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

Source: Pure Extracts Technologies Corp.
TORONTO, July 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Q-Gold Resources Ltd (TSXV: QGR, OTC: QGLDF, FRA: QX9G) (Q-Gold or the Company) announces that it has granted an aggregate amount of 2,955,000 stock options to certain directors, officers, employees, and consultants pursuant to its stock option plan. The options may be exercised at a price of $0.07 per option for a period of five years from the date of grant. The grant of options remains subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Q-Gold Resources Ltd. Q-Gold Resources (TSXV: QGR, OTC: QGLDF, FRA: QX9G) is a publicly traded Canada-based mineral exploration company targeting high-grade gold and silver discoveries in multiple jurisdictions. Q-Gold is currently exploring for gold at the past-producing Foley Gold Mine in Mine Centre, Ontario and for silver at the Surupana Property in the silver-rich altiplano region of Peru.

For further information, contact:Dr. Andreas RompelChief Executive OfficerPhone: 416 861 2267E-mail: [email protected]Website: www.qgoldresources.com

Cautionary Notes Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding the grant of incentive stock options, the Companys work plans, the Companys exploration plans and budgets for the Surupana Property and the Foley Gold Mine and the Companys beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. In particular, the company cautions that the completion of the proposed acquisitions cannot be predicted with certainty, and that there can be no assurance at this time that the proposed acquisitions will be completed in the manner noted above or at all. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain expectations, estimates and assumptions which may prove to be incorrect. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, as well as other factors beyond the Company's control. The Company does not undertake to update any forward looking information, except in accordance with 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.

Source: Q-GOLD RESOURCES LTD.
Boise, Idaho, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After an extensive search, SelectHealth is pleased to announce that Geoffrey Swanson, M.D. has been named as the new Medical Director of SelectHealth in Idaho. He will start his new role in August 2022. As the new Idaho Medical Director, Dr. Swanson will be responsible for clinical operations, strategy, and services for the Idaho market.

Dr. Swanson has over 20 years of experience as a family practice physician and most recently served as Chief Medical Officer of MultiCare Rockwood Clinic in Spokane, Washington. In that role, he was the senior physician leader responsible for provider engagement, clinical product, and overall medical group performance. Prior to that, he served as Vice President of Population Health at Asante in southern Oregon and held senior leadership positions at Propel Health in Oregon and with St. Lukes Health Partners in Idaho.

At SelectHealth, Dr. Swanson will focus on his demonstrated success in the organization and integration of large multi-specialty provider groups. SelectHealth is adding an innovative leader with a track record of results-driven achievements and knowledge of integrated health systems, said Ed Castledine, Idaho market president of SelectHealth. In addition to a strong background building provider networks, Dr. Swanson has significant clinical experience and is an excellent fit to drive SelectHealth toward clinical excellence, improved member experience, and best-in-class healthcare delivery in Idaho.

Dr. Swanson is a board-certified family physician and received his medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine. He is currently licensed to practice medicine in Washington and Idaho.

###

About SelectHealthSelectHealth is a nonprofit health plan serving more than one million members in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada. We are committed to helping our members and everyone in our communities stay healthy. In Idaho, SelectHealth and St. Lukes Health System, along with affiliated physicians, have formed an alliance that is transforming healthcare. Through our unique partnership, SelectHealth offers medical plans to individuals, families, and employers, as well as Medicare Advantage enrollees. For more information, please visit selecthealth.org.

Daniel Nelson SelectHealth 801-442-9077 [email protected]

Source: SelectHealth
THE WOODLANDS, TX, July 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire  SPYR, INC. (OTCQB: SPYR), a diversified technology company developing products leveraging the Internet of Things (Iot) for consumer use and large-scale applications and industries, today issued the following statements regarding recent promotional activity brought to the Companys attention by OTC Markets. This press release is being issued at the request of OTC Markets.

On July 1, 2022, OTC Markets contacted the Company concerning email promotional activity regarding the Companys common stock by two firms: Penny Picks and the Wolf of Penny Stocks. On January 11, 2022, the Company retained Emerging Markets Consulting, LLC to provide investor relations services. On January 19, 2022, the Company issued a press release announcing the engagement of Emerging Markets (https://www.accesswire.com/684461/SPYR-Technologies-Is-Pleased-To-Announce-Emerging-Markets-Consulting-LLC-EMC-Has-Been-Retained-To-Provide-InvestorPublic-Relations-Services). Upon inquiry, Emerging Markets separately retained Penny Picks and the Wolf of Penny Stocks. Concerning the email marketing identified by OTC Markets, the Company reviewed and approved only the factual content for accuracy against its previously authorized press releases. As to the factual statements made by Penny Picks or the Wolf of Penny Stocks in the example pieces, the Company believes that the facts stated were accurate. The Company has no direct or indirect knowledge of the effect, if any, that the marketing may have had on the trading of the Companys common stock, although the volume of common shares traded increased on June 28 2022.

Except with respect to the Companys review and approval of the factual content in the email pieces, and after inquiry of management, no directors, officers, control persons, or any controlling shareholders (defined as shareholders owning 10% or more of the companys securities), have, directly or indirectly, been involved in any way (including payment of a third-party) with the creation, distribution, or payment of promotional materials related to the Company and its securities. Emerging Markets separately retained Penny Picks and the Wolf of Penny Stocks. Further, the Company independently confirmed that no Company officer, director, or third-party service provider, has sold any Company securities during the previous 90 days.

During the past 12 months, the Company retained IRTH Communications, LLC, Investor Business Network, Emerging Markets Consulting, LLC, and Integrity Media, Inc. to provide investor relations services, public relations services, marketing, or other related services including for the promotion of the Company or its securities.

In order to finance its operations, the Company has entered into convertible notes. The Company disclosed these notes in its most recent Commission filing on Form 10-K, on pages 29-30, which may be accessed at the Companys Edgar page using this link:

https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/829325/000182912622008282/spyrinc_10k.htm

SPYR, Inc. encourages those interested in investing in the Company to rely solely on information included in its authorized press releases and with its filings and disclosures made with the Securities and Exchange Commission (available on the SEC's website and on the Companys website). All press releases issued by the Company are reviewed by outside securities counsel and confirmed by the Company for factual accuracy.

About SPYR Technologies

SPYR Technologies (SPYR) is a technology company which, through its subsidiary Applied Magix Inc., develops and resells Apple ecosystem compatible products, with an emphasis on the growing multibillion-dollar IoT smart home and connected car markets and also through its subsidiary GeoTraq develops and manufactures fully entirely self-contained, ultra-small Mobile mobile IoT (Internet of Things) modules: Trackertracker-M modules for asset tracking and location-based services, and Sensorsensor-M modules used for remote monitoring. SPYR continues to identify and target acquisitions that will grow its footprint in the industry and expand the products it offers consumers, including companies developing artificial intelligence (AI) and smart technology products.

About GeoTraq

We have a vision for a simple, smart, connected world. We empower that vision through our self-contained, fully integrated mobile IoT modules. Our modules are designed with a small plug-and-play form factor for easy attachment of antenna, battery and sensors. Combined with low-cost connectivity, GeoTraq creates real ROI for all customers.

About Applied Magix

Applied Magix, Inc. develops and resells Apple ecosystem compatible products in the growing multibillion-dollar IoT smart home and connected car markets.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements include, but are not limited to, any statements relating to our growth strategy and product development programs and any other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on managements current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could negatively affect our business, operating results, financial condition and stock price. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. Investor Contact: (303) 991-8000 [email protected]

Company Contact Info:

SPYR Inc.6700 Woodlands Parkway, Ste 230 #331The Woodlands, TX 77382Email: [email protected]

Investor Relations & Financial MediaIntegrity Media Inc.[email protected]Toll Free: (888) 216-3595www.IntegrityMedia.com

Source: SPYR Technologies
LOS ANGELES, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TCI Dedicated Transportation Companies (TCI) and Command Delivery Systems, Inc. (CDS) have merged to unite their transportation businesses. This union enables both companies to fully align their efforts with their mutual goal of ensuring future success and exceptional service for the Automotive Parts Distribution industry. Work will continue to be conducted under the brand of Command Delivery Systems (CDS), but TCI Environmental Services, Inc. will be the legal entity.

For more than 30 years, CDS has served the automotive industry by transporting new car replacement parts from manufacturers to dealers in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. Since 1978, TCI Transportation has provided a variety of services and now consists of a large network of partners and customers across the U.S. Given that CDS is an expert in the pickup and delivery of parts and TCI is a leader in all facets of the trucking industry, this merger comes naturally.

The leadership team overseeing this transition brings a combined 65 years of experience to the table. Members of the team from CDS include Founder and President Greg Selmanson, and Director of Operations Juan Martinez, and from TCI include Co-Presidents Andrew Flynn and Ryan Flynn. As a result of their complementary strengths, both companies expect many opportunities to emerge from this union.

"The synergies between our organizations are tremendous," said Ryan Flynn. "CDS brings excellence in auto parts consolidation and distribution. TCI brings world-class safety, maintenance, recruiting and back office support. Combining the strengths of both companies will help extend our auto parts distribution services to additional shippers while expanding our footprint into more of the regions TCI currently operates in."

With CDS being the newest addition to TCI Environmental Services, it will continue working to develop a broader transportation network while maintaining a focus on its employees and the community at large. The plans for expansion will not only create more jobs, but existing employees will enjoy ongoing training and future growth opportunities as well. In addition to developing new strategies for growth, CDS will be continuing investment in new and innovative equipment, including alternative fuel vehicles. Both TCI and CDS are also looking to add new locations and offer additional transportation services to their respective customers.

"I want to thank the many dedicated CDS employees for their years of hard work and commitment," said Greg Selmanson. "I couldn't be prouder of the culture we've built or the service we've consistently provided to our customers. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to continue to grow the business with Andrew and Ryan Flynn."

During a time when industries are experiencing shortages and perpetual changes, the merger of successful companies like TCI and CDS is a shining example of the many opportunities still available. As these teams continue to keep their shared values central to their work and maintain their strong commitment to stakeholders, customers, and employees, this merger helps to demonstrate that sustainable success can be possible when business leaders prioritize the people that keep them operating.

"CDS is a great fit for TCI, and we feel the cultures and service levels will line up perfectly," said Andrew Flynn. "TCI already operates various dedicated systems and has multiple facilities across the region Command operates in and we look forward to growing the auto parts distribution portion of the business as part of the Command division."

Media Contact:Ryan FlynnPresident[email protected](602) 330-3599

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Source: TCI Transportation
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teck Resources Limited (TSX: TECK.A and TECK.B, NYSE: TECK) (Teck) today announced the following senior vice president appointments.

Jeff Hanman has been appointed Senior Vice President, Sustainability and External Affairs, effective July 1, 2022. Mr. Hanman succeeds Marcia Smith, who will transition to retirement at the end of September 2022.

Mr. Hanman brings to the role more than 20 years of experience. He joined Teck in 2011 and has held numerous senior leadership roles since that time, including those in corporate affairs, mine operations, environment and sustainability, and Indigenous engagement. Mr. Hanman most recently held the position of Vice President, Sustainable Development with Tecks steelmaking coal business unit. He is the past Chair of the Mining Association of British Columbia, an Executive Member of the Business Council of British Columbia and has completed Harvard Business Schools Advanced Management Program.

Jeffs extensive experience from across many areas of Teck make him well suited to lead the evolution and implementation of our Sustainability Strategy and help drive strong sustainability performance across our business, said Don Lindsay, President and CEO. I would like to thank Marcia for her many outstanding contributions to Teck during her 12 years with our company and wish her the best in her retirement.

Tyler Mitchelson has been appointed Senior Vice President, Copper Growth, effective July 4, 2022.

Mr. Mitchelson most recently held the role of CEO, Metallurgical Coal, with Anglo American Metallurgical Coal in Australia. He brings to the role more than 25 years of experience in the global mining sector and a strong background in operational leadership, business development and improvement, and large-scale project development. Mr. Mitchelson holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Manitoba and a Chartered Accountant designation.

This new role and the experience and expertise that Tyler brings to it will be an important part of continuing to advance Tecks balanced copper growth strategy, said Mr. Lindsay.

About TeckAs one of Canadas leading mining companies, Teck is committed to responsible mining and mineral development with major business units focused on copper, zinc, and steelmaking coal, as well as investments in energy assets. Copper, zinc and high-quality steelmaking coal are required for the transition to a low-carbon world. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, Tecks shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols TECK.A and TECK.B and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TECK. Learn more about Teck at www.teck.com or follow @TeckResources.

Teck Media Contact:Chris StannellPublic Relations Manager 604.699.4368[email protected]

Teck Investor Contact:Fraser PhillipsSenior Vice President, Investor Relations and Strategic Analysis604.699.4621[email protected]

Source: Teck Resources Ltd
Chicago, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trauma-informed yoga (TIY) approaches the practice of yoga through a lens that is needed for symptoms of trauma, which is often part of substance use and eating disorders. Yoga is particularly useful for these disorders because it encourages a mindful focus on oneself to be in the present moment. It also cues mindful breath to yoga movement from a trauma-informed approach that has been reported to reduce anxiety and depression.

Trauma resides in the body, said Elisabeth Nuesser, E-RYT, TIY, RCYT, trauma-informed yoga facilitator at Timberline Knolls. Those traumatic experiences become embedded, not only from a psychological stance, but also physiologically. The fascia system (connective tissue that surround and hold every organ, blood vessel, bone, nerve fiber, and muscle) also activates, and that energy gets stuck in bodily systems. This can lead to substance use and eating disorders. By practicing TIY and utilizing breathwork, yoga postures, and mindfulness, this energy can be released from the body, and healing is restored.

Women who have experienced trauma often have a difficult time attuning to their bodies. Therefore, there is a great disruption within their regulatory system that then creates intensity for them to be able to withstand physical, sensory, or emotional experiences within their bodies. Trauma-informed yoga paves a healing pathway for women who are struggling with an eating disorder by offering a gentler approach that is nondirective verbiage, which, in turn, empowers the person and allows them to be curious about the decisions they make about their body in a safe, inviting environment.

Yoga is also a holistic modality for eating disorders because it increases awareness of the mind/body connection. Women who struggle with an eating disorder tend to ruminate on perfectionism and negative self-talk. Mindfulness practices in yoga relax their mind and support their parasympathetic nervous system.

Yoga poses recommended for substance use disorders and eating disorders include:

1. Mountain pose: This pose is one of the easiest yoga postures for individuals to learn and get into. It helps combat mental health concerns and disorientation, improves balance by grounding to the earth, and helps with gut health.

2. Cobra pose: This pose helps with digestive issues like constipation, improves mental clarity, and has calming effects. This pose can also help with cravings.

3. Seated forward fold: This pose is also very calming for the central nervous system. Holding this pose for three to five minutes can counteract an impulse when having a craving to use.

When you are in recovery working through addictive behaviors, you are processing through a great deal of discomfort, adds Nuesser. When your sympathetic nervous system is consistently on the go, one cannot remain present  there is a total disconnect from the mind and body. When practicing yoga led by a trauma-informed yoga facilitator, these discomforts start to take a new experience within. These new experiences increase the behavior threshold in a positive and safe way. Those prior discomforts once lived now unfold into relaxation, calmness, acceptance, and the brain neurotransmitter  GABA  is released. All of these combined create healthy triggers that transcend into total body/mind wellness.

About Timberline Knolls:

Timberline Knolls is a leading residential treatment center for women and adolescent girls age 12 and older who are struggling with eating disorders, substance abuse, trauma, and mood and co-occurring disorders. Located in suburban Chicago on a picturesque, 43-acre wooded campus, Timberline Knolls provides residents with excellent clinical care from a highly trained professional staff. An adult partial hospitalization program (PHP) and intensive outpatient program (IOP) with supportive housing are also available in nearby Orland Park, Ill., for women to step down or directly admit. For more information about Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center, call (877) 257-9611. We are also on Facebook  Timberline Knolls, LinkedIn  Timberline Knolls, and Twitter  @TimberlineToday.

Attachment

MaryAnne Morrow Timberline Knolls 602-359-6989 [email protected]

Source: Timberline Knolls
FILE PHOTO: Airplane model is placed on displayed Spirit Airlines and jetBlue Airways logos in this illustration taken, June 21, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustrations/File Photo

By Anirban Sen and Svea Herbst-Bayliss

(Reuters) - Spirit Airlines Inc said it has postponed a shareholder vote scheduled for Friday on its $2.4 billion sale to Frontier Group Holdings Inc so its board can continue discussions with both Frontier and JetBlue Airways.

Reuters first reported the planned delay.

Over the past few months, JetBlue and Frontier, led by influential airline investor Bill Franke, have repeatedly sweentened their bids for Spirit, seeking to create the fifth largest U.S. airline.

The Spirit shareholder vote, which has been delayed twice before, is being pushed back for a third time to give Spirit and JetBlue time to finalize a deal, sources told Reuters, requesting anonymity as the discussions are confidential.

Spirit said it now plans to hold a special meeting on July 15.

JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said in a statement the airline was "encouraged by our discussions with Spirit and are hopeful they now recognize that Spirit shareholders have indicated their clear, overwhelming preference for an agreement with JetBlue."

JetBlue submitted a sweetened $3.7 billion all-cash bid last month but Spirit has been reluctant to accept JetBlue's much more financially attractive offer due to concerns that antitrust regulators may reject it, according to the sources.

JetBlue is already facing a lawsuit from the U.S. Justice Department over its partnership with American Airlines in the New York and Boston areas.

There is no certainty JetBlue will provide Spirit the necessary assurances on the regulatory front to reach a deal and Frontier, which has already improved its offer, may come back with a new bid, the sources added.

The Frontier deal is also expected to face antitrust scrutiny. But Spirit and some analysts say that deal has a better chance of getting a nod from regulators.

Both bidders view Spirit as an opportunity to expand their domestic footprints and reshape the U.S. airline industry, which is largely dominated by four domestic carriers. An acquisition by either bidder would come at a time when the industry is currently grappling with labor and aircraft shortages.

Last week, Spirit was forced to postpone the shareholder vote until July 8. The sources said it did not have enough shareholders to back the Frontier deal at the time.

(Reporting by Anirban Sen and Svea Herbst-Bayliss in New York and David Shepardson in Washington; additional reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh; Editing by Greg Roumeliotis, Bill Berkrot and Edwina Gibbs)
San Diego, CA - (NewMediaWire) - July 06, 2022 - Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTC: MJNA) (the Company), the first-ever publicly traded cannabis company in the United States that launched the worlds first-ever cannabis-derived nutraceutical products, brands, and supply chain, announced today that its subsidiary HempMeds is collaborating with Hospital del Cruce to conduct the first study in Argentina on the efficiency of CBD as a treatment for epilepsy in adults. The company will be donating its hemp-derived RSHO-X 5,000mg CBD products for the study.

The Ministry of Health of Argentina has authorized Hospital del Cruce, the leading research venue in Argentina, to import HempMeds products and execute the study. The study, led by Dr. Silvia Kochen, a renowned neurologist who works as the Executive Director of Neuroscience Studies and Complex Systems at the Epilepsy Center of Hospital del Cruce, will become part of a broad scientific evidence initiative on the usage of CBD for the treatment of epilepsy.

According to Dr. Silvia Kochen, There is little scientific evidence in Latin America that supports the advantages of CBD as a treatment for neurodegenerative disorders, and most of the research done by other researchers focuses on pediatric patients. With this new research, we will obtain broader information that will be a valuable asset for Latin American health authorities to understand and acknowledge the potential therapeutic capabilities of CBD.

Participating in this research study is an honor for our Company because it reinforces the safety and efficacy of our products and will open doors to more free access to cannabis-based products around the world, said Medical Marijuana, Inc. CEO Blake Schroeder.

We have been involved in CBD research efforts in Latin America since 2017, collaborating with top medical doctors and organizations. For example, we have worked with Dr. Carlos Aguirre, a renowned neurologist in Mexico who has published two research studies that provide significant evidence for CBD as a complementary treatment for pediatric refractory and pediatric drug-resistant seizures, added HempMeds CEO Raul Elizalde. In addition to our consumer sales program which operates around the world, we want to be well understood by medical professionals and organizations as a resource in Latin America and this collaboration with Hospital del Cruce is a great step in doing so.

About HempMeds

Founded in 2012, HempMeds was the first company to bring hemp-based cannabidiol (CBD) oil products to market in the U.S., Brazil and Mexico. As a subsidiary of Medical Marijuana, Inc., HempMeds is the exclusive distributor for premium brands such as Real Scientific Hemp Oil. The Company operates in all 50 states and throughout Latin America in countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and more. HempMeds is one of the only companies to have its CBD products listed in the Prescribers Digital Reference (PDR), the only company invited to speak to the World Health Organization and FDA on the benefits of CBD, and one of the first to be certified by the U.S. Hemp Authority. To learn more, please visit www.hempmedspx.com.

About Medical Marijuana, Inc.

We are a company of firsts. Medical Marijuana, Inc. (MJNA) is a cannabis company with three distinct business units in the non-psychoactive cannabinoid space: a global portfolio of cannabinoid-based nutraceutical brands led by Kannaway and HempMeds; a pioneer in sourcing the highest-quality legal non-psychoactive cannabis products derived from industrial hemp; and a cannabinoid-based clinical research and botanical drug development sector led by its pharmaceutical investment companies and partners including AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc. and Neuropathix. Medical Marijuana, Inc. was named a top CBD producer by CNBC. Medical Marijuana, Inc. was also the first company to receive historic import permits for CBD products from the governments of Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Paraguay and is a leader in the development of international markets. The company's flagship product Real Scientific Hemp Oil has been used in several successful clinical studies throughout Mexico and Brazil to understand its safety and efficacy.

Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s headquarters is in San Diego, California, and additional information is available at OTCMarkets.com or by visiting www.medicalmarijuanainc.com. To see Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s corporate video, click here.

FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Medical Marijuana, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein.

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) DISCLOSURE

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

LEGAL DISCLOSURE

Medical Marijuana, Inc. does not sell or distribute any products that are in violation of the United States Controlled Substances Act.

CONTACT:

Public Relations Contact:

Kathryn Brown

Account Director

CMW Media

P. 858-264-6600

[email protected]

www.cmwmedia.com

Investor Relations Contact:

P. (858) 283-4016

[email protected]
Orlando, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - July 6, 2022) - GFG Solutions, a provider of financial solutions and planning for business owners, today announced the growth of its comprehensive financial services suite. With a focus on guiding the financial decisions of businesses, the company has expanded its operations to onboard more emerging businesses.





Claudio Gambin



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8723/129849_bdd309b34404ca9e_001full.jpg

The president and financial advisor, Claudio Gambin, said: "I've always had a passion for working with business owners in their first and second stages. I am so excited to see our company growing and providing services that can help these businesses thrive."

Claudio started his career as an intern in the financial services business and quickly gravitated toward the field of advising and consulting. He soon became a full-time Financial Advisor in 2010 and went on to open his own firm, GFG Solutions, in 2018. Under his presidency, he and his team work closely with clients to help them reach their wealth goals.

GFG Solutions provides various financial services, including Asset Protection, Tax Planning, Cash Flow Planning and Exit Planning. The firm has also launched group benefits and payroll services to add further value to their business owner clients It has been leading the way in the industry by offering a combination of high-quality services, cutting-edge technology, and deep execution strategies.

Along with the company's growth, Claudio seeks to accentuate its capacity, capabilities, and team with both existing and expected brand partners while continuing to build on the company's reputation for its "white-glove" service levels and commitment to its client's success.

With an advanced and innovative suite of services in the industry, GFG Solutions will be providing stronger holistic financial guidance. Throughout the growth, the company is planning to continue its evaluation of new product offerings that enable ease of financial success for its clients.

In an interview, Claudio stated: "I believe that businesses and individuals should always be looking to uplift their financial decisions. There is always room for improvement, no matter how successful you are."

By reducing friction and creating efficiencies, the company plans to bring borderless and democratised financial ecosystems to elevate global businesses and citizens.

About GFG Solutions

GFG Solutions is a financial services company that was created to help businesses move from relationship value to enterprise value. The company was founded in 2018 by Claudio Gambin and offers a variety of services, including risk management, tax planning and strategies, key objective planning, and exit and legacy planning. At the core, the company has a team of financial planners that works on simplifying the complexities of businesses' and individuals' finances and makes financial goals a reality. Recently, Claudio was also featured amongst the top 30 entrepreneurs of the year in 2022.

Media Details

Name: Claudio Gambin

Designation: President and financial advisor of GFG Solutions

Location: Orlando



E-mail: [email protected]

Websites: https://gfgsolutions.com/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/129849
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2022) - Glow LifeTech Corp. (CSE: GLOW) (OTCQB: GLWLF) (FSE: 9DO) ("Glow" or the "Company"), is pleased to provide an update on commercial operations, cannabis-related development activities and clinical studies related to its proprietary MyCell-enhanced products.

Glow is now focused on the final stages of development of proprietary CBD (cannabidiol) and THC1(tetrahydrocannabinol) water-soluble ingredients in preparation for launch in Canada. With Glow's licensed cannabis processing space now built out and equipment successfully commissioned earlier this year, the company has been actively developing a diverse portfolio of high-bioavailability cannabis ingredients and new proprietary technologies to expand the Company's portfolio of solutions.

"We are excited to be in the final stages of development of our proprietary cannabis ingredients, after facing considerable COVID-related supply chain delays in 2021," said Tom Glawdel, Chief Operating Officer, Glow LifeTech. "Our MyCell enhanced ingredients are well positioned to unlock a new era of more effective, fast-acting and great tasting products and we look forward to our commercial launch throughout North America."

The Company's MyCell Technology is an advanced delivery system that transforms poorly absorbed cannabinoids, like CBD and THC, into water-soluble concentrates that have fast-acting onset, high-absorption and precise dosing.

Ongoing Activities

Glow is engaged with a renowned branding firm and is in the late stages of establishing a refreshed brand identity that reflects the cutting-edge performance and quality of its technology and products. The Company is also pleased to report the completion of the recruitment phase of the ongoing clinical study on patients with long COVID syndrome, to assess the impact of its proprietary natural health product Artemic Support, which features MyCell Technology.2

Glow's portfolio of high-performance water-soluble cannabis ingredient solutions will unlock a step-change in what's possible with cannabis-infused products, enabling partner brands to easily innovate and differentiate with high-value products that are more effective, fast-acting, consistent and deliver predictable dosing. The versatility of MyCell enhanced concentrates allows them to power a variety of product formats including: droppers, beverages, foods, topicals, and capsules.

Cannabis Market Growth

Cannabis is one of the fastest-growing industries globally, with the global legal marijuana market size valued at USD 13.2 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.5% from 2022 to 20303. The cannabis-infused categories are among the fastest growing segments in the market, with edibles and beverages growing +30% and +63% respectively in the U.S.4In Canada, cannabis retailers experienced record sales of CAD $3.9 billion 2021, representing +50% year-over-year growth from 2020, according to federal data agency Statistics Canada.5

SUBSCRIBE: For more information on Glow or to subscribe to the Company's mail list visit: https://www.glowlifetech.com/news.

About Glow LifeTech Corp.

Glow LifeTech is a Canadian-based biotechnology company focused on producing nutraceutical and cannabinoid-based products with dramatically enhanced bioavailability, absorption and effectiveness. Glow has rights to the groundbreaking, plant-based MyCell Technology delivery system, which transforms poorly absorbed natural compounds into enhanced water-compatible concentrates that unlock the full healing potential of the valuable compounds.

Website: www.glowlifetech.com

Contact:

James Van Staveren

Glow LifeTech Corp.

TF. 855-442-GLOW (4569)

ir@glowlifetech.com

Forward-looking Information Cautionary Statement

Except for statements of historic fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. 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. 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 including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the CSE. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the commercialization plans for the technology 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. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.

1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrahydrocannabinol

2https://www.glowlifetech.com/news-blog/glow-lifetech-announces-commencement-of-clinical-study-of-artemic-support-featuring-mycell-technology-on-patients-with-long-covid

3https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/legal-marijuana-market

4https://bdsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/BDSA-Cannabis-Infused-Foods-and-Beverages-2.pdf

5Statistics Canada. Table 20-10-0008-01 Retail trade sales by province and territory

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/130284
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2022) - Independence Gold Corp. (TSXV: IGO) (OTCQB: IEGCF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the final assay results from its 4,200 metre ("m") winter drill program at its 100% owned 3Ts Project, located approximately 185 kilometres ("km") southwest of Prince George, British Columbia and situated 16 km southwest of Artemis Gold Inc.'s Blackwater Project.

The winter drill program was designed to infill significant gaps within historical drilling of the Tommy and Ted-Mint vein systems, but also test new targets identified during the 2021 exploration and geophysical programs. Core samples were also collected over a broader range of host rocks to test for the potential of lower grade mineralization occurring around the veins.

A National Instrument 43-101 compliant inferred resource estimate has been calculated for the Tommy and Ted-Mint vein systems, using a 1 gram per tonne ("g/t") gold ("Au") cut-off grade, with the total inferred resource for these vein systems of 5,452,000 tonnes grading 2.52 g/t Au and 71.5 g/t silver ("Ag") for 441,000 contained ounces of Au and 12,540,000 contained ounces of Ag (authored by Allan Armitage Ph.D., P.Geo, 2014 - see news release dated May 6, 2014). All data from this drill program and those since 2014 (10,997 m) will be included in an updated resource estimate expected during the summer of 2022.

Drill holes 3TS-22-06, 3TS-22-07, 3TS-22-08, 3TS-22-09, and 3TS-22-10 all targeted the Ted-Mint vein system, an area with several large north striking epithermal quartz veins that have been identified on surface over 900 m in strike length by 175 m wide, and which remains open in all directions and at depth. These holes were also designed to test potential geochemical zonation of the epithermal deposit as per standardized models, as it is hypothesized that the Ted-Mint vein system is hosted in an upthrown block of country rock in relation to the Tommy vein system to the west. The upthrown block of country rock brings the base metal horizon consisting of elevated copper ("Cu"), lead ("Pb") and zinc ("Zn") closer to the surface and therefore within the drill hole intercepts.

Drill holes 3TS-22-06, 3TS-22-07, 3TS-22-08 and 3TS-22-09 all returned precious metal values as well as some anomalous base metal values. It is also worth noting that the gold and silver intervals lie within or overlap the base metal horizons, therefore, the presentation of results is divided into two tables below. Drill hole 3TS-22-10 returned no significant assays and appears to have intersected a previously unknown, unmineralized phase of brecciated rhyolite.

TABLE 1 PRECIOUS METAL RESULTS (Au, Ag)

Drill Hole Host Rock From

(m) To

(m) Drill

Intercept

(m)* Gold

(g/t) Silver

(g/t) 3TS-22-06 Quartz Veins and Stockwork Rhyolite 81.22 97.00 15.78 2.26 150.76 including 83.00 84.00 1.00 5.57 1567.00 and including 90.00 94.44 4.44 6.09 100.68 and 220.83 221.30 0.47 6.70 34.04 3TS-22-07 Quartz Veins and Stockwork Rhyolite 201.24 203.65 2.41 2.11 574.27 and 211.62 216.30 4.65 0.80 144.50 3TS-22-08 Stockwork Zone in Rhyolite 275.30 276.80 1.50 0.07 170.67 3TS-22-09 Quartz Veins in Rhyolite 97.95 111.17 13.22 0.80 26.10 3TS-22-10 Stockwork in Rhyolite NO SIGNIFICANT RESULTS

TABLE 2 BASE METAL RESULTS (Cu, Pb, Zn)

Drill Hole From

(m) To

(m) Drill

Intercept

(m)* Copper

(%)** Lead (%)

** Zinc

(%) ** 3TS-22-06 82.00 84.40 2.40 - 0.14 0.26 3TS-22-07 NO SIGNIFICANT RESULTS 3TS-22-08 275.30 276.80 1.50 1.50 0.25 - 3TS-22-09 NO SIGNIFICANT RESULTS 3TS-22-10 NO SIGNIFICANT RESULTS

* The true widths of the veins are approximately 85% of the reported interval width

** intervals showing no results were either below detection limits or not considered to be economically anomalous.

The Balrog Target

Two additional drill holes (3TS-22-14 and 3TS-22-15) tested the Balrog Target, a high chargeability anomaly detected from the IP geophysical survey conducted in 2021. The Balrog Target is approximately 260 m southwest of the Tommy Vein System. A total of 549 m of drilling was completed in both drill holes, intersecting highly altered country rock containing a series of highly pyritic clay minerals that are typically associated with propylitic to argillic hydrothermal alteration. Target depths were not reached in either drill hole due to drilling difficulties as a result of the high clay content. Although it is too early to conclude, it appears that the Balrog target could feed into the Tommy Vein system in the east, and host chargeable metallic deposits at depth, as well as provide the potential for an as yet undiscovered "Tommy-style" vein system to the west.

The Company is currently planning a summer exploration program, which will consist of field mapping and additional drilling, based on the updated 43-101 resource recommendations.

About Independence

Independence Gold Corp. is a mineral exploration company with holdings ranging from early-stage grassroots exploration to advanced-stage resource expansion in British Columbia and Yukon. The Company is positioned to add shareholder value through systematic project advancement, while management continues to evaluate additional gold and silver projects for possible acquisition. For additional information, visit the Company's website www.ingold.ca.

Andy Randell, P.Geo., the Company's Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed the technical information in this news release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF INDEPENDENCE GOLD CORP.

"Randy Turner"

Randy Turner, President and CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to Independence within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements with respect to the Company's planned drilling and exploration activities. The Company provides forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to those identified and reported in Independence's public filings under Independence Gold Corp.'s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although Independence has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Independence disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law.

Suite 580 625 Howe, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 2T6

Telephone: 604-687-3959

Facsimile: 604-687-1448

E-Mail: [email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/130189
Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2022) - KWESST Micro Systems Inc. (TSXV: KWE) (OTCQB: KWEMF) (FSE: 62U) ("KWESST" or the "Company"), a developer of next-generation tactical systems for military, security, and personal defense markets, today announced that it has been awarded a three-year contract by CounterCrisis Technology Inc. ("CC-T") to design, develop, and implement a significant component of a national Ground Search and Rescue Incident Command System (GSAR ICS) for Public Safety Canada. Under the contract, KWESST and CC-Twill create a Search And Rescue (SAR) planning, operations management, and situational awareness service that incorporates a custom SAR plug-in application for ATAK. ATAK is increasingly the preferred software system throughout NATO for enabling real-time shared situational awareness.

"In partnership with CC-T, we are very pleased to have won this bid with Public Safety Canada, following an extensive competitive process," said Rick Bowes, VP of Digitization and Counter-Threat Products at KWESST. "This is significant beyond the modest dollars involved since it further validates KWESST as the go-to company for integrated tactical level situational awareness information systems, including ATAK, for both military and public safety operations, and will showcase our capabilities to other potential customers. When soldiers and responders all have the same information in real time the result is a safer and more effective operation, whatever the mission."

The GSAR ICS project announced today is a version of KWESST's advertised Critical Incident Management System (CIMS) for the public safety market (https://kwesst.com/critical-incident-management-cims/). CIMS puts situational awareness information into the hands of responders on their smart phones or tablets in real time from any source including drones.

The contract awarded to KWESST is valued at approximately $678,000, net of in-kind contributions of approximately $76,000, over three years with services to commence in July 2022.

About KWESST

KWESST Micro System Inc. (TSXV: KWE) (OTCQB: KWEMF) (FSE: 62U) commercializes breakthrough next-generation tactical systems for military and security forces and personal defense. The company's current portfolio of unique proprietary offerings includes non-lethal systems (PARA OPSTM and ARWENTM) with application across all segments of the non-lethal market, including law enforcement and personal defence. KWESST also facilitates digitization of tactical forces with its signature TASCS system for real-time awareness and targeting information from any source (including drones) streamed directly to users' smart devices and indirect fire weapons. Other KWESST products include countermeasures against threats such as drones, lasers and electronic detection. These include: the PhantomTM electronic battlefield deception system to mask the electromagnetic signature of friendly forces with decoy signatures at false locations that deceive and confuse adversaries; a Battlefield Laser Detection System to counter the emerging threat of laser targeting of personnel; and, a non-kinetic system to counter the threat of tactical drones. These systems can operate stand-alone or integrate seamlessly with third-party OEM products and networked battlefield management systems such as ATAK. The Company is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with operations in Stafford, VA and representative offices in London, UK and Abu Dhabi, UAE.

About CounterCrisis Technology Inc.

CounterCrisis Technology Inc. is a Canadian private incident management technology solutions based in Ottawa that provides technology-related solutions to help its customers prepare for any identified hazard or risk, including but not limited to those that fall under the following category: accidently human-caused, biological, geological, humanitarian, intentional human-caused, meteorological, and technological.

For more information, please visit https://kwesst.com/

Contact: Steve Archambault, CFO, [email protected] or (613) 241-1849 Ext. 116

Jason Frame, Investor Relations: [email protected]

Investor Contact:

Dave Gentry, CEO

RedChip Companies

1-800 RED-CHIP (733-2447) 407-491-4499 [email protected]

Press Contact:

Angela Trostle Gorman

[email protected]

1-917-348-0083

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. KWESST disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/130235
Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2022) - The Stock Day Podcast welcomed Zerify, formerly StrikeForce Technologies, (OTCQB: SFOR) ("the Company"), a company that helps to prevent cyber theft and data security breaches for consumers, corporations, and government agencies. CEO of the Company, Mark Kay, joined Stock Day host Sever Copley.

"Could you tell us what prompted you to rename your company and products?", asked Copley. "We worked on this for over five months and discussed over 1,600 names," shared Kay. "We wanted a name that would be a single syllable, and 'Zerify' came across very well," he said. "We feel like we have a great name and now we are moving forward as best we can," said Kay, adding that despite the name change, the stock symbol, SFOR, will remain the same for now waiting for FINRA to implement the name.

"Could you please tell us more about PushForce and the implication of this first API?", asked Copley. "PushForce is a company we have worked with for years," said Kay. "We sold the API to them over a year ago," he added. "We finally finished the API in January, and they finished testing it recently," explained Kay, before elaborating on PushForce and its effectiveness in the retail sector.

"PushForce can utilize Zerfiy Meet, formerly SafeVchat, within the application and it is still very secure," continued Kay. "It works very well, and it will be a rollout that will take a long time," he said. "They eventually will get to their top clients, which are very big players in the marketplace," said Kay. "We will start getting revenues from it, and we feel very good about the capability of it."

Copley then commented on the Company's recent HIPAA compliant status, and asked about the Company's future moving forward. "We are extremely excited," said Kay. "We are building a brand new website to replace our current site, and our product names are changing to incorporate the new name," he shared. "Our products all revolve around video collaboration, because the future of the world is video collaboration."

To close the interview, Kay elaborated on the Company's growth as they continue to move forward as Zerify, Inc. and their secure video conferencing technologies. He also encouraged listeners to keep up-to-date on the Company's upcoming and current projects.

Mr. Kay also added that they have no plans for a Reg A or a reverse split.

To hear Mark Kay's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/8116534-zerify-formerly-strikeforce-technologies-discusses-recent-name-change-and-new-growth-strategy-w

Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/

About Zerify

Zerify, formerly StrikeForce Technologies, helps to prevent cyber theft and data security breaches for consumers, corporations, and government agencies. It provides powerful two-factor, "out-of-band" authentication and keystroke encryption along with mobile solutions. Zerify (OTCQB: SFOR) is headquartered in Edison, N.J., and can be reached at or by phone at (732) 661-9641 or toll-free at (866) 787-4542.

Safe Harbor Statement:

Matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "may," "intend," "expect" and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations of the Company and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with: the sales of the company's identity protection software products into various channels and market sectors, the issuance of the Company's pending patent applications, COVID-19, and the impact of economic, competitive and other factors affecting the Company and its operations, markets, product, and distributor performance, the impact on the national and local economies resulting from terrorist actions, and U.S. actions subsequently; and other factors detailed in reports filed by the company.

Zerify Contacts:

Mark Kay, CEO

[email protected]

(732) 661-9641

George Waller, EVP

[email protected]

(732) 661-9641

About The "Stock Day" Podcast

Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America.

SOURCE:

Stock Day Media

(602) 821-1102

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/130237
PLEASANTON, Calif., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 314e Corporation, the company behind the leading Healthcare Digital Adoption Platform Jeeves, announced that it has recently joined the Arch Collaborative, an initiative by KLAS Research. The Arch Collaborative aims to improve the EHR experience by sharing performance data and collaboration among providers, vendors, and industry leaders.

Jeeves is increasingly being used by Hospitals and Health Systems to supercharge their application support strategy in general and their EHR support strategy in particular. Jeeves is a Healthcare Digital Adoption Platform designed to improve the adoption of enterprise applications and increase end-user performance by providing just-in-time self-help within the application. It is beneficial with EHRs by becoming the go-to tool for physicians, solving their "how-to" problems on-demand. This helps reduce frustration and extraneous time spent in the documentation and improves their overall EHR experience to a great extent.

This membership enables 314e to access benchmark data collected through thorough unbiased research from provider organizations and end-users, further enhancing its ability to develop more effective EHR support solutions, helping clinicians master EHR, and improving overall clinician satisfaction.

Alok Sharma, 314e's COO, says, "Having the ability to work with provider organizations with real data on their EHR experience allows 314e to bring very targeted solutions for specific problems. We are very confident that this partnership will allow us to work with hospitals and health systems to improve their overall EHR experience by eliminating their support-related issues."

For more information on 314e and Jeeves, visit www.314e.com. You can also check out the Jeeves' Epic App Orchard listing here.

About 314e Corporation

314e is a KLAS-ranked company helping Healthcare Providers with Information Technology products and services since its inception in 2004. Our product portfolio includes a Healthcare Data Analytics Platform, a Legacy Data Management & Archival product, and a Digital Adoption Platform. We also offer Systems Implementation and Integration, Interoperability, Analytics, Cloud Adoption, and Digital Transformation related services. Learn more about our offerings at www.314e.com.

About KLAS Research and KLAS Arch Collaborative

KLAS has been providing accurate, honest, and impartial insights for the Healthcare IT (HIT) industry since 1996. The KLAS mission is to improve the world's healthcare by amplifying the voice of providers and payers. The scope of our research is constantly expanding to best fit market needs as technology becomes increasingly sophisticated.

The Arch Collaborative is a provider-led effort to unlock the potential of EHRs in revolutionizing patient care. Through standardized surveys and benchmarking, healthcare organizations collaborate to uncover best practices and move the needle in Healthcare IT. Currently, the Arch Collaborative is using measurement data to improve the EHR experience through training, governance, and culture. Learn more at www.klasresearch.com

To see how 314e is rated by Health IT professionals for its offerings like HIT staffing and technical services, check out: https://klasresearch.com/vendor-ratings/314e/64872?tab=arch

Media contact:Mimi Curiel[email protected]510-371-6741

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SOURCE 314e Corporation
BEIJING, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a news report from Beijing Review:

Linquan, a county in Fuyang, Anhui Province, rose out of poverty in April 2020. The county has a large number of cancer patients but, in the past, had no oncology department. Patients had to travel to larger cities for treatment, which increased the overall expenses. However, the situation has changed thanks to a paired assistance program, which started in 2016.

Under the program, Peking University First Hospital in Beijing sent cancer experts to help the county establish its own oncology department at Linquan People's Hospital. Today the hospital in the county has mastered multiple cancer treatment technologies and is able to carry out the treatments independently.

Paired assistance is one of the measures China has taken to improve medical care in rural areas. The National Health Commission (NHC) has helped 1,172 hospitals in underdeveloped counties establish partnerships with urban public hospitals.

Health is the foundation of poverty alleviation and common prosperity, He Jinguo, Director of the NHC's Department of Finance and head of the commission's Rural Revitalization Office, said at a press conference on the improvement of healthcare in rural areas in the past decade on May 24. China accomplished its goal of eradicating absolute poverty as scheduled by the end of 2020.

From 2015 to 2020, the Central Government spent 1.4 trillion yuan ($209.7 billion) to support the development of medical care in 25 provincial-level regions with relatively large poor populations, with expenditure growing 11.6 percent on average each year.

The medical service network in rural areas has been improved, making it more convenient for residents to receive medical treatment near their homes, Chu Hongming, another NHC official, said. A 15-minute medical service circle whereby patients can arrive at a medical institution within 15 minutes of walking has been formed. As of late last year, there were 23,000 county-level medical institutions, 35,000 township hospitals and 599,000 village clinics nationwide.

Township and village medical institutions have been guided to improve their service abilities, with over 90 percent of patients now receiving treatment in their own counties.

Family doctor programs, a new model in which qualified medical workers offer customized services such as health consultation and evaluation to the families registered with them, have been available since 2016. As of late 2021, there were 1.435 million family doctors in China, providing residents with basic medical care and health management services.

Although they have shed poverty, a number of counties remain economically weak, He Jinguo said. Last year, the Central Government identified 160 counties in west China as key targets for assistance. The policies, funds and programs for supporting the development of healthcare in these areas will remain stable.

Comments to [email protected]

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SOURCE Beijing Review
CHICAGO, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL) is pleased to announce the sale of MOTIS Brands (MOTIS), a portfolio company of Rotunda Capital Partners, to Prospect Hill Growth Partners (PHGP). The specific terms of the transaction, which closed in May 2022, were not disclosed. The transaction furthers BGL's market-leading position in eCommerce investment banking, representing omni-channel brands, and as an advisor to companies across a range of branded consumer products, including automotive aftermarket.

The transaction furthers BGL's market-leading position in eCommerce investment banking.

MOTIS is a vertically integrated direct-to-consumer (DTC) and omni-channel manufacturer and marketer of branded products in the loading, hauling, mobility, automotive, and recreational segments. The MOTIS family of brands includes discountramps.com, Race Ramps, Black Widow Pro, HD Ramps, Silver Spring Mobility, Elasco Products, Pier d' Nort, and MAC's Custom Tie Downs. A market leader in several end-markets, the company uses data-driven decision making, effective merchandising, and sophisticated digital marketing capabilities to win in its channels.

Prospect Hill Growth Partners is a Boston-area private equity firm that makes control equity investments in North American consumer and healthcare growth companies. The partners at Prospect Hill have collectively invested approximately $3 billion of capital in more than 35 portfolio companies over two decades. The partners' successful investment track record has been built on their sector-focused investment strategy and expertise, a robust operational value-add model, and strong alignment of interests.

MOTIS CEO Rich Spratt will continue to lead the company and, together with PHGP, aims to continue driving strong growth organically and through complementary acquisitions. MOTIS is actively seeking acquisition targets that can benefit from the company's broad channel expertise, as well as its experience in e-commerce, product development, and supply chain logistics.

BGL's Consumer Group has an extensive track record in mergers and acquisitions advisory and capital-raising services spanning the entire consumer retail spectrum, with deep experience in eCommerce, branded consumer, and omni-channel investment banking. The firm's Automotive & Aftermarket investment banking team maintains coverage of the broad automotive sector, including automotive supply chain, automotive aftermarket, and the on- and off-highway commercial vehicle sectors. BGL's professionals and affiliates have completed more than 100 transactions in the automotive sector globally.

About Brown Gibbons Lang & Company

Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL) is a leading independent investment bank and financial advisory firm focused on the global middle market. The firm advises private and public corporations and private equity groups on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, financial restructurings, business valuations and opinions, and other strategic matters. BGL has investment banking offices in Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, and real estate offices in Chicago, Cleveland, and San Antonio. The firm is also a founding member of Global M&A Partners, enabling BGL to service clients in more than 30 countries around the world. Securities transactions are conducted through Brown, Gibbons, Lang & Company Securities, LLC, an affiliate of Brown Gibbons Lang & Company LLC and a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. For more information, please visit www.bglco.com.

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SOURCE Brown Gibbons Lang & Company
CAMBRIDGE, England, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthera, Cambridge-based health-tech platform, announces today that it has received investment from Serafund, a VC fund backed by entrepreneur and investor Bob Xiaoping Xu. This venture round was structured under a convertible loan note and oversubscribed with participation from several existing investors.

Bob Xiaoping Xu is an entrepreneur who co-founded New Oriental Education & Technology (NYSE: EDU) and later became a leading VC and angel investor. He was a founding Managing Partner for ZhenFund, an early stage-focused fund with over 700 companies in its portfolio, of which 26 have either gone public or reached valuations above $1 billion.

This investment follows Healthera's Series A led by Accelerated Digital Ventures and Cambridge Enterprise. Since then, Healthera has quickly scaled into the leading digital health platform that provides millions of patients with access to medicines, healthcare products, and private treatments locally delivered from 1500 local pharmacies in the UK. Not only is Healthera the trusted partner of over 800 independent pharmacies, it partners with market leaders like Superdrug, Alliance Healthcare, and Peak Pharmacy Group to deliver best-in-class patient services.

Healthera intends to use the new investment to expand its tele-pharmacy platform's capabilities, develop new partnerships, and accelerate strategic initiatives. Specifically, Healthera plans to enhance pharmacy workflow and operations with its platform, build additional patient engagement capabilities around managing long-term conditions, and prove on a large scale its lasting impact on patient outcomes.

Quintus Liu, CEO of Healthera, commented, "we're pleased to welcome onboard our new partners at Serafund, who bring unique insights from building and backing world-class technology businesses. We're also grateful for the support from our existing investors, who remain as convicted as ever to the vision of transforming the patient experience and pharmaceutical value chain through digitally enabling thousands of high street pharmacies."

Anthony Wang, Founding Partner from Serafund, commented, "we're impressed to see how far the Healthera team has come and the scale it has achieved. We are looking forward to seeing Healthera continue building onto its success and further develop as a market leader in digital healthcare."

About SerafundFounded in 2021, Serafund is a venture capital firm that invests across multiple stages. The firm is backed by Bob Xiaoping Xu, China's top angel investor and 3-time member of Forbes Midas 100 list. Serafund actively partners with outstanding entrepreneurs to build disruptive, innovative companies that aim to deliver strong financial returns and lasting impact.

About HealtherFounded out of Cambridge University in 2015, Healthera operates a leading healthcare marketplace that provides patients with medicines, healthcare services and products through the largest digital platform of pharmacies in the UK, including over 1500 pharmacies from large national chains and independent providers.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1854570/Healthera_and_Serafund_logo.jpg

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SOURCE Healthera; Serafund
The Company is working closely with its commercial partners to supply the combination therapy to patients in need

Brii Bio progressed the combination therapy from discovery to global Phase 3 data readout and first regulatory approval by the China NMPA in less than 20 months, validating the Company's R&D expertise and capabilities

DURHAM, N.C. and BEIJING, July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Brii Biosciences Limited ("Brii Bio" or the "Company", stock code: 2137.HK) a multi-national company developing innovative therapies for diseases with significant unmet medical needs and large public health burdens, and TSB Therapeutics (Beijing) Co., Ltd. ("TSB Therapeutics"), a joint venture majority-owned by the Company, today announced the commercial launch of the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination, a long-acting COVID-19 neutralizing antibody therapy, in China. Today, the first commercial batch of the antibodies was released, marking an important milestone in the commercialization of the combination therapy.

The amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination was approved by China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in December 2021 for the treatment of adults and pediatric patients (age 12-17 weighing at least 40 kg) with mild and normal type of COVID-19 at high risk for progression to severe disease, including hospitalization or death. The indication of pediatric patients (age 12-17 weighing at least 40 kg) is under a conditional approval. In March 2022, the National Health Commission of China added the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination to its COVID-19 Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines (9th Pilot Edition) ("Guidelines") for the treatment of COVID-19.

On March 21, 2022, the National Healthcare Security Administration of China issued a notice to temporarily include the newly added drugs in the Guidelines in reimbursement by the provincial health insurance fund. Since March 22, 2022, the Healthcare Security Administrations of various provinces and cities have successively implemented the instructions of the notice and included the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination into the reimbursement of the local health insurance fund.

"We're proud to bring the first locally-discovered and approved COVID-19 treatment in China to patients in need with the support and guidance of relevant government authorities. The global Phase 3 clinical trial demonstrated clear patient benefit with 80% reduction of hospitalization and death. In addition, the live virus and pseudovirus testing data from multiple independent labs demonstrate that the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination retains neutralizing activity against the live Omicron BA.2 subvariants prevalent in China and all previous variants of concern. These accomplishments reinforce Brii Bio's scientific expertise in infectious disease and underscore our mission to tackle the biggest public health challenges with breakthrough innovation and insight. Our employees are the heroes who have given their all to achieving this great honor," said Rogers Luo, President and General Manager, Greater China of Brii Bio, and Chief Executive Officer of TSB Therapeutics. "Our first priority will be to coordinate with our commercial partners to manage the distribution of the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination in China to patients with the highest unmet need for our novel treatment to protect peoples' lives."

In 2021, Brii Bio donated nearly 3,000 doses of the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination for emergency use in 22 hospitals in 21 cities as part of its commitment to ensure humanitarian access and to help curb the outbreaks of the delta variants.

"Despite the progress being made with vaccines, the pandemic continues to affect the health of communities in China, and we believebased on the clinical data generated in partnership with top-tier global research institutionsthat the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination treatment has the potential to bring significant clinical benefit to patients in need and support communities under threat of SARS-CoV-2 infection," said Qing Zhu, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Head of Biopharmaceutical Research of Brii Bio. "When we made the decision to invest significant resources and expertise in the fight against COVID-19, we knew this would be a considerable undertaking and we must play our part. We could not have made it to this point of bringing our much-needed medicine to patients throughout China without the support of our world-class partners and we look forward to continuing to work with stakeholders across the industry to enable the timely distribution of the combination therapy to healthcare providers and patients."

About Long-Acting COVID-19 Neutralizing Antibody Therapy, Amubarvimab/Romlusevimab Combination

Amubarvimab and Romlusevimab are non-competing SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal neutralizing antibodies derived from convalesced COVID-19 patients developed in collaboration with the 3rd People's Hospital of Shenzhen and Tsinghua University. They have been specifically engineered to reduce the risk of antibody-dependent enhancement and prolong the plasma half-lives for potentially more durable treatment effect.

Based on the final results from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Institute of Allery and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)-sponsored ACTIV-2 Phase 3 clinical trial with 837 enrolled outpatients, the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination demonstrates a statistically significant 80% reduction of hospitalization and death with fewer deaths through 28 days in the treatment arm (0) relative to placebo (9), and improved safety outcome over placebo in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients at high risk of clinical progression to severe disease. Similar efficacy rates were observed in participants initiating therapy early (0-5 days) and late (6-10 days), following symptom onset, providing critically needed clinical evidence in COVID-19 patients who were late for treatment.

The live virus testing data as well as pseudovirus testing data from multiple independent labs have demonstrated that the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination retains activity against major SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, including the following commonly identified variants, B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), P.1 (Gamma), B.1.429 (Epsilon), B.1.617.2 (Delta), AY.4.2 (Delta Plus), C.37 (Lambda), B.1.621 (Mu), B.1.1.529-BA.1 (Omicron), and BA.1.1 and BA.2 (Omicron subvariants). Additional testings including live virus assays are being conducted to confirm the neutralizing activity against BA.4/5 and BA.2.12.1.

About Brii Bio

Brii Biosciences Limited ("Brii Bio", stock code: 2137.HK) is a biotechnology company based in China and the United States committed to advancing therapies for significant infectious diseases, such as hepatitis B, COVID-19, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, multi-drug resistant (MDR) or extensive drug resistant (XDR) gram-negative infections, and other illnesses, such as the central nervous system (CNS) diseases, which have significant public health burdens in China and worldwide. For more information, visit www.briibio.com.

About TSB Therapeutics

TSB Therapeutics (Beijing) Co., Ltd. ("TSB Therapeutics", or the "Company") is a holding company of Brii Bio. TSB Therapeutics was jointly established in Beijing in May 2020 by Brii Bio, the 3rd People's Hospital of Shenzhen and Tsinghua University. The Company is committed to developing the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination. TSB Therapeutics holds exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination in Greater China.

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SOURCE Brii Biosciences Limited
Commercially Owned Mission Supports Human Return to the Moon with Microwave-sized Spacecraft

WESTMINSTER, Colo., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Space LLC., a leading space tech solutions company, announced today that CAPSTONE  the spacecraft heading to the Moon for NASA - is healthy after successfully performing its first trajectory correction maneuver. This maneuver is a significant milestone for the mission as it represents the first of many maneuvers the spacecraft will conduct during the mission. The propulsion system is specifically optimized for precise maneuvers such as this. This maneuver is similar in size to the critical Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) Insertion Maneuver which will be conducted at the Moon on November 13th and thus serves as a test from which the team will learn to improve future operations. At time of execution, the spacecraft was approximately 465,000 km from the Earth (~13 times further than the GEO belt and ~81,000 km further than the Moon). The spacecraft had lost communications a couple of days ago, but the operations teams effectively and efficiently worked to resolve the issue and communication was restored approximately 43 hours after it was unexpectedly interrupted. The Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment or CAPSTONE, began its solo journey to the Moon on July 4th as the first launch supporting Artemis missions. Advanced Space leads the CAPSTONE mission for NASA and is the first commercial and privately-owned spacecraft mission to the Moon. The microwave-sized CubeSat will verify and demonstrate operations within a unique and groundbreaking cislunar orbit that will support NASA's Moon missions under Artemis. Further, the mission will demonstrate a novel spacecraft-to-spacecraft navigation technology service called the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System (CAPS) developed and implemented by Advanced Space.

"The Advanced Space team is informing Gateway and future technology maturation efforts," said Bradley Cheetham, CEO

The operations of the spacecraft are being conducted by the teams of Advanced Space and Terran Orbital in conjunction with NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN). Advanced Space is presently navigating the spacecraft  a combination of determining what trajectory the spacecraft is on and designing the maneuvers it will take to guide the spacecraft to the Moon.

"We are proud to lead CAPSTONE and the collaboration it represents with NASA and our industry partners," said Bradley Cheetham, Advanced Space chief executive officer and CAPSTONE principal investigator. "The work of the Advanced Space team is informing Gateway and future technology maturation efforts. Our team leverages these uniquely demonstrated capabilities and lessons learned to quickly and efficiently support other programs and priorities in cislunar space and throughout the solar system," Cheetham added.

CAPSTONE will be utilizing a highly efficient ballistic lunar transfer (BLT), which harnesses the gravity of the Sun to transfer to the Moon instead of fuel. It will take four months to reach the target orbit at the Moon, a NRHO.

"We have studied BLTs and innovative navigation technologies for over a decade. Now we are watching how these advancements have enabled a small spacecraft to push space exploration forward. It is so exciting to see all of the hard work pay off," said Dr. Jeffrey Parker, co-founder of Advanced Space, chief technology officer. "We are ready to pave the way for NASA's Gateway and to open new doors for future space exploration," added Parker.

CAPSTONE is owned and operated by Advanced Space on behalf of NASA.

CAPSTONE Press Kit  includes details of CAPSTONE critical partners

About Advanced Space:

Advanced Space (https://advancedspace.com/) supports the sustainable exploration, development, and settlement of space through software and services that leverage unique subject matter expertise to improve the fundamentals of spaceflight. Advanced Space is dedicated to improving flight dynamics technology development and expedited turn-key missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Learn more about what Advanced Space is creating; check out details on CAPSTONE.

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SOURCE Advanced Space
JACKSON, Mich., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CMS Energy announced today it will provide 2022 second quarter results along with a business and financial outlook at 9:30 a.m. EDT on Thursday, July 28, 2022.

A webcast of the presentation will be available on CMS Energy's website, cmsenergy.com. An audio replay will be available approximately three hours after the webcast and will be archived for 30 days on CMS Energy's website in the "Investor Relations" section.

CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS) is a Michigan-based energy company featuring Consumers Energy as its primary business. It also owns and operates independent power generation businesses.

For more information on CMS Energy, please visit our website at cmsenergy.com. To sign up for email alert notifications, please visit the Investor Relations section of our website.

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SOURCE CMS Energy
GREENVILLE, S.C., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadstreet, Inc. a Greenville-based private equity firm, recently announced that David Berger, formerly Chief Operating Officer of Hospitality America, has been appointed as Senior Managing Director of Business Operations for Broadstreet. Mr. Berger will be responsible for a wide range of day-to-day operations including oversight of hospitality properties, enhancement of crypto based projects and development of land opportunities.

"I'm thrilled to join Broadstreet, one of the fastest growing private equity firms in the Southeast," said Mr. Berger.

"I'm thrilled to join Broadstreet, one of the fastest growing private equity firms in the Southeast," said Berger. "I look forward to participating in the dynamic growth of a multi-billion dollar business and taking my years of real estate, hospitality and business operational experience and plugging it into their many projects."

With almost seven years in operational history, Broadstreet has grown to overseeing more than 600 people employed in its various business lines. Broadstreet has become a dominant player in the private equity industry in the Carolinas with more than $3 billion in transactions. The company is a leading equity provider in infrastructure development and partners with nationally known homebuilder brands like D.R. Horton, Lennar, Pulte, Meritage and Ryan Homes, as well as Marriott and Hilton Hotels in the hotel development side. Broadstreet has other subsidiaries related to specialty finance, home development, restaurants and land banking.

Mr. Berger is a veteran of the hospitality and economic development industry. Prior to Broadstreet, he served as Chief Operating Officer for Hospitality America, which operates more than 20 hotels around the United States. He has served as General Manager for many respected hotel brands, including Starwood Hotel & Resorts, Marriott and others. Since arriving in Greenville in 2013, Mr. Berger has been an active member of the community, serving on the Executive Board of Directors for Visit Greenville SC and Artisphere. Mr. Berger has also served for six consecutive years on the Accommodations Tax Advisory committee (ATAX) for the City of Greenville, SC.

"We're confident David will add tremendous value to our brand and our subsidiary businesses as we continue to expand. David has a great understanding of how our close-knit team values strong relationships with our investors and commitment to performance. He will be an excellent addition to our leadership team as we take Broadstreet to the next level," commented David Feingold, CEO of Broadstreet.

"We have known David Berger professionally for multiple decades and his acumen, experience and high profile standing in the Carolinas will allow us to continue our march towards continuing our growth in both North and South Carolina," stated Joseph Baldassarra, President of Broadstreet.

ABOUT BROADSTREET

Broadstreet is a private equity firm based in Greenville, S.C. with an impressive track record of identifying promising growth sectors for capital investments. The company has achieved approximately $3 billion in transactions and more than 600 people employed in the businesses it controls. Broadstreet is also the largest land infrastructure developer in the Carolinas with more than 40 projects that cover approximately 30,000 home sites. The firm's significant development business has allowed expansion to ancillary real-estate based opportunities that include home development, land banking, and hotel lodging. For more information, visit broadstreetprivateequity.com.

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SOURCE Broadstreet, Inc.
19 entrepreneurs across Charlotte named to leadership positions

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Entrepreneurs' Organization of Charlotte (EO Charlotte) today announced its new board members for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. Led by incoming President Chris Mehalic, Owner of Truly Nolen, LLC/Acuity Investments, the new board includes 19 leading Charlotte entrepreneurs.

"We're grateful to have passionate, visionary members of Charlotte's entrepreneurial community willing to volunteer their time and talents toward leading EO Charlotte into 2023. More broadly, these incoming board members have taken up the mission of driving greater connectivity and support amongst our region's entrepreneurs and the corporations, institutions, and partners with whom they intersect," said incoming President Chris Mehalic. "This past fiscal year, EO Charlotte realized record membership growth of over 25% which stands as a testament to both our values as an organization and the expanding vitality of the Charlotte region as a leader in fostering and supporting independent business and innovation."

Founded in 1998, EO Charlotte is the largest group of successful business owners in the region, contributing over $1B in economic benefit to the community. EO Charlotte is part of the global Entrepreneurs' Organization, a $124 billion global, nonprofit peer-to-peer network of more than 14,000+ influential business owners with 167 chapters in 61 countries exclusively for entrepreneurs. The members are business professionals who are the owners, founders, co-founders or controlling shareholders of companies that have annual revenue of $1 million USD or more.

The new board consists of:

To learn more about EO Charlotte, visit www.eocharlotte.org.

Media Contact:Heather KarrikerExecutive Director704.957.6951[email protected]

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SOURCE EO Charlotte
Equifax Accelerate Applications Now Open to U.S. Software Developers Looking to Create Transformative Solutions With Powerful Suite of Equifax Cloud Enabled APIs

ATLANTA, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Equifax (NYSE: EFX) announced that applications are open for its second annual developer challenge and accelerator program in partnership with 1871, a Chicago-based business incubator that supports early stage tech start-ups, growth stage tech leaders and corporate innovators. Following the success of the inaugural Equifax Accelerate in 2021, Equifax is continuing the program to challenge U.S.-based software developers to create transformative solutions designed to foster financial inclusion and improve access to services with the powerful suite of Equifax Cloud-enabled Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).

"Data, analytics and technology provide a powerful force in addressing some of the most pressing issues facing the world around us," said Bryson Koehler, Chief Product, Data & Analytics and Technology Officer at Equifax. "Equifax is committed to accelerating innovation across the developer ecosystem to bring more consumers into the mainstream credit economy. We look forward to working with the 2022 Equifax Accelerate program cohorts in building data-driven solutions that help tackle the challenges of consumer financial inclusion and small business access to capital."

Equifax Accelerate program participants will have simplified access to data assets and API products so that developers can easily explore and access technical documentation, create apps, experiment, and innovate faster than ever before. These data assets will include APIs available from the Equifax for Developers API Portal as well as data assets available on AWS Data Exchange and Snowflake Data Marketplace.

"In our data-driven world, it's never been more important for businesses to have access to the technological resources and mentorship they need to thrive," said Betsy Ziegler, CEO of 1871. "We're proud to work side-by-side with Equifax to continue to expand the Equifax Accelerate product studio, which empowers the innovators and leaders that are disrupting their industries with new and necessary solutions."

The top 50 2022 Equifax Accelerate entries will be accepted into a Design Sprint Challenge in August. All Design Sprint Challenge participants will receive mentorship from both Equifax and 1871 subject matter experts to assist in the creation of prototype solutions. They will also compete for a chance to access the 12-week Product Studio, a custom accelerator program powered by Equifax and 1871.

This year's Design Sprint Challenge will be judged by Equifax executive leadership and a panel of experts, including: Noah Schwartz, General Manager, AWS Data Exchange at Amazon Web Services (AWS); Amit Maheshwari, Senior Vice President, Business Development at Tekion Corp.; and Laura Ritz, Chief Operating Officer at numo, a PNC company.

Participants chosen by the panel of judges to participate in the Product Studio will receive unlimited access to all 1871 products and services, including dozens of workshops, 300+ mentors, and 400+ other tech founders from idea stage companies to series C+. They will also have an opportunity to present their prototype to an audience of leaders from Equifax, including digital and fintech partners, at the Product Showcase. Qualifying participants will also be eligible for up to $5,000 in AWS Activate credits, which can be applied to more than 200 AWS services.

The deadline to apply for Equifax Accelerate is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 28, 2022. Guidelines for the event can be found at Equifax.com. Applications are available at 1871.com.

ABOUT EQUIFAX INC.

At Equifax (NYSE: EFX), we believe knowledge drives progress. As a global data, analytics, and technology company, we play an essential role in the global economy by helping financial institutions, companies, employers, and government agencies make critical decisions with greater confidence. Our unique blend of differentiated data, analytics, and cloud technology drives insights to power decisions to move people forward. Headquartered in Atlanta and supported by more than 13,000 employees worldwide, Equifax operates or has investments in 25 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. For more information, visit Equifax.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATIONRebecca Paul-Martin for Equifax[email protected]

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SOURCE Equifax Inc.
WASHINGTON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Vita Inclinata (Vita), developer and producer of precision aerospace and industrial stabilization devices, today announced the completion of its Vita Rescue System (VRS) demonstration to Squadron 751 at Air Base #6 in Portugal. The VRS litter attachment demonstration in Portugal underscores the global interestand needto improve the safety and efficiency of helicopter hoist rescues.

As lawsuits mount and injuries continue to increase due to out-of-control basket spins during rescues, more organizations are expressing interest in Vita's VRS that prevents spins from occurring. All U.S. military branches, domestic search and rescue (SAR) responders, and organizations in Chile and Japan have requested demonstrations. Most notably, Caleb Carr, CEO of Vita, personally traveled to the Ukrainian war zone to train the country's MEDEVAC crews in the Lviv and Kyiv region; the State Emergency Service of Ukraine has formally requested 30 VRS systems.

Most recently, Vita teams completed several sorties in different conditions, litter-basket configurations, and hoisting scenarios in Portugal, with Squadron 751 participants, a.k.a. Pumas. Prior to the in-air demonstration, the Pumas were shown a series of VRS capabilities and were physically swung and spun in the rescue basket to experience its responsiveness. Upon completion of the ground demonstration, members boarded an AgustaWestland AW101 (Merlin) helicopter to conduct four rescue missions along the cliffs in southern Lisbon and in the Atlantic Ocean.

"All sorties were successful with the system operating exceptionally well. The system was amazing in the face of the thunderous Merlin rotor wash coming off the cliffs," said the crews of Squadron 751.

The high point of the mission was the comfort and skill that the members of Squadron 751 displayed while using the system. "Every time Vita completes one of these missions, we are one step closer to ensuring that someone in need of rescuing experiences a safer and more efficient helicopter rescue," said Carr. "The search and rescue knowledge the Pumas presented was impressive; we are proud to conduct these missions and eager to see the first VRS deployment in Portugal."

About Vita Inclinata

A friend's death during a rescue operationwith a helicopter close but unable to stabilize due to weather and terrainwas the genesis of Vita Inclinata. Founded in 2015 as a way to solve a real problem, Vita today controls chaotic swinging and spin and adds safety and precision for rotor-wing and fixed-wing aircraft and cranes. With the mission of "Bring them home, every time," Vita's technology changes the narrative while saving lives, time, and money across industries, including search and rescue, military, firefighting, public safety, construction, wind energy, and oil and gas. The company is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, with offices in Washington, DC, and Huntsville, Alabama. For more information, please visit www.vitatech.co.

For more information, contact:Betsey RogersBridgeView Marketing603-821-0809[email protected]

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SOURCE Vita Inclinata
PAB includes innovative reproductive endocrinologists and infertility specialists who are part of Inception's clinical network; provides guidance, mentorship and leadership for current and incoming physicians to the network

HOUSTON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Inception Fertility continues its mission of leading the fertility industry by launching the second year of its Physician Advisory Board (PAB), a committee of reproductive endocrinologists and infertility specialists (REIs) within Inception's clinical network who help guide, mentor, and lead new and current physicians.

As the largest provider of comprehensive fertility services and practices in North America with an ecosystem of brands that touch every part of the fertility journey, Inception's clinical network includes top-tier fertility practices and innovators in reproductive medicine across the United States and into Canada. Within the PAB, these experts work collaboratively with one another, Inception's executive team and the steering committees to discuss important initiatives and topics related not just to Inception but the entire industry, including diversity and inclusion, lab oversight, and research studies.

Inception designated 2022 as the "Year of the Patient Experience" which the PAB is fully embracing, as it will focus on the critical need for more and better patient education. To address the patient experience, the PAB is also focusing on the employee experience, understanding that a happy and supported workforce has a direct impact on patient satisfaction.

"We know that in order to provide a positive patient experience, we have to start by recognizing that fertility care is a demanding aspect of medicine," says Dr. Jason Griffith, Medical Director at Aspire Houston Fertility Institute and a member of the PAB. "Because there's an emotional toll for professionals, as they are truly invested in our patients, we discuss how a well-cared for staff will provide better patient care and share ways to boost employee morale and enhance the experience for all members of the Inception family."

Research studies are another important topic for the PAB and are becoming a bigger part of the work done by Inception's family of brands, as they can further improve patient care, technologies, and outcomes. By partnering its physicians across its broad clinical network  who bring different perspectives and experiences  with other innovators in reproductive science and technology, Inception continues to lead the industry to a more granular understanding of fertility care and gain greater insight into new ways to give aspiring parents hope.

"The PAB has brought together some of the brightest minds in reproductive medicine to discuss so many important components of this industry, including physician recruitment, safety standards and the employee experience, all in an effort to provide the most exceptional patient care that yields the most optimal pregnancy outcomes," says TJ Farnsworth, Founder and CEO of Inception Fertility. "We are so excited to kick off the second year of the PAB, and we look forward to seeing more positive results from the bridge they've built between Inception leadership and the patients we serve."

About Inception Fertility

Inception Fertility (Inception) is a family of fertility brands committed to helping patients build their own families. Built by patients for patients, Inception's purpose is to achieve the highest bar in experience, science and medicine in an effort to enhance each patient's experience and achieve better outcomes.

Inception's medical experts are leading pioneers in fertility care. Our doctors are some of the first to use breakthrough assisted reproductive technologies (ART)  including in vitro fertilization (IVF), pregenetic implantation testing (PGT) and fertility preservation services  and they continue to lead the industry by building on these technologies by through development, research and thought leadership.

Its growing family of national organizations is an ecosystem of care, which touches every part of the fertility journey, including diagnostics and treatment to financial accessibility. Through this unique ecosystem, Inception is working to deliver on its promise to push the envelope of what is possible to exceed patient expectations.

MEDIA CONTACT:Mia HumphreysKrupp239-297-6592[email protected]

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SOURCE Inception Fertility
The mapping data and products will assist ICI in advancing sustainable infrastructure, improving disaster and climate resilience, and updating nautical charts.

RAROTONGA, Cook Islands, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Woolpert has been contracted by Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI) to collect topographic and bathymetric lidar data and aerial imagery across the Cook Islands. The multimillion-dollar contract is funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Green Climate Fund.

The mapping data and products will advance sustainable infrastructure, disaster resilience and nautical charting.

The data and products developed under this contract will help ICI improve and advance sustainable infrastructure development, environmental monitoring and assessment, natural hazard planning and mitigation, disaster and climate resilience, and nautical charting. ICI Project Manager Jake Langdon said the data and imagery will support better management and planning.

"Lidar data enables us to model the landscape and seascape and understand how they both change over time to identify specific regions most at risk to natural disaster, climate change and other environmental issues," Langdon said. "We can use this information to focus our resources, reinforce emergency transport routes, protect people and infrastructure in harm's way, and mitigate the overall impact of natural disasters before they strike."

This project will cover approximately 229 square kilometers, including terrestrial, lagoon and offshore components across the 12 inhabited islands of the Cook Islands. To support work in the remote northern islands, Woolpert Project Manager Constance Solemani is working closely with regional partners and ICI to coordinate complicated logistics, including the prepositioning of jet fuel for acquisition efforts.

This project is the latest in Woolpert's geospatial data acquisitions across the Pacific, including recent collections in Vanuatu and Tonga. As with Tonga, Woolpert will be supported by aerial services provider Kiwi Air of New Zealand. This acquisition is scheduled to occur between July and October.

About Woolpert

Woolpert is the premier architecture, engineering, geospatial (AEG) and strategic consulting firm, with a vision to become one of the best companies in the world. We innovate within and across markets to effectively serve public, private and government clients worldwide. Woolpert is an ENR Top 150 Global Design Firm, has earned six straight Great Place to Work certifications and actively nurtures a culture of growth, inclusion, diversity and respect. Founded in 1911 in Dayton, Ohio, Woolpert has 1,900 employees and more than 60 offices on four continents. Visit woolpert.com.

Media contact: Jill Kelley; 937-531-1258, [email protected]

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SOURCE Woolpert
Clodwick will primarily focus on helping companies in restructuring and M&A

CLEVELAND, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockton, the world's largest privately held brokerage firm that provides insurance, risk management, employee benefits and retirement consulting services, welcomes Matthew Clodwick as Vice President and Producer to the firm's rapidly growing Cleveland office.

An industry veteran for nearly two decades, Clodwick joins from Marsh, where he was a Vice President. Prior to Marsh, he was CEO of his own company that he launched, built for a decade, and eventually sold. He joins Lockton with an entrepreneurial spirit and an ability to align with his clients' mindset as a leader. His network reaches across the United States with key relationships spanning from Cleveland to Mississippi and California.

"When we opened our doors in Cleveland in 2020, we made a commitment to bring the best in class talent as we grow," said Kyle Anthony, President of Lockton Ohio. "Matthew aligns with this mission as his background and experience enable us to bring top notch service to our clients."

At Lockton, Clodwick will look to continue to build out the core P&C practice in Cleveland across many industries, with a continued focus on collaborating with firms that are distressed, to help them build a plan towards recovery. Additionally, Mr. Clodwick will continue growing his private equity and M&A practice in the Midwest.

ABOUT LOCKTONWhat makes Lockton stand apart is also what makes us better: independence. Lockton's private ownership empowers its 7,500 Associates doing business in over 125 countries to focus solely on clients' risk and insurance needs. With expertise that reaches around the globe, Lockton delivers the deep understanding needed to accomplish remarkable results. For 31 consecutive years, Business Insurance magazine has recognized Lockton as a "Best Place to Work in Insurance."

To view and apply for open positions in Lockton's Cleveland office visit lockton.com/careers

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SOURCE Lockton
Historic Announcement Showcases Inclusive Direction for Company

NEW YORK, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NAGASE & CO., LTD. announced today that Bradley Hilborn is the new CEO of their Americas division, Nagase Holdings America Corporation. Bradley Hilborn has been with NAGASE for 21 years and was previously Vice President of Business Strategy & Planning at Nagase Holdings America. The appointment of Bradley represents a milestone in NAGASE's history as the company expands its executive leadership team outside of Japan.

Nagase Holdings America Corporation makes historic appointment with Bradley Hilborn as the new CEO.

This landmark role is a forward-looking cultural change for the company, showcasing a commitment to globalizing the workforce of NAGASE, allowing nationals to make regional decisions for the company, and inspiring the potential of career trajectories for employees.

"I am pleased to announce Bradley Hilborn, a veteran of NAGASE, as the CEO of the Americas region," says Kenji Asakura, President and CEO of NAGASE & CO., LTD. "Under Mr. Hilborn's exceptional leadership, I am confident that locally developed businesses that better meet the needs of customers will increase, and as a result, the presence and business of the NAGASE Group in the Americas will expand."

In the position, Bradley will emphasize value-added models in key areas such as research and development (R&D), market strategy, technical support, and distribution. He seeks to use this model to serve customers and suppliers by streamlining services to help solve their challenges under one roof. Having been involved deeply in biochemistry throughout his career, Bradley is also looking to utilize sustainable chemistry for the company by pursuing new pathways in biothermal energy, biocatalysis, agricultural biotechnology, and more.

"My focus is to accelerate growth by maximizing connectivity among our affiliates throughout the region," Bradley says of his vision for the company. "Through investments in our existing organizations or acquisition of new ones we will expand our reach and capabilities. We are looking to leverage our organization's assets from research and development, manufacturing, application development, and distribution as we aim to step up what's possible for customers and suppliers."

"Bradley has impressed the NAGASE Group with his abundant industry experience, excellent strategic skill, and strong leadership," says Masaya Ikemoto, Board Member and Managing Director of NAGASE & CO., LTD. "I believe he is able to bring Nagase Holdings America Corporation to the next stage by setting a clear overall strategy centered around social and customer needs."

Bradley came to NAGASE in 2001, starting as a chemical salesman. During his tenure, he has made his mark as Manager of Performance Chemicals, Director of Sales Marketing, Chief Business Officer at Infinite Materials Solutions, LLC (Infinite), and Executive Vice President at NAGASE Specialty Materials. He has focused on strategy development; mergers & acquisitions for NAGASE brands Fitz Chem and Interfacial Consultants; and corporate strategy for Nagase Holdings America Corporation. Bradley holds an Executive MBA from University of WashingtonMichael G. Foster School of Business.

Prior to joining the leadership team at NAGASE, Bradley made significant contributions in his role as a research chemist for Henkel Corporation, working with syntactic foams. As a member of the American Chemical Society, Bradley has published four patents in structural adhesives and syntactic foams. He holds two Bachelor of Science degrees: one in biology and one in chemistry from Michigan State.

About NAGASE & CO., LTD.

NAGASE & CO., LTD. is a chemicals and food ingredients trading firm with $8 billion in annual revenue. Founded in Kyoto, Japan in 1832 as a specialized purveyor of dyes and chemicals, NAGASE Group now has 100+ group companies and more than 7,000 team members. Spanning 30 countries and regions, NAGASE is connecting the world with high-end materials and technologies. Looking forward to their 200th anniversary in the year 2032, they are creating a platform for sustainable growth.

To learn more about NAGASE:

Nagase America: https://nagaseamerica.com Nagase Specialty Materials: https://www.nsm-na.comNAGASE & CO., LTD.: https://www.nagase.co.jp/english/

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SOURCE NAGASE HOLDINGS AMERICA CORPORATION
MUMBAI, India, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In our ongoing mission to bolster business insight and further augment organic growth and acquisition strategies, Piramal Pharma Ltd (PPL) today announced the addition of three members to its board of directors. We are pleased to welcome Mr. Peter Stevenson, Ms. Nathalie Leitch and Mr. Sridhar Gorthi to the board. These new appointments, which come ahead of the planned de-merger of PPL from Piramal Enterprises Ltd (PEL), will assist us in maintaining high governance for the new listed corporate entity.

Under the de-merger announced in 2021 and upon approval by the Hon'ble National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Piramal Pharma Ltd will be listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in India. As an independent listed entity with a profitable growth strategy, PPL will be well equipped to support the needs of its customers and help reduce the burden of disease on patients.

The appointments will add to the well-diversified experience that currently exists on the PPL board. Led by Chairperson Ms. Nandini Piramal and Piramal Global Pharma CEO Mr. Peter DeYoung, the Piramal Pharma board also includes leaders such as Mr. S Ramadorai, Mr. Neeraj Bhardwaj, Mr. Jairaj Purandare and Mr. Vivek Valsaraj.

Mr. Peter Stevenson brings in-depth knowledge in contract manufacturing, business operations, supply chain management and operating in complex regulatory environment. Mr. Sridhar Gorthi is an authority in corporate law, M&A and private equity. His experience spans across manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, insurance, banking and financial services, technology, telecom and media. Ms. Natalie Leitch is a subject matter expert in pharmaceuticals and the US generics industry, with domain experience in creative product strategies and formulations.

On the appointments, Ms. Nandini Piramal, Executive Director, Piramal Enterprises and Chairperson of Piramal Pharma Ltd board, commented, "We welcome the new members to the PPL board. Having a diversified, experienced global board will strengthen our governance, as we vertically de-merge from PEL and become a listed entity. The wisdom and knowledge the new members bring will not only enhance the overall expertise of the board, but also provide crucial insights to the businesses, as we scale up our global presence by pursuing both organic and inorganic growth."

The full board of Piramal Pharma includes:

Ms. Nandini Piramal

Ms. Nandini Piramal is a visionary business leader driven by her commitment to bettering society. She holds various roles like Chairperson at Piramal Pharma Ltd., Head of the Human Resources and Information Technology Functions at Piramal Group, and the Quality unit at Piramal Pharma. She has played an important role towards making Piramal Enterprises, the only Indian company part of Willis Towers Watson Global High Performing Norm. Ms. Piramal also acts as an advisor to Piramal Foundation and Piramal Sarvajal. She was recognized amongst 'India's Most Powerful Women' by Business Today in 2020 and as a `Young Global Leader' in 2014 by the World Economic Forum. Ms. Piramal holds a BA (Hons.) in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Mr. Peter DeYoung

Mr. Peter DeYoung is the CEO of Piramal Global Pharma, Piramal Pharma Limited, and a member of the Piramal Pharma Limited Board. In his current role, Mr. DeYoung is responsible for steering strategy and driving profitable growth of the businesses. He has also spearheaded leadership mandates as the CEO of Piramal Critical Care and President of Piramal Life Sciences. Mr. DeYoung holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering from Princeton University, graduating summa cum laude, before completing his Master's in Business Administration from Stanford University, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar.

Mr. S. Ramadorai

Mr. S. Ramadorai is currently the Chairman of the Advisory Board at Tata STRIVE, which is the Tata Group's CSR skill development initiative. He is also the Chairman of Tata Technologies Limited and additionally serves as an Independent Director on the Boards of Piramal Enterprises Limited and DSP Investment Managers. He has been in public service and served as the Chairman of the National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), where he focused on standardizing the skilling effort, ensure quality and commonality of outcomes by leveraging technology and create an inclusive environment to co-operate, collaborate & co-exist.

Mr. Ramadorai took over as the CEO of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in 1996, when the company's revenues were at $ 155 million. He then steered the company into becoming a $ 6 billion global IT services company by 2009. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan (India's third highest civilian honor) in 2006.

Mr. Ramadorai holds a Bachelor's degree in Physics from Delhi University (India), a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electronics and Telecommunications from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (India) and a Master's degree in Computer Science from the University of California  UCLA (USA).

Mr. Peter Stevenson

Mr. Peter Stevenson is a leader in the pharmaceutical industry with extensive manufacturing and commercial experience. He was a member of Pfizer's Global Manufacturing Leadership Team with responsibilities for global procurement, global external supply and a portfolio of Pfizer internal manufacturing sites in North America, Europe and Asia. Later, he served as General Manager of Pfizer's contract manufacturing business and as Value Stream Leader for the Injectables and Hospital Products Value Stream. Mr Stevenson recently retired from Pfizer and currently serves as the Board Vice-Chair for Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases and Chair of the Governance Committee. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Arts from Gettysburg College, Pennsylvania.

Ms. Nathalie Leitch

Ms. Nathalie Leitch has over two decades of experience in the pharmaceuticals industry. She is a subject matter expert in the US generics industry, with domain experience in creative product strategies and 505(b)(2) formulations; patent challenges, Hatch-Waxman and Settlement Options; and business development and external partnering activities. Ms. Leitch has extensive knowledge of sales, marketing, R&D and manufacturing functions. She has held senior leadership roles at Fresenius Kabi, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Allergan plc and Actavis (formerly Watson). Ms. Leitch holds a B.Sc. in Human Biology and an MBA in Finance from Queen's University.

Mr. Vivek Valsaraj

With over twenty-five years of overall experience in the field of finance, Mr. Vivek Valsaraj has been associated with the Piramal Group for over 21 years and currently oversees the Finance and Shared Services Functions. In his earlier stints within the Group, Mr. Valsaraj has been associated with various roles in Corporate and the erstwhile Domestic Formulations business. He serves as the CFO of the Pharma business. Over the last several years, he has been closely associated with the Pharma business and has actively been a part of several key acquisitions and capital raising. Prior to joining Piramal, he was associated with companies like Wockhardt Ltd and Bharat Bijlee Ltd. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Commerce and is an associate member of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India.

Mr. Neeraj Bharadwaj

Mr. Neeraj Bharadwaj is the Managing Director at Carlyle India Advisors Private Limited, focused on the growth capital and buyout opportunities across various sectors in India. At present, he is on the board of Piramal Pharma, Hexaware Technologies Limited and Indegene. He also served on the board of Metropolis, Delhivery Limited, and others. He was involved in many significant investments like Apollo Hospitals and Jamdat. Mr. Bharadwaj was elected as a Board Member of the Indian School of Business (ISB), a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Board Member of Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ), Member of the Harvard Business School South Asia Advisory Board, Member of the Wharton Executive Education Board, and Co-Chair, FICCI Committee on Private Equity & Venture Capital.

He graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor's degree in Economics, before doing his MBA from Harvard Business School.

Mr. Jairaj Purandare

Mr. Jairaj Purandare has close to four decades of experience in accounting, tax, and business advisory. He is an authority in tax and regulatory affairs. He has advised clients across various industries such as Financial Services, Infrastructure, Power, Telecom, Media, Pharma and Auto sectors. Mr. Purandare is the Founder Chairman of JMP Advisors Pvt Ltd, a leading advisory, accounting, tax and regulatory services firm in India. He was earlier the Regional Managing Partner of the PwC India and Chairman of Ernst & Young, India. Mr. Purandare is an Independent Director on the Boards of three large companies, a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and a former member of National Council of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Mr. Sridhar Gorthi

Mr. Sridhar Gorthi is an authority in corporate law, M&A, and private equity. He is the founding partner and member of the Management Committee at Trilegal. He has been recognized as one of the distinguished practitioners for M&A and PE in the Asia-Pacific region with his legal expertise across sectors, including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, insurance, banking and financial services, technology, telecom and media. He is one of India's top 100 lawyers and part of the 'A-list' of the India Business Law Journal 2020, and among Chambers and Partners' Asia Pacific's leading lawyers in India for Banking and Finance (2014-2021). Mr. Gorthi is a graduate from National Law School, Bengaluru, and is a member of the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa.

About Piramal Pharma Ltd.

Piramal Pharma Limited (PPL) offers a portfolio of differentiated products and services through end-to-end manufacturing capabilities across 15 global facilities and a global distribution network in over 100 countries. PPL includes Piramal Pharma Solutions (PPS), an integrated Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization; Piramal Critical Care (PCC), a Complex Hospital Generics business, and the India Consumer Healthcare business selling over-the-counter products. PPS offers end-to-end development and manufacturing solutions through a globally integrated network of facilities across the drug life cycle to innovators and generic companies. PCC's complex hospital product portfolio includes inhalation anaesthetics, intrathecal therapies for spasticity and pain management, injectable pain and anaesthetics, injectable anti-infectives, and other therapies. The Indian Consumer Healthcare business is among the leading players in India in the self-care space, with established brands in the Indian consumer healthcare market. In addition, PPL has a joint venture with Allergan, a leader in ophthalmology in the Indian formulations market. In October 2020, the company received a growth equity investment from the Carlyle Group.

For more information please visit: www.piramalpharmasolutions.com | Twitter | LinkedIn

For Media Queries:

Rajiv BanerjeeCorporate Communications[email protected]

For Investors:

Anupam JainInvestor Relations [email protected]

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SOURCE Piramal Pharma Limited
MINNEAPOLIS , July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stiff person syndrome spectrum disorders are rare autoimmune and neurological disorders that most often cause muscle stiffness and spasms in the torso and limbs. According to a small, preliminary study released today, a blood treatment called plasmapheresis, also known as therapeutic plasma exchange, may be a safe way to treat stiff person syndrome spectrum disorders. The research will be presented at the new American Academy of Neurology Summer Conference: Autoimmune Neurology and Neurology Year in Review in San Francisco, July 15 to 16, 2022. Researchers also found that many study participants also experienced an improvement in symptoms or function, or both, while being treated with this therapy.

For people with these disorders, symptoms may come and go early in the disease, but eventually become constant. Stiffness and spasms usually begin in the leg and torso muscles and over time can affect the arms and even the face. Other symptoms such as gait unsteadiness and unexplained falls can occur. Most people with these disorders are women.

"Stiff person syndrome spectrum disorders are rare, and while there are some treatments for varying forms of these disorders, they are not always effective at reducing symptoms or preventing worsening of function," said study author Scott D. Newsome, DO, of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. "Finding a new way to treat a debilitating and painful disease that has few side effects or risks is a big win. The findings of our research help promote awareness of a treatment that may lead to relief for some people living with stiff person syndrome spectrum disorders."

For the study, researchers looked at the medical records of 36 people with stiff person syndrome spectrum disorders who underwent plasmapheresis. This process cleans the blood by removing and replacing a person's blood plasma with albumin, a product manufactured from donated plasma to treat certain diseases. Of the participants, the majority had classic stiff person syndrome.

Researchers found that this therapeutic plasma exchange process was both a safe and tolerable form of treatment for people with stiff person syndrome spectrum disorder. Four of the people studied, or 11%, had complications from the treatment, such as catheter infection or hemorrhage, but no deaths or anaphylaxis were reported.

Additionally, 20 people, or 56%, saw improvement with these treatments. Twelve people needed fewer medications to treat their symptoms three months after the treatment.

Researchers also reviewed other cases and identified an additional 42 people with stiff person syndrome who underwent the same treatment and found 69% reported a temporary improvement in their condition.

"While the main focus of the study was safety, and we showed that complications from this treatment in people with stiff person syndrome are rare and manageable, it's very important that many people saw improvements or maintained the same level of function," Newsome said. "Further studies could confirm these results and help inform doctors when to use this treatment for stiff person syndrome spectrum disorders."

One limitation of this study was that it was retrospective, meaning that researchers looked back at medical records rather than following study participants in real time. Another limitation was that it included a small number of participants. Newsome noted this is the largest case series to date.

Learn more about stiff person syndrome at BrainandLife.org, home of the American Academy of Neurology's free patient and caregiver magazine focused on the intersection of neurologic disease and brain health. Follow Brain & Life on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

When posting to social media channels about this research, we encourage you to use the hashtags #Neurology, #AANscience, and the Summer Conference hashtag #AANSC.

The American Academy of Neurology is the world's largest association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals, with over 38,000 members. The AAN is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, concussion, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit AAN.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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SOURCE American Academy of Neurology
CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. , July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Quaker Houghton (NYSE: KWR) today announced that Melissa Leneis has joined the Company as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer effective July 5, 2022. Ms. Leneis will oversee the Company's global Human Resources organization including total rewards, talent management, culture and engagement, talent attraction, workforce enablement, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Andy Tometich, Chief Executive Officer and President stated: "At the core of Quaker Houghton and our customer intimate strategy is our people. Melissa has extensive experience building and leading global Human Resources organizations and will play a pivotable role in attracting, developing, and retaining the necessary talent to enable the Company to achieve its strategic objectives. I am delighted to have Melissa join the leadership team at Quaker Houghton."

Prior to joining Quaker Houghton, Ms. Leneis served in various Human Resources leadership roles at InterDigital, including most recently serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer from October 2019 through June 2022. Prior to joining InterDigital in 2018, Ms. Leneis was responsible for leading global teams of Human Resources business partners at Johnson Controls and formerly with Tyco International. Her previous experience also includes Human Resources leadership positions with MEI, Inc. (formerly Mars) and Lockheed Martin Corporation.

About Quaker Houghton:Quaker Houghton is the global leader in industrial process fluids. With a presence around the world, including operations in over 25 countries, our customers include thousands of the world's most advanced and specialized steel, aluminum, automotive, aerospace, offshore, can, mining, and metalworking companies. Our high-performing, innovative and sustainable solutions are backed by best-in-class technology, deep process knowledge and customized services. With approximately 4,700 employees, including chemists, engineers and industry experts, we partner with our customers to improve their operations so they can run even more efficiently, even more effectively, whatever comes next. Quaker Houghton is headquartered in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, located near Philadelphia in the United States. Visit quakerhoughton.com to learn more.

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SOURCE Quaker Houghton
Memorandum of Understanding signed to facilitate possible future strategic collaborations and new business opportunities.

GOTHENBURG, Sweden, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SKF and ABB have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the possibilities for a collaboration in the automation of manufacturing processes. The MoU was signed at ABB's Robotics Experience Center in Vasteras, Sweden, by SKF CEO Rickard Gustafson and ABB CEO Bjorn Rosengren.

Following the successful delivery of a number of projects in SKF's global manufacturing network, including in Gothenburg, where a fleet of industrial robots from ABB are installed in the bearing manufacturer's state-of-the-art factory, the two companies are now taking the next step in their collaboration.

Through the partnership, SKF and ABB will identify and evaluate solutions to improve manufacturing capabilities and support clients' increased production efficiency. As a first step, SKF's investments in automation and clean manufacturing processes will act as a testbed, focused on decreasing CO2 emissions from SKF's operations. Longer-term, the parties intend to explore new business opportunities in both traditional and new market segments, where both companies bring experiences within a wide range of industries.

Rickard Gustafson, President and CEO of SKF, says: "We are increasing the automation of our production facilities in all our regions, in order to stay ahead of our competition and improve our environmental performance. This also enables a more flexible and safer working environment. ABB is an important partner for us in this area and we, as two leading industrial companies, will continue to develop innovative solutions to further increase the competitiveness of our customers".

Bjorn Rosengren, CEO of ABB, says: "The demand for automation is increasing, driven by declining working age populations, rising labor costs, and industry's efforts to create resource-efficient operations in the transition to more sustainable manufacturing. I am therefore pleased to announce this deepened partnership alongside SKF, further strengthening our technical leadership".

Recently, the two companies have signed contracts for delivery of specific projects in the field of advanced manufacturing automation, robotic random bin-picking or installations of innovative logistics automation solutions in more complex industrial workshops within SKF's manufacturing footprint, thus making it possible to see how robots can enable quality assurance of detail management.

Aktiebolaget SKF (publ)

CONTACT:

PRESS: Carl BjernstamGroup Communicationtel: 46 31-337 2517 mobile: 46 722-201 893 e-mail: [email protected]

INVESTOR RELATIONS: Patrik Stenberg Head of Investor Relationstel: 46 31-337 2104 mobile: 46 705-472 104 [email protected]

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SOURCE SKF
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WHAT: Zion Elementary School District 6 Superintendent Dr. Keely Roberts and her eight-year-old twin sons, Cooper and Luke, were among the victims who were shot during the tragic Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois on Monday. Cooper is currently in critical condition. Dr. Roberts was seriously injured but will recover. Luke has been treated, released from the hospital and is recuperating at home.

Zoom media briefing at 2:30 pm today re: medical status of eight-year-old Highland Park shooting victim Cooper Roberts

Anthony Loizzi, family spokesperson, will provide a media briefing to share information about the family's medical status and to encourage support for the active GoFundMe campaign (https://www.gofundme.com/f/kxwjn-the-roberts-family-fundraiser?qid=581f5fb23c85ba8a5f09ee06231610fe) being sponsored by friends to support their medical needs. Mr. Loizzi is a partner at the law firm Hodges, Loizzi, Eisenhammer, Rodick and Kohn LLP, which represents the school district where Dr. Roberts is employed.

WHEN: Today, Thursday, July 7 at 2:30-3:00 p.m. Central

WHERE: Via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83004657488

This session will be recorded.

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SOURCE The Roberts Family
NEW YORK, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Squarespace, Inc. (NYSE: SQSP), the all-in-one website building and ecommerce platform, will report its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022, before market open on Monday, July 25, 2022.

Squarespace will hold a conference call and live webcast to discuss second-quarter results at 8:30 a.m. ET / 5:30 a.m. PT on the same day. To register, please visit the Events & Presentations section of Squarespace's Investor Relations website at investors.squarespace.com.

An archived replay of the webcast will be available following the conclusion of the call.

About SquarespaceSquarespace is the all-in-one platform with everything to sell anything, providing customers in over 200 countries and territories with all the tools they need to sell physical products, digital content, classes, appointments, reservations and more. Powered by best-in-class design for a consistent brand experience across all touchpoints, our suite of fully integrated products enables anyone to manage their projects and businesses through websites, domains, ecommerce, marketing tools, and scheduling, along with tools for managing a social media presence with Unfold and hospitality business management via Tock. Squarespace is headquartered in downtown New York City, with offices in Dublin, Ireland, Portland, Oregon, and Chicago, Illinois. For more information, visit www.squarespace.com.

Contacts

InvestorsRobert Sanders Clare Perry [email protected]

MediaKaitlyn Rawlett[email protected]

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SOURCE Squarespace, Inc.
MIAMI, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- St. Thomas University (STU) and President David A. Armstrong, J.D., congratulate Tamara F. Lawson, J.D., LL.M., who has been named to the Toni Rembe Endowed Deanship of the University of Washington's School of Law.

Lawson completed eighteen years at the St. Thomas University College of Law, including the past four years as Dean. Under her leadership, the College of Law experienced record growth, including the largest and strongest incoming class in history last Fall, and the creation of the Benjamin L. Crump Center for Social Justice funded by a $1 million leadership grant from Truist Financial Corporation through its Truist Charitable Fund, a donor-advised fund at The Winston-Salem Foundation.

"St. Thomas University and the STU College of Law thank Dean Lawson for her dedication and years of service," said STU's President Armstrong. "She brings a wealth of experience to UW School of Law. We pray for her success in her new role."

Lawson resigned as STU College of Law Dean on July 1st, and she will step down from the College of Law's faculty effective August 14th. Professor Emeritus John Makdisi has returned to STU and will begin serving immediately as the Interim Dean of the College of Law. He will be assisted by Associate Dean Professor Todd Clark, last year's STU Law Faculty of the Year.

Dean Makdisi and Associate Dean Clark will assist the STU Board of Trustees and President Armstrong in a national search for a new Dean of the STU College of Law. It is St. Thomas University's goal, after establishing a Search Committee that will assist in hiring a Search Firm and vet the candidates, to have a permanent Dean in place no later than July 1, 2023.

CONTACT: Donna Jannine [email protected] l 786.390.4688

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SOURCE St. Thomas University
Contentz and SVBC Deliver Media Production Hub

SAN JOSE, Calif., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Contentz, in partnership with the Silicon Valley Business Center (SVBC), is thrilled to announce the Grand Opening of 'The Content Studio,' a simple, cost-effective multi-media space available for professionals to book and create content for social media and communications, in person or remotely.

Contentz is hosting a Grand Opening event on Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at 1900 Camden Avenue, in San Jose, from 12 to 2:00 PM. Meet Contentz staff and local creators. Record a free video at the event. To register, visit https://contentz.com/silicon-valley-rsvp/.

Content studios provide microphones, mixing boards and flexible set design to support creators in developing content. Remote producers help plan and edit video, audio and writing for guests.

"We are thrilled to collaborate with such a credible partner," said Greg Bunker, SVBC President. "The Contentz team has done a fantastic job in developing a simple, streamlined platform for our members to book studio time, access equipment and get consulting that helps create ROI."

Businesses need more content as the world spends more time online.

"Sending clients (or leads) a video, article or audio clip to educate, for example, keeps satisfaction and delight sky high," said Petersen. "Our mission is for media production to help companies improve ROI via support and communications."

Petersen is a former community newspaper writer from South San Jose and has supported both private and public organizations in creating article, video and podcast content.

Contentz started as a high school sports-focused newspaper and has grown into a content production company, primarily supporting clients in education, real estate and medical industries.

Contentz operates two in-person locations. The other location is in Roseville, CA.

"The understatement of the decade is that the pandemic changed things at work," said Petersen. "With more remote interactions, there is a huge need to establish personality, while delivering a message. Podcasts and videos exploded because they are a great way to humanize messages and answer business questions at the same time."

About Contentz

Contentz is a custom publishing partner that helps organizations like California Interscholastic Federation, USA Water Polo, GoFan and OM Surgical Solutions plan and produce content.

About SVBC

SVBC is a South San Jose Coworking Space, hosting more than 400 member businesses across professional services and technology industries.

Media ContactContentzTamara GockenEmail:[email protected] Cell: 815.716.3751

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SOURCE Contentz LLC
Maple Kush Organic Pre-Rolls by TGOD

Amsterdam n' Rosin Organic Vape by Highly Dutch

Rosin Charged Hash by Cruuzy

Puffing Season 3.5g sativa by Cruuzy

Ube Coconut Vape by Cruuzy

Real Fruit Peach Gummies 5:1 CBD:THC by Wyld

TORONTO, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (the "Company" or "TGOD") (CSE: TGOD) (OTC-US: TGODF), a sustainable cannabis company announces new summer SKU launches at OCS.

2022 has seen the introduction of successful dried flower SKUs, like TGOD's Organic Maple Kush and Organic Cherry Mints, plus innovative, popular SKUs, like Highly Dutch Organic's 6-Month Oak Barrel Hash and Cruuzy's SprChrgd Duubyz pre-rolls. To build on that success, five new SKUs will be released in Ontario, Canada's largest recreational cannabis market, this Summer. The new products, outlined below, will also roll out to other provinces in the months ahead.

TGOD Premium Organic Maple Kush (3.5g) has had notable sales success in the dried flower category and will now be available in Pre-roll format. Organic Maple Kush 3 X.5g Pre-Roll is a high-THC, high-terpene indica in organic hemp paper and a compostable container. Certified organically grown in living soil, this trichome-covered high-THC indica is a TGOD original cross between Koloa Sunrise and GG4. Organic Maple Kush gets its name from the Canadian organic maple syrup used to feed the soil it grows in, giving it a natural source of carbohydrates. This beautiful bud brings with it a tropical, fruity, kush-like finish, a result of Myrcene and Farnescene terpenes that dominate this strain's aroma and flavour. Available August 2nd.

Highly Dutch OrganicBuilding on the strong performance of Rotterdam Indica and Amsterdam Sativa in the flower category, this will be the first vape SKU under the Highly Dutch Organic brand. Amsterdam n' Rosin is a 20:80 organic rosin-infused distillate sativa vape, made from cannabis flower and native cannabis terpenes. This vape is designed to bring an enriched full flavoured sativa experience at an affordable price. Each pull delivers thick, terpy, full flower rosin flavour in a convenient affordable 0.5g cartridge. The perfect vape for everyday use. Available August 2nd.

CruuzyRosin Charged Hash is a fusion of high quality trichomes and solventless rosin, delivering a striking blend of full-flower flavour and powerful potency in every experience. It starts by carefully pressing high-quality flower into a sticky golden rosin. The rosin is then blended with the finest quality kief, creating a unique, 100% solventless, truly flavourful rosin charged hash experience. Available in 2g format August 2nd.

Puffing Season is another offering in the successful Cruuzy portfolio of bringing unique dried flower genetics to market. This sativa-dominant hybrid has scents of musk, gas, and lemons. The deep hue buds of this sativa are coated with frosty hairs. Available for a limited time in 3.5g August 2nd.

Ube Coconut Vape is a very uniquely flavoured vape using the top food trend of 2022, Ube. Each vape features a nutty vanilla flavour, complemented with the subtle taste of coconut. This unique taste experience combines natural, botanical terpenes, made with high-quality distillate, Available in 1g carts August 2nd.

WyldIn addition to the TGOD core brands, the Wyld Team has grown on its popular portfolio, by adding Real Fruit Peach Gummies 5:1 CBD:THC. Each Wyld Peach gummy contains 5mg of THC and 25mg of CBD combined with the terpenes Limonene, Linalool, Alpha-Pinene, and Beta-Pinene and they're packaged in compostable packaging.

"Our strategic focus is to operate in select product categories where we have a notable competitive differentiation. Providing high quality, high THC flower and differentiated products has been a key driver of our overall growth and is enabling us to meet major financial milestones in Q2 2022, and beyond. Moving through Summer 2022, we are happy to expand our product offering to the growing community of retail customers and provincial Boards." commented Sean Bovingdon, CEO of TGOD.

About The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd.The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (CSE: TGOD) (USOTC: TGODF) is a sustainable, global cannabis company with a focus on innovation, quality, consistency, integrity and transparency. By leveraging science and technology, TGOD harnesses the power of nature from seed to sale. The Company is committed to cultivating a better tomorrow by producing its products responsibly, with less waste and impact on the environment. In Canada, TGOD serves the recreational market with a brand portfolio including The Green Organic Dutchman, Highly Dutch Organics, Ripple by TGOD and Cruuzy brands, and the medical markets in Canada, South Africa, Australia, and Germany. All cannabis utilized in products for The Green Organic Dutchman and Highly Dutch Organics brands is grown through a certified organic process, which includes living soil, filtered rainwater, sunlight, and natural inputs.TGOD's Common Shares and certain warrants issued under the indentures dated December 19, 2019, June 12, 2020, October 23, 2020 and December 10, 2020 trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") under the symbol "TGOD", "TGOD.WS", "TGOD.WR", "TGOD.WA", and "TGOD.WB" respectively. TGOD's Common Shares trade in the U.S. on the OTCQX under the symbol "TGODF". For more information on The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd., please visit www.tgod.ca.

Cautionary Statements

This news release includes statements containing certain "forwardlooking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law ("forwardlooking statements"). Forward looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements about future net revenue and gross margin, statements about future Adjusted EBITDA, statements about future production quantity and timing, statements about the offering of any particular products by the Company and statements regarding the future performance of the Company, statements about future development, growth and delivery of products, and statements about the level of demand for TGOD's products. Forwardlooking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "should", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forwardlooking statements throughout this news release. Forwardlooking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties (including market conditions) and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forwardlooking statements, including those risk factors described in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form filed with Canadian securities regulators and available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information or forward-looking statements in this news release 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 time frames or at all. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

Neither the CSE nor the CSE's Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of CSE) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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SOURCE The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd.
Airties to relocate headquarters to Paris to support planned global expansion

Providence Equity Partners completes acquisition of Airties

LONDON and PARIS, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Airties, a leading provider of cloud-based managed Wi-Fi solutions to operators globally, today announced that Tony Ball, former chairman of Kabel Deutschland and CEO of BSkyB, and current Senior Advisor of Providence Equity Partners, will serve as new Chairman of the Airties board. Philippe Alcaras will continue to serve as CEO of Airties.

Airties also shared today that its corporate headquarters is moving to Paris, France to support its global expansion plans. The announcements come as part of the completion of the acquisition by Providence Equity Partners L.L.C. ("Providence"), a premier private equity firm that specializes in growth-oriented investments in media, communications, education and technology.

"We are excited to embark on this new stage in Airties' growth, working with Providence as we look to expand our market position and further delight our customers, partners, and employees," said Philippe Alcaras, CEO of Airties. "We are also particularly fortunate, and grateful, to have Tony Ball serve as Chairman of the Board. Tony's established record of leadership within the industry will be invaluable as we seek to accelerate growth globally and serve our worldwide customers."

"Airties is renowned for delivering among the best managed Wi-Fi solutions that enable exceptional end-user experiences to many of the most respected broadband service providers around the world," said Tony Ball, Chairman of the Board at Airties. "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work alongside Philippe, and his team, to expand upon that success and explore new business opportunities. Millions of homes rely upon Airties to stay connected, productive, and entertained, and it's exciting to believe we are still in the early stages of market penetration and global adoption."

Airties has been recognized with many prestigious industry awards for its innovative work serving broadband operators, including: "Best Home Wi-Fi Solution Award" from Broadband World Forum; the "Best Wi-Fi Service Provider Solution" and "Best Home Wi-Fi Product" awards from Wi-Fi NOW; "Best-In Home Wi-Fi Network" from Wireless Broadband Alliance; the "Best Broadband Customer Experience" award from Cable & Satellite International; and many others.

About Airties

Airties is a leading provider of managed Wi-Fi solutions to operators around the globe. The Smart Wi-Fi portfolio from Airties includes Airties Edge, smart Wi-Fi software for gateways; Airties Cloud, a cloud-based management platform and its companion app, Airties Vision; and Wi-Fi mesh extenders. Operators turn to Airties for the design, implementation, and ongoing optimization of their customers' broadband experience. Airties' customers include AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, Singtel, Sky, Telia, Telstra, Vodafone, and many others. More information is available at www.airties.com.

About Providence Equity Partners

Providence Equity Partners is a specialist private equity investment firm focused on growth-oriented media, communications, education, and technology companies across North America and Europe. Providence combines its partnership approach to investing with deep industry expertise to help management teams build exceptional businesses and generate attractive returns.

Since its founding in 1989, Providence has invested over $31 billion across more than 170 private equity portfolio companies. With its headquarters in Providence, RI, the firm also has offices in New York, London, Boston and Atlanta.

For more information, please visit www.provequity.com.

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SOURCE Airties
Distinguished election law scholar will spearhead cross-partisan, multidisciplinary project aimed at protecting America's free and fair elections

LOS ANGELES, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- UCLA School of Law today proudly announces the launch of the Safeguarding Democracy Project to be directed by Prof. Richard L. Hasen, an internationally recognized election law expert and frequent commentator on American democracy and the courts.

As concerns about the undermining of our electoral system mount, and as the nation heads towards the midterm elections in November, the Safeguarding Democracy Project will promote research, collaboration and advocacy aimed at ensuring free and fair elections in the U.S. conducted in accordance with democratic norms and the rule of law. The project brings together a diverse consortium of scholars, election administrators, legislators, lawyers, voting rights advocates, and concerned citizens to develop practical solutions to ensuring the integrity of our elections.

"The insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, brought on by false claims about the 2020 presidential election, was the opening salvo of a concerted effort to subvert our electoral system," Hasen says. "Since then, there have been numerous, alarming attempts to undermine our free and fair elections, including sham audits and calls for 'decertification' of election results. The Safeguarding Democracy Project will use an all-hands-on-deck approach to address and challenge these threats to our democracy, working to ensure that all eligible voters can freely cast their vote, that those votes will be fairly and accurately counted, and that the election winners will undergo a peaceful transfer of power."

Under Hasen's leadership, the Safeguarding Democracy Project will work across ideologies and scholarly disciplines to build a bridge between theory and practice  producing cutting-edged scholarship, issuing recommendations, engaging in advocacy, and holding events to educate the public on the risks to American democracy. The project's diverse advisory board includes J. Michael Luttig, former judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (appointed by George H.W. Bush); Janai S. Nelson, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF); Alex Stamos, director of the Stanford Internet Observatory and former Chief Security Officer of Facebook; prominent election lawyers Bob Bauer, who headed Barack Obama's campaign legal team; Ben Ginsberg, who headed Mitt Romney's campaign legal team; leading election law scholars, political scientists, and other scholars; and current and former state and local election officials. The full advisory board list is below.

Among the first events of the project will be a Sept. 20 discussion with Supreme Court journalists Joan Biskupic (CNN), Adam Liptak (New York Times), and Dahlia Lithwick (Slate), moderated by Hasen, on the Supreme Court's role in preserving American democracy, and a scholarly roundtable on the independent state legislature doctrine. In early 2023, the Project will convene a public symposium, "Can American Democracy Survive the 2024 Elections?"

One of the most prominent voices on election law today, Rick Hasen is co-author of leading casebooks in election law and remedies and is the author of over 100 articles on election law issues published in numerous journals including the Harvard Law Review, Stanford Law Review, and Supreme Court Review. In 2020, he served as a CNN Election Law Analyst. Before his appointment to UCLA Law on July 1, he was Chancellor's Professor of Law and Political Science at the University of California, Irvine and Co-Director of the Fair Elections and Free Speech Center.

"Rick Hasen is the nation's foremost election law expert," says Russell Korobkin, interim dean of UCLA Law. "I am thrilled that we were able to convince him to join our faculty and to spearhead this important initiative. America's democratic system is literally as well as figuratively under assault, making the work of the Safeguarding Democracy Project critical to our nation's future. I have no doubt that through Rick's leadership, and the excellent advisory board, the project will provide real solutions to a set of urgent problems."

Members of the Safeguarding Democracy Project Advisory Board (institutional affiliations for identification purposes only)

Floyd Abrams , Senior Counsel, Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP

, Senior Counsel, Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP Adam Ambrogi , Senior Director for Voting and Elections, National League of Women Voters

, Senior Director for Voting and Elections, National League of Women Voters Bob Bauer , Former White House Counsel and General Counsel to Obama for America (2008 and 2012) Presidential Campaigns; Co-Chair, Presidential Commission on Election Administration (2013-2014); Co-Chair, Election Official Legal Defense Network (2021-present); Professor of Practice and Distinguished Scholar in Residence, NYU Law School

, Former White House Counsel and General Counsel to Obama for America (2008 and 2012) Presidential Campaigns; Co-Chair, Presidential Commission on Election Administration (2013-2014); Co-Chair, Election Official Legal Defense Network (2021-present); Professor of Practice and Distinguished Scholar in Residence, NYU Law School Guy-Uriel Charles , Charles J. Ogletree, Jr. Professor Law, Harvard University

, Charles J. Ogletree, Jr. Professor Law, Harvard University Erwin Cherminsky , Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law, UC Berkeley

, Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law, UC Berkeley Judd Choate , State Election Director, Colorado Department of State

, State Election Director, Colorado Department of State Danielle K. Citron , Jefferson Scholars Foundation Schenck Distinguished Professor in Law, University of Virginia

, Jefferson Scholars Foundation Schenck Distinguished Professor in Law, University of Virginia Louis DeSipio , Professor of Political Science and Chicano/Latino Studies, UC Irvine

, Professor of Political Science and Chicano/Latino Studies, UC Irvine Larry Diamond , Senior Fellow, The Hoover Institution and Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University

, Senior Fellow, The Hoover Institution and Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University Renee DiResta , Technical Research Manager, Stanford Internet Observatory, Stanford University

, Technical Research Manager, Stanford Internet Observatory, Stanford University Joan Donovan , Research Director, The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, Kennedy School, Harvard University

, Research Director, The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, Kennedy School, Harvard University Pam Fessler, Former NPR Voting Rights Correspondent

Former NPR Voting Rights Correspondent Joseph Fishkin , Professor of Law, UCLA

, Professor of Law, UCLA Edward B. Foley , Charles W. Ebersold and Florence Whitcomb Ebersold Chair in Constitutional Law, Ohio State University

, Charles W. Ebersold and Florence Whitcomb Ebersold Chair in Constitutional Law, Ohio State University Benjamin Ginsberg , Former Counsel to Bush-Cheney (2000 and 2004) and Romney (2008 and 2012) Presidential Campaigns; Distinguished Visiting Fellow, The Hoover Institution, Stanford University; Co-Chair, Election Officials Legal Defense Network

, Former Counsel to Bush-Cheney (2000 and 2004) and Romney (2008 and 2012) Presidential Campaigns; Distinguished Visiting Fellow, The Hoover Institution, Stanford University; Co-Chair, Election Officials Legal Defense Network Sara Wallace Goodman , Professor of Political Science, UC Irvine

, Professor of Political Science, UC Irvine Michele Bratcher Goodwin , Chancellor's Professor of Law, UC Irvine

, Chancellor's Professor of Law, UC Irvine Trey Grayson , Former Secretary of State, Commonwealth of Kentucky (2004-11); Member, Frost Brown Todd

, Former Secretary of State, Commonwealth of Kentucky (2004-11); Member, Frost Brown Todd Gretchen Helmke , Thomas H. Jackson Distinguished University Professor, University of Rochester

, Thomas H. Jackson Distinguished University Professor, University of Rochester Elizabeth Howard , Senior Counsel, Democracy, Brennan Center for Justice

, Senior Counsel, Democracy, Brennan Center for Justice Samuel Isaacharoff , Bonnie and Richard Reiss Professor of Constitutional Law, NYU Law

, Bonnie and Richard Reiss Professor of Constitutional Law, NYU Law David Kaye , Clinical Professor of Law and Director, International Justice Clinic, UC Irvine

, Clinical Professor of Law and Director, International Justice Clinic, UC Irvine Neal Kelley , Registrar of Voters, Orange County, Calif. (Ret.)

, Registrar of Voters, Orange County, Calif. (Ret.) Claire Jean Kim , Professor of Political Science and Asian American Studies, UC Irvine

, Professor of Political Science and Asian American Studies, UC Irvine Kate Klonick , Assistant Professor Law, St. John's University

, Assistant Professor Law, St. John's University Jack I. Lerner , Clinical Professor of Law, UC Irvine

, Clinical Professor of Law, UC Irvine Steven Levitsky , David Rockefeller Professor of Latin American Studies and Professor of Government, Harvard University

, David Rockefeller Professor of Latin American Studies and Professor of Government, Harvard University Leah Litman , Professor of Law, University of Michigan

, Professor of Law, University of Michigan Sarah Longwell , CEO, Longwell Partners; Publisher, The Bulwark

, CEO, Longwell Partners; Publisher, The Bulwark J. Michael Luttig , Former Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth District

, Former Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth District Matthew Masterson , Former Commissioner, U.S. Election Assistance Commission and Senior Cybersecurity Advisor at the Department of Homeland Security; Director of Information Integrity, Microsoft Democracy Forward

, Former Commissioner, U.S. Election Assistance Commission and Senior Cybersecurity Advisor at the Department of Homeland Security; Director of Information Integrity, Microsoft Democracy Forward Jon D. Michaels , Professor of Law, UCLA

, Professor of Law, UCLA Michael T. Morley , Associate Professor of Law, Florida State University

, Associate Professor of Law, Florida State University Derek T. Muller , Professor of Law, University of Iowa

, Professor of Law, University of Iowa Janai Nelson , President and Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF)

, President and Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) Brendan Nyhan , James O. Freedman Presidential Professor, Professor of Government, Dartmouth College

, James O. Freedman Presidential Professor, Professor of Government, Dartmouth College Norman J. Ornstein , Emeritus Scholar, American Enterprise Institute

, Emeritus Scholar, American Enterprise Institute Nathaniel Persily , James B. McClatchy Professor of Law, Stanford University

, James B. McClatchy Professor of Law, Stanford University Richard H. Pildes , Sudler Family Professor of Constitutional Law, NYU

, Sudler Family Professor of Constitutional Law, NYU Betrall Ross, Professor of Law, University of Virginia

Professor of Law, University of Virginia Alex Stamos, Director, Stanford Internet Observatory

Director, Stanford Internet Observatory Charles Stewart III, Kenin Sahin Distinguished Professor of Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Kenin Sahin Distinguished Professor of Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Michael Tesler, Professor of Political Science, UC Irvine

Professor of Political Science, UC Irvine Franita Tolson, George T. and Harriet E. Pfleger Chair in Law, University of Southern California

George T. and Harriet E. Pfleger Chair in Law, University of Southern California Lynn Vavreck, Marvin Hoffenberg Professor of American Politics and Public Policy, UCLA Political Science

Marvin Hoffenberg Professor of American Politics and Public Policy, UCLA Political Science Amy Wilentz, Author and Professor of English (Literary Journalism), UC Irvine; Contributing Editor, The Nation

Author and Professor of English (Literary Journalism), UC Irvine; Contributing Editor, The Nation Adam Winkler, Connell Professor of Law, UCLA

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ucla-law-launches-safeguarding-democracy-project-led-by-richard-l-hasen-301582132.html

SOURCE UCLA School of Law
More than 1,200 expected to attend the premier annual event devoted to the Latino community

WASHINGTON, July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Each year the UnidosUS Annual Conference is the largest gathering of Latino advocates, community, and business leaders. This year, the conference will be held in-person for the first time in three years in San Antonio, Texas from July 9  11 at the Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk.

The UnidosUS Annual Conference in will be in San Antonio, Texas from July 9  11

Conference events include 15 workshops, four plenary sessions, networking opportunities, nightly receptions, a gala celebrating Latino leaders, and a MerXado where guests can shop and support local Hispanic-owned small businesses.

Notable speakers include President and CEO of UnidosUS Janet Murguia, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA, Governor of Arkansas Asa Hutchinson, Rep. Joaquin Castro, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, and Producer of Encanto Yvett Merino, among many others.

WHAT: The 2022 UnidosUS Annual Conference "Siempre Adelante: Our Quest for Equity." Details and the latest conference schedule are available on the UnidosUS Conference website. Press is welcome to join the events outlined below. WHEN: Saturday, July 9 to Monday, July 11 WHERE: Grand Hyatt San Antonio Riverwalk, 600 E Market St, San Antonio, TX 78205. Press Room: 3rd floor Room: Travis A, B. HOW: Media should register by filling out this form. Please ensure that all members of your crew RSVP. NOTE: To enter the conference, you will need to show a COVID-19 vaccination card or a negative PCR test result taken within the previous 24  48 hours. Please give yourself extra time for COVID-19 and security screenings.

The press is welcome to join the following events. For more details, please visit the UnidosUS Conference website.

Saturday, July 9

8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. | Changemakers Breakfast

Featuring major partnership announcement between UnidosUS and Mi Familia Vota

12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. | National Affiliate Luncheon

Featuring an In Memoriam to the victims of Uvalde and Janet Murguia's Keynote Address

3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Plenary

Racial Equity: Weaving the Latino Narrative into the American Story. Featuring remarks by the Hon. Joaquin Castro

6 p.m. to 8 p.m. | A Celebration of Service

Charles K. Kamasaki retirement reception featuring notable remarks (via video) by colleagues from over the last 30+ years of his career at UnidosUS

Sunday, July 10

8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. | Affiliate Leadership Breakfast

A discussion on Building Equity through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding

12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. | Latinas Luncheon

Featuring Julie Chavez Rodriguez as Keynote with performance by Adassa, voice of Dolores in Encanto, and panelists Yvett Merino, Producer, Encanto, and First Lady of San Antonio, and Erika Prosper

3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Plenary

Policy Update: From the States to the Federal Landscape: Opportunities for Progress for Latinos in 2022

Monday, July 11

9:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. | Plenary

Latinx IncluXion: DEI Includes Latinos: How is DEI Showing Up for Latinos in the Workplace.

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Launch of UnidosUS Education Report

UnidosUS will launch an education report detailing how the COVID-19 pandemic had disproportionate impacts on Latino students and their families.

1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. | Latinx IncluXion Luncheon

Featuring HHS Assistant Secretary January Contreras, DOE Assistant Secretary Roberto Rodriguez, and AK Governor Asa Hutchinson

3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Plenary

We Should Talk About Bruno: Putting the Spotlight on Latino Mental Health. Featuring HHS Assistant Secretary January Contreras and US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy

7 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Awards Gala and Dinner

Awards Gala honorees include Eduardo Diaz, Rosie Castro, Jean Guerrero, Tom Espinoza, and Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez.

About UnidosUSUnidosUS, previously known as NCLR (National Council of La Raza), is the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. Through its unique combination of expert research, advocacy, programs, and an Affiliate Network of nearly 300 community-based organizations across the United States and Puerto Rico, UnidosUS simultaneously challenges the social, economic, and political barriers that affect Latinos at the national and local levels. For more than 50 years, UnidosUS has united communities and different groups seeking common ground through collaboration, and that share a desire to make our country stronger. For more information on UnidosUS, visit www.unidosus.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Contact: Beth Melena, [email protected]

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/unidosus-2022-annual-conference-held-in-san-antonio-tx-from-july-9--11-301581924.html

SOURCE National Council of La Raza
- UNIPLAT Becomes One of EUTECH's Only Six SDG Alliance Strategic Partners -

YOKOHAMA, Japan, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- UNIPLAT, the world's first (*) online platform for researchers and entrepreneurs showcasing their research projects focused on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), officially announced a strategic partnership on July 7 with European Technology Chamber (EUTECH), a registered NGO that is bridging technologies, people, economics, societies, countries, and politics to bring prosperity to humanity. (*) Based on Google search results.

Image: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106816/202207013304/_prw_PI3fl_4ugteuB9.jpg

Both organizations share the same mission of working towards realizing the SDGs. Hence, the partnership and cooperation are focused on but not limited to programs, projects, academic exchanges, and events by the SDG Alliance.

The SDG Alliance is one of EUTECH's Alliances that enable European and international companies to become more competitive by empowering them with access to finance and resources that will allow them to achieve their growth objectives. By becoming one of the only six SDG Alliance strategic partners, UNIPLAT will receive exclusive access to the events, activities, and media publicity held by the SDG Alliance, creating more exposure and opening more opportunities for all UNIPLAT members.

"It is a great pleasure to witness the strategic partnership forged between UNIPLAT and EU Tech Chamber SDG Alliance. As we have always believed, collaboration is the key to addressing pressing challenges and unlocking new opportunities. I strongly believe that with our joint efforts, we can facilitate significant progress in the realization of the UN's SDGs. Looking forward to our journey together," said Florian von Tucher, the chairman of EUTECH.

"It is a great honor for UNIPLAT to become a strategic partner of EUTECH, the EU's leading research and technology platform co-funded by the EU. For UNIPLAT members worldwide, EUTECH is the cornerstone of building a strong business network in Europe. Furthermore, we hope that UNIPLAT will be used as a venue for presentations on the global expansion of a lot of companies and institutions supported by EUTECH. We are very confident that this internationally impactful and extremely significant partnership will strongly support the resolution of the SDGs advocated by the United Nations," said Takahisa Karita, the co-founder, CFO, and COO of Unify Platform AG, the management company of UNIPLAT.

About UNIPLAT

Logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106816/202207013304/_prw_PI2fl_0bd6j091.jpg

UNIPLAT is the world's first (*) online platform specialized for researchers and entrepreneurs from all over the world to share their ideas and research projects and gain support from individuals or institutions. Developed and managed by Unify Platform AG ( https://unify21.com/ ) which is based in Switzerland, UNIPLAT's mission is to accelerate the success of the SDGs. (*) Based on Google search results.

UNIPLAT front page: https://www.uniplat.social/

About EUTECH

Logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106816/202207013304/_prw_PI1fl_LJi0rR7I.jpg

EUTECH was founded as an NGO and non-profit organization to serve as a bridge between technologies, people, economics, societies, countries, and politics. EUTECH strongly believes that the challenges of the times can only be mastered with the help of technology. Global collaboration is the only instrument that can help solve international problems at all levels: economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian. The respect for human rights and the fundamental freedom of people without differentiation based on race, gender, or religion should be cultivated and strengthened. EUTECH official website: https://www.eutech.org/

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/uniplat-by-unify-platform-ag-announces-strategic-partnership-with-eutech-to-spur-success-of-un-sdgs-301582042.html

SOURCE Unify Platform AG
LOS ANGELES , July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Vance Street Capital ("Vance Street" or "the Firm"), a Los Angeles-based middle market private equity firm investing in mission critical B2B manufacturing and applications companies, today announced the addition of four new hires and two promotions to facilitate firmwide growth. Vance Street closed on its third fund, Vance Street Capital III, L.P. in December 2021, and completed two continuation vehicles, VSC EV1 LP and VSC EV2 LP, in February and June of 2022, respectively, bringing Vance Street's total capital raised to over $1.3 billion.

"Vance Street is at an exciting point in our firm's history; we are focused on laying a foundation for scalability and growth. We are thrilled to continue our recruiting efforts with four new employees across our Investment and Financial Operations Teams to help manage our new funds and growing portfolio," said Brian Martin, Managing Partner.

Yousaf Tahir joined the Investment Team as a Vice President in April from Victory Park Capital in Chicago where he focused on sourcing, executing and managing private equity and credit investments across various industries. Before joining Victory Park Capital, Mr. Tahir worked as an Investment Banking Analyst at Evercore in New York.

Sela Obot joined the Investment Team in March as an Associate from the Business Services Group at Houlihan Lokey where she participated in the execution of a variety of transactions in the Training and Education space. Prior to joining Houlihan Lokey, Ms. Obot was an Investment Banking Analyst in the Industrial Services Group at Truist Securities.

Mark Edwards joined the Investment Team as an Associate in June from the Technology & Services group Baird in Washington D.C. where he participated in the execution of a variety of transactions in the Aerospace, Defense, and Government Services space.

Jonathan Christie joined the Financial Operations Team as a Vice President in June. He is primarily responsible for managing and executing financial due diligence for new investments and add-on acquisitions, as well as working with portfolio company management teams in the areas of accounting and financial reporting. Prior to joining Vance Street in 2022, Jonathan was a Director at Grant Thornton in the M&A practice where he led both buy-side and sell-side financial due diligence engagements across a variety of sectors. Before joining Grant Thornton, Jonathan provided audit services at KPMG, primarily serving a Fortune 150 client.

Vance Street's Financial Operations Team is a key internal resource utilized to execute the "roadmap", a detailed operational plan refined by the current Partners over their 20+ year tenure investing together, which prioritizes and addresses key opportunities for optimization and growth over the life of Vance Street's investments, most of which are founder-owned businesses or corporate carve outs. The Financial Operations Team oversees ERP system implementation, finance support, and strategic oversight for Vance Street's portfolio companies, and is also able to perform quality of earnings on smaller acquisition targets, expediting the diligence process for strategic add-ons. "Hiring another team member to support the execution of our investment strategy was a top priority for us this year. Jon's background and personality are a perfect fit for our needs and culture," said Rustey Emmet, Partner, Financial Operations.

Vance Street also promoted two team members in June.

Will Robinson, a member of the Investment Team, was promoted to Senior Associate from Associate. Prior to joining Vance Street in 2020, Will was in the Financial Sponsors group within the Investment Banking Division at Barclays Capital in New York.

Ngan Pham, a member of the Fund Administration and Accounting Team, was promoted to Controller from Assistant Controller. Prior to joining Vance Street in 2021, Ngan was a Regional Controller at WestRock Company where she oversaw the accounting, finance, and operations of multiple manufacturing facilities. Prior to WestRock, she was a Senior Assurance Associate at RSM US, LLP.

About Vance Street Capital LLCVance Street Capital is a middle-market private equity firm focused on investing in highly engineered solutions businesses across the industrial technology, medical, life science, aerospace and defense sectors. For over two decades, Vance Street's partners have worked with management teams and family owners to accelerate revenue growth, improve operations and acquire strategic assets for the companies in their investment portfolio. For more information please visit: www.vancestreetcapital.com.

Media Contact:Natalie YatesHead of Business Development and Investor Relations[email protected]

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vance-street-capital-announces-multiple-new-hires-and-promotions-301582051.html

SOURCE Vance Street Capital
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 6-K

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13A-16 OR 15D-16

UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

July, 2022

Commission File Number 1-15182

DR. REDDYS LABORATORIES LIMITED

(Translation of registrants name into English)

8-2-337, Road No. 3, Banjara Hills

Hyderabad, Telangana 500 034, India

+91-40-49002900

(Address of principal executive office)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F x Form 40-F 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ______

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ______

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrants home country), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrants securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrants security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.

Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in this Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Yes  No x

If Yes is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82-________.

EXHIBITS

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

DR. REDDYS LABORATORIES LIMITED

(Registrant) Date: July 7, 2022 By: /s/ K Randhir Singh Name: K Randhir Singh Title: Company Secretary

Exhibit 99.2

Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd. 8-2-337, Road No. 3, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad - 500 034, Telangana,

India. CIN : L85195TG1984PLC004507 Tel : +91 40 4900 2900 Fax : +91 40 4900 2999 Email : [email protected] www.drreddys.com

July 7, 2022

National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. (Scrip Code: DRREDDY-EQ)

BSE Limited (Scrip Code: 500124)

Dear Sirs,

Sub: Intimation

This is to inform you that the United States Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) today completed a Pre-Approval Inspection (PAI) at our formulations manufacturing facility FTO 11 in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh. The inspection was conducted from 30th June, 2022 to 7th July, 2022. We have been issued a Form 483 with two observations, which we will address within the stipulated timeline.

This is for your information.

Thanking you.

Yours faithfully,

For Dr. Reddys Laboratories Limited

/s/ K Randhir Singh K Randhir Singh Company Secretary & Compliance Officer

Encl: As above

CC: New York Stock Exchange Inc. (Stock Code : RDY)

NSE IFSC Ltd.
UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549 Form 6-K REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the month of July 2022 Commission File Number: 001-41369 Osisko Development Corp.

(Translation of registrant's name into English) 1100 Avenue des Canadiens-de-Montreal, Suite 300

(Address of principal executive office)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F [ ] Form 40-F [ X ]

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrant's "home country"), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrant's securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrant's security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.

EXHIBIT INDEX

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Osisko Development Corp. (Registrant) Date: July 7, 2022 /s/ Alexander Dann Alexander Dann Chief Financial Officer and VP Finance

EXHIBIT 99.1

Osisko Development Reports Underground Sampling Results

79.45 oz/t Au and 6.27 oz/t Ag over 5.5 ft. including 434.09 oz/t Au and 33.65 oz/t Ag over 1.0 ft.

(2,724 g/t Au and 215.12 g/t Ag over 1.68 m including

14,883.2 g/t Au and 1,153 g/t Ag over 0.30 m.)

MONTREAL, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Osisko Development Corp. (Osisko Development or the Company) is pleased to announce results from its ongoing underground exploration program on the recently acquired Tintic project and its 100% owned Trixie Mine (Trixie), as well as mineral claims covering more than 17,000 acres (including over 14,200 acres of which are patented) located in Central Utahs historic Tintic Mining District (together with Trixie, the Tintic Project).

Summary

Trixie is one of several gold and base metal targets within the larger Tintic Project. The discovery of the T2 and T4 mineralized structures at Trixie in late 2020 by Tintic Consolidated Metals, LLC ( TCM ) showed gold ( Au ) and silver ( Ag ) grades associated with high sulphidation alteration hosted within quartzites that are capped by impermeable shales and volcanics.

) showed gold ( ) and silver ( ) grades associated with high sulphidation alteration hosted within quartzites that are capped by impermeable shales and volcanics. Current underground mining activities at Trixie are directed by the exploration sampling and drilling results.

Results shown below are derived from 703 samples collected across a total of 183 sites (site ID 783 to 934) near the 625 ft level at Trixie across a total combined strike length of 650 ft. (~200 m). See Figure 1.

The sample results indicate anomalous gold results throughout the entire sampled area, and along exploration cross-cuts (Figure 1).

The mineralized structures remain open along strike and at depth and significant potential exists to expand the known mineralization.

The Company is currently expanding underground developments and utilizing one underground diamond drill rig and one surface reverse circulation rig to aid in the delineation of an initial mineral resource estimate by the end of Q4 2022. Results from this drilling program are pending.

Assay Highlights

31.79 oz/t Au and 9.07 oz/t Ag over 4.8 ft. at site 738 (1,089.83 g/t Au and 310.93 g/t Ag over 1.46 m) including 76.11 oz/t Au and 21.76 oz/t Ag over 2.0 ft. (2,609.65 g/t Au and 746.22 g/t Ag over 0.61 m) 6.07 oz/t Au and 11.02 oz/t Ag over 9.0 ft. at site 742 (208.20 g/t Au and 377.87 g/t Ag over 2.74 m) 10.28 oz/t Au and 8.60 oz/t Ag over 6.6 ft. at site 746 (352.56 g/t Au and 294.87 g/t Ag over 2.01 m) including 26.28 oz/t Au and 21.01 oz/t Ag over 2.5 ft. (901.03 g/t Au and 720.25 g/t Ag over 0.76 m) 9.03 oz/t Au and 9.72 oz/t Ag over 6.7 ft. at site 747 (309.48 g/t Au and 333.35 g/t Ag over 2.04 m) 15.31 oz/t Au and 49.43 oz/t Ag over 4.8 ft. at site 787 (525.02 g/t Au and 1,694.76 g/t Ag over 1.46 m) including 33.35 oz/t Au and 104.90 oz/t Ag over 2.0 ft. (1,143.35 g/t Au and 3,596.74 g/t Ag over 0.61 m) 8.95 oz/t Au and 7.67 oz/t Ag over 16.0 ft. at site 792 (306.97 g/t Au and 262.91 g/t Ag over 4.88 m) including 23.28 oz/t Au and 11.03 oz/t Ag over 2.0 ft. (798.05 g/t Au and 378.23 g/t Ag over 0.61 m) 12.60 oz/t Au and 22.50 oz/t Ag over 4.0 ft. at site 878 (432.04 g/t Au and 771.44 g/t Ag over 1.22 m) 4.62 oz/t Au and 6.95 oz/t Ag over 12.0 ft. at site 889 (158.23 g/t Au and 238.30 g/t Ag over 3.66 m) 20.26 oz/t Au and 15.76 oz/t Ag over 6.4 ft. at site 893 (694.50 g/t Au and 540.37 g/t Ag over 1.95 m) including 108.57 oz/t Au and 71.60 oz/t Ag over 1.1 ft. (3,722.31 g/t Au and 2,454.88 g/t Ag over 0.34 m) 80.85 oz/t Au and 66.20 oz/t Ag over 4.5 ft. at site 896 (2,771.97 g/t Au and 2,269.69 g/t Ag over 1.3716 m) including 157.23 oz/t Au and 128.17 oz/t Ag over 2.3 ft. (5,390.78 g/t Au and 4,394.48 g/t Ag over 0.70 m) 11.97 oz/t Au and 17.20 oz/t Ag over 5.5 ft. at site 898 (410.31 g/t Au and 589.75 g/t Ag over 1.68 m) including 41.72 oz/t Au and 59.72 oz/t Ag over 1.5 ft. (1,430.44 g/t Au and 2,047.51 g/t Ag over 0.46 m) 17.70 oz/t Au and 7.11 oz/t Ag over 5.0 ft. at site 910 (606.75 g/t Au and 243.87 g/t Ag over 1.52 m) including 51.03 oz/t Au and 13.35 oz/t Ag over 1.0 ft. (1,749.76 g/t Au and 457.69 g/t Ag over 0.30 m) 33.61 oz/t Au and 6.25 oz/t Ag over 4.0 ft. at site 911 (1,152.40 g/t Au and 214.18 g/t Ag over 1.22 m) including 121.05 oz/t Au and 12.42 oz/t Ag over 1.0 ft. (4,150.15 g/t Au and 425.99 g/t Ag over 0.30 m) 79.45 oz/t Au and 6.27 oz/t Ag over 5.5 ft. at site 913 (2,724.03 g/t Au and 215.12 g/t Ag over 1.68 m) including 434.09 oz/t Au and 33.65 oz/t Ag over 1.0 ft. (14,883.2 g/t Au and 1,153.72 g/t Ag over 0.30 m) 16.63 oz/t Au and 2.49 oz/t Ag over 5.0 ft. at site 914 (570.32 g/t Au and 85.46 g/t Ag over 1.52 m) including 26.47 oz/t Au and 3.86 oz/t Ag over 2.0 ft. (907.44 g/t Au and 132.26 g/t Ag over 0.61 m)

A length weighted composite for each face Site ID is shown in Table 1 and individual higher grade samples are also identified within the composite. Samples are collected in feet and assays are reported in g/t Au. Conversions to metric and imperial are rounded to two decimal places.

Chris Lodder, President of Osisko Development commented, The Trixie underground sampling results from 2020 to present show exceptional continuity of high grades associated with the T2 structure. These 2022 samples along with the historic sampling by TCM, and in combination with the ongoing exploration developments within the present 720 ft strike by 175 ft vertical by 80 ft wide zone gives Osisko Development with a strong base for present mining activity and initial resources estimation. We will continue to use the present shaft / hoist at Trixie but we anticipate to increase access and mining capacity to the 625 ft and lower levels of Trixie through a new underground ramp initiated very recently and expected to reach the 625 ft level in Q1 2023.

The T2 and T4 mineralized structures are associated with high-sulphidation epithermal mineralization, structurally controlled and hosted within the brittle Tintic Quartzite and capped by the impermeable shales of the Lower Ophir Formation. The T2 structure is 1 to 8 ft. wide (0.3 m to 2.4m) and mineralization consists of native Au, and rare Au-Ag  rich telluride minerals with quartz. The T4 is a mineralized stockwork zone ranging from to 10 to 80 ft. (3 m to 25 m) and located in the hanging wall of the T2 and is comprised of Au-Ag rich mineralization in host rock quartzite with quartz-barite-sulphosalt stockwork veining. Mineralization currently defined over 220 meters (720 feet) in strike and reports consistent multi-ounce gold grades along its entire strike length.

Face Sampling Methodology

As most structures at Trixie are steeply dipping to the east or west, current sampling procedures are designed to sample the structure. Channel samples are collected and do not exceed 3 ft. (1.0 m) in length. The face is washed for safety, and for better identification of mineralization, alteration and structures. The hangingwall and footwall of the structures are marked up on the face and back, samples intervals are marked up and follow lithological contacts.

For further information on Tintic, including additional production details please see the technical report on the Tintic Project, entitled "Technical Report on the Tintic Project, East Tintic Mining District, Utah County, Utah, USA", dated June 10, 2022 (effective date of June 7, 2022), and filed at www.sedar.com under the profile of the Company.

Figure 1: 625 L Map with Select Assay Highlights is available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e1a09397-52ab-411b-ae55-c458f8ee95fb

Qualified Persons

Per National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, Maggie Layman, P.Geo. Vice President Exploration of Osisko Development Corp., is a Qualified Person and has prepared, validated, and approved the technical and scientific content of this news release.

Quality Assurance (QA)/Quality Control (QC)

All underground face samples are collected by TCM geologists from each of the active mining faces, with samples transported by the geologists from Trixie to the on-site TCM laboratory located at the Burgin administrative complex. Underground samples are dried, crushed to <10 mm and a 250 g split is taken. The split is pulverized, and a 30 g Fire Assay with gravimetric finish is completed to determine gold and silver grades, reported in oz./short ton and g/t.

The TCM Burgin laboratory is not a certified analytical laboratory, but the facility is managed by a qualified Laboratory Manager with annual auditing by technical staff. Inter-laboratory check assays using ALS Laboratory as a third-party independent analysis of samples is routinely carried out as part of ongoing QA/QC work. Certified OREAS Quality Control (QC) standards and blanks are inserted at regular intervals in the sample stream to monitor laboratory performance.

All drill core and exploration samples are dispatched to ALS Laboratory for offsite sample preparation and analysis. Samples are assigned a unique sample ID. All geological and sampling information is entered into Datashed database. Core is sawn in half and half are sampled. Certified standards and blanks inserted into all sample dispatches. Samples are collected by Old Dominion Transportation and dispatched to ALS Laboratory in Reno, NV. Sample submission forms accompany the samples, and digital copies emailed to ALS.

All sample preparation is completed by ALS, including crushing and pulverizing (Prep31) of samples. Analytical assay include gold and silver by fire assay of 50g sample with AAS finish (Au-AA26), over limits by gravimetric analysis (Au-Grav22). Multi element analysis is by four acid digest (ME-MS61). The pulps are returned to TCM and coarse rejects are disposed after 90 days. Assays are reported to TCM, and then loaded into Datashed, QA/QC samples are checked, and assays merged with sample information for future reporting.

Cautionary Statements

The Company cautions that the decision to commence production at Trixie in the form of small scale underground mining and batch vat leaching has been made without the benefit of a feasibility study, or reported mineral resources or mineral reserves, demonstrating economic and technical viability, and, as a result there may be increased uncertainty of achieving any particular level of recovery of material or the cost of such recovery. The Company cautions that historically, such projects have a much higher risk of economic and technical failure. There is no guarantee that production will continue as anticipated or at all or that anticipated production costs will be achieved. The failure to continue production may have a material adverse impact on the Company's ability to generate revenue and cash flow to fund operations. Failure to achieve the anticipated production costs may have a material adverse impact on the Company's cash flow and potential profitability. In continuing current operations at Trixie after closing, the Company will not be basing its decision to continue such operations on a feasibility study, or reported mineral resources or mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability. The Company cautions that mining at Trixie could be suspended at any time.

The Company is subject to the reporting requirements of the applicable Canadian securities laws, and as a result reports information regarding mineral properties, mineralization and estimates of mineral reserves and mineral resources, including the information in the Tintic Technical Report and this news release, in accordance with Canadian reporting requirements, which are governed by NI 43-101. As such, such information concerning mineral properties, mineralization and estimates of mineral reserves and mineral resources, including the information in the Tintic Technical Report and this news release, is not comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of the SEC.

About Osisko Development Corp.

Osisko Development Corp. is uniquely positioned as a premier gold development company in North America to advance the Cariboo Gold Project and other Canadian, U.S.A. and Mexican properties, with the objective of becoming the next mid-tier gold producer. The Cariboo Gold Project, located in central British Columbia, Canada, is Osisko Development's flagship asset. The considerable exploration potential at depth and along strike distinguishes the Cariboo Gold Project relative to other development assets. Osisko Development's project pipeline is complemented by its interest in the San Antonio gold project, located in Sonora, Mexico and the Trixie gold test mine, located in Utah, U.S.A.

For further information about Osisko Development [(NYSE: ODV; TSX-V: ODV)], please visit www.osiskodevelopment.com or follow us on Twitter @OsiskoDev

Investor Contact:

Jean Francois Lemonde

VP, Investor Relations

[email protected]

Tel: 514-299-4926

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this news release may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These forwardlooking statements, by their nature, require Osisko Development to make certain assumptions and necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forwardlooking statements. Forwardlooking statements are not guarantees of performance. Words such as "may", "will", "would", "could", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "continue", or the negative or comparable terminology, as well as terms usually used in the future and the conditional, are intended to identify forwardlooking statements. Information contained in forwardlooking statements is based upon certain material assumptions that were applied in drawing a conclusion or making a forecast or projection, including management's perceptions of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, results of further exploration work to define and expand mineral resources, and that the deposit remains open for expansion at depth and down plunge, as well as other considerations that are believed to be appropriate in the circumstances, and any other information herein that is not a historical fact may be "forward looking information". Material assumptions also include, management's perceptions of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, results of further exploration work to define or expand any mineral resources, the ability to continue production at its Trixie mine, as well as other considerations that are believed to be appropriate in the circumstances. Osisko Development considers its assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available, but cautions the reader that their assumptions regarding future events, many of which are beyond the control of Osisko Development, may ultimately prove to be incorrect since they are subject to risks and uncertainties that affect Osisko Development and its business. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, risks relating to capital market conditions, the ability to continue current production, regulatory framework, the ability of exploration activities (including drill results) to accurately predict mineralization; errors in management's geological modelling; the ability of to complete further exploration activities, including drilling; property and stream interests in the Project; the ability of the Company to obtain required approvals; the results of exploration activities; risks relating to exploration, development and mining activities; the global economic climate; metal prices; dilution; environmental risks; and community and non-governmental actions and the responses of relevant governments to the COVID-19 outbreak and the effectiveness of such responses. Readers are urged to consult the disclosure provided under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2021, as amended, which has been filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) under Osisko Development's issuer profile and on the SEC's EDGAR website (www.sec.gov), for further information regarding the risks and other factors applicable to the exploration results. Although the Company's believes the expectations conveyed by the forward-looking statements are reasonable based on information available at the date of preparation, no assurances can be given as to future results, levels of activity and achievements. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

Table 1: 2022 Length Weighted Assay Composites at Trixie
UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 6-K

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER

PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15D-16 UNDER

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the month of July, 2022

Commission File Number: 1-13368

POSCO HOLDINGS INC.

(Translation of registrants name into English)

POSCO Center, 440 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea, 06194

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or

Form 40-F.

Form 20-F  Form 40-F 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): 

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): 
UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D. C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): July 1, 2022

Next Meats Holdings, Inc. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Nevada 000-56167 85-4008709 (state or other jurisdiction of incorporation) (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification Number)

3F 1-16-13 Ebisu Minami Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Japan 150-0022 (address of principal executive offices) (zip code)

81-90-6002-4978 (registrants telephone number, including area code)

N/A (former name or former mailing address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) [ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) [ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) [ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 ( 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company [X]

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. [ ]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

-1-

Table of Contents

Note: We, Us, The Issuer, and or The Company refer to Next Meats Holdings, Inc., a Nevada Company.

All dollar amounts used throughout this Report are in US Dollars, unless otherwise stated.

2.01 COMPLETION OF ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF ASSETS

On or about July 1, 2022, we, Next Meats Holdings, Inc., a Nevada Company (NXMH), sold 5,000 shares of Series Z Preferred Stock of Dr. Foods, Inc., a Nevada Company (DRFS), to White Knight Co., Ltd., a Japan Company (WK), at a price of approximately $147,624 USD (20,000,000 Japanese Yen) (The Share Purchase Agreement). White Knight Co., Ltd. is owned and controlled by our Chief Executive Officer, Koichi Ishizuka. White Knight Co., Ltd. is deemed to be an accredited investor. The purchase of shares was made for investment purposes. The consummation of the transaction contemplated by the Share Purchase Agreement resulted in us no longer having an equity position in DRFS and with WK becoming the largest controlling shareholder of DRFS. Following the aforementioned transaction, WK owns approximately 79.22% voting control of DRFS.

NXMH intends to use the proceeds from the aforementioned sale for working capital.

The Board of Directors of NXMH, WK, and DRFS unanimously approved the above transaction.

The aforementioned sale of shares was conducted pursuant to Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("Regulation S"). The sale of shares was made only to non-U.S. persons/entities (as defined under Rule 902 section (k)(2)(i) of Regulation S), pursuant to offshore transactions, and no directed selling efforts were made in the United States by the issuer, a distributor, any of their respective affiliates, or any person acting on behalf of any of the foregoing.

A copy of the Share Purchase Agreement is attached herein as exhibit 10.1. This Form 8-K does not purport to include full details and or terms of the Share Purchase Agreement.



Item 9.01 Exhibits

Exhibit Number Description of Exhibit 10.1 Share Purchase Agreement (1)

(1) Filed herewith as an exhibit.

-2-

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this Current Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Next Meats Holdings, Inc. Dated: July 7, 2022 /s/ Koichi Ishizuka Koichi Ishizuka Chief Executive Officer

-3-

SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered on July 1 , 2022 by and between White Knight Co., Ltd., a Japan Company (WK), and Next Meats Holdings, Inc., a Nevada Corporation (NXMH).

WHEREAS, WK desires to purchase 5,000 shares of Series Z Preferred Stock of Dr. Foods, Inc., a Nevada Corporation (DRFS), (which constitutes approximately 39.61% voting control of DRFS). NXMH desires to sell 5,000 shares of Series Z Preferred Stock, pursuant to Regulation S of the United States Securities Act of 1933 (The Act), of Dr. Foods, Inc., a Nevada Corporation. White Knight Co., Ltd. is deemed to be an accredited investor and is seeking to purchase the aforementioned shares for investment purposes.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement, and in order to consummate the above-mentioned sale of equity, it is hereby agreed as follows:

1. SALE OF EQUITY. Subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, at the closing of the transaction contemplated hereby:

WK shall purchase the 5,000 shares of Series Z Preferred Stock of Dr. Foods, Inc., a Nevada Corporation, from NXMH in exchange for approximately $147,624 USD (20,000,000 Japanese Yen). Funds are to be payable to a bank account designated by Next Meats Holdings, Inc.

2. EFFECTIVE DATE. The effective date of this Agreement shall be July 1, 2022.

3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF WK. WK hereby warrants and represents:

(a) Organization and Standing . WK is a corporation duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the Laws of Tokyo, Japan, and has full corporate power and authority to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the Laws of Japan. WK has full corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement, to carry out its obligations hereunder, and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

(b) Authority . WK has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement, to carry out their obligations hereunder, and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by WK, and constitutes a legal, valid, and binding obligation of WK enforceable against WK in accordance with its terms.

(c) Restrictions on Stock . There are no existing warrants, options, stock purchase agreements, redemption agreements, restrictions of any nature, calls or rights to subscribe of any character relating to the 5,000 Series Z Preferred Stock of Dr. Foods, Inc, nor are there any securities convertible into such stock.

4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF NXMH. NXMH hereby warrants and represents:

(a) Organization and Standing . NXMH is a corporation duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Nevada and has full corporate power and authority to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Laws of Nevada. NXMH has full corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement, to carry out its obligations hereunder, and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

(b) Authority . NXMH has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement, to carry out their obligations hereunder, and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by NXMH, and constitutes a legal, valid, and binding obligation of NXMH, enforceable against NXMH in accordance with its terms.

(c) Restrictions on Stock .

i. NXMH is not a party to any agreement, written or oral, creating rights in respect to the 5,000 shares of Dr. Foods, Inc.s Series Z Preferred Stock, contemplated by this agreement, in any third person or relating to the voting of Dr. Foods, Inc.'s Stock.

ii. NXMH is the lawful owner of 5,000 shares of Series Z Preferred Stock of Dr. Foods, Inc., a Nevada Corporation, free and clear of all security interests, liens, encumbrances, equities and other charges.

iii. There are no existing warrants, options, stock purchase agreements, redemption agreements, restrictions of any nature, calls or rights to subscribe of any character relating to the 5,000 shares of Dr. Foods, Inc.s Series Z Preferred Stock contemplated by this agreement.

5. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF NXMH AND WK. NXMH and WK hereby represent and warrant that there has been no act or omission by NXMH or WK which would give rise to any valid claim against any of the parties hereto for a brokerage commission, finder's fee, or other like payment in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

6. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

(a) Entire Agreement. This Agreement (including the exhibits hereto and any written amendments hereof executed by the parties) constitutes the entire Agreement and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral and written, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.

(b) Sections and Other Headings. The section and other headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

(c) Governing Law. This agreement and all transactions contemplated hereby, shall be governed by, construed, and enforced in accordance with the laws of Nevada. The parties herein waive trial by jury and agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction and venue of a court of subject matter jurisdiction located within Nevada. In the event that litigation results from or arises out of this Agreement or the performance thereof, the parties agree to reimburse the prevailing party's reasonable attorney's fees, court costs, and all other expenses, whether or not taxable by the court as costs, in addition to any other relief to which the prevailing party may be entitled.

7. REGULATION S. The 5,000 shares of Series Z Preferred Stock of DRFS, to be sold by NXMH to WK, are to be sold pursuant to Regulation S of the United States Securities Act of 1933 (The Act). White Knight Co., Ltd. is deemed to be an accredited investor and is seeking to purchase the shares of Series Z Preferred Stock for investment purposes.

8. AFFILIATIONS. Koichi Ishizuka is the sole officer and Director of WK. He is also the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Director of NXMH. Koichi Ishizuka also holds an equity position in NXMH. Koichi Ishizuka also serves as sole officer and Director of DRFS. He also holds an equity position in DRFS and by virtue of the execution of this agreement, will become the controller shareholder of DRFS via his ownership interest in WK.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been executed by each of the individual parties hereto on the date first above written.

Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of:

Next Meats Holdings, Inc. (NXMH)

/s/ Koichi Ishizuka

By: Koichi Ishizuka, its Chief Executive Officer

White Knight Co., Ltd. ("WK")



/s/ Koichi Ishizuka

By: Koichi Ishizuka, its Chief Executive Officer
CUSIP No. 282559103 SCHEDULE 13G Page 4 of 9 Pages

1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS David Kroin 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) o (b) x 3 SEC USE ONLY 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION United States NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 6 SHARED VOTING POWER 4,331,499 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 4,331,499 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 4,331,499* 10 CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES o 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 9.99% 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON IN, HC CUSIP No. 282559103 SCHEDULE 13G Page 5 of 9 Pages Item 1. (a) Name of Issuer 89bio, Inc. Item 1. (b) Address of Issuers Principal Executive Offices 142 Sansome Street, Second Floor San Francisco, CA 94104 Item 2. (a) Names of Persons Filing: (i) Deep Track Capital, LP (ii) Deep Track Biotechnology Master Fund, Ltd. (iii) David Kroin Item 2. ( b) Address of Principal Business Office: * Includes pre-funded warrants and investment warrants eligible for conversion to common shares (i) 200 Greenwich Ave, 3rd Floor, Greenwich, CT 06830 (ii) c/o Walkers Corporate Limited, 190 Elgin Ave, George Town, KY1-9001, Cayman Islands (iii) c/o Deep Track Capital, LP, 200 Greenwich Ave, 3rd Floor, Greenwich, CT 06830 Item 2. (c) Citizenship: (i) Delaware (ii) Cayman Islands (iii) United States Item 2. (d) Title of Class of Securities Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the Common Stock) Item 2. (e) CUSIP No.: 282559103 CUSIP No. 282559103 SCHEDULE 13G Page 6 of 9 Pages Item 3. If this statement is filed pursuant to 240.13d-1(b) or 240.13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a: (a)  Broker or dealer registered under section 15 of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o); (b)  Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c); (c)  Insurance company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c); (d)  Investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8); (e) o An investment adviser in accordance with 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E); (f)  An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F); (g)  A parent holding company or control person in accordance with 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G); (h)  A savings associations as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813); (i)  A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3); (j)  A non-U.S. institution in accordance with 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J); (k)  A group, in accordance with 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(K). If filing as a non-U.S. institution in accordance with 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J), please specify the type of institution: Not Applicable CUSIP No. 282559103 SCHEDULE 13G Page 7 of 9 Pages Item 4. Ownership

Information with respect to the Reporting Persons' ownership of the Common Stock as of July 6, 2022, is incorporated by reference to items (5) - (9) and (11) of the cover page of the respective Reporting Person.

The amount beneficially owned by each Reporting Person is determined based on 43,358,349 Common Stock outstanding.

Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following [ ]. Item 6. Ownership of More Than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person Not Applicable. Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary which Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company or Control Person Deep Track Capital, LP is the relevant entity for which David Kroin may be considered a control person. Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group Not Applicable. Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group Not Applicable. Item 10. Certification

By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.

CUSIP No. 282559103 SCHEDULE 13G Page 8 of 9 Pages SIGNATURE After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Dated: July 6, 2022

Deep Track Capital, LP By: /s/ David Kroin David Kroin, Managing Member of the General Partner of the Investment Adviser

Deep Track Biotechnology Master Fund, Ltd. By: /s/ David Kroin David Kroin, Director

David Kroin By: /s/ David Kroin David Kroin

CUSIP No. 282559103 SCHEDULE 13G Page 9 of 9 Pages

Exhibit I

JOINT FILING STATEMENT

PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-1(k)

The undersigned acknowledge and agree that the foregoing statement on Schedule 13G, is filed on behalf of each of the undersigned and that all subsequent amendments to this statement on Schedule 13G, shall be filed on behalf of each of the undersigned without the necessity of filing additional joint acquisition statements. The undersigned acknowledge that each shall be responsible for the timely filing of such amendments, and for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning him or it contained therein, but shall not be responsible for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning the others, except to the extent that he or it knows or has reason to believe that such information is inaccurate.

Dated: July 6, 2022

Deep Track Capital, LP By: /s/ David Kroin David Kroin, Managing Member of the General Partner of the Investment Adviser
(Tribune News Service) The 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base will welcome a new commander this morning.

Col. Christopher Meeker succeeds Col. Patrick Miller, who led the wing since June 2020. Miller will serve as the next director of Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection at Pacific Air Forces headquarters at Joint Base Pearl Habor-Hickam, Hawaii.

Lt. Gen. Shaun Q. Morris, commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, will preside over a change-of-command ceremony at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

Meeker will command one of the largest air base wings in the Air Force, with more than 5,000 Air Force military, civilian and contractor employees. The wing is the host and support unit to one of the biggest and what the wing describes as one of the most organizationally complex bases in the Air Force, one that is home to a major acquisition center, research and development laboratories, a major command headquarters, an airlift wing and the worlds largest military aviation museum.

The 88th Air Base Wing commander is the installation commander of Wright-Patterson.

The base is home to more than 30,000 employees and is the largest single site employer in Ohio.

Meeker previously served as commander of the 86th Civil Engineer Group, 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

(c)2022 Springfield News-Sun, Ohio

Visit www.springfieldnewssun.com
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany  Staff Sgt. Gerdon Jacobs knocked down six of 10 cones as he quickly maneuvered the 10K forklift while it carried a bucket of water filled to the brim.

That was all part of the plan, as he raced against the clock and competed against airmen from seven bases Wednesday in the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing Port Dawg Rodeo.

Thats all we were focused on, the speed, not the cones, said Jacobs, a member of the team from the 726th Air Mobility Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base.

The event tested the 10 five-member squads skills and abilities in aerial port operations, whose practitioners proudly call themselves port dawgs.

Theyre the mobility wings workhorses, the airmen who move cargo, passengers, munitions and other equipment into and out of aircraft, sometimes with little advance notice.

The competition was a chance for them to have fun and build camaraderie amid an extraordinarily unprecedented year, said Col. Jens Lyndrup, the 721st Air Mobility Operations Group commander.

Each of the seven events had strict time constraints. At one station, competitors whipped an unwieldy 60K aircraft cargo loader, so named for its ability to handle 60,000 pounds, around tight curves. But when it came time to unloading their freight, safety and precision were paramount.

Its a big piece of machinery, said Chief Master Sgt. Lamar Isaac, the senior enlisted leader for the 728th Air Mobility Squadron at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. You have to get within inches of the aircraft without hitting it or other objects, he said.

Jacobs finished the forklift course in just over six minutes, managing to spill only an inch of water. Each toppled cone and inch of water spilled put time back on the clock, but he finished well under the 15-minute limit.

Were a very tight-knit community, said Chief Master Sgt. Jessica Mallett, 721st Air Mobility Operations Group senior enlisted leader. You pull from all your resources from within the community  to make magic happen sometimes, to get missions off the ground to where they need to be.

Malletts group is part of the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing. From Ramstein, it oversees units spread some 5,000 miles across Europe and the Middle East, coordinating Air Mobility Command missions into, out of and through the region.

Many of the airmen involved in the event supported the airlift of more than 124,000 refugees from Afghanistan after the U.S.-backed government fell to the Taliban in August 2021, Lyndrup said.

Some of those same airmen more recently were in Poland, unloading at one point up to seven planeloads of cargo per day to prepare supplies destined for Ukraine, he said.

The physical strength course, designed by the Ravens, who provide security on aircraft, was the toughest challenge, airmen said.

It involved flipping forklift tires weighing up to 300 pounds, lugging coolers weighted down by 60 pounds of metal chains and then doing squats with them, among other tasks that made the airmen sweat.

The Ravens definitely made sure it was difficult, said Staff Sgt. Bahir Ham, 23, of the 724th Air Mobility Squadron at Aviano Air Base, Italy.

Though Ham described the rodeo as friendly competition between the ports, his team was gunning for Ramstein, which fielded four teams.

But after the final tally, one of two Ramstein teams from the 721st Aerial Port Squadron nabbed the top prize, which included a trophy with a bronze eagle perched on top.

We dont know whats coming next, Lyndrup told the airmen at the awards ceremony. But Ill tell you this: Watching you all put it on the ramp today, were going to be ready for it.
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan  A Marine family is unhappy with the Air Force Air Mobility Command over the death of their dog July 1 on a flight to Okinawa on the Patriot Express.

The diminutive dog, Kolbie, was found dead on board the plane when it reached Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, after a 12-hour flight from Seattle and a layover at Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo. His owners last saw Kolbie alive at Yokota, an airlift hub, before the hour-long leg to MCAS Iwakuni, according to a Facebook post July 4 by Amber Marie Panko.

A necropsy found that the dog, a 10-year-old Pomeranian mix, died of heat stroke, Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Panko told Stars and Stripes by Facebook Messenger on Thursday.

Amber Panko wrote that Kolbie was left outside in the heat during the Yokota layover. An hour he was sitting in an open garage in 100-degree weather before being boarded and sitting in cargo for over an hour in what was well over 100 degrees, she wrote.

Christopher Panko, a native of Erie, Pa., and an engineer with Marine Corps Installations Pacific on Okinawa, said a lieutenant colonel with the 730th Air Mobility Squadron at Yokota contacted his wife about Kolbie a week later.

That was it. No one from, like, the actual AMC command, he wrote. The lieutenant colonel said he was sorry and knows he should have reached out sooner, Christopher Panko said by Messenger.

A senior noncommissioned officer at the 730th squadron referred Stars and Stripes to Air Mobility Command in Hawaii, but a spokesperson there could not be reached Thursday. The command on its official Facebook page early Thursday said its looking into the incident and was trying to contact the family.

We first want to extend our deepest condolences to the family for the loss of their beloved dog, Kolbie, the post states. AMCs Aerial Port specialists take seriously the responsibility to maintain and enforce established pet transport protocols while they are entrusted to our care. We are working diligently to contact the family to reconstruct what transpired, identify potential areas of concern and devise actions we can take now to mitigate a future incident.

Amber Panko in an update to her original July 4 Facebook post said the command had yet to contact her seven days after her dogs passing.

I know many of you have been asking for updates and up until this point I have been trying to give them a chance to just do the right thing, Panko wrote. This is not happening.

Wagging his tail

The Pankos with their three children and Kolbie left Seattle for Okinawa around 9 a.m. June 29 on the Patriot Express, a government-contracted air service that connects the U.S. with bases overseas, according to Amber Panko. The family was moving from Camp Pendleton, Calif., to Gunnery Sgt. Pankos new duty station on Okinawa. Their flight reached Yokota about 12 hours later, on July 1, according to Amber Panko.

She had given Kolbie trazadone before leaving Seattle, Amber Panko wrote. Trazodone, a prescription sleep aid, also works as an anti-anxiety drug for dogs, according to Veterinarians.org. At Yokota, the Pankos took Kolbie off the plane to relieve him, she wrote.

He was perfect! Wagging his tail and so excited to see us, she wrote. We asked if we could take him in the station because it is air conditioned and they told us no that the animals were not allowed. We could relieve them at the pet relief station in the front of the building and give him food and water but they werent allowed in the building.

Tokyo was muddling through a heat wave and recorded a high of 95 degrees Fahrenheit that day. The temperature was hotter on the Yokota flight line, Panko wrote.

Just devastated

After the break, Kolbie was left in the heat another hour before being boarded again, according to Pankos post. At MCAS Iwakuni, someone asked for Christopher Panko, and Amber Panko knew something was wrong

Kolbie had died. I could have dropped right there. For some reason I was still telling myself no, my baby is fine.

She spotted her husband in tears, leaning over a rail outside the plane.

My family and I were just devastated, Christopher Panko said Thursday. My wife is really at a loss and it was ultimately her dog.

Amber Panko in her post said she spent several minutes with Kolbie in a refrigerated room, saying goodbye. An air station veterinarian said the body had to remain behind for the necropsy, Panko wrote.

He looked so sad and scared in his eyes. I could tell he suffered, she wrote. Some may think its ridiculous hes just a dog but he wasnt  For ten minutes I sat in a cold room sobbing and begging for this to not be a reality.

In the future, Christopher Panko said, he hopes Air Mobility Command allows travelers to bring their dogs in from the heat and avoids putting animals aboard aircraft for long periods in high temperatures.

Air Mobility Command in its statement said it will look closely at the incident.

The family deserves to know exactly what happened, according to the statement, and we need to better understand how we can prevent this from happening in the future.
(Tribune News Service)  Col. Christopher Meeker took command Thursday of the 88th Air Base Wing, the host unit to one of the nations biggest and most complex Air Force Bases.

In a change-of-command ceremony at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Meeker called Wright-Patterson Air Force Base the heart of accelerate, change or lose for the Air Force, recalling what has been the operational motto for Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. for two years.

Wright- Patterson is the center of gravity for Air Force acquisition efforts, research and development, sustainment of aging fleets and much more.

My wing, the 88th Air Base Wing, serves as the foundation for all of that work, Meeker said.

Meeker previously commanded the 86th Civil Engineer Group, 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. In that role, he led in a theater that supported Afghan refugees and supported Ukraine, noted Lt. Gen. Shaun Morris, commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, who presided over Thursdays ceremony.

Meeker called his previous assignment his favorite so far. Probably the best one just because of the amount of adversity we had to face and the problems we had to solve. Theres a lot going on in that theater right now, the European theater.

Morris called Meeker 100% prepared.

Meeker succeeded Col. Patrick Miller who led the wing since June 2020. Miller will serve as the next Director of Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection at Headquarters Pacific Air Forces at Joint Base Pearl Habor-Hickam, Hawaii.

Miller took command barely three months after the start of a global pandemic, also at the Air Force Museum, but before a far smaller assembly. Morris praised Miller for taking command at an historic juncture, maintaining a key military base that is the size of a small city during the pandemic and ensuring that no missions were interrupted.

Pat, incredibly well done, Morris told Miller before presenting him with the Legion of Merit award.

Meeker will command one of the Air Forces busiest air base wings, with more than 5,000 military, civilian, and contractor employees.

The wing supports and serves what the organization describes as one of the largest, most diverse, and most organizationally complex bases in the Air Force, including a major acquisition center, research and development laboratories, a major command headquarters, an airlift wing and the worlds largest military air museum.

The headquarters of Air Force Materiel Command, Air Force Research Laboratory, the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, the new National Space Intelligence Center, with much else besides, call Wright-Patt home.

Meeker said Wright- Patterson will be the assignment that is the nearest he has ever served in 24 years to his hometown of Manito, Ill.

Beyond a tour of the Air Force Museum, a meeting with his team tops Meekers to-do list in coming hours and days.

I think that any vision for the wing shouldnt just come from me, Meeker said. I have a very collaborative approach.

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STUTTGART, Germany  The implications of drones and long-range artillery were among the Ukraine war topics discussed by U.S. Army leaders and other allied commanders Thursday, as they assessed the path forward for an alliance still adapting to Russias unprovoked invasion.

We are getting lessons learned, Gen. James McConville, Army chief of staff, told reporters following the gathering of leaders in the Alpine town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

More than 30 countries were part of U.S. Army Europe and Africas conference of European armies, which included representatives of Ukraine and officials from prospective NATO members Finland and Sweden.

Gen. Darryl Williams, who took command of the Army in Europe last week, said his focus is on the fundamentals: making sure soldiers under his command are ready to deter aggressors and fight if necessary.

The war in Ukraine is providing important takeaways for the U.S. and allies, McConville said, including the imperative that commanders and foot soldiers be able to communicate on the move.

Given Russias ability to hit targets from greater distances, effective communication requires the ability to disperse your command and control, McConville said.

The war in Ukraine also has been a showcase for the effectiveness of drones on the battlefield, which means armies will need weapons system to counter the threat, he said.

Much of the artillery being used is being targeted by unmanned aerial systems, McConville said.

Such lessons reinforce the Armys push in recent years to develop more long-range precision weaponry, he said.

Meanwhile, McConville said Sweden and Finlands expected accession will give the Army a boost in preparing its forces for battling in frigid terrain, where the Nordic states have expertise.

McConville said he looks forward to more collaboration between the Armys Alaska-based soldiers and Finnish and Swedish troops.

The meeting of allied land commanders comes one week after NATOs summit in Madrid, where President Joe Biden announced new troop commitments to Europe.

Among them: a new Army garrison in Poland, air defense units to be based in Italy and Spain, and a rotational brigade combat team to be based out of Romania.

But its not clear when those units will take up their positions.

The timeline is being worked out, and the exact timing is being planned and coordinated right now, McConville said.
(Tribune News Service)  A planned test of a missile rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base ended in a fiery blast late Wednesday night after the rocket exploded several seconds into the launch.

According to a news release Thursday morning, a Minotaur II and rocket exploded approximately 11 seconds after launching from the military bases test pad at 11:01 p.m.

There were no injuries in the explosion and the debris was contained to the immediate vicinity of the launch pad, according to the release.

The failed launch also sparked a fire on the military base. As of 1 a.m. the Vandenberg Fire Department was on scene for the fire, which was producing smoke but is no immediate danger to the rest of the base.

We always have emergency response teams on standby prior to every launch, Col. Kris Barcomb, Space Launch Delta 30 vice commander said in the release. Safety is our priority at all times.

An investigative review board has been established to determine the cause of the explosion.

The military base was testing the U.S. Air Forces new missile rocket, which is expected to be used with the future LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile.

Both are being developed by the Air Forces Nuclear Weapons Center to will replace the aging Minuteman missiles that have previously been tested at the Central Coast base, located near Lompoc.

Initial releases from military officials indicated the launch was expected for Thursday morning; it is unclear why the test was conducted late Wednesday night instead.

(c)2022 The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, Calif.)

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(Tribune News Service)  When British officers at Yorktown yielded their flags to the colonial army to end the Revolutionary War in 1781, it wasnt George Washington or Alexander Hamilton who accepted the surrender.

It was an 18-year-old from Fort Stanwix in Rome, N.Y.  a man who would later rise to prominence in Manlius, N.Y. as the village postmaster.

That man, Robert Wilson, was the youngest officer ever commissioned in the Continental Army. When it came time for the British troops to surrender their colors, he was the man to collect the flags.

Records at the Onondaga Historical Association say that Wilson was born in New York City, one of six children. No date was given of his birth, but it was probably around 1763.

His father died shortly in 1775.

Driven out of the city when the war between the American colonies and Great Britain started, his mother brought the family to Albany.

A 1967 article in The Post-Standard said that he grew up in a rough and hardy style along the Mohawk Valley.

Wilson was said to have idolized his great uncle, Captain. James Gregg, who held a command at Fort Stanwix in Rome.

He enlisted in the Army, either at the age of 12 and 13, and served as a fifer with New York troops there.

He had an early close call with danger, when he was to join Gregg and another man on a pigeon shoot outside the forts walls.

Luckily for him, Wilson was sent back to the fort by his uncle just before they were ambushed by a band of American Loyalists and Native Americans who were fighting with the British.

Gregg was severely wounded but survived.

Fort Stanwix is known as the fort that never surrendered, and the small American army withstood a British siege there in August 1777.

According to local folklore, the first American flag to see action in battle was at Stanwix during the siege.

The homemade standard, allegedly made from a captains blue jacket, a white ammunition shirt, and a womans red petticoat, was raised on August 3, 1777, and Robert Wilson, just 14 years old, played a drum beneath it.

The battles at Stanwix, Oriskany and Saratoga in Upstate New York turned the tide of the Revolution and convinced France to aid the American cause.

After the fort was abandoned after a fire in May 1781, Wilson was commissioned as an ensign in the 1st New York Regiment.

At 18 years old, he became the youngest commissioned officer in the American army during the Revolution.

A Navy term today, during the Revolution ensigns had charge of the colors.

Wilson was at Yorktown, Va. on Oct. 19, 1781, when British General Charles Cornwallis surrendered his army of 8,000 men to George Washington, effectively ending the war.

At the formal surrender, 28 British officers were to hand over 28 flags to 28 American officers.

Colonel Alexander Hamilton, from Washingtons staff, appointed Wilson to conduct this part of the ceremony.

In his 1851 book The Pictorial Field-book of the Revolution, historian Benson John Lossing gives the best account of what happened:

When Wilson gave the order for the British captains to advance two paces, to deliver up their colors, and the American sergeants to advance two paces to receive them, the former hesitated, and gave as a reason that they were unwilling to surrender their flags to non-commissioned officers. Hamilton, who was at a distance, observed this hesitation and rode up to inquire the cause. On being informed, he willingly spared the feelings of the British captains, and ordered Ensign Wilson to receive them himself, and hand them to the American sergeants.

Wilson accepted all 28 flags and distributed them to each of his comrades, to the satisfaction of all.

After the war, Wilson received a grant of two military lots for his service in Ovid and Locke but chose instead to live in the fledgling village of Manlius.

On Jan. 9, 1803, he married Amelia Dunham. The couple had four children.

He became a prominent member of the young settlement. He was its Justice of the Peace, the director of the Cherry Valley Turnpike, and, from 1803 to 1811, he served as the villages postmaster.

(In 1938, when Manlius celebrated National Air Mail Week, a drawing of Wilson conducting his duties at Yorktown was chosen for the village stamp.)

In 1811, while traveling on business to Utica, Wilson was attacked by a fever at New Hartford and died on May 13. He was buried there.

In May 1862, during the Civil War, Robert Wilsons grandson, who was named after his famous grandfather, an Adjutant in the 16th New York Regiment of the Army of the Potomac, was at Yorktown helping push Confederate forces back towards Richmond.

It is not a little remarkable that the grandson should be engaged in a campaign on the very spot where his ancestor met the enemies of his country, and like him, a witness of their discomfiture, The New York Tribune said.

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NAPLES, Italy  A U.S. Navy destroyer helped in the seizure of smuggled Iranian surface-to-air missiles and other advanced weapon components potentially intended for Houthi rebels in Yemen, British officials announced Thursday.

An MH-60 Seahawk helicopter from USS Gridley provided overwatch on Feb. 25 as the British navy frigate Montrose intercepted a speedboat operated by smugglers in international waters south of Iran, the British Defense Ministry and U.S. 5th Fleet said in separate statements.

A similar incident in the same region on Jan. 28 also resulted in the confiscation of advanced weaponry.

The U.K. did not reveal the seizures until more than four months afterward because of their sensitivity, a defense ministry spokesman said Thursday, adding that it took some time for the facts to become clear.

Concerns about Iran's missiles and aerial drones led to a secret meeting of U.S., Israeli and Arab military officials about possible air defense coordination, The Wall Street Journal reported in June.

Middle Eastern countries are worried about Iran's ability to launch attacks from afar, said Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"The capacity and the capability of Iranian missiles and drones is very robust," Karako said Wednesday.

British marines who boarded the vessels during routine security operations discovered dozens of packages later determined to be engine components for the Iranian 351 land attack cruise missile and an unspecified number of Iranian 358 surface-to-air missiles, officials said.

The transported items violate a 2015 U.N. Security Council resolution that, among other actions, imposed an arms embargo in Yemen, according to the British Defense Ministry.

On June 24, U.N. experts inspected the seized weapons and received a technical briefing from British intelligence analysts.

The key factor in the delay in announcing the seizures hinged on that briefing, the U.K. Defense Ministry spokesman told Stars and Stripes.

A British navy spokesman added that independent verification of the seized weapons by panels of experts was vital to ensure accuracy before an announcement could be made.

Iran has been accused of providing weapons, training and financial support to the Houthis, a Shiite rebel movement that has been fighting Yemens Sunni-majority government for decades.

In 2014, Houthis seized control of Sanaa, Yemens capital. Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries launched a counteroperation in 2015.

A cease-fire agreement reached in April that was set to expire in June was extended until August, the U.N. announced June 2.

In 2016, a failed missile attack against the destroyer USS Mason was launched from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen, Reuters reported at the time.

In March, the Houthi movement claimed responsibility for drone attacks in Saudi Arabia, including the port city of Jeddah, according to a March 26 statement from the European Union condemning the attacks.

U.S. and British naval forces regularly collaborate on interdictions of weapons and other illicit cargo used to support terrorism, said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. 5th Fleet.

In 2021, the U.S. Navy seized nearly 9,000 illicit weapons in the busy shipping lanes of the Middle East, the service said.

Last week, the Bahrain-based U.S. 5th Fleet announced it was offering rewards of up to $100,000 for tips leading to the seizure of weapons, drugs and other smuggled goods in the region.
HELSINKI  Finland's Parliament on Thursday passed amended legislation on border security that allows for the closure of crossing points with Russia amid fears that Moscow could choose to send large numbers of migrants to the frontier.

The move by lawmakers came just two days after NATO's 30 members signed formal accession protocols for Finland and Sweden to join the alliance  an outcome that has angered Russia. The two Nordic nations' membership bids were approved at a NATO summit at the end of June in Madrid and several alliance members have already moved to ratify their accession.

The amendments approved by Finnish lawmakers will give the center-left government led by Prime Minister Sanna Marin wider powers to restrict border traffic in exceptional situations, particularly on the 830-mile border with Russia, the longest of any European Union member.

The changes would also allow Finland, a nation of 5.5 million, to build barriers and fences along the border with Russia if needed. Finnish President Sauli Niinisto is due to sign the amendments into law on Friday.

The legislative reform was prompted by the government's concern that Russia would try to influence Finland by organizing large numbers of asylum-seekers to the border  something that happened at northern Finnish crossing points in 2015 and 2016 as Russian authorities reportedly ushered thousands of asylum-seekers there.

The risk of such hybrid threats from Moscow is seen as being particularly high now that Finland has become an observer member of NATO, but not yet a full member enjoying the alliance's security guarantees, pending legislative approvals in all 30 member states.

Russia has repeatedly said over the past few years that it is against Helsinki and Stockholm joining NATO. But both Finland and Sweden decided to seek membership in the alliance after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

"The security situation in Finland and Europe has changed fundamentally in recent months, and especially the risk of a different kind of hybrid influence has increased," Finnish Justice Minister Anna-Maja Henriksson said in a statement.

"I'm glad that a new exception which covers hybrid threats, in particular, was added to the preparedness act so quickly with the broad support of the Parliament," she said.

Following the ratification of Sweden and Finland's NATO membership by Canada, Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Estonia, the Albanian Parliament on Thursday voted overwhelmingly in favor of welcoming the Nordic countries as new members of the alliance.

"Sweden and Finland are an added value to the alliance for their strategic and military values," Albania's foreign minister, Olta Xhacka, said in a speech to lawmakers. "Their membership is a historic development that should be supported without any hesitation."

___

AP reporter Llazar Semini in Tirana, Albania, contributed to this report.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, the 100% Satisfaction Guarantee was all the rage among many hotels. The gist was simple: Encounter a problem and receive your money back.

In theory, this approach addressed fairly serious issues such as early-morning pool renovations that made the jackhammer an unwelcome alarm clock. Bed bugs. No hot water.

But some hospitality experts say that promise  a 100% refund if customers werent 100% happy  mightve made things worse for both the customer and the hotel.

A toddler spilling yogurt may take staff longer to clean up, evolving into a bad review about a dirty lobby and a request for refund, says Bijoy Shah, an Indiana-based travel advisor. The customer-is-always-right mindset created these guarantees, but it seems the customer learned to abuse it, as well.

These days, travelers are unlikely to find such confident promises. Meanwhile, satisfaction rates are lower than ever. But its not because the guarantee is gone. Its because it was there in the first place.

Hotel satisfaction is worse than ever

According to the American Customer Satisfaction Indexs Travel Study 2021-2022, which interviewed 6,000 travelers between from 2021 to 2022, satisfaction fell 2.7% during that time period. Meanwhile, many hospitality workers say complaints are soaring.

Things got so rough in 2021 that the Rhode Island Hospitality Association launched a Please Be Kind Toolkit containing mental health resources and information regarding handling unruly customers. Some attribute this years especially high dissatisfaction rates to differences of opinions about whether the pandemic is over.

At the beginning of the pandemic, guests were sympathetic to frontline workers, says Andrea Stokes, hospitality practice lead at J.D. Power. Now, consumers want to get back to normal, but the hotel industry isnt back to normal  especially in terms of staffing.

While pandemic-related issues like a pause on breakfast buffets are partially to blame, the ongoing slump has been agitated  not driven  by the pandemic.

In fact, ACSIs numerical scores have been trending downward over the past decade, from a peak score of 77 in 2012 to just 71 in 2022.

The problem with the 100% satisfaction guarantee

Some hotel experts blame the lingering effects of the 100% Satisfaction Guarantee for low customer satisfaction. Beyond eating into hotel profits (and decreasing money to invest elsewhere), it may have inadvertently adjusted consumer demands.

Try as hard as you might  and most hotel staff bend over backwards  you cant manage everyones unique and often-unrealistic expectations, says hospitality consultant Colleen Carswell. You cannot please everyone.

Hampton by Hilton is generally credited with creating the first-ever hotel 100% Satisfaction Guarantee (the guarantee was established before its former-parent company, Promus, was acquired by Hilton in 1999).

Shruti Gandhi Buckley, global brand head for Hampton by Hilton, says its introduction was instrumental in providing guests confidence that they would have a seamless and problem-free stay. If their expectations werent met, we would refund their money, no questions asked.

But some travel experts suspect this trained guests to believe that complaining equals compensation.

This benefit may have even magnified negative naysayers who are always looking for something bad to point out, often in a very disrespectful manner, says Carswell.

Gandhi Buckley maintains that abuse wasnt actually the problem, adding that while guests would sometimes have unusual rationale against invoking the guarantee, fewer than 1% of guests actually tried claiming refunds.

Yet Hilton reevaluated the offer after more than a decade. Now, its still a 100% Hampton Guarantee, but the outright refund language is gone.

We also found the original language signaled to a guest that something could go wrong, Gandhi Buckley says.

Plus, Gandhi Buckley says that most business travelers didnt care about refunds anyway (since stays were generally on their employers dime), and leisure travelers just wanted problems fixed. Hamptons new promise shifts away from refunds to empowering employees across all levels and departments to actually execute those fixes.

It allows team members to be more flexible, Gandhi Buckley says.

How to ensure you get the hotel service you deserve

Be realistic: Understand that a lower-cost motel likely wont treat you as generously as a luxury resort.

Read online reviews: A previous traveler might tip you off to the soggy waffles.

Ask nicely: While Hampton still offers a refund when warranted, Gandhi Buckley says its common to receive other types of compensation. If your room isnt ready at check-in, you might receive a free snack.

In situations where staff cannot fix the problem, polite escalation can be necessary. After all, you deserve what you paid for.

Hold elite status: Stokes says its more common to receive money-back guarantees when booking with elite status, as hotels prioritize customers expected to return.

Use trip insurance: In truly untenable situations, trip insurance might help. Coverage varies by policy  and youre unlikely to find one that covers soggy waffles. But most policies cover situations including the bell desk losing your luggage or severe weather preventing you from arriving. Also, many credit cards offer travel insurance for trips purchased on that card.

First seek compensation from the hotel. If those efforts dont work, ask your insurer.
BEIJING  The United States is "the biggest threat to world peace, stability and development," China said Thursday, continuing its sharp rhetoric in response to U.S. accusations of Chinese spying and threats to the international order.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian's comments came a day after the head of the FBI and the leader of Britain's domestic intelligence agency raised fresh alarms about the Chinese government, warning business leaders that Beijing is determined to steal their technology for competitive gain.

The heightened tone comes ahead of a meeting Saturday between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Group of 20 leading rich and developing nations' ministers summit in Bali, Indonesia.

"The relevant U.S. politician has been playing up the so-called China threat to smear and attack China," Zhao told reporters at a daily briefing when asked about FBI Director Christopher Wray's comments reaffirming longstanding concerns in denouncing economic espionage and hacking operations by China as well as the Chinese government's efforts to stifle dissent abroad.

"Facts have fully proven that the U.S. is the biggest threat to world peace, stability and development," Zhao said. "We urge this U.S. official to have the right perspective, see China's developments in an objective and reasonable manner and stop spreading lies and stop making irresponsible remarks."

Wray's speech was particularly notable because it took place at MI5's London headquarters and alongside the agency's director general, Ken McCallum, in an intended show of Western solidarity.

"We consistently see that it's the Chinese government that poses the biggest long-term threat to our economic and national security, and by 'our,' I mean both of our nations, along with our allies in Europe and elsewhere," Wray told attendees.

McCallum said the Chinese government and its "covert pressure across the globe" amounts to "the most game-changing challenge we face."

Under Xi Jinping, president and head of the ruling Communist Party, China has assumed an increasingly aggressive foreign policy, joining with Russia in seeking to undermine the influence of the U.S. and its allies.

Beijing has refused to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine  which is expected to dominate the G-20 foreign ministers meeting  while condemning Western sanctions against Moscow and accusing Washington and NATO of provoking the conflict.

At the same time, the party exercises sweeping powers over all Chinese companies and institutions, both public and private, as it seeks to dominate global markets and emerging technologies.

The Chinese government and its "covert pressure across the globe" amounts to "the most game-changing challenge we face," McCallum said in his Wednesday remarks.

In his response, Zhao said British intelligence was "simply projecting their own dishonorable behavior onto China."

"The head of the British intelligence service should cast away (his) evil in mind, come out of the dark room and see the sunshine, and not always hold on to the zero-sum thinking or set up so-called imaginary enemies," he said.

Zhao on Wednesday slammed Blinken's comments at last week's NATO summit in Spain, in which the Secretary of State accused China of "seeking to undermine the rules-based international order."
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany  Military retirees living overseas may continue using their APO and FPO addresses for at least a little longer, following the Military Postal Service Agencys decision to halt a move that would have taken away their mailboxes next month.

The postal agency rescinded an announcement it made in June, saying it would end services for certain categories of customers beginning Aug. 24, Installation Management Command-Europe said Thursday.

Another announcement about authorized customers is expected within the next six months, IMCOM-Europe spokesman Mark Heeter said, citing information given to his office by the Military Postal Service Agency, which is an extension of the U.S. Postal Service.

Until then, current customers can use services as normal, Heeter said, adding that no additional information about the pause was given.

The Military Postal Service Agency did not immediately reply to questions Thursday.

The Defense Department in May directed the Military Postal Service Agency to end services for many customers after a review found they were not authorized by law for overseas delivery by the agency, the Office of the Secretary of Defense said last month.

The Pentagon did not specify who was improperly benefiting from the service. However, the postal superintendent at Camp Humphreys in South Korea, James Goff, told Stars and Stripes that overseas military retirees and Red Cross workers would be among those affected by the change.

Tens of thousands of U.S. military retirees lived overseas as of 2020, according to a DOD retirement report in 2021. Roughly 12,500 retirees live in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. Germany hosts 7,366 retirees, followed by 3,354 in the Philippines. Japan and South Korea have 3,196 and 1,677 retirees, respectively.

The military postal system delivers mail and packages overseas to service members, DOD civilians, contractors and their families, while charging domestic postal rates.
SZYPLISZKI, Poland  The presidents of NATO members Poland and Lithuania voiced confidence Thursday that allied troops can fully safeguard a strategically vital corridor, which links their countries, between Russian ally Belarus and a Russian Baltic Sea exclave.

Concern over NATO's ability to defend the so called Suwalki Gap, a 43-mile wedge joining Poland and Lithuania, has rocketed since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. The bottleneck separates Belarus from the Kaliningrad exclave, where Russia's Baltic Fleet  and nuclear-capable missiles  are based.

President Andrzej Duda of Poland and Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda visited the sparsely populated area Thursday and met with NATO troops on the Polish and the Lithuanian side.

"This is a very sensitive area and the eyes of an aggressor could potentially be directed here," Nauseda said in Szypliszki, on the Polish side.

The corridor links Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia  all former Soviet republics bordering Russia  to Poland and other NATO members.

"We have decided to come to this place ... to show that it is safe ... just because of what you can see here today: the daily, calm but full of vigilance service of the Polish, Lithuanian and other NATO troops," Poland's Duda said.

At the urging of Poland and the Baltic states, NATO leaders decided at a summit last week in Madrid to significantly increase the number of allied troops in Eastern Europe. At the Suwalki Gap, battalions numbering hundreds of troops are to be boosted to brigades with thousands of troops.

The presidents were accompanied on their visit by their defense ministers. The mobile command unit of the U.S.-led Multinational Division North East is currently going through field exercises in the Szypliszki area.

From there, the two presidents traveled to Mariampoli, Lithuania, to meet a German-led logistical battalion.
MOSCOW  With Russia's military action in Ukraine in its fifth month, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday warned Kyiv that it should quickly accept Moscow's terms or brace for the worst, adding ominously that Russia has barely started its action.

Speaking at a meeting with leaders of the Kremlin-controlled parliament, Putin accused Western allies of fueling the hostilities, charging that "the West wants to fight us until the last Ukrainian."

"It's a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, but it looks like it's heading in that direction," he added.

"Everybody should know that largely speaking, we haven't even yet started anything in earnest," Putin said in a menacing note.

He declared that Russia remains ready to sit down for talks to end the fighting, adding that "those who refuse to do so should know that the longer it lasts the more difficult it will be for them to make a deal with us."

"We are hearing that they want to defeat us on the battlefield," Putin said. "Let them try."

Earlier in the conflict, the Kremlin demanded that Kyiv acknowledge Russian sovereignty over the Crimean Peninsula, which it annexed in 2014, and recognize the independence of Moscow-backed separatist regions in eastern Ukraine. Moscow also said it expected Ukraine to bow to the existing situation on the ground, a reference to other land gains it has made since Russian troops rolled into Ukraine on Feb. 24.

After failing to capture Kyiv and other big cities in Ukraine's northeast early in the campaign, the Russian military shifted its focus to the eastern industrial heartland of Donbas, where Moscow-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian troops since 2014.

Earlier this week, the Russian military claimed control of the Luhansk province, one of the two that make up Donbas, and is preparing to press its offensive into the second one, Donetsk.

In the early stages of the conflict, Russia won control of the southern Kherson region and part of neighboring Zaporizhzhia. Moscow is expected eventually to try to cut Ukraine off from its Black Sea coast all the way to the Romanian border. If successful, it would deal a crushing blow to the Ukrainian economy and also create a corridor to Moldova's separatist region of Transnistria, where Russia maintains a military base.

Putin reaffirmed his long-held claim that the West is using the conflict in Ukraine to try to isolate and weaken Russia.

"They simply don't need such a country as Russia," Putin said. "This is why they have used terrorism, separatism and internal destructive forces in our country."

He charged that Western sanctions against Russia have failed to achieve their goal of "sowing division and strife in our society and demoralizing our people."

"The course of history is unstoppable, and attempts by the collective West to enforce its version of the global order are doomed to fail," Putin said.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, responded on Twitter: "There is no plan by the 'collective West'" and only a Russian army entered Ukraine.
KYIV, Ukraine  Foreign analysts say Russia may be temporarily easing its offensive in eastern Ukraine as the Russian military attempts to reassemble its forces for what it hopes could prove decisive new assault on its neighbor. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned menacingly on Thursday that his forces "haven't even started" to fight.

Russian forces made no claimed or assessed territorial gains in Ukraine on Wednesday "for the first time in 133 days of war," according to the Institute for the Study of War. The Washington-based think tank suggested Moscow may be taking an "operational pause," but said that does not entail "the complete cessation of active hostilities."

"Russian forces will likely confine themselves to relatively small-scale offensive actions as they attempt to set conditions for more significant offensive operations" and rebuild the necessary combat power, the institute said.

Russia's Defense Ministry seemed to confirm that assessment, saying in a statement Thursday that Russian soldiers had been given time to rest.

"The units that performed combat missions ... are taking measures to recover their combat capabilities. The servicemen are given the opportunity to rest, receive letters and parcels from home," read the statement, quoted by Russian state news agency Tass.

Putin warned Kyiv it should quickly accept Moscow's terms to end the fighting or brace for the worst.

"Everybody should know that largely speaking, we haven't even yet started anything in earnest," he said in a menacing note.

Shelling continued in Ukraine's east, with the mayor of one Donetsk region city saying it was hit by the most powerful strike since the war began.

Kramatorsk Mayor Oleksandr Gorchenko said a Russian missile hit in the vicinity of the local government buildings shortly after noon. The city has been the center of the Donetsk regional government since 2014, when the city of Donetsk was taken over by Kremlin-backed separatists.

Earlier on Thursday, regional officials said at least one person was killed and six more were injured in the strike.

Volodymyr, 66, a resident who declined to provide his full name, sat in his overturned apartment, covered in blood.

"I was just sitting and drinking tea, and then there was an explosion," he told the Associated Press. "You can see the result of it."

Asked if he felt safe staying in his apartment building block, he responded: "Is it safe right now anywhere in Ukraine? It all just happened in one moment, and that was it."

In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, firefighters were able to put out multiple fires caused by Russian shelling of a residential area, the regional emergency services reported. It said fires had engulfed private homes, garages, cars and trucks as well as parts of an apartment in a nine-story apartment block.

Earlier Thursday, regional police said three people died and five were injured after the Nemyshlyanskii neighborhood in Kharkiv was blasted from multiple-launch rocket systems. The Kharkiv region, which lies along the border with Russia, comes under daily shelling.

In Donetsk, 10 cities and villages came under shelling, and 35 buildings were destroyed, including a school, a vocational college and a hospital, officials said.

Donetsk is part of the Donbas, a mostly Russian-speaking industrial area where Ukraine's most experienced soldiers are concentrated. Pro-Russian separatists have fought Ukrainian forces and controlled much of the Donbas for eight years. Putin recognized the independence of two self-proclaimed republics there just before Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Putin on Monday claimed victory in Luhansk, the other Donbas province, after Ukrainian forces withdrew from the last city they controlled there. The governor of Luhansk, Serhiy Haidai, denied Wednesday that the Russians had completely captured the province.

The Ukrainian military said Thursday that Russian forces also carried out shelling and helicopter strikes in the Sumy region in the northeast.

Even as the fighting continued, the British Defense Ministry said it thinks Russia's military is "reconstituting" its forces. A ministry intelligence assessment issued Thursday said the heavy shelling along the front line in Donetsk is likely intended to secure previous Russian gains.

Further hostilities were reported in the Black Sea. The Ukrainian military said Thursday a national flag again stood on a strategic island that Russian troops withdrew from last month.

Ukraine's southern military command said Ukrainian military units had cleared Snake Island, an outpost off Ukraine's southwestern coast vital for guaranteeing sea lanes out of Odesa, Ukraine's biggest port.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the operation to take back the island took two months and was carried out by an array of military and intelligence forces.

"And now let every Russian captain, whether of a ship or a plane, see the Ukrainian flag on Snake Island and know that our state cannot be broken," he said in his nightly video address.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday that a Russian military aircraft launched a missile strike on the island as Ukrainian forces attempted to plant the flag. "As a result, some of the Ukrainian military personnel were destroyed, the rest fled," the ministry said. The claim could not be immediately verified.

When Russian troops withdrew from Snake Island on June 30, the Defense Ministry described it as a "a goodwill gesture" to ensure Ukrainian grain and other exports could resume.

Ukraine said Russia also fired two missiles at a Moldovan-flagged oil tanker in the Black Sea, setting it ablaze. Ukrainian officials said one hit the Millennial Spirit, which carried over 500 tons of diesel fuel, while the other went wide.

The ship has been without a crew, drifting at sea since the start of the war in February. Russia did not immediately acknowledge the strike on the vessel.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said it summoned the Turkish ambassador in Kyiv on Thursday over what it described as the theft of Ukrainian grain by a Russian ship.

The Zhibek Zholy was allowed to leave Turkey's Black Sea coast after Turkish authorities briefly detained it at Ukraine's request. Ukraine summoned the ambassador to complain.

Turkey, with its Bosporus Strait, is the key transit route for shipping out of the Black Sea. Ukraine has sought to pressure Ankara to stop Russian shipments of its grain, a vital source of revenue.

Also Thursday:

Zelenskyy said he spoke with Boris Johnson just hours after the British prime minister announced he would step down. Zelenskyy said he thanked Johnson, who visited Kyiv twice after the war began, for his support and especially for the weapons and money Britain has sent to Ukraine.

"And although this reflects the position of British society, the leadership and charisma of the country's leader always have special meaning. ... It's not surprising that Ukrainians feel a personal gratitude to Boris," Zelenskyy said in his nightly address. He said Johnson and other British officials reassured him this strong support would continue.

___

Associated Press journalists Francesca Ebel in Kramatorsk, Ukraine; Jon Gambrell in Lviv, Ukraine; and Cara Anna in Kharkiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  A British Royal Navy vessel seized a sophisticated shipment of Iranian missiles in the Gulf of Oman earlier this year, officials said Thursday, pointing to the interdiction as proof of Tehran's support for Yemen's Houthi rebels in the embattled country.

The British government statement was striking in that it provided some of the strongest findings to date that Tehran is arming the Houthis against the Saudi-led military coalition with advanced weapons smuggled through the Persian Gulf.

The U.K. Embassy in the United Arab Emirates described the seizure of surface-to-air-missiles and engines for land attack cruise missiles as "the first time a British naval warship has interdicted a vessel carrying such sophisticated weapons from Iran."

"The U.K. will continue to work in support of an enduring peace in Yemen and is committed to international maritime security so that commercial shipping can transit safely without threat of disruption," said James Heappey, Minister for the Armed Forces.

Iran's mission to the United Nations rejected the U.K.'s findings as "groundless," saying that Iran has "never transported weapons or military equipment to Yemen" in violation of the U.N. arms embargo and "always upheld its international obligations."

The British government's announcement signals an escalation as Western officials have in the past shied away from public statements that definitively blame Iran for arming Yemen's Houthis with military contraband. The route of the smuggled shipments through the Arabian Sea or Gulf of Aden, however, has strongly suggested their destination.

Despite a United Nations Security Council arms embargo on Yemen, Iran has long been suspected of transferring rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, missiles and other weaponry to the Houthis since the disastrous war began in 2015. Iran denies arming the Houthis, independent experts, Western nations and U.N. experts have traced components back to Iran.

Citing a forensic analysis last month, the British navy linked the batch of rocket engines seized earlier this year to an Iranian-made cruise missile with a 1,000-kilometer range that it said the rebels have used against Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis also used the cruise missile to attack an oil facility in Abu Dhabi in January of this year, the British navy said, an assault that killed three people and threatened the key U.S. ally's reputation as a haven of stability. The U.S. military launched interceptor missiles during the attack, signaling a widening of Yemen's war.

The HMS Montrose's helicopter had been scanning for illicit goods in the Gulf of Oman on January 28 and February 25 when it spotted small vessels speeding away from the Iranian coast with "suspicious cargo on deck." A team of Royal Marines then halted and searched the boats, confiscating the weapons in international waters south of Iran.

A U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer supported the British warship's February operation. Fifth Fleet Vice Adm. Brad Cooper said the seizure reflected the Navy's "strong commitment to regional security and stability."

The Houthis seized Yemen's capital, Sanaa, in September 2014 and forced the internationally recognized government into exile. A Saudi-led coalition armed with U.S. weaponry and intelligence joined the war on the side of Yemen's exiled government in March 2015.

Years of fighting have ground into a bloody stalemate and pushed the Arab world's poorest nation to the brink of famine. A tenuous truce that began around the holy Muslim month of Ramadan appears to be holding, although both sides have accused each other of violations.
TAMPA, Fla.  A federal judge sentenced a former Trump supporter to three years of probation and a $7,000 fine for sending an email threatening to kill Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and three other congresswomen.

David George Hannon, 67, also must undergo mental and substance abuse treatment and have no contact with Omar or Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, according to a report in the Tampa Bay Times.

Hannon, who pleaded guilty in April to threatening a federal official, sent the email after the four Democratic lawmakers held a news conference in July 2019 in response to criticism from former President Donald Trump, who said they should "go back" to the "crime-infested places" from which they came.

"He was doing that because Trump told him to," his daughter, Elizabeth Hannon Dillon, told the judge during the hearing on Wednesday. "He was a Trump supporter and now he regrets it."

This threat was "heinous and inappropriate in every regard," U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle said. "This sort of behavior has no place in our society."

Sentencing guidelines called for about 10 months in prison, but Mizelle noted that a probation officer recommended against prison time, along with Hannon's expressions of remorse, lack of prior trouble, his age and health problems.

"I'm very, very sorry and very remorseful about my behavior that night," Hannon said as he stood before the judge, stooped and trembling.

Hannon emailed Omar's campaign with a subject line that read: "Your Dead You Radical Muslim," writing that Omar should get more security or she and the other women would be "six feet under."

Omar's staff immediately notified federal agents, but the FBI didn't visit Hannon at his Sarasota home until 19 months had passed and Trump was out of office.

Hannon admitted that he disparaged Omar's Islamic faith, but the judge declined to apply a hate crime adjustment to Hannon's sentence, which could have increased the sentencing guidelines.

"I do have remorse that I did target Ms. Omar," Hannon said. "But I don't have any hatred toward anyone whether their race, creed, color or nationality. This is the United States of America and whatever people do and say, they have a right to do that. But I had no right to write that email."
(Tribune News Service) Syracuse, N.Y.  Immanuel Lowe moved into his Georgia home across the street from Malik Sharif Shipman and his family in 2017.

He quickly learned that Shipman was a good neighbor.

It was a common occurrence along that Fairburn, Ga., cul-de-sac to see Shipman help a neighbor take out the trash or escort a neighbors mother back home after a walk, Lowe said.

Hed see me outside doing something and he was always very helpful, Lowe said. There were a lot of people in the neighborhood as well that he had a good relationship with in regards to being helpful.

Shipman, 19, an Army private 1st class stationed at Fort Drum, was fatally shot Monday night at a Fourth of July party in the 300 block of Parkway Drive near Onondaga Park in Syracuse.

He was shot in the midsection at about 11:15 p.m., Syracuse police said. He died later at Upstate University Hospital.

Shipman joined the Army in July 2020 immediately after graduating from Langston Hughes High School in Fairburn, Georgia. Fairburn is a small city about 20 miles southwest of Atlanta.

Lowe, who also served in the Army and was once stationed at Fort Drum, said he spoke to Shipman during his going-away party about his own experiences in the military because the young man wanted to know what it was like.

Shipman began basic combat training in July 2020 at Fort Leonard Wood, an Army installation in Missouri.

Army Spc. Mycah Schwartz said he became close friends with Shipman during basic training.

He made it an enjoyable experience that I wont ever forget, he said. He was immediately a very charismatic person to be around. Always full of energy and a strong desire to work.

Schwartz said Shipmans positive attitude helped keep everyone going when times got tough during basic training. He would chase friends through the halls or jump on a table and start dancing when a good song came on, he said.

His great attitude for life always cheered people up to get up and get back at it, he said. We would run through the halls playing rock music at the end of the day to get everyone out and laughing. Definitely the life of the party and I wish I got to hang out with him more. I had many great times with him and he will be deeply missed.

After completing basic training in October 2020, Shipman was stationed at Fort Drum, the home just outside of Watertown for the Armys 10th Mountain Division.

He was a carpentry and masonry specialist with the 642nd Engineer Support Company, 46th Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, according to a news release issued Wednesday by Fort Drum.

During his time at Fort Drum, Shipman completed the Combat Lifesavers Course and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Pfc. Shipmans family and fellow soldiers, said Lt. Col. Jon-Paul Depreo, 46th Engineer Brigade commander. Pfc. Shipmans compassion for his fellow soldiers will be missed.

Lowe, the neighbor back in Georgia, said he appreciated Shipmans respectfulness so much he once gave him permission to ask out his daughter, who attended high school with Shipman.

He asked me one day when they were in the 10th grade, would it be okay if he dated my daughter, Lowe said. Im old school with it. I told him based off his character and from what Ive seen so far, if that is a decision my daughter wants to make, Id be okay with it. But dont think I dont have my eye on you.

Lowe doesnt believe the two ever dated but they became close friends who every morning would walk together to the bus for school, he said.

They had a very good friendship, he said. Thats how I found out about his passing. My daughter called my brother and told him what was going on.

Lowe said Shipmans death has hit close to home for him and his family.

Its very heartbreaking to hear that this has taken place, he said. So for me the memories replaying of our interactions was very hard and sad for us. It definitely hit us like it was a family member of ours.

Lowe said the news of Shipmans death was also shared through a neighborhood group chat.

It was shocking to the whole neighborhood, he said. Everyone in our cul-de-sac, which is about eight or nine houses, are very sad to hear that this happened.

Syracuse police have not released any information about suspects but ask anyone with information about the shooting to call them at 315-442-5222.

2022 Advance Local Media LLC.

Visit syracuse.com .
WASHINGTON  The IRS commissioner has asked the Treasury Department's internal watchdog to immediately review the circumstances surrounding intensive tax audits that targeted ex-FBI Director James Comey and former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, frequent targets of Donald Trump's ire during his presidency.

IRS spokesperson Jodie Reynolds said Thursday the agency has officially referred the matter to the inspector general for tax administration after Commissioner Charles Rettig, who was nominated to the job by Trump and is a close ally of the former president, personally reached out.

Reynolds insisted it is "ludicrous and untrue to suggest that senior IRS officials somehow targeted specific individuals" for such audits.

The New York Times reported Wednesday that the former FBI leaders were subjected to rare IRS audits of their tax returns. The newspaper said Comey was informed of the audit in 2019 and McCabe learned he was under scrutiny in 2021. Rettig, who term is set to expire in November, faced blistering criticism from Democrats for helping to shield Trump's tax returns from the public.

Trump repeatedly attacked Comey and McCabe over the FBI's Russia investigation that shadowed his presidency for years. Trump fired Comey in 2017 in the midst of that investigation, which ultimately was taken over by special counsel Robert Mueller, named to that job by Trump's Justice Department.

The FBI inquiry began in the summer of 2016, months before Trump was elected. The bureau had learned that a former Trump campaign aide had been saying, before it was publicly known, that Russia had dirt on Trump's Democratic rival for the White House, Hillary Clinton, in the form of stolen emails.

Those emails were hacked from Democratic email accounts by Russian intelligence. They were released by the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks before the election in what U.S. officials have said was an effort to harm Clinton's campaign and help Trump's. Trump repeatedly called the investigation a "witch hunt."

A 2019 review by the Justice Department's inspector general knocked down multiple lines of attack against the Russia investigation, finding that officials properly opened the inquiry and that law enforcement leaders were not motivated by political bias. The watchdog did identify a number of problems in the investigation, leading the FBI to take steps aimed at fixing some fundamental operations, such as applying for surveillance warrants and interacting with confidential sources.

McCabe was fired in March 2018 after the Justice Department's inspector general concluded he had authorized the release of information to a newspaper reporter and then misled internal investigators about his role in the leak. The termination by Jeff Sessions, Trump's attorney general at the time, came hours before McCabe was due to retire.

McCabe won back his full pension as part of a settlement of his lawsuit arising from his firing. The settlement agreement vacated that decision, expunged from his personnel folder references to the firing and entitled McCabe, who joined the FBI in 1996, to his full pension.

According to the IRS website the audits the two men and their wives underwent are part of a program that randomly selects tax returns to examine tax compliance and improve the system.

McCabe, in comments on CNN, where he is a law enforcement analyst, described the two audits as a "coincidence that ... really is almost impossible statistically" and said they raised questions that should be answered. He said it was "appropriate for the IRS to do the responsible thing and look into it and determine whether or not something, you know, went awry in this program."

Comey said in a statement that he could not say whether anything improper happened, "but after learning how unusual this audit was and how badly Trump wanted to hurt me during that time, it made sense to try to figure it out."

A Trump spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.

Asked Thursday whether Biden has confidence in Rettig, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre simply noted that his term is set to expire later this year.

"He is going to be up in November, so I will leave it there," Jean-Pierre said.
(Tribune News Service)  South Carolina Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham met with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, Thursday to talk about the countrys ongoing war with Russia.

Graham, with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D- Connecticut, presented Zelensky with his resolution that would designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Currently there are four countries designated by the U.S. as state sponsors of terrorism: Cuba, North Korea, Iran and Syria, according to the U.S. Department of State.

Graham and Blumenthal discussed increasing sanctions pressure on Russia, according to a news release from Zelenskys office. They have also urged Washington to accelerate the pace of weapons deliveries to Kyiv.

During the trip, the two senators visited two suburbs of the capital that have been affected by the war, Bucha and Borodyanka. Bucha was the scene of suspected Russian war crimes against civilians when in May, retreating Russian forces left behind multiple dead bodies in the citys streets.

Zelensky thanked the senators for their visit and emphasized Ukraines readiness for further close coordination of activities with partners on the sanctions track, according to the news release from Zelenskys office.

Zelensky called on the senators to back a decision to provide Ukraine with modern air defense systems.

First of all, we appeal to you so that the Congress supports Ukraine in the matter of supplying modern air defense systems. We must ensure such a level of sky security that our people are not afraid to live in Ukraine, Zelensky said in the release.

This effort is an attempt to create necessary security conditions to allow schools to reopen in September, something Zelensky made clear was a top priority as the country tries to return to normal from the months-long Russian invasion.

The number one task for us today is for women with children to be able to return to Ukraine by September 1, so that children can go to school, so that students do not leave and can go to universities. It is very important for us to do two things - to repair schools, universities, and also to have a powerful air defense, Zelensky said.

Graham has visited Ukraine before, in April.

In January, before the war officially began with Russias attacks against Ukraine, Graham called for immediate sanctions against Russia for provoking Ukraine and its NATO allies. Graham also called for the U.S. to help to better arm the Ukrainian military so they could better defend themselves.

Graham is also part of a bipartisan group of senators to introduce a resolution calling on international bodies to investigate reports of war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by Russia in the Eastern European country.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, leading to now nearly five months of war and destruction in Ukraine.

2022 The State.

Visit thestate.com .
AUSTIN, Texas  Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday authorized National Guard troops deployed on state orders at the border with Mexico to arrest migrants who crossed illegally into the U.S., or violated other federal laws, and bring them to a port-of-entry.

The order also extends the authority to state police and stretches the mission known as Operation Lone Star into new territory. Troops already had arrest authority but only to enforce state laws, such as trespassing.

Abbott first deployed troops on the mission in March 2021, with the number of service members deployed hitting a peak of 10,000 earlier this year. As of last month, the number had dropped by about 500 as the Texas Military Department began to use more patrol boats on the Rio Grande instead of observation posts along the riverbank.

The governors order does not state how troops will determine a person has crossed illegally into the U.S. or whether they must ensure people brought to the port-of-entry do return to Mexico. Its also unclear if they will be processed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Abbotts office referred all operational questions to the Texas Military Department, which did not immediately respond to questions. U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to questions about whether it is working with Texas on this new effort.

Abbotts office said in a statement that 5,000 migrants were apprehended during the July 4th holiday weekend, creating a border crisis that has overrun communities along the border and across Texas.

Only the federal government is authorized for immigration enforcement, but Abbott wrote his measure is necessary due to President Joe Bidens failure to protect our border.

Guard troops have built coiled barbed wire fencing along the border and report illegal activity that they observe while standing watch at the river to state and federal law enforcement.

ProPublica reported this week that the Department of Justice is investigating Operation Lone Star for potential civil rights violations, though the department declined to comment.

It is unclear whether the National Guards role in the mission is part of the investigation or if it is focused on state prisons and state police.
WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service)  The family of Marine veteran Paul Whelan was astonished Wednesday after President Joe Biden called the wife of WNBA star Brittney Griner but did not also call the Whelans.

Both Whelan and Griner are imprisoned in Russia, but Griner was arrested in February, while Whelan has been held for 3 1/2 years. His family has sought a meeting with Biden for months and months, with his sister, Elizabeth Whelan, putting in four requests that have not been granted, she said.

The Whelans suggested the disparate treatment is due to Griners celebrity. The two-time Olympic gold medalist plays for the Phoenix Mercury and faces possibly 10 years in prison in Russia.

We are astonished at this development and feel badly for our elderly parents, and in particular for Paul, Elizabeth Whelan told The Detroit News on Wednesday. Does this mean he is going to be left behind yet again?

She was referring to a prisoner swap negotiated earlier this year that led to Russia releasing Texan Trevor Reed. Reed, like Whelan, is a former U.S. Marine arrested after traveling to Russia as a tourist, but Reed was included in the prisoner swap, and Whelan was not.

The White House said Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke Wednesday to Griners wife, Cherelle Griner, to reassure her that his administration is is working to secure her release, as well as the release of Whelan and other U.S. nationals who are wrongfully detained. Griners trial on drug charges began Friday in Moscow.

Press secretary Karine Jean Pierre said Wednesday that Griner has been top of mind for Biden and that he receives daily updates about the status of negotiations to her release.

I am crushed. If he wants to talk about securing Pauls release, he needs to be talking to the Whelans! Elizabeth Whelan tweeted Wednesday. What are we to think?!

Biden also read Cherelle Griner a draft of a letter he is sending to Brittney in Russia, according to a readout of the call. Griner had written to Biden in a letter delivered Monday, urging him not to forget about me and the other American detainees.

Im terrified I might be here forever, she wrote to Biden.

Notably, Bidens call to Griners wife came after a national CBS interview she did Tuesday, arguing that the president needed to do more to help and noting that she had not yet heard from Biden.

Whelans twin brother, David, said the episode says a lot about how a detainees family resources matter.

I dont begrudge Ms. Griner and her supporters their success in getting the presidents attention while he ignores so many other families, David said.

It suggests the only way to get the White Houses attention, under President Trump or President Biden, is to have celebrity and wealth and resources that most wrongful detainees do not have.

David said his family will have to wait and see what happens, noting that Secretary of State Antony Blinken has told the family that Paul Whelans case remains a priority.

At some level, we take that at face value, David said. Unfortunately, if it unfolds that Ms. Griner is released and Paul isnt, again, well be faced with the same question we were with the release of Trevor Reed: Is the White House only working on the cases when the president takes the time to call? And how do families explain that to their loved ones?

Whelan is serving a 16-year sentence of hard labor at a prison camp in Mordovia. U.S. officials and lawmakers have long labeled his detention wrongful and pressed for his release.

In the wake of Reeds return, State Department representatives advised the Whelan family to make more noise or be a squeakier wheel, David said.

He pointed out that theyd done 40 media interviews after Reeds release and that Elizabeth took part in a rally outside the White House. She also has made nearly 20 visits to Capitol Hill to talk to lawmakers.

We cannot stop talking about Americans detained abroad. My constituent Paul Whelan has been wrongfully detained since the start of 2019  his family is desperate for his return, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., said Wednesday.

I urge the Biden administration to continue to work to secure the releases of Paul and Brittney.

Elizabeths last high-level meeting with the Biden administration was a May 4 sit-down with national security adviser Jake Sullivan. The family has received no new information in the two months since then, she said.

She would even skip the meeting with Biden if instead his effort would be put into getting her brother home, she said.

I do want his staff to understand that there are many other detainee families who would also like this personal involvement in their cases, Elizabeth Whelan said, and that we cant be expected not to feel concerned when the attention to families is so uneven.

___

(c)2022 The Detroit News

Visit The Detroit News at www.detnews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Sullivan, IN (47882)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable.
John Joyce (36) was annoyed he was going to be searched for drugs

John Joyce (36) was annoyed he was going to be searched for drugs as he does not have a drug problem.

Judge Patricia Cronin imposed a six-month sentence, which she suspended for 12 months.

The defendant, of St Bridgets Halting Site, Porterstown, Dublin 15, admitted threatening and abusive behaviour and threatening to cause criminal damage at Holywell Heath in Swords on May 14 last year.

Garda Craig Smyth told Swords District Court he was on mobile patrol when he saw two men run away from the patrol car.

Gda Smyth stopped Joyce, as he believed this behaviour was suspicious, and told him he was going to be searched under the drugs act.

Joyce became verbally abusive, calling gardai rat bastards and telling them to f**k off, yous are c**ts.

Gda Smyth said Joyce also threatened to get up on the bonnet of the patrol car and smash in the windscreen.

Gda Smyth asked Joyce if he intended to cause damage to the patrol car but the defendant refused to answer the question. Joyce later apologised to gardai for his behaviour, Gda Smyth said.

Defence lawyer Fiona DArcy said Joyce got into a lot of difficulties when he was younger but he had not come to the attention of gardai recently.

In relation to this incident, Ms DArcy said Joyce felt gardai were wrongly searching him, as he does not have a drug problem, and he reacted very badly. All he was doing was going to the shops to buy a soft drink, she said.

Joyce was in a deep depression at the time as he had buried his mother, sister and two aunts shortly beforehand.

Ms DArcy said Joyce was a great support to his wife, who had health difficulties, and she asked the judge to be lenient.
Palmer was considered to be under the influence of her long term partner at the time

Senior Kinahan lieutenant Barry Fowler will join his gangster moll partner behind bars after they were both convicted of a series of criminal offences that are related to the drugs business.

Yesterday, Fowler (37) of Millbrook Lawns, Tallaght, was sentenced to six years in prison for supplying drugs shortly after being released from prison.

He had pleaded guilty to being in possession of 134,000 worth of cannabis on 24th May 2021.

His conviction comes just weeks after his partner, Lorna Palmer (35) of The Crescent, Millbrook Lawn, Tallaght, was jailed for 18 months after she was found to be in possession of nearly 100,000 which was the proceeds of criminal conduct when gardai searched her home.

In Fowlers case, Detective Garda Declan OReilly had told the court gardai were conducting a surveillance operation when Fowler and a co-accused were monitored in the Tallaght area.

The court heard the co-accused was seen putting something into the boot of a car before driving off in a taxi.

Fowler was seen taking keys from the car before gardai approached him and was seen attempting to discard the keys before being arrested. The co-accused was also arrested by gardai, the court heard. Gardai searched the car and found 134,000 worth of cannabis in a bag.

The court heard the accused said during a garda interview he was under threat by gangs, but Det Garda O'Reilly told the court he did not believe the accused in this regard.

Fowler was previously convicted of being in possession of drugs and a submachine gun and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison. The court heard he finished his sentence shortly before this incident occurred.

He also received a three-year sentence for dangerous driving causing the death of a teenager in 2005

Judge Martin Nolan said his record of "quite serious convictions" is one of the main aggravating factors. The value of drugs was also taken into consideration, but Judge Nolan said he believes the accused has middle to low culpability in this scheme.

Fowler is considered a serious organised criminal with associations deep into the Kinahan mob and is a long-time pal of gangland heavy Paul Rice.

In March of last year the Sunday World photographed Fowler in a van painted to look like a DHL delivery vehicle and dressed in a uniform but the company had not employed him and the van, it was discovered, had been mocked up and sold by a west Dublin garage.

Fowler is one of the top targets of the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and proceedings were previously issued against him by the Criminal Assets Bureau.

And in a separate case, when his partner Palmer was asked about envelopes containing around 700 and 2,000, that were each found in a money box at her Dublin home, she told gardai she did not know why people were posting money through the door.

The court heard that Palmer's partner was in custody at the time of the seizure, having being convicted of an offence of possession of drugs for sale or supply.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that drug related offences were in progress at the time of the seizure at Palmer's then home and while she knew the money was the proceeds of criminal conduct, gardai believe she was not involved in the underlying criminality.

READ MORE..

Read more Kinahan cartel gangster Barry Fowler jailed for six years after being caught with 134k drugs

Kinahan gangster Barry Fowler quizzed after cannabis worth 2.2 million and 150k cash seized

Cartel WAG caught with 100k in drugs cash is partner of Kinahan trafficker

Palmer of The Crescent, Millbrook Lawn, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct at her address on April 21, 2017. She has no previous convictions.

Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Palmer to four and half years but suspended the final three years having given credit for a number of mitigating factors.

One of the factors taken into consideration by Judge Greally was that Palmer was under the influence of her long term partner at the time and had pleaded guilty to the offence.

At a sentence hearing last December, Sergeant Michelle McGuinness told Simon Matthews BL, prosecuting, that gardai were in receipt of information regarding activity at the address and obtained a search warrant.

Sgt McGuinness said that on the date in April 2017, gardai searched the house and found large quantities of cash in two safes and in envelopes inside a money box. The total amount of cash found amounted to 99,730.

When questioned by gardai, Palmer said she did not know how much money there was and she did not know who owns it. She said she did not know why people were posting money through the door.

CCTV footage obtained by gardai showed drug related offences in progress at the address and amounts of money being delivered to the house. Palmer's partner was in custody for a drugs offence at the time of the search.

Sgt McGuinness agreed with Giollaiosa O Lideadha SC, defending, that his client was highly unlikely to engage in criminal activity in the future. She agreed his client cares for her sister and has a child with special needs.

The sergeant agreed with counsel that his client's partner has been in custody for many years. She agreed that Palmer knew the money was the proceeds of criminal conduct, but was turning a blind eye to what was going on and was not involved in the criminal activity.

She agreed with counsel that the brother of his client's partner was a tenant at the address for a period of time and that he was visible on CCTV footage regarding particular incidents.

Mr O Lideadha said his client has written a letter to the court in which she asks for forgiveness. He said that in the letter his client expresses anger and upset at how her partner has failed her, but says she has done the same and failed her children too.
Senior sources say the suspect had been allegedly in contact with the politician for more than three month

Senator Micheal Carrigy was the victim of threats

Gardai are hopeful of pressing charges against an anti-vaccine campaigner who made threats against the young family of a prominent Fine Gael politician.

The suspect, who is aged in his 40s and is a businessman, has already been arrested and questioned about a campaign of abuse against Co Longford-based Senator Micheal Carrigy.

As part of the long-running investigation, officers based in Granard Garda Station have seized a phone and other electronic devices.

Senior sources say the suspect had been allegedly in contact with the politician for more than three months, and gardai are confident of being able to bring a harassment charge before the courts.

It seems that this started out as abuse on social media late last year about the senators stance on how Covid was being regulated, a senior source said last night.

This then expanded into threatening text messages and then sinister threats against the mans family and even references to his young children.

He made a complaint to gardai in February and this matter was dealt with promptly as there were indications that the matter was escalating.

As part of their detailed inquiry, gardai had to consult external senior barristers before a file was sent to the DPP.

READ MORE:

When contacted for comment, Senator Carrigy confirmed the case was under investigation and said: This is in the hands of the gardai now. He then said he did not want to speak about the case.

Gardai have made very significant progress in their investigation after analysing various seized devices after the arrest of the suspect in February, the Sunday World has learned.

The man is understood to be an outspoken social media campaigner against the Governments response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Co Longford man allegedly started abusing and threatening Senator Carrigy during Christmas.

What was said to the senator was simply unacceptable and criminal in nature, a senior source said. When his family were brought into it, he involved the gardai and things seem to have stabilised since then.

We are not talking about a criminal mastermind here. All the alleged offending texts were sent from that individuals own mobile phone, which has been examined in full.

Sources said the criminal harassment campaign has taken a severe toll on Senator Carrigy and his family.

Research was published early this year which indicates many Irish politicians are on the receiving end of threatening or lewd anonymous letters and phone calls.
No arrests have been made at this time and investigations are ongoing.

An innocent man aged in his 50s was the only person in a property that was shot-up late on Tuesday night.

Detectives in Co Offaly are working on the theory that the house was shot up due to a debt owed to a local criminal gang.

The occupant who was in the house has no involvement in crime and does not owe the debt.

There has been no arrests so far in the case but officers are investigating if a local gang was responsible for the gun attack in which no-one was injured.

Today gardai made an appeal for information in the case.

Gardai are appealing for witnesses following the discharge of a firearm in Clara, Co. Offaly on Tuesday, 5th July 2022, a spokeswoman said.

At approximately 11:30pm on Tuesday night, Gardai received reports that a number of shots had been fired at a property in Oakview, Clara, Co. Offaly. No injuries were reported during the incident.

No arrests have been made at this time and investigations are ongoing.

READ MORE: Watch: Irish TikToker asks prisoners in van, 'how much will you give us to let you out'

READ MORE: Gardai investigate after shots fired at property in Clara, Co Offaly

Gardai are appealing for witnesses to come forward and any road users with video footage (including dash cam) is asked to make this available to them.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Tullamore Garda Station 057 932 7600 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, she explained.

In a separate case, gardai in Tallaght are continuing to investigate a gun attack that happened on Tuesday afternoon.

A 67-year-old man was hospitalised after shots were fired into a house in south Dublin.

Emergency services were alerted to the incident in the Bawnlea area of Tallaght shortly after 2pm.

Gardai are investigating if a low-velocity weapon, believed to be a pellet gun, was used in the shooting.

The injured man suffered non-life threatening facial injuries during the incident in which two shots were discharged at the property.

A front window of the house was also shattered before the perpetrator fled the scene.
Police were in the area attending to an unrelated matter when suspicions were raised

Suspected drugs with an estimated street value of more than 35,000 (30,000) have been seized by the PSNI in Derry.

The drugs were seized yesterday in the Asylum Road area of the city where local Response Policing officers were in the area dealing with an unrelated matter.

While there, officers observed suspicious activity and saw a bag thrown from the window of a property.

Officers successfully located the bag, which contained a significant quantity of suspected cannabis.

With assistance from Ballyarnett Neighbourhood colleagues, a search of a nearby address was conducted where further suspected cannabis and other items were seized, and a man was arrested.

READ MORE:Kinahan lieutenant joins gangster moll partner behind bars following drug convictions

READ MORE: Rocco Morabito: Most wanted mafia cocaine king extradited to Italy after 27 years on the run

READ MORE:Senior Garda to be based in UAE as noose tightens on leaders of Kinahan cartel

The man (33) was arrested on suspicion of possession of Class B controlled drug, possession of Class B controlled drug with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of a Class B controlled drug and cultivating cannabis.

He was later released on bail pending further police enquiries.

"Drugs have no place in our community and, through Operation Dealbreaker, well continue to tackle the supply, use and harm caused by illegal drugs, Sergeant Hughes of the arrest.

"We're grateful for the support from the local community, and I want to take this opportunity to encourage anyone with information, or concerns, about drugs in your area, call us on 101.

The quicker we receive information the quicker we can act. Even if you think it's not significant, it could make all the difference.
Court told dairy farmer is a very lonely man who did something extraordinarily stupid

A sex-offender who thought he was communicating sexually with a 13-year-old schoolgirl has had a jail sentence suspended on appeal and while a defence barrister accepted culpability is high it might be, offset by medication which may have increased his inhibitions.

Stephen Robert Clements (26) from Keenogue Road, Trillick accepted attempting to communicate sexually with a child and attempting to cause her to look at an image of sexual activity.

Offending occurred between 6 October and 1 November 2021 during an undercover sting with a police officer acting as a decoy.

Previously a defence solicitor said he intended to seek an expert report into antidepressant medication prescribed to Clements as inappropriate conduct seems to be a recognised side-effect.

While this was abandoned at sentencing, it resurfaced briefly at appeal.

Clements struck up communication with what he thought was a schoolgirl, referring to the profile image as cute and pretty.

After sending a facial image of himself, he asked her, to be cheeky and share a photograph in her school uniform.

On receipt of this Clements said her skirt was too long and she should undo some shirt buttons.

More images were requested, including in her PE kit with Clements stating: Wearing less clothes would be better.

He sent an image of himself in underwear and asked for a photograph of her breasts saying she was, hot, with an amazing body.

More requests for images followed before Clement sent pictures of his naked genitals asking: Is it okay if I w**k over your pic at the weekend? Have you ever played with yourself?

When the decoy enquired, what are you up to?, he replied, having a w**k. What about you?

He asked the decoy to go to the bathroom and pull down her tights."

The decoy blocked him when he asked if she performed oral sex would she, spit or swallow.

Clements was arrested and accepted engaging in sexual communication with what he thought was a child.

At sentencing District Judge Bernie Kelly criticised the prosecution decision not to send the case to crown court, stating: The maximum sentence is six months custody. Thats one of many reasons why these cases arent suitable to the lower court. He believed he was communicating with a child. His entire communication was beyond appropriate, yet he carried on, By law he must get a reduction for his guilty plea.

Clements was jailed for four months and made subject to Sex-Offender Register and a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) for seven years,

He appealed this at Omagh County Court where the defence said: These are serious matters and culpability is relatively high, maybe slightly offset by the fact my client was taking medication which may have increased his inhibitions during the pandemic. He is a very lonely man who did something extraordinarily stupid and ill-judged.

The defence urged the court to commute the prison sentence to a probation order for therapeutic intervention as Clements, has suffered - quite rightly - from a degree of public shame, as these offences attract significant media attention. Its been very embarrassing for him and his family who support him as does his long-term partner. I ask the court not to kick him when hes down by sending him straight to prison.

Deputy County Court Judge Duncan said: These are serious offences for which the custody threshold is certainly passed. The prison sentence is entirely justified, however I consider it appropriate to suspend for three years.

Judge Duncan rejected an application for Legal Aid after reviewing Clements income from his agricultural business in which he is the majority partner.
The Spanish Civil Guard confirmed that a British man was also arrested after the pair were stopped at a checkpoint in Sant Antoni.

An Irish tourist was arrested in Ibiza on Thursday after being caught with more than 100 grams of cocaine.

The Spanish Civil Guard confirmed that a British man was also arrested after the pair were stopped at a checkpoint in Sant Antoni.

Police say the pair were acting strangely in the car and were asked to leave the vehicle to be searched.

When they got out of the car, one of the men tried to get rid of the small plastic bag containing the cocaine by throwing it into the street.

However, he was caught and both men were arrested.

Police later confirmed that the bag contained 102 grams of cocaine.
Rocco Morabitos gang reportedly turn over 40 billion per year

Rocco Morabito was captured in Brazil

The 55-year-old, who is a leading member of the NDrangheta, a mafia network in the southern region of Calabria, was one of the most wanted criminals in the world.

The criminal organisation, which makes approximately 40 billion per year, started out by intimidating vulnerable people and collecting protection money before moving on to kidnappings and eventually international cocaine trafficking.

Mafia boss Rocco Morabito extradited from Brazil

In 1994, Italian authorities sentenced Morabito to 30 years in prison after the gang transported 600 kilograms of cocaine between Brazil and Italy.

The cunning cartel kingpin then fled.

In 2017, Italian police tracked him down in Uruguay, but whilst awaiting extradition he escaped from prison in 2019 through a hole in the roof of the detention centre.

In March 2021, Interpol tracked him down again in Brazil.

READ MORE: Kinahan lieutenant joins gangster moll partner behind bars following drug convictions

READ MORE: How Tyson Furys social media post about Kinahan paved way for his ban from United States

READ MORE: Senior Garda to be based in UAE as noose tightens on leaders of Kinahan cartel

When he was arrested, the mob boss was at a holiday resort lounging on a beach in the sun.

In the 1990s he was known as the cocaine king of Milan, where he made millions from drug trafficking.

He was often seen wearing expensive suits, surrounded by bodyguards and allegedly carrying suitcases full of cash.
It has been reported that the role will be unpaid

Announcing his new position in a post to LinkedIn, he shared: Im happy to share that Im starting a new position as Adjunct Full Professor at University College Dublin.

In a statement, College Principal Professor Cecily Kelleher said: The appointment of someone of such high calibre and experience in guiding national policy and response to the Covid-19 pandemic will contribute enormously to our future research, education and planning.

I greatly look forward to working with him, she added.

It has been reported that the role with UCD will be unpaid.

It comes after the former CMO abandoned a new role at Trinity College Dublin following controversy over his salary.

He was due to take up the position of Professor of Public Strategy and Leadership but decided not to take up the job after it was revealed the open-ended secondment would come with a salary of 187,000 per year, funded by the Department of Health.

The terms of the position also meant that he would keep his public pension.

READ MORE: Dr Tony Holohan will NOT take up job at Trinity College and is set to leave public service

READ MORE: Dr Tony Holohan says his 'fingerprints' were all over creation of 187k Trinity post

READ MORE: Leo Varadkar hits out at political opponents who alleged he broke the law

In a statement issued by the Department of Health, Dr Holohan said: "I have decided not to proceed with my secondment as Professor of Public Health Leadership and Strategy, Trinity College Dublin.

"I do not wish to see the controversy of the last few days continuing. In particular, I wish to avoid any further unnecessary distraction that this has caused to our senior politicians and civil servants.

"My strong belief is that this was a significant opportunity to work with the university sector to develop much-needed public health capacity and leadership for the future, he added.

Dr Holohan left his position as CMO at the start of July after 14 years with the HSE.
We've had two years now of what I would describe as disastrous Government and in the areas of housing and health care, we have moved from one fiasco to the next

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald has called on Independent TDs to stop supporting the Government in Dail votes as her party considers tabling a motion of no confidence in the Coalition.

The Government looks certain to face a motion of no confidence ahead of the Dail recess next week.

Either Sinn Fein or People Before Profit are set to table a motion during their private members' time. Ms McDonald said her party would decide its plan on Friday morning ahead of an 11am deadline.

Ms McDonald said: The Government has now lost its majority. We've had two years now of what I would describe as disastrous Government and in the areas of housing and health care, we have moved from one fiasco to the next.

The Dublin Central TD said the appetite for change that was evident in the last election had not gone away but in fact had in grown. She said people have run out of patience with the current Government.

They no longer have a majority. I have no doubt that they believe that they could limp on. The sooner we have a change in government, the better. But on the issue of the confidence motion itself, we're considering that matter, we will make a final call tomorrow," Ms McDonald said in Ringsend, south Dublin.

Asked if she had a message for Independent TDs who usually support the Government in Dail votes, she responded. Yes, please stop, stop, stop doing it. This is a bad government, we need now solutions for people, we need a change in direction that is manifestly obvious.

She was speaking at the launch of Sinn Feins policy on childcare which pledges to cut all parents fees by as much as two-thirds over two years.

It is understood PBP TD Richard Boyd Barrett told the Dail business committee on Thursday that his party would table a motion if Sinn Fein doesnt.

The move follows Fine Gael TD Joe McHugh's decision to resign his party's whip after he voted against the Government on several amendments to the Mica redress scheme bill.

A Sinn Fein source said the matter was under "active consideration" but that no final decision had been made ahead of the deadline for submitting a motion on Friday morning.

The Dail is due to adjourn for the summer recess after next week. At present Sinn Fein plans to table a motion on housing during its private members' time in the Dail next week - but this could change in the next 24 hours.

Mr McHugh's decision reduces the Coalition's numbers in the Dail to 79 out of 159 TDs, excluding the Ceann Comhairle.

The three-party government's majority has been steadily eroded over the last two years with the six-month suspension of Green Party TDs Patrick Costello and Neasa Hourigan two months ago reducing its majority to one.

The resignation of former housing minister Eoghan Murphy from the Dail and Marc MacSharry's decision to resign the Fianna Fail parliamentary party last year also diminished the Coalition's majority.

However, it continues to enjoy support form a number of Independent TDs, including Michael Lowry, in Dail votes which means Sinn Fein's motion is unlikely to succeed.

A Sinn Fein spokesperson said: This is a government that has now lost its parliamentary majority, and is failing to tackle the cost of living and housing crises. They have run out of road. A motion of no-confidence is under consideration.
Their actions were politically motivated and often highly personalised at times

In his second statement after being cleared of any criminal wrongdoing over the leak, Mr Varadkar said those who made these allegations against him went to extraordinary lengths to publicise them.

Their actions were politically motivated and often highly personalised at times, he said.

The tactics and motives of those persons ought to be the subject of some reflection, he added.

The Fine Gael leader said at least one of those persons was subject to investigation in respect of their own conduct in this affair.

This is in reference to businessman Chay Bowes who gave the information of the leak to the Village Magazine.

Mr Bowes was yesterday told by gardai that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) recommended that he not be prosecuted.

Read more: No charges against Tanaiste Leo Varadkar for leaking confidential GP contract to a friend

Read more: Sinn Fein MP Chris Hazzard accuses Leo Varadkar of flip-flopping on Irish unity

Read more: Leo Varadkar says 'you have to stand up to bullies' as he defends row with Pearse Doherty

Mr Varadkar described the Garda investigation as thorough and meticulous and said it involved dozens of interviews and the examination of multiple documents and devices.

He said his decision to give the document to the President of the NAGP Dr Maitiu O Tuathail was lawful and he did so in the public interest.

I was determined to secure that organisations support for the agreement we had reached with another organisation on behalf of General Practitioner, he said.

I accept that my use of an informal personal channel was inappropriate. It was my error and I bear sole responsibility for it. I have been held to account for those actions in the Dail. I have apologised for it and I want to do so again, he added.

However, the allegations made against me, that it was anything more than error, were false. They were made by sworn political opponents of me and my Party.

I know that I did not break any law, do anything corrupt or even self-interested. That is now clear to any fair-minded person.
Micheal Martin said the Russian invasion of beautiful, democratic' Ukraine was a gross violation of international law

Taoiseach Micheal Martin in the city of Irpin, Ukraine. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire   PA

Ireland has increased its financial contribution to the International Criminal Court in order to help bring war criminals to justice, the Taoiseach has told a press conference in Kyiv.

Micheal Martin, flanked by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said the Russian invasion of the beautiful, democratic country of Ukraine was a gross violation of international law as well as an affront to everything Ireland stands for.

He said he had already told the Russian Federation and President Vladimir Putin of Irelands view that their invasion was unwarranted aggression.

Mr Zelensky thanked our Irish friends for cancelling visas for Ukrainian citizens who had become refugees, which was a welcome gesture of solidarity.

He also thanked Ireland for its support for future Ukrainian reconstruction, saying: Ukraine appreciates everything Ireland has done.

Mr Zelensky said Russia had carried out genocide against his country.

He said he believed the Taoiseach had not seen any Nato bases in Borodyansk, Bucha or Irpin on his visit to see the devastation and mass graves brought about by the Russian war criminals.

Mr Zelensky also thanked Mr Martin for Irelands support for Ukraines EU membership candidacy. I am very grateful for your support, he said. We have turned a new page of bilateral relations between Ireland and Ukraine.

Mr Martin expressed admiration for Mr Zelenskys leadership, saying the Irish people are with you.

Russias aggression could not and would not be allowed to stand, Mr Martin said.

He had learned of the atrocities committed in the three towns he visited and was told of the great need to get kindergartens and schools opened this September.

The use of terror and the deliberate targeting of civilians are war crimes, he said, and those committing them would be held accountable with no hiding place.

That is why we have provided additional funding to the International Criminal Court, to give it the capacity to follow up on these crimes, he said.

The Taoiseach paid tribute to Mr Zelensky on achieving EU candidate status. The values that people were fighting and dying for in Ukraine were European values and Irish values, he said.

The outcome was richly deserved and Ireland will be with you every step of the way on the journey to membership, he said. We will do everything we can to help you work with the EU institutions and Commission.

Irish people had been enormously moved by the suffering and courage of the people of Ukraine and every Irish town and city was a sea of yellow and blue, he said.

We have welcomed almost 40,000 Ukrainians fleeing the war. Our home is your home.

But we do know that they want to come back home, and you want them back as quickly as possible also, he said.

He said both Ireland and Ukraine had experienced famine. We are equally horrified now that food could be again used today as an instrument of war, Mr Martin said.
Street battle | Shocking video showing bare-chested men brawling in Galway is probed by gardai
Paedophile Philip McLernon stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Antrim loyalists during the 2013 Union flag protests.

This is the paedophile soldier who is now facing fresh death threats and warnings to leave Antrim from the UDA.

Today, the Sunday World can reveal how loyalists have doubled down on their efforts to force disgraced pervert Philip McLernon to go into hiding, with sinister graffiti being sprayed on walls and bridges warning he will be shot and calling him a paedo.

It was also sprayed on a sign at the entrance to Antrim GAAs centre of excellence at Dunsilly, not far from McLernons home.

According to sources, McLernon has been abusive to members of the public who have challenged him following his convictions.

McLernon was handed a suspended prison sentence in March for downloading Category A videos of kids being sexually abused.

Now loyalists have turned on their former friend and have been waging a campaign to get McLernon out of his hometown  but without any success.

McLernon stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Antrim loyalists during the 2013 Union flag protests.

Last November  before pervert McLernon had even confessed  he was targeted in what was described as an elaborate hoax bomb alert.

It was the second security alert in the area and we can reveal both were aimed at intimidating Philip McLernon out of Antrim.

But, so far, he has refused to leave and remained in his home when the Sunday World confronted him about his crimes.

The graffiti around McLernons home town

The 53-year-old had been at the forefront of an ex-veterans campaign aimed at the government for prosecuting soldiers for alleged crimes during the Troubles, including murder.

He took part in one event, highlighting how ex-soldiers were living in fear of getting a knock-on-the-door from the police and claimed he had been involved in the intelligence follow-up after the Omagh bomb.

But ironically it was McLernon who got a knock on the door from the Sunday World just hours after he had pleaded guilty to a string of child porn charges six months ago.

A startled McLernon told theSunday World he had nothing to say about his shameful convictions.

Im not going to comment on that, he said while poking his head out from his front door.

When asked about his work with a number of army veterans groups he confirmed he had previously been involved but added: Ive nothing to say about it.

Since then McLernon narrowly escaped going to jail even though the Judge at Antrim Crown Court found his excuse for looking at the images to be implausible.

McLernon told the court a brain injury, which he sustained during an army training exercise in 2001, still impinges on his cognitive functioning and so he cant remember looking at the images.

But the judge said there was nothing in the medical evidence that would back up his claims.

Her view was that he had tried to so far as you are able to, to hide behind the acquired brain injury.

McLernon didnt want to talk about the threats

The judge told McLernon: What you have done is heinous because these images were produced by someone in the course of abusing children and the reason those children are abused is so that people like you can look at them.

However, he escaped going to prison and was handed a six-month jail sentence, suspended for four years.

The court was told in March how McLernons wife had left him after cops searched his home, seized a number of electronic devices and found 13 images and 11 videos, assessed as Category A, which are of a very explicit nature, and a further 22 images at level B.

We understand McLernon is looking to get out of the Meadow Lands area but had been looking at renting a property in the Greystone estate.

Sources say loyalists connected to the UDA have ramped up efforts to get the ex-soldier to sling his hook.

Read more: Loyalist Winston Winkie Irvine granted bail as judge hears DNA not on bag of guns in car

Read more: Portrait of murdered UDA boss to replace Cuchulainn mural at Belfasts Freedom Corner

It seems hes leaving his home in Meadow Lands for whatever reason but a rumour went round he was looking at a property in the Greystone estate, said the source.

The UDA have plastered the town in graffiti making it clear hes not welcome. Theyve targeted loads of estates including The Steeple and Parkhall.

Apparently they arent buying the brain injury story. It had all gone quiet since the hoax bomb alert but theyve decided to move on him big time now.

The Sunday World understands police have visited the convicted sex offender to warn him of the threats and discuss his personal safety.

Last November there was significant disruption caused to residents in the town after a hoax bomb was left near McLernons home.

Dozens of residents were forced from their homes for several hours after the second security alert in the area within a couple of weeks.

The bomb squad attended and police said that a suspicious object found in the area was declared an elaborate hoax.

PSNI Inspector Porter explained at the time: Just before 8.40am it was reported to police that a suspicious object was located in the area.

The object, which has been declared as an elaborate hoax, has been taken away for further examination.

The graffiti around McLernons home town

Originally from Bushmills, McLernon served with the Royal Irish and the Royal Engineers and has previously claimed the media have been soft on republicans and believes that justice has been sacrificed by successive governments.

McLernon was among a group of the retired soldiers, police officers and Prison Service personnel who set up Northern Ireland Crown Forces Veterans for Justice (NICFVFJ) five years ago.

The group says hundreds of other ex-soldiers are dreading the knock on the door that would tell them they too are under investigation over killings that happened 40-plus years ago.

They held a rallies at Belfast City Hall to protest at how they feel veterans have been treated by the judicial system, in which the organisation says it has little confidence.

But he admitted at another event that if any soldier has broken the law they should absolutely face the consequences.

McLernon was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for seven years and was also made the subject of a seven-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order.
Self-confessed pervert Light fled Northern Ireland after being granted bail, despite admitting his abuse of three children

On-the-run paedo Scott Light dodged prison in Northern Ireland to go on and abuse a defenceless boy in Wales.

Self-confessed pervert Light did a flit after being granted bail, despite admitting his abuse of three children, only to be nailed and jailed in the Principality.

Light, who has a prolific history of attacking young children and possession of thousands of indecent images of children, was sentenced to three years behind bars in Wales.

Once he is released he will return to Northern Ireland to face another stint behind bars after pleading guilty to abusing three other children.

The offences against a boy and two girls occurred in 2006 but Light confessed after his victims came forward in 2018.

Light from Aberdare, sexually assaulted an eight-year-old boy in the toilets of a bowling alley in Wales last December.

The way he looked at children near him caused one family to ask to be moved to another lane. They said the 32-year-old had creeped the children out. He then went into the toilets and waited for 19 minutes at the urinals before the eight-year-old boy entered.

Prosecutor Claire Pickthall told Cardiff Crown Court: The child began using the urinal and described the defendant shuffling closer to him. The defendant said: Can I?

Light then committed an offence of sexual touching for around five seconds. The boy described being in shock and running out as fast as he could.

The adults who had taken him to the alley informed staff who entered the toilets and found one of the cubicles was locked with Light inside.

The employee prevented anyone else entering the toilets and waited for police who attended soon afterwards and arrested Light. He gave a no comment interview.

Ms Pickthall said the CCTV footage showed a degree of planning from Light in waiting 19 minutes for a child to enter.

The defendant, of Mary Street in the Welsh town, pleaded guilty to sexually touching a child aged under 13. While employed as a railway worker in 2017 he was jailed for 18 months after admitting attempted voyeurism and possessing more than 2,000 indecent images of children.

St Davids shopping mall in Cardiff

He had gone into the toilets of St Davids shopping centre in Cardiff before placing a mobile under a cubicle door to film a dad and his two-year-old son.

Light is also awaiting sentence for offences dating back to 2006 in Northern Ireland when he attacked three children  a boy and two girls.

He has pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault and three of possessing indecent images. The victims came forward in 2018.

Speaking about last years bowling alley attack the victims mum said it had changed him from a happy and carefree boy to one who struggles with fear of public toilets and lack of trust in social situations.

His right to innocence has been eroded by the events that night, she added. He asks: Why did he do that to me? How do you explain to a boy that he was sexually assaulted? No child or his family should ever have to go through this.

Read more: Paedo who subjected girl (14) to terrifying sexual assault jailed for just eight months

Read more: Man who caught with child abuse images looked up taking blood from infants court hears

John Ryan, mitigating, said the assault was not prolonged after his client had requested a quick touch.

He added: In the past he has always had such thoughts and been able to manage but against the background of the Covid pandemic, loneliness, isolation, and boredom he went out to watch people to have some interaction.

"He drank significantly and this proved a disinhibiting factor which led to the offence.

Mr Ryan said Light has not victim-blamed and has made frank admissions. But Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke pointed out that Light had denied the Northern Ireland offences in his interview with the probation service despite having already pleaded guilty to them.

The barrister replied that he was not sure where that came from. The judge also questioned Lights statement in the pre-sentence report that he was not sexually attracted to male children.

Passing sentence Judge Lloyd-Clarke said the victim had been left shocked and upset by the attack. She added that only an immediate prison term would be appropriate given aggravating features such as Light being on bail for the Northern Ireland offences at the time as well as the comments he made in the presentence report.

She imposed a three-year prison term and an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

paula.mackin@sundayworld.com
The defiant prime minister is now stepping down after a raft of resignations from his government in the last few days.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis speaks to the media upon leaving BBC Broadcasting House in London, after appearing on the BBC One current affairs programme, Sunday Morning. Picture date: Sunday June 12, 2022.   PA

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks in the House of Commons. Photo: PA   PA

The defiant prime minister is now stepping down after a raft of resignations from his government in the last few days.

Recently-appointed chancellor Nadhim Zahawi told Boris Johnson this morning: You must do the right thing and go now", as his refusal to accept that he has lost the trust of Conservative MPs has triggered another wave of ministerial resignations.

The Cabinet minister, who was only appointed to the role this week, tweeted an image of a letter with the caption; Prime Minister: this is not sustainable and it will only get worse: for you, for the Conservative Party and most importantly of all the country. You must do the right thing and go now.

Meanwhile, Brandon Lewis quit his Cabinet post as Northern Ireland Secretary, telling the British Prime Minister the government requires honesty, integrity and mutual respect and it is now past the point of no return.

His departure was soon followed by a string of other ministers as the number of MPs quitting government and party posts since Tuesday evening topped 50.

Helen Whately quit as a Treasury minister, telling Mr Johnson: I have argued that you should continue as Prime Minister many times in recent months, but there are only so many times you can apologise and move on. That point has been reached.

Damian Hinds resigned as security minister, telling Mr Johnson there has been a serious erosion in standards in public life and faith in our democracy and public administration.

He said on Twitter: It shouldnt take the resignation of dozens of colleagues, but for our country, and trust in our democracy, we must have a change of leadership.

Science minister George Freeman wrote to the Prime Minister to say he no longer has confidence in his leadership.

In his resignation letter, he told Mr Johnson the chaos in your Cabinet and No 10 this month is destroying our credibility and it cant go on.

Guy Opperman left his role as pensions minister, telling Mr Johnson that recent events have shown clearly that the Government simply cannot function with you in charge.

Technology minister Chris Phiilp has also resigned this morning, saying the PM should step down given public and Parliamentary confidence has clearly gone, and given the importance of integrity in public life.

James Cartlidge has also quit as courts minister, telling Boris Johnson: The position is clearly untenable.

And Education Secretary Michelle Donelan has resigned as well.

Despite the exodus from his government and a delegation of Cabinet ministers telling him he should go on Wednesday, Mr Johnson remains in office.

Because of his refusal to resign, the prime minister faces the prospect of another confidence vote, orchestrated by the Tory 1922 Committee of backbench MPs.

A new executive for the committee will be elected next Monday and could change the leadership rules, allowing for another confidence vote just a month after the last one  which the Prime Minister is expected to lose given the way MPs have deserted him since Tuesday.

While Mr Johnson remains in post, jostling for the leadership has already begun.

It can also be revealed that the UK government whips office has calculated Mr Johnson would win the support of just 65 Tory MPs in a confidence vote, from a total of almost 360.

Attorney General Suella Braverman is still in the role despite calling for the Prime Minister to quit and saying she will stand in the contest to replace him.

The departure of Mr Lewis means four Cabinet ministers have quit  Simon Hart resigned as Welsh secretary on Wednesday night, while chancellor Rishi Sunak and health secretary Sajid Javid stepped down on Tuesday, triggering the leadership crisis.

Michael Gove was fired as communities secretary, with No 10 sources describing him as a snake who had briefed against Mr Johnson.

Michael Gove was sacked by Boris Johnson. Photo: Reuters   REUTERS

The point-blank refusal to accept the pleas of his own Cabinet ministers to quit was a stark difference to Margaret Thatcher, who agreed to step down after Cabinet pressure in 1990.

The stand-off was unlike anything in modern British political history, with Theresa May and Tony Blair having agreed to leave office after mounting criticism within their party in recent decades.

Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, the Chancellor, and Chris Heaton-Harris, the Chief Whip, were among the Cabinet figures who told Mr Johnson he had lost the support of his party. More than half a dozen cabinet figures made that argument.

Simon Hart, the Welsh Secretary, and Brandon Lewis, the Northern Ireland Secretary, both were prepared to resign but held back to confront Mr Johnson. Last night they were both on resignation watch.

In total 42 Tory MPs have resigned from official positions in the last 48 hours. That included 17 government ministers quitting, 14 yesterday.

Graham Brady, the 1922 Committee chairman, yesterday told Mr Johnson that a second vote on his leadership could happen as early as next week, with a new 1922 executive voted in place on Monday and free to change the leadership rules on Tuesday.

One Johnson ally said: The prime minister has been saying the choice is not me or not me. The chance is to have a new PM and Chancellor spell out a new economic programme and a proper Conservative government.

The alternative is pressing the button for three months of chaos as the party tears itself apart with no mandate. Labour will immediately demand an election, which this party will lose given the coalition of chaos between Labour and the SNP and possible break up of Britain.

The source summarised the message to Tory rebels as: Stop thinking this is Boris or no Boris, or topple Boris and this is all over. Stick with this PM and a new Chancellor with a new economic programme. That is what is called for.

Not everyone in the Cabinet turned on Mr Johnson yesterday. Both Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Brexit minister, and Nadine Dorries, the Culture Secretary  two of Mr Johnsons most loyal supporters  rushed to Number 10 to urge him to stay.

Figures close to cabinet ministers Liz Truss and Ben Wallace, who were travelling, declined to say whether they urged Mr Johnson privately to go.

Mr Zahawi also did not quit last night, despite warning the prime minister of the perilous political position. He was back in the Treasury and was working with Number 10 on a speech on a new economic plan, which will include tax cuts.

Mr Gove did tell Mr Johnson to resign. He held a five minute one-on-one meeting with the prime minister yesterday morning where he urged him to quit on his own terms before it was too late.

Boris Johnson's ally Priti Patel told him it was time to go. Photo: Dominic Lipinski

Downing Street critics pointed the finger at Mr Gove after four figures in his department quit yesterday afternoon, fuelling calls for Mr Johnson to go.

An ally of Mr Gove denied he was plotting and said he would 100 percent not stand to be Tory leader if there was a contest.

Throughout the day a succession of ministers and parliamentary private secretaries resigned, many tweeting out letters with excoriating views of the prime minister.

Mr Johnson also had to endure two Tory MPs calling for him to go during Prime Ministers Questions, after which he sat with his arms crossed as Sajid Javid, his former health secretary who quit on Tuesday, gave a speech in the Commons calling for the cabinet to act.

Yet during a two-hour grilling before the Liaison Committee, Mr Johnson declared he was having a terrific week and insisted his government was pushing ahead with ever increasing energy.

There were signs last night of the mass resignations making government difficult, with planned scrutiny of a piece of legislation with MPs cancelled because the minister in question had quit.

If Mr Johnson remains in post by early next week, rebels predicted the 1922 Committee will force a second leadership vote to oust him that way.
Straight to the point

With Sam Uffindel

Tauranga City MP

It is an honour and a privilege to have been elected as your new Member of Parliament, representing you, the residents of Tauranga. I want to thank you for putting your faith and trust in me and I will undertake this duty to the best of my ability. We have a great place to call home  in my opinion the best in New Zealand, and I will work tirelessly for you to make it even better.

As promised during the campaign, I will focus on the issues that matter to the people of Tauranga: fixing our roads so you can spend more time with friends and family, making our communities safer, working with the excellent team in the National Party to ease the cost of living crisis, and ensuring the people of Tauranga are given back their rights to local democracy.

During our campaign we worked tirelessly, knocking on doors, visiting businesses, holding signs on street corners in pouring rain, and the feedback we received was fantastic. Your support and encouragement means the world to me and I will never take it for granted.

My office is open at 35a Third Ave. If you have questions or wish to have a meeting, please call 07 577 0923 or email: taurangamp@parliament.govt.nz to arrange a time. I will always be open, available and accountable to you.

I look forward to meeting you at one of the many events in our community. Please dont hesitate to introduce yourself to me when you see me out and about in Tauranga.

Thank you, Sam.
St John will be celebrating the work of our paramedics and first responders  both paid staff and volunteers  on the inaugural Australasian International Paramedics Day this Friday.

As part of the celebrations, St John will be joining the Australasian College of Paramedicine, the Council of Ambulance Authorities, Te Kaunihera Manapou Paramedic Council and Wellington Free Ambulance to thank our people and share the many ways they serve their communities through their incredible mahi.

St John Chief Executive Peter Bradley says he welcomes the opportunity to celebrate paramedics for their skills, commitment and dedication to serving their communities every day, particularly during the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Throughout the pandemic, paramedics and first responders have put the wellbeing and interests of others first, working tirelessly in the most challenging of circumstances.

Now being able to highlight and acknowledge their work on a dedicated day is a great development.

Peter says its also great to be able to highlight the incredibly high standard of clinical practice that paramedics uphold, culminating in the introduction of paramedic registration in New Zealand in 2021.

The move to register our paramedics was part of a set of system-wide improvements that began four years ago, which include the double crewing of all emergency ambulances, the introduction of extended care paramedics, a review of the role that our critical care workforce plays in delivering improved patient outcomes, and other developments in patient pathways that ensure the right care at the right time.

Peter says in addition to the year-on-year increase in demand for emergency ambulance services, paramedicine also increasingly bears some responsibility for community health.

The pandemic has certainly highlighted the need to strengthen the role of paramedics in the community, providing care closer to home and integrating services and pathways.

Being of service to the community is the central theme to the day and a chance to showcase the incredible diversity in the field of paramedicine and pre-hospital emergency care, across a breadth and depth of roles and locations.

While this campaign is being run by Australasian College of Paramedicine, the idea to dedicate a day to paramedics and first responders was coined in the United Kingdom by the Paramedics, whose focus is on celebrating the concept of showing pride for paramedicine.

St John paramedics and first responders are joining other Australasian counterparts in sharing how they serve their communities by creating short videos and images.

This material will be collated by Australasian College of Paramedicine on their website from July 8.
On the sidelines of a womens rugby game at Tauranga domain, two healthcare workers huddle in blue ponchos under a white tent. It is pelting with rain, and freezing cold. But the staff from Poutiri Wellness Centre are on a mission: to prevent a looming healthcare crisis.

This time around, its not Covid-19, but the spectre of the childhood diseases of measles and whooping cough thats driving kaupapa Maori health services across Aotearoa to take their clinics into communities, working wherever they can.

In the Bay of Plenty this month nurses have been on marae, in bowling alleys, even on the ferry to Matakana Island.

In Tauranga South last month, a vaccination hub named Rangiora - funded by a partnership between government and iwi  opened in a mall.

We're not here by default. We've chosen to be at a location of a mall site so that we can be a part of everybody's day to day, says Ngati Ranginui chief executive office Mel Tata at its opening. The Warehouse, Countdown, Rangiora.

Even before the pandemic hit, New Zealands childhood immunisation rates were dire.

In some areas, theyre now the lowest theyve been in 10 years. The ministry has a childhood vaccination target of 95 per cent, the coverage needed to ensure herd immunity.

But the national immunisation rate for six-month babies is around 75 per cent. And for Maori babies that rate is only 55 per cent.

Take-up rates are worst in remote areas like the Western Bay of Plenty, where poverty, historic mistrust of the health system among Maori, and rampant misinformation have combined to create a huge challenge for clinicians.

For us its almost a perfect storm, says Te Pukes Poutiri Wellness Centre CEO Kirsty Maxwell-Crawford.

In the last two years, parents have struggled to access primary care, people are swamped by Covid, they have immunisation fatigue and in the middle of that theyre trying to put food on the table and keep the power on.

Babies are supposed to get whooping cough jabs at six weeks, three months and five months, while the two MMR doses for measles, mumps and rubella are given at 12 months and 15 months.

But Maxwell-Crawford says when people are so busy, or dont have secure housing, or access to a car, those targets have little meaning to peoples lives.

We realise that when families are stretched, keeping to a vaccination schedule is not a priority.

Vaccine hesitancy is also rife in remote communities, and has become noticeably worse since vaccine mandates were introduced amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

Each week, Maxwell-Crawford and her team visit schools, to talk to leaders about what Poutiri can offer, ranging from clinical support, to social services.

Previously, this health check-ups would have included a vaccine check for students.

But its got to the point where some communities dont even want us to ask families if they want immunisations, she says.

Schools impress, over and over again, that families are over it, they dont want to hear about it, they dont want to be told theyre overdue.

When families expressed such views, health workers had to take note and be guided by them, says Maxwell-Crawford.

If youre push, push, pushing an agenda, families just stop engaging. They will walk away.

Instead we have to listen, build a relationship, and then we hope families will become more open to a conversation.

Yes we need MMR and whooping cough vaccinations, but the way we are going about it is putting people off, she said. For us, its about hearing and responding to families priorities.

Immunisation Advisory Centre director Nikki Turner says she's deeply concerned about a potential measles epidemic, particularly with the border opening, and about whooping cough because New Zealand was due an outbreak.

Whooping cough, which was particularly dangerous for youngsters, with more than half of babies under one needing hospital treatment, reared its head about every 4-6 years, she said.

Turner says to get immunisation rates up, building trust is extremely important, as are flexible, practical outreach services  rather than relying on the traditional model of running clinics 9-5.

You need families engaging with the right providers.

But outreach services have always been underfunded. That needs building back up again.

Bay of Plenty health districts Brent Gilbert-De Rios says it has learned lessons from the Covid vaccination roll-out that it is now applying to a broader vaccination push.

Part of that is funding providers like Poutiri to do what they did best.

We believe in supporting providers who have long-standing relationships with whanau and communities to help people overcome mistrust of immunisation, he says.

Maxwell-Crawford says while the challenge ahead of the health practitioners is daunting, it's not insurmountable.

We will chip away and focus on families. Some of this is unpicking six generations of growing mistrust, she says.

In some ways, its exciting. For the first time the government is allowing us to be innovative  weve never been able to get on a pahi and ask the community what they want, and go and deliver it to them. That is exciting for us.

-Stuff/Kirsty Johnston.
Wairakas bloody nuisance planter boxes are getting the boot.

Final plans were revealed for the Innovating Streets traffic-calming project at a Whakatane District Council meeting last week, but councillors have requested more information before accepting them.

The Innovating Streets project is 90 percent funded by New Zealand Transport Agency, Waka Kotahi, and has seen the council install planter boxes and road paintings around the neighbourhood over the past year, surrounded by safe hit posts, with the aim of slowing traffic.

A report from infrastructure general manager Bevan Gray includes plans for permanent changes to the temporary installations on Muriwai Drive, Wairaka Road and Harvey and Toroa streets.

Mr Gray said following feedback from Ngati Hokopu hapu, Wairaka residents and the wider community, council staff could now make final changes to the Wairaka installations.

In the short term, this will involve removing most of the planter boxes, except for those near the playground on Muriwai Drive, and replacing them with posts that will still narrow the road and protect the road art but be lower maintenance. Posts and planter boxes will be removed from the intersection of Harvey and Toroa streets.

On Wairaka Road, one of the chicanes - serpentine curves that narrow the road to one lane - will be modified to allow access to the overflow parking site at Liberty Church.

Councillor Julie Jukes said she was pleased that staff were taking on feedback from the public over the installations, but she had a bit of a brick bat for staff over project.

I have strongly indicated that I havent been happy with a lot of the things that were done. A lot of the innovations I suggested would have been improvements. None of that ever happened and yet we spent money and created things that were just a bloody nuisance.

She gave, as an example, her suggestion for picnic tables at the car park along the back of The Strand, Things like that would have been very low cost and used hugely by the public, ongoing.

She also asked why the final decision was being left to a reference group rather than coming back to council. She said she would not approve any of the changes proposed for innovating streets until she had seen a fuller report come back to the council.

Councillor Nandor Tanczos also wants to see a more thorough evaluation of the installations.

Mr Gray said he had wanted to close the project off the way it started.

We started the project with some input from the community  it will be the same with the close off.

He said the final plans would come through council.

We dont have a budget to put in any permanent solutions, so if we are going to do anything short to medium term within this long-term plan it will need to be approved out of existing budgets. If they are significant projects, they will need to be planned for the next long-term plan.

He accepted that most people did not like the planter boxes for a variety of reasons.

In most instances these will be replaced with posts that will still provide protection for the road art and narrow the road space to slow vehicles. This should remove most of the ongoing maintenance issues as well. The large planter boxes immediately after the boat ramp entrance will remain as a physical reminder that traffic is entering a busier recreational area.

He said the Toroa and Harvey streets intersection had mixed support due to the road narrowing being seen as unsafe. The installation would be modified with the hit posts and planter boxes removed to provide more space for vehicles. The paint work would remain as this would have a narrowing effect without making the road feel as tight.

He said slower speeds on Muriwai Drive were still desired by the general public and Ngati Hokopu. The opportunity to provide a slower speed limit and speed management infrastructure will be considered through the District Speed Review, expected to be completed in 2022.

He said a permanent intersection layout for the intersection of The Strand and Toroa Street, in front of The Comm, and more permanent traffic calming through the Wairaka neighbourhood would be considered for inclusion in the 2024 long-term plan.

In July 2020, the council was granted $494,200 from Waka Kotahis $13.95 million Innovating Streets Fund.

-Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
WeatherWatch has received dozens of eyewitness reports about the rare daytime fireball seen - and heard - across a number of regions, in particular around the lower half of the North Island and upper South Island.

It occurred around 1.50pm today.

Video: Supplied/Stuff.

"At lunch today we saw an orange light coming down from the sky on a diagonal, with smoke coming out behind it, says a WeatherWatch commenter.

"Im in Paraparaumu near the beach and Ive just seen out my kitchen window a long fast streak of light following by what looked like an explosion towards the Hutt Valley going in an East to West direction. It is overcast so it was under the cloud cover. The explosion looked about four times bigger than the sun is in the sky, says an eyewitness.

Video: Supplied/Stuff.

Space scientist Dr Duncan Steel says that it will be interesting to see what people say as eyewitness accounts are still coming in.

"In my lifetime I've only ever seen one daytime meteor," says Dr Steel.

"They are due to macrometeoroids in the atmosphere coming in very quickly, typically 30km per second. To be seen during the daytime it would need to be quite large, something the size of a rugby ball or bigger - that's what makes them rare. The shooting stars you see at night are typically about the size of a grape.



"It's possible it could be a re-entering piece of space debris that humanity has put into orbit. But generally it's more likely to be a natural meteoroid because we actually get hit by about a hundred tons a day of natural meteoroids.

"We do have databanks showing expected re-entries of objects from orbit and maybe it's possible to identify this object from that. But if not, it's probably just a random lump of rock from an asteroid which happens to have hit the Earth and got people very excited here in New Zealand."
The European Commission has released its European Innovation Agenda. The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise emphasize the fundamental importance of businesses and a bottom-up market approach in building the European prosperity and sustainable development through innovation.

It is of great importance that the EU close the knowledge gap. A high-cost economy must also be a high-knowledge economy. Photo : colourbox.com

The European Commission has today released its European Innovation Agenda. The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise agree with the Commission that innovation is an essential factor to drive Europes competitiveness. It is hard to overstate the importance of innovation for our future prosperity. The knowledge component in relation to capital and labor in driving economic growth and sustainable development has grown steadily for many decades. New technology and new services will be fundamental in coping with societal challenges related to, for example, energy and climate.

Unfortunately for Europe, there are some dark clouds on the horizon. Our continent is still lagging in R&D investments. It is of great importance that the EU close this knowledge gap. A high-cost economy must also be a high-knowledge economy.

Unfortunately for Europe, there are some dark clouds on the horizon.

The response, however, to the lack of investments in knowledge is not more public intervention or state subsidies. It is not replacing international cooperation and trade with the political idea of European strategic autonomy or technological sovereignty. It is about creating the best possible conditions for the market and the great minds to bring forward innovative solutions. It is also about a strengthening the single market and free trade.

Despite the historic evidence of the failure of many public efforts to promote entrepreneurship and innovation, this area has seen a renewed political interest with a new nomenclature. Traditional public intervention and state subsidies are now disguised as, for example, investments for facilitating climate transformation and strategic independence in critical commodities.

Emil Gornerup, Research and Innovation Policy Adviser. Photo : Ulf Borjesson/Ernst Henry Photography AB

The innovation agenda is, to some extent, still the same old wine, tapped into new bottles. Policies related to the flavor of the day, for example so-called deep tech and innovation valleys, are still government interventions and public funding with a high risk of crowding out effects on the market.

The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise wants to emphasize the fundamental importance of businesses and a bottom-up market approach in building the European prosperity and sustainable development through innovation. The strict focus in the innovation agenda on deep tech is to narrow. The scope should be all innovations, from incremental development to more radical inventions.

The European share of the world ICT-related patents is too small in relation to the size of the market and the investments in R&D. This is problematic since intellectual property rights is of critical importance for stimulating business R&D and driving competitiveness. There is also a clear connection between IPR and financing for start-ups.

Closing the knowledge gap

Both the US and China are today investing a larger share of their economy (GDP) in R&D then the EU. This has serious long-term consequences for both our future competitiveness and our skills base. Closing this knowledge gap should be one of the top priorities in a European innovation agenda. Private R&D investments of two percent of GDP should be matched by public investments in R&D of one percent of GDP.

The EUs current Framework Program for research and innovation, Horizon Europe, is substantial. Increased participation of business in Horizon Europe should be encouraged in all programs. Horizon Europe needs to be attractive to businesses and to a much larger extent focus on precompetitive research in areas with relevance for companies.

The 3-percent target of EU R&D as a share of GDP should be vitalized and a new roadmap on how to reach this goal by 2030 should be established. A European research intensity on a par with the US should not be viewed as unrealistic. It is a matter of moving away from current erroneous priorities and improving framework conditions for businesses to invest in R&D.
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All 22 crew of distressed tanker Global King 1 rescued by the Indian Coast Guard, all are safe

All 22 crew of the distressed tanker which is still flooding, were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard.
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.
audioholic Distinguished - BHPian



Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: BengaLuru Posts: 4,925 Thanked: 14,286 Times

Re: Rumour: Maruti Alto K10 to be relaunched in India Quote: anshumandun Originally Posted by Friday - Maruti thinks that small cars are not financially viable.



Monday - Maruti re-launching Alto K10.



What happened during the weekend?



During the weekend someone higher up would have seen his statement and called for an appraisal meeting after which this new statement would have come out



Marutis small cars are here to stay and unless they want to wrap up the whole business in India, they aren't going to blow up their small car portfolio. It will be a challenge to fit six airbags in a car like Alto. But thats not impossible which is why it can be considered for the next year appraisal for the Maruti top bosses.



When the first airbags appeared in Swift and SX4, these were very expensive since it was all imported. Later they localised production of all airbag components and the cost of airbags drastically came down. Similarly with side and curtain airbags, with the sort of volumes Maruti need, it can be localised and cost brought down to a meager value like 10-20k. Not sure what the ranting is all about. Thats nothing but the great Mr. R C Bhargava throwing up Friday tantrums. If Maruti let's go of their small car business then people like him would be sent home(if not already close to retirement). Those top bosses are put in that position to not make such statements but rather make such things like building safe small cars possible. But the sort of statements he makes is like some newbie given a tough assignment who brings up an excuse as to why it is not possible to complete.During the weekend someone higher up would have seen his statement and called for an appraisal meeting after which this new statement would have come outMarutis small cars are here to stay and unless they want to wrap up the whole business in India, they aren't going to blow up their small car portfolio. It will be a challenge to fit six airbags in a car like Alto. But thats not impossible which is why it can be considered for the next year appraisal for the Maruti top bosses.When the first airbags appeared in Swift and SX4, these were very expensive since it was all imported. Later they localised production of all airbag components and the cost of airbags drastically came down. Similarly with side and curtain airbags, with the sort of volumes Maruti need, it can be localised and cost brought down to a meager value like 10-20k. Not sure what the ranting is all about. Last edited by audioholic : 5th July 2022 at 23:39 .
sameerpb BHPian



Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Mumbai / Pune Posts: 206 Thanked: 422 Times

View My Garage





Re: My Jeep Story : Addicted to Jeep - Limited 4x4 leads to a Trail Hawk



Camp Jeep :



Jeep organized Camp at Film city Mumbai, I got a chance to drive Jeep Wrangler and On a off road track built by Jeep team.











https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inER...SameerBartakke



Driving Wrangler was swift and easy. This was one off opportunity to experience big brother.



That's when thought crossed my mind that, I need an automatic upgrade.





Learn off-road Trail



JWW, Landmark Jeep and FCA organized a trail on learn off-road grounds. There were 40+ Jeeps and 90+ Members joined the trail



We did a CSR (community give back) at village school near by, we contributed towards building a science laboratory for school.



About Learn off-road track Dr. Tejas Kothari and team curated a trail for Jeep Compass, It was super fun to drive a Jeep compass in and around Learn off road grounds



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh5K...sternWanderers



Some of the passes were tough, We had to understand the track well before driving on terrain.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB77...SameerBartakke



Few Pics from Trail



Visiting village school event:











Me resting while Trail is going on and I was overseeing 4X2 guys driving











Team who worked on managing Trail event







Social Media Post by Jeep India



https://www.instagram.com/p/CYV7h4dq..._web_copy_link



December 21



Truth be told - my jeep 4x4 was doing brilliant - it took my family in great comfort and generally kept our mood happy now the problem with "wanting more is wanting more", I drove my friend @Motoringlover's Tucson which was 4wd Automatic, now that changed the dynamics. I now wanted an Automatic - especially given the Mumbai traffic











January 2022 :



Thought stuck my mind if I could do the upgrade to my Jeep, Jeep is been regularly upgrading compass



2017 was initial launch

2018 launched Limited Plus - with Panoramic sunroof

2019 launched Trail hawk - I felt heart broken as I waited for TH to launch in India and in May 2018 I gave up and bought manual 4X4 and it was too early to change the car.



This picture always reminded me on trail hawk dream







2020 launched longitude 4x4 Automatic



2021 launched all new compass with Model S - I was tempted by looking at features I was sold on to it. But I refrained my self to see the model s and to do the test drive.



I voiced out my proposition to buy a new car to my close friend and to my surprise he called me back next day that his friend is interested to see it. We met on Sunday and gave him good walk around and he was happy with the car. Monday I got a call again and deal done.



Last trip with Lightning Bolt to a nearby place and our favorite highway.







Before handing over the Lightning Bolt, I upgraded rubber to Falcon wildpeak H/T tires. They were used for 20K KMS and had good amount of rubber to last at least 25K kms more.





I asked for some time and decided D day to part with my Lightning Bolt.



Jeep Splash :















Someone Said " There are no happy endings. Endings are the saddest part, So just give me a happy middle And a very happy start."



New Vehicle Search started

I started searching options that can suit my needs, I was looking for following



Price point - 32-33 lakh on road (With BH plate)

seating capacity - 5 seater

Boot space - 400 liter (I was happy with Jeep Compass's Boot)

Electronics - Should be up to date with latest options available

Off - Road capability - my usage is 80% on highway and 20% off road

Sunroof was must from daughters demand



The options I thought are :



Toyota Hilux - Toyota announced launch of Hilux in Jan-22 and it looked good to me but immediately shot down by family members.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B997...nnel=ZigWheels



Few memes while I sounded positive about Hilux in family -



1. I can live in galaxy - Buy a sleeping bag

2. Why dont I start a relocation business, I had a good experience house shifting

3. I can start a dudhwala business and carry maximum milk cans



I even tried calling Lakozi and Wasan Toyota asking if the vehicle is available to see, but answer was no. Also price point was not very clear and looking at segment and built I felt its not going to fit in my range.



Next best option was I look for Jeep Compass Model S and if 2022 - Jeep compass Trail Hawk plans to launch in India.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVd0...nel=SupercarTV



All New Jeep Compass Trail Hawk was ticking all the boxes, except the price point (which was not clear). Meanwhile I realized Jeep India has started updates on launch of Trail Hawk in India. So I connected with someone in Jeep India to understand if Jeep is lunching Trail Hawk and I got positive confirmation.



The next worry was in past Jeep reduced features while launching 2019 trail hawk, like memory seats, IVRM and few , so are they going to drop some while in new TrailHawk too?



31st January 2022



finally I gave booking amount for All New Jeep compass Trail Hawk, without knowing price and detailed specs.



To my surprise I got an email from Landmark Jeep on 2nd Feb that my booking is accepted



On 21st Feb I got confirmation that I have been allotted Jeep and 25th Feb I got a message that my has arrived at landmark Thane workshop. There were media teasers started by then.



On March 1st I went to my Jeep compass Trail Hawk







2022 Jeep Compass Trailhawk Design



The 2022 Jeep Compass Trailhawk retains the same design that weve all grown familiar with on the standard Compass, but it receives exclusive dual-tone paint schemes with six different colours to choose from. The bonnet displays the Trailhawk decal, while the fenders sport Trail Rated badges and the tailgate sports the Trailhawk logo. In comparison to the regular Compass, the Trailhawk is equipped with all-season tyres shod on smaller 17-inch wheels, while the alloy wheels are also exclusive to the Trailhawk. The closed-off grille has been carried over from the regular facelifted Compass, while a red towing hook at the rear will come in handy in case you do get stuck somewhere.



2022 Jeep Compass Trailhawk: Whats new under the skin?



Being the off-road focused iteration of the regular Compass, the 2022 Jeep Compass Trailhawk rides taller thanks to the raised suspension, which also gives it 482mm of water wading ability. Meanwhile the bumpers on both ends have been tweaked slightly to offer better approach and departure angles. Speaking of the powertrain, the 2022 Trailhawk gets the familiar 2-litre turbo diesel under the hood which makes 167.6bhp and 320Nm of torque and is paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Trailhawk comes with a 20:1 low ratio, and it also gets the Selec-Terrain system with five modes, including a Rock mode as well.



2022 Jeep Compass Trailhawk Interiors and Equipment



Step inside and youll find yourself in a familiar space  the Trailhawk carries the same interior layout as the regular Compass facelift, but the presence of Trailhawk logos and contrast red stitching on the seats, the dashboard, and even on the leather-wrapped steering wheel will remind you this isnt a regular Compass at all. Some of the equipment the 2022 Jeep Compass Trailhawk receives includes rain-sensing wipers, LED cornering fog lamps, an auto-dimming IRVM, a 360-degree parking camera, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system equipped with UConnect, voice commands, navigation, and a nine-speaker sound system with a subwoofer among many others.



Here is a comparison I put together on old trail hawk to all new Trail hawk







Meanwhile few of my JWW group friends told me to get done PPF before car I take the delivery. So I checked up with



5th March



PDI and launch day for Trail Hawk,



































Landmark has ensured to deliver Trail Hawk on same day as launch date and Special Thanks to (Team Landmark - Nirav Shah - CEO Landmark Jeep, Kamlesh Gupta GM sales and his team and Rajesh Pawar and Jeep India PR and Digital Marketing team) They took extra effort to deliver Jeep on same day as launch day.



To my surprise I got a delivery from Jayesh who is Jeep India's National Sales head and we felt really over whelmed with such a delivery plan Jeep and Landmark made.



I guess I must be the first one to get All New 2022 Jeep Compass Trail Hawk in India on same day as launch day.



Jayesh giving me goodies







special gift...







Unveiling of All new trail hawk











Handing keys over to me







Curtain raiser of my Lighening bolt Jr.













More to come :



Driving experience



Trails I did with Lightning Bolt Jr. (specially with Rock mode on) December 2021 -Jeep organized Camp at Film city Mumbai, I got a chance to drive Jeep Wrangler and On a off road track built by Jeep team.Driving Wrangler was swift and easy. This was one off opportunity to experience big brother.That's when thought crossed my mind that, I need an automatic upgrade.JWW, Landmark Jeep and FCA organized a trail on learn off-road grounds. There were 40+ Jeeps and 90+ Members joined the trailWe did a CSR (community give back) at village school near by, we contributed towards building a science laboratory for school.About Learn off-road track Dr. Tejas Kothari and team curated a trail for Jeep Compass, It was super fun to drive a Jeep compass in and around Learn off road groundsSome of the passes were tough, We had to understand the track well before driving on terrain.Few Pics from TrailVisiting village school event:Me resting while Trail is going on and I was overseeing 4X2 guys drivingTeam who worked on managing Trail eventSocial Media Post by Jeep IndiaTruth be told - my jeep 4x4 was doing brilliant - it took my family in great comfort and generally kept our mood happy now the problem with "", I drove my friend @Motoringlover's Tucson which was 4wd Automatic, now that changed the dynamics. I now wanted an Automatic - especially given the Mumbai trafficThought stuck my mind if I could do the upgrade to my Jeep, Jeep is been regularly upgrading compass2017 was initial launch2018 launched Limited Plus - with Panoramic sunroof2019 launched Trail hawk - I felt heart broken as I waited for TH to launch in India and in May 2018 I gave up and bought manual 4X4 and it was too early to change the car.This picture always reminded me on trail hawk dream2020 launched longitude 4x4 Automatic2021 launched all new compass with Model S - I was tempted by looking at features I was sold on to it. But I refrained my self to see the model s and to do the test drive.I voiced out my proposition to buy a new car to my close friend and to my surprise he called me back next day that his friend is interested to see it. We met on Sunday and gave him good walk around and he was happy with the car. Monday I got a call again and deal done.Last trip with Lightning Bolt to a nearby place and our favorite highway.Before handing over the Lightning Bolt, I upgraded rubber to Falcon wildpeak H/T tires. They were used for 20K KMS and had good amount of rubber to last at least 25K kms more.I asked for some time and decided D day to part with my Lightning Bolt.Jeep Splash :Someone SaidI started searching options that can suit my needs, I was looking for followingPrice point - 32-33 lakh on road (With BH plate)seating capacity - 5 seaterBoot space - 400 liter (I was happy with Jeep Compass's Boot)Electronics - Should be up to date with latest options availableOff - Road capability - my usage is 80% on highway and 20% off roadSunroof was must from daughters demandThe options I thought are :Toyota Hilux - Toyota announced launch of Hilux in Jan-22 and it looked good to me but immediately shot down by family members.Few memes while I sounded positive about Hilux in family -1. I can live in galaxy - Buy a sleeping bag2. Why dont I start a relocation business, I had a good experience house shifting3. I can start a dudhwala business and carry maximum milk cansI even tried calling Lakozi and Wasan Toyota asking if the vehicle is available to see, but answer was no. Also price point was not very clear and looking at segment and built I felt its not going to fit in my range.Next best option was I look for Jeep Compass Model S and if 2022 - Jeep compass Trail Hawk plans to launch in India.All New Jeep Compass Trail Hawk was ticking all the boxes, except the price point (which was not clear). Meanwhile I realized Jeep India has started updates on launch of Trail Hawk in India. So I connected with someone in Jeep India to understand if Jeep is lunching Trail Hawk and I got positive confirmation.The next worry was in past Jeep reduced features while launching 2019 trail hawk, like memory seats, IVRM and few , so are they going to drop some while in new TrailHawk too?finally I gave booking amount for All New Jeep compass Trail Hawk, without knowing price and detailed specs.To my surprise I got an email from Landmark Jeep on 2nd Feb that my booking is acceptedOn 21st Feb I got confirmation that I have been allotted Jeep and 25th Feb I got a message that my has arrived at landmark Thane workshop. There were media teasers started by then.On March 1st I went to my Jeep compass Trail HawkThe 2022 Jeep Compass Trailhawk retains the same design that weve all grown familiar with on the standard Compass, but it receives exclusive dual-tone paint schemes with six different colours to choose from. The bonnet displays the Trailhawk decal, while the fenders sport Trail Rated badges and the tailgate sports the Trailhawk logo. In comparison to the regular Compass, the Trailhawk is equipped with all-season tyres shod on smaller 17-inch wheels, while the alloy wheels are also exclusive to the Trailhawk. The closed-off grille has been carried over from the regular facelifted Compass, while a red towing hook at the rear will come in handy in case you do get stuck somewhere.Being the off-road focused iteration of the regular Compass, the 2022 Jeep Compass Trailhawk rides taller thanks to the raised suspension, which also gives it 482mm of water wading ability. Meanwhile the bumpers on both ends have been tweaked slightly to offer better approach and departure angles. Speaking of the powertrain, the 2022 Trailhawk gets the familiar 2-litre turbo diesel under the hood which makes 167.6bhp and 320Nm of torque and is paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Trailhawk comes with a 20:1 low ratio, and it also gets the Selec-Terrain system with five modes, including a Rock mode as well.Step inside and youll find yourself in a familiar space  the Trailhawk carries the same interior layout as the regular Compass facelift, but the presence of Trailhawk logos and contrast red stitching on the seats, the dashboard, and even on the leather-wrapped steering wheel will remind you this isnt a regular Compass at all. Some of the equipment the 2022 Jeep Compass Trailhawk receives includes rain-sensing wipers, LED cornering fog lamps, an auto-dimming IRVM, a 360-degree parking camera, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system equipped with UConnect, voice commands, navigation, and a nine-speaker sound system with a subwoofer among many others.Here is a comparison I put together on old trail hawk to all new Trail hawkMeanwhile few of my JWW group friends told me to get done PPF before car I take the delivery. So I checked up with Landmark folks and they accepted the request to do PPF happily and offered me a decent discount and I got done PPF to entire car.PDI and launch day for Trail Hawk,Landmark has ensured to deliver Trail Hawk on same day as launch date and Special Thanks toThey took extra effort to deliver Jeep on same day as launch day.To my surprise I got a delivery from Jayesh who is Jeep India's National Sales head and we felt really over whelmed with such a delivery plan Jeep and Landmark made.I guess I must be the first one to getin India on same day as launch day.Jayesh giving me goodiesspecial gift...Unveiling of All new trail hawkHanding keys over to meCurtain raiser of myMore to come :Driving experienceTrails I did with Lightning Bolt Jr. (specially with Rock mode on) Last edited by Aditya : 7th July 2022 at 19:16 . Reason: Typos
Jash2709 BHPian

Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Mumbai Posts: 49 Thanked: 136 Times

A magnificent road-trip in & around Austria



Why Austria? Switzerland is the prettiest! Or go to Spain or Italy? Thats what people would say. Austria enjoys a little less popularity among its European siblings and thats a good thing right? So heres why I opted for Austria:



1. Its right opposite to Switzerland on the other side of Alps. So I was sure it must be equally pretty. Instagram was quite helpful bolster this decision

2. Its way less touristy than Switzerland or other countries where every next thing you see is commercialised and theres a humongous queue to even look!

3. Okay, this point is by far the most important one. Its CHEAPER!



The trip HAD to be a road trip, thats where you can chill and have fun at your own pace right? No dragging your luggage from one platform to next or having nothing to worry about timings of public transport and I can give you a myriad of other reasons. It was later on that I came to know that it was a lot cheaper too as compared to public transport there.



So without further ado, lets start with the trip shall we?





Day 1:

Mumbai -> Vienna:

Vienna had to be our entry and exit point since flight as well as car rentals become cheaper that way! Picked an early morning flight so that I wouldnt have any check in issues at the AirBnb and yet Id also get enough time to explore the city so that the day wouldnt be wasted. Its usually best to live right in the city center so that everything is at a walking distance but we were late on our bookings and thus had to settle with a location a little outside. We had a wonderful Airbnb to ourselves right in the district of Landstrasse. Getting there wasn't an issue from the airport as there are lot of airport feeder trains and buses. After freshening up and a hearty home cooked lunch we headed out to explore this fantastic city. The first task was to get hold of a local sim, primarily for GPS ( for car navigation as well as local navigation ) and inquire about vignette ( It's sort of Austria's Fastag, which I thought was to be procured by me but then it came along with the car). With tasks being completed we started walking toward Stephansplatz to see the St. Stephans Cathedral which was really awe-inspiring indeed. And boy! The city continued to amaze us! And How! Beautiful architecture and pretty streets everywhere! Today was supposed to be a stroll through the city since I had decided to use the Vienna pass for later into the trip. So only free stuff for the day! We walked through a couple of really pretty streets like the Sunhoff to finally reach the Innerestadt. It was completely mesmerizing! We immediately fell in love with the city and it's vibe. With heritage buildings all around and elegant architecture through and through, every other corner was a sight to behold! Open Cafe's along the high street, palaces like the Hofberg on the way and amazing shops everywhere. Seeing these I was so happy I chose this country! We ended up spending the entire evening walking aimlessly in awe of the splendid buildings and structures! Also, we tried a few Austrian delicacies at the famous cafe, Sacher Wien. The city reeked of history and culture! Good vibes through and through. I would strongly recommend anyone who wishes to travel to Austria to keep an evening or two just to wander aimlessly either in the inner district or by the Danube.







Sunhoff Street





St. Stephan's Cathedral





St. Stephan's Cathedral





Innere Stadt





Innere Stadt with Hofberg at the end Sunhoff StreetSt. Stephan's CathedralSt. Stephan's CathedralInnere StadtInnere Stadt with Hofberg at the end



Day 2:

Vienna -> Gosau

We had to have an early start to the day as we had to collect our car for the trip and there was a loooottt of driving involved for the day! Collecting the car came with certain issues due to which we got a tad behind our schedule! Checked everything thoroughly, scratches, dents, equipment and there we were, ready to finally start the road trip! Oh, almost missed it! Since I had planned on crossing mountain passes, I stuck to team BHPs favourite corner carver, the 318D AT! TBH, I was pretty anxious driving a left hand drive for the first time but then few hours on the road and you adapt well. The idea of the road trip was that the journey should be as beautiful as the destination itself and considering that we never hesitated to take stops midst the journeys!



Since we were late in getting our car, first thing we did was to find a place to have lunch. We found a wonderful spot in the quaint town, Krems An Der Donau about 70 kms from Vienna. It was an hour drive to Krems and majorly highway.





Lunch Spot At Krems An Der Donau Lunch Spot At Krems An Der Donau

Next plotting on the map was the town on Durstein in the Wachau Valley. It was barely 20 minutes from Krems An Der Donau and the route was really scenic with Danube flowing by one side and wineyards all over the other.

Along came this tiny town of Durnstein overlooking the Danube with its tiny alleys and rustic buildings, it sure gave a proper European village vibe.













Pictures from the beautiful village Pictures from the beautiful village

After wandering through the tiny alleys and cute little shops we headed out to our next destination that was the Melk Abbey. With only a little time on our hands we decided to see it just from the outside. It was a place to behold, if only we had the time.





Melk Abbey Melk Abbey

It was already 3 pm by then and we decided to reach Gosau directly now without any further delay. Gosau was a good 3 hour drive from melk and a beautiful one. Gosau is a tiny Austrian village with barely population of 2000 village; It is close to both Gosausee and Hallstat so it was an ideal destination to chose. Staying in Hallstatt is both expensive and very touristy, hence Gosau. Plains finally opened up into a mountainous topography with lush green meadows all around and occasional sightings of turquoise lakes. As soon as I took the exit for Gosau, It was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. With dusk approaching and this little village in the midst of green meadows rolling all over to tall mountains in the backdrop and smoke coming off of chimneys; This was prettier than the prettiest European postcard Id seen!

















A couple of pictures of the beautiful Village A couple of pictures of the beautiful Village

In fact the village was so tiny and peaceful, I came across couple of deers who'd descended from a forest above on one of my evening strolls!

Gosau has a lot to offer! Apart from the wonderful picture perfect landscape it also has a lake nearby, Gosauseen. As soon as we checked into our residence for the next two days, we headed out to see the lake. Finally into the backroads with twists and turns, I could not help smiling as the 3 never had to leave its track as and when I turned! Pure bliss!



It was dusk and the lake couldnt look prettier. We removed our handy folding chairs from the boot, oh yes, we carried folding chairs for moments like these, and whipped out some hot tea and snacks and tried to take in as much beauty as possible. Perfect setting!





Evening Stroll Views





Gosauseen

Evening Stroll ViewsGosauseen



Day 3:

Gosau -> Hallstatt -> Daschtein -> Gosau

I was really looking forward to this day as I was to visit the prettiest village on earth! Yes, Hallstatt is considered as the prettiest village ever. The drive to hallstatt was a short one, about 30 mins. It was a proper tourist spot with hordes of tourists getting off the bus every minute. Even though we went early in the morning, there was a lot of hustle bustle already going on and the sun smiled on us generously. Though the village is supremely pretty but with the number of tourists and the commercialization, I felt happy to have stayed at Gosau than at Hallstatt. I feel if only I had visited the village in the evening, when tourist buses roll out and the cacophony died down, I could have enjoyed the place more. Theres also the salt mine thing here but it did not entice me enough! There are two view points for taking in the best views of the village: 1. Aussichtspunkt 2. Badestrand. We went around the village for a couple of hours; saw the abbey and a couple of more things the village had to offer and then headed out to the next destination, The Dachstein.



















There are two famous peaks by Hallstatt, 1. Ramsau Am Dachstein and 2. Dachstein Krippenstein. The former has the Stairway to Nothingness and the latter has majestic views of the surrounding lakes as well as Ice caves. We went ahead with the latter since it was closer and had a lot other activities to be done. Id suggest to skip the ice caves here and check them out at Werfen, Salzburg. Also, there are a couple of beautiful Gorges in the are that could be done as an alternative or an addition to Dachstein. Back to Dachstein, the excursion involves a lot of walking so aged ones should be mindful. The topmost point or the Dachstein 5 Fingers is a viewing point from which you can see a wonderful view of multiple lakes in the Salzkamergut region.





Five Fingers and the View Five Fingers and the View

Day 4

Gosau -> Obertrum Am See -> Salzburg

Day of the lakes.

Today was a chill day as there was not much driving involved and we started it by having breakfast by the langbathseen lake, a small detour from our path, and headed to the city of Salzburg. Salzburg is an hour away from Gosau but we chose to take the longer and prettier route and ended up reaching in 4 hours driving by the lakes in Salzkamergut region!





Breakfast at Langbathseen





Lakes en-route Salzburg Breakfast at LangbathseenLakes en-route Salzburg

We checked into our AirBnb in Obertrum Am See, which is a mere 30 mins drive from Salzburg and gladly it turned out to be really pretty. Obertrum Am See had nothing much to offer as such save cheaper accommodation and better space than the Salzburg City. My apartment had an access to private orchard and a lake to dip into! Freshening up we headed to the beautiful city of Salzburg. Today was only strolling around to just get the feel of the city as we did not have much time and because I had taken Salzburg day pass which was to be used the next day. To our surprise, there was a festival going on which elevated our experience. The energy was amazing and there were local stalls lined up in the courtyard with local performances too.





Salzburg Festival Salzburg Festival



Day 5

Salzburg

Today was supposed to be about doing touristy things! Visiting museums, eating pretzels, walking down tiny alleys and shopping! The day fell short and we could barely manage to see the entire city. Dom Quartier took our breath away! Also found couple of locations to take a view of the city from! The Salzburg pass comes handy when you plan to cover the entire city. There are two distinct places from where the view of the city is stunning. 1. Hohensalzburg Fort 2. Monchsberg M32 cafe. There were lots of people who had suggested to skip Salzburg but I am glad I did not. The city is rich in heritage, history and art. One can witness the opulence of the ruling empire then.















Salzburg City Salzburg City With Covid no longer being the pain it was and the European travel season having begun, I thought this was the best time to pen down my travel to Austria. The trip dates back to the tranquil, non-pandemic times of 2019; September end to be precise.Why Austria? Switzerland is the prettiest! Or go to Spain or Italy? Thats what people would say. Austria enjoys a little less popularity among its European siblings and thats a good thing right? So heres why I opted for Austria:1. Its right opposite to Switzerland on the other side of Alps. So I was sure it must be equally pretty. Instagram was quite helpful bolster this decision2. Its way less touristy than Switzerland or other countries where every next thing you see is commercialised and theres a humongous queue to even look!3. Okay, this point is by far the most important one. Its CHEAPER!The trip HAD to be a road trip, thats where you can chill and have fun at your own pace right? No dragging your luggage from one platform to next or having nothing to worry about timings of public transport and I can give you a myriad of other reasons. It was later on that I came to know that it was a lot cheaper too as compared to public transport there.So without further ado, lets start with the trip shall we?Vienna had to be our entry and exit point since flight as well as car rentals become cheaper that way! Picked an early morning flight so that I wouldnt have any check in issues at the AirBnb and yet Id also get enough time to explore the city so that the day wouldnt be wasted. Its usually best to live right in the city center so that everything is at a walking distance but we were late on our bookings and thus had to settle with a location a little outside. We had a wonderful Airbnb to ourselves right in the district of Landstrasse. Getting there wasn't an issue from the airport as there are lot of airport feeder trains and buses. After freshening up and a hearty home cooked lunch we headed out to explore this fantastic city. The first task was to get hold of a local sim, primarily for GPS ( for car navigation as well as local navigation ) and inquire about vignette ( It's sort of Austria's Fastag, which I thought was to be procured by me but then it came along with the car). With tasks being completed we started walking toward Stephansplatz to see the St. Stephans Cathedral which was really awe-inspiring indeed. And boy! The city continued to amaze us! And How! Beautiful architecture and pretty streets everywhere! Today was supposed to be a stroll through the city since I had decided to use the Vienna pass for later into the trip. So only free stuff for the day! We walked through a couple of really pretty streets like the Sunhoff to finally reach the Innerestadt. It was completely mesmerizing! We immediately fell in love with the city and it's vibe. With heritage buildings all around and elegant architecture through and through, every other corner was a sight to behold! Open Cafe's along the high street, palaces like the Hofberg on the way and amazing shops everywhere. Seeing these I was so happy I chose this country! We ended up spending the entire evening walking aimlessly in awe of the splendid buildings and structures! Also, we tried a few Austrian delicacies at the famous cafe, Sacher Wien. The city reeked of history and culture! Good vibes through and through. I would strongly recommend anyone who wishes to travel to Austria to keep an evening or two just to wander aimlessly either in the inner district or by the Danube.We had to have an early start to the day as we had to collect our car for the trip and there was a loooottt of driving involved for the day! Collecting the car came with certain issues due to which we got a tad behind our schedule! Checked everything thoroughly, scratches, dents, equipment and there we were, ready to finally start the road trip! Oh, almost missed it! Since I had planned on crossing mountain passes, I stuck to team BHPs favourite corner carver, the 318D AT! TBH, I was pretty anxious driving a left hand drive for the first time but then few hours on the road and you adapt well. The idea of the road trip was that the journey should be as beautiful as the destination itself and considering that we never hesitated to take stops midst the journeys!Since we were late in getting our car, first thing we did was to find a place to have lunch. We found a wonderful spot in the quaint town, Krems An Der Donau about 70 kms from Vienna. It was an hour drive to Krems and majorly highway.Next plotting on the map was the town on Durstein in the Wachau Valley. It was barely 20 minutes from Krems An Der Donau and the route was really scenic with Danube flowing by one side and wineyards all over the other.Along came this tiny town of Durnstein overlooking the Danube with its tiny alleys and rustic buildings, it sure gave a proper European village vibe.After wandering through the tiny alleys and cute little shops we headed out to our next destination that was the Melk Abbey. With only a little time on our hands we decided to see it just from the outside. It was a place to behold, if only we had the time.It was already 3 pm by then and we decided to reach Gosau directly now without any further delay. Gosau was a good 3 hour drive from melk and a beautiful one. Gosau is a tiny Austrian village with barely population of 2000 village; It is close to both Gosausee and Hallstat so it was an ideal destination to chose. Staying in Hallstatt is both expensive and very touristy, hence Gosau. Plains finally opened up into a mountainous topography with lush green meadows all around and occasional sightings of turquoise lakes. As soon as I took the exit for Gosau, It was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. With dusk approaching and this little village in the midst of green meadows rolling all over to tall mountains in the backdrop and smoke coming off of chimneys; This was prettier than the prettiest European postcard Id seen!In fact the village was so tiny and peaceful, I came across couple of deers who'd descended from a forest above on one of my evening strolls!Gosau has a lot to offer! Apart from the wonderful picture perfect landscape it also has a lake nearby, Gosauseen. As soon as we checked into our residence for the next two days, we headed out to see the lake. Finally into the backroads with twists and turns, I could not help smiling as the 3 never had to leave its track as and when I turned! Pure bliss!It was dusk and the lake couldnt look prettier. We removed our handy folding chairs from the boot, oh yes, we carried folding chairs for moments like these, and whipped out some hot tea and snacks and tried to take in as much beauty as possible. Perfect setting!I was really looking forward to this day as I was to visit the prettiest village on earth! Yes, Hallstatt is considered as the prettiest village ever. The drive to hallstatt was a short one, about 30 mins. It was a proper tourist spot with hordes of tourists getting off the bus every minute. Even though we went early in the morning, there was a lot of hustle bustle already going on and the sun smiled on us generously. Though the village is supremely pretty but with the number of tourists and the commercialization, I felt happy to have stayed at Gosau than at Hallstatt. I feel if only I had visited the village in the evening, when tourist buses roll out and the cacophony died down, I could have enjoyed the place more. Theres also the salt mine thing here but it did not entice me enough! There are two view points for taking in the best views of the village: 1. Aussichtspunkt 2. Badestrand. We went around the village for a couple of hours; saw the abbey and a couple of more things the village had to offer and then headed out to the next destination, The Dachstein.There are two famous peaks by Hallstatt, 1. Ramsau Am Dachstein and 2. Dachstein Krippenstein. The former has the Stairway to Nothingness and the latter has majestic views of the surrounding lakes as well as Ice caves. We went ahead with the latter since it was closer and had a lot other activities to be done. Id suggest to skip the ice caves here and check them out at Werfen, Salzburg. Also, there are a couple of beautiful Gorges in the are that could be done as an alternative or an addition to Dachstein. Back to Dachstein, the excursion involves a lot of walking so aged ones should be mindful. The topmost point or the Dachstein 5 Fingers is a viewing point from which you can see a wonderful view of multiple lakes in the Salzkamergut region.Day of the lakes.Today was a chill day as there was not much driving involved and we started it by having breakfast by the langbathseen lake, a small detour from our path, and headed to the city of Salzburg. Salzburg is an hour away from Gosau but we chose to take the longer and prettier route and ended up reaching in 4 hours driving by the lakes in Salzkamergut region!We checked into our AirBnb in Obertrum Am See, which is a mere 30 mins drive from Salzburg and gladly it turned out to be really pretty. Obertrum Am See had nothing much to offer as such save cheaper accommodation and better space than the Salzburg City. My apartment had an access to private orchard and a lake to dip into! Freshening up we headed to the beautiful city of Salzburg. Today was only strolling around to just get the feel of the city as we did not have much time and because I had taken Salzburg day pass which was to be used the next day. To our surprise, there was a festival going on which elevated our experience. The energy was amazing and there were local stalls lined up in the courtyard with local performances too.Today was supposed to be about doing touristy things! Visiting museums, eating pretzels, walking down tiny alleys and shopping! The day fell short and we could barely manage to see the entire city. Dom Quartier took our breath away! Also found couple of locations to take a view of the city from! The Salzburg pass comes handy when you plan to cover the entire city. There are two distinct places from where the view of the city is stunning. 1. Hohensalzburg Fort 2. Monchsberg M32 cafe. There were lots of people who had suggested to skip Salzburg but I am glad I did not. The city is rich in heritage, history and art. One can witness the opulence of the ruling empire then.
In context: Apple has raised alarms about what it calls state-backed contract spyware for months. Now, the company confirms its upcoming major operating system updates will contain a drastic new security feature to fight the problem. It says most users will probably never need it.

When iOS 16, iPad OS 16, and macOS Venture launch later this year, they will introduce a new feature called Lockdown Mode, which will heavily restrict communications to thwart spyware. Apple has accused groups like NSO and RCS Labs of developing spyware used in recent targeted political cyberattacks.

Lockdown Mode will block features to harden security on Apple devices when engaged. The Messages app will disable link previews and block most attachments other than images. Web browsers will disengage features like just-in-time JavaScript on all sites except those that users whitelist.

The feature will also block FaceTime calls and other communication requests from numbers a user has never called. Wired connections won't work while a device is locked, users can't install configuration profiles, and they can't enroll a device into mobile device management. Apple will eventually add other protections to Lockdown Mode.

The Cupertino company will offer increased bounties for finding Lockdown Mode exploits, with a $2 million maximum to entice security researchers to notify it of any flaws in the system quickly. Additionally, Apple is starting a $10 million grant to support groups fighting targeted cyberattacks. Any damages Apple gets from its suit against the NSO group will contribute to the fund.

In November, Apple filed a suit against NSO and its parent company, accusing it of developing spyware that leveraged iOS exploits to target iPhones at the behest of state entities. A month later, NSO's Pegasus spyware ended up on the iPhones of US diplomats in Uganda. Then in June, reports described a similar group, RCS Labs, which also developed spyware that governments use to target specific Android and iOS devices. Apple says it designed Lockdown Mode for the small portion of its userbase that might come under this type of surveillance.
In a nutshell: The FBI and two other agencies have issued a warning that state-sponsored North Korean hackers are targeting US healthcare organizations with ransomware. The attacks have been taking place in the last year, often disrupting vital health services for "prolonged periods."

The FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Department of the Treasury issued the joint warning to provide information on the Maui ransomware that has been infecting Healthcare and Public Health (HPH) Sector organizations since at least May 2021.

Like other ransomware, Maui encrypts an infected system's files with AES 128-bit encryption. In this case, it's the servers responsible for healthcare services that are targeted. Impacted areas include electronic health records, diagnostics, imaging, and intranet.

The agencies published technical details of Maui in the advisory, including indicators of compromise, using an industry analysis of a sample of the ransomware. The notice also includes a list of mitigations, such as turning off network device management interfaces, keeping software up to date, and maintaining offline data backups.

Healthcare organizations are a popular target for ransomware gangs as it's assumed they're more likely to pay ransoms when patients' lives are potentially at risk. A lawsuit last year claimed a baby died at a hospital due to a ransomware attack.

As always, the government advises victims not to hand over any payments to the hackers as there's no guarantee they'll unlock the files.

North Korea has long been known to use cryptocurrency attained through illegal means, such as the $615 million Ronin network hack, to fund its nuclear weapons program. However, the crypto winter that has seen prices take a nosedive has impacted the value of the hermit country's ill-gotten gains. The crash is also forcing many ransomware gangs to expand into traditional forms of cybercrime where they can earn dollars instead of price-fluctuating crypto.

Masthead credit: Andrey_Popov
Scientists discovered Asteroid 2022 NF on Monday, which will make a close but completely safe flyby to our planet on Thursday. What's exciting about this one is that near-earth asteroids are discovered all the time, especially minor ones that have eluded detection in the past. So here's how you can take a look at it.

(Photo : Chris Henry / Unsplash)

New Asteroid Skimming Past Earth

Asteroids that will fly safely close to the Earth were always detected under the radar. However, most of them tend to be sneaky and was not observed until they're close enough to approach. This new asteroid will join the block of sneaky ones and is set to make its presence known. Asteroid 2022 NF was discovered on Monday and will make near but completely safe proximity to Earth on Thursday.

According to CNET, the asteroid is about the size of an adult giraffe and a large shipping container, measuring around 18 to 40 feet (5.5 to 12 meters) wide. It will pass near 56,000 miles (90,000 kilometers) of Earth during its closest approach. Compared to recent asteroids that have passed Earth, that's a very close by, but it's nothing to worry about.

As predicted by NASA JPL, Asteroid NF will visit close to Earth starting July 6.

(Photo : NASA JPL, Asteroid NF 2022) Also Read: NASA Warning! An Asteroid is Passing By Earth on Jan. 18 | How to Watch Using Telescope

How to Watch Asteroid NF

The Virtual Telescope Project will provide live coverage of the asteroid's arrival beginning at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 6 at 8:00 a.m. PT At 23 percent of the typical lunar distance, VTP founder Gianluca Masi describes it as a "very near encounter."

If you've never watched a VTP asteroid before, you might not expect the stream to show these objects up close. Instead, what you will see is a tiny asteroid traveling quickly. It will appear as a dot of light against a backdrop of stars. It's so small yet it can be tracked and live-streamed, providing you and everyone around the world with a shared experience of space.

A Promising Path for NASA's Near-Earth Object Studies

The observation of asteroid 2022 NF demonstrates current advancements in asteroid detection. The NASA JPL Center for Near-Earth Object Studies monitors hundreds of asteroids and keeps a look out for potential hazards in our space neighborhood. So far, the foreseeable future looks promising, especially because asteroid 2021 QM1 was just removed from a concern list after experts ruled out a probable 2052 collision.

Furthermore, NASA JPL has dedicated an entire site to asteroids and live streaming of them passing close to Earth. The Asteroid Watch dashboard monitors asteroids and comets that will pass near Earth, even those that were suprisingly recorded due to being undetected the first time.

"For each encounter, the dashboard indicates the time of closest point, the approximate object diameter, relative size, and distance from Earth," as per NASA JPL.

Related Article: Asteroid's Surprise Arrival, Close Flyby Gave Astronomers Massive Data, via Arecibo

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Filed on Wednesday, the United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened an investigation into the $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard headed by Microsoft. The merger inquiry is considering whether the buyout could potentially diminish competition in the UK and if the transaction "will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the merger provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002."

Thus far, the investigation sits in Phase 1, wherein the CMA will await comments made via third parties up until July 20 as it continues its own investigation. The deadline for its final decision is set for Sept. 1. The CMA also explained via a statement that its investigation into the Microsoft Activision Blizzard acquisition will "consider whether the deal could harm competition and lead to worse outcomes for consumers - for example, through higher prices, lower quality, or reduced choice."

The Microsoft Activision deal first made headlines in January when the firm announced it would be acquiring the gaming publisher at $95 a share in an all-cash transaction. Alongside its previous pick up of Bethesda in 2021, the buyout heralded not only the newfound push of consolidation within the gaming industry, witnessed via the likes of Take-Two Interactive's purchase of Zynga and Sony's acquisition of Bungie, but also fears that too much control would be levied to Microsoft upon the deal's close.

Related Article: Microsoft Edge Rolls Out New Homepage for Xbox Cloud Gaming

Activision Blizzard, often abbreviated to ActiBliz, accounts for a wide parcel within the $190 billion gaming industry, represented by heavy-hitters in IP like Call of Duty, Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and Candy Crush, to name but a few. Along with a wide array of IP under its guise, the video game publisher has also been at the forefront of several major controversies, most prominent among them being detestable working conditions and poor management led by ActiBliz CEO Bobby Kotick.

In the United States, Microsoft's acquisition is still being reviewed by the likes of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The Communications Workers of America (CWA) would later support the $68.7 billion deal following a labor neutrality agreement with Microsoft made in June. In May, amid an interview with Belgium's L'Echo, Microsoft's president and vice chairman Brad Smith explained that the merger was "moving fast, at least fast enough for an acquisition of this size."

Despite some seeming setbacks and the underlying controversies surrounding ActiBliz, it's more than likely the deal will eventually go through, at least according to Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffet, who has scooped up a ton of Activision Blizzard stock both before and in the wake of the deal's announcement. Other analysts aren't so keen, as the deal is a markedly large one in comparison to previous acquisitions in the past, not to mention the weight it allots to Microsoft in its finalization.

If the deal does end up going through, it would push Microsoft to the third tier on the list of the world's largest video game companies, stealing Apple's spot under Sony and Tencent. Of major importance to the tech, the conglomerate is ActiBlizz's ownership of King, the mobile gaming giant behind some of the biggest titles on smartphones. In 2021 alone, the global mobile gaming market was worth $131 billion, making the space highly lucrative for Microsoft to expand upon.

Read Also: Microsoft Already Tried Buying Activision Blizzard In the Past, According To Former Xbox VP

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The non-Tesla Supercharger pilot program will soon open in the United States. As of writing, this version of the EV maker's charging station is only available in selected European countries.

(Photo : Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)

A Tesla model S is plugged into a Tesla supercharger in Berlin's Schoeneberg district on October 3, 2021. - With a big wheel, music and an appearance by CEO Elon Musk, Tesla is pulling all the stops on October 9, 2021 to win over opponents of its controversial new "gigafactory" near Berlin.

But, the Biden-Harris Administration confirmed that this would soon change as the U.S. is the nation next in line to have the advanced non-Tesla Supercharger project.

"Later this year, Tesla will begin production of new Supercharger equipment that will enable non-Tesla EV drivers in North America to use Tesla Superchargers," said the Biden-Harris admin via its official White House fact sheet.

Non-Tesla Supercharger Project To Roll Out in the US!

According to Teslarati's latest report, the rollout of the non-Tesla Supercharger pilot program is expected to happen before 2022 ends.

(Photo : Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

Signage is seen at a Tesla Inc. supercharger station on on January 4, 2021 in Hawthorne, California. - After shares rocketed higher in 2020 on surging auto deliveries, Tesla enters 2021 with plenty of momentum even as its vision of taking electric cars mainstream remains a way off.

Also Read: Tesla Gigafactory Texas Expansion Request Has Been Filed! Here's How Massive the Additional Plant Is

However, the exact date is not yet confirmed. Once this EV charger project opens, American electric car owners are expected to take advantage of more than 35,0000 Supercharger units.

But, it is still unclear if Tesla owners can also take advantage of this EV charging network. As of press time, the non-Tesla Supercharger pilot project is exclusive to EV models not manufactured by Elon Musk's company.

This is because Tesla cars already have their own Supercharger Network.

Although certain details are not yet confirmed, the Biden-Harris Administration still acknowledges the efforts made by the giant automaker, especially its investments at the Gigafactory New York.

Tesla Supercharger Expands in China

While the non-Tesla Supercharger program expansion focuses on the United States, the original Tesla Supercharger Network now has more EV charging stations in China.

Previously, the giant EV maker confirmed that it now has more than 1,200 Supercharger stations in mainland China. This means that the automaker was able to add around 200 new stations and 700 single Supercharger units in China during the first half of 2022.

Meanwhile, Tesla's 100-Stall Supercharger station is now expected to arrive in the Mojave Desert, which is located between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

On the other hand, the EV maker showed off its Tesla visionary Supercharger diner.

For more news updates about the Tesla Supercharger and other giant EV charging networks, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Tesla Supercharger Network Now Open in All 50 US States; All Locations [LIST]

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Ex-Tesla employees are now being hired by Apple, Amazon, and other tech giant firms based on the latest LinkedIn findings of Punks & Pinstripes, a private network of Fortune 500 executives.

(Photo : ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk talks to media as he arrives to visit the construction site of the future US electric car giant Tesla, on September 03, 2020 in Gruenheide near Berlin.

The agency claimed that many terminated Tesla workers are now getting job offers from various tech manufacturers.

Punks & Stripes claimed that more than 450 employees of the giant automaker are now working for Apple and other industry-leading companies.

If this is true, then more laid-off Tesla employees may be encouraged to follow other ex-staff already working for other tech companies.

Ex-Tesla Employees Hired by Apple, Amazon, Other Tech Firms!

According to Business Insider's latest report, most former Tesla workers are transferring to Rivian, one of the EV competitors of Tesla.

(Photo : PATRICK PLEUL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Employees of the Tesla's "Gigafactory" wearing yellow vests cheer during the start of the production at Tesla's "Gigafactory" on March 22, 2022 in Gruenheide, southeast of Berlin.

Also Read: Elon Musk Confirms Tesla Employees Have FSD Features on their Cars? Satire Tweet Says

Fifty-six of them are already working for the automaker. On the other hand, Apple and Amazon are both the second choice of ex-Tesla staff, with over 50 employees accepting the iPhone maker's job offers.

Lucid Motors, Google, Microsoft, and Meta are in the middle. These tech manufacturers were able to acquire around 40 employees who were terminated or resigned from Tesla.

The decisions of these ex-Tesla workers are reasonable given that their company is still conducting its massive layoff. Previously, The Verge reported that the automaker terminated more than 200 employees.

These dismissed workers were even the ones who helped Tesla enhance its Autopilot technology. As of press time, Elon Musk hasn't confirmed when will the ongoing layoff end.

But, he said that he plans to terminate around 10% of the company's employees this 2022.

Ex-Tesla Employees Already Received Job Offers?

Experts claimed Amazon and Microsoft already tried to hire Tesla employees in June.

These two tech firms said that they are willing to accept them if ever they want to resign, especially as the EV maker forces them to go back to their offices.

"If the Emperor of Mars doesn't want you, I'll be happy to bring you over to #AWS," said Amazon via its previous LinkedIn post.

This is not an unusual scenario in the tech industry since Tesla has a bar for its workers, meaning that employees need to be very talented before they can work for the giant automaker.

Previously, Tesla employees claimed that their attendance was being monitored by the EV maker.

On the other hand, a recent racial lawsuit against Tesla claimed that the company abuses its workers.

For more news updates about Tesla and its employees, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Tesla Allegedly Breaks Elon Musk's Order as Newly Hired Employees Appear on LinkedIn

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Elon Musk shared his opinion online and talked about how he finds the current Biden Administration and the White House "troubling" for their role in social media censorship regarding Facebook and other platforms. A report from 2021 by a journalist created a thread about this social media censorship of President Joe Biden's actions towards social media censorship.

Here, the tech CEO reacted earlier today.

Elon Musk is Finding the Biden Administration 'Troubling'

(Photo : Patrick Pleul - Pool/Getty Images)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk talks during a tour of the plant of the future foundry of the Tesla Gigafactory on August 13, 2021 in Grunheide near Berlin, Germany.

Musk is back on Twitter, and he already reached a post from 2021 in his return to the platform and found a long thread that talked about a report on the current Biden administration's social media censorship. Here, the Tesla CEO and co-founder reacted to the thread, saying that what is happening now is "troubling" for him.

The thread discussed how the current Biden leadership and the White House are asking several platforms like Facebook to censor several online posts and discussions. Here, journalist Glenn Greenwald said these are "classic hallmarks of fascism," particularly in their actions that tell Facebook which posts are "problematic" and should be removed from the platform.

Read Also: Elon Musk's Twitter Disappearance Update: Billionaire's Inactivity Reaches 9 Days! Here are Several Reasons Why

Troubling   Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 6, 2022

Social Media Censorship of the Current Biden Admin

The thread from Greenwald came from July 2021, and almost more than a year later, Musk is reacting to the report from the journalist. Greenwald compiled speeches from the White House and other government officials that support his claims, saying that the administration kept tabs and lists regarding who to censor online regarding misinformation and other alarming content.

Elon Musk and Twitter's Free Speech

Elon Musk talks about free speech on Twitter and his plans to make it a platform where people would feel safe and liberated to share their thoughts in the public space without anything to worry about in the present. This is the new age of Twitter, and it will happen once Musk becomes the private owner of the company, something that the world is waiting on in its process to transition.

The goal of Twitter's new free speech campaign is to provide a platform where there would be no censorship, and all information or opinions from every side will have a chance to be heard. Musk said that its censorship would not go beyond the law, and it would still follow the rules that the government set for a social media's boundaries for free speech.

Now that Musk is back on Twitter after more than a week of hiatus, he explored the platform for a post that stems almost a year ago and is talking about social media censorship of the current Administration. It is unknown if there are coming changes to Twitter that will adhere to these requests from the government once Musk is the leader of the platform.

Related Article: Tesla Allegedly Breaks Elon Musk's Order as Newly Hired Employees Appear on LinkedIn

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FDA says yes to U.S. pharmacists' Pfizer COVID-19 pill prescriptions. The latest decision made by the Food and Drug Administration is expected to make medicine more accessible across the United States.

(Photo : ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

The Pfizer logo is seen at the Pfizer Inc. headquarters on December 9, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP)

Pfizer's COVID-19 pill, Paxlovid, is the first antiviral treatment introduced by the pharmaceutical giant back in 2021.

It was approved by FDA on December 22, 2021. However, its accessibility has been limited since only doctors, physician assistances, and nurses were allowed to prescribe the oral COVID-19 medicine.

The New York Times reported that this restriction forces patients to find health experts that can prescribe them Paxlovid. But, with FDA's latest decision, this situation is expected to change.

FDA Says Yes To Pharmacists Pfizer COVID-19 Pill Prescriptions

According to CNN Health's latest report, FDA announced that state-licensed pharmacists will soon be allowed to offer Pfizer's COVID-19 pill.

(Photo : JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

An illustration picture shows vials with Covid-19 Vaccine stickers attached and syringes with the logo of US pharmaceutical company Pfizer, on November 17, 2020. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)

Also Read: CDC Says US COVID-19 Vaccine Utilization Has a Problem | Government Now Diverts Coronavirus Funds

The health department confirmed this detail on Wednesday, July 6.

"The FDA recognizes the important role pharmacists have played and continue to play in combatting this pandemic," said FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Director Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni.

She added that allowing U.S.-based pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid will greatly help patients, especially since they need to take the medicine five days after their symptoms appeared.

Of course, there are U.S. residents still need to follow the requirements imposed by FDA before they can ask for pharmacists to give them Paxlovid.

Getting Paxlovid Prescription from Pharmacists

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration explained that there are some things that patients need to do before state-licensed pharmacists can prescribe them Pfizer's COVID-19 pill.

First, they need to provide their health records that are less than 12 months old. These documents should include blood work to review for liver or kidney problems.

Documents showing other medications they have taken are also required. They can either present their records in electronic or printed versions.

If you want to see further details about the latest Paxlovid access expansion imposed by FDA, you can click this link.

Previously, experts claimed that new COVID-19 variants will continue to circulate throughout the summer of 2022.

On the other hand, CEPI shared one major difference between monkeypox and COVID-19.

For more news updates about Pfizer's COVID-19 oral medicine and other health topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: CanSinoBIO COVID-19 Vaccine Receives WHO Authorization After Meeting Health Standards; How Efficient Is Convidecia?

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Toyota sees a change in the way it sells electric vehicles as the company's EVs are no longer eligible for a tax credit for the clean energy innovations it brings to the public. It is the third company in the country to lose its EV tax credits, alongside Tesla and General Motors, who previously lost their privileges to give the public more discounts for clean energy cars.

Toyota Loses EV Tax Credits in the United States, Why?

(Photo : Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images)

Bloomberg reports that Toyota is the third company to lose its EV Tax Credit privileges in the United States after it recently sold its 200,000th plug-in hybrid EV in the country. It triggered a slow phaseout for the Japanese company on its federal tax credits that will no longer see the massive discounts for purchasing clean energy vehicles.

It is inevitable as the phaseout for the federal tax credit ceases when a car company sells 200,000 units of their electric vehicles, and it is only the start of the reduced discount. According to The Verge, from now until October 1, customers buying EVs from Toyota will only see a maximum of $3,750 tax credits for their EV purchase.

From October 1 to April 1, it will reduce by half and only offer a max of $1,875. The phaseout will complete and have no more discounts come October 2023, says a Toyota spokesperson.

Read Also: Toyota Partners with Tesla Co-Founder to Recycle Old EV Batteries

Toyota Joins Tesla and GM for EV Taxes

Toyota is the third company to experience this phaseout for the federal tax credits it will receive from the United States government despite the public's purchase of electric vehicles in the country. It follows Tesla and General Motors, which also saw this event in their sales, exceeding the 200,000 mark for their EV ventures.

Electric Vehicles from Toyota

Toyota is still one of the world's most prominent car manufacturers, bringing a lot to its ventures that are available for all. It still is considered to have the most reliable machines in the transportation industry, with many familiar with its engineering and design to provide aftermarket care and maintenance outside its dealerships.

It is one of the reasons why the company is still famous now, and patrons still purchase vehicles from them despite the many competitors in the industry.

Nevertheless, Toyota is also in the electric vehicle industry, and it follows the famous hybrid vehicle of the company that is one of the earliest vehicles that revolutionized the use of clean energy, the Prius. Now, it is on track to deliver on its bZ4x electric vehicle, which is the company's first car that will start its clean energy releases until 2030.

The phaseout for Toyota is something that the company will inevitably face as it has already reached its point where the government will remove the tax credits and reduce them to a minimum. Nevertheless, the Japanese automaker will still make its electric vehicles and other cars available for all via its releases and innovations.

Related Article: Toyota's bZ4X Faces Emergency Recall Due to EV's Wheels Potentially Detaching

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In an unusual, rare joint statement in London, the chiefs of the national intelligence agencies of the United States and the United Kingdom have expressed concern over China's alleged economic espionage, according to Al Jazeera's report.

"Set on Stealing Technology"

The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) director Chris Wray warned Western companies that Beijing was committed to stealing their technology to gain a competitive advantage.

Meanwhile, Ken McCallum, the director of the UK's MI5, claimed that the Chinese government's "covert pressure" throughout the world amounts to "the most game-changing challenge we face."

As soon as the claims were made, China dismissed them and labeled them as an effort to malign its political system in its statement to Al Jazeera.

McCallum and Wray gave their first joint talk at London's Thames House in front of a crowd that included government representatives and business leaders.

MI5 is currently conducting seven times as many investigations compared to 2018, according to McCallum. He added that the agency would continue to make major efforts to counter covert dangers posed by Russia and Iran.

McCallum further alleged that Chinese intelligence develops sources slowly and patiently to breach sensitive information, and only several targeted people can discern that they have been breached.

He also stated that everyone who attended the joint address was at risk from the Chinese Communist Party's aggression due to their development and possession of cutting-edge information, technology, research, and economic advantages.

Al Jazeera reported that McCallum's statement was reiterated by the FBI director. They described China's efforts as posing a "complex, lasting, and pervasive danger" to the US, the UK, and their ally countries.

Wray claimed that China is "set on stealing your technology, whatever it is that makes your industry tick and using it to undercut your business and dominate your market".

He also alleged that China's state-backed cyber hacking program was more extensive than the combined efforts of all major countries.

Read also: North Korean State-Sponsored Hackers Have Been Attacking Healthcare Providers Since 2021 - US Authorities Warn

China's Online Activities

According to Robert Potter, Co-CEO of the Australian-US cybersecurity firm Internet 2.0, it's critical that the general public fully comprehends China's threat.

However, cybersecurity expert and Microsoft Regional Director in Australia Troy Hunt said in a statement with Al Jazeera that the general public has "little reason" to be threatened by China's online activities.

Wray also discussed China's vows that Taiwan will be unified with it in whatever forms necessary during the joint address.

He said there are indications that China, perhaps learning from Russia's experience following its war with Ukraine, has looked for ways to shield its economy against potential sanctions. Wray claimed that if China invaded Taiwan, it would disrupt global trade and industry.

However, McCallum and Wray's claims were denied by the Chinese embassy in London, which called them "completely baseless."

Related Article: FBI is Placing $100K Reward For the Arrest of 'Cryptoqueen' Ruja Ignatova

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China is catching up with the United States when it comes to space exploration. This time, the Shenzhou-14 taikonauts are on their way to conduct some science experiments on Tianhe after touching down at the space station a month ago.

Shenzhou-14 Crew is Launching Space Experiments

(Photo : STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinese astronauts Chen Dong (C), Liu Yang (R) and Cai Xuzhe (L), crew of the Shenzhou-14 spaceflight mission scheduled to be launched on June 5, attend a press conference at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Northwest Chinas Gansu Province on June 4, 2022.

According to CCTV.com, on Thursday, July 7, the three Chinese astronauts are preparing to launch several experiments as part of their space station exploration.

As we know, China's space station is currently engaging in scientific ventures. Since it can hold 25 experiment cabinets, there's a lot of room to showcase to discover interesting objects in the core module.

The Shenzhou-14 taikonauts will be assigned to carry out operations that will help them determine the condition of the space module. After the experiment, they can determine if space life will be suited for long-term travel.

To safely thrive in a different environment for half a year, the Chinese astronauts will install a special device to reduce the station's carbon dioxide levels.

The report says that the three astronauts had undergone several examinations and medical aid training to see if they were fit for the upcoming space mission.

Chen Dong, the commander of the three-man crew, has been testing out a spacesuit. This would be useful in monitoring if there will be no problem when they go to Wentian this month.

Interestingly, the taikonauts could make use of the experiment cabinets on the orbit core module. These would help the members to perform necessary tests on their bodies via "diverse online detection" methods. The techniques include microscopic imaging, fluorescence, and visible light.

It should be noted that the crew mission will allow the astronauts to engage in physical workouts. This experiment aims to decrease the microgravity exposure on the participants' bodies.

Last Tuesday, July 5, the Chinese space agency shared a clip of Liu Yang gathering paper stars inside a bottle. The female Chinese astronaut was spotted wearing a light pink waistcoat at the time. The video has garnered over 1.2 million views so far.

As per the deputy chief designer of the space mission, Wu Dawei, the three taikonauts are all young and lively with "good physical, operational, and psychological conditions."

Related Article: Three Chinese Astronauts Boarded Shenzhou 14 Finally Arrived at the Tiangong Space Station

China Moon Takeover

According to Aljazeera's report earlier this week, the chief of NASA grew worried following Beijing's claim that it would take over the moon to expand its aerospace program.

Bill Nelson, the current administrator of the international space agency, said that everyone should be concerned over China's ambition to use the moon for its space program.

China reportedly first landed on the lunar surface in 2013 in line with its first-ever unmanned mission.

Meanwhile, Chinese scientists have utilized a drag sail to remove the increasing junk in space, per Tech Times.

Read Also: Best Cameras For Astrophotography For Next-Level Stargazing

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Joseph Henry

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
WhatsApp will allow you to configure several existing chats in temporary at the same time
Tom Barton never imagined his thoughts on sex would stir up the Internet. How wrong he was.

'I'm an old man who has probably had my last sex, but that didn't turn me against it,' Barton wrote in a letter to the editor.
The West Baton Rouge Solar Farm being tied into Entergy has over 100,000 individual solar panels. Developers are eying new farms in St. James Parish, but officials want to develop new rules first and look at the costs and benefits of farms before approving new projects.
Carla Kimmel manually aliquots the samples to extract RNA from the viral trasport medium (VTM) as the state is running an almost 24-hour lab to try to keep up with the public health emergency caused by the Coronavirus Monday March 23, 2020, in Baton Rouge, La. The lab is in Baton Rouge and is handling a good amount of the Covid19 testing.
Barely two weeks have passed since US investment group Blackstone took control of Crown Resorts, but it is already remaking James Packers casino operator in its own image.

With Ziggy Switkowskis board removed with the handover last month, Blackstone appointed one of its seasoned casino executives, Bill McBeath, to take the chair.

McBeath had only just stepped down as chief executive of another Blackstone business - The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas - after it was handed to new owners in what was one of the most profitable deals in the investment groups history. It was reflected in the $US5,000 ($7,300) bonus handed to each of the casinos 5,400 employees.

New CEO of Crown Resorts, Ciaran Carruthers, has had an extensive career in Macau and family roots in Australia.

On Thursday, Crown announced that the executive who was parachuted in last year to turnaround the groups fortunes, former Lend Lease CEO Steve McCann, will be replaced in September by casino veteran, Ciaran Carruthers, who straddles two important geographies for Crown.
Bubs Australia has received formal confirmation from the Biden administration to position itself for a permanent presence in the US market, while it prepares for another pair of US-issued planes to carry thousands of infant formula tins to American parents in coming weeks.

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner Robert Califf confirmed overnight that it was creating a new long-term streamlined pathway for global infant formula manufacturers granted approval currently operating under the temporary enforcement discretion.

Pallets of Bubs baby formula sit ready for loading onto a cargo plane at Melbourne Airport last month. Credit:Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

Many of the companies providing these formula products have expressed interest in continuing to serve the American market permanently, Califf said in a statement.

These flexibilities have been successful in helping to bring safe and nutritionally adequate infant formula products into the US marketplace on a temporary basis to address the formula shortage.
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.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Your daughter wants to start dating and tonight theres a boy at the door. Opening it, your smile evaporates. He is scruffy, sullen and stares at his feet. In your culture, boys dress well and are good with mothers. Then it gets worse. Over his shoulder you see, gleaming in the streetlight, a motorbike, the rebels pride. On this he expects your daughter to climb, hoisting up her very best dress while trying to hide her undies. Meet Christina Alibrandi, mother to one of Australian literatures most feisty and indelible protagonists, Josephine Alibrandi. A teenage schoolgirl, Josie is just trying to get through one single year of youth, exams, boyfriends (motorbike optional) and parental complications. Melina Marchettas Looking for Alibrandi  reportedly the most stolen book from Australian high school libraries  has charmed, moved and entertained readers for 30 years. The story of a girl struggling to outrun the stifling expectations of an Italian-Australian neighbourhood became a family favourite for several generations. Melina Marchetta says of her motivation for writing <i>Looking for Alibrandi</i>, I never saw traces of my life in the books I read. Credit:Wolter Peeters Given Josie is the daughter of a single mother, shes heir to the shame of her conception out of wedlock  a shame laid on thicker than gnocchi by a suspicious Italian nonna and her judgmental compatriots. Theres a cabal of spying grandmothers who telephone each other to gossip about a granddaughter seen out in skimpy clothing or with a boy at the beach. Apart from the film released in 2000, Marchetta has fiercely guarded Alibrandi, rejecting all offers to adapt it  until now. Persuaded by Melbourne director Stephen Nicolazzo, she agreed to a new stage version, which premieres at the Malthouse Theatre this month, before travelling to Sydneys Belvoir. The idea germinated when Nicolazzo attended a directors lab in the United States, talking to peers about the work Australia produces. It opened a conversation in my head, what is the Australian story I have to tell? I had worked with Christos Tsiolkas and had been developing adaptations of canonical Australian novels and I thought long and hard about whats the story that has always touched me, and it was Alibrandi.

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Marchetta has given Nicolazzo free rein. For the plum role of Josie, there was never any doubt, he says. The film had starred a peppy Pia Miranda, but a 2022 audience was a different beast. Before the script was written I always knew Chanella Macri would play her. She is the 21st century Josephine Alibrandi. She is an Italian-Samoan woman who grew up in the west of Sydney. To me, thats who needs to be the representative of the questions raised by the play right now. Macri, whos in her 20s, grew up in white suburbia, the child of an Italian father and Samoan mother. By the time I was growing up, Italians were kind of exciting. Being Samoan was tricky, being brown was really hard. Being Italian was the equivalent to being white, but you ate better food. The books 30th anniversary may well spark renewed Alibrandi fervour. A new commemorative edition will be published in October, and Marchettas been asked to scrounge around under the bed for the original reviews that heralded a fresh, non-Anglo voice from the Sydney suburbs. When I wrote it, I was in a smaller world of believing that it would only be people like us relating to it. And of course, what weve all asked over the years is: who is people like us? Its not just about your cultural background, its about a whole lot of other things, which has been amazing. Looking back on Alibrandis instant success, she reflects on the conditions that allowed Josephines story to emerge. I was such an avid reader and I never saw traces of my life in the books I read  It was almost like, if I dont exist in the pages of books, it means that I dont exist in the outer world. Anglo Australia had yet to give voice to migrants beyond the occasional stereotypical portrayal. Yet Josies time had come. It came out at a time where there was very little out there to do with cultural diversity, Marchetta says. I was one of the few kids at school who came from an Italian background who had an English-speaking mother. My mother was born in Australia, but everyone elses parents were born overseas, Italian or Greek or Lebanese. So we were coming of age at that time and probably looking for something more than what was offered. It was also the rise of young adult fiction at that time.

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Coming of age crosses all cultures, guaranteeing the book universal appeal beyond its Italian wellspring. An 18-year-old who recommended the book to me said this is what it meant to her: Id just gone through a break-up and my first thought was, hang on, theres that great book about the magic age of 17, and so I rushed to cram it in before I turned 18, to catch the main character on that arc. It was wonderful, it felt like I had a friend. Melina Marchetta in 1994, two years after the book was published. Credit:Sahlan Hayes And yet Alibrandi can become a favourite even if youre neither 17 nor Italian. Marchetta is gratified, yet modest, about the wide appeal of what ostensibly seems a youthful odyssey. What surprises me now is that it has stood the test of time, that a young person today can relate to this book so much. There was no social media, its such a different world. I think that regardless of whether or not youre from an Anglo background, theres an aspect of you that always feels as if you do not belong. Josie is caught between Sicily and Sydney  where does she belong? Her heartfelt soul-searching provides many of the books comical moments, from hurling a science book at a rival to cheating on a walkathon, complete with the icy rage of nuns in sneakers. What surprises me now is that a young person today can relate to this book so much. Melina Marchetta The best description of Josie is of course Italian  she lives con brio, with verve. Shes tempestuous and funny. Loving, but a brat. Throwing meatloaf in the sink in a fit of rage, she silences her mother with: too much oregano anyway. Marchetta began the book in her late teens and the language captures the white heat of smart hormonal adolescents  sass not lost on imdb.com which includes a long list of zesty quotes on its Alibrandi film page (Marchetta wrote the screenplay). Josie is confused by family secrets and resents the born-to-rule rich kids at her school, with their unthinking racism: Money, prestige and what your father did for a living counted. If your hair wasnt in a bob or if your mother didnt drive a Volvo you were a nobody.

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Loading At home, Josies nonna seems unfathomably harsh  but when stories of the past emerge, she learns about the young Italian brides left alone in the bush while their husbands were off cutting cane, and abandoned even further when the men were interned during wartime. They were young mothers in a rough place where snakes slithered across the dirt floors and little boys drowned in creeks. Making tomato sauce is a communion as the old ladies reminisce. When its Italians reading about tomato day, theyre thinking I never thought anyone else went through that, Marchetta says. So theres that idea that when youre young you think no one else is going through this. And of course everyones going through it, they just dont speak about it. The rapid success that followed the books release was at first overwhelming, but Marchetta still held down jobs in retail and later teaching, where she actually found herself teaching her own book to boys when Alibrandi was on the school curriculum. Did they read it differently from girls? I think they saw aspects of their own life, she says. Feeling that she doesnt belong, being suffocated by family. Their ideals and expectations. I think it was that aspect of the story that they related to, the rules that they had to deal with at school. Pia Miranda, Elena Cotta and Greta Scacchi in a still from the film <i>Looking for Alibrandi</i>. Credit: Thirty years on, she thinks a reader might now be shaped by prevailing notions of consent, even domestic violence. It was always fascinating having a discussion with the boys about one scene, whether Josie should have gone into the bedroom with a boy. And I think, well, none of that has dated. Marchetta says she resisted Alibrandi adaptations for so long because she was worried about how it would be interpreted. You dont want it to move away from the spirit of that original. With Nicolazzo, it was different. He arrived in Sydney, they had coffee in an Italian cafe and the stories flowed.

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We are not the same. I mean, Italians have come from different regions, they have different dialects. But I loved that he spoke about his cultural background. Then he started sending me a few examples of Vidyas writing and I just loved it. Vidya Rajan had the tall order of writing a theatrical script. It didnt step away from the sassiness or the energy of Alibrandi, but it was its own animal, Marchetta says. I dont want to see a replica of what I wrote all those years ago. I just trusted Stephen and of course then COVID happened and it kept on getting put off. The delay fortuitously took the production into the 30th anniversary year. Although diversity is now much more a clarion call than it was 30 years ago, Nicolazzo says racism still stings. I was always ashamed of being a wog as a child and a teenager in the late 1990s and 2000s, he says. I was the first person in my family to go to university, so I could relate to Josies struggle, the aspirations and expectations of redefining what your family looks like. Ashley Lyons as Michael Andretti with Chanella Macri as Josie Alibrandi. Credit:Tamarah Scott Is Australian culture and literature now better at telling different stories? I still think theres room for more, he says. Yes, we have Alice Pung and incredible writers like Melina and Christos still writing, but I still think those stories are rare, especially on stage. Literary circles have developed at a faster pace with those stories. Now the theatre world is catching up. He suggests Alibrandi readers might find different shades to its themes in his 2022 version. Weve focused on giving airtime to grandmother, mother and Josie. Its not a teen flick. This is about the generations of women, which makes it more contemporary, and the adult concerns Josie faces particularly when it comes to sexuality and desire, the shame around that. Two genuinely shocking events towards the end of the book give it a powerful crescendo. The sweetness and confusion are curdled by lies. As 18 comes into view, we walk with Josie on her prickly path towards adulthood.

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As Rihanna overtakes Kylie Jenner as the youngest woman on the Forbes list of self-made billionaires it might appear that celebrity beauty brands are powering ahead, driven by the collective power of social media and global name recognition.

In 2022, the beauty market is absolutely heaving with celebrity beauty brands. Theres Lady Gagas Haus Labs, Harry Styles Pleasing, Hailey Biebers Rhode (the brand is currently being sued for copyright infringement), Selena Gomezs Rare Beauty, Drew Barrymores Flower Beauty and Scarlett Johanssens The Outset. Theres also JLO Beauty by Jennifer Lopez, Florence by Mills by Millie Bobby Brown, Kora Organics by Miranda Kerr...the list goes on.

Lady Gaga, Hailey Bieber and Scarlett Johansson have all launched their own beauty brands. Credit:Haus Laboratories/Rhode Beauty/The Outset

But ubiquity isnt always a sign of popularity, and it seems that consumers are losing faith in the celebrity beauty brand.

Two brands stand out as laying the blueprint for other celebrities to start their own. In 2015, Kylie Jenner launched Kylie Lip Kits (now called Kylie Cosmetics). The line of liquid lipsticks tapped into the reality stars infamous pouty lips, which she maintained were the result of clever make-up application, rather than cosmetic surgery, and used her huge social media following to get customers. The brand generated $370 million in sales in its first year, and in 2019, Forbes estimated its worth to be at least $900 million. And while a 2020 Forbes report found that Jenner had exaggerated the scale of its earnings and was not in fact the billionaire she claimed to be, the 22-year-old is still worth a cool $600 million.
Disruption to Sydneys rail network will drag on for at least another day, despite unions agreeing to a further easing of industrial action that threatened to blow out the cost of a new metro rail line by hundreds of millions of dollars.

The Fair Work Commission is on Friday expected to hand down a crucial decision on the NSW governments bid to terminate ongoing industrial action by rail workers after weeks of disruption to the transport network.

Train commuters face further disruptions on Friday. Credit:Louise Kennerley

While unions have eased their bans on operating foreign-built trains, only 60 per cent of services are set to run on Friday, as the government remains locked in a prolonged stoush with rail workers over wages and the safety of a new intercity fleet.

Further union concessions were made shortly before a Fair Work Commission hearing on Thursday, where the government is attempting to terminate industrial action by rail workers, arguing the cost to the states economy would run into the tens of millions of dollars.
Brett Guthrey gave up trying to clear flood debris from his fruit trees after the Nepean River last broke its banks in April. Just as well. This week, the river spilled over his property for the fourth time this year, raging floodwaters ripping through the third-generation farmers persimmon orchard and upending many of his trees.

Brett Guthrey at Kathleen Haven persimmon farm among the damaged trees from recent floods. Credit:Louise Kennerley

Weve got trees that have been pushed over just from the force of the water, he said. Its just been unrelenting.

Vegetable crops wiped out by this weeks floods wont grow back for months, putting even more strain on already-high food prices. But for Guthrey and other fruit growers on the fertile banks of the Hawkesbury and Nepean rivers, it will take years to replace trees uprooted by the wild weather.

The trees themselves take eight years to get a piece of fruit, and then its 15 years before you get a crop, said Guthrey, who supplies the niche persimmon trade across Australias east coast.
Thousands of flood victims across NSW returned home on Friday amid better weather conditions with emergency leaders turning their attention to preventing the next major flooding event for the state.

Resilience NSW boss Shane Fitzsimmons said teams of just under 1000 had arrived en masse in flood-affected regions over recent days to begin the long clean-up effort.

A man cleaning a driveway in an area affected by floods in Moorebank, in western Sydney, on Monday. Credit:Flavio Brancaleone

Almost 40,000 people are still subject to evacuation orders throughout the Hawkesbury-Nepean area, the Central Coast and parts of the Lower Hunter, but as river levels continue to drop in the regions, more residents are being allowed back home.

About 50,000 residents across the state are now under return with caution to homes orders.
A South Australian programs huge success in saving endangered sea lions has highlighted a stark gap in scientific progress between it and Western Australia when it comes to how many animals could be dying as a result of the commercial shark fishing that serves Perth people their Friday night fishnchips.

More than 250 South Australian sea lions were known to be dying each year, unintentionally caught in gillnets in its major shark fishery, but the program that began supervising all catches and phasing out gillnets has now averted almost all of these deaths.

The playful and curious creature, often known as the dog of the sea, is now listed as an endangered species. Credit:Vanessa Mignon

Meanwhile in Western Australia, the southern shark fishery self-reports interactions with sea lions and while the population is known to have declined enormously there is little local research into the issue.

The Commonwealth managed Gillnet Hook and Trap Fishery in South Australia recorded an estimated 98 per cent reduction in sea lion bycatch mortality rates, new research has found.
Three weeks ago, on the day that British Home Secretary Priti Patel approved the extradition of the WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange to America  for trial under the US Espionage Act  guards entered Assanges cell in Belmarsh prison. He was strip-searched, then locked in a bare cell and put on enhanced suicide watch.

This is the kind of thing Julian has no control over, his wife, Stella Assange, tells me. Assange, she says, is usually locked in his cell for more than 20 hours a day. So he was even more isolated than usual [while] processing that news. And then he was eventually moved back after two or three days and his cell had been searched.

Stella Assange speaks to supporters outside Belmarsh prison after marrying Julian Assange. Credit:Getty

Assange has been held in Belmarsh since April 2019, when he was dragged out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London. He had spent seven increasingly surreal years there, after skipping bail to avoid extradition to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual assault. The charges were later dropped.

For Stella, too, Patels decision was the latest blow in her relationship with Assange that, by any standards, has been extraordinary. For much of the 11 years she has been involved with Assange he has been in a condition of captivity  self-imposed as it was at the Ecuadorian embassy, where their two children, aged three and five, were conceived; and in Belmarsh, where the couple married in March. Unsurprisingly, she believes his detention is a travesty of justice and today sees the latest attempt by his supporters to put his side of the story, with the release of a documentary. Ithaka: A Father, a Family, a Fight for Justice chronicles Assanges battle against extradition through the eyes of his wife and his 75-year-old father, John Shipton.
Hes finished. Theres no way he will survive this, said Lord Heseltine, the grand old man of Britains ruling Conservative Party. He was talking about Prime Minister Boris Johnsons latest self-inflicted wound, and hes an expert in such matters: it was Heseltine who brought down that other Conservative hero, Margaret Thatcher.

And on Thursday, Johnson has finally bowed to the inevitable. Hes agreed to resign, though he is attempting to delay his departure until autumn.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street to attend a questions and answers session in parliament on Wednesday. Credit:Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

In the previous two days, a succession of more than 50 Conservative Party colleagues  senior and junior minister and MPs  resigned form their posts, demanding his exit. They included two of the most senior ministers in Johnsons cabinet, Chancellor of the Exchequer (finance minister) Rishi Sunak and health minister Sajid Javid, who quit upon hearing Johnsons latest lies. Another senior minister, Simon Hart, resigned on Wednesday and yesterday a fourth and fifth, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis and newly appointed Education Minister Michelle Donelan, quit to force Johnson out.

Javids resignation letter was particularly brutal: I can no longer, in good conscience, continue serving in this government ... The tone you set as leader, and the values you represent, reflect on your colleagues, your party, and ultimately the country ... This situation will not change under your leadership - and you have therefore lost my confidence.
Manhattan Theatre Club and the Young Vic Theatre will present the Broadway premiere of Anthony McCarten's The Collaboration, beginning performances Tuesday, November 29 ahead of a Tuesday, December 20 opening at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

Kwame Kwei-Armah will direct the drama, which stars Jeremy Pope as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Paul Bettany as Andy Warhol. The two actors starred in the recent Young Vic production in the same roles.

In the summer of 1984, longtime international superstar Andy Warhol and the art scene's newest wunderkind, Jean-Michel Basquiat, agree to work together on what may be the most talked about exhibition in the history of modern art. But can these two creative giants co-exist, or even thrive?

Additional cast and creative team is still to be announced.
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Proud Mom Marks Milestones for Miracle Twins Who Were Conceived 1 Week Apart in Rare Event
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, flanked by state and local law enforcement officials, speaks to media in Eagle Pass, Texas, on June 29, 2022. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Abbott Invokes Invasion Powers to Return Illegal Immigrants to Ports of Entry

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott took an unprecedented step on July 7 toward mitigating the border crisis, issuing an executive order that directs state law enforcement officers to apprehend illegal immigrants and return them to a port of entry at an international bridge.

I  do hereby authorize and empower the Texas National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety to respond to this illegal immigration by apprehending immigrants who cross the border between ports of entry or commit other violations of federal law, and to return those illegal immigrants to the border at a port of entry, Abbotts executive order states.

The order comes two days after five Texas counties declared the crisis an invasion and urged Abbott to respond at the state level, using his constitutional powers.

Abbott states that the Biden administration has abandoned the covenant, in Article IV, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution, that [t]he United States . . . shall protect each [State in this Union] against Invasion.'

In response, the governor can call on state military forces under Article IV, Section 7 of the Texas Constitution, as well as relevant sections of the Texas Government Code.

President [Joe] Bidens failure to protect our border has necessitated action by the State of Texas to ensure public safety and to defend against violations of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, Abbott stated in the order.

The cartels have become emboldened and enriched by President Bidens open border policies, smuggling in record numbers of people, weapons, and deadly drugs like fentanyl, he said in an accompanying statement.

Border Patrol agents have apprehended more than 2 million illegal immigrants entering Texas from Mexico since Biden took office in January 2021, according to Customs and Border Protection data.

Along the whole southwest border during the same timeframe, agents have detected, but not captured, at least 850,000 illegal immigrants, known as gotaways.

President Biden has refused to enforce the immigration laws enacted by Congress, including statutes mandating detention of certain immigrants who have claimed asylum or committed a crime, Abbott stated in his executive order.

President Bidens reckless refusal to secure the border will provide material support to the cartels, allow them to smuggle more dangerous people, drugs, and weapons into Texas, and embolden cartel gunmen to continue shooting at state and federal officials.

Last week, Kinney County Sheriff Brad Coe drove four illegal aliens to the international bridge in Eagle Pass, Texas, and released them back to Mexico after Border Patrol was unable to take them into custody.

Kinney County was one of the five counties to declare an invasion on July 5, along with Goliad, Terrell, Edwards, and Jeff Davis. Presidio County signed a similar declaration on July 7.

Kinney County Attorney Brent Smith said, prior to Abbotts announcement, that he expected up to 25 Texas counties to declare an invasion by the end of July.

The directives of this order simply result in illegal aliens being detained in Texas and being released in Texas, Smith said of Abbotts move.

Without declaring an invasion and invoking the self defense clause under Article 1, the lawlessness and violence occurring on our border with Mexico will continue.

National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd said in a previous interview that Abbott should absolutely invoke his powers under the Constitution to call the border crisis an invasion and respond accordingly.

Were at a breaking point. Weve got miles upon miles of border that just arent patrolled because we have to deal with, frankly, an invasion, Judd told The Epoch Times on April 15.

When youre dealing with over 200,000 illegal border crossings per month, I dont know how you dont call it anything but that.

Customs and Border Protection didnt respond by press time to a request for comment from The Epoch Times, or if the agency plans to support the return of illegal aliens at the international bridges.

A legal opinion published by Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich on Feb. 7 addresses the invasion question. The opinion centers around the definitions of actually invaded and invasion and whether the federal government has been derelict in its duty to protect.

The on-the-ground violence and lawlessness at Arizonas border caused by cartels and gangs is extensive, well-documented, and persistent. It can satisfy the definition of actually invaded and invasion under the U.S. Constitution, the opinion reads.

Abbotts office didnt respond by press time to a question from The Epoch Times asking if he expects the executive order to be met with legal challenges from the federal government.

UPDATE: Adds quote from Kinney County Attorney Brent Smith.

CORRECTION: The original version of this article stated that illegal immigrants would be returned to Mexico, instead they will be returned to the ports of entry on the U.S. side of the border. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
Robert Crimo III poses for a mugshot in Waukegan, Ill., in an undated image. (Lake County Sheriffs Office via Getty Images)

Accused Illinois Gunmans Dad Says Son Discussed Mass Shooting Day Before Attack

Robert Crimo Jr. sponsored son's application for a firearm owners card

The man accused of carrying out a mass shooting in Illinois on July 4 discussed a shooting the night prior, his father said in a new interview after authorities said theyre opening a criminal investigation into the father.

Robert Crimo Jr., the father, told The New York Post that he and his son, Robert Crimo III, spoke the evening before the Independence Day shooting about the mass shooting in Denmark that had just taken place.

He goes, Yeah, that guy is an idiot. Thats what he said! Crimo Jr. said.

People like that  [commit mass shootings] to amp up the people that want to ban all guns, Crimo III also said, according to his father.

Crimo Jr. said he was shocked that his son apparently killed seven people and injured others by firing on a parade in Highland Park, just outside Chicago, speculating that Crimo III had a psychiatric break or something.

I had not an inkling, warning, that this was going to happen, Crimo Jr. told ABC News. He said his son seemed to be in a great mood the night before the attack.

Crimo III, 21, was taken into custody in Lake Forest, Illinois, hours after the shooting. He was charged with seven counts of murder, and he faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. Crimo III, who hasnt yet entered a plea, was ordered held without bond in a hearing on July 6.

The Lake County Public Defenders Office, which is representing the accused, referred a request to comment to Lake County, which didnt respond to a query.

Law enforcement authorities have said little about the accused shooters motivation for carrying out the attack. But they said he confessed to the crime, and that an investigation showed he drove to Madison, Wisconsin, after the shooting and contemplated another attack before driving back to Illinois.

A mural on the back of Robert Crimo IIIs home in Highland Park, Ill., on July 6, 2022. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)

Father Under Scrutiny

Crimo III obtained five firearms legally after turning 18, officials have said. Crimo Jr. passed a background check each time he went to get a weapon, according to the Illinois State Police (ISP).

Crimo III obtained a Firearm Owners Identification Card despite being the subject of a Clear and Present Danger report in 2019. Officers were told that Crimo III stated that he was going to kill everyone and had a collection of 16 knives, a dagger, and a samurai sword in his closet.

But officers couldnt find evidence to substantiate the report and no one, including family members, was willing to provide information on threats or mental health that would have allowed law enforcement to take additional action, according to the ISP, which was informed of the interaction with the Crimo family.

The process is so dependent upon the people that may be closest around the individual of concern, ISP Director Brendan Kelly said at a July 6 news conference.

Crimo Jr. claimed the knives were his and were being stored in his sons closet for safekeeping.

Crimo Jr. told ABC that the situation was taken out of context, describing his sons language at the time as a childs outburst and identifying the person who alerted law enforcement as the suspects sister.

State law requires parental consent for a person under the age of 21 to obtain a card. Crimo Jr., several months after the law enforcement visit to the familys home, sponsored his sons application for the firearm owners card. Each sponsor must sign a form saying they understand they shall be liable for any damages resulting from the minor applicants use of firearms or firearm ammunition.

While Lake County State Attorney Eric Rinehart, a prosecutor, declined on July 6 to say whether relatives of Crimo III could face charges, Kelly indicated hours later that he may be prosecuted, depending on what the investigation uncovers.

Crimo Jr. told ABC he doesnt regret sponsoring his son, and Steve Greenberg, a lawyer representing Crimo Jr. and Crimo IIIs mother, has attempted to shift blame to the police, questioning why the application was approved.

The system is trying to make this about parenting, Greenberg said on Twitter. It is up to ISP to decide if the individual is competent to own a gun.
Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald speaks during the AFN annual general meeting, in Vancouver, on July 5, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck)

AFN Delegates Expected to Vote on National Chiefs Suspension as Convention Closes

VANCOUVERIts the last day of the Assembly of First Nations annual gathering Vancouver and the issue of leadership still hasnt been solved.

Chiefs are expected to vote today on an emergency resolution that calls for National Chief RoseAnne Archibald to be reinstated after a vote of nonconfidence in her leadership was withdrawn from the assembly yesterday.

Archibald was suspended last month by the executive committee while an investigation was launched into four complaints against her by her staff.

However, Archibald says she was ousted for trying to investigate corruption within the AFN and has called for a forensic audit of the organization.

Issues of the Popes visit, indigenous rights, housing, and other priorities had been expected to dominate the agenda.

Federal cabinet ministers Marc Miller, Patty Hajdu, and David Lametti are all scheduled to speak to the more than 2,400 delegates today.
New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Eric Adams joins hundreds of police, fire, hospital, and other first responders in a ticker-tape parade along the Canyon of Heroes to honor the essential workers who helped navigate New York through COVID-19 on July 7, 2021. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Aide to NYC Mayor Eric Adams Robbed at Gunpoint

New York City Mayor Eric Adams aide was reportedly robbed in broad daylight by two men, one of them apparently armed, in Brooklyn on July 5.

According to NBC New York, a civilian member of Adams advance team was mugged at 10:30 a.m. while walking near Hudson and York.

The alleged muggers advanced toward the mayors aide and asked for his belongings, eventually taking his wallet and mobile phone.

The New York Post reported that both the suspects were black males, one of them wearing sunglasses and a mask.

You dont want to do this. I work for the mayor, the aide reportedly told the robbers.

They ignored him and one of the men lifted his shirt to show a gun.

Christopher Baugh, the 33-year-old aide, was pushed to the ground and had his city-issued phone and wallet with five credit cards taken, police said.

One of the robbers then reportedly left on a Citi Bike.

Police search for a suspect in a Times Square subway station in New York City following a call to police from riders on April 25, 2022. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Democratic political consultant Hank Sheinkopf told the New York Post that this was an inauspicious event for the future of New York City.

New Yorkers would feel a lot better if the muggers were afraid of committing a crime against a mayors staffer. They were not, Sheinkopf said.

Thats all you need to know. New Yorkers are going to feel less safe.

Crime is up by almost 40 percent in NYC compared to the same period in 2021, despite Adams stated intentions to curb crime in the city.

The Epoch Times reached out to New York City Hall for comment.
Cattle stand on the bank of a farm dam in north west New South Wales, Australia, on May 4, 2020. (Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Australia Tightens Biosecurity Measures to Stop Foot And Mouth Disease

Australian authorities are taking precautions to prevent foot and mouth disease (FMD) from entering the country.

Starting from July 7, whenever a flight arrives from Indonesia, a biosecurity officer will board the aircraft and play a message about FMD issues.

One hundred per cent of travellers arriving from Indonesia will now be assessed against biosecurity risk profiles and receive some form of intervention. Australias Chief Veterinarian Mark Schipp said in comments obtained by AAP.

That might be they have their luggage X-rayed. They might be interviewed by a biosecurity officer.

The new measure is implemented following the detection of the highly contagious livestock disease in Bali, a popular holiday destination for Australians.

Authorities will also deploy detector dogs at Darwin and Cairns airports and are considering foot dips for passengers arriving from Indonesia.

However, Schipp noted this approach was not ideal because of the chemicals used.

They are very potent chemicals. You cant get them on your skin, and a lot of passengers coming back from Bali, for example, are not wearing boots, he said

A worker sprays disinfectant a livestock against foot-and-mouth disease in Lambaro, Indonesia, on May 19, 2022. (Chaideer Mahyuddin/AFP via Getty Images)

Schipp hoped most of the approaches adopted for quarantine could prevent any transmission.

I believe we will be able to keep it out well into the future  if we were to get an incursion, it would have devastating consequences for Australian agriculture, he said. And for that reason, we need to treat it very, very seriously.

The Huge Economic Consequences of FMD

If the disease spread to Australia, it would cost the livestock industry an estimated $80 billion (about US$54.5 billion).

Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said on July 6 that the government had strengthened biosecurity at major airports receiving flights from Indonesia.

At present, higher-risk passengers on all flights from Indonesia were flagged for screening.

Australian biosecurity and particularly the threat posed by FMD is a top priority, Watt said in a statement.

High-level discussions have been occurring on an ongoing basis between Australian and Indonesian authorities as well as with local industry.

National Farmers Federation president Fiona Simson welcomed the newly introduced biosecurity measures, noting the industry had been on edge since FMD was detected in Bali.

We are relieved to see the government respond to calls by industry to ramp up biosecurity through detector dogs, greater communications material for travellers and further biosecurity staff training.

If it were to spread, Chief Vet Schipp said the government would compensate farmers.

The disease affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs, with symptoms including blisters on the mouth and drooling or limping animals.

While FMD does not pose a risk to human health, it is severely detrimental to animal health and trade.

A vaccine is currently available for FMD. However, under existing trade rules, vaccinated animals cannot be exported.
The smallest baby ever to be born, and survive, in one Indiana hospitals NICU has finally been discharged after 6 1/2 months. She headed home with her elated parents and has been doing well.

Baby Audrey was born to first-time parents Brooke and Tim Mead of Southwest Michigan on Thanksgiving, 2021. She weighed just 10.9 ounces (310 grams) at birth.

(Courtesy of Brooke Mead)

Brooke, who learned that she was pregnant with Audrey in July 2021, told The Epoch Times that she experienced a normal pregnancy until an anatomy scan around 20 weeks flagged some issues.

Audrey was measuring a few weeks behind, and I had a spot on my placenta that we later found was dead tissue from having preeclampsia, she explained. My blood pressure was slightly elevated, and became dangerous around 22 weeks.

(Courtesy of Brooke Mead)

(Courtesy of Brooke Mead)

Brooke was admitted to Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana, for preeclampsia which developed into HELLP syndrome, a rare pregnancy complication. A week after her admission, she gave birth emergently via Caesarean section.

Baby Audrey was one of the smallest babies the NICU had ever delivered. She had a chronic lung disease and a rare eye disorder due to her prematurity. Her prognosis was worrying.

(Courtesy of Brooke Mead)

Initially, my husband and I were terrified, said Brooke, who works at Memorial Hospital. We were told there was a 30 to 50 percent chance of survival for her. We prayed to God every day that she would make it.

Baby Audrey was on a ventilator for three months. Her hands-on parents were very involved in her care at the NICU, changing diapers, helping with oral care, reading and talking, and practicing kangaroo care for skin-to-skin contact.

From the beginning, Audrey was very active, and that gave us hope, said Brooke.

(Courtesy of Brooke Mead)

Audrey was transferred to Advocate Childrens Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois, to be treated for the eye disease retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and spent a total of 6 1/2 months in hospital before being discharged on June 6, 2022.

Grateful parents Brooke and Tim thanked their hospital care teams, and after three weeks at home with her baby, Brooke claimed Audrey was doing great!

(Courtesy of Brooke Mead)

(Courtesy of Brooke Mead)

The Meads first met in high school in 2011. Both attended Southwestern Michigan CollegeBrooke earned an associate degree in medical assisting, Tim in accountingand married in 2019.

The homecoming of their record-breaking baby girl is also a huge victory for Memorial Hospital staffers, who will miss her presence in the NICU. During her stay, Audrey earned the nickname The Secret-Keeper among her nurses.

NICU nurse Emily Fredericks told WNDU, Wed come in and hold her, read her stories. She knows all the drama, all the gossip, so were really, really gonna miss her around here.

(Courtesy of Brooke Mead)

Dr. Basharat Buchh, MD, Audreys NICU doctor, added: Not everybody that is born in the NICU, or taken care of in the NICU, does well. But its moments like these, the days that kids like that go home, that keep us going, give us immense joy.

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
Sunlight glints off of the wing of a Boeing 737 MAX 10 airplane parked at King County International Airport-Boeing Field in this aerial view in Seattle, Wash., on June 1, 2022. (Lindsey Wasson/Reuters)

Boeing CEO Says Planemaker Could Be Forced to Cancel 737 MAX 10: Aviation Week

WASHINGTONBoeing Chief Executive Dave Calhoun told Aviation Week in an interview that the planemaker could be forced to cancel the 737 Max 10 over potential regulatory issues.

Boeing has a December deadline to win approval for the 737 MAX 10the largest member of its best-selling single-aisle airplane family. Otherwise, it must meet new cockpit alerting requirements under a 2020 law, unless Congress waives it. Calhouns comments could put more pressure on Congress.

If you go through the things weve been through, the debts that weve had to accumulate, our ability to respond, or willingness to see things through even a world without the -10 is not that threatening, Calhoun told Aviation Week, adding that he does not expect to cancel the 737 MAX 10 but said, its just a risk.

A Boeing spokeswoman confirmed the accuracy of Calhouns quotes and reiterated the planemaker is working transparently with the (Federal Aviation Administration) to provide the information they need, and are committed to meeting their expectations and those of our customers to certify and deliver the 737-10.

The 2022 deadline was mandated by Congress as part of broader regulatory reforms at the FAA after fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 killed 346 people.

Boeing has more than 640 orders for MAX 10 planes from 17 airlines, Aviation Week said. In June 2021, United Airlines said it would order another 150 MAX 10s.

In March, the FAA warned Boeing it may not win certification of the MAX 10 by the end of the year and asked the company to provide a mature certification schedule. Boeing declined to comment on its current certification schedule.

Unlike other Boeing aircraft, the 737 lacks the Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System known as EICAS.

Missing the deadline could require Boeing to revamp the jets crew alerting system and mean separate pilot training.

Calhoun told Aviation Week: I think our case is persuasive enough.  This is a risk Im willing to take. If I lose the fight, I lose the fight.

By David Shepardson
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses the nation as he announces his resignation outside 10 Downing Street on July 7, 2022. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Boris Johnson Announces Resignation as UK Prime Minister

Boris Johnson has finally announced he is stepping down as prime minister after the resignation of more than 50 government ministers, including a Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, whose successor Nadhim Zahawi, then called for his boss to do the right thing and go.

Johnson, standing at a podium in Downing Street with his wife Carrie and his baby daughter Romy behind him, said, Its clearly the will of the Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of the party and a new prime minister.

He thanked those who voted for the Tories in December 2019 and he said the reason he had held on for so long to the job was because of the mandate he received in that election.

Johnson said it was painful to give up the job of prime minister but he said nobody was indispensible.

On Wednesday Johnson, 58, had vowed to soldier on, after admitting it was a mistake to keep Chris Pincher on as a government whip despite sexual misconduct allegations against him.

After receiving a hostile grilling at Prime Ministers Question Time, and then before the House of Commons Liaison Committee, he was lobbied by Michael Gove and several other Cabinet ministers who urged him to resign.

But Johnson then sacked Gove as Secretary of State for Levelling Up and appeared determined to carry on, having told MPs earlier he had a mandate from the general election victory of December 2019 and would continue to deliver on the Conservative Partys manifesto promises.

Crowds gather at the gates of Downing Street in preparation for a resignation speech from Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Downing Street in London on July 7, 2022. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

On Thursday morning Nadhim Zahawi, who had been appointed chancellor less than 48 hours before following Sunaks resignation, turned on Johnson, writing on Twitter: This is not sustainable and it will only get worse: for you, for the Conservative Party and most importantly of all the country. You must do the right thing and go now.

Then, at lunchtime on Thursday, Johnson finally confirmed he would be resigning, triggering a leadership contest in the Conservative Party.

Conservative Party Set for Leadership Contest

Johnson will remain as prime minister until a leadership election takes place in the ruling Conservative Party.

Among the front-runners will be Sunak and former Health Secretary Sajid Javid, but the Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is expected to be in the running, along with Attorney General Suella Braverman, and possibly Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and trade minister Penny Mordaunt.

When a new leader has been chosen Johnsonthe 14th prime minister of Queen Elizabeth IIs 70-year reignwill visit the head of state at Buckingham Palace to formally tender his resignation.

The scandal over Chris Pincher had proved to be the final straw for many of his Cabinet colleagues, who had backed him in a vote of confidence over the partygate scandal last month.

That votewhich he won by 211 votes to 148followed the publication on May 25 of civil servant Sue Grays report into COVID-19 breaches in Downing Street and the remarks by the prime ministers ethics adviser Lord Geidt that Johnson may have breached the ministerial code by attending parties during the pandemic.

Johnson was famous for being a big picture prime minister who had a vision for the country but was prone to forgetting or ignoring details. That proved to be his undoing.

Pincher, MP for Tamworth, resigned from the whips office on June 30 and had his Conservative Party membership suspended over the alleged groping of two male guests at a private members club on June 29.

The allegations put Downing Street under pressure to explain why Pincher, who had resigned as a junior whip in November 2017 following a complaint that he made an unwanted pass at the former Olympic rower and Conservative candidate Alex Story, was given the job of deputy chief whip in February this year.

Chris Pincher, then minister of state in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pictured in Downing Street, London, on Feb. 8, 2022. (Aaron Chown /PA Media)

Downing Street previously said Johnson did not know about any specific allegations against Pincher before appointing him, but said on Tuesday Johnson had been briefed about a formal investigation against Pincher in 2019 but forgot about it last week.

Johnson, a former journalist and mayor of London, was elected MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip in 2015, and the following year threw his hat in the ring when David Cameron resigned as prime minister after the Brexit referendum.

Theresa May got the top job instead and she made Johnson her foreign secretary, but he resigned from that job and in the summer of 2019 finally became prime minister after May resigned after being unable to push a Brexit deal through Parliament.

Johnson Won a Landslide Victory in December 2019

Johnson won a landslide victory for the Conservatives in the December 2019 general election but only four months later Britain was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, which devastated the economy and disrupted many of the plans in his party manifesto.

Javid, in his resignation letter on Tuesday, told Johnson: The tone you set as a leader, and the values you represent, reflect on your colleagues, your party, and ultimately the country.

In Sunaks letter of resignation he said: Our country is facing immense challenges. We both want a low-tax, high-growth economy, and world-class public services, but this can only be responsibly delivered if we are prepared to work hard, make sacrifices, and take difficult decisions.

News of Johnsons imminent resignation boosted the pound earlier on Thursday; it was up 0.6 percent at $1.198.
Canadian Doctors Performing Abortions for Americans Could Face Legal Action in US, Organization Says

An organization that provides legal defence and liability protection for Canadian doctors is raising the possibility that those who choose to provide abortion services to Americans may be subjected to legal action from certain jurisdictions in the United States.

The Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA), a non-profit that advises and assists physicians facing legal issues, says doctors have been calling them to ask about the implications that will arise if they provide abortions for patients coming from the United States.

The CMPA is aware that some states are contemplating legislation that would potentially allow for criminal charges and civil legal actions to be brought against healthcare providers who provide abortions to residents out of the state (even where the care is delivered outside of the state), the association said in a press release issued on July 5.

If this legislation is implemented, physicians in Canada who provide abortions for American patients from states where abortion is illegal and where such legislation exists could face criminal charges/civil actions in the U.S.

On June 24, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, a case involving an abortion law in Mississippi. Roe v. Wade had largely enabled abortions up to 24 weeks of pregnancy across the United States for nearly 50 years. The overturning of Roe returns regulation of the procedure back to the states.

The CMPA said given that several states have already taken steps to restrict access to abortion, it is possible that some American patients will seek the service in Canada.

The association also told members that they are eligible for assistance if legal action brought against them originates in Canada, but not if it arises across the border.

We therefore encourage you to consider whether you need to obtain additional liability protection for medico-legal matters brought in the U.S. if you wish to provide this service to American patients coming to Canada, the release said.

Mimi Nguyen Ly contributed to this report
The Biden administration is working to resume the Obama-era DACA immigration law. It grants protected status to people who entered the United States illegally as children. A Texas court recently deemed this illegal, but now the White House is appealing that ruling. Immigration experts have gathered in Washington to discuss this and more.

With politics in full play when it comes to the border crisis, how big of a factor will illegal immigration play when it comes to the upcoming fall elections? Texas Congressman Michael Cloud joins us to discuss.

Arizona has a new law requiring voters to prove that they are U.S. citizens, but the Biden administration disagrees. The Justice Department is now suing Arizona over the law.

President Joe Biden is in Ohio touting his economic plan and something that he says will protect pension checks for millions of Americans, as his approval ratings continue to suffer over his handling of the economy.

Highland Park shooting suspect Robert Crimo appeared in court. Law enforcement officials say he has confessed to the killing spree, and prosecutors say they will file more charges.

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Carrie Lam Least Popular Chief Executive of Hong Kong: Poll

Outgoing Hong Kong Chief Executive, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-Ngor, whose five-year term ended on June 30 this year, has the lowest approval rating of any governor or previous chief executive of the city, according to a recent poll.

The Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (HKPORI) held a press conference on June 7 to announce the results of its survey, Summary of the Interim Sentiments of One Country, Two Systems for the 25th Anniversary.

According to the survey, Carrie Lam is the lowest-ranked chief executive in Hong Kongs 25-year history with a 39.1 percent approval rating. The highest ranked Hong Kong leader was Donald Tsang Yam-kuen with 58.1 percent, followed by Hong Kongs last governor, Chris Patten 56.9 percent, Tung Chee-hwa 51.9 percent, and Leung Chun-ying 43.6 percent.

In a press release issued on the same day, HKPORI said that according to the standards of the Hong Kong Institute, no official in Hong Kong was considered to be performing well or performing successfully, and Carrie Lam was performing poorly.

The survey was conducted on 1,000 Hong Kong residents by random sampling telephone interviews from May 31 to June 5.

Beijings Policies a Big Factor

Johnny Lau Yui-siu, a Hong Kong current affairs commentator who attended the press conference, said the popularity of Hong Kongs chief executives has been closely related to Beijings policy of governing Hong Kong.

In the first six years after the handover, Beijings policy of governing Hong Kong was relatively loose, so the chief executive at that time was highly popular. Lau said that the performance of the chief executive and the three divisionsHome Affairs, Finance, and Justicehad a lot to do with Beijings tightening of Hong Kongs governance policies.

Lau said that in February 2020, Carrie Lams approval hit a record low of only 18.2 percent following the anti-extradition protests in 2019, and the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) policy to firmly take control of Hong Kong and Macao and implement the Hong Kong National Security Law.

Carrie Lam took office as the fifth chief executive of Hong Kong on July 1, 2017. The most controversial issue during her tenure was the revision of the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance, also known as the Extradition Ordinance, which triggered the far-reaching Anti-extradition Movement protests that brought no less than 2 million of Hong Kongs 7.5 million citizens into the streets.

Subsequently, Carrie Lam allowed the police to carry out a harsh crackdown, which put almost all pan-democratic members of the Legislative Council and many district councilors under siege, and more than 10,000 Hong Kong citizens under arrest.

Lam further cracked down on freedoms and the rule of law, while the media and dissenting voices were severely suppressed.

During her term in office, she also oversaw the adoption of Beijings Hong Kong National Security Law, which overrides Hong Kongs original independent judicial system that upheld the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

As to whether the one country, two systems has been successful in Hong Kong, Lau said that its difficult to conclude at present, as he believes the system is still being developed. However, he added that the China-Hong Kong relationship is currently facing its most uncertain time.

Today, the Hong Kong government is influenced by the CCPs official culture, which is increasingly fractured by different factions of the ruling party, with lower-level officials interpreting and implementing the policies of upper-level officials according to their own views, Lau said.

In addition, for CCP officials, there is no political cost for leaning toward the left, and therefore many prefer left rather than right, and this affects the overall political climate.
Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis listens as her husband Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference at the University of Miami Health System Don Soffer Clinical Research Center in Miami, Fla., on May 17, 2022. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Casey DeSantis Says Biden Admin Report Ignores Democrat Lockdowns as Reason for K12 Learning Loss

Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis said the Biden administration failed to mention the real reason for the learning loss in K-12 public schools over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

After the White House said that American K-12 public school students are on average two to four months behind in reading and math because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Casey DeSantis spoke up, saying that Democrat lockdowns were to blame.

The latest report from the Biden administration ignores the real reason for catastrophic learning loss: Democrat lockdowns, she wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.

Casey DeSantis, the wife of Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, noted that her husband kept schools open for in-classroom learning in his state.

While other states were locking people down, in Florida [Gov. Ron DeSantis] lifted people upKids were in school, in person, she added.

This comes one day after the Biden administration on Tuesday announced a plan that aims to add 250,000 tutors and mentors nationally within the next three years in a bid to help address the impact of missed instruction on our nations students.

Nowmore than everstudents need to feel supported, seen, heard, and understood by adults in their schools and communities, said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona in a statement.

President Joe Biden called on schools to use the $122 billion in American Rescue Plan funds to support summer learning, and afterschool and tutoring programs to help students make up for lost learning time and support their mental health.

The program is a partnership between the Department of Education, AmeriCorps, and Everyone Graduates Center, a think tank affiliated with Johns Hopkins University.

Together, we can help all children make up for unfinished learning, recover from the pandemic, and prepare for future successboth inside and outside the classroom, Cardona said.

Florida Kept Schools Open

In February 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its COVID-19 guidelines to encourage a mix of hybrid in-person and remote learning for elementary schools, and exclusively remote learning for middle and high schools.

Gov. DeSantis criticized the guidelines and states run by Democrats for following them. He noted that children in Democrat-run states had already been out of school for almost a year and that to follow the updated CDC guidelines would not be in their best interest.

He called it a disgrace and said that it was putting politics ahead of whats right for kids.

Every single parent in this state has a right to send their kid to in-person instruction. We have done it the right way; we are not going to turn back, DeSantis said on Feb. 15, 2021, during a press conference.

We have been open. They will remain open, and we are not turning back, he declared.
A pro-Beijing front group's president Zhou Qingjun (L) and secretary Zhang Xiuye (R) assaulted Falun Gong practitioners outside Taipei 101 plaza in 2017, in Taipei, Taiwan.(Ke-Ren/The Epoch Times)

CCP Funds Front Group to Carry Out Disruptive Activities in Taiwan, Group Member Admits

A pro-Beijing group founded in Taiwan by a mainland Chinese immigrant took funds from the Chinese regime to carry out disruptive activities in the island nation.

Members of the Patriot Alliance Association (PAA) have been charged with violations of Taiwans Anti-Infiltration Act and National Security Act.

The Taipei Prosecutors Office said that the secretary general of the PAA admitted that Zhou Qingjun, the groups president, received payments from various CCP agencies to recruit new members and carry out disruptive activities targeting pro-democracy activists and Falun Gong adherents in Taiwan.

On July 5, Taipei Prosecutors Office issued a Notice of Non-Prosecution due to the death of the defendant, PAA President Zhou Qingjun. Zhou died of a COVID-19 infection about a year ago.

In addition, the prosecutor issued a wanted notice for two other defendants, Zhous wife and PAA secretary general Zhang Xiuye. Both women are believed to be hiding in China. An investigation into their alleged crimes is ongoing.

The notice said Zhang had told prosecutors that Zhou had received funds from various local government agencies in China and that his wife managed the money. Zhang also said Zhou had received an order from the CCP to recruit more people to join PAA.

The funds, usually in cash, were smuggled into Taiwan by Zhou after he traveled to China on business.

Business Interests in China

Taiwans Central News Agency (CNA) reported that in 2011, Zhou and his wife Lin Mingmei went to Dangyang city, Hubei province to start a fish farm. There they came into contact with the local CCP governments Taiwan Affairs Office. Subsequently, with the help of CCP officials, the couple established at least one more business in Zhuhai, Guangdong province.

The couple received funds from the CCP Taiwan Affairs Offices in Hubei province, Guangdong province, Beijing, and the PRC state council office for Taiwan Affairs, according to CNA.

The Taipei prosecutors notice said that each time Zhou and his wife returned to Taiwan, they would bring $10,000 USD and 20,000 Chinese RMB in cash. These funds are used to recruit PAA members and sponsor PAA activities.

PAA Activities in Taiwan

PAAs activities in Taiwan included attacking Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong and musician Denise Ho when they visited Taiwan; organizing thugs to protest outside the Presidential Office Building waiving Chinese flags; and protesting the removal of pro-CCP Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu in May 2020.

The PAA also used CCP funds to sponsor Zhangs campaign for Taipei city council in 2018. But Zhou and Zhang were convicted of engaging in bribery that year.

Zhang Xiuye (masked), a member of the pro-Beijing group Patriot Alliance Association, is arrested outside Taipei 101 building for harassing Falun Gong practitioners on March 6, 2015. (minghui.org)

The Taipei prosecutors notice said that under the order of the Hubei provincial Taiwan Affairs Office, PAA started to harass and attack Falun Gong members at their information booth outside Taipei 101 building in 2013.

According to minghui.org, a U.S.-based website documenting the persecution of Falun Gong, PAA members have reportedly assaulted and physically attacked local Falun Gong practitioners who have been operating an information booth in Taipei 101 Plaza since 2009.

The practitioners have used the booth to spread information about the persecution in the mainland, and have called on the Chinese regime to stop persecuting Falun Gong.
China-US Tensions Intensify: US Bill Targets Beijing Over Uyghur Forced Labor

Commentary

Beijing is furious over a new U.S. law. It passed late in 2021 but only went into effect this past June. It would ban imports of any goods connected to the forced labor of Uyghurs in Chinas Xinjiang region.

It would understate to say that Beijing has taken umbrage. Its spokespeople have angrily denied the existence of forced labor anywhere in China and vowed legal action and retaliation against American goods.

According to a State Department report on international religious freedom, released on June 2, Beijing has detained more than one million Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, Hui, and members of other Muslim groups, as well as some Christians, in specially built internment camps or converted detention facilities in Xinjiang since April 2017.

Tensions between the United States and China have notched up in ways not even contemplated during former President Donald Trumps trade war. On this latest dispute, it is still early days, but however things develop, the flap will add to the tendency for the two economies to decouple.

The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) presumes that any goods produced in Xinjiang involve forced labor and accordingly will not be allowed into the United States. It has the potential to affect a considerable array of goods.

U.S. Customs has identified the following as questionable: cotton, tomatoes, polysilicon, walnuts, pepper, rayon, carbonized fossil, wind turbines, and beryllium, among other things.

Some of these products matter a lot to Chinas economy. Cotton, for example, is massive. China produces one-fifth of global sales, with 85 percent of its output coming from Xinjiang. Tomatoes, too, are important. China produces one-quarter of the worlds supply, with some 70 percent of that output coming from Xinjiang. Other Xinjiang products are less dominant but still significant.

Muslim trainees work in a garment factory at the Hotan Vocational Education and Training Center in Hotan, Xinjiang, in northwest China. (CCTV via AP Video)

As is so often the case, the reality of this new U.S. law is almost certainly less imposing than it seems on the surface. Under it, importers have ample facility to gain an exception for products by rebutting the laws presumption of forced labor. There is, in fact, a clear procedure to gain such exemptions, and it looks like it will allow many of the goods that had previously been imported from the region to continue to flow onto U.S. markets.

Take cotton, for example. Chinas Ministry of Commerce makes a compelling case that some 98 percent of the harvesting and processing is mechanized, leaving little or no room for forced labor. On this and like bases, the law would seem to impose less of a threat to Chinas economy than it would seem.

Nonetheless, Chinas leadershipalways hypersensitive to anything that challenges its authorityhas reacted with hyperbole. A Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Wang Wenbin, described the act as an illegal interference with Chinas internal affairs. He promised that his government would sue the United States in the World Trade Organization (WTO) as well as in the U.S. Court of International Trade. He further threatened retaliation. Though he offered no specifics on the nature of Chinas countermeasures, he implied that they would likely include restrictions on U.S. exports to China.

A cynic might describe all this as so much theater. Both sides know that the practical implications are limited. With little economic pain, Congress gets to virtue signal while Beijing gets to reassert its sovereignty. And in time, the whole matter dies of neglect.

This viewthough no doubt a description of likelihoodsis nonetheless too harsh. Some in Congress surely and sincerely want to have an effect, even though the legislation is not likely to do so. And Beijing has become so practiced at theatrical outrage these days, much of it surely is real.

But even if all this comes to little or nothing on the economic and practical side of the ledger, it is nonetheless another, albeit small step in a series of steps leading to the decoupling of these economies, a trend well documented earlier in this space.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The Boeing aircraft seen after arrival in Dubai. (Supplied by avherald.com)

Dubai Plane Finishes 13 Hour Flight to Australia With Large Hole in Side

An Emirates flight from Dubai flew for more than 13 hours to Australia with a large hole on its left side.

It took off on July 1 and landed safely at night but passengers noted a surprising discovery on arrival.

The Middle Eastern airline says the hole was created when one of the Airbus A380s 22 tyres burst shortly after take-off in Dubai.

The explosion ruptured the exterior of the aircraft. No passengers were injured.

The hole on the side of the Boeing aircraft. (Supplied by The Aviation Herald)

Andrew Morris, professor at the UKs Loughborough University who was travelling on the flight wrote on Twitter: Was absolutely terrifying at first and the cabin crew knew something serious may have happenedwere immediately in contact with the cockpit.

Shortly after, they resumed as normal. Their calm demeanour was reassuringthey knew it was not catastrophic.

According to the commercial aviation website Aviation Herald, the crew suspected a blown tyre on takeoff and advised Brisbane Airports emergency services to be on standby for the landing.

Emirates later issued a statement saying the aircraft had landed safely in Australia.

Our flight EK430 flying from Dubai to Brisbane on July 1 experienced a technical fault during the cruise, the statement read.

The aircraft landed safely in Brisbane and all passengers disembarked as scheduled. The safety of our passengers and crew has always been our top priority.

A ruptured tire of the Boeing aircraft. (Supplied by The Aviation Herald)

Spotlight on Emirates Safety Record

This is the third major safety-related incident for Emirates since late last year.

On Jan. 9, an Emirates flight began taking off without formal clearance. The crew managed to stop the take-off by a minute, avoiding any damage or injuries.

Earlier on Dec. 20, it was reported that a plane departing Dubai for Washington D.C. overran the runway while taking off, narrowly missing houses close to the airport.

The Boeing passed over the first private homes nearly 6,000 meters past the runway threshold, flying 75 feet above ground level.
CEO of Southern California Edison Steven Powell (C) and local officials gather at a news conference on the Quick Reaction Force, a firefighting effort funded by Southern California Edison, followed by a water-dropping demonstration in Los Alamitos, Calif., on July 5, 2022. (Carol Cassis/The Epoch Times)

Edison-Funded Helitankers Will Fight Southland Fires Again

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif.Helicopters with the Quick Reaction Force are back in Southern California to fight wildfires day and nightafter dumping nearly 3 million gallons on more than 50 wildfires last year.

Funded by $18 million from Southern California Edison, the worlds largest fire-suppression choppers operate from three Southern California fire departments in Orange, Los Angeles, and Ventura counties.

The helitankers swoop down to a water source, then send down a retractable snorkel to draw in up to 3,000 gallons of water in just 90 seconds, before flying to the crisis and dumping water and fire retardant on the fire.

A fire-fighting helicopter water-dropping demonstration was attended by local fire officials at a news conference on the Quick Reaction Force, a firefighting effort funded by Southern California Edison, in Los Alamitos, Calif., on July 5, 2022. (Carol Cassis/The Epoch Times)

When we say that speed and force is a required cost of doing business in todays fire environment, we do not mean the cost of [the helicopters], we mean the immeasurable cost of the loss of life and property if these resources are not available, Orange County Fire Chief Brian Fennessy said in a statement on the July 5 demonstration at Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base.

Fennessy came up with the idea of local fire agencies teaming with Edison to mitigate the wildfires plaguing Southern California in recent years, to which the utility companys President and CEO Steven D. Powell agreed.

Chief Fennessy played an instrumental role in coming to us with the idea to help them build this program, Powell told The Epoch Times. He said the helicopters protect both the companys customers and its infrastructure.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl L. Osby said more than 90 percent of fires are caused by humans, and the helicopters will make fighting fires easier.

With another long fire season already upon us, I am grateful theyre here to join the fight, said Ventura County Fire Chief Dustin Gardner before the demonstration. Having these helicopters available last summer helped immediately in protecting homes and businesses across the region from wildfire.

A fire-fighting helicopter water-dropping demonstration was attended by local fire officials at a news conference on the Quick Reaction Force, a firefighting effort funded by Southern California Edison, in Los Alamitos, Calif., on July 5, 2022. (Carol Cassis/The Epoch Times)

Under the partnership, the utility company paid for leasing the equipment starting on June 24, 2022. Each fire department will provide staff. The operational costs will be covered by the fire department that requested a helicopter be dispatched.

The reaction force includes the following components:

Two Boeing CH-47 Chinook helitankers, each carrying up to 3,000 gallons of water or retardant

A Sikorsky S-61 helitanker carrying up to 1,000 gallons of water or retardant

A Sikorsky S-76 intelligence and recon helicopter

A mobile retardant base, which can mix up to 18,000 gallons of retardant per hour

Multiple hover-filling tanks for water or retardant

Ventura County Fire Chief Dustin Gardner (C) and local fire officials gather at a news conference on the Quick Reaction Force, a firefighting effort funded by Southern California Edison, followed by a water-dropping demonstration in Los Alamitos, Calif., on July 5, 2022. (Carol Cassis/The Epoch Times)

According to flight engineer Zack Greene, the CH-47s are the biggest, fastest, smartest, and most effective water and retardant dropping helitankers in the world.

He said 2021s successes include a single helitanker dropping 37,000 gallons of water in a narrow canyon at night on the Malibu bush firesaving homes, structures and lives in a way no other fire-fighting equipment or personnel ever has.

Two other critical components of the reaction force are the mobile retardant base and hover-filling tanks. The base will be positioned close to the fire in predetermined locations in each of the three counties, allowing for a faster turnaround time for the helitankers.

Initially, one helicopter will be deployed in each county and available wherever a fire department needs it. Then all four helicopters can converge to provide overwhelming suppression power in Edisons 50,000 square-mile service area.
Elon Musk's twitter account is seen on a smartphone in front of the Twitter logo, on April 15, 2022. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

Elon Musk Queries Journalist Over Allegations of Government-Driven Censorship on Twitter

Elon Musk has called on an independent journalist to provide information on how the U.S. government is allegedly pressuring Twitter to suspend the journalists account for posting anti-vaccination content.

Musk asked Substack writer, Alex Berenson, in a July 6 post on Twitter, about Berensons allegation that the U.S. government had pressured Twitter to censor him for posting his opinion questioning the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.

Can you say more about this:  pressures that the government may have placed on Twitter , Musk said, referencing Berensons blog post about being suspended by Twitter.

Can you say more about this:  pressures that the government may have placed on Twitter   Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 6, 2022

I wish I could, Berenson said minutes later, responding to Musk, but the settlement with [Twitter] prevents me from doing so. However, in the near future I hope and expect to have more to report.

Berensons Twitter account was reinstated on July 6 after the social media platform permanently banned him over purportedly violating its COVID misinformation policy. This follows Berenson filing a lawsuit against Twitter in April.

In a blog post published July 6, Berenson elaborated that despite his inability to discuss his case now, he will be able to disclose further in the near future.

You know what it took Twitter to admit it shouldnt have done what it did? You do not, and I cant tell you, because the statement is all I can say about the settlement, Berenson wrote.

The settlement does not end my investigation into the pressures that the government may have placed on Twitter to suspend my account. I will have more to say on that issue in the near future, he wrote.

I made a promise to readers last month, and I take my promises to readers seriously.

Alex Berenson speaks on censorship and freedom of speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2021. (CPAC/Screenshot via NTD)

Close Nexus

What attracted Musks attention was Berensons claim that government entities were pressuring Twitter to suspend Berenson over vaccine claims.

It doesnt stop infection. Or transmission. Dont think of it as a vaccine. Think of itat bestas a therapeutic with a limited window of efficacy and terrible side effect profile that must be dosed IN ADVANCE OF ILLNESS. And we want to mandate it? Insanity, Berenson wrote in a Twitter post in August last year, hours before Twitter suspended his account.

In Berensons lawsuit against Twitter, he alleges that the social media platform acted on behalf of the federal government in censoring and barring him from to its platform.

The lawsuit also cited the extraordinarily close nexus between government officials call for censorship and Twitters corresponding immediate actions.

Mr. Berensons relationship with Twitter changed dramatically over the course of one week in July 2021, read Berensens complaint, filed on Dec. 20, 2021.

On Sunday, July 11, Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Bidens Chief Medical Advisor, called Mr. Berensons comments about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy horrifying,' the complaint said.

By Friday, President Biden himself piled on, blaming social media companies for killing people on account of their failure to adequately censor content. Hours after President Bidens comment, Twitter locked Mr. Berenson out of his account for the first time, it said.

On August 28, in the wake of even more calls for censorship from government officials, Twitter permanently suspended Mr. Berenson from its platform, citing repeated violations of our COVID-19 misinformation rules. Mr. Berenson did not violate those rules. Twitter, on the other hand, broke its promises to Mr. Berenson as well as its policies, and violated his rights as it served the federal governments censorship demands, the court filing continued.

This case raises significant questions about private power and the state of free speech in America.

Troubling

Later on July 6, Musk commented on another post by author Glenn Greenwald that alleges officials in the Biden administration pressure or coerce private actors to censor free speech.

Troubling , wrote Musk.

Troubling   Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 6, 2022

Musk, who is still finalizing a multi-billion dollar deal with Twitter, said in May that the platform has a strong left-wing bias.

The billionaire also called censorship on Twitter a civilization risk in April and suggested in May that he will lift the ban imposed on former President Donald Trump after he takes over.
An armed pro-Russian separatist stands on part of the wreckage of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane after it crashed near the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, on July 17, 2014. (Maxim Zmeyev/ Reuters)

Ethnic Tensions Mar the Tragedy of MH17

Commentary

One really wonders how many people still remember that on July 17, 2014, a scheduled Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down by pro-Russian Donetsk separatists in Ukraine.

All 289 passengers and crew died in the tragedy, including 80 children. The President of Russia Vladimir Putin, denied the involvement of his country in the downing of the Boeing 777.

The case was filed in a court in the Netherlands to identify and prosecute four defendants allegedly responsible for firing the Russian-made Buka missile. The case ended recently on June 10 and judgment is expected later this year. However, it is unlikely that Russia will ever extradite the defendants to the Netherlands to face the judgment.

This case is also of immense importance to Australia because 38 of its countrymen perished.

The downing of MH17 surely stands out as one of the most evil events to happen on this date.

Yet the deeper and more profound reasons behind the incident remain largely unexplored.

Ethnicity Central to Nationhood in Europe

Much has to do with the predominantly Russian-speaking separatist states in the east of Ukraine that have self-declared their secession from the national government, calling themselves the Peoples Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, which share a border with Russia.

The idea of self-determination along ethnic lines has been strongly promoted throughout Europe for most of the 19th and 20th centuries.

In fact, this trend was so strong the victors of World War I redrew national boundaries in line with the geographical distribution of ethnic groups.

Ukrainian soldiers stand on a check-point close to the line of separation from pro-Russian rebels, Mariupol, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Jan. 21, 2022. (Andriy Dubchak/AP Photo)

Czech writers Joroslav Krejci and Vitezslaw Velimsky pointed out in their book Ethnic and Political Nations in Europe that the redrawing of boundaries saw the portion of ethnic groups not living under a government fall from 26 percent in 1910, to about seven percent in 1930.

A rebirth of nationalism, defined as a desire to promote the strength and ambitions of the ethnic nations of Europe also facilitated the redrawing of the boundaries. Language always serves as a prominent symbol of the reawakened aspirations of ethnic groups.

With regards to a peoples right to self-determination and secession, it is instructive to compare the situation in the Donbas and Crimea, and with that of the Slavic nation of Kosovo.

Kosovo, at one time, was deemed to be an inherent part of Serbia, but its unilateral declaration of independence on Feb. 17, 2008, which came with a promise to embrace its multi-ethnic population was declared legal by the International Court of Justice in 2010.

The court confirmed that there is no international law that prohibited secession. Kosovo has a predominantly ethnic Albanian population and a large Serbian minority centred around the town of Mitrovica in the north of the country.

Confusing Standards on Secession

So, why havent international courts or institutions applied the same standard to the Donbas and Crimea in Ukraine?

The treatment of the contested parts of Ukraine differ markedly from the welcome attitude towards the secession of Kosovo from Serbia.

The issue is important because the Donbas and Crimea are mainly populated by Russian-speaking inhabitants who have openly flagged a desire to split from Ukraine.

In fact, 97 percent of the population of Crimea, in a referendum on March 16, 2014 voted in favour of integration with the Russian Federationwhere it has longstanding cultural ties. Going back to 1783, Russian Empress Catherine the Great incorporated the Crimea into the Empire of Russia following the defeat of the Ottomans and consolidated Russian power around the Black Sea region.

In 1954, the administration of Crimea was allocated to Ukraine with the expectation it could help cement closer links between Russia and Ukraine.

Kosovo police officers patrol the bridge over Gazivode Lake near the northern Kosovo border crossing of Brnjak on the fifth day of protest on Sept. 24, 2021. (Visar Kryeziu /AP Photo)

Reprisal for Past Actions?

Part of the reason for the welcome treatment of Kosovos split from Serbia can be found in the Wests desire to punish it for allegedly starting and prosecuting the Balkan Wars in the 1990s.

This same reasoning can be applied to Russia: the Wests refusal to recognise the Donbas secession movement and integration of Crimea into Russia, may be a penalty for Russias involvement in the downing of MH17 and its invasion of both regions with military force.

The tragedy of MH17 should never be forgotten, yet it is worth considering the wider tensions that continue to exist in the region.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (C) announced the 2022 Florida Python Challenge on June 16, 2022. (Screenshot The Florida Channel via The Epoch Times)

EXCLUSIVE: Florida GOP Surpasses Democrats by 200,000 Voters for First Time as White House Abandons State

Floridas Republican Party voter tally has reached 200,000 more voters than the Democrat Party for the first time in the states history, according to data obtained exclusively by The Epoch Times.

The GOP has been pressing a registration advantage since December when the party gained a historical first by outnumbering Democrats in the Sunshine state for the first time ever.

In December, the GOP lead was 43,000 voters.

By March, the advantage had grown to 100,000 voters in favor of the Republicans, with another exponential leap this quarter bringing the total to over a 200,000 voter lead.

Democrats are falling in line with Joe Bidens policies that are making Americans lives harder and more expensive, but Governor DeSantis is standing in their way, making Florida the firewall for freedom, Lindsey Curnutte, campaign spokesperson for Floridas Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, told the Epoch Times in a statement.

Its no surprise Republican voter registrations are growing at this impressive rate. Simply put, we will prove Florida is a red state in November, Curnutte added.

Support for Democrats Have Eroded Since 2008

Florida was once considered a strong liberal state. Democrats had a 700,000 voter registration edge under Obama in 2008. Subsequent elections, however, saw that edge dwindle, from 550,000 voters in 2012 to a loss for Biden in the 2020 presidential election, according to data supplied by Politico.

And when DeSantis was elected governor in 2018, Republicans trailed Democrats by 300,000 votes, according to the DeSantis campaign.

The swing marks a net gain of nearly 500,000 voters for the GOP in Florida since 2012.

The Democrat erosion is so marked that Politico reported a creeping sense among state-level Democrats that national groups, including the White House and Democratic Governors Association, are writing off [the] state, even as the White House denies it has abandoned Florida.

The executive director of the Democrat Party in Florida, Marcus Dixon, who responded by text message, declined to comment to The Epoch Times on behalf of the party regarding the White House abandonment of Florida.

Voters in Search of a Better Place

Jim Ellis, a professional election handicapper, however, told The Epoch Times that in fact, the Democratic Governors Association abandoned the state in December.

Ellis further noted that the registration tally marks the successful branding of Florida as a refuge for the vast middle class in America.

The new Florida registration figures largely confirm what a great many people already believemainly that the huge influx of people into the state is largely comprised of right-of-center voters from blue states coming to a better place to live, Ellis told The Epoch Times.

Despite what California Governor Gavin Newsom is trying to sell in his Florida advertisementswhich is a prelude to a Newsom for President campaignpeople moving into Florida, as opposed to out of California, certainly perceive the Sunshine State as the better place to live, Ellis added.

Newsom raised eyebrows by running ads against Floridas DeSantis over the Fourth of July weekend, paid for by Newsoms gubernatorial campaign in California. Newsom spent $105,000 on the ad buy according to Californias local KTVU.

Under DeSantis, the goal has been to switch Florida to a solid Republican electoral vote, a trend that started under President Donald Trumps national leadership that was able to appeal to traditional working-class constituencies.

Today, there are 1 million more registrants in Florida than four years ago, and the DeSantis team has netted just under 500,000 voters for the GOP registrants over that same time, says the governors campaign.

DeSantis 2024?

The Florida governor has been enjoying growing support for a presidential run, thanks to the efforts of third parties to draft DeSantis into the 2024 presidential race.

Although the Ready for Ron Pac responsible for the draft DeSantis movement told The Epoch Times in a previous interview that they dont think DeSantis would run against Trump, neither Trump nor DeSantis has yet disavowed running for president in 2024.

DeSantis Disavows January 6 Allegations

An article in Politico last month, using anonymous sources the publication claims are close to DeSantis, claimed that the governor is hoping for a Trump indictment over the events of Jan. 6, 2021.

The result would clear the way for a DeSantis presidential run.

The DeSantis reelection campaign denied the allegations, calling the January 6 hearings a distraction meant to cover up Bidens failures as president.

The hearings are a total circus meant to distract from Bidens failures, Dave Abrams, a spokesman for the DeSantis re-election campaign told The Epoch Times via email.

Quoting unnamed sources to detail the Governors thinking when he has clearly stated that this is a farce is a predictable tactic from Politico and the corporate media, he added.

One campaign at a time

One fight may be enough for DeSantis to handle right now.

The GOP governor is seeking reelection for Floridas top spot against presumed Democrat nominee Charlie Crist, who has a commanding lead against his primary opponents.

Crist has the advantage of having been Floridas governor before, but that may be a double-edged sword for the Republican-turned-Democrat, say some.

Crist has avowed and disavowed so many political positions that PolitiFact keeps a running tally of his various flip-flops.

For DeSantis, who, much like Trump, has been pilloried by liberals for his consistency in taking up conservative causes, could be the perfect match-up against Crist, said pollster Ellis, who noted that Crist has lost statewide in Florida as a registered Democrat, Republican, and an Independent.

At some point, every voter in the state has likely voted against Crist, added Ellis, which buttresses a national trend against the Democrats.

Nationally, 2022 GOP primary turnout is up 20 percent to date when compared to 2018, while Democrats are down 22.5 percent, said Ellis, who noted that the GOP outpolled Democrats in 15 of 21 primaries so far this cycle.

And that might help explain why the GOP registration totals continue to roll higher each month in Florida.
John Eastman, former lawyer of President Donald Trump, appears on screen during the fourth hearing by the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol in the Cannon House Office Building in Washington on June 21, 2022. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

EXCLUSIVE: Key Figure in Jan. 6 Events Backs Claims That Cheney, January 6 Committee Lied

A key lawyer for President Donald Trump who helped draft memos that sought to investigate claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election told The Epoch Times that he backs the charges by a recent committee witness that the January 6 committee lied to the American people.

Witness and former Department of Justice (DOJ) attorney Ken Klukowski, who testified before the committee last week, said in a statement provided to The Federalist over the July 4 weekend, The January 6 Committee falsely accused me on Thursday of being a go-between in a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election. That accusation is false both in its broad outlines and its details.

In an exclusive interview with The Epoch Times, former Trump lawyer John Eastman said he supports Klukowskis claims.

Trump critic and committee member Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wy.) said that the testimony only shows that Klukowski was appointed to his DOJ position under the influence of Eastmana claim that both deny.

Cheneys Claims

Cheney claimed that together, they proposed to overturn the electionfailing to mention this was only possible if they could prove any significant allegations of elections fraudwith the cooperation of Jeff Clark, a former assistant attorney general at the DOJ.

While its true that Clark drafted a letter that his bosses felt was inappropriate for the DOJ to present to the states over the election, according to the testimony presented in The Federalist, the connection between Clark, Eastman, and Klukowski to that letter is tenuous, according to Klukowskis statement in the Federalist and Eastmans account of his relationship with Klukowski.

According to Eastman, while Klukowski had worked with him on a memo that asked the state of Pennsylvania to grant the Trump campaign time to investigate claims of election fraud, he was also in quarantine for three weeks after catching COVID-19.

At some point, Ken stopped working on this stuff because he had a government job and got appointed [to the DOJ position], Eastman told The Epoch Times of their collaboration.

The notion that I somehow placed him in the Department of Justice is just laughable, he said.

Klukowski explained in his statement to the Federalist that he provided to the committee the September 2020 date he requested the transfer from the Office of Management and Budget to the DOJ.

I also suggested the committee review our email exchanges confirming my testimony, since they clearly had access to that information, Klukowski said.

A former White House staffer who coordinated DOJ appointments previously confirmed to the Federalist that the Klukowski move to the DOJ had started months before any calls to independently investigate allegations of election fraud and had nothing to do with the election.

Kens transfer had nothing to do with the election, said White House staffing coordinator Andrew Kloster.

Dishonest Narrative

The statement is part of a dishonest  narrative that there was no basis for [these memos calling for independent investigations that we wrote] and that therefore, we knew what we were doing was illegal, Eastman told The Epoch Times. Thats just false.

Eastman said that the committee is specifically lying in three different ways to advance the notion that what they did was illegal.

Every time they use the word baseless as describing our allegations of illegality and or fraud, thats a lie, Eastman said.

In fact, even before the election was held, some media outlets were claiming that any allegations of voter fraud were baseless.

An NPR news story published nearly a month before Election Day claimed, In reality, voter fraud is extremely rare, though President Trump has repeated baseless claims about it being widespread.

Eastman said that his legal argument to allow states to send alternate electors if voter fraud is proven isnt novel, nor is his argument that there is ambiguity on the question of whether the vice president may delay the appointment of electors.

The idea that the vice president had the authority to nullify state electors had been out there for decades, including by a lot of leftist professors, after the Bush versus Gore campaign, he said.

Eastman pointed to an article in The Atlantic in September 2020 where legal scholars, including a group convened by UC Irvine, made the point that there is still a lot of legal ambiguity surrounding the vice presidents authority over accepting electors.

At the time, The Atlantic seemed to be worried that Vice President Pence could use his authority to slow down the counting of the electoral vote.

In reality, what the Trump campaign was trying to do was gain time for there to be a legitimate investigation of the vote totals in places like Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Georgia, Eastman said.

We were seeking to have an investigation to see if the illegality affected the outcome of the election, Eastman told The Epoch Times, stressing that there was no intention to illegally keep Trump in office.

Eastman also rejected the notion he said has been put forth by the January 6 committee that he ever asked Vice President Michael Pence to reject the electors outright and just declare Trump president.

Thats not true, he told The Epoch Times. There are numerous examples of me saying exactly the opposite. There were others that urged that that be the outcome, but it wasnt me.

Presidential Pardon

The media has used Eastmans request for a presidential pardon as an admission of guilt, saying that he knew his legal representation of Trump was advancing a crime. He said that such logic is a fallacy.

Eastman said he only sought to be on a potential presidential pardon list after Jan. 6, 2021, because of commentary that his speech had been an incitement for the crowd to riot.

On that day, Eastman appeared at the Trump rally and told the crowd that they should demand Vice President Pence delay the acceptance of electors and investigate claims of election fraud.

All we are demanding of Vice President Pence is this afternoon at 1 oclock, he let the legislatures of the state look into this [allegations of fraud] so that we get to the bottom of it, and the American people know whether we have control of the direction of our government, he said in his speech.

When jokingly approached initially by Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani about appearing on a pardon list, Eastman at first refused.

But then, after five days of lies that my short, 3-minute speech had incited the violence, and that Jan. 6 was an insurrection, he understood that whatever played out in the investigation wouldnt be controlled by legalities, but politics.

It was explicitly tied to the lies about my speech, and had absolutely nothing to do with my legal representation of President Trump or the efforts regarding state legislative authority, he said of the potential presidential pardon.

The Epoch Times has reached out to Trump, Giuliani, Cheney, the January 6 committee, Clark, and Klukowski for comment.
A logo at the Toronto Police Services headquarters, in Toronto, on Aug. 9, 2019. (The Canadian Press/Christopher Katsarov)

Family Responds After Death of Woman Set on Fire on Toronto Bus

The family of a young woman who was attacked and set on fire on a Toronto transit bus last month has released a statement after the woman died from her injuries on July 5.

The assault took place on June 17 at around 12:30 p.m. aboard a Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) bus in the Kipling Avenue and Dundas Street West area. The female victim was attacked by a man, who poured a flammable liquid on her and then set the substance on fire, causing the woman to burn.

The victim, in her 20s, was rushed to the hospital with second- to third-degree burns, Toronto Police Service spokesperson Const. Alex Li said at a press conference on June 19.

The victims family confirmed her death in a message on a GoFundMe campaign set up last week to support her ongoing medical treatment.

To my sister, we love you and we miss you. We wish her soul to rest in peace, Dawa, the victims sister, said in the message on July 6.

Dawa noted that her sister was on her way to work as a professional caregiver when the tragic incident took place.

My sister lived a life of service to others and cared for many people, she said. Thank you everyone for all the support. We are so grateful, and it has been a difficult time.

She said that the collected donations of roughly $36,800 will now be used for the upcoming funeral and healthcare expenses to date.

At this time, we ask everyone to kindly please respect our privacy, Dawa said. Thank you for understanding and again, for your generosity. Well never forget your kindness.

The suspect was identified as 33-year-old Tenzin Norbu of Toronto. He was previously charged with attempted murder, assault with a weapon, common nuisance endangering the lives, safety, or health of the public, and mischief over $5,000 interfering with property.

Li said those charges would be upgraded as a result of the victims death. Homicide officers have also been notified.

The charges have not been proven in court.

Police said the attack was an isolated incident, and that the victim and the suspect didnt know each other.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
First Hong Kong Carnival in North America to Revive Hong Kong Culture Overseas

On July 2, 2022 the first day of the long weekend for the U.S. Independence Day, crowds of people attended the Hong Kong Carnival in Milpitas, San Francisco. According to the organiser, over 5,000 people came to the event, and many stalls were sold out earlier than scheduled.

People queuing in line at the gate at 12 noon during the first Hong Kong Festival in North America on July 2, 2022, which attracted more than 5,000 people. (Emma Hsu/The Epoch Times)

Cart Noodles by Hongkongers was very welcomed and sold out by 4 p.m. (Emma Hsu/The Epoch Times)

Many people taking the free trials of egg tarts, pineapple buns with butter, and French toast, the stall was in short supply soon. (Emma Hsu/The Epoch Times)

An expert in Wing Chun (one type of Chinese Kung Fu practice focusing on soft touches and hidden strength) taught the public to experience the wooden dummy. (Emma Hsu/The Epoch Times)

Reviving Hong Kong Culture Overseas

Ching Cheong, a senior journalist, who had left Hong Kong for more than two years due to the totalitarianism by Communist China and Hong Kong authorities, said that Hong Kong used to have a unique combination of Chinese and Western cultures, but this has now been totally destroyed by the Communist regime. This is not only a loss to Hongkongers, but a loss of the world.

Senior media personality Ching Cheong talked about Hong Kong culture and spirit at the Hong Kong Festival. (Emma Hsu/The Epoch Times)

Cheong added, Like many Hongkongers who were forced to leave their homeland, I have to say that I do feel homesickness, and miss the pineapple bun with butter, egg waffles, Boot Jai Go [Red Bean Pudding Cake] and the likes. These are the local food I like to eat in Hong Kong.

This Hong Kong Carnival is very meaningful for overseas Hongkongers, it will bring them memories and help to preserve Hong Kong cultures and traditions.

Mayors: Learn More About Hong Kong

Milpitas Mayor Rich Tran and Deputy Mayor Carmen Montano were present to celebrate the event. They said, The Hong Kong Carnival exceeded our expectations. It is an amazing event here, with lots of families, friends, food, music, and Hong Kong cultures. Although the mayors havent been to Hong Kong, they both expressed that they love Hong Kong culture, and know many Hong Kong friends. Tran said, This is the closest I have been to Hong Kong. He looked forward to participating and learning more about Hong Kong culture.

Parents and children experience the calligraphy at the Hong Kong Festival. (Emma Hsu/The Epoch Times)

This stall selling popular Hong Kong snacks such as shark fin soup, and curry fish balls, attracted many visitors. (Emma Hsu/The Epoch Times)

Another popular snack at the Hong Kong Festival, Boot Jai Go was sold out in a short while. (Emma Hsu/The Epoch Times)

The entrance to the Carnival is called Hong Kong Station, and people emulated taking the subway (MTR) to enter the Hong Kong market to enjoy different foods and music performances. Amber, a volunteer for the Carnival, said that it is not easy for Hongkongers to settle abroad. She said, Everyone shouldnt divide and stay alone by themselves, they should work to help each other. When you hear Cantonese, its like returning to Hong Kong, even if you are in the United States.

The organiser originally expected about 2,000 people to come, but the online response was very enthusiastic, and they had to issue many more tickets. There were many small designs in the venue, such as the design of the subway stations which is just like those in Hong Kong; the design of the plastic bags in red, white, and blue which symbolize the spirit of hardworking-Hongkongers. I hope everyone has happy memories from this event, Amber said.

Music and Games Unite Hongkongers

The concept of the Hong Kong Carnival originated from a group of volunteers who love Hong Kong. Fong Chin-bok, one of the sponsors, said that the original intention of holding this event is to bring together the overseas Chinese and Hongkongers. He hopes to evoke the memory of Hong Kong through music and games, and unite people who value the Hong Kong culture. He believes that the characteristics of Hongkongers are diligence and hard work, which symbolise the Lion Rock (a prominent hilltop landmark in Hong Kong) spirit of helping and supporting each other.

Many Cantonese classics were performed by the outdoor band at the Hong Kong Carnival. (Emma Hsu/The Epoch Times)

Children participated in the Hong Kong Carnival and played a large-scale Chinese classic board game: Aeroplane Chess. (Emma Hsu/The Epoch Times)

Despite the turmoil of the anti-extradition movement in 2019 and the implementation of Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL) having forced many Hongkongers to stay increasingly quiet; Fong Chin-bok said, Many people have mixed feelings about the handover on July 1, but the Hong Kong culture that everyone loves still exists. We must work together to preserve it. We all love Hong Kong culture regardless of our own stance in politics or religion.

To Preserve Hong Kong Culture

The booth of the U.S. Hongkongers Club was the highlight location. Benjamin, a member of the club, said that most of the exhibits on site were from private collections. They hoped that through these objects, people could learn about Hong Kong culture in the 1980s and 1990s. In addition to the distinctive Hong Kong red mailbox model, there are also primary school textbooks, public transport, and characteristic buildings in Wan Chai from the 1970s and 1980s.

People participating and attentively viewing old photos of Hong Kong on display at the Hong Kong Carnival. (Emma Hsu/The Epoch Times)
The Ipogeo dei Cristallini

Italian hotel owner Alessandra Calise Martuscelli is fulfilling her dream to help improve her city of birth, Naples, by restoring a rare part of the citys ancient Greek heritage. Around 600 B.C., the Greeks founded Naples as Neapolis (New City).

Alessandra Calise Martuscelli and her family have recently opened the rare, ancient Greek Ipogeo dei Cristallini in Naples, Italy. (Riccardo Piccirillo)

In 1889, Baron Giovanni di Donato (an ancestor of her husband, Giampiero Martuscelli) discovered a 2,300-year-old necropolis 40 feet under his palace while workers were digging for water or tuff, which is a volcanic rock used for building materials. Giampiero inherited that site, called the Ipogeo dei Cristallini.

Ipogeo, Italian for hypogeum, is an underground vault thats normally used for burials. The director of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, Paolo Giulierini, told Smithsonian Magazine that the Ipogeo dei Cristallini is similar to the painted tombs found in Macedonia, home of Alexander the Great, and that the tombs were probably commissioned from Macedonians for the Neapolitan elite.

The hypogeum contains four burial chambers, each with a ceremonial room for conducting funeral rites and a staircase that leads down to the chamber. Two of the burial chambers contain Hellenistic era (323 B.C.30 B.C.) frescoes, making the archaeological site internationally important as only a few ancient Greek wall paintings exist in the world.

Hellenistic era painters used three-dimensional perspective, light and shade to create form, and the trompe loeil technique (French for deceives the eye) to render objects three-dimensionally.

Even though this [hypogeums artwork] is decorative, not figurative painting, its very refined. So, its a very unusual context, a rarity, and very precious, Federica Giacomini from the Istituto Centrale per il Restauro (Central Institute for Restoration) told Smithsonian Magazine.

A close-up of the Gorgon Medusas mouth in the Ipogeo dei Cristallini shows just how skilled the sculptor was at creating realistic images. (Giuliana Calomino)

Preserving a Piece of Ancient Greece

The Ipogeo dei Cristallini can be found in the Sanita district in the north of Naples, an area that was once considered dangerous, and one that Martuscelli rarely visited. But dignitaries, celebrities, and experts did visit. For instance, Martuscellis husband showed the site to the prince of Belgium and actress Isabella Rossellini, who were each keen to see it.

Martuscelli, too, had always been in awe of the hypogeum when she visited it. Visiting a tomb, youd think youd feel sad, she explained in a phone call. But Martuscelli felt at peace in the hypogeum. She thinks that the sense of peace she felt may be because, for many centuries, people prayed in the hypogeums ceremonial rooms.

Steps cut into the tuff (volcanic rock) take visitors 40 feet below the streets of Naples to the Ipogeo dei Cristallini. (Luciano and Marco Pedicini)

Shed often ask her husband to open the hypogeum to the public. Yet at that time, experts felt it was best to keep it closed in order to preserve the site. But one Italian archaeologists visit changed everything. He found the burial chambers so beautiful that he declared, I want to live here! His enthusiasm reignited Martuscellis idea to open the site.

Even when Martuscelli left Naples to work in Milan and Torino, she always intended to return to help her home city. One day she shared with her husband that she wanted to return to Naples to open the hypogeum, and give back to the city she loved.

Shed never taken on such a project, but in her heart she knew thats what she needed to do. Art belongs to everyone, she said in a press release. And she feels that anyone who owns art assets has a duty to make them available for others to enjoy and to understand.

Ancient Greece Under Italian Soil

The ancient Greeks believed in myths, and the burial chambers are peppered with mythological characters. Set high on the back wall of the most opulent burial chamber is a sculptural relief of a Gorgons head (Medusa) framed by a colorful circular fresco.

The most elaborate burial chamber of the Ipogeo dei Cristallini is decorated like a luxury room with Greek architecture, frescoes, comfy stone pillows, and a sculptural relief of the Gorgon Medusa. (Luciano and Marco Pedicini)

Conservators are still restoring the Ipogeo dei Cristallini and its rare Greek wall paintings. (Luciano and Marco Pedicini)

Frescoes in the entryway show a patera (a shallow dish), a jug, and two candelabra. Ancient Greeks used a jug and patera to conduct their daily libations, (ritual offerings they made to their gods or deceased loved ones). Beside one of the candelabras, theres a small drawing of Dionysus and Ariadne, the Greek god of wine and the daughter of King Midas, respectively.

One of the more ornate burial chambers in the Ipogeo dei Cristallini features frescoed festoons strung between columns. Listed on this wall are the names of the Greeks and Romans who are buried in this tomb. (Luciano and Marco Pedicini)

Frescoed festoons, strung between columns topped with capitals depicting mythological creatures, line the upper walls. Listed under one festoon are the names of the Greeks and Romans who were laid to rest in the burial chamber. Two plump stone pillows are set on the top of each sarcophagus, or stone coffin, and a faint frescoed blue line decorates each pillow edge.

Plump stone pillows feature on this sarcophagus, which is also decorated with centuries-old colorful frescoes that have faded with time. (Luciano and Marco Pedicini)

Niches carved into the wall of one burial chamber once held urns, amphorae (pots with a pointed bottom), and altar pieces. Some of the vessels contained oil, perfume, or ointments.

Niches carved into stone in the Ipogeo dei Cristallini once held a variety of artifacts such as statuettes, sculptural reliefs, and vessels such as urns and amphorae containing oil, perfume, or ointment. (Luciano and Marco Pedicini)

All the objects in the hypogeum, around 700 in all, were removed and preserved upon the sites discovery in the late 19th century. The objects are a mix of ancient Greek and Roman artifacts, as in Roman times some of the rooms in the hypogeum were adapted by Romans to their beliefs. There are offerings of food and terracotta statuettes, terracotta reliefs of farewell scenes, and even coins meant as offerings to Charon, whom the ancient Greeks believed would take their loved ones souls to the world of the dead.

Ancient sculptural reliefs in the Ipogeo dei Cristallini, in Naples, Italy. (Giuliana Calomino)

Around 470 of the artifacts are on display in a room dedicated to Hellenistic era burial tombs at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli or MANN), one of the worlds most important archaeological museums. The rest of the artifacts will be displayed in the hypogeum once the restoration is complete, which could be in two years time.

Around 470 of the Ipogeo dei Cristallinis artifacts are on display at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. (Sergio Siano)

Remarkably, many of the ancient artifacts found in the Ipogeo dei Cristallini are relatively intact. (Sergio Siano)

Restoring the Hypogeum

Martuscelli has had many challenges in opening the hypogeum, but she takes it in stride. Everything Ive done with love, without a problem, she said.

Shes keen to point out that the project is a family one, with her husband and two children, Paolo and Sara, all pitching in. The restoration effort was partly funded by EU100,000 (around $104,000) of family money and EU200,000 (around $208,000) from the regions European funds.

For the last two years, experts and enthusiasts have worked every day at the hypogeum, preparing it for its public opening. And now, a maximum of 25 people can visit the hypogeum dailyany more than that could disturb the fine temperature-humidity balance needed to preserve the site.

Martuscelli stresses that the purpose of publicly opening the hypogeum was not to create a business. She wants to make a sustainable social impact in her city, and a real difference to the local economy. At the moment, she employs three local guides. And, of course, she wants more people to know about this important part of Italys heritage.

Even though the once-hidden hypogeum has been made public, there are many secrets within the site that are still to be discovered. Human remains found onsite have been sent off for analysis. And conservators continue to restore the hypogeum so visitors can see them at work. Who knows what else will be uncovered.

To find out more about the Ipogeo dei Cristallini, visit IpogeodeiCristallini.org
Former Hawaii Senate Majority Leader Sentenced to 3 Years, 4 Months in Corruption Case

Former Hawaii Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English, a Democrat, was given a 40-month prison term and a $100,000 fine by a federal judge on July 5 after pleading guilty to honest-services wire fraud five months ago.

English admitted that he took bribes from a business owner in exchange for promoting wastewater legislation that would help a company involved in government-financed cesspool conversion projects, according to an Associated Press report.

Prosecutors said in court documents that the former lawmaker peddled the power and influence of his position as a Hawaii State Senator and Majority Leader to enrich himself and betray the trust bestowed upon him by those he was elected to serve.

English was a Maui County councilman before he was elected to the Hawaii Legislature. In 2014, he became the majority leader in the state Senate.

English was arrested in early 2020 after the FBI had been investigating him for years. The FBI reported that he took upward of $18,000 in cash and other giftsincluding restaurant meals and hotel rooms in Las Vegasin exchange for supporting the wastewater legislation, according to Honolulu Civil Beat.

Judge Susan Oki Mollway of the U.S. District Court District of Hawaii said English was already well-off and didnt seem to need the extra money.

What you have done here is so serious, so detrimental to the fabric of society, that surely a serious sentence is warranted, Mollway said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Sorenson reportedly said the sentence sends the message that those who peddle their elected offices for their own financial gain and greed will be sentenced severely.

The court judgment signed by Mollway states that English is to report to prison on Aug. 16. After the prison term is complete, hes subject to three years of supervised release.

In a related case, former Hawaii state Rep. Ty J.K. Cullen, a Democrat, has also entered a guilty plea to honest-services wire fraud. Hell be sentenced on Oct. 20.

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. For honest-services fraud to take place, someone must pay a bribe and someone else 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.

The Supreme Court agreed on June 30 to review the corruption convictions of Joe Percoco, a longtime aide to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, in a case that may call into question the lawfulness of honest-services fraud prosecutions.
Jerry Harris talks to an actress on the red carpet at the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif., on Feb. 9, 2020. (John Locher/AP Photo)

Former Netflix Star Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Child Pornography

A star of a Netflix series about young cheerleaders was sentenced on July 6 to 12 years in prison.

Jerry Harris, 22, was ordered imprisoned for 12 years, followed by eight years of supervised release.

U.S. Judge Manish Shah, an Obama appointee, handed down the sentence in federal court in Chicago.

Harris, a surrogate for then-candidate Joe Biden, was arrested in 2020 after authorities said he sent explicit videos and photographs to a young boy and solicited explicit materials from the male.

Pleaded Guilty

Harris pleaded guilty in February to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of traveling with the intent to engage in illegal sexual conduct.

In the plea agreement, Harris admitted that he received the explicit materials from the boy in exchange for $2,000. He also said he asked for and received child pornography from two other young boys, and traveled from Texas to Florida in 2019 to meet a 15-year-old boy, who he sexually assaulted.

Harris is a child predator who took advantage of a power imbalance to sexually exploit his young victims, prosecutors said in one filing.

That power was derived in part from Harriss role in the Netflix series Cheer, they added.

Harris was removed from the shows cast after his arrest.

Sentencing

Harris faced up to 50 years in prison.

Prosecutors requested 15 years in jail, followed by 10 years of supervised release, due to factors such as what was termed a traumatic childhood.

Lawyers for the defendant said he should only receive a 72-month sentence, due to being sexually abused as a minor and other problems that took place when he was younger.

In court, Shah told Harris to consider the sentence an expression of the seriousness of your crimes, tempered with some hope that all is not lost for you or for your victims, and that in the future some healing can occur.

Apology

During the sentencing hearing, before the sentence was announced, Harris apologized.

I am deeply sorry for all the trauma my abuse has caused you. I pray deep down that your suffering comes to an end, he said to the boys he preyed upon.

Im not an evil person, Harris said. Im still learning who I am and what my purpose is.

Sarah Klein, an attorney for two of the victims, issued a statement saying Harriss guilt was firmly established.

The sentence he received reflects the severity of his crimes and the lifetime of pain his victims will suffer, Klein said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Steel fencing surrounds Arizona's state capitol complex on July 5, 2022, after a crowd of pro-abortion protesters tried to break into the state Senate building on June 24. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)

Fortress-Like Fence in Place Around Arizonas Capitol Following Riot

PHOENIX, Ariz.A steel fence and barbed wire will remain at Arizonas Capitol complex until officials decide its safe to remove them in the aftermath of an angry mob nearly breaching the state Senate building on June 24.

Law enforcement fired tear gas into the crowd of pro-abortion protesters who damaged the Senate buildings front entrance and wrote graffiti on historical monuments at Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza.

State senators convened in the night session had to be evacuated under heavily armed guard.

A portion of 17th Avenue in front of Arizonas state capitol complex in Phoenix was closed following a June 24 protest that damaged state property. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)

On June 25, Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) officials erected a security barrier surrounding the complex and blocked off a portion of 17th Avenue.

These security measures will remain as DPS continues monitoring the threat level following the Supreme Courts June 24 decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

The public can enter the [complex], but they have to make an appointment, said Kim Quintero, director of communications for Arizona Senate Republicans majority staff.

Right now, we dont have an end time when it will [come] downno end date, Quintero told The Epoch Times.

Rioters damaged historical monuments with graffiti. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)

However, a state Capitol source told The Epoch Times that the DPS advised that the barrier would remain at least another week.

The barrier consists of layers of linked steel fence, coiled razor wire, and no trespassing signs to keep unauthorized people out.

Its not the most appealing thing to look at for the time being. Its not the most aesthetically pleasing, Quintero said.

The Arizona Department of Administration (ADA) is responsible for the security barrier, which cost $35,000 to install and $3,500 monthly in rental costs.

Megan Rose, the administrations director of statewide communications, estimated the cost to replace broken windows and remove the graffiti at about $10,000.

Rioters wrote messages in black ink on the Frank Luke Jr. statue in front of the capitol building, one message said, Hate women.

Well keep [the barrier fence] up as long as we need to secure the capital, said DPS spokesman Bart Graves.

Graves told The Epoch Times the barrier was the one used to secure the state Capitol complex during the 2020 election.

In the meantime, Arizona Republicans said they would review video footage of the June 24 riot to identify suspects and turn them over to law enforcement for prosecution.

We are a state that believes in law and order, Arizona House Majority Whip Leo Biasiucci (R) told The Epoch Times in a previous report.

Biasiucci said the state Senate would likely act if law enforcement declines to do so.
Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez announces a new expert advisory group on online safety as a next step in developing legislation to address harmful online content, during a press conference in Ottawa on March 30, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)

Government Expert Panel Says Disinformation Cant Be Defined in Law

The expert panel tasked with advising the federal government on the creation of a new bill to address online harms says disinformation should be tackled, yet it warns that the phenomena cannot be defined in legislation.

In late March, Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez announced that a panel of 12 experts would be holding discussions to make recommendations to the government for the tabling of a new bill to regulate online content.

The internet has allowed for more mis- and disinformation, more polarization than ever before, and were much more likely to be exposed to and hurt by unacceptable hateful content, said Rodriguez at the time.

The governments previous effort on that front, Bill C-36, collapsed when the last Parliament was dissolved.

The expert panel held 10 sessions and concluded its meetings in June, covering a range of topics on internet regulation. Session 8 on June 3 was dedicated to disinformation.

The Expert Advisory Group agreed that the problem has grown to become one of the most pressing and harmful forms of malicious behaviour online, says a summary of the discussions provided by Heritage Canada.

The discussions were conducted under Chatham House Rule, which prevents the identification of any speaker or participants involved, hence there is no attribution of who said what.

The experts reportedly discussed how disinformation can be used to incite hatred and violence, undermine democracy and democratic discourse, reduce trust between citizens, and threaten national security and public health.

As an example, they mentioned disinformation in the context of the pandemic and how it undermine[d] democracy in the United States. There were no further details provided.

Despite most experts agreeing that the government must do something to tackle disinformation, they said that the governments role must be carefully circumscribed to protect fundamental rights.

However, Given the serious and urgent nature of the harms created by disinformation, experts argued that legislation on online safety should consider disinformation in some capacity.

Definition Problematic

Although the experts pressed the government to tackle disinformation, most expressed extreme caution in defining the term in legislation.

They said its problematic because the government cannot be an arbiter of what is true and what is false, and disinformation usually carries an intent that is hard to establish.

The experts also mentioned the failed attempt in the U.S. to establish a Disinformation Governance Board (DGB) as an example of how Government-created definitions of disinformation cannot withstand public scrutiny.

Homeland Security announced the creation of the DGB in late April, with Nina Jankowicz at the helm, but it was dissolved shortly after due to public backlash, and Jankowicz resigned.

Jankowicz was accused by board detractors of being partisan and of herself peddling disinformation by, for example, calling Hunter Bidens laptop a Trump campaign product.

The laptop, which contains information on the U.S. Presidents sons shady business dealings and lifestyle, has since been authenticated.

The experts said countering disinformation coming from foreign states could be easier to address and justify.

Other notable takes include a proposition to reinforce disinformation regulation during elections or public health crises.

The government-selected experts also worked from the basis that their current work looking at forms of censorship is legitimate, but could be abused by future governments.

Experts expressed concern over how any measures to address disinformation could be replicated or abused by Governments that do not respect fundamental rights, the summary says.

A previous analysis of the panel of 12 experts showed they mostly share the governments ideology on different issues such as COVID-19 measures, advocating for more vaccine mandates, labelling alternative viewpoints conspiracies, and criticizing the recent freedom-themed protests.
An Ontario Provincial Police cruiser sits outside of a press conference in Vaughan, Ont., on June 20, 2019. (The Canadian Press/Andrew Lahodynskyj)

Heroic Efforts: Ontario Police Credit 5 Men With Saving Life of Driver in Burning Car

Ontario police are hailing five men as heroes for risking their lives to save a man from a burning vehicle on a GTA highway earlier this week.

On July 4, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Highway Safety Division responded to reports of a vehicle fire on the Queen Elizabeth Highway (QEW) in Mississauga.

OPP posted a video of the incident on Twitter on July 6, showing a white car swerving along the highway surrounded by a cloud of smoke. The vehicle then crashed into a ditch.

A 36 year old man from Toronto who experienced a medical episode is alive because of the heroic efforts of five men who risked their lives as the vehicle began to burn with the driver still inside. They got the drivers door open to save the driver. You are my #HERO. July 4, '22 pic.twitter.com/bwE43tMhn1  OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) July 7, 2022

Five men pulled over and sprang into action after noticing the car was beginning to burn while the 36-year-old driver was still trapped inside.

The men were heard yelling get out of the car while banging on the drivers side window. One man tried using a hammer to smash the window while another attempted to get the driver out through the back door.

The men eventually managed to get the drivers door open and pulled him to safety. The video then cuts to show the car engulfed in flames.

The police commended the mens effort in saving the driver.

A 36 year old man from Toronto who experienced a medical episode is alive because of the heroic efforts of five men who risked their lives as the vehicle began to burn with the driver still inside. They got the drivers door open to save the driver. You are my #HERO. July 4, 22, the OPP said in the tweet.
An Illinois state judge denied bail Wednesday for the gunman who police say confessed to the July 4 massacre in Highland Park that left seven people dead.

Authorities revealed that the gunman considered starting another shooting spree in Madison, Wisconsin, where he drove while he was avoiding police in Illinois. And there were more questions about how he was able to get his guns in the first place.

In April 2019, local police had gone to the gunmans family home after receiving a report that he had tried to take his own life a week earlier. Officers spoke with him and his parents and were told mental health professionals were handling the matter.

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James Otis argued a persuasive case in 1761 against the colonial writs of assistance that allowed virtually unlimited government search and seizure

In the 1750s, American merchants commonly smuggled goods to avoid excessive British taxes and restrictions, which created a major financial problem for the Crown. To address this problem, the British Parliament approved the use of writs of assistance against the colonists.

A writ of assistance was a general search warrant that granted constables and any other public officers broad authority to inspect homes, shops, ships, or warehouses searching for smuggled goods. There were broad powers attached to these writs: They did not need to specify a location; they did not need a specific reason for the search; there were no specifics indicated in the writ regarding what they were looking for; and therefore, there were no legal limits to the authority of these writs, which could be used over and over again.

In 1760, when the writs were up for renewal in London, 63 Boston merchants brought a case against the British challenging their legality. James Otis, a Boston lawyer and advocate-general for the Crown, was charged with the task of defending the legality of these writs of assistance. He told the court that he had considered taking this assignment. However, he decided instead to renounce his charge and resign his positionrisking an accusation against him of desertion of office.

An engraving of James Otis and his signature published in the National Portrait Gallery of Eminent Americans, 1862. (Vectors/Getty Images)

Not only did Otis resign his position, but he also switched sides and defended the 63 Boston merchants in court instead. And he did not even charge them a fee. He did so, he said, from principle and with greater pleasure  in favor of British liberty, stating that in such a cause as this I despise a fee.

The case was heard in February 1761. Otis argued adeptly and enthusiastically for five hours. A young John Adams witnessed this argument and later observed: Otis was a flame of fire! With a promptitude of Classical Allusions, a depth of Research, a rapid Summary of Historical Events & dates, a profusion of Legal Authorities, a prophetic glance of his eyes into futurity, and a rapid Torrent of impetuous Eloquence, he hurried away all before him. American Independence was then and there born.

The Origins of the Fourth Amendment

Otis explained to the court that, historically, British warrants that were legal included constraints, such as specifying in which property any suspected items were concealed. However, the writs that were involved in this 1761 case brought by the colonists were illegal, he argued, as they pertained to an illegal power that places the liberty of every man in the hands of every petty officer.

Kasteel Soelen by George Andries Roth. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. (Public Domain)

He then laid out four reasons why the writs were illegal. First, the universality of the writs was directed to every subject in the Kings dominions. Every one with this writ may be a tyrant.  A tyrant in a legal manner, also, may control, imprison, or murder any one within the realm. Second, the writ was perpetual. A man is accountable to no person for his doings. Third, a person with this writ, in the daytime, may enter all houses, shops, etc., at will, and command all to assist him. And, fourth, by this writ not only deputies, etc., but even their menial servants, are allowed to lord it over us.

While Otiss argument did not stop the issuance of these writs at that time, he had brilliantly made the arguments that would later become the basic reasoning and heart of the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution: security in ones home. One of the most essential features of English liberty had always been, Otis argued, the freedom of ones house:

A mans house is his castle; and whilst he is quiet, he is as well guarded as a prince in his castle. This writ, if it should be declared legal, would totally annihilate this privilege. Custom-house officers may enter our houses when they please; we are commanded to permit their entry. Their menial servants may enter, may break locks, bars, and everything in their way; and whether they break through malice or revenge, no man, no court can inquire. Bare suspicion without oath is sufficient. The engraving of John Trumbulls painting Declaration of Independence on the back of the United States $2 bill (vkilikov/Shutterstock)

Looking at the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, one can see that Americas Founding Fathers cured all four of Otiss complaints with regard to the writs of assistance:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Inalienable Rights

John Adams provided posterity with a written summary of Otiss speech to the court. He focused on another important concept permeating that speech and that was also repeated in Americas Declaration of Independence: inalienable rights, given by God, that a government can never take away. At one point, Adams states: He asserted that these rights were inherent and inalienable. That they never could be surrendered or alienated but by idiots or madmen and all the acts of idiots and lunatics were void and not obligatory, by all the laws of God and man. The words inherent, inalienable, and laws of God are all later found in the 1776 Declaration of Independence. Adams goes on:

He asserted that the security of our rights to life, liberty, and property had been the object of humanitys struggles against arbitrary powertemporal and spiritual, civil and political, military and ecclesiasticalin every age. Otis asserted that Americas ancestors, as British subjects, and the colonists as their descendants, as British subjects, were entitled to all those rights by the British constitution, as well as by the law of nature (that is, Gods natural law that controls the universe) and that the provincial character of Englands colonists, as much as any inhabitant of London or Bristol or any part of England, should not be used to cheat them out of these rights by any phantom of virtual representation or any other fiction of law or politics or any monkish trick of deceit and hypocrisy.

Although the name James Otis is not well-known to most Americans, he contributed a great deal to Americas founding concepts of natural law and inalienable rightsincluding the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects. He also forecast the general founding principle that the American government was instituted for the sole purpose of protecting those rights of citizens that were granted by God and that are now enshrined in Americas founding documents. Had Otis not become mentally disabled due to a blow to the head in 1769, he might have later been considered one of the Founding Fathers.

An eagle on a Philadelphia shield, 1852. (Public domain)

This article was originally published in American Essence magazine.
Robert Crimo III, the suspect in the mass shooting that took place at a Fourth of July parade route in the wealthy Chicago suburb of Highland Park, Ill., in a still image obtained from a social media video. (Robert Crimo/via Reuters)

Illinois July 4th Shooter Left Gun Near Scene of Crime: Prosecutors

The man who opened fire on a parade in Illinois on July 4 left the gun he used near the scene of the crime, according to prosecutors.

Robert Crimo III, 21, was captured on surveillance video walking in an alley toward the back of a store in Highland Park just before the shooting, prosecutors said in a court document. A witness spotted a person on top of the building with a gun and saw muzzle flashes soon after as the person began shooting.

Immediately after the shots were fired, the surveillance footage showed Crimo running west in the same alley while carrying a black bag over his shoulder. As he ran, an object wrapped in red cloth fell out of the bag, Lake County Major Crimes Task Force spokesman Chris Covelli told reporters after Crimo was arraigned on July 6. The object was the rifle, determined to be a Smith and Wesson M&P semi-automatic rifle, used in the shooting.

Crimo left the gun behind and kept running, according to the document.

Asked if the suspect dropped the gun intentionally or accidentally, Covelli demurred.

I dont want to speculate on why. There could be a lot of reasons, he said.

The Lake County Public Defenders Office, which is representing Crimo, declined to comment.

It did not oppose Crimo being held without bail as the case proceeds.

Emptied Multiple Clips

During the shooting, which took place at approximately 10:14 a.m.14 minutes after the parade starteddozens of rounds were fired, prosecutor Eric Rinehart said.

He fired, emptied one clip, of I believe 30 rounds and reloaded a second clip, I believe, emptied that clipIm not positiveand actually reloaded a third time, he said.

Dressed as a woman, Crimo evaded capture, made his way to his mothers home, and soon drove off with her vehicle, authorities say.

He traveled to Madison, Wisconsin, with a different firearm and considered attacking a July 4 celebration there but ultimately opted not to and drove back to Illinois where he was arrested.

Prosecutors say Crimo, who had also purchased three other guns in recent years, confessed to carrying out the Highland Park massacre.

Five people were pronounced dead at the scene, and two others have perished from their wounds. Additional people were injured.

Crimo has been charged with seven counts of first-degree murder and will face more charges in the future, according to Rinehart. FBI Director Christopher Wray, commenting during an event in London, said that federal charges are possible.
(L-R) Doug Emhoff, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Jill Biden, and President-elect Joe Biden wave as they arrive on the East Front of the U.S. Capitol for the inauguration in Washington on Jan. 20, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Independence Day After the Election of 2020

Commentary

Over the years, July 4 has grown to become a universal celebration of freedomeven to us Brits. But if the election of 2020 was rigged, Americans are now back in the situation of being taxed without legitimate representation.

I have to say, given the efforts exerted to shut down genuine concerns about possible voter fraud, Im with President Donald Trump on that one. I think it was rigged, but obviously I have no proof.

But how does a guy who hardly left his basement beat the incumbent who wasand still isfilling stadiums all over the country?

After Joe Bidens inauguration, I shared a copy of the picture above to a reporter friend of mine saying how it reminded me of an old Western movie where the bad guys donned black masks before raiding a bank.

The crimeif it happenedwould have taken place 11 weeks before this picture was taken, making this the we-got-away-with-it parade.

In 1785, nine years after Thomas Jefferson co-authored the Declaration of Independence, he wrote to his former student and future fellow president James Monroe: How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy.

If the 2020 election was rigged, the conspirators must have been hoping the same would hold true 235 years later.

But, deep down, the architects of such an alleged scam would probably be wondering now if it was worth all the effort and risk after Bidens job approval ratings dropped to 31 percent last week.

Hardly surprising after his disastrous decision to give away 20 years of U.S. blood and treasure in Afghanistan last summer. And now his latest foreign policy blunder aimed at getting Ukraine into NATO, which has resulted in gas prices reaching above $5 per gallon, and the post-lockdown supply chain crisis getting much worse. Not to mention all the unnecessary death and destruction that has taken place in that geographically unfortunate land.

It seems Biden ignored the advice of his new CIA chief, William J. Burns, who first warned of Russian hostility to NATO expansion eastwards in 1995.

Later, while serving as U.S. ambassador to Russia in 2008, he cautioned Republican Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice: Ukrainian entry into NATO is the brightest of all redlines for the Russian elite (not just Putin).  I have yet to find anyone who views Ukraine in NATO as anything other than a direct challenge to Russian interests.

Either that or they have both gone loco.

Time for a Revamp?

It must have really hurt the Democrats that they couldnt stop Roe v. Wade from being overturned on their watch. But it does show they dont control the Supreme Court, even though it was beginning to look that way after the justices refused to intervene in the electoral and constitutional anomalies of the 2020 election.

Biden now views abortion as a chance to restore his fortunes and is asking voters to elect more pro-choice lawmakers (i.e., Democrats) to the House and Senate in November.

But, failing that, and as a way out of the legal and political reckoning that may be coming their way if the last election is ever challenged, they could always reinvent themselves as a pro-life party. Unlikely? Well, the Civil Rights Bill passed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 transformed the former slave-owning-turned-segregationist party into the first choice for most African-Americans.

Never underestimate the Democratic National Committees resourcefulness. It looked to be all over for them in 1865 when their Confederate forces surrendered. Yet just six days later, their man was in the White House after Democrat-voting John Wilkes-Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln.

The problem America and most democratic nations face is that only one of the two major parties fundamentally believes in democracy. Socialist politicians see themselves as the educated vanguard of the ignorant masses. This is a leftover of Marxism, but old habits die hard.

Democracy in all its guiseswhether as a constitutional monarchy like the UK that doesnt even have a set constitution, or a constitutional republic like America that doesenables free and fair elections that allow people to choose how they want to be led and by whom. It might be a limited choice, but its the difference between living in a free state or a tyranny.

Its true that in most democratic elections socialists cede power peacefully, but as conservative parties have largely moved to the center-left, they know their agenda will continue regardless.

That changed in 2016 with the election of Trump, who stood for everything they oppose, and their hatred went visceral. The Deep State was not keen to let that happen again in 2020, but was that probable cause for throwing an election? The establishment thought not.

Since the War of Independence, Americas armed forces have successfully protected it from external threats, but what happens when the threat comes from the insideif government agencies go constitutionally rogue against a sitting president?

The Judo Defence: Using the Opponents Anger Against Them

The right to peaceful protest is a fundamental aspect of living in a free society, and that is how Jan. 6 began. If an election heist did take place, those who masterminded it would have anticipated that and maybe worse.

In fact, a lot worse would suit their purposes just fine. A Republican-ledeven better, Trump-ledattack on the seat of government would shift the focus from accusations of Democrat election tampering to the Democrats defending democracy itself.

It could also land their arch nemesis in jail, so whats not to likeI mean, be outraged about?

But what if the Democrats lose the November midterms, giving Republicans control of the House and Senate as well as the important investigative committees? If the Democrats have been up to dirty tricks, will desperate times call for desperate measures once again?

Whatever the outcome, the 2022 election must be seen to have been conducted fairly. If not, it will surely be time to stop celebrating Independence Day.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey leaves the Rayburn House Office Building after testifying to the House Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform committees on Capitol Hill in Washington on Dec. 7, 2018. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

IRS Requests Watchdog Probe of Decision to Audit Comey, McCabe

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has asked a watchdog to investigate its decision to audit former FBI officials James Comey and Andrew McCabe.

The IRS has referred the matter to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration for review, a spokesperson for the agency told The Epoch Times in an email.

IRS Commissioner Rettig personally reached out to TIGTA after receiving a press inquiry, the spokesperson added.

The IRS is part of the Treasury Department. Commissioner Charles Rettig was appointed by former President Donald Trump.

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, established in 1998, independently oversees the IRS. Its actions include investigating allegations of misconduct by IRS employees.

The watchdog could not be reached.

Comeys 2017 tax return was selected at random for a compliance research examination while McCabes 2019 return was picked at random for the same type of audit, according to letters from the IRS to the former officials published (pdf) by the New York Times.

Comey, an Obama appointee, was fired by then-President Trump in May 2017 at the recommendation of the attorney general and deputy attorney general. The officials said Comey was not able to effectively lead the bureau.

Comey was later found to have violated FBI policies by providing a memorandum to a friend with instructions for the friend to share the memo with a reporter, and to have kept copies of other memos at his home after his firing.

McCabe, who succeeded Comey, was fired the following year by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a Trump appointee, at the recommendation of the FBI because he lied to the bureau about allowing information to go to a reporter.

Then-FBI Acting Director Andrew McCabe listens during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 7, 2017. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

Comey, McCabe React

Both Comey and McCabe suggested they should not have been audited.

Maybe its a coincidence or maybe somebody misused the I.R.S. to get at a political enemy. Given the role Trump wants to continue to play in our country, we should know the answer to that question, he told the New York Times.

I think they handled the business OK, the person I dealt with was fine, but the question remains, how was I selected for this? McCabe, who has been a CNN analyst since shortly after being fired, said on CNN.

Trump told the paper through a spokesperson, I have no knowledge of this.

The IRS spokesperson said that federal privacy laws prevent the agency from discussing situations involving specific taxpayers.

Audits are handled by career civil servants, and the IRS has strong safeguards in place to protect the exam process  and against politically motivated audits. Its ludicrous and untrue to suggest that senior IRS officials somehow targeted specific individuals for National Research Program audits, the spokesperson added.
Johnson to Address Nation After Reports He Will Resign

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will address the nation on Thursday, Downing Street confirmed, amid reports he will resign.

It comes as almost 60 government ministers and ministerial aides quit over Johnsons handling of sexual misconduct allegations against a former deputy chief whip.

A Downing Street spokesman said Johnson will make a statement to the country today.

According to the BBC, citing an unnamed source from Johnsons office, Johnson has agreed to stand down.

In a statement posted on Twitter on Thursday morning, Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi said he, alongside other ministers, had made clear to Johnson in private on Wednesday that he should leave with dignity.

I am heartbroken that he hasnt listened and that he is now undermining the incredible achievements of the government at this late hour, Zahawis statement read.

Zahawi said no one would forget getting Brexit done, keeping Jeremy Corbyn out of government, the governments handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its support for Ukraine, but the country deserves a government that is not only stable, but which acts with integrity.

Prime Minister, you know in your heart what the right thing to do is, and go now, the letter concluded.

New Education Secretary Resigns

By Thursday morning, 58 Conservative MPs had resigned from their government roles, including newly appointed Education Secretary Michelle Donelan.

Donelan was appointed on Wednesday to replace Zahawi as he had been appointed chancellor of the exchequer.

It followed the shock resignations of Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak on Tuesday evening, which started the snowballing of resignations.

By Thursday morning, five Cabinet ministers had resigned, including Javid, Sunak, Donelan, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis, and Wales Secretary Simon Hart.

Another Cabinet minister, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, was sacked by Johnson after he reportedly told Johnson to go on Wednesday.

Additionally, 23 ministers, 22 parliamentary private secretaries, five trade envoys, and three Conservative Party vice-chairs or deputy chairs have resigned.

The mass resignation was triggered on Tuesday after Johnson admitted that it was a mistake to keep former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher in government roles despite sexual misconduct allegations against him.

Downing Street stated last week that Johnson wasnt aware of any formal complaints against Pincher, only to admit this week that the prime minister was told about an investigation and had forgotten about it.

Reading a personal statement on his resignation in Parliament on Wednesday, Javid said enough is enough.

He also said ministers who didnt resign will have their own reasons, but it is a choice.  Not doing something is an active decision.

On Thursday morning, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace wrote on Twitter: A number of us have an obligation to keep this country safe, no matter who is PM. The Party has a mechanism to change leaders and that is the mechanism which I advise colleagues to use. In the meantime, the public would not forgive us if we left these Offices of State empty.
Hongkongers in the UK hold a memorial event, 1st July Commemoration of the 1st Death Anniversary of Leung Kin-fai, at Piccadilly Circus in central London, on July 1, 2022. (Wen Dongqing/The Epoch Times)

Hongkongers From Around the World Continue to Hold Rallies to Say No to CCP

July 1 marks the 25th anniversary of Hong Kongs handover from Britain to China. Before the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL) came into effect in 2020, Hong Kongs pro-democracy camp had been holding an annual July 1 protest to symbolize Hong Kongs continued rights to freedom of expression and demonstration.

However, that changed in July 2022 when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping visited Hong Kong. All demonstrations were banned, and no one dared to hold any demonstrations in Hong Kong.

Hongkongers around the world, on the other hand, organized different parades and rallies throughout the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and other places to continue the spirit of the Hong Kong Protests.

On July 1, 2022, around 10 memorial events were held across the UK, spanning from cities of England and Scotland, including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Bristol, Newcastle, Sheffield, and Aberdeen.

Hongkongers in the UK hold a memorial event, July 1 Commemoration of the 1st Death Anniversary of Leung Kin-fai, at Piccadilly Circus in central London, on July 1, 2022. (Wen Dongqing/The Epoch Times)

At 6 p.m. local time on July 1, the Good Neighbor Church England, an organization founded by Hongkongers in the UK, held a memorial event, July 1, Commemoration of the 1st Death Anniversary of Leung Kin-fai, at Piccadilly Circus, in central London. A few hundred people attended on the day. The organizers first led the attendees to observe a minute of silence for Leung Kin-fai and read out Bible chapters, after which many people presented flowers one by one to show their condolences.

Leung Kin-fai was a 50-year-old male who committed suicide after attacking a policeman in Hong Kong. At about 10 p.m. on July 1, 2021, Leung suddenly approached a 28-year-old mobile unit police officer from behind and stabbed him with a knife, right outside the Sogo Department Store in Causeway Bay, before Leung stabbed himself in the heart and died by suicide.

Hongkongers in the UK held a rally outside the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London on July 1, 2022. (Chun Zhen/The Epoch Times)

The memorial featured audio recordings by former Hong Kong legislator Baggio Leung Chung-hang and co-founder of Hong Kong Watch Benedict Rogers.

Baggio Leung said that since the implementation of the NSL, the CCP has not stopped persecuting Hongkongers and silencing dissidents. Leung said, I know many overseas Hongkongers are fighting for the day when they can return home. I hope everyone will always remember your identity as Hongkongers. Leung also reminded everyone that they should continue to show the world that Hongkongers will continue to fight for freedom and justice.

Benedict Rogers, British human rights activist, Co-founder of Hong Kong Watch. (Simon Gross/The Epoch Times)

Benedict Rogers of Hong Kong Watch said ever since the CCP imposed the NSL, Hong Kongs rule of law and freedom are completely tarnished. Many of the Hongkongers he knows have been held against their will in Hong Kong prisons. Rogers also chimed the anti-extradition movements signature slogan Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times repeatedly to remind Hongkongers not to give up and continue to fight for freedom.

When everyone arrived at their next stop, another Hongkonger group Hong Kong Aid, took over the crowd of about 700 people and carried on with the second memorial of Leung Kin-fai. Flowers, banners, and candles filled the grounds of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London.

The spokesperson of the second mourning, first read aloud the names of Hongkongers who passed away during the anti-extradition movement in 2019. A minute of silence was observed, while some people burnt CCPs flags.

Hongkongers in Manchester held parades and rallies to continue the spirit of the Hong Kong Protests. (Tian Yu/The Epoch Times)

Two Hongkonger organizations in Manchester, The Hong Kong Independence Union, and the Hong Kong Indigenous Defence Force, held an assembly rally called Say No to Hong Kong Police State. 1000 people were in attendance on the evening of July 1 by Peter Square.

The spokesman first led the group to mourn all the Hongkongers who died in support of the Hong Kong democracy and freedom movement. The crowd marched through many streets in the city center, chanting slogans such as Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times and Say No to CCP along the way. Anti-CCP slogans seem to have resonated with a large number of locals, some even applauded to show their support.

July 1, 2022, thousands of Hongkongers in Manchester marched against Hong Kong police violence. (Tian Yu/The Epoch Times)

In a recording played during the rally, Taiwanese current affairs commentator Sang Pu said the situation in Hong Kong has further deteriorated since the CCP implemented the NSL. He said the new chief executive John Lee Ka-chiu was elected in a spurious election and had no right or legitimacy to represent Hongkongers: We need to say no to John Lee and Hong Kong becoming a police state.

Taiwanese current affairs commentator Sang Pu. (Photo by The Epoch Times)

Hong Kongs democratic rights activist and entertainer Joey Tay said that July 1, is the Remembrance of Martyrdom Day in Hong Kong every year. Tay described the former Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor had become an outcast of the CCP, while the new chief executive John Lee Ka-chiu enters the scene and will turn Hong Kong into a police state.

Tay also believed that Lee does not have the qualifications to be Hong Kong Chief Executive as part of the U.S. sanctioned list.

Hong Kongs democratic rights activist and entertainer Joey Tay. (Eleen/The Epoch Times)

The Last Governor of Hong Kong

On the same evening, the human rights group Hong Kong Watch conducted a book signing party for the latest book of the last Governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, The Hong Kong Diary, with 400 people present.

At the signing, Patten called John Lee Ka-chiu Officer Lee and criticized him for being selected by a group of agents and traitors; Lee only became the chief executive because he had been in charge of policing and used his iron fists to squash down peaceful demonstrations.

Meanwhile, Lord Patten reminded everyone that the most crucial thing to do is to make sure we continue to understand whats happening to Hong Kong and not be clouded by CCPs propaganda. He also warned that communist stooges have been rewriting Hong Kong history and erasing any truth of Hong Kong being a colonialized city once upon a time.

The human rights group Hong Kong Watch conducted a book signing party for the latest book of the last Governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, The Hong Kong Diary, with 400 people present. (Shan Lam/The Epoch Times)

New York

On the other side of the world, Hongkonger organization NY4HK and Project Black Mask HK were joined by 100 people in New York. Participants rallied in black while carrying banners of Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times and Release All Arrestees. The demonstrators chanted Free Hong Kong from New York Time Square to The Chinese Consulate.

Hongkongers in New York participated in rallies in black clothing chanting Free Hong Kong from New York Time Square to The Chinese Consulate. (Lin Dan/The Epoch Times)

Hongkongers in New York participated in rallies in black clothing chanting Free Hong Kong from New York Time Square to The Chinese Consulate. (Lin Dan/The Epoch Times)

Hongkongers in New York participated in rallies in black clothing chanting Free Hong Kong from New York Time Square to The Chinese Consulate. (Lin Dan/The Epoch Times)

Terry, the organizer of the New York event, said July 1 is a disastrous day for Hong Kong: the Chinese Communist Party has trampled on One Country, Two Systems, turning a free city into a terrifying Chinese state. He continued that although Hongkongers have been fighting for three years, he knows they will never give up the fight for: freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and universal suffrage that every Hongkonger rightfully deserves.

An unnamed founder of Students for Hong Kong said, In 2019, Hong Kong students experienced and defended their campuses of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong during the sieges by the Hong Kong Police, the brave students did not care if they were going to be arrested, hurt, or sacrificed. He hopes overseas Hongkongers will use the rights they enjoy elsewhere to fight for the people who remain in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong

Despite the organizers of the now-disbanded Civil Human Right Fronts, Jimmy Sham and Figo Chan, having been in jail and silenced, some citizens still took a risk to go to Causeway Bay.

The Epoch Times reporter interviewed a couple of senior locals.

A 75- year-old man in a yellow mask with the writing of FDNOL, which stands for five demands, not one less, was meeting his friends in a symbolic location, Causeway Bay just to walk around.

The group of elderly recalled how busy it was on the day of the anti-extradition march back in 2019, compared to the ghostly town right now. They are not too happy that democracy is dying in Hong Kong. Young Hongkongers should leave Hong Kong when they can now. Just leave us oldies here to tang ping (lying flat). We are used to seeing the threats CCP throws. we are not scared, and they are in the wrong.

Elders wearing masks met on East Point Road, Causeway Bay in Hong Kong saying that although there was no march on July 1, they still came to do their best. (Screenshots of YouTube)

HK Police officers intercepted citizens in black in Causeway Bay. (Li Mingen/The Epoch Times)

Police officers are ready in Causeway Bay to intercept citizens. (Zuo Xiangru/The Epoch Times)

Taiwan

In Taiwan, Su Tseng-chang, Premier of Taiwan, the Republic of China, criticized the CCP for breaking their promise of Unchanged 50 years to Hongkongers, collapsed after only 25 years.

What China had promised Hongkongers once upon a time is now being exposed to the world, despised by Hong Kong citizens. What we must know now, more than ever, is that Taiwan has to defend its rights, power, and democracy, because the so-called One Country, Two Systems just doesnt exist.
Legal Niche Exploiting Californias Businesses Suffers a Supreme Court Blow

Commentary

With the U.S. Supreme Courts recent 8-1 ruling in Viking River Cruises, Inc. v. Moriana (pdf), limiting the ability for employees to sue under Californias Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), state lawmakers are faced with a unique opportunity to finally fix a problem that has long weighed our states economy down. That is, if they have the courage to do so.

PAGA was originally created in 2004 as a way to allow individual employees to step into the shoes of state regulators and file suit against their employers instead of going through the arbitration process. The intention was to give employees more power to resolve disputes and hold companies accountable for violating state labor laws.

However, since its passage, PAGA has been increasingly abused by predatory trial attorneys who have made a fortune from threatening small businesses into quickly settling alleged PAGA claims, which can be as innocuous as a typo on a pay stub. For reference, there are 9,110 sections in the California labor code. Honest mistakes by employers can result in massive fines under PAGA that have forced owners to shut down all together, killing all the jobs attached to their business.

One contractor in the city of Orange recently had to pay a $150,000 settlement to be released from this nuisance lawsuit. Call it a form of legalized embezzlement.

Thankfully the U.S. Supreme Court has blocked PAGAs ability to circumvent the arbitration process. While arbitration agreements are not always foolproof, they can be a helpful tool in preventing inane lawsuits from being filed in the first place. The reasoning is simple: if an individual knows they will have to go through arbitration to settle a dispute, they are less likely to file a lawsuit unless they have a strong case. As a result, arbitration agreements can help dissuade individuals from filing frivolous lawsuits, saving both parties time and money.

In my final year in the State Senate, I strongly considered pushing legislation that would have, similarly to this decision from the Supreme Court, allowed employers to enter arbitration and settle disputes with employees in a mutually advantageous way. Unfortunately, like most meaningful reforms in Sacramento, the possible legislations fate was likely destined for failure coming from a Republican legislator in a competitive election year.

Besides, years of intense lobbying fights between businesses and the trial attorneys, dubbed the tort-wars, largely resulted in a stalemate on this issue. However, the Supreme Courts decision has clearly scrambled the battlefield. I strongly encourage my common-sense minded former colleagues of both parties to use this as an opportunity to bring balanced reform to this issue and bring an armistice to the tort-wars once and for all.

Restoring arbitration agreements isnt going to fix PAGA entirely.

Balance on this issue would mean employers have an opportunity to remedy potential labor law violations before being sued. Balance would also mean when cases do go to court and result in penalty awards for the employees, recovered funds have be used to benefit the employees allegedly harmed by the labor law violations, and not just for the lawyers payday.

With the Supreme Court placing the issue of PAGA front and center on the legislative docket, now is the time for California lawmakers to reform the law and limit the incentive for attorneys to leverage it for abusive lawsuits.

If done correctly, the legislature can protect businesses from abusive PAGA lawsuits while still allowing employees to take action when their employer has truly wronged them. Balance isnt always easy to achieve, but it is always worth pursuing.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Aerial view of the SoFi Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, in Inglewood, Calif., on April 22, 2021. (Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images)

Mans Body Found in Lake at SoFi Stadium

INGLEWOOD, Calif.A mans body was pulled from the lake at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood July 6, and an investigation into the mans death was underway.

Firefighters were sent to the stadium shortly after 6:20 a.m., after receiving a report from security personnel who noticed the man on video hopping a fence on the West Century Boulevard side of the stadium and moving toward the lake, according to Inglewood Mayor James Butts and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Divers from the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Departments Special Enforcement Bureau were also sent to the scene and searched the waters along with the countys fire department units.

Butts said the video showed the man swimming toward the center of the lake, and he was last seen above water just before 6:15 a.m.

The mans body was later discovered at 9:50 a.m, as reported by Inglewood police, Lt. Scott Collins.

According to Butts, the man was 45 years old, but no further details regarding his identity or motive for entering the lake were released.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection patch is seen on the arm of a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Mission, Texas, on July 1, 2019. (Loren Elliott/Reuters)

Mexican Human-Smuggler Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Leaving Woman to Die on Texas Road

A Mexican illegal alien was sentenced to 21 years in prison on July 5 for his role in leaving a female Honduran illegal alien to die on the side of a Texas road in a 2018 human-smuggling incident.

Nelson Bahena-Garcia, 43, was found guilty and sentenced in the Southern District of Texas for conspiring to commit hostage-taking resulting in death, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) said in a statement. Hes expected to be deported after his release from prison.

During the hearing, the court heard that Bahena-Garcia used threats and intimidation to operate a human-smuggling stash house.

The victim, who was a missing Honduran female, was at the stash house and not released for medical care during the smuggling attempt, according to HSI.

Bahena-Garcia admitted to authorities that she died during the incident.

Not only did this human smuggler conspire to undermine our nations immigration laws for his own profit, but he did so with a callous and reckless disregard for the lives of the migrants who had entrusted him with their care, said Mark Dawon, special agent in charge of HSI Houston.

When the missing womans fiance was unable to pay to secure her release, he phoned authorities.

The Honduran womans body was found by authorities on a rural road in Victoria County on May 28, 2018, stripped of her clothing. Her body bore signs of trauma.

An investigation was carried out by HSI Victoria, HSI Houston, HSI McAllen, U.S. Border Patrol, and the Sheriffs Office of Victoria County, Texas.

The investigation determined the Honduran woman had collapsed during the smuggling attempt and had to be carried.

According to a companion, Bahena-Garcia ordered the woman to be left in the brush to die even though she said, Please dont leave me.

Bahena-Garcia, who pleaded guilty to the charges on Nov. 2, 2021, said at the time that his driver had been the one who abandoned the woman.

A human smuggler who abandoned a migrant in the Texas brush to die was ordered to serve 21 years in prison for conspiracy to commit hostage taking resulting in a death following an investigation conducted by HSI Victoria, @HSIHouston, HSI McAllen, @CBP, & @VCSOTexas. Details: https://t.co/NC4kBpCxgr pic.twitter.com/1x66tmmr2Y  HSI Houston (@HSIHouston) July 6, 2022

Southern Border Crisis

A number of counties in Texas have declared the illegal immigration crisis at the southern border an invasion and have called on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to follow suit.

Kinney County Judge Tully Shahan signed a local disaster declaration on July 5 requesting that Abbott immediately prevent and/or remove all persons violating the sovereignty of Texas and that of the United States.

Kinney County was joined by Goliad, Terrell, Edwards, and Jeff Davis counties, with several more intending to sign declarations.

Brent Smith, the attorney for Kinney County who helped draft the declaration, said that while Abbott isnt obligated to do anything about the declaration, he hopes more Texas counties will join to apply more pressure on the governor.

This is just basically a plea for help to the governor. And the counties on the border who are living through this nightmare every daythe things that we see tell us its an invasion. Were the ones witnessing it, Smith told The Epoch Times.

Unless you have a secure border, you dont have a state, you dont have a nation. Until we have a secure border, we have no business passing any other laws about anything else. Its like worrying about what color tablecloth youre going to buy for your kitchen table while the house is burning down around you.

Charlotte Cuthbertson contributed to this report.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks to guests during an event with President Joe Biden and several family members of victims of the Tops market shooting at the Delavan Grider Community Center in Buffalo, N.Y., on May 17, 2022. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

New York Sheriffs Condemn Thoughtless, Reactionary New Gun Law Hurried Through State Legislature

New York law enforcement officials are condemning sweeping new laws on gun ownership that were rushed through the state Legislature and signed into law in response to the U.S. Supreme Court striking down the states tough concealed carry gun permitting system.

The officials say the new legislation will be difficult to enforce and may be unconstitutional.

We do not support punitive licensing requirements that aim only to restrain and punish law-abiding citizens who wish to exercise their Second Amendment rights, the New York State Sheriffs Association said in a statement available on its website.

The Supreme Court voted 63 on June 23 to strike down New York states concealed carry gun permitting system on constitutional grounds, recognizing for the first time a constitutional right to carry firearms in public for self-defense.

The decision undermines concealed carry laws in states that require permit applicants to demonstrate a special self-defense-related need to carry in public.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, announced on July 5 that his state would comply with the ruling because Marylands concealed carry permitting law is virtually indistinguishable from New Yorks.

The New York Legislature went in the opposite direction after the ruling, speeding through legislation cracking down on gun ownership.

The sheriffs association acknowledged that lawmakers had to take some action  to fill the firearms licensing vacuum created when the Supreme Court struck down New Yorks unconstitutional restrictions on our citizens right to keep and bear arms.

But it did not need to be thoughtless, reactionary action, just to make a political statement, the group said.

The Legislature passed sweeping new criminal justice laws that affect the rights of millions of New York citizens, and which impose burdensome new duties on local government officials, without any consultation with the people who will be responsible for carrying out the provisions of those new laws. This has become a habit with the Legislature and has resulted in other criminal justice disasters such as New Yorks so-called Bail Reform Law.

When the Legislature in Albany convened for a special session after the Supreme Court ruling, it said it needed to craft measures complying with it.

Critics say the new Concealed Carry Improvement Act, which New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, hurriedly signed into law, openly defies the Supreme Court ruling in June in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, which requires the loosening of some concealed carry restrictions. The new state law, which is certain to be challenged in court, is scheduled to take effect on Sept. 1.

At the signing ceremony, Hochul denounced the court ruling as a reckless decision removing century-old limitations on who is allowed to carry concealed weapons in our statesenselessly sending us backward and putting the safety of our residents in jeopardy.

She said the new law was drafted to strengthen our gun laws and bolster restrictions on concealed carry weapons.

The statute requires carry permit applicants to show good moral character, navigate a gun safety course, and surrender information from their social media accounts for background checks. The latter requirement, which may run afoul of First Amendment free speech protections, has been compared with Chinas intrusive social credit system because it may lead to prospective applicants being denied access to firearms based on their political opinions.

Even before the law was passed, New York had recently enacted a raft of other measures regulating guns.

On June 6, Hochul signed a package of 10 bills into law in response to the racially motivated May 14 mass shooting at a supermarket in a predominantly black neighborhood in Buffalo that left 10 people dead.

The various measures raise the age to purchase semiautomatic rifles from 18 to 21; ban the purchase of body vests by non-police officers; expand the reach of red flag laws to allow health care practitioners to report individuals and require police and prosecutors to do the same; create a new crime of selling firearms that cannot be micro-stamped (an ammunition-marking technique that theoretically makes it possible to link bullets and casings to specific guns); and creates a new Task Force on Social Media and Violent Extremism in the state attorney generals office.

On May 18, Hochul signed Executive Order 19 strengthening the states red flag laws. She directed the New York State Police to make sure officers are trained in filing so-called extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) to confiscate firearms from private citizens. The same day, she also signed Executive Order 18, creating an Office of Counterterrorism to monitor private individuals social media posts so it may intervene in the radicalization process. The order directs state police to increase their monitoring of social media to identify potentially violent extremists.

The latest gun law has resulted in mass confusion, according to a report by Utica television station WKTV.

Judges in each county will have to review three years of social media of each applicant and have to meet in person with each applicant, said Dan Sullivan, Oneida Countys assistant pistol licensing officer.

Its not a possible task, he added.

George L. Lyon Jr. of Arsenal Attorneys, who specializes in Second Amendment litigation, said New York is taking the wrong path.

Lyon is representing plaintiffs in two new lawsuits: one challenges the ban on concealed carry in Washington, D.C.s crime-ridden public transit system; the other takes on D.C.s ammunition limits for concealed carriers.

It is unfortunate that New York is harkening back to the days of Massive Resistance that was adopted following the Brown decision back in the 1950s in Virginia and some of the other southern states.

Lyon was referring to Brown v. Board of Education, the 1954 Supreme Court ruling that struck down state laws enforcing racial segregation in public schools.

Massive Resistance is a policy Virginia adopted in 1956 that was advocated by the late U.S. Sen. Harry F. Byrd Sr., a Virginia Democrat who coined the phrase. Schools were shut down in the state to prevent desegregation. The policy succeeded in delaying the desegregation of Virginias schools for a decade and increased racial tensions.

I would have thought that New York would have learned from Virginia and Arkansas and the rest of the states that, as you would say, thumbing your nose at the Supreme Court doesnt get you anywhere in the long run, Lyon told The Epoch Times in an interview.
Police cars parked behind Parliament and Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, on March 2, 2022. (Lynn Grieveson/Getty Images)

New Zealands Escalating Crime Wave Decades in the Making: Police Minister

Decades of family abuse has contributed to the rampant crime rate in New Zealand, with one politician comparing the lawlessness to that in South Africa.

Weve had the most crime, especially the most gun crime, that I can ever remember, former federal Member of Parliament Matt King told The Epoch Times.

King said helping children living in families suffering from generational abuse was crucial to reducing crime.

Its been decades of the parents are the same and their parents are the same, he said. Especially in areas like Northland where Im from, there are quite a high number of familiesas a percentage of the populationthat are basically mistreating and abusing kids.

I was a policeman for 14 years so I used to see it all the time.

The Northland region is at the northern tip of New Zealand.

The new Minister of Police Chris Hipkins also expressed the same sentiment saying some criminal behaviour was decades in the making.

If you go and talk to the prisoners, which I have done over my time as a member of Parliament, youll often find people who were victims before they were offenders. So the cycle of offending can be a long-time in the making, he told New Zealands Q + A program in June.

Hipkins did not guarantee that the growing number of injury-causing acts, sexual assault, and homicide would be reversed under his watch, but said it would be something weve got to be aiming towards.

A policeman guards the scene outside a pharmacy in the suburb of Mount Albert in Auckland, New Zealand, on Aug. 24, 2010. (Phil Walter/Getty Images)

However, King noted that while trying to solve intergenerational problems could be very labour intensive and very capital intensive, in the long run it was worthwhile.

In one instance, New Zealand taxpayers were estimated to be paying $120,000 (US$75,000) per year to look after a prisoner. But King said authorities could have just spent $20,000 on him when he eight, nine, or 10 to get him out of his abusive, alcoholic fathers grasp.

But he conceded that the government was not incentivised to tackle the issue through targeted intervention at extremely young ages because of the countrys three-year election cycle.

Because its a long-term benefit. The payout, the benefit will only be felt 10 years from now and theres probably going to be a change of government by then, he said.

Police Hamstrung When Dealing With Crime

Meanwhile, there are also glaring short term issues including restrictive police policy and a growing truancy crisis.

King said the police were hamstrung when it came to dealing with youth offenders due to strict rules around dealing with kids.

Anyone under the arrestable ageits all youth aid, youth justiceso its very hard for the cops to actually deal with these offenders, he said.

Police are also restricted by the pursuit policy that was changed in 2020 after 63 deaths in the last decade. Police are only allowed to chase fleeing vehicles if the threat of the suspect outweighs the risk of harm created by the pursuit.

Since the change was made, there have been no fatalities in police pursuits. However, the opposition party highlighted that it has emboldened young offenders who often flee from law enforcement.

Young offenders have realised they can steal a car or flee the scene of a crime without the risk of being pursued or stopped by the police, Nationals police spokesman Mark Mitchell said in May.

In response, Hipkins said the policy was currently under review.

That doesnt necessarily mean chasing every car, but it can mean monitoring that car until it stops and then catching up with the people who are in it, the minister said. So theres all sorts of options that are available to the police.

New Zealand Member of Parliament Chris Hipkins during the Labour Away Caucus at The Bungalow Coastal Retreat in New Plymouth, New Zealand, on Jan. 20, 2022. (Andy Jackson/Getty Images)

Not Enough Resources

Another immediate reason that children are drawn towards crime is disengagement from school.

Mayor of Auckland Phil Goff previously told The Epoch Times that the recent wave of ram raidscarried out by young peopleis also related to the absenteeism stemming from the COVID-19 lockdown periods, where many students simply decided not to return to class.

King said New Zealand was currently seeing the most truancy it ever had, but there was a lack of funding to support truancy officers.

Theres not the follow-up required to get people to make sure the kids are in school, he said. I know from talking to people around here that theres a real lack of funding for truancy.

I think there needs to be a focus on getting these kids back to school [so there arent] 12-year-olds running around trying to cram in cars.

The government has set out to address the issue through a national school attendance target.

School attendance has declined across the board since 2015 a trend that accelerated during COVID-19.

[It] now sits at around 60 percent of students who turn up 90 percent of the time, Associate Education Minister Jan Tinetti said in a statement in June.
The "Lady of Justice," a 12 foot high, gold leaf statue is pictured on top of the dome of the Central Criminal Court, commonly referred to as The Old Bailey in central London on Aug. 21, 2016. (Niklas Halle'n/AFP/Getty Images)

Nigerian Senator and Wife Accused of Organ Harvesting Will Face Trial in UK

A Nigerian senator and his wife who allegedly brought a young man into Britain so they could harvest one of his kidneys for their daughter will face trial at the Old Bailey in London.

Ike Ekweremadu, 60, and his wife Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55 were charged last month and at the time it was reported the organ donor was a child.

But on Thursday Westminster Magistrates Court was told the individual in question was 21, not 15. It is thought biodata has been supplied by the Nigerian authorities to clarify his age.

Ekweremadu is charged with conspiracy to arrange or facilitate travel of another person with a view of exploitation and his wife is charged with arranging or facilitating travel of another person with a view of exploitation.

The couple were not asked to enter pleas on Thursday but the court heard they have indicated they will deny the charges and say there was no criminal conspiracy involved.

The prosecution claim the young man refused to give his consent to have his kidney removed after undergoing tests at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, north London.

Couple Accused of Treating Organ Donor as a Slave

It is further claimed the couple treated him as a slave and that he escaped and reported them at a police station in Staines, not far from Heathrow Airport.

The couple was arrested at Heathrow on June 21 after arriving on a flight from Turkey.

On Thursday deputy chief magistrate Tan Ikram remanded the pair in custody and said they would appear next on Aug. 4 at the Old Bailey for a plea and trial preparation hearing.

Ekweremadu served three terms as deputy president of the Senate in Nigeria, from 2007 to 2019.

He has been a senator since 2003 and is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He was recently made a visiting professor at the University of Lincoln.

The charges were made under modern slavery legislation which was introduced only last month.

Lawmakers in the UK also recently passed legislation aimed at stopping British people from participatingas organ recipientsin forced organ harvesting.

The amendment to the UKs new Health and Care Bill will criminalise any UK resident who pays for the supply of an organ, seeks to find someone willing to supply an organ for payment, or initiates or negotiates any such commercial arrangement outside of the UK, according to Health Minister Edward Argar.

The amendment was pushed by backbenchers who made it clear it was primarily aimed at organ harvesting under the communist regime in China.

PA contributed to this report
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper speaks to the crowd during an election night event in Raleigh, North Carolina, on May 17, 2022. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

North Carolina Governor Signs Order to Continue Enabling Abortion Access

Joins a number of other governors doing the same

Roy Cooper, the governor of North Carolina, signed an executive order on July 6 to continue enabling access to abortion in the state and shield people criminally charged with performing the procedure from being extradited to other states.

The Democrat noted that the executive order is not intended to change and does not change North Carolina law, but rather ensures that North Carolinians are afforded the protections and rights provided under North Carolina law.

His action comes after the U.S. Supreme Court on June 24 struck down Roe v. Wade in a case involving an abortion law in Mississippi. Roe v. Wade had largely enabled abortions up to 24 weeks of pregnancy across the United States for nearly 50 years. The overturning of Roe returns regulation of the procedure back to the states.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, also signed an executive order similar to Coopers on July 6. Other Democratic governors, including for Maine and Rhode Island, on July 5 made similar moves to shield patients and providers of abortions from penalties. Over in Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker signed a similar executive order on the day Roe v. Wade was overturned.

In North Carolina, abortions are legal until fetal viability, which typically falls between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. An abortion can be still performed after that in the case of a medical emergency, to protect the life or health of the mother. Abortions done for the purpose of sex selection are prohibited.

People who opt to have an abortion must receive information designed to dissuade them from moving forward with the procedure and wait 72 hours before the abortion is provided. They also must undergo an ultrasound before the abortion.

Coopers executive order (pdf) states that people who provide or receive reproductive health care services that are legal in North Carolina will not be imposed civil or criminal penalties by the Cabinet agencies or people under the governors office.

Reproductive health care services is defined in the document as including abortions.

A pro-life activist holds plastic figurines of unborn babies during a protest on Capitol Hill in Washington, on July, 29, 2010. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Protect Against Extraditions

Coopers order states that Cabinet agencies shall coordinate to protect people or entities who are providing, assisting, seeking, or obtaining lawful reproductive health care services in North Carolina. The order also directs the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to work with law enforcement to prohibit anyone from blocking access to a health care facility, per state law.

Cabinet agencies are also barred from requiring a pregnant state employee to travel to a state that has imposed restrictions on access to reproductive health care services if those restrictions do not include an exception for the health of the pregnant Cabinet Agency employee satisfactory to that employee.

It also says that the Cabinet agencies will not help with any investigation or proceeding that seeks to impose civil or criminal liability or professional sanction upon a person or entity for providing or receiving reproductive health care services that are legal in North Carolina.

While North Carolina law states that it is the governors duty to arrest and deliver any person charged in another state with treason, felony or other crime, who has fled from justice and is found in this state, Coopers executive order says the governor can exercise his discretion to decline requests to extradite anyone charged with a criminal violation in another state over carrying out or receiving reproductive health care services that are lawful in North Carolina. A pro-life demonstrator prays in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on June 21, 2022. (Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

Reaction to Overturning of Roe

In a statement issued on July 6, Cooper painted the action of the Supreme Court as having ripped away the constitutional right to reproductive freedom that women have relied on for five decades.

For now, its up to the states to determine whether women get reproductive health care, and in North Carolina they still can, thanks to my veto and enough legislative votes to sustain it, he said.

In April 2019, Cooper vetoed a bill that would have required doctors and nurses to care for babies born alive after a failed late-term abortion. In June 2021, Cooper vetoed a bill that would have prohibited abortions done because of the unborn childs race, sex, or a prenatal diagnosis of possible Down Syndrome.

Cooper warned the midterm elections will be crucial in preserving abortion access, as his veto power could be nullified by a Republican supermajority. Republicans are currently three seats shy of a supermajority in the House and two seats shy in the Senate.

On a call with President Joe Biden and eight other Democratic governors on July 1, Cooper said North Carolina abortion clinics have already seen an influx of out-of-state patients since the Supreme Court ruling.

Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, was alongside Cooper at the signing of the executive order. She said in a statement that North Carolina has become an increasingly critical access point for people traveling to obtain abortions, including from South Carolina and Tennessee.

Following the overturning of Roe on June 24, South Carolina has banned abortions past six weeks with exceptions for rape and incest. Tennessee has also banned abortions past six weeks, with no such exceptions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
During a march from Notting Hill to Hyde Park, people hold up placards in support of the Black Lives Matter movement as they take part in the inaugural Million People March to put pressure on the UK government to change the UK's institutional and systemic racism, in London, on Aug. 30, 2020. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)

1 in 4 UK Councils Promoting Critical Race Theory-Led Policies: Study

A report has painted a troubling picture of the ideological drift in how equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and anti-racist policies are being implemented by local councils across England and Wales.

The new anti-racism, which asserts that Britain is a systematically racist society which automatically discriminates against racial minorities, is being legitimised in schools through the reframing of equality policies by local councils, said Alka Sehgal Cuthbert, CEO of Dont Divide Us (DDU), an organisation set up to take a stand against the UKs divisive obsession with peoples racial identity.

This approach suppresses the distinction between facts, opinions, and beliefs and is in direct conflict with the wishes of parents, she added.

CRT and Anti-Racism

DDU found that almost one in four councils are critical race theory (CRT) and anti-racism led in their education policies and guidance.

It found that of these biased councils, the vast majority (88 percent) partner with third-party providers to push key concepts such as structural racism, white privilege, and unconscious bias. It added that the lack of standardisation of where and how such materials are made available contributes to the problem of transparency and accountability.

One such example included Coventry Council, which established a company, the Coventry Education Partnership, and has links with local schools. It also liaises with the Diocese of Coventry Board of Education.

Advice provided for educators included the use of visuals such as the White Supremacy Pyramid or the Allport Scale of Prejudice in Society to help pupils understand how bias, stereotypes, and prejudice can lead to racist words and actions, leading to physical harm and death.

In 2020, Brighton and Hove City Council made its aims explicit in its Anti-Racist Schools Strategy (pdf) with a resource focus on dismantling racist practices.

A teacher speaks to the class at Copley Academy in Stalybridge, England, on Sept. 9, 2021. (Anthony Devlin/Getty Images)

It also said that a series of measurable outcomes and appropriate structures must be established for auditing and monitoring purposes (BAME staff representation, curricula changes, well-being indicators, structural changes, attainment, attendance, exclusions).

Portsmouth Council has an anti-racism tool kit (pdf) that teaches white privilege and microaggressions to schools, colleges, and early years settings.

The Epoch Times contacted Coventry Council for comment.

Critics of CRT call it an outgrowth of Marxism, and say that it interprets society through a dichotomy between oppressor and oppressed, but it replaces the class categories with racial groups. The ideology has worked its way into society, affecting the education system, workplace, military, and more.

Proponents of CRT see deeply embedded racism in all aspects of society, including in neutral systems such as law and in the school curriculum, and deem it to be the root cause of racial inequity, or different outcomes for different races.

Prominent American CRT advocate Ibram X. Kendi says there is no such thing as being non-racist or race-neutral. In other words, one must support anti-racist policies and actively identify and confront perceived racism in everyday life in order not to be a racist.

Complete Lack of Transparency

DDU said that perhaps the most troubling finding is the complete lack of transparency at local council level.

It said that just over half of councils (54.3 percent) approached either did not respond to Freedom of Information requests or failed to provide sufficient information about their EDI policies or their use of third-party providers.

Worse, the complete lack of a uniform understanding of the role schools should play in combatting racism, is making schools vulnerable to indoctrination, going well beyond existing legislation, said Cuthbert.

In effect, we have found a postcode lottery, where children from Birmingham are at risk of being taught vastly differently on issues of race than children from Kent. That is unacceptable, and is having a detrimental impact on educational aims. It risks creating division and distrust in the very institutions tasked with shaping our childrens futures, she added.

Calvin Robinson in an undated file photo. (Courtesy of Calvin Robinson)

A YouGov poll, commissioned by DDU, found that the position of councils was at odds with the beliefs of parents.

One found that over a third of parents with children aged 516 (38 percent) do not believe schools should teach pupils that Britain is structurally racist and over two-thirds (69 percent) of parents with children aged 516 believe schools should teach in a non-partisan way.

This is not good enough, British political adviser, commentator, educator, and DDU member Calvin Robinson told The Epoch Times by email.

Councils should not be promoting contested ideologies. Critical race theory is harmful, divisive, and counterproductive to social cohesion. Any council jumping on board this toxic bandwagon should be penalised, he said.

DDU concluded that the government should mandate schools to list all third-party providers commissioned or invited into classes on their websites as well as mandate schools to provide access to materials used for teaching anti-racism to parents when requested.

In the longer term, we recommend that the government commission a review of existing policies, wrote DDU.

A Single, Contentious Interpretation of Anti-Racism

The release of the report coincided with the announcement of a new advisory council.

This includes notable figures from the debate on race and education, including Chair of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, Tony Sewell CBE, researcher and commentator, Rakib Ehsan, and former editor of the Jewish Chronicle, Stephen Pollard.

Ehsan told The Epoch Times by email that being a DDU founding signatory and member of its advisory council, I am firmly of the view that it is a much-needed force from a social-cohesion and community-relations perspective.

The organisation has been especially active in highlighting the spread of critical race theory in British public institutionsincluding state schools, he said.

The proliferation of pseudo-intellectual CRT-inspired ideas in the sphere of education threatens to undermine the quality of learning in schools. DDU recognises rights at the individual level and does not support race-based group rights advocacy, as this promotes division between individuals that belong to different racial groups, added Ehsan.

Sewell said that as he found as chair of the Commission for Ethnic and Racial Disparities, and as DDUs work underlines, it is increasingly apparent that a single, contentious interpretation of anti-racism has taken hold across many of our countrys institutions.

Uncovering the ideological drift in schools is of vital importance both for creating a more balanced discussion on race, and for protecting the integrity of education itself, and I look forward to working with DDU to achieve this.

The Epoch Times contacted the UK government for comment.
A worker looks past a fence in a compound during a COVID-19 lockdown in the Jing'an district of Shanghai, China, on May 25, 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

Beijings Latest Anti-Corruption Regulation Deflects Attention From Chinas Real Problems

Is this more communist misdirection away from serious problems?

Commentary

State-run China Daily reported on June 20 that the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee has issued a regulation on the business activities of relatives of officials.

While not fully explained, this appears to be the latest measure targeted at Chinese Communist Party (CCP) bureaucrats and apparatchiks in Chinese leader Xi Jinpings decade-long anti-corruption campaign.

Is this announcement genuine or misdirection? Let us examine the topic in detail.

Anti-Corruption Campaigns

Anti-corruption campaigns are a feature, not a bug in communist regimes. Communist leaders frequently employ anti-corruption actions to divert domestic attention away from problems that are unsolvableand exacerbatedby their socialist economic system.

Socialist systems invariably lead to shortages of the basic commodities and services needed for daily life in a civilized country, including food, shelter, fuel, medical services, housing, and consumer goods. Ubiquitous side effects of those shortages are the long queues that average citizens must endure to obtain anything and everything.

All communist countries have underground economies that involve de facto bribery to obtain basic necessities, goods, and services. A key aspect is the monetization of bureaucratic positions, as communist apparatchiks use their power and control to sell favors outside normal procedures to those who can payand who wish to avoid those infernal queues.

This is the very essence of corruption in a communist state. But that is just a symptom of the larger problem of graft and corruption in communist dictatorships.

The Soviet Union Example

It is axiomatic that when a communist leader publicizes an anti-corruption campaign, the initiative is intended to distract and misdirect citizens from far more serious problems and exert additional political controls on targeted groups.

The Soviet-era anti-corruption campaigns diverted public attention away from recurring famines due to failed harvests that resulted from collective farming and crackpot Lysenkoism, as well as from the aforementioned shortages.

As reported by the U.S. Justice Departments Office of Justice Programs in 1977, a Sovietologist estimated that economic crimes, such as bribery and corruption, amounted to 25 percent of all crimes committed in the Soviet Union.

That corruption even extended into factory operators who frequently faced problems obtaining the supplies needed to produce end-products; managers used the blat to fulfill the production requirements for their enterprises. Blat refers to the use of personal influence to obtain certain favors to which production units are not legally entitled.

Soldiers in Moscow look on at the funeral of Soviet leader and former KGB head Yuri Andropov in 1984. Seven years later, the Soviet Union collapsed. (AFP/Getty Images)

Corruption was essentially institutionalized as a fact of life in the old Soviet Union, and various Soviet leaders conveniently implemented anti-corruption campaigns to distract from the shortcomings of the Soviet economy and the daily hardships faced by Soviet citizens.

In one such campaign begun in 1983, Soviet leader Yuri Andropov even targeted his predecessor Leonid Brezhnevs associates, although the purge also affected ordinary Russians, as reported by The New York Times in 1985: According to news accounts, bank managers, collective farm chairmen, doctors, union officials, deputy ministers, a circus manager, and even some party officials are being sentenced, along with corrupt taxi drivers and checkroom and filling station attendants.

The Communist Chinese Experience

Corruption is endemic and a serious problem in communist China. The book Red Roulette: An Insiders Story of Wealth, Power, Corruption and Vengeance in Todays China was published in September 2021. It provides special insight into the corruption of Chinas ruling elite, including senior CCP members.

As noted by Publishers Weekly here, the author condemned a political system that mouthed Communist slogans while  officials gorged themselves at the trough of economic reforms.

Xi would appear to agree, at least in part. In a mixed message on June 17, as reported by Bloomberg, Xi said corruption in the country remains severe and complicated even though progress has been made in the battle against graft while Chinas Politburo declared its anti-corruption dragnet of financial institutions a success.

Xi has made fighting corruption a centerpiece of his rule from the very beginning. In 2012, he charged the Central Commission for Discipline and Inspection (CCDI)the agency tasked with battling corruption within the CCPto aggressively pursue graft and corruption associated with the patronage system.

His goals were twofold: to consolidate his political power by pursuing corrupt factional rivals and to actually deal with continuing rampant corruption among CCP members and their economic allies.

According to The Washington Post, by 2018, the CCDI had disciplined more than 1.5 million officials since the beginning of the anti-corruption campaign. As a result, while corrupt actions of Party members may have been curbed over time, there have been two other by-products of that campaign: Xi has earned a degree of popular support for anti-corruption actions but has also alienated many Party members (especially his factional rivals).

In March 2018, Xi convinced the 13th National Peoples Congress (Chinas rubber-stamp legislature) to create a new anti-corruption agency called the National Supervisory Commission, which absorbed the CCDI and is headed by Yang Xiaodu, Xis close ally and aide.

The anti-corruption focus of the new commission was expanded beyond members of the CCP to include managers of state-owned companies and institutions, including schools, universities, hospitals and cultural institutions.

The new commission also focuses on maintaining ideological purity and, especially, political control, including general loyalty to Xi. Its evolution and inner workings are detailed here.

Xi has employed his anti-corruption campaign to punish Chinese billionaires aligned with his political rivals, particularly former leader Jiang Zemins faction.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping (L) talks to former leader Jiang Zemin (R) during the closing of the 19th Communist Party Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on Oct. 24, 2017. (Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images)

A key example has been the campaign against Ant CEO Jack Ma when Chinese regulators canceled the companys dual IPO listing in Shanghai and Hong Kong in November 2020it would have been the worlds biggest-ever IPO listing at $37 billion, according to Fortune.

Alibaba founder Ma was caught up in an anti-corruption probe of the former Party secretary of the technology hub of Hangzhou, Zhou Jiangyong. The investigation involved examining the extent of Ant Groups transactions with state banks and enterprises, and resulted in a forced reorganization of the company.

No doubt at Xis insistence, the communique of the 6th plenary meeting of the 19th CCDI that was announced in January 2022 contained this anti-corruption gobbledygook and opiate for the masses: The strategic determination of fighting corruption and punishing evil has focused on the overall situation of modernization, and played a role in supervising and ensuring implementation and promoting perfect development.

The Supreme Peoples Procuratorate work report at the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference in March contained a sharp increase in bribery and corruption-related prosecutions in 2021, as reported by Sino Insider here: 23,000 cases (27,000 people) of corruption, bribery, and malfeasance; recovered 59.66 billion yuan of stolen funds and goods from official duty-related crimes; 13,000 cases of market manipulation, insider trading, illegal fundraising, money laundering, and other crimes; 134,000 people were prosecuted for crimes involving the disruption of economic order; 43,000 people were prosecuted for financial fraud and disrupting financial management order; 1,262 people were prosecuted for money laundering crimes; 9,083 people were prosecuted for accepting bribes and 2,689 people were prosecuted for offering bribes; 23 former provincial and ministerial level cadres were prosecuted, including Wang Fuyu and Wang Like.

In the background is a photo of Zhongnanhai, the central headquarters of the Chinese Communist Party, in Beijing. Two ministerial officials, Dong Hong (left) and Wang Fuyu (right) were given death sentences and suspended execution in January 2022. (Mark Schiefelbein/Pool/Getty Images/The Epoch Times Edit)

And then, there was Xis pledge made on June 17 during a group study session of the Political Bureau of the CCPs Central Committee to continue with a zero-tolerance attitude toward corruption, while reiterating the need to create deterrents, strengthen the institutional constraints and build up moral defenses among officials, according to state-run media China Daily.

Xi speaking about anti-corruption efforts should be an automatic red flag for all China watchers. Why at this particular time? What might he be hiding? Is this more communist misdirection away from serious problems?

Here are some examples of real issues that this latest anti-corruption pronouncement from Xi could be meant to obfuscate:

The ongoing bank runs : after years of communist rule and COVID-19 lockdowns, it appears a growing number of average citizens are losing trust in the countrys leaders and are afraid of losing their life savings.

: after years of communist rule and COVID-19 lockdowns, it appears a growing number of average citizens are losing trust in the countrys leaders and are afraid of losing their life savings. The forced Zero-COVID policy : lockdowns in Shanghai and other cities disrupted the Chinese economy and enraged those locked down at home for weeks.

: lockdowns in Shanghai and other cities disrupted the Chinese economy and enraged those locked down at home for weeks. Real estate implosion : this manifested by the bankruptcy of property giant Evergrande and the associated debt bombs ripple effects throughout Chinas economy.

: this manifested by the bankruptcy of property giant Evergrande and the associated debt bombs ripple effects throughout Chinas economy. Faltering economy: the ongoing general implosion and collapse of the Chinese economy can no longer be hidden, as described in detail here by China expert Gordon Chang.

Conclusion

Anti-corruption campaigns are a feature of communist regimes, including communist China. Their purposes are three-fold: root out corruption, serve as a tool to exert and extend ideological and political control, and distract domestic audiences from serious problems.

A centerpiece of Xis 10-year rule has been a continuing anti-corruption campaign. There are plenty of economic and social problems in totalitarian China today, virtually all of which were brought about by the policies of the CCP itself.

Should Xis latest announcement about zero-tolerance toward corruption be taken at face value? Or is it a signal to anti-Xi factional rivals that they should either support Xis bid for an unprecedented third term as Chinese leader at the next Party Congress or else face yet another anti-corruption clampdown? Or is he trying to deflect attention from some intractable problems that his failed policies exacerbated? I vote all three.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Oscar-winning screenwriter Paul Haggis arrives for a hearing to be questioned by a judge after he was placed under house arrest on charges of sexual assault and aggravated personal injury, in Brindisi, Italy, on June 22, 2022. (Ciro De Luca/Reuters)

Oscar-Winner Paul Haggis Released From House Arrest in Italy, Lawyer Says

MILANAn Italian judge on Monday ruled that Oscar-winning screenwriter and director Paul Haggis should be released from house arrest while authorities continue to investigate allegations that he raped a woman, his lawyer told Reuters.

Our request to revoke house arrest was accepted by the judge without further measures, so Mr. Haggis is free, said Michele Laforgia, his lawyer, adding that he still did not know if his client wanted to leave Italy.

Haggis was arrested on June 19 after a British woman accused him of raping her over a two-day period in the southern Italian town of Ostuni, where he was teaching at a film event.

He denied the allegations during an initial face-to-face hearing with his accuser last week. Paul Haggis explained the facts and what happened, and he declared himself completely innocent, Laforgia had told reporters after the hearing.

Laforgia said the behavior between his client and the woman was totally consensual during the three days they spent together, and she had no signs of injury or violence as had been alleged by the prosecution.

The 28-year-old woman gave a very different version of events during the hearing, repeating the accusations against Haggis, her lawyer, Claudio Strata, told reporters at the time.

Haggis, 69, wrote Million Dollar Baby and co-wrote and directed Crash, a crime drama for which he won two Oscars.
Ousting of UK PM Boris Johnson Wont Affect Ties With Canada, Trade Talks

OTTAWAThe Canadian government says it is business as usual with the UK despite the dramatic ousting of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson by his party.

Global Affairs Canada and the Department for International Trade signalled Thursday that the relationship with the UK will remain strong and that the toppling of Britains prime minister will not affect Canadas negotiations on a crucial freetrade agreement.

Ralph Goodale, Canadas High Commissioner to the UK , said the political developments in the UK presently are certainly momentous but Canada has fundamental confidence in the strength and functioning of Britains democracy.

Canada and the UK have a large, multidimensional, mature and durable relationship, he said. Our common priorities are not dependent on personal considerations. Key files like freetrade negotiations, support for Ukraine, building deeper security and intelligence partnerships and battling climate change will continue to progress as planned and expected.

His remarks come at a time of high drama at Westminster which led to Boris Johnsons ousting as prime minister after only 3 years in office.

In a statement outside Downing Street Thursday, looking typically dishevelled, Johnson said he would step down as prime minister when a replacement is found.

The announcement followed a tumultuous 24 hours in which he tried to cling onto power despite facing demands to go from a string of Conservative MPs who said he was no longer fit to serve.

In a bid to force him from office, dozens of ministers resigned Wednesday. But the beleaguered Johnson entrenched himself in Downing Street, hurriedly reshuffling his ministers to fill gaps, until he acknowledged his position had became untenable.

In his resignation speech Thursday, Johnson said it was painful not to see through the political project he had begun, but he said at Westminster the herd instinct is powerful and when the herd moves it moves.

As potential successors to Johnson hurriedly tried to muster support at Westminster, in Ottawa ministers stressed that the political chaos in London would not affect BritishCanadian relations.

A spokeswoman for International Trade Minister Mary Ng said negotiations for the new trade deal will continue smoothly as Canada and the UK share a long history and close ties.

Canada and the United Kingdom share a long history and close peopletopeople ties, said Alice Hansen. We are confident tat our trade negotiations will continue to go smoothly.

Johnson, who saw through Britains exit from the European Union, championed closer links with Canada, including on trade, following Brexit.

When Britain cut its ties with the European Union, it also ended its inclusion in the CanadaEuropean Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. The two countries signed a continuity agreement keeping most elements in place while a new bilateral trade deal is struck.

Official negotiations for a CanadaUK free trade deal began in March. Britain is Canadas thirdlargest export destination, behind the United States and China.

Sabrina Williams, a spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, said the UK, is one of Canadas closest and most important allies. She said both nations have a strong mutually beneficial relationship, and a long tradition of close, strategic partnership.

However, there is likely to be a degree of uncertainty in Ottawa about whether Britains robust stance in support of Ukraine  including supplying military equipment  will continue at the same pace amid the political turmoil in London.

Johnson has been a vocal opponent of the invasion of Ukraine, working in tandem with Canada and other western countries to impose sanctions and counter disinformation campaigns from Russia.

While he has been Prime Minister, the UK has also supported reinforced security and surveillance in the Arctic to protect sovereignty on Canadas Northern flank.

Johnson narrowly survived a confidence vote last month, refusing to move out of Downing St in spite of losing the backing of 41 per cent of Tory MPs.

The attempt to get rid of him followed a series of scandals including the revelation that parties were held at Downing Street at the height of the pandemic, in breach of COVID19 rules.
The RCMP logo is seen outside Royal Canadian Mounted Police "E" Division Headquarters, in Surrey, B.C., on April 13, 2018. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck)

Over $3 Million in Illicit Cannabis Proceeds Laundered Through Ontario Casinos: RCMP

An RCMP investigation found over $3 million of illegal cannabis proceeds was laundered through casinos in Ontario, and police have charged five individuals while seizing more than $24 million worth of cannabis.

Nearly 30,000 cannabis plantswhich yield up to 18,781 pounds of dried cannabisas well as an additional 7,926 pounds of dried cannabis were seized, which have a total value of more than $24 million, the Hamilton-Niagara RCMP said in a statement on July 5.

Police also seized about CAD $1 million in cash during their investigation.

The bust was part of an investigation that began in 2017, which initially focused on gathering intelligence about a possible money-laundering scheme that was operating through casinos in the Greater Toronto Area and Niagara regions. The probe revealed the laundering of over $3 million in proceeds made through the illegal sale of over 8,000 pounds of cannabis.

In the investigation, search warrants were executed on five residences and six large-scale marijuana grow operations, police said. In addition, one farm and three GTA residences have been restrained.

Five individuals were charged as a result of the probe, including Zu Wen Chang, Lin Li, Bo Hai Chen, En Quan Chen, and Jian Hua Tao.

Among the dozens of charges, the accused each face one count of conspiracy to sell cannabis, conspiracy to produce cannabis, possession for the purpose of selling, cannabis cultivation, and possession of property obtained by crime.

Lin Li and Zu Wen Chang have also been charged with laundering the proceeds of crime and selling cannabis.

The Hamilton-Niagara RCMP, with the assistance of the OPP and FINTRAC, has unraveled a sophisticated drug trafficking and money laundering scheme which has led to multiple charges involving several individuals. https://t.co/ah2D9ZV5dw pic.twitter.com/3yna91pR8N  RCMP in Ontario (@RCMPONT) July 5, 2022

This investigation, conducted with the assistance of the OPP and FINTRAC, serves as a great example of how a coordinated enforcement effort can contribute to safer communities by disrupting the illegal drug trade and confiscating money laundering proceeds, said Superintendent Jeff Cooper, the officer in charge of district command.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), which is responsible for regulating the alcohol, gaming, horse racing, and private cannabis retail sectors in the province, said it has been working closely with OPPs Investigation and Enforcement Bureau (IEB) to provide information and resources throughout the RCMP the investigation.

In a July 5 statement, the AGCO said that with the conclusion of the RCMP investigation, it will also complete a regulatory review of the regulated gaming entities to assess the effectiveness of their controls in meeting their obligations under the Gaming Control Act, its Regulations and the Registrars Standards for Gaming.

The ACGO will continue to support all stakeholders in our shared goal of effectively detecting and safeguarding against criminal activities in casinos, said Alison Jevons, chief superintendent of the IEB.

The RCMP has investigated several major cannabis operations in recent years. In November 2020, RCMP in Merritt, British Columbia, dismantled a massive illegal grow-op with more than 100,000 cannabis plants, which yields an estimated $8 million.

In July 2021, the RCMP in Surrey, Ontario, also busted an illegal grow-op with roughly 7,700 cannabis plants.
Alexandra DeSanctis (L) and Ryan T. Anderson, co-authors of the book "Tearing Us Apart: How Abortion Harms Everything and Solves Nothing," sign copies of the book in Washington on June 29, 2022. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times)

Overturning Roe v. Wade May Revitalize the Family: Pro-Life Authors

For a law to be just, it needs to square with morality.'

After the Supreme Court reversed its ruling on Roe v. Wade and several states restricted abortion, author Alexandra DeSanctis said she hopes the ruling will lead to a restoration of the family.

DeSanctis, who co-wrote the book Tearing Us Apart: How Abortion Harms Everything and Solves Nothing, appeared with her co-author Ryan T. Anderson in a June 28 interview for EpochTVs Crossroads program.

I dont think we can have a really pro-life cultureI dont think we can end abortion in this country until we have a revitalization of marriage and the family. Marriage is the safest place for a child to be conceived, DeSanctis said.

When children are aborted, its almost always outside the context of marriage, because when you have a mother and a father committed to each other, theyre far more likely to commit to their children, she said.

Abortion has not only torn apart the bodies of unborn children, but it has also torn apart the politics of our nation, said Anderson. Its pitted men against women, its pitted parents against their children, its pitted employers against their employees.

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wadethe seminal 1973 legal precedent that largely legalized abortion in the United Statesmany corporations announced they would be willing to pay for their employees to travel and obtain out-of-state abortions because they want their employees to get back in the workforce, Anderson said.

He asked rhetorically if companies would be willing to pay for their female employees who choose to give birth.

In contrast, a Texas-based insurance company promised to cover employees expenses related to having a child.

Buffer Insurance said in a Facebook post on June 27 that it would provide its employees with paid maternity and paternity leave, as well as pay for the medical costs of giving birth to or adopting a baby.

The insurer also offered to furnish those policies to other employers who are interested in providing such benefits to their employees.

Abortions Impact on American Life

Everything abortion has touched, it has corrupted, Anderson said, explaining that the issue of abortion corrupted constitutional law, the confirmation process for Supreme Court justices, even political parties, and adversely impacted the culture and the medical profession.

We used to have two political parties that were pro-life, neither of which was committed fundamental injustice, a fundamental human rights violation,  he said. But due to the abortion issue, many voters feel trapped and feel that one political party just takes them for granted.

Moreover, abortion is discriminatory to unborn girls and unborn children with disabilities for whom rates of lethal discrimination in the womb are higher, he added.

DeSanctis said that unborn children with Down syndrome are perfectly worthy of life. If they are born, they say they are happy with their lives, and 98 percent of them love themselves and their lives, she said. Their parents are almost always happy to have chosen life, regardless of whatever suffering their life might entail.

Gender Equality in the Workplace

We live in a culture that that tells women that their body is defective, that the male body is the norm, and that theres something odd or problematic about the female ability to become pregnant  that we need this kind of societal imposition of abortion so that women can have bodies that are more like men, she said.

DeSanctis believes that this type of notion creates a really damaging culture that in some fashion attacks the relationship between men and women and has had a very significant impact on the economy.

The workplace very much, with some notable exceptions, treats the male body as the norm and the male way of being alive, lets say, as the normnot becoming pregnant, not staying home to take care of children, for the most part, she said. And thats sort of the norm of the ideal worker.

That is why companies would rather pay for an abortion than for maternity leave or other arrangements for working mothers, or just incur the cost of finding replacement workers for women who leave the workforce to stay home and be mothers, she explained.

The original Roe v. Wade ruling put in place the notion that true equality of men and women is sameness, which means that in order to be equal, men and women have to be the same, DeSanctis said, citing Erika Bachiochi, a legal scholar and fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) in Washington.

Men can easily walk away from the consequences of sex, even though doing so is irresponsible and lacking in virtue, DeSanctis said. But for women, one consequence of sex can be pregnancy.

In order to walk away from this consequence, women have to choose abortion, which means they have to participate in this lethal violence which is horrible for the child and the woman, she pointed out.

DeSanctis does not think that all women should stay home with children all the time. Thats not the goal, she said.

According to data, most women want to stay home, or work part-time to take care of their children, DeSanctis said. A lot of women who have abortions do not really want to abort their babies, but they do because of financial difficulties or because they are coerced by their parents or their partner, she added.

If abortions become harder to obtain, societal expectations about what a pregnant woman is supposed to do may shift, she said.

Morality Versus Law

Anderson, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, said he believes that abortion took its toll on American law because it ushered in the idea that morality should be separated from law, which means that a person may personally oppose abortion, but be politically pro-choice, Anderson said.

This is foreign to the American political tradition, he said.

Anderson said he agrees with Martin Luther King Jr.s opinion that for a law to be just, it needs to square with morality.

In his Letter From a Birmingham Jail, King wrote, A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God.  An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law.

Anderson said that every piece of legislation needs to reflect the natural law thats at the heart of the American founding.

Think about the Declaration [of Independence]. We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, and amongst these is the right to life,' he said. Thats been deniedthose truth claims have been denied to the unborn for the past 49 and a half years, and now we have the opportunity to finally get it right.

Roe v. Wade was akin to certain past laws that were unjust because they violated the natural rights of African Americans by discriminating against them based on their skin color, and that law had to be fixed, Anderson explained.

The Choice

Anderson said that pro-life people are in favor of reproductive choice, but only before reproduction has actually taken place.

The way that you exercise your reproductive choice is by choosing whether or not to engage in the type of action that can result in reproduction, he said.

If a woman is contemplating an abortion, it is not a reproductive choice because reproduction has already taken place, he noted.

Therefore, Anderson asserted that many people who claim to be pro-choice are actually pro-abortion. For several weeks after a draft of the Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked to the public, pro-life pregnancy resource centers have been vandalized and in some cases set on fire, Anderson said, calling it the double standard.

These pregnancy centers provide assistance to women who experience unplanned pregnancies and voluntarily come to these centers for help to exercise their choice for life, he said.

Bill Pan contributed to this report.

Ella Kietlinska Reporter Follow Ella Kietlinska is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on U.S. and world politics.
Conservative leadership hopeful Patrick Brown takes part in the Conservative Party of Canada French-language leadership debate in Laval, Quebec, on May 25, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Ryan Remiorz)

Patrick Brown Wants Appeal of Disqualification From Conservative Party Leadership

Patrick Brown wants to appeal a decision made by federal Conservatives overseeing the partys leadership race to disqualify him.

A notice of appeal and warning of impending legal action related to Browns ousting was sent Wednesday evening to Don Nightingale, the partys chief returning officer, and Ian Brodie, chair of the partys leadership election organizing committee.

The letters were signed by Toronto-based lawyers Alex Smith and Marie Henein, who say they are acting as Browns counsel.

His decision to try and appeal his sudden removal came after Brown spent a day defending his innocence and accusing the party of mishandling the situation to stack the odds in favour of his main rival.

The partys leadership election committee chosewith a vote split 11 to sixon Tuesday evening to disqualify Brown from the contest, based on what Brodie called serious allegations of wrongdoing.

Party president Rob Batherson confirmed Wednesday the allegations came from within Browns campaign team.

Neither Brodie nor the party has specifically outlined what the allegations are, saying only they appear to breach the financing rules in the Canada Elections Act and as such, they would be shared with Elections Canada.

Browns lawyers contend the partys decision not to provide the specifics he seeks shows he hasnt participated in misconduct.

This Kafkaesque process led to a politically motivated and preordained result and is not consistent with the values that should be upheld by this party, reads the notice of appeal co-signed by Henein and Smith.

In a second letter, they request Brodie make sure all records and documents, including texts and messages on WhatsApp, regarding Browns disqualification are preserved, considering the fact his ousting may now be the subject of anticipated litigation.

They say that means telling leadership election committee members to retain all of their communications with members of the Pierre Poilievre campaign and other stakeholders in relation to Patrick Brown.

Poilievres campaign said Wednesday that Brown is lashing out at the party and trying to make himself into a victim. His campaign also said it had nothing to do with the allegation brought forward against Brown.

Speaking to The Canadian Press earlier in the day, Brown, who is the mayor of Brampton, Ont., said the committee was presented with an anonymous allegation that someone working on his campaign was being paid by a corporation.

Concerns about his campaign financing were first raised with his team last week.

Brown said they requested information about the identity of the individual or company, but it was not provided.

In terms of other allegations, Brown said his campaign fielded questions from the party about a report that staff from his mayoral office had been working on his leadership campaign. He said his team explained that anyone doing so wasnt helping with the campaign during work hours.

He added there was another allegation about mail received at party headquarters related to the handwriting of one of Browns supporters from the Tamil community, as well as a query about the names of different supporters.

Brown said his campaign felt the party was undertaking a fishing expedition with their questioning, but felt satisfied with the responses they provided.

Im angry. Im disappointed. It is incredible that this would happen, he said.

We were, we believe, on the verge of winning this leadership. We thought we had a great pathway.

Brown, a former leader of Ontarios Progressive Conservatives, said his campaign signed up more than 150,000 new people to join the party. Many of them hailed from cultural communities in some of the countrys largest cities, where the party has struggled to find support in the past few federal elections.

On the allegation regarding how someone on his campaign team was paid, Brown said his team has 1,800 volunteers across the country and its tough to keep tabs on what everyone is doing.

Our campaign very strictly adhered to the Canadian election rules and the party rules. If we heard of any example where it wasnt followed, we would, of course, want to rectify it immediately.

Despite seeking an appeal, his options appear slim.

According to the partys election rules, there is no apparent chance of an appeal.

Conservative strategist Michael Diamond said courts typically try to stay out of the internal operations of political parties, so that avenue doesnt seem likely to bring much success.

Whats important now, Diamond said, is for the party to be as transparent as possible, underlining that the removal of a candidate must only happen under the most severe of circumstances.

Members of the public  including the disqualified candidate, deserve to know exactly what the rationale is.

Party spokesman Yaroslav Baran said hes not surprised to see sand being thrown in the air by Brown with his accusations that the situation was handled unfairly.

There are different categories of transgressions that have been alleged, and the  committee had to make a determination based on its evaluation of the nature of the allegations, the credibility of those making those allegations.

Baran said the party membership list that was provided to campaigns last weekwhich is an all-important document candidates use to persuade party members to vote for themwas withheld from Browns campaign based on him allegedly violating the rules of the race.

Brown also finds himself in hot water with his critics within Brampton City Hall, with five council members releasing a statement on Wednesday that said once again, our great city is in the national news for all the wrong reasons because of Patrick Brown.

The Conservatives will announce the winner of the leadership race in Ottawa on Sept. 10.

Besides Poilievre and Charest, the other candidates are Conservative MPs Leslyn Lewis and Scott Aitchison, as well as Roman Baber, a former Independent member of the Ontario legislature.

Browns name will still appear on the ballot, as the party has already sent many out in the mail.

Last week, the party said about 675,000 members have signed up to vote for a new leader.

By Stephanie Taylor and Marie-Danielle Smith
Red States Chart Faster Economic Recovery Than Blue States

Throughout the United States, an unmistakable pattern has emerged in economic recovery from the lingering effects of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic: Conservative-leaning states have seen rapid and major economic growth, while the coastal economic powerhouses in the Northeast and West Coast have often lagged behind or stagnated.

A recent analysis by Moodys Analytics attests to this pattern, using a combination of 13 metrics to chart each states progress toward normalcy. A majority of the best-performing states were found to have Republican governments, while 8 out of the 10 worst performers were governed by Democrats.

The impacts on local and state economies are already starting to be felt. Last May, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that his state had closed out at $20 billion for the most recent fiscal year, a record surplus that reflects the influx of capital into the state.

Another driver of the economic success of the red states has been the combination of astronomical real estate and rent prices in states like California and New York and new work-from-home opportunities, incentivizing workers to move away from the most expensive cities and seek more affordable housing elsewhere, where they can continue to work at jobs based in those cities.

Demographers have predicted an exodus from the coasts to the American interior for years, but the trend has greatly accelerated as a result of the CCP virus pandemic and its downstream consequences. All four of the states that have reported job growth since February 2020 are alike in having maintained relatively relaxed restrictions throughout the pandemic, blunting the impact of the virus on these states economies.

Businesses have also begun to migrate toward the American interior and other red-tinted outliers such as Florida. Last December, Tesla relocated its corporate headquarters from Palo Alto, California, to Austin, Texas, following years of conflict with California regulators and rising operational costs. Other companies have also expanded their operations in Florida and other red states.

Florida has seen an explosion of population, drawing over 200,000 new residents from July 2020 to July 2021second only to Texas for net population growth. Furthermore, hedge-fund company Citadel recently announced its plans to move to Miami, joining a growing community of businesses in the Magic City.

This rapid growth in trendy red state metros is complemented by stagnation and net population loss on the coasts. In 2020, for the first time in over a century, California recorded a net loss in its total number of residents, with over 182,000 fewer Californians at the end of the year than at the beginning. The pattern continued, albeit to a lesser degree, in 2021, which saw a population decline of nearly 118,000 for the Golden State. At the same time, New York City saw a population decline of around 4 percent in just the first year of the pandemic, according to Cornell analysis of U.S. Census data.

For political conservatives, these results are a vindication of Republican policies. With a combination of low corporate and state income taxes, non-intrusive CCP virus policies, and tough-on-crime law enforcement policies, these red-state metros once on the margins of the U.S. economy have become its fastest-growing hubs.

If the numbers were reversed, and Blue States were consistently outperforming Red States, wed never hear the end of it, said Richard Hanania, a political scientist and writer who serves as president of the Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology. This should be seen as strong empirical data useful for adjudicating different realities, but its ignored or explained away.

In many respects, the traditional coastal hubs remain the dominant engines of the U.S. economy. The New York City Metropolitan Area still ranks first in total GDP, followed by the usual suspects: Los Angeles, Chicago, and the San Francisco Bay. However, they have seen slower recovery and a net loss of population since the beginning of the pandemic, and it is clear that they will face new competition after decades of undisputed hegemony, as more workers and businesses seek greener pastures in the conservative-leaning Sun Belt.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee business meeting to vote on Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on Capitol Hill in Washington, on April 4, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images).

Republican Lawmaker Requests TikTok to Testify Over US Data Accessed From China

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) has requested TikTok appear before the Senate for a hearing over concerns that the China-based video-sharing app has access to U.S. data.

The lawmaker together with eight colleagues, including Ted Cruz (R-Fla.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), raised the issue with the company in a June 27 letter (pdf) that followed a BuzzFeed report published June 17 based on leaked audio from 80 TikTok internal meetings.

BuzzFeed reported that 14 statements made by nine different TikTok employees indicated that engineers in China had access to U.S. data between September 2021 and January 2022, at the very least.

The news outlet also referred to one Beijing-based engineer as a Master Admin who has access to everything.

According to BuzzFeed, U.S. engineers had to rely on their China-based colleagues to determine how U.S. user data was flowing, as they are not allowed to access the data on their own.

The detail was confirmed by eight different employees in nine statements.

The article pointed out that the statements bear a stark contrast to the sworn testimony by a TikTok executive in an October 2021 Senate hearing that a world-renowned, U.S.-based security team handled access to user data.

Accused of Misrepresentations

In their letter, the lawmakers pointed to the TikTok statement and alleged the Chinese company of misleading congressmen in relation to user data access.

It appears that TikTok is now taking steps to deflect from its own knowing misrepresentations by changing the way in which protected data can be accessed by its employees, the letter further read.

The lawmakers continued to bring up 11 questions seeking clarification from the Chinese entity on various matters including why should Chinese staff gain access to U.S. data; whether employees of ByteDanceTikToks parent companyhave access to U.S. data and whether TikTok shares its U.S. data with the Chinese regime etc.

A mobile phone displaying the logos for Chinese apps WeChat and TikTok in front of a monitor showing the flags of the United States and China on an Internet page, in Beijing, on Sept. 22, 2020. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

In the reply letter dated June 30, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew addressed the concerns of the lawmakers.

Chew admitted that their Chinese staff are provided with access to U.S. data but emphasized that robust control is imposed on them under the supervision of a U.S.-based security team.

He further dismissed the findings from the news report, claiming that they are incorrect and are not supported by facts.

In response to a query regarding the disclosure of U.S. data to the Chinese Communist Party, the CEO briefly said that they had not received such a request and would not comply with the order if asked.

Chew reiterated that data of American users will now be migrated to Oracle servers in the United States, with some backups being kept in Singapore, which is the same statement made by TikTok prior to the BuzzFeed report.

Adam Segal, director of the Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program at the Council on Foreign Relations, told BuzzFeed he was concerned that data would still be at risk of falling into the hands of Chinese intelligence if it can be accessed from China no matter where the data center is located.

TikTok Needs to Come Back and Testify

This is the same concern, that lawmaker Blackburn shared and she has demanded the Chinese entity testify before the Senate.

TikToks response confirms that our fears regarding [Chinese Communist Party] influence within the company are well-founded, Blackburn told NBC News.

They should have come clean from the start but instead tried to shroud their work in secrecy. Americans need to know that if they are on TikTok, Communist China has their information. TikTok needs to come back and testify before Congress.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order in August 2020 to ban TikTok and the Chinese super app WeChat. Trump said the apps capture of vast swaths of Americans data threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans personal and proprietary information.

Since then, Trumps order has been stalled by several lawsuits and court orders.

In June 2021, President Joe Biden revoked the executive order, instead directing the Commerce Department to evaluate the platform to determine whether it poses a national security risk.

Eva Fu contributed to this report.
Doctors perform renal transplantation on a patient in this file photo from 2017. (Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP via Getty Images)

Rights Group Files First Lawsuit Against Hospitals Denying Transplants to Unvaccinated Patients

A national legal rights organization has filed the first of what it says will be dozens of lawsuits against U.S. health care facilities that are denying patients organ transplants for not being vaccinated against COVID-19.

In the first complaintwhich was filed against the University of Michigans transplant centerthe Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) argues the hospitals are carrying out illegal and unconstitutional policies by requiring medical treatment against the will of a patient.

Individuals in the United States have the inherent and fundamental Constitutional Right given by God, not any government board, to seek or to refuse medical treatment or any part of a course of medical treatment, PJI states in its lawsuit it served on July 5 to the board of regents that oversees the University of Michigan.

According to Dave Peters, senior counsel for PJI, the California organisation will be filing a second lawsuit sometime this week against the Lehigh Valley Clinic in Pennsylvania.

Neither the University of Michigan nor Lehigh Valley Clinic responded to inquiries by The Epoch Times about the litigations.

In a written response to PJIs notice of intent to sue the hospital dated May 26, the general counsel for the university Thomas Kent stated that the complaint fails to allege the violation of any clearly established constitutional right.

In addition to alleged constitutional violations, the lawsuits allege that the hospitals are also violating informed consent laws and the Hippocratic oath of doctors to do no harm to patients.

They are electing to let patients die by refusing to provide them with life-saving medical care by forcing a medical care that has no established benefits, said Peters, if thats not morally, ethically, and legally outrageous then I dont know what is.

Ross Barranco, one of the patients represented in the Michigan lawsuit, told The Epoch Times that he is opposed to the vaccine for reasons that include the fact he does not believe it safe.

Barranco, who needs a kidney transplant, said the government or hospitals have yet to produce any studies that show otherwise.

They get compensation for giving you the shots and if you have any damages from the shot they get money for treating you for thatIts a win-win situation for the medical industry, said Barranco.

In spite of his compromised health, Barranco is running for Oakland County Commissioner in Michigans 15th District to help he says, restore peoples right to sovereignty in America.

Other patients represented in the PJI lawsuits include 35-year-old Katie Shier who is in dire need of a heart transplant.

Shier has just seven percent of heart function remaining and is being kept alive by an implanted Ventricular Assist service.

She was placed on the candidate list for a heart transplant last June, but like Barranco and otherswas removed in December after the University of Michigan adopted a policy that all transplant candidates must be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Vaccine or no transplant policies are not just restricted to the COVID jab.

Recently, as reported in an exclusive story by The Epoch Times, Vanderbilts Children Hospital denied performing a life-saving heart transplant on 6-month-old August Stoll because he was not up to date on the states recommended schedule of vaccines for children under the age of 12.

Deborah Catalano, senior litigation coordinator for Liberty Counsel, which has represented several veterans denied organ transplants for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, told The Epoch Times that she now has an unvaccinated client who is being denied post-op care for a kidney transplant she had before the vaccine existed.

Hospitals have said they are following recommendations set by national transplant organizations, some of which have strong financial ties to makers of vaccines including the COVID-19 vaccine.

The American Society of Transplantation (AST) and United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS), for example, list vaccine manufacturing giant Sanofiwhich partnered with both Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson to produce the COVID-19 vaccineamong their corporate sponsors.

ASTs corporate sponsors also include vaccine giant Merck, CSL Behring, which partnered AstraZeneca to produce its COVID-19 vaccine; and Novartis, which like Sanofi, partnered with Pfizer to produce its COVID-19 vaccine.

UNOS receives 10 percent of its funding from the federal government, which heavily promotes the COVID-19 vaccine.

Peters told The Epoch Times that his organization is prepared to take the hospitals denying life-saving transplants over a patients vaccine status all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if need be.

Legislative efforts are also underway in several states to ban the practice of hospitals refusing to perform organ transplants on patients that are not vaccinated.

In May, a mother filed a federal lawsuit against the DeVos Childrens Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for requiring her 17-year-old daughter, who has stage three renal failure, to have the COVID-19 vaccine before performing a kidney transplant.
SEC Climate Disclosure Rule: A Duck That Quacks

Commentary

In his recent memoir, former attorney general William Barr recounts how the Trump administration lost its attempt to include a citizenship question in the 2020 census. After losing in the Supreme Court, Barr briefed President Trump on what had gone wrong. If people were straightforward from the beginning, it could have gotten done, Barr explained. The trouble is the administration was too cute by half, and [Chief Justice John] Roberts threw the penalty flag. The Supreme Court had thrown out the citizenship question because the Commerce departments declared rationale for it was pretextualthat is to say, it was not the real reason that the Trump administration wanted a citizenship question in the census.

Much comment on the controversial climate disclosure rule proposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has centered on whether the SEC has the necessary legal authority. By the end of the comment period on June 17, the SEC had received more than 3,400 letters, significantly more than usual. Linked to legal arguments on whether the SEC has an adequate statutoryor, indeed, constitutionalbasis for its climate proposal is the question of pretextuality: Is the SEC being genuine in the stated justification for its sweeping climate disclosure rules? Should the SEC harbor doubts about its legal standing to compel climate disclosuresnotably, greenhouse gas emissions datafrom listed companies, it increases the likelihood that it will advance a public justification for the proposed rules that differs from its real one so that it better fits within its statutory authority.

In their comment letter, law professors Jill Fisch and George Georgiev and 28 other law professors argue that the SECs climate disclosure proposal stands solidly on investor and marketplace protection. Congress had made a broad delegation of power to the SEC to determine what disclosure is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, or for the protection of investors, or to promote fair dealing in securities. The professors give short shrift to arguments that the SECs discretion is bounded by the concept of materiality. Congress had been aware of materiality but did not impose a materiality constraint on the SEC, and the Supreme Courts materiality test applies to an ex post liability by a court, not to an ex ante policy choice by a regulator.

The flaw in the law professors argument is in creating the appearance that the SECs regulatory discretion is virtually unbounded. As Bernard Sharfman, Senior Corporate Governance Fellow at the RealClear Foundation, and the Manhattan Institutes James Copland point out in their comment letter, whenever the term in the public interest appears in the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the phrase for the protection of investors almost invariably follows. This, they say, means that the SEC would be committing an arbitrary and capricious act in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act were the SEC to promulgate mandatory disclosures based on a rationale of being in the public interest independent of its requirement to consider the protection of investors and efficiency, competition, and capital formation.

True, Fisch and Georgiev also assert that the SECs proposed rules fit within its core responsibility, by giving investors insight into the amount and timing of cash flows exposed to climate risk, but they provide no evidentiary basis for their claim. Attempting to find a mechanistic link between a businesss future cash flow and the SECs proposed climate disclosures is not so much a moon shot as aiming at the moon with a peashooter. Climate financial risk belongs in a category of what British economist John Kay and former Bank of England governor Mervyn call, in their book of the same title, radical uncertaintya situation in which a list of all possible future outcomes cannot be enumerated, along with the probabilities attached to them. Disclosure, whether mandatory or voluntary, does not change the nature of radical uncertainty or make it less uncertain.

Unlike the 30 law professors, Harvard Law School professor John Coates notes the SECs clear, but statutorily limited, authority to the use of disclosure as a tool for the protection of investors. Coates, who served in the SEC as its General Counsel in 2021, observes that in March 2021, the SEC issued a request for comment on climate disclosures, which attracted support from investors of all kinds, including individuals and institutions, passive index funds and actively managed funds.

This is not reflected in the weight of citations in the SEC proposal. Professor Lawrence Cunningham and 21 other professors of law, business, and finance note that investors demand for climate-related disclosures are overwhelmingly institutional asset managers managing other peoples money, not their own. For managers of index funds that must invest in all or substantially all companies in the index, public statements that climate is a top priority can be an important competitive marketing tool. While the SEC repeatedly cites the interests of powerful, multitrillion-dollar funds, it mentions individual investors only once in 508 pages. As Sharfman and Copland point out, mandatory climate disclosures are economically advantageous to institutional investors by helping generate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) ratings, which, in turn, facilitates creation of ESG funds that are considerably more profitable than low-margin, plain vanilla index funds.

At the heart of the SEC proposal is the disclosure framework developed by the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), which is to form the basis of the SECs climate disclosure regime. In their comment letter, Boyden Gray & Associates (BG&A) note that the TCFD, referenced 243 times in the SEC proposal, was created, funded, and directed by Michael Bloomberg, whose company intends to develop proprietary tools to become the financial industrys first port of call for ESG information and generate billions of dollars in revenues for companies to comply with the SECs proposed disclosure requirements. The proposed rule is a glaringly clear example of pay-to-play politics and self-dealing, comment BG&A. This type of behavior is decidedly not in the public interest.

A major source of disagreement is whether the proposed disclosure rule raises First Amendment concerns. No, says Coates. The proposed rule specifies disclosure of facts, not opinions, in neutral language. Not so fast, suggests Professor Sean Griffiths of the School of Law, Fordham University. Compelled commercial speech under the First Amendment needs to meet a test as to whether the required disclosures are purely factual and uncontroversial. Information is passive. So are firearms. The focus of many supporters of mandatory climate disclosure cited by the SEC is not investment performance but to facilitate their climate policy goals, argue Sharfman and Copland. Disclosures are a means to an end: to open the door to public shaming and to aggressive enforcement actions by the SEC, other agencies, state, and local officials, and in particular to private lawsuits by the plaintiffs bar.

In determining whether regulation of commercial speech is purely factual and uncontroversial, courts search for pretext. Pretext points to purpose. Pretextual purposes are necessarily controversial, argues Griffiths. When a state actor claims a purpose that conflicts with its actual purpose, the result is controversy. Coates has an answer to this, too. As to motivations, he asserts, the long and extensive record leading to the proposal of the rule can be reviewed in its entirety and nowhere will any evidence be found that the purpose of the rule is other than to protect investors.

In fact, the process started with a speech by thenacting SEC chair Allison Herren Lee, in which she declared climate change and ESG front and center for the SEC because investors want to and can help drive sustainable solutions on these issues. Does that count as investor protection? In October 2021, the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) delivered a report to the White House in accordance with a May 2021 Executive Order on climate-related financial risk, which declared it administration policy to advance consistent, clear, intelligible, comparable and accurate disclosure of climate-related financial risk in order to achieve goals that expressly include the Biden administrations target of a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. The FSOC report notes that SEC staff were working on a proposal on disclosure requirements for public issuers and said that it was encouraged by the SECs work on this critical issue.

Most compelling is the internal evidence of the SEC proposal. Its principal defect is taking a sustainability disclosure framework designed to cut corporate greenhouse gas emissions and shoehorning it into a climate transition risk justification. BG&A cite a Nov. 2, 2021, Bloomberg press release quoting Mary Schapiro, a former SEC chair and current head of the TCFD secretariat, explaining the function and purpose of the TCFD: Disclosure is at the heart of reaching net zero, and the TCFD has provided a solid foundation to support the private sectors net zero commitments through transparency and accountability.

In my comment letter, I describe the SEC proposal as Hamlet without the Prince. The proposed rule on greenhouse gas disclosures makes sense only in terms of the SECs undisclosed rationalespecifically, to facilitate investor and climate activist pressure on listed companies to cut their greenhouse gas emissions, and not the SECs pretextual one of such disclosures being proxies for climate risk. Indeed, the SEC knows its pretextual justification to be spurious, as it acknowledges that transition risk is jurisdiction-specific. Yet under its proposed rule, greenhouse gas disclosures would not be disaggregated by jurisdiction, thereby creating a systematically misleading indicator of climate transition risk that puts it in direct conflict with Congresss demand that the SEC act to promote efficiency, competition, and capital formation.

BG&A conclude that even if the SECs proposed rule is otherwise valid, it would still be unlawful because the SEC provided a contrived basis for the rulemaking. Their letter quotes the June 2019 opinion of the Supreme Court in the Department of Commerce v. New York that threw out the citizenship question from the 2020 census: Our review is deferential, but we are not required to exhibit a naivete from which ordinary citizens are free. For the courts to swallow the SECs pretextual rationale would require generous levels of credulity and sustained suspension of disbelief. Ordinary citizens are apt to employ the duck test: if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck. The SEC climate proposal is a duck.

From RealClearWire

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Yang Yung, founder and chair of Taiwan Wood Carving Association, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at Miaobei Art Center in Miaoli, Taiwan, on July 5, 2022. (Chen Yu-jou/The Epoch Times)

MIAOLI, TaiwanAfter seeing Shen Yun Performing Arts, Yang Yung, founder, and chair of Taiwan Wood Carving Association said Shen Yun is amazing! We all feel the truth and compassion. Its beautiful.

New York-based Shen Yun is a classical Chinese dance and music company that tours the globe each year, mesmerizing audiences with its exhilarating dances.

Many audience members commented on feeling that theres something special about the performance that has uplifted and energized them.

Mr. Yang was at Shen Yuns first performance in Miaoli on the evening of July 5, and he felt the music and dance lifted the spirits of the audience after enduring two years of the pandemic.

Our bodies and souls received great comfort and recovery, he said.

Floral Greetings

Shen Yun has visited Taiwan for 14 seasons but had never performed in Miaoli. On Tuesday evening, the Miaobei Art Center was filled with flowers as county magistrates, mayors, and legislators from Miaoli and a nearby county and city presented their floral greetings to Shen Yun.

Taoyuan City Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan, Hsinchu County Magistrate Yang Wen-ke, and Miaoli County Magistrate Hsu Yao-chang (L-R) present flower baskets to the inaugural performance of Shen Yun in Miaoli, Taiwan on July 5, 2022, wishing the performance a great success. (Tai Te-wan/The Epoch Times)

Taiwan legislators Chen Chao-ming, Hsu Chih-jung, and Lin Szu-Ming (L-R) present flower baskets to the inaugural performance of Shen Yun in Miaoli, Taiwan on July 5, 2022, wishing the performance a great success. (Tai Te-wan/The Epoch Times)

Its a fabulous performance

Hsu Ting-chen, a political consultant at the Taiwanese Executive Yuan, said: [Shen Yun] is very moving.

Mr. Hsu said that Chinese culture is profound, and people are proud of it. Shen Yun is reviving Chinese culture, which awakens people to keep their faith in gods and divine beings and follow traditional values.

We, Miaoli people, are very lucky because Shen Yun chose to perform here. Its invaluable. Mr. Hsu said.

We enjoyed the music, dance, and the digital backdropits a fabulous performance!

Hsu Ting-chen, political consultant at the Taiwanese Executive Yuan, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at Miaobei Art Center in Miaoli, Taiwan, on July 5, 2022. (Annie Gong/The Epoch Times)

Exquisite Costumes

Sung Kuo-ding, Miaoli County councilor, said watching Shen Yun is like transcending time and space to different periods in history and experiencing the then culture and life.

The interaction between the backdrop and dancers, the exquisite costumes, the perfect dancing, and the orchestras blending of Chinese and Western instruments.  Shen Yun is brilliant and very powerful, Mr. Sung commented.

Sung Kuo-ding, Miaoli County councilor, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at Miaobei Art Center in Miaoli, Taiwan, on July 5, 2022. (Annie Gong/The Epoch Times)

Rarely seen in the world

The dances [of Shen Yun] display techniques that are rarely seen in the world. The stories the performers are telling are very inspiring, said Lai Chang-hsiu, a national martial arts instructor.

Mr. Lai said that he was uplifted by Shen Yun: The nature of human beings is to be kind. We should not have too many desires. We should use this chance to reflect on ourselves.

Shen Yun Performing Arts International Companys curtain call at Miaobei Art Center in Miaoli, Taiwan, on July 5, 2022. (Tai Te-wan/The Epoch Times)

Shen Yun will perform in Taipei from July 8 to July 10.

Reporting by Epoch Times Staff in Miaoli.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
Among the lords of light literature, Sherlock Holmes towers. There is not much mystery about it, either. It is really quite elementary, my dear Watson.

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, published in 189293 in The Strand Magazine, by Arthur Conan Doyle is a collection of 12 remarkable cases in Mr. Holmess remarkable career. These include the nearest instance of the above popular misquote. The Adventure of the Crooked Man has the closest appearance of the elementary line in all of the 60 canonical Sherlock Holmes stories.

The popularity of Sherlock Holmes became widespread after his first appearance in The Strand Magazine in 1891. This September 1917 edition of the magazine, with the cover story, Sherlock Holmes Outwits a German Spy, was sometimes sent to troops free of charge. (Public Domain)

As excellent summer reading material, Memoirs provides the canons most memorable description of summer in the first lines of The Adventure of the Cardboard Box:

It was a blazing hot day in August. Baker Street was like an oven, and the glare of the sunlight upon the yellow brickwork of the houses across the road was painful to the eye. It was hard to believe that these were the same walls which loomed so gloomily through the fogs of winter. Our blinds were half-drawn, and Holmes lay curled upon the sofa, reading and re-reading a letter which he had received by the morning post. For myself, my term of service in India had trained me to stand heat better than cold, and a thermometer at 90 was no hardship. But the morning paper was uninteresting.

Sherlock Homes Museum, Sitting Room. Baker Street, London. (Public Domain)

This scene not only captures the great theater of Baker Street, but it also contrasts what has been famously cloaked in gaslight shadow and London fog with the bright blaze of dayand it is no less atmospheric and transporting.

The Memoirs collection includes classic Holmes stories like Silver Blaze, the Resident Patient, and the Greek Interpreter. It also presents two of the very first cases Mr. Holmes solved (those of the Gloria Scott and the Musgrave Ritual), as well as what Conan Doyle intended to be his last case (The Final Problem) in which the great consulting detective met his doom plunging beneath Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland while grappling with Professor Moriarty.

Sherlock Holmes may be the most famous man who never existed, perhaps the only fictional character who boasts several scholarly biographies, and one whose fame is rooted in the general desire for goodness to triumph decisively over evil.

Sherlock Holmes does just that as one who holds honor and duty over all else because he is necessarily principled and not necessarily paid.

The motivation of upholding justice and decency and gaining intellectual stimulation is reason enough. Holmes exemplifies this uniquely Victorian heroic category and, in so doing, represents and reinforces his audiences cultural convictions concerning what makes a man a gentleman.

Though why people are drawn to the mysteries recorded in Memoirs is no mystery, there is yet some mystery surrounding the enduring effects of Dr. Watsons memoirs. They possess a mystique that imparts a strong illusion of reality, rendering characters more tangible, crimes more terrible, and conclusions more triumphant.

A large part of that satisfaction is the tangible thrill that Dr. Watsons memoirs impart, making him and his illustrious friend and colleague very much like veritable companions. It is certainly a fact that summertime is for books that are like old friends. Dr. Watson and Mr. Holmes are friends indeed to many a reader, ready for reacquaintance any summer day or night, and ever ready to take their friends along on their adventures.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (18591930), Sherlock Holmess creator, in 1914. (Public Domain)

On those adventures, these two seek the truth with all the optimism of summer flowers and the hope that there is light in the world that will conquer the darkness. Memoirs carries one of the most striking moments for Holmes as he expresses the importance of both God and goodness in The Adventure of the Naval Treaty:

There is nothing in which deduction is so necessary as in religion, said he, leaning with his back against the shutters. It can be built up as an exact science by the reasoner. Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in the flowers. All other things, our powers, our desires, our food, are all really necessary for our existence in the first instance. But this rose is an extra. Its smell and its colour are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it. It is only goodness which gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers.

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes conjures up a world with villains and virtues that frame a place of danger and delight, allowing readers to enjoy the intrigues of a scintillating era when chivalry was not dead yet and where fellowship and fearlessness conquered all.

The romance of such ideals are the trappings of a summer spirit, and they further enliven a lively time of year with the enormous satisfaction that Sherlock Holmes bestows.
Revelers hold up traditional red scarves during the opening of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain, on July 6, 2022. (Vincent West/Reuters)

Spains Pamplona Bull-Running Fiesta Back With a Bang After COVID Ban

PAMPLONA, SpainThousands of revellers wearing white clothes and red scarves filled the streets of Spains Pamplona on Wednesday as the bang of a firecracker kicked off the first San Fermin bull-running festival since the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

A light rain did nothing to dampen the spirits of a sea of people packing the northern citys Townhall Square, their clothes already drenched with the red wine and sangria that flow freely during the eight-day festival, made famous by Ernest Hemingways novel The Sun Also Rises.

The annual event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to coronavirus restrictions. Animal rights groups want it banned for good.

Ive been to San Fermin many times before, but this is very different, people have missed the celebration, they are happy to be with their families, happy to be without the masks, they just wanna feel alive and enjoy the sunshine, said Michelle Rene, 45, of San Francisco.

Added Pablo Cortes, a tourist from Hawaii who, like Rene, was watching the Chupinazo opening ceremony from a balcony: The energy is awesomethis is the greatest party, the greatest thing Ive ever seen in my life.

Many participants drink and dance all night.

The runs, during which six purpose-bred fighting bulls chase runners through the narrow streets of Pamplonas Old Quarter over a stretch of 800 meters (0.5 mile), will start on Thursday and continue for a week, including the weekend, when they are usually the most dangerous because of larger crowds.

There are eight runs in total, and usually each lasts between three and five minutes. They end at the bullring, where the animals are corralled before reappearing in the evening bullfight, when they are killed.

Dozens of animal rights activists wearing dinosaur costumes protested on Tuesday in Pamplona, chanting Bullfighting is prehistoric!

The festival is dangerous for the humans too. At least 16 runners have lost their lives down the years, the last casualty being a man gored by a bull in 2009.

By Vincent West and Juan Medina
A state trooper and a good Samaritan in Tennessee helped save the life of a badly injured four-legged friend found in a ditch on the side of a highway.

Kaye Fiorello posted on Facebook that she was driving up Interstate 75 near Cleveland when she spotted Trooper Tudors.

First thing she did was check her speed. Minutes later, she saw a distressed pooch in the sweltering 95-degree Tennessee summer heat near the Exit 20 sign.

Fiorello said the dog was panting like she was fixing to die.

Heading to work, Fiorello was torn about what to do, but decided to turn back to find the trooper and save the dog.

The trooper was still there! Yay! Fiorello wrote. I didnt want a ticket, but if I could help that dog, it was fine by me.

Trooper Tudors rolled down his window and said, Yep! Im here. She told him about the pooch, and they sped to the rescue and found her still in the ditch.

Tudors dumped his jug of Kool Aid and made it into a makeshift water bowl for her.

The dog was scared of him, but frozen in weakness. She sniffed the water, then realized this kindness was for her! wrote Fiorello. She drank that water down in minutes!

Fiorello said she knew the dog was in good hands when Tudors said he would wait until gaining her trust before taking her to the vet. He pulled out a chair, got an umbrella to give her shade, and sat while feeding her Debbie treats.

Princess. (Courtesy of Kaye Fiorello)

Trooper Tudors sits with Princess. (Courtesy of Kaye Fiorello)

Princess in recovery. (Courtesy of Kaye Fiorello)

Fiorello kept tabs on the pooch, now dubbed Princess, and posted updates on Facebook.

Princess was taken to the vet, examined, and found to have had a broken pelvis. As a public servant, Tudors cant accept donations, but an Angel Fund was set up in her name to help pay for vet expenses.

In another update, Fiorello revealed good news. Guess who got adopted! And guess who adopted her!! she posted.

Although her carers had several offers lined up, in the end these were pushed aside to make way for Trooper Tudors, who chose to take Princess into his family.

She still has a ways to go medically, but Fiorello said that everyones prayers and warm vibes are working.

I believe his being there at the right time, was one of those little messages reminding us of the good in our world, Fiorello wrote, calling Trooper Tudors one of the good guys for sure.

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
Pascagoula Mayor Billy Knight awards high school student Corion Evans (L) and Officer Gary Mercer (R) with Certificates of Commendation for rescuing three girls when their car plunged into the Pascagoula River in Mississippi and started to sink on July 3, 2022. (Courtesy of the Moss Point Police Department)

Teen Jumps in River and Saves 3 Girls, Officer as Car Sinks Into Mississippi Waters

Corion Evans, a 16-year-old from Mississippi, has been hailed a hero after he jumped into a river over the weekend to assist a police officer in rescuing three people when a car plunged into the Pascagoula River and started to sink.

The Moss Point Police Department said in a news release that a car occupied by three teenage girls ran into the river in the southern U.S. state on July 3 at about 2:30 a.m. after the driver accidentally drove off the end of a boat launch.

The driver of the vehicle stated she was following her GPS and did not realize she was going into the water, said Brandon Ashley, the Moss Point police chief. The vehicle floated approximately 20 feet and then began to sink.

Gary Mercer, a local police officer, saw the incident unfold and also swam out to help the stricken girls. The officer attempted to rescue one of the girls to shore but swallowed water while doing so, prompting Evans to assist Mercer and the girl out of the water.

I see the police officer  Hes drowning, Evans told local news agency WLOX. Hes going underwater, drowning, saying, Help! So, I went over there. I went and I grabbed the police officer and Im like swimming him back until I feel myself I can walk.

Mercer stated that he believes Evans was already in the water helping by the time he arrived.

Evans, a student at Pascagoula High School who has been swimming since he was just 3 years old, was together with one of his friends, Karon Bradley, when they saw the car drive straight into the water.

Like, only a little bit of the car was still above the water, Evans told the network, adding that he immediately removed his shoes, shirt, tossed his phone, and jumped in the river.

I was just like, I cant let none of these folks die. They need to get out the water,' he said. So, I just started getting them. I wasnt even thinking about nothing else.

In a joint effort, Evans and Mercer helped the three girls to shore, earning major praise as well as a certificate of commendation.

Evans said the girls were about 25 yards out in the river, so he had to swim quite a distance, explaining that his legs were so tired after.

They was out there throwing up because a lot of water had got inside all of them, the student told WLOX. Anything couldve been in that water, though. But I wasnt thinking about it.

Ashley praised the bravery and selflessness Evans displayed by risking his own safety to help the girls and police officer in danger.

If Mr. Evans had not assisted, the situation could have turned out differently, instead of all occupants being rescued safely, Ashley said in the release, adding that everyone involved is doing well.

Mercer and the three girls were briefly hospitalized after the incident. The officer is expected to back on duty later this week.

From NTD News
A woman pushes a stroller as she walks by the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on May 11, 2022. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The Disappearing American?

Commentary

Help wanted and Now hiring signs are everywhere. Flights, construction projects, and health care services are delayedor unavailabledue to labor shortages.

Hourly and monthly wages spiral. Theres a growing disequilibrium between the number of available jobs and the declining pool of workers needed to fill them.

Whats going on?

During the nearly two-year-long COVID-19 shutdown and economic downturn, firms cut costs by laying off millions of employees.

As a result, some in their early- or mid-60s simply retired early and never went back to work.

Federal and state governments also vastly expanded financial support to the unemployed. Other workers figured they wouldnt make all that much more by working and so are staying home on government checks.

Still other former full-time employees became used to the new, more leisurely lifestyle and are loath to return to a full 40-hour work week.

Employers also are now convinced that a hard recession is on the early 2023 horizon, when the trillions of dollars of newly printed money run out. Many are willing to put up with worker shortages now, rather than hire too many employees only to have them idle when consumer demand soon crashes.

Still other workers fear yet another COVID pandemic and arent eager to return to daily contact with the public.

The government has no idea how some Americans remain sick with the mysterious long COVID chronic aftermath of the infectious phase of the disease.

Well over 100 million Americans have likely had COVID. An estimated 10 to 30 percent dont recover for monthsor even years.

So, millions of COVID long-haulers remain either unable to work or can only work part time.

Yet no one yet has fully calibrated the effect of the newly disabled millions on the American economy.

Add up all these dark clouds, and America is experiencing a perfect storm in which only 61 percent of the able workforce is currently officially employed.

Unfortunately, there are also even longer-term, structural labor problems for the U.S. economy that make it unlikely that a new, larger generation of workers will soon surge into the labor force. And for now, Silicon Valley hasnt produced its long-promised artificially intelligent robots that would allow machines to do much of the work of people.

True, there are more potential parents than ever before. And the American population has soared to more than 330 million.

But our population is radically leveling off.

In just 14 years, the fertility rate has crashed to 1.64 from 2.12meaning that both citizens and resident aliens in America arent replacing themselves.

While past demographic momentum has led to an all-time population high, the United States has already peaked demographically. And it will soon shrink and further age.

Thirty years ago, America had 80 million fewer people, but a quarter-million more annual births.

What explains the disappearing American?

Historically, as Westernized cultures become more affluent and leisurely, whether its ancient Rome or modern America and Europe, they birth fewer childreneven as their appetites for more household and personal help spike.

Life apparently is seen as too enjoyable to invest years in raising children. Americans are certainly marrying later. They are having fewer childrenand in their 30s rather than 20s.

Women now make up nearly 60 percent of undergraduate college students. Female professional careers and delaying or avoiding childbirth are seen as essential to future family incomes.

Given that men who pass on college now account for 70 percent of enrollment declines in undergraduate education, there are far too few college-educated males for the new majority cohort of college-educated women.

The real gender crisis in America are these listless and stalled 20-something men. Too many are still living at home, not fully employed, often in debt, hooked on social media, video games, or satisfying their appetitesand with scant interest in marrying, much less raising children.

Figures on annual abortions remain hotly disputed. But the number of annual reported abortions still ranges somewhere between more than 600,000 and just under 900,000.

There may be almost 20 abortions for every 100 American pregnanciesor, one in five pregnancies that are terminated.

Our popular culture reflects this multifarious growing reluctance to raise children. And currently only 65 percent of children grow up in families with both parents.

The 2012 Obamacare ad The Life of Julia fixated on the new ideal American woman: a single parent of one child, unmarried, and utterly reliant on nearly 65 years of government support.

The 2013 follow-up bookend ad fetishized Pajama Boy. He was supposed to be a typical prolonged-adolescent, man-childsitting at home in his childlike footie pajamas and sipping hot chocolate.

Pajama Boy was likely the sort that Julia had no intention of marrying.

There are historical downsideseconomic, cultural, social, and militaryto nations that shun child raising.

They shrink in size and age, no longer believe in transcendence, become mostly agnostic or atheistic, and obsess on the self.

And sometimes, they eventually become dysfunctionaland slowly disappear.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Gen. David Berger, the commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, testifies at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on Dec. 3, 2019. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Theyre Going to Challenge Us: Marine Commandant Speaks on China Threat

Chinas military would seek to prevent the United States from mobilizing its forces in the Pacific in the event that war broke out between the two countries, according to the highest-ranking officer of the Marine Corps.

This competition is going to go on for a while, and were going to have to figure out a way through it long term, Gen. David Berger, commandant of the Marine Corps, said during a talk at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank, in Washington on July 7.

US Marine Corps Modernization Efforts

The Marine Corps is currently undertaking a series of dramatic and, at times, controversial changes in its force design as part of an effort to develop advantages against near-peer opponents, such as Chinas Peoples Liberation Army.

The effort comes after more than 20 years of counter-terrorism operations, in which the corps has often benefited from battlefield superiority in terms of intelligence and materiel.

Berger said the corps got comfortable with such operational superiority during the Global War on Terror and needed to relearn how to operate in a truly contested environment in which even seemingly simple logistical efforts could be impeded by malign Chinese operations.

To do that, it would need to balance its funding and training priorities between meeting threats in the present and preparing for those of the future, he said.

Its causing us to approach risk in a different way, managing near term and long term, Berger said. We could pull everything forward and be absolutely 100 percent focused on this week, [but] mortgage the future or the inverse and not really be worried about this afternoon and just looking down the road.

A Chinese navy formation, including the aircraft carrier Liaoning (C), during military drills in the South China Sea, in an aerial photo taken on Jan. 2, 2017. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Berger noted that Chinese military capability is on a very different level than it was just 10 years ago and that the corpss extant processes were not designed with that in mind.

As such, Bergers efforts to modernize the force have focused on strategically divesting from legacy systems and procuring new platforms needed for extra flexibility in the hopes of being ready for a fight with the Chinese regime by 2030. The new, leaner corps is hoped to be more decentralized and distributed in preparation for a potential conflict in the expansive IndoPacific theater.

Logistics

To that end, however, Berger said issues taken for granted when fighting terrorists would be anything but a given when fighting China. Foremost among those issues are logistics and the intensive art of ferrying troops and materiel when theyre needed across an ocean while under constant pressure from Chinese forces.

When your backside is protected, [logistics is] not your first thought, he said. But when you assume that your backside is threatened, now its in the first part.

When reviewing intelligence reports on potential operational pathways, Berger now asks to see the logistics for maneuvers in the first paragraph.

I think logistics in a contested environment is a huge challenge for us, Berger said. Its not insurmountable, but we need to acknowledge that, like were going to do to them, theyre going to challenge our sustainment.

With that in mind, Berger said U.S. allies and partners would be essential components of national strategy, not just in terms of building a fighting force, but also in sustaining that force. In a potential conflict with Chinas communist regime, he said, the United States would need to rely on nations such as Japan and Australia to assist in maintaining supply chains and coordinating forces, even as China sought to disrupt the nations ability to deploy its resources.

U.S. Marines and sailors with Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3d Marine Logistics Group, board a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules at Kadena Air Base, Japan, on Dec. 6, 2021. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Hailey D. Clay)

Realistically, [Chinas] going to challenge us back in our [ports] or beyond, Berger said. Theyre going to try to slow our mobilization; theyre going to do everything that they can to slow us down as far back as possible.

Preventing that from happening, to begin with, learning to operate in the so-called gray zone of competition and conflict that falls short of conventional military hostilities is of paramount importance, Berger said.

You Can Win Before Firing a Shot

Were learning our way through how do you deter malign activity below the threshold of a hot war and how do you measure that, because its not a win, [its] measuring a negative, Berger said.

As such, actioning intelligence and creating adaptable and resilient systems are vital to the corpss ability to defend the nation and carry the fight against the enemy, he said. And whether China or the United States could perform that task better would determine the outcome of such a conflict.

You can win before firing a shot, Berger said. If youre organized for it. If you can think deeply enough about it.

We have to be actively learning because the world is moving at a velocity where if you think youre comfortable today or tomorrow, youll be left behind.
Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, is seen during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House on April 18, 2022. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

Top House Republican Presses Yellen for Records on Hunter Bidens Foreign Business Dealings

A top House Republican is demanding Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen release records on Hunter Bidens foreign business activities, alleging that the Biden administrations reluctance to release such details suggests an effort to shield the Biden family from scrutiny.

In a July 6 letter, Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), a ranking member on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, asked Yellen to provide reports of what he thought was suspicious activity on the part of the younger Biden, his business associates, and other Biden family members.

Hunter, the second son of President Joe Biden, is currently under federal investigation for potential tax violations. Scrutiny has been growing over his overseas business dealings in countries such as Ukraine, Russia, and China, particularly during the period in which Biden served as vice president in the Obama administration.

Under the Bank Secrecy Act, U.S. banks flag cash transactions exceeding $10,000 per day and automatically generate suspicious activity reports (SARs) in a bid to help government agencies prevent money laundering.

Comer previously wrote to Yellen in late May requesting the SARs for Hunter Biden, but received no answer. He accused the Biden administration of restricting Congresss access to SARs, citing a recent Treasury Department rule that allows congressional staff to review such materials in a Treasury reading room. Theyre barred from making copies of the documents.

Committee Republicans are investigating whether this change in longstanding policy is motivated by efforts to shield Hunter Biden and potentially President Biden from scrutiny, the letter reads.

Refusing Release

Despite Treasurys assertion in the press that it provides SARs to Congress in a manner that enables robust oversight, Treasury is refusing to release SARs connected with Hunter Biden or his family and associatesincluding the President, Comer wrote.

He noted that in a June 13 phone call, five days after the June 8 deadline for Comers request, Treasury officials told Republican staff on the House Oversight Committee that they will not provide SARs to Committee Republicans unless Democrats join the request.

That marked a contrast with the Treasury Department statement shortly after Comers initial request.

Treasury has made SARs available for every request weve received, regardless of party, and will continue to do so, the department told The Wall Street Journal at the time.

Comer wrote: It is troubling that the Biden Administration is willing to provide a false story to the media to create the appearance of transparency, while continuing to thwart congressional oversight. Treasurys actions call for investigation and raise new questions about the degree to which the Biden Administration is using the federal government to provide cover for the Biden family and its associates.

Ranking member Rep. James Comer Jr. (R-KY) speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence in Washington on June 8, 2022. (Andrew Harnik-Pool/Getty Images)

The American people deserve to know whether the Presidents connections to his sons business deals occurred at the expense of the United States interests and whether they represent a national security threat.

Comer also made inquiries to more than a dozen banks in May, including the Bank of China, Cathay Bank, and JP Morgan Chase. The banks stated that they cant provide the requested materials without a subpoena, Comers office told The Epoch Times.

Bidens Voicemail

Hunter received millions of dollars in payments from Chinese state-linked companies in 2017 and 2018, according to recently released bank records. Emails from whats alleged to be his abandoned laptop also show him trying to broker a $120 million oil agreement between a Chinese state-owned oil company and Kazakhstans prime minister at the time.

Biden has repeatedly denied in public having discussed with Hunter the latters foreign business transactions. But a leaked voicemail dating back to December 2018 and recovered from the laptop that Hunter allegedly left in a Delaware repair shop, contradicts his claims.

President Joe Biden gives two thumbs up from a balcony of the White House as his son Hunter Biden (L) looks on during the 4th of July fireworks in Washington on July 4, 2022. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images)

Hey pal, its Dad, Biden said in the message. Its 8:15 on Wednesday night. If you get a chance, just give me a call. Nothing urgent. I just wanted to talk to you.

I thought the article released online, its going to be printed tomorrow in the Times, was good. I think youre clear. And anyway, if you get a chance, give me a call. I love you.

The story Biden spoke of detailed a private meeting between Hunter and a Chinese oil tycoon, Ye Jianming, who was arrested in March that year on bribery charges.

White House Evasive

Asked for the first time about the voice message, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre neither confirmed nor denied that it came from Biden.

I am not going to talk about alleged materials on a laptop. Its not happening, she told reporters.

The evasive answer from the White House didnt surprise Comer.

Its no surprise Biden officials refuse to answer basic questions about Joe Bidens involvement with Hunter Bidens shady foreign business dealings. Joe Biden claims he never talked to Hunter about these business deals, but evidence continues to mount that Joe Biden is the Big Guy and benefited from the Biden familys transactions, he told The Epoch Times.

Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, attends an event at the White House on April 18, 2022. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

The reference to the Big Guy came from a 2017 email from the laptop, outlining proposed payout packages in a venture between Hunter and CEFC, a now-defunct energy conglomerate founded by Ye. Part of the email reads, 10 held by H for the big guy, whom a former Hunter business partner, Tony Bobulinski, previously told The Epoch Times was Biden.

When Republicans take back the House, the Biden administration wont be allowed to keep hiding information from the American people. Well use the gavel to get answers, Comer said.

The White House didnt answer queries from The Epoch Times by press time. The Treasury Department responded to a request for comment, but didnt address the questions relating to the lawmakers concerns.
Treatment of Laval Professor Patrick Provost Concerns Quebec Academics

Two Quebec academics say they are concerned about the censure and censorship of professors in the province who questioned government responses to the pandemic, including the vaccination of children.

In a June 22 Quebecor Media article, Patrick Provost, a full professor in the department of microbiology and immunology at Laval University, questioned whether it was right to impose vaccine passports and mandates and muzzle the professionals and academics who criticized the health measures.

The next day, Quebecor removed the article from its platforms.

In mid-June, Laval suspended Provost for eight weeks without pay for saying in December 2021 that the risks of vaccinating children for COVID-19 outweighed the benefits. The university then gave an equally long suspension to a second professor, Nicolas Derome, in the faculty of science and engineerings biology department, for his own public comments questioning the COVID-19 response.

Douglas Farrow, a professor of theology and ethics at McGill University in Montreal, called the Laval suspensions A Repressive Political Act in a Substack article he penned on June 30.

Universite Laval has resorted to professional violence to prop up Quebecs crumbling Covid narrative, Farrow wrote. A secondary casualty of the violence is the principle of academic freedom.

In an interview with The Epoch Times, Farrow characterized the sanctions as only one manifestation of a larger project to censor minority opinions on the pandemic and the responses to it.

There is major pressure being applied to prevent the public from hearing reasoned arguments about these things, and it doesnt actually matter whether the argument is statistical, or whether its medical and scientific, or whether its political, he said.

Patrick [Provost] is the kind of person who could do it on the medical scientific front; he can also do it on the statistical front and he can do it on the common-sense, political front. But obviously they dont want people to hear any of that, and so theyve taken action against him.

Patrick Provost, professor in the department of microbiology and immunology at Laval University. (Courtesy of Patrick Provost)

New Law Protecting Academic Freedom

In March 2020, the Quebec government created a committee on academic freedom in response to reports that professors had stopped teaching controversial subjects in order to avoid offending students. In all, 1,079 professors and 992 students participated in a survey in which 60 percent of the professors said they had engaged in self-censorship and 82 percent of those professors wanted all restrictions lifted on what they could say in class.

The committees report, tabled in December 2021, determined that university classrooms should not be safe spaces and that they should not require warnings if classes might include offensive or materials. The Quebec government adopted all of the committees recommendations in Bill 32, which passed in early June.

When the bill was introduced, Higher Education Minister Danielle McCann gave schools one year to come into compliance. In an email to The Epoch Times, McCann said Provosts suspension demonstrates the relevance of the legislation.

Those situations at Laval University confirm that it was necessary to legislate on this issue, she said. The law also emphasizes that academic freedom must be practiced in conformity with norms of scientific rigour.

Farrow finds it remarkable that the university took such actions against the two professors, Provost and Derome, despite the law.

Theyve decided to proceed regardless of this new law, regardless of common sense, regardless of the tradition in the universities. And every university professor in any discipline who sees this happening  should be very concerned that this kind of action is deemed acceptable by the administration of a major university, he said.

This is an attempt to say to all the other universities and professors, Dont do what he did, or well get you.

When contacted by The Epoch Times, Laval said it does not comment on the personal situation of its employees.

Chilling Effect

Lavals faculty union said in late June that it has filed a grievance over Provosts suspension, adding that it was worried that the universitys actions could have a chilling effect on other professors who share controversial views.

David Robinson, executive director of the Canadian Association of University Teachers, has said professors should be disciplined only for comments that demonstrate incompetence or violate legal limits to speech, such as libel laws.

Farrow said he believes that the professors have a strong case and that a victory would set a positive precedent. However, he is concerned that many professors, students, and Canadians arent speaking out.

If the people are not prepared to stand up against practices, government directives, and eventually laws that limit their liberties and freedoms improperly, then the courts will not be able to save Patrick Provost or anybody else. Right now, I think they still can and Im hoping some of them at least will, he said.

But underneath it all for me, the question that is most burning is why  so few of them [professors] will stand up, even when a colleague is so mistreated.  If the majority of the profs wont stand up and resist this in the university, I dont know that theres any hope for the universities.

Travis Smith, an associate political science professor at Concordia University in Montreal, expressed strong concerns over the scholars treatment.

Im shocked. Its astonishing and appalling, Smith said in an interview.

Scholars should be totally free to ask any of these questions and pursue them wherever their thoughts and findings may lead. The idea that it could be not only censorship by the media, but that academic institutions are going to apply punishments to their permanent full-time faculty for asking these questionsits truly astonishing to me, Im beside myself.

And thats where Canada is, he adds. Thats not the Canada that I know and love. Thats not the kind of behaviour I would expect from universities in a country like ours.

Smith says professors often engage in self-censorship because they and their institutions are increasingly beholden to corporate interests as they chase research dollars. He says scholars who dont ask questions arent doing their job, nor are media who do not allow such questions to be asked.

I am shocked because that should not happen. It speaks to something in the state of the media in this country that that happens thats deeply concerning, thats connected to all kinds of concerns we have about the media being subsidized by the government and speaking in unison and one voice across the country, Smith said.

They allowed for some dissent and they quickly realized that they shouldnt allow for any dissent. And thats not good journalism. Thats not the kind of journalism we count on in a free country.

Noe Chartier and The Canadian Press contributed to this report.


The Twitter app on a smartphone is shown in this illustration on July 13, 2021. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

Twitter Files Petition Against Indian Governments Online Censorship

Twitter Inc. has petitioned an Indian high court to overturn the governments content removal orders after the Indian government warned of serious consequences for noncompliance with such orders.

The social media giant filed a writ petition with the Karnataka High Court on July 5 and sought judicial review of some of the content included in the removal orders.

Twitter argued that the content removal orders were overbroad and arbitrary, fail to provide notice to the originators of the content, and are disproportionate, The Hindu reported, citing information from unnamed sources.

Blocking such content is a violation of freedom of speech, particularly when the rationale for blocking is unclear, the sources said. Some of the tweets contained political content posted by official handles of political parties.

Several blocking orders that were issued to Twitter only cite the grounds of Section 69A but fail to demonstrate how the content falls within those grounds or how the said content is violative of Section 69A, the sources said.

Section 69A of Indias Information Technology Act allows the government to block public access to content in the interest of national security.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Minister of State for Electronics and Information and Technology, said in a tweet that all foreign internet intermediaries and social media platforms operating in India must adhere to the countrys law.

The Epoch Times has reached out to Twitter for comment.

Blocking Orders

The Indian Electronics and Information Technology Ministry warned in June that failure to comply with its content blocking orders would result in serious consequences, including criminal proceedings against Twitters chief compliance officer, The Hindu reported.

Twitter, which has nearly 24 million users in India, had previously complied with the content blocking orders so as not to lose liability exemptions available as a host of content. But it claimed that some blocking orders fell short of the procedural standards of Indias information technology laws.

Tensions with the Indian government flared in 2021 when Twitter declined to fully comply with an order to take down accounts and posts that New Delhi alleged were spreading misinformation about antigovernment protests by farmers.

The company, based in the United States, has also been subject to police investigations in India, and in 2021 many government ministers switched from Twitter to Koo, an Indian social media platform, accusing Twitter of noncompliance with local laws.

Industry transparency reports show India has among the highest number of government requests for content removal on social media platforms. The Indian government is considering some amendments to its rules, including the introduction of a government-run appeals panel with the power to reverse the content moderation decisions of social media firms.

Reuters contributed to this report.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is stepping down. Johnson was facing pressure from members of his own party to resign after a series of allegations came to light.

Police in Virginia prevented a possible shooting on the fourth of July. Thanks to a tip from what they call a hero citizen.

Over 400 fugitives are taken off the streets of New York City. Its part of a nationwide operation targeting communities with high levels of violence.

Topics in this episode include:

1. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson Set to Resign

2. Police Prevent Possible July 4 Shooting in Richmond, VA Thanks to Tip

3. Over 1,500 Fugitives Arrested Nationwide Last Month, Over 400 in NYC

4. Highland Park July 4 Shooting Suspect Confessed to Police: Prosecutor

5. More Than $2 Million Raised for Toddler Orphaned by Highland Park Shooting

6. Los Angeles DA opponents Submit Recall Signatures

7. Explosion Rocks Georgia Guidestones, Dubbed Americas Stonehenge

8. Great Salt Lake Hits New Historic Low Water Level

9. South Dakota Sky Turns Eerie Green as Storm Sweeps Over

10. President Joe Biden to Rescind Afghanistan as Non-NATO Ally

11. U.S. Gifts Multiple Rocket Launch System to Ukraine

12. Europol Arrests Suspects for Smuggling Migrants

13. FIFA Introduces New Offside Technology

14. Champion Adaptive Surfer Overcomes Adversity and Inspires Others

15. Screaming Chipmunk Whisperer Goes Viral

* Click the Save button below the video to access it later on My List.

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A student walks toward Royce Hall on the campus of University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 11, 2020. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

University of California Waives Tuition for Native Americans, Starting Fall 2022

Native American students attending schools in the University of California (UC) system will have their tuition fully waived starting this fall.

Announced in April, the UC Native American Opportunity Plan allows California residents who are members of federally recognized Native American, American Indian, and Alaska Native tribes to get free education on UC campuses. The program applies to undergraduate and graduate students.

The University of California is committed to recognizing and acknowledging historical wrongs endured by Native Americans, UC President Michael Drake said in a letter (pdf). I am proud of the efforts the University of California has made to support the Native American community, including the creation of the [program].

The UC system has ten campusesBerkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz. About 295,000 students were enrolled in the system in fall 2021.

Students pass through Sather Gate of the college campus at the University of CaliforniaBerkeley, in a file photo. (David A. Litman/Shutterstock)

The program is expected to cost $2.4 million and will be funded mainly by both the states and UCs financial aid programs, according to Drakes office.

The program was developed to expand student diversity and make the University of California more affordable and accessible, Drake said in the letter. The approximate annual tuition for a state resident is $13,104, according to the UC Admissions office.

California has 109 federally recognized tribes and has more Native Americans and those of Alaska Native heritage than any other state in the country, according to the Judicial Council of California.

Native Americans make up 1.7 percent of the states population while accounting for 0.5 percent of the UC systems student body in Fall 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the universitys enrollment statistics.

Some universities and lawmakers across the country are following UCs steps.

A file photo of the University of Arizona. (Epoch Times Staff)

In June, the University of Arizona announced its Arizona Native Scholars Grant program, which completely covers tuition and mandatory fees for full-time undergraduate students who belong to any of the states 22 federally recognized tribes starting this fall. The program would benefit over 400 students and may expand to graduate students in the future, according to the university.

Oregon launched a free tuition program in May for Native American students from nine federally recognized tribes in the state to remove financial barriers to a college education for the 20222023 school year, according to the states Higher Education Coordinating Commission.
Massive crowds of people march to protest the federal government's COVID-19 vaccine mandate and to mark Canada Day in downtown Ottawa on July 1, 2022. (Johnathan Ren/The Epoch Times)

Heavy Police Presence in Ottawa on Canada Day Hindered Freedom of Expression, Say Lawyers

The large number of police deployed in Ottawa during the Canada Day celebrations impeded Canadians freedom of speech and expression, said two lawyers who came close to being fined for displaying a banner on the sidewalk near Parliament Hill.

Adam Blake-Gallipeau, a lawyer from the legal charity The Democracy Fund, said he found an unusual focus on the enforcement of bylaws on petty issues that wouldnt have needed the heavy police presence seen in Ottawa during the national holiday, which he said was over the top.

It was just an unnecessary police presence, obviously, he told The Epoch Times. People were there waving flags, people were there with their children, they were trying to celebrate Canada Day and celebrate their freedoms, and celebrate free expression and freedom to assemble.

Instead, what they got was what looked like a police occupation of several blocks in front of Parliament.

Police keep watch as people headed to the national capital to mark Canada Day in Ottawa on July 1, 2022. (Limin Zhou/The Epoch Times)

Blake-Gallipeau and his colleague, Mark Joseph, headed to Ottawa on July 1 as Charter scrutineers to observe how officers with the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) enforce bylaws, after learning the city had increased fines for certain behaviours ahead of the national holiday, particularly in respect to unnecessary noise and shouting, as outlined in a statement issued on June 29.

They were standing on the sidewalk near Wellington and Metcalfe streets with a banner that displayed information about their organization, The Democracy Fund. At around 5:30 p.m., a group of five to six police officers approached them and asked them to remove their banner within five minutes or they would be given a $1,000 ticket.

Blake-Gallipeau said the banner wasnt a fixture, which would require a permit to be installed, and that he and his colleague werent obstructing others passage on the sidewalk. The police, however, insisted on enforcing the bylaw and requested the lawyers to keep their banner off the ground and moving, which they did.

It was unsettling, he said.

The last I checked, we still had freedom to assemble, freedom of speech, and freedom of expression in this country. But in Ottawa on Canada Day, it didnt seem like that at all.

BREAKING: Our lawyers were just threatened with a $1000 bylaw ticket for displaying this banner in downtown Ottawa on Canada Day. pic.twitter.com/QHDa17ilwf  The Democracy Fund (@TDF_Can) July 2, 2022

Joseph said their interactions with the police reflected a conflict between the governments wish to maintain public order and the peoples rights to their freedoms.

Theres always a tension between free speech and freedom of assembly and bylaws and permitting for demonstrations and parades and protests, he said. Generally speaking, I dont think the government can say, Well, you have free speech, but it only applies when you get a permit. Thats probably not going to be acceptable to a court.

He also noted that while the police have discretion about when to apply bylaws, they would often do so in favour of the public interest during a protest or gathering, unless the event posed a danger or an obstruction to the public.

Joseph also pointed to a separate incident that day at the national capital where a man was given a $1,130 fine for writing Free Tamara Lich on the street using chalk.

Lich was a key organizer of the Freedom Convoy protest earlier this year calling for an end to the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate and other pandemic-related restrictions. During the three-week demonstration, a large number of trucks and protesters camped in Ottawas downtown core until the Liberal government invoked the Emergencies Act on Feb. 14, giving the police additional powers to clear what they said was an illegal demonstration in an escalated operation over a few days.

When asked by The Epoch Times about the two incidents, the OPS declined to comment, and instead referred to a news release issued on July 5 regarding major police operations for five days, from June 29 to July 3. The release didnt mention either incident, but noted that a total of 12 people were arrested and 50 criminal charges were laid during that period.
Former Prime Minister Sir John Major during his keynote speech at the Institute for Government, central London, on Feb. 10, 2022. (Dominic Lipinski/PA Media)

Unwise and Unsustainable for Boris Johnson to Remain PM Till Autumn: Ex-PM John Major

It would be unwise and unsustainable for Boris Johnson to remain as prime minister while a Conservative Party elects a new leader, former Prime Minister Sir John Major has warned.

Johnson announced his resignation as Tory party leader on July 7, triggering a leadership contest. But he insisted he will remain as prime minister until October, when a new leader is expected to be elected.

Johnsons plan has prompted a backlash from party grandees and political opponents, who have lambasted his attempt to cling on in Number 10 Downing Street until the autumn.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses the nation as he announces his resignation outside 10 Downing Street on July 7, 2022. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

In a letter to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs, Major said such an arrangement is unwise and maybe unsustainable as Johnson has already lost the support of his Cabinet, his government, and his parliamentary party.

The former Conservative leader said: In such a circumstance the prime minister maintains the power of patronage and, of even greater concern, the power to make decisions which will affect the lives of those within all four nations of the United Kingdom and further afield.

Some will argue that his new Cabinet will restrain him. I merely note that his previous Cabinet did notor could notdo so.

National Interest

Major suggested that Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab could be an acting prime minister until a new leader was elected.

Or, he said, Conservative MPs could elect the new leader who would become prime minister, with party members then asked to endorse the decision.

The former prime minister wrote: Neither of these options is ideal, but the interests of the country must be given priority over all else and, with so many long-term and critical issues before us, an imaginative response even at the risk of some bruised feelings within the partyis most definitely in the national interest.

Under the expected timetable, Conservative MPs will take part in a series of votes to whittle leadership candidates down to two, with party members then deciding the winner.

The process could take months, with a new leader expected to be in place before the party conference in October.

Major is not alone in finding Johnsons attempt to stay on in Downing Street for months unacceptable.

George Freeman, who quit as science minister on Thursday morning, said the Queen should appoint a caretaker under whom ministers can serve, so the Conservative Party can choose a new leader properly.

Lord Barwell, who served as Theresa Mays chief of staff, said there was a question whether the PM will be able to lead a caretaker government.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the Conservatives should not inflict someone they deem to be unfit for office on the country and warned he might use a confidence motion in the House of Commons to try to remove Johnson from Number 10.

PA Media contributed to this report.
Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Avril Haines testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee in Washington on March 10, 2022. The committee held a hearing on worldwide threats. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

US Intelligence Warns State and Local Leaders to Be Wary of Chinas Influence Activities

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a document on July 6 warning state, local, and business leaders to be on the lookout for malign influence operations conducted by Chinas ruling communist regime.

For decades, a broad range of entities in China have forged ties with government and business leaders at the state and local levels of the United States, often yielding benefits for both sides, the document (pdf) said.

However, as tensions between Beijing and Washington have grown, the government of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) under President Xi Jinping has increasingly sought to exploit these China-U.S. subnational relationships to influence U.S. policies and advance PRC geopolitical interests.

The document said that the threat to U.S. security did not come from China generally, nor from Chinese people living in America, but from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which covertly directed many of the seemingly local or regional outreach projects emanating from China, and which sought to gain leverage over American business and political communities.

Chinas Outreach Organizations



Many such outreach efforts covertly sought to expand support for the regimes interests and to create a friendlier attitude toward Beijing in Washington by creating a favorable image of the CCP among businesses and local leaders, the document said.

In this manner, the CCP sought to use state and local leaders as proxies to advocate for positions that the CCP thought to be to its advantage.

Leaders at the U.S. state, local, tribal, and territorial levels risk being manipulated to support hidden PRC agendas, the document said. PRC influence operations can be deceptive and coercive, with seemingly benign business opportunities or people-to-people exchanges sometimes masking PRC political agendas.

The document outlined how the CCP used financial incentives and soft power to convince or coerce American leaders into advocating for policies that would assist the CCP in its efforts at global expansion and ultimately undermine U.S. national security.

Specifically, the document explained how the CCPs influence operations body, the United Front Work Department (UFWD), coordinated foreign influence operations in the United States and elsewhere.

The Confucius Institute of Indianapolis attended a parade in the streets of Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 28, 2011. The Confucius Institute is charged as an agency of the Chinese regime for its united front work. (Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

It cited the case of Christine Lee, a well-connected lawyer who fostered ties across the UK Parliament to lobby for pro-China positions. British intelligence later revealed Lee was a spy working for the UFWD to influence British policy in favor of Beijing.

Other state bodies, the document said, were not so easily distinguishable in their origins and governance.

Some, such as the Chinese Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, disguise themselves as civically-minded organizations while working to malignly influence state and local leaders to promote the PRCs global agenda, the document said.

Still, others, such as the National Association for Chinas Peaceful Unification, promote themselves as non-profit organizations while covertly seeking to promote policies that would allow for the CCP to forcibly unite Taiwan with China.

The document said that even more benign community-building efforts, such as the so-called Sister City programs, were used by the CCP to promote its ideology and political agenda.

Irvine, California, for example, entered into one such program with the Xuhui district of Shanghai in the early 2000s. As part of the obligations of the sister city deal, Irvine was formally required to disavow the existence of Taiwan and was barred by the CCP from displaying the flag of Taiwan or playing Taiwans national anthem.

The move caused fury among the citys some 10,000 Taiwanese residents, and the deal was ultimately rescinded.

However, the document said similar policies were also implemented with sister city programs throughout Europe and Australia. And those agreements also required European and Australian cities to suppress information about the CCPs political violence, including information about the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and subsequent massacre.

Collecting Data

The document also warned that the CCP conducted massive data collection schemes through its subsidiary bodies, seeking to garner information on Americans and measuring who was favorably inclined toward China and how they could be used.

One example included a mass survey and study launched by a Chinese state university in coordination with the CCP, which analyzed and ranked all 50 U.S. Governors attitudes toward China as friendly, hardline, or ambiguous, while also including their age, gender, political affiliation, work history, and states by economic size, geographic location, and level of trade with China.

Notably, the document said that leaders and business owners should be wary of the possibility of CCP influence operations, no matter the size of their reach.

CCP strategy, it said, sought to play the long game, investing and building relations with small-time activists or local leaders in the hopes that one day those leaders would reach positions of national importance and be able to be leveraged for the benefit of the Chinese regime.

Creating Dependencies and Unwitting Agents



Often, the document said, local leaders might be unaware that their partnerships with regional or other outreach bodies in China were actually being centrally managed by the CCP.

Indeed, the CCP actively conceals its involvement in some cases, seeking to covertly create dependencies throughout the U.S. economic system. This allows it to exert greater pressure in world events, the document said, by controlling access to the market or needed resources, effectively granting the CCP the ability to extort American leaders into promoting Chinese communism.

The sign for Wall Street with U.S. flags outside the New York Stock Exchange in New York on June 16, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images)

The PRC may view the U.S. business community as an especially important vector to influence local, state, and national leaders, given that companies are key constituents of and often contributors to politicians at all levels, the document said.

The PRC may use market access, investments, or economic dependency as leverage, and overtly press U.S. business leaders, particularly those with commercial interests in China, to lobby Washington for policies Beijing favors.

Indeed, one congressional advisory body received expert testimony in April that numerous American CEOs, including Apples Tim Cook, should be required to register as agents of China, given their dedication to pursuing the CCPs interests.

This dedication, allegedly, is driven primarily by fear of losing market access in China.

Perhaps the most poignant example of this was the Justice Departments announcement in May that it was suing Stephen Wynn, the former CEO of Wynn Resorts, to compel Wynn to register as an agent of Chinas communist regime.

The lawsuit followed an investigation that found Wynn personally sought to lobby former President Donald Trump to cancel the visa or otherwise remove from the United States a Chinese businessman and asylum seeker wanted by the CCP.

Wynn did this at the direct request of CCP leadership, the DOJ said, because he wanted to protect his Casinos in Macau, which China holds as a special administrative region.

Likewise, the document said, the CCP was already creating dependencies on China in many American communities.

Understanding the scope and depth of the PRC governments active role in guiding and often exploiting Chinas subnational relationships overseas is the first step towards mitigating risks, the document said.

This geopolitical reality has placed state and local officials in the United States and other nations on the front lines of national security.

See Something, Say Something

The DNI document urged American leaders and businesses to exercise vigilance when engaging with foreign entities.

There is no free lunch, the document said, and deals with Chinese entities that seemed too good to be true very likely were. As such, the document urged community leaders to conduct thorough diligence in understanding their partners, and to insist on transparency in all documents and agreements.

Moreover, the document encouraged leaders throughout American communities to engage with one another and share their experiences, as well as to maintain ongoing communication with local branches of the FBI and Homeland Security regarding any suspicious and questionable activities, or to educate themselves on the techniques used by the CCP to malignly influence activities in the United States.

Beware of proposals that appear to run counter to democratic values or conflict with U.S. interests, the document said. Do not allow any foreign country to prohibit your interactions with other countries, entities, or individuals.

Set boundaries in the relationship and do not make exceptions simply to placate foreign customs.

The advisory comes just one day after leaders from the U.S. and UK domestic intelligence agencies warned that the CCP is the greatest threat facing both nations.

The most game-changing challenge we face comes from the Chinese Communist Party, said MI5 Director General Ken McCallum.

Its covertly applying pressure across the globe. This might feel abstract. But its real and its pressing. We need to talk about it. We need to act.
Rolman Balacarcel (L) and Julio Alvarado in mugshot photographs. (Richmond Police Department via The Epoch Times)

Virginia Police Arrest Noncitizens Who Allegedly Planned July 4 Mass Shooting

Police in Richmond, Virginia, acting on a call from an unidentified tipster, have arrested two noncitizens who were allegedly plotting a mass shooting on July 4, officials announced on July 6.

Julio Alvarado-Dubon, 52, and Rolman Balacarcel, 38, were arrested after a hero citizen overheard a discussion about carrying out a shooting at an Independence Day celebration in Richmond, the citys police chief said.

Both men were charged with being a non-U.S. citizen in possession of a firearm. Additional charges could be possible for both suspects, officials said.

The exact immigration status of the accused plotters isnt clear. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency didnt respond to requests for comment and the Richmond Police Department didnt answer a phone call or return an email.

Motive Not Known

Alvarado and Balacarcel were planning to actually shoot up our Fourth of July celebration, Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith told reporters at a briefing.

We know what their intent is. But we dont have that motive, he added.

The shooting was allegedly planned for the Dogwood Dell amphitheater, which seats 2,400 and is located outdoors, officials said.

The men who were arrested lived at the same address and were described as roommates.

Alvarado-Dubon let officers into their apartment on July 1, after police were told of the apparent plot. Once inside, police saw firearms-related material in plain view that corroborated the tipsters statement, according to Smith.

Seized Guns

Officers seized rifles, a handgun, and 223 rounds of ammunition. They arrested Alvarado.

Officers didnt have adequate evidence at the time to arrest Balacarcel and wanted to make sure there were no other persons involved in the scheme, so they put him under surveillance.

Balacarcel was arrested on July 5.

Both suspects are being held in the Richmond City Jail.

Tipster Saved Numerous Lives

Officials praised the unnamed person who overheard the conversation, though they couldnt give details such as when the conversation took place.

The success of this particular investigation can only be juxtaposed against the horrors  the rest of the country has seen. There is no telling how many lives this hero citizen saved from one phone call, Smith said.

In Illinois on July 4, a man identified by police as Robert Crimo III opened fire during a parade, killing seven and injuring dozens more. Hes been charged with multiple counts of murder and is being detained without bail.

One phone call saved numerous lives on the Fourth of July, Smith said. And moving forward, we implore that everyone, if you see something, say something; if you hear something, say something.
Export oil pipelines at an oil facility in the Khark Island, Iran, on the shore of the Gulf, on Feb. 23, 2016. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

US Sanctions Network for Selling Iranian Oil to China, East Asia

The United States sanctioned an international network of companies on July 6 for allegedly violating oil sanctions on Iran by selling Iranian oil to China and other countries in east Asia.

The Treasury Department said in a statement that it imposed sanctions on the companies that are accused of having facilitated the sale of hundreds of millions of dollars of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products.

The department stated that the sanctioned individuals and entities used a web of Gulf-based front companies to hide the Iranian origin of the petroleum.

On the same day, the State Department announced that it imposed parallel sanctions on 15 individuals and entities that engaged in the illicit sales and shipment of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products.

The entities are located in Iran, Vietnam, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Hong Kong. Among them are Iran-based Jam Petrochemical Co., UAE-based companies Edgar Commercial Solutions FZE and Ali Almutawa Petroleum and Petrochemical Trading, and Hong Kong-based front company Lustro Industry Ltd.

Over the past two years, Chinese refineries have been buying large amounts of Iranian oil despite U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil exports. Oil is the lifeblood of Irans economy and Chinese imports have helped keep it afloat.

The United States had also imposed an earlier round of sanctions in mid-June, targeting Iranian petrochemical producers, as well as front companies in China and the UAE that support Hong Kong-based Triliance Petrochemical Co. and Irans Petrochemical Commercial Co.

The two companies are entities instrumental in brokering the sale of Iranian petrochemicals abroad, the Treasury Department stated at the time.

View of an oil facility on Khark Island, Iran, on the shore of the Persian Gulf, on March 12, 2017. (Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)

Iran Nuclear Talks Showing No Progress

The United States has increasingly targeted Chinese companies over the export of Irans petrochemicals, amid failed attempts at reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Indirect U.S.Iran nuclear talks in Doha, Qatar, last week wrapped up with no progress.

While the United States is committed to achieving an agreement with Iran that seeks a mutual return to compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, we will continue to use all our authorities to enforce sanctions on the sale of Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals, Brian Nelson, the Treasurys undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a July 6 statement.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on July 6 that Iran has failed to show a commitment to diplomacy to review the 2015 nuclear deal.

Absent a change in course from Iran, we will continue to use our sanctions authorities to target exports of petroleum, petroleum products, and petrochemical products from Iran, he said in a statement.

The JCPOA had required Iran to restrict its nuclear program in return for the lifting of economic sanctions from the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations. The deal was promoted by then-U.S. President Barack Obama in 2015 as the best option to keep Iran from obtaining nuclear arms, even temporarily.

In May 2018, then-President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the nuclear pact and reimposed sanctions on Iran in an effort to force Irans ruling Islamic regime to reform a series of activities that the Trump administration deemed unacceptable.

In 2019, the Iranian regime said publicly that it was in breach of the uranium enrichment limits set out in the deal.

The United States recognizes Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism and has long criticized it for funding Islamist terror groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. The Iranian regime has insisted that the United States remove the terror designation on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in exchange for a revived nuclear deal, The Epoch Times reported in April.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Washington School Board Director to Teach Children Safer Sex Practices at Her Adult Store

A school board director in Washington state says she will host events at an identity-inclusive and not creepy adult store she owns and discuss topics such as sexual anatomy for pleasure and safer sex practices with children as young as nine.

Jenn Mason, the school board director for Bellingham Public Schools, is advertising a sex education summer program called Uncringe Academy. The stated purpose of the program, according to the online advertisement, is to help young people to feel comfortable around these topics so that they can advocate for their own bodies, health, and well-being.

Mason is offering two two-day, empowerment-based workshopsone for 9- to 12-year-old children and another for 13- to 17-year-old teenagers. The workshops will cover topics such as gender and sexual identities, sexual anatomy for pleasure and reproduction, kinds of solo and partnered sexual activities, safer sex practices for all kinds of sexual activities, and the ethics and realities of sexualized media and pornography.

Workshops are divided by age and presentation of topics will vary for developmental appropriateness, according to the ad. Tickets are sold at prices ranging from $5 to $50.

The events are set to take place in August at WinkWink, an adult store that describes itself as a woman-owned, identity-inclusive sex shop in Bellingham that offers non-toxic sex toys, lingerie, books, menstrual-related goods, and educational classes.

Mason has been facing criticism on social media after Seattle-area radio show host Jason Rantz reported on a queer youth event that Mason hosted earlier this month for young children at the adult store. Rantz called the event inappropriately inclusive and extremely creepy, arguing that having kids present in a sex shop is bizarre enough.

Its hard to explain who has more questionable judgment: Mason or any parent who brings a child to this event, Rantz said.

Mason defended her workshop in a letter to Rantz, saying that safe sex practices is not generally covered as a main topic in this course except as it relates to consent, communication, and safety for the 9-12 age group.

The class for 9- to 12-year-olds is an introduction to topics related to relationships, puberty, bodies, and sexuality. We focus on what makes healthy vs. unhealthy friendships and romantic relationships, the science of how puberty works, consent and personal boundaries, defining sex, and discussing why people may or may not choose to engage in sexual activities, she told Rantz. This course includes understanding the basics of sexual anatomy, including the names and function of body parts related to reproduction and pleasure. We also cover the basics of biological sex, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation.

In response, Rantz said he thinks Mason is well-intentioned but goes too far, adding that he still finds it inappropriate to teach pre-pubescent children about sexual pleasure or confuse them on gender identity.

The workshops Mason is advertising will be held in her personal capacity as a business owner, and not as the director for the Bellingham School District, Rantz was told. They are not endorsed by or associated with the school district.
In Canada, a man became the first in the nation to receive monetary compensation for a COVID vaccine injury.

Likewise, two weeks ago, a woman whose partner died after getting the AstraZeneca vaccine became the first person in her country to receive compensation over a COVID vaccine death.

And so, because of these cases, as well as many other cases of vaccine mandates going into effect across the country, we did a deep dive analysisincluding speaking with several lawyers specializing in vaccine casesto figure out what legal remedies a person here in America has if they experience adverse reactions from the vaccine.

Can they file a lawsuit against the vaccine manufacturer?

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An employee monitors the making of chips at a Jiejie Semiconductor Company factory in Nantong, China, on March 17, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Xi Jinpings Talk Addressing Tech Companies Reveals Chinas Chip Crisis: Experts

News analysis

When five Chinese companies were recently sanctioned by the United States for allegedly supporting Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, the move amplified Chinas sense of crisis in its tech industries. Chinese state media openly admit that Chinas semiconductor industry faces numerous challenges. During a visit to Wuhan at the end of June, communist leader Xi Jinping emphasized that there is an urgent need to make key breakthroughs, as Chinas high-tech industry is being strangled by developed countries in some key areas.

The U.S. Department of Commerce on June 28 placed five Chinese companies on a trade blacklist, saying they support Russias military and defense industrial base. Three of these companies are related to chip manufacturing or semiconductor electronic components.

On the same day, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo warned that Chinese semiconductor companies that defy Russian sanctions could suffer devastating consequences.

What if SMIC [Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation] or other Chinese-based semiconductor companies are found supplying chips to Russia? We will shut them down and we can, because almost every chip in the world and in China is made using U.S. equipment and software and I intend to make good on that commitment if its necessary, Raimondo said at the Commerce Departments annual meeting.

Xi Stresses Tech Self-Reliance

During an inspection tour in Wuhan, Hubei Province, Xi Jinping paid a visit to HGLaser Engineering Co, and gave a speech emphasizing the urgent need to achieve scientific and technological self-reliance.

Breaking through critical technologies has become a matter of great urgency, as we must keep the lifeline of science and technology firmly in our own hands, he said.

Speaking of the importance and urgency for the breakthroughs, Xi explained that Chinas high-tech development is being strangled in the neck in terms of these critical technologies.

He specifically stated that chip R&D must make full use of Chinas whole nation system to speed up its development course. The phrase whole nation system has been frequently used in CCP propaganda in recent years, when the regime touts the advantages of a planned economy.

Chinese Chip Industry Faces Profound Risks

On June 30, Chinese state media Beijing News quoted insiders as saying that the United States is planning to impose another round of sanctions on Chinese chip companies, which may include Hua Hong Semiconductor, ChangXin Memory Technology, and Yangtze Memory Technologies. Moreover, foreign-funded enterprises with Chinese branches, such as South Koreas SK Hynix, Germanys Infineon, and the United States Texas Instruments, may also be sanctioned.

Chinas semiconductor industry has long been strangled in the neck and is currently facing a multitude of risks. In addition to U.S. sanctions, Chinese companies have to face international political instability, increasingly fierce global competition, and rising raw material costs, Beijing News said.

China is the worlds largest semiconductor consumer, but its semiconductor R&D and manufacturing capabilities are lacking.

According to a report by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), in 2020, Chinas logic chips and memory chips accounted for less than 1 percent on the global market; electronic design automation only accounted for 3 percent; and discrete devices and analog devices accounted for 7 percent.

Although China had a 16 percent share of the worlds capacity for fabricating IC wafers, its products are mostly mid-to-low-end, which is two to three generations behind the international level.

A senior Chinese expert in the industry told Beijing News that taking Dutch company ASMLs high-end lithography machine as a reference, it will take at least 15 years for China to complete the research and develop a high-end lithography system at the same level as ASML.

Self-Reliance Impossible in Short Term

Ji Lin, a Chinese national and engineer working in the Japanese IT industry, told The Epoch Times that the sweeping sanctions imposed on Russia by the international community, especially the chip sanctions, not only weakened Russias strength in advanced weapons on the battlefield, but also caused its national strength to plunge into a long-term decline. International sanctions have exacerbated the CCPs sense of crisis, as exemplified by Beijings recent order to replace all computers with domestically produced computers in central government agencies and state-owned enterprises.

Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, reported, China has ordered central government agencies and state-backed corporations to replace foreign-branded personal computers with domestic alternatives within two years.

Ji said that chipmaking involves electronics, optics, precision machinery, software simulation, and other aspects. No country in the world can achieve fully closed-loop production. Even Taiwans TSMC, recognized as a chipmaking leader in the world, cannot achieve it, not to mention those Chinese companies that are 10 years behind TSMC. It is therefore impossible for China to realize full-scope self-independence in chip production.

Ellen Wan contributed to this report.
Connecticuts program to replace lost wages and cover medical expenses for frontline workers who caught COVID has stalled due to a low profile and a complicated application process.

More than six months after the Essential Workers COVID-19 Assistance Program launched  and one month after lawmakers and Gov. Ned Lamont dramatically expanded the potential applicant pool  the state has awarded just $361,122, or 1.1%, of the $34 million budget.

And, according to Comptroller Natalie Braswells office, only one out of every 17 people who completed a preliminary registration process has received funding.

That tells me theres too much red tape, said Rep. Robyn Porter, D-New Haven, co-chairwoman of the legislatures Labor and Public Employees Committee. We know that the need is out there.

Weve got to keep fixing it until we get it right, said Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, the labor committees other co-chairwoman. Until were certain that every worker who deserves this payment has applied, were not going to give up on it.

Responding to surging workers compensation caseloads, Porter, Kushner and other labor advocates originally wanted a temporary rule change that would presume anyone in a frontline job who contracted COVID had done so at work.

The full legislature and Lamont instead dedicated $34 million to cover lost wages, out-of-pocket medical expenses and burial costs related to COVID cases contracted between March 10, 2020  when the pandemic first struck Connecticut  and July 20, 2021.

Burial cost assistance is capped at $3,000. Theres no cap on other awards, and all funds are issued on a first-come-first-served basis.

The program was opened in January, initially to health care workers, first responders, teachers, grocery store employees, and others from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions 1A and 1B priority lists for essential workers.

But applications did not come pouring in during the first few months, prompting lawmakers to make changes to the program this spring.

The application deadline was extended from mid-July through Dec. 31 of this year. And the program was broadened to include the CDCs 1C list of essential workers. Among that group are restaurant staff, gas station and utilities workers, and construction crews.

The legislature permits the comptrollers office to use up to $680,000, or 5% of the $34 million for administrative and marketing expenses.

The office has retained a private consultant to help run the program. It held a press conference and launched radio and social media advertising earlier this year, but Braswell said she fears potential recipients simply dont know about the program.

Scott Dolch, executive director of the Connecticut Restaurant Association, said Wednesday that he wasnt aware the program had been extended to cover restaurant staff.

If theres money out there from the state to help our industry, he said, Im going to do my due diligence and get the details to restaurant workers.

And even among essential workers who are aware of the program, some are clearly struggling with the support documentation required by the state.

Workers who lost wages will have to submit payroll records to demonstrate that loss. Similarly, those with medical expenses will need to produce related documents.

Out of 1,725 people who registered for the program  meaning they formally requested an application or more information  855 applied.

Out of that group, only 102 people have received benefits so far.

Another 753 applications are pending, Braswell said. Some will eventually be approved, but others, she added, likely will remain in limbo unless someone helps the applicants become unstuck and submit missing information.

How many? Were trying to assess that now, the comptroller said during an interview Tuesday, adding that its definitely a concern.

Braswell said her office has assembled a triage team and has begun reaching out to businesses, trade and civic organizations, faith and community groups and anyone who can help spread the word. The state also is reaching out to those with longstanding applications to try to break the logjam.

Were willing to go anywhere, any part of the state, to explain how workers can access benefits, the comptroller added. The reality is the money needs to go to individuals who need to be made whole.

More information about the program can be found on the comptrollers website at https://www.ctessentialworkerrelief.org/eligible-to-apply or by calling 833-660-2503.

Braswell said she also hopes word about the essential workers fund will spread in August when her office launches a second program established by lawmakers and Lamont to assist frontline workers.

This involves another $30 million in bonuses for the premium pay program, which is open to workers in categories 1A and 1B of the CDC priority lists.

But if the $34 million in the essential workers fund remain largely untapped by years end, Porter and Kushner said they will fight to renew and possibly redesign the program yet again when the regular General Assembly session opens in early January.

The labor committee leaders praised Braswells efforts but said lawmakers might consider requiring businesses and insurance companies  and not workers applying for grants  to provide the necessary supporting documentation.

A more aggressive marketing budget also might be needed to make the program successful, they said.

Lamonts office declined to comment on the program when contacted Wednesday.

Connecticut AFL-CIO President Ed Hawthorne, who also praised Braswells efforts to promote the program, agreed that businesses should be asked to help workers apply if necessary.

Its in their benefit to have their workforce fully compensated, Hawthorne said. Were talking about people that we called  heroes during the pandemic.
STORRS, Conn. (AP)  An assistant professor of business at the University of Connecticut has been awarded $736,000 after charging in a 2011 whistleblower lawsuit that he had been fired for complaining about mismanagement at the school.

Luke Weinstein will get $736,000 plus attorneys' fees and expenses and will get his job back under the terms of Superior Court Judge Susan Peck's June 30 ruling.

Weinstein named UConn and former Dean Paul Christopher Earley in his lawsuit, which made its way through the state and federal court systems for years.

After earning a doctorate in marketing and management from UConn, Weinstein was hired in 2007 as an assistant professor and director of the business school's Innovation Accelerator, a training program.

He alleged in his lawsuit that Earley eliminated his position after Weinstein complained about possible labor law violations at the accelerator program and raised nepotism concerns involving Earley's wife, Elaine Mosakowski, a tenured business professor.

Weinstein initially pursued First Amendment claims against UConn, but federal and state courts cited limitations to free speech protections for public employees in siding with the university.

Following a bench trial this spring, however, Judge Peck ruled that Weinstein's related whistleblower claim had merit, citing the inherent fallacies associated with the numerous and shifting reasons not to reappoint Weinstein for the 2011-12 academic year.

UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz said in a statement, The University is disappointed with this decision on the plaintiffs one remaining claim, particularly given the long procedural history in this matter, which includes dismissal of several other claims asserted by the plaintiff.

A spokesperson for the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General, which represented UConn and Earley, said the office had no comment.
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PAMPLONA, Spain (AP)  The first bull run in three years took place Thursday at the San Fermin festival in the Spanish city of Pamplona. No one was gored, but several runners took knocks and hard falls as tens of thousands of people reveled in the return of one of Europe's most famous traditional events.

Six bulls guided by six tame oxen charged through Pamplonas streets for around two minutes and 35 seconds without provoking too much carnage among the thousands of observers and participants cramming the course.

Several runners were stomped, trampled or shoved to the cobblestone pavement. An animal's horn smacked at least two men in the head, but neither suffered a skewering.

The Pamplona hospital said six people were brought in for treatment. They included a 30-year-old American man who fractured his left arm and a 16-year-old Spanish girl who lost part of a finger in the bullring, where a pile-up of runners occurred at the entrance. Four Spanish men between the ages of 19 and 45 also were injured.

Ryan Ward, an American tourist from San Diego, California, said the risk of running with the bulls was well worth the rush.

I feel like I need to cry. Its just so many emotions built up in me, running with mis amigos (my friends). I dont know where they are, I lost everyone, he said after finishing the bull run unscathed.

It felt like two seconds, it was probably like a minute when I actually had the bulls running by me, but it felt so quick, like a blink and it was gone, Ward continued. Its amazing, incredible, one of the best experiences Ive ever had.

Thursday's early morning bull run was the first of eight scheduled. The rest of day usually includes massive drinking, eating and attending cultural events.

Eight people were gored during the 2019 festival, the last held before the coronavirus pandemic. Sixteen people have died in bull runs since 1910, most recently in 2009.

The bulls that run each morning are killed in the afternoon by professional bullfighters. Animal rights activists have campaigned against the slaughter of the animals, but bullfights are still popular among segments of Spanish society and remain an integral part of the San Fermin festival.

The incredibly popular Pamplona festivities were canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.

Spains strong vaccination program has allowed life to return to more or less normal, but a recent uptick in cases led Pamplona authorities to recommend using face masks when necessary. That said, masks were a very rare sight among the throngs of people packing the citys square for the official kickoff of the party on Wednesday or during the first bull run.

Thousands of men, and some women, participate in the encierros, or bull runs, trying to avoid the massive bulls and oxen that thunder along the narrow, twisting cobblestone streets of Pamplonas old quarter.

The course of 875 meters (956 yards) is sprayed with a substance to help prevent the bulls from slipping on the tight corners. The run usually is over within three heart-stopping minutes.

Expert bull runners, mostly locals, try to sprint at full steam just in the front of the bull horns before peeling off at the last second. The inexperienced, a group that includes most foreigners, do well enough to scramble out of the way, often ending up in piles of fellow runners.

Almost everyone in Pamplona this week wears the traditional white shirt and pants with red sash and neckerchief for the festival.

___

Joseph Wilson reported from Barcelona.
ANTONIO PEREZ/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Robert "Bobby" Crimo III confessed to law enforcement Wednesday to shooting and killing parade-goers at an Independence Day celebration in Highland Park, Illinois. But according to what he told authorities, he considered doing the same thing in Wisconsin.

After killing seven people and injuring several others, Crimo drove from Highland Park, a northern suburb of Chicago, to Madison, Wisconsin (150 miles/2.5 hours) where he contemplated opening fire again, law enforcement told the media.
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Noorzehra Zaidi, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

(THE CONVERSATION) In early June 2022, Saudi Arabia announced a hajj lottery for Western pilgrims that made it mandatory for people from Europe, the Americas and Australia to apply for visas through a random draw through the Saudi government-backed website. This new website also offered customized and VIP packages while attempting to replace the services that tour agencies had offered for decades.

This year, an estimated 1 million people will perform the hajj, which is considered one of the five pillars in Islam. Under the lottery, only 50,000 permits were allowed from these 50 countries, compared with 25,000 for U.K. Muslims alone in previous years.

The resulting chaos left both pilgrims and travel agencies frustrated. Many Muslims who had already made their plans found they could not rebook under the new plan because of malfunctioning websites, among other issues. Several among those who were able to arrive in Saudi Arabia found that the hotel rooms they had paid for were no longer available or were double-booked.

The impact extends beyond individual pilgrims. Tour agencies will potentially lose out on thousands of dollars in revenue per prospective pilgrim. The cost of hajj packages has been rising for many years across the globe. For pilgrims leaving from the United States, trips can range between US$12,000 and $20,000. Cutting out travel agencies that function as middlemen might help reduce these costs. But under the new system, the money will be channeled to the Saudi government, which aims to decrease its dependence on oil revenue through an increase in tourism activities. This has reignited an ongoing debate on the commercialization of the hajj under Saudi Arabias influence.

While Saudi Arabia sought to cut out the Western tour agencies reaping profit from hajj, their own offerings outlined silver, gold and platinum packages, boasting of luxurious services, five-star stays in Mecca and Medina, and superior camping spots equipped with excellent facilities and modern furniture.

The current changes to the hajj system are just one example of centuries of economics mixing with tradition. Generally, pilgrims try to emulate the hajj rituals in the order of the Prophet Muhammads own last pilgrimage before his death. Those rituals emphasize the cleansing of the soul, detachment from worldly concerns and rejection of status distinctions among Muslims, symbolized by the donning of the white garments that all pilgrims wear. Pilgrims continue to wear these robes in the service of these goals, but they also travel to the various sites in luxurious high-speed trains and buses.

In the past, too, the commercial, technological and secular aspects of the hajj have been a topic of much debate about whether they change the spiritual nature of the pilgrimage. As a scholar of pilgrimage, ritual and Islam, I know that the focus on commerce and profits has been part of the long history of the hajj.

Early roots of trade and commerce

Across religious traditions, pilgrimages have always had a commercial component. From pilgrimage caravans and markets that grow around religious sites to the gifting of relics and souvenirs, religion and commerce have been deeply linked.

The hajj is no different. As F.E. Peters, an eminent scholar of Islamic studies, noted in his 1994 significant study on the hajj, the Quran itself acknowledges that Muslims were permitted to indulge in commerce around the pilgrimage: Verse 2:198 in the Quran says, There is no blame on you for seeking the bounty of your Lord during this journey. Quranic commentaries have explained this verse to mean that Islam allows commercial activity before and after the days of hajj rituals.

As Islam spread, so did the commerce. While the narrow set of ritual acts of hajj remained, the total pilgrimage experience was shaped by business. For centuries, major overland caravan routes traveled through Damascus, Cairo and Baghdad, with merchants attaching themselves to these caravans.

Traders targeted the pilgrims as consumers, and many pilgrims themselves engaged in trade to pay their way. As traveling overland for the hajj journey could take up to two years, pilgrims traded fruits, wines, silk, carpets and other items. They purchased goods such as coffee and pearls for their return journey.

A changing world, a changing hajj

The evolution of technology and means of travel inevitably brought new economic considerations into the organization of the hajj. The invention of the steamship was central to the development of mass pilgrimage to Mecca in the 19th century  the total number of pilgrims per year rose from an estimated 112,000 participants in 1831 to some 300,000 in 1910.

European liner companies controlled major pilgrim sea routes, linking hajj to imperial business opportunities. In 1886, the British government called in the famed Thomas Cook & Son, the original package holiday entrepreneurs, to become official travel agents of the hajj.

The use of a for-profit tourism company to regulate the hajj may have seemed a new development, but agents and intermediaries had been central to the process for centuries. The mutawwifin, the hereditary guilds of pilgrimage guides, provided pilgrims with guidance in carrying out the rituals of the hajj and were central to Meccas government and its economy.

Over the centuries, these local guides would develop contacts in foreign lands, encouraging Muslims to perform the pilgrimage. In addition to linguistic and ritual guidance, the mutawwifin would also arrange meals, lodgings and tents  acting in ways that were similar to modern-day tour operators.

The modern era

The steamship was just one technological innovation that altered the hajj landscape into a more commercial venture. At the turn of the 20th century, Sultan Abdul Hamid II of the Ottoman Empire was an adamant promoter of the construction of the Hejaz Railway, meant to establish a connection between Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, and the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

Proponents of the railway argued that it would both significantly improve conditions for pilgrims on the overland routes and help the establishment of commerce and trade.

The establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932 and the eventual replacement of shipping and rail with air transport transformed the nature of the hajj further. The new Saudi state adhered to the doctrine of Wahhabism, an Islamic reform movement originating in the 1700s that rejected all forms of innovations outside of the Quran and the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad in his time.

Yet despite this condemnation of innovation, the Saudi government has overseen decades of commercial development of the hajj, encouraging the tourism atmosphere and deriving significant profits from the obligatory pilgrimage.

Commerce or politics?

While the hajj has historically been linked to commerce, pilgrims of late have expressed dissatisfaction with the overt emphasis on the touristic experience and the sense that it is now diminishing the spiritual nature of the pilgrimage.

Indeed, commercial revenues from the hajj remain a contested and even a political topic. In 2018, Yusuf al Qaradawi, a prominent Muslim Brotherhood cleric based in Qatar, issued a fatwa calling for limiting spending on pilgrimage. Seeing Muslims feeding the hungry, treating the sick and sheltering the homeless are better viewed by Allah than spending money on the hajj and umrah every year, he declared. This statement was viewed as an attempt to undermine Saudi Arabia by discouraging Muslims from performing the pilgrimage, as the revenues go to the government.

Al Qaradawis fatwa drew ire from certain circles, as all Muslims who are financially and physically capable must attempt to complete the hajj, regardless of any geopolitical sentiment toward Saudi Arabia. Yet there is no doubt that the current hajj has refocused attention on whether the business of hajj remains in line with the original allowance to seek bounty during the pilgrimage to Islams holiest sites.

The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. The Conversation is wholly responsible for the content.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP)  A Mexican drug cartel accused in the gruesome killings of nine women and children from an offshoot Mormon community must pay $1.5 billion to the families, a federal judge from North Dakota ruled.

The family members of the victims filed a lawsuit accusing the Juarez cartel of carrying out the November 2019 attack in Mexico as retribution for their public criticism and protests against the cartel. Cartel members fired hundreds of rounds of ammunition into vehicles and then set them on fire. Mexican authorities said in 2020 that the mastermind of the attack was one of 17 people arrested.
Hong Kong: Session on President's speech held

The Civil Service Bureau held a session today on the Spirit of the President's Important Speech at the Central Government Offices. Chief Executive John Lee attended as a keynote speaker to enable the participants to obtain a deeper understanding of the spirit of President Xi Jinping's crucial address.

President Xi delivered an important speech 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.

In his speech, President Xi raised four musts" for the new administration: we must fully and faithfully implement the principle of one country, two systems; we must uphold the central government's overall jurisdiction while securing the Hong Kong SAR's high degree of autonomy; we must ensure that Hong Kong is administered by patriots; and we must maintain Hong Kong's distinctive status and advantages.

President Xi also laid down four proposals for the newly inaugurated Government, ie further improving its governance, continuing to create strong impetus for growth, earnestly addressing people's concerns and difficulties in livelihood and working together to safeguard harmony and stability.

Addressing the session, Mr Lee said the Presidents speech reflects in full his care, attention and support for the Hong Kong SAR as well as the country's staunch and firm commitment to the full and faithful implementation of the principle of one country, two systems. It is of high significance as an important milestone.

He noted that President Xi's address sets the agenda for good governance and development of Hong Kong, and provides crucial guidance on governance by the Hong Kong SAR Government in the coming five years.

I hope that the top echelon and civil servants of the Hong Kong SAR Government will seriously study and comprehend President Xi's important speech, grasp its core essence, respect and safeguard the country's fundamental systems on their own volition, and build it into their own work.

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam also shared his thoughts and feelings at the session.

The relevant content of President Xi's speech was also quoted by Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung, in her letter of July 4 to all members of the civil service, when encouraging every civil servant to strive for a better future for the community, implement one country, two systems to the full and make a concerted effort to start a new chapter for Hong Kong.

The session was attended by over 100 participants, including secretaries and deputy secretaries of departments, directors of bureaus and other principal officials, members of the Executive Council as well as permanent secretaries and heads of departments.

This story has been published on: 2022-07-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
There is no question or doubt in I and I's mind that the Buhari Maladministration are not just ISIS and Boko Haram sympathizers, but probably enablers also.

Consider that the only thing in Buhari Maladministration's lips is IPOB! IPOB!! IPOB!!!

Consider that they have been releasing and rehabilitating ISIS and Boko Haram terrorists ever since they came into office.

Consider that they have not even paid lip service to the innocent victims of Islamic or Fulani herdsmen/bandits terrorism in Nigeria.

Consider that ISIS terrorists recently declared war on IPOB.

Consider that Boko Haram and ISIS terrorists were recently released from Kuje Prisons by their comrades, right under the nose of the Maladministration.

Consider that the head of the Maladministration who has rarely, if ever, visited any scene of terrorist attacks in Nigeria, rushed down to visit the scene of the terrorists' liberation in Kuje Prisons.

Consider that some would allege, given their past record of heartless indifference to such acts of terrorism, that it was really to be sure for themselves, that the terrorists were truly liberated, and had really escaped for good from justice.

Consider that having assured themselves of that fact, they immediately announced plans to embark on their next foreign visit, thereby maintaining their worldwide record of one foreign visit per week.

Consider that of the 45 foreign visits I and I allotted to them over the remaining 11 months period of their miserably unfortunate 8 years tenure of horror and terror, they are on course to enter the Guiness Book of Records as the most travelled President ever in the world, within that timeframe.

Consider that their touring handicap is 1 down, 44 foreign visits to go, within an 11-month period.

Consider that their wretched logic is that if the President does not travel abroad, the terrorists would believe that they have "won."

Consider that they are not interested in crushing Islamic and Fulani terrorists or securing Nigerians but are more concerned about what their terrorists friends may think, and what ancestral lands they can seize for their benefit, from indigenous Nigerians.

Consider that their wretched logic is akin to that of a man who had left his front door open while he went out, and was duly robbed, telling neighbors and onlookers, that if he locks his doors next time he goes out, or if he does not go out until he secures his house, the burglars would think that they have "won."

Consider that it was with this same puerile and infantile logic, unbecoming of a Secondary School dropout, not to mention the President of a country, that the Buhari Maladministration has destroyed Nigeria beyond all recognition.

Consider that this puerile, infantile, selfish, and self-serving logic has been the Maladministration's stock-in-trade ever since Nigerians tragically elevated them into the highest office in the Land.

Consider that their supporters see nothing wrong with this puerile conduct but lavish praise upon praise upon such a miserably wretched Maladministration.

Consider that the societal wretchedness in Nigeria is what results when citizens do not critically question the motivations or activities of their leaders, but accept every untruth and deception they are fed, hook, line, and sinker.

Having considered all these signposts of leadership wretchedness, I and I solemnly declare that the Buhari Maladministration is a reproach to righteousness and are worse than ISIS and Boko Haram put together.

May whatever evil being planned for innocent Nigerians, by allowing the freedom from judicial captivity of these hardened Islamic terrorists, rebound upon the planners, tenfold.

Amen! Selah!!

We are watching......

Anthony Chuka Konwea, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, MNSE, FNIStructE, MNICE.
There is no doubt any more that in Nigeria leadership corridor, once a direction is chosen, instead of examining process meticulously and set the right course; one that will allow us to overcome storm and reach safety before we can progress and achieve our goals, we obstinately persist with the execution of such plans regardless of a minor or major shift in circumstance.

Eloquent example of the above assertion is the controversial water resources recently reintroduced to the House of Representatives and sponsored by the Chairman of the House Committee on Water Resources, Sada Soli (APC, Katsina). The bill, which was first introduced in the 8th Assembly, caused outrage then as some Nigerians interpreted the proposed law as a power grab by the federal government.

Aside from this Federal Governments habit of tackling challenges with the same thinking used when it was created and, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, what is uncertain to the vast majority of Nigerians and of course the watching world, is; why this sudden move after two previous failed attempts? What has changed to necessitate the present re-introduction? Whose interest is the bill, if passed, meant to serve/protect? And most importantly, whether it will herald into our political geography a just or an unjust law?

As we are now, a just law is a man-made code that squares with moral laws or the laws and uplifts human personalities, while an unjust law on the other hand is a code that is out of harmony with moral laws.

Adding context to this discourse, the Bill which first emanated from the Executive arm and, among other things seeks: to establish a regulatory framework for the water resources sector in Nigeria, provide for the equitable and sustainable development management, use and conservation of Nigerias surface water, groundwater resources and for related matters. Arguably noble but following the controversy and worries already raised, it becomes a moral duty for all to collectively and objectively take a disciplined look at it in order to adjust, adapt, incorporate or otherwise.

Essentially, the most telling evidence about the bills good intention is signposted in the Federal Governments resolve to promoting judicious management of the nations water resources in addition to the possibility of the bill if passed, acting as an enabler to the nations attainment/achievement of the orchestrated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as preached by the United Nations (UN). But somewhere along the line lies a set of inherent challenges/consequences arising from its nature, impact, and strategy- a feat that has since mirrored the entire document (bill) as a body without a soul.

Going by the content of the bill, it is easy to situate that the greatest ill associated with it lies in its tendency to disenfranchising, and separating Nigerians from ancestral ownership of their water rights and handover same to a set of federal technocrats by confusing Nigerians with the fallacy that ownership rights to water is the same as water use rights.

Also working against the bill is the accompanying belief by Nigerians with critical interest that the urge to have the bill passed is driven not by love for having the nations water resources judiciously managed or for the nation to develop agriculturally as claimed by the lawmakers, but by sectional and parochial interests such that some pro bill senators are using barefaced inaccuracies to mislead the Senate and drum up support for the bill.

For example, during the time of 8th Assembly when the bill was first introduced, it has been claimed on the floor of the Senate that the World Bank is waiting on passage of the bill into law to grant trillions of naira to develop Nigerias irrigation infrastructure. This cannot be further from the truth. The World Bank would never and cannot ask a nation to deprive her citizens of their inherited and cultural rights to water as a condition for granting loans. Another obstacle that confirms the bill as plagued however seems not to raise so much dust but could be costly in economic and political terms if ignored, is the asymmetrical support structure given to the bill. It is barefaced that virtually all the senators that queued behind the bill were from water-poor states and regions that stand to gain from the passage of the bill when passed.

Interpretatively, this lopsided support given to the bill from inception, looking at commentaries was fuelled not by the burning desire for the public good but for sectional gain. Glaringly as it stands, this trend no doubt has become a pernicious problem embedded in our administrative culture that will be too difficult to eradicate. And has also necessitated the question as to how the nation can redistribute lands from land rich states to land-poor states since the bill if passed as it is without amendment could conceivably make inter basin transfers of water to be undertaken by the Federal Government without consent from or even consultation from indigenous communitiesexactly like crude oil and associated problems of mean, wicked and evil inequities.

The bill in the writers views has justified the fears by Nigerians with discerning minds that the Federal Government by this move to acquire more power may not be interested in the devolution of power as currently demanded by Nigerians or may be paying lip service to the imperativeness and urgency of having this country restructured. Accordingly, the whole argument by the FG becomes even vaguer, variable and ungraspable when one remembers that some of these items will be better handled and serves the greater good to the greater number of the people if left in the hands of the state, the local government or private owners.

From what Nigerians are saying, what has caused serious concern is that the bill viewed from a wider spectrum stands as a telling proof of the present administrations insensitivity to the people of the Niger Delta and other water areas. This fears expressed by the coastal dwellers cannot be described as unfounded as it was a similar Decree 101 of 1992 which is now incongruously dressed up as an act of the National Assembly (Water Resource Act Cap W2 LFN 2OO4) that robbed every Nigerian of their water rights as it was hurriedly signed into law by the then military Ibrahim Babangida as his parting gift to Nigerians.

Lamentably, this and other sordid laws from the Federal Government in the past has particularly left the Niger Delta/coastal regions in social difficulties with no good record for survival as their environment is daily devastated/destroyed, with their teaming youths unemployed while the communities are periodically dispersed by the flood. To put it differently, environmental experts and development practitioners are particularly not happy that the Federal Government proposed such a bill in the face of an endless list of actions not taken to better the lots of the people.

In case after case, the Federal Government has become reputed for pursuing policies chosen in advance of facts, policies designed to benefit some sections of the country- making global watchers to conclude that there is something troubling in this administration. With these facts in mind, it is the writers view that our nation is in the process of quietly making what future historians will certainly describe as a disastrously mistaken decision on the issue of the National Water Resources Bill.

Allowing this bill signed into law, will not just usher in an unjust law but set the table to truncate the nascent peace currently enjoyed in the region while ushering in another round of hostility as the people are committed to peace by any means necessary but may not be committed to becoming the victims of peace. To succeed in this assignment, the Federal Government must be holistic in approach and practice deliberative democracy. This, in the writers views, will entail halting the ongoing debate on the National Water Resources bill in order to pave way for other stakeholders such as the Civil Society groups, Water experts as well as the southern states to fully make their inputs- submit memoranda and possibly given the opportunity to make a presentation as it relates to this bill.

And at a broader perspective, the Government must desist from the current non-participatory approach to development and embrace a broad-based consultative approach that will give the people some sense of ownership over their own issues.

Utomi is the Programme Cordinator (Media and Public Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), Lagos. He could be reached via; j [email protected]/08032725374




The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has descended heavily on the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government, accusing them of aiding the spate of attacks by terrorists in the country.

The main opposition party specifically accused President Muhammadu Buharis administration of failing to act on intelligence of an impending attack on Kuje Correctional Center before it happened.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party also questioned the withdrawal of troops attached to the facility 24 hours before the Tuesday night attack.

It said, The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemns in the strongest possible term, the spate of insecurity and the audacity with which terrorists ravage our country unchallenged under the rudderless All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

The simultaneous terrorist attacks on the advance convoy of President Muhammadu Buhari in Katsina State as well as the Correctional Facility in Abuja, the nations capital, underscore the collapse of our security command and control structure under the failed, ineffective and uncoordinated Buhari-led APC administration. The terrorist attack on President Buharis convoy in his home State of Katsina as well as the ferocious invasion and the freeing of hundreds of terrorists and criminals from the Kuje Correctional Facility further confirm that Mr. President has lost control of the security of the nation and that Nigerians are no longer safe under the APC.

The escalated spate of terrorism across the country has heightened apprehensions of complicity by the APC to open up our nation to more terrorist attacks with the view to stall the 2023 general election. The failure of the APC administration to act on the intelligence provided by the Directorate of State Services (DSS) which on Tuesday July 5, 2022 reportedly warned of an impending attack on the Kuje Correctional Facility gives credence to fears by Nigerians of complicity at very high level of the APC administration.

This is in addition to further reports that soldiers deployed to the precinct of the Kuje Correctional Facility and who had become familiar with the terrain were redeployed 24 hours before the terrorists attacked.

The PDP demands that the APC government should come clean on who ordered the reported redeployment of soldiers and who failed to act on the intelligence provided by the DSS.

With the sequence of events in the last 48 hours, it is clear to Nigerians that the APC government headed by President Buhari has failed in the basic purpose of government which is to secure life and properties of the citizens.

Given the urgency of the security situation in the country, it has become imperative that President Buhari convenes an emergency Council of State meeting for a review of the prevailing dangerous security atmosphere in our country.

The National Assembly should also immediately summon the Security Chiefs for a thorough investigation on the circumstances resulting in the failure of our security system.

The PDP urges Nigerians to remain at alert and keep hope alive as the nightmare of the APC administration will be over by May 2023.

The Statement Below:

Terrorism: APC Complicit in Kuje Prison Attack  PDP Asserts Queries Redeployment of Soldiers 24hrs Before Incidence

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemns in the strongest possible term, the spate of insecurity and the audacity with which terrorists ravage our country unchallenged under the rudderless All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

The simultaneous terrorist attacks on the advance convoy of President Muhammadu Buhari in Katsina State as well as the Correctional Facility in Abuja, the nations capital, underscore the collapse of our security command and control structure under the failed, ineffective and uncoordinated Buhari-led APC administration.

The terrorist attack on President Buharis convoy in his home State of Katsina as well as the ferocious invasion and the freeing of hundreds of terrorists and criminals from the Kuje Correctional Facility further confirm that Mr. President has lost control of the security of the nation and that Nigerians are no longer safe under the APC.

The escalated spate of terrorism across the country has heightened apprehensions of complicity by the APC to open up our nation to more terrorist attacks with the view to stall the 2023 general elections.

The failure of the APC administration to act on the intelligence provided by the Directorate of State Services (DSS) which on Tuesday July 5, 2022 reportedly warned of an impending attack on the Kuje Correctional Facility gives credence to fears by Nigerians of complicity at very high level of the APC administration.

This is in addition to further reports that soldiers deployed to the precinct of the Kuje Correctional Facility and who had become familiar with the terrain were redeployed 24 hours before the terrorists attacked.

The PDP demands that the APC government should come clean on who ordered the reported redeployment of soldiers and who failed to act on the intelligence provided by the DSS.

Nigerians can recall the public confession by the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai at the wake of the bloody Abuja-Kaduna terrorist attack that the APC-led administration knows the whereabouts and the plans of the terrorists ravaging our nation but deliberately refused to act. Nigerians will also recall how APC leaders publicly romanced and paid money to terrorists.

It is rather distressing that President Buhari appears helpless without any decisive and concrete steps taken to stem the tide of terrorist attacks in our country.

Even more curious is that President Buhari continues to retain Mr. Isa Pantami as Minister of Communication and Digital Economy to head and coordinate this very critical sector in the fight against terrorism in our country in spite of Isa Pantamis confession of affiliation to terrorists.

With the sequence of events in the last 48 hours, it is clear to Nigerians that the APC government headed by President Buhari has failed in the basic purpose of government which is to secure life and properties of the citizens.

Given the urgency of the security situation in the country, it has become imperative that President Buhari convenes an emergency Council of State meeting for a review of the prevailing dangerous security atmosphere in our country.

The PDP also calls on the National Assembly to pass a vote of no confidence in Isa Patimi and insist on his immediate removal as a minister. The National Assembly should also immediately summon the Security Chiefs for a thorough investigation on the circumstances resulting in the failure of our security system.

The PDP urges Nigerians to remain at alert and keep hope alive as the nightmare of the APC administration will be over by May 2023.

Signed:

Hon. Debo Ologunagba

National Publicity Secretary


The Civil Liberties Organisation, Nigerias foremost human rights and civil society organization, Southeast Zone calls on the personnel of the Nigerian Police Force to ensure utmost respect for the citizens rights, stickler for professionalism and take actions within the ambit of the law regarding the arrest and detention of Citizen Ikenna Ellis Ezenekwe.

Ezenekwe, Anambra-born journalist and publisher of 247UREPORTS (www.247ureports.com) was reportedly arrested by the police in Abuja on Tuesday 06/07/2022 at the instance of the former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Willie Obiano, Mr. Primus Odili.

Details already in the public domain stated that the media practitioner was whisked away in a commando style by some plain clothed policemen who refused to disclose to him, reasons behind his arrest before taking him to the police headquarters at Louis Edet House, Area II, Abuja.

He was later transferred to Maitama police station Abuja where he spent the night after he was then informed of a petition against him from Chief Primus Odili over a libelous publication, he (Ezenekwe) wrote and published on 13th May, this year.

The story also making the rounds said Ezenekwe is being forced by the police on (Odilis instruction) to disclose his sources of information and also mention the names of the people behind the story he wrote or else he will continue to remain in detention.

It was also reported that Ezenekwe has been sick before his arrest while he has been denied access to his medication and has been reportedly subjected to torture, intimidation and torment.

While the CLO will not delve into the impropriety or otherwise of Ezenekwes conduct in his media practice or in the said libelous publication , we call on the police to resist the temptation of becoming the accuser, the prosecutor and the judge in this matter.

No journalist worth his onions can be forced to disclose his source of information and by the provisions of the law, Ezenekwe remains innocent of all accusations levelled against him until proven otherwise.

The presumption of innocence is a constitutional right of every person as provided in section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

If there are prima facie evidences against Ezenekwe before the police, the law enforcement agents should not engage in trial by ordeal or resort to self help in order to impress whoever briefed them.

The right of detainees while in custody must be maintained to the maximum by the police and the police is mandated by law to not only give Ezenekwe unfettered access to his medication and his lawyers but also ensure that they release him on bail timeously and continue their investigation with a resort to the law courts for adjudication if need be.

Apart from the specific provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, there are the Universal Instruments of the law as enshrined in Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966, the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, 1988 and The African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, 1981which Nigeria is a state party to, which all made provisions for the rights of anyone under the custody of the police or in detention.

The United Nations (UN) Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment stated it clearly in Principle 1 that All persons under any form of detention or imprisonment shall be treated in a humane manner and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person

Principle 2 succinctly stated that Arrest, detention or imprisonment shall only be carried out strictly in accordance with the provisions of the law and by competent officials or persons authorized for that purpose. while in Principle 6 No person under any form of detention or imprisonment shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. No circumstance whatever may be invoked as a justification for torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

The police while handling Ikenna Ezenekwes matter should bear in mind the expression of his inalienable right to freedom of expression as a journalist contained in article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) : everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the rights includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

The right to freedom of expression is also contained in chapter IV section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and other International Human Rights Instruments which Nigeria is a party.

Section 39 expressly provided for the protection of this right because of its importance and relevance to the enhancement of personal liberty and democracy.

While the CLO is also aware that this right to freedom of expression is not absolute and also comes with consequences if abused, we still urge the police to refrain from any arbitrariness while handling this matter.

Section 35 (4) (5) of the same chapter four of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended made provisions for the time frame for the release on bail for a detainee or charging to court.

Section 61 (1) of the Nigeria Police Act 2020 agrees with the provisions of this constitution while stating that a suspect arrested without a court warrant, other than a capital offence, should be granted bail, where it is impracticable to charge to court within 24 hours.

We therefore call on the police to release Ikenna Ezenekwe on bail without further delay while the matter takes its normal route in law and course of justice for all parties in the matter- Justice for the accused, justice for the accuser and justice for the society at large.

Yours faithfully for the CLO Southeast zone

Comrade Aloysius Attah

Chairman

[email protected]

08035090548


The seccessionist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has urged the Federal Government to transfer its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu to a prison located within the Southeast.

The group made this call in response to the Tuesdays terrorist attack on the Kuje prison, Abuja.

It would be recalled that Nnamdi Kanu is currently in detention facility of the Department of State Services ( DSS), Abuja.

The Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful, said, in a statement, that Kuje attack was planned with certain security operatives to kill IPOB detainees in the prison.

It alleged that similar plot was being hatched to attack Abuja DSS facility with the intent to kill its leader.

The group also demanded for Kanus unconditional release, expressing worry over his safety in Abuja.

The statement read partly:Our intelligence unit uncovered the Fulani evil plan against our leader. We are therefore demanding that our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu be transferred immediately to a prison in the Eastern region for his safety because if anything untoward happens to him Nigeria will see and feel total and consuming madness even after the Biafran Nations freedom is fully achieved they will never have peace.

Kuje prison attack was pre-planned with full knowledge of the decutity agencies. The question the world should ask Nigeria military is why bandits and terrorists did operation for more than 4 hours in the countrys capital Nigeria Government and its security agencies did not show up until they finished their attack?

We are demanding for the unconditional release of our leader or for him to be transferred to a prison in the South-East. Our leader is not safe in Abuja. The impostor president is aware of what happened in katsina and Kuje prison . The next attack is DSS and their singular target as always will be Biafrans detained in the custody of the DSS and our leader Nnamdi Kanu is detained in the DSS custody.

Detention of our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in DSS custody has assumed a very dangerous stage, this is in view of the ongoing secret meetings between the security Agencies especially DSS of which one of the outcomes was the mobilization of the bandits for a make-believe attack on DSS facility.

We call on the civilised countries in the world especially UK Government, US government, EU, AU, German Government, Israeli government, Russian government, Canadian Government, French government and other reputable human right institutions across the world to prevail on Nigeria Government and her compromised security agencies to release our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from DSS custody unhurt because if anything happens to our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in DSS custody, the story would never remain the same and the consequences is better not imagined.

We want to let the world know that IPOB members were profiled and detained in Kuje prison yards for simply being persons indigenous to Biafra and of Igbo race. we have their details and want them alive because if anything untoward happens to our comrades who are detained in Kuje, IPOB will never take it easy with Nigeria Government and her security agencies.

It is high time to release these innocent folks who were detained illegally and unjustly, Nigeria cannot continue to detain them indefinitely while allowing terrorists and bandits to come and slaughter them under a disguised arrangements by the Buhari-Fulani administration.

A very pertinent question to ask is: how can bandits and terrorists be rampaging the North, even supposedly attacking presidents convoy and breaking into prison yards to release their colleagues while Buhari and Fulani government deployed and continue to deploy battalion of soldiers to occupy many peaceful communities in Biafraland?
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun State Command has received a new Commandant, Commandant of Corps (CC) Agboola Sunday. The Commandant while resuming duties, declared his readiness for the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.

Commandant Agboola during his address with the management staff at the State Headquarters, today, 7th July, 2022, said he is ready to fight insecurity in the State. He advised that all hands must be on deck for the forthcoming gubernatorial elections to be in a peaceful atmosphere.

Commandant Agboola Sunday is a graduate of University of Lagos where he obtained his first degree in Economics. He also has Advanced Diploma in Security Operations in the same University. Commandant Agboola is a holder of Master's degree in Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, amongst others.

The new Commandant who took over from Commandant Emmanuel Ocheja has worked in different states of the nation and in various capacities, such as the Head of Department, Operations, Gombe State Command, Head of Department, Training and Manpower Development at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Head of Department, Private Guard Company, Monitoring and Supervision at the National headquarters, Abuja.

Commandant Agboola who was received by his predecessor Commandant Emmanuel Ocheja and members of the management team solicited cooperation and loyalty from officers and men, adding that his administration will continue the work from where his predecessor stopped.

Meanwhile Commandant Emmanuel Ocheja has been redeployed on another assignment. He thanked the good citizens of Osun State for their untiring efforts, love and cooperation and solicited that the same be shown to his successor.

E-SIGNED.

ASC II ATANDA OLABISI, FHNR, FWIP

PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

NSCDC, OSUN STATE COMMAND.


Terrorists are at the verge of overrunning Nigeria. That is the unfortunate sad truth nakedly before all of us. Evidence suggests that they are in strategic offices and everywhere in the country  no bush in any part of Nigeria is save for farming anymore. We must acknowledge these facts without bringing in any sentiments of politics, religion or tribe so that we could in unison genuinely try to redeem the already hopeless situation. Above all, President Buhari must fairly and justly act now and decisively too, because it does appear that the security of this country has been compromised.

The manner terrorists successfully attacked the Kuje prison in Abuja and released their captured members is an international embarrassment and a disgrace that has exposed Nigeria to global ridicule as unserious country. The situation is inexplicable and unacceptable. When the implication will begin to manifest, it will be extremely devastating and too costly to this nation, economically and security wise.

How can a sane mind explain that a sovereign country with army, air force, police, DSS etc. and many secret security agencies at its arsenal did not get any tip when this evil of attack was even at its elementary stage of hatching, to talk of it being successfully executed? Where is the intelligence-gathering unit of this country? Reports have it that this bunch of terrorists operated for more than 2 hours 45 minutes trying to release their captured members. This is intolerable and despicable, and it is a heavy indictment of accomplice on the part of perhaps some security agents/chiefs and some leaders of this country. Is this not terrible?

The tragic irony of it all that made the embarrassment and the disgrace so scary is that the ugly incident happened in no other place than the Federal Capital Territory Abuja  not far away from Aso Rock, the place President Buhari and his kitchen cabinets reside. If these terrorists could have a successful operation in Abuja, the message simply means that nobody is safe anywhere in Nigeria. Just a few days ago the convoy of President Buhari was attacked. Thank God that he was not in the convoy and that no life was lost. If the convoy of a president with all the military forces attached to him can be attacked: who is safe?

According to reports, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaibu Belgore said that the attack did not come to him as a surprise because the security architecture in the entire country is very weak, especially in the North West, many amongst the security personnel operating on Abuja  Katsina/Zamfara routes are informants to terrorists. Is this country not a joke?

It was reported that when President Buhari visited the attacked Kuje prison he was shocked and asked many questions. How many inmates were in the facility? How many of them can you account for? How many personnel did you have on duty? How many of them were armed? Were there guards on the watchtower? What did they do? Does the CCTV work? How can terrorists organize, have weapons, attack a security installation and get away with it? President Buhari was reported to have queried. The questions he asked are the right questions, however they are the same questions Nigerians and the entire world are expecting to get the answers from him and his security chiefs.

I also have many questions in my mind. Who where those on duty at the time of the attack? The attack was reported to have lasted nearly three hours; were the security forces like army and air force etc. informed? If they were informed, who informed them? If they were not informed; why? If they did respond; were they on time and also with enough military and right weapons? Are the Nigerian air force and military war jets not functioning? If they are not functioning; why? And if yes, why have they not been used to aerially attack and follow the terrorists until they have no place to hide? And why is the Nigerian government not finding it necessary to make it as a routine policy to use the Nigerian air force to aerially comb all the bushes that are hiding kidnappers, bandits and terrorists etc.  and also as a policy of response to any distress call of bandits, heavy armed robbers and terrorists attack? If this approach can be adopted, around 80 % of this nonsense would have been taken care of. But this is not possible in a place like Nigeria, and not because that the money is not there but because events have made it evidently clear that some highly privileged animals are secretly behind this pain of Nigerians. Meanwhile billions are mapped out monthly by both the state and the federal government in the name of security votes, which they actually use to secure only themselves and their immediate families.

A country where terrorists and kidnappers use mobile phones to negotiate how much should be paid to them for the release of their victims without being traced is a country where the security system is compromised or has collapsed.

President Buhari must do the needful now by first sacking the Minister, Federal Ministry of Interior, Ogbeni Adesoji Aregbesola and Controller General for Nigeria Correctional Service Haliru Nababa. Equally, he must fairly and justly investigate the security agents on duty on this day of the attack to ascertain the role they played and take the right action.

If terrorists could attack a presidential convoy, and also a place like Kuje prison for nearly three hours and successfully free their members without suffering many casualties, it tells it all that Nigeria is indeed a joke.

Uzoma Ahamefule, a concerned patriotic citizen and a refined African traditionalist, writes from Vienna, Austria.

[email protected] +436607369050 (Please WhatsApp messages only)
A human rights and civil society organization, the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), has called for the release of the Anambra-born journalist and online editor of the 247UREPORTS (www.247ureports.com) detained in Anuja police station.

The CLO made the call in a press release dated 7th July, 2022, signed by its South-east Chairman, Comrade Aloysius Attah

Chairman, and made available to newsmen in Awka.

Titled Arrest and detention of Journalist Ikenna Ellis Ezenekwe: Police must respect citizens rights and act within the ambit of the law, the press release reads:

The Civil Liberties Organisation, Nigerias foremost human rights and civil society organization, Southeast Zone calls on the personnel of the Nigerian Police Force to ensure utmost respect for the citizens rights, stickler for professionalism and take actions within the ambit of the law regarding the arrest and detention of Citizen Ikenna Ellis Ezenekwe.

Ezenekwe, an Anambra-born journalist and editor of 247UREPORTS (www.247ureports.com) was reportedly arrested by the police in Abuja on Tuesday 06/07/2022 at the instance of the former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Willie Obiano, Mr. Primus Odili.

Details already in the public domain stated that the media practitioner was whisked away in a commando style by some plain clothed policemen who refused to disclose to him, reasons behind his arrest before taking him to the police headquarters at Louis Edet House, Area II, Abuja.

He was later transferred to Maitama police station Abuja where he spent the night after he was then informed of a petition against him from Chief Primus Odili over a libellous publication, he (Ezenekwe) wrote and published on 13th May, this year.

The story also making the rounds say Ezenekwe is being forced by the police on (Odilis instruction) to disclose his sources of information and also mention the names of the people behind the story he wrote or else he will continue to remain in detention.

It was also reported that Ezenekwe has been sick before his arrest while he has been denied access to his medication and has been reportedly subjected to torture, intimidation and torment.

While the CLO will not delve into the impropriety or otherwise of Ezenekwes conduct in his media practice or in the said libellous publication , we call on the police to resist the temptation of becoming the accuser, the prosecutor and the judge in this matter.

No journalist worth his onions can be forced to disclose his source of information and by the provisions of the law, Ezenekwe remains innocent of all accusations levelled against him until proven otherwise.

The presumption of innocence is a constitutional right of every person as provided in section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

If there are prima facie evidences against Ezenekwe before the police, the law enforcements agents should not engage in trial by ordeal or resort to self help in order to impress whoever briefed them.

The right of detainees while in custody must be maintained to the maximum by the police and the police is mandated by law to not only give Ezenekwe unfettered access to his medication and his lawyers but also ensure that they release him on bail timeously and continue their investigation with a resort to the law courts for adjudication if need be.

Apart from the specific provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, there are the Universal Instrumentsof the law as enshrined in Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966, the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, 1988 and The African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, 1981 which Nigeria is a state party to, which all made provisions for the rights of anyone under the custody of the police or in detention.

The United Nations (UN) Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment states it clearly in Principle 1 that All persons under any form of detention or imprisonment shall be treated in a humane manner and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person

Principle 2 succinctly states that Arrest, detention or imprisonment shall only be carried out strictly in accordance with the provisions of the law and by competent officials or persons authorized for that purpose. while in Principle 6 No person under any form of detention or imprisonment shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. No circumstance whatever may be invoked as a justification for torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

The police, while handling Ikenna Ezenekwes matter should bear in mind the expression of his inalienable right to freedom of expression as a journalist, contained in article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) : everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the rights includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

The right to freedom of expression is also contained in chapter IV section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and other International Human Rights Instruments which Nigeria is a party.

Section 39 expressly provides for the protection of this right because of its importance and relevance to the enhancement of personal liberty and democracy.

While the CLO is also aware that this right to freedom of expression is not absolute and also comes with consequences if abused, we still urge the police to refrain from any arbitrariness while handling this matter.

Section 35 (4) (5) of the same chapter four of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended made provisions for the time frame for the release on bail for a detainee or charging to court.

Section 61 (1) of the Nigeria Police Act 2020 agrees with the provisions of this constitution while stating that a suspect arrested without a court warrant, other than a capital offence, should be granted bail, where it is impracticable to charge to court within 24 hours.

We therefore call on the police to release Ikenna Ezenekwe on bail without further delay while the matter takes its normal route in law and course of justice for all parties in the matter- Justice for the accused, justice for the accuser and justice for the society at large.
Another life-saving win for F1s quiet achievements

FORMULA ONE: Zhou Guanyus horror cartwheeling crash at the British Grand Prix last Sunday (July 3) has generated headlines, but its F1s constant crusade for better safety that should be stealing the show.

Formula-One

By Michael Lamonato

Thursday 7 July 2022, 09:15AM

Alfa Romeos Zhou Guanyu skids across the track after a collision with Mercedes George Russell during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone last Sunday (July 3). Photo: Ben Stansall / AFP

Seven seconds is all it took for Zhou Guanyus British Grand Prix to come to a sickening end.

The lights had just gone out, and the Alfa Romeo rookie was lining up ninth. His getaway was slow, as was that of George Russell who was starting to his right.

Russell moved subtly to the right as the cars streamed past them, but the Englishman was unaware that Pierre Gasly spied a gap between the two slow-starting drivers and wanted to cut through the middle. They made contract, sending Russells Mercedes sliding out of control into Zhous Alfa Romeo.

That happened in just seven seconds. What happened next must have felt like an eternity for Zhou.

His car was rammed sideways so hard that it flipped upside down. Carrying considerable speed, it slid listlessly down the straight and into the gravel at the first turn.

It skated unperturbed across the stones at high speed until suddenly it dug in. Momentum catapulted the car into the air and over the tyre barrier that had been ready to receive it with a cushioning impact, and instead the Alfa Romeo hit the chain link fence in front of the grandstands at full force.

From there it dropped into the gap behind the tyres and the fence, where at long last his car came to rest.

From lights out to wipe-out in just 14 seconds.

But the most spectacular part of the crash wasnt the carnage, it was seeing Zhou walk through the paddock only an hour or so later completely unscathed.

Hell race again this weekend in Austria.

Halo saved me today, he tweeted in the aftermath, referring to the metal head protection frame that surrounds the drivers in European single-seater racing.

The halo has some incredible properties despite derision over its looks when it was introduced in 2018. Weighing just seven kilograms and made of titanium, its rated to withstand the weight of a London bus sitting on top of it.

In Zhous case, even when his traditional roll hoop appeared to fail, the halo stood strong, protecting his head from scraping the ground and, later, the barrier as his car wedged itself between the tyres and the fence.

Earlier that day it had prevented another disaster in Formula 2 when an airborne car speared into the cockpit of another. Neither driver was hurt.

Last year Lewis Hamilton survived Max Verstappens car landing on top of his in Italy. And in 2020 Romain Grosjean survived his fireball crash in Bahrain because the halo wedged open a gap in the armco barrier before it could strike his head.

Its been one of the most remarkable developments in motorsport safety in decades.

But its far from the only piece of progress. Work to improve safety in Formula 1 is constant each year. Look inside the technical regulations and youll see standards resistances uprated, tolerances enhanced and geometries realigned constantly in pursuit of better protecting the driver.

Not only were so many of those on display in Zhous spectacular cartwheel crash, but Thai driver Alex Albon too has the never-ending pursuit of safety to thank for being able to race this weekend.

Albon was rear-ended by Sebastian Vettel as the field slowed for Zhous crash, sending his Williams spearing into the concrete pit all, across the track and into heavy contact with two other cars. The G-force experienced was so severe he was helicoptered to hospital for observation - but he too walked away later that day and will race again this weekend.

Carlos Sainz recorded a superb maiden victory on Sunday, fresh from his first pole the day before, but its thanks to F1s non-stop safety mission that the race was able to resume after its shocking first 14 seconds.
MI5, FBI chiefs warn over China in rare joint address

LONDON: The heads of MI5 and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warned yesterday (July 6) about Chinas commercial espionage thrust in the West, in a rare joint address at the British intelligence services London headquarters.

Chinesecorruptioncrimepoliticstechnology

By AFP

Thursday 7 July 2022, 10:29AM

Ken McCallum, director general of MI5, Britains domestic intelligence agency. Photo: AFP

Speaking to an audience of officials and business executives in Thames House, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum and FBI Director Chris Wray said the threat from Chinese spies is paramount in both countries and only continues to grow.

McCallum said MI5, the British domestic intelligence service, had sharply expanded its China-focused operations.

Today were running seven times as many investigations as we were in 2018, he said.

We plan to grow as much again, while also maintaining significant effort against Russian and Iranian covert threats.

He said Chinese intelligence takes a slow and patient approach to developing sources and gaining access to information, and few of those targeted recognised themselves as such.

Hostile activity is happening on UK soil right now, he said.

By volume, most of what is at risk from Chinese Communist Party aggression is not, so to speak, my stuff. Its yours - the world-leading expertise, technology, research and commercial advantage developed and held by people in this room, and others like you.

Wray said Chinas threat was a complex, enduring and pervasive danger to both the United States and Britain, as well as other allies.

China is set on stealing your technology, whatever it is that makes your industry tick, and using it to undercut your business and dominate your market, he added.

The two also warned that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, which Beijing views as its territory, would cause a massive disruption to global commerce and industry.

They urged businesses to stay alert and report possible threats.

The Chinese Communist Party is interested in our democratic, media and legal systems. Not to emulate them, sadly, but to use them for its gain, said McCallum.

Beijing rejected the accusations, describing them as completely groundless.

The so-called cases they listed are pure shadow chasing, the spokesperson of the Chinese embassy in Britain said in a statement posted on the missions website.

They spread all kinds of lies about China in order to smear Chinas political system, stoke anti-China and exclusion sentiment, and divert public attention in order to cover up their own infamous deeds.
Phuket ramps up tsunami warning readiness

PHUKET: Disaster officials are to test the tsunami-warning sirens in all five Andaman provinces every day by playing the national anthem at 8am and local administrations are to check their areas to ensure tsunami-evacuation signs can be clearly seen and are in good order.

tourismSafetydisasters

By The Phuket News

Thursday 7 July 2022, 05:47PM

Local administrations were ordered to make any improvements needed to tsunami-warning signs and safe evacuation areas. Photo: PR Phuket

All 19 tsunami-warning towers in Phuket are operational, it was reported today (July 7). Photo: PR Phuket

Local administrations are also to ensure that tsunami-evacuation areas are clean, clear and safe to accommodate people in case the need arises, Phuket Vice Governor Anupap Rodkwan Yodrabam explained at a meeting earlier today (July 7).

The move follows Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew issuing an order mandating all local administrations ramp up their readiness in case of an emergency, Vice Governor Anupap added.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) head office in Bangkok had ordered its disaster officials stationed in the five Andaman provinces  Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Trang and Satun  to sound the warning sirens every morning to ensure they are working, Governor Narong explained in his order.

The earthquakes near the Andaman Islands since July 4 while the NDWC [National Disaster Warning Center] is preparing to install new [tsunami-detection] buoys to replace the damaged ones has caused people to have concerns about the warning system in case of a tsunami, he wrote.

The heightened awareness of the situation aims to ensure the system is working, that all disaster officials and emergency workers are ready in case of a tsunami, he said.

The move also aims to increase the confidence of local residents and tourists in the tsunami-warning system, he added.

All relevant officials are to monitor the situation 24 hours a day, especially during long holidays, Governor Narong ordered.

Thailand will mark two public holidays next week: Asarnha Bucha next Wednesday (July 13) and Khao Pansa next Thursday (July 14). Both holidays will see a 24-hour ban on the sale of alcohol throughout the country on both days.

Many people are expected to take Friday off next week (July 15), effectively giving workers a five-day weekend.

During the month of July there are many long holidays in a row. We are confident that there will be many tourists traveling to the coastal areas of the province [Phuket], Vice Governor Anupap said this morning.

All parties must be ready to provide facilitation to ensure safety in order not to cause damage to life and property of people and tourists, he said.

All 19 tsunami-warning towers in Phuket are operational, he added.

Local people being aware of what to do in case of an emergency was essential, he said.

Do not be careless and closely follow the news of the government in order to help keep everyone in the community safe and reduce the loss that may occur again, he said.
Robin Hood in underpants arrested for stealing Banana phones

NAKHON NAYOK: A male burglar who wore only underpants while stealing mobile phones from Banana IT stores late at night, and gave many away to homeless people, was put through a crime scene re-enactment yesterday (July 6) - but police made sure he was fully clothed.

charitycrimehumour

By Bangkok Post

Thursday 7 July 2022, 09:36AM

Security camera footage shows the thief in underpants, his head also covered, stealing from a Banana IT shop in Muang district, Nakhon Nayok, early on Sunday morning (July 3). Photo: Supplied

Police took Jeh-isma-ae Hama, 23, to a Banana IT shop in Muang district of Nakhon Nayok for the re-enactment, reports the Bangkok Post.

Security camera recordings showed the native of Narathiwat province in the far South was wearing only underpants when he allegedly stole 128 items, mostly mobile phones, worth about B1.9 million from the shop after breaking into the premise about 3am on Sunday.

Police arrested him the following day at a rented room in Bang Kapi district, Bangkok.

The suspect allegedly told police he stole only from Banana IT shops because he liked bananas and the colour yellow, and he wore only underpants because dressing that way made him feel confident.

After the re-enactment in Nakhon Nayok, police planned to take him to other crime scenes for re-enactments.

Pol Maj Gen Theeradet Thamsuthee, investigation chief for Provincial Police Region 2, said that police found 31 mobile phones at the rented room on Seri Thai Road where Mr Jeh-isma-ae was arrested.

They found 58 more phones in another room the suspect rented on Ramkhamhaeng Road. Both rooms are in Bang Kapi district, Bangkok.

The man was about to leave for Narathiwat with the stolen phones when he was caught, Pol Maj Gen Theeradet said.

He alleged the suspect stole from a Banana IT shop in the southern border province of Yala on Jan 27, 2021, and from another Banana IT outlet in Sai Mai district, Bangkok, on Jan 9 this year.

The thief always disconnected security camera systems at the targeted shops. Noticeably, the thief always wore only underpants.

The suspect also allegedly stole from Banana outlets in Songkhla, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phatthalung and Nakhon Si Thammarat provinces in the South, and in Nong Bua Lam Phu and Ubon Ratchathani provinces in the Northeast. He was dubbed the thief in underpants.

Mr Jeh-isma-ae allegedly told police he chose mobile phone outlets from online maps and he stole mobile phones because he had not had one during his childhood, unlike his friends.

He said that he handed out some of the phones and money to homeless people at Hua Lamphong railway station and Sanam Luang ground in Bangkok, and also to people in his home province of Narathiwat, in Robin Hood-style because he had also been homeless in the past.
TAT heads Phuket big data tourism project

PHUKET: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is leading a special collaborative big data project to help support tourism operators serving Phuket.

tourismeconomicstechnology

By The Phuket News

Thursday 7 July 2022, 11:21AM

The project, titled the Tourism Data Intelligence Sandbox, was first announced by TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn at the Thailand Tourism Congress 2022 held at the Beyond Resort Kata Beach last month.

The cooperation agreement was signed by five parties at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Wichit on Tuesday (July 5).

Among the signatories were Nithee Seeprae, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Deputy Governor for Digital Research and Development, and Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) President Chamnan Srisawat, who also serves as President of the Thai Federation of Provincial Tourist Associations.

Representing Phuket were Phuket Tourist Association President Bhummikitti Ruktaengam and Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Dr Weerasak Lorthongkham.

The pilot project builds on the Phuket Sandbox and Phuket Must Win projects and aims to develop big data of the tourism industry with the hope of creating a tourism information infrastructure to help business operators to evolve beyond the COVID-19 era, Mr Nithee said.

It will be a good starting point for building Tourism Big Data of Thailand as Phuket is strong in both the public and private sectors and has a DEPA team [Digital Economy Promotion Agency] that truly understands the tourism industry, as seen from the success of Phuket Sandbox project, he added.

Mr Bhummikitti noted, Phuket has learned the importance of having clear, accurate and quick information in order to manage the situation, especially during the opening of Phuket during the Phuket Sandbox period.

We have learned that the most important infrastructure in tourism management is having information related to tourism that is up to date so we can use the data to analyse the problem and predict the future more effectively, he added.

It is especially important to create an advantage against competition in the tourism industry with other countries. It is imperative to have information both inside and outside the country that can be analysed to assess the situation and forecast demand that is precise, pertinent and meets the needs of rapidly changing customer groups, Mr Bhummikitti said.

In this regard, the start of the big gata development project in tourism in Phuket as pilot project will be an important initiative in Thailands tourism industry that can be used to expand the results of using the information for maximum benefit both for policymakers and business operators, as well as create a new cooperation framework for sharing information between agencies for the ability to manage work effectively, he concluded.

Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Dr Weerasak noted how well the Phuket Must Win system worked as a vaccination reservation system, and how well the government and private sector worked together for the opening of Phuket Sandbox scheme, including RT-PCR test results data

It was found that the health data system set up can be used to manage a public health crisis well. If we can do big data in this part together with tourism operators, this will improve the quality of life and develop a public health system in Phuket to become a quality tourist destination. This is in line with the proposal to host the Specialised Expo in 2028 as well, he said.
David Bowies estate has done us all a huge favour by releasing a high-definition of the late, great artists legendary performance of Starman on Top of the Pops to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Rocking a classic, colourful Bowie outfit with astronaut boots and fire-red hair, Bowie performs the song with his bandmates Trevor Bolder, Woody Woodmansey, and Mick Ronson of The Spiders from Mars.


Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm this evening, then some lingering showers still possible overnight. Low 27C. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm this evening, then some lingering showers still possible overnight. Low 19C. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
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CAHOKIA  The Aviation Summer Academy is back in person, after a hiatus caused by the pandemic.

More than two dozen high school students from around the country converged on St. Louis Downtown Airport in Cahokia as part of a week-long camp to learn more about careers in the aviation field. Participants came from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, California and Texas. One camper was from Highland.

Its typically an annual event, but COVID impacted that for the past two years, so this was the first in-person since 2019, said spokesperson Julie Hauser of the Hauser Group.

High school juniors and seniors participated in the event the last week of June hosted by Saint Louis Universitys Oliver L. Park Department of Aviation.

St. Louis Downtown Airport Director Sandra Shore noted the airport's $422 million regional economic impact.

In Illinois alone, the airport industry has a $95 billion impact, Shore said.

Im here with a staff of 10, but we support hundreds of thousands of flight operations every year. Were the third busiest airport in Illinois behind Chicago, OHare and Midway, she said. All these planes, businesses and tenants rely on us to operate the airport and thats where our economic impact comes in.

Students spent time in the universitys flight simulators at the St. Louis Downtown Airport and took short discovery flights over downtown St. Louis on June 28. They also flew with experienced flight instructors from SLU on June 29 for longer, cross-country flights, flying into a different airport and landing before returning to St. Louis Downtown Airport. The cross-country flights integrated aerial navigation planning campers learned earlier that day, such as reading a sectional, mapping out the course, identifying way points and calculating fuel and times.

For some, the flights were the first time as a passenger in a small aircraft. Steve Potter, a Kirkwood High School student, was impressed with the depth of SLUs aviation program and excited at the opportunity to fly.

"I think it's very cool they have 15 airplanes and three different types of aircraft, he said,  so you can learn the multi-engine airplanes and instrumental airplanes, too.

Firefighter Terry Bowman also took students out on the runway in the Incident Support Bus. They saw the runway and taxiways from a singular vantage point as Bowman talked about the role of his department and the maintenance team in maintaining a safe operating environment. Students also walked around on the runway and experienced it outside of a cockpit.

The camp included a tour of other facilities at the airport, including the firestation. Students learned the 2009 Rosenbauer Panther 6X6 ARFF Vehicle can hold 3,000 gallons of water, 400 gallons of foam, 500 pounds of dry chemical and 460 pounds of Halotron. The vehicle is 39 feet long and weighs 80,000 pounds when fully loaded with all firefighting agents.

I didnt know St. Louis Downtown Airport was such a big deal, with a firehouse and everything, Potter said. I thought it was just a tiny airport.

Amy Preis, outreach coordinator for Saint Louis Universitys Oliver L. Parks Dept. of Aviation, explained that while getting to fly is by far the biggest draw of the camp, the overall goal is to take the students outside of just piloting careers and introduce other aviation careers that they might not have known about or may not have considered if they were not introduced to them.

Shore helped to reinforce those opportunities in her conversation with the students.

What you find is that everybody usually gets into this industry to be a pilot and then realize there is so much more than that, she said. There is traffic control, airport management, aircraft servicing, mechanics and more. Its just way bigger than youll ever imagine.

Applications for the 2023 Aviation Summer Academy will open by January 2023 and will remain open through March 2023 (decisions are made in April). Applications will be accessible from this webpage: https://www.slu.edu/science-and-engineering/about/pre-college-programs/aviation-summer-academy.php. Capacity to be determined; this year there 25 campers filled the spots.
ALTON  The next American Red Cross blood drive at Alton Memorial Hospital will be 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4, in the AMH cafe meeting rooms.

To register, go to https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=AltonMemorial or contact Dave Whaley in AMH Marketing & Communications at 618-433-7947 or david.whaley@bjc.org.
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ALTON  Alton Public Works employees used a concrete saw Thursday to cut through Fosterburg Road, north of Illinois 255.

Emergency road repairs were made from Route 255 to Wolf Road. The repair work had the northbound lanes shut down and flaggers directed northbound traffic up the southbound lanes in that area.
LEAD, S.D. (AP)  In a former gold mine a mile underground, inside a titanium tank filled with a rare liquified gas, scientists have begun the search for what so far has been unfindable: dark matter.

Scientists are pretty sure the invisible stuff makes up most of the universes mass and say we wouldn't be here without it  but they don't know what it is. The race to solve this enormous mystery has brought one team to the depths under Lead, South Dakota.

The question for scientists is basic, says Kevin Lesko, a physicist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. What is this great place I live in? Right now, 95% of it is a mystery.

The idea is that a mile of dirt and rock, a giant tank, a second tank and the purest titanium in the world will block nearly all the cosmic rays and particles that zip around  and through  all of us every day. But dark matter particles, scientists think, can avoid all those obstacles. They hope one will fly into the vat of liquid xenon in the inner tank and smash into a xenon nucleus like two balls in a game of pool, revealing its existence in a flash of light seen by a device called the time projection chamber.

Scientists announced Thursday that the five-year, $60 million search finally got underway two months ago after a delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. So far the device has found ... nothing. At least no dark matter.

Thats OK, they say. The equipment appears to be working to filter out most of the background radiation they hoped to block. To search for this very rare type of interaction, job number one is to first get rid of all of the ordinary sources of radiation, which would overwhelm the experiment, said University of Maryland physicist Carter Hall.

And if all their calculations and theories are right, they figure theyll see only a couple fleeting signs of dark matter a year. The team of 250 scientists estimates theyll get 20 times more data over the next couple of years.

By the time the experiment finishes, the chance of finding dark matter with this device is probably less than 50% but more than 10%, said Hugh Lippincott, a physicist and spokesman for the experiment in a Thursday news conference.

While that's far from a sure thing, you need a little enthusiasm," Lawrence Berkeley's Lesko said. You dont go into rare search physics without some hope of finding something.

Two hulking Depression-era hoists run an elevator that brings scientists to what's called the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment in the Sanford Underground Research Facility. A 10-minute descent ends in a tunnel with cool-to-the-touch walls lined with netting. But the old, musty mine soon leads to a high-tech lab where dirt and contamination is the enemy. Helmets are exchanged for new cleaner ones and a double layer of baby blue booties go over steel-toed safety boots.

The heart of the experiment is the giant tank called the cryostat, lead engineer Jeff Cherwinka said in a December 2019 tour before the device was closed and filled. He described it as like a thermos made of perhaps the purest titanium in the world designed to keep the liquid xenon cold and keep background radiation at a minimum.

Xenon is special, explained experiment physics coordinator Aaron Manalaysay, because it allows researchers to see if a collision is with one of its electrons or with its nucleus. If something hits the nucleus, it is more likely to be the dark matter that everyone is looking for, he said.

These scientists tried a similar, smaller experiment here years ago. After coming up empty, they figured they had to go much bigger. Another large-scale experiment is underway in Italy run by a rival team, but no results have been announced so far.

The scientists are trying to understand why the universe is not what it seems.

One part of the mystery is dark matter, which has by far most of the mass in the cosmos. Astronomers know it's there because when they measure the stars and other regular matter in galaxies, they find that there is not nearly enough gravity to hold these clusters together. If nothing else was out there, galaxies would be quickly flying apart, Manalaysay said.

It is essentially impossible to understand our observation of history, of the evolutionary cosmos without dark matter, Manalaysay said.

Lippincott, a University of California, Santa Barbara, physicist, said we would not be here without dark matter.

So while there's little doubt that dark matter exists, there's lots of doubt about what it is. The leading theory is that it involves things called WIMPs  weakly interacting massive particles.

If that's the case, LUX-ZEPLIN could be able to detect them. We want to find where the wimps can be hiding, Lippincott said.

___

Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter at @borenbears.

___

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.
EDWARDSVILLE  Two East St. Louis men were charged with felony DUI in separate cases filed Tuesday by the Madison County States Attorneys Office.

Robert J. Perry, 42, of East St. Louis, was charged July 5 with aggravated driving under the influence while license revoked, a Class 4 felony.

The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department.

According to court documents, on July 4 Perry allegedly was driving a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado at Illinois 157 and West Main Street, in Collinsville while under the influence of alcohol and with a revoked drivers license. His license was revoked for a similar incident and he has a prior conviction of aggravated driving under the influence out of St. Clair County in 2015.

Bail was set at $30,000.

Lawrence A. McWherter, 41, of East St. Louis, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence while license revoked/suspended, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. According to court documents, on July 4 McWherter allegedly was driving a 2011 Buick Regal while under the influence of alcohol with a revoked drivers license. It was noted his license was revoked for a similar incident.

Bail was set at $20,000.

Other felony charges filed July 5 include:

 Joshua D. Moore, 28, of Florissant, Missouri, was charged with offenses relating to motor vehicles, a Class 2 felony; unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony; and obstruction of identification, a Class A misdemeanor. The case was presented by the Wood River Police Department. On July 1 Moore allegedly had a reported stolen 1998 Chevrolet Silverado and less than 15 grams of fentanyl and provided a false name to a Wood River police officer. Bail was set at $50,000.

 Kandra E. Jones, 54, of East St. Louis, was charged with retail theft over $300, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. On July 1 Jones allegedly took clothing, an air mattress, sheets and a tote valued in excess of $300 from the Granite City Walmart. Bail was set at $20,000.

 Connor R. Mathus, 28, of Godfrey, was charged with aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On July 2 Mathus allegedly was driving a 2008 Toyota Corolla when he attempted to flee from a Madison County sheriffs deputy, reaching speeds in excess of 21 miles above the posted speed limit. Bail was set at $15,000.
Darren Bailey isnt under any legal obligation to make his tax returns public. But if the state senator is serious about serving the public as governor, he ought to play ball.

A day after he secured the gubernatorial nomination for the Republican party, he took a page out of his supporter Donald Trumps playbook, saying he wouldnt release copies of his income tax returns.

Right now, I see absolutely no reason in doing that, the downstate state senator told the Sun-Times Tina Sfondeles last week. I dont see that as a qualifier.

Trump was equally dismissive in 2016 when he said he wouldnt release his tax returns because he was waiting for an IRS audit to be completed  which, even if true at the time, did not stop him from releasing the returns.

Theres nothing to learn from them, he said at the time. Fake news.

Yet personal tax returns can reveal critical information voters should know before casting their ballot: conflicts of interests, charitable donations, income and wealth and other financial information. All of which is useful to know when deciding on a candidates who, if elected, will control taxpayers money.

No, Bailey isnt under any legal obligation to make his tax returns public. There are no requirements for candidates and elected officials to do so. But if Bailey is serious about serving the public as governor, he ought to play ball.

Traditionally, since at least 1976, every Illinois gubernatorial nominee has released their tax returns before the November election. Similarly, every president since Richard Nixon  except for Trump  released their full tax returns too, or in Gerald Fords case, a tax summary. It may not be the law, but it is the norm and an entirely reasonable expectation among voters.

Transparency and accountability are what many voters seek in their leaders. When Illinoisans hear that Bailey is resisting both, many may wonder if he has something to hide.

During the 2018 gubernatorial campaign, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner released their two-page tax cover sheets instead of their full returns, which would have included schedules filed to claim exemptions and charitable donations, Sfondeles reported.

Bailey said he doesnt care about Pritzkers tax records and calls his Democratic challenger an out-of-touch and elitist billionaire.

When discussing Pritzker, Bailey  who acknowledge hes a millionaire  has said, The people of Illinois are going to understand the truth.

But by not publicly sharing his tax returns, Bailey is burying the full truth himself.
Job Title: OBO Shipment Clerk

Organisation: United States US Embassy, US Mission in Uganda

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

Salary: UGX 44,197,171

About US:

The United States Embassy in Kampala, Uganda has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda for over 30 years. Ambassador Natalie E. Brown currently heads the U.S Mission to Uganda. The Mission is composed of several offices and organizations all working under the auspices of the Embassy and at the direction of the Ambassador.

Job Summary: The U.S. Mission in Uganda is seeking eligible and qualified applicants for the position of OBO Shipment Clerk.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Working under the Supervisory Administrative Assistant of the Overseas Building Operations (OBO) project team, the Shipment Clerk obtains customs clearance for incoming and outgoing official shipments in support of the New Office Annex / New Support Annex project.

The incumbent also works with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate vehicle registration and inspection.









Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

Completion of high school is required.

At least two years of experience in customs, shipping, or logistics is required.

Must have knowledge of local cargo, shipping, and customs procedures and regulations. Strong knowledge of local laws and regulations governing all types of vehicle use, registration, insurance, import/export, etc.

English level III (Good working knowledge) Reading/Writing/Speaking is required.

Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook) and Internet Research. Good interpersonal skills to interface efficiently with various contacts including end users, vendors, trucking companies, local officials as well as post contacts. Good knowledge of accepted record-keeping methods, to include developing a filing system, follow-up on projects, meeting deadlines. Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds. Must hold a valid drivers license.

All applicants under consideration will be required to pass medical and security certifications.

How to Apply:

All those interested in working with the United States Embassy, US Mission in Kampala should send their applications online at the link below.

Click Here

Deadline: 19th July 2022

For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline
Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 71F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 71F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Accounts featured below are independently selected by This is Money's specialist journalists. If you open an account using links which have an asterisk, This is Money will earn an affiliate commission. We do not allow this to affect our editorial independence.

Fast and affordable broadband has become increasingly vital since the pandemic, as more Britons work from home than ever before - either full-time, or as part of a hybrid pattern.

With the cost-of-living crisis biting, many are on the hunt for bargain deals on their bills.

The average broadband deal costs households around 26 a month, or 312 a year, but a number of providers have begun offering incentives, such as vouchers and cashback in order to get customers to switch which means you could pay far less than that.

Many are still relying on their broadband as they work from home during the pandemic, but could be overpaying on their bills if they don't switch providers

A recent survey shows that half of households are unlikely to switch broadband provider, which could end up costing hundreds of pounds a year.

A quarter said they've never switched providers as the process seems daunting, while one in five said it's because they haven't found a better deal elsewhere, despite research showing that loyal customers are likely to pay more for their broadband.

Telecoms giants are incentivising customers to make the switch and start saving by offering huge cash vouchers, but around 12 per cent said they were concerned about their speed dropping if they switched providers.

Is it possible to get cheaper, faster broadband, and still claim these enticing cashback deals as well as no set-up fees? This is Money took a look at the three best offers on the market:

Vodafone have increased its cash incentive bonus for new customers who make the switch to one of its superfast broadband packages.

You could get download speeds of up to 38Mbps with a 24 month contract with Vodafone's Superfast 1* plan, which is available for 22 per month.

And for the next week, Vodafone is increasing its voucher incentive to 205, which can be redeemed at Tesco, Sainsbury's or M&S, or online with Amazon.

With this voucher, it cuts the overall cost by almost 40 per cent, or the equivalent of 13.45 a month over two years.

The deal ends on July 15, so customers will need to act fast to take advantage.

If you are looking for a deal with a little more power, you can opt for its Superfast 2* deal, which gives speeds of up to 67Mbps from only 25 a month, or you can splash out on their Superfast 100* deal and receive 100Mbps for the same price.

With the voucher, that brings the cost down to 16.45 per month.

It's a little pricier than a Vodafone package, but new customers of Virgin Media broadband could still benefit from savings by making the switch this week.

Virgin are offering switchers a 95 Amazon voucher, if you switch before 10 July, offering speeds of around 100Mbps* from 24 a month.

With the voucher it brings down the overall cost to 18.72 per month, although it cannot be used in as many places as the Vodafone deal above.

The 18 month contract may also seem more appealing to customers who prefer to switch more often when better deals come up, and their customers can benefit from discounts on their streaming services too.

Virgin Media recently announced its new TV streaming plug-in box, which could save you another 100 on subscriptions such as Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+.

The plug-in and play device offers Virgin customers an exclusive 10 per cent on their streaming bills, and helps you manage your subscriptions all in one place - making it potentially the perfect broadband deal for TV lovers.

If you're in the market for cheap fibre broadband, smaller telecoms firm Hyperoptic is another option

Hyperoptic's broadband* starts from 17.99 a month, or from 20 if you are looking for a phone/broadband combined package on a 24 month contract.

Its 50Mb Fibre Connection* offers average speeds of 57Mbps, or you can pay an additional 2 a month to upgrade to Hyperoptic's 150Mb Fibre Connection*, which offers speeds of up to 158 Mbps, on a 12 month contract.

And, if you switch before 11 July, you will receive a 50 voucher which can be redeemed at shops such as M&S, Tesco, or Amazon.

On the 17.99 deal, the voucher brings down the overall cost to 15.90 with a two year contract.
Advertisement

Cases of criminals found to have cloned cars to avoid detection have risen dramatically in London since the extension of the Ultra Low Emission Zone, a new report reveals.

Previously unseen Transport for London figures exposed a 631 per cent rise in the number of cancelled penalty charge notices relating to vehicles using duplicate number plates following the October expansion of the zone.

These are penalties originally issued to innocent drivers for failed ULEZ entry payments in their non-compliant vehicle that have been scrapped on appeal after the legitimate owner was proved that the offending vehicle was using copycat number plates, likely in a bid to cover up criminal activity rather than to simply avoid the 12.50 daily charge.

The bigger potential catchment area - enforced by CCTV cameras - has highlighted the scale of vehicle cloning by criminals to evade detection in the capital and nationwide.

Is car cloning on the rise? The expansion of the ULEZ has exposed an increase in criminals using duplicate number plates to evade prosecution, a new report suggests

The figures have been revealed by online car marketplace, heycar, which warned that already hard-pressed motorists are being hit with unfair PCNs for offences they didn't commit.

It analysed data from TfL regarding the number of ULEZ PCNs being cancelled due to incriminating cars being clones of legitimate vehicles.

These are tickets issued to genuine owners of vehicles that are not compliant with the emission charging zone (generally diesel cars older than 2015 and petrols older than 2006) that appear to have been captured driving within the ULEZ on Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras across the city.

However, the cars caught on camera are using duplicate plates of the legitimate vehicle.

The TfL records showed there had been 641 PCNs overturned for this reason from October 2020 to April 2021.

Between October 2021 and April 2022, the number of cancelled charges was 4,687 - an increase of 631 per cent.

The ULEZ was extended on 25 October 2021, increasing the boundary to 18 times its size, extending the potential catchment area from the Congestion Charge Zone in Central London out to the North and South Circular Roads.

Comparing April 2021 - when lockdown restrictions were being lifted in England - with the same month this year, the data shows a 857 per cent increase (up from 61 fines to 584) in overturned PCNs relating to cloned vehicles.

The capital's Mayor, Sadiq Kahn, earlier this year proposed for the ULEZ to be made even larger by the end of 2023, launching a consultation for it to be expanded beyond the North and South Circular Road to cover every borough in Greater London.

If this goes ahead, the potential for further car cloning cases to be exposed is highly likely.

Car cloning usually consists of criminals going online to find similar vehicles to their own advertised for sale and pay to have duplicate fake plates illegally made. There are also cases of them physically stealing a registration plate from a like-for-like model of the same colour

The ULEZ was extended 18 times in size on October when the boundary was moved from Central London to the North and South Circular roads

Mayor Sadiq Khan has proposed it is made even bigger from the end of next year, increasing from the darker green section seen here to the light green area that covers the entirety of Greater London

For owners of non-compliant older cars, driving in London's ULEZ costs 12.50 a day. Heycar says the number of vehicle cloning cases is not likely people wanting to avoid paying the daily fee but criminals involved in more serious illegal activity who want to avoid detection

My car was cloned and I was issued six PCNs with a value over 1,000 Marc Cramsie, aged 72, from London has been a victim of car cloning and found the penalty charge appeal process frustrating Marc Cramsie, aged 72 from London was faced with six different PCNs, potentially costing up to 1,070 when he was a victim of car cloning in 2021. Three of the PCNs were from TfL for the Congestion Charge, two were from Lambeth Council for failing to comply with a prohibition on certain types of vehicle, and being in a bus lane, and one was from Brighton and Hove City Council for being in a bus lane. Although Marc paid the first fine he received he quickly realised his vehicle had been cloned when more PCNs arrived and he decided to appeal - a process which took six months in total, despite evidence of his innocence. 'For the PCN for Brighton I wasn't even in the country at the time - I had my flight details and my boarding cards but that didn't impress the council,' he explains. Marc's car also had a resident parking sticker on the windscreen - the cloned car didn't. But that fact did not overturn the PCNs either. Both TfL and Brighton and Hove City Council wanted evidence that the police were investigating Marc's car being cloned. 'They wanted the police station details and a crime reference number but when I rang up the police they logged my call but did not give me a crime reference as they couldn't treat it as a crime,' he said. When a driver reports their vehicle has been cloned in the UK the police put a marker onto the Police National Computer database to say that that vehicle is likely to be a duplicate identity and that allows officers to potentially stop that vehicle and verify who the owner of that vehicle is. Sussex Police assisted Marc by writing to Brighton and Hove City Council to confirm he had spoken to them, while the Met Police asked Marc to request that Lambeth email them to receive confirmation that the incident had been accepted by them. 'There was a mismatch between the way that the council thinks the police should operate and the way the police actually do operate,' Marc said. Marc also reported the matter to Action Fraud, the UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime, which generated a case number but 'that didn't seem to make a difference either'. Eventually, Marc took his case to tribunal and was successful. 'The adjudicator spotted that the number plate on the cloned car had two bolt holes in it - that seemed to be the deciding factor,' he said. Marc then wrote to TfL and Lambeth Council to say that Brighton had allowed his appeal and they both also cancelled their PCNs. However, Lambeth would not refund the initial PCN which Marc had paid as he had lost his right to appeal 'The presumption very much seems to be that you're guilty until you can prove your innocence,' Marc explained. 'Somebody less dogged than me might be frightened into just paying up when they don't need to.'

Car cloning can take various forms with a criminal either physically stealing a registration plate from a similar vehicle or having a fake plate illegally made to put on a model is similar description.

They use a number of different tactics to identify suitable cars to clone, including scouring sales websites to search for a vehicle that matches the description of their own before buying illegal matching plates to steal its identity.

Cloned number plates are typically used on vehicles that are stolen, unroadworthy or used in illegal activity.

In the event of a PCN being issued due to a cloned car, the legitimate registered keeper will be required to provide evidence to satisfy the issuer of the ticket that their car was not being driven at the time and place where the alleged offence occurred.

Anyone who fails to make an appeal face a ULEZ PCN charge of 160, which is reduced to 80 if paid within 14 days.

Car cloning is part of a wider increase in vehicle crime in the last few years.

In total, 88,915 vehicles in England and Wales were stolen in the 12 months to 7 March 2022, according to the 34 police forces that responded to a Freedom of Information request from the PA news agency. That works out at an average of 244 thefts a day.

The biggest year-on-year increase was in South Yorkshire, where there was a 28 per cent rise in stolen motors.

Car owners have also had to get smart in the battle against keyless car thefts as well as face a growing number of parts thefts, namely catalytic converters ripped from the underside of petrol vehicles.

Commenting on the findings, heycar's consumer editor Sarah Tooze said TfL cloning figures are the 'tip of the iceberg' as some drivers are unable to prove their innocence to authorities.

'Many drivers are unable to provide the evidence TfL requires to cancel the PCN due to the vehicle being a clone,' she explained.

'Appealing the PCN process can also be complicated and intimidating, which means many more victims will pay the fine to avoid the stress and end the matter.

'The true number of cloned cars in London and elsewhere in the UK will be much higher but there are no official, national statistics which are publicly available.

'We are urging the DVLA to publish car cloning figures so drivers can see the true scale of the problem within the UK.

'There needs to be greater transparency around this serious crime and tighter regulations to help prevent innocent motorists being stung with fines or, worse still, losing thousands of pounds by unknowingly buying a cloned vehicle.'

As well as better preventative measures, the appeals process for victims needs to be improved.

Heycar research found car cloning victims can be forced to go to great lengths to prove their innocence (as the case study below demonstrates) with some local authorities and transport bodies who issue the PCNs requiring information from the police which can be difficult to obtain.

'Car cloning victims should be treated as such,' Tooze adds.

'Instead, they can face a 'guilty until proven innocent' mentality, which only adds to an already stressful situation.

Heycar has provided tips for how to appeal a PCN relating to a cloned vehicle case.
Watches of Switzerland clocked up record sales and profits during what it hailed as a tremendous year, writes James Duncan.

Britains biggest seller of Rolex watches said revenues rose 40 per cent to 1.2billion in the 12 months to May 1.

Profits were up 98 per cent to 126million. The company benefited from booming demand for luxury watches including the Omega Seamaster worn by Daniel Craig when he played James Bond.

Time to buy: Watches of Switzerland benefited from booming demand for luxury watches including the Omega Seamaster worn by Daniel Craig as James Bond in No Time To Die

The group brushed aside consumer spending fears amid the cost-of-living crisis, saying that the strength of the luxury watch category, with unique supply demand dynamics , together with the success of our model will continue to support sustainable strong sales growth.

Shares climbed 1.5 per cent, or 11.5p, to 800p in trading yesterday.

In the UK, where Watches of Switzerlands brands include Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths, revenues rose 36 per cent to 810m.

The company is the UKs largest retailer for Rolex, Omega, Cartier, TAG Heuer and Breitling watches.
Outgoing Crown Resorts chief executive Steve McCann plans to take a break from corporate life when he walks away from the role $9 million richer in September after a tumultuous 16 months in charge of the casino operator.

It has been intense. I am looking forward to a break, McCann told The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald soon after his departure was announced.

Crown Resorts chief executive Steve McCann has stepped down. Peter Rae

McCann, who previously led property giant LendLease, was appointed Crowns CEO last year in the wake of a damning NSW inquiry which found it was unfit to hold a casino license. Since then, Crown has managed to hang on to its casino licences in three states, and secure an $8.9 billion sale to US private equity giant Blackstone.

McCann said it would be hard to identify a company that has gone through what Crown has in recent times.

To deal with all of that at the same time as a change of control, with the negotiation of a takeover, and trying to recover from the impact of COVID in an industry which is probably one of the hardest-hit industries. Thats a significant combination of events all at once, he said.

McCann was almost reduced to tears just five weeks into the job last year when he was brutally interrogated about Crowns failings at one of three public inquiries.

Blackstone is installing its own executives following the completion of the takeover last month, along with casino veteran Ciaran Carruthers who will take over as CEO. Carruthers, who already has Australian permanent residency, is currently overseeing US casino company Wynns operations in Macau.

Blackstone flagged more executive appointments to head each of its casinos in Australia. Further senior appointments including the CEO of Crown Melbourne and CEO of Crown Perth will be announced in due course, Blackstone said in a statement announcing the transition from McCanns role to Carruthers beginning in September and subject to probity approval.

With the transformation largely complete, McCann said the focus now was on the new team to take the company forward.

The next phase is really about Blackstone coming in and really grabbing hold of what needs to be done from here, and investing the assets to drive the growth of the business. And I think that phase needs to be a different team. That was always my expectation, he said.

Former Virgin Australia boss John Borghetti has been appointed chairman of the Crown Sydney board. Louise Kennerley

Crown flagged McCanns expected exit at the time of the takeover.

McCann was awarded a $2.5 million salary when he joined Crown. He was also entitled to $5.2 million from a one-off grant of 400,000 performance rights that vested with Blackstones takeover.

Blackstone executive Chris Tynan paid tribute to McCann for his role in leading Crowns overhaul.

We thank Steve for his leadership over the last 13 months, including implementing a strong reform and remediation plan and improving the culture of Crown Resorts. We wish the best for him as he pursues other opportunities.

Blackstone is committed to investing in Crown, helping it realise its true potential as a world-class leader in travel and leisure, Tynan said.

Philip Crawford, chairman of Crowns regulator - the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority - also indicated these changes were expected.

Weve given probity clearance to quite a lot of people on the Blackstone team, Crawford said when Crown received conditional approval for a casino licence at Barangaroo last month.

Their arrangements with Steve McCann and other people are between Blackstone and Crown. Thats not something we need to interfere with. Thats market-driven and commercial, he said.

Former Virgin Australia boss John Borghetti has been appointed chairman of the Crown Sydney board.

Parent company Crown Resorts is now chaired by Bill McBeath who stepped down as the chief executive of The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas last month after Blackstone sold the business.

The former CEO of HBF Health, John Van Der Wielen, has been appointed chairman of Crowns Perth operations.

The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has ordered the Commonwealth to drop the prosecution of lawyer Bernard Collaery, four years after he was charged with leaking classified information about Australias alleged spying operation in East Timor.

Dreyfus announced at a press conference in Sydney on Thursday the Commonwealth would discontinue its case against Collaery, a former ACT attorney-general, who was facing the prospect of jail.

Bernard Collaery chose to fight the charges after Witness K received a three-month suspended sentence. Alex Ellinghausen

Having regard to our national security, our national interest and the proper administration of justice, today I have determined that this prosecution should end, he said.

Collaerys trial had been due to start in the ACT Supreme Court on October 24 after years of delays.

In a statement released through his lawyers, Collaery said the decision would allow him to move on with his life, as he praised the depth of community support he had received from across the country and the close friends who gave me inner strength.

I am very pleased that the new attorney-general has looked at this prosecution and all it has involved and taken steps to bring the case to an end. This is a good decision for the administration of justice in Australia, he said.

This decision will allow me to move forward with my life and legal practice.

Collaery was facing five charges under the Intelligence Services Act related to leaking classified information and conspiring with his client, an ex-spy known only as Witness K, to reveal information about Australias bugging operation of East Timors government during commercial negotiations in 2004 to carve up the oil and gas resources in the Timor Sea. Their actions helped the East Timor government build a case against Australia at The Hague, which led to Canberra re-negotiating the deal.

Describing the Collaery case as exceptional, Dreyfus said his decision was informed by the governments commitment to its relationship with our neighbours.

All prosecutions involve a balancing of interests. The balance of interests can change over time. This is such a case, Dreyfus said.

Dreyfus said the decision did not represent a move away from the practice of protecting government secrets, but the Coalition condemned the intervention as setting a dangerous precedent.

Attorney-general Mark Dreyfus said the decision did not represent a move away from the practice of protecting government secrets. Alex Ellinghausen

Governments must protect secrets, and this government remains steadfast in our commitment to keep Australians safe by keeping secrets out of the wrong hands, Dreyfus said. The long-standing practice of government has been to neither confirm nor deny claims made about intelligence matters and I will strictly adhere to that practice.

Dreyfus discontinued the prosecution under section 71 of the Judiciary Act, overturning the authorisation given in 2018 by then-attorney-general Christian Porter for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions to pursue charges against Collaery and Witness K.

Shadow attorney-general Julian Leeser said Dreyfus intervention in the case undermined the work of Australias national security agencies.

This action sends a dangerous message to those who would seek to do harm to Australia by dealing in government secrets and shows Labor cant be trusted to manage our national security, he said.

Collaerys case was mired in legal battles over the degree of secrecy that should be applied to his criminal trial and involved 10 separate hearings in the ACT Supreme Court. After the Court of Appeal ruled in October that Collaerys trial be held in open court, the Morrison government launched a High Court bid to keep the chief justices full judgement from reaching the public domain.

Dr Kate Harrison, partner at Gilbert +Tobin, the law firm which represented Collaery pro bono, said the case had shone a light on the degree of secrecy enabled by Australias national security laws, which allowed cases to be heard behind closed doors.

The approach threatens the capacity of a defendant to receive a fair trial, Harrison said in a statement.

Gilbert +Tobin said Collaerys legal team were to be excluded from another upcoming hearing in which the court was to receive further secret evidence from the Commonwealth.

In June 2020, Witness K was handed a three-month suspended sentence after pleading guilty, but Collaery decided to fight the charges against him.

Following the election of the Albanese government, human rights and whistleblower advocates renewed their calls for ministerial consent for the prosecution to be withdrawn.

A number of crossbench members of parliament also urged Dreyfus to intervene in the case, including Greens senator Nick McKim, ACT senator David Pocock, Kooyong MP Monique Ryan and Goldstein MP Zoe Daniel.

Kieran Pender, a senior lawyer with the Human Rights Law Centre, said the decision heralded an important day for Australian democracy.

Bernard Collaery should never have been prosecuted. The attorney-general has done the right thing and should be applauded for that, Pender said.

He urged Dreyfus to also intervene in the prosecutions of former military lawyer David McBride, who leaked documents to journalists exposing alleged war crimes by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan, and Richard Boyle, who blew the whistle on unethical practices at the Australian Taxation Office.

Whistleblowers make Australia a better place. The ongoing prosecutions of David McBride and Richard Boyle are not in the public interest. Those cases should also be dropped, as a matter of urgency, Pender said.

Dreyfus refused to comment on the McBride and Boyle cases.

Im not going to comment on other cases I may or may not have received briefings about. Mr Collaerys case was an exceptional case, he said.

Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis from Jacqueline Maley. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter here.
??Ahora | El ministro de Economia y Finanzas, Oscar Graham, participa en la clausura del Primer Periodo Extraordinario de Sesiones del Consejo de Gobernadores del Fondo Internacional de Desarrollo Agricola (FIDA), en Roma.

??En vivo: https://t.co/1VqBeYclbC pic.twitter.com/gktX7fbdET
Environmentalist and author Bill McKibben grew up in the idyllic town of Lexington, Mass., the birthplace of the American Revolution. He lived in a modest suburban home with a maple tree on the front lawn, was a member of a religious group that did service projects and sang Kumbaya around a campfire, and believed America had unlimited potential for greatness.

When I was in high school I even had a summer job giving tours on the Battle Green in Lexington, dressed in my tricorn hat and telling the story of the brave minutemen who fought the first big battle against imperialism and here we are some 50 years later and our nation is embroiled by racial and financial inequality and our planets future is in peril, he said.

There were problems in the 1970s when McKibben was growing up with the Watergate scandal and the oil crisis, but he remembers there was a sense the nation could overcome these struggles. We had many turbulent days in the 1960s, but it seemed like momentum was going in the right direction. The system had worked in Watergate, women were gaining more rights and not having their rights taken away. The first Earth Day had brought about the Clean Air and the Clean Water Act. It would have been hard to visualize the dystopia our country seems to be in now, beset by disasters that we seem unable to respond to.

In his latest book, The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon: A Graying American Looks Back at his Suburban Boyhood and Wonders What the Hell Happened (Henry Holt Co.), McKibben explores the history of our country and his own life to try and understand where we went wrong.

I think it all begins to shift in the 1970s. That was the decade when America switched from being a society that had worked together to survive the Great Depression and get through the second World War to a nation that elected Ronald Reagan who saw government as the problem. We began to adapt an every-man-for-himself individualistic view of the world. It didnt seem so catastrophic then, but suddenly we cant respond when theres a crisis like climate change or even something as obvious as preventing massacres of our schoolchildren, McKibben said.

The book is divided into three sections: A look at American history and patriotism; a discussion of the church and how it is no longer such an essential part of American life; and a deep look into suburbia and how America became a society built on the importance of the automobile.

The hyper privatization of our world has been the story of our last 40 years. When you have this big house with a big backyard and youre forced to spend lots of money to fix it up, well, the prospect of spending more money to support the public library or the public parks doesnt seem so important anymore. Investments in the shared things in our world have gone steadily down.

McKibben  who lives most of the year in Vermont where he teaches at Middlebury College and part of the year in the Warren County area of the Adirondacks  has spent his adult life working to ease the devastating effects of climate change. He founded the global grass-roots climate campaign 350.org, which has helped stop big gas pipelines and forced banks to change some of their policies. He has given numerous speeches internationally and gone to jail with fellow protesters. He admits there are days when he feels very discouraged.

I know more about climate science than I should. I also know a lot about political science, and that can make me feel pretty depressed. There are a few things that keep me going. One is the scientists and engineers who have done their part of this job. Theyve driven down the price of solar power and wind power to make it the cheapest power in the world. Its no longer a financial or technical obstacle to do what needs to be done.

McKibben is also encouraged to watch and help build some of the worldwide environmental movements. Fifteen years ago, there was no climate movement. Today, there are many organizations working on improving the climate like Sunrise Movement and Fridays for Future and many have been started by young people in college, high school and middle school. Ive also been impressed with all the wonderful progressive work done by Black Lives Matter.

His new project is an organization for people older than 60, called Third Act, to encourage people his age who may have some financial security to get involved politically for progressive change. Im a realist. I understand the predicament were in, but I believe its one were capable of solving. Ive lived much of my life in the Adirondacks. I love it here. Its a second chance Alaska and the greatest redeemed landscape on Earth. It is only that way because people made that happen and they did it against strong vested interests who wanted to try and make money out of it.

Sometimes McKibben imagines living in a place like Norway, a place that has problems and a place that deals with ways to solve their issues. Its exhausting to live in a country that cant seem to do that, but still I cant give up on America. Its where so much of the leverage lies, where most of the worlds money is. Some part of me still believes in the story of our country, the story I once told to tourists wearing my tricorn hat as a high school kid so many years ago in Lexington.

McKibben believes the American experiment of democracy is too good to die out.

Progressives made a mistake in handing over the flag and the Bible to conservatives. Both are rooted in radical ideas. They have made our world work, and I have critiqued our country and church at great length in this book, but I refuse to surrender them.
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ALBANY  Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is poised for a major expansion of its campus with the acquisition of a life sciences building at 150 New Scotland Avenue.

The Center for Medical Science building, which is down the street from the campus, is a 154,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility designed for life science research. It is expected to enhance what boosters have called an emerging life science corridor along New Scotland Avenue, which also hosts Albany Medical Center.

Originally conceived as a center for medical research more than a decade ago, the building was in foreclosure, having lost a major tenant in 2011 when the Ordway research company went into bankruptcy.



The facility includes more than 60,000 square feet of biosafety level 2 and level 3 research labs, and will house the colleges Center for Biopharmaceutical Education and Training that will provide opportunities for students to conduct advanced research and training in concert with corporate partners. Parking is also included.



The five-story building will undergo renovations to build gene therapy labs, mammalian cell labs and fermentation facilities as well as classrooms, study areas, and a student lounge. Renovations are expected to be complete by early 2023.



Students will directly benefit from the opportunity to work professionally alongside life science, biopharma, biomed, and bio-tech companies that utilize the facility for research and development, college President Greg Dewey said in making the announcement recently prior to his retirement earlier this month.

The Capital Region and upstate New York have tremendous potential for growth in biomanufacturing. Opening a contract research facility and expanding their training capacity will position (the pharmacy college) to accelerate this growth, said Susan Sharfstein, professor of nanobioscience at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute.

The purchase price was not disclosed.



The building was completed in 2003 at a cost of $56 million. But it ended up in foreclosure due to a lack of tenants, said Peter Struzzi, principal real estate broker for Pyramid Brokerage Company.

The Ordway Research Institute, which was created to work on potential cures for cancer and infectious diseases, had occupied 43 percent of the building but they went into bankruptcy in 2011.

Like others, Struzzi said he believed the sale would help bring biomedical firms to the area  which was the original idea when the structure was first built.

The concept behind the whole thing was that it would be a hub for the biomedical industry, he said.

He added that one of his first calls in representing the sellers was to the pharmacy college.

They were the natural buyers, Struzzi said.

Founded in 1881, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is a private, independent college.

In addition to pharmacy degrees, ACPHS offers the only masters of Biomanufacturing and Bioprocessing degree in New York. Other programs include Biomedical Technology, Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Microbiology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pre-Med, and Public Health.
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BRUSSELS (AP)  The 30 NATO allies signed off on the accession protocols for Sweden and Finland on Tuesday, sending the membership bids of the two nations to the alliance capitals for legislative approvals  and possible political trouble in Turkey.

The move further increases Russia's strategic isolation in the wake of its invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February and military struggles there since.

This is truly a historic moment for Finland, for Sweden and for NATO, the head of the alliance, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, said.

The 30 ambassadors and permanent representatives formally approved decisions made at a NATO summit in Madrid last week, when the leaders of member nations invited Russias neighbor Finland and Scandinavian partner Sweden to join the military club.

Securing parliamentary approval for the new members in Turkey, however, could still pose a problem even though Sweden, Finland and Turkey reached a memorandum of understanding at the Madrid summit.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that Ankara could block the process if the two countries failed to grant Turkeys demands for the extradition of people it views as terror suspects. The people wanted in Turkey have links to outlawed Kurdish groups or the network of an exiled cleric accused of a failed 2016 coup in Turkey.

He said Turkeys Parliament could refuse to ratify the deal. It is a potent threat since NATO accession must be formally approved by all 30 member states, which gives each a blocking right.

Stoltenberg said he expected no change of heart. There were security concerns that needed to be addressed. And we did what we always do at NATO. We found common ground, he said.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has given the process added urgency. It will ensconce the two nations in the Western military alliance and give NATO more clout, especially in the face of Moscows military threat.

We will be even stronger and our people will be even safer as we face the biggest security crisis in decades, Stoltenberg said.

At a news conference, the foreign ministers of Sweden and Finland were asked whether the memorandum specified people who would have to be extradited to Turkey. Both ministers said no such list was part of the agreement.

We will honor the memorandum fully. There is, of course, no lists or anything like that in the memorandum, but what we will do is to have better cooperation when it comes to terrorists, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said.

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto was equally adamant.

Everything that was agreed in Madrid is stated in the document. There are no hidden documents behind that or any agreements behind that, Haavisto said.

Every alliance nation has different legislative challenges and procedures to deal with, and it could take several more months for the two Nordic nations to take their place as official NATO members.

Denmark and Canada were quickest out of the blocks. They handed over their ratification documents in Washington as the first NATO countries just hours after the accession protocols were signed in Brussels, Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod told The Associated Press by phone.

It was a good signal not only to Sweden and Finland, but to other NATO countries that the speed of ratification is important, he said. We hope this inspires other countries to react fast.

The documents need to be handed over in Washington because NATO's founding treaty was signed there in 1949.

Germany's parliament is set to ratify the membership bids Friday, according to the Free Democrats, a partner party in the country's coalition government. Other parliaments might only get to the approval process after long summer breaks.

I look forward to a swift ratification process, Haavisto said.

In the meantime, the protocols approved Tuesday bring both nations deeper into NATOs fold already. As close partners, they already attended some meetings that involved issues that immediately affected them. As official invitees, they can attend all meetings of the ambassadors even if they do not yet have any voting rights.

___

Geir Moulson in Berlin, and Karl Ritter in Unterseen, Switzerland, contributed to this report.
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ALBANY  In its final act after 11 bumpy years, New Yorks ethics commission voted Thursday to release an internal report that examined its staffs approval of former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomos lucrative book deal in 2020.

The 10-to-1 vote by members of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics, which is being disbanded, is expected to provide insight on the details of a former deputy counsel's decision to authorize the former governor to profit from a book he wrote detailing his handling of the pandemic. The lone dissenting vote was made by William Fisher, one of two Cuomo appointees left on a panel once dominated by loyalists to the ex-governor.

Officials with the ethics commission said they would move quickly to post the report on their website.

The emergency final meeting of the panel was held only to determine whether to release the document, which was prepared by an outside law firm. As often occurred during JCOPE's decade-long lifespan, the last debate of the ethics and lobbying oversight body was filled with political intrigue.

Before the meeting, commissioners were told that Fisher would lead the proceeding rather than Chairman Jose Nieves, who did not attend for unclear reasons. He was appointed to the position last year by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Fisher was one of only two commissioners remaining on the panel originally appointed by Cuomo. Before the meeting, Commissioner Gary Lavine was concerned that Fisher's unexpected chairmanship would complicate Lavine's plan to hold a public discussion of the report. And as the meeting kicked off, there was friction: Lavine tried to introduce a motion, but his attempt was shot down by Fisher.

"I'm sitting here listening to all of this and saying to myself, 'How is this being heard out there?'" said Commissioner Marvin Jacob. "For 11 years, I sat on this commission and all we heard was criticism about transparency. And here we are, at our very last meeting, and we can't seem to cut through all the amendments. ... Can't we just try just try to be as transparent as possible, as straightforward as possible, in what we say at our very last meeting?"

"I think we're trying," Fisher said.

"Oh, it doesn't sound like it to me," Jacob responded. "And I don't think it sounds like it to the people out there."

Eventually, Fisher and other commissioners agreed to Lavine's proposal to vote publicly on the report's release following a private executive session.

JCOPE Executive Director Sanford Berland was said to be pushing against the report's release. The report may be critical of the staff's actions in approving Cuomo's book deal  an approval the commission has sought to unravel on the grounds the former governor provided misleading information about his use of government resources to publish it.

The book netted Cuomo a $5.1 million payment from the publisher, Penguin Random House, but his extensive use of government staffers to produce the work has since been the subject of multiple investigations, including the internal JCOPE review approved by commissioners last October.

JCOPE will cease to exist on Friday because of a provision in Aprils state budget agreement, and is set to be replaced by a new ethics and lobbying oversight panel, the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government.

Last year, the Times Union reported that the internal review of staff actions would likely focus on how the commission's former deputy general counsel, Martin Levine, approved the book deal in July 2020 without the consent of the bodys 14 commissioners.

In 2012, JCOPE's commissioners had passed a resolution allowing JCOPE staff to unilaterally take certain actions between commission meetings.

During the summer of 2020, JCOPEs commissioners held meetings in June and August, but not in July, the month the governor's application was quickly approved by Levine.

In justifying approving the book, JCOPE's staff has cited the 2012 resolution, although that measure did not state that the action taken by Levine  a formal request to earn outside income approvals  was among the powers delegated to staff between meetings. Levine's approval was issued a week after Cuomo's government counsel requested it.

Another possible avenue of inquiry was whether former JCOPE Chairman Michael Rozen was privy to information about the deal that other commissioners were not. Rozen had been appointed by Cuomo. At the same time, two legislatively appointed commissioners are said to have sought a copy of Cuomo's book contract as the process was proceeding, but did not receive a copy from the Executive Chamber.

Cuomo has acknowledged using his government staff for tasks, including editing the manuscript, though his government counsel had explicitly promised in a letter to Levine that state personnel would not be used.

Cuomo has since said his government staff's work on the book was voluntary and therefore legal. The contention that the work was voluntary has been disputed by some lower-level Executive Chamber staff, including in a detailed report issued last November by the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

If the new report on JCOPE staffs actions is released  and casts Cuomo in a negative light  Cuomo could argue that the process was tainted by a potential conflict of interest.

The law firm retained to conduct the investigation, Hogan Lovells, is simultaneously defending JCOPE in a lawsuit filed by Cuomo in early April. Like the internal investigation into JCOPE staffs actions, the litigation in which Hogan Lovells is representing JCOPE is centered on Cuomos book.

In June 2021, Hogan Lovells began a contract worth up to $300,000 with JCOPE. Hogan Lovells was originally retained to respond to a subpoena issued to the commission by state Attorney General Letitia James office.

In early October, JCOPE voted to retain outside counsel to conduct the inquiry into staff's approval of Cuomos book deal, tapping Hogan Lovells for the work.

In early April, Cuomo sued JCOPE over an ongoing investigation into Cuomo's book and its efforts to force Cuomo to repay $5.1 million in royalties. Hogan Lovells was retained to represent JCOPE even as its probe of staffs book approval was in motion.

JCOPE commissioners were scrambling to find an attorney to defend the body  James office declined to represent the commission in the matter  and the commission already had the ongoing legal contract with Hogan Lovells.

In April, Levine left JCOPE after nine years for a position as senior counsel with EarthJustice, a nonprofit dedicated to litigating environmental issues.

With the commissions demise, its unclear whether an ongoing ethics investigation and legal actions related to Cuomo will go forward. That will likely be a decision for the 11 members of the new Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government, who are still going through an appointment and vetting process prescribed by the new law.

Correction: Two JCOPE commissioners appointed by former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo remained on the commission for its final meeting. That fact was misstated in an earlier version of this story.
Sarahana Shrestha, the climate organizer who surprised a longtime incumbent in last weeks Democratic primary in the 103rd Assembly District, was at the Kingston home of her friend, Ulster County Legislator Phil Erner, to watch the results roll in on election night.

It was a fitting place to watch an upset play out. Fifty-one weeks earlier, Erner had won a similarly insurgent primary campaign by harnessing grassroots enthusiasm and the backing of the Mid-Hudson Valley Democratic Socialists of America to unseat Ulster County Legislature Chairman David Donaldson, a Democrat whod served nearly three decades. It shows that a motivated minority can beat the majority, Donaldson said of his defeat in an interview with The Daily Freeman.

Shresthas opponent was Kevin A. Cahill, a lifelong Kingston resident who has represented the district for 26 of the past 30 years. A week before election day, Cahill inadvertently echoed Donaldson, calling the challenge posed by Shrestha  who was among a slate of DSA-backed candidates primarying Democrats in state Assembly races this year  a power grab.

Cahill was more gracious after the election, which Shrestha won by about 600 votes. I congratulate her, wish her great success and hope that the people of our community welcome her with the same enthusiasm and confidence you invested in me, he said in a statement to supporters.

Cahills office did not respond to requests for an interview for this story.

Enthusiasm and confidence were not lacking in the Shrestha campaign. In fact, she says, fervid volunteer support, a strategically robust ground game, and a climate-focused message were the keys to victory.

We had a core team of 20 to 25 volunteers, and at a certain point, they just entered monster mode, Shreshta said. They stopped doing their day jobs and spent a lot of money on gas. We formed very strong bonds. On top of that, we were getting such positive reinforcement  people were mostly so welcoming, so positive, so onboard. I think that positive feedback loop made them even more invested.

And then at a certain point, we also realized that everybody was watching this race  that we were, in fact, running one of the most important races in the state. When people start started to realize that, I think they felt even extra invested to win.

On the ground across the district

Shresthas campaign was marked by an expansive ground game in which volunteers knocked on more than 32,000 doors in the district. According to For the Many, a local advocacy nonprofit, its Independent Expenditure Committee sent nearly 80,000 mailers, ran digital ads with over 445,000 impressions and made 76,262 direct voter contacts by canvassing or phone  more than half the population of the 103rd Assembly District.

Shrestha says she was able to mobilize that level of support because she was already a known quantity among progressive organizers in the Hudson Valley. She is the co-chair of the Ecosocialism Working Group for the Mid-Hudson Valley DSA chapter and has been active in community organizing around climate issues, especially as part of the Stop Danskammer Coalition, a multi-year effort that halted the construction of a proposed gas-fired power plant on the Hudson River.

Im a person theyve had a relationship with since before I even announced my candidacy, she said. Many were people I talked to when I was still in the process of making a decision (to run).

Sarahana was one of us, said Aaron Eisenberg, a DSA member and spokesman for Public Power New York, a coalition of community organizations advocating for an environmentally sustainable energy system. She got involved in statewide politics through the Public Power NY campaign. But she didnt get involved in the campaign to run for office. As she grew in it, people came to her asking for her to run. And she rejected it multiple times.

While Shresthas personal relationships provided her campaign with a sizable core team of volunteers, she says she was very intentional about cultivating a we culture and making sure that there was never a culture where it was assumed that I was the most important person in this campaign.

She also touts the success her team had in promoting that positive culture on social media. Lots of people told us they would have FOMO just looking at our canvassing drives.

The number of volunteers who joined the campaign allowed Shrestha to form six field teams to cover the large district, with coordinators for Kingston, Woodstock, Saugerties, New Paltz/Gardiner, Rosendale/Marbletown/Hurley, and Red Hook and Rhinebeck in Dutchess County. For the rural areas of the district, the campaign organized widespread canvasses with all of the core team. Shrestha says she knocked on doors in every municipality in the district, and covered all of Esopus, where she lives, with her husband.

In my opinion the largest contributing factor to our win was a massive success at developing a community of organizers for this race who gave their all and then some, New Paltz field coordinator Michelangelo Pomerico wrote in a tweet thread after the primary.

That the effort was driven by impassioned organizers was also critical in creating what Shrestha calls a movement campaign, one that could speak to perceived failures to address climate, housing and healthcare issues while affirmatively calling for transformative change. (The campaigns slogan was the future must be beautiful.)

I am one of those people who does not believe that all these issues are separate. Everything is tied to the way our economy operates, which really sets the priority, Shrestha said.

We laid out a theory of change not just for the district but for New York, Pomerico said. These were conversations about class struggle, building power, and a strategy to effect change. In speaking to our organizing work we gave the clearest contrast possible to our opponent.

Shrestha felt that her campaign could run on progressive issues and not water down its messaging because of the districts constituency. The 103rd leans older and more liberal, having voted in past Democratic primaries for Bernie Sanders, Cynthia Nixon and Zephyr Teachout.

We knew going in that there was a base that could connect to our message, Shrestha said. And we were having very meaningful conversations at the doors  people wanted to see a woman candidate, a woman of color candidate, a young candidate.

For that reason, Shrestha also resists the idea that she won because of shifting demographics in the district, particularly the number of people who have moved from New York City to the Hudson Valley over the past two years. She points to preliminary data showing that of the 15,100 voters who cast ballots in the Democratic primary, nearly 45 percent were aged 65 or older, and another 27 percent were between 50 and 64. Only six percent of voters were between the ages of 18 and 29.

This assumption that this is a race inspired by Brooklyn and Queens is so misunderstanding who lives here, Shrestha said. I was very proud of the support that I got, not necessarily because of what it said about me, but what it said about the district. This is a very progressive district.

The importance of climate

Voters who want to see New York take action on climate problems are facing a frustrating dynamic: Most Democrats in the state Legislature talk about climate change as an important problem to be solved, but that mostly hasnt translated into action.

Despite having control of both chambers and the Executive Mansion, and a supermajority in the state Senate, Democrats in the Legislature have failed in the last several sessions to pass key pieces of legislation that would translate New Yorks climate targets  set forth in the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act  into concrete action and funding for the clean energy transition. Meanwhile, Republicans have largely opposed climate bills that would result in large emissions cuts.

Climate advocates say that Shresthas win reflects a real hunger on the part of local voters to see the state break through its legislative inertia and start acting on climate problems.

The Hudson Valley is prime territory for candidates who want to pursue effective climate action, says Emily Skydel, a Hudson Valley organizer for Food and Water Watch. Skydel points to the successful grassroots organizing against the expansion of the Danskammer power plant in Newburgh  and the fact that nine municipalities in the 103rd Assembly District passed resolutions against the project  as evidence that the region is hungry for change.

Skydel, who knocked on doors for Shresthas campaign, said that climate was a top issue for many of the voters she spoke to. At the doors, when we talked to voters, they were very upset that a supermajority of Democrats couldnt deliver comprehensive climate legislation.

Eisenberg agreed. The people of the Hudson Valley really want climate action. Its not some secondary or tertiary issue  it is the issue.

On paper, the Shrestha-Cahill race was between two supporters of climate action. Cahill, along with his Senate counterpart Kevin Parker, was the lead sponsor on an important climate bill introduced in 2021, the Climate and Community Investment Act. The bill would raise $15 billion for climate action projects through a tax on carbon imposed on fossil fuel producers and give a third of that revenue directly back to the lowest-earning 60 percent of New York state households as a rebate.

But the CCIA has failed to pass in two consecutive sessions, and climate advocates blame Cahill and his fellow Democratic incumbents for that.

Pete Sikora, a climate advocate with New York Communities for Change, points to comments made by Cahill to reporters 14 months ago, while the legislative session was still ongoing, that CCIA would likely not pass that year.

Cahill gave a bunch of quotes that effectively buried the bill. Hes talking about how its not going to pass and its not realistic for this session, Sikora said. Thats crazy talk, unless youre so wedded to Albany policy and process that you cant see whats right and whats wrong anymore.

In this years session, two of the biggest priorities for climate advocates were passing the All-Electric Building Act, which would start phasing out fossil fuel use in newly constructed buildings in 2024, and the Build Public Renewables Act, which would empower NYSERDA to build renewable power projects and compete with private solar and wind developers.

The All-Electric Building Act is especially critical for slashing emissions: Building heating and cooling accounts for roughly a third of New Yorks greenhouse gas emissions, more than any other sector of the economy, and addressing that problem in the state with the nations oldest housing stock will be a tremendous challenge.

Neither bill passed in this years session. Sikora says Shresthas primary win makes it more likely that both bills will pass soon.

There was an election that mattered on it. That changes the calculus inside the conference, he said. This is a big shot in the arm. I think that we are in a strengthened position to win that legislations passage next year, and I think were going to win.

Climate advocates are growing increasingly impatient with Democrats tendency to talk about the issue but falling short of taking action. The advocates say consensus emerging among climate scientists  laid out in detail in the most recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change  is that ambitious government policy to reduce emissions in this decade is necessary to keep some of the worst climate futures from coming to pass, even though it is no longer possible to prevent the accelerating climate instability and extreme weather events that are already occurring.

For advocates like Skydel, Shresthas primary win reflects a growing recognition in the Hudson Valley that there is no time to waste on climate.

We cannot continue at a snails pace, Skydel said. Kevin Cahill couldnt meet the enormity of this crisis, and now hes gone. [Assembly] Speaker [Carl] Heastie should take note if he wants to hold onto the existing Democrats in office.
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SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  It's only been a month since North Korea acknowledged having a COVID-19 outbreak, after steadfastly denying any cases for more than two years. But already it may be preparing to declare victory.

According to state media, North Korea has avoided the mass deaths many expected in a nation with one of the world's worst health care systems, little or no access to vaccines, and what outsiders see as a long record of ignoring the suffering of its people.

North Korea's official virus numbers, experts believe, have as much to do with propaganda to boost leader Kim Jong Un as with a true picture of what's happening in the country, and there's widespread doubt about their accuracy.

What's clear, though, is that the daily updates from state media make it appear inevitable that the nation will completely defeat a virus that has killed more than 6 million people around the world. According to the official tally, cases are plummeting, and, while 18% of the nation of 26 million people reportedly have had symptoms that outsiders strongly suspect were from COVID-19, less than 100 have died.

The South Korean government as well as some experts believe that North Korea may soon declare that it has beaten the virus. This will be linked, of course, to Kim's strong and clever guidance.

A victory lap, however, isnt a foregone conclusion. Doing so, according to some experts, would deprive Kim of a useful tool to control the public and could open the government up to humiliation if cases continue.

There are two sides to such a declaration, said Moon Seong Mook, an analyst with the Seoul-based Korea Research Institute for National Strategy. If North Korea says that COVID-19 has gone, it can emphasize that Kim Jong Un is a great leader who has overcome the pandemic. But in doing so, it cant maintain the powerful restrictions that it uses to control its people in the name of containing COVID-19.

Outsiders suspect that Kim is using the outbreak to boost internal unity at a time when many of his people are tired of 2  years of draconian curbs that have hurt their livelihoods.

However North Korea deals with its description of the pandemic, many signs, at least in public statements, point to a declaration of success in dealing with a virus that has confounded the richest countries in the world.

In the initial stage of the outbreak, Kim described a great upheaval as daily fever cases  North Korea rarely calls them COVID-19, presumably because it lacks test kits  reached about 400,000. Now, however, the leader is suggesting that the outbreak has peaked, with his health officials maintaining a widely disputed fatality rate of 0.002%, the lowest in the world.

The question many outside experts are wrestling with is: What is the true state of misery in North Korea, which has banned nearly all outside journalists, aid workers and diplomats since early 2020?

North Korea is widely believed to be manipulating its true death toll to prevent any harm to Kim. It might also have exaggerated the number of earlier fever cases to boost vigilance against the virus and draw stronger public support for authorities' anti-virus controls. North Korea has recently reported about 17,000 to 30,000 new fever cases each day, for a total of 4.7 million. It says  to widespread outside disbelief  that only 73 have died.

Whatever the real situation is, outside monitoring groups say they havent detected signs of anything catastrophic in North Korea.

If a large number of people had died, there would have been some pieces of evidence, but there hasn't been any, said Nam Sung-wook, a professor at Korea University in South Korea. During a huge famine in the 1990s, for instance, rumors of widespread death and of people abandoning bodies spread outside of the country, into China and South Korea.

Kang Mi-jin, a North Korean defector in Seoul who runs a company analyzing the Norths economy, said three of her contacts in the northern North Korean city of Hyesan told her during phone calls that most of their family members have suffered suspected COVID-19 symptoms. But she said they told her that none of their relatives, neighbors and acquaintances have died of COVID-19, though theyve heard rumors of such deaths in other towns.

During an earlier phone conversation, one of my sources cried a little bit when she said she was worried that some bad things could happen in her family (because of COVID-19). But now she and others have become stable and sometimes laugh when we talk on the phone, Kang said.

During a recent ruling party meeting, Kim said the country's pandemic fight has passed the stage of unexpected serious crisis. State media have urged the public to rally behind Kim in a firmer way to overcome the pandemic completely.

Cho Joonghoon, a spokesperson for South Koreas Unification Ministry, which oversees relations with North Korea, told reporters last week that the North may announce its COVID-19 crisis has been resolved this month.

Nam, the South Korean professor, said the outbreak appears to have eased in Pyongyang, North Koreas capital, but will likely continue in rural areas, where some people with symptoms are venturing out of doors because they rely on market activities for a living and have no access to public rations.

I think North Korea will declare a victory over the pandemic a bit later. It would lose face if it proclaimed victory too soon and new patients cropped up afterwards, Nam said.

Kang, the defector, said that North Korean residents in Hyesan abide by the government's anti-pandemic orders and that few fever patients go outside during quarantine periods.

Because North Korea believes that the pandemic, U.N. sanctions and other economic difficulties will continue, there's little chance it will lift major restrictions soon, said Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam Universitys Institute for Far Eastern Studies in Seoul.

The United States and other countries with advanced health care and medical systems havent declared an end to COVID-19. So North Korea will also find it much more difficult to do so, Lim said.

The global vaccine alliance GAVI said earlier this month that it understands that North Korea has accepted an offer of vaccines from China. But North Korea has ignored South Korean and U.S. offers of medical support.

Despite its COVID-19 outbreak, North Korea has continued test-firing missiles this year. But it hasn't yet carried out a widely expected nuclear test, possibly because of worries about a potential backlash from people still struggling with the virus.

North Korea may officially declare victory over the virus when its daily fever cases and the pandemic situation in neighboring China ease significantly, said Ahn Kyung-su, head of DPRKHEALTH.ORG, a website focusing on health issues in North Korea.

But he said such a declaration doesnt mean much because North Korea likely only acknowledged the outbreak last month because it had determined that it was manageable.

According to North Korea, it defeats everything. It doesnt acknowledge things that it cant overcome. It always wins absolutely, no matter whether it faces military, economic or pandemic difficulties, Ahn said.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  A Madison man charged with helping tear down two statues outside the state Capitol during a string of protests over racial injustice two years ago has been sentenced to three years of probation.

Jacob Capps, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of felony criminal damage to property Wednesday and was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Katie Siek, Indiana University; Alexander L. Hayes, Indiana University, and Zaidat Ibrahim, Indiana University

(THE CONVERSATION) Social media users posted ideas about how to protect peoples reproductive privacy when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, including entering junk data into apps designed for tracking menstrual cycles.

People use period tracking apps to predict their next period, talk to their doctor about their cycle and identify when they are fertile. Users log everything from cravings to period flow, and apps provide predictions based on these inputs. The app predictions help with simple decisions, like when to buy tampons next, and provide life-changing observations, like whether youre pregnant.

The argument for submitting junk data is that doing so will trip up the apps algorithms, making it difficult or impossible for authorities or vigilantes to use the data to violate peoples privacy. That argument, however, doesnt hold water.

As researcherswho developand evaluate technologies that help people manage their health, we analyze how app companies collect data from their users to provide useful services. We know that for popular period tracking applications, millions of people would need to input junk data to even nudge the algorithm.

Also, junk data is a form of noise, which is an inherent problem that developers design algorithms to be robust against. Even if junk data successfully confused the algorithm or provided too much data for authorities to investigate, the success would be short-lived because the app would be less accurate for its intended purpose and people would stop using it.

In addition, it wouldnt solve existing privacy concerns because peoples digital footprints are everywhere, from internet searches to phone app use and location tracking. This is why advice urging people to delete their period tracking apps is well-intentioned but off the mark.

How the apps work

When you first open an app, you input your age, date of your last period, how long your cycle is and what type of birth control you use. Some apps connect to other apps like physical activity trackers. You record relevant information, including when your period starts, cramps, discharge consistency, cravings, sex drive, sexual activity, mood and flow heaviness.

Once you give your data to the period app company, it is unclear exactly what happens to it because the algorithms are proprietary and part of the business model of the company. Some apps ask for the users cycle length, which people may not know. Indeed, researchers found that 25.3% of people said that their cycle had the oft-cited duration of 28 days; however, only 12.4% actually had a 28-day cycle. So if an app used the data that you input to make predictions about you, it may take a few cycles for the app to calculate your cycle length and more accurately predict the phases of your cycle.

An app could make predictions based on all the data the app company has collected from its users or based on your demographics. For example, the apps algorithm knows that a person with a higher body mass index might have a 36-day cycle. Or it could use a hybrid approach that makes predictions based on your data but compares it with the companys large data set from all its users to let you know whats typical  for example, that a majority of people report having cramps right before their period.

What submitting junk data accomplishes

If you regularly use a period tracking app and give it inaccurate data, the apps personalized predictions, like when your next period will occur, could likewise become inaccurate. If your cycle is 28 days and you start logging that your cycle is now 36 days, the app should adjust  even if that new information is false.

But what about the data in aggregate? The simplest way to combine data from multiple users is to average them. For example, the most popular period tracking app, Flo, has an estimated 230 million users. Imagine three cases: a single user, the average of 230 million users and the average of 230 million users plus 3.5 million users submitting junk data.

An individuals data may be noisy, but the underlying trend is more obvious when averaged over many users, smoothing out the noise to make the trend more obvious. Junk data is just another type of noise. The difference between the clean and fouled data is noticeable, but the overall trend in the data is still obvious.

This simple example illustrates three problems. People who submit junk data are unlikely to affect predictions for any individual app user. It would take an extraordinary amount of work to shift the underlying signal across the whole population. And even if this occurred, poisoning the data risks making the app useless for those who need it.

Other approaches to protecting privacy

In response to peoples concerns about their period app data being used against them, some period apps made public statements about creating an anonymous mode, using end-to-end encryption and following European privacy laws.

The security of any anonymous mode hinges on what it actually does. Flos statement says that the company will de-identify data by removing names, email addresses and technical identifiers. Removing names and email addresses is a good start, but the company doesnt define what they mean by technical identifiers.

With Texas paving the road to legally sue anyone aiding anyone else seeking an abortion, and 87% of people in the U.S. identifiable by minimal demographic information like ZIP code, gender and date of birth, any demographic data or identifier has the potential to harm people seeking reproductive health care. There is a massive market for user data, primarily for targeted advertising, that makes it possible to learn a frightening amount about nearly anyone in the U.S.

While end-to-end encryption and the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) can protect your data from legal inquiries, unfortunately none of these solutions help with the digital footprints everyone leaves behind with everyday use of technology. Even users search histories can identify how far along they are in pregnancy.

What do we really need?

Instead of brainstorming ways to circumvent technology to decrease potential harm and legal trouble, we believe that people should advocate for digital privacy protections and restrictions of data usage and sharing. Companies should effectively communicate and receive feedback from people about how their data is being used, their risk level for exposure to potential harm, and the value of their data to the company.

People have been concerned about digital data collection in recent years. However, in a post-Roe world, more people can be placed at legal risk for doing standard health tracking.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/no-submitting-junk-data-to-period-tracking-apps-wont-protect-reproductive-privacy-186257.
Officials in New Haven, Connecticut, announced prisoner transport and detention reforms Thursday in response to a police van driver braking suddenly while transporting a man in the back of the van, sending him flying headfirst into a metal wall of the vehicle and paralyzing him.

Mayor Justin Elicker and police Chief Karl Jacobson outlined new policies and training during a news conference, one day after having met with Richard Randy Cox and his family at a local hospital. Cox is paralyzed from the waist down and has trouble talking, his lawyers and city officials said.

I want to reiterate that what happened to Mr. Cox is unacceptable and were committed to making these necessary changes," Elicker said. Yesterday, seeing Mr. Cox in his condition really brings home why its so important for us to take action to correct what happened."

What happened to Cox, 36, on June 19 has sparked outrage from his family and civil rights advocates including the NAACP, and has drawn comparisons to the Freddie Gray case in Baltimore. Gray, a 25-year-old Black man, died in 2015 after he suffered a spinal injury while handcuffed and shackled in a city police van. Cox is also Black.

The reforms announced Thursday include eliminating the use of police vans for most prisoner transports and using marked police vehicles instead, requiring officers to immediately call for an ambulance to respond to their location if the prisoner requests or appears to need medical aid, a review of detention center policies, random checks of detention area personnel's body cameras, and department-wide training on several related topics.

City officials are inviting residents to several planned town hall-style discussions on police department issues, with the first one scheduled for July 14. They also say several steps already have been taken in response to what happened to Cox, including requiring officers to ensure prisoners are wearing seat belts.

Scot X. Esdaile, president of the Connecticut NAACP chapter, said the announced reforms are a good first step, but more needs to be done.

They still need to deal with the police culture of those officers dragging him out of the van ... and also dragging him into the police department and slamming him down in the cell with a broken spine, Esdaile said in a phone interview. Thats more deep-rooted than the policies that they're recommending.

Five members of the New Haven Police Department who were involved in the transport and detention of Cox have been placed on paid leave pending a state police investigation.

Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump was in New Haven last week, announcing he will be leading the legal fight on behalf of Cox and calling for a federal civil rights investigation. A March for Justice for Cox by his family, NAACP chapters and other supporters is planned for Friday afternoon in New Haven.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, the U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut, said in a statement Wednesday that her office is monitoring the investigations into what happened to Cox and will take action if warranted.

Cox was arrested on a weapons charge June 19. While handcuffed in the back of the van, which had no seat belts, he flew headfirst into the wall between the cab and back of the van when Officer Oscar Diaz braked hard to avoid a collision, police said.

Diaz resumed driving to the police department, despite Cox calling for help and saying he was injured and couldnt move, according to police videos and officials. A few minutes later, Diaz stopped the van to check on Cox, who was lying motionless on the floor.

Diaz then called paramedics but told them to meet him at the station instead of waiting for them where he was, a violation of policy, police officials said. Diaz has not returned messages seeking comment.

At the station, officers dragged Cox out of the van by his feet and put him in a wheelchair, police video shows. Police then booked Cox, took him out of the wheelchair and dragged him into a cell, where he was left on the floor. The videos also show officers telling Cox to move despite him showing signs of paralysis.

Paramedics arrived minutes later and took Cox to a hospital, officials said.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Lily Hsueh, Arizona State University

(THE CONVERSATION) The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is considering requiring publicly traded U.S. companies to disclose the climate-related risks they face. Republican state officials, emboldened by a recent Supreme Court ruling, are already threatening to sue, claiming regulators dont have the authority.

While the debate heats up, whats surprisingly missing is a discussion about whether disclosures actually influence corporate behavior.

An underlying premise of financial disclosures is that what gets measured is more likely to be managed. But do corporations that disclose climate change information actually reduce their carbon footprints?

Im a professor of economics and public policy, and my research shows that while carbon disclosure encourages some improvement, it is not enough by itself to ensure that companies greenhouse gas emissions fall. Worse still, some companies use it to obfuscate and enable greenwashing  false or misleading advertising claiming a company is more environmentally or socially responsible than it really is.

I believe the SEC has an unprecedented opportunity to design a program that is greenwashing-resistant.

Disclosure doesnt always mean less carbon

Although carbon disclosure is often held up as an indicator of corporate social responsibility, the data tells a more nuanced story.

I investigated the carbon disclosures made by nearly 600 companies that were listed in the S&P 500 index at least once between 2011 and 2016. The disclosures were made to CDP, formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project, a nonprofit organization that surveys companies and governments about their carbon emissions and management. More than half of all S&P 500 firms respond to its requests for information.

At first glance, one might think that a mandated, unified framework for reporting companies climate management and risk data and their greenhouse gas emissions, such as the one proposed by the SEC, is likely to lead to more efficient use of fossil fuels, lowering emissions as the economy grows.

I did find that companies that have proactively disclosed their emissions to CDP on average reduced their entitywide carbon emissions intensity by at least one measure: carbon emissions per capita of full-time employees. This means that as a company increases in size, it is estimated to reduce its carbon footprint on a per-employee basis. This does not, however, necessarily translate to a reduction in a companys overall carbon emissions. Much of the decline involved large emissions-intensive companies, such as utilities, that were trying to get ahead of expected climate regulations.

Companies that received a B grade from CDP increased their entitywide carbon emissions on average over that time. Notably, those in the financial, health care and other consumer-oriented sectors that did not experience the same level of regulatory pressure as greenhouse gas-intensive firms led the increase.

About a quarter of the S&P 500 companies that completed CDPs annual climate change survey undertook assessments of their business impacts on the environment and integrated climate risk management into their business strategy. Yet entitywide emissions still increased.

Earlier research found similar results in the first decade of the U.S. Department of Energys Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Registry. Overall, it found that participating in the registry had no significant effect on the companies carbon emissions intensity, but that many of the companies, by being selective in what they reported, reported emissions reductions.

Another study, which focused on the power sectors participation in CDPs surveys, found an increase in carbon intensity.

A-List may not be exempt from greenwashing

Even companies that made CDPs coveted A-List of climate leaders may not necessarily be free of greenwashing.

A company earns an A grade when it has met criteria of disclosure, awareness, management and leadership, including adopting global best practices, such as a science-based emissions target, regardless of whether these practices translate into improved environmental performance.

Because CDP grades companies based on sustainability outputs rather than outcomes, an A-list company could be carbon neutral when it counts only the facilities it owns and not the factories that make its products. Moreover, a company that has earned an A could commit to removing all emitted carbon but maintain partnerships with oil and gas companies to generate new exploration opportunities.

Retail and apparel giants Walmart, Target and Nike  all in the B to A-minus range in recent years  offer an example of the challenge.

They regularly disclose their carbon management plans and emissions to CDP. But they are also part of the industry-led Sustainable Apparel Coalition, which has controversially portrayed petroleum-based synthetics as the most sustainable choice above natural fibers in the Higgs Index, a supply chain measurement tool that some clothing companies use to show a social and environmental footprint to consumers. Walmart has been sued by the Federal Trade Commission over products described as bamboo and eco-friendly and sustainable that were made from rayon, a semi-synthetic fiber made using toxic chemicals.

Designing a greenwashing-resistant disclosure program

I see three key ways for the SEC to design a climate disclosure program that is greenwashing-resistant.

First, misinformation or disinformation about ESG  environmental, social and governance factors  can be minimized if companies are given clear guidelines on what constitutes a low-carbon initiative.

Second, companies can be required to benchmark their emission targets based on historical emissions, undergo independent audits and report concrete changes.

Its important to clearly define carbon footprint so these metrics are comparable among companies and over time. For example, there are different types of emissions: Scope 1 emissions are the direct emissions coming out of a firms chimneys and tailpipes. Scope 2 emissions are associated with the power a company consumes. Scope 3 is harder to measure  it includes emissions in a companys supply chain and through the use of its products, such as gasoline used in cars. It reflects the complexity of the modern supply chain.

Finally, companies could be asked to disclose a fixed deadline for phasing out fossil fuel assets. This will better ensure that pledges translate into concrete actions in a timely and transparent manner.

Ultimately, investors and financial markets need accurate and verifiable information to assess their investments future risk and determine for themselves whether net-zero pledges made by companies are credible.

There is now momentum across the globe to hold companies accountable for their emissions and climate pledges. Disclosure rules have been introduced in the United Kingdom, European Union and New Zealand, and in Asian business hubs like Singapore and Hong Kong. When countries have similar policies, allowing for consistency, comparability and verifiability, there will be fewer opportunities for loopholes and exploitation, and I believe our climate and economy will be better for it.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/secs-climate-disclosure-plan-could-be-in-trouble-after-a-recent-supreme-court-ruling-but-a-bigger-question-looms-does-disclosure-work-185371.
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New York lawmakers may disagree with how the U.S. Supreme Court is interpreting the Second Amendment, but that's no reason to attack the First Amendment. Unfortunately, a requirement embedded in a package of new gun legislation does just that.

In an emergency session called by Gov. Kathy Hochul after the court struck down the state's law governing concealed-carry permits, lawmakers rushed to pass sweeping legislation that, among other things, mandates that applicants for concealed-carry pistol permits turn over the details of their social media accounts.

Licensing authorities will examine those accounts to ensure applicants have not only, as the legislation puts it, "good moral character" but also "the essential character, temperament and judgement necessary to be entrusted with a weapon and to use it only in a manner that does not endanger oneself or others."

What kind of things will examiners be looking for to determine whether an applicant is of sufficient moral character? What sort of social media language will be considered disqualifying? The legislation is silent on those questions, leaving those determinations, presumably, to the whims and discretion of licensing authorities.

In other words, how applicants get to exercise their Second Amendment rights may depend on how they exercised their First Amendment rights  and whether government officials approve.

But free speech isn't free if government authorities can impose consequences even for speech that is otherwise perfectly legal. What's more, New York's law leaves open the troubling possibility that applicants could be denied for political speech or opinions that happen to be unpopular with licensing authorities.

On one level, we understand the impulse behind the law, given that perpetrators of mass shootings, including the alleged killer of seven people at a recent Fourth of July parade in Illinois, often post disturbing or violent thoughts on social media before committing massacres.

That's why we support fixing flaws in the state's red-flag system, under which police, family members, and certain other parties can apply to a court to temporarily bar a dangerous person from possessing firearms. There are also existing laws that are meant to address violent threats.

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While those laws target specific and explicit language, New York's new legislation is different; it requires the systematic examination of speech to make vague value judgments about "good moral character"  a measurement that could hardly be more subjective.

Given its disregard for the First Amendment, the law is almost certainly unconstitutional. It will also be ineffective in preventing potentially bad actors from acquiring concealed-carry permits. They could simply refuse to reveal the existence of social media accounts, especially anonymous ones, that might cast them in a bad light. Or they may delete accounts prior to applying for the permit. Only honest and law-abiding applicants are likely to have their speech analyzed by authorities.

The social-media mandate, then, serves little purpose and seems to illustrate the overreach lawmakers risk when they rush through legislation without deliberation and input from the public. Lawmakers must reconsider the social-media mandate, before courts inevitably force them to.
PITTSFIELD, Mass.  If importance of subject, nobility of intention and authorial earnestness were sufficient to make excellent theater, the education-based drama "ABCD," having its world premiere at Barrington Stage Company this month, would be the best play of the summer, perhaps the year. It's got a lively, engaging cast, an excellent set and a story of urgent relevance.

But writer May Treuhaft-Ali, who is having her first play professionally produced, doesn't trust the audience to get it, and she makes her thuddingly obvious points with such pedestrian language that there's almost no place for nuance, subtlety and ambiguity  in other words, the stuff that makes drama good.

An exchange early in the play, between a principal and a former student of his who's now taught math for 10 years at the same middle school he attended, illustrates Treuhaft-Ali's lay-it-on-thick approach.

Principal: "You are a pillar of this community. I remember teaching you algebra in this room, and Im so proud of the man youve become."

Teacher: "I couldnt have done it without you. You always looked out for me."

Principal: "I knew youd follow in my footsteps. And to be honest, I still have faith that you will."

A play doesn't have to have dialogue that sings or crackles. While desirable, it isn't required. But even the best actors can go only so far toward transforming such greeting-card lines into sounding the way people actually do when they talk.

If you can get past the clumsy language and uncomplicated characterizations, you can appreciate how well director Daniel J. Bryant, making his Barrington Stage debut, brings to life a story inspired by large cheating scandals at American public schools in recent years, perpetrated by teachers and students.

In "ABCD," running through July 23 on BSC's small St Germain stage, the principal (Melvin Abston) informs three of his teachers (Toree Alexandre, Maribel Martinez and Brandon St. Clair) that their underperforming school may be shut down if students don't show significant improvement on an upcoming standardized test. The school is so lacking in funds that it has a nurse only twice a week and no art teacher, but that's irrelevant, the principal says. And so he conspires with two of the teachers to alter test results.

At a top-flight public magnet school in the same city, a shy, Iraqi-born math-and-science whiz named Bilal (Justin Ahdoot) discovers a way out of his alienation from his peers. He does it with the help of Sunghee (Pearl Shin), a vivacious Asian girl popular with the white students who dominate the school. She convinces him that the small-scale help he's been giving a few friends on tests could be expanded to many more classmates, better ensuring future academic success for all.

The questions asked by "ABCD" are central the current state of American public education. If teachers are held to impossible standards and harshly punished for trying to achieve them in the only way they think they can; and if students feel so driven to get into A-list universities that they'll betray their moral centers, here's where we're left, as an insert in the program puts it: "If the pressure to perform sets people up for failure at both the underserved and the most elite schools in our country, then whom does our education system serve?"

That needs answering. But the way to call attention to the problem is not with a play so predictable that, a couple of silly and unnecessary moments of magical realism aside, it never surprises. Characters express reservation, agonize, transgress, feel guilt, confess, are punished, seek redemption. Bryant's speedy, efficient direction; the performances he gets his from cast, especially Ahdoot, Shin and Chavez Ravine as a tough-minded physics teacher; and Baron E. Pugh's effective rotating set aren't enough to give "ABCD" more than a middling grade for trying hard.
Sinn Fein is considering tabling a motion of no confidence in the government next week, after the three-party coalition lost its majority following a vote on legislation on Wednesday evening.

Former education minister Joe McHugh voted against the Governments mica redress scheme bill, which aims to compensate homeowners in four counties affected by defective building blocks.

Donegal TD Mr McHugh told the Dail: My gut is telling me that this scheme is falling short for too many people, and particularly for constituents in my own county.

Mr McHugh, who formerly served as a chief whip, subsequently resigned the whip in the wake of his dissenting vote  reducing the governments support to one short of a majority of 80.

On Thursday, Irish premier Micheal Martin welcomed the prospect of a no-confidence vote, saying that it gives a chance to show that this has been a competent, good government.

Opposition party Sinn Fein is due to meet on Friday morning to decide if it will table the motion.

Mary Lou McDonald told reporters in Dublin: We will meet tomorrow morning and we will take a decision on a confidence motion but as we speak, yes it is under action consideration and we know each of us in our individual experiences that two things  first the appetite for change that was so evidence in the last general election has not gone away.

It has grown.

Secondly, people have now run out patience, if they had any to begin with, with this government.

They no longer have a majority. I have no doubt that they believe they could limp on.

The sooner we have a change, the better, but on the issue of the confidence motion, we are considering that matter and will make a final call on it.

Asked if she believes she will win, given some independent TDs vote with the Government, Ms McDonald said the party will weigh that up.

What we know without fear of contradiction is that in the area of housing, for example, things have gone from bad worse.

Not alone has this Government improved matters, as a matter things are considerably worse now than they were two years ago for lots and lots of people, for renters, for people who may wish to buy their own home and certainly we now have record levels of homelessness.

We go into the Dail week in and week out and we listen to the same mantra, and the same delusion on behalf of the government. That cannot continue because people suffer in very real and measurable ways.

Speaking to reporters from Government Buildings in Dublin, Mr Martin said that he welcomed the prospect of a no-confidence motion.

Its not unexpected that towards the end of the last week of this parliamentary session that they would put down a motion  opposition parties tend to do that from time to time, he said.

We have a good working majority, we welcome the opportunity that they present to us, to outline the fact that this has been a competent, good government.

Look at how weve come through Covid-19, not just in terms of having one of the better performances globally in respect of mortality, in respect of our resilience, the way we underpinned the economy throughout Covid, such that it bounced back to an unprecedented level.

The Taoiseach also referenced the governments clear response to the war in Ukraine and climate change policy as evidence of his governments effectiveness.

We have a lot to say in terms of policy: education, health and of course housing, where the Housing for All represents the most comprehensive suite of policies that have been advanced by any political party.

When asked whether hed be worried about facing into an election given recent polling numbers, Mr Martin said no, not at all.

Sinn Fein tabled a motion of no confidence in Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney in September 2021 over the appointment of former minister Katherine Zappone as a UN special envoy.

Some 92 TDs voted in favour of Mr Coveney, including 12 independents, while 59 voted against him.
Tonight we take a quick peek at a burning debate amongst local anglers as every facet of cowtown life is threatened by the sky falling.



Here's the fishy controversy setup amid the precious few moments we have until AOC predicted the end of the world . . .



"Summertime fun for many means a trip to the lake, but the water activities you participate in are causing some things to change underneath the surface. First Alert meteorologist Nick Bender looks at how boating is being tied to climate change . . ."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Lake recreation may be tied to climate change Your heart races when a bass hits your hook and then the feeling of success when you land it in the boat . . .

You decide . . .
Politicos, lawyers & activists are shaking their fists as Kansas City promises legal action after Missouri mandated funding levels for law enforcement.

In a worthwhile interview . . . She shares perspective and behind the scenes info . . .



You decide . . .
Right now we share this quick collection of crime news that follows ongoing cases, emergency response and police action . . .



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Two persons of interest in a Platte County homicide have been located out of state Platte County deputies say they have located a man and woman identified as people of interest in a homicide investigation.Deputies say 22-year-old McKayla Archambeau and 32-year-old Cordero Cervantes have been located out of state and are currently in police custody. Investigators from the Platte County Sheriff's Office are on the way to speak with Archambeau and Cervantes.

MCC -Penn Valley issues all clear following bomb threat investigation KANSAS CITY, Mo. - UPDATE, 1:15 p.m. | The school's campus alerts page has given the all clear. A Kansas City, Missouri, Police spokesperson said their investigation did not find any threat. EARLIER | Students and staff at Metropolitan Community College - Penn Valley campus have been asked to evacuate an area near the Carter Arts building.

Lawsuit: Amtrak train over capacity before Missouri crash KANSAS CITY, Mo. - An Iowa couple is the latest to sue following an Amtrak crash last month that killed four people and injured more than 150. Janet Williams and her husband filed a lawsuit against Amtrak, BNSF Railway and MS Contracting.

Missouri's largest business group rolls out crime-fighting plan (LISTEN) - Missourinet "Safer Missouri, Stronger Missouri" is a new business-led statewide plan aimed at reducing crime. The state's largest business group - the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry - is leading the charge. "Crime is hurting Missouri's economy. It's impacting businesses large and small in communities of all sizes.

KCPD looking for 31-year-old not seen since late June SOURCE: KC Police The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department is looking for James Jackson.KCPD says the 31-year has not been seen in over a week.Jackson's family is concerned for his well-being. He was last spoken to on June 29, 2022, at approximately 3 a.m.

Suspected serial killer will stay in Kansas City jail, for now KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A suspected serial killer will stay behind bars, at least for now. Perez Reed is charged with seven murders in Kansas City and St. Louis that happened late last year. Reed waived his right to a bond review during a court hearing in Jackson County Thursday morning.

Developing . . .
In this quick post we take a peek at police action, ongoing investigations and community requests for help.

As always, we try to finish up with some good news that close readers might or might not have seen previously . . .



Check TKC news gathering . . .

KCMO police looking for man, woman who allegedly stole vehicle with child KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City, Missouri, police want help to find a man and woman who allegedly stole a car on June 28 with a four-year-old child inside. The couple took the vehicle at 6:35 p.m. in the 7700 block of east 87th Street, according to police.

KCPD Assault Squad attempting to identify the victim of an aggravated assault The Kansas City, Missouri, Police department says its assault squad is attempting to identify an unknown victim. Police sent out a picture of a victim of an aggravated assault that occurred near 3800 East Gregory Boulevard on July 1, 2022.KCPD says the incident happened at approximately 11:38 a.m. last Friday.

Argument over fireworks, possible racial slur leads to Independence shooting KANSAS CITY, Mo. - An argument over fireworks and a possible racial slur led to a Monday afternoon Independence shooting. Police said Nakki White, who is Black, and his girlfriend were arguing with a man over fireworks when at least two people heard the slur.

KCPD attempting to locate 19-year-old woman in need of medication KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department is asking the public for help in locating a 19-year-old woman. Police said Aselin Lightner was last seen Tuesday near the 1100 block of E. 84th Street at 7 p.m. She is described as standing 5'4 and weighs 160 lbs.

Merriam police ask for help in finding missing woman KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Merriam Police is asking for the public's help in finding a woman last seen on Tuesday. Hannah Pike, 32, was last seen near Interstate 35 and 75th Street. Anyone who sees Pike or has whereabouts is asked to contact the department at (913)-782-0720. -

Investigation into cause of Independence apartment fire could be delayed INDEPENDENCE, Mo. - The investigation continues into the cause of a fire at Cedar Brooks Apartments in Independence. Officials said it could take longer than normal due to the number of fires within the last week. The fire melted a carport and several cars, and some who live in the complex are without a home.

KCPD seeks help identifying suspect vehicle in hit-and-run crash KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department is seeking the public's assistance in identifying a vehicle suspected of seriously injuring an 11-year-old girl during a hit-and-run crash on July 4 at Prospect Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri.

Residents Graduate From Citizens Police Academy Residents taking part in the spring session of the Citizens Police Academy graduated earlier this month after 11 weeks of attendance.

Developing . . .
Actually, TKC is in a good mood tonight despite that ominous post title.

Sadly . . . Our cowtown, the nation and the world continue to confront dire challenges as we quickly move forward through the Summer.

Right now we share just a bit of the news we're watching . . .



Check www.TonysKansasCity.com news gathering . . .

KC Still In Heat After Dark

As nighttime temperatures increase in Kansas City, so do heat injuries and electric bills Kansas City is, once again, experiencing a heat wave - with temperatures climbing to dangerous levels all week. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for the area on Tuesday, with heat indexes up to 108 degrees, effective until 11 p.m. on Thursday.

Tragedy On Golden Ghetto Streets

Olathe PD: Pedestrian hit, killed by vehicle on I-35 south of Santa Fe SOURCE: KC Scout Police in Olathe, Kansas are investigating after a pedestrian was hit and killed by a vehicle on Interstate 35 south of Santa Fe Wednesday night.Investigators shutdown the northbound lanes of I-35 in the area just after 9 p.m., restricting access from 151st Street.No other information has been released.

Gunfire Echoes In The Dotte

Shooting injures 1 person Wednesday night in KCK at apartment complex KANSAS CITY, Mo. - One person suffered serious injuries in a shooting Wednesday night in Kansas City, Kansas. The gunfire happened about 8:30 p.m. in the 2200 block of Silver Court. No word on what led to the violence. A person of interest was taken into custody.

Tech Cash Sparks Envy

Vlogger turned model 'makes pal want to vomit' over extreme OnlyFans earnings How much money do top creators make on OnlyFans? If Corinna Kopf's staggering earnings are anything to go by, it's a lot. The YouTuber turned sexy model, known as "Pouty Girl" online, is best known for appearing in fellow creator David Dobrik's vlogs.

Tucker Denounces White House

Tucker Carlson: Biden should be impeached for sending our natural assets to our enemy China Just a quick recap on the never-changing rules of the world. The three things that any functioning country must have an ample supply of are food, water and energy. Those are the fundamental necessities of life- not diversity, equity and inclusion - food, water and energy.

Fear Of Far East Rising

China: MI5 and FBI heads warn of 'immense' threat "That's where we stepped in," said McCallum. He also said one engineering firm had been approached by a Chinese company which led to its technology being taken before the deal was then called off, forcing the company, Smith's Harlow, to go into administration in 2020.

Holiday Hypocrisy?!?

Newsom loves to bash red states. He's now vacationing in one. The governor left town last week as state lawmakers scattered for a monthlong summer recess, but unlike previous trips, didn't at first announce his whereabouts. News of the governor's travels to Montana, first reported by CalMatters, immediately sparked backlash from his critics.

Simply Place Long-Term Partner In Remote Location Far Away From Action

Science nails the sex best position to help women achieve better orgasms Missionary gets the shaft as the most boring sex position, but it might just be women's new favorite after this scientific discovery. Researchers at private gynecology clinic New H.

Controversial Hipster Celeb Proudly Shows Off Bikini Bod

Lena Dunham models an array of colorful bikinis on Instagram Lena Dunham modelled an array of brightly colored bikinis on her Instagram page this week after the Fourth of July weekend. The 36-year-old Girls star posted four images on Tuesday, revealing a black one-piece, followed by a green, lavender and then mustard yellow bikini, while also showing off her multiple tattoos.

Home Team 'Dong' Reporting

Dozier dong and double decimates disputants, Royals roll 7-4 Just like the previous two games, the Royals took an early lead tonight in Houston. Unlike the previous two, however, Kansas City this time held on for a 7-4 victory. Cristian Javier entered tonight's game having allowed just two runs in his last 19 innings pitched.

Cowtown Counts For Something

Kenny Chesney Sets New Personal Best In Kansas City Kenny Chesney's Here And Now Tour stop at Arrowhead Stadium over the weekend set a new record for himself in Kansas City. He was joined by a crowd of 57,852, besting his 2018 personal record.

Local Hotness Cont'd

Excessive Heat Warning continues across KC area Thursday looks similar to the day before. There will be scattered rain chances, especially by the late morning and midday hours. The Excessive Heat Warning has not been lifted yet, which is also why I'm going higher than my comfort level with temperatures. So, I settled on 93 degrees.

And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
Deadly crime trending in Kansas City over the past few years isn't just a horrific trend which has impacted the entire metro, worsened our economy, contributed to overall blight and lowered our standard of living . . . It's also hateful.

Whilst our readers acknowledge that planning the murder of any person for WHATEVER REASON seems horrible and a hateful act deserving of punishment in and of itself.

We don't want to be cynical and take recent reports to mean that so many people killed over petty personal vendettas, street gang conflict, middling amounts of drugs/money and domestic disputes are any less important than news that might be easily politicized by opportunistic activists.

Accordingly . . .



Today local news merely reminds us that trending urban crime is EVEN WORSE when it targets a person over sexual identity . . .



In a hearing at the US District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Malachi Robinson admitted using a gun to willfully injure the teen because of his sexual orientation on May 29, 2019.



"This attempted murder is a reminder that hate crimes against the LGBTQI+ community are real and must be confronted," Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division said in a statement. "Violent acts targeting people based on their sexual orientation are heinous crimes that have no place in our country."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Kansas City man faces life in prison after pleading guilty to anti-gay hate crime Malachi Robinson admitted he shot a teenage victim eight times with a 9mm pistol in May 2019. Robinson met the victim at a library branch after the victim contacted him via Facebook and offered him money in exchange for a sexual favor.

A Guy Who Googled "How To Get Away With Murder In Real Life" After Shooting A Gay Teen Pleaded Guilty To A Hate Crime A 26-year-old man in Kansas City, Missouri, has pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime after he shot a gay teen eight times after the boy made sexual advances toward him. In a hearing at the US District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Malachi Robinson admitted using a gun to willfully injure the teen because of his sexual orientation on May 29, 2019.

Developing . . .


Security contractors with the City of Toronto will accommodate and rehire Sikh employees like Birkawal Singh Anand who were removed from their positions due to a conflict between their facial hair required by their religion and COVID-19 rules, the city said in a statement on Tuesday. - Paige Taylor White/Toronto Star
The Climate Action Incentive payment is meant to offset rising costs of fuel for individuals and families
Police have released images of a suspect in an investigation into anti-Semitic graffiti in downtown Toronto.
the Cobourg Police Service said they continue to search for Gerald Cooper, a 52-year-old resident of Cobourg, who allegedly fled from police earlier in this week. - Cobourg police photo
?? En vivo | El jefe de Estado, @PedroCastilloTe, junto con la primera dama @LiliaParedesN y el titular del @MineduPeru, preside la ceremonia de conmemoracion por el Dia del Maestro, en Palacio de Gobierno. #SiempreConElPueblo https://t.co/o1IHIWSHb7
" " The presence of plant life and fish overcrowding are two big factors in aquarium water quality. 2007 Publications International, Ltd.

Aquarium water quality deteriorates for several reasons. As a part of their metabolism, fish produce various waste products that accumulate in the water, and other organic matter such as uneaten food decays into substances that can contaminate the water.

Over time, these pollutants build up in an aquarium to a level that is dangerous to the occupants. In their native environment, fish are protected from this problem by a natural system. The water in a river or lake is continually replenished with fresh rainwater, and different chemical and biological processes remove organic pollutants from the water.

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To keep a healthy aquarium, you simply need to understand this natural system and duplicate its effects for your fish.

Prior to the advent of filtration, hobbyists depended on their ability to maintain a balance in the tank. The number and size of fish, the abundance of plants, and the ability of snails and other scavengers to consume excess food and other materials in the tank were all taken into consideration.

It was, however, a balancing act that only the most skilled aquarists could maintain over time. The number of fish that could be kept in these balanced or natural aquariums was rather small. And yet, when measured against the natural environment of the fish, even these aquariums were rather overcrowded.

Today, new hobbyists often believe that aquarium technology, particularly the filtration system, eliminates the work and the problems of keeping fish. Up to a point, this is true.

Certainly in comparison to keeping fish in a bowl, where all of the water must be changed at least once a week, an aquarium with a filter is more convenient and easier to maintain. Still, filtration systems have limitations.

No matter how sophisticated, a filter can only slow down the rate at which the water in an aquarium becomes polluted. No filter system can actually stop water quality from deteriorating. Filtration is important to maintaining good water quality for the fish, and filters do make it possible to keep more fish in an aquarium.

Success with fishkeeping, however, requires more than a good filter. The true value of filtration is that it helps you maintain good water quality more consistently, but only if some easy-to-follow principles of aquarium care are followed.

The real key to success is found in three basic rules, each formulated to create a stable environment for the fish. Rule one is to not overstock the tank with fish. The more fish there are in an aquarium, the faster the water quality goes down. As noted earlier, the filter only slows this process.

The second rule is to not overfeed the fish. The accumulation of uneaten food in the tank will quickly contaminate the water. Rule three is to do frequent partial water changes. This removes pollutants and adds fresh, clean water to the aquarium, helping to maintain a healthy habitat.

If you understand these three rules and the reasoning behind them, you're well on your way to becoming a successful aquarist.

What remains is to learn about the equipment you'll be using -- what you need and why you need it -- and then to learn a little about the fish that you'll be setting up house for. Let's continue with learning where to shop for your aquarium on the next page.

To learn more about freshwater aquariums, see:
Member of Parliament for Chaguanas West and Attorney at Law Dinesh Rambally is eager to see the transcripts from the Special General Meeting of the Law Association.

It was at this meeting on Friday where two motions against Attorney General Reginald Armour failed.
YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, who is in Madrid on a working visit, held a meeting today with Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization Zurab Pololikashvil, the MFA said in a news release.

The interlocutors emphasized the importance of the implementation of the agreements reached within the framework of the visit of the Secretary-General of the UNWTO to Yerevan at the beginning of June, aimed at expanding cooperation between Armenia and the UNWTO, including through the implementation of joint initiatives and development programs in the field of tourism.

Ideas were exchanged on the projects implemented in the field of tourism in Armenia.

The Foreign Minister of Armenia stressed that Armenia attaches great importance to the tourism sector as a foundation for sustainable development and prosperity at the local, national, regional and international levels. In this regard, the Foreign Minister emphasized the support of the UNWTO, especially to the initiatives of Armenia in the direction of innovation, investments, rural and ecotourism development.
In the Sloviansk direction, the enemy is trying to improve its combat tactics, engaging the areas near Krasnopillia and Bohorodychne with mortars, barrel and jet artillery. The Armed Forces repulsed the Russian assault and drove the invaders back near Dolyna. The invaders are continuing assault operations near Mazanivka, where firefights are ongoing.

This is reported by Ukrinform with reference to the morning update by the Ukrainian Armys General Staff.

In the Volyn and Polissia directions, the situation has not changed significantly. No signs were observed of any enemy offensive groups being formed on the territory of Belarus.

In the Siversky direction, the aggressor fired at the positions of Ukrainian troops in the areas of Zalizniy Myst, Shalyhine, and Esman, as well as worked to improves fortifications at their advanced positions in border areas.

The enemy is conducting defensive operations in the Kharkiv direction. The Russians shelled the area using helicopters, tanks, mortars, barrel and jet artillery near Sosnivka, Slatine, Mala Danilivka, Cherkasky Tyshki, Vesele, Kutuzivka, Mospanove, Husarivka, Chepil, and Nova Mykolaivka.

Russian occupiers remotely mined the area near Shestakovo and Peremoha.

In the Kramatorsk direction, the Russians hit civilian infrastructure in the districts of Siversk and Hryhorivka. Ukrainian troops inflicted significant losses on the enemy forces during the latters attempted offensive in the areas of Verkhnokamianske, Bilohorivka, and Hryhorivka. The occupiers were forced to retreat.

In the direction of Bakhmut, the enemy shelled Ukrainian positions with artillery of various calibers near Berestovo, Bilohorivka, Travneve, Shumy, and New York. The Russians also carried out an airstrike in the area of the Vuhlehirsk TPP. With the support of artillery, they conducted assault operations in the area of  Novoluhanske  with no success. Ukrainian troops repulsed the enemy offensive in the area of Spirny and repelled the attack near Vershyn, inflicting losses on the occupiers and pushing them back. The enemy is now trying to regroup its troops.

Meanwhile, the invaders are advancing in Luhansk region, where hostilities continue.

In the Avdiyivka, Kurakhiv, Novopavlivka, and Zaporizhia directions along the contact line, mortar and artillery shelling is ongoing. Enemy airstrikes hit the area near Avdiyivka.

In the South Buh direction, enemy artillery shelled the areas of Trudolyubivka, Knyazivka, Mykolaivka, Topolyne, Kobzartsi, Blahodatne, Shevchenkive, and Lupareve. The Russian occupiers continue to launch rocket attacks on various sites across Mykolaiv region. There remains a further threat of such actions as four high-precision cruise missile carriers have been deployed and are now combat-ready in the Black Sea.

Ukrainian soldiers harshly repressed the invaders' attempt to advance in the direction of Lozova. The enemy pursues measures to replenish losses in manpower and equipment.
In the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions, Ukrainian rocket-artillery and aviation units attacked strongholds of Russian forces and their warehouses.

That's according to the Operational Command South, Ukrinform reports.

On July 6, Russian forces lost 38 soldiers, a T-62 tank, two Sani 120 mm mortar systems, two armored vehicles, four vehicles, as well as three ammunition depots in the Mykolaiv region and a fuel depot in Kherson.

The command said that near Dobrianka (Kherson region), a subversive and reconnaissance group of up to ten invaders attempted to break through to the rear of Ukrainian units. However, the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed five Russians and wounded one more, forcing the group to retreat.

The occupiers also attempted to assault Ukrainian positions near Myroliubivka, Beryslav district, Kherson region. However, they did not succeed there and left.

Read also: Ukrainian army repels Russian offensive in three directions

Russian occupation forces continue the tactics of air and missile strikes. Early on July 6, Russian helicopters again attacked Plotnytske and Ivanivka. No casualties were recorded. In the afternoon, the Russians fired a missile from an aircraft at Odesa, but Ukraine's air defense downed it over the sea.

In the evening, during an air battle, a Russian fighter jet fired two cruise missiles at Ukrainian aircraft, which were not damaged. The enemy Su-35 was forced to retreat.

In addition, Russian forces shelled the village of Lymany in the Mykolaiv region using Grad multiple launch rocket systems and 122 mm artillery. The shelling damaged a kindergarten and administration building in the community. A fire engine of the local territorial community was destroyed. There are no casualties.

At noon, the occupiers shelled the Shyroke community and damaged 15 panels of a solar power plant. One person was wounded.

On February 24, Russia began a new stage of its eight-year war against Ukraine  an all-out offensive. The enemy is shelling and bombing peaceful Ukrainian cities, towns and villages. The Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Territorial Defense Forces and the entire Ukrainian people are effectively resisting Russian troops and inflicting heavy losses on them.
On the Southern Buh axis, the enemy is attempting to prevent the advance of units of the Ukrainian defense forces. Near Dobrianka, the Ukrainian Armed Forces almost completely destroyed the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance group and successfully repelled a Russian assault.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said this in a Facebook post, Ukrinform reports.

As of 06:00 on July 7, no changes were recorded in the condition and activity of units of the Belarusian armed forces in the Volyn and Polissia directions.

No signs of the creation of an enemy offensive group were found in the Siversky (northeastern) direction. In order to demonstrate the presence and constrain the actions of the units of the Defense Forces, the enemy keeps separate units of the Western Military District in the border areas of the Bryansk and Kursk regions.

The enemy carried out artillery shelling and launched airstrikes using army helicopters outside the settlements of Vovkivka, Myropillia, Kindrativka and Esman of the Sumy region.

On the Kharkiv axis, the enemy is concentrating its efforts on holding the occupied lines, and is trying to conduct assaults on certain sections of the contact line. It carried out artillery fire in the areas of the settlements of Slatyne, Mala Danylivka, Ruski Tyshky, Vesele, Kutuzivka, Pryshyb and Husarivka. Near Shestakove, the occupiers remotely mined roads.

In the Sloviansk direction, the enemy is trying to conduct an assault. The areas of Dolyna, Kurulka, Mazanivka, Bohorodychne, Adamivka, and Chepil were shelled with barrel artillery and multiple launch rocket systems.

The enemy is trying to overcome the resistance of Ukrainian troops and establish complete control over the Luhansk region. It moves the units.

In the Kramatorsk direction, the enemy shelled the areas of Kryva Luka, Kuzmynivka, and Hryhorivka with barrel and jet artillery. In an attempt to disrupt the operation of the control and communication system of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, the enemy is actively using electronic warfare systems.

In the Bakhmut direction, the occupiers shelled the areas of Ivano-Darivka, Semyhiria, and the Vuhlehirsk thermal power plant using barrel artillery. An air strike was carried out near Spirne.

In the Avdiyivka, Kurakhivka, Novopavlivka, and Zaporizhzhia directions, the enemy is conducting a systematic fire attack on the positions of the units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in order to constrain their actions.

In the Southern Buh direction, the enemy concentrated efforts to prevent the advance of units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. The enemy used mortars, tanks, barrel and rocket artillery in the areas of Lymany, Posad-Pokrovske, Prybuzke, Myrne, Kotliareve and Blahodatne.

In the Dobrianka area, Ukrainian soldiers almost completely destroyed the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance group and successfully repelled the enemy assault that followed it.

In the waters of the Black and Azov Seas, the enemy keeps four Kalibr sea-based cruise missile carriers in readiness for launching missile strikes on infrastructure facilities across Ukraine.

Ukrainian rocket-artillery and aviation units continue to hit the enemy's strongholds, concentration points and warehouses in the designated directions.
At least 347 children have been killed and 646 have been injured in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in late February.

As of July 7, 2022, more than 993 children suffered in Ukraine as a result of Russias armed aggression. In particular, 347 children were killed and more than 646 were injured, the PGOs press service wrote on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

The largest number of victims has been recorded in Donetsk region - 347, Kharkiv region - 186, Kyiv region - 116, Chernihiv region - 68, Luhansk region - 61, Mykolaiv region - 53, Kherson region - 52, and Zaporizhzhia region - 31.

On July 6, Russian troops launched a missile attack on the city of Toretsk, Donetsk region. A 17-year-old girl was found under the rubble of one of the destroyed buildings.

On July 6, one child was injured in enemy shelling of the city of Skadovsk, Kherson region.

In addition, regular air strikes and shelling of civilian infrastructure and residential areas by the Russian armed forces damaged 2,108 educational institutions. Of which, 215 were completely destroyed.

These figures are not final, as work is underway in the areas of active hostilities, in the temporarily occupied and liberated territories.

On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops are shelling and destroying the key infrastructure facilities in Ukraine, firing at Ukrainian cities and villages with artillery, multiple launch rocket systems and ballistic missiles.

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French Senator Alain Richard, who earlier served as Minister of Defense of France, advocated the transfer of missile defense systems to Ukraine.

The corresponding statement was made by the French politician in a comment to Guildhall, seen by Ukrinform.

I stand for the transfer of missile defense systems to Ukraine, which will strongly stop the ongoing deadly missile strikes by the Russians, the politician said.

The senator also expressed his words of support and respect for Ukraine.

Earlier, also in the German Bundestag, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group called for the transfer of all necessary weapons to Ukraine to protect the nation against Russian aggression, including missile defense systems.

In turn, Oleksandr V. Danylyuk, Head of the Center for Defense Reforms, Coordinator of the Interdepartmental Platform for Combating Hybrid Threats, which operates within the framework of Ukraine-NATO cooperation, said that one of the key challenges for Ukraine today is the use by the invasion forces of cruise missiles, since they operate at low altitudes, remaining invisible to the Ukrainian air defense system. Danylyuk called on Western powers to send F-15s, F-16s, or other Western interceptors to Ukraine in order to effectively counter cruise missile strikes.
The Russian aircraft again fired missiles at Odesa region, repeatedly hitting the Moldova-flagged Millennial Spirit tanker which drifts in the Black Sea without a crew.

"Two Kh-31 missiles were launched from Su-30 aircraft during yet another airstrike at Odesa region. One missile hit the Millennial Spirit tanker (Moldova-flagged), which drifts in the territorial sea without a crew and with the remains of diesel fuel on board," Serhiy Bratchuk, spokesman for the Head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, posted on Telegram with reference to the Operational Command "South".

The Operational Command notes that Russian warships in the Black Sea fired upon the tanker at the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Currently, the remains of the cargo are probably being burned. At the time of the first hit, the ship carried more than 500 tonnes of diesel fuel. As Russia blocks shipping, the tanker has been drifting in the sea without a crew for four months like an ecological time bomb.

The second missile self-destructed over the sea, the Operational Command "South" informs.

On February 24, the Russian Federation began a new stage of the war against Ukraine  the full-scale invasion. Russian invaders shell and bomb cities and villages, killing civilian population. Ukraines Defense forces resist the Russian troops. As of July 7, Ukrainian defenders killed about 36,650 Russian personnel.

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The first batch of unmanned aerial vehicles sent to the Ukrainian Armed Forces as part of the Army of Drones project has already left for the front line.

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Digital Transformation, said this in a Telegram post, Ukrinform reports.

"Today the first batch of drones that you've sent to us as part of the Army of Drones [project] has already left for the front line to the Ukrainian Armed Forces," he wrote.

Fedorov said that what inspires the most "is not even the unity of Ukrainians in their desire to give their drone to help the army, because the unity of Ukrainians has already become a legend." "This is the fact that you send the drones with handwritten letters. With wishes of victory, with a drone description or with your own story," he said.

"Today we received such letters from Polina and Mykyta. Polina is 12. Mykyta is 14. Polina is worried if her drone is good enough to bring Ukraine's victory closer. Mykyta wants to work with us on the project in order to be useful. That's amazing," the minister said.

Fedorov said that everyone's donation is valuable. "Someone donates UAH 10 and someone donates UAH 1,000! We value every drone, every letter. We value all your efforts to help the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Please, don't stop," he said.

On July 1, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the UNITED24 platform announced the launch of the Army of Drones project. This is a comprehensive program that includes the systematic purchase of drones, their repair and quick replacement, as well as a pilot training course.
The Netherlands has supplied about EUR 172.7 million worth of military equipment to Ukraine and will continue to support the country.

That's according to NOS, Ukrinform reports.

"The Netherlands has so far delivered over 172.7 million euros worth of military goods to Ukraine. Defense Minister [Kajsa] Ollongren writes in a letter to the House of Representatives that the cabinet will continue to make efforts for additional support," the report reads.

It adds that the country's government will not publicly announce what exactly has been delivered to Ukraine.

At the same time, it is known that the Netherlands, together with Germany, will continue to train the Ukrainian military. Negotiations with a third country regarding possible cooperation in this area are also ongoing.

Ukrinform reported earlier that the Netherlands and Germany will deliver six more Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine, in addition to the 12 previously announced.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces have forced Russian troops to retreat from their positions in the Bakhmut direction, whereas in the Slobozhanshchyna direction, Ukrainian defenders prevented the enemy from advancing to Sosnivka.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said this in a Facebook post, Ukrinform reports.

As of 18:00 on July 7, no changes in the condition, composition and nature of actions of units of the Belarusian armed forces were recorded in the Volyn and Polissia directions. There is still a threat of missile and bomb attacks from Belarusian territory.

In the Sivershchyna direction, the enemy, in order to demonstrate their presence, shelled the areas of Vovkivka, Kindrativka, and Myropillia of the Sumy region with artillery. In addition, it carried out airstrikes near Esmani and Myropillia.

In the Slobozhanshchyna direction, the enemy continues to concentrate efforts on holding positions and preventing the advancement of units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine deep into the temporarily occupied territory.

During the day, tanks, barrel and rocket artillery were used to shell settlements in the Kharkiv region along the contact line.

Ukrainian soldiers thwarted all the enemy's attempts to advance in the direction of Sosnivka. The assault was repulsed, and the occupiers retreated to their previously occupied positions.

In the east of the country, the enemy is still trying to establish complete control over the Luhansk region.

In the Sloviansk direction, the occupiers again unsuccessfully stormed Bohorodychne, trying to capture it completely. Ukrainian soldiers harshly suppressed this attempt.

The enemy used barrel and rocket artillery to shell the areas of the settlements of Sulyhivka, Chervone, Nikopol, Novopavlivka, Karnaukhivka, Adamivka, Krasnopillia, Bohorodychne, Mazanivka, Dibrivne and Dolyna. Attack and army aircraft were used for strikes near Dolyna.

In the Kramatorsk direction, the enemy made unsuccessful attempts to advance in the Hryhorivka and Verkhnokamianske directions.

The occupiers shelled the areas of Mayaky, Siversk, Serebrianka, Hryhorivka, Verkhnokamianske, Zolotarivka and Zvanivka with barrel and jet artillery. An enemy airstrike was recorded in the Serebrianka area.

In the Bakhmut direction, Ukrainian soldiers inflicted losses on the enemy when they tried to improve their tactical position near Vershyna and Berestove. The enemy "retreated in panic."

The areas of the settlements of Vyimka, Ivanodarivka, Spirne, Berestove, Bilohorivka, Pokrovske, Yakovlivka, Soledar, Bakhmutske, Klynove, Vershyna, Kodema, Maiorsk, and New York were shelled with barrel artillery and MLRS. The enemy used army aircraft near Shumy. It is digging in on the outskirts of the settlement of Spirne.

In the Avdiivka, Kurakhivka, Novopavlivka and Zaporizhzia directions, shelling from barrel and rocket artillery continues along the contact line.

The enemy attacked Ukrainian positions with attack aircraft near Kamianske.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny discussed plans for future operations with Chief of the British Defense Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, who arrived in Ukraine on a visit.

In a post on his Facebook page, Zaluzhny wrote: It was a great pleasure to host in Ukraine the Chief of the British Defense Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin. This visit is a strong message of support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the fight against the russian aggressor.

According to the Commander-in-Chief, they worked very fruitfully at the command post, discussing in detail the plans for future operations.

As military service members, we understand the situation as it is and dedicate all our strength to the fight for freedom, he wrote.

Zaluzhny also thanked Admiral Radakin and the entire British people for their steadfast support of Ukraine, assistance and trust.

As reported, Admiral Radakin was in Ukraine on a 48-hour visit. According to him, the purpuse of the visiti was to "better understand the operational outlook" of Ukraine and to discuss how the UK can continue to support Ukraine.
YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. Noubar Afeyan, Founder and CEO of Flagship Pioneering, Chairman of the Board and Co-founder of Moderna, Co-Founder of the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST), Co-founder of Aurora Humanitarian Initiative visited Microbial Biotechnologies and Biofuel Innovation Center at Yerevan State University (YSU).

ARMENPRESS reports, accompanied by the Rector of Yerevan State University Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, Noubar Afeyan toured the lab and got acquainted with the work of the biotechnology research team under the ADVANCE STEM Research Grant Program being carried out in collaboration with FAST and YSU. Research team implements its studies in the supervision of the world-famous and highly regarded microbiologist, director of the Institute of Technical Microbiology, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) professor Garabed Antranikian.

I was very pleased to see a very modern lab with all equipment and projects being done. This could have been in any other university, in any other country. I congratulate both the Yerevan State University and FAST Foundation, and also Garo Antranikian who has spared effort into it. I think we can do so much more because you need examples like this to be able to replicate and expand it. On the one hand, this program allows you to develop the ability to teach and learn these techniques and on the other hand, it allows you to explore questions that have not yet been asked. Science is a global network activity; it is not an individual activity. Like just an Internet, where you connect Armenia to the rest of the world, here you join the internet of labs by working on problems other people have done and advancing and sharing the knowledge, said Noubar Afeyan.

Later American-Armenian scholar, entrepreneur and philanthropist Noubar Afeyan was conferred the honorary doctorate degree of the Yerevan State University at Innovative Solutions and Technologies Center (ISTC), YSU.

I am sure that the state's attention and care for science, the Armenian government's decision to significantly increase the funding of the field, the creation of a favorable environment, and of course the bright characters of Armenian scientists like Mr. Afeyan will inspire our young people to be engaged in research activities and have their own path in this field, said Rector Hovhannisyan.

In his turn, Noubar Afeyan expressed his gratitude for the honor and delivered the speech to the public. He encouraged students to always seek out the frontier and make themselves uncomfortable settling on new frontiers. He especially emphasized the importance of investing unlimited imagination in science and believing in their own success.

***

FAST designed the ADVANCE STEM Research Grant Program in 2020, to set the ground for the development of scientific directions in STEM-related fields in Armenia. The ADVANCE grant connects distinguished international scientists with local researchers for them to form a research group and work jointly on globally competitive research projects. One of the important components of the program is the cooperation with universities and the active involvement of prominent scientists in the teaching process to convey the leading experience to the young generation.

FASTs inaugural fundraiser Advance Armenia Gala 2022 was held this spring in Los Angeles, USA, to attract additional resources for scaling the ADVANCE STEM Research grant program. The keynote speaker of the evening was Dr. Noubar Afeyan. Up to now 3 ongoing projects in biotechnology, machine learning and neuroscience have engaged 3 PIs and funded more than 10 researchers.

***

The Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST) is a non-profit organization established in 2017 to help foster and accelerate the advancement of science and technological innovation in Armenia and beyond. FAST has designed and structured numerous programs and initiatives that propel Armenia to advance in Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, and other strategic fields. Focusing on core science ecosystem drivers  Education, Research, and Commercialization  FAST offers a wide range of initiatives to achieve its goal. FAST aims to play a critical role in Armenia's leapfrog and transformation into a top global innovator by 2041.
The more defense aid to Ukraine is now, the sooner the war will end and the less losses of all countries of the world will be.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said this in his nightly video address, Ukrinform reports.

The full text of the speech is provided below:

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Today, the main topic in our country has become the British topic - Boris Johnson's decision to resign as party leader and Prime Minister. In the afternoon I spoke with him and thanked for the support we have received since the first day of Russian terror.

First of all, these are weapons: Stinger air defense systems, cool NLAW anti-tank systems, artillery, ammunition, armored vehicles and many, many other things. Substantial political support, strong sanctions against Russia, financial assistance to our state - more than two billion pounds have been allocated for security and defense needs alone since February 24.

Britain's role in protecting freedom is truly global. And although this is a reflection of the position of British society, the leadership and charisma of the head of state are always of special importance. Especially at such a time - the time of Russia's full-scale anti-European war, which started its attack on Europe precisely from our state. So it is not surprising that Ukrainians feel personal gratitude to Boris.

But let's not forget that we are building relations between states. Great Britain's support for Ukraine should not change, no matter what happens in London's power circles, both Boris and all our friends in the United Kingdom assured me of this.

I met today in Kyiv with representatives of the US Congress - Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal. They represent both parties, Republican and Democratic, and both support Ukraine very fundamentally. They were the authors of the resolution calling on the Department of State to recognize Russia as a state - sponsor of terrorism. I thanked them for this activity and hope that it will be brought to fruition.

I informed the senators about the situation on the frontline, about what the occupiers are preparing for. In particular, we talked about Donbas, the south of our country, the Kharkiv region. Today, the Russian army hit Kramatorsk again - again with missiles. The occupiers also hit Kharkiv, the cities of Donbas...

In each direction, our partners have accurate information about our defense needs. This concerns air defense, modern MLRS. The greater the defense aid to Ukraine is now, the sooner the war will end with our victory and the smaller will be the losses of all countries of the world, the losses of the United States from Russian pressure on democratic societies.

Tomorrow I will continue the series of appeals to the European parliaments - it is Slovenia's turn. Tomorrow there will also be a lot of internal Ukrainian news - a very meaningful day is ahead.

After the conference in Lugano, which was dedicated to the recovery of Ukraine, government officials have already agreed on emergency aid to our country in the amount of more than $2 billion - these funds will be directed to strengthening the budget and preparing for winter. By the way, export of Ukrainian electricity to EU countries, which has already started, is a significant support both now and during the heating season. The price of electricity on the European market is higher than in Ukraine, and this will enable energy companies to use the earned funds to provide services for Ukrainian consumers. Moreover, with unchanged tariffs.

Also, government officials are actively working on the logistics of agricultural exports. I heard the reports from the Minister of Infrastructure and the Minister of Agrarian Policy on this topic today. We will do everything to maintain access to the world market despite the Russian blockade of our ports.

And, of course, today I want to express gratitude for the final stage of the struggle for Zmiinyi - our national flag was hoisted there. This operation lasted two months. Intelligence, Special Operations Forces, "Alpha" unit of the Security Service, border guards, gunners, Navy, Air Force. And now let every Russian captain - whether of a ship or an aircraft - see the Ukrainian flag on Zmiinyi and know that our state cannot be broken.

I am grateful to everyone who defends Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!
Polish shipbuilding industry officials are willing to set up cooperation with counterparts in Ukraine to restore the latters merchant fleet.

Tadeusz Kopowski, chief of the Crist shipbuilding company, told Ukrinform about this in the framework of the Ukrainian-Polish Entrepreneurship Forum in Warsaw.

"Poland's shipbuilding industry proposes to create permanent Polish-Ukrainian working groups, in which we would discuss the construction of ships for Ukraine, restoration of the merchant fleet, and cooperation between design bureaus of the two countries," said Kopowski.

He added that the Polish side is ready to offer training to Ukrainian students at the ship's department of Gdansk Polytechnic, as well as at the navigation department of the Maritime Academy in Gdynia.

"The point is that Ukraine's future merchant fleet should have its own captains and engineers to service these ships," said the Crist chief.

According to him, the Polish side is ready to conduct an audit of Ukrainian shipbuilding companies, help restore their technical potential, and start building ships there in cooperation with design bureaus and specialists from Poland.

"This is a comprehensive proposal for years," Kopowski said. He added that given the good relations between the presidents of Ukraine and Poland and with their consent, it would be possible to offer cooperation to the American side, which could partially finance restoration of the Ukrainian merchant fleet, including within the lend-lease program.

The representative of the Polish shipbuilding industry noted that cooperation could kick off with the construction of tugs and barges, which would transport construction materials, metallurgical products, and more along the Dnipro River.

It should be added that the Polish Shipbuilding Group operates two shipyards  in Gdansk and Gdynia.
The Ukraine International Airlines (UAI) filed a lawsuit against Iran over the downing of the Ukrainian passenger plane, which had operated flight PS752 on Tehran  Kyiv route.

Ukrinform received the confirmation from UIA.

Earlier, the media reported that the carrier filed a lawsuit against Iran over the downing of a passenger plane that killed 176 people. It was reported that the lawsuit had been filed at court in Ontario and dated January 2022. The lawsuit names Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as two defendants. The document claims compensation from Iran.

On January 8, 2020, the Ukraine International Airlines plane (Flight PS752) heading from Tehran to Kyiv was downed shortly after taking off from the Imam Khomeini International Airport. There were 176 people on board  nine crew members (all Ukrainians) and 167 passengers (citizens of Ukraine, Iran, Canada, Sweden, Afghanistan, Germany, and the UK). All of them died.

After several days of denials, the Iranian authorities admitted that the Ukrainian plane had been unintentionally shot down with an anti-aircraft missile.

Later, the Iranian government adopted a decision to allocate $150,000 in compensation to the family of each passenger killed in the plane crash, but some families refused this money.

In June, G7 said they would continue to support international efforts to hold Iran accountable for the downing of Flight PS752.

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Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin, after visiting the war-torn Kyiv region, has called on Russia to end its inhumane, immoral aggression against Ukraine.

He said this at a joint briefing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Wednesday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

Martin said that today he visited war-torn towns in the Kyiv region and all the heads of local communities told him that these towns did not have military bases. Civilians lived and rested there and they were attacked, he said.

He noted that for him and his country this is a real horror, irrational and incomprehensible.

Martin is on a visit to Ukraine on Wednesday, where he has already visited the war-torn towns of Borodianka, Bucha and Irpin in the Kyiv region.
Ukraine counts on the support of the United States Congress in terms of the supply of modern air defense systems.

The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Facebook, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

I am pleased to meet the U.S. Senators, Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal. The two-house and two-party support is very important to us. We feel and appreciate this unity. Now the primary objective is to ensure that women with children can come back home, and schoolchildren and students can go to school and university before September 1, 2022. We count on the support of the Congress in terms of the supply of modern air defense systems. We must ensure such a level of sky security that our people are not afraid to live in Ukraine, Zelensky wrote.

A reminder that, on February 24, 2022, Russia started a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

On July 7, 2022, the U.S. Senators, Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal, paid a visit to Bucha, Kyiv Region.

Photo: Volodymyr Zelensky, Facebook

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YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. Founded at the end of 2021, Made in Armenia NGO has set itself the task of supporting and promoting the sale of Armenian products both in the country and abroad, strengthening small and medium enterprises to contribute to the economic development of Armenia. ARMENPRESS reports on July 7, the presentation of the Small and Medium Enterprise Support Program of Made in Armenia NGO was held, which brought together representatives of the state, private and public sectors on one platform to discuss the state of SMEs in the country, problems with export, sales expansion opportunities, investment and other issues related to economic development.

"During the short period of activity, we have started to provide expert support to small and medium-sized enterprises, we have supported the creation of connections with companies providing services in various fields. We are confident that by strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises, we will contribute to the economic development of Armenia," said Ashot Grigoryan, president of Made in Armenia NGO.

Companies engaged in online sales of Armenian products in Armenia and abroad, providing logistics and marketing services help Made in Armenia NGO realize its goals, enabling Armenian manufacturers to undertake comprehensive support in the directions listed above. "We already have quite a successful experience in creating business connections between companies providing services to small and medium manufacturers in various sectors. I hope that by uniting around the ideology of comprehensively supporting the development of Armenian production, making Armenian products preferable, we will be able to jointly contribute to the development of our country's economy," said Grigoryan.

According to the Action Plan of the Government, the state has adopted a policy to increase the role of SMEs in the added value up to 50 percent. Deputy Minister of Economy Rafayel Gevorgyan believes that the comprehensive measures behind all this will create an opportunity to approach that target. He mentioned the government support and subsidy programs as an example.
Queensland's opposition leader is still raising concerns about a laptop after a corruption probe found no wrongdoing over the device.

David Crisafulli has been claiming public servants "raided" Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov's office and "seized" the laptop before "wiping" it.

A Crime and Corruption Commission probe this week found that the laptop was backed up and reimaged for a new employee and no data had been leaked or lost.

The government has since called for the opposition leader to apologise, but he's doubled down instead.

"I still want to know what was on that laptop, and I think Queenslanders also want to know," Mr Crisafulli told reporters on Thursday.

The Liberal National Party leader said he was also concerned about other parts of the CCC report.

The watchdog questioned the "ongoing suitability" of the Department of Premier and Cabinet providing IT services for the Integrity Commissioner.

The CCC pointed out that public service bosses still had control over the staff and budget of the lobbyist watchdog.

Mr Crisafulli said the Integrity Commissioner must be fully "uncoupled" from the government and public service.

The reason Dr Stepanov complained about the laptop with the CCC, he said, was because public service bosses failed to act.

"She was unable to get that matter resolved, so she sought to take it to the CCC and yesterday the premier of this state basically called her a liar," the opposition leader said.

Treasurer Cameron Dick slammed Mr Crisafulli, accusing him of running a campaign "deceit and dishonesty" about the laptop.

"When he's caught out misleading the people he won't apologise," Mr Dick told reporters.

"And I think that says volumes about the character of the man and why Queenslanders fundamentally cannot trust him, because if he's not willing to apologise for misleading the people about this campaign of integrity, then Queenslanders know that they can never trust another word that he says."

Story continues

Dr Stepanov finished up on Sunday, with barrister Mark Glen to act in the commissioner role while the government recruits a permanent replacement.

Meanwhile, a senior lobbyist has praised Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk for banning him from seeking to influence her government.

The premier earlier this week barred lobbyists Evan Moorhead, Cameron Milner and David Nelson from lobbying her ministers and public servants before voters go to the polls in 2024.

The move followed a review by Professor Peter Coaldrake, which called for all lobbyists to be banned from working on election campaigns - something Mr Moorhead and Mr Milner did for Ms Palaszczuk and Labor in 2020.

Mr Milner, a former Labor state secretary, praised the premier's decision to ban him and implement other recommendations from the review.

"Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk should be lauded for committing to implementing the review's recommendations in their entirety and to the letter," he wrote in The Australian on Thursday.


(Photo : Razvan Chisu on Unsplash)

Self-branding is something that we all do, whether we are consciously thinking about it or not. Whether it's in your personal life or your professional life, self-branding is all about establishing who you are, what you stand for, and what other people think of you.

Self-branding can play a large role on your overall career path, as it helps to show off your skills, and can make other people want to work with you. It can also help you to create a professional image that will show others your best attributes.

If you want to learn more about self-branding and how it can benefit your career growth, you are in the right place. Read on to explore what some of the top business leaders have to say about how self-branding can benefit your career growth.

Become an Expert in Your Field

Noel Jones, PR Coordinator Brandon Blackwood

Self-branding is one of the best ways for you to gain exposure, experience, and connections in your chosen career field. Over the past few years, social media has quickly become one of the best avenues for professional self-branding, as it allows you to claim your name and make your existance known to a wide audience. Depending on which platform you choose, you can promote your personal brand with videos, photos, written posts, and even podcasts. This allows you to share your knowledge with others and in turn, position yourself as a thought leader and an expert in your field. Self-branding will help you to build up a niche audience, where you can then answer business questions, cover events, and most importantly, grow your career.

Creating a Roadmap of Your Future

Umer Usman, Head of Growth AvantStay

One of the main reasons why self-branding is so important to your career growth is that you can use it to create a roadmap of your future career goals. When you create a self-brand that people know and respect, the more likely that will want to see you succeed, and will even want to help along the way. When you are building your personal brand, try to forecast where you want to be professionally in the next five to 10 years. This will help to show you, and others, exactly where you want to go, and what steps you need to take to get there. As you grow in your career, make sure that you reinvent your brand as you go, in order to show off all of the skills, values, and professional experience that you have gained thus far.

Show Off Your Unique Experiences

Brittany Dolin, Co-Founder Pocketbook Agency

One of the best ways that self-branding can benefit your career growth is that it allows you to show off your unique life experiences. Whether it is your impressive prior work experience, your notable network of connections, or your fun traveling opportunities, self-branding will let the people in your career field see all of the wonderful experiences that you have had throughout your life. For many people who start a new job with no personal branding, your boss and co-workers will most likely know very little about you, except maybe what they can find out from your LinkedIn page. However, if you are successful at self-branding, your new office peers will instantly find ways to connect with you, and will look forward to striking up interesting conversations with you about all of your unique experiences. This will help you to not only gain more friends at the office, but it could also help to show your employers how much value and life experience that you can bring to the table.

Learn What Others Think of You

Vincent R. Chan, Chief Financial Officer Christina

For the most part, self-branding is all about highlighting your strengths, but it can sometimes also be a way to understand your limitations. By having a strong online or even in-office presence, you are bound to learn what others think of you. Many industry leaders believe that personal branding is more about what others say about someone when they leave the room, then when they are actually in it. By practicing self-branding, you may be able to find small gaps in perception, and be able to close the gaps with your behaviors, so that you evolve your personal brand going forward with positive change. This will not only help you in your career growth, but with your personal relationships as well.

Knowing Your Worth

Matt Miller, Founder and CEO Embroker

If you are looking for ways to expedite your career growth, self-branding will be able to help you make a name for yourself, while also teaching you to know your worth. When it comes to business and growing in your career, knowing your self worth is important, as this will give you the confidence and ability to make smart career choices that benefit you. Instead of staying in the same monotonous job for years on end, self-branding can help to show you, and those around you, that you are up for the challenge, and that you are not afraid to move around if need be. Sometimes when it comes to career growth, you need to be willing to chase your goals and take some risks. Self-branding will be able to help you create a strong, professional image that can help you to catapult your career forward, as long as you know all of the fantastic qualities that you possess and can add to the right business.

Stepping Into a New Career Path

Adelle Archer, CEO and Co-Founder Eterneva

One of the ways that self-branding can benefit your career growth is that it can actually make it easier for you to change fields or step into a new career path. For example, when you are pursuing a career change, know that your personal brand will help to determine what your future employers think of you. This is why you want to make sure that your goals and messaging are consistent across all of your platforms, and that you show how your skills can be applied across different industries, especially relating to the new field that you want to step into. You can also make your own website to promote your personal brand and your current ambitions. Many skills are transferable and there are typically many overlaps when it comes to experience in the business world, so make sure that you relay this through your self-branding techniques, in order to help you step into a new career path with ease.

Gaining Confidence

William Arruda, Founder Reach Personal Branding

In the competitive work environment today where we seek to have impact, use our talents and support our life purpose, it's a no brainer that personal branding is an important career development initiative. Although effective personal branding is based in authenticity, there's an aspirational element. Your personal brand is aligned with and directed by your goals. Focusing your branding actions and effort toward your goals is one of the key elements of personal branding. Perhaps the biggest byproduct of building your personal brand is confidence. The self-awareness you gain from going through the personal branding process translates into self-assuredness. And as your brand begins to pay dividends-opportunities, power brokers, acknowledgement, accolades-you become more and more comfortable in your own shoes. And that's the best kind of wealth there is.

Boosting Your Perceived Value

Pete Kistler, Co-Founder BrandYourself

People often describe a strong personal brand as a magnet that attracts clients, job offers, and opportunities. That's because personal branding shows people you are the only solution to their problem. You are not just better than your competitors, you are the only choice for a certain group of people with a particular need. When people know the source of your career energy, they feel better about putting you in charge of their needs. As your personal brand develops, people will start thinking about you on an emotional level, not simply an intellectual level. People will connect more deeply with your brand, increasing your value to them and allowing you to charge more for your services. In addition, being actively involved in your niche and creating "credibility boosters", like original, useful on-brand content, establishes you as an expert, driving demand for you and allowing you to work less and make more. As your network grows, you'll find more and more people recognize your name before you meet them. Your prominence will grow and continue to keep you in a position of power in the workplace.

Remember that when it comes to building your own personal brand, the bottom line is that you want to catapult your career forward. Whether it's through social media, or simply making yourself known to the peers in your industry, self-branding can help you to reach all of your career goals, at top speed.
AUBURN  Syracuse artist Vanessa Johnson has always considered Underground Railroad conductor and activist Harriet Tubman an iconic, legendary hero. When Johnson began her career as a storyteller, she avoided telling Tubmans stories because she felt she could not do Tubman justice.

It is only in the last couple of years, as I have become more grounded in my abilities as a storyteller, that I have included more and more stories about her life in my performances, Johnson said.

The same is true of her art. Johnsons exhibition In Gods Voice: A Celebration of the Spirituality of Harriet Tubman includes her first visual artworks honoring Tubman. The exhibit is on display at the Schweinfurth Art Center and the Cayuga Museum of History & Art in Auburn through mid-August as part of the two institutions' CNY Emerging Artist Project.

Yet as Johnson worked on those pieces, she heard a small voice ask, Who are you to think that you can speak for her?"

Johnson is a multidisciplinary artist who has been following in Tubmans social justice footprints since she was a student at the University of Houston, majoring in political science and becoming president of the Black Student Union. I had no interest in the arts during college, she said. I was an activist!

A CNY native

A Syracuse native, Johnson grew up on the South Side of the city until the beginning of fourth grade, when her family moved to Camillus. She was interested in music, taking piano lessons from ages 5 to 12, folk guitar in middle school, flute from fourth through 12th grades, and piccolo in high school. After college, she sang with a Houston all-Black choir and orchestra performing classical music written by Black composers, including Nathanial Dett.

Early in the 1990s, Johnson began writing plays and short stories. She then started creating quilts and mixed media fiber artwork in the middle of the decade, and began performing stories in the late 1990s.

Her social justice work took a different form in 2010 when she began consulting with the newly opened Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation Center in Fayetteville. The center is dedicated to educating people about Gages work its power to inspire contemporary social change.

I designed the Underground Railroad room and took part in planning how the room presents the history of the Underground Railroad and human trafficking to our audience, Johnson said. I continue to consult on the interpretation of that room.

In 2012, she was involved in the pilot Girl Ambassadors for Human Rights Program, which the Gage Foundation continued the following year. Johnson was director of the program from 2016 to 2021, when she then became artist in residence at the Gage center.

Activism through art

Her dedication to activism can be seen in her work. The artists statement for Glory, one of her artworks at the Schweinfurth, reads: Black lives mattered to Harriet Tubman. She was a soldier for freedom, a holy and righteous presence in the Black Lives Matter movement of the 1800s: the Abolitionist Movement.

Johnsons statement for another piece, Lead Me to the Promised Land, lashes out at those who seek to bury their ancestors role in Black enslavement:

they turn the cries of history into silenced whispers closed within banned books

so as not to offend the children of a monstrous American

past. present. future.

Many of Johnson's works are autobiographical visual stories, including The Grandmothers, a set of two tall, thin chains of fiber pieces festooned with masks, wood and found objects. Johnsons statement tells the story of how she discovered her African heritage after she had her DNA tested by the Howard University Genome Project, and how she insisted on opening the letter while on the phone with her mother as they both learned the home county of their mothers mothers mother.

The central theme to the majority of my work addresses women's lives and our hopes, dreams, triumph and challenges, Johnson said. My art also addresses the issues in the lives of African-Americans and amerikkkan racism, and my relationship with my African heritage.

In her latest body of work, most of which was made between February and May this year, she examines Tubmans spirituality through the lens of an African perspective.

Her spiritual connection encompasses the African American community during her lifetime, in the present, and eternally, Johnson explained. I chose to examine her life in this way because of my own belief in the transformative power that an awareness of our Ancestors holds in all of our lives.

She is an honored Ancestor in my life.
WELLINGTON, July 7 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jul, 2022 ) :New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Thursday attended the Australia-New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF) in Australia's largest city of Sydney to boost trade ties between the two countries.

"Building on our trans-Tasman trade and economic links is fundamental to ensuring New Zealanders' economic security both now, and into the future," Ardern said in a statement.

Topics discussed on the form include reconnecting through travel and tourism, trans-Tasman innovation opportunities, labor shortages and the future of work, economic growth challenges post-COVID-19 and climate change collaboration.

Australia is New Zealand's second-largest trading partner after China, with two-way trade accounting for over 22 billion NZ Dollars (13.6 billion U.S. dollars) in the year to December 2021, statistics show.

Usually held around every 18 months, the forum last took place in 2019 in Auckland before COVID-19.

Separate to the ANZLF, Ardern and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will hold their first formal Australia New Zealand Leaders Meeting on Friday in Sydney.
(@FahadShabbir)

London, July 7 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jul, 2022 ) :British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was clinging to power Thursday, having defiantly responded to calls from his loyalists to step down by sacking a minister and former top ally.

More than 40 ministers and aides, including three cabinet members, have quit the government since late Tuesday, with resignations continuing to trickle in overnight.

The Conservative leader was confronted at various points on Wednesday by members of his cabinet telling him it was time to go, local media said.

His reaction was to fire Communities Secretary Michael Gove, reportedly the first to tell him that he must resign for the good of the Tory party and country, with a source close to Johnson telling the BBC that Gove was "a snake".

Gove was Johnson's right-hand man in Britain's 2016 Brexit referendum campaign, but dramatically chose to run against him for the Conservative leadership that same year, and again in 2019.

The Sun newspaper said Johnson had told colleagues they would have to "dip (their) hands in blood" to push him out of office.

Allies of the prime minister said he was going to "fight on", with his parliamentary private secretary (PPS) James Duddridge telling Sky news Johnson was in a "buoyant mood".

But on Thursday morning, the front pages of British newspapers highlighted the precarious position the scandal-hit leader was in.

The normally staunchly pro-Conservative Daily Express spoke of Johnson's "last stand", with the Daily Telegraph calling Johnson "mortally wounded", and The Times saying Johnson was "fight(ing) for his life".

On the other end of the political spectrum, The Guardian condemned Johnson as "desperate and deluded".

The shock resignations of finance chief Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid late Tuesday set off a chain of others.

They quit after Johnson apologised for appointing as deputy chief whip senior Conservative MP Chris Pincher, who was forced to step down following accusations he drunkenly groped two men.

Days of shifting explanations had followed Pincher's resignation, with Downing Street at first denying Johnson knew of the prior allegations -- a defence that collapsed after a former top civil servant said he was told in 2019 about another incident.

Tory critics said the Pincher affair had tipped many over the edge, sickened at having to defend what they saw as more lies by Johnson.

Johnson was confronted by members of his cabinet on Wednesday when he returned to Downing Street from a lengthy grilling by a parliamentary committee.

The delegation was said to include hardline interior minister Priti Patel and Nadhim Zahawi, who has barely been 24 hours in his new job as Sunak's successor -- though Johnson's PPS Duddridge later denied Zahawi was there.

A third member of Johnson's cabinet -- Welsh Secretary Simon Hart -- quit on Wednesday evening.

Later that night, a health minister and another PPS resigned, meaning at least 44 ministers and aides, mostly from more junior positions outside the cabinet, have stepped down in just over 24 hours.

Former head of Downing Street's Policy Unit Camilla Cavendish told the BBC that Britain no longer had "a functioning government".

The calls for Johnson to go persisted late into the evening.

Attorney General Suella Braverman told broadcaster ITV that while she wouldn't resign, "the balance has tipped now in favour of saying... it's time to go".

She also said she would stand in a leadership contest.

A culture of scandal has dogged Johnson for months, including lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street.

The prime minister, who received a police fine for the Covid lockdown-breaking "Partygate" affair, faces a parliamentary probe into whether he lied to MPs about the revelations.

Johnson only narrowly survived a no-confidence vote among Conservative MPs a month ago, which ordinarily would mean he could not be challenged again for another year.

But the influential "1922 Committee" of non-ministerial Tory MPs is reportedly seeking to change the rules, with its executive committee announcing Wednesday it will elect a fresh lineup of members next week.

Johnson's refusal to resign means he will likely face a second confidence vote.

In parliament on Wednesday, Johnson insisted the country needed "stable government, loving each other as Conservatives, getting on with our priorities".

But addressing MPs, Javid urged other ministers to resign.

"The problem starts at the top, and I believe that is not going to change," he told a hushed House of Commons.

"And that means that it is for those of us in that position -- who have responsibility -- to make that change."
London, July 7 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jul, 2022 ) :Britain's Boris Johnson will reportedly announce his resignation as Conservative leader, paving the way for an internal party contest to replace him and become prime minister.

While several possible successors have been suggested, there is no clear favourite.

- Rishi Sunak - The UK's first Hindu chancellor of the exchequer, who quit on Tuesday, was until recently the bookmakers' favourite.

But his prospects were dented by questions over his private wealth and family's tax arrangements.

His resignation has seen him return as one of the bookies' frontrunners for the top job.

Sunak, 42, has a high profile on social media, and won plaudits for shoring up the economy during the pandemic.

But his refusal initially to authorise more support over a surging cost-of-living crisis has hurt his popularity.

- Jeremy Hunt - Former foreign and health secretary Jeremy Hunt, 55, lost to Johnson in the 2019 leadership contest, when he branded himself as the "serious" alternative.

Hunt sent a thinly veiled campaign message for a new leadership bid last month, arguing that under Johnson "we are no longer trusted by the electorate" and "we are set to lose the next general election".

But the fluent Japanese speaker lacks Johnson's charisma. His pre-pandemic record as health secretary was recently savaged by a Johnson ally.

- Liz Truss - Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, 46, is popular among Conservative party members, liked for her outspokenness and willingness to go on the political attack.

But that has also stoked questions about her judgement, for instance when in February she encouraged Britons to fight in Ukraine. Critics say her leadership posturing is too overt.

When she headed the Department for International Trade, some MPs dubbed it the "Department for Instagramming Truss" because of her prolific output on the social media site.

Away this week at a G20 meeting, she has reportedly cut her trip short to return to Westminster and make a statement later Thursday.

- Sajid Javid - Javid, who also quit as health secretary on Tuesday, had previously resigned as finance minister in 2020.

The 52-year-old is the son of a Pakistani immigrant bus driver who went on to become a high-flying banker.

Like Sunak, he also faces questions about his personal wealth and tax affairs.

- Ben Wallace - The defence secretary, 52, has narrowly topped some recent polls of Tory grassroots' preferred next leader due to his role in the Ukraine crisis.

The former army officer and Johnson ally has downplayed wanting to lead the party but is seen as a straight-talking and competent.

- Nadhim Zahawi - Newly appointed as finance minister, Nadhim Zahawi, 55, was praised for overseeing Britain's pandemic vaccines rollout, before helming the education department.

Zahawi is a former refugee from Iraq who came to Britain as a child speaking no English. Before entering politics, he co-founded the prominent polling company YouGov.

But his private wealth has also drawn adverse attention, including when he claimed parliamentary expenses for heating his horse stables.

- Tom Tugendhat - The former army officer, 49, is a prominent backbencher who chairs parliament's influential Foreign Affairs Committee.

Tugendhat has indicated he will stand in any leadership contest but there is no love lost between him and Johnson loyalists.

A hawk on China, he has been critical of the government's handling of the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

- Penny Mordaunt - Mordaunt, 49, is the first woman to have been UK defence secretary and is currently a junior trade minister.

The Royal navy reservist is seen as likely to run but considered a long shot.

A strong Brexit supporter and key figure in the 2016 "Leave" campaign, she has been tipped as a potential unity candidate who could draw support from the Conservative party's warring factions.

- Dominic Raab - Deputy prime minister and justice secretary Dominic Raab, 48, led the country when Johnson was in intensive care in hospital with Covid-19 in 2020.

The former lawyer and karate black belt is seen as a reliable ally.

But his move to justice from the post of foreign secretary was seen as a demotion after he initially failed to cut short a holiday as the Afghan capital Kabul fell to the Taliban.

- Suella Braverman - Attorney General Suella Braverman has revealed she intends to stand in a party leadership contest during media interviews since Wednesday in which she urged Johnson to go.

The arch-Brexiteer, 42, is another long-shot candidate, popular within the party for her Euroscepticism.

She is one of 28 so-called "Spartan" Tory MPs, who refused to back ex-Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal on all three occasions it was voted on in parliament.
RAWALPINDI, Jul 7 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jul, 2022 ) :The Pakistan Army, since yesterday, was coordinating a high risk rescue operation to evacuate stranded mountaineers Shehroze Kashif and Fazal Ali who were stuck at Nanga Parbat.

The Pakistan Army aviation helicopters and a ground search team comprising high altitude porters and rescuers were employed to rescue the mountaineers, said an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release.

The Pakistan Army aviation pilots, in a daring attempt, flew two helicopter missions despite bad weather conditions, but could not pick up the mountaineers due to dense clouds and very high altitude.

Meanwhile, the ground search team was also nearing stranded mountaineers who were currently at Camp-3 at 21,000 feet height. "The army aviation pilots will fly again today subject to weather conditions as ground team attempt to rescue the mountaineers to Camp-2," it added.
Rawalpindi police have finalized a comprehensive security plan for Eid ul Azha aimed at averting any untoward incident

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jul, 2022 ) :Rawalpindi police have finalized a comprehensive security plan for Eid ul Azha aimed at averting any untoward incident.

According to a police spokesman, over 2500 security personnel would be deployed on Eid congregations, Mosques, Imambargahs, public places and other important buildings to thwart any untoward incident.

Policemen would also patrol in various sectors and police officers of respective circles would ensure proper security at the Eid congregations to be held at various locations of the town.

Walk-through gates and scanners would also be installed for the safety of the citizens, he said adding, special pickets have been set up at all the entry and exist points of the city to check suspicious vehicles.

He said that beggars were not being allowed to walk freely in the city and action in accordance with the law was being taken against them.

Meanwhile, Punjab Emergency Service, Rescue-1122 Rawalpindi has finalized arrangements for Eid ul Azha and more than 400 rescuers would remain on special duties in Rawalpindi district.

According to District Emergency Officer (DEO) Rawalpindi, the Rescue-1122 personnel would remain alert during Eid ul Azha holidays at emergency rescue stations with dozens fully equipped emergency ambulances, fire vehicles, rescue and recovery vehicles, water bowsers, specialized vehicles and motorbike ambulances.

The Rescue posts would be established at Cattle Mandi on Gulzar-e-Quaid, KRL Road near Chhatri Chowk, Wheat Godown, IJP Road, Dhama Syedan (Jarahi stop), Adyala Road, car Chowk, Bostan Khan Road, Gulraiz and UC Lakhan Chakri Road on 9th Zil Haj whereas key points to cover Eidul Azha prayers will be established at Eidgah Shareef, Children Park Gawalmandi, Liaquat Bagh Ground, Chungi No.

22 Chowk, Jamia Masjid Faizan-e-Madina Adyala Road and Captain Bilal Shaheed Chowk Chaklala-III.

The rescuers would also perform their duties on three days of Eid ul Azha and provide emergency cover to GPO Chowk Saddar, Koral Chowk, Jinnah Park, Ayub National Park, Nawaz Sharif Park and T-Chowk Rawat.

The emergency officers had been directed to organise meetings with local mosque committees and ensure that local volunteers are available in case of any emergency. Meetings with management of hospitals had also been held for better management of any untoward incident.

Rescue-1122, emergency ambulances, rescue and fire services would remain on emergency alert during Eid ul Azha holidays in all tehsils of the district to provide emergency cover to the citizens in case of any emergency.

The DEO reviewed special emergency arrangements in a meeting held here at Rescue-1122 central Rescue Station Rawal Road which was attended by all heads of the rescue stations.

The arrangements have been finalized for deployment of emergency ambulances, rescue and fire services at important mosques and Eidgahs. Rescue mobile posts of emergency paramedics would also be deployed at important places of mass gatherings to provide emergency cover.

The District Control Room would be functional round the clock for provision of effective emergency services to the public and leaves of the rescuers have been restricted in this regard. Special mobile posts would also be established for providing effective medical cover to the Eid gatherings.

The DEO advised the motorists to drive safely with families particularly while leaving or returning from hometowns before, during and after Eid ul Azha holidays.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman briefed the United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry about the hazardous impacts of climate change faced by Pakistan during a telephonic conversation on Thursday

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jul, 2022 ) :Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman briefed the United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry about the hazardous impacts of climate change faced by Pakistan during a telephonic conversation on Thursday.

US Envoy Kerry during his telephonic call congratulated Sherry Rehman on assumption of her office and expressed the desire to continue working together for tackling climate change issues, said a news release.

The minister underscored that Pakistan was consistently placed in the top ten 'most vulnerable' countries in the world impacted by climate change which has now become an existential threat to the country.

Sherry apprised Senator Kerry about Pakistan's accelerated vulnerability to the climate crisis, saying that despite producing less than one percent of GHG emissions Pakistan was now the ground zero of a global climate catastrophe. The country was lurching from unprecedented heat waves, to critical glacial melt, drought one month and flooding in another. While high climate ambition commitments are important, including NDCs that include an enormous energy transition, Pakistan is facing down the costs of global warming at 9.

1 % of its GDP, which is the highest in the region as identified by a recent UN-ESCAP 2022 report. The time to intervene is now, as water scarcity by 2025 is also a looming crisis if current trajectories continue.

Apprising Mr. Kerry on the NDCs, the minister remarked, "with the current global energy crisis, and the disruption in supply chains caused by the Ukraine war, including the invisible costs of the pandemic to climate vulnerable countries, energy transitions are facing an uncertain timeline, so technical and financial assistance is the need of the hour.

They discussed a need for just energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy and committed to a renewed working partnership between PAK-US. Furthermore, they talked about Pakistan's commitment to a Global Methane Pledge, and suggested cooperation on the path forward.

Rehman appreciated the Biden administration's commitments to global climate goals and thanked Senator Kerry for his strong personal leadership of these most defining challenges for the 21st century.
BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th July, 2022) China will continue to stand firmly "on the right side of history" in the Ukrainian issue, advocating for reconciliation and negotiations, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday.

Wang met with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the sidelines of the G20 ministerial meeting on the Indonesian island of Bali.

"China opposes the use of the Ukrainian crisis to inflame the ideology of the Cold War in the world and confront the camps, constructing a new Cold War. When the world is facing serious challenges, it needs unity, not fragmentation," Wang said during the meeting, adding that China will continue to stand firm "on the right side of history, on the side of those who insist on reconciliation and negotiation.

"

Wang added that China also opposes any attempt to compare the Ukrainian crisis with the Taiwan issue and will firmly defend its core interests.

Taiwan alienated Beijing after becoming a stronghold of the Chinese Nationalist Party (the Kuomintang) which was defeated by the Communist Party in a civil war in 1949. The Chinese mainland and the island resumed business and informal contact in the late 1980s. Beijing opposes any official contact of foreign countries with Taiwan and considers Chinese sovereignty over the island indisputable.
PRAGUE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th July, 2022) The first case of monkeypox was confirmed in Slovakia, Public Health Authority spokeswoman Dasha Rachkova said on Thursday.

"Monkeypox infection was detected in a person who returned from a trip abroad. The patient is currently hospitalized.

Doctors are checking the contacts of the sick person," Rachkova told reporters.

Recently, more than 5,000 monkeypox cases have been identified in over 50 countries. Last week, the World Health Organization acknowledged the outbreak as an emergency and called for control of the spread of the infection.
Call for Entries: 2022 Southern Miss Ceramics National

Thu, 07/07/2022 - 13:20pm | By: Ivonne Kawas

The Museum of Art in The University of Southern Mississippis School of Performing and Visual Arts has announced a call for entries for its 2022 Ceramics National. Artists from across the country are invited to submit entries of original works created within the past five years.

Ceramic sculptures, vessel forms (both functional and sculptural), and installation works are eligible. Mixed media works are eligible only if ceramic/clay is the primary medium. The deadline for submission is August 7, 2022.

This biennial exhibition began in 2016 and has since become one of the top ceramic arts exhibitions featuring a broad spectrum of contemporary ceramic works. It features a gallery exhibition, an awards ceremony, and a jurors lecture and studio demonstration. It is presented in part by the generous support of Partners for the Arts.

This national juried biennial exhibition has gained wide attention over the years and features some of the best artists in contemporary ceramics, said Mark Rigsby, museum director and associate professor of Art and Design. We are especially excited to have Mexican-American artist George Rodriguez, as our juror and visiting artist for this years exhibition. We are hoping for another great show to maintain our momentum, added Rigsby.

This years juror, George Rodriquez, is a visual artist and ceramic sculptor who creates large-scale figurative works in clay. Born and raised in the border city of El Paso, Texas, Rodriguez draws inspiration from his Mexican-American upbringing. Visualized with ornament, humor and reverence for tradition, his art builds bridges between cultures as well as presents connections to the past.

He earned his BFA in ceramics from the University of Texas, El Paso, and then went on to receive an MFA from the University of Washington. A recipient of the Bonderman Travel Fellowship, he traveled to 26 different countries throughout most of 2010. This travel continues to have a profound impact on Rodriguez and his work.

Rodriguez was recently honored to serve as a demonstrating artist and presenter at the 2022 National Council on the Education of Ceramic Arts Conference (NCECA) in Sacramento, Calif. He is represented by Foster/White Gallery in Seattle, Wash., and is currently an adjunct professor and artist in residence at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture in Philadelphia.

This exhibition is open to all U.S. residents,18 years of age or older. Entries must have been completed within the last 5 years. All entries must be original works and available for the duration of the exhibit from Oct. 10  Nov. 4, 2022. Accepted works cannot be substituted.

For more information regarding eligibility and specifications visit the USM Museum of Arts website.
Jeffrey Gural, the owner of Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs in upstate New York, is President Joe Biden's pick to lead a panel tasked with exploring ways for the federal government to reduce its building inventory.

Biden on Wednesday nominated Gural to chair the Public Buildings Reform Board. The board was created in 2016 as part of the Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act.

In announcing Gural's nomination, the White House highlighted his real estate experience  he chairs GFP Real Estate and previously served as chairman of Newmark Knight Frank, a commercial real estate firm. He was also on the staff of Diesel Construction Co. and oversaw the construction of more than 1 million square feet of new office space.

Gural's properties include Tioga Downs, a casino and resort in the Southern Tier, and Vernon Downs, a racino in Oneida County. He also operates the Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey.

He has served on various boards, including the executive committee of The Real Estate Board of New York. He is a past chairman of the Times Square Alliance's board of directors and sat on the board of trustees of The New School in New York City.

If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Gural would lead the seven-member board. The board's members are appointed by the president for six-year terms. The president must consult with the House speaker to appoint two members and with the Senate majority leader to appoint two other members. The remaining members are appointed after discussions with the House and Senate minority leaders.

The individuals who are appointed to the board must possess certain qualifications, such as commercial real estate and redevelopment experience.

The board is currently below the minimum number of five members needed for a quorum. There are three board members: Nick Rahall, D. Talmage Hocker and David Winstead.
A group of unidentified individuals recently vandalised the parish church of Santa Isabel de Gabu in the eastern part of Guinea-Bissau. Religious leaders are worried about growing religious extremism.

Casimiro Jorge Cajucam Guine-Bissau.

The vandals broke the Church's altar, destroyed holy images and went away with a symbol of World Youth Day. Parish priest, Father Odilon Judicael Leno, explained how he arrived at the Church and found it in complete disarray.

"I arrived at the Church around 11.30 in the morning, and I was stunned by what I saw. They broke the image of Our Lady and threw the Pilgrim Cross on the floor. Several holy objects in the Church were desecrated, and some are missing," said the priest.

Religious extremism on the rise

The desecration of the Church in Gabu comes just a month after a US report on religious freedom in the world warned of the rise of religious extremism in Guinea Bissau.

In his reaction to the attack on the Catholic Church in eastern Guinea Bissau, Bafata Diocese Administrator Father Lucio Brentagani, currently in Italy, said that the vandalism was most unfortunate. He regretted the gesture of contempt for the Catholic Church's place of worship but also towards its faith.

Solidarity messages from other religions

"There may be someone who does not agree with our faith or with something in our way of life. That should not lead to this. Nevertheless, we will steadfastly continue to celebrate our faith, trusting in God. We respect and celebrate our brothers and sisters of other religions. Our wish is for all the people of Guinea Bissau to continue living in harmony, loving one another," said Father Lucio.

The Diocesan Administrator also revealed that the Church in Guinea Bissau had received messages of solidarity and support from ordinary people and representatives of different religions, including government officials. Many are saddened by the act.

"Solidarity messages came from people who recognise religion as one of the fundamental values for all human beings. As such, we are all called to respectfully acknowledge our differences in religious beliefs. National dialogue is the best way to iron out any significant differences." Added Fr Lucio, "Nothing and no one will ever separate us from our faith."

President's reaction

Minister of Territorial Administration, Fernando Gomes, visited the Church of Gabu and promised a robust investigation to bring the culprits to book.

However, local observers criticised the country's President, Umaro El Mokhtar Sissoco Embalo, for downplaying the vandalism at the Santa Isabel de Gabu Church. The President was quoted as saying there was nothing unusual about what had happened and police would deal with the matter.

"How often have we seen fans and air conditioners stolen from Mosques? Once I went to pray in the Cupelum Mosque in Bissau. That day unidentified people stole all the shoes of Muslim worshippers who were inside the mosque praying. Even in the Vatican and Mecca, theft happens," said President Embalo.
The leading prelate of the Sri Lankas Catholic Church asks for the immediate formation of an interim government leading to general elections to overcome the ongoing economic and financial crisis in the country, saying that the present leadership has lost public credibility.

By Lisa Zengarini

As Sri Lanka reels from its worst economic and financial crisis in decades, amidst accusations of widespread corruption and financial mismanagement, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo has once again reiterated his call for the immediate resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and for the establishment of an interim government.

Loss of credibility

At a press conference held on Tuesday in his residence in the Srilankan capital, Cardinal Ranjith said the credibility of the Rajapaksa family has dropped to such a level that all attempts to achieve financial, political or constitutional changes have been rejected by public opinion.

On behalf of the suffering people, I strongly ask the President and the Government of Sri Lanka to take responsibility for the sad situation and resign from their positions, since they no longer have the moral right to remain in office.

New elections needed

The Archbishop of Colombo, therefore, asked for the immediate formation of an interim government to tackle the most urgent problems of the country, with the assistance of competent experts, and leading to general elections as soon as possible. He also asked the opposition leaders to work together and with transparency, putting aside their petty political and ideological differences.

According to Asianews agency, his words were echoed by the Maha Sangha, an important body of the Buddhist monks of Sri Lanka, which sent a letter to the president on Tuesday inviting him to work for the creation of a government in which all parties are represented.

Cardinal Ranjith has repeatedly voiced criticism of Rajapaksas leadership, also in reference to the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, in which nearly 277 people were killed and about 500 injured as 3 churches and 3 hotels were hit in a series of coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks.

Since then, investigations have faltered, and the outspoken leading prelate of the Sri Lankas Catholic Church has insistently accused the Government of covering up the truth and the real culprits for political gain.

Read also 11/05/2022 Pope calls Sri Lankans to non-violence amid social unrest Pope Francis appeals for the people of Sri Lanka to make their voices heard in a peaceful way and for political leaders to heed their demands, as protests turn violent killing ...

Economic crisis in Sri Lanka

The younger brother of former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa, who ruled the country for a decade until his defeat in 2015, Gotabaya Rajapaksa overwhelmigly won the last presidential elections in 2019, vowing to restore discipline and strengthen security. However, his popularity took a serious hit over the gross mismanagement of the economy, amid allegations of corruption.

The economic and financial difficulties began in 2019, with growing public debt, aggravated by the collapse of tourism due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The rise in food and energy prices - exacerbated in 2022 by the war in Ukraine  has further increased the severe debt and worsened the balance-of-payments crisis.



The resulting shortage of foreign currency has left Rajapaksa's Government unable to pay for essential imports, including medicine, food and fuel, leading in recent weeks to debilitating power cuts.

Early in June, the United Nations launched an appeal for $47.2 million to provide life-saving assistance to some 1.7 million citizens of the Asian nation, saying that the shortage of medicines should ease in the medium term thanks to a credit line from India and other partners.

Read also 28/06/2022 Sri Lanka's prophetic Church on the side of a suffering people The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka appeals for the intervention of the International Community as the nation defaults on debt for the first time in its history and the people call ...

Rajapaksa asking Russia to help import fuel

Meanwhile, in his latest move to thwart the crisis, President Rajapaksa has announced that he is negotiating with Russia to import more discounted Russian crude oil, despite international sanctions on Moscows exports following its invasion of Ukraine on February 24. I had a very productive telecon with the Russia President, Vladimir Putin, the President wrote in a tweet on Wednesday.

We unanimously agreed that strengthening bilateral relations in sectors such as tourism, trade & culture was paramount in reinforcing the friendship our two nations share, Rajapaksa added.

Sri Lanka has already bought oil from Russia during the crisis, and the Government has indicated it is willing to make further purchases. The Sri Lankan government also intends to attract more visitors from India to bring in more foreign currency, its tourism minister said.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Ethiopia condemns mass killings in the western part of the country that have left more than 300 people dead.

By Vatican News staff reporter

Ethiopias Catholic bishops have decried the killing of more than 300 ethnic Amarhans in an attack in the Oromiya region in the western part of the country last month.

In a statement, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Ethiopia says, The Church strongly condemns the killing of innocent people in Gambella and western Wollega, mostly women and children.

The Bishops note, In recent years in various areas of our country, actions contrary to any religious teaching have been repeated, leading to death, displacement and migration. They reiterated their deep concern about the dangerous situation in which the population finds itself in their country and in their families.

Nobody should be killed because of identity and religion.

The Bishops insist, There is no acceptable reason that can lead to the death and humiliation of a human being.

Ethiopian government leaders have blamed last month's attacks on the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), a banned splinter group of an opposition party. However, the OLA has rejected the accusation, pointing instead to militias connected to the ruling party. They claim federal troops in the area did nothing to stop the slaughter.

Last year, the OLA made an alliance with the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, which has been leading an insurgency against the central government since 2020.

However, the advocacy group Human Rights Watch notes, Well before the conflict in northern Ethiopia, there has been widespread impunity for ongoing rights abuses in Ethiopia's Oromiya region, including in areas already suffering from conflict.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed legislation that requires New York airports to offer certain breastfeeding accommodations for mothers and their babies.

The bill, which received bipartisan support in the state Legislature, mandates that airports offer a room past security screening areas where mothers can breastfeed their babies. The room must have a chair and an electrical outlet and not be within a public restroom. If an airport constructs or renovates a terminal, the breastfeeding room must be equipped with a sink.

Some airports already offer spaces where mothers can breastfeed their children, but this would make it a statewide requirement. Proponents say it's in response to the lack of breastfeeding accommodations in public places.

"One of the biggest challenges for new parents is finding a space to feed their children," Hochul said. "This is a fight that many have had to deal with for many years, and only recently have they been able to secure the rights and accommodations that they deserve. By signing this into law, we will continue to make New York a better place to safely and securely raise young children."

State Sen. Tim Kennedy, a Buffalo Democrat, sponsored the bill with Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, a Long Island Democrat. Kennedy said he introduced the legislation after meeting with a constituent, Rachel Jackson, who found that airports lacked accommodations for breastfeeding mothers.

Kennedy said the bill was supported by mothers across New York state and John R. Oishei Children's Hospital in Buffalo.

"I thank Governor Hochul for signing this bill into law, ensuring that moms have options on the go  and that they don't have to choose between their careers and raising a healthy baby," he added.

The law will take effect on Jan. 1. However, for airports in the New York City area that are overseen by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, one section of the law will take effect immediately after it becomes law in New Jersey.
Ukraine hoisted its blue-and-yellow flag on Snake Island in the Black Sea on Thursday in a show of defiance against Russia, but Moscow quickly responded with an attack that destroyed part of the Ukrainian outpost there.

Control of the island, located about 140 kilometers south of the Ukrainian port of Odesa, has been disputed since Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine more than four months ago.

In the early days of the war, Russia shelled the island after Ukrainian soldiers responded with a vulgarity when crewmen on the Moskva warship demanded they surrender. Ukraine issued a commemorative stamp celebrating the soldiers defiance.

Russia had controlled the island for much of the war, until Ukraine captured it in the last week, although Russia contended it had withdrawn in a gesture of goodwill.

Ukrainian soldiers raised their national flag on a patch of ground next to the remains of a flattened building on Thursday.

Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, suggested the moment was one that would be repeated across Ukraine in the coming months.

"The flag of Ukraine is on Snake Island, he wrote on Telegram. Ahead of us are many more such videos from Ukrainian cities that are currently under temporary occupation.

But Odesa regional administration spokesman Serhiy Bratchuk said Russia's missile strike on the island's new residents had caused significant damage to its dock.

Meanwhile, as fighting continued in eastern Ukraine, Putin accused Western countries supporting Ukraine of prolonging the war by continuing to send armaments to Kyiv.

Speaking to leaders of the Russian parliament, Putin said, "Everybody should know that, largely speaking, we haven't even yet started anything in earnest" in attacking Ukraine.

He declared that Russia remains ready to sit down for talks to end the fighting, adding that "those who refuse to do so should know that the longer it lasts, the more difficult it will be for them to make a deal with us."

"We are hearing that they want to defeat us on the battlefield," Putin said. "Let them try."

The Russian president contended that Western economic sanctions against Moscow had failed to achieve their goal of "sowing division and strife in our society and demoralizing our people."

"The course of history is unstoppable and attempts by the collective West to enforce its version of the global order are doomed to fail," Putin said.

Zelenskyy hails Western weaponry

In his nightly address Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the artillery his forces have received from Western allies has started working powerfully, helping to disrupt Russias military.

Its accuracy is exactly as needed, Zelenskyy said. Our defenders inflict very noticeable strikes on depots and other spots that are important for the logistics of the occupiers and this significantly reduces the offensive potential of the Russian army.

He also pledged to regain control of all of Ukraines territory, as Russia pushes to capture the Donbas region in the eastern part of the country.

We are fighting for our entire south, for the entire Ukrainian Donbas  the most brutal confrontation is currently there, near Slovyansk and Bakhmut, Zelenskyy said. We are fighting for the Kharkiv region. The occupiers should not think that their time on this land is long-lasting and that the superiority of their artillery is eternal.

Civilians urged to evacuate

Ukrainian officials earlier Wednesday told the remaining residents in Donetsk province, part of the Donbas, to flee to safer areas as Russia launched new attacks there.

Russia has turned the entire Donetsk region into a hot spot where it is dangerous to remain for civilians, Donetsk regional military administrator Pavlo Kyrylenko told Ukrainian media.

I call on everyone to evacuate, he said. Evacuation saves lives.

Russia already controls more than half of Donetsk province after saying that in recent days it had completely taken over neighboring Luhansk province.

Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai rejected the claim Wednesday, saying there was still heavy fighting happening around the city of Lysychansk. Ukrainian forces withdrew from the city on Sunday in what Ukrainian officials described as a tactical move to save troops for future fighting.

Haidai accused Russian forces of burning down and destroying everything on their way.

Up to 15,000 residents remain in Lysychansk, and about 8,000 in the nearby city of Sievierodonetsk, which Russian and separatist fighters seized last month, Haidai said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said one of the main goals of his invasion of Ukraine, which began in late February, is full control of the mostly Russian-speaking Donbas region.

Some Ukrainians are resisting leaving Donetsk, but Kyrylenko said only about 340,000 people remain out of a prewar population of nearly 1.7 million.

Only about 23,000 people are still in Sloviansk, one of the newest targets of Russian shelling, out of a prewar population of 107,000, Mayor Vadim Lyakh said. Heightened Russian attacks have increased the pace of evacuations.

Ukrainian Railways said it would add additional trains to help with evacuations.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
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Looking back at 25 years since Britain handed Hong Kong over to China.

Welcome to VOA Asia Weekly. I'm Chris Casquejo in Washington. That story just ahead, but first, making headlines

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken left for Asia for a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Bali, Indonesia. Russia's attendance is a point of contention as host Indonesia tries to mediate.

Chinas Vice Premier Liu He and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen held a virtual meeting on the global economy. President Biden says hes considering lifting some tariffs on China.

24 new COVID cases have led to another round of testing in Shanghai, spurring fears of another round of lockdown in the Chinese economic powerhouse.

Following his inauguration, New Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss territory disputes within the South China Sea.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Vietnam, a key Cold War ally, to celebrate comprehensive strategic partnership." Hanoi has refrained from criticizing Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific, or RIMPAC, military exercises are underway with six ASEAN militaries and the Pacific Island nation Tonga among the 26 nations participating.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told Hong Kongers that the territory must be governed only by patriots. Xi made the statement while visiting the city to mark the 25th anniversary of its handover from Britain to China on July 1st.

With great fanfare in 1997, Hong Kong began a new chapter in its history with a promise from China: To essentially leave the city alone for 50 years under a principle called one country, two systems.

Fairly early on there were signs that the supposed high degree of autonomy that Hong Kong would enjoy was not going to be preserved.

Some signs: In 2003, over half a million people took to the streets against a proposed security law that rights groups said threatened basic freedoms. It was shelved.

In 2014, China issued a policy document underscoring China's sovereignty and ultimate authority over the city. That August, China's parliament ruled Hong Kong could have a direct vote for its leader in 2017, but only for candidates endorsed by a pro-Beijing vetting committee. In September 2014, thousands of protesters thronged key roads, prompting police to fire tear gas. The "Umbrella Revolution" - named after the use of umbrellas to block police weapons - occupied roads in three major districts for 79 days, before being cleared by police.

Beijing granted none of the protesters' demands, including universal suffrage.

In 2019, millions opposed a bill that would have allowed people accused of certain crimes to be sent to China for trial. Peaceful protests snowballed into a populist movement against Chinese authoritarian rule.

Analysts say the 2020 National Security Law was the point of no return.

It effectively created a whole new judicial system inside Hong Kong involving mainland authorities and brought in mainland authorities to handle security inside Hong Kong.

Under the NSL, authorities raided media outlets and civil society groups, many now shut down, and held key democratic politicians and activists without bail. More than 2,000 people have been jailed for offenses linked to the 2019 protests. And on the 25th handover anniversary, no visible demonstrations of dissent.

This is a city that is no longer recognizable. Even five years ago, you would expect that July 1st - the march, actually it was a day of protest."

25 years after the handover, one thing is clear: Chinas grip is not loosening. And for many Hong Kongers, promises made were not promises kept.

Visit our website voanews.com for the most up-to-date stories. Youre watching VOA Asia Weekly.

Fears of foot and mouth disease have dampened cattle sales in Indonesia ahead of the Eid-al-Adha festival. According to Agriculture Ministry data, more than 317,000 animals have been infected in 21 Indonesian provinces, largely on the most populated islands of Java and Bali.

Finally on VOA Asia Weekly, hundreds of Buddhist monks and devotees gathered in the northern Indian town of Dharamsala to celebrate the Dalai Lamas 87th birthday.

Hollywood star Richard Gere helped cut the Tibetan spiritual leader-in-exiles birthday cake.

The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 after a failed rebellion against Chinese rule. Since then, he has been advocating for what he calls genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people.

Thanks for watching VOA Asia Weekly. Im Chris Casquejo. Tune in again next week.
Mississippi's only abortion clinic has been buzzing with activity in the chaotic days since the U.S. Supreme Court upended abortion rights nationwide  a case that originated in this conservative Deep South state  with this bright-pink medical facility closing its doors Wednesday.

Physicians at Jackson Women's Health Organization have been trying to see as many patients as possible before Thursday, when, barring an unlikely intervention by the state's conservative Supreme Court, Mississippi will enact a law to ban most abortions.

Amid stifling summer heat and humidity, clashes intensified Wednesday between anti-abortion protesters and volunteers escorting patients into the clinic, best known as the Pink House.

When Dr. Cheryl Hamlin, who has traveled from Boston for five years to perform abortions, walked outside the Pink House, an abortion opponent used a bullhorn to yell at her.

"Repent! Repent!" Doug Lane shouted at her.

His words were drowned out by abortion rights supporter Beau Black, who repeatedly screamed at Lane: "Hypocrites and Pharisees! Hypocrites and Pharisees!"

Abortion access has become increasingly limited across wide swaths of the U.S. as conservative states enact restrictions or bans that took effect when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

The court, reshaped by three conservative justices appointed by former President Donald Trump, issued the ruling June 24. But the Mississippi clinic has been inundated with patients since September, when Texas enacted a ban on abortion early in pregnancy.

Cars with license plates from Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas have been driving through Jackson's Fondren neighborhood to bring women and girls  some of whom appeared to be teenagers  to the Pink House. Drivers parked on side streets near the clinic in the shade of pink and purple crepe myrtles, their car air-conditioners blasting as they waited.

Diane Derzis, who has owned the Mississippi clinic since 2010, drove to Jackson to speak at the Pink House hours after the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.

"It's been such an honor and a privilege to be in Mississippi. I've come to love this state and the people in it," Derzis told those gathered in the sweltering heat.

The Supreme Court ruling was in a case called Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization  the clinic's challenge of a 2018 Mississippi law to ban most abortions after 15 weeks. The Pink House had been doing abortions through 16 weeks, but under previous U.S. Supreme Court rulings, abortion was allowed to the point of fetal viability, about 24 weeks.

Mississippi's top public health official, Dr. Thomas Dobbs, was named in the lawsuit, but has not taken a public position on the case. The state's Republican attorney general urged justices to use the case to overturn Roe v. Wade and give states more power to regulate or ban abortion.

Derzis told The Associated Press after the ruling that she didn't regret filing the lawsuit that eventually undercut nearly five decades of abortion case law.

"We didn't have a choice. And if it hadn't been this lawsuit, it would have been another one," said Derzis, who also owns abortion clinics in Georgia and Virginia, and lives in Alabama.

The Mississippi clinic uses out-of-state physicians like Dr. Hamlin because no in-state doctors will work there.

As the Pink House prepared to close, Dr. Hamlin said she worries about women living in deep poverty in parts of the state with little access to health care.

"People say, 'Oh, what am I supposed to do?'" she said. "And I'm like, 'Vote.'"

Shannon Brewer, the Pink House director, agrees low-income women will be most affected because they will be unable to get abortions in-state.

Some staffers were expected to be in the Pink House on Thursday for paperwork ahead of its closure, but no procedures.

Derzis and Brewer will soon open an abortion clinic in Las Cruces, New Mexico, about an hour's drive from El Paso, Texas,  calling it Pink House West. Hamlin said she is getting licensed in New Mexico so she can work there.

Mississippi and New Mexico are two of the poorest states in the U.S. but have vastly different positions on abortion politics and access.

Home to a Democratic-led legislature and governor, New Mexico recently took an extra step to protect providers and patients from out-of-state prosecutions. It's likely to continue to see a steady influx of people seeking abortions from neighboring states with more restrictive abortion laws.

One of the largest abortion providers in Texas, Whole Woman's Health, announced Wednesday that it is also planning to reopen in New Mexico in a city near the state line, to provide first- and second-trimester abortions. It began winding down operations in Texas after a ruling Friday by the state Supreme Court that forced an end to abortions at its four clinics.
African and European researchers are meeting in France to give fresh impetus to Africas ambitious Great Green Wall project, intended to fight climate change and support communities across the Sahel region. Much of the area is plagued by conflict and hunger, but scientists are looking at new ways to move ahead.

Its been slow-going building Africas so-called Great Green Wall of trees and bushes intended to stretch nearly 8,000 kilometers from Mauritania in the west to tiny Djibouti in the east. Fifteen years into the project set to be complete in 2030, only a fraction of the reforestation has been realized. Eight of the 11 countries involved are grappling with unrest. Funding hasnt matched the development challenge.

Still, environment professor Aliou Guisse points to tangible successes. In the Sahel area of his native Senegal, reforested areas are gaining ground. He said theyre home to larger and more diverse populations of animals, birds and insects than areas where trees havent been planted. Scientists are finding health and other benefits of local plants like desert date palms, which are valued by communities, might be commercialized and generate revenue.

Guisse is co-director of the Tessekere Observatory in northern Senegal, which seeks a holistic approach to Green Wall development spanning areas like health, agriculture, the economy  and of course, the environment.

He and other experts meeting this week in the western French city of Poitiers want to widen their collaboration, currently happening in Burkina Faso and Senegal, to include researchers from other Sahel countries like Niger, Chad and possibly Mali. Despite unrest in those countries, they say progress  like building baseline data  can happen.

The Tessekere Observatorys other co-director, French anthropologist Gilles Boetsch, said another goal is building partnerships between researchers and government agencies managing Green Wall development. The group is diving into new areas, like exploring the impact of animal-to-human-transmitted diseases, such as Ebola and COVID-19.

Boetsch says their research doesnt just benefit Africas Sahel, but also countries like France  already facing the fallout of a warming and changing climate.
In a major policy address at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore Wednesday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said major countries with influence on Russia should use it to end the war in Ukraine.

Describing the invasion as unprovoked, illegal," "immoral" and "inhumane, Wong urged China, which has not condemned the invasion, to help end the conflict in Ukraine.

To grow its international influence beyond military strength, China needs to wield this strength with restraint and legitimacy," said Wong. "The region and the world is now looking at Beijings actions in relation to Ukraine.

Australia has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russian officials, including politicians and members of the military.

Wong also told reporters in Singapore that Australias new center-left administration was promising regional partners greater action to combat climate change.

The new Australian government has been elected with [a] much greater level of ambition on climate change," said Wong. "...We see this as an enormous economic opportunity for our countries as well.

Wongs speech highlighted Australias commitment to peace and prosperity in Southeast Asia.

Susannah Patton, an analyst at the Lowy Institute, a Sydney-based research group, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that the address also was aimed at finding common ground on regional relations with China.

I think the speech was very much an attempt by Penny Wong to try and recast Australias relationships with Southeast Asia in a more positive way and to try and identify shared interests, even though Australia and Southeast Asia increasingly see China in very different terms," said Patton.

Australian relations with China have sunk to new lows in recent years. There have been disputes over human rights, democracy in Hong Kong, and Beijings territorial ambitions in the South China Sea. There has been friction this year over Chinas attempts to further its trade and security agendas in the Pacific.

Australias Labor government wants to ditch the often-hostile tone toward China of the previous center-right administration.

Wong has promised a more considered approach. Reports have said it is possible she could meet her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on the sidelines of the G-20 summit this week in Bali, Indonesia.
U.S. President Joe Biden this month will make his first visit to the Middle East since taking office 18 months ago.

He'll meet in Saudi Arabia with the leaders of the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries and those from Jordan, Egypt and Iraq, and they'll discuss Irans threatening regional activities.

Meanwhile, talks to revive a nuclear deal with Iran are floundering, while global fuel prices remain high.

There has been a flurry of regional diplomatic activity involving the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Egypt ahead of Bidens visit. Also, theres been talk of a possible NATO-style defense alliance for the Middle East envisioning greater cooperation on security and defense matters by Arab states and Israel to counterbalance Irans rising influence.



Jordans King Abdullah said he already sees his country as a NATO partner, because it has worked closely with the alliance, and its troops have fought shoulder to shoulder with NATO forces in the past.

Analyst Amer Al Sabaileh, a nonresident fellow at the Washington-based Stimson Center, told VOA that regional Sunni Muslim heavyweight Saudi Arabia wants to see its Shiite rival, Iran, contained.

The Saudis dont want to see again a new nuclear deal with Iran without their presence being taken into consideration," Al Sabaileh said, adding that they have long been concerned about "the aggressive, hostile Iranian policies in the region and the ballistic capacity of Iran.

Kim Ghattas, a nonresident senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, speaking at a Carnegie Middle East Center event, said tensions abound with Iran, and she questions whether any nuclear deal is achievable.

Theres a lot of regional coordination between the U.S. and Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Jordan to try to contain any fallout from rising tensions with Iran," Ghattas said. "Iran is in a tight corner. Theyre not getting the money [because of] the sanctions. They are seeing Americas allies in the region and countries that had been enemies  the UAE, Saudi Arabia  coming together publicly or privately. Youre seeing a kind of regional movement that allows [containment of] Iran, even if there is no nuclear deal.

Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, also told a Carnegie Middle East panel that while oil is clearly a geopolitical strategic catalyst for the Biden trip, he did not see a major change in crude production in the short term.

Around the oil question, the administration has tried to wrap other American interests: resuming a functional relationship with Saudi Arabia, promoting the expansion of the Abraham Accords, maybe a Middle East air defense system with the Gulf, including Israel, may or may not be announced, and the prospect of moderate steps to enhance Saudi Arabias relations with the Israelis, Miller said.

He said the U.S. wants to change the perception that it is withdrawing from the Middle East.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is the latest Conservative leader to feel his party's wrath following a string of resignations from his scandal-plagued government.

Here are three leaders previously ousted by their fellow Tories:

Margaret Thatcher

Britain's longest-serving prime minister of the 20th century tearfully stepped down in November 1990 after a Cabinet revolt.

She had vowed to fight on after narrowly winning the first round of a leadership ballot, but then accepted that her position had become untenable.

Although she had won a third term by a landslide in 1987, her introduction of a universal "poll tax" payable by every adult regardless of income was met with violent opposition.

She also faced deep opposition within her Cabinet for staunchly fighting to have closer ties with Europe.

Her once close ally Geoffrey Howe resigned from the cabinet and launched a scathing attack on her Europe policy in parliament.

That precipitated the leadership challenge by former defense and environment minister Michael Heseltine, before John Major emerged as the new prime minister in a vote among Tory MPs.

Iain Duncan Smith

Duncan Smith, one of a cabal of right-wing eurosceptics dubbed "bastards" by Major, won the Conservative leadership in 2001, replacing William Hague after the party suffered another election defeat to Labour.

His surprise ascent was helped by Thatcher and her loyalists in parliament.

But the self-styled "quiet man" of UK politics struggled to hold his own against Labour's charismatic prime minister, Tony Blair.

By October 2003, the parliamentary party was despairing of Duncan Smith's inability to make any headway against Blair, despite huge public opposition to Britain's involvement in the war in Iraq.

He lost a confidence vote, becoming the first Tory leader not to fight a general election since Neville Chamberlain, who was accused of appeasing Adolf Hitler in the late 1930s.

Theresa May

Former interior minister Theresa May came to power in July 2016 after Britain's shock referendum vote to leave the European Union, which prompted then prime minister David Cameron to resign.

She immediately found herself in charge of negotiating Britain's exit terms, but her attempts to negotiate a "soft" Brexit were shot down by hardline Brexiteers within the Conservative party.

May called a snap general election in June 2017 in the hope of strengthening her position against the Brexit rebels and Labour.

It proved a disastrous bet, with Labour under its far-left leader Jeremy Corbyn making strong inroads and forcing her to turn to hardline, pro-UK unionists in Northern Ireland for parliamentary backing.

She survived a confidence vote called by Conservative rebels in December 2018.

But after her Brexit deal was rejected in the House of Commons for a fourth time, including by dozens of Conservative rebels, her leadership was mortally weakened.

She announced in May 2019 that she was stepping down, triggering the leadership race that brought Johnson to power two months later.
Lawmakers from Cameroons troubled English-speaking regions are calling for more troops to protect officials, government workers, and their families from separatists. Addressing Cameroons parliament Wednesday night, the lawmakers said the rebels have abducted hundreds of officials and their family members and killed at least 20 workers in the past month.

Cameroon lawmakers say the heavy presence of government troops in the countrys troubled English-speaking western regions has not stopped separatist atrocities on civilians.

Cavaye Yeguie Djibril it the speaker of Cameroons National Assembly, called the lower house of parliament. He said Wednesday that several hundred elected officials, government workers and their families are being held captive by separatists in the western regions.

He says insecurity caused by separatist rebels and their brutality is increasing by the day and lawmakers, village chiefs and government workers are among the highest victims. Djibril says lawmakers are pleading with civilians to denounce fighters hiding in their villages and towns and report all suspects and their hideout to the military. Djibril says militias should be created in all English-speaking towns and villages to assist government troops to protect civilians and fight separatists.

The lawmakers say separatists have killed at least 20 government workers in the last month.

Leke Besongoh Akemfor Phillip is a lawmaker representing the Southwest region in the upper house of parliament. He says a majority of English-speaking lawmakers, mayors, local councilors and village chiefs and their families have relocated to Cameroon's capital, Yaounde, for safety.

The government should increase security because terrorists [separatist rebels] kidnap senators, parliamentarians and other state functionaries and demand ransom," said Akemfor. "So, if the government can get security operatives to wipe the hideouts, those terrorists will not be able to stay within settlement areas. When this is done, we can go back and know that our security is guaranteed.

Capo Daniel is the deputy defense chief of the Ambazonia Defense Forces, one of Cameroons separatist groups. He acknowledges that separatists are attacking and abducting Cameroons government workers and elected officials who represent the central government.

He says the attack on government workers and elected officials is part of their campaign to make English-speaking regions ungovernable by the central government in Yaounde.

Every Cameroon government official in our territory will be arrested. We will intensify our attacks against the administrative representatives," said Daniel. "We are fighting to free ourselves from occupation and recolonization.

Capo acknowledged that scores of civilians accused of collaborating with the central government are being held hostage in camps by separatists, and did not say if they will be freed.

He denied that rebels with separatist groups kidnap people for ransom, but said armed groups in the western regions carry out that practice.

The military says it will protect all civilians and their goods, and the central government says elected officials, government workers and village chiefs who need additional security can apply to the military.

A June 2022 Human Rights Watch report accuses Cameroon separatists of brutality in their attacks and says fighters have carried out at least 80 abductions since January.

Cameroons separatist conflict has killed more than 3,300 people and displaced more than 750,000 others since 2017, according to the U.N.
Clashes broke out in eastern Congo on Thursday between the military and M23 rebels, a civil society and a rebel source said, a day after the presidents of Congo and Rwanda agreed to de-escalate diplomatic tensions over the insurgency.

The M23, which Congo accuses Rwanda of supporting, began a major offensive in the eastern borderlands at the end of March, seizing an important border post and other towns despite army efforts to stop its advances.

Rwanda denies backing the M23 and has in turn accused Congo of fighting alongside another armed group intent on seizing power in Kigali.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his Congolese counterpart Felix Tshisekedi met in Angola on Wednesday and agreed on a roadmap that included an immediate cessation of hostilities and the retreat of M23 fighters from Congo.

M23 spokesman Willy Ngoma described the Luanda agreement as "an illusion."

"Only the M23 can sign the cease-fire with the government," he said.

The fresh clashes took place around the localities of Kanyabusoro and Kazuba in Rutshuru territory, pushing residents to flee their homes, said the president of a local civil society group, Jean-Pierre Karabuka.

Ngoma said there was an exchange of fire after Congolese troops attacked a rebel position around Kanyabusoro.

Congo's army spokesman for the province, Sylvain Ekenge, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The M23 fighters are waging their most sustained offensive since capturing swathes of territory in 2012-2013, after which they were defeated and chased into Rwanda and Uganda by Congolese and United Nations forces.

Congo has accepted a proposal for an East African regional force to be deployed in its east to help control the violence, but only if Rwanda does not take part. Kagame has said he had no problem with Rwanda not being involved.


As evacuees from Mariupol and other occupied Ukrainian cities make their way through Russia to third countries, they are beginning to tell stories of their harrowing journeys and of mixed treatment at the hands of Russian authorities.



Vlad Shorohov, 25, is a former Mariupol resident. A former reporter and restaurant manager, he was able to escape the artillery-ravaged city by evacuating through Russia to Finland, where he is currently working in construction.



Shorohov left Mariupol on March 20 with his mother, grandmother, a niece, and other family members and neighbors after spending three weeks in the icy basement of a high-rise building not far from the Azovstal steelworks. At the time they were without food, water or electricity.



The nine people in Shorohov's group left their shelter after a night of heavy shelling by Russian forces. He recalled learning about an evacuation organized by the Russians from a passerby. They made their way to the meeting place, where the Russian military instructed them to walk single file to a checkpoint seven kilometers away.

"We stayed there in the open and under fire for nine hours. No one controlled the queue, he told VOA. They looked at the passports and said: Here is your bus; it will take you to Novoazovsk,  a town in the occupied territory of the Donetsk oblast just inside the border with Russia.



The group, unlike some others, was allowed to remain together en route to the village of Oleksandrivske, where the members settled in a school building. From there, they proceeded to the village of Siedovo to join relatives but were stopped at a checkpoint and told to return to Oleksandrivske to wait for their so-called filtration procedure.



Denis Kochubey, a speaker of the Mariupol City Council, told VOA that the council has received numerous reports of people going through filtration in the occupied territory of Ukraine and at the Russian border. He said some Ukrainians have been singled out for "deep filtration"  a process that involves lengthy questioning and often beatings. The procedure is used primarily against men, especially those that had served in the armed forces.



"If a person even has a tattoo, some Ukrainian symbols, even a yellow-blue T-shirt, some literature in the Ukrainian language, carelessly said the word in Ukrainian, this may be a reason to filter hard," said Kochubey.



In the case of Shorohov's group, one man was pulled aside at the checkpoint outside Siedovo, where he was questioned for two hours and robbed of more than half his cash. But rather than return to Oleksandrivske, they then made their way to the Russian frontier where they told the border guards they had already been filtered and were allowed through.



Their time in Russia was less eventful. They arrived in the southern city of Taganrog, spent a night at a friend's place, and then traveled by train and taxi to the border with Finland. Shorohov was subjected to heavy questioning at the Russian side of the border crossing, which included checking his phone data and lasted for over six hours. Still, he was allowed to leave.



Another Mariupol resident, Kateryna Vovk, who left the city a day before Shorohov with her husband and a 3-year-old child, told a similar story. Their food was running out; they had no clean water and couldn't find safe passage out of the city. They learned about the Russian evacuation from a neighbor and arrived at the village of Nikolske, which was occupied by Russian forces. There, the family spent a night at a school gym sleeping in chairs. There was little food. The next day, eight buses arrived.



"The drivers were Russian military. About 600 to 800 people tried to leave. Naturally, everyone would not fit in, and a stampede began. The drivers said that they wouldn't take the men. Almost on my knees, I persuaded the military to take all of us on the bus," Vovk told VOA.



They, too, were taken to Taganrog, the city with the biggest camp for Ukrainians. After filtering  which in their case was limited to questioning  the family was sent to a large school gymnasium so packed with people that Vovk says she had a panic attack.



The family left Taganrog as soon as possible, taking the first train, and arrived after about 24 hours in the Vladimir Oblast, east of Moscow. There, they were taken to a hotel in the city of Kovrov by local volunteers who, she recalled, were friendly, respectful and well-organized.



"Then came people from the investigative committee who took our testimonies. They said that we would be the injured party in a war crime on the part of Ukraine," she said.



Vovk recalled that volunteers also helped them leave Russia. Just as in Shorohov's case, her family found it harder to leave Russia than enter, but in the end they were allowed to cross into Estonia.



"At the border, the Russian customs officers behaved terribly. They questioned men in a separate room for four hours, checked their phones, read their correspondence, stripped them down to their underpants, examined their tattoos," she said.



In March, Ukraine closed its embassy and consulates in Russia. At the same time, more than a million Ukrainian citizens crossed the border with Russia, according to the U.N. refugee agency. The UNHCR lists more than 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees in Russia on its regularly updated portal.



A UNHCR spokesperson explained to VOA that the organization doesn't distinguish between Ukrainians who came to Russia willingly or otherwise. "We are aware of reports of forced deportations, but we do not have the means to verify such reports," she said.

Russian media say more than 2.1 million people have arrived in Russia from Ukraine, including temporarily occupied territories. Russian authorities characterize them as refugees and say they have been provided with material assistance valued at about $72 million.



Ukrainian authorities consider those people deported or forcibly removed. Iryna Vereshchuk, the deputy prime minister for reintegration of the temporarily occupied territories, told Ukrainian media that 1.2 million Ukrainians, including 240,000 children, have been forcibly deported to Russia since the beginning of the war.



Since February 24, Russian forces have disrupted half of the humanitarian corridors organized by Ukrainian authorities, she said at a briefing.



Many find it hard to leave Russia because they lack documents and money or are moved to remote parts of the country, said Oleksandra Matviychuk, a Ukrainian human rights lawyer and a head of the Center for Civil Liberties.



"In one case, a family was taken to Vladivostok. The wife was pregnant, and the husband had no documents. They didn't want their child to be born in Russia and receive Russian documents," she told VOA.



The International Committee of the Red Cross has an office in Moscow that, they said in an email to VOA, "is supporting the work of the Russian Red Cross, including a program to provide cash assistance to people who had to leave their homes as a result of the conflict."



But many Ukrainians had to flee their homes on short notice without their documents. For them, replacing the missing documents might be the most challenging task, said Matviychuk and the Russian volunteers who spoke to VOA.



According to a volunteer in St. Petersburg, whom VOA is not naming for security reasons, Russian volunteer organizations provide cash and practical assistance to Ukrainian citizens seeking to leave the country, including paying for an overnight stay and train or bus tickets.



"It is not difficult to leave [Russia] if you have documents, she said. But it is impossible to leave with the copies of documents or with electronic documentation, which is common in Ukraine. It becomes even more challenging for families with newborns, who might have no documents at all, she explained.



In these and similar cases, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends contacting Ukrainian embassies in nearby countries or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of Consular Services hotline for assistance.



"When there is nothing at all, the territory is captured, and there is no access to their documents and various systems, it also imposes difficulties in helping these people," said Oleg Nikolenko, an MFA spokesman.



He said the Ukrainian government is doing what it can to help. Also, Kyiv is hoping for international assistance.



"The possibility of involving a third country, which could, for example, help with consular services, is being considered," he said.



Nikolenko said that since the beginning of the full-scale war, several hundred Ukrainian citizens have contacted Ukrainian consulates asking for help.



Not all Ukrainians want to leave Russia, according to Matviychuk, volunteers and Ukrainian authorities. Out of nine people in Shorohov's group, four stayed behind in Russia. Some Ukrainians join their relatives in Russia, finding employment and reasonable accommodation. Others, said Matviychuk, are not going anywhere because of the emotional trauma they experienced.



"They were in bomb shelters for several weeks under Russian bombarding, without food, water or electricity. They lost their relatives or loved ones. They found themselves in an aggressor country, not knowing what they must do. I'm afraid many people have no internal will to struggle and escape these circumstances," said Matviychuk.



Some information for this report came from Ukrainian TSN and the Russian Tass agency.
Two state agencies have issued a request for proposals to establish 12 new supportive crisis stabilization centers for New Yorkers with mental health or substance abuse crises.

The state Office of Mental Health and Office of Addiction Services and Supports want to open three centers in New York City and one each in the remaining nine economic development regions. The central New York region is comprised of Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties.

The development of the centers will be supported by $71 million in funding, including $15 million from the Federal Community Mental Health Block Grant program administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

"Today's investments in mental health and substance use support centers will ensure that no New Yorker ever navigates crises alone, regardless of age, ability to pay, where they live, or where they came from," Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

According to the request for proposals, the centers are expected to have contracts finalized by February 2023 and in operation by May 2023.

There are certain requirements for the centers. They must be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The governor's office said the facilities will provide assistance to individuals who are experiencing mental health or substance abuse symptoms and are in potentially harmful situations.

The centers will be certified by the state Office of Mental Health and the Office of Addiction Services and Supports. To develop the centers, providers will work with local mental hygiene directors, law enforcement agencies, schools and other programs.

State officials are encouraging behavioral health providers, including peer-led organizations, to apply. Those eligible to apply include certain not-for-profit agencies or public benefit corporations with experience providing mental health and substance abuse treatment services.

More about the request for proposals can be found at omh.ny.gov/omhweb/rfp under procurement opportunities and at oasas.ny.gov/procurement.

The deadline for proposals is 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5.

"Supportive crisis stabilization centers help individuals dealing with emotional problems get the assistance and support they need right away in a welcoming and recovery-focused environment," said Dr. Ann Sullivan, commissioner of the Office of Mental Health. "They will be available 24 hours per day, seven days per week to help people cope with emotional distress or the urge to use substances."

Sullivan added that the centers will also connect individuals with other services, such as disability services, emergency housing, food and health care.
Gambia has banned all exports of timber to curb rampant illegal logging and protect critically endangered African rosewood, but conservationists remain skeptical that the ban will be enforced.

Rosewood is one of the worlds most trafficked wildlife commodities, fueled largely by high demand from China, where the wood is used to make high-end antique-style furniture.

The trade runs rampant throughout West Africa, where forests have been decimated and soil degraded.

Between 2017 and 2022, China imported more than 3 million tons of rosewood worth at least $2 billion from West Africa, according to the Environmental Investigation Agency, an international NGO.

In addition to prohibiting all timber exports, Gambia has also revoked all export licenses.

Lax enforcement

Haidar el Ali, Senegals former environment minister and the former director of the countrys reforestation agency, said Gambia banned rosewood exports in the past, but the laws were seldom enforced.

He said that every time the wood depots empty, they said theyd prohibit exports, because in reality there was no wood left to export. And afterward, once the traffickers refilled the depots, exports resumed. Rosewood trafficking will end only when the last tree has been cut, he said.

El Ali acknowledged that this time might be different. Gambias latest ban comes one month after the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, known as CITIES, suspended all international trade of rosewood from West Africa.

The decision applies to all 184 member states of the convention, including China.

That is one of the strengths, the power, of CITIES decision  that the importers and exporters have to comply," said Raphael Edou, Africa program manager for the Environmental Investigation Agency and Benin's former environment minister. "So even if we may have some hesitation from the Gambia, we know that now there is no way to escape this decision.

Although Gambias rosewood stocks are nearly extinct, the country continues to be a top exporter. Logs are transported primarily from Senegals Casamance region, where the illegal trade funds a violent separatist movement.

Seydi Gassama, director of Amnesty International Senegal, said that because of this rebellion, the states water and forestry services, which combat illegal logging, no longer want to enter the forests of Casamance. And because of their absence, rosewood trafficking has also fed the rebellion, he said.

Separatist rebels also collect taxes on exported logs, according to local reports.

Thousands have died since the conflict between the government and separatists began in 1982, and a flare-up in March displaced thousands. The conflict is one of the oldest in Africa.
Amid fear and tight security, a 43-day annual Amarnath Yatra  a Hindu pilgrimage to a cave located 3,888 meters above sea level  is underway in India-administered Kashmir after a gap of three years.



Over half a million pilgrims are expected to take part in this year's Yatra, which began on June 30. According to the latest reports, about 50,000 pilgrims visited the holy shrine within the first few days, defying anxiety over the low-intensity insurgency in the Muslim-majority region.

Authorities expect a spike in the number of pilgrims this year because of pent-up demand. The Yatra was canceled in 2019 amid widespread lockdowns after the Indian government abruptly revoked the regions' semi-autonomous status on August 5 of that year. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the event to be postponed in 2020 and 2021.

"Unfortunately, I was not able to come due to the COVID lockdown" for those two years, said Mansih Jatt, a Hindu devotee who is on his fourth visit to the cave. "It is a pleasure to see the resumption of Yatra again with better security and better facilities."

Security beefed up



In view of the security threats, the government of India has deployed army and paramilitary forces along with the Jammu and Kashmir Police and State Disaster Response Force teams on the main routes used by pilgrims on their way to the cave.



According to the South Asian Terrorism Portal  a database tracking terrorism and low-intensity warfare in South Asia  33 individuals identified as terrorists were killed in the Kashmir region in June, the highest total for any month this year. The region has also seen a recent spike in targeted killings, including some aimed at the minority Hindu community.



But the heavy security arrangements are providing comfort to the pilgrims.



"I am happy to see how the government has provided security to us from Jammu to the Holy Cave," said Pravesh Kumar Bal, a pilgrim from the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. "Earlier, we were scared of coming here, as militant outfits had warned security agencies of attacking Yatris, but seemingly, this place is peaceful and safe."

The multiple layers of protection for the pilgrims include drone surveillance, radio frequency identification and hundreds of new CCTV cameras in addition to those already in place.



Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha told the media on Sunday, "Security forces have coordinated in a better way, and I can say that one of the best arrangements regarding security are in place and by the grace of God, everything is going on well."



Business: gain or loss?



The pilgrimage provides an important source of income for local businesses and others who provide the visitors with food, accommodation, souvenirs and other amenities.



"Last three years were extremely terrible for us to survive," said Imitiyaz Ahmed Reshi, a resident of Srinagar who provides tent accommodation to the pilgrims. "Our businesses directly depended on Yatra. I hope that this year Yatra will end up peacefully."



The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a local trade organization, calculates that the three years of lockdowns and cancellations have cost the region $7 billion.

Zakir Ahmed, who offers a service that transports pilgrims using small horses or ponies, told VOA, "We faced myriad problems from the last two years as the government suspended Yatra. Now, everyone here is happy  pony wallas, tent providers and shopkeepers. We hope this year we could earn enough to manage our living."

However, the unprecedented security arrangements have irked some shopkeepers, tourists, fruit growers and tourism service providers who make their living from trekkers and other visitors not associated with the pilgrimage.



Rauf Tramboo, the president of Adventure Tour Operators Association of Kashmir, told VOA his association members are frustrated that many popular hiking routes have been closed during the Yatra, disrupting the three- to four-month trekking season from June to September.



"We have taken advance booking from tourists who were supposed to come here for hiking but due to inaccessibility of the tracking areas in the valley, over 3,000 trekkers have canceled their trips. We have suffered a huge loss," he said.



Everyone in the Kashmir Valley's tourism trade understands the security concerns, he noted. Tramboo added, though, that "the government could have informed us well in advance so that we wouldn't have taken any booking for the Yatra days."



Farooq Kuthoo, president of the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir, said he has been receiving daily calls from distressed tourists who are upset at being barred from some popular destinations.



"The government should not discriminate between leisure and pilgrimage tourism," he said.



There are also reports of trucks being halted on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, which connects Jammu with the Kashmir Valley and is the main Yatra route. Fruit growers in north Kashmir's Sopore area held a protest Saturday against the halting of trucks.



Yet another threat is posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen a recent surge with more than 16,000 new cases across India and 24 deaths on Sunday alone. The number of daily new cases in Jammu and Kashmir rose from 19 to 74 in the two weeks through Saturday.



In anticipation of medical emergencies, doctors and paramedics have been deployed. Also, two 50-bed hospitals have been set up by the Defense Research and Development Organization with the funds provided by India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.



Wasim Nabi contributed to this article.
Iranian state TV said Wednesday that the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has accused the deputy ambassador of the United Kingdom and other foreigners in the country of espionage and taking soil samples from prohibited military zones.

The country's state-run IRNA news agency reported that the foreigners had been arrested but did not say when. The U.K. Foreign Office swiftly denied that its diplomat was arrested, calling the report "completely false."

Iran's state TV ran footage purporting to show the foreigners collecting samples from the ground while under drone surveillance.

The storm of accusations follows escalating tensions over an increase in Tehran's arrests of foreigners and a rapid advancement of its nuclear work, while talks to revive the landmark 2015 nuclear accord remain at a standstill. Iran has detained a number of Europeans in recent months, including two French citizens and a Swedish tourist, as it seeks to gain leverage in negotiations.

The report also comes after Iran, in a rare move, replaced the Revolutionary Guard's long-standing intelligence chief.

News outlets reported the deputy head of mission at the British Embassy, Giles Whitaker, and other foreigners faced spying charges after visiting various forbidden zones in the country while the Guard was carrying out missile tests.

The semiofficial Fars news agency, believed to be close to the Guard, claimed Whitaker was expelled from the area after offering authorities an apology.

The accusations in Iranian media came as the British public was transfixed by the political fortunes of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who faces growing pressure to step down after defections from his Cabinet.

State TV broadcast a photo montage apparently showing Whitaker touring the southwestern desert collecting soil samples against the backdrop of eerie music.

"Even though there were signs in that area saying this was a forbidden area, he went further and took a sample and took a picture," the narrator said. "Intelligence agencies say that these people often pose as tourists but are looking for military and missile sites to identify equipment and ammunition."

Iranian media also identified Maciej Walczak, a Polish scientist at Copernicus University in Poland, as among the accused foreigners. It similarly said he took samples of soil, water and salt from a forbidden area during a missile test in the country's south.

The report added that the Guard's intelligence wing detained the husband of Austria's cultural attache in Iran after he took soil samples in the country's northeast.

Iran has in the past arrested dual nationals and those with Western ties, often on widely criticized espionage charges, and used them as bargaining chips in talks over other issues, such as nuclear negotiations. Tehran denies using detainees to further its political aims.

Talks to revive Tehran's tattered nuclear deal with world powers have stalled for months. A recent effort to break the deadlock between U.S. and Iranian negotiators ended without making progress in Doha last week.

The U.S. special envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, described the latest talks in Qatar as "more than a little bit of a wasted occasion."

"They have and, including in Doha, added demands that I think anyone looking at this would be viewed as having nothing to do with the nuclear deal, things that they've wanted in the past," Malley said in an interview with National Public Radio on Tuesday, undercutting Tehran's more upbeat assessments.

He added that the U.S. is working simultaneously to secure the release of four Americans detained in Iran.

"They've been used as pawns, he said. But we are looking at steps that we could take that would facilitate their return in the shortest time possible."

Meanwhile, as a shadow war between Israel and Iran has escalated in Tehran and across the Middle East, Iran announced last month that the head of the Guard's intelligence arm, Hossein Taeb, had been replaced by Gen. Mohammad Kazemi, the former head of the Guard's security department.

The surprise move followed the deaths of several Guard officers in recent weeks.
For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine.

The latest developments in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. All times EDT:

9:35 p.m.: In his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, After the conference in Lugano, which was dedicated to the recovery of Ukraine, government officials have already agreed on emergency aid to our country in the amount of more than $2 billion. These funds will be directed to strengthening the budget and preparing for winter.

8:27 p.m.: NATOs Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana said Western Balkan countries don't face an imminent threat from the war in Ukraine, and are of strategic interest to the Western alliance, The Associated Press reported.

Geoana was in Kosovo's capital, Pristina, to meet with local officials and visit the NATO-led KFOR mission. He denounced Russias illogical and brutal war in Ukraine and its aggressive and malign influence over the Western Balkans."

We have a strategic interest ... in the Western Balkans. I want to send a message of hope for all the people to the Western Balkans that ultimately all of us will find ourselves in the European and Euro-Atlantic family, he told The Associated Press.

Some Western Balkan countries are NATO members  Albania, Croatia, Montenegro and North Macedonia  while Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina are partners.

Kosovo has said it will apply for the Partnership for Peace membership, considered a first step in the NATO membership process, according to the AP.

7:38 p.m.: 

6:45 p.m.: U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi warned that Ukraine faces tremendous challenges after invading Russian forces destroyed thousands of homes while also traumatizing residents, separating families and creating widespread anxiety during the conflict, The Associated Press reported.

Grandi also said he's seen Ukrainian victims of the war showing a lot of strength, resilience and determination to rebuild their lives in the face of continuing Russia military attacks.

Grandi was speaking while visiting the towns of Irpin and Bucha, where Russian forces have committed some of the worst atrocities during their invasion of Ukraine.

The war in Ukraine has caused civilian casualties and destruction of civilian infrastructure, forcing people to flee their homes seeking safety, protection and assistance. Millions of refugees from Ukraine have crossed borders into neighboring countries, and many more have been forced to move inside the country.

5:18 p.m.: The United States will continue its "close cooperation" with Britain including their joint support for Ukraine against Russian aggression, US President Joe Biden said Thursday, hours after Boris Johnson announced his resignation as prime minister, Agence France-Presse reported.

"The United Kingdom and the United States are the closest of friends and allies, and the special relationship between our people remains strong and enduring," Biden said in a statement.

"I look forward to continuing our close cooperation with the government of the United Kingdom," he added, including "maintaining a strong and united approach to supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Putin's brutal war on their democracy, and holding Russia accountable for its actions."

4:36 p.m.: A senior US diplomat gave Griner a letter Thursday from U.S. President Joe Biden, CNN reported. Griner had written to Biden on July 4 pleading for his help.

Griner appreciated Biden's letter "like every citizen of every country would appreciate a personal letter from the President," one of her lawyers, Alexander Boykov said.

On Wednesday, the White House announced Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris had spoken by phone with Griner's wife. Cherelle Griner was grateful for the call, she said in a statement Wednesday.

In the meantime, the US government should "continue doing what they are doing and exhaust every measure possible to help bring BG home," Griner's Mercury head coach Vanessa Nygaard told CNN on Thursday following her plea.

3:21 p.m.:

2:30 p.m.: Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas is to present a combat drone to Ukraine that was donated by the Turkish manufacturer after a private crowdfunding campaign among ordinary Lithuanians raised $6.1 million to buy it within days.

The campaign's success inspired Turkey's Baykar defense company, which makes the Bayraktar TB2 drone, to provide it free of cost. Some of the money raised in Lithuania was used to arm the drone, and the rest will be funneled to Ukraine to address "critical needs," the Lithuanian government said.

"One weapon won't win a war, but symbols are extremely important in any war," Anusauskas told public broadcaster LRT Wednesday.

1:25 p.m.: The Wall Street Journal says it has found evidence of a Russian smuggling network organized to transport stolen grain out of newly occupied areas of Ukraine and into the Middle East.



The Journal video report, published Thursday, says convoys of Russian trucks are carrying grain through southeastern Ukraine, through the Russian-annexed Crimea region, to the port of Sevastopol. From there, says the report, three Russian ships, often traveling with their transporters turned off, haul the grain to ports in Syria and Turkey.



The newspaper uses photos, satellite images and an interview with a Russian driver to support its claims.



Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of stealing its grain since the February 24 invasion. Russia denies the accusations.



The Russian invasion has wreaked havoc on Ukrainian grain exports and led to shortages that have driven up food prices worldwide.

12:05 p.m.: The top official in Ukraines Donetsk province says at least one person was killed and six wounded in a Russian missile attack Thursday on the city of Kramatorsk.

Reuters reports that Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko also said the missile damaged six buildings in the city center, including a hotel and an apartment building.



Ukraine has said it expects Kramatorsk, a city of about 150,000, to be one of the main targets for Russian forces as they attempt to take full control of Donetsk.

11:30 a.m.: Outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the United Kingdom will continue to supply vital defensive aid for as long as needed to Ukraine.



The prime ministers office says Johnson made the comment during a call Thursday with Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy.



In a statement, the office says Zelenskyy thanked Johnson for his "decisive action on Ukraine, said the Ukrainian people were grateful for UK efforts to help Ukraine deal with the Russian invasion.



The prime minister ended the call by telling Zelenskyy: Youre a hero, everybody loves you.

10:46 a.m.: An adviser to Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy has thanked British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for his staunch support of Ukraine as the country battles Russian invasion.



In a video posted to Twitter Thursday, Mykhailo Podolyak said Ukraine is extremely grateful to Johnson for building international support against what he called the Russian Federation monster, and for helping Ukraine obtain what it needs to effectively defend itself.



Johnson announced Thursday he would resign as prime minister following a dramatic loss in political support, though he said he would remain in office until a successor is chosen.

10:25 a.m.: Reuters reports that U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to drug charges Thursday in a Russian courtroom.

"I'd like to plead guilty, your honor. But there was no intent. I didn't want to break the law," Griner said, speaking English which was then translated into Russian for the court.



Her next hearing was scheduled for July 14. If convicted, Griner could face 10 years in prison.



Griner was arrested February 17 after authorities at a Moscow airport allegedly found cannabis vape cartridges in her luggage. Her detention has raised concerns that Moscow might try to use her to negotiate the release of a Russian national in U.S. custody.

9:38 a.m.: A Kremlin spokesman says Russia has made no specific decision about the Sakhalin-1 international oil and gas project, after a top lawmaker said it would be brought under Moscow's control, according to Reuters.



U.S.-based ExxonMobil is one of four companies that are partners in the Sakhalin-1 group of fields. ExxonMobil said it would pull out of the project in March, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.



On Thursday, Pavel Zavalny, the head of the energy committee in Russia's lower house of parliament, said Sakhalin-1 would be put under Moscow's jurisdiction, just like the neighboring Sakhalin-2 project, which the Russian government seized last week.



However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday no decision has been made about the future of Sakhalin-1.

9:15 a.m.: U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner returned to a Russian court Thursday for the second hearing of her trial on drug charges.



Griners trial began last Friday but was adjourned when two witnesses failed to appear, reports the Associated Press.



Friends and family of the two-time Olympic gold medalist have called on the Biden administration to do more to win Griners release, amid concerns Russia may try to use her to negotiate the release of a Russian national in U.S. custody.



Griner was arrested on February 17, a week before Russia invaded Ukraine, after authorities at a Moscow airport allegedly found cannabis vape cartridges in her luggage.



The State Department has designated her as wrongfully detained, and moved her case under the supervision of its special presidential envoy for hostage affairs.

8:45 a.m.: Russian forces fired missiles Thursday at the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, according to Reuters.



The report says the citys mayor, Oleksandr Goncharenko wrote on Facebook that missiles struck central parts of Kramatorsk, causing casualties.



Ukraine has said it expects Kramatorsk, a city of about 150,000, to be one of the main targets for Russian forces as they attempt to capture the entire Donetsk region.

7:25 a.m.: Russias defense ministry says a Russian warplane killed an unspecified number of Ukrainian troops on Snake Island in the Black Sea on Thursday after they landed there to raise a Ukrainian flag.



A Russian defense ministry spokesman says the aircraft struck soon after several Ukrainian servicemen arrived on the island via motorboat and took pictures with the flag, according to Reuters.



The Ukrainian presidents chief of staff earlier posted a video on social media of three soldiers raising a Ukrainian flag on the island.



Snake Island is strategically important because of its proximity to the Ukrainian port of Odessa. Russian forces left the island on June 30 after heavy Ukrainian artillery bombardment. Russia says it pulled the forces to show it is not blocking U.N. attempts to open a humanitarian corridor that would allow grain to be shipped from Ukraine.

7:10 a.m.: A top Russian diplomat suggested Thursday that Washington be silent about the fate of Brittney Griner, the U.S. basketball star detained in Russia on drugs charges.



The Russian news agency RIA Novosti quotes Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying hype around Griners case does not help her interests. He added that against this background, of course, it is difficult to engage in a substantive discussion of various kinds of exchanges.



Ryabkov said judicial procedures for Griner have not been completed, and until this happens, there are no nominal, formal, procedural grounds for any further steps, not to mention anything else.



Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, was arrested at a Moscow airport on February 17 after cannabis-infused vaporizer cartridges were allegedly found in her luggage. Friends, family and fans have urged the Biden administration to do more to obtain her release.

5:55 a.m.: Ukraine's foreign ministry said on Thursday a Russian ship carrying Ukrainian grain had been allowed to leave the Turkish port of Karasu, calling it an "unacceptable situation" and summoning Turkey's ambassador.

"We regret that Russia's ship Zhibek Zholy, which was full of stolen Ukrainian grain, was allowed to leave Karasu port despite criminal evidence presented to the Turkish authorities," foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko wrote on Twitter.

"Turkiye's Ambassador in Kyiv will be invited to Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to clarify this unacceptable situation."

5:40 a.m.: Reuters reports that Finland's parliament on Thursday voted in favor of legislation that would allow barriers on the country's border with Russia and enable the closure of the 1,300-kilometers frontier from asylum seekers in case of "exceptional circumstances."

5:08 a.m.: U.S. think tank The Institute for the Study of War said in its latest Ukraine assessment that Ukrainian forces may be preparing for a counteroffensive toward Kherson City.

Meanwhile, Russian forces seem to be conducting an operational pause and preparing for more intense offensives, the assessment said.

Russia's operations pause hasn't stopped limited ground attacks, however. Troops attacked north of Kharkiv City, tried to advance toward Bakhmut from the south and attempted to push westward toward Siversk from the Luhansk-Donetsk oblast border, the assessment said.

4:17 a.m.: The daily intelligence update from the U.K. defense ministry said heavy shelling continued along the Donetsk front line but Russia made few advances.

The update also said Russia is working on economic measures to support its operations in Ukraine without a formal declaration of state mobilization.

3:12 a.m.: Al Jazeera reported that German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that in light of the war with Ukraine, Russia must not be allowed to use this week's G-20 gathering as a platform.

Both she and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken have said they will not meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who will be attending the gathering, Al Jazeera reported.

Meanwhile, Australia's foreign minister called the war in Ukraine "immoral."

2:08 a.m.: Josep Borrell, the European Union high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, asked China to play a more constructive role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

1:11 a.m.: Russian-born Elena Rybakina said she wanted the war in Ukraine to end "as soon as possible" after reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

Now representing Kazakhstan, and the first player from that country to reach the last four of a Grand Slam, Rybakina faces a semi-final with Romanian 2019 champion Simona Halep.

Rybakina, 23, who was born in Moscow and switched allegiance from Russia four years ago, was asked afterwards whether she felt Kazakh or Russian, a sensitive subject at a tournament that this year barred players from Russia and Belarus due to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

"I was born in Russia but of course I am representing Kazakhstan. It's already a long journey for me," she said. "I was playing Olympics, Fed Cup before. I got so much help and support. "For me it's tough question just to say exactly what I feel."

Asked about the war in Ukraine, she added: "I just want the war to end as soon as possible. Peace, yeah."

12:02 a.m. Ukraine is investigating more than 21,000 war crimes and crimes of aggression by Russian troops, the BBC reported.

Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said she was getting reports of 200-300 war crimes a day, the BBC said. She said that Russian soldiers who commit crimes "should understand that it's only a question of time when they all will be in court."

Russia has denied all allegations of war crimes.

Some information in this report came from Reuters.
The investigation into Haitian President Jovenel Moise's assassination in Port-au-Prince on July 7, 2021, remains stalled in Haiti but is moving forward in the United States.

Haitian National Police (PNH) has made more than 40 arrests in connection with the killing. Among those arrested are 18 ex-Colombian soldiers. They remain jailed and have not appeared in court. Progress on the case has been slow in large part because Haitis justice system has been plagued by protests, robberies, gang violence and death threats.

But in the United States, the Department of Justice has indicted three key suspects who are being held in a federal prison in Miami, Florida, awaiting trial.

Ex-Colombian army officer Mario Antonio Palacios Palacios, Haitian businessman Rodolphe Jaar and former Haitian lawmaker John Joel Joseph have been formally indicted and are charged with conspiracy to commit murder or kidnapping outside the United States and providing material support resulting in death, knowing or intending that such material support would be used to prepare for or carry out the conspiracy to kill or kidnap.

Palacios

During an April 5 court appearance in Miami, Palacios pleaded not guilty to the charges. He does not yet have a trial date.

He was transferred to the U.S. from Panama, where authorities had arrested him at the airport en route to his native Colombia.

Palacios had somehow traveled from Haiti to Jamaica, where he was found without any identification. Jamaican officials put him on a plane bound for Colombia, with a stop in Panama, where authorities arrested him in October 2021 and charged him with illegal entry.

In an interview with U.S. law enforcement officials, Palacios said he was hired by a security firm to travel to Haiti and provide security and participate in an alleged operation to arrest Moise. Palacio said he was told on July 6, 2021, that the plan was to assassinate the president.

Jaar

Jaar pleaded not guilty in federal court on July 6. His trial is scheduled to begin on July 18.

He was arrested in the Dominican Republic in January and was transferred to the U.S. on Jan. 19. He is a former U.S. Drug and Enforcement Administration (DEA) informant who is accused of being an accomplice in the assassination plot.

Before his arrest in January, Jaar told The New York Times that he helped plan and finance the Moise plot. He said he and Joseph Felix Badio, a suspect who is still at large, kept in contact after the assassination and slept in the same house days after the attack.

Joseph

A former senator, Joseph was apprehended in Jamaica in January and charged with illegal entry. He traveled to the island with his wife and two children, who later asked for asylum. U.S. law enforcement officials requested his extradition, and he consented. He was transferred to Miami on May 6 and charged with the same felonies as Palacios and Jaar in connection with the assassination. He does not yet have a trial date.

The Associated Press reported that it had seen a police report that linked Joseph to the plot. The report said one of the suspects had identified Joseph as one of the leaders. The document listed a WhatsApp conversation between Joseph and James Solages, a Haitian American who was arrested in Haiti where details of the operation were discussed. Solages remains in jail in Haiti.

Some information for this story came from The Associated Press.
A police officer armed with a rifle watched the gunman in the Uvalde elementary school massacre walk toward the campus but did not fire while waiting for permission from a supervisor to shoot, according to a sweeping critique released Wednesday on the tactical response to the May tragedy.

Some of the 21 victims at Robb Elementary School, including 19 children, possibly "could have been saved" on May 24 had they received medical attention sooner while police waited more than an hour before breaching the fourth-grade classroom, according to a review by a Texas State University training center for active shooter situations.

The report is yet another damning assessment of how police failed to act on opportunities that might have saved lives in what became the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. since the slaughter at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.

"A reasonable officer would have considered this an active situation and devised a plan to address the suspect," read the report published by the university's Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training program.

The authors of the 26-page report said their findings were based on video taken from the school, police body cameras, testimony from officers on the scene and statements from investigators. Among their findings:

 It appeared that no officer waiting in the hallway during the shooting ever tested to see if the door to the classroom was locked. The head of Texas' state police agency has also faulted officers on the scene for not checking the doors.

 The officers had "weapons (including rifles), body armor (which may or may not have been rated to stop rifle rounds), training and backup. The victims in the classrooms had none of these things."

 When officers finally entered the classroom at 12:50 p.m.  more than an hour after the shooting began  they were no better equipped to confront the gunman than they had been up to that point.

 "Effective incident command" never appears to have been established among the multiple law enforcement agencies that responded to the shooting.

The gunman, an 18-year-old with an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle, entered the building at 11:33 a.m. Before that a Uvalde police officer, whom the report did not identify, saw the gunman carrying a rifle toward the west hall entrance. The officer asked a supervisor for permission to open fire, but the supervisor "either did not hear or responded too late," the report said.

When the officer turned back toward the gunman, he had gone inside, according to the report.

Officer's concerns

The officer was 148 yards away from the door, which the report said was within the range of his rifle, and allegedly said he was concerned that an errant shot could have penetrated the school and injured students inside.

"Ultimately, the decision to use deadly force always lies with the officer who will use the force. If the officer was not confident that he could both hit his target and of his backdrop if he missed, he should not have fired," the report read.

The report is one of multiple fact-finding reviews launched in the aftermath of the worst school shooting in Texas history.

A committee formed by Texas legislators has also interviewed more than 20 people, including officers who were on the scene, behind closed doors for several weeks. On Wednesday, the committee said Uvalde County Sheriff Ruben Nolasco has refused a meeting, and it sent a letter trying to compel his testimony. Nolasco did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Last month, Colonel Steven McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, testified before the state Senate that the police response was an "abject failure." He pinned particular blame on Chief Pete Arredondo, saying that as on-scene commander the Uvalde schools police chief made "terrible decisions" and stopped officers from confronting the gunman earlier.

Arredondo's defense

Arredondo has tried to defend his actions, telling the Texas Tribune that he didn't 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 didn't have his police and campus radios but that he used his cellphone to call for tactical gear, a sniper and the classroom keys.

According to the report released Wednesday, Arredondo and another Uvalde police officer spent 13 minutes in the school hallway during the shooting discussing tactical options, whether to use snipers and how to get into the classroom windows.

"They also discussed who has the keys, testing keys, the probability of the door being locked, and if kids and teachers are dying or dead," the report read.

McCraw said police had enough officers and firepower on the scene of the Uvalde school massacre to have stopped the gunman three minutes after he entered the building, and they would have found the door to the classroom where he was holed up unlocked if they had bothered to check it.

A lawyer for Arredondo and a spokeswoman for the Uvalde city police department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Arredondo is on leave from his job with the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District and resigned from his position as a city councilor last week.
Nigerian security forces continue searching for hundreds of inmates who escaped following a Tuesday attack on an Abuja prison. The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has claimed responsibility for the jailbreak and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has criticized the intelligence service for failing to stop it.

But security critics have pointed the finger back at Buhari, saying he has failed to secure the nation after more than seven years in office.

For a second day Thursday, teams of armed security and prison officials spread across Abuja searching for missing inmates.

After raids the day before, about 436 of nearly 900 escapees were recaptured, but hundreds remain at large, including all 64 high-profile Boko Haram suspects.

Authorities say back at the prison theyre also profiling those who fled.

A prison service statement on Wednesday said 879 inmates escaped when gunmen with explosives blasted open a perimeter fence and prison walls of the medium security prison in Kuje, Abuja on Tuesday.

The attackers also sporadically fired weapons.

Islamic State West Africa Province, the Islamic State affiliate known as ISWAP, later claimed responsibility for the invasion.

Buhari visited the facility Wednesday and blamed the security intelligence system. The president also said he wanted a comprehensive report on the attack.

Permanent Secretary of the Defense Ministry Ibrahim Kana told VOA that officials are addressing the matter.

"We will do all that we can through our military personnel, police, spies and even the prison warders, to bring these people to book, Kana said. So we are calling on Nigerians to be calm  there's no cause for alarm. We are still trying to count the numbers of the inmates that have escaped."

The presidents criticism of the intelligence system generated widespread public condemnation. Critics said the president was pointing fingers while he failed to fulfil a promise he made in 2015 to address insecurity.

Kuje resident Peter Onoja, who said the explosions at the prison shook his family, is among the critics.

"I believe in proactive activities, not when things have happened [and] you now begin to run helter-skelter; no, I believe in preventing something before it comes to happen, Onoja said. This is not the first time."

Security experts have also weighed in on the presidents response to the incident.

Security analyst Senator Iroegbu said authorities and security agencies are losing focus, distracted by political events around the country.

"Unlike before when you can actually press the president, hold him accountable  the attention has shifted to focus on who will possibly be the next leaders come 2023, Iroegbu said. This also has affected the alertness level of security and intelligence agencies."

Nigeria is due to go to the polls in February 2023.

But as the search for more escapees continues over coming days, Abuja residents say the peace they once enjoyed is now threatened.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, facing widespread defections in his Conservative government, said Thursday he is resigning as the party leader but will stay as the caretaker prime minister until a new party chief is elected.

Johnson said it is "clearly the will" of his Conservative Party that there should be a new leader. Johnson also said that in the meantime he would remain as the countrys leader, although critics said he should be ousted as soon as possible.

His announcement came after about 50 government officials, including several senior Cabinet ministers, resigned amid calls for Johnson to step down.

It wasn't immediately clear when Johnson would leave office. His resignation will lead to an internal election within the Conservative Party to pick a new leader, who will also be the next prime minister. The process, however, could take weeks, with several party members already eyeing the top spot.

Johnson had clung to power for two days, defiantly rebuffing calls for his resignation. He told lawmakers on Wednesday that he had a "colossal mandate" from voters to stay in office.



He was forced to concede Thursday morning after two more members of his Cabinet quit and one of his closest allies, Treasury Chief Nadhim Zahawi, publicly told him to resign for the good of the country.

Zahawi, who was promoted earlier this week as Johnson tried to retain power, said he and a group of colleagues had privately expressed their concerns to the prime minister on Wednesday, but that he decided to go public after Johnson ignored the advice to immediately resign.



"I am heartbroken that he hasn't listened and that he is now undermining the incredible achievements of this government," Zahawi said in a letter posted on Twitter. "But the country deserves a government that is not only stable, but which acts with integrity."

George Freeman, who quit as science minister on Thursday, said in a tweet, "Now PM has finally done the decent thing he needs to hand in the seals of office, apologize to Her Majesty (Queen Elizabeth II), allow her to appoint a caretaker under whom ministers can serve, so the Conservative Party can choose a new leader properly.

It is a humiliating defeat for the 58-year-old Johnson, who maintained power for nearly three years, succeeded in leading Britain out of the European Union and was credited with overseeing one of the world's most successful mass vaccination campaigns to combat COVID-19.

But the perpetually rumpled leader, his blond hair looking like he had just awakened, faced frequent criticism that he misled parliament about government office parties at No. 10 Downing Street, his official residence, that broke pandemic lockdown rules.



Recent disclosures that Johnson knew about sexual misconduct allegations against a Conservative lawmaker, Chris Pincher, before he promoted him to a senior position in government, proved to be one scandal too many.

Johnson faced a round of tough questions from angry and skeptical lawmakers during the traditional prime ministers question and answer session in parliament Wednesday, a day after Finance Minister Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid unexpectedly quit within minutes of each other.

The two men resigned after Johnson apologized for appointing Pincher to a key party post despite allegations Pincher groped two men at a private club in London while he was intoxicated.

Officials in Johnsons government initially said Johnson did not know about the allegations surrounding Pincher, but later acknowledged he had been told about previous accusations against the lawmaker in 2019.

In his resignation letter, Sunak wrote that the British public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously. I believe these standards are worth fighting for, and that is why I am resigning.

Johnson immediately replaced Sunak and Javid with other members from his Cabinet. But another Cabinet official, Welsh Secretary Simon Hart, added his resignation late Wednesday, saying it was past the point where it was possible to turn the ship around.

The latest scandal comes just weeks after Johnson survived a no-confidence vote within his Conservative Party after he received a police fine for violating his own COVID-19 lockdown rules by holding parties at 10 Downing Street.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
Russian influence peddlers appear to have narrowed their focus as they continue attempts to sow disunity and undermine Western efforts to support Ukraine, according to new research from the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.

While traces of Russian influence operations can be found targeting many of the countries that have been backing Ukraine with weapons, financial support or other aid, it appears the most intense efforts have centered on a handful of countries viewed by the Kremlin as perhaps the most vulnerable.

"We believe that France, Germany, Poland, and Turkey are the primary targets of this influence narrative based on observed influence activities," Recorded Future said in the report, released Thursday.

The report's authors said they made the determination based, in large part, on how various Russian-backed influence networks all seemed to coalesce around certain themes, as if to chip away at existing concerns and divisions in each of the four countries.

"They do have a pretty good pulse on what some of those issues are or what some of those concerns are 100 days into this (war)," Brian Liston, a senior cyberthreat intelligence analyst at Recorded Future, told VOA.

And while it is difficult to determine the extent to which these Russian influence operations are "chipping away" at the pro-Ukraine coalition, Liston said, it is likely the Kremlin is willing to be patient.

"I think they view this as an opportunity to try to drill into some of those disagreements and grievances and try to fracture out that coalition piece by piece and hopefully in the hope that it will crumble," he said.

The approach is one U.S. officials have seen before.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned that "malign foreign powers," including Russia, were taking a page out of the Kremlin's election interference playbook and again seeking to amplify divisions in American society.

The department's most recent National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin, issued last month, echoed the concerns about Russia, further warning that Moscow could soon bolster its disinformation campaigns with an eye toward the 2022 midterm elections.

Recorded Future said Russia might be laying similar groundwork in France, Germany, Poland and Turkey.

"Attempts to stir internal discontent toward a country's existing leadership will very likely precede future attempts to engage in malign influence during election cycles and other target-specific political milestones, in hope of projecting a candidate, party, or platform more in alignment with, or at least less abrasive to, Russia's strategic objectives in Ukraine," the report said.

In each case, the Russian-backed media outlets, influencers and troll farms have tailored their messages in the hopes of generating a following among key audiences.

"(In) France specifically, about not going too far or maybe President (Emmanuel) Macron wanting to bargain with Russia," Liston said.

Recorded Future found that in Germany, Russian influence campaigns have been twofold, drilling down on debates over whether the country is not doing enough or perhaps doing too much to support Ukraine, while also seeking to create alarm over Ukrainian refugees coming into the country.

In Turkey, Russian operatives found a host of so-called wedge issues to their liking.

Starting in late May, Recorded Future found multiple examples of pro-Russian media and pro-Russian influence networks harping on Turkey's concerns about Finland and Sweden moving to join NATO. Multiple articles focused on the Finnish and Swedish arms embargoes against Turkey, as well as on Turkish demands that both countries extradite individuals linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party.

Additionally, Recorded Future said a Russian troll farm known as Cyber Front Z spread memes on Telegram designed to amplify Turkey's concerns while portraying Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as dead set against NATO expansion.

At the same time, Russian-backed outlets like Sputnik and the Red Spring Information Agency targeted Turkish tensions with Greece, playing up Ankara's concerns about Greek activity in contested sections of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas.

Russian influence operations aimed at Poland, in the meantime, have sought to stoke historical tensions.

One of the more prominent themes, the report said, are suggestions "Poland is planning to use Russia's war with Ukraine to its advantage to reintegrate historically Polish lands back under its control."

The report found that elements of the alleged conspiracy were disseminated by the Russian state-backed media outlet RT in late April, using quotes from the head of Russia's foreign intelligence service.

To further back up such assertions, Recorded Future said, pro-Russian Telegram accounts in May began circulating a document  likely forged  stating that Polish and Lithuanian troops were planning an invasion for later in the month.

Additional reports on the alleged invasion plans soon followed on other Russian media sites such as RIA Novosti and TV Zvezda, Recorded Future said.

The findings also seem to lend credence to a possible Ukrainian intelligence success.

Last month, Ukraine's security service published an alleged Russian intelligence analytical note detailing plans to support Russian's invasion of Ukraine with information warfare.

"We saw a lot of overlap," Liston, of Recorded Future, told VOA. "Stirring internal discontent, economic concerns, trying to tie Ukraine back to the origins of Nazism, fascism."

"Based on what we were seeing in those sources already versus what was in the note, we had a pretty good feeling that this was an authentic analytic propaganda manual," he said.
U.S. President Joe Biden is due to visit the Middle East next week  a region undergoing rapid geopolitical changes. As Henry Ridgwell reports, the rivalry between Sunni-led Saudi Arabia and Shia-led Iran has long underpinned the complex relations and now both countries are attempting to reenter the international fold.
A plan that is a few years in the making will come to fruition with a multi-million dollar state investment.

New York has awarded $5.5 million to transform the former Cayuga Elementary School into a housing development featuring 47 apartments. Nine of the units will be reserved for individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities, who will also have access to services offered by the Auburn-based E. John Gavras Center.

Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services is the project's developer. According to Gov. Kathy Hochul's office, the planned apartment building has been designated as a housing opportunity project because it is "in a well-resourced area with a high-performing school district."

The project is one of 16 that will share $104 million to support the creation or preservation of 864 homes across the state. The funding is provided through New York State Homes and Community Renewal. An additional $267 million from public and private sources will support the projects.

"Expanding the housing supply is the cornerstone of my $25 billion, five-year housing plan, and today's awards will move us one step closer toward achieving our goal of making New York a more affordable place for all," Hochul said. "With sustainable designs, on-site supportive services, and expanded access to free or low-cost broadband internet, we're not just building homes with these awards; we're creating vibrant, more enduring communities."

The shuttered school, which is on Wheat Street in the village of Cayuga, was part of the Union Springs Central School District. It closed before the 2018-19 school year.

In 2019, the Gavras Center submitted an offer to buy the building with the intent to turn it into a housing development. The sale was finalized in 2020. At the time, James Breslin, who is the center's chief operations officer, said its plan would address "a lack of safe, affordable, integrated housing in the community."

All of the projects that received state backing must meet environmental building standards. Thirteen of the housing projects will be located in all-electric buildings.

Free or low-cost high-speed internet will be provided to residents  part of the state's ongoing push to ensure that all New Yorkers have access to broadband.

Six of the projects, including the development in Cayuga County, will receive $23 million from the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program, which is administered by the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.
Boris Johnson lasted just three years as British prime minister. Weakened by scandals, he refused for months to resign but on Thursday was poised to quit, forced by his own colleagues.

July 2019: triumphant victory

After Theresa May's resignation, Brexit figurehead Johnson is elected head of the Conservative party in July 2019 after a landslide victory over foreign minister Jeremy Hunt.

He is appointed prime minister by Queen Elizabeth II, promising a swift exit from the European Union.

January 2020: Brexit hero



Johnson wins an 80-seat majority in a December 2019 general election, allowing him to ram his Brexit divorce deal through parliament.

On January 31, 2020, three-and-a-half years after the referendum, the UK formally leaves the European Union.

March 2020: pandemic hits

As coronavirus spreads across the globe, Johnson announces a UK-wide lockdown on March 23.

Four days later, he confirms he has tested positive himself and is suffering mild symptoms of COVID.

On April 5, he is taken to hospital and the next day is transferred to intensive care, later crediting two immigrant nurses with saving his life.

April 2021: 'Wallpapergate'

Johnson has been repeatedly criticized for his government's response to the pandemic, including being slow to react, and accusations mount that he has lied to parliament at various stages.

As his ousted former chief adviser Dominic Cummings tries to settle scores, Johnson is accused of illegally financing the lavish renovation of his official Downing Street flat.

May 2021: electoral successes

Johnson's Conservatives gain ground against the main opposition Labour party in by-elections, including taking the historic Labour stronghold of Hartlepool in northeast England.

December 2021: 'Partygate'

In early December, revelations emerge about several illegal parties held in Downing Street during successive coronavirus lockdowns.

An angry public, many deprived of seeing sick and dying loved ones due to social distancing restrictions, accuses him of double standards.

The list of parties mounts up and formal investigations are opened, including by London's Metropolitan Police.

On April 12, Johnson announces that he has been fined by the police for breaking the law  a first for a sitting prime minister.

His explanations vary, but he assures MPs that he did not mislead parliament, which is normally a resigning matter.

May 2022: electoral losses

The "Partygate" scandal causes Johnson's popularity to plummet, along with a botched attempt to save the political career of Owen Paterson, a close ally who was accused of illegal lobbying as an MP.

Britons, by now facing a cost-of-living crisis on the back of the war in Ukraine, vote heavily against his Tories in May 5 local elections.

June 2022: confidence vote

Johnson survives a vote of no confidence from his own MPs on June 6, called by rebels fed up with "Partygate" revelations and controversies such as the Paterson case.

But more than 40 percent of Tory MPs say they cannot back Johnson.

Sex scandals

A series of sex scandals involving Tory MPs add to Johnson's woes.

One MP is arrested on suspicion of rape and a former MP is sentenced in May to 18 months in prison for sexually assaulting a teenage boy.

In June, opposition parties win two by-elections called in seats formerly held by Tory MPs accused of sexual misconduct.

On July 5, Johnson apologizes and says he made a mistake by appointing Chris Pincher to his government in February.

His appointment came despite Johnson being previously made aware of sexual assault allegations against Pincer.

Resignations

Finance minister Rishi Sunak and health secretary Sajid Javid decide they have had enough of defending the scandals and resign on July 5.

Dozens of junior ministers, ministerial aides and other Cabinet ministers follow suit, telling Johnson his position is untenable.
Donald Lu, U.S. assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, says the Biden administration is committed to strategic partnerships, aims to invest in Central Asian sovereignty and independence, and understands why policies of balance toward Russia are rational for Central Asian interests.

But amid unrest in Uzbekistan's autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan, Washington has urged Tashkent "to pursue a full, credible, and transparent investigation" into a wave of violence on July 1 and 2, in which Tashkent officially reported 18 deaths, more than 500 arrests, and nearly 250 injuries.

Karakalpaks say they took to the streets to oppose constitutional changes that would deprive them of sovereignty and secession rights. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has since promised not to take any such steps without Karakalpaks' blessing. His government has pledged to uphold the laws and freedoms while maintaining security under emergency measures.

The State Department called on the authorities to protect "fundamental rights, including peaceful assembly and expression, in line with Uzbekistan's international obligations and commitments."

In an interview with VOA, Lu also said Washington prioritizes human rights and democracy alongside counterterrorism cooperation.

He said Washington knows Central Asian economies are suffering because of U.S. sanctions on Russia, with food and fuel prices rising and migrant workers forced home. Lu confirmed licenses to ensure the Caspian Petroleum Consortium and Kazakhstan's oil industry are immune from sanctions, "because the last thing we want to do is hurt the oil and gas industry of this region."

But two Kazakhstan-based Russian banks and an Uzbek firm have been sanctioned, accused of aiding Russia. "We want those Russian banks sold, so they become Kazakh banks," Lu said.

He conceded that Central Asians have deep ties with Russia and, while claiming to be neutral on Ukraine, have complex partnerships with Moscow, which invaded Ukraine in February. But regional decision makers tell VOA they also want balanced relationships with the West.

Lu, a former U.S. ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, said that is "a rational policy  to take the best from Moscow, Beijing, Washington, Brussels and Ankara."

And he stressed continuity in U.S. policy toward Central Asia following last year's change of administration in Washington.

"We're not standing against Russia or China but believe in independent, sovereign and prosperous Central Asian countries that respect their democratic institutions, human rights, and civil society," he said.

In recent visits to Washington, some Central Asian officials told VOA that the State Department and Pentagon have been more deferential to their concerns than in past years. And since the United States withdrew from Afghanistan last year, say experts, the region is dictating its own trajectory.



Lu agreed that "Central Asian states show great leadership in telling us what they want from this relationship," adding that America is committed to counterterrorism, including the training and equipping of Central Asian police, military, and especially border security forces.

Many analysts believe the U.S. is still mainly focused on security cooperation while democracy and rights take a back seat. Lu disagreed, pointing to Washington's position on turmoil in Tajikistan's Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous region, where dozens were killed in a recent central government crackdown on protesters.

"We're concerned that civil society is being swept up in this effort to contain anti-government forces and media freedom is being limited there," he said. "There needs to be a distinction between those who should be captured and prosecuted for anti-government, violent activity and those who are legitimate civil society, free media."

Lu claimed to see "some pretty spectacular movement in recent years" on human rights in Central Asia. In Uzbekistan, for instance, "none of us would have believed that since 2016, the government could have stamped out 100% of forced labor."

And after violence in Kazakhstan in January, Lu said, "Some real progress towards strengthening of the parliament, reducing the powers of the president, strengthening the human rights ombudsman, and providing more legitimacy for the independent judiciary."

Lu did not deny that America's partners in the region are autocrats, including Emomali Rahmon, who has led Tajikistan since 1994, currently making him the region's longest-serving president.

Uzbekistan's Mirziyoyev is pursuing constitutional changes that will make him eligible to remain in power until 2040.

"We support the reform agenda. The things that are publicly announced that they want to do, we absolutely support that. The truth will be shown to the people of this region based on the actions taken by their government," Lu said.

He added that Washington wants real accountability for January's violence and human rights abuses in Kazakhstan and "a fair and transparent process of accountability in the court system."

In Uzbekistan, Lu highlighted problems in registering civil society organizations and religious organizations.

He noted that only two countries in the OSCE, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, criminalize homosexuality: Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The Biden administration hopes to see some progress.

"I think the mentality is changing, people's views are changing," he said. "Eventually governments will change as well."

"Even in the United States, we haven't perfected our democracy," he said. "We recognize that democracy is not easy. These countries are only 30 years old. They can't be expected to have all the same trappings of very old democracies. They're going to have a form of democracy that suits their country.

"And we want to be a supportive, good partner that helps to spread the values of Central Asian people  not my values, not the values of foreigners, but values that are intrinsic to this region. I believe Central Asians are at their core democrats."

Yet many Central Asians express deep cynicism toward America, blaming it for failures in Afghanistan and accusing it of pushing Russia to attack Ukraine. That may reflect Russian propaganda but even those sympathetic to the U.S. question its commitment.

"We are very far away," Lu said, and Moscow, Beijing, and Ankara "feel much closer."

"People are a little concerned about whether their countries will survive into the next few decades. ... We believe that these are countries that should exist forever as countries, as people, and we look to invest in the sovereignty and independence of Central Asia."
Ukraine said it expected continued strong support from Britain for Kyivs fight against Russias invasion, even after a new prime minister is picked to replace Boris Johnson, who resigned Thursday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Johnson for his support of Kyivs war effort as the two leaders spoke by phone.

"We all heard this news [of Johnson's resignation] with sadness. Not only me, but also the entire Ukrainian society, which is very sympathetic to you," Zelenskyy's office said in a statement. "We have no doubt that Great Britain's support will be preserved, but your personal leadership and charisma made it special."

Russia derided Western countries for their support of Kyivs military operations.

Its obvious to everyone that liberal regimes are in a deep political, ideological and economic crisis. The situation of Britains half-decay causes concern. The loss of control, chaos, nosedive, thats how its described by experts, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

A Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said, As for Mr. Johnson, he dislikes us very much. We dislike him, too.
A UNICEF official has told VOA that Ethiopias drought-stricken population could face a full-blown famine without immediate help.

Ethiopia Representative Gianfranco Rotigliano told VOA by phone this week his agency is not receiving the necessary foreign aid to avert a humanitarian crisis. He warned that without the additional help, eastern Ethiopia could face a famine triggered by years of drought.

The country is grappling with the most severe drought it has faced since 1981. UNICEF reports four years of failed rains have dried up water sources, led to widespread crop failure and put an estimated 10 million people on life support, nearly half of them children.

The agency said severe acute malnutrition has risen sharply in drought-hit areas. In the Somali region alone, it said there has been a 47% increase. It warned 600,000 children face disease or death without medical and nutritional care.

Speaking from Addis Ababa, Rotigliano told VOA he does not have enough money to do what needs to be done.

I have been around for many years, and I have faced many emergencies in my life, but this is the first time in which I have to face a serious and great emergency and I do not have the money I need, he said.

Rotigliano said only $55 million of UNICEFs $351 million appeal to meet increasing humanitarian needs across Ethiopia this year has been received.

In eastern Ethiopia, I have people that do not have drinking water, literally drinking water because I do not have money to pay for the trucks, for the fuel, he said. So, this is  I think it could blow into a famine if it is ignored.

Rotigliano said nearly 1.8 million people have been forced to leave their homes in search of water and grazing land for their cattle.

If you travel with livestock and there is no grass, there is no fodder, there is no water, he said. The bush water is dry. The shallow wells are not there anymorethen the camels die, and all the animals die.

Rotigliano called on the outside world to send support, but also called for investments needed to mitigate the impact of climate change.
The head of the FBI and the leader of Britain's domestic intelligence agency raised fresh alarms Wednesday about the Chinese government, warning business leaders that Beijing is determined to steal their technology for competitive gain.

FBI Director Christopher Wray reaffirmed longstanding concerns in denouncing economic espionage and hacking operations by China, as well as the Chinese government's efforts to stifle dissent abroad. But his speech was notable because it took place at MI5's London headquarters and alongside the agency's director general, Ken McCallum, in an intended show of Western solidarity.

The remarks also showed the extent to which Wray and the FBI regard the Chinese government as not only a law enforcement and intelligence challenge but are also attuned to the implications of Beijing's foreign policy actions.

"We consistently see that it's the Chinese government that poses the biggest long-term threat to our economic and national security, and by 'our,' I mean both of our nations, along with our allies in Europe and elsewhere," Wray said.

McCallum said the Chinese government and its "covert pressure across the globe" amounts to "the most game-changing challenge we face."

"This might feel abstract, but it's real and it's pressing," he said. "We need to talk about it. We need to act."

A spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, rejected the allegations from the Western leaders, saying in an emailed statement to The Associated Press that China "firmly opposes and combats all forms of cyber attacks" and called the accusations groundless.

"We will never encourage, support or condone cyber attacks," the statement said.

In a nod to current tensions between China and Taiwan, Wray also said during his speech that any forcible takeover of Taipei by Beijing would "would represent one of the most horrific business disruptions the world has ever seen."

Last week, the U.S. government's director of national intelligence, Avril Haines, said at an event in Washington that there were no indications Chinese President Xi Jinping was poised to take Taiwan by military force. But she that did say Xi appeared to be "pursuing the potential" for such an action as part of a broader Chinese government goal of reunification of Taiwan.

After the appearance with his British counterpart, Wray said he would leave to others the question of whether an invasion of Taiwan was more or less likely after Russia's invasion of neighboring Ukraine. But he said, "I don't have any reason to think their interest in Taiwan has abated in any fashion," and added that he hoped China had learned what happens "when you overplay your hand," as he said the Russians have done in Ukraine.

The FBI director said there are signs the Chinese, perhaps drawing lessons from Russia's experience since the war, have looked for ways to "insulate their economy" against potential sanctions.

"In our world, we call that behavior a clue," said Wray, who throughout his speech urged caution from Western companies looking to do business in or with China. He said Western investments in China could collapse in the event of an invasion of Taiwan.

"Just as in Russia, Western investments built over years could become hostages, capital stranded (and) supply chains and relationships disrupted," he said.

President Joe Biden said in May that the U.S. would respond militarily if China invaded Taiwan, offering one of the most forceful White House statements in support of Taiwan's self-governing in decades. The White House later tried to soften the impact of the statement, saying Biden was not outlining a change in U.S. policy toward Taiwan, a self-governing island that China views as a breakaway province that should be reunified with the mainland.

The embassy spokesman said the Taiwan issue was "purely China's internal affair" and said when it comes to questions of China's territory and sovereignty, the country has "no room for compromise or concession."

"We will strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification with utmost sincerity and efforts," the statement said, though it noted that China will "reserve the option of taking all necessary measures in response to the interference of foreign forces."
Taliban security forces in eastern Afghanistan have extrajudicially killed dozens of suspected members and supporters of a local affiliate of the Islamic State terrorist group, according to Human Rights Watch.

The global human rights group has documented the alleged abuses in a report released Thursday, saying they were committed in eastern Nangarhar and Kunar provinces.

Since the Taliban took power in August 2021, residents of Nangahar and Kunar  have discovered the bodies of more than 100 men dumped in canals and other locations [between August 2021 and April 2022], the report said.

The two provinces, which border Pakistan, are known for hosting active bases of the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), the Afghan affiliate of Islamic State.

Taliban forces in these areas had carried out abusive search operations against residents they accused of sheltering or supporting ISIS-K members, according to the report.

During these security actions, including night raids, residents allegedly had been subjected to torture and men detained without legal process or revealing their whereabouts to their families.

Taliban authorities appear to have given their forces free rein to detain, disappear, and kill alleged militants, said Patricia Gossman, the associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

The bodies showed evidence of torture and brutal executions: some had missing limbs, ropes around their necks, or had been beheaded or had slit throats, according to the report.

Chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected the report as baseless, saying local authorities had investigated these rumors but found not a single body in Nangarhar or other areas.

The propaganda being spread by some well-known international organizations in this regard is disturbing and unfortunate, Mujahid wrote on Twitter.

Human Rights Watch said while working with a local partner, it interviewed  mostly in person  63 people between October 2021 and June 2022 for the report. The watchdog claimed to have found substantial evidence of summary executions and enforced disappearances by Taliban forces of suspected ISIS-K supporters.

In November, a United Nations Security Council meeting on Afghanistan was also informed the Talibans campaign against ISIS-K appears to rely heavily on extra-judicial detentions and killings.

Afghanistan has experienced a spike in ISIS-K-plotted bombings since the Taliban takeover, particularly targeting Hazara, Shiite and other minority communities in the country. The violence has killed hundreds of people, including security forces.

Taliban authorities have regularly conducted retaliatory raids against ISIS-K hideouts in Kabul and elsewhere in the country. The latest such operation was carried out Wednesday night in the Afghan capital, where Mujahid claimed it killed two ISIS-K militants and arrested several others.

The ISKPs numerous atrocities do not justify the Talibans horrific response, HRWs Gossman said, using a local acronym for the terrorist group. Taliban forces have repeatedly carried out summary executions and other war crimes against people in their custody and have yet to hold those responsible to account.
The World Health Organization warns new variants of COVID-19 are spreading and people must remain vigilant and employ public health measures to protect themselves from contracting and transmitting the deadly disease.

The latest WHO figures show reported cases of COVID-19 have increased nearly 30 percent globally over the past two weeks. Current figures stand at nearly 558 million, including more than 6.3 million deaths.

Data show BA.4 and BA.5 variants are driving new waves of the disease in Europe and the United States, while a different variant has been found in countries like India.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said testing for COVID-19 has gone down dramatically, obscuring the true extent of the current disease surge. That, he warned, means too many people are not getting the treatments needed to prevent serious illness or death.

"As the virus evolves, vaccine's protection, while it still is really effective at preventing serious diseases and death, does wane. Decreasing immunity underscores the importance of boosters, especially for the most at risk," Tedros said.

Tedros said the dangers posed by the new variants are high in developed countries, but are even greater in poorer countries, where people do not have access to new treatments and oral antivirals.

The WHO executive director for health emergencies, Mike Ryan, said every country has gaps in its national readiness, preparedness, and surveillance plans. He said countries can and must do more to boost their pandemic response in tackling the new surge in COVID-19 cases.

"We will see differential impacts in countries. So, depending on how strong that wall of immunity is in your community, depending on how well you deal with the vulnerabilities that people have, and depending on how well you are prepared to deal with that, I think we are going to see further waves of disease. And I think we will see them have a very differential impact between countries," Ryan said.

The World Health Organization urges people to implement tried and tested public health measures, such as testing, masking and vaccinating to protect themselves.

Additionally, the WHO says it is crucial to accelerate research and development into next generation vaccines, tests and treatments to keep pace with the evolution of the coronavirus.


British Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed to stay in office Wednesday, despite growing calls for him to resign and several Cabinet resignations.



"Frankly  the job of the prime minister in difficult circumstances, when he's been handed a colossal mandate, is to keep going,'' Johnson said. "And that's what I'm going to do."



Johnson faced a round of tough questions from angry and skeptical lawmakers during the traditional prime ministers question and answer session in parliament Wednesday, a day after Finance minister Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid unexpectedly quit within minutes of each other.



The two men resigned after Johnson apologized for appointing Conservative lawmaker Chris Pincher to a key party post despite allegations Pincher groped two men at a private club in London while intoxicated.

Officials at No. 10 Downing Street, the prime ministers official residence, initially said Johnson did not know about the allegations surrounding Pincher, but later acknowledged he had been told about previous accusations against the lawmaker in 2019.



In his resignation letter, Sunak wrote that the British public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously. I believe these standards are worth fighting for, and that is why I am resigning.



The latest scandal comes just weeks after Johnson survived a no-confidence vote within his Conservative Party after he received a police fine for violating his own COVID-19 lockdown rules by holding parties at 10 Downing Street.



In a resignation letter, Javid said Johnson had a chance to show "humility, grip and new direction after surviving the no-confidence vote, but added, It is clear to me that this situation will not change under your leadership.



Johnson immediately replaced Sunak and Javid with other members from his Cabinet, but several junior ministers have followed suit and stepped down from their posts, Labor Party leader Keir Starmer dismissed the resignations at the start of the question and answer session and questioned the ministers integrity.



Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse
A Harare High Court judge has dismissed a bail application filed by two Citizens Coalition for Change lawmakers accused of inciting violence.

In a tweet, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said, Hon. Sikhala & Hon. Sithole will remain incarcerated at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison after Justice Mungwari dismissed their bail appeal after ruling that if released on bail, the two are likely to disturb public order or undermine public order or security.

Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sitholes lawyers - Jeremiah Bamu and Alec Muchadehama - claim that the charges laid against the two were created by the state.

The state claims that Sikhala uttered remarks that incited violence in Nyatsime, Beatrice, at a memorial service of slain Citizens Coaltion for Change member, Moreblessing Ali.

Court documents indicate that Sikhala allegedly urged Zimbabweans to avenge Alis murder while Sithole is said to have participated in an event that incited violence.

The state claims that Sithole allegedly organized transport for CCC members who attacked Zanu PF activists in Nyatsime.
Property owners in Sterling and Fair Haven are being asked to inspect their property and buildings as police search for a missing woman.

The Cayuga County Sheriff's Office is working with the Fulton Police Department, Oswego County Search and Rescue and other law enforcement agencies trying to find a woman who has been missing for a week.

Nancy J. Howe, 70, of Fulton, was reported missing from her home in Fulton on June 30. Police said she is considered endangered due to cognitive issues. Howe is a white female, 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighs 190 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown and grey hair. She wears glasses and was last seen wearing a plaid shirt, blue jeans and orange winter cap.

Police on Thursday were focusing part of the search in the Village of Fair Haven. Howe and was last seen on Route 104A in the Sterling/Fair Haven area between 3 and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 29.

Police said that while several members of the community have offered to help search for Howe, Thursdays search will consist of members of law enforcement and search and rescue personnel only. Residents in the Sterling area, and specifically the Village of Fair Haven, are asked to check their property and out buildings for any indication of Howes location. If anyone has any information, they are asked to call 911 so the message can be relayed to searchers.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed six Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) members, including one who is said to be a daughter of former Vice President Kembo Mohadi.

Mnangagwa made the announcement at Zimbabwe House today where he told journalists that the new appointees are Abigail Millicent Mohadi Ambrose, Cathrine Mpofu, Kudzai Shava and three others.

Zimbabweans immediately reacted with harsh criticism on twitter claiming that the appointment of Ms. Mohadi and others, was an indication that ZEC is not an independent body.

But Nick Mangwana, information secretary, said Mohadis appointment was done in accordance with the countrys laws.

In a tweet, Mangwana said, Children and relatives of high profile people have the right to employment and service to their country as everyone else. Thats why its called, Equal Opportunities.

In the same twitter thread, Professor Mlambo questioned Mangwanas response saying the careers of the high profile people are now in the hands of their children.

Prof. Mlambo added that Are you not even seeing a clear conflict of interest here? Can a child announce the defeat of her father's party? Can we trust the daughter of a VP to be neutral?

Responding to these remarks, Mangwana said, Yes. Its called professionalism. Secondly, no single commissioner can override the work of whole commission. They work as a collective. Thirdly, Hanti people were openly interviewed by Parliament? Was there a more qualified applicant who was excluded?

Rashweat Mukundu, a human rights lawyer, interjected noting that there is something wrong with the appointment of Mohadis daughter.

He said, Kikikiki bla Nick serving the interests of their parents not national interests. Don't you see a direct conflict of interest here? If not then our darkness will persists much longer.

Mangwana insisted that her appointment is above board, saying, Thats a terrible assumption.

But Freeman did not want let Mangwanas remarks go unpunished. He said, This is nepotism. But because it is ZANU PF, that word does not exist. You are creating ka dynasty but pakutiza I hope muchange makabatana semhuri imwe.

Other new commissioners are Jane Mbetu Nzvenga, Rosewita Murutare and Advocate Shephered Manhivi.

The Commissioners were nominated by parliament in terms of section 237 and 238 of the constitution and candidate names were then forwarded to Mnangagwa for appointment.
Ukraine hoisted its blue-and-yellow flag on Snake Island in the Black Sea on Thursday in a show of defiance against Russia, but Moscow quickly responded with an attack that destroyed part of the Ukrainian outpost there.

Control of the island, located about 140 kilometers south of the Ukrainian port of Odesa, has been disputed since Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine more than four months ago.

In the early days of the war, Russia shelled the island after Ukrainian soldiers responded with a vulgarity when crewmen on the Moskva warship demanded they surrender. Ukraine issued a commemorative stamp celebrating the soldiers defiance.

Russia had controlled the island for much of the war, until Ukraine captured it in the last week, although Russia contended it had withdrawn in a gesture of goodwill.

Ukrainian soldiers raised the blue and yellow national flag on a patch of ground next to the remains of a flattened building on Thursday.

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Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, suggested the moment was one that would be repeated across Ukraine in the coming months.

"The flag of Ukraine is on Snake Island, he wrote on Telegram. Ahead of us are many more such videos from Ukrainian cities that are currently under temporary occupation.

But Odesa regional administration spokesman Serhiy Bratchuk said Russia's missile strike on the island's new residents had caused significant damage to its dock.

Zelenskyy hails Western weaponry

In his nightly address Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the artillery his forces have received from Western allies has started working powerfully, helping to disrupt Russias military.

Its accuracy is exactly as needed, Zelenskyy said. Our defenders inflict very noticeable strikes on depots and other spots that are important for the logistics of the occupiers and this significantly reduces the offensive potential of the Russian army.

He also pledged to regain control of all of Ukraines territory, as Russia pushes to capture the Donbas region in the eastern part of the country.

We are fighting for our entire south, for the entire Ukrainian Donbas  the most brutal confrontation is currently there, near Slovyansk and Bakhmut, Zelenskyy said. We are fighting for the Kharkiv region. The occupiers should not think that their time on this land is long-lasting and that the superiority of their artillery is eternal.
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Russias State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, basing himself on Jeffrey Sachs findings, denounced the responsibility of the United States for fabricating Covid-19.

Jeffrey Sachs is an economist, special consultant to United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres. He chaired the Lancet Commission of Inquiry which worked for two years on the origins of Covid-19. In May, he put out an appeal for the creation of a truly independent inquiry commission, separate from that of the World Health Organization (WHO) and endowed with special powers [1].

Taking into consideration that only US military bio-laboratories could have engineered this virus, Vyacheslav Volodin called for transparency to be imposed on their activities. Going further in his reasoning, he declared that it is urgent for their activities to be stopped altogether. Finally, he concluded that the United States ought compensate the international community for the damage it caused.
New York is spending $52 million to expand access to crisis call centers amid skyrocketing demand for suicide-prevention and mental-health emergency phone counseling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The investment of state and federal tax dollars is part of the transition on July 16 of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to the phone number 988 from the current (800) 273-8255. Next year, the state plans to begin spending $60 million annually to support the call centers across New York.

"Too often, people experiencing a mental health crisis or considering suicide feel as though they have no one to turn to, Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement about the effort.

But the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides hope and help, she added.

The forthcoming change to an easy-to-remember 988 number, Hochul said, will be a critical tool in helping more people access services and support as we continue to tackle behavioral health crises."

Spikes in the number of New Yorkers calling crisis centers began in the years before the pandemic, as concerns mounted about drug and alcohol addiction, social isolation and inequality, and mental-health service gaps.

Then, COVID-19 struck in 2020, prompting lockdowns and wreaking economic havoc, which deepened those same societal ills that historically drove people to call the suicide prevention lifeline, state data show.

A state Office of Mental Health report in February detailed the rising calls in New York to the suicide prevention lifeline, as well as projections for even higher demand as pandemic-related mental health trauma unfolds in coming years.

Among the findings:

 The number of calls from New Yorkers to the suicide lifeline leaped 73% from 2016 to 2019, with nearly 137,500 calls in 2019 alone.

 In 2020, New York received 142,827 calls, showing a 13% increase in just one year.

 And during the first year of 988 operations, calls are estimated to spike to 442,700 in New York, including local crisis lines, 911 diversion and new callers.

 Currently, about 70% of calls are answered in-state, which is up from 45% in 2018. The 988 transition seeks to increase that percentage further.

On July 16, New Yorkers who are contemplating suicide, or experiencing another mental health or addiction crisis, will be able to call, text, or chat the 988 number.

Family members who worry that a loved one is experiencing one of those crises may also contact the number.

The caller will be connected with a trained counselor who can offer help, such as connecting the person with a mobile crisis response team that may include a first responder or a clinical counselor.

Those experiencing a life-threatening emergency should continue to call 911, health officials said, but the 988 hotline is also intended to alleviate 911 call volumes. Some 911 calls are also diverted to the hotline.

New Yorkers can currently use the national 1-800-273-8255 suicide prevention lifeline number, which will remain active for a period during the transition to the 988 hotline. The lifeline system currently offers phone and web chat, as well as limited text support.

Twelve centers spread across New York cover the suicide prevention lifeline calls in-state, with another site pending, the state report shows.

But out of 62 counties, a group of 11 counties lack complete in-state lifeline coverage. Those counties are Franklin, Clinton, Hamilton, Saratoga, Fulton, Montgomery, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Sullivan, Ulster, and Rockland.

Many of these 11 counties do have some in-state lifeline coverage from existing centers in neighboring communities, as well as local emergency line programs.

As part of the 988-hotline changeover, state officials plan to expand capacity at existing lifeline centers to better cover the 11 counties. Two additional centers are also expected to be added in the North Country and Capital Region as part of the effort.

Currently, five out of the 12 lifeline call centers in New York operate around the clock, the report shows, but new state and federal funding this year is expected to add new staffing at centers to make all 12 sites 24/7 operations.

The state budget included $35 million to expand call center capacity statewide, according to the governors office, which seeks to increase that support to $60 million per year beginning next year.

New York also received a $7.2 million federal grant as part of a national effort to launch the 988 hotline. An additional $10 million one-time federal mental health grant is being used this year to further boost capacity, staffing and training at the centers
Sam Shogren has never run a campground before but brings a host of skills, experience, and education that may prove beneficial as the new manager of Port 2.

"Look at this office!" said Sam Shogren, the new manager for Wahkiakum County Port 2.

I asked Shogren about his goals as we surveyed Vista Park and the Columbia River from our picnic table.

His biggest goal, he said, was to stay out of Assistant Manager Terina Davis' way.

The comment was unexpected and elicited a laugh, but in truth, Shogren was giving his co-worker a huge compliment.

"The port is lucky to have a very good staff," Shogren said. "I am amazed, in the week that I've been here, seeing the way the staff interacts with guests who come to Vista Park and the community in general. Probably one of my biggest challenges will be to not screw up something that is working so well."

Shogren knows the commissioners don't want him riding a lawn mower.

"Terina has got her arms wrapped around [Vista Park] and manages it so well," Shogren said. "[The commissioners] want the new port manager to see how the port can be more active in the community and engaged and working at partnering with community members and stakeholders, and folks on both the east and west side of the county, to leverage what a port can do to provide economic development opportunities and create jobs."

Strong grant writing skills, a background in non-profit work, museums, and tourism are what Shogren is bringing to Port 2.

He earned a bachelors degree in anthropology at Ripon College and a masters in anthropology and history of archeology from the College of William and Mary in Virginia.

When he and his wife moved to Portland in 2000, he went back to school and picked up another master's degree in public administration at Portland State University, getting advanced certificates in non-profit management and non-profit fundraising.

"I have worked with non-profit organizations of various kinds for over 30 years, and a lot of that has been focused on cultural resources and maritime history," Shogren said.

Prior to moving to the Portland area, he worked at the Penobscot Marine Museum in Maine and while there, got really involved in tourism, "the economic development aspect of tourism and arts and heritage and cultural stuff."

Shogren says he helped the governor's office in Maine rewrite the state tourism plan and encouraged them to partner with the Office of Tourism in New Brunswick, Canada, a collaboration which continues 20 years later.

He said he worked most recently as the executive director of a Washington County museum but has been doing freelance museum and non-profit consulting for the past six or seven years.

"With the pandemic it's been getting harder and harder to do that," Shogren said. "I've been looking for a way to stay related to boats and water. In one sense museums are also a piece of community development, though most people don't think of them that way."

"I've never run a campground before," he said. "It's not necessary. I need to know enough to understand the challenges that Terina is up against. What do we need to do together? As an archaeologist I look at the landscape of the camp ground and think why are we spread this way or that way. If I look at it having been a museum curator, I look at all the signage and think about what would make it better or easier for people to understand. How do you make things look visually appealing to folks and part of a whole?"

If pressed for a place he calls home, Shogren says the shipbuilding town of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where he attended junior high and high school. His first job out of high school, he said, was working the second shift in the biggest shipyard, building iron ore boats for the Great Lakes as part of a crane crew.

"I did my first boat delivery with my dad when I was in junior high," Shogren said. "I've been around people in the Coast Guard and the shipping industry for a long time. I also spent nine years as a curator for a maritime museum. I have a lot of familiarity with that industry."

He enjoys sailing, camping with his family, and was an avid skier when he was younger, training in first aid and rescues, and joining the Ski Patrol.
Ben Vasion graduated from Wahkiakum High School in 2013 and is now a film student and an award winning screenwriter. Vasion accepted his Rising Star Award for a screenplay he wrote at the Desertscape International Film Festival in St. George, Utah.

Ben Vasion started screenwriting without knowing how to do it. Now he's won an award for his work in film.

The Wahkiakum High School alum graduated in 2013, and headed to South America for a church mission. Two years later, he returned to the northwest contemplating college and speaking Spanish like a native Argentinean.

Vasion was living in Cathlamet and working a retail job in Kelso when his father called and asked if he would like to join him in St. George, Utah. He could live with him and attend classes at the university nearby.

St. George reminded him of his time in the La Rioja Province in Argentina, with the heat and red rocks, and Vasion, having recently done the math, realized he was only saving about $5 a month after rent and taxes. It was an easy decision.

Unfortunately, heartbreak would follow. His father passed away in December of 2020.

Vasion, who was studying film at the time, was able to use that experience to write The Last Goodbye, which is now a short film. Judges looked at his whole body of work, but it was that screenplay in particular that would garner him the Rising Star Award at the Desertscape International Film Festival in St. George this year.

"I was walking up to accept my award and the guy said he read [a script] that was really heartfelt and had a lot of emotional weight and it was The Last Goodbye, which is the story of how I lost my dad to covid-19," Vasion said. "It's verbatim. It's showing dirty laundry to the world."

Vasion is already working on turning the short into a feature film.

He's been writing for a long time, starting with the comic book hero stories that he gave to his mom. He relished all his creative writing assignments in school.

"Mr. [Don] Cox made me realize I really liked creative writing," Vasion said. "We had to find a picture in our big literature book and create a short story around it. The paper I turned in got the highest grade."

He tried his hand at screenwriting before he went on his mission trip, with just a picture in his mind of what one should look like.

"I had an idea of a feature film I wanted to do one day," Vasion said. "I had 25 pages written before I left and came back and went to school and found out how to actually do it. There are programs that can format it for you so you don't have to hit the space bar a thousand times."

He's written a few scripts for his film classes, and he and a friend, Colby Clanton co-wrote and co-directed a film called Gizmo that played this year at the festival, and is shot from the perspective of a cat that is witnessing the struggles of his owner's relationship.

Vasion loves film, and influences include Richard Linklater, who directed a particular favorite for Vasion, the Before trilogy, as well as Alfonso Cuaron, Alejandro Inarritu, Bong Joon-Ho and Jim Cummings.

Gizmo and The Last Goodbye are not yet available for viewing online, but The Eagle hopes to provide information and links to the short films so readers can see them when they do become available.
WordFest will meet on Tuesday, July 12, 6-8 p.m., at St. Stephens Episcopal Church, 1428 22nd Avenue in Longview.

The event will feature four northwest writers reading from their works.

Patty Hardin from the Long Beach peninsula will read from her anthology of stories of Vietnam veterans, Welcome Home: Veterans Share Their Memories of Nam. At a suggestion from her husband, Hardin had contacted the editor of the Vietnam Veterans of America magazine, who printed her request to interview veterans and collect their personal reminiscences. Her collection was first published in 2012.

Randy Faro will read from his first novel, Bazo, following the life of Jedediah Bazo that stretches from the heart of Africa to the killing fields of Southeast Asia to the seedy streets of south Seattle. Raised in the Ndebele culture and embracing the values of his parents, Jed uses his martial arts and US Marine skills to combat evil wherever he confronts it. Through it all, Jed ponders what determines the actions of a man of faith . . . especially when others play by different rules.

As a former U.S. Marine officer, Vietnam War veteran, and retired Lutheran pastor, Faro has infused his book with his experience of living in some two dozen countries, serving as a combat engineer officer, working as an advocate for Namibian independence as well as for peace with justice in North America. He resides in Olympia with his wife.

Tom Larsen will read from, Insomnia Blues, the fourth book in his series featuring Portland P.I. Jason Freeh, who is still working cases as he approaches his 65th birthday. What seems a simple job, delivering a subpoena to a homeless street kid, turns into a complex case involving embezzlement, identity theft, campaign donor fraud, and ultimately murder.

Larsen is the author of six crime novels. His short fiction has been published in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Mystery Tribune, Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, and Black Cat Mystery Magazine. His short story, The Body in the Barrel, received the 2020 Black Orchid Novella Award and will appear in the forthcoming Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2022 from Mysterious Press.

Tiffany Dickinson will read from her novel, Kaleidoscope, about Tabby, a young girl doing her best to be a normal seventh-grader. But in Portland, Oregon, in the 1980s, biracial isnt normal, and fitting in becomes a challenge for Tabby as other kids push her to choose a side and declare one racial identity. She knows she has many facets. Can the kaleidoscope clarify who she is once and for all?

The book is geared for 9 to 12 year-olds and richly flavored with the Pacific Northwest and its people. Dickinson writes twisty, hopeful fiction, as well as some non-fiction. She has been published in the Salal Review and the Columbia River Reader. A Portland native, Dickinson now calls Longview home.

Due to Covid, it is recommended that people be vaccinated and boosted if possible, and wear masks when not eating or drinking.

The monthly gathering of readers and writers meets the second Tuesday of each month, 6-8 p.m., in the fellowship hall of St. Stephens Episcopal Church. The events are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Alan Rose at http://www.alan-rose.com.
Since early 2020, both the United States and Canada have had varying restrictions in place for crossing their shared border, and while we understand that the coronavirus hasn't gone away, the pandemic has reached a point where it has become much more manageable, especially in the warmer months, so it's time to get rid of the complicated system for getting into Canada.

Fretting over the potential loss of yet another summer tourist season, advocates from both sides of the border are calling for the end of ArriveCan, a mobile app that travelers are required to use to report their vaccination status and precise travel destinations before entering Canada, even though proof of vaccination is no longer required in most gathering places.

While it's ostensibly more of a problem for Americans wishing to visit Canada, the rule is also having a detrimental affect on places like northern New York  including Cayuga County  as Canadians who might otherwise spend some time here this summer are deciding that jumping through hoops and waiting in line at the border just isn't worth the hassle.

The Canadian government recently extended the use of the app through the end of September, but we join those calling for it to be shut down now, and we urge our representatives in Washington to keep pressing this issue and work with their counterparts in Canada to get this border restriction canceled before the summer slips away.

U.S./Canada travel not bouncing back, worrying officials on both sides of border "At a time when most people are getting back to a semblance of normality, the border communities in the U.S. and Canada are not nearly where they should be," said Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo. "This is the beginning of the travel season for 2022 and we still have all this redundancy and obstacles that we need to get rid of."

The Citizen Editorial board includes president and director of local sales and marketing Michelle Bowers, executive editor Jeremy Boyer and managing editor Mike Dowd.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Suzhou Flagchip Semiconductor Co., Ltd. ("Flagchip"), a Chinese automotive chip supplier, announced today it had closed its Series B financing and a new strategic funding round.

The B round was led by Intel Capital and also drew the existing investor Glory Ventures, while the strategic round attracted such investors as GAC Capital and Kington Capital.

Photo credit: Flagchip

The company said the proceeds raised from the aforesaid rounds would be mainly used in the R&D and volume production of the new-generation chassis domain controllers for intelligent-connected vehicles ("ICV").

The new successful financing represents the growing market recognition of Flagchips improved technologies. The company added it provides chip products in compliance with the ISO26262 ASIL-B to ASIL-D standards for functional safety of road vehicles. Products from its FC4150 chip series have been applied to automotive BCM (body control modules), BCM+, BMS (battery management system), lighting system, electric motor controller, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system, TPMS (tire-pressure monitoring system), and T-BOX. The company will soon launch the second high-performance automotive-grade chip of the FC4150 series.

In December 2021, Flagchip announced the completion of another strategic round, which was supported by the investment platforms of SAIC Motor and Xiaomi Group.
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The EU and the US accuse Russia of creating a global food crisis with its Ukraine invasion. Yale history professor Timothy Snyder even finds ominous historical parallels between the current goings-on and the famine in Ukraine  and parts of Russia  caused by the Bolshevik collectivization in the early 1930s. Putin has a hunger plan, Snyder recently tweeted.

The invasion has certainly delivered a series of shocks to global commodity markets that have threatened the food security of the most vulnerable countries, especially African ones. These shocks, however, appear to have more to do with energy prices and freight insurance rates than with the disruption of Ukrainian agricultural exports  which Ukraine does its best to maintain despite near-impossible conditions. And if Putin does have a hunger plan, he recently shot himself in the foot by lowering Russias grain export duties. That move and forecasts of a bumper harvest in a number of countries have been driving wheat prices down; its likely that an acute food crisis will be avoided this year and next.To try to shed some light on whats been going on, Ill use the example of wheat, probably the worlds most important food crop, of which both Russia and Ukraine are major exporters.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ukraine was responsible for 8.2% of total wheat exports in the June 1, 2020  May 31, 2021 marketing year and 9.5% of estimated total exports in the 2021-2022 marketing year. The wars effects have only kicked in in the last two months, with Ukraines share of exports shrinking to less than 5% of the total. According to Ukrainian government data, the drop has been much steeper: In June, wheat exports shrank by a factor of five year-on-year. In any case, even with its Black Sea ports blocked or occupied, Ukraine has kept up a considerable export stream. Deputy Infrastructure Minister Mustafa Nayyem recently posted on his Telegram channel that since the war began, physical cargo volumes sent from Ukraine to Romania have increased 460%; agricultural cargoes taken by rail to the Romanian port of Constanta account for the bulk of that increase.

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What the world has lost with the drop in Ukrainian exports, it has more or less made up from other sources. Canada, the European Union and, yes, Russia too have all increased their shares of global wheat exports in the last two months. The USDA projects an actual increase in exports this marketing year, to 204.6 million metric tons from 203.3 million tons in 2021/2022 and 199.3 million tons the year before.

Total wheat production is likely to drop somewhat, largely because of extreme temperatures in India. But neither the production projections nor the USDA estimates of year-end stocks foretell anything like a global wheat shortage.

This doesnt mean the poorest consumers in Africa arent vulnerable. European wheat is more expensive than at any point since 2011; Russian wheat was last this costly in 2013. Though there is no grain shortage, a jump in fuel costs  caused in part by Vladimir Putins military adventure in Ukraine  has driven up prices and imposed a heavy financial burden on importers. Transportation costs have increased  because of the fuel prices for everyone, and because of a jump in insurance costs for Russian producers. According to the UN, between February and May the cost of shipping dry goods such as grain has rocketed 60%. Costlier shipping and Russian companies difficulties in finding insurers and shippers further threaten the global food supply by undercutting fertilizer exports, in which Russia leads the world. The U.S. has even offered to send comfort letters to vessel owners leery of handling Russian grain and fertilizer because of the threat of Western sanctions.

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Western politicians who lay the blame at Putins door are fundamentally right: A Russian withdrawal from Ukraine would quickly fix the disruption and drive down prices. The ostracism Russia has faced from Western governments and companies is not some kind of whim  its a response to unprovoked aggression against a neighboring state and a string of what can only be described as war crimes. Putin has shown no qualms about using economic blackmail against countries he considers hostile  witness the reduction of gas supplies to Europe  so theres every reason to suspect him of using Russias leadership in wheat and fertilizer trade to pressure rival nations and drive a wedge between the West and Middle Eastern and African food importers. There are also lingering doubts about Putins rationality: No potential gain from the invasion is worth the cost its imposing on Russia and its people.

And yet, in a flashback to his erstwhile economic craftiness, Putin appears to be trying to balance his desire to hurt the West against collateral damage to large groups of Russians. While about 460,000 people work for the national gas producer, Gazprom, and they wont suffer much from the gas export cut-offs, Russia, according to official statistics, has about 10 times as many farmers who would be hit hard by the inability to export their produce.

Besides, Russias status as the worlds biggest wheat exporter is hard-won. Its a point of pride oft-mentioned in Putins speeches because Russia gained it during his tenure. The Soviet Union had been a major grain importer, and it took decades to turn around the situation. By all appearances, Putin wants Russian wheat exports to continue unabated: As of this month, the Russian government has lowered export duties on grain and other agricultural products, making them payable in rubles rather than U.S. dollars. The measure is making it possible for Russian suppliers to lower prices so that the country doesnt lose global market share because of the war-related risks of dealing with it  including the risk of buying stolen Ukrainian grain.

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Global wheat prices are already down considerably from the dizzy heights they reached earlier this year. The September wheat futures contract is down 35% from its May peak. Seasonal factors and rosy harvest projections are responsible for much of the decline, but the Russian move also has been priced in. The market may well balance at levels that will prevent a full-blown food crisis and a famine in the most vulnerable nations.

Global food security is under a lot of stress from a growing population, climate change and various political threats, as my Bloomberg View colleague David Fickling recently pointed out. Food should be a clear exception from all kinds of economic wars. While its pointless, at least for now, to negotiate with Putin on ending the invasion  he shows zero willingness to compromise on that front  his administration hasnt quite shed the remnants of economic rationality, and it still makes sense to negotiate improved conditions for Russian grain and fertilizer exports in exchange for Ukraines unhindered access to the global commodity market. Any energy embargoes, too, should be considered through the lens of their potential effect on the worlds food supply. Its painful to many  including me  that allowing Russias export trade to continue as before funds Putins war effort and multiplies human suffering. But cutting Russia out of the food supply equation is hardly realistic. Plenty of other ways exist to make the Putin regime pay for the outrage it has wreaked on Ukraine, such as the confiscation of Russias international reserves to pay for the ravaged nations reconstruction.

No one, not even Putin, wants or needs a 21-century version of Ukraines holodomor of 90 years ago. Its a disaster the world has a good chance of avoiding  at the price of some pretty obvious moral ambiguity.

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More From Bloomberg Opinion:



The World Can Stave Off Putins Food Fight: Clara Ferreira Marques



Its Time to Get Biofuels Out of Your Gas Tank: David Fickling

 The Worlds Food System Is Too Dependent on Wheat: Jessica Fanzo

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Leonid Bershidsky, formerly Bloomberg Opinions Europe columnist, is a member of the Bloomberg News Automation Team. He recently published Russian translations of George Orwells 1984 and Franz Kafkas The Trial.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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Its not yet two weeks since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and already the ruling is impeding peoples access to drugs  including drugs not being used for abortions. State trigger laws now going into effect are of course making it harder and sometimes illegal for women to get medication abortion, the two-pill regimen approved by the Food and Drug Administration to end early pregnancies. But emergency contraceptives and the autoimmune-disease treatment methotrexate are also being caught up by overly broad interpretations of abortion bans.

So far, pharma companies have been silent on these restrictions. Perhaps many of them simply assume that the loss of mifepristone is no risk to their bottom lines. But any state restrictions on FDA-approved drugs could amount to a worrisome precedent.

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Maybe industry feels secure for now, but I dont think they should, said Rachel Sachs, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis who specializes in FDA and health law. If states can ban an FDA-approved drug for an FDA-approved purpose, what drugs cant they ban?

States with abortion bans might also go after FDA-approved emergency contraception and birth-control pills. Even before the court overturned Roe, some states were trying to prevent access to drugs for generally accepted, but off-label uses, such as Texass attempts to criminalize hormones for gender-affirming care for children.

Sachs imagines that vaccines against human papillomavirus, opioids and even HIV medicines  any drugs that have attracted controversy  could also be at risk.

A Missouri health-care system that initially stopped providing the emergency contraceptive Plan B after the states abortion ban went into effect reversed course in response to media exposure. But concerns linger about wider access to the pills in states where anti-choice lawmakers seem interested in pushing the boundaries of abortion bans to include the moment of fertilization (a stretch that would put IUDs at risk, too).

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Reports have bubbled up on social media about women with autoimmune diseases having difficulty filling prescriptions for methotrexate. This is a chemotherapy agent that suppresses the immune system, easing inflammation in diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. But methotrexate can also be used to terminate a pregnancy.

Some patients who rely on this drug say they have been asked to go back to a specialist to confirm each prescription refill. Others have simply been denied refills, according to Steven Newmark, the chief legal counsel for the Global Healthy Living Foundation, an advocacy group for people with chronic diseases.

Any potential disruption to treatment is alarming for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, many of whom spend years finding a regimen that keeps their condition under control. A therapy that works can be the difference between spending your days curled up in bed with a flare and going to work and being a productive member of society, Newmark said.

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Drug companies might be tempted to write off these disruptions as overly cautious reactions to a new law that will be clarified in due time. But they should pay attention to the precedent that may be set as states now try to restrict drugs in any way related to abortion.

GenBioPro, the manufacturer of mifepristone, is suing Mississippi over that states abortion-pill restrictions, arguing that the FDAs authority preempts state attempts to regulate access to the drug.

The outcome of this suit and any others filed to challenge state limitations could have implications for various other drugs, said Patricia Zettler, a law professor at Ohio State University who focuses on FDA and policy.

Drugmakers benefit from the FDAs regulating medicines for the entire country. They sink billions of dollars into developing new drugs under the presumption that their products, once FDA-approved, will be available everywhere.

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The pharma industry should not assume that court decisions about mifepristone will affect only mifepristone. They should more actively work to ensure that all states allow broad access to all their products.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 Google Should Delete Abortion Search Queries, Too: Parmy Olson

 Supreme Court Upends Law on Church and State: Noah Feldman

 FDA Should Scrap Needless Rules on Abortion Pills: Lisa Jarvis

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Lisa Jarvis is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering biotech, health care and the pharmaceutical industry. Previously, she was executive editor of Chemical & Engineering News.

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The US Supreme Courts decision last month to strike down an 111-year-old New York law mostly prohibiting the concealed carry of firearms has not won a lot of admirers in legal academia. Saul Cornell of Fordham called it one of the most intellectually dishonest and poorly argued decisions in American judicial history. Adam Winkler of UCLA mocked it.

The courts majority opinion, written by Justice Clarence Thomas, takes away the discretion of authorities in issuing permits to carry a gun. The decision relies heavily on a convoluted reading of the history of regulation, saying that New Yorks law was outside the bounds of traditional gun laws at the time of both the founding and the second founding during Reconstruction.

Rather than discuss the ruling with another disgusted law professor, I decided to talk to Kristin Goss, a political scientist at Duke University, to try to understand whats going on. Goss, who has studied gun politics and culture for a quarter century, has written or edited three books on gun politics and policy, including The Gun Debate: What Everyone Needs to Know, which she wrote with Philip J. Cook. What follows is an edited transcript of my telephone interview.

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Francis Wilkinson: In 1991, former Chief Justice Warren Burger called the gun lobbys expansive interpretation of the Second Amendment, presuming an individual right to firearm possession, a fraud. Yet that interpretation has been the law of the land since the Supreme Courts decision in District of Columbia v. Heller in 2008. It was just extended from the home to the streets with Bruen. How did we get from there to here?

Kristin Goss: There was a very concerted, intentional and strategic effort to dig into the received wisdom about what the Second Amendment was and what it meant and how it should structure gun laws and gun culture. It was a multi-decade project, well-funded by gun interests and others. I dont think thats super unusual. The construction of public ideas is a political project, one undertaken by the right and the left.

Wilkinson: In his majority opinion, Justice Thomas writes, When it comes to interpreting the Constitution, not all history is created equal. I thought that sentence was more telling than he intended (and perhaps so did Justice Stephen Breyer, who derided what he called law office history in his dissent). Theres been a great deal of gun regulation throughout American history. How does that history, which has been increasingly well documented since Heller, end up irrelevant?Goss: I think this conversation is going to be 99% about the uses of history and its interpretations. That could be the title of the courts decision. So its probably worth thinking about whats new and whats not new in the realm of guns and history in the current decision. The gun debate, going back 50 years, has really been about tradition versus modernity. There was a Wall Street Journal editorial 50 years ago that said that gun politics was a war between bedrock America and cosmopolitan America. I dont think anything has fundamentally changed in that assessment except that bedrock America is losing on some key issues in the court of public opinion, but has been winning big lately at the Supreme Court.

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Wilkinson: But Thomas wasnt recounting the history of the culture war. He was establishing the history  or a history  of gun laws in the early republic.

Goss: Thats whats new  the emphasis on history at the founding, say 1791, and at the second founding around 1868, and how much that history should matter today. Here is what I think is actually pretty radical about the decision. Justice Thomas and his colleagues are essentially saying that if we had a societal problem in 1791, but gun laws werent addressing that societal problem, then gun laws that are trying to address that societal problem in 2022 might be suspect.

Conversely, if were not burdening people with a law today more than we were then, maybe that law would be constitutional. So it all turns on how we do this historical analogizing.

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Wilkinson: The societal problem of gun violence doesnt really exist in Thomass opinion. Breyers dissent talks a lot about gun violence. But in the majority opinion theres no notion of public safety as a countervailing interest. What do you make of that?

Goss: I think the Breyer dissent makes a good point that judges and lawyers are not historians. Weve only recently uncovered the extent of the strict gun laws of the 18th and 19th centuries. So thats one problem. But I think another problem, as I started thinking about analogizing, is that the world was really different in 1791 compared to 1868. And one way it was different has to do with women.

Wilkinson: So lets talk about women.

Goss: Lets talk about modern federal and state gun laws that prohibit firearm possession by people who have been convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence or who are under a permanent restraining order for domestic violence. Where do these laws stand in this historical analogy that the courts are now supposed to use? Married women in 1791 were under coverture  women were not legal persons. Black women were overwhelmingly enslaved. Women did not have civic lives to speak of, they did not vote. Men, Im sure, were beating their wives in 1791 and slave owners were raping their female slaves throughout this period. There were no laws saying domestic abusers who beat their wives couldnt have a firearm. So how are we supposed to think about modern laws that treat domestic violence as a problem that affects women when that was not considered a problem in 1791 or 1868, these two founding eras that Justice Thomas points to?

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Wilkinson: Isnt what youre describing a political accommodation to a cultural and political reality that the court wanted to duck? Its just Calvinball, isnt it?

Goss: I am always hesitant to get into peoples motives or how people are thinking. Im just trying to make the kind of obvious point that women are half the population and had a very different civic place in 1791 and 1868. As a result, the laws that are intended to protect women are going to look really different when women are full and equal citizens.

I bring up domestic violence and guns because, interestingly, thats one of the few policy areas in the modern war over guns where there is some degree of consensus. Recently, some red states have tightened their laws around domestic violence and firearm access. The boyfriend loophole just got closed through a shockingly bipartisan vote in the Congress. Societal problems are not problems until we decide collectively that they are, and that we are going to do something about them. Domestic violence is a great example of this.

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Wilkinson: But its not the only area of conflict between present and past.

Goss: There is a similar issue regarding the prohibition on felons. Its pretty well settled that people who are convicted of violent crimes cant have guns. Well, those laws were not in place in the late 18th century or the late 19th century. Laws around felons and gun possession started coming into place basically in the 1920s and 30s, which is, by the way, after this New York law that the court just invalidated.

Wilkinson: New Yorks law was more than a century old, with antecedents rooted centuries before that. What does that tell us?

Goss: I think its a significant ruling on the substance for New York and the other five states (and Washington, D.C.) that have some sort of may issue law. I dont want to downplay that. But I dont think, from my reading, thats its a huge stretch from Heller and some other recent rulings. Its somewhat in keeping with the way that states have been going; half the states dont even require any licensing to carry a firearm anymore. So theres been a huge deregulation of concealed carry over the last 10 or 20 years. The court is sort of following that.

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The more significant part of the decision is this whole new history-centered approach to evaluating the laws. Its opening up a whole new way of making the Second Amendment a super amendment. Does that then open the door to revisiting all those outstanding laws that Scalia said were undisturbed by Heller?

Wilkinson: Im sorry to constantly be the voice of cynicism, but it opens the door to whatever five justices want to open the door to, doesnt it?

Goss: When I was in school for political science, what we learned was that courts never get too far out ahead of public opinion because they have neither the sword or the purse, in Alexander Hamiltons felicitous phrase, and they rely on their public legitimacy. They tend to be lagging indicators of change rather than leading indicators of change. I think the substance of the Bruen decision fits that model. It doesnt seem wildly at odds with the way we learn about the courts as a political institution. I think the idea that were only looking to history, and to the meaning of the Second Amendment at these two critical foundings, and we arent taking into account any other interests, that, for me, seems profoundly radical.

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Wilkinson: But even that history is conflicted. There were gun regulations in place throughout the two foundings under discussion.

Goss: There were a bunch of states that outlawed concealed carry or public carry in the first half of the 19th century. And those laws were generally upheld. Those laws were written to prohibit carrying if it had the effect of causing terror  public terror. So those 19th century laws were taking into account other interests, the interests of the non-carrying public that has to be around people with guns and other dangerous weapons. The public had an interest in not being terrorized, right? But its a little ambiguous whether those laws prohibited people from carrying based on the intent to terrorize, or merely because that was the effect of carrying.

Justice Thomass opinion does have a way of just writing out of consideration the interests of people feeling threatened by those carrying guns, or the broader social interest in preventing the public spread of firearms, which the vast majority of studies indicate does influence gun violence.

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Wilkinson: I associate you with a group of scholars whove tried to be very evidence-based in approaching a highly polarized issue. That kind of factual evidence has little or no role in this ruling, however.

Goss: Certainly there are individual circumstances where having a gun will protect you. But theres not a huge amount of evidence that having a firearm is going to provide more benefits than costs.

Wilkinson: Which brings us to the question of why so many Americans, on and off the Supreme Court, dont act on that evidence, or even care about it.

Goss: Its very tempting to attribute it to fear of change, the recurring tension between tradition and modernity in a very big, diverse nation. Youve got this well-orchestrated intellectual campaign by individual scholars and gun activists to reinterpret the Second Amendment. But youve also got a populace that turn to guns as a solution to problems.

In anticipation of this interview, I was looking back at one of the early books about the gun issue. Its The Gun in America, by Lee Kennett and James LaVerne Anderson, which came out in 1975. In discussing the drive to acquire firearms, they write: The ultimate fear is not that government will tyrannize, but that it will fail to protect. That fear persists; it causes lines to form in front of gun stores after every major riot or atrocity.

Wilkinson: We saw lines outside gun shops when the pandemic hit. Thats really been the NRAs message for years  even more than jack-booted thugs rhetoric. Government is corrupt and failing. No one is looking out for you. Youre on your own. Youd better buy an arsenal.

Goss: It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Because the more guns we have, the less secure we are as a society, but the more secure a given individual might feel.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 The Supreme Court Just Made New Yorks Streets Meaner: Noah Feldman

 A Reckless Ruling, a New Gun-Safety Challenge: The Editors

 Why America Doesnt Know How to Stop School Shootings: Julianna Goldman

 How to Start Solving Americas Gun Culture Problem: Sarah Green Carmichael

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Francis Wilkinson is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering U.S. politics and policy. Previously, he was an editor for the Week, a writer for Rolling Stone, a communications consultant and a political media strategist.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 the difficulties ahead, the European Parliaments vote in July to allow some natural gas and nuclear plants to be labeled as green for a while to help relieve tight energy supplies -- a situation worsened by the war in Ukraine -- was criticized by some investors and climate activists.

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.

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Billionaires who get on the wrong side of the law arent an easy object of sympathy. The trial of Xiao Jianhua merits attention, though, even if its subject may not be deserving. The circumstances and conduct of the case have ramifications that go beyond the fate of this one Chinese-Canadian tycoon who was once worth close to $6 billion.

Xiao went missing from Hong Kongs Four Seasons Hotel in early 2017, with several media outlets reporting he had been abducted by Chinese security agents, who at the time werent allowed to operate in the city. There was no official word on his status until 2020, when Chinese regulators took over nine of his companies and Xiaos Tomorrow Group confirmed he had returned to the mainland to cooperate with investigations. The Canadian embassy in Beijing said Monday that it was aware Xiaos trial would take place and its representatives had been denied access. Authorities have said nothing and state media have been silent.

The 50-year-old is widely reported to have elite and military connections, and to have handled transactions for the families of President Xi Jinping and former Premier Wen Jiabao among others, according to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. While authorities havent disclosed the charges against Xiao, defendants are rarely acquitted in Chinas courts. There is even more reason than usual to expect a stage-managed outcome this time. The trial arrives at a sensitive moment, with Xi poised to seek a precedent-breaking third leadership term at a five-yearly party congress later this year. Any fireworks of controversy would be unwelcome.

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For supporters of Chinas system, such extralegal and opaque procedures are understandable. Xiao wouldnt have been targeted if he hadnt done something wrong, on this view. Chinas unitary governance structure enables offenders to be dealt with efficiently. By contrast, the systems of liberal democratic countries, with their emphasis on separation of powers and defendants rights, can sometimes let wrongdoers with clever lawyers evade justice.

The trouble is that, in the absence of transparency and due process, there is no way of verifying whether this trust in the fairness and probity of authorities is justified. Few fortunes amassed during the early years of Chinas economic rise can be wholly clean, given the nature of an evolving system: explosive growth; undeveloped rules and legal infrastructure, with gray areas abounding; and public functionaries on meager official salaries yet with control over lucrative assets and business rights.

So in the downfall of any tycoon (and there have been many), a sliver of suspicion will attach to whether this is purely a law-enforcement matter or the result of political machinations. Red Roulette, by the Shanghai-born businessman Desmond Shum, provides an insiders view of this nexus of political power and business opportunity. Shums ex-wife, Whitney Duan, is among those to have disappeared into Chinas extralegal detention system.

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Xiao was a Tiananmen-era student leader who remained loyal to the government and subsequently built a business empire spanning banking, insurance, real estate and raw materials. The trigger for his demise appears to have been concern over systemic financial risks posed by debt-driven expansion. Tomorrow Group was among four private conglomerates singled out by Chinas central bank in 2018, along with HNA Group Co., Fosun International Ltd. and China Evergrande Group.

For foreign investors and executives scrutinizing the case, it is worth considering what has changed since Xiaos disappearance and what has not. At the time, his apparent abduction from the Four Seasons caused fear and controversy in Hong Kong, being seen as one of the most blatant examples of Chinas encroachment on the citys autonomy. Five years on, Beijing has imposed a national security law on the former British colony, enabling the creation of a vast security complex that goes far beyond the isolated incidents that caused such consternation back in 2017. Xiaos case was a harbinger of what was to come in terms of the Communist Partys jurisdiction over Hong Kong, Kevin Yam, an Australian lawyer who practiced in the city for two decades, said in an interview.

The conventional wisdom once suggested that China would become more transparent and rules-based as time went on, moving closer to Western norms. Instead, Beijing has become more assertive about proclaiming the superiority of its own system. In January, Xi announced a no limits partnership with Russia just before its invasion of Ukraine, in an undisguised challenge to the liberal global order. Foreign capital has left Chinas markets at an unprecedented pace this year. Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index, which is open to international investors and has become increasingly dominated by Chinese companies in recent years, is trading at its lowest valuation relative to earnings since the Asian financial crisis in 1998.

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Its hard to see much reason why this elevated risk premium should fall. The rendition of Xiao fits into a pattern under Xi in which the arbitrary exercise of state power by the Communist Party has become more pronounced, frequently to the dismay of overseas investors. This includes a crackdown on technology companies and the outlawing of the for-profit tutoring industry, which wiped out hundreds of billions of dollars of market value.

The case of this fallen billionaire is a reminder of a system that is determined to go its own way.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 Red Roulette Reveals Tacit Hands in Hong Kong: Matthew Brooker

 Jack Ma Did What He Was Told, So Why the Scrutiny?: Shuli Ren

 Ant Is an Example of Chinas Rule by Campaign: Angela Zhang

Want more from Bloomberg Opinion?

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Matthew Brooker is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering finance and politics in Asia. A former editor and bureau chief for Bloomberg News and deputy business editor for the South China Morning Post, he is a CFA charterholder.

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Though the phrase extraordinary is overused in this age of 24-hour news, the past couple of days in British politics certainly lived up to the description. The Conservative Party imploded before our eyes  more than 50 ministers resigned within 48 hours. At one point, they were resigning so fast that you couldnt boil a cup of tea without a couple more going. Entire government departments were left empty  and still the prime minister held onto office, his fingernails embedded in the Downing Street window frames.

Boris Johnson insisted that he had a personal mandate to stay in power despite the fact that, under the British system, voters vote for their local MPs not the prime minister. He desperately appointed new people in a vain attempt to fill the multiplying vacancies. He even added to the confusion by sacking one of his senior cabinet ministers, Michael Gove  with an unnamed No. 10 Downing Street source reportedly calling him a snake  giving Gove the unusual distinction of being the only person who was sacked when everyone else was busy resigning.

This tragedy-cum-farce is finally over. Johnson has announced that he is prepared to resign and make room for a new leader of the Conservative Party who automatically becomes prime minister. This still leaves politics in a mess. At the moment, Britain simply doesnt have a working government because entire departments dont have any ministers. Johnson says that he wants to remain in office as a caretaker prime minister until the party has found a replacement (Theresa May remained in office for three months after she resigned). But is he the right man to run an interim government given that so many ministers resigned on the grounds that they could no longer serve under a man with such terrible character flaws? And if he isnt the right man, who is the right person? Britains famously unwritten constitution makes no provision for what to do in such bizarre circumstances.

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The party establishment will have plenty to do sorting out these problems. But, for the general public, there is only one question that matters: who will replace Johnson? The list of candidates is likely to be unusually long. Two threw their hats into the ring even before Johnson bowed to the inevitable and declared that hes resigning: Suella Braverman, the attorney general for England and Wales, and Steve Baker, one of the leaders of the so-called Spartan faction of hard-line Brexiteers.

Why the coming avalanche? Partly because of the old saw that every politician sees a future leader in the mirror when they wake up in the morning  a deformation professionelle that has been rendered even more rampant in the age of Twitter and Instagram. But the bigger reason is that the long shadow of Brexit.

Brexit scrambled the partys internal promotion system by creating an ideological test for government jobs. A generation of competent people such as Rory Stewart was driven out of politics because they were on the wrong side of the Brexit debate. Gargoyles such as Jacob Rees-Mogg were absurdly over-promoted because they were on the right side. Brexit also created an ideological explosion that has left the party unsure what it stands for. Are the Conservatives the party of small government and low taxes? Or the party of the struggling working class that requires a helping hand from the state? Johnson infuriated his party not just by lying repeatedly but also by trying to be all things to all men  calling for tax cuts while increasing expenditure. Now the various ideological factions will have a chance to field their own candidates and lay out their vision of the future.

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This process is complicated by the fact that candidates have to appeal to two constituencies: MPs and party members. MPs are responsible for producing a short-list of two names who then go to the party members. This creates lots of opportunities for tactical voting as MPs try to prevent potentially popular candidates from reaching the short-list. The partys 200,000 or so members then vote on who they want to be party leader and hence prime minister. These members are richer, whiter, older and, by definition, much more conservative than the country at large.

Lets start with the no-hopers who have already put their names forward. Baker is the closest thing Britain has to an American Christian conservative, an Evangelical Christian who supports the return to the Gold Standard. Hes also a serial rebel who helped to destroy Theresa May on the grounds that she was insufficiently hard-line on Brexit and then helped to destroy Johnson on the grounds that he didnt stick to pure Brexit. But theres no constituency for Bible Belt conservativism in Britain just as there is limited tolerance for publicity obsessed rebels in the Conservative hierarchy. Braverman is an over-promoted mediocrity who would have languished on the back-benches if Brexit hadnt created a talent crisis in her party.

Now for the more serious candidates.

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Rishi Sunak is the best of the lot. Hes seen his popularity in the party and the country fall in the wake of the scandal over his wifes non-dom status (a tax-exempt status she has now abandoned). Hes also disliked by some right-wingers who want to combine tax cuts with higher spending.

But he possesses exactly the combination of skills and character that the Conservative Party needs at these difficult times. Hes in many ways the opposite of Johnson  well-organized (and well-groomed) where Johnson is chaotic (and messy-haired), technocratic where Johnson is populist, sober and sensible where Johnson is louche. Activists might wonder if he possesses the magic touch that can win elections  hes a member of the global elite (educated at Winchester, Oxford and Stanford Business School, and married to one of the richest women in the world) and he can come across as a Perfect Peter to Johnsons Horrid Henry. But the test of the candidates to be the next party leader should be whether they can guide the country through two very difficult years in which global markets may lose confidence in Britains ailing economy rather than their ability to slap backs during a six-week election campaign.

Liz Truss is Sunaks leading rival when it comes to support among party activists. Her habit of striking Thatcherite poses excites the faithful. So does her ideological clarity over shrinking the state and driving Vladimir Putin out of Ukraine. But many MPs are critical of her political skills  shes a flat public speaker who can sometimes seem bizarrely detached from the world around her. They are also nervous of her judgment, particularly her willingness to pander to blowhards. Having appointed a loose cannon to the premiership in the form of Johnson the last thing they need to do is repeat the mistake. We should expect a concerted attempt to prevent her from reaching the final two  and rightly so.

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Nadhim Zahawi, the new chancellor, has risen quickly from relative obscurity, and, according to The Times, has a formidable operation behind him, coordinated by associates of the Australian election guru, Lynton Crosby. He earned a reputation for competence as under-secretary of state for vaccine deployment. He also smartly dealt with the idea that he is Johnsons poodle by accepting the promotion to chancellor and then, 24 hours later, telling his former patron that he needed to resign. However, many Conservative MPs are concerned by the fact that he is working closely with Crosby and think that the Tories future should be decided by MPs rather than shadowy party functionaries.

Other cabinet (or recently defenestrated ex-cabinet) ministers who may well throw their hats in the ring are Sajid Javid, the former health secretary whose resignation arguably precipitated the current crisis, and Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, who currently tops the Sky bet list of potential replacements. Neither of them have what it takes. Javid is a competent cabinet minister but lacks panache, particularly as a public speaker. Wallace is reminiscent of Ian Duncan Smith, who led the party to its lowest point during the Tony Blair era.

This leaves three names that keep popping up: Jeremy Hunt, Penny Mourdant and Tom Tugendhat. Hunt was a (distant) runner-up for the leadership last time round and has spent the Johnson era judiciously chairing the health select committee and carefully building friendships in the party. But there is a sense that his time is past  and that he lacks the killer instinct needed to beat the opposition.

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Mourdant, minister of state for trade policy, repeatedly either tops or comes near the top of the Conservative Home websites poll of potential leaders. Shes well-positioned to appeal to the partys new working voters: She converted Portsmouth North from a Labour-leaning seat to a solidly Tory one. But its unlikely that she has a big enough phalanx of Tory MPs to carry her through the first round or to provide her with the braintrust that she needs to make a case for her leadership.

Tom Tugendhat also does well in repeated opinion polls, and showed real star power in a speech that he gave during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. But hes an outspoken critic of Brexit in a party that is still dominated by Brexiteers.

The Conservative Party is lucky enough to have a serious leadership candidate in the form of Rishi Sunak and serious potential Cabinet members such as Javid, Gove (who ruled himself out of the leadership contest on Thursday afternoon) and, after his spell in the wilderness, Hunt. It also has plenty of bright people lower down the party such as Jesse Norman and Bim Afolami. A rebirth is not beyond the bounds of possibility.

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However, the party is also operating under severe time constraints. There is talk of producing a shortlist by the time parliament breaks up for the summer in a couple of weeks. The rules governing such a move are dubious and would give the final say to a tiny group of party activists.

Back in 2013, when he was asked whether he might run for the leadership one day, Johnson replied that if the ball came loose from the back of the scrum it would be a great, great thing to have a crack at it. Worryingly for the future of the country, the coming leadership election will be much more like a scrum than a rational quest for the best person to run a country confronted by such formidable and mounting problems.

More From Other Writers at Bloomberg Opinion:



Portraits of Power-in-Waiting: Whos Next After Boris Johnson: Adrian Wooldridge

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Boris Johnson and the Longest Goodbye: Martin Ivens



Boris Johnson Is Focused on the Wrong Problem in Northern Ireland: Therese Raphael

(Updates 18th paragraph with Michael Gove taking himself out of the leadership contest; and corrects spelling of the name of Bim Afolami)

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Adrian Wooldridge is the global business columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. A former writer at the Economist, he is author, most recently, of The Aristocracy of Talent: How Meritocracy Made the Modern World.

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After three tumultuous years at No. 10 Downing Street, Boris Johnson finally resigned as UK prime minister  forced out by the nth scandal of his career. What does his departure mean for his party, his country and for the wider world? Share with The Post: Whats one way youve felt the impact of inflation? ArrowRight Shortly after Johnsons resignation speech, Bobby Ghosh spoke with columnists Clive Crook and Adrian Wooldridge in a Twitter Spaces discussion covering his legacy, the race to succeed him and the continuity of his policies.

This is an edited transcript of the conversation.

Bobby Ghosh: What did you make of the speech?

Adrian Wooldridge: What really stuck out was his refusal to apologize, to say that hes done anything wrong. He still believes that hes the tribune of the 14 million people who voted for him. It was more about whats he achieved  how he broke the political mold and stood for an election which he wasnt expected to win but won handsomely  than about what went wrong.

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Perhaps thats natural, but I think he might have irritated the Conservative Party a little bit, even more than he already has.

Clive Crook: Actually, I thought it was pretty good. The great paradox about Boris is that his very flawed character is part of why he was for a long time a successful politician, why he was so popular  and why he still is somewhat popular with quite a lot of voters. But that same character includes an inattention to detail, a certain recklessness, an appetite for impropriety. Its part of the thing that makes him in many ways appealing.

I think you saw a little bit of what made him so popular in this speech. Theres something one is reluctantly admiring of in his refusal to back down, his refusal to apologize. Its a contradictory bundle of traits.

AW: I once wrote a piece saying that he was an alpha-gamma politician: When hes really good, hes extremely good; when hes bad, hes terrible. It is a very peculiar mixture of qualities and lack of qualities.

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BG: He will stay on until the party has picked his successor. What does that involve, and how soon might that happen?

AW: The Conservative Party has a two-part process for electing a successor. The first is that the Conservative MPs have to produce a shortlist of two people. That will take a certain amount of time  it might be done in a couple of weeks, but its not easy.

The second part is that the choice has to go to party members in good standing160.000 to 180,000 people who will vote in their constituencies across the country. You have to send ballots out, to organize the whole thing.

We also have the issue that Parliament is about to go into recess until September. Lots of people are on holidays, this is the height of the summer. So its a formidable thing to deal with.

We dont have a vice president who can take over, as in the US. There is a deputy prime minister, but its not a real office.

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So there will be an interim in which Boris Johnson will be the acting prime minister, despite the fact that his party has so massively rejected him.

BG: Lets look back on three tempestuous years of Boris and at No. 10. What is his legacy as prime minister?

CC: Youd have to say getting Brexit done is his main achievement. Thats a mixed legacy. The country is still divided over whether that was a smart move. Its becoming increasingly obvious that the costs of Brexit are considerable.

But its interesting to me that there isnt any discussion, even among leading Remainers, about putting rejoining the European Union back on the agenda. So Boriss big achievement cant be reversed, even though the results arent good.

BG: The other big challenge he faced was the coronavirus pandemic. How do you rate his performance through that crisis?

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AW: Well, he a almost died of Covid himself. He was slow to react to the pandemic: He thought it was something that could be ignored for a long time. But when he did respond, he did rather well.

Britain was a leader in terms of getting a vaccine made and out into the public. The vaccine rollout was Britain as its best. It made Britain, for a moment, feel very happy about leaving the EU, because the EU was in a mess.

So again, a mixed legacy.

Now everybodys saying theyre glad to be rid of him, but he was a product of a conflict within the Conservative Party about where Britain should be heading in the future. That conflict has not gone away, and Britains failure to make decisions about various important things has not gone away.

He was trying to grapple with twin impulses  one is to go for a smaller state and a more deregulated economy, the other is to go for a bigger state and more emphasis on mitigating the effects of globalization  that will continue to divide the Conservative Party. Just getting rid of him is not going to get rid of the underlying problems, which created such a huge mess.

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Hs successors will have to grapple with similar problems.

BG: Would it be too much to suggest that history might be kinder to him than his critics are right now?

AW: Yes, because he opted for Brexit for reasons of personal self-promotion  he thought it was the best chance he had of becoming prime minister  rather than of ideological conviction. History will be cruel to him about that. He was an opportunist Brexiteer who didnt realize quite what forces Brexit was unleashing, and he was ultimately destroyed by those forces as well as by his own character flaws.

CC: I would add that history might be a little bit puzzled by the manner of his exit. Theres a gigantic disconnect between the gravity of the problems that the country is facing and the crises that brought about Boriss downfall. These are small scandals when you set them against the scale of the problems the country faces. Thats an oddity historians will grapple with.

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AW: The other oddity is that Boris has not changed his character. Everybody knew he had problems with the truth, with seriousness, that hes always been a rogue. When they appointed him to the job, they knew exactly what they were getting. But it was a sheer repetition of having to go out on the airwaves, day after day, and lie for him that increasingly alienated people around him. They just got sick of having to say things which were obviously not true and being exposed as toadies. This exhaustion weighed very heavily at the end.

BG: I see now that the betting shops have Trade Secretary Penny Mordaunt, former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former Health Secretary Sajid Javid among the favorites to succeed Boris. When we spoke yesterday, both of you seemed to have the opinion that Rishi Sunak would be the ideal replacement.

AW: There will be more. We had two people announce they were running before breakfast this morning: Steve Baker and Suella Braverman. Itll be a very, very large field. Many of the people running probably wouldnt even be recognized by their second cousins.

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CC: One thing I would emphasize is that the early betting on these races is very, very unreliable. If you look back at previous contests, the initial favorite almost never ended up winning. With such a wide field and no clear leader, its just very unpredictable. Anything can happen.

AW: The party is desperately trying to make sure that the two people who go forward to the vote by the membership are not complete lunatics or troublemakers. There will be an enormous push to make sure that Liz Truss is not one of the two people: A lot of people would be really frightened of having her because they think shes a bit too Johnsonian, in that she could easily create many problems for the party.

The members who will vote are not in any way representative of the country. They tend to be very conservative, as youd expect, but theyre on the right of the party. Theyre very white. They tend to be retired, live in comfortable suburban and exurban parts  they are divorced from the real economic hardship that the country is going through. Theyre very strong Brexiteers, almost all of them.CC: I think they will likely focus on choosing someone they think can win a general election. Thats where their calculations will be somewhat aligned with calculations of MPs, many of whom have very small majorities and care even more about choosing someone who will help them in the next election.

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What will be interesting to see is whether, as the leadership race unfolds, the divisions within the party become more obvious than they were when everyone was preoccupied with the failings of Boris as leader. Now they will be looking at policy positions and trying to decide which policies should be prioritized. That will reveal splits in the party on Brexit, on Thatcherism, on social conservatism versus a libertarian style of conservatism.

All those splits will surface, and it will be interesting to see how far the party can avoid this process collapsing into a fight that ends up making all the candidates weaker in terms of the next election or whether they will be able to sum up a spirit of cooperation.

BG: Lets talk a little bit about the continuity in policy. One country that will be looking most anxiously at whats going on in Britain now is Ukraine. Boris Johnson put Britain very much behind Ukraine in the war with Russia. Is it fair to say that thats not likely to change, whoever succeeds him?

AW: I think thats absolutely baked in; the Ukrainians need not be worried. There will be a difference of tone and emphasis. If you had Liz Truss as prime minister, it would be a rah-rah support for Ukraine, but it would be quieter with Rishi Sunak. I think the overall strategy will remain to be in lockstep with Europe and the US.

CC: The pro-Ukraine position is baked in partly because its popular in the country. But Johnsons departure might make a difference in the broader context of growing doubts in parts of the European Union about the wisdom of aspects of the policies weve been following with respect to Ukraine.

There is a bit of a division in Europe about whether its time to start nudging Ukraine to come to terms. There is a bitter quarrel between people who feel all that matters is that Ukraine wins and Russia loses, and those who feel some kind of compromise will have to be struck, not least in Ukraines own interest, to stop the killing and destruction  and also to rescue Europe from what looks like being a particularly severe recession.

Boris was strident on, Ukraine has to win, Russia has to lose. I think hes quite likely to be followed by someone who doesnt take such a strident line and might be more inclined to say, Well, these measures weve taken against Russia, are we sure we are hurting Russia more than we are hurting ourselves? I could see that discussion beginning.

BG: We began by looking back at Boris legacy. Lets end with what you think he will do next.

AW: Id be very surprised if he doesnt write a book, then get onto the lecture circuit and make a lot of money. Hell be in considerable demand in that capacity. And hes actually quite a good writer, as we know.

Hes in the middle of a book on Shakespeare. Then, there will be his memoirs. David Cameron wrote his memoirs and theyre unreadable. Boriss will be very readable and very entertaining.

People are very angry with him at the moment, but he did have a quality of being amusing and a bit different from the regular politicians. And hell come back into fashion to some extent.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Bobby Ghosh is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering foreign affairs. Previously, he was editor in chief at Hindustan Times, managing editor at Quartz and international editor at Time.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin must be delighted that Germans, Poles, Israelis, Ukrainians and others are suddenly in each others hair about a historical figure named Stepan Bandera. Part of Putins web of lies is that Ukraine, a democratic country he attacked without provocation, is allegedly run by Nazis and must therefore be de-Nazified. This is absurd, as almost everybody understands  at least outside of Russia and the reality distortion field of Putins propaganda. The counter-narrative is much closer to the truth: Ukraine has become a nation of heroes and heroines fighting for their freedom.

But life is complicated, in part because there are so many ways to spin narratives. The stories we tell are about events that already happened, and the past is a veritable minefield even for well-intentioned people in the present. Ukraines ambassador to Germany has now stepped onto one of its explosives.

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All year, Andrij Melnyk, Kyivs envoy to Berlin, has basked in controversy. With relish, hes been berating Germany for coddling Russia in the past, for wallowing in naivete, for ducking responsibility, and not helping Ukraine boldly and swiftly enough. Hes made Germans squirm. And, most of the time, hes been right.

The other day, however, he wasnt. Melnyk was talking to Tilo Jung, the host of a provocative German webshow. Like a heat-seeking missile, Jung homed in on a historical figure the ambassador has long admired and paid public homage to.

Stepan Bandera (1909-59) was a Ukrainian ultranationalist and quasi-Fascist. He was born in Galicia, which was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, turned into the short-lived West Ukrainian Peoples Republic, then became part of Poland, later the Soviet Union and eventually todays Ukraine.

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In the 1930s, when the region was Polish, Bandera became a leader of the radical wing of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. In effect, he was a partisan fighting for national independence and arranging things like the assassination of the Polish interior minister.

When Adolf Hitler invaded Poland, Bandera spotted an opportunity to push his cause. Collaborating with the Nazis, his OUN massacred their perceived national enemies  Jews, Poles and Russians  in a quest to ethnically cleanse Ukraine and prepare it for fascist statehood. Bandera was to lead this new nation, and Hitler was to be his ally. Bandera didnt personally partake in the mass killings perpetrated in Ukraine by the Germans and their local helpers. But his underlings  presumably with his blessing  did.

On June 30, 1941, the partisans declared an independent Ukrainian state. But to their surprise, their putative patron, Hitler, decided that he didnt want a separate country in what he viewed as the German peoples future Lebensraum. The Fuehrer had Bandera arrested and locked up in a concentration camp  albeit as a privileged prisoner in comfortable surroundings. In 1944, Bandera was released.

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After the war, he made a home in Munich, where the Soviet Unions KGB found and murdered him in 1959. This was the height of the Cold War, so the Ukrainian diaspora in the West built a hero cult around Bandera, painting him as a freedom fighter against, and victim of, the Soviets  which he was, but only in part.

After the Soviet Union collapsed and Ukraine became independent, the mythology around Bandera was revived, especially in western Ukraine, where Melnyk comes from. Statues and monuments went up in Banderas name. People marched under his banners. In recent years, however, the government has wisely distanced itself from the man and his complicated legacy.

In his interview with Jung, Melnyk dove headlong into this morass of biographical, historical and ethical ambiguity. The ambassador insisted that Bandera was a freedom fighter. He denied Banderas role in wartime atrocities. Sure, Melnyk conceded, times were tough. Bandera was caught between two evils, Hitler and Stalin, but his motive  Ukrainian independence  was good. People also love Robin Hood, Melnyk added, and he was a rogue, too.

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It wasnt a good showing, especially for a professional diplomat at a time when his country is at war, its enemies are calling it Nazi, and its closest allies include Poland. The Polish foreign ministry called Melnyks performance absolutely inacceptable. The Israeli embassy said that his distortions belittle the Holocaust.

Even Kyiv realized that something had gone badly wrong. Melnyks view of Bandera does not reflect the position of Ukraine, the foreign ministry clarified, while emphasizing how grateful it is to Poland for its unprecedented support in the fight against Russian aggression. There are rumors that Melnyk will be recalled to Kyiv.

Melnyks faux pas reminds us how treacherous the past is for all of us, as we build the fragile narratives we base our lives on. Very little that happened in human history can reliably be labelled all good or all bad. Historical figures, like most of us, were often simultaneously heroes and villains, victims and perpetrators, signers of declarations that all men are created equal and slave owners, freedom fighters and terrorists, partisans of good and of evil.

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Does that mean we should cancel all our stories? No, because story-telling is part of human nature; it is inevitable. But it does mean we must approach the past with ruthless honesty, embracing all facts  the convenient and the countervailing  and surrendering to lifes ambiguity.

As we do that, we must constantly reevaluate what role the past plays in the present, which is our ward. What matters today is not who Stepan Bandera was on balance. Its who Vladimir Putin is, what atrocities hes committing every day, and how Ukrainians are resisting. Ukrainians have plenty of contemporary role models to choose from in their valiant struggle. They can afford to leave behind those no longer fit for purpose.

More From This Writer and Others at Bloomberg Opinion:



Europe Must Declare a War Economy: Andreas Kluth

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The Weakness of Putins Economic Show of Force: Clara Ferreira Marques



How to Break Russias Blockade of Ukraines Black Sea Ports: Lionel Laurent

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Andreas Kluth is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering European politics. A former editor in chief of Handelsblatt Global and a writer for the Economist, he is author of Hannibal and Me.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

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Beijing (Gasgoo)- In June, Chinas major automaker, Geely Automobile Holdings Limited (Geely Auto), achieved growing momentum in its monthly sales volume over the previous month and year.

Photo credit: Geely Auto

In the sixth month of 2022, Geely Auto sold a total of 126,595 vehicles, surging 42% from May and 26% from a year earlier. From January to June, the accumulative sales volume of the automaker amounted to 613,842 vehicles, notching down 3% year over year.

To be specific, the Geely brand sold 104,164 vehicles in the past month, indicating a 25% jump from a year ago. With 12,163 vehicles sold in June, the groups EV brand Geometry scored a 175% hike compared to the earlier year.

In the meantime, Geely Autos jointly owned brand with Volvo Cars, Lynk & Co, sold 13,193 vehicles, declining 23% year over year. For the first six months of 2022, the accumulative sales volume of the brand totaled 77,258 vehicles, which was 28% less than a year ago.

In the same month, Lynk & Co delivered 377 vehicles via subscription in Europe, plummeting 74% from May. In the past six months, the brand has delivered 6,253 vehicles through subscription in the European market.

In June, Geely Autos high-end EV brand, ZEEKR, delivered 4,302 ZEEKR 001s, which was 28 units shorter than the result in May. The cumulative delivery volume of the brand amounted to 19,010 vehicles by the end of June this year.

Moreover, the automakers jointly owned brand with Lifan Auto, Livan Auto, sold 4,936 vehicles in the past month, climbing up 22.48% from the earlier month.

Additionally, Geely Auto shipped 22,852 vehicles overseas in June, representing an impressive 224% soar year over year. In the first half of 2022, the group shipped 87,628 vehicles, zooming up 64% from a year ago.
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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.

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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?

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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.

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 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.

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 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. Do all infections cause disease?

Possibly not. Retrospective testing of 224 clinical samples collected in May for sexually transmitted infection screening found evidence of asymptomatic monkeypox infection in three men. The finding, by researchers at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, was reported in a study released July 5 before it was peer-reviewed and published. Asymptomatic carriership was previously thought to play a negligible role in the spread of orthopoxviruses, the authors said. The existence of asymptomatic infections indicates that the virus might be transmitted to close contacts in the absence of symptoms, which suggests that identifying and isolating only symptomatic patients wont be enought to contain the outbreak, and that vaccinating high-risk individuals is needed. Interestingly, one of the asymptomatic men in the study predated the first detected symptomatic case in Belgium by several days, wasnt linked to other known cases and hadnt traveled abroad or attended any mass gatherings. The authors said that might suggest that the virus circulated in Belgium before the outbreak was detected.

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6. Has the 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.)

7. How fast is it spreading?

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From just a handful of cases in Europe in early May, more than 7,100 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 immuno-compromised 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.

8. 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 an 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. 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 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. The main way to prevent infection is by isolating patients suspected of having monkeypox and ensuring health staff wear appropriate personal protective equipment.

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9. Where does monkeypox come from?

The reservoir host or main carrier of monkeypox disease hasnt yet been identified, although rodents are suspected of playing a part in transmission. It was first diagnosed in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a 9-year-old boy. Since then, most cases in humans have occurred in rain forest areas of 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.

10. 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 to scale up efforts to prevent monkeypox from establishing itself across a broader area. 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, Kluge said.

(Updates to add section 5 on asymptomatic infection, updates number of cases in section 7.)

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Newly unsealed documents in a landmark lawsuit Tuesday in Cleveland show the pressure within drug companies to sell opioids in the face of numerous red flags during the height of the epidemic. The release of the exhibits  sworn depositions of executives, internal corporate emails and experts reports  also reveals the ignored concerns of some employees about the huge volume of pain pills streaming across the nation.

In one exhibit, emails show that a Purdue Pharma executive received an order from a distributor for 115,200 oxycodone pills, which was nearly twice as large as that distributors average order over the previous three months. The order came in at 4:15 p.m., according to the emails sent in October 2009.

It was approved one minute later.

In another of the exhibits, Nathan J. Hartle, vice president of regulatory affairs and compliance for McKesson, the nations largest drug distributor, was asked during a July 2018 deposition about the billions of oxycodone pills that the company had shipped nationwide.

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Did McKesson accept partial responsibility for the societal costs?

I think were responsible for something, Hartle said. I dont know what  how you define all societal costs and  I still believe it depends on different circumstances.

A third exhibit shows that a customer service rep for Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals raised questions internally in May 2008 about orders from a new customer, Sunrise Wholesale of Florida.

Were you expecting Sunrise to place such a large order?? the customer service employee asked in an email to Victor Borelli, a national account manager with Mallinckrodt. And do they really want 2520 bottles of OXYCODONE HCL 30MG TABS USP, 100 count each ??

This email was forwarded to one of Mallinckrodts top compliance officers with the note: FYI  the customer service reps all state that Victor will tell them anything they want to hear just so he can get the sale.........

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Those glimpses inside the companies now accused of fueling the nations opioid epidemic appear in exhibits that were unsealed by U.S. District Judge Dan Polster in a massive lawsuit unfolding in a Cleveland courthouse against some of the biggest names in the drug industry. In addition to McKesson, Purdue and Mallinckrodt, they include Cardinal Health, CVS, Walgreens and Walmart.

A Drug Enforcement Administration database made public July 15 as part of the lawsuit revealed that the companies inundated the nation with 76 billion oxycodone and hydrocodone pills from 2006 through 2012. Nearly 2,000 cities, counties and towns are alleging that the companies knowingly flooded their communities with highly addictive painkillers, fueling an epidemic that has killed more than 200,000 people since 1996.

Their failure to identify suspicious orders was their business model, the plaintiffs wrote in a motion outlining their arguments in the case.

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The database and the exhibits were unsealed after a legal challenge by The Washington Post and the owner of the Charleston Gazette-Mail in West Virginia.

In statements to The Post, the drug companies have issued multiple defenses of their actions during the crisis. They contend they were trying to sell legal painkillers to legitimate patients who had prescriptions. They also blamed the crisis on overprescribing by physicians and on corrupt doctors and pharmacists who worked in pill mills that handed out drugs with few questions asked.

The companies further asserted that they should not be held responsible for the actions of those who abused the drugs and that the DEA had all the information it needed to block pills from reaching the black market.

Unlike the DEA, distributors have no authority to stop physicians from writing prescriptions, nor can they take unilateral action to halt pharmacies ability to dispense medication, said John Parker, a spokesman for the Arlington, Va.-based Healthcare Distribution Alliance, a trade group for the industry.

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In a statement, Purdue said it denies Plaintiffs allegations that it failed to comply with the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and the Drug Enforcement Administrations (DEA) regulations relating to the monitoring of suspicious orders of opioid medications. The facts do not support Plaintiffs motion and Purdue will respond and ask the Court to deny Plaintiffs motion based on the facts and the law.

The exhibits shed new light on aspects of the epidemic that have come to symbolize the magnitude of the crisis.

It has been previously reported that one of the hotbeds was a rural town of 400, Kermit, W.Va., where McKesson shipped 5 million pain pills over two years to a single pharmacy.

How could that be, a lawyer for the plaintiffs suing McKesson and two dozen other companies in the landmark lawsuit asked a senior DEA official during an April 2019 deposition.

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Is there any basis that you can make up in reality or otherwise where a town of 400 people have a medical need for five million pills of opium in a span of 24 months? attorney Paul T. Farrell Jr. asked.

There isnt, said Thomas Prevoznik, the acting section chief of pharmaceutical investigations for the DEAs Diversion Control Division. There isnt.

Farrell asked Prevoznik why the federal government did not charge McKesson with a crime.

Based on my attorneys advice, Im not going to answer that, Prevoznik said.

'Peculiar' drug orders

One of the exhibits contains the deposition of Karen Harper, Mallinckrodts senior manager of controlled substance compliance. She said she alerted her superiors in 2008 that Mallinckrodt, the largest manufacturer of opioids in the nation, was not capable of detecting suspicious orders and that its systems needed to be upgraded. But company executives decided against hiring an outside vendor to help detect such orders, she said.

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Mallinckrodt later revised its monitoring program. Executives developed other terms for suspicious orders, including peculiar or unusual, Harper said. Those orders warranted review, but they were not necessarily deemed suspicious and they were shipped out, she said.

There were times that we shipped an order before the review was complete, but we never shipped suspicious orders, Harper said.

A group of recovering addicts in Abingdon, Va., respond to The Posts reporting on what company executives said in emails as the opioid crisis raged on. (Video: The Washington Post)

In 2010, the company changed the algorithm for flagging peculiar drug orders  from two times the prior years order average to three times  because there were too many orders to review, Harper said.

The DEA database shows that the Mallinckrodt division now known as SpecGx manufactured nearly 28.9 billion pills from 2006 through 2012.

The DEA started to investigate Mallinckrodt in 2011, after noticing that hundreds of millions of the companys oxycodone 30 mg tablets had been shipped to Florida. The powerful 30 mg oxycodone pills, known as blues, were the most widely abused and sought-after dose during the height of the epidemic.

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Government investigators alleged in internal documents previously obtained by The Post that the companys lack of due diligence could have resulted in nearly 44,000 federal violations and exposed it to $2.3 billion in fines. But after negotiations with the Justice Department, the company in 2017 reached a $35 million settlement and admitted no wrongdoing for its drugs that were shipped to Florida.

That year, Mallinckrodt reported $2.1 billion in net income.

After the settlement, Harper said she offered her resignation.

It happened on my watch, she said in her deposition.

At the time of her January 2019 deposition, Harper said she was still employed by Mallinckrodt.

A former national sales director for Mallinckrodt, Victor Borelli, appears in several of the unsealed exhibits. His 465-page deposition was taken at a law firm in Baltimore in late November.

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Borelli worked for Mallinckrodt between 2005 and 2012. He moved to the company after working as a representative for the Sara Lee Corp., where he sold coffee products.

Borelli was a hard-working and high-achieving salesman, according to the exhibits. He once described his job as ship, ship, ship. In January 2009, he told a salesman for a drug-distribution client that opioids he was selling were Just like Doritos keep eating, well make more.

In March 2010, a customer service manager for Covidien, then Mallinckrodts Ireland-based parent company, sent an email to Borelli flagging a peculiar order of hydromorphone tablets from a distributor-client in Cincinnati.

Do you know why they have increased their volume so much in March? the manager asked.

Borelli responded: . . . [T]hey are rolling and I dont want to lose the momentum with them.

On July 15, 2011, a customer representative at Covidien raised concerns about another uptick in orders. She sent an email to colleagues with a document that she said indicates an increase in ordering for several of our existing wholesaler/distributors. She added: This might raise a red flag in the suspicious order monitoring reports.

Borelli was one of the recipients. He pointed out that while shipments to two wholesalers, McKesson and Cardinal, had increased, another distributors orders had decreased.

Lets not let Suspicious order monitoring limit or restrict shipments because this is only a swapping of business between wholesalers, Borelli wrote.

Borelli did not return requests for comment. An attempt to reach him at his home was turned away.

Mallinckrodt distanced itself from Borelli. About the Doritos statement, the company wrote: This is an outrageously callous email from an individual who has not been employed by the company for many years. It is antithetical to everything that Mallinckrodt stands for and has done to combat opioid abuse and misuse.

But while Borelli worked at Mallinckrodt, his efforts were rewarded, according to the exhibits.

In 2006, he received a $26,442 bonus. Four years later, he received a $110,335 bonus.

The amount of your bonus was tied, at least in part, to the controlled substances you were selling? Derek W. Loeser, a plaintiffs lawyer, asked Borelli during the deposition.

Yes, Borelli said. Yes.

'Aunt Sandra'

As millions of deadly prescription opioids were spilling onto the streets of Ohio, executives at some of the nations largest drug companies worked together to fill a single, large prescription, for a woman they knew only as Aunt Sandra.

The prescription for 50 pills of 15 mg oxycodone every day for an entire month started out in spring 2009 as a favor from a former executive at Cardinal Health for her relative.

The episode was revealed halfway through Borellis deposition.

According to emails presented by plaintiffs in that deposition, Borelli was near the end of a chain of seven executives and account managers at three companies who pressed to ensure that a pharmacy in Columbus would have enough drugs on hand to fill the unusually large order  yet never flagged it to authorities as suspicious.

The request was initiated by Heather Goodman, according to emails read into the record during the deposition. In 2009, Goodman was two years removed from a job as a vice president at Cardinal, in charge of supply-chain integrity, according to her online biography.

Her request for help for her Aunt Sandra surfaced in emails that plaintiffs obtained from Mallinckrodt.

Goodman wrote to Dave Irwin, a national account manager at Mallinckrodt: I spoke with my aunt, and the independent pharmacy she chose is Dane Drugs. . . . We have not contacted the pharmacy to let them know this is happening yet . . . as soon as we know that this arrangement is set up, Aunt Sandra will call her doctor and have him call in the script for her. Please let us know how you would like to proceed.

Internally, Irwin raised an alarm: Her monthly prescription is 1500 oxycodone 15 milligrams. I did the math in my head late yesterday and this equates to 50 tablets per day. Is that even possible?

The order was so large that account managers at Mallinckrodt had to call one of their distributors, KeySource Medical, to ask the pharmacy to order additional product.

For Aunt Sandra, two cases a month to the below pharmacy, wrote Kate Muhlenkamp, a Mallinckrodt product manager.

KeySource is going to try to ship the pharmacy one months needs at a time, so depending on what is happening in the marketplace (supply/demand), we may have to circle back in a month to allocate more oxy 15 to them for this special circumstance, Borelli replied.

Steve Cochrane, a vice president for KeySource Medical, said a pharmacist was nonetheless shocked the following week when the deal went down. He wrote to Borelli, joking about the exchange.

Guess who called today . . . Dane Drug! he wrote. They want to know who the F this lady Aunt Sandra was that showed up looking for her oxycodone 15 milligram today. You cant make this stuff up.

Goodman, who now serves as general counsel for a pharmaceutical firm in Columbus, did not respond to phone messages and requests for comment on social media. Irwin and Muhlenkamp did not respond to phone messages. Cochrane declined to comment through an attorney.

Jenn Abelson, Amy Brittain, Robert OHarrow Jr., Shawn Boburg, Jennifer Jenkins, Andrew Ba Tran, Aaron Williams, Alice Crites, Julie Tate and Katie Zezima contributed to this report.

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JUNEAU, Alaska  Bill Allen, a central figure in a corruption scandal that rocked Alaska politics, has died. He was 85. Allens death was reported by Alaska media, citing a brief death announcement on the website for a Colorado funeral home, which said Allen died on June 29. A person who answered the phone there on Wednesday declined to provide more details.

Allen was CEO of the oil services company VECO Corp., which did contracting work for oil producers. He also was a former publisher of the now-defunct Anchorage Times newspaper. In 2009, he was sentenced to three years in prison and fined $750,000 on charges including bribery related to efforts to win support for legislation favored by the company. He served a shorter period.

Sentencing for Allen and a former VECO vice president was delayed more than two years as they cooperated with federal prosecutors in cases against elected officials.

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Allen at sentencing said he thought he could do good in pushing tax legislation that was favorable to oil companies.

The FBI approached him in 2006 with plans to prosecute. Agents showed him a videotape of him interacting with a legislator in a Juneau hotel room.

I could tell I was half drunk and I didnt like what I looked at, he said. He said he decided to quit drinking and to cooperate with investigators.

I went over the line, he said.

Allen resigned as VECO chairman after his plea agreement. The company also was sold.

Allen also was a star witness in the governments case against U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, a one-time friend.

Stevens was charged with failing to report gifts, including renovations by Allens company to Stevens home in Girdwood. A jury verdict against Stevens was set aside and the indictment dismissed amid charges of prosecutorial conduct. But by then, he had lost a 2008 bid for reelection. Stevens died in 2010.

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MEXICO CITY  Mexicos anti-money laundering agency said Thursday it has accused ex-President Enrique Pena Nieto of handling millions of dollars in possibly illegal funds, perhaps a signal from President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador that he is getting serious about his promise to pursue corruption. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight It marks the first formal legal accusations against Pena Nieto, despite a cloud of allegations about corruption during his 2012-2018 administration. Lopez Obrador made rooting out corruption the main theme of his presidency, but hadnt yet moved against any of his predecessors.

The criminal complaint filed against Pena Nieto by the governments Financial Intelligence Unit does not mean prosecutors have yet decided to file any formal charges. But the head of the unit, Pablo Gomez, said federal prosecutors have received the complaint alleging use of illicit funds and are investigating it.

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Gomez said Thursday that a company run by Pena Nietos family had a symbiotic relationship with a firm that received about $500 million in government contracts while he was president. He did not identify the companies, but said they were distribution firms.

Gomez also said Pena Nieto had received money transfers from a relative, apparently linked to the two companies, for about $1.3 million after leaving office. Gomez said Pena Nietos accounts and those of the companies havent been blocked.

Pena Nieto moved to Spain after leaving office.

On Thursday, Pena Nieto wrote in his Twitter account that his money was legally obtained.

I am certain that the appropriate authorities will allow me to clear up any questions about my holdings, and to prove their legality through legal channels, the former president wrote. I have confidence in legal institutions.

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The former head of Mexicos state-run oil company under Pena Nieto, Emilio Lozoya, has claimed that Pena Nieto and his right-hand man, then-Treasury Secretary Luis Videgaray, directed him to bribe lawmakers, including five senators, to support controversial energy and other structural reforms in 2013 and 2014.

Videgaray has denied the accusations. Neither man faces any charges in that case.

The failure to bring down any top figures from previous administrations has been an embarrassment for Lopez Obrador, as has the failure of Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero to build any strong legal case based on Lozoyas allegations.

The hands-off approach toward Pena Nieto has fueled speculation that Lopez Obrador had reached some kind of gentlemans agreement with the ex-president in 2018. In exchange for quickly recognizing Lopez Obradors presidential victory and allowing him unusual power during the transition period, Pena Nieto purportedly would have gained a promise of impunity.

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Lopez Obrador has said simply that revenge isnt my strong point and that Mexico should look to the future, not the past.

Yet last year, Lopez Obrador sponsored a national referendum of Mexican voters about whether to prosecute former leaders accused of wrongdoing. TIt failed to reach the 40% participation required to make it binding and critics pointed out that the government didnt need the publics blessing to prosecute anyone who had committed crimes.

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MEXICO CITY  The wife of Nicaraguan political activist Felix Maradiaga told journalists her husband had lost more than 65 pounds during his year in prison and she feared for his health. A day later, the government of President Daniel Ortega hauled the former potential presidential challenger before cameras for a previously unscheduled and unusual hearing to ratify the 13-year prison sentence he had already received earlier this year.

The fact that a pro-government news outlet was invited, but not Maradiagas family  or attorneys  showed the Sandista-led government is intent on challenging international condemnation of its sweeping crackdown on dissidents. Images from the weekend appearance showed that Maradiaga was thin, but appeared to walk and speak without difficulty.

Maradiaga had not been seen publicly since his arrest in June 2021  one of the nearly 190 people who are considered political prisoners by human rights groups and the U.S. State Department, including six others who could have challenged Ortega for the presidency in the election last November. None of them had been seen in images or video since their arrests until Maradiagas brief court appearance Saturday.

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The government put on a show, a scene of public torture transmitted live to the people with the goal of instilling more fear, said Vilma Nunez, president of the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights. She herself is a former political prisoner under the dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza, who Ortega helped drive from office in 1979.

The United States and European Union have called for the release of the prisoners and denounced Ortegas November election victory as a farce. They have imposed sanctions on members of his family and inner circle, but his government has continued making arrests while driving independent press and nongovernmental groups from the country, most recently last week the nuns of the charity established by Mother Teresa.

Jared Genser, a U.S.-based law professor and prominent human rights attorney who represents Maradiaga and Juan Sebastian Chamorro, said in an online news conference Thursday with Maradiagas wife and relatives of other prisoners that the situation of political prisoners in Nicaragua is among the worst he has seen during his career.

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Maradiagas wife, Berta Valle, said at the conference that her husband and others are kept in unhealthy cells, given bad food and deprived of medical attention for chronic illnesses. They are not given reading material or allowed visits with their children, she said.

Our relatives feel that they are doing damage to his health that could be irreversible, Valle said. She herself fled to the United States and has been told of his condition by two siblings who have sometimes been able to visit him.

Nunez said that among the most troubling aspects for the family is the lack of communication. She said the information limbo creates desperation and anguish.

Valle said she hadnt known about Saturdays hearing for her husband before seeing a video of it. And she said last week that she had not even known her husband had started a hunger strike a week earlier to protest the conditions of his imprisonment.

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Maradiaga was convicted of harm to the national integrity, a charge applied to many other dissidents as well. He denies the allegation.

Following Saturdays court appearance, a reporter from a government-allied news outlet put a microphone to Maradiaga and asked why he was lying about his health. Maradiaga appeared confused by the question and unaware that outside the prison there was a public debate about his well-being.

He responded that he was being held in total isolation and had been subjected to a political trial.

Renata Holmann, daughter of Juan Lorenzo Holmann, the jailed manager of the newspaper La Prensa, said Thursday that he suffered from chronic illnesses and additional health problems acquired in prison since his arrest last August.

The are killing them little by little, day by day, she said of the imprisoned dissidents.

In May 2019, opposition member Eddy Montes was shot dead by a prison guard during what the government said was a riot. In February, Hugo Torres, a former Sandinista guerrilla leader who turned Ortega critic, died in a Managua hospital while imprisoned.

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MEXICO CITY  Authorities on Wednesday started hauling away 177 lions, tigers, jaguars and other exotic big cats that were found at an animal rescue center in the mountains on Mexico Citys south side. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight The federal Attorney Generals Office for Environmental Protection said 202 animals in all, including monkeys, dogs, donkeys and coyotes, were being taken to other locations.

Dozens of heavily armed city police raided the Black Jaguar White Tiger animal sanctuary Tuesday after images of rail-thin, distressed and injured lions circulated on social media.

The founder of the reserve told local media that he had rescued some of the animals and that some of them arrived in bad shape.

Mexico City police chief Omar Garcia Harfuch said the property had been seized for the crime of improper use of property and mistreatment of animals.

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City police said in a statement that according to the inspection, the property where the aminals were kept is zoned for agricultural or grazing purposes, not for keeping the kind of species found.

Under Mexican law, private individuals can register to keep exotic cats and other animals in supervised wildlife management units. The facility raided Tuesday appears to have filed such paperwork.

But the animal rights advocacy group PETA called the site a false sanctuary, saying it had been complaining for years that the facility was engaged in abusive practices.

Peta said the lions, tigers and jaguars were held in relatively small fenced-in pens, sometimes with more than one animal per enclosure, and also were forced to interact with humans for selfies or videos.

The Association of Zoos, Breeders and Aquariums of Mexico said its members would volunteer to take charge of the animals.

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But Mexican drug cartel members illegally keeping big cats and the countrys 2015 ban on animal acts in circuses have both contributed to the saturation of animal shelters and rescue facilities.

Several of our facilities are already saturated with wild animals from various rescues, ranging from circuses to hundreds of seizures of illegal trafficking of animals, Ernesto Zazueta, head of zoo association, said in a statement. But we cannot allow these animals, many of which are endangered, to continue in these deplorable health conditions and malnourishment.

Zazueta said some of the monkeys and three lions might be taken to Mexico City zoos as soon as Wednesday and there were plans to send 50 of the animals on Thursday to zoos west of the capital and in the northern states of Gunajuato and Sinaloa.

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The animals were in a horrible situation, he said. Some of their tails are missing, they had been eaten. Others lack an eye, an ear. They are very, very thin, dehydrated.

The founder of the refuge has said that donations to the reserve had dropped during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mexican narcos have long had a fascination with exotic animals.

In one week in June, a spider monkey dressed up as a drug gang mascot was found shot to death after a gunbattle, a 450-pound (200-kilogram) tiger wandered streets in the Pacific coast state of Nayarit, and a man died from being mauled when he tried to pet a captive tiger in a cartel-dominated area of western Michoacan state.

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TUNIS, Tunisia  Tunisias influential Islamist movement Ennahdha on Thursday strongly disputed accusations of money laundering and terrorism financing after the countrys central bank froze the bank accounts of a dozen top party officials. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight Party leader Rached Ghannouchi, a former Tunisian parliament speaker who has clashed with President Kais Saied, was among those hit by the account freezes, which authorities said targeted those suspected of links to a charity called Nama Tounes.

Ennahdha spokesperson Imed Khemiri called the accusations a malicious maneuver aimed at diverting the attention of public opinion from Tunisias economic and political problems and at presenting Ennahdha as a threat.

The freezing of the financial assets of Ghannouchi as well as of a certain number of Ennahdha leaders has no legal basis, but is rather a deliberate targeting of the movement, the spokesperson said.

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In a statement, Ennahdha said that Ghannouchi already made a declaration of his assets and that all his banking transactions are legal. The party said it ensures it has not received any money from inside or outside the country and has not made any transfer to the accounts of the charity.

The list of those whose accounts were frozen includes Ghannouchis son, daughter and son-in-law as well as former Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, his two daughters and his wife.

The party spokesman said the accusations were aimed at distracting attention from a July 25 referendum planned by the president to change the constitution to augment presidential powers and reduce the role of the parliament and prime minister. The president critics say he is trying to legitimize a coup.

Saied suspended parliament last year and seized broad powers in a move that he said was necessary to save the country from political and economic crisis. This prompted criticism from the opposition, which accuses him of a slide toward totalitarianism.

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Saied and some others blamed Ennahdha in part for Tunisias political crisis last year. Ennahdha, which dominated parliament before it was suspended, is among the presidents fiercest critics.

Ghannouchi has been summoned to appear before an anti-terrorism judge July 19 in connection with an investigation into terrorist financing and money laundering, according to judicial officials.

Khemiri expressed concern that the executive branch could manipulate the judicial system against Ennahdha, after the president recently dismissed 57 judges and established a new council to oversee the judiciary.

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JERUSALEM  The United Arab Emirates has sentenced an Israeli woman convicted on drug charges to life in prison, her lawyer said Thursday. The court had initially sentenced her to death but cancelled it last week. Israel says it has closely followed the case in the UAE, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020 in the first of the so-called Abraham Accords brokered by the Trump administration.

Fida Kiwan, a 43-year-old resident of the Israeli city of Haifa, was arrested in March 2021. Authorities say they found marijuana, cocaine and MDMA pills in the apartment where she was staying, and she was convicted on charges of intending to sell drugs. She denied the allegations.

Mordechai Tzivin, an Israeli lawyer representing her, said she was sentenced to life in prison. He said the law enforcement system in the UAE is very accurate and that there is a precedent for amnesty in cases in which heavy sentences are issued.

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There was no immediate comment from Israel or the UAE.

Israels Foreign Ministry had welcomed the decision to cancel the death penalty last week, saying it was pleased that the efforts on the legal channels as well as other channels led to the cancellation of the death sentence.

Israeli tourists have flocked to Dubai since normalization, eager to see its futuristic skyscrapers, world-famous malls and other attractions. Israels top leaders have met with their counterparts in the Gulf state, and business people have struck major deals, even before the recent signing of a free trade agreement, Israels first with an Arab country.

The UAE has some of the worlds most restrictive drug laws. Trafficking typically carries a life sentence and possession a shorter jail sentence.

While UAE law allows for the death penalty in certain cases, capital punishment is rarely carried out. The last known executions were in 2011 and 2014, against two men convicted of murder.

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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.

China's authorities release policies to shore up car consumption

On July 7, 17 Chinese governmental departments including the Ministry of Commerce released a document saying China will support new energy vehicle (NEV) consumption, conduct a study on whether to continue the preferential tax policy for NEV purchase, and encourage local governments to issue policies on boosting NEV consumption in rural areas.

JAC Group posts 4.86% YoY growth in June 2022

JAC Group announced today its June sales reached 43,108 units, rising 4.86% year on year. Notably, its sales of all-electric passenger vehicles amounted to 18,126 units last month, leaping 55.55% from a year ago.

BYD Seal arrives at dealerships

The BYD Seal, a new model from BYD's Ocean series, has arrived at dealerships' showrooms. The model is now available for presale.

SAIC Motor scores two-digit MoM, YoY growth in June 2022 sales

SAIC Motor announced today its monthly auto sales reached 483,584 units in June 2022, jumping 33% month on month, while also leaping 47.16% year on year.

Geely Auto scores 26% YoY jump in June sales

In June, China's major automaker, Geely Automobile Holdings Limited (Geely Auto), achieved growing momentum in its monthly sales volume over the previous month and year.

HUAWEI executive director calls for oil-fueled vehicle elimination

The CEO of HUAWEIs Intelligent Automotive Solution Business Unit, Yu Chengdong, commented that oil-fueled vehicles should be eliminated as soon as possible, at the 14th China Auto Bluebook Forum on July 7th.

Chinese chip supplier Flagchip announces completion of two funding rounds

Suzhou Flagchip Semiconductor Co., Ltd. ("Flagchip"), a Chinese automotive chip supplier, announced today it had closed its Series B financing and a new strategic funding round.

Chery Holding's export volume reach record high in June

In the sixth month of 2022, Chery Holding saw its sales volume surge from a month and a year ago, with its export volume hitting a record high.

Co-founder of TuSimple resigns to start truck-making company

The co-founder and former vice president of engineering from TuSimple, Huang Zehua, has resigned from the autonomous driving firm to start his own truck company in October 2021, according to a local media outlet.

Evergrande Auto starts preorders for Hengchi 5 SUV

Evergrande Auto, the electric vehicle (EV) unit of Chinese property giant Evergrande Group, officially began presale of its first production model, the Hengchi 5, on July 6.

Shenzhen sets official regulation for autonomous driving vehicles

Shenzhen has passed an administration regulation for intelligent connected vehicles in the city, marking the first of its kind in China. The regulation will be enforced from August 1st.

China to date has over 10 million NEVs running on roads

As of June 2022, there had been 10.01 million NEVs running on roads in China, including 8.104 million all-electric vehicles, according to China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS).
The Hague: Australian and European regulators are sharing information about the market power of big tech companies ahead of a pivotal court ruling on popular dating apps and the hidden fees passed on to consumers who spend billions of dollars at Apples App Store and other services.

The test case in the Netherlands will decide if Apple must overhaul its App Store across Europe to comply with competition laws at a time when governments are muscling up against tech giants over their market power in search, music and advertising.

Apple takes up to 30 per cent of purchases made through its App Store. Credit:AP

The sanctions on Apple would make it give app developers more ways to charge customers without forcing them to pay the company up to 30 per cent on every sale by putting all transactions through the App Store as in-app purchases.

These are not secret cartels, this is not criminal conduct  this is a practice that has a detrimental effect on society and on consumers, said Martijn Snoep, chairman of the Authority for Consumers and Markets in The Hague.
While our parent company has taken this decision, we do not agree with it, the Ben & Jerrys main account wrote. The Israeli businesss account, meanwhile, already controlled by businessman Avi Zinger and his American Quality Products company, hailed the step as a great victory.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean at Jewish human rights group the Simon Wiesenthal Centre (SWC), whose chairman of the board of governors is Nelson Peltz - the billionaire activist investor who recently built a stake in Unilever and who joined its board in late May - argues that Ben & Jerrys has forgotten that theyre not diplomats.

He argues: For the Jewish community right now, especially in the States, but over here [in the UK] as well, anti-semitism is not theoretical and its beyond the pale to have that kind of iconic company to parlay its profits in order to hurt our community.

What we would like to see is Ben & Jerrys go back to doing what it does best, make a couple more flavours. Well be more than happy to buy it again. But if they stay the course to be politically anti-Israel, political activists, then most of us will be moving over, you know, to Haagen-Dazs or the 100 other brands that are available.

Tension between Unilever and Ben & Jerrys has been building for months. After the ice cream maker weighed in on Ukraine at the start of the war, publicly calling for Joe Biden not to send more US troops to Europe, Unilever boss Alan Jope was forced to tell it to stay out of debates it does not understand. Ben & Jerrys outspoken views on increasingly sensitive matters comes at an awkward time for Jope as shareholders pile pressure on Unilever to increase its share price instead of getting distracted by social issues.
Russia appears on track for a much shallower recession than many forecasters initially expected this year, boosted by rising oil production that has blunted the impact of US and European sanctions over its war in Ukraine.

Economists from JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citigroup and other big banks are slashing their outlooks for the drop in output this year to as little as 3.5 per cent, dismissing fears in the first months after President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine that it could be the deepest in a generation.

Russias economic outlook continues to brighten. Credit:AP

Officials in Moscow, some of whom saw a contraction of as much as 12 per cent, are now preparing to improve forecasts to less than half that.

The boxer is now moving again after being knocked down, said Anton Tabakh, chief economist at Moscow-based credit assessor Expert RA. There was a knockdown, but its been offset substantially by comfortable export prices, even with the discounts, and the budgets capacity to pour money on the problem.
MONTREALTaboo passions run high in A Stepbrothers Obsession 3, the newest release from Icon Male, now available on all platforms. The movie is distributed through parent company Mile High Media.

Director Ricky Greenwood dives deep into the forbidden desires of stepbrothers in the series newest chapter, starring Nick Fitt and Jim Fit, who share the cover. The cast also includes Michael Boston, Pierce Paris, Tony Genius, Adrian Hart, Des Irez, Drew Sebastian and Zeno Rey.

Ricky takes viewers on a wild ride as he examines the sexual tension and underlying attraction between stepbrothers, said Mile High vice president Jon Blitt. With Michael Boston, Drew Sebastian and Nick Fitt among a cast of stars, fans will be blown away by the chemistry and amazing performances in this third chapter of the series.

A Stepbrothers Obsession 3 examines the unique connection and intense desire between stepbrothers who struggle with their forbidden lust for one another. The movie features four hardcore sex scenes shot in HD, and the DVD release includes animated chapter index, a photo gallery and more.

The latest Icon Male trailers can be seen on www.IconMale.com.

For Icon Male sales and distribution, contact [email protected].

For the latest news and BTS previews, follow Icon Male on Twitter.
PHOENIX  Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation Wednesday that will provide $1.2 billion over three years to boost long-term water supplies for the desert state and implement conservation efforts that will see more immediate effects.

The legislation that was hammered out over months during the just-completed legislative session is viewed as the most significant since the state implemented a groundwater protection plan in 1980.

Climate change and a nearly 30-year drought forced the move, which comes as Arizona faces cutbacks in its Colorado River water supply and more loom. The Central Arizona Project canal system is already delivering less water from the river to metro Phoenix, Pinal County and Tucson, and federal officials are warning of even steeper cuts soon.

These challenges made it necessary for us to act, the Republican governor said at a signing ceremony in the historic Capitol rotunda. So today we are taking action to do what the men and women of Arizona hired us to do  position our state for success today, tomorrow and for generations to come.

The legislation Ducey touted in January to allow the Department of Water Resources oversee the investments morphed over the session and now gives an obscure state entity the authority to leverage and dole out a new $1 billion appropriation.

The entity is called the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority, which will now be a standalone agency with oversight from a new board and some from the Legislature.

Democrats got majority Republicans and the governor to agree to add $200 million for conservation; money that can be used right away for both agricultural efficiency and to cut water use in urban areas.

Our state is confronted with the realities of climate change, an over-allocated Colorado River and decreasing groundwater, said Sen. Rebecca Rios, the Senate minority leader. This bill ultimately creates a financial structure to assist with the diverse needs of both urban and rural Arizona.

House Minority Leader Rep. Reginald Bolding ticked off a list of measures the new water conservation fund could pay for: groundwater recharge, drought resistant landscaping, watershed protection, and efficiency upgrades, as well as rooftop rainwater capture.

The longer-term investments range from pie in the sky to conservative. They include a canal and pipeline to move floodwaters from eastern Kansas to southern Colorado and into watersheds that end up in Arizona and a nascent plan to help fund a Southern California effort to treat wastewater and trade it for some of that state's river supply.

Ducey started off the year touting a massive new desalination plant that would augment the state's water supply, but did not mention that in Wednesday's formal remarks. Be he said on KTAR radio earlier in the day that he hopes to have a deal in place by the end of his term in January to build a plant, which is likely to be in Mexico and use water trades to free up more Colorado River water for Arizona. The plant could cost more than $5 billion.

Republican Rep. Gail Griffin called the legislation historic" with an eye to doing much more than just augment the state's water supplies, but to recharge groundwater aquifers and cut water use to save it for later.

This is an action plan, its just not going to sit on a shelf. Were going to take it and do great things with it, she said. We have funding to bring new water into the state of Arizona. We have funding to address best management practices in our counties, in our cities.
Are we really having to pay tolls for use of this roadway?
In asking a federal appeals court to stop an injunction temporarily blocking Nebraska's signature requirement for ballot initiatives, the State of Nebraska last week cited the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade to bolster its case.

The arguments, detailed in a court filing, represent the latest development in an ongoing legal battle between medical marijuana advocates and the state over Nebraska's requirement that ballot initiative or referendum campaigns collect signatures from 5% of registered voters in 38 of the state's 93 counties. The state constitution spells out the requirement.

Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, which is working to put a pair of initiatives legalizing medical marijuana on the November ballot, and the ACLU of Nebraska sued the state in May, arguing that the multicounty requirement violates the U.S. Constitution.

In June, U.S. District Judge John Gerrard found that the requirement likely violates the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution by giving undue power to voters in rural counties. He issued a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the requirement.

Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, who is named as the defendant in the lawsuit, appealed the injunction to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and filed an emergency motion for a stay pending appeal. If the motion is granted, the signature requirement would be reinstated until further legal proceedings determine its constitutionality.

The Nebraska Attorney General's Office, which is representing Evnen, has asked the court to issue a decision on the motion before Thursday  the deadline for initiative signatures to be submitted to the state in order to qualify for the November ballot  but the court has no obligation to do so.

In Monday's filing, the AG's Office echoed many of its previous arguments, including its assertion that the federally protected right to vote applies to electing candidates, not proposing ballot initiatives. To further that argument, the AG's Office cited Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the June 24 ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade.

The Dobbs decision, in part, found that there is nothing in the text of the Constitution to support the right to access abortion services. Writing for the conservative majority, Justice Samuel Alito noted that "the court has been 'reluctant' to recognize rights that are not mentioned in the Constitution."

The AG's filing quotes the above line from the Dobbs opinion after noting that the federal constitution says nothing about the initiative right.

Eric Berger, a constitutional law professor at the University of Nebraska School of Law, said that he wasn't surprised to see the Dobbs decision cited so soon after it was issued.

"It's relatively unusual for Supreme Court decisions to be cited so immediately after they are issued, but in this instance it's not surprising," Berger said. "There has been a long movement to try to overturn Roe, and pro-life activists and conservative state officials have been preparing for this moment."

In its motion for stay pending appeal, the state also argues that enforcing the multicounty signature requirement is in the public interest because of the "uncertainty and disorder" caused by the injunction. Currently, there are 16 initiative measures in circulation that could potentially make it onto the ballot while the injunction is in place. If the injunction is later overturned, those measures could be deemed invalid.

Lawyers representing the medical marijuana advocates wrote "there is no record evidence to suggest that any other initiative is anywhere close to qualifying for the ballot in the absence of the 38-county rule."

"And even if there was," they went on to write, "it is unclear why the state official charged with protecting the initiative right would deem that problematic."

What happens next depends on what  and when the appeals court rules on the state's motion for stay. If the motion is granted before Thursday's signature deadline, enforcement of the signature requirement will resume. If it is denied, the preliminary injunction will remain in place and the state will not be able to enforce the requirement.
If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here.

PREVIOUS OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS

 Air Products and Chemicals Inc.'s chosen warehouse developer, Prologis Inc., will have to wait until July 13 for a final decision by Upper Macungie Township's zoning hearing board on 2.61 million square feet of warehouses.

 Chubby's of Southside Easton has added Krispy Krunchy Chicken to its offerings and name.

 Curaleaf Holdings Inc., which operates in the U.S. and Europe, will open a medical-marijuana dispensary at 1801 Airport Road, Hanover Township.

 Habitat for Humanity, which has "ReStores" that sell new and lightly used furniture, has leased 30,000 square feet at the South Mall.

 Nat Hyman's bid to convert an old warehouse at 938 Washington St. in Allentown into 48 apartments did not win zoning hearing board approval this week after neighbors said more housing would make an on-street parking shortage worse.

 Members 1st Federal Credit Union opened a new branch this week at 5605 Hamilton Blvd, Trexlertown. It's one of five planned for the Lehigh Valley.

 A Turkish restaurant has relocated from one downtown to another, taking its fresh ingredients and cozy atmosphere from Nazareth to 200 Main St., Tatamy.

 The Tennessee Titans have chosen Allentown-based Shift4 Payments to handle payments at Nissan Stadium.

 Wells Fargo Bank held ribbon-cutting at its downtown Allentown branch at 740 Hamilton St.

 The Wiz Kidz outlet at the Madison Farms residential/retail development in Bethlehem Township will hold a grand reopening and ribbon-cutting at noon on July 15.

 Bad Biscuit Company, which offered breakfast with scratch-made biscuits, freshly baked pastry and local, small-batch artisan coffee, said it will cease operations at 16 Columbia Ave. in Reading after its July 1 hours.

 FastBridge Fiber has announced it will build an all-fiber cable network that will offer ultra-fast internet in the Reading area.

 Hamid Chaudhry has said he no longer plans to move forward with pursuing a food truck park he previously proposed on the site of the former Sheetz convenience store and gas station in Exeter Township at 6600 Perkiomen Ave. (Route 422 East).

 The Maxatawny Township Planning Commission has OK'd a proposal for a Mavis Discount Tire store in the Kutztown Road shopping center that features a Giant supermarket.

 Valentino's Italian restaurant has gotten Maxatawny Township's approval to remain open when the state transportation department takes one-third of its parking lot to build a traffic roundabout at the intersection of Route 222 and Long Lane.

 Pocono Mountain Harley-Davidson, under new ownership, will hold a "Grand Re-Opening Bash" July 9 and July 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 Sauce West End plans to open in a former Rita's Italian Ice, just off Route 209 across from the Tractor Supply store in Brodheadsville.

 The Surgery Center of Pottsville, which offered medical procedure services for 16 years in Cressona Mall. will close June 28.

 Wells Fargo has closed its branch office in Langhorne, near the intersection with Maple Avenue.

 The latest PrimoHoagies location in New Jersey held a grand opening at 1930 State Route 57, Hackettstown.

 A new Tractor Supply Co. store in Warren County will have its grand opening in the former Toys 'R' Us store in Pohatcong Plaza on July 9.

 Hunter Pocono Peterbilt plans to move Pocono Township operations to Stroudsburg.

 Coal Winery and Kitchen at 81 Broad St., Bethlehem, has closed as its owner searches for a new location for the business, according to its Facebook page.

 Lowhill Township supervisors approved a 312,120-square-foot commercial warehouse and distribution center on a 43.4-acre tract on the west side of Route 100, south of the Kernsville Road intersection.

 The Mint Gastropub at 1223 W. Broad St., Bethlehem, announced that it has temporarily closed to undergo a merger with a "well-known restaurant group" from Bethlehem.

 The Slatington Farmers Market opened its 28,000-square-foot showroom, which includes space for 53 vendors, as well as a 4,000-square-foot event space.

 St. Luke's University Health Network opened a new pediatric inpatient unit next to the eight-bed pediatric intensive care unit at St. Luke's University Hospital  Bethlehem.

 25th Asian House opened at the location of the former Tin Tin Chinese restaurant in the 25th Street Shopping Center in Palmer Township.

 The Chick-Fil-A in Broadcasting Square shopping center in Spring Township was razed to make way for a new, expanded facility for the popular chicken sandwich restaurant.

 Plans for drive-thru locations of a Chipotle and a Starbucks at the intersection of Ivy League Drive and Kutztown Road were rejected by Maxatawny Township planners.

 Cumru Township plannes reviewed preliminary plans for NorthPoint-Morgantown Commerce Center, a 738,720-square-foot warehouse to be built on 75.2 acres at Morgantown Road (State Route 10) and Freemansville Road.

 Kutztown University has plans to expand its historic Poplar House to 13,161 square feet with an addition around its side and back, but keep the 129-year-old structure intact.

 A wine store and beverage outlet could be coming to a new two-unit building along the commercial strip of Blakeslee Boulevard Drive East in Lehighton, Carbon County.

 ChristianaCare, a Delaware health care organization, has announced it will buy the former Jennersville Hospital in West Grove, Chester County.

 Garden of Health Inc. celebrated the opening of the food bank's new warehouse at 201 Church Road, North Wales, in Montgomery County.

 Silverline Trailers Inc. opened its first location in Pennsylvania and in the Northeast at 223 Porter Road, Pottstown, where it sells utility, cargo, dump, equipment and car hauler trailers.

 A new smoothie and bowl restaurant, Sips & Berries, opened at 285 Maple Ave., Harleysville, in Montgomery County.

 Terrain on the Parkway offers 160 new 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments at 1625 Lehigh Parkway East in Allentown.

 Lehigh Valley native Don Wenner is moving his real estate investment and finance firm DLP Capital from Bethlehem to Allentown at 835 W. Hamilton St.

 While Wells Fargo has been the leader in closing banks lately, it will hold a ribbon-cutting for its new downtown Allentown office at 740 Hamilton St. on June 30.

 If you're in the market for sterling silver jewelry, minerals and semi-precious gemstones, C& I Minerals is now operating at the South Mall at 3300 Lehigh St. in Allentown.

 The Allentown-based utility company PPL Corp. bought a major Rhode Island utility.

 Ownership at Martellucci's Pizzeria in Bethlehem has changed, but Paul and Donna Hlavinka and their family are running the pizza place at 1419 Easton Ave., just as it has been operated for 49 years.

 Dr. Jacob Kasprenski's new Kasprenski Family Eye Care opened at 1088 Howertown Road, Catasauqua.

 Josie's New York Deli in downtown Easton closed early in the COVID-19 pandemic, but a June 13 Historic District Commission meeting approved a request for a new sign at its building at 14 Centre Square.

 Zekraft cafe has opened its second location in the Easton Silk Mill in Easton. The first Zekraft restaurant was opened in Bethlehem. The restaurants' menus change frequently, with a focus on local ingredients.

 Manta Massage at 319 Main St., Emmaus, will hold its grand opening on July 10 starting at 11 a.m.

 The former Iron Lakes Country Club, constructed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, will operate at 3625 Shankweiler Road in North Whitehall Township under its new name, The Club at Twin Lakes.

 Prologis, a titan in the logistics industry, will own and operate three warehouses proposed in Upper Macungie Township at the former Air Products headquarters campus at 7201 Hamilton Blvd.

 Lehigh Valley Health Network ceremonially opened its first Carbon County hospital  a $78 million, 100,578-square-foot facility at 2128 Blakeslee Boulevard Drive East in Mahoning Township.

 Pocono Township commissioners voted to accept Swiftwater Solar's preliminary final plan for the $111 million, 80-megawatt field on a private 644-acre site on top of Bear Mountain that would include about 200,000 solar panels.

 Firetree Ltd. wants to expand its in-patient rehab operation at the former Sands Ford auto dealership at 440 N Claude A Lord Blvd. (Route 61), Pottsville.

 A Dunkin' in Schuylkill County located at 400 Terry Rich Blvd., St. Clair, has become just the fourth location of the donut and coffee chain to go entirely digital.

 The Conservatory music school in Bucks County will close after 34 years, and school officials say the COVID-19 pandemic is the cause. The nonprofit, located at 4059 Skyron Drive, Doylestown, will close June 30.

 A Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and Arby's will be built on the site of the former Ahart's Market on Route 22 in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.

 Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce offices and the Unity Bank Center for Business & Entrepreneurship will be located at 119 Main St., Flemington.

 Honeygrow opens Quakertown location, next to Chipotle on Route 309, on June 3.

 Dunkin' reopens remodeled restaurant at 1174 MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township

 Muse Modern Med Spa at 325 Fifth St. in Whitehall Township will hold a grand opening June 4.

 Around Again, a consignment store, opened at 154 S. Main St., Phillipsburg

 Steak and Steel Hibachi, a restaurant in the works at 44 W. Walnut St., Bethlehem, still plans on opening late this summer.

 Take It Outdoors Recreation Hub has moved to a spot along the Schuylkill River Trail at Riverfront Park in Pottstown, Montgomery County

 Pedego Electric Bikes has a new outlet in Lambertville, N.J. at 13 N. Union St.

 Amanda Vachris has opened a new Keller Williams Real Estate office at 15 St. John St. in Schuylkill Haven.

 Easton's new West Ward Market will open Wednesday and be open on Wednesday's through the summer from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The market, created by the Greater Easton Development Partnership, will sell fresh produce on 12th Street, next to Paxinosa Elementary School.

 Ciao Sandwich Shoppe is adding a second location, this time on College Hill in Easton. Ciao plans to open at 325 Cattell St. in late summer. Ciao already operates in downtown Easton at 12 N. Third St

 Ma's Crepes and Cakes will hold a grand opening and ribbon-cutting June 16 at 46 W. Broadway, Jim Thorpe. The celebration starts at 5 p.m., with the ribbon cutting at 5:45 p.m.

 Bethlehem's Back Door Bakeshop will reopen as a wholesale operation at 7 E. Church St. in the city's historic district. The business was open for nine years as a retail outlet at Broad and Center streets, before announcing in March that it would close the storefront April 3 and "go back to its origins as a wholesale business."

The Beef Baron on Catasauqua Road in Bethlehem is closed indefinitely for renovations

 The Brothers That Just Do Gutters are opening a new location in Allentown at 1302 N. 18th St.

 St. John Chrysostom Academy, an Orthodox school serving grades 1-9 starting this fall, held a grand opening at its St. Francis Center, Bethlehem, campus.

 Easton Commons, a shopping center anchored by Giant Foods at 2920 Easton Ave., Bethlehem Township, has a new name: The Shops at Bethlehem.

 Carbon County is getting a taste of Brazil at Uai Brasil BBQ at 315 Lehigh Ave. in Palmerton.

 The Keystone Pub in Bethlehem Township, at 3259 Easton Avenue, has reopened after a lengthy and expensive renovation.

 The Trading Post Depot opened at 401 Northampton St., Easton. The rustic furniture store makes custom tables for dining rooms, desktops, conference centers and more.

 The Easton area has a new gym: Homemade Fitness at 444 Cedarville Road in Williams Township.

 Il Gaetano Ristorante opened at its 665 Columbus Ave., Phillipsburg, location.

 Ciao! Sandwich Shoppe to open second location on College Hill in Easton, replacing The Kettle Room

 Rene and Grisellies Benique have opened Ezekiel 47 Cafe at 10 S. Fifth Ave., off Fifth and Penn avenues, in West Reading.

 Alter Ego Salon and Day Spa in Emmaus is holding a grand opening Sunday, May 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a ribbon cutting at noon.

 Origen Latin Fusion has opened at the site of the former Tomcat Cafe in Sinking Spring, Berks County.

 Sellersville Senior Residences will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 24. The Bucks County affordable-housing community for adults 55 and older has 50 apartments, with eight allocated for people with behavioral health needs.

 The House and Barn in Emmaus has opened its Shed outdoor dining and cigar bar area. The House and Barn is at 1449 Chestnut St. in Emmaus.

 Realtor Amanda Vachris and the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting at Vachris's new Keller Williams Real Estate office at 15 St. John St., Schuylkill Haven, at 4 p.m. on May 24.

 Il Gaetano Ristorante will hold a grand opening on Friday, May 20, at 5:30 p.m. The 665 Columbus Ave., Phillipsburg.

 First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union will hold a grand opening at its new headquarters in Trexlertown, 6126 Hamilton Blvd., on May 18.

 Vinyl Press Signs & Graphics has relocated within Emmaus. The new site is 15 S. Second St., not far from the former Sixth Street location.

 Pedro's Cafe in Emmaus to close

 SV Sports (formerly Schuylkill Valley Sports) to close Quakertown location

 Flemington DIY will host a Grand Re-Opening on May 14 at 26 Stangl Road, Flemington. The celebration will kick off at 10 a.m.

 Elpedios Ristorante at Seipsville opened at 2912 Old Nazareth Road in Easton. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday.

 Uai Brazil opened at 315 Lehigh Ave, Palmerton, offering both a seated or buffet option.

 Colombian Mex Restaurant opened at 107 E Union Blvd in Bethlehem, offering traditional Colombian cuisine.

 Precision Ink opened at 161 W Berwick St. in Easton.

 King Wing opened a location in Bethlehem at 129 E. Third St., serving wings and sandwiches.
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

An evening shower or thunderstorm; otherwise, mostly cloudy and muggy. There might be some clearing late. .

Tonight

An evening shower or thunderstorm; otherwise, mostly cloudy and muggy. There might be some clearing late.
A young great horned owl seems to be recovering after becoming entangled in a fence a few miles north of Lincoln.

Mark Rezac discovered the fledgling as he was raking a field of hay, and thought it was dead until it swiveled its head. He called the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and Conservation Officer Dina Barta arrived within the hour.

He (owl) just looked at us. Like 'arent you going to help or what?' Rezac said.

Veterinarian David Gordon examined the bird at the Bellevue Animal Hospital on Thursday and said one wing had some puncture wounds and was very bruised. The other wing had some mild bruising.

The goal is to allow time to heal the wounds, allow the skin to heal and monitor for any skin necrosis, he said.

Rezac thinks the young bird was either chasing a rabbit or snake hed dislodged as he raked the field or fell out of the nest and landed on a strand of the fence. It fell over as it lost its balance, becoming tangled with its wings spread wide.

Rezac and Barta struggled to free it from the tangled fencing.

We pretty quickly realized we werent going to get its wings off that fence, Barta said. Mark worked pretty quickly to cut that fence.

Rezac cut the wire at the end of both wings and then behind the shoulder blades to relieve the pressure on the youngsters wings.

At one point, the owl went Ow. Im not kidding you, Rezac said.

It rode in the cab of Bartas truck to the Raptor Conservation Alliance rehabilitation center in Elmwood, where Betsy Finch and husband, Doug, removed the barbed wire and administered antibiotics and pain medicine.

The owl was given a few mice for dinner.

Gordon said the bird will stay at the rehabilitation center until its next examination in a week. The hope is that it will be released as soon as it recovers.

"I'm optimistic," the vet said, "but soft-tissue wounds are unpredictable."

It's just another day in the life of a farmer, Rezac said. He joked that  finally  his skills as an EMT and volunteer fireman paid off.

Im glad I was able to help. I think all farmers are probably conservationists in one way or another, he said. Ive seen many a deer. Many a turkey. I surely would have felt bad if it had struggled and died in that fence.
A buildings story is more than what meets the eye. Its more than a collection of brick and mortar. There is a living, breathing story unfolding within its walls. For the Montana National Bank building in Billings, Montana, that story is still being written. The extensive renovation project spearheaded by Big Sky Economic Development aims to bring the halls of Montana National Bank back to its former exuberance and stature with added modern, contemporary allure.

History of the building

The architecture of the Montana National Bank represented stability and instilled faith in its customers and depositors through its strength as a financial institution. Early on they adopted the catchphrase, The Bank For You. The Bank prospered due to its conservative policies and stability of its stockholders and management that positioned it to remain strong through the Spanish Influenza, World War I, when many other banks failed, and through the Great Depression and World War II. Increased economic activity in Billings led the bank to expand, opening an extensive addition in 1952, followed by a renaming in 1954 to the First National Bank, the oldest bank in Billings.

Timeless allure, new-age decor: A first look at renovations

The monumental entry that calls back to when architects designed banks as temples of commerce has graced the streetscape for over 100 years, and will soon be the pillars that welcome innovation and entrepreneurship. The renovation being completed by Big Sky Economic Development will be a pleasing blend of the buildings history and what is it come in its future. Emphasizing the history of the building, BSED will honor the significance of what the bank symbolizes: prosperity, strength, and confidence throughout Billings past, present, and future. Looking towards the future, BSED will be building out spaces that will inspire innovation and collaboration for entrepreneurs, creators, and freelancers in the community. We are proud to be renovating this historic landmark in the heart of our community in order to create a space for our community to build, to create, and to learn. All while working with local businesses to have the project designed and constructed. We are beyond proud and grateful to have the opportunity to call the National Montana Bank Building home, said Marcell Bruski, Director of Marketing & BillingsWorks at BSED.

Big Sky Economic Development is utilizing this renovation to help build a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in Billings. BSED will be moving their current offices to the third floor of the bank building, the second floor will be a training and education space available to the community, and the first floor and lower level will be an incubator, accelerator, and coworking space dedicated to serving and connecting entrepreneurs called Rock31. Among the first-floor amenities will be a barista/food service incubator, a unique concept to foster youth entrepreneurship. BSED is investing in the future of Yellowstone County by renovating the bank to be a destination for entrepreneurs to build a vibrant community, encourage innovation and stimulate creativity. We also have an expert team on the third floor that will be available to this community of entrepreneurs, Bruski says.

The renovation project touches on and emphasizes far more than simply applying modern updates to a historic landmark. They cut to the heart of what makes a community blossom and grow. The foundational initiative behind these renovations was to be a pillar of support for the entrepreneurs in Billings, helping them to thrive.

The Montana National Bank Building historically stood as the embodiment of a successful financial institution within the commercial district of Billings, whose stability and permanence was an integral part of economic growth and development of the city. BSED strives to continue to exemplify this significant role for the community through this renovation, says Bruski.

BSED understands the importance of preserving the past and using it to create a dynamic, vibrant and healthy economic future. This is seen in their investment in downtown and in the renovation of the Montana National Bank building.

Its important for us to understand our history, to build upon traditions, making them our own. We are honoring a small piece of tradition during our Grand Opening, September 8th, 2022, by handing out cigars and carnations to guests as they enter Rock31. A tradition that was done in 1918 and again after the 50s addition, Bruski said.

To learn more about this and Big Sky Economic Development visit bigskyeconomicdevelopment.org and see how they are helping to create a better tomorrow for the citizens of Billings.

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A bomb threat was reported at the City College Thursday afternoon. Students and employees were ordered to evacuate the area by campus police.

Campus police, Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office and Montana Highway Patrol arrived on the scene shortly after the call was made. The call was received in the college's health and science building, but was originally thought to be from the tech building. Both buildings were checked and no bomb was found. Students and faculty were cleared to re-enter within the hour.

The phone number that made the threat was from Kentucky, leading investigators to suspect it was a prank call.

Most summer classes are conducted online and it is not believed there were many people in the building during the time of the evacuation.
TORONTO - The merger saga of Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc. continues as two days of talks with the Competition Bureau failed to resolve the watchdog's objections to the companies' proposed deal.

Edward Rogers, right, Chairman of Rogers Communications Inc. and Brad Shaw, Chairman and CEO of Shaw Communications Inc., chat before the start of the CRTC hearing looking into the merge of the two communication companies in Gatineau, Que., on November 22, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand

TORONTO - The merger saga of Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc. continues as two days of talks with the Competition Bureau failed to resolve the watchdog's objections to the companies' proposed deal.

Here's a look at some key moments leading up to this point:

March 15, 2021: Rogers announces an agreement to buy Shaw in a deal valued at $26 billion. Rogers says it will purchase all outstanding Class A and B shares of Shaw for $40.50 per share in cash, amounting to approximately $20 billion. The deal is also inclusive of about $6 billion of debt owed by Shaw.

The deal requires approval from shareholders, the Competition Bureau, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development.

May 21, 2021: Shaw shareholders vote in favour of the proposed sale of the company to Rogers.

Nov. 22, 2021: The CRTC opens a five-day hearing to consider the Rogers-Shaw merger.

Nov. 25, 2021: BCE Inc. urges the CRTC to reject the proposed Rogers-Shaw deal, echoing concerns raised by broadcasters, producers and distributors about the market dominance Rogers would have if the deal were to be approved.

March 3, 2022: Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says the federal government will block the wholesale transfer of wireless licences owned by Shaw to Rogers.

March 24, 2022: The CRTC approves Rogers' acquisition of Shaw's broadcasting services, and lays out a series of conditions the company must meet.

May 9, 2022: The Competition Bureau files an application to block Rogers' purchase of Shaw because it claims the transaction would lead to worse service and higher prices for consumers.

May 12, 2022: Quebecor Inc.'s CEO Pierre Karl Peladeau gives a strong signal that he would like to purchase Shaw-owned wireless carrier Freedom Mobile if regulators force Rogers to sell it as a requirement of the merger's approval.

May 19, 2022: Globalive Capital founder Anthony Lacavera reinforces his bid for Freedom Mobile, formerly Wind Mobile, by signing a network and spectrum sharing agreement with Telus Corp., conditional on Globalive's successful acquisition of Freedom. Lacavera founded Wind Mobile in 2008.

May 30, 2022: Rogers and Shaw agree to not close their deal until they have resolved the Competition Bureau's concerns, either through a negotiated agreement or via the Competition Tribunal.

June 2, 2022: Globalive says it has gone straight to Shaw with its $3.75-billion offer for wireless carrier Freedom Mobile due to a lack of engagement from Rogers.

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June 17, 2022: Rogers and Shaw make deal to sell Freedom Mobile to Quebecor for $2.85 billion in an attempt to ease the Competition Bureaus concerns about the combination of the two companies.

June 24, 2022: Rogers, Shaw and the Competition Bureau agree to participate in a mediation process in July regarding the companies' merger.

July 4, 2022: Two-day mediation period begins between Rogers, Shaw and the Competition Bureau.

July 6, 2022: Talks end with no resolution.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2022.

Companies in this story: (TSX:RCI.B, TSX:SJR.B, TSX:QBR.B, TSX:BCE)
BERLIN (AP)  German lawmakers on Thursday approved a major package of reforms aimed at boosting the production of renewable power, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that the country has for too long relied on energy supplies from Russia.

FILE -- A wind turbine is seen behind a transformer station in Kraenzlin, Germany, Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021. German lawmakers were poised Thursday to approve a major package of reforms aimed at boosting the production of renewable power, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that the country has for too long relied on energy supplies from Russia. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn,file)

BERLIN (AP)  German lawmakers on Thursday approved a major package of reforms aimed at boosting the production of renewable power, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that the country has for too long relied on energy supplies from Russia.

The government unveiled its 600-page Easter package in April, less than two months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine escalated the simmering energy crisis between Moscow and western European neighbors, many of which were buyers of Russian fossil fuels.

Germany has sharply reduced its energy imports from Russia in recent months. The government aims to end the purchase of Russian coal and oil this year, and of natural gas by 2024.

Scholz said late Wednesday that the war was another reason for Europe's biggest economy to double down on its efforts to expand the use of renewable energy.

Germany has relied for too long and too unilaterally on energy supplies from Russia, he said at a renewable energy industry event in Berlin.

File - Wind turbines turn behind a solar farm in Rapshagen, Germany, Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021. German lawmakers were poised Thursday to approve a major package of reforms aimed at boosting the production of renewable power, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that the country has for too long relied on energy supplies from Russia. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)

Referring to Moscow's recent moves to reduce the flow of natural gas to Europe, Scholz that that we have to realize that Russia is using energy as a weapon.

After all, no one believes that Russia is reducing its gas supplies for technical reasons alone, he added.

Energy Minister Robert Habeck told lawmakers that the sheer number and extent of laws now being hurried through the Bundestag reflected both the scale of the challenge and the governments ambition.

It recently pledged to rapidly accelerate the installation of sun and wind power facilities, setting a target of generating 80% of Germany's gross electricity use from renewable energy by 2030  almost double the share it had last year  and cutting greenhouse gas emissions from all sources to net zero by 2045.

To achieve this, the government proposed setting aside more land for onshore wind park s and lowering bureaucratic hurdles that have slowed construction in recent years.

Still, economists questioned this week whether the government's ambitious goals were achievable even with the new measures.

Opposition lawmaker Andreas Jung of the Christian Democrats criticized the government for keeping heavily polluting coal-fired power plants on stand-by to replace gas-fired facilities that have to shut down due to lack of supply. Instead, he suggested, Germany could expand the use of domestic biogas from agricultural waste.

Consumers in Germany, like elsewhere in Europe, have been warned to expect significantly higher energy bills this year mainly due to the surge in prices of fossil fuels.

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If we want to keep energy affordable in the long term, if we want to reconcile supply security and climate protection, then this is only possible with renewable energies, said Scholz. Thats why we need to kick the expansion of renewables into high gear now.

While independence from Russian energy is one of the government's stated goals, a new report Thursday by the International Energy Agency warned that the supply of solar panels  key to Germany's green energy transition  is increasingly concentrated in China.

The Paris-based agency said China currently has a share of more than 80% in all the key manufacturing stages of solar panels. For some photovoltaic components the share coming from China is set to rise to 95% in the coming years, it said.

China has been instrumental in bringing down costs worldwide for solar PV, with multiple benefits for clean energy transitions, the IEA's executive director, Fatih Birol, said. At the same time, the level of geographical concentration in global supply chains also poses potential challenges that governments need to address.

___

Follow AP's coverage of climate change at https://apnews.com/hub/climate
LISBON, Portugal (AP)  Portugal is bracing for a heat wave, with temperatures in some areas forecast to climb as high as 43 C (109 F) this weekend just as a severe drought grips the country.

FILE - Pleasure boats tied to a pier rest on dry ground of the water depleted Zezere River due to drought, near Figueiro dos Vinhos in central Portugal, Feb. 17, 2022. Portugal is bracing for a heat wave, with temperatures in some areas forecast to climb as high as 43 degrees Celsius this weekend just as a severe drought grips the country. The Civil Protection Agency, a government body that coordinates official responses to emergencies, is placing crews on high alert Thursday, July 7, 2022 due to the risk of wildfires. (AP Photo/Sergio Azenha, File)

LISBON, Portugal (AP)  Portugal is bracing for a heat wave, with temperatures in some areas forecast to climb as high as 43 C (109 F) this weekend just as a severe drought grips the country.

The Civil Protection Agency, a Portuguese government body that coordinates official responses to emergencies, said Thursday it is placing crews on high alert because of the risk of wildfires. About a third of the country faces an extreme risk of forest fires, authorities say.

The high temperatures are forecast to last at least a week. The national weather service IPMA says what it calls tropical nights, when temperatures stay above 20 C (68 F) after sunset, are likely.

The government said it will place the country on a formal state of alert against wildfires from Friday. That step grants authorities special powers, such as outlawing stubble burning and fireworks at summer festivals, and allows it to requisition equipment such as bulldozers for clearing fire breaks.

More than half of Portugals wildfires start due to negligence, studies show.

The hot spell comes as much of Portugal endures a drought. At the end of June, 96% of the country was classified as being in either extreme or severe drought  the two highest categories.

The weather service says that over the nine months since last October rainfall was just over half the average for the period and was the second-lowest since 1931, when reliable national records began.

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Heat waves and droughts aren't uncommon in Portugal, but climate scientists say all of southern Europe can expect higher temperatures and lower rainfall as a consequence of global warming.

As extremely dry weather hits Mediterranean nations, the European Unions executive said Thursday the continent faces one of its hardest years when it comes to natural disasters like droughts and wildfires because of increasing climate change.

June was also very dry in Spain, which is Portugal's neighbor on the Iberian Peninsula, with rainfall at about half the 30-year average and reservoirs on average at 45% capacity  20 percentage points below the 10-year average, according to government data.

Italy recently endured a prolonged heat wave and is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years.

___

Follow all AP stories on climate change at https://apnews.com/hub/climate
WASHINGTON (AP)  The IRS commissioner has asked the Treasury Departments inspector general to immediately review the circumstances surrounding intensive tax audits that targeted ex-FBI Director James Comey and ex-Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, both frequent targets of President Donald Trumps anger.

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FILE - In this July 24, 2021, file photo former President Donald Trump speaks to supporters at a gathering in Phoenix. The company planning to buy Donald Trumps new social media business disclosed Monday, June 27, 2022 that it has received subpoenas from a grand jury in New York. Shares of Digital World Acquisition Corp. dropped 7% in morning trading Monday as the company reported that the subpoenas and related investigations by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission could delay its acquisition of the maker of Trumps Truth Social app. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

WASHINGTON (AP)  The IRS commissioner has asked the Treasury Departments inspector general to immediately review the circumstances surrounding intensive tax audits that targeted ex-FBI Director James Comey and ex-Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, both frequent targets of President Donald Trumps anger.

IRS spokesperson Jodie Reynolds said Thursday that IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig had personally reached out to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Reynolds said the agency has officially referred the matter to the inspector general.

But Reynolds insisted it is ludicrous and untrue to suggest that senior IRS officials somehow targeted specific individuals for National Research Program audits.

The probe comes a day after The New York Times reported that Comey and McCabe were subjected to rare IRS audits of their tax returns. The newspaper said Comey was informed of the audit in 2019 and McCabe learned he was under scrutiny in 2021.

Trump repeatedly attacked both men over the FBIs Russia investigation that shadowed his presidency for years. Trump fired Comey in 2017 in the midst of the Russia probe.

McCabe was fired in March 2018 after the Justice Departments inspector general concluded he had authorized the release of information to a newspaper reporter and then misled internal investigators about his role in the leak. The termination by Jeff Sessions, the attorney general at the time, came hours before McCabe was due to retire.
For decades, Cadillacs, Mustangs and Audis have overnighted in the Exchange District for repairs and transformations.

For decades, Cadillacs, Mustangs and Audis have overnighted in the Exchange District for repairs and transformations.

Now, a Winnipeg mechanic envisions a new use for his shop  one that sees it filled with milk and produce instead of wrenches and tires.

Theres no groceries down here, said Andy Baranowski, owner of J.W. McDonald Auto Service. Where are you going to get your milk?

The 189 Bannatyne Ave. building has been an auto repair garage for almost a century  since 1923, according to the Manitoba Historical Society.

A lot of people (now) live in the area, he said. I know  I get lots of them in here.

Hes selling his shop and doesnt want the site to continue as J.W. McDonald Auto Service under a new owner.

We always try and do everything right and make sure that the qualitys there, he said. We dont know what (the buyers are) going to be like.

The 3,000-square-foot garage is roughly 500 metres from Portage and Main. Fine food retailer Mottola Grocery on Hargrave Street and smaller convenience stores are the only nearby grocery options.

Leah Arnott brought her Honda Civic to Baranowski for years.

Shes an interior designer. When she heard the repair site was closing, she offered to create a rendering of what the place could be. The design is in the works.

Its a machine shop, right  whos going to walk in and see it any different? Arnott said.

She can.

Industrial windows could replace the garage doors, Arnott said. The building could be lighter, and reclaimed brick could be added.

It should have a really good neighbourhood vibe, she said. I dont think theres really anything like it in Winnipeg that I have a vision of.

Arnott has worked with De Lucas and Ellement Wine + Spirits, among other places. The Exchange District garage has potential to be a different cute little building, not just a grocery store, she noted.

Getting the rezoning to make a grocery retailer is not insurmountable, Arnott said.

The site would need to have the appropriate commercial zoning and meet certain building code requirements to be approved for occupancy, according to Kalen Qually, a City of Winnipeg spokesman.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Baranowski, owner of J.W. McDonald Auto Service is closing the auto repair shop at 189 Bannatyne Avenue.

I dont see it as being a super high end little grocery store, Arnott said. Thats not what the neighbourhood needs.

Residences are dotted throughout downtown and the Exchange District, including on Bannatyne Avenue, Waterfront Drive and Main Street.

Arnott said shell miss the auto service centre.

(Baranowski has) been such a great mechanic all these years, she said. Hes very honest, and its a great little shop.

Baranowski got his first taste of J.W. McDonald Auto Service as a child, when his dad would take Buicks in for repair.

The shop was under control of John McDonald, the companys namesake. McDonald took over the long-standing site in the early 1960s, according to the Manitoba Historical Society.

(McDonald) says, Kid, dont ever get into this business, Baranowski said. I was about 12 years old at the time, and I thought, Ah, no, I kind of like this.

He later began at the Winnipeg shop as an apprentice and stayed on. Lawyers and white-collar professionals downtown would bring their vehicles for tune-ups and fixes.

Therell be the grandfathers that have been coming, the fathers, the sons, the daughters, said Stefan Baranowski, Andys brother and a mechanic at the shop.

We havent even really advertised, he said.

Andy Baranowski left the shop for British Columbia with his family. He returned five years later, in 1987, and bought the company from McDonald.

(Customers) used to drive Buicks, Cadillacs, things like that, Baranowski noted. Theyve all evolved into Audis, Beemers, Mercedes, so you have to evolve with it.

Still, his team of three and a half  the shop sometimes had an apprentice  saw plenty of old cars, even in its final month.

At the end of June, mechanics had hoisted a 1971 burgundy Rolls-Royce for work.

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The pandemic didnt affect business for more than a week, Baranowski said. The 67-year-old is closing shop because he wants to retire and travel.

Cancer might come back, I dont know, said Baranowski, who had stomach cancer in 1997. I dont want to be working here when thats happening.

His brother expressed sadness over the auto shops end.

Theres a lot of history here, he said. This has almost been part of downtown for such a long time that its going to be weird to see it disappear and have something else take its place.

J.W. McDonald Auto Service would continue operations until the hoists  which had been sold at the end of June  were taken out of the building, Baranowski said.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP)  A Michigan regulatory panel said Thursday that it needs more information about safety risks before it can rule on Enbridge Energy's plan to extend an oil pipeline through a tunnel beneath a waterway linking two of the Great Lakes.

FILE - In this June 8, 2017, file photo, fresh nuts, bolts and fittings are ready to be added to the east leg of the pipeline near St. Ignace, Mich., as Enbridge Inc., prepares to test the east and west sides of the Line 5 pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac in Mackinaw City, Mich. A Michigan regulatory panel said Thursday, July 7, 2022, that it needs more information about safety risks before it can rule on Enbridge's plan to extend an oil pipeline through a tunnel beneath a waterway linking two of the Great Lakes. (Dale G Young/Detroit News via AP, File)

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP)  A Michigan regulatory panel said Thursday that it needs more information about safety risks before it can rule on Enbridge Energy's plan to extend an oil pipeline through a tunnel beneath a waterway linking two of the Great Lakes.

The state Public Service Commission voted 3-0 to seek further details about the potential for explosions and fires involving electrical equipment during construction of the tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac.

The commission's approval would be required for Enbridge to replace two existing Line 5 pipes in the straits, which connect Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, with a new segment that would run through the proposed underground tunnel.

This has been an extensive process, Chairman Dan Scripps said. We want to make sure that we get it right.

Enbridge and the state of Michigan are mired in legal battles over Line 5. The 69-year-old underground pipeline carries Canadian oil and natural gas liquids used for propane through northern Michigan and Wisconsin to refineries in Sarnia, Ontario.

A 4-mile-long (6.4-kilometer-long) section divides into dual pipes that cross the bottom of the straits.

Enbridge is defying Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's 2020 order to shut down the line, a move long sought by environmental groups and Native American tribes who fear a rupture would devastate the lakes. The company says the line is in good condition and contends in a federal lawsuit that the Democratic governor doesn't have the jurisdiction to shut it down.

Enbridge, based in Calgary, Alberta, reached a deal with former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder in 2018 to build the $500 million tunnel. Enbridge has obtained permits from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy and awaits word from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as well as Michigan Public Service Commission.

The commission said last year it would not pass judgment on whether the entire 645-mile (1,038-kilometer) line should continue operating, focusing instead on the underwater section.

Its three members are Whitmer appointees. Scripps and Tremaine Phillips are Democrats, while Katherine Peretick is an independent.

In its order Thursday, the commission said testimony, exhibits and briefings included too little about tunnel engineering and hazards.

Also lacking is information about safety and maintenance of the dual pipelines, including leak detection systems and shutdown procedures, the order said.

Interviewed by telephone after the meeting in Lansing, Scripps said Enbridge had pegged the likelihood of an oil release from the tunnel pipe as one in a million." The commission wants to know how the figure was calculated, he said, as well as steps to eliminate even that possibility.

In a statement, Enbridge said it already had provided extensive" material on those matters but would answer further questions.

The engineering and design of the tunnel has been developed in accordance with the tunnel agreement entered with the state, and in close coordination with the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority to ensure its safety and design life," the company said.

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The corridor authority was created under Snyder to oversee building and operation of the tunnel.

Pipeline critics praised the commission's push to learn more.

Enbridge has not proven feasibility or safety for this project," said Beth Wallace of the National Wildlife Federation. Enbridge has proven time and again that they cannot be trusted to operate Line 5 and they should not be trusted to blast a tunnel through the Great Lakes."

The commission's decision was the latest of many delays for the tunnel, which the company originally pledged to complete by 2024. The Army Corps is conducting a lengthy environmental impact study.

Enbridge said it remains committed to the project.

The Great Lakes Michigan Jobs Coalition, which represents industry and labor groups, urged the commission to get back to work, move the tunnel project forward and protect tens of thousands of Michigan jobs."
OTTAWA  Winnipeg Transit will get an injection of a half-billion dollars after the three levels of government settled a squabble that held up federal funds for years, the Free Press has learned.

OTTAWA  Winnipeg Transit will get an injection of a half-billion dollars after the three levels of government settled a squabble that held up federal funds for years, the Free Press has learned.

The $539-million announcement, taking place this morning at a park-and-ride site, will mean greener, faster buses that can better accommodate people in wheelchairs.

The funding comes from all three levels of government, nearly all of it through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, a cost-sharing deal the federal Trudeau government rolled out in its first term.

The agreement has Ottawa pay 40 per cent of a projects cost if the province agrees to cover at least a third, with the rest falling to municipalities. For Manitoba, the goal was to spur a combined $3 billion in new infrastructure over the course of a decade.

Under former premier Brian Pallister, Manitoba was one of the last provinces to sign onto the deal, after a dispute over how to pay for Interlake-region flood-prevention channels.

After Manitoba signed in 2018, it quickly became one of the slowest provinces to apply for the cash. The PC government sought to constrain spending, and chafed against federal criteria Ottawa eventually loosened.

By May 2021, about 40 small projects had been approved for Manitoba and another 24 were under review, though none were big-ticket items, according to a federal analysis obtained by the Free Press.

By the time Pallister announced his resignation in August 2021, Manitoba had requested just 46 per cent of its allocated $1.16 billion of federal funding, leaving millions on the table.

Premier Heather Stefanson has rectified that gap since taking office in November.

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In April, the federal budget revealed Manitoba had leapfrogged most provinces, putting in requests for 99 per cent of its allocated cash.

As a result, four years after signing the deal, governments will announce today $280 million to purchase zero-emission buses and $200 million to replace the North End transit garage.

There will also be a $17-million upgrade for radio and communication systems, $13 million to retrofit buses for wheelchairs, and $7 million to design downtown rapid-transit corridors.

Broken down by level of government, just over $200 million will come from Ottawa, the province is paying about $170 million, while the City of Winnipeg is covering $165 million, including a $30-million top-up beyond the money in the cost-sharing deal.

A similar announcement is expected in the coming weeks under the infrastructure plan to complete upgrades of the north end sewage treatment plant.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Residents of a western Manitoba town are in mourning after a retired couple was killed in a collision with a tractor-trailer at a highway intersection Monday night.

Residents of a western Manitoba town are in mourning after a retired couple was killed in a collision with a tractor-trailer at a highway intersection Monday night.

The 91-year-old man and 86-year-old woman, identified by relatives as Ken and Shirley Dowd, were well-known in and around Glenboro, about 70 kilometres southeast of Brandon.

"Theyve been here all their lives. Just about everyone in town knows them," said one of Ken Dowds cousins, who asked not to be named. "They were friends with everyone. I dont think they had an enemy in the world."

SUPPLIED Retired dairy farmers Ken and Shirley Dowd were killed in a collision with a tractor-trailer at highways 2 and 5 in Glenboro on July 4.

The Dowds had three children and ran a dairy farm before retiring, said family members contacted by the Free Press on Wednesday.

The grandparents volunteered with the Glenboro Agricultural Society, as they remained active in the community.

Relatives said they are waiting to receive more information about the crash, which happened on the outskirts of Glenboro around 7:50 p.m.

"Were all upset. We havent heard anything about what happened," said the cousin, who last saw the Dowds when he bumped into them a few weeks ago at a Canada Post office in the town, which is home to about 650 people.

"It was just, Hi, how are you doing?" the cousin said.

The Dowds vehicle, driven by Ken, was southbound on Highway 5 when it entered the intersection and collided with a tractor-trailer headed east on Highway 2, RCMP said.

The intersection has stop signs in both directions on Highway 5 for vehicles crossing Highway 2, where the speed limit is 100 km/h.

The Dowds, who lived on a farm in the Rural Municipality of Glenboro-South Cypress, died at the scene.

The driver of the semi-truck  a 58-year-old Souris man  had minor injuries, said police.

Carberry RCMP and a forensic collision reconstruction unit are investigating.

Police have not indicated what may have factored into the crash.

We still get collisions there (at the intersection) all the time."  Fire Chief Steve Nelson

"It is still early and the investigation is ongoing," said RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Julie Courchaine.

The Glenboro South-Cypress Fire Department, including members who knew the Dowds, responded to the collision, along with police, paramedics and a STARS air ambulance crew from Winnipeg.

Fire Chief Steve Nelson said it was a challenging scene and firefighters "did the best they could do" under the circumstances.

He thanked Good Samaritans, who were the first on scene and gave clear information to 911 while emergency personnel rushed to the scene.

He also praised an off-duty Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service worker, who was passing by and stopped to help.

GOOGLE EARTH Westbound Highway 2 at the intersection of Highway 2 and Highway 5.

Nelson and Ken Dowds cousin said multiple collisions have occurred at the intersection in the past.

"For some reason, theres been quite a few accidents at it," the cousin said.

While the reasons for the crashes vary, Nelson said safety at the intersection has been a concern.

In recent years, Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure added flashing lights to the stop signs and cut rumble strips into the surface of Highway 5 to warn drivers as they approach the intersection.

"We still get collisions there all the time," said Nelson.

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He is among those whove been pushing for a reduced speed limit on Highway 2 throughout the area.

Nelson would like to see it lowered to at least 80 km/h.

"It would just give you a little bit more reaction time, maybe," he said.

In response to traffic around the crash scene, as news of the tragedy spread, the fire department on Tuesday posted a Facebook message asking the public to avoid active incidents.

"The higher volume of traffic at active incidents depletes valuable resources," the post stated. "It also increases the chance of one of our members or another member of the public being injured."

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching
MANITOBAS physician watchdog says it plans to rebrand, shifting its reputation away from one as feared disciplinarian toward one friendlier to responsible doctors and committed to quality of care.

MANITOBAS physician watchdog says it plans to "rebrand," shifting its reputation away from one as "feared" disciplinarian toward one friendlier to responsible doctors and committed to quality of care.

Experts applaud the move, saying it could improve patient safety, but they say regulators will always be feared so long as theyre responsible for discipline  something the government could take off the colleges plate but likely wont.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba revealed details of the planned shift at a June 22 meeting. CPSM council members heard that the college will use audits and solicit feedback from members as it seeks to create its new identity  one focused on quality of care  with goals to "build and enhance" physicians "proficiency and effectiveness" while also promoting transparency and reducing fear.

Another hope: as quality of care goes up, patient complaints go down.

TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Dr. Anna Ziomek, registrar of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba.

"Its not to say that we shouldnt do that part (complaint intake and investigations), but we reach so many more patients through the quality department," said registrar Dr. Anna Ziomek. "Were not abandoning one for the other."

In the 2021-2022 fiscal year, the college received 360 complaints, up 70 per cent from the previous year. The CPSM attributes the increase to a new online tool that made it easier for the public to submit complaints.

The rebrand discussion comes amid an ongoing Free Press investigation into the colleges secretive handling of physician misconduct, which has led to calls from critics and patient advocates for the province to review the Regulated Health Professions Act, which governs the CPSM, to better protect patients.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES College of Physicians and Surgeons has said it is committed to patient safety and strives for transparency.

The college has said it is committed to patient safety and strives for transparency, but it is bound by the RHPA. While "some improvements" could be made to the law, the college says only the government has the power to make such changes.

Health Minister Audrey Gordon has declined multiple Free Press requests for an interview.

Lorian Hardcastle, an associate professor at the University of Calgarys faculty of law, called the CPSMs shift to a quality of care focus "commendable."

"You dont want to catch quality-of-care issues after the fact by disciplining people," Hardcastle said, noting other health-care regulatory bodies in Canada are making similar moves.

"The other reason its sensible is because there is also under-reporting of potential disciplinary issues. Patients might not know there was a problem, or a patient or another health professional might not feel comfortable reporting on someone."

You dont want to catch quality-of-care issues after the fact by disciplining people."  Lorian Hardcastle, associate professor at the University of Calgarys faculty of law

Steven Lewis, a health-policy consultant based in Vancouver, spoke to the physician "fear" factor, noting that improving quality of care requires open dialogue between doctors and their regulator. If they are afraid of the college  and many are, he said  theyre unlikely to seek advice there when theyre in a tough spot.

"Are you going to do that if youre worried about a possible disciplinary hearing?" Lewis said. "You can understand the reluctance."

There is "inevitable tension" when the regulating body is responsible for both discipline and providing support, he said.

Lewis, whose research was referenced at the CPSM meeting, said regulators within Canada have expressed frustration in conversations with him about their disciplinary roles.

Provincial governments could eliminate that source of tension by stripping colleges of their disciplinary mandate and transferring it to a separate oversight entity, he said. But they are unlikely to do so, preferring to have a single agency manage all its affairs.

JESSICA LEE JESSICA LEE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Assistant professor of law at the University of Manitoba, Brandon Trask: "Sometimes its OK to be feared."

Brandon Trask, an assistant professor of law at the University of Manitoba, is skeptical of the rebrand.

"Im of the view that sometimes its OK to be feared," he said. "As the regulator you dont have to be loved by doctors subject to your regulatory oversight."

The CPSM expanded on its position in documents accompanying the meeting agenda.

"As the regulator, we must hold our registrants accountable and deal with those individuals who have demonstrated egregious behaviour or have caused harm in negligent ways," read the document.

"However, we can still protect the public and leave registrants with a positive experience in the way we communicate with them, how we create transparency in process and reduce fear and use audit and feedback to build and enhance their proficiency and effectiveness as professionals."

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Still, Trask said one potential criticism of self-regulation  doctors overseeing doctors  is the possible perception that individuals may be reluctant to deal with their peers in a firm and assertive manner.

Leanne Penny, one of the non-physician CPSM councillors, raised a related concern at the June meeting.

"I think we just have to be concerned with how we word things so that the public understands we are actually doing these things to increase patient safety and not to be pals with the doctors," Penny said.

The rebrand rollout is expected to take up to two years.

katrina.clarke@freepress.mb.ca
Douglas Steinhilber had no idea when his car was hit by a vehicle running a stop sign just after Valentines Day that hed still be negotiating with Manitoba Public Insurance on Canada Day.

Douglas Steinhilber had no idea when his car was hit by a vehicle running a stop sign just after Valentines Day that hed still be negotiating with Manitoba Public Insurance on Canada Day.

Steinhilbers almost five-month odyssey to get his car either repaired or written off finally came to an end last Friday, when  still facing an indeterminate number of weeks or months before repair parts would arrive  he decided to accept a cheque from the Crown corporation so he can go out to buy another vehicle.

"I cant be without a car that long," he said Wednesday.

"This has been quite the experience. Everybody (at MPI) was polite  no one was rude  but it was stressful and a hassle. It seemed like nobody had the same answer."

SUPPLIED Douglas Steinhilbers damaged vehicle

As it turns out, Steinhilber is not alone in experiencing months of frustration in trying to get his vehicle fixed.

Thousands of Manitobans are either without their vehicles or driving damaged ones because MPI has been slammed with collision and damage claims and repair shops cant keep up.

John Vernaus, president of Vernaus Auto Body, said in his more than 50 years in the industry he has never seen anything like the current situation.

"There have been 103,000 damage claims made in the first six months of this year," he said. "Last years first six months had 60,000.

There have been 103,000 damage claims made in the first six months of this year. Last years first six months had 60,000."  John Vernaus, president of Vernaus Auto Body

"Our business is up 36 per cent this year. Its just the sheer numbers. Look at potholes  there were 56 claims last year for potholes and 1,600 this year. What if we get hail? Its that time of year."

Vernaus, a former president of the Automotive Trades Association of Manitoba, says repairs have had to be triaged.

"If your vehicle is driveable you will be driving it a bit longer while we repair the vehicles that cant be driven," he said.

SASHA SEFTER / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Vernaus Auto Body president John Vernaus

Vernaus said thats why he doesnt believe MPI is to blame for being behind in processing claims.

"I think overall theyre doing a good job, but it is unprecedented the number of claims weve had," he said.

Another auto repair shop manager said the crushing numbers arent just the result of collisions.

"There are catalytic converter thefts, punctured gas tanks, broken glass, vandalism  and there are supply issues getting parts," he said.

"Weve never been this busy in 30 years in the summertime. And good luck trying to find a rental car while youre waiting for your car to be repaired."

If your vehicle is driveable you will be driving it a bit longer while we repair the vehicles that cant be driven."  John Vernaus

Craig Hirota, vice-president of the Associated Canadian Car Rental Operators, said the same supply issues that have made it difficult to buy a new car or get repair parts are also putting rentals on the endangered-species list.

Hirota said during the early months of the pandemic, rental companies reduced the size of their fleets by up to 40 per cent and now, when people are desperate to find something to drive, it is tough for the operators to scale back up again.

"We have been challenged to build back our fleets," he said. "Youre starting to see two- to three-year-old cars at rental agencies.

"It is very challenging."

We have been challenged to build back our fleets. Youre starting to see two- to three-year-old cars at rental agencies. It is very challenging.  Craig Hirota, vice-president of the Associated Canadian Car Rental Operators

MPI spokeswoman Kristy Rydz verified the insurer has received 101,577 physical-damage claims so far in 2022, compared to 68,190 during the same period last year.

"(Thats) a difference of over 30,000 additional claims," Rydz said, adding the figure excludes glass-only claims.

"The influx of these additional claims overall are the result of a variety of factors, including a challenging winter, spring flooding, a spike in pothole-related claims and, more recently, hail events."

Rydz said there were 1,879 hail claims made across the province between June 18 and last Friday. The Parkland region was the worst-hit area with 994 claims; the Pembina region escaped with only four. There were 37 hail claims from Winnipeggers during that period.

The high number of overall claims means processing takes longer; the current average wait time for a non-driveable vehicle estimate is about seven days and a driveable vehicle estimate is about 12, she said.

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The average wait time for getting an adjustment appointment in Winnipeg is 15 business days, and about nine in rural locations.

"MPI is actively working to improve these times by exploring options to increase appointment capacity, including offering overtime to staff and actively hiring and training new employees to meet the significant demand," she said.

"We appreciate the patience of Manitobans as we work as quickly as possible to meet their needs."

Steinhilber said he was driving his 2017 Toyota Highlander on Brazier Street Feb. 18 when another vehicle at a stop sign at Larsen Street  but hidden by a high snowbank  suddenly pulled forward and struck him.

He said the woman driving the vehicle took full responsibility for the collision, his vehicle was towed to a repair shop and he phoned in the claim the next day and reserved a rental car for March 4.

Steinhilber said MPI told him there would be delays, but after five weeks went by and he had heard nothing he called back. He said MPI admitted they didnt know where his car was but, a few days later when it was located, it was assessed by an estimator as needing about $8,000 in repairs.

But when it got to a repair shop that reported the vehicle actually needed about $28,000 in repairs, MPI balked and said it was going to be written off. During the next few months, MPI went back and forth over whether to have the vehicle repaired, until last week when the matter was settled.

Now Steinhilber says he will likely buy a cheap replacement to get around in while he waits for manufacturers to sort out supply-chain issues so more vehicles are available.

"We are in crazy times, but I think there is a problem (with MPI) and it needs to be addressed," he said.

"I believe that MPI is not functioning as it should."

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
The Winnipeg Humane Society is brimming with cats and dog after a high number of people surrendered their pets.

The Winnipeg Humane Society is brimming with cats and dog after a high number of people surrendered their pets.

"As of (Tuesday), we were at max capacity. We had one kennel open, and so that puts us in a dangerous position because we want to be able to take in any animals needing emergencies," said CEO Jessica Miller.

The humane society is caring for more than 400 animals, and 160 on surrender waiting lists. In recent months, it has been operating at around 85 per cent capacity, Miller said.

Staff have reported owners cant pay rising medical costs and are forced to turn in their pets. Other reasons include people returning to work post-pandemic or being unable to manage animals with behavioural problems.

The society offers multiple programs to subsidize the cost of food, medical expenses and behavioural training. Miller suggests people access these resources first and only consider surrendering their pet as a last resort.

Pet care can be expensive, especially in the case of an emergency, but its an owners responsibility. Ultimately, the best place for animals is at home, she said.

This is not the first time the shelter has been overwhelmed.

Last summer, wildfires in Manitoba forced many people to evacuate their homes and left hundreds of animals in need of shelter.

This spring, flooding did the same.

"What I think is a bit different this time is that we havent seen a lot of surrenders in Canada due to people going back to work its a bit of an altered perspective that were seeing from some people, which is just pushing us over the edge again," she said.

Fortunately, adoption numbers have been rising steadily. Up to 70 animals have been placed in homes each week, signalling a return to pre-pandemic levels.

Cats make up the majority of animals in the shelter and are adopted at twice the rate of dogs, she said.

Miller encouraged people who want to get involved with the humane society and other shelters to volunteer, foster, adopt and donate money.

"Im confident with the help of the community we will get through it," she said.

Even before the pandemic, shelters across Canada were dealing with an influx of animals, said Dr. Keri Hudson Reykdal, president of the Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association.

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"We have quite a severe shortage of veterinarians and (registered veterinary technologists). A lot of us are very concerned," Hudson Reykdal said." I feel very stressed out. I feel very worried for our profession it keeps me up at night."

Many vets have reached retirement age while others have left due to burnout and unsatisfactory working conditions, she said.

The result is increased medical expenses and more animals ending up in care. The problem affects both domestic pets and livestock, and Hudson Reykdal expects it will get worse before it improves.

Around 410 veterinarians currently work in Manitoba. Hudson Reykdal estimates the province needs at least 100 more to meet the demand.

Resolving the problem requires support from the federal government. Increasing funding for veterinary schools and creating a program to expedite the immigration process for foreign veterinary professionals could be possible solutions, she said.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca
In an age of widespread polarization, everyone can at least agree on one thing right now: travelling absolutely sucks.

Opinion

A passenger looks for his luggage among a pile of unclaimed baggage at Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport in Montreal. (Ryan Remiorz / The Canadian Press)

In an age of widespread polarization, everyone can at least agree on one thing right now: travelling absolutely sucks.

While rising gas prices are making summer road trips far less enjoyable, trying to board an airplane in Canada right now would test the patience of the Dalai Lama. From delayed flights to excruciatingly long lines, lost luggage and even passengers being forced to sleep on the ground at the airport, the experience of air travel is about as miserable as its ever been  and thats saying something.

To read more of this story first reported by Canada's National Observer, click here.

This content is made available to Winnipeg Free Press readers as part of an agreement with Canada's National Observer that sees our two trusted news brands collaborate to better cover Canada. Questions about Observer content can be directed to dana@nationalobserver.com.
A former St. Boniface Hospital chief executive officer  criticized for her regular long-distance commutes from Montreal  earned more than twice her typical salary in 2021 after bowing out of the job 18 months early.

A former St. Boniface Hospital chief executive officer  criticized for her regular long-distance commutes from Montreal  earned more than twice her typical salary in 2021 after bowing out of the job 18 months early.

Public compensation disclosure reports show former president Martine Bouchard earned $615,170 in 2021; the year prior, she took home $294,358 in total remuneration.

Bouchard resigned for personal reasons, including to care for a family member, on Oct. 15, 2021, 18 months before her contract was set to end.

"Its certainly not a good look," Opposition health critic Uzoma Asagwara said of the six-figure compensation package.

SASHA SEFTER / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Former St. Boniface Hospital president Martine Bouchard earned $615,170 in 2021. In 2020, she took home $294,358 in total remuneration.

"Youve got a CEO who spent a good part of the pandemic not even in the same city as the hospital shes responsible for getting paid well over $600,000. How can that sit well with Manitobans? It cant."

In an emailed statement to the Free Press, a spokesman said St. Boniface Hospital was not "in a position to disclose the terms of any settlement relating to Ms. Bouchard ceasing to be employed" by the organization.

However, the public compensation disclosure report includes payments in addition to the base salary, such as severance pay, retirement pay, retroactive pay, lump-sum adjustments and payouts, the spokesman noted.

During her nearly four-year tenure, Bouchard faced significant criticism for continuing to commute between her home in Montreal and Winnipeg.

She also oversaw hospital operations remotely from Quebec between April and August 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic gained momentum in Manitoba. In December 2020, during the height of public health restrictions, she travelled to Quebec for the holidays when Manitobans were told to stay at home.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Valerie Wiebe, president and CEO of Concordia Hospital made $226,171 in 2021.

According to the disclosure, Bouchard was the hospitals top earner last year. Interim president and chief executive officer Nicole Aminot earned $155,426. On Monday, St. Boniface Hospital said Aminot would become the organizations new president following a national recruiting process.

While acknowledging the important work of a chief executive officer in a hospital setting, Asagwara said "fundamentally something is very wrong" when front-line health-care providers cannot secure a fair contract while executives resign with a tidy bonus.

A number of unions that represent health workers, including the Manitoba Government and General Employees Union and Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 204, are in protracted contract negotiations after years of stagnant wages.

"There needs to be a serious re-evaluation of where financial priorities are," Asagwara said.

"Youve got health-care workers and nurses who have been working mandated double shifts and overtime for months and months, and heres a CEO who doesnt finish her full term and yet is making more money."

DANIEL CRUMP / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Former Health Sciences Centre COO Ronan Segrave was paid $253,230 for six months of work last year.

Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said he was surprised to see Bouchard earn more than $600,000 in her final 10 months with the hospital.

"It shows an incredible imbalance because there were, and are, health-care workers who have been worked to exhaustion and burnout without raises for years," Lamont said in a statement to the Free Press.

"This is not solely a problem at St. Boniface Hospital, it is a problem across health care caused by PC mismanagement."

In a statement, a spokesperson for Health Minister Audrey Gordons office said the government does not comment on specific employee compensation, and deferred comment to the employer.

Across the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, Bouchard was the highest-paid hospital boss, according to public compensation disclosure reports.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Shared Health former chief executive officer Brock Wright was paid $340,452 last year. He earned $370,090 the previous year.

Concordia Hospital president and CEO Valerie Wiebe took home $226,171; Grace Hospital chief operating officer Kellie ORourke earned $168,633; Victoria Hospital COO Rachel Ferguson was paid $157,840; Seven Oaks Hospital COO Brenda Badiuk earned $157,340; and Misericordia Health Centre CEO Caroline Jaworsky was paid $190,436.

Former WRHA CEO Victoria Kaminski earned $247,426 in 2021, compared to the $358,136 she took home 2020. Kaminski was hired as the regional health authoritys president in late 2019 for an 18-month term to conclude in July and remained in the position until May 27, 2021, according to the WRHA.

Current WRHA chief executive officer Mike Nader, who was hired on May 17, 2021, earned $186,577 last year.

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At the Health Sciences Centre, which is operated by the provincial health authority, Shared Health, former chief operating officer Ronan Segrave was paid $253,230 for six months of work. Segrave left the hospital in July last year as his contract was coming to an end. In 2020, Segrave earned $330,841.

Compensation for Dr. Shawn Young, who served as site medical lead and interim chief operating officer at Health Sciences Centre, earned $230,000. Young was brought on permanently as COO in April.

Shared Health former chief executive officer Brock Wright, who retired in January 2021 after four decades working in the provincial health system, was paid $340,452 last year. Wright earned $370,090 the year prior.

Canadian Taxpayers Federation prairie director Robin Speer said the compensation packages given to health-care leaders departing the "C-suite" is out of step with the interests of residents.

"Manitobans want their health-care dollars prioritized and going to the front lines," Speer said.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca
LONDON (AP)  Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation Thursday after droves of top government officials quit over the latest scandal to engulf him, marking an end to three tumultuous years in which he tried to bluster his way through one ethical lapse after another.

Journalists wait opposite 10 Downing Street in London, Wednesday, July 6, 2022. Treasury chief Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Savid Javid resigned within minutes of each other, costing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson the support of the men responsible for tackling two of the biggest issues facing Britain  the cost-of-living crisis and surging COVID-19 infections. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

LONDON (AP)  Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation Thursday after droves of top government officials quit over the latest scandal to engulf him, marking an end to three tumultuous years in which he tried to bluster his way through one ethical lapse after another.

Months of defiance ended almost with a shrug as Johnson stood outside No. 10 Downing St. and conceded that his party wanted him gone.

Thems the breaks, he said.

The brash, 58-year-old politician who took Britain out of the European Union and steered it through COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine was brought down by one scandal too many  this one involving his appointment of a politician who had been accused of sexual misconduct.

The messiest of prime ministers did not leave cleanly. Johnson stepped down immediately as Conservative Party leader but said he would remain as prime minister until the party chooses his successor. The timetable for that process will be announced next week. The last leadership contest took six weeks.

FILE - Boris Johnson, then Mayor of London in seen looking through perspex as models of the next two commissions that will appear on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square in London, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. British media say Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed to resign on Thursday, July 7 2022, ending an unprecedented political crisis over his future. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

But many want him to go now, with some Conservative politicians expressing fear he could do mischief even as a caretaker prime minister.

Its very difficult to see how Boris Johnson, given the character that he is, is going to be able to govern for three months in quiet humility and contrition," said George Freeman, who resigned as science minister on Thursday.

Among the possible candidates to succeed Johnson: former Health Secretary Sajid Javid, former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.

FILE - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II welcomes newly elected leader of the Conservative party Boris Johnson during an audience at Buckingham Palace, London, Wednesday July 24, 2019 where she invited him to become Prime Minister and form a new government. British media say Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed to resign on Thursday, July 7 2022, ending an unprecedented political crisis over his future. (Victoria Jones/Pool via AP, File)

About 50 Cabinet secretaries, ministers and lower-level officials quit the government over the past few days because of the latest scandal, often castigating the prime minister as lacking integrity.

The mass resignations stalled the business of some parliamentary committees because there were no ministers available to speak on the governments behalf.

Johnson clung to power for days, defiantly telling lawmakers on Wednesday that he had a colossal mandate from the voters and intended to get on with the business of governing.

A wax figure of Prime Minister Boris Johnson from Madame Tussauds Blackpool stands outside the Job Centre Plus in Blackpool, Lancashire, Britain. Thursday July 7, 2022. British media say Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed to resign on Thursday, ending an unprecedented political crisis over his future. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

But he was forced to concede defeat Thursday morning after one of his closest allies, newly appointed Treasury chief Nadhim Zahawi, publicly told him to resign for the good of the country.

In the last few days, I tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments when were delivering so much and when we have such a vast mandate," Johnson said. I regret not to have been successful in those arguments, and of course its painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself.

He said it is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson reads a statement outside 10 Downing Street, London, formally resigning as Conservative Party leader, in London, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Johnson said Thursday he will remain as British prime minister while a leadership contest is held to choose his successor. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP)

Critics said the speech showed Johnson, to the end, refusing to take responsibility for or admit his mistakes.

Many Britons reacted to news of his resignation with relief and surprise, given his habit of digging in.

It felt like he can just keep on going and keep on ignoring it, so I was bit surprised this morning when saw it on my phone," Himmat Dalyway, an investment trader in his 20s, said outside an Underground station in London. Are you still 100% sure that he is going?

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks to media next to 10 Downing Street in London, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed to resign, his office said Thursday, ending an unprecedented political crisis over his future that has paralyzed Britain's government. An official in Johnson's Downing Street office confirmed the prime minister would announce his resignation later. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

As Johnson gathered his cobbled-together Cabinet for a meeting after his resignation announcement, he promised not to rock the boat in his remaining weeks. He told members the government would not seek to implement new policies or make major changes of direction.

It was a humiliating defeat for Johnson, who not only pulled off Brexit but was also credited with rolling out one of the worlds most successful mass vaccination campaigns to combat COVID-19.

But the perpetually rumpled, shaggy-haired leader known for answering his critics with bombast and bluster was also dogged by allegations he behaved as if the rules did not apply to him.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks to media next to 10 Downing Street in London, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed to resign, his office said Thursday, ending an unprecedented political crisis over his future that has paralyzed Britain's government. An official in Johnson's Downing Street office confirmed the prime minister would announce his resignation later. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

He managed to remain in power despite accusations that he was too close to party donors, that he protected supporters from bullying and corruption allegations, and that he misled Parliament about government office parties that broke COVID-19 lockdown rules.

When allegations of Downing Street parties emerged, Johnson told lawmakers there was no party and no rules were broken. But when photos of the prime minister raising a glass in front of a group of people surfaced, critics, some of them inside the Conservative Party, said Johnson had lied to Parliament  traditionally a resigning matter.

The prime minister was fined by police over the parties and survived a no-confidence vote last month in Parliament in which 41% of Conservative lawmakers tried to oust him.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson enters 10 Downing Street, after reading a statement in London, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Johnson said Thursday he will remain as British prime minister while a leadership contest is held to choose his successor. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

Johnson became prime minister in July 2019, succeeding Theresa May, who resigned after Parliament rejected the Brexit agreement she negotiated with the EU. Johnson pushed his own Brexit deal through in an often messy and turbulent debate.

With his mop of unruly blond hair, he often looked like a schoolboy who had just rolled out of bed and run to class with his pajamas under his clothes.

In his rise to power he showed many of the same habits and abilities that would carry him far but also spell his downfall: He was an ebullient, attention-loving mayor of London; a journalist who was fired for making up a quote and filed exaggerated stories about EU excesses; and a politician with an Eton- and Oxford-honed talent for colorful oratory and the thrust and parry of debate.

He became known for his light regard for the truth and his glib and offensive remarks. He called Papua New Guineans cannibals and likened Muslim women who wear face-covering veils to letter boxes.

Recent disclosures that Johnson knew about sexual misconduct allegations against a Conservative lawmaker before he promoted him to a senior position in government proved to be one scandal too many.

The crisis began when Chris Pincher resigned as deputy chief whip amid accusations that he had groped two men at a private club. That triggered a series of reports about past allegations against Pincher.

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Johnson offered shifting explanations about what he knew and when he knew it. That just heightened the sense that the prime minister couldnt be trusted.

Key Cabinet members Javid and Sunak, who were responsible, respectively, for fighting COVID-19 and inflation, resigned within minutes of each other Tuesday. That set off the wave of departures by their colleagues.

Now with a leadership election upon them, the Conservatives will have to decide whether they can stomach Johnson as a caretaker leader, a job that normally entails saying little and doing nothing.

To be honest, I think a lot of the public will want to see him gone straightaway," said Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London. You know, they dont want to see him hanging around like a bad smell in Downing Street.

___

Follow all of APs coverage of Prime Minister Boris Johnson at https://apnews.com/hub/boris-johnson
Menomonie, Wis.  A Minnesota-based company has been recognized by University of Wisconsin-Stout as its Employer of the Year.

Fastenal, from Winona, Minn., recently was honored by the universitys Career Services office for its efforts to engage with students on multiple levels during the 2021-22 academic year.

Fastenals culture and value resonate very clearly with our students and the culture of our campus. We promote applied learning, and they support applied learning, said Bryan Barts, Career Services director.

Fastenal, the largest fastener distributor in North America, with more than 21,000 employees at 2,227 branches, has doubled the number of UW-Stout graduates it employs in the last two years.

This year, the company stepped up its efforts on campus under first-year Regional Recruiter Juan Ramirez, including:

Attending multiple days of the spring and fall Career Conferences

Helping students with mock interviews and resume tips during Career Conferences prep weeks

Hiring students through the universitys Cooperative Education and Internship Program

Providing professionals to speak in classes

Serving on academic program advisory committees and employer panel discussions

Taking part in lunch-and-learn sessions with students.

Fastenal also was one of 14 companies taking part this past academic year in the Career Services Partnership Program at UW-Stout. The program works with employers to identify their strategic focus and build deeper connections with students and academic programs on campus.

Im excited to work with Career Services, to help students connect and get set up to be successful, Ramirez said. Were a resource for students and are looking to build that relationship.

Graduates hired in recent years are from a variety of majors, including engineering, applied mathematics and computer science, interior design, supply chain management, business administration, and professional communication and emerging media.

Ramirez, of Chippewa Falls, has a masters degree in school counseling from UW-Stout and previously worked as a school counselor at Menomonie High School. His duties included helping high school students with career planning.

Now, hes helping students take the next step, starting their careers, and building on a company-university relationship that goes back more than 25 years.

We know Stout has great students, Ramirez said, citing the universitys in-demand students with a 98.4% employment rate for recent graduates. Were looking for great people who fit our company and our culture.

Fastenal is a Fortune 500 company. It also is ranked No. 148 on Forbes list of best employers and No. 472 in Forbes ranking of top public companies.

Ramirez attended the award presentation at UW-Stout with six other Fastenal representatives, including Mike Rausch, director of recruiting; Tony Eger, district manager; Justin Oleson, Menomonie Fastenal general manager; Chris Rivard, engineering manager; Shannon Hintz, Lean Solutions manager; and Bruce Brinkmann, regional sales specialist.

The campus visit included touring engineering labs in Jarvis and Fryklund halls, discussing the business administration program with Professor Mark Fenton and meeting with Chancellor Katherine Frank.

Rausch said Fastenal is looking for future leaders when it hires college graduates, with the opportunity to grow into their careers or switch careers within the company. The company has a promote-from-within philosophy, he said.

Along with Barts, Frank and Fenton, UW-Stout officials taking part were Provost Glendali Rodriguez; assistant professors of engineering Vince Wheeler and Anne Schmitz; instrument instructor Paul Craig; and Michelle Dingwall, senior development officer for Stout University Foundation.

Career Services began the Employer of the Year award in 2021. The first recipient was Menards.

These are companies that set the bar high, that set the standard, Barts said of the award winners.

Student success is the leading goal of UW-Stouts FOCUS2030 strategic plan.

In 2021, CollegeValuesOnline ranked UW-Stout No. 26 in the U.S. for its ties to business and industry and how those ties benefit students.

UW-Stout is Wisconsins Polytechnic University, with a focus on applied learning, collaboration with business and industry, and career outcomes.
Oh to Believe in Another World

South African premiere of the new topically relevant film by Wits alumnus and world-renowned artist, William Kentridge, will take place at Wits in July.

It happens once in 100 years - at a time when our world is in need of hope, of goodness, of courage, of inspiration, and solutions to global issues - Wits University is celebrating a century of academic and research excellence, social justice, and the advancement of the public good.

In honour of its centennial anniversary, the University has launched the Wits Centenary Campaign which aims to raise R3 billion to support teaching, research and innovation, students and infrastructure development. To date, the campaign has raised R2.1 billion.

A key part of its centennial celebrations is a partnership with alumnus and internationally renowned artist, William Kentridge, to present the South African premiere of the film Oh to Believe in Another World, accompanied by Shostakovichs Symphony No. 10, which will be performed by the Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra, on 28 July 2022 (public show) at the Wits Linder Auditorium (see booking details below). Renowned artistic conductor Joseph Young from the USA will conduct the newly formed Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra.

Kentridge, who is the mastermind behind the film, explains that the key task in making the film was to ensure that the symphony did not turn into film music, that the series of images and narratives did not overwhelm the music itself, and that it didnt run as a series of anodyne backdrops.

Rather, the aim of the film is to tell the story of Shostakovich and his complicated relationship to the state in the Soviet Union, from its early days just after the 1917 revolution, all the way through to Stalins death in 1953. It provides the material for thinking visually about the trajectory that Shostakovich had to follow, from the early days of the Soviet Union to the writing of the symphony.

The production takes a retrospective look at the four decades of the 1920s, 30s, 40s, and 50s, from the perspective of 1953 when Stalin died and the first performance of the symphony was presented. The 1920s were marked by the death of Lenin; the 1930s by the suicide of Mayakovsky; the 1940s by the assassination of Trotsky; and the death of Stalin in the 1950s  and here we are, almost 70 years later.

The report that remains of these decades is in the music of Shostakovich, the one who against expectation got away and survived, adds Kentridge.

The film is set inside what appears to be an abandoned Soviet museum, which is in fact made of cardboard, on the table in the artists studio. Using a miniature camera, the viewer moves through the different halls of the museum, which also includes a community theatre hall, a public swimming pool, a quarry at the side of the main halls, and a corridor of vitrines holding stuffed historical figures.

Kentridge has also donated an edition of prints on the occasion of the Wits Centenary, the proceeds of which will go to deserving Wits art students. Wits vice-chancellor and principal Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, says the university is grateful for this donation from one of its world-renowned alumni. He also recently met with Williams father, Sir Sydney Kentridge, in London, who coincidentally turns 100 in October this year during Wits birthday month.

The next 100 years - A new world filled with possibilities

Wits Centenary Campaign, explains Vilakazi, is an opportunity for the universitys global community to celebrate the impact that Wits has had on their lives, a chance to reflect and to look to the future. Our aim is to attract top teaching and research talent in order to provide the best education to our students while ensuring that we also tackle some of the biggest challenges, both social and technical, that the present and future will bring, says Vilakazi.

The Centenary Campaign consists of eight priority areas: advancing society, governance and justice; future proofing national treasures; catalysing innovation and entrepreneurship; developing the next generation of leaders; energising alumni support; driving digital transformation; ensuring better health for all; and solving global challenges.

Inviting the people of SA to celebrate this momentous year with Wits, Vilakazi says, This is an opportune moment for the university to pivot into a new world filled with possibilities, not only to work hard to transform lives today, but to lay the groundwork to ensure that Wits remains a leading, sustainable university for the next 100 years.

We must harness the talent and the resources that we have at our disposal to craft a new future for Wits, and to ensure that it benefits and advances humanity. Oh to Believe in Another World, is just the start of this journey, he concludes.

Read more about the Wits Centenary Campaign at https://wits100.wits.ac.za/our-campaign/

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

To book your ticket for the public show on 28 July 2022 at the Wits Linder Auditorium, visit the Webtickets event page: Oh To Believe in Another World
A Billings man is facing multiple felonies after an apparent botched burglary ended with a bullet through his leg.

David Allen Goucher pleaded not guilty in Yellowstone County District Court on Wednesday to charges of aggravated burglary, aggravated assault and tampering with evidence. The charges came after Goucher allegedly told investigators that a Yellowstone County resident shot the 31-year-old while he was trying to rob a house.

Deputies with the Yellowstone County Sheriffs Office answered a call from a man saying hed been shot at his home on the 2000 block of South 56th Street West on June 30. The man reported being shot and tased by someone who broke into his house. When deputies met with the man, he was bleeding from his arm. The homeowner, who had gunshot wounds to his leg and arm, said hed shot a man who had broken into his house.

When deputies searched the house, they found no one, court documents said. They did find blood sprayed in the front entryway, according to court documents, and the glass door to a gun cabinet shattered. A sliding glass door to the outside of the house was also broken, with the glass shards on the outside of the home. In the living room, there was a pool of blood, two firearms and a cell phone.

Before going into surgery, where a bullet was pulled from his body, the homeowner told deputies he was woken up by a noise earlier that night. He grabbed a firearm and started searching his home. He was then attacked, thinking hed been tased when he saw blood on his hand. He told deputies he fought with a man throughout the house, at one point dropping to one knee and fired. He wasnt sure if he was the first or second to open fire, he said, but he shot his attacker in the leg.

The homeowner left the room and called the police, telling the man whod broken into his home to stay on the ground. He told investigators that he didnt keep an eye on his attacker after their struggle. He did hear someone walking on what sounded like glass while he waited for law enforcement. When deputies arrived, he described the man who broke into his house as a 6-foot white man in a black hoodie who weighed 185 pounds.

A day later, deputies and Billings police officers were dispatched to a home on the 400 block of Everett Drive. Theyd received a report that Goucher was at the residence with a gunshot wound hed received during a home invasion, according to court documents. Law enforcement escorted Goucher to the hospital, where he was treated for a bullet that had gone through and exited his thigh. Goucher agreed to speak with a YCSO sergeant at the hospital, and gave an account that conflicted with the homeowners.

Goucher allegedly said hed had trouble finding work and feeding his kids. Addiction exacerbated his financial problems. He heard of a safe at the residence where he was shot that was apparently filled with cash and easy to unlock. After getting a ride to the house, he entered through an unlocked door. He carried a pistol, but said he wouldnt have tried to go after the safe if he thought anyone was home.

He found the safe, but wasnt able to crack it open before the armed homeowner confronted him. He demanded that Goucher get on his knees and put his hands up. Goucher pleaded with the man, saying he was sorry and that he was a father. The homeowner responded by pistol whipping his face and body, Goucher told the sergeant, then shot Gouchers leg. Goucher returned fire, and left the house by smashing through a window.

Goucher allegedly contacted a man and a woman who picked him up in Laurel and brought him to the Everett Drive residence. Goucher said he threw his pistol into the Yellowstone River while the three were traveling on Interstate 90.

Investigators searched the Everette Drive residence and allegedly found bloody bandages, a scale with residue suspected to be meth on it and a pistol case with four .40-caliber rounds. In the garage, according to court documents, were vehicle floor mats coated with blood, a bloodied shirt and gloves, along with a backpack containing binoculars, tape and surveillance equipment. The investigation into the alleged burglary and shootings is ongoing.

Standing Master Brad Kneeland set Gouchers bond at $100,000 during his arraignment Wednesday. If convicted of the most serious offense, that being aggravated burglary, Goucher could be sentenced up to 40 years in prison and face a fine of up to $50,000. As of Wednesday, he was in custody at Yellowstone County Detention Facility.
BEIJING, July 6 (Xinhua)  As an ancient Chinese adage goes, "Those who only seek comfort for themselves will ultimately be rejected and those who sacrifice their own interests for the success of others will be supported."

At the Communist Party of China (CPC) and World Political Parties Summit on July 6, 2021, President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, cited this adage written by Fang Xiaoru, a prestigious Confucianist scholar in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Citing the adage, Xi said development is the right of all countries, rather than an exclusive privilege of the few. He added that any political manipulation for the purpose of sabotaging the development of other countries and undercutting the livelihood of other peoples will receive little support and prove to be futile in the end.

"We need to enable all countries to step up development cooperation, and see to it that the fruits of development are shared by all. We need to bring greater equity, higher efficiency and stronger synergy to global development, and jointly oppose the practice of seeking technology blockade and divide as well as decoupling," Xi said.

(Source: Xinhua)
Just over 150 years ago, the United States set the stage for the now robust national park scene. These federally protected landscapes strike an important balance between conservation and public access. Today, there are over 60 national parks throughout the country, including scores of other government-managed natural spaces. To kick things off, the following is a list of the first 12 in reverse chronological order.

12. Denali National Park

Majestic caribou bull in front of Mount Denali in Denali National Park, Alaska.

Denali National Park was established on February 26, 1917, originally as Mount McKinley National Park. In 2016, the name was changed, not only for the park but also for the park's centerpiece mountain (and North America's tallest), to reflect the original indigenous designation. Denali constitutes 6 million acres of undisturbed wilderness in South-Central Alaska. There is but one road that traverses the vast boundary, meaning that the best way to experience Denali and its intense solitude is on foot. There are both marked trails and established off-trail routes to choose from.

Read MoreDenali National Park And Preserve

11. Lassen Volcanic National Park

Volcanic features in the Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Lassen Volcanic National Park was formed on August 9, 1916, while Lassen Peak was still in the midst of its three-year eruption (now dormant). As the name suggests, this Northeastern California park is all about highlighting the jagged volcanic peaks and active hydrothermal features, including hot springs, mud pots, and those stinky yet intriguing sulfur vents. Despite the hints at a very lively underbelly, the park exhibits a rather pleasant exterior that is particularly well-suited for hiking and paddling.

10. Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

A hiker obesrving the lava flow out of the Kilauea volcano.

This Hawaiian national park was established on August 1, 1916, on the island of Hawaii. Hawai'i Volcanoes is an International Biosphere Reserve, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, owing to the fact that it houses two of the world's most active volcanoes: Kilauea (which is also considered one of the most dangerous in the United States) and Mauna Loa.

Read MoreHawaii Volcanoes National Park

9. Rocky Mountain National Park

A tourist family enjoying the spectacular views offered by the Rocky Mountains in the Rocky Mountain National Park.

Founded on January 26, 1915, in the Northcentral part of Colorado, is the grandiose Rocky Mountain National Park. As the name suggests, this place is all about highlighting the wonder of the Rockies. Complementing the beauty of the bulky peaks are lush alpine meadows and dazzling glacial lakes. Plus, the big land features come hand-in-hand with big land mammals, including a herd of about 600 to 800 elk, which make their home here in the winter, approximately 350 bighorn sheep, a healthy population of mule deer, and the occasional moose. Fitness buffs can explore the park and spot some of these animals via a network of hiking trails totaling 350 miles in length. Hiking off-the-beaten-path can also be a good way to escape the summer crowds. In 2021, Rocky Mountain National Park welcomed over 4.3 million visitors, most of whom came between May and October.

Read MoreRocky Mountain National Park

8. Glacier National Park

The picturesque Going-to-the-Sun road in Glacier National Park. Editorial credit: Amehime / Shutterstock.com

Located in Northwestern Montana, Glacier National Park is another celebration of the Rocky Mountains. Since it was established on May 11, 1910, Glacier has exploded in popularity. During the summer season (May to September), roughly 3 million people come to appreciate the highlight reel (such as Logan Pass, Avalanche Creek, Hidden Lake Trail, etc.) An acceptance of the inevitable crowds is a must if visiting during this time. That being said, Glacier National Park has over 700 miles of trails and limited road access throughout its 1 million acres, so hikers have the opportunity to escape into the unspoiled backcountry, which includes over 200 glacial lakes, endless mountain/glacier views, and the stunning waterfalls that they create.

Read MoreGlacier National Park

7. Mesa Verde National Park

Tourist admiring the Square Tower House in the Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado.

Mesa Verde National Park was created on June 29, 1906, and has since become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This park protects the ancient structures and cultural heritage of the Ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi) people. For over 700 years (roughly between 550 to 1300), this indigenous group built their homes throughout the cliffs and plateaus of Mesa Verde in modern-day Southwest Colorado. About 600 cliff dwellings and another 4,100 archaeological sites have been uncovered throughout the area, with new discoveries still occurring regularly. Self-guided and guided tours are available to explore these fascinating pueblos and to learn about the history and ancestry of the Anasazi, as well as the backstory of the modern Pueblo people.

Read MoreMesa Verde National Park

6. Wind Cave National Park

Natural Entrance to Wind Cave, Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota.

South Dakotans (and visitors from all over), have been blessed with Wind Cave National Park since January 9, 1903. The world-renowned cave structure is as large as it is intricate. There are currently in excess of 150 miles of explored passages, making Wind Cave the third longest cave in the country and the sixth-longest in the world. The cramped, dark quarters inside are wonderfully contrasted by the park's undulating grasslands outside. There, bison, elk, and other prairie mammals roam in healthy numbers.

Read MoreWind Cave National Park

5. Crater Lake National Park

The Crater Lake.

Crater Lake National Park was formed on May 22, 1902. However, the crater itself was formed some 7,700 years ago when a volcanic eruption led to the collapse of the mountain and the eventual creation of the deepest lake in the United States. To drink in the views, visitors to this Southern Oregon park get to venture high into the Cascade Mountain Range. Because of the setting, Crater Lake is solely fed by rain and snowmelt, making the waters exceptionally clean and the emotional atmosphere just as refreshing.

Read MoreCrater Lake

4. Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park during fall.

Established at the turn of the century (March 2, 1899), Mount Rainier National protects the stalwart stratovolcano, after which it is named. This 14,410-foot marvel has been active for the last half-million to one million years, oscillating between periods of high and low-volume eruptions. It is estimated that in the past, lava flows probably spewed 1,000 feet into the air above the already sizable summit. Nowadays, Mount Rainier cloaks itself in more glaciers than any other peak in the contiguous United States. Circumnavigating this capricious giant is the Wonderland Trail, a stupendous but challenging 93-mile trek that gains 22,000 feet in cumulative elevation.

3. Yosemite National Park

Tourists take pictures of a waterfall in Yosemite National Park.

On October 1, 1890, Yosemite National Park was brought to life to encapsulate one of the most striking valleys and recognizable landscapes in the world. In this Central California park, the 4,000-foot-deep glacially-carved phenomenon showcases iconic features such as El Capitan, a massive and sheer granite face that beckons the world's best rock-climbers. Half Dome is another impressive face for big-wall climbers, as well as an awe-inspiring, sweat-inducing hike up its backside. And there are loads of impressive waterfalls, such as Yosemite Falls, flowing over the steep cliffs and adding that pleasing auditory ambiance. Over 4 million visitors roll through Yosemite National Park each year to catch a glimpse of Yosemite's magnificence and to frolic throughout this natural playground.

Read MoreYosemite National Park

2. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park

A car passing through Generals Highway along the Sequoia National Park.

The country's second national park was established on September 25, 1890, to protect the various giants throughout the land. Here, also in Central California, the peaks of the Sierra Nevada, canyons/caverns, and of course, the ancient sequoias compete for one's attention. The sequoia groves, in particular, are a feature unique to this area. These massive trees grow only on the Western slopes of this mountain range and only at an elevation of between 4,000 to 8,000 feet. There are about 40 different groves to visit throughout the combined parks. Some offer road access, while others require a demanding hike.

Read MoreKings Canyon National Park, California

1. Yellowstone National Park

A herd of bison moves quickly along the Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park.

Yellowstone is not only the oldest national park in the United States but also in the world. Founded on March 1, 1872, this historic initiative continues to ensure the protection of 2.2 million acres across parts of Wyoming, Idaho, and of course, Montana. Within this boundary, the approximately 4 million annual visitors can find nearly 500 geysers (i.e., nearly half of the planet's active geysers) and other geothermal features, including the famous and dependable Old Faithful and the highly photogenic Grand Prismatic Spring. Such a large, intact ecosystem also provides a haven and dependable viewing opportunities for legendary mountain mammals such as bears, bison, elk, and even wolves.

Read MoreYellowstone National Park

These 13 national parks paved the road (or marked the trail) for the continued preservation of the American landscape over the last century and a half. They have no doubt served to conserve their own wilderness but also that of the hundreds of parks that followed their contagious example.

25 Oldest National Parks In The United States
Recent City College at Montana State University Billings graduate Dylan Miller won gold at the national automotive refinishing competition at the Skills USA National Conference in Atlanta, GA last month. Dylan Sanderson, a recent City College welding graduate placed 20th in the nation among competitors in welding at the conference.

Skills USA is a national program recognizing students in fields of trade and industry. Each year, students at City College are given the opportunity to compete. They fundraise and participate in community service projects throughout the year to sharpen their skills before competing against other students in their fields in the spring. Miller and Sanderson were the only winners of the Montana state-wide competition on the college level earlier this year, allowing them to move to the national competition in Atlanta, which brought over 12,000 high school and college students together across the country.

Sanderson shares that he applied everything he learned from the City College welding program at the competition. Even on a day where I had not done my best welding, I was able to place in the top half of the nationnone of which would have been possible without good instructors like Tim Stenson and Sam Russell, he said. These instructors do a great job of guiding any student who show up and apply themselves and Im confident that City Colleges welding program and next years Skills USA competition will benefit new welders that City College sends to nationals to get an even higher placement.

Miller was the only student from Montana to win a medal at nationals. The award ceremony took place in the State Farm Arena, home of the Atlanta Hawks. It is a great accomplishment just to get to go to Atlanta, says Steve Wodrich, instructor for autobody technology at City College. For Dylan Miller to take first place in his field is truly amazing. The students that compete at Skills USA have already beat hundreds of other students for the chance to compete, so whoever wins is absolutely the best of the best.

Miller grew up in the small farming community of Gildford, MT and competed on a local and state level in Skills USA throughout high school. After high school graduation, he chose to attend City College at MSUB because he was looking for new opportunities. Millers parents are both MSUB graduates, which he says played a role in his college choice. Miller is also a tripletone of his brothers currently attends MSUB and the other MSU. His older sister is an MSUB graduate student, and his fiancee attends the MSU nursing program housed at MSUB.

Miller says that he enjoyed meeting fellow competitors at nationals and seeing what other colleges are doing in the field. City College has the only automobile collision repair and refinishing technology program in the state, and he believes it is important to continue highlighting the program however they can. Miller also speaks very highly about his instructor Steve Wodrich, who encouraged him to continue competing at Skills USA and has been a big part of his life during his time at City College. He says that Wodrich is willing to do anything to see students succeed and feels that he has his instructors support in anything he does.
The White House informed Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear's office in late June, that President Joe Biden intended to nominate, Chad Meredith, an anti-abortion Republican as a federal judge in Kentucky.
Highland Park resident Emily Mace places flowers at the memorials for the 7 killed in the 4th of July shooting in Highland Park Illinois. Mace was at the parade with her children, which they attend every year. She and her family were unharmed. Wednesday, July 6.
A Florida judge on June 30 ruled that Florida's new law that bans abortions at 15 weeks is unconstitutional and "violates the privacy provision of the Florida Constitution."
While talking about drought in Montana on Wednesday, Troy Blandford couldnt be in his Helena office because it flooded over the holiday weekend.

The example of heavy and late precipitation was a common theme throughout the governors drought and water supply advisory committee meeting. Especially when compared to last year, this springs cooler, wetter weather has improved drought conditions across much of the state. The holdout continues to be the region east of the Rocky Mountain Front and extending into northern Fergus County, the group learned.

The committee, which has met five times, is tasked with overseeing a rewrite of the Montana Drought Management Plan, which hasnt been updated since 1995. Blandfords presentation provided a demonstration on how monitoring reports are written, noting that the duties rotate from his position with the Montana State Library to other agencies experts.

This is a complex, nuanced analysis we have to go through, he explained, looking at variables like precipitation, soil moisture and snowpack.

Floods

The fact that the drought committee was meeting on the heels of historic flooding that swept across Carbon, Park and Stillwater counties was not lost on the group.

Somebody called the conditions inconsistent, said Kathy Chase, a surface-water specialist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Bozeman. A week before the flood hit we were debating drought conditions.

Chuck Dalby, a former Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation surface-water hydrologist, said the flooding is a signal of what could be a new hydrological regime for peak flows. He said the longer snow hangs on into the spring in the high country, the more easily a rain storm  like the one that hit south-central Montana on June 11  can trigger flash flooding.

I look at the upper Yellowstone as deja vu all over again, he said in an interview following the meeting. I was one of the principal investigators of the 96 and 97 floods for the upper Yellowstone task force.

During the last 50 years, he said on average theres been a 30% reduction in annual snowpack for the April 1 measurement of snow water equivalency in Montanas mountains. In other words, how much water the snow holds.

That means more of that moisture is falling as rain, Dalby said. As that trend continues into the future it may be easier to more frequently get floods like weve seen this last year.

A U.S. Department of Agriculture graph showed the snow water equivalent for the upper Yellowstone River drainage in mid-May below the median. Then snowstorms over Memorial Day and the following week pushed the SWE outside the normal range. By July, that graph line took a steep turn south, demonstrating how quickly the snow had come out of the mountains following the rainstorm and warmer temperatures.

The flooding was an example of mountains with low annual snowpack still capable of producing a huge runoff, said Aaron Fiaschetti, of the USGS.

Data, data

When questioned about how the state may be able to better predict similar future events, Chase said data, data. One of the earliest indications the USGS had that the flood was unusual came from stream gauges on the Yellowstone River at Corwin Springs, just north of Gardiner and Yellowstone National Park. On June 12 the gauge read a flow of 20,000 cubic feet per second and by the next day had climbed to 49,400 cfs, according to provisional data yet to be verified. That gave the agency only a day or two to alert the communities of Livingston and Billings downstream of the amount of water on its way.

Arin Peters, a senior service hydrologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said the flash flooding shows how important it is to have stream gauges and snow monitoring sites. As USGS has had to reduce its number of stream gauges for lack of funding, Peters said it was a huge loss. He also noted that even with long-term records, when they are broken by tens of feet, all bets are off.

According to the USGSs provisional data, the Yellowstone River at Corwin Springs previous high flow was 32,200 cfs. At Billings, the river hit 84,000 cfs compared to a previous peak of 82,000. Both those previous high flows came in 1997.

Demonstrating the wide distribution of the rain on snow event, USGS data also recorded high flows on the Lamar, Gardner, Boulder, Stillwater and Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone rivers. The provisional height of the Stillwater River was 23,900 cfs compared to the previous peak in 1967 of 12,000 cfs. The Clarks Fork at Edgar hit a peak flow of 21,900 cfs compared to the previous record in 2020 of 11,400 cfs.

Forecasting

The meeting also highlighted the difficulty, even with the best science available, to predict weather very far out into the future. Michael Downey, Drought Program coordinator for the DNRC, wrote a report for the committee outlining how in late March the forecast was for another dry spring in Montana. That quickly changed in early April, and the forecast shifted to a wetter, colder spring and in some areas a wetter than average June. The wet weather helped alleviate drought conditions across much of the state, especially considering that in December Montana had the largest number of regions in exceptional drought in 22 years of record keeping.

North-Central Montana will likely remain in drought through the summer and into the fall with drought conditions easing across the rest of the state, Downey wrote in his report.

Ian Foley, with the Department of Agriculture, noted these conditions can be seen in Havre where precipitation is three inches below normal. Although some winter crops looked good, he said it was hard to paint a consistent picture across the state.

Likewise, Mike Honeycutt, of the Department of Livestock, said there was a little more reason for ranchers to be positive after the recent green-up of forage, with the exception of the area just east of the Rocky Mountain Front.

The big story of this year has been the timing of moisture, whereas last year by this date the state was fighting large fires, Downey said. This year the spring rains have dropped the states wildfire danger to normal for July.

What a difference a year makes, he said.
3.3 million regeneration of Wrexham Markets set for green light to create perfect market quarter

The next stage of the long-promised regeneration of Wrexhams two indoor markets looks set to be backed by councillors.

Plans to rejuvenate and invest in the historic Butchers and General Markets buildings have been on the cards for several years.

However after proposals by a Task and Finish Group in 2020 were given the go ahead by senior councillors, the redevelopment was put on hold due to the pandemic.

On Tuesday (12 July) executive board members will approve a delivery and sustainability plan, which will allow for works to begin at the two markets  but it is important to stress has not commenced  and the markets are open for business as normal.

Councillors will also be asked to give permission for Cllr Nigel Williams, lead member for economy and regeneration, to enter negotiations for leasehold arrangements to secure a decant option for the traders which allows for the refurbishment of the indoor markets to take place.

The plans for the two markets includes:-

Newly refurbished Victorian traditional markets;

The opportunity to attract a wider choice of trader;

Increased dwell time and footfall in the town centre;

Diversification and strengthening of the evening economy;

Avoidance of closure and business interruption due to disrepair; and

Safeguarding the heritage assets/listed buildings and ensuring they are not buildings at risk

Construction work is expected to last for 12 months and during that time traders will occupy another premises in the town centre.

This detail is provided in a part two report  which is not available to view for the public or the media  which will also be considered by the executive board at the meeting.

However traders have reportedly been given assurances from the council that the decant to an alternative premises would not have a negative impact on Christmas trade with WCBC earmarking a large town centre space.

The Butchers Market will be made up of eight island stalls, which the sustainability report says can be linked together to create a larger unit for traders.

A cafe with its own entrance off Henblas Street will be situated in the main market area, along with the creation of a first floor restaurant overlooking the market with its own access off High Street.

The sustainability report says that this entrance to the new eatery is located conveniently where the majority of the night time economy is based making it an excellent entrance for the newly planned restaurant that will have its own entrance separate to the market, allowing it to open outside of the market hours.

20 flexible use perimeter stalls will also be available, along with trader storage in the basement area.

In the General Market there will be eight island stalls, what is described as two hanging spaces and six perimeter stalls  which will include a cafe.

The refurb of the of the two markets, along with their proximity to Ty Pawb and the new Hippodrome site are described as offering a a perfect market quarter.

The report states that post-completion, the markets are expected to see improved occupancy rates, reducing the absorption of Service Charge costs by the Council for void stalls and improving viability.

It is also proposed that the same approach is taken to rents following the refurbishment works, as when Ty Pawb opened.

This includes a 20% discount on rent in the first year, 10% discount in rent in the second and full rent in the third and onwards.

This months executive board will take place at a different time of 2pm on July 12  due to the Queens Dragoon Guards homecoming. As usual the meeting will be webcast live on the Wrexham Council website.

You can read the formal reports before councillors here on the agenda page, along with all the other business for the Executive Board.
Been here for three years and not been able to access MyView since I started  council workers protest over payslip systems

Council staff have detailed how they have been unable to access payslips online due to an electronic system not working properly.

Around 300 council workers are believed to be affected by the long term problem, many unable to access pay slip details within the MyView system. Issues are exacerbated for those who are not in desk based roles or trying to access it via mobile devices. Payslips are needed for mortgages, loans and many other scenarios including clarity over pay and deductions. P60s are also required for HMRC and other purposes.

Unite members held a protest outside Wrexham Guildhall yesterday over the issue, Members are frustrated, angry and demoralised over years of not being able to view their online pay-slip system.

Unite members were outside Wrexham Council to lobby councillors in support around their despair at not being able to see their pay-slips.

A Unite Rep stated Not being able to verify your pay is a real problem, especially in a cost of living crisis.

The below image has been published showing the range feedback over the issue, including Flintshire bin lads get a paper copy, Because of MyView the kids cannot eat this month, MyView is crap Been here for three years and not been able to access MyView since I started , sort it out, constantly have to change password or it blocks you.

We asked Wrexham Council for comment from the Lead Member responsible about the issue, and what, if anything, is being done to resolve it.

We also pointed out that some comments left illustrate the time sensitive nature of getting the problem sorted, so asked if there was a fix being put in place, and if so when will that happen.

Cllr David A Bithell, Deputy Leader, said, The Council introduced electronic payslips in 2013 (centrally and in schools) and rolled this out over a period, as part of our Modern and Resilient Council priority and more recently as part of our decarbonisation agenda.

This is a common practice across neighbouring Councils, other public services and in the private sector.

We recognise that more recently in some areas of the business this has now arisen as a problem and been escalated by a trade union.

We are aware that a small percentage of employees may struggle to access their payslip due to a number of factors, ICT, mobile devices, etc. We continue to work with those services that have recently highlighted these issues and discussions are taking place to collectively overcome any difficulties some employees may have.

Wrexham.com had been told that paper slips had been suggested as an interim measure  with one suggestion they could be chargeable. We invited the Council to fact check that and if the apparent alternative materialised, would it be free or at a cost to staff members.

Councillor David A Bithell Deputy Leader of the Council did not take the opportunity to specifically answer, but said, We continue to work with those staff who are experiencing problems with access and officers are engaging with the relevant trade union to address their concerns.
Boris Johnson announces process to find new Conservative Leader  will remain Prime Minister until then

Boris Johnson has said he will remain as Prime Minister as a process to find a new Conservative Party leader, and Prime Minister, begins.

The Prime Minister said, It is clearly now the will of the Conservative party there should be a new leader and therefore new PM. That process should begin now and the timetable will be announced next week.

Today Ive appointed a cabinet to serve as I will until a new leader is in place.

New Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi added to the already huge pressure to make the move in a letter this morning, while Education Secretary (since Tuesday evening) Michelle Donelan also resigned.

Last night Welsh Secretary Simon Hart MP joined the list of over 50 resignation from UK Government roles.

Locally Wrexhams MP stayed publicly silent on the matter overnight, detailing her normal work day including meetings with the Service Womens Network, a conservative tax cut promotion and Design Foundations competition.

Clwyd Souths MP Simon Baynes also took a similar business as usual public view overnight, with his twitter feed highlighting the news the National Eisteddfod is coming to the area.

MPs and staff gathered in Downing Street to observe the speech, with Simon Baynes MP visible in the group.

PM Johnson will likely stay in post for possibly two or three months as a leadership contest takes place in the Conservative Party, before a new Prime Minister emerges and has started announcing his new Cabinet.

More shortly.
Citizens Advice Cymru calls for more action to help people falling behind on council tax payments

Citizens Advice Cymru is calling for more action to assist people falling behind on paying their council tax.

Council tax arrears are the most common debt issue Citizens Advice in Wales deals with.

As the biggest fixed cost most households have after housing, people can risk falling behind on their council tax payments if their other essential living costs start to strain their budgets.

Citizens Advice Wales says that rather than help people to get back on track, current regulations governing council tax debt collection, alongside budget pressures that drive in-year collections, mean many people face recovery methods that can worsen debt problems and exacerbate financial insecurity.

This can also have knock-on effects in other areas of peoples lives such as their job security, physical and mental health and personal relationships.

The Welsh Government has introduced a number of interventions to improve council tax collections during the last Senedd term, but we believe that they do not go far enough. Citizens Advice says.

Given the financial difficulties many households continue to face this year, it is critical that steps are taken to ensure people are treated fairly when they fall behind on their council tax.

In a new report to be launched at the Senedd on Wednesday, Citizens Advice Cymru outlines actions the Welsh Government and local authorities can take to help people to get out of council tax debt in a fair and sustainable way:

-Show greater flexibility to those who are struggling to afford debt repayments.

-Stop people being asked to pay their entire annual bill if they miss 1 monthly payment.

-Continue to improve awareness of council tax support and increase take-up by eligible households.

-Create a statutory code of practice governing council tax debt collection, building on the Council Tax Protocol for Wales.

Rebecca Woolley, Director of Citizens Advice Cymru said:

Many people in Wales are worried about making ends meet this year. Welsh and UK Government support packages have eased some pressure on households but they have not solved the cost of living crisis.

We have seen record numbers of people coming to us for advice on essential bill debts such as council tax. Our report shows that households who want to pay their bills are still met with inflexible systems that risk making their debt problems worse.

Citizens Advice Cymru wants to see affordable and sustainable repayment plans, clearer communication across local authorities, and firm commitments that bailiffs are only ever a last resort.

Commenting on wider reform of Council Tax, Luke Young, Head of Policy & Campaigns said:

The Welsh Government  with the support of Plaid Cymru through the Co-operation Agreement  has committed to wider reform of council tax in this Senedd term.

We want to see action now to enforce protections for those struggling to pay under the current system, as well as a much needed overhaul of a tax that falls more heavily on lower income households in Wales.
Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes very sorry about the resignation of the Prime Minister

Clwyd Souths MP has issued a statement following the speech from Prime Minister Boris Johnson this lunchtime.

The MP was in Downing Street as the speech was given.

Simon Baynes MP said after todays speech by Boris Johnson, I am very sorry about the resignation of the Prime Minister as I am a strong supporter of his and consider that he has achieved a great deal for our country, particularly in getting Brexit done, the highly successful Covid vaccine rollout and his outstanding international leadership on the war in Ukraine.

It was a particular honour for me to be elected as the MP for Clwyd South in 2019, a seat which he stood for as the Conservative candidate in 1997 and which he has continued to visit regularly and take a great interest in ever since.

I was very pleased to be appointed by the Prime Minister earlier this year as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Ministerial team at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, a position which enables me to see the high level of legislative and reforming activity being enacted by his government.

We will now have a leadership election campaign in the Conservative Party which I am sure will be conducted rapidly and in a constructive and courteous fashion.

I wish the Prime Minister and his family all the very best for the future and thank him from the bottom of my heart for all that he has done for Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom.

MORE:

> Wrexhams MP Sarah Atherton: The PM has done the right thing by resigning

> Boris Johnson announces process to find new Conservative Leader  will remain Prime Minister until then
As federal oil and gas leases go, the first Montana sale in nearly two years was no firecracker.

Post-sale data for the June 30 event shows 865 federal acres in Montana fetching a combined $68,073. The data is presented by EnergyNet, which manages the Bureau of Land Managements online leasing program. The sale, which included parcels in Montana and North Dakota, produced more than $7.3 million in receipts. North Dakota acres received as much as $52,001 an acre.

This was the Bureau of Land Managements first Montana-Dakota lease sale since Sept. 22, 2020. It was brought about by a court order striking down an onshore-lease suspension made by President Joe Biden days after taking office. As a candidate, Biden had campaigned on ending oil and gas drilling on federal land, a key part of the presidents plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

The sale seemed to satisfy neither the petroleum industry nor environmentalists.

The petroleum industry criticized the Biden administration for offering up 140,000 across eight states, a number the industry said was too small. There were also objections to an increase in the publics share of the proceeds from any oil or natural gas extracted. The new royalty rate of 18.75%, up from 12.5%, is more in line with royalties collected by states for mineral leases on state land. Montanas state rate is 16.67%.

The upward federal adjustment would make federal leases less attractive, said Alan Olson, of the Montana Petroleum Association, in part because drilling on federal land costs about $30,000 to $40,000 more and the wells dont always produce.

It is considerably more expensive to drill and produce on federal land because of the survey costs. Its $10,950 for each survey, the archeological survey, the paleontological survey, Olson said. Conversely, when a company secures a lease and permit on state land, the state pays for the survey work. Olson said the federal government is under a similar expectation for pay for survey work, but often companies pick up the tab to avoid delays.

For months congressional oil hawks have criticized Biden for not pulling out all the stops on federal leasing to counter the steady climb of oil and gas prices, driven by a failure of global producers to keep ahead of post-pandemic demand, as well as bans on Russian oil in response to that countrys now 4-month-old war in Ukraine. Among those calling for Biden to "unleash American energy have been Montana Republicans Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Matt Rosendale.

Bidders passed on more than half the acres available in the Montana-Dakota sale. Originally, BLM posted a combined 8,369 mineral acres for lease in Montana and North Dakota. That number was winnowed down to 3,405 acres, of which 1,517 acres drew bids. There were 42 bidders, according to BLM.

Theyre sitting on so much land right now, it just doesnt pass the smell test for me, said Derf Johnson, of the claim that more leased federal acres are necessary. Johnson is an attorney and a policy advocate for the Montana Environmental Information Center.

Johnson is referring to the 12 million or so leased federal acres that arent being used. BLM reported earlier this year that there are also 9,173 approved drilling permits available since Biden took office, which havent been put to use.

Biden said much the same in February, insisting that oil producers could drill without delay on federal land if they chose.

Earlier this year, Kathleen Sgamma, Western Energy Alliance president told Lee Montana Newspapers that it can be several months between when a permit is issued and when drilling starts. Similarly, years can pass before work begins on a leased parcel. Having a stockpile of both leases and permit applications is part of the business, she argued.

Still, the drilling activity in Montana has been stuck in the single digits for several years, with several months of one rig, or no rigs registering on the Baker Hughes Rig Count. Baker Hughes has been providing the rig count as a service to the industry since 1944. The companys oil tool roots tie back to R.C. Baker and Howard Hughes.

Montanas drilling rig count has been up to 3 for the past two months. The Montana Land Board earlier this year netted $1.1 million in state land oil leases.

Montana produced about 4 million barrels of oil from federal land in 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Interior. Neighboring states Wyoming and North Dakota each produced more than 47 million barrels from federal leases last year.

MEIC and several interest groups sued the Biden administration June 29 over scheduled sales. The gist of the lawsuit was that BLM and The Department of Interior hadnt taken into account the impact that fossil fuels extracted from federal lands would have on the earths climate. The latest lawsuit was preceded by a legal settlement over the same issues concerning leases issued between 2017 and 2020, which under the settlement must be assessed for climate impacts.

A look at state drilling records shows that federal leases identified in the settlement as parcels in Montana havent seen much activity. Many of the lease holders have produced little in Montana in the last five years, although a core group has been consistently productive.
Simon Hart resigns as Secretary of State for Wales

Simon Hart has become the latest minister to resign from Boris Johnsons cabinet leaving his role as Secretary of State for Wales.

Hart was among a group of cabinet members who, it is widely reported, had earlier urged Boris Johnson to resign.

In his resignation letter to the Prime Minister, Hart wrote: I had desperately hoped that I could avoid writing this letter, but alas there seems no other option left but to step down from my role as Secretary of State for Wales.

You will be remembered as a Prime Minister with energy, vision, determination and humour.

There was never a dull moment as a Minister in your Government, and I will be forever grateful to have been given the chance to be part of it.

I have never been a massive fan of Ministerial resignations being the best means of forcing change. Colleagues have done their upmost [sic] in private and public to help you turn the ship around, but it is with sadness that I feel we have passed the point where this is possible.

Secretary of State for Wales https://t.co/gpUL421BqJ  Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 6, 2022

Hart is the fourth Welsh MP to resign from the UK government after Virginia Crosbie, James Davies and Craig Williams.

Vale of Clwyd MP Dr James Davies resigned as PPS in the Department of Health and Social Care.

In his letter to Johnson, he wrote: I have strived to offer you my loyalty but regrettably it is clear that the party and the country are no longer governable under your tenure.

Integrity and trust must be central to all that we do, but increasingly it has been impossible to defend you in the face of the damaging allegations and perceptions that exist.

I am greatly saddened by these circumstances. I convey my sincere gratitude for having been given the opportunity to contribute to the workings of government, albeit in a small way.
Warning issued after reports of cold callers targeting elderly residents

A further warning over cold callers has been issued following reports of elderly residents being targeted.

The latest incident has taken place in the Smithfield area of Wrexham.

North Wales Police say that a male cold caller has been reportedly knocking on the doors of elderly residents.

In one such incident the male attempted to pressurise an elderly woman into getting her driveway done.

However she refused and the man left.

There have been several reports of cold callers and rogue traders targeting local residents in this week, with incidents also reported in Borras, Johnstown and Tanyfron.

A spokesperson for North Wales Police said: Please look out for your elderly neighbours as they are more likely to be targeted for these type of incidents.

If you need work completing for home improvements please contact a reputable company.

Genuine tradesmen will not need to cold call for work.
Welsh Government needs to raise the bar and support tourism, hospitality and retail industry

The Welsh Government needs to raise the bar of standards in the tourism, hospitality and retail sectors, a Senedd Committee has said.

The Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee this week released a report setting out how ministers and the industry must act to secure the future of the sectors after the turbulence of the Covid pandemic.

The report says the Welsh Government needs to do more within its power to ensure fair working conditions in the three sectors, in light of growing cost-of-living pressures.

Poor working conditions, job insecurity and low pay will make it harder to fix the huge people shortage in these sectors, even though workers also report high job satisfaction. The Committee says the status of these sectors, already employing a high proportion of the Welsh workforce, must be raised.

In hospitality and tourism its estimated that between 70 to 75% of workers earn below the real Living Wage. Workers who gave evidence to the Committee anonymously said they had no voice to challenge their employers or change things in the industry and many were left with no choice but to leave.

In the report, the Committee outlines instances of workers feeling unsafe at work during the pandemic. However, according to the Committee, recovery from the pandemic presents an opportunity for government and the industry to work together to raise standards and secure a successful and thriving future.

The Committee calls on Welsh Government to look at what additional support can be provided to businesses that have weathered the Covid storm, including capital investment, flexibility with loan repayments and business rate arrangements. As well as using powers at its disposal to address the issues on barriers to fair work in the hospitality, tourism and retail sectors. Specifically:

protecting and improving workers pay and conditions in light of growing cost of living pressures

improving worker voice

Further support with capital investment, flexibility with loan repayments and business rate arrangements

Paul Davies, Chair of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee, said: We are proud of our visitor economy in Wales, and although weve seen a bounce back post-Covid, recovery is fragile. 

Today we are highlighting how we can secure a solid recovery in these vital industries.

Its clear that the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

As a result it is vital Welsh Government does everything within its ability to support these industries recovery and to help them flourish once again.

The evidence we took shows just how much pride employees take in their work. With cost-of-living pressures mounting, it is vital that the Welsh Government and the sectors themselves work tirelessly to raise standards for their workers.

The report makes 18 recommendations on how the Welsh Government should work alongside sector leaders, unions and training providers to protect the future of the sectors. The recommendations cover the proposed tourism levy, flexibility around Covid loan repayments and how the apprenticeship programme could benefit the industries.
The increasingly devastating effects of capitalist-created climate change, driven by rapidly accelerating global warming, are being manifested around the world in both geographically widespread and highly localized ways. Among these is the impact on glaciers, which are melting at an alarming rate.

A rescue helicopter hovers over the Punta Rocca glacier near Canazei, in the Italian Alps in northern Italy, July 4, 2022, a day after a huge chunk of the glacier broke loose, sending an avalanche of ice, snow, and rocks onto hikers. [AP Photo/Luca Bruno]

This was dramatically illustrated by the deaths Sunday of at least seven climbers, with 14 still missing, and the injury of eight others in the Italian Dolomites, a section of the Alps in northeastern Italy.

A glacier on Marmolada mountain, the highest in the Dolomites, suddenly underwent a major collapse, also known as calving, in which a large section of ice suddenly breaks off from the main body, sending huge quantities of ice, water and rocks descending in the direction of the climbers at approximately 300 kilometers (186 miles) per hour. The avalanche traveled so quickly that survivors said they had no time to get out of the way.

Rescue efforts, using helicopters, sniffer dogs and heat-sensing equipment, have been mounted, but are hampered by fears of continuing instability in the glacier. Remaining bodies are likely to be trapped under a layer of ice and rock. So far, the searchers have recovered only body parts, hiking equipment and clothing on the surface, indicating the ferocity of the avalanches impact.

Italy and much of Europe has experienced an unusually warm spring season. On the glacier itself, a record-high temperature of 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) had been recorded at its 3,300-meter (11,000-foot) peak the day before the incident. Meltwater that had accumulated behind a mass of ice reached a critical point, forcing the collapse, according to glaciologist Renato Colucci.

Incidents such as this, relatively rare in the past, are likely to become more frequent due to the impact of the warming climate. The Marmolada glacier had already lost 30 percent of its volume and 22 percent of its area between 2004 and 2015. At this rate, it is projected to totally disappear within the next 25 to 30 years.

Glaciers are melting not only in the Alps, but around the world, as reported by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). For example, European Space Agency satellite images show that the San Rafael glacier in the Northern Patagonia region of Chile, part of an ice field that covers 3,500 square kilometers (1,350 square miles), is receding at the astonishing rate of 7.6 kilometers (4.7 miles) per year. Currently, Patagonian glaciers are retreating at the fastest rate in the world. But glacial melting is accelerating in all parts of the planet.

Temperature records are being met or exceeded from Europe to Asia. In Italy, the previous maximum June temperature record in Rome was exceeded when the thermometer reached 40.8 degrees Celsius (105.4 degrees F). Florence and Naples also set new monthly records. At the same time, Italy is also experiencing a severe drought and saw unusually sparse snowfall during the past winter. Ultra-hot air from Africa is being pulled all the way to the Arctic. The city of Inuvik in the far north Arctic region of Canadas Northwest Territories recorded an all-time record high of 31.8 degrees Celsisus (87.8 degrees F) on Monday. Extreme temperatures are also being recorded in the US Southwest. These unusually high temperatures are occurring earlier in the year than has been typical.

In March, the IPCC listed melting ice and snow as one of the 10 major threats to ecosystems and infrastructure resulting from global warming. These threats are not exclusively in the form of catastrophic events, such as the recent tragedy in the Alps.

Over somewhat longer, though still imminent timeframes, adverse impacts to previously stable water supplies for domestic use and irrigation for agriculture in areas reliant on glacial meltwater will be affected by increasing fluctuations in the available supply. The IPCC has found that, In some glacier-fed rivers, summer and annual runoff have increased due to intensified glacier melt, but decreased where glacier melt water has lessened as glacier area shrinks.

On a broader scale, the melting of glaciers and of the Antarctic and Greenland ice caps will result in significant sea level rise, inundating coastal areas currently inhabited by billions of people. Not only will the human populations of these areas be severely impacted, causing huge migrations and loss of food resources, but natural biotic communities will also be disrupted, further raising the potential for novel human / animal interactions likely to unleash new zoonotic diseases, similar to what has been experienced with COVID-19.

The loss of glacial ice is creating a positive-feedback (i.e., self-reenforcing) loop. Glaciers, continental ice caps, as well as floating sea ice, are light in color, thus tending to reflect rather than absorb solar radiation. This is known as the albedo effect. Darker surfaces, on the other hand, tend to absorb incoming solar radiation, which is subsequently released as heat. As the surface area of the globe that is covered by ice diminishes, the darker underlying soil, rock and water are exposed, thus allowing more solar radiation to be absorbed and then re-radiated as heat. This compounds global warming and accelerates even further the melting of ice, exposing a greater expanse of dark surface, and so on.

The World Wildlife Fund predicts that more than a third of the worlds remaining glaciers will completely melt away by 2100, despite any efforts, unlikely under capitalism, to significantly reduce emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. The IPCC projects that glaciers in Scandinavia, central Europe and the Caucasus could lose between 60 and 80 percent of their mass by the end of the century.

Furthermore, in addition to above-ground ice melting, permafrost (i.e., permanently frozen soil) in the upper latitude regions of the northern hemisphere, including vast expanses of Russia and Canada, is also melting at an accelerating rate. Not only will this create huge areas of intractable mud, but the tremendous quantities of vegetation long-frozen in the permafrost will begin to decompose releasing immense amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas 25-times more potent than carbon dioxide, thus amplifying the effects of anthropogenic (human-caused) global warming.

The United Nations World Meteorological Organization is now predicting that it is increasingly likely that the world is on track to exceed the threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius warming above pre-industrial levels set under the Paris Agreement, beyond which substantial environmental damage is likely.

Despite the imminent and growing threat, the capitalist ruling class has utterly failed to undertake any effective response to the dangers of climate change, just as it has failed to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The only feasible way to confront these twin catastrophes is for the international working class to take control of society and institute a scientifically based, socialist program to marshal all globally available resources.
An article published in the New York Times on Tuesday, entitled US aims to expand export bans on China over security and human rights, explicitly linked Washingtons escalating economic war on China with the US proxy war on Russia in Ukraine.

Citing administration officials, the article declared that the Biden administration is applying lessons learned from controls on Russia during the Ukraine war to try to limit Chinas military and technological advances. It noted that the White House has declared China to be the greatest long-term rival of the US.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin talk to each other during their meeting in Beijing, China, Friday, Feb. 4, 2022. (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

US Commerce Department official Alan Estevez told an event organised by the Center for a New American Security: We need to ensure that the US retains technological overmatch. In other words, China cannot build capabilities that they will then use against us, or against their neighbours for that matter, in any kind of conflict.

Estevez is head of the Commerce Departments Bureau of Industry and Security, which oversees export controls. Significantly he is also a former Pentagon official, underlining the direct link between economic and military warfare. Estevez told a Commerce Department policy conference last week: My goal is to stop China from being able to use that technology to advance their military, modernize their military.

The fact that the Biden administration is targeting China with the measures being used in its war against Russia is highly significant. Increasingly openly, the US is treating the military war against Russia and the mounting confrontation with China as part of a far broader conflict to weaken and subjugate potential rivals.

Just as the US goaded Russia into invading Ukraine by refusing to rule out NATO membership, so it is strengthening ties with Taiwan and boosting arms sales to the island. Washington knows full well that any move by Taipei to declare independence could provoke Chinese military intervention. As with Russia in the Ukraine war, the US would use conflict over Taiwan to undermine and destabilise China.

All of these war plans are hypocritically dressed up as the defence of democracy and human rights. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told the same departmental conference that export controls were at the red-hot centre of how we best protect our democracies. She boasted that global export controls on Russia had led to a 90 percent slump in its semiconductor imports and could soon decimate its fleet of commercial aircraft.

China is also in the crosshairs. The Biden administration announced another round of bans last week against five Chinese companies claiming that they were continuing to support Russias military-industrial complex and that their activities were contrary to US national security and foreign policy interests. The Commerce Department provided no evidence for its allegations.

The companies added to the export blacklistConnec Electronic, King Pai Technology, Sinno Electronics, Winninc Electronic and World Jetta Logisticsare all in the hi-tech sector. The bans, the first on China for allegedly aiding Russia, were implemented even though American officials acknowledge that the Chinese government and most Chinese companies have complied with US-led sanctions.

These are just one element of the battery of bans and tariffs imposed on China under Trump and now extended under Biden in an effort to weaken its economy. Whatever the pretexts, which range from connections to the Chinese military to allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang, the measures are particularly aimed at crippling Chinas efforts to compete in hi-tech fields.

Not only do the bans apply to US companies and investors, but the Biden administration is seeking to extend them to foreign companies using the threat of economic penalties. The US has blocked foreign companies from exporting certain items if they are made with American technology to listed entities including the Chinese hi-tech telecommunications giant, Huawei. Bans are also in place over the export of goods containing specific amounts of American-made content.

Washington has marshalled its allies in Europe and Asia in the proxy war against Russia to join in the economic bans on Russia. However, its efforts to do the same against China have met with some resistance in American and global business circles fearful of the economic impact of such measures and of Chinese retaliation.

Myron Brilliant, executive vice president at the US Chamber of Commerce, told the New York Times that while businesses supported sanctions against Russia, views on China were more complex and nuanced. The business community, he said, had deep concerns about Chinas policies, yet we must also recognize that the two largest economies are very integrated So the impact of broad decoupling or extensive sanctioning of China would be much more destabilising.

Nevertheless, the Biden administration is proceeding with its efforts to tighten the economic noose around the Chinese economy. Bloomberg reported this week that the White House is expanding its campaign to curb the countrys rise by seeking to block the Dutch corporation ASML Holding NV from selling chip-making technology to China.

The Trump administration had already bludgeoned the Dutch government into barring the export of the most sophisticated chip-making technology to Chinese firms. ASML is the worlds top maker of lithography systems, machines that perform the crucial step of etching the microscopic circuitry essential to the manufacture of semi-conductors.

Now US officials are in talks with their Dutch counterparts to prevent ASML from selling older mainstream technology, known as deep ultraviolet lithography (DUV), required to produce the less advanced chips used in a broad range of devices from cars to computers, phones and robots.

As Bloomberg explained, such a ban would significantly broaden the range and class of chip-making gear now forbidden from heading to China, potentially dealing a serious blow to Chinese chip-makers from Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp to Hua Hong Semiconductor Ltd.

Just as the Trump administration set out to destroy the Chinese tech giant Huawei by cutting off its global access to advanced computer chips and technology, so the Biden administration is seeking to block China from developing its indigenous chip-making capacity that is vital across a broad range of commercial and military applications. According to Bloomberg, American officials are also pressuring Japan to ban the export of chip-making technology to China.

Along with US propaganda over Chinese human rights abuses, unsubstantiated allegations of threats to invade Taiwan, the strengthening of US military alliances in Asia and the boosting of the American military in the region, the escalating economic war is another warning of US imperialisms advanced plans for conflict with China.

Far from being an isolated episode in Eastern Europe, the US proxy war in Ukraine is rapidly morphing into a global conflagration between nuclear armed powers.
When the Labor Party scraped into office following the May 21 federal election, some supporters of Julian Assange voiced hopes that the new government would defend the WikiLeaks publisher because he is an Australian journalist and citizen undergoing persecution abroad.

Anthony Albanese and Julian Assange

The crudest and most thoughtless expression of these hopes came in the form of an update to a petition demanding that the Australian government act to free Assange. Over the course of almost three years, the petition has been signed by more than 730,000 people, and has served as an important focal point for the latent, mass support that exists for Assange.

But on July 4, the petitions founder declared that it was no longer necessary to issue any demands on the Australian government. The sole evidence provided was that Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had purportedly signed the petition, and that some members of the government have hinted that it may engage in quiet diplomacy on behalf of Assange. Now that we confirm that the Prime Minister of Australia is one of us and together with all of our collective 731,000 Signatories to this petition we will together move forward with direct representations to the responsible Public Officers in both the USA and Britain, the update declared.

It was necessary to understand that the Australian Government does have a right to negotiate the matter of freedom of Julian Assange in the best way they see to secure his freedom We do not intend to work against any action being taken in different ways by any individual Signatoryi.e., Albanese.



[W]e will move forward in a peaceful, harmonious and inclusive manner, the update declared, that is with regards to the Labor government.

To be blunt, such statements are exercises in wilful delusion. Since forming government, Labor has not issued anything that even could be described as weasel-words in support of Assange. Its attitude towards the WikiLeaks publisher is barely concealed hostility.

The greatest mistake defenders of Assange could make would be to allow a right-wing pro-war Labor government to lead them around by the nose. Such a course would serve to demobilise the mass backing that Assange has among workers and young people, and create the political conditions required for Labor to bury his plight and ensure that extradition from Britain to the US proceeds without hindrance.

The petition update promoted the latest comments on Assange by a member of the government. In an Australian Broadcasting Corporation Law Report radio program on June 28, Labors Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus again stated that the Assange case had gone on for too long. It was this comment that was highlighted on the petition.

But what, of substance, did Dreyfus actually say?

Introducing the subject of Assange, midway through the interview, the host noted warnings that the attempted US prosecution of Assange would set a dangerous precedent of US law being imposed globally.

Assange, an Australian citizen, is facing prosecution in the US, for documents he published while in Europe, exposing American war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. Citing Assange legal advisor Greg Barns, the interviewer asked if Dreyfus was troubled by this attempt to extend the reach of American legislation to an Australian citizen with no legal connection to the US?

The attorney-general brushed the question aside. The United States has long legislated in an extra-territorial way and I think that all other countries have understood that for a long time, he said. In other words, the US government can do what it likes.

Dreyfus continued: It is not open to the Australian government to directly interfere with either the jailing of Mr Assange in the United Kingdom or the extradition request that has been made by the United States.

As with all other Labor ministers, Dreyfus presented Assanges imprisonment and threatened extradition as a bona fide, lawful procedure. But Assanges detention, in a maximum-security British prison, without conviction, has been denounced by outgoing United Nations Rapporteur Nils Melzer as state torture.

The US extradition effort is akin to a pseudo-legal lynching. Assange is to be imprisoned, for 175 years, under the draconian Espionage Act, for publishing true information revealing the illegal actions of the American government. Such an operation recalls dissidents being hurled into a dungeon cell, with the key thrown away, during medieval times.

Credible allegations are now on the public record, moreover, that the Trump administration and the CIA discussed kidnapping or assassinating Assange in 2017, before filing an indictment and an extradition request.

Dreyfus again made reference to the possibility of diplomatic representations on Assanges behalf.

In a highly revealing exchange, the interviewer noted: The government has said it would like to see this matter brought to an end, but hasnt exactly said how it would prefer it to come to an end. Would the government seek to have the charges against Assange dropped in the United States? she asked. I am not going to canvas what will be the resolution of this case, Dreyfus replied.

In other words, the attorney-generals vague statements are worthless. Why would anyone believe that a government minister, who will not even state publicly that the charges against Assange should be dropped, would be fighting for his freedom behind closed doors?

Dreyfus vague references to representations are like a bone to a hungry dog, meant to placate Assanges supporters, as is the cloak and dagger operation of Albanese possibly signing the petition.

The real position of Labor has been spelled out by two of its most prominent leaders, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles.

Marles stated last month: This is a matter for the United Kingdom. Like any Australian citizen facing legal proceedings abroad, he will be provided consular assistance.

The position is identical to that of the previous Liberal-National Coalition government. Consular support means monitoring the extradition case and the decline of Assanges health. It is the antithesis of a diplomatic and political intervention to free Assange.

For his part, Albanese has sought to dodge the issue of Assange for the past six weeks. He refuses to mention the WikiLeaks founders name, even when directly questioned about the topic. The only passionate comments he has made on the case were in an angry denunciation of Twitter users calling on the Labor government to take action.

It is hardly a mystery why Labor refuses to defend Assange.

The primary focus of the new government has been a foreign policy blitz, orchestrated in the closest of collaboration with the Biden administration, which is seeking Assanges extradition.

Wong and Albanese have been on one foreign visit after another, seeking to shore-up US dominance in the Indo-Pacific, and to further American imperialisms confrontation with China, which threatens nuclear war.

The highpoint came last week, when Albanese attended the NATO summit in Madrid. There, he gave full support to a new NATO doctrine, which labels Russia and China as threats and calls on member states to prepare for high-intensity, multi-domain warfighting against nuclear-armed peer-competitors.

The persecution of Assange is retribution for his exposure of past war crimes. But it is also a preparation for new, and even greater crimes, associated with these US-led plans for what is nothing short of a global war. The aim is to intimidate the mass anti-war sentiment that exists among workers and young people, and to establish a precedent for further frame-ups and victimisations. The Labor government is fully committed to Washingtons war measures, so it is hostile to Assange.

There are also domestic components. Labor has backed every piece of anti-democratic legislation introduced over the past twenty years, on the bogus pretext of the war on terror, and more lately the McCarthyite campaign against supposed foreign interference.

Amid an unprecedented crisis of world capitalism, the fuses of democracy are short circuiting and governments everywhere are turning to authoritarianism. The sharpest expression of that was the attempted fascist coup by Donald Trump on January 6, but similar processes are evident in every country.

There is no difference between the Labor governments contemptuous attitude towards Assange and its hostility towards working people. With a soaring cost of living, Labor has rejected calls for across-the-board pay rises, and has insisted that the national deficit will be paid for through sweeping cuts to essential social spending.

At the same time, the government continues the profit-driven let it rip COVID policies that are resulting in hundreds of deaths every week and an untold number of mass infections. Victims of floods this week in New South Wales have been offered only a pittance by the new government. Instead, it is committed to unprecedented military spending, of more than half a trillion dollars over the decade and tax cuts for the rich.

The persecution of Assange, in other words, is inextricably tied to the broader questions of capitalist crisis, war, austerity and mounting authoritarianism.

The other response to the global economic breakdown is that of the working class. All over the world, workers are entering into major struggles, including tens of thousands of rail staff in Britain, teachers, nurses and others in Australia. This emerging movement is the key constituency for the struggle against war and the fight to defend democratic rights, including to free Julian Assange.

As the Socialist Equality Party has explained, a Labor government will only fulfill its obligations to Assange, if it is forced to do so by a mass movement from below.

The SEP is holding a meeting this Sunday, at 3 p.m. (AEST) to discuss how to build such a movement.

Register today: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Zlegb7BRQMaZjX_aDZpv4g
Based on electoral considerations of a completely cynical character, the Democratic Party is putting substantial sums of campaign money toward the promotion of right-wing extremist candidates in Republican primaries, on the presumption they will be easier to beat in the general election this November.

The strategy reveals the political bankruptcy and light-minded recklessness of the Democratic Party. They are unable to offer policies and a political record that would actually attract support from the vast majority of voters, working class and middle class. So they aim to make their Republican opponents even more obnoxious, by promoting Republican primary candidates with the most reactionary and repugnant views.

Democratic campaign funds and wealthy individuals have embraced this cynical strategy in a series of primaries in May and June, culminating in the June 28 primaries in Illinois and Colorado, where the Democrats intervened in virtually all the competitive Republican contests, with mixed success. All the Democratic-backed ultra-right candidates lost in Colorado, but all of them won in Illinois.

The Illinois Republican primaries resulted in the nomination of right-wing extremist State Senator Darren Bailey for governor and ultra-right lawyer Thomas DeVore for attorney general. Bailey, an open racist and semi-fascist, supports an initiative that would separate the city of Chicago, which he refers to as a hellhole, from the rest of the state of Illinois. DeVore came to prominence opposing COVID-19 mitigations and vaccines, filing lawsuits against statewide and Chicago masking policies and vaccine mandates, defending the freedom of parents to send their children maskless to school in the midst of a deadly pandemic. He is also Baileys lawyer.

Bailey promotes Trumps lie of a stolen election, opposes abortion rights and masking, and spreads vaccine misinformation from his Facebook campaign page. One of his key campaign workers is Lawrence Ligas, long-time Illinois Republican activist and January 6 coup participant. Ligas was arrested and charged for his actions in the course of occupying the Capitol, after which Baileys campaign was forced to issue a perfunctory statement about supporting the law.

Bailey and Representative Mary Miller, a white supremacist and admirer of Adolf Hitler, both enjoyed Donald Trumps support at a Quincy, Illinois event the weekend before the June 28 primary. The two Democratic incumbents, billionaire Governor J. B. Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul, would be favored against any Republican opponents, including these two semi-fascists. But Pritzker was leaving nothing to chance, pumping an estimated $36 million into the Bailey and DeVore campaigns, routed through the Democratic Governors Association (DGA).

Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey responds to reporters questions after winning the Republican gubernatorial primary Tuesday, June 28, 2022, in Effingham, Ill. Bailey will now face Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker in the fall. [AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast]

The Democratic intervention into the Republican gubernatorial primary was literally two-faced, as some of the ads attacked Bailey as too conservative for Illinois, in terms calculated to rev up ultra-right Republicans, and others attacked the relatively more moderate candidate, Richard Irvin, former mayor of Aurora and a criminal defense attorney, from a right-wing standpoint.

The DGA ads depicted Irvin, who is African American, as no different from a Democrat, and uncommitted to law and order. One ad paid for by the Democrats highlighted Irvins career as a criminal defense attorney, homing in on his defense of those accused of sex crimes.

The narrator intones: Richard Irvins real record on crime? For 15 years Irvin has been a defense attorney, profiting by defending some of the most violent and heinous criminals. Domestic abusers and sexual assault, a kidnapper who molested a child, reckless homicide, even accused child pornographers. Richard Irvin has been getting rich by putting criminals back on our streets. Tell Richard Irvin to stop pretending to be tough on crime and start supporting policies that keep people safe.

When questioned by reporters about his campaigns involvement in this right-wing filth, Pritzker defended the ads: Its important that Democrats be involved in telling the truth out there and when it comes to what the DGAs doing here in Illinois, theyre simply telling the truth, which is more than the Irvin campaign can say.

The same strategy was used in the Pennsylvania primary in May. State Senator Douglas Mastriano won the Republican nomination for governor with the assistance of hundreds of thousands of dollars in ad spending from his future opponent, Democratic state Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

Mastriano is a retired colonel in the US Army and an organizer of the January 6 Stop the Steal event during which then President Trump instigated the attack on the US Capitol. Mastriano led the effort in Pennsylvania to discount the popular votes in the 2020 election and award the states 20 electoral votes to Trump. In the 2022 primary, he campaigned on expanding gun rights, attacking public education, banning abortion and lowering taxes for the rich.



As in Illinois, the Shapiro campaigns ad presented Mastrianos views as too conservative for Pennsylvania, aiming to boost his standing with conservatives who make up the bulk of the Republican primary voters. The Democrats $870,000 in television ad money raised Mastrianos political profile, dwarfing the roughly $360,000 Mastriano spent for his own TV advertising.

In California, the House Majority political action committee, linked to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, ran television ads promoting Chris Mathys as 100 percent pro-Trump and a true conservative to encourage far-right voters to give Mathys the edge over incumbent Republican David Valadao, who voted for Trumps impeachment, in the race for the states 22nd congressional district. In Colorado, Democrats put $2 million toward the nomination of Ron Hanks, also involved in the January 6 coup attempt, in order to try to defeat the more moderate Republican Joe ODea. In both states, the attempt failed and the more moderate Republican candidates won. Valadao will face Democrat Rudy Salas in November, while ODea faces incumbent US Senator Michael Bennet.

Former Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill has been credited with originating this strategy 10 years ago in her 2012 reelection campaign. Ultra-right Representative Todd Akin was trailing in the race for the Republican Senate nomination before McCaskill intervened with large amounts of ad money, helping him edge out two more moderate opponents. She then defeated Akin in the general election, citing particularly his comments on abortion.

McCaskill later told National Public Radio, This has to be done very carefully. While it contributed to her reelection in 2012, it did nothing to combat the further shift of the Republican Party towards the fascist right, and in 2018, McCaskill was swept out of office by state Attorney General Josh Hawley, who has gone on to position himself as the most ardent pro-Trump fascist in the US Senate. He was the first Republican senator to declare, in December 2020, that he would support a challenge to Biden electors in the battleground states, a key step in Trumps plan to use the January 6, 2021 certification vote in Congress as the occasion for his coup attempt.

This experience illustrates the politically reactionary character of this Democratic Party strategy. They not only take the risk that the more fascistic Republican will win the election in which they are intervening. They actually encourage the further development of the Republican Party in a fascist direction, by not offering any genuine political alternative.

In making an obviously insincere and duplicitous political appeal, the Democrats demonstrate that they take Republican voters for fools, who can be manipulated by any sort of disinformation, including that concocted by the Democrats themselves. But the 75 million people who voted for Trump in 2020 were not mere dupes, nor were they all fascists. Many of them have been alienated from the Democratic Party for good reason, because it has become the party of Wall Street, of the military-intelligence apparatus and endless wars, and of privileged sections of the upper-middle class, and cares nothing about the destruction of jobs, living standards and entire communities from corporate deindustrialization.

In pursuing this strategy, the Democrats have issued a tacit but high profile, public admission of their political bankruptcy. Representing a section of the ruling class that harbors no commitment to democratic forms of rule or progressive social policies of any kind, the Democrats do not seek to win elections through any genuine, positive mass appeal.

In the face of crying social need for wage raises, health care, food and housing assistance, access to education, and overwhelming social opposition to the bipartisan record of endless war and austerity, the concomitant explosions of mass violence, they offer nothing.

The oligarchic character of American society was perhaps most clearly demonstrated in the Illinois primary, where the two leading Republican candidates were each supported by billionaires representing the contending factions within the Republican Party, and the billionaire Democratic governor of Illinois on the other. AdImpact, an analytics firm, estimated that television advertisement spending in the Illinois primary totaled at least $100 million.

The Democrats make no genuine appeal to the working class, promise no serious reforms or anything that speaks to the crying needs of a society battered by decades of social counterrevolution and a pandemic. Much more worrisome to them than the rise of fascist candidates and the threat of a violent coup and dictatorship is the prospect of a mass rebellion of working people against the bipartisan policies of austerity, war, and mass death through pandemic.
A woman made her case to the Montana Board of Pardons and Parole on Thursday, seeking to end her sentence on a crime she maintains she didn't do.

Katie Garding, convicted of vehicular homicide by a jury trial in 2013 in the hit-and-run death of Bronson Parsons, appeared Thursday for an executive clemency hearing, a step in the process that rarely moves past the application phase. Following the hearing, the board is expected to issue a recommendation to grant or deny the request to Gov. Greg Gianforte in mid-July.

Represented by the Montana Innocence Project, Garding argued evidence uncovered since her conviction shows she could not have committed the crime. Garding was released from prison in December and is on parole while living in Billings, where she is employed at a veterinary clinic. Commuting her sentence would mean ending her remaining time on parole and taking a symbolic step toward establishing her innocence.

Caiti Carpenter, legal director at the Montana Innocence Project, presented information Thursday from crash reconstruction experts that shows, through "thousands" of computer generated scenarios, that Garding's vehicle could not have struck and killed Parsons on New Year's Day in 2008. Procedural hurdles and technicalities, Garding and Carpenter argued, have marred appeals to overturn the conviction.

"Since the day I went to prison I have been trying to prove to all of you I was not the person who committed this crime," Garding told the board.

The Missoula County Attorney's Office and Parsons' family members stood staunchly against Garding's bid for clemency during Thursday's hearing. Paul Parsons, the victim's father, said each hearing and appeal have reopened his family's wounds.

"I feel these hearings like a twisting of a knife that exists in my heart and soul," he said.

Among those who testified on Thursday was Jennifer Streano, Garding's public defender at the time of the initial case and now a Missoula Municipal Court judge. Garding's car did not exhibit damage consistent with Parsons' injuries, Streano said, and that lack of evidence led prosecutors to lean on statements from her ex-boyfriend, who may have been offered a lighter sentence in a separate case in exchange for his testimony.

"I'm not here because I lost the trial," Streano told the board. "Katie is innocent. She deserves her story to be heard. She deserves this conviction to be corrected."

Missoula County prosecutor Brian Lowney and District Court Judge John Larson, who presided over Garding's case, countered that these issues have been resolved in Garding's failed appeals and post-conviction relief proceedings.

"Those reports, those expert opinions, have been exhaustively litigated in front of the district court  and the (state) Supreme Court, and those claims have been rejected," Lowney told the board. "This is simply another forum for her to make the same pitch she made to the district court."

Members of the Board of Pardons and Parole, too, questioned if their forum was the right place to make Garding's case.

Carpenter told the board where the technicalities of the justice system failed her client, the Board of Pardons and Parole could allow her to prevail. The Montana Supreme Court has twice rejected Garding's appeals, most recently because it did not consider the crash-scene reconstruction reports to be "new evidence," but a re-examination of the same evidence prosecutors presented at her trial.

"I am deeply sorry to the Parsons, their family and friends that had their answer and had their peace," Carpenter told the board. "I ask this board to grant Katie clemency based on the evidence that she did not kill Mr. Parsons."
Rallies opposing the US Supreme Court overturn of Roe v Wade were held in cities around Australia last weekend.

Demonstrators rally outside Sydney Town Hall

Thousands attended in different cities, including in Sydney, where protestors endured torrential rain. The largest event was held in Melbourne, where about 10,000 people rallied, mostly young women. The attendance reflected an understanding that the Supreme Courts antidemocratic and legally illegitimate attack on abortion rights has international implications.

The organisers of the events, members of the pseudo-left organisation Socialist Alternative, sought to keep the protests within the safe channels of the political establishment.

Speakers at the events included trade union bureaucrats and Greens politicians, together with feminist activists who promoted identity politics. The class issues in the fight for abortion rights were concealed, as was the broader context of the Supreme Court ruling, including the breakdown of American democracy and the Australian-backed war drive against Russia and China.

Pro-abortion protesters in Melbourne

Several protestors spoke with World Socialist Web Site reporters.

In Sydney, Laura, a technology consultant, explained why she had come to the rally: They are taking away womens rights, they are taking away the right to choose. There are so many reasons why women would need or want to have an abortion, and for them to just take away that right completely doesnt make sense to me.

Laura

I also think that there are too many children in the world that arent looked after so thats also another reason why I think they are making a decision without even thinking about any of the consequences. So there are the womens rights that are being taken away but it is also about the children who are going to suffer as a result of this.

Ive seen that some of the large corporations in America are giving their employees funds to be able to travel to different states, but if you dont work for a large corporation and you are working to try to make ends meet and your employer cant help you either then they are the ones who are going to be impacted and dont have any choice.

Laura explained her initial reaction to the Supreme Court ruling: It was a bit like when Trump came to power. I was like, what, is that for real?, then I had to read up about it to really understand how deep it went and Im still in shock to be honest. I just dont understand where it is coming from, why they are doing it, why they are going back 50 years and why they are taking back womens rights and why they are able to do that. Thats what is scary.

Ive seen a lot of people saying that this is just the start of taking away peoples rights. And then we have to do things like this [demonstrate]. And people said to me what is it going to achieve, you coming out and protesting in Australia? And I said, well, imagine what it would look like if we just stood here and said nothing and did nothing and just let all of this happen. I think we must come together and make a stand. The more people come together, the more voices are heard, the more we will make a difference.

Also in Sydney, Natalie, a graphic designer, said she was attending the rally because, I think its wrong whats going on in the US, and I think Australia also has a long way to go with abortion. Even though it is accessible, it should be more accessible.

Natalie and her mother

She added, I think the individuals in the Supreme Court who overturned it are quite old-fashionedthey dont believe in progression. WSWS reporters pointed out that the right to abortion was a class issue. Natalie replied, I think its classist to take it away from people. The wealthy will be able to get an abortion, whereas people who cant afford to travel wont be able to.

In Melbourne, a 17-year-old student attended the rally with a group of school friends.

She explained. I had an abortion when I was 16 to save my life. Im a high school student. Having to carry a baby and drop out of high school was not something anyone wants to do. If I was in South Australia at the time, I would have had to carry the baby because it wasnt legalised then. The fact that a lot of girls in the US are going to have to go through something that I wouldnt wish on anyone is heart shattering. Its a fundamental right. Its not an easy decision but its a decision that needs to be made.

Asked why she thought this had happened in the US, the student replied: I think that Donald Trump was allowed to nominate three or four Supreme Court leaders and thats going to heavily affect America in a very negative way.

Youve already seen it took them four days from overturning Roe v Wade to talking about LGBTQ rights. I dont think America is a very safe country anymore. With their gun laws, and their lack of womens rights and fundamental human rights its a very scary space to live. I know in Australia we follow a lot of what America does.

I would like to think that something like that wouldnt happen here, but abortion was only legalised last year in some parts of Australia. Its already really hard to get for Aboriginal women and people in Tasmania. Its very likely that places like Tasmania will be able to criminalise it again and have harsh restrictions on it.

The young woman also discussed the class issues involved with abortion rights.

I didnt have a job when I got my abortion, but my family was able to pay for it, she said. Without Medicare it would have cost something like $8,000. As it was, we still had to pay $1,300 because Medicare didnt cover all of it. It was horrendous. Im still paying my family back for that. The fact that I had to pay for something that is a human right is very scary.

Taylor attended the Melbourne rally with Alice and a group of health workers. She said: The ruling is not going to stop abortion. Its just going to make it unsafe. People are going to die.

Alice (left) and Taylor at Melbourne protest

Alice added, It perpetuates a cycle of poverty because the people who can afford an abortion will always be able to get one. People who cant are going to have to raise children they dont want and they cant afford. This leaves us with people with more problems.

Her friend said, Things have gone backwards. They think they can get away with it now. Even though Trump has gone, his choices are still making decisions for an entire country that hes no longer in charge of. Its terrifying.

Alice continued, I dont think that any country is safe. Only a few months ago we had a prime minister whose religious discrimination act was going to put some people in real danger where they would not feel welcome. So its not impossible for it to happen anywhere.
The war in Syria has cost the lives of more than 306,000 civilians in the ten years between March 1, 2011 to March 31, 2021, according to data collected by the UN Human Rights Office. This does not include soldiers and fightersbelieved to be in the tens of thousandsor civilian victims buried by their families without notifying the authorities.

This is the first time the UN agency has provided data on the number of civilians killed in the war. It includes the total number of documented civilian deaths and estimates of undocumented deaths. Earlier figures issued by the UN did not distinguish between civilians and non-civilians and focused only on documented deaths.

The international media has largely ignored the release of these figures, testifying to its acceptance of large-scale civilian deaths even as the rapidly escalating US-NATO proxy war against Russia in the Ukraine threatens to spiral into nuclear conflict.

Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the UNs data was the highest estimate yet of conflict-related deaths in the civil war. The deaths represented a staggering 1.5 percent of the total population and gave a clearer sense of the severity and the scale of the conflict. She stressed, Let me be clear, these are the people killed as a direct result of war operations. This does not include the many, many more civilians who died due to the loss of access to healthcare, to food, to clean water and other essential human rights, which remain to be assessed.

The UNs figures are derived from the Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies, the Center for Statistics and Research-Syria, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the Violations Documentation Center, Syria Shuhada records, Syrian Government records as well as records of the UN Human Rights Office itself. Its database records the full name of the victim, the date and location of death, the actors allegedly responsible and the cause of death by weapon type.

Of the documented deaths, the UN said most were caused by the use of multiple weapons during clashes, ambushes, and massacres, while others were caused by heavy explosive weapons, small arms and light weapons, planted explosives, chemical weapons and unexploded remnants of war. A significant number died in custody, or as a result of sexual violence, torture, beheading or hanging.

The UN said that many of the deaths were allegedly caused by the Syrian government and its allies, as well as by armed anti-government groups.

Bachelet said that the number of civilian deaths triggered serious concerns as to the failure of the parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law norms on the protection of civilians and warned that civilian deaths would continue to rise for as long as the war goes on.

She neglected to point out the near weekly bombing raids on densely populated areas by Israel or Turkeys plans to attack the US-backed Kurdish militias in Syria that will inevitably lead to further hostilities and casualties. On May 23, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signaled his intention to invade Syria, saying, We are starting to take new steps soon regarding the remaining parts of the works which we have launched to create 30-kilometer-deep secure zones along our southern borders.

Nowhere does the report list the parties to the war, which it describes as a conflict, or how and why it arose: namely as a proxy war waged by reactionary mercenary forces supported, financed and armed by US and European imperialism, Turkey, the reactionary Gulf States and Israel, with the aim of toppling the bourgeois national regime of President Bashar al-Assad and installing a puppet government subservient to Washington.

At no point does the UN explain or even hint at the role the US and its allies played in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians or in the transformation of Syria from a middle-income country into the hell hole that it is today, without access to electricity for more than two hours a day. These same countries, responsible for reducing much of Syria to rubble, continually wring their hands over the Assad regimes violation of human rights conventions, as they do over Russias in Ukraine.

The UN has nothing to say about the illegal occupation of parts of Syria by the US, UK, France, Turkey and Israel, or the USs destruction of the countrys oil and gas infrastructure around the eastern city of Der al-Zur or its pillaging of Syrias archaeological artefacts.

The Syrian war, following hard on the heels on the US-led invasions of Afghanistan in 2001, Iraq in 2003 and Libya in 2011, was part of Washingtons efforts to violently restructure Middle Eastern and Central Asian politics, which has cost millions of lives. The Obama administration sought to use the Assad regimes brutal suppression of the protests that erupted in Deraa in the south of the country in March 2011 as the pretext for a regime change operation that had been under active consideration for some years and thereby isolate Iran, Syrias key backer.

As in the operation against Libyas Gaddafi regime, Washingtons key proxies were Sunni sectarian forces tied to Al Qaeda, including veterans of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group in Libya, the Al Nusra Front and later the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Jeish al-Islam and other Islamist groups in Syria, as US officials and media admitted. As in the case of Afghanistan, in the period after the Soviet invasion in 1979, the US was willing to countenance an Islamist victory since it believed that Turkey and Israel would constrain its reach.

These reactionary forces were extolled as revolutionaries by pseudo-left groups, including Frances New Anti-Capitalist Party, Britains Socialist Workers Party and the USs International Socialist Organisation as well as by academics Juan Cole and Gilbert Achcar. These political charlatans in the service of imperialism never bothered to explain the programme and perspective of these revolutionaries, much less how such arch-reactionaries as Saudi Arabia and Qatar that outlaw all opposition at home could support a progressive revolution abroad.

It was only when ISIS expanded its field of operations into Iraq, capturing large swathes of Iraqi territory, and came within an inch of reaching Baghdad in 2014 that the Obama administration moved against ISIS. It set up bases inside Syria in breach of Syrias sovereignty, supported the Syrias rebel Kurdish forces against ISIS and carried out bombing campaigns against the facilities of both ISIS and the Syrian government and its allies.

Notwithstanding the lavish support of the imperialist powers and their regional allies, these revolutionaries proved unable to topple Assad, testifying to the lack of popular support for their far-right, often jihadist politics.

The UN, the major powers and the worlds media have largely ignored the appalling suffering produced by the imperialists proxy war, apart from that in the opposition held Idlib province, and skated over the terrible loss of life caused directly and indirectly by their warmongering. While the US-led multinational coalition against ISIS has acknowledged killing at least 1,417 civilians in air strikes in Iraq and Syria since 2014, the monitoring group Airwars has put the actual figure at between 8,192 and 13,244. Nevertheless, such US military investigations as have been carried out found that its troops did not violate the laws of war or deliberately cause civilian casualties.

The Syrian war spawned the worlds largest refugee and displacement crisis, until Russias reactionary invasion of Ukraine. Around 5.6 million people fled the country, with another 6.9 million displaced within Syria, while hostilities continue in various parts of the country. Nearly 90 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. Around 14.6 million peoplenearly 80 percent of the population and the highest number recorded since the start of the warneed humanitarian assistance. Some 12 million are expected to face food shortages in 2022 as food prices soar and food availability falls. At the same time, appeals for humanitarian aid, unless it is for the rebel held Idlib province, routinely fall on deaf ears.

The destruction of Syria, its economy, agriculture and education and healthcare systems, in a proxy war for the control of the Middle East and its energy resources, must serve as a sharp warning of what is to come as the US and its NATO allies massively escalate the war in Ukraine in a bid to topple Russias President Vladimir Putin and seize control of Russias vast energy and mineral resources.

Those responsible for the hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths and the terrible suffering ongoing for more than 11 years in Syria are neither named nor brought to account by the UN, an agency controlled by the imperialist powers. That is the task of the working class, in a unified struggle throughout the world for socialism, against war and the capitalist system that is its source.
Pat Cipollone, who was White House counsel for Donald Trump over the critical period before, during and after the failed coup of January 6, 2021, has agreed to give testimony under oath at a closed-door session of the House Select Committee investigating the conspiracy to overthrow the 2020 election.

Cipollone will sit for a transcribed, video-taped deposition on Friday, July 8. He had resisted requests from the Committee to give sworn testimony voluntarily, and was rebuked by Committee Vice-Chair Liz Cheney at the conclusion of last weeks televised hearing for failing to come forward.

At that hearing, Cassidy Hutchinson, a former top aide to Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, cited discussions with Cipollone and Meadows establishing that Trump planned to march on the US Capitol along with his Stop the Steal followers, knowing that a section of the crowd was armed.

She said there was talk of Trump entering the House chamber, uninvited, making a speech, and demanding that the congressmen, senators and Vice President Mike Pence stop the certification of Joe Bidens victory in the Electoral Collegein other words, delivering an ultimatum that they either allow Trump to remain in power or face death at the hands of his fascist mob, led by neo-Nazi paramilitaries such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.

As the World Socialist Web Site wrote after last weeks hearing:

There is little doubt what the congressional Democrats would have done. They would have capitulated, seeking some face-saving operation like a referral of the disputed election to a vote by the House of Representatives, conducted according to the procedure of one vote for each entire state delegation, thereby guaranteeing Trumps victory.

Afterwards, the Democrats and the corporate media would have portrayed the outcome as being in accordance with the Constitution, and any legal challenge would have been rejected by Trumps stooges on the Supreme Court.

That the coup failed owes not at all to opposition from the Democratic Party, and certainly not to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden, who was appealing for the would-be dictator to go on national television and call off his own coup.

Hutchinson testified that Cipollone had opposed Trumps plan to personally lead the mob to the Capitol, telling her, Were going to get charged with every crime imaginable. Following the hearing, the Committee subpoenaed Cipollone.

It is believed that Cipollone and the Committee will agree to limits on his testimony, likely excluding questions about his direct discussions with Trump. But he could nevertheless confirm key aspects of the testimony from Hutchinson and previous witnesses about the illegal and unconstitutional conspiracy to overthrow the election on the basis of the fiction that Trump had really won, but the election had been stolen.

It is possible that the Committee will show clips from Cipollones deposition at upcoming televised hearings.

The Committee also announced that its next televised hearing, the seventh in the current series, will take place on Tuesday, July 12, and will focus on the role of far-right militias such as the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers in the coup, and their ties to the Trump White House and Republican officials involved in the plot.

Trump supporters scaling the wall of the Capitol on January 6, 2021 [Credit: Flickr.com/Blink Ofanaye]

Sarah Matthews, who served as deputy press secretary in the Trump White House, will appear as an in-person witness. Matthews resigned in protest shortly after the January 6 attack.

Following last weeks hearing, she tweeted that anyone downplaying Cassidy Hutchinsons role or her access in the West Wing either doesnt understand how the Trump [White House] worked or is attempting to discredit her because theyre scared of how damning this testimony is.

In a related development, a special grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia (Atlanta), convened in May to investigate Trumps efforts to overturn Bidens victory in Georgia, issued subpoenas Tuesday to seven advisers and allies of the ex-president. They include Trumps former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and other lawyers involved in efforts to get Georgias Republican-controlled state legislature, as well as those of other battleground states that went to Biden, to appoint fake pro-Trump electors and reject the Biden electors who had been certified by election officials.

Those subpoenaed include John Eastman, Jenna Ellis, Cleta Mitchell, Jacki Pick Deason and Kenneth Chesebro. Also subpoenaed was Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

In the period following the November 2020 election, Graham made at least two phone calls to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and his staff, according to court documents submitted Tuesday. Raffensperger alleged that Graham suggested he throw out certain absentee ballots.

Raffensperger testified before the January 6 Committee last month about the multiple attempts by Giuliani, Eastman and Trump himself to pressure him to throw out Biden votes in order to swing the states electoral votes to Trump. This includes the infamous 67-minute phone call by Trump on January 2, 2021, which was tape recorded, in which Trump said, I just want to find 11,780 votes. In the call, Trump threatened Raffensperger with criminal prosecution and warned that if he continued to defy the White House, it would be dangerous for him.

Bidens victory in Georgia was confirmed by two statewide recounts. No evidence of widespread fraud was found in those recounts or by any court.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who impaneled the grand jury, is considering a range of charges, including criminal solicitation to commit election fraud, conspiracy to commit election fraud, intentional interference with performance of election duties and racketeering.

It took Biden and the Democrats 18 months to hold public hearings that began to reveal aspects of the massive conspiracy to overthrow the Constitution and establish a dictatorship under Trump. They have sought to cover up the role of substantial sections of the military, the intelligence apparatus, the police and the judiciary, including Trumps allies on the Supreme Court, in the plot. Biden continues to call the Republican Party, dominated by Trumps fascistic acolytes, his friends and colleagues.

Even now, they and the Democratic-aligned media are seeking to narrow the investigation to the role of Trump as an individual, locating the cause of the coup in Trumps psyche, rather than in the devastating and unprecedented crisiseconomic, political, socialof American capitalism.

Trump and his fascist allies are allowed to go free and continue their conspiracy to impose a brutal dictatorship on the working class, while Biden and the Democrats seek to prop up the rotting two-party system in order to prosecute the war against Russia and the mounting confrontation with Chinaboth nuclear-armed powers.

The defense of democratic rights depends entirely on the independent mobilization of the working class in opposition to the entire capitalist setup.
On the morning of July 6, Highland Park, Illinois, shooting suspect Robert Crimo III confessed to prosecutors he committed a pre-meditated attack on the Fourth of July parade which left seven dead and 46 wounded after firing more than 80 rounds from a rooftop into the crowd. The death toll is subject to change given the severity of the injuries inflicted.

Law enforcement search after the 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]

Crimo is currently being held without bail and charged with seven counts of first-degree murder. A preliminary hearing is set for July 28 with Crimo facing the possibility of life imprisonment without parole. There is no indication anyone else was directly involved with the attack.

New details regarding Crimos actions before and after the shooting have come to light since he was taken into custody by Illinois police on the night of July 4th. One of the most alarming developments is that Crimo reportedly considered committing a second mass shooting in Madison, Wisconsin, after he was able to evade the police and flee Highland Park. He also dumped his phone in nearby Middleton, Wisconsin, less than 10 miles west of downtown Madison, in an effort to throw the authorities off his tracks.

Authorities have said that Crimo had planned his attack in Highland Park for weeks and legally bought multiple rifles, along with large quantities of ammunition. On the morning of the attack, he disguised himself in womens clothing and covered his facial and neck tattoos in make-up to avoid being recognized. Crimo climbed up a fire escape of an office building in the area of Central Avenue and 2nd Street and began shooting from the roof into the crowd along the parade at 10:14 a.m.

After firing about 80 rounds, Crimo escaped into the panicked crowd still disguised and fled the scene. Still armed he took his mothers car and fled 140 miles away on an approximately two and half hour drive to Madison in an attempt to mislead authorities.

According to Lake County Major Crimes Task Force spokesman Sgt. Christopher Covelli, the 21-year-old suspect seriously contemplated doing another shooting in Madison. Crimo had a second semi-automatic rifle with him, along with 60 rounds of ammunition as he traveled to the Wisconsin state capital. Sgt. Covelli added that upon entering the city, Crimo saw a large fest and began considering an attack but hadnt put enough thought or research into it. Crimo also may have been dissuaded by the poor weather in Madison which at the time included large rolling thunderstorms. It remains unclear which event or festival he was considering attacking.

Crimo dumped his phone in Middleton before driving back to his hometown of Highwood, a suburb adjoining Highland Park, and was apprehended after a resident noticed that his vehicle matched the description of a vehicle fleeing the scene of the shooting and called it in to police.

The WSWS has already reported on the fascistic, right-wing pro-Trump leanings Crimo shared on social media under his rapper name Awake, as well as past actions such as hoarding knives and threatening to kill his family. Highland Park police were aware of all this before the shooting.

However, when purchasing his weapons, Crimos background check came up clean because he had only one offense: A January 2016 ordinance violation for possession of tobacco and no certified history of mental health issues. Because of this, he was able to purchase the weapons and ammunition without any trouble or suspicion.

These details reveal that Crimo came within a hairs breadth of unleashing another wave of terror in a nearby, highly populated city on the same day. Many more people could have been killed both in Highland Park and in Madison were it not for a lack of research on Crimos part.

Despite murky motives reported by the mediaincluding the alleged notion that he was obsessed with the numbers four and seventhe awareness by the police of Crimos issues and their inability to capture him before fleeing showcase a staggering unpreparedness and unwillingness to protect the population at large. This recalls the recent massacre in Uvalde, Texas, where police stood in a hallway for 90 minutes as a gunman carried out a rampage in Robb Elementary, killing 19 students and two teachers.

Similarly, prominent Democrats have been shown to be totally incapable of speaking to the deep social crisis which pervades American society and gives rise to horrific mass killings with increasing regularity.

Less than 36 hours after the shooting, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at the scene of the shooting with characteristically vague and rambling remarks. The extent to which Harris proved completely incapable of even attempting to offer solutions and analysis of the tragedy can be seen in the exact words she used:

We got to take this stuff seriously, as seriously as you are because you have been forced to take it seriously. The whole nation should understand and have a level of empathy to understand that this could happen anywhere in any peace-loving community, and we should stand together and speak out about why it has to stop.

In light of President Joe Biden not visiting the city and waffling on whether he ever will, Harris sent condolences on his behalf to the citys residents. In offering the usual sweet nothings Democrats proclaim in the light of tragedies such as this and the Uvalde shooting, Harris blandly stated: You know that you have a whole nation that cares deeply about you and stands with you. This is an incredibly tight community. I know that. And this person will be brought to justice, but its not going to undo what happened. And were here for you, and we stand with you.

Harris is first in the order of succession to the American presidency and the most she can do for the residents of Highland Park in the midst of such unspeakable violence is offer crocodile tears and metaphorical solidarity of the most useless kind.

Meanwhile, Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker parroted Harris ineffectual call for an assault weapons ban and said: 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 leave behind. Please know that our state grieves with you, that M.K. and I grieve with you.

The Democrats claim to be the best chance in fighting the inexorable torrent of fascism spewing from the Republican Party. And the best they can offer to millions of Americans living in fear of unchecked violence and the rapid rescinding of democratic rights is shared grief and hollow invocations of evil.

As the oldest capitalist party in the world, the Democrats are totally and completely unable to speak to the social, economic and political crisis confronting the working class in the US and internationally, which has been dramatically amplified over the last two years by the COVID-19 pandemic and the US-NATO war against Russia. They speak for a ruling class that has destroyed entire societies in wars of aggression while eagerly sacrificing the lives of workers at home for the profits of Wall Street and the billionaires.
Yesterday, Ekrem Karakaya, a cardiologist at Konya City Hospital, was killed while on duty in an armed attack by Hac Mehmet Akcay, a relative of a patient. The assailant committed suicide after the murder.

Healthcare workers march during a strike on December 6 in Izmir, with a banner saying Health care is teamwork. We want wages to live decently, above the poverty line! [Credit: @sesgenelmerkezi on Twitter]

After the murder, hospital staff stopped work. Physicians and health workers organizations such as the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), Hekimsen and SES unions are stopping work today and tomorrow in protest. They blame the government, which they correctly hold responsible for increasing attacks on health care workers and are demanding that necessary measures be taken.

The World Socialist Web Site condemns this attack and calls for the preparation of a mass political movement in the working class in defence of health workers. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government, and governments across Europe and the Middle East, have contempt for the needs of health care workers and the working class as a whole. Amid a new upsurge of COVID-19, it is essential for all workers and youth to mobilize in solidarity with health workers in this critical fight.

Hekimsen, which has approximately 20,000 members, said in a statement: Our union has decided to take action for 2 days (July 7 - July 8, 2022) all over Turkey. We will discuss with our stakeholders about what to do after the Eid al-Adha.

The TTB, which has around 110,000 members, held a press conference, announcing its support for the two-day strike. In a statement titled We are sorry, we are furious! We will hold those responsible to account, TTB officials stated: As the Turkish Medical Association, we have repeatedly warned the government against the widening spiral of violence. We have repeatedly explained that violence in health care sector is not an isolated issue, but a social and political problem.

Stressing that they had demanded action be taken and the law be amended to address increased armed or physical attacks on health care institutions, the TTB accused the government of ignoring its warnings. It said: The source of violence was detached from its social context, and the problem was reduced to individuals.

It continued: The entire responsibility of the health system, which is collapsing in every sense, is placed on the shoulders of physicians and health care workers. This situation causes us to become targets, and the policies carried out in the field of health come back to us in the form of violence, death, helplessness and hopelessness.

The TTB emphasized the responsibility of President Erdogan himself, who has increasingly targeted physicians and health care workers recently: We call out to those who told us to let them go, today a colleague of ours has died. You are also responsible!

The brutal murder of Dr. Karakaya outraged hundreds of thousands of health care workers and broader layers of working people. After the murder became known, the social media topics were almost entirely devoted to this issue. Both health care workers and many of their supporters criticized the decision of health care unions and TTB to strike for only two days and called for an indefinite strike.

The governments initial reactions to the murder only deepened public anger. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, who is thoroughly discredited for his policy of mass infection and death in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, was widely criticized for his vague statement on Twitter. Demands are mounting for his resignation.

Koca wrote: A security guard from Konya Yunak District State Hospital shot a fellow physician at Konya City Hospital and took his life. He also died in the incident. Judicial authorities are continuing their investigations into this horrifying criminal act.

Concerned that the political and social causes of the murder are being discussed by millions, the government imposed a gag order on reporting on the murder in a Konya court. Thousands of people nevertheless discussed the issue on social media.

Since December last year, physicians and health workers have gone on strike across Turkey almost every month to demand better wages and benefits, making them one of the most combative sections of the working class. One of their main demands was the adoption of deterrent legal measures against dozens of daily incidents of violence in health institutions.

Recent press reports reveal how the governments targeting and impunity for physical attacks encourage new attacks on health care workers. On Monday, Prof. Koray Basar, a former President of the Psychiatric Association of Turkey, was physically attacked by an organized group.

Yesterday, before the murder, the SES union in Bursa issued a press release on another act of violence, stating: Unfortunately, our physician friend working at Duacnar Oral and Dental Hospital has been subjected to constant threats and verbal violence by a patient and has no security of life.

On April 15, which was declared Day of Struggle against Violence in Health Care Sector by the TTB, Suleyman Kaynak, an official of the Izmir Medical Chamber, shared the latest data on the situation. Dr. Ersin Arslan and 10 other colleagues killed in the last 20 years were taken from us not only by angry patients and relatives, but also by the severe problems of the current health care system, he said.

According to Kaynak, the number of acts of violence against health care workers increased from 11,942 in 2020 to 29,826 in 2021. According to a survey conducted by the TTB, 84 percent of physicians have been subjected to physical or verbal violence at least once in their professional lives. This means an average of 81 violent incidents per day.

The statement continued: The governments policies in the field of health care service have returned to physicians in the form of violence, death, despair and hopelessness, and working conditions have become unbearable and that physicians have resigned, retired or left the country in response.

This year alone, around 1,000 Turkish physicians have gone abroad. According to the Hekimsen union, approximately 9,000 doctors have resigned from the public service in the last 20 months; nearly 2,000 of them have gone abroad or are about to leave.

Kaynak concluded his statement, stating: Without acknowledging the root causes of violence in health care system, that is, without improving the living conditions of citizens, the working conditions of physicians, without changing the health care system that does not prioritize public health, a mere violence law cannot permanently solve violence in health.

The murder of Dr. Karakaya and the increasing attacks on health care workers in Turkey can only be understood in the context of the deepening crisis of the capitalist system as a whole.

For nearly two decades, the Erdogan government and capitalist governments internationally have subordinated health care to the profit interests of corporations, gutting public health while also massively impoverishing the working class amid deepening social inequality. Militarism is relentlessly glorified, police violence against social protests commonplace, and basic democratic rights completely disregarded.

All this took place as entire societies were destroyed, millions were killed and tens of millions were made refugees by imperialist wars across the Middle East in the last three decades. The struggle of doctors and health care workers to ensure their safety and decent living conditions is an integral part of the struggle of the international working class against the existing capitalist social system and for socialism.
A soggy start to July is keeping drought at bay in western North Dakota following a dry June.

Bismarck in the first six days of July received 2.53 inches of rain, nearly 2 inches above average, according to National Weather Service data. The bulk of it came during a stormy two days last weekend -- an early Sunday storm brought heavy rain and then an early Monday storm dropped 1.56 inches on the capital city, breaking its July Fourth record of 1.14 inches set 121 years earlier.

Dickinson through Wednesday had received a little more than 2 inches of rain this month, about 1 inches above normal for that city. Stark County Emergency Management is asking area residents to report any flood damages incurred from a Sunday storm, as officials prepare to seek possible recovery aid. Residents should email nlorenzen@starkcountynd.gov or call 701-456-7609 by July 15.

More rain was falling in western North Dakota on Thursday, and the forecast called for further chances for showers and thunderstorms through Saturday.

"Severe thunderstorms are possible Saturday and Saturday night, but timing and precise locations of potential severe weather remains unclear at this time," the weather service said in a statement Thursday.

AccuWeather described Tuesday's multistate storms as a derecho -- a storm complex that causes damage continuously or intermittently for 400 miles or more along a 60-mile-wide or more swath, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center. It caused heavy building and crop damage and power outages in South Dakota, Iowa and other states. Grapefruit-size hail was reported just south of the North Dakota border in Timber Lake, South Dakota.

Drought dies

Last year at this time all of North Dakota was in some from of drought, and more than half of the state was in extreme or exceptional drought, the two worst categories on the U.S. Drought Monitor map, a partnership of NOAA, the National Drought Mitigation Center and the federal Agriculture Department.

The dry conditions began to wane last fall, and a record-wet April pushed drought out of the state entirely.

Bismarck set four precipitation records that month, and April climate statistics from the National Weather Service showed that the city's precipitation for the month was 2.2 inches above normal.

The situation was reversed last month. Recently released climate statistics for June show that Bismarck, Dickinson and Minot all had lower-than-normal precipitation for the month. Bismarck's total was nearly half an inch below the total from drought-stricken June 2021, and more than 2 inches below average.

But this week's Drought Monitor map shows that drought is not creeping back anywhere in the state. Climate Prediction Center Meteorologist Brad Pugh noted the heavy rainfall in the Northern Plains over the past week, though he also said the 6-10 day outlook, through July 16, suggests below-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures for the region.

This weekend could be another hot one. The weather service says Bismarck has an 82% chance of a high temperature Saturday of at least 90 degrees. The city's normal high for July 9 is 84 degrees.

Crops and fires

The disappearance of drought in North Dakota has been good for crops and bad for wildfires.

Soil moisture around the state is mostly adequate to surplus, and less than 5% of all crops except sugar beets is rated poor or very poor, according to the weekly crop report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Even with sugar beets, 75% of the crop is still rated in fair, good or excellent condition.

Pasture and range conditions are rated mostly good to excellent, and stock water supplies are mostly adequate to surplus.

Last year at this time there had been about 1,500 wildfires scorching more than 100,000 acres in North Dakota. So far this year there have been only 214, burning 810 acres, according to state Emergency Services spokesman Eric Jensen.

North Dakota since 2015 has had an annual average of 830 wildfires burning 32,635 acres.
A federal magistrate judge in North Dakota has issued a multibillion-dollar judgment against a Mexican drug cartel blamed for the deaths of nine people in 2019.

The judgment by U.S. Magistrate Judge Clare Hochhalter totals more than $1.5 billion to the families who sued the Juarez cartel, an organization labeled by the U.S. government as a known drug trafficker. Under the federal Anti-Terrorism Act, such awards are automatically tripled, making the true amount $4.6 billion.

Maria Rhonita LeBaron and four of her children, ages 12, 10, and 8-month-old twins; Christina Langford; and Dawna Langford and her children, ages 11 and 2, were attacked about 90 miles south of the U.S. border on Nov. 4, 2019. One-hundred cartel gunmen split into two groups for the attack, during which hundreds of rounds were fired into three vehicles from a distance, according to court documents. The shooters then approached the vehicles and set fire to them, a signature move of the organization, the documents say.

Families of the victims filed civil lawsuits in 2020 that were later consolidated into one suit. LeBarons husband, Howard Miller, and Christina Langfords husband, Tyler Johnson, lived in North Dakota at the time of the slayings.

The people in the three-vehicle caravan were members of an offshoot Mormon community, according to The Associated Press. Survivors accused the cartel of attacking them in retribution for their public criticism and protests against the cartel.

Court documents state the end goal of the cartel through such acts of terror was to take back territory from a rival drug organization.

The Juarez cartel and its armed wing La Linea each is designated by the U.S. government as a significant foreign narcotics trafficker, court documents show. The legal action was brought under the Anti-Terrorism Act, and notice was served to the cartel through publication in Mexico newspapers.

Hochhalter during a weeklong trial in February heard testimony from witnesses and experts. One expert testified some of the victims survived the initial hail of gunfire and were alive and conscious when their vehicle was intentionally set on fire.

Burning is arguably the worst way you can die, said Dr. Sebastian Schubl, director of medical operations at the University of California-Irivne Health Administration. He added that LeBaron had the additional terror of being shot and unable to assist her children, who were still alive and able to see, feel and hear what was going on as the attackers poured fuel on the car and started it on fire.

So youre not only burning to death after being shot, but youre also suffocating. Youre asphyxiating because theres no oxygen left in the air. Its just fire, Schubl said.

The trial was held as a way to establish wrongful death and pain-and-suffering damages for the victims and their families. Court documents state children saw siblings die from gunshot wounds, and some, though injured by gunshots themselves, trekked in near-freezing temperatures to seek help. Family members later went to the scene to find their deceased loved ones.

It was horrible, it was sickening, LeBarons father, Adrian LeBaron-Soto, testified. Me, my wife and family were forced to do the unconscionable -- collect our families' bones and ashes.

The cartel did not respond to the published summons or have representation at the trial.

Hochhalter after hearing testimony said hed never seen a more horrific set of facts and told family members he would do justice and read the statute the way it was meant to be read.

Im not afraid of big numbers at all, he said. There is no way that any big number is going to keep us from finding justice in this case.

The Langford familys tripled judgment was just more than $2 billion.

The horror that my children experienced and my entire family has been through as the result of the Nov. 4, 2019, killing of (wife) Dawna Langford and my two children by the Juarez cartel will never, ever be made right, David Langford said. We went into a United States courtroom in North Dakota seeking some acknowledgement of and measure of justice for the trauma inflicted on our family and we received it."

The families can seek the judgment amounts through a process similar to that used by the victims of the 9/11 attacks. The U.S. government can freeze assets of terrorist organizations. The victims in this case would present their judgment to the U.S. Treasury Department, which holds such assets. It's unclear if the department holds any cartel assets.
Authorities in South Dakota have arrested escaped inmate David Corn and an Aberdeen woman they say helped him flee from the Missouri River Correctional Center south of Bismarck.

Emily Margolies, 35, allegedly admitted to police that she picked up Corn at the center Tuesday morning, according to North Dakota Highway Patrol documents.

Burleigh County authorities issued an arrest warrant for Margolies on Wednesday. She was arrested in Aberdeen around midday. Margolies is charged in Burleigh County with felony conspiracy to commit escape and accomplice to escape, court records show.

Corn was located and taken into custody by the Aberdeen Police Department on Wednesday night. Police said the arrest came after a standoff at a residence that ended with Corn's surrender.

The Patrol during its investigation learned from Dickey County authorities that Corn, from Forbes, was active on Facebook under the name Mitch Connor. He updated his profile picture Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.

Corn, 35, is 6 feet tall, weighs 370 pounds, and has red hair and brown eyes. Burleigh County authorities issued an arrest warrant for him on felony charges of conspiracy to commit escape and escape.

Telephone calls recorded at the center and reviewed by police after Corn left the minimum-security facility showed that he had made arrangements with a woman to be picked up about 6:15 a.m. Tuesday. The woman said she would be driving a white Suburban, the Patrol affidavit states.

Correction center officials notified the Patrol that Corn left the center in a white, early 2000s Suburban with no license plates driven by a female with very blond long hair. The vehicle initially didn't attract notice because it resembled other vehicles on the property.

Information on the recorded calls included a phone number that officials confirmed belonged to Margolies, the affidavit states.

Troopers say Corn later used Margolies phone to call a known drug dealer in Dickey County.

Corn pleaded guilty in April to fleeing police, drug possession with intent to deliver, and unauthorized use of a vehicle. The charges were filed in Dickey County in November 2021. A judge sentenced him to three years in prison and three years on probation, court records show. Hed been at the center since May 26, had a scheduled good behavior release date of June 1, 2024, and a maximum release date of Nov. 28, 2024, the Patrol document states.
North Dakota's only abortion provider is challenging the state's abortion ban set to take effect July 28.

The Fargo-based Red River Women's Clinic filed a state court lawsuit Thursday, arguing the ban is unconstitutional under the state constitution's rights of life, liberty, safety and happiness, "all of which protect the right to abortion," according to a statement.

The lawsuit also disputes the effective date of the ban, which Attorney General Drew Wrigley affixed as July 28, based on the 2007 "trigger" law banning most abortions in North Dakota. The law is to take effect 30 days after Legislative Council, the Legislature's research arm, receives notice from the attorney general that it would be upheld as constitutional. Wrigley provided that notice June 28.

The lawsuit argues that the Supreme Court, while having issued its June 24 opinion in the case that overturned Roe v. Wade's constitutional right to an abortion, has not issued its judgment -- what attorneys say is a separate order issued 25 days or more after the opinion.

"We have faced relentless attacks from North Dakota lawmakers who have long wanted us gone," clinic Director Tammi Kromenaker said in the statement. "But we will fight this draconian ban like the other outrageous bans and restrictions that came before it.

"In the meantime, we will keep our doors open to provide abortion care to patients who need us," she said. "Being the last remaining abortion clinic in the state, our patients already have to travel long distances just to reach us. Our patients deserve the right to access essential health care if and when they need it regardless of zip code.

The lawsuit names Wrigley and Cass County State's Attorney Birch Burdick as defendants. Burdick did not immediately return a phone message.

Wrigley said, "We are carefully reviewing and evaluating the complaint. I will reserve further comment until our formal response is complete and filed with the court."

North Dakota's law makes it a felony to perform an abortion, including using medication, unless necessary to prevent the womans death, or in cases of rape or incest. Violations will be punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. It's not clear how the ban will be enforced. North Dakota's abortion laws specifically exclude females seeking abortions from being prosecuted, according to Wrigley.

Even though the trigger law has exceptions for victims of rape or incest, there will be no access to abortion services in North Dakota. Those victims would need to travel to an out-of-state provider for access. North Dakota already has restrictions on medication abortion via telehealth. A 2011 law requires an abortion-inducing drug to be administered in the physical presence of the doctor who prescribed it.

The attorney general's office is evaluating how to proceed over a handful of state abortion laws blocked in federal court from taking effect, including the 2013 "heartbeat bill" banning abortions as soon as a fetal heartbeat is detected, "except when a medical emergency exists that prevents compliance" with the law.

The Fargo clinic is planning to move across the Red River to Moorhead, where it has secured a space and is working to ready it.

Abortion is legal in Minnesota up to the point of fetal viability, around the 24th week of pregnancy, according to The Associated Press. The state has some restrictions, including a 24-hour waiting period with state-mandated counseling, both parents generally must be notified prior to a minor getting an abortion, and only physicians can perform abortions.

A GoFundMe page set up last month to benefit the transition had raised more than $938,000 as of early afternoon Thursday. The original goal of $20,000 has been increased to $1 million.

North Dakota recorded 1,171 abortions in 2020, according to the latest figures available from the state Health Department. The total includes 833 North Dakota residents and 338 women from other states, particularly Minnesota and South Dakota, who came to North Dakota for the procedure.

Saturday rallies

The abortion ban is popular among many people and groups in North Dakota, but many others have denounced it.

Abortion rights advocates plan rallies in Bismarck, Minot and Fargo on Saturday.

Our access to abortion shouldn't depend on where we live, how much money we make or who we are. We should be able to make the best medical decisions for ourselves and our families, said Kathrine Christensen, state director for Planned Parenthood North Central States. We will be organizing supporters, at the Legislature and at the ballot box, making our voices heard every day until we all have the freedom in North Dakota to access the care we need without obstacles, shame, stigma or harassment.

The rallies are supported by Planned Parenthood North Central States, ERA Now, Red River Womens Clinic, ACLU of North Dakota, WIN Fund, North Dakota Womens Network and Prairie Action North Dakota. The Bismarck rally is at 10 a.m. at the state Capitol.
Xi Jinpings recent victory lap in Hong Kong does not bode well for the future of civil rights and freedoms there, as the one country, two systems agreement made with Great Britain in 1997 appears irreparably broken. []

On January 1, 1997, Hong Kong, effectively seized by Great Britain in war a century before, reverted to Chinese rule. Only recently liberated from the madness of Mao Zedongs rule, Beijing promised to preserve Hong Kongs separate system for 50 years.

Alas, the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) terminated the political regime based on historic British liberties 27 years early, with passage of the National Security Law in June 2020. The PRCs increasingly repressive Xi Jinping government created a police state in the Special Administrative Region as suffocating as that on the mainland.

The Human Rights Measurement Initiatives Rights Tracker shows a collapse in Hong Kongs rating. Explained HRMI: Hong Kongs Safety from the State score of 6.5 out of 10 suggests that a significant number of people are not safe from one or more of the following: arbitrary arrest, torture and ill-treatment, forced disappearance, execution or extrajudicial killing.

The slightest resistance to or even criticism of Beijing or its local agents can lead to prosecution and imprisonment. Legal scholar Alvin Cheung observed: Theres no end of things that can be brought under the rubric of national security  particularly under the Hong Kong legislation and under what we know of the mainland conception of national security. In May the Hong Kong Democracy Council estimated that Hong Kong held 1,024 political prisoners. One of the most important symbolic recent changes is suppression of the once annual June commemoration of the Tiananmen Square Massacre.

Xi recently visited Hong Kong to celebrate his brutal achievement, leaving the mainland for the first time since COVID hit. He was greeted at the railway station with a choreographed Mao-style crowd, shouting its welcome. He lauded the Hong Kongs formal autonomy and claimed that there is no reason to change such a good systemwhile emphasizing that only local Communist Party factotums would rule.

Although the PRC has won the present, it looks like it has lost the future. In a recent survey, just 2% of 18-to-29-year-olds viewed themselves as Chinese. More than three-quarters considered themselves to be Hong Kongers. Almost 9 in 10 supported the now-suppressed political protests and 60% expressed interest in emigrating.

Beijings heavy hand did not fall just upon intellectuals. It also hit working people. A report issued last month by the Hong Kong Labour Rights Monitor detailed Chinas assault on labor activists and unions. The group noted that two years into its implementation, the NSL has completely changed the citys political and civil society landscape. It was inevitable that labor rights also would be affected by the Chinese Communist Party crackdown. Explained the group: Trade unions and labor organizations, being an indispensable constituent of the civil society, are predictably one of the major targets of the regimes relentless political purges.

The NSL, imposed two years ago, was key. The legal provisions of the NSL are as savage as the way in which it has been imposed on Hong Kong, the Monitors report detailed. Still, before passage, some local officials who were not consulted on the legislations substance or reach predicted it would be displayed merely to cow the population rather than enforced to punish it.

Reality turned out quite different. With the enthusiastic support of the police and sustained acquiescence of the judiciary, the local regime, backed by the PRC, adopted a sweeping strategy to strengthen the supervision of schools, social organizations, media, and the internet, extending the NSLs heavy hand to virtually every corner of societyincluding the labor sector.

In Hong Kong, like in most other free societies, labor unions play a political as well as an economic role. Explained the Monitor:

Hong Kongs independent trade unions have played a key role in the citys democratic movement. The HKCTU, a coalition of more than 90 independent unions representing 145,000 workers, has been critical of the governments labor and social policies and has organized numerous social actions fighting for workers interests and the citys democratization since its establishment in 1990. It has been an influential member of the Civil Human Rights that helped organize the 2003 rally against Article 23 legislation and the 2019 protests against the extradition bill. The HKCTU also co-operated with 30 independent unions in the attempt to stage a general strike against the NSL in June 2020.

Thus, at the behest of the CCPwhich pretends to stand for workersthe regimes local enforcers targeted labor activists. Former chief executive Carrie Lams administration arrested at least 11 labor leaders: Among them, one was sentenced to 20 months and two weeks in prison, seven were remanded in custody and three were released on police bail.

The authorities deregistered the General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists and froze its funds based on its political activities. Another five unions received official inquiries about their political involvement. For instance, the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HJKA) was interrogated on their activities, such as movie screenings, book launches, social media posts during the 2019 Democracy Movement and the annual report on press freedom. The HKJA was also required to explain how those activities were consistent with [Hong Kong law] and the unions objectives or rules.

The local authorities accepted similar activities in the past. This turnaround has been driven by Beijing. Concluded the Monitor: It is obvious that the government has reweaponized the colonial laws to silence Hong Kongs independent labor organizations that are critical of the government and the CCP.

The NSL triggered a cascade of self-censorship, with opposition groups disbanding, activists fleeing abroad, booksellers culling their stocks, media organizations closing, and ordinary people emigrating. Much the same is happening with labor unions. More from the Monitors report:

Amid the fast-deteriorating political environment, many trade unions decided to disband or stop operations. 62 trade unions cancelled their registration through dissolution or at their own request in 2021, compared with only seven over the period between 2018 and 2020. Some labor organizations not registered under the [law] also decided to disband or stop their operations in the city, for example the Asia Monitor Resource Centre. [references omitted]

Unfortunately, the future does not look much better, as the Hong Kong Labour Rights Monitor warns:

Article 9 of the NSL requires the government to strengthen the supervision and regulation over matters concerning national security relating to trade unions. The Labor Department plans to create a new directorate post to lead the additional work. The government is also considering amending [existing law] to bar those convicted of national security offences from being union officers for five years and to introduce any necessary provisions to strengthen the regulation of trade unions.

Like almost every other area of Hong Kong life, space for dissent is disappearing. Lamented the Monitor: The fast shrinking civil society space has left Hong Kongs independent trade union movement facing an existential threat. It seems impossible for a free labor movement to survive in an increasingly unfree society.

In Xis view, his governments brutal crackdown was the beginning of true democracy in Hong Kong. The CCP is in control. Hong Kongs uniquely liberal and free system is no more. A quarter century after the territorys return to Chinas control, the shift to one country, one system is complete. Hopefully, however, Xi will not have the last word on the future of Hong Kong.
You want to know how to calculate website traffic. That's smart since your website's value is both the traffic AND the revenue it can bring in.

Making sure your site works? Check your web traffic. Reacting to changes in your industry? Your website traffic data can help you see how you're doing.

Measuring web traffic can help you build realistic goals and strategies that lead to increased revenue for your business.

To get started, keep reading, or jump to the section youre looking for.

Why measure website traffic?

Measuring website traffic can help you pinpoint the performance of specific strategies and campaigns. This data can also help you see if leads are dropping off because of a drop in traffic, forecast annual trends, and notice when a page or link breaks on your site.

Your website traffic tool is like the thermometer in your house. You might think it feels cold, but that tool tells you exactly how cold it is. This helps you decide whether it's worth turning the heater on.

So, maybe you think your website traffic is lower than it should be. Website traffic data can give you:

Page views

Referral sources

Time on-page

This information can help you figure out where your website needs work and how to make it perform better.

It helps you answer both big-picture and granular questions about your marketing, sales, and growth strategies.

Before You Start Collecting Web Traffic Data

Many businesses claim to be data-driven. But 27% of surveyed small businesses don't have a documented business strategy.

Without a clear strategy, you can't use data to help your business grow. And if you're not measuring current website performance, it will be difficult to set realistic goals.

Comparing your website traffic with competitive benchmarks is one place to start. But even if you know how many visitors you think your website should be getting, this data won't help you understand where your numbers are now. It also won't help your team work together to reach your goals.

These three steps will help you create a useful web traffic strategy. They can help you make sure that your data analysis is meaningful to your lead, sales, and revenue goals.

1. Decide what questions you want to answer with your data.

Businesses often fail because they're asking the wrong questions. So, before you start gathering data, it's important to think about the questions your business wants answers to.

Keep in mind that your questions may change over time. A startup with a month-old website may have questions like:

Why is the bounce rate so high?

What sources will bring the most qualified leads?

Why is blog traffic rising in May, but dropping in July?

Where is most referral traffic coming from?

But once your site has been live for five years or more, you may have different questions. These might include:

How accurate is this data?

Why does this page generate so many conversions?

Why have visits gone down on some pages but not others?

Why are visitors exiting from the home page?

Is the website getting good ROI?

These questions mostly point to one big question:

How much traffic does your site need for you to reach your revenue goals?

Your questions should be specific to your website, business, and your unique goals. While it may be tempting to jump to the next step, spend some time thinking about questions for your site.

You might want to speak to stakeholders across your organization to see if they have ideas too. A SMART goal-setting template can also simplify your goal-setting.

2. Choose the right key performance indicators (KPIs).

Website analytics tools can give you a lot of data, and quickly. A single tool may offer over a hundred different ways of measuring your website data.

So, before you get lost in all the options, it's best to start with the KPIs that align with your business goals.

For example, say you want to increase pricing for your top tier of products. KPIs that could help you track how this decision has an impact include:

Page views for product pages

Revenue

Traffic by source

Bounce rates from pricing pages

Sessions for returning customers

It's a good idea to focus on a handful of key metrics. Measuring and tracking too much data can create a situation where you spend more time watching your data than acting on it.

If you're not sure which data is right for your business goals, this post goes into more detail on choosing KPIs.

3. Figure out how often you will collect and analyze your data.

Before you begin collecting data, it's a good idea to set a time frame for data collection.

Checking data can sometimes feel like checking your social media feed. If you check too often, you may be spending more time watching your data than acting on the insights it offers. If you check it infrequently, you may misinterpret the ups and downs of your website traffic.

So, set a consistent cadence for monitoring your web traffic. This can help you make sure that you have an accurate picture of what's working and what's not.

If you're in a fast-moving industry or recently launched a new website or product, daily checks may be useful. But if you can't act on insights quickly, a weekly schedule for checking website traffic may be a better fit.

It's also smart to set aside time to do more detailed analysis of your site traffic. Many businesses will do this monthly or quarterly. Depending on the scale of your organization, you may want to create a separate data schedule for partnerships or campaigns. This can make it easier to isolate this specific data for review.

Once you set a schedule, stick to it. Then, create clear documentation for other members of your team so they can fill in or take over when it's needed.

For example, if you're compiling weekly reports, choose a set date for the week to begin and end. If your reporting for each business week starts on Saturday, then shifts to Sunday a few months later, you'll end up with unreliable data.

How to Calculate Website Traffic Choose an analytics tool. Install the software's tracking code. Use the software to track website sessions. Calculate change over time. Dive deeper on your traffic sources.

1. Choose an analytics tool.

There are many great tools to analyze web traffic. These three tools are popular favorites.

Analytics Tool 1: HubSpot CMS

This tool collects website traffic information including:

Page views

Sessions

Time on page

Exit and entrance rates

Bounce rates

Reporting in HubSpot connects to platform features including sales, marketing, and service software. This means that you can easily track data through the entire customer journey in one single tool.

Analytics Tool 2: Google Analytics

This popular analytics tool is a helpful tool for collecting website traffic data. It's free to use and offers many different ways to organize and analyze website data.

This tool offers a range of detailed reports including:

Real-time traffic reports

Acquisition reports

Engagement reports

Monetization reporting

Analytics Tool 3: Mixpanel

Besides tracking web traffic, Mixpanel offers product usage and customer behavior data. This is an advanced tool that can give users real-time data across websites and apps.

Features for Mixpanel analytics include:

Interactive reports

Team dashboards

Segmentation options

Group analytics

If you're just starting your research and want to dig deeper into your options, check out this list of top analytics tools.

2. Install the software's tracking code.

While tracking code installation is different for each tracking tool, most use a special script to collect data. It's simple to add this script to your site to start analyzing your traffic.

Heres a step-by-step guide to adding the reporting tracking code with HubSpot. If you're not a HubSpot customer, you can get started with HubSpot here.

Step 1: Click the gear icon to access Settings after you've logged into HubSpot.

Step 2: Navigate to Tracking & Analytics in the left-hand menu.

If you're using Marketing Starter or HubSpots free tools, navigate to Tracking Code in the left sidebar menu.

For all other subscriptions, navigate to Tracking & Analytics > Tracking code in the left sidebar menu.

Step 3: Under the Tracking Code tab, in the Embed code section, click Copy.

You can also click Email to my web developer to send the tracking code to the team member who will be installing it on your site.

Step 4: Install the tracking code on your website.

To install the tracking code, paste the code before the closing </body> tag in the HTML code on each page of your site.

Step 5: After you install the tracking code, learn how to verify installation and troubleshoot the code.

You may want to check with someone else on your team before adding and troubleshooting your tracking code. While this process is simple, these steps will vary based on how your business manages your website.

3. Use the software to track website sessions.

Once you add your tracking code to your site, it may take up to 24 hours for data to appear. Once data starts populating in your dashboard, it's time to start analyzing.

Every tool will have different reporting options, but this is a quick overview for analyzing your data with HubSpot.

Step 1: In your HubSpot account, navigate to Reports > Analytics Tools.

Step 2: Click Traffic Analytics.

Step 3: The tabs at the top let you analyze different types of data.

Step 4: Filter your data by time range or frequency.

Step 5: Review the types of data and metrics that answer your questions.

Step 6: Export the report to save your data.

4. Calculate change over time.

While most analytics tools are easy to use, data analysis can be tough. There are countless ways to parse web traffic data.

There are many ways that you can calculate change on your website. You might be a little overwhelmed by all the options, and thats normal. If you're new to web traffic analysis, this guide to commonly used website tracking terms can help.

The formula below is a great place to start as you begin to measure your website performance over time.

Traffic Growth

Let's say we're calculating traffic growth from February to March. A simple formula to calculate this change is:

(March sessions - February sessions) / February sessions

Here's a numerical example: (1,530-1090)/1,090 = 0.4036

Percentages are easier to read at a glance than decimals, so you may want to convert this number to a percentage by multiplying your result by 100.

For example, .4036 x 100 = 40.36%

5. Dive deeper on your traffic sources.

Once you have a clear picture of growth and other key KPIs, you may have already found some issues you want to work on.

One common question for sites with low visit and session numbers is where website traffic is coming from. There are many different sources that can contribute to your website traffic.

These four sources are the most common:

Direct

Direct traffic usually comes to a web page through other pages on your website. Traffic might also show up as "Direct" when a user types your URL directly into the browser. Direct can also act as a catch-all source for many analytics tools.

Organic search

This website traffic comes from search engines like Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo. These sources usually show up in your analytics reports automatically.

That said, its a good idea to take a look at your settings to make sure that you understand the automatic settings in your tool. For example, DuckDuckGo shows up in organic search sources on some platforms, and in direct sources on others.

Referral

Referrals are site visits that come to you from other websites through backlinks. You can learn more about backlinks in this free lesson.

Social media

These sources show you how much traffic is coming from social media. Some tools will also separate paid and organic social media sources.

As you begin using your analytics to solve problems and troubleshoot to improve your strategies, you may want to learn more. To get you started, check out this guide to website traffic sources.

Now that youve learned the basics of measuring your website traffic, its time to talk goals.

How to Calculate Traffic Goals to Increase Website Revenue

You may already be familiar with revenue marketing. It's a strategy that many of HubSpots prospects, customers, and partners use.

But its also complex and it takes a lot of work to put into action. Marketing analytics tools make it easier to get the data to run the model. But if youre just learning how to predict and measure ROI from inbound marketing, you may want something simple.

These are the basics:

Revenue Goals Determine Sales Goals

Sales Goals Determine Lead Goals

Lead Goals Determine Traffic Goals

Lets talk about how to convert website traffic to revenue step-by-step.

1. Calculate the number of new customers you need in a month.

Most companies have monthly or quarterly revenue goals. If you're a small business owner or startup and you don't have these goals, set your goals today. If you're in marketing and you don't know what the plans are, sit down with your leadership team and ask, "How can I better support the monthly revenue targets?"

Once you have that number, use this goal to calculate the number of new customers you need each month. The formula is simple:

Monthly revenue goal / Average revenue per new customer = Goal for number of new customers per month

2. Calculate the number of leads you need to hit your new customer goal.

Now that you have a rough number of customers youre looking for, its time to calculate how many leads you need.

To calculate this number youll need the average website lead to customer conversion rate for your business. Your conversion rate is the number of leads that take the action you want them to take.

If your business relies on cold calling, this could be tough to figure out. But most businesses will have an appointment to customer close ratio.

If your business doesnt have a process for calculating your conversion rate, there are also tools that can help. This sales conversion calculator makes it easier for your team to decide conversion and drop-off rates for your sales leads.

Once you have this number, use the formula below to calculate your goal for leads.

New customer goal / Lead to customer conversion rate = Lead generation goal

3. Calculate the traffic you need to meet your lead goal.

To calculate how much traffic you need, youll want to figure out your website visitor to lead conversion rate. If you just started tracking your website traffic it may be difficult to calculate this number.

That said, some businesses have lead tracking set up. With lead tracking you can automatically see:

Lead sources

Where leads are in the sales and marketing process

Who is working with each lead

If you're keeping track of the number of leads you're getting from your website per month, you should be able to combine this figure with your most recent website traffic numbers.

If youre not able to calculate your visitor to lead conversion rate, do an online search for averages in your industry. Companies that do online lead generation right can get a visitor to lead conversion rate thats 10% or more in some industries.

Once you have this number, use the formula below to calculate how much website traffic you will need to meet your revenue goals.

Lead generation goal / Website visitor to lead conversion rate = Website traffic goal

What Comes Next: How Do You Improve Your Website Traffic?

Calculating website traffic comes after youve built your website and started posting content. But this process isnt an end, its a beginning. As you continue to check your site traffic, youll develop a better understanding of your customers and how they use your site. These insights will help you build better marketing, products, and strategies.

Its easy to get overwhelmed once you start looking at your website data every month, but stay open. If you keep learning, your traffic, leads, sales, and revenue have nowhere to go but up.

This post was originally published in April 2010 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
The first movie trailer for Amsterdam has arrived, heralding David O. Russells controversial return to the directors chair after a seven-year absence.

Starring Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington, the crime caper centers on a murder mystery. Set in the 1930s, the film follows a trio of friends as they evade authorities after being suspected of murder, according to Variety.

You got a dead white man in a box, warns Chris Rocks character in the first scene of the trailer. Not even a casket. It doesnt even have a top on it. In a pine box of old wood. Who do you thinks gonna get in trouble here?

The film, weaves historical fact with fiction as the trio find themselves at the center of one of the most shocking secret plots in American history, according to the press release for the movie.

While the dead man and his true killers remain mysterious, the leading protagonists appear genuinely innocent of the charges. In addition to Bale, Washington, and Robbie, who portray two veterans and a nurse, the ensemble includes Taylor Swift, Mike Myers, Michael Shannon and Robert De Niro.

We formed a pact and we swore to protect each other ... no matter what, Bales character reveals in the trailer.

The whodunit appears to be filled with humor, intrigue and acerbic wit.

This is becoming a lot larger than any of us, Robbies character admits in the trailer. I had to stab a guy. I had to hit a lady with a brick one time.

This is Russells first film since 2015s Joy, which chronicled the entrepreneurial efforts of American inventor Joy Mangano, and reunites the five-time Oscar winner with previous collaborators Bale and De Niro.

The publicity for the new film has sparked reminders of the directors record of heinous behavior on and off his sets, causing some to question why so many big stars chose to work on the project. In 2012, Russells niece said the director sexually assaulted her  an accusation he didnt dispute. Hes also been accused of berating cast and crew members.

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Amsterdam is set to hit theaters on Nov. 4.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
Dolcetto wine

Sarah Beebe / EyeEm / Getty Images

Dolcetto is a grape variety that is deeply tied to a single region: Piedmont, in the northwest of Italy. Dolcetto wine has earned a strong reputation among sommeliers and ardent fans as a red that can be relied on to consistently express that one particular place, often at a great value.

While Dolcetto is occasionally grown in other parts of the world, those plantings tend to be relatively small pockets. When it comes to Dolcetto, Piedmont is king. To fully appreciate its importance, check out our Dolcetto wine guide below.

What Is Dolcetto Wine?

Dolcetto, which means "little sweet one" in Italian, is produced from the grape variety of the same name. Confusingly, it's not a sweet wine at all, but rather friendly with berry fruit and framed by occasionally pronounced but not overpowering tannins. It is primarily grown in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, most notably in and around Alba and Dogliani. There are important differences between them (more on that later), but in general, Dolcetto is used to produce a red wine of generous berry fruit, hints of flowers like violets, an occasional undertow of savoriness, and enough tannin to balance richer foods but not so much weight that it overwhelms lighter ones.

Where Does Dolcetto Wine Come From?

Dolcetto is most prominently planted in Piedmont, the region in northwest Italy that is also home to Barolo, Barbaresco, and Barbera. In many ways, it shares more in common with Barbera, which is also intended to be opened without much time in the cellar, as opposed to Barolo and Barbaresco, which tend to benefit from more age. There are some Dolcetto wines that can age for a few years, but the majority of Dolcetto bottles are best opened up in their youth, the better to appreciate their vivid fruit.

In general, Dolcetto d'Alba is a bit less ripe than Dolcetto di Dogliani, but that's a generalization that is often disproved, depending on the specific Dolcetto under consideration. Outside of Piedmont, there are some very good Dolcetto wines produced in Texas and parts of the Central Coast of California, too.

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Why Should You Drink Dolcetto Wine?

Dolcetto is like a secret weapon in the tool belt of sommeliers: It's a red wine that doesn't overwhelm with power or assertiveness, and it's structured by balanced tannins, while offering the kind of fresh berry fruit that perks up a meal. Dolcetto pairs with pizza, pasta with tomato sauce or cream sauce, mushrooms, and a variety of meats, from simple charcuterie to grilled steak.

When enjoying Dolcetto, it's best to chill it down a bit. Cold Dolcetto is likely to be astringent, but a 20-minute stint in the refrigerator will allow its fruit and violets to shine with particular clarity. And there's no need to lay it down in a cellar or wait for several years to pop the cork: Most Dolcetto is ready to be enjoyed immediately.

What Does Dolcetto Taste Like?

Dolcetto shines with its flavors and aromas of brambly berries and cherries. There is often a seam of spice running through it, as well as a lift of violets. With a bit of a chill, Dolcetto becomes even fresher and more vibrant.

Five Great Dolcetto Wines

There are countless great Dolcetto wines on the market today. These five producers, listed alphabetically, are a perfect way to start exploring all that Dolcetto has to offer.

Brovia Dolcetto d'Alba "Vignavillej"

Brovia has been producing notable wine since the mid-19th century, and this Dolcetto, crafted from organically grown grapes, explains that longevity in every excellent sip.

Giacomo Finocchio Dolcetto d'Alba

This small-production Dolcetto (only around 750 cases are made on average) comes from a pair of parcels of old vines planted more than 30 years ago, and was aged in stainless steel and Slavonian oak.

Pecchenino Dolcetto di Dogliani San Luigi

Grown on 54 acres and aged entirely in stainless steel, this Dolcetto, with its berries and energetic acidity, is a natural pairing partner for everything from pizza to hard cow's milk cheeses.

San Silvestro Dolcetto d'Alba "Primaio"

The fourth-generation Sartirano family helms this respected estate, and while they also produce age-worthy Barolo, among other wines, this Dolcetto is a great example of their work, too.

Vietti Dolcetto d'Alba Tre Vigne

Vietti's Tre Vigne Barbera may get more attention, but this excellent Dolcetto, aged in stainless steel, is vibrant, food-friendly, and worth checking out.
Former FBI Director James Comey (Getty Images for Politicon)

Two high-ranking FBI officials who became the personal enemies of Donald Trump when he was president were later targeted by the IRS for rare audits of their tax filings that experts say raise questions about whether the move was political.

James Comey and Andrew McCabe, former FBI director and deputy director, respectively, were audited by the IRS after leaving the agency following the Trump-Russia investigation which infuriated then-President Donald Trump and led to his claims that the deep state was working to overthrow him. The New York Times first reported their audits on Wednesday, noting that the two did not know about the coincidence themselves until a Times reporter informed them.

The odds of being selected for such detailed audits are slim to begin with; just a few thousand Americans are subject to them each year. The likelihood that two top former FBI officials who were both personal foes of the president being selected is slimmer still.

More follows...
Former WNBA star Maya Moore and husband Jonathan Irons revealed that they extended their family by welcoming a baby boy, Jonathan Jr., in February, the couple announced on Good Morning America on Tuesday.

Moore and Irons were married in 2020, shortly after Irons was freed after spending 23 years in prison. Irons story went viral after his 1998 conviction was overturned in March 2020, with the support of Moore and her family.

She told the GMA crew that she is ecstatic over the opportunity to become a mother and extremely excited to be sharing this moment with Irons.

Delivering JJ was one of the proudest days of my life. Witnessing Jonathan be a Father, priceless. Moore said via her Instagram account.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 10: (L-R) Maya Moore and Jonathan Irons attend the 2021 ESPY Awards at Rooftop At Pier 17 on July 10, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775667120 ORIG FILE ID: 1328056719

BRITTNEY GRINER: Imprisoned WNBA star pens letter to President Biden pleading for help

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Moore, who won four WNBA championships with the Minnesota Lynx as well as league MVP in 2014, put her decorated career on hold in 2019 to advocate for the release of Irons for wrongful conviction.

In 1998, the then-16-year-old Irons was tried and convicted as an adult for a burglary and shooting at the home of Stanley Stotler, who survived the crime after being shot in the right temple and right arm. He was sentenced to 50 years. Police did not discover any fingerprints, DNA or blood that could link Irons to the crime.

It was hard (to walk away), but when your convictions are moving you to a place that you know is right and youre moving into something thats really meaningful, Moore said on NBC Nightly News in 2020. It makes it a little less hard.

The two met through a prison ministry she became involved in with extended family in Missouri while she was playing for Geno Auriemma and the UConn Huskies. Moore and Irons built a strong friendship, while Moore learned the details of his case.

In March 2020, a Missouri judge said the case against Irons was very weak and circumstantial at best in a court order. The lead prosecutor declined to retry his case and Irons was ultimately freed.

Moore and Irons appeared on Good Morning America in September 2020 to reveal that they had gotten married.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Maya Moore welcomes baby with now-husband she helped free from prison
FutureStitch is bringing its manufacturing expertise back to the U.S.

Since its founding in 2017, the San Clemente, California-based textile and technology firm has built a $65 million business manufacturing socks for Stance, Toms, Crocs, Everlane and other firms. But that production has all been at the companys factory near Shanghai  until now.

More from WWD

This week FutureStitch will open its first domestic manufacturing plant in Oceanside, California. But theres a distinct difference between this factory and others in the U.S. The facility will be staffed in part by formerly incarcerated women.

Taylor Shupe, cofounder and chief executive officer of FutureStitch, is working closely with the San Diego Workforce Partners and North Country Lifeline to recruit and hire some 20 women this year, a number he expects to increase to 50 next year. The entire factory will employ 60 workers.

They will all be paid the same wage, starting at $20 an hour, and are offered paid vacation time, select paid holidays, full health benefits and are able to participate in the companys 401K plan.

The factory will be in Oceanside, California.

The unemployment rate for formerly incarcerated people is significantly higher than the national average  about 35 percent  and jobs and support services are hard to come by. But by working with these two organizations FutureStitch will be able to help the women access programs including therapy and housing support in addition to providing employment.

Shupe said the factory, which was created in an existing building that FutureStitch is renting through a long-term lease, will offer the most technologically advanced knitwear manufacturing designed for fast replenishment to optimize the supply chain. Initially, it will produce socks exclusively for Stance, but may expand to other brands in the future.

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The concept of hiring the formerly incarcerated aligned with our original hypothesis that if we create the right culture and invest in infrastructure, we can maintain a workforce at a high retention rate, Shupe said.

This is a strategy that he will also use at another factory that he will open in Texas sometime after 2023. That facility, in Dallas, will be larger and will employ 300 people, many of them visually impaired, Shupe said. Like the California plant, he will work with a local charity to find the workers.

So what is Shupes motivation for seeking workers from groups facing challenges finding employment? It just feels good for us and our brand partners, he said with a shrug. Its not a marketing strategy. We know that both populations have high unemployment rates and we saw an opportunity to address communities that couldnt find work elsewhere. We hope that by offering them the right benefits, theyll stay. And we hope other businesspeople will attempt to help them as well.

The California plant will produce mainly socks but will also manufacture sleeves and other circular knits, he said. And producing domestically also cuts down on excess inventory, allows him to offer drop-shipping to his customers, and reduces his companys environmental footprint, Shupe said. His factory in China is LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for both its construction and operational efficiency.

FutureStitch will continue to manufacture product at that factory in China, but that product will be focused on the Chinese market, he said. The company also has a joint venture in Turkey that services Europe and Central America, which will also continue.

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There was much ado when Kayla Harrison dabbled in free agency as many fans wondered where she two-time PFL champion would land.

Ultimately, she returned to the PFL after the promotion matched an offer from Bellator and its president, Scott Coker. Both Harrisons team and PFL officials voiced happiness with the deal in the ensuing weeks. The UFC had also showed interest in Harrison prior to her re-signing.

Just how much was Harrison worth? The terms of her contract never were disclosed, but on Wednesday, MMA Junkie acquired a list of payouts from the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission, the regulatory body that oversaw Harrisons most recent fight at 2022 PFL 6. The list included the show and win purses for every competitor who fought on the three most recent PFL cards, all of which took place at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta.

According to the document, Harrison topped all 2022 PFL 6 payouts with a flat $500,000 paycheck (no win bonus) for her July 1 win over Kaitlin Young. The fight lasted 2:35, and Harrison won by TKO. It was Harrisons second win in as many PFL appearances this year as she advanced to the playoffs.

As with all disclosed payout records from athletic commissions, Harrisons $500,000 does not account for any potential bonuses, promotional sponsor payments, or streaming/pay-per-view points.

You can check of the full 2022 PFL salaries from the three-event stint in Atlanta here.

Harrison, 32, is unbeaten through 14 professional bouts. The former two-time Olympic gold medalist judoka has dominated the competition and picked up 11 finishes along the way.

Harrison enters the 2022 PFL playoffs as the No. 2 seed behind Larissa Pacheco.
Shawn Mendes - Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Shawn Mendes

Shawn Mendes has announced a new social impact initiative attached to his Wonder world tour. The tour, sponsored by Disney +, will feature a Social Impact Village with online music show Reverb.

The village will include booths for Mendes foundation, allowing fans to vote on which issue areas the foundation should award grants to and sign petitions on issues like climate justice and mental health equity. Other features include voting registration booths at US shows run by the Alliance for Youth Action and a booth on actions to take to combat the climate crisis.

In addition, Mendes will donate $1 per ticket sold in North America to his Wonder Grants program, which awards young activists in cities the tour stops at money to support their projects. The Social Impact Village will feature the recipients of Wonder Grants to share their work with fans. The Wonder Grants Initiative is created in partnership with Global Changemakers. During the tour, Mendes will also visit childrens hospitals in the United States to grant wishes to patients.

Im beyond thankful to be partnering with Disney+ on my tour, and to continue my foundations efforts to provide grants to young changemakers who strive to change the world for the better, Mendes tells Variety. I look forward to learning alongside the incredible Wonder Grantees throughout this tour.

Mendes tour will also use several sustainability and impact initiatives to reduce its environmental impact, including sustainable merchandise practices, reduced travel emissions and investment into local environmental activists and organizations. The tour will see Mendes offset tour and fan travel carbon dioxide emissions by 15% above the predicted carbon footprint, through methods created based off research lead by climate scientist Luke Howell of Hope Solutions.

Back in May, Mendes covered Bruce Springsteens Dancing In The Dark for the fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger. The video, which was uploaded to Tommy Hilfigers YouTube channel, offers Mendes take on the 1984 original as part of the apparel companys Classics Reborn campaign. In it, the pop star dons the campaigns newest sustainable clothing while backed by a twinkling version of the track, which was the lead single from Springsteens Born In The USA album.

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Listen to the best of Shawn Mendes on Apple Music and Spotify.

For the latest music news and exclusive features, check out uDiscover Music.

uDiscover Music is operated by Universal Music Group (UMG). Some recording artists included in uDiscover Music articles are affiliated with UMG.
A poster dedicated to the 19 children and two adults who were killed in the mass shooting is seen hung up in front of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on June 17, 2022. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Arnie Reyes, a teacher at Robb Elementary School, was the sole survivor in the classroom.

The gunman shot Reyes multiple times and also appeared to check if he was dead.

Reyes remembers waiting over an hour for law enforcement to intervene.

A fourth-grade teacher at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, remembered the moment he realized he may be the only survivor in the classroom, where a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers, after a member of the US Border Patrol tactical team tried to evacuate the room.



"After they shot [the gunman], the Border Patrol said, 'Anybody get up, let's go, let's go,' try to get the kids out," Arnie Reyes told CNN in an interview on Wednesday. "Nobody moved but me."

Reyes said in the interview that he remembered waiting over an hour for law enforcement to intervene.

During that time, Reyes sustained multiple gunshot wounds. In one instance, the shooter appeared to check if Reyes was dead by shooting him in the back.

"He did a lot of things to make me flinch or react in some way," Reyes said in the interview, recalling blood splashing on his face.

The teacher also said that he felt forgotten by law enforcement as he waited for help.

"They saved everybody else except us," he told CNN. "I mean, they probably thought that we were all dead or something, but if they would have gone in before, some of 'em probably would have made it."

Read the original article on Insider
Federal authorities held a press conference Thursday regarding the capture of Kaitlin Marie Armstrong after she was found at a hostel on Santa Teresa Beach in Costa Rica. Armstrong, who is accused of killing professional cyclist Anna Moriah Wilson in East Austin on May 11, eluded law enforcement for more than a month.

Armstrong also faces a charge of unlawful flight to evade prosecution. Authorities allege that she used a false name and a fraudulent passport to flee the U.S., and then changed her appearance while on the run. Armstrong has since been booked into Travis County Jail and is being held with bail set at $3.5 million for the murder charge and $3,500 for a charge of theft of services.

The news conference has since concluded but you can watch a replay of the event here:

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Kaitlin Armstrong: Austin press conference after Moriah Wilson death
METROPOLITAN CITY OF FLORENCE

J. Mearsheimer ATTACKED for having NON-mainstream views!! Brain-dead "social scientists"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXfQ_Rz70vg

numuves 6.76

In this very odd exchange of words, an ordinary speaking event turns into a brain-dead VENT fest of "researchers" throwing baseless attacks on a Professor who doesn't even have extreme or full-some views of the Ukraine crisis. Prof. Mearsheimer is pro-US and never mentions the US' heinous activities leading up to the war in Ukraine.

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WASHINGTON  When Georgia election officials appeared last month before the House committee investigating the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021, Atlanta-area prosecutors were surely paying close attention.

In often-dramatic fashion, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, top aide Gabriel Sterling along with election workers Shaye Moss and her mother Ruby Freeman outlined an extensive pressure campaign led by former President Donald Trump and his allies, all aimed at seeking to flip the states election result in the former presidents favor.

So, there was little surprise this week when a special Fulton County grand jury investigating interference in the 2020 election issued subpoenas to some of Trumps closest legal and political allies who allegedly led the effort to subvert the Georgia vote. Testimony is scheduled as early as Tuesday.

In court documents, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who is leading the wide-ranging criminal inquiry, offered a preview of what investigators are expected to seek from the most high-profile witnesses yet to be called in the Georgia inquiry.

Who was subpoenaed? Lawyers working with Trump's 2020 campaign: Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Kenneth Chesebro, Cleta Mitchell and Jenna Ellis; Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; and lawyer and podcast host Jacki Pick Deason.

What roles did they play? Some of the witnesses pursued claims of election fraud, which state officials debunked. Others developed a national strategy to reject 2020 electors from states President Joe Biden won, including Georgia, in order to overturn the election in Trump's favor.

Will they testify? Giuliani has already testified before the House committee investigating the Capitol attack. Eastman refused to testify before the panel, citing his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Graham's lawyers said he will fight the subpoena in court. Mitchell has fought a subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack for her phone records in federal court.

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Here are some of the issues the grand jury could explore with the witnesses:

Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City and Donald Trumps attorney, competes on the current season of "The Masked Singer."

Giuliani claimed underage, felon voters, which Georgia officials debunked

Giuliani, who has been suspended from practicing law in New York and D.C. for his election claims, made wide-ranging claims that Dominion Voting System's manipulated ballots, while ignoring a hand-count audit that confirmed Biden's win. Dominion filed a defamation suit against Giuliani.

Giuliani also said that about 65,000 or 66,000 underage voters, more than 2,500 felons and 800 dead people voted in the state. All of those claims have been debunked by investigations by the Georgia Secretary of State, which found no underage voters, only 74 potential felony voters, and two votes that may have been improperly cast in the name of dead voters.

We were in a position to say people already looked at that and we know youre getting bad information. Thats not correct. Its been demonstrated to be not correct," former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen testified before the House committee. "In our point of view, it was debunked.

A lawyer for Giuliani said the subpoena had not yet been served.

Chapman School of Law professor John Eastman testifies on Capitol Hill in 2017. Eastman was also a former lawyer for former President Donald Trump.

Eastman developed strategy for Pence to overturn 2020 election

Eastman developed the strategy for former Vice President Mike Pence, in his role as Senate president, to single-handedly reject electors from seven states including Georgia when Congress counted Electoral College votes on Jan. 6, 2021.

Pence refused and a mob of Trump supporters ransacked the building.

Eastman fought committee subpoenas in federal court. In California, U.S. District Judge David Carter ordered Eastman to provide his emails to the committee and ruled it is more likely than not that President Trump and Dr. Eastman dishonestly conspired to obstruct the Joint Session of Congress on January 6, 2021.

Eastman could not be reached for comment.

Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani speaks on Jan. 6, 2021, during a speech at the Trump rally near the White House before the Capitol riot.

Chesebro wrote memos about alternate electors for Trump

Chesebro, a lawyer working with the Trump campaign, wrote a memo Nov. 18, 2020, urging the campaign to organize its own electors in states Trump lost, according to committee investigator Casey Lucier. Chesebro also wrote a lengthy email Dec. 18, 2020, to Giuliani outlining the strategy for Pence to reject electors from states Trump lost, according to court records.

Two lawyers testified to the committee they were uncomfortable with Chesebros strategy, according to videotaped depositions played at the committees June 21 hearing. Justin Clark, a Trump campaign lawyer, and Matt Morgan, Pences deputy counsel, each said they told Chesebro to pursue his Electoral College plan on his own so they wouldnt be involved.

This was my way of taking that responsibility to zero, Morgan said.

Members of President Donald Trump's legal team, including former Mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani, left, Sidney Powell, and Jenna Ellis, speaking, attend a news conference at the Republican National Committee headquarters, Thursday Nov. 19, 2020, in Washington.

Ellis testified with Giuliani about alleged election fraud in Georgia

Georgia prosecutors are expected to focus on the Trump campaign attorney's Dec. 3, 2020 appearance before the Georgia state Senate when she and Giuliani claimed to have evidence of election fraud in "multiple" Georgia counties.

The lawyers focused on a video recording of election workers at State Farm Arena in Atlanta that "purported to show election workers producing suitcases of unlawful ballots from unknown sources, outside the view of election poll watchers," according to court documents filed Tuesday.

"Within 24 hours of the December 3, 2020, legislative hearing, the Georgia Secretary of States Office debunked the State Farm video and explained that its investigation revealed no voter fraud of any kind had taken place at State Farm Arena," court documents stated. "Despite this, the Witness made additional statements claiming widespread voter fraud in Georgia during the November 2020 election."

Ellis could not be reached for comment.

A Nov. 19, 2020 photo shows attorney Jenna Ellis speaking during a press conference at the Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, DC.

Mitchell participated in Trump call urging Georgia officials to 'find' votes

Mitchell, a lawyer specializing in election law, participated in the Trump call to Georgia officials Jan. 2, 2021, when the former president urged Raffensperger to "find" 11,780 votes.

Besides the call, the committee subpoenaed Mitchells AT&T phone data because she promoted claims of election fraud and was in contact with Trump on Jan. 6, according to a letter accompanying the subpoena.

Mitchell, a North Carolina resident, is fighting the subpoena in federal court, arguing that she wasn't in Washington any time from Nov. 1, 2020, through Jan. 6, 2021. She said she worked in Georgia to challenge illegal votes and violations of election code for Trump.

Mitchell could not be reached for comment on the Fulton County subpoena.

Georgia election official Gabriel Sterling accused President Trumps legal team of misleading voters and debunked false claims of voter fraud.

Graham called Georgia election officials twice

A staunch Trump ally, Graham placed at least two telephone calls to Raffensperger and members of his staff in the weeks following the November 2020 election, seeking a re-examination of absentee ballots "to explore the possibility of a more favorable outcome for former President Donald Trump," according to court documents filed in support of the subpoena request.

"The Witness also made reference to allegations of widespread voter fraud in the November 2020 election in Georgia, consistent with public statements made by known affiliates of the Trump Campaign," the court documents state.

Graham has previously denied claims that he was pressuring officials to exclude ballots but was attempting to understand the method for which different states examine ballots.

Graham's lawyers, Bart Daniel and Matt Austin, said Wednesday he would fight the subpoena in court. The lawyers said Graham was well within his rights as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss election procedures with state officials.

"This is all politics, the lawyers said in a joint statement. "Fulton County is engaged in a fishing expedition and working in concert with the January 6 Committee in Washington."

Lindsey Graham Brown Jackson SCOTUS

Deason narrated video of alleged 'suitcases' of unlawful ballots, which state officials debunked

Deason was another lawyer working with the Trump campaign who testified at the Georgia Senate hearing. She narrated the video purporting to show "'suitcases' of unlawful ballots from unknown sources," according to the subpoena.

"The Witness possesses unique knowledge concerning the acquisition of the State Farm video and the manner of its presentation to the Georgia State Senate," according to the subpoena.

Georgia Secretary of State officials debunked the video within 24 hours. Richard Donoghue, former acting deputy attorney general, testified at the House panel authorities investigated the claim and found the 'suitcase' was a wheeled bin storing legitimate ballots.

Deason could not be reached for comment.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What a Georgia prosecutor want to ask Giuliani, Graham about Jan. 6
Its not the Orient Express, but youre halfway there my father jokes with me at his house in the U.K., bidding me farewell as Im setting off on a trains-only journey back to my summer home in Croatia.

Train travel is on the rise in Europe as many European Union countries increase their railway routes and services. OBB (Austrian Railways) are leading the sector, having laid on a host of new long-distance sleeper and daytime routes, and Frances TGV, Italys Trenitalia and Swedens SJ networks are following suit.

While flying from London to Croatia would be quicker, theres an appeal to train travel in Europe this summer. With airports and airlines in disarray while they find their feet after the pandemic, coupled with the new and affordable  and comparatively short  train rides, taking a few days to reach Croatias capital seems a pleasant way to do it. Im not in a rush to get to my home in Zagreb.

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My most expensive ticket was from London to Paris

The first leg of my journey, the Eurostar from St. Pancras International in London to Gare du Nord in Paris, is a tried and tested favorite. The long-standing route connects the U.K. to France and beyond and is a pleasant ride of just 2 hours.

The Eurostar is the most expensive ticket on this adventure. A one-way booking from London to Paris costs anywhere from $70 to $350, with prices rising the closer you get to your departure date. Mine was booked 28 days in advance, and I paid $110 for a standard-class seat. You can use the railway's app or website to make your reservation, and international credit cards are accepted.

Leaving London on a Tuesday in June, the 12:30 p.m. Eurostar departure arrives in sunny Paris at 4 p.m., with just enough time to make the last entry at Musee DOrsay  a quick hop on the efficient RER subway train from Gare du Nord.

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Because my next train doesnt depart from Paris until early the next morning, I stay with friends in a leafy suburb within Neuilly-sur-Seine, in the west of the city, enjoying some wine and cheese for my first time in France in a few years.

The best deal on this trip was Paris to Milan

Day 2 begins with the most scenic and exciting ride of the trip. Taking Trenitalias new high-speed service from Paris to Milan, which launched in December 2021, is comfortable and exhilarating. The Frecciarossa high-speed trains are fully equipped with Wi-Fi, charging ports and spacious seating. I booked one month in advance for the best price and paid $37 for the 6-hour journey, undoubtedly the best deal on the trip.

I depart Paris Gare du Lyon at 7:37 a.m., and the train zooms through France before passing the Graian Alps into Italy. Mountains and valleys behind us, the sleek, spacious Frecciarossa train arrives at Milano Centrale at 3 p.m., a little behind schedule. After grabbing a much-needed pizza, I drop my bags off at the home of an old friend who kindly hosts me for the night.

The Mont-Blanc range, in the French Alps on July 16, 2014.

Staying the night in Milan wasnt strictly necessary. There are numerous high-speed trains to Venice from Milano Centrale I could take the same day. Many other passengers jump off the train to catch a connecting train to Venice. But given that my trip coincides with the infamous Milan Design Week, I opt to spend the next morning wandering the city looking at finely crafted furniture before heading onward to the Serene Republic.

A quick trip to Venice

Thursday starts with another high-speed Frecciarossa service  the train stops at Verona and Padua before Santa Lucia in Venice, taking 2 hours and costing $32. Arriving in Venice by train is one of the greatest travel joys available in Europe. Stepping out of the station straight onto the Grand Canal truly never gets old.

You can book these trains easily using the Trenitalia website or app, which is available in English, accepts international credit and debit cards and stores your tickets for you, so you dont need to print them out  just show the conductor your phone when they come around.

It's like you're fishing on land: Here's what it's like to go truffle hunting in Croatia

A ride to Trieste with a view

On Friday, I jump on the local train from Venice to Trieste, paying $19 for the three-hour journey that passes the Dolomites. I grabbed a window seat on the left side of the carriage to have a view of the mountain range rising and falling from sight.

Clouds hang over the 'Seceda' Dolomites mountain, 2519 meters, near Ortisei val Gardena, (St. Ulrich in Groeden) in northern Italian province of South Tyrol, Italy, Monday, June 28, 2021.

I arrive in Trieste at 1 p.m. just in time to check in to my room at ControVento Hostel, one of the most well-presented hostels Ive ever seen, located on the third floor of a former Serbian palace.

In the evening, I eat my way around Trieste, taking in the former Austro-Hungarian port by its flavors, which are very much Italian now, despite its interesting history.

Two trains for $37

The last leg of my quest launches on Saturday, leaving Trieste at 12:50 p.m. on a OBB train bound for Ljubljana, Slovenia, which costs $11. I change trains in the Slovenian capital and board my final carriage, another OBB service costing $26 that takes just over two hours to reach Glavni Kolodvor in Zagreb and arrives at 8:45 p.m. Both legs are bookable online at OBB (Austrian Railways).

The total cost of five days of trains, crossing five countries, was $235; a highly enjoyable, eco-friendly journey that proved entirely stress-free  something you cant put a price on.

Lucie Grace is a British freelance travel writer based in Croatia.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Europe's trains are a cheaper, quicker workaround to messy air travel
Last year, a small group of Emory University graduate students at Goizueta Business School in Georgia began to examine the challenge of getting Black and other historically underrepresented founders access to capital. One way to do that, they reckoned, was to raise a generation of investors who would pay more attention to these groups.

The idea grew into an investment fund called Peachtree Minority Venture Fund, with the goal of teaching students about venture capital while investing in real companies with minority founders. The fund just completed its first group of investments as the idea came to life in the classroom.

Humza Mirza and four other student managing partners -- Alexia Brown, Jack Semrau, Dylan Cowley and Miguel Vergara (pictured above) -- worked with the inaugural class around the funds initial investments while learning about being a venture capitalist.

We are a fully functioning fund. We have a cohort of 24 students who are doing due diligence on our investment pipeline. And we're just keeping this kind of ball rolling and growing, Mirza said.

These lessons and activities resulted in three initial companies receiving funding from this years group. Among the first investments from the fund were $25,000 for CommunityX, an app for organizing around particular causes, including creating calls to action, events and petitions.

The firm gave an additional $15,000 each to Ecotone Renewables, a startup producing liquid plant fertilizer from food waste, and FundStory, which provides a platform for accessing and managing non-dilutive capital.

All three startups meet the funds criteria of having a diverse founding team with a good idea struggling to find capital.

A student in the program, Bonnie E. Schipper, said she observed a steeper path for underrepresented founders and recognized how the fund was trying to address that.

Our team made it a priority to look past a lack of funding history or fancy top-tier degree to really assess founders experience, passion, knowledge and value proposition to ensure we were putting forth the best investment opportunities rather than falling prey to historical practices that provide unfair advantages to more privileged populations, she said.

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Another student, Ardalan Javadi, said he was drawn to this program because he wants to pursue a career in early-stage venture capital. My team focuses on the business and financial services; we went through all the pre-screening, sourcing and due diligence of the investment opportunities with minority startup founders, he said.

We sourced more than 55 startups and recommended one startup to the investment committee. I think this is unique about the Peachtree Minority Venture Fund. You have the opportunity to learn sincerely all aspects of the venture fund that focus on the minority founders and make a real impact by investing in that opportunity.

While the students are running the fund, its up to the professors in charge of the classroom component to prepare them and help them understand what goes into investing in companies.

Professor Robert Kazanjian, who is teaching the classroom component this semester, said there is a strong focus on understanding the nature of investing in historically underrepresented groups, as well as addressing the challenges they face in raising money.

For starters, he said that people from the fund's target groups often dont have access to capital from family and friends, which he explained is due to decades of economic structural inequality, the structure of VC networks (which are largely male and white), as well as a range of implicit biases observable in VC investing due to a range of psychological factors.

We explicitly discuss in class that this is changing and that many VC firms are working diligently to address these imbalances, but the underfunding has proved persistent, he said.

In addition, he said that he teaches a deep understanding of the full range of activities required by VC professionals, such as deal sourcing, due diligence, legal considerations, and direct data collection from the ventures, including interviews with founders.

The project was the idea of four students who launched it but graduated before it welcomed its first class. Willie Sullivan, one of those original students, told TechCrunch last year that they wanted to solve an entrenched problem around investing in Black-owned businesses.

When we conducted interviews, one of the main things that came up, which always comes up, is how large of a problem access to capital is still for Black entrepreneurs. And so we were coming up with our recommendations. It was really, OK, how can we as a university address this issue, Sullivan said at the time.

The fund received $1 million from the schools endowment last year. Mirza was part of the group of first-year students involved with the founding team who took over when the founding group graduated. Willie and the second years conceptualized the fund. They put together the skeleton, all the documents, all the paperwork, the investment vehicles, while working with the dean to get that million-dollar funding, Mirza said.

Additionally, the program is designed to keep going each year by preparing a group of incoming managing partners who will take over when the prior group graduates, just as Mirza and his crew took over from Sullivan and theirs.

The course and associated fund aim to raise awareness and solve a real access problem that exists for underrepresented founders while creating a new generation of investors who are being trained to look at people with good ideas who have traditionally been left behind by venture investment.
FILE PHOTO: Flags are seen behind the logo of the EIB pictured in the city of Luxembourg

By Francesco Guarascio and Nazarali Pirnazarov

BRUSSELS/DUSHANBE (Reuters) - The European Union plans to become the top investor in the world's tallest dam in Tajikistan, EU officials told Reuters, in a move aimed at helping Central Asia cut its reliance on Russian energy and part of EU's answer to China's Belt and Road Initiative.

Tajikistan began in 2016 the construction of the giant hydropower Rogun plant, which could deliver full energy independence to the landlocked former Soviet Union nation.

The EU's investment arm, the European Investment Bank (EIB), has so far not funded the project, whose main developer is Italian construction firm Webuild.

But an EIB spokesman told Reuters this week that the bank has now been asked by the European Commission to become "the largest investor" in the project.

Rogun is expected to cost around $8 billion, of which $3 billion have already been spent, the Tajik energy minister Dalyor Juma told Reuters in June. While it has been largely financed by Tajik government's bonds and private loans up to now, the government in Dushanbe has requested EU financial and technological support in completing the project, an EU official familiar with the talks said.

The EIB spokesman declined to comment on the size of the possible investment and on the reasons for the new commitment.

The bank has invested in Central Asia about 182 million euros ($186.8 million) between 2014 and 2020, a fraction of its multi-billion-euro investments outside the EU's 27-nation bloc.

The EU official, who declined to be named because was not authorised to speak to media, said a key reason for the EU to become a top investor in the hydropower dam was to make Tajikistan and its neighbours independent from Russian energy.

The EU is interested in pursuing "Central Asia energy independence from Russia," the official said.

Brussels and its Western allies have been trying to isolate Russia in response to its February invasion of Ukraine.

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The Rogun hydropower plant, with its 335-metre-tall clay core rockfill dam which the developers say will make it the tallest in the world once completed, is expected to end chronic power shortages in Tajikistan and allow it to export electricity to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

Oil is Tajikistan's main import from Russia, while Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan import Russian gas, largely using imported energy to supply areas well interconnected with Russian infrastructure, even as both are themselves gas producers.

The funding would be part of the EU's "Global Gateway" strategy, the EU official said. Brussels unveiled the 300 billion euro global infrastructure spending plan in December as a better, greener alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative. Beijing launched its plan in 2013 to boost its trade links with the rest of the world and Central Asia is among the regions where China has since heavily invested.

The EIB spokesman said the bank was considering a joint investment with the European Commission, which controls the EU multi-billion-euro budget and like the EIB can also raise money in the markets. The EU executive confirmed that the bloc was open to finance the hydropower Rogun dam project.

The Tajik government had no comment.

It is unclear when the EU's plans could turn into actual investments, but the EU official said that decisions could be made by the final quarter of this year.

($1 = 0.9741 euros)

(Additional reporting by Olzhas Auyezov in Almaty; writing by Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
Sherry Gamble Smith, pictured with husband Martin, was found dead on Wednesday morning. (Sherry Gamble Smith / Facebook)

The president of an Oklahoma association for Black-owned business was found dead in her home on Wednesday morning.

Police were called to the Bixby, Oklahoma, home of Black Wall Street Chamber of Commerce president Sherry Gamble Smith, around 8am on Wednesday, responding to a 911 call coming from inside the house.

There, they found Ms Smith dead and her husband Martin injured. He would later die at a nearby hospital.

Police are not looking for a suspect at this time, Fox23 reports.

Bixby police and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation are investigating what happened.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated with new information.
Ukrainian and foreign soldiers listened to the sound of small-arms fire while sheltering in May in a basement roughly one mile from Russian positions in Ukraine's Kharkiv region on May 11, 2022. (Lynsey Addario/The New York Times)

DRUZHKIVKA, Ukraine  Four months after Russia invaded Ukraine, foreign combat veterans who answered the Ukrainian presidents call to fight are grappling with the grueling reality of a war unlike any they have seen.

Many are American and British veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, where they could count on calling in airstrikes for protection and other critical support. In Ukraine, the military effort is essentially bare-bones, leaving Ukrainian forces  and their foreign-fighter allies  to face a larger and better armed Russian invasion force without basics, like steady meals, and even some tools of modern warfare that would help them level the field.

This is way more intense than what I saw in Afghanistan, said Brian, a former U.S. Army paratrooper, who did not want his last name used for security reasons. This is combat, combat.

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That reality, volunteer fighters say, has driven away some of the hundreds of men who first arrived in Ukraine to help fight what many felt was a just, and deeply lopsided, war. Of those who remain, some now work directly for the Ukrainian military, which has used them quietly and effectively to plug gaps in front-line abilities, including filling a desperate need for medics.

Some would-be fighters are still wandering the country  their goals vary and include building an online following, getting a first taste of battle or, in some cases, finding others who espouse far-right beliefs, according to fellow fighters. But the most professional foreign soldiers have increasingly earned respect from their Ukrainian comrades, as well as the countrys leaders.

Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, especially applauded those who fought recently in one of the wars most grueling battles, in Sievierodonetsk, saying that their motivation, professionalism, their preparedness for urban warfare played an important role in holding off the Russian troops for so long.

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They are just what we needed, he said.

Still, even with the help of the volunteers, in the end Ukrainian officials decided they had no choice but to retreat from that city, setting the stage for the fighting that took place Thursday, when Russian forces pounded neighboring Donetsk, the last remaining province in eastern Ukraine not under Moscows control.

At least seven civilians have been killed there in the past 24 hours, including a 17-year-old girl found under rubble, local authorities said as they warned of a looming Russian offensive.

In the city of Kramatorsk, a rocket that Ukrainian officials said had been fired by Russian forces killed a man sitting on a bench in the yard of an apartment complex and wounded six others, according to officials and witnesses. Residents had been cooking and eating in the yard since the war began, said one former resident, Anastasia, 25, who was visiting when the rocket hit.

He was here, outside, she said. He had no chance.

The numbers of foreign dead pale in comparison with the losses suffered by the Ukrainians, but the risks that the fighters from abroad face have been reinforced in recent weeks. On June 9, Russia sentenced three captured foreigners to death, and reports have surfaced of at least four American deaths on the battlefield. In the most recent case, the State Department confirmed June 22 that Stephen Zabielski, 52, an Army veteran, was killed in May after stepping on a land mine.

The professionalism that Arestovych described emerged from the initial chaos of a flood of volunteers. Some were seasoned combat veterans; others were aspiring fighters arriving with bulging backpacks filled with military gear but no experience on front lines. They came to answer what was essentially an SOS call from Zelenskyy in the early days of the war, when many world leaders and analysts assumed that the Russians would quickly rout the outmanned Ukrainians.

Within days, volunteers began flying to Poland and heading to its border with Ukraine. Within weeks, the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, 90 minutes from the border, was brimming with Americans and other foreigners arriving by train and bus trying to find a way to the front.

Because almost no structure was in place to sort out who was fit to fight or to help the new arrivals find positions, some volunteers wandered Lviv until they found someone who could direct them to a recruiting office. Others returned home in frustration.

It was an attempt to garner some support for a cause that in late February didnt look so promising, Kacper Rekawek, a fellow at the Center for Research on Extremism at the University of Oslo, said of Zelenskyys distress call. It came out of the presidential circle, and I dont think all the elements of the bureaucracy  military, civilian, what have you  immediately got the memo.

Four months into the war, much about the foreign forces remains opaque. Arestovych estimates that 1,000 have participated in battles. But with no central clearinghouse for volunteers, no one knows for sure. Hundreds or thousands more have come to help with noncombat duties.

President Joe Biden has discouraged Americans from going to Ukraine, a point he reiterated recently when two American veterans went missing and were reported to be in Russian custody.

The most well-known of the foreign fighting groups is the International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine, created by the Ukrainian government in line with Zelenskyys call.

The legion does not give numbers of its members, but its spokesperson, Damien Magrou, said that of the countries represented in its ranks, the United States and Britain were at the top. All of those accepted by the legion sign contracts with the Ukrainian army, serve in units where foreign noncommissioned officers answer to Ukrainian officers and are paid the same salary as Ukrainian military forces, he said.

A video posted recently on social media showed legion fighters in intense urban combat. The video, which was edited and reported to be shot in Sievierodonetsk, shows a group of soldiers, clearly well trained and well equipped, moving through bombed-out buildings and firing at Russian troops. The Hollywood-style footage was a clear indicator of some of the abilities of the legion and of those staffing its units: experienced, professional fighters now directly involved in some of wars most vicious battles.

Much of the International Legions carefully managed media efforts have been aimed at increasing foreign public support for Ukraines war effort and at making the case that Ukraine needs more advanced weapons.

Magrou said that after an initial wider acceptance rate, the legion now accepts only those who have combat experience, who have passed background and psychological checks, and who do not express extremist views.

But some of those rejected by the legion, he said, were accepted by other units of foreigners or found their way to the front lines and formed their own fighting groups.

Volunteer groups can be anything from 15 guys with three rifles to the largest and most organized groups, said Magrou, a French-Norwegian corporate lawyer who was living and working in Ukraine when Russia invaded in February.

Weeding out extremists from the many fighters who want to help Ukraine has proved tricky. Two front-line recruits, who did not want to give their names for security reasons, described meeting in safe houses with American and Scandinavian members of the white supremacist Aryan Brotherhood, including some with prison tattoos, who were trying to make their way on their own to the battle.

Even the legion may have had troubles. A photograph on its Facebook page of members who died portrayed a French casualty, Wilfried Bleriot, wearing a patch from the Misanthropic Division  a far-right group with white supremacist views. In another photograph, posted on Telegram by the Misanthropic Division, he wears one of their T-shirts.

Magrou said that he had spoken to Bleriots mother and fellow recruits who said that Bleriot had made friends with a Misanthropic Division member but that Bleriot was unaware of the groups racist identity.

The reasons fighters choose to risk their lives for a country that is not their own vary widely.

Brian, the American veteran who fought in Afghanistan, said he came because he had trained Ukrainians years ago to try to hold off Russia-backed separatist forces, and many of the Ukrainian friends he made died in those battles. The son of a Marine, Brian said he was staying  even though his wife has learned she is pregnant  because he realized he was not quite done with the military and because he believes he is making a difference in an uneven battle.

Instead of the active combat that many would-be recruits envisioned, Brians unit  headed by a Danish platoon commander and working with Ukrainian special operations forces  has focused on mundane but vital tasks. Those included helping Ukrainian forces shake some of the Soviet-style doctrines that keep them from sharing information between units and from empowering lower-ranking leaders.

For some other Americans and Britons carrying the baggage of unpopular wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and even for some who did not fight, the call to arms for what they see as a clear-cut cause proved irresistible.

Matthew Robinson, a Briton who is a former U.S. military contractor in Iraq, said he saw his service in Ukraine as a form of redemption for having profited from a war he now believes was unjust.

Robinson ended up training Ukrainian defense forces across the country, including close to the front lines in the east, the site of some of the most intense battles of the war. There, Ukrainian forces face almost constant artillery attacks.

Unless you fought in World War II, when have you experienced this? he asked.

 2022 The New York Times Company
Jerry Harris, who appeared on the Netflix series Cheer, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for crimes relating to child pornography and soliciting sex from minors.

The disgraced cheerleading champion has remained in custody at a federal detention facility since Harris was arrested in September 2020 on child pornography charges.

Prosecutors alleged at the time that he solicited videos and images from two 14-year-old brothers.

According to a complaint, federal prosecutors said that Harris admitted to repeatedly asking a minor teen for pornographic videos and images between December 2018 and March 2020.

In December 2020, Harris was indicted on more charges alleging misconduct in Illinois, Florida and Texas.

According to the indictment, he allegedly solicited sex from minors at cheerleading competitions and convinced teenage boys to send him obscene photographs and videos of themselves.

Harris later admitted to FBI agents that he asked a teenage boy to send him photographs of himself, and requested child pornography on Snapchat from at least 10 to 15 others he knew to be minors, according to the indictment.

On Wednesday (6 July) at a federal court in Chicago, Judge Manish S Shah sent Harris to 12 years in jail after prosecutors had urged the lengthy sentence.

They argued Harriss celebrity status had enabled him to persuade and entice his young victims to engage in sexual acts.

Notable figures listed as authors of character letters to be used by the his defence included other stars of Cheer such as Navarro college head coach Monica Aldama, teammate Morgan Simianer and the parents of Harris fellow cheerleader, Gabi Butler.

Jerry Harris in 'Cheer' (Courtesy of Netflix)

Harris, 22, previously pleaded guilty to two of seven counts against him at a plea gearing in February this year. These included persuading a 17-year-old to send him sexually explicit photographs for money.

The other count stemmed from a trip he took to Florida for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a 15-year-old.

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His pleas were entered during a plea hearing in a US federal court in Chicago in February this year. Prosecutors agreed to drop the remaining five counts under a plea agreement.

A child pornography charge carries a sentence ranging from five to 20 years in the US, while the second charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years.

A native of Chicago suburb Naperville, Harris was the breakout star of Netflixs Cheer. The series followed a cheerleading team from Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas, as it sought a national title.

The second season of Cheer addresses the investigation into Harris in an episode titled Jerry.
Williamson County sheriff's office

The Williamson County sheriff's office is investigating shootings that killed one 15-year-old boy and injured another on Wednesday, officials said. The names of the victims have not been released. Investigators have determined that the shootings are related, according to a sheriff's news release.

The victims were found in different locations, according to the release. Officials first received a 911 call at 10:30 p.m. about a shooting in southeastern Williamson County outside the city limits of Pflugerville, the release said. It said when deputies arrived at the scene, they found a 15-year-old boy with a wound that was not life-threatening.

Officials then received information at 10:40 p.m. that a different 15-year-old boy had been found dead near the Texas 130 tollway north of Texas 45near Pflugerville, the release said.

Officials did not say why they think the shootings were related.

READ: Officials identify two men killed in trench collapse in Jarrell

Investigators are asking anyone with information about the shootings or information about a dark-colored four-door sedanthat is missing a passenger side window to call the sheriff's Criminal Investigations Division at 512-943-5204 or Williamson County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-253-7867.

The sheriff's office declined to release further information.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: One teen dead, another injured in shootings near Pflugerville
In the aftermath of a mass shooting that left seven dead Monday in a Chicago suburb, a toddler wandered alone before strangers picked him up and searched for his parents. Tuesday, it emerged both his parents were killed in the gunfire, leaving the 2-year-old an orphan.

Anguish took over the city of Highland Park in a wave after Fourth of July celebrations were shattered when a gunman opened fire, injuring at least two dozen people. Among those killed were a dedicated synagogue worker, an avid bird watcher and a grandfather watching holiday festivities from his wheelchair.

On Wednesday, the name of a seventh victim  Eduardo Uvaldo, 69, of Waukegan, Illinois  was confirmed by the Cook County Medical Examiner's office. Uvaldo was pronounced dead at 7:47 a.m. Wednesday at Evanston Hospital.

TODDLER ORPHANED AFTER ATTACK: How Highland Park stepped in to help

Tuesday night, hundreds gathered at a vigil downtown as neighbors held hands, hugged and cried. Some placed flowers, prayed and lit candles. Many wore Highland Park High School sweatshirts.

It feels good to be with other people going through the same thing, Lucy Melinger, 19, who lives a block from the scene of the shooting, said as she carried a bouquet of pink carnations.

People gather for a candlelight vigil July 5 near where seven people were killed by a gunman at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Ill.

Here's what we know about the victims.

Irina, 35, and Kevin McCarthy, 37

Childhood friend Angela Vella described Irina McCarthy as fun, personable and somewhat of a tomboy who liked to dress up. She definitely had her own style, which I always admired, Vella told The Associated Press.

Born in Moscow, Irina moved to Chicago with her family when she was 2 years old before moving to Highland Park, her father, Michael Levberg, told the Chicago Tribune on Tuesday. She married Kevin McCarthy about five years ago after they met while working together, Levberg said.

They were the parents of Aiden, 2, who was found bloody and alone by bystanders after the shooting. His photo was shared across social media and news outlets with a plea to identify him. He was reunited with his grandparents Monday evening.

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Friends of the McCarthys said Irinas parents would raise him. Community members mobilized to support the boy, raising almost $2 million by Wednesday morning on GoFundMe.

"At 2 years old, Aiden is left in the unthinkable position; to grow up without his parents," a verified GoFundMe page for Aiden said.

They came for the American dream: On the Fourth of July, they survived an American shooting

Nicolas Toledo, 78

Nicolas Toledo was among the people killed at a shooting during a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Ill., his granddaughter Alba Toledo, 23, confirmed to USA TODAY.

Toledo's family is "shattered," his granddaughter Alba Toledo, 23, told USA TODAY in a Spanish-language message confirming Nicolas was among the victims.

"It's an enormous pain," she said.

"Believe me, my grandfather was a great person, with an enormous heart. He was the best grandfather, loving, attentive," she said.

He wasn't sure he wanted to go to the parade, but his family  who had excitedly set up chairs along the route the night before  brought him to watch the event in his wheelchair, another of his granddaughters, Xochil Toledo, told the Chicago Sun-Times.

When shots were fired, Xochil said, her father tried to shield her grandfather, but Nicolas died at the scene.

The family of Nicolas Toledo is "shattered," his granddaughter Alba Toledo says.

Toledo, a great-grandfather and dual Mexican-American citizen, spent most of his life in Morelos, Mexico, and moved to Highland Park a few months ago to be with family, Xochil told the Sun-Times. It is unclear whether he is the Mexican national that an official from the Mexican Foreign Ministrys North America unit said was among the victims.

He had eight children, a big smile and bright blue eyes, Xochil told the Sun-Times. He liked a home-cooked meal and had a great sense of humor. Alba Toledo told USA TODAY her grandfather loved drawing, hunting, fishing and going for walks in the park.

"We only wish that he's remembered as a great person, a hardworking man, a great father and grandfather, charismatic, fun, a fighter and adventurer," she said.

'I GRABBED MY KID AND RAN': 6 dead, dozens injured in shooting at July 4th parade in Chicago suburb

Jacquelyn 'Jacki' Sundheim, 63

Sundheim was a dedicated congregant and staff member at North Shore Congregation Israel for decades, according to the synagogue, which confirmed her death in a statement on its website.

Sundheim helped organize events as the synagogue's B'nei Mitzvah coordinator. She taught at the Gates of Learning Preschool with "tireless dedication," according to the statement.

"Jackis work, kindness and warmth touched us all," the synagogue said.

"There are no words sufficient to express the depth of our grief for Jackis death and sympathy for her family and loved ones," it said. "We know you join us in the deepest prayer that Jackis soul will be bound up in the shelter of Gods wings and her family will somehow find comfort and consolation amidst this boundless grief."

Stephen Straus, 88

Straus, a Chicago financial adviser, was one of the first observers at the parade and attended it every year, his grandchildren said.

Brothers Maxwell and Tobias Straus described their grandfather in an interview with The Associated Press as a kind and active man who loved walking, biking and attending community events.

A "product of Chicago" born and raised on the city's South Side, Stephen Straus loved the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and commuted on the Metra five days a week to his office downtown, his son, Jonathan, told the Chicago Tribune. He was an avid reader and joke teller.

The way he lived life, youd think he was still middle-aged, Maxwell Straus told The Associated Press.

The two brothers recalled Sunday night dinners with their grandparents as a favorite tradition. They said they ate with him the night before he was killed.

Americas gun culture is killing grandparents, Maxwell said.

Katherine Goldstein, 64

Goldstein's husband described her as an easygoing travel companion who was always game to visit far-flung locales.

She didn't complain, Craig Goldstein told The New York Times. She was always along for the ride.

Goldstein, of Highland Park, was a mother of two daughters in their early 20s: Cassie and Alana. She attended the parade with her older daughter, so Cassie could reunite with friends from high school, Craig Goldstein, a hospital physician, told the newspaper.

I got to have 22 years with the best mom in the world. ... I did everything with her, Cassie Goldstein told NBC News. She was my best friend.

Dr. Goldstein said his wife had recently lost her mother and thought about what kind of arrangements she might want when she died. He recalled that Katherine, an avid bird watcher, said she wanted to be cremated and have her remains scattered in the Montrose Beach area of Chicago, where there is a bird sanctuary.

She was really selfless, he told NBC News, and seemingly always upbeat. ... She touched so many people in a positive way.

Eduardo Uvaldo, 69

Uvaldo died Wednesday from a gunshot wound to the head, according to a verified GoFundMe set up by his family. He was taken off a ventilator Tuesday, according to the website. Uvaldo's grandson and wife were injured in the shooting.

Uvaldo and his family attended the Highland Park July Fourth parade every year "filled with happiness and laughter," his granddaughter, Nivia Guzman, wrote on the GoFundMe page.

"My grandpa is a kind, loving, and funny man who did not deserve this," the page says.

Contributing: Grace Hauck, Adrianna Rodriguez and Scott Gleeson, USA TODAY; The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Highland Park victims identified: List of victims from parade shooting
Even though the world is beginning to open up slightly, you'll understand my hesitancy to start booking flights. In lieu of actually traveling, I've been content to compile a list of sights and locations for my bucket list. I ain't Anthony Bourdain, but I tend to lean towards places a little off the beaten path. The haunts and locales that call out to natives while concurrently snarling at wannabe tourists who crave the familiar. However, in the case of the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, I might have to change my stance.

The Salar de Uyuni is a popular tourist attractionat least for those aware of it that almost defies description. The naturally occurring salt flats reflect the sterling azure above for miles to provide visitors with an unforgettable vista. In the video linked above, you can check out the salt flats to add them to your list of desired destinations as well.
* Lavrov attending gathering of Russia's most vocal opponents

* Talks to include global food and energy security

* Britain's Truss to cut short trip - BBC

* G7 countries not present at Bali reception

* 'Everyone has to feel comfortable' - Indonesia minister (Releads, adds Indonesia foreign minister comments on reception 4-6, more quotes from U.S. official paragraph 20)

By Stanley Widianto

NUSA DUA, Indonesia, July 7 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will have his first close encounter with the fiercest critics of his country's invasion of Ukraine at a G20 gathering in Indonesia that was getting under way on Thursday with the war all but certain to dominate discussions.

A closed-door foreign minister's meeting on Friday will be the first time Russian President Vladimir Putin's top diplomat Lavrov will come face-to-face with the most vocal opponents of the invasion of Ukraine in February, which Moscow has called a "special military operation".

Lavrov planned to meet some of his counterparts on the sidelines of the summit, Russian news agency TASS reported, but ministers including Germany's Annalena Baerbock and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken have ruled out separate meetings with him.

Underlining tensions in the buildup to the meeting, Retno Marsudi, Indonesia's foreign minister, said G7 counterparts had informed her they could not attend Thursday's reception ceremony, decisions that the host nation understood and respected. It was not immediately clear if Lavrov attended.

"We're talking about trying to create a comfortable situation for all," Retno told reporters.

"I understand your position. Because once again, everyone has to feel comfortable to attend."

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said her country and like-minded nations would use the G20 meeting to highlight the impact of the war.

"We will be making very clear collectively our views about Russia's position and Russia's behaviour," she said.

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British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, however, may leave early: the BBC reported she planned to return to London amid the political drama around Prime Minister Boris Johnson's resignation.

A British Foreign Office official declined to comment.

GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS

Energy and food security are on the Bali meeting agenda, with Western nations accusing Russia of stoking a global food crisis and worsening inflation by blockading shipments of Ukrainian grain. Russia has said it is ready to facilitate unhindered exports of grain.

The Group of 20 includes Western countries that have accused Moscow of war crimes in Ukraine - which it denies - and have imposed sanctions, but also countries like China, Indonesia, India and South Africa that have been more muted in their response.

Speaking after meeting his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, Lavrov emphasised the importance of Russia-China ties in shaping a more "just and democratic world based on the principles of international law".

He also lashed out at what he said was an "openly aggressive" West "which seeks to maintain its privileged position and dominance in international affairs".

Some U.S. and European officials have stressed the gathering will not be "business as a usual". A spokesperson for the German foreign minister said G7 countries would coordinate their response to Lavrov.

In 2014, the G7 excluded Russia from what had become the G8, over its annexation of Crimea.

Top officials from Britain, Canada and the United States walked out on Russian representatives during a G20 finance meeting in Washington in April. However despite early talk of boycotting subsequent G20 meetings, some analysts say Western nations may have decided this would be counterproductive.

A senior U.S. State Department official said on Thursday it was important to maintain a focus on what Indonesia had set out for its G20 presidency and "not let there be any disruptions or interruptions to that".

"We also want to make sure that there's nothing that in any way, shape or form lends any conceivable legitimacy to what Russia is doing in brutalising Ukraine," the official said.

(Reporting by Stanley Widianto and Yuddy Chaya Budiman in Nusa Dua, Kirsty Needham in Sydney and David Brunnstrom in Tokyo; Writing by Kate Lamb Editing by Ed Davies, Frances Kerry, Martin Petty, William Maclean)
Jul. 7AUSTIN  Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Thursday that his Public Safety Office is providing an additional $30 million in Operation Lone Star grant funding for Texas cities and counties to enhance border security operations, including funding to help deter and interdict criminal activity related to the border crisis.

"While the Biden Administration has abandoned border communities, the State of Texas will support them and help them respond to the disaster that President Biden has caused on the border," Abbott stated in the press release. "Operation Lone Star grant funding has played an integral role in our mission to keep Texans safe and support local communities. I encourage local governments to apply for these funds as we work together to prevent illegal immigration and the smuggling of people, illegal weapons, and deadly drugs like fentanyl from Mexico into Texas."

Additional grant funding being made available includes:

>> $14 million for border-adjacent counties  available starting Sept. 1.

>> $16 million for any county or city  available now, grant applications open on July 11.

Governor Abbott launched the OLS Grant Program in September 2021 with an initial $100 million made available to strengthen Texas' response to the border crisis. All eligible requests for this initial funding have been fulfilled, totaling $58 million in awards so far with $42 million still available.

The Governor's PSO is responsible for administering the OLS Grant Program. Local units of government that are interested in learning more about this program can view the funding announcement here. Applicants can also contact PSO via [email protected] or at 512-463-1919.

Governor Abbott has taken significant action to secure the border in the wake of the federal government's inaction. Those actions include:

>> Securing $4 billion in funding for Texas' border security efforts.

>> Launching Operation Lone Star and deploying thousands of National Guard soldiers and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers.

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>> Arresting and jailing illegal migrants trespassing or committing other state crimes in Texas.

>> Allocating resources that include acquiring 1,700 unused steel panels to build the border wall in Texas.

>> Signing a law to make it easier to prosecute smugglers bringing people into Texas.

>> Signing 15 laws cracking down on human trafficking in Texas.

>> Signing a law enhancing penalties for the manufacturing and distribution of fentanyl.

>> Issuing a disaster declaration for the border crisis.

>> Issuing an executive order preventing non-governmental entities from transporting illegal immigrants.

>> Taking aggressive action to secure the border as President Biden ends Title 42 expulsions, including busing migrants to Washington, D.C.

>> Signing memoranda of understanding between the State of Texas and the States of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas to enhance border security measures that will prevent illegal immigration from Mexico to Texas.

>> Activating the Joint Border Security Operations Center (JBSOC) and directing the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Military Department, and Texas Division of Emergency Management to coordinate Texas' response to secure the border.

>> Creating DPS strike teams and establishing new vehicle inspection checkpoints targeting semi-trucks.
Jul. 7Both sides of the abortion rights debate were featured publicly in Hamilton over the recent holiday as pro-choice protesters convened around the Butler County Courthouse a day before Butler County Right To Life marched in the city's 4th of July parade.

Sunday's pro-choice gathering, organized by local advocates Tiffany Harmon and Brittany Hacker with support from the Butler County Democratic Party, was meant to protest "...last week's U.S. Supreme Court decision eliminating a woman's right to obtain an abortion," a spokesperson said.

"We wanted to make sure that our voices were heard here locally in Butler County as to our support for people who can become pregnant and their opportunity to make their own decisions regarding their own healthcare," said Kathy Wyenandt, Butler County Democratic Chair.

The Supreme Court's decision made way for Ohio's on-the-books but not-yet enforced "heartbeat bill" to take effect, essentially outlawing all abortions in the state after a "fetal heartbeat" is detected  usually around six weeks after conception.

"It's dreadful. We believe [that] it's terrible," said Wyenandt, who added that six weeks is often not long enough for a woman to know if she is pregnant, and that the new ban doesn't grant exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest.

Wyenandt then referenced a Friday article from the IndyStar, which told the story of a 10-year-old Ohioan who traveled to Indiana for an abortion after being denied care in Ohio because she was over six weeks pregnant.

"That is just a horrifying sentence to place on a young person  or anyone at all who was raped and becomes pregnant as a result of it  to have to carry that child to term," Wyenandt said.

According to Wyenandt, the crux of the protester's message is to "...vote, volunteer and to get involved."

"Every single election matters," Wyenandt said. "From city council all the way up to [the] Statehouse, we've got to make sure to pay attention to who we're voting for and what they stand for. That was the ultimate message."

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Wyenandt estimated that there were over 150 pro-choice protesters, along with former Dayton mayor and current Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nan Whaley, who spoke before the crowd. There were no counter protesters.

On Monday, however, Butler County's Right to Life group had a public demonstration of their own, taking their annual place in Hamilton's 4th of July Parade for the first time since Roe's reversal and the enforcement of Ohio's heartbeat bill.

Patty Newman, the coordinator of Butler County Right to Life, said public opportunities like the parade are vital for her organization.

"It's extremely important that our community knows that we exist," Newman said. "And, that it's our hearts' desire to educate and advocate for life in our community, life at every level, that we believe begins at conception."

For Newman, the reversal of Roe makes way for a chance to "encourage that culture of life once again in our families and community."

For local women who find out about their pregnancy after six weeks, Newman said Butler County Right to Life wants to "expand that vision [as an] opportunity for life."

"Abortion is not the only option," Newman said.

Butler County Right to Life has other public displays planned, as well, Newman said. The organization will be hosting prayer and passing out literature outside Hamilton's Planned Parenthood on July 9th in order to promote what Newman describes as life affirming actions.

"There's this culture, I believe, that has said, 'Oh, under these circumstances, it's not a life. [But] under these situations  if I accept it and am overjoyed  [then] it's a life,'" Newman said. "We're trying to remove that thought process to allow others to consider life options."

In response to the story of the young Ohioan seeking an abortion in Indiana, Newman said it was "absolutely horrific what that 10 year old has experienced and my heart goes out to her and to all who suffer rape or incest. We cannot turn a blind eye to the 10 year old, or any woman who is accosted in such a way where she finds herself pregnant."

"But, we have to validate not only her life but the life that we could possibly engage inside of her," Newman said. "I would ask, 'Why was abortion the only option for that 10 year old?'"

"These are horrific exceptions to consider. But, nonetheless, there is a life," Newman said.
SCHAFFHAUSEN, Switzerland, July 07, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN) invites shareholders and investors to listen to its second quarter 2022 earnings conference call on Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. EDT, with executives of Garmin. The call will be held in conjunction with the company's earnings release, which will be distributed prior to market open on July 27, 2022.

What: Garmin Ltd. Second Quarter 2022 Earnings Call

When: Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. EDT

Where: Join the live webcast at http://www.garmin.com/en-US/company/investors/events/

Register: Participants who wish to join by phone, and analysts who wish to participate in the question-and-answer session, should register here to receive a dial-in number and unique PIN to join the audio portion of the call. It is recommended that you join 10 minutes prior to the event start (although you may register and dial in at any time during the call).

Contact: investor.relations@garmin.com

An archive of the live webcast will be available until July 26, 2023 at garmin.com/investors/events.

About Garmin Ltd:

Engineered on the inside for life on the outside, Garmin products have revolutionized life for runners, cyclists, swimmers and athletes of all levels and abilities. Committed to developing technology that helps people stay active and elevate performance, Garmin believes every day is an opportunity to innovate and a chance to beat yesterday. Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN) is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit Garmin's virtual Newsroom, email our press team, or follow us on LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005426/en/

Contacts

INVESTOR CONTACT:

Teri Seck

Garmin International Inc.

Phone | 913/397-8200

E-Mail | investor.relations@garmin.com

MEDIA CONTACT:

Krista Klaus

Garmin International Inc.

Phone | 913/397-8200

E-Mail | media.relations@garmin.com
Phoenix Mercury center and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner acknowledged in a court near Moscow on Thursday that she was guilty of smuggling narcotic substances. Griner, 31, faces a prison term of five to 10 years, though her acknowledgment could lead to a reduced term.

Griner, who played for the Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA offseason, has been detained in Russia for approximately 140 days following her arrest in February at Sheremetyevo airport. Shes been accused of attempting to transport hashish oil in vape cartridges. Griners arrest occurred while the U.S. State Department had begun to urge Americans in Russia to leave the country in anticipation of a Russian conflict with Ukraine.

More from Sportico.com

Griners acknowledgment does not impact her standing with the State Department. In May, the agency classified Griner as wrongfully detained. This means the U.S. will attempt to negotiate her release whether or not she broke Russian law.

On Wednesday, the day before Griner would acknowledge guilt, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with Griners wife, Cherelle Griner. According to a White House statement, Biden called Cherelle to reassure her that he is working to secure Brittneys release as soon as possible, as well as the release of Paul Whelan and other U.S. nationals who are wrongfully detained or held hostage in Russia and around the world.

In a phone interview with Sportico, Penn State Dickinson Law Professor William Butler, an expert on Russian law, international and comparative law, emphasized that, contrary to media reporting, Griner has not pleaded guiltyno such pleas are possible in the Russian legal systembut has instead acknowledged guilt. She could have done it earlier, Butler noted, in reference to a hearing following Griners arrest when she elected to remain silent (she could have also denied guilt).

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Griner was given another chance to acknowledge guilt after the prosecution presented its case in her trial, which began last week. This time Griner acknowledged drugs were in her luggage, while insisting that she didnt intend to break Russian law. To that end, Griner explained that she rushed to pack for her flight. Butler, however, underscored that, like in U.S. courts, intent to break the law is not the relevant metric for a Russian court assessing intent. The key question is instead whether she intended to smuggle the drugs.

Griner faced seemingly insurmountable odds in her trial.

For one, if she acknowledged an intent to transport drugs, she would have broken the law. For another, the conviction rate in Russian trials has been calculated as high as 99%, with other estimates closer to 95%. The conviction rate in the U.S. is also very high, which leads to numerous plea deals. According to a Pew Research study, 90% of defendants facing federal criminal charges plead guilty, and of those who take their chances before a jury, 86% are convicted. Still, a conviction rate in the ballpark of 95% to 99% makes a conviction nearly certain.

Butler told Sportico that Griner voicing responsibility could help her receive a prison sentence on the lower end of the five-to-10-year range. How long Griner remains in Russia will also depend on whether U.S. and Russian officials arrange for a prisoner swap. In May, Russia sent home former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed while the U.S. returned Russian citizen Konstantin Yaroshenko. Both men had been sentenced to lengthy prison terms.

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Click here to read the full article.
A 2-year-old girl, Jailee Latson, who went missing early July 7, 2022, from an east side Indianapolis home, was safely reunited with her family several hours later.

Update: This article was updated with more information from police on July 8, 2022.

A 2-year-old girl who went missing early Thursday from an east side Indianapolis home was safely reunited with her family several hours later Thursday evening.

Jailee Latson was last seen around 4 a.m. near the 800 block of North Rural Street before she was found around 8:30 p.m., according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

The toddler was returned home by a woman who initially found her outside around 4 a.m. in the 600 block of North Rural Street, police said Friday.

Investigators interviewed the woman and believe Latson was cared for all day long by her, according to police.

Shortly before Latson returned home, IMPD officer William Young said the FBI and Marion County Sheriff's Office were involved in the search. He said investigators were preparing to go door-to-door in the area she went missing to look for the toddler.

"It's a sigh of relief," Young said after the toddler was found.

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Children could be seen on the family's front porch and lawn, who appeared to be celebrating, shortly before police announced the toddler's return.

Latson was "dropped off" by someone near her family's home and a family member made contact with her, Young said.

"The investigation is still ongoing," Young said. "We are trying to piece together where she was, who she was with. All of those things will come out as the investigation progresses."

Young thanked the community for information that was provided to investigators on the missing toddler

"I took a look at her and she seems to be fine," Young said of Latson's condition. "Of course, we always do our due diligence by having IEMS come out and take a good look at her to make sure she's okay."

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About two hours before Latson was found, police released video on social media in connection with her disappearance.

Investigators asked for the community's help in identifying a woman at the end of a driveway in the video, who appears to be holding a small child.

IMPD worked with the Indiana State Police and a statewide Silver Alert was issued for Latson before she was found. Police used a drone and missing persons K-9 to assist in the search.

Indy residents joined in the search for missing toddler

Some residents took it upon themselves to search for the toddler on their own before she was reunited with family.

Ayanna Person, an Indianapolis resident her whole life, said she saw the news of the missing toddler and couldn't sit at home. She walked up and down North Rural Street and in nearby alleys looking for the toddler.

Person occasionally yelled out, "Jailee" and the toddler's nickname "Jellybean" and informed other residents in the area of the disappearance.

Other residents joined, checking backyards, garages and abandoned buildings in the area for the toddler. Some pointed investigators to homes they knew had surveillance cameras installed.

The toddler's family was ecstatic when she was returned home, Young said.

"It kind of melts your heart and makes it all worth it in the end," Young said. "We get to go home peacefully tonight."

Contact Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jake_Allen19.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IMPD: 2-year-old who went missing Jailee Latson found safe
FILE PHOTO: General view of the new terminal of Jeddah airport, in Jeddah

By Dan Williams

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel's regional cooperation minister said on Thursday that he had asked Saudi Arabia to admit direct flights from Tel Aviv for Muslim pilgrims, pointing to a possible new accommodation by Riyadh ahead of next week's visit by U.S. President Joe Biden.

Israeli officials have also been seeking expanded permission for their airlines to fly over Saudi soil to Asian destinations.

Saudi Arabia, Islam's birthplace, does not recognise Israel and has said nothing of possible bilateral developments during Biden's visit. Israel has also shied from drawing such links.

But a person in Washington who was familiar with the matter said the new aviation deals sought by Israel could be announced around the time of Biden's visit, but that details still needed to be worked out and may not be completed in time.

Regional Cooperation Minister Esawi Freij said Israel has been working to bring what he deemed as "under the counter" contacts between the countries - based mostly on commercial interests and shared worries about Iran - more into the open.

"I want to see the day when I can depart from Ben-Gurion (airport near Tel Aviv) to Jeddah to fulfil my religious obligation" of pilgrimage to Mecca, said Freij, a member of Israel's 18% Muslim minority.

"I took this matter up with Saudi Arabia and I really hope that day will come," he told Israel's Army Radio, without expanding on where or when such discussions took place.

Saudi Arabia has long admitted Muslim pilgrims from Israel, but they must travel through third countries. That ends up costing around $11,500 for a week-long stay, Freij said. Pilgrims from neighbouring Arab countries pay around half that.

When the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain established relations with Israel in 2020, Riyadh signalled its assent by providing a Saudi air corridor for Israeli planes headed to those Gulf states.

"We are in talks on getting general (Saudi) over-flight rights for destinations other than Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Manama. This will save significant times for reaching Asian destinations, for example," an Israeli official told Reuters.

(Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick in Washington; Writing by Dan WilliamsEditing by Tomasz Janowski and Bernadette Baum)
Munson Elementary School at 109 Brighton Blvd. closed in 2005. The lank bank recently received $500,000 for the demolition of the structure, clearing the way for redevelopment as affordable housing.

ZANESVILLE  After two years of twists and turns, the redevelopment of the former Munson School property has cleared a major milestone. The Muskingum County Land Reutilization Corporation, better known as the land bank, has secured funding for the demolition of the structure, clearing the way for redevelopment as affordable housing.

The Ohio Department of Development notified the land bank that $500,000 was available to demolish the former school on Brighton Boulevard. This comes on the heels of the organization receiving $1.85 million in brownfield remediation money to demolish the former Mosaic Tile factory, about a mile away on Pershing Road.

An additional $120,000 in brownfield money will go to asbestos remediation in the former school.

Munson Elementary School: Developer of affordable housing eyeing site after demolition

Woda Cooper Companies: Developer hired to build 50 affordable housing units at Munson Elementary School site

Initially, the land bank hoped to rehab the building and turn it into apartments. Following a feasibility study where the price for the project almost doubled, the organization turned instead to demolition, with hopes of building affordable housing on the property.

The land bank signed a deal with Woda Cooper Companies, a Columbus-based housing developer, to build 50 affordable housing units at the site.

"When we took on Mosaic and Munson both together, we wanted to remediate both sites to turn them into something better," said Any Roberts, the land bank's executive director. In a case of try, try again, the land bank pivoted from rehab to demolition as funding availability changed.

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The land bank would like to put both projects out to separate bids on July 15, with bids due by Aug. 26. The group would open and award bids on Sept. 1.

Roberts said the Mosaic demolition has attracted considerable interest from demolition companies across the country. Any interested parties would be required to attend a pre-bid walk-through of the property on July 28.

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The grant money needs to be allocated by the end of June 2023. The demolition of Mosaic is expected to take about six months, Roberts said, or eight if the slab and any underground structures are removed. Whether the underground work is done depends on the cost of aboveground demolition. Demolishing the former school is expected to take about six months as well, part of which will be asbestos remediation.

"We hope to have both projects done by the middle of next year," Roberts said.

ccrook@gannett.com

740-868-3708

Social media: @crookphoto

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Muskingum County land bank receives money to demolish Munson school
YuLifes mobile app rewards policyholders for completing wellness tasks such as running or cycling (YuLife)

London-based insurance tech company YuLife has completed a $120 million funding round valuing the company at $800 million.

The series C funding round was led by Dai-ichi Life, the third largest life insurer in Japan.

YuLifes mobile app rewards policyholders for completing wellness tasks such as running or cycling. Users of the app earn YuCoin which they can use to buy gifts for friends and family using Amazon vouchers or fund charitable causes such as supporting refugees from Ukraine.

1 in 3 YuLife policyholders use the app on a daily basis, with 87% reporting an improvement to their wellbeing as a result of having YuLife as their insurer.

YuLife CEO Sammy Rubin told the Standard: More employees are demanding a culture of wellbeing  our proposition is bringing together wellbeing and insurance all in one benefit.

Were breathing life into a traditional industry which has mainly been focussed on death.

Founded in 2016, YuLife now covers over 500,000 policyholders with over 40 billion of cover in place.

Rubin said the funding would be used to fuel the companys international expansion, with plans to open for business in the US in the beginning of 2023 as well as plans to launch in South Africa.
The two most recent episodes of Ms. Marvel have not only brought Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) to Pakistan, they've also introduced her to another hero her own age: Kareem (Aramis Knight), a.k.a. Red Dagger. The friendly chemistry between the performers is no accident  they've known each other since they originally auditioned for the Disney+ superhero series years ago.

"We first tested together originally," Knight tells EW. "She was the first person I met on the show, and I was the first person she met on the show."

But, Knight says, it took a while to translate their personal chemistry to the screen. It helped that they roomed next door to each other in Thailand, where the production filmed the episodes set in Karachi. Working a job so far from home can be a bonding experience, and now Knight calls Vellani "a friend for life."

MS. MARVEL

Patrick Brown/Marvel Studios Kareem (Aramis Knight) and Kamala (Iman Vellani) say goodbye (for now) in 'Ms. Marvel.'

However, when it comes to their characters, the relationship between Kamala and Kareem starts off rocky and combative. That's similar to the Marvel comics from which they both originally hail, but with the added layer in the TV show of Kamala's connection to the mystical Clandestines  the enemies of Kareem and his fellow Red Daggers.

"Kareem has trained his whole life to be where he is now, and to keep up with the Clandestines who have superhuman abilities," Knight says. "So when he first meets Kamala, he's a bit wary of her, but once he realizes she's not a Clandestine, the dynamic between them comes from her having just recently discovered her powers that are very much in her ancestry, whereas Kareem has really dedicated his whole life to this. That gives him this ability to help Kamala learn what it's like to be a superhero and a normal person at the same time."

Might that rapport turn romantic? For a nerd, Kamala certainly has a lot of love interests: She's already got Bruno (Matt Lintz) and Kamran (Rish Shah) waiting for her back in Jersey City. For now, she and Kareem feel more like work pals  but you never know

Story continues

"We live so far apart, yet we get so close based on the traumas that we go through together, and I think Red Dagger is one of her greatest allies throughout this series," Knight says. "While we were shooting, we made jokes that Kamala's really racking up the boys! But it's ultimately up to Marvel which direction that ends up going in."

Ms. Marvel (2015-2019) #24 by G. Willow Wilson

Marvel Comics Ms. Marvel and Red Dagger on the cover of 'Ms. Marvel' #24 by writer G. Willow Wilson and cover artist Valerio Schiti.

Kareem is the only Red Dagger in the Ms. Marvel comics, but in the show he belongs to the Order of Red Daggers. This organization, which also includes Kareem's mentor Waleed (Farhan Akhtar), is dedicated to stopping the Clandestines from breaking the Veil of Noor and releasing their fellow djinn into the human world.

As Ms. Marvel co-creator Sana Amanat told EW last week, expanding the Red Daggers into an order for the show gives more depth to Kamala's world and also serves as a demonstration of egalitarianism. The Red Daggers aren't blessed with superhuman gifts  they're simply willing to wear a red mask (which is very COVID-safe, Knight says) and fight to protect their home.

"They're very much selfless heroes, which is one of my favorite things about Kareem," Knight says. "There's actually a scene that didn't make it into the episode, where Kareem has this line that I thought was really cool. He says, 'I don't wear this mask for acclaim. I wear it so that every boy in Karachi knows that they can do the same thing I do.'"

Ms. Marvel is streaming now on Disney+.

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California produces 82% of the world's almonds. This year, farmers in the state will harvest 2.8 billion pounds. But according to the Los Angeles Times, "about 1.3 billion pounds of unsold almonds are still sitting in piles at processing and packing facilities" instead of being shipped to "robust markets like the European Union, China, India and the United Arab Emirates."

The problem, according to the article, is that oceanic carriers can make more money sending empty container ships to Asia to load up on export goods instead of waiting in California posts to be loaded with almonds. The glut of almonds has led to record low prices in the US  $2 a pound.

Those 1.3 billion pounds of almonds sitting in packing facilities represent a lot of water. The article says it takes "1.1 gallons of water to grow an almond, and to grow a pound of almonds requires about 1,900 gallons of water."
Defending champion Tadej Pogacar powered clear to win stage six of the Tour de France and take the overall lead after the peloton denied Wout Van Aert what would have been a remarkable solo victory in the yellow jersey.

Arguably the two most exciting talents in the mens peloton dominated the story on the longest stage of this years Tour, 220 kilometres between Binche, Belgium and Longwy that were raced at a ferocious pace, an average speed of 49km an hour seeing the peloton get home half an hour earlier than predicted.

For the first 210km it was all about Van Aert on what would be his last day in yellow, the Belgian driving the pace on home roads as he powered the breakaway clear, then emerging as the last survivor as he tried to take on the peloton alone for the final 30km.

Wout Van Aert put in a huge effort in the days breakaway but would lose yellow (Daniel Cole/AP)

But after he was reeled in 10km from Longwy  sitting up and finishing some seven minutes down  Pogacar took over, following a late attack from fellow Slovenian Primoz Roglic up the short final climb and then powering away from Michael Matthews to take a win he was able to celebrate short of the line.

The Ineos Grenadiers Tour debutant Tom Pidcock came home fourth just ahead of team-mates Adam Yates and Geraint Thomas, but all were left trailing in the wake of Pogacar.

Every time I win its even better, the UAE Team Emirates rider said. Today was so hard from the start. The first two hours were crazy and the strongest guy went in the breakaway.

Lots of guys were pulling and in the end the peloton was stronger. When we came to the climbs I was feeling good and the team did an incredibly good job of bringing me to the perfect position so Im happy.

 A slow-motion look at an incredible final sprint from  @TamauPogi!  Admirez la puissance du sprint final de  @TamauPogi au ralenti !#TDF2022 pic.twitter.com/8ZQB4Xasou  Tour de France (@LeTour) July 7, 2022

Speaking before his yellow jersey was confirmed, he said of taking the race lead: I wouldnt mind it for sure. Im super happy to take the win and anything else is a bonus. We will think about this in the next days.

Story continues

Thanks to the bonus seconds for his win, Pogacar now leads overall by four seconds from Neilson Powless.

With the first summit finish to come on La Planche des Belles Filles on Friday, Jonas Vingegaard sits third, 31 seconds down, with the Ineos trio of Yates, Pidcock and Thomas fourth, fifth and sixth, all within 46 seconds of Pogacar.

Van Aert would have known the yellow jersey was not going to be his for much longer given the mountains to come, but he chose to go down swinging after a remarkable opening week of the Tour for the 27-year-old.

Having finished second in all three of the opening stages, on Tuesday he rode away from the peloton late on to take a stunning solo win into Calais.

Very cool to see @tompidcock up there battling at the finish of stage six in his debut Tour. He comes home fourth  Adam, G and Dani all finished in the select peloton and will move up the GC today #TDF2022 pic.twitter.com/pLD67sR6b5  INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) July 7, 2022

Then he sacrificed his own ambitions on the cobbles of northern France on Wednesday to salvage Vingegaards race after injury and incident hit Jumbo-Visma on a chaotic day on the cobbles.

Unbowed, he then took on the Tours longest day in aggressive fashion. The break would take a remarkable 80km to form but Van Aerts determination to be in it kept the pace relentlessly high.

Jakob Fuglsang fell away with 65km to go, then Quinn Simmons gave a puff of the cheeks and a shake of the head as Van Aert went alone to try to defend a minutes advantage for the final 30km of the race.

It was not to be, but though victory was lacking, it was another superb ride for his considerable collection.

For sure the yellow jersey is nicer than the green one but Ive enjoyed the yellow and Ill enjoy the green as well, he said.

At the end of the day, we were only three at the front, so I was well aware that it would be a mission to stay up there till the end. But Ive wanted to honour the Maillot Jaune and share the moment with the crowd.
Wayne Pivac accepts that Wales need to show a lot more discipline when they target a Test series-levelling victory over South Africa on Saturday.

Wales face the Springboks in Bloemfontein after a pulsating first Test that world champions South Africa won 32-29 following Damian Willemses penalty with the games final kick.

While Wales went toe to toe with South Africa and produced arguably their finest performance of Pivacs coaching reign, they were also punished by referee Nika Amashukeli.

Louis Rees-Zammit leaves the field after receiving a yellow card against South Africa (Themba Hadebe/AP)

The Georgian official yellow-carded four Wales players  Dan Biggar, Alun Wyn Jones, Louis Rees-Zammit and Rhys Carre  with the tourists briefly reduced to 12 men during a frantic finale.

Wales also conceded 15 penalties to the Springboks seven, plus three free-kicks, with a cumulative effect of that indiscipline ultimately costing them.

Pivac said: It is really a matter of focusing on what we can bring to the game, and hopefully that is going to be a lot more discipline than last week, because we let ourselves down clearly in that area of the game.

To hold South Africa as close as we did for as long as we did, with the penalty count as it was, is a testament to some of the good work we did do.

Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli, right, controlled the first Test between South Africa and Wales (Brian Lawless/PA)

Pivac, who confirmed that Wales had sought and received feedback from World Rugby, underlined his disappointment with Rees-Zammits sin-binning, which came seven minutes from time.

The Gloucester wing was penalised after a try-saving tackle on Springboks replacement Willie Le Roux, having been adjudged to have intentionally slowed play down.

I think that was the most unlucky play in the match, Pivac added. Clearly, from our point of view we thought it was an excellent play.

That was a big moment in the game for us and very disappointing.

Tim Cymru  Your Wales XV for the 2nd Test v  at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein  LIVE on @SkySports action. Highlights @S4C FULL STORY | https://t.co/6MZty0AiEF pic.twitter.com/25X0H35AKQ  Welsh Rugby Union  (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 7, 2022

We know there were areas in the game which we need to improve on in terms of our discipline, but we felt also that there were some things which didnt go our way.

Story continues

Pivac has called up wing Alex Cuthbert as a solitary change to the starting XV, replacing Josh Adams.

Adams is on the bench, where an enforced switch sees uncapped Saracens prop Sam Wainwright taking over from Tomas Francis, who was stood down by Wales medical team and has returned home after suffering concussion during the first Test loss in Pretoria.

North Wales-born Wainwright, 24, was drafted into the tour squad last month as a replacement for the injured Leon Brown.

in  | Hear from head coach Wayne Pivac ahead of the 2nd Test this weekend #welshrugby #SAvWAL #walesinsouthafrica pic.twitter.com/ZPecCizZTC  Welsh Rugby Union  (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 7, 2022

And his Test debut now awaits as Wales target a first win against the Springboks in South Africa.

Wales centre George North, meanwhile, will equal Stephen Jones record as the most-capped Welsh mens international back with 104 appearances.

In stark contrast to Pivac, his Springboks counterpart Jacques Nienaber made 14 alterations from the series opener, retaining only lock Eben Etzebeth.

Wales great Sir Gareth Edwards has been among the critics of South Africas selection approach, believing that it disrespects the tourists.

Pivac said: They will have their reasoning. They have depth and quality throughout their squad, and they have experience in this team.

We do know the team we will be coming up against will be full of enthusiasm. When you give rugby players an opportunity, most of the time they will take it with both hands.

We are expecting a South Africa side full of ambition, full of intensity, and we know that they will be coming with one thing in mind and that is to win a Test match.

We cant really gauge the South African team because the team we are playing isnt the XV we played last week.

When a coach does what South Africa have done, it is a big pat on the back for their squad.

For us, it is about getting our own house in order and making sure we can start as well as we did last week.
Santiago Ochoas reporting for the Yakima Herald-Republic is possible with support from Report for America and community members through the Yakima Valley Community Fund . For information on republishing, email news@yakimaherald.com.
If you like the decisions the U.S. Supreme Court handed down this term, youre going to be enraptured by what comes next. For the rest of us, though, the worst could be yet to come.

Worse than forced birth for rape victims and new curbs, not on pollution, but on the EPAs ability to regulate carbon emissions from power plants?

Heres why it could be: In agreeing to review Moore v. Harper, the Supreme Court is taking up a case that could give legislatures sole authority over the conduct of federal elections. If that happens, even the most extreme partisan gerrymandering and voter suppression could be deemed just dandy by state lawmakers, no matter what a states constitution or supreme court says.

And if thats what the court decides, there will be no need to storm the U.S. Capitol to overturn the 2024 election. Thats because any legislature could simply decide to replace the electors chosen by the popular vote with its own slate, just as former President Donald Trump and Rudy Guiliani pressured state lawmakers in Arizona to do after Trump lost in 2020.

If the Supreme Court turned unchecked control of federal elections over to state lawmakers, how could any court sort out such power grabs?

The North Carolina case the court agreed to review concerns a GOP-engineered redistricting that the state Supreme Court rejected as having subordinated traditional neutral redistricting criteria in favor of extreme partisan advantage. Of course, Republicans want that map reinstated.

Its also Republicans, who not incidentally control 30 legislatures, who have been pushing the idea that the U.S. Supreme Court should review something called the independent legislature theory.

The Election Clause of the U.S. Constitution says the Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations.

Until now, the power of legislatures to follow purely partisan impulses has been checked by courts. The Supreme Court has never recognized the Constitutions election clause as bestowing unfettered control on state lawmakers.

As explained by New York Universitys Brennan Center for Justice, disagreement over how to read the clause hinges on how to understand the word legislature. The long-running understanding is that it refers to each states general lawmaking processes, including all the normal procedures and limitations. So if a state constitution subjects legislation to being blocked by a governors veto or citizen referendum, election laws can be blocked via the same means. And state courts must ensure that laws for federal elections, like all laws, comply with their state constitutions.

But proponents of the independent legislature theory reject this traditional reading, insisting instead that the Constitution gives legislatures exclusive and near-absolute power to regulate federal elections. The result? When it comes to federal elections, legislators would be free to violate the state constitution and state courts couldnt stop them.

Among those proponents? Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch.

But the question of whether the court would dare to undermine democracy, and whatever is left of its own credibility, has already been answered. Justices who once said that Roe was an important precedent of the Supreme Court, as Alito did, or that it was settled law, as Brett Kavanaugh said it was, would absolutely dare.

Justice Elena Kagan, in her dissent on the climate regulation case decided last week, wrote that The Court appoints itself  instead of Congress or the expert agency  the decision-maker on climate policy. I cannot think of many things more frightening.

Unfortunately, we can. Because the idea that this term was only a preview, as Thomas promised in the abortion case, is more frightening still.
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Sixth Tone has a fascinating story about a Chinese woman known only as Zhemao, who over the last decade has written over a million words of a labyrinthine alternate history narrative of Medieval Russia  told through the medium of 200 interconnected Wikipedia pages on the subject, purporting to be fact.

Even more remarkable is that no one knew about this, until fairly recently, when another author was doing research into the time period and noticed something was off.

"Chinese Wikipedia entries that are more detailed than English Wikipedia and even Russian Wikipedia are all over the place," Yifan wrote on Zhihu, a Quora-like Q&A platform. "Characters that don't exist in the English-Russian Wiki appear in the Chinese Wiki, and these characters are mixed together with real historical figures so that there's no telling the real from the fake. Even a lengthy Moscow-Tver war revolves around the non-existent Kashin silver mine." An investigation by Wikipedia found that a contributor had used at least four "puppet accounts" to falsify the history of the Qing Dynasty and the history of Russia since 2010. Each of the four accounts lent the others credibility. All have now been banned from Chinese Wikipedia. Over more than 10 years, the author wrote several million words of fake Russian history, creating 206 articles and contributing to hundreds more. She imagined richly detailed war stories and economic histories, and wove them into real events in language boring enough to fit seamlessly into the encyclopedia. Some netizens are calling her China's Borges.

Zhemao  who is allegedly the daughter of a Chinese diplomat stationed in Russia, and who is now a full-time housewife with a high school degree  did offer an explanation for his massive fictional world-building, in the form of an apology for violating Wikipedia's terms of use:

As the saying goes, in order to tell a lie, you must tell more lies. I was reluctant to delete the hundreds of thousands of words I wrote, but as a result, I wound up losing millions of words, and a circle of academic friends collapsed," she wrote. "The trouble I've caused is hard to make up for, so maybe a permanent ban is the only option. My current knowledge is not enough to make a living, so in the future I will learn a craft, work honestly, and not do nebulous things like this any more.

Unfortunately, none of us will ever get to mine the depths of her sprawling narrative, because Wikipedia deleted all of her edits and banned her from the site.

She Spent a Decade Writing Fake Russian History. Wikipedia Just Noticed. [Wu Peiyue / Sixth Tone]

Image: a now-deleted map of Eurasia, uploaded by Zhemao as part of her narrative
YORK  Yeng Thao, 44, of Catawba, New Jersey, is accused of hauling 26 pounds of marijuana in her vehicle as she traveled through York County.

Thao was stopped by a deputy with the York County Sheriffs Department for a traffic infraction on Interstate 80.

The deputy became suspicious of illegal activity during his conversation with Thao (who was the driver and lone occupant) so he asked for consent to search, which was granted.

The deputy allegedly found a duffel bag in the trunk containing 26 pounds of marijuana. And receipts in the vehicle showed she was actually coming from northern California, not Salt Lake City, Utah, as she had indicated earlier.

She has been charged with delivery of a controlled substance, a Class 2A felony; possession of more than a pound of marijuana, a Class 4 felony; and having no drug tax stamp, a Class 4 felony.

Her arraignment has been scheduled for July 11.
YORK  Hodi Al Jabiri, 53, of York, has been charged with fourth offense driving under the influence, as well as second offense driving during revocation and refusal to submit to testing. The DUI charge has been enhanced to a Class 2A felony because he refused to submit to testing and allegedly had a blood alcohol level higher than .15.

According to court documents, troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol were assisting the York Police Department with directing traffic in the area of Lincoln Avenue and Fifth Street when they saw Al Jabiri pull up to the intersection. The trooper was aware Al Jabiri had a revoked license.

A traffic stop was initiated and it allegedly took Al Jabiri some time to stop his vehicle.

When the trooper made contact with Al Jabiri, he says in his affidavit he saw alcoholic beverage containers in the vehicle, on the passenger floor, and he could smell alcohol coming from the vehicle and Al Jibiris person. The trooper asked Al Jabiri to exit the vehicle and he allegedly stumbled and leaned against the vehicle while walking.

The trooper says Al Jabiri failed a field sobriety test and he blew a .262 during a breath test.

It is alleged Al Jabiri said he refused to a test when he was at the jail.

Arraignment proceedings have been set for July 11 in the York County District Court.
Panchayat-fame actor Jitendra Kumar aka 'Jeetu Bhaiya' has bought a brand new MINI Countryman. The prices of the Mini Countryman start at Rs 42 lakh in India (ex-showroom). The Mini Countryman bought by the actor is painted in White Silver colour and was delivered to him by MINI and BMW's dealership Infinity Cars in Mumbai. Actor Jitendra Kumar shot to fame with The Viral Fever (TVF) and later worked in the Amazon Prime Video's Panchayat series. On the work front, Netflix will premiere upcoming movie Jaadugar with Jitendra Kumar in the lead role.

The Mini Countryman is sold in India along side Mini Cooper 3 door hatch, Mini Cooper SE 3 door, Mini Convertible, Mini Electric and Mini John Cooper Works (JCW). The Mini Countryman is the biggest of them all and gets a 5-soor setup as opposed to 3 door Cooper.

The Mini Countryman is available only in the petrol-engined Cooper S spec having a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine developing 192 hp and 280 Nm of output. The engine is mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox  DCT Sport gearbox with a claimed 0-100 kmph time of 7.5 seconds.

The Mini Countryman gets round LED headlamps and tail-lamps with the companys trademark Union Jack LED motif. The JCW Inspired variant additionally gets a sportier look to the regular Countryman including sportier bumpers, a rear spoiler and larger 18-inch wheels compared to the standard cars 17-inchers.

Also read: Wait for Maruti Suzuki Jimny in India to be over soon? Top official hints at 2022 launch

The Mini Countryman is offered in a choice of five exterior colours  Sage Green, White Silver, Midnight Black, Chilli Red and Island Blue  the last shade exclusive to the JCW Inspired variant.

MINI recently reopened the bookings for the first all-electric MINI 3-Door Cooper SE, the version of the car comes loaded with features with a price tag of Rs 50.90 lakh (ex-showroom). The MINI 3-Door Cooper SE comes with a Smart Wallbox Charger with a fixed charging cable and one-time installation as standard. Moreover, the new electric car comes with added features covering multiple aspects of the car.

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Maruti Suzuki Jimny is one of the most awaited cars in the Indian market. The car has already been on sale in the international market but is still to set foot in India. It is to be noted that this is one of the best off-roaders from Maruti Suzuki, capable of challenging the might of the likes of Mahindra Thar and Force Gurkha in the Indian market. The manufacturer has maintained silence on the launch of the car until now, but in a recent interview with a news channel, Shashank Srivastava, a senior executive of the company hinted at the launch of the off-roader in India.

Based on the statement of the executive's interview, the Maruti Suzuki Jimny will be launched in India later in 2022. The off-roader SUV has had the attention of enthusiasts since it was displayed at the 2018 Auto Expo. Moreover, the SUV will get a 4x4 system and hence will be a natural successor of the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy in the Indian market. Furthermore, the versions of the car on sale in the international market show quite a promising off-roader SUV.

The Maruti Suzuki Jimny sold in the international market is powered by a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder K-series engine. The engine produced 104 bhp of power and 138 Nm of peak torque. It works in combination with a 5-speed manual gearbox; it also gets a 4-speed torque converter automatic as an option. The ladder-on-frame SUV is also equipped with a 4x4 system to navigate through tough terrains.

Also read: Good driving habits can help you save money! Here's how Indian Govt plans to reward drivers?

Moreover, the Maruti Suzuki is expected to be sold in the 3-door version in the Indian market, following the pattern of the international markets. However, it is also expected to get a 5-door version down the line. It is to be noted that the Jimny has a compact size combined with a short wheelbase and light weight in the international market, which makes the 5-door version of the SUV highly unlikely.
Amidst SpiceJet fiasco over multiple technical snags reported over the last few days, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has said that about 30 incidents take place daily but these hardly have any safety implications. The India's safety watchdog earlier issued a show cause notice to the budget airline for 8 incidents in last 18 days, including emergency landing in Pakistan. "On average, about 30 incidents do take place, including go-around, missed approaches, diversion, medical emergencies, weather, technical and bird hits," the top DGCA told ANI.

Not just SpiceJet, but incidents of bird strikes and also other technical failures have increased multifold in the past few days. While the increase in bird strikes is being attributed to the arrival of Monsoon season, airlines like Vistara and IndiGo have also reported cabin smoke and engine failure incidents. "Most of them have no safety implications. On the contrary, they are a sine qua non of a robust safety management system," he added.

"A bird hit can happen with any airline. It's not the airline's doing. Other airlines are having similar incidents daily. There is no need to sensationalise things out of proportion. You look at any other airline and you will find similar inconsequential incidents. It does not mean that safety has been compromised," another senior official said.

In light of the recent incidences of technical malfunction with regard to @flyspicejet flights in the last 18 days, the @DGCAIndia has issued a show cause notice to the air carrier. pic.twitter.com/1umJSOPhdK  MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) July 6, 2022

The comments assume significance on the back of similar incidents reported in the recent past in SpiceJet which has resulted in a lot of hue and cry. On July 5, a SpiceJet aircraft after take-off suffered a bird hit and returned back to Patna.

Adding further, SpiceJet CMD Ajay Singh too made the same point in an interview with ANI. "SpiceJet is running a safe airline for 15 years. The kind of incidents being talked about are trivial and happen on a daily basis in airlines. On average, 30 such incidents happen in airlines every day," Singh told ANI. "No one can stop bird hit mid-air," said Singh.

"SpiceJet's one or two incidents are being highlighted in the media. It is not okay. It does not mean that any airline is unsafe. When thousands of flights are operating, these trivial incidents happen," he said.

On July 5 back to back IndiGo and Vistara airlines reported smoke and engine shut issues during their flight operations. "A Raipur-Indore IndiGo flight (A320Neo aircraft) was reported by the cabin crew to have smoke coming out from its cabin during taxi in after landing, yesterday, July 05," DGCA told ANI.

"After landing in Delhi, while taxing to the parking bay, our flight UK122 (BKK-DEL) had a minor electrical malfunction on July 5, 2022. Keeping passenger safety and comfort in mind, the crew elected to tow the aircraft to the bay," Vistara spokesperson said.

With ANI inputs

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Zhong Xue Gao, an upscale ice cream company in China, is taking heat after a video on Weibo shows how their frozen desserts just won't melt no matter how hot it gets. Nicknamed the "Hermes of ice cream" for their high prices and supposedly high quality, the ice cream company "sparked controversy," according to Oddity Central (OC), after somebody posted a photo of one of their luxury ice-cream bars next to a thermometer that read 31 degrees (C).

The post inspired others to conduct melt-tests, with one holding a lighter flame to the unmeltable ice cream (see first video below), and another person aiming a kitchen torch toward the frozen dessert, which pretty much stayed in tact, according to Oddity Central.

From OC:

As the controversy around the quality of its supposedly high-end ice cream grew, Zhongxuegao eventually came out with a statement to hopefully put customers' minds at ease. It claimed to use a 'viscosity-enhancing agent' to prevent the ice cream from melting easily, but assuring everyone that its product still met the national food safety standards.

And from South Morning China Post:

An officer from local regulator the Shanghai Market Supervision and Management Bureau said on Tuesday that they were aware of the videos and said it is investigating the case, the report said. The video, viewed 500 million times on Weibo, showed the ice cream stayed in a sticky state, rather than melting into liquid as normal ice cream would.  "The main components of the baysalt coconut-flavoured ice cream are milk, single cream, coconut pulp, condensed milk and milk powder. Forty per cent of this ice cream is solid materials," the company claimed in a statement released on Weibo.

Perhaps the "viscosity-enhancing agent" the company claims to use is the same "polyphenol found in strawberry" that ice cream makers in Japan have been using for years. A YouTube video posted in 2017 (see second video below) shows heat-resistant ice cream by Kanazawa Ice that won't melt, even when blasted by a blowdryer. But if that's the case, why doesn't Zhong Xue Gao just come out and say it?
Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Akasa Air has received its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and is ready to begin its flight operations by the end of this month. India's newest low cost airline received its first Boeing 737 MAX aircraft a few days ago and at the time announced its flight operations will begin soon. With the airline receiving its operation certificate from India's aviation nodal body, they are all set to begin their flight operations. The news of receiving the AOC was also shared by the airline's official Twitter handle.

In the tweet, the airline said, "We are pleased to announce the receipt of our Air Operator Certificate (AOC). This is a significant milestone, enabling us to open our flights for sale and leading to the start of commercial operations."

We are pleased to announce the receipt of our Air Operator Certificate (AOC). This is a significant milestone, enabling us to open our flights for sale and leading to the start of commercial operations.  Akasa Air (@AkasaAir) July 7, 2022

The airline recently welcomed 72 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft for the first time at the Indira Gandhi International airport. With the launch of the services, Akasa Air will contribute to the Indian aviation sector's success in 2022. Akasa Air ordered 72 Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, with the first 18 scheduled to arrive in March 2023 and the remaining 54 scheduled to arrive during the ensuing four years.

Also read: Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Akasa Air unveils flight crew uniform featuring sneakers, recycled materials

At the time of the aircraft's arrival, the airline claimed that it will provide improved passenger service, high dispatch reliability, and the lowest seat-mile costs for a single-aisle aircraft.

The airline unveiled the first look of its airline crew uniform a few days ago, becoming the first Indian airline to introduce custom trousers, jackets, and sneakers for its in-flight crew. According to the Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed airline, the uniform is inspired by the company's core values of employee centricity and sustainability.

The fabric for the trouser and jacket has been specially designed for Akasa Air, using recycled polyester fabric made from pet bottle plastic salvaged from marine waste. The uniform fit focuses on providing the most stretch possible to ensure employees' comfort during their hectic flight schedules.

With inputs from agencies
After the Indian Air Force getting its hands on modern fighter jets like Tejas, Rafale, and placing another massive order of more than 100 fighter jets to replace the ageing fleet, now the Indian Navy is looking for an overhaul. The Navy requires a new batch of modern fighter aircraft to operate from its aircraft carriers. The Indian Navy had initiated the process to acquire 57 multi-role combat aircraft for its aircraft carrier around four years ago. However, they will induct about 30 advance fighter jets in the fleet and replace the ageing Mig-29k, the naval version of the jet.

Recently, the navy carried out trials with the Dassault Rafale M, which is a French-made 4.5 gen fighter jet already in service with the IAF and also US-amde Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, to check the operational capabilities of these jets on aircraft carriers. Both the jets get Air Force as well as Naval versions.

Meet the worlds most advanced and lethal fighter jets in the world - Chengdu, Sukhoi and more: IN PICS

The Indian Navy is also working on the TEDBF program which is the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter program for made-in-India fighter jets based on the HAL Tejas LCA. Since these jets will take time to develop and will eventually replace foreign fighter jets in the fleet, Navy needs some modern machines in the interim to replace the Russian MIGs.

Here we compare the French Rafale and American F-18 to understand how they stack against each other for the Indian forces?

Rafale is a French word meaning "gust of wind" and is a twin-engine multirole 4.5 gen fighter aircraft manufactured and designed by Dassault Aviation. The Indian Air Force has placed a massive order to induct 36 Rafale jets to form two Squadrons, one in North India and another in South India. The Rafale Marine is the Naval version of the Rafale fighter jets with similar configuration.

The Dassault Rafale has a delta wing design and is capable of higher G-forces as much as 11G and is available in both single and dual seating cabin configurations. The Rafale is 15.27 metre long and a wingspan of 10.80 metre. The Rafale has GIAT 30M/719B cannon mounted on it with the capability of controlled 0.5 or 1 second bursts at 2,500 RPM. Rafale is equipped with a primary missile as the multi-target, fire-and-forget, air to air MBDA MICA missile. In BVR(Beyond Visual Range) air-to-air missile, Rafale has MBDA Meteor.

Boeing F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet

The Navys F/A-18E Super Hornet, developed by Boeing Company has a 20% larger airframe, with 41% more range and improved General Electric F414 engines (an upgrade over the Hornets F404), providing 35% more thrust. Just so you know, Boeing has been pitching the F-18 to the Indian Air Force as well. The one for the Navy is the Naval version of the F-18 called the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet.

The F-18 Super Hornet has Mach 1.8 speed, similar to the Rafale thanks to the GE sourced dual engines and is equipped with M61A1 Vulcan rotating cannon that can fire 6,000 rounds per minute. Super Hornet has semi-active radar homing Air Intercept Missile (AIM-7 Sparrow) missile. In BVR (Beyond Visual Range) air-to-air missile, Super Hornet has AIM-120 AMRAAM.

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On the day DGCA issued a show-cause notice to SpiceJet following eight technical malfunction incidents in the last 18 days, company's CMD Ajay Singh said they will now be "doubly careful" and strengthen inspection of aircraft before they leave to operate flights. "We will work with them (DGCA) to ensure that if they feel that there are any gaps at all in our system, we will address them. There is nothing more important than safety," Singh said. He further stated that these things are going to happen and the job of the company is to minimise that to the greatest extent possible. "That is our job and it is the regulator's job to push us to make things better, which we will do," he said.

He said none of the incidents that have happened in the last few weeks had anything to do with shortage of spare parts. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), in its show-cause notice, mentioned the financial audit of SpiceJet in September 2021 according to which the airline is not paying component vendors regularly and that has led to a shortage of spare parts.

"This is an audit that they are referring to from last year (September 2021) that they had done. The aviation sector has been under a great deal of (financial) stress. That does not mean that there can be any compromise on safety," he explained. "All vendors that are relevant to anything related to safety or spare parts are always paid or settlements are reached with them. There is no failure here," Singh added.

#SpiceJetStatement: SpiceJet is in receipt of the DGCA notice and will be responding within the specified time period. We are committed to ensuring a safe operation for our passengers and crew. >>  SpiceJet (@flyspicejet) July 6, 2022

He said a lot of these incidents that are being reported are relatively minor in nature and happen to every airline. "This is nothing unique," he added. When you have thousands of flights, sometimes the air conditioning will fail, sometimes a bird will hit the plane, and sometimes a fuel indicator will light up, the airline's CMD explained.

Asked what changes SpiceJet will now undertake to deal with the safety concerns, Singh said, "We have to be doubly careful. We will rigorously inspect aircraft when they leave for a flight, which we already do, but we will strengthen the inspection."

On the point that the DGCA is showing concern now because the incidents have happened in a short period, he said, "As an airline, we have to look into the average number of incidents that are happening every month."

"Then you have to take out the incidents that are happening due to external circumstances such as bird hit, and then analyse the remaining the other incidents," Singh noted. "It seems to us that there is no particular increase in those (other incidents) if you look at the monthly data, which we have done, for the last two years," he said.

According to Singh, in general, incidents have shown a declining trend, but of late, there has been much more publicity around these incidents. "The media is well within its right to publicise but please be aware that every airline is having incidents. Every airline reports incidents on a daily basis," he said.

"When you have a few thousand flights every day, there are going to be some incidents and every airline is going to have them," the SpiceJet CMD noted. He said SpiceJet has asked the DGCA to take a look into the working of the airline because the processes that it follows have been audited several times by the regulator and in the 15 years that SpiceJet has flown, there has been nothing significant that has really transpired on its aircraft.

He said, "We will make any change or modification that we think might be even more effective to run even a safer operation. That is a continuous process. That is nothing to do with what has transpired in the last few days."

In its show-cause notice to SpiceJet, the DGCA said the airline has failed to "establish safe, efficient and reliable air services" under the terms of Rule 134 and Schedule XI of the Aircraft Rules, 1937.

On Tuesday, the airline's Delhi-Dubai flight was diverted to Karachi due to a malfunctioning fuel indicator and its Kandla-Mumbai flight did priority landing in Maharashtra's capital city after cracks developed on its windshield mid-air.

In another incident on Tuesday, a SpiceJet freighter aircraft, which was heading to Chongqing in China, returned to Kolkata as the pilots realised after the take-off that its weather radar was not working.

The airline has been making losses for the last three years. It incurred a net loss of Rs 316 crore, Rs 934 crore and Rs 998 crore in 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 respectively.

With PTI inputs

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NEW DELHI: Makers of the pan-India film 'Liger' unveiled the poster of the first song 'Akdi Pakdi' of their upcoming romantic-action film. Taking to Instagram, Dharma Productions shared the poster, to which they captioned, "50 Days to Release Let`s Celebrate with some Massssss Music! AKDI PAKDI. 1st song - July 11th. Promo on July 8t." In the poster, the lead pair of the film can be seen in a cheerful mood, with Vijay Deverkonda in a rustic jacket hugging her co-star Ananya Panday and helping her to blow a whistle.

'Liger' marks Vijay's debut in Hindi cinema and the 'Khaali Peeli' actor's first multi-lingual film. Soon after the makers unveiled the poster of 'Akdi Pakdi', fans flooded the comment section with heart and fire emoticons, as the excitement for the first song from the Puri Jagannadh directorial film can be seen among them.

Recently makers also unveiled a naked poster of the lead actor Vijay holding up a bouquet of red roses in his hand, looking beefed up in his action avatar. The poster got viral on social media and fans appreciated the 'Arjun Reddy' actor for his transformation.

Produced by Karan Johar, 'Liger' is all set to hit theatres on August 26, 2022, after getting multiple delays due to covid-19 in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.

Meanwhile, the 'World Famous Lover' will be also seen collaborating with Puri Jagannadh in 'JGM', which is slated to release on August 2023. Apart from that he also has 'Kushi' with actor Samantha Prabhu, which is gearing up for a worldwide release on December 23, 2022.

Ananya on the other hand will be seen in 'Kho Gaye Hum Kahan' with Siddhant Chaturvedi and Adarsh Gourav, which is expected to release in 2023.

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently met Prathamesh Sinha, who appeared on the first season of the popular business realtiy show Shark Tank India and won the hearts of viewers with his charming style and wit. During the interaction with the PM, Sinha demonstrated Annie braille device which was developed by Thinkerbell Labs. Sinha, a visually impaired student, had participated in Shark Tank India for Thinkerbell Labs only. He gave a presentation to the sharks to make them understand how Annie works and how it could be a revolutionary product for visually impaired students like him.

Thinkerbell Labs brought Prathamesh to the event as the brand director of the startup. He was seen demonstrating the device to attendees, which surprisingly included Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ALSO READ: ED raids on Vivo: Frequent probes hurt business confidence, says China)

Thinkerbell Labs shared a video clip of Prathameshs interaction with the PM on social media platform Instagram. In the video, the boy is seen explaining how the product works. (ALSO READ: Elon Musk secretly had twins with Neuralink top executive in 2021: Report)

Just like our young star Prathamesh, Annie has equipped many visually impaired children who are brimming with potential, the company said in its Instagram post.

Today we feel incredibly proud as Thinkerbell Labs Brand Ambassador @prathameshsinha__ explains our product Annie to the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Sri. Narendra Modi. @narendramodi, it added.

Sinha met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an event celebrating Digital India week 2022, kicked off on July 4 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The Digital India Week 2022 is celebrating the incorporation of new-age technologies in Indias growth with the theme 'Catalyzing New India's Techade'.
New Delhi: Chinas Embassy in India, on Wednesday (July 6), said that multiple investigations by the countrys enforcement agencies into Chinese companies are damaging the confidence of foreign firms investing and operating in the South Asian nation. The comments by the embassy follow Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids targeting Chinas BBK Electronics-owned smartphone maker Vivo in an alleged money laundering case.

In the latest incident, ED conducted Raids at 44 production and operation sites of Vivo and related entities across India, and China was closely following progress. (ALSO READ:

However, Vivo isnt the only Chinese firm that has faced scrutiny from Indian authorities, as in the aftermath of the Galwan Valley clashes, several tech companies were directed to stop offering their apps in India. (ALSO READ: Twitter user asks Anand Mahindra 'Are you an NRI?' His response wins Internet)

Citing security concerns, the government has banned more than 300 apps with Chinese lines. Moreover, the government has also tweaked rules to make it tougher for Chinese investments to make their way to India. (ALSO READ: The BEST boss ever? THIS company took all employees on 10-day exotic vacation to Bali --Watch Instagram video)

Such frequent investigation "impedes the improvement of the business environment in India and chills the confidence and willingness of market entities from other countries, including Chinese enterprises to invest and operate in India," the embassy said in a statement.

Following the raids, Vivo said it was cooperating with authorities and was committed to full compliance with Indian laws.

In May, Reuters reported that Xiaomi Corp, one of Indias biggest smartphone sellers, had said in court that its executives faced threats of violence and coercion during agency questioning about accusations of illegal remittances. Xiaomi, however, denied wrongdoing, and the agency denied the accusations at the time, according to a report by Reuters.

-- With Reuters inputs.
New Delhi: The 5 per cent GST on non-ICU hospital rooms costing above Rs 5,000 will not hit affordable healthcare for a large section of people and the impact of the levy would only be miniscule, a top official said on Tuesday.

Responding to the representations of the industry, revenue secretary Tarun Bajaj also rejected the demand for zero-rating for healthcare industry saying such "carve-outs" may generate similar demands from other sectors, like education, and put upward pressure on taxation of other items in the GST net.

Industry body Ficci in a letter to the finance ministry on Monday said that 5 per cent GST on non-ICU hospital rooms above Rs 5,000 will increase the cost of healthcare services. The GST Council last week removed exemptions on this category of hospital rooms.

Addressing an interactive session organised by industry chamber CII, Bajaj said there are hardly any hospitals in small towns, which charge Rs 5,000 or more per day as rent for non-ICU rooms.

"I dont know there would be hospitals in smaller towns like Panipat or Meerut where the hospital rooms would be costing Rs 5,000 or above. I would also like to know how many hospital rooms are there in the country and out of those what are the percentage of rooms which are charging above Rs 5,000. I think it will be miniscule. So if I can spend Rs 5,000 on a room, I can perhaps spend Rs 250 on GST. This GST, which comes into a common pool, will be used for poor," Bajaj said.

The secretary said he was "quite perplexed" by the contention that the levy would be a bolt on affordable healthcare.

"I don't see any reason that there should be any such kind of messaging that 5 per cent GST on Rs 5,000-plus non-ICU room is hitting affordable healthcare," he said, adding in case of a package deal for a treatment, the IT software can easily calculate the GST portion on the room rent.

"You have to be sure what you are charging from customer. If it is more than Rs 5,000, please go ahead with GST, if it is less than Rs 5,000, don't go for a GST," Bajaj said, adding the effort under GST is to widen the tax base so that tax rates can be lowered going forward.
Agra: In an appalling incident in Uttar Pradeshs Agra, a woman and her two lawyers were arrested after police found that they had registered a fake rape case to extort money from the accused, reported ANI quoting Agra SP Vikas Kumar. According to SP Kumar, the case was registered on June 26 and during the investigation, the police found sufficient evidence that showed it was not a rape case but a case of extortion. As per the police, the lawyers of the accused are also believed to be involved in the conspiracy to extort money. Complaints on the count of appropriate charges have been registered against the woman and her lawyers.

Lawyers from both sides (victim and accused) were found involved in extorting money (from the accused). A case of registering fake cases and extortion of money was registered against them, SP Kumar told ANI. Cash of over Rs 3 lakh was found with the woman and lawyers.

UP | A woman and three lawyers arrested for extorting money after registering a fake rape case in Agra



The case was registered on June 26. During the investigation, we found evidence that showed it's not a rape case but a case of extortion: Vikas Kumar, SP (city), Agra (06.07) pic.twitter.com/ggi8Hjd3h3  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) July 7, 2022

During interrogation, the names of two other lawyers, including a woman lawyer, also surfaced as co-accused. Search for them is underway. We are further investigating the matter, Kumar was quoted as saying.

Earlier in Uttar Pradeshs Prayagraj, a woman was fined Rs 10,000 for registering a fake rape case. The woman alleged that her husband raped her before marriage.

The woman from Prayagraj had filed a false FIR against her husband, Muhammad Salman. She had alleged in the complaint that Salman had raped her before marriage. Salman had challenged the case in court.

The woman, on the other hand, alleged, that the accused established a physical relationship on the pretext of marriage but later refused. This is when she filed an FIR.

Later, when the matter was compromised and the couple got married, the woman approached the investigating officer and filed an application.

The woman later defended herself and said that she filed the case under the influence of some people who are trying to create differences between them.

(With inputs from ANI)
SRINAGAR: Ahead of the Eid- Adha, Lieutenant Governor of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha paid obeisance at the famous shrine of Dargah Hazratbal in Srinagar. According to the officials, Sinha inspected the plans for electricity, sanitation, and water supply, among other arrangements for the pilgrims who would offer Eid prayers at the venerated shrine overlooking the famous Dal Lake.

While taking the stock of arrangements, Sinha interacted with the public and directed officials to make hassle-free services for the devotees. The LG was accompanied by the chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir K Waqf Board Darakshan Andrabi and other senior officials.

Thousands of devotees throng the Hazratbal shrine on auspicious dates in the Islamic calendar who believe that it houses the holy relic of Prophet Muhammads beard, Moi-e-Muqqadas.Taking to Twitter, Sinha said the festival teaches people to be kind, charitable and work for the greater good of humanity.

"Paid obeisance at Dargah Hazratbal. Reviewed the arrangements being made for the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Zuha, which teaches us to be kind, charitable and to work for the greater good of humanity. Prayed for happiness and prosperity for people of J&K UT," the LG wrote on Twitter.

Earlier, on June 30, LG Manoj Sinha flagged off Amarnath Yatra. It holds a special place among the followers of Hinduism among others
Prophet Remarks Row: Her comments on Prophet Mohammad have set the country on fire. However, there is no trace of Nupur Sharma who has been suspended from the BJP. She was also suposed to be in Kolkata for questioning. But she wrote a letter asking for more time to appear. But the police refused to give her any more time. Instead, the police said they wanted to question her immediately. The legal pressure on Nupur has increased. Nupur had sought more time to appear before the Kolkata Police. But according to sources, the police are reluctant to give her more time.

On May 27, the then national spokesperson of the BJP, Nupur Sharma, made the controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammed. A police complaint was filed against her. The FIR was also lodged at The Narkeldanga and Amherst Street police station. The police summoned Nupur Sharma from both the police stations. But she didn't show up. Instead, she wrote a letter and sought time again stating that her life is in danger.

Nupur Sharma in BIG trouble: Suspended BJP leader seeks time again, BUT reluctant Mamata Banerjee's police says THIS

The Kolkata Police had issued a lookout notice against Nupur Sharma on Saturday. Nupur Sharma again wrote a letter to the Narkeldanga police station on Tuesday. This time too, she expressed fear for her life and sought more time to appear. But according to sources, the Kolkata Police is not willing to give any more time to suspended BJP leader Nupur. Because, the police feel that Nupur Sharma needs to be questioned immediately in this regard. Nupur has been informed by the police that no more excuse, she should appear soon. Otherwise Kolkata Police will act more strictly.

In the wake of a case filed by suspended BJP leader Nupur recently, the Supreme Court said that what she has done as a lawyer himself is shameful. She should apologize to the whole country. She has created an atmosphere of unrest in the country. She is responsible for what's going on in the country today.
There are few reading experiences I enjoy more than cultural critic Mark Dery when his mind is on fire. Mark normally warms up his pen in the Twainian fires of hell (which I always enjoy), but I especially like it when he's inspired to rhapsody by art and music. Such has been the case recently with his Hyperallergic pieces on the Met surrealism show and Winslow Homer's arresting masterpiece "The Gulf Stream."

Mark was recently "filled to bursting" by King Pleasure, the Jean-Michel Basquiat show at the Starrett-Lehigh building in Chelsea, lovingly curated by the Basquiat family. Mark was so inspired by the "self-taught Afro-punk, Afro-Surrealist, Afrofuturist code-switcher, cultural cryptographer, guerrilla semiotician, and hip-hop deconstructionist" that he wrote two beautiful essays after his visit to the show, one for Hyperallergic and one for Medium.

"Untitled" (1984), acrylic on canvas. (Photo: Mark Dery, at "King Pleasure" exhibition.)

From "How Jean-Michel Basquiat Rose to Be King of the Art World" on Hyperallergic:

The color black has pride of place in Basquiat's work. On occasion, it dominates our field of vision, engulfing most of the canvas (as it does in the 1982 painting "Cabeza"), an aesthetic choice that's hard not to see as radical politics with a paintstick. "Black people are never portrayed realistically  not even portrayed in modern art enough," he told an interviewer. "I use the 'black' as protagonist because I am black, and that's why I use it as the main character in all the paintings." It's a manifesto for a Black-centric body of art that inverts the white-supremacist social order  and calls out the representational racism of Western art history while it's at it. Basquiat was never not political, but while he was capable of social commentary as scathing as anything from George Grosz's savage pen, he preferred punk mockery and black humor ("Irony of Negro Policeman," 1981; "Hollywood Africans in Front of the Chinese Theater with Footprints of Movie Stars," 1983) to strenuously sincere sloganeering. Red, too, recurs in his work. Sometimes, it's the luscious crimson of TV-commercial ketchup, other times the ominous maroon of dried blood, like the drips and splashes that all but obliterate the skull-faced head of the figure in "Untitled" (1984). White critics, back in the day, would have read those spatter patterns art-historically, as references to Jackson Pollock's drip paintings. Black and Brown viewers  those intrepid few who penetrated the Soho-gallery sanctums known, unironically, as "white cubes"  would've reeled at their visual echoes of the brutal murder, a year earlier, of Michael Stewart.

"Untitled (Sugar Ray)" (1982), acrylic and oil stick on canvas. (Photo: Mark Dery, at "King Pleasure" exhibition.)

And from "Blackness Visible: Jean-Michel Basquiat" on Medium:

Too often, the life blocks our view of the work. We can't see past the myth: his rock-star fame; the boldfaced names in his orbit (Andy Warhol, Madonna, Debbie Harry, Julian Schnabel, Keith Haring, William S. Burroughs); his fatal embrace of the demon lover, heroin. Which is why, when you're face to face with it, his art leaves you jaw-dropped. Of course, the show has its underwhelming moments: there are pieces that feel slapdash, perfunctory, as if, running short on inspiration, he's relying on well-worn gimmicks from his bricoleur's grab-bag of signs, symbols, and shtick. (Francis Bacon, another self-taught polymath who didn't have technique to fall back on, also lapsed into self-parody when inspiration deserted him.) But when he's good, he's stunningly good. His line is exquisitely expressive, as virtuosic as Charlie Parker's darting, swooping, skittering saxophone solo on "Ko Ko." (Basquiat, who worshipped at Parker's altar, often painted to his music, working on multiple canvases at once, dancing as he moved.) I'd forgotten what a masterful colorist he was, too: the supersaturated colors, straight out of the tube, eye-popping as the plumage on a West Indian Day costume, slathered on like frosting, impasto style. That pitch-perfect palette, its bold harmonies reminiscent of African flags (the red, black, and yellow of Angola; the red, white, black, and green of Kenya), but also of the '60s Pop Art and Saturday morning cartoons he loved, and of the "kids' work," bright with the primary colors of Crayolas, Magic Markers, and Play-Doh, that he liked "more than work by real artists any day." (He intentionally held his paintsticks awkwardly, like a kindergartner. "I want to make paintings that look as if they were made by a child," he told his friend, the graffiti artist Fab Five Freddy. A child fluent in Jean Dubuffet and Cy Twombly, more like.)

Read the rest here and here.
Mumbai: A level 2 fire broke out in Mumbai's Haico Super Market at around 7:30 am reported ANI quoting BCM. No injuries have been reported so far. At least 12 fire tenders at the spot after a Level 2 fire broke out in Mumbai's Powai area. No one trapped or injured so far.

#UPDATE Mumbai | The level 2 fire broke out at about 7:30 am in Haico Super Market, Powai. No injuries reported: BMC  ANI (@ANI) July 7, 2022

Earlier on June 19, a total of 14 people were rescued after a fire broke out on the 14th floor of a building `Dheeraj Savera` in Mumbai`s Borivali. No casualties were reported in the incident and the fire had been brought under control.

More details awaited
New Delhi: India is facing a challenge of a two-and-a-half front war today on one side there is Pakistan, on the other China and the half front belongs to those people who stay in the country and conspire to destabilize it. The reality now is that modern warfare will no longer be on the borders. Now war means diving the civil society and making people fight on political ideologies and creating hatred on the basis of religion, caste, language and region.

Psychological warfare is the most lethal weapon of modern warfare, which the opposition parties are not ready to accept. The Opposition sees the government as a political party and opposing the government is politics. In this politics, the wrong tradition of disrespecting the country has also started.

In today's DNA Zee News' Aditi Tyagi asks the most pertinent question Is the Constitution of India not in danger now? If there is outrage in the country over the insult to Prophet Mohammad and silence spreads during the insult of Hindu deities, then it is not wrong to say that the Constitution of India is in danger. If the constitutional right to freedom of expression is divided on the basis of religion, then it indicates that the Constitution of India is facing serious challenges today.

Canada-based filmmaker Leena Manimekalai recently released the poster of her documentary showing Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette, following which FIRs were registered against her in many Indian states. Notably, the intellectuals, liberals and many leaders of opposition parties raised objections over the insult to the Prophet, however, they did not react in the same manner when the Hindu deity is being disrespected. This contradiction is unfortunate, as it shows that the freedom of expression has also been divided on the basis of religion.

Amid the ongoing backlash, filmmaker Manimekalai shared a new picture on Twitter of people dressed as Lord Shankar and Goddess Parvati, who can be seen smoking.

Even though the Aga Khan Museum in Canada has removed the presentation of Manimekalai's documentary 'Kaali', the filmmaker has not expressed any regret over the poster so far. It seems like Manimekalai knows that no action will be taken against her for inciting religious sentiments and she can escape by citing creative freedom.
Dubai: The worlds tallest skyscraper, the iconic Burj Khalifa in Dubai lit up in support of the Save Soil movement on Tuesday to further bring the world's attention towards the critical need to address rapid soil degeneration. The 2-minute light and laser show projected Sadhgurus Save Soil message, voices of support from global leaders, scientists, celebrities; and glimpses from Sadhgurus historic lone motorcycle journey from London to India for 30,000 km across 27 nations to activate support towards Save Soil.

Sadhguru joined the event virtually and addressed the people who gathered to celebrate the culmination of the Sadhgurus 100-day Save Soil journey. His journey touched 3.9 billion people in the last 3 months, with 74 nations agreeing to actively work towards soil regeneration.

Sadhguru expressed his gratitude and commended the UAE government for its vision towards soil regeneration.

ALSO READ: Save Soil Movement a 'great effort to preserve human civilisation and culture': Rajnath Singh to Sadhguru

Thanking the people for their support, Sadhguru noted that the work has just begun and pointed that the real challenge is the speed at which the implementation of policies will happen. He highlighted that the movement has been successful in changing the narrative as today literally across the world, people are talking about soil, governments are discussing about soil regeneration programs, budgets are being allocated and asserted that the mission is not over till we ensure the policies are implemented.

Taking to Twitter, Sadhguru said, @BurjKhalifa, iconic fulcrum of UAE lighting up to #SaveSoil is a symbolic expression of commitment of the visionary leadership. The wonderful people & the sensitive leadership can make UAE an ecological leader in the region. Congratulations & Blessings to everyone of you.-Sg

.@BurjKhalifa, iconic fulcrum of UAE lighting up to #SaveSoil is a symbolic expression of commitment of the visionary leadership. The wonderful people & the sensitive leadership can make UAE an ecological leader in the region. Congratulations & Blessings to everyone of you.-Sg pic.twitter.com/juqtJc7hRe  Sadhguru (@SadhguruJV) July 7, 2022

To honour this mammoth feat, 1Digi Investment Management, the family office of Raghu Subramanian, Founder and Global CEO of Actyv.ai, sponsored the light show on the Burj Khalifa. Raghu Subramanian said, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) is at the core of our business and actyv.ai is proud to associate with the Save Soil movement spearheaded by Sadhguru and Isha Foundation."

H. E. Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, who has wholeheartedly supported the movement, expressed, "Our collaboration with Conscious Planet is a new step in our ongoing efforts to safeguard our precious soil for the next generations."

Burj Khalifa joined 50 other iconic locations that have showed support for Save Soil including The Niagara Falls, the Jet Deau in Geneva, The Montreal Olympic Stadium, Torontos TV Tower and the Piazza del Campo (Sienna).

In India, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) building in Mumbai, Chennai and Hubli Railway Stations, Atal Setu in Goa, Howrah bridge in Kolkata, Durgam Cheruvu Bridge and Buddha Statue in Hyderabad are among the few prominent locations that earlier lit up in support of the movement.

The Save Soil movement aims to address the soil crisis by bringing together people from around the world to stand up for soil health and supporting leaders in developing and implementing national policies to save soil. The movement is backed by UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN World Food Programme, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Earlier this year in May, when UAE hosted Sadhguru during his Save Soil journey, the country signed an MoU with the movement committing to establishing a policy for soil health.

The Save Soil movement is urging nations across the world to urgently legislate to save the planets agricultural soils, 50% of which are already said to be degraded and incapable of yield. The objective of the Movement is to urge nations to mandate 3-6% organic content in agricultural soils around the world. This is the minimum organic content required to keep soil fertile and capable of yield and prevent it from turning into sand.

Sadhgurus Journey for Soil began on 21st March in London and has passed through 27 nations in Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. Sadhguru also addressed the 15th session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP15) in Ivory Coast in May. Representatives of 197 nations were in attendance. In the same month, Sadhguru also spoke at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. At both events, Sadhguru urged political, business and cultural leaders to facilitate urgent and decisive policy-driven steps to halt rapid desertification of the Earth. UNCCD predicts that at the current rates of soil degradation, 90% of the earth could turn into desert by 2050  less than three decades from now.

Till date, 74 countries have pledged to Save Soil from extinction, and 8 Indian states have signed MoUs with the movement to work towards soil regeneration in their states.
Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference founder Farooq Abdullah has strongly reacted to the Centres announcement to launch the Har Ghar Tiranga` campaign this month. The veteran NC leader said that it (the Tiranga) should be kept in ones house. "Keep it (the Tiranga) in your house," said Abdullah, when asked about the Har Ghar Tiranga` campaign, reported ANI.

The remarks from the senior J&K politician came after the Union Ministry of Culture announced its plan to launch the Har Ghar Tiranga program, which envisages inspiring Indians everywhere to hoist the national flag at their home. The aim of the program is to make the relationship with the national flag a more personal one rather than just keeping it formal or institutional.

The idea behind the initiative is to invoke the feeling of patriotism in the hearts of the people and promote awareness about the tri-colour, the Culture Ministry said.

Abdullah also requested people to celebrate Eid safely and informed them that the opposition`s presidential candidate would visit the Valley on July 9. " I would request everyone to celebrate the festival of Eid safely. Yes, Yashwant Sinha would be coming on the 9th of this month. He will be addressing a press conference as well," he added.

Abdullahs Tiranga remark came just days after he claimed that the person who pointed out the presence of a `Shivling` in the Amarnath cave was a Muslim man.

What Is Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign?

The Union Culture Ministry recently said that it is going to launch the `Har Ghar Tiranga` campaign this month, marking India`s 75th Independence Day. The date and venue will be announced soon, an official of the Culture Ministry told ANI. As part of the campaign, all the citizens will be encouraged to hoist the tricolour at their homes during Independence week from 11th-17th August 2022. The official said that the Indian National Flag is a symbol of national pride for the entire nation, and the people of the nation should pay their utmost respect and reverence to the flag.

"The Initiative will inspire the public to hoist the national flag in their homes. The idea behind the initiative is to invoke the feeling of patriotism in the hearts of the people," she added.

The official further told ANI that our relationship with the flag has always been more formal and institutional than personal. Bringing the flag home collectively as a nation in the 75th year of independence thus becomes symbolic of not only an act of personal connection to the `Tiranga` but also an embodiment of our commitment to nation-building.

"Ministry of Culture is Nodal Agency for the `Har Ghar Tiranga` campaign and Ministry will seek help from State Governments to mobilize all resources, housing and urban development departments and local bodies including municipal bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions for furthering the goals of the campaign," the official added.
The Gujarat Police have ordered a probe after six Pakistani citizens were issued voter cards and 10 more got Aadhaar cards in Mehsana district. Superintendent of Police (SP) Achal Tyagi ordered an investigation into it. Special Operation Group Inspector Bhavesh Rathod told IANS, "It has come to our notice that Pakistani citizens are issued voters and Aadhaar card, primary inquiry by the revenue and police department is going on. Through an application Mehsana `A` division police station has also been informed. "During the primary inquiry if any Pakistani citizen is found to have filed fake documents and obtained the card, or any lethargy at the hands of a government officer is found then a criminal complaint will be lodged and will be prosecuted as per law."

The officer said these Pakistani families were living in the Kukas village of the Mehsana district on long-term tourist visas for the past seven years. Later they filed applications for Indian citizenship, which are pending with the home department. But before the applications could be processed, they got the voters and Aadhaar cards.

During the primary inquiry, the city executive magistrate office informed the police that while issuing voter cards the families followed all the government procedures, like submitting the form -6, under which they declared themselves as Indian citizens, said Rathod. Officer said it was a subject of investigation who guided them to file form- 6 and who helped them to prepare an affidavit declaring them as Indian citizens.

Live TV
New Delhi: Under attack from several quarters for the objectionable portrayal of Goddess Kali in the poster of her upcoming documentary ''Kaali'', filmmaker Leena Manimekalai slammed her detractors on Thursday, saying Hindutva can never become India. The Canada-based filmmaker took to Twitter and wrote, BJP payrolled troll army have no idea about how folk theatre artists chill post their performances. This is not from my film. This is from everyday rural India that these Sangh Parivars want to destroy with their relentless hate and religious bigotry. Hindutva can never become India.

BJP payrolled troll army have no idea about how folk theatre artists chill post their performances.This is not from my film.This is from everyday rural India that these sangh parivars want to destroy with their relentless hate & religious bigotry. Hindutva can never become India. https://t.co/ZsYkDbfJhK  Leena Manimekalai (@LeenaManimekali) July 7, 2022

The "Kaali" director also stated that she does not feel safe "anywhere at this moment". The filmmaker is facing several FIRs following outrage over the poster of Kaali showing the goddess smoking and holding an LGBTQ flag.

"It feels like the whole nation, that has now deteriorated from the largest democracy to the largest hate machine, wants to censor me. I do not feel safe anywhere at this moment," Manimekalai tweeted while also tagging an old interview she gave to a British newspaper.

Since the controversy began last week, Manimekalai, her family and collaborators have received threats from more than 200,000 accounts online, she said. The Toronto-based director described the online vitriol as a "grand-scale mass lynching" by right-wing Hindu groups. She also dismissed claims that her film is disrespectful to the goddess or to Hinduism, arguing that she had been raised as a Hindu in Tamil Nadu but is now an atheist.

"In Tamil Nadu, the state I come from, Kaali is believed to be a pagan goddess. She eats meat cooked in goat's blood, drinks arrack, smokes beedi (cigarettes) and dances wild, that is the Kaali I had embodied for the film," she said.

"I have all rights to take back my culture, traditions and texts from the fundamentalist elements. These trolls have nothing to do with religion or faith," she added. The poster has led to a social media storm with the hashtag 'Arrest Leena Manimekalai', allegations that the filmmaker is hurting religious sentiments.

Two separate FIRs have been registered against Manimekalai in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. On Wednesday, two additional cases were filed against her in Bhopal and Ratlam.

Manimekalai is not the only one to face police cases following the controversy. FIRs have also been filed against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra for allegedly hurting religious feelings with her comments about the goddess.

Meanwhile, Twitter has pulled down Manimekalai's tweet from last week in which she shared the poster of the documentary. It was replaced by a message from Twitter that read, "This Tweet from @LeenaManimekali has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand."

The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto which was supposed to show Kaali at an event expressed regret and has removed the documentary from its list of films being presented. Kaali" was showcased as part of the 'Under the Tent' project at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto.

In response to the attacks, the Toronto-based director hit back to say she was willing to pay with her life. "I have nothing to lose. Till the time I live, I wish to live with a voice that speaks what I believe without fear. If the price for that is my life, it can be given," she wrote in a tweet in Tamil in response to an article on the controversy.

The filmmaker also urged people to watch the documentary to understand the context behind the poster.
Aurangabad: Rebel Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat on Thursday said party founder late Bal Thackeray would have thrown Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut out of the party "in a minute" for the harsh language he used against dissident legislators in Maharashtra. Speaking to reporters here, he hit out at Raut, the party's chief spokesperson, and also found fault with the way Sena president Uddhav Thackeray had been handling the affairs of the 56-year-old political outfit. Shirsat was one of the nearly 40 Sena MLAs who sided with Eknath Shinde - now the chief minister of Maharashtra - when he raised a banner of revolt against the party leadership, a move that subsequently led to the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government last month.

The rebel MLAs first reached Surat from Mumbai on June 21 and later flew to Guwahati before coming back to the metropolis after Chief Minister Shinde took oath on June 30.

"We were 39 party MLAs and eleven independent MLAs in Guwahati. Sanjay Raut called us street girls when we were in Guwahati when there were women MLAs with us. If Balasaheb Thackeray had been alive today, he would have kicked Sanjay Raut out of the party in a minute," Shirsat said.

The MLA from Aurangabad (West) repeatedly attacked Raut for his choice of words and acerbic statements against rebel legislators when they were staying in a Guwahati hotel.

"The statements of Sanjay Raut have hurt me. The women MLAs accompanying us cried on hearing some of his statements. If his (Raut's) mother or sister would have been there, would Raut have spoken in such a manner? But these comments are being tolerated (under the current leadership). Such people are trying to sink the Shiv Sena," he said.

Shirsat said the rebels supporting Shinde want to save the Shiv Sena and they will never go against the Thackeray family.

We want to save Shiv Sena, will never talk against Thackeray family

"We want to save the Shiv Sena, we will never talk against the party or the Thackeray family. We are respectful today and will be the same tomorrow also," the legislator said.

Shirsat said no one is trying to understand why there was such a massive revolt in the Shiv Sena.

"Earlier, if anyone betrayed the party, he used to run here and there fearing he would be beaten up. Even if a corporator tried to betray, he would thinks ten times over it. But the party has lost 50 MLAs, including ministers and senior leaders.

"Why one one is trying to understand (reasons for deep disgruntlement in the Sena). If the doors of Matoshree (Thackeray's family residence in Mumbai) are shut for 'four middlemen' who are trying to finish the party, they will not survive for long," the MLA maintained.

Shirsat, however, did not elaborate on "four middlemen" comment.
If you go abroad, who will run the country and the State? Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questioned the youth of the State. Her request is to study abroad and come back to the country. Because this land is our motherland. This was stated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a function while distributing student credit cards at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata on Thursday.

The opposition claims that the trend of leaving the State among the youth has increased since the Mamata government came to power in West Bengal in 2011. They complain that there are no jobs in the state. As a result, whether highly educated or general educated, everyone has to leave the state in search of work. Highly educated people are migrating abroad, some to cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi. And the general educated are going to the western states to work as labourers or drive cars. They claim that the number of migrant workers during the Corona lockdown has made the picture clear of Mamata Banerjee's government's failure to create jobs.

Also Read: Mamata Banerjee gives 'ADVICE' to Mahua Moitra amid Kaali poster row, says 'Once Nejaji Subhas Chandra Bose...'

In this situation, Mamata said on Thursday, "Some of us think that we will go to study in Harvard, we will go to Cambridge. I will have only one request from our new generation student and youth. If everyone goes abroad then who will be in the country? Who will be in the State? Who will run the education system? Who will run the culture? Who will run the economy? Go, study but please come back after studies are over. Don't forget your motherland. Don't forget the birthplace. Don't forget the workplace. Don't forget the religion. Come back to this ground. Remember, this soil can give you more than other soil can give you."

Also Read: 'Appear immediately, OTHERWISE...,' Mamata Banerjee's Police sends ULTIMATUM to Nupur Sharma

The Chief Minister claimed that around 30,000 vacancies in vocational education are in the hands of the government. The youth will be recruited to those posts through job fairs very soon.
After a long gap of two years, a private bus operator with the help of North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) started the Siliguri-Kakkarvitta-Kathmandu bus service on Wednesday afternoon. The bus was inaugurated by state transport minister Firhad Hakim. The bus will run on a regular basis from Tenzing Norgay bus terminus at 2 pm, will cover 615km and reach Kathmandu the next morning at around 7 am. The ticket is priced at Rs.1500 per person. Speaking with ANI, Hakim said, "I am happy today that the service after a long gap is being started by NBSTC. The tourism between North Bengal and Nepal will have a boost and definitely, there will be more and more passengers in future. So that NBSTC will run more and more buses to entertain the passengers.



Hakim also said that they are waiting for the NOC from the Bangladesh side to run the bus service from Siliguri to Dhaka, Bangladesh. They will start as soon as getting the permission. The passengers on the first-day journey said, "It will reduce time and fare is affordable."

Anurag Agarwal, an Indian bus operator said, the bus service will help the people to travel to Nepal for tourist, medical and religious purposes. Bharat Timsihna, Nepal bus operator said, we are happy to see the government has started the much-awaited bus service from West Bengal`s Siliguri. This will help both the countries` people. We have a very good and healthy relationship with India, but this will again help to boost up.
New Delhi: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, who has been booked for her comment on Goddess Kali, on Wednesday dared the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to prove that whatever she said is wrong. "I do not want to live in an India where BJP's monolithic patriarchal brahminical view of Hinduism will prevail and the rest of us will tiptoe around religion. I will defend this till I die. File your FIRs - will see you in every court in the land," tweeted Moitra on Wednesday (July 6). "I challenge the BJP anywhere in the country to prove anything that I said is wrong," Moitra added.

The TMC leader has been booked for allegedly hurting religious sentiments after her comment on Goddess Kali stirred a controversy. An FIR has been registered in Bhopal against Moitra under section 295A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for hurting religious sentiments. She had called Kali "meat-eating" and "alcohol-accepting". Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that Hindu religious sentiments have been hurt by Moitra's statement and that insult to Hindu deities will not be tolerated at any cost.

Reacting to the complaints against her by the BJP leaders, the TMC MP said: "Bring it on BJP! Am a Kali worshipper. I am not afraid of anything. Not your ignoramuses. Not your goons. Not your police. And most certainly not your trolls. Truth doesn't need back up forces."

Soon after she made those remarks on Kali, the TMC distanced itself saying the comments were made in her personal capacity. In a tweet, the TMC said the comments made by Mahua Moitra and her views expressed on Goddess Kali have been made in her personal capacity "and are NOT ENDORSED BY THE PARTY in ANY MANNER OR FORM". "All India Trinamool Congress strongly condemns such comments," the party tweeted.

Moitra's remarks came after a controversy erupted over a poster of filmmaker Leena Manimekalai's 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.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi said that people must be careful when they play with the emotions of people which are reflected in such symbols, culture and faith."We won't like to comment on other parties, but I believe that balance must be maintained in the symbols and the essence of our faith. Heart and spirit of our culture cannot be trivialised by anybody anywhere be it elsewhere, abroad or here," he said.

Meanwhile, Siliguri BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh from Siliguri lodged a complaint against TMC MP Mahua Moitra at Siliguri Police Station for allegedly hurting Hindu sentiments. Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said, "All of us including Sanatan people will take out a rally in Krishna Nagar against her (Mahua Moitra's) filthy comments... If no action is taken, next week we will approach the court for police inaction.TMC is an anti-Hindu party, does appeasement politics, and supports Rohingyas."



(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Zee News staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
From GPS trackers on vehicles to social media spying, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife have spent almost two years investigating California's black market caviar market. They've now arrested eight people suspected of illegally fishing sturgeon in the Sacramento River and Carquinez Strait to source the roe for their caviar. Apparently, the caviar king pins referred to the sturgeon roe as "black gold" that could be sold as caviar for $150 a pound compared to $100 per ounce at fine restaurants. Southern DSP Green Sturgeon are protected as a threatened species under the Federal Endangered Species Act while White Sturgeon are categorized as a state Species of Special Concern dependent on conservation efforts for protection. From the East Bay Times:



The suspects called sturgeon roe "black gold," and it sold for around $150 a pound  a massive discount compared to restaurant prices, which can reach around $100 per ounce[]

Authorities say this ring is one of the biggest the department has come across, in terms of its scope, the number of jurisdictions involved, and the other potential criminal activity, which includes illegal weapons possession, counterfeit cash, and 1,000 pounds of suspected illegal cannabis found during a search warrant service last April.

Authorities believe the suspects, including Oakland residents Andrew Chao, 31, and Ay Pou Saechao, 35, illegally fished at least 36 sturgeon over a two-year period, including a barely living 85.5-inch white sturgeon found in the trunk of Chao's gold sedan during a March 14 traffic stop near the Sacramento River. The fish was raced back to the water and survived.
New Delhi: A day after FIR in Madhya Pradesh, a new complaint has been registered against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra for her remarks on Goddess Kaali in Delhi. Besides Moitra, Delhi BJP leaders, including Harish Khurana and Rajan Tiwari, also lodged a complaint against filmmaker Leena Manimekalai whose poster of her documentary "Kaali" has courted controversy. As per ANI, the complaint against Manimekalai, Moitra and others has been registered under Section 295, 505 (2), 153B, 509, 120B IPC and Section 66 & 67 of IT Act for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

Since her documentarys poster showing Goddess Kaali smoking and holding an LGBTQ+ flag went viral and caused outrage, the filmmaker is facing several FIRs. While the TMC MP made headlines after she said at a TV conclave that she had every right as an individual to imagine Goddess Kaali as a "meat-eating and alcohol-accepting" deity, as each person had their unique way of offering prayers.

Delhi BJP leaders Harish Khurana, Rajan Tiwari & others lodged a complaint against filmmaker Leena Manimekalai, TMC MP Mahua Moitra and others under Section 295, 505 (2), 153B, 509, 120B IPC and Section 66 & 67 of IT Act for allegedly hurting religious sentiments pic.twitter.com/vGLPOGmdEk  ANI (@ANI) July 7, 2022

Soon after the Krishnanagar MP's remark, TMC distanced itself from Moitra's comment and said it does not endorse her views. The Mamata Banerjee-led party also said that Moita will take care of the FIRs. Veteran TMC leader and three-time party Lok Sabha member, Saugata Roy issued a statement saying that the onus of the FIRs is on Moitra and not on the party, IANS reported.

"As far as TMC is concerned, the party doesn`t approve the poster for the film `Kaali`, it`s unacceptable to us. We also don`t approve of Mahua Moitra`s statements on the matter. It`s our party`s official position. Our party is secular, it respects all religions. As far as the FIRs are concerned, it`s on Mahua Moitra to take care of that. Until BJP takes action on Nupur Sharma for her comments against the Prophet, they have no right to speak about anything else," the statement by Roy said.

Meanwhile, after backing Mahua Moitra following the backlash, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said on Thursday that his tweets are his "personal opinion". He wrote in a cryptic tweet, "Two points: 1. Everything I tweet is my personal opinion. I don't have any other kind. 2. 'Those who stand for nothing, fall for anything.' - Alexander Hamilton." Notably, Congress had called Tharoor's post on Moitra his "personal opinion".

(With agency inputs)
Bengaluru: Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy listed '16 family dynasties' in the Karnataka unit of the BJP as he hit out at the saffron party for repeatedly calling the JD(S) a dynastic party. He said everyone understands the sum and substance of BJP's Mission Dakshin, Yoga in Mysuru and churning in Hyderabad, referring to the Prime Minister's events in the South and statement against dynastic politics. In a series of tweets, the JD(S) second-in-command hit back at the BJP in Karnataka for calling him 'Lucky Dip Chief Minister' on Wednesday.

"You spoke about the family rule. I have already given the list. Again for your attention. 1. Yediyurappa & Sons 2. Ravi Subramanya-Tejaswi Surya 3. Ashoka-Ravi 4. V.Somanna-Arun Somanna 5. Arvind Limbavali-Raghu 6. S.R.Vishwanath-Vani Vishwanath 7. Jagadish Shettar-Pradeep Shettar 8. Murgesh Nirani-Hanumath Nirani 9. G.S.Basavaraju-Jyoti Ganesh 10. Jarkiholi Family 11. Katti Family 12. Jolle Family 13. Angadi Family 14. Udasi Family 15. Sriramulu Family 16. Reddy Brothers."

He said, "There is still more to your family dynasty. I am aware that "BJP is a chainlink of family politics" should I expose the nationwide family politics in the BJP? One can write 'Parivarakoti' while talking about family politics in States ruled by you."

Kumaraswamy's outburst was against the repeated accusation of the BJP of calling JD(S) a dynastic party. Often, some BJP leaders referred to the JD(S) as the 'Appa-Maga' party, meaning 'Father-Son Party' as it is headed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy as the second-in-command. The JD(S) leader lashed out against the BJP today for calling him a 'lucky dip CM' in a set of tweets.

"In Lucky Dip, I will cry whether I win or lose. If someone calls me Lucky Dip CM, I get irritated and scratch my body. Can you guess who I am? I am Lucky Dip CM HDK," the Karnataka unit of BJP tweeted.

Explaining the meaning of 'Lucky Dip CM', the BJP said Kumaraswamy twice became Chief Minister just by luck, for despite having MLAs in double digits, he got the coveted post through 'lucky draw'.

Replying to the 'Lucky Dip' jibe, the JD(S) leader said, "Yes. I am Lucky dip CM, what now? Did your CM get the people's mandate in the election? How can you forget that your CM is lucky too?"

"Ask the person who was the Deputy CM in 20:20 govt on how many lucky dip CMs are there in the @BJP4Karnataka? It was me who showed the seat of power to the BJP, the party which was never in power till then," he added.

Stating that he was not ashamed to be called a lucky dip Chief Minister as he had often described himself as an "accidental CM." He sought to know whether the 'Lucky Dip CM' tag was lower in status than 'Operation Kamala CM'. The 'Operation Kamala' term referred to the purported attempt of the BJP to pull elected representatives from Opposition parties to form the government.
This time Disney could lose the monopoly of some of its favorite cartoon characters. Mickey Mouse is also on the list of cartoon characters known as the Disney brand's long-term mascot.The Mickey Mouse character was originally created on October 1, 1928, and the character will complete 95 years in 2024. Under U.S. copyright law, the rights to an artistic work remain private for up to 95 years. After that, no particular company or person can claim ownership over the work anymore. However, there are also limitations to this law.

But can anyone use the Mickey Mouse character this time around?

This is also possible after 2024. But if a filmmaker uses that character in a way that makes it look like you're watching a Disney film or show, the Disney company can file a lawsuit against that director.

If you ask who created Mickey Mouse, anyone will say one name in one word. Walt Disney. He won the best award in the world of cinema, an Oscar, for the creation of Mickey Mouse. But this character was not played by Disney! The one who painted this popular rat, his name is Ab iworks. He was Disney's friend. However, according to Mickey's fans, Mickey's body was given to Ab iWorks, but the character was given life by Disney.

Disney's Winnie the Pooh character has already entered the public domain. The character will soon be seen in a completely new look in the Rice Waterfield directorial 'Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.
NEET UG 2022: The National Testing Agency (NTA) is expected to release the NEET UG Admit Card 2022 by this week. According to media reports the NTA is likely to release the admit cards for the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test, NEET UG 2022 on 10 July. Students must note that the tentative timing of admit card release is based upon past trend and an official confirmation is awaited. Students are advised to visit the official website of NTA - nta.ac.in for the latest updates.

Once released, aspirants who have applied for the NEET UG 2022 will be able to download their admit cards through the official website neet.nta.nic.in.Candidates must notice that the NTA has already released the Exam City Intimation Slip-on June 29, 2022, on neet.nta.nic.in for NEET-UG 2022 which is scheduled to be conducted on July 17, 2022.

NEET UG 2022 Admit Card- Here's how to download

Once released, NEET aspirants can follow the steps given below to download the NEET UG 2022 admit card

1.Visit the website neet.nta.ac.in

2. Click on the admit card download card link

3. Log in with your application number and Date of Birth

4.Click on submit, your NEET admit card will be displayed on the screen

5. Download the admit card and take a printout for the exam day

This year nearly 18 lakh students have registered for the medical entrance test. The NEET 2022 Admit Card will have details of the examination centre, examination roll number, date of birth, full name etc. Students note that to download the NEET UG Admit Card they will have to login to their respective NEET account by entering their registration number and date of birth.

Live TV
New Delhi: The Nuh police has booked a man for allegedly declaring a Rs 2 crore reward for cutting off the tongue of now-suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma over her remarks on Prophet Muhammad during a TV debate. The action by the police came after a purported video of Salaheri resident Irshad Pradhan declaring the reward surfaced on social media. In Chandigarh, asked to comment on the issue, state Home Minister Anil Vij said strict action would be taken as per the law.

"Those elements who want to disturb peace in the country will be dealt with strictly," he said.

The video purportedly showed Pradhan offering the reward to a Youtuber on behalf of entire Mewat to cut off Sharma's tongue. Tension had erupted in the area after the video was widely shared on social media.



ALSO READ | Man, who threatened to behead Nupur Sharma, arrested in UP



"Bring her tongue and take Rs 2 crore. Do it and take the money right now," the man is heard purportedly saying in the video.

Nuh Superintendent of Police Varun Singla said police have identified the accused and booked him under relevant provisions of the IPC.

"Action will be taken as per the law. Our social media cell too has been pressed into action to ensure no such instigating content is supported or circulated in the district," he said.



ALSO READ | Ajmer Dargah Khadim, who threatened Nupur Sharma with 'beheading', arrested



"We appeal to people to not spread such videos and communal content," Singla added.

The Police said that the FIR against Irshad Pradhan and others was registered at the City Nuh police station.

"Main accused Irshad did not just say this on video but later also uploaded the same on his Facebook page. Police teams are conducting raids to nab him," a senior police officer said.
New Delhi: India on Thursday (July 7) said it is the consistent policy of the government to treat Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama as a guest and Prime Minister Narendra Modis wish for the leader on his birthday should be seen from the overall context. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "The prime minister did speak to the Dalai Lama last year also. It has been a consistent policy of the government to treat the Dalai Lama as an honoured guest in India. He added that the Tibetan spiritual leaders birthday is celebrated in India and abroad by his followers.

"Birthday greetings by the prime minister to the Dalai Lama should be seen in the overall context," Bagchi was quoted as saying by PTI.

PM Modi on Wednesday had informed that he talked to the Dalai Lama to convey his wishes on the latters birthday. "Conveyed 87th birthday greetings to His Holiness the Dalai Lama over the phone earlier today. We pray for his long life and good health," Modi tweeted.

Conveyed 87th birthday greetings to His Holiness the @DalaiLama over phone earlier today. We pray for his long life and good health. July 6, 2022

The Dalai Lama's supporters celebrated his birthday at Dharamshala where the spiritual leader lives in exile.

MEAs comments come in the wake of China condemning PM Modi for greeting the Dalai Lama on his 87th birthday. On being asked about the Indian PMs greetings, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told mediapersons that "the Indian side should fully recognise the anti-China separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama."

It should abide by its "commitment to China, speak and act prudently and stop using Tibet related issues to interfere in China's internal affairs," the spokesperson added.

Zhao Lijian also slammed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for greeting the Dalai Lama."Tibet affairs are China's internal affairs, which brooks no foreign interference. China is firmly against any engagement by any country with the 14th Dalai Lama," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said. Further, he said the Dalai Lama is a political exile "disguised as a religious figure who has long been engaged in anti-China separatist activities".

(With agency inputs)
A 62-year-old priest was beaten to death by a mentally unstable man in East Delhi, a police official said on Thursday. The official said that the police received a PCR call of the incident at around 5.40 a.m. on Wednesday. The caller said that a priest was brutally assaulted by a man in Sonia Vihar area. A police team which was immediately dispatched to the spot found the injured priest identified as Soni Ram, after which he was shifted to a hospital.

"During enquiry it was revealed that one Sonu Bhatt had beaten the priest. Consequent to that Sonu Bhatt was beaten by the public and he was admitted in Trauma Centre Civil Lines Delhi. Soni Ram was later shifted to GTB Hospital. He was unfit for statement. Later in the evening, information was received from the hospital that Ram succumbed to his injuries," the police official said.

The police then lodged an FIR of murder under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code with the local police station. The official said that the accused was still admitted in the Trauma Centre.

"It surfaced during primary enquiry that Bhatt was not in a healthy state of mind and was known to the deceased," the police said.

Live TV
Lucknow: A court here awarded two-year imprisonment to Bollywood actor and Congress leader Raj Babbar in a case involving the assault of a polling officer.

Babbar was convicted for voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from performing his duty and three other offences. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 8,500 on him.

The polling officer had lodged an FIR against Babbar during an election in May 1996. The complaint was lodged at the Wazirganj police station here. At that time, Babbar was contesting from the Samajwadi Party.

Babbar was present in the courtroom when the verdict was announced.
TN Police PC recruitment 2022: Tamil Nadu Uniformed Staff Recruitment Board (TNUSRB) commenced the online application process for Grade II Police Constable, Grade II Jail Warder and Firemen recruitment 2022. Interested candidates can apply for TN Police PC posts at the official website tnusrb.tn.gov.in till August 15. The recruitment drive aims to fill up a total of 3552 vacancies, including 2180 in Police Department and 1091 in the Investigation Department, 161 Jail Warder and 120 Fireman. The TN Police written exam date will be announced later.

ALSO READ: IB Recruitment 2022

TN Police PC recruitment 2022: Eligibility criteria

Age: 18-26 years as on July 1, 2022. The upper age limit is relaxed for reserved categories.

Educational qualification: Candidate should have passed 10th Standard/SSLC. Those who have not passed 10th standard and have more than that qualification are ineligible to apply.

TN Police PC recruitment 2022: Selection process

TNUSRB will conduct the selection in three phases: Written exam (Tamil Language Eligibility Test + Main exam), Physical Efficiency Test and Special Marks. Provisional Select List is drawn based on the total marks obtained in the Written Examination, Physical Efficiency Test, and NCC, NSS, Sprots/Games Special marks.

TN Police PC recruitment 2022: Exam fee

The Examination fee is Rs 130 to be paid online only.

TNUSRB PC recruitment 2022: Here is how you can apply for the posts

- Visit the official website tnusrb.tn.gov.in

- On the homepage, click on Online Application under Common Recruitment of Gr.II Police Constables, Gr.II Jail Warders & Firemen 2022

- Register and proceed with application process

- Fill in the required details, pay the fee and submit the form

- Take a printout for future reference
Jaipur (Rajasthan): Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot appointed the sons of tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teli, who was beheaded on June 28 for supporting sacked BJP leader Nupur Sharma, in the state government service. "The cabinet has decided to appoint Yash Teli and Tarun Teli--the sons of Kanhaiya Lal Teli who died in terrorist incident of Udaipur-- in the government service," the chief minister informed through a tweet in Hindi. CM Gehlot stated that the state government has given relaxation in the rules of appointment under Rule 6C of Rajasthan Subordinate Office Clerk Service (Amendment) Rules, 2008 and 2009.

In another tweet, CM Ashok Gehlot said, "Relaxation has been given in the rules for the appointment. This appointment will be provided under Rule 6C of Rajasthan Subordinate Office Clerk Service (Amendment) Rules, 2008 and 2009." The state government took the decision to help the family as Kanhaiyalal was the sole bread earner of the family.

The brutal killing of Kanhaiyalal Teli took place on June 28 between 3 pm and 3.30 pm, and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) received the information through an order issued by the MHA`s Counter-Terrorism and Counter Radicalization Division (CTCR) on June 29.

Also read: Udaipur Killing: Accused BEATEN outside Jaipur court! Video shows angry mob attacking Kanhaiya Lal's killers

Earlier, the case was registered at Dhanmandi police station in Udaipur district under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 16, 18 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act relating to the murder of Kanhaiyya by two assailants armed with sharp weapons at his shop "Suprim Tailor".

After the MHA`s order, the NIA, in accordance with the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, directed its Superintendent of Police Ravi Choudhary, an IPS officer, to take up the investigation as the Chief Investigation Officer, said an ANI report, adding that the national agency re-registered the case under sections 452, 302, 153(A), 153(B), 295(A) and 34 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 16, 18 and 20 of UA(P)A, 1967 against the accused who have conspired, planned and committed the heinous murder.

Meanwhile, the NIA on Wednesday arrested a sixth person in connection with the killing of Kanhaiya Lal and took him into custody till July 12, said a PTI report. Wasim Ali, who ran a meat shop opposite the tailoring shop of Kanhaiya Lal, was picked by the federal agency on Tuesday night and questioned for his alleged role in helping other accused carry out a recce of the area. Wasim Ali was placed under arrest on Wednesday and produced before a designated court which remanded him in the custody of the NIA till July 12.

Also read: 'Hang his killers': Murdered Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal's family tells Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

Notably, the two accused Riyaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad were taken into custody during the investigation of the case. The accused, both residents of Udaipur, are reportedly being questioned at NIA`s Jaipur office. NIA`s six to 10-member team under the supervision of an Inspector General and a Deputy Inspector General rank officer is probing the matter.

The two accused had also posted a video on social media soon after committing the crime, boasting about the "beheading" and threatened Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s life as well. The victim was murdered as he had shared a social media post in support of Nupur Sharma, former BJP leader who had made controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammad.

(With ANI/PTI Inputs)
Two highly coveted props from 1977's Star Wars (rechristened Star Wars: Episode IV  A New Hope) are going on the auction block this month. One is a screen-matched (meaning it has been identified in the film) Stormtrooper helmet, and the other is a screen-used Hero E-11 blaster.

The opening bid for the helmet is $300,000. The opening bid for the blaster is $35,000. Both are being sold through Heritage Auctions.

From Heritage Auctions:

"Finding screen-matched props from Star Wars is virtually unheard-of," says Joe Maddalena, Executive Vice President at Heritage Auctions. "I've had the pleasure and privilege of offering several items from the movie that changed everything. But there is something particularly magical about the helmet and blaster. These recognizable, revered items were made for a movie that was turned down by studios before 20th Century Fox OK'd a franchise that continues to thrive in the 21st century."

When George Lucas began shooting Star Wars in the Tunisian desert in March 1976, only six stormtrooper helmets were completed in time for filming. These first helmets were later dubbed "sandtroopers" by fans and ultimately by Lucasfilm. In addition to their custom, desert-worn weathering, these helmets also featured unique hand-painted detailing that differs slightly from all the other stormtrooper helmets finished and used later.

Of these six original sandtrooper helmets, only two are confirmed to exist in private hands. Heritage Auctions is offering one of the two.

In addition to being one of the surviving original first-produced and first-filmed stormtrooper helmets from the original Star Wars, this specific helmet can be conclusively identified on-screen across multiple sequences. It was also worn by one of the few stormtroopers who delivered dialogue  the very one who speaks to the bartender after Obi-Wan Kenobi's, let's say, disarming encounter in the Mos Eisley cantina.

It also screen-matches the one worn by the stormtrooper who talks with the mysterious informant Garindan, then rushes his squad to Docking Bay 94 to stop the Millennium Falcon from fleeing the Mos Eisley Spaceport. His last words were, "Stop that ship! Blast 'em!" immediately before being gunned down by Han Solo.

The rushed, handmade nature of the original six stormtrooper helmets ensured that each would appear unique to an observant viewer when finished. The eyes and "teeth" were cut out by hand from the vacuum-formed shells, leaving noticeably varied results from helmet to helmet. The glossy white spray paint used on the helmets famously didn't take very well, leaving each helmet with a less-than-uniform finish.

Another Star Wars centerpiece in this star-studded event is that screen-used hero E-11 blaster, which was wielded by both stormtroopers and Han, Luke and Leia during the Mos Eisley Spaceport shootout, the Tatooine scenes, some Death Star sequences  and during the beloved trash-compactor scene.

Bapty & Co., the legendary British theatrical armorer, based this science-fiction weapon on a British Sterling submachine gun, custom fabricating and dressing it specifically for the first Star Wars production. The front section of the blaster is an actual Sterling body tube with the central barrel replaced by a simple wooden dowel painted black.

Custom-made from aluminum, the grip and trigger guard are not standard. The rear section of the Sterling was cut away, and a solid aluminum billet cast specifically made by Bapty & Co. for these props was slotted into the rear of the gun. The billet extends from the rear of the Sterling tube past the ejector port and receiver, rendering the piece a non-working weapon.
New Delhi: Amid the heavy rains, lashing Mumbai for the fourth consecutive day, India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday (July 7, 2022) issued a red alert for Mumbai, Thane and Palghar for tomorrow (July 8, 2022). The met office has forecast heavy rainfall in the city and suburbs with very heavy to extremely heavy rains very likely at isolated places. The IMD has also predicted the possibility of occasional strong winds reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph, a civic official said.

Mahesh Palawat, vice president (meteorology and climate change), Skymet Weather informed that due to a cyclonic circulation developing over central Pakistan, some places in Punjab and Haryana are likely to receive heavy rainfall on Saturday and Sunday. Delhi-NCR, west Uttar Pradesh and northwest Rajasthan are also expected to receive good rainfall soon, the meteorologist said.

Mumbai Beaches to remain open from 6 am to 10 am only

Meanwhile, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday announced restrictions on public movements at beaches across Mumbai. In the wake of heavy rainfall & keeping in mind the drowning incidents, all the beaches in Mumbai shall be opened to the general public from 6 am to 10 am only, said BMC. "Orange alert issued for today while a red alert issued for tomorrow in Mumbai, Thane & Palghar," Jayant Sarkar of IMD said, as per ANI. The central Maharashtra and Konkan region received good rainfall in past 3-4 days, due to favorable conditions of monsoon. "It will remain same for next 4-5 days," said Sarkar.

Delhi weather update

On Thursday, Delhi reeled under sultry weather conditions as rains continued to play truant pushing the maximum temperature in the national capital to 39.1 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature settled at 30 degrees Celsius. According to the weather department, moderate rainfall on Saturday may bring down the temperature to 33 degrees Celsius. Delhi will see a generally cloudy sky and light rain till July 13, according to the IMD's latest forecast.

Fairly widespread/widespread rainfall & thunderstorm/lightning with isolated heavy rainfall very likely over Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat state, Kerala & Mahe, Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam, Telangana and Karnataka during next 5 days. pic.twitter.com/w7adaHIa3J July 7, 2022

Heavy to very heavy rains in Rajasthan

Several parts of western Rajasthan witnessed heavy to very heavy showers since Wednesday, while parts eastern Rajasthan saw light to moderate rainfall. IMD has predicted heavy rain in Jhalawar, Dungarpur, Banswara, Pratapgarh, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Sirohi, Barmer, Jalore districts during till Friday.

Rainfall to continue in Gujarat for next few days

Heavy rains lashed parts of south Gujarat and the Saurashtra region on Thursday and more showers have been forecast in the state for the next four days. According to the meteorological department, light to moderate rain and thunderstorms are expected to occur at most places in the state in the next four days. The south-west monsoon is now active all over the state due to a well-marked low pressure and associated cyclonic circulation over south Pakistan, an official said.

Heavy rains continue in several parts of Karnataka

Heavy rains continue to disrupt normal life in coastal areas and Malnad region of Karnataka, causing damage to life and properties in the affected areas. According to the weather department, scattered heavy to very heavy rain with isolated extremely heavy rainfall is likely to occur over all the districts of Coastal Karnataka. Also, heavy to very heavy rain likely to occur at isolated places over Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu and Shivamogga districts of South Interior Karnataka.

#WATCH | Karnataka: Rain lashes parts of Bengaluru city



(Visuals from Vidhan Soudha & Cubbon Park) pic.twitter.com/P6EImSTtLg July 7, 2022

(With agency inputs)
New Delhi: India's commercial capital Mumbai continued to get heavy rainfall with several areas of the city getting flooded, affecting traffic movement. Several areas of the city were inundated. Meanwhile, in the capital Delhi, rainfall has been less than expected. Safdarjung has recorded just 2.6 mm of rainfall in the last six days. In Jammu and Kashmir, weather is likely to remain partly cloudy during the next 24 hours with the possibility of light rain at scattered places. Down south, heavy rain is expected in Kerala, Telangana.

Heavy rains lash Mumbai

Mumbai Regional Meteorological Centre on Wednesday issued a heavy rainfall alert for the next five days for Mumbai, Thane and other parts of Maharashtra. The department issued an Orange alert for Mumbai and Thane till July 10. Meanwhile Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg are on Red alert till July 9 and on Orange alert on July 10. Palghar is on Red alert on July 8."Heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with extremely heavy rain at isolated places is very likely to occur in Palghar on Friday," the Regional Meteorological Centre said.

Several rivers in the state have reached the warning level. The Kundalika river has crossed the warning level and the water level of the Amba, Savitri, Patalganga, Ulhas and Garhi rivers is slightly below the warning level. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had put all the districts on high alert and is monitoring the situation. He directed the officials to make all arrangements including the shifting of people living in vulnerable areas.The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 17 teams in areas of Maharashtra that have reported heavy to very heavy rainfall.

Delhi weather update: Will it rain in the capital today?

Delhi may get marginal relief from sultry weather on Thursday due to a cloudy sky and light rain, the weather office said. The Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's primary weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature is likely to settle around 37 degrees Celsius. Moderate rainfall on Saturday may bring the temperature down to 33 degrees Celsius, the Met office said.

Though the monsoon embraced the capital in an impressive manner on June 30, giving the first spell of heavy rainfall this season, scanty precipitation in the subsequent days have led to a gradual rise in maximum temperatures. Safdarjung has recorded just 2.6 mm of rainfall in the last six days.

Telangana, Kerala likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall

Telangana is likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next few days, a scientist of Metrological Center Hyderabad, Sravani, informed. Cloudy mornings and light to moderate rainfall during evening on Thursday in Hyderabad is expected. "Telangana state will receive a good amount of rainfall in upcoming days, the districts in the southern part of the state -Jogulamba Gadwal, Vanaparti, Nagarkurnool, and Nalgonda are expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, while the central parts can also experience good rainfall in the next five days with heavy to very heavy rainfall in Southern parts of Telangana on Thursday," Sravani added.

Isolated spells of heavy rainfall is expected in Kerala till July 9. Earlier in the day, fog had enveloped Munnar hill station in Idukki amid continuous rains in Kerala.

Light rain in Jammu & Kashmir

The MeT department on Thursday forecast a partly cloudy sky with light rain at scattered places in Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours. "Weather is likely to remain partly cloudy in J&K during the next 24 hours with the possibility of light rain at scattered places", said an official of the MeT department.

Srinagar registered 20.6 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam 15.3 and Gulmarg 13 degrees as the minimum temperature. In the Ladakh region, Leh had 13.1 degrees and Kargil had 17.7 as the minimum temperature. Jammu had 26.7 degrees, Katra 24, Batote 19, Banihal 18.2 and Bhaderwah 19.3 as the minimum temperature.
Chandigarh: It's a special day for Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who tied the nuptial knot for the second time today (Thursday, July 7). The 48-year-old CM separated from his first wife in 2015 and he has two children from his first marriage. Only family members, including Mann's mother, sister, relatives, and a few guests attended the wedding. Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal was in attendance and was the party's Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha. Sources said that this marriage is an arranged one.

"The chief minister is getting married in a private ceremony. He will tie the knot with Dr Gurpreet Kaur, who belongs to Pehowa in Haryana's Kurukshetra," AAP's Punjab unit chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang had told PTI over the phone a day earlier on Wednesday.

Visuals from the wedding ceremony of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann who tied the knot with Dr Gurpeet Kaur in a close-knit ceremony in Chandigarh this afternoon pic.twitter.com/sADeugQ7fg  ANI (@ANI) July 7, 2022



State ministers Harjot Bains and Aman Arora as well as the party's senior leader Raghav Chadha congratulated Mann on Twitter. "Wishing my Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Ji a very happy and blessed married life ahead. I wish them both a lifetime of love, respect and companionship," Bains said. Arora congratulated Mann for starting married life and wished "both a life full of happiness, joy, love, prosperity, health and companionship. May the almighty shower His blessings on both of you".

Senior AAP leader Raghav Chadha gave his best wishes to Mann and his would-be wife. "Best wishes to my 'vadde veer' (elder brother) Mann Saab and Dr Gurpreet Kaur for a happy and blessed married life," tweeted Chadha, who is a Rajya Sabha MP.

Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also congratulated Mann as he starts a "new chapter in his life". "My heartiest congratulations to the CM Bhagwant Mann Ji as he starts a new chapter in his life tomorrow. Best wishes for a happy and blissful married life ahead," he tweeted.

Also Read: After Bhagwant Mann, will AAP's Raghav Chadha get married? THIS is what he said

Mann's 21-year-old daughter Seerat and 17-year-old son Dilshan from his first marriage had flown in from the US for the ceremony when he took oath as Punjab chief minister in March. Bhagwant Mann had taken oath on March 16 as Punjab chief minister at a ceremony held in freedom fighter Bhagat Singh's village Khatkar Kalan village in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district. AAP had stormed to power in Punjab earlier this year winning 92 of the 117-Assembly seats.

Who is Dr Gurpreet Kaur, Bhagwant Mann's soon-to-be wife?

Dr Gurpreet Kaur belongs to Pehowa in Haryana's Kurukshetra and according to news reports, Dr Kaur has completed her MBBS from Maharishi Markandeshwar University at Mullana (district Ambala) in Haryana in 2018. She is currently working as a physician, as per news reports. In a TV interview, Raghav Chaddha said that Dr Kaur had campaigned for AAP earlier.


NEW DELHI: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, a prominent Muslim face of the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party, resigned on Wednesday from the post of Union Minority Affairs Minister, triggering strong speculations that he may be fielded as the saffron partys vice-presidential candidate soon. Naqvi resigned a day before his Rajya Sabha tenure expired. On the advice of the Prime Minister, President Ram Nath Kovind accepted his resignation with immediate effect and directed that Union Minister Smriti Irani be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, in addition to her existing portfolio.

Later at a meeting, PM Narendra Modi hailed Naqvi for his contribution to the country and its people as a Union minister. Along with Naqvi, the PM also heaped praise on Naqvi's Rajya Sabha colleague, Ram Chandra Prasad Singh, who also quit a day before the completion of his Rajya Sabha term.

The speculations about Naqvi being possibly projected as the partys V-P candidate started ever since he was denied the Rajya Sabha ticket. A section of media had then reported that he may soon be appointed as the new Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, as part of BJPs outreach to Muslims.

Also, after his resignation, the ruling BJP has no major Muslim face in the Union Council of Ministers and among the party's 395 Members of Parliament. It is also a rare occasion for the ruling party that the Union Council of Ministers will not have any representation from the Muslim community.

The opposition has been accusing the BJP of not giving adequate representation to Muslims, but the saffron party has maintained that its MPs work for all communities and are not representatives of any religion.

Over the decades, Muslim BJP MPs have had a nominal presence in Parliament. Naqvi himself has been a Rajya Sabha member for three terms, Najma Heptulla for two terms and Shahnawaz Hussain, currently a minister in the Bihar government, was elected to Lok Sabha twice. Naqvi was a Lok Sabha member for one term as well. Sikander Bakht, a founder member of the party and one of its first three general secretaries, was a Rajya Sabha member twice.

In a bid to counter the oppositions charge, BJP minority morcha chief Jamal Siddiqui has been maintaining that politics should not be attached to religion and that MPs are elected as representatives of the people and not of any religion.

"So even if someone from our religion or caste is not there, we should understand that our own countrymen are there. Responsibilities keep on changing in the BJP and I am confident that the party will ensure representation of all communities," he said.

The party also has Muslim lawmakers in some states, including one each in Bihar and UP.

However, in view of the Opposition's constant accusation of the BJP being an anti-Muslim party and attempting to polraise and divide the country into religious lines, Prime Minister Narendra recently asked BJP leaders at its recent national executive meeting in Hyderabad to cultivate deprived sections in communities other than Hindus as well. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also highlighted the party's good performance in local polls in some regions with a sizeable Muslim population.

In view of the current political scenario, according to the political pundits, BJP would not like to lose any opportunity to woo the Muslim community, the countrys largest minority community also, and projecting Naqvi as its vice-Presidential candidate will be a major step towards that.

The BJP recently played a masterstroke by nominating Draupadi Murmu, a tribal leader from Odisha, as its Presidential candidate, in a bid to woo the members of tribal communities in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Rajasthan.

If the ruling BJP eventually nominates Naqvi as its V-P nominee, it will not only counter the allegations of being an anti-Muslim party but will also be able to convince the vast minority members that the saffron party cares about the Indian Muslims and they do have a representation in the party. Though no official confirmation has come from the party, there are names besides Naqvi that are in the fray for V-P's post - Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, former Union Minister Najma Heptulla and former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

It may be noted that Vice President M Venkaiah Naidus term ends on August 10 and according to the Election Commission and the last date for nominations for Vice President is July 19. The scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on July 20, and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is July 22. The elections for the Vice President will be held on August 6 while the next Vice President will take oath on August 11.
New Delhi: After Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra stirred a controversy over her comments on Goddess Kaali, Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen on Wednesday (July 6, 2022) said if one believes in freedom of expression, then they would support both Nupur Sharma and Mahua Moitra's right to express their views. "Supporting someone's views and supporting someone's right to express views are totally different things. I may not agree with people's views, but I will always defend the right to express their views, including my enemy's views," Taslima said in a Twitter post.

Bangladeshi author also said that freedom of expression is not violence, adding that putting a price on someone's head and asking people to go and kill someone is not freedom of expression.

If you believe in freedom of expression, you would support both Sharma's and Moitra's right to express their views. If you do not believe in freedom of expression, you would support neither's right or either Sharma's or Moitra's right to express their views.  taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) July 6, 2022

Mahua Moitra caused a controversy with her remarks that she has every right as "an individual to imagine Goddess Kali as a meat-eating and alcohol-accepting goddess", as every person has the right to worship god and goddess in his or her own way.

FIR against Mahua Moitra

The Madhya Pradesh Police on Wednesday registered a case against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra for her controversial remarks on Goddess Kali.

In the FIR registered by the Crime Branch in Bhopal, Moitra has been booked under Section 295A (outraging religious sentiments) of the India Penal Code.

Tharoor supports Mahua Moitra

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor came out in support of Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra over her comments on Goddess Kali stating "our forms of worship vary widely across the country. " He also urged people to "lighten up and leave religion to individuals to practice privately."

"I am no stranger to malicious manufactured controversy, but am still taken aback by the attack on @MahuaMoitra for saying what every Hindu knows, that our forms of worship vary widely across the country. What devotees offer as bhog says more about them than about the goddess," tweeted Tharoor.

"We have reached a stage where no one can say anything publicly about any aspect of religion without someone claiming to be offended. It`s obvious that @MahuaMoitra wasn`t trying to offend anyone. I urge every1 to lighten up and leave religion to individuals to practice privately," added Tharoor in another tweet.

(With agency inputs)
New Delhi: Television host turned actor Maniesh Paul is known for his stage presence. The quirky host was recently seen in Jugjugg Jeeyo starring Varun Dhawan, Anil Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor and Kiara Advani. Maniesh played Gurpreet, Kiara's brother in the film and received a warm reception for his comic timing.

In an interview with Zee News Digital, Maniesh opens up on the success of his film and much more:

Q: How was your experience working with such senior actors as Neetu Kapoor and Anil Kapoor?

A: My experience was fantastic, I had a great time working with them. Be it Anil sir or Neetu ma'am as they don't let you feel the pressure of the kind of work they have done. They are legends according to me, what they have done we can only dream of being able to do that one day. They keep you at ease, they make you feel very comfortable, and they help you a lot. It has been a dream come true and definitely a wonderful experience.

Q: Who you bonded with the best, Anil Kapoor or Neetu Kapoor?

A: Honestly, both of them, with Neetu ma'am it was mostly about how is wife, family, kids, Alia-Ranbir, their wedding. With Anil sir, it was more of work, but I bonded well with both of them and loved to work with them.

Q: What inspired you to move from anchoring shows to star in films?

A: I feel we all want to graduate to something more. Hosting I do but as an artist, I am a hungry artist and I wanna do it all. I want to reinvent myself, want to try new things and finally when this film came up my way I was very excited. First of all, it's a Karan Johar film, it's Dharma Production's film, who would say no to that. Plus Raj Mehta sir gave such amazing films like 'Good Newzz,' him saying to me that I am fit for a role in his movie, I was like WOW, I have to do this.

Q: Such a big-budget film, how does it feel to be a part of it?

A: I was very nervous, my very first scene was with Anil sir and I have been his fan for ages and have to shoot with him now, it was a chilling moment for sure. I hosted a premiere for him when I was a simple Delhi boy, I hosted his premiere for 'Nayak' and today I get to work with him, and share the screen with him, I was very nervous. It has really been a great journey, it's a great feeling.

Q: Gurpreet is a character almost like your original self, did you bring something new too?

A: Yes, the energy level is the same, the humor is same, I really connected with my character there. Yeah but I tried my best to deliver the best of Maniesh Paul as the direction, the writing was wow, the level of creativity was amazing and I just tried really hard to reach that level.

Q: How was the experience of shooting in the pandemic?

A: We had a lot of trouble as the hurdles were there, Covid was on peak, and lockdowns were announced but the team was very particular and determined towards our safety. They did a great job and took care of everyone's health. Dharma Productions really took care of not just the people in front of the camera, but even the ones behind it. Also, it was a huge responsibility as people were coming back to theatres after so long and we had to make them smile. We delivered a family film that can be watched with everyone and enjoy and am really glad about the response we have received and are still receiving.

Q: One actor, actress, director you would like to work with in the future?

A: I would love to work with Amitabh Bachchan sir, he is a legend and I would be very grateful if I get to work with him. Katrina Kaif is the actress I would really love to work with. The last, Raj Mehta sir, I really want to do another film with him as it was amazing working with him in 'Jug Jugg Jeeyo.'

Live TV
New Delhi: Filmmaker Farah Khan Kunder is currently enjoying her family vacay in Bangkok and is treating her fans with many pictures and videos on social media. On Thursday, she turned into a travel vlogger and left everyone in splits with her quirkiness.

In the video, which she recorded at the Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok where she is apparently staying, Farah introduced herself as a travel vlogger. Sharing the video on Instagram, the director-choreographer wrote in the caption, "The travel vlogger strikes again!!"

The video started with Farah greeting her followers as she stood in front of a swimming pool at the Shangri-La hotel. She started by saying, "I am Farah Khan, your travel vlogger for the day. I am in Bangkok, this is the beautiful Shangri-La hotel. This is the magnificent pool. What is good about this pool is that this is full of water. You can swim here, and if it rains you dont even have to go in the pool, you can get wet."

She then moved towards the riverside and said, "The other thing good is this beautiful location. It is by the riverside. If you don't feel like swimming in the pool, don't even try jumping in the water over here."

Fans flooded the comment section with laughing and heart-eye emojis. Also, many of her celeb pals were left stunned watching the video. Actor Farhan Akhtar wrote, "sold" with laughing emojis. Rhea Kapoor and Bharti Singh also dropped laughing emojis in the comments section. Also, Karan Johar praised Farah and told her that other countries would also want to hire her, "Hey Faru! Many countries are asking about your availability youre such an inspirational traveller!" he wrote.

Earlier, Farah shared a couple of pictures from her Thailand trip, one of which showed her posing with her kids- Czar, Diva, and Anya at Ko Samui island. She wrote, "full-time job" in the caption.

Farah Khan is married to film editor Shirish Kunder since 2004. On February 11, 2008, Farah and Shirish welcomed their triplets, Diva Kunder, Anya Kunder and Czar Kunder through IVF.

Live TV
New Delhi: Filmmaker Leena Manimekalai's highly objectionable Kaali film poster showing the goddess with a cigarette in hand has landed her in trouble. After facing several FIRs against her and massive outrage from people online, the famous Dakshineswar Kali Temple in Kolkata has strongly opposed the depiction on the poster.

DAKSHINESWAR KALI TEMPLE REACTS TO KAALI POSTER ROW

On the official Twitter handle, the Dakshineswar Temple authorities wrote: We are all worshipers of Maa Kali. Holding a cigarette in his hand is hurting the sentiments of the Hindu community. In many places, maa is given alcohol and goats are sacrificed. But holding a cig is highly reprehensible. We are strongly opposed to it. #KaaliPosterControversy

We are all worshipers of Maa Kali. Holding a cigarette in his hand is hurting the sentiments of the Hindu community.

In many places, maa is given alcohol and goats are sacrificed. But holding a cig is highly reprehensible. We are strongly opposed to it.#KaaliPosterControversy  Dakshineswar Kali Temple (@KaliTempleKol) July 6, 2022

As we said before, we still say that there are many places where worship is done with wine, that is the rule there. But what is shown in the much-discussed poster is never acceptable. The Dakshineshwar Kali Temple strongly condemned the incident. We made our position clear.

As we said before, we still say that there are many places where worship is done with wine, that is the rule there. But what is shown in the much-discussed poster is never acceptable. The Dakshineshwar Kali Temple strongly condemned the incident.

We made our position clear.  Dakshineswar Kali Temple (@KaliTempleKol) July 7, 2022

WHAT IS KAALI FILM POSTER CONTROVERSY?

Leena Manimekalai's documentary 'Kaali' poster showed the goddess smoking a cigarette and holding an LGBTQ flag. A huge ruckus erupted after it went viral online. The filmmaker on Thursday said she does not feel safe 'anywhere at this moment. "It feels like the whole nation, that has now deteriorated from the largest democracy to the largest hate machine' wants to censor me. I do not feel safe anywhere at this moment," Manimekalai wrote while tagging The Guardian and sharing an interview she has given to the British newspaper. Since the controversy began last week, Manimekalai, her family and collaborators have received threats from more than 200,000 accounts online, according to PTI.

In her interview to The Guardian, she dismissed claims that her film is disrespectful to the goddess or to Hinduism. She said she had been raised as a Hindu in Tamil Nadu but is now an atheist.

Twitter has pulled down Manimekalai's tweet from last week in which she shared the poster of the documentary. It was replaced by a message from Twitter that read, "This Tweet from @LeenaManimekali has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand."

The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto which was supposed to show Kaali at an event expressed regret and has removed the documentary from its list of films being presented. Kaali was showcased as part of the 'Under the Tent' project at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto.

(With PTI inputs)
NEW DELHI: A fortnight after Odia TV actor Rashmirekha Ojha killed herself, her 28-year-old boyfriend Santosh Patra, who was recently questioned by Nayapalli police in connection with her death, was found dead in Rourkela home on Wednesday (July 6). As per a police officer, Patra was found hanging from a celing at his home. No suicide note has reportedly been recovered from Santosh's room. It is being said that he claimed his life after being under immense mental pressure since being grilled by the police in connection with the death of his actress girlfriend.

A Bollywood Life report stated that Santosh Patra, who was found hanging at his house, was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital on Wednesday. However, he was declared brought dead by the doctors.

ODIA TV ACTRESS RASHMIREKHA OJHA'S BOYFRIEND DEATH PROBE

The Uditnagar police department in Rourkela, Orissa, has already begun their investigation into his death and the fishy circumstances leading up to it, following their ongoing investigation into Rashmirekha's Ojha's similar death by hanging, said the report.

"We rushed Santosh to hospital immediately, but the doctors declared him brought dead. He was a pretty young fellow. We are deeply saddened by his demise," a neighbour said in a statement to the media.

On the other hand, Santosh Patra's uncle, who addressed the media at the Uditnagar police station said, "We had no clue about Santoshs intention of committing suicide."

Famous Odia television actress Rashmirekha Ojha was found hanging at her rented accommodation in Bhubaneswar. The 23-year-old was staying with her live-in partner Santosh Patra. The actress's father suspects foul play and alleged that Patra has a role to play in her death.

According to a senior police officer, a case of unnatural death has been registered in the matter. "Our calls to her on Saturday went unanswered. Later, Santosh broke the news to us. We came to know from the landlord of the house that Santosh and Rashmi lived as husband-wife. We had no idea about that," her father said.

Ojha's father told media persons that he was informed about her death by her live-in partner Santosh Patra.



RASHMIREKHA OJHA'S SUICIDE NOTE



According to Orissapost.com, police recovered a suicide note from the spot. "Miss you baba, I will miss you a lot from up there. I am a very bad daughter," read a line from her note.

"The 23-year-old actress was found hanging from the ceiling of her rented home on the night of June 18. The police are waiting for her post-mortem report to arrive. Prima facie, it seems to be a case of suicide as she left behind a note stating that no one was responsible for her death," the DCP told PTI.

Ojha, who hailed from Jagatsinghpur district, shot to fame in the Odia television industry with her role in the daily soap 'Kemiti Kahibi Kaha'.

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The new owner of the Jersey Street Firehouse on Buffalo's West Side plans to convert the three-story brick building into apartments, after a previous redevelopment proposal by another group ran into neighborhood opposition.

Justin Custer and Eric Zellner of Milestone Development of WNY bought the structure at 310 Jersey St. last month from Project X Holdings for $400,000, after that six-member investment group gave up on their 5-year-old plan of creating a microbrewery and restaurant.

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Custer said they are still exploring their plan and the potential architectural layout of the units.

"We're thinking six, but we don't know right now," he said.

They have not yet selected an architect for the project to reuse the onetime fire station that was built in 1875.

Milestone already owns over 100 residential and commercial units.

"We just like the old-school type of building, and it's got some history to it," Custer said. "We'd just like to see it not be vacant and turn it into something nice. It's got a lot of cool features."

Milestone is seeking Preservation Board approval to put a new roof on the building, and hopes to have a plan to submit to the community and the city.
A horrifying footage showing a train collision with a truck has surfaced online. A camera has captured the final moments of a train crashing into a truck stuck on a Railway crossing in Bidar Karnataka.

The footage shared by ANI on Twitter also shows people running away from the railway crossing moments before the train came crashing into the truck.

#WATCH Bidar, Karnataka | A train collided with a truck at Bhalki crossing, early this morning. No injury reported pic.twitter.com/9xYUUZTpcy

The tweet states that no injuries have been reported in the incident.

The passenger train then slowed down, only to stop a few metres away from the spot, revealing the fact that loco pilot had applied hard brakes before crashing into the truck.

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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 07, 2022

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(Also read: Shocking! Ex-Amazon Web Services engineer hacked data of 10 crore customers)

How to Redeem Garena Free Fire codes for today, July 07 2022

Step 1: Go to the official Garena Free Fire redemption portal



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(Disclaimer: Garena Free fire is banned in India. Hence we advise people to adhere to government rules)
Kolkata: West Bengals ruling Trinamool Congress has demanded the immediate arrest of BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh for making unsavoury comments against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. It may be noted that BJP MP while speaking at an event organized by a private TV news channel made some distasteful comments about Mamata Banerjee and her family.

Reacting to it, Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and party MP Kakoli Dastidar has demanded his arrest.

The TMC alleged that Ghosh, while referring to the chief ministers "Banglar Meye" (Daughter of Bengal) campaign during the last assembly polls in Bengal, made objectionable comments about the TMC supremos family.

The BJP leader also mocked Mamata for her statements made during her Goa visit where she had claimed her affinity with the coastal state. The BJP national vice-president also accused Bengal CM of 'corrupting' both Hinduism and Islam by "going to the Iftaar parties despite being a Hindu Brahmin".

Expressing shock over the utterances of the former state BJP president, the Diamond Harbour Trinamool Congress MP on Wednesday tweeted, "Outrageous. PM @narendramodi, it is about time to get this loose tongue arrested! Is this how @BJP4India leaders talk about the only sitting woman Chief Minister of the nation?"

Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar in a video expressed shock that such crass words can be used by a political personality against a woman, who happens to be the only female chief minister in the country.

Dastidar said she was wearing a black badge in protest against the "misogynistic" comment by Ghosh and demanding action against him.
UNITED NATIONS: As the U.N. Security Council prepares to vote Thursday on humanitarian aid deliveries to rebel-held northwest Syria from Turkey, Russia agreed to continue such deliveries but only for six months not a year, as many U.N. Security Council members, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and more than 30 nongovernmental groups want.

Russia proposed amendments to a draft resolution by Ireland and Norway reducing their year-long time frame for deliveries. Council diplomats said consultations were continuing late Wednesday to see if a compromise could be reached.

The Security Council scheduled a vote for Thursday morning.If no compromise appeared, the draft resolution by Ireland and Norway to extend cross-border deliveries for 12 months would be voted on first. If it failed to get nine votes or was vetoed by Russia, the Russian resolution with a six-month extension would then be put to a vote.

In early July 2020, China and Russia vetoed a U.N. Resolution that would have maintained two border crossing points from Turkey to deliver humanitarian aid to Idlib. Days later, the council authorised the delivery of aid through just one of those crossings, Bab al-Hawa.

That one-year mandate was extended for a year on July 9, 2021, and expires this Sunday. The Russian proposal called for increased efforts to ensure full, safe and unhindered deliveries of humanitarian assistance across conflict lines within Syria, according to the Russian draft obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

Also Read:'I will not resign', says Boris Johnson as over 30 British lawmakers quit

It also would authorise the establishment of a special working group comprising concerned council members, major donors, interested regional parties and representatives of international humanitarian agencies in order to regularly review and follow-up on the implementation of this resolution.

Neither of those proposals was in the Ireland-Norway draft resolution.Northwest Idlib is the last rebel-held bastion in Syria and al Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is the strongest insurgent group in the region.

The U.N. said last week that the first 10 years of the Syrian conflict, which started in 2011, killed more than 300,000 civilians the highest official estimate of civilian casualties.

In a letter to Security Council ambassadors obtained Wednesday by the AP, former International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo warned that by approving cross-border deliveries to northwest Syria, council members could find themselves materially supporting a U.N.-designated terrorist organisation.

He said northwest Syria is controlled by Al Nusra, a U.N. Designated terrorist organisation affiliated with al Qaida and currently called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Any support to a terrorist organisation, including humanitarian assistance is prohibited by previous U.N. Security Council resolutions, Ocampo said. To avoid a flagrant violation' of its resolutions, he said the Security Council should have the operation monitoring cross-border deliveries to confirm that the al Qaida-linked groups are not involved in implementing humanitarian aid" or remove Al Nusra-Hayat Tahrir al-Sham from the terrorist list.
New Delhi: Scandal-ridden Boris Johnson on Thursday (July 7, 2022) announced he would quit as British prime minister after he dramatically lost the support of his ministers. Following mass resignations by Cabinet members, Johnson stepped down as British PM today and announced his exit in an address to the nation from some outside the gates of Downing Street. He expressed his `regret` at his inability to hold onto his position as Prime Minister while stressing that he is `immensely proud` of his achievements in office.

After days of battling for his job, Johnson had been deserted by all but a handful of his closest allies after the latest in a series of scandals sapped their willingness to support him.

Here are some of the quotes from Boris Johnson's todays speech outside Downing Street:

In politics, no one is indispensable. I regret I have not been successful.

I am sad... to be giving up the best job in the world.

It is clearly the will of the parliamentary Conservative party that there should be a new leader of that party, and therefore a new prime minister. I will support the new leader. We will continue to back Ukraine.

Johnson thanked the British public "for the immense privilege you have given me".

However, Johnson could continue to remain in office until October when the Conservative party meets for its annual conference so that his replacement is found.
London: Boris Johnson is in a "buoyant mood" and "will fight on" to stay as the British Prime Minister, one of his top aides has said, despite some of the embattled premier's most loyal cabinet ministers, including Home Secretary Priti Patel, joining the mutiny and demanding his resignation. Amid ongoing speculation over his leadership, Johnson's parliamentary private secretary James Duddridge said on Wednesday that he expects the prime minister to make senior cabinet appointments soon. He said Johnson was in a "buoyant mood" and "will fight on", moments before it emerged that he had sacked a senior Cabinet minister known to be critical of him staying in Downing Street.

Michael Gove, UK Secretary of State for Levelling Up, had reportedly told Johnson earlier in the day that it was time for him to quit. Johnson is believed to have called him up from Downing Street to inform him that he is fired from his ministerial post. Duddridge told 'Sky News' that there will be a joint plan for the economy laid out by Johnson and Nadhim Zahawi, the new UK Chancellor, on Thursday.

"He has a 14 million mandate and so much to do for the country," said Duddridge. "I expect him to make senior Cabinet appointments this evening and am looking forward to hearing what the PM and his fantastic chancellor Nadhim Zahawi have to say tomorrow," he said.

Also read: Trouble mounts for Boris Johnson, more ministers quit after Rishi Sunak, Sajid Javid

Other media reports also confirmed that Johnson, 58, has no plans of resigning, with a No. 10 Downing Street source saying the UK premier remains "absolutely defiant". Graham Brady, the chair of the influential 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs, has reportedly told its leader that the committee's executive election on Monday "could result in another confidence vote", which Johnson is likely to lose.

"The Prime Minister is conscious he has a mandate from 14 million people (from 2019 general election) and the only way he will leave is if the party takes that mandate off him," a source close to Johnson was quoted as saying.

The 1922 Committee is responsible for setting the timetable for a Tory leadership contest. To take part in the race, a Tory MP has to be nominated by eight colleagues. If more than two MPs put themselves forward and secure enough nominations to run for leader, a series of secret ballots are held to whittle them down.

Also reads: 'I will not resign', says Boris Johnson as over 30 British lawmakers quit

It was thought that with a large chunk of his Cabinet now calling for his resignation, Johnson would give in and step down. However, it would now seem he is determined to fight on until he is voted out in a no-confidence showdown of Tory party members.

Home Secretary Patel on Wednesday became the latest senior Cabinet minister to withdraw her support for Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party, after UK media reports said she is part of a contingent of ministers with an ultimatum for the embattled prime minister to step down.

The Indian-origin minister has so far said she has no plans of resigning after Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid made their dramatic exit from the Cabinet, triggering a flurry of ministerial and government aide resignations now adding up to 38.

But 'The Times' newspaper was the first to report on Wednesday evening that a hardcore Boris loyalist until now, Patel had switched ranks to join a Cabinet ministerial delegation to 10 Downing Street to let him know that the time is up on his leadership.

The BBC soon confirmed those reports that she along with Zahawi, the newly appointed Chancellor to replace Sunak, were among the group of ministers threatening to resign unless Johnson accepts his time in Downing Street is up.

Patel, 50, is joined by other loyalists such as UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Welsh Secretary Simon Hart. The delegation of senior politicians, which also included Policing Minister Kit Malthouse, new Education Secretary Michelle Donelan and Chief Whip Chris Heaton-Harris is believed to have told Johnson that his position as prime minister was now unsustainable.

It follows a day of high political drama in the heart of Westminster politics in London, with minister after minister stepping down, believed to be the highest number of UK government resignations in a day since the 1930s.
LONDON (AP)  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson battled to remain in office Wednesday, brushing off calls for his resignation after three Cabinet ministers and a slew of junior officials said they could no longer serve under his scandal-plagued leadership.

Johnson rejected demands that he step down during a stormy session of the House of Commons amid a furor over his handling of sexual misconduct allegations against a senior official. Later in the day, a delegation of some of his most trusted allies in the Cabinet paid a visit to the prime minister at 10 Downing Street to urge him to go, but he remained unmoved, Britain's Press Association reported.

The prime minister turned down suggestions he seek a dignified exit and opted instead to fight for his political career, citing hugely important issues facing the country, according to the news agency. It quoted a source close to Johnson as saying he told colleagues there would be chaos if he quit.

The 58-year-old leader who pulled Britain out of the European Union and steered it through the COVID-19 outbreak is known for his ability to wiggle out of tight spots, managing to remain in power despite allegations that he was too close to party donors, that he protected supporters from bullying and corruption allegations, and that he misled Parliament about government office parties that broke pandemic lockdown rules.

He hung on even when 41% of Conservative lawmakers voted to oust him in a no-confidence vote last month.

But recent disclosures that Johnson knew about sexual misconduct allegations against a lawmaker before he promoted the man to a senior position pushed him to the brink.

In holding on to his office, Johnson is attempting to defy the mathematics of parliamentary government and the traditions of British politics. It is rare for a prime minister to cling to power in the face of this much pressure from his Cabinet colleagues.

He is now besmirching our democracy, and if he doesnt do the right thing and go of his own accord, then hell be dragged out," Scottish National Party leader Ian Blackford told the BBC.

Many of Johnson's fellow Conservatives were concerned that he no longer had the moral authority to govern at a time when difficult decisions are needed to address soaring food and energy prices, rising COVID-19 infections and the war in Ukraine. Others worry that he may now be a liability at the ballot box.

On Wednesday, members of the opposition Labour Party showered Johnson with shouts of Go! Go! during the weekly ritual of Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons.

Labour Party leader Keir Starmer mockingly said of the resignations surrounding Johnson, Isnt it the first recorded case of the sinking ship fleeing the rat?

More damningly, members of Johnsons own Conservative Party  wearied by the many scandals he has faced  also challenged their leader.

Frankly  the job of the prime minister in difficult circumstances, when hes been handed a colossal mandate, is to keep going, Johnson replied with the bluster he has used to fend off critics throughout nearly three years in office. And thats what Im going to do.

Former Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who helped trigger the current crisis when he resigned Tuesday night, captured the mood of many lawmakers when he said Johnsons actions threaten to undermine the integrity of the Conservative Party and the British government.

At some point we have to conclude that enough is enough, he told fellow lawmakers. I believe that point is now.

Under party rules, another no-confidence vote cannot be held for another 11 months, but party members can change the rules. The 1922 Committee, a small but influential group of Conservative lawmakers, could decide as early as Monday whether to do that.

Javid and Treasury chief Rishi Sunak resigned within minutes of each other over the latest furor. The two Cabinet heavyweights were responsible for tackling two of the biggest issues facing Britain  the cost-of-living crisis and COVID-19.

In a scathing letter, Sunak said: The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously.  I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.

The resignations of some 40 junior ministers and ministerial aides followed on Tuesday and Wednesday. A third Cabinet official, Welsh Secretary Simon Hart, quit late Wednesday, saying we have passed the point" where it's possible to turn the ship around."

As Johnson dug in, critics accused him of refusing to accept the inevitable and of behaving more like a president than a prime minister by referring to his mandate. In Britain, voters elect a party to govern, not the prime minister directly.

Former International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said late Tuesday that Johnson's time is finally up.

Its a bit like the death of Rasputin: Hes been poisoned, stabbed, hes been shot, his bodys been dumped in a freezing river, and still he lives, Mitchell told the BBC. But this is an abnormal prime minister, a brilliantly charismatic, very funny, very amusing, big, big character. But Im afraid he has neither the character nor the temperament to be our prime minister.

The final straw for Sunak and Javid was the prime ministers handling of sexual misconduct allegations against Conservative lawmaker Chris Pincher.

Last week, Pincher resigned as deputy chief whip after complaints he groped two men at a private club. That triggered a series of reports about past allegations leveled against Pincher  and shifting explanations from the government about what Johnson knew when he tapped the man for a senior job enforcing party discipline.

This story has ben updated to correct the spelling of the last name of the chair of the International Chamber of Commerce in Britain. It is Drechsler, not Drexler.

Follow all of APs coverage of Prime Minister Boris Johnson at https://apnews.com/hub/boris-johnson
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  New Mexico residents who say they endured constitutional rights violations, depression and anxiety under aggressive public health restrictions during the coronavirus outbreak have abandoned a lawsuit against Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham after most allegations were dismissed by a judge.

The move came after a string of adverse rulings in state and federal courts for plaintiffs in several lawsuits that challenged the authority of the Democratic governor and state health officials to impose public health restrictions, such as mask mandates, that were phased out earlier this year.

New Mexico imposed some of the most aggressive public health restrictions in the U.S. during the pandemic  mandating face masks, halting in-person activity at nonessential businesses and allowing public schools to suspend in-person classroom teaching for about a year. The orders withstood repeated legal challenges.

Attorney Jonathan Diener said Tuesday that a dozen plaintiffs dropped their lawsuit against Lujan Grisham and state health officials after a federal magistrate judge last week dismissed most of their claims.

The plaintiffs included a pet food business in Rio Rancho, a martial arts studio in Bernalillo, a restaurant in Silver City and a member of an Albuquerque-based megachurch. The lawsuit sought to limit future public health emergency declarations.

Diener said the lawsuit no longer appeared viable, though the federal judge had allowed claims to move forward about possible infringements on religious freedoms during the state's initial shutdown of in-person gatherings at churches and other places of worship.

One plaintiff, a member of the Albuquerque-based Calvery Chapel, alleged that she was denied expression of her religious beliefs and that she suffered depression and anxiety set in from social isolation during the pandemic.

Three lawsuits against Lujan Grisham and her public health orders are still pending in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque and the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver.

New Mexico state judges have consistently backed the governor's authority to impose broad public health orders.

The New Mexico Supreme Court in August 2020 affirmed the authority of the state health secretary to restrict or close businesses because of the coronavirus pandemic, rejecting assertions that a temporary ban on indoor dining services was arbitrary and capricious.

In June 2021, the state's top court ruled that there is no constitutional or statutory requirement to compensate businesses for financial losses caused by emergency public health orders.

Allegations of economic hardship under the orders were blunted somewhat by billions of dollars in federal and state aid that was funneled to New Mexico residents and businesses to sustain payrolls and unemployment payments without corresponding tax increases.

The New Mexico Supreme Court also has ruled that the Legislature was allowed to restrict in-person access to the state Capitol due to the pandemic.
A 45-year-old motorcyclist from Buffalo was killed early Thursday morning in a crash on an I-190 off-ramp downtown, New York State Police said.

The crash happened at about 3 a.m. on the Elm Street off-ramp, troopers said in a news release.

The motorcyclist, identified as Shawn M. Ricks, was heading north on the highway and attempted to exit at the Elm Street ramp.

The preliminary investigation revealed Ricks "failed to negotiate the curve in the roadway," and hit a concrete barrier, which ejected him from the bike, police said.

Ricks was pronounced dead at the scene.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Buffalo police are looking into a car crash and fire involving a man who graduated hours earlier from the Buffalo Fire Academy.

Before dawn Friday, firefighters hurried to the 600 block of Elk Street for a car fire that followed a crash there, according to the Buffalo Fire Department.

Surveillance cameras at the business, South Buffalo Auto Parts, recorded the collision. A person who has seen the video, who asked to remain unidentified, said it showed a chain reaction: A vehicle hit the business parked tow truck, which pushed the truck into a passenger vehicle parked on the lot, pushing that vehicle into the Buffalo Police Departments tow truck, which was at the site for repairs.

However, the video then showed other men arrive at the scene and revealed that the fire to the drivers vehicle may have been intentionally set, the person said.

A police officer came upon the burning vehicle at around 4:35 a.m., according to radio transmissions stored by the web service Broadcastify. The officer called in the fire and said "the driver bailed out, no direction or anything." The officer then called in the license plate number of the abandoned, burning automobile.

A spokeswoman for District Attorney John J. Flynn said his office also is investigating the incident, which she described as a motor vehicle crash and subsequent fire to a vehicle "registered to a recent Buffalo Fire Academy graduate." The graduate was not identified.

Another person with knowledge of the matter said fire department officials are questioning three recent Fire Academy graduates, one of whom was the driver. The Academy graduated 43 people on June 30.

While police are involved, a police source said the Buffalo Fire Department has taken the lead in the investigation. Fire Commissioner William Renaldo did not return a message from The Buffalo News seeking comment.
Three kilos of cocaine. One kilo of fentanyl. Half a kilo of methamphetamine.

That was among what the Erie County Sheriff's Office Narcotics and Intelligence Unit found while executing a search warrant at a house at 40 Brittany Drive in Amherst on June 29, the sheriff's office announced Thursday.

Detectives also recovered an unspecified quantity of ecstasy and "a large amount of packing materials, mixing substances and other drug paraphernalia items," the statement from the sheriff's office said.

The raid was conducted after investigators saw Franklin Richards, 40, leaving his home and took him into custody during a traffic stop, the sheriff's office said.

Richards and his wife, Toya Richards, 43, were arrested. Each were charged with multiple felony counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Toya Richards was arraigned and released on July 6 after posting $200,000 bail, the sheriff's office said. Franklin Richards was remanded to the Erie County Holding Center without bail. He was also being held on a U.S. Marshal detainer.

Detectives were investigating them for allegedly trafficking narcotics throughout Erie County, officials said.

Records show that Richards was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison in November 2016 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distributing cocaine. He admitted to supplying more than five kilos of cocaine to a Buffalo street gang. Prosecutors said he bought cocaine from a Houston man and distributed the drugs to the LRGP Gang between July 2011 and March 2012. Richards was on supervised release when he was arrested last month.

Members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force assisted the sheriff's office in the operation.
A Buffalo man who fired multiple shots at two men from an illegal handgun pleaded guilty Wednesday in Erie County Court to first-degree attempted assault, second-degree assault and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, according to the Erie County District Attorney's Office.

Jose A. Castillo, 29, faces a maximum of 15 years in prison when he is sentenced as a two-time violent felony offender on Aug. 12. He remains held without bail.

Prosecutors said Castillo at about 2 a.m. on July 8, 2021, shot the two victims as they were walking on Allen Street near Irving Place in Buffalo's Allentown neighborhood, then rode from the scene on a bicycle.

The two men were transported by ambulance to Erie County Medical Center where one was treated for multiple serious injuries and the other was treated and released.
An Amherst man is facing a rare criminal charge: boating while intoxicated.

Gervase Christie, 55, was charged after he was found at the helm of a disabled vessel in the Niagara River at about 9:37 p.m. Wednesday by the Erie County Sheriff's Marine Unit. Deputies said they smelled a strong scent of alcohol coming from Christie, while two minors on the vessel were not wearing personal floatation devices.

Christie's boat was towed to a marina, and he admitted to drinking alcohol and failed multiple sobriety tests, according to county Sheriff John C. Garcia. Like operating a car, the legal limit of blood alcohol content to operate a boat is .08.

According to New York Navigation Law, a BWI carries between a $300 and $500 fine for a first offense, or up to a 15-day jail sentence, while further punishments may include boat impounding or suspension of operating privileges.

Scott Zylka, public information officer for the Erie County Sheriff's Office, said Christie's arrest is the second Boating While Intoxicated incident this summer.

The county, as well as the Buffalo Police Department and Buffalo's Coast Guard station, is affiliated with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators' Operation Dry Water, a national awareness and enforcement campaign to reduce the number of boating accidents and deaths.

NASBLA reported that alcohol is the leading contributor to boating accidents, and 16% of boating deaths in 2021 listed alcohol as the primary cause. Alcohol was a contributing factor in 110 boating deaths last year, the fewest in five years, but the range has been between 100 and 150, with few exceptions, since NASBLA was formed in 2009.
Thirteen of the indictment's 27 counts involved using a firearm to commit hate crimes, and the 12-page document revealed the weapons and ammunition law enforcement seized from the suspect's car at the Tops shooting as well as from two addresses in his hometown of Conklin.
An Erie County judge has given defense attorneys for the white supremacist charged in the Tops Markets mass shooting until Oct. 6 to file notice of a psychiatric defense.

Judge Susan Eagan on Thursday also rejected a defense request to delay the state prosecution a year while the federal case proceeds.

Attorneys for Payton Gendron, who faces both state and federal charges for targeting Black people in the May 14 massacre at the Jefferson Avenue grocery store that killed 10 and injured three, said they needed more time to go through discovery materials provided by prosecutors. They asked for six months but instead got 90 days.

The defense wants to have the psychiatric defense option open to them, though they may not pursue it, defense attorney Brian K. Parker said.

Under existing state law, the defense would have been required to file notice with the court about its intent to pursue a psychiatric defense last weekend, which was before prosecutors turned over all of their evidence, Parker said.

Prosecutors on Thursday handed over a hard drive that held up to a terabyte of information, Parker told the judge.

In arguing for additional time, Parker cited "extraordinary circumstances," including the number of both victims and potential witnesses, as well as the amount of physical and digital evidence. He also pointed to the size of the crime scene, also noting it took law enforcement a week to process the scene before it was turned back over to Tops.

"And we're expected to file notice of a particular defense, let alone a psychiatric defense, before we even plugged in the hard drive," Parker said.

'My parents know somethings wrong': But accused Tops killer lied to fool them For a period of months, the 18-year-old wrote, he repeatedly lied, hid and dissembled to keep secret his plan to conduct mass murder.

A county grand jury indicted Gendron on 10 counts of first-degree murder, 10 counts of second-degree murder as a hate crime, first-degree domestic act of terrorism motivated by hate, three counts of second-degree attempted murder as a hate crime and one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

A conviction on the domestic terrorism charge carries an automatic sentence of life without parole.

Gendron, who turned 19 last month, also faces federal hate crime charges that could land him the death penalty if he gets convicted.

In online writings posted prior to the mass killing, Gendron described his desire to kill Black people.

Defense attorneys asked for the temporary pause in the prosecution because they said the work they will do on the state case would overlap with work of Gendron's federal defense attorneys, who at the same time will be trying to fend off a potential death penalty.

While state prosecutions don't deal with potential sentences until the end, federal prosecutions start with a consideration of punishment, defense attorney Robert Cutting said.

A notice of a psychiatric defense in the state case could potentially trigger prosecution experts having access to speak with their client, the result of which may harm mitigation efforts in the federal case, attorneys said.

"Virtually anything that we would routinely do on behalf of our client very definitely potentially imperils their chance of putting forward the strongest case in the realm of mitigation," Cutting said.

AG Merrick Garland says death penalty a possibility for Tops shooter, but that decision will come later Payton Gendron, 18, of Conklin, already indicted by an Erie County court, is now facing 26 federal charges, including 10 counts hate crime resulting in death for each of the 10 people killed  a crime that could be eligible for the death penalty.

Defense attorneys said they were told to expect it would take a year before a decision is made by federal prosecutors on whether the death penalty will be sought.

"At the end of the day, we don't want our client killed," Cutting told the judge.

A few minutes later, after a rebuttal from prosecutors, Eagan issued her decision.

"This court is not inclined to grant a one-year stay," Eagan said from the bench.

Eagan also set Oct. 6 as the deadline for defense attorneys to file motions.

Escorted into court by Erie County sheriff's deputies, Gendron wore a white mask and orange jail garb. He was handcuffed and shackled at his ankles.

Like with earlier court appearances, security in the courtroom and the courthouse was heightened. Cameras were banned from the courtroom.

The judge on Thursday also issued an order that Gendron may review evidence in the case only with his attorneys present. Under the order, Gendron's attorneys are prohibited from providing him with copies of any evidence either for him or anyone outside of the defense team.

The 26 federal charges Gendron faces are: 10 counts of hate crime resulting in death; three counts of hate crime involving bodily injury and attempt to kill; 10 counts of use of a firearm to commit murder during and in relation to a crime of violence; and three counts of use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

Gendron, of Conklin in Broome County, appeared in federal court June 16. From that point, a federal grand jury had 30 days to return an indictment against him.

Defense attorneys expect a federal indictment to be handed down within about a week, Cutting said in court.

County prosecutors provided to the defense information gathered by the New York State Police, the Buffalo Police Department and the Erie County Sheriff's Office. They have requested information from the FBI, which also took part in the investigation, Assistant District Attorney John Feroleto said.

Should prosecutors come into possession of any such material from the FBI, they will alert the defense, Feroleto said.

Gendron remains held without bail.
Former Buffalo Police homicide detectives were accused in a lawsuit Wednesday of withholding evidence about a murder suspect and instead using lies and pressure tactics to pin a 1976 slaying on five innocent teenagers.

The tactics resulted in long prison terms for two Buffalo men, Darryl A. Boyd and John H. Walker, their attorneys said.

Two Buffalo men elated as judge sets aside decades-old murder convictions Two Buffalo men who served more than two decades in prison for murder were wrongly convicted of the crime, a judge ruled Wednesday, vacating the guilty verdicts lodged against the two as teenagers.

The lawsuits against Buffalo and Erie County, which seek $112 million for each man, came 10 months after a state judge overturned the 44-year-old murder convictions against Boyd and Walker in the death of William Crawford, 62.

The two men, now 63, were wrongfully prosecuted, convicted and imprisoned for more than 28 years for a murder and robbery they did not commit, attorney Joel B. Rudin and his co-counsels claim, referring to Boyd's time in prison.

According to Rudin, detectives harassed and threatened two teenagers until they agreed to provide testimony that Crawford was beaten to death by their friends.

Walker, Boyd and a teenage friend, the late Darryn Gibson, were found guilty by juries and sentenced to lengthy prison terms.

The lawsuit also accuses prosecutors of failing to provide defense attorneys for more than four decades with evidence that pointed to another suspect  the murder victims neighbor.

Police said the inebriated Crawford was attacked outside his 2041 Fillmore Ave. home after he left the nearby Golden Nugget bar late on the night of Jan. 2, 1976.

Detectives had witness statements and other evidence pointing to Larry Watson, a neighbor of Crawfords who left the bar with him that night, according to the lawsuit.

According to court papers, a bartender from the Golden Nugget had told detectives she suspected Watson, Crawfords neighbor and drinking companion, of harming Crawford.

The bartender, identified in court papers as Debbie Jeffrey, said Watson observed Crawford flashing a large wad of cash at the bar and buying several rounds of drinks for friends. Jeffrey said she advised Crawford around 11:30 p.m. that he had too much to drink and should go home. She told police that Watson quickly offered to walk Crawford home, and left with him.

Watson came back to the bar about 20 minutes later and then left with his wife, Julia, who had been drinking with him and Crawford, according to court papers.

The bartender told police Julia Watson later called the bar and said her husbands keys were missing and asked if they had been found at the bar.

A set of keys were found next to Crawfords body, but police never tried to find out whether the keys were Watsons, Rudin said in court papers.

Watson was the last person seen leaving the bar with Crawford. But the prosecution presented him as their witness, claiming he had left Crawford to rush to his own house because his front door was open, Rudin said.

Attorneys for Boyd and Walker were not provided by prosecutors with police reports that contained evidence against Larry Watson until they filed a Freedom of Information Law request recently, Rudin said.

Larry Watson, his wife Julia, and Jeffrey, the bartender who provided information to police, are all now deceased. The Buffalo News could not reach a stepson of Watson.

Prosecutor denies wrongdoing

Timothy J. Drury, a former assistant district attorney who was involved in the prosecution, told The News that he is unaware of any wrongdoing in the case and remains convinced that the teenagers were guilty. He denied prosecutors withheld any evidence from defense attorneys.

He would not take lightly prosecuting teenagers for murder and sending them to prison, Drury told The News this week.

It was a good case ... legitimate convictions, Drury said. These kids ruined their own lives when they attacked that man.

Edward C. Cosgrove, who was the district attorney when the murder trials were held, declined on Wednesday to comment on details of the case or the lawsuits.

If, at any time during my eight years in office, we did not handle a homicide case properly, I would have known about it years ago, Cosgrove said.

In addition to the city of Buffalo and Erie County, the lawsuit names as defendants retired homicide Detectives Michael Guadagno and John Montondo, and the estates of Detectives James Hunter and Robert Grabowski. Guadagno and Montondo did not respond to requests for comment.

Key witness recants

The prime prosecution witness against Walker and Boyd  Tyrone Woodruff, now 64, told The News this week that homicide detectives threatened and scared him into implicating his friends by claiming they had other witnesses who linked him to the murder.

One of the tactics used by detectives was to let Woodruff listen to a fake anonymous call from a woman claiming Woodruff was in on the murder, according to court papers.

Woodruff told The News he was a scared 17-year-old who had been told by detectives that if I didnt point my finger at somebody, they would bring someone else in who would point their finger at me.

He said he regrets testifying falsely against Boyd and Walker.

I think about it every single day, he said.

Woodruff said he was given immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony.

According to police records, Woodruffs testimony identifying the suspected killers was key evidence that led to convictions against Walker and Boyd, both of whom were 16 when arrested.

Asked about Woodruffs claim, Drury said: Many witnesses, for many reasons, try to recant testimony years later. Some of them are afraid. Some of them feel guilty for helping put someone in prison.

Imprisoned more than 20 years

Walker spent 22 years in state prison. Boyd served a total of 28 years for the murder and four parole violations.

Boyd and Walker held a press conference vowing to clear their names after they were released from prison in 2020.

Their friend, Gibson, served 32 years in prison and died a few months after his release in 2009.

Another teenager who was with them that night, Floyd Martin, also was charged with the murder, but he was acquitted after a trial.

Martins attorney, James A.W. McLeod, told The News he believes all five teenagers were innocent.

Supporters of Boyd, Walker, Gibson, Martin and Woodruff call them the Buffalo 5 and have been campaigning over the past two years to clear their names.

Judge overturns convictions

Buffalo attorney Paul J. Cambria took on their criminal cases and filed an appeal last year. In September, State Supreme Court Judge Christopher J. Burns overturned the guilty verdicts against Walker and Boyd.

Defense attorneys representing the two men had made errors, Burns said.

The judge said that there are unanswered questions about a purported crime scene photo that  according to McLeod  indicated that only one person had attacked Crawford. That photo and other evidence are no longer in the court file, the judge said.

This is not an exoneration of the defendants, Burns said.

Current Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn said he has no intention to try the two cases again.

It would be extremely difficult and impractical because of the passage of 46 years. Many of the witnesses are no longer alive, Flynn said. It would be a waste of taxpayer money for me to try and do that.

DA defends prosecutions

Flynn also said that, from his review of the cases, these were legitimate convictions. I found no wrongdoing by anyone.

Flynns uncle  Edward C. Cosgrove  was the county DA at the time, and Drury, an assistant to Cosgrove, is married to a cousin of Flynns.

I never try to hide from the fact that I am related to these two men, but I can tell you, both of them had reputations for integrity, Flynn said this week. I cannot imagine them railroading innocent teenagers and putting them into prison for murder.

The late Leo J. Donovan, who retired in 1985 as the Buffalo police homicide squad commander, is repeatedly criticized in the court papers filed by attorneys for Boyd and Walker.

The lawsuits claim that Donovan was fully aware of improper tactics used by his detectives, and claim that he approved of the tactics.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Donovan often stated with pride that his homicide squad had a 90 percent solution rate for murders . He headed the unit for 21 years and died in 1996.

Rudin is a civil rights attorney from New York City whose firm has won millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts in lawsuits charging police with wrongdoing. He is working on the cases with another New York City firm, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr.

The attorneys would not allow Boyd or Walker to speak to The News for this story .

In 2020, a reporter asked Boyd why he and Walker were still trying to clear their names when they had already been released from prison.

Boyd said he and Walker were small-time criminals as teenagers, involved in car theft, burglary, shoplifting and other unlawful activities.

Yes, we did those things. But we want our kids and our families to know, we were not murderers, Boyd said.
With the latest round of emergency food support to Buffalos East Side ending Friday, four Western New York organizations are teaming up to continue food assistance to the community whose main supermarket has been closed since the mass shooting that killed 10 Black people and injured three others May 14.

The African Heritage Food Co-Op; Buffalo Go Green/Urban Fruits and Veggies; the Resource Council of WNY; and FeedMore WNY are partnering to distribute fresh produce five days a week and other food items two days a week at varying times and locations.

In addition, a new food pantry will open later this month at the Resource Council office at 347 E. Ferry St., said Collin Bishop, chief communications officer at FeedMore WNY.

The plan announced today provides multiple times, locations and ways for everyone in the community to access nutritious food, the Rev. Mark E. Blue, president of the Buffalo NAACP and an organizer of the food response, said Wednesday.

The Tops Markets store, which was targeted by a man authorities have called a white supremacist mass shooter because it serves a predominantly Black neighborhood, is under reconstruction with a goal to reopen by the end of July. The Jefferson Avenue Tops was the only supermarket in an area already considered a food desert short on fresh, healthy food options.

A combination of humanitarian aid organizations, local emergency food providers, Tops and other local companies have been distributing food in a variety of ways since the attack. The new food distribution opportunities are:

 The African Heritage Food Co-Ops mobile produce market will be open five days a week at different locations along Jefferson. On Mondays and Wednesdays, it will open at 10 a.m. at Jefferson and Southampton Street. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, it will be next to the M&T Bank across from Tops starting at 10 a.m. On Saturdays, it will be at the Farmers Market outside the Johnnie B. Wiley Pavilion from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. World Central Kitchen, the international humanitarian aid group that distributed hot meals daily for six weeks after the mass shooting, is sponsoring the AHFC produce giveaways, along with Buffalo Go Green/Urban Fruits and Veggies.

 Food distributions, including non-perishable items and household products, will continue with new hours. The distributions from Tops and FeedMore WNY gave out more than half a million pounds of food since the attack, Bishop said. Distributions will now take place from 2 to 6 p.m. Mondays at the Resource Council and 2 to 6 p.m. at Wednesdays at the Wiley Pavilion.

 The Community Action Organization of WNY also will be moving its food pantry into the Resource Councils West Ferry Street building later this month. The CAO pantry will become the 10th serving the East Side area. To locate a food pantry near you, visit feedmorewny.org/programs-services/find-food/.

Bishop said FeedMore WNY also provides home-delivered hot meals to anyone over age 60 who is unable to prepare meals on their own. FeedMore also partners with Erie County Senior Services to provide hot, nutritious lunches at community centers around the county, including the Dorothy J. Collier Community Center at 118 E. Utica St. Call 716-822-2002 for information on these programs.
Legislators said they want the new team to build bridges with the community. They asked that money be put toward raising awareness about the new team so that teachers, neighborhood leaders and employers who see a pattern of troubling behavior know they have a clear avenue to report their concerns, she said.

Sheriff's administrators said that in certain cases, both law enforcement and civilians can request a court to impose a temporary, extreme risk protection order  also referred to as a red flag law  to restrict a person's access to firearms and other weapons in cases where the person is determined to pose a severe risk to themselves or others.

In other cases, people could be referred for counseling.
ATLANTA (AP)  Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Wednesday that his main campaign committee raised $3.8 million in the two months ended June 30, but heavy spending leading up to the Republican's blowout primary win meant that Kemp's total amount of cash on hand continued to decline.

Kemp spokesman Cody Hall said the incumbent's main campaign committee had $6.4 million on hand. That reflects spending of more than $8 million before and just after the May 24 primary when Kemp thrashed former U.S. Sen. David Perdue and others. Kemp had $10.7 million in cash on April 30 and $12.7 million on Jan. 31.

Kemp also raised $3 million for his Georgians First Leadership Committee, Hall said, giving him a total of $6.8 million raised during the period. That special state fundraising vehicle allows the governor to collect unlimited contributions and coordinate spending with his campaign. The committee also spent about $3 million, leaving it with $650,000 on hand.

Democrat Stacey Abrams has yet to report numbers. Other candidates in November are Libertarian Shane Hazel and independent Al Bartell.

Georgia candidates have a grace period to file after the June 30 deadline, and Kemp had not filed his actual report with state ethics officials as of Wednesday evening.

Abrams has raised more than $20 million for her main campaign committee since announcing her campaign in December.

Kemp has raised more than $23 million over a longer period, topping the $22.4 million he raised in his win over Abrams in 2018.

The campaign in closely divided Georgia is likely to blow past old spending records, with a torrent of political spending expected from candidates, political parties and outside groups, especially when combined with the U.S. Senate race between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker.

Both Perdue and Abrams sued over the leadership committee, saying it was unfair that Kemp could take in large amounts while Perdue and Abrams were barred until they won their party primaries.

After an earlier ruling that Kemp could not spend money from the committee for his campaign against Perdue, U.S. District Judge Mark Cohen ruled that Georgians First Leadership Committee could not solicit or receive contributions until after the primary election made Kemp the Republican nominee for governor. So the $3 million raised for Georgians First would have all come since May 24.

Follow Jeff Amy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jeffamy.
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.
A couple of hours after the horrific Fourth of July parade shooting in prosperous Highland Park, Ill., I watched a video online of a song called "On My Mind." It was from a 21-year-old called Awake the Rapper. His real name is the reason I was watching: Robert E. Crimo III, the man taken into custody by police as the Highland Park shooter.

It's hard, if not impossible, to find the video now. The most logical websites  YouTube, for instance  want no part of it.

What I saw was hugely disturbing, especially when you knew what "Bobby" Crimo was alleged to have done: murdered seven people at a Fourth of July parade.

Watching Crimo's video, it was crystal clear how troubled he was. You didn't have to read reports that cops had previously taken away 12 knives, a dagger and a sword from him after he had been called suicidal and a danger to his family.

Watch enough of "Awake's" videos and the combination of imagery and lyrics indicated to anyone reasonably sentient that the need for therapy is acute. (Sample "Awake" lyrics: "Like a sleepwalker, I am breaking through, no matter what" and "nothing can stop me, not even myself.")

But how does a vigilant world identify the distinction between psychopathy and art, especially when his own father  AFTER the police confiscation of the knives  co-signed a shooting permit for his son so that he could buy weapons?

The whole thing brought to my mind one of the 20th century's great, if tragically little-known books: Richard Schickel's "Intimate Strangers: The Culture of Celebrity" whose cover tells you that it's about "how our national obsession with celebrity shapes our world and bends our minds." The book was published in 1985.

I know about it for two good reasons: The late Schickel was the once-ubiquitous film critic for Time magazine and one of the book's original co-authors was going to be the late David Bazelon, an old friend who was a professor of English at the University at Buffalo. When Bazelon and another of the book's planned co-authors, psychiatrist and brilliant essayist Leslie Farber, dropped out, Schickel rightly considered all their input too good to be deep-sixed and went on finishing and publishing the book himself.

As relevant as so much of it still is, its biggest problem is that "Intimate Strangers" stops at the age of television. It doesn't begin to deal with the semi-apocalyptic changes the internet was about to bring.

It was the insight of Schickel and friends that fame routinely replaced money and power as the key negotiable commodity in the post-TV era. Andy Warhol could offer his much-quoted law  how in the future everyone would be famous for 15 minutes  but the book doesn't begin to deal with the fact that the internet has come close to making it a reality.

"Fame" is no longer the result of marketing communities coming together for just that purpose; it can be achieved by people who remain completely obscure to the whole world at large.

Bobby Crimo, aka Awake the Rapper, for instance.

One of the internet's most concrete features is that the once miasmic and endlessly debatable subject of fame can now be quantified with ease.

Click on websites as easily counted as those containing "Awake the Rapper" and you find that there were 2 million clicks for one of his songs on Spotify.

To the middle class adult world so many of us inhabit, Crimo was an unknown, an underground struggler trying to make the transition from obscurity to consequence.

To a tiny but active community, though, he was known as a rapper obsessed with violence and death.

The trouble is that as quantifiable as the internet is, its obscurity is maintained by the ineluctable fact of its hopelessly unmanageable vastness. It encompasses the world in a way TV never could.

We can, one day, know nothing of someone living in a basement in Ohio. The next day, we can find the person has become an "influencer" on the way to making millions of real dollars from the design and sale of products.

Or, in a case like this, we can start off with one of the hideously constant mass shootings that bedevil us all when the fight over the Second Amendment makes any solution all but impossible.

I don't think it's possible in a free society to routinely locate every example of psychiatric disturbance as flagrant as Bobby Crimo, no matter how voluble they become.

But if you work at it from the other end, look at it this way: If their technology can be stopped, so can they.

And something that we could actually call "American civilization" can continue.
Joel Giambra may not have had much chance of winning a State Senate seat after redistricting blew up his electoral calculations, but he could have left the race more quietly. That he didnt and, instead, sounded off on the lamentable direction of the Republican Party speaks well of him.

The former Erie County executive on Wednesday dropped his bid for the GOP nomination for the 61st State Senate District, citing what amounts to irreconcilable differences with a party too enamored of guns, opposed to womens abortion rights and in the destructive thrall of Donald Trump. For the same reasons, he also quit the Republican Party, which has become a caricature of conservatism, and identified himself as an independent.

In a press release announcing the twin decisions, he wrote: I cannot stand with party leaders who double down in their support of the NRA after yet another mass shooting; who applaud the decision to take away a womans right to choose and who encourage the elimination of LGBTQ rights; and who still believe that Donald Trump is their president.

It was a brutally honest assessment. With it, he joins a handful of others who have had the nerve to tell the truth about a party in crisis.

Republicans today are making the same mistake Democrats have committed in the past. In the 1930s, the party attempted to purge conservatives and centrists from its ranks. More recently, it set up a de facto litmus test on abortion, ignoring the passions that the subject legitimately arouses  on both sides of the question.

Today, in the GOP, a candidate cant deviate from some of the most wretched policy prescriptions in American politics without being labeled a RINO  Republican In Name Only. Its a foolish and self-defeating strategy, especially given that the radicals who continue to support Trumps efforts to steal the 2020 election are in no way conservative, themselves.

That was more than Giambra was willing to swallow  after he concluded he couldnt win the Senate nomination, anyway. Still, he could have quietly dropped his campaign and, without calling attention to it, quietly left the Republican Party. Western New Yorkers of all political stripes should be glad that he didnt.

The country needs two legitimate parties that are actually interested in dealing with the issues important to voters. Gun violence isnt a partisan issue; its a fact. The same goes for the importance of civil rights, crime, the environment or honest elections. And opposing an insurrection cant possibly be partisan. Nevertheless, the party that Giambra has called out formally designated that deadly riot of Jan. 6, 2021, as legitimate public discourse.

Giambra this week pulled back the curtain. Many others remain too bewitched or too bewildered to care, maybe even to notice. Among them are Reps. Claudia Tenney and Elise Stefanik of upstate New York, as well as congressional candidates Nick Langworthy and Carl Paladino, both of Erie County.

But its worth saluting anytime a Republican  even a newly minted former one  has the courage and good sense to speak the truth about an unfolding political catastrophe that threatens both a crucial American party and, with it, the republic. Thats what Giambra did this week. He committed public service.

  

Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing.
Now that it has been proven to biblical and constitutional literalists that the Trump Supreme Court of the United States appointees, together with Samuel A. Alito and Clarence Thomas, can be counted on to favor their own delusions over the rights of the broader American population, there is no more need for the Party of Trump to indulge Donald Trump himself. Unfortunately for those of us who still believe in justice, the humiliation that will eventually come his way can not compensate for the damage he and his party have already created, as well as the next several decades of consistently right-wing court decisions ahead.

We have seen for a long time now that outrage, however intense, is short-lived, whether at the proliferation of assault weapons (and the coincidental slaughter of children and other innocents) or the increased emboldening of racists, xenophobes and other bigots as a result of the winks and nods theyve gotten from Trump and his party.

Trump will soon be seen by the laughingly self-described Party of Lincoln as excess baggage, and will have to spend his remaining days banished to Mar-a-Lago, counting the millions of dollars he conned his minions into donating to him. Meanwhile, seven months from now, once they put an immediate end to any further investigations into the culpability of their benefactor and his co-conspirators in and out of government, the GOP Congress and courts will be able to finish the job of emasculating the protections for the non-wealthy that Democrats have tried to provide for the last 90 years. The only rights well have left will be the right to stockpile military-grade weapons and the right to tell women what they cannot do with their own bodies.

And a mere two years after that, President DeSantis will pardon the very few who will have already been convicted of various treason-related crimes. Congratulations to American voters (and non-voters); sit back and enjoy what youve wrought.

John Nelson

Kenmore
I dont have to watch the Jan. 6 airing of the case against Donald Trump to know he is worthless, he showed me that when he came down the escalator a few years ago, and reconfirms it every time he opens his mouth. What worries me is how our IQ has dropped, and worst of all in our elected officials. I cant believe some of the things they say. The GOP has no plan for anything, so dont hold your breath on gun reform. All automatic weapons should be given to the military or melted down. If the Department of Justice doesnt bring charges against Trump there is something wrong with our justice system. As commander-in-chief of the armed forces, he should be charged under the Uniform Code of Military Justice with dereliction of duty and conduct unbecoming an officer at least. I dont understand how Trump was allowed to run for office anyway.
The New York City Police Department said Thursday that murders and shootings are down in the city, despite three people being killed within an hour the night before.

In June, murders were down 12% compared to the same period last year and shootings decreased by 13% last month compared to June 2021, the department said.

This is real, tangible progress against violence in this city, New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said during a press conference.

21 people shot in New York City in 14 separate incidents

Three homicides rocked the city in three different boroughs on Wednesday.

A 37-year-old man was killed by a suspect who rode up to his Jeep Grand Cherokee on a bicycle and opened fire in Brooklyn, authorities said. A 31-year-old female driver, believed to be a relative, attempted to drive away but blacked out and crashed the vehicle. She was not struck by the gunfire, according to police.

PHOTO: People walk by NYPD police tape and a blood stained sidewalk, where according to police reports a shooting killed one man and injured another Wednesday night outside an apartment building in the South Jamaica section of Queens, July 7, 2022. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

A 32-year-old man was also fatally shot in the backseat of his car outside his home in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, police say. A 28-year-old man later walked into Jamaica Medical Center, saying he was also shot. He is in stable condition, authorities say.

In the Bronx, a 30-year-old man was stabbed multiple times in the Baychester section of the borough, according to police. He jumped into a livery vehicle and attempted to drive away but crashed into a pole. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police say.

The motive for the stabbing is unclear, according to police.

No arrests have been made in any of the killings, police say.

PHOTO: A woman pauses on a sidewalk, where according to police reports a shooting killed one man and injured another on Wednesday night outside an apartment building in the South Jamaica section of Queens, New York, July 7, 2022. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

The NYPD said that overall crime in New York City increased over 31% last month compared to June 2021. Rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny and grand larceny auto were all up year-over-year.

PHOTO: Murders in NYC are down 12% from the same period a year earlier. (ABC News Photo Illustration)

From Monday night into Tuesday morning, 21 people were injured in shootings across the city, authorities reported.

Sewell admitted that the increase in crime and the recent spate of shootings may lead people to believe that New York City is very dangerous but said the perception among criminals is that there are no consequences for their actions.

In March, the department recruited specially trained police officers and deployed them in neighborhoods across the city as part of its new Neighborhood Safety Teams. According to the NYPD, NST has removed 150 illegal guns from neighborhoods around the city.

NYPD says murders and shootings are down, despite recent high-profile incidents originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
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Dublin, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Opportunities in Quantum Networks: 2022 to 2031" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



This report analyzes business opportunities in the quantum networking market as it makes its transition from QKD testbeds to full-service repeater-based quantum internets.

The report identifies quantum networking market opportunities in a number of areas including the following:



1. Opportunities prior to the quantum internet: For now, quantum networks and QKD networks are taken as more or less the same. This report analyzes the potential for both QKD chips and next generation of QKD boxes; pre-quantum internet networking. We show how QKD will be integrated into boxes along with other kinds of/additional functionalities.

Another part of this story that we discuss is the use of distributed quantum computers to scale up quantum computing to handle "industrial scale" problems, perhaps beyond what can be handled in the current NISQ era. This part of the report draws on research and analysis that the analyst has been doing in the QKD area for six years.



2. Quantum sensor networks: A new type of quantum network is covered in the report - quantum sensor networks. Until recently, quantum sensors were used in a limited way and were mostly non-networked research devices. In the recent past year, however, researchers and startups are finding ways to deploy sensors in networks.

We are, for example, seeing networked quantum sensors used for distributed clocking systems, seismic monitoring and weather networks and interferometry used in space exploration. Quantum sensor networks are also of growing interest to the defense industry since they provide mechanisms for targeting that is theoretically secure against jamming. This part of our quantum networking report considers both classical networks of quantum sensors and future end-to-end quantum sensors networks.



3. Current business potential from the quantum internet: There are already quantum networks integrated with the existing Internet that has been demonstrated in China, the U.S. and the Netherlands. We discuss in this report, how the speed of innovation in this area, in collaboration with commercial equipment vendors, suggests significant commercial opportunities in the near term.

Story continues

For example, we are now seeing quantum networks with prototype quantum repeaters in both the U.S. and Europe. In this report, we chronicle how the quantum internet will be born and how revenues will be generated from early products and networks during its early years.



4. Satellites vs. fiber in quantum networks: Until commercial repeaters become widely available, satellites will play an important role in long-haul quantum networks. There are already impressive examples of satellite quantum communications in Canada (QEYSSat) and China (Micius). This report discusses how quantum satellite networks can prepare the way for tomorrow's long-haul quantum networks. The effectiveness of satellite quantum is illustrated by the fact that in China, 150 industrial users have already been connected to the Micius network in China, Also, satellites provide the opportunity to deploy novel value-added quantum services such as QKD-on-demand or entanglement on demand.



5. The Geopolitics of quantum Networks: Coverage in this report comprises North America, the EU, non-EU Europe, China, Asia other than China, Australasia, and Russia. And as we discuss this report, policy and geopolitical issues are also creating new opportunities. Questions that we examine include whether the antipathy to QKD by the NSA and other intelligence services will hurt the QKD market as a whole and whether the war in the Ukraine, stimulates the quantum technology business as a whole.

For example, recently the Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) and Australian, U.K. and U.S. (AUKUS) agreements were announced to further strengthen quantum-related collaborations between western nations in response to both the Russian-Ukraine war and the growing threat of Chinese quantum related advances.



This report also discusses how major networking and electronics companies around the world are building product and marketing strategies for quantum networks. Some of the large commercial companies that we discuss include Airbus, AWS, BT, Cisco, Deutsche Telekom, Huawei, Juniper, Korea Telecom, LG, Mitsubishi, NEC, Nomura, NTT, Quantum Xchange, Raytheon, Thales, Toshiba, Verizon, and ID Quantique, to name just a few In addition, we examine the start-ups in the quantum networking space and their prospects for financing.



Finally, the report contains ten-year revenue forecasts of the quantum networking business, based on current and expected funding. The primary breakouts are quantum networked security/QKD, quantum repeater networks and quantum sensor networks. Some of the segments that are forecast beyond include QKD chips, repeater hardware and wireless networks of quantum sensors.



Key Topics Covered:



Chapter One: Introduction



Chapter Two: Quantum Networks in North America

2.1 Overview of Quantum Networks in the U.S.

2.1.1 National Quantum Initiative Act

2.1.2 Quantum Networking and Security/Defense in the U.S.

2.1.3 NIST, QED-C and Networking

2.2 Canadian Quantum Networks

2.2.1 Canada Quantum Encryption Science Satellite (QEYSSat)

2.3 Recently Funded NSF Quantum Networks

2.3.1 Midwest Collaboration (HQAN)

2.3.2 Mid-Atlantic Region Quantum Network

2.3.3 Mid-Atlantic Region Quantum Network-Quantum Networks to Connect Quantum Technology (QuanNeCQT)

2.3.4 Center for Quantum Networking (CQN)

2.4 DOE Quantum Networks

2.4.1 Q-NEXT

2.4.2 Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL)

2.4.3 Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) and Los Alamos National Lab (LANL)

2.4.4 Brookhaven National Lab (BNL) and Stony Brook University (SBU)

2.5 NASA's National Space Quantum Laboratory Program

2.5.1 MIT Lincoln Labs

2.5.2 The Space Entanglement and Annealing Quantum Experiment (SEA0QUE)

2.6 Quantum Xchange: Quantum on the Acela Route

2.6.1 Network Architecture

2.6.2 Services Offered

2.7 AT&T, Caltech and Fermi Lab

2.8 The MIT Lincoln Lab Quantum Network Testbed

2.9 The Role of the Hudson Institute

2.10 Recent Developments at the U.S. National Laboratories: The Chicago Quantum Exchange

2.11 Other Private Companies Active in this Space

2.11.1 Xanadu

2.11.2 Aliro

2.12 Summary of this Chapter



Chapter Three: Quantum Networks in China

3.1 Jian-Wei Pan: The Father of Quantum?

3.1.1 Military Orientation of Chinese Quantum Research

3.2 Chinese Quantum Infrastructure: Satellites and Fiber

3.2.1 Hefei Quantum Network

3.2.2 Jinan Quantum Network

3.2.3 Wuhan Quantum Network

3.2.4 Qingdao Quantum Network

3.3 Chinese Satellite Networks

3.4 Notable Applications and Achievements of Chinese Quantum Networks

3.4.1 Recent Achievements - 2021

3.5 China's Quantum-related Commercial Activity

3.6 Summary of Quantum Networks in China



Chapter Four: Other Quantum Networking Projects in Asia

4.1 Singapore

4.1.1 National University of Singapore: Centre for Quantum Technologies

4.1.2 Singapore's Quantum Engineering Program (QEP)

4.1.3 National Quantum-Safe Network (NQSN)

4.2 Quantum Networks in South Korea: SK Telecom

4.2.1 South Korean Telecom Companies

4.2.2 More on SKT

4.2.3 KT and Toshiba

4.2.4 SK Broadband and IDQ

4.3 Quantum Networks in Japan

4.3.1 NICT

4.3.2 NTT

4.3.3 Toshiba

4.3.4 Global Quantum Cryptography Communications Network

4.3.5 Q-STAR-Quantum Strategic Industry Alliance for Revolution

4.3.6 Nomura

4.4 Summary of Asian Quantum Networking Activity Outside of China



Chapter Five: Quantum Networks in Australasia

5.1 Australia

5.1.1 Domestic Commercial Activity in Quantum

5.1.2 Quintessence Labs

5.1.3 Project Q-Peace and Security in a Quantum Age

5.1.4 CQC2T

5.2 A Note on Quantum in New Zealand

5.3 Summary



Chapter Six: Quantum Networks in the EU

6.1 Funding Quantum Networks in the EU

6.1.1 CiViQ

6.1.2 UNIQORN

6.1.3 OPENQKD

6.1.4 EuroQCI

6.1.5 QSAFE

6.2 The Quantum Internet Alliance

6.3 Spain: QuantumCat

6.4 The Netherlands: QuTech Research Institute

6.5 Germany

6.6 France

6.7 Summary of Quantum Networking in the EU



Chapter Seven: Quantum Networks in Europe Outside the EU

7.1 Funding for Quantum Networking in the U.K.

7.1.1 U.K. Metropolitan Area Networks

7.1.2 Quantum Network in Cambridge

7.1.3 The UK Communications Hub

7.1.4 ArQit

7.1.5 BT QKD programs

7.1.6 University of Strathclyde Glasgow

7.2 Switzerland

7.2.1 University of Geneva

7.2.2 University of Basel

7.2.3 EPFL

7.3 Summary of this Chapter



Chapter Eight: Quantum Networks in Russia

8.1 Quantum State of the Art in Russia

8.1.1 The Russian QKD Industry

8.1.2 Russian Quantum Efforts in the Wake of the War in the Ukraine

8.2 Quantum Network Testbeds

8.3 Russian Quantum Center

8.3.1 Current Situation at RQC

8.3.2 Current Networking-related Projects

8.4 Activities in Russian Universities and Academic Facilities

8.4.1 Moscow State University - QKD projects

8.4.2 ITMO

8.4.3 Kazan--The Zavoisky Physical-Technical Institute and the Kazan Quantum Center

8.4.4 Quantum Hacking Lab

8.4.5 National Technology Initiative: Center for Quantum Communication

8.4.6 Quantum Satellite Activities

8.5 Other Russian Quantum Network-related Projects

8.5.1 Rostelcom

8.5.2 Russian Railways

8.6 Summary of our Findings on Quantum Networking

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/u3624p

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




Indicators suggest Ontario is now in the midst of another wave of COVID-19 driven by the Omicron BA.5 subvariant, the province's science advisory table says. (Alex Lupul/CBC - image credit)

Ontario has officially entered its seventh wave of COVID-19, driven this time by the Omicron BA.5 subvariant, the province's top doctor confirms.

"Sadly yes, we're in another wave," Dr. Kieran Moore, the province's chief medical officer, told CBC News Wednesday after Ontario's COVID-19 science advisory table pointed to exponential growth in most public health units.

The BA.5 subvariant has been rising slowly since early June but really started to "take off" mid-month, becoming a dominant strain, Moore said. Approximately 60 per cent of confirmed cases now are a result of the subvariant, Moore said.

Ontario can likely expect another four to five weeks in this wave, which is now in about its third week, he said, adding infections are expected to increase over the next 10 days before beginning to slow.

As for fourth doses, Moore says the focus has been to prioritize boosters for those over 60 years of age and those most vulnerable, while encouraging third doses for the rest of the population.

The province is now reviewing eligibility for fourth doses, however, and will have more to say in the coming weeks, he said.

WATCH | Ontario's top doctor confirms 7th wave of COVID-19 has begun:

The new wave comes amid the summer months when many are spending more time outdoors  something that would have otherwise been expected to help curb the spread of transmission, raising questions about what will happen as more people head indoors later in the year.

"Lots of unknowns for the fall but I can assure all Ontarians we're preparing for it," said Moore.

"We may ask Ontarians to wear masks as we go indoors into the fall and we may mandate it if our health system has too many people getting admitted, too many people waiting in emergency departments... All of us want to maintain our health system capacity."

In a series of tweets Wednesday, the science table pointed to several key indicators signalling the beginning of a wave, little more than a month after the end of most public health measures, including mask mandates.

Story continues

Test positivity above 10% for 1st time since May

For the first time since May, test positivity is above 10 per cent, with wastewater signals rising across the province overall and within most regions, the science table says.

Around 80 per cent of public health units are seeing exponential growth in cases, though the group says the actual reproduction number is hard to nail down since the province moved to limit PCR testing.

On top of that, Ontario is seeing its first increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations since May, with the number of people admitted for the virus higher than at any time last summer.

The latest numbers tracked by the science table show that as of June 29, 605 people were hospitalized as a result of the virus. That's an increase of 89 people from the week before.

An estimated six people per day died from the virus as of July 3, up from three the week before, the group says.

Indications of a new wave in Ontario come as several G10 countries have already seen a jump in cases driven by Omicron subvariants, including France, the U.K., Italy, Belgium and Switzerland, among others.

Get 3rd doses 'now' if you haven't already, group says

The group says current evidence does not suggest BA.5 is more severe than strains that drove previous waves or that it will lead to the level of hospitalizations seen at earlier points in the pandemic.

"However, any surge comes at a time when hospitals are already dealing with staff shortages and record wait times  this impacts all of us," the advisory table said.

"And if BA.5 spreads widely, we may see a rise in deaths among higher risk groups such as the elderly as was observed during the previous waves."

LISTEN | COVID is on the rise this summer. Are we in for a tough fall?:

The group advises anyone in a crowded indoor public setting to wear a high-quality mask and to ventilate as much as possible by opening doors and window for air flow.

Anyone over the age of 18 who hasn't had a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine should "get it now," the group says.

Anyone age 60 or over or immunocompromised should also take their fourth dose now, it says, noting while updated vaccines targeted to newer variants might be available this fall, "it makes sense to get the vaccines you are eligible for now."

LISTEN | What the new COVID subvariant means for Ontario:

"You can be re-infected by BA.5 even if you have recently been infected with an earlier strain," the group says. "Non-severe infections can still be disruptive to your life and increase long COVID risk."

Providing a clear, full picture about the state of COVID-19 has become increasingly difficult over the last several months, after the provincial government restricted lab testing and stopped publishing school-related data.

On June 11, the province also switched to weekly reporting of COVID-19 data after more than two years of daily updates.
Transport Canada has detained a cargo ship in Halifax harbour following complaints from Ukrainian crew members that their employer is keeping them from returning home. (Mark Crosby/CBC - image credit)

The federal government has gotten involved in a dispute onboard a ship anchored in Halifax harbour following complaints from Ukrainian crew members that the company is keeping them from returning home.

The crew has been on board since November, initially for a six-month contract, which was extended. They were then asked to work another extension, which they refused.

"They've never been home since [the war]. They want to go home, contact their families, and make sure everybody's safe," said Karl Risser, an inspector with the International Transport Workers' Federation.

MSC Manzanillo departed Portugal in late June and arrived in Halifax on July 5, when it was detained by Transport Canada.

Mark Crosby/CBC

Risser said Transport Canada "did the right thing" in detaining the ship in Halifax for inspection. Its next port of call is New York, which he worries could complicate things for Ukrainian crew members trying to get home.

Canada is a signatory to the Maritime Labour Convention, which outlines rights for seafarers. Among them is the right to go home at the end of a contract. The U.S. is not a signatory of the convention.

"We're not sure if the seafarers' rights will be upheld in the United States, and there could be issues with vias with these guys that aren't an issue here in Canada," Risser said.

In an email statement to CBC News, Transport Canada confirmed it briefly detained the MSC Manzanillo.

Mark Crosby/CBC

"To verify the crew members' seafarer employment agreement, Transport Canada inspectors issued a deficiency notice under the Maritime Labour Convention. The vessel had to remain alongside at the Port of Halifax pending verification of all items to the satisfaction of Transport Canada," the statement said.

Following verifications by inspectors, the detention was lifted on July 6, the statement said.

No further details were provided.

According to the Atlantic Pilotage Authority, MSC Manzanillo was set to depart Halifax at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Story continues

Nine Ukrainan crew members on board

There are nine crew members from Ukraine with contracts that have expired.

"These guys are real heroes keeping our supply chain going and we have to respect their rights as seafarers to be repatriated home at the end of their contract," Risser said.

ITF has been dealing with complaints from Ukrainian crew members on board this vessel, and others, for several months.

"It's a continuing problem to get these guys home, but it's important that we live up to our obligation ... We're anxiously awaiting to see the employer's plan to see these guys repatriated home, and give these seafarers answers," he said.

The employer, Mediterranean Shipping Company, has not responded to a request for comment.

MORE TOP STORIES
Dramatic scenes show firefighters tackling a fire on a British Airways passenger plane on Wednesday, 6th July.

Emergency crews at Copenhagen Airport, Denmark, had to spray flame-retardant foam on the jet's engine and wheels.

Gabe Gudgel, from Oklahoma City, who was meant to be on the flight, explained: We were waiting for our flight to board and it was delayed a few minutes.
Critical Resources Ltd (ASX:CRR) has completed its inaugural 5,000-metre drill program at Mavis Lake Lithium Project in Canada, intersecting spodumene-bearing pegmatites in 35 of the 37 drill holes.

The last round of assays saw further spodumene-bearing pegmatites intersected in five step-out holes with notable results including:

14.75 metres of 16% fine to large spodumene laths from 152.25 metres within pegmatite;

9.65 metres of 23% fine to large spodumene laths from 131.6 metres within pegmatite; and

2.75 metres of 5% fine to large spodumene laths from 16.45 metres within pegmatite.

Moving forward, approvals are now in place for CRR to double its drilling campaign for an additional 5,000 metres at Mavis Lake.

Fantastic result

CRR managing director Alex Biggs said: Having 35 out of 37 holes intersecting spodumene-bearing mineralisation is a fantastic result and proves the significance of the Mavis Lake pegmatite field.

Importantly, the company has now received the necessary approvals to extend drilling by an additional 5,000 metres.

The company remains focused on its goal of defining a JORC resource at Mavis Lake and looks forward to providing an update with regard to Phase 2 drilling at the project, including assay results, as soon as possible.

Next steps

The inaugural 5,000 metres drill program successfully intersected significant spodumene-bearing pegmatite in the Mavis Lake South Zone area which has expanded the continuity of mineralisation and increased the strike length and depth of Pegmatite 6.

With approvals now received for an additional 5,000 metres of drilling, the company is undergoing strategic analysis in consultation with SRK for the proposed phase two drilling campaign.
Golden Minerals Company (NYSE-A:AUMN, TSX:AUMN, ETR:7GB) has reported results from the first nine holes drilled in a third drill program conducted at its Yoquivo gold-silver project in northwest Chihuahua state in Mexico.

The drilling revealed multiple new veins at Yoquivo, the company said, adding that it expects to report an initial gold-silver resource on the property later this year.

"This most recent drilling has focused on testing the Pertenencia vein system to extend the known mineralized strike length into previously untested areas. The Pertenencia vein has continued to return strong gold-silver grades, and the vein remains open to depth and to the north," Warren Rehn, president and chief executive officer of Golden Minerals said in a statement.

"The discovery of multiple, previously unknown, high-grade gold-silver structures, particularly the Camila vein, demonstrates that there is also significant potential at Yoquivo to discover additional high-grade structures on the property. The current drill program is expected to allow us to report an initial gold-silver resource on the property later this year," he added.

Highlights from the drilling include:

2.2 metres (m) @ 10.21 grams per ton (g/t) gold (Au) and 138.8 g/t silver (Ag)

0.4m @ 30.80 g/t Au and 5,260.0 g/t Ag

4.2m @ 0.16 g/t Au and 229.2 g/t Ag

80.1m @ 0.89 g/t Au and 64.5 g/t Ag

1.7m @ 0.13 g/t Au, 354.6 g/t Ag

The 2022 drill program, which started in May with 17 holes totaling 4,033m drilled to date, is designed to follow-up on high-grade intercepts reported from the company's 2021 drilling activity, as well as to drill several holes exploring other interesting vein systems on the property.

Golden Minerals owns six concessions and holds an option to purchase one additional concession that comprise the Yoquivo property, totaling 1,974.8 hectares. The remaining concession can be purchased for $0.2 million over four years. The six concessions already owned by Golden are subject to a 2% net smelter return royalty on production capped at $3 million.

Golden Minerals is primarily focused on producing gold and silver from its Rodeo Mine and advancing its Velardena Properties in Mexico and, through partner-funded exploration, its El Quevar silver property in Argentina, as well as acquiring and advancing selected mining properties in Mexico, Nevada and Argentina.

Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com
C3 Metals is a junior minerals exploration company focused on creating substantive value for its shareholders through the discovery and development of large copper and gold deposits

C3 Metals Inc (TSX-V:CCCM, OTC:CARCF) said it has expanded its land holdings around the highly prospective Jasperoide project in the world-class Andahuaylas-Yauri skarn/porphyry copper belt of southern Peru.

The company and its subsidiaries now control a total of 272 square kilometres (sq km), comprising 100% of 49 claims covering 267 sq km and the right to earn 100% in two additional third-party claims covering 5 sq km.

"Through a disciplined acquisition strategy over the past three years, the company now controls a significant near-surface copper and gold oxide deposit at Jasperoide surrounded by a pipeline of similar high potential copper and copper-gold targets in a world-class copper mining district, Tony Manini, executive chairman of C3 Metals said in a statement.

As we continue to expand and evaluate mining and processing opportunities for Jasperoide, we have also commenced permitting to explore the multiple nearby high potential copper-gold prospects. Consolidating this large land position significantly enhances C3 Metals' ambition of delivering a new +50Ktpa copper mining opportunity in Peru and we look forward to providing further updates as we progress our exploration and evaluation of this highly prospective land package," he added.

Highlights include:

Land holdings five times larger - 51 claims covering 272 sq km in major copper-producing district;

Package surrounded by major mining companies including Rio Tinto and HudBay;

Contiguous block between Jasperoide and Khaleesi copper-gold properties secured;

Khaleesi project comprises 4 sq km of artisanal workings that have never been evaluated - permitting for exploration in progress; and

Expanded land package covers at least six areas of small-scale copper and gold mining operations that have never been evaluated using modern day exploration methods

The Jasperoide Project area is located within the Andahuaylas-Yauri skarn/porphyry belt approximately 45 km east of Minmetal's Las Bambas mine and First Quantum Minerals undeveloped Haquira deposit, 40 km northwest of Hudbay's Constancia mine and 100 km northwest of Glencore's Antapaccay mine. Historical exploration in the Jasperoide Project Area has identified multiple compelling porphyry, skarn and epithermal targets that have seen limited exploration over the last 30 years.

The company looks forward to building strong and respectful relationships with all local communities, as it progresses permit applications to initiate exploration activities on the newly acquired claims.

C3 Metals is a junior minerals exploration company focused on creating substantive value for its shareholders through the discovery and development of large copper and gold deposits.

Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com
The agreement represents BioSig's first commercial adoption since it announced the national launch of its PURE EP System

BioSig Technologies Inc has announced that Kansas City Heart Institute at Overland Park Regional Medical Center in Kansas City, USA, has signed a purchase agreement to acquire its PURE EP System.

Following its evaluation of BioSig's PURE EP System, Overland Park Regional Medical Center (OPRMC) has signed an agreement to purchase the technology under the terms of the company's new program.

The agreement represents BioSig's first commercial adoption since it announced the national launch of its PURE EP System, supported by The company's new commercial structure and clinical support teams. The agreement also represents BioSig's first national purchasing agreement.

"Establishing a contract with a leading national hospital network is a milestone achievement for BioSig Technologies," commented Gray Fleming, chief commercialization officer of BioSig Technologies in a statement.

"A leasing option provides a cost-effective and efficient pathway for hospitals to acquire our technology. As a Company that prioritizes physician experience and throughput, we believe a leasing program supports the clinical evolution of PURE EP as we continue upgrading and enhancing our technology based on physician feedback," he added.

Kenneth L. Londoner, chairman and CEO of BioSig Technologies said: "We are pleased to announce our first purchase agreement since we transformed the commercial capabilities under new management. The company is excited about our clinical collaboration with Dr Lakkireddy and the physician faculty at Overland Park. As physician advocates, we are proud of our commitment to and alignment with the world-class arrhythmia program at Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute and thank them for their continued support of our technology."

The Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute at the HCA Midwest Health Heart and Vascular Institute brings the highest quality clinical care, research and arrhythmia education to Kansas City. There are eight practicing Electrophysiologist. Locations include three Electrophysiology Practice sites in the Greater Kansas City Area as well as one outreach site location and Electrophysiology services in four hospitals.

Overland Park Regional Medical Center is a licensed 343-bed facility offering acute medical care services to our patients. The hospital campus features four medical office buildings, two pharmacies, and the offices of more than 100 physicians.

Dr Lakkireddy, executive medical director for the Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute and Professor of Medicine at the University of Missouri Columbia and University of Nevada Las Vegas and Chief of Electrophysiology at Overland Park Medical Center commented: "This technology will be an instrumental part of Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute's continued quest to provide superior world class care for patients. This technology could potentially enhance our ability to improve efficacy and safety of heart rhythm procedures and thereby positively impact workflow and subsequently, patient outcomes."

BioSig Technologies is a medical technology company commercializing a proprietary biomedical signal processing platform designed to improve signal fidelity and uncover the full range of ECG and intra-cardiac signals.

The company's first product, PURE EP System, is a novel signal processing and acquisition platform designed to extract advanced diagnostic and therapeutic data that enhances physician workflow and increases throughput. PURE EP(T.M.) was engineered to address the limitations of existing E.P. technologies by empowering physicians with superior signals and actionable insights.

To date, over 75 physicians have completed over 2,500 patient cases with the PURE EP System. The company is in a national commercial launch of the PURE EP System. The technology is in regular use in some of the country's leading centers of excellence, including Mayo Clinic, and Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David's Medical Center.

Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com
The shift to cleaner energy, as well as energy security as geopolitics threaten supply, are driving demand for critical metals and minerals, according to Leading Edge Materials Corp (TSX-V:LEM, OTCQB:LEMIF) CEO Filip Kozlowski.

Kozlowski explained that the company is developing a portfolio of projects in the European Union, including graphite and heave rare earth deposits in Sweden and cobalt in Romania, as it positions itself as a supplier of sustainable and secure sources of critical rate materials to European industrial ecosystems.

"If you want exposure to that whole macro theme; people call it a super-cycle as we go from a linear, fossil-based energy system to ... a circular metal-based energy system, then you want to have exposure to these various metals and minerals."
Murchison Minerals is a Canada-based exploration company focused on nickel-copper-cobalt exploration at its 100%-owned HPM project in Quebec

Murchison Minerals Ltd (TSX-V:MUR, OTCQB:MURMF, TSX-V:MUR.V) said it has commenced its summer exploration program at its Haut-Plateau de la Manicouagan (HPM) nickel-copper-cobalt project in Quebec with a crew mobilizing to the site in mid-June and the start of the prospecting phase of the program.

Murchison CEO Troy Boisjoli told shareholders with the recent closing of its C$5.35 million private placement, the company was well-positioned to execute its 2022 HPM exploration program.

The objectives for the program are to expand and define high-grade nickel, copper, cobalt mineralization at Barre de Fer (BDF) and Syrah, and continue to build a portfolio of highly prospective de-risked exploration targets, Boisjoli said.

The early results have us well placed to achieve these objectives which will significantly advance the HPM project."

The company said it had also begun the process of probing previous drill collars at BDF with a downhole borehole electromagnetic (EM) survey to help refine and target areas of expansion and delineation for the upcoming drilling phase of the summer program.

Murchison said it plans to drill at least 7,500 metres (m) across the course of the summer program. Most of these metres are expected to be drilled at BDF for the purpose of expansion and delineation with the objective of producing a maiden resource by 4Q of this year or early 1Q of 2023.

The remaining metres will be drilled at the Syrah Target, a 600m-long EM anomaly located 350m from BDF.

Additionally, Murchison has received preliminary results from its 2022 Airborne VTEM survey of the remaining 85% of the HPM claim block not previously tested by modern airborne geophysics.

The survey consisted of 3212 line kilometres flown at a 200m spacing and it successfully detected a significant number of new prospective EM anomalies. The new anomalies are being flown with VTEM at 100 m line spacing for increased spatial resolution and they will then be followed up with detailed ground prospecting to identify the source on the surface.

Murchison VP of exploration John Shmyr said the company was very pleased with the preliminary VTEM results demonstrating multiple new areas similar to the BDF zone.

The early prospecting results which have been concentrated at BDF has been very encouraging where the zone now crops out in several locations across its strike length demonstrating good continuity, previously historic prospecting had only found mineralization in one location, Shmyr said.

Murchison Minerals is a Canada-based exploration company focused on nickel-copper-cobalt exploration at its 100%-owned HPM project in Quebec and the exploration and development of its 100%-owned Brabant Lake zinccoppersilver project in northcentral Saskatchewan.

Contact the author Emily Jarvie at emily.jarvie@proactiveinvestors.com

Follow her on Twitter @emilyjjarvie
This summer, the Schuyler Public Library and Schuyler Public Library Foundation are partnering to promote a relatively new concept for Schuyler: Bands in the Backyard.

Bands in the Backyard is a summer concert series that will run every Friday night from Aug. 5 to Sept. 2.

Brian Bywater, president of the board of directors for the foundation, said the idea came from his seeing similar summer concert series in other towns.

"I originally came from Omaha where one neighborhood we lived in had a summer concert series and we attended. It was fun, brought together the neighborhood, community as a whole. It was fun to listen to different bands each week," Bywater said.

As for the acts themselves, Bywater assembled the list based on people he knew or people who knew someone he knew.

"I guess I've just gotten to know people over the years. My wife and I were both involved in music in college, at Nebraska Wesleyan in Lincoln," Bywater said.

As for the library's involvement, it is promoting and hosting the series in the empty lot behind the library.

Library Director Jenny White said the foundation was key to the library being built, and this is just one way the library and foundation are giving back to Schuyler.

"This is an opportunity for the library foundation to sponsor something for Schuyler and surrounding areas and to enhance the library and whole community by providing free outdoor music at the library," White said.

Bywater said the same, adding that this is an effort of gratitude at its heart for the time, effort and money put into the new library building.

"The Library Foundation, for a number of years, worked hard to construct the new library, and got a lot of help from individuals and organizations to accomplish that goal," Bywater said. "This is a way to say thanks and do our part."

While the full lineup is yet to be revealed, White said Bywater tried to get a wide range of acts and genres for the series.

"He really tried to get a variety of bands, so there's some pop, big band, there's polka," White said.

Bywater said he hopes for a good turnout so the foundation can do this again soon.

"It's free and open to the public, we'd love people to bring lawn chairs, blankets and enjoy music for an hour and a half in the evening. The more the merrier," Bywater said.
" " The Mahalo homepage welcomes you to the site. Screenshot by HowStuffWorks

One of the most important navigational tools on the Internet is the search engine. Search engines have come and gone, but most of them followed the same strategy -- using a search algorithm to scan Web pages for the user's search terms. Web page publishers figured this out pretty quickly, and soon users were browsing through irrelevant sites just because the page's owner had hidden every search term imaginable in the page's html code.

Mahalo is revolutionizing search engines with a new mission -- to give users a hassle-free, informative and relevant experience. Instead of relying on a complex algorithm to generate search results, Mahalo uses human beings. Real, live people research each search term, seeking out the sites that best fit the user's request. While most search engines depend on complex algorithms developed by a small group of people, Mahalo searches are the result of hundreds of people working to sort out the absolute best of the Web.

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Even though people power the search engine, they aren't feverishly typing results as users send in requests. Instead, Mahalo contributors submit search results pages (SeRPs) to a centralized database, called the Mahalo Greenhouse. When the SeRP has a few great links in it, Mahalo publishes it to the Web, giving users access to the search results. Each SeRP includes a completion percentage, indicating how close Mahalo employees feel the results fit their ideal of 100 percent of the best links on the Web relating to that topic.

The easiest way to understand the philosophy behind the Mahalo search engine is to use it. When you search for a term like "Hawaii," for example, you'll see that links are organized into subcategories. The first subcategory is "The Mahalo Top 7," a list of seven sites Mahalo employees feel are the most relevant to the term. Other subcategories include Hawaii Vacations, Hawaii State Government, Hawaii State History and Hawaii State News, among others. You can scan a search result to look for the information you need and continue browsing other links, knowing that each one is the result of careful research.

In this article, we'll learn about Mahalo's internal structure and explore what the Mahalo search experience is like. We'll look at the Mahalo Greenhouse database, where employees build and tweak search results. And, we'll find out how to build a SeRP and work for Mahalo.

In the next section, we'll learn what happens when you enter a search into Mahalo.

Hawaiian for "Search Engine?" Mahalo is a Hawaiian word that means "thank you." The company's motto is "We're here to help," and the site has a Hawaiian print motif. Even Mahalo's symbol for excellent links is a Hawaiian reference -- it's an icon representing the shaka sign, a hand with the thumb and pinky finger extended, often used in Hawaii for greetings or hanging ten.
Its the show thats guaranteed to live up to its theme this year.

The 2022 theme for The Baby Boomer Reunion Concert is The 20th Anniversary Spectacular!

The show began in 2003 after construction was completed of the Farmington Centene Center. Dr. Kevin White had taken a tour of the brand-new theater with then-Director Bill Towler when White suggested that a concert consisting of talented local musicians take place.

The pair collaborated and essentially created the first-ever Baby Boomer concert. A total of 75 vocalists and instrumentalists performed music from the well-known group Chicago.

White took on the challenge to ensure every one of Chicagos 25 hit songs sounded precisely like the original singles and album cuts. He realized the only way to ensure this would happen was for him to transcribe every part of every song from those early Chicago recordings. For those who do not already know this, original music is not available for purchase. In the rare occurrence that it is, White has found the music has errors and shortcuts, or the material has been been watered down.

This time-consuming process took White three months to complete, followed by more time in mixing and matching all of the musicians with the songs. Each performer received CDs and hard copies of the music for which they had been assigned.

One rehearsal was held the night before the one-show performance. This is when many of the musicians met for the first time.

Since then, The Baby Boomer Concert Series is considered a gift to the community.

Its the real reason why we keep doing it year after year, said White.

The Centene Center seats 750, but only about 300 attendees made it to the first-ever Baby Boomer concert.

I dont think any of them knew what to expect, but the performers came through, the crowd loved it, and I think they were amazed that this was all created locally, said White.

Since that first show, there are some musicians who have performed since that first concert: Kurt Bauche, Alan Berry, Doug Berry, Steve Berry, Marilyn Berry, Brad Glore, Mike Goldsmith, Phil Hoffman, Sarah Hogan, Chris Howard, John Lodholtz, Colleen Mitchell, Bob Monks, Kevin Pearce, Dan Schunks, Austin Sikes, Shane Verges and White.

The Baby Boomer Reunion Concert features 50 talented local musicians from a variety of backgrounds who perform together one weekend each year to recreate music that was recorded during the Baby Boomer era of 1955 to 1984.

For each years concert series, a new theme and song list are chosen; songs are also paired with musicians. The concert is held annually during the first week of August. In addition, tickets go on sale each year on July 1.

This years 20th anniversary Baby Boomer concerts take place at the Farmington Centene Center on Aug. 5-6 at 7 p.m. with a matinee on Aug. 6 at 1 p.m. All seats are reserved. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased in-person or call the Farmington Civic Center at 573-756-0900.

Watch for upcoming feature stories on Jason Loughary, emcee of the Baby Boomer Concert Series, as well as in-depth stories on some of the performers before the August concert dates.
Washington County Collector Carla Zettler is refuting recent allegations that she used funds paid to the county for her own personal purposes.

Zettler, 50, of Mineral Point, was charged on June 22 with three counts of felony stealing, one count of felony forgery, and misdemeanor official misconduct. Zettler, two collector's office employees, and one former employee are accused of stealing from Washington County by receiving cash fees for processing trustee property sales.

Following reports of suspected theft in the collector's office, a forensic audit was ordered by the Washington County Commission on land tax sales. Daniel Jones & Associates completed the audit on May 24. For the four-year audit, there was $107,081 of unaccounted funds, according to the charging documents.

Another felony stealing charge in a new case against Zettler was filed on June 27, alleging she again used county funds to try to obtain deeds to be used in her personal criminal defense of the initial charges.

Zettler's attorney Lydia H. McEvoy, who previously served as county collector of Clay County, provided a statement on her client's behalf this week regarding the criminal cases filed in the matter.

"In response to the charges filed against her, Ms. Zettler has retained a former Missouri Collector as counsel and looks forward to addressing these matters in court," Zettler's attorney said in the statement. "No portion of the State's case alleges Ms. Zettler took any money for herself or received any personal benefit from the money collected in Trustee sales.

"Following the procedures established by (former collector) Mike McGirl many years ago, Ms. Zettler managed the sale of more than 1,100 Trustee sales without question or concern by any office, employee, or taxpayer," McEvoy said. "Ms. Zettler has faithfully performed her duties, and the additional arrest last Tuesday reveals a deep misunderstanding of the statutes that regulate Collector's offices and their budgets.

"Ms. Zettler is confident her day in court will shed light on the good she has done as Collector and these unfounded charges will be summarily dismissed," she added.

Along with the charges filed against Zettler, current collector's office employees Laura Laramore, 41, of Caledonia, and Hanna I. Zettler, 24, of Potosi, were charged with felony stealing and misdemeanor official misconduct. Former employee Leslie Harmon, 50, of Potosi, is charged with felony stealing.

The official misconduct charges allege that each defendant, "a public servant, acting in her public capacity as trustee for Washington County, knowingly received a fee for  processing trustee property sales, which said fee was more than due."

The four women were initially charged after Washington County Sheriff Zach Jacobsen requested the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control Troop C Unit to investigate reports of possible theft last year.

In October, the sheriff reportedly told MSHP investigators a Washington County resident contacted him regarding fees paid to the Washington County Collector's Office for land tax sales. Jacobsen said the fees had been accepted by the collector's office in cash and were not deposited into the county's general revenue fund, according to the probable cause statement.

On the same day, an MSHP investigator interviewed Carla Zettler and Laramore, the deputy collector, about how the office handled Woodland Lake Development lot sales.

Carla Zettler told police that when the former collector, McGirl, was serving as the collector and she was deputy collector, an agreement was made through the county commission to sell Woodland Lake Development lots for $1 plus $99 of associated fees in order to aid their removal from the delinquent tax list, according to authorities.

The investigator states in his report that a review of commission meeting reports by the county clerk revealed no authorization to sell these lots for $1. There was, however, a commission meeting in 2011 allowing the sale of these camping lots for $50.

Zettler reportedly told authorities of the $100 (which her office collected in either cash or money order), $1 went to the cost of the lot. Other moneys went to recording the lot, leaving $23 to the trustee and a $19 fee that went to the county collector's office employee making the transaction, according to the statement. She reportedly told police she was just doing it the way McGirl did it. She also stated that residents who wanted to get a copy of the Woodland Lake lot lists were charged $5, which went to petty cash.

The report indicates that state statute prevents a trustee from being paid more than 10% of the sale of a property.

McGirl was interviewed and explained how he handled trustee tax sales and deed processing when he was the collector. He reportedly said the employees were only paid by check from the county (their salary) for performing their assigned job, which included deed processing. He said delinquent lots were sold for $100, not $1, and said the $100 fee was lowered at one point to $50 by the county commission, but it was never $1, according to police.

When the MSHP investigator explained how the current collector was handling the fees, McGirl reportedly said he did not know why they were doing it that way, but that was not the procedure he used when he was the collector.

The MSHP investigator also interviewed the county treasurer, the recorder of deeds, and the former assessor.

The treasurer stated Carla Zettler has never brought her cash for a deposit. She said the collector's office employees are paid by the county and shouldn't be paid cash for deed preparation.

Harmon reportedly told authorities that when she worked for the collector's office, as instructed, she would put $1 in the cash drawer and then separate the remaining cash. She said $30 would go for deed recording, $50 to the trustee, and the remaining $19 was given to the employee who worked the transaction, according to the statement.

She further stated that a money bag was kept in the vault that contained cash. She reportedly said the employees were told not to bring the bag out during audits and were reminded to make duplicate receipts anytime an audit was performed.

She said that there was a time someone overpaid $100 on a tax bill. She said Carla Zettler didn't seem concerned and put the overpayment money in the cash bag, which she said was commonly used to buy office lunches, according to the report.

Harmon reportedly said the $5 fees to get a copy of the Woodland Lake lot tax list were also put in the cash bag.

A forensic audit was ordered by the Washington County Commission on land tax sales. For the four-year audit, there was $107,081 of unaccounted funds.

Following the MSHP interview with Carla Zettler on June 15 regarding the audit results, authorities allege she again used county funds to try to obtain trustee deeds for her criminal defense.

Two days after the interview, on June 17 at 9:23 a.m., an email was reportedly sent from Carla Zettler's official Washington County email account to the Washington County Recorder of Deeds. The report states the email was a request for a copy of all trustee deeds for the period of Jan. 1, 2018, through Dec. 31, 2021. The time frame requested by Carla Zettler was the exact time frame examined by the forensic auditors, according to authorities.

Later that day, at 12:16 p.m., the Washington County Recorder of Deeds responded to Carla Zettler's request with an emailed letter detailing the cost of the request totaling $870.40 payable to the Washington County Recorder of Deeds.

On June 21, at 3:39 p.m., Carla Zettler reportedly emailed the recorder of deeds requesting trustee deed records from January 2021 through June 2021 and asked if the documents could be emailed. The recorder of deeds responded the following morning, indicating the total cost of records for this time period would be $70.30. Carla Zettler responded, saying she was off work that day but would get a check to the recorder of deeds the following day, according to filings.

On the morning of June 23, Carla Zettler was served a court summons after being charged the previous day with three counts of felony stealing ($750 or more), forgery, and official misconduct resulting from the criminal investigation forensic audit.

Later that afternoon, at 1:43 p.m, the report states the recorder of deeds sent an email to Carla Zettler stating they had received her payment to fill the request for records. The payment received by the recorder of deeds was reportedly in the form of a check from an account titled "County of Washington Collectors TMF" with a signature of "Carla Zettler" and "deed fees" noted on the memo section of the check.

The additional stealing charge was filed on June 27, and Carla Zettler was booked at the Washington County Jail the following day. The woman's bond was set at $10,000, and she was released after posting 10%. While free on bond, the court ordered Carla Zettler not to use any county funds for her personal use.

The collector has pleaded not guilty in both cases. Her next court appearances in the cases are scheduled for Aug. 3. Initial arraignments in the cases against Hanna Zettler, Laramore, and Harmon are also scheduled for Aug. 3.
Bob Jones University

Naomi Goetz, a senior voice performance major from Farmington, was named to the Spring 2022 Dean's List. The Dean's List recognizes students who earn a 3.00-3.74 grade point average during the semester.

Drury University

Abigail Street, a Bonne Terre student of Fox Senior High School, earned a GPA of 3.6 or greater (on a 4-point scale) while carrying a full-time course load of 12 or more semester hours.

Georgia Southern University

Emily Rohan, Farmington, earned at least a 4.0 GPA and carried a minimum of 12 hours for the semester and was named to the Fall President's List. Callie Rohan was named to the Fall Dean's List for earning at least a 3.5 GPA and carrying a minimum of 12 hours for the semester. Both were named to the Spring President's List.

Harding University

Jacob Anderson, a sophomore studying history and political science, made the dean's list, having carried 12 or more hours with a 3.65 or higher GPA and no incompletes.

McKendree University

Cole Gerstenberger of Farmington was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, a collegiate honor society.

MidAmerica Nazarene University

The Dean's List for the spring 2022 semester requires 12 semester hours or more with a term GPA from 3.5 to 3.99, and it included Makenzie Roever from Bonne Terre.

Missouri University of Science & Technology

Jacob Henderson, a Farmington junior majoring in business and management systems, represented Student Council during the 114th St. Patrick's celebration in Rolla.

Missouri Valley College

The Spring 2022 Dean's List, which requires a 3.3 or higher GPA and at least 12 graded hours for the semester, included Hayden Sprenkel, a senior from Bonne Terre majoring in physical education.

Missouri Western State University

Undergraduates named to the President's and Dean's Lists for the spring 2022 semester must carry 12 hours or more for graded credit and earn a GPA of 4.0 for the President's List, or 3.5 for the Dean's List. Students from the local area included on the lists were: Tycen Gray of Farmington, President's List; Jacob Oyler of Farmington, President's List; Taylor Schwartzkopf of Farmington, Dean's List.

Northwest Missouri State University

To be included on the 2022 Spring Academic Honor Roll, a student must carry a minimum of 12 credit hours and attain a GPA of 3.50 or above on a 4.00 scale. Students named to the President's Honor Roll have attained a perfect 4.00 GPA for the semester: Kayla Pezold, Bonne Terre, Academic; Deanna N. Matthews, Park Hills, Academic; Reese O McGlasson, Ste. Genevieve, President.

Rockhurst University

Spring 2022 Dean's List, which requires a GPA of 3.5 or above, includes Kenzie Jones from Farmington.

Southeast Missouri University

Amber Huckaba of Fredericktown took part in a reception April 22 for her exhibition April 18-29. Spring 2022 BFA Graduating Seniors Exhibitions mark the final work created by the graduating class of Southeast Missouri State University Art and Design students. Works presented will include digital art, graphic design, painting and sculpture.

Southern New Hampshire University

Taylor Donovan of Farmington, Shellie Sebastian of Fredericktown, Daisy Benz of Farmington, and Brandi Willert of Bismarck were named to the Winter 2022 President's List, having earned a minimum GPA of 3.7 and above while earning at least 12 credits; undergraduate day students must earn 12 credits in the fall or spring semester. The Winter 2022 Dean's List, which requires a GPA of 3.5-3.699, included Nick Nabors of Park Hills, Brady Poucher of Farmington and Makenzie Bollinger of Park Hills.

State Technical College of Missouri

Students who achieved the Dean's List during the spring semester included: from Farmington, Justin Thomas; from Potosi, Cassidy DeClue; from Ste. Genevieve, Mathew Huck and Kaleb Staffen.

University of Alabama

James Goodson of Farmington earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering during spring commencement ceremonies May 6-8.

University of Evansville

Anna Robbins of Fredericktown has been named to the Spring 2022 Dean's List. Robbins is studying archaeology, carried a full academic load of 12 hours or more and earned a GPA of 3.5 or above.

University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy

Haley Thedford and Lilly Combs of Farmington and Mackenzie Phillips of Fredericktown have been named to the deans list for the fall 2021 semester, having earned at least a 3.5 GPA for the semester.

University of Alabama

James Goodson of Farmington was named to the dean's list, having achieved a GPA of 3.5 or above.

University of Iowa

Molly Manion of Park Hills, a fourth-year student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences majoring in English and creative writing, was named to the dean's list for the 2022 spring semester. She graduated this spring with a bachelor's degree.

University of Mississippi

Kendall Runzi of French Village was named to the Fall 2021 Chancellor's Honor Roll, having earned a semester GPA of 3.75-4.00. She received a Bachelor of Business Administration this May from the School of Business Administration after majoring in Finance and was named to the Spring Honor Roll.

University of Missouri-St. Louis

Bre'Anna Nunn of Farmington was recently initiated into the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Brianna Speakar of Farmington, a junior majoring in biological sciences, was named to the Dean's List for the College of Arts and Sciences for fall and spring.

University of Wisconsin-Stout

The Dean's List for the spring 2022 semester included junior Gillian Cummins, Farmington, who is pursuing a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and earned a GPA of 3.5 or above.

Washington University

Megan Matlock of Bonne Terre, was named to the dean's list for the fall 2021 semester at Washington University in St. Louis. To qualify for the Dean's List in the College of Arts & Sciences, students must earn a semester GPA of 3.6 or above and be enrolled in at least 14 graded units.

Westminster College

Jordan Tinker, a junior from Desloge, was named to the Spring 2022 Dean's List for exemplary academic performance, having achieved a 3.60 semester GPA with at least 12 hours completed that semester.
It was a two-year journey, but the Capps family of Herculaneum has finally been able to celebrate the passage of Wills Law, which was part of Senate Bill 718 signed by Gov. Mike Parson last Thursday. The law promotes seizure-safe schools by requiring educators to be trained in responding to medical events experienced by students with epilepsy or other seizure-prone health conditions. It had also been attached to Senate Bill 681.

Kayci Capps, the mother of the laws namesake, said she and her husband Adam  both graduates of North County High School  are ecstatic. She said their son Will is entering his third year at the Taylor Early Childhood Center in the Dunklin R-5 School District this fall, and the measure will already be in effect.

It contained an emergency clause, she said regarding the bill, So it will go into effect this coming school year. It happened very quickly, now that its finally signed.

Will, who has Dravet syndrome, had been born a healthy baby, Kayci said. He had his first seizure at 3 months old, and it was 50 minutes long. Doctors were unclear as to the nature of the seizure, thinking it might have been a febrile seizure, common among infants who have a fever. When the length of seizure prolonged to an hour and a half, his mothers worrying increased. The next seizure, Will had to be intubated and given a spinal tap, leaving the family waiting for results of genetic testing.

If you Google Dravet syndrome, the very first thing that comes up describing it is catastrophic, Kayci said during a spring interview. Its a rare genetic mutation only about 1 in 16,000 get. Yeah, so it was pretty much the worst case scenario. We didn't know if he would walk because there's a very, very large spectrum.

Kayci said Will is also Level Three on the autism spectrum. He has seizures every day, is nonverbal and is slightly uncoordinated, since hes low on muscle tone.

When Will aged out of a First Steps program and it was time to attend preschool, Kayci pushed for a one-on-one nurse for Will. A district official assured her the district had educated kids with epilepsy before, and the official wondered why Kayci was particularly concerned.

And I was like, well, he's been intubated 10 times and the seizures are very hard to stop, they've been as long as three hours, she said last spring. So obviously, that really scared everybody and made them very uneasy, and I can understand  I had never seen a seizure until Will had one, and I was 24. So I went 24 years without ever seeing a seizure. And most people haven't ever seen one. So just sending him to a place without me with a bunch of people who want to help but don't know how  it's very scary.

Thanks to Googling, Kayci found a New Jersey mom, Colleen Quinn, who, with the help of her local legislators, had successfully gotten her governor in January 2020 to sign off on Pauls Law, making seizure-safe schools part of the norm for New Jersey public schools. Quinn has crusaded to help parents in other states work with legislators to push through similar measures.

Kayci said, here in Missouri, a friend from North County, Andrew Young, gave her advice and helped her navigate Jefferson Citys legislative obstacle course. Young once worked as an intern at the Capitol under District 1s Sen. Doug Beck, who was the chief force in getting the measure passed on the floor.

I didnt know that, if you proposed a bill, others could add all kinds of other things to it, and once, they tried to put a really controversial amendment on the bill that sunk it. So it took two years of trying to put it through, running out of time, or it got controversial amendments attached to it, she said. It also switched from being a health bill to being an education bill, and that made more sense to me, too.

The legislative session might have ended a day earlier this year, but the measure was added just in time to two bills ultimately approved by the Senate in May. The stroke of the governors pen was the last step to be taken.

Kayci said Thursdays signing in Jefferson City was very satisfying. She, Will and his dad, Adam, were there, along with sister Charlotte and grandparents Carla and Max Duvall. Support dog Nautica looks specially groomed in the Capitol photos, and older brother Ben got to sign something on the governors desk, too.

He has no idea about the bills passage, Kayci said of Will, but at least he was awake the whole time and was excited to see so many people. The whole thing was just a really uplifting experience.
After a lifetime of sickness, Jennifer Nsenkyire was cured of two separate and debilitating diseases with a stem cell transplant, and those who knew her rejoiced.

That included family in West Africa, where she was born, and the friends and support system she found in Fredericksburg, her second home. After the transplant freed her from the pain shed experienced since a toddler with sickle cell disease  a hereditary blood disorder  Nsenkyire became active with the Fredericksburg Area Sickle Cell Association, or FASCA. She worked to educate others about the ailment and how those with it could find help and support.

She was always so very, very kind and helpful to other clients, those who continued to suffer with the disease and are not eligible for transplant because of age, said Janice Davies, FASCAs co-founder. She had a presence that really resonated with everybody.

Nsenkyire shared her medical story with others through programs and videos to the point National Institutes of Health officials described her experience as one in a million, said FASCA member Myra Dicks. Nsenkyire also had battled multiple sclerosis until her transplant and, as a child, dealt with osteomyelitis, a bone infection that temporarily left her unable to walk.

Then, in the strange way life sometimes works, it was yet another disease that took the life of the soft-spoken 49-year-old from Ghana. Nsenkyire contracted COVID-19 earlier this year and died on April 25.

The most ironic thing is she had been through all of that, and then to have something like COVID take her away, it was hard, Davies said.

It was heartbreaking, Dicks added.

As is customary in Ghana, family members held several celebrations of her life, culminating with a memorial service at the NIHs offices in Bethesda, Maryland, in late June. While those who knew her mourn her loss, they also celebrate the mark she left on the world.

She had this infectious smile that lit up the room when she walked in, you all know that, Fran Boyle said to the crowd gathered at Strong Tower Church for her funeral service.

Boyle was Nsenkyires host mother when she first arrived in 1995 to attend George Mason University in Fairfax. Boyle wanted to host international students, and Nsenkyire wanted to be paired with a Christian family, and Boyle said she loved her immediately.

There were plenty of ups and downs with her health, Boyle said, as the sickle cell disease caused swelling in her arms and legs, along with numerous pain crises. Thats when red blood cells, which have turned from their normal round shape to something resembling sickles, block blood flow through tiny vessels to the chest, abdomen and joints. A crisis causes varying intensities of pain that can last for hours or days.

Boyle recalled walking the hospital floors with Nsenkyires parents, Edward and Rose Nsenkyire, who divided their time between continents until they eventually settled in the United States, and her sisters, Pamela Asamoah and Clara Nsenkyire, who both live in the Fredericksburg area. Nsenkyire also has a brother, Dennis, in New Jersey.

Shed been through so much, said her sister, Clara Nsenkyire. It was crisis upon crisis.

As Jennifer Nsenkyire was treated at NIH, medical officials mentioned a transplant, using stem cells from family members that most closely matched her own. When the family gathered with NIH doctors for a consultation, they heard about potential side effects and werent sure which way to go, her sister said.

She was so brave, Clara Nsenkyire said. She said, Even if it doesnt help me, it will help somebody else.

Plus, Jennifer Nsenkyire wished she could live one day without the pain of sickle cell disease, her sister said. She opted for the transplant, using her mothers stem cells, and it was successful. After the 2010 operation, she was free of both sickle cell and MS, and she recorded her thoughts and experiences, both in YouTube videos and books she wrote.

She longed for a cure and for others to be free of pain as she was.

A cure would be, being able to live life with no pain, being able to live a productive life, being able to shake off the stigma that people have about sickle cell disease, she said in a video. Being able to live fearlessly, being able to live a normal life, thats all we all want at the end of the day. Its time to rewrite the story of sickle cell. Add your voice.

That she did, said Pastor Jeffrey Smith of Strong Tower Church, who said hers was a life that was lived so well and so elegantly before us.

In spite of the challenges and difficulties she experienced, she always had this strength of spirit, this tenacity, this perseverance, he said. She had this ongoing optimism and faith that would never die.
PEARISBURG  Nancy Renee Fridley pleaded guilty Wednesday to last years abduction of a Giles County toddler from a church nursery during services, but will continue to battle charges that she tried to take children from two other places of worship.

At a hearing in Giles County Circuit Court, Fridley, 46, entered guilty pleas to charges of abduction and child abuse or neglect, both stemming from the May 2, 2021, disappearance of then-2-year-old Noah Gabriel Trout from the child care area of Riverview Baptist Church in the Ripplemead community.

But Fridleys attorney, Ryan Hamrick of Christiansburg, said that she would not admit guilt to two attempted abduction charges connected to visits that Fridley is said to have made to New Valley Fellowship Church and Mountain View Ministries, both in Narrows and both also on May 2, 2021.

Judge Lee Harrell scheduled a bench trial for the two attempted abduction charges for July 26. After Fridleys innocence or guilt has been decided on the attempted abduction counts, a date will be set for her sentencing for the overall case, attorneys said.

Fridleys pleas on Wednesday came with no agreement about sentencing, Hamrick said.

Also Wednesday, Commonwealths Attorney Bobby Lilly dropped a third charge of attempted abduction. It involved another visit to Riverview Baptists child care area earlier on the Sunday that Noah was taken.

Fridley was arrested a day after Noah vanished. A nursery worker took a picture of Fridley leaving with the boy and a law enforcement effort that included Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation tracked Fridleys vehicle to the Clifton Forge residence she shared with her boyfriend.

According to statements earlier in the case, Noahs head was shaved after he was abducted but he was not physically harmed.

Lilly proffered a statement Wednesday that he said gave context to Fridleys actions. It pushed back against rumors that Fridley had any prior connection to Noah.

This was a random stranger abduction, Lilly said.

Lillys statement noted that two or three years before the abduction, Fridley told her boyfriend Bobby Lee Taylor that she was pregnant with his child and that baby was born while he was in jail.

When Taylor was released and wanted to see the child, Fridley said the Department of Social Services had taken the child from her custody.

This story was a complete fabrication. The evidence would show that there is no record of a newborn baby being removed from Fridleys custody by DSS, no record of Fridley giving birth to a child during the three years prior to this abduction, nor evidence that Fridley was even pregnant during this time frame. In fact, at least one family member of Ms. Fridley states that she had a hysterectomy several years ago and would therefore have been unable to give birth to a child, Lilly said in his statement.

Fridley told essentially the same story to Taylor a year later when he was locked up again, claiming that she gave birth to and lost custody of a second child, Lilly said.

In the spring of 2021, Fridley told Taylor and neighbors that she was regaining custody of her boys, Bobby Jr. and Christian. She put child car seats in a vehicle and bought sippy cups and toddler beds, Lilly said.

On the day before Noahs abduction, Fridley told neighbors she was getting one child the next day, Lilly said.

When Fridley went to the church child care areas, she said she was there to pick up a child whose parent was sick. At each location witnesses recalled seeing her, and although her face was covered with a hospital style mask, they noted that her jacket and knit toboggan on her head did not seem to be appropriate for the relatively warm weather, Lilly said.

After taking Noah to Alleghany County, Fridley and Taylor introduced the boy to several friends and neighbors as their son Bobby Jr., Lilly said. Taylor made a post on social media saying that he got one of his boys back, Lilly said.

The law enforcement response after the abduction included  besides the state police, FBI and Giles County Sheriffs Office  personnel from Giles County police departments, the U.S. Marshals Service, Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. They tracked Fridleys vehicle using footage from residential and business security cameras, and cellphone data that identified the whereabouts of Fridleys phone.

The phone gave authorities Fridleys name, which connected to vehicle records that gave an address in Clifton Forge.

At about 1:30 a.m. on May 3, 2021, one of Fridleys neighbors sees a post on Facebook about the abduction and Amber Alert, Lilly said. That neighbor sends the post to Bobby Taylor alerting him that the abducted child appears to be the same one Taylor and Fridley were introducing to the neighbors as their son.

The next morning, Taylor told Fridley to return the child to wherever she got him, Lilly said.

Before state police officers moved in, they watched Fridley put Noah into a neighbors pickup truck. The neighbor later told investigators that Fridley asked him to take the child to Roanoke, Lilly said.

Fridley also was charged in Alleghany County with drug possession because when officers swooped in to recover Noah, Fridley was found to be carrying methamphetamine in a cigarette pack. In February, she pleaded guilty to the drug charge and in May, was given a suspended prison term and three years of supervised probation.

Fridleys boyfriend, Taylor, 43, also was charged in Alleghany County in with abduction and drug possession. He was found guilty on both counts last week after a plea hearing that pre-empted a trial scheduled for this month. Taylors sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 11.
Barely a month into summer break, something is becoming clear about the upcoming school year: Education administrators in the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County face a student transportation crisis.

A shortage of school bus drivers in both municipalities challenges the local systems leaders to find ways to deliver children safely and efficiently to class. School officials in each jurisdiction are discussing options in a situation where the math just doesnt add up.

Charlottesville has only a third of the drivers it needs. Last year, Albemarle asked some drivers to operate on double routes, where they picked up and delivered children to one school and immediately went back out to pick up and deliver more students to another school.

We wonder if any way exists for the county and city to team up. Sharing resources and ideas might offer solutions that dont exist if they go it alone.

If county schools close to the city can be paired with nearby city schools, perhaps a single school bus could deliver to two schools, shortening routes and making them cheaper and more efficient to operate.

Perhaps that could free up Albemarles bus fleet to serve the countys rural areas. So maybe the county can help pay something toward the fleet of small 14-person buses the city is purchasing. Albemarle is also buying four such vehicles, which do not require operators to have a commercial drivers license.

A small but empowered multi-jurisdictional coordinating committee of transportation planners might help if it has a strict deadline for offering concrete, practical options and not just talking points.

Obviously, we are not transportation experts. We stipulate that our ideas may not work. The point of this spit-balling is to encourage those with the know-how to think regionally and outside the box.

Albemarle already said it is discussing with Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT) and the JAUNT extended public transit service how adult riders might share public bus space with student riders.

Again, were talking about searching for solutions as a region, not individual fiefdoms, because the same bus driver shortage faces both the county and city right now. If two heads are better than one, think of the problem-solving brain power of half a dozen experts.

Parents should make their voices heard. Yet with or without a regional approach, they will need to be patient. Rather than complain, they will need to support new school transportation scenarios that might be less convenient than they were before COVID-19 shut down in-school classes.

Moms and dads will naturally worry about putting their little ones on public transportation in Albemarle or sending them out the door to take longer walks to Charlottesville schools. The school systems owe parents a commitment to protecting their kids in any new transportation configurations.

Under the new Charlottesville plan, elementary school children will have to walk if they live within three-quarters of a mile of their school. Middle school and high school students will be asked to walk if they live within 1.25 miles.

That is a big change. It may even call for extraordinary security measures which extend beyond the additional crossing guards the city plans to hire. Perhaps PTAs can coordinate a cadre of volunteers who stroll along elementary school walking routes.

It is hard to blame anyone for this crisis. Albemarle and Charlottesville each have tried to provide financial incentives to attract more school bus drivers. The city, which pays drivers between $16.51 and $18.32 an hour, offered health insurance and $2,400 bonuses to lure new drivers and retain old ones. The county, which pays starting drivers $17.18 an hour, gave $2,500 bonuses to new and existing drivers, along with full benefits to anyone working at least four hours a day.

As we face trying days ahead, lets remember that crises call for cooperation and creativity, not finger-pointing. Remember, too, how our collective community needs to work together selflessly. Those who cant figure how it benefits them personally should just do it for the kids.
RTHK: Japan brings in one-year jail term for cyberbullying

People found guilty of cyberbullying in Japan now face up to a year in prison under rules implemented Thursday, which were toughened up after the suicide of a reality TV star who had been trolled online.

Pink-haired professional wrestler Hana Kimura's death in 2020 prompted calls for stronger regulation of online abuse.

The 22-year-old was a fan favourite on Netflix hit "Terrace House", in which six young people share a home while looking for love.

But she faced a torrent of abuse online, reportedly including comments like "everyone will be happy if you're gone".

The revised legislation follows a passionate campaign by Kimura's mother, and now imposes fines of up to 300,000 yen ($2,200) or a year in prison -- increased from previous penalties of up to 10,000 yen in fines or 30 days' detention.

The punishments are contained in legislation on defamation, which defines the crime as "a display of contempt towards someone without demonstrating facts in a recognisable manner".

Justice Minister Yoshihisa Furukawa said the beefed-up punishments are intended to make clear that cyberbullying is a criminal offence.

"It's important that we work to eradicate spiteful insults that can sometimes push people to their death," he told a press conference this week.

Though the issue of cyberbullying had been raised in Japan before Kimura's suicide, the wrestler's death prompted domestic and international scrutiny and put pressure on lawmakers to take action.

Kimura's mother Kyoko has welcomed the new rules, telling reporters when the revision passed parliament last month: "I have a strong feeling of 'finally'".

But some free speech campaigners and legal experts are opposed to the change and have urged the government to ensure the tougher law is not used to target political criticism.

The Japan Federation of Bar Associations has warned that the legislation does not include any explicit provision protecting political speech.

"The prison sentence is inappropriate as it will stifle legitimate argument and threatens freedom of expression," the group said in a statement earlier this year.

Kyoko Kimura has acknowledged the concerns about infringements on free speech.

"I'm also strongly against misuse of the strengthened punishment in this sense," she said last month.

At least two men who sent hateful messages to Kimura have been fined, including one ordered to pay $1.29 million yen in May 2021 ($9,500 at today's rates) in a civil lawsuit over a message sent to Kimura's account after her death.

Earlier that year, a different man was fined a nominal amount over online abuse directed at the wrestler without the case going to trial.

"Terrace House" was cancelled after Kimura's death, but her mother has said those behind the programme "bear the heaviest responsibility" and that she is planning legal action against them.

Reports at the time of Kimura's death suggested producers had stoked conflict among members of the reality show that painted the wrestler in a critical light. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-07-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Im writing in regard to a letter from Louis Myers of Charlottesville in the July 5 edition of the Daily Progress.

In his letter, Mr. Myers is disputing a previous Daily Progress editorial and its conclusion that the movie 2000 Mules is not to be taken seriously. Mr. Myers asks the question what legitimate reasons are there for someone to be around multiple drop boxes.

Id like to inform Mr. Myers that there are numerous reasons why someone would be around the ballot drop boxes. The boxes may be located in areas where there is otherwise normal foot traffic or being maintained by election workers or perhaps attending a ballot rally near a drop box as was Pennsylvania state senator Sharif Street, as reported in the Denver Post.

Additionally, GPS location data from cell phones, or cell tower triangulation, is not accurate enough to determine precise locations and should not be relied on to prove someone was near a drop box. This point has been stated by experts whove examined the cell data used in the movie.

Mr. Myers should be aware that "2000 Mules" has been debunked by various reputable sources, including the Georgia Bureau of Investigation which concluded the movie didnt provide probable cause. Even former U.S. attorney general Bill Barr dismissed the film after viewing it. https://www.factcheck.org/2022/06/evidence-gaps-in-2000-mules/

Myers is right to be concerned about election integrity, but his concern should be based on the facts as proved by reliable and reputable sources, not partisan hacks such as Dinesh DSouza, the creator of the film. Continued belief in such distortions and willingness to accept uncorroborated narratives is the true danger to our democratic system.

Gary Edenfield

Earlysville, Va.
PORTLAND (AP)  People in 24 Oregon counties  including the county around Portland  and 15 counties in Washington state should resume mask-wearing indoors in public and on public transportation, according to recommendations from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Data from the CDC shows the counties are considered high risk for COVID-19 infection, KPTV reported. The Oregon counties include: Clatsop, Tillamook, Lincoln, Lane, Douglas, Josephine, Jackson, Klamath, Lake, Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson, Wasco, Sherman, Hood River, Clackamas, Washington, Multnomah, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Baker, and Malheur counties.

In Washington, the counties at high risk include: Clallam, Grays Harbor, Pacific, Lewis, Thurston, Pierce, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Walla Walla, Columbia, Asotin, Lincoln, Ferry and Spokane. That's an increase from six Washington counties at high risk as of June 23.

The most recent community levels were calculated June 30.

High risk means the counties have had 200 or more new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the last seven days, or theyve had more than 20 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people within a seven-day period.

Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer at Public Health  Seattle & King County, said on Twitter Sunday that since April, the health agency has recommended that people wear high-quality masks in indoor public spaces, that people get all recommended COVID-19 vaccines and booster doses, and that indoor air quality should be improved and outdoor venues be prioritized.

Duchin said vaccines are working well to halt hospitalizations and death but infections and reinfections are more common with the new variants. The virus has evolved to be more contagious.

Emerging research suggests reinfections could put people at higher risk for health problems.

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.

To see updated risk levels and the latest information from the CDC, click here.
Poised to implement an ordinance requiring home sellers to list an energy score for their properties, Corvallis officials pushed the pause button.

The idea was to give buyers an idea of what it will cost to power a home they're considering via an assessment of energy-related assets, making it easier to compare potential purchases across the housing market.

Divided 5-4 on whether the energy score program should be mandated, the Corvallis City Council initially  and barley  approved the ordinance at its June 21 meeting. Because the vote was not unanimous, the council held a second ordinance reading and vote at its meeting Tuesday, July 5.

This time, however, the council voted 5-3 to table the ordinance, asking staff for more research on how the program might work. Appearing somewhat frustrated, Mayor Biff Traber and some councilors pushed back against the delay, saying the program could be refined as it comes online.

I really think this home energy score is a fairly straightforward way to start making some progress  and to learn from it, Traber said after the vote, if we could ever get started on it.

Before the council tabled the ordinance, Council Vice President Andrew Struthers put forward a lengthy amendment aimed at firming-up sale and exemption language, matching the ordinance more closely to those in other Oregon cities. In a two-part vote, the council approved the amendment.

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When it came to the ordinance itself, Council President Hyatt Lytle said she didnt want to vote in opposition, but shes heard from several concerned citizens who would be affected by the program, from both the buyers and sellers sides. She led a motion tabling the ordinance until Sept 5.

Lytle acknowledged that her vote swung the ordinances approval at its first reading June 21, but now shes unsure about the mandatory aspect of it, she said. She wants to weigh the pros and cons as well as logistics of other home energy score programs.

With Councilor Charles Maughan absent from the meeting and the council split on the ordinance, the mayor could have potentially been a tie-breaking vote. During deliberations, Traber advocated for moving ahead. He said trying to find every possible flaw up front only delays responding to the climate emergency.

My sense is we will learn more by working towards putting this in place rather than spending more time studying it, he said. Tabling it for two months doesnt gain us anything  and as you learn things we can always change this ordinance later.

Tabling the ordinance passed 5-3, excluding the need for Traber to vote. Councilors Gabe Shepherd, Paul Shaffer and Charlyn Ellis opposed the motion.

Staff was directed to look into:

How many similar programs are voluntary.

How many staff hours per week it takes to run the programs.

The number of scored homes entered in a green building registry.

Program funding and incentives.

Community organization involvement and costs.

Whether homeowners are encouraged to make energy-use upgrades.

Other council input may also come to staff for consideration.

How much City Hall can handle, however, is a concern all its own. Speaking on staff bandwidth, City Manager Mark Shepard said employees would be challenged by the additional work on home energy scores. He asked for and was given the discretion to decide whats reasonable within the given timeframe.

Home energy scores have been in the works for years in Corvallis. Included in the citys 2016 Climate Action Plan, a proposed home energy score program was presented to the City Council at a January work session.

Research shows mandatory energy efficiency disclosures increase the likelihood home sellers or buyers will make related upgrades to their homes, according to a city document.

The home energy score law was expected to take effect April 1 next year, giving time for public education and for energy assessors to get certified. Its not clear if tabling the matter will delay implementation if the ordinance is passed upon its return to council.

I sure hope come September, were able to finalize whatever its going to look like, Traber said. Right now, given weve not made a commitment to it, inspectors arent making a commitment to getting certified, a system is not being set up, people are not even being educated about it  other than in controversy.
The summer of 2020 was a time of large-scale political unrest over the killing of George Floyd, and Albany too, was restless. While many Albany residents were protesting against racial injustice, others personally targeted the now-mayor, who was a city councilor at the time.

Alex Johnson II remembers returning home several times to find his house vandalized. His car was targeted once. His flag defaced. Some of it even while he slept.

And he received a slew of racially targeted voice messages.

It all boils down to me being Black, Johnson said.

He doesnt want to be known as the Black mayor." Johnson believes labels can distract from the bigger picture.

These labels have separated us and continue to separate us, he said.

Johnson believes it is only a few people who hold these anti-Black sentiments, rather than the culture of the town itself.

But from this frightful encounter, an artistic idea was born.

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Feeling disheartened and angry, Johnson decided to unwind by watching stand-up comedian Sam Adams. The bit involved the comedian looking for his skin tone color at the paint store. Turned out, it was called Chocolate Indulgence. Johnson was curious to find his own shade.

So he set out to his local paint and hardware shop. Using scanning technology, an image of his hand generated the recipe for his custom paint shade.

He posted the story on Facebook and got a lot of positive feedback, which gave the Albany Arts Commission inspiration to construct a mural.

The commission hopes to have a mural that represents the various skin colors of Albany using the same color-matching technique that scans surfaces. Officials are planning to apply for a $10,000 grant to pay for the creation of what they call a "unity mural."

The intended title is This is Albany, and anyone who turns in their skin tone-matched paint will have that paint incorporated into the mural. The location and artist have not been selected yet. If all goes well and the grant is approved, the project is expected to start in spring.

We would like the mural to reflect the diverse hopes and dreams of the future, Joann Zimmer, vice chairperson of the Albany Arts Commission said.

Albanys current demographic is 76% white, Johnson said, adding, Its not about the quantity of color as much as the color itself.

He believes the racial justice protests of 2020 have created a more accepting, and informed community.

Albany is a better place for it happening, he said.

While a few of Albanys murals weren't well received in the past, especially because some found them to be disconnected to the city itself, Johnson is hopeful that what the mural represents will resonate with people.

Unity is the only way we can move better forward," he said. We are better together than we are apart.
Oregon health officials are increasing the state's response for monkeypox as the case count rises across the United States.

The Oregon Health Authority gave an update on Oregons response to the national outbreak and reported cases of hMPXV (human monkeypox virus) during a media briefing Thursday morning, July 7.

Officials have confirmed six cases in the state. All are men. There are no confirmed cases in Linn or Benton counties yet.

Multnomah County has one case, confirmed June 16.

Lane County had two cases confirmed on July 1 and another confirmed July 6, for a total of three.

Washington County's two cases were confirmed July 6.

There have been no deaths, according to the news release.

The most at risk groups are cisgender and transgender men who have sex with other men and transgender women who have sex with men and have had more than one partner in the last two weeks, said Dr. Tim Menza, senior health adviser for OHAs hMPXV response.

While anyone can get the virus, right now our priority should be empowering men who have sex with men and the larger LGBTQIA+ and queer community and their health care providers with information, testing, prevention and treatment strategies, Menza said.

The human monkeypox virus is transmitted through close skin to skin contact and prolonged face-to-face contact and is not limited to sex, according to health officials. Contact with towels, clothing, bedding or other objects used by a person with the virus can also transmit the virus.

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Oregons supply of vaccines is limited but is expected to increase as OHA recently received federal allocations. Right now, vaccines are available to those who have been exposed to the virus, but Menza hopes to expand access to at-risk groups.

When more vaccine becomes available, our goal is to offer vaccination to those at increased risk of exposure to hMPXV, including cisgender and transgender men who have sex with men and transgender women who have sex with men with more than one sex partner in the prior two weeks, he said.

Testing is expected to become more accessible as other private labs will begin offering testing in the coming weeks. Menza expects to see case numbers rise as testing becomes more available.
Linn County commissioners have given a $20,000 boost an existing medical transportation program for veterans.

These veterans gave us all of the freedoms we have today, Commissioner Roger Nyquist said at the meeting Tuesday, July 5.

The program offers Linn County veterans rides for medical appointments, procedures and surgeries. If they cannot drive themselves or find a driver, Linn County Veterans Services calls private provider Quality Medical Transport to arrange a pickup, drop-off and ride back from the medical facility.

Veterans Services Officer Dee Baley-Hyder applied for a grant from the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs to fund the transportation program and received $11,000. While it has been able to help some veterans, she said that figure is quickly dwindling as the need for services grows countywide.

Baley-Hyder told the commissioners about a Sweet Home veteran who utilized the program to get to Corvallis for five weeks of cancer treatment. Because of this grant, she said, he did not have to worry about finding transportation in these tough times.

In this year's first quarter  Jan. 1 to March 31  only $727 of the grant money was used. That number was quickly dwarfed in the second quarter  April 1 to June 30  when $4,668 was used. Before the commissioners decided to backfill the program, the total remaining balance was $6,332.

It totally depends on the month, Baley-Hyder said, emphasizing how difficult it is to estimate how much would be sufficient to fund the program. For July, Im already at $912.

The extra $20,000 will allow Baley-Hyder to keep the program going even if she runs out of grant money to use for the veterans by the June 2023 expiration date.

In addition to helping veterans get to appointments such as cancer treatments, the program has helped fund minor visits, including picking up hearing aids and getting cataracts removed.

She said Linn County Veterans Services assists more than 9,000 of Linn Countys estimated 11,047 veterans. In the past year, Veterans Services has helped local veterans access more than $2.5 million in claims, including service connection compensation, survivor pension and other benefits.

Linn County Veterans Services can be contacted by calling 541-967-3882.

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Baley-Hyder said it came as a huge surprise when the commissioners agreed to use $20,000 in contingency funds for the program.

I feel blessed and honored, she said. There is a huge need, and Im glad the commissioners are willing to help the veterans in this area get to where they need to go.
Double_oak

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Double Oak mayor in hot water after using COVID funds to give $25,000 bonuses to employees

Justin Grass/DRC Dozens of residents turned out at Tuesdays Double Oak Town Council meeting, where Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Johnson talked about how the town has used its COVID-19 relief funds.

DOUBLE OAK  Tuesday nights Double Oak Town Council meeting could be described as a stirred hornet nest, dozens of residents aiming their stingers at Mayor Von Beougher for using over $250,000 in federal COVID-19 relief funding to give most town employees a $25,000 salary bonus  without first bringing it to the council and public for consideration.

One speaker stung particularly hard.

As the citizens of Double Oak, we want our money back, the man said. And Mr. Mayor, Id like to ask  personally and on the record  for your voluntary resignation from this position.

SLFRF funding

The issue comes down to the use of federal COVID-19 relief funding by the small town in southern Denton County, specifically the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program. The funds were aimed at helping governments work through the various struggles of the pandemic, as well as investing in recovery efforts.

Von Beougher, Double Oak mayor

A few months ago, Beougher consulted with the town attorney, David Berman, and made the decision to put at least $225,000 of the towns funding toward premium pay for each of the towns roughly 10 employees. The money was distributed in May, but it wasnt until the councils June 20 meeting  over a month later  that he went public with the expenditure and council members learned of it.

Those details come from residents accounts and a presentation at Tuesdays meeting given by Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Johnson, who put together several slides on the issue alongside Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Connie Schoenrade. Johnson laid out a full timeline of events and included other relief fund information.

Justin Grass/DRC This slide from Tuesday's Double Oak Town Council meeting lays out a timeline for the spending of its COVID-19 relief funding.

Patrick Johnson, Double Oak mayor pro tem

According to the presentation, which Beougher largely did not dispute, the SLFRF program settled on four allowable uses: replacing lost public sector revenue; public health and economic impacts; water, sewer and broadband infrastructure; and premium pay.

Premium pay, as explained by Johnson, is bonus pay that can be provided to eligible workers performing essential work. There are stipulations and suggestions, including that the pay offer additional support to those who have and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service in critical sectors and that it cant be provided to employees who work from home.

The presentation stated municipalities of a similar size to Double Oak did dole out premium pay bonuses, but with the payments averaging between $500 and $5,000. Double Oak, though, comes in much higher than that  of the $380,000 it received in the first round of funding, a total of $258,413 was spent on employee premium pay and benefits, with $25,000 given per eligible employee. The next highest use was roads and culverts at just shy of $61,000.

Johnson showed a list of concerns regarding the premium pay, which boiled down to the mayors decision to authorize it himself. No public discussions have been held on how to spend the SLFRF funding, the presentation alleged, and the premium pay authorization came a week prior to the seating of the newest council members  Johnson and Schoenrade being two of those three.

There were also concerns of whether or not the town had used the funds within the SLFRF guidelines. Johnson said that after a meeting with the town attorney, he contacted an auditor for that purpose. An audit of the relief funds would cost between $2,000 and $5,000.

Johnson unveiled next steps for the town to take, which included creating an ordinance that clearly states the financial limits of the town mayor and others who are authorized to disburse town funds. He also didnt rule out seeking an investigation, pending the results of the audit.

Theres no interpretation taking place with this; were just trying to present the facts, Johnson said. The Double Oak citizens need to hold the mayor and the previous Town Council accountable.

Justin Grass/DRC Double Oak Mayor Von Beougher (center left) was the subject of residents ire at Tuesdays Double Oak Town Council meeting.

Mayors rebuttal

Governmental bodies like the Denton City Council and the Denton County Commissioners Court have structured forms of public comment. Residents can speak either broadly or on a specific agenda item by registering beforehand. Tuesdays Double Oak Town Council meeting was anything-goes by comparison.

Many of the dozens in attendance did register to speak, but several did so multiple times. Residents would often simply raise their hand and get called on to speak. Additionally, questions from residents were sometimes answered by council members themselves. The man who called for Beoughers resignation did so after the town attorney stopped him from further back-and-forth, saying it shouldnt be a question and answer session.

The meeting format piled on to an avalanche of criticism against Beougher and the authorization of the premium pay, with some outright calling for the money to be returned. After Johnsons presentation and about an hour into the topic, the mayor took his turn to speak, saying the council had actually discussed the funds previously and reached a consensus on premium pay.

We dont have water infrastructure, we dont have sanitary sewer infrastructure, and Im not interested in being the owner of a broadband system, Beougher said. The premium pay, in our initial conversations, was the only option that we had. There was a general consensus that we should take care of our essential workers with some premium pay. We never talked amounts.

Police officers were among the employees who received the $25,000 bonuses, and Beougher cited his support of the police as one of the reasons he wanted the premium pay instituted. He didnt deny that he ultimately authorized the funds himself, saying a deadline needed to be met. The town was given some extra time, he said, resulting in the funds going out a few weeks after that deadline.

When we lost two officers to COVID in February and the first federal reporting deadline was coming up [April 30], thats when I started considering how we were going to take care of the premium pay, Beougher said. The forms that you fill out for the feds were extremely cumbersome.  On May 13, I said, Lets issue those premium paychecks.

Beougher added he thinks the money has been used in accordance with the SLFRF rules. Berman weighed in from a legal perspective, saying the mayor does have the authority to make such a decision, even in the amount of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Texas law says that the mayor is the chief executive officer of the municipality, Berman said. He gets to make certain financial decisions. Ideally, the council would have approved this in advance, and I dont disagree with that.

Berman said Beougher has that authority because Double Oak doesnt have a town manager or town administrator; therefore, hes responsible for running the daily affairs of the city. Noteworthy is that the Double Oak mayor votes on council items only if theres a tie that needs to be broken.

I think its jumping the gun to start saying that there is the possibility of criminal conduct, Berman said. I dont see that theres criminal conduct. Im not concerned about the feds coming back and saying, We want the money back.

By the end of the meeting, the council agreed to move forward with the audit. Johnson said he would take the next steps Wednesday, and clarified the audit will be looking only at whether the SLFRF funds were used appropriately, not whether the mayor had the authority to authorize them. An ordinance to limit how much money one official can approve, he said, will take longer to implement.

I have 100% assurance from the mayor, in a discussion, that the Town Council will be the ones who oversee and disperse the next funds, Johnson said. What that means is you all have input.
Denver has spent less than half of the COVID relief funds it has received so far through the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

As of Wednesday, $67.92 million of Denvers ARPA funds have been committed, obligated or spent, Department of Finance spokesperson Josh Rosenblum said. Denvers ARPA funding dashboard is updated weekly to reflect where the money is going.

Denver has received $154 million in ARPA funds and is expected to receive an additional $154 million in relief funds sometime this year, for a total of $308 million, Rosenblum said.

The federal government has allocated $9 billion in ARPA funds to Colorado.

Denver will be required to allocate where the funds will go by the end of 2024, and all ARPA funds must be spent by the end of 2026.

The largest source of ARPA spending from Denver has been for revenue loss, a category that includes restoration of mission-critical positions, goods and supplies previously eliminated through budget reductions, and the elimination of furlough days required of city employees in 2021. Of the $67.92 million already committed, $40.61 million has gone to this category.

While Denver has relied on ARPA funds to bring back certain staff positions as part of this category, Rosenblum said city officials have already begun to gradually reallocate positions to the city's general fund so that Denver isn't hit with a bunch of jobs that don't have a funding source come 2027.

The next highest budget line is $28 million for the citys Affordable Housing Fund, but none of this money has been committed, obligated or spent yet. Premium pay is the next highest allocation, and $8.23 million of the $8.8 million budgeted has been committed or spent.

Rosenblum said the city intends to spend its recovery funding in an inclusive, sustainable manner and is continuing its outreach efforts with Denver residents to determine where the rest of the funding should go.

We utilized the community outreach data to inform our decisions in consultation with Denvers Stimulus Advisory Investment Committee, City Council, and city departments, Rosenblum said in an email. Programs focus on health and safety, directing resources to public health, food assistance, economic recovery, and serving vulnerable residents through shelter, housing and individual support.
It sounded just like a plot out of Breaking Bad. Authorities allowed the driver who was caught ferrying a record haul of pure fentanyl powder to continue his trip in the hopes he would lead them to drug kingpins in Indiana.

But first, the Drug Enforcement Administration put a tracker on his car.

Then they lost him.

David Alejandro Maldonado, 26, had agreed to cooperate but somewhere on the open road he changed his mind, took it off, and fled, according to an arrest warrant obtained by the Denver Gazette. Maldonado was stopped on Interstate 70 while headed toward the Front Range with enough fentanyl to kill tens of millions of people has now eluded federal authorities for three weeks, according to the arrest affidavit. The Colorado State Patrol had stopped Maldonado for weaving through traffic just east of the Eisenhower Tunnel on I70 on June 18. A state trooper questioned him and, with the help of a drug-sniffing K9, discovered 114 pounds of fentanyl.

The secret stash was packed in 48 one-kilo packages stuffed in two compartments underneath the seats.

As first reported by The Denver Gazette, the haul was the largest amount of pure fentanyl powder ever seized on a U.S. highway.

Maldonados whereabouts have since become a mystery. He is wanted on $250,000 bond for two class 1 drug felonies involving unlawful distribution, sale and possession of a narcotic and for importing that substance into Colorado.

Clear Creek County District Judge Cynthia Jones signed an arrest warrant June 21, three days after Maldonado was stopped.

It's unclear where Maldonado shook off law enforcement. But after being questioned by authorities on June 18, Clear Creek County Sheriff Rick Albers confirmed that Maldonado spent at least one night in the Clear Creek County jail.

On June 19, according to the warrant, after Maldonado agreed to cooperate with a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation, he was released by authorities to continue his run, minus the fentanyl, in order to lead law enforcement to the kingpins of the criminal organization in South Bend, Indiana. It was after he was released with a tracker on his car that he eluded DEA surveillance and removed the tracker from his vehicle, according to the affidavit.

In a statement to The Denver Gazette, the DEA confirmed that Maldonado is on the run: The defendant was offered the opportunity to work with the DEA to further the investigation. Subsequently after agreeing, he changed his mind and was able to (elude) law enforcement. He is now considered a fugitive.

At a press conference announcing a recent drug bust in Aurora Wednesday, DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Besser said that he wants the public to know that positive work is being done when it comes to stopping the spread of fentanyl. "We are not asleep at the wheel," he said.

According to the arrest warrant, Maldonado was nervous during the initial stop even though he was only given a warning, and he lied about where he had been on his drug-running road trip. On the front seat, he had snacks and energy drinks as if he were on a beeline to his destination.

Maldonado told investigators that he was headed to South Bend with the drugs. The arrest warrant indicated that a license plate scanner identified his vehicle in Southern California 24 hours before he was stopped in Colorado. A check with the South Bend police confirmed that they knew about the bust, "and that it may have been heading toward the South Bend area." Spokeswoman Ashley O'Chap said in a text message that the department was grateful to law enforcement for stopping the deadly haul before it reached South Bend.

Alicia Wells, spokeswoman for Allendale Treatment in Indiana, said fentanyl is a huge problem in South Bend because it is a hub for bigger cities like Chicago and Detroit. Overdoses are so prevalent that the Joseph County Sheriffs Office has installed free Narcan vending machines at its offices.

Eighty-three South Bend residents died of fentanyl overdoses in 2021, and 2022 is on track to eclipse that number. Wells was stunned by the amount of pure fentanyl headed to her area.

Were relieved to hear that the fentanyl didnt make it to South Bend. The fact that 114 pounds of pure fentanyl didnt make (it) here is huge. There will be so many lives spared because of that traffic stop.

DEA spokesman Steve Kotecki said the 114 pounds of pure fentanyl powder found in Maldonados vehicle is undergoing testing and will eventually be incinerated. It was recovered after drug-sniffing dogs alerted troopers to the drug while Maldonado requested a bathroom break three miles from where he was stopped.

The implications of the drug runners mega-haul are astounding. If pressed into pills, the 114 pounds of fentanyl powder would equal 51 million milligrams. At two milligrams per pill, the powder represents as many as 25 million fentanyl pills, according to the DEA.

The I-70 bust had the potential to kill 25 million people  more than four times the population of Colorado.

In 2021, the DEA seized 20 million fake pills nationwide.

Investigative sources said Maldonado is a U.S. citizen from Iowa.

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Denver Gazette reporter Chris Osher contributed to this story.
South African technology company Huge Group acquired MVNO Tethys Mobile for an undisclosed fee, a move to bolster its software capabilities and develop a platform that enables companies to launch MVNO services.

Tethys was the first MVNO to enter South Africa when it launched in 2006 as Virgin Mobile South Africa, which went into voluntary business rescue in 2020. The company will become a fully owned subsidiary of Huge Group, which will be rebranded to Huge Digital Enablement Proprietary.

Huge Group said in a statement, that it is acquiring Tethys for its software and technology platform and intellectual property. The company intends to leverage them to provide a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) to companies aspiring to launch MVNO services.

Tethys software and platform includes a multi-tenant capable CRM, Billing and Online Charging System that provides enhanced billing, customer and subscriber management, product, tariff, and real-time rating capabilities.

During the transaction of the deal, creditors who supported Tethys will be settled in full, this includes Tethys subscribers who are due refunds after being cut off from the network when network services were terminated in September 2021.
Elisa Estonia has lodged a complaint with the countrys Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) over the distribution of 5G licences, arguing that its rival Tele2 has obtained additional 2300MHz bandwidth without having to participate in the ongoing auctions.

As reported by EER News, Tele2 acquired ST Networks in 2006 and Televorgu AS in 2010, obtaining bandwidth in the process. Elisas complaint stems from the fact that in 2017, the TTJA altered the frequencies of this holding to the 2300MHz band. Elisas technology chief Toomas Polli claimed that the move amounted to a gift of millions of Eurosto a private company that affords Tele2 an unfair advantage.

However, the TTJA has rejected Elisas complaint, noting that the 2017 amendment was made due to security considerations and to free up frequencies used by the defence sector, and that it made no difference in overall bandwidth owned.

The regulators communications manager Oliver Gailan said: The TTJA considers Elisa's resentment unjustified, as the permits granted to Tele2 have been acquired legally. He added that Elisa currently has greater frequency resources than its rivals.

Elisa countered that it did not obtain this advantage for free, shelling out over 7.2 million for a 3.6GHz block during the first round of Estonias 5G spectrum auctions in May. This was significantly higher than the reserve price, as Elisa faced fierce competition from rivals Bite, Telia and indeed Tele2.

Polli stated: We cannot in any way approve of a situation where a large frequency block is first created for one operator free of charge, and only the leftover scraps are put to the consultation and public auction that determines the use of the frequency band. He noted that the TTJA had also expanded the scope of use for the 2300MHz band in a way that benefited Tele2.

Gailan dismissed this allegation however, saying: The statement that in the meantime the conditions have been changed in favour of Tele2 is not true. The frequency area 2300MHz was divided into three ranges with nationwide use already in 2010.

Tele2 is participating in the second round of bidding which is currently underway; if it loses out this time, it will have a further opportunity to acquire spectrum in the third round.
Brazil has seen its first Standalone (SA) 5G networks go live in the capital Brasilia, with Claro, TIM and Vivo all launching their networks after receiving government approval.

We reported last week that the SA launch was imminent; the final regulatory hurdle was for the 3.3GHz-3.7GHz (3.5GHz) band to be cleared for 5G use by the GAISPI (Grupo de Acompanhamento da Implantacao das Solucoes para os Problemas de Interferencia / Group for the Implementation of Solutions for Interference Problems). The government body granted its approval on Monday 4th July.

TIM Brasil CEO Alberto Griselli told TeleTime that the operator aimed to cover 65% of Brasilias population within 60 days. He noted that 100 of the planned 164 towers would be active at launch, enabling 50% population coverage from the start.

Vivo indicated that around 2.5 million of its subscribers in Brasilia have a 5G-ready device, while for Claro the figure is roughly two million. TeleGeography reports that the next city to receive 5G access is likely to be Belo Horizonte, followed by Porto Alegre and then Sao Paulo.
After a nine-hour manhunt through rural wooded areas in near 100-degree heat, law enforcement officers captured a 35-year-old man wanted in the early-morning shooting death of a Midland City woman outside of Webb.

Benjamin Adam Nowell was captured about 3:30 p.m., almost 12 hours after Houston County sheriffs deputies responding to a firearm assault call found Brittany Nicole Phillips, 29, of Midland City, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head, along with other injuries, according to Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd, at a home on Knowles Road near Wallace Buie Road outside Webb. Phillips was taken to Southeast Health, where she later died.

Law enforcement personnel with canine units searched wooded areas near Webb and Kinsey, and were assisted by an Alabama Law Enforcement Agency helicopter. Kinsey Police and other area law enforcement agencies also assisted in the search.

The arrest was made in the area of Henry County Road 11 and Henry County Road 22, according to police radio traffic during the search.

No other details about the incident or the arrest of the suspect were available from the Houston County Sheriffs Office.
AFP: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi is about to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting this week. I wonder if the foreign ministry could share more details about the topics for his meeting with the US Secretary of State? Will he have a face-to-face dialogue with the Russian Foreign Minister?

Zhao Lijian: I answered a question yesterday on State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yis upcoming meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. As to his other bilateral engagements on the sidelines of the G20, I can share with you that this morning, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of India, Indonesia, and Argentina and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. According to my knowledge, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi is meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as we speak. He is also expected to have bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of countries including the US, France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Saudi Arabia.

Phoenix TV: Also on the meeting between Chinese and US foreign ministers. A US State Department official said in a recent press briefing that a critical objective of the meeting is to reinforce the guardrails in bilateral relations and add stability to the relationship. Whats Chinas response?

Zhao Lijian: The US keeps calling for guardrails. The guardrails for China-US relationship already exists  the three China-US joint communiques. China-US relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. As the worlds top two economies and permanent members of the UN Security Council, the two countries must make the relationship work and not mess it up. The two sides need to uphold the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation and bring the bilateral relations back to the track of sound and steady development. The US needs to abide by the provisions in the joint communiques and the commitments it has made to China.

PTI: You just announced that there was a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and China in Bali this morning. India has already released certain details of the meeting, including the India-China boundary question. Can you provide some details from your side? What transpired at this meeting?

Zhao Lijian: Like you, I have also been closely following their meeting. We will release the readout promptly. You may check the website later for latest updates.

We have read Indias press release about the meeting. What I can say is that the China-India border area is generally stable at the moment. The two sides have agreed to follow the important common understandings reached by the two leaders and the agreements signed by both sides, and properly resolve issues related to the Western sector of the China-India boundary in line with the principle of mutual and equal security. China and India are each others important neighbors. The two sides have the will and capability of jointly maintaining peace and tranquility in the China-India border areas.

Reuters: A US counter-intelligence agency on Wednesday warned state and local officials that China is intensifying influence operations aimed at manipulating them into pressing the federal government to pursue more Beijing-friendly policies. Do you have any comment on this?

Zhao Lijian: There is a Chinese saying. A man who lost his axe suspects his neighbor of stealing it. The remarks of the US side reflect its Cold War zero-sum mentality and ideological prejudice. Like the man in the Chinese saying, the US allegation lacks factual basis. There is nothing to hide about the dialogue and cooperation that Chinese institutions have had with the US side. Such dialogue and cooperation is crucial for more people-to-people exchange and mutual learning and greater mutual understanding and trust between the two countries. It is welcomed and supported by the people of both countries.

Sub-national exchange and cooperation is an important foundation for the development of China-US relations. Strengthening exchange and cooperation is peoples aspiration and the trend of the times. The US side needs to get rid of self-imposed bias, and stop disrupting and undermining sub-national and people-to-people exchange. It needs to do more things that help build bridges of friendship between the two peoples. It also needs to work with China to jointly promote the public support which is the foundation for the steady development of China-US relations.

BBC: I want to ask you about the comments from the heads of the US and British spy agencies who had a joint press conference speaking about China. For example, they said that China was the biggest long-term threat to other countries national and economic security. Whats Chinas comment?

Zhao Lijian: The US politician has been playing up the so-called China threat to smear and attack China. His remarks fully expose his entrenched Cold War zero-sum mentality and ideological prejudice.

The US just celebrated its 246th Independence Day. The US was not at war for only 16 years throughout its 240-plus years of history, which made it known as the most warlike nation in the history of the world. Dakota Wood, Senior Research Fellow for Defense Programs at the US Heritage Foundation, pointed out that in every 15 years or so the US would get involved in a conflict. In order to defend its hegemony and selfish gains, the US has been violating the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and basic norms of international relations, abusing its economic, scientific and military dominance, waging wars in various places and stoking division and conflicts, and suppressing companies from other countries, including USs allies. This has brought huge turmoil and disasters to the world. Facts have proven that the US is the biggest threat to world peace and development. We urge the US intelligence officer to put things into perspective, see Chinas development in an objective and reasonable light, stop spreading lies, and stop making irresponsible remarks.

As to the remarks of the British side, the MI5 and MI6, as British security service, are both experts on planting spies. They are trying to project their own disgraceful acts onto China through these false, sensational reports to play up the so-called China threat and stoke antagonism and confrontation.

We have stated on multiple occasions that the objective of Chinas development is to deliver better lives to the Chinese people, not to target anyone, still less replace anyone. This head of UK security service needs to cast away imagined demons, leave the dark room and meet the sunlight, stop clinging to the obsolete zero-sum game mindset and stop creating imagined enemies.

Follow-up: Does the Chinese government have any response to the specific allegations of the head of MI5?

Zhao Lijian: The allegations against China are completely far-fetched and the so-called cases they listed are pure shadow chasing. This is a typical example of a thief crying stop thief. We deplore this type of despicable and deceptive gambit.

China Daily: Since May 2021, the Helena Kennedy Center at the Sheffield Hallam University has issued four reports on Xinjiang to propagate the lie of forced labor in Xinjiang. China Daily has examined the source of the reports and made field trips to Xinjiang, and has recently found that the reports came from an organized group of disinformation providers with a hidden agenda, and the authors of the reports and the patron of the Helena Kennedy Center have inextricable links to terrorism and extremism. Do you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: I have seen China Dailys report. Thumbs up to you. Good job.

I noted in your report that the authors of these so-called research papers you mentioned have either long received funding from government agencies like the US Department of Justice or openly admitted to having a family member who is a terrorist suspect. The patron of the Helena Kennedy Center is the founder of an extremist anti-China political group. The reports published by the Center on forced labor in Xinjiang are seriously flawed. The stories in these reports cannot stand basic fact-check and have been proven false by the people and companies cited in the reports themselves. Some of the citations in the reports have either been proven to be fake news or disinformation spread by the infamous Australian Strategic Policy Institute. The reports, which endorse the outrageous lie of forced labor in Xinjiang, are a disgrace in the academic circle, yet they are quoted by anti-China politicians and media in the US to justify the US governments groundless sanctions on Xinjiang. If you look at the background of the scholars who complied the reports, you will find that it is not human rights that these people care about or want to study. They have no credibility and academic integrity to speak of. They are paid by the US to provide means of spreading disinformation.

I want to stress that lies will always be lies no matter how they are wrapped. With more fair-minded journalists and other people telling the truth about Xinjiang through interviews and other first-hand experience, more people are getting to know the real Xinjiang and have come to learn who are behind the lies about Xinjiang and how these lies are propagated. It is important that people across the world know the truth and stay perceptive so that they will not be deceived by those sinister and cheap lies.

Shenzhen TV: NASAs administrator Bill Nelson reportedly said on July 5 that the Chinese space program is run by its military, while the US agency runs a peaceful and open civilian space program with international participation. Do you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: The remarks of the US official is a misrepresentation of facts.

The US is the main driver in turning outer space into a weapon and a battlefield. It has long followed a strategy of maintaining space dominance, aggressively developed and deployed space weapons and frequently conducted military drills in space. NASA has inextricable links with the US military. In September 2020, NASA signed an MoU with the US Space Force. Many NASA employees are current or former military service members. Administrator Nelson himself served in the military. The US is very selective about its so-called international cooperation. It has even adopted specific legislation to sanction and suppress foreign space agencies without good reason.

China is always committed to the peaceful use of space and actively promotes international space cooperation. Since China began its manned space engineering program, we have been following the principles of peaceful use, equality, mutual benefit and common development. China has signed cooperation agreements and had fruitful collaboration with many international space agencies and groups. For example, the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite cooperation is an excellent example of South-South cooperation in the space domain. The BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation, which was proposed by China, allows BRICS countries to share remote sensing data and contributes to their economic and social development. The Change-4 moon mission carried a suite of international payloads from Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden for joint scientific research.

The US needs to stop turning a blind eye to facts and denigrating China, seriously reflect on its negative statements and actions in the space domain, assume its due responsibility as a major country, and do more things that are good for China-US space and aviation cooperation.

China News Service: According to reports, from July 5 to 6, the UK hosted in London the International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief. British officials used religion as a pretext to make wanton comments on other countries and criticized China on Xinjiang-related issues. Do you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: Im aware of this conference. Certain politicians are in the habit of using freedom of religious belief as a pretext to criticize, discredit and smear other countries. The British politicians you mentioned disregarded facts and deliberately denigrated china. We deplore and reject this.

China is a country based on rule of law. The Chinese government protects freedom of religious belief and relevant rights in accordance with law. People of all ethnic groups in China enjoy full freedom of religious belief. The progress China has made in protecting the rights and interests of religious personnel over the years has been well recognized in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and freedom of religious belief and other lawful rights of people from all ethnic backgrounds, including the Uyghurs, are fully protected.

Facts speak louder than words. Truth is in the eyes of the people. The UK needs to face up to and respect facts, stop political manipulation and stop using the so-called freedom of religious belief as a pretext to meddle in other countries internal affairs. The UK needs to spend more time in keeping its own house in order and earnestly rectify its own human rights problems.

Macau Monthly: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended best wishes to the Dalai Lama on the occasion of his birthday. Do you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: Tibet-related affairs are Chinas internal affairs and brook no interference by any external forces. China firmly opposes all forms of contact between foreign officials and the 14th Dalai Lama.

Tibet has long witnessed booming economic development with social harmony and stability and cultural traditions protected and promoted. People of all ethnic groups in Tibet enjoy the freedom of religious belief, and the freedom to use and develop their ethnic languages. Other rights and freedoms are also fully protected.

The 14th Dalai Lama is a political exile disguised as a religious figure who has long engaged in anti-China separatist activities. We urge the US side to fully understand the importance and highly sensitive nature of Tibet-related issues, seriously respect the core interests of China, understand the anti-China and separatist nature of the Dalai clique, abide by US commitments on Tibet-related issues, refrain from all forms of contact with Dalai and stop sending wrong signals to the world.

The Indian side also needs to fully understand the anti-China and separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama. It needs to abide by its commitments to China on Tibet-related issues, act and speak with prudence and stop using Tibet-related issues to interfere in Chinas internal affairs.

Reuters: The US on Wednesday imposed sanctions on a network of Chinese, Emirati and other companies that it accused of helping to deliver and sell Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products to East Asia. Can you comment on this?

Zhao Lijian: China has always been firmly opposed to illegal and unjustifiable unilateral sanctions and so-called long-arm jurisdiction by the US. We urge the US side to abandon the wrong practice of resorting to sanctions at every turn and contribute positively to negotiations on resuming compliance with the JCPOA. The international community, including China, has conducted normal cooperation with Iran within the framework of international law. This is reasonable and lawful without harm done to any third party, and deserves to be respected and protected.

Phoenix TV: Today marks the 85th anniversary of the Lugou Bridge (Marco Polo Bridge) Incident on July 7, 1937, do you have anything to say on this?

Zhao Lijian: On July 7, 1937, Japanese militarism created the so-called Lugou Bridge (Marco Polo Bridge) Incident to launch full-scale invasion of China. After bloody battles and unyielding fight, the Chinese people defeated the heinous Japanese militarists and won the great victory of the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. The CPC was the pillar in achieving this great victory. The victory was also an important part of the World Anti-Fascist War. It was a victory for the Chinese people and for people of the world.

China believes that to grow China-Japan relations, it is important to see history as a mirror and look ahead to the future. We hope the Japanese side will own up to and reflect upon its history of aggression, draw profound lessons and adhere to the path of peaceful development with concrete actions.
The Houston County Commission is expected to reconsider how the remaining funds from its COVID relief appropriation will be used when it convenes its regular meeting Monday.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs distributed federal COVID relief funds, allocating $400,000 to Houston County for expenditures related to COVID mitigation. The county commission spent the bulk of the appropriation on the purchase of mobile health units, leaving about $114,000 to be spent by the end of 2022.

The commission had requested bids on construction of a 4,000 square-foot, climate-controlled building to be used in its role as a distributor of federal equipment and supplies for an 11-county area. The lowest bid received was more than $518,000. In Thursdays administration meeting, commissioners voted to put the item on Mondays regular meeting agenda and are expected to reject bids and reconsider uses for the remaining COVID relief funds.

Other action expected Monday includes:

Appointing commission chairman-elect Brandon Shoupe as representative for the 2022-2023 ACCA Legislative Committee

Establishing of county levies for new ABC license types

Considering the approval of a corrective replat of lots 6 & 7, Block B and lots 9-14, Block C of the First Addition to Pine Hills Estates Subdivision with certain exception to subdivision regulations, requested by the county Road and Bridge department.

Considering approval of a preliminary plat for Mockingbird Hill Subdivision, requested by the county Road and Bridge department.
A Grab driver uses his phone while waiting for customers in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo courtesy of the company

Grab has become the first ride-hailing firm in Vietnam to announce a new surcharge on its motorbike services starting Thursday.

The surcharges are VND5,000 (20 U.S. cents) for each GrabBike trip and GrabFood order in some localities including HCMC, Hanoi, Hai Phong, Da Nang and Can Tho.

GrabExpress services in HCMC and Hanoi will attract a surcharge of VND3,000 for each delivery.

The surcharge will be applied "during extremely hot weather", Grab said on its website without disclosing further details.

The Singapore-based ride hailing firm is the first to roll out surcharges for hot weather conditions. Earlier, a surcharge of VND10,000-15,000 has been applied for late nights and the Lunar New Year holiday.

In early March this year, Grab had raised all fares by VND500-2,500 to aid drivers coping with surging gasoline prices.
Chinese media reports that Xiaomi has started producing smartphones in Vietnam have set off debates including expressions of disappointment and excitement in China.

Xiaomis devices are made in Vietnam by DBG Technology, a subsidiary of Hong Kong's DBG Electronics Investment Limited, at an $80-million factory in the northern province of Thai Nguyen, Chinese media company Sina reported Tuesday.

Soon after, "Xiaomi makes smartphones in Vietnam" became a top search phrase in China with around one million searches, and the topic has also triggered much debate in the country.

"We have lost the assembly lines of Apple, Samsung and now Xiaomi. Even a domestic brand is now looking forward to moving abroad. Such a shame," commented Wu Gusu.

"When a factory is built, it employs locals, improves infrastructure and raises living standards. Vietnam and India are taking our opportunities and it is a matter of time before they can master the latest technologies," Xu Shilin wrote.

Vietnam is one of the largest beneficiaries of factories leaving China as it facilitates manufacturers access to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) trade bloc and preferential trade pacts with countries throughout Asia and the EU as well as the U.S., Nikkei Asia reported last week.

But it also warned that the countrys rapid growth had reached a bottleneck with diminishing land and labor cost advantages.

So far, Vietnamese factories are still mainly engaged in low-end assembly and more than half of orders to the country come from China, it added.

Without disclosing specifics, Xiaomi said its Vietnam factory only produces certain models, but analysts have named some budget smartphones including the Redmi 10A and Redmi Note 11.

In the future, the Thai Nguyen plant may also manufacture Xiaomis headphones and smartwatches, they added.

Meanwhile, some Chinese citizens have also remarked that expanding to Vietnam is a good sign.

"It is absurd that many are criticizing Xiaomi. [...] Our brand is growing to the global scale, and building a factory in Vietnam is Xiaomis stepping stone to compete with Apple and Samsung," commented Xishan Xuncha.

"Xiaomi has flooded [Vietnams] market with its products for the past two years. I saw many Vietnamese using its devices, so I support the companys move to open a new factory there", said Wang San, adding that the Chinese brand can take advantage of Vietnams cheap labor.

On Monday afternoon, a Xiaomi representative confirmed the move with news site Red Star Capital Bureau, saying that it aims to "produce devices for Vietnam and some Southeast Asian countries.

"Not all of our factories have moved there," the representative said.

The Covid pandemic has affected Xiaomis logistics and supply to the region, so expanding production to Vietnam will reduce costs and improve supply proficiency, the rep added.

Xiaomi is the second largest smartphone producer in Vietnam, according to a first quarter report by analyst Canalys. Counterpoint Research said it accounted for 20.6 percent of smartphone sales in Vietnam in the first three months.
A man walks past floodwaters inundating a residential area, following heavy rains and severe flooding in the McGraths Hill suburb of Sydney, Australia, July 6, 2022. Photo by Reuters/Loren Elliott

Sydney's suburbs, where many Vietnamese live, are experiencing their fourth major flood in 18 months, which have turned streets into rivers and caused widespread damage and disruption.

The Australian state of New South Wales has been battered by torrential rains in recent days due to an intense low-pressure system off the country's east coast.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that heavy rains will continue to fall in parts of the state over the next few days, worsening the flooding.

Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, the country's most populous state, received an average of 733 mm of rain in just the first four days of July, or higher than London's yearly average of 615 mm, U.K. state broadcaster BBC reported.

Following Sydney's fourth major flooding in the last 18 months, many residents have been forced to evacuate as water engulfed houses and submerged cars and roads.

Liam Nguyen, a Vietnamese who has been living in Australia for 10 years and working as a mechanic in Sydney, said: "The rising level in the George River has significantly impacted the districts of Cabramatta, Fairfield, Canley Vale, and Liverpool, where many Vietnamese people live.

"Vietnamese have been on high alert following a series of floods since last year, evacuating as soon as the authorities sound the emergency siren."

He said the number of stalled cars brought to auto repair shops in the Vietnamese neighborhood had increased dramatically in the last few days ad floodwaters engulfed many roads.

State Emergency Service (SES) personnel prepare to deploy as floodwaters submerge residential areas following heavy rains in the Windsor suburb of Sydney, Australia, July 5, 2022. Photo by Reuters/Loren Elliott

The State Emergency Service (SES) is constantly dispatching lifeboats to rescue people in an area that has grown "familiar" with the sight of the river overflowing its banks during the rainy season, he added.

Sean Kearns, an SES official, said more than 60 evacuation orders and warnings have been issued in the last few days, primarily in Sydney's northern and western areas.

Imogen Saoirse, a Vietnamese-Australian living in Cabramatta, said the local government began issuing specific warnings about roads at risk of flooding following heavy downpours on the afternoon of July 4, enabling her to plan a better way to travel home from work.

She said it usually takes her around 40 minutes to get from Redfern, a suburb near Sydney's core urban area, to Cabramatta. But that day Henry Lawson Drive was closed due to flooding and she had to drive for an hour and a half to get home despite leaving before rush hour.

"I shudder to think how miserable and inconvenient it would have been for those stuck in traffic at 4-5 p.m."

Last night the Cabramatta community channel advised residents to avoid the Hume and Cumberland highway intersection because roads in the area were "severely flooded."

With the Nepean River overflowing, Camden, about 40 minutes away from her house, was the most severely flooded, she said.

Her father, who lives in Camden, has been stuck for four days and is sheltering at the Thien Lam Temple in a nearby Vietnamese community.

The widespread flooding that hit Australia's east coast this year could be attributed to the La Nina weather pattern.

According to Jane Golding of the Bureau of Meteorology, some areas in the Sydney metropolitan area have received rainfall equivalent to the average for the entire month of July in recent years.

Thanh An, a Vietnamese man who has been living in Australia for nine years, said: "The recent torrential downpours lasted longer than usual but thankfully it was not accompanied by strong winds like the storm in February."

The storm in late February also lasted days and dumped 1,000 mm of rain in parts of Queensland and New South Wales, flooding many rivers.

It forced many businesses to close down because employees were stuck in the suburbs and could not get to work.

Liam Nguyen said the constant flooding reduced the availability of green vegetables in markets and supermarkets, causing food prices to rise and making people's lives more difficult.

"The flood occurred during a period of great volatility, from rising gasoline prices to high raw material prices. We have no idea what tomorrow will bring."
Four arrested with 32 kg drugs on way to HCMC

32 kg of drugs are seized from police in Binh Phuoc Province, July 5, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Van Tram

Four people including a Cambodian national were arrested as they drove a car with 32 kg of drugs towards HCMC, Binh Phuoc Province police said Thursday.

They will be investigated for drug trafficking.

Police officers in the southern province, nearly three hours drive from HCMC, said they had been watching the group for a while. On Tuesday, the car was proceeding from Binh Long Town towards HCMC when they were stopped and questioned. They told the police that they were carrying three cans of honey to HCMC.

However, when police searched the car, they found 16 kg of meth, 10 kg of ketamine and 5 kg of heroin. Another search at the house the men were staying in revealed two guns, five bullets and a kilogram of drugs.

Vietnam has some of the world's toughest drug laws.

Those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kilograms of meth face death penalty.
The Vietnamese aviation industry is struggling to restore pre-pandemic frequency of international flights to key tourism markets as several retain tough entry policies, officials says.

Dinh Viet Thang, head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, said at a Tuesday conference that the industry has seen positive signs in the first half of this year after most Covid restrictions were lifted.

However, the frequency of international routes to key tourism markets such as China and South Korea remains limited as these countries still impose strict entry Covid restrictions, Thang said.

China, which accounted for 32 percent of total foreign arrivals before the pandemic, has persisted with its zero-Covid policy; therefore, regular flights between the two countries are only allowed to operate at a frequency of two a week.

Complicated entry regulations in South Korea have also limited the frequency of flights from Vietnam to the Northeast Asian country.

"By this year-end, the aviation industry plans to resume full frequency on routes to Taiwan, Japan and South Korea while those between Vietnam and China should recover to around 30 percent of pre-pandemic levels," Thang said.

According to a CAAV report, Vietnam has resumed flights to and from 22 countries and territories out of the 28 it had operated during pre-pandemic times.

Le Hong Ha, CEO of Vietnam Airlines, told VnExpress International the national flag carrier has resumed 35 international routes to 15 countries and territories, equivalent to 53 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

It has not yet resumed flights to China and Myanmar while regular flights to Russia remain suspended due to the war against Ukraine.

Ha said the recovery of the international market is really important to the national carrier, as regular international routes accounted for 65 percent of its revenue before the pandemic.

"The carrier hopes to restore the entire international flight network to pre-pandemic level by the end of next year, depending on countries' reopening policy," he added.

Aviation officials expect the number of international passengers going through Vietnamese airports this year to reach 10 million, or around 24 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

On March 15 the government allowed quarantine-free entry and resumed its visa waiver for citizens of 24 countries, including Japan, South Korea and some European ones.

It has removed most entry restrictions like medical declaration and Covid tests.
A British family pose for a photo during their trip to the Mekong Delta, Vietnam March 2022. Photo by Huynh Duy Hien

Vietnam agreed to join other members of ASEAN in efforts to return tourist numbers to pre-pandemic levels and called on them to completely lift Covid-19 restrictions to foster recovery.

Ha Van Sieu, deputy head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, said at an online regional tourism conference on Wednesday that ASEAN countries have gradually reopened their borders to foreign tourists in recent months but some Covid restrictions remain.

He hoped they would consider the removal of all entry restrictions to restore intra-regional tourism links.

Indonesia, Cambodia and Singapore still require foreign tourists to produce vaccination certificates.

Though Thailand has lifted most Covid restrictions, visitors still need to furnish a vaccine certificate or negative Covid test result.

Vietnam only has travel insurance requirement and targets getting five million tourists this year, 30 percent of the number in 2019 before the pandemic broke out.
Wastewater from the two gold mines flow into Nuoc Mat Stream in Phuoc Loc Commune.

Commune Chairman Luu Huyen Thoai told VnExpress last week that authorities are not aware of the situation and will inspect later.

Le Quang Trung, chairman of Phuoc Son District, said there is no unit or individual that is allowed to extract gold at the two sites.

On Tuesday, the districts Department of Natural Resources and Environment collaborated with local police to take down camps and seize machinery from miners, but many people are of the idea that the measures are not strong enough as no miners have been arrested and charged.

A representative of the department said illegal gold mining has continued despite frequent crackdowns by local authorities.

The reason is that gold bandits often choose deep forests that are hard for functional forces to approach, facilitating their escape.
No democracy is complete without the participation of all its people. Therefore, those states that seek to strengthen their democracies should strive to ensure opportunity for everyoneand that must includes advancing the participation of women and girls. Today, because the internet is a critical tool of participation in a wide range of endeavors, those working toward gender equality must address the scourge of on-line harassment and abuse targeting girls and women.



Online gender-based harassment is the targeted abuse via technology, against people, in most cases women and the LGBTQI+ community, based on their gender. It is a barrier to ensuring women and girls are able to reach their full potential.



It consists of various acts, such as misogynistic or unwanted sexual remarks, threats, cyber-flashing, malicious sharing of intimate messages and photos, even cyberstalking, which are amplified or enabled by social-media and technology platforms. These actions are intended to control, attack, and silence women and girls, to discourage and reduce their participation in public life. Women politicians, activists, and journalists are prime targets.



Online harassment and abuse go back to the dawn of the internet age. They are rooted in entrenched gender disparities and have increased over time, facilitated by new and emerging technologies. And they are a serious threat to womens advancement because they have a chilling effect on their targets. They function as a barrier to the full and meaningful participation of women and girls in political, public and private life, and can lead to self-censorship, even disengagement altogether.



At the recently-held Summit of the Americas, the Governments of Canada and Chile pledged to join the United States, Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, Republic of South Korea, Sweden, Kenya, and the United Kingdom as members of the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse.



The United States announced the Partnership at the first Summit for Democracy, in the lead up to the second Summit in early 2023. It sends a clear signal that the international community is committed to improving the response to technology-facilitated gender-based violence and promote effective prevention strategies.



We cannot afford to lose a diversity of viewpoints or womens voices, perspectives, and leadership, said Director of the White House Gender Policy Council Jennifer Klein, particularly at a time when democracy cannot be taken for granted, with the brave women and men of Ukraine fighting to preserve theirs.








On 6 July, 2022, the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone donated a batch of books and equipment to the library of Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone (USL). Charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy Li Xiaoyong, Vice Chancellor and Principal of USL Foday Sahr, Deputy Vice Chancellor and Principal of Fourah Bay College Joseph Kamara, as well as officials from the USL and Chinese Embassy attended the handing over ceremony.

Mr. Li Xiaoyong said that USL is a very good witness of China and Sierra Leonestime-honored friendship, especially in educational and cultural sectors. For example, in the past years China has sponsored more than 1000 Sierra Leonean students to study in China and invited more than 5100 Sierra Leonean friends from all walks of life to China for short-term training courses or exchanges. Mr. Li stressed that he believes the USL students benefited from the above mentioned programs would serve as goodwill ambassadors between China and Sierra Leone.

Professor Sahr expressed his gratitude for Chinas unswerving support to Sierra Leone, especially to USL. He said these books and materials will surely boost the capacity building of the students and teachers of USL.

The books include three volumes of President Xi Jinpings books: the Governance of China, the Concise History of the Communist Party of China (CPC), How the CPC Exercises the Rule by Law, Motive Force of Transformation, etc.










ELKO  A Carlin man was booked Wednesday on a charge of sexually assaulting a child more than a year ago.

Andrew J. Hockenberry, 27, was a resident of Elko when the crime was alleged to have occurred. The Elko Police Department began investigating the report on May 9, 2022.

According to a detectives unsworn declaration in support of a criminal complaint, an 11-year-old girl said she was at Hockenberrys residence in Elko when he served her orange juice with alcohol and then had sexual intercourse with her, sometime in the summer of 2021.

Hockenberry faces one count of sexual assault against a child younger than 14, or in the alternate, lewdness with a child under 14.

He was already in jail after being arrested on May 6 for failure to appear in court on a traffic citation and violating an extended order for protection against domestic violence. According to jail records, called a woman 29 times over a two-day period, asking her to bail him out of jail.

He was also booked May 12 on two counts of domestic battery.

According to jail records, Hockenberry was also arrested on parole violations in September 2019, in January 2020, and again in September 2021.

He was arrested in April 2017 following a fight at the jail. Another inmate reportedly called him a cho-mo (child molester) and Hockenberry beat him. He pleaded guilty to one count of attempted battery by a prisoner and was sentenced by District Judge Al Kacin in August 2017 to 32 months in prison, with credit for 133 days served.

He earlier pleaded guilty to one count of theft and was given a suspended sentenced in March 2017 and ordered to pay $3,588 restitution to the victim.

He was also sentenced to up to six years in prison on a burglary charge in 2016 by District Judge Nancy Porter.

Bail on the current child-sex charge is listed at $500,000.
ELKO  For the third consecutive year, the Silver State Stampede will be seen by a worldly audience.

The 2022 action of the oldest rodeo in Nevada and the 12th-oldest in the nation  dating back to 1912 when GS Garcia, the world-famous bit, spur and saddle maker decided northern Nevada needed a rodeo  will be broadcast across The Cowboy Channel Plus app.

The broadcasts of the rodeo would not possible without the contributions of several key players in the grand scheme.

In 2016, the Stampede added live video and introduced a replay board which  through a TriCaster  provides event leaders, standings, up-to-the-second results and replays of the previous rides and runs immediately.

The full-color LED video board display cost $14,000, which seemed like a lot of money for a one-time rental, but Stampede committee member Alkie Mariluch said he was told that once you have the rodeo with it, youll never want to go without it.

The Stampede hasnt gone without it since.

The video board itself comes from Walton Scoreboards, Inc., based out of Billings, Montana.

Owner Scott Walton knows a thing or two about running video display boards, serving in the industry for more than 25 years.

Ive been doing this since 1996, but Ive been involved in rodeo all my life. I got married in 1995 and was looking for something as a career. I went to work for Copenhagen/Skoal Pro Rodeo, Walton said. I worked for them until 2010, but they sold out and the new company did not want to be in the video business anymore.

For the past 12 years, Walton has been his own boss  wanting to continue in the video business and working around the rodeo industry, creating Walton Scoreboards.

But, Walton would be up creek without a paddle if it were not for the videography of Andrew Jones Backslash Media, combining days of setup with talent and communication for a top-notch production  seen both by the fans witnessing the action live and those who view it across the globe.

Video without audio is a bore; video with bad audio may be even worse.

Luckily, neither is the case thanks to Atkinson Sound  which was started in 1980 by Hoyt Atkinson.

Starting with simple DJ systems for local dances, Atkinson Sound has grown from what Larry Holt started in 1924 to become one of the Wests most preferred audio and video companies  brought in last minute to do the sound for the 2020 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, at Globe Life Field, in Arlington, Texas, after the PRCA moved the event following Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolaks COVID-19 mandates and restrictions on gatherings.

The Friday and Saturday performances of the Silver State Stampede will take place at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, concluding with a 5 p.m. Sunday matinee at Elko County Fairgrounds.

For those unable to view the rodeo in-person, watch the action through the Cowboy Channel Plus app.
ELKO  A tour of Elko Regional Airport and an update on the communitys broadband progress concluded Sen. Jacky Rosens tour of rural Nevada on Wednesday.

Rosen, D-Nev., met with Mayor Reece Keener and Airport Manager Jim Foster at the Elko Regional Airport before attending a roundtable discussion on Elkos broadband efforts at Great Basin College.

I wanted to thank everybody for being here ... for caring about building your community, helping it to thrive and grow, Rosen told 14 community leaders and stakeholders from local entities and organizations including GBC, Anthem Broadband, Elko County School District, and Nevada Gold Mines.

Rosen credited federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that she co-wrote with other legislators for bringing more than $1 million in airport infrastructure funding.

The stakeholders also learned about the Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure program that Rosen is leading, which is currently accepting applications from public entities and nonprofits. It is also part of the Infrastructure Law.

The Middle Mile is resilient, redundant and scalable, she said, adding that there were geographical challenges that differed between Nevada and other states in the nation.

Three years ago, Rosen attended a meeting of the Broadband Action Committee that was launched to find solutions to the Elko areas problems with internet service. Recalling her two previous visits to the area, Rosen said she saw the results of those efforts with two fiber internet providers serving the community.

The good news is that youve gone from being some of the least accessible and hardest to get broadband [communities in the nation] to being in the top ten of easiest access pretty soon, she said. You have a few companies here. Theyre going to be bringing broadband out to everyone. Not just any broadband. Really good, strong, usable broadband.

Keener said Elko has improved from once being named one of the ten worst markets for internet and will soon be named one of the best. He credited Nevada Gold Mines for securing a $50 million guarantee to bring Anthem Broadband to the area.

Its a loan that Anthem will be paying back, Keener said. But it will go into community endowment. Its really a tremendous, remarkable gift to the community.

Jacob Larsen, CEO of Anthem Broadband, said they have run conduit to 6,000 locations and were on track to be installing about 500 a month by the end of this month. Its really taking off.

Over the past several months, Anthem Broadband and CC Communications have laid fiber optic cable, connecting homes and businesses throughout Elko and Spring Creek. However, stakeholders remembered the lack of broadband in the community, telling Rosen multiple stories of how the pandemic revealed the insufficiency of internet connectivity.

The pandemic highlighted a lot for Great Basin College in terms of seeing our students in parking lots during that time trying to get access to the internet because we had to move more of our programs online, said Vice President of Student and Academic Affairs Jake Rivera. That was a challenge for our students and for the Elko community. Some of that we know will change over time, but I still have concerns as we grow as a distance learning institution.

Rosen said the upgrade in broadband services would go hand-in-hand with tourism and strengthen education, healthcare and the local economy.

Its really going to make a difference for people to be able to have healthcare and all of our businesses to be able to attract families to come here, to work here, to build their businesses here, she said.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, Rosen toured the Regional Airport with Foster and Keener. Foster described upcoming plans for $1 million in federal funding dedicated toward airport infrastructure.

Rosen explained through her involvement as the chair of the subcommittee for tourism, she understood the need to develop the airport infrastructure in Elko to showcase these beautiful Ruby Mountains. All this wonderful outdoor tourism that we have.

Its great to have an airport to bring folks in. Of course, they can always drive here, but it just increases our potential to bring small conventions, rodeos here, the Cowboy Poetry. We just want to continue to grow, Rosen said.

Rosen said funding from the Infrastructure Law and American Rescue Plan is going right to where you need it, and to grow whats best here for the Elko community.
At the reception (Photo: CPV)

On July 6, Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son received Danish Ambassador Kim Hjlund Christensen who came to say farewell on the occasion of the end of his term in Vietnam.

At the meeting, Minister Bui Thanh Son congratulated Ambassador Christensen on successfully completing his term of office in Vietnam and highly appreciated the active role and effective contribution of the Ambassador personally to the development of the Vietnam - Denmark comprehensive partnership.

In the field of politics-diplomacy, even in the context of the pandemic, the two countries have maintained contact between senior leaders, exchange delegations and contacts at all levels. In terms of economics, Denmark is the third largest European investor of Vietnam in 2022 and an important trade partner of Vietnam among EU members, with two-way trade growing positively to 588 million USD in 2021.

Denmark is one of the first EU countries to approve the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA)

Minister Bui Thanh Son suggested the two sides continue to closely coordinate to exploit the maximum potential of cooperation in areas where Denmark has strengths and Vietnam has needs, especially in the field of strategic partnership on climate change, environment and green growth, as well as expanding cooperation in education - training, high-tech agriculture and people-to-people exchanges.

For his part, Ambassador Christensen thanked Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son for taking the time to receive him, and expressed his impression of the positive development of the two countries' relations. The Ambassador showed his gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ministries, branches and localities for supporting the activities of the Embassy and the Ambassador personally during his working term in Vietnam.

The Ambassador affirmed that he will always have good feelings for Vietnam, fostering the growing friendship between the two peoples of Vietnam and Denmark./.
Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh (R) receives the delegation from Ha Tinh. (Photo: NDO)

He delivered the information while being received by Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh on July 5, during his working visit to Laos.

During the reception, Mr. Hai informed about some outstanding achievements in various fields of Ha Tinh over the past time, in which he emphasized that in the first 6 months of 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic was under control; the province's socio-economic development continued to advance and achieve positive results; and budget revenue was estimated at nearly VND11 trillion, up 35% over the same period last year.

Ha Tinh is currently a locality with a large number of Lao students, currently at 1,100 Lao students. Every year, the province deducts more than VND6 billion from the budget to support scholarships for Lao students.

He noted that in the coming time, Ha Tinh will continue to promote cooperation to deepen political-diplomatic relations between Ha Tinh and Laos' diplomatic representations in Vietnam, as well as with Lao localities, promoting dissemination on the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos among the people; especially the celebration of the Year of Friendship and Solidarity between Vietnam-Laos and Laos-Vietnam 2022.

Suggesting that Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh direct Lao ministries and branches to continue coordinating with the Vietnamese side to upgrade and invest in traffic routes connecting Lao provinces with Ha Tinh, he added that he wished the Lao Government to create favourable conditions for enterprises in Ha Tinh and Laos to increase exchanges, understanding and cooperation; encouraging Lao logistics enterprises to strengthen cooperation with logistics enterprises in Ha Tinh in transporting and exporting goods.

Expressing his pleasure to welcome Mr. Hai and the delegation from Ha Tinh to visit and work in Laos, Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh thanked Ha Tinh for its sincere and precious affection for Lao people, saying he believed that visit will make an important contribution to strengthening the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, the two States and the peoples.

He congratulated Ha Tinh on the results achieved in socio-economic development as well as in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past time; and highly appreciated the role of Ha Tinh in cooperating and helping Laos' localities in many fields such as training, human resource development, infrastructure development, and pandemic prevention and control./.
Inclusion of nuclear energy, gas in green taxonomy by European Parliament to allow abandoning Russian energy - minister

The adoption by the European Parliament of a decision of the European Commission on the inclusion of nuclear energy and gas in the green taxonomy will strengthen the energy security of Europe and allow the EU countries to abandon Russian energy sources, Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Haluschenko said on his Facebook page on Wednesday.

"I am sincerely grateful to the European Commission and personally to the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, for the decisiveness and effective support of Ukraine on the path to energy independence," the minister wrote.

According to him, in the conditions of Russia's war not only against Ukraine, but also against the entire civilized world, solutions are needed that will facilitate the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources and allow us to free ourselves from the influence of the aggressor country.

"The continued use of nuclear power of certain European countries will significantly reduce dependence on Russian energy resources," Haluschenko said.

In turn, for Ukraine, the recognition of nuclear energy as green will open up the possibility of more extensive investment in the construction of new power units using innovative technologies.

"This means that the Ukrainian energy sector will become more carbon-neutral, and thanks to an increase in exports to Europe, we will help decarbonize the European energy mix," the head of the relevant ministry stressed.

He also expressed confidence that the recognition of gas as a transitional fuel from fossil energy to renewable energy sources is an equally important factor in strengthening the energy security of the European continent.

"Investments in the Ukrainian gas transmission system, which today is mainly focused on the transit of gas from Russia, will help develop the gas infrastructure for supplies from other regions," Haluschenko concluded.

He recalled that Ukraine has significant gas reserves both on land and on the Black Sea shelf.

"And one more aspect is the development of infrastructure for LNG. The construction of LNG terminals will contribute to the diversification of gas supplies both to Ukraine and to European countries," the minister added.

The development of infrastructure for gas storage will increase the reliability of gas supply during peak periods, such as the heating season, and reduce price fluctuations in the market, which have recently been caused by the aggressive policy of the Kremlin, Haluschenko concluded.
Dynamic Dunes On Mars ESA

At first glance this captivating scene peering through wispy clouds and down onto a dune field is reminiscent of a satellite view of one of Earths deserts, but this is in fact a beautiful landscape on Mars.

This spectacular dune field sits in the centre of Lomonosov crater, deep in the southern hemisphere of Mars (65S, 351E). It was imaged by the CaSSIS camera on the ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) on 2 December, 2020.

At this time, southern summer was coming to an end on Mars. The image was taken as part of a campaign to track the evolution of the dune field through the end of summer and beginning of autumn, when frost would start covering the surface in this region. The crests of the dunes indicate the average wind direction, in this case, the wind comes predominantly from the bottom left to the top right of the image. To the right, darker, more basaltic rich sediments are visible. It is also in the right of the image that bright white clouds stand out against the darker sediments on the ground.

The image was released on the occasion of the five year launch anniversary of the mission.

The first five years

TGO launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 14 March 2016, arriving at Mars seven months later. It spent several months aerobraking  using the top of the planets atmosphere to create drag and slow down  to became the first ESA spacecraft used to enter its science orbit in this way.

The mission began full science operations in April 2018 with its suite of four instruments. TGOs NOMAD and ACS spectrometers are designed to provide the best ever inventory of the planets atmospheric gases yet, and have already detected a new gas  hydrogen chloride  for the first time, as well as studying processes linked to atmospheric water escape in greater detail than ever. TGO is also adding to the lively debate surrounding the presence of methane on the planet by revealing a surprising lack of the mysterious gas. The FREND instrument is mapping the distribution of hydrogen in the uppermost metre of the planets surface, creating a detailed map of possible water-rich oases, relevant for future exploration of Mars. The CaSSIS camera has captured more than 20 000 images documenting the surface and complementing the data returned by the other instruments to help characterise features that may be related to trace gas sources.

TGO also provides routine data relay for NASAs landers and rovers: Opportunity (until its end of operations in 2018), Curiosity, Insight and Perseverance. It will also be the communication link for the second ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars mission, comprising the Rosalind Franklin rover and Kazachok platform, when it arrives on Mars in 2023.

Credits: ESA/Roscosmos/CaSSIS, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO larger image
PJSC ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih (Dnipropetrovsk region) warns Ukraine's government about the threat of a shutdown due to a 70% increase in railway tariffs.

As reported in a letter from the company to First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko, the text of which is at the disposal of Interfax-Ukraine, due to the increase in railway tariffs by 70%, the functioning of the enterprise was under threat.

At the same time, it is noted that after the commissioning of blast furnace No. 6, converter and rolling shops in April-June of this year, the enterprise began to export cast iron and unprecedented volumes of iron ore concentrate. As a result, about 650,000 tonnes of products were sold in June, including 200,000 tonnes of metal products and 450,000 tonnes of iron ore concentrate.

"We had to make a number of difficult decisions in order to balance the issue of the physical safety of workers and our desire to increase export volumes, which provide foreign exchange earnings to the economy and the survival of our enterprise," the letter, dated July 5 this year, states.

However, due to the decision of the Ministry of Infrastructure to increase railway tariffs from July 1, 2022, as well as the continued blocking of Black Sea ports, logistics costs increased by 400%. At the same time, prices for metal products on world markets fell by more than $300/tonne, and for iron ore concentrate by more than $40/tonne.

The letter states that an increase in transportation costs, together with a decrease in the cost of mining and metallurgical products on international markets, can lead to a complete halt in production.

"We see this increase in railway tariffs as a significant threat to the operation of our enterprise, our ability to function, provide jobs and replenish state and local budgets," the plant's letter says. Its administration is urging the government to find a balanced solution.

Earlier, Metinvest Group announced the suspension or reduction of production at mining and metal enterprises.

ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih is the largest producer of rolled steel in Ukraine. It specializes in production of long products, in particular rebar and wire rod.
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion into Ukraine, more than 3,400 enterprises have stopped their activities in Luhansk region, including 479 industrial ones, head of Luhansk regional military administration Serhiy Haidai says.

"Since 2014, the enemy has not made any efforts to develop the territories of Luhansk region under its control. Probably, that is why everything that has been working, building, or creating in the territories controlled by the Ukrainian authorities over the past eight years has been destroyed with such fury. More than 3,400 enterprises, including 479 industrial ones, stopped their activity," Haidai wrote on Telegram on Thursday.

He noted that the property complexes of these enterprises are located in the occupied territories, they "received significant damage, economic losses amount to billions of hryvnias."

"Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated March 20, 2022 No. 326 approved the procedure for determining the harm and damage caused to Ukraine as a result of Russia's armed aggression. This procedure defines 22 main areas in which damage will be assessed, and an approximate list of indicators for them," the head of the regional military administration noted.

According to him, by October of this year, the central authorities should approve detailed assessment methods for each of the areas.

At the same time, Haidai specified that 330 business representatives from Luhansk region had already provided information about the damage from the Russian occupiers.

"We continue to collect information about the harm and damage caused to the business of Luhansk region as a result of Russian aggression. The enemy will be responsible for the destruction of our infrastructure separately. Already today, the authorities are carrying out preparatory work to consider Russia's crimes in international courts. Some 330 entrepreneurs have already provided us with all the information necessary to protect their rights," Haidai stressed.

He added that information on the damage caused to state, municipal and private business entities of Luhansk region must be provided in an online form, which is available at the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1xEiSCVS_ffCHgOnyduY19pTQ19PXcWQLWg6HCAmbBbA/edit.

In addition, following numerous requests from entrepreneurs, a questionnaire on damage caused to industrial or commercial buildings has also been prepared, which is available at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1COjRLe58G2k_oStmNklNg1nG5-R-3tRH6Pmct_1qCk4/edit.
As result of Russian aggression in Ukraine, some 347 children killed, almost 1,000 wounded  PGO

As a result of Russian aggression in Ukraine, some 347 children were killed and almost 1,000 were wounded, the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) has said.

"As of the morning of July 7, 2022, over 993 children suffered in Ukraine as a result of the Russian full-scale armed aggression. According to official information from juvenile prosecutors, some 347 children were killed and more than 646 were wounded," the PGO said in the statement.

It is noted that the figures are not final, since work is underway to establish them in places of active hostilities, in temporarily occupied and liberated territories.

At the same time, children suffered the most  347 in Donetsk region, while 186 in Kharkiv; some 116 in Kyiv; some 68 in Chernihiv; some 61 in Luhansk; some 53 in Mykolaiv; some 52 in Kherson; some 31 in Zaporizhia regions.

It is also reported that on Wednesday, July 6, Russian troops shelled Toretsk, Donetsk region, and Skadovsk, Kherson region. In Toretsk, a 17-year-old girl was found under the rubble of one of the destroyed houses; in Skadovsk, one child was wounded.

In addition, due to the bombing and shelling by the Russian armed forces, some 2,108 educational institutions were damaged, of which 215 were completely destroyed.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky noted the successful work of the Western artillery at the frontline.

"Western artillery is finally working powerfully. Weapons that we received from our partners. Its accuracy is exactly as it should be," he said in a video statement on Wednesday evening, July 6.

"Our defenders are inflicting tangible blows on warehouses and other points that are important for the logistics of the occupiers. This significantly reduces the offensive potential of the Russian army. The losses of the occupiers will only grow every week," the president said.

"We are fighting for our entire south, for the entire Ukrainian Donbas  there is now the cruelest confrontation, near Sloviansk and Bakhmut. We are fighting for Kharkiv region. Let the occupiers not think that their time on this land is long, and the advantage of their artillery is eternal," Zelensky said.

According to him, "today the general public became aware that in the south of our country, in the occupied areas, access to social networks, instant messengers and YouTube was closed. Russian forces have blocked any opportunity for people to know the truth about what is happening and about our potential, which we are gradually increasing."

"Ukrainian forces are now advancing in several tactical directions, including in the south  in Kherson region, in Zaporizhia region. We will not give up our land  the entire sovereign territory of Ukraine will be Ukrainian. People should know about this," the president said.

He appealed to those who have the opportunity to speak with people in the south of our state - Kherson, Henichesk, Berdiansk, Melitopol and other cities and villages, to spread the truth there.

"Use every opportunity to tell people in the occupied areas that we remember them and fight for them," Zelensky said.
Over the past 24 hours, Russian occupation forces launched missile attacks on Kharkiv and fired at settlements in the region, which led to new casualties among the civilian population, Head of the regional military administration Oleh Synehubov has said.

"Two civilians killed in Kharkiv and Kharkiv region, one man from Derhachi merged territorial community was hospitalized," Synehubov said in his Telegram channel.

He said that on the night of July 7, the invaders again launched missile attacks on Kharkiv. In particular, at about 01.00, two missiles hit near a boarding school for visually impaired children in Nemyshliansky district. Preliminarily, there were no casualties as a result of night shelling.

On the territory of the region, the settlements of Chuhuiv, Izium, Kharkiv and Bohodukhiv districts were subjected to enemy shelling.

"The occupiers continue to purposefully destroy civilian facilities in Kharkiv region, people's houses, outbuildings. Because of the shelling, forest belts, fields with agrarian crops are burning, hay stocks are being destroyed. In the village of Kalynove, Zolochiv merged territorial community, the occupiers destroyed a snail farm, there was a large-scale fire, which was liquidated rescuers," Synehubov said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is disappointed that the Russian ship Zhibek Zholy, carrying Ukrainian grain stolen by Russian invaders, was released from the Turkish port of Karasu, due to which the Turkish ambassador in Kyiv was summoned to the Ukrainian diplomatic mission.

"The Foreign Ministry and Ukraine's international partners condemn the criminal actions of Russia to steal and export grain from Ukrainian territory to foreign countries. A particularly egregious case was the Russian ship Zhibek Zholy, which tried to transport stolen grain from occupied Berdiansk to the Turkish port of Karasu," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said in a statement published on Thursday.

It clarifies that due to the prompt intervention of the relevant authorities of Ukraine, this ship was unable to unload the stolen goods and was detained. A request was sent to the Turkish side to arrest the ship and cargo.

"At the same time, ignoring the appeal of the Ukrainian side, the vessel was released on the evening of July 6," the diplomatic department said.

According to the MFA, the Ukrainian side "received this information with deep disappointment and appeals to the Turkish side with an urgent request to investigate this situation and provide an exhaustive response to the requests of the relevant authorities of Ukraine, as well as to prevent similar cases in the future by all means."

"Due to the unacceptable situation that has developed, the Turkish Ambassador to Kyiv has been summoned to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry," the Foreign Ministry said.
Civilian casualties from February 24, when Russia started the war against Ukraine, to 24:00 on July 3 amounted to 11,152 civilians (a week earlier some 10,631), including 4,889 killed (4,731), the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said.

"Most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes," the UN said.

This is the case, for example, in Mariupol (Donetsk region), Izium (Kharkiv region), Lysychansk, Popasna and Severodonetsk (Luhansk region), where numerous civilian deaths or injuries were reported.

According to confirmed UN data, some 1,862 men, 1,264 women, 157 boys and 137 girls killed, while the gender of 41 children and 1,428 adults has not yet been determined.

Among the 6,263 wounded were 193 boys and 138 girls, as well as 190 children whose gender has not yet been determined.

Compared to the previous week, five children were killed and 32 more were wounded.

If earlier the OHCHR report on the number of casualties was published daily, and then only on weekdays, now it has become a weekly one. The latest summary also shows data by month.

According to them, the deadliest month for civilians was March, with a minimum of 3,028 deaths, while in April their number dropped to 660, in May to 453 and in June to 361.

From July 1 to July 3, according to the UN, some 51 people killed, while in the first five days of the war from February 24 to February 28 some 336.

According to the report, in June 353 people died from explosive weapons with a large impact zone and 1,011 were injured, while mines and explosive remnants of war  respectively 8 and 18 (2% of the total losses).

The summary also traditionally states that the increase in figures from the previous summary should not be attributed only to cases in the last week, since during this period the Office verified a number of cases from previous days.
Ukraine International Airlines (UIA, Kyiv) has filed a lawsuit against Iran over the downing of its passenger plane flight PS752, the Iranian service of Radio Liberty reported.

The lawsuit, filed in court in Ontario (Canada), is dated January 2022. It lists Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as two defendants. The lawsuit contains demands for compensation from Iran.

UIA confirmed this information to Interfax-Ukraine.

In January 2022, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Ukraine and Canada agreed on a series of steps to ensure justice in the case of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS 752, which was shot down by Iran.

As reported, the UIA Boeing 737-800 passenger plane, which was supposed to operate flight PS 752 on the Tehran-Kyiv route, was shot down near the Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran immediately after takeoff early in the morning on January 8, 2020. There were 167 passengers and nine crew members onboard. They all died. Among the dead there were 11 citizens of Ukraine (including nine crew members), 82 citizens of Iran, 63 citizens of Canada, 10 citizens of Sweden, four citizens of Afghanistan, three citizens of Germany and three citizens of Great Britain.

On January 11, Iranian authorities admitted that Boeing was shot down by the Iranian military mistakenly. Later, commander of Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Amir Ali Hajizadeh said that took full responsibility for the crash of the Ukrainian plane.

At the end of July, negotiations were held in Kyiv with the Iranian side to pay compensation for the downed UIA plane. On October 20, Ukraine and Iran completed the second round of talks on the downed UIA plane near Tehran.

In February, the media released an audio recording of a man identified by sources as Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif discussing the possibility that the downing of Flight PS 752 was a deliberate act. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Yevhen Enin said that the pretrial investigation bodies and the Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine were examining the audio recording.

According to Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova, Ukrainian prosecutors are doing everything possible to establish the objective truth in the case, actively implementing the instrument for sending requests for international legal assistance. At the same time, the Iranian side did not provide full answers to the Ukrainian requests for international legal assistance, and left the last of them without any response at all. She clarified that three rounds of official Ukrainian-Iranian negotiations have already taken place, but four months later no response has been received from the competent authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In November 2021, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said that the department took into account the information about the start of hearings in the Iranian military court of the case of the downed flight PS752, the first meeting of which was held in Tehran on November 21, noting that Iran did not respond to requests for international legal assistance in this matter.
On Thursday, Russian occupiers launched an air missile attack on the central part of Kramatorsk, as a result of which there are casualties, Mayor of the city Oleksandr Honcharenko has said.

"Air missile attack launched on the central part of Kramatorsk. There are casualties," Honcharenko said on Facebook on Thursday.

According to him, at the moment the consequences of the shelling are being clarified, and rescue services are working.

"Stay in cover, the danger is not over," he said.
As part of the investigation of criminal proceedings against a Russian resident, about UAH 1 million of seized assets were transferred to the benefit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office has said.

According to the prosecutor's office statement on the Telegram channel on Thursday, the assets were seized as part of a case on the fact of possible financing of actions committed with the aim of a forced change and abuse of power, which is being investigated by Podilsky district prosecutor's office based on the materials of the SBU in Kyiv and its region.

"It has been established that officials and owners of an enterprise providing consulting services introduced an illegal financial mechanism for the unreasonable formation of a tax credit, cashing out and withdrawing funds abroad, which in turn harmed the state and economic security of Ukraine," the office said.

The prosecutor's office said that in the course of the investigation, a search was conducted in the office premises of a Russian resident enterprise, documents confirming the latter's illegal activities were seized.

"Based on the results of investigative actions, the bank accounts of the company have been seized. Currently, as part of the investigation, the seized assets in the amount of UAH 1 million have been transferred to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Measures are being taken to turn other property of a resident of Russia in favor of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," the prosecutor's office said.
In light of the ongoing military Russian aggression against Ukraine and the inability to guarantee the safety of foreigners, Ukraine cannot accept the pilgrims who come to Uman every year for Rosh Hashanah. This statement by the Ambassador of Ukraine to Israel, Yevgeny Korniychuk, was published on the Embassy's Facebook page.

Due to concerns for the lives and well-being of the visitors to Ukraine and in light of the blatant Russian war in our country, despite all efforts, we can not guarantee the security of pilgrims and do not currently allow tourists and visitors to enter Ukraine, - the ambassador said.

The head of the diplomatic mission noted that this decision will not be reviewed until the security situation improves and addressed the pilgrims:

Please pray that before Rosh Hashanah, the war in Ukraine, which broke out due to blatant and cruel russian aggression, will come to an end and pray for the victory of Ukraine. We hope that the prayers will be fulfilled, and that Ukraine will once again be a country that generously receives visitors from Israel, and especially Jews who come to Ukraine to visit the graves of the righteous, - the ambassador emphasized.

As it known, about 50,000 pilgrims from Israel and all over the world come to Uman to visit the grave of Rabbi Nachman to celebrate the Jewish New Year in early September.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who on Thursday agreed to resign from the post of head of the British government, promised that the United Kingdom would continue to support Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in their fight against the Russian occupiers.

Johnson in his address to the people of Ukraine said that the UK would continue to support Ukraines war for freedom for as long as necessary.

Earlier, Johnson announced that he had agreed to resign as Prime Minister of Great Britain when the Conservatives select a new leader.
The Verkhovna Rada plans to adopt about 30 bills by the end of this year that will bring Ukrainian legislation closer to European legislation, said Maria Mezentseva, chairman of the subcommittee on approximation of Ukrainian legislation to EU legislation (the Servant of the People faction).

"Together with the office of Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Olha Stefanishyna, we have determined that by the end of the year it is realistic to adopt about 30 European integration bills affiliated with different committees of the parliament. Our committee analyzes them for compliance with our obligations under the Association Agreement, 63% of which we have already been able to fulfill," the press service of the Servant of the People quoted Mezentseva as saying.

According to her, the Rada continues to adopt important European integration bills  on combating violence, on waste management and a number of others. And at each session of the parliament, deputies will consider legislative initiatives that bring Ukrainian legislation closer to European legislation.

"The European Integration Committee works every week, sometimes we meet twice a week, because more than 95% of legislative initiatives of the Ukrainian parliament pass through us. The Verkhovna Rada will not stop in its work, and every agenda will have European integration bills," the parliamentarian assured.
Some 89% teachers, 82% students and parents consider Ukrainian their native language  poll

Some 89% of teachers and 82% of students and parents consider Ukrainian their native language, according to a survey conducted by the State Service for Education Quality Assessment.

In particular, 82% of parents, 89% of teachers, and 82% of students consider Ukrainian their native language.

Some 94% of teachers hold lessons exclusively in Ukrainian and 63% speak Ukrainian during breaks as well.

As per students, 11% communication Russian with each other during lessons and 17% speak Russian with each other during breaks.

According to the survey, 86% of teachers, 78% of parents, and 62% of students speak Ukrainian outside educational facilities.

Some 85% of teachers, 72% of parents, and 65% of students communicate in Ukrainian in social media.

The poll was conducted at the beginning of June 2022. A total of 58,228 respondents, including 5,867 teachers, 16,384 students, and 36,977 parents from all regions of Ukraine, except Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, and Kherson regions, were polled.
More than 70% of unguided projectiles and guided aircraft missiles fired by the Russian Federation in Ukraine do not reach their intended target, in particular, they fall into the field, sea or outside the location of Ukrainian troops, Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksiy Hromov said.

"Our actions indicate a sufficiently high efficiency of the existing air defense system and the skill of the combat attendants of anti-aircraft missile systems. The overwhelming majority of air strikes that the enemy inflicts do not achieve their goal. More than 70% of unguided projectiles and guided aircraft missiles fired fall into the field, the sea or outside the location of our troops, which indicates a reliable air defense system, as well as the unwillingness of Russian pilots to enter the affected area of our air defense systems and risk their lives for the sake of fulfilling the criminal orders of their leadership," Hromov said at a briefing at the Ukraine media centre in Kyiv on Thursday.

According to him, since the beginning of hostilities, the Russian Air Force has carried out 6,443 tactical aircraft flights, 626 strikes were carried out with Iskander and Kalibr cruise missiles. Only during July 5, the enemy used 27 missiles on critical infrastructure, civilian and military facilities, as well as 14 air strikes on military infrastructure facilities, areas, and positions of Ukrainian troops.
On Monday, July 11, at 12.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency will host a discussion entitled "Ukraine Recovery after Victory: Best Intentions and Reality." Participants include Director of the Institute for Global Strategies Vadym Karasiov, political expert Kostiantyn Matviyenko, political scientist and co-founder of the National Platform "Dialogue on Peace and Safe Reintegration" Oleh Saakyan (8/5a Reitarska Street). The broadcast of the press conference will be available on the YouTube channel of the Interfax-Ukraine agency. Admission of journalists requires registration on the spot.
KYIV. July 7 (Interfax-Ukraine)  The majority of medical experts, who had fled abroad due to the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, have come back and continue to work, practitioners and experts in the sphere of medicine said during a roundtable discussion hosted by the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency on Thursday.

"For the moment, 98% of personnel are in place. Some of them left for western Ukraine or abroad in the first months of the war, however, today almost all of them have come back and continue to work," Head of the Department of Cardiometabolic Diseases of the Clinic for Adults of the State Institution "Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine," PhD in Medical Sciences Yevhen Marushko said.

"Speaking about the personnel of the Filatov Institute, almost none of our employees left. Some 99% of our personnel stay here. There is a shortage of specialists in very specific profiles as there are few of them all over the country. If specialists, whom we already lack, leave, this has a negative impact on the level of medical assistance," ophthalmologist of the highest category, head of the department of inflammatory pathologies of the eye and microsurgical treatment of their consequences at state institution "Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine" Oleksandra Zborovska said.

In turn, Business Development Director of ADONIS medical group of companies Svitlana Lonska said that the majority of the personnel of private medical institutions have returned, while those who are abroad also plan to come back soon.

Despite the fact that a maternity hospital was destroyed during large-scale military operations in Kyiv region, the doctors did not suspend their work and had to deliver babies under emergency conditions, she stressed.

At the same time, Head of the Department of Nephrology and Renal Replacement Therapy of the National University of Health Protection, owner of the Nephrology Clinic, Professor Dmytro Ivanov noted that the doctors and senior staff, who have returned to Ukraine, thus proved the level of their reliability.

"In the first two months we lost more than 60% of doctors and around 75% nurses in Kyiv in the first two months. Almost no medical personnel remained in the districts of Ukraine where military operations were conducted. Around 90% of medical staff have returned as of today. I think this could be considered a criteria of reliability of doctors and senior staff, for example, heads of departments and chief doctors," Ivanov said.

Chief Physician of the National Cancer Institute, PhD in Medical Sciences Andriy Beznosenko said that the patient flow significantly reduced at the National Center Institute in the first month of the war.

"We received 150 patients during the first month of the war, while last year we received 2,700 patients during the same period of time," he said.

The expert also noted that the specialists of the National Cancer Institute do the utmost to monitor the situation with the oncology centers in the temporarily occupied territories.

"Today, Kherson, Melitopol, Mariupol oncology centers and the one in Krasnyi Luch are under occupation. They lack personnel and there are patients there. But there are no medicines for treatment and we are unable to deliver them," Beznosenko said.

Presentation
The humanitarian cargo of medicines and consumables weighing 9 tons was collected and delivered to Kharkiv by the Israeli partners of Ukraine. The Embassy of Ukraine announced this on its Facebook page.

The Embassy expresses its gratitude to the Israel-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Israel Forum of International Humanitarian Aid IsraAID, which on July 6 delivered to the city of Kharkiv a humanitarian cargo of medicines with a total weight of 9 tons (ligatures, bandages, hemostatic agents, occlusive dressings, surgical packs, hygiene kits, diapers), - the message says.

At the same time, the Embassy emphasized: This cargo will help save the lives of Ukrainians who are suffering from the horrors of the Russian invasion.
Minister of Transportation Kamel El-Wazir issued a decision to appoint Sherif Hassan as the acting chairperson of the National Authority for Tunnels (NAT), replacing Essam Wali, according to an announcement issued by the ministry.
Egypt's General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC), the country's s grains buyer, announced on Sunday a tender for an unspecified amount of wheat from five imports origins, namely the US, Canada, Australia, Argentina, and Brazil.
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan and Turkiye have discussed the cooperation between the two countries in the sphere of social services and other areas, Azernews reports.

The discussion took place during the online meeting between Azerbaijan's Labour and Social Security Minister Sahil Babayev with Turkiye's Family and Social Services Minister Derya Yanik.

During the meeting, Babayev stressed the importance of further strengthening relations in the direction of providing social protection for the disabled, elderly, children, women, war veterans, and martyrs' families.

The minister also briefed on the reforms carried out in Azerbaijan over the past period, the DOST concept, social support measures related to martyrs' families and war veterans in the postwar period, and the use of electronic technologies in the social sphere.

Moreover, he stressed that the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Turkiye is constantly developing, adding that an important role in this direction is played by the joint efforts of the presidents of the two brotherly nations.

In turn, Derya Yanik briefed on Turkiye's experience in the field of social reforms and the successes achieved. The minister stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation and information exchange on the protection of children without parental care, the implementation of social support measures for families, and other reforms in this area.

The parties discussed the prospects for the development of bilateral relations in the social protection sphere.

Azerbaijan and Turkiye collaborate in a variety of economic sectors and have completed major energy and infrastructure projects, such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, and TANAP.

The two countries set up a goal to bring the mutual trade turnover to $15 billion in 2023. As of 2021, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $4.6 billion. So far, Turkiye is Azerbaijans second-largest investor followed by the UK.
Officials from 40 countries met Monday in Berlin to discuss how to stay focused on fighting the increasing impacts of climate change while the world reels from the economic fallout of the pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The four-day Islamic feast Eid El-Adha will start in Egypt on Saturday 9 July, Dar El-Iftaa, the main authority responsible for issuing religious edicts in the country, has announced as Dhul-Hijjah month moon was sighted.

Thursday will be the first day of the Muslim sacred Dhul-Hijjah, the twelfth and last month of the Islamic calendar during which the Hajj (pilgrimage) takes place, according to the announcement.

Muslims will be able to perform Eid Al-Adha prayers of the Islamic year 1443 early Saturday morning around 5:21 am in Cairo, according to astronomical calculations,

In a statement, Dar El-Iftaa affirmed the sight of the crescent of Dhul-Hijjah through scientific committees nationwide. Furthermore, Saudi Supreme Court also announced Thursday the first day of the sacred month in the kingdom, the statement added.

Dar El-Iftaa extended Eid greetings to President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, the Egyptian people as well as to the kings and princes of the Arab and Islamic countries and Muslims worldwide.

Muslims across the world celebrate Eid Al-Adha by slaughtering sheep, cows, camels, or goats and giving meat to the poor, and feasting during family gatherings.

The four days of the Eid El-Adha are always declared holidays for the public and private sectors.

This year, the world is celebrating the Eid amid a rise in commodity prices, including meat and poultry, due to the global food crisis as a result of the Ukraine crisis as well as the ongoing pandemic.

In mid-June, Egypts Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Ali Moselhi said that the state has contracted to purchase large numbers of livestock to secure meat for citizens.

In this regard, Madbouly urged the increase of contracted amounts of livestock to keep prices stable during the Eid.

Amid the pandemic, daily coronavirus infections and death tolls in Egypt have dropped to single digits in recent months, which allowed authorities to significantly reduce coronavirus restrictions nationwide.

In Eid El-Fitr, which took place in May, Egypts Ministry of Religious Endowments allocated 600 outdoor spaces at large mosques nationwide for millions of worshippers, ending a ban on outdoor Eid prayers, since the start of the pandemic in 2020.

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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.

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The prices of imported wheat and oil have hiked, which poses a burden on the states finances and budget, Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait said on Monday, asserting that the Ministry of Finance is managing the countrys financial matters under pressure.

During a phone interview with Hadrat Al-Muwatin programme on Al-Hadath Al-Youm channel, Maait stated that the price of a tonne of imported wheat noticeably increased to $504 from $130, which puts pressure on the states finances, especially since Egypt is the largest importer of wheat in the world.

He added that the country imports 12 million tonnes of wheat annually, and this huge difference in international prices places immense pressure on the states budget.

This comes in addition to the increase in the price of a barrel of oil from $65 to $125.

We import approximately 120 million barrels of oil annually, he said.

Furthermore, the finance minister called on citizens and the government to unite to see the bigger picture of the financial state, both internally and externally.

Egypt  one of the worlds largest wheat importers  has in recent years imported nearly 80 percent of its grain from Russian and Ukraine through the Black Sea due to its high quality, competitive pricing, and the two countries geographical proximity.

On the heels of the supply chain disruptions caused by the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian War, Egypt is diversifying its import sources, at the top of which is India, which has exempted Egypt from its recent wheat export ban.

In 2020, Egypt imported 12.8 million tonnes of wheat at a cost of about $3.2 billion, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS).

Given the war has raised the cost of importing wheat worldwide, Egypt has sought to increase local production, aiming to collect six million tonnes of the strategic crop throughout August, up from the 3.5 million tonnes collected in 2021.

Additionally, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Aly Moselhi said in late June that the government has already received a total of more than 3.9 million tonnes of wheat from local farmers during this wheat supply season  an increase of 10 to 12 percent from last year.

The minister also said that the wheat supply season, which started in April, will continue until the end of August.

Moreover, he affirmed that the country has a strategic stock of wheat sufficient for nearly 5.7 months.

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Egypt is expected to experience hot weather and high levels of humidity over the coming week, including the first three days of the Islamic feast of Eid El-Adha that starts Saturday.

Temperatures across the country will feel 1-3 degrees higher than actual numbers due to high humidity during the day, the Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) forecast on Tuesday.

The temperature in Greater Cairo is expected to hit 36 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and Thursday and 37 degrees on Friday and Saturday before dropping on Sunday and Monday to 36 and 35 degrees, respectively.

The North Coast is predicted to see highs of 31-32 thru Saturday, and highs will drop to 31 and 30 degrees on Sunday and Monday, respectively.

South Sinai will see highs of 38-39 degrees till Sunday and highs of 37 degrees on Monday, the EMA forecast.

Northern Upper Egypt will experience highs of 37-38 degrees till Sunday and highs of 36 degrees on Monday, while southern Upper Egypt will see highs of 41 degree over the coming six days.

Additionally, the EMA anticipates moderate and humid weather nationwide at nighttimes till Monday.

Morning fog is also expected to come down the agricultural roads, the highways, and the roads close to water bodies that lead to Greater Cairo, Lower Egypt, the Northern Coast and Suez Canal cities.

The wind will be active in some parts in Greater Cairo, eastern coasts and South Sinai for intermittent periods, a matter that may reduce feelings of humidity at night, the EMA noted.

Since June, Egypt has seen rising temperatures and humidity due to the Indian seasonal thermal depression that is moving towards several Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt.

Egyptian will celebrate the four-day Eid El-Adha feast starting Saturday 9 July. The Egyptian cabinet announced a paid holiday for government workers from 9-14 July.

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Egypts Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, urged on Thursday all Egyptians to maintain precautionary measures against coronavirus during the Eid holiday, as infection rates have risen recently, calling on them to wear face masks, especially in crowded areas.

Earlier on Sunday, the Ministry of Health and Population reported an increase of 6.9 percent in coronavirus infections over the past week, without disclosing the exact number, months after infections began declining nationwide.

The ministry, however, said that deaths linked to COVID-19 and hospitalisation rates are still at their lowest point.

According to the ministrys last report, which was released at the end of May, the average daily coronavirus infection and death tolls in Egypt had dropped to single digits.

Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar, the official spokesman for the health 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.

Abdel-Ghaffar also saw 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.

He criticised citizens laxity in adhering to the precautions, especially in terms of wearing masks in gatherings and enclosed and poorly ventilated areas.

On Tuesday, the spokesperson said the ministry would organise vaccination campaigns against coronavirus for vacationers in tourist places to target holiday-makers during the coming public holiday.

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.

The spokesperson also announced the continuation of Knock on Doors campaign, which was launched on 7 March, to vaccinate citizens against coronavirus in Cairo, Kafr El-Sheikh, Qalioubiya, and Daqahliya governorates.

Moreover, the ministry also called to raise awareness levels among citizens and emphasize adherence to preventive and precautionary measures.

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 limited service, as well as allowing weddings and celebrations at indoor halls in hotels as long as they followed precautionary measures.

In mid-June, Egypt announced the lifting of all COVID-related entry restrictions for all travellers, whether Egyptian nationals or foreigners.

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Egypts Ministry of Foreign Affairs has mourned the victims of a bus-truck crash on Aswan-Abu Simbel highway in Upper Egypt on Thursday, which killed and injured a number of Egyptian and Sudanese citizens.

We express our deepest sympathy to the families of the victims and wishes of speedy recovery to all the injured, the ministry said in a statement.

Nine people, including five from Sudan, were killed early Thursday in a collision between a bus coming from Sudan and a truck on the Upper Egyptian highway, Reuters cited Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health Ehab Hanafy as saying.

The deadly crash also injured 43 people, including 40 Sudanese citizens and three Egyptians, Hanafy added.

The deceased were sent to the morgue and the injured to Aswan University Hospital.

Security authorities were notified of the accident and all the necessary measures have been taken.

Aswan-Abu Simbel highway, infamous for deadly road traffic crashes, saw a tragedy last April when a truck and a tourist bus collided killing 10 people  five Egyptians, four French and one Belgian.

In December last year, a head-on crash between two buses on the Abu Simbel-Aswan highway killed six people, including a Sudanese person, and injured 46 others.

Egypt has witnessed a steady decline in the number of road accidents over the past years in parallel with national efforts to improve the countrys road network through the National Road Project that was launched in 2014.

Furthermore, the country reported a drop of 28.9 percent in road traffic injuries and 8.9 percent in deaths in 2020 compared to the previous year, the Egyptian states statistical agency CAPMAS said in a report issued in November last year.

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Egypts Prosecutor General announced on Wednesday that he ordered an investigation into a complaint by former PM Ibrahim Mahlab against a man who claimed that the former premier was arrested after transferring billions of Egyptian pounds abroad.

According to the Prosecutor Generals statement, former PM Mahlab filed a complaint charging that a person called Hamed El-Nabrawy published false news on various social media networks that defamed him, claiming that the former premier was arrested along with several bankers in Egypt for allegedly transferring billions of Egyptian pounds abroad.

Mahlab testified that El-Nabrawy began to refer to him with his initials after first publishing false news directly using his full name, according to the prosecution.

Mahlab stated in his complaint that the alleged fake news went viral on different social media platforms.

He also accused El-Nabrawy of insulting him as well as disturbing general peace and security.

Mahlab was appointed prime minister in February 2014 by then interim President Adly Mansour following the resignation of Hazem El-Beblawi.

In June 2014, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, a newly elected president then, retained Mahlab as premier.

In September 2015, Mahlab presented his resignation to President El-Sisi who accepted it after the cabinet faced several problems, challenges, and criticism in its final weeks.

Former Minister of Petroleum Sherif Ismail replaced Mahlab as prime minister.

Mahlab was appointed in the same month as his presidential aide for national and strategic projects.

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The Egyptian Public Prosecution has referred Ayman Haggag, the husband of murdered TV presenter Shaimaa Gamal, and another defendant to criminal trial on charges of premeditated murder.

The crime of premeditated murder is punishable by death penalty in Egypt.

Haggag, a judicial authority member, had planned to kill Gamal after she threatened to reveal their secrets and asked for money to remain silent about them, the prosecution said in a statement on Thursday.

Hussein El-Gharably, a company owner and the second defendant, accepted an offer from the husband to cooperate in killing Gamal, the prosecution said.

Planning to take his wife's life, Haggag and El-Gharably dug a grave in a remote farm that they rented to kill her in, then hide her body, the prosecution said.

On the day of the crime, the husband lured Gamal to the farm, where the second defendant was also waiting, then surprised her with a hit on her head by the using a gun butt.

When victim fell down, the husband strangled her with his hand and a piece of cloth, while the second defendant held her to paralyse her movement until they made sure she passed away.

The two defendants put the victim in chains, placed her in the grave they dug and poured an incendiary material on her to mutilate her body so she unrecognizable, the prosecution said.

Forensic reports have confirmed that the death was caused by strangulation, the prosecution said. Examination also proved that the cloth that the defendants used to kill Gamal had their genetic fingerprints.

Moreover, it was proven that the SIM cards of the victim and the defendants, which they used on the day of the crime, were within the geographical scope of the cell tower located near the aforementioned farm.

The prosecutions accusations for the two defendants were based on the testimonies of 10 witnesses and the confessions of the two defendants, the prosecution noted.

Investigations also found that the husband is suspected of committing other crimes, the prosecution said, noting that it would investigate them separately.

Gamal was known for her programme El-Moshagheba (The Troublemaker) on LTC TV satellite channel. She also worked for Al-Hadath Al-Youm satellite channel.

Late in June, the Ministry of Interior announced arresting the husband in Suez city less than a week after the prosecution found the body of the victim.

The husband had earlier reported that Gamal went missing in front of a commercial complex in 6 October city in Giza.

Relatives of the victim said she disappeared from the complex after being last seen in the company of her husband.

The prosecution then announced that the body of the TV presenter was found after the second man  who affirmed that he was close to the victims husband  willingly offered his testimony to the prosecution.

The man said he witnessed the crime and claimed that the husband killed Gamal over differences between them. He informed the prosecution of the place where Gamal's body was buried.

The prosecution said it obtained authorisation from the judicial authority, which employs the husband, to lift his immunity and take measures against him.

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Cairo International Airport received on Thursday morning the first EgyptAir flight from Turkish Dhmi Tekirdag Corlu Airport, amid cooperation to boost tourism and aviation sectors between Egypt and Turkey.

Some 140 tourists were on board the Boeing 737 aircraft arriving from the airport, which is located in Turkeys north western city of Corlu, anonymous sources at EgyptAir told Al-Ahram.

Celebrations took place at Dhmi Tekirdag Corlu Airport, as is the international tradition when the first flight or plane departs an airport, as passengers were received with flowers and sweets in the presence of Turkish officials.

The flight comes amid Egypt and Turkeys recent efforts to improve relations. The two countries held two rounds of talks last year  the first held in Cairo in May, and the second in Ankara in September  headed by Egypts Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hamdy Loza and his Turkish counterpart Sadat Onal.

According to joint statements following each round of talks, the discussions were frank and in-depth, and both countries agreed to continue engaging in exploratory talks in the future. This came after the relations had been strained  with no shared ambassadors  since the 2013 ouster of Egypts late Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, who was backed by the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The flight from Corlu also came as part of the national carriers efforts to revive tourism and aviation between Egypt and the rest of the world.

Since 1 April, Egypt permitted issuing emergency tourist visas upon arrival at the Egyptian ports or electronically to over 180 nationalities, provided they have a valid visa on their passports for the United Kingdom, the US, Japan, New Zealand or Schengen countries, to encourage tourists from many different countries to visit Egypt.

Moreover, amid dealing with global challenges, the Association of Tours Operators Russia (ATOR) announced that EgyptAir resumed its flights to Moscows Domodedovo after suspending its flights to Russia in early March due to problems with insurance.

Egypts parliament approved a law that allows the finance minister to provide EgyptAir with an insurance guarantee covering risks including wars or hijacking those flights to Russia might face.

EgyptAir is considered one of the worlds pioneers airlines. It was established in 1932 and joined the Star Alliance network in July 2008.

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By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

Russian Novgorod Region's Ministry of Investment Policy is planning to conduct a full-time business trip to Azerbaijan for regional entrepreneurs in October, Azernews reports with reference to the ministry's press service.

According to Novgorod Regional Minister of Investment Policy Denis Nosachev, the entrepreneurs will hold individual negotiations and meet with potential partners during the visit.

"A business trip to Azerbaijan is planned for October 2022," the minister noted.

Azerbaijan and Russian regions have mutual cooperation in different fields, such as economy, agriculture, customs, communications, high technology, and others. Over 230 intergovernmental and intercompany documents have been signed between the two countries and six "road maps" are being implemented.

Azerbaijani investments in Russia's economy have exceeded $1.2 billion, with the majority of these investments being in the non-oil sector. In addition, Russian investments in Azerbaijan's economy totaled $6.3 billion, with $5 billion invested in the oil sector and $1.3 billion in non-oil sectors.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Russia amounted to $2.9 billion in 2021, making Russia Azerbaijans third-largest partner.
Egypts Minister of Supply Ali Moselhi has recently said his ministry plans to add sweet potato to subsidised bread due to the global grains crisis. Moselhi's remark made headlines and raised questions among the public about the plan which is still being studied.





Using sweet potato to make bread can save up to a million tons of wheat, Moselhi said at a press conference on 26 June, noting that Egypt is self-sufficient in sweet potato and is studying the technology required for the process.

Working on this idea for more than 20 years, Abdel-Moneim El-Gendy, a researcher at the Ministry of Agriculture and founder of a research project for the production of bread from potatoes, has asserted in a phone-in interview with Al-Nahar channel that the product is suitable for human consumption.

The manufacturing process includes boiling sweet potatoes and adding them at a ratio of 35-50 percent. The rest will be wheat, El-Gendy explained.

He stated that high-quality bread is produced from this mixture, given the nutritional value of sweet potatoes.

We are not talking about the sweet potatoes that are available in the Egyptian market, it is a new type of white potato we produce and it is less sweet, El-Gendy said.

He asserted that one feddan of white potato produces about 20 tons annually, ten times more the production of wheat on the same area.

El-Gendy's statement came in response to a question about the quantity of potatoes produced in Egypt, especially that it is a summer crop, meaning that it cannot be relied on in the production of a strategic commodity such as bread in Egypt.

Egypt cultivates about 31,000 feddans annually of sweet potatoes, and produces about 450,000 tons annually, according to 2019 statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Sources from the Ministry of Supply asserted to Ahram Online that Moselhi's declaration has not yet been applied in reality.

"We still haven't received any directives from the ministry regarding this [potato] issue," an official source from the ministry, who preferred to speak on condition of anonymity, said.

The step is still being studied, the source said.

Moselhis announced plan came as an attempt to decrease the countrys wheat consumption and thus reduce the amount of wheat imported by Egypt, the worlds largest wheat importer.

During a phone interview with Hadrat Al-Muwatin programme on Al-Hadath Al-Youm channel, Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait stated on Monday that the price of a ton of imported wheat noticeably increased to $504 from $130.

Maait added that the country imports 12 million tons of wheat annually, and this huge difference in international prices places immense pressure on the state budget.

In 2020, Egypt imported 12.8 million tons of wheat for about $3.2 billion, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS).

This was not the first time the supply minister tackled the possibility of mixing wheat with other ingredients to produce subsidised bread.

Earlier in February, the minister said in an interview with TV presenter Ahmed Moussa on On My Responsibility program that the country has experimented with the idea of mixing wheat with barley in the production of bread.

"Barley is mixed with wheat at a ratio of 10 to 15 percent, he said, adding that the experience proved successful and was better than using wheat only in the production of bread.

However, the minister stated that the problem was that the productivity of an acre of barley is only one ton, which is too low to be relied on.

Egypt has in recent years imported nearly 80 percent of its grain from Russia and Ukraine through the Black Sea due to its high quality, competitive pricing, and the two countries geographical proximity.

On the heels of the supply chain disruptions caused by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Egypt is currently diversifying its import sources, at the top of which is India, which has exempted Egypt from its recent wheat export ban.

On 30 June, Egypt's General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC), the country's grain buyer, announced contracting 815,000 tons in tender from four counties  France, Romania, Russia, and Bulgaria.

According to the tender, which saw Egypts biggest single purchase of wheat in years, the GASC purchased 350,000 tons of wheat from France, 240,000 tons from Romania, 175,000 tons from Russia and 50,000 tons from Bulgaria, Egypt's news agency MENA reported, citing GASC. The contracted wheat will be shipped in August, September, and October 2022.

Given the fact that the war has raised the cost of importing wheat worldwide, Egypt has sought to increase local production, aiming to collect six million tons of the strategic crop during the local harvest season that lasts until August, up from the 3.5 million tons collected in 2021.

Moselhi said in late June that the government has already received a total of more than 3.9 million tons of wheat from local farmers during this wheat supply season  an increase of 10 to 12 percent from last year.

Moreover, the minister affirmed that the country has a strategic stock of wheat sufficient for nearly 5.7 months.

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Hajj graffiti has changed greatly in recent decades. Ahram Online spoke to a selection of original hajj graffiti artists, to remember the past and compare it to the present.

Hajj (the Muslim pilgrimage) has always been a grand occasion in Egyptian social history. Those lucky enough to go to Mecca are blessed with the title "Hajj," which in social terms means they are people of deep faith. The ceremony of the Hajj on the village level is associated with folk music and chants to see off the pilgrim, as well as food and beverages for the long journey to Mecca. The ceremony has also traditionally meant colourful paintings that bless the house of the hajj with holy religious motifs that mark the date that he was blessed with undertaking the pilgrimage.

The paintings of local artists on the houses of those who performed hajj constitute a timeline of social history where at the beginning artists were free to draw icons such as the prophets Ismail and Ibrahim, the Prophet Mohammed disciples, and angels, up until the 1970s when such drawings became more toned down as they were prohibited by the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists during the period of the expansion of their social influence.

According to artist Anas Abdel Qader, a hajj painter, Mohamed Rashad El-Safi, who died in 1976, was one of the key artists of Faw village in Qena governorate, and whose artwork is affiliated with carving on wood and door entrances, many of which sadly perished. Another artist was Abdalla Khalaf (1909-2003), who started painting in the early 1950s, along with the calligrapher Rashed Ibrahim (1940-2000). "Every village had it's own signature artist, which makes every village as unique as the artists that draw on the walls," Abdel Qader notes.

According to Mohamed Abdu, a hajj graffiti artist who started painting in the 1970s, the old paintings  despite their modesty and simplicity and limited colours  conveyed much of the essence of that era in Upper Egypt. In contrast to today's hajj graffiti, which is designed on computer and then printed on big banners and hung on walls, and that does not show any of the Upper Egyptian festivity rituals that included people blowing the mezmar (a flute like instrument), the flags of Egypt and Sauid Arabia, the hajj train, and the pigeon of Hiraa cave, which is affiliated with the migration (hijra) of the Prophet Mohammed from Mecca to Yathrib.

"In the old days the artists were authentic and true to their profession," explained Abdel Qader. "With their simple tools comprised of a hand-made brush off goat hair or palm trees, a painter would use colours extracted from the Nila dark blue flower, and brown. Then he would add eggs to prevent the colour from being washed off, and then some sugar to make it shine."

Old hajj graffiti portrayed women providing wheat seeds for the birds of the Holy Shrine (in Mecca), explained Abdu to Ahram Online, adding that the old school artist had to be also a calligrapher, for lots of poetry was painted on the houses of those who went on pilgrimage and women would chant songs while preparing the food supplies for the hajj journey.

As for today's artists, they depend mainly on digital images of the Holy Shrine, along with an airplane and that's it. Reason for why the old graffiti remains and artistic and social gem.

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Khedival Cairo and Historic Cairo have become terms familiar to all with any knowledge of the culture and history of the Egyptian capital. They were coined by eminent professor of urban design Soheir Zaki Hawas, notably the author of the Encyclopaedia of Khedival Cairo: Identification and Documentation of Urban Architecture in Downtown Cairo (2002).

This seminal work, which establishes the boundaries and features of this part of the city, was the fruit of extensive research begun in 1996. It is one of the many contributions that Hawas has made to the study of Cairos architecture and for which she was awarded this years State Appreciation Award in Arts and Architecture.

The Encyclopaedia came as a surprise to the government and experts in the field, Hawas recalls. It went on to become a foundational work for legislation aiming to conserve this important part of Egyptian history and the urban environment as part of the nations cultural heritage.

The first legislation to protect Egypts unique urban heritage was adopted in 2004, resolving debates about identifying what is both old and architecturally unique and therefore meriting conservation. The legislation established the National Organisation for Urban Harmony (NOUH) and led to the inclusion of a chapter in Unified Building Law 119/2008 updating architectural regulations in urban areas.

It empowered the NOUH to identify areas, buildings, and establishments of unique architectural value and equipped it with the tools to delineate boundaries and set requirements for the preservation of this heritage. Hawas served on the technical committee of the NOUH, whose mission depended heavily on the research she undertook for the Encyclopaedia of Khedival Cairo.

Downtown Cairo often inspires nostalgia, but it can also trigger anger over sometimes ugly encroachments onto the facades of elegant buildings. Unsightly signs and billboards, non-harmonious architectural modifications, and unplanned changes in commercial activities have eroded the areas sophisticated charm.

For these reasons, Hawas Encyclopaedia was greeted with pleasure by all lovers of Downtown Cairo and architecture buffs on its appearance in 2002. Today, social media often comes alive with before-and-after images of newly renovated buildings restored to their former elegance in the area. Hawas Encyclopaedia has entries on them all, detailing their history, date of construction, architects, owners, internal and external building materials, architectural style, and other such information.

On the basis of this vast database, former prime minister Ibrahim Mahleb appointed her to launch the Downtown Cairo Renovation Project that aimed to renovate and restore the facades of 200 buildings in the area between Ramses, Tahrir, and Ataba squares.

The expertise that Hawas has acquired through her academic work and applied activities have made her someone to look up to for the younger generations of Egyptian and Arab architects, for whom the lexicon of urban heritage has become a lingua franca.

I have received many awards in Arab and European capitals, Hawas told Al-Ahram Weekly. But the recognition I have received in Egypt has given me a joy that exceeds all others. I had no idea that the Society of Egyptian Architects had nominated me for this Award. It came as such a surprise. But for me it was an important sign that I was headed in the right direction.

When I was working on documenting the buildings of Khedival Cairo, all this invaluable heritage filled me with pride. I felt I was working with my own property, she said.

But there are problems facing efforts to conserve the citys architectural heritage. These buildings are a form of national wealth, but, unlike antiquities, they are not owned by the state. They belong to the property owners, and they are still in use. This is why it is important that the owners and users of this valuable architectural heritage also feel a sense of pride and belonging, Hawas said.

This applies to urban areas all around the world. The urban heritage belongs to the society that owns and uses it. If societies do not recognise the value of what they possess, that value will depreciate.

Hawas hopes the government will do more to help the occupants of historic buildings maintain and renovate them. She would like to see the introduction of regulations that would require the occupants to maintain the buildings and their facades in ways that use original materials and conform with an authentic style.

This would help support the owners of these buildings and save them from attempts to have them removed from the national heritage list, enabling their demolition and the sale of the land. Incentives are needed in order to persuade owners to conserve the buildings, she said.

Hawas definition of architecture is rooted in a particular philosophy. Architecture is the mother of the arts. It combines rhythm, repetition, and harmony like in music, and proportions, materials, and their effects like in the plastic arts. When you design a building, you are creating a three-dimensional work of art. You need to look at it in several ways, from several perspectives, and from both the inside and the outside to fully appreciate the aesthetics of architecture.

Time is a crucial criterion when it comes to architecture, she said. Time is not just about chronology or history. It is the cumulative time between viewing the structure from the outside and then going inside to view it from the interior and appreciate its uses.

Architectural aesthetics also do not stop at style and facades. They include the ability of the exterior and interior designs to serve the intended use of the building. If a building is meant to be a hospital, the more the design facilitates how the users operate and function within the building, the more beautiful and comfortable it is. The same applies to designs for a school or university, Hawas concluded.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 7 July, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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Russian forces left a trail of destruction Thursday as they sought to push deeper into the eastern Donbas region, as Kyiv thanked outgoing British leader Boris Johnson for his support.

Diplomatic tensions mounted between Ankara and Kyiv, where Ukrainian officials have accused Turkey of ignoring calls to seize grain being transported by a Russian ship.

A Russian air strike in the eastern industrial city of Kramatorsk left at least one dead and several others wounded earlier in the day, as Russian seeks full control of the surrounding Donbas.

The explosion left a gaping crater next to a hotel and residential buildings and several cars were on the fire, AFP journalists said, as emergency services arrived on the scene.

Kyiv hailed Johnson, one of the embattled country's keenest allies throughout the war, as the British leader made the first step towards leaving office but said the UK would continue supporting Ukraine for "as long as it takes".

The head of Ukraine's battled-scarred Donetsk region Pavlo Kyrylenko announced before the strike on Kramatorsk that Russian bombardments had killed at least seven people over the past 24 hours.

The fatalities came after Ukrainian officials re-issued urgent pleas for civilians in the surrounding region to flee, as Russian forces turn their sights on the nearby eastern city of Sloviansk.

Vitaliy, a plumber, told AFP in the industrial hub that his wife and her daughter from a previous marriage, who is six months pregnant, were evacuated from the city the day before.

"Tomorrow I will join the army," he said.

'Well fortified'

Sloviansk mayor Vadym Lyakh said around 23,000 people remained from a pre-war population of 110,000.

"Evacuation is ongoing. We take people out every day," he said.

"The city is well fortified," he added, claiming Russian forces had been unable to surround the city.

Sloviansk is Russia's next target after their capture of the nearby sister cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk.

Russian forces captured the cities in the Lugansk region after long battles, consolidating their hold in the east after failing at the start of the February invasion to take the capital kyiv and Ukraine's second-largest city Kharkiv.

A diplomatic crisis too was flaring between Ukraine and Turkey over the apparent transport by Russia of grain allegedly stolen from Ukraine.

Kyiv says that a 7,000-tonne vessel, the Zhibek Zholy, set off from Ukraine's Kremlin-occupied port of Berdyansk after picking up confiscated wheat and called last week for Turkey to seize it.

The marinetraffic.com website on Thursday showed the vessel moving away from Turkey's Black Sea port of Karasu before apparently switching off its transponder and disappearing from view.

Ukraine said it was "deeply disappointed" that Turkey had not acted on its request to seize the ship.

Kyiv was also reeling from the shock of losing one of its most vocal allies in the conflict with Russia, UK Prime Minister Johnson.

"We all welcome this news with sadness. Not only me, but also all of Ukrainian society," President Volodymyr Zelensky said, after Johnson resigned as leader of Britain's Conservative party, paving the way for the selection of a new prime minister.

"We don't doubt that Great Britain's support will continue, but your personal leadership and your charisma made it special," he said.

'Control over Snake Island'

Despite Ukraine's recent territorial losses, Zelensky in an evening address on Wednesday had praised new heavy Western artillery for boosting Ukraine's firepower.

"Their accuracy is exactly as it should be," he said.

"Our defenders inflict notable blows on warehouses and other points which are important for the logistics of the occupiers," he said.

Ukraine also said it had regained control of Snake Island in the Black Sea, after raising its flag there this week following the withdrawal of Russian forces.

Senior military official Oleksiy Gromov said Ukrainian forces had "effectively re-established... control over Snake Island," but did not specify whether there was a lasting military presence on the rocky outcrop.

Russia said it pulled back from the symbolic island last week in a gesture of "good will", but has since continued targeting positions on the island.

The Russian defence ministry said it had carried out "precision" missile strikes on the island early Thursday, killing Ukrainian soldiers and forcing survivors to flee.

Finland meanwhile passed legislation to build stronger fences on its border with Russia, as the country seeks to join NATO following the invasion.

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Russian forces left a trail of destruction Thursday while seeking to push deeper into the eastern Donbas region, as the Kremlin warned its campaign had not yet started in earnest.

Diplomatic tensions meanwhile mounted between Ankara and Kyiv, where Ukrainian officials have accused Turkey of ignoring calls to seize grain being transported by a Russian ship.

A Russian air strike in the eastern industrial city of Kramatorsk left at least one dead and several others wounded earlier in the day, as Russian seeks full control of the surrounding Donbas.

The explosion left a gaping crater next to a hotel and residential buildings and several cars were on the fire, AFP journalists said, as emergency services arrived on the scene.

It came ahead of a speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin to lawmakers in which he said that Moscow' offensive in Ukraine had not yet begun "in earnest".

He also sounded a note of menace towards the West, telling the alliance that has coalesced against his invasion of Ukraine that if they wanted to defeat Russia on the battlefield "let them try".

He accused "the collective West" of unleashing a "war" in Ukraine and said Russia's intervention in the pro-Western country marked the beginning of a shift to a "multi-polar world."

The head of Ukraine's battled-scarred Donetsk region Pavlo Kyrylenko announced before the strike on Kramatorsk that Russian bombardments had killed at least seven people over the past 24 hours.

The fatalities came after Ukrainian officials re-issued urgent pleas for civilians in the surrounding region to flee, as Russian forces turn their sights on the nearby eastern city of Sloviansk.

Vitaliy, a plumber, told AFP in the industrial hub that his wife and her daughter from a previous marriage, who is six months pregnant, were evacuated from the city the day before.

"Tomorrow I will join the army," he said.

'Well fortified'

Sloviansk mayor Vadym Lyakh said around 23,000 people remained from a pre-war population of 110,000.

"Evacuation is ongoing. We take people out every day," he said.

"The city is well fortified," he added, claiming Russian forces had been unable to surround the city.

Sloviansk is Russia's next target after their capture of the nearby sister cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk.

Russian forces captured the cities in the Lugansk region after long battles, consolidating their hold in the east after failing at the start of the February invasion to take the capital Kyiv and Ukraine's second-largest city Kharkiv.

Despite the raging conflict, Kyiv took the time to hail outgoing UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, one of the embattled country's keenest allies throughout the war.

Johnson said that even though he was heading towards the exit, Britain would continue supporting Ukraine for "as long as it takes".

"We all welcome this news with sadness. Not only me, but also all of Ukrainian society," President Volodymyr Zelensky said, after Johnson resigned as leader of Britain's Conservative party, paving the way for the selection of a new prime minister.

"We don't doubt that Great Britain's support will continue, but your personal leadership and your charisma made it special," he said.

A diplomatic crisis too was flaring between Ukraine and Turkey over the apparent transport by Russia of grain allegedly stolen from Ukraine.

Kyiv says that a 7,000-tonne vessel, the Zhibek Zholy, set off from Ukraine's Kremlin-occupied port of Berdyansk after picking up confiscated wheat and called last week for Turkey to seize it.

The marinetraffic.com website on Thursday showed the vessel moving away from Turkey's Black Sea port of Karasu before apparently switching off its transponder and disappearing from view.

Ukraine said it was "deeply disappointed" that Turkey had not acted on its request to seize the ship.

'Control over Snake Island'

Despite Ukraine's recent territorial losses, Zelensky in an evening address on Wednesday had praised new heavy Western artillery for boosting Ukraine's firepower.

"Their accuracy is exactly as it should be," he said.

"Our defenders inflict notable blows on warehouses and other points which are important for the logistics of the occupiers," he said.

Ukraine also said it had regained control of Snake Island in the Black Sea, after raising its flag there this week following the withdrawal of Russian forces.

Senior military official Oleksiy Gromov said Ukrainian forces had "effectively re-established... control over Snake Island," but did not specify whether there was a lasting military presence on the rocky outcrop.

Russia said it pulled back from the symbolic island last week in a gesture of "good will", but has since continued targeting positions on the island.

The Russian defence ministry said it had carried out "precision" missile strikes on the island early Thursday, killing Ukrainian soldiers and forcing survivors to flee.

Finland meanwhile passed legislation to build stronger fences on its border with Russia, as the country seeks to join NATO following the invasion.

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Officials said Crimo drove his mother's car to Madison, Wisconsin, where he contemplated another shooting. He then returned to Illinois.

Crimo was able to climb a ladder along the parade route in order to shoot down on the crowd. Dressed in women's clothing, he allegedly fired more than 70 rounds, apparently at random. He was able to flee the scene before finally being arrested after several hours on the run.

Suspect Robert Crimo III, 21, appeared from jail via a video link to face seven first-degree murder charges. He was denied bail. He reportedly showed no emotion and spoke only briefly. Authorities say Crimo allegedly planned the shooting for weeks.

The gunman charged with killing at least seven people at a July 4 parade in Highland Park, Illinois, made his first court appearance on Wednesday and confessed to the shootings, authorities say. More than 30 were injured in the attack.

If Crimo is convicted of all seven murder counts, he would be jailed for the rest of his life without the possibility of parole, Eric Reinhart, the state's attorney for Lake County, said in announcing the charges on Tuesday.

"These are just the first of many charges that will be filed against Mr. Crimo," the prosecutor told reporters. "We anticipate dozens of more charges centered around each of the victims."

Investigators who have questioned the suspect and reviewed his social media posts have not determined a motive for the attack, Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli told a news conference. Crimo legally bought the weapon found at the scene of the attack and a second rifle found in his car, Covelli said.

Police said they have not found any indication the suspect targeted anyone by race, religion or other protected status.

Crimo, who goes by the name Bobby, is an aspiring rapper with the stage name Awake the Rapper. He posted videos and songs, some ominous and violent, on social media sites. Crimo had two brushes with law enforcement in recent years, once for an attempted suicide and another for allegedly making threats to kill others.

During the second incident, police seized 16 knives from Crimo, but no arrest was made, as authorities at the time lacked probable cause to take him into custody, Covelli said.

The Highland Park attack was the latest mass shooting in the United States in recent weeks, with earlier assaults on people occurring at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York; an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas; and a medical office in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Hundreds of Korean have succumbed to the unseasonal sweltering heat in recent weeks.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Wednesday, 548 people were taken to hospital with heat-related illnesses across the country from May 20 to July 5, more than 3.5 times the number for the same period last year. Five died from heatstroke.

Heatstroke patients complain of headache, dizziness, muscle spasm, fatigue, or mental deterioration.

Health authorities are worried that more people will succumb this summer, when the weather is expected to be hotter than ever before, compounded by face masks due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2018, the hottest summer on record so far, a total of 4,526 people suffered heat-related illnesses.
KYODO NEWS - Jul 8, 2022 - 00:23 | All, World, Japan

Japan and Argentina on Thursday condemned Russia for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, while pledging to work together in responding to global food and energy price surges.

During their meeting on Indonesia's Bali island on the fringes of the Group of 20 gathering, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and his Argentine counterpart Santiago Andres Cafiero shared the view that Russia's aggression is a unilateral change of the status quo by force and a clear violation of international law, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

The talks came after Argentine President Alberto Fernandez reportedly said late last month that he wishes his nation to become a member of the BRICS forum, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, when he attended its meeting online.

Argentine voted for a U.N. General Assembly resolution condemning Russia's aggression against Ukraine in March, which was adopted with the approval of 141 members. But the South American country has not joined Western nations and Japan in imposing severe economic sanctions on Moscow.

The two ministers also pledged to work together to mitigate the impact of rising prices of food and energy, the Foreign Ministry said. Argentina is one of the world's major grain producers.

Foreign ministers from the G-20 major developed and fast-growing economies are meeting in Bali on Thursday and Friday.

The BRICS have supported Moscow's participation in G-20 gatherings, including Russian President Vladimir Putin's planned attendance at a summit in November, while the United States has opposed it.

Later in the day, Hayashi held talks with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong. They pledged to steadily enhance their cooperation in the security and defense fields, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.

The two agreed on the importance of the U.S. engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, where China has been intensifying its military activities, and vowed to ensure Washington's presence through frameworks such as the Quad grouping also involving India, the ministry added.

Hayashi also met with his Dutch counterpart Wopke Hoekstra, and they shared the view that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is an "outrageous act that undermines the foundation of the international order," according to the ministry.
KYODO NEWS - Jul 8, 2022 - 03:41 | All, Japan

A man attacked two junior high school girls with a knife in the northeastern Japan city of Sendai while they were walking to school on Thursday morning, wounding one of them seriously, the Miyagi prefectural police said.

The police arrested Hiroyuki Owari, 43, who lives in the neighborhood, on suspicion of attempting to murder one of the girls. "I did it to commit a murder and go to jail," the suspect was quoted as telling investigators.

He was also quoted as confessing to them, "I repeatedly stabbed their backs with a kitchen knife from home."

Owari allegedly attacked the pair on a street at around 8 a.m. and chased them as they fled, slashing them further, an investigative source said. It appears he and the victims had not known each other.

One of the girls suffered serious wounds, while the other sustained minor injuries, but both have multiple wounds, including on their backs, according to the source.

A woman in her 70s who lives near the scene said she saw one of the girls collapsed in front of the entrance to a residence and surrounded by police.

A man in his 60s said he saw Owari being arrested. "Police restrained his arms, and he was compliant."
KYODO NEWS - Jul 7, 2022 - 20:10 | World, All, Japan

Chinese and Russian military officials are likely to have agreed to strengthen their surveillance activities to boost "strategic deterrence against Japan," sources close to the matter said Thursday, reflecting Beijing and Moscow's relations with Tokyo deteriorating recently.

But China and Russia have also decided not to carry out joint surveillance around Japan for the time being, the Chinese sources said, adding such agreements were made during an online meeting in June between senior military officials of the two countries.

Beijing and Moscow are expected to increase military activities in waters surrounding the Japanese archipelago, including the East China Sea, as they have been at odds with Tokyo over Taiwan which China regards as a renegade province to be reunified, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, foreign affairs experts said.

On Monday, a Chinese naval ship chased a Russian warship just outside Japanese territorial waters around the Japan-controlled, China-claimed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.

A Chinese frigate sailed in the so-called contiguous zone of the uninhabited islands, which Beijing calls Diaoyu, for about six minutes from 7:44 a.m., chasing a Russian frigate after the nation's ship entered the waters, Japan's Defense Ministry 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.

Over the years, Japan has lodged protests with China over repeated intrusions by Chinese coast guard ships into Japanese waters around the Senkakus.

During the online meeting, China and Russia agreed to notify each other in advance when Russian troops get close to the Senkakus and the Taiwan Strait, according to the sources.

Monday's move by Beijing and Moscow was not a joint action, with the Chinese ship simply chasing the Russian vessel as it had received no advance notice and the Russian frigate is believed to have been near the Senkakus to avoid a typhoon, the sources said.

The agreement on advance notification is also applied when the Chinese military approaches areas near four islands controlled by Moscow off Japan's northernmost main island Hokkaido.

Japan claims the Soviet Union illegally seized the four islands -- Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan and the Habomai group of islets -- soon after Japan's surrender in World War II in August 1945. The islands are called the Northern Territories by Japan and the Southern Kurils by Russia.

Tokyo's relations with Moscow have been also souring as Russia has opposed Japan's economic sanctions on the nation over the Ukraine crisis. Their negotiations for a postwar peace treaty have been suspended in recent months.

Japan has been wary of the deepening military cooperation between China and Russia of late, such as a joint flight of bombers of the two countries over the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea and the Pacific in late May.
By Trend

International Finance Corporation (IFC) will continue providing support to Azerbaijan on its path to green economy transition, IFCs Regional Manager for the South Caucasus Ivana Fernandes Duarte told Trend.

"Climate change, renewables, including solar, offshore and onshore wind are the strong focus in our cooperation with Azerbaijan," she said.

According to regional manager, IFC will also be supporting economy diversification, new jobs creation out of an oil and gas sector in order to boost Azerbaijans green economy transition.

Also, IFC is very keen to provide private sector expertise and support the government in the offshore wind development initiative.

"I would like to highlight the Offshore Wind Roadmap for Azerbaijan, developed jointly by the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the WB, and the IFC. Azerbaijan has the potential to install 7GW of offshore wind power by 2040," she added.
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." 
Photo taken on June 1, 2022 shows damaged buildings and vehicles in Kharkov, Ukraine. (Photo by Peter Druk/Xinhua)

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China rejects any attempt to equate the Ukraine crisis with the Taiwan question, noting that China will firmly defend its core interests.

BALI, Indonesia, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday exchanged views with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the Ukraine issue during his attendance at the Group of 20 (G20) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Indonesia's tourist island of Bali.

Wang expounded on China's three concerns about the current situation in Ukraine.

First, Wang said, China opposes the act of taking the opportunity to incite Cold War thinking, hyping up bloc confrontation, and creating a "new Cold War."

He said that in the face of complex and severe challenges, the world values unity rather than division, and what is needed is dialogue rather than confrontation.

Wang stressed that China will continue to unswervingly stand on the right side of history and on the side of promoting peace talks.

Second, China opposes the practice of double standards that undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said.

Some countries emphasize the principle of sovereignty on the Ukraine issue, but keep challenging China's sovereignty and the one-China principle on the Taiwan question, and even deliberately create tensions in the Taiwan Strait, which is obviously a blatant double standard, he added.

Wang said China rejects any attempt to equate the Ukraine crisis with the Taiwan question, noting that China will firmly defend its core interests.

Third, he said China opposes any act to undermine other countries' legitimate right to development.

Some countries have used the Ukraine crisis as an excuse to abuse unilateral sanctions on China and other countries, which is neither justified nor legal, Wang said, adding that such actions undermine normal state-to-state exchanges, violate the prevailing rules of international trade, and lead to further complication and escalation of the Ukraine crisis.

Wang said all parties should jointly resist those actions and strive to build an open, fair and non-discriminatory international cooperation environment. 
BOGOTA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- At least two miners were killed and four others were injured on Wednesday following a rockfall at a gold mine near the Colombian town of Marmato, in the west-central department of Caldas.

The head of the Marmato Fire Department, Hernando Gallego, said heavy rains loosened rocks that fell onto one of the mine's crushers, killing and injuring miners.

"Unfortunately, two people are dead and four injured people are at a local hospital. Two people were missing and the Fire Department took care of it and found them," Gallego told local newspaper La Patria.

Gallego also warned that rocks on the mountainside could still fall onto the road.

The governor of Caldas, Luis Carlos Velasquez, said via Twitter that authorities were attending to the "emergency in Marmato."

"We continue to await the outcome of this incident, sending our solidarity in advance to the families of the victims," he added. 
TEHRAN, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) arrested the British deputy ambassador and other foreign diplomats for "spying" activities such as collecting soil samples in prohibited areas, official IRNA news agency reported Wednesday.

According to a video released by the IRGC Intelligence Organization, the IRGC has identified some diplomats of foreign embassies, including the British deputy ambassador, who were "spying" instead of carrying out their diplomatic missions, said the report.

"The British deputy ambassador had gone to Shahdad desert (in central Iran) with his family as a tourist, but as the recorded images show, this person was collecting soil samples in this area," the report said.

Western news outlets have identified the arrested British diplomat as Giles Whitaker, the deputy head of mission at the British Embassy in Iran. 
HEFEI, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Shortly after returning home for summer vacation, Xu Xiaoxuan, a college student from Sixian County, east China's Anhui Province, registered to volunteer at a COVID-19 nucleic acid testing station.

Struck by a resurgence of COVID-19, from June 26 to July 5, a total of 267 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,002 asymptomatic carriers had been logged in Anhui, of which 259 confirmed cases were in Sixian, Suzhou City.

Three days after the outbreak hit this small county, the sophomore signed up as a volunteer, performing her duties in a protective suit under the scorching sun.

"I want to do my part in epidemic prevention and control," said Xu. "Braving the summer heat with temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius, the sweat drips from the sleeves of my protective suit. I have realized the hardship of the job," said Xu.

She said her 18th birthday is several days away, and the experience that she has had is an unforgettable memory coinciding with her coming-of-age ceremony.

In addition to the grassroots anti-epidemic forces consisting of college students on summer vacation and local residents, the county has required all local government officials to take part in volunteering in communities to provide services including keeping the order of queuing for nucleic acid testing, ensuring daily supplies and offering psychological counseling amid the epidemic fight.

Xu Ke, 27, a rural revitalization official in the county, has become the head of the Taoliwenyuan community and coordinates with 82 community workers to ensure the needs of daily supplies to households.

"Many community workers themselves are grassroots officials. In this special time, we need to unite against the epidemic and do anything we can do," Xu said.

Not far from Sixian County, more than 10,000 volunteers are playing a key role in containing the spread of COVID in Lingbi County, another virus-hit area in Anhui.

Su Can, a 21-year-old student majoring in preventive medicine at Peking University, joined the local volunteer team after she returned home from Beijing.

"I have had an internship at a hospital in Beijing, and I am sharing my experience in how to protect people and conduct nucleic acid tests properly," said Su, who is responsible for providing door-to-door COVID-19 tests for local residents with other medical staff.

Su also shares what she has learned in school, such as basic epidemic prevention and control measures, with her fellow villagers in their WeChat group to improve people's public health awareness.

"I have to do something for my hometown, even if they are trivial things," said Su. 
"We have over the last 30, 40 years woven a piece of fabric together. We have interconnections in the business processes, in the manufacturing processes, in logistics, in culture, everywhere," said Felix Sutter, president of the Swiss-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (SCCC).

Produced by Xinhua Global Service 
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne speaks at the National Assembly in Paris, France, on July 6, 2022. French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne presented her new government's policy program to deputies in the National Assembly on Wednesday. (Photo by R ItHeizegaojing/Xinhua)

PARIS, July 6 (Xinhua) -- French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne presented her new government's policy program to deputies in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Borne said that one of her main aims will be to "find compromises" in political life. She said that each conviction and idea must and can be debated despite "divisions."

"A new page in politics is opening and we are going to write it together," Borne told the deputies.

In the government program, Borne vowed to boost employment, support purchasing power, speed up the ecological transition and prioritize the economy, health and energy.

"We need to stop believing that the answer to every challenge is a tax. No tax increase," she stressed.

Borne also confirmed her government's intention to hold "100 percent" of French multinational electricity utility company EDF's capital to avoid depending on other countries for electricity.

"In 2026, we must start to reduce the debt, and in 2027, reduce the deficit below 3 percent," Borne said. 

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne speaks at the National Assembly in Paris, France, on July 6, 2022. French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne presented her new government's policy program to deputies in the National Assembly on Wednesday. (Photo by R ItHeizegaojing/Xinhua)

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne speaks at the National Assembly in Paris, France, on July 6, 2022. French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne presented her new government's policy program to deputies in the National Assembly on Wednesday. (Photo by R ItHeizegaojing/Xinhua)

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne speaks at the National Assembly in Paris, France, on July 6, 2022. French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne presented her new government's policy program to deputies in the National Assembly on Wednesday. (Photo by R ItHeizegaojing/Xinhua)

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne speaks at the National Assembly in Paris, France, on July 6, 2022. French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne presented her new government's policy program to deputies in the National Assembly on Wednesday. (Photo by Rit Heize/Xinhua)
Ma Xirong checks on a vulture at a wildlife rescue station in Kangbao County of Zhangjiakou City, north China's Hebei Province, July 6, 2022.

Ma Xirong, 56, a local surgeon in Kangbao, has been engaging in wild birds rescue work since 2009. Ma became president of Kangbao's protection association of relict gulls (larus relictus), which is under first-class state protection, in 2018. By far, over 1,300 wild birds have been rescued by the association. Currently more than 8,000 relict gulls have been spotted at Kangba Noel National Wetland Park in Kangbao County. (Xinhua/Luo Xuefeng)

Ma Xirong (R) and a staff member feed an eagle owl at a wildlife rescue station in Kangbao County of Zhangjiakou City, north China's Hebei Province, July 6, 2022.

Ma Xirong, 56, a local surgeon in Kangbao, has been engaging in wild birds rescue work since 2009. Ma became president of Kangbao's protection association of relict gulls (larus relictus), which is under first-class state protection, in 2018. By far, over 1,300 wild birds have been rescued by the association. Currently more than 8,000 relict gulls have been spotted at Kangba Noel National Wetland Park in Kangbao County. (Xinhua/Luo Xuefeng)

Ma Xirong feeds relict gulls (larus relictus) at a wildlife rescue station in Kangbao County of Zhangjiakou City, north China's Hebei Province, July 6, 2022.

Ma Xirong, 56, a local surgeon in Kangbao, has been engaging in wild birds rescue work since 2009. Ma became president of Kangbao's protection association of relict gulls (larus relictus), which is under first-class state protection, in 2018. By far, over 1,300 wild birds have been rescued by the association. Currently more than 8,000 relict gulls have been spotted at Kangba Noel National Wetland Park in Kangbao County. (Xinhua/Luo Xuefeng)

Ma Xirong observes birds at Kangba Noel National Wetland Park in Kangbao County of Zhangjiakou City, north China's Hebei Province, July 6, 2022.

Ma Xirong, 56, a local surgeon in Kangbao, has been engaging in wild birds rescue work since 2009. Ma became president of Kangbao's protection association of relict gulls (larus relictus), which is under first-class state protection, in 2018. By far, over 1,300 wild birds have been rescued by the association. Currently more than 8,000 relict gulls have been spotted at Kangba Noel National Wetland Park in Kangbao County. (Xinhua/Luo Xuefeng)

Ma Xirong checks on a swan goose at a wildlife rescue station in Kangbao County of Zhangjiakou City, north China's Hebei Province, July 6, 2022.

Ma Xirong, 56, a local surgeon in Kangbao, has been engaging in wild birds rescue work since 2009. Ma became president of Kangbao's protection association of relict gulls (larus relictus), which is under first-class state protection, in 2018. By far, over 1,300 wild birds have been rescued by the association. Currently more than 8,000 relict gulls have been spotted at Kangba Noel National Wetland Park in Kangbao County. (Xinhua/Luo Xuefeng)

Ma Xirong (R) presents relict gulls (larus relictus) rescue work at Kangba Noel National Wetland Park in Kangbao County of Zhangjiakou City, north China's Hebei Province, July 6, 2022.

Ma Xirong, 56, a local surgeon in Kangbao, has been engaging in wild birds rescue work since 2009. Ma became president of Kangbao's protection association of relict gulls (larus relictus), which is under first-class state protection, in 2018. By far, over 1,300 wild birds have been rescued by the association. Currently more than 8,000 relict gulls have been spotted at Kangba Noel National Wetland Park in Kangbao County. (Xinhua/Luo Xuefeng)

Photo taken on July 6, 2022 shows relict gulls (larus relictus) at Kangba Noel National Wetland Park in Kangbao County of Zhangjiakou City, north China's Hebei Province.

Ma Xirong, 56, a local surgeon in Kangbao, has been engaging in wild birds rescue work since 2009. Ma became president of Kangbao's protection association of relict gulls (larus relictus), which is under first-class state protection, in 2018. By far, over 1,300 wild birds have been rescued by the association. Currently more than 8,000 relict gulls have been spotted at Kangba Noel National Wetland Park in Kangbao County. (Xinhua/Luo Xuefeng)
BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Thursday marks the 85th anniversary of the Lugou Bridge Incident on July 7, 1937, which is recognized as the start of Japan's full-scale invasion of China, and China's whole-of-nation resistance against Japanese aggression.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has on many occasions stressed cherishing peace and carrying forward the great spirit of resisting aggression.

The following are some highlights of his quotes.

-- In defiance of aggression, the unyielding Chinese people fought gallantly and finally won total victory against the Japanese militarist aggressors, thus preserving China's 5,000-year-old civilization and upholding the cause of peace of mankind. This remarkable feat made by the Chinese nation was rare in the history of war.

-- The great spirit of resisting aggression bred during the war is an invaluable source of inspiration, and will always motivate the Chinese people to overcome all difficulties and obstacles and strive to achieve national rejuvenation.

-- China is a staunch advocate and strong defender of world peace. The Chinese people will stay committed to the noble cause of peace and development of mankind.

-- History tells us that any aggression by force is doomed to fail. China will unswervingly pursue the road of peaceful development and hope all other countries in the world can take the same road.

-- The Chinese people are resolved to pursue friendly relations with all other countries, uphold the outcomes of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, and make greater contribution to mankind. 
Yang Hongjian pours over drip coffee at his coffee farm in Dakaihe village of Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

by Xinhua writers Zheng Bofei, Cao Mengyao, Ma Huaizhao

KUNMING, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Yang Fan's cafe in Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province, offers guests a vivid window into ancient China.

Visitors to this old-fashioned coffeehouse facing an ancient alley can order coffee while seated on wooden stools at tables reminiscent of classic Chinese teahouses.

Famous for Pu'er tea, a deep-brewed tea with a sweet aroma, the city is making a name for itself as China's coffee capital. The development of the coffee industry has also drawn a flock of young entrepreneurs to make the best of the city's history and coffee plantation.

Yang, who majored in history, has a particular interest in blending local history with specialty industries, and he, therefore, found the century-old building in one of the oldest historic blocks of Pu'er suitable for his future cafe.

"The city was a choke point of the ancient north-south tea-horse trade route, and this building served as a resting place for caravans where people used to have tea," said Yang. "We retained everything as before so that tourists can discern the history of the city's past."

Instead of serving tea, the ancient dwelling is now a refurbished cafe serving quality coffee, adding cultural values to the beverage.

"To ensure quality, we directly procure coffee beans from farmers and sent them to specific factories for processing," Yang said, adding that he now plans to develop coffee tourism by giving tourists the opportunity to pick coffee beans and watch the processing in coffee factories.

Yang Hongjian, a third-generation coffee farmer, is also looking to add more value to the coffee production techniques inherited from his ancestors.

As early as the 1980s, Yang Hongjian's coffee farm in Dakaihe village was selected as the first batch of farmlands in Pu'er to produce coffee beans for Nestle, and his family had provided beans for the beverage company ever since.

However, due to the price volatility of coffee futures, farmers could easily lose their profits. Yang Hongjian wanted to make changes to that and ride the wave of the coffee fever in the Chinese market, so he resigned from his previous job as a teacher.

It is believed that next to his farm is where China's last wild rhinoceros was shot to death, Yang Hongjian noted, explaining why he chose to use the portrait of a rhinoceros as the logo of his farm.

For ecological restoration, Yang Hongjian and his team planted trees such as acacia confusa and fruit trees in-between farmlands of his village, and they are using water-efficient equipment to wash the coffee beans.

"We increased the number of natural sundried and honey processed coffee beans. The river near our village is now clean enough for camping and we are planning to set up a camping site," Yang Hongjian said.

The family farm also recruited close to 200 volunteers through its own website and social media, most of whom were professional baristas and attracted to the farm for its coffee history and pristine environment. These baristas helped not only Yang Hongjian but also other coffee producers in the village enhance their coffee cultivation techniques.

"We have sold out half of our processed beans this year and increased the added value by 10 times," Yang Hongjian said.

The coffee plantation encompasses over 1,400 mu (around 93 hectares), of which 380 mu were transformed into high-quality coffee farms and 200 mu received certification from the European Union as organic farmlands.

Both Yang Fan and Yang Hongjian are striving to promote the coffee production in a place famous for its traditional tea plantations.

"We retained the teahouse aura in our cafe because we want more people to consume coffee daily, similar to how people drank Pu'er tea a century ago," Yang Fan said.

"I hope that in the future, more people will realize that Yunnan is not only the biggest producer of coffee beans in China but also produces excellent-quality coffee beans in the world," said Yang Hongjian. 

Photo taken on June 24, 2022 shows an exterior view of Yang Fan's cafe in Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

A visitor enjoys a cup of coffee at Yang Fan's cafe in Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

Yang Fan makes coffee at his cafe in Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan and the Conference on Interaction & Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) have discussed issues related to bilateral cooperation, Azernews reports.

The discussion occurred during a meeting between Azerbaijan's Digital Development and Transport Deputy Minister Rahman Hummatov with a visiting delegation led by CICA's Executive Director Kairat Sarybay.

During the meeting, the parties discussed issues related to the cooperation between Azerbaijan and CICA as coordinators of the confidence-building measures in the sphere of security and the effective development of transport corridors.

The sides also exchanged views on Azerbaijans participation in ongoing projects to enhance regional cooperation in transport and prospects for regional partnership.

The Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is a multi-national forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security, and stability in Asia. It is a forum based on the recognition that there is a close link between peace, security, and stability in Asia and in the rest of the world. The member states, while affirming their commitment to the UN Charter, believe that peace and security in Asia can be achieved through dialogue and cooperation leading to a common indivisible area of security in Asia where all states co-exist peacefully and their peoples live in peace, freedom, and prosperity.
BOGOTA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Colombian authorities have captured 32 members of the Gulf Clan, a criminal ring accused of drug trafficking and murder, Defense Minister Diego Molano said Wednesday.

"The Gulf Clan's strongholds continue to fall one by one. The Search Unit does not offer a respite ... The criminals have no way out: either they surrender or we capture them," the minister tweeted.

Meanwhile, Gen. Fernando Murillo, head of the Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol, reported the capture in the central Colombian department of Meta, of a suspect that goes by the alias "David" or "Santiago."

"This subject was assigned by 'Chiquito Malo' (Jobanis Avila, head of the Gulf Clan) to lead and take control of drug trafficking in this region of the country. He was also linked to the police's most wanted poster," Murillo said.

In May, Dairo Antonio Usuga, the former head of the Gulf Clan, alias "Otoniel," was extradited to the United States following a request by U.S. authorities. 
by Sanaa Kamal

RAMALLAH/GAZA, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian markets witness sales stagnation ahead of Eid al-Adha which starts on July 9 in Palestine, as a result of the rocketing prices of goods.

For the second year in a row, Ibrahim Sabaaneh, a Ramallah-based man, was unable to buy a sheep for the feast.

"In the past, I used to buy the sheep for 200 U.S. dollars, but now it requires about 350 dollars, which is a heavy burden for me," the 47-year-old father of four complained.

The celebration of Eid al-Adha is not limited to sacrifice. There are other essential things, such as new clothes, sweets, and decorations that must be provided for the festival.

"At the current deteriorating condition, I can only provide some food and sweets to prepare my family to celebrate the festival," he explained.

Mohammed Hijawi, a Ramallah-based owner of a livestock farm, owns about 600 sheep and 150 calves.

However, he complained about the deterioration in the purchasing power of clients this year, noting that he was able to sell only 20 percent of the livestock stockpile on his farm.

In fact, the prices of sacrifices rose significantly in the West Bank, due to the high costs of fodder resulting from the Russia-Ukraine crisis, in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The West Bank markets seemed empty of customers, while merchants were busy checking their goods crowded in the shops, while street vendors were trying to attract passers-by to buy from them.

Sumaia Juma'a, a Bethlehem-based woman, was only able to buy the basic needs for her family and small quantities of sweets and cakes.

The 39-year-old mother of three complained that the high prices prevented her from buying the sheep for Eid as she used to do in the past.

"Year by year, the rate of demand for sacrifices is decreasing due to the difficult economic situation as well as high prices," Mohammed Qazaat, a livestock trader told Xinhua.

About 10 years ago, he recalled that he used to import more than 1,000 calves and more than 1,500 sheep before Eid al-Adha, but now he hardly imports 150 calves and less than 50 sheep for fear of incurring heavy losses.

"Unfortunately, most of the people do not have enough money to go to the markets to buy basic needs, and this is reflected in the livestock market," he said, adding that "the deteriorating situation affects everyone, whether he is a merchant or a customer."

The Palestinian market needs about 210,000 head of cattle for sacrifice during Eid in the West Bank and Gaza, according to the Palestinian Agriculture Ministry. 
* The booming economic and trade cooperation between China and ASEAN countries has further gained steam as the RCEP agreement provided faster customs clearance and other trade facilitation measures.

* The RCEP will eventually eliminate tariffs on as much as 90 percent of goods traded within the region.

* Besides boosting trade growth, a more integrated regional supply chain under the RCEP agreement has also benefited China and ASEAN countries.

* The RCEP seeks to promote e-commerce and a digital economy which would be increasingly relevant in the post-pandemic world.

BANGKOK, July 7 (Xinhua) -- During Thailand's durian season every year, orders from China for the thorny "king of fruits" always surge, driving up shipments from the world's top fresh durian exporter.

This year, after the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world's largest free trade deal that entered into force in January, Thailand's durian sales to China have been further boosted.

"Up to 100 percent of our durians are shipped to China, and the demand is increasing year by year," said Silaphon Thongrot, who has managed a durian orchard for 15 years in east Thailand's Chanthaburi Province growing durian, mangosteen, rambutan and other fruits.

Faster customs clearance and other trade facilitation measures provided by the RCEP agreement, as well as the launch of the "Durian Express" and special fruit train services to China, helped boost the trade of Thai durians and reduce exporters' costs, said Narongsak Putthapornmongkol, president of the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Nuttakij Oranhirunruk, vice president of the Thai-Chinese Agribusiness Association, said he has full confidence in the substantial growth of Thailand's durian exports to China this year, expecting the eastern agricultural zone to export 35,000 containers this year, compared to 25,000 last year.

A worker arranges durians at a durian processing factory in the Chanthaburi province, Thailand, May 5, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)

The hot sale of Thai durians is just an example of the booming economic and trade cooperation between China and countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which has further gained steam after the RCEP agreement took effect.

Chinese customs data showed that in the first quarter of this year, trade between China and ASEAN accounted for 47.2 percent -- or nearly half -- of China's foreign trade with RCEP partners. With the RCEP agreement, ASEAN has once again overtaken the EU to become China's largest trading partner.

The momentum continued despite disruptions from COVID-19, with bilateral trade volume expanding 10.2 percent year-on-year during the January-May period.

Cambodian Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak considered the RCEP as a key driver for economic recovery in the participating countries both during and after the pandemic.

The minister said that under the RCEP, Cambodia is expected to see an annual export growth between 9.4 percent and 18 percent, which will contribute to national economic growth between 2 percent and 3.8 percent. Cambodia is the ASEAN chair this year.

The RCEP will eventually eliminate tariffs on as much as 90 percent of goods traded within the region. A study by the World Bank said the East Asia and Pacific region can reap significant benefits through further liberalization, with Cambodia, Vietnam and other lower-middle-income countries gaining the most from the RCEP.

"The region will also see an additional 'kick' in productivity as greater openness brings additional skills, technology and capital," the bank's research report said.

Workers process fish for export at a factory in An Giang province, Vietnam, March 14, 2022. (VNA/Handout via Xinhua)

Besides boosting trade growth, a more integrated regional supply chain under the RCEP agreement has also benefited China and ASEAN countries.

Businesses with global supply chains might face tariffs even within a free trade area if their products contain components that are made elsewhere. Under the RCEP's common rules of origin, parts from any member country would be treated equally, which might give companies in RCEP countries an incentive to look within the region for suppliers.

Himile (Thailand) Co., a tire mold supplier in eastern Thailand's Rayong Province, has already experienced the benefits.

The RCEP's tariff concessions, common rules of origin and simplification of customs procedures "enable us to purchase raw materials and equipment as well as distribution of products more efficiently and at a lower cost," said Qiu Jinliang, managing director of Himile (Thailand).

The company, which sources raw materials from China, Japan and South Korea while exporting products to the U.S., European and ASEAN markets, has seen the customs clearance time shortened by three days to a week per shipment while the costs of raw material imports have also been reduced, Qiu said.

Ong Tee Keat, founding chairman of the Center for New Inclusive Asia, a Malaysia-based think tank, said ASEAN countries can benefit greatly from the harmonized rules of origin under the RCEP as intermediate goods can be sourced across any of the 15 RCEP countries. Only a certain proportion of regional value content is required for goods to meet the RCEP rules of origin requirements for tariff concessions.

This could help lower the production costs of companies operating in the region, enhance the resilience of regional supply chains, and generate more investment, job opportunities and economic growth, he said.

The RCEP seeks to promote e-commerce and a digital economy which would be increasingly relevant in the post-pandemic world. "It will have implications not only on trade and economic growth, but also on promoting digital inclusiveness and a more level playing field," said Wichai Kinchong Choi, senior vice president of Kasikornbank, a leading Thai bank.

The RCEP is crucial for regional small and medium-sized enterprises, which took a big hit from COVID-19, as their capacity and competitiveness could be enhanced, enabling them to emerge stronger from an improved access to a larger RCEP market, he said.

Since the RCEP came into force, the development of cross-border e-commerce between China and ASEAN countries has been further enhanced.

Aerial photo taken on March 2, 2022 shows a view of the container terminal of Qinzhou Port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua)

As an important hub for China's cross-border e-commerce import and export business to ASEAN, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has attracted more than 100 cross-border e-commerce enterprises, including the first cross-border innovation center of Southeast Asia's flagship e-commerce platform Lazada and the ASEAN cross-border e-commerce logistics center of Shopee.

"It (RCEP) is not just a simple trade agreement that provides enhanced market access and stable business environment. It is a strategic tool to sustain the region's economic advantage," said former Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, calling for the country's early ratification of the mega trade deal, which he believed is "for the future of the economy."

The RCEP groups 10 ASEAN countries as well as China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Only three participating countries, the Philippines, Indonesia and Myanmar, have not yet ratified the RCEP. (Video reporter: Guo Xinhui; video editors: Zhang Yuhong, Zhao Yuchao, Cao Ying, Liu Xiaoyue)
TAIYUAN, July 7 (Xinhua) -- A road accident on Thursday left five people dead and six injured in Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province, according to the county publicity department.

The accident occurred around 8:57 a.m. when a small white sport utility vehicle (SUV) hit roadside pedestrians in Shangchengzhuang Village, Linxian County, causing the deaths and injuries.

The injured have been sent to hospital for medical treatment and none of them are in life-threatening condition.

Further investigation into the cause of the accident is underway. 
JINAN, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Li Wenxi, former vice chairman of the Liaoning Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, on Thursday stood trial at the Intermediate People's Court in the city of Tai'an, Shandong Province, on charges of accepting bribes.

Prosecutors said that between 2004 and 2021, Li had taken advantage of his various posts, including positions as police chief and a senior political advisor of Liaoning Province, to offer assistance to others in business operations, obtaining mining approvals, and evading criminal charges. In return, he illegally accepted money and gifts worth more than 546 million yuan (about 81.41 million U.S. dollars).

The procuratorial agency presented evidence at the trial. Li and his defense counsel cross-examined the evidence, and both sides gave their respective full accounts.

In his final statement, Li pleaded guilty and expressed remorse.

The trial was attended by more than 30 people, including legislators, political advisors, and representatives of the press and the public.

Li's sentence will be announced at a later date. 
BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Thursday responded to recent U.S. statements on the need for "guardrails" on China-U.S. relations, pointing out that the "guardrails" of China-U.S. relations are the three China-U.S. joint communiques.

According to media report, a U.S. State Department official said that a critical objective of the upcoming meeting between Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is to reinforce the guardrails in bilateral relations and add stability to the relationship.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a regular news briefing that China-U.S. relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. As the world's top two economies and permanent members of the UN Security Council, the two countries must make the relationship work and not mess it up, Zhao said.

The two sides need to uphold the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation and bring the bilateral relations back to the track of sound and steady development. The United States needs to abide by the provisions in the joint communiques and the commitments it has made to China, Zhao added. 
UNITED NATIONS, July 6 (Xinhua) -- With more than 200,000 people already in catastrophic food insecurity, famine is feared by September in Somalia, a UN spokesman said on Wednesday.

Due to the Horn of Africa drought, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) believes that there will be famine in eight areas of the country within two months, said Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The level of food insecurity has been the worst since 2017 and is not expected to improve for a year.

"Our humanitarian colleagues warn that more than 7 million people are already impacted by the severe drought, up from nearly 6 million in May," Dujarric said. "More than 800,000 have left their homes in search of food, water and pasture."

He said that at least 200 children have died of malnutrition and disease since January and an estimated 1.5 million children under the age of 5 face acute malnutrition.

"Late last month, our partners launched the Drought Response and Famine Prevention Plan to provide life-saving assistance and prevent famine in Somalia," the spokesman said. "The plan calls for nearly 1 billion U.S. dollars to reach 6.4 million people through the end of the year."

Separately, the Humanitarian Response Plan for Somalia, which calls for 1.46 billion U.S. dollars to help 5.5 million people, is only 30 percent funded, he told a regular briefing. Almost 4 million people have received assistance since January.

"We need greater resources to meet growing needs and avert famine," Dujarric said. 
CAPE TOWN, July 6 (Xinhua) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday warned citizens against under-age drinking, saying the country is losing its future generation to this "scourge."

He sounded the warning at the mass funeral for 21 young victims of last week's tavern tragedy in East London, Eastern Cape Province. The youngest victim who died in this tragedy was 13 years old, and the country is still waiting for the result of toxicology.

Legal drinking in South Africa is 18 years old.

Ramaphosa recalled major alcohol-related incidents that killed young women and children in the past, blaming under-age drinking for alcohol related violence, road accidents, driving drunk and unprotected sex.

"Alcohol is highly addictive. It is something to be consumed in moderation and responsibly, and only by those who are of the legal age to do so, and mature enough to handle its effects," he said.

The president said South Africa has extensive laws to address and combat alcohol abuse, but has to strengthen implementation, calling on all mayors to appoint Local Drug Action Committees in every ward and to give them the necessary support from the municipality.

He also called on the Eastern Cape government and all of provincial government to step up implementation of their provincial drug master plans, with a renewed focus on outreach and public awareness raising. Endiem
BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) -- A joint research team of Chinese and Australian astronomers has detected a binary star system ejecting a common envelope, a key process of the binary star evolution, which could be of great importance to studies of the expansion of the universe and dark energy.

This is the first time that scientists have observed direct evidence of the key process of the evolution of the common envelope of binary stars. The study was published online in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Thursday (Beijing Time).

Li Jiangdan, the first author of the article from the Yunnan Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), said a sun-like star in a binary system would evolve into a red giant star, and would eventually become a hot subdwarf star and then a white dwarf. The research team has found a binary system consisting of a hot subdwarf and a white dwarf, coded as J1920, about 23,000 lightyears from Earth.

In the system, the hot dwarf transfers its mass to the white dwarf via an accretion disk. The two stars get closer and spin with each other faster and faster. About 10,000 years ago, they ejected their common envelope, made up of gas, which is expanding and leaving the binary system at a speed of 200 km per second, Li said.

Han Zhanwen, the leader of the Chinese research team and an academician of the CAS, said that this binary system is like a double-yolk egg that is ejecting its egg whites.

"More than 50 percent of the stars in our universe are binaries. Therefore, understanding binaries is an important content of astrophysics," Han said.

Chen Xuefei, deputy director of the Yunnan Observatories, said binaries consisting of a hot subdwarf star and an accreting white dwarf are sources of gravitational wave radiation at low frequencies and possible progenitors of type Ia supernovae if the white dwarf mass is massive enough. Type Ia supernova is regarded by astronomers as the standard candle in measuring distances in the universe.

Brian Schmidt, the winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics, said, "Nearly 25 years ago, we measured cosmic distances with type Ia supernovae and discovered the accelerating expansion of the universe, which implies the existence of dark energy. Across the world, we are now refining our supernova measurements to better understand the expansion so as to glean the nature of dark energy. But to reach such a goal, we need a better understanding of type Ia supernovae. These exploding stars are from binary evolution, where the common envelope phase is crucial for their understanding."

"Common envelopes were first postulated in 1976, and have been widely used as the explanation for double black holes, double neutron stars, double white dwarfs and many other compact binaries. However, until this day, a common envelope has never been seen yet. This new detection provides a way to deepen our understanding of common envelope evolution," said Schmidt.

It is great to see this collaboration between Australian and Chinese astronomers yield such an exciting result, he added.

Zhao Gang, a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatories of the CAS, said that this discovery not only fills the gap in the study of binary evolution but also opens up a new research direction, making it possible for astronomers to study the early physical properties and states of dense celestial binary formation and evolution in the near future. 
TAIPEI, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan will increase its limit on the number of inbound trips from 25,000 per week to 40,000, against the backdrop of COVID-19 prevention, the island's disease monitoring agency announced Thursday.

The number of inbound trips had been limited to 25,000 per week since June 15. After the adjustment, the protocol on home isolation for inbound trips will remain unchanged, said the agency.

However, starting from July 14, Taiwanese people, residence permit holders and those who transfer in the island will no longer be required to provide a negative result from a nucleic acid test conducted two days before boarding the plane, the agency added.

The Omicron epidemic in the island is on the ebb, with the number of daily new COVID-19 cases trending down in a stable manner.

According to the agency, Taiwan recorded 31,364 local cases and 105 new deaths on Wednesday. The total number of locally transmitted cases recorded so far in Taiwan stands at 3.98 million. 
Lib Campbell: Above

With Roe v Wade (originated in 1973) overturned by the US Supreme Court, thereby allowing decisions on abortion legislation completely returned to the states: Where do you find your position on such a "Life and Death" issue for the American People? Yes, I approve of the US Supreme Court's decision to reinstate this "medical" issue back to the states' legislative responsibility to regulate. No, I believe that every woman should have complete access to abortion on demand. This issue is far beyond my intellectual capacity to understand. 81 total vote(s) What's your Opinion?



Cheers and Anguish. Victory and Tragedy. Both are on full display now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned. It's been a long time in the making. For fifty years, conservatives have been consistent and dogged in the plan to abolish abortions. They are the ones cheering in the streets. The anguish is on the progressive side. Weeping and gnashing of teeth happen when rights are stripped, and choice is lost.I believe in the sanctity of all life. From cradle to grave, life is a precious gift. What I have trouble understanding is how a zygote has more rights to life than does a death row inmate? The same people who want fetal rights protected seem to be the ones who support execution for prisoners who have committed crimes serious enough to receive the death penalty. Many on death row are Black people. And many of them are innocents who have been wrongly convicted. The Innocence Commission hopefully will continue their work to find justice.It also seems to be a conservative bent to prohibit sex education in public schools. Ignorance about sex does not change the hormonal drives of young people whose experiments with sex can result in pregnancy and STDs. We don't live under rocks, people. Why do we think parents are going to teach their children about sex? That puts the onus on a lot of parents who avoidMaybe it's good news that kids today can find anything they want to find about sex on the Internet. Who thinks Google is the best teacher?On the other side, there was talk several years back by the far left, giving people the impression that full term abortion was OK. I don't believe a majority of liberals think that was what abortion care meant. I don't know how often full-term abortions actually happened. I do know that a baby carried for nine months should not be aborted. I think pre-natal science is adept enough to see if fetuses are viable and will thrive if carried to delivery.Nine months is time enough for the government that has taken away rights on the front end, to take greater responsibility for the child on the back end. Surely somebody is at work right now making plans for the children whose mothers cannot take care of them. Foster care needs ramping up. Adoption agencies need to be fully funded and on high alert to have babies quickly adopted. We can't tell women they have to deliver babies they don't have capacity to care for on one hand, that they will have the complete responsibility of a lifetime of care for that child on the other hand. Shouldn't a woman have a choice in that?The hypocrisy of taking away a privilege, then telling women they are responsible for every consequence of unwanted pregnancy seems glaring. Here is what I fear happening. Men who mistreat women will keep mistreating women. Men who rape will continue raping. Men who attack their daughters, nieces, athletes, and parishioners will keep doing it. And if pregnancy is the result, the woman will pay the price - physically, emotionally, educationally and socio-economically. A woman's life will be forever altered. And the perpetrator will go unpunished in a lot of instances. Where is the moral high ground here?The people in my life whom I know to have had abortions did so with prayerful deliberation. Abortion is rarely entered into lightly or frivolously. I think the sad reality of this decision is that abortion will not end. I have said this before, overturning Roe v. Wade will not stop abortion. It will simply go underground, where medical procedures may be little more than a coat hanger. Let that sink in.Conservatives are feeling very empowered by this act of over-turning Roe. There are other rights in their sights now. Reproductive rights, same sex marriage rights, and maybe even, as a bumper sticker I recently saw said,So don't tell me that's not on some people's minds. Civil rights and rights particular for women and minorities may also be over-turned.This appears to be a regressive time in America. It is time to recognize that the biggest hammer we have to nail such injustice is to VOTE in numbersThis is no time for apathy, no time for ignorance at the ballot box. Register. VOTE. And let your voice be heard!
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan have discussed prospects for economic cooperation, Azernews reports.

The discussion materialized at a meeting between Azerbaijan's Export and Investment Promotion Agency Head Yusif Abdullayev with Kyrgyzstan Ambassador Kayrat Osmonaliyev.

The parties emphasized the importance of the April 2022 event between the business communities of the two countries in terms of economic cooperation. They also discussed the work done on the implementation of upcoming issues.

Moreover, the sides exchanged views on the organization of mutual business missions.

Diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan were established on January 19, 1993. The embassy of Azerbaijan in Kyrgyzstan was established in October 2007, while the embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Azerbaijan was opened in October 2014.

The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $9 million in 2021.
KUWAIT CITY, July 6 (Xinhua) -- There is no immediate concern for the economy of Kuwait after oil prices in the global market took a nosedive this week, oil analysts in the country said.

As mounting concerns about a worldwide recession outweighed supply issues, oil prices plummeted on Wednesday, extending Tuesday's heavy losses.

Brent crude futures fell 1.33 dollars, or 1.2 percent, to 101.44 dollars a barrel for the second day in a row, while West Texas Intermediate crude fell 1.80 dollars, or 1.81 percent, to 97.70 dollars, registering a price below 100 dollars for the second day in a row.

The tumble in oil prices has raised concerns in Kuwait, where the petroleum industry accounts for more than half of its gross domestic production and oil earnings make up 90 percent of the state budget.

But most analysts and economists in Kuwait remain optimistic about oil prices and the kingdom's economy.

Khaled Booda, an oil expert, told Xinhua that the price of crude oil is unlikely to fall further given the high demand for energy in general and oil in particular.

Boodai said a temporary setback in oil prices is expected, but the general trend on the global stage still points to robust demand for oil, and as a result, the price of oil will stabilize at a relatively high level.

Abdul-Samee Behbehani, an analyst on oil strategy, echoed Boodai's remarks by saying the tumble in prices is acceptable because the oil price is still around the 100-dollar threshold.

He noted a surplus in Kuwait's budget even at the current price, saying the surplus will reach 35 percent of the country's budget at the end of 2022.

Kamel Al-Harami, an independent Kuwaiti oil analyst, told Xinhua that Kuwait is used to the fluctuations in oil prices.

"In the worst-case scenario, Kuwait can borrow money from the outside or from the Future Generations Fund, which has risen to about 700 billion dollars," Al-Harami said. The Future Generations Fund is a national savings pot designed to help Kuwaitis prepare for life after oil.

"Kuwait and all producing countries are in a comfortable position so far, even if oil prices fall deeply. Even with a recession, how deep is it going? I don't see it going much lower than 100 dollars," Al-Harami said.

"The break-even price in Kuwait's current budget is 75 dollars a barrel, which is a very high price compared to the levels of oil prices in the last 10 years," said Abdulaziz Al-Anjeri, founder and CEO of Reconnaissance Research.

However, if the oil price falls below 75 dollars a barrel, it will "inevitably and negatively" affect the kingdom's economy, he noted. 
The European Parliament holds a plenary session at its headquarters in Strasbourg, France, Nov. 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)

"Women's rights are inalienable, and they cannot be removed or watered down," reads the resolution, which condemns the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the 1973 court ruling that gave women the right to safe and legal abortion, known as Roe v. Wade.

BRUSSELS, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Members of the European Parliament on Thursday voted in favor of a resolution to add the right to abortion to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, condemning the recent U.S. Supreme Court's decision.

A total of 324 members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voted in favor of the resolution, while 155 voted against and 38 were absent at the plenary session in Strasbourg, France.

"Women's rights are inalienable, and they cannot be removed or watered down," reads the resolution, which condemns the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the 1973 court ruling that gave women the right to safe and legal abortion, known as Roe v. Wade.

The vote on the resolution took place three days after MEPs debated the overturning of Roe v. Wade and its implications for women all around the world.

Demonstrators protest against the Supreme Court's overturning of the Roe vs. Wade abortion-rights ruling in San Francisco, California, the United States, on June 24, 2022. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua)

The resolution expresses "firm solidarity with and support for women and girls in the United States, as well as to those involved in both the provision of and advocacy for the right and access to legal and safe abortion care in such challenging circumstances."

In their resolution, lawmakers argue that banning or restricting abortion disproportionately affects women in poverty, women of color, irregular migrants and other vulnerable groups. Such legal obstacles do not actually help reduce the number of terminations, the resolution argues, but instead force women "to travel long distances or to resort to unsafe abortions."

MEPs also asked the European Commission and EU member states to increase funding for the defense of women's rights around the world, and to make the issue a policy priority in the EU's external relations. 




by Olatunji Saliu

ABUJA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- A total of 443 inmates were on the run while four others died during an attack Tuesday by unidentified gunmen on a prison in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, the country's authority of prisons said Wednesday.

Sixteen inmates and three prison guards were injured when the attackers stormed the custodial center in the Kuje area, southwest of Abuja, Tuesday night, said Abubakar Umar, the national spokesman for the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), in a statement.

Umar said the gunmen broke into the medium-security custodial center, using explosives devices through the main entrance and the fence of the facility, respectively. One security personnel was killed in a gunfight between the attackers and the security.

A total of 994 inmates were at the facility before the late Tuesday attack, said the spokesman, noting 551 are currently in custody without giving the exact number of inmates that were recaptured.

"A total of 443 are still at large. Efforts are ongoing to recapture all fleeing inmates," Umar said, explaining that the NCoS would deploy technology to track all fleeing inmates and return them to custody.

Earlier, a senior official with the Ministry of Interior said about 600 inmates were freed in the attack by the gunmen suspected to be militants of the extremist group Boko Haram, but half the number of fleeing inmates have been re-arrested later.

"We understand they are Boko Haram terrorists and came specifically for their conspirators. Many of them are returned, some were retrieved from the bushes they were hiding," Shuaibu Belgore, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Interior, told reporters during a visit to the facility earlier Wednesday.

Inmates at the attacked facility which is less than 42 km to the Abuja city center include convicted Boko Haram conspirators and high-profile public officers standing trial or already convicted.

All Boko Haram suspects, numbering about 64, were among inmates who escaped from the prison Tuesday, Nigeria's Minister of Defense Bashir Magashi said.

Magashi told reporters during a visit to the facility that although everything is under control now, the Nigerian government believed those responsible for the attack "belong to a particular group."

"Most likely, they are Boko Haram members because we have a sizeable number of Boko Haram suspects in detention, and presently we cannot locate any of them. I think they are about 64 in the prison and none of them is available now, they have all escaped," Magashi said.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari made a stopover at the custodial facility Wednesday on his way to Senegal to attend a high-profile meeting in Senegal.

According to a statement by the State House, the Nigerian leader was billed to participate in the International Development Association for Africa Summit in that sister West African nation.

Buhari took a tour of the burned buildings and vehicles on an on-the-spot assessment of the havoc wreaked by the attackers before leaving for his journey to Dakar, the capital of Senegal.

Nigeria has recorded at least five prisons attack in the past 18 months, with correctional facilities in the north-central states of Plateau and Kogi, as well as the southern states of Oyo and Imo previously affected. 
by Ndumiso Mlilo

JOHANNESBURG, July 7 (Xinhua) -- The BRICS commitment to reinforcing multilateralism during its recent summit is important as the group has a capacity to exert influence in the world, Philani Mthembu, executive director at the Institute for Global Dialogue, a South African foreign policy think tank, has said.

Multilateralism "is what holds the world together and could help build a better world for all." But over the last few years, the role played by multilateral institutions, such as the World Health Organization, World Trade Organization and the United Nations, has taken a hit, and multilateralism has been confronted with challenges, Mthembu told Xinhua in a recent interview.

BRICS countries play an important role in various areas in their respective regions, not least in upholding multilateralism, he said.

BRICS leaders agreed during the summit to facilitate greater and more meaningful participation by developing and least developed countries, especially in Africa, in global decision-making processes, Mthembu noted, adding it's a welcome move to the African continent to allow regional countries to have a voice in global affairs.

According to the scholar, it is a "logical step" taken by China to support the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by allocating resources to the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund.

China's assistance would contribute to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, he added. 
Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Philippine Foreign Secretary Luis Enrique Manalo in Manila, the Philippines, on July 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Kai)

MANILA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Philippine Foreign Secretary Luis Enrique Manalo agreed here on Wednesday that their countries will further enhance friendship and mutual trust, adhere to good-neighborliness and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.

Noting that Wang is the first foreign minister to visit the Southeast Asian country after the new Philippine government was inaugurated on June 30, Manalo said the Philippines and China are good neighbors, who have seen fruitful results in their cooperation in various areas.

In facing the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in the regional and international situation, the two countries have stood side by side with mutual understanding and support, bringing benefits to the two peoples, he noted.

The Philippines will continue its adherence to the one-China policy and hopes to increase mutual trust and friendship, so as to elevate bilateral relations to a higher level, Manalo said.

The Philippines believes that the problem involving islands and reefs in the South China Sea should be settled through diplomatic means and peaceful consultations with a view to jointly safeguarding peace and stability there, he said.

Wang, for his part, said that the only right path for the relations between the two countries is to adhere to good-neighborliness and friendship and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.

Recent years have witnessed bilateral ties enjoying an all-round development and cooperation making strides in various fields under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples, he said.

China highly appreciates the remarks by Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos that China is a strong partner of the Philippines and his administration will continue a friendly policy towards China to further boost bilateral relations, Wang said.

At this new starting point, Wang said, China is willing to work with the Philippines to jointly plan for the future cooperation so as to lift their friendship to a new high.

Wang said the two sides should always properly handle the maritime issues from a strategic and overarching perspective, giving the issues a proper position in bilateral relations.

The two sides should also work to steadily advance the joint development in the South China Sea, accelerate consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, expand maritime cooperation to increase mutual benefit and win-win results, he said.

During the meeting, the two sides agreed to sustain a high-quality construction of the Belt and Road and secure more early results.

They also vowed to strengthen the China-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) relations, jointly safeguard the regional architecture with ASEAN at its center, implement the important consensus reached at the China-ASEAN Special summit late last year, and push for a deeper and more solid China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership.

In addition, both sides pledged to strengthen coordination and cooperation in multilateral affairs, jointly defend the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, and jointly promote regional peace, development and prosperity.

After their meeting, Wang and Manalo officially launched the Davao City-Samal Island connector bridge project and witnessed the signing of cooperation documents. 

Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) and Philippine Foreign Secretary Luis Enrique Manalo attend the launching ceremony of the Davao City-Samal Island connector bridge project after their meeting in Manila, the Philippines, on July 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Kai)
HANOI, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam recorded 913 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, down by one from Wednesday, according to its Ministry of Health.

The new infections brought the total tally to 10,752,140 with 43,089 deaths. Nationwide, as many as 9,741,110 COVID-19 patients, or nearly 91 percent of the total infections, have so far recovered.

Nearly 234.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the Southeast Asian country, including over 207.1 million shots on people aged 18 and above, according to the health ministry. 
SYDNEY, July 7 (Xinhua) -- The Solomon Islands' national carrier, Solomon Airlines, announced on Wednesday that the airline will resume flights to Manaoba from July 11.

Weekly services will operate on Mondays from the capital city of Honiara to Manaoba via Auki.

Manaoba is located in Malaita province, the most populous province of the Solomon Islands. The airline paused its service to Manaoba in late April due to concerns about interrupted services associated with a local landowners' dispute.

However, the airline said it was now settled and it "can be sure of the protection of our aircraft, passengers, and crew in Manaoba, and can therefore restart flights."

"While we appreciate that there may be local issues which are outside of our control, we have an obligation to all who rely upon our scheduled flights across the Solomon Islands," Solomon Airlines said in a statement.

"We are encouraged enough to restart services to Manaoba, however as we seek to recover our domestic network and our tourism industry, we will continue to make sensible decisions if our equipment or crew are at risk, or our services are not prioritized or required."

The flight from Honiara is scheduled to depart at 8:00 a.m. local time and bookings for the flights can be made through the airline's website now. 
Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos (R) meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) in Manila, the Philippines, on July 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

MANILA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos met with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi here on Wednesday, with both sides agreeing to upgrade bilateral cooperation and deal with the South China Sea issue through dialogue and communication.

The Philippine president said China is the Philippines' largest trading partner and most important development partner, and both sides have initiated fruitful cooperation in all fields.

After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, China was the first to supply vaccines and protective materials to the Philippines, said Marcos, adding that China has actively supported the "Build Build Build" program and greatly helped the Philippines in improving its basic infrastructure.

The Philippines hopes to continue pushing forward bilateral cooperation with China in politics, economy and trade, education, culture and other areas, so as to enrich the connotation of their comprehensive strategic cooperation, Marcos said.

He said the Philippines pursues an independent foreign policy of peace, and always adheres to the one-China policy. The South China Sea issue is not the mainstream of the Philippines-China relationship and should not become an obstacle to bilateral cooperation.

The Philippines is willing to carry out candid communication with the Chinese side to find a friendly solution to the issue, which is the right way for the two countries to get along, Marcos said.

Wang said the China-Philippines relations are at a new starting point and China is ready to work with the Philippine side to keep the general direction of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Both sides remain committed to becoming good neighbors that help each other, good relatives that share mutual understanding and close bonds, and good partners that pursue cooperation and win-win results, so as to push for the upgrading of their cooperation and usher in a "golden age" in bilateral relations, Wang said.

While expressing China's firm support for the new Philippine government, Wang said China is willing to engage with the Philippines to conduct cooperation in the four key areas of agriculture, infrastructure, energy, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, help the Philippines accelerate its development and revitalization, and bring about greater benefits to the Philippine people.

Wang stressed that cooperation between China and the Philippines far outweighs their maritime differences, and any difference between the two countries cannot define their relations, nor will it hinder their cooperation.

China and the Philippines should enhance dialogue and communication and properly handle sensitive issues so as to let maritime cooperation be the main tone of their discussion and handling of maritime affairs, he said.

Wang said the two countries should make the building of good neighbors, good friends and good partners as the new consensus between the two peoples.

On Wednesday, Wang also met with Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, with both sides expressing the willingness to deepen bilateral practical cooperation in the major fields of agriculture, infrastructure, energy as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

During their meeting, Duterte-Carpio said the Philippine side is looking forward to working with China to further the synergy with the Belt and Road Initiative.

She also said in her capacity as the education minister that the Philippine side hopes to intensify educational cooperation with China at all levels.

Wang said China stands ready to deepen cooperation with the Philippines in the education field, including on vocational education and language training programs, to support more Philippine youths to study in China, and to assist in improving teaching facilities to elevate modern education in the Philippines.

During the meeting, Wang also expressed China's appreciation for the contribution of former President Rodrigo Duterte to secure a complete turnaround and enhancement in China-Philippine relations during his six-year tenure. 

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio (L) meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Manila, the Philippines, on July 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
by Raheela Nazir

ISLAMABAD, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani experts and officials said that there is a dire need for Pakistan to learn from China's successful governance in various areas and economic development models.

Addressing the launching ceremony of "Understanding China Fellowship" at the Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi on Wednesday, Mushahid Hussain Syed, chairman of the Pakistani senate's defense committee, said China has achieved extraordinary transformation over the years, which has only been made possible by the Chinese people through sheer hard work, education and dedication.

Regretting that the United States and its Western allies are continuously adhering to the Cold War mentality and containment policy, the senator said it could affect global socio-economic development and growth.

Qamar-uz-Zaman, vice chancellor of Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, said: "As Pakistan is in the process of promoting the development of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a mega project of great economic value, it is important to know Chinese growth models, and training sessions and programs need to be initiated."

Ahmed Farooq, deputy head of mission of the Pakistani Embassy in China, said that Pakistan and China share a common worldview of peace with win-win cooperation, having cordial relations based on profound principles of mutual respect, mutual understanding, and mutual benefit.

"China is our biggest trading partner, a key source of foreign direct investment in Pakistan, and the coming time sees boundless opportunities for our people in the growing Pakistan-China economic cooperation," Farooq said.

China also has an immensely successful model of economic growth and development in areas like infrastructure, industrialization, agriculture, cutting-edge technologies, poverty alleviation and people-centric governance, he said, adding that Pakistan should learn from China's experience to uplift its economy.

Pang Chunxue, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan, said that through the joint efforts of leaders and people from both countries, China and Pakistan have forged an all-weather friendship while supporting each other on issues of core interest domestically and internationally.

Under the changing world scenario, both China and Pakistan are in a critical period of national development, and it is the choice for the two countries to join hands to build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, she said. 
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development on cooperation in the areas of labor, employment, and social protection, signed in Baku on May 25, 2022, Azernews reports.

Following the entry into force of the MoU indicated in Part 1 of the decree, the Azerbaijani Labor Ministry will ensure the implementation of its provisions.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry will submit a notification to Pakistan's government on implementing domestic procedures required for the additional agreement to enter into force.
CANBERRA, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Australia's peak immunization advisory body has approved the fourth COVID-19 vaccine doses for people as young as 30.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ATAGI) on Thursday announced it has recommended a fourth vaccine dose for people aged 50 and above, while those aged 30-49 can also choose to have it.

Previously only over-65s, those with a disability, aged care residents and immunocompromised people were eligible for a second booster shot.

Health Minister Mark Butler said 7.4 million more Australians would now be able to receive a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose, offering extra protection ahead of a projected winter surge in the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants.

"This will help provide additional protection from severe disease against the emerging surge of Omicron subvariant infections and reduce the burden on Australian hospitals and the health care system in coming months," he said in a statement.

"ATAGI did not support making the fourth dose available to healthy adults under the age of 30 years as it was not clear whether the benefits outweighed the risks in this population group."

ATAGI noted that the number of people ill with COVID-19 has increased in recent months.

It said a fourth dose alone would not be enough to prevent the spread of coronavirus, recommending measures such as mask-wearing.

"ATAGI advises that other public health and social measures, in addition to vaccination, will have the greatest impact against the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 surge in infections," it said.

"This includes increased use of masks and increasing the use of antiviral treatment in people diagnosed with COVID-19, including in people aged 50 years and above."

Australia on Thursday reported more than 40,000 new COVID-19 cases and 60 deaths.

As of Wednesday afternoon, 8,327,916 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Australia, including 10,131 deaths, and approximately 282,003 active cases, according to the latest figures from the Department of Health.

There were 3,781 cases being treated in Australian hospitals on Wednesday including 138 in intensive care. 
SYDNEY, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Australia's peak consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), has published a report revealing that the nation's vulnerable populations are increasingly being targeted in scams.

The report, released to the public on Wednesday, revealed that in 2021, scammers stole 61 million Australian dollars (about 41.58 million U.S. dollars) from Indigenous Australians, ethnic and linguistic minorities, and people with disability -- almost double the figure of the previous year.

The most common scams leveled against the vulnerable groups included investment scams, phishing scams, romance scams, and scams which involved threats of harm or arrest.

ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard cautioned that the Australian government would never threaten individuals with immediate arrest, which is a common tactic among scammers who claim the individual has unpaid taxes or has otherwise committed a crime.

A report released earlier in the week estimated that Australians lost "well over" 2 billion Australian dollars (about 1.36 billion U.S. dollars) in scams across 2021.

The uptick in scams has been exacerbated during times of natural disaster and the pandemic.

"Scammers are the most opportunistic of all criminals: they pose as charities after a natural disaster, health departments during a pandemic, and love interests every day," said Rickard in the initial report.

"The true cost of scams is more than a dollar figure as they also cause serious emotional harm to individuals, families, and businesses," Rickard said. 
Turkish Minister of Trade Mehmet Mus speaks at a meeting introducing Turkey's trade strategies with distant countries, in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 6, 2022. Turkish traders are planning to set up online stores to expand exports to China in the upcoming period, Mehmet Mus announced on Wednesday. (Xinhua)

ISTANBUL, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Turkish traders are planning to set up online stores to expand exports to China in the upcoming period, Turkish Minister of Trade Mehmet Mus announced on Wednesday.

"We aim to increase communication between Chinese and Turkish business sectors, and we are planning projects that will introduce our sectors to crucial physical and online markets in China," Mus told a meeting in Istanbul introducing Turkey's trade strategies with distant countries.

"In this regard, we will be opening online stores in China, where online business is very well established," he added.

During the meeting, the minister said the strategies are tailored to each of the 18 "remote" countries across the globe, with an emphasis on China, noting the ministry has prepared action plans to trade with China, the world's foremost producer and market.

Mus announced new support plans and incentives for potential goods and services exports to Turkey, some of which are intended to "familiarize" Chinese and Turkish industries with the opportunities and capacity each other holds, according to the minister.

The new trade strategies target countries across Asia, the Americas, Africa and Oceania. 
MOSCOW, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Russia's aerospace forces have destroyed temporary deployment points and ammunition depots near the city of Artemovsk in Donetsk, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday.

Up to 350 Ukrainian personnel and 20 armored combat vehicles were hit at the site, according to the ministry.

The ministry added that the Ukrainian military has suffered heavy losses after Russian attacks on combat positions, with the total casualties of the 24th mechanized brigade amounting to around 2,500, and the Ukrainian 79th airborne assault brigade loosing more than 80 percent of its personnel.

There is no information available form the Ukrainian side for the time being to confirm the casualties and damage. 
WASHINGTON: In a phone conversation with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken congratulated Washington and Islamabad on their 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

during the call on Wednesday, the State Department said "the two sides "reaffirmed our mutual goals for improving US-Pakistan bilateral cooperation on economic stability, climate, and health."

The Department of State added that "the Secretary and the Foreign Minister also discussed coordination to lessen the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, regional stability, business and people-to-people ties, and the devastating effects of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's unprovoked war on Ukraine on food security in Pakistan and worldwide."

Bilawal told Blinken he anticipated a "regular exchange of high-level visits" to realise the full potential of bilateral cooperation across a wide range of fields, said the Foreign Office in Islamabad.

Considering the demographic and economic potential of Pakistan, the Foreign Minister said that the United states may invest in the South Asian nation's growing market. It also added that future engagement and meetings between the two countries would give further impetus to trade and commercial ties.

Pak PM Shehbaz orders early resolution of energy crisis

Inflation in Pakistan Highest in over 13 years

Pak govt to approach G20 against Indias plan
HAVANA: In an effort to protect the island's biodiversity and natural environments, Cuba has declared 144 new protected areas.

According to local newspaper Juventud Rebelde, the newly added protected areas, which have been approved by the Council of Ministers, now occupy more than 15% of the country's land and more than 20% of inland waterways.

The action comes after the National Assembly of People's Power approved a new environmental law to replace one that was passed in 1997.

Cuba created 26 new protected areas in 2021, the majority of them are located in the eastern provinces of Las Tunas and Guantanamo.

In accordance with the principles of sustainable development, the Caribbean country has increased the environmental preservation of national parks, nature reserves, and wildlife refuges in recent years.

Local government officials are still working to put into place a national government initiative that was started in 2017 to lessen the effects of global warming brought on by climate change and rising sea levels.

WFP gets USD 1.29mn to scale up humanitarian aid to S.Sudan

Blinkens Call with Pakistani FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

Sri Lankan President asks Putin to help buy fuel
TEHRAN: The "oppressive" US sanctions against Iran should be repealed in a way that allows other nations to easily invest in Iran while upholding their long-term interests, said by Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).

According to Xinhua news, quoting Iran's Nour News, Shamkhani made the comments during a meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani of Qatar, who was in town. He was cited as stressing that Iran will remain dedicated to diplomacy up until its legal rights in the nuclear talks were realised.

Al Thani's visit to Tehran came after recent indirect negotiations between Iran and the US in Doha over their disagreements about the revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, often known as the 2015 Iranian Nuclear Deal (JCPOA).

In exchange for the lifting of sanctions, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear programme when it signed the JCPOA with major world powers in July 2015. 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.

US failed to take initiative in Doha nuclear talks: Iran

Nuclear talks to begin in Doha on Tuesday, says Iran

Doha to host fresh round of Iranian nuclear talks
(Adds details, updates prices)

By Yoruk Bahceli

July 7 (Reuters) - Benchmark German bond yields were set for their biggest daily rise since March 2020 on Thursday as the U.S. Federal Reserve's meeting minutes and Chinese stimulus reports added to the tussle between inflation and recession fears gripping markets.

Minutes of the bank's June meeting showed officials rallied around the outsized 75 basis-point hike and a firm restatement of intention to get prices under control, with many judging there was a significant risk that elevated inflation could become entrenched if the public started to question the bank's resolve.

Following overnight moves that saw U.S. Treasury yields end the session 11-15 basis points higher, also driven by economic data, euro zone yields followed suit on Thursday. U.S. yields continued higher on Thursday.

Jens Peter Sorensen, chief analyst at Danske Bank, said the minutes had driven bond yields higher as they "showed an aggressive Federal Reserve, where the need to curb inflation is the main focus as the minutes focused on inflation rather than the risk of a recession".

After touching five-week lows on Wednesday at 1.072%, Germany's 10-year yield, the benchmark for the euro area, was up 14 basis points on the day to 1.29% by 1504 GMT, set for the biggest daily rise since March 2020.

The two-year yield was up 15 bps to 0.53%, having dropped as low as 0.27% on Wednesday.

Italy's 10-year yield rose 12 bps to 3.36%, the highest in nearly a week. Greece's 10-year yield rose 29 bps. A trader said the outsized move was technical and reflected a "normalisation" of the spread with Italian bonds.

Yields extended their rise following a Bloomberg story which, citing unnamed sources, said China was considering allowing local governments to sell $220 billion of special bonds in the second half of the year to shore up the economy.

Sources told Reuters on Tuesday China would set up an investment fund worth $75 billion to spur infrastructure spending and revive a flagging economy. "I think these headlines about Chinese stimulus is helping alleviate some of the macro gloom and putting bonds yields on an upward path," ING senior rates strategist Antoine Bouvet, said.

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Investors also digested the accounts of the European Central Bank's June meeting showing policymakers debated flagging a larger interest rate hike for July, and also remarks from ECB policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau who said plans to keep bond spreads from unjustifiably widening would get off the ground.

The yield spread between 10-year German and Italian bonds - a gauge of the euro area financial stability - was last broadly steady at 205.9 basis points.

At the June meeting, the ECB announced an end to bond buys and said it would kick off rate hikes with a 25-bps move in July. A potential anti-fragmentation tool to reduce an "unwarranted" divergence between member states' borrowing costs was not announced until a week later.

"Markets should treat this as old news and remain focused on gas supply fears and recession risk," Hauke Siemssen, rates strategist at Commerzbank, said.

"Whether the ECB will be able to deliver the envisioned hikes in September and beyond should thus largely depend on the future of gas deliveries and prospects of a recession."

Facing those risks, Money markets have ramped down bets on ECB hikes sharply. They now price in 145 bps of hikes by December, compared with 190 bps in mid-June, and a terminal rate of around 1.50% in late 2023, down from around 2.6%. (Reporting by Yoruk Bahceli Additional reporting by Danilo Masoni in Milan and Lefteris Papadimas in Athens Editing by Angus MacSwan, Peter Graff and Andrew Heavens)
By Trend

Turkiye will try to reach an outcome with Kyiv and Moscow for a potential grain export corridor from Ukrainian ports soon, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.

We will try to achieve an outcome through intensifying our talks (with Russia and Ukraine) in a period of a week or 10 days, Erdogan said during a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi in the capital Ankara.

Saying that Turkey does not face a problem due to the global grain shortage, Erdogan underlined that this is not the case for other countries while Africa is especially experiencing significant problems.

Turkey has played a central role in negotiations with Russia and Ukraine to try to reach an agreement that would allow for an increase in the amount of grain that can get out of Ukraine amid the conflict.

Some grain was transported west by rail out of Ukraine, but experts say restoring Ukraines ability to export grain through the Black Sea is necessary to have a significant effect on easing global food shortages.

Italy and Turkiye are "united in condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine and in supporting Kyiv. At the same time, we are on the front line to seek a negotiated solution that could halt hostilities and guarantee a stable and long-lasting peace," Draghi said.

Draghi thanked Turkiye for its mediation role in unblocking grain exports from Ukraine, adding, "We need to free these (exports) as soon as possible to avoid a humanitarian and social catastrophe in the poorest countries of the world."

At the Elmau G-7 meeting, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the outlines of a plan that the U.N. is working on, which foresees a central role for Turkey, he said.

The Italian prime minister also said stabilization in Libya is crucial, noting that Italy and Turkiye will work closely together for it.
Partnership supports common commitment to creating inclusive, respectful and just communities

HANOVER, Md., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aston Carter, a leading staffing and consulting firm with a focus on financial and professional services, announced today that it will continue to deepen its commitment to diversity and inclusion practices through an enhanced partnership with the National Federation for Just Communities (NFJC). Aston Carter and NFJC began working together in 2021. NFJC's mission is to support member organizations that work to build community by advancing inclusion and justice throughout the United States. This partnership has allowed thousands of Aston Carter employees from around the U.S. to become active partners in addressing these pressing issues facing our society.

Aston Carter Logo (PRNewsfoto/Aston Carter)

"At Aston Carter, we believe that DE&I is essential to building an effective, high-performing organization that propels lives and communities forward," said Donnell Campbell, Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Aston Carter. "This partnership with the NFJC will help us continue to evolve and strengthen our commitment to diversity and inclusion."

Aston Carter's partnership with NFJC includes sponsorship of the keynote speaker at a conference, expansion and support of "We Don't Want Them," a traveling exhibit on housing segregation and the creation of new professional development programs.

"We are excited to partner with Aston Carter in advancing meaningful work that transforms lives," said Moises Echeverria, Chair of the Board of Directors, NFJC. "In our work we strive to inspire and equip individuals to be positive change agents our country needs."

Over the next several months, NFJC will more deeply explore a myriad of social justice issues and how systemic racism can impact the workplace. Aston Carter's DE&I team will partner with NFJC to help develop new customized professional training programs around these findings. These training programs will be utilized by Aston Carter's organization as well as additional affiliates of the NFJC.

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In total, there are 16 member affiliates within the NFJC  from Southern California to Florida, Nebraska, Arkansas, Western New York and many more regions. These affiliates are located in the various regions Aston Carter employees and customers are located.

To learn more about NFJC and the work that they do, please visit Federationforjustcommunities.org. For more information about Aston Carter's talent solutions and services, please visit AstonCarter.com.

About Aston Carter

Established in 1997, Aston Carter is a leading staffing and consulting firm, providing high-caliber talent and premium services to more than 7,000 companies across North America. Spanning four continents and more than 200 offices, Aston Carter extends its clients' capabilities by seeking solvers and delivering solutions to address today's workforce challenges. For organizations looking for innovative solutions shaped by critical-thinking professionals, visit AstonCarter.com.

Aston Carter is a company within Allegis Group, a global leader in talent solutions.

About The National Federation for Just Communities (NFJC)

The National Federation for Just Communities (NFJC) is a network of organizations from across the country with multiple years of experience, extensive knowledge, skills, and expertise in the areas of human relations, social justice, community-building, and inter-group understanding. Our members share a professional commitment to growth and mutual support in advancing social justice work and their individual organization's missions. NFJC's strength and uniqueness is bound together and driven by the collective commitment to a shared vision that the reality of inclusion and justice for all is the practice of every community.

Contact:

Lisa Martin

Brand & Public Relations Manager

410-579-6307

lcatena@astoncarter.com

Cision

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SOURCE Aston Carter
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Australian casino operator Crown Resorts adorns a fence surrounding the Crown Perth hotel and casino complex in Western Australia

(Reuters) -Australian casino operator Crown Resorts on Thursday named operations head of Wynn Macau, Ciaran Carruthers, as its chief executive officer, replacing Steve McCann weeks after its $6.3-billion takeover by private equity Blackstone.

McCann, after taking over the top job in June last year, had led the company through a tough time when its licenses were suspended or put under supervision after probes in three Australian states amid claims of shirking anti-money laundering rules and dysfunctional governance.

He also oversaw its flagship Sydney casino win back its gaming license after a years-long money-laundering scandal, as well as the company's sale to Blackstone which concluded last month.

McCann will step down from his role in September, the company said.

In Carruthers, Crown has tapped an executive with more than 30 years of experience in the global gaming and hospitality industry. He has previously held senior roles at Sands China and casino resorts in Southeast Asia.

"Blackstone is committed to investing in Crown... Part of that involves bringing in global expertise to complement the existing skills within the business," said Chris Tynan, Blackstone's head of real estate Australia.

Crown also appointed Bill McBeath as chairman of the board, former Virgin Australia CEO John Borghetti as chair of its Sydney business and John van der Wielen as chairman of its Perth operations.

(Reporting by Shashwat Awasthi in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)
Brunswick Corporation

METTAWA, Ill., July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC) will release its second quarter 2022 financial results on Thursday July 28, 2022, before the market opens by way of an advisory release, notifying the public that the complete and full-text results will be available on the Companys website at https://ir.brunswick.com . The results will also be available on the SECs website with the Form 8-K filing of the release at http://goo.gl/wJQN1 .

The Company will hold a conference call at 10 a.m. CDT/ 11 a.m. EDT, Thursday, July 28, 2022, hosted by David M. Foulkes, chief executive officer, Ryan M. Gwillim, executive vice president and chief financial officer and Neha J. Clark, senior vice president of enterprise finance and investor relations. A copy of the presentation to be used on this call will be available when the results are released as noted above.

Security analysts and investors wishing to participate via telephone should call 877-900-9524 (No Password Needed). Callers outside of North America should call 412-902-0029 (No Password Needed) to be connected. These numbers can be accessed 15 minutes before the call begins, as well as during the call.

To listen via the Internet, go to www.brunswick.com/investors. Please go to the website at least 15 minutes before the call to register, download and install any needed audio software.

A replay of the conference call will be available through 1 p.m. CDT Thursday August 4, 2022, by calling 877-660-6853 or 201-612-7415 (Access ID: 13730966). The replay also will be available at www.brunswick.com/investors .

About Brunswick

Headquartered in Mettawa, Ill., Brunswick Corporations leading consumer brands include Mercury Marine outboard engines; Mercury MerCruiser sterndrive and inboard packages; Mercury global parts and accessories including propellers and SmartCraft electronics; Advanced Systems Group, which includes industry-leading brands such as Simrad, Lowrance, C-MAP, B&G, MotorGuide, Attwood, Mastervolt, RELiON, Blue Sea Systems, CZone, and ASG Connect system integrators; Land N Sea, BLA, Paynes Marine, Kellogg Marine, and Lankhorst Taselaar marine parts distribution; Mercury and Quicksilver parts and oils; Bayliner, Boston Whaler, Crestliner, Cypress Cay, Harris, Heyday, Lowe, Lund, Princecraft, Quicksilver, Rayglass, Sea Ray, Thunder Jet and Uttern boats; Boating Services Network, Freedom Boat Club, Boateka, and Boat Class. For more information, visit brunswick.com.

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CONTACT: Lee Gordon Vice President  Brunswick Global Communications & Public Affairs Brunswick Office: 847-735-4003 Cell: 904-860-8848 Lee.Gordon@Brunswick.com




Consolidates Strategic Position in Major Copper Producing District

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2022) - C3 Metals Inc. (TSXV: CCCM) (OTCQB: CUAUF) ("C3 Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has significantly expanded its land holdings around its highly prospective Jasperoide project in the world class Andahuaylas-Yauri skarn/porphyry copper belt of southern Peru. The Company and its subsidiaries now control a total of 272 sq km (27,198 hectares) comprising 100% of 49 claims covering 267 sq km (26,698 hectares) and the right to earn 100% in two additional third-party claims covering 5 sq km (500 hectares).

Highlights include:

Land holdings 5x larger - 51 claims covering 272 sq km in major copper producing district

Package surrounded by major mining companies including Rio Tinto and HudBay

Contiguous block between Jasperoide and Khaleesi copper-gold properties secured

Khaleesi project comprises 4 sq km of artisanal workings that have never been evaluated - permitting for exploration in progress

Expanded land package covers at least six areas of small-scale copper and gold mining operations that have never been evaluated using modern day exploration methods

Tony Manini, Executive Chairman of C3 Metals commented,

"Through a disciplined acquisition strategy over the past three years, the Company now controls a significant near surface copper and gold oxide deposit at Jasperoide surrounded by a pipeline of similar high potential copper and copper-gold targets in a world class copper mining district. As we continue to expand and evaluate mining and processing opportunities for Jasperoide we have also commenced permitting to explore the multiple nearby high potential copper-gold prospects. Consolidating this large land position significantly enhances C3 Metals ambition of delivering a new +50Ktpa copper mining opportunity in Peru and we look forward to providing further updates as we progress our exploration and evaluation of this highly prospective land package."

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Over the past year C3 Metals has been working to expand its land holdings around the Company's highly prospective Jasperoide Copper-Gold Property in southern Peru. Through staking, tenders and property purchases, the Company has established a contiguous exploration footprint in key areas of interest around Jasperoide and consolidated a significant land package over this section of the Andahuaylas-Yauri skarn / porphyry belt. The Company's land holdings have increased almost five-fold from an initial ~57 sq km (5,700 hectares) in 13 claims (see press release dated February 25, 2020) to 272 sq km (27,198 hectares) in 53 claims (Table 1).

Table 1. C3 Metals Mineral Claims Summary

Mineral Claims Status Claims Area (ha) Area (km2) Concessions Granted (1) 29 15,198 152 Concessions Under Process 22 12,000 120 Total 51 27,198 272

(1) Includes Greatiam 10 and Greatiam 70 claims

The Jasperoide Project Area is located within the Andahuaylas-Yauri skarn/porphyry belt approximately 45km east of Minmetal's Las Bambas mine (1.2BT @ 0.61% Cu 166 197 ppm Mo1) and First Quantum Minerals undeveloped Haquira deposit (569 MT @ 0.56% Cu2), 40 km northwest of Hudbay's Constancia mine (568MT @ 0.32% Cu, 96ppm Mo3) and 100 km northwest of Glencore's Antapaccay mine (685MT @ 0.50% Cu, 0.1 g/t Au4). Historical exploration in the Jasperoide Project Area has identified multiple compelling porphyry, skarn and epithermal targets that have seen limited exploration over the last 30 years.

1 MMG Limited Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves Statement June 30, 2019

2 First Quantum Minerals Annual Information Form 2019

3 Hudbay Mineral Reserves as of January 1, 2019

4 Glencore Mineral Reserve Estimates December 31, 2018

The Company looks forward to building strong and respectful relationships with all local communities, as it progresses permit applications to initiate exploration activities on the newly acquired claims.





Figure 1: Location plan showing C3 Metals exploration holdings in southern Peru.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/130211_43531f4324f269e5_001full.jpg

For additional information, contact:

Tony Manini

Executive Chairman

tmanini@c3metals.com

Stephen Hughes

Vice President Exploration

+1 647 517 4574

shughes@c3metals.com

ABOUT C3 METALS INC.

C3 Metals Inc. is a junior minerals exploration company focused on creating substantive value for its shareholders through the discovery and development of large copper and gold deposits. The Company's flagship project is the Jasperoide high-grade copper-gold skarn and porphyry system located in the prolific Andahuaylas-Yauri Porphyry-Skarn belt of Southern Peru, holding 100% ownership of 49 claims covering 26,698 hectares and the right to earn 100% in the Greatiam 10 and 70 claims covering 500 hectares. Mineralization at Jasperoide is hosted in a similar geological setting to the nearby major mining operations at Las Bambas (MMG), Constancia (Hudbay) and Antapaccay (Glencore). C3 Metals also holds a 100% interest in five licenses covering 207 sq km of highly prospective copper-gold terrain in Jamaica and a 2% royalty in Tocvan's Rogers Creek project.

Related Link: www.c3metals.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

QP Statement

Stephen Hughes, P.Geo. is Vice President Exploration and a Director for C3 Metals and is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Hughes has reviewed the technical information in this news release and approves the written disclosure contained herein.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to, among other things, the exploration operations of the Company and the timing which could be affected by the current global COVID-19 pandemic. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Company. Although such statements are based on reasonable assumptions of the Company's management, there can be no assurance that any conclusions or forecasts will prove to be accurate.

While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined, risks relating to variations in grade or recovery rates, risks relating to changes in mineral prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of minerals, risks related to increased competition and current global financial conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic, access and supply risks, reliance on key personnel, operational risks, and regulatory risks, including risks relating to the acquisition of the necessary licenses and permits, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks.

The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/130211
VICTORIA, BC, July 7, 2022 /CNW/ - Canada's Premiers will meet July 11 and 12 at the Fairmont Empress in Victoria.

"I am delighted to welcome my colleagues, Canada's Premiers, to the City of Gardens," said British Columbia Premier John Horgan, Chair of the Council of the Federation. "This in-person meeting, our first since 2019, will allow us to collaborate on the key issues facing Canadians."

Premiers will focus their discussions on health care, including the urgent need to resolve the funding shortfall facing our health care systems. They will also discuss affordability issues and economic recovery.

"The problems Canadians experienced in accessing health care services during the pandemic have intensified strains in our health systems that will continue unless the federal government significantly increases its share of the costs of health care. Canadians must have the confidence that their health care systems will provide the services they need. There can be no further delay in having this vital conversation with the federal government," said Horgan.

A closing news conference is planned for the afternoon of July 12.

The Council of the Federation comprises all 13 provincial and territorial Premiers. It enables Premiers to work collaboratively, form closer ties, foster constructive relationships among governments, and show leadership on important issues that matter to Canadians.

SOURCE Canada's Premiers

Cision

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Beijing has donated 250 million yuan (US$37.4 million) of aid to Afghanistan, fulfilling a promise it made to the new Taliban government last year, according to the Chinese embassy in Kabul.

Chinese ambassador Wang Yu made the announcement on Tuesday at a ceremony attended by Ghulam Ghaws Naseri, acting minister of state for disaster management and humanitarian affairs for Taliban-led Afghanistan.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that the last charter plane carrying Chinese aid would fly to Afghanistan on Thursday, and all supplies promised by China would be delivered.

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

"China has become one of the countries providing the largest, most substantial and fastest assistance to Afghanistan in disaster relief," Zhao said.

China has yet to formally recognise the Taliban, which seized power last year after the United States and its allies abruptly withdrew troops following 20 years of war, but is keen on partnering with the regime in trade and investment.

After the Taliban announced a new government last September, Beijing pledged to help Afghanistan - which shares a remote border with China - rebuild its economy and society and fight terrorist groups and the illegal drug trade.

Wang said that after the change in government, China had announced it would provide 200 million yuan in emergency humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, and supplies had been entirely handed over to the country since the first delivery in September.

China pledged another 50 million yuan in emergency humanitarian aid to the country after a strong earthquake struck southeastern Afghanistan last month, killing more than 1,000 people, injuring nearly 2,000 and leaving tens of thousands of people homeless.

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Afghanistan was hit by its deadliest earthquake in two decades on June 22. Photo: Xinhua alt=Afghanistan was hit by its deadliest earthquake in two decades on June 22. Photo: Xinhua>

Chinese Y-20 military transport planes were deployed to deliver 105 tonnes of goods to the Afghan capital Kabul.

Wang said China's assistance to Afghanistan was the "best manifestation" of a friendship between the two countries that dates back to ancient times.

Wang said China wished Afghanistan would soon achieve stability and social development and was keen to carry out friendly exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

Naseri said the food and humanitarian supplies had been distributed to 34 provinces after arriving in Kabul, bringing timely and effective help to the people of Afghanistan.

China had been critical of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and called on the country to lift unilateral sanctions and unfreeze Afghan assets. Western countries have frozen more than US$9 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank - most of it held in the US - since the Taliban took power. Although some aid has been restored, the country has plunged into a severe economic crisis.

In the wake of the worst earthquake in more than 20 years, the Afghan Taliban government called on the international community to lift sanctions and lift the freeze on central bank assets.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2022 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2022. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Meta's headquarters in Menlo Park, California. Liu Guanguan/Getty Images

An Irish data watchdog will stop Meta from sharing Europeans' data with the US, Politico reported.

The decision, if agreed by EU officials, could force Facebook and Instagram offline in Europe.

Meta is relying on the US and EU to strike a data sharing agreement, but talks have stalled.

Meta's ability to share data between European and US servers has been thrown into doubt following a ruling by Ireland's data protection regulator that could force Facebook and Instagram offline in Europe this summer.

A Meta spokesperson confirmed the decision, which was first reported by Politico.

The Irish watchdog's decision on Thursday does not automatically apply across Europe. EU officials at Europe's Data Protection Board have one month to confirm whether EU-US data sharing will be blocked.

The decision would affect thousands of tech companies that hold European data on US servers.

The privacy issue dates back to revelations by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, which found that data stored on American soil could be accessed by US spying agencies. That led to a series of legal challenges by Austrian privacy campaigner Max Schrems to throw out existing US-European data sharing agreements.

In March EU and US officials agreed to a provisional agreement covering Meta's data sharing practices, but a final deal is not expected before the end of 2022, Politico reported.

A Meta spokesperson said: "This draft decision, which is subject to review by European data protection authorities, relates to a conflict of EU and US law which is in the process of being resolved. We welcome the EU-US agreement for a new legal framework that will allow the continued transfer of data across borders, and we expect this framework will allow us to keep families, communities and economies connected."

Meta said in February that if a new framework was not reached and EU data watchdogs banned standard contractual clauses  a legal workaround it's been using since 2020  it would "likely be unable" to continue offering Facebook and Instagram in Europe.

WhatsApp would not be affected, however.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Benjamin Harris, founder and CEO of cybersecurity startup watchTowr, was forced to leave school without his 'A' Level. (PHOTO: watchTowr)

SINGAPORE  Unlike most of his peers, Benjamin Harris does not have a university degree, or even an GCE 'A' Level certificate.

But the 28-year-old is the founder and chief executive officer of watchTowr, a Singapore-headquartered cybersecurity startup, which has successfully raised a total of US$10.25 million (S$14.2 million) less than a year after it became operational.

watchTowr announced on Tuesday (5 July) that it had secured US$8 million in a pre-series A investment round, co-led by Prosus Ventures and Vulcan Capital, and with repeat participation from Wavemaker Partners. This comes after an initial seed round of US$2.25 million in November last year.

Harris, a British national, also recently made it to Forbes 30 under 30 list under the enterprise technology category, a feat which surprised him.

Sitting down with Yahoo Finance Singapore in a media interview, Harris recounts how he founded the company despite the lack of academic qualifications, including his first encounter with a computer as an overactive child.

The youthful founder of the watchTowr  named after a military structure which overlooks and guards a territory  speaks candidly and at a rapid pace.

His work is as similarly as fast-paced. Finding himself having to constantly react to ever-evolving security threats, Harris developed a system to do it for him. His framework continuously tests the clients interface to sniff out potential vulnerabilities and real-time threats.

This, he said, was an improvement from the more traditional model of cybersecurity consultancy, where systems are reviewed at a particular point in time and in reports churned out during working hours, he said.

Story continues

By the time clients received their reports, the same threats might not be relevant, or worse, have been exploited. He likens this method to whack-a mole. By the time you receive it is out of date, he added.

First encounter with a computer

While now an expert at his field, Harris' path did not always lead to computers.

As a child, Harris' parents had sent him to a prestigious music school in the UK to become a professional cellist. That did not work out.

Before that, while in a boarding school, a seven-year-old Harris came across a story in The Times newspaper about two individuals who had been arrested for hacking department of defence computers.

Seven-year-old me had like a click in my head. It was just fascinating  the idea that you could break into computers from your home bedroom, just with a computer and a dial up line. And that was kind of the beginning of the steady decline in my childhood, I would say.

Harris began tinkering with school computers, trying to get around security restrictions for fun.

I kept reading about people who could break into computers... I think I see a consistent theme through my life is wanting to understand the how, and that led me down many different pathsit became an obsession," he said.

Asked why computers specifically, Harris replied, I think computers just make sense. It's binary.

Im a very black and white person I would say, so computers are true or false. There's no emotion involved. There's no confusion. There's no understanding of the other party. It's just if it works, it works. If it doesn't work. That's your fault. Because you haven't done something I haven't written something correctly. And so it makes life a little bit more transparent.

By the time Harris moved to the music school around 10 or 11 years old, it was the beginning of the end. Instead of using the free time he had for music, Harris would surf the Internet to feed his obsession with computers.

As an overactive child who would often get into trouble, computers were the only thing that could keep his focus.

Forced to leave without his 'A' levels

By the time Harris was 15, the school and his parents came to an agreement that music was not for their son. He moved into a sixth form college (similar to Singapores junior college), which had been informed about Harris history with school computers.

The school made him signed a document that if he tampered with their computers, they could kick him out, he said.

After a year of not doing anything, "boredom set in", and the school soon noticed abnormal activity in their servers and suspected Harris.

Harris declined to give specifics on what he did, save to say that he was simply trying to see what he could gain access to out of curiosity.

Harris was given two choices: be investigated by the police, or leave. He chose the latter.

By that point, formal education no longer made sense to Harris, who decided to go into the growing industry of penetration testing, which is a simulated cyber attack against computer systems to check for exploitable vulnerabilities.

The start of his career

Armed with only his 'O' levels, Harris found a job as a security consultant with Portcullis Computer Security, where he was finally free to work with his one true love  computers.

I just threw myself into absolutely everything. So it was like an extension of my obsession at that point, he quipped.

Acutely aware of his lack of paper qualification, Harris said he "aggressively pursued" industry qualifications to ensure his employability, going straight for advanced qualifications. He later switched companies but kept a similar role.

Throughout his career, Harris only re-looked at his educational qualifications once when he considered leaving the UK and realised that degrees were a general requirement for working visas in other countries.

So I went down this path of exploring how I can get a part-time degree in pretty much anything just to kind of fulfil the visa requirements to move," he said.

His plans for a degree were binned when the company he was with then relocated him to Singapore in 2014 to help with its regional expansion.

Practical skills outweigh paper qualifications

I think, throughout my career I've had people tell me that there's going to be a glass ceiling, because you don't have a degree you won't get to ever make X amount of money, or how do people trust you?" said Harris on his lack of tertiary qualification.

"It was a theme when I first moved to Singapore in a lot of conversations, where clients like to review CVs...they would asked you where did you go to university and Id explain well I didnt really go.

In early 2021, he resigned from the company and started watchTowr a few months later in August. That was when Harris had help from an unlikely avenue  a friend from the college he was forced to leave.

The friend worked in venture capital and connected Harris to the right people. Within weeks, Harris managed to secure US$2.25 million in seed funding from Wavemaker Partners and Vulcan Capital.

Since then, his company has expanded to 13 staff, has clients from fintech and banking, and has much more than what a degree can offer. On the industry, he said, I think the space is generally heating up. There definitely is competition. I think we're very lucky that we are a credible group of people both on the engineering side and the cyber side and so because we have that real experience of actually breaking into organisations, helping enterprises secure themselves.

"We're not academics, we're not talking theoretical. We're not selling snake oil. It's from real experience and real capability.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel

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ReportLinker

Capsule endoscopy is a non-invasive procedure that permits a comprehensive examination of the gastrointestinal tract utilizing a video capsule, which is fitted with a camera, battery, transmitter, and light source.

New York, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Capsule Endoscopy System Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report By Component, By Disease Type, By Regional Outlook and Forecast, 2022  2028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06289216/?utm_source=GNW

The images captured by video capsules in the stomach, esophagus, and small intestine are used to diagnose gastrointestinal illnesses.



In front of the capsule endoscope is a hemispherical acrylic optical dome. The gap between the dome and the internal camera is just right for viewing the digestive tract with the mounted camera. A single-focal lens with a narrow aperture is used in the lens. To illuminate the inside of the digestive tract, light-emitting diodes are used as light sources. Metal oxide silicon imagers function in low light using micropower and contain a large number of circuits packed into a compact chip.



Given Imaging created the first capsule endoscopy technology. The third-generation PillCam SB3 capsule endoscope is currently in use as a small intestine endoscope. Mirocam, CapsoCam (CapsoVision, Saratoga, CA, USA), EndoCapsule (Olympus, Tokyo, Japan), and OMOM capsule (Jinshan Science and Technology, Chongqing, China) were also employed.



Millions of individuals worldwide are affected by gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, which have a significant economic impact, including healthcare costs. Colorectal cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), functional constipation, and inflammatory bowel disease are all GI disorders. A video capsule containing a camera, battery, transmitter, and light source is used in capsule endoscopy, a non-invasive method that permits a comprehensive examination of the gastrointestinal tract using wireless and disposable equipment known as a video capsule. The images captured by video capsules in the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine are used to diagnose gastrointestinal illnesses. The capsules integrated camera shoots two photographs every second, and the battery lasts for eight hours.



COVID-19 Impact



The COVID-19 pandemic had drastic consequences on people across the world. Apart from the people who directly died due to the virus, the consequent lockdowns issued by the governments had a negative impact on the physical and mental health of the people. Patients who were not suffering from life-threatening diseases preferred to stay at home than get treatment or surgeries done. Therefore, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the capsule endoscopy business. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of elective procedures was postponed, delayed, canceled, and reduced, which had a substantial influence on the market.



Market Growth Factors



A Rise in the incidence of Gastrointestinal Diseases



Gastrointestinal disorders affect the entire GI tract, as well as digestive organs such as the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. Millions of people throughout the world suffer from gastrointestinal ailments, which are one of the primary sources of morbidity and mortality. According to a report published by the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders in 2019, GERD affects over one-third of the worlds population, resulting in bleeding problems, which drives the market pf capsule endoscopy. The incidence of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) ranges from 0.33 to 5.8 occurrences per 100,000 persons. The attention of governments has been drawn to a dramatic increase in fatality rates from these diseases.



Increase in Gastrointestinal Cancer Cases



In 2018, the global cancer burden increased to 18.1 million new cases and 9.6 million deaths, according to the WHO. One out of every five men and one out of every six women in the world will develop cancer at some time in their lives, and one out of every eight men and one out of every eleven women will succumb to it. The global 5-year prevalence, or the number of people alive 5 years following a cancer diagnosis, is estimated to be 43.8 million. The growing number of patients is a crucial aspect driving the industry forward. Gastrointestinal cancer refers to cancers of the esophagus, pancreas, biliary system, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus.



Market Restraining Factors



Marginal Risks Involved in Capsule Endoscopy



Capsule endoscopy is a safe way to diagnose bleeding and other GI issues that arent detected by conventional methods. However, there is still a small probability that the capsule will get "stuck" in the digestive tract (such as in an intestinal pocket caused by diverticular disease). Theres also a chance of bleeding if the capsule passes via a constricted tube (stricture) with inflammation or tissue injury. While intestinal obstruction is uncommon with capsule endoscopy, if necessary, an emollient purgative such as polypropylene glycol may be administered to help the capsule move. Double-balloon enteroscopy (in which two balloons alternately inflate and deflate) is a less common treatment that can gently urge the capsule through the obstruction site.



Component Outlook



Based on Component, the market is segmented into Capsule Endoscope and Work-stations & Recorders. The work-stations and recorders segment procured a substantial revenue share in the capsule endoscopy system market in 2021. A capsule endoscopy system consists of a workstation, data recorder, sensor, and software that work along with wireless capsules. The data recorder is a device that is worn around the patients waist and transmits the data acquired by the video capsule through sensors. The location and movement of the capsule inside the stomach can also be tracked using data recorders. Thus, a recorder is an essential part of making the procedure feasible. Hence, as the demand for capsule endoscopy grows, the demand for recorders is likely to follow.



Disease Type Outlook



Based on Disease Type, the market is segmented into Small Intestine Disorder, Esophageal Disorder, and Colonic Disorder. The small intestine disorder segment acquired the largest revenue share in the capsule endoscopy system market in 2021. These diseases are diagnosed during the capsule endoscopy procedure. Hence as the incidence of these small intestine diseases rises, the capsule endoscopy system market is likely to expand in the near future. The digestive tract includes the small intestine, sometimes known as the small bowel. Being the longest section of the digestive system, it connects the stomach and the large intestine. The small intestine absorbs vitamins and minerals when food passes through it during digestion.



Regional Outlook



Based on Regions, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, Middle East & Africa. North America acquired the largest revenue share in the capsule endoscopy system market in 2021. The need for minimally invasive screening treatments is increasing in North America, as is the demand for technologically advanced products and systems, as well as improvements in healthcare infrastructure. Moreover, increased awareness about the early detection of diseases such as gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, and other chronic ailments is driving the growth of the capsule endoscopy system market in the region.



The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, Medtronic PLC, Olympus Corporation, Check Cap Ltd., CapsoVision, Inc., Chongqing Jinshan Science and Technology Group Co., Ltd., IntroMedic Co., Ltd., RF Systems Lab, Shangxian Minimal Invasive, Inc., and AnX Robotica Corp.



Strategies Deployed in Capsule Endoscopy System Market



Nov-2021: Medtronic received FDA approval for PillCam Small Bowel 3 system. The PillCam SB3 integrates Medtronics PillCam technology with Amazon logistics, integration developed to ensure both timely and precise results for patients from the convenience of their homes.



Nov-2021: Fujifilm unveiled ColoAssist PRO, a real-time endoscope visualization system. The product was developed to help endoscopists in performing colonoscopies. ColoAssist PRO is the latest system of Fujifilms ELUXEO Ultra family of technologies. The real-time endoscope visualization system enables clinicians to visualize the configuration of the endoscope throughout the procedure and is intended to help healthcare professionals to optimally and precisely maneuver the colonoscope inside the patient.



Jun-2021: Fujifilm released Systems Integration platform, the industrys first platform specially designed to improve image and data integration in endoscopy suites. This scalable solution allows the multi-video and image routing and display capacities that GI physicians require while performing advanced procedures. It does so through specifically designed hardware and software configurations.



Apr-2021: Medtronic released GI Genius, a medical device that utilizes artificial intelligence to assist clinicians to identify in real-time any potential irregularities in the colon during colonoscopies. Colonoscopies allow gastroenterologists to detect polyps and lesions that might develop into cancer as a means of screening and surveillance.



Jan-2021: Olympus Corporation formed a partnership with Hitachi, Ltd., a Japanese multinational corporation. Under the partnership, both companies aimed to jointly develop Endoscopic Ultrasound Systems. EUS is made up of a diagnostic ultrasound system and ultrasound flexible endoscopes. These devices are utilized in examinations to analyze the stage of cancer in the pancreas, liver, and bronchus, as well as in minimally-invasive care, contributing to the medical treatment.



Oct-2020: Olympus Corporation launched ENDO-AID, a product that allows real-time display of automatically detected suspicious lesions. ENDO-AID works together with the newly released EVIS X1, Olympus most advanced endoscopy system to date.



Jun-2020: AnX Robotica Corporation received FDA approval for NaviCam Magnetically Controlled Capsule Endoscopy (MCCE) System. This is a unique system that enables complete, real-time visualization of the stomach using a pill-sized capsule enveloping a camera and is remote-controlled by the physician through proprietary magnetic technologies.



Jun-2018: CapsoVision entered into a partnership with PENTAX Medical, a division of HOYA Group. Under the partnership, both companies aimed to sell CapsoCam Plus, the only capsule endoscope that is equipped with four cameras and provides 360 panoramic lateral imaging of the small bowel. CapsoVision planned to grow its CapsoCam Plus and CapsoCloud business through its innovative capsule technology and PENTAX Medicals huge sales resources.



Jun-2018: IntroMedic formed a partnership with Stratis Medical, a trusted distributor of Medical Intomedic products. Under the partnership, Stratis Medical received the right to exclusively distribute IntroMedics MicroCam video capsule endoscopy system in the U.S. The device is developed to visualize and track the small bowel mucosa. The MicroCam is the first capsule endoscopy system with E-Field Propagation or Human Body Communication.



Scope of the Study



Market Segments covered in the Report:



By Component



 Capsule Endoscope



 Work-stations & Recorders



By Disease Type



 Small Intestine Disorder



 Esophageal Disorder



 Colonic Disorder



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



 Fujifilm Holdings Corporation



 Medtronic PLC



 Olympus Corporation



 Check Cap Ltd.



 CapsoVision, Inc.



 Chongqing Jinshan Science and Technology Group Co., Ltd.



 IntroMedic Co., Ltd.



 RF Systems Lab



 Shangxian Minimal Invasive, Inc.



 AnX Robotica Corp.



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/p06289216/?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




OTTAWA, ON, July 7, 2022 /CNW/ - Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Today, Stephane Lauzon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Rural Economic Development, on behalf of the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, announced up to $939,035 in federal funding for Bell to improve mobile connectivity in the First Nations community of Les Atikamekw de Manawan.

Today's announcement builds on the Government of Canada's progress toward improving connectivity in Canada. Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested more than $731 million to improve connectivity in Quebec.

As we work to rebuild from the pandemic, the Government of Canada will continue to make investments in infrastructure to build strong communities and a more competitive and resilient Canada for everyone.

Quotes

"We need to close the connectivity gap and ensure that every nook and cranny of Quebec has access to reliable mobile service. Today's announcement of up to $939,035 in funding to improve mobile connectivity in the Les Atikamekw de Manawan First Nation is great news for Quebecers. Investments like these enhance safety and keep us connected to our loved ones. The Government of Canada will continue to make investments to help achieve our national target of connecting 98% of Canadians by 2026 and 100% by 2030."

 The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development

"This is excellent and important news for rural Quebec. We understand how essential mobile connectivity is for all Canadians. The Government of Canada has made it a priority to connect rural and remote regions throughout Canada, including in Quebec."

 Stephane Lauzon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Rural Economic Development

"More than ever, communities across Canada need access to advanced telecommunications services. Access to a mobile network is a key driver of the country's economic prosperity. We are proud to partner with the Government of Canada to contribute to the development of the Atikamekw community of Manawan through the implementation of a reliable and fast mobile network."

 Karine Moses, Quebec Vice Chair, Bell

Story continues

Quick facts

The Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) is a $2.75 billion investment by the Government of Canada designed to help connect 98% of Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2026, and 100% by 2030, including $50 million for mobile Internet projects that will benefit Indigenous peoples.

Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested more than $731 million to improve connectivity in Quebec.

Canada's Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload.

Associated links

Stay connected

Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on social media.

Twitter: @ISED_CA, Facebook: Canadian Innovation , Instagram: @cdninnovation and LinkedIn

SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

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View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2022/07/c7742.html
By Azernews

By News Center

The Turkish automotive industry exports amounted to $2.8 billion in June, Yeni Shafak newspaper reports.

In keeping with the statement made by the Uludag Automotive Industry Exporters' Association (OIB), the automotive industry's June exports, which have been the top sector of Turkiye's exports for 16 consecutive years, hit $2.8 billion, a 17.9 percent rise over the same month in 2021.

"Although we, as the automotive industry, struggled with multiple problems such as the chip crisis and energy costs, we managed to reach the highest monthly export figure this year in June," OIB chairman Baran Celik said.

In the first six months of 2022, exports increased by 6.1 percent and reached $15.3 billion. At the automotive industry's sub-product groupings, exports in the "supply industry" climbed by 11 percent in June compared to the same month of the previous year, reaching about $1.2 billion.

Exports of "passenger cars" increased by 44 percent amounting to $876 million, "bus-minibus-midibus" exports increased by 14.5 percent to $142 million, while exports of "motor vehicles for transporting goods" decreased by 16 percent to $381 million. Among the other product groups, "tractors" increased by 182 percent with an export figure of $140 million last month.

Exports to Germany, the country's largest market, surged by 20 percent to $403 million. Exports to France, one of the industry's main customers, increased by 39 percent to $363 million, while exports to the United Kingdom increased by 3 percent to $284 million.

Moreover, there was a 107 percent rise in exports to Poland, a 52 percent increase to Spain, a 12 percent increase to the United States, a 33 percent increase in Belgium, a 211 percent increase in Portugal, and a 5 percent reduction in Slovenia and a 24 percent decrease to the Russian Federation.

The European Union (EU), the largest market by nation group, earned a 67 percent share of exports in June, with exports totaling $1.8 billion, a 27 percent rise. Exports to other European nations and North American Free Trade Agreement countries increased by 9 percent last month.

Celik stated that in the first half of 2022, the automotive industry exports reached $15.3 billion with an increase of 6.1 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. He added that the average monthly export was $2.5 billion in the January-June period.

"While we had double-digit growth in the supply industry, passenger automobiles, and bus-midibus-minibus product categories, we saw significant growth in Poland, Spain, and Portugal. Likewise, we recorded an increase of six percent in the first half of the year. We believe that the increase in our automotive exports will continue and we will exceed our target at the end of the year," Celik stressed.
The agreement signed with Glo-Med Networks for the potential deployment of HYLA Blood Sensors over a 3-year period, subject to regulatory approvals

RA'ANANA, Israel, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Inspira Technologies OXY B.H.N. Ltd. (NASDAQ: IINN) (NASDAQ: IINNW) (the "Company" or "Inspira Technologies"), a groundbreaking respiratory support technology company, following yesterday's announcement of the development of its new HYLA blood sensor, announced today that it has signed an exclusive summary distribution agreement with the U.S. based Glo-Med Networks ("Glo-Med"), for the distribution of the HYLA blood sensor device and disposable units across 6 states in the United States (Texas, New Jersey, New York, Florida, North Carlina and South Carolina).

HYLA blood sensor - designed to provide real-time continuous measurements of key blood parameters

The summary distribution agreement will be followed by a more comprehensive agreement. The agreement has an initial term of 3 years, subject to completion of product development and regulatory approvals. The parties will collaborate on the marketing and deployment of the HYLATM blood sensor. Without the need to take actual blood samples from patients, Inspira Technologies' non-invasive optical blood sensor is being designed to perform real-time and continuous blood monitoring to alert physicians of immediate signs of changes in a patient's clinical condition.

Pursuant to the agreement, and in order to maintain exclusivity in the territory, Glo-Med has committed to purchase a minimum order of 3,889 HYLATM blood sensors and 264,873 disposable units for deployment at hospitals and medical centers, subject to regulatory approvals for the sale and marketing of the HYLATM blood sensor device in the 6 states within the United States.

This is the second distribution agreement reached with Glo-Med for the U.S. market, in addition to the agreement signed in January 2022, for the distribution of the Company's ART system.

The Company has additional distribution agreements internationally, targeting a total of $189 million in Israel and Europe (Spain, Portugal, Poland, Czech and Slovakia). All agreements for the ART system are over a 7-year period and are subject to the completion of product development and regulatory approvals.

Story continues

The HYLA blood sensor and ART system have not been tested or used in humans and are subject to completion of development and regulatory approvals.

Matus Knoblich, Glo-Med's CEO, stated:

"I believe that this ground-breaking technology may dramatically reduce the need for actual blood sampling by the hospital staff. This could significantly reduce their workload while providing potentially critical information at a critical moment when a patient's medical condition may suddenly deteriorate without warning. I strongly believe that this technology has the potential to eventually become a device for almost every patient in intensive care units and other suitable clinical settings. The HYLATM is a very good fit for Glo-Med's growing product portfolio that focuses on improving patient's wellbeing and clinical outcome."

Dagi Ben-Noon, Inspira Technologies' Chief Executive Officer, stated:

"Our strong collaboration with U.S. based Glo-Med is built on trust and the understanding of each other's strengths. We have the joint motivation of assisting physicians to improve respiratory care, patient monitoring and outcomes, while maximizing patients' experience. The Inspira Technologies team is energized and focused to truly and positively disrupt the respiratory care market."

Inspira Technologies OXY B.H.N. Ltd.

Inspira Technologies is an innovative medical technology company in the respiratory treatment arena. The Company has developed a breakthrough Augmented Respiration Technology (ART), designed to rebalance patient oxygen saturation levels. The Company's ART technology potentially allows patients to remain awake during treatment while minimizing the need for highly invasive, risky, and costly mechanical ventilation systems that require intubation and medically induced coma. The Company's products have not yet been tested or used in humans and has not been approved by any regulatory entity.

For more information, please visit our corporate website:

https://inspira-technologies.com/

About Glo-Med Networks

Glo-Med Networks Incorporated was founded in 2016 to meet the continuously growing demand for innovative medical devices and related products in domestic and international markets. Glo-Med maintains extensive access to next generation medical products globally via long-term partnerships and relationships with medical providers, as well as through their sister company focused on medical device servicing with a focus on hospital beds and medical mattresses, Med-Stat Consulting Services, Inc. (est. 2003). Along with the largest and most prominent healthcare organizations in New York and Florida as clients, Glo-Med has offices and partner companies in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, providing extensive access to the global medical network. Service support provided by Med-Stat grants customers full access to highly skilled technicians who can provide continuous service and support for their medical devices. As the name states, Glo-Med is your access to the global medical network.

For more information, please visit the corporate website: www.glomednet.com

Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer

This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements pursuant to U.S. Federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements and their implications are based on the current expectations of the management of the Company only and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. For example, the Company is using forward-looking statements when it discusses the terms of its strategic agreement with Glo-Med, potential revenue to the company, the amount of HYLA blood sensors and disposable units that may be sold and the states in which the sensor may be distributed, the potential benefits to be derived from the use of the HYLA blood sensor, once developed, and its potential to eventually become a device for almost every patient in intensive care units and other suitable clinical settings, subject to its development and regulatory approvals, its distribution agreements to potentially target sales in the United States, Europe and Israel, all subject to product development and regulatory approvals. These forward-looking statements and their implications are based solely on the current expectations of the Company's management and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. More detailed information about the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company is contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which is available on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov

For more details:

US Investor Relations

Miri Segal,

MS-IR LLC

+917-607-8654

msegal@ms-ir.com

US Public Relations

Dave Gentry

RedChip Companies Inc.

1-800-RED-CHIP (733-2447)

Or 407-491-4498

IINN@redchip.com

MRK-ARS-028

Copyright  2018-2022 Inspira Technologies OXY B.H.N. LTD., All rights reserved.

Inspira Technologies Logo

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1853436/HYLA_Blood_Sensor.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1668495/Inspira_Technologies_Logo.jpg

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SOURCE Inspira Technologies
Additional HPRA BRAVO! honorees include industry leaders Marisol Martinez, Trisch Smith and Patrick Ford

MIAMI, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA) is proud to announce that it will recognize award-winning journalist and author Maria Elena Salinas as its recipient of the 2022 HPRA BRAVO! Journalist of the Year Award. Other honorees at this year's event will include Pioneer of the Year Award recipient and Charter Communications Vice President of Multicultural Marketing Marisol Martinez and Diversity & Inclusion Professional of the Year and Edelman Global Chief DEI Officer Trisch Smith. Former Burson-Marsteller Global Vice Chair and University of Florida Full-time Lecturer Patrick Ford will receive the President's Award. The 2022 HPRA National BRAVO! Awards will take place September 29, 2022 at the Fairmont Austin in Austin, Texas.

2022 HPRA BRAVO! Awards Honorees Maria Elena Salinas, Marisol Martinez, Trisch Smith and Patrick Ford.

"HPRA is honored to celebrate these distinguished professionals for their unrivaled leadership in advancing the multicultural communications industry while enabling the diversification of our national economy," said Sonia V. Diaz, national HPRA president. "Maria Elena, Trisch, Marisol and Pat have truly paved the way for media, brands, and marketers to pay attention to these vital segments, and most importantly, they have helped to enrich the representation and experience of multicultural communities through the work we all do."

Now in its eighth year, the 2022 HPRA BRAVO! Awards celebrate the best corporate, agency, non-profit PR and marketing teams, and the breakthrough work they produced. Honorees for the 2022 National BRAVO! Awards were nominated and chosen collectively by HPRA executive leadership and its board of directors. The honorees were selected for their pivotal work in shaping the industry and establishing progress for Hispanic and multicultural consumer segments in public relations and communications.

Journalist of the Year: Maria Elena Salinas

Peabody award-winning anchor, Maria Elena Salinas, is described as the "Voice of Hispanic America" by the New York Times and is one of the most recognized and influential journalists in the United States. After more than three decades as network anchor at Univision, she continued as an independent journalist and producer as well as a contributor for CBS News, and now ABC News. Maria Elena is the first Latina to receive a lifetime achievement Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Her career began in 1981, where she served as a reporter, anchor and public affairs host for KMEX-TV, Univision's affiliate in Los Angeles. Maria Elena's philanthropic work includes providing scholarships for Latino journalism students, serving on the board of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and collaborating with several Latino civic engagement organizations. She continues her mission to inform, inspire, educate, and empower the Latino community and recently formed part of the advisory board for the newly established Latino Media Network.

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Pioneer of the Year: Marisol Martinez , VP Multicultural Marketing, Charter Communications

An award-winning executive, Marisol develops strategies to reach multicultural audiences across all marketing platforms for Charter and directs the company's multicultural acquisition and customer relationship management for Spectrum products. She joined Time Warner Cable in 2008 as Director of Marketing and remained with Charter when its transactions with Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks closed in 2016. Marisol joined Time Warner Cable from Unilever where she was Multicultural Brand Manager. Before Unilever, she served as Senior Marketing Manager at Verizon Communications. Earlier in her career, she held several positions at multicultural advertising agencies where she managed campaigns for several brands, including Procter & Gamble's Downy, Pantene and Head & Shoulders, MetroPlus Health Plans and Scholastic. She is a member of Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) and the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity In Communications (NAMIC).

Diversity & Inclusion Professional of the Year: Trisch Smith , Chief Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Edelman

Diversity and inclusion champion, communications expert, and public relations agency veteran are just a few words used to describe Trisch L. Smith. During her tenure with Edelman, the world's leading global communications marketing agency, Smith has managed stakeholder outreach, strategic positioning, crisis and reputation management campaigns for a host of Fortune 500 corporations and non-profits seeking to engage a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including Walmart, Starbucks, Unilever, HP, United Way of America, 4-H Council, Toyota, and Prudential, among several others.

For a decade, Smith led the firm's award-winning Multicultural practice providing senior counsel to a wide range of clients to protect, promote and evolve their brands and effectively engage diverse thought leaders, consumers and other stakeholders. In 2015, Smith was appointed to serve as the U.S. Managing Director of Diversity and Inclusion, and in fall 2018 she was named Edelman's first Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. In this role, Smith actively works to create an Edelman workforce that represents the increasingly diverse marketplace and offers an equitable and inclusive workplace.

President's Award: Patrick Ford , Full-time Lecturer, University of Florida's College of Journalism and Communications & Former Burson-Marsteller Global Vice Chair

With more than 38 years of PR experience, Pat teaches corporate reputation, crisis management and corporate communications essentials at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. He previously spent 28 years at Burson-Marsteller, most recently as worldwide vice chair for client service and chief client officer. His background in corporate reputation and issues management has helped companies in a wide range of industries build and protect the reputations of their corporate and product brands. He started his career as a local reporter in New Jersey and currently serves on several boards and advisory councils, including the Diversity Action Alliance, an organization dedicated to improving diversity, equity and inclusion in the public relations industry; the Institute for Public Relations, which focuses on "the science beneath the art of public relations"; the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations, which promotes mentorship; and the Museum of Public Relations.

For more information about the awards program, visit: https://hprausa.org/bravo/ .

For information about HPRA National BRAVO! Awards sponsorship opportunities , please contact the HPRA National Office at info@hprausa.org.

HPRA BRAVO! Awards Logo

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SOURCE Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA)
Barrick Gold Corporation

TORONTO, July 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:GOLD)(TSX:ABX) will release its Q2 2022 results on Monday, August 8, 2022. President and CEO Mark Bristow will host a virtual presentation on the results that day at 11:00 EDT, with an interactive webinar linked to a conference call. Participants will be able to ask questions.



The company will release its preliminary production, sales and cost information for Q2 2022 on July 14, 2022.

Release of Q2 preliminary production, sales and cost information

July 14, 7:00 EDT / 11:00 UTC

Q2 RESULTS ANNOUNCEMENT

Q2 Results release

August 8, 6:00 EDT / 10:00 UTC





Q2 Results live presentation and webinar

August 8, 11:00 EDT / 15:00 UTC

Go to the webinar





Conference call linked to webinar

August 8, 11:00 EDT / 15:00 UTC

US/Canada (toll-free), 1 800 319 4610

UK (toll-free), 0808 101 2791

International (toll), +1 416 915 3239

The webinar will remain on the website for later viewing and the conference call will be available for replay by telephone at 1 855 669 9658 (US and Canada toll-free) and +1 604 674 8052 (international toll), access code 9046.

The Q2 2022 presentation materials will be available on Barricks website at www.barrick.com.

Enquiries:

Claudia Pitre

Manager, Investor Relations and Corporate Access

+1 416 307 5105

Email: cpitre@barrick.com

Kathy du Plessis

Investor and Media Relations

+44 20 7557 7738

Email: barrick@dpapr.com




NINGBO, China, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from NBGD:

As an Indonesian saying goes, "mutual understanding is the premise of friendly relations". Arief S. Trinugroho, Assistant to North Sumatera Governor for Economic Development and Acting Head of North Sumatera Investment Board, stated that "there are plenty of cooperation opportunities for us, especially regarding the trade of processed agricultural and fishery products. Crude palm oil and its derivatives, for example, are the main export products of North Sumatera. We can also enhance cooperation through cultural and tourism cooperation, which can bring our citizens even closer together than through business cooperation." Medan is a city with a pleasant climate and many tourist destinations, while Ningbo is a city with a long history and rich culture, exemplified by its Maritime Silk Road history, Hemudu Neolithic Culture, and the tradition of book collecting. Going forward, the cultural and tourism exchanges between the two cities will no doubt enhance our mutual understanding and amity.

Investment ties between Ningbo and Indonesia enjoy sound momentum. As of the end of 2021, Ningbo has established 53 overseas entities in Indonesia, representing $1.25 billion dollars of registered investment. Indonesia has had 94 foreign direct investment projects in Ningbo, representing $685 million of contractual foreign investment and $236 million of actual foreign investment. These investments were made in areas such as edible oil processing, pulp manufacturing, hardware, electronics, mold manufacturing, and trade brokerage. As two-way trade continues to grow, Ningbo is welcoming more Indonesian companies with open arms.

"I am really amazed at Ningbo's development", exclaimed Chen Zonghu, Chairman of the China Committee of the Sister Cities Association of Medan, when he accompanied the North Sumatra delegation to Ningbo for the first time in 2019. Chen added, "I was deeply impressed that the turnover efficiency of Ningbo Zhoushan Port was so high! We can definitely learn a lot from your port!"

Chen believes that languages are vital in facilitating the contact between Ningbo and Medan, as well as the cultural exchanges between China and Indonesia. "I hope we can organize language training courses in both cities, teaching Indonesian in Ningbo and Chinese in Universitas Sumatera Utara." He also hopes to see Ningbo and Medan establish formal sister-city or friendship-city relations, so as to build even stronger bonds.

SOURCE NBGD
In partnership with the Davis Phinney Foundation, a long-standing resource, the Every Victory Counts manual, is getting a Canadian edition.

TORONTO, July 7, 2022 /CNW/ - Parkinson Canada in partnership with the Davis Phinney Foundation is excited to launch the first Canadian version of the Every Victory Counts manual, a comprehensive resource aimed at helping the 100,000 Canadians living with Parkinson's to maintain and improve their quality of life.

Parkinson Canada logo (CNW Group/Parkinson Canada)

First published by the Davis Phinney Foundation in 2010 and now in its sixth edition, Parkinson Canada will soon release the first fully Canadianized version of the manual which includes:

Canadian Parkinson's statistics accompanied by the personal stories of Canadians managing various motor and non-motor symptoms.

The different treatments available in Canada and medications approved by Health Canada while respecting that availability can differ from province to province.

The variety of options available to Canadians regarding long-term care and legal preparations, providing Canadians impacted by Parkinson's with the information needed to make the right plans for them.

"They've thought of everything," said Joe van Koeverden, member of the Parkinson Advisory Council and Davis Phinney Foundation Ambassador. "It's a complete, easy-to-read manual that covers what you need to know about Parkinson's. From your diagnosis to the progression of the challenges you may face on your journey with the disease. The chapters are planned and written by some 50 recognized Parkinson's experts. It contains everything from managing physical and emotional symptoms to treatments and therapies, nutrition, social connections, and community."

Collaboration is key in supporting the global Parkinson's community, and Parkinson Canada is thrilled that this partnership will ultimately help Canadians with Parkinson's learn about their disease and become empowered to lead their own care team.

"We are pleased to partner with Parkinson Canada to expand the reach and impact of this resource to Canadians living with Parkinson's," says Polly Dawkins, Executive Director for the Davis Phinney Foundation. "Since launching this resource more than ten years ago, we have distributed it to more than 50,000 individuals and families across the United States and heard time and again how it has changed people's lives. We are grateful to Parkinson Canada for taking on this big project to localize and share this resource with their community."

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Parkinson's is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by a loss of dopamine-producing neurons in areas of the brain associated with movement. It is one of the fastest-growing neurological diseases in the world and Canada has one of the highest prevalence rates compared to other countries. More than 100,000 people in Canada live with Parkinson's and that number grows each day.

Get your copy of Every Victory Counts

About Parkinson's and Parkinson Canada

Currently, more than 100,000 Canadians live with Parkinson's, and that number is expected to increase in the coming years.

Parkinson's is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by a loss of dopamine-producing neurons in areas of the brain associated with movement. Symptoms include a resting tremor, slowness of movement, muscle rigidity, and balance problems. Non-motor symptoms can include anxiety, depression, and sleep problems. The average age of diagnosis is 60, but some people are diagnosed prior to that and referred to as having early onset Parkinson's.

At Parkinson Canada, people with Parkinson's are at the centre of everything we do. We empower the Parkinson's community through tailored programs, innovative research and raising the voice of Canadians impacted by Parkinson's. A national registered charity, Parkinson Canada fulfils its mission through the generosity of donors.

Please visit parkinson.ca, call 1-800-565-3000 or email info@parkinson.ca in English or French for more information, to get involved or to support Canadians affected by Parkinson's by making a donation.

Join the conversation, find Parkinson Canada on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About the Davis Phinney Foundation

The Davis Phinney Foundation was created in 2004 by Olympic medalist and retired professional cyclist Davis Phinney to help people with Parkinson's live well today. The organization's focus is to provide programs and resources that offer inspiration, information, and tools that enable people living with Parkinson's to take action that can immediately improve their quality of life. Through The Victory Summit virtual event series, Every Victory Counts manual, Ambassador Leadership program, Healthy Parkinson's CommunitiesTM initiative, funding of quality-of-life research, and extensive online content, the organization impacts hundreds of thousands of individuals each year.

http://www.davisphinneyfoundation.org

Every Victory Counts front cover (CNW Group/Parkinson Canada)

SOURCE Parkinson Canada

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View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2022/07/c0475.html
OTTAWA, ON, July 6, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - The Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, will hold a media availability by teleconference to provide an update on his meetings with business leaders and his ministerial counterpart in Japan over the past week.

Date: Thursday, July 7, 2022



Time: 7 pm (ET)

Members of the media who want to take part in the teleconference are asked to contact ISED Media Relations at media@ised-isde.gc.ca to receive the dial-in information.

Stay connected

Find more services and information at Canada.ca/ISED.

Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on social media.

Twitter: @ISED_CA, Facebook: Canadian Innovation, Instagram: @cdninnovation and LinkedIn

SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

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View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2022/07/c6962.html
Elizabeth Holmes leaves after a hearing at a federal court in San Jose, California, on July 17, 2019. Reuters/Stephen Lam

Elizabeth Holmes dropped out of Stanford at 19 to start Theranos and grew its value to $9 billion.

Later, technology flaws were exposed, resulting in a months-long trial where Holmes was found guilty on three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy.

Now, Holmes' sentencing hearing has been delayed.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

In 2014, blood-testing startup Theranos and its founder, Elizabeth Holmes, were on top of the world.

Back then, Theranos was a revolutionary idea thought up by a woman hailed as a genius who styled herself as a female Steve Jobs. Holmes was the world's youngest female self-made billionaire, and Theranos was one of Silicon Valley's unicorn startups, valued at an estimated $9 billion.

But then it all came crashing down.

The shortcomings and inaccuracies of Theranos's technology were exposed, along with the role Holmes played in covering it all up. Holmes was ousted as CEO and charged with "massive fraud," and the company was forced to close its labs and testing centers, ultimately shuttering operations altogether.

As she awaited trial, Holmes reportedly found the time to get engaged  and married  to a hotel heir named Billy Evans.

Holmes has since been convicted of fraud in federal court. In January, jurors found Holmes guilty on three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They found her not guilty on four other counts and failed to reach a unanimous verdict on the remaining three counts against her.

On Thursday, Holmes' former romantic and business partner Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani, was also convicted of fraud. He was found guilty on all 12 fraud-related charges.

Since her conviction, Holmes has become the subject of a Hulu limited series, "The Dropout," based on the ABC News podcast of the same name. The show stars Amanda Seyfried as Holmes as it chronicles the meteoric rise and fall of Theranos and Holmes herself.

Holmes has asked the presiding judge in her case to overturn her conviction. In a filing on May 27, Holmes' attorneys argued evidence was "insufficient to sustain the convictions."

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"Because no rational juror could have found the elements of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud beyond a reasonable doubt on this record, the Court should grant Ms. Holmes' motion for judgment of acquittal," they wrote.

The judge has set a date to consider Holmes' appeal in July.

In the meantime, Holmes' sentencing hearing has been delayed. On Monday, it was moved from its originally scheduled date, September 26, to October 17, though no reason was provided for the change.

Here's how Holmes went from precocious child, to ambitious Stanford dropout, to an embattled startup founder convicted of fraud:

Elizabeth Holmes was born on February 3, 1984 in Washington, D.C. Her mom, Noel, was a Congressional committee staffer, and her dad, Christian Holmes, worked for Enron before moving to government agencies like USAID.

@eholmes2003/Twitter

Source: Elizabeth Holmes/Twitter, CNN, Vanity Fair

Holmes' family moved when she was young, from Washington, D.C. to Houston.

Washington, D.C. Getty Images

Source: Fortune

When she was 7, Holmes tried to invent her own time machine, filling up an entire notebook with detailed engineering drawings. At the age of 9, Holmes told relatives she wanted to be a billionaire when she grew up. Her relatives described her as saying it with the "utmost seriousness and determination."

Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

Source: CBS News, Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

Holmes had an "intense competitive streak" from a young age. She often played Monopoly with her younger brother and cousin, and she would insist on playing until the end, collecting the houses and hotels until she won. If Holmes was losing, she would often storm off. More than once, she ran directly through a screen on the door.

Elizabeth Holmes, CEO of Theranos, attends a panel discussion during the Clinton Global Initiative's annual meeting in New York, September 29, 2015. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

It was during high school that Holmes developed her work ethic, often staying up late to study. She quickly became a straight-A student, and even started her own business: she sold C++ compilers, a type of software that translates computer code, to Chinese schools.

Tyrone Siu/Reuters

Source: Fortune, Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

Holmes started taking Mandarin lessons, and part-way through high school, talked her way into being accepted by Stanford Universitys summer program, which culminated in a trip to Beijing.

Yepoka Yeebo / Business Insider

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

Inspired by her great-great-grandfather Christian Holmes, a surgeon, Holmes decided she wanted to go into medicine. But she discovered early on that she was terrified of needles. Later, she said this influenced her to start Theranos.

Hollis Johnson/Business Insider

Source: San Francisco Business Times

Holmes went to Stanford to study chemical engineering. When she was a freshman, she became a "president's scholar," an honor which came with a $3,000 stipend to go toward a research project.

STANFORD, CA - MAY 22: People ride bikes past Hoover Tower on the Stanford University campus on May 22, 2014 in Stanford, California. According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities by China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Stanford University ranked second behind Harvard University as the top universities in the world. UC Berkeley ranked third. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Justin Sullivan/Getty

Source: Fortune

Holmes spent the summer after her freshman year interning at the Genome Institute in Singapore. She got the job partly because she spoke Mandarin.

An office worker walks along the Singapore River front during the lunch hour. Wong Maye-E/AP

Source: Fortune

As a sophomore, Holmes went to one of her professors, Channing Robertson, and said: "Let's start a company." With his blessing, she founded Real-Time Cures, later changing the company's name to Theranos. Thanks to a typo, early employees paychecks actually said "Real-Time Curses."

Getty Images

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

Holmes soon filed a patent application for a "medical device for analyte monitoring and drug delivery," a wearable device that would administer medication, monitor patients' blood, and adjust the dosage as needed.

Reuters/Brian Snyder

Source: Fortune, US Patent Office

By the next semester, Holmes had dropped out of Stanford altogether, and was working on Theranos in the basement of a college house.

Jeff Chiu/AP

Source: Wall Street Journal

Theranos's business model was based around the idea that it could run blood tests, using proprietary technology that required only a finger pinprick and a small amount of blood. Holmes said the tests would be able to detect medical conditions like cancer and high cholesterol.

Theranos Chairman, CEO and Founder Elizabeth Holmes (L) and TechCrunch Writer and Moderator Jonathan Shieber speak onstage at TechCrunch Disrupt at Pier 48 on September 8, 2014 in San Francisco, California Steve Jennings/Getty Images

Source: Wall Street Journal

Holmes started raising money for Theranos from prominent investors like Oracle founder Larry Ellison and Tim Draper, the father of a childhood friend and the founder of prominent VC firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson. Theranos raised more than $700 million, and Draper has continued to defend Holmes.

Investor Tim Draper (right). CNBC

Source: SEC, Crunchbase

Holmes took investors' money on the condition that she wouldn't have to reveal how Theranos' technology worked. Plus, she would have final say over everything having to do with the company.

JP Yim/Getty

Source: Vanity Fair

That obsession with secrecy extended to every aspect of Theranos. For the first decade Holmes spent building her company, Theranos operated in stealth mode. She even took three former Theranos employees to court, claiming they had misused Theranos trade secrets.

Kimberly White/Getty

Source: San Francisco Business Times

Holmes' attitude toward secrecy and running a company was borrowed from a Silicon Valley hero of hers: former Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Holmes started dressing in black turtlenecks like Jobs, decorated her office with his favorite furniture, and like Jobs, never took vacations.

Steve Jobs. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Vanity Fair

Even Holmes's uncharacteristically deep voice may have been part of a carefully crafted image intended to help her fit in in the male-dominated business world. In ABC's podcast on Holmes called "The Dropout," former Theranos employees said the CEO sometimes "fell out of character," particularly after drinking, and would speak in a higher voice.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Elizabeth Holmes, CEO of Theranos, during the Clinton Global Initiative's annual meeting in New York. Lucas Jackson/Reuters

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup, The Cut

Holmes was a demanding boss, and wanted her employees to work as hard as she did. She had her assistants track when employees arrived and left each day. To encourage people to work longer hours, she started having dinner catered to the office around 8 p.m. each night.

Theranos

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

More behind-the-scenes footage of what life was like at Theranos was revealed in leaked videos obtained by the team behind the HBO documentary "The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley." The more than 100 hours of footage showed Holmes walking around the office, scenes from company parties, speeches from Holmes and Balwani, and Holmes dancing to "U Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer.

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes at the company's headquarters. Courtesy HBO

Source: Business Insider

Shortly after Holmes dropped out of Stanford at age 19, she began dating Theranos president and COO Sunny Balwani, who was 20 years her senior. The two met during Holmes' third year in Stanfords summer Mandarin program, the summer before she went to college. She was bullied by some of the other students, and Balwani had come to her aid.

Footage of Sunny Balwani presenting. "60 Minutes"

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

Balwani became Holmes' No. 2 at Theranos despite having little experience. He was said to be a bully, and often tracked his employees' whereabouts. Holmes and Balwani eventually broke up in spring 2016 when Holmes pushed him out of the company.

Sunny Balwani pictured in January 2019. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

In 2008, the Theranos board decided to remove Holmes as CEO in favor of someone more experienced. But over the course of a two-hour meeting, Holmes convinced them to let her stay in charge of her company.

Jamie McCarthy / Getty

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

As Theranos started to rake in millions of funding, Holmes became the subject of media attention and acclaim in the tech world. She graced the covers of Fortune and Forbes, gave a TED Talk, and spoke on panels with Bill Clinton and Alibaba's Jack Ma.

Elizabeth Holmes with former President Bill Clinton, left, and Alibaba cofounder Jack Ma. Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Source: Vanity Fair

Theranos quickly began securing outside partnerships. Capital Blue Cross and Cleveland Clinic signed on to offer Theranos tests to their patients, and Walgreens made a deal to open Theranos testing centers in their stores. Theranos also formed a secret partnership with Safeway worth $350 million.

A Theranos testing center inside a Walgreens. Melia Robinson/Business Insider

Source: Wired, Business Insider

In 2011, Holmes hired her younger brother, Christian, to work at Theranos, although he didnt have a medical or science background. Christian Holmes spent his early days at Theranos reading about sports online and recruiting his Duke University fraternity brothers to join the company. People dubbed Holmes and his crew the "Frat Pack" and "Therabros."

Elizabeth Holmes and her brother, Christian. Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

At one point, Holmes was the world's youngest self-made female billionaire with a net worth of around $4.5 billion.

Kimberly White/Getty Images for Breakthrough Prize

Source: Forbes

Holmes was obsessed with security at Theranos. She asked anyone who visited the companys headquarters to sign non-disclosure agreements before being allowed in the building, and had security guards escort visitors everywhere  even to the bathroom.

Michael Dalder/Reuters

Holmes hired bodyguards to drive her around in a black Audi sedan. Her nickname was "Eagle One." The windows in her office had bulletproof glass.

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

Around the same time, questions were being raised about Theranos' technology. Ian Gibbons  chief scientist at Theranos and one of the company's first hires  warned Holmes that the tests weren't ready for the public to take, and that there were inaccuracies in the technology. Outside scientists began voicing their concerns about Theranos, too.

Melia Robinson/Tech Insider

Source: Vanity Fair, Business Insider

By August 2015, the FDA began investigating Theranos, and regulators from the government body that oversees laboratories found "major inaccuracies" in the testing Theranos was doing on patients.

Mike Segar/Reuters

Source: Vanity Fair

By October 2015, Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou published his investigation into Theranos's struggles with its technology. Carreyrou's reporting sparked the beginning of the company's downward spiral.

Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou. CBS "60 Minutes"

Source: Wall Street Journal

Carreyrou found that Theranos' blood-testing machine, named Edison, couldn't give accurate results, so Theranos was running its samples through the same machines used by traditional blood-testing companies.

Carlos Osorio/AP

Source: Wall Street Journal

Holmes appeared on CNBC's "Mad Money" shortly after the WSJ published its story to defend herself and Theranos. "This is what happens when you work to change things, and first they think you're crazy, then they fight you, and then all of a sudden you change the world," Holmes said.

CNBC/YouTube

Source: CNBC

By 2016, the FDA, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and SEC were all looking into Theranos.

Getty

Source: Wall Street Journal, Wired

In July 2016, Holmes was banned from the lab-testing industry for two years. By October, Theranos had shut down its lab operations and wellness centers.

Mike Blake/Reuters

Source: Business Insider

In March 2018, Theranos, Holmes, and Balwani were charged with "massive fraud" by the SEC. Holmes agreed to give up financial and voting control of the company, pay a $500,000 fine, and return 18.9 million shares of Theranos stock. She also isn't allowed to be the director or officer of a publicly traded company for 10 years.

Jeff Chiu/AP

Source: Business Insider

Despite the charges, Holmes was allowed to stay on as CEO of Theranos, since it's a private company. The company had been hanging on by a thread, and Holmes wrote to investors asking for more money to save Theranos. "In light of where we are, this is no easy ask," Holmes wrote.

Kimberly White/Getty Images for Fortune

Source: Business Insider





In Theranos' final days, Holmes reportedly got a Siberian husky puppy named Balto that she brought into the office. However, the dog wasn't potty trained, and would go to the bathroom inside the company's office and during meetings.

A Siberian husky (not Holmes' dog). Kateryna Orlova/Shutterstock

Source: Vanity Fair

In June 2018, Theranos announced that Holmes was stepping down as CEO. On the same day, the Department of Justice announced that a federal grand jury had charged Holmes, along with Balwani, with nine counts of wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Elizabeth Holmes, founder and CEO of Theranos, speaks at the Wall Street Journal Digital Live (WSJDLive) conference at the Montage hotel in Laguna Beach, California, October 21, 2015. Mike Blake/Reuters

Source: Business Insider, CNBC







Theranos sent an email to shareholders in September 2018 announcing that the company was shutting down. Theranos reportedly said it planned to spend the next few months repaying creditors with its remaining resources.

Mike Blake/Reuters

Source: Wall Street Journal

Around the time Theranos' time was coming to an end, Holmes made her first public appearance alongside William "Billy" Evans, a 27-year-old heir to a hospitality property management company in California. The two reportedly first met in 2017, and were seen together in 2018 at Burning Man, the art festival in the Nevada desert.

Jim Rankin/Toronto Star via Getty Images

Source: Daily Mail

Holmes is said to wear Evans' MIT "signet ring" on a chain around her neck, and the couple reportedly posts photos "professing their love for each other" on a private Instagram account. Evans' parents are reportedly "flabbergasted" at their son's decision to marry Holmes.

Source: Vanity Fair, New York Post

It's unclear where Holmes and Evans currently reside, but they were previously living in a $5,000-a-month apartment in San Francisco until April 2019. The apartment was located just a few blocks from one of the city's top tourist attractions, the famously crooked block of Lombard Street.

Lombard Place Apartments, where Holmes used to live. Rent SF Now

Source: Business Insider

It was later reported that Holmes and Evans got engaged in early 2019, then married in June in a secretive wedding ceremony. Former Theranos employees were reportedly not invited to the wedding, according to Vanity Fair.

Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images; Samantha Lee/Business Insider

Source: Vanity Fair, New York Post

Holmes' and Balwani's cases have since been separated.

Justin Silva/Getty, Stephen Lam/Reuters, Business Insider

Source: Department of Justice, Business Insider

Besides the criminal case, Holmes was also involved in a number of civil lawsuits, including one in Arizona brought by former Theranos patients over inaccurate blood tests. The lawyers representing her in the Arizona case said in late 2019 they hadn't been paid over a year and asked to be removed from Holmes' legal team.

Former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes leaves after a hearing at a federal court. Reuters/Stephen Lam

Source: Business Insider

Holmes' lawyers in the federal case had tried to get the government's entire case thrown out. In February 2020, Holmes caught a break after some of the charges against her were dropped when a judge ruled that some patients didn't suffer financial loss.

Brendan McDermid/Reuters

Source: Business Insider

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, Holmes' lawyers asked the judge in April 2020 to deem the case "essential" so the defense team could defy lockdown orders and continue to travel and meet face-to-face. The judge said he was "taken aback" by the defense's pleas to violate lockdown.

Reuters/Robert Galbraith

Source: Business Insider

It soon become clear that the pandemic  and the health risks associated with assembling a trial in one  would make the July trial date unrealistic. Through hearings held on Zoom, the presiding judge initially pushed the trial back to October 2020 and later postponed it further to March 2021.

Passengers wear masks as they walk through LAX airport. Reuters/Lucy Nicholson

Source: Business Insider

In March 2021, Holmes requested another delay to the trial because she was pregnant. She asked to push back the trial to August 31, and her request was granted. Holmes reportedly gave birth to the child in July.

Nhat V. Meyer/MediaNews Group/Mercury News via Getty Images

Source: Business Insider, CNBC

Heading into the trial, Holmes felt "wronged, like Salem-witch-trial wronged," says a person who used to work with her closely.

Holmes, right, leaving the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building in San Jose, California with her defense team on May 4, 2021. Nhat V. Meyer/MediaNews Group/Mercury News via Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

The trial kicked off in September. In opening statements, prosecutors argued that, "Out of time and out of money, Elizabeth Holmes decided to lie." Meanwhile, the defense argued that although Theranos ultimately crumbled, "Failure is not a crime. Trying your hardest and coming up short is not a crime."

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes arrives at the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building with her defense team on August 31, 2021 in San Jose, California. Ethan Swope/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

The list of possible witnesses for the trial named roughly 200 people, including the likes of Rupert Murdoch, Henry Kissinger, James Mattis, and Holmes herself.

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes leaves the Robert F. Peckham U.S. Courthouse with her mother, Noel Holmes, during her trial. Brittany Hosea-Small/Reuters

Source: Business Insider

In the end, the trial featured testimony from just over 30 witnesses.

Vicki Behringer/Reuters

Source: Business Insider

Over the course of 11 weeks, prosecutors called 29 witnesses to testify  including former Theranos employees, investors, patients, and doctors  before resting their case in November.

Vicki Behringer

Source: Business Insider

The defense then began making its case, calling just three witnesses, including Holmes herself.

Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/The Mercury News via Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

On the stand, Holmes said Balwani emotionally and sexually abused her during their relationship.

Yichuan Cao/NurPhoto via Getty Images (Holmes). Justin Sullivan/Getty Images (Balwani).

Source: Business Insider

Holmes testified that Balwani controlled what she ate and how her schedule looked, told her she had to "become a new Elizabeth" to succeed in business, and forced her to have sex with him when she didn't want to because "he would say that he wanted me to know he still loved me."

Former Theranos COO Ramesh "Sunny' Balwani leaves the Robert F. Peckham U.S. Federal Court on June 28, 2019 in San Jose, California. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Holmes also admitted that she added some pharmaceutical companies' logos to Theranos' reports without authorization. Investors previously said they took some reassurance in those reports because, based on the logos, they thought major pharmaceutical companies had validated Theranos' technology. Holmes said she added the logos to convey that work was done in partnership with those companies, but in hindsight she wishes she had "done it differently."

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Holmes also acknowledged on the stand that she hid Theranos' use of modified commercial devices from investors. She said she did this because company counsel told her that alterations the company made to the machines were trade secrets and needed to be protected as such.

Brittany Hosea-Small/Reuters

Source: Business Insider

Holmes spent seven days on the stand before the defense rested its case in early December.

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes arrives to attend her fraud trial at federal court in San Jose, California, U.S., December 16, 2021. Peter DaSilva/Reuters

Source: Business Insider

In closing arguments, prosecutors argued that Holmes "chose fraud over business failure" while the defense argued she was "building a business, not a criminal enterprise."

Elizabeth Holmes walks into federal court in San Jose, Calif., Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. Nic Coury/Associated Press

Source: Business Insider

After 15 weeks of trial, Holmes' case headed to a jury of eight men and four women on December 17.

Elizabeth Holmes, founder and former CEO of blood testing and life sciences company Theranos, leaves the courthouse with her husband Billy Evans after the first day of her fraud trial in San Jose, California on September 8, 2021. Nick Otto/AFP/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Jurors deliberated for a total of seven days over the next few weeks before telling the court on January 3 that they were deadlocked on three of the 11 charges against Holmes. The judge read off some jury instructions to the group in court before instructing them to go back and deliberate further.

Kate Munsch/Reuters

Source: Business Insider

Hours later, the jury returned a mixed verdict for Holmes, finding her guilty on one count of conspiracy to defraud investors and three counts of wire fraud. They found her not guilty on four other counts and failed to reach a verdict on the remaining three counts.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

The counts Holmes was found guilty of were all related to investments; she wasn't convicted on any of the charges involving patients who received inaccurate test results.

David Odisho/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Holmes now faces the possibility of decades in prison. Each count carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence, a $250,000 fine, and a requirement to pay victims restitution.

AP Photo/Nic Coury, File

Source: Business Insider

Legal experts told Insider it's unlikely Holmes will get 20 years at sentencing, but she probably won't get off without serving any time either.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Holmes was not taken into custody following the verdict and will remain free until her sentencing on a $500,000 bond secured by property.

Peter DaSilva/Reuters

Source: Business Insider

Since the conviction, Holmes and Theranos have been the focus of a Hulu limited series, "The Dropout," based on the ABC News podcast of the same name.

Amanda Seyfried in "The Dropout" (left); Elizabeth Holmes (right) Beth Dubber/Hulu; Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch

Source: Business Insider

Holmes is played by Amanda Seyfried in the dramatized series, which asks the question, "How did the world's youngest self-made female billionaire lose it all in the blink of an eye?"

Amanda Seyfried in "The Dropout." Hulu

Source: Hulu

The show premiered March 3 and also stars Naveen Andrews as Balwani, Holmes' right-hand man at Theranos. Balwani's fraud trial began in March.

Beth Dubber/Hulu; Michael Short/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Now, Holmes is pleading with a judge to toss her conviction.

AP

Source: Business Insider

In a 24-page filing on May 27, Holmes' attorneys argued for her acquittal, saying the evidence was "insufficient to sustain the convictions."

Nick Otto/AFP via Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

They wrote, "Because no rational juror could have found the elements of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud beyond a reasonable doubt on this record, the Court should grant Ms. Holmes' motion for judgment of acquittal."

David Odisho/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

"Even if Ms. Holmes committed wire fraud against an investor (she did not) and even if Mr. Balwani committed wire fraud against an investor, that does not prove a conspiratorial agreement between them, nor does it prove that Ms. Holmes willfully joined any agreement," the attorneys continued in the filing.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Such appeals are common in cases like these, and legal experts expected Holmes would try to get her conviction overturned.

Dai Sugano/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

The judge in Holmes' case set a hearing for July to weigh her request.

David Odisho/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Meanwhile, Balwani was convicted on 12 fraud-related charges. The jury came back with a conviction after deliberating for five days.

Former Theranos COO Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani goes through a security checkpoint as he arrives at the Robert F. Peckham U.S. Federal Court on March 10, 2022 in San Jose, California. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Both of them now await sentencing. Balwani's sentencing hearing is set for November 15. Holmes' sentencing date was originally slated for September 26, but it has since been delayed to October 17. No reason was provided for the delay.

Chris Ryan/Getty

Source: Law360

Paige Leskin and Maya Kosoff contributed to earlier versions of this story.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Removes Hoegh Esperanza) July 7 (Reuters) - The following liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers are expected to arrive in Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands in the coming weeks. Estimated arrival dates, often revised by port authorities and AIS Live ship-tracking data on Refinitiv Eikon, are updated below. Some tankers heading for Belgium and Britain may be loading at the terminal. Those expected to load are indicated with an (L). Those likely to perform ship-to-ship transfers are indicated with (STS). Tankers that have docked are indicated with (A). For the Reuters LNG guide, click here: LNG TANKER CAPACITY in EXPECTED ARRIVAL FROM PORT cubic metres BRITAIN Mozah 262,000 July 10 Qatar South Hook LNG River Orashi 143,000 July 11 Nigeria Isle of Grain Al Aamriya 207,000 July 12 Qatar South Hook Pearl LNG 156,000 July 19 Peru Milford Haven BELGIUM Nikolay Urvantsev 169,000 July 8 Russia Zeebrugge Zekreet 137,000 July 11 Qatar Zeebrugge Umm Al Amad 206,000 July 13 Qatar Zeebrugge Al Zubarah 136,000 July 18 Qatar Zeebrugge NETHERLANDS Maran Gas Hector 172,000 July 9 United States Gate Gaslog Westminster 156,000 July 12 Unites States Gate Sources: Ports, AIS Live ship tracking, Refinitiv Eikon data. (^) Partial unload (*) Arrival date calculated using www.searates.com at an average speed of 13.5 knots (Reporting By Susanna Twidale)
Last month, Insider published an explosive report about a former SpaceX flight attendant who accused SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk of propositioning her for sex in 2016 and to whom the company paid $250,000 to keep quiet. Musk called the story "a politically motivated hit piece," while SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell came to Musk's defense in a companywide email, writing: Personally, I believe the allegations to be false; not because I work for Elon, but because I have worked closely with him for 20 years and never seen nor heard anything resembling these allegations."

Alas, a new and far more damaging Insider report is putting Shotwell  and every other executive insider Musk's various companies  in an even more uncomfortable position.

According to the story, "court documents obtained by Insider show that the tech mogul Elon Musk quietly had twins last November with one of his top executives, Shivon Zilis. In April, Musk, 51, and Zilis, 36, filed a petition to change the twins' names in order to 'have their father's last name and contain their mother's last name as part of their middle name.'"

The order was approved by a judge in Austin in May, adds the report, and the "twins were born weeks before Musk and Claire Boucher, the musician who performs as Grimes, had their second child via surrogate in December."

Zilis is a Yale graduate who began her career at IBM, then invested on behalf of the Bloomberg-backed venture outfit Bloomberg Beta until early 2016 before moving on to OpenAI, then Tesla, then Neuralink.

All three, of course, have deep ties to Musk, who founded Neuralink, cofounded OpenAI and assumed leadership of Tesla back in 2008.

Specifically, says Insider, Zilis first met Musk in 2016 while a director at OpenAI, where she is now the youngest member on its board of directors. In 2017, she reportedly joined Tesla as a project director. Today, Zilis holds the title of director of operations and special projects for Neuralink, where Musk is a co-CEO.

Story continues

Insider further reports that Zilis has recently been floated as one of the people Musk could tap to run Twitter if his proposed $44 billion acquisition of the company goes forward as expected.

Musk, who is typically highly active on Twitter, did not respond to requests for comment from Insider (neither did Zilis), though he last month tweeted that falling birth rates in the U.S. are a "demographic disaster," adding, "I mean, I'm doing my part haha." [Update: Musk has since tweeted in response to the story: "Doing my best to help the underpopulation crisis. A collapsing birth rate is the biggest danger civilization faces by far."]

I mean, Im doing my part haha  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 14, 2022

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The biggest question the story raises, beyond how many children Musk plans to father  he has at least nine with various partners  is whether any of these companies have fraternization policies that prohibit romantic relationships between a manager and a reporting staff member.

While most companies the size of Tesla and SpaceX prohibit dating relationships between employees who are separated by two levels in the chain of command, Musk is known for flouting traditional rules. (A Tesla employee handbook from 2020 isn't exactly standard fare, warning that "Our assumption will be that if you don't call and don't show up for work, you're a jerk. You better have a really good reason for not letting us know why you didn't come in or you're out of here.")

Even if Neuralink, Tesla and OpenAI -- where Musk disassociated himself in 2019 -- do not have customary policies in place preventing fraternization, this new report is hugely problematic. Musk having secret children with a direct report will surely prove a huge distraction to other staffers. (You can imagine the water cooler conversation.) It's bad for morale, which is the last thing that Tesla in particular would seem to need right now given its many other employee battles. It could also open up Musk's companies to massive lawsuits from Zilis if at some point down the road, she decides he abused the power he wielded as CEO.

Not last, though likely least concerning, the development will probably not be looked on kindly by the U.S. government, which has already been chilly toward Tesla under the Biden administration. (The government is a separately a large customer of SpaceX, where Zilis has not been an employee.)

We don't have anything against children, of course, but in running a business, not everything goes, and this newest development raises a lot of questions about the boards of directors at Musk's companies. It also puts execs like Shotwell in the position of having to reassure employees that Musk has the same good judgment, self-control and laser-like focus on his companies' success as he says he expects of them. We don't envy her the job.

[Update/correction: The original version of our story reported that a LinkedIn page for Zilis appeared to have been taken offline, but it's now available to view here.]
By Azernews

By News Center

Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez said that the Abdulhamid Han drillship will start its first mission in the first half of August, Yeni Shafak has details.

"Our ship will go on its first mission in the first half of August. Five to six alternatives are being discussed for the first mission location. I hope we will be patient for one more month. The mission location will most likely be the Mediterranean," Donmez stressed.

Making evaluations on the Abdulhamid Han drilling ship that he visited in Mersin's Tasucu Port, Donmez stated that the ship is one of five 7th generation ships in the world.

He added that Abdulhamid Han, the fourth drillship that will engage in Turkiye's hydrocarbon exploration efforts, is equipped with cutting-edge equipment.

We have been continuing our drilling activities in our own national maritime sector in Blue Homeland for four years without interruption. Our biggest strength is the deep-sea drilling ships of our fleet. First Fatih, then Yavuz, and lastly Kanuni joined our fleet, the minister stressed.

Donmez underlined that most of Turkiye's energy fleet continues its activities in the Black Sea.

"We need to strengthen our fleet and human resources in order to achieve our goals. We are now approaching the end of our work on preparing our latest ship for the first mission," he said.

The minister pointed out that the Abdulhamid Han ship has a facilitating technology. He also touched upon the studies on natural gas deposits discovered in the Black Sea.

"The ship Castoro 10 is about to accomplish its mission in the shallows. The ship Castorone will do pipelaying in the deep sectors of the sea. It will probably start its first operations on holidays," he said.
Ukraine Latest: US and Partners Seek to Sideline Russia at G-20

(Bloomberg) -- The US is expected to press the case at a G-20 meeting in Bali that Russias military actions set a dangerous precedent as it works with its partners to prevent the attendance of the top Kremlins diplomat from subverting the gatherings agenda.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Group of 20 ministerial meeting, where they spoke about the solidarity of the long-time partners. A Biden administration official earlier this week urged Beijing to stop spreading Russian lies about the Kremlins invasion of its neighbor.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said hes confident UK policy toward Ukraine wont change any time soon, after Boris Johnson announced his intention to resign as prime minister.

(See RSAN on the Bloomberg Terminal for the Russian Sanctions Dashboard.)

Key Developments

Europe Gas Heads for Another Weekly Gain on Deep Supply Concerns

US to Seek G-20 Side Deals on Ukraine to Get Past Russia, China

Germany to Breach Debt Limits Once Again If Putin Shuts Off Gas

US, Allies Discuss Capping Russian Oil Price at $40-$60 a Barrel

Russian Tycoon Calls Sanctions Weapons of Mass Destruction

Russias War-Weary Tech Talent Floods Into Neighboring Georgia

On the Ground

A Russian missile struck the Donetsk city of Kramatorsk on Thursday with casualties reported, with citys mayor said. Ukrainian forces raised their nations flag on the island early Thursday. Also hit was the Moldovan-flagged tanker Millennial Spirit which has been adrift for four months after shelling early in the war. In the east, Russian troops attempted to establish full control over Luhansk, Ukraines General Staff said. Russian forces appear to have taken an operational pause, confining themselves to small-scale offensive actions as they rebuild military units, the Institute for the Study of War said.

Story continues

(All times CET)

Europe Gas Heads for Weekly Gain, Again (9:05 a.m.)

Traders and European policy-makers will be keenly watching Russian President Vladimir Putins scheduled discussions on energy issues with officials in his government on Friday. The head of state-run exporter Gazprom PJSC will be among the speakers, according to the Kremlin press service, which didnt elaborate further on the agenda.

UK Sees Siversk as Russias Immediate Tactical Goal (7:34 a.m.)

Russia is expected to move toward the Slovyansk region -- about 8 kilometers (5 miles) ahead of the current frontline -- before launching new offensive operations in eastern Ukraine, according to an intelligence update by UKs Ministry of Defence published Friday on Twitter.

There is a realistic possibility that Russias immediate tactical objective will be Siversk, the ministry said, warning that President Vladimir Putins forces are likely targeting the Slovyansk-Kramatorsk urban area as next operational goal.

China Tells Russia Its Ukraine Position to Remain Just (1:26 a.m.)

Wang told Lavrov that China will continue holding an objective and just position on the Ukraine situation, Xinhua reported. Wang added Beijing will promote peace talks and support all efforts for a peaceful settlement of the crisis, the Chinese news agency said.

US officials have been frustrated at what they view as Chinas echoing of Moscows disinformation about the Ukraine invasion and decision to abstain from a vote condemning it earlier this year at the United Nations.

EUs Borrell Vows to Reject Russian Lies at G-20 Meeting (9:54 p.m.)

With G-20 foreign ministers -- including Lavrov -- arriving in Bali for the two-day summit, the EUs foreign policy chief warned that Moscow would try to use the gathering for its own propaganda purposes.

We will clearly reject the false Russian narratives, Josep Borrell said. We will clearly tell Foreign Minister Lavrov to his face what we think, and we will expose the Kremlins lies.

Borrell said that in all the meetings at the G-20 so far -- with partners from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Gulf -- he stressed that no country could stay neutral in the face of Russian aggression. He added that while it is very difficult to sit at the table with Russia under the current circumstances, the EU doesnt want to harm the G-20 and the forum was too important to all involved.

West Wont Defeat Russia on the Battlefield, Putin Tells Party Leaders (7:35 p.m.)

Putin painted a defiant picture to leaders of Russian parliamentary parties, saying his military wont be defeated by the smaller Ukrainian military.

We hear today that they want to defeat us on the battlefield. What can you say here? Let them try, Putin said at the Kremlin. Even as Western analysts estimate that thousands of Russian troops have died in the war, Putin warned we havent started in earnest yet in the military campaign.

Hemmed in by international sanctions and facing much tougher resistance in Ukraine than it expected, Putin claimed Russia wasnt isolated. Peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials have been stalled for months as intense fighting goes on in the east.

US to Seek G-20 Side Deals on Ukraine (5:43 p.m.)

The US will seek to forge agreements with like-minded countries over Ukraine on the sidelines of the G-20 foreign ministers meeting, a senior state department official said, a sign that broader consensus will be tough with Russia and China in attendance.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken will use the event to stress that Washington cant conduct business as usual with Moscow and argue that many of the problems confronting the globe, including a food and energy crisis, were caused by Russias invasion.

US to Seek G-20 Side Deals on Ukraine to Get Past Russia, China

WNBAs Griner Pleads Guilty as Russia Hits at US Hype (5:09 p.m.)

WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty at a Moscow court to smuggling cannabis oil in vape cartridges as Russia blamed US media hype over the fate of jailed Americans for impeding talks on potential prisoner swaps.

Griner Pleads Guilty as Russia Hits at US Hype on Prisoners

Russian Tycoon Calls Sanctions Weapons of Mass Destruction (3:35 p.m.)

A Russian fertilizer tycoon said Western sanctions on companies like his are economic weapons of mass destruction, hurting people most at risk from hunger.

His comments to a Swiss newspaper come as Russian and Ukrainian fertilizer, grains and other farm exports have been disrupted by Moscows invasion, helping food costs to spiral. US and European Union sanctions on potash sales from Russian-allied Belarus and Chinas move to rein in shipments added to the crunch.

EU sanctions mean suffering, famine and migration flows for many hundreds of millions of people, Andrey Melnichenko, founder of fertilizer-maker EuroChem Group AG, told Die Weltwoche.

Russian Tycoon Calls Sanctions Weapons of Mass Destruction

Zelenskiy Tells CNN UKs Johnson Is True Friend of Ukraine (3 p.m.)

Zelenskiy called British Prime Minister Boris Johnson a true friend of Ukraine, and told CNNs Wolf Blitzer in an interview on Thursday hes confident the UKs policy toward his nation wont change.

Ukraine President Meets US Senators (2:20 p.m.)

Zelenskiy met US senators, Democrat Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina in Kyiv and told the pair that he counts on Congresss support for the continued delivery of modern air defense systems. His comments came a day after he said that finally Western artillery has started working very powerfully for Ukraine.

Zelenskiy said he wants to allow women with children (to) return home by Sept. 1 when the new school year will start in Ukraine.

EU Parliament Approves 1 Billion Euros Loan for Ukraine (2:04 p.m.)

The loan is to help Ukraines acute funding gap exacerbated by war, according to a statement on the website of the EU parliament.

Ukraines external financing needs ballooned due to the Russian invasion: besides the tremendous damage to roads, bridges, factories, houses, hospitals and other physical infrastructure, the country has also lost its access to the international financial markets. The approved loan is the first part of 9 billion euros in planned macro financial assistance for Kyiv

Poland May Build Terminal to Help Move Grain (1:36 p.m.)

Poland is considering building a large grain terminal as part of efforts to help move Ukrainian grain to the Baltic port of Gdansk for export, its agriculture ministry said. Poland sees a chance to use 15 trains with special adapters to avoid the need to change to a different track gauge between countries. Other proposals include streamlining veterinary procedures.

Ukrainian Airline Starts Flights for Polish Tourist Operator (1:05 p.m.)

Ukrainian International Airlines started charter flights this months for Polish tourist operator Itaka, the company said by email. A Ukrainian Boeing 737-900 will be based at Katowice Airport in southern Poland and serviced by four Ukrainian crews.

Ukrainian International will service flights from Katowice to destinations around the Mediterranean, the Red Sea and the Canary Islands.

Ukraine Air, Grounded by War, Finds New Role Flying Poles to Med

Ukraine Summons Turkish Ambassador Over Released Russian Vessel (11:02 a.m.)

Ukraine summoned the Turkish ambassador, citing an unacceptable situation after authorities in Turkey released a Russian-flagged vessel that Kyiv said was shipping grain seized from the Ukrainian port of Berdyansk.

The Ukrainian side has received this information with deep disappointment, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday, calling for an investigation and a comprehensive answer to the events.

The Ukrainian chief prosecutors office last week asked Ankara to detain the Zhibek Zholy and confiscate its cargo of about 7,000 tons of grain.

Germanys Habeck Urges Canada to Release Turbine (10:31 a.m.)

German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck made a public plea to Canada to release a turbine thats caught up in sanctions against Russia and critical for gas flows. He said the equipment for the Nord Stream 1 pipeline needs to be returned before maintenance work begins on Monday -- eliminating an excuse for Putin to keep the conduit closed.

Ill be the first one who will fight for a further strong EU sanction package, but strong sanctions means it must hurt and harm Russia and Putin more than it does our economy, Habeck told Bloomberg. Therefore, I ask for understanding that we have to take this turbine excuse away from Putin.

Romania Reopens Soviet-Era Rail Line to Aid Ukraine Grain Sales (9:53 a.m.)

Romania reopened a Soviet-era rail link connecting its Danube River port of Galati to Ukraine a month earlier than expected to help boost vital grain exports from its neighbor. Ukraine grain exports, blocked from leaving key Black Sea ports, have been confined to road, river and rail routes to European countries, with shipments well below the normal pace.

Zelenskiy Says Western Weaponry Making an Impact (9 a.m.)

Ukraines president said Western artillery has started working very powerfully to help Kyivs troops push back against Russia.

Its accuracy is exactly as needed. Our defenders inflict very noticeable strikes on depots and other spots that are important for the logistics of the occupiers. And this significantly reduces the offensive potential of the Russian army, Zelenskiy said Wednesday in his nightly video address to the nation.

Zelenskiy said large parts of Kharkivs National Pedagogical University were destroyed Wednesday by a Russian missile strike. When it comes to the definition of barbarism, this strike fits the bill the most, he said.

European Gas Extends Rally as Supply Crunch Haunts Market (8:55 a.m.)

Natural gas in Europe headed for the longest stretch of daily gains in more than nine months as persistent fears of deeper supply cuts by Moscow spread through the market.

The crisis has also sent power prices to record highs as Russias tightening hold on energy supplies brings the risk that Europe may struggle to keep the heat and lights on this winter.

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With supply chains still in disarray and the war in Ukraine wreaking havoc on EV battery component commodity prices, many forward-thinking automakers are scrambling to secure not only stocks of the valuable metals like cobalt, lithium and nickel that go into EV batteries, but also the means of of building the batteries themselves. On Thursday, Volkswagen Group held a groundbreaking at the site of its forthcoming EV battery cell plant in Salzgitter Germany and announced the formation of a new company, PowerCo, which will be responsible for handling the VW Group's burgeoning battery business.

"Today is a good day for the automotive industry in Germany and Europe," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said during the event. "Volkswagen is showing how the future of sustainable, climate-compatible mobility could look. Together, we are laying the foundation for shaping this future to a significant extent in Salzgitter."

PowerCo will handle the Group's global battery activities, from producing the batteries themselves to conducting R&D on new battery technologies to "products such as major storage systems for the energy grid," per the announcement. Once the Salzgitter plant is operational, PowerCo will begin work on a second factory in Valencia, Spain with an eye on three further cell factories in Europe and potentially North America as well. Each of the European factories will reportedly operate using 100 percent renewable energy. In all, PowerCo aims to open a total of six battery factories in Europe producing a total of 240 GWh capacity every year (~6 million electric vehicles worth), which will help VW meet its 2030 goal of having at least half its lineup be EVs.

Fully automatic position control of the electrodes in the stacking system in the drying room of the R&D line.

Operations across the various production facilities will be highly standardized. Everything from "equipment, buildings and infrastructure" to "products, processes and IT" will conform so that the entire production process can be more readily adapted to future "product and production innovations," per the release.

Since the plant was founded in 1970, more than 62 million engines have been built at Volkswagen's Salzgitter plant.

The Salzgitter plant is expected to create 5,000 new jobs when it begins operations in 2025 with an annual capacity of 40 GWh (~500,000 electric vehicles worth). Some 20,000 positions are will need to be filled once the other European factories open, Daniela Cavallo, Chairwoman of the General and Group Works Council of Volkswagen AG, said.
VANCOUVER, BC , July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Zacatecas Silver Corp. ("Zacatecas" or the "Company") (TSXV: ZAC) (OTC Markets: ZCTSF) (Frankfurt: 7TV) is pleased to report multiple silver and base metal assays from the ongoing maiden diamond drilling at El Cristo vein system. Despite only testing the near surface, often strongly oxidized parts of the El Cristo veins, assay results indicate significant silver mineralization over downhole intervals of up to 9.53 m.

El Cristo is the NW strike extension of the prolific and well known Veta Grande vein system onto the Zacatecas Silver property.

Highlights:

A maiden diamond drill program is targeting intermediate sulphidation veins at the El Cristo project. El Cristo is the NW strike extension of the well-known Veta Grande system.

Initial El Cristo results include:

To date the Company has completed 28 holes for 2811 metres with assay results pending for 15 holes.

Dr. Chris Wilson, Chief Operating Officer and a Director of Zacatecas comments, "The Company has now received assay results for 13 of 28 diamond drill holes at El Cristo. All holes targeted the shallow depth extension of intermediate sulphidation veins below near-surface historical workings or areas proximal to shallow historical shafts. Several holes hit historical mining voids or zones of backfill material over widths of up to 5 m, suggesting that a higher-grade part of the near surface vein had already been mined. That there are at least 20 shallow historical shafts at El Cristo, strongly suggests that the system is mineralized. Almost all holes drilled beneath these zones intersected multi-phase sulphidic quartz-carbonate veins with zinc and lead base metal sulphides. Drilling by Zacatecas has only tested small areas of the overall vein system to very shallow depths. That the first thirteen holes intersected a robust silver-equivalent grades over down-hole intercept of up to 9.56 meters is very encouraging. The system is open in all directions across multiple veins."

Story continues

Mineralization at El Cristo is of an intermediate sulphidation epithermal type, which crop out within a dilutional zone that is at least 4 km along strike and up to 600 m wide. Within this zone are multiple, steeply dipping, northwest-southeast trending veins, which have been mined historically from at least 20 near surface shafts and multiple areas of near surface workings.

El Cristo represents the northwest strike extension of the Veta Grande vein, which has reported, but unverified, historical production of 200 Moz AgEq. The veins at El Cristo show similar characteristics to those at Veta Grande, have a similar orientation, and are part of the same sigmoidal zone of dilation.

Historically the El Cristo vein system was only tested by 8 angled diamond drill holes which targeted veins at depths of below 100 to 200 metres. Of these six were concentrated within a 500 m strike length in the central parts of the veins.

Zacatecas drill holes targeted the near surface depth extension of the larger surface workings and/or the depth extension of veins around the deeper historical shaft. The 28 holes drilled to date by the Company have been scout holes also designed to test select veins over at least 2 km of strike extension.

Figure 1: Map of El Cristo showing Zacatecas drill hole locations. Historical drill hole traces are also shown (black). The base of the map is a grey scale digital elevation model. Recently drilled holes traces with assay results received are shown in blue. (CNW Group/Zacatecas Silver Corp.)

Hole CRI-2022-001 intercepted 5 metres of back-fill material and 4.5 m of footwall mineralization for a combined intercept of 9.53 meters @ 175 Ag Eq (167 g/t Ag, 0.12 % Zn and 0.04 % Pb) from 40.03 m downhole. It seems likely that the back-fill was lower grade material used to fill the void left from mining a higher grade vein.

Hole CRI-2022-002 was a step-down of hole 001, which targeted the vein approximately 40 m vertical deeper, and intercepted 1.45 meters @ 121 Ag Eq (11.3 g/t Ag, 1.6 % Zn and 0.5% Pb and 0.18 g/t Au) from 109.05 m downhole.

Holes CRI-2022-003 to 007 were drilled off the same drill pad in the same line of section to intercept the vein progressively deeper. Hole CRI-2022-003 intercepted an approximately 5 m wide historical mining void where the target vein had been removed. Results from holes CRI-2022-006 and 007 are pending.

Hole CRI-2022-004 intercepted 0.4 m @ 163 g/t AgEq (12.4 g/t Ag, 2.4% Zn, 0.5% Pb and 0.18 ppm Au) from 57.81 m downhole.

Hole CRI-2022-005 targeted the vein below Hole 004 and intercepted 0.65 meters @ 829 g/t Ag Eq (565 g/t Ag, 1.2 g/t Au, 2.7 % Zn and 1.3 % Pb) from 55.15 m downhole.

Hole CRI-2002-013 encountered significant base metals resulting in 0.5 meters @ 974 g/t Ag Eq (19.6 g/t Ag, 0.23 g/t Au, 17.5% Zn, 1% Pb) from 70.3 m downhole. Also base metal rich, hole CRI-2022-12 resulted in 4.36 meters @ 242 g/t Ag Eq (48 g/t Ag, 0.19 g/t Au, 2.7% Zn and 1.5% Pb) from 54.34 m downhole.

The initial results of the maiden El Cristo drill program were successful. While the Company continues to receive assays over the coming weeks, the Company has elected to halt drilling until the results of received. The remaining drill results will provide a greater understanding of the El Cristo vein system and allow Zacatecas to optimize drill target selection in the upcoming months.

Table 1. Assay Results from Drill Program

Hole ID East North Azimuth (deg.) Dip (deg.) From (m) To (m) Downhole Interval (m) Ag g/t Au g/t Zn % Pb % Aq Eq CRI-2022-001 748610 2529615 215 40 40.03 49.56 9.53 167.0 - 0.12 0.04 175 CRI-2022-002 748612 2529619 215 70 109.5 110.50 1.45 11.3 0.18 1.6 0.48 121 CRI-2022-003 748734 2529206 218 40 38.42 39.22 0.8 94.4 - 0.11 0.04 103 CRI-2022-004 748735 2529208 218 70 43.07 44.15 1.08 90.5 - 0.09 - 100 CRI-2022-004 748735 2529207 218 78 57.81 58.21 0.40 12.4 0.18 2.4 0.49 163 CRI-2022-005 748735 2529208 218 85 55.15 55.80 0.65 565 1.2 2.7 1.3 829 CRI-2022-006 Assays Pending CRI-2022-007 748733 2529210 35 77 105.47 105.9 0.43 12.4 0.08 1.0 0.8 92.7 CRI-2022-008 748905 2529163 193 40 59.8 61 1.2 134 0.1 0.24 0.09 156 CRI-2022-009 748907 2529166 193 60 63.40 64.25 0.85 22 0.13 1.26 0.8 118 CRI-2022-010 748905 2529166 193 77 66.19 66.96 0.77 13.2 0.18 2.3 0.50 159 CRI-2022-010 748905 2529166 193 77 77.81 78.53 0.54 9.0 - 1.3 0.74 95 CRI-2022-010 748905 2529166 193 77 86.64 87.49 0.85 2.8 - 2.4 0.13 133 CRI-2022-011 Assays Pending CRI-2022-012 749475 2528820 204 40 54.34 58.70 4.36 48.0 0.19 2.7 1.5 242 CRI-2022-012 749475 2528820 204 40 62.93 63.43 0.5 81.4 0.66 1.0 0.13 187 CRI-2022-013 749476 2528821 204 65 70.30 70.80 0.5 19.6 0.23 17.5 1.00 974 CRI-2022-013 749476 2528821 204 65 80.25 80.65 0.4 7.4 0.22 1.6 0.46 116 CRI-2022-013 749476 2528821 204 65 90.47 91.20 0.73 23.9 0.51 2.0 0.41 179 CRI-2022-014 749476 2528824 204 85 77.02 78.03 1.01 11.1 0.17 1.7 0.31 120 CRI-2022-015 749476 2528823 24 82 110.37 110.85 0.48 118 0.19 0.1 0.06 139 CRI-2022-016 Assays Pending CRI-2022-017 Assays Pending CRI-2022-018 Assays Pending CRI-2022-019 Assays Pending CRI-2022-020 Assays Pending CRI-2022-021 Assays Pending CRI-2022-022 Assays Pending CRI-2022-023 Assays Pending CRI-2022-024 Assays Pending CRI-2022-025 Assays Pending CRI-2022-026 Assays Pending CRI-2022-027 Assays Pending CRI-2022-028 Assays Pending

Additional drilling is required to determine true widths as all hole intercepted veins at an oblique angle. The assays are not capped. Assumptions used in USD for the silver equivalent calculation were metal prices of $24/oz silver, $1,800/oz gold, $1.81/lb zinc, $ 0.90/lb lead and 100% recovery.

Quality Assurance / Quality Control

Zacatecas follows industry-recognized standards of Best Practice and Quality Assurance/Quality Control. Samples are submitted to ALS in batches of 20  comprising 16 half cut core samples, one field blank, two certified reference material standards and one staged duplicate. Samples are sealed in plastic bags using single use tie-locks and delivered to ALS Zacatecas  thereby ensuring chain of custody. Since the ALS facility in Zacatecas is only a preparation facility, sample pulps were sent to ALS Ireland for fire assay. To date all batches have passed QAQC and blanks and CRM's were within acceptable tolerance limits. All diamond holes were drilled HQ diameter. Core recovery across all veins was better than 98%.

Qualified Person

The contents of this news release have been reviewed and approved by Chris Wilson, B.Sc. (Hons), PhD, FAusIMM (CP), FSEG, Chief Operating Officer of Zacatecas. Dr. Wilson is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and is responsible for all technical information in this news release.

About Zacatecas Silver Corp.

The Zacatecas silver property is located in Zacatecas state, Mexico, within the highly prospective Fresnillo silver belt, which has produced over 6.2 billion ounces of silver. The company holds 7,826 hectares (19,338 acres) of ground that is highly prospective for low-sulphidation and intermediate-sulphidation silver base metal mineralization and potentially low-sulphidation gold-dominant mineralization. On December 15, 2021, Zacatecas announced a mineral resource estimate at the Panuco deposit consisting of 2.7 million tonnes at 187 grams per tonne (g/t) silver equivalent (AgEq) (171 g/t silver (Ag) and 0.17 g/t gold (Au)) for 16.4 million ounces AgEq (15 million ounces silver and 15,000 ounces gold) (See news release dated December 14, 2021).

The property is 25 kilometres (km) southeast of MAG Silver Corp.'s Juanicipio mine and Fresnillo PLC's Fresnillo mine. The property shares common boundaries with Pan American Silver Corp. claims and El Orito, which is owned by Endeavour Silver.

Additionally, Zacatecas has recently announced a transaction to acquire the Esperanza Gold Project from Alamos Gold Inc. Esperanza is an advanced stage, attractive low-cost, low-capital-intensity and low-technical-risk growth project located in Morelos state, Mexico. Alamos has progressed the project through advanced engineering, including metallurgical work, while also focusing on stakeholder engagement, including building community relations.

To date, significant core and reverse circulation drilling has occurred at the Esperanza gold project, resulting in a total of 389 drill holes for 69,716 metres. Four targets adjacent to or close to the historical resource were identified to potentially expand the historical resource. The project also hosts seven regional exploration targets, largely untested, that also merit drill testing.

Alamos reported in its most recent annual information form a resource estimate of a measured and indicated resource of 34,352,000 tonnes at 0.98 g/t gold and 8.09 g/t silver for 1,083,366 ounces of gold and 8,936,201 ounces of silver and inferred resource of 718,000 tonnes at 0.80 g/t gold and 15.04 g/t silver for 18,375 ounces of gold and 347,192 ounces of silver. The Company considers this to be an historical resource for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101. Resource blocks were defined using with dimensions of 10 metres (m) by 10 m by five m. The estimation of grades was performed with the ordinary kriging method on capped composites. An added step in the estimation strategy was the utilization of the dynamic anisotropy technique in Vulcan's unfolding options. This added capability allows for a more realistic outcome of the estimated grade's spatial distribution as it follows the folded shape of the deposit. Assumptions used in the resource include the following metal prices: gold price of $1,400 (U.S.) per ounce (oz) and silver price of $22 (U.S.) per oz. The resource assumed the following economic assumptions: recovery of 60.4 per cent at 0.2 g/t to 71.9 per cent at 1.6 g/t for gold, 25 per cent for silver, $2.60-per-tonne mining costs, 64-cents-per-tonne general and administrative costs, $4.20-per-tonne milling costs and a pit slope of 45 degrees. The Company considers the resource relevant due to its identification and modelling of the Esperanza deposit.

The Company has not done sufficient work to classify the resource as a current mineral resource or mineral reserves and the Company is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Although the resource estimate is considered reliable, the Company will resample a portion of the drill core for the purpose of carrying out a new resource estimate. Furthermore, additional data verification, including resurveying of select diamond drill holes collars; review of graphic drill core logs, comparison of these logs with remaining half-cut core and a cross check of select geological logs agonist database entries; and a check of original assay certificates against the assays and drill hole database.

On behalf of the Company

Bryan Slusarchuk

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Zacatecas cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by many material factors, many of which are beyond their respective control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Zacatecas' limited operating history, its proposed exploration and development activities on is Zacatecas Properties and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Zacatecas does not undertake to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Zacatecas Silver Corp. Logo (CNW Group/Zacatecas Silver Corp.)

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zacatecas-reports-multiple-high-grade-silver-drill-intercepts-from-initial-drilling-at-el-cristo-including-oxide-zone-intercepts-of-9-53m-at-175-gt-ageq-in-hole-cri-2022-001-and-0-65m-at-829-gt-ageq-in-hole-cri-2022-005--301582234.html

SOURCE Zacatecas Silver Corp.
A security guard stands outside the main entrance to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand located in central Wellington, New Zealand

By Lucy Craymer

(Reuters) -New Zealand's central bank on Friday issued a formal warning to National Australia Bank Ltd's local unit for failing to report around 50,000 transactions as required by anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism laws.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand said NAB's Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) did not report accurate locations for around 50,000 local and physical cash transactions between November 2018 and April 2020.

However, BNZ promptly rectified the issue and identified the problem as a "technical coding error", it added.

Under New Zealand's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism laws, companies are required to report transactions such as international wire transfers to the police's financial intelligence unit.

BNZ in a statement said it had reported the error to the Reserve Bank after becoming aware of the issue in August 2020 and set about fixing it immediately.

"BNZ takes its focus on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism compliance very seriously. We are continuously reviewing our processes and procedures, working with regulators and other authorities, and investing heavily in this area," it added.

Last year, Westpac Banking Corp's local unit also received a formal warning for failing to report around 8,000 transactions. New Zealand-owned TSB Bank was fined NZ$3.5 million ($2.16 million) after the bank accepted it had not complied with the requirements of the Act.

Westpac and Commonwealth Bank of Australia have both received hefty fines in recent years in Australia after admitting to breaches of the regulatory framework put in place following revelations of widespread misconduct.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand highlighted its formal warning to BNZ as an example to other organisations of their obligation to meet regulations for anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism.

($1 = 1.6197 New Zealand dollars)

(Reporting by Lucy Craymer in Wellington and Roushni Nair in Bengluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath and Christopher Cushing)
In-state students at the University of Mary Washington will have access to $700,000 in one-time scholarship money to offset a 3% tuition increase that will take effect next year, UMW officials announced last week.

The universitys Board of Visitors approved a 3% tuition increase at its June 10 meeting. The amount of the increase was revised down from 3.5% proposed and adopted by the Boards executive committee in May.

With the increase, in-state undergraduate tuition will be $8,968, an increase of $260 over this year.

In-state students will have the scholarship automatically applied to their bills. The $700,000 for the scholarships is coming from reserves, university spokeswoman Lisa Marvashti said.

We recognize that as much as our students value their public liberal arts education at Mary Washington, they also must balance rising costs in current economic times, UMW President Troy Paino said in a press release issued by the university. [UMW] has conscientiously approached its budget and its ability to support students as they pursue higher education, while at the same time continuing to invest in the people and place that make this our home.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin last month called on the states 15 public colleges and universities to reverse proposed tuition increases, according to the Richmond TimesDispatch.

Virginia Commonwealth University, James Madison University, Virginia Military Institute, Longwood University and Old Dominion University announced tuition freezes last week, joining Virginia Tech, the College of William & Mary, Virginia State University and Norfolk State University, which didnt consider tuition increases.

The University of Virginia declined the governors request and will raise tuition next year.

Total annual tuition and fees for in-state undergraduate students at UMW will be $27,406 next year, according to the budget approved by the BOV last month. Out-of-state students will pay $43,966 in tuition and fees per year.

The university is anticipating a 2.7% reduction in revenue from tuition and a 1.4% reduction in revenue from fees next budget year, a result of declining enrollment, according to budget documents.

UMW will receive additional new funding from the state, according to the biannual budget signed by Youngkin last week, for a total of $49.5 million, up from $42.9 million in the current budget year.

The increase in state revenue to the university will fund increases in student financial assistance, educational and general programs and investments in UMWs two historic properties: the James Monroe Museum and Gari Melchers Home and Studio.

The states budget also calls for employees to receive 5% raises in each of the two years. The state will partially fund the raises and the remainder will need to be funded by the university.

The funding gap between mandated cost increases and state support is expected to be covered through tuition and fee increases or budget reductions, UMWs budget plan notes.

Also included in the states budget for UMW is $117 million to construct a new theater at the corner of William Street and Sunken Road and renovate DuPont, Pollard and Melchers Halls, which now house the universitys music, art and theater programs.

[The new theater] will be transformational for the university as it brings renewed currency to our teaching and establishes a welcoming bridge to our community, said Greg Stull, chair of the theater and dance department, in the press release from UMW. As a gateway to the campus, it will foster stronger connections between UMW and the greater Fredericksburg region as it establishes the strongest possible foundation for teaching theatre on our campus.
A 28-year-old Louisa County man died in a Thursday morning garbage compactor accident at the Chancellor Convenience Center in Spotsylvania County.

Brandon Michael Nutter, who started his job as a heavy equipment mechanic for the countys Solid Waste Collections division on June 21, died in the accident, the Spotsylvania Sheriffs Office said in a news release.

Sheriffs Office Maj. Troy Skebo said in the release that emergency crews arrived on the scene within minutes to find a deceased county employee who was trapped inside an industrialized stationary compactor at the Chancellor Convenience Center on Harrison Road.

Skebo said one of the duties of Nutters job wascleaning the inside of the compactor.

The investigation of the incident will continue.

Skebo said detectives are working with state and local officials to determine the cause of the accident. The Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Department also is on the scene and helping with the investigation.

The convenience center was closed Thursday and will remain shuttered Friday. The center is scheduled to reopen at 8 a.m. Saturday.

Spotsylvania public information officer Michelle McGinnis said in the release that the county is deeply saddened and devastated by the loss of one of our own  We would like to extend our sincerest heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Nutter and wish them strength, comfort and peace as they navigate the difficult times ahead.
Retired Henrico County police officer Richard C. Crowder was drunk and agitated as professional movers were inside his home wrapping the belongings of his wife and stepdaughter, who Crowder is accused of fatally shooting before they could move out, according to court papers filed in the case Wednesday.

The two movers working inside Crowders home Saturday told police they spoke with a woman inside, who stated to stay away from the male resident as he was drunk and agitated. The movers were upstairs working when they heard a series of f-  you being uttered and four to eight gunshots, police wrote in an affidavit for a warrant to search Crowders home.

The two movers then fled the residence by jumping from the second-floor window, the affidavit says.

Police were notified that Crowders adult son had received a call from his father, advising he had committed a firearm violation.

The 9:35 a.m. shooting at Crowders home at 7655 Phillips Wood Dr. triggered a large police response and standoff that didnt end until nine hours later when Crowder surrendered while on the phone with police.

Following the standoff, police discovered the bodies of Crowders wife, Diane Crowder, 53, and his stepdaughter, Carrie Szaksz, 35. Crowder was subsequently charged with two counts of second-degree murder in their deaths, along with two counts of using a firearm in a felony.

In addition, Crowder, 60, was charged with attempting to maliciously wound a Henrico police officer and using a firearm in connection with that offense. Crowder fired shots at one of the first officers to respond to his residence, according to the affidavit.

After establishing a perimeter around Crowders property Saturday, police observed multiple cameras affixed to his actual home, as well as game cameras along the perimeter.

The cameras, along with the fact that Crowder had fired shots at a Henrico officer and was believed to have shot the two women inside, made police wary of making a daytime approach to his house to serve the search warrant, according to the affidavit.

It would put the tactical elements Henrico police would use at an extremely high risk for officer safety, the affidavit said.

Crowder was hired by the Henrico Division of Police in 1986 and retired from the force in November 2014 as K-9 officer, Henrico officials said Wednesday.

Crowder is being held without bond in the Henrico Jail. His next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 19 in Henrico Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.

A Gofundme account has been established by Diane Crowders aunt to help with funeral expenses and other family needs: https://bit.ly/3IgJ6YN

A tragedy occurred when the lives of a loving mother and daughter ended due to domestic violence, Judy Pulley wrote. The loss of these two lives will be felt in many different ways.

One major role they both played was being daily caretakers for their parents/grandparents who have major health issues, Pulley added. They made sure that their family was cared for even while trying to make a new safe life for themselves. We will never really know how this could have worked out differently because one person made that decision for us all.

What we can do now is help their loved ones today and with what is to come. All proceeds will be used for funeral expenses for Carrie and Diane (Sissy) and, Dianes son Alex who has just graduated high school and will be transitioning into adulthood without his mother and sister.
RAYMOND  The aroma of lilies, delphinium, snapdragons and lisianthus fills the shop as customers chatter and roosters crow outside Friday.

The flowers, sitting in buckets of water on the counter, had been plucked from the small field around the corner that morning.

Some of them will be bundled and sold throughout the day, while most will be loaded into an old school bus and taken to the Haymarket Farmers Market on Saturday.

Becca Monroe, the owner of West Mill Flowers, started growing and selling flowers in 2017 after the idea came to her while catching grasshoppers with her two children.

After being a stay-at-home mom for several years, Monroe knew it was time to branch out to something new, which meant building on a hobby and turning it into a business.

"I really felt like it was my time," Monroe said. "God was saying your babies are getting bigger. You need to start looking for something that fills your drive."

Monroe operates her business on the family farm just south of Raymond and has a small storefront that is open every Friday from 11-6 p.m. during the summer.

Customers can browse a variety of items from other local businesses or watch as Monroe creates personalized bouquets.

In mid-July, she'll upgrade from planting just one acre to also having several raised flower beds to allow for a "you pick" service, where customers can come and pick their own flowers.

"I personally think going out to a farm and picking your own flowers is so fun," she said. "If we can create an atmosphere where people come out and they enjoy themselves, that really would just fill our tanks."

Monroe hopes to not only create a memorable experience for her customers, but to also help people understand more about flowers and how they're grown.

"I think that there is such a lack of education on local flowers. We live in an agricultural state and many people know nothing about flowers," she said.

Monroe hosts wreath-making classes during the winter months when she can't grow flowers.

However, most of her business comes from the Haymarket Farmers Market on Saturdays.

She first started promoting her business at the Fallbrook Farmers Market, but didn't see the results she'd hoped for. So she decided to make the jump to the bigger farmers market in downtown Lincoln.

She was nervous to make the switch, but after selling out in just two hours the first time she went, she knew she had made the right decision.

"Without the Haymarket Farmers Market, I honestly wouldn't have much of a business," she said.

Monroe and her husband, Tom, who runs West Mill Design Co., are full-time entrepreneurs, which comes with good sides and bad sides, they said.

They have no set schedule, so they can choose their own hours. Even though they work hard all day, they get to do it together and have their children at their sides.

"The negatives are so overpowered by the positives," Tom said. "I think entrepreneurship is exciting and I wouldn't trade it for anything."

At the end of the day, Becca said, their only hope is to teach their children the power of hard work and that it's never too late to try something new.

"Entrepreneurship is 10 times more work, but the benefits are tenfold," she said. "We're living the American dream."
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Futures and Commodity Market News Canacol Energy Ltd. Provides June Gas Sales, Makes New Discovery at Cornamusa 1

CALGARY, Alberta, Jul 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE via COMTEX) --

EQNX::TICKER_START (TSX:CNE),(OTC US:CNNEF),(Other OTC:CNNEF),(BVC:CNEC), EQNX::TICKER_END Canacol Energy Ltd. ("Canacol" or the "Corporation") (TSX:CNE; OTCQX:CNNEF; BVC:CNEC) is pleased to provide the following information concerning its June 2022 natural gas sales and the results of the Cornamusa 1 exploration well, along with near term drilling plans.

Gas sales averaged 199 MMscfpd

Realized contractual natural gas sales (which are gas produced, delivered, and paid for) were 199 million standard cubic feet per day ("MMscfpd") for June 2022, representing the largest monthly sales volumes the Corporation has achieved since February 2020 after which Covid demand destruction ensued.

Cornamusa 1 exploration well successful

The Corporation completed the drilling of the Cornamusa 1 exploration well located on the VIM-5 Block operated by CNE OIL & GAS S.A.S. with 100% working interest. Cornamusa 1 was spud on June 5, 2022 and reached a total depth of 8,572 feet measured depth on June 21, 2022. The well encountered multiple gas filled sandstones between 6,010 and 7,514 feet true vertical depth within the primary Cienaga de Oro ("CDO") sandstone reservoir target with average porosity of 21 percent. The well is currently being case and completed and be tied into permanent production and flow tested in the coming weeks.

Forward Drilling Program - Cornamusa 1 exploration well and Toronja 3 development well.

The Corporation is currently drilling the Toronja 3 development well located on its 100% working interest VIM 21 E&P contract. Toronja 3 is targeting gas bearing sandstone reservoirs within the Porquero Formation which are productive in the offsetting Toronja 1 and 2 wells.

The other rig is being mobilized to drill the Claxon 1 exploration well, which is anticipated to spud in late July. Claxon 1 is located approximately 2 kilometers to the south of the recently announced Alboka 1 discovery which tested 33 MMscfpd from the CDO sandstone reservoir. Claxon 1 will target the same CDO sandstone reservoirs present at Alboka, and the Corporation anticipates that the well will take approximately 4 weeks to drill, complete, and test.

Executive Management Change

The Corporation announces that Mr. William Satterfield has been promoted to the role of Senior Vice President Exploration, replacing Mr. Mark Teare. Mr. Satterfield joined Canacol from Sanchez Oil and Gas Corporation where he served as Senior Vice President of New Ventures and Geosciences. Previously he worked for Occidental Petroleum for 22 years in the Americas, Middle East, Africa, and SE Asia in various geotechnical roles culminating as Exploration Manager in Bogota Colombia. Mr. Satterfield has a BSc and MA in geology from the University of Texas in Austin.

The Board of Directors and executive management team thank Mr. Teare for his leadership in the planning and execution of Canacol's exploration activities in Colombia which added significant value over the years. The Corporation wishes Mr. Teare continued success in all of his future endeavors.

About Canacol

Canacol is a natural gas exploration and production company with operations focused in Colombia. The Corporation's common stock trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the OTCQX in the United States of America, and the Colombia Stock Exchange under ticker symbol CNE, CNNEF, and CNE.C, respectively.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are 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, including without limitation statements relating to estimated production rates from the Corporation's properties and intended work programs and associated timelines. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Corporation cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. They are made as of the date hereof and are subject to change and the Corporation assumes no obligation to revise or update them to reflect new circumstances, except as required by law. Prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. These factors include the inherent risks involved in the exploration for and development of crude oil and natural gas properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological and geophysical data, fluctuating energy prices, the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated costs or delays and other uncertainties associated with the oil and gas industry. Other risk factors could include risks associated with negotiating with foreign governments as well as country risk associated with conducting international activities, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Corporation.

Realized contractual gas sales is defined as gas produced and sold plus gas revenues received from nominated take or pay contracts.

<img src="https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/YjRkMmQ3ZTItM2VjOS00ODI4LWFiODctNTEyNWI3MzgzNGMzLTExMDI3MzQ=/tiny/Canacol-Energy-Ltd-.png" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" /><pre>For more information please contact: Investor Relations South America: +571.621.1747 IR-SA@canacolenergy.com Global: +1.403.561.1648 IR-GLOBAL@canacolenergy.com</pre><p>https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/f8065888-8469-4453-8051-1c8d703849d6/small/canacollogo-ltd-01-002-jpg.jpg

For more information please contact: Investor Relations South America: +571.621.1747 IR-SA@canacolenergy.com Global: +1.403.561.1648 IR-GLOBAL@canacolenergy.com

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By Azernews

By Muhammed Vefa Yurekli

Facing an energy crisis amid the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine, the EU has forgotten both the Paris Climate Agreement and the Green Deal, Yeni Shafak reports.

The European Parliament, with the votes of 328 deputies on July 7, decided that nuclear power plants are climate and eco-friendly. The EU, which has consistently pressed numerous nations, including Turkiye, to abandon nuclear power facilities, will now build new nuclear power plants swiftly.

European nations, who once relied on Russia for more than 40 percent of their natural gas needs, are unable to find alternative energy sources, so they devised a strategy to stretch the Green Deal for the sake of the unions interests.

The European governments, which have pledged to combat climate change and suppress developing countries under the Paris Climate Accord and the Green Deal, have made a paradoxical decision and included gas and nuclear energy in the purview of green energy. The decision removes the final significant impediment to the possible investment of billions of euros in the sector.

Two European Parliamentary (EP) committees opposed the legislation that categorizes energy investments based on whether they are damaging to the environment or not, refusing to designate gas and nuclear as ecologically benign. The complaint was defeated in Strasbourg by a vote of 278 to 328, with 33 deputies abstaining. The absolute majority of 353 required to veto the measure was not obtained. If the European Parliament and member states do not protest the plan by July 11, the legislation will go into effect next year.

After the vote, European Parliament rapporteur Bas Eickhout branded the outcome a "black day for the climate and energy transition". Austria, on the other hand, said that it will challenge the judgment, which it deemed illegitimate.

"Especially with the ongoing war in Ukraine, we cannot have a 'greenwash' program for nuclear energy and fossil gas investments. Nuclear energy and natural gas do not contribute to climate protection, Leonore Gewessler Austrian Climate Minister said.

Of the 27 EU member states, 13 (France, Hungary, Poland, Finland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia) use nuclear power plants to generate electricity.

There are overall 106 operational nuclear reactors in the EU. Nuclear energy accounts for around 25 percent of total power generation in the EU nations. The EU member states with nuclear power plants, led by France, dismiss scientific evidence and studies, claiming that the facilities do not violate the Green Deal.

In November 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the country will invest 30 billion euros in the construction of six nuclear power facilities by 2030. On the other hand, the EU and environmental groups that it backs in confrontation with several other nations, notably China, India, and Turkiye hinder their every step toward industrialization and investment in the nuclear sphere.

The EP, in a report that urged suspending discussions with Turkiye, asked that the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant project be abandoned under the guise of security concerns, and the recommendation was approved by 477 votes to 64.

Many groups, particularly Greenpeace, staged a slew of events to stop Turkiye's nuclear activities. It was once again demonstrated how self-centered the West, which praises the environment at every chance, can become for its own benefit.
Confirming their worst fears for record-low lake levels, National Park Service fisheries biologists have discovered that a non-native predator fish has made its way through Glen Canyon Dam to the lower Colorado River, where it can prey on ancient native fish they have been working to reestablish
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.
Katelynne Dianna Leigh Nelson, the final suspect in the child day care case where 26 children were found neglected behind a fake wall at a child care center in 2019, has been sentenced to time in jail.

According to court records, Nelson pleaded guilty to 26 misdemeanor counts of child abuse and to one federal count of drug possession. The guilty plea came with a sentence of 365 days in jail, with credit for 135 days of time served at the time of the sentencing, which took place on June 16.

Nelson will also be on probation for four years following her release from jail, according to court records.

Nelson was one of four employees of Play Mountain Place who was arrested, but the last to be sentenced as she was on the run until February, when she was arrested by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.

In 2019, police discovered 26 children, all under age 2, at Play Mountain Place just north of downtown Colorado Springs. At the time, police said that owner Carla Faith lied to officers about children being at the property before police discovered the children behind a false wall, many of whom had soiled or wet diapers and were sweaty and thirsty, according to an arrest affidavit.

Faith was convicted last August on a felony count of attempting to influence a public servant, 26 charges of misdemeanor child abuse, and another misdemeanor of running a child care facility without a license.

She received the maximum sentence of six years for attempting to influence a public servant. She also received 10 months sentences for each count of child abuse but will serve them concurrently with the felony.

Christina Swauger, another employee of Play Mountain Place, was convicted on 26 counts of child abuse last November, according to court records.

Nelson is being held in El Paso County jail.
By Trend

Addressing an urgent need to support exports of Ukrainian grain, Poland has been actively unblocking all existing bottlenecks and using its logistics capabilities to maximise transportation of Ukrainian agricultural commodities through European routes and ports. Even though the alternative transport corridors for Ukrainian grain will never absorb the volumes of grain shipped through Ukrainian ports before, they could support exports in the short term and build a reliable and diversified logistics system for the long term.

So far, railway transportation through the territory of Poland and shipments from Polish ports seem to be the most promising and efficient solution, with annual capacity of railway corridors used for transporting Ukrainian grains estimated at around 15 million tons, and spare handling capacities of Polish ports estimated at around 3.8 million tons (based on 2021 data). Road transportation is considered as a supplementary to rail and maritime transport due to its lower efficiency. Coupled with transport capabilities of Romania (estimated at 1 million tons/month) and Slovakia (estimated at 0.5 million tons/month), the Polish transit routes should meet monthly export needs of Ukraine estimated at around 3 million tons.

On 23 April 2022 the prime ministers of Poland and Ukraine signed the Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the railway sector. The MoU envisages establishment of a logistic joint venture which will significantly boost rail transport of Ukrainian exports both to the EU and the global markets via Europe. Polish and Ukrainian railway companies (PKP S.A. and Ukrzaliznytsia) are in the final stage of talks on establishment of the joint company. Poland and Ukraine already reached additional bilateral agreements concerning the capacity of Polish seaports. On 16 May 2022, Ministers of Agriculture of Poland and Ukraine signed a memorandum of cooperation on improving the logistics of agricultural exports from Ukraine through Poland. On 14 June 2022, the transit of Ukrainian grains through Poland was further discussed between ministers of infrastructure and agriculture of Poland and Ukraine.

Ukraine-Poland border crossings for cargo

Total capacity of the railway border crossings between UA and PL allows to export approximately 50 thousand tons daily, of which only 20 thousand is currently being utilized. Ukrainian exports of commodities via rail are carried out through border checkpoints in:

Dorohusk-Jagodzin (PKP CARGO S.A),

Medyka-Mo?ciska (PKP CARGO S.A),

Werchrata- Rawa Ruska (PKP CARGO S.A),

Hrubieszow-Izow (PKP LHS sp. z o.o.)  target capacity: 12 trains daily (once renovation works are completed on the Ukrainian side).

Additionally, food commodities can enter the European Union by trucks through the following road border crossings points:

Budomierz-Hruszow

Do?hobyczow-Uhrynow

Dorohusk-Jagodzin

Hrebenne-Rawa Ruska

Korczowa-Krakowiec

Kro?cienko-Smolnica

Medyka-Szeginie

Zosin-U?ci?ug

To facilitate faster clearance of grain shipments entering the EU from Ukraine by trucks, an additional checkpoint has been established at the border crossing in Korczowa. Based on an agreement between relevant Polish and Ukrainian authorities, additional 6 gates for cargo clearance have been opened (bringing the total to 11 gates), which should double the capacity of freight clearance. Additionally, the border crossing in Dorohusk-Jagodzin has been dedicated for freight traffic only and passenger traffic will be redirected to the crossings in Zosin and Do?hobyczow.

The total capacity of Polish ports to handle grain shipments are estimated at around 12-13 million tons annually. Based on 2021 data, the spare capacities to handle Ukrainian grain is estimated at around 3.8 million tons. Further increase of capacity would require additional investments. Poland has four major ports that can handle transport of exported Ukrainian commodities: Gdynia, Gda?sk, Szczecin and ?winouj?cie. In order to use Polish ports for exporting Ukrainians grains, the commodity must be first delivered to the ports (either by rail or by trucks) and contracts should be signed between ports and Ukrainian exporters or companies responsible for shipping the grains from Ukraine.

The bottlenecks

The main obstacles to overcome in the exports of Ukrainian grains through Poland are red tape, technical infrastructure, and communication and information flow. While most problems, including border controls and agri-food inspections have been resolved smoothly, the infrastructural challenges remain.

Measures taken to facilitate faster border controls:

Starting from 31 May 2022, the veterinary control of feed material of plant origin in transit from UA to third countries was suspended until further notice.

Additional funds were allocated to increase the number of veterinary inspectors at the border by 17 persons, manning the busiest border checkpoints 24/7. Moreover, working hours of inspectors carrying out controls of the commercial quality of agricultural and food products have been extended in selected border control posts. Inspections of agricultural and food products of commercial quality can be carried out at the place of destination in Poland, instead of having to undergo the procedure at the border, resulting in a streamlined border check process.

The rate of administrative checks of feed material of plant origin imported from UA to the EU was lowered to an absolute minimum. It must be underlined that grain imports to the EU are exempt from phytosanitary inspections.

The remaining technical infrastructural challenges include:

Different railway rolling stock standards (1520 vs 1435 mm). This means that Ukrainian wagons cannot be used in most EU Member States. This requires either the change of bogies for wagons or reloading of the grain from wagons on broad gauge to wagons on the European standard gauge. The second option is less effective, more costly and time-consuming. Hence, the Polish railways are concentrating on facilitating the use of the first option by addressing the challenges related for example to the width of the Ukrainian wagons and lack of their compliance with rail and port infrastructure in Poland.

(1520 vs 1435 mm). This means that Ukrainian wagons cannot be used in most EU Member States. This requires either the change of bogies for wagons or reloading of the grain from wagons on broad gauge to wagons on the European standard gauge. The second option is less effective, more costly and time-consuming. Hence, the Polish railways are concentrating on facilitating the use of the first option by addressing the challenges related for example to the width of the Ukrainian wagons and lack of their compliance with rail and port infrastructure in Poland. Shortages of grain hoppers (1435 mm) in Europe. Ukraine has at its disposal approximately 20,000 wagons for wide gauge rail (previously used to transport grain within the territory of Ukraine and to the ports on Black and Azov Seas) that cannot be used on the EU standard gauge. At present, the carriers rely mostly on Polish and Ukrainian grain hoppers and try to explore non-conventional techniques of grain transport, e.g. in containers or coal wagons under tarpaulins. On average, 1 train is composed of 21 wagons, and can carry circa 1,900 tons of grain. Therefore, to export 1.5 million tons of grain (the maximum current monthly capacity of the Polish railways), between 600-800 trains monthly, and more than 20 trains daily (400 wagons) are needed.

(1435 mm) in Europe. for wide gauge rail (previously used to transport grain within the territory of Ukraine and to the ports on Black and Azov Seas) that cannot be used on the EU standard gauge. At present, the carriers rely mostly on Polish and Ukrainian grain hoppers and try to explore non-conventional techniques of grain transport, e.g. in containers or coal wagons under tarpaulins. On average, 1 train is composed of 21 wagons, and can carry circa 1,900 tons of grain. Therefore, Storage and transshipment infrastructure . The transshipment - from wagons on the broad gauge to wagons on the European standard gauge - should take place at logistics sites near the border. The logistics centres have to increase their capacities to handle much larger volumes of cargo.

Conclusion

Polish transport routes offer the best alternative to maritime transport to support Ukraine in transporting its grains to their final buyers. We stand ready to build a reliable and sustainable transport corridor for Ukrainian food commodities and we are on track to achieve this goal, yet substantial external financial support is needed to fully utilize the existing mid-term and long-term potential.
Colorado has no plans to make additional cuts to water use next year to meet the Bureau of Reclamation's demand to conserve millions of acre-feet of water, a step needed to preserve power production in Lake Powell and Lake Mead.

Instead, Colorado officials insist that other states should do the cutting.

"I think that at this point, we stand ready to hear what the Lower Basin has in mind," said Amy Ostdiek, a section chief with the Colorado Water Conservation Board.

Ostdiek told The Gazette the Upper Basin states  Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming and Utah  dramatically reduced their water use in 2021 because of drought conditions. Specifically, they cut 1 million acre-feet in use in 2021 compared with 2020, bringing it down to 3.5 million acre-feet.

But, at the same time, total water use in the Lower Basin has not been cut enough to preserve levels in the lakes, said Ostdiek, who is chief of the Interstate, Federal, and Water Information Section.

She said water users in Colorado cut their consumption to meet the obligations of the 1922 river compact that governs use between the seven states and Mexico, who all share the river.

"The most impactful thing we can do is live within the means of the river," she said.

Living within the river's means could directly affect life on the Front Range because Colorado Springs Utilities, Denver Water and others import a substantial amount of water from the Colorado River basin. In Colorado Springs, the basin provides 70% of the community's water.

In June, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation asked the seven states that rely on the river to come up with a plan within 60 days to conserve between 2 million and 4 million acre-feet of water next year to protect the power generators at Lake Powell and Lake Meade. For comparison, when completely full, Blue Mesa Reservoir holds 940,700 acre-feet of water.

Ostdiek said Colorado is already doing its part and has met the terms of the compact by using less water to ensure enough water makes it to Lake Powell for the Lower Basin states to meet the compact. The Lower Basin states take their water from Lake Powell and Lake Mead, which are both reaching critically low levels.

The federal government has also ordered the release of water from Upper Basin reservoirs to protect Lake Powell.

The Bureau of Reclamation ordered the release of 181,000 acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge, Blue Mesa and Navajo reservoirs last year and an additional emergency release of 500,000 acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge this year. Flaming Gorge is on the Wyoming-Utah border, Blue Mesa is on the Western Slope and Navajo is on the Colorado-New Mexico border.

The water released was kept in storage to support the overall Colorado River system. Ostdiek said it was a sacrifice for Upper Basin states because they don't have much water supply security going forward.

In contrast to Colorado, officials in Lower Basin states urged collaboration upon hearing the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's request to conserve up to 4 million acre-feet of water. The Lower Basin includes Arizona, California and Nevada.

"Arizona and others in the Colorado River Basin have conserved substantial volumes of water since 2014," Tom Buschatzke, director of Arizona Department of Water Resources, said in a news release. "Taken together, those efforts have resulted in an additional 70 feet of elevation at Lake Mead. Arizona Department Of Water Resources When earlier steps proved insufficient, we did more. That needs to be our united approach going forward: We will do whatever it takes. Circumstances now beckon us further toward immediate and substantial actions."

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, a district that serves 19 million people in six counties, echoed that sentiment.

"The accelerating drought now has us at a turning point," Hagekhalil said in a statement. "We must do more to respond to the decades long drought that continues to stress our infrastructure, causing storage levels in Lake Mead and Lake Powell to plummet, reducing the rivers water supply reliability and threatening the loss of power generation."

Hagekhalil added: "We remain committed to pulling together with the seven Basin states, federal government, tribal nations and Mexico to address this crisis and promote long-term sustainability of this shared water source that is vital to our communities, farms and environment."

How the seven states will meet bureau's targets is unknown.

Colorado Springs Utilities has 2 years of water in storage and officials have not called for additional water conservation methods in addition to existing summer outdoor watering rules. The city's rules limit outdoor irrigation to three days a week and prohibit watering between before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. The city does not limit how much high-water-use grass residents and businesses can have, but officials are weighing new limits as part a rewrite of the zoning code.

"While we dont yet know how the Colorado River situation will be resolved by the states that depend on it, we do know that water scarcity in the West is a reality. By continuing to adapt our urban landscapes to water-wise landscapes that thrive in our semi-arid climate, we can assure our community remains beautiful and vibrant, even with possible increased outdoor watering limits in our future," Utilities spokeswoman Jennifer Jordan said in an email.
One of the teenagers charged in connection with the 2020 Denver house fire that killed five members of a family faces new charges after being caught with what law enforcement believes were fentanyl-laced pills while in jail awaiting trial.

Kevin Bui was discovered hiding two bags containing nearly 100 pills in his socks and pants on June 4, according to a probable cause statement. Employees of the Denver Sheriff's Department found the bags when they received a report of an overdose in an eight-person cell in the detention center. The probable cause statement doesnt specify who overdosed.

Bui, now 18, faces five charges of first-degree murder and dozens more counts based on accusations of setting the deadly house fire in August 2020. Prosecutors referenced the new drug charges Thursday morning during a scheduled arraignment hearing for the arson case, which has been rescheduled for July 28.

Prosecutors filed four charges against Bui in the new case: Drug possession with intent to manufacture or distribute, second-degree contraband possession, tampering with evidence and drug possession. A hearing has been set for Aug. 8.

Later this month, Bui will enter his plea of guilty or not guilty in the arson case. Attorneys indicated at Thursdays hearing that potential plea negotiations have been ongoing, but prosecutors said they have not made any formal offer and that the new case has complicated negotiations.

The house fire two years ago killed five members of a Senegalese family, sparking fear in the local West African community before police made arrests about whether the fire was a targeted hate crime. However, information from a preliminary hearing last fall revealed Bui and two other teenagers set the fire intending to exact revenge for a robbery Bui had been the victim of a few weeks earlier. But the person who robbed Bui did not live in the house that was set on fire.

Bui faces charges along with Gavin Seymour, now 17, and a third teenager who has been charged as a juvenile. Seymours case has a motions hearing scheduled for Aug. 19. Buis attorneys have argued that he did not intend to kill anyone when he and his co-defendants planned to set the fire.
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WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty Thursday to controversial drug charges in Russia after she was allegedly caught with cannabis oil in 
By Trend

Uzbekistan was elected a member of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO for the first time,Trend reports via Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The elections were held within the framework of the Eighth Session of the General Assembly of the Member States of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which took place at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

Two vacant spots in the second regional electoral group (countries of Eastern Europe and some countries of the CIS) were claimed by five countries: Uzbekistan, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovakia and Estonia.

Uzbekistan was voted for largest number of votes - 105. The country will be a member of the intergovernmental committee for four years (2022-2026).

The main tasks of the committee are to promote the objectives of the Convention, disseminate best practices and develop recommendations for the protection of intangible cultural heritage.

Currently, 180 countries are members of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Uzbekistan joined it in 2008.
FILE PHOTO: Peruvian President-elect Pedro Castillo and his Vice President Dina Boluarte take oath of office before receiving credentials from election authority after confirmed win, in Lima, Peru, July 23, 2021. REUTERS/Sebastian Castaneda/Pool
Deborah Lipstadt, the U.S. State Department's Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, speaks during an interview with Reuters, at the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, July 7, 2022. REUTERS/Abdel Hadi Ramahi
The fentanyl flooding Colorado this summer is cheaper, now comes in pink and white, and is sometimes laced with the taste of monkfruit.

Law enforcement officials said cartels have designed the latest batches to be attractive to young people, with one official comparing their creativity to Baskin-Robbins ice cream flavors.

The drug market morphs by the hour. This creates a phenomena that is extremely hard for law enforcement to stop, Brian Besser, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Denver field division, told reporters Wednesday. You think the cartels are in Mexico? Ive got a news flash for you. Theyre here. I have never seen anything like this in my life.

Because of its central location, Colorado is now a critical trans-shipment hub in the West for drug smugglers, officials warned, and the price has become right. When bought in bulk, fentanyl pills that used to cost $8 to $10 can now be found for just $1.

Besser, the sheriffs in Arapahoe and Douglas counties, Denver police and John Kellner, the district attorney for Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties, announced their latest in a string of fentanyl busts, almost apologizing that fentanyl news is getting so commonplace that theyre afraid people have stopped paying attention.

In the latest bust, authorities seized 170,000 fentanyl pills outside of an Aurora apartment. They also confiscated 9.4 pounds of heroin, a 2.2 pounds of cocaine, four guns including an AR-15 rifle and an undisclosed amount of cash from a money-remitter business in a shopping center in Aurora.

Kellner said the sting operation began in December 2021 with a single drug buy that evolved into more purchases, then wiretaps, search warrants and seizures.

It starts with a small case that can be built into something meaningful, Kellner said.

An 18th Judicial District grand jury indicted eight people on charges of smuggling and distributing meth, heroin and fentanyl pills, all of which originated in Mexico.

Law enforcement hasnt yet arrested the original dealer, believed to be in Mexico, who coordinated with the group. Kellner acknowledged that stopping this operation will only put a temporary pause on business. Although drug runners were taken off the streets, their positions will be refilled soon enough.

Besser had a laundry list of what the DEA is doing behind the scenes to eradicate drug traffic, including the investigation of 50 active cases, a third of which are in the 18th Judicial District.

It has arrested 65 high-level defendants and confiscated 500,000 fake fentanyl pills, 360 pounds of meth, 104 pounds of cocaine and taken nearly 200 guns off the street that were tied to drug operations. Authorities have also seized $16 million in drug money.

Thats the most important thing to them. They expect to lose product, but what they want the most is to get them money down south, Besser said.

As first reported by The Gazette, the largest U.S. highway seizure of pure fentanyl powder occurred June 20 on Interstate 70 near Georgetown. The Colorado State Patrol discovered the 114-pound megahaul hidden underneath a trap door beneath the front seats of a vehicle during a traffic stop.

According to DEA estimates, 1 kilo (2.2 pounds) of pure fentanyl powder is enough to kill 500,000 people.

The record haul from last months bust was packed into 48 1-kilo blocks. The identity of the cars driver is being kept secret to protect his family from retribution from drug cartels.

Douglas County Sheriff's Capt. Darren Weekly said he has seen the drugs flow into Highlands Ranch and Ken Caryl neighborhoods and warned parents to be aware of what their children are doing on social media. Officials said kids are buying drugs with emojis and text messages and they can do it anonymously.

No one is immune, Weekly said.

Besser said a lot of drugs pass through Denver because of its central location, but he stressed that not everything is gloom and doom.

I called this press conference because, behind the scenes, there is aggressive and tenacious police work and prosecution being done to save lives and bring justice," Besser said. "We are not asleep at the wheel."
Workers prepare for the opening of a King Soopers marketplace store in August 2017 at the Claremont Ranch Marketplace shopping center, southeast of Constitution Avenue and Marksheffel Road on Colorado Springs' east edge. In June, King Soopers pulled a building permit for construction of a similar marketplace store that will anchor the Falcon Marketplace shopping center, northwest of Woodmen and Meridian roads in unincorporated Falcon, just east of the Springs. THE GAZETTE FILE
By Trend

Israel and Turkiye will sign a new bilateral air transport agreement on July 7, 2022, press service of Israeli government said, Trend reports via TASS.

This agreement will be the first since 1951.

"Israel and Turkiye will sign a new bilateral air transport agreement on July 7 and it will strengthen ties and allow Israeli airlines to resume flights to Turkiye," TASS said.

An agreement between Israel and Turkiye is expected to be signed, following talks between the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority with the Turkish side, also a meeting between Israeli Transport Minister Merav Michaeli and her Turkish counterpart a few months ago.

The agreement is expected to lead to resumption of Israeli airline flights to various destinations in Turkiye along with existing flights of Turkish companies to Israel.
North Iowa residents might want to paddle over to the community's new recreation feature.

The City of Mason City had an official ribbon cutting and dedication of the new kayak-canoe-fishing park on Thursday. The park is located on the Winnebago River, just south of 12th Street Northeast.

"This is one of the oldest and most beautiful sites in Mason City. Today being renewed as the newest canoe, kayak, and fishing park in River City," said Mayor Bill Schickel.

The park features two portage ramps, a paved trail connecting to existing pedestrian and bike trails, and a parking area. A "fish ladder" is part of the park's design to provide a detour route for fish migration according to a press release. In addition, kayakers and canoers can enjoy the wave feature on their aquatic journey.

Schickel thanked community members and leaders that were involved in completing the project. Attendees at the ribbon cutting were able to see a demonstration of the new kayak and canoe launch.

In a previous interview the the Globe Gazette about the project, Iowa DNR fisheries biologist Scott Grummer said that recreationally, all of the mitigation work will mean that kayakers won't have to get out for stretches and portage their vessels.

The kayak-canoe-fishing park is part of a two-fold project with the dam. According to Mason City Operations and Maintenance Manager Bill Stangler in January, one goal was to make the river safer and he second goal was to make that part of the Winnebago River usable for recreational activities.

"Outdoor recreation is a huge industry and it helps generate more than $100 million in tourism here every year and we're just getting started," said Schickel.

The kayak-canoe-fishing park is Mason City's second dam improvement project on the Winnebago according to a press release. There is also a third project on a dam located in East Park.

Other trail improvements are in the planning stages or underway include the downtown River Walk, the high Line Trail on an abandoned north-south railroad right of way, and mountain biking trails near the Lime Creek Nature Center says the release.

"John McMillin and our founders, they had a dream that this community founded on the Winnebago River that we love so much would be a shining example of the very best that the community has to offer. Thank you for making that dream," said Schickel.
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Hi sunaimshadmani,Certain DS questions are more about organization than math-skills. While this question might look complex, it's worth noting that all the references to 4% or 5% are LABELS - they're not part of any calculation that you have to do.We're told that 25% of the employees at a company give at least 4% of their salaries to a charity. We're asked what PERCENTAGE give at least 5%.From the prompt, there are a couple of things that you might notice:1) Since 25% gives AT LEAST 4%....75% give LESS than 4% (and possibly 0%).2) Since 25% gives AT LEAST 4%.....NO MORE THAN 25% give AT LEAST 5%.To help organize your information, you might consider TESTing VALUES, so that you can put all of this data in terms of real people. To make things easy, let's say there are 100 total employees. This means that 25 employees gave at least 4% to charity.Fact 1: 20% of employees contribute 4%-5% to charity.IF....Total Employees = 10025 gave at least 4%20 gave 4%-5%25 - 20 = 5 gave MORE than 5%5/100 = 5%Changing the total number of employees will have an equivalent effect on the other totals.IF...Total Employees = 20050 gave at least 4%40 gave 4%-5%50 - 40 = 10 gave MORE than 5%10/200 = 5/100 = 5%The answer is ALWAYS 5%Fact 1 is SUFFICIENTFact 2: 95% of employees contribute LESS THAN 5%This is really great information, since it tells us about ALL of the employees that we're NOT interested in. 95% gave LESS than 5%.....so who's left? The people who gave 5% OR MORE.100% - 95% = 5%Fact 2 is SUFFICIENTGMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,Rich_________________
GREENSBORO  A police chase on foot ended with the arrest of an armed man who ran into a Lowe's hardware store, sending shoppers fleeing on Wednesday afternoon, according to police and witnesses.

The shocking incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. after a concerned resident called police about a person with a handgun in the area of Utah Place, interim Police Chief Teresa Biffle said during a news conference. The street is just behind the Lowe's store at 2005 E. Cone Blvd.

Biffle said when officers came into contact with the man, he immediately fled and ran into the hardware store.

"Kudos to the Lowe's staff," Biffle said. "They recognized the situation and they took immediate action, started evacuating the customers from the store."

Police secured the area and began "a systematic search," Biffle said. "Fortunately, the subject surrendered and he was taken into custody."

Biffle said the suspect identified himself to police as 23-year-old Rayvon Barrett, but couldn't offer additional information.

Barrett was charged with possession of firearm by a felon as well as a number of other offenses.

Biffle said she was not aware of any injuries and that there were no shots fired during the incident.

At least 50 officers responded to the scene, she said. "We put a call out when we knew we had a suspect possibly barricaded. We call in our hostage negotiation team, our special response teams and also that we can slow down and have the safest outcome possible."

It was unclear how many people were inside the store at the time of the incident.

Andres Mauro Perez Flores was in the lumber area of the store when he saw an officer running.

"Then he heard somebody yelling like there was somebody with a gun inside," Perez Flores said through cousin Carlos Flores Lopez, who served as an interpreter.

Perez Flores heard a sound, but he couldn't tell if it was a gunshot or if something was dropped somewhere in the store. After that, people started running.

"Then he heard the police ... telling someone not to move," Flores Lopez said on behalf of his cousin.

Ruben Adams of Greensboro was also inside the store when an employee told him to evacuate. Adams said he heard a commotion, with people shuffling around and moving fast, and employees communicating on their store walkie-talkies. He said the employee making his key told him to head for the exits.

The store remained closed for several hours after Barrett was taken into custody.

"It's a traumatic incident for everyone involved," Biffle said. "So (Lowe's is) making sure their employees are fine for the day."
High prices at the pump have remained steady over the last few months, but an expert says relief may be coming soon for North Carolina drivers.

Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, a company that tracks fuel prices, predicted what you pay at the pump will go down by one or two cents per day over the next couple of months as long as oil prices continue to fall.

Things could reverse, however  markets have been very volatile, De Haan wrote on Twitter. However, if things do hold steady, the national average could drop. Some factors could cause the price of oil to rise, like a hurricane threatening the Gulf of Mexico or a major refinery issue, but North Carolina is among the states that are most likely to see a station in a given area fall under $4 per gallon in the days or weeks ahead.

The current average price for a gallon of gas in North Carolina is $4.39  down 11 cents from a week ago.

While gas at most stations in North Carolina costs more than $4 per gallon, there is at least one station in the state with prices as low as $3.94, De Haan said in a tweet on Thursday.

The price of domestic gasoline dropped recently, which resulted in lower prices at the pump  but the change could be temporary, according to AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross.

July is typically the heaviest month for demand as more Americans hit the road, so this trend of easing prices could be short-lived, Gross said in a news release.

Four of five stations in the U.S. are currently selling gas for less than $5 per gallon, according to Gross.
By Trend

Uzbekistan's exports of textile products to Tajikistan from January through May 2022 doubled compared to the corresponding period of 2021, Tend reports via Uzbek State Statistics Committee.

According to the committee, textile product supplies from Uzbekistan to Tajikistan totaled $10.5 million, which is almost twice as much as the same period in 2021 ($5.4 million).

While, the total amount of Uzbekistan's exports to Tajikistan in the reporting period amounted to $171 million, which is an increase of 11.3 percent compared to the similar period of last year ($153.6 million).

The largest share of Uzbek textile exports in the reporting period fell to Russia ($454.6 million). Followed by Turkey ($278.6 million) and China ($193.7 million).

Meanwhile, the trade turnover between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in the first five months of 2022 reached $233.7 million, which is an increase of 29.9 percent compared to the same period of 2021 ($179.9 million).
RALEIGH  Lawyers for the state and several school districts are asking the N.C. Supreme Court to order the transfer of $785 million from the treasury to fund the Leandro education plan.

In court filings dated late last week, the State Board of Education and the plaintiffs in the long-running Leandro school funding case say its necessary for the high court to intervene to ensure students have a right to a sound basic education.

As things stand today, this courts previous rulings lead to the inescapable conclusion that the states constitutional duty to our children has remained unfulfilled for nearly two decades, Amar Majmundar, a senior deputy attorney general for the state, wrote in his filing.

But attorneys for Republican legislative leaders say it would violate the state Constitutions separation of powers for the courts to order the money transfer.

Only that (legislative) process provides an opportunity for the people to be heard and to decide  through their elected representatives  how to spend the states money and provide the states children with a Leandro-compliant education, Matthew Tilley, the attorney representing Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore, wrote in his legal brief to the Supreme Court. The state Constitution does not permit the judiciary to take that power from the people and reassign it to the courts  or worse, a small group of unelected lawyers.

The N.C. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments the week of Aug. 29  the same time that most of the states 1.4 million public school students start a new school year. The Supreme Court has a 4-3 Democratic majority heading into this falls election, when several seats will be on the ballot.

The long-running Leandro school funding lawsuit was initially filed in 1994 by low-wealth school districts such as Hoke County to get more state funding.

Over the years, the N.C. Supreme Court has ruled that the North Carolina Constitution guarantees every child an opportunity to receive a sound basic education and that the state was failing to meet that obligation.

In November, Superior Court Judge David Lee ordered the state to transfer $1.75 billion to fund the next two years of a plan developed by a consultant thats designed to provide every student with a high-quality principal and teachers. A state Court of Appeals panel blocked the order from being enforced.

Superior Court Judge Michael Robinson replaced Lee as the trial judge and was asked by the Supreme Court to review how last years budget impacted the November order. In April, Robinson ruled that the Leandro plan was nearly $800 million short of being fully funded. But Robinson cited the appellate panels ruling to remove the wording requiring the state treasurer, controller and budget director to transfer the funds.

Attorneys for the state and the plaintiffs say that Robinson exceeded his authority by removing the money transfer. Theyre asking the state to amend Robinsons order to direct the transfer of the $785 million.

A repeated theme in the legal briefs from the plaintiffs and the state is that they say the courts have waited long enough for lawmakers to act.

In the intervening 18 years, an entirely new generation of North Carolina school children, especially those at-risk and socio-economically disadvantaged, were denied a fundamental constitutional right, Melanie Dubis, lead attorney for the school districts, wrote in her brief.

For most of the cases history, the state had opposed the plaintiffs. But things shifted after Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper took office.

In the briefs, the attorneys point to the states $6.2 billion surplus. Lawmakers say they want to hold on to a large surplus to deal with a potential recession.

The legislature could choose to devote just a fraction of this additional money to fully fund the Comprehensive Remedial Plan, Majmundar, the senior deputy attorney general, wrote in his brief. But regardless, this funding makes clear that the state has available to it sufficient funds to satisfy its constitutional obligations.

Last week, the General Assembly adopted a new state budget that Leandro advocates say falls $443 million short of funding the plan. Berger, however, has said the budget meets the states educational needs.

The General Assembly has responded to their proposed remedial plan the only way it can  through a vote of the entire body  and has passed a budget that must, until proven otherwise, be presumed to be sufficient to satisfy the states constitutional obligations, Tilley wrote.
Joel Reese, Statesville's history librarian, telephoned me Wednesday morning, asking if I had heard that a French television crew was filming the exhumation of Peter Stuart Neys remains at Third Creek Presbyterian Church in Rowan County.

Joel said that he was interested in going to the churchs graveyard and seeing the activity for himself and wanted to know if I wanted to go also.

The question of who is buried at Third Creek Church is a 177-year-old North Carolina mystery. If you go by the name on the headstone, it is the grave of a respected backcountry school teacher, Peter Stuart Ney. If you go by the legend, it is the grave of French Marshal Michel Ney, perhaps Napoleons greatest general, called by Napoleon himself, the Bravest of the Brave.

Or, for those who like more choices, it could be the grave of an imposter, or the final resting place of the marshal who fled a death sentence in France and took up the occupation of school teacher in remote Piedmont North Carolina.

Our acidic North Carolina red clay might have already moved the identity of the remains beyond our reach.

Briefly, the story goes something like this:

Michel Ney (1769-1815?) an officer in the French Army, rises to prominence under the rule of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), who rules France after the fall of the Bourbon dynasty and the beheading of King Louis XVI during the French Revolution.

Ney fearlessly leads French troops in numerous closely-fought battles, and his cavalry covers the disastrous French winter retreat from Russia.

Eventually, Napoleon is defeated by a coalition of troops under the overall command of the Duke of Wellington. Rather than executing Napoleon and making him a martyr, Napoleon is tucked away on the small Mediterranean island of Elba.

Napoleon, however, is not ready to be consigned to a footnote in the history books, and returns to France, making landfall near Cannes on the southern French coast.

Ney, at the head of royalist French troops, is dispatched to arrest Napoleon. However, when Neys men see the Little Corporal, they throw down their muskets and switch sides. Many of them had fought under Napoleon and preferred his rule to that of the arrogant, snobby Bourbon King Louis XVIII.

Ney has little choice but to join with his men, although he had personally sworn to the king that he would bring Napoleon back to Paris in an iron cage.

Napoleon is soon at war again, the so-called Hundred Days, which ends with his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in Belgium.

This time, Napoleon is exiled to the remote, cold island of St. Helena, a British colony in the Atlantic, where he dies in 1821, possibly poisoned.

Ney, because he broke his word to the restored French king, Louis XVIII, ends up in front of a firing squad for treason. After he is shot, there is no coup de grace (French for touch of mercy). A pistol shot to the head was to put the man out of his misery and make him dead for certain. Also, Neys body is whisked away in a carriage.

It is interesting to note that both Marshal Ney and the British Duke of Wellington were Freemasons. Also, the musketeers in the firing squad were veterans, many of whom had fought under Ney.

Was there some collusion between the Duke of Wellington, the Freemasons and the members of the firing squad to fake Neys death?

Sometime later, a man resembling Ney, red hair and all, steps ashore in Charleston, South Carolina. This person, calling himself Peter Stuart Ney, eventually makes his way into the Piedmont of North Carolina, where he becomes a school teacher. Now and then, he is seen, and men who have fought in the Napoleonic wars say he resembles Marshal Ney. Also, sometimes when the school teacher has had a bit too much wine, he jabbers about battles and leading troops.

The school teacher dies in 1846. On his deathbed, he declares that he is, indeed, Marshal Ney of France. He is laid to rest in the country cemetery of Third Creek Presbyterian.

***

Whomever the teacher was, he carried himself with a military bearing, knew a great deal about the history of the Napoleonic era and physically resembled the marshal. He moved about and eventually settled in Cleveland, North Carolina, where he taught. He was especially good at teaching Latin and French. In addition, the teacher wrote acrostic poetry and designed the seal of Davidson College.

A number of books  I have a half-dozen of them myself  and dozens of articles have been penned that claim to have resolved this historical mystery once and for all. Over the years  notably in 1936 and 1954  there also have been several attempts at examining the remains to establish, once and for all, the identity of the deceased. However, these attempts were done before the development of DNA identification procedures.

Assuming that remains are found in the Carolina clay and that the bones contain enough DNA to get an accurate test, any remains (jawbone, teeth) will probably be sent to France for testing. That might take a while. Also, assuming there are Ney relatives to compare DNA with, will the mystery then be finally laid to rest?

Personally, I doubt it. Besides, a good mystery always beats factual, barebones history.
" " A new report makes the claim that animal hoarding should be considered a separate diagnosis from general hoarding. Margo Silver/Getty Images

Even the hardest of hearts are likely to be saddened by animal hoarding cases, which too often reveal sick, neglected and dead animals. This is not an uncommon occurrence, either. At least 700 and 2,000 animal hoarding cases are exposed every year in the United States alone, each of which may involve dozens, even hundreds of animals living in filthy conditions. Some experts have struggled with whether or not animal hoarding merits its own diagnosis, separate from object or general hoarding. Researchers from Brazil recently released a report in the journal Psychiatry Research that supports the creation of the separate diagnosis.

The group conducted field visits to the homes of 33 hoarders in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The average number of animals in each location was 41, mostly cats and dogs  giving a total of 1,400 animals affected. The researchers talked at length to the subjects about their backgrounds, lifestyle and living situations. Analysis showed that 64 percent of them were elderly, 75 percent were low-income and 88 percent were not married.

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These statistics jibe with what scientists currently believe to be true of general hoarders. Some major differences emerged, however. First, 73 percent of the animal hoarders were women, compared with what is generally a 50/50 split of general hoarders. Also, they appear to have different motivations for hoarding animals.

"They think they are like missionaries, that they are saving these [animals'] lives ... and that they are the only ones who can care for them," researcher Elisa Arrienti Ferreira told Science Magazine. "When you speak to someone who is hoarding objects, they don't say things like that. Instead, they say they are keeping things because they think they might need them someday."

And although the DSM (the diagnostic manual of the psychiatric profession) stated that most animal hoarders also hoarded objects, Ferreira found that to be true only half of the time. Most of those interviewed described a major traumatic event  like the death of a child as the catalyst for the animal hoarding.

In addition, "The processes of disengaging from or donating animals also differ from those of object hoarding, since there is an affectional bond with lives and not with unanimated objects," the scientists write in the study. "In this sense, the characterization of Animal Hoarding Disorder as a new mental disorder may arouse great interest from both clinical professionals and researchers."

Not so fast, say some experts. Animal hoarding is accepted as a special manifestation of general, compulsive hoarding. However, it takes a huge amount of study for a new diagnosis to be created. "It is premature to establish such a diagnosis," explains Dr. Gail Steketee, with the Boston University School of Social Work in an email interview. "Although we have a working definition for animal hoarding, this has not yet been established through rigorous research and vetted through the psychiatric channels. We do not have comprehensive studies of those with the condition and corroborating information from professionals who treat them."

More in-depth study can't come fast enough for experts and those affected by animal hoarding, whether or not a new diagnosis is necessitated. "The consequences of animal hoarding can be quite severe not only for the animals themselves, but anyone living nearby," says Smith College psychology professor Dr. Randy O. Frost in an email. "It is not uncommon to find large numbers of sick and/or dying animals in homes that also threaten the health of any humans living there."

Frost co-authored a paper comparing object and animal hoarders in 2011. It noted that because animals are legally considered property, it would seem that hoarding animals would qualify as hoarding disorder, with people who hoard objects displaying many similar characteristics to those who hoard animals. These include a need for control and intense emotional attachments to objects/animals, as well as not being aware they had a hoarding problem. There were also differences, one being that animal hoarders tended to live in very squalid conditions, which was true for only a small group of object hoarders.

However, much is unknown. And Ferreira's study is pretty small.

"The fundamental conclusion is that we know so little about animal hoarding that it is hard to justify a new diagnosis," says Frost. "There was great pressure to avoid creating new disorders when DSM-5 was put together [it was released in 2013]. One option that was considered was to include animal hoarding as a special subtype or specifier under hoarding disorder. It was concluded that there was simply not enough known about it to do so."

Now That's Cool Serial animal hoarder Vikki Kittles was repeatedly busted for decades of animal abuse in Florida, Mississippi, Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Wyoming. Oregon officials found her case so frustrating and riddled with limitations that she inspired the "Kittles Bill", which turned aggravated animal abuse into a felony, and also gave shelters the ability to give veterinary care to animals seized from hoarding cases.
St. Peters Health has asked for a change of venue in a lawsuit filed by its former oncologist against the health care facility, saying the Helena-area community has been exposed to gossip and innuendo, putting the possibility of a fair trial at risk.

The attorney for Dr. Thomas Weiner, who is suing the hospital over his 2020 dismissal, said the defendants have not proven this is necessary.

In a May 26 change of venue motion filed with Montana 1st Judicial District Court Judge Michael Menahan, attorneys David M. McLean and Michael J. Miller for St. Peters Health, its Chief Executive Officer Wade Johnson and several doctors, note a May 11 protest held by supporters of Weiner in front of the hospital.

They said such demonstrations have gone on for nearly two years since Weiner was dismissed, and said there is bias on both sides.

The possibility of seating an unbiased jury in Lewis and Clark County is clearly unlikely, the attorneys wrote.

Bias and division surrounding this case pervades and there is no end in sight, they wrote. The jury pool continues to be tainted despite the necessity of an impartial jury and a fair trial.

Accordingly, the defendants are compelled to bring forth the following motion to hold the trial in this matter where partiality is less pervasive to ensure we are able to seat a jury and provide a fair trial in this case.

However, Weiners attorneys, J. Devlan Geddes, Trent M. Gardner and Henry J.K. Tesar, said the defendants did not meet the threshold to move the trial.

Weiners attorneys said the defendants may not like that some in the Helena community have expressed support for Weiner, but a scorned defendant cannot move the venue for trial in the absence of showing that the jury pool could not provide a fair trial."

Such an extreme request requires an extreme showing, they stated in a June 9 response. Unsupported conclusory statements are simply not enough to meet the Defendants very high burden to force a change of venue. The court should deny the motion.

Menahan had not reached as decision as of early Wednesday.

Weiner had served as chief of staff and a member of St. Peter's board of directors during his nearly 25 years with the health system. He started with the hospital in 1996 and was removed Oct. 15, 2020. He said the hospital forced him to take a voluntary leave of absence on Nov. 12, 2020 and terminated his employment on Nov. 17, 2020.

St. Peters Health has said Weiner had incorrectly treated a patient for lung cancer for 11 years before it was determined that the person did not have the disease at the time of death. The hospitals legal counsel also said that it learned of alarming narcotic prescribing practices by Weiner.

Weiner has argued he had seen as many as 1,500 patients a month, had worked daily for six months without a day off and had done the work of two or more full-time physicians.

Some of his patients have organized support groups for Weiner, doing weekly protests near the hospital and purchasing billboards in an effort to get him back. In the meantime, Great Falls-based Benefis Health Systems has started offering oncology services at its Northeast facility in Helena.

Weiner sued the hospital for wrongful termination, and a jury trial was to start in November. However, according to a new scheduling order filed June 21, attorneys are to meet May 25, 2023 to schedule a trial date.

The Helena Independent Record is named several times in the 270-plus page change of venue motion, as is the community group We stand with Dr. Tom Weiner, which the motion says has 4,000 members on Facebook.

The group has done weekly public demonstrations and posted billboards and run TV commercials supporting Weiner. One of the billboards was placed next to a billboard touting St. Peters Health, the defendants motion states.

Media coverage of this case has been partial and abundant but the media coverage did not cause the taint to the jury pool, it merely spread and reported on the bias that already existed, the defendants motion states.

Weiners attorneys noted that one of the first articles to appear in the newspaper, but not part of the hospitals exhibit, was a guest view column by Johnson explaining why the hospital let Weiner go.

They mention other examples of columns by Johnson, which the hospital did not enter as exhibits. They said the hospital is trying to control the narrative. They also note St. Peter's claims of the jury pool consisting of 32,000 Helena residents did not include others living in Lewis and Clark County, which would be about 68,000.

Weiner recently filed a second complaint against the hospital over his dismissal, calling the health care facilitys peer review process patently unfair and a sham.

He said St. Peters breached its bylaws when it revoked Weiners medical staff privileges and clinical privileges in 2020.

Weiner, who wants a jury trial, also seeks to have the suspension invalidated, and to have the hospital retract its report on him to the National Practitioner Data Bank, saying it did not follow its own bylaws. He argues St. Peters has unclean hands, and he wants it to pay damages proven in trial and for costs and attorney fees.

Geddes, an attorney representing Weiner, said the latest lawsuit was filed as a separate case because the court denied his clients motion to amend his claims in the original action.

St. Peters responded to the filing.

We remain confident that weve taken swift and appropriate action as weve worked through this matter, it said in an email. St. Peters Health believes strongly in quality and integrity, and we will continue to act in accordance with our values throughout these ongoing legal proceedings.

In the lawsuit, Weiner alleges St. Peters did not provide him with detailed information in regards to the claims against him, and did not ask him questions during the meetings specifically in regards to patient care. Nor were any of the physicians reviewing the claims an oncologist, the lawsuit says.

The hospitals Credentials Committee voted to revoke his medical staff membership and clinical privileges in December 2020. The lawsuit alleges Weiner was attacked on multiple fronts.

It states Johnson, the hospitals chief executive officer, shared information with the public regarding Weiner, which violated the confidentiality of Weiners peer review process.

In April, Menahan lifted a preliminary injunction that prevented St. Peters from filing an adverse report with the National Practitioner Data Bank or the Montana Board of Medical Examiners.

He said St. Peters finished its review process in January and asked him to lift the injunction to be in compliance with the Health Care Quality Improvement Act, which alerts potential employers of a potential employment problem.

He noted the act includes ways in which reports can be challenged and changed.

Menahan said lifting the injunction was warranted to allow St. Peters Health to fulfill its reported obligations

Geddes said the second lawsuit was not in regard to the lifting of the injunction, but was a response to the SPHs boards decision to uphold the suspension and termination of Weiner.

He said the reason this was filed as a separate lawsuit is because the court denied Weiners attempt to add this claim to the previous lawsuit.

Since Weiner's departure, St. Peter's has affiliated with Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, saying this will give patients undergoing cancer and hematology care access to more options for treatment and provide top cancer experts.

And it has hired Dr. Elizabeth Bigger, an oncologist, to replace Weiner.
Montana this week received federal approval for substance-use disorder treatment providers with 17 or more beds to bill Medicaid, an expansion providers called a game changer for combating addiction across the state.

Until now, we've been limited in the number of Medicaid members that we've been able to serve, despite an increased demand for treatment, said Lenette Kosovich, CEO at Rimrock Foundation, the state's largest provider of treatment for substance-use and co-occurring disorders.

The governor's office and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services announced the approval Wednesday. Federal law prohibits Medicaid payment to any institution for mental disease with 17 or more beds that provide substance-use or mental-health treatment. Last year, DPHHS applied for a waiver to expand the number of services not typically covered for Medicaid recipients. A DPHHS spokesperson said Wednesday during those negotiations, the department decided to ask the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to specifically waive the 17-bed exclusion in order to get that piece in place sooner while negotiations continue.

That exclusion waiver granted this week allows larger treatment providers to receive Medicaid reimbursement for short-term acute inpatient and residential stays at facilities serving patients with mental disease.

There's more work ahead, but we're certainly excited to announce this achievement today, DPHHS spokesperson Jon Ebelt said in an email.

The CMS letter dated July 1 specifically does not approve substance use disorder services at the Montana State Hospital, citing the agency's decision in April to terminate its reimbursement agreement at the facility due to repeated failures to maintain health and safety levels there.

The state is leveraging its new Healing and Ending Addiction through Recovery Treatment (HEART) Fund, proposed by Gov. Greg Gianforte and approved by the state Legislature in 2021, which draws $7 million from new marijuana tax revenues. That money will generate federal matching dollars to bring that to a new total of $25 million in annual spending, according to the governor's office.

Our HEART Fund fills gaps to provide for a full continuum of substance use prevention and treatment programs for communities, Gianforte said in a press release. For too long, Montanans have struggled to receive timely access to treatment due in large part to the limited number of beds. With this approval, more people will have access to treatment when they need it most.

Adam Meier, director of DPHHS, said the waiver addresses the ongoing challenge of wait times for this level of care due to an insufficient number of beds available for Medicaid patients.

Access to treatment is vital, and now hundreds more Medicaid recipients will be able to receive this critical service," Meier said in the release.

The statewide impact will be realized over time, the governor's office said in Wednesday's press release. The Rimrock Foundation, meanwhile, estimates the waiver will allow the organization to scale up to serve an additional 350 Medicaid members annually.

In whole, the waiver application asked for federal approval of Medicaid coverage for additional community-based treatment and recovery services, including evidence-based stimulant use disorder treatment models, housing supports and pre-release care management for individuals in the 30 days prior to their release from a correctional setting. The state health department and CMS continue to negotiate toward the approval of these components of the waiver application, Ebelt said Wednesday.
Politicians currently promoting legislative bans are modern day snake oil salesmen. We know legislative bans on human behavior dont actually eliminate the behavior that is banned. The reason you and I refrain from stealing is not because theft is illegal or has been banned. There are plenty of folks who are in jail for stealing despite the fact that theft is legislatively banned. We know from past history that when abortion is banned women die and unsafe non-medical practices proliferate. And we have data that confirms that the rate of abortion decreased once it was legalized. This may be due to a multitude of factors including the increase in contraception options and access, increased emphasis on sex and abuse education, reduced stigma associated with being an unwed mother and proliferation of crisis pregnancy centers. Younger generations have paid attention: when we give them the tools to prevent pregnancy they use them; the birthrate in the United States is at an all-time low. What these efforts cannot account for are the exceptionally rare abortions related to failed contraception; fetal anomalies rendering the pregnancy non-viable; wanted pregnancies where a mothers health will be compromised through carrying the pregnancy to term; forced pregnancy as a weapon of domestic violence; and pregnancy due to incest and rape. Trying to craft legislation that is full of exceptions is akin to expecting a colander to hold water. Montanas current approach to abortion where government can intercede in pregnancy at viability is consistent with the Republican Platform. The Republican Platform recognizes government control leaves no room for nuance; hence its provisions: we affirm our moral obligation to assist, rather than penalize, women who face an unplanned pregnancy and affirm our trust in the people, our faith in their judgment, and our determination to help them take back their country  This means relieving the burden and expense of punishing government regulations. And this means returning to the people and the states the control that belongs to them. It is the control and the power to make their own decisions about whats best for themselves and their families and communities. Indeed for Republicans limited government is our mantra: in a free society, the primary role of government is to protect the God-given, inalienable rights of its citizens. (Thus far the term citizen means a person born in the United States.) Notwithstanding, as Republicans we do more to protect children in the womb by ensuring they are wanted or if unwanted, ensuring available and low-barrier resources to care for the child in utero and after birth. So, in an era where abortion bans are promoted by the ill-informed among us, Montana Republicans are wise to pivot from the futile to effective legislation that removes legal barriers to accessing birth control, promotes holistic sex education including abstinence education and abuse education, provides free pregnancy health care including addiction treatment, reduces the stigma associated with unplanned pregnancy, removes barriers to adoption, and adequately funds and rebuilds our failing foster care system.
By J. Keeler Johnson ("Keelerman") Twitter: @J_Keelerman

A terrific Saturday of racing at Belmont Park culminates with the $1 million Belmont Derby (G1) for three-year-olds racing 1 1/4 miles on turf. No fewer than 13 horses have been entered, setting the stage for a competitive event.

At first glance, the Belmont Derby appears ripe for conquest by a European raider. It's easy to think of the Belmont Derby as being similar to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), another prominent stateside prize pitting talented U.S. turf horses against same-aged rivals from Europe. The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf has been contested 15 times, and horses who prepped in Europe have scored 10 victories.

But the Belmont Derby paints a vividly different picture. Since adopting its current format in 2014, the Belmont Derby has been held eight times, with the U.S. home team claiming victory on six occasions. Only Deauville (2016) and Bolshoi Ballet (2021) have snatched victories for Europe, and both of those were Epsom Derby (G1) alumni conditioned by internationally successful Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien.

There's a chance O'Brien could pick up a third Belmont Derby win courtesy of #13 Stone Age. The son of Galileo dominated the 1 1/4-mile Derby Trial (G3) at Leopardstown by 5 1/2 lengths before coming home sixth in the Derby.

A son of legendary stallion Galileo, Stone Age is clearly a talented prospect, and regular rider Ryan Moore (who guided Bolshoi Ballet to win this race last year) retains the mount. But Stone Age is marooned in the far outside post position, and a strict interpretation of history indicates European raiders aren't great bets in the Belmont Derby.

So what do you say we think a little outside the box and support #9 Tiz the Bomb instead? The versatile son of Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) winner Hit It a Bomb has run well on dirt, turf, and synthetic, most recently finishing a respectable ninth in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Tiz the Bomb was in strong form during the winter and spring at Turfway Park, beating future American Turf S. (G2) winner #2 Stolen Base in both the John Battaglia Memorial and the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3). The latter race also saw Tiz the Bomb conquer next-out Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Rich Strike and future Lexington S. (G3) and Ohio Derby (G3) winner Tawny Port.

Just as importantly, Tiz the Bomb displayed top-class form on turf last season. He won the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile with a determined rally from midpack, then claimed the Bourbon S. (G2) at Keeneland despite breaking through the gate pre-race. The runner-up in the Bourbon was none other than Stolen Base.

Tiz the Bomb subsequently proved his class against Grade 1 company in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, rallying boldly down the homestretch to finish second by just 1 1/2 lengths against European raider Modern Games. The latter colt is no slouch; he's since come back to win the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (G1, French 2,000 Guineas) and finish third in the Prix du Jockey Club (G1, French Derby).

The Belmont Derby has come up deep, but Tiz the Bombwith four stakes wins to his credithas to be viewed as a key win threat for the home team. The form of the Kentucky Derby has come back strong, with Mo Donegal winning the Belmont S. (G1), Tawny Port nabbing the Ohio Derby (G3), Cyberknife claiming the Matt Winn S. (G3), and Charge It dominating the Dwyer S. (G3). I believe Tiz the Bomb can give that form another boost with a mild upset victory in the Belmont Derby.

Who are the other key contenders? Certainly we have to respect #10 Nations Pride, who had won four straight races prior to finishing eighth in the Epsom Derby. Charlie Appleby conditions the Godolphin homebred, and Appleby compiled a stellar 9-for-18 record in North America last year, highlighted by eight Grade 1 wins.

Meanwhile, #12 Limited Liability offers some longshot appeal. The son of Kitten's Joy closed strongly from behind a pedestrian pace to finish third in the 1 1/8-mile Pennine Ridge S. (G2) at Belmont last month, beaten only 1 1/2 lengths while gaining three lengths through the final furlong. If Limited Liability gets a quicker pace to work with while stretching out over 1 1/4 miles, I can envision him crashing the superfecta at a big price for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey.

Selections

1st: Tiz the Bomb

2nd: Stone Age

3rd: Nations Pride

4th: Limited Liability

Now it's your turn! Who do you like in the Belmont Derby?

*****

Want to test your handicapping skills against fellow Unlocking Winners readers? Check out the Unlocking Winners contests pagethere's a new challenge every week! (Please note: older contest entries can be found here.)

J. Keeler Johnson (also known as "Keelerman") is a writer, videographer, voice actor, handicapper, and all-around horse racing enthusiast. A great fan of racing history, he considers Dr. Fager to be the greatest racehorse ever produced in America, but counts Zenyatta as his all-time favorite.
By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

The Azerbaijani State Border Service apprehended four trespassers on different occasions at the state border in early July, Azernews reports, citing the service.

The first incident was registered on July 1, at 1745 hours, in the service area of the Horadiz border detachments border post near Beylagan regions Garadagli village. The border guard discovered traces of a state border breach from Iran in the direction of Azerbaijan.

The service area was blocked, the border strip and control devices were examined, and human footprints were discovered. As a result of the complex operational search measures with the involvement of service dogs, Iranian citizen Siyavush Parvin (51), who was hiding in the area, was detained.

The second incident occurred on July 1, at 0945, in the service area of the border post of the Goytapa border detachment near Yardimlis Avash village. An unidentified person violated the state border from Iran in the direction of Azerbaijan.

The border duty was informed promptly, and the service area was cordoned off. The border guard apprehended a border violator, an Iranian citizen Mahmoud Javid Mohammadali (37) who disobeyed the "stop" command while attempting to leave the area.

Another border breach took place on July 1, at 2225 hours, in the Khudat border detachments border post close to Khachmazs Khanoba village. An Iraqi citizen, Alkateenat Mustafa Hussein Fadhil (26), who attempted to cross the state border from Azerbaijan to Russia, was detained as a border violator.

The latest incident was recorded on July 1, at 1030 hours, when an unknown person was detained by the border guard while violating the state border from Georgia to Azerbaijan in the service area of the Zagatala border detachments border post near Balakans Sharif village.

The detained person has been identified as Hasanov Kamil (31), an Azerbaijani citizen, and a resident of Goychay region. During the inquiry, it was discovered that he traveled to Georgia on June 23, 2022.
Tour guides needed at Caverns state park

Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is hosting a hiring event for seasonal tour guide positions on Monday.

Applicants can come to the main visitor center any time between 1-4 p.m. where on-the-spot interviews will be held. These positions will not exceed 90 work days.

Tour guides lead hikes through the caverns two to three times a day. The position entails walking 6 miles of moderately steep terrain plus about 1,800 stairs each workday, with a 1,000-foot elevation gain.

There are many benefits of working at Montanas first state park. Staff members enjoy spending time in a highly decorated cave, interacting with visitors from around the world and working outdoors.

Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is about 15 miles southeast of Whitehall, along Montana Highway 2. For more information about the park, visit stateparks.mt.gov/lewis-and-clark-caverns or call 406-287-3541.

Eager elk hunters can sign up

Elk hunters interested in signing up for an opportunity to hunt cow elk on private lands enrolled in Elk Hunting Access (EHA) agreements can do so through Aug 1.

The EHA public hunter list will be randomized with hunters contacted sequentially starting at the top of the list. This email contact will include instructions for timely next steps the hunter needs to take to participate in the access opportunity.

The participating private lands are in hunting districts 416, 426, 445 and 590. The required hunting licenses are Elk B 004-00 and Elk B 005-00. There will be a separate sign-up list for each license and hunters may sign-up for both lists.

To be placed on the EHA public sign-up list, resident and nonresident hunters can sign up through the MyFWP portal: https://myfwp.mt.gov/fwpExtPortal/login/login.jsp.

This process requires hunters to keep their email address current in their ALS record. Possession of a qualifying Elk B license is not required to sign up on the EHA public hunter list, but hunters must possess the required license when they go hunting.

Both the Elk B 004-00 and Elk B 005-00 licenses will be available to purchase over the counter starting Aug. 8 to both residents and nonresidents.

If selected, hunters must finalize their acceptance of the hunting opportunity within the time frame specified in the email; otherwise, the opportunity will be offered to the next hunter on the list.

Hunters will be required to agree to terms set by the EHA agreement including but not limited to land use restrictions, harvest reporting and participation in FWPs annual program satisfaction survey.

Once a hunter declines a hunting opportunity, he or she will not be eligible to be selected for any other 2nee022 EHA hunting opportunity.

For more information, contact the FWP licensing office at 406-444-2950 or fwplic@mt.gov.

Help battle aquatic invasive species

Boaters and other water recreationists need to follow the rules to prevent aquatic invasive species from affecting Montanas waters.

All watercraft entering Montana must be inspected for aquatic invasive species. An inspection is required before launching on Montana waters.

Non-residents transporting watercraft into Montana must buy a Vessel AIS Prevention Pass before launching. The fee is $30 for motorized and $10 for nonmotorized watercraft. The pass is valid until Dec. 31. Inspection is required for Montana residents before launch if: the boat is entering the state, crossing west over the Continental Divide or entering the Flathead basin.

So far this year, FWP and its partners have inspected 30,000 watercraft. Of those, 31 were mussel-fouled and 90 were found with aquatic weeds. The most recent detection was on June 28, when mussels were found on the anchor of a boat traveling from Lake Erie to Chelan, Wash. Inspectors decontaminated the boat, locked the boat to the trailer, and officials in Washington were notified so they could follow up when it reaches its destination.

FWP and partner agencies, which include as tribes, counties and conservation district staff, operate more than 25 road-side watercraft inspection stations across the state. To find a watercraft inspection station or to learn more, go to CleanDrainDryMT.com or call the FWP Aquatic Invasive Species Bureau at 406-444-2440.

FWP staff and partners have submitted more than 450 AIS early detection samples this year. Those samples were analyzed by the FWP AIS Early Detection Lab, and no evidence of invasive mussels detected. The only new detection so far this season is one new population of New Zealand mudsnails in the Bozeman area.
DECATUR  Summer isnt a time for kids to put down their musical instruments.

Kensi Clynes, 10, sings and plays the trumpet. She spent the week practicing with the Salvation Army North and Central Illinois Division music conservatory. As an incoming fifth grader, Kensi has few opportunities to play a variety of instruments. And Im happy to get out of the house, she said.

Major Burries, 12, has been playing the drums for nearly two years. It flows pretty nice, he said about the conservatory. Its not really all that hard.

More than 30 young musicians from the conservatory gave a mini-concert during a Thursday lunch for the Home League Women at the Decatur Salvation Army. The young musicians said they werent anxious about the performance.

Ive got it all down, Major said.

Ive done these things before, Kensi added.

The program, made up of school-aged children, was had been called the Heartland Division. After the directors merged with the Chicago-area programs, the name was changed to the North and Central Illinois Division. Music Director Peter Kim conducts the conservatory with various Salvation Army youth bands throughout the Midwest. The next conservatory will be in Champaign. The students meet for nearly a week to learn various musical instruments.

The reason that we do it is so they will have a great time through music and discover their talents through music, Kim said.

The youth who play with the Decatur Salvation Army band have performed with each other in the past. They recently finished an eight-day camp in Peoria with nearly 140 other students.

According to Lt. Shanell Debela, the previous camp prepared them for the local conservatory. That was an eight-day boot camp, she said. So they are ready, this is easy.

During the conservatory and other Salvation Army camps, the students learn the instruments and music theory, as well as discipline and concentration skills.

Datrice Weathers, Salvation Army youth director, encourages the students, especially when they struggle. You can take a rest, but you do not get to quit, she said. As beginners, you can also sound great and you dont have to be perfect in order to perform.

The local conservatory began on Tuesday. With only two days of instructions, many of the students were able to learn the basics of a new instrument. They are performing already, Kim said.

The Fall conservatory is planned for September. We are trying to expand this program so that we can reach as many kids as possible, Kim said. Otherwise we would not have the opportunity to do so.
DECATUR  A judge found probable cause to try Christopher M. Clay on charges he severely beat a Decatur woman in an all-night ordeal in which she was raped repeatedly.

Clay, 43, appeared Wednesday in Macon County Circuit Court and pleaded not guilty to two charges of aggravated criminal sexual assault. He also denied a charge of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm and one count each of aggravated domestic battery and unlawful restraint.

The defendant is already classed as a sexual predator after he had been sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2007 for raping and causing bodily harm to a 21-year-old victim.

Macon County States Attorney Scott Rueter said Clay had been arrested on the latest charges on June 18.

Questioned by Rueter, Decatur Police Officer Scott Gilman said he was responding to another call that morning when the 31-year-old victim flagged him down on West Macon Street.

Gilman told the states attorney that the woman had been immediately taken to hospital for treatment.

And at that point was it determined she had a broken nose and her eyes were swollen shut? Rueter asked. Gilman said that was correct and also confirmed the victims lips were bleeding and she had severe swelling affecting her face and head.

A sworn affidavit about the case described her as knowing Clay and having gone to his apartment to drink with him the night before. While there, they at first had consensual sex but she had said he became enraged when she told him to stop.

She told police she was then repeatedly raped and beaten in an ordeal that went on for hours and included being threatened with a gun. Clay eventually let her go the following morning, and gave her a lift to her apartment.

... And when he dropped her off at her apartment, he told her that if she called the police he would kill her? asked Rueter.

Yes, sir, replied Gilman.

On cross examination, Chief Public Defender Michelle Sanders asked if there was any kind of surveillance recordings that could corroborate the womans version of events, and Gilman said there were not.

Under further questioning from the attorney, Gilman said the woman had admitted she was drunk and that she had not been able to provide detailed evidence about the assaults on her.

After ruling there was probable cause, Judge Rodney Forbes scheduled the case for a pretrial hearing Sept. 7; but its not Clays only legal problem. The judge on Wednesday had earlier found probable cause to try him on a further new charge of violating the legal requirements imposed on convicted sex offenders by failing to register his current address with police.

Clay denies that charge as well and it will be included in the Sept. 7 pretrial hearing.

The defendant remains held in the Macon County Jail with bail set at $520,000, requiring him to post a bond of $52,000 to be released.
DECATUR  The urgent search to find a new provider of ambulance services in Decatur continues, with one application received so far.

A working group spearheading the operation said that is a very early result for a search that's only been going for a week. In a news release Thursday it said a number of private companies had expressed interest in serving our area.

It was another productive meeting for the group and we look forward to further discussions with interested ambulance companies, said Deputy Decatur City Manager Jon Kindseth in the release.

We are all working quickly to encourage as many companies as possible to respond to this invitation to serve as our communitys EMS service.

Speaking to the Herald & Review, Kindseth said he expects more applications to provide service will soon follow after firms crunch the numbers. "And the fact that we've already got one application in a little over a week was frankly a bit surprising," he added.

The city, which must license any new provider, is represented on the working group along with Decaturs Fire Department, HSHS St. Marys Hospital and Decatur Memorial Hospital, Crossing Healthcare and the Central Illinois Regional Dispatch Center.

The hunt to find a new ambulance service was triggered after the Hospital Sisters Health System, which owns St. Marys, announced it wants to shutdown the existing service provider, Decatur Ambulance Service, by Sept. 1.

HSHS cited problems with finding qualified staff and rising costs for its wanting to pull the plug on Decatur Ambulance Service, which has been around since 1959. HSHS took it over in 2018.

HSHS had been vocal in a campaign to fend off a bid in 2018 by Champaign-based Arrow Ambulance to be licensed to provide service in Decatur. When the issue came to a vote in the city council, Arrow fell short by one vote.

Kindseth said the working group aims to to encourage all new service applicants to consider extending employment opportunities to current DAS staff.

And he said the city is not going to limit Decatur's ambulance service to one provider if it can help it. "Some companies have asked about exclusivity and the city has so far said we are not ready to consider exclusivity," Kindseth added.

He said Decatur's situation with finding an ambulance service provider is far from unique as cities all over the country are affected by companies grappling with rising costs of everything from skilled personnel to fuel.

Statistics from 2020 said DAS had a fleet of 19 ambulances and a staff of 50 paramedics and 24 emergency medical technicians.
DECATUR  Police are waiting to find out if the armed man who held them in an eight-hour standoff in Decatur Tuesday is mentally fit to be charged with a crime.

The 58-year-old man is now involuntarily detained for psychiatric evaluation at HSHS St. Marys Hospital.

Macon County Sheriffs Office spokesman Sgt. S.E. Flannery, speaking Wednesday, said a mental fitness evaluation hearing must be held at the hospital within 72 hours after the mans arrival.

If the man is judged mentally competent, Flannery said it will be up to the Macon County State's Attorney's Office to determine what charges are appropriate.

So basically the sheriffs office is kind of on standby right now because first, we have to determine if he is going to be released from the hospital, Flannery added. And then, if he is released, is the states attorney is going to pursue charges.

Deputies had been trying to serve a tenant eviction notice at an address in the 1400 block of West Main Street at 9 a.m. when they encountered the armed man. Flannery said the man retreated into a different location of the home and then refused to come out.

Fearing what might happen next, police closed off roads in the area and called for assistance. Officers responded from the sheriffs office Special Response Team, Decatur police and the Decatur Park District Police. There also was assistance from off-duty sheriffs deputies.

Negotiations with the man went on all day until finally, at 5:45 p.m., he was taken into custody and then sent to the hospital.

There was no discharge of any firearms by either the police or the person in custody, Flannery had said in a statement after the siege had ended.
THUMBS DOWN! To the heat. Didnt we complain about this last month? Yes we did. But youve noticed that temperatures are keeping people indoors with fans and air conditioners and as little exposure to the elements as possible. Do the sensible things: stay hydrated; dress in light material; stay out of the sun; if you must do strenuous work, take frequent breaks; and check in on others to be sure theyre all right.

THUMBS DOWN! To the latest decision by the Illinois legislature. Gov. J.B. Pritzker had called for a special session after the U.S. Supreme Court's reversal of the Roe v. Wade decision. This week, he and other Democrat leadership said a return to come as late as in the fall. We had hoped the kicking of the can down the road might be abandoned.

THUMBS UP! To falling gas prices. Macon County gas prices are down considerably in the last month. Macon County prices are among the lowest in the state, down about 35 cents a gallon since early June. Before we start celebrating, we're still $1.50-per-gallon above the prices a year ago.

THUMBS DOWN! To the first half of this years markets. Investors and 401(k) holders have witnessed the worst start to a year since 1970. Thats right, 1970. Crypto crashes have made the start of 2022 problematic for new and traditional investors alike. We all need some relief for our portfolios.

THUMBS DOWN! Again, to airlines. Hidden in the tragic news amid a long weekend was more mediocrity from an industry thats falling mightily short of expectations. Over the July 4 holiday weekend, airlines canceled more than 2,200 U.S. flights and 23,000 more were delayed. Seeing a reversal in their performance is long overdue.
A map shows where Steele Hyundai would like to build a new dealership in New Braunfels. City of New Braunfels map
Cindy Coers, chair of the Comal County Historical Commission and former National Park Service acting director David Vela unveil Main Plaza's National Register of Historic Places plaque during the Fourth of July celebration downtown Monday, July 4, 2022.
On 5 July, at 1700 hours, a conscript soldier of the Azerbaijani armed forces, Ravan Taghiyev, shot himself from a service machine gun, Azernews reports.

The Military Prosecutor's Office in a statement said that it filed a lawsuit under Article 125 (incitement to suicide).

The investigation is underway.
A Chesterfield County mother pleaded guilty Tuesday to killing her 2-year-old son by intentionally providing him liquid methadone to make him sleep that resulted in an unintentional fatal overdose.

Prior to her son receiving the methadone, Sherrell M. Rivera, 32, conducted multiple Google searches on her cellphone about the liquid uses of the drug and its side effects, including a search of whether the addictive substance would slow breathing, according to the prosecutions summary of evidence.

Rivera had a prescription for methadone to treat an opioid addiction, and Chesterfield Deputy Commonwealth Attorney Ken Chitty said evidence indicated that Rivera mixed an undetermined amount of the drug into Kruz Riveras sippy cup that contained baby formula and chocolate syrup. The boy, who was addicted from birth from his mothers drug dependency, died Nov. 14, 2020 of methadone toxicity.

Chesterfield Circuit Judge David E. Johnson reluctantly accepted a plea agreement that allowed Rivera to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter instead of felony murder, as she was originally charged, in addition to a separate count of felony child neglect. He convicted her of both counts and set sentencing for Nov. 7.

What Im up here struggling with is the apparent agreement between the parties that it was not the intent to kill this child, Johnson said in remarks from the bench. A 2-year-old was already born an addict, spent two years of his life continually exposed to this vile conduct by the mother and then he is ultimately killed by that.

It shows a willful ignorance and selfishness so reckless, as to amount to proper criminal intent, the judge added. So, that part of the argument I will not be accepting.

But Johnson said he understood the practical difficulties of prosecuting the case had it gone to trial, which could have cast doubt on the events that led to the boys death. When the boy died, both Rivera and her husband were staying at the Martha Kay Motel in the 8800 block of Jefferson Davis Highway.

Defense attorney Greg Sheldon noted both parents had prescriptions for methadone, both had access to the cellphone used for the Google searches and neither made any admissions of wrongdoing to detectives. The boys father was not charged in the incident.

According to Chittys presentation of facts, when Chesterfield officers responded to the motel at about 8:30 a.m., they found a 2-year-old boy on the floor, with Rivera standing over him while talking on the phone with emergency communications. She told officers that she found her son unresponsive in his Pack n Play.

Rivera told police she had given her son a sippy cup filled with powdered milk and chocolate syrup before placing him in the Pack n Play at 3:45 a.m.

The toddler was taken to Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center by ambulance, but he never responded to medical treatment and was pronounced dead at 9:13 a.m.

Rivera and her husband gave police their consent to search the motel room. The room was dark but not in disarray, and detectives found brown stains on a blanket, bedspread and pillow in the Pack n Play that were not consistent with dried blood or spilled chocolate milk.

Near a second bed where Rivera had slept with her other child, who was 4, detectives observed a box containing various bottles of methadone prescribed to Rivera. They all contained child-tampering tops. Some bottles were empty due to them being daily doses. Detectives collected and photographed one of the empty bottles.

The medical examiners preliminary autopsy did not yield any results that could have caused the childs death. The examiner then ordered a toxicology screening, which revealed that Kruz died of a lethal adult dose of methadone. The boy also had Benadryl in his system.

The boys sippy cup, which still contained a substance three-quarters full, was sent to a separate lab to be tested. The results showed a mixture of methadone and Benadryl, which led the medical examiner to rule the boys manner of death as a homicide.

On June 2, 2021, Rivera and her husband voluntarily responded to police headquarters to be given the results of their sons autopsy. They were interviewed a second time, and Rivera reaffirmed her previous statement that her husband was asleep when she prepared her sons sippy cup before he died.

Rivera was given the results and subsequently became uncooperative and would not provide an explanation of how this occurred, Chitty told the court. Her husband was highly upset over the results but was cooperative throughout the process, the prosecutor said.

Police executed a search warrant on the cellphone belonging to Rivera at the time of the incident. Detectives discovered that around 1:40 a.m.  before Rivera said she put her boy to sleep  the device had multiple Google searches about methadone uses and side effects. The Google account was identified as belonging to Relle Rivera and had a provided date of birth consistent with Riveras.

The device itself contained numerous photos of the decedent and messages from Rivera to other people, revealing the user would be Sherrell Rivera, Chitty said.
A former Catawba County official who pleaded guilty to receiving gifts worth thousands of dollars from a contractor is set to learn his fate next week.

Barry Edwards, who served as Catawba Countys director of engineering and utilities from 1995 to 2018, is scheduled to appear in federal court for sentencing on the morning of July 13 at the federal courthouse in Charlotte.

Edwards pleaded guilty to a felony count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States in February. He faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He is already on the hook for $30,000 in restitution.

The charge stemmed from Edwards relationship with Joe Wiseman, a contractor whose companies did business with the county. Edwards received perks worth tens of thousands of dollars from Wiseman, including tickets to sporting events and expensive meals between 2012 and 2018.

Wiseman himself pleaded guilty to involvement in a similar bribery scheme involving Buncombe County officials. Federal and state authorities subpoenaed Catawba County in 2018 as part of an investigation into Wiseman.

Following those subpoenas, the county terminated the few remaining contracts it had with Wiseman-affiliated firms, Catawba County Communications and Marketing Director Amy McCauley said.
At least for now, there will be no partisan elections for school boards in Catawba County.

A bill that would have created partisan races in all three of the countys school districts failed to pass the state Senate prior to the adjournment of the N.C. General Assemblys short session last week.

If the measure had passed, school board elections would have become partisan in Newton-Conover and Hickory starting in 2023 and in Catawba County starting in 2024.

Reps. Jay Adams and Mitchell Setzer of Catawba County sponsored the bill in the House and, though it did not come up for a vote in the Senate before the end of the session, Sen. Dean Proctor, who represents Catawba County as well, said he was in favor of the bill.

The measure has also found support among at least some local officials. Commissioners Randy Isenhower and Sherry Butler have said they support the idea. Robert Abernethy and Cole Setzer, Republican candidates in this years county commissioner elections, have also said they believe school board races should be partisan.

The idea has also prompted some opposition, with six people speaking out against the idea at a June county commissioner meeting. Commissioner Kitty Barnes has also said she opposes making school board races partisan.

The future of the proposal is unclear at this point. The N.C. General Assembly is scheduled to reconvene on July 26.
BOONE  Hickory-based Redhawk Publications announces a book signing with Redhawk Publications authors Richard Tolbert, Barbara Weathers and artist Barry Huffman.

The book signing will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 9, at Cornerstone Bookstore, 1894 Blowing Rock Road in Boone.

Tolbert, a Caldwell County resident, is the author of "Joseph: The Final Journey," a religious book that explores the unanswered questions readers of the Bible often have.

Weathers lives part-time in Blowing Rock and Hickory and is the author of "A Legacy of Faith," a devotional full of impactful acrostic poems that can assist anyone of faith in their spiritual lives. All proceeds from Weathers' book will go to Safe Harbor, a Christian nonprofit that helps women in crisis.

Huffman is a renowned Hickory-based folk artist most known for her striking pieces and her desire to keep Southern folk art known and recognized. Her book, "Steeple and Stones of Fair Colors," features Huffmans paintings of western North Carolina churches.

For more information about Tolbert, Weathers and Huffman, visit https://redhawkpublications.company.site/ and/or attend the book signing to speak personally with the authors and purchase their books.

Redhawk Publications is an artistic initiative of Catawba Valley Community College. CVCC is the only state community college with a publishing press and offers over 85 titles, to date. For additional information on Redhawk Publications, visit its website at https://redhawkpublications.com , or contact Patty Thompson at pthompson994@cvcc.edu.

Safe Harbor is a faith-based 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2006. Safe Harbor offers services to help women, children and families in the Hickory, NC, area restore their confidence and renew their sense of purpose through immediate and long-term programs of faith-based support, skills education and personal empowerment. A non-profit, non-denominational human services organization, Safe Harbor offers a safety net to those in our community who are hurting, homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless as well as those struggling with substance use disorder or emotional brokenness. For more information you can go to www.safeharbornc.org.
HICKORY  The Catawba Valley Community College Small Business Center will host a no-cost Selling on Shopify webinar on Thursday, July 14, from noon to 1:30 p.m. The program will be in webinar format, allowing participants to participate from their computers and mobile devices.

Shopify is a popular platform for conducting e-commerce. This webinar shows participants how to use Shopify to establish their brand online with a custom domain name and an online store. The webinar helps participants customize the look and feel of their online store to reflect the personality of their business.

The program also shows participants how to use Shopifys e-commerce software to build a unified platform to run a business with ease.

There is no charge to attend this webinar, but pre-registration is required. To register or for more information contact the CVCC Small Business Center at 828-327-7000, ext. 4117 or visit http://sbc.cvcc.edu to register online.
Shortly after the birth of my son in 2003, I traveled through parts of the American South with teachers from all over the country to see the places and meet the people who were engaged in the struggle for civil and human rights in the 1950s and 1960s.

Part of the itinerary placed us in Selma, Alabama. We talked to people who marched over the Edmund Pettis Bridge in 1965 with John Lewis, Dr. King, and many others. While there, we stood in an old pea gravel parking lot where groups of marchers gathered before walking over the bridge. Our group leader encouraged us to lean down and pick up a piece of gravel to reflect on. I put mine in my pocket and brought it home. It is a simple piece of pea gravel. There are no markings on it. There is seemingly no importance to it even though it is rich in history because it speaks to place and time.

Another thing which captures space and time is just down the slope from a single solitary grave in Arlington National Cemetery. Etched in a granite wall are some words from Robert Kennedys Day of Affirmation speech in South Africa in 1966. In challenging policies of racial segregation in the country, he championed the ideals of resistance and spoke about his hopes for the future.

It is from numberless diverse acts of courage such as these that the belief that human history is thus shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.

Kennedy had been his brothers hatchet man early on in his life. If John Kennedy needed a messenger, needed someone to fix a problem, his brother was there. But the death of his brother changed him. He began to look out on the needs of others. As a senator from New York, he traveled to South Africa to address the people there. As a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the presidency in 1968, he traveled widely and spoke to Americans in various social and economic conditions. Touring a sharecroppers home in Mississippi, he opened up his wallet and bought food for the poor family. He shared a meal with Cesar Chavez coming off a hunger strike to bring awareness to the lack of services for Latino workers.

Between his brothers assassination and the run for the presidency, he broadened his reach and entertained more ideas. While campaigning in 1968, he defied his advisers and traveled into an inner-city Indianapolis neighborhood to announce the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His speech resonated with individuals who were angry and hurt. His words showed compassion for all people.

During his high school graduation celebration early last month, I presented my son with the pebble from Selma. I told him I had been waiting 17 years to give it to him. I gave everyone in attendance a small description of what it was and where it came from and how it represented many peoples journeys.

In Selma in 1965 people of different colors and backgrounds stood in the pea gravel parking lot near Brown Chapel to gather, pray, and march. Their acts of courage led to Congress passing the Voting Rights Act. For my son, the pebble represents his own journey of courage which is beginning as he goes to college in the fall.

In giving him the pebble, I reminded my son about the power of action and how his actions can create ripples for others moving forward. Each of us do this every day.

In life we are confronted with choices all the time.

We can choose to care, to act and to have courage. We can choose to dream. We can choose to grant justice and mercy.

In the Old Testament scriptures, Moses commanded Joshua to be strong and of good courage because of all the things which were about to come to pass. In a small way, giving the pebble to my son was a summons for his own courage needed for his march ahead.

I looked at the pea gravel in its case in his room recently. It has given me hope through the years. I see hope that things can be better. I see hope for peace. And I hope for the courage to do the right things.
Satellite broadband users should download the movies and shows they want to watch in advance rather than streaming them, NBN Co has advised after adjusting its peak hours to offer its largely rural customer base unmetered broadband for 16 hours every day.

Customers of the companys Sky Muster Plus satellite service can now access virtual private network (VPN) and video streaming services between midnight and 4pm without it counting towards their monthly data allowance, the company announced.

In a nod to its earlier investments in deep packet inspection (DPI) technology, NBN Co can differentiate VPN and streaming services from essential activities  such as email, internet banking, online shopping, and audio and video calls  that remain unmetered throughout the entire day.

Gavin Williams, NBN Co chief development officer for regional and remote, positioned the latest move as a response to extensive consultation with customers, communities and stakeholders who all said they wanted more data.

Customers conscious of their peak-hour broadband usage should plan ahead, the company said, by downloading content before 4pm to watch later, adjusting playback settings on video streaming services (for example by disabling 4K streaming), and turning off autoplay settings for websites with embedded streaming content.

By shifting periods of intense bandwidth demand away from the most congested hours, NBN Co is aiming to more evenly spread usage that has created congestion during many parts of the day.

In late 2020, a survey of regional broadband users found that two-thirds of regional NBN users were having speed issues, with many having to travel to the nearest town to get usable broadband.

Such delays are potentially disastrous for remote students studying from home, disenfranchised residents that rely on the services to maintain connections with family and carers, and businesses that cant get a reliable internet service.

Satellite services were unsuited for regular business demands, many residents held, and service congestion got so bad during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic that NBN Co considered blocking 4K TV streaming for users to reduce congestion in regional areas.

The new usage tiers make managing data simpler and give customer freedom and peace of mind to do more with their data, Williams said, promising to continue to listen to customers and stakeholders and evolve our service as their needs change.

Orbiting the competition

Yet NBN Cos latest moves are about more than just customer feedback: the company has rapidly come under increasing competitive pressure from rival services such as the Elon Musk-backed SpaceX Starlink network, which formally entered the Australian market a year ago and is now the regions fastest satellite broadband provider.

Starlink delivered average downloads of 124.31Mbps and upload speeds of 11.71Mbps during the first quarter of this year, according to recently released figures from Speedtest maker Ookla.

Ookla didnt share Sky Musters real-world performance, however the company did say that average speeds for all providers combined reduced average download speeds down to 50.87Mbps.

NBN Co currently offers plans providing between 25GB and 150GB of data per month, with download speeds of 25Mbps or 12Mbps.

Regional broadband advocate Kristy Sparrow, co-founder of Better Internet for Regional Rural and Remote Australia, said the group was pleased that [its] advocacy has resulted in better plans for small business, health, and education in the bush.

The new peak-hour structure, she said, will help transform regional users ability to access connectivity that meets their needs and keeps up with current data demands.

The overhaul is part of a $750m government investment that will expand NBN Cos fixed-wireless network into many areas currently reliant on Sky Muster, reducing demand on the overloaded satellite service.

With Starlink encircling the globe and a growing number of satellite broadband options taking to increasingly crowded skies  including Internet of Things (IoT) networks from the likes of Kepler Communications and Astrocast  the satellite industry this month united to raise concerns about the increasingly congested radiofrequency spectrum on which it relies.

Industry body Communications Alliance recently launched a new position paper from its 23-member Satellite Services Working Group (SSWG), which outlines a proposed band-by-band spectrum strategy to minimise congestion and interference, ensuring the growing number of services can co-exist for the long term.
(Adnkronos) - Iniziera domani alle 21 Lampedusamore - Premio giornalistico internazionale Cristiana Matano, ideato e diretto da Filippo Mule, presidente dellAssociazione Occhiblu Onlus, la cui settima edizione e in programma a Lampedusa fino al 10 luglio. Come sempre tre giorni densi di ospiti, un programma di qualita, ricco e vario con appuntamenti di spettacolo ma anche di riflessione, per ricordare Cristiana, la giornalista prematuramente scomparsa nel 2015 che a Lampedusa ha scelto di riposare. Domani sera sara la giornalista Marina Turco (TGS) a presentare la cerimonia di apertura con la proiezione del video-ricordo di Cristiana Matano, alla presenza di personalita e autorita istituzionali. La prima serata e quella, per tradizione, dedicata al teatro: questanno il palco sara occupato dalla storia, tristemente contemporanea, di Enaiatollah Akbari, un bambino afghano di etnia hazara (avversa ai talebani) costretto a barattare la propria innocenza in cambio della sopravvivenza: Nel mare ci sono i coccodrilli e tratto da uno dei libri piu commoventi comparsi negli ultimi anni, il bestseller di Fabio Geda tradotto in 31 paesi, ormai un classico del teatro, nella toccante interpretazione di Paolo Briguglia. Una riflessione attualissima sulle immigrazioni, dolorose e pericolose in tutti i tempi. Una grande lezione sulla speranza e sullumanita.

Ho incrociato la storia di Enayat  racconta Briguglia - quando la Emons mi propose di realizzare per il loro catalogo, laudiolibro dal romanzo. Rimasi folgorato dalla vicenda di questo bambino che allepoca dei fatti che racconta era davvero piccolo e a lungo ho pensato che solo lincoscienza della sua eta potesse averlo salvato dalla consapevolezza dellorrore che tutta questa storia porta con se. Storia che curiosamente si conclude con un lieto fine e con una parabola di integrazione che ancora rappresenta un fatto raro nel nostro Paese, cosi pigro a riconoscere diritti e rivendicazioni legittime in battaglie di civilta. Ho portato 'la storia vera di Akbari' in teatro per quasi 11 anni con differenti messe in scena. Non dimentico le due settimane di tutto esaurito al Teatro Franco Parenti di Milano. Il tema e sempre attuale ed e sorprendente vedere come anche in questo allestimento semplice in forma di monologo accompagnato da suoni registrati, il miracolo del connubio tra lesperienza di Enayat e la penna di Geda, dia le stesse emozioni di sempre. Sono felice di portare questo spettacolo tra i lampedusani, massimi esperti al mondo di migrazioni e di partecipare a una manifestazione come Lampedusamore per quellatmosfera di amore per il lavoro, il luogo e il tema, in occasione del Premio giornalistico internazionale dedicato a Cristiana Matano. L'isola di Lampedusa e un vero avamposto di accoglienza, un approdo di speranza, un posto che prova ancora a pensare agli uomini, senza chiamarli clandestini.

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Sabato 9 ci pensera Daniele Silvestri con la sua musica a coinvolgere il pubblico, mentre domenica 10, dopo il convegno mattutino nella sala convegni dellaeroporto, la serata conclusiva con la premiazione dei vincitori, la musica della coppia di violinisti ucraino-russa Oleksandr Semchuk e Ksenia Milas, e la comicita del cabarettista e imitatore Leonardo Fiaschi.

In occasione di Lampedusamore, la prevenzione oncologia itinerante dellASP di Palermo fara tappa alle Pelagie da oggi 7 luglio al 9: i camper degli screening saranno in via Roma per esami e visita gratuite LampedusAmore-Premio giornalistico internazionale Cristiana Matano e ideato e diretto da Filippo Mule, presidente dellAssociazione Occhiblu Onlus, ed e patrocinata dal Parlamento Europeo, dalla Regione Siciliana (Assessorato Turismo, Sport e Spettacolo), dallAssemblea Regionale Siciliana, dal Comune di Lampedusa, dallAgenzia Nazionale del Turismo, dallOrdine nazionale dei Giornalisti, dallOrdine dei Giornalisti di Sicilia, dalla Federazione Nazionale della Stampa, dallAssostampa Sicilia e Palermo e dallUssi
GREENUP  A Greenup driver was injured in a three-vehicle crash late Wednesday morning in a construction zone on Illinois Route 130 just north of Interstate 70, officials said.

Illinois State Police District 12 in Effingham reported in a press release that the collision occurred at 10:50 a.m. as a sport utility vehicle driven by Samantha N. Austin, 27, of Charleston was stopped by a construction flagman just over a hill crest, facing northbound, behind several other vehicles. An SUV driven by Donna M. Glenn of Greenup was stopped directly behind Austin's vehicle.

The release reported that a SUV driven by Ashley N. Kemper of Greenup was traveling northbound on Route 130 and rear-ended Glenn's vehicle, pushing it into Austin's vehicle. Glenn, 71, was taken by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The other drivers declined medical attention. Kemper, 28, was cited for failing to reduce speed to avoid a crash.
Bank ABC, the Middle East and North Africas (Mena) leading international bank, has granted a five-year $50 million bilateral facility to Jordan India Fertiliser Company (Jifco).

The facility will be utilised by Jifco to refinance existing shareholder loans.

Bank ABC is offering a full range of banking services to Jifco, an important new client for Bank ABC Jordan and the Group. Jifco, Jordans largest producer of phosphoric acid with an annual production capacity of 475,000 metric tonnes, is a successful collaboration between Jordan and India.

Strong alignment

The transaction represents a strong alignment of Jifco shareholders interests to support the company through contractual arrangements for supply of feedstock and volume offtake.

Hosted by the Bank ABC Group at its Head Office in Bahrain, the ceremony was attended by the Deputy Group CEO, Sael Al Waary; Group Head of Wholesale Banking, Amr ElNokaly; Group Specialised Finance members; CEO of Bank ABC in Jordan, George Sofia and Jifcos Chairman, Dr Mohammad Thneibat; Board Member, Manish Gupta, CEO, Atul Kumar Garg and CFO, Deepak Yadav.

Commenting on the transaction, Bank ABCs Deputy Group CEO, Sael Al Waary said: Bank ABC is delighted to be appointed the sole Mandated Lead Arranger (MLA) of this loan facility for Jifco. We are keen to support the companys growth and expansion endeavours with this tailored financing facility. This significant transaction demonstrates our commitment to deepening a mutually beneficial long-term relationship with one of our important new clients, besides Bank ABCs commitment to the Kingdom of Jordan and its key exporters.

Future projects

The Chairman of Jifco, Dr Mohammad Thneibat thanked Bank ABC and Jifco teams for achieving this transaction. He mentioned that this transaction was being discussed for a long time and appreciated the patience and commitment of both parties despite the pandemic. He hopes that this will be a beginning of a new relationship that will give an opportunity to both parties to work together in future projects in Jordan.

The financing has been arranged by Bank ABCs Specialised Finance team, with support from its local team in Jordan. As the sole MLA for the loan, Bank ABC becomes Jifcos core relationship bank.

Jifco is a strategic joint venture between Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC) and Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO).-- TradeArabia News Service
Billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin is leaving Chicago with a philanthropic flourish.

Griffin, who is moving with his investment firm Citadel to Miami, bestowed more than $130 million in parting gifts to 40 Chicago organizations in June, hoping to provide a funding bridge as they seek to replace his charitable contributions.

The University of Chicago is the largest beneficiary at $30 million, including a $15 million accelerated payment of a previous commitment. Other large gifts include $25 million to Northwestern Medicine, $20 million to the Field Museum, and $10 million each to the Museum of Science and Industry and the Fourth Presbyterian Church.

The June giving spree has drawn both praise for Griffin and concern for how the city will fill the civic and philanthropic void as the wealthiest man in Illinois takes up permanent residence in Florida.

His generosity will not be replaced, said Laurence Msall, president of the Civic Federation, a Chicago-based government finance watchdog organization. Civic institutions, charitable and cultural institutions, will have to look for other sources, and go to a lot more diversified people to raise the same amount of money that he had contributed to their cause.

Last month, Griffin told employees that Citadel will relocate to new headquarters in Miamis financial district after more than 30 years in Chicago. The company, which has about 1,000 employees in Chicago, will maintain an office in the city, but many are expected to shift to the Sunshine State, where Griffin, a Florida native, recently moved with his family.

Launched in Chicago in 1990, Griffin built Citadel into one of the largest hedge funds in the world, with $51 billion in assets under management.

Griffin, who is worth a reported $27 billion, has grown with his company into a civic force, giving more than $600 million to Chicago organizations such as the Art Institute, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Science and Industry, which announced it would be renamed in his honor after he made a $125 million donation in 2019.

Overall, he has donated more than $1.5 billion to organizations across the U.S.

Whats amazing about Ken is that he has been generous ever since he has been successful, said Jim Crown, 69, chairman and CEO of Henry Crown & Co., the privately held Chicago-based investment firm. He has become steadily more generous as he has become more successful.

Crown, who sits on the boards of both the University of Chicago and the Museum of Science and Industry, said Griffin has shared his wealth in real time with a wide range of causes meant to benefit the city where he made his fortune.

But Griffin, 53, has also been an increasingly harsh critic of the city in recent years. In an appearance before the Economic Club of Chicago in October, Griffin cited growing crime as a major reason why Citadel and co-owned trading firm Citadel Securities were headed for corporate relocation.

A major political donor, Griffin contributed $50 million to back Aurora Mayor Richard Irvins failed campaign to win the nomination as the Republican gubernatorial candidate in last months Illinois primary.

Griffins decision to donate an additional $130 million to Chicago charitable organizations on his way out of town is admirable and rare, Crown said.

If somebody is leaving, out of dissatisfaction, to use a mild word, you would not expect them on departure to have one last surge of philanthropy for Chicago, Crown said. The normal thing most people would do is show up with philanthropy at the place youre arriving, to establish yourself there.

Organizations that each received a $5 million June gift include Lurie Childrens Hospital, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Museum of Contemporary Art, Art Institute of Chicago and first-time recipient Project HOOD, a South Side nonprofit focused on ending the cycle of poverty, violence and incarceration.

While his gifts have been varied, Griffins most enduring legacy in Chicago is likely to be the Museum of Science and Industry. Five years after receiving Griffins donation of $125 million  the largest in its nearly 90-year history  the South Side institution is slated to take its benefactors name in January 2024.

It will be called the Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, said Chevy Humphrey, who became the first Black woman president and CEO of the Museum of Science and Industry last year.

Humphrey said the museum will be rebranding its logo, changing its website and adding new signage with Griffins name outside the historic building, which was built during the Columbian Exposition in 1893.

When the gift was announced in 2019, then museum president David Mosena said the formal name change would take a year or more. Humphrey said it takes a lot of time to rebrand an organization, but the protracted schedule was in place before she arrived in January 2021.

Despite his relocation to Florida, Humphrey believes Griffin will not lose interest in, or stop supporting, the museum that will soon bear his name, citing the $10 million June gift as evidence.

When he is committed to an organization, I think those commitments are strong, Humphrey said. Were going to continue to work closely with him through the name change and beyond.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot will travel to Paris and London to tout the citys economic recovery, her office announced Thursday.

Chicagos economy is thriving and our business sector has set records, keeping us competitive with top global financial cities, Lightfoot said in a statement. On behalf of our world-class city, Im thrilled to lead a delegation of City officials and business leaders to London and Paris, where I look forward to discussing Chicagos economic strengths, speaking at Fintech Week London 2022, and learning new ideas to further develop our business community and economy.

The trip comes as Lightfoot gears up for her re-election campaign and amid a series of negative developments for Chicagos business community, including Boeing taking its headquarters elsewhere and hedge fund Citadel moving to Miami. Lightfoot, however, has touted other businesses that have moved to Chicago and in a statement said several financial technology companies are thriving in the city.

While abroad, Lightfoot will meet with Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, and Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris. She will also meet with business leaders to explore new opportunities and participate in a series of roundtable discussions and attend policy briefings with local City Hall leadership, including one in London, focused on building back a better city after COVID-19 and another in Paris on its 15-minute city initiative.

The trip is planned for July 11 to 15.
The downtown Winston-Salem property that has a revived Finnigans Wake as a tenant has been purchased for $713,000, according to a Forsyth County Register of Deeds filing Tuesday.

The 0.09-acre property at 620 N. Trade St. contains a 2,783-square-foot space.

The buyer is listed at 620 Building LLC of Winston-Salem. The sellers are trusts associated with Natalie and Robert Miller of Chattanooga, Tenn.

The restaurant and bar closed in October after 15 years in business as a mainstay in the heart of the Downtown Arts District.

In May, Brian Cole, through his company the Cole Group, bought the Finnegans Wake business with plans to reopen it this summer.

Cole has long been involved in downtown and Trade Street in particular. Cole is a partner in Silver Moon Saloon on Trade. Cole Group also is a partner in Hoots Beer Co. and Carlisles Pub, and Cole also has an event company, Random Task Management.
Q: The newly planted dogwoods on Silas Creek Parkway are a wonderful addition to that stretch of road. Im afraid, though, that many have died and many more are badly in need of water. Can the City send a watering truck out there before its too late?

D.D.

Answer: Keith Finch, the vegetation management director for the City of Winston-Salem, said that most of the trees have a watering system.

Unfortunately, everything is in need of water right now. The majority of the dogwood trees that were planted this past winter have watering bags around the base of their trunks that hold 15 gallons of water and distribute this water slowly over a number of hours, giving the trees an equivalent of one inch of rain. We do our best to fill these bags up weekly, he said.

Finch said that there are a number of reasons that the trees may have died.

From being run over and re-planted, damaged by vehicles, lack of sufficient water, poor root structure from nursery, etc. I cant give a good reason at this point.

The trees are part of a project funded by the Silas Creek Beautification Project. The project will pay for the replacement trees, Finch said.

Q: While watching A Capitol Fourth on PBS on July 4th, God Bless America was performed. I remember reading somewhere that the composer of that song, Irving Berlin, was so grateful as an immigrant he could live and be successful in this country, that he donated all royalties from that song to the Boy Scouts of America. Is that still true today whenever that song is played or performed?

D.B.

Answer: Yes, it is.

A 2014 article in Copyright Notices from the U.S. Copyright Office explained why Berlin set up the fund.

The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization states that Berlin decided to give away all royalties from, and control of, perhaps his most famous song. A generous and patriotic man who knew the opportunities afforded him in America, Berlin did not wish to receive any profit from God Bless America. When his publisher disagreed, Berlin set up the Irving Berlin Music Company to control the use of his songs. And he established the God Bless America Fund with three trustees to control the use of the song for which the trust was named, receive royalties from the song, and distribute funds to the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts. So far, the contribution to scouting has amounted to $10 million. The song will not enter the public domain until 2034.

America continues its affection for God Bless America. Berlin himself sang it to former Vietnam prisoners of war in the White House in 1973. When members of Congress assembled on the steps of the U.S. Capitol after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York, what else would they sing?, the article said.

Heres an explanation of public domain from the Stanford University library.

The term public domain refers to creative materials that are not protected by intellectual property laws such as copyright, trademark, or patent laws. The public owns these works, not an individual author or artist. Anyone can use a public domain work without obtaining permission, but no one can ever own it.

There are four common ways that works arrive in the public domain:

The copyright has expired

The copyright owner failed to follow copyright renewal rules

The copyright owner deliberately places it in the public domain, known as dedication, or

Copyright law does not protect this type of work.
Kalvin Michael Smith, who has claimed innocence in a brutal 1995 attack on Jill Marker at the former Silk Plant Forest store, was convicted Wednesday on unrelated charges that he was driving a stolen vehicle and that he stole alcohol three different times from a local ABC store.

In Forsyth Superior Court, Smith, 51, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of stolen goods and three counts of habitual larceny.

Judge Gregory Hayes of Forsyth Superior Court consolidated the charges into one and sentenced Smith to a minimum of one year and a maximum of two years in prison. He will get credit for the 418 days he has spent in the Forsyth County Jail awaiting trial.

Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Shrader said in court that a Winston-Salem police officer saw Smith behind the wheel of a dump truck with an attached trailer in November 2020. Beth Toomes, Smiths attorney, said in court that Smith had been seen earlier that morning in the dump truck at a convenience store, where he had been accused of stealing beer. The truck had not been reported stolen at the time.

It was only later, after an employee who had operated the truck failed to report to work, that the dump truck was reported stolen, Toomes said.

Shrader said that Smith was accused of stealing alcohol three different times from a local ABC store, including a bottle of whisky and a bottle of bourbon. Smith stole the alcohol in early October and early November of 2020.

Shrader said Smith had previously been convicted of misdemeanor larceny several times in the mid-1990s.

In the Marker case, Smith filed his third appeal known as a motion for appropriate relief in Forsyth Superior Court in November, asking a judge to vacate his assault conviction based on newly discovered evidence of his innocence.

The case represents the most prominent allegation of wrongful conviction in Winston-Salem since the late Darryl Hunt was exonerated in 2004 of raping and murdering Deborah Sykes, a copy editor at the now-closed afternoon newspaper, The Sentinel. Hunt killed himself in 2016, the same year that Smith, who has never been exonerated, was released from prison on a technicality.

The Winston-Salem Journal published a series in 2004 that raised questions about the police investigation into Markers assault. Since then, the Silk Plant Forest Citizens Review Committee concluded that there was no evidence that Smith was at the scene of the crime. The Silk Plant Truth Committee enlisted Chris Swecker, a former assistant FBI director, to conduct an independent review of the case. Swecker released a report in which he concluded that there were serious flaws in the police investigation and that those flaws undermined faith that Smiths conviction was just.

In court papers, Jim Coleman, the director of the Wrongful Convictions Unit at Duke University School of Law and Smiths attorney on the appeal, has said that Smiths more recent legal troubles are the result of Smiths alleged wrongful conviction and his substance-abuse problems.

The evidence Smith said is newly discovered is a witness who told the host of a 2016 MTV documentary that he and a friend saw a white man matching the description of Kenneth Lamoureux, a prime suspect in Markers attack for the first six months of the police investigation, carrying a Maglite flashlight and walking to the back of the Silk Plant Forest store.

Several other witnesses told police that they saw a white man matching Lamoureuxs description in the Silk Plant Forest store or in the shopping center where the store was located on the day of the attack. Lamoureux had a history of violence and had been known to harass and stalk Marker in the months before the attack.

The new appeal also said that Jenna Schopfer, a former supervisor at a daycare center where Marker also worked, talked to Marker minutes before the attack. Marker told her that Lamoureux had come into the store to ask her out and that he became angry and stormed out when she refused. Before hanging up the phone, Marker said, Hes here! Hes here! It appears that Marker was telling Schopfer that Lamoureux had come back into the store. Based on the evidence, Marker was attacked soon after that phone call, according to the appeal.

There was never any physical evidence that tied Smith to the crime scene, and he was identified as a suspect only after two ex-girlfriends, seven months apart, falsely told Winston-Salem police that Smith was involved in the latest assault, the appeal said.

Smiths appeal had been in limbo because Forsyth County prosecutors had previously declared a conflict and the N.C. Attorney Generals Office, which had represented the District Attorneys Office before, said it could no longer do so due to budget cuts and a lack of resources. Forsyth County District Attorney Jim ONeill had tried, without success, to seek outside counsel through the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys.

Last month, Judge Michael A. Stone of Forsyth Superior Court ruled that the Forsyth County District Attorneys Office has a conflict of interest and ordered the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys to assign new counsel.

A hearing has been scheduled for the week of Aug. 1 to see where things stand.
A Kernersville man charged with first-degree murder in a fatal shooting on Wednesday night was convicted in Virginia three years ago of pouring gasoline on a woman and threatening to set her on fire before biting a law-enforcement officer.

Jason Odell Billings, 43, who also gave authorities a Winston-Salem address, is accused of killing Thomas Cummings, according to an arrest warrant. Billings had worked as an employee for Cummings Roofing for seven years, according to another court record.

Cummings is listed as the owner of that business at 1971 Cartwright Drive, according to the Better Business Bureau.

After the shooting, which occurred in the 1900 block of Cartwright Drive, Billings drove away from the scene, the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office said.

Deputies found Billings vehicle and tried to stop it, the sheriffs office said. Billings refused to stop, leading to a chase. Billings fired shots out the window of his vehicle before eventually discarding the gun, the sheriffs office said.

Billings stopped on Salem Parkway at Bunker Hill Road and deputies arrested him. Deputies found the gun on the road, the sheriffs office.

Billings also is charged with assault on a law-enforcement officer with a firearm and possession of firearm by a felon, according to two arrest warrants.

Billings is accused firing two shots at Deputy L. Manning with a handgun during the chase, the warrant said.

Billings was convicted in March 2018 in Patrick County, Va., of pouring gas on a family member and biting a law-enforcement officer, The Martinsville Bulletin reported in April 2018.

A Patrick County Circuit Court judge sentenced Billings to 20 years in prison, the newspaper reported. The judge suspended 15 years of that sentence.

Billings served about 3 years of that sentence, according to a court record. It wasnt immediately clear Thursday when he was released.

Billings was being held Thursday in the Forsyth County Jail with no bond allowed, the sheriffs office said.

First of all, our prayers and condolences go out to the loved one of the victim, Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough said in a statement. Secondly, I want to thank the first responders, EMS and Fire, for the sacrifices they make every day, and a special thank you to the Deputies who put their very lives on the line to protect and serve our community.

Anyone with information about this shooting can call the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office at 336-727-2112; the Text-A-Tip program at 336-920-8477; or Crime Stoppers at 336-727-2800 or its Spanish line at 336-728-3904.
The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school district has terminated a $1.4 million contract with Action4Equity for a pilot program that put mentors in four schools after school officials found out that one of the mentors is accused of engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a student.

The Winston-Salem Police Department is investigating, but no criminal charges have been filed.

In December, the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education unanimously approved spending $1.4 million in federal COVID relief money to start the program. Superintendent Tricia McManus had recommended the program, which put community members in schools to work with students as mentors. Action4Equity, a local nonprofit organization focused on equity in the school system, was to oversee the program and contract with two grassroots community groups committed to helping at-risk youth. The program came on the heels of a school year rocked by violence and other issues with student behavior, including a fatal shooting at Mount Tabor High School in September.

On June 30, the school system terminated the contract. And on Wednesday, school officials notified the parents of the estimated 200 students who were involved in the program at four schools  Paisley and Philo-Hill middle schools and Parkland and Reynolds high schools  of the school systems decision and that there is a police investigation.

Action4Equity officials issued a news release late Tuesday that defended the mentoring program but refused to say if the contract had been terminated. In an email, the Rev. Paul Robeson Ford declined to answer questions about the status of the contract, and Action4Equity had no comment on the reasons why the contract was terminated.

I would direct any questions about the status of our contract to WSFCS, Ford said in the email. We are not at liberty to discuss any details regarding alleged incidents, as an investigation is pending.

In a June 30 letter to Kellie Easton, president and chief executive officer for Action4Equity, Dionne Jenkins, general counsel for the school system, said that Superintendent Tricia McManus had been a staunch advocate for Action4Equitys programs but that the nonprofit was in breach of its agreement with the school system.

Information submitted to WS/FCS demonstrates that Action4Equity terminated a mentor on Monday, June 20th for reportedly engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a student at the school the mentor served, Jenkins wrote. Unfortunately, the termination of the mentor and the reasons therefore were not shared with WS/FCS in a timely or suitable manner.

Jenkins said that violated the school boards policies and will not be tolerated by WSFCS.

We have reason to believe that the mentor also violated other WS/FCSs policies and procedures, including those with respect to the transportation of students, Jenkins said. Additionally, public records show that the mentor has recently been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. Upon information and belief, the child at issue in the criminal charge is in the mentorship program and is a different child from the one that led to Action4Equitys termination of the policy.

At 6:21 p.m. Tuesday, Action4Equity officials issued its news release on the groups Facebook page. The nonprofits website was down with a message saying that it would be launching a new website soon.

Nothing is of greater importance to us than the safety of our students and the safety of our children who we fight for daily and who we are so privileged to serve as part of the EMP (Embedded Mentoring Program), Action4Equity said in its news release.

The Journal asked Ford why he couldnt say whether the contract had been terminated and why he was referring that specific question to the school system. Ford did not respond to that question or to requests for additional comment about the school systems allegations. Action4Equity declined to comment through a Facebook message.

The Journal was able to confirm through two different sources the name of the mentor, who is accused of helping a 14-year-old gain access to a Vape on June 21, according to an arrest warrant. The mentor was arrested on that charge on June 24, the arrest warrant said. Brent Campbell, a spokesman for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system, said he could not confirm the name of the mentor and referred questions to Action4Equity. Action4Equity declined to comment when asked for the name of the mentor.

It appears the mentor was assigned to Philo-Hill Middle School. The Journal asked Christina Howell, spokeswoman for the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office, whether the agency had investigated a report of a student at Philo-Hill being sexually abused. Howell said the Winston-Salem Police Department investigated the allegation.

Kira Boyd, spokeswoman for the Winston-Salem Police Department, said in an email that she could not confirm whether the police department was investigating an allegation involving Action4Equity. She referred questions to the school system.

The news release from Action4Equity referenced rumors on social media and misrepresentations. When asked about what facts had been misrepresented, Ford said, All of the staff who were hired to serve in the Embedded Mentoring Program had to clear two sets of professional background checks before beginning work with the students: one conducted by Action4Equity, and another conducted by the WSFCS.

In a Facebook discussion group, Katie Sonnen-Lee, who is listed as vice-president for Action4Equity on its IRS 990 form for 2021, replied to someone else that all the proper protocols were in place and all procedures and reporting were done properly and the appropriate entities are investigating. It is awful, but theres no corruption.
A 32-year-old man accused of killing his cellmate at the Nebraska State Penitentiary in 2020 has been found incompetent for trial.

In an order last week, Lancaster County District Judge Lori Maret said, based on evidence presented at a hearing in June, Angelo Bol was not currently mentally competent to stand trial for Kevin Carter's murder.

But she found there is a substantial likelihood that his competency could be restored within the foreseeable future and ordered that he be held at a prison near the Lincoln Regional Center for treatment by staff and doctors there.

She set a review hearing in December.

Bol already is serving a life sentence for a separate man's killing.

On the evening of Nov. 6, 2020, staffers at the State Penitentiary in Lincoln found Carter, 20, on his cell floor unresponsive and covered with a sheet, according to a news release.

Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead at about 11 p.m.

At the time, Corrections Director Scott Frakes called the death "suspicious," but gave no further detail.

A grand jury that reviewed Carter's death later returned a true bill, finding that the evidence presented to it was adequate to justify prosecuting Bol.

Details, including how Carter was killed, haven't yet been released, though the Lancaster County Attorney said a weapon was not involved. Prosecutors sought a protective order on the transcript and exhibits of the grand jury until after the case is tried to protect Bol's right to a fair trial.

By law, the information otherwise would be available to the public.

It wasn't clear how Carter came to be placed in a cell with Bol, who was serving a life sentence for shooting a co-worker, 34-year-old Karel Perez-Almaguer, to death in the Gibbon Packing parking lot Dec. 15, 2014.

Carter was serving a six- to nine-year sentence for terroristic threats and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony for taking part in the beating and stabbing of a man in Douglas County in 2019.

He would have been eligible for parole in less than a year and a half.

His death was the second in three years where an inmate serving a life sentence is alleged to have killed his cellmate in a Nebraska prison. In 2018, Patrick Schroeder was sentenced to death for strangling Terry Berry in his cell at the Tecumseh prison April 15, 2017.
Police are seeking an unarmed man after he robbed a north Lincoln bank of an undisclosed amount of money Wednesday afternoon, fleeing on foot and so far evading police efforts to track him.

Lincoln Police Capt. Tarvis Banks said the robbery occurred at about 12:15 p.m. at the U.S. Bank near 27th Street and Ticonderoga Drive, a block north of Superior Street.

Police on Thursday released photos of the man captured from surveillance cameras inside the bank, where he initially said he needed to withdraw money before he passed a note to the teller, demanding cash, according to authorities.

He was not visibly armed at the time of the robbery, Banks said.

The police department deployed K-9 units in an attempt to track the suspect. Search efforts focused on the area immediately around the bank, Banks said.

Officers on scene said the man was seen stuffing money into his clothes in the bushes across Ticonderoga Drive immediately following the robbery. He was last seen fleeing west and had not been caught as of Thursday morning, Capt. Todd Kocian said.

Police described the suspect as in his 30s or 40s with tattoos on his hands and chest, extending to his neck.

At the time of the robbery, he was wearing a beanie, a white undershirt and a plaid or flannel shirt.

And he could be shoeless. Crime scene investigators marked as evidence a pair of slippers near the west side the bank parking lot, apparently left behind by the robber.

The Nebraska Bankers Association offers an award of up to $20,000 for information that leads to the apprehension of suspects alleged to be responsible for the robbery of any FDIC-insured institution in the state, said Kara Heideman, the association's communications director.
Al Salem Johnson Controls (York), a leading provider of integrated solutions in HVAC-R, fire, safety and security systems, said it will provide cooling to Hajj pilgrims at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.



Services start the moment they arrive at the airport, until their departure to their respective countries after performing the various acts of Hajj, the company said.



For decades, York has continued to provide a cooled comfortable environment for pilgrims during their Hajj journey, starting at King Abdulaziz Airport, holy sites in Makkah and Madinah and back.



This year's Hajj will be the first to be held at full capacity after the Covid-19 pandemic, increasing pressure to provide maximum comfort levels for the pilgrims. York has carried out all preventive maintenance and contingency checks to ensure the cooling of the 105-sq-km Jeddah airport, through integrated solutions for airport cooling, control and safety systems.



York solutions are designed to accommodate the airport's expected capacity of 30 million passengers annually while offering a comfortable and enriching experience for travellers.



Additionally, specialized maintenance and service teams, supervise the operations of all HVAC-R solutions at the airport throughout the day and night, to ensure efficient cooling. It is noteworthy that the company has the largest technical team in the Middle East with the ability to respond to emergencies in record time.



King Abdulaziz International Airport cooling capacity is 135,000 TR, which is equivalent to the cooling capacity of 13,500 medium-sized apartments through three cooling plants that include 54 chillers and 21 reserve chillers. These are allocated to the airport's vital facilities, such as terminals, data centers, mosques, and the air traffic control tower.



In addition to the HVAC-R solutions, the company has equipped the airport with control systems, security and monitoring systems, including the Building Management System (BMS). These solutions save energy by an average of 30% and ensure the smooth operation of various airport equipment and systems with high efficiency.



The control, security and safety systems at King Abdulaziz International Airport, consist of 2,736 surveillance cameras and a central control room that oversees 3,163 inspection gates, 46 passenger traffic gates, and 94 passenger boarding bridges, in addition to providing the air traffic control tower with the latest security and safety technologies.



To ease the Hajj journey for pilgrims at the holy Mosque, York provides cooling solutions through Al Shamiya and Ajyad cooling plants with a total cooling capacity of 159,000 tons (equivalent to cooling 15,000 apartments), where the two plants are connected to the holy Mosque through an underground tunnel.



The chillers of Al Shamiya plant, the second-largest cooling plant in the world, are provided with control panels with a variable speed drive, controlling the operating and cooling capacity required to meet the needs of the holy Mosque, which improves chiller efficiency outside of peak time.



York also provides various other cooling solutions in Makkah to Clock Tower and many hotel buildings and residential towers in the central area, in addition to some holy sites such as Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah.  TradeArabia News Service
Imagine it's the start of the school year and you're a teacher staring out on a classroom of new students. Remembering everyone's names might take some time and careful study of the seating chart to nail it down.

But what if you couldn't remember your students' faces?

For Ashley Peterson, a special-education teacher at Lincoln Northwest High School, recognizing faces  a skill that doesn't usually even cross our mind  is a daily challenge.

Peterson, 38, was diagnosed about 10 years ago with prosopagnosia, or facial blindness, which hinders her ability to recognize people  from friends to celebrities  by the specific arrangement of nose, eyes, mouth, eyebrows, etc., that make up each person's unique face. She can take in those individual parts, but her mind doesn't store the whole picture.

Facial blindness, a relatively unknown disorder, is actually quite common. It's estimated 1 in 50 people have some form of the condition, which is acquired at birth but can also be the result of brain injury. In severe cases, people can struggle to recognize their own loved ones or even themselves.

Peterson first started to realize there was something different about her perception of others when she attended a small Bible college in Colorado. While her class size was a relatively small 40 students, she only knew three or four people.

"I run into people who talk to me that I just have no clue who they are," she said. "You start to kind of think that maybe you are like this arrogant person that doesn't pay attention to people around them."

Then one day she saw a segment on the CBS news program "60 Minutes" on facial blindness that confirmed she wasn't being merely inattentive or lazy.

"I was like, 'Oh, my gosh, that's me! That's me!'" said Peterson, an Iowa native who grew up in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska. "I never even realized the way I see the world is different from other people."

So she reached out to specialists at Carnegie-Mellon University, who had her do some online tests. She met the criteria and flew out to Pittsburgh and took part in research on the condition.

Peterson, who has since taken part in multiple studies over the years, was featured last month in a National Geographic issue on the brain and how it works.

As the article lays out, prosopagnosia is not a defect of vision, but rather of perception. It was first described in veterans of World War II who sustained brain injuries, and eventually researchers linked it to the parts of the brain that deal with facial recognition.

In the National Geographic story, Peterson likens facial blindness to studying a leaf, tossing it into a pile, then trying to retrieve the one you studied.

Over the years, Peterson has developed a number of coping skills. She relies on vocal clues  how a person sounds, what they're talking about  and other features, such as hair, gait and clothing. It's similar to how one might recognize a familiar friend from behind.

Through repetition, she can begin to recognize faces of the people closest to her, like her three brothers and her nieces and nephews, but even that is not guaranteed.

While on a recent bike ride with some family, Peterson stopped to repair a wheel on her nephew's bike. Her nieces rode ahead, but one circled back. Peterson thought she was a stranger coming to help.

"That hit hard," she said.

At Lincoln Public Schools, Peterson works with students with intellectual disabilities and significant behavioral challenges. Before accepting a position at the soon-to-open Northwest, she taught at Lincoln East. And before that, she worked with home-based children under the age of 5 with disabilities.

It helps that she works with smaller groups of students, Peterson said. Her prosopagnosia also gives her insight into her students' challenges.

LPS offers accommodations for Peterson, including providing face printouts of the school staff. Co-workers will often introduce themselves to Peterson before talking to her, too, and wearing specific accessories, such as jewelry, can also help her identify people.

Northwest Principal Cedric Cooper found out about Peterson's condition through one-on-one staff meetings. He had never heard of facial blindness, but was intrigued by her story and wanted to help.

The two also had a conversation about implementing some professional development opportunities for staff to learn about the relatively common disorder.

For Cooper, Peterson encapsulates his vision for the new school, in which everyone is looked after.

"She can really be an advocate for special education in our building," he said.

Stephanie Smith, a friend and former co-worker, once ran into Peterson and her dog at a summer concert at Stransky Park.

Peterson knew it was someone she'd met because Smith mentioned her dog's name, so she sat down with Smith. But she couldn't place her since she only knew her co-worker by what she wore to work and how she did her hair.

"I was in bike shorts and tank top and a pony tail," Smith recalled. "After we were talking for a few minutes, she was like 'Oh, you're Steph!'"

Stories like that are common, Peterson said, and encounters can run the gamut from innocuous to unsettling.

In one incident she described in the National Geographic story, Peterson was at the funeral of someone she knew from her church when she saw the person they were there to bury walking around.

It turned out Peterson had mistaken two people  who shared the same name, were roughly the same age and wore similar clothes  as one person.

"The brain does weird things like that," she said.

Peterson said facial blindness can cause anxiety when she's in large crowds or out in public. But she's come to accept what she calls her "proso," and is working to raise awareness. In addition to the Nat Geo piece, she presented at the Nebraska State Autism Conference in 2020, as autism has been linked to facial blindness.

"She's just so warm and accepting of other people ... and she is willing to share about it," Smith said. "I just think as individuals and a community we always need to be aware of the diversity and uniqueness of each and everyone one of us."
The wild turkey that gained popularity recently in the Conestoga Mall area may have met its demise, beaten by a group of young people.

At about 10:45 p.m. Saturday, an adult male reported seeing several individuals chasing a wild turkey in the mall parking lot. The man said he saw the individuals corner the turkey and begin beating it.

The man said the individuals then grabbed the turkey by the neck and threw the bird into a silver four-door sedan.

The witness said he did not know if the turkey was still alive when placed in the vehicle.

Police have some surveillance video, Grand Island Police Capt. Jim Duering said Tuesday. The make and model of the silver vehicle is not known.

The vehicle was occupied by three males and one female, most likely either teens or young adults, Duering said.

He had not heard anymore about the condition of the turkey.
A 65-year-old man who had been incarcerated at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution died at the Johnson County Hospital on Wednesday, according to the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services.

Robert Mahler was serving a 50- to 81-year sentence on DUI and motor vehicle homicide charges out of Dixon County, where he was the driver in a September 2011 crash that killed two Wayne State College students near Emerson.

Alexis "Lexi" Calfee, 19, of Bennet and Christopher Oberg, 20, of Mapleton, Iowa, died in the crash.

Mahler's cause of death has not yet been determined, prisons officials said.
Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana submitted more than 90,000 signatures to the Secretary of States office on Thursday to put a pair of initiatives legalizing cannabis for medical use before voters in November.

The campaign said it surpassed the 87,000 names it estimated it would need to qualify for the ballot, said Lincoln Sen. Anna Wishart, a co-sponsor of the petitions, but the fate of the initiatives in 2022 remains in question.

Theres no campaign in the history of the state of Nebraska who has turned in, on a total grassroots basis, this number of signatures, Wishart said on Thursday. But weve had a lot of challenges against us.

After falling victim to a court challenge in 2020, the campaign lost two major donors this year, forcing Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana to launch a grassroots effort relying predominantly on volunteers to scour the state asking for registered voters to add their names to the petition.

In response to a federal lawsuit filed by the campaigns coordinator alleging that Nebraskas requirement that proposed ballot measures have the support of 5% of voters in 38 of its 93 counties was unconstitutional, a federal judge issued a temporary injunction in June, paving the way for the medical marijuana petitions to make it to the ballot by meeting the 87,000 signature threshold alone.

But on Wednesday, the 8th Circuit Court granted a stay on the lower courts decision to prevent Secretary of State Bob Evnen from enforcing the geographic requirement, reinstating the 38-county rule until the issue could be considered on its merits.

Daniel Gutman, a contract attorney working with the ACLU of Nebraska to represent Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana on the lawsuit, said a hearing should be scheduled in the near future for that process to play itself out.

The stay issued by the 8th Circuit Court was unusual, Gutman said, and the two-sentence order makes it difficult to determine which way the judges are leaning on the issue.

The 5th Circuit Court recently granted its own stay overruling a lower courts decision on an election case in Texas, he added, but included a 10-page order outlining its reasoning.

Its hard to read the tea leaves as to what that means, Gutman said. There have been orders in the past that are a sentence or two, and some that are much longer and more thorough. I dont know what to make of the fact that ours was only two sentences.

At a Nebraska State Patrol event Thursday morning, Gov. Pete Ricketts said he thought it was important to uphold the requirement for petitions to collect signatures from 5% of voters in 38 counties so that Lincoln and Omaha dont decide all the votes.

This weeks roller-coaster ride has added further uncertainty to what has already been a campaign to legalize medical marijuana filled with question marks, Wishart said.

Were close to the raw signatures on around 38 counties, she said, but I wont know  we wont know  until they verify them.

Many campaigns, dipping into their war chest built through big-money backers or individual donors, will have verification efforts built in to their campaign.

Were not one of these million-dollar campaigns, so we havent been able to verify anything, Wishart said. Typically, a campaign will come in like we did last time, and you can spend $50,000 on a verification system. We just cant do that.

That means Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana likely wont know whether or not it has qualified for the ballot until the end of August, a few short weeks before the general election ballot is finalized on Sept. 16.

Petitions submitted to the Nebraska Secretary of State on Thursday will be distributed to county election officials beginning next week.

From there, counties have 40 days to verify the name, address and signature of each signer, which will then be communicated back to the states top election official.

On Thursday, as other petition drives were turning in boxes of signatures, Wishart and other medical marijuana organizers and volunteers were continuing to fan out across the state in places like Hamilton and Thayer counties, among others, to secure as many signatures as possible before the end of the day.

At the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 265 in southwest Lincoln, signers were trickling in shortly before the lunch hour to add their names to both petitions, which would protect doctors and patients who recommend and use cannabis, as well as suppliers and distributors.

David Swarts, of Palmyra, helped gather signatures across the Nebraska Sandhills, including in some of the states most rural counties like Grant and Arthur, Thomas and Logan.

In those counties, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana might need just 40 people to sign the petition, Swarts said, which even then hasn't been easy.

Signers in those rural counties, he said, would be surprised to find out they were the 35th people to sign and would come back later with friends or family to sign. He recalled a grocery store owner who provided them a table inside an air-conditioned store to help the campaign.

Its a miracle to get where we are today, Swarts said as he counted petitions signatures at the IBEW hall on Thursday.

Wishart said the work of people like Swarts and countless others, as well as the support shown by the state has been crucial.

The reason were here at 90,000 signatures with probably 5% of the budget of these other campaigns is because this is so widely supported, Wishart said. The issue for us is overcoming the challenges of the system that is set up to make it so hard for people, unless you have millions of dollars, to get an issue on the ballot.

Once this gets on the ballot, Im confident it will pass.

If it doesnt make it to the ballot, Wishart said shell try one more time to get a bill passed through the Legislature, which will reconvene in January for a 90-day session with more than a dozen new members.

Wisharts last effort to legalize medical marijuana in Nebraska fell two votes short of overcoming a filibuster late in the 2021 session, attracting some former opponents of the bill along the way.

She said shes privately received encouragement from many in the Legislature, including Republican senators in the officially nonpartisan body, about the work the ballot initiative has done under difficult circumstances.

The way you win on an issue is you just dont give up, Wishart said. Were not going to give up.
The Nebraska Republican Party has decided to bar Matt Innis of Crete, an outspoken Donald Trump supporter who has been sharply critical of Gov. Pete Ricketts, from its state convention in Kearney this weekend.

The decision has stirred traffic on Facebook and within GOP circles.

Innis, a former Lancaster County Republican chairman who unsuccessfully challenged Sen. Ben Sasse in the 2020 GOP primary election and supported Charles Herbster in this year's Republican gubernatorial primary election, has aimed a steady stream of criticism at Ricketts on his Facebook page.

Jim Pillen of Columbus, who won the GOP gubernatorial nomination in May, has also been a recent target.

Innis said he was informed by the party that "your vocal criticism of Governor Ricketts, the top Republican elected official in the state and leader of our party, caused the (credentials) committee to decline to credential you."

And Innis was told that "this means you will not be admitted to the 2022 Nebraska GOP state convention."

"I'm going to Kearney," Innis said during a subsequent "Drive Time Lincoln" radio interview on KLIN. "I will be at the convention.

"You can't make change if you're not involved," Innis said. "I'm going."

In a statement released Thursday afternoon, credentials chairwoman Pam Dingman said the committee "declined to credential six individuals who are either switching parties, starting new parties or supporting non-Republican candidates."

"We welcome vigorous debate and even criticism within our ranks," she said.

"We won't, however, allow the convention to be used as a platform to help recruit or elect people who aren't Republicans."

The Nebraska Examiner reported that the other five letters had been sent to: Robert Borer of Lincoln and Rex Schroder of Palmyra, who both lost primary challenges to Secretary of State Bob Evnen, Fanchon Blythe and Faith White, both of Lancaster County, and Amy Tharp of Custer County.

In an earlier response to the committee's action on Facebook, Innis said: "So if you say truthful criticisms of Pete the establishment moves to block you from participating at the convention."

Innis wrote: "Many others who refused to bend the knee to the establishment have been told the same thing."

A review of Innis' Facebook entries shows multiple entries criticizing Ricketts and, more recently, Republican gubernatorial nominee Pillen of Columbus, who was supported by the governor in the May 10 primary election.

Herbster was endorsed by Trump, who came to Nebraska to urge Republicans to vote for him.

"Just remember that Jim Pillen never once stood up against the university," Innis stated on Facebook during the campaign.

"Pillen never stood up to UNL or cut their spending," he wrote.

Among an ongoing number of entries criticizing Ricketts:

"Why does he feel the need to take credit for the hard work that others do?"

"Pete has always been a reactionary governor. He's never been proactive; he waits until others stand up on an issue before he jumps in just to make sure it's politically good for him."

"It is clear that Ricketts has completely tarnished his time as governor with his actions over the last two years."
Nebraska Republican state Sen. Mike Flood will officially join the U.S. House on Tuesday when he's sworn in to fill the seat of disgraced former U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry.

Flood will take his oath of office at the U.S. Capitol at 6:10 p.m. CT. It can be seen via livestream.

Flood, a former speaker of the Nebraska Legislature, defeated Democrat Patty Pansing Brooks in a special election to represent the state's 1st Congressional District, which includes Lincoln and dozens of smaller communities.

Fortenberry, a Republican, resigned in March shortly after a California jury found him guilty of charges that he lied to federal investigators about $30,000 in illegal campaign contributions from a Nigerian billionaire. He was sentenced to probation and fined.

Flood will hold the seat until at least January, for what would have been the rest of Fortenberry's term. He'll face Pansing Brooks again in the November general election to determine who serves the next full term.
A requirement that Nebraskans must show a photo ID in order to vote appeared headed to the Nov. 8 general election ballot Thursday after supporters turned in petitions with 172,000 signatures gathered in all 93 counties across the state.

The voter ID measure was one of two initiative petition efforts that claimed they met the legal requirement and Thursday's deadline for November's ballot.

Raise the Wage Nebraska also said it had gathered enough signatures for Nebraskans to vote on whether the state should raise its minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2026.

The voter ID proposal long championed by the Republican Party appears certain to meet the threshold of at least 124,000 valid signatures scattered to include at least 5% of the voters in 38 counties.

At least 68 counties may meet that threshold, Sen. Julie Slama of Sterling said. Slama led the petition drive.

Speaking in the Capital Rotunda in front of a mountain of boxes containing the petitions prior to their submission to the Secretary of State's office for verification, Slama said the vast number of signatures demonstrates "overwhelming support" for the election security proposal.

Voter photo ID requirements are "a basic security measure," Slama said, which simply "makes sure voters are who they say they are."

The proposal, which would be submitted to voters for inclusion in the state constitution, would help build a barrier to any potential voter fraud, Slama said.

The petition drive was almost solely funded by Marlene Ricketts, the mother of Gov. Pete Ricketts.

The latest campaign finance report filed with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission showed a $376,000 contribution to Citizens for Voter ID from Marlene Ricketts along with $1,000 contributed by former Republican Rep. Hal Daub of Omaha.

The petition drive had the assistance of hundreds of volunteers, Slama said.

Secretary of State Bob Evnen, a Republican officeholder, has endorsed the proposal, suggesting that it "gives the voters additional confidence in the security of our elections."

Democrats have argued that it creates an unnecessary burden for elderly, low-income and non-white voters when there is no evidence of voter fraud in Nebraska.

Most of those voters are more likely to vote Democratic, opponents have noted.

Democratic State Chair Jane Kleeb of Hastings said "adding barriers to vote is un-American."

"The good news is even if this passes at the ballot box, the Legislature will determine which IDs will be accepted," Kleeb noted.

"To ensure a broad list from campus IDs, driver's licenses and Tribal IDs are accepted, voters must send more Democrats to the Legislature," she said.

"That is our party's focus," Kleeb said.

"For thousands of Nebraska voters, voter ID would be a hindrance and impediment to freely cast a ballot," Civic Nebraska stated in a news release.

"As longtime observers of Nebraska's elections, we know this: They are safe, they are secure and they are the envy of the nation."

Civic Nebraska said petitioners used "several questionable tactics" in obtaining signatures and said it is "preparing for the next phase of opposition to this harmful initiative."

A number of Republican officeholders and party officials, including Congressman-elect Mike Flood of Norfolk, gathered with Slama at the podium in the Rotunda. Sens. Robert Clements of Elmwood and Joni Albrecht of Thurston were among them.

Raise the Wage Nebraska

Raise the Wage Nebraska had its own news conference earlier Thursday where it announced it had gathered more than 160,000 signatures on a petition to gradually raise Nebraskas minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2026.

That's nearly double the required number of signatures it needed. It also said it had gathered names from voters in all 93 counties across the state.

If approved for the ballot and passed by voters, Nebraskas minimum wage would increase from $9 per hour to $10.50 per hour on Jan. 1, 2023.

The minimum wage would then raise by $1.50 per year until 2026, when it would reach $15 per hour and be adjusted annually to account for increases to the cost of living.

Raise the Wage Nebraska said the increase would benefit about 1 in 5 workers in the state, affecting 150,000 people, about three-fourths of whom are over the age of 20 and one-quarter who are over the age of 40.

The campaign also said increasing the wage would benefit 60,000 full-time workers in Nebraska.

Nancy Williams, the president and CEO of No More Empty Pots, and a sponsor of the petition, said the campaign heard loud and clear from voters across the state that Nebraskas low wage workers are struggling.

Hardworking Nebraskans are choosing between paying rent and filling their cars to go to work, Williams said. We can do better.

Raise the Wage Nebraska was backed by 27 organizations and politicians, including the ACLU of Nebraska, the Arc of Nebraska, Center for People in Need and Nebraska Appleseed, as well as Omaha Sens. Terrell McKinney and Megan Hunt.

The campaign also found backing from several business owners, who said ensuring workers could earn a livable wage produced better employees, which was better for their companies.

Alma Cerretta, the owner of Mana Games and Cafe in the Haymarket, said as a longtime worker in the service industry shes seen how low pay hurts employees and businesses.

The cafe that opened in the Creamery Building in January pays its employees a starting wage of $11 per hour, above the state law of $9 per hour, Cerretta said, with plans to increase that further.

Paying a fair wage to employees makes them happy, which in turn provides better customer service that keeps customers coming back, she said.

In opening Mana, we knew we wanted to avoid the low-pay, high-turnover, low-morale business model that is way too common in our industry, Cerretta said.

Employed in customer service, child care and education since the age of 16, Cindy Meyer said she has always enjoyed working with people.

As I worked in education, I realized I couldnt grow in my career unless I went back to school, but low wage jobs make it extremely difficult to balance school, to care for my family, and to pay my bills, Meyer said.

At a minimum, workers should make enough to meet their needs, she added, but Meyer said there have been periods when she has had to work multiple jobs in order to make ends meet, which has forced her to be away from her family.

So many Nebraskans are working two and three jobs just to get by, she said. And a higher wage could mean spending more time with our kids and getting time to just live. Earning $15 per hour means I can say yes to more things.

Other petitions fail

Other petitions launched for the 2022 election ended on Thursday.

Petitions to authorize Nebraskans age 17 and older to carry a firearm without a permit, to enact a Stand Your Ground law and to amend the state constitution to prohibit medical mandates will not go before voters this fall, organizer Michael Connely said.

Connely said three of 10 petitions he sponsored for 2022 were set to be turned in before an appeals court re-implemented a geographic requirement on Wednesday.

Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana sued Secretary of State Bob Evnen earlier this year to prevent him from enforcing the constitutional requirement that petitions be signed by 5% of voters in 38 of the states 93 counties.

A federal judge blocked Evnen from enforcing the rule in an order issued in June. On Wednesday, the 8th Circuit Court granted the states motion to stay the injunction, which put the requirement back in place.

That shot us out of the water, Connely said in an email.
On July 19, the first step toward Lincolns most critical public works project of the 21st century will be taken when the Mayors Advisory Council on Water Supply Development holds the first of six scheduled monthly meeting.

The 27-member council, headed by Susan Seacrest, the founder of the Nebraska Groundwater Foundation and a member of the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District Board, is charged with providing by January, 2023, recommendations on the development of a new water supply source for the city.

The citys current water source, a field of 44 wells on the Platte River near Ashland, built in 1932, pumps water through 60 miles of large pipes to Lincoln. It will, according to estimates in the 2020 Facilities Master Plan, reach its maximum capacity in 2048.

By 2050, Lincoln is expected to grow by about 115,000 people  current water usage rates average 124 gallons per person per day, a mark that while seemingly high is a 34% decrease since the early 1980s.

Climate change is expected to raise year-round ambient air temperatures by 4 to 5 degrees, increase precipitation in the winter, spring and fall and decrease it in the summer.

That, along with population and industrial growth and land-use changes must also be figured into the analysis of the advisory council and of Olsson, the engineering firm contracted by the city to analyze the feasibility of two alternatives that have been identified by the city.

Both options call for Lincoln to get its water from the Missouri River. One would have the Lincoln system link with Omahas Metropolitan Utilities Districts Missouri River water plant. The other would build a direct connection to Lincoln from the Missouri through, perhaps, about 50 miles of pipeline.

Neither of the options will be cheap  cost estimates range from $350 million to $750 million, depending on which is chosen and its scale.

And, heres why starting now is critical: It will take decades to secure funding, acquire land and build the new system. So 26 years isnt really the cushion that it appears to be.

The initial steps in the project, including hiring Olsson, will be paid for from $6.7 million saved from water rate payments since 2018.

The city also will apply for $20 million from the states federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, for which the project is eligible after the Legislature amended Sen. Eliot Bostars bill to earmark $200 million in those funds for the project.

Since the remainder of the funding will have to be worked out in the next few years  like a mix of of the money from the federal government  it is imperative that the project be supported by both Nebraska senators and the 1st Congressional District representative.

The new water system is as needed and important now as it was when the Lincoln Water System began serving its first customers in 1883 and when the Ashland well field and pumping station were developed 90 years ago.
Heres a sampling of things we love this week:

New flavors!

As if its not exciting enough that July is Ice Cream Month, Culvers is bringing out two new flavors: Espresso Toffee Bar and Peach Crisp. The new frozen custards will be joining the rotating Flavor of the Day menu on July 10 (Espresso Toffee Bar) and Aug. 10 (Peach Crisp) at all 850 Culvers locations. Just what we need: Another reason to enjoy the frozen sweetness of summer.

A birthday bash

America just celebrated its birthday, and now its the Kenosha Yacht Clubs turn. The venue will be celebrating its 110th anniversary with a celebration starting at 1 p.m. Saturday. Since 1912, the KYC has been home to boaters and families from around the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. The party takes place on the KYC Bar & Grilles Island Deck, which boasts wonderful harbor views at 5130 Fourth Ave. The celebration includes music by Sid Simo, a bouncy house for kids, lawn games, club tours and a cocktail/appetizer hour. Sailboat rides will be provided by the Kenosha Community Sailing Center, along with art activities and knot tying. Bonus: Everyone who attends will receive $5 off the admission price of climbing the 1866 Southport Lighthouse tower across the street.

Saving money

Its not cheap to attend Summerfest  one-day admission for adults is $25, and we havent even mentioned parking, food and drinks and all that sweet Summerfest merchandise  but at least there are ways to save on admission to the Big Gigs third (and final) weekend.

This weekends Summerfest admission promotional offers:

Thursday, July 7, noon to 3 p.m.: The first 2,000 patrons who donate three non-perishable food items will get in free. Canned fruits and vegetables are especially appreciated. All donations benefit the Hunger Task Force.

Thursday, July 7, noon to 4 p.m.: Celebrate Senior Fest Day. Everyone age 60 and older gets in free (present an ID at the gate). Seniors will also get a voucher for $2 off a food or non-alcoholic beverage purchase over $10. Also, all wheelchairs will be provided free of charge to seniors between noon and 4 p.m. while supplies last.

Friday, July 8, noon to 3 p.m.: Show Your College Pride Day. Everyone who wears a shirt or hat representing one of the participating colleges or universities will get in free. Schools participating are: UW-Parkside, Carthage College, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Cardinal Stritch University, Marquette University, Milwaukee Area Technical College, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Whitewater and Western Governors University.

Saturday, July 9, noon to 3 p.m.: Celebrate the final day of this years Big Gig with Summerfest Fan Appreciation Day. Everyone gets in free ... well, free from noon to 3 p.m. Plus, the first 30,000 patrons arriving through the gates will receive one free ticket valid for Summerfest 2023.

Track training

Its bike racing season, and heres your chance to learn track cycling basics from some of the best track cyclists in the Midwest at the historic Washington Park Velodrome. These three-hour clinics will introduce the track bicycle, velodrome basics, proper track etiquette, group riding skills and mock racing. The next Track 101 clinic is 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 9, at the velodrome, 1821 Washington Road in Kenosha. No racing experience is needed, but participants must be at least 9 years old. For details on what to bring and to sign up, go to kenoshavelodromeracing.com. The cost is $10 per clinic. The next clinic is Aug. 7. Racing on the track is Monday and Tuesday nights.

Huzzah!

Its time again for jousting and giant turkey legs! The Bristol Renaissance Faire opens Saturday for another season of making merry while wearing chain mail. The Faire celebrates the day in 1574 when Queen Elizabeth visited Bristol, England. If you see the queen, remember to use your best royal wave to greet her majesty. The Faire is open weekends through Sept. 5, located just west of I-94 at the Wisconsin/Illinois border. For more details, go to
Al Masaood Power Division, leaders and experts in power solutions, has signed a distribution agreement with leading French innovation company Sunstream International to spearhead the future of solar panel solutions in the GCC.

The agreement is aimed at creating the widest and the most sustainable range of patented containerised, towable and movable solar stations, which can be used in the agriculture, oil and gas, mining, and road construction sectors across the region.

It also encourages the firms to generate green and local electricity even in hazardous, remote, and challenging conditions.

Sustainable energy

Hani El Tannir, CEO, Group Industrial, said: The UAE and other countries in the Gulf region are ambitiously transitioning toward more sustainable energy sources with solar energy emerging as an important solution to fulfil the energy needs of the region."

"The UAE is pioneering the adoption of innovation and best-in-class technologies that will help build a sustainable future for the country in line with our commitment to reducing CO2 emissions. Other countries across the GCC are also working towards realising their national decarbonisation goals by fostering solar energy as the anchor to national renewable strategies, he stated.

With this agreement, Al Masaood Power Division intends to use Sunstream Internationals first generation of mobile and modular plug-and-play solar solutions on a larger scale to meet the energy demand of the GCC, as there is little presence of clouds, 20 per cent around the year in the region. Solar power plants in the region can expect 1,750 to 1,930 hours of full-load operation per year.

Accelerating the shift

Rasso Bartenschlager, General Manager, Al Masaood Power Division, said: We are a pioneer in power solutions with our top focus on accelerating the shift to sustainable energy sources, solar being one of them. The Middle East is at the center of the global energy transition with a huge influx of investment for renewables, including the solar energy sector."

"We as a leading power solutions provider understand our role in facilitating the transition to clean and renewable energy sources, with GCC countries switching to green and sustainable economies," he stated.

According to him, the GCC solar photovoltaic (PV) market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 12.5% during the coming years with the countries in the region targeting to increase the share of renewable energy in their energy mix by 2050.

"This partnership also represents an important short-term and long-term business opportunity as the GCC countries are an ideal market for renewable energy deployment, noted Bartenschlager.

Hence, such a trend is expected to create opportunities for the market to grow in the near future. Despite trends showing that natural gas will remain the primary source of power in the region, Al Masaood Power Division will continue to heavily invest in renewable energy to provide sustainable electricity through solar energy, he added.

Path to net-zero

Frederic Bouvet-Haas, CEO, Sunstream International said: It would be challenging to enable net zero strategies and deliver paths to sustainable growth without working together to come up with lasting solutions."

"We need to understand that the path to net-zero is unique for every nation, but we must find new ways to meet the surging energy demand while rapidly reducing carbon emissions. We, at Sunstream International, believe that innovation will save our planet. The shared agenda to generate green and local electricity is in line with our partner Al Masaood Power Divisions commitment to facilitate the region's transition to clean and renewable energy sources aimed at fostering sustainable economies, he stated.

After having installed big wind and solar parks worldwide for more than a decade, we have decided to design the first generation of mobile and modular plug-and-play solar solutions, minimising environmental impacts and eliminating the use of concrete or cement. The GCC region is ready for achieving more sustainable production of green electricity, in record time without complex civil work requirements, he added.

Bartenschlager said Al Masaood Power Division had been a trailblazer in power solutions since 1970, with a strong focus on fostering innovation, best-in-class technology, and infrastructure to meet the energy needs of the region.

Credited to be the first to introduce the hydrogen-powered flying boats and world-class electric generators in the country, the division offers leading power brands such as MTU, Leroy-Somer, and Volvo Penta generators and after-sales services to the UAE and Bahrain, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
In what could be a landmark decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court said in a 4-3 decision Wednesday that surviving sex trafficking can be used as a legal defense for homicide in certain circumstances.

The decision could set a precedent that would allow survivors of sex trafficking greater defenses against criminal prosecution for just about any crime. The trafficking defense allows survivors to be protected against any criminal allegation they assert was the direct result of them having been trafficked.

Experts say a survivor who turns to drug use after escaping, or who was forced to use drugs, could use what is known as the "trafficking defense" when later accused of drug possession or drug dealing.

The Wisconsin law that provides the trafficking defense is incredibly broad, although rarely used. It was created by the state legislature in 2008.

Reacting to Wednesdays Supreme Court decision, Ian Henderson, Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault's director of legal and systems services, said in a phone interview, What the court did (Wednesday) is flush out what it means to be as a direct result  There has to be a logical, causal connection between the crime the person is accused of and the trafficking.

The case

Wednesdays decision allows Chrystul Kizer, 22, of Milwaukee, to argue she should be found not guilty of murder at her upcoming trial.

Kizer, when she was 17 in June 2018, killed Randall Volar III in Kenosha; he allegedly had been sexually abusing her and selling her to other adults for sex. For months before his death, Volar reportedly was on the radar of law enforcement for sex crimes committed against numerous underage girls, but no charges were ever filed.

Yasmin Vafa, a human rights attorney and the executive director of Rights4Girls, said that Wisconsins law should protect trafficking survivors like Kizer from being convicted for taking their safety into their own hands and acting against an abuser.

Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley said Wednesday that, even after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Kizer, he believes prosecutors can convince a jury to convict Kizer. The DAs Office asserts the killing of Volar was not the direct result of abuse; according to court documents, Kizer said she killed Volar because she was tired of him touching her, but reported text messages sent by Kizer also indicate the killing was premeditated and she also intended to steal Volar's car.

State by state

The Supreme Courts decision clarifies ambiguity in the 2008 state law. Despite losing the appeal to the high court, Graveley called the ruling helpful as it can guide attorneys and law enforcement on how to treat survivors of trafficking within the criminal justice system.

Most states have such laws. Typically, the trafficking defense laws intend to protect those in vulnerable situations from being prosecuted for things like theft or prostitution because they were forced or coerced to commit the crime.

But experts say Wisconsins protection for victims of sex trafficking is perhaps the broadest in the country.

The trafficking defense in some other states, such as North Dakota, explicitly does not include violent crimes.

In Wisconsin, theres no such limitation.

A survivor could, for example, say, I turned to drugs to deal with the trauma I experienced. Therefore, I am not criminally liable for having been found in possession of heroin, even if its undisputed that they possessed the drug  in the same way that it is not disputed that Kizer pulled the trigger and killed Volar.

As courts become more aware of trafficking and begin to treat survivors more as victims than perpetrators, Vafa predicts that more laws and protections will be created (or at least talked about) to protect survivors from criminal prosecution.

Rights4Girls  along with Ms. Foundation for Women, and the Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality  coined the phrase "Sexual Abuse-to-Prison Pipeline" in a 2015 report.

The report asserts that "sexual abuse is one of the primary predictors of girls entry into the juvenile justice system ... Once inside, girls encounter a system that is often ill-equipped to identify and treat the violence and trauma that lie at the root of victimized girls arrests. More harmful still is the significant risk that the punitive environment will re-trigger girls trauma and even subject them to new incidents of sexual victimization, which can exponentially compound the profound harms inflicted by the original abuse."

The report cited a 2006 study that found 93% of girls in Oregon's juvenile justice system had experienced physical and/or sexual abuse, compared to a rate of around 15% of teen girls in the general population. A 2009 South Carolina study and a 1988 California study found similar results, with 81% of girls in the justice system in both states having experienced sexual violence.

Girls of color are involved in this pipeline disproportionately. Black girls are 3.3 times more likely than white girls and 2.7 times more likely than Hispanic girls to be in a "residential placement," while Native American girls are more than 45% more likely to be involved in the system than black girls, according to the nonprofit Child Trends.

What is the trafficking defense? Wisconsin's 2008 law that creates the "trafficking defense," as defined by Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, provides the following: "A victim of Human Trafficking has an affirmative defense for any crime he or she committed as a direct result of the trafficking without regard to whether anyone was prosecuted or convicted for trafficking."

Kizer isn't the first trafficking survivor to aim to defend herself against conviction using a trafficking defense argument.

Cyntoia Brown of Tennessee was forced into prostitution at age 16 in 2004. That year, she fatally shot a 43-year-old youth pastor in Nashville who had allegedly taken her to his home with the intent of paying her for sex. After she began resisting him, Brown said she became scared he would kill her.

Brown claimed the killing was in self-defense, but a jury found her guilty and she was given a life sentence. Evidence used against Brown included that she, like Kizer, stole from the man she killed.

Advocates and later celebrities brought her case into public discourse about five years ago. Brown was supposed to become eligible for parole when she turned 67. But, then-Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam commuted her sentence. She was released on Aug. 7, 2019, when she was 31.

In allowing Brown to be released, Haslam, a Republican, wrote: "Cyntoia Brown committed, by her own admission, a horrific crime at the age of 16. Yet, imposing a life sentence on a juvenile that would require her to serve at least 51 years before even being eligible for parole consideration is too harsh, especially in light of the extraordinary steps Ms. Brown has taken to rebuild her life. Transformation should be accompanied by hope."

If Kizer is convicted of the crime she is charged with, first-degree intentional homicide, the minimum sentence is life in prison.
A second Racine man faces an attempted homicide charge for allegedly shooting a 16-year-old on March 20 on Racine's north side in what authorities are calling "an attempted execution" that was captured on video.

The Racine Police Department believes the shooting is a case of mistaken identity, with the shooters believing the teenager was a Northside For Life gang member even though he is not actually affiliated with any gang.

Police also have asserted that the March 20 shooting was intended to be in retribution for the March 13 killing of 14-year-old Eugene Henderson. According to court documents, both of the men charged in the March 20 shooting were wearing clothing in tribute to Henderson when they were arrested and police asserted that those charged believe the NFL gang was responsible for Henderson's death.
RACINE  Gov. Tony Evers came to town on Wednesday to meet with the recipients of the nearly $785,000 in grant funds the City of Racine will use to beef up the budgets of those working to reduce violent crime in the city.

Rather than make speeches, the governor listened as community leaders discussed what the added funds would mean to community-driven programs as well as law enforcement.

The funding includes:

$225,000 to bring the Safe & Sound program to Racine.

$50,000 for the Credible Messenger program.

$114,000 for license plate recognition cameras.

$95,000 for mounted cameras in

.

$50,000 in officer overtime.

$100,000 Blueprint for Peace initiative.

$150,000 violence interruption coordinator.

The grant funding will be before the Finance and Personnel Committee on Monday.

Evers and city representatives on Wednesday morning visited both the Cesar Chavez Community Center, 2221 Douglas Ave., and the Anthony Lane COP (Community Oriented Policing) House, 2437 Anthony Lane.

The amazing thing, actually, was the room we were just in, Evers said following the visit to the Anthony Lane COP House.

He pointed out that police officers were standing with the Credible Messengers, people who were previously incarcerated but who are now working in the community with young people and their families in order to help keep youth in school and out of trouble.

There were also leaders of community-driven programs, nonprofits, the mayor and members of the City Council.

You dont see that everywhere, Evers said of the current collaboration. He also praised the adoption of the Community-Oriented Policing philosophy, in place in Racine since the early 1990s.

Evers acknowledged the country is experiencing unacceptable levels of violence, but the people in Racine are doing the best they can with the resources they have and are bringing people together.

You cant succeed just relying on the police, just relying on the city council, on the mayor, he said, adding the problem is best addressed through the collaborative efforts seen in Racine.

Programs

Blueprint for Peace is based on a successful program from Milwaukee that approaches reducing violence by recognizing it as a public health issue that addresses the underlying causes rather than just responding to the problem.

The initiative encourages a collaborative approach by bringing together many different groups who are all working to address segments of the problem.

However, it will be designed specifically for Racine and may ultimately be called something else. The violence interruption coordinator will be responsible for organizing the program.

The Safe & Sound program is actually a component of the COP model; however, it has not been used in Racine before due to a lack of funding.

There is a successful Safe & Sound program in Milwaukee, which the local COP House officers intend to model.

The mission of the Safe & Sound program is to unite residents, youth, law enforcement and community resources to build safe and empowered neighborhoods.

The grant the city received will help fund three staff members to work in the COP houses. They in turn will work with other community resources, such as the Credible Messengers and Community Connectors.

Policing

Chief Maurice Robinson said the funding  with special reference to the cameras  will allow the RPD to better and more quickly address violent crime, particularly violent crime.

In turn, the cameras will assist investigators with gathering information. They might have information in an hour that otherwise could take almost a week to get, Robinson said.

The chief also spoke favorably about the potential for license plate recognition cameras.

A lot of challenges that communities are having across the country is stolen vehicles, Robinson said. Wed like to find those vehicles more quickly and return them to the owners, so they dont incur a financial loss from a pursuit where a car is crashed.
In an opinion delivered Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin ruled in favor of Chrystul Kizer, the now-22-year-old accused of killing the Kenosha man who had been sex trafficking her and other girls.

No one disputes that Kizer, when she was 17 in June 2018, shot and killed Randall Volar III, who authorities say was soon to be arrested for sex crimes against children prior to his death.

Kizers defense team has aimed to build a defense around the allegations that Volar had abused and trafficked Kizer.

The Kenosha County District Attorneys Office has aimed to disallow that defense by appealing a Court of Appeals decision to the Supreme Court. The defense had initially been disallowed by Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge David P. Wilk, but the Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Kizer and overturned Wilks ruling.

But in the 4-3 decision delivered Wednesday morning, the states high court has ruled in favor of Kizer. As such, she will be able to use an affirmative defense for any offense committed as a direct result of having been trafficked at her upcoming trial.

Decision and facts of the case

In an atypical vote for the states high court, three liberal-backed justices were joined by conservative-backed Justice Rebecca Bradley in the majority opinion. Dissenting were three conservative-backed justices, including Justice Brian Hagedorn, the most common swing vote of the seven justices.

Kizer has said she was tired of Volar touching her, precipitating the killing. She has said that she met Volar through a now-defunct sex-trafficking website and that he sold her to others for sex.

The two sides of the case disagree on whether Volars alleged abuse directly led to his death in a way that absolves Kizer of legal culpability.

As the Supreme Courts majority decision, penned by Justice Rebecca Dallet, noted: Unlike many crimes, which occur at discrete points in time, human trafficking can trap victims in a cycle of seemingly inescapable abuse that can continue for months or even years. For that reason, even an offense that is unforeseeable or that does not occur immediately after a trafficking offense is committed can be a direct result of the trafficking offense, so long as there is still the necessary logical connection between the offense and the trafficking. 

At question is a lack of clarity in state law.

Under a state law passed in 2008, victims of sex trafficking are immune from prosecution from crimes they themselves may have committed as a direct result of having been trafficked.

The decision does not protect someone who has been a victim of trafficking from all prosecution.

As Dallet wrote in the majority opinion: It is not enough to say simply that because the defendant is a victim of human trafficking, any offense they commit subsequently must be a direct result of the trafficking. The offense must bear a logical, causal connection to the underlying trafficking offense; it must be a direct result of the trafficking. Thus, our interpretation does not create ... blanket immunity for victims of human trafficking.

The Kenosha County District Attorneys Office had argued this protection cannot be stretched to include a defense against killing the trafficker themselves, while those defending Kizer say it can be because the laws on the books have no restrictions on what crimes can be included.

In court documents, the DAs Office, which had originally charged Kizer with first-degree intentional homicide, argued the charge should be lowered to second-degree intentional homicide as a result of the sex trafficking defense.

The three justices who dissented agreed with prosecutors. Justice Patience D. Roggensack, who wrote the dissenting opinion, noted that under Wisconsin law if someone is coerced to commit murder their conviction can be second-degree intentional homicide when the facts of the case otherwise would lead to a conviction of first-degree intentional homicide.

Thus, Roggensack wrote that the trafficking defense, which is grounded in coercion, is not a complete defense to first-degree intentional homicide. Therefore, I conclude that the trafficking defense is limited by the chain of statutory cross references which is in accord with the common law and, therefore, results in mitigation of a first-degree intentional homicide charge to a second-degree charge.

In the majority opinion, the justices ruled that Kizer must first provide evidence for a trial judge that her decision to kill Volar was connected to being trafficked before she can invoke immunity.

Chrystul Kizer deserves a chance to present her defense and todays decision will allow her to do that, Kizers attorney, Katie York, said. While the legal process on this matter is far from over, we, along with Chrystul and her family, believe the decision today affirms the legal rights provided by Wisconsin statute to victims of sex trafficking facing criminal charges.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said the decision brings needed clarity regarding the scope of the affirmative defense for survivors of the vile crime of human trafficking.

DA responds

In a phone interview Wednesday afternoon, Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley said the Supreme Court decision was helpful.

With the clarity provided by the decision, Graveley said law enforcement can now see the sex trafficking defense as similar to a self-defense argument. I.e., a survivor of sex trafficking can argue that a crime committed as a direct result of having been trafficked can be a complete defense in the same way that someone charged with homicide can argue they killed someone but were acting in self-defense and be found not guilty by a jury.

Graveley noted that the legal protection for sex trafficking victims against being charged for crimes committed as a direct result of their predicament is seldom used and had not been wholly defined by the courts in Wisconsin until Wednesday.

He does not expect any more appeals.

A court trial is still likely and the Kenosha County District Attorneys Office plans to continue with its prosecution of Kizer. She is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, as well as taking/driving a vehicle without consent (as she is accused of taking Volars car after killing him) and arson (as she is accused of setting the home Volar had lived in on fire), in addition to possession of a firearm as a felon.

Todd Richmond of the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Guns and electronic control devices will soon be allowed in most Kenosha County buildings following a County Board decision that repealed a more than decades old ban on weapons on their premises.

Following nearly four hours of public comments and deliberations that took place late into Tuesday night, the County Board voted 14-7 to remove the weapons restrictions in all county buildings.

Supervisors voting for the repeal were William Grady, Brian Thomas, Zach Rodriguez, Zach Stock, board Chairman Gabe Nudo, Tim Stocker, Dave Geertsen, Amanda Nedweski, Jeff Wamboldt, Brian Bashaw, John Poole, Mark Nordigian, Erin Decker and Aaron Karow. Voting against removing the ban were supervisors Terry Rose, Jeff Gentz, Laura Belsky, Ed Kubicki, Daniel Gaschke, Andy Berg and Monica Yuhas.

While the carrying of concealed weapons will be allowed on county property, the ban will continue to cover the Kenosha County Courthouse, the public safety building, which houses both the sheriffs department and Kenosha Police Department, jail, detention center, pretrial building and the Molinaro Building, which is part of the civic center campus west of Sheridan Road between 55th and 56th Streets, are already exempted by state law.

Permitted gun owners, including county employees, wont immediately be able to bring weapons into county buildings, as the employee handbook must also be revised. According to the resolution for the repeal, the new weapons policy would be expected to take effect within six months of board approval.

2nd Amendment sanctuary

The board also voted 15-6 to declare the county a sanctuary for Second Amendment rights, opposing any state or federal legislation enacted that would infringe residents right to bear arms. Voting for the sanctuary legislation were Grady, Thomas, Rodriguez, Stock, Nudo, Stocker, Geertsen, Nedweski, Wamboldt, Yuhas, Bashaw, Pool, Nordigian, Decker and Karow. Voting against were Rose, Gentz, Belsky, Kubicki, Gaschke and Berg.

During deliberations on the gun ban, supervisors considered a number of amendments including one that would have added Human Services to the list of county buildings where the ban currently exists. At earlier committee and County Board meetings, residents and former employees request that the board consider the bans extension given the stressful conditions they often face when denying services for which they may not qualify. The amendment failed.

At one point, Supervisor Terry Rose also proposed that the matter be tabled so that additional information could be gathered. Supervisor Ed Kubicki had wondered whether the policy had been vetted by the Finance and Administration Committee, which Rose chairs, given that it would also affect employees who would also be allowed to bring concealed weapons to work. That motion also failed.

At public comments, in which at least two dozen people spoke, 17 opposed the repeal, while six favored lifting the gun ban, an almost mirror opposite reflection of the boards vote that was to come. The board, which normally allows a maximum of 90 minutes, extended the comment period at least another half hour, allowing a handful of those who were still lined up outside the chamber door prior to initial time limit to speak.

Jodi Muerhoff of Kenosha, who filed an open records request for communications between residents and County Board members on the issue said they reflected a greater than 5:1 ratio opposing lifting the ban.

At a rate of five to one, the people of our county told you bringing guns into our buildings and parks is a bad policy, she said.

Peggy Helgeson of Kenosha, also spoke against the repeal.

Helgeson, who said she polled board members via e-mail regarding the issue among others, indicated that most board members did not respond to her request for how they would vote and reminded them that while they are assigned to respective districts, that they also represent all county residents.

Im collecting data. Refusing to answer the question of a constituent, thats data, OK? And this data is going to turn out to be a record of your performance as supervisors. If it was me, I wouldnt want anyone to think I had something to hide, she said.

Matt Schuetzner of Pleasant Prairie, who spoke in favor of lifting the gun ban said among the reasons the board should allow weapons was in light of recent events, including the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas that resulted in the deaths of 19 people, mostly children, after police were reportedly ordered not to enter the school building.

Closer to home, Schuetzner said that the night of the August 2020 riots in Kenosha the owner of a Downtown fitness outfit was told to barricade the door because police would not send help.

Normally, he said, police response times is four to five minutes for most incidents.

Personally, I would not want to wait that long just to wait for them to arrive. I cant imagine what it would be like to see them waiting outside, he said.

He said county workers should have the right to protect themselves. He also alluded to the previous County Board meeting in which sheriffs deputies had to restrain a speaker at the podium during public comments on the gun ban issue.

Unstable, angry people, ready to pick fights  there should be no question whether a citizen may or may not defend their safety, the safety of his family, he said.

Donald Biehn, a former County Board supervisor, said he was in favor of lifting the ban but was appalled of the lack of decorum that had been displayed among members of the public at the previous meeting.

He said he was disappointed at the partisan politics that have divided the county. He called on the board and the community to work together, as they did during the Chrysler crises of the late 1980s.

Work together together for the community. Thats what you are when youre a supervisor and listen to your constituents, he said.
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
The use of bioclimatic architecture will bring numerous benefits to the construction industry including saving energy, reducing air conditioner costs, and improving health and wellness, according to global industry experts.

Bioclimatic architecture focuses on the design and construction of buildings taking environmental conditions into consideration and using them to benefit building users.

It promises to provide maximum comfort while using the least amount of resources, as climatic and environmental factors are taken into consideration to reduce cost by using environmental factors in ones favour.

Tile of Spain

Tile of Spain, a pioneering brand, has taken on the task of promoting and establishing bioclimatic architecture around the world during this crucial hour, when the global climate is taking a massive hit.

Tile of Spains move to encourage the use of Bioclimatic architecture is largely expected to jolt the industry and reignite the stakeholders sustainable construction and design commitment.

The Spanish ceramic tiles are developed using a technology that allows rainwater harvesting reuse as part of international certification in green building. In view of society's increased awareness and sensitivity to living and working in healthier and more sustainable spaces, there is a growing demand for and supply of spaces with green building certifications. This makes ceramic tiles the go-to sustainable building and design solution for modern living and working spaces, said Vicente Nomdedeu, president and chairman, Tile of Spain, the official umbrella brand that represents the Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers Association (ASCER).

Gulf's love for high-rise buildings

The Gulf regions growing popularity for high-rise buildings and expansive infrastructure development has been on sharp focus for mounting pressure on its energy dependency to power its amenities. This, according to key stakeholders in the construction and interior design industry, is reversing the slowing down of the regions goal to reverse the adverse effects of climate change.

High-rise buildings consume nearly 80% of all energy produced in the UAE every year. Apart from massive energy consumption, these buildings add another hole to the countrys sustainability plans on the back of sky-rocketing maintenance costs, design and infrastructure needs that are extremely energy-intensive.

Apart from massive energy use, buildings and construction are responsible for 40% of total carbon emissions in the world, and with the Gulf region being surrounded by this industry, it is essential that these industries are focused upon even as the region moves closer to its vision of achieving net zero-emission by 2050.

Urgent need

Over the past few years, the Gulf region has been witnessing a massive boom in the construction and design sector. This, according to Tile of Spain calls for an urgent need to adopt sustainable practices within this industry, especially in the use of ceramics.

Mott MacDonald conducted a study across the GCC region to explore how carbon emissions from buildings could be reduced. The research studies the impact of adding insulation, and external insulation finishing to improve energy consumption and significantly reduce carbon emission.

Remodelling and using sustainable building material is an urgent cry of the hour, as global warming rates across the globe keep on rising. One of the most effective and sustainable building materials has always been ceramic, as these are 100% natural and environment-friendly. Ceramic tiles, bricks and blocks can withstand the most adverse climate effects and can resist heat up to 1,500 degrees Celsius, which makes them most suitable for use in ventilated facades. Ceramic slabs and panels can also help reduce 154 to 229 Mt CO2-eq. This places bioclimatic architecture at the heart of sustainable design and construction, noted Nomdedeu.-- TradeArabia News Service
Zayed University (ZU) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance (HFDAP) to support innovative thinking.

The initiative aims to enhance academic excellence, provide ZU students with the skills and knowledge, to better achieve their future aspirations and contribute towards the UAE community.

The MoU details a comprehensive framework of cooperation whereby both parties agree to share knowledge and hold joint events aimed at raising awareness about the importance of innovative and creative thinking in enhancing academic excellence.

FAB Lab UAE initiative

They will also jointly encourage students to enroll in the FAB Lab UAE initiative, which uses the most recent technologies, tools and programmes in the world of digital manufacturing.

The memorandum was signed by Sulaiman Abdul-Khaleq Al-Ansari, Executive Director of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance, and Professor Clayton MacKenzie, Zayed Universitys Provost & Chief Academic Officer, at a ceremony held at the Universitys Dubai campus, in the presence of academics and staff from both parties.

Dr Jamal Mohammed Al Muhairi, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Secretary-General of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance, expressed gratitude for this cooperation, stressing that "The two institutions possess technical expertise and capabilities that will undoubtedly contribute to enabling creative talents. By infusing creativity and innovation in the education sector, we positively contribute to the creation of a knowledge-based society, which is an essential element of the ambitious UAE national strategy.

Positive outcomes

Commenting on the collaboration, Professor MacKenzie, said: "We look forward to the positive outcomes of this cooperation, particularly in the areas of training and academic research, that will bring mutual benefits to students, researchers and the community. This opens opportunities for our students to develop their skills further and make a positive contribution to the strategic vision of the UAE.-- TradeArabia News Service
HOLDREGE  A Holdrege woman has been sentenced to prison for distribution of methamphetamine.

Acting U.S. Attorney Steven Russell announced that Alicia Elliott, 32, was sentenced on June 22 to five years in prison for distribution of methamphetamine by U.S. District Judge John M. Gerrard. Following her release from prison, Elliott will serve four years on supervised release.

There is no parole in the federal system.

In November 2018, a confidential informant purchased meth from Elliott twice. During the first purchase, the informant purchased 14.4 grams of meth (one-half ounce from Elliott in Kearney. A week later, the informant purchased 25.8 grams (nearly one ounce) of methamphetamine from defendant in Elm Creek.

This 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.
KEARNEY  COVID-19 is making a quiet comeback, but this time, its not alone. Monkeypox is creeping along behind it.

So far, 560 cases of monkeypox have been detected in the U.S., with just two of those cases in Nebraska, both in Douglas County.

The risks of monkeypox in our area remain low, but we encourage anyone with a characteristic rash to call their health care provider, said Jeremy Eschliman, health director at the Two Rivers Public Health Department.

No cases have been identified in the seven counties that make up Two Rivers: Buffalo, Dawson, Franklin, Gosper, Harlan, Kearney and Phelps.

Monkeypox is a rare infectious disease caused by the orthopoxvirus, the same virus that causes smallpox and cowpox, among others. Its symptoms include fever and body aches, followed by flat bumps on the skin that change into pus-filled blisters. Swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion are common, too.

A rash that can look like pimples or blisters appears on the face, inside the mouth and on other parts of the body. The rash goes through different stages before healing completely. Sometimes, the rash appears before other symptoms.

Monkeypox is normally linked to travel in West and Central Africa. Its called monkeypox because it was discovered in 1958 when colonies of monkeys kept for research developed a pox-like disease.

Michele Bever, South Heartland District Health Departments executive director, said people usually exhibit symptoms about one to two weeks after exposure. The illness lasts from two to four weeks after that.

It rarely requires hospitalization, and death is rare. Theres a vaccine for it as well.

An ongoing outbreak of the viral disease was confirmed in May after a cluster of cases was found in the United Kingdom. On June 25, the World Health Organization decided not to declare monkeypox a public health emergency, but in the 12 days since then, cases have more than doubled worldwide.

The first cases in the U.S. were identified June 27.

Since the disease is spreading, WHO has called an emergency meeting the week of July 18.

Monkeypox is thought to be transmitted by respirator droplets and bodily fluids through mucus membranes and open cuts in the skin. The virus is not very infectious.

The virus, carried by squirrels, rats and small rodents, is commonly seen in parts of central and west Africa.

Normally, monkeypox cases may spread from animals to humans, but it has have low levels of infectivity, and tend to die out after a few generations of the virus, Eschliman said. While cases detected in Europe, Canada and the U.S. have appeared to be unconnected, a newer version of the virus may have more efficient transmission. Or, its figures may be reflective of community spread.

Eschliman added that a disproportionately high number of the men who were detected with the virus may have been gay or bisexual, raising the possibility of sexual transmission of the virus. If so, it would be an unusual mode of human-to-human transmission, and would represent an event of concern, he added.

The U.S. dealt with monkeypox in 2003, when prairie dogs that were raised as pets contracted the virus from imported animals from Ghana, but that outbreak of just 47 cases was confined largely to Kansas and Missouri. No one in Nebraska was affected. Two people were hospitalized, but no one died.

The risk to the public remains low, but anyone with the characteristic rash resembling monkeypox should contact their health care provider, Eschliman said.

Medical providers can test individuals for this virus. People at high or intermediate risk can receive the two-dose Jynneos vaccine. In case of an outbreak, health departments will do contact tracing to identify individuals who might have been exposed to the virus.

People with monkeypox who do not require hospitalization should be isolated at home.

The virus could be more dangerous for children under 8, pregnant women, immunocompromised people or people in the home with a history of atopic dermatitis or eczema.

Eschliman said the infectious disease community is tracking the virus closely.

The lessons learned during COVID-19 will hopefully hold us in good stead in case of a serious outbreak, he said.

For more information, visit the CDC website www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html.

maryjane,skala@kearneyhub.com
LEXINGTON  Questions were raised by Plum Creek Care Center about the city of Lexington purchasing the Avamere facility during the city council meeting on Tuesday, June 28.

On June 1, Avamere at Lexington announced its permanent closure and that the community would be closed by July 31. At the time, the property had been purchased by a limited liability company from Roswell, N.M.

Later, on June 15, the city of Lexington announced it would be purchasing the facility from the New Mexico LLC, no later than Aug. 1.

This closing will impact the community by displacing the senior residents currently living in the facility and eliminating approximately 40 jobs, city Manager Joe Pepplitsch said in a press release.

The city intends to lease the facility to a local non-profit corporation that will be formed to operate a senior assisted living community beginning Aug. 1, 2022. This structure will allow the facility to become self-sustainable moving forward, with local input, local care, and local control, the release stated.

During the city councils discussion of the purchase agreement and closing documents for the Avamere property, Keith Sladky, Vice President of Operations with Lantis Enterprises expressed questions.

It was noted the Lantis family has owned Plum Creek Care Center for nearly 40 years.

Sladky said the city purchasing the Avamere property gets them involved in a private industry and competes with Plum Creek Care Center.

I feel the city purchasing a business to directly compete with our business is probably unprecedented, Sladky said.

He said he feels that the citys purchase could put a damper how Plum Creek Care Center operates. Sladky also noted due to the COVID-19 outbreak they had sustained some losses and saw their costs increase.

Sladky asked if Plum Creek Care Center can no longer operate, if the city would purchase the facility as well.

When Sladky was expressing concern about Plum Creek Care Center being at a competitive disadvantage, Mayor John Fagot said the facility will not be tax exempt.

Fagot continued saying, The city is more or less acting as a banker and we will be putting this in play with a board at first, not run by any of us (city council) here. Then we will have to see where we go from there.

One possible outcome is the city acting as a bridge so the facility could return to the ownership of a private business, Fagot said. He also noted the Avamere facility was built with assisted living use in mind and it would be hard to change it over to something else.

It is not our intention to do anything to hinder your operations or compete any differently than how they have co-existed for years, Fagot said to Sladky.

Fagot also said the council discussed if Plum Creek Care Center is in a redevelopment area and there are things they need to do to improve the facility or make it more vital, the city has economic development funds or redevelopment funds the center could use.

We want to stress, that absolutely if there is something we can do to help you improve your facility, dont hesitate to contact us, Fagot said.

Sladky said he would take the citys comments back to the Lantis family.

After the discussion, the city council approved the purchase of the Avamare property for $1.2 million with the closing date to be held on or before Aug. 1.

In other business was a development agreement between the city of Lexington and Dawson County. Per the agreement, the city would take over the Dawson County Road Department building on the corner of W. 8th and Ontario St., while the county would take over a 10 acre tract near E. Prospect Road and Road 434 so they can build a new road building.

After agreeing on the exact wording of the contract, the Dawson County commissioners had approved the agreement during their meeting Friday. The city council in turned approved it, as well.

When asked what the city intends for the property, Fagot said they will tear down the building and find a best use for the space in the future.

The council then discussed if they would concur with the acceptance of a low bid for the St. Anns Parish Center Community Development Block grant project.

Pepplitsch noted the city is acting as a conduit for the funds which will be passed to a non-profit.

St. Anns Parish Center, the former St. Anns High School, is planned to be improved, with updates to the gym, bathrooms and basic structural improvements to the roof and doors.

The council approved the low bid of $452,000 from Lacy Construction Company of Grand Island.

A resolution for allocating levy authority to the Lexington Airport Authority was also presented. Pepplitsch said the request was $162,000.00, an increase from past requests as the airports operating costs have risen. The council approved the resolution.

The council sat as a board of equalization to consider assessments related to property maintenance abatement fees.

There were three properties in question, one of 15th St. with $500 in mowing costs, 7st St. with $205 in mowing costs and 12th St., with $170 in mowing costs.

The council approved a levy and assessment against the properties, a special tax to pay for the citys costs.

The council also approved a Walmart liquor license manager application for Christel Armstrong.

The council then entered executive session at 5:50 p.m. to discuss real estate negotiations.
The alleged shooter who attacked an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois, and then drove to Madison seriously contemplated attacking a celebration in Madison on the same day, police said.

Robert Crimo III, who police say killed seven people and injured more than 30 in the Illinois shooting, came to Madison shortly after the shooting before driving back to Illinois, where police apprehended him, Christopher Covelli, a spokesperson for the Lake County Sheriffs Office, said Tuesday. At the time, police said, Crimo had a .40-caliber folding rifle and 60 rounds of ammunition in his car.

On Wednesday, Covelli said it wasnt clear why Crimo drove to the Madison area, but while there he did see a celebration that was occurring in Madison and he seriously contemplated using the firearm he had in his vehicle to commit another shooting. The gunman ultimately decided against it because he didnt put enough thought and research into it, Covelli said.

We are deeply troubled to learn the suspected Illinois parade shooter considered carrying out another attack here in Madison, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said. We feel for the grieving families in Highland Park and all those forever impacted by the events of Mondays shooting. We recognize tragedy very well could have taken place in our own community. That reality is upsetting to all of us here in Madison, including the members of the Madison Police Department.

Informed by the FBI that Crimo could be in the Madison area, the department began to mobilize its SWAT team but stood down after learning the suspect, whose name Barnes pointedly said he would not utter, had been arrested in Illinois.

Police in Illinois did not specify which event in Madison Crimo considered attacking.

A number of celebrations took place in the Madison area on Monday. In Madison, Tribute to the Troops, a patriotic concert performed by the Capitol City Band, took place at Rennebohm Park, but inclement weather led organizers to cancel Fourth Fest 2022, a celebration at The Edgewater hotel. Mononas annual three-day Community Festival at Winnequah Park continued through Monday. And in Shorewood Hills, celebrations stretched from 8:30 a.m. to sunset, including a parade.

Madisons largest organized Independence Day celebration, Festival Foods Lights the Isthmus event at Breese Stevens Field, took place Saturday, two days before the shooting.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said the incident highlighted the need for federal action.

Weapons of war have no place in our community, she said. This time the shooter wracked havoc in Highland Park and drove to Madison. Next time, it could be anywhere. On his way here he drove past hundreds of communities celebrating the Fourth of July. All of us are at risk when weapons of war are on our streets.

Rhodes-Conway said Madison is working to control illegal guns, hold people accountable for gun violence and invest in violence interruption and prevention  but added the city cannot do this alone and called upon Congress to instate a ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines.

Phone left in Middleton

During his trip to the Madison area, Crimo left his cellphone behind in the 6500 block of University Avenue in Middleton, Covelli said. Police have recovered the device, and the FBI is examining it, authorities said.

Im glad he was caught, and my sympathies to everyone who was impacted, said Shorewood Hills Village President David Benforado, who helped organize celebrations in that village, which is bordered by University Avenue. People should be free to partake in regular, everyday community events like July 4th activities without the threat of someone killing them with an assault weapon.

Shorewood Hills will look at its security measures for Independence Day celebrations over the next year, Benforado said. In the interim, he echoed Rhodes-Conway and urged Congress to reinstate the federal assault weapons ban that stood in place from 1994 to 2004.

At the Monona Community Festival, organizers and police had been in constant contact throughout the day Monday, said Eric Redding, the festival president.

While the festival always works with the city and its police department and plans for a number of contingencies, Redding said organizers became hypervigilant after news of the Highland Park shooting emerged.

We live in the neighborhood in the grand scheme of things, Redding said. Learning after the fact that he was (in Madison), Im glad that law enforcement and everyone was thinking like that ... We felt as safe as possible because of that close relationship.

The incident marked the first serious security scare the festival has ever faced, Redding said. Over the next year, organizers will look at extra precautions for the 2023 festival, he said.

It was definitely a little scary, he said. These one-off situations that you hope never come around but you want to make sure are planned for ... Im thankful that we spent the time to plan.

News of the shooting in Highland Park reached James Latimer, director of the Capitol City Band, in the middle of the bands Tribute to the Troops Concert.

I almost broke down at the concert, he said.

With the news of Crimos trip to Madison, Latimer said he was further concerned.

Our fabrics have been shaken to the core. As I said at the concert, we have to do something, he said. I try to be as careful as I can and tell others the same thing, but Im prepared for the fact that that kind of an incident can happen, anywhere, any time.

Overlapping protection

Madison police have recognized the threat of mass shootings for years, Barnes said. The department has trained for such incidents and adjusted staffing of large events accordingly.

Mass shootings are far too common in our country, he said.

But large public events like parades and community festivals will always present security challenges, experts said.

After the shooting in Highland Park, police departments might respond by stationing officers on rooftops, said Gary Raymond, owner of Great Lakes Security Services in Milwaukee, a private security firm.

Theyre constantly trying to adapt to new ways of crime, he said of police. Now we have to worry about people on rooftops.

Madison does deploy drones and overwatch (snipers) during some events in Madison to monitor rooftops, Barnes said.

Police could also start using cameras more along parade routes, after cameras helped identify Crimo, Raymond said.

Organizers of large public events anywhere should also make sure they know how to create action plans for potential threats, said Mike Tobia, a former senior adviser for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and a senior vice president at Brosnan Risk Consultants.

While uniformed and plainclothes officers can make an impact, as can metal detectors and a secure perimeter, no singular magic pill exists to keep a crowd safe, Tobia said.

Its a culmination of many things that come together to form the highest level of security and safety, he said.

State Journal reporter Chris Rickert contributed to this report.
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.
Episode 45: A few weeks ago, a Google engineer was placed on administrative leave after he said a chatbot created by his employer had achieved sentience. The company said its systems imitated conversational exchanges but did not have consciousness. It also said the employee violated its confidentiality policy.

The question about whether computers have a soul is still open to debate, but whats clear is that theyre getting better each year and processing large amounts of data. Rick Kyte and Scott Rada discus how worried should we be about the future of artificial intelligence.

Richard Kyte: The real ethical problem with artificial intelligence Commentary: Artificial intelligence may be here but is humanity ready for the potential ramifications?

Links to stories discussed during the podcast:

A.I. is mastering language. Should we trust what it says?, by Steven Johnson, New York Times Magazine

Stephen Hawking warns artificial intelligence could end mankind, by Rory Cellan-Jones, BBC

AI could defeat all of us combined, by Holden Karnofsky

About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis.
Ebdaa microfinance company Bahrain has reached an agreement with the Bahrain Development of Small and Medium Enterprises Society (BDSMEs) to collaborate to support Bahrain's entrepreneurship system.

This cooperation comes as part of the outcome of Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal Al Saud, Chairman of Arab Gulf Programme for Development (Agfund) visit Bahrain last month and his directives to support entrepreneurs in the kingdom, especially the beneficiaries of the business incubators of BDSMEs.

The agreement was signed by Ebdaas CEO, Dr Khalid Al Ghazzawi, with BDSMEs board Chairman MP Ahmed Sabah Al Saloom, at the company's headquarters marking the launch of a cooperation program between the two sides that keeps pace with the priorities of the economic recovery plan related to increasing the contribution of entrepreneurs and emerging projects in the GDP of the Kingdom of Bahrain, diversifying sources of income and providing more jobs for Bahrainis.

Improving microfinance

Dr Al Ghazzawi explained that the agreement with BDSMEs will support the companys ability to improve the microfinance services for Bahraini entrepreneurs and increase the number of beneficiaries of the provided services. It also facilitates their access to this type of finance that has proven efficiency and effectiveness in transforming ideas into businesses, in addition to offering information, instructions, and financing.

Al Saloom said Ebdaa company will launch a programme that keeps pace with the priorities of the economic recovery plan related to increasing the contribution of entrepreneurs and emerging projects to the GDP of Bahrain, in addition to diversifying sources of income and providing more job opportunities for Bahrainis.-- TradeArabia News Service
Landmark Group, the UAE-based retail and hospitality conglomerate, has appointed Kabir Lumba as the new CEO for Landmark Retail.

Lumba will spearhead the groups retail business growth in key markets in Middle East and South-East Asia.

Former CEO/ Chairwoman Renuka Jagtiani will remain closely involved in the business in her capacity as Chairwoman for the group and will focus on developing the overall vision, strategy and strengthening governance.

Senior roles

Lumba joined Landmark Group in 2004, heading its business operations in India. In 2018, he moved to Dubai and held several senior roles, including Group Director for the retail conglomerate in the Middle East and CEO of the Groups largest fashion business, Max Fashion, which is now one the leading value-fashion brands in the region. Under his leadership, Max recorded sustained growth milestones, including increased online sales, entry into the South-East Asian market, and reigniting the business in Egypt.

Landmark Retail will maintain its commitment to delivering exceptional value to its customers and its stakeholders addressing changing customer behaviours and needs. Kabir will be responsible for the retail division across multiple territories, as well as strengthening its digital and omnichannel presence.

Commenting on the new appointment, Jagtiani said: Over the last decade, Landmark Group has achieved continued success and growth across brands and geographies. This is a result of our commitment to remain agile, stay relevant to the times, and adapt to constantly evolving customer and market needs.

New possibilities

As we look to embrace new possibilities, it is imperative that we appoint a proactive, future-focused leader who believes in our vision and can forge an exciting new era for our retail business. Having been a part of Landmark Group for 18 years, Kabir has a great understanding of the Group and business and displays remarkable leadership and people skills. I am proud today to transition the responsibility of the CEO, Landmark Retail to Kabir, who embodies the groups values.

Jagtiani added: The business will continue to be an intrinsic part of my life. In my role as Chair, I will be able to devote more effort to furthering the Groups vision and strategy, spending more time on the Groups other business verticals and exploring new business opportunities.

Lumba said: I am grateful for the trust and confidence the Landmark Groups Board of Directors have placed in me for this key role, and I am excited to unlock the next phase of growth for the division, both across brands and geographies. I am committed to driving value creation by building on our groups established legacy in the region and strengthening the bonds between our brands and millions of customers, through innovation across business. I am very fortunate to work with a strong senior leadership team and am confident that collectively we will continue our journey of growth under the able guidance and direction of our dedicated management.-- TradeArabia News Service
The first model of Apples iPhone was launched 15 years ago. Since then, many different smartphones have been introduced. The devices now influence our daily lives in many ways.

One thing that has changed is that many people now use their phones to easily take pictures anywhere, anytime, without the need for a camera. Not surprisingly, this change has caused major business problems for camera manufacturers.

Of course, the camera built into the first iPhone in June 2007 did not include a high-quality camera able to compete with separate camera models. But over the years, smartphone makers have invested heavily in research and development to change that.

Today, many smartphones have high-quality cameras designed to produce better pictures than the ones most people used in the past for personal photographs. And most phone devices also offer powerful tools to improve the quality of the pictures we take.

Major drop in camera sales

Japans Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) is one of the main organizations that collects and reports on worldwide camera sales data. Its members include major manufacturers such as Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Fujifilm and Sony.

In a report issued in February, CIPA documented the continued drop in digital camera sales. In 2021, total shipments of digital cameras fell 6 percent, the group said in a press release. This latest drop, however, came after years of decreasing sales.

CIPA said the digital camera market continually expanded starting in 1999, when record-keeping efforts began. It experienced its first decrease in 2009 and continued to fall thereafter. The biggest change appeared from 2010 to 2020, when worldwide camera shipments fell about 93 percent, CIPA reported.

Although there was a small increase in 2017, overall digital camera sales have decreased each year since 2018, CIPA said. The decreases were mainly caused by drops in shipments of digital cameras that have built-in lenses, notes market research company Statista.

Camera makers have had more success selling digital cameras with interchangeable lenses. This is because these cameras are generally targeted at professional photographers who demand higher quality. Such cameras can produce high image quality that distinguishes them from smartphones, CIPA said.

Business research company Research and Markets predicts worldwide sales are expected to keep dropping sharply. It noted in a report in February that the world market for digital cameras was estimated at 8.4 million devices in 2020. It says the market is expected to shrink to 1.2 million by 2026. The biggest drop is predicted for digital cameras with built-in lenses.

Smartphone cameras for professionals

The continuing sales drops demonstrate the huge influence smartphones have had throughout the camera industry. But this does not mean that professional photographers never use smartphones to capture pictures.

Some news photographers, for example, have found advantages in using them in their work. The Associated Press recently asked some of its photographers who use iPhones to describe how they use the devices.

Brynn Anderson is based with the AP in Atlanta, Georgia. She said: Sometimes being a photographer with a larger camera can be intimidating to the person being photographed. Using a phone makes it easier for me to get intimate moments that might not happen.

Dita Alangkara covers Jakarta, Indonesia for the AP. He said shooting with a smartphone opens up more possibilities on the streets of Jakarta. People are so used to seeing others taking photos with their gadgets that they just ignore me. This gives me a whole new perspective to explore

Rodrigo Abd, an AP photographer in Buenos Aires, Argentina, agrees. He says using the iPhone makes it easier for him to always be attentive to everyday events when not covering a news story.

Khalil Hamra is an AP photographer in Istanbul, Turkey. He said, "Truth be told, every time I take a nice picture with my phone, I feel that something is missing and could have been better if I took it with my professional camera."

Oded Balilty is based in Tel Aviv, Israel. "It is a different tool that definitely has changed what we do, he said of the iPhone. But, he added: It's the photographer, not the device, that determines the quality of a photo."

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from The Associated Press, Reuters and the Camera & Imaging Products Association.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

Quiz - As iPhone Turns 15, Smartphones Continue to Hurt Camera Sales Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

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Words in This Story

distinguish  v. to recognize the differences between to people, ideas or things

advantage  n. something good in a situation that helps you

intimidate  v. to frighten someone on purpose, especially so that they will do want you want them to do

intimate  adj. private and personal

gadget  n. a piece of equipment that does a particular job

perspective  n. the way you think about something

determine  v. to discover the truth or facts about something
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation on Thursday.

A series of political scandals led to Johnson losing the support of numerous government ministers and members of his Conservative Party.

Johnson said he will remain in office until his replacement is found. But his resignation as leader of the Conservative Party is immediate.

"Today I have appointed a cabinet to serve, as I will, until a new leader is in place," Johnson said. "I know that there will be many people who are relieved and perhaps quite a few who will also be disappointed.

Johnson added: I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world. But them's the breaks."

The 58-year-old Johnson came to power almost three years ago. At the time, he promised voters he would effectively guide Britain through its withdrawal from the European Union, a process known as Brexit. Britain voted to leave the EU in a special election in 2016.

The Conservative Party will now have to elect a new leader in a process that could take weeks or months. Among the possible candidates to succeed him are former Health Secretary Sajid Javid, former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.

In recent days, about 50 cabinet secretaries, ministers and lower-level officials resigned from their positions. Some spoke out in public about the prime ministers lack of integrity.

Johnson had remained in power as he defended himself against a series of political accusations. He had been accused of being too close to party donors and of protecting supporters from bullying and corruption complaints. He also faced accusations that he misled parliament about government office parties that violated COVID-19 restrictions.

Most recently, it became public that Johnson knew about reports of sexual wrongdoing by a Conservative lawmaker before he appointed him to a high position in government.

After the latest scandal, Johnson held on to power for days. He told lawmakers on Wednesday that he had a mandate from voters and planned to get on with the business of governing.

But he was forced to accept defeat Thursday morning after one of his closest allies, newly appointed Treasury chief Nadhim Zahawi, publicly told him to resign for the good of the country.

Im Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press and Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the reports for VOA Learning English.

_____________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

relieved  adj. feeling happy because something unpleasant did not happen or you are not worried about something anymore

disappoint  v. to make someone feel unhappy because someone or something was not as good as they had expected

integrity  n. honesty and the ability to do or know what is morally right

bully  v. to purposely frighten someone who is smaller or weaker than you

complaint  n. a statement that something is wrong or not satisfactory

mandate  n. support for action given to someone by the people voting or them

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One million Muslims are gathering in the Islams holiest city Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, for the yearly religious visit called hajj. The COVID pandemic severely restricted the hajj in the past two years, including a ban on foreign travelers.

This year, the Saudi government is permitting about 850,000 Muslims from outside the country to make the pilgrimage.

It begins Thursday.

The hajj is usually one of the worlds largest gatherings. Two-and-one-half-million Muslims took part in 2019.

Those gathering this year are required to be under 65 years old and vaccinated against COVID-19. They also must test negative for the virus within 72 hours of travel. The pilgrims are chosen from millions of requests through an online lottery system.

Saudi officials inspected the holy site on Wednesday and said they were ready to receive pilgrims.

After COVID-19 first began spreading in 2020, Saudi officials permitted just 1,000 pilgrims already living in the country to attend. Last year, the hajj was similarly restricted to 60,000 fully vaccinated Muslims living in Saudi Arabia. The restrictions shocked many in the Muslim world.

Religious pilgrimages raised $12 billion yearly in the country before the pandemic. The pilgrimages account for the largest percentage of Saudi Arabias total economic activity after oil.

Saudi Arabia is currently seeing about 500 new cases of COVID a day. About 70 percent of the country has been vaccinated against the virus. Last month, the government ended indoor mask requirements and some other prevention measures.

Pilgrims in Mecca are not required to wear face coverings or be socially distanced, as they were during the past two years. However, people are still barred from touching the Kaaba, the Islamic holy building that pilgrims walk around as they complete the hajj.

The Quran, Islams holy book, says that all Islams followers who are physically and financially able should make the pilgrimage once in their lifetime. It takes place over five days.

The hajj follows a path that Muslims believe their prophet Muhammad walked almost 1,400 years ago. It is believed to follow the footsteps of earlier prophets named in the Bible.

Im Caty Weaver.

Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press.

___________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

pilgrimage  n. a journey to a holy place

negative  adj. not showing the presence of a particular germ, condition, or substance

lottery  n. a system used to decide who will get or be given something by choosing names or numbers by chance

mask  n. a covering for your face or for part of your face

prophet  n. a member of some religions who delivers messages that are believed to have come from God
The day after Independence Day featured a unique combination of atmospheric factors that contributed to a stunning storm structure display that rolled right up to my front door.

July 5 was a stifling day in the local area, with temperatures up to 95 degrees and dew points in the upper 60s and low 70s. The worst of the severe weather was expected mainly in eastern South Dakota into Minnesota and Iowa, while there was a slight risk across most of Nebraska.

Pictures of the severe weather in South Dakota later in the evening garnered attention on the internet after storms displayed a vibrant green color.

What was interesting for Nebraska was the outflow from the South Dakota storms that was rushing from north to south. Storm outflow is simply the winds flowing outward from a thunderstorm. In the low levels of the troposphere, outflow radiates from thunderstorms in the form of a wedge of rain-cooled air, which is visible as a thin rope-like cloud on weather satellite imagery or a fine line on weather radar imagery.

If you have ever seen distant thunderheads on a summer night and were later felt a strong wind from the direction of the storms that helped cool the air, you felt the outflow boundary pass over.

This boundary can have a strong effect on local weather conditions, as the outflow spreads south; a weather site ONeill recorded a temperature of 101 ahead of the outflow. Not long after it passed over the site, the temperature dropped 30 degrees.

Around 5 p.m. the outflow boundary could clearly be seen from Lexington, denoted a thin line of clouds followed by some convective development. The tops of the South Dakota storms could even been seen far in the distance.

By 7 p.m., the winds began to increase and switch direction locally, marking the arrival of the boundary. It helped play a part in providing forcing for storms that built up along the Nebraska-Kansas border in the evening.

By 9:30 p.m., the storm complex began to approach the Highway 30 corridor. I was minding my business at home when I double checked the radar to see what the situation was. I noted the storms moving from south to north and was approaching Odessa.

I peeked out the window to see what the southern horizon looked like and the sight made me grab my camera bag and sprint down Highway 30 to get clear of obstacles.

The sight: a well-defined shelf cloud that occupied most of the southern sky.

A shelf cloud is a low, horizontal, wedge-shaped arcus cloud. A shelf cloud is attached to the base of the parent cloud, which is usually a thunderstorm cumulonimbus, but could form on any type of convective cloud. Rising cloud motion can often be seen in the leading, outer, part of the shelf cloud, while the underside can often appear as turbulent and wind-torn.

Cool, sinking air from a storm cloud's downdraft spreads out across the land surface, with the leading edge called a gust front. This outflow cuts under warm air being drawn into the storm's updraft. As the lower and cooler air lifts the warm moist air, its water condenses, creating a cloud which often rolls with the different winds above and below.

I was in awe of the sight and couldnt move from the side of the road; I could only take more pictures as this dramatic complex moved closer.

Ironically, on July 6, 2021 I had documented another shelf cloud arriving in Lexington and I marveled at how two days a year apart can have such similar weather.

Getting overtaken by a shelf cloud looks similar to being swallowed by a whale. Many storm chasers have taken to calling shelf cloud features, the Whales Mouth as a quick and descriptive phrase for what they are seeing.

As the storm complex fully overspread the town, the light faded fast and it was interesting to see fireflies much earlier in the evening than usual. Lightning on the underside of the storm also illuminated the turbulent inner structure.

In all, while the storm complex looked menacing, it contained few severe threats and only brought some much needed rain to the local area.

This little weather episode was a reminder of how some of the most unique weather phenomena can occur right here in the central Plains. You dont have to go far to see it, but you might have to be willing to sprint down the side of a state highway for a good picture.
USD 134 million UK fund to help catalyze green financing in Southeast Asia

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of the United Kingdom (UK) have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a 107 million (around $134 million) trust fund to support efforts by Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries to scale up green financing and shift to low-emission, climate-resilient development.

The UKASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility (ACGF) Trust Fund will leverage UK and ADB funds to accelerate a pipeline of low-carbon and climate-resilient infrastructure projects and catalyze financing from public and private capital sources. The fund will be part of the ASEAN Green Recovery Platform launched at COP26.

We are facing a climate crisis and Southeast Asia needs rapid and innovative solutions to help countries raise financing to deliver their climate targets and ambitions, said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa. This new fund will build on a longstanding UKADB partnership through an innovative revolving fund structure that will mobilize public and private funds and build a robust pipeline of climate projects in the region.

ASEAN countries are grappling with increasing costs of climate change, which add to the existing investment needs of $210 billion per year for infrastructure in the region and exacerbate the heightened vulnerability of people and the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a trusted partner to ASEAN, this UK financing delivered through the ADB is imperative to help deliver new honest and reliable green investmentcreating jobs and putting UK expertise at the heart of tackling climate change, said UK Minister for Asia Amanda Milling. Its another step in delivering the UKs commitments made at COP26 in Glasgow last year.

The fund will leverage financial resources for the ACGF, an ADB-managed regional green financing vehicle, owned by the ASEAN countries and ADB. Since its launch in 2019, the ACGF has attracted $2 billion in cofinancing pledges and included five projects in its formal financing pipeline. It has helped develop a longer pipeline of 29 green infrastructure projects and provided advisory support that has enabled countries to tap capital markets through the issuance of more than $5.6 billion in green bonds. The UKACGF Trust Fund will build on these efforts and support countries through loans and technical assistance to mobilize capital, including through regional initiatives such as the Blue SEA (Southeast Asia) Finance Hub, based in Indonesia.

ADB recently elevated its ambition to deliver climate financing to its developing member countries to $100 billion from 2019 to 2030. ADB is committed to ensuring at least 75% of the total number of its operations will support climate change mitigation and adaptation by 2030. The UK is a founding member of ADB.
Meghan Morris (University of Cincinnati College of Law) has posted Paramilitary Property on SSRN. Here is the abstract:

Paramilitarism is on the rise in America. In recent years, paramilitaries have mounted violent responses to movements for racial justice, climate emergencies, public health protocols, and migrant border crossings. Militias, white power organizations, and other paramilitary groups often claim their violence is justified as a legitimate defense of property, citing the need to protect property rights to land and water, as well as to businesses, ranches, and guns.

This Article demonstrates how property motivates, authorizes, and facilitates American paramilitarism  and how paramilitarism, in turn, has shaped property as legal regime and cultural ideal. This offers a new perspective on both paramilitarism and property in America. It counters the common understanding of militias as outlaws, engaged in violent projects that are both illegal and contrary to American ideals. In fact, paramilitaries have long grounded their ideology and action in both law and notions of life, liberty, and property that are central to the American creed. Paramilitaries seek legitimacy and authority in the defense of property as an object of ownership and as a constitutional right. At the same time, they shape property rules and practices by generating new interpretations of property and then shifting them into the mainstream. The intimacy between paramilitarism and property has gone largely unnoticed and untheorized. Yet it is key to explaining both the development and expansion of paramilitarism and the evolution of property doctrines and practices in America.

The Article first examines property as a fundamental motivating force behind U.S. paramilitarism and paramilitary ideology. It focuses on three illustrative case studies: paramilitary opposition to water shutoffs at the Klamath irrigation district in Oregon; armed counter-protests of Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Wisconsin; and militia patrols of the U.S.-Mexico border. Together, these cases illustrate how property has functioned for paramilitaries as an ideological touchstone, a means of recruitment, a source of authority and legitimacy, and a mode of racialization. The conceptual underpinnings of this relationship lie in paramilitary modes of constitutional interpretation. These laid the groundwork for the mainstreaming of paramilitary conceptualizations of property into broader American culture, shaping contemporary debates around public lands, racial justice, and immigration.

The Article then examines how paramilitarism has shaped property. Paramilitarism is an unacknowledged root of property doctrines as well as American cultural practices related to the acquisition and protection of property rights. It has influenced doctrines and practices concerning the acquisition of property, particularly during the settlement of the American West. It has also shaped rules and cultural practices related to the protection of property, including notions of defense against looting, self-deputization authorized by Stand Your Ground laws, racial exclusion and segregation during Reconstruction and under Jim Crow, and protection of resources in moments of environmental and climate crisis.

Recognizing the intimacies between paramilitarism and property yields crucial lessons for property theory. Property scholars have generally tended toward two conceptualizations of property typically understood as opposed: property as exclusion, or as a form of community. And yet paramilitaries have shaped property both through community ideals, and through racialized violence, exclusion, and paranoia, in ways that persist throughout American history. Paramilitary property teaches us is that property can be about both exclusion and community simultaneously; democratic values and exclusion are not opposed, but rather are often two sides of the same coin.
This is Beigel Bake, in Brick Lane, London.

Beigel Bake is notorious for its salt beef beigels and humongous queues.

In this blog post, Ill use Beigel Bake to explain how capacity utilisation impacts queues and illustrate how queues hurt a teams performance. For that, Ive written a few simple simulations to demonstrate how queues evolve over time and how capacity utilisation influences a queues growth.

Then, Ill compare the beigel shops queue to software development queues and expound on the similarities and differences between the two examples.

Finally, Ill present the alternatives for a software team to manage their queues, thus diminishing their economic impact and boosting the teams productivity.

The final part of this post summarises all the previous three.

In product development, our greatest waste is not unproductive engineers, but work products sitting idle in process queues.  Reinertsen, Donald G. The Principles of Product Development Flow: Second Generation Lean Product Development.





The impact of queues

To decide whether you should join Beigel Bakes queue, there are two questions you could ask:

How long did it take for the last customer to be served How long is the queue

Imagine you decide to take the first approach. In that case, you ask someone just leaving Beigel Bake: how long did it take you to get a bagel?. Ah, just two minutes,  they tell you.

Sweet! Two minutes for a mouth-watering salt-beef bagel? Thats a deal worth taking.

Yet, after joining the queue, quite a few minutes go by, and youre nowhere near the counter. Why did that happen?

It happened because the person you asked joined the queue before you did. At the time, the queue was shorter. Therefore, they took less time to get to the front of the queue.

Someone that joined a 2-people long queue gets their beigel quite quickly. On the other hand, someone who enters a 20-people queue takes way more time to be served. In other words, the time it takes for people to get a beigel is a lagging indicator. It doesnt tell you anything about how long you will take to be served. That is, not unless you consider the length of the queue youre joining.

On the other hand, if you know twenty people are in front of you, and each beigel takes thirty seconds to prepare, you can estimate youll take ten minutes to be served.

If every beigel takes thirty seconds to prepare, every person in front of you adds at least 30 seconds to the time it will take you to be served.

As you can see, Beigel Bakes queue size is a leading indicator of cycle-time  of how long it will take to get a beigel.

If you plot the cumulative number of customers leaving and arriving over time, the effect of queue sizes becomes easy to observe.

In the chart below, you can see that the rate of people arriving is greater than the rate of beigels served. Therefore, the shops queue starts to grow, as evidenced by the difference between the cumulative number of arrivals and the cumulative number of departures, which represents the queue size.

Besides the queues growth, the chart below demonstrates how customers joining a larger queue take longer to be served because they take longer to get to the front of the queue.

A queue grows when servers can't keep up with arrivals. Customers joining a longer queue then take longer to be served.

This type of chart is known as a cumulative flow diagram, or, in short, CFD.

In real life, most of us already follow this heuristic. If we see a massive queue, were less likely to join it. Instead, we can decide to go do something else and come back later, when Beigel Bake is less busy.

By contrast, in software development, we often make the mistake of looking at how long it takes for each task to be done  a lagging indicator  instead of looking at the number of tasks we have to do  a leading indicator of total cycle-time.

When it comes to software, our queues easily become invisible because theyre bytes on a hard-drive, not people on the sidewalk. Thats why most engineers are blind to queue sizes but adamant about continuously measuring cycle-time and trying to diminish it.

The problem with trying to influence total cycle-time is that it is determined by how long your task queue is. The lengthier your queue, the longer your lead times (and cycle times) will be.

But what is the problem with long lead times? asks the perspicacious reader.

The first problem with lead times is that they amplify variability: the longer the lead times, the longer cycle times will get. Thats because issues that join the queue later take longer to complete, even if theyre as complex as another issue that joined earlier.

The second problem with long lead times is that they cause specifications to rot.

Imagine, for example, that youve written detailed stories for implementing a new discount coupon system for your online Beigel Shop. Three months later, when a developer finally picks up the coupon systems stories, it may be that theyre not even worth implementing because you discovered customers are just as happy to pay the full price. Even in the best-case scenario, youll have to revisit those stories to ensure the assumptions youve made at the time still make sense.

Its even worse when engineers implement these rotten specifications. In that case, theyll have spent time writing useless features which dont generate profit. Instead, each feature increases the softwares bug surface, making it more expensive to maintain.

Either way, youve wasted time, effort, and money to create those specifications ahead of time.

Besides delaying feedback and producing economic waste, long queues demotivate engineers and make status reporting more complex, increasing management costs. Conversely, as queues get shorter, planning horizons shorten too. Consequently, we create more up-to-date specifications, which dont need as much rework and are more likely to generate profit because they have been made atop fresh pieces of information.

Furthermore, in case your customers dont like the new feature, shorter queues will allow you to start reworking it sooner.

Queues are the root cause of the majority of economic waste in product development.  Reinertsen, Donald G. The Principles of Product Development Flow: Second Generation Lean Product Development.

Now that you understand the damages caused by queues, lets look at how queues behave so that we can diminish their impact.





Understanding a queues behaviour

In this section, well simulate a queues behaviour so that we can understand it. Then, well look at how to make queues smaller so that we can reap the economic benefits produced by shorter queues.

Beigel Bake has a single queue and, usually, two employees serving beigels. Each of those employees takes anywhere from one to two minutes to serve each beigel. On Sundays, when Beigel Bake is the busiest, one to three people join the queue each minute.

Using this data, we can write a program that simulates the queues size over an hour. Our program will do the following:

It will simulate one second at a time. Every second, arriving customers will be matched to a beigel server available. If no servers are available, the customer will join the end of the queue. Whenever a server delivers the customer a beigel, it will move on to serving the first person in the queue.

After the simulation finishes, the program will plot an area chart. This chart shows seconds on the X-axis, and the Y-axis tracks the cumulative number of customer arrivals, and beigels served.

Heres the result for one run of the simulation.

When the employees can't serve beigels as quickly as customers arrive, a queue forms.

Similarly to the arrivals and departures chart I showed before, the vertical distance between the two bands represents the queues size, and the horizontal distance between them represents cycle time. Just like before, as the queue grows, cycle-time grows too.

The longer the queue, the longer will be the next customer's cycle time.

To diminish the time it takes for customers to be served, the beigel shop needs to reduce the vertical distance between the two bands.

For that, they must either:

Increase the rate at which employees serve beigels Hire more servers Do both

Lets simulate option one and see what happens when we halve the time it takes for each employee to prepare a beigel.

When employees take half the time to prepare a beigel, the average queue size is smaller.

In this scenario, customers are more likely to find a free employee when they arrive because servers prepare beigels more quickly and free themselves up sooner.

Consequently, customers are less likely to find all servers busy and thus less likely to join the queue. In turn, the average queue length over time is smaller, reducing cycle times.

Now, lets simulate the second option. This time employees wont be as quick, but there will be twice as many employees working.

When employees still take the same time to prepare beigels, but there are twice as many employees, the average queue length is also shorter.

In this scenario, similarly to the previous one, there is barely anyone in the queue at any given moment. Because more employees are working, the likelihood of an arriving customer finding all servers busy is also smaller.

In both scenarios, theres one common factor which reduces queue formation: arriving customers are less likely to find all servers busy. That could be either because more servers are working or because servers are quicker and, therefore, free themselves up sooner.

This likelihood of finding all servers busy is influenced by one variable: capacity utilisation. Capacity utilisation represents the percentage of busy servers at a given time.

The more free servers, the smaller the capacity utilisation. As servers get busier, the capacity utilisation increases.

In the first simulation, where we saw queues forming, our average capacity utilisation throughout the simulation was 99%. The average capacity utilisation in the other two simulations was 72% and 77%, respectively.

That leads us to conclude that the more capacity we add, the less likely queues are to form. Thats because customers are less likely to find all servers busy and, therefore, less likely to have to join a queue.

To summarise: at higher capacity utilisation levels, customers are more likely to find all servers busy and, therefore, join a queue.

To see how our simulation behaves at different capacity utilisation levels, lets run this very same simulation (2 servers, 1 to 2 minutes per beigel) 100 times. For every time the simulation runs, well increase the number of servers, thus reducing capacity utilisation.

After all the simulations run, well create a scatterplot correlating the average queue size and the average capacity utilisation for each simulation.

As the average capacity utilisation approaches 100%, the more likely customers are to find all servers busy. Therefore, the average queue size increases.

This scatterplot shows that the average queue size increases as the average capacity utilisation increases, just as we expected.

The effect of capacity utilisation in queue size can be even more apparent if we change our simulations parameters and increase the rate at which people join the queue.

This time, well make eight to ten people join the queue every twenty seconds. That will diminish each servers impact on capacity utilisation, thus causing us to have more granular data at high utilisation levels.

Causing every server to have less impact in capacity utilisation leads to more granular results in the higher ranges of utilisation. Now it's easier to see how capacity utilisation impacts the queue's size.

Theres yet a third lever the beigel shop could pull to diminish capacity utilisation: reduce the number of arrivals. However, that would not be a productive alternative in this case because it would decrease the shops profit.

Finally, another important factor to notice in our simulations is that it wouldnt make sense to force spare capacity by asking a few employees to remain idle. If we were to do that, queues would still form because there would be fewer employees working. In these examples, the only ways to drive average capacity utilisation down were to make employees faster, increase the number of employees, or reduce the rate of arriving customers.

The beigel shop would only benefit from having spare employees if they were designated to serve high-paying customers, for example.

In that case, those high-paying customers would be happier because they would face shorter cycle times, but that would be at the expense of longer cycle times for other customers.





Queues and variability

As youve seen, when the beigel shop operates at high capacity utilisation levels, queues form. Therefore, if the shops goal is to serve customers predictably, it must have excess capacity.

If the shop wanted to avoid having to have excess capacity, theyd only have one option: eliminate variability. Suppose every beigel takes the exact same amount of time to prepare and customers arrive at uniform intervals. In that case, the shops owner can hire the precise amount of servers needed to produce beigels at the same rate customers arrive.

The cumulative flow diagram below illustrates what happens in a simulation where each customer arrives at a 30-second interval, and a single server always takes 30 seconds to prepare a beigel.

In a deterministic process in which the arrival rate is the same as the departure rate, cycle-times remain constant.

As the chart shows, when theres no variability and arrival rates match departure rates, theres no chance that the next customer will find all servers busy when they arrive.

In such a deterministic process, the server is always free when the next customer arrives. In this case, cycle times remain constant, and the queue size is always zero.

The problem with this approach is that most processes cant be made deterministic. In the real world, there is either elastic demand or variability in the time it takes for tasks to be done. Consequently, if we optimise for efficiency, that is, for keeping people busy, queues will form, and cycle times will sky-rocket.

Thats the exact problem with Taylorism: it worships efficiency and thus allows for no spare capacity. This lack of excess capacity causes queues to grow, and, in turn, cycle time increases too.





Queue sizes, capacity utilisation and software development

Making the perfect salt beef beigel is complicated. So is making software. These two noble activities, however, also have plenty of notable differences.

In this section, Ill compare both examples and offer alternatives for better managing queues in software development.





Eliminating variability

The first obvious alternative to achieving predictable cycle times is eliminating variability in the time required to deliver tasks.

The problem with this option is that queues will continue to form if the team operates at 100% capacity. In that case, any arriving tasks would be queued.

Therefore, eliminating delivery variability would only be an option if you could also eliminate the variability of arrivals (the rate at which new tasks appear).

In the real world, none of these options is possible.

You cant eliminate variability in service times because software development is a stochastic process. The only way to know how long a task will take is to actually do it.

Eliminating variability in the rate at which tasks arrive is possible from a product perspective. In that case, you could simply create fewer tasks. You cant, however, write 100% bug-free software. Therefore, youd have to assume that no one in your team will ever have to pick up an emergency or handle unforeseen events.





Adding excess capacity

Increasing the number of developers is the next obvious alternative for any team because more developers add capacity.

Although this option seems straightforward, it would only work if the extra developers bring capacity utilisation below 100%. Otherwise, queues would still form, and cycle times would still sky-rocket.

Imagine, for example, that you already have a long queue of tasks in your backlog. Because that queue of tasks is excessively long, developers are already always busy. In that case, adding an extra developer will only be helpful if it allows your long queue of tasks to come down to zero eventually. Otherwise, youll remain at 100% capacity utilisation, and any new tasks will still go into the queue, increasing the variability of cycle times.

In other words, youd have to sub-utilise resources to achieve predictable cycle times.

Although its certainly possible to forcefully sub-utilise resources, its challenging to do so.

For you to always have spare capacity, youd have to allow a particular number of developers to remain idle so that they could respond to emergencies or surges in demand.

Alternatively, instead of having resources remain idle, you could explicitly allocate them to projects without deadlines. In that case, if a surge in demand happened, theyd drop their current work and address the incoming urgent activities. Some speculate that this is the reason for Googles 20% time, as explained here.

Please notice Im not saying hiring more developers isnt helpful. Hiring more developers is beneficial because it allows you to ship more tasks. What Im saying is that hiring more developers wont make your cycle times more predictable or diminish queues and their impact on your teams productivity.





Controlling queue sizes

In the beigel shop example, it would not be lucrative to impede customers from joining the queue as that would diminish the shops profit. On the other hand, if you dont introduce queue limits to a software development process, it creates a vicious cycle of sky-rocketing cycle times, rotten stories, and frustration.

Imagine, for example, a team of engineers operating near maximum capacity. In that case, engineers must stop their current work to help refine the new tasks whenever new pieces of work come in. When engineers stop working on their current tasks, these tasks take longer.

Suppose theres no queue limit for this team. In that case, queues will continue to grow because every new batch of tasks not only increases the queue size but also delays the current tasks, which are already delayed because of the extra refinement work.

Then, when engineers get to implement the tasks they refined, those specifications will be more and more out-of-date each time, demanding even more rework and causing further delays.

On the other hand, teams that control queue sizes can operate at maximum capacity without significantly impacting their cycle time. That becomes possible because the time between creating stories and starting to work on them remains small.

Limiting queue sizes is one of the main reasons Kanban works so well. The work-in-process limits in a Kanban process ensure that items will only move from one stage to the next once the next stage has signalled it has enough capacity to pull in the next piece of work.





The differences between Beigels and Software

The arrivals and departures are significantly different between the two examples in this blog post.

For these examples, Ive used uniformly distributed arrivals and departures. However, real-world queueing systems rarely see such a uniform distribution.

If you go study queueing theory, youll see most people use Poisson arrivals and exponentially distributed processing times.

Ive chosen not to do that in these examples for the sake of simplicity, as some of the same principles  the ones that matter for the topics I wanted to discuss  would still apply.





Putting it all together

The closer to 100% average capacity utilisation a system gets, the more likely it will be for new arrivals to go into a queue. As queues grow, lead times increase. Consequently, cycle times start sky-rocketing because teams will take incrementally longer to get to the queued tasks.

The longer a team takes to start a queued task, the more likely it is for its specifications to be out-of-date. These out-of-date specifications demand rework, which then delays other items in the queue even further.

Such a vicious cycle causes economic damage because it diminishes a teams productivity, makes its output unpredictable, and thus leads to decreased motivation, burnout, frustration, and poor financial results.

To make the most out of the resources available, you should control your queues size and match the rate at which tasks are created to the rate at which tasks are finished. Systems whose queue size is limited have more predictable cycle times. Furthermore, this just-in-time approach to creating tasks decreases the likelihood of specifications rotting, hence boosting productivity and reducing rework.

Still, to deal with an inevitable surge in demand because of an emergency, there should be a certain margin of sub-utilisation to prevent queues from forming. Alternatively, managers could also look into hiring temporary extra capacity to deal with these spikes.

If I were to summarise this whole blog posts content in one piece of advice, that would be:

Instead of trying to control cycle times and capacity utilisation, focus on controlling your queues as they're the biggest source of waste in software development processes.





Related material
A man arrived at a local hospital with multiple gunshots to his upper body Wednesday night as Kenosha police investigate a shooting in the city for a third consecutive night.

The latest shooting was reported just before 10 p.m. and officers were still on the scene just before midnight canvassing at homes, talking to residents and collecting evidence at 36th Avenue between 48th and 50th streets. The victim was driven to the hospital, according to Capt. Tim Schaal of the Kenosha Police Department.

"What we know is we have one male victim. He is in serious, but stable condition at the hospital," Schaal said. "That's the only victim that we know of as of right now  he was driven by a third party down to the hospital."

Schaal said officers were investigating two separate scenes, however, in the city's Wilson Heights neighborhood. Police radio traffic indicated officers were also checking on the possibility of another victim and were contacting hospitals in nearby communities, including Racine and cities along and near the northern Illinois border.

"It sounds like the incident started at one location and then progressed and moved along to the actual shooting location," he said.

Police did not have suspects in the shooting.

"There's a general lack of cooperation from the victim," Schaal said.

Police also continue investigations into two shootings that occurred in Uptown earlier this week including one at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the 6100 block of 24th Avenue. In that incident, a 49-year-old man to the hospital after he suffered multiple wounds as a result of gunfire. The man was reported in stable condition and expected to survive.

At 10:20 p.m. Monday night, five people were victims of a mass shooting including 20-year-old Anderail K. Armstrong of Kenosha who died in the incident that occurred in the 6300 block of 25th Avenue. Of the surviving victims, two had serious, but non-life- threatening injuries. The remaining two victims were in very serious condition, with life threatening injuries, but have since stabilized, police said earlier Wednesday.

No suspects have been arrested in the gun violence that occurred in Uptown.
In a UW-Madison chemistry department lab, an array of roughly 26 beakers test a local startups device concept that could help solve Wisconsins salt pollution problem in a renewable way.

The beakers contain a high purity wastewater salt solution, as well as ChloBis Water-patented electrodes, which are able to extract the salt from the water while generating electricity, said founding CEO Margaret Lumley. ChloBis Water, a desalination company with about three employees, was launched in 2021 out of her deep-seated desire to preserve the environment.

Using the energy-efficient process the startup has developed, the extracted salt can also be converted into chemicals like bleach and caustic soda (a chemical that unblocks drains), Lumley said.

Devices that are attached to each beaker feed data on to two computers that display how each electrode is performing  the experiments are a precursor to a battery idea Lumley said could serve not only the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District, but wastewater treatment centers and food processing plants across the state in their efforts to reduce their salt output.

Reductions are needed because the chemicals that make up salt  sodium and chloride  are harmful to Wisconsins freshwater ecosystems, according to the Department of Natural Resources. And current processes for removing salt from water use a lot of energy and create waste, said Kathleen Lake, pollution prevention manager at the Madison sewer district, adding thats what makes ChloBis concept game-changing.

Recent DNR studies have shown a steep increase in chloride loads over the years. In the early 2000s, the DNR measured about 600,000 tons of chloride annually. By 2018, that number increased to 800,000 tons per year, leading to over 40 lakes and streams being designated as impaired by high salt concentrations.

The increased chloride is partly due to the road salting that prevents your vehicle from sliding during the winter, the DNR said.

But the problem also stems from the water softeners that salt your shower stream, as well as chemical fertilizers, according to the DNR.

Chloride, which is toxic to various freshwater species, can flow into surface water through snowmelt runoff, and waste from water softeners gets discharged into septic and wastewater systems that can reach shallow groundwater. Fertilizers that farms use can additionally get infiltrated into Wisconsins freshwater bodies.

Plug and play

The battery would include several stacked electrodes inside a container, ChloBis Water co-founder and research scientist Do-Hwan Nam explained, adding that the electrodes are made of bismuth, a type of metal thats nontoxic to humans and cheap to purchase for the startup.

Nam, also an assistant scientist for UW-Madison, received his doctorate in materials science and engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.

Lumley, who herself has a doctorate in materials chemistry from UW-Madison, envisions that the battery could eventually hook into the water treatment infrastructure that plants already have in what she called a plug and play approach. She credits Nam for inventing ChloBis Waters battery concept.

The idea has received $256,000 from the National Science Foundation, as well as $75,000 out of the federal Small Business Innovation Research program in collaboration with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. and Madisons Center for Technology Commercialization. The startup received its patent through the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.

ChloBis Water is also supported through a fellowship program called Activate, Lumley said, which provides company founders with stipends, mentorship and entrepreneurial education. Activate gave ChloBis Water $100,000 for its research efforts.

The next step in the experiment is to test the electrodes using real water versus a salt solution, Lumley said, and in larger beakers. Subsequent moves will be building a prototype of the battery, and making sure ChloBis technology is compatible with the infrastructure of wastewater treatment and food processing plants, she said.

Ultimately, it is Lumleys hope that ChloBis will find a manufacturing facility somewhere in the area to hold its commercial battery units that the startup intends to sell. She also wants to create a strong board of directors.

I was raised by an entrepreneur, she said of her motivations for entering the water desalination industry. My dad has a wind energy startup. I spent a lot of summers interning for him. Having grown up in California, too, I was always very aware of water scarcity  seeing the ocean but never having enough water.

Digest

Madison online mental health services startup DotCom Therapy just launched a new mobile application for iOS and Android devices that helps parents of children with developmental disorders and delays connect with experts to receive advice about treatment. The launch comes on the heels of DotComs recent acquisition of Wolf+Friends, an online social network whose concept served as the apps backbone.

Madison vaccine company FluGen recently dosed its first subject in a study to test the safety of and immunological response to a vaccine it is developing. Study participants include adults ages 65-85 years. The research effort is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, the company said.

Downtown startup promoter gener8tor announced recently it has expanded into North Dakota. The company is launching a seed fund and three accelerator programs for startups in the state.
A new name and ownership has replaced a longtime Madison financial institution.

Home Savings Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Home Bancorp Wisconsin, has been purchased by Dupaco Community Credit Union based in Dubuque, Iowa.

Established in 1895, HSB had two branches in Madison with assets of $180 million and two dozen employees but which are now operating under the Dupaco name. The merger has resulted in an increase of Dupacos membership to nearly 149,000 and its asset base to approximately $2.9 billion.

For the majority of our 125-year history, Home Savings Bank was structured as a mutual institution, with a focus on serving our members and our community, said Jim Bradley Jr., board chair and CEO of Home Bancorp Wisconsin. Were excited about the opportunity to return to those roots as a credit union.

In its founding, Home Savings Bank was established as Home Savings & Loan, a mutual saving bank to provide mortgage loans to homeowners, a role that Madisons commercial banks of the late 1800s were not serving. However, in 2014, Home Bancorp Wisconsin completed a stock sale that raised about $9 million and converted the institution from a mutual savings bank to a stock-based savings bank.

Similar to the credit union structure, mutual savings banks are owned by their depositors while a stock-based bank is owned by its shareholders, which gives institutions greater ability and flexibility to raise capital. The sale to Dupaco returns the former HSB to a credit union structure.

According to Bradley, the current competitive marketplace and the increasing demands in the rapidly evolving financial services industry prompted bank management and the board to determine that combining with a larger organization was the optimal strategy for serving multiple stakeholders well into the future. It also is a good match for Dupaco, which has operated a branch in Platteville since 2002 and, prior to this years acquisition, already had members in Dane County, according to Joe Hearn, Dupacos president and CEO.

Dupaco and Home Savings Bank share similar values. Our combined organization will reinforce the foundation of a credit union that prioritizes the well-being of our members, employees and communities, Hearn said in a press release. We recognize and value Home Savings Banks 125-year history, leadership and local market expertise.

Dupaco is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative that was founded in 1948 by 10 Dubuque Packing Co. employees. It offers savings, loans, investments, insurance and wealth-management products for individuals and businesses, and serves residents in 113 counties with 22 branch offices throughout Iowa, northwestern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Its Madison branches are located at 3762 E. Washington Ave. and 7701 Mineral Point Road.
Josey Chu has been producing and selling her Southeast Asian sauces under the name Madame Chu since 2017, but only recently began selling noodles, samosas and interesting drinks from a stand.

For a day and a half over the Fourth of July weekend, she worked the Monona Community Festival, and while most cart and stand operators were charging $12 or more for a meal, Chu generously filled boxes of cold noodles for $8 and sold vegan samosas for $4, or two for $7. Both the noodles and the samosas were fantastic. (See our Diner's scorecard for upcoming places to find her.)

Noodles come with either Chu's homemade sesame sauce or satay peanut sauce, and a choice of tofu, chicken or pulled pork.

The long, wide noodles I ordered were coated in a delicious sesame sauce that had a perfect hint of chili pepper along with sesame paste, sesame oil, sesame seeds, ginger, onions and garlic.

Chu put a bed of chicken and beautifully sliced cucumber on top to achieve a perfect combination of tastes and textures. She piled the small paper box so high two people could've shared it for lunch.

When I came back for a drink and complimented her on the noodle dish, she told me that she boils the chicken breast for two minutes, takes it off the heat for 30 minutes, then lets it sit in its broth overnight in the fridge. That way, she said, it becomes succulent and not dried out. "It's grandma's approach."

Later that evening, I tried a samosa, which are baked not fried, and served with green chutney and tamarind sauce. Like the noodles, the potato and pea mixture inside had the right amount of heat. It also had a mild curry flavor.

Chu said samosa are an unusual food choice at the festival.

"Hot dogs are in heavy consumption during the Fourth of July," she said. "You don't need any education, 'Oh, this is how you eat a hot dog: with or without a bun, ketchup, mustard, relish.' Samosa is more of a unique, different cuisine, more like Indian, more like Trinidad or Southeast Asian type food."

Chu said that some people had questions about eating her samosa with the two chutneys.

"That required a little bit more education than your hamburger, cheese or no cheese, do you want tomato? Do you want ketchup? Get what I'm trying to say?" she asked.

Chu also offered a host of intriguing homemade drinks for $5 with $3 refills. Customers were invited to change to another drink on their return trips.

She had iced tea; ginger limeade; island iced tea with green tea, lime and spiced pineapple; green iced tea with green tea and lime; mango ginger limeade with mango puree, ginger juice and lime; mint ginger limeade with ginger juice, mint and lime; and horchata with coconut milk and cinnamon.

Chu used a manual juicer to squeeze fresh lime for each drink that called for it, which was nearly all of them.

My island ice tea kept me going on a brutally hot day.

She also sold peach hand pies (two for $5) made with cinnamon and sugar and drizzled with chocolate and condensed milk.

Chu didn't have the name of her business on her stand at the Monona festival, but was wearing a Madame Chu T-shirt. Her son Keagan Johnson, 15, helped out while I was there, and Chu's husband, Ben Johnson, assisted with setup and teardown.

When I called her on Tuesday, Chu said she was still recovering from working in the heat at the festival.

Chu began selling her sauces in 2017, and makes them at the FEED Kitchens on Madison's North Side. She sells her sambal nyonya, ginger garlic, and satay peanut nyonya condiments on her website, at Metcalfe's Market Hilldale, Willy Street Co-op and The Conscious Carnivore.

Nyonya is a garlic vinegar chili sauce in Chu's Peranakan cooking tradition associated with Penang, Malaysia.

Peranakan culture mixes elements of Chinese, Malay and Western cultures. Chu said her grandmother on her mother's side was half Thai and half Chinese. Her father's side of the family came from China to Malaysia and ended up in Singapore, she said.

Chu, 56, was born and raised in Singapore and came to UW-Madison in 1999 for a doctorate in industrial engineering, which she got.

She said she studied the human factors and usability in computer interactions. "After that, the passion grew into food."

Chu has also applied to be a vendor at the Madison Public Market, but doesn't have her hopes up "because I am a small business."

When I noted her reasonable prices relative to other food sellers, she said she didn't pay attention to how much others were charging.

"My goal," she said, "is to let people enjoy the food, sample and recognize Madame Chu's product."

Chu, who lives in Sun Prairie and also has a nursing degree, worked as a nurse for the Sun Prairie Area School District from 2018 through this year. "And then my husband said, 'Well, you cannot really continue to be a nurse and food processor, so pick one.'"

Diner's scorecard What: Madame Chu stand Coming up: Maxwell Street Days. The event runs July 14-17, but Chu will be there on July 15-16, at 444 State St., next to Lisa Link Peace Park. Dane County Fair, July 21-24 inside the Alliant Energy Center. Madison Night Market in her same State Street location, Aug. 11 and Sept. 8. She'll be selling sugar-free vegan ice cream at Vegan Fest on Oct. 1 at Lake Farm County Park. Website: madame-chu.com Prices: Samosas $4/$7, cold noodles $8, peach hand pie $5 for two, beverages $5 Credit cards: Accepted Vegetarian offerings: Yes, and vegan Service: Excellent Bottom line: Madame Chu's cold noodle dishes showcase her delicious sauces.
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.
A Madison man who authorities say terrorized a Southwest Side family before killing a toddler he also sexually assaulted was ordered to stand trial after a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.

A criminal complaint alleges Marshawn D. Giles, 23, beat, pointed guns and threatened to kill a woman and her children throughout April, a pattern of events prosecutors say culminated with Giles April 25 arrest after he threw a 20-month-old girl across a bathroom, causing multiple skull fractures that killed her.

On Wednesday, a Madison police detective testified about Giles alleged abuse of another child in the Schroeder Road home.

On April 18, Giles allegedly hit a 7-year-old boy and flicked him in the eye, said Detective Glenn Davis.

After Davis testimony, Dane County Judge David Conway found that there was probable cause that Giles had committed felony child abuse and ordered him to stand trial.

While Giles faces a slew of other charges, including first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree sexual assault of a child, Conway ruled that the charges were all related to each other and that prosecutors only had to provide evidence for probable cause on the child abuse charge.

Giles attorney, Michael Covey, objected, arguing that prosecutors were trying to send Giles to trial on a single count of child abuse alleged against a child thats not involved in any of the more serious counts at all.

Giles also faces charges of criminal damage to property, second-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree sexual assault and substantial battery, two counts of possessing a firearm as a felon, four counts of disorderly conduct and five counts of misdemeanor battery.

Giles moved in to the womans home on the 5600 block of Schroeder Road in early March and became increasingly controlling and abusive over me and my children, the woman told police, according to a criminal complaint.

Over the course of April 13, 14, 18, 22 and 23, Giles allegedly strangled her, pointed a gun at her and said, Do you want me to kill you? and Ill kill you now.

One incident was sparked, she told police, by Giles not wanting her children to go to school.

Disputes over her children going to school led to other incidents on April 22 and 23, the woman told police. She said he flipped out and smashed her work computer and hit her, then gave her a gun and told her she needs to go kill herself. After she locked herself in a bathroom, he broke in and beat her, she said.

On April 25, after a trip to Milwaukee, Giles again beat and sexually assaulted her. On Wednesday, prosecutors detailed how Giles then threw the 20-month-old into a bathtub then a toilet multiples times before sexually assaulting her. The child later died at a hospital.

When the mother fled the scene to alert authorities, she was naked because Giles had ordered the family to strip off their clothes, said Assistant District Attorney Tracy McMiller.

Giles pled not guilty at his arraignment following the preliminary hearing on Wednesday. He is being held at the Dane County Jail on $1 million bail.
Authorities said the accused shooter in Highland Park, Illinois became aware of a celebration in Madison and contemplated a second shooting here.

Officials did not say which celebration Robert Crimo III was talking about, and there were a number of July 4th activities in the area Monday.

Organizers of some of those events expressed frustration and sadness, over both the Highland Park shooting that killed seven and the possibility of the same thing happening here.

I'm glad he was caught, and my sympathies to everyone who was impacted," said David Benforado, president of the Village of Shorewood Hills, who helped organize the village's celebrations. "People should be free to partake in regular, everyday community events like July 4th activities without the threat of someone killing them with an assault weapon."

Shorewood Hills will look at its security measures for its Independence Day celebrations next year "over the next 12 months," Benforado said. In the interim, he called upon Congress to reinstate the federal assault weapons ban that stood in place from 1994 to 2004.

At the Monona Community Festival, organizers and police remained in "constant contact" throughout the Fourth of July, said Eric Redding, the president of the festival.

While the festival always works with the City of Monona and its police department and plans for a number of contingencies, Redding said organizers became "hypervigilant" after news of the Highland Park shooting emerged.

"We live in the neighborhood in the grand scheme of things," Redding said. "Learning after the fact that he was (in Madison), I'm glad that law enforcement and everyone was thinking like that ... We felt as safe as possible because of that close relationship."

The incident marked the first serious security concern the festival has ever faced, Redding said. Over the next year, organizers will look at extra precautions for the 2023 festival, he said.

"It was definitely a little scary," he said. "These one-off situations that you hope never come around but you want to make sure are planned for ... I'm thankful that we spent the time to plan."

News of the shooting in Highland Park reached James Latimer, director of the Capitol City Band, in the middle of their Tribute to the Troops Concert.

"I almost broke down at the concert," he said.

With the news of Crimo's trip to Madison, Latimer said he was further concerned.

"Our fabrics have been shaken to the core. As I said at the concert, we have to do something," he said. "I try to be as careful as I can and tell others the same thing, but Im prepared for the fact that that kind of an incident can happen, anywhere, any time."

Crimo came to Madison shortly after the shooting before driving back to Illinois, where police apprehended him, Christopher Covelli, a spokesperson for the Lake County Sheriffs Office, said Tuesday. At the time, police said, Crimo had a .40-caliber folding rifle and 60 rounds of ammunition in his car.

At a later press conference on Wednesday, Covelli said Crimo didn't drive to Wisconsin intending to launch an attack there but considered it. He decided against it because he "didn't put enough thought and research into it," Covelli said.

A number of celebrations took place in the Madison area on Monday. In Madison, Tribute to the Troops, a patriotic concert performed by the Capitol City Band, took place at Rennebohm Park. Inclement weather led organizers to cancel Fourth Fest 2022, a celebration at The Edgewater hotel. Monona's annual three-day Community Festival at Winnequah Park continued through Monday. In Waunakee, the village hosted WaunaBoom, a day of live music and free family activities. And in Shorewood Hills, celebrations stretched from 8:30 a.m. to sunset, including a parade.

Madison's largest organized Independence Day celebration, Festival Foods Lights the Isthmus event at Breese Stevens Field, was held on Saturday, two days before the shooting.
UW-Madison police said they are requesting a hate crime enhancer with a disorderly conduct charge against an Illinois man for an incident on campus on Monday morning.

On Wednesday, UW police received a report about a possible hate crime that had occurred two days earlier, UW police spokesperson Marc Lovicott said in a statement.

A UW staff member who is of Asian descent told investigators he was running on the Lakeshore Path near Lot 60 about 8:45 a.m. on Monday when a man yelled a racial slur from inside a vehicle. The man then got out of the vehicle and approached the UW staffer, who said he feared for his safety and was able to run from the scene and away from the man, Lovicott said.

UW officers went to the scene after the staffer reported it on Wednesday morning and found the suspected vehicle of the man who yelled the slur, and made contact with the driver, Tom N. Gbean, 28, of Oswego, Illinois, Lovicott said.

UW police are asking the Dane County District Attorneys Office to file disorderly conduct charges with a hate crime enhancer against Gbean, who has no affiliation with UW-Madison, Lovicott said.
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnsons campaign pulled a radio ad downplaying gun violence and emphasizing immigration before it was scheduled to air on July 6, two days after a mass shooter killed seven people and injured dozens in Illinois, according to a new report.

In the ad, which was leaked to The Intercept, Johnson draws attention to a mass death incident in San Antonio where more than 50 immigrants died in an abandoned trailer, attributing it to lenient liberal immigration policies.

The latest mass murder in America didnt involve guns, the Oshkosh Republican says in the ad that The Intercept reports was scheduled to air on July 6. Fifty-three people, including five children, were murdered by human traffickers because Joe Bidens open border policy is facilitating the multibillion dollar business model of some of the most evil people on the planet. Human, sex and drug trafficking are out of control because of Democrat governance. They have to be stopped.

A video version of the ad ran digitally beginning on July 1. The ad that was pulled was a separate radio ad based on the video version.

The Johnson campaign decided to pull the radio ad last minute, The Intercept reported, as the Illinois mass shooting once again put the conversation around gun control into focus and replaced the San Antonio event as Americas latest mass murder.

Asked why Johnsons campaign pulled the radio ad and whether they planned to run the ad again, Johnson spokesperson Alexa Henning provided a statement that didnt explain why the ad was pulled and said Johnson will continue to highlight Joe Bidens failure to secure the border and the human depredation that occurs as a result of that.

The ad does not downplay any recent mass shooting tragedy, Henning said.

In an email obtained by The Intercept, an executive from Katz Radio Group, a company that sells advertising space for radio stations, told colleagues to suspend the ad.

In an email with the subject line URGENT: Ron Johnson orders, a Katz Radio Group executive said on July 5, They need the creative pulled ASAP. ... If you listened to the spot it talks about mass shootings which obviously is not good creative after this past weekend (especially in Chicago), The Intercept reported.

The following day, a sales assistant at Cumulus Radio Group sent an email to colleagues stating, The rep for the Ron Johnson orders we entered yesterday is asking we pull the creative ASAP because of the nature of the message and how its a little too close to the mass shooting events over the weekend, The Intercept reported.

In May, Democratic senators rejected Johnsons effort to codify the Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety, which includes recommendations for making schools safer with information on bullying, emergency planning, mental health and other topics. That measure called for the clearinghouse to include information about threat prevention, preparedness, protection, mitigation, incident response and recovery.

Its a good idea, Johnson said at the time, after a gunman in Texas killed 21 people, almost all of whom were elementary school students. It could save lives. It is an action, when people are calling for action following this tragedy.

But Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., blocked action on the bill, saying he would focus instead on a measure that would authorize federal agencies to monitor, analyze, investigate and prosecute domestic terrorists. Republicans subsequently blocked that measure.

The measure Johnson proposed was later absorbed into a bipartisan gun control bill, later signed by President Biden, that Johnson voted against.

The package, which lawmakers heralded as the most effective of its kind in decades, includes grants for a program that would allow judges to block certain people deemed safety risks from owning firearms, known as red flag laws. The law also enhances background checks for gun buyers under 21, includes new federal gun-trafficking offenses and expands an existing law preventing people convicted of domestic abuse from owning a gun.

This bill provides resources to states to adopt red flag laws without requiring sufficient due process to those accused  thereby eroding 2nd amendment protections, Johnson said in a statement last month. I simply cannot support it.

Fourteen Republicans voted in favor of advancing the legislation, which passed the Senate 64-34, including some who said the legislation didnt conflict with the Second Amendment.
A split Wisconsin Supreme Courts ruling Wednesday in a roughly four-year-old public records case adds limits to when those seeking public records are entitled to attorneys fees  a ruling that open records advocates blasted for creating new barriers to transparency in Wisconsin.

In a reversal of a 2020 Wisconsin Court of Appeals decision, the states high court issued a 4-3 ruling that community group Friends of Frame Park is not entitled to attorney fees after suing the city of Waukesha for public records that the city later released before being ordered to do so by a court.

Previously, records custodians who voluntarily provided requested records after being sued could still be required to pay attorney fees if the lawsuit led to the release of the records.

The state Supreme Courts decision means those requesting public records can only recover attorney fees if a court issues a ruling on the merits of a case. However, voluntarily turning over records typically moots a case, meaning those fees may never be recovered, Tim Kamenick, president and founder of the Wisconsin Transparency Project, said in a statement.

Today is a dark day for transparency in Wisconsin, Kamenick said.

The Law doesnt say a plaintiff has to get a court order, it says a plaintiff has to prevail, Kamenick noted. When you get the records you sued to obtain, youve prevailed  youve obtained the result you wanted.

Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, described the courts ruling as a body blow to the states traditions of open government.

It undermines the provision in the open records law that allows litigants to recover actual costs and attorneys fees in cases in which access to records is wrongfully denied, Lueders said in a statement. The courts conservative majority has created new opportunities for authorities to deprive the public of access to public information.

Both Kamenick and Lueders called on state lawmakers to pass legislation clarifying state records laws in light of Wednesdays ruling.

Liberal justices Ann Walsh Bradley, Rebecca Dallet and Jill Karofsky dissented in the ruling, arguing that the decision could allow governmental agencies the ability to stall the release of requested public records without facing any penalties.

Without a robust fee shifting mechanism in public records laws, record requesters face a no-win scenario when a request is denied, Karofsky wrote. They can either acquiesce to the governments potentially unlawful withholding of the record, or they can bring a mandamus action to enforce their right to the record at the risk of substantial legal fees.

Karofsky added that the courts new standard for attorney fees may disincentivize government actors from making timely disclosures, eviscerating the very purpose of the public records laws.

The case at issue

The Wisconsin Court of Appeals in 2020 reversed a 2018 Waukesha County Circuit Court order that upheld the city of Waukeshas initial decision to deny the records.

Friends of Frame Park asked the city of Waukesha for a copy of the draft contract between the city and Big Top before a decision had been made. The city denied the request, citing ongoing negotiations.

A couple of months later and two days after the city sued, Waukesha released the contract to the group, but Friends of Frame Park continued with its legal action and requested attorney fees. The city had argued the case was then moot and it shouldnt be responsible for fees.

The City did not violate the public records law, conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn wrote for the majority. And thus, the requester did not and could not prevail in whole or substantial part in this action.

Fellow conservative justices Annette Ziegler, Patience Roggensack and Rebecca Bradley joined Hagedorn in the decision.

Circuit Court Judge Michael O. Bohren in 2018 sided with the city, ruling that it had correctly applied the law. Friends of Frame Park appealed, and the Court of Appeals reversed the circuit courts ruling, finding that that city wasnt correct in its initial decision to deny release of the records.
Attorneys representing Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham say that he intends to challenge the subpoena that he was issued by an Atlanta-area special grand jury investigating former President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia.

"Senator Graham plans to go to court, challenge the subpoena, and expects to prevail," attorneys Bart Daniel and Matt Austin said in a statement on behalf of Graham.

Graham's attorneys also wrote that in their "conversations with Fulton County investigators," they have been informed that "Senator Graham is neither a subject nor target of the investigation, simply a witness."

"This is all politics. Fulton County is engaged in a fishing expedition and working in concert with the January 6 Committee in Washington. Any information from an interview or deposition with Senator Graham would immediately be shared with the January 6 Committee," Daniel and Austin wrote in the statement.

Graham's legal team also stated that as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Graham was "well within his right to discuss with state officials the processes and procedures around administering elections."

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' special grand jury wants to hear from Graham because the Republican senator allegedly made two calls to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and his staff in the wake of the 2020 election.

According to court filings, Graham "questioned Raffensperger and his staff about reexamining certain absentee ballots cast in Georgia in order to explore the possibility of a more favorable outcome for former President Donald Trump."

The filing also states that Graham brought up allegations of widespread voter fraud, which have been widely debunked.

Willis' office said it will respond in court if necessary.

"Should witnesses choose to challenge an order that they testify before the Special Purpose Grand Jury, the District Attorney will respond in the appropriate court to compel their appearance," said Deputy District Attorney Jeff DiSantis.

This story has been updated with additional details.

The-CNN-Wire

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RUPERT  The police department participated in an undercover chat operation June 24-25 that resulted in the arrests of five people, according to a statement released by the agency.

Nine other local and state agencies were involved, the Rupert Police Department said.

Chase Quinton, 24, of Ogden, Utah; William Snyder, 40, of Pocatello; Joel Ramirez, 65, of West Valley, Utah; and Richard Castro, 28, of Hazelton were arrested in Rupert on charges of child enticement or attempted production of child exploitation.

John McCrill, 31, of Twin Falls was arrested July 1 for enticement of a child resulting from the operation in June.

The operations focus was to identify and arrest individuals targeting minor children over the internet for purposes of sexual abuse, Rupert Police Sgt. Sam Kuoha said.

The chat started prior to the operation as individuals contacted an undercover officers profile on social media sites and asked about illegal activity.

The Rupert Police Department asks anyone with information concerning the abuse of children to report it to law enforcement.
This summer, the Idaho State Department of Educations Summer Food Service Program will provide children ages 1 to 18 with free meals and snacks throughout the state, bridging the summer nutrition gap to ensure students a healthy return to school in the fall.

Anyone under the age of 18 can receive a free meal, and there are no income requirements for the summer food program. Several of the meal sites offer games and reading activities along with balanced meals throughout the day.

This program does so much more than provide healthy meals, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra said in a press release. Making our schools a central hub  even during the summer months  keeps Idahos students and families engaged in our educational communities. And, as we all know, although our kids take a break for the summer, hunger certainly does not.

Sponsors for the food program are reimbursed for each qualifying breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner served. In the summer of 2021, 58 sponsors served more than 4.1 million meals and snacks at more than 250 sites across Idaho.

Summer meal program sites have begun operating. To find a meal site, text FOOD to 877-877, call the Idaho Care Line at 211 or go to the U.S. Departments Find Meals for Kids map.
Editors note: This feature first ran Aug. 8, 2013, in the Times-News and at Magicvalley.com.

For 50 years after the federal government told it to disband, the local Ku Klux Klan laid low  until its resurgence in the 1920s, when the Klan came to town to recruit members.

By 1922, the KKK had become a minor political power in the West, with a focus on white Protestant dominance over blacks, Catholics and Jews. The movement got a foothold in California, then spread to Oregon and Washington.

The Klan pushed to increase its membership that year, claiming 35,000 members in Oregon alone, wrote Eckard V. Toy in The Invisible Empire in the West: Toward a New Historical Appraisal of the Ku Klux Klan of the 1920s.

In January 1923, the Rev. Lew Burger, a KKK leader and motivational speaker from New York, spoke at the IOOF Hall in Buhl. The Buhl Herald praised Burgers speaking style and said a dozen hooded Klansmen handed out membership forms at two of his lectures. Klan dues were $3.50 a year, plus a $10 joining fee. The newspaper did not report whether a Buhl branch  or klavern  was formed.

The next month, Burger spoke to a group in Idaho Falls and claimed that 38 members of Congress were Klan members. Curiously, H.W. Evans, imperial wizard of the Klan, declared that he had never heard of Burger and that no member of the Klan was allowed to discuss Klan membership, says a Feb. 15, 1923, Associated Press news article. Later that year, the KKK came close to taking control of the Twin Falls city election; Klan candidates were narrowly defeated. In 1924, about 150 men and women in full Klan regalia held a day-long rally at the Twin Falls County Fairgrounds.

A year later, Buhls only black resident received a threat from the Klan. Henry Field had run a shoeshine parlor in town since 1915. Field discussed the state of local banks after the post-WWI agricultural depression. Apparently, the Klan didnt approve of the discussion and threatened him in a letter. Although others had joined in the conversation, Field was the only one threatened.
BURLEY  A second Mini-Cassia business was fined more than $17,000 for safety violations after a fatal accident Jan. 25 at a Barclay Mechanical job site.

A 58-year-old man died at the site, 700 S. 350 E., where he was working on a silo. The mans name was never released.

The U.S. Department of Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued the company two violations and fined the company $17,403 on June 22, according to the OSHA website. The company has until July 19 to abate the penalties.

Abatement means the company takes action to comply with the OSHA standard or recognize the hazard identified by OSHA during the inspection.

The first and second violations were both for duty to have fall protection and carried a combined penalty of $17,403. A third violation for duty to have fall protection carries no penalty along with the fourth violation for fall protection system criteria and practices.

The OSHA case remains open.

OSHA also fined Heyburn company, Gem State Processing, for a fatal accident on Jan. 26.

The company was fined a total of $28,714 for two violations.
Twin Falls may make Idaho history in about a week when the Right Wing Party Convention kicks off on July 14. The Party will no doubt adopt an anti-Idaho, anti-prosperity platform that could threaten your jobs, your welfare and your safety. However, dont be surprised if Right Wing delegates go one step further and literally adopt the rejection of America into their platform.

Could Twin Falls be the seat of Secession from our great union?

Before you cry foul, Idahos Right Wing Party would not be the first to preserve the right to secede from the United States of America into its platform. The Texas Right Wing Party did it just last month. Specifically, the platform asks for a referendum in the 2023 election to determine whether or not the State of Texas should reassert its status as an independent nation. Thats a fancy way of saying Texas should reserve the right to secede from the Union.

Am I being hyperbolic? Absolutely not. Whether you realize it or not, Texas has a lot of Democrats. Trump only won the state in 2020 by about 600,000 votes out of 11 million cast. President Biden lost Texas by just 6 percentage points. Compare that to Idaho where Trump won by 30 points, garnering 63-percent of the vote. Ironically, that makes him about as popular as Medicaid Expansion  a program he tried to take away from Idahoans and Americans everywhere.

The point is, Texas, a state with millions and millions of Democrats, has a Right Wing Party willing to secede from the nation. How much of a stretch would it be for Idahos Right Wing Party to adopt the same platform given that it dominates politics in this state?

I wrote a column several months ago about the probable consequences of Idaho seceding from the Union. Spoiler alert: It doesnt end well for any of us. Several people posted comments declaring I was out of my mind. Then Texas came along last month and proved my point.

There is no such thing as hyperbole when it comes to Americas Right Wing Party.

I have no doubt Idahos Right Wing Party will adopt a slew of planks that, if enacted, would make all of us poorer, less secure and more isolated from the United States of America  regardless if they endorse Secession. Its possible, if those platform issues make their way to the statehouse, that Idaho may secede from the Union economically, morally and politically if not actually. I think we all, regardless of Party affiliation, should be scared of the consequences. If Idahos Right Wing Party is determined to role the clock back to 1858, everyone but wealthy straight white men are in danger. While that may be fine for less than 1% of Idahos population, that does not bode well for the remaining 99% of us. If you dont believe me, take a driving tour through Mississippi  home of Jefferson Davis  and let me know what you think. Davis grew up in an agricultural community in the Southwest part of the state along a major river.

Sound familiar Magic Valley?

As a former lifetime Republican, I cannot understand why my party hates America and this state as much as it does. It pains me to think the Idaho Right Wing Party may seriously debate a platform that involves Secession from the country I love so much. Ive spent a lot of time in Twin Falls and the Magic Valley over the years and I would hate for that city to be the place where Idahos Right Wing Party formally adopted Secession. But, like I said, there is no such thing as hyperbole when it comes to that.

Could Twin Falls become the seat of Secession for Idaho? Its not crazy to predict.

Just dont say I didnt warn you.
Registration for the areas largest back-to-school program starts Saturday at eight churches across the area.

The 16th annual Back2School program, started by The Community Fellowship Pastor Michael Harrison, will hold registration on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon and on Tuesday, July 19, from 6-8 p.m.

What we do is have registration events prior to what we call our big event, Back2School Director Katie Whitlow said, referring to the day on which school supplies and shoes will be distributed. We measure childrens feet so that we can make sure they have proper shoe sizes, and then the day of the big event we tell them an inspirational story.

Whitlow said that the story is intended to give hope and encouragement for the new school year. At the distribution on Aug. 6, students will get their feet washed and receive a backpack, new school supplies and shoes.

The principle behind the feet washing, Harrison said, is that its a humbling thing. Some people are like, Dont wash my feet, but we do it because Jesus did. That Last Supper he took off his robe, he put on a towel, took a basin and washed their feet.

The majority of the funding for the program comes from donations, sponsors and grants from various organizations. Whitlow said that the cost to run the program each year is around $95,000 to $100,000, with the cost per child at $22.

For registration there are no financial requirements or restrictions. All families have to do is show up with their children. Sixteen churches, eight of them local, are participating this year as locations for registration and pickup, and around 100 churches help the program in other ways.

Both registration dates and the pickup will also have meals for people who come to register, and some locations will offer free haircuts.

New this year, Back2School will hold a special registration day on Wednesday at Hooker Field during the Mustangs game. The team is one of the sponsors. Admission to that game will be free for children.

On July 15-17 Back2School volunteers will be at Walmart to pass out request lists of school supplies that shoppers can choose to buy for the children, and people will also be able to register their children there as well.

Once everyone has registered, volunteers from all the locations will come together to pack the backpacks with supplies and pray over each churchs batch individually.

Back2School will have a pickup day with fewer people and a calmer environment for special needs children on Aug. 5 at The Community Fellowship. Families will be asked at registration if their children need any special accommodations.

We really try to cater to the family, Whitlow said. It really is to also make it special for that special needs child who may not have the same opportunities as their siblings.

Registration locations include: The Community Fellowship at 2674 Virginia Ave, Mt. Vernon Baptist Church at 7174 Mountain Valley Road, Fairway Baptist Church at 9427 Fairystone Park Hwy, Uptown Ministry Center at 145 E Main St., Kearfott Memorial Baptist Church at 1403 Rivermont Heights, First Baptist Ridgeway at 15 Church St., Hillcrest Baptist Church at 18075 AL Philpott Hwy and Stanleytown Amazing Grace Baptist Church at 755 Fairystone Park Hwy.

Since its beginning, Back2School has served more than 32,000 children. The program was started in 2007 because we saw a need, Harrison said: students who need backpacks and shoes, but also needed school supplies.

The reason why we do it is because our motto is to demonstrate the love of god to our community and we do that through random acts of kindness so that we win the right to tell them about the greatest thing in the world, Harrison said. And we believe thats Jesus.

Of course we want to support families and students as they prepare to go back to school, Whitlow said. But for us, its kind of the vessel to plant that seed that there is a community of people who love them and want to encourage them and connect them with God. Its not about the shoes; its not about the backpacks  its something bigger.

To donate, visit the website gob2s.com or see the volunteers at Walmart next weekend.
The grandmother placed her head in her hands and began to sob.

"She didn't have to suffer," Adela Aguilar said, shaking her head as she recalled the moment when her granddaughter bid her farewell last month.

Adela Ramirez had just turned 28 and made a major decision: She was leaving Cuyamel, a small town in northwest Honduras, and heading to the United States.

"I told her  'Don't go. Here you live well. Here you can live anywhere you want, working,'" Aguilar told CNN affiliate Televicentro.

Still, Aguilar said her granddaughter was convinced she'd find a better life in the United States, where her mom and sisters were already living.

Now Aguilar and other family members and friends told Televicentro they're heartbroken and stunned after learning Ramirez was among dozens of migrants found dead this week in a semi truck in San Antonio, Texas.

Investigators are still working to identify victims in what one Homeland Security Investigations agent called the deadliest human smuggling incident in U.S. history. At least 53 people have died, and some victims could be younger than 18.

Authorities have said migrants from Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras are among the dead. And in communities thousands of miles away from San Antonio, devastated family members are beginning to come forward to share stories about their loved ones.

Two brothers were excited to find work in the US and send money back to their mother

Karen Caballero told reporters that her sons' journey to the United States was supposed to be the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.

"We planned it together as a family, so that they could have a different life, so that they would achieve their goals and dreams," she said. "This was the jumping-off point."

Authorities said her sons, Fernando Jose Redondo Caballero, 18, and Alejandro Miguel Andino Caballero, 23, were among the victims. Alejandro's wife, Margie Tamara Paz Grajera, 25, also perished.

Speaking to reporters in front of her home in Las Vegas, Honduras, Caballero recounted how much she adored her sons.

"To me, my sons were always the most beautiful children in my world," she said.

She told Telemundo that her sons were excited for the journey  the same way they'd been when they were young boys waiting to go to a birthday party. They'd wanted to build her a house with the money they'd earn working in the United States.

"Triumph, and stay focused," she told them before they left.

The brothers' grandfather, Miguel Angel Lara, told CNN en Espanol he sensed something bad had happened. The family had lost contact with them, he said, and then he learned about the tragedy in San Antonio.

"Someone told me, 'Look at the TV.' And I looked, and I said, my boys are there."

She texted her friend that she'd made it across the border

Back in Cuyamel, Adela Ramirez's loved ones told Televicentro they were struggling to come to terms with her death.

"We were like sisters," said Claudia Vallecillo, a close friend.

"I can't believe the news," Vallecillo said as she showed Televicentro the home where Ramirez had lived with her mother and sisters.

Balloons from Ramirez's recent birthday celebration are still in the living room, near the motorcycle she used to ride. Sandals and high heels are lined up against the wall in her bedroom, where a pile of photos includes an image from her 2015 graduation from the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Institute in Puerto Cortes, Honduras, with a specialty in business administration.

"Here I am, and seeing her things, I feel even worse," Vallecillo said.

Ramirez's mother and sisters had all left for the United States within the past year or so, family members told Televicentro.

And Ramirez left to join them last month, Vallecillo said. The two friends kept in contact throughout her journey.

On Monday morning, Ramirez sent Vallecillo a series of text message asking her to keep a secret.

"I'm in the USA now. ... But don't tell anyone," she wrote.

"Now I am going to be with my mama and my sisters," Vallecillo says Ramirez told her.

But Ramirez never had a chance to reunite with her family. Later that day, the truck was found in San Antonio.

As they mourn, Vallecillo says Ramirez's loved ones are hoping officials will help transport her remains back to her hometown.

"We ask the government to help us and send us her body so we can bury her here," she said, "to see her for the last time."

___
Toddler Aiden McCarthy was found wandering alone in the chaotic aftermath of Mondays mass shooting in Highland Park as strangers sought to reunite him with his family.

Tuesday it emerged that the parents of 2-year-old Aiden, Irina and Kevin McCarthy, were among the seven people killed when gunfire erupted at the start of the local Fourth of July parade.

Aidens grandfather, Michael Levberg, told the Tribune on Tuesday that he was eventually reunited with his grandson after Aiden was taken to the local police station.

When I picked him up, he said, Are Mommy and Daddy coming soon? Levberg said Tuesday evening. He doesnt understand.

Seated on the front lawn with two friends in front of the familys two-story brick Highland Park home under darkening storm clouds, Levberg, 65, talked about his daughter, son-in-law and grandson.

Irina, 35, was born in Moscow and moved with her family to Chicago when she was 2  years old. They later moved to Highland Park, where she grew up and returned to raise her own family, Levberg said.

Irina and Kevin, 37, met while working together at Physicians Interactive in the northern suburbs, Levberg said, and got married about five years ago. They bought their Highland Park home in 2018, according to sales records.

His son-in-law had recently promised to take him on a sailing trip to Ireland for his birthday, Levberg said through tears.

Levberg said the whole family will be taking care of Aiden, but the 2-year old is still waiting for his mom and dad to come home.

He doesnt know, Levberg said. He doesnt realize it.

The other victims of the shooting ranged in age from 8 to 85 years old. Among those who died were Katherine Goldstein, 64; Jacquelyn Jacki Sundheim, 63; Stephen Straus, 88, all of Highland Park; and Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78, of Morelos, Mexico. Officials have not yet released the name of the seventh victim.

A person who set up a fundraising site for the family wrote: The North Shore community rallied to help a boy we knew nothing about. We took him to safety under tragic circumstances, came together to locate his grandparents and prayed for the safety of his family.

Within three hours of the fundraiser going live, donors had contributed nearly $850,000.

Kevin McCarthy graduated with a bachelor of science in finance in 2011, and Irina McCarthy earned a bachelor of science in finance in 2009, DePaul University spokesman Russell Dorn said.
The air forces of the US and Egypt have carried out a joint training exercise at a base in the North African country, strengthening military cooperation between the two countries, Arab News reports.

The exercise involved a series of lectures on unifying combat concepts and exchanging training experiences, and saw a number of multitask combat aircraft deployed by the US Air Force and Egyptian Air Force for training flights on operational missions and mid-air refueling in the air both during the day and at night, the Egyptian military said in a statement.

The training flights demonstrated the extent to which the Egyptian Air Force has reached a high level of professionalism that qualifies its fighter pilots to carry out all tasks entrusted to them, the army also added.

Egypt is a major defense partner of the US in the region. The North African country receives hundreds of millions of dollars in defense assistance from Washington.
Irans Revolutionary Guards arrested Wednesday several foreign diplomats including a Briton accused of spying in the Islamic republic, reports say.

The Revolutionary Guards intelligence service identified and arrested diplomats from foreign embassies who were spying in Iran, Fars said, adding that a British diplomat was subsequently expelled from the country.

The Briton, according to Iranian authorities, was expelled from the area where the diplomats had been arrested in central Iran. British authorities confirmed the arrest of the Briton and his expulsion but rejected the spying charges. Reports of the arrest of a British diplomat in Iran are completely false, a British foreign office spokesperson said. Iran has launched wide campaign to thwart off the continued assassination of its scientists and officers allegedly by Israel.
The secretary general of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Mohammad Barkindo of Nigeria, died on Tuesday, official sources said. He was 63 years old.

The reason for his death, which surprised many, was not disclosed. The Vienna, Austria-based oil cartel also confirmed his death, saying he was a highly valued leader at OPEC.

Just hours before his death, he met with President Muhammadu Buhari. His second term as head of OPEC, a post he had held since 2016, was due to end in three weeks time on 31 July. He was due to join the US think tank Atlantic Council next month.

Mohammad Barkindo has led the bloc of crude oil producing countries through a turbulent period, marked by major crises such as the war in Ukraine and the coronavirus pandemic, which had precipitated the fall in oil prices.

OPECs 13 Member States have 1.24 billion proven crude oil reserves, or 80% of the worlds total.

During his tenure, Barkindo has advocated for a greater role for the private sector in discussions on energy transition. He has stood firmly on the side of oil producers who argue that more investment in oil and gas is needed until the world is able to run on alternative forms of energy.

It was also under his leadership that the oil cartel reached an agreement known as OPEC+ with Russia, the main oil producing country not a member of the organization. This agreement, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, has helped stabilize oil markets.

Born in Yola, eastern Nigeria, Barkindo began his career at the Nigerian Mining Corporation in 1982 before holding multiple positions for more than two decades at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, including as CEO. He also served as Deputy Managing Director of the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas.

A seasoned diplomat, Mohammad Barkindo led Nigerias technical delegation to the UN climate change negotiations for many years and served several terms as vice-chair of the UN Conference of the Parties on climate change.
The presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda agreed on Wednesday in Luanda to create an ad hoc mechanism to observe the cessation of hostilities between the two countries, which will be headed by a general of the Angolan armed forces.

The announcement was made by Angolan President Jao Lourenco at the end of a tripartite summit aimed at finding a solution to the conflict between the two neighbouring countries.

Lourenco also said that the two governments would reactivate their bilateral joint commission and that the first meeting would take place on 12 December in Luanda, the Angolan capital.

There was a perfect understanding between us, heads of state, which led to the result I have just announced, Joao Lourenco stressed in his capacity as mediator in the conflict.

The Luanda summit was preceded by a meeting of the foreign ministers of the three countries.

Relations between the two neighbouring countries have been complicated since the DRC took in Rwandan Hutus accused of participating in the 1994 Tutsi genocide on humanitarian grounds.

In March this year, Kinshasa accused the Rwandan government of sending special forces into Congolese territory.

For its part, Rwanda denies supporting the rebels and instead accuses the Congolese army of firing on its territory and fighting alongside the FDLR, an armed group led by Hutus who fled Rwanda after, according to Kigali, participating in the 1994 genocide.
Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara will meet his two predecessors Laurent Gbagbo and Henri Konan Bedie on 14 July, the government spokesman announced on Wednesday, a meeting that confirms the easing of the political climate in recent months.

This meeting is scheduled for 14 July, said Amadou Coulibaly after the council of ministers. The head of state speaks regularly with the two former presidents by phone but it was also important that this meeting took place, Coulibaly added.

The idea of a meeting between the three men was one of the recommendations of the political dialogue between the government and the opposition held earlier this year to calm the political climate in Cote dIvoire.

The country has experienced several political crises in recent years involving these three men, who have been at the forefront of the political scene for decades. In 2010, the presidential duel between Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara led to a post-electoral crisis that left some 3,000 people dead and led to Gbagbos arrest in April 2011.

In 2020, electoral violence during the presidential elections left 85 people dead and 500 injured. The election, boycotted by Mr. Bedie, saw the re-election of President Alassane Ouattara for a controversial third term, deemed unconstitutional by the opposition.
The government said on Wednesday that several hundred inmates, including about 60 jihadists, escaped from a prison on the outskirts of Abuja, Nigerias federal capital, on Tuesday night after a suspected Boko Haram attack.

The 64 jihadists incarcerated in the facility escaped, none of them are still inside, Defence Minister Bashir Magashi told reporters on Wednesday, adding that it was very likely that Boko Haram fighters carried out the attack.

Commanders of Ansaru, an al-Qaeda affiliated jihadist group, including leader Khalid Barnawi, had been held at the Kuje medium security prison since their conviction in 2017. Local residents reported hearing loud explosions and gunfire near the prison just 40km from the capital and the presidential villa on Tuesday night.

We heard gunshots in my street. We thought it was armed robbers, said one resident. The first explosion came after the shots. Then there was a second and a third.

President Muhammadu Buhari visited the scene on Wednesday afternoon, where the charred wreckage of a bus and several cars appeared to be frozen in front of a destroyed part of the prison.

As of late Wednesday afternoon, more than 600 inmates had been recovered and fewer than 100 others were still at large, said prison service spokesman Abubakar Umar. One security guard was killed in the attack, he added. Prison officials are still trying to determine the exact number of missing inmates, Umar said.

In the morning, security forces took about 20 recaptured inmates back to the prison in a black van. Former senior police officer Abba Kyari, who is being held at Kuje Prison awaiting trial on drug trafficking charges, is still in custody, he added.

A few hours before the attack on the Kuje prison, gunmen also ambushed a detachment of President Muhammadu Buharis security guards  who were not in the convoy  near his hometown where he is due to visit this weekend in Katsina state (northwest).
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Australia will offer a fourth COVID-19 vaccine to everyone over 30, health authorities said Thursday, as hospitals bulge with patients in a winter wave of infections.

The government said it is recommending a fourth jab for over 50sbut also offering it to everyone over 30 despite benefits to the younger age group being unclear.

It followed a recommendation by the top immunization advisory body, which said it recognized younger people might want a winter booster dose, even though its impact for them "is uncertain but likely to be limited".

Australia had previously recommended a fourth COVID shot only to people over 65 as well as to vulnerable groups, including those with weakened immune systems.

As new, more infectious Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5 race through the population, the number of Australian hospital patients with COVID has jumped by more than 1,000 in a month to about 3,900, with 140 people now in intensive care.

"This is placing real pressure on our health and hospital systems," Health Minister Mark Butler told a news conference as he announced the decision.

More than 95 percent of people over the age of 16 are fully vaccinated in Australia, where few people now wear a mask or take measures to socially distance.

As restrictions are gradually dismantled in a country that previously shut its international borders for nearly 20 months to exclude the virus, Australia this week dropped all vaccine certificate requirements for foreign visitors.

Explore further Australia to give fourth COVID-19 jab to over 65s

 2022 AFP
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

From changes in daylight across seasons to the artificial lighting choices in workplaces, it's clear that the quantity and quality of light that a person encounters can significantly impact mood.

Now, scientists at Brown University think they know why.

In a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, the research team used functional MRI to reveal how light-intensity signals reach the brain, and how brain structures involved in mood process those signals. The study demonstrated that some regions of the cerebral cortex involved in cognitive processing and mood show sensitivity for light intensity.

The discovery has implications for understanding mood problems like seasonal affective disorder and major depressive disorders, as well as how to treat them, said lead study author Jerome Sanes, a Brown professor of neuroscience affiliated with the University's Carney Institute for Brain Science.

"Identifying this pathway and understanding its function might directly promote development of approaches to treat depression, either by pharmacological manipulations or non-invasive brain stimulation in selected nodes of the pathway or with targeted bright-light therapy," Sanes said.

The findings build on previous research by study co-author David Berson, a Brown professor of neuroscience, who in 2002 discovered special light-sensing cells in the eye. Unlike rods and cones, these "intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells" are not involved in what's known as "object vision" or "form vision," Sanes said, but mainly function to sense light intensity.

Prior research, some of it by Berson, found that some animals have a mood-regulating neural pathway linking these photosensitive retinal cells to areas in the prefrontal cortex involved in mood disorders. Sanes said that the new study was designed to determine whether a similar pathway existed in humans and whether they could find evidence that the pathway had functional similarity to the light-sensitive retinal ganglion cells.

To determine whether a light-intensity-encoding pathway modulates the human prefrontal cortex, the researchers used functional MRI to explore whole-brain activation patterns in 20 healthy adults.

In a relatively simple experiment, according to Sanes, participants viewed four different levels of light intensity through goggles that diffused light and eliminated visual shapes, colors and other objects in the environment. Participants viewed light intensities ranging from dark to bright, for 30 seconds each. To keep them alert, they concurrently performed an auditory task requiring them to state the difference between two tones.

By assessing the functional MR images taken during the exercise, the researchers identified 26 human brain regions where activity either decreased or increased in accordance with light-intensity. This "luxotonic-related activation" occurred across the cerebral cortex, in diverse subcortical structures, and in the cerebellum, encompassing regions with functions related to visual image formation, motor control, cognition and emotion.

They found that light suppressed activity in the prefrontal cortex in proportion to the light intensity. The light-evoked responses in the prefrontal cortex and their alteration by prior light exposure resembled the responses of the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells.

It's well-known that changes in ambient lighting that do not necessarily have anything to do with form or object vision influence various basic functions, such as circadian rhythms, visual-reflexes, mood and likely cognitive processing, Sanes said. However, it had remained unclear how these light-intensity signals reached the relevant areas of the human brain.

In this study, the researchers showed that the prefrontal regions of the human brain have light-sensitive signals, and that these signals are similar to intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cellswhich together, Sanes said, may explain the effects of light intensity on complex emotional and cognitive behaviors.

"The findings from our study offer a functional link between light exposure and prefrontal cortex-mediated cognitive and affective responses," Sanes said.

One next logical question to ask, Sanes said, concerns how light affects these same brain pathways and regions in people with mood disorders like seasonal affective disorder or major depressive disorders.

"How does that compare to a control group of healthy people not diagnosed with these disorders?" he asked. "Does light activate the same regions, and if so, are these regions more or less sensitive to light activation? What is the magnitude of difference in the effect? This is an area of ongoing investigation," he said, adding that the answers could inform the development of therapeutic treatments for mood disorders.

Michael Worden from Brown's Department of Neuroscience and Carney Institute for Brain Science also contributed to this research, as did researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Explore further Researchers decode retinal circuits for circadian rhythm, pupillary light response

More information: Shai Sabbah et al, Luxotonic signals in human prefrontal cortex as a possible substrate for effects of light on mood and cognition, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2022). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Shai Sabbah et al, Luxotonic signals in human prefrontal cortex as a possible substrate for effects of light on mood and cognition,(2022). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2118192119
For women who can't get pregnant because they don't have a uterus or the one they have no longer works properly, uterine transplants can indeed help these women become mothers, new research shows.

Of 33 women who received a uterus transplant in the United States between 2016 and 2021, 19 delivered a total of 21 babies, the researchers reported.

"Based on the experience of the first five years of uterus transplantation in the U.S., this procedure should be considered a clinical reality in the U.S. and presented as an option for the many women with infertility due to a uterine factor [who are] interested in parenthood," said study first author Dr. Liza Johannesson. She is medical director of uterus transplant at the Annette C. and Harold C. Simmons Transplant Institute at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas.

But at least two transplant surgeons caution that the risks and expense of this procedure may still outweigh its benefits for some women.

So far, there have been more than 100 uterus transplants performed worldwide, and more than a third have been done in the United States.

Still, the procedure is not a simple one.

Before a uterine transplant, the recipient must take anti-rejection drugs so her body accepts the new organ. All women must also undergo in vitro fertilization to retrieve and then fertilize their eggs. The donor's uterus and blood supply are removed and transplanted into the recipient's pelvis to establish blood flow. A transplanted uterus can come from a deceased donor or a living donor.

About six months after a successful transplant, a single embryo can be implanted in the uterus. After a woman is through having kids, the implanted uterus is removed and immunosuppressive medications can be stopped.

In the study, 74% of recipients still had a working uterus one year after the transplant. In this group, 83% had babies. Blood supply didn't take in the first week or so for the transplants that weren't successful, the researchers noted.

The transplants took place at three centers in the United States: Baylor University Medical Center, the Cleveland Clinic, and Penn Transplant Institute/University of Pennsylvania.

"We also show that success is reproducible and not limited to single centers and that successful outcomes are comparable when the uterus is donated from a living or a deceased donor," Johannesson said.

Most women in the study were born without a uterus, a condition that affects around 1 in 4,500 women. Other options for these women if they wish to have children may include surrogacy or adoption.

"This group is only a small part of a much larger cohort of women with uterine factor infertility who may benefit from a uterus transplantation," Johannesson said. Other candidates may include women who have had their uterus removed due to diseases or conditions such as cancer.

"The women [who] may benefit from this procedure are more than a million in the U.S. alone," Johannesson said.

Transgender women are also increasingly interested in this procedure, she noted.

"There has so far not been any research done to see if a successful uterus transplant would be possible in a transgender female," Johannesson said. That said, there are centers around the world that have a specific interest in this group of women.

The findings are published in the July 6 issue of JAMA Surgery.

In an editorial accompanying the new study, Drs. Rachel Forbes and Seth Karp, from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., dialed back some of the enthusiasm for widespread adoption of these procedures.

These transplants continue to be done in select centers and should continue to be done only in centers with expertise, said Karp, director of the Vanderbilt Transplant Center.

"Long-term outcomes from immunosuppression and complication rates are not well understood," he said. Anti-rejection drugs can also increase your risk for infections and have other side effects.

About 1 in 4 living donors experienced a complication from the surgery in the new study, Karp noted. These procedures are also costly, ranging between $100,000 and $300,000.

"Speak candidly with your physician about the risks and benefits, and understand that risks are not well understood at this time," Karp said.

Explore further Third baby born after uterus transplant at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas

More information: Liza Johannesson et al, The First 5 Years of Uterus Transplant in the US, JAMA Surgery (2022). Liza Johannesson et al, The First 5 Years of Uterus Transplant in the US,(2022). DOI: 10.1001/jamasurg.2022.2612 Rachel C. Forbes et al, Uterine TransplantProgress, but Concerns Remain, JAMA Surgery (2022). DOI: 10.1001/jamasurg.2022.2652 Journal information: JAMA Surgery

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Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg with Moshe Biton (right) and Aviv Regev (left). The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is one of the major funders of the Human Cell Atlas. Credit: Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, CC BY-ND

The average body contains about 37 trillion cellsand we are in the midst of a revolutionary quest to understand what they all do. Unraveling this requires the expertise of scientists from all different backgroundscomputer scientists, biologists, clinicians and mathematiciansas well as new technology and some pretty sophisticated algorithms.

Where once a primitive microscope, essentially little more than a magnifying glass, would reveal a new cell directly and viscerallyin the same way that Antonie van Leeuwenhoek discovered sperm in 1677today it is analysis on a computer screen which brings us such revelations. But it's just as wonderful.

This type of research is hard in all sorts of waysfrom the science itself to the sociology of large teams working on itbut the pay-off can be huge. It certainly was for a consortium of 29 scientists who set out to determine which types of cells make up the lining of the trachea, or windpipeand stumbled upon a new type of cell that could transform our understanding and treatment of cystic fibrosis.

The first time the teamco-led by Aviv Regev at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvardcame across these cells, they were looking at an analysis of 300 cells in the trachea of mice. Three cells didn't seem to correspond to anything that had been seen before. Had it been just two, they might have dismissed it as an outcome of noise in the databut three strange cells warranted a closer look.

In lab banter, they became known as the "hot cells." The scientists repeated the experiment several times, and it soon became clear they really had stumbled upon a new type of cell in the trachea.

As it turned out, another team from the US and Switzerland had independently found the same thing. The two teams learnt of each other's work by chance at a seminar in 2017. "It was one of those beautiful moments in science," recalled Moshe Biton from the Broad Institute team, "when two groups found the same results separately."

Both groups confirmed that these new cells exist in the human airways as well as in mice and, after meeting up, agreed to publish their two papers side-by-side. These new cells had not been noticed before, simply because they are so rarethey make up around 1% of cells in the airway. But that doesn't mean they're unimportant. When the two teams looked in detail at what made these cells stand out, they came across something astonishing.

One of the genes active in these new-found trachea cells turned out to be CFTRthe "cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator" gene. This gave their work a whole other level of meaning because mutations in this gene cause cystic fibrosis.

Exactly how this disease is caused by the inheritance of a dysfunctional version of the CFTR gene has been a mystery ever since the link was discovered in 1989. Cystic fibrosis is a complex disease, usually beginning in childhood, with symptoms often including lung infections and difficulty breathing. There are treatments but no cure.

Now it seems possible that the key to understanding the cause could lie in working out what these newly discovered cells do, and what happens to these cells if the CFTR gene is defective. The research continues.

But already from this discovery, and other research using similar methods, there is the sense that our understanding of the body's cells is being transformed by a piercing new combination of biology and computer science. And this is where even more game-changing discoveries are about to be made.

The diversity of human cells

Every one of the 37 trillion-or-so cells in your body is unique to some extent. Types of cell are determined by the particular proteins they containso only a red blood cell has hemoglobin, for example, and a neuron contains different proteins from an immune cell. No two cells in the body contain exactly the same amounts of each protein.

The immune system is especially complex. It comprises many types of cells categorized by their core functionT cells, B cells and so on. But there are also countless subtle variations of these T cells and B cells. We don't even really know how many variants there arebut if we could understand what they all do, we would better understand the immune system. This in turn would enable us to design new medicines to help the immune system to, for example, better fight cancer.

One kind of immune cell that my research team at Manchester University studies is called the natural killer cell. There are about a thousand of these immune cells in each drop of your blood, and they are especially good at detecting and killing other cells that have turned cancerous or have become infected with a virus. Again, not all natural killer cells are alike. One analysis has estimated that there are many thousands of variants of this immune cell in any one person.

In 2020, my research lab carried out an analysis which suggested that variants of natural killer cells in blood could be organized into eight categories. While their different roles in the body aren't yet fully understood, it's likely that some are especially adept at attacking particular kinds of virus, others are better at detecting cancer, and so on.

Other types of immune cell can be even more varied. Evidently, our component cells are as diverse as the human beings they make up, and understanding how such complex populations of cells work together (in this case, to defend against disease) is a vital frontier.

Using the language of algorithms

To penetrate this complexity, the diversity of human cells must be translated into the language of algorithms.

A human natural killer cell pictured using Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) microscopy. Credit: Ashley Ambrose and Daniel M Davis, Author provided

Imagine a cell contains just two kinds of protein, X and Y. Every individual cell will have a specific amount of each of these two proteins. This can be represented as a point on a graph where the level of protein X becomes a position along the x-axis, and the level of protein Y its location along the y-axis.

One cell may contain a high amount of protein X and a little of protein Y (which can be revealed by a flow cytometer showing that the cell stains with a high amount of one antibody and a low amount of another antibody). This cell can then be represented as a point placed far along the x-axis and a little way up the y-axis.

As each cell takes up a position on the graph, those with similar levels of the X and also the Y proteinlikely to be the same type of cellappear as a cluster of points. If thousands or millions of cells are plotted in this way, the number of discrete clusters that emerge tells us how many types of cells there are. Also, the number of points within a cluster tells us how many cells there are of that type.

The wonderful thing is that this form of analysis can reveal how many kinds of cells are present in, say, a sample of blood or a tumor biopsy, without being guided in any way about which cells we are expecting to find. This means that unexpected results can turn up. A cluster of data points might appear with unexpected propertiesimplicating the discovery a new kind of cell.

Of course, cells need more than two coordinates to describe them. In fact, over the last decade, a type of analysisknown as single-cell sequencing has been developed to measure the extent to which individual cells use each of the 20,000 human genes it contains.

Which ones out of all the 20,000 human genes a particular cell is usingcalled the cell's transcriptomecan then be analyzed to create a "map" of different cells. We can't imagine cells represented on a graph with 20,000 axes, but a computer algorithm can handle this analysis in just the same way it would one with only two variables. Similar cells are positioned close together, while cells using very different sets of genes are far apart.

Algorithms to do this are borrowed from other fields of science, such as those used in analyzing social networks. Then we get to spend days, if not years, mining the output, deciphering what the map means: how many types of cells there are, what defines their differences, and what they do in the body?

Right now, this endeavor is happening on an unprecedented scale thanks to the Human Cell Atlas consortiumleading to all kinds of discoveries about the human body.

The Human Cell Atlas

In October 2016, Regev and Sarah Teichmann from the Wellcome Sanger Institute organized an event in London for around 100 world-leading scientists to discuss how to chart every cell in the human body. The elevator pitch was to assemble something like Google Maps for the body: "We know the countries and main cities, now we need to map the streets and buildings."

A year later, they had drafted a specific planto first try to profile 100 million cells from different systems and organs, using different people around the globe. Thousands of scientists in over 70 countries from every inhabited content have joined the consortium sinceit is an especially diverse community, as it should be for such a huge global scientific endeavor.

In many ways, this bold new ambition is a direct descendant of the Human Genome Project. By sequencing all the human genes contained in each human cell, officially completed in April 2003, all sorts of genetic variations have been linked to increased susceptibility to a specific illness.

However, genetic diseases manifest in the specific cells where that gene is normally used. So, crucially, an analysis of genes alone isn't enoughwe also need to know where in the human body these disease-causing genes are being switched on.

The Human Cell Atlas is bridging this gap between abstract genetic codes and the physicality of the human body. We've already seen one example of how important this isthe discovery of the cystic fibrosis gene being used by a new, rare cell. Another example comes from what happens during pregnancy.

Unlocking the secrets of pregnancy

For many years, we have known that the immune system is intimately linked with pregnancy. For example, some combinations of immune system genes are slightly more frequent than would be expected by chance in couples who have had three or more miscarriages. While we don't yet understand why this is, working it out might be medically important in resolving problems in pregnancy.

To tackle the issue, a consortium of scientists (co-led by Teichmann as part of the Human Cell Atlas project) analyzed around 70,000 cells from the placenta and lining of the womb from women who had terminated their pregnancy at between six and 14 weeks.

The placenta is the organ where nutrients and gases pass back and forth between the mother and developing baby. It was once thought the mother's immune system must be switched off in the lining of the womb where the placenta embeds, so that the placenta and fetus aren't attacked for being "alien" (like an unmatched transplant) on account of half the fetus's genes coming from the father. But this view turned out to be wrongor too simple at the very least.

We now know, from a variety of experiments including this analysis, that in the womb, the activity of the mother's immune cells is somewhat lessened, presumably to prevent an adverse reaction against cells from the fetus, but the immune system is not switched off. Instead, the immune cells we met earlier, natural killer cells, well known for killing infected cells or cancer cells, take on a completely different, more constructive job in the womb; helping build the placenta.

Illustration of cell identification process. Credit: Manon Chauvin via Wikimedia, modified, Author provided

The scientists' analysis of 70,000 cells has also highlighted that all sorts of other immune cells are also important in the construction of a placenta. What they all do, though, isn't yet clearthis is at the edge of our knowledge.

Muzlifah "Muzz" Haniffa is one of the three women who led this analysis. As a physician and scientist, she sees the body from two perspectives on an almost daily basis: as a computational analysis of cells on a screen, and as patients who walk through the door. Both as stones and the arch they make.

Right now, these two views don't easily mesh. But in time, they will. In the future, Haniffa thinks the tools doctors use on a daily basissuch as a stethoscope to listen to a person's lungs, or a simple blood countwill be replaced by instruments that profile our body's cells. Algorithms will analyze the results, clarify the underlying problem, and predict the best treatment. Many other physicians agree with herthis is the coming future of health care.

What this could mean for you

Babies are now routinely born by IVF, organ transplants have become common, and overall cancer survival rates in the UK have roughly doubled in recent yearsbut all these achievements are nothing to what's coming.

As I've written about in The Secret Body, progress in human biology is accelerating at an unprecedented ratenot only through the Human Cell Atlas but in many other areas too. Analysis of our genes presents a new understanding of how we differ; the actions of brain cells give clues to how our minds work; new structures found inside our cells lead to new ideas for medicine; proteins and other molecules found to be circulating in our blood change our view of mental health.

Of course, all science has an ever-increasing impact on our lives, but nothing affects us as deeply or directly as new revelations about the human body. On the horizon now, from all this research, are entirely new ways of defining, screening and manipulating health.

We are already accustomed to the idea that our personal genetic information can be used to guide our health. But a quieteralmost secretrevolution is also under way and it may have an even bigger impact on the future of health care: deep analytics of the human body's cells.

One day, a watch that can measure a few simple things about your body will be seen as a laughably primitive tool. In the future, maybe within ten years or so, a whole cloud of information will be availableincluding an analysis of your body's cellsand you will have to decide how much you want to delve into it. This revolution in human biology will equip us individually with new powersand we will each need to decide for ourselves if and when to deploy them.

You may, for example, one day visit your doctor with something abnormal on your skina rash, itch, or something else. The doctor may then take a small sample of your skin, or perhaps a blood sample, and from a complete cell-by-cell analysis of what's there, be able to precisely diagnose the problem and know the best treatment. Indeed, some of this might even be automated. Further into the future, if the equipment needed to do this gets small and cheap enough, perhaps the analysis could be done by yourself at home.

Diseases will also be more frequently predicted before any symptoms are present at all. Of course, this is one of the most vital missions of science: to stop human disease before it even begins. For some illnesses, this has been achieved alreadywith vaccines, clean water and improved sanitation. Now, with the human body opening up to us through computational analysis of cells, genes and more, new ways of pre-empting disease are emerging. We are compelled to seize this new opportunityyet in practice, there are challenges and unintended consequences to contend with.

Take a familiar example: the idea of the body-mass index, a value derived from a person's weight and height. This is used to label us as underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese. It's useful as it indicates an increased risk of health problems arising, such as type 2 diabetes, and steps can be taken to reduce the likelihood of this occurring. But the label itself can also trigger other sorts of problems relating to a person's self-worth, and how society views obesity and human diversity.

Difficult decisions about how you live

Every one of us is susceptible to some disease or other, to some extent. So as science progresses and we learn more and more about ourselves, we will surely all find ourselves drowning in data about ourselves, awash with estimates and probabilities that play games with our mind and our identity, and require us to make difficult decisions about our health and how we live.

It seems feasible, for example, that the state of a person's immune system, analyzed in depth, could help predict the symptoms they are likely to have if infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, for example. Markers of immune activity might even correlate with a person's mental health. One analysis concluded that particular pro-inflammatory secretions from immune cells (called cytokines) are found at higher levels in people who are depressed.

As we learn about the composition and status of the human body, this will inevitably establish new ways of assessing health. And it may very well help resolve problems in pregnancy too, as we've seen. But there are problems here tooif an analysis suggests a chance of a problem, say 50%, how would you act on this information if the medical intervention that could help has its own risks too?

There is seemingly no end to how the metric analysis of the human body will lead to important but complex new health decisions. Angelina Jolie famously acted on genetic information when she had both of her breasts surgically removed in 2013, and later her ovaries and fallopian tubes, following a genetic test which established that she had inherited a particular variation in a gene known as BRCA1. Crucially, she had been given a very high87%chance of developing breast cancer. In general, risks and probabilities about our health are much less clear than this.

So the question arises, how are we to act on all this new information? What if something has been identified that means your risk of developing an autoimmune disease or cancer is one in six in the next ten years? Would it be different if it was one in four? At what point would you decide to take medicine as a precaution, or undergo surgery, knowing that they also carry their own risks? And would this knowledge in itself make you feel ill? Would your identity be affected?

I don't have the answersbut that's the point. As this new science progresses, each of us will have to decide how much we really want to know about ourselves.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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High dose inhaled nitric oxide gas (iNO) is a safe and effective respiratory therapy for pregnant women hospitalized with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, resulting in a more rapid weaning from supplemental oxygen and reduced length of hospital stay, according to a research team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). In a study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology, researchers from four Boston hospitals reported that the addition of twice-daily nitric oxide to standard of care oxygen therapy decreased the respiratory rate of pregnant women with low oxygenation levels of the blood without causing any side effects.

"To date, very few respiratory treatments to complement supplemental oxygenation in COVID-19 pregnant patients have been tested," says senior author Lorenzo Berra, MD, with the Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, MGH. "Investigators from all four medical centers that participated in our study agreed that administration of high dose nitric oxide through a snug-fitting mask has enormous potential as a new therapeutic strategy for pregnant patients with COVID-19."

Pneumonia triggered by COVID-19 is particularly threatening to pregnant women since it may quickly progress to oxygen insufficiency in the blood and bodily tissues, a condition known as hypoxemia, requiring hospitalization and cardiopulmonary support. "Compared to non-pregnant female patients with COVID-19, pregnant women are three times more likely to need intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, or advanced life support, and four times more likely to die," notes Carlo Valsecchi, MD, lead author in the Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, MGH. "They also face a greater risk of obstetric complications such as preeclampsia, preterm delivery, and stillbirth."

Nitric oxide is a therapeutic gas that was initially approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1999 for inhalation treatment of intubated and mechanically ventilated newborns with hypoxic respiratory failure. With MGH driving many early studies, iNO in high concentrations was also shown to be effective as an antimicrobial in reducing viral replication of SARS-CoV-1 and, more recently, SARS Co-V-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. During the first wave of COVID-19, MGH treated six non-intubated pregnant patients with iNO at high doses of up to 200 parts per million (ppm). Findings of a more favorable outcome with iNO led MGH clinicians to offer this treatment to other pregnant patients, and to design the current study to determine the safety and efficacy of iNO200 for COVID-19 pneumonia in pregnancy.

To that end, a collaborative network of four medical centers in the Boston area was formed. In addition to MGH, it included Tufts Medical Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Boston Medical Center. Researchers and clinicians from multiple departmentsincluding critical care medicine, respiratory care, and maternal fetal medicinestudied 71 pregnant patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to these hospitals, 20 of whom received iNO200 twice daily. The study found that iNO therapy at this dosage, when compared to standard of care alone, resulted in reductions in the need for supplemental oxygen and in hospital and ICU lengths of stay. No adverse events related to the intervention were reported in either mothers or their babies.

"Being able to wean patients from respiratory support quicker could have other profound implications, including reducing stress on women and their families, lowering the risk of hospital-acquired infections, and relieving the burden on the health care system," notes Berra. "Above all, our study supports the safety of high dose nitric oxide in the pregnant population, and we hope more physicians will consider incorporating it into carefully monitored treatment regimens."

Explore further Benefits of inhaled nitric oxide therapy for pregnant patients with COVID-19
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The World Health Organization issued its first situation report on the spread of monkeypox on Thursday, detailing the typical profile of those affected by the outbreak so far.

According to available statistics, almost all patients affected thus far are male, with a median age of 37, with three-fifths identifying as men who have sex with men, the WHO said.

A surge in monkeypox infections has been reported since early May outside the West and Central African countries where the disease has long been endemic.

From January 1 to July 4, 6,027 laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox and three deaths have been reported to the WHO from 59 countries.

Case numbers have gone up by 77 percent since June 27, in which time two new deathsboth in the Central African Republichave been reported.

The WHO said 10 countries have not reported new cases for more than 21 daysthe disease's maximum incubation period.

Some 82 percent of the cases are in Europe and 15 percent are in the Americas.

The countries with more than 1,000 confirmed cases are Britain (1,351), Spain (1,256) and Germany (1,242), according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and WHO Europe.

Outside Europe, the WHO report counted 460 confirmed cases in the United States and 300 in Canada.

Sexual contact transmission route

In its first bi-weekly situation report on monkeypox, the WHO said that gender data was available on 4,406 cases, of which 99.5 percent were men.

"The outbreak continues to primarily affect men who have sex with men who have reported recent sex with one or multiple male partners, suggesting no signal of sustained transmission beyond these networks for now," the report said.

Men aged 18 to 44 account for 79 percent of cases, with the median age being 37.

There are six known cases among children aged under 18, and 25 known cases among healthcare workers.

"Among cases with reported sexual orientation, 60 percent (1,214 out of 2,025) identified as gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men; and 41 percent (335 out of 827) of cases with known HIV status were positive for HIV," the report said.

"The most often suspected and reported route of transmission, among known contacts, has been through sexual contact."

Atypical symptoms

The normal initial symptoms of monkeypox include a high fever, swollen lymph nodes and a blistery chickenpox-like rash.

But the report said that in this outbreak, many cases were not presenting with the classically described clinical picture.

Among the cases who reported at least one symptom, 81 percent presented with a widespread rash on the body, 50 percent presented with fever and 41 percent presented with genital rash.

Testing data indicate that the monkeypox virus genomes belong to the West African type, which is milder than the other Congo Basin group.

Explore further Monkeypox cases top 5,000: WHO

 2022 AFP
The only clinic performing abortions in Mississippi, the state at the heart of the US Supreme Court's historic about-face on women's reproductive rights, closed its doors Wednesday for the final time.

The Jackson Women's Health Organization, nicknamed the Pink House because of the building's colorful walls, performed its last pregnancy-ending procedures before a law banning all abortions goes into effect in the conservative, impoverished state in the US South.

"Today is a hard day for all of us @ the last abortion provider in Mississippi, The Pink House Fund, which raised donations to keep the institution running, posted on Twitter.

"It is our last day fighting against all the oddsof being there when no other providers would or could. We are proud of the work we have done here."

Jackson Women's Health gained international notoriety for having triggered the legal process that eventually led to the US Supreme Court's June 24 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that had enshrined the nationwide right to abortion in the United States.

The clinic had filed a lawsuit against a Mississippi law that would restrict abortion to 15 weeks.

With the case, the high courtwhich has shifted to the right with the appointment of three conservative justices by president Donald Trumpgave each state the freedom to ban or maintain the legality of abortions within their borders.

Thirteen states, anticipating the seismic shift by the court, passed trigger laws designed to take effect immediately after the overturning of Roe.

Mississippi's law, passed in 2007, carries penalties of up to 10 years in prison for violations, and provides exceptions only in cases of danger to the life of the motherbut not for rape or incest.

The Pink House had asked local courts to block the law, but they refused, leaving the clinic with no choice but to close.

With most neighboring states equally hostile to abortion, women in Mississippi who wish to end a pregnancy will have to resort to using abortion-inducing pills or traveling in some cases hundreds of miles (kilometers) to have an abortion in states like Illinois.

Elsewhere in the country, several other facilities have gone out of business.

Whole Woman's Health announced Wednesday it was shuttering its four Texas clinics and opening a new one in neighboring New Mexico.

Missouri's only clinic performing abortions, operated by Planned Parenthood in St. Louis, also stopped all such procedures as of June 23.

Legal battles have delayed the end date in Louisiana, for example, but ultimately abortion access is expected to disappear in about half of the country's 50 states.

 2022 AFP
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New research from the Registry of Senior Australians (ROSA) at SAHMRI has linked medication reviews to a lower risk of death for aged care residents.

The study, led by Dr. Janet Sluggett and funded by the Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacy (AACP), followed 57,719 residents living in aged care homes across Australia for up to a year, analyzing whether they were hospitalized, went to the emergency department (ED), or died during that period.

"We found that individuals who had a medication review within a 12-month period had a 5% lower risk of death," Dr. Sluggett said.

"There was no difference in the risk of hospitalization between residents who had a medication review and those who hadn't, the impact was solely based on mortality rates."

Only 22% of residents involved in this study underwent a medication review, despite all of them being eligible to access the free service.

Previous studies have shown residents take an average of 10 medications each day, yet only one in five receive a medication review from a pharmacist, which typically identifies up to four problems per person.

Another recent ROSA study funded by the AACP, focusing on the differences in medication use before and after a review, found use of some medications decreased following a review.

"Reviews often show which medicines can be adjusted or stopped, reducing the burden on the resident and boosting the quality of care," Dr. Sluggett said.

"There's a clear link between getting a review and a reduction in the use of some medicines, such as those for reducing reflux, which are often taken for longer than needed."

Obtaining a medication review involves multiple steps. The lack of an automatic referral system means a doctor's referral is required. A pharmacist then needs to visit the resident to make recommendations, before the doctor and nursing staff implement any changes.

"The aim should be to streamline this process to make it more easily accessible for all involved," Dr. Sluggett said.

Dr. Sluggett says a lack of awareness among GP's and aged care providers about the utility of medication reviews for residents is another barrier that needs to be addressed.

"A key component of this is building strong relationships between pharmacists, GP's and providers, together with residents and their families, so that all parties are on the same page, resulting in the highest possible level of care," Dr. Sluggett said.

"We hope this will be facilitated by the government's recent announcement of $345.7 million in new funding for pharmacists to work onsite in aged care homes from January 2023."

Published in Age and Ageing, the study was completed in response to the recommendation from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety that called for the evaluation of the medication review system.

AACP CEO, Grant Martin, says the association felt it was crucial to support the ROSA studies to further progress Australia's aged care system upgrades.

"The new evidence generated from this project enables accredited pharmacists to speak positively to the benefits of medication reviews in discussions with aged care residents and their doctors," Mr Martin said.

The research team is calling for medical practitioners to be more diligent in making referrals for medication reviews and encouraging aged care residents to be proactive in asking their GP for a review.

Explore further Aged care medication going unchecked

More information: Janet K Sluggett et al, Provision of a comprehensive medicines review is associated with lower mortality risk for residents of aged care facilities: a retrospective cohort study, Age and Ageing (2022). Journal information: Age and Ageing Janet K Sluggett et al, Provision of a comprehensive medicines review is associated with lower mortality risk for residents of aged care facilities: a retrospective cohort study,(2022). DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afac149

Provided by South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI)
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The reasons behind vaccine hesitancy among Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (NHPIs) in Hawaii at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic are explained in a new University of Hawaii at Manoa study. Researchers said the findings could provide a foundation for communication strategies for other health policies beyond the pandemic.

Until last fall, NHPIs remained significantly under-vaccinated compared to ethnic groups in Hawaii. A team of University of Hawaii at Manoa researchers surveyed Hawaii residents between March and August 2021 and their findings, published in Vaccines in June 2022, describes how racial/ethnic differences in trust between sources of COVID-19 information, coupled with the level of consumption of such information, corresponded to divergence in vaccine uptake.

"The study revealed for the first time an opposing role of trust in vaccine uptake that we were able to quantify," said Ruben Juarez, economics professor in UH Manoa's College of Social Sciences (CSS) and HMSA Endowed Professor of Health Economics at UHERO. "The levels of trust individuals expressed were highly dependent on the source of information they relied on to make decisions regarding their health."

Working in collaboration with the Pacific Alliance Against COVID-19 (PAAC), researchers surveyed 1,124 Hawaii residents during the group's COVID-19 testing events. Of the respondents, 61.7% self-identified as Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander. Researchers observed that:

Respondents exhibiting a higher degree of trust in official sources of COVID-19 information were 20.68% more likely to get vaccinated.

Respondents exhibiting a higher degree of trust in unofficial sources were 12.49% less likely to get vaccinated.

Trust in unofficial sources, along with consumption of COVID-19 information from such sources, explained vaccine hesitancy, specifically among NHPIs.

These findings are particularly relevant as Indigenous communities across the nation, including NHPIs, have experienced vaccine hesitancy at unprecedented levels due to historically derived sentiments of distrust in government and widespread use of social media as an information source.

In Hawaii, vaccine hesitancy among NHPIs is especially concerning. This population is at disproportionately higher risk for severe complications and mortality from COVID-19 due to long-standing social inequities associated with the higher prevalence of chronic diseases including obesity and diabetes.

"Results from our study implicate that public health strategies which nurture trust and health science literacy may augment COVID-19 mitigation efforts, an approach we are evaluating with a community and culturally relevant educational program we developed with our school-based partnerships that are coupled with supporting on-site COVID-19 testing," said Alika Maunakea, John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) associate professor.

Added May Okihiro, JABSOM associate professor and pediatrician at the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, "This data provides critical information for our community of health centers to act on the development of strategies to address health disparities more systematically."

This survey is part of a UH Manoa-PAAC partnership to increase COVID-19 testing capacity and vaccination in underserved communities, while collecting meaningful data to address these problems systematically.

Explore further International study reveals factors contributing to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among health care providers

More information: Ruben Juarez et al, Opposing Role of Trust as a Modifier of COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in an Indigenous Population, Vaccines (2022). Ruben Juarez et al, Opposing Role of Trust as a Modifier of COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in an Indigenous Population,(2022). DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10060968
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A joint research team from the LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) and City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has discovered that the electrical stimulation of the eye surface can alleviate depression-like symptoms and improve cognitive function in animal models. These significant findings were recently published in Brain Stimulation and the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

Major depression is the most common and severe psychiatric disorder across the world. Recently, the World Health Organization reported that the COVID-19 pandemic had triggered a massive increase in the number of people with anxiety and depression. About a quarter of patients do not respond adequately to the treatments available.

Dr. Lim Lee Wei, Assistant Professor in the School of Biomedical Sciences, HKUMed, and a former Lee Kuan Yew Research Fellow in Singapore, reported in 2015 that deep brain stimulation of the prefrontal cortex in the brains of animals could improve memory function and relieve depressive symptoms. These therapeutic effects were attributed to the growth of brain cells in the hippocampus, a region of the brain known to be involved in learning and memory function. However, this technique, also known as deep brain stimulation, is invasive and requires surgery to implant electrodes in the brain, which may cause side effects such as infections and other post-operative complications.

A team of Hong Kong researchers headed by Dr. Lim Lee Wei; Dr. Leanne Chan Lai-hang, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, CityU; Professor Chan Ying-shing, Dexter H C Man Family Professor in Medical Science, Professor of the School of Biomedical Sciences, Associate Dean (Development and Infrastructure), HKUMed, and Director of the Neuroscience Research Centre, HKU, has been looking for alternative ways to treat neuropsychiatric diseases. They discovered that the non-invasive stimulation of the corneal surface of the eye (known as transcorneal electrical stimulation, or TES), which activates brain pathways, resulted in remarkable antidepressant-like effects and reduced stress hormones in an animal model for depression. Furthermore, this technique induced the expression of genes involved in the development and growth of brain cells in the hippocampus.

In related experiments, Yu Wing-shan, a PhD student, and other research members from the School of Biomedical Sciences at HKUMed investigated whether this approach could be used to treat Alzheimer's disease, a common type of dementia with no definitive cure. They found that this non-invasive stimulation in mice drastically improved memory performance and reduced beta-amyloid deposits in the hippocampus, which is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Leanne Chan Lai-hang, an expert on the electrical stimulation of visual and non-visual brain targets, said of this research, "Transcorneal electrical stimulation is a non-invasive method initially developed to treat eye diseases, and it would be a major scientific breakthrough if it could be applied to treat neuropsychiatric diseases."

"These research findings pave the way for new therapeutic opportunities to develop novel treatment for patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression and dementia. Nevertheless, clinical trials must be conducted to validate the efficacy and safety," remarked Professor Chan Ying-shing.

Explore further How electrical stimulation reorganizes the brain

More information: Wing Shan Yu et al, Antidepressant-like effects of transcorneal electrical stimulation in rat models, Brain Stimulation (2022). Wing Shan Yu et al, Antidepressant-like effects of transcorneal electrical stimulation in rat models,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2022.05.018 Wing Shan Yu et al, Transcorneal electrical stimulation enhances cognitive functions in aged and 5XFAD mouse models, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (2022). DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14850
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

A diagnosis of prostate cancer can bring up many worries. There may be a general fear around having cancer, questions about the best treatment, and anxiety about how a treatment could affect such vital things as sexual function and continence. While those concerns are real, it may help to know that prostate cancer treatmentand prostate surgery, in particularlooks much different today than it did even a decade ago.

Patients have more choices now. And surgeons with specialized training and expertise in prostate cancer surgery have a wider range of techniques and technology to work with than ever before. They can tailor a type of surgery specifically to the patient, while also increasing the odds of an easy recovery with minimal side effects and complications.

First, it's important to know that prostate cancer is commonit is, in fact, the second leading cause of cancer death for men in the United States. But for many, the cancer grows so slowly that doctors may recommend a program of monitoring the cancer rather than rushing to treat it. This is especially true for older men who are likely to die from something other than their prostate disease, especially if they have other conditions.

This is the case for about 20 to 30% of patients who come to Yale Medicine for prostate cancer care, says Isaac Kim, MD, Ph.D., MBA, professor and chair of the Department of Urology at Yale School of Medicine, noting that these patients can be monitored, with no urgent need for immediate treatment. "The rest should probably have surgery or radiation," he says.

And for many patients who need treatment, the idea of surgery brings worry. "Patients come to my office concerned about the potential side effects of surgerythey are afraid they will become incontinent or have erectile dysfunction," says Dr. Kim, who has performed more than 2,100 robotic prostate cancer surgeries. "But outcomes from prostate surgery can be much better than you think if you intervene early, especially with the current robotic technology."

We spoke more with Dr. Kim and Yale Medicine urologist Preston Sprenkle, MD. Below, they share their knowledge about the latest innovations in prostate cancer surgery.

Ask your prostate surgeon the right questions

The choice of prostate cancer treatment depends on such factors as age and general health, as well as a patient's risk categorization determined by their Gleason score. The Gleason score, a way of estimating how likely the cancer is to spread, is determined based on a biopsy sample. Gleason risk groups range from low/very low to intermediate (broken out to favorable or unfavorable) to high/very high.

First, you need as much information as possible about your prostate cancer. Yale Medicine has an Active Surveillance Program that uses advanced imaging and real-time ultrasound to monitor and biopsy suspicious lesions. Many patients in the program who have a low-grade form of prostate cancer never need surgery, Dr. Sprenkle says.

For men who do need surgery, there are at least three questions they should be sure to ask the surgeon, he adds. The first is which surgical approach is going to provide the best control of the cancer? The second is which approach will have the fewest side effects? The third is which approach tends to have the swiftest recovery, the quickest hospital stay, and fastest return to function?

It's important to keep in mind that different surgeons may have different opinions on the best surgery in a given situation, and they won't all have the same levels of experience with some operations. For that reason, Dr. Sprenkle encourages patients to ask questions about the surgeon's comfort level with a recommended surgery and the number of times they have performed it.

He also suggests asking them about the outcomes with that surgery in their practice, including the rates of continence and erectile dysfunction after the surgery. "You're looking to understand what, in the surgeon's mind, are the factors that contribute to their success rates."

Most prostate surgeries are now done robotically

In the U.S., about 95% of prostate surgeries are performed robotically, with the surgeon sitting apart from the patient at a control console, watching progress on a high-definition monitor while controlling the robot remotely. The robot translates the surgeon's hand movements into precise micro-movements, making it easy for them to manipulate a tiny camera and surgical instruments with greater range of motion than they could with their hands.

Robotic procedures are done with the patient under general anesthesia and take two hours or more to complete. The possibility of side effects is a concern with any type of prostatectomyeven with the aid of a robotthe main ones being an inability to control urine after surgery, and difficulty having or maintaining an erection. There are several different types of robotic surgeries, and each one comes with its own set of benefits.

Single-port robotic surgery: One tiny incision

Dr. Kim estimates that about 50% of men who have a robotic prostatectomy at Yale are eligible for a single-port robotic surgery, which essentially turns the removal of the prostate into an outpatient procedure. In addition to allowing patients to go home the same day, the surgery is associated with less pain, fewer wound complications, and minimal scarring. Yale New Haven Hospital has the only single-port robot in Connecticut.

The surgeon performs the single-port surgery using the da Vinci Robotic System, which is the only surgical robot approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to perform various types of procedures. The newest generation da Vinci robot has a single robotic arm. By comparison, the previous generation da Vinci robot, which is still used for many other types of prostatectomies, has four armsand requires five buttonhole-sized incisions compared to the single 4- to 5-inch incision used for an open surgery.

The key difference with the single-robot arm is that it can work in a smaller cavity in the abdomen (called the extraperitoneal space), rather than in a larger cavity (called the peritoneal space), which contains the bowel and other organs. "When you have four arms involved you need a much bigger space, because the footprint of the robot is large," Dr. Kim says. "Whenever you are occupying the space in which the bowel sits, there is a higher rate of potential complications."

Working in the extraperitoneal space, "the impact to the body is significantly lessand so is the painand patients go home the same day." Another benefit is that there is no need to set the patient up in what is known as "steep trendelenburg positioning," with their legs in the air and head down at a 30- to 45-degree angle, which can be a major source of stress for patients under anesthesia, and is associated with congestion and respiratory problems during surgery. During the single-port surgery, "they can essentially stay flat on the table," says Dr. Kim.

Retzius-sparing surgery has a good record of continence recovery

Dr. Sprenkle says he's had success with an approach called retzius-sparing prostatectomy, which is associated with better earlier continence rates compared to other prostate-removing surgeries. The term "continence rate" refers to the ability to control your bladder and bowel to the extent that there is either no leakage or it is minor enough to allow you to live normally, wearing a pad.

"This can get to personal preference," Dr. Sprenkle says. With the retzius-sparing surgery, multiple studies have shown that a much higher percentage of men have a faster recovery of continence than they would with the multiple-incision robotic surgery or with the single-port surgery. "A much higher percentage of men are 'completely continent' when the catheter comes out," he says.

The surgery uses a robot, but approaches the prostate from below the bladder rather than from above it. The surgeon works through the peritoneumthe tissue that lines the abdominal wall and covers most of the organs in the abdomenand spares the "space of retzius," which leaves the bladder and surrounding structuresincluding the vessels and nerves associated with urinary continencein a more "natural" anatomic location.

Prostate cancer surgery should be individualized to each patient

Not every prostate cancer can be treated with a single-port approach or retzius-sparing surgery, but there are other choices. "We have a large and expanding repertoire of treatment options that allow us to personalize treatment to each patient's needs," says Dr. Sprenkle.

The potential options include several different surgical approaches and robots, as well as the alternative of radiation therapy, which uses high-energy rays or particles to kill cancer cells, delivered in precisely targeted external beam treatments or an implanted radioactive seed. For small tumors, another approach is focal therapy, a term for noninvasive techniques for eliminating the tumors while leaving the prostate gland itself intact.

The best candidates for single-port surgery are men whose cancer is classified as "favorable intermediate risk," Dr. Sprenkle says. He wouldn't recommend it for men with unfavorable intermediate or high-risk cancer, because the approach doesn't provide easy access for pelvic lymph node dissection to assess whether the cancer has spread.

Using the previous generation robot and making five small incisions might be better for those patients, he says. It's also true that not every medical center has a single-arm robot and not every surgeon is trained to do a single-port prostatectomy, which is difficult to perform.

Some simply favor other approaches, Dr. Sprenkle says.

Ultimate outcomes are similar regardless of the surgical approach

In general, while each approach has its advantages, all have been shown to have similar outcomes, adds Dr. Sprenkle. "There are no significant differences in outcomes for patients between the open surgery and robotic ones. There is less blood loss on average with robotic surgery, and in the hands of a good surgeon, continence and sexual preservation is the same," he says, adding that while it varies from patient to patient, average recovery time is six weeks. "And cancer control is the same. Put another way: It's better to focus on finding the right surgeon rather than the approach or type of surgery."

As far as what that means for patients deciding on which surgery they should get, Dr. Sprenkle says that it's important to take time to think about all of your options.

"And ask a lot of questions," he says.

Explore further Cleveland Clinic first in the US to perform prostate surgery using single port SP robot
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Having sex less often during the transition to menopause is not associated with an increased risk of developing pain with intercourse, according to a new study published recently by the Obstetrics and Gynecology journal.

This 13-year study examined whether a reduction in the frequency of sex is responsible for women's symptoms of sexual pain during the transition to menopause. The study also examined other factors potentially associated with sexual pain.

"Women have been told by the popular media and some physicians that if you 'don't use it, you'll lose it,' meaning if women don't remain sexually active, especially through the menopause transition, they will lose the ability to have comfortable sex. But this study provides some empirical evidence against this popular notion," said Elaine Waetjen, primary investigator of the study and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UC Davis Health.

Painful intercourse is reported in 20% to 59% of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. This study gathered questionnaire data annually across the first 10 visits of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a multicenter, multiracial and multiethnic prospective study of the menopausal transition. Inclusion criteria for this study were those ages 42-52 years who self-identified as Black, Hispanic, Japanese, Chinese or White.

Of the 2,247 women with no sexual pain at the baseline, 1,087 (48.4%) developed sexual pain at least "sometimes" up to 10 follow-up visits over 13 years. Participants completed questionnaires at each visit, gauging frequency of participation in sexual behaviors, genital or urinary symptoms and pain experienced during sexual activity. Some of the study's other findings:

Women were most at risk for developing sexual pain in late perimenopause and postmenopause, independent of age

Use of systemic hormone therapy did not appear to reduce this risk of developing sexual pain

Reporting of vaginal dryness had the strongest association with developing pain

Engaging in oral sex and having a higher frequency of arousal were associated with a reduced chance of developing sexual pain

History of sexual trauma was not associated with sexual pain among this older cohort

"Our study results provide a critical public health and clinical message: women whose sexual intercourse activity declines do not appear to be at higher risk for developing sexual pain compared with women who maintain or increase sexual frequency," Waetjen said. "Women and their health care professionals should focus on developing individualized strategies to prevent and treat sexual pain and not attribute pain to reduced intercourse frequency."

Other study authors include Wesley O. Johnson, of UC Irvine; Guibo Xing, of UC Davis; Rachel Hess, of University of Utah Health; Nancy E. Avis, of Wake Forest University School of Medicine; Barbara D. Reed, of University of Michigan Medicine; Sheila A. Dugan, of Rush University Medical Center; Genevieve Neal-Perry, of UNC School of Medicine; and Ellen B. Gold, of UC Davis Health.

More information: L. Elaine Waetjen et al, Patterns of Sexual Activity and the Development of Sexual Pain Across the Menopausal Transition, Obstetrics & Gynecology (2022). Journal information: Obstetrics and Gynecology , Obstetrics & Gynecology L. Elaine Waetjen et al, Patterns of Sexual Activity and the Development of Sexual Pain Across the Menopausal Transition,(2022). DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000004810
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The US Supreme Court ruling that overturned the nationwide right to abortion has spurred a rush to prepare for an America where the procedure is banned in many states.

"Birth control," "IUD" and even medical sterilization have all jumped in internet search trends, and drugstore chains have limited purchases of so-called morning-after pills to cope with demand.

Three women spoke to AFP about how they have made their own plans as legal battles over abortion laws ramp up in states across the country.

Stocking up

When the court last month threw out the 1973 ruling that made abortion legal across the United States, Sarah Kratzer worried Texas would go beyond abortion and start rolling back access to emergency contraception.

Restricting birth control or morning-after pills is a distant prospect, but one that many people fear.

Kratzer, 39, is a stay-at-home mom in San Antonio, Texas, the southern US state with some of the strictest anti-abortion laws in the country.

She told AFP she began stocking up on emergency contraceptive pills in May, after a draft court opinion leaked.

She received three packs of pills for free from a local rally of the nationwide "Bans Off Our Bodies" protest, which she attended with one of her daughters. She also ordered several more packs from Walmart.

Although Kratzer can no longer have kids herself for health reasons, the pills she has stored up are for her three childrenages 15, 19 and 20.

"They still have rights to be able to decide, 'Yes, I want this child' or 'No, I don't want this child,'" she told AFP.

Sex education is limited in some Texas public schools, so she's also teaching her children how to track their ovulation cycles and use spermicides, and has bought ovulation tests and pregnancy tests.

Emergency contraception pills have a shelf life of three to four years, and Kratzer hopes the ones she and many others have stockpiled will provide enough time for the United States to reinstate abortion rightsthough that may be unlikely.

If not "I will be going to other countries and picking (emergency contraception) up and finding a way to bring it back," she said.

IUD, and moving abroad

Kayla Pickett is also worried about what other rights the Supreme Court might overturn, beyond abortion.

"No telling what else they are going to do," the nursing student told AFP.

She and her boyfriend live in Akron, Ohio, a state that has banned abortion after six weeks. Pickett, 22, and her 21-year-old boyfriend plan to move to Colorado next year, and then abroad.

"Me and my boyfriend are both African-American," Pickett said. "We want to be in a state that we have rights in and know if anything else happens, me and him will be good."

The couple had discussed moving out of Ohio for the past few years, but the Supreme Court ruling prompted them to go one step further: "Once we (are) more financially stable, we plan to move out of the U.S.," she said.

In the meantime, Pickett has joined others rushing to get an IUD (intrauterine device). She began making plans for the procedure in May, after the draft ruling leaked.

Pickett has used hormonal birth control since she was 15, but she wanted to switch to something more long-term in case Ohio tries to roll back birth control access, too.

IUDs last for five to 10 years before they need to be replaced. Pickett got hers inserted last week at a local Planned Parenthood.

"I just want to be ready," she said.

Sterilization

When Meagan McKernan learned about the ruling, she felt terror, furybut also "sheer relief" that she had a strategy in place.

She has already begun the process for "getting my tubes tied," she explained. Her pre-operative consultation is on July 9.

McKernan, 33, who works for an online auction company, does not want children.

She had her first pregnancy scare in early May, around the same time as the Supreme Court draft opinion on abortion leaked, and remembers feeling "terrified."

"The fact that my choices would be more limited, terrified me even more," she told AFP.

"I need a permanent solution so that I never have to feel this way again."

McKernan admitted to feeling nervous about the procedure, but also excited and validated that her gynecologist quickly agreed with her decision.

She acknowledged, too, the "privilege" of having the financial flexibility to have the procedure, which can cost up to $6,000 out of pocket, and of living in a state where optional tubal ligation is accessible.

McKernan lives in Connecticut, near the border with New York, and recognizes that she is in a relatively safe area when it comes to abortion rights. But she still feels a sense of urgency around her procedure.

"I don't want any other possible right to choose what's best for me to be taken away," she said.

 2022 AFP
ZAMBOANGA CITY  Police were investigating the grisly murder of a 37-year old Muslim man whose headless body was found on an island off the ...
THURSDAY, July 7, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The concept of "hangry" helps sell candy bars, and it's a convenient excuse to snap at someone when you're in a foul mood.

But is hangry -- being angry when you're hungry -- a real thing? Do people really become more irritable when they want food?

"My wife sometimes used to tell me, 'you're being hangry.' And I kind of always thought that's not a real thing -- it's not a real psychological condition to be hangry," said Viren Swami, a professor of social psychology at Anglia Ruskin University in East Anglia, England.

Now, Swami admits he's proven himself wrong, releasing study results that suggest hangry is indeed real.

Greater self-reported levels of hunger among dozens of central European study participants were associated with stronger feelings of anger and irritability, Swami and his colleagues reported July 6 in the journal PLOS ONE.

"Our study suggests that when you feel hungry, you also are more likely to feel angry," Swami said. "When you're hungry, you're more likely to feel more irritable and experience less pleasure."

Hangry is such a common term that it's been included in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

But up to now very little research has been dedicated to the phenomenon, Swami noted.

For this study, his team recruited 64 Europeans who self-reported their hunger levels and answered questions about their emotional well-being over a 21-day period.

Participants used a cellphone app to report feelings of hunger and their emotional state five times a day, which allowed researchers to collect data throughout each person's daily life.

The study found that hunger was strongly associated with mood swings. Hunger was tied to 37% of a persons variation in irritability; 34% of variation in anger, and 38% of variation in feelings of pleasure.

Negative emotions -- irritability, anger and unpleasantness -- also appeared to be caused by both day-to-day fluctuations in hunger as well as continuing levels of hunger.

"Ours is the first study to examine being hangry outside of a lab," Swami said. "By following people in their day-to-day lives, we found that hunger was related to levels of anger, irritability and pleasure."

There are a couple of potential explanations for being hangry as a phenomenon.

Low blood sugar levels can have a direct effect on brain function, said Jennifer Cholewka, who reviewed the findings. She's a clinically advanced nutrition coordinator at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

"When our blood sugar starts to drop, our brain starts to kind of malfunction, and we get confused, we get irritable," Cholewka said. "But I don't know if acute hunger can cause hypoglycemia to where we would see a brain fog type of situation."

Another theory holds that when people are hungry, they are more likely to interpret cues from the world around them in a negative light, Swami said.

"As a very simple example, if I'm feeling hungry right now, I'm much more likely to interpret other people being in my presence or heat or any kind of stimulus in the environment as a negative stimulus," he said. "And that causes me to feel angry."

It's important to understand hangry as a real emotional state so that people can better manage themselves, Swami noted.

"Once you're able to understand your emotional state, once you understand that you are feeling hangry, there are things you can do about it," Swami said. "Once Im able to label the emotion that Im experiencing, it makes me easier to resolve it."

It also can help explain why hungry kids do poorer in school, and why some employees might be less productive if they haven't eaten, he said.

But Cholewka said she thinks more research needs to be done to cement hangry's status as a true emotional state.

Future studies should take measurements of blood sugar and hormones related to hunger, like ghrelin and leptin, to firmly establish that people truly are biologically hungry, Cholewka said. That will allow for a firmer correlation between hunger and its effect on emotions.

"I feel like they did a very thorough job in terms of finding correlations between our emotions and hunger, but theres more research that should be done, which is usually the case," Cholewka said.

More information

The Cleveland Clinic has more about being hangry.

SOURCES: Viren Swami, PhD, professor, social psychology, Anglia Ruskin University, East Anglia, England; Jennifer Cholewka, RD, CNSC, CDCES, CDN, clinically advanced nutrition coordinator, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City; PLOS ONE, July 6, 2022
The U.S. is getting another COVID-19 vaccine choice. The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday cleared Novavax shots for adults. It's a more traditional type of vaccine than the Pfizer and Moderna shots already used to protect most Americans. Still, millions of adults haven't yet gotten vaccinated even this late in the pandemic. Experts expect at least some of them to roll up their sleeves for the more conventional technology. The Centers for Disease Control still must recommend how to use the Novavax vaccine before shots begin. The U.S. has bought 3.2 million doses.
The researchers found that from 2007 to 2018, prescribed volumes of specialized formula for infants increased 2.8-fold in England, with similar trends seen in other regions of the United Kingdom. From 2009 to 2020, volumes increased 2.2-fold in Norway, while from 2001 to 2012, volumes increased 3.2-fold in Australia. In 2020, total volumes were 9.7- to 12.6-fold greater, 8.3- to 15.6-fold greater, and 3.3- to 4.5-fold greater than expected in England, Norway, and Australia, respectively; in Australia, prescribing restrictions were introduced in 2012. From 2009 to 2020, the proportion of infants prescribed specialized formula increased from 2.2 to 6.9 percent in Norway, which was 11.2- to 13.3-fold greater than expected. In 2020, specialized infant formula cost $117, $93, and $27 per birth in England, Norway, and Australia, respectively. Thirty to 50 percent of the prescribed specialized formula across the three countries in 2020 was amino-acid formula.
Missoula's Big Brothers Big Sisters branch is back to making matches like Olivia Goss, 15, and Jennifer Thomsen, 38, thanks to a donation from The Fraternal Order of Eagles #32.

The Missoula Eagles recently contributed nearly $21,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters in order to sustain the youth mentoring organization.

The donation revives the organizations programming in Missoula, which temporarily shut down in 2019 because of a budget shortfall.

The new funding will help create lasting partnerships like Goss and Thomsens. The pair started meeting in 2016 when Olivia, now a high school student, was in fourth grade.

Weve been together a while, Thomsen said.

Once a week, the pair cook dinner, visit the farmers market or goes on float trips together as part of Big Brothers Big Sisters.

We always make sure to stay in touch and have a good time, Thomsen said.

Its just a nice, fun thing to do, added Olivia. She said her favorite activity is the duos annual kayaking trip, but her favorite part about the organization as a whole is the chance to spend time with Thomsen.

Just the fact that I have a really long-term friendship with her is really great, Olivia said.

Big Brothers Big Sisters runs two operations in Missoula: School Buddies and Community-Based programs. Activities have about a 40% participation rate, according to Samantha Dennison with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Montana, who said that figure indicates healthy turnout for the organization.

Dennison said the influence of a stable, positive older person in a childs life is the No. 1 protective factor guaranteeing the child reaches their full potential.

I dont think a lot of people realize how important it can be for people to have a mentor at that age, said Piper Vant, 21. Vant has been partnered with 10-year-old Vyvien Alley-Jensen for about a year.

Vant and Vyvien regularly get together to go to Splash Montana, host movie nights or try their hands at baking.

"I'm glad I have a chance to be with her, because me and Piper get along really, really well," Vyvien said. "I hope she will always be with me."

We do all sorts of stuff, said Vant. Its been a joy. Im excited for another year.

Another year with the organization was made possible thanks to Jared Byxbe, the Eagles local president who selected Big Brothers Big Sisters for the donation.

The Eagles are all about people helping people, Byxbe said.

The Eagles always relish an opportunity to help children, Byxbe explained, and he wanted to support the organization reestablishing itself locally.

They really needed more of a push in Missoula, he said.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is now open for enrollment of new matches. Dennison said the organization currently includes 15 pairs in Missoula and theyre looking to double enrollment by the end of the year.

We have a lot of work to do, Dennison said.

She added the group has a short waitlist for both Bigs and Littles.

We really need both, she said.

Big Brothers Big Sisters hopes to expand its School Buddies program and add activities for its Community-Based programs.

We are prepared, ready to go and enrolling as fast as we can, said Dennison. We have nowhere to go but up. We are poised and prepared.

Before the organization suspended operations in 2019, the Missoula group had approximately 100 matches, so rebuilding is going to require a lot of cooperative work, Dennison pointed out.

Thats going to take a lot of financial and community support, Dennison said.

She encouraged community members to reach out for opportunities to volunteer or become part of a match. Dennison also suggested businesses could offer coupons or host activities for Big Brothers Big Sisters.

To get involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters, visit bbbsnwmontana.org.
A woman who admitted to trafficking meth in the Flathead Valley was sentenced to five years in federal prison on Wednesday.

Destinee R. Hardesty, 40, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. Her time in custody will be followed by three years of supervised release.

U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.

According to the press release, Hardesty helped with distributing large quantities of meth in the Flathead Valley area. In March 2020 in Kalispell, law enforcement made a controlled delivery of a package containing about two pounds of the drug to a house in Kalispell.

When she was interviewed, Hardesty said she intended to take possession of the package and sell its contents to customers in the Kalispell area. She worked with other distributors to coordinate the meth's arrival, she told officers. Hardesty opened three packages and divided out smaller amounts of meth for delivery.

She estimated making 50 deliveries of meth over the course of a year. Hardesty stored the drug at her house and was involved in paying for meth shipments, the press release stated.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Northwest Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the Missoula Drug Task Force.
The Montana Supreme Court on Tuesday unanimously upheld the states rejection of a decades-long effort to add strict environmental protections to a stretch of the Gallatin River.

In an opinion written by Chief Justice Mike McGrath, the court upheld a Gallatin County District Court ruling that had sided with the Montana Department of Environmental Qualitys 2018 decision not to pursue the groups proposal.

The Gallatin Wildlife Association and Cottonwood Environmental Law Center had sought to classify a section of the Gallatin as an Outstanding Resource Water, a protected status that would prohibit the state from permitting new year-round sources of pollution. Montana Rivers was the other plaintiff in the case.

A similar effort had been launched previously in 2001, when American Wildlands petitioned the state Board of Environmental Review to confer that status on a portion of the river. While the board accepted the petition, it ultimately decided against moving forward with the proposal, following a lengthy environmental review and public-comment process that stretched out to 2012.

The board opted to abandon the proposal that year, after the petitions initial sponsor dropped out and a subsequent attempt to find an alternative environmental solution fizzled out.

Then in 2018, Cottonwood Environmental Law Center and the Gallatin Wildlife Association filed a new petition to add the ORW designation to a stretch of the Gallatin. The board rejected the petition on the grounds that the agencys discharge permitting process already imposed a stringent water quality standard on the river.

The conservation groups sued in 2020, arguing that the state had never formally ended its process and that the new petition was essentially jump-starting the original process. They also alleged that emerging threats to the Gallatins water quality warranted an updated environmental review.

Gallatin County District Court Judge Peter Ohman ruled in the states favor, finding that the original petition process had expired in 2013, and after the 2018 petition was rejected, there was no longer a proposal on the table that required additional analysis. The justices upheld his ruling.

This case is easily resolved by the fact that without a pending rulemaking  a proposed state action  to analyze under MEPA, there exists no analysis to supplement, McGrath wrote.

The opinion characterized the groups lawsuit as an attempt to work around the fact that Montana law creates no avenue to challenge an agencys discretionary decision not to issue a contemplated rule and found they were effectively asking the agency to revisit a long-abandoned process.

A parallel effort that also would have added protections to the Madison River also failed recently. Cottonwoods executive director, one of the main backers of a proposed ballot initiative to create the ORW designations, acknowledged last week that organizers had fallen well short of the required signatures to get the proposal on the ballot.

The Supreme Court order comes a month after the DEQ issued a preliminary decision classifying the Gallatin River as impaired due to algal blooms. The department stopped short of faulting man-made sources of nutrient pollution as the cause for the increasing amount of algae in the river, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle previously reported. But the Upper Missouri Waterkeeper's executive director suggested that sources like wastewater and fertilizer runoff are causing the nutrient imbalance that leads to algal blooms.
Frontier Town, a piece of the Helena areas colorful past, is on the sale block for $1.7 million.

And the news has prompted some exchanges between the granddaughter of the original owner and the current owner.

The Old West-themed tourist attraction that operated from 1948 to 2002 just below the summit of MacDonald Pass off U.S. Highway 12 west of Helena is now a private residence. It includes 15 springs on 41 acres on the eastern slope of the Continental Divide.

Potential buyers are told they can see up to 75 miles on a clear day.

According to the website frontiertownmontana.com, Frontier Town was built by John R. Quigley. With the help of his wife Sue and his children Jack, Peter and Kitty Ann, John operated and upgraded Frontier Town for more than 30 years.

Quigley, according to the website helenahistory.org, was "a master of promotion. He emphasized his 'frontier' Montana upbringing (on a ranch near Avon), and crafted an image of himself as a wild mountain man, which was mostly true. John worked hard and played hard."

People recall saddles on bar seats and "Quigley's animated roadside attention-getter."

"It was carved from pine logs and powered by electric motors, it depicted a grizzly bear about to attack a lumberjack and his dog," helenahistory.org noted. "The figures jerked mechanically -- the man raising his axe, the dog jumping, and the bear lunging -- while a loud tape-recorded loop of growling bear and barking dog sounds echoed across the mountains."

Frontier Town was featured in national publications such as "Life" and "Readers Digest" and attracted famous personalities such as George Montgomery, Dinah Shore, A.B. Guthrie Jr. and Reverend Billy Graham, the Independent Record previously reported.

The property is now owned by Battershell Properties Inc.

Jeff Battershell, who said he has lived on the property for 21 years after he and his father Tom purchased it at a sheriffs sale, describes it as just a regular old house, albeit 13,500-square-feet.

Its been a lot of work, a good place to live, but it is time to pass it along to somebody else whod like to enjoy it, he said.

When asked if it could be a tourist draw once again, Battershell said I am not going to speculate on what it can be.

He said the property was literally falling down when he arrived 21 years ago and restored some of it.

There is still a lot of work to be done, and he believes the posting for $1.7 million is below market price.

Its a good family retreat, said Battershell, who plans to move to Helena.

The residence, which is being sold as is, includes a large wood-burning fireplace, and a kitchen/dining room area are built with log and rock walls.

The property includes 42 rooms with lots of stone and woodwork. There are several outbuildings including a church and a detached large garage. There are several antiques included in the sale, a Facebook posting says.

Deb Wong of Capital City Realty & Property Management said the property was listed earlier this week.

Well see what happens, she said. We are excited about the listing and anxious to see what kind of interest it brings.

According to the Frontier Town website, John Quigley died from cancer in 1979. His daughter, Kitty Ann Quigley Taaler and her husband Aavo, moved to Frontier Town to partner with John's widow Sue Quigley in operating the attraction.

Sue Quigley sold Frontier Town to Denham Richard Pegg, who in 1994 auctioned off John Quigley's extensive western antique, art and heirloom collection, thereby destroying much of Frontier Town's unique culture and character, the website states.

In the mid-1990s, Pegg sold Frontier Town to Erik Little, who operated it for several years. Pegg repossessed Frontier Town in 1999, and had continuing financial troubles. The resulting protracted legal problems culminated in a neglected Frontier Town being sold at a sheriff's auction in 2001 for $190,000, according to the website. The buyers, Tom Battershell and his son, Jeff, made Frontier Town a private residence, working hard to protect and preserve the structures.

Taegan Walker, Kittys daughter and John Quigley's granddaughter, said her attempts to acquire the property from the Battershell family have been unsuccessful.

Its pretty obvious I am heartbroken, she said. I have dedicated much of my life to getting it back. I am crushed.

Walker, who had served as Frontier Towns Frontier Princess as a child, said she thought she was at the finish line twice.

She said the Battershell family has the right to sell the property at a profit and has been a wonderful steward of the property for 21 years.

Jeff Battershell said Walker deviated from the selling conditions of as is, and he made a business decision to open up the sale to the public.

And while he thought it would be a good idea to sell to Walker, he said her stipulations are not livable.

News of the property returning to the market has sparked lots of comment on social media.

More than 225 people had commented about it on the John Quigleys Frontier Town Facebook page as of Wednesday afternoon, with many saying they hope the property ends up in the hands of the Quigley family.

Walker said she was a lucky little girl to have spent time at Frontier Town.

It was a magical upbringing, she said.
A man was arrested in California last month in connection with the murder of his father, a Lincoln County resident, in May.

The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Office arrested Joshua Sauls, 23, on June 30 for unrelated charges. He was then served an arrest warrant for the deliberate homicide of John Sauls, the father of the suspect, by the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office.

Joshua Sauls is currently held at Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles. His next court date is July 13. Sauls is currently facing several felony charges in California, including driving a stolen vehicle and looting, according to Lincoln County Sheriff Darren Short.

Officers first responded to reports of a dead man on the evening of May 31 near Thirty Lake Road, south of Eureka. On arrival, Lincoln County deputies Bobby Aston and Clint Heintz found the man dead from a gunshot wound to the back of the head, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Investigators also found three bullet casings for a Winchester .45 handgun alongside three cigarette butts with two gold-colored rings on the filter.

Detectives interviewed John Sauls' wife, Michele Sauls, who said Joshua had been angry about a "family crisis" going on. The father and son duo left their home on May 30 in Michele Sauls' car, which a witness saw driving on a road near the crime scene on May 31.

Joshua Sauls allegedly told his mother he got into an argument with his father while driving and pushed John Sauls out of the car south of Highway 93 near the Dog Creek area.

After Michele Sauls went to search for her husband, the son left the area. In its investigation, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office found matching cigarettes and bullet casings in Joshua Sauls' room, according to an affidavit.

Before Sauls is extradited to Montana, he must first answer to the charges against him in California.

"That could take quite a long time," Short said.

If he's convicted of deliberate homicide, Joshua Sauls could be punished with 10 years to life in prison or the death penalty.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 1 is seeking applicants to fill volunteer positions on the northwest Montana Citizen Advisory Committee.

The CAC is a general advisory committee that provides input and feedback to FWP on issues like wildlife and fishery access, state parks, outdoor recreation and law enforcement. The committee is designed to have a membership that represents a variety of northwest Montana communities and natural resource interests.

FWP welcomes applicants from anyone with an interest in natural resource issues and outdoor recreation. Applicants must live in FWP Region 1, which includes Flathead, Lake, Sanders and Lincoln counties.

The function of the CAC is to:

Provide a forum for ongoing, two-way communication

Help FWP identify emerging issues

Provide advice and perspective on resource and management topics

Assist FWP to create ideas regarding regional and statewide issues

The panel typically meets five to six evenings per year in Kalispell. Members serve two-year terms and can reapply upon term expiration. Meals and travel expenses are provided by FWP.

To apply, download an application online at bit.ly/3bT5bjU or contact 406-751-4564 or email dillon.tabish@mt.gov. Completed applications must be submitted by Friday, July 22, 2022.
Wrestler and reality TV star Hana Kimura killed herself after receiving online abuse on social media (Stardom/ YouTube/ Screengrab)

Japans parliament has made online insults punishable by prison.

The new law comes over concerns regarding social media abuse. The law, which comes into effect today, would see offenders in prison for one year or paying a fine of 300,000 yen (about 1,850).

This is an increase on the existing punishment, which was detention for a maximum of 30 days or a fine of 10,000 yen.

The law will be re-examined in 2025 to determine whether it is having an impact on freedom of expression, as there are not clear definitions of what an insult could be defined as.

"There needs to be a guideline that makes a distinction on what qualifies as an insult," Seiho Cho, a Japan-based criminal lawyer, told CNN.

"For example, at the moment, even if someone calls the leader of Japan an idiot, then maybe under the revised law that could be classed as an insult."

Japanese law states that an insult is defined as publicly demeaning someone without referring to specific facts about them or a specific action, while defamation refers to specific facts.

The law came after a reality television star Hana Kimura died after receiving online abuse from people on social media.

Two men who posted online insults about Ms Kimura before her death were each fined 9,000 yen last year

Ms Kimuras mother, a former professional wrestler, had campaigned for stronger cyberbullying laws. "I want people to know that cyberbullying is a crime," she said, but that if people believed social media was the only cause of online abuse that nothing will change.
Several Burke County agencies have come together this summer to address the countys opportunity youth problem.

Opportunity youth are defined as the number of young people aged 16-24 who are not working or not in school, according to Sarah Crisp, program coordinator for Work in Burke. While the number of opportunity youth has fallen statewide since its 2011 peak, in Burke County, 22.2% of people aged 16-24 still fall into this category versus 11% statewide.

Thats one of the highest numbers in North Carolina, Crisp said.

To combat this problem, Work in Burke, Burke County Public Schools, The Industrial Commons and Western Piedmont Community College are collaborating to pilot the Opt-in program.

Its called Opt-in which stands for opportunity internship, said Crisp. Its for recently graduated seniors right now, so kids who are just fresh out of high school.

BCPS Superintendent Mike Swan called the program an excellent opportunity for recent graduates unsure of their post-graduation plans.

For most of our graduates, its hard to know at 18 what you want to do in life and how to get there, he said.

CTE Director Debbie Jennings said this program allows the district to function as a conduit helping the programs industry partners connect with soon-to-be high school graduates, get them into the doors of local business and industry, provide them with mentors and help jumpstart their careers.

Rick Furse, dean of workforce development at Western Piedmont Community College, said career development counselors went into the schools and met face to face with high school seniors to determine if they had a plan after graduation. After the meetings, program developers targeted students without a plan to be a part of the new internship program.

We sent out invitations  there were about 300 kids we sent invitations to, Furse said.

According to Crisp, nine Burke County companies have partnered together with the internship program, all of which are looking for permanent employees. The programs industry partners are:

Geiger Furniture

JE Ekornes

Meridian Specialty Yarn Group

Leviton

Seiren NA

Shenandoah Furniture

UNC Health

Unix Packaging

Valdese Weavers

Furse hopes the Opt-in program will make a difference, not only for the countys opportunity youth, but for local businesses struggling to find employees.

I go out and talk to industries in the area and one of the things I keep hearing is we cant find people, he said. Thats been a common theme.

On June 13, all 25 interns involved in this years program met at the Foothills Higher Education Center for an all-day orientation. During the orientation, participants were acquainted with program and company expectations as well as the larger world of work. In addition to the orientation, Work in Burke will provide all interns with professional development training each Monday including OSHA-10, CPR and first-aid certifications.

According to Crisp, each intern has also been assigned a community mentor and a work buddy to help them get the feel their specific workplace.

The buddy is there to answer any basic questions like how do I clock-in? she said.

Crisp said community mentors fill a more comprehensive role, helping interns adjust to life with their first professional job.

The mentor is there to be by their side as they transition into this more professional world, she said. Its someone from the community Work in Burke has paired them up with thats there to support them, encourage them and advise them if the need it  also to connect them to any resources in the community.

Crisp said the ultimate goal of the program is to connect recent graduates with available permanent employment in Burke County.

If they impress the employers  and do everything theyre supposed to do, they can stay on as a full-time, permanent employee, she said. This will not only give them a permanent job, but it will also mean a significant pay raise for each of those positions.

Furse added that participants who complete the internship and go to work full-time will qualify for free tuition at WPCC.

Program organizers said there is plenty of room for future growth built into the program. This summer, Furse said there was enough space to accommodate 72 recent graduates and he envisions more students being attracted to the program in coming years based on this summers success stories.

We want to do this again next summer and we want these kids to be our spokespeople, he said. Were planning to leverage this summers program to make next summers program more effective.
It was about 9:30 p.m. Sunday when Dan Brands drone met an unfortunate end.

The last video taken on the drone shows the camera, which was pointed toward the last rays of sun setting on the Table Rock skyline, shake, and as Brand turned it toward what he believed were gunshots, the video cuts off.

I was operating the drone and I was actually looking at the iPad so I didnt see what happened, physically, to the aircraft, but I had a couple of witnesses tell me they saw it suddenly start spiraling down and falling to the ground, Brand said. At first they thought I mustve been doing some really cool maneuver or something. I was not. I was looking at the iPad giving me multiple critical malfunction errors.

He was outside with several family members when it happened, and said he was certain the drone was visible because its equipped with LED lights that are visible from three miles away, per Federal Aviation Administration requirements.

I was a very easy target, honestly, Brand said. As brightly lit as I was, and that I was hovering so steadily in one location.

While North Carolina does have a law that prevents drone operators from using drones to conduct surveillance of other people and their property without their consent, Brand said the drone never left his father-in-laws property on Propst Road.

Beyond that, the only thing clearly visible in the video clip that documented the moments before the drone was taken out of commission were Brands family members gathered on the back patio and the barely illuminated skyline.

A Burke County sheriffs deputy came out to the house and investigated the incident Sunday night, but no charges had been issued by Tuesday afternoon, according to arrest records on the Burke County Police to Citizen website. An incident report available on the website estimated the total amount of damages done to be about $3,000.

But its not just a property damage charge the perpetrator could be facing.

Elizabeth Isham Cory, a spokesperson for the FAA, said a person who shoots at any aircraft, including unmanned aircraft like a drone, could face a civil fine from the administration, and criminal charges from federal, state or local law enforcement.

She pointed The News Herald toward the federal law for damaging aircraft, which said an individual found guilty of such act could face up to 20 years in prison and/or fined.

Brand, who has had a pilots license since he was 16 and served in the Air Force for eight years, said he felt violated that someone would do that to his property.

The shooter brazened this, this kind of illegal act to shoot down an aircraft that wasnt even over (their) property, Brand said. The most important thing to me was just that nobody had gotten hurt. This is a pretty heavy drone that couldve definitely hurt people. I was obviously really glad with my wife, my baby niece and so many relatives out here, so many things couldve gone wrong and on that respect, Im very grateful that this only resulted in destruction of the drone.

Brand said hes filed a report with the FAA in addition to the report he filed with the sheriffs office.
Burke United Christian Ministries has brought in someone experienced in housing and property management to address the growing affordable housing crisis in Burke County.

Tonya Freeman, a native of Lincoln County, became BUCMs housing director in late May and has already begun seeing results. In her first 30 days in the position, she has already engaged with 26 individuals to immediately improve their housing stability by connecting them with available resources, completed 11 housing intake assessments and seen three people successfully housed.

Thats in 30 days with no community outreach, she said. On-boarding a housing program here at BUCM is going to have a huge impact in our community.

According to Freeman, her work with BUCM will have two major components.

One of the main things Im focusing on first is getting us well-connected to the homeless response system, she said. We want them to be connected to the system so they can have access to housing resources that are already available.

Secondly, Freeman said she is developing a landlord engagement program to help landlords mitigate some of the risk of housing previously unsheltered individuals. The key to the program will be her continued work with BUCM housing program participants after they are housed.

(Owning rental property) is not philanthropy and were not expecting that, she said. But when they take a chance and prioritize our program participants, were going to be the person they call if they have a problem.

According to Freeman, obtaining affordable housing has become one of the biggest challenges, not just to people who have typically fallen into homelessness in the past, but also to working families struggling to make ends meet.

Homelessness has changed, she said. The folks that are entering our homeless system right now are folks who have been historically long-term housed, gainfully employed with income  sometimes two incomes in a household  and they cannot afford housing stability in todays market.

She said simply getting a job and buying or renting a home is not an option for many people the way it was a few decades ago.

Housing today is nothing like it was 30 years ago, she said. The entire landscape is totally different. People cant just go and be responsible and have a reputable job and afford housing independently anymore.

Freeman pointed to a recent housing needs assessment detailing just how unattainable housing stability has become for many working families in Burke County.

According to the Bowen National Research study, someone would need to make $22 an hour to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment in Burke County. Freeman said this is not realistic for many Burke residents. Additionally, the study showed nearly 70% of western North Carolinas available housing is priced more than $300,000, but estimates fewer than than 25% of western North Carolina families are able to afford a house at this price.

According to Freeman, this means many Burke County jobs do not pay enough to support housing stability.

Our local labor force  our service workers, restaurants, retail workers  even teachers and police officers cant earn enough to independently live, she said. Thats the situation were in with housing.

Freeman comes to Burke with a background in real estate, property management, corporate consulting and nonprofit case management and advocacy.

I began my career in real estate, she said. I was a Century 21 girl; I wore the gold coat and everything.

After the 2008 recession, Freeman did some property management, corporate consulting and became a HUD certified housing counselor before landing at a nonprofit in Iredell County allowing her to bring all of her varied experiences together to run a home buyer and housing counseling program.

For the last six years, Freeman has worked for Family Guidance Center, a Catawba County nonprofit. There she worked with with low-income, homeless and housing secure individuals to help them obtain and keep long-term housing.

Everything was going well but then the agency I was working for had to pull back and go back to their core mission which was victim services, she said. It was the perfect time for me to separate and find another agency to do what I had been doing.

Additionally, Freeman said her marriage to a lifelong Burke County resident contributed to her desire to work in the county.

I moved to Burke County two years ago, she said. With me living here and then with COVID and working in Catawba County, I felt like a stranger  (working at BUCM) was the perfect collision.

The hiring of Freeman is just one piece of a new direction BUCM is charting forward for 2022 and 2023.

BUCM Director Alice Horton said the ministry has always done a good job providing immediate relief to people in needs. However, she believes BUCM needs to develop long-term solutions to address chronic food and housing insecurity.

Im very thankful for Alice and the Board of Directors here who had the vision that they needed to elevate their services and focus on the population they serve and focus in on their biggest challenge, which is housing, she said.

Horton said she is excited to welcome Freeman to the team, highlighting her expertise and saying she will be a valuable asset not just to BUCM, but to the community as a whole.
A local Boy Scout is meeting a need in the community with his Eagle Scout project.

Ryan Kennedy, Morganton resident and member of Boy Scout Troop 899, has created two US flag retirement boxes for his Eagle Scout project, according to information provided by the Burke County Chamber of Commerce.

The boxes, at the History Museum of Burke County at 201 W. Meeting St. in Morganton and ACE Hardware at 526 W. Fleming Drive in Morganton, are available for people to dispose of worn out American flags.

Kennedy, a rising senior at Model Secondary School for the Deaf in Washington, D.C., has been a member of Cub/Boy Scouts for the past 11 years. His troop is chartered by Dentons Chapel United Methodist Church of Morganton.

The Chamber reported that Kennedy got the idea for creating flag retirement boxes from a member of the Quaker Meadows chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Many people didnt know where to bring worn flags, Kennedy said. It is very important to honor our country by preserving our star-spangled banner. Our country is represented by those significant meanings behind the American flag. Our veterans have fought to defend and preserve our country. As American citizens, we are responsible to take care of our symbol of freedom.

He told Chamber representatives that flag retirement ceremonies held at Boy Scout Camporee events also provided inspiration for the project.

There are several flags that people would bring to the Camporee, Kennedy told the Chamber. We would have to cut out the stars, and we would give those to all the vets that were in the audience. We retired the flag, burned it and had a celebration.

He enlisted the help of his troop to build and paint the boxes.

The actual construction of the flag retirement boxes took us three evenings in a row of around three hours each workday, Kennedy said. My parents provided all the financial support and covered the expenses for my project as agreed.

He said once the boxes are full, the flags will be collected, properly honored and retired according to the US Flag Code.

It states that, The flag, when it is in such condition that is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning, Kennedy said. Our BSA Troop 899 usually holds flag retirement ceremonies where we cut the stars carefully out of the flags and give them to veterans after honoring them and saying a few words to them. Then we burn the flags.

He said he has enjoyed participating in Boy Scout events over the years, including summer camps and trips.

I had an amazing time in Scouting, Kennedy said. The most memorable and enjoyable trip was at the Patriots Point-Home of the USS Yorktown in Charleston, South Carolina. Like the sailors, we slept in berths, ate in the crew mess hall below the deck and explored where they once lived on board the ship. A backpacking, camping and hiking trip in the backcountry of Panthertown Valley was the next.

He has earned 41 merit badges and served as senior patrol leader of the troop.

It was fun to come up with new ideas for meetings, activities and campouts, Kennedy said. I also enjoy learning different life and outdoor skills by earning merit badges. The greatest lesson I have learned from Scouting is to be prepared for everything. The Boy Scouts motto is, Be Prepared, and it does apply to everything I do. I always do my best and prepare for the best or the worst in life every day.

The History Museum held a dedication ceremony for its flag retirement box June 18 for Kennedy, his family, Troop 899 and others who helped with the project.

Kennedy encouraged people to make use of the flag retirement boxes.

The drop boxes are open and accessible to the public for use by anyone in our community at the History Museum of Burke County and Morganton Ace Hardware, he said. I hope everyone will make great use of the drop boxes and appreciate the design. I would appreciate the community members to spread the word about it and even take pictures of themselves depositing the worn flags in the drop boxes and post them on social media!
Republicans across Western Montana made their voice heard by electing Ryan Zinke to be the Republican nominee for Congressional District 1 in the 2022 midterm elections. Montana Republicans turned out in historic numbers for a midterm election year to send a clear message to Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the Democrats in Washington D.C that we are tired of the failed policies of this administration and the hardships Democrats are causing for all Montana families.

Contrary to what President Biden and others in D.C. may think, Montana voters get it. The issues that have popped up over the last two years are not an accident and as much as Joe Biden may try to blame others for his partys incompetence, they are nobody elses fault. I could write a list a mile long highlighting every failure Democrats have achieved in the last year and a half, but lets keep it at this: When Joe Biden took office and Democrats gained majorities in each chamber, gas was about two bucks a gallon thanks to Zinkes energy policies, our southern border was secure, there was baby formula on the shelves, and most Americans had enough money to pay for their basic necessities. Now fast forward to today, gas is five bucks a gallon, the southern border is wide open with record numbers of illegals coming across every day, Americans are greeted with empty shelves at the grocery store, and many are struggling to make ends meet. The facts speak for themselves. Montanans and Americans are better off under Republican leadership.

When Montana Republicans voted for Ryan Zinke to be our party's nominee in November, they voted for somebody we can all have confidence in to put Montana over Washington, people above political correctness, and solutions over stupidity. Montanans wanted someone representing them who would join Congressman Rosendale in defending our rights, freedoms, and liberties against an administration laser focused on stripping them away.

There is only one candidate in this race that will stand up for Montana; and its not Nancy Pelosis socialist puppet Monica Tranel. While Monica has made a career of serving nobody but herself and her elitist clients, Ryan has spent his career wearing the Stars and Stripes on his sleeve; putting his life on the line to defend our nation and our freedom as a Navy Seal.

Despite over $1 million being spent on negative attack ads and repeated and numerous false and disproved charges designed to attack Ryans record of distinguished military service and time serving Montana in Congress and all Americans at the department of interior, Ryan persevered, because thats the kind of fighter he is.

Ryan bravely fought to defend our country and its values once before as a Navy Seal, and when we elect him in November to go back to Congress, we know hell do it again.
ARCHIVED - Spain set to sizzle in second heatwave: weather outlook July 7-10



Meteorologists predict a sustained rise in temperatures across Spain this weekend

It might be only a couple of weeks since most of Spain blistered in the earliest June heatwave of the last four decades but we are in for another scorcher this coming weekend, according to the State Meteorological Agency, Aemet.

However, a warm African front will arrive through the Canary Islands from Thursday July 7, sparking off an episode of high temperatures in the Peninsula and archipelagos that will lead to a sustained rise in temperatures for most of the country.

Catalonia and Galicia are still on alert for strong winds but morning fog and haze in the south will give way to scalding temperatures that could easily exceed 40C in the lower Guadalquivir. Most areas of the south Mediterranean will be unlikely to dip below 35C while the uncomfortable tropical nights will continue.

Minimum and maximum temperatures on Thursday:

Alicante: 22C minimum; 30C maximum

Almeria: 24C min; 33C max

Malaga: 22C min; 27C max

Murcia: 22C min; 34C max

On Friday July 8 the thermometers could again reach 40C in the Guadiana and Guadalquivir valleys while the islands will hover around 34C. Across all of Spain though the mercury will continue to rise and the heat will spread to the entire southwestern quadrant of the peninsula.

Clear skies will prevail in almost the entire country, although the Canary Islands may have to suffer through another episode of suspended Saharan dust.

Minimum and maximum temperatures on Friday:

Alicante: 21C minimum; 30C maximum

Almeria: 24C min; 33C max

Malaga: 22C min; 28C max

Murcia: 22C min; 35C max

Another clear and sunny day for most of Spain on Saturday July 9, with the exception of Cantabria, which will dawn misty and cloudy. According to Aemet, it is expected that the warning threshold for maximum orange-level temperatures will be exceeded in large areas of the southwestern peninsular quadrant, exceeding 40 degrees in the Tagus, Guadiana and Guadalquivir valleys."

This increase will extend to the Ebro valley and to the interior of Catalonia as the afternoon wears on.

Minimum and maximum temperatures on Saturday:

Alicante: 21C minimum; 31C maximum

Almeria: 22C min; 31C max

Malaga: 22C min; 28C max

Murcia: 21C min; 35C max

Very little change is expected on Sunday July 10 although the thermometers will continue to rise, with high temperatures prevailing throughout most of Spain as well as the Balearic and Canary Islands.

The day will be stable overall although some suspended dust could make its way from the Canarias to the south of the peninsula. Most areas are in for another tropical night where the mercury wont dip below 20C while another day-time scorcher is forecast: temperatures will easily exceed 35C in the Canary Islands and the southern part of the Atlantic coast, while 40C will likely be reached once more in the Guadalquivir valley and surrounds.

Minimum and maximum temperatures on Sunday:

Alicante: 23C minimum; 31C maximum

Almeria: 23C min; 32C max

Malaga: 21C min; 28C max

Murcia: 21C min; 35C max

Although a detailed outlook isnt yet available, Aemet predicts that these high temperatures will continue for at least another week.

Image: Aemet
Communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says a new date for South Africas analogue switch-off will be announced after September 2022.

The Constitutional Court declared the departments 30 June 2022 analogue switch-off date irrational and unlawful two days before the deadline, setting aside a High Court ruling in the ministers favour.

E-tv owner eMedia had challenged the departments original deadline of 31 March 2022.

It argued that numerous households relying on analogue TV broadcasts would be left in the dark if switch-off went ahead.

The Constitutional Court said the minister had failed to give adequate notice of the switch-off. She must also consider stakeholders representations when setting the next cut-off date.

In a media briefing on Thursday, 7 July 2022, the minister emphasised that the Constitutional Courts ruling said she had the power to declare the deadline.

The court said it could not prescribe the process to follow for completing South Africas digital terrestrial television migration.

Ntshavheni explained that in the provinces where the analogue switch-off had been completed, mobile network operators could start using network capacity  radio frequency spectrum  that had been freed up.

The order has delayed the release of spectrum in the remaining provinces.

Before the ConCourts order, the SABC analogue transmitters in the Free State, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, and Northern Cape had already been switched off.

This enabled Sentech to complete the restacking of spectrum bands for completion of the digital migration in the said five provinces, said Ntshavheni.

The minister said Icasa would release the auctioned high-demand spectrum for use by mobile network operators in these provinces.

The release of the spectrumwill enable the mobile network operators to decongest the networks with the deployment of 4G and 5G, Ntshavheni said.

The remaining four provinces  Gauteng, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape  will only have their analogue switch-off completed at a date to be determined.

For this date to be determined, the minister said she would first finalise the set-top box registration for needy households.

These set-top boxes (STBs) are decoder-like devices that convert digital TV broadcast into a signal older analogue-only TVs can display.

Viewers only need an STB if they do not already have a digital television set, or use a satellite TV service.

Ntshavheni said the court ruled the new STB registration deadline may take into account opportunities that the government had already afforded for indigent households to register.

The call for applications for these STBs began in October 2015, meaning qualifying households had almost seven years to register.

Taking this into account, the minister will publish a government gazette on Friday, giving notice that 30 September 2022 will be the closing date for applications and registrations for government-subsidised STBs.

The minister said her previous deadline of 31 October 2021 was provisional. The new 30 September 2022 deadline will be final, and no applications will be considered after this date.

Through this notice, I will also inform members of the public and non-indigent households who are still watching analogue TV, of my intension to switch-off analogue and urge them to purchase compliant digital television sets from the retail market, the minister said.

After this date, the minister will evaluate the number of new registrations against the progress with installations and start consultations with affected parties on a new analogue switch-off date.

Ntshavheni also provided an update on the progress made in registering and installing government-subsidised set-top boxes (STBs) across the country to support her timeline for the closing of registrations.

The minister provided the figures below to show the number of registrations and completed installations over the past few months:

Before 31 October 2021  1,228,879 registrations, with 1,134,766 installations completed, remaining delayed by floods in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape.

registrations, with installations completed, remaining delayed by floods in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape. Between 1 November 2022 to 31 March 2022  260,268 registrations, with 56,354 installations completed.

registrations, with installations completed. Between 1 April 2022 and 30 June 2022  49,385 registrations.

registrations. Total outstanding installations for all registrations by 30 June 2022: 403,766

Nthshaveni said due to the decline in STB applications and registrations in recent months and comparing the end of October, end-March, and end-June registrations, giving households until the end of September 2022 was sufficient.
The Krasnoyarsk edition "NGS24.RU" writes that Yulia Sorokina, the presenter of the regional TV channel "Yenisei" in her Telegram channel , was indignant that in the Turkish stores Zara and H&M she did not accept payment by card of the Russian payment system "Mir" "on principle".

Already in the second Zara store in Antalya, we were told that they do not serve Mir cards. No banks. Fundamentally. Before that, we were told the same thing in the H&M chain of stores. Here are the damned moralists. Moreover, idiots," Sorokina was indignant.



Difficulties with accepting Mir payment system cards from Russians in Turkish stores Zara, H&M and others have been known since the beginning of the new tourist season. For example, in the large shopping center TerraCity in Antalya, in LC Waikiki, the card is accepted, but in Zara and the Migros supermarket chain, it is refused.

The head of Mir operator Volodymyr Komlev admitted that cards of the payment system of sanctioned banks do not work in all ATMs and POS terminals in Turkey. A number of acquiring banks there separate banks that are under Western sanctions and independently decide to stop self-service.

The Russian banks "Sberbank", "VTB", "Gazprombank", "Alfa-Bank", "Rosselkhozbank", "MKB", "FC Oktrytie", "Sovkombank", "Promsvyazbank" do not serve here. In addition to Turkey, "Mir" payment cards are recognized in Abkhazia, Vietnam, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and South Ossetia.

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At about 3:25 p.m., a 2002 Honda driven by 47-year-old Margarito Trinidad of Napa pulled out of a driveway on the Trail south of Wapoo Hill Road, east of Yountville, CHP said in a news release. The Honda entered the path of a 2014 Volkswagen headed south at about 55 mph, and the front of the Volkswagen crashed into the left side of the Honda, according to the highway patrol.
Twenty-four University of Texas at Austin students representing Texas4000 biked into the courtyard of St. Marys Episcopal Church in Napa on June 30 as part of a 70-day journey to raise funds for cancer research.

Having cycled from Lampasas, Texas, to Napa, their bike ride is set to culminate in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 12.

St. Marys Episcopal Church parishioners, friends and neighbors welcomed these young heroes by providing dinner, a comfortable bed, a hearty breakfast, and donations to support and energize them on their journey.

These students, many of whom were neither bikers nor athletes before deciding to take on this incredible challenge, shared that they were inspired to join Texas4000 by the organizations goal of raising funds for cancer research and sharing hope, knowledge, and charity throughout the continent.

Training since January, these committed students have trained on their bikes, raised the funds for their trip, planned every detail, and learned bike maintenance, all while attending classes and contributing 50 hours of volunteer service in their community.

Abbey Govett, one of the riders said, "part of our mission is to spread hope, but I am receiving more hope in humanity by the generosity of those we meet."

Founded in 2004 by Chris (a cancer survivor) and Mandy Condit, the Texas4000 is the longest charity bicycle ride in the world and has raised millions toward fighting cancer.

To learn more about the Texas4000, visit www.texas4000.org.
The city of Paso Robles and its surrounding American Viticultural Area are situated about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco in the northern Central Coast region. This is the largest AVA in California and was considered as one until October 2014, when the U.S. Tax and Trade Bureau approved the vintner-backed application to establish 11 separate sub-AVAs within its borders.

During the years Paso (as it is known to locals) was considered as one growing area, however, most consumers and wine trade figures acknowledged the divide between east and west. An ancient river bed, where Highway 101 now exists, formed a natural separation of the forested mountainous area to the west and the more homogeneous arid eastern plains and hills.

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Given the multitude of river beds and valleys to the west, countless microclimates, exposures and soil types exist that are shrouded in morning fog and cooled by breezes off the Pacific Ocean that pass through the Templeton Gap. The same does not hold for the east where soils and exposures are more consistent, temperatures are a bit hotter, and vineyard yields are considerably larger.

For many decades, Paso Robles was known for its red wines that were mostly varietal Cabernet Sauvignon and blends. Much of that changed in the 1980s when Jean-Pierre and Francois Perrin of the highly esteemed Chateau de Beaucastel in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and the late Robert Haas (exclusive Beaucastel U.S. importer Vineyard Brands) shared a dream of producing world-class wines in California from grapes well known in the Southern Rhone.

A four-year search for the right property began in 1985 and spanned much of California until its culmination in 1989, when they discovered what would become Tablas Creek in the western hills of Paso Robles.

The site was considered ideal for the production of Southern Rhone-styled wines, given the combination of a Mediterranean climate paired to the high-pH calcareous soils  similar to the Perrins growing conditions in Chateauneuf-du-Pape but rare in California.

Cuttings were imported directly from Beaucastel in 1990 and spent the required three years in quarantine before planting commenced in 1994. The first wines followed with the 1997 vintage. This remarkable venture opened the door to a mini-revolution in varietal planting in the western mountains of Paso that was followed by numerous vintners and growers. It also ushered in a new and broader category for the white wines of Paso, which had essentially been limited to the occasional Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

Jason Haas (Roberts son and co-proprietor of Tablas Creek) commented on the success they created for whites in Paso. I think it's fair to say that the quality of our whites has been one of the happiest surprises of the whole project. We were originally planning a similar ratio to Beaucastel of at least 85% reds. The first big change to our initial plan was planting an additional 20 acres of whites in 2000 because we were so pleased with how those first few vintages performed.

Now whites represent nearly 40% of our annual production split between the richer Roussanne and Viognier to the brighter Grenache Blanc, Picpoul, and Vermentino. Whites especially benefit from the cold nights and warm days to develop a spine of refreshing acidity and a persistent saline minerality combined with a complementary fruit intensity.

Dave McGee took a somewhat radical approach to whites from Paso Robles and the surrounding areas. He is 100% focused on white wine, hence the winery name Monochrome Wines. Dave has been recognized numerous times for his many award-winning wines, conceived from some traditional Rhone-style blends and others that definitely step outside the box.

Dave expressed an interesting view of Paso wines: Paso wines are as much a product of an attitude as a set of viticultural characteristics. Winemakers here have access to many varieties and a willingness to use them in new and creative ways, (establishing) a culture centered on creativity, innovation, and a certain contrarian streak.

Winemaking (as opposed to art, literature, fashion, etc.) is one of the few creative areas in which tradition regularly trumps creativity and individuality. At Monochrome we try to bring a more creative and unique perspective where some of the more unusual techniques and blends change in every vintage.

Stephan Asseo and his wife Beatrice co-founded LAventure Winery in 1997. After working in Bordeaux for 17 years, Stephan tired of strict French AOC regulations and wanted more independence. The wines of the LAventure portfolio are primarily red, ranging from Cabernet blends to those more typical of the Rhone. However, Stephan is extremely proud of his limited-production Estate Cuvee Blanc and offered an interesting view on combining Viognier with Syrah, as is done in the Northern Rhone.

He says, Mostly, we co-ferment a blend of about 50% Roussanne (one of my favorite grapes) for minerality, floral aromas and acidity; 25% Grenache Blanc for acidity and an interesting aroma, and about the same of Viognier for its flamboyance and exotic aromatics. I often also use Viognier as a blender to dilute Pasos powerful Syrah character. Its opposite from the same blending practice in the Northern Rhone where Viognier helps reduce the austerity of Syrah, adding a roundness to the wine, especially in challenging vintages.

At Clos Solene, owner and winemaker Guillaume Fabre brings his heritage and winemaking style from Frances Languedoc and Bordeaux regions. Similar to Stephan, Guillaume was not sure he wanted to continue in Bordeaux, and coincidentally took a harvest internship at LAventure that grew into an assistant winemaking position before he moved on full time with his wife Solene to their own Clos Solene in 2007.

Clos Solenes portfolio is also strongly focused on reds from both Bordeaux and Rhone varietal blends. Guillaume had proven his deft hand with his earlier debut of Roussanne as a varietal release. Yet his observation of the growth and eclectic character of Paso whites led him to create Hommage Blanc, a blend of Roussanne, Viognier and Grenache Blanc.

Guillaume has observed: The whites of Paso have tended toward earlier harvesting, minimized new oak and the introduction of concrete eggs and amphora all in the search of increased nuance, complexity, saline minerality and freshness that is also the blueprint for Hommage Blanc.

High in the western mountains of Paso, you will find Lynn and Bob Tillmans Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery, which is solely dedicated to producing estate Rhone-style wines. Bob noted that most Paso acreage is planted to red varieties  so a little detective work may be necessary to find the available white gems.

He went on to say: Pasos whites break down into two broad classes and we have a foot in both camps. The first group consists of varieties from Italy, Spain and France known for racy acid/freshness, citrusy zest aromas, and great minerality  often with a saline hint. The most widely grown of this group are Albarino, Grenache Blanc, Picpoul Blanc and Vermentino.

The second group consists of richer varieties from the Rhone such as Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier that deliver a strong acid backbone coupled with a rich mid-palate and hints of minerality. A broad range of stylistic impressions will pair with a wide variety of cuisine.

Winemaker Stanley Barrios, along with his wife Elena, founded TOP, which is well-focused on Rhone varieties from across the Paso AVA. Stanley has chosen Roussanne and Grenache Blanc for TOP's white program as the former accentuates richness and the latter citrus aromatics and subtle waxy components on the palate.

"The TOP Poise is typically 95% Roussanne and TOP Axis is just the opposite with about 95% Grenache Blanc. Altogether, white wines in Paso are more difficult to find, but the ones grown here are fantastic.

Vina Robles owns and farms six vineyards that span the AVA and sell most of their fruit to others while benefiting greatly from its diverse properties for their own brand. In the warmer areas, Sauvignon Blanc makes an appearance while the cooler areas provide winemaker Kevin Willenborg with Albarino, Verdejo, Vermentino and Viognier for whites.

Kevin is quick to point out that Sauvignon Blanc is the most delicate of all the varieties we grow. Not in flavor, but during the winemaking process. The preservation of its distinctive aromatics is a huge focus, and we go through tedious lengths to ensure there is limited degradation during winemaking.

Although many consumers tend to think of a producers white wine as an afterthought to their red, the whites of Paso are proving this view unwarranted. The current expanded focus on the areas whites is a revelation to many wine lovers and something we can all enjoy.

While theres no argument that Paso Robles remains a bastion for red wines, the growth and maturity of its white wine programs is something we cannot overlook. The stylistic range is impressive and the prices are equally attractive.
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US Treasury Head: We will not allow China to take advantage of its position in the market for key commodities

Ministry of Emergency Situations: 331 emergencies and 8 deaths registered in Armenia during week

Armenian Ombudsperson visits Central assembly point of Ministry of Defense

Erdogan again threatens to freeze applications of Finland and Sweden to join NATO

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Dollar, euro continue to rise in Armenia

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Iran's Revolutionary Guards arrested several foreign diplomats, including a Briton, accusing them of "spying," the Fars news agency and state television said Wednesday, AFP reported.

But the British government quickly denied that any of its personnel had been arrested, describing the reports as "completely false."

Iranian state television reported that the Briton, identified as Giles Whitaker, the UK government's deputy head of mission in Iran, was only expelled from "the area" where the diplomats had been arrested in central Iran.

State television accused him of "carrying out intelligence operations" in military areas.

Video showed images of a man presented as Whitaker speaking in a room.

A state TV journalist said the diplomat "was among those who went to the Shahdad desert with his family as tourists," referring to an area in central Iran.

"As the images show, this person took photos... in a prohibited area where at the same time a military exercise was taking place," the broadcaster said.

Britain's government categorically denied the reports.

The number, nationality and date of arrest of the other diplomats detained was not immediately clear.

But Iranian state television said that "apparently Israel wants to open a file on the possible military dimension of Iran's nuclear program, using nationals from third countries who are linked to foreign embassies," it charged.

State television also showed images of a man it identified as "Maciej Walczak, head of the microbiology department at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Poland."

Walczak, whose nationality was not specified, "entered Iran with three other people in the context of scientific exchanges but he went to the desert region of Shahdad as a tourist while missile tests were being carried out," state television said.

It said he took rock and soil samples.

Fars meanwhile said those arrested took rock samples in the desert for "espionage" purposes.

State television presented another man, identified as "Ronald, the spouse of the Austrian embassy's cultural adviser," who it said went to a village in the Damghan area east of Tehran and "took rock samples."

He was also accused of "filming a military area in Tehran," the broadcaster said.
YEREVAN.  Zhoghovurd newspaper of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: The EU closely monitors the activities of [Armenias] key judicial institutions, such as the Supreme Judicial Council [(SJC)], and is readytogether with its international partnersto assist Armenias authorities in facing the challenges arising from the reforms.

This is stated in response from the EU ambassador's office in Armenia to a question sent by Zhoghovurd daily. The daily had turned to the EU Ambassador to the RA, head of the [EU] delegation [to Armenia], Andrea Wiktorin, and asked for her opinion on the controversial [audio] recording of former SJC chairmen Ruben Vardazaryan and Gagik Jhangiryan. In particular, we had asked to what extent it corresponds to the statements about having an independent judicial system [in Armenia].

The reply letter received from the EU delegation in Armenia specifically states: "Within the framework of the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, the EU continues to assist in justice reforms in Armenia, to which the [countries] authorities have shown continued commitment. Respect for the rule of law, one of the core values of the EU, includes an independent, accountable, and effective judicial system."
At Thursdays Cabinet meeting, the government of Armenia approved the bill "On Making an Amendment to the Law on the Structure and Activities of the Government."

Accordingly, it is proposed to reserve the government with the powers of monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of policy as well.

In the rationalization of this decision, it is noted that according to the current regulations, the ministries of Armenia are given the authority to develop and implement the government's policy in the specified domains, but it should be noted that the implementation of the policy also implies monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the policy. So, a need has arisen to clearly specify by law the existence of such powers in order to rule out misunderstandings and to ensure the existence of a clear legal basis for the implementation of the aforementioned functions.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun said that negotiations on the maritime border with Israel would be completed soon. He added that the results of the talks are satisfactory to both sides, the OTV channel reported.

Aoun added that a solution to the border dispute with Israel "will be found as soon as possible."

With American mediation, the process of demarcation of the maritime border is moving forward, the President of the Republic noted. He added, "if the atmosphere was not positive, the Lebanese side would not continue the negotiations."

On July 4, Lebanese Acting Foreign Minister said that the republic was interested in resuming border negotiations.

Before that, an Israeli Air Force fighter and a missile ship of the Israeli Navy intercepted three drones heading from Lebanon to the air border with Israel. The initial investigation suggests that the UAVs intercepted over the Mediterranean did not pose an immediate threat, the IDF said.
China must maintain a geostrategic balance in the Indo-Pacific region, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, TASS reports. According to her, the Chinese authorities are obliged to exercise restraint in relations with all countries in the region.

It is important to maintain an order based on a strategic balance in which countries can make their own sovereign choices, including with regard to their ties and partnerships, Wong said.

As the Australian Foreign Minister pointed out, China is one of the great powers, so it is required to use its power "with restraint and lawfully." In her opinion, Beijing should show respect for the choice of certain states.

Wong also noted that Canberra maintains plans to create its own nuclear submarine fleet and will continue to interact with the US and UK as part of the AUKUS military alliance. From the point of view of the Australian authorities, such steps cannot create a new reality in the region, and its contacts with London and Washington only contribute to stability and security.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed Thursday between the China-Eurasia Council for Political and Strategic Research and the School of International Studies of Renmin University of China, informed the China-Eurasia Council.

The cooperation of the Parties within the framework of this Memorandum of Understanding will include the following directions: conducting joint conferences, seminars, courses, expert meetings and consultations, implementation of joint research projects and preparation of publications, exchange of academic information and publications.

During last years, China-Eurasia Council for Political and Strategic Research and School of International Studies of Renmin University of China have already established cooperation. Starting from 2019, researchers of both sides attend academic conferences, courses and seminars, such as: Eurasian Research on Modern China and Eurasia, RUC Area Studies Forum, Rethinking Chinas Rise under the Governance of the CPC: Achievements, Initiatives and Prospects, Rethinking Chinas Foreign Policy and book presentation, organized by each side.

It is also worth to mention that on April 8, 2022, both sides jointly organized First Armenia and China Forum dedicated to 30th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations. Researchers of both sides are among co-authors of China and Eurasia: Rethinking Cooperation and Contradictions in the Era of Changing World Order book, published by Routledge in 2021.

Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between organizations was signed by Dr. Mher Sahakyan, the founding head of the China-Eurasia Council for Political and Strategic Research and Professor Yang Guangbin, the dean of Director of School of International Studies.

Professor Yang Guangbin mentioned that, congratulations on the Memorandum of Understanding between China-Eurasia Council for Political and Strategic Research and School of International Studies in Renmin University of China. Renmin University of China, which has been fostering large numbers of outstanding talents, is the first-class research base on international issues and political sciences in China. We genuinely hope to expand the academic and cultural communication between China and Armenia and enhance the relative research on this base to promote the relationship between the two countries.

Dr. Yuntian Zheng mentioned that, the Memorandum of Understanding, which is signed under the background of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-Armenian diplomatic relations, truly represents the friendship between Chinese and Armenian people. In this changing era, Belt and Road Initiative is becoming more significant in Eurasia. The scholars should be responsible for contributing to promote the relative studies. As one of the best schools in area studies, School of International Studies in Renmin University of China will make more efforts on cooperating with Armenian think tanks and universities in the future. Dr. Mher Sahakyan emphasized the importance of this Memorandum of Understanding. He said that this agreement will provide an added impetus to bust further cooperation and implementation of academic diplomacy between both institutions. He thanked Dr. Yuntian Zheng and Professor Yang Guangbin for cooperation and support.
The Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia (RA) issued a press release Wednesday informing about the completion of the preliminary investigation of the case of Avetik Chalabyan, a public and political figure who is in custody. The release reads that some sufficient evidence was obtained to justify Chalabyan's guilt. In this regard, Avetik Chalabyan's defense team released a statement Thursday, which reads as follows:

It should be noted that after the preliminary investigation, the defense team got a chance to examine the case materials and submitted a number of petitions. After carefully studding the materials of the case, as expected, it became clear that not only there is no evidence justifying the guilt of Avetik Chalabyan, but on the contrary, there is much factual data proving the innocence of Avetik Chalabyan, which will be made public as a result of the public trial and will provide complete answers to all remaining unanswered questions.

At the same time, we would like to inform you that after the indictment is approved by the prosecutor in charge of the trial and sent to the court, we will hold a press conference, in which we will present in detail all the particulars of the case and the bankruptcy of the "sufficient" evidence obtained by the preliminary investigation," reads the statement.

It should be noted that political prisoner Avetik Chalabyan, a member of the board of trustees of the "Arar" foundation, is accused of the act provided for in Article 163, Part 3, Clause 2 of the RA Criminal Code, without any grounds, without any credible evidence and the investigation took place with gross violations of criminal procedures.

"I was arrested in a fictitious criminal case, in which there is no real crime and whose only real purpose is to put undisguised political pressure on me and my friends. Everyone who knows me knows very well that I have not committed any illegal act or even any action that could be against our value system. Any political pressure, any criminal case based on obvious machinations cannot divert me from the struggle for our country and statehood," Avetik Chalabyan said in his statement from the prison. Even being in prison, he did not stop his patriotic activities, including publishing the series of articles on the strategic development of Armenia, "Armenia's Fatal Choice", which is available read in Armenian.

Public groups and activists have been fighting for the freedom of Avetik Chalabyan for months for now, calling for the release of Avetik Chalabyan through mass protests, petitions and all means prescribed by law. Five members of the RA National Assembly, "Arar Foundation" and former RA Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Vache Gabrielyan submitted letters of recommendation for the change of his restraining order. A number of public figures, scientists, chairperson and the members of the Parliament of Artsakh, the president, the spiritual leader of the Diocese of Artsakh, and other persons have called for the release of Avetik Chalabyan. According to the reports, Avetik Chalabyan's detention is in the center of attention of international human rights organizations and the press, in the context of the decline of democracy in Armenia as a case of silencing the opposition leaders through the use of fraud and deprivation of liberty.
The United States is the most warlike country in world history and has become the biggest threat to peace and development on the planet, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a briefing on Thursday.

The facts have fully proven that the United States represents the greatest threat to world peace and development. We call on the relevant US intelligence official to correct their mentality, treat China's development objectively and rationally, stop spreading rumors and making irresponsible statements," the diplomat said.

He added that relevant US politicians constantly exaggerate the "Chinese threat", slander and attack China, and statements by US intelligence officials are full of ideological prejudice and deep-rooted Cold War and zero-sum mentality.

"The United States recently celebrated its 246th Independence Day, looking back over 240 years, of which the United States has not been at war for only 16 years, it is definitely the most warlike country in world history," he said.
At Thursdays special session of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, the MPs passedin the second and final readingthe package of amendments to the Law on Defense as well as to some other related laws.

According to these amendments, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia will henceforth have the status of the First Deputy Minister of Defense as well.

These law amendments were adopted unanimouslywith 58 votes in favor.

The parliamentary opposition neither attended the respective NA special session nor the voting on this matter.

As per these amendments, although the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces shall become the First Deputy Minister of Defense as well, in the absence of the Minister of Defense, he will not perform the duties of the Minister.

Accountability will extend to defense procurement. The Ministry of Defense will take over from the General Staff of the Armed Forces the matters of material support, so that the leadership of the Armenian army is freed from economic matters and focuses on defense tasks.
Israel and Turkey have signed a bilateral aviation agreement paving the way for Israeli carriers to fly to various destinations in Turkey, the Israeli Ministry of Transport said in a statement.

According to the ministry, the agreement is the first one signed between the two countries since 1951.

The agreement is expected to lead to the resumption of flights by Israeli companies to various destinations in Turkey, along with flights by Turkish companies to Israel, the ministry said in a statement.

The heads of civil aviation authorities of both countries signed a preliminary agreement today, paving the way for the signing of a full agreement later this year.

Turkey continues to be one of the most popular destinations for Israeli tourists despite security threats.

Turkish and Israeli officials have met several times over the past few months, including Yair Lapid's visit to Ankara last month before he was formally sworn in as prime minister, where he met Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
With a commitment to deepening a new and developing relationship, 15 Emory community members traveled to Okmulgee, Oklahoma, on a journey of learning at the invitation of the Muscogee Nation. Prior to Emorys founding, the Muscogee people lived, worked, produced knowledge on, and nurtured the land where Emorys Oxford and Atlanta campuses are now located.

While spending time with Muscogee elected leaders, educators and students, ceremonial leaders and community members, the group expressed Emorys efforts to begin to understand, as President Gregory L. Fenves has said, a more complete story about where we have been and who we are so we can build a more equitable, diverse, inclusive and vibrant university.

The Emory students, faculty and staff who traveled to Oklahoma during part of spring break are members of the Indigenous Language Path Working Group, which Fenves appointed in November 2021 to fulfill a recommendation from the previous years Task Force on Untold Stories and Disenfranchised Populations to develop physical reminders and rituals on campus that highlight Muscogee language and knowledge as the original language and knowledge of this land.

But how?

Shared values

That question echoed 780 miles west of campus in Oklahoma, in the lands to which the Muscogee Nation were forcibly removed by the Trail of Tears in 1836, as the Emory delegation met with the president, faculty, staff and students of the College of the Muscogee Nation (CMN).

At Emory, we want to embrace a spirit of accountability, said Malinda Maynor Lowery (Lumbee), Emory College of Arts and Sciences Cahoon Family Professor of American History and co-chair of the Indigenous Language Path Working Group. But frankly, we're not sure how to do that without the direction of the Muscogee Nation.

Over four days of educational gatherings, shared meals and gift exchanges, the Emory group heard recurring themes from Muscogee Nation members, whose 86,000 citizens comprise one of the largest Native tribes in the U.S. Some of the current priorities of the Nation, shared in a meeting with Principal Chief David Hill and Second Chief Del Beaver, were around education and health care, two deep values that the Emory community shares as well.

In addition, the Muscogee Nation hosts stressed the preservation of language and land, which are inseparable from their identity. Although they have been removed from Georgia for nearly 200 years, they have persevered as a people. What they are seeking today is the ultimate authority to preserve and pass on their ways of knowing and being.

A place of healing for us

In 1821, the Muscogee moved west to Alabama after being forced to relinquish their remaining lands in Georgia, including what would become the campus for Emorys Oxford College in 1836, and the land where Emorys Atlanta campus is now located. More than 25,000 Muscogee Creek people were involuntarily removed in 1836-1837 from Alabama, and only approximately 14,000 lived in Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) after the Trail of Tears.

The land where Emory now exists is for the Muscogee people a sacred place of healing, and invitations to return there, such as recent visits Muscogee Nation leaders made this past fall for Emorys In the Wake of Slavery and Dispossession symposium and a visit that included a welcome reception and greetings from Provost Ravi Bellamkonda in November have been meaningful to the Muscogee people.

CMN instructor Mackie Moore (Cherokee), who traveled to Emory and other sites in Alabama and Georgia with tribal members who were experiencing it for the first time, noted, The important thing is bringing people back there and acknowledging to those there that we still exist.

I've seen how important it is for our people to go back to those places, he continued. It's not [about] somebody saying, We're sorry. It's about us going there to heal. Your place is a place of healing for us.

CMN student William Bear (Muscogee) was in that delegation, and his first trip to Emory changed the way he viewed his own history.

I never knew much about the mounds, he said of sacred sites such as the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia, built by Muscogee ancestors. Seeing all that helped me feel more connected to my culture.

For a while, I had thought that learning the history we hear about our people was a very disheartening history. I like what you all are doing at your university for our language and acknowledging our homeland. You proved me wrong that there weren't non-Muscogee people who care about Muscogee people. So that opened me up too, and I'm very thankful to see other reputable institutions taking steps to help Muscogee people and our culture.

The Mvskoke language

Emorys growing attention to the Mvskoke language is meaningful, the hosts said, because the language carries forward Muscogee culture. The Mvskoke language traveled 1,500 miles, through blood, death and tears, Mvskoke Language Program instructor Rebecca Barnett told the delegation. As speakers, we are the Atlas of the Nation. We hold it up.

Honoring the language is an important entry point to honoring Muscogee people and lifeways, too. A high point of the trip was a special invitation the group received from The Rev. Chebon Kernell (Muscogee/Seminole), a United Methodist minister and Muscogee ceremonial ground chief, to visit his Helvpe Muscogee Ceremonial Grounds in Hanna, Oklahoma.

Kernells daughter, recent college graduate Kaycee Kernell (Muscogee), felt moved to tears.

By reaching out, I think you offer understanding that you all are  where our ancestors came from and are supposed to be recognized," she said. "I'd like to thank you for being here, for being rugged with us. It seems like by so many, we have been forgotten.

Chebon Kernell stressed the importance of building this new relationship patiently, allowing it to grow organically, like the land itself.

At the same time, Emorys land acknowledgment has to mean something, said Lowery. There has to be an extension of reciprocity from Emory to the Nation as we are acknowledging this land that we're on. What can our new relationship look like?

In September, Emorys Board of Trustees approved an official Land Acknowledgment statement that honors the Muscogee (Creek) people who lived, worked, produced knowledge on, and nurtured the land where Emory's Oxford and Atlanta campuses are now located" and announced Emory's commitment to humbly and continually "seek to honor the Muscogee Nation and other Indigenous caretakers of this land.

Lowery described how this Land Acknowledgement and the idea for an Indigenous Language Path at Emory both developed from the work of retired associate professor of English Craig Womack (Muscogee), a leading figure in Native literary studies at Emory from 2009 until his retirement in 2021, who was part of the Task Force on Untold Stories and Disenfranchised Populations.

Craig was really devoted to making sure that Muscogee knowledge was part of his classrooms in every way that he could, and so language was crucial, Lowery said. He co-taught language with people in the Muscogee Nation  and so from Professor Womacks work, I think a sense of momentum has grown around Mvskoke language at Emory.

Other key moments on the learning journey to Oklahoma included a visit to the newly opened First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City and the Greenwood Rising Museum in Tulsa, which present Native history and the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre through first-person accounts. The group was also invited to attend a meeting of the Muscogee Nation Youth Council and a wild onion dinner  a cherished spring tradition in the Muscogee community.

Next steps

Three Native students participated in the Emory journey: Sierra Talavera-Brown 23C (Dine), Isaiah Koiishe 25C (Pueblo of Laguna/Louisiana Choctaw) and Tre Harp III 25C (Muscogee/Choctaw).

Harp grew up in Beggs, Oklahoma, 13 miles from Okmulgee, and he described what the group is seeking to do through an agricultural metaphor.

We are planting grass, he said. Now we are sowing the seeds and letting the roots sprout, and they're starting to be grass, and grass grows really slowly here. And we right here, the students, we are the tips of the grass. We're starting to take our culture with us and grow with it. We're branching out and spreading out even more like grass does.

As the Working Group continues efforts toward the development of the Language Path, the next phase is reaching out and seeking input from the Emory community. To assist in this process, the Working Group has secured Kauffman & Associates, Inc. (KAI), a Native-led and women-owned consulting firm, to facilitate a campus engagement process. To begin, KAI visited Emorys Oxford and Atlanta campuses for listening sessions in April; they will return Oct. 27-28 to continue community listening sessions.

We are very excited to hear the thoughts of students, faculty, staff and alumni in this important work of establishing an ongoing relationship with the Muscogee Nation in Emorys physical spaces and beyond, said The Rev. Dr. Gregory W. McGonigle, Indigenous Language Path Working Group co-chair and Emorys dean of religious life and university chaplain.

KAI will work with Emory through the fall in order to allow time for a deep engagement with students, faculty, staff and alumni from all of Emorys schools and units. The main goal will be to develop a request for proposals by Nov. 15, 2022, to create a design for the Indigenous Language Path. That concept will include further research about Emorys history and its relation to Native and Indigenous peoples and identify opportunities for future programming to educate the campus community.
Organized labor in the U.S. is having an "exciting and interesting moment." How much of a factor has the pandemic played in its resurgence? What factors should employees consider when voting to unionize? And how are companies reacting to labor organization efforts? Dr. Thomas A. Kochan, Post-Tenure George Maverick Bunker Professor of Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management and a faculty member in the MIT Institute for Work and Employment Research, and Dr. Harry C. Katz, Jack Sheinkman Professor of Collective Bargaining and Director of the Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution at Cornell University, join the podcast to offer their expert insights.

Below is a full transcript of the conversation, including time stamps. Full audio is posted above.

Mohamed Younis 00:07



For Gallup, I'm Mohamed Younis, and this is The Gallup Podcast. This week, we explore the current state and future of labor unions. Are they a thing of the past or making a comeback? We asked two professors who have been studying the topic for decades. First we'll speak to Harry Katz, professor of collective bargaining at Cornell. And we'll also speak to Thomas Kochan, professor at MIT's Sloan School of Management. Professor Katz, welcome to the podcast.



Harry Katz 00:34

My pleasure.



Mohamed Younis 00:35

Much of the focus has been on unions that have been successfully formed lately. But we have some recent examples of rejections of union efforts, including Volkswagen in 2019, Boeing in 2017 and many other smaller examples. Are there any common threads that you see among places where union efforts have failed or been rejected?



Harry Katz 00:57

You're right that there have been a number of failures of union organizing, as well as the successes that are getting a lot of publicity. What you see is, many of those failures have occurred in, in Southern or rural locations. The ones you cited, I'd also add recent elections at Amazon's Bessemer, Alabama, warehouse, a large warehouse where there were multiple elections because the National Labor Relations Board found Amazon in violation of their behavior in the first election. Yet, yet the union trying to organize there lost in both those elections. And so what you see is in the South, there's a culture that's less receptive to unions. People have less familiarity with unions. They don't have as many relatives that have belonged to unions.



Harry Katz 01:45

And in addition, the other thing that's gone on in some of those campaigns is very strong resistance by politicians in the areas of those plants and organizations -- politicians saying, we don't, we don't want you to organize. It's a bad thing. And that's also led to some of the negative reaction we've seen. And, you know, as well, there's, it's the case that where employers take advantage of the fact that the U.S. labor law allows very aggressive behavior by employers, sometimes crossing over into illegal activities. Even the legal activities that are allowed allow employers to run very aggressive antiunion campaigns. And that's contributed to union losses.



Mohamed Younis 02:37

And it is really interesting that you mention that. We've been asking about unions really since the '40s. In terms of public opinion, public perception, they're doing pretty well. They actually hit a high a couple of years ago. So from the public perspective, they're still seen as a really a positive thing. I want to ask you, if you were an, an employee -- and you advise companies and unions all the time -- where a union is being formed or underway, what are the factors an employee should consider in joining, whether it's best for them or not?



Harry Katz 03:13

That's a great question. Well the first thing employees ought to keep in mind is, unions have been shown systematically, with very rare exception, to lead to substantial improvements in wages and benefits. Unionized workers earn, on average, 15%-20% more in their wages and even more so in the benefits that they get. So unions have been successful at raising earnings. People ought to think about that. Unions also bring, in the United States, a grievance procedure, a complaint procedure whereby the worker feels they've been unfairly punished, dismissed or penalized for some behavior, they can process a grievance that ultimately, it will be resolved through arbitration, with an outside, neutral third party making a decision about whether they've been treated fairly. That's an important plus.



Harry Katz 04:04

You know, at the same time, the employees ought to think about, do they feel a lot of affinity with the leaders who are either leading a campaign for a union or the current leaders in the union? Do the individual employees identify with what those leaders are articulating? Do they have confidence in them? And also, what kind of relationship does the employee have? What unions provide is collective voice, a mechanism for employees to, through a means, to voice their views as to what should happen and how they should be treated. Well, some employees feel more comfortable just pursuing their own channels of communication. They're satisfied with their relationship perhaps with their supervisor. They may well empathize substantially with the employer. They don't have many grievances, and so they may feel like they can do just as well or better speaking up on their own.



Harry Katz 05:00

The other thing that U.S. unions often bring is heavy reliance on seniority rights in promotions and layoffs and job assignments. Some workers feel they don't, they don't want to be bound by seniority; they want to get by through their own individual talents and initiative. They feel that they don't want to wait around to accumulate seniority, and that makes them less interested in unions. All those things should come into play as people consider whether or not to either join or support a union.



Mohamed Younis 05:30

Companies, of course, where unionization is being explored will often communicate to their employees the negative repercussions of the union. I want to ask really two questions: How factual are those representations? Usually they obviously have a vested interest. But on the other hand, how pure hands kind of clean at the table are unions? I mean, unions themselves have a lot of trouble, like any large political organization, particularly when they get really large. I hate to be the guy that references a movie, but the movie "Hoffa" is kind of like the quintessential example of unions doing good but also doing a lot of bad in trying to pursue the good that they're doing. How accurate is our perception of unions today in America, do you think?



Harry Katz 06:19

Well, first off, on the employer side, as you said, employers have an interest in sort of exaggerating the costs or difficulties that unions bring. I mean, what an employer emphasizes, oh, you'll have to pay dues. You, there may be a strike. Yeah, you do have to pay dues; there may be a strike. But again, the evidence is unions provide substantial improvements in pay to employees. The other thing to keep in mind is there's research data, extensive surveys that have been done of existing union members, and they show overwhelming support for the current unions that represent those employees. People are generally very satisfied with their union representation, not only because they get better pay, but they get a complaint procedure.



Harry Katz 07:07

Now, of course, there are always are exceptions. There's cases where there's corruption in unions, just as you said; there's cases where there's corruptions in in corporations. But there's, that's, the movie's portrayal, employees' portrayal of the extent of that corruption is incredibly exaggerated. Sure, there are some cases where union leaders are corrupt, but they're relatively rare. And again, workers overwhelmingly support their current unions. Our law allows workers, through a majority vote, to decertify -- to get rid of union representation. That in fact happens very, very rarely, reflecting the fact that most workers are satisfied with their union representation. And just workers ought to keep in mind they have that out. If they find that the union is corrupt, even through election processes, they can change the leadership in the union. And many unions are very democratic; there's high turnover among leaders, in response to what the workers feel. But as well, there's these procedures -- decertification, which allow employees, if they so choose, to get rid of a union representative if they're dissatisfied.



Mohamed Younis 08:14

I'm really happy you made that clarification because, you know, the news tends to focus on what's wrong in any case with any institution. And we tend to only really hear of the most egregious cases of, you know, misconduct, whether it's on the side of unions or employers or even employees. Unions have changed a lot over the years, but it seems like they're really maintaining momentum and gaining momentum. I wanted to get your take on sort of the future. Do you see unions continuing to gain momentum in the U.S. employment economy?



Harry Katz 08:47

Well, one thing to point out is, as you mentioned earlier, is that attitudes of workers have shifted to be substantially supportive of unions. Gallup polls and other polls show really substantial support among employees for unionization, and especially strong support among younger workers. One number I remember as showing kind of a question regarding, "Do you approve of unionization?" And I think it was, for young employees, something like 77% of those employees think favorably of unions -- much higher than was the case, you know, 5, 10, 20 years ago. So that bodes well for unionization.



Harry Katz 09:30

At the same time, I think -- and I've been saying this to many parties; my colleagues at times at the university get carried away in saying, you know, this is a revolution. We're going to see an enormous growth in unions. This is just the tip of the iceberg. It still very much remains to be seen, right. We've seen over 200 Starbucks cafes get unionized, but those cafes typically include 10 to 20 employees, right? It's not an enormous number. There's some unionization occurring in healthcare, in the hospitality sector with UNITE HERE! The SEIU is active organizing employees in a variety of occupations. But when you look at the data so far, we certainly see a blip up in worker militancy, interest in unions, and some successes -- again, fairly modest successes, when you add up the totals and Starbucks or even that large Amazon facility on Staten Island, when you include that; the total number of workers joining unions is still relatively modest. And unions are having a hard time even keeping up with the growth occurring in the workplace. Only 6% of employees in the private sector in the U.S. now belong to unions. The number of people who belong to unions has been growing, but so has the size of the workforce, the people who are eligible for unionization.



Harry Katz 10:54

So we haven't yet seen an amount of organizing that's led to a substantial increase in the share of employees in the private sector who are organized. Public sector is a different story; there, there's a much higher level of unionization, and it's hold, and it's been holding steady at more than a third of the workforce in the public sector organized. What's going to happen in the future? Again, I think we see signs that younger workers especially are demanding a seat at the table; that they want respect. They're concerned about how they're treated at the workplace. You know, they, they're upset about how they were treated during the pandemic. So there's definitely a feistiness among workers and especially younger workers. So I think there's signs of some momentum, as you suggested. There's momentum within the labor movement. But we still don't yet know if that's going to lead to a sizable increase in the share of the workforce that's represented by unions.



Mohamed Younis 11:53

What a great breakdown. And that 6% of the private sector, obviously the larger employer here in the U.S. economy is, really brings things into focus. On that note, that's Dr. Harry Katz of Cornell University. Dr. Katz, thanks for being with us.



Harry Katz 12:07

My pleasure.



Mohamed Younis 12:08

Next, we get another perspective from Dr. Thomas Kochan. He is a professor of industrial relations, work and employment at MIT's Sloan School of Management. Professor Kochan, welcome to the podcast.



Thomas Kochan 12:21

Thank you, Mohamed, I'm delighted to be here.



Mohamed Younis 12:23

You've been studying labor unionization for decades. I want to start by just asking you, how would you describe the current state of union efforts? How does it compare -- this moment -- to previous eras of America's workforce?



Thomas Kochan 12:37

Well this is a very, very exciting and interesting moment, because we haven't seen the type of upsurge in union organizing and collective actions and actions in different forms than, that go even beyond collective bargaining. For a very long time, probably the earliest example would have been the 1930s, when industrial unions were born and they were going on strike in large numbers from 1933 to 1935, led to the passage of our labor law. And then again in the early 1960s, when public-sector employees started to organize and really gain momentum. But we've seen a longstanding decline of, of unions, and now this, in this last year or two, a significant upsurge. In the last year, we've seen about a 57% increase in requests for union elections to the National Labor Relations Board compared to the prior year. So something is really going on here.



Mohamed Younis 13:41

It's fascinating that you kind of take us through the history. Although membership has, you know, declined and risen in those eras, the public perception of unions has stayed pretty strong; it's stayed pretty positive. The pandemic has changed everything in our world. How did the pandemic impact this recent burst of union activity? Is it at all related?



Thomas Kochan 14:04

Oh, it's very much related. The pent-up pressures that have led to this organizing have been there for a long time. The gap between productivity growth and wage growth -- meaning that wages were flatlined and productivity and profits were increasing, and more money was going to business and capital than to labor -- that had been going on since the 1980s and continued. But then along comes at, the pandemic, and there's really an acceleration and an amplification of all these pressures. And they kind of emerged and exploded, because workers felt that this was a time when they need to really think about their jobs, their families, what they're achieving, what they're not achieving. And then those who we labeled as "essential workers" have a special grievance because they bore the brunt of working during the pandemic and expected to be treated with more respect, and not enough of them see this.



Thomas Kochan 15:07

And so we saw those pent-up pressures, as you indicated. Your own polls at Gallup showed a bit of an increase in support for unions, up to the 86% or so. And our survey, a national survey, showed that there was a substantial increase in the percentage of workers who said they would join a union if given the chance. That's now about 50% of the nonunion workforce. Those same surveys asking that question decades ago, in the '70s and in the 1990s, were about one-third. So we're seeing a growth in interest in organizing, a growth in interest across the labor force, growth in different forms of organizing that workers are looking for today.



Mohamed Younis 15:53

Some of the biggest brand names in our modern era -- Apple, Amazon, Starbucks; it goes on and on -- they're now facing the reality of successful unionization efforts, to some degree, on a local level. Do you have a sense of how companies are reacting to these successes? But obviously not very happily, in that they have to deal with it. But more importantly, after a workforce is unionized in these environments, how does an employer and employee relationship continue? How does it, how does it grow? How does it continue to thrive?



Thomas Kochan 16:27

Well, that's a really, really important question, Mohamed. And I'm very, very disappointed in the response of most employers, not all. But most employers have followed a knee-jerk reaction of resisting unions, retaliating against people who try to organize. Some staying within our labor law, some clearly violating the labor law at will, because the penalties are so weak to enforce it that it may make sense for employers to fire workers or to retaliate. And so that knee-jerk reaction is carried over from the 20th century, but it doesn't work anymore today. Today, workers want respect. They expect that they should have a right to speak up and organize if they want to. And so while the resistance continues -- and the big companies have resources to resist very strongly and for a long time -- it's not having the same effect as it did in prior times.



Thomas Kochan 17:25

Now some companies, Microsoft for example, just recently announced that, you know, it, it's rethinking that approach and that it will not oppose or at least stay neutral and respect workers' rights to organize. And if they choose to do so, then they're going to go on and do what you suggested or asked about, and that is build a decent labor-management relation; build a productive one. And we have tools to do that. We have many organizations and have built positive labor-management relations, but it takes a different management strategy to work with unions than to oppose them. And so management has to go through a transition process here of learning what companies with unions have been able to do and to shape their labor-management relations in ways that meet the needs of their customers and their business and their investors and their workforce.



Thomas Kochan 18:20

Now that's not rocket science, but it is, requires listening to the employees, respecting them, negotiating with them with modern tools of negotiations -- not just, you know, the traditional arm's length, but really trying to get at the root causes of problems that are addressing, that are being addressed in negotiations. And engaging the union leadership as partners at the highest levels of the firm, so that union, unions and members understand the business challenges that the company is facing and can work with them -- as many did during the pandemic -- to adapt to the, to the need for flexible work systems and all of the other adjustments. So we know how to do this, and it's not rocket science, and we're teaching this now in more and more business schools. And so it's time for American management to get with it.



Mohamed Younis 19:15

I want to ask with a totally off-the-cuff question, but one that came to mind as you were talking: If I'm a worker, and people are, coworkers are trying to unionize where I work, is it always a good idea for me to join the union? What would be your advice, what is your advice to employees that find a unionization effort unfolding? How do they know if it's the right move for them or not?



Thomas Kochan 19:40

My advice to workers is to think hard about what their expectations and aspirations for their job and their career are. And if there are ways that those aspirations are not being met, and they can turn to a union or to their coworkers to form a union to address those issues, then by all means, they ought to do it. If they feel that there's not much more that a union could do, that's their choice. And I think the key thing is to get them to think about it, talk with their peers, work with their colleagues, listen to what others are saying. Protect each other if somebody is being attacked and stand in solidarity if they're being mistreated, because that's what is going to change things in this country. But make those decisions based on their pragmatic interests and their needs.



Thomas Kochan 20:37

Now, I think if most workers do that, they will come to the conclusion that yes, I may be reasonably satisfied or I have some concerns, but I do think if we work together and we work with our employer, we can improve operations to improve productivity, and we can improve our own situation and share in the gains of the profits or the performance that we generate. So I see it as a positive step. I don't want workers to have either a knee-jerk ideological reaction for or against unions but think hard, in terms of their situation. And then shape the union. That's the exciting thing that we're seeing right now. We're seeing so many young workers saying, look we want to join, we want to form a union, but we want to shape it. We want to lead it. We want it, want it to address the issues we are concerned about. And yes, we appreciate and need the support of existing trade unions, but we don't want to be controlled by them. And so we're seeing a realignment of how organizing is occurring that I think is very, very interesting and very healthy for the future of our labor-management relations.



Mohamed Younis 21:52

That's Thomas Kochan, professor at MIT's Sloan School of Management. Dr. Kochan, it was great to have you on. Thanks for making the time.



Thomas Kochan 22:01

Well, now, thank you Mohamed.



Mohamed Younis 22:03

That's our show. Thank you for tuning in. To subscribe and stay up to date with our latest conversations, just search for "The Gallup Podcast" wherever you podcast. And for more key findings from Gallup News, go to news.gallup.com or follow us on Twitter @Gallupnews. If you have suggestions for the show, email podcast@gallup.com. The Gallup Podcast is directed by Curtis Grubb and produced by Justin McCarthy. I'm Mohamed Younis, and this is Gallup: reporting on the will of the people since the 1930s.